Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 146

Quan Bai said, "I heard it all. More than half of the Alliance's martial force has endorsed you as the Young Alliance Leader..."

"Aha, I think you're misunderstanding something. At that time, the Blood Demon was causing a ruckus, so I was in a hurry and just pretended to be the Young Alliance Leader... ask Chief Investigator Nangong."

As Baekji waved his hands, Quan Bai said as if he were complaining, "If the Young Alliance Leader doesn't take care of the Martial Alliance, who will? You must go and take control of the Alliance and punish those who have rebelled."

"I told you I'm not the Young Alliance Leader..."

Baekji, in the middle of speaking, raised his voice.

"No, but... honestly, what has the Alliance done for me that you're telling me to act as the Young Alliance Leader?"

At Baekji's words, Quan Bai and Seongcheon looked at each other as if they were dumbfounded.

The Young Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance!

It was a position that any rising generation martial artist would dream of...

If the position were offered, there would be more than one or two brats who would gladly take it... what kind of absurd reaction was this?

"You said they're fighting, split into three factions, right? If I go in as the Young Alliance Leader in the midst of that, I won't even be able to find my bones. You're trying to push me into a deadly situation, right? Don't even dream of it."

When Baekji said curtly, Quan Bai said in a soothing tone, "You even wrote a script called the 'Four Hegemons of Shaanxi Great Assembly' or something, claiming to be the disciple of the Alliance Leader. Are you trying to back out now?"

"The disciple of the Alliance Leader and the Young Alliance Leader are different. Why is someone who should know better trying to gloss over it?"

When Baekji drew a line with a serious face, Seongcheon shouted, "So! Are you saying you can't do it!"

"Of course! I won't!"

"Why are you speaking with two mouths? If you didn't want to, you should have refused then!"

As Seongcheon pointed his finger, Quan Bai also joined in.

"Young Alliance Leader! This is not simply the revenge of the Wind Cloud Pavilion. The Martial Alliance now, no matter who takes over, the other side will not accept it, and in the end, it will be divided. If the Righteous Path is divided, the forces of the Heretical and Evil Paths will gain power, and the people's livelihood will be in misery..."

"Wait!"

Baekji raised his hand and stopped Quan Bai's words.

"Aren't you being too shameless? It sounds like the Righteous Path has been taking care of the people's livelihood... but from what I've seen, they're busy taking care of their own interests. Rather, the Four Shrines Heaven was clean. They took what they were supposed to take and gave what they were supposed to give..."

"Are you comparing the Martial Alliance to the likes of the Four Shrines Heaven!"

Seongcheon, roared and clenched his fists as if he would strike at any moment, but Baekji nonchalantly nodded his head.

"Yes. It's worse than the Four Shrines Heaven. The Heaven Lord there was a pushover of the century. He was a great man who even embraced the enemy who had attacked him. He can't be compared to the elders of the Martial Alliance. The elders of the Martial Alliance, those greedy brats, I don't even want to see them again."

"Ugh, ugh..."

Seongcheon could not bring himself to swing his fist. The last time he had done this, he had only been embarrassed by Baekji.

"Put your hand on your heart and think. Was the Martial Alliance really gathered for the weak?"

"It is a place where many people have gathered. In that case, there may be rotten parts. But at least the majority of the Alliance members revere righteousness and chivalry and are prepared to even give their lives for it."

"Yes. I know. So let the people of the Alliance take care of the Alliance's affairs."

Baekji nodded his head perfunctorily.

"Now that the Alliance Leader has come, the Yang-Bai Merchant Sect is no longer an outsider anyway."

Baekji, 'ah', muttered as if he had realized something important.

"...I see. I'll have to move the Alliance Leader quickly."

Quan Bai was at a loss for words. He had not thought that he would be so thoroughly uninterested.

"Hmph! I will not beg shamelessly!"

Seongcheon lost his temper and shot up from his seat.

"That's a good attitude. A man should live like that. If I were to give you a piece of advice..."

"..."

"I know you're angry because the Pavilion Master and your colleagues were attacked, but move with caution. If you rush in recklessly, you could lose your remaining life."

"Hmph! Don't worry. I'll take care of my own neck!"

Quan Bai said in a tone of righteous indignation.

"If you cling to anger and resentment, you'll ruin your life. Think about it carefully."

"You young brat... you're all talk."

Seongcheon turned his head as if he didn't want to listen.

No, that brat... I'm telling him what I've experienced myself, and he can't even say thank you...

Baekji, after hearing the story of his life before his reincarnation, had felt something.

'When I was young, I only trained to become the Young Lord, and when I grew up, I wandered for half my life to get revenge... I couldn't even enjoy this good world...'

If he had died just like that, it would have been truly unfair.

I shouldn't do that in the life I've been given again.

Quan Bai, getting up from his seat, said meaningfully, "Now that it is known that the Honored One is the disciple of the Alliance Leader, whether you are the Young Alliance Leader or not, an unavoidable fate will come."

"Alright. I'll take care of my own fate... so you worry about the Alliance Leader."

* * *

A group of people appeared in Joga-hyeon, monks in yellow robes and red kasayas, and Taoists in blue Taoist robes and Taoist hats.

The monk in front looked to be in his mid-fifties, with tiger-like round eyes and a square jaw. He had the impression of a warrior rather than a monk.

The one leading the Taoists was a seven-foot-tall Taoist, who also looked to be in his fifties. The Taoist, with his graying hair neatly tied up in a Taoist crown, had a well-grown beard that made him look like a divine being, but his eyes were sharp.

Behind the two, about ten monks and Taoists each followed. The monks, who were wearing precepts, were all sturdy, and the Taoists also had a grave momentum.

When the monks and Taoists entered the main street of Joga-hyeon, people made way for them.

"It's a Shaolin monk!"

"Look at the cloud pattern on that blue Taoist robe. Isn't that the Wudang Sect?"

The appearance of Shaolin monks and Wudang Taoists, who were rarely seen, attracted the attention of the people.

Wu Tian, the Thirty-Sixth Chamber Master of Shaolin, frowned when he saw the martial artists coming and going on the street.

"Taoist friend Yunhe. Isn't it strange? There are a lot of martial artists. Joga-hyeon is not that big of a town..."

The seven-foot-tall Taoist was the Wudang elder Yunhe, one of the Seven Masters of Wudang.

Yunhe nodded his head as if he agreed with Wu Tian's words.

"It is certainly not an ordinary place. So the Alliance Leader must have come here."

As the two stopped for a moment and looked around, a Taoist, also wearing a blue Taoist robe, approached and bowed.

"Immeasurable Longevity Buddha! Have you come from Shaolin and Wudang?"

"That is so. Are you a Taoist friend from Qingcheng?"

The Taoist in the blue Taoist robe nodded his head.

"I am Zhen Hui of Qingcheng. Elder Zhang Ming is waiting. Let's go."

Zhen Hui took Wu Tian and Yunhe to an inn at the end of the road.

When Wu Tian and Yunhe entered the inn, Taoist Master Zhang Ming greeted them.

"You have worked hard coming a long way. I am Zhang Ming of Qingcheng."

"Haha. I have heard of the fame of the 'Pine and Crane, Moon and Lake' until my ears hurt. I have always wanted to meet you, but to see you like this. Amitabha..."

Wu Tian, making a half-bow, muttered the name of Buddha.

Yunhe also exchanged greetings with Zhang Ming and then asked, "Is there any news of the Taoist friends from Emei?"

"A message came saying they will arrive soon."

Taoist Master Zhang Ming pointed inside and said, "I have prepared a place in a separate room."

As the three were about to go inside, a group of nuns entered the inn.

The nun in front looked to be about forty, wearing a thick rosary around her neck and a nun's hat on her head. The slightly plump nun had a round jawline that made her look like an incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, but her eyes were sharp, so one could tell she was a martial nun.

"Amitabha, I am Zheng Qing of Emei."

"Please come in."

Zhang Ming of Qingcheng acted as the host.

When the four gathered, the disciples who had been training strictly guarded the inn.

Great Master Wu Tian spoke first.

"Although this humble monk lacks talent, I have succeeded my uncle Haiyue and have risen to the position of an elder of the Martial Alliance, and I have dared to take on the responsibility of electing the Alliance Leader. I have asked for the advice and cooperation of you, my fellow Taoists, and I am grateful that you have responded so readily."

Yunhe, Zhang Ming, and Zheng Qing just listened.

"The foundation of the Martial Alliance is an alliance formed in the past by the nine great sects, including Shaolin. Since the nine great sects take training as their main duty, they have entrusted the position of Alliance Leader to a renowned master of the secular world. But as time has passed, there are growing voices of concern that the purpose for which the Martial Alliance was formed is being shaken. As it happens, the position of Alliance Leader is vacant, so Shaolin intends to take this as an opportunity for the Martial Alliance to return to its original spirit."

Wu Tian paused for a moment and was about to open his mouth again, but Zhang Ming raised his hand and said, "There is no need to speak at length. What is Shaolin's intention?"

Wu Tian's eyebrows twitched for a moment, but he soon said with a broad smile, "Shouldn't the next Alliance Leader come from the nine great sects?"

"..."

Zhang Ming, seeing the expected answer, saved his words.

Abbess Zheng Qing opened her mouth.

"Although it is true that the nine great sects are the foundation of the Righteous Path and have a deep friendship, they are far apart from each other, and their exchanges have been infrequent in the meantime. If you are now going to take the position of Alliance Leader in the name of the nine great sects, I don't think the people of the Alliance will easily agree. Emei intends to act according to the principle of 'neither too close nor too far' that we have kept so far."

When Zheng Qing drew a line like a bamboo, Wu Tian's eyebrows twitched once more.

Although the world regarded the nine great sects as one, if you looked at the reality, it was not necessarily so. Except for Shaolin, Wudang, Huashan, and Zhongnan, Qingcheng, Emei, Diancang, Kunlun, and Kongtong were on the border. They only participated in the Elder Hall and did not have much practical involvement in the Martial Alliance.

Zhang Ming opened his mouth.

"Qingcheng's thoughts are also the same. If a new Alliance Leader is elected from the nine sects, we will gladly accept it, but we have no intention of insisting on it."

"..."

A moment of silence flowed.

Wu Tian's face flushed red. He was full of pride for Shaolin. From a young age, he had grown up hearing that Shaolin was the leader of the nine great sects and the Mount Tai and the Big Dipper of the Central Plains martial world.

Personally, his martial talent was also outstanding, and he had served as the chamber master of the thirty-six chambers for a long time, beating out numerous senior and junior brothers.

Since the thirty-six chambers of Shaolin were the foundation for raising Shaolin's martial monks, there was no one who could ignore him.

Wu Tian had never bowed his head to anyone except the abbot of Shaolin. When Zheng Qing and Zhang Ming openly drew a line, he immediately changed his expression.

"Are you saying you came all this way just to say that? If you can't be with us, go back."

Zhang Ming, hearing Wu Tian's blunt words, was inwardly puzzled.

He also lived aloof with pride for Qingcheng.

Behind the elegant title of 'Pine and Crane, Moon and Lake', there was also the bad meaning of not getting along with people.

But Wu Tian was worse than him. He was a complete maverick.

'What was Shaolin thinking, sending a person like this as an elder of the Martial Alliance?'

Shaolin's previous Martial Alliance elder, Haiyue, had been greedy and cunning, but he had not openly ignored people to their faces like this.

When the order to leave was given, Zhang Ming did not hesitate and stood up.

"Since our thoughts are different, it would be the natural course of things to part now."

When Zhang Ming stood up, Zheng Qing of Emei also followed and stood up.

"Since I have conveyed Emei's intentions, I will take my leave now."

"Hmph!"

Wu Tian, snorting, turned around and said, "I will not see you off far."

As Zhang Ming and Zheng Qing were about to leave the inn, Yunhe stopped them.

"The nine great sects are like one family, so how can we part with red faces just because our thoughts are different for a moment? Actually, there is another reason why I invited you two, so please listen."

Zhang Ming and Zheng Qing stood and looked at Yunhe.

Yunhe slowly stood up, walked gracefully, and said, "I understand that Qingcheng and Emei will not interfere in the election of the Alliance Leader. But shouldn't we stop those who are blinded by power from trying to harm the Alliance Leader?"

At Yunhe's words, Zhang Ming and Zheng Qing flinched.

"Someone tried to assassinate the former Alliance Leader. You must know that Alliance Leader Zheng was seriously injured while fighting the Blood Demon. The position of Alliance Leader cannot be left vacant for even a moment! It was the natural course of things to decide to elect a new Alliance Leader. But for some reason, the Wind Cloud Pavilion and Chief Military Advisor Shangguan rebelled against this and smuggled out the former Alliance Leader."

"Are you saying that is true?"

Zhang Ming asked in surprise.

(End of Chapter)