[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 7

In Chapter 10 of Liang Yusheng's *
The Jade Bow and the Clouds*,

Cao Jin'er, as the head of the sect, stepped forward and faced Jin Shiyi, saying, "You're causing trouble here, how come we're the ones being unreasonable
?" Jin Shiyi sneered, "As soon as I arrived, you all swarmed me. Is this you causing trouble, or am I
?" Cao Jin'er slammed her dragon-headed cane down and said coldly, "We sect members are gathered here to pay respects to our ancestor.
What ?" Jin Shiyi pointed to some guests on the hilltop and said, "Aren't they outsiders too?" Cao Jin'er said, "These are
our good friends. They had connections with our martial uncles, Master Gan and Master Lü. They're here to sweep the tombs too. Why are you
meddling ?" Jin Shiyi smiled and said, "I'm here to sweep the tombs too." Cao Jin'er asked, "Whose tomb are you sweeping?" Jin Shiyi replied:
"I've come to sweep the tomb of the venerable heroine Lü Siniang," Cao Jin'er said. "We fellow disciples don't know
anyone !"
Jin Shiyi laughed loudly, "Is that so?" He pointed his iron crutch at Yi Zhongmou and said loudly, "Chief Yi, do you still recognize
me?"
Yi Zhongmou stepped forward and said, "Sister Cao, this Brother Jin did us a great favor the other day." Cao Jin'er was very
displeased , but Yi Zhongmou was the only surviving disciple of the great hero Gan Fengchi of Jiangnan, and also the leader of the Jiangnan Beggars' Clan. He
held a very high position among his fellow disciples, so Cao Jin'er had to give him some face. After learning what had happened, she said to Jin Shiyi, "
Since that's for the sake of my junior brother Yi, we won't make things difficult for you anymore. You can go down the mountain." "Alright." Jin Shiyi said, "What? Are you
telling me to get lost?" Cao Jin'er said, "I wouldn't dare. I'm just politely inviting you down the mountain."
Jin Shiyi laughed, "Old woman, don't you know my temper! You invited me but I didn't come, and now that I'm here, you still won't let me
leave!" Cao Jin'er said, "Today is the anniversary of my grandmaster, the One-Armed Nun's, death. You've barged in without permission, and I'm already being very lenient by not punishing you for disrespect
. If you still don't know your place, do you really think no one can subdue you?" Jin Shiyi sneered, "What
kind of logic is this? I'm here to sweep your elder's grave, and I'm guilty? Fine, if you want to fight me, after today, I'll definitely be happy
to oblige. Today, I'm only doing this out of respect for your elder, Lü Siniang, who is dead." "I'll fight you at the grave." Taking a step forward, Cao
Jin'er brandished her dragon-headed cane and shouted, "Jin Shiyi, where do you think you're going?" Jin Shiyi, enraged, laughed loudly, "You
really won't let me visit the grave?" Yi Zhongmou hurriedly stepped forward to persuade him, "Brother Jin, today is for our disciples and close relatives to sweep the grave.
Please come another day!" Cao Jin'er coldly replied, "No, not even another day. Aunt Lü was a great heroine. Those who visit her grave
are all righteous and chivalrous people from reputable sects. I cannot allow someone with a tarnished reputation to defile her!" Li Yuan's son, Li Ying, also
said, "You're not related to her, so it's fine if you don't visit the grave." Jin Shiyi spat, "Even when Aunt Lü was alive, she didn't have
such arrogance!" Cao Jin'er feared he might spew poison. He leaped back, taking two steps forward. A clang rang
out as Cao Jin'er's dragon-headed cane came hurtling towards him. Jin Shiyi blocked her path, sneering, "Do you really want to force me to
fight you in front of Lü Siniang's grave?"
The canes clashed, another clang heard, and Cao Jin'er stumbled back three steps. Lu Yinghao,
Bai Yingjie , Li Ying, and their group rushed forward, swords, spears, and halberds arrayed before Jin Shiyi, blocking his path.
Tensions rose, and it seemed a fight was about to break out when a melodious voice called out, "Fellow disciples, hold your fire! Please
hear me out!" Jin Shiyi withdrew his cane, his heart pounding. He looked up and saw none other than Gu Zhihua.
She emerged slowly from behind a rock, her robes fluttering, her beauty dazzling. Many of the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan
whispered amongst themselves, "Who is this woman? Whose sect is she?" It turned out that eight or nine out of ten of her fellow disciples had never
seen her before. Jin Shiyi was both delighted and slightly annoyed, "Why did she only come out at this hour?"
Cao Jin'er opened her eyes wide and whispered, "Whose sect are you?" Gu Zhihua's expression was somewhat strange, but she still
calmly replied, "This disciple is a disciple of Lü Siniang. Greetings, Sect Leader Sister." Xie Yunzhen was also quite
puzzled when Cao Jin'er asked her this. It turned out that she had visited Mangshan and seen Gu Zhihua a year before Lü Siniang's death. Before this gathering of fellow disciples, she had already
told Cao Jin'er that Lü Siniang had such a close disciple, and Gu Zhihua had even entertained Cao Jin'er when she arrived.
Xie Yunzhen thought to herself, "Even if Sister Cao is forgetful, she shouldn't be like this; how could she have forgotten so quickly!"
At this time, the descendants of the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan had not yet all arrived, and the ceremony had not yet begun. There were too many fellow disciples, and although they were already
talking
, they had not yet formally introduced themselves in order. Therefore, apart from a limited number of people, such as Xie Yunzhen and Zhong Mou, the rest of the people had never seen Gu Zhihua before. Upon hearing Gu Zhihua introduce herself as Lü Siniang's close disciple, everyone was somewhat
surprised, but also gratified that Lü Siniang had taken on such a good disciple in her later years, and that her Xuan Nu Sword Technique finally had
a successor . Among the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, Lü Siniang is the youngest. Gu Zhihua is her disciple whom she took in later in life.
He is three times the age of Cao Jin'er. Many of her junior disciples are older than her. In addition, she is so beautiful that she attracts even more
attention.
After Gu Zhihua introduced himself, Cao Jin'er's expression remained stern. She looked at Gu Zhihua and slowly asked, "
What say?" Gu Zhihua replied, "Reporting to Senior Sister: When my master was alive, she mentioned a close friend who lived on Snake Island in the East Sea,
named Venerable Poison Dragon. As far as I know, this Venerable Poison Dragon is Jin Shiyi's master." Xie Yunzhen said, "That's right. I've also heard
Tang Xiaolan, the head of the Tianshan Sect, mention this." Gu Zhihua continued, "Jin Shiyi's master and my master have
a deep . His coming to pay respects at the grave today seems to allow him to be included among our relatives and friends." Considering the circumstances,
the descendants of the deceased cannot refuse relatives and friends who come to pay their respects. Even if he is a bad person, we can only temporarily set that aside and let him kowtow first. Cao
Jin'er had no choice but to say, "In that case, please ask Mr. Jin to step aside for now. After we have finished paying our respects, you can do your
part. " Since Cao
Jin'er treated him with such courtesy, Jin Shiyi naturally couldn't overstep his bounds and had to step aside. Looking up, he saw Gu Zhihua also
staring at him. Jin Shiyi blushed, regretting his decision to come up the mountain disguised as such. At the same time, his anger
melted away under Gu Zhihua's gentle gaze.
Seeing the tension had subsided, Cao Jin'er said, "Cheng Hao, give me the list." Cheng Hao was Zhou Xun's eldest
disciple , and was responsible for registering the names of his fellow disciples who were going up the mountain to sweep the tombs. Hearing his senior sister call him, he handed over the list and reported, "This time..."
Sixty-four fellow disciples of all ages have arrived so far. Six are unable to come due to other commitments, and three others who said they would come
have not yet arrived. Cao Jin'er said, "There's no need to wait for them any longer. This is our largest gathering in ten years. Our senior sisters
and uncles, even in the afterlife, must be very pleased." Following the order of the list, Cao
Jin'er read out the names of her fellow disciples from the three generations, arranging them according to seniority.
Jin Shiyi listened intently, but after she read about thirty or forty names, she still hadn't reached Gu Zhihua's name,
which greatly puzzled him. Gu Zhihua, though young, was Lü Siniang's direct disciple. With the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan all deceased, her seniority,
like Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongmou, made her the oldest among her fellow disciples. Cao Jin'er had already read the names of the second generation disciples,
yet she was still absent; this was highly unusual.
Not only Jin Shiyi was puzzled, but all the other disciples also found it strange. After a while, Cao Jin'er read out the names of her two grandsons,
the two youngest of the third generation. After finishing, Cao Jin'er rolled up the list and said, "Arrange yourselves in order
, and we will pay our respects at our master's tomb later." At this moment, only Gu Zhihua stood alone to one side .
The fellow disciples whispered among themselves, and Cheng Hao was extremely surprised and suspicious. He whispered, "I
clearly saw her name on the list. Could it be that
Senior Sister missed it? But even if she missed it for a moment, now that she's the only one left standing here, she should have noticed. Why didn't Senior Sister call her?" Yi Zhongmu couldn't hold back any longer. He was ranked
second , next to Cao Jin'er, and whispered in her ear, "Senior Sister, did you forget someone?"
Cao Jin'er opened her eyes and beckoned to Gu Zhihua, saying, "Come here." Gu Zhihua didn't understand why she had been forgotten and
was very embarrassed. She walked over and said, "Senior Sister, what are your orders?" Cao Jin'er said, "Leave your precious sword and hand over my Aunt Lü's
sword manual!" Gu Zhihua was shocked and said, "Senior Sister, what do you mean by this?" Cao Jin'er said, "The He Sword and
the sword manual belong to our sect. How can you take them away!" Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. Cao Jin'er's words clearly indicated that she didn't consider
Gu Zhihua a disciple of her sect, and therefore demanded that she return the precious sword and sword manual. Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "Lu Siniang
is the most skilled among the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan. Could this old woman be coveting Lu Siniang's Xuan Nu Sword Technique and want to take it for herself?" The other disciples all knew that
although Cao Jin'er was strict, she was very upright and would never steal a fellow disciple's sword manual. Therefore, they felt even more confused.
Gu Zhihua was stunned for a moment, then composed herself and asked loudly, "May I ask, Senior Sister Headmaster, what mistake have I made that you
want to expel me from the sect?"
Cao Jin'er sneered, "If you have made a mistake, would I merely expel you from the sect?" "Expulsion from the sect is an extremely severe
punishment, second only to execution in the martial arts world." Gu Zhihua could no longer bear it and said loudly, "Esteemed
martial arts seniors are here. Is there any rule that someone can be expelled from the sect even without committing any wrongdoing?" Cao Jin'er said, "This is
a matter for my sect. Do you want someone to intervene?" Several martial arts seniors who originally intended to speak up for justice
had no choice but to hold back after hearing Cao Jin'er's words.
Gu Zhihua then said loudly, "Then please judge, fellow disciples, is it permissible for a sect leader to arbitrarily
expel a fellow disciple based solely on their personal likes and dislikes?" The fellow disciples looked at each other, all feeling that Cao Jin'er's actions were too unreasonable. Yi Zhongmou said
in a low voice , "Senior Sister, please reconsider. The established rules in the martial arts world are that only those who have committed heinous crimes, unforgivable
sins, or betrayed their master and joined the enemy can be expelled from the sect. " " Our Mangshan sect, since its founding by our patriarch, has only ever had one person
expelled the sect: Liaoyin. His crimes were known throughout the land, and his expulsion was carried out by a collective decision among the disciples." Cao Jin'er
sneered, "Zhongmu, do you think I don't know these rules?" Suddenly raising her voice, she turned to Gu Zhihua and said, "Do you really
want me to tell you? For your sake, it's best not to say anything!"
Gu Zhihua loudly proclaimed, "What wrong have I done? Please tell me, Senior Sister. If I truly deserve this punishment, I will die without
regret!"
Cao Jin'er said, "Fine, since you force me to speak, I have no choice but to tell you. First, let me ask you, what is your surname?" Gu Zhihua
replied, "This disciple's surname is Gu, and my given name is Zhihua. Didn't I already tell you, Senior Sister?" Cao Jin'er asked, "Who is your father?"
Gu Zhihua answered, "Gu Zhengpeng of Xiangyang." "Gu Zhengpeng is a renowned hero of the two lakes region, known to everyone present. They thought to themselves
, 'Even if this young girl has truly committed some wrongdoing, she should be treated leniently for her father's sake.'
Cao Jin'er's expression hardened, her sharp eyes fixed on Gu Zhihua as she pressed, 'I'm asking about your biological father.
Is Gu Zhengpeng your biological father?' Gu Zhihua replied, 'Although he is my adoptive father, I have been raised by him since childhood, so he is like my biological father
.' Cao Jin'er said, 'Then, you weren't originally surnamed Gu? What was your original surname?' Gu Zhihua said, 'I asked my adoptive
father, and he said my surname is Meng.' Cao Jin'er suddenly raised her voice again, 'Then who is your biological father?' Gu
Zhihua's eyes reddened, and she said with tears in her eyes, 'When I was adopted by my adoptive father, I was still an infant. To this day, I still don't
know who my biological father is. '" "
Cao Jin'er sneered, "Hmm, you are indeed a filial daughter by nature. Your godfather passed away two years ago.
Didn't he ?" Gu Zhihua was extremely distressed and choked up, saying, "My godfather didn't know either. If he had told me, would
n't I have gone to find my biological father?"
Cao Jin'er said calmly, "Then let me tell you, your biological father lives at the foot of Taihang Mountain, only three days' journey from here.
I don't know his real name, but in the martial arts world, he's called Meng Shentong!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd was in an uproar. Everyone present knew that Meng Shentong was a ruthless and
cunning had been unknown for twenty years. Who would have thought that he was living at the foot of Taihang Mountain? Even more unexpected was that this Gu Zhihua was actually his biological
daughter!
Jin Shiyi had experienced countless terrible things in his life, but only this time had he been stunned into silence. "She, she's
Meng Shentong 's daughter? She's Meng Shentong's daughter! No, no! I can't believe this!" Gu Zhihua stood
before , her bearing so noble and dignified, and he knew her heart to be so kind and generous. How could such a person be Meng Shentong's
daughter? Not only Jin Shiyi thought so, but everyone present thought so too. Where was even a trace of "evil" in Gu Zhihua's demeanor
? Actually, this was not surprising. Gu Zhihua had been raised by the great hero Gu Zhengpeng of the Two Lakes region, and had undergone nearly
ten years . How could she possibly possess even a trace of evil?
Gu Zhihua's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and she murmured, "I am Meng Shentong's daughter? I am
Meng Shentong 's daughter? Senior Sister, are you... are you telling the truth?"
Cao Jin'er faced the guests behind the cemetery and waved, saying, "Brother Liu, please come over." A
gray-clad looking dejected, slowly walked out. Gu Zhihua saw him and said, "Liu Xingsen, Brother Liu, is that you?" Liu Xingsen was
Gu Zhengpeng's disciple. Gu Zhengpeng only accepted this one disciple in his life. Gu Zhengpeng had no children, so he treated Gu Zhihua
as his daughter. Nominally, they were master and disciple, but in reality, they were like father and son. When Gu Zhihua was eight years old, it was Liu Xingsen who sent her to Mangshan
. Liu Xingsen lowered his head and said, "Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to speak!"
Cao Jin'er then asked Yi Zhongmou, "Junior Brother Yi, Senior Brother Zhou Ji was murdered on the Shandong Road twenty years ago. Has the enemy been found
?" Yi Zhongmou was in a state of utter confusion. When asked by his senior sister, he paused for a moment, then replied, "We found out. It was Meng Shentong.
We had a great fight with him just a few days ago. I am ashamed of my incompetence, and he escaped." But he couldn't bring himself to hate Meng Shentong's daughter
.
Cao Jin'er asked, "After Senior Brother Zhou was murdered, you invited many martial arts friends to search for the murderer, is that true?"
Yi Zhongmou replied, "Yes, I also informed Senior Sister afterward. However, Senior Sister was far away in Henan at the time, so I couldn't ask her to come and
oversee the search." Cao Jin'er said, "You did the right thing. I'm not blaming you for this. I'm just asking you, do you still recognize
this Brother Liu?" Yi Zhongmou replied, "Yes, he is Brother Liu Xingsen. He came with Senior Gu at the time."
Cao Jin'er asked, "Brother Liu, please tell me about what happened during the search for the murderer?" Liu Xingsen
glanced at Gu Zhihua and said, "At that time, heroes from all walks of life searched for the murderer separately. My master and I followed them to
a desolate area near Qingyun River, where we suddenly found a seriously injured woman holding a one-year-old baby, lying in the wilderness, on the verge of death
!"
Hearing this, everyone felt a heaviness in their hearts. Liu Xingsen sighed and continued, "My master took
pity on the mother and daughter and rescued them, bringing them home. The woman was severely injured and died a few days later. Before she died, my
master asked her about her background and how she was injured. The woman only said that she had been attacked by an enemy, but she wouldn't
say . Only before she died did she point to the child and say the character 'Meng,' meaning that
the child's surname was Meng. After saying this, she breathed her last. My master became suspicious and checked her clothes. He found Meng Shentong
's unique hidden weapon, a cold dart, and realized that the woman was Meng Shentong's wife. My master investigated further and soon found out that
Meng Shentong's wife..." The cause of death was that Meng Shentong and his wife encountered enemies on their journey. Meng Shentong killed several men and fought his way out, but his wife was
seriously injured and separated from him. However, the men who were chasing her were also injured by her cold darts and dared not pursue her any longer. It is estimated that
after she repelled the enemy, she was exhausted and lay dying in the wilderness. So
the enemies were actually a group of knights who were hunting down Meng Shentong!
Liu Xingsen paused for a moment, his gaze slowly shifting from Gu Zhihua, and continued, "After my master learned that she was
Meng Shentong 's daughter, he was in a dilemma. This baby was lively and lovely, and he wanted to keep her, but how could he bear to part with her? My master sighed
and said, 'The parents are guilty, but the baby is innocent.' And so he adopted her. Meng Shentong had too many enemies, and my master was afraid that this
girl would cause trouble when she grew up, so he hid her background, and even she herself did not know."
Gu Zhihua burst into tears, feeling ashamed and humiliated. Liu Xingsen said in a low voice, "Junior sister, please
don't blame me. Senior Cao asked, so I had to tell you. There's something you don't know yet. Half a year ago, I was on my way to visit you at
Mangshan , but I encountered Xiang Hong, Meng Shentong's eldest disciple. I almost lost my life when he captured me, but was fortunately rescued by Senior Cao. She wants to
search for all clues about Meng Shentong, and since I've kept your secret about my background hidden from you for twenty years, I have to tell her." Everyone
had been listening intently to Liu Xingsen's words, and only now did they notice his appearance. Seeing that he was pale and thin,
and that the dark circles under his eyes hadn't completely faded, they guessed that he must have been injured by the Asura Yin Sha Gong and hadn't fully recovered his strength since his serious illness.
Cao Jin'er slowly said, "Fellow disciples, have you all heard Liu Xingsen's words clearly? Gu Zhihua is Meng Shentong's
daughter , that's beyond doubt. Her father is our sect's greatest enemy. How can we let the daughter of our enemy
infiltrate our sect?"
The disciples of the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan looked at their sect leader and then at Gu Zhihua, all remaining silent. After a long while,
Yi Zhongmou whispered, "When Aunt Lü took her as a disciple, did Gu Zhengpeng explain her background to her?" According to
the rules of the martial arts world, if Aunt Lü already knew that Gu Zhihua was their sect's enemy, and still accepted her, then
Aunt Lü should bear the responsibility. Unless Gu Zhihua commits some unforgivable mistake, no one else has the right to clean up
the sect on behalf of Aunt Lü.
Cao Jin'er said, "Brother Liu, you were the one who sent her to Mangshan. Please tell me the story again."
Liu Xingsen said, "After my master took her in as his adopted daughter, he was always uneasy. More and more people in the martial world wanted to seek revenge on Meng Shentong.
My master wanted her to become a renowned heroine to atone for her parents' sins. After much thought, he concluded that only Lü Siniang was a great heroine
capable of leading the pack. Coincidentally, Lü Siniang had visited my master's home and met this girl. Lü Siniang liked
her very much, saying she had a natural talent. So when she was eight years old, my master ordered me to send her to Mangshan and beg Lü Siniang to take her as
a disciple. My master said that if Lü Siniang inquired about her background, I should just tell her. After I brought her to see Lü Siniang, Lü Siniang
didn't ask a single question and accepted her without hesitation. I'm afraid that if I tell her about my daughter's situation, it might backfire.
Therefore since Lü Siniang didn't ask, I won't say anything. As for..." " Whether my master ever mentioned it to Lü Siniang, I don't know,"
Cao Jin'er said. "My Aunt Lü is a well-read, virtuous, and impeccably virtuous woman, a true heroine
. If she knew she was the daughter of the great villain Meng Shentong, would she have taken her in? I doubt Gu Zhengpeng ever told her either.
Fellow disciples, even if she isn't the daughter of our sect's enemy, for the sake of our Fourth Master's reputation, we cannot allow the daughter of a public enemy
of the martial world to become her successor and tarnish her life's honor!" Gu Zhihua's face flushed red and then turned pale. She wiped away
her tears and said, "Sect Leader, I have never done anything to tarnish Master's reputation." Cao Jin'er said, "
You may not have , but who knows what you might do in the future? Your parents are like that; how can I trust you? Besides, you now know your
biological father. When our sect settles accounts with Meng Shentong, you will have a father-daughter relationship with him. How can I be at ease then? You have done nothing wrong..."
"Wrong. As long as you return the sword manual and the sword, your martial arts will not be crippled. This is already very lenient of you. Are you still not satisfied
?"
Gu Zhihua said, "I don't know if my godfather ever mentioned it to my master. But before my master passed away, he
left behind some last words." Cao Jin'er asked, "What last words?" Gu Zhihua said, "She said that Meng, Meng Shentong lived at the foot of Taihang Mountain. She already
knew . At that time, I asked, I asked..." Cao Jin'er asked, "Asked what?" Gu Zhihua said, "At that time, I didn't know that he was my
biological father. I asked, I asked..." Yi Zhongnian said, "You asked your master why he didn't get rid of Meng Shentong,
right ?" Gu Zhihua nodded. Cao Jin'er asked loudly, "What did your master say?"
Gu Zhihua said, "My master said that someone in our sect would naturally settle accounts with that, that, Meng, Meng Shentong. You don't need to
do it ." "
According to etiquette and custom, children cannot directly call their parents by their names, so Gu Zhihua
seemed a little embarrassed when she mentioned 'Meng Shentong,' but she finally did call him by his name. The group of chivalrous figures present felt a little '
unnatural ,' but everyone thought the same thing: 'This girl was separated from her father in infancy. For twenty years, she has been
raised by the great heroes of the two lakes, Gu Zhengpeng and Lü Siniang. She is already one of us. She has no connection with Meng Shentong and no
resemblance . In fact, we can't consider her Meng Shentong's daughter.'
Gu Zhihua paused for a moment and continued, 'Before my master passed away, she left a will saying that if any members of our sect
wanted to settle , you can give them the three chapters of 'Shaoyang Xuan Gong Secret Manual' that I wrote. My master said that she
knew Meng Shentong lived in the Taihang Mountains ten years ago, but she had not yet mastered the ability to break the Shura Yin Sha Gong, so she didn't bother him
for the time being.'"
Later, she spent ten years studying the Lesser Yang Profound Skill. Although she couldn't break the Asura Yin Sha Skill, she could
resist its evil and poisonous energy. Those with a foundation in internal energy could
master the Lesser Yang Profound Skill in a year or two at most. She said that if two or three masters in the sect could master it, they could subdue Meng Shentong. "I've brought these
three Lesser Yang Profound Skill manuals; I'll hand them over to Senior Sister Sect Leader now." Yi Zhongmou listened intently to Gu Zhihua's words.
After listening, he pondered for a while and whispered to Cao Jin'er, "Judging from her master's last words, it seems that Uncle Lü already knew she was
Meng Shentong 's daughter, so he didn't let her do anything, but instead asked her to give us the Lesser Yang Profound Skill manuals. In that case, could we be
a little more lenient?"
Cao Jin'er raised her eyebrows and said, "This is just speculation. If Uncle Lü knew her background and was willing to forgive her
, he would surely have left me some last words." "A few months before your passing, you and Xie Yunzhen visited Mangshan.
Did she say anything then?" Yi Zhongnian said, "At that time, your sister-in-law knew her days were numbered. She said she was
at ease with you as the sect leader, and said nothing else."
Cao Jin'er nodded and said, "That's it. I've always been upright, so of course she trusted me." Suddenly raising her voice, she
said to Gu Zhihua, "Considering you offered the secret manual of the Shaoyang Profound Skill, I can be a little lenient. You can take my aunt's
Frostflower Sword with you, but as for the Xuan Nu Sword Manual, that's the lifeblood of my grandmaster, the One-Armed Divine Nun,
a treasure of our sect. You must hand it over. After you leave the sect, as long as you don't do evil, our disciples will never consider you
an enemy !" Gu Zhihua said in a trembling voice, "Sect Leader Sister, you...you still won't let me stay within the sect?" "Cao Jin'er
said coldly, "I've made myself perfectly clear, don't you understand?"
Gu Zhihua said, "Before my master passed away, she solemnly entrusted the sword manual to me, asking me to inherit her mantle. I cannot betray
the ten years of painstaking cultivation she has put in!" Cao Jin'er said angrily, "Do you dare disobey my orders? I'm already giving you
face by telling you to hand it over properly. If you disobey, I will carry out the sect's punishment!" Yi Zhongmou's face darkened, as if he wanted to speak.
Cao Jin'er glanced at him and repeated, "This woman is the daughter of our sect's greatest enemy. Now that she knows her biological
father, who can guarantee that she won't sway over their father-daughter relationship and collude with Meng Shentong? Who can trust her to remain within our sect?" Cao
Jin'er spoke to her fellow disciples, and although some disagreed,
they all understood the gravity of the situation and dared not speak. Cao Jin'er's gaze swept over Yi Zhongmu, who lowered his head, feeling deeply
saddened . He felt some pity for Gu Zhihua, but Meng Shentong was the murderer of his senior brother and
a sworn enemy who had harmed him with the Asura Yin Sha Gong. He couldn't protect her.
Gu Zhihua's fellow disciples remained silent, but Jin Shiyi, unable to contain himself any longer, suddenly laughed loudly three times and stepped forward, saying, "I
dare to vouch for her!" Cao Jin'er said, "Who are you? How dare you interfere in my sect's affairs?"
Jin Shiyi said, "That's right, I'm an outsider, but you've acted unfairly, so I must speak up for justice and not let you bully a
lonely woman!" He then laughed loudly again. Cao Jin'er said, "What are you laughing at? How am I being unfair?" Jin Shiyi
said, "I'm laughing at you for being so ignorant as the leader of a sect!" Cao Jin'er trembled with anger and was about to explode. Jin Shiyi quickly
interjected, "The great hero Gu Zhengpeng of the Two Lakes is right: parents are guilty, but infants are innocent. She was separated from her parents in her infancy. How can Meng
Shentong's actions be blamed on her? Those three Shaoyang Xuan Gong secret manuals. She could have kept them a secret, but she
gave them to you to deal with her biological father. With such painstaking efforts, how can you still be so harsh on her? Just think, without these
three Shaoyang Xuan Gong secret manuals, which one of you could defeat Meng Shentong?"
Cao Jin'er flew into a rage and shouted, "You infamous mad beggar, how dare you accuse me of being unfair? Today, I
will scourge and capture you!" Jin Shiyi laughed loudly, "You dare!" Cao Jin'er flicked her dragon-headed cane and
swung it down. Lu Yinghao and Bai Yingjie followed with their twin swords. These two
had suffered a great loss , but now, emboldened by their senior sister, their swordplay was extremely fierce.
Amidst the laughter, Jin Shiyi swung his iron crutch horizontally, and with a loud clang, Cao Jin'er's dragon-headed crutch bent to
one side . Lu Yinghao and Bai Yingjie's twin swords flew from their hands once more. Cao Jin'er's disciples, young and old, were greatly surprised and rushed forward.
Jin Shiyi drew the iron sword from his crutch, using it to press down on Cao Jin'er's crutch. His left hand swung the iron sword rapidly, and the clanging sounds
were incessant. Six or seven disciples with slightly weaker skills had their weapons broken by his iron blade!
Yi Zhongmu was in a dilemma. He had received a favor from Jin Shiyi, but seeing his senior sister struggling, how could he not go to her aid? Just then...
As he hesitated, Jin Shiyi roared, and Li Ying's three-section staff was sliced in two more sections. Cao Jin'er's crutch
was no match for his defense, and she was forced to retreat repeatedly. Yi Zhongmou realized something was wrong and rushed forward. Jin Shiyi swung his iron sword, using the move "
Rainbow Across the Sky," blocking Cao Jin'er's junior brothers. His thick iron crutch, as thick as a bowl, was already smashing
down The two staffs clashed, sparks flew, and Cao Jin'er's crutch bent into a crescent shape.
Just then, a "clang" was heard, and Gu Zhihua's sword flew in, flicking upwards and deflecting Jin Shiyi's iron crutch.
The pressure on Cao Jin'er eased, and she pulled out her dragon-headed crutch, panting heavily, unable to speak for a moment. At this moment, Yi Zhongmou
arrived and stood in front of his senior sister.
Jin Shiyi was greatly surprised. He opened his eyes wide and said, "Fine, I'll uphold justice for you, how dare you side with her
?" Gu Zhihua's eyes were filled with tears. She pointed her sword and said, "Jin Shiyi, go down the mountain!" Jin Shiyi said, "Are you
willing be bullied by her?" Gu Zhihua said, "This is a matter of my sect. You, for my sake, go down the mountain!"
Cao Jin'er caught her breath, twisted her cane to return to its original form, and said angrily, "Who dares to let him down the mountain? In this sacred land
of Mangshan , how can we tolerate this wicked beggar's arrogance? We must capture him!" It should be known that although the Mangshan sect has a relatively short history,
only a little over a hundred years, its founder was the one-armed nun, a former Ming princess. The Seven Heroes of Jiangnan who descended from her were all
famous , especially Gan Fengchi and Lü Siniang, one a leader of the martial arts world and the other a master of swordsmanship, who led the way and
left a lasting legacy. Then came Cao Jin'er's generation, with several leaders successively holding the position. Their influence grew even greater. Even Cao
Jin'er's descendants included many renowned heroes of the martial world. In short, the rapid rise and illustrious reputation of the Mangshan Sect
was a rare miracle in the martial arts world. Today, on the 50th anniversary of the death of the One-Armed Nun, members of three generations of the Mangshan Sect gathered here.
Unexpectedly, Jin Shiyi wreaked havoc on Mangshan, even defeating the sect leader. For Cao Jin'er's sake
, failing to capture him would be a huge loss of face.
Gu Zhihua was caught in a dilemma: should she obey her senior sister's orders and capture Jin Shiyi to atone for her sins? Or should she flee down
the mountain ? While she hesitated, dozens of fellow disciples surrounded her from all sides, trapping both Jin Shiyi and herself
within a circle.
The tension was palpable, and another fierce battle seemed imminent. Just then, a wail echoed from the mountaintop. Yi Zhongmou looked up and
saw three unfamiliar figures: an old monk with a murderous aura, and behind him, two
officials in brocade robes and jade belts. These three were lighting incense and candles before the tomb of the One-Armed Nun. The wail was coming from the old monk, a
desperate cry filled with venomous resentment. All the guests were astonished!
These people had arrived during the fierce battle between Cao Jin'er and Jin Shiyi, and none of the Mangshan Sect disciples had noticed
them . The heroes who had come to sweep the tomb, though suspicious, were all guests and could not easily stop them. Only when
they began to wail did everyone realize their surprise and astonishment! It is already quite strange that the One-Armed Nun was a princess of the Ming Dynasty, and now two court officials have come to mourn at her grave; moreover, it is even more illogical that
the Mangshan Sect disciples have not yet paid their respects, but instead started to sweep the grave ! This strange event was so sudden that the disciples of the Mangshan Sect were distracted and relaxed their encirclement of Jin Shiyi. Yi Zhongmou asked , "Senior Sister, do you recognize these people?" Cao Jin'er frowned in thought, but before she could answer, another even more horrifying thing happened. There were more than ten iron shovels left on the grave, which the Mangshan Sect disciples had used to clear weeds, cover the soil, and tidy up . Just now, because everyone rushed to deal with Jin Shiyi, they had left the shovels on the ground. After the three men had cried at the grave of the One-Armed Nun, they picked up the iron shovels and went to the grave of Lü Siniang. Suddenly, the old monk let out a strange laugh, pointed his spear, and cursed , "You treacherous wretch, I couldn't kill you while you were alive, but I will make sure you are reduced to ashes even in death!" With a wave of his hand, the three iron shovels were shoveled at the entrance of Lü Siniang's grave at the same time! Lu Siniang was revered throughout her life, and no one could have imagined that someone would desecrate her grave. The assembled heroes were stunned for a moment, then a deafening roar of curses erupted. In the blink of an eye, two Mangshan disciples pounced, using their powerful grappling techniques to grab the old monk's arms. The old monk didn't even turn his head, but with a shrug of his shoulders, he tossed the two disciples into the air. Of the nearly one hundred martial arts heroes present at the tomb-sweeping, only a few clearly saw what happened; the others had n't the old monk make a move. The curses abruptly ceased. Yi Zhongmu was greatly surprised. The old monk had used his sect's superior internal skill, the "Eighteen Falling Techniques," a style most skilled among the Seven Heroes , particularly Gan Fengchi. Even Yi Zhongmu, Gan Fengchi's direct disciple, felt inferior to him! Just then, several more disciples of the Mangshan Sect rushed forward. This time, the old monk didn't even lift a finger. Instead, the officer- looking man swung his iron shovel, striking wildly with a series of blows. After a few rounds, swords, spears, and halberds were scattered all over the ground; the Mangshan Sect disciples' weapons had all been knocked away. Yi Zhongmu and Cao Jin'er watched intently. Although it was only a few rounds, the two officers had already used several different martial arts techniques, all of which were from their own sect. The old monk laughed loudly and said, " You bunch of juniors, you don't even kowtow to me when you see me? You actually dare to fight me?" Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongmu quickly abandoned Jin Shiyi, gathered the others, and stepped forward. The old monk was extremely arrogant, saying to Cao Jin'er, "Jin'er, you've usurped the position of sect leader, and you don't even recognize me?" It was a case of subtraction, deceiving the master, and overturning old cases; the arrogant monk's aura was too overbearing . In Chapter Eleven of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Clouds*, Cao Jin'er is taken aback. Suddenly, her shoulders stiffen, and she curses, "Uncle-Master Lü was magnanimous back then, only punishing the ringleader and not questioning your crime of aiding and abetting evil. How dare you still have the nerve to cause trouble at her grave today!" The old monk sneers, "I've come here today precisely to settle this old case! Let me tell you the truth, my master was brutally murdered back then, and I must avenge him today . I won't just 'cause trouble,' I'll also dig up Lü Siniang's grave, destroy her coffin, burn her bones to ashes, and then rectify the Mangshan sect!" It turns out that this old monk is named Master Miefa, and he is Liaoyin's disciple. Originally, there were eight disciples of the One-Armed Nun, led by Liao Yin. Besides Lü Siniang, who was the One-Armed Nun's last disciple, the other six—Cao Renfu, Li Yuan, Zhou Xun, Bai Taiguan , Lu Minzhan, and Gan Fengchi—had all received their martial arts instruction from Liao Yin on behalf of their master. Later, because Liao Yin committed treason, betraying his master and country, Lü Siniang, following her master's dying wish, gathered her fellow disciples and killed Liao Yin at the One-Armed Nun's tomb. At that time, Liao Yin had already...

There were two disciples of Liao Yin. Because their evil deeds were not publicly known, although they had also committed some evil acts with Liao Yin, they dared not
disobey shared lineage from Mangshan, Lü Siniang, having killed Liao Yin, did not pursue the matter further. However,
through a collective decision among the disciples, Liao Yin's branch was expelled from the Mangshan Sect.
Liao Yin's two disciples dared not show their faces in the martial world again. About ten years later, Liao Yin's eldest disciple
died, and his second disciple became a monk, taking the name "Destroyer of Dharma Monk." He was extremely cunning, diligently practicing martial arts for decades, but because
he feared Lü Siniang, he dared not act rashly while she was alive. Although Cao Jin'er knew of this man, since he
had disappeared, she had almost forgotten about him. Unexpectedly, on the fiftieth anniversary of the One-Armed Nun's death, he suddenly
reappeared in Mangshan with two disciples!
Of the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, aside from Lü Siniang, the martial arts of the other six were all taught by Liao Yin. Since the monk Miefa
inherited Liao Yin's martial arts, he was essentially the master of all six branches. His use of the "Eighteen Falling Techniques" to defeat two Mangshan
disciples was merely a small demonstration.
After revealing his identity, the monk Miefa immediately and arrogantly asked, "Cao Jin'er,
who appointed you as the sect leader?" Cao Jin'er angrily retorted, "What right do you have to ask me this?" The monk Miefa replied, "My master is the first disciple of the
One-Armed Nun, and I am his only remaining disciple. In terms of seniority and rank, when did it become your turn? Even if I
were to humbly decline, you should have consulted me before electing a sect leader!" Yi Zhongmou coldly said, "Monk Miefa, you are no longer
a disciple of the Mangshan Sect. My senior sister Cao succeeded to the position of sect leader because of the late Uncle Lü's instructions. " "How dare you interfere?" Monk Mifa sneered
. "Back then, Lü Siniang, as the youngest junior sister of our sect, rebelled, killed our sect leader, and ostracized our branch.
Today, I'm here to overturn this case. I don't acknowledge her actions at all. Therefore, the position of sect leader
must be re-evaluated!"
Yi Zhongmou retorted, "Liaoyin betrayed her master and defected to the enemy. Back then, our sect cleansed its ranks, clearly stating her crimes and executing her.
No one in the martial arts world objected. The case is ironclad; how can it be changed? You disregard the pardon shown to you by our predecessors and dare to act recklessly here! I..."
"How could the Mangshan
The Seven Heroes of Jiangnan are divided into seven branches, each forming a sect; among them, the branches of Gan Fengchi and Bai Taiguan are the most powerful, known as
the two .] and also the leader of the Jiangnan Beggars' Gang. You have some reputation in the martial arts world. You
should be grateful to my master, shouldn't you? Do you know that your master Gan Fengchi's martial arts were also taught by my master? Today you dare to address my
master by his name directly; for this alone, I will not forgive you!" "You, Cao Jin'er, back then, even though you were two generations younger, you still
rebelled against the emperor alongside Lü Siniang. Now you've usurped the position of sect leader, which is even more unforgivable! I have two paths for you to choose from. The first is for you to fight me
one-on-one. If you can withstand ten of my moves, I will acknowledge you as the sect leader of Mangshan Sect. The second is for you to kowtow to me and apologize, elect
another sect leader, and also build a tomb and erect a monument for my master, wear mourning clothes, and settle that old case!"
Cao Jin'er was so angry that she was practically spitting fire. Before the monk Miefa could finish speaking, she raised her dragon-headed cane and struck him. Yi Zhongmou picked up his iron
cane to support his senior sister. The monk Mifa laughed heartily, sidestepping Cao Jin'er's swinging crutch. Instead of retaliating,
he shouted at Yi Zhongmou, "Hey, aren't you going to return my master's staff?" It turned out that the iron crutch Yi Zhongmou wielded was a precious iron
crutch that Gan Fengchi had pulled from the stone wall of Mangshan after Liaoyin's death, forging into an iron crutch and
passing to his eldest disciple, Lü Qing. Lü Qing thus earned the title "Iron Claw Immortal." After Lü Qing's death, the crutch was passed to his
junior brother, Yi Zhongmou, hence the monk Mifa's words.
The monk Mifa arrived as soon as he spoke, dodging Cao Jin'er's crutch with a "coiling dragon step" and immediately appearing before
Yi Zhongmou . Yi Zhongmou unleashed a "thunder and lightning clash," the iron crutch swirling in a circle, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder,
striking down at the monk Mifa's bald head. The monk Mifa shouted, "Well done!" and met the blow with a straight shoulder. With a loud "thud," the blow struck squarely.
Yi Zhongmu suddenly felt the iron crutch slip to the side, and his heart
skipped a beat. In the blink of an eye, the monk Miefa had already struck with a palm, the palm strike extremely unpredictable. Even with Yi Zhongmu's martial arts skills, he didn't know which part of his body the monk was aiming for. Just as he was about to use his "Iron Bridge" technique to dodge,
the monk Miefa had already grabbed the end of the crutch and thrust it forward. Yi Zhongmu suddenly felt a powerful force strike him. Normally, with his martial arts skills, although
he was no match for the monk Miefa, he could at least withstand twenty or thirty moves. However, because he had been
injured by Meng Shentong's Asura Yin Sha Gong a few days ago, although he had been treated with the Tianshan Biling Pill, his vital energy had not yet recovered. Taking advantage of his backward momentum, the monk Miefa thrust the crutch forward, and Yi Zhongmu immediately fell
over, the iron crutch being snatched from his hand. But as Yi Zhongmu fell, he also retaliated with a palm strike, hitting the monk's wrist.
With a swift movement, the monk Mifa sent Yi Zhongmou flying more than ten feet away. He grabbed the iron crutch and
laughed, "Yi Zhongmou, you still need to diligently practice our sect's Eighteen Falling Techniques!" Turning around, Cao Jin'er had just unleashed her
third move, "Five Ding Mountain Split," when the monk Mifa raised his wrist, his crutches
clashing. A deafening clang of metal filled the air. Cao Jin'er's hands went numb; she dared not meet the blow head-on. Her crutch trembled, and she thrust it back, using the heavy crutch to execute
a move reminiscent , instantly striking seven of the monk Mifa's vital points. However, the monk Mifa had inherited Yin's martial arts; Cao Jin'er's powerful attack
was useless against him. He swung his crutch, unleashing another "Five Ding Mountain Split," striking five times with the crutch. The monk
deflected all of Cao Jin'er's attacks, but instead struck her "Xuanji" acupoint on her chest. Forced to defend herself, Cao Jin'er
took another blow from his staff, this time with even greater force. She staggered back three steps, but the monk
relentlessly pursued her, his staff thrusting ever tighter, making it difficult for her to breathe.
The Mangshan disciples watched in shock. Knowing Cao Jin'er was their sect leader, and that she was personally fighting an enemy, it was
inappropriate for the disciples to rush in to help. Moreover, the monk had declared he would test their sect's martial arts against Cao Jin'er; if the Mangshan disciples relied on numbers to
win in front of so many martial arts heroes, even if they triumphed, it would be a loss of face.
The two officers who had come with the monk Mifa were also watching intently. By the fifth move, the monk Mifa had completely
gained the upper hand , his staff's shadow like a mountain, completely enveloping Cao Jin'er. The two officers breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a smile. Suddenly, the monk Mifa
shouted, "You two fools, what are you doing here on Mangshan Mountain? Hurry up and dig up Lü Siniang's grave!" The
two officers responded, "Yes, sir!" and picked up their shovels, immediately digging up Lü Siniang's grave again.
This was intolerable! Two disciples of the Mangshan Sect, Yu Jiao and Qiu Yu, rushed out. They were Bai Taiguan's prized
disciples , and among the current second-generation disciples of the Mangshan Sect, their martial arts skills were second only to Yi Zhongmou, Cao Jin'er, Lu Daolin, and Lin Jinsheng.
Currently, Cao Jin'er was fighting against the monk Miefa, Yi Zhongmou was injured and unable to fight, and Lu and Lin were absent due to other
matters .
These two were already the two strongest martial arts practitioners among the Mangshan Sect disciples. Hearing the sound of metal blades cutting through the wind behind them, the two officers didn't turn around. They drew their swords and met the attack with a backhand, while their other hand remained
on shoveling earth.
Bai Taiguan was the "Divine Blade Hand" among the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan. His swordsmanship was renowned in the martial arts world for its speed, ruthlessness, and versatility. Yu and Qiu
were his close disciples. They immediately unleashed their sect's ultimate technique, their blades slashing down with incredible speed. The clanging sounds were like a rapid melody,
as if dozens of blades were falling simultaneously, a speed beyond description.
But the two officers didn't even turn their heads. They used their swords to catch the knife with their own quick-dagger techniques. Swordsmanship and knife
skills are very different. Now they were using their swords as short knives. Although it was still their own knife skills, because swords have
two edges, the cutting and the force of the strikes are different from those of short knives. Qian Qiu and his companion didn't know how to adapt. They attacked quickly,
but they were defeated just as quickly. By the sixteenth strike, they heard a hissing sound as both of their wrists were cut!
Although they had made sixteen strikes, it was only a blink of an eye. In that time, Cao Jin'er had only blocked
one move from the monk Miefa. She was shocked and angry to see her two junior brothers defeated. She was almost hit by the monk Miefa's iron crutch. The monk Miefa
laughed loudly, "You claim to be the third-generation disciples of the Mangshan Sect, yet you can't even defeat my disciple. Our sect's martial arts are far too crude
. Do you still have the nerve to call yourself the sect leader?"
If it weren't for the purge of Monk Liaoyin
's branch of the sect, these two officers would be considered fourth-generation disciples. In terms of seniority, Yu and Qiu would be their senior uncles. Although Bai Taiguan's martial arts were passed down by Liaoyin on behalf of his master,
and by extension, Liaoyin's grand-disciple would be equivalent to Bai Taiguan's disciple, Yu and Qiu were nominally a generation older. For an elder
to lose to a junior was the most undignified thing in the martial arts world. Yu and Qiu were furious. Given their skill, they
could have easily defeated the two officers, but their defeat stemmed from their inability to adapt to their swordsmanship. They felt it was a terrible injustice. However, they
were among the top masters of the Mangshan Sect, holding considerable status in the martial arts world. For them, as senior disciples, to lose to their junior disciples and
refuse to admit defeat, challenging them again, would not only be a loss of face but also border on shamelessness. Therefore, despite their raging anger,
they remained silent.
Just as the Mangshan Sect disciples hesitated, unsure who to send next, the two officers dumped
several more shovelfuls of soil on Lü Siniang's grave. Yi Zhongmou shouted, "Rebellion! Rebellion!" He struggled to his feet, snatched an iron ruler from his disciple's hand, and prepared to
fight to the death.
He had just been injured, and his fellow disciples from the Mangshan Sect were unwilling to let him fight again. Several people blocked his way, while others ran away. In this
critical moment, they had no choice but to use numbers to their advantage and first subdue the two men who were digging up Lü Siniang's grave.
Just as the commotion reached its peak, the Mangshan Sect disciples had just run up the tomb passage when suddenly a man leaped up,
like a roc, and swooped down from mid-air. The two officers, before they could even turn around, had just raised their shovels when this man grabbed
them the backs and threw them to the ground. They landed right in front of Yi Zhongmou, sprawled on their backs, unable to move.
This man was none other than Jin Shiyi!
Jin Shiyi's sudden action greatly surprised everyone. They hadn't expected that he, who had just been besieged by the Mangshan Sect, would suddenly
stand up for them and capture the two grave-digging officers.
Although the monk Mifa had never met Jin Shiyi before, he had long heard of his reputation. Upon seeing his appearance and demeanor, he immediately recognized him
as the "Poisonous Hand Mad Beggar" of the martial arts world. He couldn't help but feel a chill, thinking, "He truly lives up to his reputation; it seems
his martial arts are no less than mine." He swung his iron crutch, forcing Cao Jin'er back three steps, then laughed loudly, "Cao Jin'er, so you, the sect leader
, are relying on outsiders for support? The Mangshan Sect, ostensibly a prestigious sect, is actually... well, you know." " Even with someone backing you up, you shouldn't have invited a
notorious , vicious beggar! Ha, ha, with all the heroes of the world here, you've already smeared our sect's reputation for this alone. I
'll expel you from the sect today!"
Cao Jin'er blushed deeply with embarrassment and angrily retorted, "Who invited an outsider to help? You're talking nonsense, take my whip!" She
had originally intended to curse Jin Shiyi, but then she thought: Jin Shiyi's actions had actually done her a great favor,
so she couldn't bring herself to do it. Besides, all the heroes present had witnessed their argument and subsequent fight with Jin Shiyi,
so why bother defending herself? However, since Cao Jin'er dared not curse Jin Shiyi again and had no way to defend herself, she could only curse the monk Miefa for
"talking nonsense," making her words sound weak and powerless. The monk Miefa chuckled even coldly, showing absolute disbelief and a look of utter contempt
.
Just as the monk Miefa was chuckling... Jin Shiyi also let out a piercing laugh, completely drowning out the laughter of the monk Mifa. The monk
Mifa glared at him and said, "What are you laughing at?" Jin Shiyi replied, "I'm laughing at your farting." The monk Mifa swung his cane,
forcing Cao Jin'er back three steps, and angrily said, "Did I say something wrong?" Jin Shiyi sneered, "What kind of person is Cao Jin'er?
How could she possibly persuade me?" The monk Mifa said, "Then what are you doing here?" Jin Shiyi said, "Although Cao Jin'er is mediocre,
I look down on her; but Lü Sigen is the person I admire most in my life. I came here today specifically to pay my respects at her grave. Who dares to disturb
a single blade of grass "A handful of mud and sand, hmph, hmph, I, Jin Shiyi, will let him off the hook for now!" The monk Miefa said, "Oh, so you're only doing this
for Lü Siniang?" Jin Shiyi said, "What are you and Cao Jin'er arguing about, what are you fighting over for the sect leader position, what are you arguing about your sect's affairs? I
don't care about any of that. However, I've remembered the things you said to me earlier!"
Hearing that he wouldn't interfere in the affairs of the Mangshan Sect, the monk Miefa felt relieved and immediately replied, "You want to
settle accounts with me? Very well, very well. Once I've settled today's matters, I'll certainly be happy to oblige." Glancing sideways, he saw Jin Shiyi standing guard in front of
Lü Siniang 's grave, indeed not going forward to help.
Because of Jin Shiyi's actions, the monk Miefa didn't go all out against Cao Jin'er. Cao Jin'er had just attacked twice, and
although the monk Miefa forced her back, she had still managed to exchange two moves. The monk Miefa calculated that he and Cao Jin'er had already exchanged eight moves. He
had previously stated that he had to defeat Cao Jin'er within ten moves.
Just as Cao Jin'er struck down with her crutch, the monk Miefa shouted, "Well done!" and unleashed a move called "Hidden Dragon Ascends to Heaven," raising his crutch to meet the attack. This
move was a deadly strike from the "Subduing Demon Staff Technique," and with a resounding clang, like a giant bell being struck, the mountains echoed...
The sound was deafening; some of the weaker disciples even had their eardrums ruptured, bleeding profusely. Hui Jin'er's iron crutch was bent
and
about to break, forming a half-ring. The monk Miefa's iron crutch slammed into the ring, followed by a move called "Overturning Rivers and Seas," the crutch spinning rapidly. Hui Jin'er, pulled by his force, was involuntarily spun around with the crutch, spinning in circles, about to fall!
At this critical moment, a sharp shout rang out, and a white shadow flew over the heads of the Mangshan Sect disciples.
A flash of sword light, followed by a clang, and then everyone saw that it was Gu Zhihua. She plunged her sword in,
separating the two iron crutches. Hui Jin'er was still unable to regain her balance, and Cheng Hao and Li Ying rushed forward to help her back to her feet. Gu Zhihua
's skill was far inferior to the monk Miefa's; her ability to separate the two iron crutches was purely due to skillful
manipulation. It turns out that Lü Siniang's "Mysterious Maiden Swordplay" was specifically designed for women. Women's strength is generally inferior to
men's , so the most exquisite aspect of this swordplay is using skill to overcome brute force and surprise to achieve victory
. The Mysterious Maiden Swordplay is as famous as the Tianshan Swordplay, though it lacks the Tianshan Swordplay's power, it surpasses it in its ingenuity. Gu Zhihua's sword strike was perfectly timed. Taking advantage of the moment when the monk
Miefa was about to unleash his full power, she skillfully guided him aside, allowing her to easily separate the two
iron crutches . This was also because the monk Miefa was too eager to win, wanting to defeat Cao Jin'er in one fell swoop. Otherwise, if he had held back some
strength to defend against a surprise attack, Gu Zhihua wouldn't have been able to succeed so easily.
However, this already greatly surprised the monk Miefa,
especially Before he could speak, Gu Zhihua said, "Senior sister, why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? This vicious monk dared
to disturb my master's grave, so I should be the one to deal with him. Please allow me to serve you."
The monk Miefa asked in surprise, "Are you Lü Siniang's disciple?" Gu Zhihua brandished the Frost Flower Sword that Lü Siniang used in her lifetime, flashing it
in the air, and rebuked, "Bald donkey, is my master's name something you call out?" With two flashes of light, a move called "Jade Maiden Threading the Needle" was
aimed at the monk Miefa's throat.
Cao Jin'er was panting heavily at this time. Hearing Gu Zhihua's words, she was in a dilemma. If she allowed her, wouldn't that mean
admitting that she was a disciple of their sect and the successor of Lü Siniang? If she didn't allow it, who would fight against the monk Miefa?
Yi Zhongmou said in a low voice, "Senior sister." "It's rare for Gu Zhihua to volunteer, so let her give it a try." Cao Jin'er thought for a moment, then
raised her voice and said, "Gu Zhihua, you'd better do what you're told. Defeat the evil monk, and I'll take care of the rest." Her words were rather vague, but they
were tantamount to acknowledging her as a disciple of their sect.
Before Cao Jin'er could finish speaking, Gu Zhihua had already started fighting with the monk Miefa. The clanging of metal
drowned out Cao Jin'er's voice.
Gu Zhihua knew her skill was inferior to Miefa's, so she immediately launched an offensive. She wielded her sword with incredible agility, striking east and west,
north and south, appearing in front and then suddenly behind. Her movements were as soft as willow catkins and as graceful as a startled swan; her swordplay was truly fantastical and unpredictable,
dazzling . Miefa swung his cane in a wide arc, splashing water... As Gu Zhihua entered, although her sword strikes were incredibly fast, each one was still parried
. However, under the shadow of her sword light, the monk Miefa found it difficult to counterattack. The clanging sounds
were incessant; in the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged more than ten or twenty blows.
All the heroes attending this gathering, except for Jin Shiyi, were astonished! The monk Miefa's martial arts prowess was undeniable; when Gu Zhihua first appeared, who wasn't worried for her? Even disciples
of their own sect like Yi Zhongmou, who were well aware of the exquisite nature of the Xuan Nu Sword Technique ,
They only hoped she could withstand ten or eight moves, slightly salvaging the reputation of the Mangshan Sect. Who would have thought that even Cao Jin'er, the
leader couldn't withstand ten moves from the Demon-Slaying Monk, while she had actually withstood twenty moves without showing any sign of defeat!
The group of veteran heroes watching couldn't help but be greatly excited. Every time she blocked a move, they cheered her on, the cheers thunderous. Cao Jin'er
heard this, feeling both pleased and annoyed, her face turning red and then pale, feeling utterly disgusted. Jin Shiyi, secretly observing her expression,
chuckled .
You ask why the Demon-Slaying Monk... Within the first twenty or thirty moves, she was actually forced into a disadvantageous position? There's a reason for this.
It turns out that the Xuan Nu Sword Technique was mastered by the One-Armed Nun in her later years, and only Lü Siniang received her instruction. The One-Armed
Nun passed on all her other martial arts to Monk Yin, except for this Xuan Nu Sword Technique. Monk Miefa inherited Yin's
martial arts and was thoroughly familiar with the martial arts of Cao Jin'er, Yi Zhongmou, and others, preparing for them and easily countering their techniques. Only the Xuan Nu Sword Technique used by
Gu Zhihua was one his master had never learned. Of course, he was completely clueless. The monk Mifa had come with the determination to win
. Before fully understanding this sword technique, he feared making a mistake and becoming a laughingstock in the martial arts world, so he dared not underestimate his opponent.
After more than thirty moves, the essence of the Xuan Nu Sword Technique had been largely revealed. The monk Mifa reasoned that although Gu Zhihua's swordsmanship was
exquisite, her skill had not yet reached the first-rate level. With his own mastery of various martial arts, he was confident he could defeat her. Therefore, he switched from defense to
offense, brandishing his thick iron crutch, as thick as a bowl. The crutch's shadow was like a mountain, and the sword light was like a swift whip. In an instant... They fought for twenty or thirty moves.
The heroes watched with bated breath, their spirits gradually waning. As the battle reached its climax, the monk Miefa suddenly roared, his iron crutch
sweeping
the room in a move called "Eight Directions of Wind and Rain." The move, accompanied by the faint sounds of wind and thunder, seemed to summon a dozen iron crutches simultaneously, blocking all of Gu Zhihua's escape routes. In that instant, the entire arena fell silent; only
the pounding of hearts could be heard!
The monk Miefa had unleashed his deadly move, forcing Gu Zhihua to also unleash a superb skill. Just as everyone was dazzled and terrified, layer upon layer
of crutches... Just as the shadows had completely surrounded Gu Zhihua, he suddenly leaped into the air. With a clang, the tip of his sword touched the end of his staff,
propelling him several feet higher, narrowly avoiding the move by the monk Mifa, which transformed from "Eight Directions of Wind and Rain" into "Hidden Dragon Ascending to Heaven"!
Several elderly heroes, over sixty years old, had witnessed the Mangshan Sect's internal purge years ago. Now,
Gu Zhihua with his superb lightness skill combined with superior swordsmanship, unleashed this decisive move, turning defeat into victory. They recognized it as the very move Lü Siniang
used to assassinate Yin, realizing history was repeating itself. They couldn't help but cheer again.
Unfortunately, although Gu Zhihua had mastered her master's swordsmanship, she was still a novice. How could she
compare to Lü Siniang when she killed Yin? Even Lü Siniang couldn't defeat Yin when she first started out. It was only after nearly ten years, when her martial arts and experience had greatly
improved, and after Yin had fought a fierce battle with her six senior brothers, leaving her weakened, that she was able to kill Yin
. Today, Gu Zhihua's martial arts were at most comparable to Lü Siniang's when she first descended the mountain, while the monk Miefa, after decades of cultivation...
Her training was almost on par with her master's in his prime. Gu Zhihua changed her swordplay mid-air, thrusting downwards, mimicking the
move Lü Siniang had used to kill Yin. The monk Miefa shouted, "Well done!" He combined palm and crutch
attacks his left palm striking out with a splitting palm strike, while his right iron crutch thrust forward, striking Gu Zhihua's dantian as she fell.
Gu Zhihua's sword tip was deflected by his splitting palm, her body dangling in mid-air, unable to dodge. She was about to die
under !
The cheers turned into gasps of alarm. At this extremely dangerous moment, Gu Zhihua displayed her extraordinary skill.
She bent her body, lightly tapping the tip of her staff, and instantly leaped several meters backward. The Mangshan disciples present, except for a few like Cao
Jin'er and Yi Zhongmou, couldn't see it at all, assuming Gu Zhihua had been knocked down by the monk Miefa's iron crutch, and
covered their faces, unable to watch!
Jin Shiyi laughed loudly, "Wonderful! Wonderful! This is called using one's strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses! Cao Jin'er, did you see clearly?"
He used his superior internal energy, transmitting sound secretly, to make the monk Miefa's eardrums ring. The monk Miefa, already somewhat disheartened by Gu Zhihua's
escape , was further agitated by Jin Shiyi's mocking laughter. However, fearing to anger Jin Shiyi, he
dared not provoke him at this moment, and could only hold his breath and concentrate on dealing with Gu Zhihua.
No sooner said than done, Gu Zhihua let out a sharp cry, her sword flashing like lightning as she charged forward again.
Alerted swordsmanship changed once more. She moved like a butterfly flitting among flowers, a dragonfly skimming the water, her sword strikes swift and decisive, a mere touch followed by a retreat
. With incredibly agile movements, she unleashed the swift and ever-changing sword techniques of the "Rising and Falling Method" and the "Monk's Wandering Combat." This was vastly different from before; there
was no sound of clashing weapons, only the sight of her iron crutch flashing, sword light dancing, and Gu Zhihua's robes billowing as she darted
and retreated amidst the flashing staff and sword shadows. It was a far more thrilling and dangerous display than the previous loud and fierce battle.
Gu Zhihua's lightness skill was slightly superior to that of the monk Miefa. If she wanted to escape unscathed, it was possible. However, for the sake of her sect's
honor, she had no choice but to duel with Miefa. As time went on, Miefa's skill far surpassed hers. He only
felt a little breathless, while she was already drenched in sweat.
Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "This old bald monk boasts, but he does indeed have some real skill. In a one-on-one fight, I'm not sure I can
beat him. Although Gu Zhihua hasn't shown any signs of weakness yet, she will inevitably be defeated in a prolonged battle. Now that I've come to Mangshan, how can I
sit idly by ?" But after thinking it over, he couldn't come up with a way to secretly help Gu Zhihua. Using poisoned needles
would be effortless against ordinary people, but with Miefa's martial arts skills, he would definitely discover it, and it might not even be able to harm
him. Gu Zhihua was fighting for the honor of her sect today. To win by relying on outsiders would be dishonorable. Moreover
, Jin Shiyi had declared beforehand that he would not interfere in the affairs of the Mangshan Sect today. Even if Jin Shiyi intended to fight the monk Miefa,
he could not replace Gu Zhihua at this time.
After a while, Gu Zhihua and the monk Miefa had exchanged about a hundred blows. The monk Miefa grew increasingly fierce, wielding his iron crutch with a series of powerful
strikes . Within a radius of several feet, Gu Zhihua could not get close. However, her sword danced and swirled, its movements swift and agile,
yet still as sharp as before. To onlookers, the two were evenly matched, with no clear winner. But to
Jin Shiyi , the occasional clash of their weapons revealed that Gu Zhihua's strength had weakened by twenty percent. He knew that if the fight
continued, she would inevitably lose. Jin Shiyi had not yet devised a plan and was growing increasingly anxious.
The two grave-digging officers, who had just been grabbed by Jin Shiyi with his powerful grappling technique and thrown in front of Yi Zhongmou, were immediately bound by the Mangshan Sect
disciples . However, there was no time for interrogation. Seeing that Gu Zhihua and the monk Miefa were evenly matched
, Cao Jin'er ordered her disciples to bring the two officers over to discuss their fate with Yi Zhongmou. An old
hero , Huo Baoyou, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Beijing Zhenyuan镖局 (escort agency), suddenly approached and whispered, "These two are
highly trusted commanders in the Imperial Guard, and have been awarded yellow riding jackets by the Emperor. The taller one is called Geng Chun, and the shorter one is called Qin Dai."
As she spoke, the two officers were brought forward. Geng Chun rolled his eyes and shouted, "Cao Jin'er,
what are you going to do to us?" Cao Jin'er angrily replied, "You dared to cause trouble on Mangshan, destroying graves and digging up tombs! Your crimes are unforgivable! Your disciples in charge of punishments..." " Come, give them
three hundred lashes and drive them down the mountain!" Qin Dai laughed loudly, "Cao Jin'er, do you have the guts? Unless you dare to kill us
, the crime of insulting an official of the imperial court is one that not only you cannot bear, but the Mangshan Sect cannot bear either! How does your Mangshan Sect compare to Shaolin Temple?
Shaolin Temple opposed the imperial court and was burned down. If you don't have the guts to kill me, I will definitely take revenge!"
You should know that since the founding of the Mangshan Sect by the One-Armed Nun, it has been dedicated to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty. Lü Siniang even killed the Yongzheng Emperor, so what is
there to fear from two military officers? However, the Mangshan Sect's anti-Qing and restoration of the Ming Dynasty was carried out in secret. Although
everyone it was only talked about in private and no one dared to discuss it in public. As for the imperial court, it was even more of a taboo subject, and they refused
to admit that the emperor was assassinated. It was precisely for this reason that although the imperial court hated the Mangshan Sect, it did not dare to openly condemn it.
Cheng Hao, Zhou Xun's disciple, ranked
third He was a rather reserved person, and upon hearing the tone of the two officers, he sensed something was amiss. He pulled his senior brother, Yi Zhongmu, aside and
whispered, "The Qing court has long harbored resentment towards our Mangshan Sect for the assassination attempt on Emperor Yongzheng by Aunt Lü over thirty years
ago
. They just haven't found a pretext to destroy us. Although we secretly oppose the Qing, we have never openly committed any acts of murder or occupation of government offices, leaving no evidence for the court. It's not worth openly opposing the court today for the sake of two Imperial Guard officers." Yi Zhongmu thought about it and realized he couldn't help but
worry "Even if we kill these two to silence them, with so many people around, it's difficult to hide the truth.
We can't kill them, and we can't let them go. What should we do?"
Cao Jin'er, angered by the officers' defiance, was furious. But thinking of the stakes involved, she couldn't help but feel discouraged. However,
for the sake of face, she couldn't let them off
the hook. After a moment's thought, she coldly said, "You came here to desecrate the graves of my Mangshan Sect elders. I will only deal with you according to the rules of the martial arts world. Who cares if you are officials of the imperial court?" Her tone had softened considerably. Geng Chun sneered, "Since you
don't acknowledge us as disciples of the Mangshan Sect, we don't acknowledge you as the sect leader. What kind of sect leader are you pretending
to be? What kind of martial arts rules or family law are you talking about? Even if we are grave robbers, you can only send us to the government office
. How can you use private punishment? Doesn't the imperial court have laws?" His words were spoken in an official tone, but they also had their own
twisted logic. Cao Jin'er was so angry that her whole body trembled. Just as she was about to disregard everything and order the disciple in charge of the punishment to carry it out, Qin Dai sneered again, "Cao Jin..."
" Son, you have a family fortune, property, children, and grandchildren. Even if we risk our lives, you will still face the calamity of having your family's property confiscated and your clan exterminated. I have said all I need to say.
Kill me or torture me, it is all up to you!" Cao Jin'er's husband's family was a prominent clan in Zhuo County, and her husband was not a martial artist. Qin Dai's
threatening words struck at the heart of her fears. Even if she risked her own life, she couldn't help but fear implicating her husband's family. She glanced at
Yi Zhongmu and Cheng Hao, whose faces were grave, and they shook their heads secretly, as if signaling her not to act rashly.
Cao Jin'er was in a dilemma when she suddenly heard Jin Shiyi's strange laugh: "Cao Jin'er, these two treasures were taken by me, Jin Shiyi .
How dare you dispose of them without my permission? It's not your place to interrogate him!" It turned out that Jin Shiyi had
quietly approached while some people were focused on the fierce battle in the arena and others on Cao Jin'er.
Yi Zhongnian was overjoyed and hurriedly said: "Brother Jin, please bring them up!" Although Cao Jin'er was furious, she was happy to be extricated
from the situation and remained silent. Jin Shiyi laughed heartily, grabbed the two officers with one hand each, and returned to Lü Siniang's grave.
Facing the monk Miefa and Gu Zhihua, Gu Zhihua and the monk Miefa had already exchanged two or three hundred blows. Gu Zhihua's clothes were soaked with sweat, and
his movements were slower than before; his swordsmanship was no longer as agile.
Jin Shiyi slammed the two officers to the ground, laughed loudly three times, and suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face filled with murderous intent, frightening the two officers.
The officer was terrified.
Everyone on the hilltop immediately focused their attention on Jin Shiyi,
forgetting even the incredibly exciting battle between Gu Zhihua and the monk Miefa.
Jin Shiyi trampled the two officers under his feet, laughing loudly, "I have no parents, no wife, no property,
no children, I fear neither heaven nor earth. If your Tartar emperor were to fall into my hands, I would give him three hundred
strokes of the cane . Killing you two lowly officers is as easy as crushing two ants!" The two officers were terrified, inwardly
groaning . They could threaten Cao Jin'er and all the disciples of the Mangshan Sect with their status as Imperial Guard officers, but
they were helpless against Jin Shiyi. Of the two, Geng Chun was the more stubborn. Desperate, he steeled himself and cursed
, "You poisonous bastard, you... ouch, ouch..." Before he could even
utter as if a thousand venomous snakes were writhing and biting inside his body, causing excruciating pain. He wished he were truly dead,
but he couldn't die, though the agony was unbearable. Yet, his mind remained perfectly clear!
Jin Shiyi laughed, "Ha, why aren't you two cursing anymore? Trying to provoke me into killing you? No way
! I'll have my fun slowly!" Jin Shiyi placed his feet on the "Guicang" acupoints on their backs, the meeting
point of the eight extraordinary meridians. With a slight pressure from his toes, the two officers screamed and howled as if subjected to the most severe torture in the world, like two
wounded wild beasts. Many with soft hearts covered their ears, unable to bear the sound. These two officers were the beloved disciples of the monk Miefa.
Miefa had sent them to the capital to curry favor, securing them positions as commanders of the Imperial Guard. He had long planned for this day's disturbance at Mangshan,
so he brought them here as pawns to threaten the Mangshan Sect. He never dreamed that Jin Shiyi would appear out of
nowhere ! Hearing his two beloved disciples scream and howl, piercing his heart,
even with decades of meditation, the monk Miefa couldn't suppress his rage and his mind scattered. Chaos reigned.
Gu Zhihua was currently at a disadvantage, her mind solely focused on the monk Miefa. Her eyes were fixed on his
iron crutch , and her ears strained to pinpoint the direction from which it would strike. Despite Jin Shiyi's chaotic commotion, she remained
oblivious. This shift in focus, one distracted and the other concentrated, instantly turned the tide. Gu Zhihua seized the opportunity to counterattack, her sword flashing like a rainbow, its
cold light illuminating the ground. With a few swift strokes, she forced the monk Miefa to retreat repeatedly!
The monk Miefa realized the situation was dire. Even if he wanted to break free and fight Jin Shiyi, he was powerless. He quickly regained his composure
and launched another attack. Just as he regained his footing, he heard Jin Shiyi cursing again: "Lü Siniang is
the person I admire most in my life. You dared to desecrate her grave! I will teach you a lesson you won't forget. Now I give you two choices: if you
don't confess..." "I'll risk staying up for three days and three nights to keep you company. I have eighteen kinds of torture, one by one, for you to suffer. If
you willing to confess and listen to me, heh heh, I might spare you because you're willing to admit your mistakes."
Upon hearing this, the two officers knew that if they didn't confess, they would have to endure three days and three nights of torture. Such torture would be unbearable even for a moment, let alone three days and three nights. They hurriedly
cried out, "We know we were wrong, we confess!"
Jin Shiyi said, "A verbal confession doesn't count. First, kowtow three times before this grave to apologize to Elder Lü Siniang!"
He lifted his feet and released the two officers. The two officers got up and immediately kowtowed like pounding garlic, kowtowing six or seven times
in one go, far exceeding the number Jin Shiyi had set.
Jin Shiyi suppressed a laugh and said, "Slap yourself twenty times on each side, and after each slap, curse yourself, calling yourself
a bastard, a blind turtle son!" "Those two officers are, after all, commanders of the Imperial Guard.
How could they possibly utter such insults?" Just as he was hesitating, Jin Shiyi suddenly let out a cold laugh, picked up his iron crutch, glared at him, and cursed, "Fine,
so you're really tough? You won't curse? I'll test whether your bones are truly tough." "As if to strike, the
two officers immediately slapped themselves repeatedly, one after the other! With each slap, they cursed, shouting 'bastard!' and 'son of a turtle
! '
The monk Mifa was furious, seeing his beloved disciple humiliated in front of all the heroes of the world by Jin Shiyi.
What face did he, as the master, have left? Even if he won the position of leader of the Mangshan Sect, this shame would be forever etched in his memory!
In a duel between masters, how could one allow for the slightest distraction? The monk Mifa had just regained his footing, his fight with Gu Zhihua reaching a draw, when he became
agitated and his mind became restless. Suddenly, Gu Zhihua unleashed a move called 'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun.'" "The Frostflower Sword flashed with cold light, piercing his throat. The monk
Miefa hurriedly retreated to dodge, but with a 'whoosh,' his robe was pierced through by Gu Zhihua's sword. Fortunately, relying on his refined
internal energy, the monk Miefa inhaled sharply, and the sword tip missed by half an inch, sparing his flesh, but he was still terrified!
Then, Jin Shiyi loudly ordered, "You two bastards are indeed obedient. Now curse him again, curse this
old bald monk! He brought you here, and now he wants to be the sect leader, yet he makes you suffer. You have every right to curse him.
I'll let whoever curses the most vehemently go first!"
In the martial world, the master and disciple are like father and son; for a disciple to personally curse his master is far more unbearable than any other insult! Geng Chun
shouted, "Jin Shiyi, kill me!" Jin Shiyi coldly laughed, "Bah, you won't curse? Do you want to die? There's no such
easy thing!"
With a sharp thud, the cane struck Geng Chun's "Guicang" acupoint on his back. Geng Chun screamed in agony, feeling
as if his internal organs were about to churn. He rolled on the ground in pain. Jin Shiyi said, "Are you going to curse or not? If not, I'll give you something even worse
." He then pressed the cane against Qin Dai's back and shouted, "And you, are you going to curse or not?"
Qin Dai was terrified and hurriedly cursed, "Thief monk! Thief monk!" Geng Chun echoed, "Old bald donkey! Old
bald donkey!"
Jin Shiyi shouted, "I can't hear you! Speak louder! Fine! You two have a contest. Whoever curses the hardest!" Jin Shiyi, holding
the cane, glared at them. Geng Chun and Qin Dai dared not not curse. The first curse was the hardest to utter. Once it came out,
their sense of shame vanished. The second, the third... followed incessantly. All the evil deeds of the monk who destroyed the Dharma
were cursed from the mouths of his two beloved disciples!
The disciples of the Mangshan Sect were extremely pleased to hear Qin Dai and Geng Chun's outburst of curses. Each time they called someone an "old bald donkey,"
the Mangshan disciples clapped and shouted "Good!" The monk Miefa heard every word clearly, and was furious
, hating both Jin Shiyi and his disciples for being so useless.
Jin Shiyi pushed Qin Dai and Geng Chun forward a few steps, pressing his palms against their backs, making them face the monk Miefa, and
laughed loudly, "Good, good! That was satisfying! Curse again, curse again!" The monk Miefa was enraged, and roared, "Jin Shiyi, you
have greatly insulted me! Today, it's either you or me who dies!" He was about to break free from Gu Zhihua and jump out of the circle to fight Jin Shiyi to the death. Before the words had even
finished, a sharp "snap" was heard. Gu Zhihua leaped into the air, her sword flashing like the wind, slicing
a large patch of flesh from the shoulder of the monk Mifa, even severing his shoulder blade! Jin Shiyi withdrew his hands and laughed, "You cursed well,
you can atone for your sins now, get lost!" Qin Dai and Geng Chun, as if granted a pardon, covered their faces with their sleeves, not daring to look at their master again, and hurriedly scurried
away like rats!
Jin Shiyi laughed loudly, jumped out, and said to the monk Mifa, "You dared to go up the mountain and dig up Lü Siniang's grave. Even if you didn't
say anything, I would still settle this score with you. But you are injured today, and I, Jin Shiyi, do not want to bully the injured. After you
recover, I will teach you a lesson anytime!"
The monk Mifa was defeated by Gu Zhihua's sword and was extremely angry, but he was seriously injured. At this moment, let alone fighting
Jin Shiyi , he could not even defeat Gu Zhihua. The monk Mifa realized that if he wanted to vent his anger, he would likely lose his life, so he
had no choice but to swallow his pride. He uttered a few empty words, and amidst the shouts of the Mangshan disciples, he abandoned his iron crutch and fled down
Mangshan in a disheveled state.
Gu Zhihua sheathed her sword, approached Cao Jin'er, bowed, and reported, "Thanks to Master's protection and Senior Sister's might, your disciple
Gu Zhihua has driven the wicked monk down the mountain and has come to report!" In truth, her victory was entirely due to Jin Shiyi's ingenious plan to provoke
the monk Mifa; everyone present knew this. Cao Jin'er then understood that Gu Zhihua's words were merely to save
face for her, the sect leader.
Yi Zhongmou said, "Senior Sister, Gu Zhihua's defeat of the evil monk is a great contribution to our sect. Could her punishment be lenient, and could
she still be allowed to remain within the sect?" Cao Jin'er showed no joy and said indifferently, "I have my own plan. Junior Brother, you don't need
to say anything more ." Yi Zhongmou was thoroughly embarrassed and had no choice but to leave.
At this moment, all eyes were focused on Cao Jin'er again. Cao Jin'er, her face flushed with shame and anger, avoided Gu Zhihua's bow, stood
up , and slowly said, "Gu Zhihua, today you drove away the evil monk and preserved your master's grave. For this reason, I am particularly
lenient with you. The precious sword and sword manual do not need to be returned. However, your father is a public enemy of the Mangshan Sect, and the Mangshan Sect cannot keep you. I allow you
to establish your own sect , and I also allow you to retain your master-disciple relationship with my Aunt Lü. You can go to Mangshan to pay respects at the grave in spring and autumn, but you cannot
use the name of a Mangshan Sect disciple to flaunt your identity outside. Very well, go now!"
Upon hearing this, even many among the Mangshan Sect disciples felt it was excessive, but everyone remained silent, intimidated by the sect leader's
authority . Yi Zhongmou, having just encountered a rebuff, also refrained from speaking further.
After a long pause, Cheng Hao stepped forward and slowly said, "Gu Zhihua has rendered a great
service Please, Senior Sister, show mercy and consider a more lenient treatment." Cao Jin'er put on a stern face and coldly said, "I didn't force her to return
the precious sword and sword manual, and I even allowed her to establish her own sect as a collateral branch of our sect. This is already extremely lenient. What more mercy
do you want? Her father is our sect's greatest enemy. Can you guarantee that if something happens in the future, she won't side with her own father? Rather than causing
trouble , why not take precautions now and ask her to leave?" Cao Jin'er's words were purely for the sect's benefit and were indeed reasonable.
Although Cheng Hao believed that Gu Zhihua would no longer recognize that great demon as her father, he dared not take on the responsibility of guaranteeing her. After being scolded by Cao Jin'er
, he could only remain silent.
The old hero Huo Baoyou, confident in his connections with two generations of the Mangshan Sect, stepped forward and said, "As an outsider,
I internal strife. However, Lü Siniang only has this one disciple. If we expel her from the sect, she won't rest in peace.
Could you perhaps, for Lü Siniang's sake, allow her to stay?" Huo Baoyou, relying on his age, misused words, and his implication seemed to
be a hint of blame towards Cao Jin'er. Cao Jin'er's face changed drastically, and she said, "My Aunt Lü is a woman who hates evil. If she knew she had mistakenly taken
the daughter of the great demon Meng Shentong as her disciple, I'm afraid her punishment would be even more severe!" Huo Baoyou was quite annoyed, thinking, "If
Lü Siniang were alive, she would understand reason and certainly wouldn't do this." But Lü Siniang was dead; who could bring her back from the underworld
to question her? Respondent: highking Responding Time: 10/12/98 17:47
Huo Baoyou's sworn brother, Xu Anguo, couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward, saying, "Just now, I heard Brother Liu Xingsen say that
when the great hero of the Two Lakes, Gu Zhengpeng, took in Meng Shentong's orphaned child, he said something like this: 'The parents are guilty, but the child is innocent.' This Miss Gu has received
the upbringing of the great hero of the Two Lakes and the influence of Lü Siniang for ten years. Even if she has any evil roots, they should be completely eradicated. Besides, judging from her actions just now, she
clearly knew was no match for him..." "She was willing to fight the vicious monk with all her might, truly a good disciple who protects our sect. Miss Cao, please reconsider, and see
if can retract your decision?" Xu Anguo's words were reasonable, and Cao Jin'er was somewhat moved, but she could
n't bring herself to say it, "I also hope she is a chivalrous person, but her father is our sect's enemy. This matter is no ordinary one. I would rather the martial world recognize
me as ruthless and heartless than leave a potential threat to our sect!"
In short, Cao Jin'er was still worried. Gu Zhihua's eyes were filled with tears, and several times she wanted to speak but swallowed back her words. Just
then, Jin Shiyi suddenly burst into laughter, jumped out of the stage, grabbed Gu Zhihua, and pulled her away.
Cao Jin'er was startled, thinking Jin Shiyi was about to cause trouble. But instead, Jin Shiyi grabbed Gu Zhihua, laughing loudly,
"A true man should be independent and self-reliant! Miss Gu, you are a heroine, a woman of great courage and strength. Why put up with this wretched woman
's nagging? If you ask me, she wants you to establish your own sect, and that's exactly what she wants! Go away, go away!" Without another word, he pulled
Gu Zhihua away.
In truth, if Gu Zhihua had pleaded repeatedly, according to martial arts rules, before her master's grave, she could have made the most solemn
vow of life and death before the sect leader, swearing to forever obey the sect leader's orders and never betray the sect or collude with "outsiders" [even if that person was her
biological father ]. Then Cao Jin'er would have had a guarantee, and with the intervention of martial arts elders, Cao Jin'er could save face. Jin Shiyi would surely have seized the opportunity to back
down, allowing Gu Zhihua to remain within the sect. Gu Zhihua and Xu Anguo both understood the meaning behind her last words, and their tone
softened . However, Xu Anguo was an outsider, and he couldn't very well ask Gu Zhihua to do that. As for Gu Zhihua,
after learning about her true parentage, although she had long since resolved not to acknowledge Meng Shentong as her father, she still felt a sense of pride as a young girl. She had been
so bowing her head and submitting, even declaring that she would be an enemy of her biological father. How could she swallow this
insult? This was why Gu Zhihua's eyes were constantly glistening with tears, and why she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue several times.
At this moment, Gu Zhihua thought that since things had come to this, there was really no point in staying in the Mangshan Sect any longer. Jin Shiyi grabbed her
sleeve and pulled her a few steps, then she suddenly fell away. Jin Shiyi shouted, "What are you still lingering for? If you don't
leave now, when will you?" Gu Zhihua walked to her master's grave, kowtowed three times, and said loudly, "Senior Sister,
I bid you farewell today!"
Cao Jin'er was trembling with anger after Jin Shiyi called her a "stinking old woman," but firstly, Jin Shiyi had just dealt with the
two , eliminating a threat to the Mangshan Sect, and thus angering the monk Miefa, allowing Gu Zhihua to win calmly and preserving
the Mangshan Sect's face. Even though Cao Jin'er couldn't thank him directly, she couldn't very well have the disciples attack him again. Secondly, given Cao Jin'er's
status, she absolutely couldn't argue with Jin Shiyi. Therefore, although she was trembling with anger, she really couldn't do anything to Jin Shiyi.
At this moment, Gu Zhihua bowed to her in farewell. She vented all her anger on Gu Zhihua, stepping aside to avoid his greeting, and coldly
said, "From now on, I am no longer your senior sister, and you are no longer my junior sister. Who you associate with is none of my business!"
Jin Shiyi sneered, "Cao Jin'er, you look down on me, and I look down on you even more. If it weren't for Lü Siniang's sake, I would have given you a good beating with my cane
today !" Cao Jin'er was furious, brandishing her dragon-headed cane without uttering a word. Suddenly, Jin Shiyi
rolled his eyes and shouted, "Dare you say another word!" Cao Jin'er was indeed somewhat afraid of him. Seeing his fierce glint, she was startled and
involuntarily laughed heartily, exclaiming how satisfying it was, and pulled Gu Zhihua down Mangshan Mountain.
Indeed: Alone and independent, what is there to fear? Whether pure or impure, one will naturally distinguish right from wrong.

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[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 7

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