The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun

Page 143

How is the situation here?

Yue Buqun looked at Jiang Ning and asked.

"No problems."

Jiang Ning replied.

He and Linghu Chong guarded the Thousand-Foot Cliff and killed a large number of martial arts practitioners who rushed up. Now they have been replaced by Tianmen Daoist, Dingyi Shita, and Ning Zhongze.

The three were guarding the Thousand-Foot Cliff, but the attack from below had stopped.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun looked at Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong with concern, and as he spoke, he reached out and grabbed their hands to transfer his internal energy to check their physical condition.

"It's alright, Master, don't worry."

Jiang Ning smiled.

He was indeed fine, with no injuries. It was Linghu Chong who joined the battle midway and fought too fiercely, severely depleting his stamina and putting himself in danger several times. Fortunately, Jiang Ning was watching him closely and intervened in time to prevent him from being injured or killed.

"Thank you... thank you for your concern, Master. I'm fine."

Linghu Chong's chest heaved violently, and he spoke with heavy breathing. Despite the weather being close to winter, he was drenched in sweat, and his arms were trembling slightly.

He's completely exhausted.

While resting, Linghu Chong looked at Jiang Ning opposite him and saw that Jiang Ning's chest was rising and falling slightly, and his face was normal.

Seeing Jiang Ning's appearance, Linghu Chong felt it was outrageous.

He joined the battle midway and is now exhausted, barely able to speak. Jiang Ning fought from beginning to end but doesn't seem to be in much trouble. Before this, he had guarded the Thousand-Foot Crag for a whole day and night.

This abundance of energy even prompted Linghu Chong to complain.

Yue Buqun nodded slightly and then withdrew his hand.

The two were just a little tired, but nothing serious.

"Has the enemy launched a large-scale attack?"

Yue Buqun looked at the stone wall and ground on the side of the Thousand-Foot Cliff, where there were large patches of blood, some of which were still wet.

"Uh-huh."

Linghu Chong nodded quickly.

"Those people were all desperately attacking upwards; they were all experts."

The intensity of today's mountain assault is much higher than yesterday's.

Yesterday, Jiang Ning alone was able to hold off those who had joined the Demonic Sect at the foot of the mountain, preventing them from ever getting up. But today's attackers are completely different; they all have martial arts skills, and there are quite a few experts among them. The intensity of the attack has increased dramatically. Otherwise, Linghu Chong wouldn't have rushed up to help.

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun said, "There are also dozens of people coming up from the bottom of the cliff on the back mountain."

He then recounted the situation on the back mountain.

When Linghu Chong heard that a large group of experts were attacking from the other side, his expression changed repeatedly. However, he was relieved when he heard that Yue Buqun had already dealt with him, though he was still somewhat worried.

Although they managed to hold off the attack, they only numbered a little over four hundred, while several thousand had already gathered below. They were at a disadvantage in terms of both overall strength and numbers. Their only advantage was that their skilled fighters were of higher quality and that they had the advantage of terrain. If it weren't for the fact that Mount Hua was easy to defend and difficult to attack, they would probably have suffered heavy casualties long ago.

However, if this continues for a long time, the outcome remains to be seen.

"Don't worry."

Yue Buqun saw Linghu Chong's worry and reassured him, "With your master here, these people can't do anything to us."

Upon hearing Yue Buqun's words, Linghu Chong nodded and said nothing more.

"Senior Brother, what sword technique did you use before? How come we've never seen it before?"

At this moment, a disciple of Mount Hua asked a question.

"Swordsmanship?"

Yue Buqun was surprised.

What sword technique?

"Uh-huh."

Another Huashan disciple nodded repeatedly: "Master, when our eldest brother was fighting the enemy just now, he used a sword technique that none of us had ever seen before. It was incredibly powerful."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun looked at Linghu Chong.

"Chong'er, have you learned any sword techniques?"

"for this I……"

Linghu Chong looked somewhat embarrassed, but still nodded.

What kind of sword technique is it?

Yue Buqun was very surprised. Linghu Chong had been at the Cliff of Contemplation all this time. Where did he learn swordsmanship from?

“I…I…was taught to me by a senior.”

Linghu Chong's expression became even more troubled.

"senior?"

Yue Buqun was even more puzzled: "What senior? Which senior are you referring to?"

When a senior suddenly appeared and taught swordsmanship to the eldest disciple of Mount Hua, Yue Buqun wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Master...I..."

Linghu Chong hesitated for a moment.

Feng Qingyang forbade anyone to tell him about what happened at the Cliff of Contemplation, and he really didn't know whether he should or not.

Seeing Linghu Chong's appearance, Yue Buqun frowned.

“Master, since Senior Brother learned from this senior’s words, this senior may be a reclusive master who does not like to reveal his name and whereabouts. He may have told Senior Brother to keep the secret.”

At this moment, Jiang Ning spoke up to help Linghu Chong out of his predicament.

As they were talking, Jiang Ning gave Yue Buqun a wink.

Yue Buqun noticed Jiang Ning's gesture and realized that Jiang Ning knew something.

Linghu Chong nodded repeatedly and said, "Master, please forgive me. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but that senior forbade me to tell anyone about his existence. I have already made a promise and dare not disobey. Please forgive me, Master. After this matter is settled, I will find that senior again. If that senior agrees, I will then tell you everything."

To prove he wasn't lying, Linghu Chong pretended to kneel down.

Yue Buqun reached out and helped him up.

"That's all."

"Since you've said so, I can't let you break your promise. Let's talk about it after this matter is settled."

Linghu Chong felt as if he had been granted a pardon.

Chapter 203: Tai Sui God

Yue Buqun ultimately didn't press the matter further, instead casually saying, "Since the senior who taught you the sword technique forbade you to reveal his identity, then you can't reveal the name of the sword technique he taught you either, right?"

"This is not."

Linghu Chong thought for a moment and realized that Feng Qingyang only forbade him to reveal his name and whereabouts, but did not forbid him from revealing anything about the sword technique. He quickly said, "The sword technique that senior taught me is called Dugu Nine Swords."

"The Nine Swords of Dugu?"

Yue Buqun was stunned for a moment after hearing the name of the sword technique.

"Does Master recognize this sword technique?"

Jiang Ning noticed Yue Buqun's unusual behavior.

Yue Buqun seemed lost in memories. He snapped out of his reverie after hearing Jiang Ning's words and gave Linghu Chong a meaningful look.

"I've heard of it, but I've never seen it."

The name of this sword technique is as ancient as that person; he's almost forgotten it.

"Master, have you heard of this?"

Linghu Chong was stunned.

"Ah."

Yue Buqun nodded: "I heard about it a long time ago."

After saying this, Yue Buqun looked at Linghu Chong with a meaningful gaze and said, "This senior taught you swordsmanship but did not allow you to reveal his name or whereabouts. He must be a reclusive master who does not want to get involved in the affairs of the martial world. Since that is the case, you don't need to bother him anymore. Let this senior continue to live in seclusion."

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong was stunned, while Jiang Ning was surprised.

Judging from Yue Buqun's words and his current expression, it seems he has recognized that Feng Qingyang was the one who taught Linghu Chong swordsmanship. If that's the case, then he doesn't need to tell him anymore.

However, Linghu Chong interpreted Yue Buqun's expression and tone as something else entirely.

"Master!"

Linghu Chong knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, and said, "Please calm your anger, Master. It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, but this senior warned me beforehand not to reveal any information about him, otherwise I would have to pay with my life. I'm willing to give up my life, but since death is inevitable, a person without integrity cannot stand. Now that Master has become suspicious, I dare not conceal anything. The one who taught me swordsmanship is..."

"Okay, don't say any more."

Before Linghu Chong could finish speaking, Yue Buqun raised his hand to stop him.

"Get up."

Yue Buqun reached out and pulled him up, straightening his clothes for him.

"I only have doubts in my heart, I don't want to force you."

Yue Buqun looked at Linghu Chong and said, "You can remember the saying that a person cannot stand without integrity, which means you have not forgotten your teacher's teachings. Since you and that senior had an agreement beforehand, your teacher will not force you to break your promise."

"The stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade. As your teacher, I don't forbid you from dabbling in other martial arts. Besides, this is your private matter. I only asked this question because I was worried that it might be a conspiracy by evil cultists to deceive you. As long as it's not, that's fine."

Everyone has their own secrets, and Yue Buqun is no exception.

Linghu Chong is his disciple, not his vassal. Even one's own children have secrets that their parents don't know. This is not a big deal.

Aside from the Huashan Sect, Yue Buqun didn't actually have that strong desire to control other matters.

He won't be aggressive unless it endangers the safety of the Huashan Sect.

Moreover, Yue Buqun has already guessed who taught Linghu Chong, so it would be better for both of them if Linghu Chong didn't reveal it.

"Thank you, Master."

Linghu Chong was moved to tears.

"Master, rest assured, that senior is definitely not a member of the Demonic Sect."

Yue Buqun smiled faintly: "That's fine as long as it's not."

The other Huashan disciples and disciples from other sects looked at each other in bewilderment at Linghu Chong and Yue Buqun's big commotion, wondering what was going on.

Sect Leader Yue is usually quite easygoing, so why is Senior Brother Linghu reacting so strongly?

Jiang Ning looked at Linghu Chong, then at Yue Buqun, and asked, "Master, do you know the origin of this sword technique?"

Yue Buqun understood that Jiang Ning was asking him if he knew that the Dugu Nine Swords were taught by Feng Qingyang. He nodded and said, "I've heard of it before, but that was more than twenty years ago. I just never had the chance to see it. I never expected to see it again today."

Jiang Ning nodded.

Since Yue Buqun already knows about this, there's no need to say anything more.

"All right."

Yue Buqun stood up.

"Since there's nothing unusual here, you two should rest for now. I've captured a few people alive, and I need to go back and interrogate them."

Jiang Ning and the other Huashan disciples were about to rise and pay their respects, but Yue Buqun stopped them with a gesture of his hand, and then they left.

After Yue Buqun left, Linghu Chong sat blankly on the stone steps, his eyes glazed over.

He hesitated about whether to offer the Dugu Nine Swords to his sect.

After the fierce battle just now, he also witnessed the power of the Dugu Nine Swords. Such swordsmanship was far superior to that of the Five Mountains Sword Sect. If he could contribute the Dugu Nine Swords to his sect, it would bring great help to his sect.

What made him hesitate was that this sword technique was taught to him by Feng Qingyang, not by him personally.