Chapter 104

After calming his excited emotions, Chongxu smiled at Nie Yun and said, “I was so excited to see the relics of our patriarch that I couldn’t contain myself. I hope you’ll forgive me, Sect Leader Nie.”

Nie Yun shook his head and said, “Cultivators value sincerity the most. You are respectful to your teachers and keep in mind the ancestral teachings. I believe the spirits of your esteemed ancestors in heaven will be very pleased.”

“Sect Leader Nie, since you have sent these two items back to Wudang, you must know what they mean to our Wudang Sect.”

Chongxu looked up into the distance, a hint of shame flashing in his eyes. “This Zhenwu Sword was the personal sword of Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of our Wudang Sect, and has always been the sect’s most prized treasure. Over eighty years ago, several masters and elders of the Demonic Sect launched a night raid on Wudang Mountain, stealing the sword along with a copy of the *Tai Chi Classics* handwritten by our founder. A fierce battle ensued; three of our Wudang Sect’s top-tier fighters died, and although we also killed four elders of the Sun Moon Sect, we failed to recover the sword and the classics.” This is the greatest shame of my Wudang Sect. For over eighty years, every dying leader has left behind the instruction to retrieve this scripture and sword. However, Blackwood Cliff is heavily fortified. Although my disciples have repeatedly attempted to seize it, both openly and covertly, all have failed, and each time several lives have been lost on Blackwood Cliff. This old Daoist originally thought he would also meet his ancestral masters with this regret, but unexpectedly, today his wish has been fulfilled. After this old Daoist’s death, he can finally comfort all his former masters and sacrificed predecessors.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Yun sighed and shook his head, saying, “Back then, the Demonic Sect was powerful. Not only did the Wudang Sect suffer this calamity, but my Huashan Sect was also trampled down by them, and they stole a secret manual. You must have heard of this manual, it is the ‘Sunflower Manual’!”

Chongxu, being Fangzheng’s close friend, naturally already knew the ins and outs of this matter.

Moreover, the story of Yue Su and Cai Zifeng peeping at the “Sunflower Manual” was widely circulated in the martial arts world, and it could be considered a scandal of the Huashan Sect.

Hearing Nie Yun bring up this matter on his own initiative, Chongxu couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.

He paused for a moment, then asked curiously, “Sect Leader Nie, the True Martial Sword and the Tai Chi Classics have always been strictly guarded by the Demonic Sect. I wonder where you obtained them?”

Nie Yun asked with a smile, “Why don’t you take a guess, Daoist Master?”

Chongxu shook his head and said, “This is a real problem for me! Blackwood Cliff is heavily guarded, and Dongfang Bubai is a master of martial arts. Unless the entire Demonic Sect changes their ways, outsiders simply cannot obtain it.”

“It’s difficult in some ways, but not difficult in others!” Nie Yun raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. “All I need to do is infiltrate Blackwood Cliff and kill Dongfang Bubai!”

Chongxu laughed and said, “Sect Leader Nie really loves to joke!”

Nie Yun said solemnly, “Three days ago, Dongfang Bubai died by my hand.”

“What?” Chongxu suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on Nie Yun, his sharp gaze seemingly piercing through him.

“This matter will surely spread soon, so why should I tell such an easily exposed lie?”

Nie Yun also stood up, looking at Chongxu without showing any weakness, “I, Nie Yun, would never stoop to being a fraudster!”

The two stared at each other, neither willing to yield, their invisible auras clashing in the air, making the atmosphere in the entire Zhenwu Hall heavy.

The two Wudang disciples stood to one side, feeling as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on them. They lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.

Looking at Nie Yun’s completely unashamed demeanor, Chongxu couldn’t help but trust him more. However, this also stirred up a storm in his heart.

Although Dongfang Bubai did not make many moves, he has been a legend in the martial arts world for many years, making many people in the martial arts world turn pale at the mention of his name and remain silent.

Shaolin monk Fangzheng, Songshan monk Zuo Lengchan, and he himself were all exceptionally talented and skilled in martial arts, but none of them dared to claim that they could defeat this great demon who had been living in seclusion for many years.

Now Nie Yun says that Dongfang Bubai died by his own hand. Such a dazzling record, coupled with his unbelievably young age, is truly astonishing.

Chongxu sat back down, took a deep breath, and said to Nie Yun, “Sect Leader Nie, it’s not that I don’t believe it, but this matter is simply too unbelievable. Sect Leader Nie looks to be only twenty years old, while Dongfang Bubai is already a peerless master who has been famous for many years…”

“The martial arts world is never short of young geniuses. Doesn’t Master Chongxu remember Zhang Wuji, who fought against the six major sects at Bright Peak back then?”

Nie Yun smiled slightly, “Speaking of which, that Master Zhang has quite a deep connection with the Wudang Sect!”

“Oh? Sect Leader Nie actually knows that senior?” Chongxu’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this.

“Hehe…” Nie Yun sat back in his chair. “Although Emperor Hongwu deliberately downplayed this part of history after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, it was impossible to silence the people. Back then, Master Zhang appeared out of nowhere at Bright Peak, first saving the Ming Cult, then rescuing the six major sects at Wan’an Temple, and finally overwhelming all the heroes at the Lion-Slaying Assembly. At the tender age of twenty, he was already recognized by everyone as the best in the world. At that time, who would have brought up his age?”

As Nie Yun spoke, his heart also burned with excitement.

Although there are still many masters in the martial arts world now, compared with the turbulent times of “The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber”, the martial arts of this world have declined considerably.

If he ever has the chance to go to that era, he will definitely become a more powerful being than Zhang Wuji.

Upon hearing this, Chongxu fell silent, a hint of emotion appearing on his face, as if he were recalling Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of the Wudang School who once dominated the martial arts world and was revered by all.

Nie Yun glanced at Chongxu and said seemingly casually, “But back then, the Shaolin Sect was quite powerful. They even dared to come and provoke Zhang Sanfeng at his 100th birthday banquet. In the end, they forced Zhang Cuishan, the most talented second-generation disciple of Wudang, and his wife to their deaths in the Zhenwu Hall, leaving Zhang Wuji an orphan!”

Chongxu’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Nie Yun intently and said, “That was many years ago. It’s amazing that Sect Leader Nie remembers it so clearly!”

Nie Yun took a sip of tea and continued, “I have the utmost respect for Master Sanfeng, so naturally I know more about him. There are some things I may know even better than you, Master.”

“Oh?” Chongxu smiled faintly. “I wonder what else Sect Leader Nie knows?”

“There are many examples. For instance, the Shaolin School has always accused Zhang Sanfeng of stealing their martial arts to found the Wudang School, and they have always looked down on your school. Or, when Zhang Sanfeng was over 100 years old, he went to the Shaolin Temple to seek the Shaolin Nine Yang Skill, but was turned away. He sat down halfway up the mountain and left without even having a cup of tea.”

Nie Yun spoke these words casually, yet they caused Chongxu to change color drastically.

Seeing that Chongxu was about to explode, Nie Yun continued with his shocking remarks: “There was also Du Dajin, a lay disciple of Shaolin, who escorted Yu Daiyan, the Third Hero, back to Wudang Mountain. However, he failed in his duty, resulting in Yu Daiyan’s joints being crushed and him being paralyzed in bed for more than ten years. Zhang Cuishan, the Fifth Hero, was even said to be a lecherous man who was infatuated with Yin Susu of the Tianying Sect and befriended the villain Xie Xun. In the end, he suffered a disgraceful end, bringing shame to the entire Wudang Sect.”

Hearing his sect’s shameful secrets being recounted by a junior, Chongxu, despite his years of cultivation and calm and composed nature, could no longer tolerate it.

His hair and beard stood on end, his eyes were like ice, and he angrily said to Nie Yun, “Sect Leader Nie, everyone in Wudang is grateful for your return of the Ancestral Master’s relics today. But if you come to mock my Wudang Sect, even if people say that the strong are bullying the weak, I will still fight you!”

Nie Yun looked at Chongxu and asked without backing down, “Master, why are you so angry? Are all the things I said false?”

“You…” Chongxu raised his finger and pointed at Nie Yun, but he was so choked up that he couldn’t say a word.

Seeing this, Nie Yun said sincerely, “I was rash for a moment, please forgive me, Daoist. However, I have always admired Master Zhang the most. Whether it is his martial arts skills or his character and magnanimity, no one could compare to him at that time, and even after so many years, no one can rival him. Moreover, the Wudang School’s unique internal martial arts lineage has opened up a brand new path for people in the martial arts world, which is worthy of being remembered in history.”

Seeing that Nie Yun no longer brought up those embarrassing past events, Chongxu’s expression softened.

As the leader of a sect and a renowned figure in the martial arts world, he knew immediately that Nie Yun’s words were not unfounded and must have hidden meaning.

He sighed and said to Nie Yun in a serious tone, “Sect Leader Nie, I am not an ungrateful person. You have come to Wudang today not only to return those two treasures, but I’m sure you have something more important to do. If there is anything that Wudang or I can do to help you, please feel free to speak your mind.”

Nie Yun continued, “Master, as far as I know, after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hongwu strengthened the restrictions on Buddhism and vigorously rectified it, strictly limiting the size of temples and the number of monks and nuns. However, he held Taoism in the highest esteem, and emperors of successive dynasties often sent envoys to Wudang Mountain to offer incense and sacrifices. Over the past few hundred years, the Wudang Sect should have become the undisputed leader of the righteous path. Why has its prestige declined in recent years, and why does it follow the lead of the Shaolin Sect everywhere?”

Chongxu remained silent, but a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.

He sighed and said, “The Shaolin School has a long history and profound heritage, and people flock to learn from it. Although my Wudang School is respected by the imperial court, it has only been established for more than two hundred years. Although it flourished for a while in the early days of our dynasty, it was quickly overtaken by the Shaolin School. I suppose people still recognize the Shaolin School’s martial arts status more.”

“Master, you are mistaken. Back then, Master Zhang Sanfeng was a grandmaster of his generation, and was recognized by the world as the leader of the martial arts world. The founder of the Wudang School had such an honor. How could he be inferior to the Shaolin School, which lost face at the Lion-Slaying Assembly?”

Nie Yun said something that was sure to shock people: “In my opinion, the image of the Wudang Sect in the hearts of people in the martial arts world has been deliberately tarnished. Daoist, you might as well think about it: if people who want to learn martial arts knew what I just said, would they still be willing to choose to join the Wudang Sect?”

“This…” Chongxu was taken aback when he heard this, but he quickly realized that such a thing was indeed very possible.

Nie Yun continued, “As you just said, these things happened many years ago. How can I, a junior scholar, know so much about these things? Do you think others don’t know?”

Chongxu frowned, his heart filled with doubt.

Because of his fear of the Ming Cult and Zhang Wuji, Zhu Yuanzhang adopted a strategy of downplaying and destroying that period of history. Over the years, not only are people in the martial arts world unaware of it, but even within the Wudang sect, few people know about it.

Chongxu only learned about these matters after he took over as sect leader and read the notes and manuscripts of previous sect leaders.

As for the old grudges between the Wudang and Shaolin sects, they could not possibly be spread.

Seeing Chongxu’s thoughtful expression, Nie Yun continued, “Back then, at the centenary celebration of Master Sanfeng, the five major sects, led by Shaolin, went up the mountain to interrogate Xie Xun about his whereabouts, ultimately leading to that tragedy. This event was not glorious for Wudang, and I presume your sect wouldn’t publicize it. Of the remaining five sects, Kongtong and Kunlun were already showing signs of decline at the time, and their successors were mediocre; they are now history. The Emei sect, being predominantly female, was inherently disadvantaged, and…” “Back then, Zhou Zhiruo went astray, ruining her reputation. To this day, she’s barely surviving. As for my Huashan Sect, we became a laughingstock in the martial arts world because of that scoundrel Xianyu Tong. After the infighting between the Sword and Qi Sects and the attack from the Demonic Sect, our strength was greatly diminished, and we long since dropped out of the ranks of the six major sects. Now, among the Five Mountains Sword Sects, we are completely suppressed by the Songshan and Taishan Sects. Our two sects are too busy recuperating, and we have no enmity with the Wudang Sect. How could we dare to do such a thing?”

He paused here, and seeing Chongxu nod slightly, he continued, “The imperial court is deliberately downplaying it, and the Wudang Sect will not expose its own scandals. The four sects mentioned earlier, even if they wanted to, would not have the ability. So, which sect do you think has the ability, knows the cause and effect, and has the motive to publicize this matter in the martial arts world?”

“Shaolin!” The two words flashed through Chongxu’s mind instantly, but he was very shrewd and his face remained calm.

Nie Yun, of course, knew that this old fox wouldn’t easily give his opinion, so he didn’t care and continued, “Back then, the ten elders of the Demonic Sect attacked Mount Hua because they knew that my two seniors, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng, had copied the Sunflower Manual from the Shaolin Temple’s Sutra Pavilion, so they came to steal it. Yue and Cai did indeed do wrong by stealing another sect’s secret manual, and even though I am a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, I don’t deny it. But I’ve never understood how this matter got to the Sun Moon Sect.”

He recounted his speculations about the matter, and Chongxu’s expression changed constantly as he listened, even forgetting to put down his right hand that was stroking his beard.

As Nie Yun finished speaking, he added a fatal blow: “To be honest, Daoist Master, when I went up Blackwood Cliff this time, because our two sects suffered this calamity almost simultaneously, I specifically searched for clues from back then. According to Dongfang Bubai, after the Demonic Sect stole the Sunflower Manual from my Huashan Sect, no one had mastered it because the martial arts within were too strange and difficult to cultivate. Later, their leader heard that the Wudang Sect’s internal martial arts could regulate yin and yang and nourish true qi, so he sent people to Wudang Mountain to seize this Tai Chi Classic. This news first came from the mouths of the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of the Fuwei Escort Agency, and Lin Yuantu of the Fuwei Escort Agency was none other than the monk Duyuan, who had returned to secular life from Shaolin Temple.”

“Crack!” Chongxu crushed the teacup in his hand in an instant. He stared intently at Nie Yun, his tone as cold as ice: “Sect Leader Nie, is this true?”

Nie Yun stood up and said solemnly, “Every word I have said is true, without the slightest falsehood. If I have lied, may I die under a hail of blades, leaving no trace of my body.”

Hearing Nie Yun swear such a solemn oath, Chongxu had no more doubts. He got up and paced back and forth in the main hall a few times. He looked up at the north and said coldly, “What a Shaolin! It truly deserves to be a prestigious and righteous sect that has stood for a thousand years!”

He turned to Nie Yun and said, “Sect Leader Nie, since you have told me about this matter today, you must have a plan in mind. I am willing to listen attentively.”

As he spoke, he instructed two disciples to stand guard outside the hall and not let anyone in.

Seeing that the old Taoist priest was already tempted, Nie Yun whispered, “Taoist priest, you must have already received the invitation from the Songshan Sect. On the fifteenth of May…”

********************

After descending from Wudang Mountain, Nie Yun breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked back at the mountain gate, which was now barely discernible, and muttered to himself, “He really won’t act until he sees the rabbit! But since he’s already fought me, I suppose that should make him decide.”

Just now on the mountain, after listening to his plan, Chongxu neither agreed nor disagreed, but instead invited Nie Yun to spar.

Nie Yun knew that this old fox still didn’t quite trust him, so he didn’t refuse. However, he made one request: that Chongxu teach him the Wudang Sect’s unique lightness skill, the Cloud Ladder Leap.

Chongxu hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, but finally agreed.

Although the Cloud Ladder Leap is a unique skill of Wudang, it is ultimately just a lightness skill, and its value is far less than that of other martial arts within the sect.

Moreover, Nie Yun’s trip up the mountain not only returned Zhang Sanfeng’s relics but also exposed the Shaolin sect’s conspiracy. Furthermore, he proactively offered the Golden Goose Skill in exchange, which tempted Chongxu.

After agreeing on their terms, the two drew their swords and began to spar in the Zhenwu Hall.

Needless to say, in the original story, Linghu Chong was able to defeat Chongxu with his Dugu Nine Swords, which were not yet at their maximum level. Now, Nie Yun won even more decisively, forcing Chongxu into a state of chaos in less than ten moves.

In the end, it was Nie Yun who took the initiative to back down, which allowed Chongxu to save some face.

Although Chongxu lost to Nie Yun in swordsmanship, he was more confident in his plan.

Having dealt with the Wudang Sect, Nie Yun set off back to the mountain. He practiced the newly learned Ladder Cloud Leap continuously along the way, and soon mastered this light-body skill.

After Nie Yun began practicing, he discovered that it was not like the legends of later generations where one could climb infinitely by stepping on the left and right feet, but rather it emphasized the lightness and agility of the body.

When one reaches a high level of cultivation, one’s entire being becomes like a willow catkin, capable of leaping and soaring into the air, and even twisting and turning in mid-air.

Nie Yun got so into his training that he sold his horse and started traveling on foot.

Along the way, he integrated the Golden Goose Skill and the Ladder Cloud Leap, taking the best of both worlds and making up for the shortcomings. By the time he reached Henan Province, he had refined a completely new set of light-body techniques.

As for the Floating Clouds and Ten Thousand Miles technique obtained from Tian Boguang, Nie Yun did not incorporate it into his training because its strengths lay in endurance and speed.

However, with the boost from the Cloud Ladder skill, the speed of floating clouds across ten thousand miles has also increased significantly, which is a pleasant surprise.

********************

Nie Yun leaped into the air, making three consecutive turns in mid-air, before finally landing lightly on a tree branch.

Just now in the air, he felt as if he had lost weight, and even had the illusion that he could ride the wind.

“As expected of Zhang Sanfeng, without relying on a system or a cheat code, he was able to create the Wudang School, which shines through the ages, with only an incomplete copy of the Nine Yang Manual and a set of Arhat Fist. Moreover, he single-handedly brought it to a position that rivals Shaolin.”

The more Nie Yun practiced, the more astonished he became by Zhang Sanfeng’s talent. “Or perhaps he himself is the greatest cheat code!”

Nie Yun made up his mind that when he went to the world of Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber in the future, he would definitely have a good talk with Zhang Sanfeng.

“The Mysterious Jade Disc is gradually recovering, and I should be able to go to the next world soon. I hope there will be more exciting things to come!”

Nie Yun felt the jade disc within his body gleaming faintly, and thought to himself, “But now, I should go and collect some interest!”

He let out a long breath and leaped up the mountain.

The afternoon sun shone on the mountaintop, where a cluster of gray-tiled roofs and red walls could be faintly seen among the forest. A gentle breeze carried the faint sounds of Buddhist chanting.