Chapter 79: Father-in-law, How Have You Been?

The atmosphere was heavy, pressing down so hard that it felt suffocating. Yet, the head of the Kongtong Sect seemed oblivious, laughing heartily, “There’s no need to make things so complicated! Master Zuo’s martial skills are unmatched in the world—he is naturally the best choice for Alliance Leader.”

His words broke the tense silence among the assembled leaders, and all eyes turned toward Zuo Lengchan.

“Master Sun flatters me. I am unworthy of such praise,” Zuo Lengchan replied with feigned modesty, chiding the Kongtong leader while the corners of his lips curled upward in an irrepressible smile.

“Let’s not speak of this further. Let each master demonstrate his true skill in a contest—only then will everyone be convinced!” Zuo Lengchan declared with resolute authority.

Hearing this, the leaders’ expressions softened somewhat.

At Zuo Lengchan’s command, a disciple brought forth a bamboo tube filled with sticks, each bearing a different number.

“Gentlemen, those who draw matching numbers, please step up and compete!” he announced. With a surge of inner strength, he sent the tube spinning high into the air, scattering the order of the sticks before it finally came to rest and fell. Zuo Lengchan caught it deftly.

“Wait a moment!”

Just as he was about to proceed, a deep, resonant voice interrupted him.

The unexpected call made Zuo Lengchan pause, turning curiously toward the source.

“Brother Yue, may I ask what insight you wish to share?” Zuo Lengchan inquired with interest.

The other leaders also turned their attention to the speaker.

Unfazed by so many eyes, Yue Buqun smiled faintly and replied, “Insight is too strong a word. I merely have a small suggestion.”

“Let’s hear it,” Zuo Lengchan said, his smile deepening.

Yue Buqun rose and walked to the center of the square, his powerful voice carrying across the assembly.

“The eradication of the Demonic Cult is a matter of great importance to the martial world. It should not be left solely to us. As it happens, the elite disciples of every sect have gathered here today. Why not allow them to take part as well? It would be an opportunity to judge the level of their martial progress.”

“In this way, we can clearly gauge the strength of each sect’s disciples,” he continued, his gaze sweeping the crowd. “What do you all think?”

The masters did not reply immediately, instead turning to consult in hushed tones with their elders.

Zuo Lengchan’s eyes lingered on Yue Buqun, his smile slowly fading into a shadowed, inscrutable expression.

After a long pause, Zuo Lengchan concealed his emotions and spoke in a clear voice, “Brother Yue’s proposal is an excellent one. It will not only test the skills of each sect’s disciples, but also allow us to assess the strength of all the great sects.”

With Zuo Lengchan’s endorsement, the murmuring subsided. The heads of the sects nodded; indeed, it was right to give their disciples a chance for such valuable experience.

“Since there are no objections, then let us rank the disciples by their abilities to determine the order of the matches. The final winner shall be our Alliance Leader!”

“Thank you.” Seeing his idea accepted, the usually stern Yue Buqun couldn’t help but show a rare smile. He nodded to Zuo Lengchan and returned to his seat.

No sooner had he sat than his disciples gathered around. His gaze swept over them, finally settling on one figure with a wine gourd at his waist, whose handsome features and unrestrained air set him apart.

This was Linghu Chong, the hero of “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.”

“Chong’er, this is a rare opportunity. You must perform well and not bring shame to Mount Hua,” Yue Buqun instructed.

Linghu Chong straightened, replying solemnly, “Master, rest assured—I will give my all.”

“Good. Prepare yourself well,” Yue Buqun nodded in satisfaction. “The rest of you must also strive not to dishonor Mount Hua’s name!”

The disciples answered in unison.

Once they had dispersed, Yue Buqun’s wife, Ning Zhongze, approached him quietly. “Senior brother, do you think anything will go wrong?”

Yue Buqun gently patted her hand. “Don’t worry. Chong’er is clever and resourceful. He’ll be fine.”

Seeing her husband so confident, Ning Zhongze could only nod in agreement.

As the major sects arranged for their disciples to participate, Zuo Lengchan of the Songshan Sect sat in his spacious hall, his face dark with anger.

Bang!

He slammed his palm on the table, shattering it instantly.

“That old fox Yue Buqun! In order to ensure he can defeat me, he comes up with such a high-minded excuse—he just wants to learn the secrets of Songshan swordplay and find a way to counter it!”

“Master,” his junior brother advised, “if that’s the case, we can have our disciples deliberately lose. So long as you defeat the other sects and become Alliance Leader in the end, all previous humiliations will be washed away!”

Having vented his anger, Zuo Lengchan regained his composure. After a moment’s thought, he shook his head. “If we do that, even if I win in the end, Yue Buqun won’t let the matter rest.”

“If we can’t convince everyone, we won’t be able to unite our strength to destroy the Demonic Sect!”

“Are we to just sit here and wait for death, then?” his brother asked.

Zuo Lengchan’s lips curled into a sinister smile, his eyes cold with murderous intent. “Since Yue Buqun wishes to steal our skills, let him try! Once the Demonic Sect is eliminated, I’ll deal with them one by one!”

“Brilliant, senior brother!”

…

Meanwhile, Yunzhonghe and Xie Xun arrived at the mountaintop as well.

The various sect leaders, upon seeing Yunzhonghe, wore expressions of disgust.

Yue Buqun’s heart skipped a beat at Yunzhonghe’s arrival, an uneasy feeling welling up inside him.

But Yunzhonghe seemed oblivious to the hostile stares. His eyes found Yue Buqun, and he broke into a radiant, cheerful smile.

“Father-in-law! It’s been a while—how is your health?”

His voice boomed across the crowd, loud enough for all to hear.

In an instant, every gaze fixed upon Yue Buqun and Yunzhonghe.

A single question sprang to mind: When did Yue Buqun, head of Mount Hua, become involved with a lecher like Yunzhonghe?

As the thought arose, they saw Yue Buqun’s face darken visibly, his glare toward Yunzhonghe murderous.

With a metallic ring, the Gentleman Sword was drawn.

At the same time came Yue Buqun’s furious shout, “Yunzhonghe, you shameless degenerate! Enough of your nonsense!”

Feigning confusion, Yunzhonghe looked at Yue Buqun. “Father-in-law, didn’t we agree last time? I help you become Alliance Leader of the Seven Sects, and you give me your daughter’s hand in marriage. How could you forget so soon?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a flicker of panic crossed Yue Buqun’s face, though he quickly hid it.