Yuanling Swordplay Manual

Everyone who knew of the Evil-warding Swordplay Manual knew its story.

As a transmigrator, Lu Wu-bing had naturally heard that tale of "drawing the blade for one swift stroke."

He had never imagined that Lin Ping-zhi's experiences would befall him.

Both were young masters, both had learned only three-legged-cat swordsmanship, their martial skills pathetically weak. Moreover, his own Hall of Returning Spring had wide-ranging business interests, dealing with both common folk and the authorities, with little entanglement in the martial world. Their lives had been peaceful and comfortable.

So much so that, without anyone to warn him, he could crack his skull open and still never have imagined that a famous major martial sect, renowned for its swordsmanship, would scheme after his family's sword manual.

This was profoundly unreasonable.

What was the reason?

A simple principle... no one fought over useless things.

The things people coveted were often treasures.

If the information I received is true, then there is only one possibility: there is a huge problem with our family's Yuanling Swordplay. Perhaps it was practiced incorrectly, perhaps the sword manual is fake, while the real manual is actually immensely formidable.

Most likely, Yuanling Swordplay is missing some crucial component, probably its matching inner cultivation method. No wonder I have looked at it every which way and still cannot see any power in this swordplay.

Glancing at his own crotch, Lu Wu-bing's expression suddenly turned extremely ugly.

"Mao Mao, secretly follow them and take a look. Hide well—don't let them discover you."

Lu Wu-bing set Little Black Cat on the ground and watched it dart into the crowd in a flash. Then he turned and headed into the residence. If the sword-wielding girl's information was true, he did not have much time left.

"The Yaoguang Sword she used is the signature swordplay of the Celestial Star Sect, one of the Three Divine Peaks. At her age, with such profound swordsmanship and inner cultivation, she should be Ouyang Lan, the daughter of the Celestial Star Sect's sect leader..."

Head Constable Li emerged beside him and said faintly.

"Three Divine Peaks?"

"Brother Changfeng never told you about the martial world in ordinary times? Then again, the Hall of Returning Spring specializes in medical arts. As the young master, you will inherit the family business in the future. You only need to practice your family's Six Yang Divine Needles well enough to cure illnesses and save people; there is no need to concern yourself with the storms and tempests of the martial world."

Could I say that I had transmigrated here, and the original owner's memories were not all that clear?

Among those scattered, fragmentary memories, only the deepest impressions remained. The trivial things the original owner had heard and seen in everyday life had not left a deep impression, so naturally they were absent from his memories.

Fortunately, Head Constable Li found nothing strange about it. He merely said meaningfully, "The righteous sects of the martial world speak of One Temple, One Mountain, Three Divine Peaks. They refer to the foremost inheritances.

One Temple needs no explanation. Everyone knows it refers to the Great Brahma Temple.

One Mountain is True Martial Mountain.

As for the Three Divine Peaks, they are the Purple Sun, Bright Moon, and Celestial Star Sects.

Mister Ouyang, the Celestial Star Sect's leader, is known as 'Righteousness Reaching the Heavens.' All his life, he has loved to support the weak and aid those in need. Both husband and wife enjoy excellent reputations, and they discipline their disciples with great strictness.

Every one of their disciples is outstanding. Their daughter, Ouyang Lan, is also blessed by heaven and earth, and her swordsmanship is no weak thing. As expected, beneath a great reputation, there are no hollow men."

Righteousness Reaching the Heavens?

Something stirred in Lu Wu-bing's heart. In the story, it was not merely one family or one sect that coveted the Evil-warding Swordplay Manual—everyone drooled over it.

If his family's Yuanling Swordplay truly was peerless swordsmanship, then now that his father Lu Changfeng's "weak-chicken" level had been exposed, outsiders would have no further scruples. Wouldn't the Lu family become meat on anyone's chopping block?

This was a dead end!

He had seen and heard far too much information in his previous life. He knew all too well what attitude martial artists held toward peerless secret manuals.

For some reason, he recalled once more the departing figure of that sword-wielding girl, and his brows knitted tightly together.

On his way back, before Lu Wu-bing had even entered the gate, he saw quite a few people climbing over the courtyard wall with bundles on their backs.

Several were swift and agile. The moment they landed, they broke into a run and quickly disappeared into the distance.

Those dressed as servants likewise seemed to wish they had grown a few more legs as they hurried away.

Lu Wu-bing halted, opening his mouth to call out. After thinking it over, however, he said nothing.

When disaster came, each flew his own way.

These guards and servants could leave if they wanted. He had never expected them to live and die alongside the Lu family.

Today's dead chickens and dogs had probably frightened them badly.

As though sensing Lu Wu-bing's foul mood, Little Black Cat, which had just run back, climbed up his trouser leg and into his arms. It rubbed its head against him, meowing repeatedly as it waved its tiny white paw in gestures.

Lu Wu-bing had inherited some of the original owner's tacit understanding with the cat. Silently, he glanced toward the place Little Cat had entered and exited.

"There are quite a lot of them... the inn around the corner?"

They were awfully close.

Did they not wish to interfere in someone else's grudge?

Or were they the mantis stalking the cicada, with the oriole waiting behind?

"Father, Mother..."

Lu Wu-bing rubbed his face, making his expression look less grim. When he returned to the rear hall, he found both his parents there.

"Good, well done. Those two strikes of yours earlier grasped the essence of speed, precision, and ruthlessness. At such a young age, you have already trained Yuanling Swordplay to such a level. One day, you will surely shine with dazzling brilliance."

Lu Changfeng lay slanted across the bed in the bedroom, his face ashen and bloodless. Seven silver needles had been inserted around the black palm print on his exposed chest. Though his breathing was short, his expression remained animated.

Your heart is truly big enough, old man. Our family is practically about to be wiped out.

Lu Wu-bing's brow twitched. He turned to look at the faint joy mingled with concern in his mother Chen Yulian's eyes and immediately understood.

Yes, although the Lu family had provoked a powerful enemy, which was terrifying, it was equally delightful to see that the younger generation of the family showed promise.

People could not live forever in gloom and sorrow. Only by seeking hope amid despair could life go on.

Lu Wu-bing shook his head. "That was not Yuanling Swordplay. It could not even be called swordsmanship—it was merely a sword thrust I figured out at random, seeking only speed. I suspect our family's Yuanling Swordplay may have been practiced incorrectly."

After thinking it over, Lu Wu-bing still chose to speak plainly.

For all these years, the Lu family had been less a martial force than a household of local gentry—a merchant family.

His father Lu Changfeng had simply never had the chance to see how vast the world outside was, nor how powerful the martial arts of those great sects could be.

There was an information gap between them.

"How could it be wrong? Back then, your grandfather taught Yuanling Swordplay move by move. And when your grandfather practiced his swordsmanship in daily life, I watched until I knew it by heart. There were no omissions or errors in the forms... cough, cough."

Lu Changfeng looked somewhat agitated, tugging at his injury and beginning to cough.

Clearly, it was not as though he had felt nothing was amiss. A supposedly powerful swordplay he had practiced for twenty or thirty years had actually failed to defeat a young disciple of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect.

That was simply too absurd.

It was practically a disgrace to the Lu family and a humiliation to his father.

But the Lu family governed itself through filial piety, rose through medicine, and out of his respect for his father, Lu Wu-bing utterly refused to think in a certain direction.

"Fine, fine, fine. If you say it is not wrong, then it is not wrong. Do not get worked up."

Lu Wu-bing did not argue.

Choosing his words carefully, he said, "Father, do you remember whether Grandfather left behind any inherited object before he passed away? The sort that descendants must not mention or touch, lest touching it bring endless calamity..."

At these words, Lu Changfeng's entire body shook. His pupils dilated as though he had recalled something, and an exceedingly conflicted expression appeared on his face.

His emotions surged. His head tilted to one side, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and he fainted.

"Master!" Chen Yulian's expression changed drastically.

Lu Wu-bing was dumbfounded.