A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 43 Leaving
In just a few days, the once-powerful Emei Sect suddenly slowed down and withdrew all its personnel. Before anyone could react, Ding Minjun quickly became the new leader of Emei.

"Sect Leader, Zhou Zhiruo's martial arts have been crippled, and her whereabouts are unknown. She is no longer a threat. Although Ding Minjun has become the Sect Leader, she poses little threat. What should we do next?"

Zhang Wuji felt uneasy. He had ultimately spared Zhou Zhiruo out of consideration for the lingering affection between the two factions, and he worried that the sect leader would blame him.

"Emei relies almost entirely on Zhou Zhiruo. Now that she's gone, even without our intervention, the Sichuan martial arts world won't easily let Emei off the hook. We don't need to lift a finger."

Song Qingshu did not criticize Zhang Wuji's actions. He knew his junior brother's temperament. He sent him to handle this matter because Song Qingshu wanted to use him to completely sever the relationship between the two factions.

In Song Qingshu's vision, the Wudang Sect was destined to be isolated in its future development. Since the imperial court wanted to praise Wudang to the point of destruction, he would take the opportunity to sever ties with other sects and cease forming alliances with them.

As long as Wudang is strong enough, those other sects will not dare to act rashly. Another point is to temper the disciples and let them know that if they do not strive for progress, they will inevitably be bullied by others in the future. The four words "be prepared for danger in times of peace" are the core philosophy of Song Qingshu in leading Wudang.

"Senior brother, how is the Beggars' Sect doing?" Zhang Wuji felt relieved to hear that the sect leader hadn't blamed him, and then turned to ask about the Beggars' Sect.

"What else can we do? There are witnesses and physical evidence. The Beggars' Clan has not been wronged at all. Shi Hongshi knows he is in the wrong and still has some face to save. However, the leader of the cudgel is an arrogant and unreasonable person."

At this point, Song Qingshu was furious. "He said that this was an internal matter of the Beggars' Sect and had no place for Wudang to interfere. This person is rude and foul-mouthed, but he doesn't know the principle that trouble comes from the mouth."

Zhang Wuji knew this man. The leader of the gang was originally supposed to succeed Shi Huolong as the gang leader, but because of Sister Yang, Shi Hongshi became the gang leader instead. This man must be dissatisfied. He is so old and still speaks so recklessly. He deserves to die.

"And then?" Zhang Wuji asked.

"Senior Brother Chengxu cut off his tongue with a single sword stroke," Song Qingshu said casually.

He was even worried that killing such a person would dirty the ground of the Zixiao Palace.

"With such a huge obstacle removed, Chief Shi will probably be happy." Anyway, Wudang doesn't care about the Beggars' Sect, so there's no point in making enemies. In fact, this has solved a problem for Shi Hongshi.

“Junior brother, such schemes and tricks are not suitable for our Wudang. Senior Brother Gu Xu once said that blindly plotting and scheming is only a low-level approach. Only righteousness and integrity are the right path. As long as we are strong enough, all villains are nothing but clowns.” Song Qingshu has never liked such despicable methods. Senior Brother Gu Xu is right. No matter what schemes you have, I will break them with my own strength.

"Senior Brother Gu Xu is indeed highly talented. I am far from being able to match him. I wonder how Senior Brother Gu Xu is doing in his seclusion."

Song Qingshu sighed slightly. Gu Xu left him a huge foundation, and he was still finding it somewhat difficult. How much effort did Gu Xu put into developing Wudang to this extent?
Several years have passed in the blink of an eye. The turmoil in the martial arts world has gradually subsided, but the imperial court has been making frequent moves, with government officials appearing from time to time at the various sects' headquarters.

thatched cottage on the back mountain of Wudang
After months of seclusion, Gu Xu finally mastered Tai Chi Chuan to the point of "perfection".

"Tai Chi has no upper limit, and this is only a temporary perfection. Ultimately, the foundation of this world is insufficient to reach a higher level. Now that everything is settled, after giving instructions to Qing Shu and Wu Ji, it is time to leave."

As the divine sense entered the mind, the crystal jade pendant, which was emitting a seven-colored light, became even more radiant upon being touched by the divine sense.

Gu Xu pushed open the door and came to Songhe Garden alone. This was the burial place of the Wudang ancestors. Looking at the tombstones, Gu Xu slowly knelt down and said in a choked voice, "Ancestor, Master, Senior Uncle, Senior Uncle, Gu Xu is about to leave. I don't know if I will be able to come back. I have so much to say, but now I don't know what to say."

"I am deeply grateful for the guidance and teachings of my ancestor, and for the meticulous instruction of my master and fellow disciples. I will never forget this kindness. I will do my best to carry forward Wudang and live up to your expectations. Now that Qingshu and Wuji have done a good job, you can rest assured."

Gu Xu threw the paper money into the brazier and whispered, "This disciple is leaving." Watching the paper money being consumed by the fire, Gu Xu solemnly kowtowed three times, then stood up and walked outside.

As he was about to leave Wudang Mountain, where he had lived for more than 60 years, Gu Xu felt very reluctant to leave. Along the way, he lingered on the familiar landscapes of Wudang Mountain.

Jueqiu Pavilion was my favorite place to read when I was a child; Suoyun Bridge was the first place I tested after mastering the Ladder Cloud Leap; Wangyou Terrace was where I would hide whenever I was in a bad mood; and there was also the Sword Washing Pool and Flying Waterfall Pavilion, etc.

Some of the new disciples, seeing Gu Xu looking around, were curious and assumed he was a senior. They hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects. Gu Xu glanced at them and nodded with a smile.

One of the young men saw Gu Xu but didn't recognize him at first. Then he quickly took out a booklet, opened the first page, and saw a portrait that was none other than Gu Xu.

The disciple immediately shouted, and the others all turned to look at him. "Junior Brother Qi, what's wrong?"

"That Taoist priest just now was Grand Master Gu Xu," Junior Brother Qi said excitedly. As soon as he said this, the older Taoist priest immediately realized and said excitedly, "It really is Grand Master Gu Xu, no wonder he looked familiar."

They then looked towards the direction of Gu Xu, but unfortunately, he had already disappeared. The elder Taoist sighed, "Grandmaster Uncle is in seclusion year-round, and it's very difficult for others to even catch a glimpse of him. I never expected that we would be able to see him. It's a pity that we couldn't say a few words to him, otherwise..."

The disciples looked at each other, then shook their heads, and then went down the mountain together.

Gu Xu walked and stopped along the way, finally arriving outside the Zixiao Palace. When the gatekeeper saw Gu Xu coming, he thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes to make sure it was Gu Xu, and then hurriedly went forward to greet him.

“Uncle-Master Gu Xu, your disciple greets you,” Zhao Hou bowed respectfully.

"Is the sect leader here?" Gu Xu nodded.

"The sect leader and Uncle Zhang are both inside the hall. Uncle Zhang, please wait a moment while I go and inform them."

Gu Xu didn't want to break basic etiquette, so he sent Zhao Hou to inform them. Soon after, Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji hurriedly came out and were overjoyed to see that it really was Gu Xu.

After exchanging greetings, the three sat down inside the hall. Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji hadn't seen Gu Xu for several years, so they naturally had a lot to say. Gu Xu listened with a smile as the two recounted some of the events of recent years. "Senior brother, now that you've emerged from seclusion, why don't you come and help your junior brother?" Song Qingshu said sincerely.

Zhang Wuji also looked at Gu Xu, hoping that the other party would agree.

Gu Xu shook his head. "Qing Shu, Wu Ji, your senior brother has come to say goodbye."

"What? Senior Brother, where are you going?" Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji stood up immediately upon hearing this, their eyes fixed on Gu Xu.

"Senior brother, is it because I didn't do well enough and disappointed you?"

"Qingshu, you and Wuji did a good job. After passing the leadership of the sect to you, your senior brother had already decided to leave. Now it's just a matter of time. You don't know where you're going or when you'll return. Whether you'll ever see each other again is also unknown."

Seeing the two of them looking somewhat flustered, Gu Xu sighed, "You don't need to worry. Senior brother is going there simply to pursue the martial arts in his heart, and also to see another world for our ancestor."

Song Qingshu managed to calm himself down, looked at the question with a puzzled expression, and asked, "Another world?" Zhang Wuji, who was standing next to him, also looked bewildered.

"Indeed, after my martial arts improved, I felt the barrier of this world. In this world, I am already at the peak, but to pursue a higher level of martial arts, I must go to another world."

Gu Xu glanced at the two and continued, "If you could cultivate your martial arts to my level, perhaps you could also make it out."

Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji were stunned by these shocking words. Breaking through the void with martial arts—this was a legendary realm! Had their senior brother actually reached such a level?

"The only thing I was worried about before I left was the two of you. This is all my insights from my later cultivation. You must keep it safe and not show it to anyone easily," Gu Xu said, handing a thick booklet to Song Qingshu, who accepted it with both hands.

"Senior Brother," Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji were very sad. Their senior brother left them such a precious thing before he left, and he still cared about Wudang. The two of them couldn't stop their tears from flowing.

"I am about to leave. As for the affairs of the court, you don't need to worry. I have already made arrangements there. As long as Wudang does not get involved in the politics, it will not fall. Remember that."

As Gu Xu spoke, he walked out of the hall, and Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji hurriedly followed.

He turned and took one last look at the Zixiao Palace, then walked firmly into the square. Amid the gasps of the crowd, Gu Xu began to practice Tai Chi. Although the wind from his punches was fierce, it was limited to within three feet. More and more disciples watched from outside. After Gu Xu finished practicing the last move, a dazzling purple light suddenly appeared on Wudang Mountain and continued to spread outwards. Then everyone heard several loud booming sounds.

A glint flashed in Gu Xu's eyes. He let out a soft shout and slashed down with his palm into the air. The palm wind was like a blade, cutting through the void and revealing a deep black hole. The energy of the two realms converged, and the wind and clouds surged, thunder roared and lightning flashed.

At this moment, all the factions in the Central Plains witnessed this extraordinary sight, and even the imperial court was alarmed.

"What exactly happened on Wudang Mountain? Why is there such a scene?"

As the black hole appeared, Gu Xu glanced back at the Wudang group one last time, laughed loudly, and his body was lifted into the air, heading straight into the black hole under the shroud of seven-colored light. Then he disappeared, and after a moment, the deep black hole slowly vanished.

After Gu Xu left, the entire Wudang sect was in an uproar. Their senior had actually broken through the void and gone. What an honor this was!

Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji were secretly heartbroken. Their senior brother had paved the way for them in everything, and now he had bestowed such a life-saving talisman upon Wudang. Compared to him, they felt incompetent.

"Sect Leader, Senior Brother Gu Xu has passed away. We must take care of the rest ourselves. No one will be able to help us like this again," Zhang Wuji wiped away his tears, helped Song Qingshu up, and gazed into the distance.

Song Qingshu remained silent, watching his still-happy disciples around him, and trudged heavily toward the back mountain.

"Junior brother, the sect leader..." Cheng Xu composed himself, looking at Song Qingshu's appearance with some worry. Senior Brother Gu Xu had been teaching the sect leader since childhood, and it would be difficult for anyone to bear to see him leave like this.

"Let him calm down, Senior Brother. With today's events, Wudang will probably be busy for a while, so I'll have to trouble you to take care of things," Zhang Wuji said. He was certain that once this happened, the imperial court and various sects would come to inquire, so it was best to prepare early.

Cheng Xu understood Zhang Wuji's meaning and nodded, saying, "Leave this matter to me, Junior Brother, please rest assured."

Zhang Wuji nodded and left. Cheng Xu then sent someone to deliver a message by carrier pigeon about what had happened that day. In less than three days, the imperial court and various factions learned that Gu Xu had broken through the void and ascended to heaven.

The various sects were immediately shaken. Wudang had produced such an unparalleled figure, which aroused envy and jealousy. The sects that originally had some ulterior motives immediately fell silent.

Upon hearing this, Shaolin Temple was both surprised and delighted. When Gu Xu first came to Shaolin to read the library, his imposing aura overwhelmed hundreds of Shaolin monks. Now that he has ascended to heaven, Shaolin has lost a major threat. However, the two favors he left behind are still in Wudang's hands. It seems that Wudang's position will remain unshakable for the next hundred years.

Upon hearing that Gu Xu had ascended to heaven, the emperor immediately dispatched a trusted confidant to Wudang Mountain, decreeing Wudang as the state religion and bestowing upon Gu Xu the title of Protector of the Nation, to forever safeguard the Ming Dynasty.

For a time, Wudang was unparalleled in its prominence, but Song Qingshu intensified the enforcement of the Zhengqing Academy to eliminate the sect's corrupt practices. During his 34-year reign, Wudang became even more powerful, with disciples all over the world, but none of them were involved in politics.

Eighteen years later, Song Qingshu passed away in a wooden house on the back mountain, the place where he and Zhang Wuji practiced martial arts together.

"They're all gone, all gone, I'm all alone now," Zhang Wuji, his hair now white, murmured as he arrived at Songhe Garden, touching the cold tombstones engraved with familiar names.

(End of this chapter)