Swords emerge from Mount Hua, sweeping across the heavens from the world of Swordsman.

Chapter 96 Taking Over Yuanzhou City

At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, Fang La, the leader of the Ming Cult, started an uprising in eastern Zhejiang, which has continued for hundreds of years.

After the Song Dynasty, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty entered the Central Plains and carried out massacres and plunder of the Han people. The Ming Cult began to fight against them.

However, relying on their military strength, the Yuan Mongols were extremely harsh in their persecution of the Ming Cult members, and many righteous people were brutally murdered.

When Fang La started his rebellion, officials and commoners referred to it as "eating vegetables and serving the demonic sect." Eating vegetables meant being vegetarian, and serving the demonic sect meant worshipping the Great Ming Cult. These two traditions had been circulating among the Ming Cult followers for a long time.

To evade persecution by the Mongol Yuan government and ensure secrecy in their actions, some members of the Ming Cult pretended to worship Buddha and serve Bodhisattvas.

The Maitreya Sect was formed in this way, and like the Eagle Sect, it was a branch of the Ming Cult.

Before Zhou Yuwang started his uprising, he was the chief disciple of the Maitreya sect, and his master was Peng Yingyu, one of the Five Wanderers.

Although his martial arts skills weren't exceptionally strong, they weren't exactly ordinary either.

But today, Yuanzhou City has been breached, and his newly established Zhou Dynasty court is facing annihilation. In order to lead his men out of the city, he takes the lead in battle.

However, he was targeted by the Mongol cavalry during the battle and was stabbed several times.

As the Mongol army retreated, the breath he had been holding onto dissipated, and he collapsed to the ground instantly.

His close confidants immediately surrounded him, uttering cries of grief.

"let me see."

Yue Zhuoqun pushed aside the crowd and reached out to examine Zhou Yuwang's wrist. Everyone stared at him expectantly.

But after a moment, Yue Zhuoqun sighed: "King Zhou's heart meridian has been injured, and there is no way to save him."

"Lord!"

wow~

Everyone around knelt down and wept bitterly.

Zhou Yuwang's confidants were all brothers of the Maitreya sect, who had followed him since the uprising began, and their bond was extremely strong.

No, there's no need to be sad.

Zhou Yuwang weakly raised his hand, his face bearing a tragic yet heroic expression:

"From the day I started my uprising against the Yuan Mongols, I was prepared to die in battle."

Today, the flag bearer intervened and saved many brothers; this is already the best possible outcome.

"My lord, if you die, how will we fight against the Mongol Tartars in the future!"

"There are many ambitious people in the Ming Cult, and there are plenty of opportunities for you to demonstrate your talents. How can you say such discouraging things?"

Zhou Yuwang rebuked in a deep voice, then looked at Yue Zhuoqun beside him: "Banner Commander Yue, these are all brothers I brought from the Maitreya Sect. After I die, please take good care of me."

The Ming Cult reveres its leader, but since the death of its previous leader, Yang Dingtian, no new leader has succeeded him.

Below the leader are the two angels of light, the four Dharma protectors, and the five wandering monks.

Next are the flag bearers of the Five Elements Flags.

Although the flag bearer's status in the religion is only mid-level, the power he wields is enormous.

The Five Elements Banner, with its thousands of members, is the backbone of the Ming Cult and the main force in various battles against the imperial court and other sects.

With no new leader to succeed to the Ming Cult and Fan Yao, the Right Envoy of Light, missing, Yang Xiao, the Left Envoy who remained at Bright Peak, was given the title of the most respected.

However, Yang Xiao has had a very strained relationship with the higher-ups in the Ming Cult over the years due to the matter of establishing a new leader. The Dharma King, the Five Wanderers, and the Flag Bearers of the Five Elements have all left the headquarters, and the entire Ming Cult is not much different from a disorganized mess.

This resulted in the flag bearers who led the Five Elements Banners in the field wielding considerable influence, to the point that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them regional lords.

With the downfall of Zhou Yuwang's small Zhou Dynasty, entrusting his trusted brothers to Yue Zhuoqun was the best decision.

"Don't worry, I won't treat the brothers unfairly." Yue Zhuoqun naturally wouldn't refuse.

"it is good!"

Zhou Yuwang nodded, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Before I die, there is one more thing I would like to ask the flag bearer for help with."

"But it doesn't matter."

"A true man is born into this world, and when he dies, he dies."

However, I have two children, named Zhiruo and Tiansheng, who were taken out of Yuanzhou City ahead of time by my subordinate Chang Yuchun.

Their fate is now unknown. I beg the standard-bearer to help me find them and protect them.

Yue Zhuoqun was somewhat surprised upon hearing this and reviewed the memories in his mind.

Zhou Yuwang is based on the historical figure Zhou Ziwang, who had two sons, the eldest son Tiansheng and the second son Disheng.

In the initial version of The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Zhou Zhiruo was indeed Zhou Yuwang's daughter. Later, it was changed that Chang Yuchun was protecting Zhou Gongzi, and Zhou Zhiruo became a boatman's daughter.

No matter how the world changes, he will always grant Zhou Yuwang's request.

It's not just about accepting the other party's power in return; just the name Chang Yuchun alone makes him worth saving.

"Okay, you can rest assured about this matter."

"Thank you!"

Zhou Yuwang nodded, let out a long breath, and slowly closed his eyes.

"Lord!"

"Respectfully seeing off King Zhou!"

Yue Zhuoqun ignored him and stood up to beckon to a leader of the Houtu Banner.

"Banner Bearer".

"What's your name?"

"My subordinate's name is Yan Yuan, and he is currently one of the stewards of the Hou Tu Banner."

A few years later, when the six major sects besieged Bright Peak, Yan Yuan had already become the flag bearer of the Houtu Banner.

He looks a bit young now, and his status isn't that high yet.

Yue Zhuoqun noticed him because during the previous battle, he led many Hou Tu Qi brothers to set up battle fortifications in an orderly manner.

“You take my banner of thick earth, clean up the battlefield, and rearrange the defensive fortifications.”

"Yes!"

Yue Zhuoqun then called over a few more outstanding individuals and assigned them to take over various affairs in Yuanzhou City.

The strength Yue Zhuoqun displayed in the battle just now earned him the respect of everyone, and no one dared to object to his orders.

……

On the surface of the Han River, two small boats are moving quickly.

On the small boat ahead, the boatman rowed vigorously with his oars. On board were a bearded man and two children, a boy and a girl.

The bearded man was only in his early twenties, strong and powerful, but his face was pale, clearly indicating that he was injured.

He shielded the couple in front of him, while constantly looking back with anxiety in his eyes.

The ships behind were larger, and their decks were covered with people.

The two leading figures were Western Region monks dressed in red robes, while the rest were Mongol soldiers carrying bows, arrows, and scimitars.

"Stop the boat immediately and hand over those two children, or I will take your life and leave you to die in the Han River."

A Tibetan monk spoke threateningly, his voice loud and melodious, indicating considerable internal strength.

"Hmph, am I, Chang Yuchun, a cowardly slave? You think you can make me hand over my master's offspring? That's wishful thinking."

With a full beard, Chang Yuchun roared and grabbed a paddle, rowing with all his might.

Just a hundred meters ahead of the two boats, a small boat was rowing leisurely, with an old Taoist priest with flowing hair and beard sitting on it, and a handsome boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old.

The shouts and responses, carried far and wide, immediately caught their attention.

"What a valiant, unyielding, and loyal man!" The old Taoist stroked his beard in admiration, his eyes filled with appreciation for Chang Yuchun.

"Grandmaster, it seems like the pursuers are Mongol soldiers," the handsome young man said, frowning.

These two men were none other than Zhang Sanfeng, the Wudang master, and Zhang Wuji, who was suffering from the Xuanming Divine Palm's cold poison.

When Zhang Wuji first returned to the Central Plains, he was captured by the Mongol Tartars and was deeply impressed by the clothing of these Tartar officers and soldiers.

Thinking of his own experience and looking at the children protected by Chang Yuchun, he felt a deep sense of empathy.

"Grandmaster, let's save them."

Zhang Sanfeng nodded. He had always been dissatisfied with the Mongol Tartars' oppression of the Han people in the Central Plains, and in addition, he admired Chang Yuchun's character, so he had already planned to take action.

"Boatman, turn around and go to meet them."

Chapter 97 Zhang Sanfeng, the Tai Chi Master

The boatman was just a ferryman on the Han River. Hearing that the Mongol army was chasing and killing people behind him, he turned pale with fright.

Hearing Zhang Sanfeng's words, how could they dare to obey?