Ever since the creation of the world, the Orthodox Sects and the Demon Sects have been battling for dominance. Fifty years ago, in an epic battle, the Orthodox Sects wiped out the Demon Sects and killed their leader, Yu Ji. Since then, the Orthodox Sects have dominated the Martial Arts World. Recently however, the Demon Sects have begun regrouping. The Demon King Ma Biao has been gathering forces and seems poised to challenge the Orthodox Sects. He is aided by three young disciples; the most gifted among them is Yang Jiang, ‘Demon of Death’.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gN5Hnhpk2
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Autumn. The air was cool and crisp, like a refreshing drink of cool water. The breeze fluttered around, gently caressing everything it touched. The falling red leaves fluttered down, sparsed in the cool mid-autumn air. It was past midnight. The mist made the night even scarier in Lu Graveyard. Strange sounds could be heard. It was as if the dead would rise up from their graves at any moment.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLedOogEoJP
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Suddenly, the sound of steps could be heard. The steps caused dust to blow and merge with the mist. A man was walking in the graveyard. The man was in his late fifties. His large head contrasted with his slim body. His mustache was quite long. He was wearing a white robe, but it had become grey due to the dust.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7NEbgFoyZ
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"Yang Jiang, you evil Demon, come out!", he said with crystal clear voice.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlmchqV9cD
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A man appeared from behind the trees, where he had been hiding. He was tall and refined. He had long black hair, was wearing a purple silk robe and held a long sword on his right hand. A black mask covered his entire face. No one, aside from the Demon King himself, had ever seen his real face.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgk5xHV2ua
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Yang Jiang walked forward fully confident and with a smile on his face, although the mask concealed it. He had an air of winner in him. He also did not seem surprised that this man had come to the graveyard looking for him. It was as if he had predicted that this man would come here.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OOd5Qn2bY
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“Taoist Yao I suppose?”, Jiang asked.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Mx9ZB9IGc
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“I know that you are going to meet with Wu here tonight! Too bad I discovered your plan… Now I am going to kill both you and that traitor.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ztqyD33aa
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Jiang laughed. “I have already met with Wu and he has already told me where the ‘Five Elements Scroll’ is. He also told me that you suspected him. So you are not the one spoiling my plans; it’s the opposite.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEeyul3AKD
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Yao clenched his fists in anger and said, “I will not let you get that scroll!”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNGdy9kLUQ
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“You are delusional. Do you really think that with your meagre skills you can be my match? I am not known as the ‘Demon of Death’ for nothing…”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8Svf3fNUF
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Yao unsheathed his sword. The blade of the sword was emitting a blue light and Yao's face reflected upon it. The blade was so clear that it was like a mirror. On the other hand, Jiang's sword was old, rusty and covered with dust. That sword was also scarred, a sign that it had fought many battles. One would expect a more refined sword considering the fame of Jiang. This sword looked like a cheap sabre which anyone with a modest income could buy.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3OMXMR0cI
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Yet, in the eyes of a great swordsman, the difference between Yao and Jiang and their respective swords was already clear. Yao was a man holding a sword. Jiang had become one with his sword.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENRWSD2Ds0
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In a split of a second, the two swords had collided. A loud clang sound was heard and it seemed like the earth shook. Jiang lunged forward and pushed back Yao with vicious and quick attacks. Yao, forced on the defensive, channeled his internal energy into his sword; he then counterattacked. His attacks were ferocious but Jiang parried them with ease.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vJIsnQlrz
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“I am disappointed”, Jiang said. “I expected you to be more powerful.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEi5ZqicZy
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Yao pointed his sword at Jiang and thrust it towards him. As the sword sped forward, a loud sound was heard, revealing the strength behind the thrust. Jiang did not even move his feet. His sword flickered and stabbed Yao's shoulder. Yao, screaming in pain, let his sword fall on the ground. With a swift move, Jiang slashed his sword across Yao’s chest. He collapsed on the ground; dead.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xM3P1ES59
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Jiang grinned. “You died in a graveyard; how fitting.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxSGt7VmEQ
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With Taoist Yao dead, Jiang could now head to Changsan Monastery. Individuals cultivating Qi could have magical powers and fly freely through the air. So Jiang, using his internal energy, flew on his sword and headed to the Monastery. It was located on the foot of Changsan Mountain.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRFtEX6yZ3
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Jiang landed near the Monastery and approached it on foot. The vegetation around the Monastery was lush; there were hundreds of wild flowers which were glowing with bright colored butterflies. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the grass. When Jiang finally reached the Monastery, he somersaulted and swiftly landed inside, bypassing its tall walls.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmQYaQBm0H
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‘Good’, Jiang thought, ‘now I only have to reach Reverend Song’s room’.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZODG1i9svY
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As it was still night, Jiang could use the darkness to his advantage, sneaking in the hallways of the Monastery and with speed heading to the Reverend’s room. Moving quickly and evading night patrols, he finally reached Reverend Song’s room. He barged inside the modestly sized wooden room to find the Reverend meditating. He was an old man with white hair and beard, large eyes and a sturdy and strong stature. Reverend Song was the Sect Leader of Changsan Sect, one of three Orthodox Sects, and thus had the reputation of being one of the greatest masters in the entire Martial Arts World.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR2zsr2vHW
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“I knew you would come sooner or later”, Song said. “You Demons have been mobilizing for some time and have been gathering forces for an all-out attack, so I guessed that you would attempt to steal the ‘Five Elements Scroll’ sooner or later.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHe9RumJZf
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Jiang smirked. “I do hope you will offer me a greater challenge than that stinky priest Yao. He was defeated far too easily.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfjmd4P9VI
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Ignoring Jiang’s attempts to provoke him, Song calmly replied; “Even if you get the scroll, it will be of no use to you. Only those with the purest heart may learn this scroll. The rest will be harmed fatally.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwp6KLKowOo
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“Do you really expect me to believe this crap?”, Jiang asked.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsufBijxliM
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Jiang suddenly flung poisonous darts at Song, who dodged all but one of them with ease; the last dart, however, managed to hit Song’s shoulder. The Reverend felt weak and dizzy.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sur7btubs
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“I knew you are a Demon”, he said, “but I never expected you would use such dirty tricks.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcGQBEqQMk
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The Reverend them mustered all his internal energy and directed it at Jiang, who also directed his internal energy at the Reverend. The two beams met, causing the ground to shake, and both men were pushed back. Song had cultivated his Qi for hundreds of years and would have been able to match Jiang but due to the poison he was severely weakened.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq7Qfm4Qie
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Jiang charged and struck out at Song with his left hand with such power that his palm made a whistling sound. Song countered the blow with his right hand and at the same time struck with his left palm at Jiang, who used his other hand to parry Song's attack, and their four hands met. Both of them were pushed back as they were equally strong. Jiang then struck at Song with both fists, one of which was easily blocked by Song but the other slammed into his shoulder. Exploiting his advantageous position, Jiang quickly kicked Song’s chest with a powerful back kick. Before Song could fight back, his face became pale. He vomited blood and fell on his knees. Both his stomach and head ached terribly. Clearly, the poison had taken full effect. Laughing, Jiang grabbed Song by the hair and punched his fist on his face, killing him.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAW5sWANyHB
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With the Reverend dead, Jiang went to his bed. Under his pillow was a book with blue cover and with the words ‘Five Elements Scroll’ inscribed on it. “At last”, he said, “I found it. With this scroll, we will crush the Orthodox Sects. I can even kill my teacher and become the new Demon King. The whole world will bow before me!”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRnV6dEJNB
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Jiang sneaked out of the room and quietly and carefully made his way out of the Monastery. As soon as he had left behind the Monastery, Jiang opened the book. He could wait no longer to read it. As he began reading the first few lines, he exclaimed; “This is magnificent!”. Thus he began following the instructions of the scroll and directing his internal energy as it prescribed.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQe9q5vyln
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Suddenly, Jiang felt as his whole body was burning. He trembled and every part of his body ached. His face became ashen white and he vomited blood. He screamed in pain and cried out but no one was hearing. “This script sucks the internal energy out of me!”, he screamed as his years of cultivation of Qi and mastery of martial arts went to waste. The pain was so severe that he lost his consciousness and collapsed on the grassy ground.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86AiHUuVuZ
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Darkness. Numbness. Jiang couldn’t see or feel anything until streaks of sunlight penetrated the room’s windows and woke him up. He found himself lying on a bed. His whole body was bruised and aching. ‘What am I doing here?’, he wondered. With great effort, he managed to get up. It was then when his savior walked into the room. It was a grizzled old man with a red nose, dressed in simple peasant clothes and smoking a pipe.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfElzoFUn2
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“Why are you up?”, the old man said. “You should be resting.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0JAHIVlsX
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“Where am I?”, Jiang asked. “What am I doing here?”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXvJIL5K63
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“I am Guo Tang. I found you unconscious on the mountain when I was strolling there and so brought you to my home to recuperate.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlK8tM2rbM
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“Thanks…”, Jiang reluctantly said, still not sure if he could trust the old man. “I have another question. Do you know who I am?”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyaYYj5cUx
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“You don’t remember?”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO62kWzeti3
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Jiang scratched his head and thought for a moment but he could not remember anything at all; not even his name. “I have no idea who I am, what may name is, where I come from, where is my home.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnlLeo1mz8
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“You look like a young literati to me.”, Tang replied.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SMmfXKUCn
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Without his mask, Jiang’s real face could be seen; he had a handsome face with brown eyes. He looked youthful, no older than twenty. His good looks and his refined clothing indeed made him look like a literati.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqKmXfEILq
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“I am pretty sure that I am not a literati.”, Jiang replied. “Although I cannot remember my past, I do feel that I may have been a swordsman; otherwise, how would I be in this state, all bruised?”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzA0XE6yF3
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“Well, since you do not remember your name, how are you going to call yourself?”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFpOqoA6WR
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Jiang thought for a moment. “I guess, I…will call myself Qiang Feng.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyW8UKoOww
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This was the first name that came to his mind, so he thought that it may actually be his name.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZoCxrVGyI
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“What are you going to do next?”, Tang asked.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuV9n9r3BP
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Feng sighed. “I do not know. I have no idea at all.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHiKjRWvpl
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Tang smiled. “I have an idea. I am on friendly terms with Qingxao Sect. They may agree to take you in.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPPsGIqcgk
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Qingxao was the largest of the Orthodox Sects; with its leader seen as head of the Orthodox Sects, it enjoyed the greatest prestige in the Martial Arts World. Its martial arts and swordsmanship were considered to be without equal. Its students were renowned for upholding justice and fighting against evil.1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXB2BRXBnn
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“I am grateful for your help!”, Feng said and bowed before the old man. “I only hope that one day I will be able to repay you the debt I owe you.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1FMKkvsME
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Tang helped him get up and said, “Do not speak nonsense; you do not owe me anything. I am glad that I can be of help.”1255Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM6iQryiKZ
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