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

Page 38

Yue Buqun nodded and said, "I have already discussed it with your master's wife. We plan to teach you all of the Huashan Sword Technique. As for the sword techniques and counter-moves of the other Five Mountains Sword Sects, you don't have to learn them, but you need to know how to counter them."

"Yes, thank you Master."

Jiang Ning nodded.

Now that he has returned to Mount Hua, he has more free time to practice his swordsmanship.

"I haven't finished speaking yet."

Yue Buqun then spoke up again: "After you have fully mastered the Huashan Sword Technique, I want you to forget it all."

After speaking, Yue Buqun looked at Jiang Ning and smiled, "Do you know why your master asked you to do this?"

Jiang Ning thought for a moment and said, "Is it better to have no moves than to have moves?"

"good."

Yue Buqun nodded with satisfaction; his disciple was very perceptive.

"Through the Five Sacred Mountains Sword Techniques and their counters in the Cliff of Contemplation, I have come to understand one thing even more clearly: no matter how exquisite a sword technique is, as long as it is a sword technique, it will be broken one day."

“Exquisite swordsmanship may help us fight better, but it is ultimately just a means to help us fight. In the end, what truly needs to become strong is ourselves.”

"There is no strongest sword technique, only strong people. As long as we are strong enough, even a single move can unleash tremendous power."

Chapter 63: What kind of person is Senior Brother Jiang Ning?

It seems that those counter-attacks really stimulated Yue Buqun.

But as Yue Buqun said, the path of martial arts, no matter how exquisite the sword technique, will eventually lead to the same destination.

"However, although I want you to forget the Huashan Sword Technique, I don't want you to forget it immediately."

At this moment, Yue Buqun instructed Jiang Ning: "You must first understand that you must possess before you can learn to let go. But you can only think about forgetting after you have mastered all the skills. Otherwise, it will only harm you and not benefit you."

Jiang Ning nodded: "This disciple will remember."

Yue Buqun nodded in satisfaction.

"Let's go, it's almost noon. Let's go eat. You've been traveling around, so I'm sure you haven't been eating well."

Yue Buqun flicked his sleeve and headed towards the dining hall.

Jiang Ning said with a smile as he walked, "This disciple really misses the food my master's wife cooks."

On their way to the cafeteria, Yue Buqun and Jiang Ning talked about the changes in the Huashan Sect.

Since their return from Xiangyang, nearly a hundred Xiangyang residents have wanted to go back to Mount Hua with them. Most of them are the brothel women who were rescued and their families, while the others are people like the maids of the Iron Palm Sect.

These people settled down in a village south of Mount Hua. Jiang Ning came from the north and came south, so he did not see them.

"Laudeno has returned from Qingcheng Mountain. He said that after learning the cause and course of events, Abbot Yu repeatedly expressed his apologies to our Huashan Sect. But let's not go into those words. He did bring back some interesting news."

Yue Buqun said with a smile, "I heard that the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect practiced swordsmanship every night. It didn't look like the Qingcheng sword style. After I had him demonstrate a few moves, I recognized it as the Evil-Repelling Sword Style."

Evil-repelling Sword Technique?

A look of surprise appeared in Jiang Ning's eyes.

He remembered this sword technique clearly, and Yue Buqun later developed an inseparable bond with it.

Seeing Jiang Ning's interest, Yue Buqun continued, "The Evil-Repelling Sword Technique is the signature skill of Lin Yuantu of the Fujian Fuwei Escort Agency. In the past, Master Yu's master, Changqingzi, lost a few moves to Lin Yuantu and died in depression after returning home. Now, Yu Canghai is practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique with the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect. Perhaps he will go to Fujian to challenge Lin Yuantu's descendants to a duel to avenge the previous generation."

"It just so happens that my Huashan Sect's lost sword technique has been restored, and I have also found the Innate Skill. In order to avoid Lao Denuo discovering anything unusual during this period, I will use this as an excuse to send Lao Denuo to Fujian, which will be a good way to get him away."

Yue Buqun stroked his beard, a faint smile on his face.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning's expression shifted, and he asked, "When did Lao Denuo go to Fujian?"

"What happened at the end of January?"

Yue Buqun said.

Jiang Ning shook his head: "After leaving Shanxi, I went to Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan in February and found that there were only a few young disciples guarding the Songfeng Temple. I did not find Yu Canghai or the other Qingcheng disciples. I don't know where they went. Now that I think about it, they may have already set off for Fujian at that time."

Yue Buqun asked in astonishment, "What are you going to Qingcheng Mountain for?"

Jiang Ning remained calm and said, "Last time, I heard from my senior brother that Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong from the Qingcheng Sect wanted to harass my senior sister. Although my senior brother stopped them, I thought that since they wanted to be disrespectful to my senior sister, they didn't succeed because my senior brother was there. But what if it were other ordinary people? Would they have suffered at their hands? So I thought I would go to Qingcheng Mountain to take a look. However, I didn't see them when I went, so I came back."

Yue Buqun's eyelids twitched upon hearing this.

He was all too familiar with Jiang Ning's words; usually, whenever Jiang Ning said those words, it was the prelude to starting a killing.

For some reason, Yue Buqun suddenly felt that it was a good thing Yu Canghai and the others left.

Yue Buqun didn't say much about it, but said, "After you return to Mount Hua this time, you must practice your swordsmanship diligently. I will teach you all the Mount Hua sword techniques within this month."

Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised: "A month? Isn't that too rushed?"

Yue Buqun shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm in a hurry, but I have to go to Hunan in a month. The time is indeed tight. Liu Zhengfeng of Hengshan Sect is going to hold the Golden Basin Washing Hands Conference in mid-June and has invited my Huashan Sect. We are all from the same Five Mountains Sword Sects, and I must attend this Golden Basin Washing Hands Conference."

Liu Zhengfeng?

A ceremony to cleanse oneself of worldly desires?

Is the story of Swordsman about to officially begin?

Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Master, I'll go with you."

"Are you going too?"

Yue Buqun was somewhat surprised.

"Ah."

Jiang Ning nodded and said, "I have been cultivating diligently on Mount Hua, and after descending the mountain, I have mainly been going to Shanxi. I haven't met the senior uncles and elders of the other Five Mountains Sword Sects yet. This is a good opportunity to meet them."

Yue Buqun pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, you're right. You'll have to meet the other senior uncles and senior masters of the Five Mountains Sword Sects eventually, and this is a good opportunity."

As they were talking, Yue Buqun and Jiang Ning finally arrived at the dining hall, where food was already laid out on the tables and several disciples were busy preparing it.

"Master."

"Master."

They said this as soon as they saw Yue Buqun.

"Ah."

Yue Buqun smiled and nodded.

The disciples also noticed Jiang Ning standing to the side and all smiled.

They already knew that Jiang Ning had returned to Mount Hua.

"Ning'er is back?"

At this moment, Ning Zhongze came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of food, saw Jiang Ning, and smiled.

Jiang Ning bowed and said with a smile, "Master's wife."

"It'll be good to come back, it'll be good to come back."

Ning Zhongze also smiled broadly: "Let's eat."

Jiang Ning nodded.

Yue Buqun had already sat down.

We'll eat here today.

The other disciples looked surprised.

They used to eat in the cafeteria, while Yue Buqun ate at his residence. Why is it different today?

Ning Zhongze had no objection; it didn't matter where she ate.

Yue Buqun sat in the main seat, with Jiang Ning and Ning Zhongze on either side. The other disciples also sat around the table and began to eat after Yue Buqun started using his chopsticks.

The children who had been with the Huashan Sect for over a year were also invited over by a female disciple and sat down to eat at another table. Every now and then, a few children would turn around and look at Jiang Ning with curiosity in their eyes.

They remembered that this senior brother was the one who recited the sect rules to them that day. However, Jiang Ning went down the mountain to gain experience on the third day after they arrived at Mount Hua. Later, they met this senior brother again in Xiangyang City, but they didn't have much interaction before Jiang Ning left again.

Although they had only met a few times, they were deeply impressed by Jiang Ning. Besides what Jiang Ning did in Xiangyang Prefecture, they often heard their master, Yue Buqun, mention this senior brother's name when they were practicing swordsmanship.

They often heard their master mention Linghu Chong's name, but this senior brother was usually mentioned by Yue Buqun as a negative example, while Jiang Ning's name was used by Yue Buqun as a positive example, so that they would learn from Jiang Ning and not from Linghu Chong.

Besides their master, they also frequently heard Jiang Ning's name from their fellow disciples.

According to their master Yue Buqun, the eldest brother Linghu Chong was lazy, unreliable, and hopeless, showing no enthusiasm for anything other than drinking. Jiang Ning, on the other hand, was humble, polite, and diligent.

However, according to the senior brothers and sisters, the eldest brother Linghu Chong was a carefree and generous person who was unconcerned with trivial matters and had a good sense of humor, while Jiang Ning was serious, solemn, and never smiled. He was the one who resembled their master the most among all the fellow disciples.

These two are the most outstanding disciples of Mount Hua, but their master and fellow disciples have two completely different opinions of them.

Senior Brother Linghu Chong and the others have met many times. Indeed, just as their senior brothers and sisters said, he loves to talk nonsense and sometimes likes to tease them.

Jiang Ning and his friends had only heard about him from their master and senior brothers and sisters, but had never really met him. So they were very curious about Jiang Ning and what kind of person he was.

Chapter 64: He's an idiot

After a brief observation, they found that Jiang Ning was indeed very different from Linghu Chong.

Linghu Chong was quite unruly during meals; he was a chatterbox and would chat and joke with his fellow disciples the whole time, making them laugh.

Jiang Ning, on the other hand, was eating his meal quietly, his every move refined and polite, like a young master from a wealthy family.

"By the way, Wang Yuan from Yunmeng County came looking for you."

Yue Buqun suddenly spoke.

The other Huashan disciples looked up in surprise.

Yue Buqun usually adheres to the principle of not speaking while eating or sleeping, so why is he no longer following this principle?

Jiang Ning also looked surprised: "Wang Yuan? What does he want with me?"

Yue Buqun laughed and said, "He wanted to thank you for seeking justice for him and standing up for him. However, you were no longer on Mount Hua at that time. He has now moved his whole family to Huayin County. In recent days, he has been coming up the mountain every now and then to ask when you will return, and he has also brought some very valuable gifts to express his gratitude."

Jiang Ning chuckled upon hearing this and shook his head, saying, "I don't need him to thank me, nor do I need him to give me gifts."

Yue Buqun nodded and said, "That's what I said too. He said that if it weren't for you, he would have lost his family and his wife and daughters would have been humiliated. To him, you are his benefactor. If he doesn't personally visit you to express his gratitude, he would be no different from a beast."

"I told him to take back the things he gave me, but he still wants to wait for you to return so he can come and thank me in person."

Jiang Ning nodded.

"I see."

After saying this, Yue Buqun did not stop, but continued, "I have something I need you to do."

Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised, but he still put down his chopsticks, straightened his posture, and said, "Master, please give your instructions."

Yue Buqun waved his hand and laughed, "No need to be so serious. What I'm about to tell you is nothing important."

Jiang Ning smiled upon hearing this and relaxed slightly.

"I want you to teach a lesson to your junior brothers."

Yue Buqun spoke up.

"Attend class?"

Jiang Ning looked surprised and turned to look at the children at the other table.

The children, who had been secretly watching Jiang Ning, quickly turned back and sat up straight to eat when Jiang Ning looked over.

Jiang Ning turned around and asked in confusion, "I wonder what Master wants me to teach them?"

Yue Buqun said, "Since they came up the mountain, in addition to teaching them swordsmanship, I have also been teaching them to recognize characters, but I have not yet started teaching them to read. This first lesson in life is of utmost importance. After much thought, I feel that their first lesson should teach them what kind of person they should become in the future."

"Among the disciples of Mount Hua, you are the most intelligent, and it is most suitable for you to teach them."

If we were to say who in the Huashan Sect is most similar to Yue Buqun, it would be Jiang Ning.

But Yue Buqun knew that Jiang Ning was different from him. He had realized that Jiang Ning's current actions and thoughts destined him to walk a lonely path in the future, without any companions.

Martial arts practitioners often prioritize chivalry, and Yue Buqun was no exception.

But he discovered that Jiang Ning was out of place in this martial arts world, and the justice he saw was different from the justice of the martial arts world.