Bloody Battle on a Rainy Night

At Zhengqi Hall on Mount Hua, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze sat upright in the two chairs at the center of the main hall.

Below them, in the first chairs to the left and right respectively, sat Wang Ming and Linghu Chong.

The four people in the room sat facing each other in silence, the atmosphere quite oppressive.

Although Lu Bai had left Mount Hua in disgrace earlier that day, Old Yue knew this was far from over.

As soon as the Songshan Sect disciples had descended the mountain, Yue Buqun had brought Ning Zhongze, Linghu Chong, and Wang Ming to Zhengqi Hall for a meeting.

They were to discuss how to respond to the Songshan Sect's retaliation.

"The Songshan Sect's aggression this time is fierce. Earlier today, Lu Bai used his identity as a Sword Sect disciple to forcibly seize the position of Mount Hua Sect Leader, with the intention of controlling Mount Hua and ultimately turning the Mount Hua Sect into a branch of the Songshan Sect."

"It seems Zuo Lengchan no longer intends to hide his wicked intentions, not even bothering to maintain superficial harmony," Yue Buqun said worriedly to those present.

"Brother! We've detained the heirs of the Sword Sect. Without the Sword Sect as a pretext, they can no longer meddle in the internal affairs of our Mount Hua Sect with justification. As long as Zuo Lengchan doesn't want to be labeled as a demonic cult member, he won't dare to act rashly. Why must you worry so much, Brother?" Ning Zhongze felt Yue Buqun was being too pessimistic.

"Junior Sister! You don't understand!" Old Yue shook his head.

"Allowing the Sword Sect people to come to Mount Hua this time signifies that the harmony between myself and Zuo Lengchan has been broken. No matter what I do afterward, he will never trust me. Based on my understanding of Zuo Lengchan, after his gentle method of conquering Mount Hua using the Sword Sect failed," Yue Buqun scanned the crowd.

He sighed and continued, "Mount Hua will inevitably face even more intense targeting from Zuo Lengchan."

"No way?" Ning Zhongze suspected Yue Buqun was overthinking.

"Zuo Lengchan is a true villain; he will definitely make a move. If we don't make plans early, and we're not careful, the Mount Hua Sect could be ruined in my hands. Zuo Lengchan will not give up so easily. For now, the only way to preserve our disciples and ensure the sect's continuation is for us to evacuate Mount Hua." Yue Buqun said.

Wang Ming pondered inwardly, "Old Yue's guess is indeed accurate!"

The world's hatred for hypocrites is greater than for true villains.

This is because hypocrites deceive people's emotions.

However, In reality, true villains are far more disgusting than hypocrites.

For example, if a true villain and a hypocrite were both your neighbors.

Neither of you could do anything to the other, and the hypocrite would greet you every day, maintaining a superficial cordiality.

But this villain would mock you to your face and slander you behind your back.

He'd trip you today, steal your firewood tomorrow, and cut off your water supply the day after...

He'd be plotting against you and making things difficult for you at all times.

"Master! Why fear them? Lu Bai, one of the Thirteen Protectors of the Songshan Sect, was driven away without you even needing to lift a finger. It's no big deal. We'll kill anyone who comes." Linghu Chong stood up and said.

"Alas! Two fists are no match for four hands. How many can you kill? Let's retreat!" Old Yue said helplessly.

Linghu Chong also understood the logic behind Yue Buqun's words. With the Nine Swords of Dugu, he might be able to fend off two Protectors, but there were thirteen of them! There was no chance of winning.

"Master, I believe Senior Brother's suggestion to not retreat is better," Wang Ming voiced his opinion.

"Ming'er, tell us your thoughts," Ning Zhongze said.

"Ever since Lin Pingzhi was taken into our Mount Hua Sect, rumors have been circulating in the jianghu that Master obtained the Bixie Sword Manual. Now, with Senior Brother defeating the Sword Sect elders with superb swordsmanship that is not of the Mount Hua Sect, this rumor has become even more believable. If we descend the mountain, we will be surrounded by wolves, and in an unfamiliar environment, we will be even more passive against our enemies."

"Master, this isn't the Bixie Sword Manual..." Linghu Chong explained.

"Be quiet and listen to your fifth junior brother," Yue Buqun's gaze swept over his eldest disciple, who was stammering and hesitating. If it wasn't the Bixie Sword Manual, then what was it? Since he wouldn't say when asked, Yue Buqun didn't want to bother with him. If it weren't for the many years he had raised him, he would have wanted to strike down this unaccomplished brat with a sword.

"Before the age of thirty, our Qi Sect disciples have not yet mastered their internal energy, making us the weakest in combat power among the Five Mountains. Among all disciples, only Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, myself, and Junior Sister possess fighting capability. Facing a siege, we would be unable to protect our many junior brothers and sisters, leading to casualties. In the end, it would still result in defeat and ruin."

Wang Ming's words struck the very worries Yue Buqun had in his heart. He had also considered this, but had subconsciously avoided it, unwilling to face it. Now that Wang Ming had pointed it out, the worried look on his face deepened.

"But if we remain on Mount Hua, relying on its treacherous terrain, considered the most dangerous under heaven, with myself, Senior Brother, Master, and Mistress guarding the mountain passes, it would essentially be a single guard holding off ten thousand attackers. If they want to attack the mountain, they'd have to sacrifice thousands of lives to do so."

Mount Hua is precipitous, with only one path since ancient times.

Although this is a martial arts world, it is merely a low-level martial arts world.

There are fewer than a hundred people whose internal energy can project outwards, and those who can leap five or six meters with Qinggong are considered exceptional.

Besiege and cut off supplies?

They were overthinking. Firstly, even if Songshan had that many people, they wouldn't dare to surround them publicly for months, unless they no longer wished to be part of the righteous path.

Mount Hua's Old Yue had prepared plenty of supplies; it would take at least half a year to cut off their food.

"Indeed! Ming'er's words have merit. Then we shall not retreat. We will take turns guarding the treacherous paths of Mount Hua and prevent the enemy from sneaking up." Yue Buqun ultimately adopted Wang Ming's suggestion.

Old Yue did not lead everyone away from Mount Hua as in the original story. The main reason was that Linghu Chong was not injured this time, and with Wang Ming present, both of them possessed strength no less than Ning Zhongze. With four experts taking turns to guard the treacherous paths, the chances of success were very high.

In this way, they would indeed be safer on the mountain.

At night, "Who dares to trespass on Mount Hua Sect at night!" a shout echoed from a distance.

Wang Ming, who had just finished his shift guarding the Mount Hua pass with Linghu Chong and had returned to his room to rest, was awakened by the commotion outside.

Without further thought, Wang Ming got up, grabbed the long sword beside him, and quickly left the room. On the way, he met up with Linghu Chong and Ning Zhongze.

A moment later, The three arrived and saw that Yue Buqun was standing on the mountain path, sword in hand, blocking a group of masked men in black.

"Mr. Yue, we brothers are only here to get a look at the Bixie Sword Manual. We mean no harm. Since you've already mastered the Evil Warding Swordplay, what's the harm in letting us have a look? Don't be stingy!"

The leader of the black-clothed men said mockingly and arrogantly.

"You've misunderstood. I, Yue, have never possessed the Bixie Sword Manual, nor have I ever practiced the Evil Warding Swordplay."

"Yue Buqun, the entire Jianghu is abuzz that your eldest disciple has learned the Evil Warding Swordplay. You still try to deceive us. Truly a complete hypocrite, not speaking a single honest word." The black-clothed man's tone was laced with mockery.

"Your eldest disciple, Linghu Chong, couldn't even defeat that lecher Tian Boguang in Hengshan. How could he improve so rapidly in such a short time, leaving Sword Sect experts with no ability to retaliate? If he wasn't practicing the Evil Warding Swordplay, what else could it be? Are you treating us like idiots!" The leader of these black-clothed men spoke with utter contempt, as if looking down on the "Gentleman Sword" Yue Buqun, who dared not admit his deeds.

In truth, In the original work, the Evil Warding Swordplay was not that famous in the Jianghu.

Not everyone initially coveted it.

To the extent that every martial artist wanted it.

If it were truly that famous, How could the Qingcheng Sect's Yu Canghai have gotten his hands on it?

Zuo Lengchan and the Sun Moon Holy Cult would have acted first.

Old Yue sending his second disciple and daughter to Fuzhou was merely to investigate the Qingcheng Sect's movements, fearing they might act against them.

If it were truly about the Bixie Sword Manual, he wouldn't have sent his second disciple.

He was fully aware of Lao Denou's identity.

Was it to inform Zuo Lengchan that he intended to seize the Bixie Sword Manual, thereby luring Zuo Lengchan?

Lin Yuantu was formidable!

Many knew this, but those he defeated were generally not enticed by the Bixie Sword Manual.

After all, The Shaolin, Wudang, Songshan, and other major sects had also produced heroes who dominated an era.

Their first thought would be their own inadequacy, that they hadn't mastered the martial arts left by their ancestors.

They would disdain to forcibly seize others' martial arts, as this would easily lead to a united attack from their peers in the Jianghu.

The Evil Warding Swordplay only truly came to people's attention after Yu Canghai annihilated the Lin family, and then everyone turned their gaze to this swordplay.

Subsequently, Linghu Chong defeated Sword Sect seniors with his sword, and in a rainy night, blinded numerous underworld experts...

This immediately piqued everyone's interest in the Bixie Sword Manual.

For a time, everyone wanted to obtain it.

Linghu Chong practiced the Nine Swords of Dugu.

However, Very few in the Jianghu knew about the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Furthermore, Linghu Chong never announced the name of his martial art, only occasionally shouting "Sword Break Style."

But all the news about the Evil Warding Swordplay pointed to him, so they immediately concluded that the Nine Swords of Dugu was the Bixie Sword Manual.

This also placed the Mount Hua Sect in a precarious position, never finding peace.

"Brothers, kill this hypocrite." Among the group of black-clothed men, one impatient individual didn't want to listen to the leader and Old Yue bicker any longer.

Yue Buqun had initially wanted to explain. If they retreated on their own, it would be best, but these people clearly only believed what they thought. Before they could exchange a few words, they attacked.

Although these masked men in black were numerous, unfortunately, the mountain path of Mount Hua was too narrow to allow two people to attack Yue Buqun simultaneously.

Leveraging the terrain, Yue Buqun displayed an indomitable spirit, like a single soldier holding a crucial pass against ten thousand enemies. The black-clothed men were essentially lining up to be dispatched by Old Yue.

From behind, Wang Ming observed the group. There were about forty to fifty of them. Judging by their skills, many possessed the strength of Lu Bai, one of the Thirteen Taibao of Songshan. It was no wonder that in the original plot, these individuals could capture Yue Buqun.

The composition of this group was extremely complex.

The majority were greedy individuals drawn by the news of the Bixie Sword Manual on Mount Hua. Then there were Songshan Sect experts mixed in, fanning the flames, along with underworld assassins hired by the Songshan Sect.

The black-clothed men squeezed forward while spewing insults.

This narrow passage prevented them from encircling Yue Buqun. In a one-on-one fight, none of them were Yue Buqun's match. In a short time, three or four had already fallen.

"Brothers, don't be afraid. I don't believe Yue Buqun's internal energy is inexhaustible. We'll wear him down with a war of attrition, this hypocrite."

As expected, under the command of the black-clothed leader, the situation changed from individuals rushing forward to their deaths. Basically, they would launch a full-power attack on Yue Buqun as soon as they came up, then retreat, and another black-clothed man would take their place.

Half an hour later, Yue Buqun also began to show signs of fatigue. After all, each opponent used their full strength without regard for internal energy consumption when attacking him. This forced him to use an equal amount of internal energy to block, which in turn consumed more of his internal energy. His dantian's internal energy was almost depleted.

Ning Zhongze watched from behind, her heart filled with anxiety, constantly scolding these people for their shamelessness in using a war of attrition.

Worried that Yue Buqun would be over-exerted and injured by the black-clothed men, Ning Zhongze signaled Linghu Chong to take Yue Buqun's place and block the group at the mountain pass.

This was planned long ago; they would take turns resting and recovering, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to hold out.

Yue Buqun retreated, waving to stop Ning Zhongze, who wanted to come over and check on him. He sat down on the spot to meditate and recover his internal energy, not daring to waste any time.

It started to rain at this moment, and the downpour grew heavier, making the mountain path even more slippery. A single misstep could easily lead to a fall, making the combat environment even more treacherous.

The Nine Swords of Dugu were incredibly sharp, killing enemies faster than Old Yue. In a short time, he had dispatched over a dozen.

"Don't try to match this kid's moves; just fight him with internal energy," the leader of the black-clothed men said, making a timely tactical adjustment.

Not every move in martial arts is infused with internal energy; otherwise, one's internal energy would be depleted. Therefore, in most situations, external martial arts techniques are used to defeat enemies.

As expected, within five rounds, Linghu Chong's long sword was sent flying by the overwhelming internal energy of one of the black-clothed men.

Without his sword, Linghu Chong's combat effectiveness plummeted. Fortunately, Ning Zhongze stepped in promptly, blocking the next attackers. With a clumsy roll, Linghu Chong retreated from the battlefield in disarray.

Linghu Chong, having retreated, didn't waste words. He found another sword and began to meditate and recover.

Wang Ming extended his hand, catching the falling raindrops. He glanced at the group of black-clothed men with a complex expression. Having lived three lives, today he would break his vow against killing. A trace of reluctance and resistance stirred within him, but the current situation made it clear that if they didn't die, he would.

He sighed, reluctantly drawing his standard-issue Mount Hua Sect long sword, casually dropping its scabbard, and walked step by step towards the battle. Ning Zhongze wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

Seeing Wang Ming behind her, Ning Zhongze immediately retreated, returning to Yue Buqun's side to recover her inner breath.

Facing the attacking black-clothed men, Wang Ming basically just thrust his sword forward simply, and the black-clothed man would fall dead. Then another victim would step up... cough! Another black-clothed man would run into his sword.

Though Wang Ming's sword strike looked simple, it was actually extremely complex.

Before striking, he used the Nine Swords of Dugu to calculate the opponent's moves, identifying weaknesses and openings.

During the strike, he secretly employed the speed-enhancing technique of the Illusion Sword, utilizing visual blind spots created by different light and angles to make his sword temporarily disappear or appear as a phantom.

After striking, he had to quickly calculate the next opponent's weaknesses and the interplay of light and shadow, then deliver that lightning-fast thrust.

This was likely Wang Ming's first time killing someone. Although he felt a bit unsettled, he didn't feel much. He had seen plenty of dead people, and he himself had died twice. What was there to fear?

Wang Ming didn't have any extra time to dwell on his mixed emotions.

As soon as one black-clothed man died, another would immediately take his place, continuing to attack Wang Ming.

There is great terror at the brink of life and death. At this moment, Wang Ming was highly focused, constantly calculating, with no energy left to feel guilt after killing.

Wang Ming's philosophy was to kill with one sword if possible, rather than wound. In a life-or-death battle like this, where he was surrounded, it was better to sever one finger than to injure ten.

With Wang Ming not caring about the consumption of his energy, he essentially killed one person per sword strike. Before long, he had killed nine of the opposing fighters. Seeing the situation, Wang Ming retreated and let Yue Buqun take over. He himself was nearing his limit, not due to a lack of internal energy, but because his body couldn't take it anymore.

His brain, maintaining such high-intensity calculations, was starting to ache. His arms were also beginning to tremble slightly. Using techniques to stimulate hand speed had side effects; overuse could lead to permanent damage.

After retreating, Wang Ming began to recover his inner breath, simultaneously alleviating the dizziness in his head and the soreness in his arm muscles.

The battle continued for several rounds, and everyone was physically and mentally exhausted.

At this point, Ning Zhongze was responsible for intercepting the black-clothed men. She was actually the weakest fighter among the four. Coupled with the previous rounds of fighting, her spirit and body were no longer in perfect condition.

With one lapse in attention, she was approached and had her pressure points sealed by a masked black-clothed man. Just as she was about to be struck by a staff, Linghu Chong saved her, but their defensive line was broken.

A group of masked black-clothed men rushed out of the narrow mountain path and onto a wide platform.

Wang Ming had no time to rest or recover his internal energy. Now, a free-for-all had broken out, and being surrounded by over a dozen people was extremely perilous. Fortunately, Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong were among the top fighters in this world, and their combat strength was not weak, allowing them to hold their ground in this chaotic battle.

Seeing Ning Zhongze starting to falter, her moves showing openings under the onslaught, she was instantly injured. Fortunately, it was only a flesh wound and not serious.

"Breaking Sword Style!"

Linghu Chong erupted in the heavy rain, unleashing the Nine Swords of Dugu. With one thrust, he blinded seven or eight masked black-clothed men, clearing a large area around him.

"Ah!!! Evil Warding Swordplay, everyone be careful."

This group of people mistook Linghu Chong's Nine Swords of Dugu for the Evil Warding Swordplay. They were somewhat fearful of Linghu Chong's long sword and dared not advance. However, the pressure on Ning Zhongze, not far from Linghu Chong, increased. They picked on the weakest, and she was the weakest of the four.

Wang Ming had already employed the speed-enhancing technique of the Illusion Sword, combined with his Purple Haze True Qi, to quickly dispatch enemies.

"Master, Mistress, Senior Brother, quickly retreat."

Upon hearing Wang Ming's voice, the group immediately retreated towards the high slope ahead.

"Hahaha! This hypocrite is finished, brothers, kill him!" The black-clothed men, seeing the four retreating in a panic, instinctively judged that they were afraid of being surrounded and were fleeing. Excited, they led their men to charge up the high slope towards the Mount Hua group.

Just as he was about to ascend the slope, he looked up and was instantly startled.

"Danger, run quickly!"

Unfortunately, they discovered it too late. They saw large boulders, two meters in diameter, being pushed down the small hillside, one after another.

The stones coming from above would injure if they grazed, and cause a fall if they hit. Then, they would be crushed by the rocks behind them. Although this stone platform was wider than the narrow mountain path that could only accommodate one person, it was only about seven or eight meters wide.

They couldn't even escape. They were slowly crushed to death by these large stones.

The rainwater falling from the sky mingled with the blood on the ground, flowing down the mountain.

Wang Ming watched the black-clothed men dead at the foot of the mountain with a complex expression.

"No matter how good your martial arts are, you can't withstand schemes and tricks!"

As a precaution, Wang Ming had arranged for all his fellow disciples to prepare a large quantity of rolling stones on the hillside along the path that Mount Hua had to pass. This was also the basis for Wang Ming's confidence that Mount Hua could be defended.

It was fortunate that their preparations were sufficient. The original plot only had fifteen top-tier martial artists at the Medicine King Temple, but this time there were as many as forty to fifty, each with strength between Tian Boguang and Lu Bai.

Glancing at the people beside him, Ning Zhongze had injuries to her left leg and right shoulder, but they didn't seem serious. Linghu Chong also had some minor scrapes. Wang Ming and Yue Buqun were unharmed, but their exhaustion was significant. Both Old Yue and Wang Ming were breathing heavily.

Wang Ming was fine; he had a bit of a disguise. After all, he still had the true qi of the Indestructible Vajra Body within him. This disguise was merely to prevent Old Yue from losing too much face. If he didn't show any signs of fatigue, wouldn't that make Old Yue seem useless?