Chapter 45: The Forty-Fifth Day as Cult Leader (Part 3)

Ever since the Cult Leader ordered all Demonic Cult disciples to behave themselves, the Demonic Cult disciples could be said to stay inside whenever they could. Even when they did go out, they kept their identities tightly sealed. It could be said that everyone was cautious and careful, afraid of falling into the orthodox sects’ wicked scheme at this crucial moment.

Yet by coincidence, today just happened to be the once-every-three-months supply purchasing day. And by an even greater coincidence, Zhang Daniu was among the people going out to purchase them.

Do not be fooled by Zhang Daniu’s honest and simple appearance. Beneath that foolishly sincere shell was violence and impulsiveness no one had noticed. Moreover, after he had recently learned the Dog Beating Staff Technique personally taught by the Cult Leader, it seemed his heart had begun to swell. His original inferiority vanished, and he became increasingly confident, even somewhat arrogant.

Chen Lue was very worried that Zhang Daniu might cause some trouble when he went out this time.

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely listen to the Cult Leader and won’t stir up trouble!” Zhang Daniu, however, thumped his chest and solemnly guaranteed it to him. “I wouldn’t dare disobey the Cult Leader’s orders! Leave it to me!”

Just like that, Chen Lue temporarily suppressed the faint bad premonition in his heart and told him to go quickly and return quickly.

The Demonic Cult basically purchased supplies from fixed places, meaning they directly bought from farmers in villages with few people. Although those farmers knew the people who came were from the Demonic Cult, first, they had dealt with each other for so long that they had become familiar. Second, the Demonic Cult’s reputation had recently been rising. Third, the people of the Demonic Cult were not short of silver and would even give a little extra. These farmers therefore completed the transactions with beaming smiles.

“You’re here, Brother Daniu!”

Among them, the most popular was indeed Zhang Daniu, whose appearance looked like that of a simple rural man. He gave people a familiar, friendly feeling, so whenever Zhang Daniu came to purchase supplies, the farmers tended to be even more enthusiastic.

“I’m here. I want half the melons and fruits you have. Move them all onto the cart for me.” Zhang Daniu did not bother with pleasantries either. He squatted directly on the country dirt road and spoke to the farmer selling fruit.

“Sure thing.” The farmer immediately stood up with a cheerful smile and found a sack, preparing to pack them up for him.

However, just then, the sound of galloping hooves unexpectedly came from the small road not far away. The farmer was caught off guard. Those people of the jianghu, galloping on horseback, charged over at extreme speed, and their horses directly and recklessly kicked over the melons and fruits in the farmer’s basket.

“Aiyo, my fruit!” the farmer immediately cried out in alarm. The plump, red fruits scattered all over the ground in an instant, and most were crushed by the horses’ hooves following from behind, becoming completely inedible.

But those galloping people of the jianghu did not pay any attention to his wails and continued running forward. Seeing this, Zhang Daniu felt a ball of fire ignite in his heart. He had been born a farmer himself, so naturally he knew how much effort those melons and fruits represented. Thus, he directly leapt up, his fist smashing violently toward the nearest mounted person of the jianghu. “You’re not allowed to run!”

“Ah!” That person of the jianghu did not react in time to his attack and was actually knocked off the horse by his great strength, falling hard onto the ground. His pained cry caused the two nearby companions on horseback to simultaneously rein in their horses and stop, frowning as they looked at Zhang Daniu. “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? Look at what you all did!” Zhang Daniu glared at them furiously. “You knocked over a perfectly good basket of fruit and made it like this, and you still want to run?”

The mounted men looked at one another, then put on solemn expressions and said, “We are disciples of the Huazhen Sect. This time, we are heading to Jiangnan to attend the Five Great Sects meeting. Because the date is approaching, we were somewhat hurried. Move aside at once and do not delay our journey!”

They originally thought that bringing up the Huazhen Sect would be enough to settle the matter. Although the farmer was frightened, the tall, sturdy man in front of them flew into a rage and said, “I don’t care who you are! Since you knocked over the fruit, you have to pay for it! Give money!”

The Huazhen Sect disciples’ hearts tightened slightly. After all, when their sect was traveling, they truly had not brought much silver with them. Moreover, seeing that their senior and junior brothers galloping ahead were getting farther and farther away, they probably would not be able to catch up if they wasted any more time. Thus, several Huazhen Sect disciples snorted coldly.

“Who told you to occupy this road? You deserved it! We have no money. Or do you want to experience the wrath of our Huazhen Sect? Get lost!”

After saying this, the Huazhen Sect disciples anxiously urged their horses forward again, intending to catch up with the sect members ahead. When Zhang Daniu saw that they were about to run, unwilling to take responsibility and even cursing people, the rage in his head grew stronger and stronger. He actually burst into curses. “I’d like to see which of you can leave today!”

After saying that, he directly pulled out a wooden stick from his side. The Dog Beating Staff Technique, which he had desperately practiced these last few days and achieved some small success in, instantly attacked the Huazhen Sect disciples. One move, Strike the Dog’s Head, came unexpectedly and hacked toward one person’s crown.

That Huazhen Sect disciple showed astonishment. Looking at the attack above him that seemed like Mount Tai pressing down, he instinctively used his sword to block. But the other party’s great strength far exceeded his expectations. With a scream, that disciple fell hard from his horse, his forehead covered in bruises.

“Bastard! You dare attack the Huazhen Sect? Could it be you do not know our name?!” The other two Huazhen Sect disciples also flew into a rage, each raising his sword to stab. But the Dog Beating Staff Technique was truly formidable. It was unstoppable, capable of breaking through all obstacles, and every move attacked their weak points, striking them head-on. They were actually unable to get close to Zhang Daniu at all.

“What cultivation method is this? Why have I never heard of it before?” The Huazhen Sect disciples’ foreheads were covered in cold sweat. They no longer dared look down on the rural man before them. The sword techniques they took pride in had actually been intercepted by nothing more than a tiny stick. This was something that had never happened before!

“Didn’t Grandmaster say it was impossible for anyone to block this move, the Poxing Sword Art…”

The Huazhen Sect disciples were simply thrown into complete disarray. Even if they wanted to flee, that sturdy man would attack their buttocks with one move and obstruct their movements, glaring at them angrily. “Still want to run? Pay up!”

“Who exactly are you? Are you truly not afraid of our Huazhen Sect?!” The Huazhen Sect disciples gnashed their teeth. They could only search a little broken silver out of their sleeves and throw it to the farmer nearby, but they glared fiercely at Zhang Daniu, committing this grudge to memory.

“I won’t change my name whether I’m walking or sitting. Zhang Daniu, that’s who!” Only then did Zhang Daniu snort coldly and let them go.

After the Huazhen Sect disciples fled quickly on horseback, furious and saying they would remember his name, Zhang Daniu finally calmed down and only then suddenly realized: this was bad. Had he perhaps not been supposed to say his name just now?

…

There was no wall in the world that could keep out every draft. That very day, after hearing that its disciples had been humiliated, the Huazhen Sect announced a citywide search for a sturdy man named Zhang Daniu and emphasized that this person had a grudge with the Huazhen Sect. They ordered all sects not to shield this person and to hand him over.

As the head of the sects, this news instantly set off the jianghu. Everyone began guessing who this Zhang Daniu was and why he had angered the Huazhen Sect.

But even if an ordinary person offended the Huazhen Sect, the Huazhen Sect would not go so far as to make such a big fuss in searching for him. Could it be that this person had something unusual about him?

The disciples of the Demonic Cult naturally also heard this news. After discovering that Zhang Daniu had actually disobeyed the Cult Leader’s orders and formed a grudge with the Huazhen Sect, although they did not understand the full picture, they still could not help angrily rebuking Zhang Daniu’s recklessness.

“The Cult Leader had just said we can’t cause trouble at this crucial moment, yet he just had to provoke the Righteous Path, and the Huazhen Sect at that! This person is simply too stubborn and stupid!”

“Exactly. Now the Huazhen Sect has begun searching for him on a large scale. If they find out he’s one of the Demonic Cult’s people, won’t we become everyone’s target again?”

“We worked so hard to pretend to be grandsons for so long, and he ruined it all with one trip outside. I’m so damn angry!”

A wave of condemnation against Zhang Daniu rose throughout the entire Demonic Cult. Even the brothers who had good relationships with Zhang Daniu cast hesitant and helpless looks his way. “Brother Daniu, why don’t… you apologize to everyone?”

“Apologize? Why should I? I’m not apologizing!” Zhang Daniu curled his lips and replied in a towering rage. He felt that he had not done anything wrong. It was clearly the Huazhen Sect who had acted wrongly first. He had only made them compensate with silver. At most, he had stopped them from leaving. What was wrong with that?

But the condemning gazes of everyone in the Demonic Cult still made his heart restless and agitated. No matter where he went, he felt uncomfortable. Back when he had no martial arts, he had often felt lonely. He had not expected that even after gaining martial arts, he would still be in the same state.

What exactly was going on?

Zhang Daniu scratched his head and once again had the thought that staying in the Demonic Cult seemed not to make him very happy after all. This made him involuntarily miss life in the Little Hong Sect.

Although he had not been happy in the Little Hong Sect before either, now that his martial arts had become stronger, his senior and junior brothers should look at him differently, right?

However, thinking of the Cult Leader, who treated him extremely well, Zhang Daniu still suppressed that little bit of emotion in his heart and decided to find the Cult Leader to talk about what was on his mind. “The Cult Leader is definitely someone who can understand me!”

But when he quickly walked to the study, before he could knock on the door, he faintly heard the Cult Leader’s voice in conversation from inside.

“Zhang Daniu… He was indeed somewhat impulsive in this matter…”

Hearing only this one sentence, Zhang Daniu instantly stopped the hand he had raised to knock and stood there blankly, his mind already completely empty.

He did not know how long he stood there. Only when he discovered that Chen Lue had appeared beside him at some point and was asking in confusion, “Why aren’t you going in?” did he suddenly jolt awake.

Then, without saying a word, he simply walked away, completely ignoring Chen Lue’s calls.

“So the Cult Leader actually thinks I was wrong too!”

“I thought he’d be the only one who would stand by my side!”

At this moment, anger, grief, helplessness, bitterness, and all sorts of other emotions drowned Zhang Daniu. Zhang Daniu wiped at his cheeks haphazardly and thought through gritted teeth, “No one here can understand me. I’m not happy at all! I’m not going to be this spy anymore. Whoever wants to do it can do it. I’m going back to the Little Hong Sect!”

When that feeling of despair wrapped around his heart, Zhang Daniu’s impulsiveness could no longer be restrained. Just like that, he charged straight out of the Demonic Cult’s gates.

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