Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 158 Ouyang Lan's Core Competitiveness

“Mother, why did you stop me from going to the East Sea with my junior brother this time? He’s only going with two other people. I don’t know what Cheng Liangyu is thinking. I’m not at ease.”

Ouyang Lan sat on the large chair, head hanging low, shoulders and back slumped, looking very unhappy.

Looking at her daughter's aggrieved expression, Qin Huaiying felt a wave of exhaustion.

Since her youngest apprentice, Lu Wubing, joined the sect, she finally understood what it meant for a woman's heart to be drawn outward.

Xiao Lan used to play wildly on the mountain, carefree all day long, and she wasn't even proactive in practicing martial arts or learning swordsmanship. She didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

For a daughter, the happiest time is definitely when she's a young girl.

With parents protecting them, they don't have to worry about anything.

But one day, the daughter will grow up, get married, and consider many things, and will have to support a large family.

There were so many worries back then.

Although I knew this day would come sooner or later, I didn't expect it to come so soon.

It seems like just yesterday the child was growing up.

It's not unusual to want to be with someone you love every day.

However, this is not good.

Having witnessed countless tales of love and heartbreak, Qin Huaiying has gained considerable insight and experience.

I know that the way men and women get along is actually quite similar to how parents and children get along; it's all about distance and familiarity.

The saying "A day apart feels like three autumns" illustrates this point.

We're inseparable every day, how can we have so much to say?
No matter how much joy you experience, once it becomes a habit, you take it for granted.

When two people lose their sense of novelty and surprise, it not only does not benefit the relationship, but also brings all sorts of harm.

Just like his eldest disciple, Yue Lingfeng.

He was handsome, had excellent aptitude and comprehension, and was a master of martial arts and swordsmanship, making him stand out among all the disciples.

No matter how you look at it, he is a promising young talent.

There are very few people more outstanding than him, both on and off the mountain.

However, Ouyang Lan had absolutely no feelings for him.

They've been playing together since they were toddlers, and they've become like real siblings. There's nothing new about it anymore.

We see each other every day, but apart from exchanging greetings, we don't even get to speak.

I just feel that the other person already knows everything I want to say, even some embarrassing things from my childhood. What's the fun in that?

When we were together, it was as bland and tasteless as plain water.

As for his eldest disciple Yue Lingfeng, he mostly treated Ouyang Lan as if she were his own little sister, spoiling her.

It would be a lie to say that there is no romantic feeling between a man and a woman... but it's hard to say for sure if there is.

However, it's just a long-standing habit that sustains it...

Everyone thought that the two of them were a match made in heaven, and he had long regarded his junior sister as his partner.

If we don't see each other for a while, I won't think much of it.

of course.

It's unacceptable if someone steals your partner without warning.

The huge gap between his expectations and reality was something he found truly difficult to accept.

The more distressed they feel, the more they intensify their attacks, and the further they drift apart.

To put it bluntly, the eldest disciple has fallen into his own emotional trap.

I can't get out of this situation on my own.

It's like someone ordering a dish; they can eat it slowly, without rushing, and they may not necessarily particularly love it.

However, it would be absolutely unacceptable if, before the chopsticks even touched the ground, the food was completely devoured by someone else.

The dish instantly smelled delicious.

Qin Huaiying actually understood this very well.

In those days, if a girl had parents in charge, she would generally get married early, starting around thirteen or fourteen years old. If she didn't get married by fifteen or sixteen, it would be considered too late.

By the time she turns eighteen, she's considered an old maid.

Unless you really can't find a suitable one, staying at home is not really appropriate.

Although people from the martial arts world don't take this custom too seriously.

However, it would be better if it could be earlier.

Ouyang Lan is now eighteen years old.

What was Yue Lingfeng doing when she was fourteen?
In high spirits, practicing swordsmanship and chivalry on and off the mountains...

When Ouyang Lan was sixteen, Yue Lingfeng was making friends, drinking wine from large bowls, and eating meat in large chunks.

When she turned eighteen, although the fellow students played and joked around, they never even held hands.

Clearly, his master and mistress did not hinder him at all, and even hinted from time to time... that he should marry his junior sister, take over the Tianxing Sect, and make the sect great and prosperous.

So, he didn't listen to a single word.

It's too late to panic now.

Yue Lingfeng was like that; he wasn't in a hurry at all, and one could say he lacked passion.

Ouyang Lan was the same way; she viewed Yue Lingfeng as her senior brother, without a trace of girlish romantic notion.

So, upon seeing the new junior brother who had arrived outside, especially one who was exceptionally handsome and talented, Ouyang Lan felt admiration and curiosity about his past.

After experiencing some things together, the girl's hazy feelings ignited like a flame.

They wanted to hold each other every moment, never wanting to be apart.

How can this be done?

The principle is profound, involving changes in human nature, and those who have not experienced it will never understand.

Even if you say it out loud, you won't have a very deep understanding of it.

Therefore, Qin Huaiying never thought of teaching this principle to her own daughter.

We can only rephrase it.

"Xiao Lan, don't you think your junior brother's swordsmanship has improved too quickly? How strong is he now?"
"Don't even mention your mother, even your father, who has already broken through to the Innate Realm and comprehended sword intent, wouldn't dare say he could definitely defeat him."

"Junior Brother has become stronger, isn't that a good thing?" Ouyang Lan listened with pride in her eyes, "He's the one I taught."

“Silly girl, I didn’t say that it’s bad for someone to be strong without illness. He said the stronger the better… But look at you, how much is your swordsmanship and martial arts skill compared to his?”

If you encounter a formidable enemy, will you stand by and cheer them on, or will you fight alongside them?

Qin Huaiying patiently and skillfully guided him.

"Of course, it's about fighting side by side..."

Ouyang Lan was halfway through her sentence when she saw the smile in her mother's eyes. She lowered her head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Although I can't be of much help, I can't just stand by and watch."

"That's right, we can't just stand by and watch. If you were to go up against an enemy who is fighting to the death without illness, what would happen?"
I doubt you could even withstand a single blow... If the enemy specifically targets this "weakness," wouldn't you need Wubing to come to your rescue? Is this helping, or sabotaging?

"Then I won't go up."

Ouyang Lan felt discouraged.

Just imagining it, I have to admit that a very awkward situation would indeed arise.

When the time comes, I won't be able to get involved or help my junior brother at all.

It might even backfire.

I will always be just a blade of grass sheltered by a big tree...

How can such a relationship last too long?
Seeing that Ouyang Lan was becoming increasingly insecure, Qin Huaiying quickly pressed her advantage, continuing with words as sharp as knives: "Xiao Lan, think about it, right now, your junior brother Wubing has your seventh senior sister, Shen Xinzhu, and Cheng Liangyu by his side..."

In terms of martial arts, you might not be able to beat your seventh senior sister. In terms of shared interests such as playing the zither and practicing medicine, your junior sister Shen is much stronger than you.

In terms of physique and demeanor, Cheng Liangyu truly deserves the title of a refined and elegant lady...

Her cultivation level is three ranks higher than yours. Although her appearance isn't as delicate as yours, she's still a beauty that's one in a million. Even I, her mother, have to say "good" to her..."

At this point, Qin Huaiying decided to leave it blank.

I'm not saying anything more, figure it out yourself...

As expected, Ouyang Lan's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this, and she felt a great sense of crisis.

She had never thought about this issue.

I always felt that his heart was like mine. I liked my junior brother so much, so he must also be devoted to one person and think of me all the time, right?
But coming from my mother's mouth, it didn't seem to be the case.

Recalling the attitudes of her seventh senior sister and junior sister Shen Xinzhu, as well as the way they looked at her junior brother, Ouyang Lan realized what was going on.

It turns out that not only do I like it, but others do too.

When the newly arrived Cheng Liangyu first came up the mountain, apart from presenting a box of Purple Flame Shells as a token of courtesy, he was always arrogant and boastful.

Even when pleading for help, she didn't lower herself; instead, she used rhetoric to pressure the Jing Tian Xing Sect, claiming that cooperation would lead to mutual benefit, while non-help would result in mutual destruction...

Is this how you ask for help?

One can only say that this woman is proud and arrogant, but she has the right to be.

His excellence needs no further explanation.

But this eloquent and bold young woman, who had tested the next generation of disciples of the Heavenly Star Sect with her sword, immediately became gentle and tender after meeting Lu Wubing.

She speaks softly and gracefully, and her manners are very proper; she looks like a lady from a respectable family.

The contrast before and after is too great.

The only explanation is that she met her soulmate and was completely captivated by him.

Therefore, it put away its thorns and became completely tamed.

In plain terms, Cheng Liangyu has also taken it to heart.

Compared to them, where do I have the advantage?

It wasn't strong, was it?
Should I say that I arrived first?

"mother!"

After realizing what was happening, Ouyang Lan was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly grabbed Qin Huaiying's hand and shook it, pleading, "You must have a way, right?"

Qin Huaiying sighed inwardly; she knew she couldn't keep this daughter.

I still need to find a way to get married as soon as possible.

However, one should love one's own child. No matter what, she is still my precious daughter, and I should help her out when necessary.

"The temporary gathering and separation are not important. Wubing, this child, has only been a disciple for three months, but he has become so strong now."

If he were only skilled in swordsmanship and martial arts, that would be one thing, but he also possesses the talent to govern the world.

With a mere flick of the wrist, he pulled our Tianxing Sect back from the brink of collapse.
Now, with its accumulated strength and solid foundation, it is just waiting for its disciples on the mountain to grow up before it unleashes its overwhelming power.

Qin Huaiying was born into a noble family, so her knowledge and experience were naturally extraordinary.

The apprentice's actions, though seemingly random and disorganized, lacked any discernible pattern.

But in essence, it is the same strategy of "stockpiling grain, building high walls, and delaying the declaration of kingship".

Nowadays, he neither raises flags, nor violates regulations, nor acts superior.

Instead, they skillfully extended their influence to various cities and villages. They also recruited talent, cultivated relationships with merchants, and quietly developed their business...

All external affairs are handled by the old man who is the head of the family.

He concealed himself well among the disciples. Outside Mingyang City, no one even knew his name.

This is not a simple matter.

If it were any other young person, with such achievements and accumulated such immense power, they would certainly be unable to contain themselves.

This time, when going to Donghai County to handle the affairs of Mingxin Hall, he must have already assembled a team of hundreds of experts to crush Donghai County with overwhelming force.

Not only do they want to seize Mingxin Hall, but they may also want to take over the Donghai Prefectural Governor's Office.

They established their own city defenses, occupied the port, and dispatched skilled warriors to pacify the coastal region for thousands of miles...

Whether by conquering cities and seizing territories or by secretly controlling them, they can quickly establish a vast empire.

Not to mention Mingyang Prefecture.

With the prefect dead and the new official yet to take office, he could easily integrate the troops inside and outside the city and take the entire city.

Furthermore, troops were dispatched to Shanyin City to seize the vital northward route and cut off the Northern Zhou Demonic Sect's southward advance.

With his immense prestige as the current young master of the Tianxing Sect, he is perfectly capable of accomplishing these things.

Forty or fifty top-tier masters and three hundred and eighty second-tier masters—even if they were scattered throughout the entire southern martial arts world, they would still be a force that would make any power tremble with fear.

But he did nothing.

He simply instructed the disciples of the Tianxing Sect to diligently cultivate, to thoroughly digest the sword techniques and physical skills they had learned, and to completely integrate them into their own foundation, so as to further improve themselves.

As for himself, he only took two people and leisurely went to Donghai County to scout ahead, determined not to be the first to stick his neck out.

Such shrewdness and such a broad mind... even the master and mistress would be somewhat alarmed by it.

I have absolutely no idea what this young disciple is planning.
Where will the Heavenly Star Sect be led this time?

However, Qin Huaiying was still very fortunate in one respect: her husband was not a jealous person.

When they say they are training the next generation, they are truly training them, and when they hand over power, they are truly handing over power.

Now that he had realized that Lu Wubing was actually more suitable to be the head of the Tianxing Sect than himself, Ouyang Zheng did not hesitate at all. As if throwing away a hot potato, he handed the entire Tianxing Sect to Lu Wubing.

To outsiders, this was a harmonious relationship between master and disciple, as close as father and son.

Qin Huaiying, however, thought otherwise; her old man was indeed losing his strength.

Over the years, as the sect leader, he not only failed to revitalize the Tianxing Sect, but it has declined year by year.

This has led to internal and external troubles, and numerous crises.

Others can come up with a thousand or ten thousand excuses to exonerate him.

He couldn't fool himself.

This is clearly because their own abilities are insufficient to support the Three Divine Peaks.

As a result, they couldn't survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

If it weren't for Lu Wubing's sudden emergence, the Tianxing Sect would probably be finished by now.

It's either being swallowed up or being completely wiped out.

After seeing things clearly, even the old man, who had a very high opinion of himself, had to admit a reality.

That is, people's abilities vary, just like martial arts skills and talents.

Since I'm not cut out for this, I might as well entrust it to someone I can trust as soon as possible and then wholeheartedly assist him.

Only in this way can we live up to the expectations of our teachers and our students.

Qin Huaiying considered his words carefully before saying, "With Wu Bing'er's magnanimity and talent, it's not certain that the Tianxing Sect can tolerate him."

Although I don't know what his ambitions are, the Heavenly Star Sect will always be his foundation. Shouldn't someone protect this small territory for him, ensuring he has no worries and receives a continuous supply of martial arts skills?

"Yes, isn't that why we have Father and Mother?"

"Silly child, parents are still a generation apart, how can they be as close as husband and wife?"

Therefore, Xiaolan, you need to grow up quickly...

When it's your turn to take the stage, you can't just hide in the back and let your elderly father show up in the spotlight, can you?

"What do you mean by 'husband and wife'?"

Ouyang Lan felt a surge of sweetness in her heart, but her face flushed as red as the clouds at the edge of the sky. She feigned reluctance, saying, "Isn't there also Senior Brother? His swordsmanship is excellent and his martial arts are superb..."

"Do you think Lingfeng will do her best to help Wubing?" Qin Huaiying looked at her daughter with exasperation, as if she were a fool.

This daughter of mine is sometimes so clever that even I, her mother, am a little envious.

Sometimes, they are so clumsy that you don't know what to say.

Right now, your senior brother is probably plotting something, trying his best to sabotage your sweetheart.

Senior Brother?

I wonder when Lingfeng will finally come to his senses and let go of his obsession.

If you can't let go of your emotional attachments and stubbornly get stuck on them, things won't be easy to handle later.

Thinking of this, Qin Huaiying sighed again. She was truly powerless to do anything about this.

"how should I do?"

Ouyang Lan was somewhat bewildered. She thought to herself, "Sure enough, once the Heavenly Star Sect becomes truly powerful, we must firmly grasp this force. We can't let our junior brother fight alone at the front while things get out of hand. What would that be like?"

"We are a martial arts sect, and no matter how you look at it, the stronger one wins."

Xiaolan, if you want to advance and retreat together with Wubing in the future, and stand side by side, you can't be too weak in martial arts.

Therefore, we must return to swordsmanship and martial arts.

After a long chatter, Qin Huaiying finally got to the point.

"The reason I didn't let you go to Donghai County with Wubing this time is because I didn't want you to miss the opportunity to rapidly improve your martial arts."

Do you remember what your junior brother said to you before he left?

"I remember he said I have a very high aptitude for swordsmanship, but in the past I just lacked ambition and my potential had not been fully realized."

Now, guided by the Great Completion Flowing Light Sword Style, by drawing on the strengths of many schools and applying them in different ways, one can hope to push one's swordsmanship to its pinnacle.

The more I listened, the more I felt like my junior brother was just teasing me.

As Ouyang Lan spoke, she also burst out laughing.

That sounds very heartwarming.

However, she knows her own limitations.

My mother has been practicing for thirty years, but she has been stuck at the stage of mastering swordsmanship and has not yet reached the pinnacle of perfection.

It's easy to imagine how difficult this final step in swordsmanship is.

Even though my father was such a proud and arrogant man, as the leader of a sect, he was considered one of the top masters in the world.

The final breakthrough still came from a good disciple who enlightened him, giving him a flash of inspiration that allowed him to advance and step into the Innate Realm.

How could one possibly achieve this in a short period of time by simply accumulating swordsmanship skills?
"No, you underestimated Lu Wubing's vision, and you also underestimated your own talent..."

Qin Huaiying shook her head.

She didn't really think her daughter was anything special; in terms of talent, she thought she was just average.

Therefore, she didn't strictly demand anything of her daughter when she practiced swordsmanship.

As long as she can learn it and have some skills to protect herself, that will be enough.

Whether she would succeed or be able to shoulder heavy responsibilities, she never had any expectations.

However, after the healthy disciple came up the mountain, she was surprised to discover something that she had never noticed in the past ten years.

My daughter's comprehension and extraordinary insight are not reflected in her original martial arts techniques and swordsmanship, but rather in her ability to draw inferences from one instance to another and her ingenious ideas.

In other words, Xiaolan's head must be full of little holes; her thinking is quite different from that of ordinary people.

You say "The dragon soars in the sky," but what she thinks of is "It will rain tomorrow."

If you repeat the phrase "The Way is in excrement and urine," she will definitely take it seriously and eat and drink properly.

Anyway, her parents racked their brains trying to correct her divergent thinking when she was little.

Despite practicing like this, her swordsmanship never even reached the level of mastery.

Because, from the very beginning, her practice was not very standard.

The only commendable thing is that when Ouyang Lan draws her sword, there are occasional flashes of inspiration, making her swordplay more beautiful and more spirited than others.

As for combat strength, let's not even talk about it.

If things continue like this, Ouyang Lan's swordsmanship will remain just so-so, neither good nor bad.

Fortunately, after Lu Wubing went up the mountain, he actually gained a lot of benefits from Ouyang Lan's concepts and theories.

It was discovered that this unreliable young lady, who sometimes seemed to be talking nonsense, wasn't actually just spouting off, but rather had her own unique insights.

When the two practiced together, they pressed each other with their sword intent, pushing each other to the limit. Naturally, she would come up with one ingenious move after another, comprehending sword techniques that she could never have imagined in ordinary times.

Now, with the [Flowing Light Sword Style] as a starting point, I will learn various sword techniques without seeking a deep understanding, and then fuse them into one.

No one knows what kind of swordsmanship Ouyang Lan will forge.

It is indeed something to look forward to.

"In just a few days, you can open your tenth meridian, enter the sixth rank, and become a second-rate martial artist."

Regarding swordsmanship, I plan to pass on the Seven Kill Sword to you.

Your father also said that once you finish learning the Seven Kill Sword, you should immediately begin learning the Purple Star Divine Sword.

Just like your junior brother Wubing said, we'll just teach, and you just learn...

After you've learned it, forget it. Then, your mother will practice swordsmanship with you for an hour every day.

"No matter what sword techniques you use, just strive for victory."

"Did Junior Brother say that?"

Ouyang Lan blinked, her face showing distress.

"Mother, could you please go a little easier? It's a sword fight, but you can't really treat us like enemies."

She disliked sparring with her mother the most, because that was a real fight.

Even though it hit a thick spot, it still hurts.

"Even if you're not really sick, you won't learn your lesson if you don't really fight, and it won't help you focus your mind."

The reason you didn't train well before was because you didn't get beaten up enough.

"Junior brother, I hate you."

Ouyang Lan complained repeatedly.

His face was scrunched up like a bitter gourd.

He wondered to himself, when will this miserable life ever end?

And what about junior brother Lu Wubing?

Of course, he couldn't hear what his dear senior sister Xiaolan was saying; he was sitting in the lobby of the small shop at the moment.

With a flick of his wrist, he overturned the table.

"It's a rip-off."

With a clang, more than ten diners around him simultaneously drew their weapons.

A thunderous sound of hooves came from afar.

……

(End of this chapter)