WJ Chapter 32

Beating the Drums (4)

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire assembly erupted in an uproar!

One stone stirred up a thousand waves. In an instant, the gazes of the hundred or so people present all focused in the direction the dragon-headed cane was pointing. The originally most hidden and inconspicuous corner was suddenly exposed to everyone’s sight.

Lin Wuyue planted his dragon-headed cane heavily on the ground. His voice was aged and hoarse, lacking in vigor, yet infused with internal energy it carried throughout the entire Fusheng Huan Garden. “Sect Leader Yun, Protector Guan… what an unexpected meeting here. I trust you both have been well?”

He raised his head, his withered old hand resting on the dragon head of his cane, and performed a cupped-fist salute. “This old one offers his respects.”

——However, the coldness in his gaze and the arrogance in his tone showed no trace of actual courtesy whatsoever. The provocative intent was absolutely unmistakable.

Yun Changliu did not rise.

He merely returned the salute from afar with clasped hands, his thin lips parting slightly, his voice indifferent. “Elder Hall Master Lin, you are too kind.”

As Yun Changliu’s words fell, the air suddenly became thick and heavy.

It was as if invisible forces were contending in the silence, triggering tremors so subtle they could barely be detected.

——At the level of masters, before truly exchanging moves, they often first emphasized the word “momentum,” to see who could first suppress whose aura.

This exchange of courtesies between Lin Wuyue and Yun Changliu was clearly already a contest of momentum!

The former was like surging, roaring ocean waves, taking the offensive; the latter like thick, calm mountains, holding the defensive.

The giant waves exerted force to push the mountain, yet the high mountain remained unmoved!

At this moment, all those masters with discerning eyes couldn’t help but feel astonished and shaken in their hearts, some even breaking out in cold sweat.

That young Zhuyin Sect Leader in white robes and jade crown, with his refined features and bearing, exuded an air of aloof and pure elegance. Facing off subtly against Lin Wuyue, who had been famous in the jianghu for forty or fifty years, he showed no sign of falling behind!

“Hmph.”

After a prolonged standoff, Lin Wuyue’s expression darkened slightly. He swept aside his purple robe and sat back down in his seat.

In the eyes of outsiders, this round of competition was evenly matched. However, in his own view, as the elder facing a junior who had seized the initiative and taken the offensive, his failure to gain the upper hand had already caused him to lose tremendous face.

——In this two-sided contest, it was actually the always proud and arrogant Elder Hall Master Lin who withdrew his momentum first!

Immediately, the entire banquet erupted in commotion.

“That white-robed man is the legendary current Zhuyin Sect Leader Yun Changliu? So formidable…”

“Is he the young Sect Leader who succeeded to the position five years ago at the age of twenty, defeated the encirclement of three sects and five schools, and then withdrew from the world, his depths unfathomable?”

“The eldest son of Yun Guyan, inheritor of the Dragon-Chasing Whip…”

“He’s actually truly this young!”

“Then that red-robed person beside him, could it be the Zhuyin Sect’s Four Directions Protector Guan Wujue…”

“Who else could it be? They say the Zhuyin Sect Leader and his personally appointed Protector are always inseparable… I knew it, those rumors from a year ago were just rumors after all!”

…..

Amidst the rising discussions, only another corner of the banquet was filled with an eerie atmosphere.

The pair of northern brothers, “Hammer-Frightens-Tigers” and “Axe-Slays-Leopards,” stood dumbstruck.

Their two naturally fierce door-god faces had suddenly transformed into expressions of mourning.

They couldn’t understand no matter how hard they tried—how did “Young Brother Yun” who had been smiling and chatting with them just moments ago, along with his taciturn young master, suddenly become the Protector and Sect Leader of the Zhuyin Sect, becoming noble personages they could never hope to approach even after another hundred or eighty years of cultivation!?

Axe-Slays-Leopards said with utter despair, “I… I called the Zhuyin Sect’s Four Directions Protector ‘big brother’!?”

Hammer-Frightens-Tigers said with no will to live. “I even said the Zhuyin Sect Leader was our brother!!”

Axe-Slays-Leopards collapsed, slapping his bald head. “Why does the Zhuyin Sect’s Protector take the Sect Leader’s surname!?”

Hammer-Frightens-Tigers cried out to heaven, unable to accept. “Why did they say they belonged to each other!!”

Unfortunately, in this situation, no one had the presence of mind to pay attention to the two burly men who had suddenly started raving and shouting.

Since succeeding to the position of Sect Leader, Yun Changliu had hardly appeared in public, and was already recognized as the most mysterious master among the younger generation. His sudden appearance today before this great assembly—how could it not stir everyone’s hearts?

The color of Gu Jinxi’s face changed repeatedly, the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitching several times, feeling as if his lungs would explode with rage.

With a crack, the wine cup in his hand was crushed!

Gu Jinxi had every reason to be angry. He had just stirred emotions and shed tears, leading the various martial artists at the banquet to curse the Zhuyin Sect.

And the result? The very people in question had already swaggered through his gates long ago, and were now stealing all the attention!

This banquet had been organized entirely by Gu Jinxi, with each invitation sent secretly and swiftly. He had thought that even if the Zhuyin Sect’s spies picked up some information, they wouldn’t have time to make any moves… How could he have expected that the Zhuyin Sect Leader and Four Directions Protector would appear here as if descended from heaven!?

Under the watchful eyes of all, if he took no action now, once the banquet ended, he would certainly become the laughingstock of the jianghu!

Gu Jinxi’s eyes turned crimson. He violently threw the fragments of his wine cup to the ground, stepped forward several paces, and pointed at Yun Changliu, saying furiously, “What a fine Zhuyin Sect Leader… As the perpetrator who harmed Young Master Lin, you dare appear here, showing no regard whatsoever for my Wanci Manor or these heroes!”

He looked around, shouting angrily, “My Wanci Manor cannot afford to host two such distinguished guests! Where are the Manor disciples? Show these guests out for me!”

In an instant, the Wanci Manor disciples who had received the order drew their swords from their sheaths, surrounding the two men layer upon layer as if facing a great enemy. The perfectly fine banquet was instantly filled with a murderous atmosphere.

This Gu Jinxi’s scheme was clever. He had looked them over and saw that Yun Changliu carried no weapons, while Guan Wujue, who customarily wielded twin swords, today wore only his right-hand sword. He felt he could take advantage of the situation.

But who were Yun Changliu and Guan Wujue? The Sect Leader and Four Directions Protector of the Zhuyin Sect—unquestionably the number one and number two figures. If today both were driven out of Wanci Manor in disgrace, then it would be the Zhuyin Sect who would lose face and become the laughingstock of the jianghu!

The situation had reached a critical breaking point!

——But at this moment, a clear “ding” sound rang out.

A jade wine cup was tossed onto the table, its base spinning twice before coming to a steady stop.

Guan Wujue casually withdrew his hand.

The next moment, while still seated, the Four Directions Protector slammed his foot onto the table with a bang!

Then Guan Wujue casually extended his leg, and with a thunderous crash, he kicked the entire long table over. Bowls and dishes shattered all over the floor with a clattering noise.

“You!?” Gu Jinxi’s eyes bulged with fury, his finger pointing at Guan Wujue trembling. “Arrogant brat… this is truly going too far!”

Facing Gu Jinxi’s roar, Guan Wujue’s expression remained unchanged. Even Yun Changliu sitting beside him maintained his composure, not showing even the slightest trace of surprise at his Protector’s actions.

Under everyone’s astonished gazes, Guan Wujue finally stood up.

“Heh.”

Suddenly, the Four Directions Protector let out a mocking laugh.

He swept a glance at the Wanci Manor disciples around him who had already drawn their swords, his eyes stern, and said with a smile and raised eyebrow. “What, Hero Gu is ready to fight already?”

Just as Gu Jinxi was about to retort, he saw Guan Wujue shake his head with apparent regret, speaking in an extremely disappointed and extremely sarcastic tone, “So the foremost of the three great martial families amounts to only this much tolerance.”

“The Zhuyin Sect heard that there were other circumstances behind the death of Wanci Manor’s young master. My Sect Leader, benevolent of heart, sympathizes with Family Head Duanmu’s devoted love for his son. This time he came personally to pay respects, precisely to help your Manor investigate news of Young Master Lin.”

“Who would have thought that Wanci Manor, which boasts of a physician’s benevolent heart, would also bite the hand that feeds it, failing to recognize good intentions!”

His clear and pleasant voice echoed unhurriedly.

Guan Wujue walked down from his seat step by step, sneering as he approached a Manor disciple directly ahead who was pointing his sword at Yun Changliu. The latter, intimidated by his imposing manner, shivered and unconsciously retreated half a step.

“As you all can see, my Sect Leader, to show his sincerity, didn’t even bring weapons. Yet your Wanci Manor… speaks beautifully about not pursuing vengeance, yet won’t even listen to one more word before drawing swords!”

Guan Wujue turned his head, switching from harsh to gentle as he changed his tone, sighing to Yun Changliu. “Sect Leader, you tell me yourself—did we come here for nothing? Wujue already advised you not to be so kind-hearted. Look, they don’t appreciate our goodwill at all…”

The way he spoke, it was as if he had suffered some tremendous grievance!

“…”

Yun Changliu sat in silence for a long while before finally saying, “Mm, for nothing.”

The Sect Leader thought to himself: How does this person dare to say such things!

Clearly this journey south was to obtain their sacred medicine, and not carrying weapons was to conceal their identities and infiltrate their banquet… After Guan Wujue’s wild fabrications, it seemed even their sneaking around had become righteous and heroic!

One must know, the guests invited to this Wanci Manor banquet included both deeply scheming leaders of major powers like Lin Wuyue and Yu Kun, as well as simple-minded jianghu roughnecks like the northern Tiger and Leopard brothers.

And the number of the latter was several times that of the former. Gu Jinxi’s earlier complaints could move them to sympathy, so naturally Guan Wujue and Yun Changliu’s performance could also make them waver.

Soon, scattered murmurs of discussion quietly arose among these guests.

Gu Jinxi was so angry he wanted to vomit blood.

He could naturally tell that Guan Wujue was spouting nonsense, but the problem was that he had already cursed them out and drawn swords—he couldn’t very well stop fighting because of a few words from the other side and have both parties sit down peacefully to debate right and wrong, could he!?

Meanwhile, Guan Wujue cast Yun Changliu a smile that said “thank you for your cooperation, Sect Leader,” then turned to face Gu Jinxi, pointing at the Wanci Manor disciples and asking earnestly, “So then… would Hero Gu like them to come one by one, or all together?”

“Gu Daren…”

Some young disciples began to hesitate. “This… this doesn’t seem quite right…”

Gu Jinxi’s face darkened as he secretly thought with resentment: No, these two are currently outnumbered and lack full weapons, in an extremely disadvantageous position… Guan Wujue’s words are aggressive, appearing arrogant but actually fearing battle. If I follow his lead and start debating, I’ll have fallen for his provocation!

Thinking this, Gu Jinxi hesitated no more. He pushed aside the young disciple trying to dissuade him and shouted, “What fine distortion of facts and confusion of truth! Guan Wujue, do you think I’m easily fooled? I’ll capture you first, then in front of all these heroes, I’ll carefully ask your Sect Leader about his ‘benevolent heart’…”

“Form sword formation, attack!”

“Yes!!”

The Wanci Manor disciples received the order and charged forward with a unified shout. Dozens of sword lights swam like fish, weaving into a great net that descended over the two men’s heads.

Though the Duanmu family of Wanci Manor established themselves through medical arts, as a martial family, their martial cultivation was naturally not inferior. Their “Eight Meridians Sword Formation” and “Twelve-Hand Acupoint Technique” were both divine skills passed down for hundreds of years.

The formation these Manor disciples now deployed was precisely the Eight Meridians Sword Formation, characterized by rotation, interconnection, and endless renewal.

“Sect Leader, be careful.”

Guan Wujue stepped forward, and as the Daiyue Sword left its sheath it brought up a powerful wind, murderous intent immediately pouring forth.

Yun Changliu turned accordingly and said in a low voice, “This lord is fine. Protect yourself.”