43, 44: Let's Go to the Ancient Tomb and Retrieve Chongyang's Legacy Inscription! (Two Chapters Combined)

What was the happiest thing about being a master?

Nothing compared to having disciples with astonishing comprehension—ones who grasped a point at once, learned it the moment they were taught, and could draw inferences from one instance to another.

Hong Qigong was experiencing precisely that joy now.

In less than two hours, Lu Chen had learned the entire White Rainbow Swordplay and could perform it with convincing form.

Huang Rong and Li Mochou, too, needed only one morning to learn the White Rainbow Swordplay.

Such comprehension made even Hong Qigong unable to resist the urge to take disciples.

Unfortunately, these three little ones already had masters. One was Old Heretic Huang's daughter, one was Old Heretic Huang's last disciple, and one was the grand-disciple of the heroine Lin Chaoying. Every gifted child already belonged to someone, leaving Hong Qigong deeply wistful.

He had originally intended to leave after teaching them this swordplay, yet Lu Chen and the other two's talent made him somewhat reluctant to part.

Just as he was hesitating, Huang Rong personally went into the kitchen at noon and prepared a lavish feast to repay Seventh Master's kindness in passing on his skills.

Hong Qigong had assumed that Rong'er, such a young girl and the pampered eldest daughter of Old Heretic Huang's household, could hardly know anything about cooking.

Yet before the dishes had even been served, their aroma had already made his mouth water.

Once he tasted them for himself, Hong Qigong was even more astonished and delighted.

He had sampled fine food all his life, experienced the craft of renowned chefs from every region, and even tasted the cooking of imperial palace chefs. He had believed that no delicacy remained that could move him.

But today, Rong'er's cooking had actually surpassed the skills of every famous chef. Hong Qigong ate as though intoxicated, chewing every dish slowly and savoring it again and again. In the end, he gave it a four-character appraisal:

Unmatched under heaven.

Just for Rong'er's cooking alone, Hong Qigong could not bear to leave immediately. So he stayed and continued teaching them.

Lu Chen's talent lay entirely in the sword. As for other Martial Arts, he was somewhat lacking.

Besides, how vast was the Sword Intent of Extermination of Immortals?

With Sword One alone, every time Lu Chen contemplated that Sword Intent Imprint, he gained fresh insights. Once he unlocked more Sword Intent in the future, he would surely have to devote all his effort to studying and unraveling them. He simply did not have much energy to spare for other matters.

Even toward other Martial Arts, including the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, his attitude was merely that he could dabble in them, but there was no need to spend effort researching them deeply.

Thus, Hong Qigong's guidance meant more to him in broadening his horizons and deepening his foundations, while also serving as sparring practice to improve his combat ability.

A sparring partner on the level of the Five Greats was no ordinary opportunity.

Back in Shaoxing Prefecture, Huang Yaoshi had merely sparred with him for a few bouts, yet Lu Chen's practical combat ability had advanced by leaps and bounds. In his first real battle afterward, he had killed a bandit chief with dozens of lives on his hands, immense combat experience, and cultivation far above his own.

At the time, Huang Yaoshi had only used swordsmanship and barely employed any of his other Martial Arts.

Now, however, because of Huang Rong's cooking, Hong Qigong put even more care into sparring with him than Huang Yaoshi had. Sabers, spears, swords, halberds, whips, ropes, staffs, and clubs; fists, palms, fingers, claws, Movement Techniques, and leg techniques—he rotated through every kind of weapon and unarmed skill, allowing Lu Chen to witness the profound foundations of a Five Greats-level master.

Of course, although Hong Qigong knew an enormous variety of techniques, his martial philosophy was the same as Lu Chen's: excel in one path.

The only arts to which he had truly devoted his life's efforts were the Beggars' Sect's inherited Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and Dog Beating Staff Technique. Unlike Huang Yaoshi, he had not poured his heart into researching every skill until he trained each one to the utmost limit.

Even so, with Hong Qigong's martial cultivation, all of his other Martial Arts beyond the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and Dog Beating Staff Technique still ranked among the foremost in the martial world.

If he used his true skill, then even without the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms or Dog Beating Staff Technique, he could easily crush any master below the level of the Five Greats.

With such a comprehensive and formidable top-tier master of this world acting as his sparring partner, Lu Chen's horizons broadened enormously. His experience in using swordsmanship against all manner of weapons and unarmed techniques also rose dramatically, and his practical combat ability once again advanced by leaps and bounds.

By the seventh day, when Hong Qigong suppressed his cultivation to Lu Chen's level and fought him using only other Martial Arts rather than the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms or Dog Beating Staff Technique, he could no longer defeat him within five hundred exchanges.

Even when he used the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and Dog Beating Staff Technique, he still had to fight for around a hundred exchanges before he could defeat Lu Chen.

After this improvement, Lu Chen felt that no matter what extraordinary art or peerless technique he encountered in the future, so long as it had not reached the level of the Five Greats, he should no longer be caught completely off guard.

Several more days passed.

This day.

After another match, Hong Qigong had suppressed his cultivation and fought for a full hundred and fifty or sixty exchanges before finally disarming Lu Chen with the Dog Beating Staff Technique. He sighed with emotion, "In just over ten days, young Lu has trained the newly learned White Rainbow Swordplay to the point of consummate mastery. His Falling Blossom Swordplay has even surpassed its originator, exceeding Old Heretic Huang in his youth. Even an ordinary swordplay like the Maiden of Yue Swordplay has developed several traces of profound bearing in his hands. He truly deserves to be called a swordsmanship prodigy. It is only his cultivation that still lacks some tempering, but that is no great concern. You are still young; you have plenty of time to catch up."

Huang Rong's eyes lit up. "Seventh Master, from the sound of it, if Brother Lu Chen's cultivation rose to your level, would he be able to stand on equal footing with the Five Greats?"

Hong Qigong laughed heartily. "That still would not be enough. Young Lu knows too few sword arts. The Five Greats are powerful because, with almost any Martial Arts, so long as they are not defeated in a single stroke and get to witness it once, they can devise methods to counter or even break it right on the spot.

"So, to truly stand on equal footing with the Five Greats, cultivation alone is not enough. The few sets of swordplay young Lu has now are far from enough as well. He must cultivate a set of swordplay that the Five Greats cannot break.

"Take this old beggar's Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Its moves are plain and unremarkable; anyone can understand them at a glance. Yet this old beggar can boast that even if I performed the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms over and over a hundred times, none of the other Five Greats could break my Dragon Subduing Palms. At most, they could only contend against them.

"Of course, this old beggar likewise cannot break the signature arts of the other Five Greats. I can only contend against them as well. That is what it means to 'stand on equal footing.' Apart from cultivation, what young Lu lacks now is a unique signature skill."

Actually, Brother Lu Chen has a signature skill too, Huang Rong muttered inwardly.

But on second thought, his signature move, Sword One, could not yet be controlled freely, and there was only that one strike. Thus, for now, it could not be counted as a unique skill capable of standing on equal footing with the Five Greats.

Lu Chen was pondering as well.

The Maiden of Yue Swordplay, Falling Blossom Swordplay, and White Rainbow Swordplay could not be considered signature arts in the eyes of the Five Greats.

As for Heavy Swordplay, his attainments did not match Yang Guo's, so it still could not be considered a signature art.

Even if he could one day wield "Sword One" with perfect mastery, it was still only a single sword strike.

The move itself was still a simple, straightforward thrust. When facing a master, he would first have to use other Martial Arts to create the most suitable opening before he could unleash it. After all, a true master would not stand rooted to the spot and wait to be stabbed. Thus, this move could only be considered a decisive killing blow, not a complete martial art capable of contending with masters on equal footing.

At least at this stage—and perhaps for a long time to come—he likely could not instantly unleash Sword One and leave his enemy with nowhere to evade, no matter the circumstances, forcing them to take it head-on.

So, at this stage, how was he supposed to forge his own signature art?

In truth, he had already given this some thought.

He would incorporate the essence and spirit of "Sword One" into the several sword arts he currently possessed, amplifying their power.

And he had already put this idea into practice.

He had incorporated some superficial traces of "Sword One" into Maiden of Yue Swordplay, Falling Blossom Swordplay, Heavy Swordplay, and even the newly mastered White Rainbow Swordplay. Any moves related to "thrusting" had become exceptionally powerful.

Otherwise, Seventh Master would not have praised his swordsmanship as "at the height of perfection," even saying that "the blue surpasses the indigo."

Yet merely incorporating a few superficial traces was still not enough.

At the very least, it was nothing before the Five Greats.

He needed to gain a deeper understanding of the Sword One Imprint, comprehend more principles of the sword, and weave all of Sword One's essence and spirit into his sword arts.

Only then could he form a complete set of signature sword techniques.

"Then, Seventh Master, where does Brother Lu Chen's Martial Arts rank in the Martial Arts World now?"

"In the Martial Arts World... if it's one-on-one, Lu boy probably has no opponents aside from a few old fellows. But it's hard to say for certain. Anything can happen in real combat. If one grows arrogant and overconfident, careless and contemptuous of an enemy, even a master can stumble in a gutter. And if the weak are good at seizing opportunities, it isn't impossible for the weak to overcome the strong."

"I understand! Brother Lu Chen's Martial Arts can only be suppressed by old-timers like you, Seventh Master!"

Huang Rong selectively ignored all the warnings that followed, taking in only Seventh Master's first statement. She was so delighted that her eyes curved into crescents.

That night, she prepared another tableful of fine dishes, and Hong Qigong ate to his heart's content.

After eating, Seventh Master wiped his mouth and laughed heartily.

"Lu boy has advanced at astonishing speed, and Rong'er and Mochou have each gained something as well. This old beggar has nothing left to teach you. I'm off!"

With that, his figure flashed. He swept onto the wall and was about to fly away.

Lu Chen and Li Mochou hurriedly called out their thanks.

"Many thanks, Seventh Master, for imparting your arts!"

Huang Rong cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted at Seventh Master's retreating back.

"Seventh Master, you still haven't taught us the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms!"

Hong Qigong staggered, then turned back and laughed as he scolded her.

"Rong'er, you're far too greedy. You want to learn the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms? Have Lu boy acknowledge me as his master and join the Beggars' Sect first!"

With that, he drifted away.

Well, Hong Qigong actually had taught Lu Chen one move from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms: Divine Dragon Swings Tail.

He had taught him that move so that if Lu Chen were ever attacked from both front and rear and could not handle everything at once, he could still spare a moment to fend off a sneak attack from behind.

And for Lu Chen, having that one palm strike was enough.

After all, he intended to specialize in the way of the sword. He truly did not have the time or energy to train a powerful palm art like the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms—a palm art that looked plain and unremarkable in its moves, yet could occupy a person's lifelong study and evolve into countless unique methods of exerting force.

So learning Divine Dragon Swings Tail to deal with attacks from behind, then taking some time to practice it each day after sword training, suited him perfectly.

Seventh Master was gone and probably would not return. Huang Rong and Li Mochou both felt somewhat forlorn.

Lu Chen felt some regret as well.

He felt that his current potential had not yet been fully squeezed dry. If Seventh Master had stayed to spar with and guide him for another month or so, placing him under even greater pressure, his signature sword art incorporating the essence of Sword One could have taken shape faster.

Unfortunately, Seventh Master was simply the sort who could never sit still. He loved roaming everywhere.

The fact that he had patiently served as Lu Chen's sparring partner for over ten days this time was already thanks to Rong'er's cooking.

At that moment, Li Mochou suddenly said, "Brother Lu, can you spar with me at full strength?"

Over the past few days, she had not only learned White Rainbow Swordplay, but also exchanged several bouts with Hong Qigong and received much guidance from him. Feeling that her practical combat ability had advanced by leaps and bounds, she wanted to see how great the gap between her current skills and Lu Chen's still was.

Lu Chen had received Seventh Master's praise for swordsmanship at the height of perfection. Compared to the Five Greats, he lacked only inner power and a signature technique. In the Martial Arts World, only a few elders such as Seventh Master could suppress him. If she could trade blows evenly with Lu Chen while he fought at full strength... well, trading blows evenly was rather unlikely.

But if she could at least last a hundred moves, would that not prove that her strength, too, had a place in the Martial Arts World?

Seeing Li Mochou's eager expression, Lu Chen did not decline. He picked up a practice Wooden Sword.

"At full strength?"

Li Mochou also picked up a practice Wooden Sword and nodded firmly.

"At full strength!"

"Alright."

Lu Chen smiled faintly and did not hold back. He thrust straight out with his sword. Though it was only a Wooden Sword, this thrust, infused with a superficial trace of Sword One, made Li Mochou feel a chill between her brows. Every hair on her body stood on end, and she had the illusion that she might die beneath that sword at any moment.

Fortunately, she truly had improved greatly during this time. At the critical moment, her Wooden Sword suddenly flicked upward and blocked Lu Chen's sword. She had expected to knock his Wooden Sword aside, but Lu Chen merely turned his wrist, lightly pressing his Wooden Sword downward. At the same time, a forceful burst of power erupted from the blade, sweeping her Wooden Sword away instead and leaving her center wide open.

Lu Chen pressed the advantage with his Wooden Sword, lunging forward in a flash. With a sudden thrust, he struck Li Mochou squarely in the chest.

Though the sword merely touched her before withdrawing and did not injure Li Mochou, her eyes still flew wide, her face full of disbelief.

Her Martial Arts had clearly improved greatly, yet with Brother Lu going all out, she had actually been defeated in just two strokes?

Huang Rong comforted her from the side:

"Don't lose heart, Sister Mochou. This time, Brother Lu Chen struck first and caught you off guard. Fight another round—if you attack first, you'll definitely last a few more moves."

That comfort from Rong'er...

Li Mochou gave Huang Rong a speechless look, then rallied herself and attacked first. Her Wooden Sword shot out with a hiss. Midway through the thrust, her fair wrist trembled, and with several hissing flicks, she stabbed repeatedly, shrouding several vital points across Lu Chen's chest and abdomen.

Lu Chen smiled faintly. His wrist spun swiftly, and with a casual flourish, his Wooden Sword became a ball of impenetrable phantoms, intercepting every one of Li Mochou's thrusts. The force in his sword even numbed her fingers and palm, making her wrist tremble.

Before she could dispel the rebounding force, Lu Chen's longsword suddenly traced an ethereal arc, slicing straight for her neck.

She hurriedly stepped through graceful footwork and dodged backward, but Lu Chen moved with his sword, following her like a shadow. No matter how she employed her Movement Technique, she could not widen the distance. She could only summon all her strength to swing her sword up in defense—but at the instant their swords collided, Lu Chen's internal force burst from his blade. With a snap, her Wooden Sword was shattered. Lu Chen's Wooden Sword then met no further obstruction as it lightly swept across her neck.

"..."

Li Mochou froze again. She had not expected that even after attacking first this time, she still could not withstand three moves from Lu Chen.

Seeing Li Mochou standing there blankly, her face pale, Huang Rong could not help asking with concern:

"Sister Mochou, are you all right?"

Lu Chen also voiced his concern:

"Miss Mochou, did I hurt you?"

"N-No."

Li Mochou shook her head and touched her neck.

"Brother Lu's sword did not exert any force. How could it have hurt me? I just... never expected the gap between Brother Lu and me to be this enormous."

Huang Rong consoled her:

"Although Brother Lu Chen's cultivation cannot compare to the Five Greats, it is already at the very top rank in the martial world. Even Seventh Master has highly praised his swordsmanship. It is only natural that you cannot match him, Sister Mochou. There is no need to be too disheartened."

Lu Chen also offered comfort:

"Miss Mochou's swordsmanship is actually already quite formidable. It is only that your cultivation is still shallow. But that cannot be helped—internal cultivation cannot be achieved overnight. I possess this level of skill only because I encountered a rare fortuitous opportunity."

"Mhm." Li Mochou nodded, composed herself, and broke into a radiant smile. "I'm fine. It is better to be defeated by Brother Lu in a few moves and learn my shortcomings than to overestimate myself, only to be defeated and killed by an enemy in a life-and-death battle someday."

Huang Rong said with a grin, "It's good that you can think that way!"

Li Mochou took a deep breath and looked at Lu Chen and Huang Rong. After a moment's hesitation, a trace of reluctance flashed through her eyes, but she still said resolutely:

"Sister Rong'er, Brother Lu, I intend to return to my sect."

"Ah?" Huang Rong was taken aback. "Why? Didn't you say you wanted to roam the martial world with us?"

Although Li Mochou's return to the mountain would mean she could play freely with Lu Chen again, the days they had spent together had forged a deep friendship between her and Li Mochou. Hearing so suddenly that Li Mochou was leaving, Huang Rong truly felt reluctant to part with her.

Besides, Lu Chen had not even learned her Ancient Tomb Swordplay yet.

Li Mochou smiled.

"Since I know that cultivation is my weakness, I should find a way to make up for it. My sect possesses a treasure that can help one rapidly increase one's cultivation. I used to dislike suffering through that kind of hardship, so I did not use that treasure often, and my progress was quite ordinary. Now that I know how important cultivation is, I naturally must return and train bitterly to make up for this shortcoming."

After a pause, she continued with a smile:

"Roaming the martial world this time and meeting Rong'er and Brother Lu has been my great fortune. Thanks to you, I received Seventh Master's teachings and guidance. And only by following you did I witness the true martial world. When I return to the mountain this time, I will cultivate diligently. Once my cultivation is presentable, I will leave the mountain again and meet with you."

Hearing her heartfelt words, Huang Rong felt even more reluctant to part. After thinking for a moment, she asked:

"Where is Sister Mochou's sect?"

"On Mount Zhongnan."

"That isn't far at all..." Huang Rong looked at Lu Chen. "Brother Lu Chen, how about we escort Sister Mochou back to her mountain first, then go to Shaolin? Xiangyang is not far from Guanzhong anyway, and Chang'an is not far from Dengfeng either."

At Rong'er's suggestion, Li Mochou, whose eyes had been filled with reluctance, immediately looked delighted. Her face full of expectation, she looked toward Lu Chen.

But as Lu Chen listened to Rong'er's proposal, he thought of Chongyang's Legacy Inscription within the Ancient Tomb's secret chamber.

Chongyang's Legacy Inscription seemed to contain the Muscle and Bone Strengthening Chapter?

And the Muscle and Bone Strengthening Chapter contained both seated meditation and external training from the outside inward. Not only could it rapidly increase one's cultivation, it could also improve one's innate physique to a certain degree...

Rong'er was lively by nature and disliked sitting in meditation.

Though Lu Chen's cultivation was already deep, if he relied on ordinary training, catching up to the Five Greats would still require an extremely long time.

So, making a trip to Mount Zhongnan and having Li Mochou lead them to the Ancient Tomb really did seem like a good path?

He immediately smiled slightly at Huang Rong.

"Fine. We'll escort Miss Mochou back to her mountain."

Li Mochou's face instantly lit up with delight, and she smiled brilliantly.

I forgot to set up automatic updates and overslept again, haha. Today's another double chapter—please send your monthly votes!