noffsinger 86. Convention
86. Convention
At the summit of Junji Peak, dawn broke, and the morning glow dyed the sea of clouds red, illuminating the hundreds of excited faces gathered there. After days of intense debate, covert maneuvering, and weighing of interests, the final text of the new Jianghu Covenant was now quietly laid out on the long table carved from a single piece of green jade in the center of the meeting hall.
Lin Mo stood before the long table, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his gaze sweeping over the assembled leaders of various factions below. He no longer saw the fear and wavering he had felt a few days prior when threatened by the four great families, but rather an almost devout anticipation and resolute determination. The restructuring plan acted like the most effective stimulant, firmly uniting everyone's hearts; their aspirations for the future outweighed their fear of the old powers.
"Fellow practitioners," Lin Mo began, his voice steady and clear, piercing the morning mountain breeze and reaching everyone's ears, "after much discussion and overcoming numerous difficulties, the 'New Jianghu Covenant,' which embodies our consensus and aspirations, is finally finalized today. This covenant is not for the private gain of any one sect or faction, but for the common good of the martial arts world, and the foundation for a peaceful future for the Jianghu!"
His voice suddenly rose, carrying the force of metal and stone: "The core of the convention aims to 'break monopolies, equalize opportunities, establish rules, and protect the weak and vulnerable'! From now on, resource pricing will be determined by the Jianghu Resource Coordination Committee, no longer subject to the dictatorship of powerful families! Territorial livelihoods will be redefined according to the new regulations, the strong will not bully the weak, and major factions will not annex! Dispute arbitration will be conducted by the Jianghu Arbitration Court according to the rules, the weak can seek redress, and the strong must abide by the rules! The mutual aid fund will benefit the poor, provide compensation for the injured and deceased, and jointly resist foreign aggression!"
With each clause read aloud, the eyes of the audience brightened, and their breathing quickened. These were not merely clauses; they represented the living space and hope for development they had longed for for far too long.
"Now," Lin Mo's gaze swept across the entire room, "those who agree to this covenant, please step forward and sign your sect's name and pledge, binding yourselves with blood and honor, to uphold this covenant together!"
Before the words were finished, Liu Rufeng, the leader of the Qingxia Sect, was the first to step forward. With firm steps, he walked to the jade table, picked up a brush without hesitation, dipped it in ink, and solemnly signed the six characters "Liu Rufeng of the Qingxia Sect" at the end of the agreement. Then, he pressed a drop of bright red blood from his fingertip as if it were a knife and pressed it on his name.
"We, the Qingxia Sect, are willing to abide by the covenant and stand with the alliance!" Liu Rufeng's voice boomed.
With a leader in place, the leaders of various factions, who had been eager to act, stepped forward one after another.
"My Five Willows Escort Agency, sign!"
"We, the Golden Saber Sect, sign!"
"I, Emperor Yingzong, will draw the lots!"
"I……"
The names of various sects and the bright red handprints quickly spread across the covenant document. A crowd gathered before the long table, yet remained orderly, each person solemn, as if performing a sacred ritual. The rustling of pens across paper, mingled with barely suppressed breaths of excitement, echoed atop the towering peak.
Zhao Kun, the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect, and other core members of the alliance also stepped forward to sign. The Grand Elder stroked his beard and smiled, looking at the grand occasion, and said in a low voice, "Young friend Lin Mo, this move has truly set a precedent in the martial arts world for hundreds of years."
Lin Mo nodded slightly, but his gaze was fixed on the distance, as if piercing through the clouds to see the many smaller sects who, though not present, longed to be here. He knew that today's actions would spread like wildfire throughout the entire martial world.
The signing lasted for about half an hour. The treaty documents on the jade table were covered with dense signatures and bloodstains, like blood vessels that closely linked the fates of everyone.
Just as the last minor sect leader pressed his hand seal and straightened up to let out a long sigh of relief, a sudden change occurred!
"Wait a minute!"
A sharp shout, imbued with inner strength, echoed from the foot of the mountain, like a muffled thunderclap, making everyone's eardrums buzz. Everyone's heart skipped a beat, and they all turned to look.
On the mountain path, four figures sped up, their movements swift and their auras powerful. They were none other than the heads of the four great families: Murong Feng, Nangong Ao, Beitang Yuan, and Dongfang Ming!
They finally arrived. However, unlike their previous aggressive stance when they jointly exerted pressure, the four men now wore grim expressions, and their positions revealed a subtle distance between them, clearly indicating that the internal rifts had not been completely healed. But with the treaty signing imminent, they had no choice but to step forward and make one last desperate attempt.
Murong Feng's gaze swept over the still-wet ink and fresh bloodstains on the jade table. His eye twitched violently. Suppressing his anger, he said in a deep voice, "Lin Mo! You colluded without our consent to enter into such a wicked agreement that disrupts the order of the martial world. Did you even consult the four great families?"
Nangong Ao went even further, issuing a stern threat: "If this agreement is reached, the martial world will be thrown into chaos! All those who sign here are enemies of our four great families! Have you thought this through?"
A few days ago, such a threat would have been enough to turn more than half of the people present pale and make their hands and feet go cold. But now, having experienced the collapse of the divide-and-conquer strategy and the encouragement of the reorganization of interests, everyone's resolve was as firm as a rock.
Before Lin Mo could speak, Liu Rufeng, who had just finished signing, suddenly turned around, stepped forward, and met Nangong Ao's gaze without fear, declaring loudly, "Patriarch Nangong! The order of the martial world is not defined by your four great families! The previous order was one of exploitation and the survival of the fittest! Now, this new covenant is the just order we have been longing for! My Qingxia Sect has signed it, and we will never go back on our word!"
"Well said!" Chief Escort Liu of the Five Willows Escort Agency, his beard and hair bristling, roared as he recalled the tragic death of his beloved, old and new grudges surging in his heart. "Old thief Nangong! Stop trying to intimidate us with your aristocratic family reputation! I'm making this clear today: the Five Willows Escort Agency is allied with Alliance Leader Lin! I'll sign this agreement without hesitation! If you four great families have the ability, then bring it on!"
"The Golden Knife Sect swears to live and die with the covenant!"
"The same applies to the Luoying Sect!"
In an instant, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation, their voices rising like a tidal wave, completely suppressing the aura of the four great families' leaders. The resentment that the leaders of the smaller sects had accumulated for decades, even centuries, erupted completely at this moment. With red eyes and waving fists, they expressed their determination in the most direct way.
Murong Feng, Nangong Ao, and the others looked ashen-faced. They stared in disbelief at these people who had once been so subservient and barely daring to breathe in their presence, now daring to openly defy them. Especially sensing the irreconcilable distrust among the four of them and the atmosphere of shared hatred around them, a sense of powerlessness crept into their hearts.
Beitang Yuan's eyes flickered as he glanced at the enraged crowd, then at the cold-faced Murong Feng and Nangong Ao, before finally looking at the silent but deep-set Dongfang Ming. He sighed inwardly, knowing that the situation was beyond saving. His lips moved, but he ultimately uttered no forceful words.
Dongfang Ming was even more shrewd. He had already seen that the alliance was already firmly established, and forcibly stopping it would only make the Dongfang family a target of public criticism. If their collusion with officials were completely exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable. He coughed lightly and said, "Gentlemen, why be so tense? Since... since each faction has made up its mind, my Dongfang family... respects your choice." These words seemed like a concession, but in reality, they absolved him of responsibility and subtly reminded the other three families.
Upon hearing this, Murong Feng and Nangong Ao's expressions grew even more grim, but they knew that continuing the stalemate would only lead to further humiliation. Murong Feng stared intently at Lin Mo, forcing out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Lin Mo, you're quite cunning! This matter will not end here!"
After uttering these harsh words, he abruptly flicked his sleeves, ignoring everyone else, and turned to flee down the mountain. Nangong Ao glared fiercely at Chief Escort Liu and Lin Mo, then snorted coldly and turned to leave as well. Beitang Yuan and Dongfang Ming exchanged a glance, both seeing the complex emotions in each other's eyes, and then silently turned and followed him away.
The four great families withdrew from the scene in such a dismal fashion!
At the summit, there was initial silence, followed by a deafening roar of cheers! This cheer was a declaration of victory, a release of pent-up emotions, and an expression of boundless anticipation for a new future!
"We won!"
"The treaty is finalized!"
"Long live Leader Lin! Long live the Alliance!"
The sound surged straight into the sky, making even the rosy clouds in the sky seem more radiant.
Lin Mo gazed in the direction where the heads of the four great families had disappeared, his eyes calm and unwavering. He knew this was not the end, but rather the beginning. The families' concessions were only temporary; even greater challenges lay ahead. But at this moment, he turned to face the excited crowd and slowly raised the covenant document that carried countless hopes and vows.
Sunlight shone on the ink stains and bloodstains, as if gilding them with a golden glow.
"I hereby declare," Lin Mo's voice resounded clearly throughout the entire summit of Junji Peak, "that the 'New Jianghu Covenant' is officially signed and implemented from this day forward! All members of our alliance must abide by the covenant, support and assist each other, jointly resist external aggression, and strive to usher in a new era for the Jianghu!"
"Uphold the covenant! Help and support each other! Jointly resist foreign aggression!"
The resounding response, like a mountain roaring and a tsunami crashing, lingered for a long time atop the majestic peak of Mount Song.
A new era has begun amidst the rising sun and cheers. That covenant, like a boulder thrown into the river of history, will eventually create ripples that spread throughout the world.