The Seed of Mount Hua's Revival Was Planted by Me, Yue Buqun!

"Damn, Junior Disciple Sister couldn't have fallen for someone else, could she?"

Lu Dayou muttered to himself.

Thinking back to how guilty Junior Disciple Sister had looked just now, could it be because she had been caught by him and felt guilty?

"Senior Disciple Brother, Senior Disciple Brother, you train so diligently every day, but in just a few days, someone's practically dug out the foundation under your wall. This is bad, bad—very bad."

When Lu Dayou thought about it, this Junior Disciple Brother was handsome and refined. He had heard that his family had lived by farming and studying, and now that he practiced martial arts, he could be considered accomplished in both letters and combat—a martial arts prodigy. Lu Dayou was far inferior to him, and yet the boy worked so hard.

Educated, handsome, gifted, and bound to become highly skilled in martial arts—he was destined to stand out among men. It would be perfectly normal if Junior Disciple Sister really fell for him instead.

"This absolutely won't do. I have to find Senior Disciple Brother!"

Lu Dayou was a staunch member of the Chongling Faction.

"Father! Mother!"

Yue Lingshan's clear voice echoed through Sky Lute Gorge.

"Shan'er, why are you in such a hurry?"

A beautiful woman returned from outside with a sword in hand, though she had not been within Sky Lute Gorge.

Full-figured and agile, with a gentle expression and a warm smile, she possessed both tenderness and an unmistakable heroic spirit between her brows.

She was none other than the formidable heroine Ning Zhongze.

Like a bird flying into its nest, Yue Lingshan threw herself into Ning Zhongze's arms and called sweetly, "Mother~"

Before she could say more, a steady middle-aged man's voice came from behind her.

"Hmph! You vanished first thing in the morning. Where did you run off to laze around this time?"

Yue Buqun emerged from behind them as well, sword in hand. Clearly, he and Ning Zhongze had just returned from their morning practice together.

Yue Lingshan raised her head, exposing her slender neck, looking both adorable and proud. "Father, you've wronged me terribly this time. That won't do—if you don't compensate me, I won't let this go. Mother, look at Father~"

Yue Lingshan swayed Ning Zhongze's arm as she acted coquettishly.

Ning Zhongze looked at Yue Lingshan with indulgent affection but said nothing.

They entered their residence with Yue Buqun and sat down together.

"Then tell me, how did I wrong you? Did you run off to play with your Senior Disciple Brother again? You came back rather early today."

Yue Lingshan gave a light snort and said smugly, "Father, you really did wrong me this time. I was clearly accompanying Junior Disciple Brother while he practiced swordplay. I even fed him moves."

Yue Buqun immediately broke into a smile. Whenever Ji Boying was mentioned, he was pleased.

"Mm, that is indeed good. How is your Junior Disciple Brother's swordplay progressing?"

This left Yue Lingshan speechless. Her beautiful eyes darted around before she said, "Junior Disciple Brother's swordplay is naturally quite good. He's already no worse than I am."

Before she could finish, she turned to Ning Zhongze and began acting coquettishly again.

"Mother, I've practiced Mount Hua Swordplay for so many years. Teach me a new set. Junior Disciple Brother is so diligent; as his Senior Disciple Sister, I can't fall behind either. Please teach me a new swordplay set."

Ning Zhongze did not immediately respond to her daughter. Instead, she exchanged a slightly surprised glance with Yue Buqun.

How could the two of them not understand Yue Lingshan? Seeing her like this, she must have suffered a setback while practicing swordplay. This youngest disciple truly was a heaven-sent genius—he had improved so quickly.

Yue Buqun was even more delighted.

"Boying's swordplay has progressed quickly. He need no longer fear injuring himself. It is time to give him an iron sword." After some thought, he muttered to himself, "No, he works so hard. He should be properly rewarded. I should choose a fine sword for him. The Azure Water Sword I brought back last time would be suitable."

"Father~ You're playing favorites! The Azure Water Sword is mine!"

Yue Lingshan dragged out her voice in protest.

She had pestered him for that Azure Water Sword for a long time, yet she had never managed to get it.

"No, Father. You wronged me today, so you should give me the Azure Water Sword as compensation and choose another fine sword for Junior Disciple Brother!"

Yue Buqun gently stroked his long beard and smiled. "Do you still want that swordplay set?"

That did not stump Yue Lingshan at all. Leaning against Ning Zhongze again, she said, "I should get the swordplay set too. Junior Disciple Brother's swordplay is so good because I helped him so much. Now I'm willing to practice swordsmanship and make progress as well, so I should be encouraged. A reward plus encouragement means you should teach me two swordplay sets."

Yue Buqun smiled. "You are being unreasonable. Our Mount Hua Sect emphasizes using qi to command the sword. If you do not properly cultivate qi and build a solid foundation, what use is pursuing intricate swordplay? You would not be able to wield it well. That is putting the cart before the horse!"

Yue Lingshan refused to yield. "Junior Disciple Brother has practiced swordplay so much he is nearly foolish, yet you never say anything to him. You're just playing favorites, just playing favorites!"

Yue Buqun laughed even louder. "What do you know? Stop being unreasonable. You will understand in the future. Take the Azure Water Sword, but do not show it off before others. As for swordplay, absolutely not. Practice your internal cultivation properly. Though our Mount Hua Sect's introductory internal art does not advance quickly, once cultivated to a profound level, even breathing and regulating one's breath can increase one's inner power. While it is certainly not as fast as seated meditation, it will be greatly beneficial when you cultivate other mental arts in the future."

Yue Lingshan no longer cared what Yue Buqun was saying. She did not listen to his lecture at all and had already flown away like a bird. She could not wait to go to the storeroom and claim her Azure Water Sword.

As her graceful figure leaped through the mountains, another reminder drifted back: "Don't forget Junior Disciple Brother's sword."

Only after she had completely vanished from sight did Ning Zhongze turn back around.

"Senior Brother truly found a treasure when he went down the mountain this time."

Yue Buqun was also immensely pleased. Ever since this disciple had come up the mountain, much of the pressure in his heart had eased.

He had seen talent like this in only a few people during Mount Hua's heyday—some senior brothers and uncles whose abilities had far surpassed his own.

In Yue Buqun's view, Ji Boying's talent could absolutely rival that of Uncle Feng, who had once made the entire Qi Faction feel as though it faced a formidable enemy.

Most importantly, this disciple absolutely embraced the Qi Faction's principles! Though he did not go so far as to regard everyone who practiced swordsmanship as heretics, he proudly looked down on those who valued swordplay over qi.

Leaving everything else aside, all he needed was twenty years. By then, this disciple would still be in the prime of his life. Yue Buqun himself would be past seventy, but having achieved success in qi cultivation, he would still live to see that day.

A man in his thirties whose strength could rival Uncle Feng's, who had once made the entire Qi Faction wary—across the entire martial world, he would rank among the very best. He would certainly be no weaker than Zuo Lengchan, Fang Zheng, or Chong Xu.

In the end, this martial world still depended on martial arts!

With sufficiently powerful strength, all power and influence could step aside.

If Zuo Lengchan could not defeat his disciple, what right would he have to speak of annexing Mount Hua?

Even if his disciple did not have time to grow stronger, they could avoid the edge of the blade for now, hide in some remote mountain forest for twenty years, then emerge again. Who in the world could stand against them?

With martial arts like that, would he still need to fear failing to reclaim Mount Hua? Would he need to fear that the Mount Hua Sect would not prosper?

He would definitely live to see that day!

The Mount Hua Sect would flourish while he was still alive. Even in the underworld, he would let the ancestral masters see what Yue Buqun had accomplished!

And Boying would only be in his thirties then. Protecting Mount Hua for another forty years at the very least would not be a problem. Mount Hua's forty years of prosperity would be the seed planted by Yue Buqun!

"Mount Hua's revival is in sight! In a few days, I'll hold a small competition to test them and see Boying's level as well."