"All right, we can let this matter go."
Lu Chenzi waved his hand and then pointed a finger at Wan Yunting, saying sternly, "But you, Master Abbot Wan, have secretly learned the martial arts of the逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) and inherited the traditions of an evil cult. Your Wuliang Dao Guan must provide an explanation and an account for this, shouldn't it?"
Zhang Boyun also said, "He is the Abbot of your Wuliang Dao Guan, yet he learns evil cult martial arts and betrays our righteous path. You should be held responsible, disband your Dao Guan yourselves, and from our righteous path..."
"What?"
Unexpectedly, Chang Wude, who was sitting on the side, suddenly slammed the table and stood up, directly interrupting Zhang Boyun. His old eyes widened, and he pointed at Wan Yunting, cursing loudly, "You actually secretly learned the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai)! This is simply an act of extreme rebellion!"
Chang Wude's sudden and unusual outburst at Wan Yunting stunned Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, and the others sitting opposite them. They were momentarily taken aback.
"Speak, when did you start learning the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai), and where did you obtain them?" Chang Wude's old face contorted, and he sternly questioned Wan Yunting, acting as if he had no prior knowledge.
"Senior Brother Chang, please calm down..."
Wu Weizi also immediately stood up and held Chang Wude, pretending to try and placate him, saying, "Although we don't know when the Abbot learned the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) or where he got them, we truly didn't know."
Chang Wude pointed at the silent Wan Yunting and angrily said, "Speak, when exactly did you learn the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai)? Did you learn them before you joined our Wuliang Dao Guan?"
As soon as this was said, Zhou Ruoxi, sitting opposite, was startled. Looking at Wan Yunting and Chang Wude who had started the commotion, she seemed to have caught a hint of something.
Wan Yunting, who had been lowering his head in the middle, finally looked up and said, "That's right, I learned the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) before I became the Abbot!"
"What, it's true?"
Chang Wude's old eyes widened, and he pointed at Wan Yunting with a look of righteous indignation. One had to admit that his acting skills were truly superb.
Even the expressions of Left Banner Elder, Master Huikong, and others sitting opposite were bewildered. Although everyone knew Wan Yunting knew the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai), they truly didn't know when or where he had learned them.
"Speaking of which, I actually had two masters!"
Wan Yunting put on a nostalgic expression, sighed, and said, "Back then, in prison, I not only met my master, Ghost Hand Divine Doctor, but also another master."
"Another master?"
This statement stunned everyone present. Their gazes all focused on Wan Yunting. He nodded and said, "That's right, it was the master who taught me the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai). His name was Xiao Qi."
"Xiao Qi?"
Upon hearing this name, Left Banner Elder, Master Huikong, Lin Yiping, and Elder Zhang Qing exchanged glances. Lu Chenzi looked at Wan Yunting suspiciously and said, "Wan Yunting, how have we never heard of an evil sect powerhouse named Xiao Qi in the martial world? Are you perhaps fabricating stories to deceive us?"
"Yes, we've never heard of anyone in the martial world who knows the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai). You must be making it up to fool us," Zhang Boyun also said disbelievingly.
This made Liu Bing, Master Huikong, and the others exchange glances, also harboring doubts about the truth.
Wan Yunting swept his gaze over them and retorted, "Then, from where do you think I obtained the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai)?"
This question stumped Elder Left Banner and the others. Zhang Boyun could only say uncertainly, "You must have obtained the inheritance of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) somewhere..."
"Heh heh..."
Wan Yunting chuckled. Looking at Zhang Boyun and Lu Chenzi, he said, "Sect Leader Zhang, have you been watching too many martial arts dramas?"
"Why don't you say I fell off a cliff, met a monkey at the bottom, and then got the secret manual of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) martial arts from the monkey's belly?"
This made Elder Zhang Qing and Master Huikong unable to help but shake their heads and laugh. Lu Chenzi's expression turned serious, and he said to Wan Yunting, "Abbot Wan, please don't joke. We are currently discussing your issues."
Wan Yunting spread his hands, feigning innocence, "I am talking to you seriously, but you don't believe me when I speak. What am I supposed to do?"
Zhang Boyun asked, "What is the background of this Xiao Qi you mentioned? Is he the successor of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai)?"
Wan Yunting shook his head and said, "I don't know. Back then, in prison, I coincidentally found out he knew martial arts, so I learned from him for a few years. Only later did I find out that the martial arts he taught me were from the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai)."
"Wait, why would he teach you martial arts?" Zhang Boyun seized on this point and asked.
Wan Yunting gave him a sidelong glance and said, "Because I am a martial arts prodigy, and he took a liking to my talent, allowing me to inherit his martial arts. Sect Leader Zhang, do you have any other questions?"
"Alright."
This answer left Zhang Boyun speechless, as Wan Yunting was indeed a martial arts prodigy.
"Is he still in prison?" Lu Chenzi asked.
Wan Yunting shook his head. Zhang Boyun's eyes widened and he asked, "Did he get out of prison?"
Wan Yunting looked up, his eyes playfully fixed on Zhang Boyun, and he said with a teasing smile, "If I said my master was released long ago, would you be worried?"
Zhang Boyun glared and arrogantly huffed, "What are you saying? Do you really think people from our righteous sects would be afraid of a remnant of an evil cult?"
Wan Yunting observed the smug demeanor of Zhang Boyun and Lu Chenzi, knowing they were very uneasy. He waved his hand and said, "My master passed away long ago, three years before my master, Ghost Hand Divine Doctor, who taught me medicine."
"Passed away...?"
Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, and Liu Bing exchanged glances. Although Wan Yunting appeared sincere and not like he was lying, the person he mentioned, Xiao Qi, still made Master Huikong and Elder Left Banner, among others, suspicious.
"I don't care if what you say is true or false, but learning the martial arts of the 逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Pai) means you are an enemy of the righteous path."
Chang Wude pointed at Wan Yunting and angrily declared, "Therefore, I, on behalf of the Wuliang Dao Guan, dismiss you from your position as Abbot and expel you from the Dao Guan!"
Upon hearing this, Wan Yunting's expression turned to one of astonishment.
Lu Chenzi and Zhang Boyun, Master Huikong, Elder Zhang Qing, and others sitting opposite also looked at Chang Wude with stunned expressions. Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi exchanged glances and nodded in agreement to dismiss Wan Yunting as Abbot.
"From today onwards, you are no longer a member of our Wuliang Dao Guan," Chang Wude said coldly, waving his hand.
"Alas..."
Wan Yunting displayed a look of sorrow and helplessness on his face, nodding with a bitter smile, "Since you so-called righteous people have labeled me as evil, nothing I say will matter anymore."
"It's fine not to be the Abbot. I never wanted to be your Abbot from the beginning, and I even lost a lot of money for it..."
Saying this, Wan Yunting stood up, feigning immense anger and irritation, and made a move to leave...
"What did you say, you brat?"
Chang Wude called out to Wan Yunting, pointing at him and angrily asking, "Do you dare to look down upon our Wuliang Dao Guan?"
"Look down upon?"
Wan Yunting turned his head, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at Chang Wude, Yang Jingyi, and the others. He said contemptuously, "If it weren't for my master's kindness in teaching me, I wouldn't have become your damn Abbot in the first place."
"Look at you now. Your grand Dao Guan is left with only a few people. What kind of sect are you?"
As he spoke, Wan Yunting turned and scanned the representatives of the nine major sects sitting beside him: Elder Left Banner, Elder Zhang Qing, Master Huikong, Zhou Ruoxi, Lu Chenzi, and Zhang Boyun. He sneered, "For a Dao Guan like this, is it meaningful to ask them to disband themselves?"
"Hey, what do you mean by that?"
Duan Yingying couldn't stand it any longer, pointing at Wan Yunting and shouting.
"Hmph, saying such harsh words. We treated you as our Abbot, and this is simply going too far," Li Zihang also pointed at him, saying angrily.
In an instant, Chang Wude, Duan Yingying, Li Zihang, and Qi Wu all pointed at Wan Yunting and yelled, stunning the representatives of the nine major sects sitting beside them, who were all taken aback.
After a long while, Elder Left Banner, who had finally recovered, stood up and advised, "Alright, alright, everyone, let's stop arguing. Let's all take a step back. How about we don't disband your Dao Guan and instead seal the mountain and go into seclusion?"
As soon as this was said, Wu Weizi turned his head and looked excitedly at Elder Left Banner, asking, "Sealing the mountain and going into seclusion, does that mean we don't have to disband our Dao Guan ourselves?"
Master Huikong and Lin Yiping nodded, but Lu Chenzi and Zhang Boyun reacted and quickly said, "No, I still firmly believe that they should disband their Wuliang Dao Guan themselves and be removed from our righteous path."
"That's right. My Diancang Sect also supports this. Let the Wuliang Dao Guan be removed from the righteous sects," Zhang Boyun also loudly agreed.
"Hmph, your Diancang Sect has quite the swagger!"
Suddenly, an ancient voice came from outside. Before the person could be seen, the sound alone was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, causing Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, Master Huikong, and Elder Zhang Qing's hearts to tremble violently. They all turned their heads to look at the grand hall's entrance...
Wearing a black Daoist robe, with a head full of white hair, disheveled, emaciated, and hunched over, Old Ghost strode in. His sharp, eagle-hook eyes fixed on Zhang Boyun as if he were a prey, causing Zhang Boyun's expression to change drastically. The terrifying aura exuded by Old Ghost completely intimidated him.
"Do you think our Wuliang Dao Guan has no one?"
Old Ghost's sharp old eyes scanned the representatives of the nine major sects, including Elder Left Banner and Master Huikong, and his deep voice carried an invisible pressure, like a heavy boulder pressing down on their hearts...
Especially Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, Zhou Ruoxi, and Liu Bing felt it difficult to breathe, and dared not speak.
"Martial Uncle Zong, why have you come down the mountain..."
Chang Wude, Yang Jingyi, and Wu Weizi looked at their Martial Uncle Zong with surprise and excitement, not expecting him to come down at this time.
Old Ghost did not look at them. His sharp old eyes were fixed on Zhang Boyun of the Diancang Sect, and he coldly asked, "Is your Diancang Sect's Zhang Cuifeng still alive?"
Zhang Boyun's expression was shocked, and his heart trembled even more. He knew that this old man before him must be the surviving ancestor of the Wuliang Dao Guan, Song Yuanzong. Therefore, he dared not be disrespectful and quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, senior. My father is still alive and well."
"Hmph, so you are his son."
Old Ghost's old eyes were like the eyes of the King of Hell, staring at Zhang Boyun, making him feel a chill, causing an embarrassed look to appear on his face. He dared not speak recklessly again.