Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 542 Coming out of seclusion
Huashan
Jingyuezhai

A month has passed.

In the past month, the Huashan Sect has undergone tremendous changes.

First of all, the appearance of Feng Qingyang completely liberated Yue Buqun. He no longer needed to go down the mountain from time to time to uphold justice, patrol the territory, and scare away those rich and unscrupulous landlords. Instead, he could focus all his attention on the Zixia Divine Skill and the expansion of the sect.

The Huashan Sect is not short of money; with its vast real estate and offerings, what Huashan lacks is never money, but the ability to protect this wealth.

Now, his Zixia Divine Skill has broken through to the fifth level, so living to be a hundred years old is not a problem. Moreover, as the world's top-notch internal energy cultivation method, the Zixia Divine Skill basically gets stronger with age. He will only become stronger in the future. Time will only make him old, but it will not reduce his combat power, and his blood and qi will not even decline.

In fact, he may have this face until the day he dies.

Therefore, he was qualified to protect this asset, and thus finally opened his doors wide.

Through its own channels, Huashan announced that it was recruiting disciples and that anyone with a clean background could join Huashan.

Of course, the so-called "open recruitment" will not mean recruiting too many people at once.

Their most awkward situation right now is that they lack a core group of key personnel.

Therefore, after some research, Yue Buqun and his wife decided to recruit only about one hundred outer disciples in the first batch.

The couple took turns teaching, which ensured both progress and quality while also allowing time for rest and practice.

In the future, the Huashan Sect's intermediate training will likely involve selecting core inner disciples from these hundred or so outer disciples, such as Linghu Chong, or a few other disciples.

To be honest, although Yue Buqun called his disciples useless, they were still talented in the martial arts world. As he said before, the martial arts world is vast, but there are very few true masters. Most of the people who roam the martial arts world are actually third-rate masters.

"Senior brother, including today's batch, we've recruited a total of 108 people. Shouldn't we stop now?"

"Yes, I will instruct the outer sect steward (similar to a logistics manager) to post a notice in a moment."

"Among this batch, have you discovered any senior students with particularly good talent?"

"What are you thinking about?"

Yue Buqun smiled and playfully flicked Ning Zhongze's nose.

“Geniuses aren’t as common as cabbages. We’re already blessed by the ancestors of the Huashan Sect to have Chong’er and Zhongren. Of these hundred or so children, it would be quite good if ten of them could reach the level of a third-rate master. And of those ten, only one could possibly reach the level of a second-rate master.”

"Somewhat like Laudenau."

"Senior brother, him..."

Ning Zhong hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Yue Buqun waved his hand.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you, he."

Suddenly, before Yue Buqun could finish speaking, his eyebrows twitched. Since he broke through to the fifth level of the Zixia Divine Skill, his perception range had expanded considerably. Suddenly, he felt a surge of powerful, scorching, yet strangely cold life force!
Like a dormant volcano suddenly awakening, or a giant whale lurking in the deep sea bursting out of the water with a roar!
The aura was so powerful and pure that it far exceeded ordinary people's imagination. It was as if a miniature blazing sun was rising slowly in the heart of Mount Hua. Even through layers of mountains and distance, Yue Buqun could clearly feel it. This was the perception of a top master!
"Brother, what's wrong?"

Ning Zhongze, on the other hand, despite being a near-first-rate expert, did not possess such strong perception.

"Zhongren, you've emerged from seclusion."

Yue Buqun's eyes flashed with an unprecedented light, a purple aura that vanished in an instant, and his face was filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.

Ning Zhongze also clenched her fists excitedly. Then, the two of them moved like two wisps of smoke, instantly leaving Jingyuezhai and rushing towards the hidden cave entrance at top speed.

When they arrived, the sight before them made them gasp in shock.

The entrance to the secret chamber, which was originally filled with cold air and icicles, was now steaming with billowing white mist!
It wasn't cold air, but... scorching hot water vapor!

It was as if there was a huge furnace burning fiercely inside.

"Boom!"

A deep, thunderous roar echoed from within the cave, accompanied by the sound of rocks shattering. Immediately afterwards, a figure slowly emerged from the thick white mist.

It was Li Zhongren!
His clothes were tattered and covered with ice shards and stone powder, but his exposed skin had a strange texture that was warm and smooth like jade, yet also had a hidden metallic luster.

The muscle lines are smooth and full, as if every inch of flesh contains explosive power.

He seemed even more upright and robust than a month ago, his steps as steady as a mountain, each step causing the rocks beneath his feet to groan softly under the weight.

His eyes are the most striking feature.

Those eyes were as bright as stars and as deep as a cold pool; when they opened and closed, they shone with a sharp light, as if there were tangible currents flowing within them.

A layer of pale golden energy, visible to the naked eye and rippling like water, was faintly surrounding his body. That was the "Heavenly Gang True Qi" formed by the perfect fusion of his powerful blood and qi with the Hunyuan Gong True Qi!
"Master! Master!"

When Li Zhongren saw the two people at the cave entrance, a hint of admiration and excitement flashed in his eyes, and he quickly bowed in greeting.

The voice was loud and clear, full of energy, making the cave walls vibrate.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Yue Buqun exclaimed "Good!" three times, strode forward, excitedly helped Li Zhongren up, looked him up and down, and became more and more satisfied.

"Zhongren, you have indeed not disappointed your master! This aura... you have already mastered the Hunyuan Gong, haven't you?"

"Yes, master!"

Li Zhongren answered respectfully, a hint of joy on his face.

"I have lived up to your expectations. My Hunyuan Gong technique has reached perfection. My internal energy is abundant and flows through my entire body. My flesh, blood, muscles and bones have also been tempered and strengthened."

"Come, let your teacher test your abilities!"

Yue Buqun was in high spirits. Before he finished speaking, he brought his right index and middle fingers together and struck Li Zhongren's chest "Shanzhong acupoint" with lightning speed.

This seemingly casual gesture actually contained the purest and most powerful Qi of the fifth level of the Purple Cloud Divine Skill, enough to pierce through metal and stone!

Li Zhongren neither dodged nor evaded; with a slight thought, the pale golden Heavenly Qi around his body instantly condensed in front of his chest!

"Ding!"

A clear and melodious sound, like metal and stone striking each other, rang out!

Yue Buqun's finger was as if it had touched a piece of ancient black iron, and it was actually shaken away!

A tingling sensation spread through my fingertips.

Li Zhongren's clothes ripped open at the chest, revealing smooth, undamaged skin underneath. The spot that had been touched turned slightly red, but returned to normal in an instant.

"Such powerful protective qi! Such a resilient body!"

Even though Yue Buqun had anticipated this, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Although he didn't use his full strength in that finger strike, even a top-tier expert would never dare to take it head-on, let alone emerge unscathed.

The defense of this mastered Hunyuan Gong is indeed well-deserved! Ning Zhongze, who was standing to the side, watched with admiration in her beautiful eyes.

Yue Buqun then added.

"Okay, let's test your speed and reaction time again!"

After saying that, he swayed, purple mist swirling around him, instantly transforming into several afterimages that were indistinguishable from the real ones. These afterimages circled around Li Zhongren, while his palms flew, attacking Li Zhongren's vital points from all directions.

This time, he deliberately used his agile and nimble skills, moving extremely fast and employing tricky moves.

Li Zhongren, on the other hand, was somewhat dazzled by such kung fu. His body and soul had indeed been strengthened after being cleansed by the true qi. He could sense and even see Yue Buqun's actions. However, his control over himself was far too weak, and he was unable to unleash his power smoothly.

Therefore, from the side, he looked like someone who was throwing wild punches, but unfortunately, he could only catch up to Yue Buqun's taillights.
In other words, Hunyuan Gong is a dynamic skill, which can automatically replenish Qi during battle, and even become stronger the more it is fought, so there will be no embarrassing situation of insufficient Qi.

Unfortunately, no matter how strong he was or how dense his inner energy was, he was helpless against Yue Buqun.

suddenly.

Yue Buqun took a deep breath, and his Purple Cloud True Qi suddenly spread out, enveloping him like a cloud. In that instant, all the Purple Cloud True Qi gathered on Yue Buqun's sword blade, turning the personal sword that Yue Buqun had used for decades into a purple color!

"Canglang!"

A sword comes out!

Faced with this sword strike, Li Zhongren had no room to dodge, so he made the only choice he could make: he used all his Heavenly Gang True Qi to create a semi-circular barrier that enveloped him.

Of course, he could choose to concentrate his energy at one point, but unfortunately, against such a master, the opponent could change direction at any time, while his internal energy would need time to change location.

That would be tantamount to courting death.

"click"

The next moment, the longsword and the qi intertwined.

After a brief stalemate, a concentrated attack imbued with the fifth level of the Purple Cloud Divine Skill pierced directly through Li Zhongren's protective aura.

In that instant, Li Zhongren felt a stinging sensation on his skin; he knew it.

This sword strike was enough to pierce through his so-called iron will.
"Hu~~"

Exhaling slowly, Yue Buqun leisurely withdrew his attack, his face showing relief, but also a hint of solemnity.

"master."

Li Zhongren stopped, feeling somewhat ashamed.

"Don't worry about it."

Yue Buqun waved his hand and said in a deep voice.

"Zhongren, you have done exceptionally well! In just one month, you have mastered the Hunyuan Gong, your blood and qi are like a dragon, and your body is protected by protective qi. In terms of defensive strength and the purity and depth of your internal energy, let alone the younger generation, there are probably only a handful of people in the entire Mingzhou martial arts world who can compare to you! However..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious:

"You have personally experienced the drawbacks of this technique."

"Firstly, speed, agility, and reaction time are your biggest weaknesses at present."

"Faced with truly top-tier masters of lightness skills or unpredictable and swift swordsmanship, even if you possess immense strength and an indestructible body, you will be unable to hit your enemy and can only passively take hits. If you hold out for too long, you will inevitably lose!"

"Secondly, although the Heavenly Gang True Qi and the flesh and blood body are strong, they are not absolutely invincible."

"If you encounter a divine weapon that can cut through iron like mud, or if, like what I just did, you concentrate your pure qi into a single point to break through the surface, it can also pose a threat to you."

"Thirdly, you currently possess abundant internal strength and a powerful physique, but lack top-notch killing techniques to match them, making it difficult to fully utilize your divine power."

"Disciple understands. Disciple feels that this Hunyuan Gong seems to focus more on strengthening the foundation, tempering the body and true qi, like building an indestructible fortress. However, how to use the power within this fortress to defeat the enemy still requires exquisite 'techniques' to guide it."

"Not bad!"

Yue Buqun's eyes showed approval.

"The creator of this divine skill, Senior Zhou Botong, was an unparalleled genius. When he created this skill, he referenced the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill of Tantric Buddhism. It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, for the sake of the concept of primordial unity and endless vitality. Later, just like compiling the lost book 'Nine Yin Manual,' he also completed the second volume of Hunyuan Skill, recording how to use this primordial true qi and the Vajra body to make various wonderful moves, body techniques and footwork, so that it is both offensive and defensive, and has infinite power!"

"However, this second volume is exquisite, but also complex and difficult. It cannot be understood and mastered overnight. It requires a high level of comprehension and hard work to study, practice, and hone in real combat before it can be put into one's own use."

"You completed the first volume of Hunyuan Gong in one month mainly because of your physique, but the second volume requires your comprehension and wisdom, which you cannot remember."

"Yes, disciple has awakened."

“Zhongren, do you know that many things have happened on the mountain during the month or so that you have been in seclusion?”

Yue Buqun slowly recounted the events to Li Zhongren.

“Now, that unworthy disciple Chong’er has been taken to the back mountain by your Grand Uncle Feng, who is personally teaching him the supreme martial arts of the Sword Sect.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Li Zhongren's eyes. This could be considered as him modifying the plot. Of course, he had also learned something during this time: this was a world of martial arts. Mingzhou was the Jianghu (martial arts world) where the Five Mountains Sword Sect, Saolin, Wudang, and Blackwood Cliff were located. Outside of this place, there were other states, and other Jianghu.
So, the plot isn't actually that important.

“Your Grandmaster Feng is a man of extraordinary learning and possesses divine swordsmanship. Since he is willing to teach Chong’er, he probably won’t mind having another student.”

Li Zhongren, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately understood Yue Buqun's intention, and his eyes lit up with surprise: "Master, what do you mean?"

"Hey!"

Yue Buqun stroked his beard and laughed.

"Anyway, whether you're herding one sheep or two, it's all the same. Now that you've mastered the Hunyuan Gong, your foundation is so profound that it's unparalleled in this world. What you lack is precisely that exquisite 'technique,' the means of killing to defeat your enemies, and the top-notch movement techniques to make up for your lack of speed! And these are precisely the strengths of the Sword Sect, and even more so, Uncle Feng's signature skills!"

His eyes gleamed with wisdom.

"Uncle Feng's swordsmanship has long transcended the limitations of techniques; it is a supreme method that directly addresses the essence of martial arts, utilizes internal force, and discerns the enemy's moves! It would be perfect for him to teach you how to use power, how to compensate for speed, and how to maximize the advantages of your Hunyuan True Qi and Vajra Body! You might even be able to comprehend a killing move that is uniquely yours and incorporates the characteristics of Hunyuan Gong!"

"Disciple understands!"

"Ah."

Yue Buqun nodded in satisfaction.

"Go and bathe and change your clothes first, and properly regulate your breathing to stabilize your realm. Tomorrow, I will personally take you to the back mountain to pay your respects to Uncle Feng! Whether you can catch his eye depends on your own fate."

Watching Li Zhongren's majestic departing figure, Ning Zhongze walked to Yue Buqun's side and whispered.

"Senior brother, sending Zhongren to learn from Uncle Feng is a brilliant move. However, what about Uncle Feng?"

Yue Buqun smiled confidently.

"Junior Sister, rest assured. Since Master Feng was willing to put aside the sword qi dispute for the future of Mount Hua and personally teach Chong'er, how could he refuse Zhongren, a more promising gem? Moreover, letting these two lads learn together, spend time together, and experience Master Feng's 'tempering' is the best opportunity to resolve differences and cultivate camaraderie among fellow disciples. This is much more natural and profound than Master Feng taking them down the mountain and then trying to get them to get along!"

(End of this chapter)