Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

As the organizer of this Martial Arts Tournament, the Green Sword Sect is naturally the local authority in Guiyang. Finding out where Fang Zheng was staying was quite easy. So, after learning about the inn where Fang Zheng resided, the White-Robed Warrior reluctantly headed there and knocked on the guest room door.

”What are you doing here?”

Seeing the White-Robed Warrior before him, Fang Zheng was evidently puzzled. He didn’t think the other was here to seek trouble, nor did it seem like a reckoning after the fact—this was indeed interesting.

”Young Master Fang, my master invites you to attend the Bamboo Forest Lake Association......”

”Your master?”

Upon hearing the White-Robed Warrior speak, Fang Zheng raised an eyebrow.

Could it be like in martial hero novels, where the lesser suffers, and the elder comes to seek justice?

”You’ve misunderstood, Young Master Fang.”

Seeing Fang Zheng’s expression, the White-Robed Warrior was startled, hurriedly waving his hands.

”We’re not here to cause you trouble. In fact, my master is Sect Leader Li Tianming of the Green Sword Sect. As you may know, we’re holding a Martial Arts Tournament here shortly, and the Bamboo Forest Lake Association is a gathering my master has organized to invite young, talented heroes for a meeting to discuss matters of the martial world.........”

”Oh, I see......”

After listening to the White-Robed Warrior explain the situation, Fang Zheng nodded, taking the invitation and slightly furrowing his brow.

”Was it Hero Li who invited me? I don’t seem to have any interactions with him.”

”This, actually, it’s Miss Fan......

”Miss Fan?”

”Miss Fan has recently been visiting my master as a guest. Of course, she herself isn’t well-known in the Jianghu......”

The White-Robed Warrior briefly introduced the situation, after which Fang Zheng immediately understood.

”Oh......got it, so that Miss Fan is the so-called Jade Guardian Fairy, as rumored recently.”

”There are indeed such rumors outside, but I don’t really know the truth.”

”Alright.”

Seeing that the White-Robed Warrior couldn’t provide more information, Fang Zheng nodded.

”Then please tell Hero Li that Fang will certainly be there.”

Even though the White-Robed Warrior only said this was a gathering for elders to invite young juniors for a chat, Fang Zheng clearly had already guessed what trick they were up to. They simply wanted to use this opportunity to indoctrinate some well-known young heroes of the Jianghu. After all, being young and talented doesn’t mean one is experienced—usually, those called young heroes are fresh-faced novices. They haven’t yet developed their own values and are highly susceptible to influence.

As for targeting himself, it’s likely because of his fearsome reputation. With the virtue of Buddhism, if they could persuade him, this ”great villain,” to change his ways and turn over a new leaf, the influence would naturally be even more significant.

Hehe, the little girl’s strategy is clever, but unfortunately, she picked the wrong target.

Thinking of this, Fang Zheng looked at the invitation in his hand and smiled slightly.

Since you wish to use me to establish your prestige, don’t blame me for erecting your hypocritical monument.

Three days later, Fang Zheng arrived at the Bamboo Forest Lake Association as promised. As the name suggests, this banquet was held in a courtyard between a bamboo forest and a lake, carrying a sense of leisure and freedom. However, what made Fang Zheng both laugh and cry was the White-Robed Warrior accompanying him, introducing the Bamboo Forest Lake Association as modeled after the former Cottage by the Elegant Lake of the Talented Lady Ji Yanran. It is said that back then, Ji Yanran invited guests from all around to discuss literature and martial arts, leaving a beautiful story.

That’s why my master chose this format to invite the young, promising heroes to gather here.

Hearing this made Fang Zheng want to laugh and cry; he truly wanted to tell the other that Ji Yanran’s Cottage by the Elegant Lake back then was essentially like a matchmaking show. Did your master want to show off too?

Having lived a long time, Fang Zheng found these historically distorted events increasingly amusing, just like the Divine Skill of the First Emperor—Qin Shi Huang didn’t practice any divine skill while alive; if he had, he wouldn’t have died suddenly during his tours. Yet, the interpretations of later generations seemed as true as the fact, even rumor-mongering that Ying Zheng conquered the world with the help of this Divine Skill of the First Emperor.

This made Fang Zheng want to laugh his head off when he heard it.

By the way, after that, Fang Zheng also made a phone call back to the palace asking about the Hee’s Bi Jade, as he didn’t know if he had such an item. He allowed the people in the palace to check, and after much checking, they reported that there was no Hee’s Bi Jade in the palace at all...... Hmm, now that’s very interesting.

Just at this moment, under the guidance of the White-Robed Warrior, Fang Zheng arrived at the main hall of the Bamboo Forest Lake Association, soon noticing several other figures.

Judging by their ages, they seemed like Fang Zheng, also guests invited to attend the banquet.

Including Fang Zheng, there were eight people in total—four men and four women, seated on either side, mostly young. On the men’s side, the oldest looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, while the oldest on the women’s side didn’t seem even twenty.

This truly was like a matchmaking show.

Fang Zheng silently made a quip, then, under the White-Robed Warrior’s arrangement, took a seat on one of the chairs, nodding to the group.

In response to Fang Zheng’s greeting, a young man with a fair face on the male side did not react, turning away silently. The older one, evidently more experienced in the Jianghu, smiled and returned the courtesy to Fang Zheng, while the last one, looking like a rich second-generation noble, only nodded lightly, neither too much nor too little.

On the female side, however, things got interesting. The leader, a girl in a yellow outfit seemingly about fourteen or fifteen, brightened up as if she had seen a rare animal upon spotting Fang Zheng. Next to her, a slightly older girl blushed and lowered her head, silent, shy as though on a blind date.

The third seat was occupied by a spirited woman who just returned the courtesy to Fang Zheng, neither humble nor haughty, and seemed like a stoic, aloof type, with nothing to say. However, the last, somewhat older woman cast an alluring glance at Fang Zheng with a touch of boldness.

Fang Zheng was already accustomed to this; wherever he went, women always looked at him like this. There’s no way around it, after all, his natural handsomeness was impossible to hide.

Sometimes I even hate myself for being so handsome, making it impossible for people to refuse me.

Fang Zheng silently sighed to himself as he picked up a cup of tea and began to savor it.

Before long, an elderly man and a young woman approached. The old man took the main seat, nodded slightly to everyone, and the others quickly stood to return the greeting.

”Hehehe, seeing so many young heroes here today is truly gratifying. It seems our martial arts world has no shortage of talents... hmm... You all are probably not very familiar with each other, so I might as well make some introductions.”

As Li Tianming spoke, he began to introduce the people present. As expected, most were disciples from prestigious sects. On the men’s side, apart from Fang Zheng and the aloof rich playboy, the other two were from the Whitewater Gang and the Taishan Sect, whereas on the women’s side, aside from the last enchanting beauty, the other three were from the Hundred Flowers Palace, the Emei Sect, and the Five Elements Gate.

Fang Zheng had some knowledge of the Hundred Flowers Palace. They initially started as a female horde from the Southern Barbarian region, similar to the White Miao Tribe in the World of the Immortal Sword. Eventually, they began trading with the Great Han. To guard against bandits, the women of the horde formed an organization to protect their caravans. Over time, they officially registered a sect called Hundred Flowers Palace in the Great Han, which was quite rare and exotic, so even Fang Zheng had heard of them in court.

Therefore, Fang Zheng had quite a good impression of the girl in yellow from the Hundred Flowers Palace, reminding him of Anu, the lively and cute girl he met in the World of the Immortal Sword.

Unfortunately, Fang Zheng’s target at this gathering was not her.

But rather, the woman seated above.

”Miss Fan Qinghui greets the young heroes.”

At that moment, the woman also stood up and gracefully made a courteous bow to everyone. There’s no denying that she had a certain charisma. Seeing Fan Qinghui, the young heroes on Fang Zheng’s side were also visibly smitten, except for Fang Zheng, who maintained his enigmatic smile, waiting for her to speak further.

Sure enough, Fan Qinghui soon began praising the young heroes present, one by one recounting their famous battles, which pleased both parties greatly. Though unaware of her identity, her words were undeniably delightful.

But Fang Zheng knew this was just an appetizer.

Sure enough, when Fan Qinghui’s gaze shifted to him, she smiled charmingly.

”Young Lord Jade Face, Young Master Fang, your reputation precedes you. You practice chivalry, uphold justice, and eradicate evil, truly a paragon among us. However... there is one thing Qinghui doesn’t understand and seeks guidance from the young master.”

Here it comes.

Hearing Fan Qinghui’s words, Fang Zheng chuckled inwardly before taking a sip of tea, then turned his gaze to Fan Qinghui.

”Miss Fan, please speak.”

”Then I shall be blunt.”

With that said, Fan Qinghui sat up straight and looked at Fang Zheng.

”It’s well known that Young Master Fang deals with evildoers so ruthlessly, they cannot live or die. It’s true that evil must be stopped, but isn’t there a limit to all things? Villains are certainly vile, but aren’t they lives too? Such wanton humiliation seems excessive.”

Hahaha, here it is.

Hearing Fan Qinghui’s words, Fang Zheng chuckled, setting down his teacup. He could feel everyone’s attention on him; the rich playboy appeared gloating, while the others mostly showed curiosity and complex expressions.

Yet Fang Zheng didn’t care about their thoughts.

”Humiliation? Oh, so from Miss Fan’s perspective, those who died at their hands died in vain?”

”That’s not what I meant, of course.”

Fan Qinghui clearly anticipated Fang Zheng’s rebuttal and continued calmly.

”Qinghui truly regrets those who lost their lives to the wicked, but when will revenge ever end...”

”Bang.”

But before Fan Qinghui could finish, Fang Zheng coldly slammed the table, interrupting her.

”Feel sorry? Miss Fan, you only feel sorry? Do you know what those animals did? Hmm?”

”This... Qinghui has heard... these villains have committed numerous atrocities, but...”

”Yes, you’ve merely ’heard’.

Fang Zheng snorted coldly, fixing Fan Qinghui with his gaze.

”Then let me enlighten you. Miss Hu from Nanken’s Hu Family, a young lady of only eighteen, was kidnapped from her home by the Night Demon Zhang San, who defiled her purity. For amusement, he fed her potent poison, allowing mountain bandits to have their way with her. Ultimately, in a fit of madness, he unleashed wolves to brutally ravage her, leaving her dead, her corpse ripped apart and devoured completely, not even a whole body remaining. Or the Zhao Family village beyond the pass, ravaged by the Thirteen Riders of the Desert, where everyone in the village was killed, every last one. Females, from eighty-year-old grandmothers to one-year-old infants, were all skewered to death by the Thirteen Riders of the Desert...”

Fang Zheng’s voice turned icy as he stared at Fan Qinghui.

”And to these, you just say you’ve ’heard’? Why doesn’t Miss Fan go experience it for herself and then come back to discuss with me whether my actions are excessive?”

Following Fang Zheng’s words, the other young heroes grimaced, especially the women. They were aware of the infamous notoriety of the villains Fang Zheng killed, but few knew the specifics; hearing just a few examples from Fang Zheng was enough to radically shift their perspective.

As fellow women, merely hearing Fang Zheng’s descriptions sent shivers down their spines. Reflecting that such a fate could easily befall them, they understood why revenge wouldn’t rest even beyond the grave. This compelled them to reconsider their previous view of Fang Zheng as ruthless.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall turned quite subtle.