Wuxia 2

"What did you say?"

Liu Zhong had sharp ears and heard Song Qinghua's quiet mutter. He was greatly surprised.

How had Song Qinghua come out with such a prophetic remark?

Did he know what was going to happen?

Was he a transmigrator or a reincarnator?

But that didn't seem likely!

He had raised his younger brother himself. If Song Qinghua had transmigrated or been reborn, he would have noticed long ago.

"What?"

Song Qinghua looked up at Liu Zhong, bewildered.

The resentment and gloom on his face had vanished.

"Nothing." Liu Zhong smiled faintly. "Come on, practice your sword. Father will be checking our progress later."

Song Qinghua immediately began waving the wooden sword in his hand, startled into action.

Liu Zhong followed suit.

His gaze settled on Song Qinghua as he studied him closely.

The Song Qinghua before him was his younger brother, the boy he had raised from childhood.

The scene just now hadn't been an illusion, and he hadn't misheard.

It was just that Song Qinghua seemed to have some secret hidden inside him. It wasn't time for that secret to be revealed yet—not even Song Qinghua himself knew what it was.

All Liu Zhong could do was wait.

Wait for Song Qinghua to reveal the secret himself.

That secret was probably connected to Song Qinghua's attitude toward the people of Wudang.

Time passed quickly. In less than half a month, Zhang Sanfeng's hundredth birthday would arrive.

Liu Zhong saw his seventh martial uncle, Mo Shenggu, hurry in with a letter, excitement written all over his face. "Eldest Brother, Fourth Brother, Sixth Brother! Second Brother sent a letter. He says he's found Fifth Brother and is bringing him back to Wudang Mountain. They'll definitely arrive in time for Master's hundredth birthday—and give him a huge surprise!"

Song Yuanqiao and the others were overjoyed. They all used their lightness skills to leap over to Mo Shenggu and reach for the letter in his hand.

Song Yuanqiao took the letter and read it quickly, then passed it to Zhang Songxi beside him.

After Zhang Songxi finished, he handed it to Yin Liting.

Everyone's faces lit up when they had finished reading.

Song Yuanqiao said with relief, "Fifth Brother isn't just coming back—he's bringing his wife and son, too. Wonderful, wonderful!"

All his junior brothers were getting on in years, yet none of them had married. As their eldest brother, he'd worried himself sick over it.

Now one of his junior brothers was not only married but had a child as well. How could Song Yuanqiao not be relieved?

Qingshu and Qinghua would have a little martial uncle now. He'd have to make sure they looked after Fifth Brother's child.

Song Yuanqiao's thoughts were all rosy. He didn't notice the gloom that crossed his younger son's face at the mention that Zhang Cuishan's son was named Zhang Wuji.

Liu Zhong noticed.

Ever since he had heard Song Qinghua's words that day, Liu Zhong had been keeping an eye on him.

Once again, he saw Song Qinghua's expression change.

Both times, it had something to do with Zhang Cuishan and his son.

A suspicion took shape in Liu Zhong's mind.

His younger brother, Song Qinghua, might well be the original Song Qingshu, reborn.

It was just that the reborn Song Qingshu had none of his past-life memories and had grown up like an ordinary child.

But hearing the name of Zhang Wuji, his old enemy from his previous life, had stirred something in him, bringing those past-life feelings of hatred to the surface. He himself wasn't even aware of them.

Liu Zhong reached over and stroked his younger brother's head, feeling that raising a child was a long and arduous task.

He absolutely wouldn't let his younger brother go down the same path he had in his previous life.

He had to make sure his brother stayed healthy in mind and spirit. He couldn't let the emotions of his past life affect him.

"Come on, let's go catch some pheasants in the back hills." Liu Zhong took his younger brother by the hand and led him toward the hills. "I'll make you beggar's chicken."

Wudang Mountain was Daoist territory. Most of the people in the Wudang Sect were Daoists, and they ate light vegetarian dishes, with very little meat.

Whenever Liu Zhong craved meat, he would take his younger brother to the back hills to hunt wild rabbits and pheasants.

During the apocalypse, Liu Zhong had spent a long time living outdoors. The soldiers who protected him had taught him how to barbecue in the wild, and he'd learned how to make the meat taste even better.

Both brothers had become skilled in martial arts and lightness skills. It didn't take long for them to catch three pheasants.

Song Qinghua deftly removed the pheasants' innards and plucked their feathers.

Liu Zhong washed the wild greens and mushrooms he'd gathered, stuffed them into the pheasants, and evenly coated the birds with his homemade seasoning. He wrapped them in clean, broad leaves, covered them in mud, and placed them in the fire.

The brothers had a secret base in the back hills, stocked with all kinds of seasoning they'd bought at the foot of the mountain, along with pots, bowls, chopsticks, and a kitchen knife.

They had built an earthen stove by the cave entrance.

The fire in the stove was already burning. Liu Zhong put a scaled fish into the pot and made a pot of fish soup.

By the time the soup was ready, the beggar's chicken was cooked, too.

Liu Zhong cracked the hardened mud open. The delicious aroma drifted out, carrying a long way.

A gray shadow flashed through the forest. The next moment, a figure appeared before the two boys.

"Ha ha! This old Daoist is in for another delicious meal."

The visitor was none other than Zhang Sanfeng, the Wudang Mountain Sect's greatest treasure.

The two boys respectfully greeted their grand martial master, then deftly brought out the bowls and chopsticks.

Song Qinghua ladled Zhang Sanfeng a bowl of fish soup. Liu Zhong set one of the beggar's chickens on a plate and served it to Zhang Sanfeng.

They had done this many times before.

Zhang Sanfeng had discovered them the first time they cooked food in the hills and secretly ate it. After that, he became their dining companion.

It was only because Zhang Sanfeng had given his approval that the other members of the Wudang Sect had left the brothers alone to sneak food in the back hills.

The three of them enjoyed their meal and chatted casually.

Song Qinghua asked Zhang Sanfeng about some martial arts principles he didn't understand. Zhang Sanfeng patiently explained them to him, never brushing him off just because his questions were simple.

Liu Zhong gnawed on a chicken foot and thought for a moment. In the end, he didn't mention that Yu Lianzhou's letter had said Zhang Cuishan was coming back.

They wanted to surprise Zhang Sanfeng, so he wouldn't spoil it.

Zhang Sanfeng was very pleased with Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua's aptitude for martial arts. What pleased him most was that they took their foundational studies seriously, unlike other young people who were eager to learn more advanced inner arts and martial techniques.

They didn't realize that foundations were the most important thing.

The principles of many martial arts were contained in the fundamentals.

Trying to learn advanced techniques without first understanding the basics was like building a tower in the air. It might look impressive, but it was hollow and unstable, and could easily collapse.

Forget about developing great strength—they might even suffer a deviation in their cultivation.

The brothers had already built a solid foundation. They could now learn advanced martial arts.

After Song Qinghua finished asking his questions, Zhang Sanfeng said, "The two of you have built a solid foundation. You can start learning the Wudang Nine Yang Skill now."

Song Qinghua's eyes lit up at once.

He'd actually wanted to practice advanced inner arts for a long time, but Liu Zhong had stopped him, saying the basics mattered most and that he had to cultivate his basic inner skill to perfection.

Since Liu Zhong was doing the same himself, Song Qinghua hadn't been upset. He had obediently listened to his older brother.

Now that their grand martial master had said they could learn the Wudang Nine Yang Skill, Song Qinghua was thrilled and eager.

He was already imagining himself learning advanced martial arts, going down the mountain to explore the world, and making his mark across the jianghu.