These two pieces of news came like a bolt from the blue, causing utter chaos and confusion.
The first reaction of people in the martial arts world was that Dongfang Bubai had gone mad.
However, the major sects in the martial arts world do not think so.
What exactly is Dongfang Bubai trying to do?
This question arose in everyone's mind.
Shaolin, Wudang, the Five Mountains Sword Sects, and even the current emperor.
The Sun Moon Sect's massive mobilization not only put everyone in the martial arts world on edge, but also drew the attention of the Ming Dynasty court.
They gathered tens of thousands of people, and everyone was skilled in martial arts.
What exactly are they trying to do?
Do you want to rebel?
The officials in the court couldn't help but have wild thoughts.
The Sun Moon Cult has a history of such offenses.
The previous dynasty ruled by a foreign tribe. In the final years of the previous dynasty, the government was corrupt, the people suffered, and the world was in chaos.
The founding emperor of this dynasty, Zhu Baba, was born a commoner. He was a hidden dragon in the abyss. With the help of the Ming Cult, a major martial arts sect, he fought in the south and north for thirteen years before finally gaining control of the country.
After the establishment of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu felt that the outlaws of the martial arts world were a scourge to the country and the nation, so he secretly instructed the Shaolin and Wudang sects, the leading martial arts schools, to join forces to eliminate the Ming Cult.
The Ming Cult was torn apart, with heavy casualties among its members. The survivors established a new sect called the Sun Moon Cult.
The Sun Moon Cult is actually a professionally organized rebellion passed down through generations!
Everyone was completely baffled!
In terms of martial arts skills, Dongfang Bubai is truly the best in the world.
In terms of influence, the name of Dongfang Bubai is enough to make the world take notice and stop a child from crying.
None of these people were driven mad, so why would Dongfang Bubai go insane?
Only ordinary江湖草莽 (jianghu cao, meaning rough and tumble people in the martial arts world) would believe that Dongfang Bubai had gone mad.
All the major factions unanimously believe that this move must be a conspiracy by the Sun Moon Cult!
As for the so-called worship of immortals and gods, it is nothing more than an excuse to deceive people in the martial arts world.
Therefore, Yue Buqun, the leader of the Huashan Sect, personally took action, leaving Ning Zhongze to oversee things at Huashan, while he went to Pingding County alone to gather information.
The mysterious death of his eldest disciple, Linghu Chong, aged him considerably overnight.
Early in the morning, Yue Buqun, with his white hair, disguised himself as a wealthy old man. After leaving the guest room, he paid his room fee, left the county town, and traveled more than forty miles northwest of the town.
The rocks here are as red as blood, and there is a long beach with a rapid current. Beyond this Gorilla Beach lies the world-famous Blackwood Cliff.
Yue Buqun's martial arts skills were top-notch in the martial arts world. He used his lightness skill to leap over the gorilla beach, found a secluded place to hide, and gazed in the direction of Blackwood Cliff.
Not only him, but also the Shaolin, Wudang, and the other four sects of the Five Mountains Alliance, all the sects in the world sent out spies to the vicinity of Blackwood Cliff in an attempt to spy on the movements of the Sun Moon Sect.
Not only that, even the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Guards dispatched countless troops, scattered around Blackwood Cliff, their intentions self-evident.
...
At the top of Blackwood Cliff.
Time flies, and early winter has arrived.
Blackwood Cliff.
Flowers wither and grass turns yellow, branches fall and leaves wither, the cold wind howls, snowflakes fill the sky, and the world is a pale white.
Today, the Sun Moon Cult's headquarters was unusually noisy. Despite the cold weather, tens of thousands of followers from various branch leaders to ordinary members, as well as from all the halls of the headquarters, gathered together.
This scene is truly a rare spectacle in the martial arts world.
At the top of Blackwood Cliff stands a towering altar, ten zhang tall, made of bluestone and engraved with mysterious patterns, shaped like a triangular tower.
This altar was mysterious and majestic, emanating strange fluctuations and appearing incredibly mystical.
At the foot of the altar, Dongfang Bubai, dressed in a bright red robe, stood with his hands behind his back, his imposing presence so overwhelming that no one dared to look directly at him.
Beside her stood Feng Qingyang, dressed in a white robe. He was thin and frail, with white eyebrows and hair, and a baby-like face, truly a white-haired yet youthful-looking man.
Below the two, a group of high-ranking figures of the cult stood bowing.
The group was led by ten elders: Bao Dachu, Qin Weibang, Wang Cheng, Sang Sanniang, Elder Wen, Elder Qiu, Elder Ge, Elder Du, Elder Mo, and Qu Yang.
The four hall masters—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Wind and Thunder, and Vermilion Bird—were behind.
The leaders of each branch led their ordinary followers from Blackwood Cliff to Gorilla Beach.
Looking into the distance, it was a sea of people.
However, despite the large number of people, there was no disorder. Under the leadership of the leaders of each branch, they lined up in rows and columns, each one standing obediently like a wooden stake.
The winter sun shines down on you, making you feel lazy and sleepy, but no one dares to doze off.
As the sun reached its zenith, Dongfang Bubai took a deep breath.