Chapter 67: Message from the Saint Demon Sect
With Zhou Feng and the others helping at the Martial Arts Hall, Lu Changfeng had some free time.
After seeing off the people from the Taihong Association, Lu Changfeng went out alone.
He crossed Five Horses Street and arrived at another of Jiangzhou’s main thoroughfares—Fengqi Street.
Not many travelers or merchants frequented this main street.
This was because there were no businesses here; the storefronts were all outposts for various Sects and factions.
This was a street designated exclusively for the powers of the Martial Arts Realm, personally planned by Mansion Master Hong of Jiangnan Prefecture.
The purpose was to prevent disputes from the Martial Arts Realm from breaking out elsewhere in Jiangzhou Prefecture City and affecting the lives of its citizens.
In other words, members of the Martial Arts Realm were permitted to fight on Fengqi Street, and the Jiangzhou Government Office would not intervene.
As long as the fighting did not extend beyond the street’s boundaries, it was allowed.
Consequently, almost no travelers or merchants came to Fengqi Street, fearing they could be killed by someone from the Martial Arts Realm with no one to turn to for justice.
Lu Changfeng stepped onto Fengqi Street and headed straight for the Thousand Knowledge Sect’s outpost.
The Thousand Knowledge Sect maintained an outpost on Fengqi Street.
The outpost offered a service: for a fee of silver, they would answer one question. No answer, no charge.
What Lu Changfeng wanted to ask about was precisely the incident from the night before last.
’I don’t know when those black-robed people will come looking for me again,’ he thought. ’It’s best to learn more about them now. The Thousand Knowledge Sect is said to know everything. Their prices are a bit steep, but the expense is worth it.’
In an inconspicuous corner of Fengqi Street stood the outpost of the Thousand Knowledge Sect.
It was a simple, two-story building.
The plaque above the entrance read, "Thousand Knowledge Sect Lodge."
When Lu Changfeng stepped inside, he saw a young man dressed as a scholar, shaking his head as he held an ancient book and mumbled to himself.
"Pardon the intrusion," Lu Changfeng said, stepping forward.
The scholarly young man looked up, his eyes widening slightly as he recognized Lu Changfeng’s features. "So it’s the Great Swordsman, Lu Changfeng! I am Lin Yuesheng of the Thousand Knowledge Sect, the person in charge of this lodge. What business brings Lu the Swordsman to our humble establishment?"
"You know me?"
"I was there when Master Lu competed at the Five Horses Street venue."
The scholar-like Lin Yuesheng pulled Lu Changfeng over to a small table at the side and invited him to sit.
Lu Changfeng glanced at Lin Yuesheng’s Talent Root Bone: Middle A Class Root Bone and a Middle Grade Talent, [Eagle Eye].
’To be in charge of a Thousand Knowledge Sect outpost, Lin Yuesheng’s Talent Root Bone must be outstanding. I wonder if this [Eagle Eye] Talent enhances his ability to size people up or if it just refers to his ordinary Eye Power.’
"Master Lin, I’ve come today because I have some questions for you," Lu Changfeng said, getting straight to the point.
Lin Yuesheng nodded. "Please, ask away, Master Lu. Your Swordsmanship is superb, and I admire it greatly. I’m willing to answer three questions for you, free of charge, on any topic within my power to answer."
’So these are the perks of being famous? No wonder everyone loved to grind reputation in the games I used to play. Games really do reflect reality.’
Lu Changfeng didn’t stand on ceremony. "In that case, thank you, Master Lin."
After a brief pause, he continued, "My first question is: which faction addresses someone as ’Saint Master’?"
Lin Yuesheng closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "The title ’Saint Master’... a few factions in the Song Country’s Martial Arts Realm use it. But if we exclude the minor ones, then there is only one... the Saint Demon Sect!"
’The Saint Demon Sect?’ Lu Changfeng’s expression remained impassive, but inwardly he was shocked.
’Saint Master... Isn’t the leader of the Saint Demon Sect called the Sect Leader?’
"My second question is: what is the origin of the Saint Master within the Saint Demon Sect?"
Perhaps anticipating the question, Lin Yuesheng answered quickly this time.
"The Saint Master of the Saint Demon Sect was indeed a real person. The founder of the Saint Demon Sect, nearly ten thousand years ago in Ancient Times, was the Saint Master. However, the Saint Master vanished shortly thereafter."
"But since then, a new Saint Master has emerged within the Saint Demon Sect every so often, claiming to be the reincarnation of the original. They then lead the Saint Demon Sect to instigate great conflicts throughout the Martial Arts Realm."
"Historically, whenever a Saint Master has reappeared in the Saint Demon Sect, the Martial Arts Realm of Song Country has been plunged into great turmoil."
Lu Changfeng listened and pondered. ’Then how could I have been mistaken for the Saint Master? I’m definitely not a reincarnation... or maybe ’reincarnation’ is just a pretext.’
’Or could it be... that the woman at the bottom of Fengtian Lake was the true, founding Saint Master? It’s not like anyone specified whether the Saint Master was male or female, right?’
"Third question: was the Saint Master who founded the Saint Demon Sect a man or a woman?" Lu Changfeng asked.
Lin Yuesheng paused, then shook his head. "I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that. My apologies. That question won’t count. Lu the Swordsman, you may ask another question for free."
’He doesn’t know?’ Lu Changfeng was slightly disappointed.
However, even if he couldn’t confirm the legendary Saint Master’s gender, he was almost certain that the Saint Demon Sect mistaking him for their leader was inextricably linked to the mark on his forehead.
"Alright, for my new third question, give me a comprehensive overview of the Saint Demon Sect’s current strength."
"I imagine this information isn’t much of a secret, so please be as thorough as possible. It will save me the trouble of researching it myself."
Lin Yuesheng nodded. "It seems Lu the Swordsman has recently run into some trouble involving the Saint Demon Sect."
"In that case, I will give you a detailed introduction."
Lin Yuesheng began to explain.
The Saint Demon Sect, along with Yunfo Temple and the Divine Sword Sect, are known as the three top-tier Sects of the Song Country.
Their long history and immense power far surpass those of other Sects and factions.
Among the Three Major Sects, the Divine Sword Sect is located in Jiangnan Prefecture, and Yunfo Temple is in the Capital Region.
The Saint Demon Sect, however, does not have a fixed headquarters.
While it lacks a permanent base, it does have designated gathering places.
These gathering places are known as Demon Caves. The location of the Demon Cave changes from time to time, with the Sect Leader deciding on the new site.
Rumor has it that the establishment of a new Demon Cave signifies that the Saint Demon Sect is planning a major move.
Ostensibly, the Saint Demon Sect’s structure consists of one Sect Leader, four Vice Sect Leaders, and the Nine Great Demon Sects beneath them.
The Sect Leader, Vice Sect Leaders, and the leaders of the Nine Great Demon Sects—the Nine Demon Kings—all have the authority to accept Disciples and teach them the Saint Demon Technique.
Today, while the Saint Demon Sect remains one of the legendary Three Major Sects in the Jianghu,
it is nowhere near as active as it once was. In the past, the Saint Demon Sect’s sphere of influence extended far beyond just the Song Country.
Its Disciples are now rarely seen in the Jianghu. According to the Thousand Knowledge Sect, all four Vice Sect Leader positions in the Saint Demon Sect are currently vacant.
Below the Sect Leader, only the Six Great Demon Sects remain active.
As for the other three, it is unknown whether their lineages were broken or if they simply vanished. In any case, they have not appeared in the world for a very long time.
"So, does that mean the Saint Demon Sect has become extremely weak?" Lu Changfeng asked, breathing a small sigh of relief.
Lin Yuesheng shook his head. "A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Saint Demon Sect remains exceedingly powerful. Each of its Demon Sects possesses terrifying strength, with a single one being comparable to an entire ordinary Sect."
"When you combine the power of the Six Great Demon Sects and their enigmatic Sect Leader, their collective strength is something no other Sect can withstand, save for the Divine Sword Sect and Yunfo Temple."
"Lu the Swordsman, if you have provoked the Saint Demon Sect, it would be wise to find a way to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. Otherwise, you’ll only be inviting future trouble."