Chapter 27: Calculations

The group set off immediately, returning to the entrance of the Miao King’s tomb. Upon their arrival, they found the area in chaos, with the remaining disciples huddled together in heated argument. The sect leaders and elders stepped forward, frowning as they asked, "What has happened?"

They were soon informed of the attack on Shaolin. The leaders exchanged silent glances before quietly issuing instructions to their trusted subordinates, calling for everyone present to gather and discuss a strategy. Once the group was assembled, a single command was given, and the remaining disciples of the Qingcheng Sect were swiftly subdued and bound. Some Qingcheng members attempted to resist, but those present were no weaklings, and the situation was quickly quelled.

Only then did the sect leaders heave a sigh of relief. They gathered together and summoned the Hengshan disciple who had escaped, ordering him to recount the details of the attack on Shaolin. The disciple knew little; he only explained that upon their arrival at Shaolin, they had been shown to their quarters and told that Master Xingchi was in seclusion, and they would have to wait for him to emerge.

They waited until, late one night, they heard a roar like thunder—the sound of battle. Stepping out to investigate, they witnessed two figures clashing in the main hall of the Shaolin Temple. The sheer intensity of the conflict was beyond their comprehension; with every strike, the surrounding buildings were pulverized. Looking closely, they realized one of the combatants was the Abbot of Shaolin, Master Xingchi.

The other was a figure wearing a bronze mask. The young disciples did not recognize him, but the Nine-Bag Elder of the Beggar Sect, who had accompanied them, cried out in shock: "Ji Tianrui!?"

Hearing the exclamation, the masked man turned his head and unleashed a palm strike through the air. Master Xingchi intercepted the blow and urged the group to flee immediately. As they scrambled out of the temple, they saw it engulfed in flames, with Ming Cult disciples slaughtering the monks of Shaolin. After several encounters with Ming Cult masters, the witness was the only one left alive. He had fled the temple only to find that the main gate had already been breached. He had then ridden at breakneck speed to deliver this horrifying news.

Yin Minjun dismissed the disciple to rest and turned to the other leaders: "Gentlemen, what shall we do?"

No one answered. Shaolin. The Ming Cult. Ji Tianrui. The younger disciples were ignorant, but the sect leaders had grown up in the era of Ji Tianrui. They understood the weight of that name all too well. Back in his day, he had dominated the martial arts world, with no one capable of standing as his equal. If he had not died and had remained dormant for fifteen years, his current level of cultivation was beyond imagination. They were unsure if they dared wade into these murky waters.

Yongjie, who had been listening from the side, stood up and began to walk away without a word. Li Miao reached out to stop him: "Master, returning alone is useless. With your current martial arts, you cannot be of any help. Please, sit for a moment."

Yongjie was burning with anxiety, but knowing the truth in Li Miao’s words, he forced himself to calm down and stopped.

"Gentlemen, if you have no immediate plan, please hear me out," Li Miao said, rising to his feet.

He had originally assumed that after the Ming Cult lost most of its senior leadership in Tai'an City and five hundred insect-warriors they had spent years cultivating, they would remain dormant for some time. That was why he had intended to head to the Miao territory to resolve the threat within Xiao Si and, incidentally, sever the lineage of the witch-craft. The events in Tai'an City had already been reported to the imperial court by Wang Hai, and the government should already be moving to eradicate the Ming Cult. For Ji Tianrui to emerge and commit such a grand act at this critical juncture—if he wasn't insane, he must be desperate, staking everything on a single, final gamble.

Having saved their lives multiple times in the Miao King’s tomb, Li Miao had established a certain authority. With the leaders hesitant and unsure of what to do, they all turned their eyes toward him.

"There is a matter you may not yet be aware of," Li Miao began. "A month ago, the Ming Cult committed an atrocious act in Tai'an City in the Qilu region." He distanced himself from the event, briefly summarizing what had occurred in Tai'an, with Lao Qifeng providing corroboration. Then, Li Miao began the story he had long since prepared.

"I know you have all been wondering where I came from and why I appeared here. My ancestral home is in Tai'an. My master took me under his wing when I was young, and I have practiced within the sect ever since, never having walked the martial arts world. I happened to be returning home to visit my family when this incident occurred. Having survived by sheer luck, I became obsessed with seeking revenge against the Ming Cult. The methods I used to defend against the witch-craft were collected during that time."

"However, since the Ming Cult had been operating from the shadows for fifteen years, I had no way to exact my revenge. I reasoned that since they could commit such acts in Tai'an, they must be linked to the witch-doctors of the Miao territory. When I heard rumors of the Miao King’s tomb, I rushed here. I met Sect Leader Deng of the Hengshan Sect in Tai'an and fought alongside him, which is why Elder Yin was willing to vouch for me."

The story was not airtight, but given the urgency, Li Miao kept it brief and omitted the details. The leaders were in no position to grill him, and he left the gaps to their imagination, hoping it would suffice for now.

"Now that the Ming Cult has surfaced, I must head to Shaolin immediately. It is understandable that you might not want to get involved in the affairs of the Ming Cult. However, there is one thing you can do." Li Miao scanned the leaders.

"The Miao people, the witch-craft. You have been plotted against by the Miao in this tomb, and you have already forged a blood feud. The Ming Cult is using their sorcery to commit these heinous acts. This practice must not remain in this world. If you are willing, you can serve both public and private interests—taking your revenge while ridding the world of a scourge."

"Furthermore—" Li Miao lowered his voice, looking around. "Though the villains of the Qingcheng Sect have been brought to justice, do not forget that the person who struck from the shadows in the tomb is still among you. An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. The Qingcheng traitors nearly sent you all to your deaths; if another group like them remains in the southern martial arts world, disaster will surely follow."

"If you proceed with the eradication of the witch-craft lineage, it will serve as the perfect test. Whoever holds back or makes excuses will be the hidden Miao mole among us. You will then be free to execute them."

The final intention was revealed. This was the reason Li Miao had acted as he did in the tomb while concealing his true strength. He intended to use this situation to force these major sects to go all out in exterminating the witch-craft.

The leaders exchanged glances, seeing the profound calculations in each other's eyes. They did not want to wade into the Ming Cult’s mess, but with Shaolin under attack, they needed a justifiable reason to stand by. Being sabotaged by the Miao, nearly losing their lives, and the existence of a hidden mole among them provided just such a reason. They felt no grief over the destruction of the Qingcheng Sect; in fact, they were rather pleased. Qingcheng was a major sect with a long history, and with a legitimate reason to purge them, the others could divide the spoils. If another sect fell... well, that would be truly "regrettable."