Chapter 20: The Registry

Ji Tianrui.

As the former leader of the Ming Cult, he was recognized throughout the martial arts world as the most mysterious and formidable master before he was executed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Thirty years ago, the five major sects—Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, Kunlun, and Kongtong—besieged the Ming Cult’s headquarters. The sect leader was killed, and the Ming Cult suffered catastrophic losses, teetering on the brink of total annihilation.

It was then that Ji Tianrui appeared.

No one knew who he was, where he came from, or even what he looked like. He wore a bronze mask at all times, never once removing it. Utilizing authentic Ming Cult techniques of unknown origin, he single-handedly defeated the masters of the five sects, preserving the cult’s legacy. Consequently, he was revered as their leader.

Over the next fifteen years, he groomed many disciples. Lan Lechuan and Mao Yingxia, who died at the hands of Li Miao, were his direct pupils and held high positions within the cult. He rarely showed his face, but through these disciples, he maintained an iron grip on the Ming Cult.

During those fifteen years, the Ming Cult grew increasingly powerful. Its actions became less extreme, gradually mirroring those of a righteous sect. A saying began to circulate in the martial arts world: "The imperial court governs outside the world, while the Ming Cult governs above it."

Then came his execution by the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Miao borderlands, forcing the Ming Cult to go underground.

Li Miao had once examined the secret files on Ji Tianrui held by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The content was sparse, containing little more than what was recorded above. The account of his death consisted of a single sentence: "The rebel leader Ji Tianrui was executed," with nothing more.

Li Miao had once tried to probe Zhu Zai about the details of the incident in the Miao region, only to be met with silence. Li Miao’s investigation ended there, yielding no further progress.

As for why Li Miao cared so much about Ji Tianrui, the reason was simple: he was the very reason Li Miao had not left the capital for twenty years. From the moment he began his martial arts training, he had regarded this man as his ultimate hypothetical adversary.

If one is to walk the path of the martial arts, one must at the very least ensure they can defeat the strongest among them. After all, there were countless masters in this world who died in inexplicable ways. Poison, ambushes, and gang attacks were unavoidable. Therefore, one had to guarantee that in a one-on-one confrontation, one would not be defeated; only then could one claim a modicum of security for their life.

After learning from Yun Zelin that Ji Tianrui might still be alive, Li Miao naturally paid even closer attention to any news regarding him.

Returning to the present, Li Miao lowered his head, silent, rubbing his fingers as he pondered.

"Ji Tianrui... the surname 'Ji'... the Miao borderlands... insect soldiers..."

He felt a faint connection, a thread that tied his various questions together.

The others were stunned by his sudden actions. After a moment, Yin Minjun approached him. "Brother Li, what is this?"

Li Miao looked up, smiled, and waved his hand.

"It is nothing, nothing at all. I had a sudden hypothesis and was verifying it; I apologize for not informing you all sooner."

"These coffins likely contain the remains of the ancestors of the twelve Miao clans. They were once infused with parasitic insects, but after years of decay, they have become brittle and pose no threat."

"Rest assured, everyone."

Hearing this, the group let out a sigh of relief. If these coffins were filled with the "pupa women" like those in the Tomb of the Miao King, they might as well give up on living.

After a brief exchange, led by Lao Qifeng, the group set off once more into the depths of the limestone cave. Li Miao lagged behind, walking and rubbing his fingers in thought. Yin Minjun did not disturb him, simply following by his side.

After a while, Li Miao turned to Yin Minjun. "Elder Yin, do you know the origin of the surname 'Ji'?"

He did not expect a martial artist like Yin Minjun to answer such an obscure question, but it was merely a casual inquiry.

Yin Minjun, however, replied, "Are you referring to the 'Ji' in Ji Tianrui? There is much speculation in the martial arts world regarding his background. I once consulted ancient texts and happen to recall it."

"Tell me."

"Yes. According to the texts, this surname has four primary origins, which are..."

As Yin Minjun explained, Li Miao’s rubbing fingers stilled.

"If so, then perhaps it all adds up."

Li Miao now had a rough hypothesis, and perhaps here in the Miao borderlands, he would find the confirmation he sought. The matter of the Tomb of the Miao King was also nearing its conclusion.

During the time Li Miao had been lost in thought, the group had followed the sound of water to a small stream. Judging by the direction of the flow, it entered from outside the cave. By following this stream, they would soon be able to exit.

The members of the Qingcheng Sect would certainly not wait for the group to leave the cave before making their move.

Sure enough, as they reached a fork in the path, a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect exclaimed.

"There are footprints here!"

The group stopped. Lao Qifeng turned back and indeed saw several chaotic footprints on the ground, leading into the fork. He pondered for a moment, looked up, and scanned the faces of the others. "Gentlemen, what do you think?"

The leader of the Kongtong Sect stroked his beard and said, "Judging by the marks, these were left over a month ago."

"It must be those grave robbers who discovered the 'Wedding Dress Divine Art'."

Lao Qifeng waved his hand. "Master Liu, you know that is not what I am asking."

"We are only one step away from the exit. I want to know: do you intend to leave directly, or do you wish to investigate the truth behind this 'Wedding Dress Divine Art'?"

Lao Qifeng spoke with a solemn expression, "The situation is unclear. The person who ambushed the Qingcheng disciples in the Tomb of the Miao King is still among us, and we do not know how many there are... We must not split up."

"What are your intentions?"

The leader of the Qingcheng Sect gritted his teeth and said, "My sect wishes to investigate."

"You all may leave easily, but I have lost two disciples. If I return empty-handed, their lives will have been thrown away for nothing!"

While he spoke this way, his heart was bleeding. He had colluded with the Miao people to trap everyone here, but he had not accounted for the sudden appearance of Li Miao. As a result, while everyone else was unharmed, he had lost two of his most capable disciples!

They were not Miao and did not possess the art of witchcraft. The Miao had planted insects in them beforehand; by channeling their inner energy, they could avoid being harmed by the insects. But he had not expected that the moment the door opened, a parasitic insect crawling out of a pupa woman would kill one of his disciples. The event happened too quickly; they hadn't even had time to channel their inner energy. In the tomb, he had instructed a disciple to step onto the platform, only to have him beheaded by the wary Yin Minjun.

Having lost two disciples, if he did not achieve his goal, his losses would be total. Thus, he used the lives of his disciples as a pretext, and the others found it difficult to argue. Moreover, everyone harbored the same desire: having survived such peril and finally finding the exit, how could they possibly walk away without verifying the existence of the "Wedding Dress Divine Art"?

Lao Qifeng sighed inwardly and looked at Li Miao. "Master Li, what are your intentions?"

Li Miao spread his hands. "I was brought in by Elder Yin. I am merely here to watch the spectacle; I have no interest in any divine art."

"If you all wish to go, I will follow."

Lao Qifeng looked at the others, then nodded helplessly. "Very well, let us investigate."