Chapter 43

Fēi Bīn sneered and said, "What's so strange about that? The Demon Sect uses all sorts of tricks to sow discord and win people over. If he can go to great lengths to win you over, he can certainly do the same to the Huashan Sect disciples. Perhaps Linghuchong will be grateful and want to repay his savior. Then we will have another traitor in the Five Mountains Sword Sect." He turned to Yue Buqun and said, "Senior Brother Yue, I'm just giving an example. Please don't take offense."

Yue Buqun smiled slightly and said, "I won't take offense!"

Yue Fangxing thought to himself, "What a load of nonsense! Even if he were offended, he wouldn't dare say it! If you say this, any hesitation from Huashan would only invite suspicion from outsiders!"

Liu Zhengfeng raised his eyebrows and asked sternly, "Senior Brother Fei, what do you mean by 'another' traitor?"

Fei Bin sneered and said, "A mute eating dumplings knows the number in his heart. Why spell it out?"

Liu Zhengfeng said, "Hmph, you're directly accusing me of being a traitor. My friendships are my private affairs, and others have no right to interfere. I, Liu Zhengfeng, would never betray my master or the Hengshan Sect. I return the word 'traitor' to you." He was usually polite and courteous, like a wealthy landowner with a touch of rustic charm, but now he suddenly exuded a vigorous and heroic aura, quite different from before. The crowd, seeing his disadvantageous position, admired his courage for standing up to Fei Bin without backing down.

Fei Bin said, "So, Senior Brother Liu, you won't take the first path and refuse to kill the great demon Qu Yang?"

Liu Zhengfeng said, "If the Alliance Leader has given the order, Senior Brother Fei, feel free to act now and kill my entire family!"

Fei Bin said, "You shouldn't be so confident. Just because you've retired, the Five Mountains Sword Sect won't hesitate to clean house."

He gestured to Shi Dengda and said, "Come here!" Shi Dengda responded, "Yes!" and took three steps forward. Fei Bin took the five-colored banner from him, raised it high, and said, "Liu Zhengfeng, listen: The Alliance Leader orders that if you do not kill Qu Yang within a month, the Five Mountains Sword Sect will consider you a traitor to the Demon Sect. To prevent future trouble, we will eliminate you without mercy. Think about it!"

Liu Zhengfeng gave a bitter smile and said, "I value my friendships and would never harm a friend to save myself. If the Alliance Leader won't forgive me, I, Liu Zhengfeng, am alone and powerless. How can I resist the Alliance Leader? Your Songshan Sect has already made all the arrangements, perhaps even bought my coffin. If you want to act, do it now. What are you waiting for?"

Fei Bin unfurled the banner and said loudly, "Senior Brother Tianmen of Taishan Sect, Senior Brother Yue of Huashan Sect, Senior Master Dingyi of Hengshan Sect, and all the senior and junior disciples of Hengshan Sect, the Alliance Leader has given the order: Good and evil cannot coexist. The Demon Sect and the Five Mountains Sword Sect have deep, irreconcilable enmity. Liu Zhengfeng has befriended villains and joined our enemies. All of us in the Five Mountains Sword Sect must join forces to eliminate him. Those who accept the order, please stand to the left."

Yue Fangxing thought, "This is forcing everyone to take sides. Even if there are criticisms later, if everyone here from the Five Mountains Sword Sect accepts the order without objection, no one can say anything against the Songshan Sect."

Tianmen Daoist stood up and walked to the left without even glancing at Liu Zhengfeng. His master had been killed by a female elder of the Demon Sect, so he hated the Demon Sect with a passion. Once he moved to the left, his disciples followed.

Yue Buqun stood up and said, "Brother Liu, if you just nod, Yue Buqun will take care of Qu Yang for you. You say a man of honor cannot betray his friends, but are you implying that Qu Yang is your only friend? What about us in the Five Mountains Sword Sect and the many heroes here? Over a thousand martial artists came from far away to celebrate your retirement. Isn't that enough friendship? Can the lives of your family and the friendship of the Five Mountains Sword Sect and the hundreds of fellow martial artists here be outweighed by just one person, Qu Yang?"

Liu Zhengfeng slowly shook his head and said, "Senior Brother Yue, you are a scholar and should understand that a man of honor has principles. I am very grateful for your kind words. But if someone forces me to harm Qu Yang, or to harm any of my good friends here, even if my entire family suffers, I will never agree. Qu Yang is indeed my close friend, but aren't you, Senior Brother Yue, also my good friend? If Qu Yang ever suggested harming any of my friends in the Five Mountains Sword Sect, I would despise him and no longer consider him a friend." His words were sincere, and the crowd was moved. In the martial world, loyalty is paramount. Although they did not entirely agree with Liu Zhengfeng's stance, they could not help but admire his integrity.

Yue Buqun shook his head and said, "Brother Liu, you are wrong. Your loyalty to your friends is admirable, but you are not distinguishing between good and evil, right and wrong. The Demon Sect has committed countless atrocities, harming righteous martial artists and innocent civilians. You have become friends with Qu Yang over music, but you have misunderstood the meaning of 'loyalty.'"

Liu Zhengfeng smiled faintly and said, "Senior Brother Yue, you don't appreciate music, so you don't understand. Words and writing can lie, but music and the qin and xiao (flute) express the heart and cannot be faked. My friendship with Qu Yang is based on music and mutual understanding. I am willing to stake my life on the fact that Qu Yang, though a member of the Demon Sect, has no trace of evil."

Yue Buqun sighed deeply and walked to stand beside Tianmen Daoist. Yue Fangxing, Yue Lingshan, Liang Fa, Laodenuo, and other Huashan disciples followed.

Dingyi Master looked at Liu Zhengfeng and asked, "From now on, should I call you Brother Liu or Liu Zhengfeng?"

Liu Zhengfeng smiled bitterly and said, "Liu Zhengfeng's life is in danger, and you won't call me that again." Dingyi Master clasped her hands in prayer and said, "Amitabha!" She slowly walked to stand beside Yue Buqun and said, "Deep evil, sin, sin." Her disciples followed.

Fei Bin said, "This is Liu Zhengfeng's personal matter and has nothing to do with others. All Hengshan Sect disciples who do not wish to join the traitors, stand to the left."

The hall was silent for a moment. A young man said, "Master, we are sorry." About thirty Hengshan Sect disciples, who were Liu Zhengfeng's junior disciples, not his direct disciples, walked to stand beside the Hengshan nuns. Today was Liu Zhengfeng's retirement day, but for some reason, none of the first-generation Hengshan Sect members were present. Otherwise, the situation would not be so simple.

Fei Bin said, "All of Liu Zhengfeng's direct disciples, stand to the left."

Xiang Dajian said loudly, "We have received great kindness from our master and cannot betray him. We, the disciples of Liu Zhengfeng, will live and die with our master."

Liu Zhengfeng's eyes were filled with tears, and he was deeply moved, but he sternly said, "Where have you learned the principles of the martial world? Go to the left! My friendships are my own business and have nothing to do with you."

Mi Weiyi still refused and suddenly reached for his sword, ready to fight the Songshan Sect to the death. But before he could draw his sword, Liu Zhengfeng grabbed him and threw him to the left. The Hengshan Sect disciples on the left caught him, seeing that he was unconscious. Liu Zhengfeng must have knocked him out to prevent further trouble.

Xiang Dajian and others, seeing this, knew they could not disobey their master. Remembering their master's instructions from the night before, they shed tears and walked to the left.

Now only Liu Zhengfeng's family remained. Liu Zhengfeng, with a last glimmer of hope, said to Fei Bin and the others, "Please tell the Alliance Leader to allow my family to retire and never interfere in martial world affairs again. I will never see Qu Yang again. I will take my family far away and live in seclusion overseas, never setting foot in China again."

Ding Man hesitated and said, "We cannot make this decision. We must report to Senior Brother Zuo and await his instructions."

Liu Zhengfeng said, "The leaders of Taishan and Huashan Sects are here, and Senior Master Dingyi of Hengshan Sect can also make decisions for her sect. Moreover, all the heroes here can be witnesses." He scanned the crowd and said, "I am asking all of you to help me. Let me keep my friendship and protect my family and disciples."

Dingyi Master said first, "This is a good solution. It will avoid unnecessary conflict. Senior Brothers Ding, Lu, and Fei, let's agree to Brother Liu's request. If he leaves China, it's as if he no longer exists. Why create more bloodshed?"

Tianmen Daoist nodded and said, "This is a good idea. Brother Yue, what do you think?"

Yue Buqun said, "Brother Liu's word is as good as gold. If he says this, we can trust him. Tomorrow morning, take your family and leave Hengshan City."

Lu Bai said, "The leaders of Taishan and Huashan Sects have spoken, and Senior Master Dingyi has strongly defended Liu Zhengfeng. How can we go against the will of the crowd? But Liu Zhengfeng's actions are a betrayal of the Five Mountains Sword Sect. If we agree to this, people will say that anyone who betrays the Five Mountains Sword Sect can simply leave and live in peace. How will the Five Mountains Sword Sect maintain its reputation?"

No one could argue. Indeed, why did the Five Mountains Sword Sect form an alliance if not to fight the Demon Sect? If they let Liu Zhengfeng go, who would be willing to fight the Demon Sect in the future?

Liu Zhengfeng knew he had no chance of survival today. He gave a bitter smile, bowed to the crowd, and said, "I know I am guilty, but my family is innocent. I entrust them to all of you!" He then sternly told his son and daughter, "What I do today is my own fault. You must not bear any grudges and must never involve yourselves in martial world affairs. Remember this!" He knew he could not escape today and was entrusting his family to the crowd, fearing that the Songshan Sect would not let them live.

The Liu family, though they had heard the news last night, were still overwhelmed with grief and could not speak. Liu Jing, seeing her father like this, forced back her tears and choked out, "Father, don't worry. We will not involve ourselves in martial world affairs." She could not finish before bursting into tears.

Liu Zhengfeng, seeing this, sighed deeply and said, "I will take care of myself and not trouble you all!" He raised his sword to his neck, ready to end his life.

At that moment, a black figure leaped from the eaves, moved like the wind, and grabbed Liu Zhengfeng's left wrist, shouting, "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be wood. Let's go!"

Liu Zhengfeng was surprised and said, "Brother Qu... you..."

The crowd, hearing him call "Brother Qu," knew this black figure was Qu Yang, an elder of the Demon Sect, and were all shocked.

Qu Yang said, "No time to talk!" He increased his speed, taking only three steps before Ding Man, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin attacked with six palms. Qu Yang shouted at Liu Zhengfeng, "Go!" and pushed him with a palm while using his back to block the combined attack. With a loud thud, Qu Yang was thrown out and spat out a mouthful of blood. He swung his hand, sending a rain of black needles.

Ding Man shouted, "Black Blood Needles, take cover!" and quickly moved aside. The crowd, knowing the reputation of the Demon Sect's Black Blood Needles, were all alarmed and scattered in panic. They heard cries of "Ouch!" and "No!" from over a dozen people. The hall was crowded, and the Black Blood Needles were numerous and fast, so many people were hit.

In the chaos, Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng had already escaped.

Ding Man, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin were furious but could not catch up. They pointed at the Liu family and said to the crowd, "Liu Zhengfeng conspired with Qu Yang, a member of the Demon Sect. These people are remnants of the Demon Sect and must not be spared."

The crowd was shocked. Liu Zhengfeng had just entrusted his family to them, and although they had not explicitly agreed, they had implicitly accepted. Now, Ding Man was saying this, which was very unfair. Those who had been hit by the needles pulled them out and saw no signs of poisoning, feeling relieved. They believed that Qu Yang had held back and were more inclined to trust Liu Zhengfeng's words about Qu Yang's oath.

However, even so, no one was willing to stand up against the powerful Songshan Sect.

Yue Fangxing stepped forward and said, "I cannot agree with Senior Uncle. Liu Zhengfeng's family is innocent and not part of the martial world. If they are implicated, it will create fear and suspicion in the martial world."

The crowd murmured in agreement. In the martial world, who could guarantee a life without trouble? If one person's actions implicated their entire family, who would dare to be involved in the martial world? It would indeed create fear and suspicion.

Fei Bin, already annoyed by the complications, saw Yue Fangxing blocking him again and became even angrier. He stepped forward and said coldly, "How does Junior Brother Yue know they are innocent? Did you know about Liu Zhengfeng's connection to the Demon Sect?"

Yue Fangxing was startled. He didn't know if Fei Bin had heard something or was just guessing, but he had indeed hit the mark. He was about to defend himself when Yue Buqun said, "Senior Brother Fei, you are joking. The Alliance Leader only recently learned about this, and my son is new to Hengshan. How could he know such a secret? He is just thinking about the reputation of the Five Mountains Sword Sect."

Dingyi Master added, "Indeed! We are a righteous sect. If we act like this, how are we different from the Demon Sect? Why fight the Demon Sect at all?"

Tianmen Daoist did not speak, but his expression showed he did not agree.

Ding Man, seeing this, thought that Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng had likely been killed by the combined attack of him and his brothers. The mission was basically complete. As for Liu Zhengfeng's family, it was not worth causing trouble with the Huashan and Hengshan Sects. He remembered the message from his master yesterday, saying that the *Piyu Sword Manual* had appeared and they should resolve this matter quickly and head to Fuzhou. He coldly hummed and led the Songshan Sect members away.

The crowd followed, and soon the Liu family's residence, which had been full of people, was almost empty.

Yue Buqun stepped forward and said to Liu's wife, "Brother Liu was a great hero, but he was misled by the Demon Sect. What a pity! Please take care of your family and do not involve yourselves in martial world affairs again."

Dingyi Master also came to offer comfort. Liu's wife knew that without their help, her family's fate would be uncertain. She shed tears and thanked them.

The page turns, and the advertisement begins.

The page turns, and the advertisement ends.