A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 276 Return of the property to its original owner
Half a month later, in the main hall of Tianshan, Ni Qingfeng handed a wooden box containing two dragon pearls to Xue Wanshan. The latter took it, glanced at it, and casually placed it on the table.

"Junior Brother left the mountain that day to search for Meng Baichuan's dragon pearl?"

Xue Wanshan looked at his junior brother with a complicated expression. This junior brother was really audacious, but he had to admit that he did a great job. He not only eliminated a demon, but also retrieved a dragon ball.

"That's right. Meng Baichuan was involved in the extermination of the Chamu tribe back then, so it's not surprising that he obtained the Dragon Ball. However, I didn't expect that his martial arts skills hadn't improved much compared to before. On the contrary, he maintained a very youthful appearance. It seems that he didn't use the Dragon Ball for cultivation."

Hearing his junior brother's disdainful words, Xue Wanshan shook his head and sighed. He had already made great progress in his cultivation by receiving the help of the Dragon Pearl for just one night. Meng Baichuan, on the other hand, had put the cart before the horse. No wonder his junior brother looked down on him.

"Senior brother, how are those martial arts sects doing? When I returned to the mountain, the town had returned to its usual tranquility."

"What else can we do? Regardless of what they think, the Dragon Ball is no longer in Tianshan. Staying here will not help, and will only make us a target of the Tianshan Sect. Three days after you left, they all went down the mountain together."

Xue Wanshan was in a much better mood recently. The recent quarrels and commotion had made him feel annoyed, but now that one thing was finally settled, he could focus his energy back on the Tianshan Sect. Although the martial arts world seemed peaceful at the moment, undercurrents were already brewing. If he did not want his sect to be destroyed in the future, he had to plan ahead.

"I wonder what you intend to do with these two dragon balls, Senior Brother?"

"Naturally, it should be returned to Chief Chamu. It's best to return this thing to its rightful owner. I just hope it will never appear in the martial arts world again."

Others may not be able to say for sure, but Xue Wanshan had no interest in the Dragon Pearl at all. He only brought it out before to make a big promise to the entire martial arts world.

"Senior brother is unmoved by external things and has a firm Dao heart. He may well make further progress in the future. I would like to offer my congratulations in advance."

Ni Qingfeng could easily sense the increasingly dense and mysterious aura emanating from Xue Wanshan, indicating that the day his senior brother, the sect leader, would break through to the next realm was not far off.

"I've only gained a little. If it weren't for you holding down the gates of Tianshan, junior brother, I wouldn't have had the time to cultivate. By the way, have you met the Black and White Heroes?"

The Black and White Heroes failed in their pursuit of Meng Baichuan and originally intended to leave Tianshan. However, they learned that their only son, Lu Yi, had come to Tianshan with Shangguan Yun's beloved daughter, Shangguan Feiyan, so they went to Tianshan.

“I have already seen it and handed the pearl over to the Black and White Duo.”

Ni Qingfeng briefly recounted her encounter with the Black and White Duo. Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan nodded and sighed, "It's a pity that such a good girl was ruined by Meng Baichuan."

"Junior Brother has gained quite a lot on this trip, Senior Brother, look."

Ni Qingfeng took off the package from her back, placed it on the ground, and opened it to find all sorts of odds and ends inside.

Xue Wanshan glanced over the gold and silver jewelry, ignoring them, and stared intently at the black and red iron plaque. He bent down, reached out and touched it, and his eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

"Black Iron!"

This black iron has always been the supreme material for forging weapons. Adding a little bit to an ordinary weapon is enough to turn it into a divine weapon that can cut through gold and jade. This iron plate is as big as half an arm. If it is melted down, at least dozens of precious swords can be forged. This time, it will greatly enhance the foundation of the Tianshan Sect.

“Senior brother, your eyes are indeed discerning. This is indeed Xuan Iron. Senior brother, please look, this iron plaque contains not only Xuan Iron, but also this.”

As he spoke, Ni Qingfeng picked up the iron plate, reached out and pressed the back of the mechanism. With a click, the silver-white flying blade was revealed.

"Mithril, not bad, it's even 100-refined mithril. This stuff is not easy to obtain. I wonder where Meng Baichuan got it from."

Xue Wanshan took a deep breath. The technique for refining mithril was only known to the government and was never passed on to outsiders. Meng Baichuan was able to obtain so much, so it seemed that the power behind him was far beyond his imagination.

"Junior brother, this matter must not be revealed, otherwise, the Tianshan Sect will surely face calamity."

"Don't worry, senior brother. I have already taken care of things and no one will find out. There are also various aged medicinal herbs here, enough to refine several more batches of Heavenly Heart Pills. The ambition of Zhongxin Hall is obvious. The development of our Tianshan Sect should also be put on the agenda."

"Yes, Second Junior Brother and Third Junior Sister have led the disciples down the mountain to wipe out the surrounding forces. News came the day before yesterday that the progress is going very smoothly. However, there are few disciples in the sect now. When Second Junior Brother and Third Junior Sister return, we should discuss the matter of recruiting disciples."

"That's true. By the way, senior brother, have you met Gu Ming?"

"Although Gu Ming is a little weak in physique, he is intelligent and hardworking. He is becoming more and more proficient in the Tianshan Sword Technique. In a few more months, he will definitely be able to master it completely. Junior brother has taken on a really good disciple. Even I, his senior brother, am a little envious."

When Gu Ming was mentioned, Xue Wanshan immediately became interested. When Ni Qingfeng was chasing Meng Baichuan, he entrusted him to Xue Wanshan. The latter originally only gave him some pointers, but after a month, Gu Ming went from someone who knew no martial arts to someone who could use swordsmanship quite well, which really surprised him.

However, while he was shocked, he was also somewhat excited. It was a tremendous surprise that such a disciple had entered the Tianshan Sect.

"This kid didn't waste all my hard work; he's actually achieved something."

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan was somewhat speechless. This was only a slight achievement; then, apart from Tianjiao, his seven disciples were probably all mediocre talents.

"Senior brother, I'll go check on Gu Ming first. Also, I'll choose another day to melt down this iron plaque and forge it into a sword, so that it can be used when you and the others return."

"Okay, junior brother, go ahead. If you need anything, just go to the storeroom and get it."

Upon hearing this, Ni Qingfeng bowed again, took the iron plaque, and turned to leave the main hall.

"Put these items into the warehouse."

Xue Wanshan called out to the outside, and several disciples immediately came in and put the items away.

Afterwards, Xue Wanshan put away the wooden box on the table, turned around and went into the back hall. After turning back several times, he came to a secret room, knocked on the door, and heard Cha Mulong's voice coming from inside. Xue Wanshan slowly walked in.

"Chief Chamu, return the item to its rightful owner."

Xue Wanshan looked at Cha Mulong, who was sitting upright on the stone bed with his eyes closed, and chuckled. He then placed the wooden box on the stone bed and pushed it towards him.

Upon hearing this, Chamulong opened his eyes and looked at the wooden box with slight surprise. He sensed that there were two dragon balls inside the box. After opening it, Chamulong saw the dragon balls and suppressed his shock.

"Master Xue, what's going on?"

Xue Wanshan then briefly recounted the events. After listening, Cha Mulong's expression was quite complicated. This Dragon Pearl was an unparalleled treasure, yet it had fallen into the hands of the Tianshan Sect and was being treated as worthless, with no regard for its value whatsoever.

"This Master Xue is of noble character. I never expected that the renowned Master Ni would also be such a person. It seems that there are still some upright people in the martial arts world."

"I will never forget Master Xue's great kindness. If I ever need anything in the future, I will go through fire and water for you!"

After finishing his sentence, Cha Mulong got up from the stone bed and bowed respectfully to Xue Wanshan.

Upon hearing Chamulong's words, Xue Wanshan hurriedly helped him up and said solemnly, "My junior brother and I helped Chief Chamulong retrieve the Dragon Pearl not to seek repayment for our kindness, Chief Chamulong need not do so."

Upon hearing this, Cha Mulong shook his head and said earnestly, "Master Xue, no matter what, I will remember this kindness. There is another matter that I need to trouble you with, Master Xue."

"What's the matter?"

"Just now, my memory flashed for a moment. The figures who surrounded and killed my people were blurry, but the weapon they were holding was very strange. Master Xue is very knowledgeable. I wonder if you could enlighten me?"

"What kind of weapon is it?"

Cha Mulong got up and went to the table, took out paper and pen and started drawing. Xue Wanshan walked to his side, looked at the outline, and his heart sank. This weapon was very famous in the martial arts world. "This is the Hun Tian Ci, a unique weapon of Qiu Shui Manor. The person who participated in the siege of the nobles back then was the master of Qiu Shui Manor, Qiu Tangbai."

Upon hearing the name, Chamulong's mind went blank, followed by a surge of anger that made him clench his fists tightly.

"Master Xue, judging from your expression, you must have known about this person for a long time. I wonder who else was involved back then?"

Cha Mulong slowly released his hands, looking calmly at Xue Wanshan. The latter sighed, sat down in his chair, and said in a deep voice, "There were eight people involved back then: Shenbing from the Wanjian Sect, Wuming from the Qiankun Sect, Xuanwu from the Diancang Sect, Lei Zhenzi, He Santai, Qiu Tangbai, Meng Baichuan, and Shangguan Yun. Among them, Shenbing, Wuming, Lei Zhenzi, and He Santai have all died, Xuanwu's whereabouts are unknown, and with the recently deceased Meng Baichuan, only Shangguan Yun and Qiu Tangbai remain now."

"Shangguan Yun, Qiutang Bai!"

A sharp glint flashed in Cha Mulong's eyes. He took a deep breath and said, "These two figures seem to be not to be trifled with."

Putting aside Qiu Tangbai, Shangguan Yun's Zhongxin Hall is the number one sect in the martial arts world, and he himself is the leader of the martial arts alliance with unparalleled martial arts skills. If he wants to take revenge, it will be extremely difficult.

“Zhongxintang is currently at its peak, and even my Tianshan Sect has to temporarily avoid its sharp edge. Chief Chamu, unless you are absolutely certain, you must not approach Zhongxintang, lest the tragedy repeat itself.”

Although Xue Wanshan's martial arts skills have greatly improved, he is still far inferior to Shangguan Yun, who has had the Dragon Ball for more than ten years. At most, he is undefeated. Even if Xue Wanshan wants to help Cha Mulong, he will face many obstacles. Once he gets involved, the situation will change.

Although the Tianshan Sect and Zhongxin Hall are not yet irreconcilable enemies, if Xue Wanshan were to side with Cha Mulong, it would be tantamount to prematurely challenging Zhongxin Hall. What the Tianshan Sect lacks most right now is time, and Xue Wanshan cannot gamble with the safety of the entire Tianshan Sect. However, providing Cha Mulong with some information would not be a problem.

"Qiu Tangbai specializes in the Eighteen Forms of Autumn Water. This martial art emphasizes movement and strength, using the Hun Tian Ci (a type of dagger) in his hand as a medium to perform various soft and gentle techniques. Pay special attention to his left hand. This person is exceptionally talented and has mastered the art of multitasking in his early years. He can perform the Eighteen Forms of Autumn Water with both hands at the same time, making him difficult to defend against."

At this point, Xue Wanshan paused, looked at Cha Mulong who was listening attentively, and pointed out the shortcomings of this martial art: "Although the Autumn Water Eighteen Forms are elegant and graceful, with hidden killing intent everywhere, if the opponent can anticipate the enemy's moves and forcefully charge forward with powerful and unstoppable hard skills, they may gain the upper hand. However, this can only be used as a reference and should not be regarded as the ultimate rule."

Cha Mulong nodded upon hearing this. Although the solution sounded simple, it was merely theoretical. Once in battle, anything could happen, and it would depend on one's adaptability, seizing opportunities, and making the opponent reveal their weaknesses.

"Shangguan Yun is unfathomable. He currently displays three martial arts skills. The first is the Golden Palm, which can shatter metal and stone with a single strike, and will break bones and tendons on the body. This palm technique is also the ultimate skill he is famous for. The second martial art is the Mysterious Shadow Three-Part, which splits into three phantoms, each with seventy or eighty percent of the original's strength, and is not to be underestimated. The third is a sword technique called the Five Virtues Sword. This sword technique is derived from the Confucian virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness. When the sword technique is used, it is filled with a righteous spirit."

"Although I haven't seen him use this sword technique for many years, I suspect that his swordsmanship has become unorthodox and no longer as righteous as before. The power of this sword must have been greatly reduced!"

Just as Xue Wanshan was imparting his secrets to Cha Mulong, Ni Qingfeng went to check on his disciple Gu Ming. The latter was overjoyed to see his master return, and in his excitement, he made a mistake in his sword technique, which was immediately knocked out of his hand by his sparring partner.

"Master."

Fourth Uncle

Gu Ming looked at Ni Qingfeng with a flushed face. He had originally wanted to show his master the results of his recent cultivation, but he had lost face instead, which made him feel very ashamed.

Seeing this, Ni Qingfeng didn't say much. He nodded to the disciple who was sparring with him, who bowed again and left tactfully.

"Your temperament still needs to be tempered. After the meal, copy the Heart Sutra twice."

Upon hearing this, Gu Ming's face immediately turned bitter. The Pure Heart Sutra has more than two thousand words in total, which is not a large number, but the content is bitter and difficult to understand. Copying it once will make people dizzy and lightheaded. After copying it twice, there will probably be nothing left in one's mind except these words.

"Yes, Master."

Gu Ming dared not disobey, knowing he had made a mistake, and immediately agreed.

"Come with me."

Ni Qingfeng walked ahead, and Gu Ming immediately picked up the wooden sword and respectfully followed his master to Ni Qingfeng's residence.

After entering the room, Ni Qingfeng put down his things and sat down. After testing Gu Ming with a few questions, Ni Qingfeng nodded. This disciple was quite diligent and had done his homework well, obviously putting in the effort. Then he said in a calm voice, "Do you have any questions about your martial arts practice?"

Gu Ming knew that this was his master giving him some pointers, so he immediately asked a few questions that he found difficult to understand.

“Master, when I meditate, I often hear various noises in my ears, which makes it difficult for me to enter a meditative state.”

"This shows that you are truly on the path to meditation, otherwise such noises would not be able to reach your ears. In that case, I have a calming mantra here. You can memorize it and recite it silently a few times while meditating. It will definitely solve this problem."

"Thank you, Master."

After Ni Qingfeng recited the incantation three times, Gu Ming memorized the three hundred or so characters.

Ni Qingfeng then answered Gu Ming's questions and instructed him, "I'm afraid I won't have time to look after your studies for the next half month. Just follow the mental techniques I've taught you to build a solid foundation and master the basic Tianshan sword technique. When I come out, I will teach you suitable sword techniques and skills according to your progress."

"Yes, I will obey my master's orders."

Gu Ming had resolved many of his doubts today and was in a wonderful mood. Seeing that his master had no further instructions, he was about to leave when he suddenly slapped his forehead and realized, "Disciple almost forgot, my father asked me to pass on a gift to Master. Disciple will go and get it now."

Watching Gu Ming rush out in a hurry, Ni Qingfeng shook her head. In no time, Gu Ming came running back in, panting, carrying a black lacquered wooden box and presenting it to Ni Qingfeng with both hands.

“Master, my father instructed me to personally deliver this to you.”

Ni Qingfeng reached out and took it, opened the wooden box, glanced at it, and closed the lid before saying to Gu Ming, "You can go now, but don't forget to do your homework."

"Yes, Master." Gu Ming bowed again and slowly left the room.

After Gu Ming left, Ni Qingfeng took the black iron token and the wooden box and left the room. He went to the training pavilion in the back mountain. When the four disciples guarding the pavilion saw that it was Ni Qingfeng, they hurriedly bowed.

"Fourth Uncle-Master."

"Hmm, so it's your turn here. You can keep these pills."

Ni Qingfeng took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to the leading disciple. The disciple was overjoyed and accepted the bottle with both hands. He then personally opened the door to the pavilion.

"Uncle-Master, please."

After Ni Qingfeng entered the pavilion, the leading disciple removed the stopper from the porcelain bottle, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. The disciple's expression immediately changed. This was a top-quality Qingling Pill, which was very beneficial for purifying their true energy. In the past, only direct disciples could enjoy it. He never expected that his fourth master would be so generous.

"I've often heard my fellow disciples say that Fourth Uncle is extraordinary, and seeing it for myself today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."

The disciple glanced at his three junior brothers and whispered, "Fourth Uncle gave us four Azure Spirit Pills in total. We can divide them up. But don't tell anyone else about this."

The other three were shocked to hear that it was the Azure Spirit Pill, but they were quickly excited. As for their senior brother's advice to keep it a secret, they understood that making a fortune in silence was the best course of action, as it would be foolish to invite envy.

Inside the training pavilion, Ni Qingfeng lit a furnace fire. After disassembling the Xuan Iron Plate, he kept the mithril and only threw the Xuan Iron Plate into the furnace. To completely refine it, Ni Qingfeng released a burst of pure yang true energy into the furnace. The crimson flames instantly turned blue, then white, and the Xuan Iron Plate immediately began to soften. Seeing this, Ni Qingfeng took out half of the black sand from the wooden box in his hand and put it in. As soon as the black sand entered the furnace, it immediately turned into a silvery-white stream, slowly merging into the Xuan Iron.

This item is "Cold Sand," a precious material for forging weapons on par with Black Iron. However, it is rare and extremely valuable. The box that Gu Zhen presented is already worth a thousand taels of gold.

Half an hour later, the black iron and cold sand were fully fused together. Ni Qingfeng immediately used his true energy to take it out and cut it into eight equal pieces. He poured his true energy into the hammer and hammered the iron blocks into sword blanks. After repeated smelting, several hours later, eight dark, long strips were neatly placed on the stone platform.

(End of this chapter)