The Smiling, Proud Wanderer: Yue Buqun of Mount Hua

Feng Qingyang casually plucked a branch, stripped off a leaf, and used the branch as a sword, suddenly striking out with a single strike.

Seemingly casual, yet it conveys a sense of unrestrained, flowing freedom. Even from a distance, the sword strike exudes a chilling aura, as if it will kill him in the next moment.

Yue Buqun drew his sword to block, but the Gentleman's Sword thrust diagonally upwards, aiming for his arm. If Feng Qingyang dared to stab him with his sword, his arm would surely be crippled.

Faced with the overwhelming sword force rushing towards him, he used his full power to unleash his mighty sword force.

Heaven and earth possess a righteous energy, which manifests in myriad forms. Below, it becomes rivers and mountains; above, it becomes the sun and stars. In man, it is called the vast and righteous spirit, filling the boundless sky. When the imperial path is clear and peaceful, harmony prevails and the court is illuminated. When times are dire, integrity is revealed, each act recorded in history. ...

The noble spirit is the righteous spirit of heaven and earth. When the heart is upright, the spirit is strong. It is a heartfelt belief that rules bring peace to the world and clarity brings tranquility. Morality disciplines oneself and rules bring security. It emphasizes understanding the principles of heaven and earth and aligning one's heart with the great way.

It is also about protecting the common people with rules and bringing peace to the world with reason, which is the embodiment of the Confucian spirit of self-cultivation, family management, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world.

A surge of noble spirit fills my heart; the vast天地 (heaven and earth) are filled with exhilarating winds.

He wielded his body as a sword, unleashing his power before the blade was drawn, his heart overflowing with righteous energy. At this moment, I am justice! I am the righteous path! You are all enemies!

"Sword stance!"

Feng Qingyang exclaimed in surprise, a fleeting look of astonishment in his eyes. He hadn't expected that the sword would comprehend the sword intent. His sword technique remained unchanged, but his entire body exuded a vast and sharp aura that could annihilate everything.

At this moment, he is the sword, and the sword is him; man and sword are one, man and nature are one.

In a daze, a vast sword light pierced straight towards them.

If Yue Buqun's ideals are those of a virtuous gentleman, upholding justice for the world, establishing a moral compass for the people, continuing the lost learning of past sages, and creating peace for all generations, then his swordsmanship is not only a display of Confucian and Taoist ideals but also a testament to his inner pursuit of justice.

Feng Qingyang was loyal to the sword and devoted to the sword. He had nothing else but the sword. He entered the Dao through the sword. The way of the sword is my way. He pursued the ultimate way of the sword and was worthy of the name of the Sword Saint.

Although the two did not directly fight, they began to compete in terms of momentum, seeing who could go further in the way of the sword.

The mountain wind blew fiercely around the two, making their robes flutter loudly, but the two remained motionless, as steady as iron statues.

Even though they were on the edge of a cliff with a bottomless abyss beside them, the two of them didn't care at all; they only had eyes for their opponent.

A fallen leaf drifted between the two, fluttering down toward the cliff. As it reached them, it suddenly shattered—not just broken, but pulverized, like quicksand disintegrating and disappearing.

Yue Buqun suddenly drew his sword, and Feng Qingyang remained silent, thrusting his sword straight at the opponent, giving the impression that he was always one step ahead, probing the weakest point of their moves.

Dugu Nine Swords - Breaking Sword Style.

It may seem like a simple, straight thrust, but it can strike directly at the weak points of a move.

No matter how superb your swordsmanship or how fierce your sword moves are, his sword is even faster. When you've only drawn your sword halfway, his sword is already in front of you, forcing you to withdraw your sword to defend yourself.

Faced with this broken sword style, Yue Buqun was unable to parry it, but he remained calm despite his shock. He changed his moves and simply slashed away. What did it matter if Feng Qingyang was strong? He was only using a tree branch, while Yue Buqun was using the Gentleman's Sword, which could cut iron like mud and sever hair with a breath. It was a famous sword in the martial arts world.

Feng Qingyang took a step back to dodge, then thrust his sword tip straight into Yue Buqun's chest. It was a simple, unremarkable thrust, but it gave Yue Buqun a feeling that there was no way to avoid it.

Before the sword's edge even arrived, the wind from it swept over him, stinging his face. The sword's momentum carried an unparalleled and fierce aura.

Before the sword tip could reach him, Yue Buqun swung his sword backhand, slashing horizontally towards the tree branch. The sword flashed and pressed forward relentlessly, ready to meet his sword. He believed in overwhelming momentum, an unstoppable force that could withstand any change or skill, no matter how many tricks or abilities the opponent might have.

The two exchanged blows, each strike fraught with danger, the sword light layered upon layer, like a raging storm, one wave higher than the next.

Feng Qingyang was not bound by sword moves, wielding his sword freely and gracefully, while Feng Qingyang countered each move with his own. Wherever Feng Qingyang's sword came from, Feng Qingyang's sword followed.

The two fought in this small space, with loose stones rolling down the cliff every now and then, and only after a long time could a faint echo be heard.

A sheer cliff, a single misstep, and you'll be smashed to pieces.

This is not only a contest of swordsmanship, but also a test of mental fortitude. A slight lack of courage will immediately reveal a weakness.

After a long while, Feng Qingyang suddenly drew his sword and retreated, standing on the cliff. The wind blew his robes fluttering, but it did not budge him at all. His eyes were full of surprise as he looked at him: "Little Yuezi, you are quite skilled. I did not expect you to have mastered the Yangwu Sword Technique to this level."

Little Yuezi...

Yue Buqun smiled wryly, knowing that he still held a grudge about what happened back then and was taking advantage of his seniority. He cupped his hands and said, "Uncle-Master is joking. Although my swordsmanship is superb, it is no match for yours."

"I joined Mount Hua when I was ten years old, and have been obsessed with swordsmanship since childhood. I have been loyal to the sword and devoted to it for decades. You..."

He shook his head without speaking, but his meaning was clear: he was the Sword Saint of Mount Hua, who had practiced swordsmanship for decades, yet he had only managed a draw with you.

He might win in a real fight, but so what? New talents emerge in every generation, each dominating the scene for centuries. He's old and can't compare to his younger disciples.

Feng Qingyang casually tossed the branch off the cliff and turned to leave. Yue Buqun called out, "Uncle-Master, why don't you return to Mount Hua? We will welcome you back with open arms."

"No interest, I'm going to find that old bastard Du Miao."

Du Miao is Master Fangzheng's master. He has long since resigned from his position as abbot and is meditating in seclusion on Shaoshi Mountain. Whether he is still alive is a question. If you go to him, you will be questioning him about the Sunflower Manual.

He didn't seem as calm as he appeared; he was clearly furious inside.

My Mount Hua! My fellow disciples! Back then, Mount Hua had dozens of elders who were all famous masters in the martial arts world, and its two thousand disciples were numerous and extremely prosperous. But after a battle of sword energy, only a few big cats and little cats remained. How could he be willing to accept that?

"Could Uncle-Master possibly handle thousands of Shaolin disciples?" Yue Buqun countered.

Feng Qingyang was stunned for a moment, then flung his sleeves and scolded, "None of your business."

That's what he said, but he gave up the idea of ​​going down the mountain. If he were young, he would have dared to go to Shaolin alone. No matter if it was Mount Song or Putian, he would have chopped them all down. Now... one has to accept getting old.

After several ups and downs, he disappeared and went into seclusion again. Heartbroken by the conflict over sword energy, he only wanted to stay out of worldly affairs.

Yue Buqun smiled calmly. His sword fight with Feng Qingyang gave him a deep impression of his own strength. With his longsword in hand, he was comparable to the three great masters of the righteous path: Zuo Lengchan, Master Fangzheng, and Daoist Chongxu.

As for Feng Qingyang, the Sword Saint of Mount Hua, he readily admitted defeat. Even if their fight was intense, it was merely a duel between fellow disciples, and no one would be injured. In a true life-or-death struggle, who could compare to this Sword Saint?

A quick glance around revealed fallen leaves and several trees that had been snapped in half, covered in sword marks, a testament to the intensity of the battle that had just taken place.

Turning back to Jade Maiden Peak, he felt exhilarated. The competition had made him clear about his own position; even if Zuo Lengchan came, so what? He would remain unmoved. The Four Sisters of Mount Hua? He had the confidence to say no.

The next thing to do is to cultivate the Purple Cloud Divine Skill. Inner strength is the foundation of cultivation, while swordsmanship is merely a means of defending against enemies. As the head of the Qi Sect, how could he not cultivate Qi?

He didn't cultivate internal energy before because he needed powerful martial arts to cope with the Five Mountains Alliance. Only by breaking through in swordsmanship could he improve his combat power more quickly. Cultivating internal energy was useless if he didn't know how to use it.

As one of the top ten masters of the righteous path, his internal strength is not weak, but what he lacks is the method of fighting.

Passing by the large blue stone, Yue Buqun saw Linghu Chong lying on it, happily drinking from a gourd of wine. His drunken appearance was speechless; this senior disciple of Mount Hua truly loved drinking.

"Cough cough cough," Yue Buqun coughed once.

"Master, I've finished practicing my sword."

Linghu Chong was startled and quickly got off the bluestone to explain.

Yue Buqun didn't say much, but waved for him to follow back. Linghu Chong had no choice but to lower his head and obediently follow behind.

Passing by the martial arts arena, Ning Zhongze was leading her disciples in practicing swordsmanship. Yue Buqun nodded to her; husband and wife are one, no need for further explanation, she would naturally follow behind.

"Invite Chen Sanqi and Lin Yue to the Hall of Righteousness," Yue Buqun instructed as he walked forward with his hands behind his back.

"Yes, Master, please rest assured."

Linghu Chong looked around to make sure no one was there, then clasped his hands in a salute and left.