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

The night was dark and the wind was high.

A figure quietly left the residence, bypassed the patrolling disciples, and used his lightness skill to head straight for the Cliff of Contemplation. It was Yue Buqun.

After learning the secret of the cave in the Cliff of Contemplation, Yue Buqun could no longer contain himself and headed straight for the Cliff of Contemplation after nightfall.

If one can fully grasp its secrets, not only can the deficiencies of the Huashan sword technique be remedied, but one can also gain insight into the weaknesses of the other four sects' martial arts. This would be of extraordinary significance for revitalizing Huashan and even regaining the position of leader of the Five Mountains Alliance.

Upon arriving at the Cliff of Contemplation, Yue Buqun quickly found the disguised cave entrance, following Linghu Chong's instructions.

The cave was pitch black. Yue Buqun lit a torch and carefully entered the cave, greedily examining the sword inscriptions all around him. The more he looked, the more alarmed and excited he became.

However, in his eagerness to find the secret cave, he overlooked Meng Fei, who was deep inside the cave.

Meng Fei, who had fallen asleep due to his injuries and lingering poison, was awakened by the faint sounds and the light of the torches as soon as he entered.

Although Meng Fei's internal strength had not recovered, his senses remained. In this quiet cave, any unusual movement was particularly noticeable.

Meng Fei quietly got up and silently approached the entrance to the secret cave, only to bump into Yue Buqun, who was about to leave and was deep in thought, near the entrance.

Their eyes met, and they were both startled!

Yue Buqun never expected that there would be other people in this hidden cave, and judging from their figures and aura, they were definitely not disciples of Mount Hua. His first reaction was that the matter had been exposed, and this person could not be allowed to live.

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes. Before Meng Fei could speak, he sprang up, his Purple Cloud Palm technique concealed, and struck Meng Fei's face with a single, deadly blow, intending to destroy the evidence!

Meng Fei was also greatly shocked! He had not expected that the person opposite him would be so decisive and ruthless, killing him as soon as they met!

In the rush, he didn't even have time to draw his sword. He could only rely on his instincts and use his palm as a sword to subconsciously unleash the fierce moves of the Thirteen Deadly Swords.

In the narrow, dimly lit cave, the two exchanged several blows in an instant.

Meng Fei's moves were exquisite and ruthless, and he always managed to defend himself after each attack, causing Yue Buqun's palm strikes to falter. However, the cramped space and dim lighting severely hampered his judgment and the execution of the Thirteen Deadly Swords.

After exchanging a few blows with Meng Fei, Yue Buqun realized that Meng Fei had no internal energy, so he immediately intensified his attack. With the support of the Zixia Divine Skill, Yue Buqun's palm strikes gave him a great advantage in this environment.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud!

Due to his injuries and the lingering poison, Meng Fei's movements were a beat slower, and he was struck on the shoulder by Yue Buqun's palm. Instantly, a powerful palm force penetrated his body and collided violently with the remaining "Bone-Corroding Heart-Piercing Needle" poison in his body.

"puff--!"

Meng Fei coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the cave wall. His internal organs were instantly wracked with pain, and the remaining poison was fully activated, leaving him almost instantly unable to resist.

Seeing that he had succeeded in his attack, Yue Buqun's eyes flashed even colder. He stepped forward, ready to deliver another blow and finish off the "accident".

At this critical moment—

"stop!"

An aged voice, tinged with anger, suddenly rang out in the cave!

The sound wasn't loud, but it made Yue Buqun's eardrums buzz, and the true energy gathered in his palm was momentarily suspended!

Immediately afterwards, a gray shadow seemed to appear out of thin air, silently blocking Meng Fei, who was lying on the ground with serious injuries.

The newcomer had white hair and beard, a gaunt face, and eyes as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well. It was none other than Feng Qingyang!

Yue Buqun was utterly shocked!

He hadn't even noticed how the gray-robed old man had appeared.

What alarmed him even more was that the opponent, simply by standing there, exuded an indescribable, profound sword intent, like a peerless divine weapon unsheathed!

What a level of skill this is!

"Who are you? How dare you trespass on the forbidden grounds of Mount Hua and injure my guests?"

Feng Qingyang's voice was icy, and his gaze was like a sword, piercing straight at Yue Buqun.

Yue Buqun was shocked, but his authority as the sect leader and his determination to obtain the secrets of the cave made him unwilling to back down easily.

He forced himself to remain calm and said in a deep voice, "You sneak into my Huashan Repentance Cliff, hiding your face and acting suspiciously. What exactly are you up to? This boy is acting furtively and spying on my sect's secrets. I, Yue, am cleaning up my own sect; why should outsiders interfere? Please step aside, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

"You're welcome?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Qingyang's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

"You? Very well, let this old man see how well that good-for-nothing descendant Yue Su has mastered the Zixia Skill, and how much of the essence of the Huashan Swordplay he has lost!"

Before he finished speaking, and without any visible movement, a long sword was drawn from his waist. Its light, like a pool of autumn water, swept across the darkness, pointing directly at Yue Buqun!

Yue Buqun roared angrily, unleashing the full power of his Zixia Divine Skill, and charged forward fiercely.

However, what happened next was something he would never forget.

The old man in gray's swordsmanship was completely beyond his comprehension. What seemed like a simple thrust, a slash, or a circle contained endless variations, piercing through his supposedly tight palm strikes from unbelievable angles, pointing directly at flaws he himself hadn't even noticed.

Within three or five moves, Yue Buqun was horrified to discover that he was completely enveloped by the opponent's sword aura; he could neither attack nor defend.

The iron sword seemed to be everywhere, and it also seemed that it could pierce any vital spot at any moment.

This is no longer a difference in the depth of internal strength, but a crushing difference in the level of swordsmanship!

"Sizzle!"

With a soft sound, Yue Buqun's sleeve was slashed open by the sword, leaving a shallow bloodstain on his arm.

Yue Buqun grunted, knowing that if the fight continued, he would surely be defeated. The old man in gray's martial arts were simply unfathomable!

Without hesitation, he feinted an attack, then swiftly retreated, rushing out of the cave without looking back and escaping down the Cliff of Contemplation.

Seeing this, Feng Qingyang did not give chase. He only wanted to teach Yue Buqun a lesson, not to take his life.

He then snorted coldly, turned around and walked to the side of the dying Meng Fei, bending down to check his injuries.

"Such domineering palm strike, such insidious poison... Kid, you're lucky, but whether you can survive depends on your fate."

After saying that, he reached out and pressed several acupoints on Meng Fei to temporarily protect his heart meridian. Then he helped him up and took him deep into the cave.

Feng Qingyang helped Meng Fei sit down on a stone platform, then sat behind him, gently pressing his palms against Meng Fei's back.

A pure, vast, yet gentle and enduring stream of true energy flowed from his palm into Meng Fei's body, attempting to regulate the disordered true energy within him and suppress the residual poison of the "Bone-Eating Heart-Piercing Needle" that had erupted due to Yue Buqun's Zixia Palm Force.

However, as the true energy circulated and explored within his body, a subtle ripple gradually appeared on Feng Qingyang's face. His brows furrowed, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.

The residual poison of the "Bone-Eating Heart-Piercing Needle" in Meng Fei's body was far more insidious and cunning than he had expected. This residual poison not only took deep root in his meridians, but also seemed to have formed a strange entanglement with Meng Fei's own true qi and Yue Buqun's Zixia Palm, creating a stubborn "poisonous stagnation".

Although Feng Qingyang's true energy could temporarily suppress its spread, it was difficult to completely eradicate it, and he was even corroded by it. The potency of its poison and the difficulty of neutralizing it were unprecedented in his life.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Feng Qingyang slowly withdrew his palms, and his originally rosy complexion turned slightly paler.

"Boy, it's not that I don't want to save you, nor that I'm stingy with my true energy. It's just that... the poison you've been afflicted with is too strange and difficult to cure. It can't be cured by ordinary internal energy or pills. Whether you can survive it... depends on your own fate."