Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 154 Old Stories, Ancestral Worship and Praying to the Gods

Mingyang, the Lu family.

A small figure stumbled after a maid, her little fists clenched and her lips tightly pursed, as if she wouldn't give up until she caught her.

"It's just a wooden sword, is it really that fun?"

The jade maid held the wooden sword high, letting the little chubby girl climb up her thighs like a tree to reach the ebony sword.

"Sister... Jianjian!"

The little guy slowly started developing some new words.

Seeing that she couldn't reach it, she pouted, looked towards the side of the courtyard gate, and said aggrievedly, "Father..."

On the very first day away from Lu Wubing, Xiao Liuli began to miss her father.

"Jade, why are you teasing her? Give it to her, give it to her."

Chen Yulian, who had been sitting to the side with a gloomy expression, almost melted at the sight of this scene.

He quickly took the little girl off Emerald and placed the wooden sword in her hand: "Our Liuli will definitely be a great swordsman in the future, just like your father."

Her gaze lingered on the wooden sword for a moment, as if it had stirred up some memories.

That day, his son was injured while out for a spring outing. After regaining consciousness, he disregarded his unhealed injuries and had the carpenter in the manor make this ebony short sword.

Standing in the courtyard, he practiced thrusting strikes, one sword strike at a time.

It's as if they've mastered some kind of divine skill or secret manual.

I pushed my body to the limit and practiced from morning till night.

His family all thought he had been beaten by bad guys, had a brush with death, and suffered a great shock.

Fearing he would go crazy, we went along with him.

Anyway, the wooden sword is very light, so he doesn't have to worry about hurting himself.

Love is what it is.

Such indulgence.

As a result, when the thieves from the East Sea Sect broke into the mansion and killed people, they gave everyone a big surprise.

……

Then he became an apprentice and learned swordsmanship, and his skills improved rapidly.

Nowadays, in Mingyang City, the name Lu Wubing is widely known.

Who doesn't know? Who doesn't understand?
First place in the Three Meridians Grand Competition.

Young Sect Leader.

He personally killed Xuanming and Qiangu, two top experts ranked in the twenties or thirties on the Black List.

Furthermore, in Mingyang City, he eradicated a branch of the Beggars' Sect, broke the Lotus Fall Formation, and personally killed Wu Tianzhi, the Nine-Bag Elder of the Beggars' Sect.

These achievements are widely recognized and witnessed by many people.

Although many people don't understand why a sixteen-year-old boy could cultivate so quickly, rise to prominence so rapidly, and earn the resounding name of the "Thunderbolt Sword".

Regardless, Lu Wubing has now become a prominent figure of the Tianxing Sect, the leader of the Three Divine Peaks, overnight.

This is something no one can deny.

According to a message that was accidentally let slip by disciples of [Jin Yutang] and [Meng Hu Ao] in private.

The reason why the three celestial veins can be united is...

The connection to the Three Families Competition isn't actually that significant; it's mainly because of this young sect leader.

He surprised everyone and gave them hope for a revival.

Who doesn't know that the Heavenly Star Sect's tradition is: "When gathered, they are a blazing fire; when scattered, they are countless stars"?
The Tianxing Sect, united in their fight against external enemies, is naturally formidable.

However, the scattered Tianxing Sect was no match for them.

Over the past thirty years, Sect Leader Ouyang had considered gathering disciples from various branches again, but he simply couldn't do it.

Others don't believe him.

As a result, this almost impossible thing was accomplished by a young man who had just tied his hair up.

How could this not be a surprise?

Even the two elders of the Lu family found it unbelievable.

Lu Changfeng's mind was solely focused on treating and saving lives. Once the city was safe and Huichuntang was reopened, he was busy with work every day.

Chen Yulian, however, felt with absolute certainty that her life was different from before.

In the past, whether in Jiangzhou or Mingyang.

When she went out, she encountered some noble ladies and young ladies from prominent families... They might respect her, but they would only regard her as the family member of a powerful doctor.

Even in conversation, that sense of aloofness and superiority can still be felt.

Nowadays, when I go out for a stroll or to buy something, I encounter some ladies and young women whose warm attitudes and careful words are something I have never seen before.

In fact, when encountering certain江湖人士 (jianghu figures), they would even secretly and spontaneously help maintain order around them.

Simply put, it means that there are people clearing the way for those ahead and others cleaning up the mess behind them.

For the first thirty years, observe how the father respects the son; for the next thirty years, observe how the son respects the father.

Although Chen Yulian was a mother, no matter how insensitive she was, she could at this moment realize the formidable reputation of her son, Lu Wubing.

Mentioning his name sends shivers down the spine of the entire Mingyang City.

With such an outstanding son, it seems there's nothing left for me to worry about.

However, it was precisely because her son was doing so well that Chen Yulian missed home terribly. She longed to show off to her elderly mother, whose hair was now completely white.

"How about we make a trip to celebrate my mother-in-law's 70th birthday this year? We couldn't make it to her 60th birthday ten years ago because we were dealing with a funeral. It wouldn't be right if we didn't show up this time."

Lu Changfeng sighed.

In his heart, the old lady was a very kind and magnanimous woman.

Back then, it was she who made the decision to marry her noble daughter to the son of an ordinary doctor from the martial arts world.

Moreover, over the years, while others may have looked down on her in various ways, the old lady has never done so.

She treated all her sons-in-law equally.

Moreover, because she loves her son so much, she also dotes on him.

When my family celebrated her 60th birthday, we didn't go to the capital. I thought the old lady would be very disappointed and angry.

The result is not.

Several years later, when Lu Wubing turned ten, she still remembered to send him a fine horse and a precious fox to celebrate.

The magnificent white horse, without a single stray hair, was struck by seven arrows, yet it still carried Lu Wubing home before dying from exhaustion. It could not be saved.

Where is Baoli?

Having accompanied my son as he grows up over the years, and now clinging to him every day, I've long since shown signs of extraordinary abilities.

Their own family sees it every day; how could they not see that it wasn't an ordinary kitten, but a different species?

He had seen no fewer than dozens of cats that could catch mice...

But a cat that can understand human speech and follow commands. Lu Changfeng dares to say that in all his years, he has never seen one.

This shows how precious these two gifts are.

Even though the old lady was thousands of miles away, she still thought about her little grandson and her daughter Chen Yulian, who had married far away.

It's her 70th birthday. How sad would the old lady be if her daughter didn't go back to see her?
After all, she's so old, no one knows how much longer she can live.

Perhaps, this is the last time we'll see each other.

On the contrary, Chen Yulian looked hesitant and conflicted: "But, Wubing's place sounds extremely dangerous."

Although he didn't say it aloud, one could infer from the rumors circulating in the city that many formidable enemies were lurking in the shadows. "If we were to travel to Kyoto, I'm afraid..."

That's the real challenge.

If we were in Mingyang City, with dozens of disciples from the Golden Jade Hall stationed there daily to protect us, and even the government secretly looking after us now, we would be perfectly safe.

She has no worries at all about holding her son back or making him hesitant to do things.

But if his whole family were to go south, a long way away, how could the son feel at ease?

He must accompany them in person.

Now that the Tianxing Sect has just begun to show signs of improvement, the role that the son played in this process is self-evident.

As the young sect leader, he naturally has to take care of many sect affairs.

Being the next leader is both an honor and a responsibility.

How could he possibly escape at such a critical moment?

"Let's wait a little longer. There's still more than a month left. Maybe the Heavenly Star Sect's foundation will be solid enough that powerful enemies from all directions won't dare to attack..."

At this point, Lu Changfeng hesitated.

"I'm not worried about my son being unable to get away; what I'm worried about is how Xiao Liuli will explain herself..."

He's only sixteen and not married yet... If the old lady arranges a blind date for him…

"Your son is going on blind dates again?"

Chen Yulian almost burst out laughing.

I thought to myself, "Do you think that guy is as dense as you? I've already seen two or three stunningly beautiful and naive girls throwing themselves at him."

Don't assume that daughters of officials are perfect in every way.

It's truly wonderful when people are of one mind and have the same feelings for each other.

If she hadn't valued Lu Changfeng's noble character, his compassionate heart in helping those in distress, and his pure and virtuous nature, she wouldn't have been moved by him and secretly fallen in love with him.

It wasn't entirely because of the kindness of Old Master Lu Chengyun, who was a skilled doctor and saved his elder brother.

……

The back mountain of Wangtianya.

The peaches were ripe, the half-white, half-red fruits hanging heavily on the treetops, some even falling to the ground and into the grass.

The monkeys chirped and squeaked in the treetops, occasionally picking a peach and eating it with their mouths full of juice.

After eating their fill, they picked up a few peaches, grabbed them, and ran off, disappearing without a trace.

Rotten Peach Mountain, the peaches are rotten and no one picks them.

It's already a unique landscape on the back mountain of Tianxing Peak.

Because this mountain and this valley have been occupied and ruled by a group of monkeys.

It won't work for anyone.

Even the sect leader, Ouyang Zheng, has to rely on luck if he wants to come here to pick some fruit. If he's not careful, he'll get beaten up.

As for the monkeys, anyone who dares to hurt them is truly courting death.

All the disciples of the Heavenly Star Sect knew this.

The first thing you're told when you start is not to mess with the monkeys.

At first, Yue Lingfeng didn't understand, but after suffering several major losses, he became more obedient.

Seeing the mountains and trees laden with fruit, he could only watch helplessly, enduring the pain in his back and the hunger in his stomach, lazily lying on his side in front of the tombstone, basking in the sun.

The thatched hut next to him contained only a bed, a small table, and a stool. There was no way to light a fire, and no rice or grain. He could only endure the hardship.

If he waited any longer and no one brought him food, Yue Lingfeng estimated that he would not be able to hold on any longer.

You have to be shameless and willing to get hit on the head with some stones just to snatch a few peaches to eat.

"Senior Brother, you must be starving today."

No one has arrived yet.

A big yellow dog came running up in a flash, wagging its tail and circling around Yue Lingfeng.

Yue Lingfeng stroked the dog's head, its nose twitching, and its face lit up with joy: "There's wine!" He rushed forward, met the short, thin youth, and took a wine jar from the bamboo basket on the youth's back.

Without even removing the mud seal, he simply slashed open the mouth of the jar with his palm, lifted the jar and drank freely, emptying half of it in the blink of an eye.

"Fine wine. This is Snowflake Wine brewed by Maolinxuan this March. It's clear, cool, and sweet... How could you bear to buy such fine wine for your senior brother to enjoy?"

"Where would I get money? Senior brother knows that nowadays, the disciples on the mountain are rewarded based on their merits and rankings."

Some of the younger kids from Jingxintang even got ahead of me in line, and they managed to get a big bowl of meat; they must have practiced diligently all the time.

Yuan Fei smiled wryly.

It's not that I can't eat my fill, it's that I really can't eat well.

Moreover, it depends on how you compare people.

If you eat rice and steamed buns while others eat big fish and meat, that's what it means to live a hard life.

Even though they can afford to eat meat, others are eating rare and precious medicinal foods and elixirs that enhance their abilities, yet life remains difficult for them.

That's his current situation.

They were ranked over 50th, and were beaten to a pulp by a 13-year-old disciple of Jingxin Hall. It was utterly humiliating.

When eating, they can only bury their heads and work hard, and then run away after eating.

It seemed that the disciples all looked at them with a hint of mockery.

"Ugh……"

Yuan Fei sighed heavily.

He couldn't help but complain: "I say, senior brother, those two murderers from Hengjiang have innocent blood on their hands, and they've killed countless people in the Sanshui area..."

Some even say that the eldest brother of Hengjiang, Xiong Batian, loved to eat children's hearts, while the second brother, Xiong Bahai, loved to eat women's brains; they were vicious, cruel, and inhuman.

"Why did you let that beast go, especially since he was seriously injured?"

"Sixth Junior Brother, you don't know this, but when that He woman was captured by Xiong Batian, he was about to crush her head."

I was thinking of saving someone, so I made a bet with him... a bet that he couldn't break my swordsmanship within thirty moves.

"And then he broke your swordsmanship?"

Yuan Fei didn't actually know much about what happened at the time.

Upon returning to the mountain, they found their master in a rage, and the eldest brother did not offer much explanation, still feeling puzzled.

"It wasn't broken. Although that person had strong bones and muscles and his cultivation had reached the first rank, his master pierced his chest with a sword, damaging his meridians."

"Even if you use two or three tenths of your full skill, you're lucky. How could you possibly break my fully mastered Shadowless Sword?"

Yue Lingfeng felt a little proud; in terms of swordsmanship, he was no less skilled than anyone else.

Among the older generation of masters, there are not many who can reach this level.

Just as a sense of pride rose in his heart, he recalled the Three Sects Grand Competition... how his swordsmanship was utterly inferior to that sixteen-year-old junior brother, and he felt somewhat defeated again.

That guy isn't even human...

Upon hearing this, Yuan Fei immediately beamed with excitement: "Back then, I was following behind my master and saw him use the Purple Star Divine Sword Technique. The sword energy was unstoppable, killing enemies as easily as cutting grass."

Although the two from Hengjiang District were fierce and violent, even when they joined forces to resist their master's sword, they couldn't last more than ten moves. One was dead and the other was injured...

If the enemy hadn't been so powerful and the bandits so numerous, and if Xiong Batian hadn't been so cunning, he would never have escaped with his life.

"He actually fought two villains all by himself? Master's skills are truly unparalleled."

Yue Lingfeng found it strange, but didn't ask any further questions.

My master is certainly very strong, but he's not that strong.

When Yue Lingfeng was blocking the river that day, he heard Xiong Batian reveal that his heart was on the right side, otherwise he would have died immediately.

However, although that person had a rough appearance and a violent temper, he was actually very thoughtful.

Even when facing his own sixth-generation disciple, he didn't rush forward to fight to the death, but instead grabbed a fisherwoman and forced him to make way for her.

After losing the sword fight.

He released the fisherwoman as promised and waited to be killed; he was a true man.

He still remembered what the other person said after they couldn't break his sword technique.

"To be defeated by the sword of the eldest disciple of the Heavenly Star Sect, even if I die, there is nothing to regret... I have eaten and played my way through life, and acted as I pleased. I have lived a carefree life between heaven and earth, so my life has not been in vain."

Even if I were to die, I would rather die at the hands of a mediocre person.

"Brother Yue, please hurry and make your move. If I, Xiong, even flinch, I'm no hero."

That battle is still fresh in my mind.

The past is like the wind; it can blow away one's worries, but it cannot shake the perseverance in one's heart.

A hint of annoyance flashed in Yue Lingfeng's eyes, but he didn't seem to regret it much.

He clearly believed that he had not done anything wrong.

My master and mistress taught me from a young age that one must keep one's promises.

As a dignified hero, I can't be inferior to a mere bandit.

Knowing that the other party was seriously injured, and keeping his promise to wait for death... he really couldn't get over the thought of stabbing him to death again.

Even if I were to kill someone, it would be when we meet again in the future, when they are at their full strength, and I would kill them fair and square.

"Whether you let him go or kill him, once you've mastered your skills and come down the mountain, you can find him and kill him. Let's not talk about these unpleasant things."

Yue Lingfeng composed himself, took out a few more food boxes, and his eyes lit up with surprise when he saw the exquisite patterns on them. He exclaimed, "Did Junior Sister cook this herself?"

"You do want to."

Yuan Fei rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "Do you think things are still the same as before?"
Seeing that the eldest brother's face first flushed red and then turned pale, she couldn't bear to continue speaking and changed the subject: "[Jin Yutang] has sent another batch of resources up the mountain. This time it's something else."

Besides Jin Yutang, Uncle Li from Menghu'ao also moved all their belongings up the mountain...

Some businesses have also changed their attitude significantly from before.

Various delicacies and precious jewels were brought up the mountain, mostly just to secure a discipleship for one of their own children.

"Now the mountain is not short of money and food. Even if it were ten times more, we could still eat and drink our fill, let alone just support our hundred or so disciples."

A small number of disciples can also enjoy qi and blood-nourishing medicinal diets with each meal.

The dishes in the basket... were secretly given to me by my master's wife, without my master's knowledge... and the wine too.

They said they were worried you might get hungry on the mountain and wanted me to keep you company.

"You were afraid of the cold and desolation behind the mountain, that you would be too lonely, so you got stuck in a rut and became dissatisfied with your master's punishment."

"Master's wife... Waaah!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Lingfeng couldn't hold back her tears and covered her face, sobbing.

After crying a few times, he wiped away his tears heavily with his sleeve and forced a smile, saying, "Although this mountain is desolate, with the Patriarch by my side and the spirit monkey as my companion, how can I be lonely?"
Sixth Junior Brother, you don't need to waste my time here. Although Junior Brother is cunning, he doesn't really have any bad intentions and won't hold a grudge against you for your rudeness.

Bow your head, offer an apology, and the matter will be over...

His swordsmanship was truly superb. To this day, I still don't understand how he brought out the potential in others, causing their swordsmanship to improve by leaps and bounds.

Regardless, I acknowledge his abilities as the eldest disciple. I have no complaints about him taking the position of young sect leader…

At this point, a charming figure flashed through Yue Lingfeng's mind, and the soft, cheerful voice still echoed in his ears.

But she is gone, never to return.

His voice choked slightly at some point: "Lu Wubing's swordsmanship is exceptionally talented, even I have to give way to him. It won't hurt for you to learn from him."

"Big brother."

Yuan Fei was also heartbroken.

How could he not know that he could make a proud and arrogant heir, who had always been the center of attention and loved by his master and mistress, willingly admit defeat?

Furthermore, having to suppress one's sadness while praising one's opponent is incredibly torturous.

Even though he couldn't bring himself to say it, he insisted on saying things against his conscience, all for the sake of his junior brother's future.

He knew perfectly well that from the very beginning, he had sided with the senior brother and his tone towards the junior brother had been quite humiliating...

Even a clay figure has some temper, let alone a young person.

Therefore, it's possible that the junior brother looks down on him or harbors resentment.

There is only one way to change this situation...

That means staying away from the senior brother and joining the other side.

But how cruel is this to the senior brother?

"No, I believe that Senior Brother will definitely be able to break through again and not let that kid steal the spotlight..."

"Sixth Junior Brother, you seem to have more confidence in me than I do myself."

Alright, alright, don't go up the mountain unless it's absolutely necessary, except for the occasional delivery of wine...

No, and there's no need to send wine. Just have an old servant bring me food; I'm going into seclusion.

"Take good care of yourself, Senior Brother."

Yuan Fei sighed and didn't say anything more.

Yue Lingfeng waved his hand.

Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she didn't look back, but turned her back to Yuan Fei.

They listened as the other person's footsteps slowly disappeared.

He put down the wine jar, covered his face and sobbed for a while, then rallied his spirits and stopped drinking.

Instead, he quickly finished his meal, took a short break to catch his breath, and began practicing his swordsmanship.

Even as the sun began to set and his muscles and bones began to ache slightly, Yue Lingfeng still did not stop practicing.

The scene of that battle during the Three Sects Grand Competition constantly flashed through his mind.

Occasionally, he seemed to gain new insights into his swordsmanship... Unconsciously, the longsword in his hand became faster and faster, abandoning some complicated moves, all for the sake of speed.

They were practicing when things got really intense.

I seemed to hear a sigh.

There was a deep sense of disappointment in his voice...

He stopped wielding his sword, turned around and looked around, but didn't see a single person.

Then, I began to doubt that I was hallucinating.

"Ugh……"

Yue Lingfeng sighed, thinking to himself that he was still unwilling to accept it, and had actually imagined that the patriarch would come back to life to personally guide him and unravel his confusion.

Junior Brother's swordsmanship is like lightning, so fast that it's impossible to see clearly. How could it be so easy to break?
Use your weaknesses to exploit the enemy's strengths.

It seems that the quick approach is not going to work.

No matter what, it can't outrun that fleeting flash of light.

Thinking of this, Yue Lingfeng felt somewhat disappointed again.

He turned around and walked a few steps forward, until he reached the tall stele of the Heavenly River Ancestor. He bowed three times and said, "Ancestor, please forgive me if you are angry. Your disciple did not bring incense and candles, and the sword technique I practiced is extremely crude and has offended your eyes and ears."

Next time, I will definitely bring some incense and candles, and prepare offerings of meat and vegetables, to come and worship again. Of course, I also need to create an astonishing sword technique and ask the patriarch for guidance..."

After finishing his prayers, Yue Lingfeng thought of pouring some wine as a tribute.

Turn around and take a look.

"Where's the wine? Where's my wine?"

He remembered that although he drank it quickly, he still had a little less than half a jar of wine left, and he couldn't bear to finish it all at once.

It was placed next to the tombstone.

How could they disappear in the blink of an eye?

……

(End of this chapter)