39: Chapter 39 Ming Cult's Visit to the Mountain

On the seventh day after the grand ceremony at Bright Peak concluded, Wudang Mountain welcomed the most unusual group of visitors in its history.

The new Cult Leader Zhang Wuji, dressed in plain white robes, led the core leadership of the Ming Cult, including Left Emissary Yang Xiao, Yin Tianzheng, Bat King Wei Yixiao, and the Five Wanderers, on a journey from the Western Regions to Wudang.

Everyone in the procession looked solemn; upon reaching the mountain gate, they dismounted voluntarily and walked up the mountain.

Song Yuanqiao had already been waiting outside the mountain gate with the Seven Heroes of Wudang.

When the two sides met, there was no hostility, only the relief of mutual smiles. The century-old grievances had long since dissipated under the mediation of Zhang Sanfeng.

"Cult Leader Zhang has come from afar; please forgive our lack of a proper welcome," Song Yuanqiao said with a bow and a smile.

"Senior Martial Uncle is too kind," Cult Leader Zhang Wuji replied hurriedly, returning the salute.

"I have brought the Ming Cult members here today, first to express my gratitude to Grandmaster, and second, because there are important matters I wish to consult him about. I hope Senior Martial Uncle will convey this request."

Inside Zixiao Palace, Zhang Sanfeng sat in the main seat, watching the members of the Ming Cult bowing below.

"All of you, please rise. Wuji, I am very pleased that you could take charge of the Ming Cult and quell the internal strife."

Cult Leader Zhang Wuji bowed and said, "If not for Grandmaster's mediation, the Ming Cult would likely have perished in the internal strife long ago."

"However, although the Cult is temporarily unified, there are still many difficulties. I am shallow in my knowledge and have come to seek Grandmaster's help."

He paused, his expression solemn as he said, "The aftershocks of the internal fragmentation remain. Many still act as they please, looting the common people under the banner of the Ming Cult, which tarnishes the Cult's name."

"Although various rebel armies fly the banner of the Ming Cult, they act independently and do not coordinate with one another. The Yuan Court has been picking them off one by one, and several rebel forces have already been wiped out."

"If this continues, let alone expelling the Tartars, I fear the Ming Cult itself will not be able to survive."

Left Emissary Yang Xiao also stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Grandmaster Zhang, our Ming Cult was founded a century ago with the mission of expelling the Tartars, but because of our extreme methods, we have been regarded as a Demonic Cult by the world."

"Now that there is an opportunity to walk the Righteous Path and resist the Yuan Court together with the martial artists of the world, we hope for your guidance."

Zhang Sanfeng nodded, pondered for a moment, and said slowly, "The root of the Ming Cult's problems lies in unclear tenets, lax discipline, and inconsistent orders."

He said word by word, "First, rectify the discipline. Immediately abolish all bad habits of the Ming Cult and communicate the rules to all followers."

"It is strictly forbidden to loot the common people, engage in private feuds, or harm fellow practitioners. Anyone who violates this, regardless of rank, will be expelled from the Cult. Those with serious offenses will be handed over to the Martial Forest Council for disposition."

"At the same time, cross-send inspectors with other sects to patrol the world's branch altars and severely punish those who commit crimes."

"Second, integrate forces. Establish the Ming Cult Anti-Yuan Headquarters to unify the command of all rebel armies in the world."

"Establish a strict military order System; all rebel armies must obey the orders of the Headquarters, and violators will be dealt with according to military law."

"At the same time, establish a provisions camp and an ordnance camp to uniformly allocate food and equipment, ending the situation of fighting individually."

"Third, change the tenet. Adjust 'Oppose Yuan and Restore Song' to 'Expel the Tartars, Return Our Rivers and Mountains, and Establish a Peaceful and Prosperous Age'."

"What we want to overthrow is not a specific dynasty, but the corrupt rule of the Yuan Dynasty and the tyranny that oppresses the people."

"Only by taking the protection of the people as the core can we win the hearts of the world and truly achieve victory."

The three major guidelines, each hitting the nail on the head, were like clearing the clouds to see the sun, making the Ming Cult members suddenly enlightened.

They had previously only thought about how to expand their power and compete for territory, but had never thought about fundamentally reforming the Ming Cult.

Yin Tianzheng was the first to stand up and said excitedly, "Grandmaster is absolutely right! I, Yin Tianzheng, will fully assist Cult Leader Zhang Wuji in implementing the three major guidelines!"

"We are the same!" Left Emissary Yang Xiao, Bat King Wei Yixiao, and the Five Wanderers all stood up and spoke in unison.

After three days of closed-door discussions, the Ming Cult's reform strategy was completely finalized.

Zhang Sanfeng also transferred dozens of Disciples from Wudang who were proficient in management and law to go to the Ming Cult to assist in the reform and help the Ming Cult establish a perfect institutional System.

After the discussion ended, Zhang Sanfeng kept Cult Leader Zhang Wuji behind alone.

Looking at the young man in front of him, only ten years old yet bearing the rise and fall of the Ming Cult on his shoulders, Zhang Sanfeng nodded with satisfaction.

"Wuji, it is very good that you have practiced the Taiji and Nine Yang Divine Skill to Major Achievement. But I can see that you have encountered a Bottleneck."

Cult Leader Zhang Wuji was stunned, then bowed and said, "Grandmaster is perceptive. When I practice recently, I always feel that the Internal Energy of the Nine Yang Divine Skill is too rigid and fierce, and my Meridians ache faintly when I circulate it."

"When the Heaven and Earth Great Shift encounters extremely rigid and strong Internal Energy, it is also easy to backfire. I have been thinking hard about it and hope for Grandmaster's guidance."

"This is the reason I kept you alone," Zhang Sanfeng said slowly. "The Nine Yang Divine Skill is extremely Yang and rigid, like the scorching sun in the sky, with infinite power, but it is easily broken due to its rigidity."

"The Heaven and Earth Great Shift is exquisite, capable of borrowing force to strike, and shifting heaven and earth, but it is ultimately just a technique without its own Foundation. And Taiji is the mother of Yin and Yang; it can harmonize hardness and softness and contain all methods."

He stood up, walked to the courtyard, picked up a withered branch, and drew a light stroke in the air.

There was no fluctuation of Internal Energy, but an invisible Taiji circular force circulated in the air. A falling leaf landed on the circular force and actually rotated slowly with it, not falling for a long time.

"Look at this falling leaf. It moves with the wind, bends and stretches with the curves, without its own will, yet it cannot be broken by the gale. The Dao of Taiji is like this."

Zhang Sanfeng's voice was like the morning bell and evening drum. "Your previous practice involved using the Nine Yang, Taiji, and Heaven and Earth Great Shift separately, so they naturally conflicted with each other. Today, I will teach you the Taiji Profound Truth—using softness to control hardness, returning all methods to one."

He extended his finger and touched Cult Leader Zhang Wuji's forehead lightly.

A pure and incomparably refined Taiji Dao Rhyme, without a trace of worldly aura, slowly flowed into Cult Leader Zhang Wuji's body, guiding the circulation of his Internal Energy.

"Keep your mind on the Dantian, guide the Qi through the Ren and Du Meridians, take the Nine Yang as the source, Taiji as the body, and Heaven and Earth Great Shift as the function."

Zhang Sanfeng's voice rang in his mind. "Integrate the pure Yang Internal Energy of the Nine Yang into the circular force of Taiji, making the rigid Internal Energy become harmonious and unobstructed."

"Integrate the principles of discharging force and shifting from the Heaven and Earth Great Shift into the Yin and Yang changes of Taiji, making the borrowing of force become as you wish."

Cult Leader Zhang Wuji sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and realized. Under Zhang Sanfeng's guidance, the Nine Yang Internal Energy in his body, which had originally galloped like a wild horse, gradually became docile and flowed slowly along the trajectory of Taiji.

The originally distinct Taiji Qi force and Nine Yang Internal Energy began to fuse bit by bit.

On the first day, he cleared the barrier of the Yin and Yang Meridians in his body, and there was no more feeling of stinging pain when his Internal Energy circulated;

On the third day, he completely integrated the seven-level Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Heaven and Earth Great Shift into the Taiji circular force, creating a brand new "Heaven and Earth Palm".

When the palm is struck, it can both discharge the opponent's force and rebound the force back, with infinite power.

On the fifth day, the Qi around his body was harmonious and unobstructed, reaching the Realm of "forgetting both object and self".

On the morning of the seventh day, when the first ray of sunlight shone on him through the window lattice, Cult Leader Zhang Wuji opened his eyes abruptly.

Two shadows of Yin and Yang fish flashed in his eyes, and a majestic yet gentle aura erupted from his body, instantly sweeping through the entire quiet room.

He stood up slowly, bowed deeply to Zhang Sanfeng, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement: "Thank you, Grandmaster, for imparting the Dao! This Disciple has finally achieved a Breakthrough!"

Zhang Sanfeng nodded with a smile: "Very good. Now you have broken through to the Peak of the Grandmaster Realm, and your cultivation is no less than Lianzhou's."

"What is even more rare is that you have realized your own martial arts, and your future is limitless."

Three days later, Wudang and the Ming Cult held a grand alliance ceremony at Zixiao Palace.

The two sides agreed to form an alliance: Wudang would be the leader of the Martial Forest, coordinating all forces in the Jianghu; the Ming Cult would be the main force against the Yuan, leading all rebel armies in the world.

Both sides would advance and retreat together, sharing honor and disgrace, fighting against the Yuan Court together until the Tartars were expelled and our rivers and mountains were returned.

[Detected that the host has facilitated a deep alliance between Wudang and the Ming Cult, integrating the largest anti-Yuan force in the Jianghu, side mission [Wudang Ming Cult Alliance] completion rate 100%!]

[Mission Reward: The Righteous Path forces of the Yitian World are completely unified, world stability reaches 100%;]

[Host gains the title "Anti-Yuan Alliance Leader", can mobilize the power of all rebel armies in the world; the Ming Cult orthodoxy and Wudang orthodoxy are initially fused, subsequent world Fusion difficulty reduced by another 10%!]

As the System prompt fell, Zhang Sanfeng looked at the Seven Heroes of Wudang and the Ming Cult leadership standing side by side in the hall.

He made a shocking proposal: "The grievances between the righteous and the evil have been entangled for a century, and this is not a long-term solution."

"Three months later, a World Martial Arts Conference will be held at Bright Peak, where various sects will meet through martial arts, let go of past grievances, and discuss the grand plan to resist the Yuan!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole hall was shocked.