Teaching a Disciple

It was dusk, and the valley was bathed in a golden silence. The distant mountains were adorned with the colors of the sunset, and the clouds, white as milk in the sky, turned a fiery red.

Soft sunlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the desk in the room.

A middle-aged man sat in a chair before the desk, engrossed in a book in his hands.

Several other books lay on the desk in front of him.

Behind him stood a beautiful young woman in a white dress, a hint of impatience in her expression.

"Master, may I see this manual?"

It was Li Mochou who spoke. Ever since she had gone to cause trouble for Lu Zhanyuan, she had been forced to retreat by the monks of Tianlong Temple using the Six Meridian Divine Sword, and compelled to swear a poisonous oath, which had ignited her obsession with martial arts. (In the Louis Koo version, the monks of Tianlong Temple know the Six Meridian Divine Sword, but it should be the kind used by Emperor Baoding and his ilk!)

She looked with great interest at the new master she had just taken, who was reading several manuals acquired from Jueqing Valley.

"Mochou! These manuals are not suitable for you, there's no need for you to learn them," the middle-aged man said calmly.

This middle-aged man was Wang Ming.

After he had resolved the remaining resistance in the valley in one fell swoop, he had handed over the women and children to Li Mochou for arrangement and management.

After all, a disciple was meant to help him solve problems, not to be a pampered child.

He himself wandered alone in the valley.

Using the knowledge of mechanisms and architecture he had secretly learned from Huang Yaoshi's, the Eastern Heretic, study, he found the hidden mechanisms and compartments within Jueqing Valley.

The manuals on the desk were the fruits of this endeavor.

The manuals on the desk were the Yin Yang Chaotic Blade, the Acupoint Sealing Skill, the Heart Sutra of Ruthlessness, and the Fishing Net Formation.

"Since you're interested, take them and have a look!"

"Thank you, Master!" Li Mochou said joyfully upon hearing this.

Wang Ming leaned back in his chair, adjusting himself to a more comfortable position.

"Study the Fishing Net Formation well among these manuals. It'll be good for guarding the manor when you recruit disciples later. This formation is also unlucky for those who encounter me; otherwise, even the Five Greats would have trouble with it."

Wang Ming glanced at Li Mochou, who was intently studying the Acupoint Sealing Skill in his hand, and knew she was not listening to him. Seeing this, he didn't mind, as he understood the allure of martial arts manuals for martial artists.

"The Acupoint Sealing Skill's advantage is that once mastered, it can seal all the acupoints on one's body, making it impossible for others to control you in combat. However, its fatal flaw is that it cannot tolerate any impurities. It's difficult to learn and easy to break, so it's better not to practice it; it's too useless."

Upon hearing this, Li Mochou was stunned for a moment, then reluctantly put down the manual.

She then picked up the Heart Sutra of Ruthlessness to examine it.

"There's no need to look at the Heart Sutra of Ruthlessness either; it's several levels below the internal energy techniques you practice," Wang Ming continued his explanation.

In the original story, Gongsun Zhi's family martial arts were not good. It was only after he married Qiu Qianchi and obtained the martial arts manuals from his brother-in-law, Qiu Qianren, the leader of the Iron Palm Gang, that he reached the level seen in the original plot.

Li Mochou quickly flipped through it and found that it was indeed as Wang Ming had said. Disappointed, she put it down.

This time, she did not reach for the remaining manual but looked at Wang Ming.

"The Yin Yang Chaotic Blade is the only martial art in Jueqing Valley that I find acceptable, but it must be used in conjunction with the two weapons behind you."

Wang Ming patiently continued to enlighten Li Mochou, gesturing with his eyes towards the Golden Saber and the Black Sword on the weapon rack behind her. The Gentleman Sword was also there; the Lady Sword had already been given to Li Mochou.

"Unfortunately, this martial art is not suitable for you. It has rather high requirements for physical fitness. Even if a woman forces herself to practice it, it will be a thankless task."

Li Mochou was thoroughly disappointed at this point and lost interest in staying any longer. She was not close to this master; she had been forcibly taken as a disciple, and staying longer made her feel uncomfortable, so she decided to take her leave.

"Wait, come with me."

Wang Ming stood up from his reclining chair and led Li Mochou to the courtyard outside the study.

He glanced at the spacious courtyard paved with smooth stones. Bamboo branches extended over the courtyard walls, making the courtyard appear exceptionally serene and secluded.

"Demonstrate the martial arts you've learned before," Wang Ming said, walking to a stone bench in the courtyard and sitting down, addressing Li Mochou behind him.

Li Mochou was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered and began to demonstrate her skills with proper form. She knew the gap between herself and this nominal master well and wasn't afraid of revealing her martial arts. Besides, she had already been expelled from the Ancient Tomb Sect and had no psychological burden.

Three cups of tea later, Li Mochou finished demonstrating her martial arts, tired and covered in sweat. Her hair, damp with perspiration, clung to her fair cheeks.

"Stop practicing those poison techniques; they damage your foundation and are not the right path. You can keep the hidden weapons, but I won't comment on the other martial arts. This swordplay is very skillful, but without the corresponding internal energy technique, you will never reach the level of the Five Greats in your lifetime," Wang Ming began his critique.

Li Mochou's spirit sank. Wang Ming was right; her Jade Maiden Swordplay lacked the internal energy technique, and the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra's power was greatly diminished.

"Since I've taken you as a disciple, I can't not teach you martial arts. Today, your master will teach you the Nine Yin Manual. Take it and study it carefully. If you don't understand something, don't practice it randomly; come and ask me." Wang Ming took out a book from his bosom and tossed it to Li Mochou.

Li Mochou was also taken aback by Wang Ming's action. At first, she never thought Wang Ming would actually give her any benefits.

She thought he had taken her as a disciple merely to have a maid to serve tea and water.

The happiness came too suddenly, her mind buzzing with shock. It took her a long time to react.

Li Mochou had heard of the Nine Yin Manual's reputation; it was a peerless martial art that even the Five Greats coveted. How could she remain calm?

When she heard that she was to be taught the Nine Yin Manual, she initially didn't believe it.

Catching the book he tossed, she opened it. The ink looked very fresh, as if it had been written not long ago. She didn't pay attention to these details and seriously read the contents of the book:

"The Way of Heaven is to diminish the excess and supplement the insufficient, thus the void overcomes the full, and the insufficient overcomes the excess. Its meaning is broad, its principles profound, its interest deep. The forms of heaven and earth are divided, the signs of yin and yang are distinct, the causes of change are apparent, the omens of life and death are clear..."

She was also knowledgeable and knew that this was likely not a fake. At that moment, her heart was deeply touched. In this world, there were only four people she cared about most: her master, Granny Sun who took care of her, her junior sister, and finally...

But now, all of these were things she could no longer obtain, no matter how hard she tried. Her junior sisters had been expelled from the sect because she insisted on leaving, and they could never go back.

Even though she knew she would never see her master who raised her, Granny Sun, or her beloved junior sisters again, she still resolutely chose to leave the Ancient Tomb Sect for Lu Lang.

She had arranged with Lu Lang that he would marry her upon his return from Dali, and she would depart from the Ancient Tomb Sect.

Waiting and waiting, but her lover did not arrive. So, she followed the path Lu Lang had mentioned when they were together, searching for his hometown.

After a long journey, she arrived at Lu Family Manor in Jiaxing, only to discover that her lover was already married, and the bride was not her...

Her own master was a rather casual appointment. She hadn't expected him to be even more generous than the master she had spent over a decade with.

"Alright, you may leave. Don't practice it haphazardly. Do you know about the Black Wind Twin Fiends in the jianghu? That's what happens when you practice the Nine Yin Manual incorrectly."

This was written down by Wang Ming specifically for Li Mochou when she was arranging for the women and children in the valley. Of course, this was not the complete version; she only received the internal energy cultivation parts and the Tendon-Changing and Bone-Grafting chapters.

Wang Ming did not give her the martial arts for fighting enemies. Many of the powerful martial arts were not created by Huang Shang; they were the martial arts of his enemies, all exuding a sinister aura.

This girl was already unstable, and having her practice those martial arts might just create a "darkened" Zhou Zhiruo.