An afternoon rain had fallen.
Warm, moist air wrapped in a faint floral fragrance seeped into his nostrils, instantly clearing his mind.
Lu Wu-bing first went to the central courtyard to have lunch with his master and senior sister. Without delaying even a moment, he returned to the rear courtyard and focused on practicing his swordsmanship again.
Three days had passed since he had taken a master and received the teachings. Sect Leader Ouyang had not left, but whenever Lu Wu-bing occasionally observed his expression, he guessed that his Sect Leader Master was actually quite anxious.
Perhaps he was waiting for some news, or perhaps he was worried about something.
What exactly he was waiting for, Lu Wu-bing did not know, nor was it his place to ask. He merely cherished these days with a great expert at his side and practiced his swordsmanship without pause.
He hoped to break through [White Rainbow Pierces the Sun] to its next realm soon and gain some means of protecting himself.
"A person has to rely on himself. Just because I've successfully taken a master doesn't mean I can rest easy forever. In all things, before planning for victory, one must first plan for defeat. Little Cat, don't you think that's right?"
The little thing padding along at his heels let out a "meow," seemingly nodding in agreement.
Clearly, Mao Mao also believed that the danger still remained and had not truly gone far away.
The current situation was merely a temporary safety.
"Let's practice the sword first."
He practiced internal energy for one hour each morning and evening, and the drain on his mental strength and willpower had already reached its limit. He could not cultivate without end.
Now, on the second meridian cultivated by [Dripping Water Force], the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, he had already opened the three acupoints of [Shaoze], [Qiangu], and [Houxi].
His internal energy had grown somewhat stronger.
His use of the breathing and circulation method had also reached the realm of flowing naturally from long familiarity.
As for accelerating his cultivation further—
Lu Wu-bing could not rush it.
But swordsmanship was different. As long as his physical strength held out, he could keep practicing. When he was truly exhausted, he could lie down and rest for a while, then get back up and continue grinding away.
His ten sweat-drenched hours each day even left Senior Sister Xiaolan somewhat alarmed.
She had never seen anyone so "self-abusive."
All she could say was that a young man could mature overnight.
"Ninety-one thousand strikes."
"Ninety-one thousand and one strikes!"
Lu Wu-bing held the sword sheath at his waist with his left hand, while his right lightly rested on the hilt. With a sharp "clang," the blade turned into a white ribbon, then pierced the air with a hiss.
He sheathed the sword and did it again.
Like an emotionless machine, he repeated the motion endlessly, without the slightest trace of impatience.
Because he knew that what he held in his hand was not merely a sword—it was his fate.
The strength of the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] destiny lay in this: as long as he earnestly practiced a skill until it naturally became bodily instinct, he could steadily advance.
Ever onward, never stopping.
To Lu Wu-bing, this was an incomparably powerful [talent], one that completely ignored the level of one's innate comprehension and turned the impossible into possible.
Little Black Cat did not imitate her master in practicing swordsmanship. Instead, she chased the colorful butterflies among the flowering trees, occasionally hunching her back with extreme vigilance.
She had become accustomed to probing the movements in every direction at all times.
Suddenly, Mao Mao stopped jumping, turned her head toward the main hall, and let out a soft meow.
Lu Wu-bing sheathed his sword and heard faint footsteps approaching.
"Are you Junior Brother Wu-bing?"
Before him stood a gentle young man in his twenties, dressed in a light blue scholar's robe with a longsword slung across his back.
He looked over with a beaming smile, radiating warmth and approachability.
"Senior Brother Wu, you've returned. I have yet to thank you for protecting my Lu family."
Lu Wu-bing cupped his hands in salute.
Senior Sister Xiaolan was not the sort who could keep things to herself. Over the past few days, she had already laid bare every detail about the several direct disciples of the Celestial Star Sect.
This time, Sect Leader Master had not descended the mountain alone.
Second Senior Brother Tie Zhongshan was steady in temperament and upright in conduct, and had been away from Jiangzhou for some time. Third Senior Brother Wu Yunchong, meanwhile, was gentle by nature and got along with everyone.
He had also taken action during the clash with the Eastern Sea Sword Sect disciples that night. Afterward, he had left the city to investigate the news and had not returned until now.
"We're all brothers of the same sect. Helping one another is only our duty, so there's no need to be so polite."
Wu Yunchong smiled. His gaze lingered briefly on Lu Wu-bing's sweat-soaked clothes, and he shook his head. "Our sect's swordsmanship is easy to learn but difficult to master. You can't grow fat in a single bite. Junior Brother, there's no need for you to work this hard. If you injure your body instead, the harm will outweigh the benefit."
"Senior Brother is right. I've been too impatient."
Naturally, Lu Wu-bing would not speak of the secrets of his cultivation, much less foolishly argue against someone's concerned advice.
"Anyone would find it hard to sleep peacefully with a powerful enemy like the Eastern Sea Sword Sect watching from the side. Junior Brother Wu-bing's impatience is understandable.
"But since you have entered the Celestial Star Sect, your family's affairs are the affairs of our Celestial Star Sect. Even if Gu Dongting returns, he can forget about harming so much as a hair on your head."
Lu Wu-bing felt a faint warmth rise in his heart. No wonder Senior Sister Xiaolan always praised this Third Senior Brother for being accomplished in both letters and martial arts, and sincere in his treatment of others.
He had heard that the direct disciples on the mountain all had excellent relationships with him.
With words this pleasing, how could anyone not like him?
Wu Yunchong continued, "Over the past few days, I have already investigated the matter thoroughly. Gu Dongting of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect has publicly claimed that his actions against your Lu family are acts of vengeance.
"Because of this, the other martial artists of Jianghu find it difficult to interfere in the grudge between your two families, and can only watch helplessly."
Lu Wu-bing frowned. "Vengeance?"
He had never heard his parents mention this matter, nor did he know where such a grudge had come from.
"This matter begins seventeen years ago. At that time, the sect leader of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect was not Gu Dongting, but his father, Gu Qingyun. He once brought his young son, Gu Donglin, to the Hall of Returning Spring in Jiangzhou to seek treatment. Your grandfather refused him, and he flew into a furious rage, challenging him to a fight—only to suffer a crushing defeat.
"To the Lu family of the Hall of Returning Spring, this was merely a trivial matter. But to the Eastern Sea Sword Sect, it was an unspeakable humiliation. Not long afterward, Gu Donglin died when his injuries proved too severe to treat."
Lu Wu-bing's heart tightened.
From the Eastern Sea Sword Sect's perspective, this was no small grudge.
His grandfather, Lu Chengyun, had truly left a pit for his descendants.
He did not explain important matters.
He did not pass down important cultivation arts.
Who knew what he had been thinking back then?
All that could be said was that those capable of cultivating the true "Yuanling Swordplay Manual" could not be judged by ordinary standards.
And there was another point that puzzled him.
"Why did Grandfather refuse to treat Gu Donglin?"
"This matter cannot be blamed on your grandfather." Wu Yunchong's eyes were filled with reverence. "Old Senior Lu was compassionate and devoted to saving lives. Even if he encountered a beggar suffering from injury or illness, he would still treat him.
"But according to the information I uncovered, Gu Donglin had acted without restraint in those days and violated no small number of respectable young women. He even ruined a female disciple highly valued by Spirit Butterfly Valley, and was thus hunted down by an elder of the valley, who struck him with [Hundred Flowers Palm]."
At this point, Wu Yunchong laughed.
"Don't be fooled by the pleasant name [Hundred Flowers Palm]. In truth, it contains a flower poison formed through the wondrous blending of a hundred kinds of flowers and grasses. Anyone struck by it who does not know its prescription is beyond saving."
"That man truly deserved to die. It was better not to save him."
Lu Wu-bing finally understood.
So, the Eastern Sea Sword Sect's disciples had already been doing inhuman things seventeen years ago.
This sect clearly had corrupt morals. He had no idea how it had somehow managed to join the ranks of the righteous sects.
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