Purple Mist Manual to Be Passed On to Ji Boying

"This... this..."

This earth-shattering secret stunned not only Linghu Chong, but Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou as well.

Yue Lingshan spoke up unwillingly. "What gives Zuo Lengchan the right to swallow up the Five Great Mountains Sword Sects? I refuse to believe that if he does something like this, aside from our Mount Hua Sect refusing to accept it, the other three sects would agree!"

Ning Zhongze patted her daughter and said, "You do not understand the dangers of the martial world, nor the methods of political scheming. Naturally, our four sects would not agree. Otherwise, Zuo Lengchan would not need to resort to such methods."

"But struggles of power are even more dangerous than contests of martial skill. It is not as simple as refusing to agree."

Yue Buqun suddenly gave a cold laugh.

"When it comes to the arts of scheming, I may not necessarily fear Zuo Lengchan. Our Mount Hua Sect descends from the three teachings merged into one of the old Quanzhen Sect—how many classics left behind by sages do we possess? I too have read the scriptures widely and know a little of military strategy."

"But even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. How many men does Zuo Lengchan have beneath him? And how many do I have?"

"What danger is there in struggles of power? If it truly came to a fight by force, I fear we would have no chance of survival."

Ning Zhongze sighed as well. "Leaving aside Zuo Lengchan himself, whose martial arts are formidable—he is likely only slightly inferior to such masters as Fang Zheng and Chong Xu—our Alliance Leader Zuo is ruthless and vicious. If he truly fought those two masters, the odds of victory would still be even. The Songshan Sect is already difficult to withstand with him as its sect leader alone."

"Not to mention his many junior brothers, the Songshan Sect's Thirteen Taibao. All thirteen possess first-rate martial arts by the standards of the martial world. It is not that every one of them could defeat me, but none is much weaker than I am. If any two or three came together, I would be unable to handle them."

"If they wished to destroy our Mount Hua Sect, Zuo Lengchan would not even need to act himself. He would only need to send out seven or eight of the Thirteen Taibao. Three would be enough to defeat me, four enough to tie down Senior Brother. With even a little freedom to spare, they could wipe all of you out."

The more Ning Zhongze spoke, the more she sighed, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

Though Yue Buqun had always painstakingly worked toward Mount Hua's revival, simply surviving had already demanded every ounce of his strength.

And how could Heroine Ning, Mount Hua's second greatest fighter, possibly have had it easy?

Linghu Chong did not dare meet Yue Buqun's icy gaze, nor did he dare look at Mistress's worried eyes. He could only lower his head in shame.

How had he ever known that Master and Mistress bore such immense pressure?

So the Mount Hua Sect had always stood in danger, perched at the edge of a cliff and teetering on the brink, while Master struggled openly and in secret against their enemies, barely holding it all together.

Mount Hua's present decline had not been caused by Linghu Chong, nor was it something Linghu Chong could change.

For Linghu Chong to take part in a struggle like this, even if he trained step by step, he would still need another five or six years. Only after turning thirty could he barely stand toe-to-toe with a Songshan Taibao and become Mount Hua's true third expert who could be sent forth.

But even if it was not yet Linghu Chong's time to shoulder such pressure, as Senior Disciple Brother, he should not have been acting as he was now—leading his junior brothers around in play all day.

Their peaceful years had all been bought by Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze standing before them, warding off open spears and hidden arrows.

After all, Linghu Chong was already twenty-five, an adult, yet he had never shouldered even the slightest pressure or responsibility.

The shame on Linghu Chong's face turned into resolve!

Once again, he dropped to both knees and bowed deeply.

But this kneeling was no longer as wretched as it had been on the mountain path.

"Master! Mistress!"

Linghu Chong said in a deep voice.

"Only today does this disciple understand how difficult things have been for Master and Mistress, and how unworthy I was in the past! From this day onward, this disciple will train diligently and never slacken in the slightest! Nor will I touch another drop of wine! I swear to Heaven and call the successive ancestors of Mount Hua as witnesses: should I break this oath, may five thunderbolts strike me dead, leaving me without even a place of burial!"

Linghu Chong truly had begun to look somewhat like a Senior Disciple Brother.

"Chong'er..."

Ning Zhongze's eyes reddened, deeply moved.

She had raised Linghu Chong herself, and at this moment, she truly felt that the child had grown up.

Yue Buqun, too, felt his heart stir, but his face remained stern.

"Hmph! Do not think that because you swear and admit your fault here, I will truly believe you. Even if I did believe you today, do not imagine you can use this to escape your punishment. Your Junior Disciple Brother nearly died because of you today."

Linghu Chong said, "This disciple willingly accepts punishment and has no intention of evading responsibility."

Still supporting himself on his knees, he turned to face Ji Boying and bowed deeply again.

"As Senior Disciple Brother, I failed to protect my junior brother. Instead, I led him into danger with me, and he barely escaped with his life. It is all this senior brother's fault. Today, this senior brother knows his guilt and will never allow such a thing to happen again. If we encounter blades and spears in the martial world again, they will have to cut through this senior brother first!"

Ji Boying smiled and hurriedly helped Linghu Chong up.

"This cannot be blamed on Senior Disciple Brother. The enemies were simply too treacherous. From this moment on, we martial brothers will train diligently. When we travel the martial world in the future, we will work together with one heart. Together, we will revive Mount Hua!"

While the brothers were being so cordial on one side, Old Yue was about to hand down punishment on the other.

"Your punishment is to go to Cliff of Contemplation and face the wall in reflection. You may come down the mountain in the twelfth month, four months from now."

"This disciple accepts the punishment."

After making the arrangements, Yue Buqun had Lu Dayou remain behind to deal with Laodeno's corpse and clean the bloodstains from the ground at House of Non-Action.

Linghu Chong went straight back to pack his things and prepare to head for Cliff of Contemplation.

Ji Boying returned to wash up and change clothes. The blood all over him had already dried into scabs, clinging to his body, foul-smelling and uncomfortable.

Only Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze found another secluded spot, where the two spoke of matters close to their hearts.

After what had happened today, both were alarmed by Zuo Lengchan's ruthless methods, yet also somewhat gratified by Linghu Chong's growth.

What pleased them most, however, was Ji Boying's rapid progress in martial arts.

They had never expected that Ji Boying was not only quick in cultivation, but also exceptionally gifted in battle.

To carve his way out alive from the hands of so many assassins meant he could already be considered a figure in the martial world.

Even in the Songshan Sect, he would rank among the very best of the second-generation disciples; in the other sects, he could absolutely be called the foremost among his peers.

But now, the Songshan Sect knew exactly how extraordinary this young disciple's talent was.

The next time they made a move, they would certainly be even more ruthless.

If they spared no cost and dispatched three or four Great Guardians, Yue Buqun and the others would have no way to deal with them—let alone Ji Boying.

For now, the only option was to keep Ji Boying on the mountain, protect him well, and forbid him from going down again.

Yue Buqun knew they would not dare storm Mount Hua.

Because deep within Mount Hua, another master was hidden away.

No matter how hard Yue Buqun had worked, more than twenty years ago he had only been a green youngster. How could he possibly have withstood so much malice?

That senior masters still lived in seclusion on Mount Hua was a suspicion shared by both him and Ning Zhongze.

"Boying's martial arts still need to improve."

With the mountain wind brushing over him, Yue Buqun stood lost in thought, hesitating as well.

"I want... to pass the Purple Mist Divine Skill on to Boying."