A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 11 Yang Xiao

Having obtained the "Nine Yang Manual," Gu Xu's purpose for traveling was achieved, and all his worries were gone. He used his lightness skill and returned to the cave in less than a quarter of an hour. After wiping his hands clean, he carefully took out the oil paper package. After opening it, the four volumes of the "Nine Yang Manual" were revealed to the world once again.

More than seventy years have passed since Xiao Xiangzi and Yin Kexi hid the scriptures in the belly of the white ape until Gu Xu retrieved them. Despite the long time that has passed, the characters on the cover are still clearly visible because they are well preserved.

Looking at these four thin scriptures, Gu Xu couldn't help but sigh. For these scriptures, Xiao Xiangzi and his companion lost their lives, and then Master Jueyuan died protecting his ancestor. Because of this, the Wudang and Emei sects were added. Now that it has come into his hands, it can be considered that the scriptures have been returned to their rightful owner.

"When we return to Wudang, we will give this scripture to our patriarch. With his wisdom, if he can incorporate the essence of martial arts from the scripture into the Pure Yang Infinite Skill, it should surpass the original by a great deal," Gu Xu thought to himself as he opened the scripture.

After skimming through the scriptures, Gu Xu felt that although the Wudang Nine Yang Skill was only 30% of the original, it was the purest part.

Gu Xu possessed the Pure Yang Limitless Skill, but he only used this kind of treasure as a reference rather than for cultivation. Forcibly changing the internal energy cultivation method was a major taboo in cultivation.

"After the patriarch has fully grasped the essence, I will go and ask him for guidance." Although Gu Xu was very confident in his comprehension, he was afraid that if he could not deeply understand the meaning of such a treasure and forced himself to cultivate it, he would probably run into trouble.

Gu Xu knew that the most powerful martial arts manuals had secrets and techniques that could only be passed down orally from master to disciple, never written down. This was the reason why large sects prospered. Unlike some small sects that established themselves after acquiring a few manuals, they could not go far.

After carefully putting away the scriptures, Gu Xu noticed that it was getting dark outside the cave. Worried that wild animals might be lurking there, he lit a campfire, ate some fresh fruit given to him by the white monkey, and then sat down to meditate and practice his skills.

The next morning, Gu Xu returned to the cave after practicing martial arts and found several fresh peaches on the ground. They looked plump and juicy. He washed them several times with the stream water, and after taking a bite, the peaches were fragrant and sweet and sour. Before long, he had eaten all the peaches.

Gu Xu stayed in the valley for another day, and the white ape's injuries were no longer serious.

"Now that the true scriptures have been obtained and the purpose of the journey has been achieved, it is time to return to the mountain as soon as possible. However, before returning to the mountain, I should go to Butterfly Valley again," Gu Xu thought to himself.

Gu Xu went to Butterfly Valley for three reasons. First, he wanted to exchange medical skills with the renowned "Butterfly Valley Physician". Second, he wanted to do him a favor by helping him resolve Xian Yutong's matter and save his life, which would be of great use in the future. Third, he wanted to ask him to help refine the three ginseng roots into "Restoration Pills" to prepare for future changes. With the help of this famous physician, the task might be twice as effective.

After packing his luggage and cleaning up all traces, Gu Xu checked several times and found no sparks. Only then was he relieved. Without further hesitation, he went to the place where he had come down, climbed the rope, and left the valley a moment later.

Gu Xu untied the rope and put it away, walked towards the horse that was grazing, mounted it, and headed towards Zhu Wu Lianhuan Manor.

"Things are going even more smoothly than I imagined. Once we pick up Wei Bi, we can return to the mountain." Gu Xu rode his horse for several miles and was deep in thought when he suddenly heard the sound of fighting. Gu Xu quickly spurred his horse toward the sound.

In the valley between the two paths, a man and a woman were fighting. Actually, it's not quite a fight, because the woman was clearly at a disadvantage. Although her sword skills were impressive, her skill was still shallow, and she couldn't shake her opponent in the slightest. At this moment, her technique was in disarray, and defeat was only a matter of time. The man, on the other hand, was showing affection everywhere. Although he looked dashing, like a crane soaring in the sky, his behavior was unrestrained and dissolute.

Gu Xu rode his horse closer and, upon seeing the two figures, recognized the woman. "Uncle Ji, your nephew has come to lend you a hand," he said. Before his voice faded, Gu Xu had already mounted his horse and, while performing the Cloud Ladder Leap, thrust his long sword at the handsome man without hesitation.

When the words reached the ears of the two combatants, the woman's face lit up with joy, as it was clearly an acquaintance who had come to her rescue. The handsome man, on the other hand, was furious and quickened his movements, striking the slightly dazed woman's pressure points.

"Where did this brat come from, so arrogant and ignorant?" Before the handsome man could think, a sharp sword light pierced straight at his chest and abdomen. A chilling sword aura rushed towards him. Knowing that the newcomer was extraordinary, the man put the woman in his arms aside and, while dodging with his light footwork, did not forget to counterattack. His crystal-clear, jade-like right palm exuded power and quickly struck the newcomer's chest.

The handsome young man originally thought that his opponent would be seriously injured even if he didn't die from this palm strike. Little did he expect that Gu Xu would want to test his skills. He turned his sword back and leaped into the air, gathering all his inner strength in his left hand, and swooped down. The Mountain-Shaking Iron Palm was unleashed with a thunderous force like Mount Tai pressing down. The two palms collided, and the inner forces collided. In the blink of an eye, the figures separated.

Gu Xu merely flipped in mid-air to dissipate the force, landing gracefully with his sword in hand, his sleeves fluttering, exuding an air of composure. The handsome man, on the other hand, was in a pitiful state, his pale face contorted with disbelief. Not only had he been thrown back several feet, but blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his internal organs were clearly damaged—he had suffered significant internal injuries in the previous exchange. The man stared at Gu Xu in horror, speechless, and used his lightness skill to escape. Fearing Gu Xu's pursuit, he casually launched several hidden weapons to cover his retreat. His lightness skill was also considerable; he vanished from sight in no time.

Gu Xu had no intention of getting entangled with her. After knocking away the hidden weapon, he quickly walked a few steps to the woman's side, released her pressure points, and asked, "Uncle Ji, how did you come to the Western Regions?" It turned out that this woman was Yin Liting's fiancée, Ji Xiaofu of the Emei Sect.

While Ji Xiaofu was still in shock as Gu Xu forced Yang Xiao back with a single palm strike, she heard his question and straightened up, saying, "I was ordered by my master to go down the mountain to the Western Regions to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs. I didn't expect to encounter that villain Yang Xiao on my way back. He kept pestering me. If it weren't for your timely arrival, my uncle would probably have..."

Upon hearing Ji Xiaofu's words, Gu Xu realized that the man was Yang Xiao. Fortunately, he had been seriously injured and would probably be unable to enjoy himself for some time. Gu Xu helped Ji Xiaofu up and asked, "Has Martial Uncle contacted any fellow disciples? If not, I can escort Martial Uncle out of the mountain."

In any case, Ji Xiaofu is Yin Liushu's betrothed, so he should take care of her while he is away, lest outsiders bully Wudang.

"Nephew, there's no need to trouble yourself. I contacted Senior Sister Jingxu and the others before I came. They should be arriving soon. I'll just wait here." Ji Xiaofu didn't dare to order Gu Xuzhen around. Judging from his unparalleled martial arts skills, even her master probably didn't have such power.

Seeing that it was still early, Gu Xu was worried that Ji Xiaofu might encounter some other accident, so he stayed. He immediately found a suitable place to stay, lit a fire, and cooked a meal. Ji Xiaofu saw Gu Xu's actions and couldn't help but think more highly of him.

As the two ate and talked, a group of nuns appeared in the valley at dusk. The one in the lead was tall and held a whisk. Ji Xiaofu respectfully called her "Senior Sister." When Jingxu saw Gu Xu, he frowned slightly. Seeing this, Ji Xiaofu quickly explained.

“Senior Sister, this is Master Gu Xu, a disciple of Yu Sanxia of the Wudang Sect.” After hearing Ji Xiaofu’s words, Abbess Jingxu’s brows relaxed, and she said in a gentle tone, “So you are a young hero of the Wudang Sect.”

Gu Xu dared not be impolite and bowed, saying, "Disciple Gu Xu greets Uncle Jing Xu." Jing Xu saw that his eyes were clear and there was no flattery or fawning in them, so he nodded unconsciously.

After everyone sat down, Ji Xiaofu deliberately praised Gu Xu, so she recounted how Gu Xu had repelled Yang Xiao with a single palm strike. The other disciples were fine with it, but Abbess Jingxu was stunned.

Yang Xiao was no ordinary person. Not only was he the Left Guardian of the Ming Cult, but his martial arts skills were also among the top, even surpassing his own master. Gu Xu was so young, yet he possessed such skill. Thinking of this, Jingxu felt that geniuses could not be judged by ordinary standards.

"With such a fine disciple, the Wudang Sect will surely shine brightly in the future, which will be a relief for Headmaster Song. It's a pity that my Emei Sect can't find such an outstanding person. Fortunately, Junior Sister Ji is already engaged to Sixth Hero Yin," Master Jingxu said, glancing at Ji Xiaofu.

Seeing that the Emei group had arrived, Gu Xu took his leave. "My fellow martial uncles, we shall part ways here. Uncle Ji, if you have time, please come to Wudang Mountain as a guest. Sixth Uncle will be very happy." After saying this, he bowed and rode away.

Watching Gu Xu leave, Abbess Jingxu sighed, "After returning to the mountain, you must report this matter truthfully to your master. With such a figure emerging from Wudang, it seems that the situation in the martial arts world is about to change."

Ji Xiaofu agreed with her senior sister's words. Everyone knew that the Wudang and Shaolin sects in the martial arts world were at odds. Shaolin did not have outstanding disciples to protect its sect, while Wudang did. How would Shaolin, which had always suppressed Wudang, think about this? Emei and Wudang had a close relationship, so there would probably be some twists and turns.

The group from Emei packed their belongings and, before it got completely dark, left the valley and headed east.

After parting ways with the Emei group, Gu Xu rode his horse to continue towards Lianhuan Manor. By this time, the moon was high in the sky, and the outline of the manor was already visible in the lamplight.

Gu Xu led his horse forward and knocked on the door. The gatekeeper saw clearly through the crack in the door, "So it's Daoist Gu Xu. You've returned so quickly," he said as he opened the door.

"Quickly send someone to inform the two manor lords that Daoist Gu Xu has arrived," the servant instructed the others, then took the reins and led Gu Xu into the manor.

(End of this chapter)