Play It Safe

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, having displayed all his methods, Yue Buqun suddenly jumped out of the combat circle and said with a face full of sincerity:

"Many thanks for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

High emotional intelligence is indeed high emotional intelligence; even his concession was phrased so refined and detached, while simultaneously managing to flatter Li Mu.

Li Mu did not actively seek to boost his own reputation, but he would not refuse it when it was delivered to his doorstep.

"Junior Brother, you are too kind!"

Pausing for a moment, Li Mu feigned hesitation and said, "I observe that your sword technique has already reached a state of pure perfection, yet the cultivation of the sword path lies in refinement, not breadth.

Your temperament aligns well with the Nurturing Self Sword Technique; if you focus on refining it, I believe you will reap significant rewards."

Since Yue Buqun called it guidance, then he would truly provide it. Martial arts practice requires a degree of compatibility; a technique can only unleash its maximum power in the hands of the person most suited to it.

If Yue Buqun were a true gentleman, then practicing the Nurturing Self Sword Technique would naturally yield twice the result with half the effort; conversely, it would yield half the result with twice the effort.

"Many thanks, Senior Brother. Buqun is deeply grateful!"

A round of vapid, commercial mutual flattery allowed the onlookers below to experience what "brotherly friendship" and "gentlemanly conduct" truly meant.

The effect was immediate; after this performance, at least in the eyes of the sect elders watching the bout, neither of their impression scores would be low.

Do not be fooled by the fierce infighting between the Sword and Qi Factions into thinking that the disciples of the two factions must be at each other's throats; in reality, the sect's upper echelons wanted to extinguish this conflict more than anyone.

It was only due to power and interests that the two factions could not reach an agreement. As for the ideological dispute over "using Qi to control the sword" versus "using the sword to control Qi," that was not actually a major issue.

Qi Sect disciples had to practice sword techniques, and Sword Sect disciples had to diligently train their internal energy; it was merely a matter of sequence, and in essence, they were different paths leading to the same destination.

In fact, even now, Li Mu did not understand why the Sword and Qi Factions had descended into a bloodbath. At the very least, the current contradictions between the two factions had not reached the point of life-and-death struggle.

Let alone fighting to a mutual destruction, even if one side managed to wipe out the other without suffering any losses, the strength of a single faction alone could not support the current Mount Hua Sect.

As a hegemon of the Jiangnan martial arts world, the Mount Hua Sect had no shortage of enemies; once they showed signs of insufficient strength, a situation of wolves devouring a tiger would immediately emerge.

When that time came, not only would they lose their existing territory, but they might even face an existential catastrophe.

Martial arts sects that declined or even perished due to internal strife were common in the Jiangnan world. The sect's upper echelons could not have been unaware of this, yet in the end, the Sword and Qi Factions still went to war.

Doubts aside, the bouts continued. With a good start, Li Mu displayed his gentlemanly demeanor even more throughout the subsequent matches.

He not only gave his junior brothers a chance to showcase their cultivation but also provided suggestions on their shortcomings, with one lucky individual even achieving a breakthrough on the spot.

"The match on Ring Number Five has concluded; the winner is Li Bumu!"

As the voice of the uncle overseeing the bouts fell, a burst of cheers erupted from the crowd. It was clear that today's performance was highly effective, and he had gained a wave of supporters among his peers.

At this point, the grand competition had temporarily come to an end for Li Mu; he would have no chance to step onto the stage again until the final challenge matches.

Having had his fill of the limelight for the day, Li Mu decisively chose to slip away after exchanging greetings with his fellow disciples.

Arriving behind Zhou Qingyun, Li Mu cupped his hands and said, "Master, my bouts for today have concluded!"

Even though he knew Zhou Qingyun had been watching the matches, as a good disciple who respected his teacher, Li Mu still came to report immediately.

"Hm, your performance today was good. However, you must not become arrogant; the ranking matches that follow are the true test."

Zhou Qingyun said with feigned composure. Yet, the hidden smile at the corners of his eyes betrayed his inner joy; clearly, he was very satisfied with Li Mu's performance today.

To thrive in the Jiangnan martial arts world, one needs not only excellent martial arts but also a sharp mind and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Zhou Qingyun placed heavy emphasis on the word "test" at the end. Having navigated the workplace, Li Mu immediately sensed something unusual and asked:

"Please, Master, enlighten me!"

Seeing Zhou Qingyun habitually stroke his beard, he said earnestly, "In the upcoming matches, you may challenge anyone you wish, but you must not defeat Cai Buli and Yao Buzhou."

Cai Buli and Yao Buzhou were both prominent figures in the Mount Hua Sect, serving as the leaders of the 'Bu' generation disciples for the Sword and Qi Factions respectively. They held immense prestige among their peers and were hailed as the successors to the two factions.

Because Yao Buzhou had entered the sect three years earlier, he had always held a slight edge over Cai Buli in cultivation, though this advantage was not significant enough to make Cai Buli concede.

Both were geniuses of the sword path, having slain first-rate experts while still in the second-rate realm. Their cultivation had reached the first-rate level years ago, and it was rumored that many of the sect's elders were no match for them.

If it weren't for that "cheat" Feng Qingyang appearing out of nowhere and stealing the spotlight, the two would have been world-renowned long ago.

Rumors had it that this sect grand competition was orchestrated by the two of them, with the sole purpose of making a name for themselves in the Jiangnan world.

Li Mu had no interest in investigating the truth of these rumors; from start to finish, he had never considered them his opponents. Yet, judging by his master's tone, it seemed as if he were capable of defeating them.

The phrase "must not defeat" was quite profound; to an ordinary person, it simply meant "cannot win."

But Li Mu was different; through the bouts just now, he had gained a new understanding of his own strength.

If he were to strike with full force, he could take down the likes of Yue Buqun in three or five moves. Such combat power clearly exceeded the scope of an ordinary second-rate martial artist.

Before this, Zhou Qingyun had tested his skills, so he should have had an idea of his strength. Thus, this "must not defeat" carried a different layer of meaning.

"The tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind."

This martial arts world could tolerate a genius, but it could not tolerate a "heaven-defying" talent. Having one Feng Qingyang in the Mount Hua Sect was enough; having another would be unbearable for anyone. Even the Qi Sect would likely have its own thoughts.

Even the "cheat" Feng Qingyang had faced no shortage of schemes and plots during his growth. It was only because his enemies underestimated his rate of growth, combined with the protection of the Mount Hua Sect, that he had managed to mature.

The title of "Sword Saint" had echoed across the land, earned through a path of slaughter—slaughter that chilled the hearts of all who heard of it.

However, he is the protagonist now; just like in legendary novels, all schemes and calculations will ultimately become nourishment for the protagonist's growth.

"Many thanks for Master's teachings. This disciple knows his cultivation is limited and is far from being a match for the two senior brothers, so I will not rashly go up and invite humiliation."

He had never intended to stand out in the first place, and after Zhou Qingyun's reminder, Li Mu felt even more strongly that he should conceal his strength.

Deep down, he had already begun to hesitate about whether he should be even more cautious, for instance: by giving up the opportunity to challenge others later on.

Yet, thinking of the resources that could be obtained by reaching the top ten in the Grand Competition, Li Mu still decided to show off just a little bit.