The name of the Seven Absolute Masters of the Setting Sun was now known by everyone in the martial arts world, with no one left unaware. People saw that only four had come to Golden Wave Pavilion today. Apart from Swift Bodyguard Pang Liangji, who had already washed his hands in a golden basin and retired from the jianghu, neither the eldest Blue-Robed Guest nor the seventh Silk Brocade Young Master had come.
Chen Shigu had lived his entire life as an independent spirit, never formally establishing a sect or school, nor ever calling himself a sect leader. His martial arts cultivation could be called unrivaled under heaven, yet he regarded the reputation and prestige that martial artists valued most as worthless as dung, considering himself merely a tomb raider.
After his death, the martial world tacitly acknowledged that Blue-Robed Guest, who ranked highest, was the head of Setting Sun Academy. Later, when Donkey-Riding Lady became famous in one battle that shook all four directions, the head willingly led her donkey for her, while the other six absolutes formed ranks behind to assist and finish off enemies. That red-clothed young woman had already become the new symbol of Setting Sun Academy.
Now none of those who could represent Setting Sun Academy in making decisions had arrived. The second, third, fourth, and fifth ranked members sat there boldly, making the leaders of several sects uncertain how they should pay their respects. Abbot Huijue of White Camel Temple humbly restrained himself and was the first to rise, placing his palms together and bowing respectfully to Xu Baozhen.
“I have long admired the great name of Master Xu, leader of Tower Observatory Sect. Meeting you today is truly the fortune of three lifetimes. This poor monk is Huijue of White Camel Temple, and I pay my respects here.”
Since Dong Zhenzi had already established his own sect, by rights his seniority should be equal to other sect leaders, so such a greeting could be considered fair and reasonable. The other sect masters, gang leaders, and gate heads followed Huijue’s lead in paying their respects.
Xu Baozhen calmly accepted this, stood up and cupped his hands, with an expression of someone getting exactly what they deserved. Tuoba Sanniang disdainfully rolled her eyes, while the other two didn’t make a sound. Luo Tuotuo saw the table filled with exquisite vegetarian dishes and without a word, planted his monk’s staff deep into the green bricks beside him and began devouring the food as if no one else were present.
All the leaders who had come to pay respects wondered whether they could have driven that monk’s staff so deep, and whether they would still have an appetite to eat.
Master Ziyang and Xu Baozhen sized each other up. Both were dressed as Taoist priests, with crane-like bones and pine-like bearing, flowing wide sleeves, each holding a ceremonial whisk, appearing at first glance to be otherworldly and transcendent. However, Master Ziyang wore simple clothing in a plain blue Taoist robe, while Xu Baozhen ostentatiously wore gorgeous purple ceremonial robes.
After exchanging a few polite words, everyone returned to their seats. Elder Huijue looked grave as he spoke directly and slowly: “Fellow heroes, this old monk has heard that Donkey-Riding Lady has disappeared in Luoyang, and Setting Sun Academy, in searching for her, has stirred up a storm of blood and violence in the city. In just a few short days, dozens have already died violent deaths. Regardless of the outcome, such actions are a tragedy for the martial world and suffering for the common people. Though White Camel Temple dwells apart from worldly affairs, we cannot bear to see such tragedy. This old monk humbly requests that you all temporarily set aside murderous intent. Though White Camel Temple does not involve itself in worldly grudges, we are willing to contribute our modest efforts to assist Setting Sun Academy in searching for the missing person, as a show of sincerity. I hope you will all think thrice and value harmony above all.”
As soon as the old monk finished speaking, sharp laughter like that of malicious ghosts suddenly rang out in Golden Wave Pavilion’s great hall.
Tuoba Sanniang threw back her head and laughed loudly, her laughter full of disdain. She called out loudly: “Tragedy for the martial world? Suffering for the common people? So all those kidnappers, evil cultists, brothel keepers and madams, corrupt merchants profiting from human trafficking that we killed – they’re all good citizens protected by your orthodox sects? This lady has slaughtered her way through eighteen brothels and pleasure houses. Elder Huijue is so anxious to make peace – could it be that the three elders of White Camel Temple frequently patronize one of them? I don’t know which of your lovers I’ve hurt, but Sanniang should apologize to that sister.”
Pipa Sound Demon’s temperament was violent as fire. Her words were pressing and aggressive, with that last sentence openly insulting the abbot. Hearing this, dozens of monks from White Camel Temple immediately changed expression, creating an uproar. Each glared with fury, wishing they could immediately show this insolent woman some consequences.
Huijue had spent decades devoted to meditation and had a steady temperament. He wasn’t angered by Tuoba Sanniang’s provocation, raising his hand to stop his disciples and saying slowly: “All beings are equal. Even those fallen into the hell of mud and crime, as long as they can sincerely repent, still have the chance to reform and start anew. Setting Sun Academy is the same. The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back leads to shore. Using killing to stop killing is definitely not the righteous path and should not be taken.”
Xu Baozhen took up the conversation, saying coldly: “Elder Huijue speaks with great righteousness, yet these people have been committing crimes in Luoyang for many years while you turned a blind eye, nurturing the carbuncle and harboring the disease, only for superficial peace. Now that we’ve taken action to clean up these chronic ailments, you’ve become panicked instead. I’m afraid it’s not for the sake of harmony, but because you fear Setting Sun Academy will use this to establish prestige and shake your foundations in Luoyang.”
Dong Zhenzi’s words hit the nail on the head, striking right at the hearts of both righteous and unorthodox people. The martial forces in the Yellow River region were in a delicate balance, and Setting Sun Seven Absolutes inserting themselves under the pretext of searching for someone naturally made people suspicious. Setting Sun Academy had always acted ruthlessly with many experts among them. No one dared to make enemies with them alone. The righteous path still held hope for negotiated coexistence, while many in the unorthodox path were calculating plans to attack together.
However, only four people had come from the other side. Facing opponents a hundred times their number, their momentum didn’t fall behind at all. Each person had the bearing of a sect master, seeming to have victory assured, which was truly puzzling. For a moment, no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.
Zhou Zi’an of Songyang Academy saw this and spoke: “Fellow heroes, when water is too clear, there are no fish; when people are too perceptive, they have no followers. Between the righteous and unorthodox paths, there naturally exist many gray areas. Even among the greenwood bandits, there are heroes like Master Chen who rob tombs and don’t walk conventional paths. If we truly encounter great villains and eliminate them, that would naturally be acting for heaven and performing chivalrous justice, and we would have no second thoughts. However, many of the businesses Setting Sun Academy has destroyed are legal. Even if government offices came to investigate, they couldn’t find fault. For you to occupy the high ground of virtue and morality while speaking so righteously is really…”
He deliberately didn’t finish his words, shaking his head and sighing, subtly mocking that Setting Sun Academy was originally despicable heretical evil that shouldn’t meddle in others’ business.
Qiu Ren spat and said loudly: “Who’s acting for heaven and performing chivalrous justice with you people? Starting from Master, Setting Sun Academy never considered itself any kind of damn heroes or champions. We’re neither benevolent nor conscientious. What we can’t stand most is your hypocritical faces full of righteousness and morality. Not to mention anything else, you old monks have eaten vegetarian food and chanted Buddhist sutras in temples, practicing asceticism for decades, but I haven’t heard of any who achieved great enlightenment and became Buddha on the spot because of it. Master Ziyang puts on great airs, but I haven’t seen any ability to transform and become immortal. Yet these youths playing Guanyin can ‘ascend to immortality’ every year. Don’t you find this strange?”
Elder Huicong and Elder Huiding of White Camel Temple, along with Master Duanchen, all showed ashamed expressions upon hearing this, sighing deeply and falling silent.
As the most prestigious ancestral temple in the martial world, White Camel Temple had actually long harbored suspicions about the city patrol and ascension to immortality affairs. However, they only began sending people to investigate after multiple disappearances, which was already acting slowly. Moreover, Master Duanchen had investigated for a year without discovering any clues. Now it was actually a group of tomb-robbing heretics who stepped forward to pursue this suspicious case. As paragons of the righteous path, they truly felt like sitting on pins and needles, deeply ashamed.
Xu the Second, Sanniang, and Qiu the Fourth engaged in verbal sparring, leaving White Camel Temple, Lotus Flower Sect, and Ziyang Sect speechless. Beggar Gang leader Gao Taiping was usually the most shrewd, but today he was unusually silent for some reason.
Seeing this, Wei Xiangrong, gate master of Yique Gate, called out loudly: “The city patrol is a century-old tradition in our Luoyang, and has nothing to do with outsiders. That Donkey-Riding Lady could serve as Guanyin’s servant because the Bodhisattva favored her. Whether she could ascend to immortality afterward depends entirely on individual fortune. When Swift Bodyguard married, many people from Central Plains martial arts went to congratulate him and give wedding gifts. Everyone personally witnessed Donkey-Riding Lady’s abilities – she single-handedly challenged the entire Rakshasa Bird sect. What kind of kidnappers could abduct such an expert? You use this excuse to frame and make false accusations, launching sneak attacks – you clearly have ulterior motives!”
Yique Gate had two halls in Luoyang city attacked by Setting Sun Academy with heavy casualties. Wei Xiangrong was full of anger, secretly gripping his blade handle, just waiting for someone to lead the charge so they could swarm forward together. Who would have thought that no one was willing to risk their lives to fill the pit? Despite having the advantage of a hundred to one, everyone just sat there debating, which was truly frustrating.
When Tuoba Sanniang heard the eight words “frame and make false accusations, launching sneak attacks,” she plucked the qin strings with a “twang” and said shrilly: “This lady always openly walks through the front door when seeking revenge and causing trouble. I only accept assassination contracts for money – one hundred taels of gold per head. Did you pay? And you still want to hire me for assassination? What a joke!”
Her qin notes and voice were sharp and piercing, like fingernails scraping stone slabs, making everyone’s heads buzz. Wei Xiangrong bore the brunt of it, immediately feeling his dantian qi and blood roiling, nearly vomiting from discomfort.
Huijue, Huiyuan, and Huiding – the three elders – along with Master Ziyang and other top martial experts in the jianghu had seen much of the world. They detected extremely deep internal power contained in her voice. If she played her qin without restraint, anyone in the surrounding crowd with slightly weaker martial skills would be firmly suppressed by her. Such a formidable person could only rank third in Setting Sun Academy.
With a “bang,” someone on the other side of the great hall slammed the table and stood up – it was Yin Shu, chief of Dragon Gate Society. His shop businesses in the South Market had been seriously affected by this turmoil. Though there were no casualties, they hadn’t dared open for business these past days, not only suffering huge losses but also receiving mockery and ridicule from competitors.
Yin Shu had a hot temper and spoke without restraint. Unable to bear it any longer, he shouted: “Everyone stop wasting words with these scoundrels! Let’s charge together and hack them to death to rid the martial world of these pests!”
Tuoba Sanniang laughed: “Come on! Whoever kills Xu the Second, this lady will pay him one hundred taels of gold, then I’ll become Tuoba the Second Lady.”
Xu Baozhen frowned slightly, showing some displeasure, and asked: “I’m only worth one hundred taels?”
Tuoba Sanniang replied: “Fair dealing with no deception, fixed prices. Except for Wei Da, everyone else’s head is worth one hundred.”
Xu Baozhen thought about it and calmly accepted this.
No one understood what these few sentences meant. Yin Shu, seeing that provocation failed, thought to make them attack first so they could justifiably start fighting. He deliberately cursed: “You unfilial disciples, evil demons and heretics, I f*ck your ancestors!”
After cursing, he rolled up his sleeves and glared furiously, waiting for both sides to clash. Who would have thought the people from Setting Sun Academy didn’t care at all? Xu Baozhen calmly poured and drank wine, while Luo Tuotuo composedly buried his head in eating.
Qiu Ren laughed heartily: “Evil demons and heretics isn’t wrong. Fortunately we few are all unfilial disciples. If we were even three parts more like Old Chen, with just you people here today, you’d still think you could walk out this door intact?”
Tuoba Sanniang had originally wanted to end Yin Shu’s life with one blade, but unexpectedly discovered he had beautifully tattooed arms with brilliant colors and exquisite detailed designs. She couldn’t help but look twice more. While looking, she said carelessly: “We don’t even know who our parents are, so who knows which ancestors they are? You love f*cking bone fragments – you’re even more disgusting than the Fourth.”
Hearing this, Yin Shu flew into a rage. He drew out eight dragon-head steel darts and threw them with both hands, hurling them forcefully at her. Each steel dart weighed half a jin and was Dragon Gate Society’s signature weapon, heavy and powerful.
Tuoba Sanniang’s expression didn’t change. Her waist twisted and her entire body moved like a ghost, sliding backward in an incredibly strange and unbelievable footwork technique without even lifting the hem of her skirt. Everyone only saw a blur before she had already flashed like a phantom behind Luo Tuotuo.
Fire-Strength Warrior’s body was thick and sturdy as a giant tree, making an extremely large target. All eight steel darts embedded in his body. Seeing this, everyone was stunned – first amazed by Pipa Sound Demon’s exquisite lightness skill and movement technique, which was simply unheard of; second shocked that she would actually use her own sect brother as a human shield, such unconscionable behavior was truly unexpected.
Luo Tuotuo suddenly suffered a hidden weapon attack, wine and water on the table splashing everywhere. He casually brushed at his body as if driving away mosquitoes and flies, and the eight steel darts fell to the ground with clanging sounds. His hundred-patch robe was cut open in many places by the sharp hidden weapons, revealing the knotted muscles underneath. Far from injuring bone and flesh, not even the skin was scratched in the slightest. Having been framed by his senior sister, Luo Tuotuo didn’t even lift an eyelid. After shaking off the steel darts, he picked up his bowl and continued eating in large mouthfuls.
Yin Shu stood frozen in place with shock on his face, uncertain whether he should continue using techniques or admit defeat.
Tuoba Sanniang acted as if nothing had happened, gracefully emerging from behind Luo Tuotuo. She unhurriedly drew out three flying knives and reminded him with a smile, squeezing her voice: “Now it’s my turn to throw hidden weapons. Chief Yin, be careful!”
Hidden weapons’ killing effect relies entirely on catching opponents off guard and attacking when they’re unprepared. Deliberately giving verbal warning like this was obviously intentional testing of skills. Yin Shu didn’t dare blink, concentrating fully on watching her movements. He saw Tuoba Sanniang lightly shake her wrist and casually toss them like scattering beans.
Yin Shu saw the flying knives’ trajectory and hurriedly used movement techniques to dodge. The flying knives brushed past his body and embedded in the wall behind him – one pinned his collar while another stuck in the robe under his arm. When Yin Shu moved and pulled hard, his clothes tore, revealing a full body of fine tattoos showing fish leaping over dragon gates, magnificent and lifelike.
“Oh…”
Tuoba Sanniang’s eyes immediately lit up, gazing at his tattoos with tender affection, an indescribable smile appearing at her lips. Qiu Ren saw that Pipa Sound Demon rarely showed mercy, and noticing the strange expression on her face, had already guessed what caught her eye and softly hissed.
Yin Shu was puzzled. He had clearly seen her holding three flying knives, but now only two had appeared. Had the remaining one missed? While pondering this, suddenly a stream of scalding hot liquid poured down from above his head, followed by heart-piercing burning pain that made him wail in agony.
It turned out the first two flying knives were just decoys, designed to lure Yin Shu into dodging toward the position Sanniang had planned. The third flying knife had severed the oil lamp on the wall, and a lamp full of hot oil poured down on his head, scalding his entire head and face with blisters, leaving him in an extremely wretched state. This move was truly exquisite beyond compare. Everyone present understood that if Pipa Sound Demon had really wanted to take Yin Shu’s life just now, he would certainly have been doomed.
Just as the great hall was in noisy chaos, a disheveled, pale and thin little beggar silently squeezed in from outside the door. He carried a dirty leather pouch, his messy hair covering most of his face, his blue robe tattered and filthy. Everyone assumed he was an ordinary Beggar Gang disciple who had arrived late, and no one gave him a second glance.
However, Xu Baozhen, Tuoba Sanniang, Qiu Ren, and Luo Tuotuo instantly became alert, and the four heroes rose to greet him.
They saw this destitute beggar youth walk directly toward the main seat as if no one else existed. Under everyone’s astonished gazes, he sat down between the three elders of White Camel Temple and Master Ziyang.
Author’s Note: Tuoba Sanniang once had a beautiful name “Pengshan,” which she discarded upon entering Setting Sun Academy, deciding to follow dynamic ranking and call herself whatever number lady based on her position, with the goal of becoming Tuoba the First Lady. She joined relatively late and doesn’t actually rank third. Among the other sect members, basically those who practiced longer had higher martial skills, but she alone had talent no less than Wei Xun’s, with even stronger ambition, so she could surpass the original ranking.
Her name became ordinary, but she finally grasped agency over herself.
There are many internal settings, like the backgrounds and origins of each Setting Sun Academy member, and the names of Dusk Mist Wave Palm techniques. Due to space limitations, they won’t all be stuffed into the main text.