I am Zhao Zhijing, a poor Taoist priest, and I have disciples all over the world.

After Guo Jing told Zhao Zhijing everything he knew about Huang Shang and the Nine Yin Scriptures, Zhao Zhijing made some careful speculations, but there were too few clues and he only had a rough outline.

"Old Senior Zhou finally pointed out that the reason why his senior brother, Master Chongyang, knew these old secrets was because Huang Shang wrote his own experiences into the Nine Yin Manual when he wrote it."

Zhao Zhijing asked, "Master Guo, you just said that after Huang Shang wrote the Nine Yin Manual, he hid the manual in a very secret place. Is it possible to determine where that place is?"

Guo Jing thought about it seriously for a moment, and finally shook his head, "I don't know. According to the time calculation, the Nine Yin Manual should appear in the martial arts world several decades later."

"As for who discovered it first, no one can tell for sure. All we know is that hundreds of people died fighting for the Nine Yin Manual, and countless more were implicated as a result."

"It's strange to say, no matter who gets this scripture, it will be discovered within half a year at most. People from all walks of life are fighting for it, seizing it by trickery and plunder, without stopping for a single day."

Huang Rong thought of her mother's death after working so hard to memorize the Nine Yin Manual, and she couldn't help feeling sad. She sighed, "My father once said that the martial arts in the manual are so mysterious that anyone who studies martial arts will be fascinated by them."

"Heroes all over the world want to take the scriptures for themselves, so the situation became more and more serious. Master Chongyang, Qigong, Emperor Duan and my father agreed to have a sword fight on Mount Huashan. Only when the capable one can get it can the disaster be put to rest."

Zhao Zhijing knew about this past event. Although Master Chongyang obtained the Nine Yin Scriptures, he did not allow his disciples to practice it. Before he passed away, he instructed Zhou Botong to hide it secretly. However, after several twists and turns, it was finally learned by Guo Jing and others.

"In my opinion, with Huang Shang's intelligence, if he really wanted to hide the two books, no one would find them."

"Even if it was discovered by chance, the person who got the scripture shouldn't be discovered within half a year, unless..."

Huang Rong was quick-witted and had guessed what Zhao Zhijing was going to say, so she continued, "Master Zhao, do you mean that someone is deliberately manipulating things in secret in order to make the people in the martial arts world kill each other?"

Zhao Zhijing nodded first, then shook his head. "It happened decades ago. Anything we say now is just speculation."

"But this style of behavior is very similar to the methods of the Fairness Cult. If Huang Shang was in seclusion in the Western Regions, it is not surprising that he was targeted by the Fairness Cult."

Although Huang Shang was an official during the reign of Emperor Huizong, he lived to be over a hundred years old, which means Emperor Zhezong was in power at that time. Therefore, Huang Shang must have been still alive when Ding Chunqiu escaped from Shaolin Temple.

However, it is still unknown whether the current headquarters of the Ming Cult is in Kunlun Mountain in the Western Regions. Just like the Gongping Cult far away in the Xingxiu Sea, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack to find clues.

"Master Zhao, don't worry too much. Maybe Li Mochou is deliberately distracting our attention and trying to divert the blame to cover up for Gongping Cult."

Although Kublai Khan had no intention of completely stopping the war at the moment, the Mongolian army had retreated nearly a hundred miles, and the danger to Xiangyang City had been largely resolved.

The Song-Mongol war could not start, and no matter how many tricks the Gongping Sect had, it could only stir up trouble in the martial arts world, and could not bring disaster to the whole world like it did in the past.

"After this great battle, the Mongols launched another attack on Xiangyang, which was nearly twenty years after Mongke ascended the throne as the Great Khan."

Zhao Zhijing thought to himself that it might be impossible to completely eradicate the Gongping Sect before leaving, but as long as they were firmly suppressed in the Western Regions, they would not cause any major trouble.

The matter between the Ming Cult and the Gongping Cult came to an end here. Everyone discussed the direction of the next war for a while. They all felt that as long as they proceeded steadily and did not make mistakes, then no matter how powerful Kublai Khan was in military operations, Xiangyang City would be safe.

That night, Guo Jing held a banquet in his mansion to welcome Zhao Zhijing and others and celebrate their success. Zhu Ziliu, Lu Youjiao and others were all present, and both the guests and the hosts were very happy.

In the next half month, only a small group of Mongolian cavalry occasionally came to harass, and they never fought, but were more of a test and bait. Guo Jing would naturally not fall for it, and never took the initiative to attack, but just stayed firmly in the city.

He knew very well that the Mongolian soldiers were numerous and their generals were numerous, and that the reason why Xiangyang City could stand firm was not only the unity of the military and civilians, but also the reliance on various martial arts masters. Let alone one for one, even if it was one for ten, Kublai Khan would be happy to sacrifice his life.

Therefore, defending Xiangyang was already the limit, and recovering the Central Plains to the north was ultimately a pipe dream.

As summer turned to autumn, the weather gradually turned colder. In just over a month, when heavy snow fell, Kublai Khan would have to withdraw his troops.

The heroes who helped defend Xiangyang came to bid farewell to Guo Jing and his wife, and Zhao Zhijing in the past few days. The Mongolian army had been inactive for some time, and the food and military equipment in Xiangyang city were replenished and sufficient to fight the enemy.

"It is a great pleasure for us to fight against the Mongolian army together with the two leaders!"

"Master Guo, Taoist Priest Zhao, Gang Leader Huang, if the Tartars invade our territory again in the future, just give me a message, and I, Lei Meng, will fight to the death no matter where I am!"

"The mountains remain green, the water flows on forever. When we meet again someday, I will make it clear to you!"

Guo Jing was a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and among the heroes who were still able to come and bid farewell to him at this time, some had lost their hands and feet while defending the city, or were seriously injured, but no one ever complained or retreated.

As for the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country, they will be buried here forever to protect the city of Xiangyang and forever preserve the mountains and rivers of the Song Dynasty.

Guo Jing, Zhao Zhijing and others bid farewell to the heroes reluctantly. Guo Jing even shed tears several times. Zhao Zhijing was slightly better, but there were tears in the corners of his eyes as well.

"Master, are we going back to the mountain as well?"

By mid-October, it had been half a year since Zhao Zhijing and his two disciples left Mount Hua. The Mongolian army had been attacking Xiangyang for a long time but failed, and as winter was approaching, they finally withdrew.

During the past six months, Yang Guo has made great progress in both martial arts and experience.

The Gentleman Sword he obtained in the Unrequited Valley made him even more powerful. Although he is not yet eighteen years old, he can already be ranked among the top masters in the world.

As for Guan Man'er, he also gained a lot. He tried his best in several battles, and his internal strength increased instead of decreased. He is indeed a gifted person.

Yang Guo and Guan Man'er, one righteous and one strange, complement each other. Everyone praises that a good teacher produces an excellent student. It seems that among the younger generation, no one can surpass them.

"Well, it's time to go back to the mountain. Your fellow brothers may already be on their way back to the mountain."

Early in the morning of that day, Master Zhao Zhijing and his two disciples said goodbye to Guo Jing and Huang Rong together. Although the couple were reluctant to part, all good things must come to an end, so they said take care of each other and looked forward to the day they would meet again.

"Master Guo, I have an unwelcome request."

Guo Jing had already regarded Zhao Zhijing as a close friend. Although he did not know what the matter was, he nodded and said, "Master Zhao, please speak freely. I will obey you."

Zhao Zhijing thought that next June would be his third year in this world, and it would be time to take down the world's number one. (End of this chapter)