Chapter 403: The Appearance of the Ming Sect

The six major martial sects besieged Mount Guangming, sparking a wave of chaos and violence throughout the martial world!
……
This plot task is different from the Emperor’s birthday celebration…
The Ming Sect’s activities have become increasingly frequent. From the capital to the countryside, from main roads to secluded forests, members of the Ming Sect can be found everywhere. Disciples from various branches of the Ming Sect, followers of the Sky Eagle Sect, members of the Five Elements Flag Sect, and even its top experts have all appeared in the martial world, sometimes even appearing in the cities.
With the release of the Hero’s Call, many players received related subtasks in advance.
On the official website, various rumors spread every day:
The Purple Fir Dragon King and his disciples selected a talented female disciple from the martial world to enter the main headquarters of the Ming Sect in the Western Regions…
Yin Yewang, the son of the White-Browed Eagle King, was attacked by Jin soldiers led by the two elders of Xuanming on his way to Huangshan. Although he received help from players, the arrival of the evil expert “Orochimaru” led to him being struck by the Xuanming Divine Palm. If not for the timely intervention of the White-Browed Eagle King, Yin Yewang would likely have died on the spot. This encounter highlighted the conflict between good and evil, and many realized they could choose to side with either faction.
Additionally, the Mysterious Cloth Monk, Taoist Zhang Zhong, and the Cold-Faced Mr. Leng Qian all appeared in the martial world, introducing a series of tasks that drew many skilled experts to support the Ming Sect!
However, the most eye-catching events were two!
First, someone found the most important character in this plot task—Zhang Wuji. Possessing the Nine Yang Divine Skill, he was still just an 18-year-old boy. Countless players went wild over this!
But in the end, many martial artists who came hoping to trigger the task were scared away after a mysterious person killed several of them. According to the plot, this powerful figure should be the Mysterious Cloth Monk, someone even Zhang Wuji finds troublesome.
The other event was rather funny…
A self-important player entered the Ruyang Prince’s mansion and, in front of Zhao Min, accused “Ku Tuo” of being Fan Yao, the right-hand man of the Ming Sect. As a result, he was killed on the spot by Zhao Min’s men, Ah Da and Ah Er.
With so many tasks and rumors, many players realized that the system-defined plot tasks would not change just because of the appearance of martial artists…
Any attempts to interfere with the plot would not only bring them no benefits but also result in them being crushed by the gears of the plot tasks.

Many players who had been plotting various schemes settled down and dared not act rashly anymore.
…
With only three days left before the final battle at Bright Summit, a wave of artificial chaos swept through the martial world. As martial experts from all over gathered at Huangshan or were on their way there, some factions that had previously remained quiet and peaceful suddenly erupted into conflicts. Fights broke out over resources, territory, and revenge…
This was largely because the experts of certain factions had gone to Huangshan, leaving their headquarters weak, allowing long-awaited enemies to strike swiftly, destroy their headquarters, and wipe out their factions. Others were ambushed by other experts on their way to Huangshan and died in foreign lands. All sorts of vendettas and factional conflicts arose across the Central Plains, indirectly reminding some faction leaders that while pursuing their missions, they must also be vigilant against vulnerabilities that could be exploited by enemies!
…
Bao Kang, Mu Family.
After nearly a month of development, the faction with the fewest members in the original Five Factions Alliance had become the largest among them after merging with Caiyi Gate, boasting over 18,000 members… It had gradually become the biggest faction in Bao Kang. Many experts from the former Jade Fox Palace, Righteous Path Gang, and Blood River Gate also joined the Mu Family, especially those from the Blood River Gate. After Blood River Nine Heavens was killed twice and the foundation of his faction nearly destroyed by the Cold Moon Palace, he became disheartened for a long time.
Moreover, as the Mu Family thrived, Blood River Nine Heavens realized his shortcomings in courage, strength, and vision. Now, he focused entirely on running a commercial faction, prioritizing resources and profit. Many experts in his faction, grateful for the generous support and the Mu Family’s superior faction contribution system, chose to join them.
Although the Blood River Gate was declining and no longer held much influence in Bao Kang, no faction could shake the solid foundation of the “Five Factions Alliance.” Under the alliance’s agreement, the Blood River Gate continued to safeguard the resources of the two levels of the five mines, focusing on development. From time to time, Blood River Nine Heavens would invite the leaders of the other four factions for meals to discuss large-scale resource transactions.
That day, Blood River Nine Heavens gathered Lei Zhan, Hu Yan Luan Yu, Wu Qing, Zhao Wuji, the vice leader of the Righteous Path Gang, and “Look Up at the Swans,” the leader of the Heroic Gate.

“Haha! I didn’t expect so many rich folks to be here. Even a bustling place like Bright Summit couldn’t attract you all, haha! Come on, let’s raise a drink for those of us who’ve come together!” Hu Yanluo burst into loud laughter as he saw everyone present, and without hesitation, he poured wine and raised his cup. The others exchanged smiles.

“Don’t talk nonsense. There’s only one rich man now—Jiutian!”
“Right, right! You should toast to Jiutian! Lao Lei and I are just here to free-ride and eat for free.”
“Haha…”
Still, they all smiled and raised their cups, drinking them down in one gulp. After a few drinks, the gang leaders who controlled the resources at the top of the Divine Dragon Ridge gradually spoke more:
“Nonsense! It’s understandable that I, Jiutian, and Lao Lei can’t go to Bright Summit, but you’re a top expert on the Dragon Ranking. Isn’t it a shame to miss such a great opportunity?”
Zhao Wuji smiled at Hu Yanluo and said, “With us brothers guarding Baokang, what do you have to worry about?”
Hu Yanluo naturally understood Zhao Wuji’s meaning. He glanced at Lao Lei subconsciously and said, “Stop torturing me. It wasn’t easy to make up my mind to give up Bright Summit. I’m already eager to head there for this mission, yet you keep poking at my wounds.” After a pause, his expression grew serious as he sighed, “Actually, at first, I also wanted to go… With you guys guarding Baokang, I thought few scoundrels would dare target Baokang County. But these days, the martial world has become too unstable…” Upon hearing this, the others nodded in agreement.
Hu Yanluo looked at Lei Zhan and slowly said, “I’m someone who knows to remember where his blessings come from. If it weren’t for the intervention of the Jade Fox Palace and the Heroic Justice Sect, it would have been destroyed by the First-Class Hall long ago. As Hu, I must not only maintain this hard-won situation for the over ten thousand brothers in our sect but also ensure the peace of Baokang. We can’t ignore Baokang and our five sects just for Bright Summit. Those things mean nothing compared to Baokang.”
“Exactly. Baokang still has its weaknesses. What we need to do is avoid creating more weaknesses. At least until the Mu Family becomes a force comparable to the First-Class Hall, we must prioritize Baokang’s stability,” Zhao Wuji agreed.
Lei Zhan looked around at everyone gratefully and spoke sincerely, “I and Kai Xin will always remember everyone’s efforts and expectations for the Mu Family. We definitely won’t disappoint you…”

“By the way, Brother Lei, our Deputy Head of the Sect asked me to ask if the Mu family is facing a shortage of funds right now?” The leader of the Heroic Virtue Sect suddenly spoke up. “Our deputy head said that if so, he can supply a batch of resources in advance and settle the account in half a month.”
Lei Zhan was stunned.
A shortage of funds? That’s impossible.