Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Page 18

Yue Yuchen said, "That's why I also want to meet Dongfang Bubai."

"Senior Brother wants Dongfang Bubai to deal with Wudang? I'm afraid she might not be willing, and even if she were, the price would probably be very high." Linghu Chong was not in agreement.

Moreover, if we fall out with the Demonic Sect in the future, and both Wudang and the Demonic Sect launch an attack at the same time, the reputation of the Huashan Sect will be ruined.

Yue Yuchen laughed...

"You don't know that back then, Dongfang Bubai sneaked into Wudang and stole the Taijiquan Classic handwritten by Zhang Zhenren."

"Although the Wudang Sect has kept this a secret, Shaolin already knows about it. That's why Wudang has been so accommodating to Shaolin all these years. They simply can't afford to lose face."

"I plan to ask Dongfang Bubai for this boxing manual and return it to Wudang. At that time, Chongxu will have no choice but to accept it."

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong exclaimed with delight, "If that's the case, then the Wudang Sect will have to accept our favor for the next ten years or so. At the very least, while Chongxu is in power, he will have to acknowledge our kindness."

………………

As the three were discussing, Yue Yuchen's eyes flashed and he looked towards the door; a moment later, Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan also looked towards the door.

"Eldest brother, second brother, and third brother are at the courtyard gate. They say they have important news to report..." Lu Dayou's voice came from outside the gate.

Linghu Chong frowned, stepped forward, opened the door, and asked, "Did he say what he wanted to say?"

Lu Dayou shook his head, indicating that Laudenuo hadn't said anything: "How about I send him back?"

Linghu Chong thought for a moment, then shook his head to indicate that it was inappropriate: "Go and let him in!"

The three of them lost interest in talking and quietly waited for Laudenau to say something.

………………

"Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Junior Sister, I am guilty, I have let down Mount Hua."

As soon as Laudenau entered, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Following behind, Lu Dayou's eyes flashed, but he didn't look at them much. He took two steps back, closed the door, and left, leaving them alone.

After Lu Dayou left, Lao Denuo knelt on the ground and said, "Senior brother, please forgive me. I was originally a disciple of the Songshan Sect, but my aptitude was limited. Back then, the Left Sect Leader set up a scheme to have me put on a show in a place where Master would pass by, so that I could infiltrate the Huashan Sect."

Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan exchanged a glance, then both looked at Yue Yuchen at the head of the table. Yue Yuchen was the most senior person there, so naturally the decision rested with him.

Yue Yuchen picked up his teacup and chuckled, "Junior Brother, what makes you say that?"

Upon hearing Yue Yuchen's laughter, Laudenuo shuddered, his scalp tingling, and he felt a chill run through his body. He glanced up at Yue Yuchen, his expression filled with fear, then quickly lowered his head again...

"Senior Brother, you...you already knew..."

"Hehe," Yue Yuchen said noncommittally, "Junior brother, please continue."

For some reason, hearing these words chilled him to the bone, and he immediately bowed his head even lower.

Without further hesitation, he recounted how Zuo Lengchan had found him, made arrangements, and orchestrated the scheme. He also explained what information he had collected over the years and the channels through which he transmitted it.

"Senior brother, please forgive me. Over the years, I have not leaked any important secrets of my Huashan Sect."

"At first, my junior brother only passed on the information about Huashan Sect recruiting disciples, reclaiming barren mountains, and cooperating with the government to Sect Leader Zuo."

"But the Left Sect Leader didn't care about these things. Instead, he ordered me to collect information about my master."

“But I’m just managing the kitchen and purchasing, how could I possibly know anything about Master?”

"Later, Zuo Lengchan saw that the messages I passed on were useless, so he rarely urged me. I just reported the news I heard on time."

"Since the Huashan Sword Sect branch came up the mountain, I have rarely sent messages to the Left Sect Leader. Because of this, the Left Sect Leader even sent someone to threaten me, saying that if I betrayed him, he would expose my identity to the public."

Laudenau kowtowed.

Chapter 36 Laudenuo's Return, Master Liu's Retirement 2

"What was the last message you sent?" Yue Yuchen asked.

Without the slightest hesitation, Laudenuo knelt on the ground and said, "Just before setting off from Mount Hua, I went to Hengyuan Shop at the foot of the mountain and conveyed the news that my master and mistress, junior brother Lin, and senior brother were coming to Mount Heng in three separate groups."

"Oh... I guess you're honest," Yue Yuchen asked.

Laudenuo shuddered and continued, "Just now, Lu Bai of the Songshan Sect sent someone to find me, asking me to find out what Master and Uncle Mo, Uncle Dingjing and Uncle Dingyi discussed?"

"After parting ways with Lu Bai, I came straight here, and that's all."

"Get up!" Yue Yuchen waved his hand and said.

Laudenuo dared not get up, but instead kowtowed several times: "Please punish me, Senior Brother. I am willing to accept the punishment according to the sect rules!"

Yue Yuchen laughed and said, "Why did you expose me today? I haven't done anything to you all these years. Even if you continue to hide it, I won't do anything to you."

Laudenau lay on the ground and said...

"Over the years, my master, mistress, and senior brother have trusted me greatly, entrusting me with all the sect's purchasing matters."

“Over the years, my master and mistress have often shown me care and concern, and I have long considered myself a disciple of Mount Hua.”

"It's just that my junior brother's background is really unbearable and his motives are impure. I'm afraid Zuo Lengchan will expose me, so I'm tormented every day and dare not tell my master the truth."

“Recently, my junior brother has been unable to bear the inner torment any longer. Even if he is punished according to the sect rules, he will accept it willingly.”

Yue Yuchen laughed and said, "What, you don't want the Purple Cloud Manual anymore?"

Laudenuo shuddered, as if an electric shock had struck his mind. He hadn't expected that a single glance from that day would have been noticed. He quickly said, "Junior brother has never had any improper thoughts. When I saw junior sister holding this book that day, I was tempted once, but junior brother would never dare to have any such thoughts."

After saying that, Laudenuo took out a book from his pocket and held it above his head: "In this book, there are some martial arts techniques that Zuo Lengchan sent people to pass on to me, as well as some of the Songshan Sect's secret dealings and some secret agents that my junior brother knows about."

Yue Yuchen looked at Linghu Chong, who immediately stepped forward and helped Lao Denuo up...

"You were lucky; otherwise, this trip to Hengshan would have been your death."

Laudenuo was taken aback, not understanding what it meant. Linghu Chong didn't mind explaining it to him in detail, recounting the arrangements for Lu Bai and himself.

Lao Denuo broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this, feeling as if he had been spared from death. He immediately knelt down and said, "Junior brother is willing to lure the disciples of Songshan Sect to complete senior brother's plan."

Linghu Chong nodded and said, "There's no rush. After Uncle Liu washes his hands of the martial arts world, Junior Brother Lu will come to find you. Just do as he says."

"Yes," Laudenau replied, bowing.

"Once you return to Mount Hua, you don't need to do the purchasing anymore. You, along with Uncle Feng, Junior Brother Shi, and Lin Pingzhi, will be responsible for teaching the new disciples basic martial arts!" Yue Yuchen said.

Laudenuo was taken aback, then his face flushed red, and his eyes were filled with surprise. He knew that being able to teach new disciples was equivalent to forming half a master-disciple relationship.

Now Laudenuo no longer worried about being secretly purged: "Thank you, Senior Brother. I will do my best and never let the sect down."

………………

When Yue Buqun and his wife returned in the evening, they were able to meet their daughter and eldest disciple.

After listening to Yue Lingshan's chatter about her experiences along the way, the couple affectionately patted her hair and said, "Lingshan is a grown-up now."

Upon hearing this, Yue Yuchen smiled and said, "Master, Mistress, I think Second Junior Brother and Junior Sister are also interested. Why don't we arrange their engagement as soon as possible?"

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun's heart stirred, and he also thought it was a good idea, so he looked at Linghu Chong.

"It's entirely up to Master and Mistress to decide," Linghu Chong said, standing up.

Seeing that Yue Lingshan did not object, Ning Zhongze nodded and smiled. Yue Buqun said, "Then let's do it this way. After we return to the mountain and pay our respects at the Ancestral Hall, we will finalize your marriage."

When he heard Linghu Chong relay that Laudenuo had suddenly surrendered today, he was taken aback. He then sighed, shook his head and chuckled, "Fine, let's give him another chance."

Linghu Chong pushed the book that Lao Denuo presented to Yue Buqun: "Master and Mistress, rest assured, I will arrange for someone to keep an eye on him. As long as he sincerely repents, my Huashan Sect is not intolerant of a disciple."

Yue Buqun, no longer bothered to look through the book, pushed it back to Linghu Chong and suddenly said, "In recent years, the Huashan Sect's business has grown larger and larger, and there are more and more things to do. With so many things to deal with, I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep up."

Seeing that Linghu Chong seemed about to say something, Yue Buqun waved his hand and said...

“It’s not that I’m refusing. As Lingshan just said, it’s just that our relationship with Wudang and Shaolin is already quite difficult for me to handle.”

"You two brothers are able to plan ahead for many things. It is only through Chong'er's guidance that I can think of a few things."

"Now that I can see the Huashan Sect flourishing, I have already done right by all the patriarchs. Now that I am stepping down, it is a good thing for me and for Huashan."

"Now that Chong'er has reached the age for marriage, after you two get married, I will officially announce to all sects that Chong'er will succeed as the sect leader."

"Chong'er, the Huashan Sect will be in your hands from now on. You must be a good sect leader and not let me and your senior brother down."

Linghu Chong knelt on the ground and swore, "Master, Mistress, Senior Brother, rest assured, I, Linghu Chong, will definitely carry forward the sect. If I break this vow, may I be struck down by heaven and earth."

Yue Buqun helped him up, patted his shoulder, and felt that all the hardships and toil of his life had been worthwhile: "Having you and Yuchen as my disciples, I have no regrets in this life!"

………………

The next morning, after having breakfast at the inn, Yue Buqun and his wife, along with Yue Yuchen, Linghu Chong, and Yue Lingshan, headed to the Liu residence as the auspicious hour approached.

At the entrance of the inn, they encountered Abbess Dingyi and Taoist Tianmen, who were also heading out. After exchanging greetings, Dingyi asked curiously, "Senior Brother Yue, are only a few of you from your sect going to the Liu residence?"

Yue Buqun explained with a smile, "I discussed it with Junior Brother Liu yesterday. Today's Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony will be crowded and chaotic, with countless heroes from the martial arts world. To avoid any trouble, we will borrow my disciples to maintain order. They went to Liu's residence early this morning."

Master Dingyi nodded and led the Hengshan disciples to pay their respects at the Liu residence.

At the entrance of the Liu residence.

Liu Zhengfeng, dressed in casual clothes and with a broad smile, was chatting and laughing with various heroes from the martial arts world at the entrance.

When Yue Buqun and his group arrived at the entrance, Liu Zhengfeng and a group of martial arts figures, including the "Three Heroes of the Yangtze River," Yu Canghai, and Mr. Wen, descended the steps to greet them.

Although Yu Canghai was embarrassed and angry, he dared not cause trouble at this time. The Five Mountains Sword Sects always stood together. If he dared to show his face, Yue Yuchen would dare to slap him in the face on the spot.

"Senior Brother Yue, Senior Sister Dingyi, Daoist Brother Tianmen, I am honored by your presence. Please, please..." Liu Zhengfeng said, bowing with his hands clasped in thanks.

Now that the Huashan Sect is the most powerful, no other sect will deliberately steal the limelight, and everyone implicitly regards Yue Buqun as their leader. They are all waiting for him to make the first move.

“Junior Brother Liu, you’re too kind. You are the host today, and we are all guests. We should follow your lead. Please go first, Junior Brother Liu,” Yue Buqun said, cupping his hands in greeting.

With a broad smile, Liu Zhengfeng grabbed Yue Buqun's arm and said, "Then please come with me, Senior Brother."

Yue Buqun stopped refusing, and the two walked side by side, leading the way into the doorway.

Along the way, one could indeed see groups of Huashan Sect disciples and Hengshan Sect disciples patrolling back and forth within Liu's residence, showing the close relationship between the two sects.

Along the way, guests from all walks of life who came to offer their congratulations made way for them, and only those who were of high enough status dared to come up and exchange a few words with them.

Chapter 37 Laudenuo's Return, Master Liu's Retirement 3

By noon, hundreds of guests had gathered at the Liu residence. These guests were a mixed bag, some of whom had been invited by the Liu family in advance.

People like the deputy leader of the Beggars' Sect, the boxer of the Zhengzhou Liuhemen, and the Five Tigers Breaking the Gate Saber of Pengjiazhuang are all well-known figures in the martial arts world.

Many others come uninvited, seeking to profit from the chaos and watch the spectacle. These people are rather unruly, and their actions are often a mix of good and evil.

At this time and place, the Huashan Sect had the highest reputation and the most respected status in the martial arts world, and the Five Mountains Sword Sects and others all recommended Yue Buqun to sit in the first seat.

Following them are, in order, Tianmen Daoist, Dingyi Shita, Yu Canghai, and others. Further down are Pengjiazhuang, Liuhemen, the Beggars' Gang, and others.

Just as everyone was seated, they heard the sounds of clashing swords and spears coming from the doorway. This was followed by the sound of gongs clearing the way, which startled the assembled heroes, who couldn't understand why government officials had arrived.

Before anyone could have any doubts, Liu Zhengfeng cupped his hands and said, "Please be patient, everyone. Let me go out and take a look."

Before he could go out, a large group of soldiers had already poured in through the gate, surrounding a civil official wearing a white pheasant robe and a two-winged official hat.

………………

The man was weak and unsteady on his feet, clearly not skilled in martial arts. He merely glanced at the crowd of heroes with disdain, practically looking down on them.

He only smiled when he saw Yue Yuchen, ignoring Liu Zhengfeng, the main character, and instead walked towards Yue Yuchen...

"Master Yue, I never expected to meet you here. I was planning to take this opportunity to visit you at Mount Hua."

Yue Yuchen cupped his hands and smiled, "I didn't expect it to be Brother Liu in person. After we parted that day, I heard that Brother Liu passed the imperial examinations twice and has been retained in the capital for service."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Yue Yuchen introduced Yue Buqun, saying, "Master, this Brother Liu is currently the Assistant Director of the Ministry of War, and he is from Mount Hua."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun immediately knew that this person had either copied books on Mount Hua or robbed people there. However, times had changed, and the man was now an official.

Yue Buqun cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Lord Liu."

The wealthy man surnamed Liu simply nodded: "Back then, I borrowed your esteemed place to copy books from your collection, and with the guidance of Master Yue, I was fortunate enough to pass the imperial examination. I have never had the chance to express my gratitude."

Yue Buqun waved his hand and said, "Oh, Lord Liu, what are you saying? Your success in passing the imperial examination is due to your hard work and diligent study, and it will surely pay off."

With everyone carrying the sedan chair, this Lord Liu was relatively easy to please. Seeing that Yue Buqun did not reveal his past as someone who made a living by copying books, he was even more pleased.

The martial arts heroes could only stand by and watch, and even those who harbored resentment dared not provoke the group of government soldiers, and could only mutter a few curses.

After chatting for a while, Yue Yuchen said from the side, "I wonder what brings Brother Liu here today..."

It was only then that Lord Liu seemed to realize what was happening: "Forgive me, forgive me, I have an imperial order to carry out, and I cannot delay."

Having said that, he turned around and asked, "Who is Liu Zhengfeng from Hengyang Prefecture?"