Martial Arts Fanatic

Linghu Chong hurried off to seek his master's instructions.

"Senior Brother, wait for me."

Yue Lingshan followed behind him. It seemed she also wanted to find someone to show off today's discoveries to. Although Mount Hua had declined, most of its disciples had been well protected, rarely going down the mountain for experience. Their minds were pure and simple.

Yue Lingshan was envious of Ji Boying's talent, but not jealous. She merely felt that it was a rare sight that had truly opened her eyes.

Having to ask for permission before teaching a few sword moves was not making a fuss. Lu Dayou had only been allowed to learn the move "Auspicious Phoenix Arrival" in his fifth year after entering the sect.

Mount Hua Swordplay was exquisite. "Auspicious Phoenix Arrival" was especially intricate, with five natural variations. It was powerful, but difficult to learn.

Although "Welcoming Pine" now had five or six variations as well, Linghu Chong had developed those only after mastering it deeply. The original move was upright, steady, and balanced, making it easy to learn. Disciples of the sect often used it as an opening stance in sparring matches.

After Linghu Chong left, Ji Boying remained beneath the old pine tree. The sun had already risen above the clouds, but with the old pine shading him, it was not yet too hot.

Ji Boying continued practicing his swordsmanship as though no one else existed. Though it was only one move, he practiced it with great enthusiasm.

"Proficiency +1" kept flashing past. Since the sword move could not be performed continuously, whenever he paused, he would casually swing his sword twice, and his proficiency would still increase.

At the same time, the Mount Hua Internal Cultivation Method continued circulating with every breath he took.

Immersed in the growth of his martial arts, Ji Boying failed to notice as the sun gradually became scorching. Sweat poured down like rain, soaking his robes as though they had been washed.

Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan hurried around for a while before finally finding Yue Buqun.

He looked like a scholar, dressed in a blue robe with a sash at his waist. He had a long five-willow beard and a face as fair as jade, appearing exceedingly refined and elegant. Though he was nearly sixty, he looked only around forty.

Before they even approached, they heard their master scolding a disciple.

"You've been in the sect for all these years, yet your cultivation is still this shallow! Your mind is never settled!"

Linghu Chong jolted in fright and turned to run, nearly crashing into Yue Lingshan. Only then did he come to his senses, feeling as though he had survived a disaster. Good thing he wasn't scolding me. I wonder which junior brother got caught slacking off.

"Chong'er, come over here."

Having been summoned, Linghu Chong did not dare delay. He quickly stepped out from behind the rock.

He saw two figures. One was Yue Buqun, radiating righteousness, while the other, hanging his head dejectedly as he was scolded, was Lu Dayou.

Although his master was reprimanding Sixth Junior Brother, he did not seem angry. In fact, he appeared to be in a rather good mood. Linghu Chong would not have understood why before, but now it made sense. His master ought to be pleased to have gained such an extraordinarily talented junior disciple.

"Look at the example you've set. Instead of practicing properly, you slack off. Our Mount Hua sect values using qi to control the sword, yet after all these years, your Sixth Junior Brother's internal energy is still so shallow. Whenever I go check on him, he puts on an act, waving his sword around a few times, thinking he can fool me. Hmph."

"Weren't you supposed to be teaching your Junior Disciple Brother swordsmanship? Why have you come here? Are you trying to slack off again?"

There was no anger on Yue Buqun's face, but Linghu Chong had always feared him. Though he had done nothing wrong, he still felt guilty. He lowered his head and exchanged a furtive glance with Sixth Monkey before remembering the real matter at hand.

"Master, Junior Disciple Brother's talent is far too high, more than ten times greater than this disciple's. He mastered Welcoming Pine after seeing it only once. Now he wishes to continue learning, but he fears Master may reprimand him for advancing too hastily. This disciple does not know what to do, so I ask Master to decide."

At the mention of Ji Boying, Yue Buqun completely dropped his stern expression. His fair face was filled with a satisfied smile.

"Oh! It was your master's oversight. I forgot to tell you: your Junior Disciple Brother possesses extraordinary talent, so there is no need for him to be bound by convention. Go ahead and teach him. Let him learn as much as he can."

Even Lu Dayou could hear the favoritism in those words. Though he had just been scolded, he did not dare say anything.

Only then did Linghu Chong relax. "Then this disciple shall take his leave and continue teaching Junior Disciple Brother swordsmanship."

"Go. But you are not allowed to take your Junior Disciple Brother drinking. If you corrupt him, I will not spare you."

Linghu Chong shrank his neck and fled as though granted a pardon. Lu Dayou followed right behind him, taking advantage of their master's good mood to escape as well.

Only after they had run more than ten steps did Yue Lingshan emerge from the mountain path.

"Junior Disciple Sister."

"Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother got scolded again, didn't he? Haha."

Yue Lingshan took delight in his misfortune.

Lu Dayou sighed. "When I practice swordsmanship, Master says I'm just putting on an act and tells me to meditate more. Yet Junior Disciple Brother already learns swordsmanship quickly enough, and Master still thinks he is too slow, telling him to practice however he likes. Comparing people really makes one furious."

"How can you compare yourselves to him?" Yue Lingshan said. "Only Senior Brother can compare a little. Junior Disciple Brother is truly a rare martial arts genius."

Linghu Chong smiled bitterly. "I can't compare either. No need to save my face."

"Is this Junior Disciple Brother really that impressive?"

Lu Dayou had always respected Linghu Chong. Hearing that even Linghu Chong could not compare to him, he naturally felt somewhat unhappy, though he was also curious.

"You two chat. I'm going to teach Junior Disciple Brother swordsmanship."

Yue Lingshan had originally wanted to follow him again, but she was eager to show off. So she accompanied Lu Dayou to find the other senior brothers and boast about what she had seen.

Linghu Chong returned to the old pine tree where Ji Boying had been practicing. The sun was already high in the sky, and this stretch of mountain path had no vegetation. The heat made him suffer greatly.

Looking again at Ji Boying, he was still beneath the old pine, waving the Wooden Sword in his hand. He was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. A few strands of hair had come loose from his meticulously arranged topknot, damp with sweat and stuck to his handsome face.

Seeing him work so hard, Linghu Chong actually felt somewhat ashamed.

"Junior Disciple Brother, take a break."

"Senior Brother is back. What did Master say?"

Ji Boying stopped and turned his face toward him, wiping away the sweat covering his face with one swipe. He looked energetic and full of anticipation.

Linghu Chong smiled. "Junior Disciple Brother is so talented and willing to work so hard. How could Master refuse? Come, take a break. In a moment, I'll teach you Mount Hua Swordplay. Learn as much as you can."

Linghu Chong walked over to Ji Boying. Seeing a smooth, broad slab of bluestone beneath the old pine's shade, he could not help wanting to lie down beside it.

Ji Boying smiled. "Senior Brother, rest first. I'm not tired yet. I'll practice a little longer."

With that, he picked up his sword and began swinging it again.

Linghu Chong could only smile helplessly at the sight. How could he still have the nerve to lie on that cool slab of bluestone and sleep?

"Fine, fine, I'll teach you. You really are a Martial Arts Fanatic."

Linghu Chong took up his sword and began demonstrating Mount Hua Swordplay from the beginning.

White Clouds Emerging from Peaks, Auspicious Phoenix Arrival, Heavenly Sash Hanging Upside Down, White Rainbow Piercing the Sun...

Sword light flowed as Ji Boying watched without blinking, his attention completely absorbed.

Mount Hua Swordplay drew upon the meaning of Mount Hua's terrain, centered on the words strange and perilous. Linghu Chong had immersed himself in it for many years and grasped much of its essence. His flashing sword light was swift and dangerous, leaving Ji Boying's eyes shining again and again.

A light screen also flickered before his eyes, messages appearing without end.

"Detected incomplete Mount Hua Swordplay move 'White Clouds Emerging from Peaks.' Merge it into Mount Hua Swordplay?"

"Detected incomplete Mount Hua Swordplay move 'Auspicious Phoenix Arrival.' Merge it into Mount Hua Swordplay?"