Early the next morning, the Huashan Sword Sect group set off towards the Mount Tai Sect.
Liu Baiyun had already informed her disciples about the Mount Hua Sect's allegiance to the imperial court last night. Although some disciples had objections, Liu Baiyun had been in charge of the Mount Hua Sect for twenty years and commanded extremely high prestige. Mei Qinghe was also one of the only two first-rate masters in the sect and was recognized as the next Headmaster.
The Mount Hua Sect was already in a precarious situation, practically relying on Liu Baiyun's support, and Mei Qinghe was the hope for the sect's rise in the hearts of all the disciples.
With the two of them vouching, even if the others were instinctively somewhat unwilling to pledge allegiance to the imperial court, they could not say anything.
Returning to the present, the group was naturally led by Li Miao, with Liu Baiyun and Mei Qinghe on either side, and Gao Ling and the others behind them.
Mei Qinghe asked, "Sir, Zuo Lishan must hate you to the bone."
"If you openly come to his doorstep with us like this, will it force him to turn vicious and directly attack you? What if the Mount Tai Sect members all come at once, it might delay your plan…"
Mei Qinghe had already switched her cultivation method by this time, and her temperament, which had been influenced by the Plum Blossom Bandit's cultivation method, had somewhat recovered. She had also cleared the air with Liu Baiyun and was wholeheartedly convinced by Li Miao, having already begun to actively think about matters for Li Miao.
However, she was still a bit stubborn.
Li Miao did not mind; experience was honed through doing things, and doing more would always lead to enlightenment.
He began to instruct, "Of course, he will make a move, but he wouldn't dare to do so in front of others. Otherwise, with no prior enmity, why would he lay hands on a Jinyiwei Commander?"
"The fact that he fought me cannot be hidden, but he definitely doesn't want others to know about his serious injuries."
"If he wasn't injured, there would be no reason for him to attack me; merely losing a spar and then attacking a Jinyiwei Commander would be hard to justify."
"If he was injured, he would have to explain why his injuries healed so quickly."
Li Miao held up three fingers and said, "We have three objectives for this mission."
"First, to break up the Five Mountains Sword Sect. Those who can be subdued, subdue them. Those who cannot be subdued… kill them!"
"Second, to kill Zuo Lishan and the Mount Tai Sect, to deter the martial arts world. Witchcraft, Ming Cult—if anyone dares to touch these two, I'm here, so I might be able to spare a few lives. If someone else came, they would probably slaughter everyone."
"Third, is the Ming Cult."
Li Miao smiled, "Zuo Lishan is probably unwilling to be subservient to the Ming Cult, which is why he hasn't dared to use that cultivation method and the Witchcraft worms. Even now, I estimate he still hasn't communicated with the Ming Cult. The Ming Cult is powerful, and he wants to integrate the Five Mountains Sword Sect first, then collude with the Ming Cult through cooperation."
"Tonight, he will definitely sneak in to kill me to silence me."
"This is the opportunity to lure out the Ming Cult's people."
After Li Miao finished speaking, he remained silent, giving Mei Qinghe time to ponder.
The group continued their journey and finally arrived at the gate of the Mount Tai Sect.
As the Five Mountains Alliance Meeting was approaching, disciples had already been assigned outside the gate specifically for welcoming and sending off guests. They recognized Liu Baiyun from afar and quickly stepped forward to greet them.
Although it was a common understanding that the Mount Tai Sect was suppressing the Mount Hua Sect, superficial courtesy cost nothing. The disciple was sensible and spoke enthusiastically.
"Headmaster Liu, long time no see! You've arrived a bit late this time. The Headmasters of the Hengshan, Hengshan, and Songshan Sects have all arrived and are in the main hall. Would you like to—"
Mid-sentence, the disciple froze.
Because he saw Gao Ling.
The few shouts Gao Ling made yesterday when she fled down the mountain were, after all, heard by some, and they recognized Gao Ling's voice.
An elder accusing the Headmaster of cultivating demonic arts and harming fellow disciples was no small matter. However, due to Zuo Lishan's prestige and the timing of the Five Mountains Alliance Meeting, no one had brought the matter to the table yet.
But among the disciples, the news had already secretly spread.
Seeing Gao Ling appear before him, and with the Mount Hua Sect's people no less, he naturally let his imagination run wild and did not know what to do.
Liu Baiyun stepped forward proactively: "We rested in Tai'an City last night, no need to rest further. Take us to the main hall to see the other Headmasters."
"Yes, yes..." The disciple nodded, called for someone to lead the horses away, and led the group towards the Mount Tai Sect's main hall.
When the group arrived at the main hall and stepped inside, they saw that many people were already there.
Upon seeing Liu Baiyun enter, one person laughed and said, "Headmaster Liu, long time no see! It's been several years, how have you been recently?"
Li Miao scanned the crowd, identifying each one.
The speaker was Deng Boxuan, the Headmaster of the Hengshan Sect. The others seated included Zhou Yingxue, the Headmaster of the Songshan Sect, and Zhang Jingfeng, the Headmaster of the Hengshan Sect. There were also some miscellaneous second and third-rate sect leaders, all minor figures whom Li Miao bothered not to recognize.
These people looked at Li Miao's group, all secretly frowning.
"Who is this person? I've never seen him before. Why is Liu Baiyun subtly behind him, as if he is the leader?"
"And Gao Ling… a Mount Tai Sect elder, why is she with the Mount Hua Sect?"
Liu Baiyun stepped forward, returning greetings one by one, then turned back and walked to Li Miao's side: "Sir, please sit."
"Mm."
Li Miao responded, walked to a front seat and sat down. Liu Baiyun and Gao Ling stood to his left and right, and the other Mount Hua disciples stood behind them.
Mei Qinghe served tea, and Li Miao held it in his hands, slowly sipping.
This entire self-serving process completely bewildered the others!
No one spoke in the room for a long time.
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Finally, it was Deng Boxuan, the Headmaster of the Hengshan Sect, who spoke, smiling at Li Miao: "You look unfamiliar, are you the new Headmaster of the Mount Hua Sect?"
"My Hengshan Sect is far to the south, so I didn't know the Mount Hua Sect had changed leaders."
"I apologize for not visiting to pay my respects, my apologies, my apologies. Hahaha—"
The Hengshan Sect did not participate much in the schemes to suppress the Mount Hua Sect, focusing on consolidating its own territory, and was considered neutral among the Five Mountains Sword Sect, so it was most appropriate for him to speak.
Li Miao put down his teacup, cupped his fists, and said calmly, "Headmaster Deng, I've heard much about you. Everyone, please."
"Headmaster Liu is still in charge of the Mount Hua Sect; I'm just a guest accompanying them."
Even Deng Boxuan, who had long experience in the martial arts world, did not know how to respond at this moment.
Oh, you, the guest, are seated, while the Mount Hua Sect's Headmaster stands, and the direct disciple serves you tea. Behind you, there's even an elder of the host sect.
So, would it be more appropriate for us Headmasters to also stand when speaking to you?
"May I ask your name—" Deng Boxuan asked.
"Oh."
Li Miao smiled, as if he had just remembered this: "I haven't introduced myself to everyone yet."
"I am Li Miao, a Jinyiwei Commander."
"What!?" "Jinyiwei!?" "Who!?"
As soon as Li Miao spoke, a commotion erupted in the room, and everyone turned to look. Several people even trembled and almost left, likely because they had friends or relatives who had fallen into the hands of the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).
The room was chaotic at first, then gradually quieted down.
No one dared to speak easily again.
After a long while, Zhou Yingxue, the Headmaster of the Songshan Sect, finally asked Liu Baiyun, "Headmaster Liu… the rules of the martial arts world, is the Mount Hua Sect no longer going to abide by them?"
When martial arts sects encountered the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), it was usually nothing good. Since Li Miao was brought by the Mount Hua Sect, they naturally needed an explanation from Liu Baiyun.
Liu Baiyun had already made up her mind to pledge allegiance to the imperial court, so she would naturally not be indecisive. At this moment, she calmly replied.
"Under the vast sky, there is no land that is not the King's territory; within the borders, there are no subjects who are not the King's servants."
"My lord is here as a guest… whose rules could he be breaking?"