585: Chapter 585 The Grand Elder writes a manifesto? No, I'll do it. Your flowery language is too much.

Overnight, all sorts of rumors spread like a plague throughout the Cultivation World.

Few people remembered the good things about the Hehuan Sect, but the groundless, malicious gossip flew everywhere.

For a time, the three words "Hehuan Sect" once again became the hottest topic in the Cultivation World, as well as the most despised label.

Inside Ningyin Hall, the Grand Elder reported the news collected from outside one by one to Xu Ruyu.

His face was livid, and his voice was kept very low, as if afraid of disturbing something: "Sect Master, the rumors outside are very ugly.

They say we are untrustworthy, that we kill the innocent indiscriminately, and they even say that you, Sect Master... are lecherous by nature, and that you didn't even spare the Saintess of the Taixu Sect."

Xu Ruyu was drawing up blueprints and didn't even raise his head.

"Anything else?"

The Grand Elder hesitated for a moment.

"There are also people saying that the Hehuan Sect is a place of filth and vice, and that our Hehuan Sect Disciples... are morally corrupt.

I have lived for so many years and have never seen such shameless people.

It was clearly the Righteous Path Alliance that came to attack us first, yet now it has turned into our fault."

Xu Ruyu put down his pen, raised his head, and looked at the Grand Elder.

"Grand Elder, is your Life Qi rising?"

The Grand Elder was stunned for a moment, then sighed.

"I am not experiencing rising Life Qi, I am indignant.

Our Hehuan Sect has been established for hundreds of years; have we ever done a single shameful thing? When our Disciples engage in Dual Cultivation, it is always consensual; we never force anyone.

Those people in the Righteous Path Alliance just open their mouths and label us as demonic heretics.

On what grounds? Just because of the two words 'Hehuan'? What kind of logic is that?"

Xu Ruyu smiled.

"Grand Elder, you are too honest.

They hold the hammer of righteousness in their hands and see everyone as a nail.

There is no need to reason with them; they won't understand."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the light screen.

The light screen flowed slowly, and the golden-red light and shadow reflected on his face. He was silent for a moment.

"Grand Elder, draft a manifesto."

His voice was very calm.

The Grand Elder was stunned for a moment.

"A manifesto? Sect Master, do you want to reason with them?"

"Not to reason. To curse them."

The Grand Elder hesitated for a moment, but still spread out the rice paper and picked up his brush.

He had a good literary talent, and writing such things was second nature to him.

With fluid strokes, he wrote at length, finishing in less than half an hour.

Phrases like "The Righteous Path is tarnished, evil and sycophants prevail" and "The Hehuan Sect has been established for hundreds of years and has never engaged in sordid acts" were used. The wording was polished, the references were classical, and it read with a sonorous power.

Xu Ruyu took it, read it through once, then placed it on the table and looked at the Grand Elder.

"Grand Elder, is this a manifesto or a state document? It's written too flowery; they won't understand it."

The Grand Elder opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

Xu Ruyu took the brush from his hand, spread out a new sheet of rice paper, and began to write.

His handwriting was not good, but every stroke was forceful, as if he were chiseling stone.

"Fellow Daoists of the Cultivation World, I am the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, Xu Ruyu.

Recently, some people have been gossiping behind my back, saying I am untrustworthy, saying I am lecherous by nature, and saying that the Hehuan Sect is a place of filth and vice.

Today, I will make things clear so you don't have to keep guessing."

The Grand Elder leaned over to take a look, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

"Sect Master, this..."

"Don't rush, I haven't finished yet."

Xu Ruyu continued to write.

"First, why were those people from the Frost Hall locked up again? Because they have foul mouths.

The Spirit Stones were given, and the people were released; I originally had no intention of making things difficult for them.

But Ancestor Xuan Yin came out and cursed me for half an hour to my face. Not only did he curse me, but he also threatened to uproot the Hehuan Sect.

If I don't lock up such a person, should I keep him for the New Year? I'm not only locking him up, I'm also charging more.

One curse adds ten thousand; he cursed over three hundred times, so I added three million.

What is this called? This is called a fair transaction, honest and reliable."

The corners of the Grand Elder's mouth twitched even more violently.

But he did not interrupt, because Xu Ruyu had not finished writing.

Xu Ruyu continued to write.

"Second, I heard you say I am lecherous by nature? That I didn't even spare the Saintess of the Taixu Sect? This is complete and utter bullshit!

It was clearly Fairy Lu Yao of the Taixu Sect who came to redeem people under the orders of her Sect, but the Sect didn't give enough Spirit Stones, and she was very eager to save her fellow Disciples, so she wanted to offer herself to me as collateral.

But me? I didn't take her.

I let her go back, and even waived the Spirit Stones the Taixu Sect owed. Why? Because I respect such a woman, not because I covet her beauty.

As a result, as soon as she went back, she was scolded by the people of the Taixu Sect, who said she was degrading herself and shaming the Sect.

A young girl, in order to save her own Sect Head, almost sold herself.

You don't feel bad for such a person, yet you still throw mud on her? You call yourselves the Righteous Path?"

The Grand Elder's eyes were slightly red.

Xu Ruyu continued to write.

"Third, you all say that my Hehuan Sect is a demonic heretical path.

I ask you, the Hehuan Sect has been established for hundreds of years; have we ever done anything harmful or unreasonable? Killed anyone? Robbed anyone? Kidnapped anyone by force?

If you can find one such instance, I will disband the Sect on the spot and kowtow to you to apologize.

But you can't find it.

Just because of the two words 'Hehuan', you pin labels on us.

How is this any different from holding a hammer and seeing everyone as a nail?"

He paused, then finished the final stroke.

"Finally, if the two words 'Hehuan' offend your great taboo, then in the future, don't sleep with your wives if you have the ability.

After all, you were all born from the union of your parents.

If you hate 'Hehuan' so much, start with yourself and cut off your own root of right and wrong.

A bunch of spineless bastards, eating well every day but doing nothing useful, only thinking about how to turn black into white and fish in troubled waters.

Want to pressure my Hehuan Sect? Come on, if you have the ability, come and fight me!

My Hehuan Sect challenges all the Sects of your Righteous Path Alliance.

Not satisfied? Come and fight!"

After writing, he threw the brush on the table, picked up the rice paper, and blew on the ink.

"Alright, send it out, just use this one I have in my hand."

The Grand Elder held the manifesto, his hand trembling.

He was not afraid; he was excited.

He had lived more than half his life and had never seen such a manifesto before.

He felt that all the articles the Grand Elder had written in his life combined were not as satisfying as this one by the Sect Master.

"Sect Master, can this be sent?"

The Grand Elder asked cautiously.

"Yes. Why not? Did they ask us if they could when they were spreading rumors? Did they discuss it with us when they were slandering the Hehuan Sect?" Xu Ruyu asked back, "Send it, send it exactly as it is, without changing a single word.

If they want to save face, they shouldn't provoke us.

If they don't want face, we will help them tear it off."

The Grand Elder no longer hesitated.

He carefully put away the manifesto and turned to leave Ningyin Hall.

The speed at which the manifesto spread was not much slower than the rumors of the Righteous Path Alliance.

When the Disciples of the Hehuan Sect received the manifesto, they were first curious, then shocked, and finally laughed until they were bent double.

Zhao Yan squatted on the steps of the Martial Arts Arena, read it through, and laughed, slapping his thigh.

"The Sect Master wrote it so well! 'A bunch of spineless bastards', this curse is satisfying! More satisfying than fighting!"

Li Ergou was lying on the high platform also reading it; he laughed with every sentence, and as he laughed, tears even came out.

"'Not satisfied? Come and fight!' The Sect Master is going to make that bunch from the Righteous Path Alliance cough up blood from anger!"

Zhou Daniu leaned over, Zhao Yan handed him the manifesto, and after reading a few sentences, he scratched his head.

"The characters the Sect Master wrote... are a bit messy." Li Ergou laughed and scolded him, "Who cares if the characters are messy? Just seeing that the content is cursing people is enough!"