In the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, hidden weapons were scorned as dishonorable, shunned even by the ruthless Sun Moon Sect. Yet, when Alex unleashed six black blood needles, his masterful skill left Tong Baixiong, a seasoned elder, utterly convinced.
The display not only opened Tong's eyes but expanded his perspective. He realized that hidden weapons, when honed to perfection, could rival any blade or fist. Alex's precision and power were undeniable.
Impressed, Tong Baixiong welcomed Alex into the Sun Moon Sect, appointing him as his right-hand man. Alex's initiation brought the sect's standard honors: a set of dark, flowing robes and a finely crafted sword, marks of a disciple. More significantly, Tong, eager to secure Alex's loyalty, gifted him a rare secret manual of internal strength cultivation.
This was no common text. It was Tong's own cherished technique, a testament to his high regard for Alex's potential. Alex was overjoyed. He immersed himself in the manual, pestering Tong with questions about cultivation's intricacies. His sharp mind quickly grasped the method's core principles.
Sadly, the inner strength technique didn't fit his D drive's skill files or C drive's genetic data. Unable to copy it with his powers, Alex had to train the old-fashioned way, step by step grueling step.
Half a month passed swiftly at Blackwood Cliff, the sect's towering stronghold. No major conflicts arose, allowing Alex to focus on his cultivation. His efforts bore fruit: a faint thread of inner strength now coursed through him. Yet, it was fragile, demanding years of dedication to wield effectively.
"Alex, Elder Tong summons you," a Sun Moon Sect disciple announced, interrupting Alex's practice of the inner strength method in the shadowed halls of Blackwood Cliff.
Alex nodded, setting aside his focus, and headed to meet Tong Baixiong.
In the grand Wind and Thunder Hall, over a dozen disciples gathered, each a seasoned master of the hall's elite. Their dark robes rustled, and swords glinted in the torchlight. Alex joined them, sensing the weight of an imminent task.
Tong Baixiong, his presence commanding, revealed the mission. Elder Qu Yang had been slipping away from Blackwood Cliff in secret. The sect leader ordered Tong to lead the Wind and Thunder Hall's disciples to capture Qu Yang and drag him back to face judgment.
With the team assembled—thirteen in total, including Tong Baixiong and Alex—they departed Blackwood Cliff, descending its craggy slopes. The mission, tied to a sect elder and issued by the leader himself, rallied the Sun Moon Sect's network. Informants and allies guided their path, and in three days, they cornered Qu Yang in a dense forest near Hengshan's misty peaks.
The moment they confronted Qu Yang, Tong Baixiong demanded his surrender. Qu Yang, knowing capture meant doom, refused. A fierce battle erupted.
Qu Yang's martial arts matched Tong Baixiong's, their blades clashing with sparks and thunderous force. But Tong's dozen elite disciples tipped the scales. Qu Yang faltered, his defenses crumbling under Tong's relentless steel knife.
Just as Qu Yang teetered on defeat, a middle-aged man burst into the fray, his long sword weaving a dazzling pattern of plum blossoms. In moments, three disciples fell, clutching wounds. This newcomer's skill rivaled Qu Yang and Tong Baixiong.
"Liu Zhengfeng, this is Sun Moon Sect business! How dare you meddle?" Tong Baixiong roared, shock and fury twisting his face.
"Brother Liu, you shouldn't have come," Qu Yang sighed, his pressure easing but his heart heavy.
"So, Qu Yang, you've conspired with the Five Mountains Sword Sect to betray the Sun Moon Sect!" Tong Baixiong bellowed, seizing on their bond.
"Brother Qu, we must kill them all, or the consequences will never end," Liu Zhengfeng urged, his sword flashing. Despite his hesitance at the Jinpen Retirement Conference, his Five Mountains training drove him to slay Demon Sect disciples on sight.
Qu Yang's sigh deepened. To escape capture, they had no choice. Together, the two masters overwhelmed Tong Baixiong, leaving gashes across his body. Over half the elite disciples lay dead or wounded, their blood staining the forest floor.
Alex, lurking at the battle's edge, seized his moment.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Though he cared little for Qu Yang or Liu Zhengfeng's feud, Alex was a Sun Moon Sect disciple. Duty called. His black blood needles flew, their deadly arc cutting through the chaos.
If Tong Baixiong and his disciples fell, Alex doubted Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang would spare him. Raising his hand, he launched three black blood needles at Liu Zhengfeng, their poisoned tips glinting in the forest's dim light.
Liu Zhengfeng sensed the attack, his long sword flashing into a flurry of silver arcs, aimed to deflect the hidden weapons. But Alex was ready. Three more needles followed, striking the first set with precision. The collision sent all six spiraling in new directions, encircling Liu Zhengfeng from every angle.
"Brilliant hidden weapons!" Liu Zhengfeng thought, heart racing, as he spun his sword in a desperate dance, the blade a shimmering shield. Five needles clattered away, but the sixth traced a cunning arc, twisting mid-air as if guided. It pierced his shoulder.
With a stifled groan, Liu Zhengfeng clutched the wound, staggering back. Numbness spread from the puncture, the black blood needle's poison seeping through his veins. He stared at Alex, confusion clouding his eyes. That last needle—how had it shifted its path, dodging his sword as if alive?
"Alex, well done!" Tong Baixiong shouted, awe in his voice. Alex's hidden weapon skill had bested even Liu Zhengfeng, a master of the Five Mountains.
"Brother Liu!" Qu Yang cried, anxiety gripping him. As a Sun Moon Sect elder, he knew the black blood needle's venom flowed faster with exertion. Fighting on would only hasten the poison's spread. Shielding Liu Zhengfeng, Qu Yang parried blows, guiding them toward Hengshan City in a fighting retreat.
Two first-class masters, united and determined to escape, were unstoppable. Tong Baixiong, bloodied from wounds, and the surviving disciples couldn't hold them. Outside Hengshan City's gates, they relented, frustration burning in their eyes.
"Hmph, we should return. Qu Yang's betrayal of the Sun Moon Sect will be reported to the leader," Tong Baixiong growled, glaring at the city's walls. Pursuing further, injured, risked annihilation by Hengshan Sect masters. Retreat was their only path.
The group bandaged their wounds, the forest air heavy with blood and defeat. Alex, having struck from afar with his needles, emerged unscathed. Others who hung back might've been shunned, but Alex earned respect. Even Tong Baixiong regarded him with admiration. Without those needles, Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang might have slaughtered them all.
"Alex, come with me to face the Eastern Leader," Tong Baixiong said upon their return to Blackwood Cliff's looming fortress. He paused, then added, "We report to Dongfang Bubai."
"Dongfang Bubai?" Alex's pulse quickened. The unrivaled master of the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, a figure of legend. Curiosity, anticipation, and a flicker of fear stirred within him.
-------------------------------------
In the back mountain of Blackwood Cliff, a secluded house stood, draped in flowing pink gauze that swayed in the breeze. A shadowy figure loomed behind the delicate curtains, exuding an enigmatic presence.
Tong Baixiong bowed respectfully, recounting the mission's events in detail, while Yang Lianting, the Sun Moon Sect's chief steward, stood rigid at the doorway, his expression stern.
Alex followed Tong Baixiong, eyes lowered, silent, absorbing the weight of the moment.
"Hmph, Qu Yang dares collude with the Five Mountains Sword Sect," Yang Lianting scoffed, his voice sharp with disdain. Promoted by Dongfang Bubai himself, he often spoke for the leader, who remained veiled behind the gauze, leaving decisions to him.
"Oh? Your name is Alex?" A slender, almost melodic voice cut through Yang Lianting's words, emanating from behind the gauze.
Yang Lianting and Tong Baixiong froze, startled. Yang Lianting's face darkened, sensing the leader's sudden interest in Alex. Tong Baixiong, equally shocked, barely recognized the voice—so delicate, unlike the commanding tone he knew. Could this truly be Dongfang Bubai?
(Dongfang Bubai has typically been depicted as a trans woman in television series based on The Smiling, Proud Wanderer since the 2000s.)
"Yes, I am Alex," Alex replied, his tone steady despite the tension.
"Master Tong praises your skill with flying needles. Would you indulge me with a demonstration?" Dongfang Bubai's voice carried a curious lilt. Since mastering the Sunflower Manual, he wielded embroidery needles as deadly weapons, and Alex's black blood needles piqued his interest.
Though framed as a request, the words barely settled before a dozen embroidery needles shot from behind the gauze, streaking toward Alex like a swarm of silver wasps. Their speed was blinding, yet their force restrained, a test rather than a lethal strike.
Alex reacted instantly, raising his hand. A dozen black blood needles surged forth, clashing with the embroidery needles in a cascade of metallic clinks. With a deft twist of his power, Alex's needles entangled Dongfang Bubai's, redirecting them back in a dazzling flurry, like a storm of petals enveloping the gauze.
Behind the curtain, Dongfang Bubai flicked his sleeve, unleashing a surge of inner strength. The air thrummed as the twenty-odd needles were swept upward, suspended in a swirling vortex. A soft, delighted laugh followed.
"Hahaha! Truly exquisite! Your inner strength is weak, but your hidden weapon mastery is remarkable. A mere disciple of Wind and Thunder Hall wastes your talent. I name you deputy hall master. In time, visit me here to spar over needle techniques."
"Thank you, Leader," Alex said, his face solemn, though Dongfang Bubai's invitation to discuss needle skills in this secluded retreat sent a shiver of unease through him.
"Don't thank me yet," Dongfang Bubai continued, voice sharpening. "Visit the treasury for a small Huandan—it will boost your strength by ten years. Then, take twenty elite Sun Moon Sect warriors to Hengshan City. Bring Qu Yang back, dead or alive. Succeed, and his elder's seat is yours."
"Yes, Leader!" Alex nodded, resolve hardening.
With no further words from Dongfang Bubai, Tong Baixiong and Alex departed the back mountain, the pink gauze fading into the mist behind them.
"Brother Alex, congratulations," Tong Baixiong said, a warm smile breaking across his face. "The Leader's favor ensures a bright future."
Alex's rise reflected well on Tong Baixiong, who had brought him here. "Thank you, Elder Tong, for your guidance," Alex replied. "Without your introduction, I'd never have caught the Leader's eye."
Alex knew Tong Baixiong's motives weren't purely selfless, but his help was undeniable, a debt worth honoring. Tong Baixiong, in turn, saw Alex's potential to climb the sect's ranks, and today's endorsement was an investment in future loyalty. Their mutual understanding sealed a quiet alliance, each pleased with the other's response.
-----------------------------
Author's Note:
Still here? Nice. That means you probably liked the chapter. So why not do the holy trinity of Webnovel support —
Add to Library ✔️
Vote Power Stone ✔️
Summon Good Karma ✔️
Let's climb those rankings together. See you in the next chapter!