Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Anti-Demon Alliance
Having defeated Dong Hao and injured Chou WuHui while keeping himself unscathed, the gaze Elder Rong bestowed upon Shi Xiaole was filled with profound meaning.
"Elder Rong, Shi Xiaole is still young and impulsive. I hope you can be generous in your judgment. The injuries of Miss Chou and young master Dong will be fully taken care of by our Golden Phoenix Tower. Additionally, as compensation, we of the Golden Phoenix Tower are willing to offer three pounds of Tiger-striped Herb to express our sincerity," Su Yanru hurriedly interjected, knowing it was time for her to step forward.
Tiger-striped Herb, a highly valued medicinal ingredient, was delivered to the Iron Bone Sect a few days ago. Su Yanru knew that there were many skilled practitioners in the Revenge Gathering who would appreciate this valuable gift given its scarcity.
Sure enough, several masters from the Revenge Gathering showed an immediate interest in the proposed recompense.
"The Revenge Gathering is a reputable and righteous family. As long as there are no significant incidents resulting from the disputes among younger generations, I won’t interfere to avoid being accused of bullying. Let’s put this matter to an end," Elder Rong declared with a wave of his hand.
"No, I disagree!"
Chou WuHui froze, then screamed in a high-pitched voice: "I am the heiress of the Revenge Gathering! Who dares to ignore me? Kill, kill Shi Xiaole!"
No one moved to obey her command.
While the Revenge Gathering was a family business of the Chou family, it was not managed by a sole person. Chou WuHui had no real power within the gathering. Elder Rong, on the other hand, was one of the ten most respected elders and was given full command over the expedition by the Assembly Master himself. Who would dare to defy him?
Ignored by everyone, Chou WuHui ran off with an expression of twisted rage and malicious eyes while Dong Hao was carried off to receive treatment by the masters of Golden Phoenix Tower.
"Young Hero Shi, I would like to discuss something with you. Please join me upstairs," Elder Rong’s voice reached Shi Xiaole’s ears as the crowd dispersed.
Up in the loft.
The two sat down facing each other.
"May I ask why Elder Rong asked to see me?" Shi Xiaole asked.
With a grin, Elder Rong said, "The talent and ability of Young Hero Shi surprised me greatly. If you were born into a great power, your achievements would be even greater than now."
"You flatter me, Elder Rong," Shi Xiaole politely responded, calmly waiting for what he had to say next.
Clearing his throat, Elder Rong asked, "I wonder, Young Hero Shi, have you heard of the Demon Alliance?"
Shi Xiaole slightly nodded, his heart pounding.
In the Martial World, eight out of ten individuals must have heard of the Demon Alliance. The remaining two would either be deaf or rookies who had just entered the martial world.
Nobody knew of the Demon Alliance’s headquarters or its founder. Even the lowest-ranking members within the Alliance remained profoundly mysterious. All that was known was that ever since the establishment of the Flying Horse Dynasty, the Demon Alliance had existed. It was an organization dedicated to eradicating the Devil Path and was seen as a beacon by many in the martial world.
Elder Rong’s gaze gradually sharpened, and the very air in the loft seemed to thicken. Shi Xiaole felt as if the room had become isolated from the outside night.
"This is... the Inborn Gang Qi!" Shi Xiaole exclaimed in shock.
The Inborn Gang Qi was a unique ability utilized by the masters of the Spiritual-Passage Realm, an overwhelmingly powerful technique. Shi Xiaole was certain that, even if he were to use all his Internal Power to shout, not a sound would reach the outside world.
What matter could possibly warrant such caution from Elder Rong?
"Young Hero Shi, I formally invite you to join the Demon Alliance on behalf of the organization itself," Elder Rong stated.
If not for his strong constitution, Shi Xiaole might have lost his composure. He regained his calm and slowly asked, "Why me?"
"Because you are sufficiently striking." Elder Rong explained, "Looking down from the top, the three major guilds, four great families, and eight major factions of Qingxue State may seem mighty. However, those standing at the peak know that the most powerful organization in the martial world is the Demon Alliance. So, are you willing to join, Young Hero Shi?"
For anyone on the Righteous Path, joining the Demon Alliance would be an unparalleled honor. Elder Rong didn’t believe there was anyone who could refuse, but Shi Xiaole shook his head.
"Thank you for the good intention, but I have always valued my freedom and do not wish to be restrained by any organization," said Shi Xiaole.
He never sought fame or glory. To him, what others considered a great honor held no appeal. Moreover, if he wished to fight devils and uphold justice, he could do so anywhere.
Elder Rong’s expression faltered for a moment before he said, "You misunderstand, Young Hero Shi. The Demon Alliance never restrains the freedom of its members. You are free to reject any task assigned to you, although few do so because the rewards are quite substantial."
"Once, a master from our Revenge Gathering completed a task and was awarded the Xuanyang Flower which increased his cultivation by ten years. Of course, you can always reject tasks if you wish. But from what I know, most members rarely turn down jobs due to the generous rewards," he explained.
Shi Xiaole maintained a serene expression, although his heart was stirred by Elder Rong’s words.
"Apart from freedom and rewards, once you become a member of the Demon Alliance, you can also seek help from the Alliance Headquarters to solve any problems you encounter in the future," Elder Rong added, an astute smile on his face.
"I’ve heard that Young Hero Shi was once assaulted by a disciple from the Sky Evil Sect? Hehe, the Devil Path is notorious for its elusive and secretive ways. If you were to rely solely on your own strength, it would be difficult to locate them. But if you join the Demon Alliance, the collection of intelligence would undoubtedly become much easier."
"And if I join the Demon Alliance and my identity is exposed, I would be inviting trouble to those around me," Shi Xiaole responded.
Elder Rong laughed heartily, saying, "You need not worry about that."
According to him, anyone who aspired to join the Demon Alliance had to meet three basic criteria.
First, a clear family background.
Second, a prominent dispute with the Devil Path.
Third, possessing extraordinary talent or status.
Apart from this, once they become members of the Demon Alliance, they do not meet face to face based on their real identities. That is to say, except for a recommender, nobody knows each other’s identity.
And those who could serve as recommenders are all core members of the Demon Alliance, making betrayal highly unlikely.
"How many in the Revenge Gathering are aware of you recruiting me?"
"Only I, as even the Assembly Master have not known that I am a member of the Demon Alliance."
"What if I refuse to join?"
"Then I will have to use special means to erase Young Hero Shi’s memory of this period."
Phew!
Shi Xiaole drew a deep breath, remained silent for a moment, and said, "Alright, I am willing to join the Demon Alliance."
Elder Rong had no reason to deceive him. Shi Xiaole believed that joining the Demon Alliance surely provided him with many benefits. However, the other party certainly downplayed one fact—the tasks of the Demon Alliance were undoubtedly very challenging.
But Shi Xiaole had no better options.
Just as the other party mentioned, if he did not join the Demon Alliance, it would be extremely difficult for him to take revenge on the Sky Evil Sect. Don’t consider that the information organizations of the Martial World are omnipotent.
Moreover, he had heard through the grapevine that individuals who joined the Demon Alliance generally made much more progress in martial arts than before, which is undoubtedly related to the resources they could enjoy.
Since he had this opportunity and would not be restricted, why not give it a try.
"Hahaha..."
Elder Rong laughed loudly, and his old face was much more intimate than before. He said, "You’re a capable lad, Shi Xiaole. I am not wrong about you."
He was really overjoyed. The talent Shi Xiaole showed tonight almost made him tremble, which further strengthened his determination to recruit Shi to join the Demon Alliance.
He even believed that as long as Shi performs well in his tasks, he might become an Incense Master-level figure in the Demon Alliance within scarcely ten years. By then, he would also be much distinguished.
After setting the matter of joining the alliance, Shi Xiaole suddenly asked, "Elder Rong, have you ever heard about a person named He Bugui?"
He Bugui had something to do with the disappearance of his parents. A few years ago, Shi Xiaole learned from He Qingyu that He Bugui went to the Revenge Gathering.
"He Bugui? I don’t know. I will have him investigated, and then tell you."
...
Upon leaving the attic, and feeling the night breeze blow by, Shi Xiaole’s mind was as calm as ever.
To him, joining the Demon Alliance presented both a challenge and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that ordinary people would never come across in their lifetime. It’s a chance that he had to seize.
The next day, Shi Xiaole found Lian Chen.
"Young Hero Shi, what is this?"
Looking at the secret script given by Shi Xiaole, Lian Chen was somewhat confused.
"Thanks for your help recently, Daoist. This is a small token of my gratitude. Additionally, I may be leaving for a while, and I hope you will keep an eye out in my absence."
While he was out, Shi Xiaole was most concerned about the safety of the Golden Phoenix Tower. He had also considered inviting the Revenge Gathering to send someone over for protection, but ultimately decided against it.
Not to mention whether the Revenge Gathering would be willing or not, some debts are harder to pay the more you owe.
Lian Chen was different. He was alone and wouldn’t drag too many relationships into the equation. Moreover, his previous lifesaving grace alone merited my gift. Shi Xiaole believes that Lian Chen would definitely be interested in the secret script.
"Mysterious Skill Secret Technique?"
After opening and scanning only a few pages, Lian Chen was astounded.
It was actually a second-class superior internal power technique. You should know that although Lian Chen is a disciple of Wudang Mountain, his status isn’t high and he temporarily doesn’t have the qualifications to practice second-class superior internal power.
And this Mysterious Skill Secret Technique clearly and comprehensibly explains the principles of superior internal power such that looking at it once gives an understanding of a hundred principles.
This is definitely a top-notch, second-class superior internal power technique.
Lian Chen guessed right.
The Mysterious Skill Secret Technique is absolutely the best internal power in Jianghu of the Liang series, none better, reportedly created by the eccentric from the late Yuan Dynasty, Peng Yingyu. It was Swordsman Zhang Danfeng who had perfected this technique, thereby providing him with inexhaustible internal power, who also became the number one expert in the world.
Shi Xiaole copied and brought it here after a lot of thought and after drawing this martial arts technique last month.
Lian Chen was gasping for breath.
He suddenly remembered the words of Daoist Xuhuai before he set off.
"Lian Chen, you have exceptional talent but are destined not to belong to Wudang Mountain. Therefore, your talent is not fully exploited. This trip is your opportunity. If someone appreciates you and rewards you, you should follow him."
Could it be that the person my master wanted me to follow is him?
Looking at the very young Shi Xiaole, Lian Chen’s mind was trembling so much that when the latter left, he hadn’t returned to his senses.
Three days later.
Elder Rong received the reply from the Revenge Gathering, agreeing to Gu Qinghui’s request. That day, he led everyone away. Shi Xiaole did not inform Su Yanru and followed closely behind.
Six days later.
Shi Xiaole appeared in a decrepit temple.
This is one of the footholds where the Demon Alliance accepts newcomers.
