Gu Han Yuan finished admiring Shang Guan Hai Tang’s beauty and turned his attention to the Emei faction.
Leading the group was Miejue Shitai, about forty years old. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. Sadly, her expression was like frost, as if everyone owed her money, bringing her beauty from an 80 down to a 60. It seemed that everyone in the martial arts world had forgotten that she was also a beauty in her youth.
The disciples behind Miejue Shitai were more captivating. Perhaps practicing martial arts enhanced one’s appearance and temperament, or perhaps Emei chose only beauties as disciples. At a glance, there was no one with an appearance below 70. Especially the two disciples at the front, they were both above 80.
The tall one with a pretty face was probably Ding Min Jun, who had a lot of scenes in the story. Unfortunately, her cheekbones were a bit high and her lower lip was thin, which made her appear sharp and mean.
The other was probably Miejue Shitai’s other disciple, Bei Jin Yi. While her beauty was inferior to Ding Min Jun’s, her neighborly girl temperament was more endearing than Ding Min Jun’s.
Gu Han Yuan was still appraising the beauties among the Emei disciples, when he felt a sudden urge and subconsciously looked toward where Yin Su Su was standing. Sure enough, he caught her gaze.
Yin Su Su lowered her head in a panic, barely suppressing the awkwardness that was making her blush. She silently cursed herself, thinking, "What am I so afraid of? Why am I so flustered?"
For the past few days, Yin Su Su had not been able to see Gu Han Yuan again. Finally, she saw him today, and subconsciously turned her attention to him. However, she saw Gu Han Yuan admiring the Emei female disciples and was just about to pout in displeasure when she was caught red-handed.
Gu Han Yuan thought about it for a moment and guessed what Yin Su Su was thinking. He looked at her with a smile.
When Yin Su Su calmed down and looked up, she saw Gu Han Yuan silently mouthing something to her.
"They’re not as beautiful as you."
After understanding, Yin Su Su dared not look at Gu Han Yuan again. She could only turn her side to him, listening to her accelerating heartbeat, a smile also curving her lips, dispelling the nervousness she felt about the upcoming disaster.
She thought to herself, "Today’s tribulation will be handled by you. If things don’t go well… so be it."
The visiting sects first perfunctorily expressed their congratulations on Zhang San Feng’s hundredth birthday.
Those sects with any sense of decency brought gifts, while those without any shame just uttered a few dry congratulations before eyeing Zhang Cui Shan and Yin Su Su with greedy eyes.
After dealing with these superficialities, led by Bei Shaolin’s Kong Wen Fuzhang, the sects began to make their demands.
Kong Wen walked in front of Zhang San Feng and bowed in a Buddhist greeting.
"Zhang Zhen Ren, in terms of age, I am your junior. Today, aside from offering my birthday wishes, I shouldn’t be bringing up other matters. However, as the Fuzhang of Bei Shaolin, there are a few things I need to ask my senior, please don’t take offense."
Although Kong Wen’s manners were impeccable, his words were filled with aggression. He first stated that he was a junior, yet mentioned that he was Bei Shaolin’s Fuzhang, placing his status on par with Zhang San Feng. He used his words to block Zhang San Feng’s ability to refuse inquiries during his birthday celebration.
Zhang San Feng had lived for a hundred years. He had seen all kinds of people and events. You could say his eyelashes were empty, but he usually practiced self-cultivation and was therefore peaceful in nature.
Today, these sects came for his birthday under the pretense of celebration, but their true intention was to find his fifth disciple, Zhang Cui Shan, who knew the whereabouts of Xie Xun and the Dragon-Slaying Saber.
Being pressured by Kong Wen and the momentum he carried, Zhang San Feng could not refuse. He got straight to the point.
"Master, are you here for my fifth disciple, Zhang Cui Shan?"
Zhang Cui Shan had anticipated this, although he knew today’s tribulation would not be easy, he was not afraid, and stepped forward calmly.
Seeing the main character arrive, Kong Wen got straight to the point.
"Indeed, we have two matters to discuss with Zhang Wu Xia. First, Zhang Wu Xia killed the entire family of Shaolin’s Dragon Gate Escort Agency, a total of seventy-one people. What will be done about their deaths? Second, our senior brother, Kong Jian Da Shi, was compassionate throughout his life and never sought conflict with others, but he was killed by the Golden Hair Lion King, Xie Xun. We hear that Zhang Wu Xia knows his whereabouts, so please tell us."
A few days ago, Zhang Cui Shan learned that the person who killed the entire family of the Dragon Gate Escort Agency was his wife, Yin Su Su. He hesitated a little. He had always been upright and honest, yet his wife put him in a difficult position. He could only compromise and say,
"Those seventy-one lives from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency were not killed by this junior."
Yin Su Su naturally noticed that slight hesitation in Zhang Cui Shan, she didn’t blame him, but a hint of disappointment still crept in.
"Kong Jian Da Shi’s death is indeed heartbreaking. However, the Golden Hair Lion King and this junior share a sworn brotherhood. We are sworn brothers. As for Xie Xun’s whereabouts, to be honest, this junior does know. But we in the martial arts world value ‘義’ above all else. Zhang Cui Shan may lose his head, his blood may be spilled, but the whereabouts of my sworn brother shall never be revealed. This matter has nothing to do with my master or my fellow disciples. Zhang Cui Shan shall bear this responsibility alone. If you wish to force me to my death, then kill or maim me as you please. Zhang Mou has never done anything shameful to his sect and never unjustly killed an innocent person. You are forcing me to act against my principles today. If it must be so, I will die."
Zhang Cui Shan was not originally worried about today’s events. After all, if they started fighting, Wudang could wipe out everyone present at Zixiao Palace. However, he was caught up in his pride and ended up uttering words of sacrifice.
Kong Wen shook his head, clearly not agreeing with Zhang Cui Shan’s words.
"A-mi-tuo-fo. Can seventy-one lives from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency be settled with a simple denial from Zhang Wu Xia? That Xie Xun is a murderer who has committed countless crimes. Can you protect him?"
"Hand over Xie Xun!"
"Hand over Xie Xun!"
Except for Emei, which remained relatively restrained, the other sects began to shout and clamor.
Zhang Cui Shan, under pressure from the crowd’s momentum, showed a troubled expression. He was not hesitating to reveal the whereabouts of Yin Su Su and Xie Xun, but wondering whether he should explain that Xie Xun was framed by Cheng Kun. If he revealed it now, it would inevitably alarm him, making it even more difficult to find Cheng Kun’s whereabouts in the future.
Yin Su Su misunderstood, thinking that Zhang Cui Shan was resentful about her killing those seventy-one people from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency.
She thought to herself: "Fine, fine. We were married after all, and he loved me, and we shared a life together. I have failed as a woman. Today, I shall make amends."
However, just as Yin Su Su was about to step forward and confess that she was the one who killed the entire family of the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, her pupils shrank in disbelief, looking at the person who had stepped into the center of the field before her, bowed to everyone, and spoke loudly.
"This is Gu Han Yuan, a third-generation disciple of Wudang. Now that things have come to this, I have a few words that need to be said. Kong Wen Da Shi is highly respected and famous throughout the world, surely you won’t stop a humble disciple like me from speaking a few words of justice?"
The one who appeared was Gu Han Yuan. Seeing Yin Su Su about to reveal everything, he cursed internally, "Stupid woman," and stepped in to save the day. Fortunately, this did not greatly affect his plan, and perhaps there would be an unexpected gain.