Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Page 14

Yue Yuchen shook his head. This improvement was almost negligible, so he pushed the Zixia Manual back to Linghu Chong.

"Uh, senior brother, why don't you keep it for now? There's no need to rush to give it to me," Linghu Chong said, looking at the manual that had been pushed back.

Yue Yuchen calmly said, "This manual is of little help to me now. My improvement in cultivation level is no longer something that a manual can do."

Immediately afterwards, Yue Yuchen looked at Linghu Chong with a smile: "Junior brother, since Master has decided to make you the next sect leader, you must do a good job and not disappoint him."

“I understand, Senior Brother,” Linghu Chong nodded.

………………

Watching Linghu Chong leave, Yue Yuchen felt gratified. His arrival had changed Mount Hua, and also changed the fate of Yue Buqun, Linghu Chong, and Yue Lingshan. Perhaps this was the meaning of his visit.

Recalling his past life, Yue Yuchen revealed a trace of relief, and a golden light shone on his soul as if he had been freed from some kind of shackle.

With his internal energy becoming more active and refined, Yue Yuchen entered a deep state of seclusion as his thoughts raced.

………………

Not long after returning from the Sutra Repository, and having just sat down to handle some miscellaneous matters, the leader of the gatekeeper disciples came to report that six Taibao from the Songshan Sect had arrived on the mountain carrying the Alliance Leader's command flag.

Inside the Sword Qi Hall, Linghu Chong toyed with the visiting card in his hand, his expression playful. The disciples below, waiting for his words, remained calm, though their shifting eyes betrayed a hint of hesitation.

"Second Senior Brother, these people are clearly up to no good. Some of them are carrying swords that seem to be in the style of our Huashan Sect," the gatekeeper disciple warned.

"This is really interesting..." Linghu Chong smiled slightly as he thought about the origins of those people.

"Go and invite them up the mountain. Let Third Junior Brother Lao Denuo go," Linghu Chong said. "Also, inform the sect leader that the Songshan Sect is coming to visit and ask him to come forward."

The sudden visit of the Songshan Sect seemed important, but not that crucial, and Linghu Chong didn't want it to delay his important business.

He continued to give instructions one by one, and only after watching his disciples accept their orders and leave did Linghu Chong breathe a sigh of relief and walk out of the Sword Qi Hall.

Looking at the Huashan disciples outside the door, he couldn't help but think to himself, "No matter what trouble it is, my Huashan Sect will take it on. The Huashan Sect of today is not a toothless tiger."

"The Songshan Sect has arrived?" Yue Buqun's voice came from the back hall.

Linghu Chong smiled upon hearing this, turned around and said, "Master, Mistress, Junior Brother, Junior Sister, a report came from the mountain gate that the Songshan Sect has come to pay their respects, along with several seniors from our Huashan Sect."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze exchanged glances, already knowing who the visitors were. They just hadn't expected them to arrive today, even though they had been talking about them yesterday.

Among these people, only Lin Pingzhi came up the mountain later, and he obviously didn't quite understand why his senior brothers and sisters were not very happy.

Yue Buqun clearly saw through it too, and his face hardened as he admonished, "Whether it's the Songshan Sect or those senior members of the Huashan Sect, they are all your senior uncles and aunts. Don't be impolite."

"Yes, Master, your disciple knows his mistake." Shi Daizi, Lu Dayou, and Lin Pingzhi all bowed their heads and admitted their mistakes, regardless of what they thought in their hearts.

As the acting sect leader, Linghu Chong naturally had to cover for his fellow disciples, so he said, "Master, the disciples are still happy, they're just too happy to react for a moment."

Yue Buqun snorted coldly, clearly not believing his nonsense, but he wouldn't expose him. If the second disciple wanted to manage the Huashan Sect well, he also needed to maintain good relationships with his fellow disciples, so there was no need to be so petty.

Yue Lingshan's eyes darted around, and she tugged at Ning Zhongze's sleeve, saying, "Father, Mother, should we go find our eldest brother?"

Before Yue Buqun could speak, Linghu Chong said directly, "Senior Brother has already gone into seclusion."

Seeing everyone's gazes, Linghu Chong's eyes flashed with envy, and he said in a jealous tone, "I just went to see my senior brother this morning. I don't know what he comprehended, but he went into seclusion after I left."

Hearing Linghu Chong's words, everyone else showed expressions of envy. Such talent, such diligence, was simply too much to bear...

Chapter 28 Huashan Sword Sect 2

Inside the Sword Qi Hall, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze sat at the head of the table. Yue Buqun stroked his beard and smiled, but did not speak.

At the head of the guest seats sat a gaunt, bearded middle-aged man whose gaze was filled with a menacing glint, as if he were there to cause trouble rather than to be a guest.

This man was Lu Bai, one of the Taibao of the Songshan Sect. At this moment, he held a command flag in his left hand and his eyes swept over the disciples of Huashan.

Faced with his gaze, the Huashan disciples in the guest seats all wore disdainful expressions; Yue Lingshan even curled her lips and glared back fiercely.

Only Linghu Chong, sitting at the head of the lower seat, smiled...

"Uncle-Master Lu, it's been a long time since we parted at Shaolin. I never expected to meet you again at Mount Hua. It seems you're in good health."

"I was uneasy because I accidentally injured my senior brother last time. It seems that he is recovering well, so I am relieved."

"Pfft..." Upon hearing this, Yue Lingshan covered her mouth and laughed incoherently. Even the others had complicated and strange expressions, yet they couldn't deny it.

Only Ning Zhongze said, seemingly reproachfully, "Chong'er, you mustn't be rude."

Linghu Chong rose to accept the instruction, appearing extremely humble and polite. However, considering his earlier words and Yue Buqun's composed demeanor, it was clear that the Huashan Sect did not take them seriously today.

Before Lu Bai could react, Linghu Chong looked at the two Taoist robe-clad men sitting below him, cupped his hands and said, "Judging from the style of your swords, you two must be senior masters from Hengshan and Taishan."

Before the two could reply, Linghu Chong said, "It is truly an honor for you two seniors to grace Mount Hua with your presence. As your seniors, please give me a few pointers later. Please don't be shy."

Upon hearing this, Yue Lingshan laughed so hard she could hardly breathe. The two men wanted to retaliate, but seeing Linghu Chong's ambiguous smile, they held back.

The two felt that coming here with the Songshan Sect today was a huge mistake. Five years ago, this kid could overpower six of the Songshan Sect's bodyguards. Who knows how much his martial arts have improved now?

What I didn't expect was that this kid was so shameless, he was practically saying outright, "Don't cause trouble, or I'll have a proper spar with you."

The thought of being beaten senseless by this kid in front of so many people makes me wonder how I'll ever be able to survive in the martial arts world again.

The two exchanged a glance, then immediately closed their eyes and began to shake their heads. They had already given the Songshan Sect face by coming; as for losing face, that was absolutely out of the question.

Linghu Chong then looked at the three people sitting below him. Before he could speak, one of the men, with a sallow complexion and a fierce look on his face, said, "Senior Brother Yue, is this how you teach your disciples?"

Yue Buqun paused, his expression unchanged, and said, "Junior Brother Feng, you misunderstand. My disciple is just too eager to learn and couldn't help but want to get closer to the senior brothers."

"You..." The man surnamed Feng was furious, never expecting Yue Buqun to be so shameless.

Before he could say anything more, Yue Buqun asked, "Junior Brother Feng, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Huashan Sect after this trip up the mountain?"

The man surnamed Feng wanted to say something, but everyone outside the door was aware of the grand scene, and he couldn't deceive himself.

After a long silence, he said in a hoarse voice, "Such a grand occasion is even slightly inferior to what it was before the Sword Qi Competition back then."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun smiled and said, "Oh? I didn't expect Junior Brother Feng to think the same way. Then I will have the face to meet the ancestors after I die."

The man surnamed Feng, his face contorted with rage, hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, but in the end, it all turned into a silent sigh.

Ultimately, no matter how much resentment there may be, now that they have personally witnessed hundreds of Huashan disciples, whose power dominates Gansu and Shaanxi, and who have now extended their reach into Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Fujian.

Not to mention the Songshan Sect, even Shaolin and Wudang could stand on equal footing. No matter how unwilling they were, they all turned into a sigh.

Linghu Chong sat to the side, only smiling and not saying a word, while the Huashan disciples all looked as if they were leaving everything to their master.

………………

Seeing this, Lu Bai knew he couldn't let Yue Buqun continue to lead, otherwise all his plans would come to naught.

He waved the command flag in his hand and said, "Senior Brother Yue, matters concerning your sect should not be the concern of outsiders. However, our Five Mountains Sword Sect has always been united. If we cannot resolve this soon, I'm afraid it will give others an excuse to attack us."

Yue Buqun waved his hand and said, "Junior Brother Lu, what makes you say such a thing? Our Huashan Sect is a model of righteousness, and our disciples are all upright and honest people. How could such a treacherous villain slander us so easily?"

Lu Bai changed the subject, saying, "But it's also a fact that the Huashan Sect's sword and qi factions split into two back then. Everyone needs to agree on who is the true lineage."

Yue Buqun rose and bowed towards the direction of the capital, saying...

"Although our Huashan Sect does not have the Emperor's personal seal, it has been reported to the palace and is on file in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs."

"As for the Central Plains, our Huashan Sect is recognized by the six ministries and officials of the imperial court, and has the local government as a guarantor. All the land leases and building documents are stamped with the official seal."

"To the people below, our Huashan Sect protects the peace of this area. At the foot of Huashan Mountain, there are thousands of tenant farmers and people in nearby towns. Everyone praises our Huashan Sect."

"Junior Brother Lu, I wonder who you mean by 'approval' but doesn't? And who you mean by 'authentic' but isn't?"

Lu Bai was speechless after hearing these words. This... Yue Buqun had clearly taken the art of alliances to the extreme over the years. Even the Songshan Sect wouldn't dare to make such a boast, but the Huashan Sect did.

Linghu Chong chuckled and said, "Uncle-Master Lu, the Shaolin Temple's location on Mount Song is recognized by the imperial court and bestowed with an imperial edict. I wonder about the Songshan Sect..."

For a moment, Lu Bai had the illusion that he had shot himself in the foot.

The others who came up the mountain with Lu Bai couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment. The barbed words spoken by the master and disciple made them seem like a group of bandits who had taken over the mountain and had come to cause trouble for a righteous sect.

Enraged, Lu Bai waved the command flag in his hand and said, "Senior Brother Yue, the Five Mountains Alliance Leader's command flag is here. Do you acknowledge it or not?"

Shi Daizi retorted dismissively, "So what if I don't acknowledge you?"

"You... how dare you!" Seeing the other Huashan Sect disciples all looking at him with disdain, Lu Bai said angrily.

At the same time, there was also an unspeakable fear in their hearts. If the Huashan Sect really stopped playing with them, what would happen to the Songshan Sect?

Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong exchanged a glance, ignoring Lu Bai's expression. Yue Buqun's expression turned serious, and he said, "Junior Brother Feng, Junior Brother Cheng, what are your plans for returning to the mountain this time?"

The three men at the bottom exchanged glances, and the man surnamed Feng, who was in the lead, said, "Senior Brother Yue, since we parted ways years ago, it's time for the battle of Huashan sword qi to come to a conclusion."

As he spoke, he stood up, picked up the longsword on the table, and said, "Today, the three of us are coming up the mountain to represent the Sword Sect and thoroughly settle this grudge. We are people of the martial world, and everything is decided by the sword, what do you say?"

Chapter 29 Huashan Sword Sect 3

Yue Buqun stroked his beard and asked, "Junior Brother Feng, how do you want to compete?"

The man surnamed Feng said, "As long as Senior Brother Yue can make the three of us admit defeat wholeheartedly, we will acknowledge the Huashan Qi Sect as the orthodox sect."

"Alright," Yue Buqun said without hesitation, immediately standing up.

Once everyone agreed, they immediately got up and went to the square outside the Sword Qi Hall.

………………

In the small square, Linghu Chong and the man surnamed Feng stood facing each other, each holding a long sword.

Linghu Chong cupped his hands in greeting: "Uncle-Master Feng, you are the senior, please go first."

Feng Buping didn't hold back either. A flash of silver light appeared in his hand, and the sword swayed like a willow in the wind, unpredictable and ever-changing. It was the move "Willow in the Wind" from the Gale Swift Sword style.

Feng Buping took a step and was already in front of Linghu Chong. His sword flashed swiftly, instantly unleashing seventeen or eighteen sword shadows that enveloped Linghu Chong's chest.

Linghu Chong remained unmoved, and with a flick of his right hand, holding the longsword upside down, he executed the move "Immortal Points the Way," the tip of the sword pointing directly at the central flaw in Feng Buping's sword.

Feng Buping changed his moves several times, and Linghu Chong followed suit, their swords changing even before they met.

If this continued, in no time, Feng Buping was circling around Linghu Chong, his sword flashing like a storm, his face revealing his impatience.

In contrast, Linghu Chong used only one move, "Immortal Points the Way," and one ordinary sword technique—a diagonal upward thrust—with unparalleled skill.

The longsword held upside down in his hand was always aimed at Feng Buping's weaknesses, displaying a calm and collected demeanor befitting a master.

Yue Buqun and his wife had calm and collected expressions, as if they had expected this all along.

Yue Lingshan's eyes sparkled, and her right hand, which was forming a sword gesture, couldn't help but move along with it, as if she had learned some exquisite changes.

Shi Daizi, Lu Dayou, and Lin Pingzhi stared intently at Feng Buping's whirlwind sword, trying to discern the subtle changes and tricks within it.

Lu Bai and the others looked grim, clearly not expecting this. Among them, Feng Buping was the most skilled in swordsmanship, yet he had failed on his very first move.

Lu Bai's eyes darted around, and he shouted, seemingly mocking, "Senior Brother Yue, didn't you say you were from the Huashan Qi Sect? How come we didn't see any internal energy from the Qi Sect disciples, but their swordsmanship is quite good."

Yue Buqun was not going to mince words and replied with feigned helplessness, "Junior Brother Lu doesn't know, Chong'er's swordsmanship is just something he practices casually, it's really nothing to brag about."

One sentence left Lu Bai speechless, his face turning red. It meant that even with casual practice, his disciple's swordsmanship was better than theirs, so what were they? Fools?

Ning Zhongze said, seemingly unintentionally, "Senior Brother Lu doesn't practice internal energy, so he doesn't know the depth of this. Without sufficient internal energy, Chong'er couldn't have developed such accurate eyesight."

The couple took turns praising Lu Bai, seemingly complimenting him, but in reality they were belittling him to the point of saying he was useless, both in martial arts and internal energy, and was just a good-for-nothing.

But the other person hadn't said anything yet, so no matter how angry Lu Bai was, he couldn't find a reason to retaliate, and his face turned a purplish-red.

The two elders from the Hengshan and Taishan factions were also helpless and did not want to be the first to speak out. They felt that they had really lost their minds today.

Seeing that Linghu Chong's expression remained unchanged while Feng Buping's pace slowed down, the difference in their abilities was immediately apparent. Linghu Chong changed the sword in his hand, unleashing a move called "Boundless Falling Leaves".

The sword energy was chilling, like countless branches and leaves falling in a gale. With a flash of light, the sword was already stuck to Feng Buping's longsword.

As soon as their swords clashed, Feng Buping's expression became complicated. He felt as if the sword in his hand weighed a thousand pounds, as if it had fallen into a mud pit and could no longer move fast.

Before he could let go, Linghu Chong withdrew the internal force from his longsword, took a step back, and cupped his hands, saying, "Uncle-Master Feng, shall we call it a draw today?"

Feng Buping's face was filled with complex emotions, but he said, "A loss is a loss. We, the disciples of the Sword Sect, are responsible for our actions. Are we people who cannot accept defeat?"

Having said that, he cupped his hands to Yue Buqun and said, "Senior Brother Yue, I have lost this round."

Yue Buqun raised his hand and said, "Junior brother, what are you saying? It is an honor for the junior to be able to receive your swordsmanship secrets."

Feng Buping lowered his head and remained silent. After a moment, he suddenly looked at Linghu Chong and asked, "Are you using the Dugu Nine Swords?"

Linghu Chong nodded and said, "It is indeed the Dugu Nine Swords."

Feng Buping showed a hint of disappointment and muttered to himself, "So it was Uncle Feng, no wonder..." His voice trailed off.

Seeing that Feng Buping was standing aside ignoring everyone, Lu Bai's eyes flashed and he said, "Senior Brother Yue, your sect doesn't only have Linghu Chong as a disciple, does it? It's best to be fair in a martial arts competition."

The Huashan Sect members ignored him, making him seem even more like a clown, and the atmosphere around him turned cold.