I Have the Martial Arts Heavenly Eye in the Storm Riders

Suddenly, Wuming raised his hand and swept his sleeve forward.

It looked light, but when it landed in the bamboo forest, it felt like an unstoppable gale rising from the ground.

With a muffled boom, the bamboo shadows all around shook.

Immediately afterwards, one broken bamboo stalk after another burst open, scattering bamboo fragments and swirling green leaves, instantly erasing all the traces left on the bamboo.

The old bamboo that had been standing densely just moments before was now scattered and broken into pieces, the ground covered with debris, and not a single intact sword mark could be found.

Long'er was completely stunned.

He still held the sword in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the mess on the ground, as if someone had suddenly ripped a piece out of his chest.

"you--"

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't find the right words for a moment.

After a moment, he suddenly came to his senses, looked up and stared at Wuming, his voice tense.

Why did you destroy them?

"I haven't even finished examining those bamboo marks, I've only figured out the first eight moves, and you've already destroyed the entire forest?"

The more Long'er spoke, the brighter the fire in her eyes became.

If it were something else, he might not have lost his composure like this.

But what remains in this bamboo forest are a sword, a path, and a door he has just reached.

The door had barely opened a crack when the person in front of it raised their hand and smashed it down.

How could he swallow this insult?

Jin, standing to the side, was also shocked by Wuming's move, and his heart sank.

With a wave of his hand, he destroyed the entire bamboo forest. This skill is not a matter of being high or low, but rather that they are on completely different levels.

Despite his shock, he first looked at Long'er, fearing that the boy might suddenly become enraged and charge forward with his sword again.

Wuming simply looked at Long'er, his gaze calm.

"Getting impatient?"

Long'er gritted her teeth, "Why don't you try?"

Wuming nodded, seemingly acknowledging his fiery temper.

"If you're anxious, it means you really care."

Upon hearing this, Long'er became even angrier.

"You know I care, yet you still did this?"

Wuming did not answer him immediately, but only looked up at the broken bamboo on the ground.

The wind swept through, causing the bamboo leaves to swirl and the lush greenery of the forest to be swept away by this single sleeve, leaving only a mess on the ground.

"Because these things can no longer be left to you."

Long'er was taken aback, her brows furrowing even more deeply. "What do you mean?"

Wuming turned his head and looked at the straight sword in his hand. His voice was not loud, but it was very steady.

"You were able to deduce the first eight moves from the bamboo marks, which shows you have a sharp eye and a clear mind."

"But precisely because of this, if you keep watching, you'll eventually trap yourself in it."

Long'er coldly replied, "I'm learning swordsmanship, why would I be afraid of getting sleepy?"

"What I fear is not being trapped in the sword."

Wuming looked at him and said, word by word, "What I fear is that you've taken someone else's path as your own."

The bamboo grove suddenly fell silent.

Jin didn't say anything, just stood aside and listened.

The nameless man continued:

"The Holy Spirit Sword Technique is strong, but the Old Sword Saint is even stronger."

"No matter how strong it is, it's still his sword, his path, something he forged throughout his life."

"It's not surprising that you can understand it today, learn it, and even do it better in the future."

"But if you follow in his footsteps, no matter how far you go, you're still stepping on the shadow of those who came before you."

Long'er's grip on the sword tightened slightly.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Wuming took a step forward, his voice becoming a few degrees deeper.

"You just said that once a sword is drawn, it should be drawn straight forward."

"If that's the case, why insist on clinging to someone else's old path?"

This sentence was like a sword piercing Long'er's heart.

Long'er's lips moved as if she wanted to retort, but the words caught in her throat.

Seeing his unusually dazed expression, Jin couldn't help but sigh softly.

This kid is usually very stubborn and won't listen to anyone's advice.

This time, however, Wuming didn't try to persuade him to back down; instead, he hit the nail on the head.

If Long'er truly listens, and gets through this hurdle, things will be completely different from now on.

After a long pause, Long'er finally spoke in a low voice:

"So you destroyed all of this because you're afraid I'll continue to imitate the Sword Saint?"

"It's not fear."

Nameless Path:

"It's time to cut it off."

"Now that you have found your own path, you should no longer tie your life to the scars left by others."

"If the bamboo grove remains, you'll look back; if the bamboo grove is gone, you can only move forward."

Long'er stood there, her chest heaving a few times, before finally lowering her head slowly.

He looked down at the broken bamboo scattered on the ground for a long time.

The fire didn't immediately dissipate; instead, as it burned, it suddenly produced another layer of something else.

He remembered what he had said while holding the sword.

Better to break than bend.

Keep going straight ahead.

Since you made those words yourself and chose that path yourself, why should you be reluctant to let go when it's time to make a clean break?

A gust of wind blew by, and a broken bamboo leaf swirled around the edge of his boot before rolling away.

Long'er closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, the shock and anger in her eyes had slowly subsided, leaving behind a harder, brighter light.

He raised his head and looked at Wuming.

This time, the anger that had been so defiant earlier was gone from his eyes; instead, there was clarity and seriousness.

"I see."

Wuming looked at him but didn't reply.

Long'er then said:

"These bamboo marks, I can preserve for a while, but not forever."

"Today I can use them to counter attacks, and tomorrow I might be able to use them to advance a few more steps. But if I keep clinging to them, in the end, all I'll learn is how a swordsman strikes, not how I should strike my own sword."

As he spoke, his voice wasn't loud, but his aura gradually rose.

"The path I should take is not the one he has walked."

"I am walking my own path."

Upon hearing this, Wuming finally showed a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Jin, standing to the side, also breathed a sigh of relief, but still wouldn't let it go.

"I've finally figured it out. I thought you really wanted to spend the rest of your life guarding this pile of broken bamboo."

Long'er glared at him and said, "Shut up."

Jin scoffed, "You've only just begun to understand things, and you're already acting arrogantly again."

Long'er ignored him, slowly sheathed her sword to her side, then turned and walked toward the weathered and indistinct stone statue of the Sword Saint deeper in the bamboo forest.

The stone statue stands in the wind, its face blurred by the passage of time, yet still retains a sense of aloofness.

Long'er walked closer, stood for a moment, then knelt down on both knees.

Jin watched his retreating figure, unusually remaining silent.

Wuming remained standing, without interrupting.

Long'er solemnly kowtowed three times to the stone statue.

"Sword Saint Senior."

"Today I saw your sword here, and through your sword, I found my way to my own door."

"I should kowtow to this."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his head, his forehead still covered in a little dirt, but his eyes shone like two sharp, cold blades.

"But the path I'm walking ahead of won't just be yours."

"Your sword has come to you."

"I will walk my own path with my own sword."

The sound of the wind swept down from behind the stone statue, causing the hem of his clothes to flutter slightly.

Long'er slowly stood up, raised her long sword, and pointed the blade diagonally in the direction where the sunlight broke through.

"One day, I will walk a path of swordsmanship that no one has ever walked before."

"One day, I will make the martial world remember that my sword is not anyone's shadow."

Wuming looked at the boy standing in front of the stone statue, his gaze deepening.

Jin stood to the side with his arms crossed, not saying a word, but a glint of light could not be suppressed in his eyes.

He knew that Long'er's journey had truly begun.

Wuming turned around, flicked his sleeve, and his voice came back on the wind.

"Remember what I said today."

"Once you've chosen your path in swordsmanship, don't turn back easily."

Long'er didn't ask about his background or say anything more, but simply nodded emphatically behind his back.

After Wuming walked away, Jin slowly strolled over, glanced down at him, and

"I've kowtowed, I know the way, shouldn't I head to Sichuan next?"

Long'er looked away. "Of course I'll go."

"Okay." Jin raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder.

"Then let's go. You're going to find your way, and I'll also take the opportunity to see what's hidden in Motuo Lanruo that could lure you all the way there."

Long'er smiled slightly, "You'll know when you get there."

Jin snorted, "You'd better not waste your time on me."

As they talked, the two walked out of the woods one after the other.

The wind swept in from the end of the bamboo forest, rustling the fallen leaves all over the ground.

This sword-fighting journey has come to an end, ending the old path and truly beginning a new one.

Sichuan, Motuo Lanruo.

The mountain gate is wide open, and the ancient temple rises layer upon layer along the mountainside, with halls and pavilions one after another. From a distance, it looks as if the entire mountain is covered with a layer of gray-gold Buddha light.

The highest Buddha statue sits cross-legged with its hands clasped together, its face filled with compassion, but its eyes seem to be constantly lowered, taking in all the beings coming and going below.

This place is usually quite quiet, but it's unusually lively today.

People came and went in front of the temple gate. Monks' robes, nuns' robes, and Taoist robes were mixed together. There were even a few ascetic monks from the west, barefoot, with bone beads hanging from their necks, covered in dust, looking as if they had rolled out of the yellow sand all the way.

Some people were carrying scriptures, some were lifting incense tables, some were shouting greetings, and some were standing under the eaves whispering among themselves. Despite the chaos, there was a sense that something big was about to happen.

Amidst the commotion, a small, thin figure carrying a tattered bundle was peeking out from outside the mountain gate.

His monk's robe was washed until it was almost white, and there were still mud spots on his trouser legs. His head was bald, but his eyes were very cunning, and he could think of something in a flash.

It was Master Yiyou.

He stood at the doorway, looked around for a while, and his face grew increasingly grim as he looked, muttering to himself.

"That's strange, really strange."

"I've only been gone a few days, how come the temple has turned into a scene of chaos like a execution ground?"

"Is this chanting scriptures or setting up a stall?"

As he spoke, he lifted the tattered bundle on his back, and before he could even step through the door, someone hurriedly came out to greet him.

"Amitabha Buddha, Master Yiyou, you've finally returned!"

The newcomer was dressed in a red kasaya, with handsome features and a smiling face; he was none other than Cijue, the deputy abbot of Motuo Lanruo.

The moment he saw him, he first glanced sideways, then his whole face scrunched up like a bitter gourd.

"What, did you plan to ambush me at the door today just so you could catch me?"

Cijue hurriedly clasped her hands in a gesture of respect, her smile perfectly composed.

"Master, you jest. I was just happy to see you return to the temple after your long journey."

"Come on." Yiyou stepped aside, glancing around the temple from top to bottom.

"Tell me, what's going on at the temple?"

"Nuns, monks, and bald men from the Western Regions—why are they all flocking here?"

Cijue's expression turned serious.

"Master, you may not know this, but in two days, the temple will hold a conference for the monks and nuns to unite."

Upon hearing those words, Yi You felt a jolt in his forehead.

"Again?"

In recent years, the turmoil in the martial arts world has become increasingly turbulent, with sects engaging in open and covert struggles, and even the tranquil Buddhist sanctuary has inevitably been drawn into it.

The six temples and eighteen monasteries originally guarded their own gates and chanted their own scriptures. Although they had interactions with each other, they could not be considered a true unified entity.

It wasn't until they faced repeated external threats and harassment of their temples that the monks and nuns had to unite and finally realized that a single family or temple could not possibly stop those wolves and wolves from the outside world.

It was precisely for this reason that the six temples and eighteen nunneries united as one and jointly established the Monks and Nuns Alliance.

To put it bluntly, this alliance is both a way for Buddhist groups to band together for self-protection and a large network for several temples and monasteries to check and balance each other and share power.

Now, many years later, the alliance has long been established. This conference is not for starting anew, but for the time of leadership transition. All the temples and monasteries must come to Motuo Lanruo to rearrange and redistribute their positions, charters, and reputations.

Yi You's face had turned completely black.

He pursed his lips and lazily uttered:

"An alliance? Hmph, I'm not interested."

Cijue coughed lightly.

"Master, this is merely to deal with unpredictable changes in the martial arts world."

"Hmph, what a load of crap." Yiyou slung her bundle over her shoulder, turned, and walked away.

"Monks who don't chant scriptures spend all their time thinking about alliances, deliberations, and the distribution of power; it's unlucky to even hear about it."

"You guys play by yourselves, I'm leaving first."

Cijue seemed to have anticipated this move, and with a quick turn of his feet, he stood firmly in front of him.

"Master, please wait."

"I'll leave a ghost here." Yiyou glared at him. "Get out of my way."

Cijue still smiled, but didn't take a single step back.

"The abbot specifically instructed me before his retreat that if you return to the temple, you must leave someone with you."

"With the conference starting, the temple is short-staffed. We can manage without anyone else, but we can't do without you."

Yiyou almost laughed out of anger upon hearing this.

"Can't you do without me?"

"Aren't you afraid that Buddha would laugh his head off if he heard you say that?"

Cijue said in a serious tone, "The Master is highly respected and virtuous; who would dare to laugh at him?"

"Don't flatter me." Yiyou pointed to her own nose.

"I know my own character perfectly well."

"It can eat, sleep, and avoid trouble; if we're talking about real skills, it's only slightly better than that old yellow dog at the temple gate."

"Why do you need me for your big meeting? Are you expecting me to squat on the sidelines and eat steamed buns for you?"

Cijue's lips twitched as he listened, but he still patiently forced a smile.

"Master is joking."

"Although you are young, you are shrewd and capable. It is only natural that you were able to stabilize the situation at a crucial moment."

"To keep things under control?" Yi You's eyes widened.

"I think you want to tie me up here so I can take the blame for you."

He was about to go around it again, but Cijue was like a plaster stuck on, blocking him left and right, refusing to let him pass.

One of them, feeling utterly helpless, turned halfway around in place, pointed at him, and cursed:

"Cijue, you've really gotten better at this, haven't you? You're stopping me so easily now?"

Cijue smiled gently, "I learned it from the master."

Yi You was so choked up that she almost couldn't catch her breath, and after a long while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"Bullshit, I never taught you this kind of despicable skill."

Several young monks nearby, who had been carrying things with their heads down, couldn't help but tremble when they heard this.

With sharp eyes, Yi You immediately turned and glared at them.

"What are you laughing at? Haven't you ever seen high-ranking monks argue?"

The young monks quickly lowered their heads, grabbed the scriptures, and ran as fast as they could.

Fearing he might really get angry, Cijue quickly softened her tone.

"Master, the abbot is currently in seclusion in the back mountain, and all the affairs, big and small, outside are on my shoulders."

"If you turn around and leave now, this humble monk will truly have no way to explain it later."

Yi You snorted through her nose.

"If you can't explain, just say I died on the way."

"That's an unlucky saying."

"I'm already standing right here, what's with the good fortune?"

Cijue realized that a hard approach wouldn't work, so she had to try a softer one.

"The master has been traveling all this way, and I imagine he hasn't had a proper vegetarian meal."

"The small kitchen just steamed mushroom buns and stewed vegetarian goose today. Also, a basket of fresh bamboo shoots was just delivered from the back mountain—"

Before he could finish speaking, Yiyou's beady eyes lit up.

He tried hard to keep a straight face, but his throat involuntarily bobbed.

Seeing this, Cijue immediately understood what was going on, but pretended not to notice and continued speaking slowly and deliberately:

"And there's your favorite mushroom and gluten dish. I specially instructed the kitchen to keep it, thinking that if you happen to be there in time, you can have a hot one when you get back."

Yiyou fell silent.

After a full three breaths of silence, he reluctantly uttered a sound:

"Don't try to trick me with food."

Cijue clasped his hands together and said, "A monk does not lie."

Yiyou's eyes darted around twice, first looking at the temple gate, then at the mountain path, and finally at Cijue's calmly smiling face. In the end, he was defeated.

"OK."

He threw his bundle on the ground, plopped down on the stone steps, and looked utterly miserable.

"I'm not leaving, okay?"

"But let's make this clear first: don't try to force any alliances, discussions, or disputes onto me."

"I may stay, but my mouth may not obey."

"If you really push me too far, I'll flip the table over just the same."

Upon hearing this, Cijue breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile on his face became more genuine.

"As long as the master is willing to stay, everything else is negotiable."

"Don't give me that." Yiyou glared at him.

"Quickly, tell someone to bring some food."

"I climbed up the mountain, and the little bit of water I had in my stomach had long been blown away by the wind."

Cijue nodded immediately, "This humble monk will make the arrangements right away."

Seeing that he was really about to leave, Yiyou called him back, "Wait a minute."

Cijue turned around and asked, "Is there anything else you need, Master?"

Yiyou squinted and gestured towards the temple with his lip.

"Besides monks and nuns, have any other shady characters from the martial arts world infiltrated this time?"

Cijue was taken aback. "Why do you ask that, Master?"

Yi You pouted.

"Nonsense, when there are many people around, there are more cunning schemes."

"I'll ask this first, so that if something really goes wrong later, I'll know whose head to slap with a brick."

Cijue was both amused and exasperated by his remark, and could only reply in a low voice:

"The people who come are a diverse group, and their thoughts are naturally diverse as well."

"That's precisely why the abbot wants me to keep a close watch on everything, inside and out."

After hearing this, Yiyou's nonchalant attitude softened somewhat.

He brushed the dust off his knees, slowly stood up, still grumbling.

"Knowing it's troublesome, you still insist on making this a huge operation. You must have a lot of free time."

Cijue smiled wryly, "The matter is already before us, we can't just ignore it."

Yiyou rolled her eyes.

"You guys handle it, I'm going to eat first."

"Once I'm full, I might be in a better mood and glare at you a few more times."

Cijue understood from his tone that although this ancestor complained, he had eventually given in.

So he stepped half a step to the side and gestured for them to come in.

"Master, please."

Yiyou picked up the tattered bundle from the ground, slung it over his shoulder, and muttered to himself as he walked away.

"Let me tell you, if the vegetarian goose gets overcooked or the mushroom buns collapse during steaming, I'll immediately come down the mountain, and no one can stop me."

Cijue accompanied her inside, responding softly:

"Yes, yes, if the kitchen staff dare to cheat you, this humble monk will deal with them first."

Yi You snorted and stepped into the mountain gate.

The sound of the temple bell echoed from afar, its lingering notes reverberating up the mountain path.

The excitement continues, but a storm has already quietly crept into this tranquil Buddhist sanctuary.