Chapter Forty-Five: Elder of the Witch Cult
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Lan Wutong had always been fearless, but at this moment her face was as pale as a sheet.
She whispered to Li Chongyuan, “He’s sure to challenge me to a gu duel soon. If you see me losing, you must cut off my head without hesitation! Show no mercy!”
Li Chongyuan replied, “If you’re losing, I’ll help you. Why must I kill you?”
Lan Wutong forced a bitter smile. “A gu duel isn’t as violent as a fistfight, but it’s deadlier—killing without a trace. You know nothing about venomous gu; if you intervene rashly, you won’t even know how you died, let alone help me. If I fall into his hands, he’ll turn me into a ‘medicine person’. Such a creature is neither dead nor alive—just a soulless puppet, trapped between life and death, suffering unspeakable torment. Though able to speak and move, it has no thought or will; all actions are controlled by its maker. If Dao Jinmang turns me into his medicine person and uses me against the Golden Silkworm Sect, that would spell disaster for us. So, show no mercy. If you strike swiftly, spare me some pain, I will be forever grateful!”
Dao Jinmang leisurely waited for Lan Wutong to finish speaking, then let out a strange laugh. “Protector Lan, I hear you’ve recently mastered the art of summoning snakes and ants. Coincidentally, I have an affinity for such things. Why not have a gu duel?”
With that, he took out a bone whistle and blew it at his lips.
Soon, a rustling sound came from the nearby rocks—a swarm of centipedes and scorpions slithered out from the cracks and grass, crawling toward Lan Wutong and Li Chongyuan. Li Chongyuan saw that all the creatures had red heads and yellow bellies, their colors dazzling and horrifying.
Lan Wutong produced a bamboo flute and played it forcefully. Before long, a pack of dark, burrowing rats emerged from the earth. These rats loved feeding on such insects. Their method was curious: first they flicked the centipedes and scorpions with their tails, then, catching them off guard, leaped up and bit off their poisonous claws and stingers, grabbed them with their paws, and stuffed them into their mouths, chewing until juices gushed out.
In just moments, most of the centipedes and scorpions had been devoured, the remaining insects fleeing in terror.
Dao Jinmang blew his bone whistle harder, and a sibilant hiss echoed from the distant valley—a great horde of venomous snakes slithered forth. Snakes are natural enemies of rats; upon seeing the serpents, the rats scattered in fright. The snakes soon arrived, raising their necks and hissing, ready to strike.
Lan Wutong sneered, pulled out a jade vial from her robes, and flicked her fingers. From the vial flew a thread of bone-dissolving black flies. The snakes caught the scent and panicked, writhing over each other in a desperate bid to escape.
Dao Jinmang was stunned. “Bone-dissolving black flies! You actually possess such things!” He weighed the situation, then said, “Fine! I’ll let you go for now. But remember, Lan Wutong is under my protection—anyone who harms her is at odds with our Witch Sect!” With that, he turned and strode away.
Lan Wutong patted her chest, exclaiming, “Oh! That was close, really terrifying!”
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Li Chongyuan said, “You clearly had the upper hand, so why are you still so scared?”
Lan Wutong replied, “What do you know? I couldn’t withstand that snake gu formation just now. Thank heavens I had the bone-dissolving poison—otherwise, I’d have been doomed. That Dao Jinmang is cunning; his gu arts are unfathomable. If he’d gone all out, I’d have died for sure. If he caught me, he’d make me his medicine person, and use me against the Golden Silkworm Sect, which would be a catastrophe. As for the pain of being turned into one—better to die than suffer that fate. You see, the medicine person is neither living nor dead, but a puppet, a shell without a soul. It’s horrifying, a fate worse than death!”
Li Chongyuan noticed the fine sheen of sweat on her brow, realizing how perilous the situation had been.
A distant howl rang out, and a figure drifted toward them—a middle-aged Taoist. Voices called from all around, “Master Jade!” “Master Jade!” The Jade Master smiled warmly, nodding in greeting to all.
Though surrounded by the unorthodox, a purity emanated from him that was remarkable. He approached Lan Wutong and Li Chongyuan, gave a slight bow, and spoke: “Miss Lan Wutong, I’ve long heard your name. As for this young hero, I’ve never met you—how should I address you?” His demeanor was amiable, his voice clear and pleasant, making all who heard him feel refreshed, as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Li Chongyuan replied, “I dare not claim the title of hero. I am Li Chongyuan, disciple of Mingxin Hall of the Tianshan Sect. Several of my elders and brothers have been trapped by these villains; naturally, I must do my part to rescue them.”
The Jade Master laughed, “Villains? We all share the same flesh and blood—how can you speak of villains?”
Li Chongyuan said, “These people neglect proper martial arts, instead practicing sinister techniques. Isn’t that the mark of villains?”
The Jade Master gently shook his head. “No, no. The martial arts of the world are vast, each with its own tradition. Every school has its unique methods. Some are quick to proclaim their own skills as orthodox, dismissing others as heretical. Yet, in the eyes of others, those so-called orthodox arts may seem just as unorthodox. Every martial art exists for a reason. Your words seem a bit biased.”
Li Chongyuan countered, “All fists are mastered by Shaolin, all swords by Tianshan—that’s the true path. No matter how skilled others become, it’s merely a trick of the trade, hardly true martial arts.”
The Jade Master laughed, “Such words from those venerable elders would not surprise me, but from a rising star like you, it’s rather astonishing. Think about it: ‘All fists to Shaolin, all swords to Tianshan’—this only means those arts are unrivaled for the moment. But flowers do not bloom forever. Imagine a few years from now, some obscure sect surpasses Shaolin and Tianshan in fist or sword techniques; would you then call Shaolin and Tianshan unorthodox?”
Li Chongyuan was momentarily speechless.
The Jade Master smiled, “Speak your mind freely. You sense some truth in my words, yet wonder how those elders could deceive their disciples, correct? Have you considered that their purpose is to exalt themselves as the only true masters? Only by becoming their disciples can you claim to be legitimate; otherwise, you’re branded as evil, fit only for destruction. This way, they remain forever above all others. Even after death, their followers worship them as saints, and their influence endures through you, ruling the martial world! Every martial art has its merits, each is the crystallization of generations of effort. Which is righteous, which evil? I tell you: virtue lies not in the art, but in the heart. Remember, the Tianshan Sect, though called orthodox, produced the great demon Yin Li! You are young, with great potential. But if you cling to old ways, reject all else blindly, you will fall short. Keep honing your skills, broaden your horizons. If you wish to be a hero as vast as the sea, you must embrace all rivers. Remember: the greater your heart, the greater your world.”
Li Chongyuan fell silent, reflecting deeply. Though the Jade Master mingled with the unorthodox, his words were wise and precious.
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Lan Wutong called out, “Old priest with a bull’s nose! You’ve talked long enough—are you letting them go or not? Otherwise, it’s all empty words!”
Li Chongyuan whispered, “Don’t be rude!” Lan Wutong rolled her eyes and ignored him.
The Jade Master smiled, “Lan Wutong speaks candidly and is true-hearted—a rare quality among martial folk. I have come precisely for your sect’s Yang Wuji and his disciples. Alas, I was late; these people acted recklessly, causing this mess. Fortunately, Yang Wuji was only trapped and unharmed—otherwise, I would never forgive myself. I shall now escort Yang Wuji and his disciples away.”
A burly man nearby asked in surprise, “Master Jade, didn’t you say you’d kill them as a sacrifice to the flag? Why let them go now?”
The Jade Master replied, “Chiyanzi, when did I ever say that? I heard from Qinzhou that you had captured Yang Wuji and hurried here, fearing you might go too far and cause irreparable harm.”
Chiyanzi said, “But Master Jia Neng claimed you sent word to kill them as a pledge, so we could unite and storm Tianshan for justice. Because you were delayed, and Granny Minghe said it was inauspicious to kill, the matter was postponed to today—otherwise, they’d have been executed long ago.”
The Jade Master stamped his foot. “You fools! I said we’d seek justice at Tianshan, but never to storm it, let alone murder as a pledge. Luckily no lives have been lost, or else another century of bloodshed would follow. Where is Jia Neng? I must confront him face to face!”
Chiyanzi insisted, “Seeking justice at Tianshan naturally means fighting our way up—what other method is there?” The Jade Master scolded, “You people know nothing of propriety, always resorting to violence. I merely wish to go to Tianshan, discuss matters, argue our case on behalf of everyone, so that the martial world becomes united, peace prevails, and the distinction between good and evil disappears. Yet you went and captured people instead.”