I Seriously Didn't Want to Be the Martial Alliance Leader

"What are your plans for this little girl?"

Mr. Bei suddenly asked.

Chen Yuan said, "I promised her grandfather I would keep her safe for life, so I plan to take her back to Zhenwu Hall."

Mr. Bei shook his head. "With such talent, it would be a shame for her to live a mediocre life. You’re still young and not suited to teaching disciples. Besides, your Martial Dao path isn’t suitable for this little girl’s cultivation.

How about letting her return with me to the Ming Sect? We have a disciple in the sect who cultivates the Cold Water Hall’s Cultivation Techniques. That person is also a woman, so it would be more convenient for her to take on a young girl."

Chen Yuan was a little stunned. "Hasn’t the Cold Water Hall’s lineage been severed?"

"While the Cold Water Hall’s lineage was severed, that doesn’t mean its Cultivation Techniques were lost entirely. Some fragmented texts still remain.

It’s just that these fragments can’t represent the entire Cold Water Hall, so nominally, its lineage is indeed considered severed.

If you had only inherited a Secret Technique like the Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi, and not the complete Celestial Fire Secret Manual, then you couldn’t represent the entire Celestial Fire Hall either.

The one currently cultivating these Cold Water Hall fragments is named Yu Hanmei. Her cultivation is at the Early Stage of the Divine Platform Realm.

Although her official status in the Ming Sect isn’t as high as us Hall Masters.

However, Yu Hanmei is a Liaison Officer under one of our Ming Sect’s three Vice Sect Leaders, Lord Lu Beiming—who was known as the ’Nine Transformations Divine Monarch’ five hundred years ago. Her rank is low, but her authority is great."

Mr. Bei paused, then added pointedly, "My Cyan Wood Hall, Dubhe Hall, and Houtu Hall are all trusted subordinates of Vice Sect Master Lu, so you don’t have to worry about the little girl being mistreated under Yu Hanmei."

Chen Yuan instantly understood. ’So this is the great patron of our faction within the Ming Sect.’

But then Chen Yuan felt something was off. "Mr. Bei, you said this Vice Sect Master Lu made a name for himself in the Jianghu five hundred years ago?"

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"A Ninth Realm Celestial Profound expert’s lifespan is only about three hundred years. Has this Vice Sect Master Lu surpassed the limits of his lifespan? Or has he broken through the Peak of the Nine Realms Celestial Profound and reached the Realm of the Ultimate Venerable?"

Mr. Bei shook his head. "Vice Sect Master Lu hasn’t surpassed the lifespan limit of a Ninth Realm Celestial Profound, nor has he had a breakthrough. It was because of an accident.

Five hundred years ago, although Vice Sect Master Lu was not a Ming Sect Hall Master, he was the Sect Leader’s Personal Guard Leader, commanding our Ming Sect’s most elite unit, the Divine Punishment Guard. He was the youngest among the Ming Sect’s powerful figures at the time, having stepped into the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound in his early thirties."

Chen Yuan was slightly surprised. ’If that’s the case, then this man can truly be called a peerless genius.’

It was said that in the current Jianghu, the standard for the younger generation to be considered a peerless genius was to be listed on the Hidden Dragon Rankings and reach the Primordial Pill realm before the age of thirty.

And yet, Lu Beiming was already a Ninth Realm Celestial Profound expert in his early thirties, a testament to his breathtaking talent.

Mr. Bei sighed. "If not for the accident, Vice Sect Master Lu might even have become a candidate for the next Sect Leader."

"Later, the Sect Leader vanished, and the great edifice of our Ming Sect collapsed. Vice Sect Master Lu was also gravely injured and left on the verge of death while fighting our enemies.

Back then, the Cold Water Hall Master used a Secret Technique to seal him in the depths of a Cold Pool, while he himself drew away the numerous pursuers alone, never to return.

It wasn’t until over two hundred years ago that the terrain around the Cold Pool shifted, causing its cold energy to leak out. Only then did Vice Sect Master Lu awaken and return, and only then did our Ming Sect learn that a senior from five hundred years ago was still alive.

Because Vice Sect Master Lu’s physical body and Divine Soul were both frozen, time stood still for him. Strictly speaking, he is only about two hundred and thirty years old now, so he hasn’t reached the lifespan limit for the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound.

But thanks to Vice Sect Master Lu’s return, our Ming Sect has finally been able to catch its breath in recent years.

Vice Sect Master Lu’s return didn’t just add a Ninth Realm Celestial Profound expert to our Ming Sect; he also brought back many long-lost Cultivation Technique Manuals.

The Cold Water Hall fragments that Yu Hanmei cultivates were also brought back by Vice Sect Master Lu."

After bringing Chen Yuan up to speed on some common knowledge within the Ming Sect, Mr. Bei asked, "So, what are you considering now? Will you still take her back to Zhenwu Hall, or will you entrust her to the Ming Sect?"

Chen Yuan looked at Zuo Qianlan. The little girl just stared at Chen Yuan in confusion.

She didn’t know what the Ming Sect was; she only knew that her grandpa had entrusted her to this big brother and told her to listen to him.

"Do you want to cultivate the Martial Dao and gain power, or do you want a life of peace and wealth, safe and stable?

Before your grandfather died, he wanted you to live as an ordinary person, in peace and prosperity."

To Chen Yuan’s surprise, Zuo Qianlan answered without a moment’s hesitation, "I want to cultivate the Martial Dao!"

"Why?"

Zuo Qianlan clenched her small fists and said, "Grandpa told me who my enemies are. He also told me why we don’t have a home and have always had to hide.

He said that once I grow up and master my Martial Arts, and become even stronger than him, we wouldn’t have to hide anymore, and I could avenge my parents!"

Chen Yuan shook his head and sighed softly.

Zuo Xinglie had made his granddaughter memorize the Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill because he still wanted her to become successful one day and fight her way back to Lan Province. That’s why he had instilled these ideas in Zuo Qianlan from a young age.

But only when he was on the verge of death did he have a change of heart, wanting his granddaughter to live a peaceful and prosperous life instead.

But the seed of practicing martial arts for revenge had already been planted. How could it possibly be dispelled?

However, Chen Yuan didn’t intend to forcibly change her mind.

Everyone has their own destiny. Chen Yuan didn’t know how Zuo Qianlan would become the Ming Water Guanyin in the future.

But as long as she entered the Ming Sect, she would have access to Cultivation Techniques and resources. Coupled with her innate talent and the Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill, her future achievements might even surpass those in the original story.

"Since you want to cultivate the Martial Dao, then go with this uncle. He will take care of you and have people teach you the Martial Dao."

Zuo Qianlan looked at Chen Yuan, then at Mr. Bei. Although she was a little scared, she nodded obediently.

A satisfied smile appeared on Mr. Bei’s face.

The Ming Sect had few disciples because the requirements to become an official member were too stringent. The Ming Sect wasn’t a place that would accept just any riff-raff.

But a disciple like Zuo Qianlan, with her astonishing talent who could be nurtured from a young age? The Ming Sect was more than happy to have her.

"By the way, Master Wan, could I ask you for a favor?" Chen Yuan suddenly said.

Wan Guiyuan waved his hand. "Just say it."

Chen Yuan took out the Demon-Drinking Saber and said to Wan Guiyuan, "This is the Demon-Drinking Saber I took from a disciple of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. Its Demonic Qi has been depleted.

The Cultivation Techniques of Dubhe Hall also have some Demon Dao Attributes. I was wondering if you could infuse its power into this?"

The Demonic Qi in the Demon-Drinking Saber had been completely exhausted during the battle against Zuo Tianyuan. If Chen Yuan were to infuse Demonic Qi himself, it would be too slow, and its power would be insufficient.

If a Divine Platform Realm Grandmaster like Wan Guiyuan were to act, it would be like Chen Yuan gaining another trump card.

"I thought it was something serious. Don’t worry, leave it to me."

Wan Guiyuan took the Demon-Drinking Saber directly. Power erupted from his body as the demonic shadow of the Greedy Wolf appeared behind him, condensing Greedy Wolf Demon Qi and infusing it into the blade.

The Cultivation Technique of Dubhe Hall was not truly a Demonic Cultivation Technique; it only possessed some Demon Dao Attributes.

Wan Guiyuan was now separating and pushing this Greedy Wolf Demon Qi to its absolute limit. The resulting power was immense, even stronger than what Xu Baiwei had infused before. Furthermore, when released, it wouldn’t be just pure Demonic Qi; it would also carry the Power of Greedy Wolf.

Just as Wan Guiyuan was helping Chen Yuan infuse the Demon-Drinking Saber, two figures on a mountaintop outside Sun-piercing Valley were observing the situation within.

The two were dressed in golden brocade robes. Both were at the Divine Platform Realm. The older one appeared to be in his sixties, while the younger one looked to be about thirty-seven or thirty-eight.

"Tsk tsk. After searching high and low to no avail, it falls right into our laps!

Who would have thought that after so many years of struggle between my Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance, the Alliance would just collapse on its own!

Now, in all of You Province, only my Murong Family reigns supreme!"

A look of ecstasy appeared on the Murong Family elder’s face.

Although the Murong Family’s power in You Province was greater than the Sun-piercing Alliance’s, the Alliance was still one of the Seven Alliances of the World. If a true war broke out, even if the Murong Family won, they would surely suffer devastating losses.

That was why, for all these years, the two sides had only engaged in minor skirmishes and never truly come to blows.

This time, Guan Tianming had been recklessly arresting Martial Artists, his actions frantic and extreme. The Murong Family had sensed something was wrong, so they dispatched two Divine Platform Realm Grandmasters to infiltrate Sun-piercing Alliance territory and investigate. They just happened to arrive as the Alliance was being destroyed.

"According to a Sun-piercing Alliance disciple who escaped, Yuwen Shan has already retreated from Sun-piercing Valley with his men, but they didn’t take the rampaging Sun-piercing Sword with them.

This is a heaven-sent opportunity! The Sun-piercing Sword is in Sun-piercing Valley right now. As long as we seize this offensive Divine Soldier, my Murong Family will possess two Divine Soldiers. With both offense and defense covered, we will be able to look down on the entire Jianghu!"

The Murong Family elder’s expression grew more and more excited.

The Murong Family’s Divine Artifact, "Star Shifting," had extremely polarized attributes. Its defense was strong, but its offensive power was severely lacking.

This was why the Murong Family had become somewhat obsessed over the years, frantically seeking an offensive Divine Artifact Demon Soldier.

But the younger Divine Platform Realm Martial Artist frowned. "Elder Sheng, that Sun-piercing Alliance disciple also said the ones who acted were from the Ming Sect. They must be after the Sun-piercing Sword as well. A full three Ming Sect Hall Masters took action.

If we try to seize the Sun-piercing Sword now, it’ll be like snatching food from a tiger’s mouth. We’ll also gravely offend the people of the Ming Sect. We should reconsider this and plan for the long term."

Murong Sheng sneered, "So what if there are three Ming Sect Hall Masters? They forced themselves to kill Guan Tianming, so they must be heavily injured and have exhausted a great deal of energy.

Besides, would my Murong Family be afraid of those Ming Sect remnants? My Murong Family had a hand in destroying the Great Brightness Sect five hundred years ago. If we were afraid, we wouldn’t have acted back then!

Zhang Yunying, don’t you forget your place! Without my Murong Family, how could a Martial Artist like you, from a minor vassal Noble Family, have ever cultivated to the Divine Platform Realm? How could you have the status you have today?

I’m not discussing this with you, I’m giving you an order!

Enough nonsense! Follow me at once to seize the Sun-piercing Sword!"

As his voice fell, Murong Sheng shot straight toward Sun-piercing Valley. Zhang Yunying sighed, but had no choice but to helplessly follow him.