Urban Martial Saint

”Mount Duwang?” Ye Qing looked at the mountain, and asked in surprise, ”Why does it have such a strange name? Du Wang? What does it mean? Does it mean to transcend spirits?”

”In the past, that indeed was the meaning.” Du Canglang said, ”Inside this mountain, there was once a powerful sect called the Doomsday Sect. The head of this Doomsday Sect was an expert who practiced both Buddhist and Taoist arts, and had even entered the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, being a supreme figure of an era. However, the more such a person, the more turbulent and sorrowful their life is. Despite being the Supreme of the world, he couldn’t protect those around him. The ones he loved and those who loved him deeply died because of him. Deeply hurt by this matter, he wreaked havoc in the Jianghu seeking revenge, causing countless deaths and injuries. Eventually, after avenging those who wronged him, he realized the sin he had caused, and thus withdrew from the Jianghu, hiding within this mountain.”

At this point, Du Canglang sneered and said, ”Humph, in order to showcase his hypocritical virtue, after hiding in the mountain for several years, he suddenly established a sect called the Doomsday Sect, claiming to do good deeds and transcend the spirits of the dead. Originally, the mountain didn’t have a name but because of the emergence of the Doomsday Sect, the mountain was named Mount Duwang. To put it bluntly, it’s all about hypocrisy, killing people and wanting the world to praise him. Moreover, what ghosts or monsters exist in this world? There’s no need for transcendence. The so-called Doomsday Sect is as much nonsense as the Buddhist Karmic Retribution!”

Du Canglang’s words were filled with sarcasm. Ye Qing secretly admired the man in his heart. As the saying goes, knowing one’s faults and rectifying them is great. This person, despite his evil deeds, was able to awaken from his sins, which is quite rare. As for creating the Doomsday Sect under the guise of transcending spirits, as Du Canglang implied, it seems to be more about seeking peace of mind, as there are no spirits to transcend.

”You brought me here, are you looking for this Doomsday Sect?” Ye Qing looked at Du Canglang and said, ”But, from what you’ve said, this Doomsday Sect is a matter of a long time ago, certainly not recent. Whether the Doomsday Sect exists is one thing; even if found, what can it do? Could something from the Doomsday Sect possibly break through my Vajra Indestructible Body?”

”Humph, what do you know!” Du Canglang cast a glance at Ye Qing and continued, ”Don’t you want to know the origin of this Guimen Town?”

”Isn’t it named after the Doomsday Sect?” Ye Qing asked.

”Exactly!” Du Canglang nodded and said, ”After establishing the Doomsday Sect, the founder even proclaimed to the world that the sect could take in the world’s evil-doers. Anyone, no matter how monstrous their crimes, could enter the Doomsday Sect, and all sins would be cleansed.”

”Isn’t that a bit off?” Ye Qing frowned. If the head of the Doomsday Sect really did such a thing, it would be too much.

”Of course, there was a price.” Du Canglang said sternly, ”Those who entered the Doomsday Sect could never set foot outside again in their lifetime, effectively imprisoned within. This notion could also be seen as giving people a chance to start anew and reform. In reality, the Doomsday Sect was also about transcending evil people. Many evildoers entered Mount Duwang, into the Doomsday Sect, never to leave again. Hence, this little town is also known as Ghost Gate Pass, as it symbolizes that once these evildoers pass through this town, they never return. This is how Guimen Town got its name!”

”I see!” Ye Qing suddenly understood. Admittedly, the Doomsday Sect’s founder’s method was commendable. These people entering the sect and not being able to leave was akin to serving a prison sentence. On one hand, he did not kill them, yet had them atone for their past deeds with the rest of their lives. It was indeed a win-win.

Du Canglang looked at Ye Qing and said, ”You seem to quite agree with this approach.”

Ye Qing remained silent. He couldn’t say he supported this method. In truth, he felt that some who committed too many sins might as well be killed. Though he would not endorse it, he wouldn’t entirely dismiss the Doomsday Sect’s founder’s actions either.

”Humph, in my opinion, it’s purely hypocritical. Killing so many people and then proclaiming mercy from above, unwilling to commit further murders—how is this different from utter nonsense?” Du Canglang said coldly.

Ye Qing glanced at Du Canglang. This man had a genuinely strong killing streak, unlike the Bloody Monk who killed without blinking out of a deep sense of justice. Du Canglang, however, killed often without reason.

”You’ve been talking all this while, so why did you bring me to the Doomsday Sect?” Ye Qing asked.

”Don’t rush, listen to me,” Du Canglang walked over to the table to sit, then said, ”The Doomsday Sect accepting all the world’s felons—perhaps you don’t think it’s wrong. However, such a thing is not entirely appropriate. After all, human life has limits. Although the Doomsday Sect’s founder was a supreme of his era, even surpassing the limits, neither Buddha nor Dao nor magic can achieve immortality, let alone him. He presided over the Doomsday Sect for nearly a century before his lifespan ended, unable to maintain control. As I mentioned, those inside the Doomsday Sect were the vilest criminals who had nowhere else to go; they wouldn’t have entered otherwise.”

Hearing this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but take a sharp breath. What would happen to these criminals after the Doomsday Sect’s founder had passed away?

Du Canglang spoke solemnly, ”These felons, unruly as they were outside, carried their evil tendencies within. While the Doomsday Sect’s head lived, he managed to keep them in check, suppressing any rebellion with his power. But after his death, no one could restrain them. Naturally, they reverted to their true nature and began to defy the sect’s rules!”

”What then?” Ye Qing quickly asked, his intuition telling him the Doomsday Sect’s leader must have anticipated such developments.

”What then?” Du Canglang chuckled and said, ”The Doomsday Sect’s leader well anticipated this eventuality and already had a plan. But do you know what his solution was?”

”Did he find a successor, imparting all his martial arts to them, to maintain order in the Doomsday Sect?” Ye Qing speculated.

”Certainly not!” Du Canglang shook his head directly, ”You should know that those who enter the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, even as they emerge as supremes, cannot have disciples who fully master the martial arts they leave behind. In fact, as generations pass, disciples can only grow weaker, never surpassing their master. Choosing a successor would never stabilize the entire Doomsday Sect.”

”Then how was it handled?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

Du Canglang took a deep breath and said, ”The Doomsday Sect’s leader recognized such an outcome, so instead of relying on a successor, he forged an extraordinarily powerful famed instrument!”

”A famed instrument?” Ye Qing frowned slightly, questioning what use such an instrument might have.

”The Doomsday Sect’s leader spent his remaining years, joining forces with a contemporary master refiner, to create a transcendent famed instrument!” Du Canglang looked at Ye Qing, articulating each word deliberately, ”This instrument was named the Tianzhu Sword!”

”Tianzhu Sword!” Ye Qing gasped sharply; though he had never seen this sword, its name alone suggested it was extraordinary. Tianzhu, Heavenly Punishment—it was meant to punish on behalf of Heaven!

”Not only did the Tianzhu Sword consume half of the Doomsday Sect’s leader’s lifetime, but it also embodies the majority of his power. It’s said that before passing away, he infused ninety percent of his strength into the sword. Hearing about this, Du Canglang’s face showed an expression of longing, ”Thus, the Tianzhu Sword, regardless of who bears it, can unleash immense power, slaying a peak master with ease.”

Ye Qing was even more astounded. The Doomsday Sect’s leader had indeed put in significant effort; with ninety percent of his strength channeled into the Tianzhu Sword, its might was beyond question. With this in mind, could it be that Du Canglang came seeking the sword to break his Vajra Indestructible Body?

”The Doomsday Sect’s leader left the Tianzhu Sword to his successor, to oversee the Doomsday Sect and keep those villains contained within,” Du Canglang said. ”Tianzhu Sword, the name signifies enacting Heaven’s will, punishing on behalf of Heaven. Anyone among those villains daring to harbor rebellious intent could be executed by the Tianzhu Sword. After the Doomsday Sect’s leader passed away, indeed, the villains rebelled; led by five peak masters, they sought to seize the martial arts secret manual left by him. The result was that these five all were executed by the Tianzhu Sword, without exception. Thereafter, calm returned to the Doomsday Sect. For three hundred years, the Tianzhu Sword secured the sect, with no one daring to defy it. Outsiders dared not covet the Doomsday Sect; insiders dared not harbor ambitions.”

As Du Canglang spoke, Ye Qing couldn’t help but feel awed. The long sword left by the Doomsday Sect’s leader guarding a sect for three hundred years was indeed a display of power. The Doomsday Sect’s leader must have been an exceptionally gifted individual, otherwise, how could such a famed, transcendent instrument have been created?

”However, no matter how great the legacy, it inevitably declines. The Doomsday Sect was no exception,” Du Canglang looked at Ye Qing and said, ”Three hundred years after the Doomsday Sect’s leader passed, the sect faced an unexpected guest, which directly led to its downfall.”