Zhao Zhibi had just opened the door when he bumped into a Taoist.

"Acting Sect Leader, someone is striking the golden bell at our mountain gate."

After straightening his attire, the Taoist hastily told Zhao Zhibi.

"Who is striking the bell?" Zhao Zhibi asked.

"I don’t recognize him."

The Taoist honestly said, "Just that his methods are really impressive; with just a withered branch, he’s making the golden bell sound so loudly."

"He’s probably an unexpected visitor."

Zhao Zhibi walked onto the Pavilion Bridge.

In Dunjia Mountain, those disciples qualified to take over as the Sect Leader all resided on Jade Mountain Peak, as it was the highest point in Dunjia Mountain.

Their dormitories were connected to the Pavilion Bridge, allowing them to overlook the scenery below the mountain.

Zhao Zhibi gazed into the distance and spotted a withered figure standing before the mountain gate’s golden bell, with the demeanor of a scholar.

"We of Dunjia Mountain aren’t familiar with this scholar, but he seems pretty familiar with us."

The golden bell of Dunjia Mountain had various "Bell Commands" which could convey many orders depending on the number of rings, their length, and their strength.

The bell this scholar rang was the "Lianshan Bell Command," which required striking every half second, with each strike having almost the same strength.

If one listened to the bell’s entirety, it sounded like a series of urgent presses.

The Lianshan Bell Command was the sound summoning all disciples to gather at the mountain gate.

The ability to strike such a bell command indicated that the scholar was very familiar with the protocols of Dunjia Mountain.

Zhao Zhibi dared not delay, and together with the Taoist disciple, they descended the mountain. Along the way, many disciples hurried towards the mountain gate.

...

By the time Zhao Zhibi reached the mountain gate, most of Dunjia Mountain’s disciples had already gathered,

most of who were confused, unable to comprehend why the Lianshan Bell Command would sound in the dead of night.

Zhao Zhibi, with both hands behind his back, asked the young scholar, "May I ask, what is the reason for ringing the bell deep into the night?"

"A scholar? I’m not a scholar. In my heart, the title of scholar is too grand; it requires one to be filled with knowledge, to have the talent to uphold Heaven and Earth, and to harbor endless thunder in one’s chest,

I’ve roamed the martial world for many years, and the only one I might call a scholar is that great teacher in Mingjiang Prefecture, Zhou Xuan."

"Are you a friend of Zhou Xuan?"

Zhao Zhibi thought it might be a friend of Zhou Xuan causing trouble late at night. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

He was well aware that the previous night, Zhao Longhu, Zhao Luosheng, Zhao Youting from Dunjia Mountain, along with twenty or thirty skilled members of Dunjia Mountain and six elders, had set off to Mingjiang Prefecture to capture Zhou Xuan.

The elders and senior brothers had yet to return, and here came a friend of Zhou Xuan’s storming the mountain gate.

"I am indeed a friend of Zhou Xuan, but—I have another identity, I am called the Butcher, and today I have come to collect a debt."

The Butcher saw that most of the disciples from Dragon Tiger Mountain had gathered and immediately revealed a shining pig-slaughtering knife.

"You are the Butcher?"

Zhao Zhibi was not panic-stricken,

for two reasons,

First, it appeared that Dunjia Mountain’s elders had all left the mountain gate, making it seem somewhat vacant, but in reality, among the six elders, two had mastered the laws of space, and their realms were not low,

Upon receiving the "secret letter of the Butcher’s visit," they would rush back to the mountain gate at once, leaving no room for the Butcher to act recklessly.

Second, Zhao Zhibi was entirely unaware of the inside story of the Wuwen calamity—before Zhao Qingxiao died, Zhao Zhibi had never been favored by the former Sect Leader, so he had no qualification for inheriting the orthodoxy.

For this reason, the unlawful activities of the Tunnel Armor Sect were never revealed to him by the Sect Leader or elders.

Not knowing the inside story meant not knowing the blood feud between the Butcher and the mountain gate, and naturally, it did not bring fear.

The unknown brings no fear,

The Butcher spoke of collecting a debt, and he really took it as if the other side was here to collect a debt!

"The knife in my hand is proof that I am the Butcher."

The Butcher’s knife was held horizontally in front of him,

Zhao Zhibi calmly said, "Does Dunjia Mountain owe you a lot of silver taels?"

"No debt."

"Then perhaps a house? Or treasures, magic artifacts?"

Zhao Zhibi said, "Repaying a debt is only right; Senior is an eminent person, and this debt must be significant, yet regardless of its size, our esteemed Tunnel Armor Sect will certainly repay what we owe."

"You speak grandly. Your Tunnel Armor Sect owes the lives of eighteen swordsmen from Wuwen Mountain; counting the families of those swordsmen, it amounts to a total of one hundred thirty-four lives."

Butcher said seriously.

But Zhao Zhibi was confused and said, "Senior must be joking. What kind of sect is our Tunnel Armor Sect? A legitimate Mysterious Sect, upright and virtuous, and moreover, all are monastics, who have always shown mercy whenever possible, one hundred thirty-four lives... we surely couldn’t owe such a debt?"

Despite his words, he was somewhat anxious internally,

Although Zhao Zhibi was not favored by the former Sect Leader, knowing nothing of the "Wuwen calamity" or the matter of "Zhao Qingxiao joining forces with the Fire Sect in Mingjiang," he was aware of the dark dealings of the Tunnel Armor Sect,

The disciples of the Tunnel Armor Sect were heavily involved in construction in Jingcheng Prefecture, seizing land, opening opium dens, and gambling houses, and earned money through illicit means,

"Could it be that disciples offended the Butcher during their shady dealings? No, no, these disciples are just like three-legged cats, how could they provoke such a formidable person?"

Many thoughts raced through Zhao Zhibi’s mind, but when the thoughts ceased, he reacted with a single action, drawing a turtle shell pattern with his right hand behind his back,