Taking the Stage

Inside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, the clamor gradually subsided, and the sides gradually became clear.

Eastbound Escort Agency, Golden Jade Full Hall, and the people from other escort agencies and merchant associations stood together, forming the Hundred Broken Mountain faction.

Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, Kunlun, Kongtong, and the other sects gathered into another group—the martial arts faction.

The Imperial Court forces led by Princess Qing Ping, and the Sacred Fire Cult followers led by Li Shao Bai, each formed their own side as well.

The four sides stood apart, their expressions strange and the atmosphere all the more delicate.

After this silence had lasted for a while, someone finally could not hold back. He turned to Zhou Hai and said, "With matters having reached this point, if Heavenly King Li still refuses to show himself, I fear Hundred Broken Mountain will run with blood tonight!"

At those words, everyone's eyes turned to Zhou Hai.

Just as he had said, only the appearance of a key figure capable of deciding the entire situation could possibly resolve this deadlock.

And on Hundred Broken Mountain, there had always been only one person who could decide everything. That person was...

"Tap!"

A light footstep sounded. Though nearly imperceptible, who among those present was ordinary? They immediately spun around and looked toward the entrance.

They saw a man strolling inside—a tall young man, vigorous and heroic, his majesty towering like a mountain.

"This..."

Seeing him stride into the hall like this, all parties were taken aback, confusion in their eyes.

"Who is this man?"

"Which faction does he belong to?"

"Another one? Isn't this pot of porridge chaotic enough already?"

The crowd frowned, uncertain and alarmed, until the newcomer crossed the main hall, mounted the high steps, turned around, and sat down upon the Dragon Head Chair.

"This...!"

Everyone's pupils shrank. The leaders and senior elders of the various sects were even more horrified.

Even the Hundred Broken Mountain disciples from Miao Fang Wang Tang and the others stood dumbfounded, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Only Head Steward Zhou Hai remained calm. He bowed to the young man seated above. "Heavenly King!"

The entire hall erupted.

"How could that be possible?"

"He is Heavenly King Li?"

"What kind of joke is this?!"

"Are you trying to fool us?"

"He must be putting on a mystical act, bluffing us with an empty show!"

The crowd exploded into uproar, none believing the newcomer's identity. Only the leaders of the major sects and several renowned martial artists knitted their brows, uncertain and uneasy.

Their reaction was hardly surprising. Who in the world did not know that Heavenly King Li of Hundred Broken Mountain had been famous for more than seventy years? His might had shaken north and south, his renown had resounded east and west. He was a living Martial Arts Myth, an unparalleled grandmaster.

How could such a legendary figure, nearly a hundred years old, possibly be the young man before them?

Could there truly be a method of rejuvenation in the world, an art of immortality?

Or was this... a civet cat substituted for a crown prince, a trick meant to deceive them?

Naturally, everyone was more inclined toward the latter. Otherwise, this matter would be too terrifying.

But...

"No, this man definitely is not Heavenly King Li!"

"Fifteen years ago, when Heavenly King Li went to Shaolin and blocked its gates, I was fortunate enough to see him. At that time, Heavenly King Li was clearly an elderly man with white beard and hair, possessing the bearing of an immortal!"

"Why is this man impersonating Heavenly King Li? What does Hundred Broken Mountain intend by doing this?"

"What else could it be? At such an advanced age, his vitality must have already declined. How could he possibly suppress a situation like this? They could only find a substitute to play tricks and put on an empty show. Who would have thought it? Who would have thought that mighty Hundred Broken Mountain had fallen to such a state..."

"Master Kongjian, I heard that fifteen years ago, Heavenly King Li challenged the Three Crossing Divine Monks at Shaolin. The four of you watched the battle at the time, so you should know best whether this man is..."

"Amitabha!!!"

All the doubtful discussions were drowned beneath a vast Buddhist Chant.

Shaolin's abbot, Kong Jian, stepped forward with his staff and performed a Buddhist salute. "Heavenly King Li's skill has reached the workings of creation itself. To think he can reverse Life and Death Reincarnation and achieve rejuvenation—he may already stand shoulder to shoulder with Patriarch Bodhidharma of our sect. This old monk is full of admiration!"

"This...!"

The hall broke into an uproar again.

"He really is Heavenly King Li?"

"What kind of joke is this?"

"Rejuvenation? Immortality?"

"Such martial arts truly exist in the world?"

"Why have I never heard of them?"

"Impossible! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Everyone was horrified, unable to accept it.

Only the outer disciples of Hundred Broken Mountain accepted the truth. They immediately fell to their knees. "Congratulations, Patriarch, on your divine skill reaching Great Accomplishment!"

Xu Yang shook his head without speaking. He merely waved them aside, then turned his gaze toward the leaders of the major sects and the renowned martial artists. "Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, Kunlun, Kongtong, the Beggar's Gang, Wushan Sect, Divine Sword Manor... You came in quite a complete assembly."

"..."

At those words, everyone's hearts skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding rising within them.

Was he going to call them to account?

Of course he was going to call them to account!

Before this, no one would have feared whether he did so or not. They had already prepared to tear away all pretenses with Heavenly King Li and even fight him outright. Otherwise, they would not have dared come to Hundred Broken Mountain and cause trouble at his birthday banquet.

Their confidence came from the fact that this Martial Arts Myth was nearly a hundred years old. No matter how he had once shaken the world and stood invincible in the martial arts world, he could not withstand the merciless erosion of time. At a hundred years of age, what did it matter how high his martial arts were? If the major sects attacked together and wore him down in a Wheel Battle, even if they could not defeat him, they could exhaust him to death.

But now, looking at Xu Yang with hair black as ink and a vigorous heroic bearing, everyone fell silent.

Could they still exhaust him to death?

Even if they could, what price would they have to pay?

Damn it—why did the spies planted within Hundred Broken Mountain know nothing about such an important matter, leaving them without the slightest preparation?

The crowd silently cursed, the pressure on their shoulders growing heavier.

Yet silence could not solve the problem. As Shaolin's abbot, Kong Jian could only steel himself and step forward. "Heavenly King, your skill has reached the workings of creation; you are no longer an ordinary man. We too do not wish to disturb you, nor have you be stained again by these worldly affairs. But the actions of those under your command have been far too tyrannical and overbearing. The various martial arts sects all harbor grievances..."

At those words, the outer disciples of Hundred Broken Mountain immediately changed expression and began angrily cursing.

"You bald donkey! With the Patriarch right before you, you still dare invert black and white and spit blood from your mouth!"

"The Patriarch's earnest teachings are engraved in our hearts! We have never done anything to disgrace our sect's name!"

The crowd protested in outrage, but Xu Yang silenced them with a wave of his hand.

Xu Yang glanced at Kong Jian, then shifted his gaze to Princess Qing Ping and Li Shao Bai.

"The martial arts world?"

"The Imperial Court?"

"Rebels?"

"Ha!"

Xu Yang laughed and said calmly, "In truth, you are all the same kind of people—people who cannot tolerate those of my Li Qingshan!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

At those words, the entire hall fell silent.

Everyone was shocked and dared not speak.

In the end, Kong Jian was the first to recover. "Amitabha, Heavenly King, your words are too grave. We absolutely have no such intention!"

Qing Ping and Li Shao Bai also awakened from their shock. "Yes, yes, yes! We most certainly have no intention of making trouble for Heavenly King!"

Yet Xu Yang ignored them completely and continued coldly, "You cannot tolerate me, but why should I be able to tolerate you?"

"This...!"

Everyone's pupils contracted, their faces filled with alarm.

Kong Jian's white brows drew tight. He felt deeply uneasy, but as Shaolin's abbot, he still had no choice but to ask, "What does Heavenly King mean by this?"

Xu Yang did not answer. His gaze swept across the crowd before finally settling on Kunlun Sect Leader, Mister Iron Sword He Tianchong. "Fifty years ago, I went to Kunlun and fought your grandfather, Mister Three Absolutes. I defeated him in fifty-two moves!"

"..."

He Tianchong's face twitched. Fury and shock filled him, yet he did not dare speak.

Xu Yang ignored him and turned toward Kongtong's sect leader, Chen Longfei. "Forty-five years ago, I came to Kongtong. The Five Elders of Kongtong met me in battle, and after forty-two moves, they were defeated by my hand!"

Chen Longfei: "..."

"Forty years ago, at the Beggar's Gang headquarters, your previous gang leader joined six Nine-Pouch Elders and eighteen disciples to form the Dog Beating Staff Formation. I broke it in fifty-eight moves!"

"Thirty-five years ago, at Divine Sword Manor, your grandfather Yi Shan used Eight Swords Combined, yet he did not fall until eighty-eight moves had passed."

"Thirty years ago, at Emei Golden Summit, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Sword Formation—sixty-two moves!"

"Twenty-five years ago, at Wudang Mountain, the Seven Ultimate True Martial Formation—eighty-one moves!"

"Fifteen years ago, at Shaoshi Mountain, the 108 Arhat Vajra Demon Subduing Formation—seventy-five moves!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

One old incident after another was dragged back into the light, making the faces of the sect leaders twitch and their eyelids jump.

Over these past decades, Hundred Broken Mountain had been able to travel freely throughout the land and spread its escort agencies, caravans, merchant associations, fleets, and other enterprises across east, west, south, and north. First, it relied upon the profits of monopolizing goods such as refined salt, soap, and glass. Second, it relied upon the might of this Heavenly King Li, whose martial force suppressed the entire world.

Seventy years ago, after Hundred Broken Mountain changed masters, this newly ascended Central Heavenly King spent great sums purchasing the martial arts of famous masters across the world.

Twenty years later, he emerged after mastering them and challenged experts throughout the land. The Three Absolute Masters of Kunlun, the Five Elders of Kongtong Divine Fist, the Seven Disciples of Wudang, the Three Monks of Shaolin—even the number one martial artist of that generation, the Lord of Divine Sword Manor—all suffered crushing defeat.

From then on, the world had a Martial Arts Myth who shook the ages and blazed through history—Heavenly King Li of Hundred Broken Mountain!

Now seventy years had passed. He had not fought for fifteen years, and the world had gradually forgotten the many victories of this Heavenly King who suppressed the martial arts world.

"Amitabha!"

Kong Jian uttered a Buddhist Chant and lowered his head. "Heavenly King's divine skill covers the world; we cannot compare. Yet the sun and moon shine bright, and justice lies at the will of the people. If Heavenly King means to use force to silence the people of the world, then not only will our mouths remain unconvinced—our hearts will remain unconvinced as well!"

Those words barely managed to stir everyone's spirits, and someone immediately voiced agreement.

"Exactly!"

"Li Qingshan, are you going to use your peerless divine skill to shield your own disciples?"

"As the ancients said, wealth and rank cannot corrupt, might and force cannot bend. Would the people of the world truly fear your tyrannical power?"

"Everyone, do not be afraid! No matter how powerful he is, he is only one man. I refuse to believe he can kill every one of us!"

"Exactly! Heavenly King Li, even if your skill has reached the workings of creation and you stand without equal beneath heaven, you are still flesh and blood—not steel bones and iron sinews, nor jade elixir and golden pill. Once your True Qi is exhausted, you will not escape calamity either!"

The crowd shouted fiercely, forcibly steadying their footing.

Xu Yang only smiled at this. "Is that so? Then let us try."

With that, his gaze lowered coldly. First he looked at Kong Jian and the others, then at Princess Qing Ping and the Young Master of Sacred Fire.

"You, you, and you!"

"Come at me together!"

Those words tore open the battle.