Chapter 3 Yue Buqun

Looking at the houses ahead, with only a dozen or so cats and kittens inside, one could imagine how poor and difficult the current state of the Huashan Sect is.

If he wanted to scheme for Ning Zhongze, he could approach Old Yue directly.

Yu Xian began to calculate in his mind.

Should he first go to the Fuwei Escort Agency in Fujian to check in? To bring back the Canceling Evil Sword Manual and exchange it with Old Yue? Even if checking in didn’t yield the Canceling Evil Sword Manual, he knew where it was, and bringing it back wouldn’t be an issue.

It’s just… if the check-in gave him the Bie Xie Swordplay, what if the System made him automatically Cultivate and castrate his younger brother first? How would he bring happiness to the older sisters in the Jianghu?

No, no!

Moreover, Yu Xian felt that letting Old Yue follow the original plot’s path was actually quite cruel.

In his view, Old Yue was actually not bad. If it weren’t for the Sword Qi Dispute that left only him and Ning Zhongze remaining in the Qi Sect, his task of revitalizing Huashan would be a long and arduous one.

If it weren’t for Linghu Chong later turning out to be an ungrateful wretch, and the Songshan Sect viewing him as a thorn in their side and constantly plotting and pressuring him, Old Yue wouldn’t have been driven to self-castration to practice the sword.

In such an environment, Old Yue’s humanity gradually became twisted. For survival, for the Huashan Sect, he sacrificed too much.

If Feng Qingyang had passed the Lone Nine Swords to Yue Buqun, if Linghu Chong had told Yue Buqun about the secret cave in Siguo Cliff, Old Yue wouldn’t have had such a difficult time.

But Feng Qingyang didn’t, and Linghu Chong didn’t either. Yue Buqun could only rely on himself.

Therefore, Yu Xian felt that Old Yue’s descent into darkness was understandable.

It was true that he wanted to scheme for Ning Zhongze because Yue Buqun did not love Ning Zhongze; his heart only held Huashan and himself. However, Yu Xian still didn’t want Old Yue to walk the old path.

Yu Xian knew he wasn’t a good person, nor did he intend to be one. He didn’t admire Yue Buqun; in fact, he held no feelings of good or bad towards Yue Buqun because Yue Buqun had nothing to do with him.

He just didn’t want a thorn left between himself and Ning Zhongze in the future.

Yu Xian thought for a moment and decided to exchange the Lone Nine Swords for Ning Zhongze.

His Lone Nine Swords had already reached the stage of Perfection; even Feng Qingyang might not wield it better than him. Old Yue probably couldn’t reach his Realm without ten or twenty years.

What’s more, he still had the System, and he would acquire more Martial Arts later, so he wasn’t afraid of Old Yue regretting it and causing trouble for him later.

Actually, Yu Xian also couldn’t stand Feng Qingyang. Having such a powerful figure at Huashan, he watched helplessly as Huashan was bullied and gradually declined, while continuously looking down on Yue Buqun, who wanted to revitalize Huashan.

Moreover, if Feng Qingyang had simply shown some support for the Huashan Sect, Yue Buqun wouldn’t have struggled so much, and the Huashan Sect wouldn’t have declined.

Yu Xian wanted Yue Buqun to learn the Lone Nine Swords.

Yu Xian decided to exchange the Lone Nine Swords for Ning Zhongze. For Ning Zhongze’s sake, he also didn’t wish for Huashan to truly be ruined in Yue Buqun’s hands, as Huashan also embodied Ning Zhongze’s efforts over more than a decade.

Uh, he hadn’t even obtained Ning Zhongze yet, and he was already considering her situation.

Tsk tsk, Yu Xian couldn’t help but secretly mock himself.

However, the Lone Nine Swords relied on Comprehension Ability to grasp. Would Old Yue even be able to learn it?

Forget it, don’t think about it too much. Get Ning Zhongze first. Whether he can learn it or not is Yue Buqun’s business. It won’t concern him later anyway.

With the Huashan movement technique, Yu Xian moved around Huashan as if walking on level ground. He found a pool in the valley and finally got a clear view of his entire appearance.

Dressed in black like ink dyed into the Milky Way, his long robe trailed to the ground, dark patterns resembling swimming Dragons hidden in the plain satin. The hem swept over the bluestone, as if crushing moonlight.

His hair was tied up like a waterfall, an ornate hairpin reflecting off the ends, resembling silver scales leaping from a cold pool.

His sleeves fluttered lightly; where the wind passed, the black fabric wrinkled like spreading ripples. A jade belt cinched his waist, emphasizing his dashing figure, every inch steeped in ancient elegance.

Like a romantic figure stepping out of a poem or a painting.

Satisfied, truly too satisfied!

He used to look like a sunny young man, but now he carried a hint of cold detachment.

The System put a lot of thought into this outfit for him!

He silently retracted his raised thumb directed at the System slightly.

Yu Xian couldn’t be more satisfied with himself. With this appearance, wouldn’t all the older sisters in the Jianghu fall into his lap?

Yu Xian decided to visit Yue Buqun that evening.

Currently, Yu Xian possessed Martial Arts but had never used them, lacking any actual combat experience. Thus, Yu Xian found a tree branch and began practicing the Lone Nine Swords in the open space beside the pool with just that branch.

With a sword in hand—or rather, a branch—every Move was ethereal and elusive. Having Martial Arts was truly exhilarating! Yu Xian’s lips curved into an uncontrollable, wild smile.

After practicing a few times, he gained a deeper understanding of the essence of ‘No Move Defeats Any Move’. No wonder it was the top Swordsmanship in Xiao Ao; it could anticipate the enemy’s movements and break all Martial Arts under heaven.

Yu Xian felt he now lacked a sword—a good sword—to roam the Jianghu with.

After mastering the Lone Nine Swords until it was second nature, Yu Xian practiced the lost Swordsmanship techniques of the Five Peaks Sword Sect and the Yang Wu Swordsmanship.

Yu Xian discovered he had quite a talent for martial practice, as he quickly mastered various Swordsmanship techniques and could vary them at will.

However, as Yu Xian was practicing the Yang Wu Swordsmanship again, a cold glint pierced from the tree behind him.

Someone was ambushing him! And the attacker’s Martial Arts were not low!

Damn it, no martial virtue!

But thanks to the Martial Arts gained from practicing repeatedly just now, even though he only held a tree branch, Yu Xian was completely unafraid. He turned and casually deflected the stabbing long sword with his branch.

Seeing his first Move thwarted, the attacker unhesitatingly changed the sword Move, attacking Yu Xian again. The style appeared soft, but the Internal Energy was fierce, with every strike aimed directly at Yu Xian’s vital points.

This was Yu Xian’s first confrontation. He was slightly flustered at first, but quickly calmed down.

Judging by the opponent’s demeanor, he had already guessed who it was, and instantly resolved to use this chance to hone his Swordsmanship, sparring Moves with the attacker.

After exchanging dozens of Moves, the person gracefully retreated a few steps, ceasing the attack. He just stared at Yu Xian with a gloomy, vigilant expression.

He could feel that the handsome, well-built young man opposite him possessed Martial Arts superior to his own, and his Internal Energy was on par, but his Swordsmanship was far more refined.

More critically, this young man wielded the Huashan Swordsmanship even more flawlessly than he did. Even though he only held a tree branch, he knew he was no match for him!

“Who are you, why are you here, and why are you so familiar with our Huashan Swordsmanship?” His tone was gloomy, with a hidden hint of anger, yet well-restrained.

Seeing the opponent stop, Yu Xian also stopped attacking. After exchanging dozens of Moves with Yue Buqun, he had gained some real combat experience and benefited greatly.

He looked clearly at the man opposite him—a middle-aged uncle figure around fifty, dressed elegantly, refined and scholarly, with a five-willow beard framing his cheeks, a face like jade, radiating righteousness. Who else but Yue Buqun?

“Who I am is not important. What is important is that the dignified Huashan Sect Leader is only this much.” Yu Xian wore a slight smile of disdain, then tossed the branch in his hand, having no intention of continuing the fight.

Hearing this, Yue Buqun’s expression grew gloomier.

This young man was at most twenty years old, yet his skill was profound, and his Swordsmanship transcendent; he certainly had the capital to be arrogant.

Yue Buqun knew he was no match and could only endure it.

“Your Excellency is indeed highly skilled in Martial Arts, but this is the Huashan Sect!” Yue Buqun also sheathed his long sword, but his eyes were fixed tightly on Yu Xian.

Such a powerful figure suddenly appearing at Huashan made him wary.

“I naturally know this is Huashan, and I also know the long-held wish of Master Yue. Master Yue, lend me your sword!”

As Yu Xian spoke, he flashed to Yue Buqun’s front, snatched Yue Buqun’s long sword, then turned and gracefully retreated to a distance, beginning to demonstrate the Lone Nine Swords.