Master Yiye could not help but sigh deeply. In a solemn and earnest tone, he said, "Gale Four Fiends, your sins are grave. Yet even now, it is not too late to take refuge in the Buddha."
At that moment, Ling Xian'er, seeing Qian Ming and Xin Feng speak so disrespectfully to Master Yiye—a revered monk of virtue in the martial world—could no longer restrain her anger. She stepped forward from the crowd and said to the Gale Four Fiends,
"There is a saying in Buddhism: Though heaven's rain falls wide, it does not nourish rootless grass; though the Buddha's path is vast, it does not save those without affinity. You four are truly beyond redemption!"
Fengyun Sanniang, Qin Hong, scoffed coldly. "You have quite a sharp tongue, young lady. We wander the jianghu—who among us doesn't carry a few lives on our hands? Those with stronger skills kill more; those less skilled die. That is the rule of the martial world. As for karma, reincarnation, the six paths—we don't believe in such things. People are already dead—what can you do to us?"
Master Yiye, with Buddha in his heart, spoke aloud, "Amitabha. The ancients said: All men err; to correct one's faults is the greatest virtue. The Buddha also teaches: Lay down the butcher's knife, and one may instantly attain enlightenment."
Wu Tong, having roamed the jianghu for many years, felt deeply moved upon hearing the monk's compassionate words. With a light tap of his foot, he leapt forward and landed beside Master Yiye. Bowing respectfully, he said,
"I am Wu Tong, Hall Master of Zhongyi Hall. Today, it is my great fortune to witness the bearing of such a venerable senior."
Master Yiye returned the gesture with palms joined. "My disciple Wang Yun's blood feud was avenged only because Hall Master Wu upheld justice in the martial world. Your righteousness and integrity earn both my gratitude and admiration."
Wu Tong then turned to face the Gale Four Fiends and said coldly, "If you do not repent and continue your evil deeds, retribution will surely come."
But the Gale Four Fiends, wicked and depraved though they were, possessed formidable martial skills. How could they be persuaded by mere words?
Their leader, Wang Bao, snorted. "Since the Gale Four Fiends have come here, we are naturally unafraid."
With a tap of his foot, his body shot forward. In an instant, he drew his blade and lunged at Wu Tong with a fierce slash. Wu Tong, already prepared, sidestepped gracefully like a dragon swimming through water. After a few exchanges, he retreated several zhang, his figure flickering like a celestial dragon.
Wu Tong thought to himself: A gentleman exhausts virtue; a petty man exhausts strength. Without drawing my blade, it will be hard to command respect.
He declared sternly, "The Buddha saves only those with affinity—those without cannot be saved."
As his words ended, his right hand flashed—he drew the Wolong Saber from his back.
Wang Bao's sudden attack had failed. Now, seeing Wu Tong draw his blade, his heart trembled. His earlier strikes had not even grazed a single hair—proof of Wu Tong's terrifying skill. Even this proud leader began to sweat.
Facing the famed Wolong Saber technique, his own Asura Saber could hardly display its power. He shot a glance at his companions and shouted urgently, "Second, third, fourth—draw your weapons!"
Qian Ming, Qin Hong, and Xin Feng had already taken up their steel blades. Qian Ming and Qin Hong attacked from the right, while Xin Feng and Wang Bao advanced from the left, forming a pincer assault.
Wu Tong responded with a single move—"Two-Sided, Three-Bladed Strike." Though the motion appeared simple, its timing and angles were flawless. His saber was heavy yet swift as lightning.
With one sweeping strike, a surge of force knocked aside two blades at once—cutting and deflecting in a single motion.
In just that one exchange, the Gale Four Fiends were thrown into disarray. Forced into defense, they found no chance to attack. Wu Tong, facing four opponents alone, displayed overwhelming dominance.
Clang after clang rang out. Suddenly, his saber swept across—
A flash of cold light!
The blade passed before their chests. The four felt a chill pierce their bones, their souls nearly scattering. They leapt backward in panic, retreating several zhang, drenched in cold sweat.
At this point, the outcome was obvious.
Wu Tong stood with his saber held horizontally, majestic as a god descended.
A chilling thought crossed their minds:
"When the Wolong Saber is drawn, no demon can stand against it."
Their backs broke into a cold sweat.
Just as despair gripped them, the piercing sound of a suona rose in the air, accompanied by drums and gongs. A procession approached slowly, a fragrant scent carried on the wind.
Soon, a carriage arrived. From it stepped a middle-aged woman dressed in purple silk—elegant and imposing. Two of her attendants, Meihua and Juhua, cried out loudly,
"The Holy Mother of the West has arrived!"
It was the Western Sacred Sect, arriving in grand display. Their followers knelt and chanted in unison:
"Though the world is void, who says there is no suffering?The Holy Mother descends in the West.Under heaven and upon earth,The Western Sacred Sect shall endure for eternity!The Western Sacred Sect rises with the winds and waters,Dominating all beneath heaven.The Holy Mother aids all under heaven,Answering cries and relieving suffering!"
Chen Jinfeng, the Holy Mother of the West, strode forward with arrogant poise.
The Gale Four Fiends, now defeated, dared not boast. Wang Bao, grasping at hope like a drowning man clutching straw, shouted,
"Holy Mother of the West—help us!"
Chen Jinfeng had not come by chance. She had a deal with them—to abduct women here and sell them to the Yan army. She said coldly,
"Wu Tong, do not rely on the Wolong Saber to bully the Gale Four Fiends."
Wu Tong swept his gaze over them, then fixed it on Chen Jinfeng. "You again? Back to your shameless trade?"
Chen Jinfeng, cruel as a serpent, snapped, "What my Western Sacred Sect does is none of your concern!"
Wu Tong replied coldly, "Do you not know that Nangong Yan of Xianhou Palace has already fallen beneath my Wolong Saber? Since you are here—would you care to exchange a few moves?"
Chen Jinfeng's face turned ashen. Though her power had grown, she knew well the unmatched brilliance of the Wolong Saber technique. Against a blade, she had little confidence.
Still, she could not swallow this humiliation.
She said coldly, "Why not put down your saber and fight me barehanded—do you dare?"