A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 51 Apprentice
Gu Xu looked at the excited Jiang Yuyan and said with a smile, "I've come to see you. These are your two senior brothers, Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng."

Jiang Yuyan wiped her eyes with her sleeve and said, "Yuyan greets my two senior brothers. Master, please come inside quickly."

Gu Xu nodded and led Murong Zhong and the other person into the main room.

"Master, this place is simple, with only some water. I hope you and my fellow disciples won't find it offensive," Jiang Yuyan said, carefully bringing over three bowls of water and placing them on the table.

“My disciple, you don’t need to rush. Now that you have fulfilled your filial duties, I have come to take you back to Murong Manor. Are you willing?” Gu Xu took a sip of water and said to Jiang Yuyan.

“Master, I am willing,” Jiang Yuyan agreed without hesitation.

For more than ten years, it has been my master who has taken care of me and my mother. He taught me to read and write and taught me martial arts. I am afraid I can never repay such kindness in my lifetime. Before my mother passed away, she told me to stay by my master's side and live out the rest of my life well.

"That's great. Pack your things and let's set off as soon as possible."

"Yes, Master," Jiang Yuyan replied and went to pack her belongings.

“Master, my junior sister has had a tough time these past few years,” Murong Zhong said softly, looking around. If he had known he had such a junior sister earlier, he would have advised his master to bring her to Murong Manor. Not only would it be easier to take care of her, but she could also keep his little sister company.

Gu Xu smiled but remained silent upon hearing this. Although Jiang Yuyan's place of residence was not good, her quality of life was not low, as everything was taken care of by Hongye Zhai.

After a while, Jiang Yuyan returned carrying a package. Murong Zhong and the other man saw that the package was quite heavy and wanted to help her carry it, but Jiang Yuyan quickly declined.

"Yu Yan, let your two senior brothers take it. We'll find another carriage in town," Gu Xu said, and Jiang Yu Yan thanked Murong Zhong and the other man.

After closing the door, Jiang Yuyan took one last look at her living place before following Gu Xu away with a determined look in her eyes.

The four drove around, stopping frequently. Jiang Yuyan had never been far from home before, and everything she saw seemed very strange to her. In order to build a good relationship with this junior sister, Murong Zhong and the other man would introduce her to various scenic spots from time to time and buy her many strange and unusual things. After spending these days together, Jiang Yuyan no longer felt as reserved as before.

"Master, at our current speed, we should arrive at the resort in about three days."

"Yes, Zheng'er, let's rest for the night in the town ahead and continue our journey tomorrow," Gu Xu instructed.

Murong Zheng responded.

The four arrived at an inn. The waiter, seeing that the visitors were dressed in fine clothes, hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Please come in, sirs." He then gestured and led the four to a table with excellent lighting.

Murong Zhong said, "Waiter, prepare four good rooms. We need to stay at the inn." After ordering the food, Murong Zhong instructed the waiter and handed him five taels of silver.

"Please wait a moment, sir, I'll get right to it." The waiter took the silver, and the manager immediately prepared four guest rooms.

"Sir, the dishes are ready. Please enjoy your meal. Your room is prepared. Here is the room number. Please keep it safe."

Murong Zhong nodded, took out five copper coins and handed them to the waiter, who accepted them with a beaming smile and thanked him repeatedly.

"Master, junior sister, the fish served here has a unique flavor. I heard it's fed with specially made medicinal rice, making it a famous medicinal dish that's very good for your health. You should try it quickly, it won't taste good when it's cold."

While the four of them were eating, several people were talking at a nearby table.

"Have you heard? The body of Wang Feng, the Nine-Bag Elder of the Beggars' Sect, was found at the Mountain God Temple."

"Really, what exactly happened?"

"I heard it was a feud between gangsters; there were signs of a struggle at the scene."

"Wang Feng's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms were already quite skilled, making him a well-known master in the martial arts world. Anyone capable of killing him must be no nobody. Who has such great ability?"

"It's hard to say. Some people guess it's the Yihua Palace, some guess it's the Eastern Depot, and some say it's internal strife within the Beggars' Sect. In any case, there's no conclusive evidence. Alliance Leader Tie Ruyun has already rushed to the Beggars' Sect headquarters to investigate this matter thoroughly."

"With Alliance Leader Tie Ruyun involved, the outcome should be decided soon. It's just a pity that the martial arts tournament, held every five years, is about to take place. Whether Alliance Leader Tie can be re-elected remains to be seen."

Over the years, the martial arts world has clearly split into two major factions: one led by Liu Xi, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, who has allied with the Eastern Depot and attempts to seize control of the martial arts world; the other led by Tie Ruyun, who unites various sects to resist Liu Xi.
Overall, Tie Ruyun's side is currently at a disadvantage. The main reason he was able to unite various factions is the title of martial arts alliance leader. Once this title is lost, it will not be a good outcome for his faction.

Gu Xu and the others heard all these words. Murong Zhong said indignantly, "This eunuch Liu is truly lawless." The martial arts world is in chaos because of the Eastern Depot. Everyone is in danger. If it weren't for the master and nun in charge of the manor, it would probably be absorbed by Liu Xi like other sects.

"Liu Xi has certainly improved his skills over the years. The fact that he's acting so recklessly now suggests that the Yihua Palace has put enough pressure on him," Gu Xu learned from Hongye Zhai. Liu Xi had once sent six top experts and a team of elites to test the Yihua Palace, but none of them survived. Moreover, their bodies were neatly arranged at the entrance of the Eastern Depot, which was a slap in the face to Liu Xi.

“Liu Xi is no threat. What you need to do now is to master your martial arts. Your father and I will take care of the rest,” Gu Xu said to Murong Zhong.

"Master is right; it seems I was worrying unnecessarily."

"Master, who is this Liu Xi?" Jiang Yuyan hadn't spoken until now, but seeing her senior brother grit his teeth as soon as he mentioned Liu Xi's name, she was immediately puzzled.

"Disciple, this Liu Xi is the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, and his martial arts are extremely high. When you travel the martial world in the future, you must be careful of his energy-absorbing technique," Gu Xu told the three of them, emphasizing Jiang Yuyan. Although she had made some progress in martial arts, she was powerless against such a master.

"Understood, Master," Jiang Yuyan understood her master's meaning. However, she was still young, and with the secrets and guidance her master had given her, she believed she could surpass him in less than ten years.

After the meal, the four of them went back to their rooms to rest. Nothing more was said that night, and they continued their journey the next day.

"Mr. Xu, young master, you're finally back!" Fang Ren hurriedly came forward, bowing respectfully. Looking at Jiang Yuyan beside him, he wondered if she was the young master's confidante.

Gu Xu nodded and led the three inside. Murong Wudi, hearing that Gu Xu and the others had returned, quickly came out.

"Brother, you're finally back!" Murong Wudi said happily.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Brother Murong. It's all my fault," Gu Xu said apologetically. "Alright, you must be tired after your long journey. Rest well first. We can talk about it tomorrow," Murong Wudi said, not in a hurry, and had someone take good care of him.

The next day, in the living room, Gu Xu introduced Jiang Yuyan to Murong Wudi.

"This is my disciple, Jiang Yuyan. Yuyan, come and pay your respects to Master Murong," Gu Xu said to Jiang Yuyan.

"Yu Yan greets Master Murong," Jiang Yu Yan said respectfully, her demeanor composed, which caught Murong Wudi's eye.

"Alright, no need for formalities. Since you are my virtuous brother and disciple, make yourself at home here. Don't be shy. If there is anything I haven't taken good care of, please let me know."

Murong Wudi could clearly see that Gu Xu valued Jiang Yuyan, so he spoke very sincerely and without any airs.

"Thank you, Master," Jiang Yuyan bowed again. Seeing that Gu Xu had nothing to say, she followed Murong Zhong and the other man out.

“Brother, Shu’er has already entered the palace. I can’t refuse her decision. I don’t know if entering the palace is a good thing or a bad thing.”

The emperor is far away, and it's hard to know whether that scoundrel Liu Xi has secretly plotted against my daughter. Even if he has, I probably wouldn't know, and it's difficult to talk about it with others. Now that Gu Xu has returned, it's a good opportunity for me to pour out my grievances.

"Brother Murong, there's no need to worry. Shu'er is, after all, an imperial concubine, and she's currently favored by the emperor. How could a mere eunuch like him possibly handle her? As long as the Murong family remains standing, Shu'er's situation in the palace won't worsen."

Upon hearing this, Murong Wudi nodded, "Brother, you are right. By the way, Tie Ruyun has been making a lot of moves lately. It seems he is going to break ties with Liu Xi. This martial arts tournament will be a bloodbath."

Gu Xu remained noncommittal. Tie Ruyun underestimated Liu Xi's power. With only the people he had gathered, he would ultimately be unable to accomplish anything great. He was destined to suffer a crushing defeat at this martial arts tournament.

"Has the Iron Alliance Leader already sent an invitation to Brother Murong, inviting him to attend the ceremony?"

“That’s right, it was personally delivered by Tie Ruyun on the fifth day of the ninth month, from Huangshan.” Murong Wudi noticed that Gu Xu seemed somewhat interested, so he asked, “Brother, would you perhaps like to make the trip?”

"Brother Murong knows I've never liked these kinds of commotions, but it would be good for Zhong'er and the others to go and see for themselves and broaden their horizons."

Upon hearing this, Murong Wudi pondered for a moment and said, "Very well, I originally intended to refuse to go, but since you have said so, I will arrange for Zhong'er and the others to go in my place."

As the two were talking, a tense atmosphere arose in the garden. Murong Xian had just returned home from the Cibei Nunnery that day and saw her two older brothers talking to Jiang Yuyan. She thought it was some maid who was breaking the rules.

Upon inquiry, it was learned that she was a disciple of Master Gu Xu. This piqued Murong Xian's interest. The two were of similar age and both came from renowned masters, so they immediately felt a competitive spirit and wanted to have a match with Jiang Yuyan.

When Jiang Yuyan learned that Murong Xian was the fourth young lady of the manor and that she was a guest, she dared not fight with her and could only retreat. However, Murong Xian insisted on fighting her. Even Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng could not defeat her. In the end, Jiang Yuyan had no choice but to agree, and Murong Xian was happy.

"Miss Jiang, what weapon do you use?" Murong Xian took out a piece of silk ribbon. Seeing that Jiang Yuyan was unarmed, the latter looked around, then broke off a piece of green bamboo to use as a weapon.

"Fourth Miss, I'll use this one."

Seeing that her opponent had chosen her weapon, Murong Xian immediately used her Golden Bell Rope technique. A white streak, like a long river, swept across the area and attacked Jiang Yuyan. This move was intended to gain the upper hand and drag her opponent into her rhythm.

Jiang Yuyan's move was quite impressive. The bamboo in her hand shot out, and the tip of the bamboo collided with the ribbon. The two forces, one hard and one soft, collided, and both the ribbon and the bamboo fell back into their owner's hand at the same time.

"Good idea"

Murong Zhong and the other man watched the battle from the sidelines, keeping an eye on the two and fearing that something might go wrong. Both of their moves were exquisite, one acting first and the other striking first after the opponent had acted.

Murong Xian's face changed slightly. She hadn't expected her opponent to be so perceptive, interrupting her subsequent transformation. But this was just the beginning; the real show was yet to come.

With a flick of her wrist, Murong Xianjiao shouted, causing the ribbons to straighten, crisscross, and flutter unpredictably, making them difficult to grasp.

Jiang Yuyan lightly leaped onto the bamboo pole, tilted her body, and felt a gentle force coming from the bamboo on the smooth silk surface.

At the same time, Murong Xian also felt the force coming from the green bamboo. Both of them were shaken and separated again. The ribbon changed its moves, like a long snake coiling and vines climbing the forest. The green bamboo spun and slashed horizontally and vertically. After dozens of rounds of fighting, in the eyes of Murong Zhong and the other, the younger sister Murong Xian was already running out of energy. On the other hand, the junior sister was still in full swing. In less than ten moves, the younger sister would definitely be defeated.

Just as the outcome was about to be decided, Jiang Yuyan loosened her wrist, and the green bamboo suddenly flew out of her hand, while the silk ribbon in Murong Xian's hand was also blown away at the same time.

Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng exchanged a glance and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Jiang Yuyan in their hearts.

“My little sister and junior sister are indeed martial arts prodigies. I’m afraid it won’t be long before we can’t compare to you,” Murong Zhong said with a smile.

Although Murong Xian was proud, she was not arrogant. The clever and quick-witted girl knew that her martial arts skills were inferior to Jiang Yuyan's. Now that the other party was giving way to her, she couldn't let her be looked down upon.

“Miss Jiang, I have lost this duel, but once I have mastered the Boundless Thirteen Swords, we can have another match,” Murong Xian said to Jiang Yuyan.

"Okay," Jiang Yuyan replied, seeing that Murong Xian wasn't angry.

"Don't call me Fourth Miss, it sounds awkward. You're a year older than me, so I'll call you Sister Yuyan, and you can just call me Xian'er."

“Okay, Xian’er,” Jiang Yuyan replied after a moment of hesitation.

Murong Xian was overjoyed to have such a skilled older sister, and she took her hand and went off to play, leaving Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng staring at each other in bewilderment.

The women's friendship came so suddenly, leaving the two quite frustrated. They had initially worried that their relationship wouldn't be harmonious, but now it seems they had been overthinking it.

The two shook their heads and smiled, then had someone tidy up before returning to their cave to continue practicing their skills.

(End of this chapter)