Chapter Nine, Cleansing the Hands in a Golden Basin

At this moment, it was already 2:15 PM. Liu Zhengfeng returned to the inner hall, where his disciples attended to the guests. Just as he settled down, he saw a flash of black light that disappeared in an instant. When he looked up, he noticed a long black iron needle, firmly embedded on the side of his right hand.

Although Yue Buqun's name includes the character "Buqun" which implies a lack of companionship, he actually displays a strong fondness for making friends. Not being familiar with Chen Ang, he approached to greet him, hoping to inquire about his background. At that moment, several individuals from the martial arts community who had been treated by Chen Ang had already come forward, respectfully greeting him. In an instant, Chen Ang appeared to be quite popular, smoothly integrating into the crowd.

Liu Zhengfeng inhaled sharply, as the black blood divine needle was as fine as a cow's hair, with a diameter of merely a few tenths of a millimeter. If not examined closely while held in hand, it would be nearly undetectable. Even with a slight application of force, the slender flying needle would easily twist and break. Even with Qu Yang's abilities, honed over several decades, it would be difficult to exert force upon it; he could only unleash a large cluster using his internal energy in a manner akin to a rain of flowers, applying a potent poison to the needle to ensure its effectiveness

"It's nothing! Just saw a ghost!" said Master Ding Yi, waving her hand.

Today is the joyous day when Liu has washed his hands of the past. Since the divine doctor is here, why not come in for a drink? Liu Zhengfeng said with a warm smile, clasping his fists.

"The Alliance Leader's Flag?" Liu Zhengfeng pondered, "The Left Alliance Leader is highly respected and esteemed; he must have sent the Alliance Leader's Flag here for an important matter!"

Chen Ang saw his tense expression and understood the situation. He immediately stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, saying: "This young girl is not someone I insisted on bringing with me; rather, she clung to me and insisted on following me. I also find her quite bothersome. If Mr. Liu is familiar with her family, I would entrust her to Mr. Liu!"

He paused for a moment, glanced over the crowd, and said with a sigh: "From this day forth, I, Liu, shall wash my hands of all matters concerning the grievances and disputes of the martial world, as well as the conflicts between sects"

At this moment, Qu Feiyan also came up and poured a ladle of cold water: "My grandfather has also heard about this matter, and that is why he hurriedly brought me here. Grandpa Liu, he did not deceive you; the Songshan Sect indeed intends to harm you"

The Liu residence was filled with distinguished guests, bustling with activity, with around 200 tables set up both inside and outside. Upon seeing Chen Ang enter, both Master Ding Yi and Yue Buqun were taken aback, thinking to themselves: How did he come as well? Yu Canghai was even more distressed; upon seeing Chen Ang approach, he actually turned his head to the side, pretending not to see him

The disciple who reported the matter jumped up in shock, nervously looking at Chen Ang

Upon hearing the remarks from the person beside her, Master Ding Yi could not help but twitch her facial muscles, and her usually calm expression lost its composure. She glanced at Chen Ang, who greeted everyone he encountered, and her lips twitched slightly, prompting her nearby disciple to look over in confusion.

Liu Zhengfeng felt a sudden change in his heart, and his expression immediately darkened as he coldly said: "What the divine doctor said has left me utterly confused!"

Observing Chen Ang greeting everyone with a smile, some puzzled individuals from the martial world curiously inquired: "Who is this person, and what is his background, that he is so well-connected? Even Mr. Yue from the Huashan Sect has come to greet him!"

Today, this black blood divine needle, in its delicate and slender aspects, is no different from the one used by Qu Yang. However, it can penetrate solid wood with a needle as fine as a cow's hair without causing any damage. This level of skill has far surpassed that of Qu Yang, which explains why there is no trace of poison on it at all

Upon seeing Qu Feiyan in this state, Liu Zhengfeng also felt relieved. His relationship with Qu Yang had violated the major taboos of both families, and if this were to spread, not only would the Five Mountains Sword Sect not spare him, but even the Sun Moon Holy Cult would pursue them. Therefore, their interactions were extremely secretive, and they could not let others know.

"Do not panic, hide the soft sword in your sleeve well, we are friends, not foes!" Chen Ang said with a smile, spreading his hands to indicate that he was unarmed. "Mr. Liu, do you know that within this Hengshan City, Ding Mian, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin from the Thirteen Protectors of Songshan have hidden the alliance flag of the Five Mountains Sword Sect? What do you think their purpose for coming here is?"

The disciple was taken aback and respectfully clasped his fists, saying: "I have not seen the senior brother from the Songshan Sect"

Upon closer inspection of that black needle, Liu Zhengfeng realized that it was indeed the renowned hidden weapon of his close friend Qu Yang, the 'Black Blood Divine Needle.' When deployed, a cluster of black needles would rain down, and those struck were certain to die. It is a notorious and lethal hidden weapon within the Sun Moon Holy Cult.

Liu Zhengfeng turned around and said loudly: "Today, we are graced with the presence of many esteemed guests, all of whom have come out of respect for me, Liu. I, Liu Zhengfeng, have been fortunate to be accepted as a disciple under my esteemed master and to be taught martial arts. However, I feel deeply ashamed that I have not been able to elevate the reputation of the Hengshan Sect. Fortunately, our sect is under the leadership of Brother Mo. As I am advanced in age and physically impaired, I find it difficult to manage the grievances and entanglements of the martial world."

Given the deep bond between the two, if Qu Yang's granddaughter were to be held captive by the enemy, he would have no choice but to risk his life to rescue her

Chen Ang smiled, glanced at him, and said directly: "Why must you deceive yourself? Zuo Lengchan's plot to unify the Five Mountains has been in the works for more than a day or two; he is no longer satisfied with merely holding the position of the leader of the Five Mountains. You, Liu Zhengfeng, are the backbone of Hengshan, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that he sees you as a thorn in his side. With this legitimate handle in hand, I fear that today a year from now will be the day of mourning for your entire family"

Upon witnessing this scene, Liu Zhengfeng was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "Master Healer, may I ask why you have brought me here? And why have you brought my niece along?" Meanwhile, he secretly unsheathed a slender sword, remaining on high alert.

Chen Ang sat down next to Lin Pingzhi, startling Yu Canghai to the point where his eyes nearly popped out. He couldn't understand when these two had come together. However, in such a public setting, he could only cast a furtive glance at the two.

Liu Zhengfeng was naturally unwilling to believe the sudden news, but as the leader of the Hengshan Sect and a veteran of the martial world for decades, he calmed down and reflected. Connecting this with the various actions of the Songshan Sect over the years, he couldn't help but feel a cold sweat soaking his back.

Liu Zhengfeng cupped his hands in salute to the crowd, politely declining the kind intentions of Master Ding Yi. He rolled up his sleeves, extended both hands, and was about to place them into the golden basin. The hall was filled with a bustling crowd, all congratulating him.

At that moment, a sneer suddenly rang out, coming from Chen Ang. He flashed a cold light in his hand, and before Liu Zhengfeng could react, the glimmer in his eyes vanished. A man dressed in black suddenly leaped down from the wall several dozen zhang away. With a "thud!", he fell to the ground, a stream of blood spreading from his chest, clearly on the verge of death

"Let us go first!" Chen Ang smiled at her, disregarding Qu Feiyan's blushing ears, and walked straight towards the Liu residence. Qu Feiyan, feeling dejected, kicked the ground and, seeing Chen Ang walk away, hurriedly quickened her pace to catch up.

"Today is likely not a day of great joy for you, but rather a time of great misfortune for your entire family." Chen Ang shook his head and said, "You have seen this black blood divine needle, yet you still cling to a sense of luck, truly believing that no one knows about your affair with Qu Yang?"

Some of these individuals are familiar with each other, while others are merely drawn by reputation and have never met in person. In the hall, introductions and greetings are exchanged, creating a great commotion. The other leaders of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, observing the crowd of people, cannot help but frown at the presence of some unscrupulous characters among them. They all feel that Liu Zhengfeng is lacking in self-respect, engaging in such lowly interactions, which tarnishes the reputation of the Five Mountains Sword Sect.

Liu Zhengfeng nodded slightly, waved his hand to dismiss him, and quickly stepped forward to pull down the man's mask. Upon seeing the man's face, he let out a deep sigh.

The person beside him, Qu Feiyan, heard him say that she was being clingy, and she coldly snorted in dissatisfaction, turning her head away.

"Have the members of the Songshan Sect arrived?" Liu Zhengfeng turned around to ask him

Liu Zhengfeng carefully wrapped the black blood divine needle and placed it in his bosom, proceeding in the direction the needle was pointing. In just a few moments, he arrived at the edge of a bamboo grove. There, he saw a young man in splendid attire, with hair tied up in a jade ring and sharp eyebrows like stars, sitting gracefully beneath the bamboo. A charming young girl, around twelve or thirteen years old, beside him, exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Liu Zhengfeng.

At that moment, a stern voice suddenly shouted from outside the door: "Hold on!"

As everyone listened to his generous words, they all congratulated Liu Zhengfeng, praising him with "May fortune and longevity be yours. Retreat bravely in the face of adversity." Only Master Dingyi sighed and said, "Liu Xian弟, you this again... sigh!"

On that day, when Chen Ang shot and killed Mu Gaofeng from a distance, he was not far away. It was the same black blood divine needle from earlier, which even Liu Zhengfeng might not be able to withstand. Today, Chen Ang's intentions were unclear, making it impossible for him not to be on guard.

The person next to him informed him: "This is Sai Huatuo, the divine physician, who cured the poisonous sores of the heroic Wang Lao. It is said that he possesses the skills of Huatuo, who could perform surgeries and scrape bones to detoxify, and he is a renowned divine physician in the martial arts world"

Qu Feiyan cast a curious glance at the man in black, both astonished and admiring as she looked at Chen Ang. To be able to hit a lurking expert from dozens of zhang away with a single dart, not to mention the keen eyesight required, the skill with hidden weapons alone surpassed her by an unknown margin, and was not far from that of her grandfather. In the realm of martial arts, it is truly rare to find someone with such abilities at a young age.

This flying needle was not shot out using the technique of scattering flowers like a curved willow, but was purely driven into the solid wood by hand strength. A three-inch fine needle made of cow hair had only a millimeter of its tail exposed outside. Liu Zhengfeng struck beside the fine needle with his palm, and with a burst of palm strength, the flying needle shot back out, but it had already broken into two pieces

At this moment, Liu Zhengfeng had already emerged from the inner palace. Chen Ang saw that there was no one beside him and realized that he had already pacified the officials who came to issue the imperial edict. Liu Zhengfeng was not foolish; he understood that the Songshan Sect had ill intentions today, and that the martial world generally despised the court's lackeys. Naturally, he would not accept the edict at this time, as it would offend the group of martial artists present.

His words were quite impolite, and Liu Zhengfeng was filled with rage upon hearing them. At this moment, Zuo Lengchan's ambitions had not yet become as apparent as they would later. In the martial world and among the Five Mountains Sword Sects, he still appeared to others as the iron-faced leader who upheld justice. It can be said that it was the death of Liu Zhengfeng's entire family that caused the Five Mountains Sword Sects to display signs of disunity, leading to Zuo Lengchan's reputation gradually waning.

Grandpa Liu

She had never witnessed the scene where Chen Ang killed Mu Gaofeng; otherwise, she would not have made such a fuss over this trivial matter

Liu Zhengfeng's expression was fluctuating between gloom and brightness, and he was struggling internally. He was reluctant to believe Chen Ang's words, yet every time he was about to turn away in anger, he felt an overwhelming sense of unease. This happened repeatedly, causing his face to alternate between shades of green and white. At that moment, a disciple from the Liu residence came forward to report: "Master, the imperial envoy has arrived and is requesting you to go out to receive the decree!"

Today marks the auspicious day of the renowned hero Liu Zhengfeng from the Hengshan Sect performing the "Golden Basin to Wash Hands" ceremony. The city of Hengshan is filled with joy and celebration, as five to six hundred distinguished guests flow in like a stream, including fellow practitioners from other sects of the Five Mountains, notable figures of considerable reputation in the martial world, and even some individuals of dubious character arriving one after another

He stepped forward and cupped his fists towards Chen Ang, saying: "With Brother Qu as my guarantor, I trust you. Please wait while I go to settle my family, and I will return to invite you to take a seat! After today, if you have any requests, I will certainly repay you with my life." Having said this, he did not even change his clothes and hurriedly left.