Tan Wei was slightly taken aback to see the Wine-and-Meat Monk bow so humbly in apology. She could not help but turn her head to glance at Li Jian.
Li Jian smiled faintly, then looked toward the Beggar Sect disciples and spoke aloud, his voice clear and composed:"Brothers of the Beggar Sect, as we roam the jianghu, conflicts are inevitable. What happened today may well have arisen from misunderstanding. Since they have acknowledged their fault and expressed remorse, and since our Beggar Sect prides itself on broad-mindedness and tolerance, why not let this matter rest? Let us turn great matters into small ones, and small ones into nothing—granting each side a way to step down with dignity. What say you?"
The Wine-and-Meat Monk remained kneeling, head lowered, utterly motionless. His sincerity was unmistakable—beads of sweat had even begun to form upon his brow. Though inwardly anxious, he dared not act rashly, fearing that the slightest misstep would leave no room for reconciliation.
The Beggar Sect's newly appointed Four Elders—Zhang Feng, Li Wu, Song Ming, and Wu Cheng—exchanged glances, silently communicating their thoughts. At last, Zhang Feng spoke:"Wine-and-Meat Monk, you may rise."
Hearing this, the monk let out a quiet sigh of relief. He quickly rose to his feet, though his demeanor remained humble. Zhang Feng continued:"A wise man knows when to yield. Our Beggar Sect will not pursue this matter further. However, the Four Fiends of the Swift Wind, relying on their martial prowess, have bullied others and acted with arrogance. Not only did they pressure our sect, but when we attempted to mediate on behalf of Master Gao, they even attacked us. Had it not been for this young hero's righteous intervention, our disciples might have suffered grievously today."
Standing to one side, the Four Fiends of the Swift Wind felt their hearts tighten. Secretly, they were grateful that the Wine-and-Meat Monk had intervened; otherwise, the consequences would have been dire. Though infamous in the jianghu, they now faced unfavorable circumstances—only by bending with the wind could they preserve themselves.
At this moment, Li Jian stepped forward, his gaze sharp as a blade. In a low, commanding voice, he said:"Four Fiends of the Swift Wind, the brothers of the Beggar Sect ask—are you willing to let this matter end here? Kindly give your answer."
Wang Bao, leader of the Four Fiends, felt his heart tremble. Cold sweat seeped from his forehead. He knew well that he was no match for Li Jian—the disparity in strength had already been made painfully clear. In such a situation, how could he dare to seek revenge?
Suppressing his humiliation, he quickly cupped his fists in salute, forcing a look of sincerity upon his face as he spoke respectfully:"Today, the Four Fiends of the Swift Wind have greatly offended all present. I, Wang Bao of the Asura Blade, on behalf of my brothers, offer our apologies to the Beggar Sect and to the two young heroes."
The Four Elders of the Beggar Sect exchanged another glance. This time, Li Wu spoke:"We came today at the request of Master Gao, intending to resolve this dispute. If you can promise never again to trouble him, then let this matter end here. Let us turn hostility into friendship—what say you?"
At these words, the Wine-and-Meat Monk cast a meaningful glance at the Four Fiends. Though unwilling, Wang Bao knew he had no better option. He immediately nodded and replied:"As for Master Gao, we shall trouble him no further. We offer our apologies to the Beggar Sect and assure you—we will never again cause disturbance."
Seeing the situation resolved, the Wine-and-Meat Monk rejoiced inwardly. To withdraw at this moment is the best possible outcome.
He cupped his fists and said with a smile:"Brothers of the Beggar Sect, this conclusion brings joy to all. I and the Four Fiends have urgent matters to attend to and cannot remain long. Please forgive our departure."
With that, he signaled with his eyes. The five men saluted in unison, then, without further words, leapt lightly into motion. With a flash of qinggong, they vanished into the jianghu as though they had never been there.
After their departure, Li Jian and Tan Wei approached the Beggar Sect disciples. With respectful expressions, they cupped their fists and said:"I am Li Jian, and this young lady is Tan Wei. Having just assumed the position of Chief of the Hall of Loyalty, we have come to pay our respects to the esteemed seniors of the Beggar Sect."
The Four Elders returned the salute at once. Song Ming smiled warmly and said:"Chief Li is both righteous and formidable. Today, the Beggar Sect gained a great advantage in this confrontation—all thanks to your timely aid."
Li Jian smiled modestly:"You flatter me. How could the Four Fiends compare to the Beggar Sect? Each of your elders possesses extraordinary skill and noble spirit—who in the martial world does not praise you?"
His words delighted the elders, who broke into smiles, clearly pleased.
Tan Wei gave a slight bow and spoke sincerely:"Seniors, we have been sent by our former chief, Master Wu, to pay a visit to Elder Fei. Might you guide us to him?"
The elders exchanged glances once more. At last, Wu Cheng replied:"To speak frankly, Elder Fei and the other elders have already set out for Xuzhou to deal with disputes among the transport guilds. He is not currently at the Beggar Sect headquarters."
Li Jian pondered briefly, then asked:"May I ask if the four of you will also be heading to Xuzhou?"
Song Ming shook his head."We remain here under the Chief's orders. Were it not for Master Gao's matter, we would not have left at all. Now that it is resolved, we must return. We are unable to escort you."
Li Jian and Tan Wei exchanged a glance. Though somewhat disappointed, they took comfort in having learned Elder Fei's whereabouts.
Wu Cheng smiled and added:"Chief Li, Miss Tan, night is approaching. Why not accompany us to Master Gao's residence? He is surely awaiting good news."
They proceeded together to Master Gao's estate. Upon hearing the Beggar Sect's success, Master Gao was overjoyed. He immediately hosted a grand banquet and presented silver as a token of gratitude.
After the feast, everyone dispersed. The Beggar Sect disciples returned to their lodge, while Li Jian and Tan Wei found an inn to rest for the night.
The next day, the two rode out together. Soon they reached a mountain ridge, where rolling peaks surrounded them and a clear stream wound through the valley. The mountain breeze was refreshing, filling one with ease and contentment.
Yet along the road, they saw numerous martial artists traveling in groups, all hurrying toward the same destination.
Li Jian narrowed his eyes and reined in his horse."These people all seem to be heading to the same place. Let's take a look."
As they approached a passerby to inquire, they overheard excited voices:"The Jing Sect, the Manichaean Sect, and the Fire Worship Sect have joined forces with Shaolin to besiege the Martial Demon!"
Another added:"Both sides are gathering on Purple Cloud Mountain—everyone's going there to watch the spectacle!"
An elderly man with graying hair spoke slowly:"The Martial Demon, True Lord of Chaos—his real name is Wu Xiong—once shook the entire martial world. His three great disciples—the Palm Demon Li Fu, the Blade Demon Chen Kun, and the Sword Demon Cai Ming—are now preparing to welcome his return!"
Another informed voice whispered:"Back then, Chief Han Zhen of the Hall of Loyalty united the Jing Sect, Manichaean Sect, Fire Worship Sect, and Shaolin to suppress him. Now that the Martial Demon has returned, he seeks vengeance! The Undying Demon Gu Changming, along with the Ice and Fire Demons, have summoned forces of the demonic path and intend to establish a 'Righteous Alliance' to challenge the orthodox sects once and for all!"
At that moment, a plainly dressed village woman added loudly:"I've heard that True Lord Tuoba Xingge of the True God Palace has also dispatched two Dragon-Tiger Elders and four envoys to lend their strength."
Tan Wei frowned slightly and asked curiously:"Senior, just what kind of figure is this Martial Demon, that the righteous sects would unite to oppose him?"