Upon witnessing Ma Yanfeng's tragic fate, Wu Liang and Shen Liangfeng were utterly stunned. However, as top martial artists who had fought numerous battles, they seemed to regain their composure within seconds.
Wu Liang swiftly leaped into the battle circle, pulling his brother out of the combat area. In truth, Fong Jiefang's sword had already returned to its sheath.
Wu Liang quickly clamped down on the major artery in Ma Yanfeng's arm to prevent excessive blood loss. Then, he drew the sword from his back and subtly gestured to his third brother, Shen Liangfeng, signaling them to attack together.
Ma Yanfeng losing his hand marked the first bloodshed in the Tin Shan region. The battle cry of the Ebony Dragon and the Sword Craze had begun. As the saying goes, debts must be repaid.
Fong Jiefang had incurred a significant debt to the three of them, and the price for that debt might very well be his head.
Holding his sword, Wu Liang assumed the stance of the Butterfly Swordplay and cautiously approached Fong Jiefang. Shen Liangfeng, meanwhile, donned his iron-studded gloves and clutched a handful of his preferred Heart-Shattering Needles, awaiting his elder brother's signal. A single sword strike, a handful of Heart-Shattering Needles.
An aura of danger surged. The entire surroundings were so silent you could hear a pin drop. All the martial artists were now intensely interested in Fong Jiefang's martial arts. No one interfered; they simply watched with utmost caution.
Su Liang herself drew her sword, waiting to assist Fong Jiefang. Fong Jiefang, however, stood there, holding his sword, lost in thought.
"Don't zone out, little brother. Be careful!"
Su Liang urgently warned Fong Jiefang.
Just then...
"Stop!"
A loud command rang out, surprising everyone in the audience. The one who commanded was none other than the main character of the day, Venerable Ru Jing.
The loud command, audible for miles, caused Wu Liang and Shen Liangfeng, who were poised to attack Fong Jiefang, to stop abruptly. They had no choice. Venerable Ru Jing's face was terrifyingly stern.
"Who taught you your martial arts?"
Venerable Ru Jing's voice was sharp, terrifying, and chilling to the bone.
Heavens... for what reason? Even the top martial artists in the establishment felt a shiver down their spines due to Venerable Ru Jing's piercing voice.
Venerable Ru Jing gazed at the silent Fong Jiefang with a cruel and harsh look, asking again without waiting for an answer. His eyes were clouded with hatred, bloodlust, and cruelty.
" I'm asking you. Where did you learn the Hell's Return Swordplay? How are you connected to the Skeleton Demon? Are the three demons of Zhongliang Mountain your masters?"
Venerable Ru Jing unleashed a barrage of questions, glaring at Fong Jiefang as if he were a mortal enemy, wanting to devour him. His eyes blazed with hatred.
Why had Venerable Ru Jing suddenly grown so hateful towards Fong Jiefang? Why was he treating him like a sworn enemy from countless years ago? This wasn't without reason. There were underlying causes.
Venerable Ru Jing was an orphan in his youth. By a stroke of good fortune, he met a monk from the Shaolin Temple and became a Shaolin monk.
Having suffered a difficult life from a young age, this monk's emotions tended to be extreme. He loved intensely and hated intensely.
Over a century ago, in the Battle of Death Valley, the Shaolin sect participated as leaders, and many Shaolin disciples fell by the hand of the Skeleton Demon. If the Dark Guest hadn't arrived in time, almost all of the Shaolin sect's top figures would have perished.
After that battle, the Shaolin sect was severely weakened and had to struggle to rebuild to its current state.
Therefore, Venerable Ru Jing harbored an innate hatred for the Skeleton Demon. As for the Crimson Blood Sword Art, Venerable Ru Jing considered it a demonic sword art.
Not only that, but when Venerable Ru Jing was young, he was once defeated by the leader of the three Zhongliang Mountain demons. The martial art that defeated him was none other than the Hell's Return Swordplay.
Poor Fong Jiefang had stumbled into trouble while going about his business.
Venerable Ru Jing's face grew increasingly stern. In contrast to the Venerable's face, Fong Jiefang's face was clear and bright. At the beginning of the battle, he had stood, holding his blood-stained steel longsword, in a daze.
This was because he was deep in thought. Ma Yanfeng's right hand had been severed by his sword technique. He hadn't intended to sever Ma Yanfeng's hand, nor did he consider Ma Yanfeng an enemy.
He felt bad about another person losing a limb because of him. He was finding it difficult to determine whether his actions were right or wrong. He also feared the terrifying, bloodthirsty feeling of the Blood-red Sword Art.
However, within a short time, Fong Jiefang's thoughts returned to the right path. In the initial battle, he had no intention of harming anyone.
Ma Yanfeng's "Walking in Moonlight" acupoint-sealing and acupoint-piercing attack was both cunning and incredibly fast, leaving him no choice but to instinctively use a sword technique he had diligently practiced.
In other words, it was an act of self-defense. It was not his fault that the other party was severely injured due to an imbalance in skill and weaponry. Fong Jiefang's only fault was perhaps his inexperience in gauging and using his strength.
The problem here was the Hell's Return Swordplay. Almost all the remaining martial artists in the establishment had some kind of grudge with the Skeleton Demon. Hadn't the Skeleton Demon's brutality set a record within the past century?
Even the fourth and fifth-ranked martial arts masters, the Fisherman Martial Artist and the Sickly Martial Artist, had unresolved grudges with the Skeleton Demon. As soon as they saw Fong Jiefang's sword technique, these two top martial artists knew it was the Hell's Return Swordplay.
They had already exchanged glances and positioned themselves to block the exit of the establishment. From the moment Venerable Ru Jing uttered the words "Hell's Return Swordplay" and "Skeleton Demon," almost all the martial artists in the establishment rose and surrounded Fong Jiefang.
The only one left to stand firmly by Fong Jiefang's side was Su Liang. It seemed that this young woman, Su Liang, the flower-plucking hand, who was so proud and likened to a thorny rose, was now caught in the subtle vortex of love.
She was foolishly considering helping Fong Jiefang, who was surrounded by numerous top martial artists, essentially cornered like a dog about to be butchered.
She held her trusted longsword firmly in her right hand. Her left hand gently clasped one of Fong Jiefang's hands. Love sometimes makes even the cleverest people act foolishly.
The situation had reached its worst point. It was unimaginable for a 16-year-old new martial artist and an 18-year-old young woman to be surrounded by top martial arts masters.
However, this was the situation. When it came to the Skeleton Demon, setting aside honor and dignity was the best course of action. Shouldn't a budding demon be eradicated before it becomes a full-fledged one?
While the above events were unfolding, a secret meeting was taking place inside a large building within a very deep ravine beyond the Tin San mountains. It was an unusual meeting.
This was because the meeting involved only two people. Instead of a meeting, it would be more accurate to call it an obedience ceremony.
This was because the positions of the two people strongly suggested that one was giving orders, and the other was obeying. The room was secure and safe, fortified with extremely thick steel plates.
The two people sat in the room, discussing. However, it wasn't an equal or intimate discussion. Just look at their sitting positions.
One sat grandly on an ornate, intricately carved high throne, while the other sat on a low stool below the throne. The person on the high throne wore an all-black outfit and a black mask.
The person on the low stool wore a blue outfit and had a pleasant countenance. However, behind his pleasant appearance, subtle hints of secrecy, cunning, and cruelty were subtly evident. This person was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
The person on the high throne spoke in a cold voice.
"During these past few years, I have taught you a considerable amount of martial arts, and I established the Ebony Sect, appointing you as its leader. Shouldn't you be grateful to me?"
The person on the low stool replied,
"Yes, master, I should be grateful. I don't know how I can ever repay your kindness."
"Hahaha, there's no need to repay me. You just need to do what I tell you. In the coming days, when the snow thaws, martial artists will enter the Tin Shan mountain range. We just need to sit back and watch these greedy people fight amongst themselves. Hehehe. Subtly prepare diversions and false paths. Some of them should perish in the forest while following the wrong paths. Keep an eye on whether they might discover Lunar Ravine. Today is the time to strengthen the Ebony Sect. In a few days, the name of the Ebony Sect will become famously renowned throughout the martial arts world."
The person on the low stool reported to his master.
"The mountain pass leading to Tan San is already starting to melt, master. By tomorrow, they'll likely be able to enter the mountain range with their martial arts levels. Many top martial artists have gathered at the small establishment at the foot of the mountain. We've observed figures like Venerable Ru Jing of the Shaolin Temple, and top martial arts masters like the Fisherman Martial Artist and the Sickly Martial Artist. Currently, our informants report that a problem has arisen at the establishment at the foot of the mountain."
The person on the high throne jolted.
"What problem?"
"We received news that a young new martial artist used the Hell's Return Swordplay. Due to the sword technique, the genius Ma Yanfeng lost his hand. The top martial artists in the establishment have surrounded the young man. The young man's companion is Su Liang, the flower-plucking hand."
The person on the high throne said,
"Hahaha, good, good. You rescue the young man and the young woman. This young man will be useful in the future. Alright, I'm leaving. Continuously monitor the situation and report to me in real-time, understood?"
"Yes, master."
Inside the restaurant, the situation was gradually worsening. Wu Liang and Shen Liangfeng prepared themselves, slowly approaching Fong Jiefang. Venerable Ru Jing's face was terrifyingly stern and rigid. The monk was preparing for his most powerful attack.
Fong Jiefang, meanwhile, held his sword in his right hand and stood slightly sideways. His stance revealed numerous openings. Upon seeing Fong Jiefang's stance, a strange expression appeared on the face of Butterfly Sword Wu Liang, the only swordsman among the Three Jiangnan Heroes.
Although Fong Jiefang's standing posture presented many openings, it was so confusing that an attacker wouldn't know which opening to target. In other words, the numerous openings on Fong Jiefang's body were a beautiful trap. A fairy trap.
Fong Jiefang was secretly gathering his immense internal energy from under the sky and on the ground. It was almost certain that at least three top martial artists would surround him like hungry wolves tearing at meat. Just then, a faint, mosquito-like sound entered his ear. It was a top martial artist speaking to him using long-distance sound transmission.
"When the signal appears and the lights go out, grab the girl's hand and escape from the restaurant roof, young man. If you don't run, you'll lose your life here."
Fong Jiefang was surprised. Someone was secretly helping him. He quickly glanced around. Fong Jiefang only met the eyes of those who watched him with hatred.
Just then...
Earth-shattering, piercing screams erupted. The simultaneous sounds weren't coming from just one place. Some sounds were screams right next to the establishment, while others came from further away.
Almost everyone inside the restaurant heard those sounds. Their faces fell. Suddenly, with a crash, the tightly closed windows of the restaurant burst open as if someone had pushed them open. How strange!
As soon as the windows opened, the fierce winter wind outside rushed into the room.
The strong winter wind didn't come alone. As it carried snowflakes and bits of snow, the lamps lit inside the establishment sputtered and went out.
Darkness quickly swallowed the entire room. Loud laughter emerged from outside the establishment. The laughter of the speaker was terrifying, like the wailing of a ghost from the wilderness.
Venerable Ru Jing was impulsive. He immediately forgot about Fong Jiefang and leaped out of the restaurant with the speed of a legendary horse. Due to the unexpected events, even the experienced top martial artists' attention was drawn outside the establishment.
A momentary shift in attention created an opportunity for Fong Jiefang and Su Liang.
As soon as darkness covered the room, Fong Jiefang grabbed Su Liang's hand and used his light-footed martial arts to leap onto the restaurant's rafters. For him, who could move like a tiny leaf even at the top of a tree, this act was trivial.
Then, they both jumped from the restaurant roof to the ground and fled. They had no choice but to run. Almost all the martial artists inside the establishment were experienced, and they would realize their escape within a short time. Time was critical for Fong Jiefang and Su Liang, down to the second.
Venerable Ru Jing, after impulsively leaping out of the establishment, suddenly remembered Fong Jiefang and the young woman. As a martial artist with vast experience, he immediately realized he had been tricked.
Outside the establishment, the entire surroundings were pitch black. Strong winds were blowing, and snow was falling, making it difficult to even see one's own hand. In this situation, who could find whom?
Venerable Ru Jing did not give up and stared intently at the surroundings. Just then, he heard the Fisherman Martial Artist speak with a tone of unbearable frustration.
"Venerable, we've been tricked! That young man and woman have escaped! Don't bother looking anymore, ptui! How disgraceful! To be tricked while people like us were present! So, they didn't come alone, they had companions!"
Not only the Fisherman Martial Artist but also the other martial artists inside the establishment streamed out. At that moment, the wind seemed to weaken abruptly. The snowfall also decreased somewhat.
The top martial artists gathered outside the small establishment quickly grew accustomed to the darkness within a short time. They all spotted a person lying in a patch of forest not far from the establishment.
It was evident that the fallen person was lifeless. This was because the person's head was separated from their body. The corpse was none other than one of the martial artists who had initially left the establishment due to Venerable Ru Jing's expulsion. Butterfly Sword Wu Liang carefully examined the wound on the corpse.
"It's the work of an exceptionally skilled swordsman. The head was severed with a single strike. The deceased didn't even seem to see the sword strike. It's terrifying. It's safe to assume the others met a similar tragic fate."
Around the Tin San region, the stench of blood had begun to permeate the air. Only a divine being would know how many more lives would be lost due to the sword craze.
Although Venerable Ru Jing's intentions were pure, his actions had inadvertently pushed those people into the jaws of death. The Venerable's face darkened like the sky just before a thunderstorm.