Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 6 The Subtleties of the Human Heart
"You go back first. I will visit you tomorrow with my disciple."

Ouyang Zheng was caught in a dilemma, put on the spot by Lu Wubing's words.

This request to become an apprentice is something that's neither good to accept nor bad to refuse.

We can only accept it as the default.

For a moment, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

"The disciple retire."

Lu Wubing was in a very good mood. He didn't look at the sword manual again, bowed, and left the inn happily.

"You little rascal, you're really sticking to me now!"

Ouyang Zheng chuckled to himself.

"Congratulations, Father! Congratulations, Father! You've gained another excellent disciple this time you've come down the mountain."

A girl in a green dress walked into the house sideways with her hands behind her back, and congratulated her with a smile.

Ouyang Zheng shook his head: "At sixteen, he is already an adult, but his internal strength is weak and his lower body is unstable. Obviously, he has not laid a solid foundation."

Now that your physical constitution is set, any further study of my Heavenly Star Sect's sword techniques and internal energy cultivation will yield extremely limited results. Especially since getting involved in other people's conflicts will only create more karma…

"My daughter has inquired about it these past two days. The Lu family of Huichuntang is like a benefactor to all families. Lu Changfeng has miraculous medical skills and is also a very good person who has helped many poor people."

The East Sea Sword Sect, in their quest to seize the sword manual, resorted to trickery and force, even going so far as to destroy families and exterminate clans. They were truly vicious and violated the code of the martial world.

Father always said that our Heavenly Star Sect is on the righteous path, upholding justice and helping those in distress. When injustice strikes, how can we stand idly by?

"That's true, but the East Sea Sword Sect is quite powerful. Its leader, Gu Dongting, is a top-notch martial artist with profound cultivation. Moreover, he has some connections with the Prince Gong's Mansion."

At this point, Ouyang Zheng sighed again, "The Tianxing Sect is currently in dire straits, with Ziyang Peak eyeing it covetously from the outside and your two senior uncles hindering it from within. It is really not advisable to make any more powerful enemies. The Donghai Sword Sect occupies Haizhou, is wealthy and powerful, and is adjacent to Tianxing Peak. If they intend to cause trouble... Sigh, why am I telling you all this?"

Amidst his fluctuating emotions, Ouyang Zheng realized he had talked a bit too much with his daughter.

Children are in their innocent and passionate years. If you talk to them about the cutthroat world of gangsters and petty schemes, they will not only disagree, but will also feel burdened.

"I've grown up."

Ouyang Lan puffed out her cheeks and rolled her eyes, dissatisfied that her father still treated her like a child.

“I understand all of this. No matter what, the actions of the East Sea Sword Sect are not righteous, and I cannot stand by and watch.”

Besides, Lu Wubing isn't as bad as his father makes him out to be. His natural talent might not be the best, but he's clever, kind-hearted, and when he sees a child in danger on the street, he'll do everything in his power to save them, despite his own limited abilities. How could someone like that be bad?

Most importantly, he only gave a quiet reminder, and the man actually came knocking on his door. He even managed to get his father, who rarely takes on apprentices, to reluctantly accept him as a disciple. That's amazing!

"Clever, yes, but I'm afraid he's too clever, too cunning." Ouyang Zheng was speechless.

The adult world is completely different from the world seen through a child's eyes.

My daughter has been pampered since she was a child; she's still too young to see through the wickedness of people's hearts.

That kid was cunning and scheming, setting traps at every turn. His few questions and exchanges earlier had actually stirred up the emotions of this seasoned veteran. His shrewdness was simply unbelievable.

"Alright, since this matter has been decided, I will not go back on my word. Chongshan has gone to Tiger Ridge to gather information. You and Yunchong should keep a close eye on the Lu family tonight."

……

In the backyard of the Lu family, Lu Changfeng suppressed his injuries, his hand on his sword. "Cough cough, the fate of Wubing'er on this journey is uncertain. If, if..."

When he awoke from his coma, he heard from his wife that something had been found in the cellar. Moreover, his son had taken the sword manual to seek a master and help him. This behavior was no different from a child carrying gold in the bustling city, entrusting his life to someone else's momentary kindness.

After the attack by the East Sea Sword Sect, Lu Changfeng not only gained a deep understanding of his own martial arts level, but also realized how treacherous the martial arts world was and how unpredictable people's hearts were. At this moment, he couldn't help but have wild thoughts.

Chen Yulian sighed, "You used to think too highly of others, without any sense of caution. Now you think too badly of people, and you're suspicious of everything. You should know that Master Ouyang of the Tianxing Sect is known for his righteousness and integrity. Wubing will surely succeed on this journey."

"What do you mean?" Seeing his wife so calm and composed, her worries seemingly gone, Lu Changfeng's anxiety subsided somewhat. His wife came from a prominent family in Weijing and was renowned for her talent and beauty in her youth, possessing remarkable insight. Her lack of concern at this moment—could it be that the seemingly harmless child's actions had a deeper meaning?

"In any plan or strategy, there is no inherent good or bad. Success or failure depends on how you treat the people involved. Since Mr. Ouyang has a reputation for being righteous and chivalrous, it is conceivable that he must be upright in his conduct and extremely protective of his reputation."

Chan Yuk-lin spoke eloquently.

"If he lives up to his name, with his chivalrous heart, when the child without illness comes to him, he will naturally not allow the East Sea Sword Sect to indiscriminately kill innocent people, nor will he take the sword manual and then leave it unused. If he were to seize it by trickery or force and leave someone to die, he would not be able to get over that hurdle in his heart."

He couldn't possibly refuse the sword manual... Firstly, he couldn't bear to part with it; secondly, if he stood idly by, and Wubing secretly arranged for the manual to be printed and distributed throughout the land, wouldn't that plunge the world into chaos and cause immense suffering? How could the kind-hearted Master Ouyang possibly bear to see such a thing happen?

“That’s right. If Mr. Ouyang is truly a virtuous and respected elder, then so be it. But if he is…”

Lu Changfeng put himself in others' shoes and realized that if he were in that situation, he would indeed have no other choice.

Then he thought of Gu Dongting, the leader of the East Sea Sword Sect, whose reputation was not bad, and how he could do something like destroying his family and killing his clan to steal the sword manual. He couldn't help but feel uneasy again.

People's hearts are unpredictable; reputation and reality are often not the same thing.

Who would have thought that their most respected and admired father would lie to them?

That’s outrageous!

Chen Yulian added, "Master is worried that Mr. Ouyang has become greedy and is not as kind as rumored in the martial arts world. His true nature is that of an evil person."

If he were a villain, having obtained a divine sword manual capable of dominating the world, why would he allow so many others to practice the same sword technique as him? They would all wish to be the only ones who knew it.

Therefore, he cares more about the safety of our Lu family than anyone else, and only wishes that we will be free from illness and disaster and not take the final, desperate step.

As for whether our family has seen the sword manual or whether we will practice it on our own, he wouldn't worry.

After all, in his eyes, the master and Wubing had never considered practicing such a demonic sword technique over the years; they were truly virtuous and upright people who had stood the test of time.

At this point, Chen Yulian looked at Lu Changfeng with a very complicated expression.

"Alright, from now on, let Wubing make the decisions on important family matters. Just do as he said, after the apprenticeship ceremony, close down the Huichun Hall in Jiangzhou and go far away to Xiangzhou."

Upon hearing this, Lu Changfeng was stunned for a long time before finally laughing heartily.

As night fell, the torches lit by the guards cast a flickering red glow, and a joyful shout came from afar: "Young Master is back!"

……

That night, Lu Wubing practiced swordsmanship all night without taking a moment's rest.

At midnight, the sounds of swords clashing and clothes rustling in the wind could be heard outside the mansion. Furthermore, a booming sound, like thunder, could be heard from hundreds of feet away in the northwest.

I could faintly hear the waves rising from the sea, the crashing sound of the surf...

A long laugh reached their ears, "Sect Leader Gu, the night is cold and the wind is chilly, please take good care of yourself."

"What a powerful Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Net! I will remember it."

Another, slightly shrill voice swept away and gradually faded into the distance.

Lu Wubing was overjoyed.

From the sounds outside the mansion, he roughly understood what had happened.

He hurried a few steps, climbed up his own wall, and looked into the distance. He saw a slender figure that looked somewhat familiar, flashed briefly in the thin moonlight, and then disappeared.

The faint, ominous atmosphere that had been present, both near and far, vanished completely, as if it had never existed.

……

(End of this chapter)