Chapter 4: Grandpa Feng Qingyang
Early the next morning, Nie Yun arrived at the training ground, only to see Linghu Chong standing next to Yue Buqun, saying something to each other.
Nie Yun didn’t pay any attention and went over to greet him, but Yue Buqun stopped her: “Yun’er, I’m here to ask you. Did you attend your morning class yesterday?”
Nie Yun was taken aback upon hearing this, then realized that it must have been Linghu Chong who had falsely accused him. He nodded and said, “It was my fault for being lazy. Please punish me, Master.”
“Sigh…” Yue Buqun looked at him with a disappointed expression. “As the senior disciple of the Huashan Sect, you should set an example for all the disciples. How can you be so lazy? You should know that learning martial arts is like rowing against the current; if you don’t advance, you fall behind. Don’t be so complacent just because you’ve learned a few rudimentary skills. There are so many masters and heroes in the martial arts world. What are your skills compared to theirs?”
“Heh, my cheat is much more powerful than you think. If it weren’t for winning over your wife and daughter, I would never want to stay stuck in this mountain valley.”
Nie Yun inwardly complained, but outwardly he said in a serious tone, “This disciple is ashamed. I should not have been arrogant and complacent. From now on, I will work hard and live up to the expectations of my master and mistress, and shoulder the responsibility of being the senior disciple of the Huashan Sect.”
“Well, it’s good that you know you’ve made a mistake. But our sect has strict rules, so I can’t leave you unpunished. I’ll punish you by making you meditate in seclusion on the Cliff of Repentance for a month. Go and pack your things, and go after lunch.”
Yue Buqun stroked his beard and issued the punishment.
Nie Yun returned to his room and was packing his things when suddenly the door was pushed open, and a graceful figure rushed in and hugged him tightly: “Senior Brother, are you really going to the Cliff of Repentance?”
Nie Yun turned around and hugged Yue Lingshan, laughing, “Yes, I told you a story yesterday, and as a result, I missed the morning lesson, and Master found out.”
“Pah! It’s all because… because you did something bad!” Yue Lingshan blushed as she recalled what happened yesterday morning.
After saying that, she said worriedly, “Senior Brother, you should bring more clothes and bedding. I heard it’s very cold up there.”
“Don’t worry, my internal strength is pretty good, and besides, just thinking of you makes my heart feel warm, so I definitely won’t feel cold.”
Now he can easily utter sweet words to Yue Lingshan, making the young girl love him to the point of despair, and even letting her play with the most precious parts of a girl’s body as she pleases.
“Senior brother…” Yue Lingshan’s eyes were filled with affection as she touched Nie Yun’s face with her small hand.
Nie Yun smiled and kissed her forehead, then her eyebrows, eyes, nose, and finally her red and tender little mouth, gently rubbing and sucking.
“Shan’er, my darling, remember to think of me when I’m not around.”
“Mmm… Senior Brother, Shan’er thinks about you every day. Shan’er… Shan’er loves you so much.” Yue Lingshan closed her eyes, feeling Nie Yun’s tenderness, and murmured softly.
“Cough cough…” A cough came from the doorway. Yue Lingshan jumped out of Nie Yun’s arms as if she had been electrocuted. She turned around and saw her mother standing at the door with a stern face.
“Mother…I…I…” Yue Lingshan was still a virgin. Although everyone on Mount Hua could see her feelings for Nie Yun, they hadn’t been officially confirmed. Now that her mother had caught them in the act, she felt both ashamed and afraid.
Nie Yun coughed lightly and said, “Master’s wife, my junior sister is helping me prepare things.”
“Yes, yes, I heard that Senior Brother is going to the Cliff of Repentance, so I came to see if he was missing anything.” Yue Lingshan said hastily, as if she were a drowning person grasping at a straw.
“Hmph!” Ning Zhongze said irritably, “Go back and practice your martial arts. I’ll help Yun’er clean up.”
“Oh, then I’ll be going.” Yue Lingshan felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly walked towards the door. Before leaving, she turned back to look at Nie Yun, “Senior Brother…”
Nie Yun blinked and quickly made a kissing gesture.
Yue Lingshan blushed, laughed, and ran away.
The two people in the room looked at each other, and for a moment they felt a little awkward.
Ning Zhongze, recalling what happened last night, hurriedly and awkwardly asked, “Uh… Yun’er, have you prepared everything?”
Nie Yun said, “Everything is ready, Master’s wife, don’t worry.”
Ning Zhongze nodded and said, “That’s good. The weather might change in the next few days, so bring plenty of bedding.”
“Yes, thank you for your concern, Master’s wife. I will definitely take good care of myself and not let you worry. Master’s wife, you look so beautiful today.”
After Nie Yun finished speaking, he stared intently at Ning Zhongze and activated the Hidden Dragon Hunting Heart Technique at full power.
Looking at the handsome young man before her, and hearing the praise he always uttered, Ning Zhongze suddenly felt a surge of heat in her heart. She longed to go up and hug him, kiss him, and then…
Seeing his beautiful teacher’s wife’s cheeks slowly turning red, Nie Yun smiled and raised an eyebrow: “Teacher’s wife?”
“Ah! I’ll be going then. You should go upstairs soon.”
Ning Zhongze was terrified by her own thoughts. She quickly made a reply and turned to leave. As soon as she stepped out the door, she ran away as if a venomous snake or a ferocious beast was chasing her.
********************
The Cliff of Contemplation is a precipitous cliff at the summit of Jade Maiden Peak, with a cave on top. It was the place where disciples of the Huashan Sect were imprisoned and punished for breaking the rules.
The cliff was barren, devoid of any vegetation or trees, and except for a cave, there was nothing there.
Nie Yun entered the cave, put down his bedding and luggage, and looked at the three large characters “Feng Qingyang” on the stone wall, thinking to himself, “Feng Qingyang, don’t keep me waiting too long.”
He drew his sword and began practicing the Huashan sword technique in the open space outside the cave.
At this moment, there was no one around, except for the old monster Feng Qingyang, who was still his target. So Nie Yun stopped holding back and unleashed all the sword techniques he had learned over the years.
He first performed “Phoenix Arrives,” then “White Rainbow Pierces the Sun,” followed by “Boundless Falling Leaves,” completely disregarding the order of the moves. Sometimes he even mixed in moves from “The Nineteen Forms of the Jade Maiden Sword” or “Xi Yi Sword Technique.” Other times, he made random movements for the sake of continuity, completely lacking any rules, yet his sword aura was chilling and terrifying.
Suddenly, he sensed someone staring at him. He quickly turned and thrust backward, then stepped out with his right foot, turning his body around. He saw the grass behind him rustle, clearly indicating that someone had just left.
“Hehe, finally out?” Nie Yun knew that the person must be Feng Qingyang, so he only glanced at him before resuming his sword practice.
Three days passed like this, with Yue Lingshan bringing him food every day, and then the two would spend some time together.
However, considering Feng Qingyang’s voyeuristic tendencies, Nie Yun didn’t actually become ecstatic; he only hugged and cuddled her.
After dinner that day, Nie Yun watched Yue Lingshan leave, then turned around and saw an old man in a green robe standing behind him.
He had a long, white beard, looked depressed, and his face was as pale as paper, as if he were ill.
But he was like a sharp sword piercing the sky, exuding a compelling sword intent.
Nie Yun narrowed his eyes, “Senior, are you Feng Qingyang?”
“What?” Feng Qingyang was just about to show off when Nie Yun saw through his act, and he was taken aback. “How do you know my name?”
“The sword intent soars to the sky, and the skill is profound. Considering the few powerful characters on the stone wall, it doesn’t seem too difficult to guess.”
Nie Yun shrugged. “You belong to the ‘Feng’ generation, should I call you Grand Uncle or Grand Master Uncle?”
Feng Qingyang was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, “Hehe, I never thought that blockhead Yue Buqun could teach someone like you. It’s really interesting. According to seniority, you should call me Grand Uncle.”
Nie Yun chuckled, “Although my master is old-fashioned, he has raised me and is my future father-in-law. My grand-uncle is… well… give me some face and say less.”
Feng Qingyang was not annoyed by this, and laughed, “What face do you, a junior disciple, have?”
Nie Yun said, “I was born with a Daoist physique, with all my meridians open. I can learn any martial art at a glance and master it in a day. I can graduate in one day and surpass others in three. I am a genius, unparalleled in the world. Moreover, I am handsome and have an elegant demeanor…”
Feng Qingyang initially frowned as he listened, but later he was so angry that he just wanted to laugh. He was a seasoned veteran, but he had never seen anyone so boastful.
He shook his head and said, “Draw your sword.”
“Isn’t this inappropriate? You’re my grandmaster uncle! This disciple wouldn’t dare to be rude.” Nie Yun scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
“Draw your sword when I tell you to, be a real man, why are you being so hesitant?” Feng Qingyang said, frowning.
“No, I’d rather not. After all, I… want to see the sword!”
Despite saying he was embarrassed, Nie Yun’s hands moved swiftly. With a whoosh, his longsword was aimed directly at Feng Qingyang’s throat, a brilliant move from the Huashan Sword Technique called “The Phoenix Arrives.”
Feng Qingyang seemed to have anticipated this. With a slight tremor of his longsword, three sword lights flashed out, aiming directly at Nie Yun’s throat, abdomen, and chest.
Nie Yun was secretly shocked. The Dugu Nine Swords, which attack the enemy and force them to defend themselves, were indeed powerful.
He withdrew his attack and returned his sword, using the move “Boundless Falling Leaves” to block Feng Qingyang’s sword blade, and then used the move “Welcoming Pine Trees” to thrust out with all his might.
The two had already exchanged more than a dozen blows in a short period of time. Nie Yun was increasingly surprised. Although he had already thought Feng Qingyang was very powerful, he did not expect him to be this powerful. His long sword was like a mountain stream, continuous and unending, and like a storm, overwhelming the sky and the earth.
Feng Qingyang was even more amazed. He had already known that Nie Yun was very talented when he was observing him in secret, but when they actually fought, he found that this kid was simply a freak. His longsword seemed to be one with him, and he used all kinds of moves naturally and smoothly without any rigidity.
Keep in mind that Nie Yun is not even twenty years old yet, so you can imagine what kind of achievements he will make in the future.
Although Feng Qingyang admired Nie Yun, he was also worried that Nie Yun would become arrogant and complacent because of his talent. So he rallied his spirits, and with a dragon’s roar, he thrust his long sword straight at Nie Yun’s chest.
This sword strike was as swift as lightning; both the timing and angle of the strike were perfect.
With nowhere to run, Nie Yun threw down his sword and shouted, “Surrender!”
Feng Qingyang was taken aback, feeling as if he had punched cotton, and almost couldn’t catch his breath.
With a flick of his sword tip, he thrust it directly to the side. A loud crash was heard, and the nearby bluestone shattered into pieces under the sword’s aura.
Seeing that the danger had passed, Nie Yun immediately knelt down and said, “Grandmaster Feng’s martial arts are superb, invincible in the world, and his swordsmanship is unparalleled…”
“Stop, stop, stop!” Feng Qingyang quickly interrupted, then shook his head with a wry smile and said, “You brat!”
“Hehe…” Nie Yun stood up, but became serious. “I ask my grandmaster uncle to teach me swordsmanship.”
Feng Qingyang said, “You are a disciple of the Qi Sect, and I am a member of the Sword Sect. Aren’t you afraid of being scolded by our master if you learn from me?”
Nie Yun said solemnly, “Martial arts are static, but people are dynamic. The so-called learning of swordsmanship and internal energy is ultimately for the purpose of strengthening oneself. As the saying goes, man follows the earth, the earth generates heaven, heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature. All things in heaven and earth are useful as long as they can improve oneself, so why be confined to one place? The Qi School and the Sword School are just two directions in learning swordsmanship. The Sword School is effective quickly, but if you don’t cultivate internal energy, you will inevitably lack staying power. The Qi School has a deep accumulation, but enemies can’t wait until you have mastered internal energy before killing you. It is not advisable to favor either one. The ocean is vast because it embraces all rivers. Being complacent and self-satisfied is extremely laughable.”
Feng Qingyang’s eyes lit up as he listened, and he continued to ask, “Do you think that being highly skilled in martial arts is enough?”
“Martial arts, money, and power are all tools for self-protection,” Nie Yun shook his head and said. “It’s easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. No matter how high your martial arts are, you’re still afraid of a kitchen knife. If you think you can dominate the world with just martial arts, you’ll probably die without a trace.”
“It’s easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark…” Upon hearing this, Feng Qingyang couldn’t help but sigh. “Indeed, the most powerful techniques in the world are not in martial arts, but in schemes, tricks, and traps. If you fall into someone else’s cleverly laid trap, no matter how skillful your martial arts techniques are, they are completely useless…”
He shook his head and asked again, “What if upright gentlemen and righteous sects wanted to kill you?”
Nie Yun curled his lip, “In the martial world, one is not in control of one’s own destiny. If he wants to kill me, I will naturally kill him. Right and wrong, good and evil, are determined by people’s hearts, not by sects. Besides, many times, if I win, I am righteous. If you lose, you are evil. The victor is king and the loser is villain, it’s nothing more than that.”
“Hahaha…Good, good, very good.” Feng Qingyang was overjoyed. He never expected that the successor he had chosen would be so insightful and intelligent.
Without further hesitation, Feng Qingyang said to Nie Yun, “Throughout my life, I have roamed the martial world relying on the unique skills passed down from a senior martial artist. Today, I will impart them to you. I hope you will cherish them and not disgrace them.”
Upon hearing this, Nie Yun was overjoyed and immediately knelt down, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Grand Uncle.” He then respectfully kowtowed three times.
Over the next few days, Feng Qingyang taught Nie Yun the Dugu Nine Swords technique through verbal instruction and demonstration. During this process, Nie Yun’s talent once again astonished him.
He memorized the general formula of the “Nine Swords of Solitude,” which consisted of more than three thousand characters, after hearing it only once. He understood it thoroughly in less than half a day. He learned the eight sword techniques, from the “Sword-Breaking Style” to the “Qi-Breaking Style,” in one lesson and used them correctly the first time. Even Feng Qingyang, who considered himself a genius in swordsmanship, couldn’t help but call him a “monster.”
In just three days, Nie Yun mastered all of the Dugu Nine Swords, becoming intimately familiar with all its variations. His subsequent practical demonstrations left Feng Qingyang utterly astonished.
The two exchanged blows. At first, Nie Yun was a little awkward, but that was just due to a lack of experience. However, he was improving almost every second.
As the fight progressed, Nie Yun became increasingly proficient in using the Dugu Nine Swords, and his various transformations flowed smoothly and effortlessly.
By the fifth day, in terms of sheer variety of moves, Nie Yu was in no way inferior to Feng Qingyang; on the contrary, he seemed poised to surpass him.
By the tenth day, if it weren’t for the suppression of his internal energy, Feng Qingyang would no longer be a match for Nie Yun.
Devastated and questioning his existence, Feng Qingyang could no longer stay. After instructing Nie Yun not to tell anyone else that he was still alive, he drifted away.
In his words, now that the Huashan Sect has Nie Yun, he believes it will surely flourish. He will find a quiet place to live in seclusion and will never appear in public again, not even Nie Yun.
Before leaving, Feng Qingyang handed the Sword Sect token to Nie Yun, giving him the opportunity to bring the scattered Sword Sect disciples back to Mount Hua and rejoin the sect. This was the last thing he did for the Mount Hua Sect and the Sword Sect.
Nie Yun readily agreed and respectfully saw off this legendary figure of the martial arts world.
After a few tense days, Nie Yun felt a little uneasy as he suddenly relaxed.
However, recalling Ning Zhongze delivering meals to Yue Lingshan these past few days, Nie Yun revealed a wicked smile—it was time to pluck this mature flower, Ning Zhongze.
