The mastermind behind the theft has come to light

When the Ten Elders appeared at Mount Hua, they unexpectedly discovered that the Five Mountains had gathered together. At that moment, a widely circulated speculation in the martial world was finally confirmed: the Five Mountain Sword Sect was indeed not innocent

However, such an excellent leadership within the Huashan Sect made the decision to openly confront the Shaolin Temple's Tiger Whiskers.

To take a step back, even if the orthodox sect were to experience an extraordinary stroke of luck, such as shooting a carrier pigeon while hunting one day, with the pigeon carrying highly confidential information tied to its leg, the orthodox practitioners, out of a sense of chivalry, would promptly notify the Five Mountain Sword Alliance. Consequently, the other four sects would swiftly mobilize volunteer forces to resist the demons and assist China. However, this would require time; at that time, there were no radios, let alone mobile communications. Short-range communication relied primarily on shouting, while long-range communication depended on walking. Although the Daoists had a unique skill known as sword flight, it was evident that no one in martial arts novels could cultivate to that level. By the time the four sects received the news, the ten elders on Blackwood Cliff had already bid farewell, left behind their wills, and set off in full preparation. But this would require time; at that time, there were no radios, let alone mobile communications. Short-range communication relied primarily on shouting, while long-range communication depended on walking. Although the Daoists had a unique skill known as sword flight, it was evident that no one in martial arts novels could cultivate to that level. By the time the four sects received the news, the ten elders on Blackwood Cliff had already bid farewell, left behind their wills, and set off in full preparation.

From this, it can be concluded that what Master Fangzheng said is untrue; these four sects are not reinforcements. When the ten elders arrived at the foot of Mount Hua, these four sects were already present on the mountain, having participated in the battle from the very beginning

Decapitation operations emphasize speed, precision, and ruthlessness, and require strict confidentiality. Therefore, the speed of this strike will certainly surpass that of the leader's movements. The secrecy of this operation will be no less than that of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts

This is utterly unreasonable. It is well known among the martial arts community that the Shaolin Sect is not to be trifled with. Not to mention the hidden talents on Mount Song and Mount Shaoshi, even the janitors, librarians, and cooks in the kitchen may possess the strength to defeat the leader of the Beggar's Sect in an instant. Although the monks on Mount Shaoshi are all virtuous and harbor no resentment, Shaolin is, after all, an ancient tree that has become a demon over a thousand years, with hundreds of offshoot sects branching out. These sects are not necessarily composed of benevolent individuals; do they not harbor any grudges?

In the book "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," the orthodox sect has almost no intelligence network established within the demonic sect. Yang Lianting, relying on favoritism, abuses his power, resulting in chaos at Blackwood Cliff, which severely weakens the demonic sect's strength. Meanwhile, the orthodox sect remains completely unaware of this situation. Given such poor intelligence operations, is it possible for the orthodox sect to learn about the Ten Elders' attack on Mount Hua and respond accordingly

The monk Fangzheng stated that these four factions were reinforcements, having heard of the demonic sect's attack on Mount Hua, they immediately came to assist. This assertion is difficult to believe; at that time, Dongfang Bubai had not yet been born, and the atmosphere of 'civil virtue and martial prowess, unifying the martial world' had not yet taken shape on Blackwood Cliff. The demonic sect was still quite simple then; the leader did not need the imperial seal for outings. At most, they would call a few protectors from the *He Tu* *Shu* to act as bodyguards, and invite a few beautiful women to serve as a facade (referencing Zhang Wuji's outings in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber"). These protectors and beauties were all skilled fighters, capable of speeds comparable to fine horses, traveling a thousand miles by day and eight hundred by night (of course, if the leader had urgent matters to discuss with the beauties at night, that would be another matter). The leader did not need the imperial seal for outings; at most, they would call a few protectors from the *He Tu* *Shu* to act as bodyguards, and invite a few beautiful women to serve as a facade (referencing Zhang Wuji's outings in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber"). These protectors and beauties were all skilled fighters, capable of speeds comparable to fine horses, traveling a thousand miles by day and eight hundred by night (of course, if the leader had urgent matters to discuss with the beauties at night, that would be another matter)

At that time, the Huashan Sect was already in a precarious position. Not only had it offended the Shaolin Sect, but it also possessed a treasure coveted by all, which was tantamount to suicide. Could it be that the four sects were taking advantage of the situation to coerce the Huashan Sect into surrendering the "Sunflower Manual," or were they merely trying to distance themselves from the Huashan Sect to avoid being implicated in any ensuing troubles?

Both of the above guesses are incorrect. When the demonic sect attacked the mountain, the four factions fought alongside Mount Hua, fulfilling the covenant of "the Five Mountain Sword Sects, united as one." If they intended to abandon the Hua Mountain Sect, they could have easily remained neutral. (They even had ready-made excuses; they could say that the Hua Mountain Sect, as a prestigious orthodox sect, committed such unjust acts as petty theft, tarnishing the reputation of the "Five Mountain Sword Sects," and that our XX Sect is ashamed to be associated with them, and so on... In this world, the hardest thing to find is money, while the easiest thing to find is an excuse.) (They even had ready-made excuses; they could say that the Hua Mountain Sect, as a prestigious orthodox sect, committed such unjust acts as petty theft, tarnishing the reputation of the "Five Mountain Sword Sects," and that our XX Sect is ashamed to be associated with them, and so on... In this world, the hardest thing to find is money, while the easiest thing to find is an excuse)

The Five Great Sword Sects gathered at Mount Hua, actually to collaborate and jointly study the "Sunflower Manual"; however, they encountered an invasion by the Demon Cult.

It is clearly impossible

The Ten Elders of the Demon Sect sought to seize the "Sunflower Manual" at Mount Hua. In fact, the Huashan Sect had already formed an alliance known as the Five Mountains Sword Sect with the Taishan, Songshan, Hengshan, and Hengshan Sects. Upon receiving the news, the other four sects rushed to provide assistance. A great battle unfolded at the foot of Mount Hua, where most of the Ten Elders of the Demon Sect were severely injured and retreated in defeat. However, both Yue Su and Cai Zifeng lost their lives in this conflict, and the incomplete manuscript of the "Sunflower Manual" that they had recorded was also seized by the Demon Sect. Therefore, the outcome of this battle is difficult to determine.

The great battle at the foot of Mount Hua was so intense that it darkened the sky and the earth, and it is worthy of being recorded in the annals of martial arts history. Its authenticity and the severity of the conflict are beyond doubt. However, there is one perplexing aspect of this battle: how did the other four sects of the Five Mountains Sword School arrive at the scene?

The assault on Mount Hua is the most confidential and critical military operation of the Demon Sect for the year. This operation is a decapitation mission, with the primary objectives being to seize the "Sunflower Manual" and to eliminate anyone who has seen the "Sunflower Manual". (Referencing Chapter 14 of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", where Huang Yaoshi instructs Mei Chaofeng: "You have lost the 'Nine Yin Manual', go retrieve it. If someone has seen it, kill them. If one person has seen it, kill one; if a hundred people have seen it, kill a hundred; if you only kill ninety-nine, do not come to see me.") The high-ranking officials of the Demon Sect attach great importance to this matter, thus they dispatched the "Ten Great Elders", the most elite unit, to ensure a decisive strike.

It is entirely reasonable to speculate this, as the senior members of the Huashan Sect at that time were not a group of simple-minded martial artists. Their support for the alliance of the Five Mountains demonstrates that they were capable, ambitious, visionary, and had the qualities of leaders. They recognized the weakness of the Huashan Sect, which led them to seek an alliance, indicating their self-awareness; their dissatisfaction with the current state of Huashan reflects their ambition; their ability to suppress dissenting opinions and relinquish some power that would be constrained by the alliance shows their political acumen. The alliance of the Five Mountains was a significant undertaking that emerged from nothing. Later, when Zuo Lengchan sought to elevate the Five Mountains into a unified sect, he encountered immense resistance. The pressure they faced when forming the alliance can be imagined, yet they persevered, demonstrating their determination. By extension, it can be inferred that the various sects of the Five Mountains at that time were not to be underestimated. The Five Mountain Sword Sect, at its inception, was rich in talent and strong in power, far surpassing the despondent state of the Five Mountain Sword Sect during the time of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer."

Thus, a new question arises: why did the Five Mountain Sword Sects gather at Mount Hua

When a thousand people point their fingers, it ends without a cause. This applies to individuals as well as to a sect. Without formidable strength, offending Shaolin is akin to a suicidal act of throwing an egg against a rock

If only one or two sects appeared at Mount Hua, it could be interpreted as a routine visit among the Five Mountain Sword Sects. However, with all four major sects mobilized, arriving from the east, south, and north, traversing mountains and rivers for thousands of miles to gather at Mount Hua, speaking various dialects from the north and south, it is evident that this is not for the purpose of holding a social gathering

Thus, rumors began to spread, and people said: "Without the backing of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, how could the small Huashan Sect dare to be so arrogant!"

Speed is of the essence in warfare. The ten elders immediately rushed from Heimu Cliff towards Mount Hua at a breakneck pace. Can the other four sects keep up? It is important to note that these four sects do not reside in the same neighborhood as the Huashan Sect; they are scattered across the vast expanse of the country. Mount Hua, located in Shaanxi, was historically known as Guanzhong and was part of the Qin state during the Warring States period. Mount Song, situated in Henan, is one of the Three Jin and was part of the Zheng state during the Warring States period. Mount Heng, in Shanxi, is also one of the Three Jin and was part of the Zhao state during the Warring States period. Mount Tai, located in Shandong, is near the coast and was part of the Qi state during the Warring States period. Mount Heng, in Hunan, lies south of the Yangtze River and was part of the Chu state during the Warring States period. Heimu Cliff is within Hebei province, not farther than Mount Tai or Mount Heng. Moreover, the martial prowess of the ten elders far surpasses that of the various sects of the Five Mountains, and their marching speed is likely to exceed that of the Five Mountain sects.

As early as the initial revelation of the book theft scandal involving the Huashan Sect, many speculated about the role of the Five Mountains Sword Sects in this matter. Were they mere bystanders, or were they the strategic masterminds behind the scenes?