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“Left Deputy Leader, you have been here for a while. Is there something you need to discuss?” Lu Chen asked, surprised, as he walked out of the Eternal Life Palace towards Zuo Zixiong.
Zuo Zixiong lowered his head, looking somewhat troubled. “Master, I have been waiting here specifically for you. There are some matters that I must discuss with you in person.”
“Oh, waiting specifically for me? What is so important that the Vice Sect Leader has been waiting here?” Lu Chen asked, sensing something unusual in Zuo Zixiong's tone.
“I would like to ask the Master to revoke my appointment and dismiss me from the position of Vice Sect Leader. I am old and frail, and my abilities are limited; I truly cannot bear such heavy responsibilities,” Zuo Zixiong said awkwardly.
Lu Chen frowned, taking two steps forward and leaning against the corridor at the entrance of the Eternal Life Palace. He said slowly, “Left Deputy Leader, your concerns must be related to Ye Chong, right? I am well aware of the Ye Family and their associates. Even without your involvement, Ye Chong's rebellion was only a matter of time. He has ambitions; even without you, he would still act as he has now. Therefore, for the sake of the Holy Sect, he must die.”
“Alas,” Zuo Zixiong sighed and continued, “This matter indeed has a significant connection to me. Initially, a group of merchants from the Southern Seven States came over without paying us any protection fees and even injured our brothers. I have already investigated their background; it is related to the Martial Arts Association. Because this matter is serious, I wanted to wait for the Master to return before handling it. However, time dragged on without us receiving any protection fees, leading to widespread discontent among our higher-ups. I never expected things would escalate to this point, resulting in even Ye Chong and Grand Flagmaster's deaths.”
Zuo Zixiong's tone was filled with regret and self-blame; it turned out that the root of all these issues was connected to the Martial Arts Association.
Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback, his eyes revealing a sense of urgency. “The Martial Arts Association? I never expected that such a simple matter would involve Young Master Ming as well and slap our Holy Sect in the face. It seems I should pay a visit to that so-called neutral Young Master Ming.”
“Left Deputy Leader, please tell me more about the details of this situation. Does the other party know that we sent disciples from the Holy Sect to collect protection fees?” Lu Chen did not turn around but slightly adjusted his head, his tone serious.
“Our disciples do not change their names or surnames; they must know who we are. However, it is my first time encountering such brazen merchants who refuse to pay protection fees. They are incredibly disrespectful,” Zuo Zixiong said with some anger.
Protection fees are essentially local bribes; any merchant arriving in an area must symbolically pay a small amount for protection from the local Red Robe Sect, regardless of their background.
The protection fees are also one of the economic sources for the Red Robe Sect; each branch typically collects thousands of taels of silver annually.
Zuo Zixiong swallowed hard and continued, “Here’s what happened: it took place at Anzhou on the border between the Southern Seven States and Eastern Seven States. Previously, there were no such merchants in this area, but they suddenly appeared and caused a huge impact on local businesses in a short time. One can imagine their background is not simple. When our disciples went to collect protection fees, they claimed to be under the protection of the Martial Arts Association. Not only did they refuse to pay but they also clashed with our disciples and injured them. Because of this incident, members of the Ye Family wanted me to go to Anzhou and show the Martial Arts Association some authority. However, considering both our Holy Sect's reputation and that of the Martial Arts Association, I suppressed the matter down; you know what happened afterward.”
“Anzhou? That is our territory. The sudden arrival of these merchants has indeed disrupted local markets; it seems their background is substantial,” Lu Chen hesitated as he spoke.
Zuo Zixiong had indeed handled this matter poorly, causing most of the disciples to feel embarrassed, which led to their dissatisfaction with him and ultimately became the catalyst for Ye Chong's breakfast incident.
"Leader," Zuo Zixiong called out from the side.
However, his words were interrupted by Lu Chen, who waved his hand and said, "Left Deputy Leader, I know what you want. Let's put this matter aside for now. The business under the Martial Arts Association has bullied our people, and we must regain our dignity. I plan to go there personally."
At this point, Lu Chen paused as if contemplating something. After a long while, he continued, "Left Deputy Leader, if you wish to resign, I won't stop you. But let's wait a bit longer; first, let's deal with that issue, and then we can discuss your situation."
After much thought, Lu Chen managed to say something that could temporarily appease Zuo Zixiong. Cultivating a Vice Sect Leader was not easy, especially one who was loyal; where else could they find such a suitable candidate?
Hearing this, Zuo Zixiong reluctantly nodded and said, "Alright then, I'll listen to the Leader. Let's handle the Martial Arts Association's matter first. What are your plans?"
"Here's what we'll do: you will send orders to Ye Xuan, Ye Hui, Ye Zhong, and the three Grand Flagmasters. Prepare everyone; we will head to the Southern Seven States tomorrow. Additionally, have the disciples from the Branch over there assist us. I want to see just how formidable the business under the Martial Arts Association really is."
After giving his instructions, Lu Chen returned alone to the Eternal Life Palace and sat on the Throne, contemplating the situation.
It seemed necessary for him to visit the Southern Seven States since this matter involved the Martial Arts Association, which was no ordinary force. The local Branch and Zuo Zixiong did not dare to act without permission.
Zuo Zixiong was right; it was indeed a tumultuous time. Making enemies was not a wise choice; being able to maintain one's strength and stay safe was the best approach.
However, since the Martial Arts Association dared to slap Red Robe Sect in the face, they needed to teach Young Master Ming a lesson, Lu Chen thought.
Initially, he wanted to inform Sun Zizhao first but decided against it after some consideration. Although Sun Zizhao had obtained the parchment from Young Master Ming, there must be some connection between them. But who exactly was Young Master Ming? Sun Zizhao would need to pay a price; otherwise, how could he possibly obtain anything from him?
A night passed without incident. Lu Chen rested peacefully in the Eternal Life Palace until morning.
On the second day, Vice Sect Leader Zuo Zixiong along with Ye Xuan, Ye Hui, Ye Zhong, and the three Grand Flagmasters were already waiting early at the entrance of Eternal Life Palace.
As the gate of the Eternal Life Palace opened, everyone fell silent, lowering their heads and daring not to speak.
Lu Chen, exuding an imposing presence, stepped forward and asked, "Are you all ready?"
"We are ready and can set off immediately," Zuo Zixiong replied respectfully with a bow.
Lu Chen glanced meaningfully at Zuo Zixiong before waving his hand and saying, "Alright, let's go. We will head to Anzhou right away."
With that, the group descended the stone steps, moving from Skeleton Palace to outside Headquarters, where a carriage and several horses had been prepared. Additionally, a few disciples from Headquarters would accompany them to assist along the way.
Once Lu Chen and the core members departed, all matters within Headquarters were entrusted to the Five Great Masters. However, Lu Chen did not worry about this at all.
The Five Great Masters had average cultivation levels and no intentions of rebellion, so Lu Chen could completely trust them with the affairs of the sect.
Lu Chen climbed into the carriage and settled in while a disciple took the reins. The others mounted their horses, and soon the group set off.
The team advanced along the rugged paths of Wind Blinder Archipelago, surrounded by lush trees and pure air.
These rugged paths were kept secret, known only to those within the Cult. Even during the last sweep of the islands by Defender of the Realm Huangfu Xin, these hidden routes had gone unnoticed.
After several days of traversing through the mountains and forests, they finally reached solid ground. They rested for a night in a coastal city, changing horses and adjusting their conditions.
On the second day, the team continued their journey. After several hours of swift riding, they crossed through Eastern Seven States and entered Anzhou territory.
The map of Eastern Seven States is oriented vertically, with the seven major states arranged in a vertical line. Therefore, crossing Eastern Seven States did not take much time. With everyone riding fast horses, they completed the journey in less than two or three hours.
Upon entering Anzhou territory, local disciples from Red Robe Sect Branch quickly came to greet them and guided Lu Chen and his companions directly to the local Branch.
Disciples of the Red Robe Sect are lurking in various places, not only in tea houses in the city but also in the forests along the official roads in the wilderness, or in well-known strategic locations. This distribution allows them to accurately and quickly gather information from all sides, demonstrating the Red Robe Sect's grasp of intelligence.
Therefore, as soon as Lu Chen and the others entered Anzhou, they were immediately discovered by local disciples who provided timely assistance.
Subsequently, under the guidance of a Branch disciple, the convoy drove into the mountains about thirty miles from Anzhou City. Amidst the vast greenery, numerous tile-roofed buildings appeared; this was the largest Branch of the Red Robe Sect within Anzhou.
As soon as the convoy arrived at the entrance of the complex, over a dozen high-ranking members of the Branch came to greet them.
Lu Chen got off the carriage and surveyed the layout of the Branch. He noticed many defensive structures and new buildings under construction, indicating that the Branch was growing.
Approximately a thousand Cult disciples were gathered here. Since it was less than thirty miles from Anzhou City, any sudden changes in Anzhou City could be swiftly supported within an hour or two.
Moreover, being situated deep within the mountains made it safe from officials. Even if they had many personnel, it would be impossible for them to conduct a widespread search in such areas, ensuring a high level of security.
The Branch Leader was a bearded giant dressed in a red jacket and wearing a red scarf. He appeared boisterous but exuded an undeniable authority.
Though he seemed rough around the edges, he was meticulous in his actions and had unique insights, which explained how he attained the position of Branch Leader.
Under his leadership, they entered the tile-roofed buildings and arrived at the conference hall.
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