CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 37: MOBILIZATION

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"Screech."

Above the clouds of Qing Province, a splendid red-crowned crane let out a clear cry.

"Hey... Bai Yu, you’re being so noisy," complained the small Daoist nun riding on the crane’s back.

This young Daoist nun, with her bright eyes and white teeth, exuded liveliness. Dressed in a jade-colored Daoist robe, she didn’t look aloof from worldly attachments. Instead, her attire made her look even more charming and approachable.

"Sister Qingling seems to be taking out her boredom on Bai Yu. When we set off, you were the one who said that Bai Yu’s call was clear and distinct," another young Daoist seated beside her said with a smile. It appeared that Bai Yu was the name of this large and mystical red-crowned crane.

Qingling turned her head and glared at him, articulating each word deliberately, "You, are, also, very, annoying."

The middle-aged Daoist sitting in front of them heard their conversation and chuckled lightly, "Qingling is lively by nature. Asking her to sit still for a few hours is indeed difficult for her. Qingzhou, let your junior sister pass. Yang City is quite far from the Zhenwu Sect, especially since it’s on the frontier. Fortunately, we have Bai Yu, otherwise traveling on land who knows how long it would take us. We should be there soon; we’ll let Bai Yu rest tonight, and we should reach Yang City tomorrow. Qingling, you should be thankful to Bai Yu, and remember, you were the one who insisted on coming with us."

"I know, Uncle Master Xuanfeng," Qingling responded sulkily. Then, glancing over at Qingzhou, she added, "With something as important as the Zhenwu Sword at stake, I don’t know why Master Qingxu would send you, a little tagalong."

Hearing this, Qingzhou could only respond with a wry smile, "Whether it’s true or not is still uncertain. The Sect has been watching Qing Yu for three years, and reports suggest he doesn’t even know martial arts. If Master Xuan had truly handed the Zhenwu Sword to him, wouldn’t he teach him martial arts?

The rumors in worldly society are likely exaggerated. If it weren’t for the fact that the two disciples monitoring Qing Yu had missed their scheduled contact and hadn’t sent a message eagle, the Sect might not have bothered to check on it. After all, in the past few years, there have been false leads about the Zhenwu Sword every now and then. Master Qingxu feels his power nearing a breakthrough recently and doesn’t have the time to verify these rumors."

Qingzhou thought to himself: Would I ever say that Master Qingxu is a bit too proud? Right after he dismissed Qing Yu as a worthless cur not worth our attention, rumors that Qing Yu possessed the Zhenwu Sword began to wildly spread throughout worldly society.

Qingling pouted, an act that seemed ungraceful yet only appeared endearing on her face. At least, Qingzhou was somewhat mesmerized by it. She asked Xuanfeng, whose back was to them, "Uncle Master, I heard that this time, we’re going to capture Qing Yu and bring him back to the Sect to be closely confined, is that right?"

"Not to capture and confine him. After verifying the truth about the Zhenwu Sword rumors, we’ll bring him back to the Sect, formally accept him, and teach him martial skills. After all, he is Master Xuan’s only remaining disciple," Xuan Guang shook his head as he spoke.

"Ah," Qingling exclaimed in surprise, opening her mouth wide, "Hasn’t the Sect always rumored that the Sect Leader dislikes Qing Yu? Otherwise, why would he be thrown into Qing Province to fend for himself?"

"Stop with the nonsense. The Sect Leader is generous. Even though Master Xuan made a grave mistake, his name was not expelled from the Sect. How could he possibly be implicated? From now on, stop spreading such talk."

His tone was unusually strict, a rarity for Xuanfeng, who was typically gentle with the Sect’s disciples. Qingling heard Uncle Master Xuanfeng’s severe tone for the first time and hesitantly agreed, no longer speaking. As for what she truly thought, that remained unknown.

Though they seemed to fall silent on the surface, each of them was lost in a multitude of thoughts, including Xuanfeng.

’If we had trusted Master Xuan more back then, perhaps he wouldn’t have taken such a desperate risk.’ Xuanfeng couldn’t help but reminisce about the situation before the True Martial upheaval.

Xuan Guang revealed his identity, slinging a great deal of mud at Xuan, which made Xuan, who had been slightly gaining the upper hand, suddenly fall into an abyss. Xuanfeng had supported Xuan at that time as well.

However, their endorsement of Xuan did not mean they would turn a blind eye to his collusion with Shadow Pavilion. So, they were also doubtful and unconsciously relaxed their support for him.

Later, the Sect internally decided that Xuan Chen would succeed as the Sect Leader, and Xuan, not willing to accept defeat, gathered his disciples and rebelled.

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Most chose to follow, but there were a few who, seeing Xuanfa take a risky move, were even more convinced that he had colluded with the Shadow Pavilion and turned against them at the crucial moment.

Afterwards, Xuan Guang’s revelation was made public, and Xuanfa’s rebellion was a fact, with no concrete evidence to prove that Xuan Guang had lied before. This matter, thus, became a bad debt.

’But, if you are innocent, why then summon your brothers to rebel, Senior Brother Xuanfa?’ Xuanfeng could never figure this out, and could only conclude that Xuanfa cared too much for the position of Sect Leader.

’And there’s Xuan Guang...’ Regarding Xuan Guang, Xuanfa’s former subordinates felt intense hatred. It was they who had pressured Xuan Guang until he could no longer stay in the Zhenwu Sect and had to leave. Otherwise, had there been no evidence that Xuan Guang caused harm and if he had thick skin, ignoring the idle gossip and shamelessly staying within the Zhenwu Sect, that too would have been a possibility.

"Lie..." The red-crowned crane Bai Yu let out a clear cry, carrying the three individuals, each harboring their own thoughts, flying off into the distance.

"Li Xin, are you ready?" Qing Yu asked, fixing his gaze on Li Xin.

Li Xin responded, "The members of the Iron Saber Association have assembled and can move out at any time."

Qing Yu nodded and said, "Good. Now, set out, attack the Qingshan Gang. I want to cause chaos throughout Yang City before those people arrive."

"Yes." Li Xin bowed in response and turned to leave the room.

Stepping out of the room, crossing the courtyard, turning several corners, Li Xin took a deep breath, stepped out, and walked towards the hall for receiving guests.

At the foot of the stone steps before the hall stood two hundred members of the Iron Saber Association, looking up at their Gang Leader.

"Brothers, I’ll not stand on ceremony. The people of the Qingshan Gang poisoned our Deputy Gang Leader and two elders. They are trying to humiliate us, to shit and piss on our heads. I, Li Xin, cannot bear this insult, and I believe you won’t either.

Today, we strike the Qingshan Gang. The Zhang Family will be handled by me, Li Xin. For the Qingshan Gang, the Third Elder will lead you in the assault. For every ordinary gang member who takes down the Qingshan Gang, ten taels of silver; the one who captures the Gang Leader, fifty taels. As for the Gang Leader, one hundred taels."

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Elders stepped forward from behind Li Xin.

Merely speaking wouldn’t incite the Iron Saber Association’s members to share a common hatred; Li Dian and his two companions did not have such influence. In the end, it was the allure of profit that stirred people’s hearts.

One tael of silver could be enough for an ordinary person’s living expenses for a year; ten taels would be a decade’s worth, more than enough to buy a life. The one hundred taels of reward silver for taking down the Gang Leader was a fortune they would never earn in a lifetime.

"Kill."

"Storm the Qingshan Gang, avenge the Deputy Gang Leader..."

"Ha ha, the hundred taels are mine..."

The Iron Saber Association members present were nearly crazed, ready to kill for the reward silver. They would dare storm even the City Lord Mansion, let alone the Qingshan Gang, especially since Li Xin had blocked the Zhang Family. Li Xin’s previous capture of Li Pingsheng had given them control over the Li Family, bolstering their confidence profoundly.

"Move out, target the Qingshan Gang."