Listening to this monkey-like conversation, some people were indignant, some begged for mercy, and some cursed. All sorts of reactions from all walks of life were on full display.
"The current situation is indeed beyond my expectations."
A familiar voice came from afar, and a woman dressed in a black robe with red patterns arrived late. The newly applied vermilion dot between her eyebrows resembled blood, concealing her usual feigned coquettishness, and her eyes were filled with cold indifference.
"Miss Ayan?!"
Ye Feng exclaimed in surprise. Even though he was surrounded by beautiful women, this man still couldn't forget the woman who had initially amazed him.
"Your subordinate greets the Master!"
The demonic cult members, who had been casually joking around, suddenly fell silent, knelt down in panic, and showered each other with praise.
"Master's calculations are divine; the major sects of the martial arts world are now powerless to resist!"
"Congratulations to the leader on unifying the martial arts world!"
Once her identity was revealed, everyone who had seen the gentle and harmless "Miss Ayan" before, except for Lingyan, was dumbfounded.
Who would have thought that the person they were spending every day with was actually the leader of a demonic sect?
Those present couldn't help but turn their suspicious gazes toward Ling Yan. After all, the romantic affair between the Tianji Pavilion Master and this "Miss Ayan" back at Tianwu Gate had been widely circulated, and most people would be naturally curious.
The two were so close that if the Pavilion Master had fallen at the hands of a beauty, then the cause of today's disaster would be understandable.
"Whether the martial world is unified or not, I don't care. I'm here today only to settle an old matter with you all, and I also ask those who were not involved to be my witnesses."
As he slowly walked to the center of the field, Gu Zhong spoke in a calm and unhurried manner.
"Does anyone still remember the Gu Family Sword Manor case from twenty years ago?"
No one present could honestly say they didn't remember, after all, during this time, the martial arts world was still searching everywhere for the traces of the Gu family's successor and the treasure map of the previous dynasty.
"Now, it is time for me, the last surviving member of the Gu family, to demand an explanation from you."
Scanning the guilty or evasive gazes, Gu Zhong recounted the past events in detail with a blank expression, recounted the hardships of twenty years of investigation, and identified the greedy and treacherous ambitious individuals one by one.
Those gathered here today include not only those who pursue fame and fortune, but also many truly passionate and righteous individuals, all of whom are shocked upon hearing this extraordinary and unbelievable story.
"This demonic cultist dares to impersonate the orphan of the Gu family and spout nonsense! Please do not believe her or be misled. She is merely trying to divide us! After all, if the experts in our sect were to receive this message and unite to rescue us, how could this rabble of the demonic cult possibly withstand us?"
Of course, some of those involved vehemently deny the allegations and instead resort to sophistry to shift the blame.
"Really? Then would you like this?"
Gu Zhong took out the newly sewn treasure map and waved it in front of him. The man's eyes widened instantly, and he hurriedly turned his head away, unwilling to look any longer, as if he was afraid that if he looked any longer, his eyes would reveal an uncontrollable greed.
"I can vouch for it! What Miss Gu said is true."
The Sword Saint, still dressed in tattered clothes, leaped down from a tree not far away. He was clearly a righteous and highly respected figure, yet this time he stood on the side of the Demonic Sect, which made people's hearts turn even more to the side.
It's just unknown how much effort Gu Zhong put in to finally convince him.
"Sword Saint Senior, don't... don't be fooled by the demoness."
The person who said this had already lost much of their momentum.
"With Mo Wuwen's notes and the Cui family's records as proof, you are nothing but a bunch of petty people who only care about profit! You are truly unworthy of the title of a prestigious and righteous sect. Even if the Cui family is also at fault, the revenge for our old friend cannot go unavenged."
The Sword Saint seemed unmoved and had no intention of saving them from their predicament.
"The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is guilty of this matter."
Lingyan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
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Author's Note:
This world will probably be finished tomorrow.
Chapter 71 The Leader of the Righteous Alliance and the Leader of the Demonic Cult (Twenty-Four)
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"Your words are not to be taken seriously. Who knows what entanglement you have with this Demonic Sect Leader? Did you betray us for this woman?"
Some people, however, remained relentless, as if labeling the Tianji Pavilion Master as a member of a demonic cult could cover up the crimes they committed back then.
"You all must still remember the unfortunate murder of an elder of the Lingbo Sect at the Tianwu Sect."
Lingyan ignored his words and instead changed the subject.
"Some time ago, Sect Master Xia specifically sought me out to say that the real culprit is that descendant of the Gu family, and he hopes that the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion can offer some assistance. Has anyone heard of this matter?"
No one can deny that they did know, after all, it was Ling Yan who deliberately spread the news.
"Sect Leader Xia wanted an explanation, and I'll give it to you now. It is true that I fought against your sect's elder together with Miss Gu, but the reason was that he wanted to kill me to silence me. However, I was unfortunately poisoned by a strange poison during the battle. Otherwise, why would I need to ask Sect Leader Xia for an antidote?"
As she spoke, Lingyan rolled up her sleeves, revealing her right arm, which was already riddled with wounds.
"Furthermore, if Sect Leader Xia wasn't after that treasure map, why would he ask me for the former Pavilion Master's notes?"
Xia Xiange never expected that Ling Yan would use the competition and the Tianwu Gate case to prove Gu Zhong's identity. Despite her various attempts to deny it, she could not deny that there must be some entanglement between her and the Gu family's successor. As for whether the Gu family's successor was the leader of the Demonic Sect, that was up to Ling Yan to decide.
At the same time, Xia Xiange could not deny his covetousness for the treasures of the previous dynasty.
Who would have thought that the rumors used to legitimately incite people to investigate the remaining orphans of the Gu family would one day backfire on him?
"Now the descendant of the Gu family is standing before you, holding the treasure map of the previous dynasty, yet you refuse to recognize it. What is the reason for this?"
In their shock and anger, no one could come up with a rebuttal, and the matter was thus closed and concluded.
The once high-spirited sect leaders turned ashen-faced, and some, overwhelmed with shame and indignation, believing there was no hope of escape, committed suicide in public, causing another uproar.
"Since things have come to this, why say more? We are now nothing but fish on a chopping board, just waiting to be slaughtered."
Watching others struggle in despair, Xia Xiange remained calm, as if she already knew that there was no turning back now. Whether someone was guilty or innocent was not a matter of one-sided opinions, but rather a matter of careful consideration and decision-making.
"Indeed. The sects you've all painstakingly built up should have vanished by now..."
Seemingly dissatisfied with the performance, Gu Zhong casually uttered another sentence, plunging the already dejected crowd into utter despair.
"Witch! You!"
"How could it come to this! How could it come to this!"
Besides reputation, what people in the martial arts world value most is inheritance.
Now, not only have their secret manuals been stolen and their reputations ruined, but their sects may even cease to exist. For these people, it's as if decades of their lives have been nothing but an illusion. Even if they manage to survive, who knows if it won't be a fate worse than death?
Gu Zhong's methods of revenge were undeniably ruthless. However, how could the hundreds of lives lost and the countless drops of blood from the Gu Clan's Sword Manor be brought back to life?
As for this treasure map...
With a wave of the cloth that had driven millions into a frenzy, Gu Zhong leisurely took the tinder handed to him by his subordinate and set it ablaze in full view of everyone.
"It's nothing but a source of trouble; what's the point of keeping it around?"
It seems that what she burned was not the enormous wealth enough to rebuild the empire, but simply a tattered piece of cloth.
Watching the object he had been searching for for so many years turn to ashes before his eyes, Xia Xiange closed his eyes and sighed helplessly.
"Miss Gu, you are truly generous."
A sudden sense of crisis surged through her mind. Ling Yan didn't have time to think further and dragged her heavily injured body between Gu Zhong and Xia Xiange.
The next second, Xia Xiange somehow managed to suppress the effects of the drug and charged straight at Gu Zhong's face.
However, instead of making a single move, she directly initiated the method of self-destruction, intending to perish together with her opponent.
Using her last bit of inner strength, Ling Yan pushed Gu Zhong away from behind, using her own body as a shield to catch Xia Xiange's desperate attempt.
In an instant, the whole world seemed to freeze. Gu Zhong watched helplessly as the man in black robes risked his life to protect her, only to fall to the ground amidst the swirling energy.
No one believes that someone who faces death by dismemberment can survive, because no one has ever survived.
All the unresolved knots in his heart, all the deep-seated hatred that was hard to erase, vanished from Gu Zhong's mind at this moment.
All she could see was the person lying on the ground and the blood flowing freely beneath him.
She recalled how, before her identity was revealed, the awkward Pavilion Master always worried about her in ways that were hard to understand; she remembered the tea they brewed together in the pavilion; she remembered the crises they had faced side by side; and she also remembered that night of unrestrained pleasure.
At this moment, nothing was more important than the person in front of him.
With unsteady steps, Gu Zhong walked forward expressionlessly.
Everyone who saw it sighed at its ruthlessness, but only Gu Zhong himself knew the immense sorrow he harbored in his heart.
She slowly bent down, hesitantly probing Lingyan's heart, as if wanting to preserve that faint hope in her heart for a little longer.
Unexpectedly, beneath that not-so-firm chest, there was still a faint heartbeat, and Gu Zhong was instantly overjoyed at having regained what he had lost.
She carefully lifted Lingyan from the cold ground and drifted away without uttering a word.
Lingyan awoke in the early spring of a small town in Jiangnan.
A delicate breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers drifted through the willow-lined alley, blew across the eaves and windowsills, and landed before the beauty's curtains, awakening the long-dormant woman.
"Miss, you're awake?"
Just then, the maid standing in front of the bed, wiping her cheeks, showed a delighted expression and hurriedly called out to the outside.
That night, Lingyan saw Gu Zhong. She had lost a lot of weight, but she also seemed much lighter, as if she had been relieved of a heavy burden. She looked much brighter.
"Sir," Lingyan heard everyone around her calling her that. Had she given up being the leader of the demonic sect and become a teacher instead?
Why do I feel like everything has changed after waking up?
In the stillness of the night, the two talked by candlelight, and Lingyan couldn't help but tease him.
"You've been asleep for five years."
Gu Zhong sighed softly, hugged the person in his arms tightly, and greedily inhaled the fragrance of her hair.
Upon hearing this, Lingyan was taken aback, turned her head to look at Gu Zhong carefully, and reached out to gently stroke her cheek.
On her still stunningly beautiful face, a few barely perceptible fine lines had appeared at some point, as if time had diligently left its mark.
Lovers reunited after a long separation embraced all night, expressing their longing and love over the years, and recounting the changes of the world.
Five years ago, the battle between the righteous and the demonic sects nearly wiped out the martial arts world, and Gu Zhong added fuel to the fire with many martial arts manuals. The demonic sect was merely used as a pawn; now that the great revenge was achieved, it was time to discard them after they were no longer needed. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion also went into seclusion due to the disappearance of its leader.
What are righteous and demonic paths, what are chivalrous heroes of the martial world? They have all been reduced to a mob. Overnight, it seems that there is no longer a martial arts world in this world, and all is well.