The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun.

Chapter 26: Descending the Mountain

At this point, Yue Buqun sighed, expressing his great regret.

Jiang Ning remained silent.

After a while.

"After I descend the mountain this time, I will search for traces of the Innate Skill in my spare time."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun smiled and said, "The Innate Skill has been lost for hundreds of years. Finding it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It's not an easy task."

After a pause, perhaps feeling that saying this would dampen Jiang Ning's enthusiasm, Yue Buqun then said, "Go ahead and search if you want, but don't force it. After you've finished your travels, return to the mountain as soon as possible so that I can pass on my swordsmanship to you."

Jiang Ning nodded.

"Yes, Master, don't worry."

Yue Buqun looked at him, smiling but saying nothing.

After a while.

"You're just like me."

Yue Buqun uttered these words softly, his expression somewhat inscrutable.

Jiang Ning looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

He spoke very softly, and Jiang Ning did not hear him.

Yue Buqun waved his hand and said:

"Go on, get some rest."

"The disciple retire."

Jiang Ning did not ask what Yue Buqun had just said. After bowing, he turned and went back to his room.

Yue Buqun stared at his retreating figure in deep thought for a long time.

After a while.

Yue Buqun also left the back hall and returned to his room. Ning Zhongze was still waiting for him. When she saw him finally return, Ning Zhongze asked, "How was it? Senior brother, did you figure it out?"

Yue Buqun shook his head.

"No, Ning'er shouldn't have been instructed or directed by someone."

Ning Zhongze finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When she returned, Yue Buqun told her that he had discovered the name Feng Qingyang as soon as he arrived at the Cliff of Contemplation.

Yue Buqun is a meticulous and suspicious person who is always suspicious of anything that seems amiss.

He discovered that the three characters were powerful and vigorous, carved more than half an inch into the stone wall. This was not something an ordinary master could do; it was clearly done by someone from the Sword Sect.

Moreover, Yue Buqun had studied it carefully and concluded that the marks, the dust in the gaps, and the sharp edges indicated that they were not made a long time ago; they should have been made a few years ago or some time ago.

Remnants of the Sword Sect are causing trouble on the mountain behind his back!

This was Yue Buqun's first thought.

Yue Buqun rarely went to the Cliff of Contemplation unless absolutely necessary. He didn't discover the three characters carved on the stone wall, nor was he the first to break it. The scene had been destroyed, so he couldn't make any specific deductions. However, in his opinion, this might be a remnant of the Sword Sect trying to make a comeback. They contacted Jiang Ning through some means, and then used him to set this trap to lure Yue Buqun over and kill him, so that their Sword Sect could regain control of Mount Hua.

As for the sword techniques in the cave, they were likely disguised by remnants of the Sword Sect. After all, Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong were only second-rate experts and couldn't understand advanced sword techniques. The Sword Sect could easily disguise them without them noticing.

But once he entered the cave, Yue Buqun's idea vanished.

Those were indeed the lost sword techniques of their Huashan Sect.

Although the group of insects from the Sword Sect valued swordsmanship, they couldn't possibly know such exquisite swordsmanship, otherwise they would have already made a comeback.

However, even though he ruled out that possibility, Yue Buqun was still uneasy, which is why he asked Jiang Ning those questions in the back hall just now. He was only relieved after receiving a clear answer.

"If that's the case, then Ning'er did discover it by accident."

Ning Zhongze smiled and said, "Ning'er is meticulous and observant, and has made great contributions to our Huashan Sect. You must nurture him well in the future, Senior Brother."

Yue Buqun chuckled lightly.

Even without Ning Zhongze saying it, he would have done it anyway.

"Senior brother, now that we've discovered the sword techniques in the Cliff of Contemplation, why don't we postpone our trip down the mountain for a while? It won't be too late to go down and explore after we've learned those sword techniques."

Ning Zhongze suggested.

Yue Buqun pondered for a moment and then shook his head.

"No need. Since I've already promised them, I have to keep my word. How can I, as their master, go back on my word? Besides, they're all looking forward to the Lantern Festival in Xiangyang on the fifteenth of next month. If I cancel the event, they won't blame me, but they'll inevitably feel resentful, which will be bad for their mental state."

"Let's go to Xiangyang as planned. I'll handle it."

Ning Zhongze nodded and said nothing more.

As he spoke to his wife, Yue Buqun inwardly sneered.

Remnants of the Sword Sect.

Although it has been ruled out that it was done by someone from the Sword Sect, the handwriting clearly indicates that someone from the Sword Sect had secretly gone up Mount Hua after losing the battle between the Sword and Qi Sects, without his knowledge.

Yue Buqun didn't know what these remnants of the Sword Sect wanted to do. Perhaps the inscription on the stone wall was an accident, but in any case, he would protect the Huashan Sect left by his master and would never give it to others, even if it meant his death.

……

Back in his room, Jiang Ning pondered what Yue Buqun had said to him, especially the first sentence.

Yue Buqun became suspicious of this matter.

It is very difficult to completely hide things from someone like Yue Buqun; even the slightest asymmetry can arouse his suspicion.

Although it is unknown how Yue Buqun became suspicious, it seems that he felt that Yue Buqun was acting under someone's orders, rather than for any other reason.

This put Jiang Ning at ease.

In any case, the goal has been achieved.

Next, we will go down the mountain to find the Innate Skill.

Although it was late at night, Jiang Ning did not sleep. Instead, he went to the table, took out paper, ink, brush and inkstone, laid the paper flat on the table and began to grind the ink. After thinking for a moment, he began to write.

He was writing down from memory all the sword moves and counters he had memorized during the day.

A good memory is not as good as a bad writing.

Fortunately, his memory is pretty good; he doesn't have a photographic memory, but once he remembers something, it's hard for him to forget it.

I ended up writing until very late.

Jiang Ning finally stopped writing.

At this moment, the table was covered with sheets of paper with sword techniques written on them.

Except for the paper that was just written on, the ink on the previous papers had already dried.

Jiang Ning folded them all up and put them in his pocket. After waiting for a while, the rest were almost dry.

After putting away all the written papers, Jiang Ning finally lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

……

early morning.

Jiang Ning was already up as soon as it was light.

He didn't go to bed until very late last night and only slept for a few hours, but he's in good health, so even if he only sleeps for one or two hours, it's enough for him. He was still full of energy when he woke up this morning.

That's one of the advantages of being young.

After packing his luggage and washing up, Jiang Ning first went to Yue Buqun's residence to say goodbye, but only met Ning Zhongze.

"Your master went to the Cliff of Contemplation before dawn."

Ning Zhongze said.

Jiang Ning felt a little regretful, as he had originally come to bid farewell to Yue Buqun.

"In that case, I will not bid farewell to Master. Mistress, I will now descend the mountain."

Jiang Ning bowed to Ning Zhongze.

Ning Zhongze nodded with a smile.

"Go."

Jiang Ning turned and left.

Downhill.

Chapter 27: Edamame

It's April now, a season where winter has passed but summer hasn't fully arrived.

The weather was cool, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the stunning scenery of Mount Hua was breathtaking.

After descending the mountain, Jiangning's first stop was Huayin County, the county closest to Mount Hua.

Although this place is close, Jiang Ning has only been here twice. Once was for a sect tour, and the other time was a few days ago when he came down the mountain with Wang Yuan.

Huayin County is small, with a population of only a few hundred. Most of the people here are poor farmers. Although the place is poor, it has good public security, mainly because it is closest to the Huashan Sect.

Yue Buqun would often go down the mountain to punish evil and promote good, and Huayin County was the closest to Mount Hua, so he naturally paid special attention to it.

This place is so safe that there's no murder or arson, not even a single theft. The public security is impeccable. The officials in the county government have nothing better to do. In fact, Jiang Ning heard that one of the yamen runners felt that the security here was too good and it was affecting his career. He decided to go somewhere else to show his skills and never came back.

Jiang Ning remembered that Linghu Chong had once said that there was a forbidden place in the thief's circle, which was Huayin County, a place from which there was no return.

As soon as we entered the county town, we heard the cries of vendors on the street. Many vendors had set up stalls on both sides of the road, some selling snacks, some selling coarse cloth, and some selling wooden toys.

Upon entering the county town, Jiang Ning's first stop was a clothing store, where he planned to buy himself some clothes.

The clothes he was wearing and the change of clothes in his bag were all Huashan disciple uniforms, and there were only two sets.

He should keep a low profile when he's out and about. If he wanders around in his sect's attire, he might accidentally run into some demonic sect member or an enemy of the Huashan Sect, which would be troublesome.