Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 189 Zhang Wuji's Great Fortune!
Li Zicheng was somewhat helpless.

At this moment, rumors are spreading everywhere that the rebel army has received assistance from the Ming Cult in this rebellion.

But in fact, this is just a rumor.

After his rebellion on the border and his subsequent rise to power, the Ming Cult did indeed send people to him to discuss forming an alliance to rebel together, but he did not agree.

Because the Ming Cult is not simple.

For hundreds of years, the Ming Cult has never stopped its rebellion. No matter which leader came to power, they all dreamed of conquering the world and plotting to seize the supreme throne.

Most importantly, despite years of rebellion and strained relations with various martial arts factions, the Ming Cult has not been destroyed by the imperial court and has continued to thrive to this day, demonstrating its strength.

To ally with such an ambitious and powerful force is tantamount to seeking a deal with a tiger.

Even if they could successfully rebel and overthrow the Ming Dynasty.

When the time comes, who will be in charge and who will be secondary? Who will sit on the throne?

Therefore, Li Zicheng did not initially want to form an alliance with the Ming Cult.

His plan was to first establish a foothold in Shaanxi, gradually expand and grow stronger until he had enough power to invade the Central Plains and contend for supremacy.

But the imperial court acted too quickly.

Before he even left northern Shaanxi, the imperial court dispatched troops, and they went all out.

It would be one thing if Lu Xiang-sheng came, but they even sent the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Given the current strength of the rebel army, they should have no problem stopping Lu Xiangshan, but if the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are added, their chances of winning will be slim.

Li Zicheng's confidence at this moment stemmed from two sources: firstly, his army of 50,000 to 60,000 men, and secondly, the support of martial arts families such as the Hu, Miao, Fan, and Tian families in Shaanxi.

These martial arts families are not only wealthy and powerful, but each member is also a master of martial arts.

In particular, the heads of the four families, including Hu Tian, ​​are all top-level grandmasters, capable of taking on a hundred opponents single-handedly.

Even if his forces were inferior to Lu Xiangshan's, he could still send these experts to infiltrate the Ming army, carry out a decapitation strike, disrupt the morale of the Ming army, and delay their development.

But that Chongzhen Emperor was truly cunning; he actually thought of this as well, and disregarding his own safety, he directly dispatched both the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Both the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were intelligence agencies, and their personnel were certainly not lacking in experts.

In this way, his chances of succeeding in carrying out the decapitation plan would not be very high, and the Ming army would definitely be on guard.

At that point, the two sides will have no choice but to fight each other head-on.

In a direct confrontation, given the current strength of the rebel army, they would certainly be no match for the Ming army.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Li Zicheng could only consider the Ming Cult.

"Your Majesty, didn't you say that allying with the Ming Cult is like asking a tiger for its skin?"

"Moreover, the Ming Cult is currently unstable due to the issue of the new leader. The alliance with us is the idea of ​​Yang Xiao, the Left Envoy of the Ming Cult. What if others disagree with the alliance?"

Liu Zongmin frowned, looking somewhat worried.

"There is no other way now. If we do not form an alliance with the Ming Cult, we will have no choice but to retreat to northern Shaanxi, which will put us in an even more unfavorable situation!"

Li Zicheng shook his head: "As for the Ming Cult's internal affairs, they will handle it themselves. That new leader is no ordinary person, otherwise Yang Xiao would not have supported him to take the throne."

"Moreover, the Ming Cult is in a very unfavorable situation now. Major sects such as Shaolin and Wudang are already discussing how to deal with the Ming Cult. Without our help, they will never be able to resist the major sects such as Shaolin and Wudang. At that time, their only option will be to continue to retreat to the Western Regions to develop."

"This is the best time for them to return to the Central Plains, and they cannot afford to miss this opportunity."

"Alliance with us is their best option."

Liu Zongmin nodded slightly, then seemed to think of something, hesitated, and said, "Your Majesty, actually, we are not without other options..."

Li Zicheng looked at him, his face showing confusion.

Liu Zongmin hesitated and said, "The Oirat and Mongol tribes under the Mongol Yuan rule in the north, as well as the Jurchens in Liaodong, have always been ambitious and attempted to invade the Central Plains. If we cooperate with them and bring them into the pass, not only will they relieve some of the pressure on us, but when the world is in chaos, we can take advantage of the situation..."

Li Zicheng's expression changed, and he roared, "Shut up!"

Liu Zongmin frowned: "Your Majesty, those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles..."

Li Zicheng stared coldly at him and interrupted, "Remember this: although we are called rebels, we rebelled only because the court was incompetent and tyrannical, and we could not survive, so we were forced to do this. But to ask me, Li Zicheng, to collude with foreign tribes and slaughter the people of the Central Plains, that is something I would never do!"

"We are rebels, but we must never be traitors!"

"If you ever dare to have such thoughts again, don't blame me for not showing you any mercy!"

Liu Zongmin's expression changed slightly, and he dared not speak further, saying in a low voice, "Yes, this subordinate knows his crime."

Li Zicheng snorted coldly, turned around and returned to his desk, picking up his pen to write.

A moment later, he sealed the letter he had written, handed it to Liu Zongmin, and said, "Send someone to deliver it to the Ming Cult."

"Yes." Liu Zongmin took the letter and turned to leave.

Li Zicheng let out a long sigh, slowly walked to the door, looked at the dim sky in the distance, and muttered to himself, "Success or failure hinges on this!"

"I, Li Zicheng, do not believe in destiny. If destiny is not in my hands, I will use my iron fists to carve out my own destiny!"

Li Zicheng's gaze was cold, and his expression was resolute.

……

In the northwest of Shaanxi Province, in a certain place in Ningxia Prefecture.

On the summit of a small mountain, a figure faces the rising sun, sits cross-legged with eyes closed, embracing the essence of heaven and earth.

Its body shimmered with intense light, like a small sun, shining brightly and exuding pure yang energy.

This was a young man in his early twenties, with thick eyebrows, handsome eyes, a tall and slender figure, and a strong and upright posture, giving him an elegant and dashing appearance.

As the youth's aura flowed, even the surrounding air seemed to ignite, creating a distorted sensation that seemed to shake space and time, which was terrifying and demonstrated the youth's immense power.

sigh~
Just then, a whooshing sound came from afar, and a huge bat flew over, flapping its wings rapidly. Soon it was close and revealed its true form.

This was no bat at all, but a gaunt, pale-faced man who looked like a zombie. He was none other than Wei Yixiao, the 'Green-Winged Bat King', one of the four great protectors of the Ming Cult.

Hearing the noise, the young man who had been sitting quietly opened his eyes and looked up. A smile immediately appeared on his face. He stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Senior Wei."

Wei Yixiao quickly stepped aside, bowed to the young man, and said, "Master, Left Envoy Yang and Eagle King have sent me to ask you to return. They have important matters to discuss with you."

The young man said helplessly, "Senior Wei, I've said it before, I don't want to be any kind of leader, and I'm not qualified to be your leader."

Wei Yixiao chuckled and said, "That's none of my business. In any case, both Left Envoy Yang and Eagle King recognize you as the leader of our Ming Cult, so I naturally have no objections."

This young man was none other than Zhang Wuji, the newly appointed leader of the Ming Cult who had recently been the subject of much discussion in the martial arts world.

Faced with Wei Yixiao's explanation, Zhang Wuji smiled wryly and sighed inwardly. However, he could not refuse at this moment, so he could only change the subject and ask, "I wonder what Senior Yang Xiao and my grandfather want to discuss with me?"

Wei Yixiao shook his head: "They didn't say what it was about, only that it was related to the rebel army. Not only Yang Zuoshi and Eagle King, but also the Five Wanderers and the various flag leaders of the Five Elements Flag have all arrived."

"The rebel army?"

Zhang Wuji frowned. He was naturally aware of the recent resurgence of the rebel army in northern Shaanxi and their southward advance to conquer cities and territories. He had also heard about Yang Xiao's previous attempt to form an alliance with the rebel army to jointly pursue hegemony.

Now that Yang Xiao has gathered everyone to discuss this matter again, could it be that he still wants to form an alliance with the rebel army?

Thinking of this, Zhang Wuji felt a slight chill in his heart. He looked at Wei Yixiao and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Wei. Let's hurry up and not keep Senior Yang and my grandfather waiting." "As you wish, Master."

Wei Yixiao grinned, then his figure moved, soaring into the air and quickly flying back the way he came.

Zhang Wuji didn't delay either, and used his lightness skill to follow, his speed not much slower than Wei Yixiao's.

The two, one after the other, quickly returned to the Ming Cult's temporary base in Ningxia Prefecture.

The camp was perched on a cliff halfway up a mountain, with a large platform protruding from the edge of the cliff, making it extremely precipitous.

At this moment, on that platform, a group of high-ranking members of the Ming Cult had already gathered and were waiting.

Led by Yang Xiao, the Left Guardian of Light, and Yin Tianzheng, the White-browed Eagle King, below them were the Five Wanderers and the various flag bearers of the Five Elements Flag, as well as some nearby branch leaders. Each of them possessed a profound and sharp aura, and even the weakest among them was at the mid-to-late stage of the Innate Realm, demonstrating just how terrifying the Ming Cult's strength was.

Most importantly, this was not the Ming Cult at its peak.

At least, the top masters of the Ming Cult, such as Fan Yao, the Right Envoy of Light, Dai Qisi, the Purple-Robed Dragon King, and Xie Xun, the Golden-Haired Lion King, have not yet returned.

It's easy to imagine how powerful the Ming Cult was at its peak.

"Master!"

"See the leader!"

Upon seeing Zhang Wuji and Wei Yixiao return, Yang Xiao and the others immediately stepped forward and bowed in unison. Everyone was respectful, and no one showed any resistance. Clearly, they had all accepted Zhang Wuji as the new leader.

"Grandpa, Senior Yang, Senior Peng, Senior Budai... no need for such formalities."

Zhang Wuji responded quickly, showing great respect to everyone and not putting on any airs of being the leader.

But precisely because of this, people have a greater sense of recognition for him.

Yang Xiao stood up, dressed in a white robe, looking dashing and unrestrained. He smiled slightly and said, "Master, etiquette cannot be disregarded. You are now the new leader of our Ming Cult, so it is only right that we pay our respects."

"good."

Yin Tianzheng nodded: "Wuji, although you are my grandson, you are now the leader of our Ming Cult. In formal occasions, you don't need to call me grandfather. Our Ming Cult has its own rules, and these rules must be followed by everyone, not just you and me."

Zhang Wuji sighed, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Yang Xiao. He said, "Senior Yang, I truly didn't know back then that only the leader of the Ming Cult could practice the Great Shift of the Universe. Otherwise, I would never have practiced this martial art, nor did I ever consider becoming the leader of the Ming Cult."

Three months ago, he returned from his studies in the deep valley, but by chance, he accidentally entered the forbidden area of ​​the Ming Cult and learned the Ming Cult's ultimate martial art, "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth," which then alarmed Yang Xiao, who was in seclusion.

After that, he fought Yang Xiao, and the outcome was naturally predictable.

Even Yang Xiao, who had trained diligently for many years and could be considered the number one expert in the Ming Cult, was no match for him and was easily crushed. However, he did not hold back and instead kept explaining and clearing up the misunderstanding.

After this battle, Yang Xiao recognized that he had mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. Seeing that he was young, promising, and had superb martial arts skills, he decided to recommend him as the new leader of the Ming Cult and even marry his daughter to him.

What happened next was widely known in the martial arts world.

Yang Xiao spread the word that he had mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, and summoned back many former members of the Ming Cult, hoping to take this opportunity to reorganize the Ming Cult's forces, make a comeback, and return to the Central Plains.

Zhang Wuji thought that the others would oppose the matter, and he would then be able to take the opportunity to escape.

Unexpectedly, the first person to return was his maternal grandfather, Yin Tianzheng.

Yin Tianzheng naturally wouldn't object to his own grandson becoming the leader of the cult.

After learning what had happened, the Five Wanderers, the Five Elements Flag Master, and others all agreed to let him become the leader.

This put him in a very difficult position, leaving him with no choice but to agree.

However, he felt unworthy of the honor, since he had never done anything for the Ming Cult.

Yang Xiao waved his hand slightly and interrupted with a smile: "Master, I understand what you mean, but it is precisely because of your unintentional act that I recommended you to be the leader of our Ming Cult. You were worried before that you would not be able to win over the masses, but now you see that everyone respects you."

Wei Yixiao nodded and said, "Left Envoy Yang is right. You are young and promising, brave and resourceful. Your martial arts are no less than ours at such a young age. You are also the grandson of the Eagle King. With this relationship, none of us will object to you becoming our leader!"

"That's right!"

"I believe that our leader will be able to lead our Ming Cult to regain its glory, rise again, and create a new era!"

"That's right, Master, don't worry! Anyone who disobeys you is an enemy of Zhou Dian, and I will never let them go!"

The others echoed his sentiments, united in purpose, and had complete faith in Zhang Wuji.

Yin Tianzheng smiled and said, "Wuji, you see? It's not that your grandfather is abusing his power for personal gain, but that everyone approves of you. So please don't refuse anymore."

"Eagle King, that's not what you said when you came to question Left Envoy Yang with such arrogance!" Wei Yixiao said sarcastically.

Yin Tianzheng's eyes widened, and he said, "Back then, didn't I not know the leader's identity and abilities?"

"So, in the end, you only agree to the cult leader because he's your grandson, right?" Wei Yi chuckled.

"Bullshit! Do you think I, Yin Tianzheng, am that kind of person!" Yin Tianzheng retorted, his brows furrowed in disapproval.

"Yes, yes, yes, you Eagle King are the most fair and reasonable!" Wei Yixiao admitted defeat.

The rest of the people burst into laughter.

Zhang Wuji was deeply moved. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, saying, "Since you seniors are so kind, it would be disrespectful of me to continue to refuse."

"From now on, I will assume the position of leader. When Right Envoy Fan, Senior Purple-Robed Dragon King, my adoptive father Golden-Haired Lion King, and others return, we will re-elect them. If everyone has a suitable candidate, Wuji will definitely not covet power and will step down to a more worthy one."

"Furthermore, I, Zhang Wuji, hereby swear that no matter what, I will find the person who killed Leader Yang and avenge him!"

With a resolute expression, Zhang Wuji solemnly made his vow.

"Our leader is benevolent and righteous!"

"We will obey the leader's command!"

Everyone echoed the praise, but in their hearts they remained skeptical.

Fan Yao and the Purple-Robed Dragon King have been gone for many years and their whereabouts are unknown. It's uncertain whether they will ever return.

And Xie Xun, the Golden Lion King, is Zhang Wuji's adoptive father, so he certainly wouldn't object.

At this moment, Zhang Wuji agreed to take on the position of leader, and he would never change his mind.

However, no one really had any objections to this.

Firstly, Zhang Wuji has close relationships with Yang Xiao, the White-browed Eagle King, and the Golden-haired Lion King, and is also the grand-disciple of the current Wudang Master Zhang. Both his status and position are sufficient for him to assume the position of sect leader.

Secondly, Zhang Wuji's martial arts aptitude is truly terrifying, as everyone has witnessed firsthand over the past few months.

He mastered the Ming Cult's signature martial art, the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, in just half a day, and he could also use other martial arts techniques as soon as he learned them.

Having lived for so many years, this was the first time they had ever seen someone with such extraordinary martial arts talent.

With such a talented young man as their leader, how could the Ming Cult not prosper?

Moreover, because of the disappearance of the old leader Yang Dingtian, the Ming Cult has been divided for so many years and has been subjected to exclusion and suppression by various factions in the martial arts world.

Now that it has been confirmed that the old leader died in the forbidden area, and the new leader is so young and promising, it is time to elect a new leader, consolidate the forces, and make a comeback.

For these reasons, Zhang Wuji did not experience the various twists and turns in the original novel, but directly gained the recognition of most of the Ming Cult members and became the 34th leader of the Ming Cult.

It must be said that this kind of luck is truly unmatched by most people!
(End of this chapter)