The world of martial arts, the immortal swordsman in the mortal realm.

Chapter 15, Huang Yaoshi!

The man in the green robe leaped onto the courtyard wall, his sharp gaze sweeping across the area, first taking in the layout of the courtyard.

Seeing that the courtyard had a main house and side rooms, the man in the green robe strained his eyes and peered through the open doors and windows of the main house and the east wing. He saw signs of habitation in both rooms and breathed a slight sigh of relief, knowing that Rong'er had at least not shared a room with that "Lu Chen".

Then, looking down at the big tree in the courtyard, they saw Rong'er sitting and eating and drinking with a black-clad boy of about eighteen or nineteen years old at the stone table under the tree, looking quite happy.

A quick glance at the dishes on the stone table reveals that, though the meal is nearing its end, each one is clearly one of Rong'er's specialties.

The thought that his precious Rong'er was cooking for a second man besides himself made the man in the green robe's already sharp eyes flash with a cold killing intent.

But before he could figure out how to lash out without angering Rong'er, he heard Huang Rong say with a grin:
"Sing me a grand and heroic song, and maybe I'll come up with a better nickname while I'm listening."

The young man named Lu Chen said "Good," picked up his wooden sword, and went to the open space in the courtyard. He began to practice his swordplay while singing a passionate song:
"Light fur coat and long sword, spirited steed and wild song, loyalty and courage that shake the mountains and rivers..."

The singing was indeed bold and grand, and the melody was quite different from the decadent music popular in Jiangnan today, which was refreshing and invigorating. However...

Which ci (a type of Chinese poetry) tune is this poem based on?

How come I've never heard of it?
Just as the man in the green robe was wondering what was going on, he saw Lu Chen continue singing as he performed his sword dance:

"What a fine example! A wandering swordsman, daring to stand on equal footing with emperors..."

Upon hearing this line, the man in the green robe's eyes lit up. He felt that although the lyrics did not conform to the prescribed form, the spirit and energy contained within them resonated deeply with him. He immediately restrained himself and continued to listen.

At the same time, he also noticed that the boy's sword dance seemed to have some extraordinary features. Judging from the moves, it was clearly just an ordinary Yue Maiden Sword, but the momentum seemed quite remarkable.

Lu Chen continued singing, and Huang Rong looked at him with a smile in her eyes, picked up her wooden sword, and tapped the table to keep time for him.

"A tender heart and an iron will, a promise kept for a thousand pieces of gold, stirring up waves before and after death... What a fine line! Wealth and honor are like clouds, what can you do to me? The flash of the sword is like a lament, a song..."

A wandering swordsman, he comes and goes like a hero, daring to stand on equal footing with emperors.

Wealth and honor may be as numerous as clouds, but what can they do to me? The flash of the sword is like a lament, a song.

The man in the green robe savored these two lines of lyrics. Although they were a bit rough compared to contemporary poetry, the spirit within them became more and more generous and magnanimous with each reading. They perfectly expressed the carefree and heroic spirit of people like himself in the martial arts world, who regarded fame and fortune as dirt and royal power and wealth as nothing.

Lu Chen's sword dance became increasingly fierce, even faintly revealing a sense of clashing swords and galloping across battlefields.

The man in the green robe knew that the Yue Maiden Sword Technique, which was widely circulated in the Wu and Yue regions, was originally passed down among the armored soldiers of the Yue Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period, and should have had the atmosphere of a battlefield with swords and spears.

However, over the long years, too much of the sword technique has been lost, and it has been continuously filled in and deduced by later generations. It has gradually evolved into an ordinary sword technique used in the martial arts world, and has no longer been related to the battlefield.

But Lu Chen's sword dance actually had a hint of ancient battlefield style...

Did he figure it out on his own?

As he pondered, Lu Chen's singing voice, along with the momentum of the sword dance, became even more impassioned:
"A heart full of blood, flowing endlessly, the true colors of a hero; two feet, traversing the vast desert and long river; three sighs, sighs, sighs, all for homeland and country; people from all directions, reciting the epic song of righteousness..."

Listening to the stirring song, watching the sword dance that seemed to be a battlefield, fierce and ruthless, and then looking at Huang Rong with her bright eyes sparkling and a smile on her lips, she stared intently at the young man.

The man in the green robe still had a sharp look in his eyes, but his murderous intent had diminished considerably.

Singing to express one's aspirations.

This boy, whose name sounds ominous, actually speaks of great magnanimity and extraordinary breadth of mind.

only……

Everyone can say nice things. Cao Cao even wrote, "For a thousand miles, not a rooster crows, white bones are exposed in the wild, and only one in a hundred of the people survive. Thinking of this breaks one's heart." But did he hesitate when he ordered the massacre of the city?
Is this young man just spouting grand words to seduce people, or is he truly dignified and has great potential?
Let's wait and see. If he's just a boastful charlatan...

After the sword dance ended and the song stopped, Huang Rong clapped her hands and cheered. Lu Chen smiled at Huang Rong and was about to speak when his eyes glanced at the courtyard wall and he was immediately stunned.

Seeing his strange expression, Huang Rong followed his gaze and turned to look at the man in the green robe standing quietly on the courtyard wall. She was stunned on the spot, then cheered:
"Daddy!"

He got up and ran towards the man in the green robe.

The man in the green robe also floated down from the courtyard wall and gently embraced Huang Rong, who was rushing towards him.

Standing in the courtyard, Lu Chen looked at Huang Rong, who was nestled in the arms of the man in the green robe, chatting and laughing incessantly. He felt a little nervous.

Without a doubt, the tall, thin figure in the green robe with a seemingly wooden and stiff face was Huang Rong's father, the renowned Master of Peach Blossom Island, one of the Five Greats, Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic!

Huang Yaoshi is quite wicked, especially skilled at breaking legs. If he sees me with Rong'er, will he go berserk and beat me?
Although I'm not afraid of him hitting me, after all, I've already learned swordsmanship and unlocked "Sword One," so I can return at any time, but I still have a promise to Rong'er...

Also, why did Huang Yaoshi come looking for me so early?

At this moment, Huang Rong also asked this question:

"Father, how did you find me? And what happened to your face...?"

"Father is wearing a mask."

Huang Yaoshi looked at his daughter with a smile in his eyes, doting on her. He removed the thin, gossamer mask from his face, revealing a handsome, slender face. His expression seemed quite loving, but Lu Chen knew that this love was only for Huang Rong.

"As for how I found you... you little rascal, since you ran away a month ago, you've traveled from Peach Blossom Island to Shaoxing Prefecture without ever changing boats. Once you arrived in Shaoxing, you frequently went to the market to shop, and you even got into a fight in the marketplace. Today, you even led a group to attack all the martial arts schools in the prefecture... leaving so many traces, if your father still can't find you, wouldn't he be unworthy of the name of the Five Greats?"

Upon hearing Huang Yaoshi's explanation, Lu Chen suddenly understood.

Since Huang Rong met him at sea, she did not disguise herself as a little beggar and run around with her face blackened. Instead, she kept her original appearance and her itinerary was relatively simple. She stayed in Shaoxing City for nearly a month. Given Huang Yaoshi's abilities, it was only natural that he would come looking for her.

Huang Rong had a big fight with her father that day and stormed off in a huff. A month had passed, and her anger had long since subsided. Upon seeing her father again, she was naturally overjoyed. She snuggled into his arms and acted coquettishly for a while, then waved to Lu Chen.

"Lu Chen, come and greet my father. My father is amazing. He is the best in the world at martial arts."

Well, although Huang Yaoshi never claimed to be the best in the world, in Huang Rong's mind, her father was definitely the strongest.

"I am not the best in the world; there are three others who are on par with me..."

As Huang Yaoshi reminded his daughter, Lu Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his slight nervousness, and walked over steadily, bowing respectfully to Huang Yaoshi.
"Junior Lu Chen greets Senior Huang."

Huang Yaoshi's smile vanished, his kind expression disappeared instantly, and he glanced at Lu Chen coldly, saying indifferently:
"You are Lu Chen, the 'Heavenly Sword'?"

"..."

Lu Chen's lips twitched slightly, and before he could explain, Huang Rong spoke first:
"This is a nickname I gave him! Lu Chen is very modest; he felt he wasn't qualified and firmly declined. But Rong'er thinks that sooner or later, he will be worthy of this nickname!"

Are you so eager to speak up for him?
Huang Yaoshi's eyes twitched slightly. He wanted to glare at his daughter, but having just angered her by running away, he dared not provoke her further. He could only give Lu Chen a subtle glare and say calmly:
"What skills does he have that give him the audacity to use such a nickname?"

Huang Rong chuckled:
"Lu Chen is a born swordsman. He has only been practicing swordsmanship for a month, but he has already used the Yue Maiden Sword Technique he learned from the martial arts school to cultivate internal strength from the outside in. He has even made this ordinary sword technique spiritual!"

He paused, then smiled again, tilted his chin slightly, his bright eyes sparkling, and said smugly:
"Most importantly, he's a gem I discovered myself. I taught him all his basic sword techniques by hand. I also learned the Yue Maiden Sword technique first before teaching it to him. I'm his swordsmanship mentor!"

(End of this chapter)