172: Zuo Lengchan lost the leader!

"I believe Headmaster Yue is right."

Abbess Dingxian immediately stood up to show her support.

Abbess Dingxian had long been unable to tolerate the actions of the Songshan Sect over these years.

But unfortunately, the Songshan Sect was powerful, and she had no way to stop them. She could only offer a little help when she encountered them, but was otherwise unable to assist.

Now that the Huashan Sect Leader had the strength to confront Zuo Lengchan and had stepped forward, she naturally chose to help.

Abbess Dingxian did not know what the future would hold, but it would definitely be better than under Zuo Lengchan.

After all, Huashan only had a few dozen people, and Huashan's Sect rules were relatively strict; its Disciples would not do the things that the Songshan Sect Disciples did.

"My Mount Heng Sect has no objections."

Mo Da also spoke up.

Zuo Lengchan had killed his Junior Brother, Liu Zhengfeng. Regardless of the reason used, Liu Zhengfeng was his Junior Brother, his beloved friend and family.

Therefore, since there was such an opportunity, he naturally would not oppose it.

Whoever became this Five Mountains Alliance Chief would certainly be better than Zuo Lengchan.

"My Mount Tai Sect opposes this."

Before Daoist Tianmen could speak, Yuyin Zi immediately shouted loudly, jumping out excitedly, "Yue Buqun cut off my Senior Brother Yuji Zi's tongue. His methods toward fellow Sect members are cruel. Once he becomes the Alliance Chief, will we have any way to survive?"

"I support Alliance Leader Zuo continuing to serve as Alliance Chief. Only with someone like Alliance Leader Zuo, who cherishes his fellow Sect members, as Alliance Chief, can our Mount Tai Sect be at ease."

"I also support Alliance Leader Zuo."

Yupan Zi also nodded solemnly.

Daoist Tianmen's expression was somewhat ugly at this moment.

"Since when did you two become the Mount Tai Sect Leader? Can you decide things that only a Sect Head can decide?" Ning Yuan asked calmly, his gaze landing on Daoist Tianmen.

"Yue Buqun, you!" Yuyin Zi's face turned ugly, revealing a look of shame and anger. The other party's words clearly showed he did not take him seriously at all.

Daoist Tianmen sighed softly, "In this matter, my Mount Tai Sect will not participate."

Daoist Tianmen could not support Huashan's decision; after all, the other party had harmed Yuji Zi. As a Sect Head, he naturally could not support it, otherwise, it would be easy for people to criticize him.

But if he were asked to support Zuo Lengchan, he, being upright, was equally unwilling. Therefore, he could only choose not to help either side, or rather, regardless of the final decision, their Mount Tai Sect would not participate.

"Sect Leader Zuo, three to one. It seems everyone is willing to change the Alliance Chief. I think you should step down today!" Ning Yuan said directly, blocking Zuo Lengchan's path without ceremony.

"Yue Buqun!" Zuo Lengchan's gaze was cold, and he gritted his teeth. But unfortunately, he was no match for his opponent.

"Good, good. Since you all want to change, then we shall re-elect." After a moment, Zuo Lengchan suddenly sneered, "Then I wonder who Abbess Dingxian and Mo Da intend to make the Martial Arts Alliance Leader?"

"This..." Abbess Dingxian hesitated for a moment, then looked at Ning Yuan, "Nowadays, in our Five Mountains Sword Sect, the one who can take on this responsibility and convince everyone is Headmaster Yue of Huashan. I think it would be better for Headmaster Yue to assume the position."

"This old man has no objections either." Mo Da, who was to the side, also nodded slightly.

He was accustomed to the life of a free spirit. He had originally wanted his Junior Brother, Liu Zhengfeng, to serve as the Mount Heng Sect Head while he roamed the Jianghu; naturally, he would be even less likely to want to be the Five Mountains Alliance Chief.

Zuo Lengchan snorted and looked at Ning Yuan, "Yue Buqun, you are truly calculating. Since both Mount Heng and Mount Heng stand on your side, it seems there is no suspense about you becoming the Five Mountains Alliance Chief. In that case, I, Zuo, have nothing more to say."

Zuo Lengchan's eyes flickered for a moment, and after speaking, he turned and left, "I have urgent matters to attend to in my Sect, so I will not stay to congratulate Alliance Leader Yue."

"Sect Leader Zuo, have you forgotten something?" Ning Yuan spoke up again.

Zuo Lengchan's body stiffened upon hearing this, then he said, "I will have someone send the Alliance Chief's banner."

Although Zuo Lengchan was very unwilling, he had no other choice now. Since his martial arts were inferior to his opponent's, he had to accept it.

"You are wrong. Sect Leader Zuo, you slandered me today. Should you not apologize to me?" Ning Yuan said calmly, with his hands behind his back.

"What?" As soon as these words were spoken, Zuo Lengchan's face became even uglier. He stared at Ning Yuan in disbelief, "You want me to apologize to you?"

"Does Sect Leader Zuo not think it is necessary?" Ning Yuan looked at Zuo Lengchan, "Sect Leader Zuo, you have damaged my reputation so much today. To be honest, I should kill you to serve as a warning to others."

"You still want to kill me?" Zuo Lengchan's face became even uglier.

"But considering that we are both Five Mountains Sect Heads, I am unwilling to kill you. I am only asking you to apologize to me in public. Is Sect Leader Zuo not even willing to do that?" A dangerous light shone in Ning Yuan's eyes.

Zuo Lengchan clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

After a long time, Zuo Lengchan suddenly laughed out loud, then nodded repeatedly, "Good, very good!"

"I should indeed apologize. Failing to distinguish truth from falsehood, listening to rumors, and insulting Headmaster Yue's good name—it is my fault. I will sincerely apologize to Headmaster Yue now." Zuo Lengchan said through gritted teeth.

"Acknowledging one's mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue. I hope Sect Leader Zuo remembers today's mistake, reflects on it properly after returning, and never commits it again!" Ning Yuan patted Zuo Lengchan's shoulder, saying with a smile.

"Good, I, Zuo, will remember it and will never commit it again!" Zuo Lengchan suppressed his anger and replied through gritted teeth.

"Since there is nothing else, I will head back first." Having said that, Zuo Lengchan did not linger.

He had suffered too much humiliation in this place today. His goal of joining forces with other Sects to slander Yue Buqun's reputation had not been achieved; instead, he had been defeated by his opponent in public and had lost the throne of the Five Mountains Alliance Chief. Now, he even had to apologize to Yue Buqun in public. Considering how proud he was, yet having to bow his head, Zuo Lengchan's inner rage was hard to suppress.

After Zuo Lengchan left, Fang Zheng and Chongxu also spoke up to offer their congratulations. At this moment, they were also stunned. Clearly, they had not expected things to change so quickly and so suddenly. The candidate for the Five Mountains Alliance Chief was changed just like that. However, this did not harm Shaolin or Wudang.

"Great Master, Daoist, you are too kind. Regardless of the position, it is all for serving the Righteous Path of the Martial Forest, making this Jianghu a better place, and having less slaughter and fewer evildoers." Ning Yuan said with a humble expression.

At this time, Abbess Dingxian and Mo Da also came forward to offer their congratulations. Meanwhile, Yuyin Zi and the others had stiff expressions. Seeing Zuo Lengchan suffer a setback and leave, they could only force a flattering smile on their faces, "Headmaster Yue is truly a Dragon among men. Now that you have ascended to the Alliance Chief's throne, we can serve with more peace of mind."

Yuyin Zi said shamelessly. He was also a person who knew how to read the situation. Now that Zuo Lengchan had retreated, he naturally dared not offend Ning Yuan further. Especially since the other party dared to cut off his Senior Brother Yuji Zi's tongue in front of so many people; if he continued to go against him, there was no telling what might happen. He did not dare to do such dangerous things; he still wanted to live for a few more years.

Ning Yuan smiled slightly and looked at Daoist Tianmen, "Daoist Tianmen, attacking your Sect's Elder was truly not my intention. Now that the matter is settled, I hope Daoist Tianmen can forgive my impulsiveness."

"Headmaster Yue—no, Alliance Leader Yue, you are joking. Junior Martial Uncle Yuji Zi saying such things was indeed inappropriate. After I return, I will console Junior Martial Uncle Yuji Zi." Daoist Tianmen cupped his hands and said solemnly.

He had originally not wanted to turn against Huashan; everything before had been forced. Now that Zuo Lengchan was gone and the remaining two Junior Martial Uncles seemed to have softened their stance, he naturally had no need to continue making things difficult for Yue Buqun.

On the other side, after Zuo Lengchan returned to the Sect's inn, people immediately surrounded him. "Senior Brother, how could this happen?" "Weren't we going to deal with Yue Buqun? How did Yue Buqun become the Five Mountains Alliance Chief?" Ding Mian asked urgently.

Zuo Lengchan's expression was extremely ugly, "You ask me, how would I know?" Zuo Lengchan said irritably.

"Did the words we spread not have any impact on him?" Tang Yinge widened his eyes.

"Hmph, people in the Jianghu do love to listen to gossip, but the people of the Five Mountains Sword Sect will not easily believe it, especially since we don't have the slightest evidence."

Zuo Lengchan sat down and slammed the table hard, then sneered, "Huashan only has a few people. Does he really think that just by sitting on the Alliance Chief's throne, he can command the Five Mountains?"

"He has no one under him and cannot command anyone, so he has the name of an Alliance Chief but not the substance."

"Senior Brother, you mean..." The eyes of Ding Mian, Lu Bai, and others lit up.

"No matter what orders Yue Buqun issues, our Songshan Sect will just feign compliance. Let's see what Yue Buqun can do." Zuo Lengchan sneered repeatedly.

"Senior Brother is truly brilliant." All the Songshan people gave a thumbs up, expressing their agreement.

"In this way, Yue Buqun will have no one to use, and no one will pay attention to his orders. Then, as the Five Mountains Alliance Chief, he will only be able to manage his own Huashan internal affairs, which is no different from before." Ding Mian said loudly.

"Thus, Senior Brother will still be the de facto Five Mountains Alliance Chief." Ding Mian flattered him.

But Zuo Lengchan snorted, "It's no longer the case. Without this status, the other Sects are even less likely to obey my orders. All of this is because of Yue Buqun."

"By the way, have the deaths of the three, including Zuo Ting, been investigated?" At this moment, Zuo Lengchan suddenly asked.

"Senior Brother, judging by the way they died, they must have lost all their internal energy before they died. I fear it really is Ren Woxing who has appeared." Lu Bai said with a grave expression.

"Ren Woxing, hateful!" Zuo Lengchan slammed the table hard, "It is truly a pity that this time I couldn't pin the label of colluding with the Demon Sect and cultivating the Star Absorbing Skill on Yue Buqun. The Five Mountains Sword Sect, as well as those from Shaolin and Wudang, actually refused to believe that Yue Buqun would Cultivate such things."

"Senior Brother, it's mainly because Yue Buqun hides it too well, making people really think he is a gentleman, upright and a model of the Righteous Path. But in my opinion, this person must be hiding very deep." "Otherwise, how could he have forced us to this point?" Lu Bai said in a deep voice.

"No matter, they don't believe it now, but there are many busybodies in the Jianghu. You should spread this possibility. Remember, don't say it directly; imply it, leave room for imagination, and let them guess for themselves."

"People in the Jianghu are often more willing to believe the truth they have deduced themselves and will believe it deeply. Even if someone tells the facts and explains it clearly, it is impossible for people to believe it."

"As long as more people in this Jianghu mention this possibility, then he, Yue Buqun, even if he hasn't cultivated the Evil-Exorcising Swordplay Manual or the Star Absorbing Skill, will be confirmed to have cultivated these two martial arts and colluded with the Demon Sect."

"By then, not only will I take back the position of Five Mountains Alliance Chief, but I will also unify the Five Mountains!" Zuo Lengchan stood up, filled with high spirits.

He might not be Yue Buqun's match right now, but in the face of this situation, Yue Buqun, relying on just a few people from Huashan, would be unable to suppress the spread of the news and unable to control other people's mouths. In the end, he would naturally be treated as a joke. Possessing strength without power, one cannot make it in this Jianghu.

"He will understand why I had to resort to extreme measures back then. Because only when I am fierce and evil enough will ordinary Jianghu people be in awe and not dare to be disrespectful to me."

"On the contrary, you, Yue Buqun, have the good reputation of the Gentleman Sword, but you cannot exchange it for the awe of the Jianghu people; they will only mock you."

"Let's see what choice you will make when you face such mockery." "If you also use killing to stop killing, it will be no different from what I did. The people from the other three Sects will also become alienated from you, and then you, this Five Mountains Alliance Chief, will also be unable to sit firmly." Zuo Lengchan stood up and said with his hands behind his back.

After some time, his mood had calmed down, and he had a plan.

"Alliance Leader, should we add more fuel to the fire?" Ding Mian asked.

"Not for now. Arrange for people to keep a close eye on the movements of each Sect." "Yes!"

And very quickly, the news about Headmaster Yue becoming the Five Mountains Alliance Chief spread throughout all of Luoyang, and with Luoyang as the center, it spread rapidly to other places.

Similarly, various rumors spread, such as Yue Buqun castrating himself to Cultivate the Evil-Exorcising Swordplay Manual, cultivating the Star Absorbing Skill, and colluding with the Demon Sect. However, those with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that these rumors were fabricated. But people in the Jianghu love to gossip about the secrets of these Martial Forest Sect Heads. Even if it is fake, they still talk about it with relish.

As news spread that three of the Thirteen Taibao of Mount Song had died, and that they had died from the Star Absorbing Skill, those with ulterior motives began to link this news to Yue Buqun. Many people had already started to waver.

"Could it be that the Gentleman Sword really cultivated the Star Absorbing Skill?" "Ren Woxing has been missing for over a decade. Could it be that he died somewhere and was found by the Gentleman Sword, who then obtained the Legacy of the Star Absorbing Skill?"

"That is really possible. Otherwise, how could the Gentleman Sword's martial arts grow so rapidly that even Alliance Leader Zuo is no match for him?"

"I don't think so. The Gentleman Sword's chivalrous reputation is widespread; how could he Cultivate Demon Sect martial arts? I heard that Ren Woxing was plotted against back then by the current Sun Moon Divine Sect leader, Dongfang Bubai. Perhaps Ren Woxing did not die and has now returned, which is why these things are happening."

"Is there a possibility that Yue Buqun and Ren Woxing have reached a cooperation, one wanting to be the Five Mountains Alliance Chief, and the other wanting to take back the throne of the Sun Moon Divine Sect leader?" Someone suddenly proposed this conjecture.

The people around them all showed thoughtful expressions.

In a corner of the inn, a big man with a full beard sat in the corner drinking wine. Hearing these rumors, his expression shifted slightly.

"Some of the Thirteen Taibao of Mount Song died from the Star Absorbing Skill?" "It seems the Sect Head has really escaped to safety."

"But why are there such rumors now? Could it be that at the bottom of West Lake, the Sect Head and that Yue Buqun really reached an agreement?"

Even now, Xiang Wentian did not feel that Ren Woxing had been killed by the other party.

"Where exactly is the Sect Head, and what is he planning?" "If he doesn't appear, could it be that he no longer trusts the people in the Divine Sect, so he is hiding beneath the surface?"

"The Sect Head has come to Luoyang. I wonder if he knows that the Holy Maiden is also here, and if he will go to see the Holy Maiden." "Perhaps I should go and ask the Holy Maiden."