A short ballad of the present-day martial world went: three temples, six sects, twelve orders; two Daoist lineages, four gates, five cities.
The two Daoist lineages referred to the two Daoist sects among these supreme powers. One was the Quanzhen Sect, which had risen eighty years ago. The other was the Pure Yang Daoist Sect, which had shone throughout the martial world for eight hundred years.
Just how formidable was the Pure Yang Daoist Sect?
For six hundred years after its founding by its first Daoist Chief, Lü Dongxuan-Patriarch Lü-it had shared dominion over the martial world equally with Shaolin.
Two hundred years ago, the Pure Yang Daoist Sect had undergone an unprecedented split. That year, the Pure Yang Sect had seen an explosion of prodigies: more than a dozen inner disciples had mastered the Pure Yang Daoist Canon, and every one of them qualified to become Daoist Chief.
In the end, to avoid a great clash of arms, eight of those prodigies had taken their own disciples out of Pure Yang Palace and established their own lineages elsewhere.
Major Daoist sects ranked in the martial world's second tier, including the Kunlun Pure Yang Limitless Temple, the Ji Province Pure Yang Sword Sect, and the Shu Province Pure Yang Nine Palaces Sword Sect, had all been founded by Pure Yang disciples who had left that year.
Even after losing so many gifted disciples and splintering into countless sects large and small, the Pure Yang Daoist Sect remained a supreme power in the martial world.
Chen Xugu was forty-eight that year.
He had entered Pure Yang at eight, become thoroughly versed in the Pure Yang Daoist Canon at nine, and begun practicing martial arts at ten. By fifteen, he had memorized every martial art in the canon backward and forward.
At twenty, he had descended the mountain to travel, and his fame had soared.
At twenty-eight, he had entered the northeastern Great Feng Kingdom's capital alone. With only his sword, he had stormed the Feng Kingdom's imperial palace and taken back the Qian Kingdom's third princess, who had been sent there for a marriage alliance.
It was said that the Feng Kingdom's state preceptor and high priest had been in seclusion that year, allowing Chen Xugu to succeed.
But who could match the courage of a man who had stormed the imperial palace alone, treating all the experts in Fengtian City as nothing?
After his return, the old emperor had personally bestowed a marriage, wedding the third princess to Chen Xugu.
A brilliant young talent, venturing alone into a foreign land, with nothing but a sword, all for a beauty.
Chen Xugu's appearance back then had broken the hearts of all the women on the martial world's Rouge Ranking.
His fury for a beauty rose enough to lift his crown; he was handsome and wealthy besides.
Unchanging in his devoted love, he dared brave the Nine Netherworlds and ascend the heavens.
At thirty-two, he had taken over the Pure Yang Daoist Sect and become its Daoist Chief. At thirty-five, his battle with Sword Immortal Li Qingyun had shown everyone what it meant for immortals to fight.
In the end, Li Qingyun had lost by a single move and died beneath his sword.
In the years afterward, he had remained at Pure Yang Palace reciting scriptures and seldom descended the mountain.
His most recent trip down had been five years ago, when the old emperor passed away and Emperor Jiaxing ascended the throne. He had attended as a family member.
Today, this idol of every middle-aged woman in the martial world, enemy of every man, Daoist Chief of the Pure Yang Daoist Sect, and Grand Palace Master of Pure Yang Palace had actually left his mountain!
That Pure Yang Sword alone was enough to chill the martial world's blood.
At the sight of Chen Xugu, the crazed Juekong charged again.
Daoist Chief or not-kill!
Flower-Picking Finger, Great Prajna Palm, Immeasurable Kalpa Finger-he hurled them out as though they cost nothing.
Golden force, gigantic golden palms, and surging True Qi raised billowing smoke and rolling waves, as though heaven and earth were trembling and even wild beasts would flee.
If this were made into a television drama, the special effects for his moves alone would cost a fortune.
Yet Chen Xugu used only one sword stroke.
A thousand moves, ten thousand, from whatever treacherous angle-I needed only one stroke, Pure Yang True Qi shielding my body, Pure Yang Sword Qi startling the heavens.
Unlike the frenzied Juekong, Chen Xugu only defended, never attacking, like a sparring partner amusing a child.
Watching Juekong's True Qi gradually run dry, Chen Xugu said, "If that old bald donkey Xingkong came, he could exchange a few moves with this humble Daoist. You? Forget it."
"Pfft!"
Juekong sprayed a mouthful of blood on the spot.
Yankong stopped putting on an act now. He approached in a few strides and intoned a Buddhist invocation to Chen Xugu. "Yankong greets Perfected Tianxu."
Chen Xugu sheathed his sword, a trace of murderous intent in his eyes. "What, Master? Do you intend to reason with me today?"
"I would not dare parade my meager abilities before you, Perfected One."
"Smart of you. Remember what I told you back then. It holds for life!"
"Yankong understands."
Oh?
These two were old acquaintances. From the looks of it, Yankong had suffered at his hands before.
Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao exchanged glances, secretly snickering.
"Senior Brother, was he the one you wrote to?"
Zhang Qingyuan shook his head. "It's fine. As long as someone came."
"Mm."
Hearing his two junior brothers, acquired without effort, muttering over there, Chen Xugu felt an urge deep inside to beat them up.
But this was not the time. Besides, he was older now, his status was higher, and he had an idol's image to maintain.
I'll settle accounts with you two later!
The others carefully gathered around. Even Chu Tianxing, the Heaven Gate's master, had become exceptionally cautious.
Chen Xugu had stayed out of the martial world for a decade or so. Many of the current generation's prodigies might not understand him, but as men of the same era, Chen Xugu and Zhong Qishan knew this Daoist master's temper.
If fists could do the talking, waste as few words as possible. Want to reason with me? Beat me first!
Just then, Qin Shuangjiang, the Joyous Union Sect's deputy sect master, known throughout the martial world as Big Sister, actually walked straight over and stood beside Chen Xugu.
She said nothing, but that single action spoke louder than a thousand words.
Youngsters of the new generation, such as Zhang Qingyuan and his brother and those two brilliant disciples from Mount Hua, did not understand the reason. They all looked toward Luo Binghe.
Brother, you're wearing a green hat!
Your wife is about to run off! Aren't you going to do something?
Yet Luo Binghe seemed not to see it, or perhaps considered it perfectly natural, showing not the slightest ripple.
Only the older generation, such as Chu Tianxing and Zhong Qishan, understood the inside story. They looked at Chen Xugu, unsurprised by the strange sight.
"This senior brother we picked up certainly had plenty of stories in his youth," Zhang Junbao whispered.
Seeing the older seniors' reactions, Zhang Qingyuan nodded too. "Enough for a million-word novel at the very least."
Each generation brought forth its talents, each commanding the spotlight for centuries.
Barring any surprises, Chen Xugu was that talent.
Chen Xugu looked at everyone and said, "This humble Daoist did not come here today to waste words.
"Martial Uncle Li Xuanzhen of Mount Laojun's Taiqing Palace recently received a revelation. He entered the immortal realm in a dream and said that two true gods from the celestial realm had descended into this world. Thus, he specifically ordered this humble Daoist to bring those two up the mountain.
"They will enter the Taiqing Sage's lineage. Martial Uncle said his own standing was not high, so he placed them under Mount Laojun's previous sect master, Li Xuanxin, accepting them as disciples on Martial Uncle Xuanxin's behalf.
"Today, this matter shall be entered into the Daoist canon of the realm and placed on record.
"Anyone with objections may come find me at Pure Yang Palace.
"Disperse."
Everyone nodded their agreement after hearing him.
Li Xuanzhen was accepting disciples on behalf of the deceased Li Xuanxin. At eighteen, upon just entering the lineage, they would share the same generational standing as the current Daoist Chief.
And all that about heavenly revelations and true gods descending.
What a joke!
But one word from him, and the matter was settled.
Dissatisfied? They would have to swallow it anyway.
Do not think only the Buddhists knew how to use such methods. As fellow cultivators, the Daoists were no slouches at this game either.
You said this man had fallen into demonic ways and needed to be taken back to your Buddhist sect for deliverance.
I could just as well say this man needed to be executed on the spot by us Daoists.
You said he was a Buddhist holy son; I said he was a true god of our Daoist lineage descended to earth.
We were all thousand-year-old foxes-why play out Strange Tales with each other?
Dominating!
Zhang Junbao and Zhang Qingyuan raised their heads together. Now this was a proper Daoist.
Yankong supported Juekong. Behind him stood the Shaolin Eighteen Arhats, along with more than a dozen disciples from the Dharma Hall.
Rumor had it that the Eighteen Arhats Formation could kill a grandmaster. Right now, the Pure Yang Daoist Chief, a grandmaster himself, stood before them, yet Yankong still did not dare act.
Even though his side had both himself and his junior brother Juekong, the Eighteen Arhats who could subdue a grandmaster, and a group of Buddhist disciples from the Dharma Hall whose martial arts rivaled the world's first-rate experts, while Chen Xugu was alone.
They still dared not move.
The people from Shaolin left, and no one else dared remain.
The sect masters stepped forward one after another to bid Chen Xugu farewell, then turned and left with their disciples.
"Senior Brother, eighteen years have passed since we parted in the Purple Bamboo Grove, yet your splendor remains unchanged.
"Poor little me, old and faded like a yellowed pearl, unfit to face you." Qin Shuangjiang held his arm and gazed raptly at his face.
"Shuangjiang, you know I've always thought of you as a younger sister."
"Senior Brother~"
Qin Shuangjiang covered her face and choked back sobs, turning her head away.
Chen Xugu glanced at Luo Binghe. "Live a good life together."
With that, he turned without looking back and signaled Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao with his eyes.
He mouthed one word: "Run!"
The two obediently turned and ran.
Chen Xugu said, "Hey, you little brats! What are you running for? Stop right there!"
He chased after them as though fleeing.
Luo Binghe walked over to the still-grieving Qin Shuangjiang and put an arm around her shoulders. "Junior Sister, you'll never attain great mastery of the Yin-Yang Joyous Union Art in this lifetime."
"I'm sorry, Senior Brother."
Even though Luo Binghe's looks ranked first by a staggering margin, enough to put every handsome man to shame.
Yet even his 198 centimeters could not win his junior sister's heart, because everyone who had lived through that era knew full well.
Qin Shuangjiang, number one on the beauty ranking, had long since left her heart in that Purple Bamboo Grove in Jiangnan.