Hero's Invitation Summons Heroes, Gathering to Defeat the Demon

At the gates of the Tomb of the Living Dead, the crowd was thick enough to choke a horse.

The True Reality Sect had sent out all their big shots, sealing the place up tighter than a drum. Their disciples strutted around, talking tough—‘Don’t embarrass yourself’ was considered polite. Stuff like ‘surrender and accept punishment,’ ‘await judgment,’ ‘kneel and beg for mercy from the Sect Leader’—they tossed those lines out like they were auditioning for the villain role in a bad kung fu movie.

Even the usually chill types like Howard Hopeless couldn’t hold back their temper at this circus, and the hotheads were ready to go off like firecrackers. As the only real man left standing in a sea of old-timers and delicate ladies, Kunlun Three Saints felt it was his sacred duty to protect the flowers—never mind that he’s got all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. He drew his sword with a flourish and gave those mouthy brats a lesson they wouldn’t forget.

The old guard True Reality Sect Seven Elders were nearly extinct, and the few left weren’t showing their faces. The new generation of disciples were no match for him—Howard Hopeless swung his sword so hard, those would-be heroes were left hunting for their teeth on the ground. He didn’t even bother with the blade—just the hilt was enough to knock a few molars loose. The True Reality Sect crowd was stunned, tension rising as they looked ready to gang up and attack.

When Jill Young and her crew arrived, the True Reality Sect was busy showing off their Big Dipper Sword Formation, trying to impress Kunlun Three Saints. The seven top disciples were duking it out with Howard Hopeless, while the rest shot dirty looks, itching to storm this side of the camp. Their nerves were so frayed, they looked like they were about to pick on the old ladies and weaklings just for stress relief. But with Kunlun Three Saints standing guard, they didn’t quite dare—so they just glared and grumbled, their calculations going nowhere fast.

Luckily, nobody actually made a move—because Lady Simone showed up nearby, looking every bit the dangerous diva. She cradled her jade zither, and from a distance, she might’ve looked like a gentle songstress, but everyone knew if those disciples so much as twitched, she’d pop their eardrums faster than you could say ‘martial arts concert.’

“Who are these folks—are they your accomplices?” Jill Young and her crew strolled up, and the True Reality Sect disciples spotted them right away. Seeing outsiders, they perked up: “Brothers, shoulder to shoulder! Grab those sneaky witches and heretics!” “Attack! Show no mercy!” A dozen disciples charged in, but most of them were just barely qualified for the junior league.

They didn’t dare mess with Kunlun Three Saints, but they sure weren’t shy about picking on this side. Faced with these brainless troublemakers, Jill Young just gave them a double thumbs-up and said, “You guys are gutsy, I’ll give you that!” Then she threw up her other hand, still grinning: “Eyes that sharp—surviving this long in the martial world, that’s no small feat!”

“With a crowd like this, even I can’t be bothered to waste my breath.” Jill Young nudged Bobby Tong: “These are your people, you handle it. Otherwise, I’ll have my horses trample right through them.” Sure enough, the thundering hooves got closer, and a whole herd of black stallions charged in, looking like they’d finally found a good excuse to kick up some dust.

“Whoa, whoa, I’m on it!” Bobby Tong leapt into action, clearing a path before the stampede flattened anyone. He might not care much for sect politics, but he still had to look out for his own disciples.

"Phew... That fight really wore me out. I’m beat—and starving. I’m heading back for some grub." Jill Young yawned and stretched, dragging Maggie Monroe with her as she strolled back to camp. She couldn’t be bothered with how Bobby Tong was wrangling his own grand-apprentices, nor did she care to get involved in another classic scene where the big boss swoops in to slap down some small fry. Even the author’s getting tired of these played-out tropes, so you can bet Jill’s not sticking around for them either.

But as Jill ambled off, blending into the crowd of over a hundred Taoists, one unremarkable little priest’s eyes flashed. "White hair?" he mused. "Isn’t the sacrifice looking for a white-haired oddball? This gal’s definitely not ordinary... If I tip him off, and she’s the one he wants, I’ll be rolling in promotions and perks!"

——— Scene Break! (Hard Cut) ———

Half a day later.

First, he had to prove who he was, then everyone ignored him, insulted him, and put him through the wringer—dragging out the whole identity check with the last of the True Reality Sect’s Seven Sons dragged in as witnesses. Only then did they finally admit Bobby Tong was the real deal. All this bureaucratic nonsense left the old rascal more drained than a three-day, three-night duel.

Thankfully, the vibe at camp was way better. And running into his old pal Grace Kwok gave Bobby a much-needed energy boost—he was back to his lively self in no time.

"So this is the famous Tomb of the Living Dead, huh?" Since it was built by Master Charles Young, Bobby Tong couldn’t resist taking a little tour of his senior brother’s real estate—even if he wasn’t the sentimental type. "Hey, is Jack Young and his wife around?"

"Nope. We’ve been waiting for days—haven’t seen a trace of them."

"Weird. He’s the one who sent word for us to come, so why isn’t he here himself?"

"He invited you guys?" Jill Young was genuinely puzzled. She didn’t know Jack Young well, but after hearing Grace Kwok mumble about him lately, she had a rough idea. According to Grace, neither of those two were the type to text their buddies, invite people over, or shoot the breeze. But hey, everyone’s got a side nobody knows about—maybe the legendary couple secretly love playing host after all.

Anyway, what’s it got to do with us? We didn’t come to the Tomb of the Living Dead just to see those two. If we bump into them, great; if not, oh well. Jill quickly switched gears to something more important: "By the way, the Green Lantern—uh, I mean, Master Yideng—he’s living with you guys, right? Know where he is now?"

(Navigation prompt skipped as per guidelines.)

Master Yideng’s name was always awkward for Bobby Tong and Aunt Crystal. Usually, Bobby would clam up at the mention. But lately, with his inner demons gone, he didn’t mind and answered cheerfully: "He used to live next door to us. We left the valley together—he said he was bored and wanted to stretch his legs, maybe swing by Jack Young’s place for a visit. But halfway there, he detoured to Xiangyang. I’d bet he’s still in Xiangyang City right now."

"Xiangyang?" Talk about luck—searched high and low, and he was right under their noses the whole time. Jill thought she’d have to scour the world for Master Yideng, but turns out he was hanging out in Xiangyang all along.

"Yep. I heard George Kwok and Helen Wong are sending out Hero Invitations again, calling a Hero Gathering to discuss some big ‘Demon-Slaying’ business. I’m not too clear on the details. As soon as Master Yideng caught wind, he raced off to Xiangyang—probably couldn’t resist jumping into the thick of it."

"Another big meeting? How many Hero Gatherings do George and Helen need before they’re satisfied? Whatever—at least Master Yideng’s in Xiangyang. Saves us a ton of trouble."

Meanwhile, Wu Zhengfeng and Sylvia Shadows were deep in a hushed conversation.

"The True Reality Sect’s Taoists are acting weird today. Nothing major should’ve happened, plus Grace Kwok helped smooth things over, but they still ganged up and attacked us—way too suspicious. Bobby Tong’s their grand-elder and the new head of the Five Absolutes, so he’s got mad status. Yet when he tried to step in, those True Reality guys just dragged their feet and wouldn’t cooperate. Something’s definitely up." Wu Zhengfeng thought for a moment, then gave Sylvia Shadows her orders: "Have Shadow Ops put more people on this. Don’t dig too deep, but figure out where they stand—are they friends or foes? If things get dicey, handle it first and report later. Don’t hold back."

"Got it!"

"And don’t bother Jill Young for now. Her martial arts are leveling up fast—let her focus on training instead of these distractions. Once you’ve wrapped up the investigation, put it all together and brief her then." Wu Zhengfeng swept his sleeve dramatically. "Go on." After roaming the world for so long, the former homebody was finally starting to look like a real leader, worrying about everyone’s needs.

"Yes, boss!" Whoosh—Sylvia Shadows melted into the darkness and vanished.

The next day, No One Under Heaven packed up and left Mount Zenith, heading straight for Xiangyang City.

Grace Kwok, the number one Condor Hero fangirl, wasn’t in any rush. The Tomb of the Living Dead was right here, and the Dragon Severing Stone had already been moved—she could visit anytime. Besides, her parents were sending out Hero Invitations again, which meant something big was up, so she needed to help out. And honestly, with the Condor Heroes’ personalities, if there was a Demon-Slaying Gathering, they’d probably be the first in line. So really, she’d have a better shot of running into Jack Young and Crystal Dragon in Xiangyang than waiting around the tomb.

But Bobby Tong and Aunt Crystal, not wanting any part of the big commotion, decided to stick around and camp out near the tomb for a while.

"Jill, your skills are still a bit low—train up and next time we meet, we’ll have a proper showdown."

"Well, you’d better pray we run into each other soon. If it’s a couple years from now, I’m gonna knock some sense into that thick skull of yours."

"Wouldn’t mind that at all! Wouldn’t mind at all!"

"Haha, you’re such a glutton for punishment! See ya around!"

They weren’t exactly gentlemen—at least not by the strict Confucian definition—but Jill Young and Bobby Tong knew how to part ways with style. A wave, a quick goodbye, and off they went, each chasing their own adventures. Friends in their hearts, smiles on their faces, and not a hint of hesitation in their stride. Grace Kwok watched them go, feeling a mix of envy, admiration, and self-doubt. Her own emotional hang-ups were her biggest demons—who knows when she’d finally break free?

The Mongol army’s blockade was getting tighter, and their searches were more thorough. Even Aunt Crystal had to dye her hair black to avoid unnecessary trouble. After much internal debate, Jill Young reluctantly did the same, making a face as she colored her hair. Sure, she could bust through any blockade—but why bother if you can skip the hassle? She loved stirring up trouble, but hated when trouble came looking for her.