After delivering her message, Red Dust left the hall, leaving the Ming Cult's leaders looking at one another.
At last, Yang Xiao spoke. "What do you all think?"
Leng Qian said, "If it comes to that, why not make her our leader?"
Zhang Zhong said, "From what I've seen, she speaks sincerely and cares about the world. As she said, ability has nothing to do with whether someone is a man or a woman.
"Perhaps she'll succeed. Wouldn't that be a tale for the ages?"
Yang Xiao, the White-Browed Eagle King, and the others said nothing. Things had not reached that point yet.
As time passed, Ming Cult scouts brought back reports. The six major sects had reached the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, and the Ming Cult's followers were drawing back their defensive lines.
Shaolin was led by Abbot Kongwen and his junior brother Kongxing, two eminent monks. With several core disciples of the Yuan generation and a host of junior warrior monks, they numbered over two hundred.
Wudang's contingent was led by Song Yuanqiao. With Zhang Songxi, Mo Shenggu, Yin Liting, Song Qingshu, and other third-generation disciples, it numbered over a hundred.
Miejue had brought every Emei disciple she could. Only a few junior disciples remained to guard the sect. She seemed determined not to stop until she achieved her goal, and her force also numbered over a hundred.
Kunlun's contingent consisted of He Taichong, his wife Ban Shuxian, Xihua Zi, and over a hundred third-generation disciples.
The Kongtong Five Elders led the Kongtong Sect's force of nearly a hundred.
Xian Yutong led nearly a hundred disciples from Mount Hua.
And, of course, the Beggars' Sect and other factions had sent nearly a thousand more.
Together, the six major sects and the other factions had over two