From the beginning of Swordsman, he created a legend in the martial arts world.

Zhengqi Hall

"Chong'er, hand over that sheet music for 'The Smiling, Proud Wanderer'."

Yue Buqun's face was ashen, and his voice was devoid of any emotion.

"This item was secretly exchanged between a demonic member of the Demonic Sect and Liu Zhengfeng, and it is the root cause of this disaster and the casualties among our fellow disciples! Keeping it is of no use; on the contrary, it will only become a calamity. It must be destroyed in public to prevent future troubles and to show our fellow martial artists the irreconcilable stance of the Huashan Sect against the Demonic Sect!"

Linghu Chong knelt below the hall, his face pale, yet he still stubbornly raised his head: "Master! Although this score was composed by Qu Yang, it also represents the culmination of Uncle Liu's efforts. Moreover, it is merely a musical score, not a martial arts manual, much less a token of the Demonic Sect's conspiracy!"

"I have been entrusted with this task; how could I betray my promise and destroy their belongings? Please, Master, see the truth!"

"presumptuous!"

Yue Buqun slammed his fist on the table and stood up, shouting angrily.

"You keep talking about the bond between kindred spirits, yet you betray them! Have you ever considered that your stubbornness nearly killed a fellow disciple and seriously injured your master? Do you still have any respect for the Huashan Sect? Do you still consider me your master?"

"It seems your travels and association with scoundrels have corrupted your character! From today onward, you are punished to reflect on your actions at the Cliff of Repentance. You may come down when you have come to your senses! As for this musical score... I will keep it for now!"

He knew Linghu Chong's temperament well; forcibly taking it might not work and could easily provoke a rebellious attitude. It would be better to let him calm down and reflect on his actions before taking any further action.

Linghu Chong wanted to argue further, but Yue Buqun had already turned and left. Knowing that his master's mind was made up, he knew that further words were useless and could only accept his punishment in dejection.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Meng Fei, using the excuse that "his injuries have not yet healed and he needs to find a quiet place to recuperate," quietly followed Linghu Chong up the Cliff of Contemplation.

Linghu Chong felt both grateful and somewhat helpless about Meng Fei's arrival, but ultimately acquiesced.

On the other hand, ever since Yue Lingshan witnessed the "porter" come to her rescue that day and saw the blood on his lips, she has had great doubts in her heart.

Therefore, on her way back to Mount Hua, she couldn't help but glance at the taciturn porter, trying to find a clue in his figure.

Upon returning to Mount Hua and learning that her senior brother had been punished at the Cliff of Repentance, she felt worried and took the initiative to deliver his meals every day.

For the first few days, she only saw her eldest brother alone on the cliff, looking depressed.

But soon, she keenly sensed that there seemed to be another person's trace on the Cliff of Contemplation—sometimes very faint breathing sounds, different from her senior brother's, would come from the depths of the cave, and occasionally, at dawn or dusk, she could catch a glimpse of a blurry green figure practicing swordsmanship in a secluded place. The sword light was sharp and swift, completely different from the Huashan swordsmanship she had ever seen.

Driven by curiosity, Yue Lingshan deliberately arrived a little early one time when delivering food, and hid behind a giant rock to secretly observe.

Finally, she saw the true face of the green figure—no longer the dark-skinned, honest porter, but a handsome young man with calm eyes, whose pale complexion could not hide his upright demeanor.

The young man was practicing his sword in an open space, and the sword technique he was practicing had a faint resemblance to the stone that had saved her when she caught a glimpse of it that day!

It's him! It really is him! That mysterious Meng Fei, he actually disguised himself as a porter, followed the Huashan Sect out of the city, and hid on the Cliff of Contemplation!

Yue Lingshan's heart began to pound involuntarily.

This young man, with his superb martial arts skills and mysterious background, who seemed to be hiding many secrets, suddenly and forcefully entered her field of vision, creating ripples in her heart that she herself had not yet clearly understood.

From then on, she began to visit the Cliff of Contemplation more frequently, and the time she spent delivering food was getting longer and longer. Her gaze would always unconsciously follow the figure practicing swordsmanship on the cliff. The curiosity and exploration in her heart gradually fermented into a subtle emotion that she herself could not explain.

"Brother Meng, you still don't look well today. Has the lingering poison from the 'Bone-Corroding Heart-Piercing Needle' not been completely eliminated yet?"

Linghu Chong looked at Meng Fei, who had finished circulating his energy, and saw that although his face was no longer as ashen as before, it still had a sickly pallor.

Meng Fei shook his head slightly, a hint of solemnity and helplessness flashing across his brows.

"This poison... is more stubborn and insidious than I expected. Although the 'Hundred Flower Pill' neutralized most of the poison and protected the heart meridian, there are still a few extremely troublesome residual toxins, like a bone-deep carbuncle, which are difficult to expel."

"It seems that if we want to eradicate this completely, we will probably have to make a trip to the Miao region. As the saying goes, 'the one who tied the knot must untie it,' this poison can only be cured by a master from the Miao region."

After saying that, Meng Fei turned to look at Linghu Chong, the eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect. He had been seriously injured in the bloody battle on his way back, and although he had been recuperating for several days, the color in his face had not yet fully returned.

"Brother Linghu, it seems your injuries haven't fully healed. However, if you're still in good spirits, why don't we go outside and stretch our muscles a bit, and spar a few moves?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of interest flashed in Linghu Chong's eyes, but he immediately hesitated: "Brother Meng, your injuries are severe, and the residual poison has not yet been cleared. You have already accompanied me to practice swordsmanship many times these past few days. Won't that... be too exhausting for you, and actually hinder your healing?"

Since Meng Fei arrived at the Cliff of Contemplation, the two, though facing similar predicaments, have developed a mutual respect for each other. In their spare time, they would practice and hone their skills against each other in the open space at the top of the cliff, using wood as swords.

Although Linghu Chong was the eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect and his swordsmanship was among the best of his generation, he was always hesitant and restrained when facing Meng Fei's 13 Deadly Swords, which were sharp, unpredictable, and deadly. He was often outmaneuvered at the most ingenious moments and lost more often than he won.

Meng Fei smiled calmly, stood up, and casually picked up the long sword leaning against the stone wall.

"It's alright, it's just a friendly exchange of techniques. Without using internal energy, that bit of residual poison won't cause any big trouble. Besides, sparring with others, especially with a skilled opponent like Brother Linghu, is very beneficial for understanding sword techniques and adapting to situations. For me, it might be another form of training. Come on, don't refuse."

Seeing Meng Fei's resolute attitude and the lack of reluctance in his expression, Linghu Chong no longer hesitated and laughed heartily, "Since that's the case, then I'll ask Brother Meng for a few more moves!"

Having said that, he picked up his sword, stood up, and walked out of the dimly lit cave with Meng Fei.

At the top of the Cliff of Contemplation, the mountain wind was biting, and the two stood facing each other, swords in hand.

"please!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Linghu Chong took the initiative to launch an attack.

Knowing that Meng Fei's swordsmanship was fierce, he took the initiative to attack first, and immediately used the exquisite move "White Clouds Emerging from the Peak" from the Huashan Sword Technique. The sword light was like clouds and mist, elusive and unpredictable, and instantly covered several major acupoints on Meng Fei's body.

Although he did not use his internal energy, his swordsmanship was skillful and his strength was perfectly controlled, clearly showing that he had given his all.

Meng Fei's eyes were calm, his footwork slightly shifted, and his long sword, though delayed, struck first. Instead of entangled with the cloud-like sword light, he thrust precisely at the almost imperceptible gap in Linghu Chong's sword stance—"Spirit Serpent Probing the Cave"!

Linghu Chong's moves were immediately broken, so he had no choice but to change his tactics.

The two exchanged blows, their swords flashing. Linghu Chong displayed the Huashan sword technique to its fullest extent, sometimes gracefully embracing the "Phoenix Arrives" style, and at other times displaying a powerful and imposing "Heavenly Gentleman Hangs Upside Down" style.

He was exceptionally intelligent and constantly absorbed the ruthlessness and precision of Meng Fei's swordsmanship during their exchanges, making his sword moves increasingly agile.

However, Meng Fei's Thirteen Deadly Swords were too exquisite. Although he only used the first three moves, he could always break Linghu Chong's seemingly perfect offensive at the crucial moment with the simplest, most direct, yet most unbelievable angle.

After more than thirty moves, Linghu Chong was gradually being suppressed, with more defense than offense, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Ding!"

With a soft sound, Linghu Chong's longsword was skillfully deflected by Meng Fei, almost slipping from his grasp. He staggered back two steps and said with a wry smile, "Brother Meng's swordsmanship is truly admirable. I have benefited greatly from each exchange, yet I always feel that I cannot surpass it."

Meng Fei sheathed his sword and stood still, his breathing steady: "Brother Linghu is too modest. Your swordsmanship has a solid foundation and you have extremely high comprehension. Given time, you will surely reach even greater heights."

After exchanging a few words about their experiences in the fight, the two returned to their respective caves to recuperate.

Time flies, and more than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

That night, just past midnight, all was quiet.

Outside the cave of Contemplation, a gray shadow, as if blending into the night, silently drifted over and landed on a protruding rock at the edge of the cliff.

The newcomer was tall and thin, dressed in an old gray robe, with white hair and beard, a gaunt face, and eyes that shone like cold stars in the darkness.