https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-527-A-New-Nickname-Divine-Sword-of-the-Red-Flag/12536838/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-529-The-Alliance-Leader-Li-Zhenzhen/12536840/
Chapter 528: Alliance at Mount Tai
Chapter 528: Alliance at Mount Tai
Having delivered the goods in Jinan and changed directions to head south, Mount Tai loomed ahead.
Tie Kaicheng asked, "When is the Seven Sect Alliance being held?"
Li Zhenzhen let out a soft sigh.
Sun Xingyu teased, "Why the sigh, little sister?"
"It's older sister!" Li Zhenzhen emphasized before continuing, "The battle between Yan Shisan and Xie Xiaofeng at Mount Tai will truly make the Seven Sect Alliance seem lackluster in comparison."
"If it happens before the decisive battle, it will be like an appetizer before the main course," Li Zhenzhen lamented. "But if it occurs after, it will feel like chewing on chicken ribs—bland and uninteresting."
"So, will the Seven Sect Alliance take place before or after the decisive battle?" Tie Kaicheng inquired.
"Before," Li Zhenzhen replied. "If it were after, I doubt anyone in the martial arts world would pay it any mind."
"There's no need for you to belittle yourselves," Tie Kaicheng said. "Your seven major sword sects have endured for hundreds of years, riding the waves of the martial arts world without any impact on your status."
"However, the unparalleled masters of the martial arts world will shine in their generation," Li Zhenzhen argued. "Take the battle between Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan as an example. In your words, we, the seven major sword sects, are mere background props, and we don't want to be reduced to that."
Tie Kaicheng patted Li Zhenzhen's thigh and said, "These things can't be forced. Just relax."
Li Zhenzhen fell silent.
"The decisive battle between Yan Shisan and Xie Xiaofeng will take place on the ninth day of September, and the Seven Sect Alliance will be held a day earlier, on the eighth," Li Zhenzhen informed him. "At the Altar of Fengchan on Mount Tai, the seven sects will swear allegiance."
Outside the carriage, Rong Zhengjie turned back and knocked on the door. "Chief, we've arrived in Tai'an."
...
On the eighth day of September, the sky was clear and cloudless.
Neither Xie Xiaofeng nor Yan Shisan made an appearance.
With Yan Shisan's disappearance, Xie's caravan remained parked in Tai'an Town, and none of his people left the inn, showing no signs of heading up the mountain to witness the Seven Sword Sect Alliance.
However, aside from these two parties directly involved, everyone else who was expected to attend did so. Among the most renowned figures from the Jiangnan martial arts world was the eldest young master of the Xiahou family from Hongyun Valley in Flaming Mountain—Xiahou Xing.
While the sect leaders of the Seven Sword Sects didn't show up, this was meant to be a stage for the younger generation. Each sect had sent only one or two veteran masters to oversee things, and instead, a considerable number of younger disciples were present.
Indeed, the twelve disciples of the Hainan Sword Sect stood together with the Emei Sect.
Shaolin and the Beggar's Sect also sent elders to observe the ceremony: the former was represented by Master Tianming, the chief monk of the Damo Court, while the latter sent a Ninth Bag Elder.
However, the focus of everyone's attention wasn't on these renowned elders or the esteemed young masters like Xiahou Xing. Instead, there were two points of interest that captured the crowd's gaze.
One was the Emei Sect's camp, where Tie Kaicheng was located.
Having recently earned the title of 'Bandit of the Martial World,' Tie Kaicheng was at the peak of his notoriety. Moreover, as the heir to Yan Shisan's sword style and the semi-public lover of Luocha Xianzi Li Zhenzhen, he naturally drew people's attention.
The other point of interest was a couple from the Huashan Sect.
The woman appeared to be in her prime, adorned in ornate clothing with a pair of phoenix eyes that sparkled with a fierce spirit, clearly a heroine in her own right.
The man seemed older, but he stood tall and robust, his vitality belying his age. He held a yellow cloth bundle in his hand, and even among a crowd of martial arts masters, he stood out like a crane among chickens, commanding attention.
"Yu Kun, the Traveling Dragon Swordsman, and Xie Feng Huang, the Flying Phoenix Swordsman!"
"Dragon and Phoenix Dual Swords, a perfect match! They haven't left Huaiyin for twenty years, but here they are today at Mount Tai. I wonder why?"
"Of course, it's because of tomorrow's battle!
"For someone like him, carrying that single defeat to his grave would surely leave him restless even in death."
"So he must be here to see for himself just how formidable Xie Xiaofeng's sword skills are now?"
"Indeed!"
Tie Kaicheng, who was also observing Hua Yukun from a distance, quietly asked Li Zhenzhen, "Back then, was he already the foremost master among the seven sword sects?"
Li Zhenzhen sighed softly, a mix of emotion and pity in her voice, as she replied, "Yes."
Tie Kaicheng stroked his chin contemplatively. "Then why didn't he challenge the Demon Sect Leader?"
Li Zhenzhen shook her head. "I heard that the Huashan Sect did consider it, but when the Demon Leader was rising to power, Hua Yukun had just been defeated by Xie Xiaofeng. He became despondent and couldn't even bring himself to lift a finger, let alone face the Demon Sect."
Li Zhenzhen continued helplessly, "We certainly couldn't ask a ten-year-old child to represent the Central Plains martial arts world in battle back then."
Not to mention that the Demon Sect of those days didn't have the influence it does now, and there were also entanglements and conflicts between the seven sword sects and the great families of Jiangnan.
Tie Kaicheng turned his gaze back to Hua Yukun, his brow furrowed slightly, but his expression soon became serious.
As the saying goes, outsiders watch the spectacle, while insiders watch the essentials. Tie Kaicheng could tell that although Hua Yukun's martial arts hadn't quite reached the realm of returning to the basics, he was very close.
Don't be fooled by the fact that 'The Sword of the Third Young Master' is just a novella—it features no shortage of highly skilled masters. Whether it's Master Mao or Hua Yukun standing before them, they are both exceptionally skilled swordsmen rarely seen.
It's just that they are a bit too fragile and careless, so their deaths were rather casual.
In addition to the seven sword sects, there were also figures from the Jiangnan aristocratic families, the heads of more than a dozen escort agencies, the leaders of the outlaw mountain strongholds, and the heads of the martial arts schools and aristocratic families from regions like Jin, Ji, Yuan, and Lu.
Their primary intention was to witness the duel between Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan, but they certainly wouldn't want to miss the spectacle of the seven sword sects' alliance.
Tie Kaicheng also spotted Xiahou Xing and Xiahou Feishan, but they didn't want to acknowledge him. When Tie Kaicheng looked in their direction, they quickly averted their gazes.
Just as Tie Kaicheng was looking around for familiar faces, the alliance ceremony of the seven sword sects began.
...
"Not only is the Wudang Sect one of the seven sword sects, but it is also one of the three major sects, along with Shaolin and the Beggar's Sect, with the deepest heritage. Ouyang Yunhe, as the outstanding heir of this generation of Wudang, is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for the alliance leader."
"That's a joke. If we're only considering the heritage of the sects, why did we even come to Mount Tai? We might as well go directly to the Wudang Sect's main hall and pay our respects."
Although the Wudang Sect's influence and heritage were indeed worthy of being recognized as the leader among the seven sword sects, the reason the seven sword sects had maintained a harmonious relationship over the years was largely due to Wudang's low-key nature and their avoidance of using their power to oppress others.
"Ouyang Yunhe is the leader of the Four Spirits and Twin Jewels. Although he is based in the Central Plains, he has ventured out to battle. At least seven or eight Demon Sect followers and Heavenly Honor Guards have fallen to his sword."
"Kunlun and Kongtong have always been at the forefront of resisting the Demon Sect. Tian Dalong and Qin Duxiu have also made significant contributions."
"Wu Tao of Pointing Peak is a humble and gentle gentleman. His temperament is well-suited for the role of the alliance leader, allowing him to mediate between the seven sects."
"If we're talking about contributions, Luocha Xianzi Li Zhenzhen's sword skills are exceptional, and her intelligence is unparalleled. She has set up numerous traps, and the number of Demon Sect followers and Heavenly Honor Guards who have died because of her is the highest!"
(End of Chapter)
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