Two Waves of Obstruction

Daoist Tianmen, the head of the Mount Tai Sect, was renowned for his uprightness and integrity. Since he had spoken, those in the crowd who had been wavering and uncertain fell silent and stopped discussing the matter.

Instead, they began to consider whether their own families or sects had any exceptionally gifted young people. Once the Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony was over, they would send them to the Five Great Sword Sects, or to Shaolin or Wudang.

Yu Canghai stood where he was, his face dark. He didn't dare say much. Wang Jingyuan stared at him for a long while, licked his lips, then tugged at Yue Buqun's sleeve, signaling for him to hand over the sword manual.

Yue Buqun had no objection and passed it over without fuss.

Wang Jingyuan went up to Yu Canghai and offered him the sword manual. Yu Canghai looked taken aback, but with the manual right in front of him, he couldn't afford to think twice. He snatched it up without even saying thank you.

Wang Jingyuan didn't mind. He simply said, "I played a trick on your son, so now I'm giving you a sword manual. My senior brother beat your disciples, but when villains tried to harm them, he also spoke up to stop them.

"Huashan and the Qingcheng Sect are even."

Yu Canghai shot Wang Jingyuan a gloomy look. "Very well. All our grievances are settled, once and for all!" Whether he believed his own words was something only he knew.

After the farce, Liu Zhengfeng cleared his throat, and the others remembered who the day's main attraction was. Seeing everyone turn to look at him, Liu Zhengfeng waved to signal his disciples.

Before long, Hengshan disciples carried a golden basin into the main hall. They began pouring water into it from a bottle, waiting for the auspicious hour when the ceremony would begin.

When the appointed hour arrived, Liu Zhengfeng turned toward the entrance and announced loudly, "I, Liu Zhengfeng, was fortunate enough to be accepted as my master's disciple and taught martial arts, yet I failed to bring glory to the Hengshan Sect. I am deeply ashamed. Fortunately, Senior Brother Mo is in charge of our sect. I, Liu Zhengfeng, am an inconsequential man; the sect is no better off with me than without me.

"From this day onward, I, Liu Zhengfeng, will wash my hands of the martial world and devote myself to a career in government. I absolutely will not use the martial arts taught by my master to seek promotion and wealth. As for the grievances, disputes, and sect rivalries of the martial world, I, Liu Zhengfeng, will have nothing more to do with them.

"Should I break this vow, may I be like this sword!"

Liu Zhengfeng flipped his right hand and drew his long sword. Gripping it with both hands, he bent the blade until it snapped in two. He let the broken pieces fall, and with two sharp clinks, they sank into the blue bricks.

Many people hadn't known that Liu Zhengfeng had bought himself an official post. Now, hearing him mention seeking promotion and wealth, they understood. He must have bought his way into government. Quite a few frowned. Washing his hands of the martial world was one thing, but turning around and accepting an official appointment—what was that about?

Just then, the Songshan Sect members arrived. "Stop!"

Hearing the voice, Liu Zhengfeng narrowed his eyes. So they had come after all.

A group of yellow-clad men filed in. The man at their head carried a five-colored brocade banner, which was presumably the Five Mountains Alliance Leader's command banner.

The man walked up to Liu Zhengfeng, raised the banner, and said, "Uncle Liu, by order of Alliance Leader Zuo of the Five Great Sword Sects, your Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony must be postponed for now."

Liu Zhengfeng put on a puzzled expression, but nodded readily. "All right. May I ask what the Alliance Leader's reason is?"

The yellow-clad man at the head was about to answer when a shout suddenly rang out from outside. "Liu Zhengfeng, you treacherous dog! Before you wash your hands of the martial world, you'd better ask whether I'll allow it!"

Suddenly, a black-clad old man landed on the outer wall of the Liu residence, glaring fiercely inside. Liu Zhengfeng cried out in alarm, "Qu Yang?!"

Qu Yang gave a sinister laugh. "After scheming against me, you still think you can wash your hands of the martial world? Dream on! I'll kill you before you can hold your ceremony!"

No one could have imagined that Qu Yang would show up when all the righteous sects had gathered. Wasn't he afraid of dying? Just then, a voice came from the crowd. "Is this... a case of love turning to hate?"

Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng heard the words, and their backs instantly went cold. They nearly couldn't keep acting. Everyone turned toward the voice and saw Wang Jingyuan.

The kid was far too reckless. Everyone might have suspected what was going on, but he couldn't say it out loud in front of everyone.

The Hengshan disciples in particular were giving Wang Jingyuan increasingly hostile looks. Wang Jingyuan suddenly slapped his forehead. "My mistake, my mistake. I get so absorbed in novels that I often can't separate the story from real life."

Everyone who heard him looked awkward. Did he really have to bring up the one thing nobody wanted to talk about? Couldn't he just shut up?

As if trying to make up for it, Wang Jingyuan turned to Qu Yang outside, then immediately started cursing him. "Qu Yang, you old pervert, you rotten old queen! Just the other day, you sneaked into Uncle Liu's room at night and left him laid up in bed for ages.

"Today's Uncle Liu's big day, and you still dare show your face? With so many of us here, do you really think you can get your hands on Third Master Liu in front of everyone? I mean—hurt him?

"I hear you play the qin, too. But looking at the way you keep your head down and skulk around, all lecherous and slimy, who knows whether the music you play is 'Song of the Rear Courtyard' or 'Phoenix Trapped in the Phoenix Tree.' Wait, is that qin-playing of yours even respectable? Why not practice the flute instead?

"Someone like you, a little pansy, could put that skill to use elsewhere, too. Hahahaha..."

Wang Jingyuan laughed on and on, then pretended to notice, as if by accident, the vertical flute Liu Zhengfeng had placed on the stand at the front of the main hall. His laughter grew quieter and quieter, until at last he stopped.

Then he awkwardly scratched his head and apologized to Liu Zhengfeng, whose face had turned livid. "Uncle Liu, I wasn't hinting at you. Everyone knows you have both sons and daughters. You're definitely not the sort to indulge in illicit male relationships."

Quite a few well-traveled people in the crowd looked uneasy at Wang Jingyuan's words. In this day and age, men who were attracted to both sexes far outnumbered those who were exclusively gay.

Wang Jingyuan seemed to realize his mistake and clamped his mouth shut again. Then he started frantically trying to explain away what he'd just said. "I... I didn't mean that. I meant that Uncle Liu is a senior of the righteous path. Even if he were to indulge in illicit male relationships, he wouldn't get involved with a Demonic Cult scoundrel. He'd at least choose someone from a reputable sect..."

At that, Wang Jingyuan seemed to remember something else. He covered his mouth in horror. The righteous people present also shut their eyes in pain.

As righteous sect disciples, they were well within their rights to trade barbs with a Demonic Cult villain. But Wang Jingyuan's words might or might not have angered the villain; what they definitely did was remind everyone of the juicy scandal they'd all been avoiding lately. It was hard to say whether he'd done it on purpose or by accident.

Not only Liu Zhengfeng, but Qu Yang looked grim as well. Still, one couldn't let personal feelings interfere with work; the act had to go on. Qu Yang simply ignored everything Wang Jingyuan had said. If he responded, who knew what Wang Jingyuan might say next?

Qu Yang only looked at Liu Zhengfeng and said, "You must have known I'd come today, right? But no plan is foolproof. On my way here, I discovered the men you had lying in ambush. They were hit by my Black Blood Divine Needles, and they're not doing too well now."

At that, the Songshan Sect disciples were horrified.