Moreover, the seven brothers have two masters, Zhang Sanfeng and Xiao Ning, whose martial arts skills are unparalleled throughout history, backing them up.
However, both of them thought to themselves that their master was already a hundred years old. Although they were facing a major crisis, the brothers should handle it themselves and absolutely not let their master take action or worry him.
As for Uncle Xiao Ning, since the two sides have only known each other for a short time, it is best not to ask him for help if possible.
While Zhang Songxi offered these words of comfort to his junior brother, he knew deep down that today's matter was extremely thorny, and protecting the sect's reputation would be no easy task.
On the other side of the main hall, Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, Yin Liting, and Mo Shenggu chatted politely with the guests.
The four of them had already realized that these guests were aggressive and not benevolent people, and they were all thinking to themselves.
Just then, another young Taoist boy came in and reported: "Reporting to the sect leader, Master Jingxuan, a disciple of the Emei sect, along with five junior brothers and sisters, has come to pay their respects to our grandmaster on his birthday."
Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, and Mo Shenggu all smiled as they looked at Yin Liting. Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan, hearing the commotion, walked over from the other side. Upon hearing of the arrival of the Emei disciples, they also smiled at Yin Liting.
In an instant, Yin Liting blushed deeply, feeling very embarrassed.
It was Zhang Cuishan who came to his rescue, pulling his arm and saying with a smile, "Come, come, let's go greet our distinguished guest."
A short while later, Zhang Cuishan and Yin Liting led a group of people in. The nun Jingxuan looked to be in her forties, tall and imposing. Although she was a woman, she was half a head taller than an ordinary man.
Among the five junior disciples behind her, one was a thin man in his thirties, two were dressed as nuns, and the other two were young women in their twenties with hair. One of them smiled with pursed lips, while the other, a fair-skinned, tall woman, was fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
The last woman was Ji Xiaofu, the betrothed wife of Yin Liting and a member of the Ji family.
After exchanging greetings, the members of the Emei Sect sat down.
Zhang Songxi had been secretly calculating the situation between himself and the enemy. The arrival of the six disciples of the Emei Sect made him feel a little relieved. He thought to himself, "Miss Ji is my sixth brother's betrothed. If we have to make a move later, the Emei Sect might lend us a hand."
Guests arrived in droves, and before they knew it, it was noon.
There were no preparations made in Zixiao Palace, so there was no way to hold a banquet. All that could be done was to serve each person a large bowl of white rice, along with some vegetables and tofu.
The Seven Heroes of Wudang repeatedly apologized to the guests, saying that they had not been hospitable enough.
The guests said things like "You're welcome!" and "We were being impetuous!" but while eating, they kept looking towards the door, as if they were waiting for someone.
The crowd noticed that most of the sect leaders and gang leaders had strange expressions, and many of their disciples had bulging waists, indicating that they were secretly carrying weapons. Only the disciples of the Emei, Kunlun, and Kongtong sects were all empty-handed.
Song Yuanqiao and the others were all indignant: "They said they came to wish their master a happy birthday, so why did they secretly carry weapons?"
Looking at the birthday gifts given by each person, most of them were birthday cakes and noodles purchased hastily from the town at the foot of the mountain. They were all hastily prepared, which not only disgraced Zhang Sanfeng, the legend of the martial arts world, but also did not conform to the style of the sect leaders and gang leaders.
Only the gifts sent by Emei were truly grand. In addition to sixteen kinds of precious jade artifacts, there was also a bright red brocade Taoist robe embroidered with one hundred different "longevity" characters in gold thread. One glance at it would tell that the effort put into it was by no means easy.
As expected, Abbess Jingxuan said to Zhang Sanfeng, "Reporting to Master Zhang, this burial robe was embroidered by ten female disciples of my Emei Sect."
Zhang Sanfeng was delighted to hear this and said with a smile, "The martial arts skills of the Emei heroines are known throughout the world! I never expected that they would embroider this burial robe for this old Taoist priest today. It is truly a priceless treasure."
Before long, the guests in the hall finished their lunch, and immediately a group of Taoist priests came forward to clear away the dishes.
Zhang Songxi stepped forward and said loudly, "Esteemed seniors and friends, today is my master's 100th birthday. We are deeply honored by your presence. However, please forgive us for any shortcomings in our hospitality."
"My senior brother originally intended to invite everyone to the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang for a drink together. If I have been disrespectful today, I will repay you then."
“My junior brother Zhang Cuishan has been away from the mountain for more than ten years and has only recently returned. I have not yet had the chance to tell our master in detail about his experiences over the past ten years.”
"Besides, today is my master's joyous day. It would be inauspicious to discuss the grudges and killings in the martial arts world."
"Since you have come all to Wudang Mountain, how about I accompany you to enjoy the scenery up the mountain?"
His words were polite and measured, preemptively silencing what others might have said. He had made it clear beforehand that today was an auspicious birthday celebration, and anyone who brought up Xie Xun and the Longmen Escort Agency would be seen as deliberately making an enemy of the Wudang Sect.
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Chapter 18 Shaolin People Arrive
A group of martial arts heroes secretly agreed to go up the mountain together, except for the Emei Sect. They were originally prepared to fight to force Xie Xun, the Golden-Haired Lion King, to reveal his whereabouts.
However, the Wudang Sect was so prestigious that no one dared to make an enemy of them alone.
If hundreds of people swarm in, they will have no scruples and will do whatever they want.
But if someone were to step forward and take the lead, no one would want to be the one to suffer the consequences.
Therefore, upon hearing Zhang Songxi's words, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and the scene became tense.
After a while, the hothead of the Kunlun Sect, Daoist Xihua, stood up and shouted, "Fourth Hero Zhang, you don't need to try to provoke us. We are honest people who don't do things in secret. Let's speak frankly! We came up the mountain to celebrate Master Zhang's birthday and to inquire about the whereabouts of that villain Xie Xun."
“That’s right, tell me the whereabouts of that villain Xie Xun.”
"Yes, does the dignified Wudang Sect have to hide filth and corruption?"
"Could it be that the Wudang Sect wants to keep the Dragon-Slaying Saber for themselves?"
"Yeah yeah."
With someone taking the lead, the morale of the crowd soared, and everyone clamored for Wudang to hand over the whereabouts of the villain Xie Xun.
Mo Shenggu had been holding back his anger for a long time. Now, hearing what everyone was saying, he could no longer contain himself and said with a cold laugh, "Well, so you were prepared all along. No wonder, no wonder!"
west Hua Zi opened his eyes wide and asked, "What's so strange?"
Mo Shenggu sneered, "Hmph, I heard that you all came to Wudang Mountain to celebrate my master's birthday, but I saw that you were all carrying hidden weapons. I was quite puzzled. Did you bring precious swords and sabers as birthday gifts for my master? Now I realize that this is the kind of birthday gift you are giving."
west Hua Zi's face turned bright red. He patted his chest, casually untied his Taoist robe, and shouted, "Seventh Hero Mo, look carefully! Did I bring any weapons? Don't make baseless accusations at such a young age! Who among us is hiding weapons?"
Mo Shenggu sneered, "Very well, as expected, there isn't any."
He extended two fingers and gently tugged at the belts of the two people beside him.