Rescuing Linghu Chong Down the Mountain!

Yue Buqun was utterly shaken!

Even a genius couldn't be this outrageous!

I haven't even taught him yet!

The last time he taught Ji Boying the Mount Hua Breathing Technique, he had been delighted to have taken in a new disciple and was in a hurry to travel.

So he had directly guided Ji Boying's flow of qi as he learned internal cultivation.

After that, Linghu Chong had taught him Mount Hua Swordplay, and he had taught himself fist techniques. Yue Buqun knew he was talented, but this was simply too excessive.

The Rising Sun Vitality Sword was now considered one of Mount Hua's most exquisite sword arts.

There were also the Maiden Sword, Gentlewoman Sword, Gentleman Sword, Xiyi Sword, Nourishing Self Sword...

But even the strongest of those sword arts did not stand a generation apart from the Rising Sun Vitality Sword.

If you learned this quickly, what would happen in the future?

At this rate, you'll learn one martial art a month and empty out Mount Hua in less than a year. Should I pass the Purple Mist Technique on to you?

Old Yue was both delighted and alarmed. His thoughts were in turmoil, and he did not know what to do.

Could it be... could it be... Mount Hua would not have to flee into the deep mountains and hide for twenty years as he had imagined, only emerging once they were unrivaled under heaven?

At most, five or six years, and his strength would catch up to mine.

By then, even Zuo Lengchan would not dare act rashly, would he?

"Good disciple, quickly! Show me!"

Yue Buqun was overjoyed. His hands waved about excitedly as he tremblingly stuffed the sword at his waist into Ji Boying's hands.

Then he pushed Ji Boying into the center of the courtyard.

Ji Boying could only feel helpless as he watched Yue Buqun's ecstatic expression.

His Golden Finger was simply that overbearing.

When others practiced swordsmanship normally, he could not learn it. At such times, he could only rely on his own talent and comprehension to memorize it before turning it into a skill.

That was naturally quite difficult.

But as long as someone intended to teach him that martial art—

Once they demonstrated it completely, the Golden Finger would automatically judge it, simplify it, and let him learn it directly.

Imitating Yue Buqun's earlier movements, Ji Boying channeled qi into his sword and began to perform each move and stance.

Sword light flickered. His movements could only be called rigid and methodical; there was none of that sword light transforming into a rainbow or surging vitality.

Yet even that was enough to delight Yue Buqun. Moreover, for some reason, the moment his young disciple began, his sword moves were already remarkably proficient, nothing like a beginner.

He and Ning Zhongze watched without blinking. In all these years, Yue Buqun had never lost his composure like this.

Proficiency +1

Proficiency +1

Ji Boying was also a Martial Arts Fanatic. The more he practiced this sword art, the more skilled he became, and the more naturally it flowed through his hands!

After he completed one round of the Rising Sun Vitality Sword, Yue Buqun was just about to cheer and praise him when he saw his young disciple seemingly grow interested and begin a second round.

Most notably, the sword art was visibly improving before their eyes.

The sword light grew increasingly dazzling.

The more Ji Boying practiced, the more freely he moved. His internal energy circulated faster and faster, driving the iron sword to leap and pulse with strength.

The essence of Rising Sun Vitality lay in qi!

After Ji Boying finished two rounds, he had fully absorbed the benefits granted by his perfected Mount Hua Swordplay!

Rising Sun Vitality Sword: Beginner (138/200)

The rising sun appeared!

It was like the great sun leaping over the horizon, radiating boundless brilliance!

Though Ji Boying did not shine with blinding light, his final sword strike seemed to come by divine inspiration. He swept out with his qi, and with a flash of sword light, a faint rainbow glow could be seen!

Ji Boying sheathed his sword and stood still. All was silent, with only the mountain wind running wild through Sky Lute Gorge.

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze had seen that final trace of sword light and were too stunned to speak.

Any praise or applause had long been forgotten.

Their minds were flooded with so much shock that they had overloaded.

"Master?"

Ji Boying's call woke Yue Buqun from his daze.

"Oh! Oh! Boying, well done! Very well done!"

Yue Buqun came back to his senses and praised him together with Ning Zhongze.

Ji Boying smiled and returned the longsword.

Yue Buqun accepted it.

"Master, what do you think? I've learned this Rising Sun Vitality Sword, haven't I?"

"You have, you have! But you must not grow proud. Practice it diligently. This sword art consumes internal energy, so you cannot neglect your internal cultivation either."

"Yes, Master. This disciple will heed your teachings. Master, then this disciple will return to practice."

"Good, good. Go back and practice."

"Master, Mistress, this disciple takes his leave!"

Ji Boying turned to leave.

"Boying, wait!"

"Mistress, do you have any further instructions?"

Ning Zhongze smiled. "What instructions could I have? Look at you, child. Your clothes are nearly worn through from washing, yet you haven't changed them. You should have told me sooner."

Ji Boying smiled. "It's no matter. I sweat heavily when I practice, so I have to wash them every day. Naturally, they wear out quickly. A few holes do not matter, as long as they cover my body."

"You child, wait here a moment."

As she spoke, Ning Zhongze turned and returned to the house. Before long, she came back carrying a neatly folded stack of clothes and placed it in Ji Boying's hands.

"The weather has turned cool, and Mount Hua is even more piercingly cold. You should change into some autumn clothes. I made these for you. Take them back and see whether they fit. If they do not, bring them back and I'll alter them."

Ji Boying held the three sets of blue autumn robes, their stitching fine and dense, and warmth filled his heart.

He smiled. "How could clothes made by Mistress not fit? I've troubled you, Mistress."

"What are you saying? It is what a mistress should do. All right, go on. Do not forget to eat while practicing. Go spend more time with your senior brothers as well."

"Yes, this disciple takes his leave."

Holding the warm autumn robes, Ji Boying left Sky Lute Gorge.

Today's gains had been plentiful.

The Rising Sun Vitality Sword was more profound than beginner martial arts, and breaking through from Beginner to Proficient required two hundred proficiency points.

However, he had perfected Mount Hua Swordplay as his foundation, which benefited all martial arts of the Mount Hua lineage.

After practicing twice and fully grasping it, his proficiency had jumped directly to 138.

That perfected foundational sword art had directly granted him more than a hundred points of proficiency.

Still, compared to the three sets of plain clothes with their fine stitching in his hands, those gains seemed like nothing.

Ji Boying, an orphan in both lives, was deeply moved.

"Junior Disciple Brother, we finally found you!"

Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou rushed out from beside the mountain path, looking anxious.

Both were drenched in sweat.

It seemed they had been searching for Ji Boying for a long time.

Sixth Monkey had found Yue Lingshan, and Yue Lingshan had gone looking for Ji Boying.

Ji Boying was not at his residence, and no one knew where he had gone. He usually did not go out and had no favorite places to visit.

Fortunately, based on her experiences over this period, as well as the information she had gathered from spending day and night with Ji Boying and talking to him, Yue Lingshan guessed that he must have gone to Sky Lute Gorge to learn a new martial art from Old Yue.

That was how they managed to intercept Ji Boying.

"Sixth Senior Brother, Junior Disciple Sister, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Junior Disciple Brother, something terrible has happened! Quickly, bring more silver and go down the mountain to rescue Senior Disciple Brother!"

"What? What happened exactly?"

Ji Boying was greatly startled. What could have happened at the foot of Mount Hua that required money to rescue Linghu Chong?

"Come on, we'll talk as we walk!"

Without wasting any time, he led the two of them running toward his courtyard to get the silver first.