"Sigh! We're all from the same sect, do we really have to fight to the death, until everyone is wiped out, before we're satisfied?"
Staring at Wang Hao with murderous intent for a long time, Feng Qingyang suddenly sighed, all his killing intent receding into his body. His expression was pained, and his figure became hunched.
As someone who personally experienced that tragedy, he truly didn't want to see that horrific scene repeat itself, and...
Wang Hao's face remained cold as he said resentfully, "Although I was taken in by my master after he left the Mount Hua Sword Sect and did not experience the Sword Qi War of that year, I have heard my master often talk about the situation back then."
If the Qi Faction had won through genuine skill, my Sword Faction wouldn't be a sore loser. But what did they do? To lure away Grandmaster Feng, the strongest expert in my Sword Faction, they resorted to such despicable tricks. How can my master accept this?"
At this point, Wang Hao used his strength to stimulate his eyes, making them bloodshot and filled with tears as he said, "Grandmaster Feng, you have no idea how much suffering Master and Uncle have endured all these years! Without the sect to rely on, we have to find our own solutions to everything. To this day, Master and the two Uncles live in a simple thatched hut, and they have to think long and hard to even buy new clothes for their disciples and grand-disciples."
The master and his uncle practiced swordsmanship every day, but they didn't even dare to use real swords, for fear of damaging them. They only used wooden swords that they had carved out for practice.
Every time I see my master and uncles secretly shedding tears over the handful of soil they took with them when they left Mount Hua, can you understand how heartbroken I am? From the time I was old enough to understand, I vowed to lead my master and uncles to reclaim Mount Hua Sword Sect, our home. No one can stop us from returning home!
Wang Hao became more and more excited as he spoke, and his acting became more and more dramatic. He even shed a tear at the end.
Basically, just portray it as tragic as possible, and act it out in a way that's sure to move people's hearts!
These words truly upset Feng Qingyang. He glanced at the bundle of weapons that Wang Hao had left on the ground, but had no doubt about Wang Hao's words.
If they're this frugal, how could it be fake?
Compared to the lives of Feng Buping by Wang Hao, Yue Buqun's side was much more comfortable, at least the Mount Hua Sword Sect still had a considerable amount of wealth.
He also understood that martial arts training was a very expensive, or rather, a money-burning profession. The weapons required needed to be crafted with money, and the swords of a Grandmaster like Feng Buping had to be at least made of Thousand-Forged Refined Steel.
A sword of that caliber would cost at least a thousand taels of silver, not to mention the various medicinal herbs needed for cultivation—the quantity of which is simply unimaginable.
If you have a sect to rely on, that's fine, but if you don't have that support, you're really in trouble.
The thought of the hardship his disciples and grand-disciples were living filled Feng Qingyang with a sudden sense of guilt.
You must know he's the strongest expert in the Sword Faction!
It was because of him that the Sword Faction lost the Sword Qi War back then, and even all the masters perished. In recent years, he has not been able to shoulder the responsibility of being the number one master of the Sword Faction, but instead has been secretly hiding here to grieve in secret.
Compared to his three junior apprentices who are still working hard, he is far inferior!
Moreover, what this kid said is true; Feng Buping and the other two just want to go home, back to their home, the Mount Hua Sword Sect!
only...
"Is reconciliation really impossible?"
Feng Qingyang spoke again, advising, "The conflict over sword energy was a mistake from the start. What's the point of continuing to fight? As a member of the Sword Faction, you should understand the Sword Faction's fatal flaw. The Sword Faction's path is not a long-term solution."
Furthermore, you see that there were no sword qi disputes at Shaolin Temple, no Sword Qi War at the Wudang Sect, and none of the other sects had such bizarre conflicts. This has already proven that we were wrong, and I hope that you younger generation will not continue down this path of error!
Wang Hao remained unmoved, firmly denying it. "No, the Qi Faction is wrong, not our Sword Faction. My master has already discovered the unique Great Dao of our Sword Faction, and the Foundation Establishment Sword Art is the foundation of everything."
At this point, Wang Hao looked directly at Feng Qingyang again and said in a deep voice, "After fighting for so long, didn't Grandmaster Feng see the true secrets of the Foundation Establishment Sword Art? And why does his grand-disciple possess such cultivation and strength at such a young age?"
"Could it be...?"
Reminded by Wang Hao, Feng Qingyang seemed to understand something, his eyes widened, and his face was full of disbelief.
He had previously vaguely sensed that the Foundation Establishment Sword Art possessed the ability to temper the body, making it a formidable external martial art.
If one cultivates for a long time, one will temper one's physical body while practicing sword techniques, which is also a way to increase one's cultivation level.
This fills a gap in the Sword Faction's Body Refinement: even without diligently cultivating internal energy, one can still improve their cultivation level while practicing sword techniques, achieving an external martial arts level that is said to be Invincible among those of the same level.
Wang Hao's formidable combat prowess was just demonstrated in this regard.
He hadn't been sure before, so he hadn't considered it, but it turned out to be true!
But how is that possible?
"Impossible. Although your master, Feng Buping, is quite talented, there's absolutely no way he could have created such an astonishing martial art."
Feng Qingyang simply didn't believe that Feng Buping could create such a perfect and astonishing divine skill. After all, even Sword Dao prodigy like himself didn't have this ability, let alone anyone else.
There must be something fishy going on here!
Wang Hao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, " The Foundation Establishment Sword Art Foundation Establishment Sword Art indeed not entirely created by my master. Rather, it was created based on a fortuitous encounter. As for what that fortuitous encounter was, that is a secret of our sect. Please forgive me for not revealing it to outsiders."
When Wang Hao said the word "outsider," he emphasized it and stared intently at Feng Qingyang opposite him, clearly referring to the old man as the outsider.
Feng Qingyang could only smile wryly at this, but there was nothing he could say. After all, he had been incompetent in his work all these years!
"I admit that your Foundation Establishment Sword Art is perfect, but it is only useful below the Grandmaster Realm. Once you break through to the Grandmaster Realm, you still need to cultivate internal energy. Moreover, it is too difficult to break through to the Grandmaster Realm with external skills alone and generate internal energy from the outside. Even if there are exceptionally talented people who succeed, they are just exceptions."
One person alone cannot support the Mount Hua Sword Sect!
Feng Qingyang still didn't give up and tried to persuade him again.
He truly didn't want to see the sword energy conflict continue. The first one had already severely weakened the Mount Hua Sword Sect, almost wiping them out. If it happened again, they would definitely be finished.
Moreover, she's also a member of the Qi Faction!
Wang Hao calmly replied, "Grandmaster Feng is mistaken. It's not difficult to cultivate external martial arts to the Grandmaster Realm and generate true qi from the outside in, especially against Foundation Establishment Sword Art. As for the secrets involved, please forgive me for not revealing them to outsiders."
Upon hearing the word "outsider" again, a vein throbbed on Feng Qingyang's forehead, but his curiosity only grew stronger.
He didn't think Wang Hao was lying, after all, the kid's cultivation level was undeniable, with Super-First-Rate external martial arts skills.
To cultivate external martial arts to Super-First-Rate level at such a young age is truly astonishing; no one would believe there wasn't a secret behind it.
Although he was very curious about the secrets within, he couldn't ask, since he was still considered an "outsider" in the other party's eyes!
He really couldn't bring himself to ask.
However, before he could calm down, Wang Hao's next words startled him and stirred him up again.
"Once we break through to the Grandmaster Realm, we won't cultivate so-called true qi, but rather sword qi! We'll cultivate sword qi directly within our dantian and meridians!"
Once we've completed this step, we will surely ensure that the glory of "Fist from Shaolin, Sword Return to Mount Hua " resounds once again throughout the martial world!
After speaking, Wang Hao unleashed the hidden True Spirit Sword Intent within his body, his expression becoming incredibly Haki, as if he didn't care about any of the Hero in the world.
Moreover, this is not just idle talk; he genuinely envisions this as the next step in his Foundation Establishment Sword Art training.
"This... this is Sword Intent?"
Staring at Wang Hao in disbelief once again, Feng Qingyang truly didn't know how to describe his feelings at that moment.
It was already astonishing that the kid's external martial arts skills had reached the Super-First-Rate level, but who would have thought that he would also comprehend Sword Intent.
The sword energy of the Grandmaster Realm expert is a product of the fusion of Sword Intent and acquired Acquired True Qi within the body. Since this kid has already comprehended Sword Intent, it is very possible that he can directly cultivate sword energy within his body in the future.
His powerful physique, honed through external martial arts training, is indeed capable of withstanding the circulation of sword energy within his body.
Although countless problems remain to be solved before we can achieve this, at least there is hope.
Moreover, this kid's confidence must have some basis in reality.
"Sigh! You should go!"
He opened his mouth, but Feng Qingyang was too ashamed to offer any further advice. In the end, he sighed, and his figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.
They've already paved such Great Dao for him; if he keeps trying to persuade them, he'll just be making a scene and truly become an "outsider" in this kid's eyes.
Therefore, it would be better to retreat first and plan for the future.
Feng Qingyang retreated swiftly, but Wang Hao, left behind, blinked in bewilderment, his mind completely blank.
Master Hao, where is my Nine Swords of Dugu?
I've wasted so much time and effort, playing the victim to this extent, and even described my Dali of "fist from Shaolin, sword from Mount Hua," and you haven't even shown the slightest appreciation before running away?
"That stingy old man, he's really wasting my feelings and time!"
After a long while, Wang Hao finally came to his senses and cursed angrily. He turned around and prepared to leave the Cliff of Reflection, but after taking a few steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back to pack up the weapons wrapped in his coat and put them back on his back.
He was now completely penniless. Even the little money he had spent on washing up and buying a whole roasted lamb at the inn was stolen from a group of bandits he encountered on the road.
However, after such a long time, the money was long gone. If they didn't want to go hungry, they had to find a way to make money, and these weapons were a good option.
Especially the weapons of the ten elders of the Demon Cult, which are all divine weapons of the highest level of Thousand-Forged Refined Steel, and can be sold for a lot of money.
Of course, this was just a casual sale.
If we're talking about ways to make money, he actually has them. For example, he could make a fortune by forging a few divine weapons made of Thousand-Forged Refined Steel.
But firstly, he wasn't in the mood, and secondly, he didn't have the free time.
Even this time, the main purpose was to use these weapons to gain Feng Qingyang's guilt and sympathy by playing the victim, in order to prepare for the planning of the Nine Swords of Dugu. That's why they were taken out of the cave.
In the end, they simply took the weapons with them and sold them, hoping to make use of them.
"Who are you? How dare you steal from my Mount Hua Sect? Do you really think my Mount Hua Sect has no one left?"
Just as Wang Hao reached the halfway point of Jade Maiden Peak, he suddenly encountered a beautiful woman heading up the mountain.
The beautiful woman sized up Wang Hao, and her expression immediately turned cold when she saw the Wang Hao on his back. She even drew her sword and shouted sharply.