A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 28 Book Gift
Two days have passed since the message was sent, and the fall of Bright Peak is a major blow to the Ming Cult.

Yu Daiyan was very puzzled. Bright Peak was not only easy to defend but also had elite troops like the Five Elements Banner. Even if the enemy attacked with three times the number of troops, they probably would not gain any advantage. How could it be so easily breached within seven days? There must be something wrong here.

As for the attacks on the major sects, Yu Daiyan deduced that it must have been the work of the imperial court, and that the Prince of Ruyang's mansion was probably involved as well. After all, they had suffered a defeat at the foot of Wudang Mountain a few years ago, and the fact that someone had infiltrated Hubei to cause trouble this time further confirmed this.

"I wonder how my senior brothers are doing. Sigh, I wish I could recover sooner." Although Yu Daiyan's body is fine, his foundation has been damaged, and his skill level is difficult to reach the level of his younger days for the time being. That's why Song Yuanqiao asked him to stay and oversee Wudang.

At least with Master and Gu Xu on the mountain, nothing bad will happen.

Three days later, Yu Daiyan learned from various sources that the fall of Bright Peak was entirely an accident. The Yuan army fired cannons to attack the mountain and swept through the area, accidentally blasting open a cave. After sending people to investigate, they discovered that the tunnel led directly to Bright Peak. This unexpected joy delighted the Prince of Ruyang, who was in charge of the army.

In order to catch them off guard, Prince Ruyang withdrew a portion of his troops to fight the Five Elements Banner head-on, while sending another elite force and a group of experts to secretly infiltrate Bright Peak. As expected, the plan succeeded. Caught between two forces, the Ming Cult members were caught off guard and faced annihilation.

Yang Xiao and other high-ranking members of the Ming Cult were tied up by Yuan Dynasty experts, making it difficult for them to issue commands. The Five Elements Flag formation was thrown into chaos and was defeated in one fell swoop by Prince Ruyang.

Later, the Eagle Sect came to the rescue in time, saving Yang Xiao and the others. Unfortunately, Wei Yixiao, Zhou Dian, and 60% of the Five Elements Banner's elite troops were killed in action. The remaining people set fire to Bright Peak and disappeared without a trace. Yu Daiyan speculated that they probably went to Jiangnan.

After reading the letters, Yu Daiyan pondered how Wudang should conduct itself next. After the Yuan court wiped out the Ming Cult, the next step would be the various martial arts sects. Wudang was not very confident in resisting the Yuan court. The only way was to support the Ming Cult and help them withstand the court's offensive.

"Master, the eldest grandmaster and the others are back," Qingfeng said to Yu Daiyan as he strode into the Zixiao Palace. The latter immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got up to leave the palace, just in time to see Song Yuanqiao and the others walking into the main hall square.

Seeing that the six people were in good spirits and had no injuries, Yu Daiyan finally felt relieved.

"Senior brother, how is the situation?" Yu Daiyan asked hurriedly after Song Yuanqiao finished his tea.

"Third brother, don't worry. No one from Wudang was injured or killed during this descent from the mountain. The seven people who infiltrated Hubei deliberately spread the news to lure us down the mountain. Although they were also skilled in martial arts, they underestimated our strength and have all been killed."

After a pause, Song Yuanqiao glanced at Yu Daiyan and said, "Judging from the martial arts style of those people, it is somewhat similar to the Indian that my second brother killed. I deduce that they are experts trained by the Yuan court."

Yu Daiyan was somewhat curious. "That Indian's kung fu is already quite strong. If he were to fight me unscathed, I would have a hard time winning within a hundred moves. Those seven people are definitely not at their full strength either. Does the Yuan Dynasty really have such a foundation?"

“It’s very likely. According to intelligence, the Ruyang Prince’s Mansion has very close ties with the Yuan court. The Ruyang Prince’s Mansion alone can win over the Xuanming Elders and experts like Fang Dongbai. Not to mention the Yuan court, which offers great benefits, so naturally people will flock to it.” Song Yuanqiao had also heard Gu Xu say that the Ruyang Prince’s Mansion was the Yuan court’s tool for stirring up trouble in the martial arts world.

"If that's the case, then we're in big trouble. Senior brother doesn't know yet, but Bright Peak has already been breached. This is a letter that has arrived," Yu Daiyan dropped a bombshell, shocking everyone present.

Song Yuanqiao's expression changed. He reached out and took the letter, read it carefully, and then passed it to Yu Lianzhou. After reading it, Yu Lianzhou passed it to Zhang Songxi. After a while, Mo Shenggu finally sent the letter back.

The seven men looked rather grim. After a moment of contemplation, Song Yuanqiao said, “Actually, things aren’t that bad. The Ming Cult still has strength. As long as the leader is there, it’s still uncertain who will win this battle. Fifth brother, have your wife send a message to the Eagle Sect by carrier pigeon to see what’s going on. If the Ming Cult’s high-ranking members are gathered in Jiangnan, then we’ll give them a big gift.”

After Zhang Cuishan accepted the order and left, Yu Lianzhou said softly, "Is the great gift that Senior Brother mentioned the 'Wumu Legacy'?"

Song Yuanqiao nodded. "Keeping this book in Wudang is like casting pearls before swine. It can only play a better role when it is handed to the right person. The Ming Cult is in a critical situation now. With this book, the morale of the army can be stabilized, and the Tartars can be defeated in one fell swoop in the future." Song Yuanqiao felt that it was better to give help in times of need than to add to someone's good fortune. If the Ming Cult knew what was good for them, they would accept Wudang's favor. It might even be useful in the future.

The others did not object. After discussing the Ming Cult, Yu Daiyan focused on the experiences of the other factions. Song Yuanqiao frowned upon hearing this. Wasn't the Yuan court afraid of getting burned by stirring up trouble everywhere? Did they have some other scheme?
Unable to think of the key point for the moment, Song Yuanqiao simply put aside his thoughts and asked instead, "Did Gu Xu say when he would leave seclusion?"

Gu Xu has been in seclusion for more than three years now, and no one knows the extent of his martial arts skills. Song Yuanqiao feels at ease when Gu Xu is around, but when he is not by his side, he always feels that things are not going well and that he is too dependent on him.

Yu Daiyan shook his head. "The time for exiting the pass is undetermined, but I think it should be soon."

After saying a few more words, Song Yuanqiao and his companion prepared to return to their rooms to rest.

Just then, a clear, long howl echoed from the back mountain, startling birds and beasts into flight. Its majestic sound reached everyone's ears, regardless of distance.

Song Yuanqiao and the others exchanged glances and hurriedly ran towards the back mountain. The disciples along the way only saw a few afterimages flying by.

Back mountain
Gu Xu stood on a huge rock overlooking the cliff, watching the clouds and mist roll and swirl in the valley below. His sleeves fluttered, and he seemed to be a flying immortal.

Standing beside him was Zhang Sanfeng, who looked like a wise and enlightened master. He smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to have reached such a level. It seems that the Nine Yin Manual has greatly inspired you."

"Grandmaster, you flatter me. I have only just begun to understand the basics. You are the one who will carry on the legacy and usher in the future," Gu Xu said respectfully. Although he had already reached the pinnacle of his skills, he still could not see through the Grandmaster. This grandmaster of martial arts was like the sun high in the sky, impossible to look directly at.

As the two were talking, Song Yuanqiao and his group of six arrived. They were slightly taken aback by the two men's extraordinary appearance.

"Greetings, Master; greetings, fellow disciples and senior uncles," Gu Xu said respectfully as he descended from the boulder. His high level of cultivation did not preclude him from displaying impolite manners; this was Gu Xu's principle.

Zhang Sanfeng landed gracefully and nodded at Gu Xu's actions, saying, "This boy is a gifted genius and respects his teachers. He is truly a blessing to Wudang."

Seeing that Gu Xu still treated them with courtesy, Song Yuanqiao and the others felt a surge of warmth in their hearts. Yu Daiyan's eyes also welled up with tears, and he had so much to say, yet he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"It seems that you, Gu Xu, have already taken that step. Wudang is proud of you," Song Yuanqiao said with emotion. There are so many people who practice martial arts, but only a handful can reach the top. His own master is one, and there are only a few others such as Bodhidharma, Huang Shang, and Dugu Qiubai. Now, there is one more person to join them.

"Senior Uncle, I see that the blood energy on your body hasn't dissipated. Has something happened?" Gu Xu invited them to sit in their secluded cultivation area. He noticed that Song Yuanqiao and the others had varying degrees of blood energy lingering around them, though faint, it was clearly visible to him. Song Yuanqiao said, "You've been in seclusion for a long time. Many things have happened in the martial world recently." After giving a general account of the situation, Song Yuanqiao looked at Gu Xu, wanting to know his opinion.

"Master Uncle, in my humble opinion, the Yuan court is going all out in an attempt to turn the tide. Uprisings are constantly erupting across the country, continuously challenging its rule. The Ming Cult is the most powerful of these uprisings. If we can take it down, it will serve as a deterrent. They have now successfully destroyed Bright Peak, which is a great victory. According to the intelligence provided by you, Master Uncle, the momentum of the rebel armies in various places has diminished considerably, which is a benefit."

"As for the martial arts forces, the Yuan court adheres to the concept of 'using force to control force,' recruiting those scoundrels in the martial arts world. Although those people are of questionable character, their strength should not be underestimated. After both sides are exhausted, they will come out to clean up the mess, completely eliminate the various martial arts factions, stabilize the rear, and thus concentrate more energy on dealing with threats from the front. It has to be said that this is a good move."

Upon hearing this, Song Yuanqiao and the others were all horrified. They had only thought of preventing the various martial arts sects from supporting the Ming Cult and implementing a policy of suppression. They never expected that the Ming Cult would completely sever the lifeline of the martial arts world. It was truly vicious. If it succeeded, the martial arts world in the Central Plains would surely decline in the future and would never be able to recover. What was even more terrifying was that it would be difficult to stop the spread of the cult to foreign lands, and the people would be fooled. If this continued, what hope would there be for the Central Plains?

“Master, Gu Xu, although the Ming Cult is in decline, it still has strength. I have decided to give them the ‘Wumu Legacy’ as a token of our Wudang’s goodwill. I believe Abbess Miejue will not object.”

When faced with matters of great importance, Abbess Miejue was relatively rational. Zhang Sanfeng once commented that she "may have flaws in minor matters, but have no faults in matters of great righteousness."

Gu Xu would certainly not object. After all, no matter how strong one person is, they are not strong enough to fight against the entire Yuan Dynasty. It would be good for Wudang if the Ming Cult could withstand the pressure; otherwise, it would be a case of the lips and teeth being cold if one falls.

“Uncle-Master, all the sects in the martial arts world already know that it was the imperial court that did this. Since that’s the case, instead of waiting for the enemy to come, we should take the initiative and distribute the list of those martial arts scoundrels who have sided with the imperial court, and eliminate them one by one, so as to prevent them from aiding and abetting evil.”

“Gu Xu’s words are appropriate. Yuanqiao, compile those lists and send them to the various factions, explaining the reasons. It would be best if they were willing to help, but we will not force them to do so. They can do as they please.”

Song Yuanqiao nodded in agreement, and then left with the five of them.

"Master, I have already achieved my goal. In the coming period, I will compile my insights into a book, which will also leave some foundation for Wudang. As for the Tai Chi Chuan passed down by the Master, I can only practice it in my spare time."

Zhang Sanfeng waved his hand dismissively, "I have already passed on Tai Chi Chuan and Tai Chi Sword to you. I will not interfere with when you practice them. You can ask me anytime if you don't understand anything. Once Yuanqiao and the others have calmed down, I will pass on these two unique skills to them."

"The master's skill is truly profound and unfathomable. If one's mind is not pure, one's understanding will inevitably be somewhat lacking, and one will not be able to reach perfection."

“Yuanqiao and the others are currently entangled in worldly affairs. Their minds are not at peace, so their will is not firm, and their spirit is scattered and not concentrated. Forcing them to cultivate will only backfire.”

Gu Xu agreed upon hearing this, and after saying a few more words, Zhang Sanfeng left to go into seclusion again.

Having been in seclusion for over three years, Gu Xu wondered how Wei Bi and the others were doing. With that thought in mind, he headed towards the back mountain.

At this moment, in front of the wooden house on the back mountain, two teenagers were having a sword fight, while another person sat on a large rock cheering them on, shouting "Senior Brother Qing Shu, be careful!" and "Junior Nephew, watch out!" with even more enthusiasm than the two on the field.

The two wooden swords clashed, and Song Qingshu's hand went numb. The wooden sword slipped from his grasp. Wei Bi sheathed his sword and said calmly, "Qingshu, you have lost."

Song Qingshu didn't care much, since he lost eight out of ten times anyway. But Wuji was playing around on the side, which made Song Qingshu very unhappy. Just as he was about to grab Zhang Wuji and teach him a lesson, he saw Wei Bi throw down his wooden sword and rush over excitedly.

When Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji turned around, they saw Gu Xu standing there. Forgetting their playful banter, Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji rushed over.

"Disciple greets Master." Wei Bi was very excited to see Gu Xu after three years. Although Song Yuanqiao and others had been very kind to him, he always felt there was a distance between them, an indescribable feeling. Now that his master had finally emerged from seclusion, he was overjoyed.

"Senior Brother," Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji also bowed. Although they were both disciples of Gu Xu, they still addressed each other as fellow disciples.

"You've all done well, especially Bi'er. Her 'Qi Connects North and South' move is already quite impressive. It seems that all these years have paid off." Gu Xu understood that without a certain level of internal strength to complement the sword move, "Qi Connects North and South" would only backfire and injure the user. But seeing how easily he controlled it, he knew that Wei Bi could already be considered a skilled fighter based solely on his internal strength.

Wei Bi was overjoyed to be praised by his master. "I dare not forget your teachings, Master. Only by diligently cultivating can I live up to your painstaking efforts." It was only by becoming a disciple of Gu Xu that he was able to cultivate this superior internal skill, raising his starting point and making his future path much wider than others.

"If you strive for excellence, you will be rewarded. Don't be complacent because of a little achievement. The path of martial arts is like walking against the current; perseverance is the hardest part." Although Wei Bi's talent is limited, he can narrow the gap with geniuses through hard work and avoid becoming a mere supporting character without any highlights.

"Qing Shu and Wu Ji are indeed geniuses. Now that they have laid a solid foundation, they will surely surpass their fathers in the future." Gu Xu couldn't help but sigh after glancing at the two of them.

"Qingshu, your Finger Soft Sword technique is quite good. I'll demonstrate it for you. Watch carefully, and how much you understand depends on you."

Taking the wooden sword from Song Qingshu's hand, Gu Xu pointed at the blade and thrust the long sword forward. With a few soft rustling sounds, the straight wooden sword spun around the tree branch in the astonished gazes of the three. With a snap, the branch fell to the ground, its break clean and smooth.

After Gu Xu sheathed his sword, the wooden sword remained intact. Song Qingshu's eyes widened. How could he use the Soft Sword Technique like that? Wooden swords are inherently brittle, unlike iron swords which are resilient. His senior brother clearly didn't use internal force. How did he do that?

"Qingshu, do you understand?" Gu Xu handed him the wooden sword and asked Song Qingshu, who was examining it.

"Senior brother, you didn't use any internal energy just now, so how did that wooden sword become so sharp? The broken edge looked like it was being cleaved by a sharp weapon." Song Qingshu thought for a while but still didn't understand. He looked at Zhang Wuji and Wei Bi, who were also pondering.

Gu Xu didn't say it directly, but told him to think it over carefully. He believed that his own understanding would be much deeper and more thorough than someone else's explanation.

After a moment, Song Qingshu finally realized what was happening and said with delight, "Senior brother, I understand now. The softness of the Finger Soft Sword is fundamental, while the winding is the means. Before, you kept rotating the sword, which was to soften it. You used soft force to wind around a certain point, and the force penetrated the body to separate it, which is why a smooth break was formed."

(End of this chapter)