plumnovel Chapter 26 Junshan Conference
Chapter 26 Junshan Conference
Junshan, formerly known as Dongting Mountain or Xiangshan, is a small island in the 800-li Dongting Lake, facing the famous Yueyang Tower across the distance. It is named after the "palace of immortals".
The moonlight, as white as frost, spilled across the vast, boundless lake, shimmering like shattered silver.
Ouyang Ke, alone with a bird, rowed a boat on Dongting Lake. The sound of the tide rolled in his ears, and in the distance, deep in the clouds and mist, a bright moon had risen high in the night sky, shrouding most of Dongting Lake in its clear light.
The small boat cut through the water, moving forward silently. A firebird perched on his shoulder, its small, coral-like eyes scanning the surroundings warily, occasionally letting out a very soft "coo".
Before long, Ouyang Ke had already arrived at the small island where Junshan was located by boat.
Legend has it that the summit of Junshan Mountain is where the Yellow Emperor cast his cauldron and ascended to heaven.
The Yellow Emperor cast a tripod on the shore of Dongting Lake. After the tripod was completed, he rode a dragon to heaven. To commemorate this event, later generations erected a monument here, and Xuanyuan Terrace originated from this.
Ouyang Ke moored the small boat at the shore, and with a light tap of his crutches under his arm, he gracefully landed on the bank.
Since tonight is the day the Beggars' Sect holds the Junshan Conference, compared to the torches gathering into a dragon on the mountaintop, only a few people with torches are guarding the only way to the mountaintop on the shore.
Perhaps the Beggars' Sect did not expect that, with the entire sect gathered at Junshan tonight, someone would still dare to trespass on the sect's headquarters!
Ouyang Ke's lips curled slightly, and with a light tap of his crutches under his armpits, he had already floated more than ten feet away.
His lightness skill was already quite good, and now that he had mastered the exquisite lightness techniques from the Nine Yin Manual, he could control them with complete ease. The Beggar Clan disciples guarding the road only felt a gentle breeze pass by and didn't even notice someone rushing past them.
After a short while, Ouyang Ke had reached the top of Junshan Mountain.
Although his legs were crippled, his lightness skill had become increasingly advanced in the past month, so he did not attract the attention of any Beggar Clan disciples along the way until he reached the top of Junshan Mountain.
Standing behind a huge rock, one can see lake water all around, with light smoke and mist enveloping the vast expanse of blue waves.
A dozen or so feet away was a high platform, around which hundreds of beggars sat in dense layers. The moonlight had faded, and everyone was silent.
If Ouyang Ke hadn't been so skilled in internal energy cultivation that he could hear the faint breathing sounds around him, he would have almost been deceived.
After a long time, the beggars remained motionless.
Ouyang Ke frowned slightly, because he had noticed two figures on the corner of the platform who appeared to be bound by ropes.
At that moment, moonlight shone down through the gaps in the clouds, and Ouyang Ke focused his energy on his eyes, finally able to see clearly.
A man and a woman were seen bound by ropes, both facing downwards, so their faces were not clearly visible at first glance. However, their clothing and appearance were exactly the same as those of Guo Jing and his companion from not long ago.
Upon seeing this scene, Ouyang Ke couldn't help but smile slightly, thinking to himself that Huang Rong was clever and cunning. Usually, she was the one bullying and teasing others, but today she had fallen into the hands of the Beggars' Clan. It was truly wonderful.
Meanwhile, Guo Jing and his companion, who had been captured alive, seemed to have regained consciousness.
In their dazed state, the two felt a cool breeze blowing, a chill running through them, and faint sounds of waves in their ears. When they opened their eyes, they saw a bright moon rising from behind the mountains through the clouds.
The two were greatly surprised. They had been drinking in broad daylight at Yueyang Tower, how could it have suddenly become dark?
In a daze, as he tried to stand up, he was shocked to find that his hands and feet were bound by ropes. He opened his mouth to call out, but his mouth was stuffed with hemp seeds, which only made his mouth and tongue hurt.
Huang Rong immediately realized that she had fallen for the beggar's trick, but she didn't know what kind of evil magic he was using. She didn't think too much about it for the time being. She glanced at Guo Jing lying next to her and struggling, which made her feel much more at ease.
Guo Jing possessed immense internal strength at this moment, and even the toughest ropes would have snapped after a few tries. However, when he exerted force in his hands and feet, the ropes around him clanged but remained undamaged. It turned out that they were made of cowhide strips mixed with steel wire.
Guo Jing was about to add more internal energy when he suddenly felt a chill on his face. A cold sword blade lightly patted his cheek twice. He turned his head and glanced sideways, only to see four young beggars, each holding a weapon, guarding him. He had no choice but to stop struggling and turn to look at Huang Rong.
Huang Rong shook her head at him, indicating that she should wait and take a look around first.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the entire platform was bathed in the bright moonlight. Suddenly, a series of three tapping sounds, one after the other, rang out, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes high, sometimes low, quite rhythmic. It was the beggars each holding a small stick and striking the rocks in front of them.
Huang Rong silently counted the knocking sounds. When she reached eighty-one, the sound stopped abruptly. Four people stood up from the group of beggars. In the moonlight, it was clear that they were Lu Youjiao and the three elders of the Clean Clothes Sect.
The four elders of the Beggars' Sect stood at the four corners of Xuanyuan Platform. The beggars all stood up, crossed their arms, and bowed in salute.
The plump, white beggar whom Huang Rong disliked, waited until the group of beggars were seated before announcing loudly, "Brothers, a calamity has befallen the Beggars' Clan! It is truly a tremendous disaster! Our Chief Hong has passed away in Lin'an Prefecture!"
Upon hearing this, the beggars fell silent.
Suddenly, a man cried out and fell to the ground. All around, the beggars beat their chests and stamped their feet, wailing and crying out, their mournful cries echoing through the trees and carrying far across the lake.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ke frowned and immediately guessed that Yang Kang was spreading false news of Hong Qigong's death in order to seize the position of Beggar Clan leader.
Suddenly, a man and a woman emerged from the crowd. The man, about eighteen or nineteen years old, was carrying a green bamboo cane. He wore a brocade robe, his clothes were luxurious, and underneath he wore a lake-green satin undergarment. A light green handkerchief was tied around his waist, which made his face look like jade and his lips like cinnabar. He was quite handsome.
The woman was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with extremely fair and delicate skin, unlike ordinary women of the martial arts world. She had an oval face, arched eyebrows, a small mouth, and a small black mole on her lip, which added to her charm.
But her eyes didn't have the gentle grace of a typical young woman.
It gained a brighter, sharper look, and its eyes held a hint of disdain.
Only when her gaze fell upon Yang Kang did a hint of tenderness appear.
Ouyang Ke's eyes flickered slightly upon seeing this, and he thought to himself that this woman must be "Iron Palm Lotus" Qiu Qianchi, and the man beside her must be Yang Kang.
After only a few months apart, Yang Kang was clearly riding high, looking quite dashing.
Yang Kang, holding a green bamboo staff, walked to the high platform. The beggars immediately fell silent, but the low sobbing and whimpering continued unabated.
He slowly said, "A month ago, Chief Hong was unfortunately killed by treacherous villains in Lin'an Prefecture."
For a moment, the beggars were filled with grief and indignation. Some cursed loudly, while others shouted that they would take revenge immediately.
Yang Kang stretched out his hands, and after the beggars quieted down, he said, "The people who killed our leader are Huang Yaoshi, the master of Peach Blossom Island, and seven thieving Taoists from the Quanzhen Sect."
Huang Yaoshi rarely left the island, and most of the beggars were unaware of his name, while the Seven Masters of Quanzhen were renowned far and wide.
Those who came to Junshan for the gathering that day were no ordinary members of the Beggars' Sect. They all knew the abilities of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, and thought that no matter what kind of person Huang Yaoshi was, even if the sect leader was exceptionally skilled, he would be no match for him alone if the Seven Masters of Quanzhen joined forces. At that moment, they were all filled with grief and indignation. Some cursed loudly, while others shouted that they would immediately go to avenge their sect leader.
It turns out that when she stole the "Wumu's Legacy" from the palace, she accidentally bumped into Hong Qigong. During the melee, Sister Lian saw that the old beggar was seriously injured and had lost all his martial arts skills. So, after getting the Dog-Beating Stick, she unexpectedly had the idea of seizing the position of Beggar Clan leader.
Because of Guo Jing's affair, he also developed a rift with the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan and the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, and thus he conceived the idea of using the Beggars' Sect to kill someone else.
This kid is indeed incredibly audacious, but this move might restrain the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, though it won't do anything to Huang Yaoshi.
It should be noted that Huang Yaoshi's actions do not follow common sense and are difficult to judge by common sense. He disregards the opinions of the world. However, if this group of beggars pesters him too much and annoys Huang Yaoshi, Yang Kang will suffer instead.
Upon hearing what Yang Kang said from the high platform, Ouyang Ke couldn't help but shake his head.
Yang Kang was still too inexperienced. Having never been in the martial arts world, he had no idea of the significance of the "Five Greats" masters.
His current actions are tantamount to digging his own grave!
The beggars cried for a while, then Elder Jian clapped his hands three times, and one by one the beggars stopped crying.
Elder Jian said, "The reason our brothers gathered here today at Junshan in Yuezhou was to hear Chief Hong designate his successor. Now that the old chief has unfortunately passed away, we must follow his last wishes. If there are no last wishes, then the four elders of our gang will jointly elect one. This is a rule passed down through generations of our ancestors. Brothers, is that not correct?"
The beggars all agreed.
Elder Peng interjected, "Master Yang, what were the old gang leader's last wishes before his passing? Please tell us."
The selection of a leader for the Beggars' Sect is of paramount importance, as the leader's virtue and martial arts skills directly affect the rise and fall of the Beggars' Sect.
The seventeenth leader of the Beggars' Clan, Qian, was incompetent and cowardly. Although his martial arts skills were superb, his handling of affairs was flawed, leading to endless infighting between the Clean Clothes Faction and the Dirty Clothes Faction, which greatly diminished the Beggars' Clan's prestige. It wasn't until Hong Qigong took over and forcefully suppressed the two factions with his unparalleled martial arts, forbidding internal strife, that the Beggars' Clan was able to regain its former glory. All the beggars present knew these past events, so when they heard about the appointment of a new leader, everyone focused intently and held their breath in silence.
Yang Kang held the green bamboo staff in both hands, raised it high above his head, and said loudly, "Chief Hong was besieged by villains and was seriously injured, his life hanging by a thread. I saw injustice and hid him in the cellar of my house, deceiving the villains, and immediately summoned a famous doctor to treat him carefully. Unfortunately, Chief Hong's injuries were too severe, and in the end, there was no way to save him."
Upon hearing this, the beggars let out a collective sigh.
Yang Kang paused for a moment, then said, "When Chief Hong was on his deathbed, he passed on this bamboo staff to me, entrusting me with the important task of becoming the nineteenth chief."
These words caused a stir among the beggars.
Who would have thought that the important task of becoming the leader of the Beggars' Sect would be entrusted to someone who looked like a young master?
It turns out that after Yang Kang accidentally obtained the green bamboo staff at Qu Shagu's shop in Niujia Village, Lin'an, Qiu Qianchi, who was beside him, recognized the origin of the staff as the Dog-Beating Stick, the symbol of the Beggars' Sect leader.
Under her guidance, it was explained that the Beggars' Sect was the largest sect in the world. If Yang Kang became the leader of the Beggars' Sect, and with the help of the Iron Palm Clan, how could he not march south to destroy the Song Dynasty and accomplish great things?
Upon hearing this, Yang Kang felt a surge of pride.
Hearing Yang Kang spout such nonsense on stage, Guo Jing and Huang Rong were both furious. They wanted to speak up and defend themselves, but their mouths were gagged, and they could only listen to Yang Kang twist the truth and pin the blame on the Quanzhen Sect and Huang Yaoshi.
Huang Rong frowned as she looked at the two people on the stage, knowing that if they couldn't escape soon, their lives would be in grave danger.
Given Yang Kang's personality, he certainly wouldn't allow her and Jing-gege to leave this place alive.
With several barely audible whooshing sounds, the four young beggars guarding the area froze simultaneously, unable to move before they could even utter a sound.
Suddenly, Huang Rong felt a gust of wind beside her ears and became suspicious. But when she looked up, she saw that the four young Beggar Clan disciples who had been guarding the two of them were stiff and unable to move. It was clear that someone had used a skillful technique to strike their pressure points from a distance.
Just as the two were filled with doubt and surprise, they heard a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Why don't you two use the 'Tendon-Contraction and Bone-Shrinking Technique' to escape!"
Guo Jing and his companion were startled upon hearing this and hurriedly looked around, but there was no one in sight.
Meanwhile, Yang Kang on the stage had already been recognized by the beggars as the nineteenth leader of the Beggars' Sect.
Upon hearing this, the beggars couldn't help but shout in unison.
Yang Kang succeeded as the leader of the Beggars' Sect and was very pleased with himself.
Qiu Qianchi stood quietly behind him, her gaze fixed on him.
The moonlight made her extremely pale face appear even softer. She slightly squinted her bright eyes, looking at that spirited figure from behind. The small black mole on her lip added a touch of charm as the corners of her mouth curved upwards.
A smile appeared on her lips, as if she was also happy for him.
Then he suddenly announced loudly, "Although the mastermind behind the death of the old gang leader has not yet been brought to justice, I have captured two accomplices here."
Upon hearing this, the beggars erupted in uproar, shouting, "Where is he? Where is he?" "Quickly, bring him here and dismember him!" "Don't kill him with one blow; let this scoundrel suffer piecemeal!"
Guo Jing was still feeling bewildered. He was an honest and straightforward person and had not expected that Yang Kang already had the idea of eliminating him completely.
Yang Kang said sternly, "Bring him to the front!"
Elder Peng strode over to Guo and Huang, picked them up one in each hand, and slammed them heavily to the ground in front of the stage.
Guo Jing then realized what was happening and cursed inwardly, "Good bastard, so he was talking about us."
Remembering the warning from earlier, the two wanted to continue struggling, but with two steel knives held to their necks, any movement would result in bloodshed. They had no choice but to abandon their attempt to escape secretly.
Huang Rong's gaze was solemn, knowing that she and her brother Jing were in a dangerous situation, but a glimmer of hope inexplicably arose in her heart, for the "Tendon-Shrinking and Bone-Contracting Technique" was a martial art recorded in the Nine Yin Manual.
Aside from her and her brother Jing, only one or two other people knew about it.
Just now, someone secretly sent a message to them, helping them escape their predicament.
Could he be an old rascal?
Huang Rong was overjoyed, thinking that if the Old Urchin were here, she and her brother Jing could easily escape their predicament.
But the old rascal still hasn't shown himself after all this time. Could it be that he's deliberately trying to make a fool of her and Brother Jing?
Remembering the old rascal's naturally mischievous and playful nature, she couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly, thinking to herself that once she was free, she would definitely teach the old rascal a lesson.