Chapter 39 By Chance and Coincidence

Shangguan Yun followed closely behind a purple-robed attendant, while Ren Woxing, Xiang Wentian, and Ren Yingying carried Linghu Chong behind him.

Entering all the way, sabre-wielding guards lined the corridors...

On both sides of the long corridor, hundreds of guards arrayed in formation. The spectacle was truly imperial.

Passing through the corridor and entering the grand hall, a high-set seat was placed at the front. The moment Shangguan Yun caught sight of the long-bearded elder upon the dais, he dropped to his knees at once, kowtowing and saying, "May the Leader's martial arts and literary virtues endure; this subordinate, White Tiger Hall Elder Shangguan Yun, pays respects to the Leader."

Right at that moment, someone behind them shouted loudly, "Brother Dongfang, was it truly you who sent people to capture me?"

The voice was aged, tinged with a hint of sorrow, yet the man's internal energy was so robust that his reverberating echoes crashed back and forth within the vast hall, sounding fiercely powerful. He was none other than the Wind and Thunder Hall Master, Tong Baixiong.

Yang Lianoting barked harshly, "How dare you address the Leader as a brother on equal terms? Kneel!"

Tong Baixiong paid him no heed. Even though his feet were bound in iron shackles, he still shook off the guards who were attempting to force him to the ground.

With two heavy thuds, two guards were sent flying through the air, spitting blood profusely in all directions.

Yang Lianoting immediately bellowed, "Audacious traitor, you still dare to attempt the assassination of the Leader! Seize him for me at once!"

The guards in the hall surged toward Tong Baixiong together. At that very instant, Ren Woxing seized the opportunity and roared, "Strike!"

Linghu Chong leaped up like a spring, and the long sword concealed within the stretcher flew out. Ren Yingying and the others likewise drew their weapons from beneath the stretcher... In a flash, the four of them executed their lightness skills simultaneously.

Linghu Chong darted onto the high platform first, his sword flashing to knock away the weapons of four guards. Xiang Wentian brought his blade down in a swift chop, immediately severing four heads. Meanwhile, Ren Yingying and Shangguan Yun intercepted the guards rushing back to rescue, while Ren Woxing leaped forward and kicked Yang Lianoting away, instantly grabbing Dongfang Bubai by the back of the neck.

"Take a good look, everyone! This is your Dongfang Bubai!"

With a swift move, Ren Woxing stripped away Dongfang Bubai's disguise. Everyone saw that while the person's features did bear a striking resemblance to Dongfang Bubai, at this moment it was merely a resemblance—he was not Dongfang Bubai at all.

"Speak! Who are you?"

"I... I... I am... I am..."

The fake Dongfang Bubai was already trembling uncontrollably, his teeth chattering so much that his words were completely garbled.

Xiang Wentian grabbed Yang Lianoting, hurled him to the ground, and demanded, "Speak quickly! What is the meaning of this? Where is Dongfang Bubai?"

Dongfang Bubai was a fake?

Witnessing this, all the guards came to a halt. Only Tong Baixiong lunged forward to grab Yang Lianoting by the collar, roaring, "Was it you... was it you, wretched villain, who murdered my brother Dongfang?"

Who would have expected that Yang Lianoting would show not a shred of fear? He stood proudly and declared, "Who says the Leader is dead? The Leader's martial arts are invincible beneath heaven! Aren't you all wishing to see him? Very well, I shall lead you to him."

Ren Woxing glanced at Shangguan Yun, who immediately proclaimed in a ringing voice, "You have all witnessed it for yourselves—this so-called Dongfang Bubai was an imposter, throwing our cult into chaos. This is Leader Ren, our former cult leader. From this day onward, all disciples of our cult shall pledge their allegiance anew to Leader Ren!"

As he spoke, he took the lead and dropped to his knees, crying out, "Your subordinate Shangguan Yun pays homage to Leader Ren! May the Leader live for ten thousand generations and unify the martial world!"

Now that Dongfang Bubai had been exposed as a fake, and among those in the hall Shangguan Yun held the highest rank, since he had already kowtowed, the rest of the crowd had no choice but to drop to their knees together.

"May the Leader live for ten thousand generations and unify the martial world!"

Ren Woxing burst into loud laughter, exclaiming, "Good! Good! Good!"

Yang Lianoting sneered, "Utterly courting death!"

Ren Woxing laughed heartily once more. Suddenly, footsteps echoed from afar!

Faint and distant at first, among those present—aside from the ordinary guards and Yang Lianoting—there was not a single weak fighter; the approaching footsteps could not deceive their ears. The laughter died away, and the footsteps grew increasingly distinct.

The newcomer seemed to have already arrived outside the hall.

Who was it? Who else could possibly come here?

Ren Woxing looked at Shangguan Yun, who nodded, turned around, and walked toward the entrance of the hall.

Suddenly, a gust of gentle wind fluttered the hem of his robe, and a white-clad figure brushed past him.

White hair outshining snow, cloud-like robes immaculate—at the mere sight of this figure, everyone froze in place... Even those who had not yet seen the newcomer's face could already guess who he was.

Ren Woxing cried out in shock, "You... you have come?!"

Shangguan Yun stood frozen behind this person, not daring to make a single rash move. Linghu Chong, Ren Yingying, and Xiang Wentian flew to Ren Woxing's sides, standing on guard.

Tong Baixiong shouted aloud, "You are the Divine Swordsman, Ren Yi?"

Ren Yi nodded slightly and replied, "I am not particularly fond of the moniker 'Divine Swordsman,' but I am indeed Ren Yi of 'Ren Yi Wu Cuo' [Unflawed Freedom]."

Tong Baixiong demanded harshly, "How did you manage to get in here?"

Ren Yi answered indifferently, "Just walked in."

Tong Baixiong's heart instantly plummeted into an abyss.

"My... my cult disciples..."

Ren Yi cut him off, saying, "Since I have arrived here, those who blocked my path are naturally dead."

"What did you say?" A chill gripped everyone's hearts. They had long since heard the terrifying legends surrounding him—the number of people who had died beneath his sword was beyond counting. Now that he stood right before their eyes, could it be that the cult disciples stationed outside the hall and across the Black Wood Cliff were already...

The more they thought, the more terrified they became; the more they imagined, the greater their panic.

Ren Woxing suddenly laughed aloud. "Hahahaha... Today is the great day of my, Ren Woxing's, reclamation of the leader's throne. As long as Dongfang Bubai is slain, the leadership seat returns once more to my domain. I intend to join forces with Young Master Ren. Once Dongfang Bubai is dead, how about you and I jointly rule the Sun Moon Divine Cult as co-leaders?"

No one had anticipated that he would utter such words. Only Xiang Wentian grasped the crucial point and chimed in, "Young Master Ren, as long as you join hands with the Leader, let alone killing Dongfang Bubai, even unifying the entire martial world would be no difficult task. Furthermore, Leader Ren is advanced in years. If Young Master were to enter our cult and assume the position of Left Leader... in days to come, the Holy Cult would still be yours to command alone."

Hearing this, Linghu Chong felt a wave of profound astonishment and alarm. If things were truly to turn out this way, which sect or school under heaven could possibly be a match for these two? With the two of them joining forces, unifying the martial world would by no means be a wild and delusional fantasy!

He was about to speak, but the words died on his lips when he met Ren Yingying's pleading gaze, forcing him to swallow them back.

Ren Yi shook his head.

Ren Woxing exclaimed in shock, "You refuse?"

Ren Yi smiled faintly and said, "A year ago at Shaolin, you already began to fear me, which is why you made a move that day attempting to eliminate someone like Ren Yi. What a pity..."

Ren Woxing sneered, "I have always been arrogant and domineering. Do you really think I would fear you?"

Ren Yi mocked lightly, "The entire Mount Song Sect was slaughtered by me down to the last person. Are you, Ren Woxing, not afraid? If you were not afraid, why were you in such anxious haste to retake the leader's throne? It is nothing more than wanting to borrow the power of the Sun Moon Divine Cult to pit against me."

Ren Woxing abruptly fell silent, his hands actually beginning to tremble slightly...

He was indeed afraid. Ever since he learned that Ren Yi had massacred over eight hundred members of the Mount Song Sect, he had lived in dread that this man would come looking for him; thus his immense urgency to seize back the position of cult leader.

Only by becoming the leader of the Sun Moon Divine Cult and wielding the collective strength of its members could he possibly stand a chance against him.

Ren Woxing said in a deep voice, "Is your purpose today to kill me?"

Ren Yi smiled. "I came to the Black Wood Cliff merely to find something, but I do indeed harbor the intent to kill you. Running into you here is a fortuitous coincidence—saving me from making an extra trip. That is excellent!"