Film and Television World Life Record

In this atmosphere, Linghu Chong led his group and finally arrived in Hengyang City.

Following Yue Buqun's instructions, they first went to pay their respects to Liu Zhengfeng.

Liu Zhengfeng was very accommodating, personally receiving them and arranging for them to stay in a villa in Hengyang City, where they were served the best wine and food.

However, Linghu Chong was clearly a restless soul. Without his master and mistress to watch over him, he was instantly free. His playboy nature kicked in, and he spent his days drinking and playing drinking games with others, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Chapter 545 A daughter in my family has grown up

The sky was clear and the air was fresh, the wind was gentle and the sun was shining. Hengshan City was bustling with activity. The group from Huashan had been there for two days. Hu Chong had been running away every day, and the rest of the people had been staying in the villa for two days. They couldn't stay still any longer and couldn't help but come out for a stroll.

The group chatted and laughed as they walked out of the courtyard. Leading the way was an elderly man, around forty or fifty years old, carrying a long sword; it was none other than Lao Denuo. Beside him was a pretty and refined young girl in a blue dress, chattering away; she was none other than Yue Lingshan.

Following behind were several other people, all dressed in different ways. One was dressed as a porter, which was the fifth disciple, Gao Genming; the third disciple, Liang Fa, was carrying an abacus and looking like a businessman; and there was another with a small monkey perched on his shoulder, as if performing a monkey show. Needless to say, this was Lu Dayou.

This group of people traveled together, and no matter how you looked at them, they seemed quite discordant, yet they chatted and laughed, occasionally engaging in playful banter, which drew the attention of everyone on the street.

As Yue Lingshan walked, she called out, "You little rascal, we agreed to go out for a stroll today. I told you to go and call our eldest brother, but where is he?"

Lu Dayou laughed and said, "Junior Sister, with so many of us senior brothers accompanying you shopping, you only ask about Senior Brother. You haven't even exchanged a few words with him yet, and you're still calling him Senior Brother this and that. Why don't you ask about your Sixth Senior Brother?"

Yue Lingshan stamped her foot and scolded, "Pah! You little monkey, you're right here, not sick or injured, why should I ask you?"

Six Monkeys laughed, "Senior Brother isn't sick or injured, why ask about him?"

The girl in green glared at him and said, "You brat, who said I only asked Senior Brother? If Seventh Senior Brother were here, I wouldn't talk to you anymore. You're all bullying me. I don't know where Seventh Senior Brother has been lately. I haven't seen him for months."

Lu Dayou said, "Seventh Junior Brother should be home by now. He hasn't been home for several years, and he lives far away. It takes him one or two months to travel back and forth. Last time Seventh Junior Brother went home, didn't he also travel for several months?"

Yue Lingshan thought for a moment and said, "Yes! Seventh Senior Brother should have gone home. His home is in Fujian, which is very far away. I heard it's right by the sea, where you can see the ocean. When I have time, I must go and see it."

Lu Dayou laughed and said, "That's easy. We can just have Seventh Junior Brother take you there to have a look anytime."

Yue Lingshan thought of Li Mu and said with some melancholy, "I wonder where Seventh Senior Brother is now. This time, Uncle Liu's Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony is such a grand event, with people from all over the country coming to participate. Seventh Senior Brother must have heard about it. Could he be on his way here?"

Lu Dayou laughed and said, "That's not necessarily true. Seventh Junior Brother doesn't know we're here. He's been gone for months. He might be missing us and not know we're here. He might have gone straight back to Mount Hua."

Yue Lingshan said anxiously, "Wouldn't that mean we've missed out? Sixth Monkey, you need to think of a way quickly. If Seventh Senior Brother returns to Mount Hua and doesn't see us, he'll be disappointed."

Lu Dayou comforted her helplessly, "Don't worry, Junior Sister, it won't happen. The ceremony of Uncle Liu washing his hands of his studies is such a grand event. Our Five Mountains Sword Sects are all connected, so Seventh Junior Brother can naturally guess that our Huashan Sect will also send people over, or even that Master will come in person. It's on his way back to Huashan from Fujian, so he will definitely stop by to take a look. We will meet then."

Yue Lingshan breathed a sigh of relief and glared at Lu Dayou: "You little rascal, all you do is tease me."

Six Monkeys didn't care and suddenly chuckled mischievously, "Junior Sister, you're looking forward to Senior Brother and also miss Seventh Junior Brother. What will you do if Senior Brother and Seventh Junior Brother come together? I just wonder, when that time comes, will you want Senior Brother to accompany you or Seventh Junior Brother?"

Yue Lingshan blushed, stomped her foot and scolded, "You stinky monkey, you rotten monkey, I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Holding an abacus, Liang Fa, dressed like a businessman, suddenly laughed and said, "Sixth Junior Brother, you don't understand. Junior Sister can have Senior Brother accompany her today and Seventh Junior Brother accompany her tomorrow, but she won't have time to practice her skills!"

The people nearby couldn't help but chuckle.

Yue Lingshan puffed out her cheeks in anger and shouted, "You, Liang Fa, how dare you speak ill of Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother behind their backs! Be careful, or I'll tell them, and you'll be in big trouble!"

Liang Fa said, "Junior Sister, you're wrong. I didn't scold Senior Brother and Seventh Brother. They'd probably be overjoyed to hear me say that they can spend every day with Junior Sister!"

Yue Lingshan's lips curled up, her anger subsided, and she still pretended to be annoyed, saying, "Hmph! You're the worst, I'm ignoring you!" Turning to Lao Denuo and Gao Genming, she said, "Second Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother are still the best!"

Liang Fa laughed and said, "Only my sixth junior brother and I are bad guys, everyone else is a good guy. Do you still want to know where our eldest senior brother went?"

The girl in green put on a stern face and said, "How interesting! Never mind, I'll ask my senior brother when I see him later!"

Gao Genming suddenly interjected, "I'm afraid we won't see our senior brother for a while."

The girl turned her head and said, "Fifth Senior Brother, you also know where Eldest Senior Brother went, don't you? Humph! You all know, except for me."

Gao Genming quickly waved his hand and said, "I really don't know. But normally, if Senior Brother knew he was going to accompany Junior Sister, he would be overjoyed to come. Since he didn't come this time, there must be something that he can't bear to leave." As he spoke, he glanced at Yue Lingshan with a smile.

Yue Lingshan suddenly realized something, and gritted her teeth, saying, "I knew it! That big drunkard must have gone out to drink again, didn't he?" Before anyone could answer, she continued, "Hmph! This time I'm going to tell Father that he'll be punished by being forbidden from touching alcohol for three years!"

Six Monkeys laughed and replied, "If Senior Brother is not allowed to touch alcohol for three years, wouldn't he be dying of craving?"

The girl in green continued, "We'll make him drool. We'll buy a jar of wine and put it in front of him, but he can only smell it, not drink it. Let's see if he still stands us up."

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this!

The group turned a corner and saw a simple and clean teahouse. Yue Lingshan called out, "Second Senior Brother, we've been walking for so long, we're exhausted. Let's go in, have a cup of tea, and rest our feet."

With Linghu Chong absent, Lao Denuo, as the second senior brother, was the leader of the group. Hearing this, he nodded and smiled, "Alright! Let's go in and have a cup of tea."

The teahouse had seven or eight tables, and most of them were occupied, mostly by martial arts practitioners who carried knives and swords.

Yue Lingshan said, "There are more and more martial arts practitioners in Hengshan City these days."

Upon hearing this, Laudenuo replied, "Uncle Liu is a man of great social skills and has connections all over the world. His retirement ceremony will surely attract heroes from all over the world to gather in Hengshan City."

The group found a table by the window and sat down. The tea master brewed a pot of fine Tieguanyin tea and served a dish of pumpkin seeds, a dish of broad beans, and several snacks.

The group sipped their tea, chatted, and occasionally laughed and joked. This teahouse was the same one they had visited the day before yesterday.

Chapter 546 One Sword Slays Nine Geese

As Yue Lingshan and her group entered, a group of martial arts practitioners from all over the country chatted for a while about the destruction of the Qingcheng Sect, and then started talking about Liu Zhengfeng, the protagonist who was retiring from the martial arts world.

A young man said, "This time, Master Liu is retiring from the martial arts world, and the scene is quite grand. There are still three days until the day, and look, Hengshan City is already packed with guests."

Another man said, "That's for sure. The Hengshan Sect is already renowned, and it's also one of the Five Mountains Sword Sects. Now that all five sects are here, their influence is even greater. Everyone wants to befriend them. Naturally, we have to seize this opportunity."

"Furthermore, Third Master Liu Zhengfeng is a highly skilled martial artist with a renowned reputation. His Thirty-Six Moves of the 'Returning Wind and Falling Wild Geese Sword' are particularly formidable. In Hengshan, no one dares to claim to be second to him. People have long wanted to befriend him. However, he neither celebrates birthdays nor gets married, nor does he marry off his daughters, so there's no way to establish a connection with him. This time, with his joyous occasion of retiring from the martial arts world, the heroes of the martial arts community have naturally gathered. I think this is just the beginning; in a couple of days, Hengshan City will be even more lively."

Yue Lingshan whispered, "So our Five Mountains Sword Sect has such a great reputation. Uncle Liu is so powerful. Isn't Uncle Mo the head of Hengshan Sect? Whose martial arts are better?"

The fellow disciples exchanged helpless glances, then looked at Lao Denuo, who could only say, "Uncle Liu's martial arts are indeed profound, but compared to Master Mo, he's probably still a bit lacking..."

Just then, the soft, mournful sound of a huqin (a two-stringed bowed instrument) suddenly rang out from the doorway, followed by a desolate voice singing: "Alas, the Yang family, with unwavering loyalty, supported the Great Song Dynasty..." The voice was drawn out for an extremely long time.

Everyone turned to look and saw a tall, thin old man walk in. He had a withered face, wore a blue cloth robe that was washed until it was almost white, and looked very disheveled. He was obviously a performer who begged for money.

Someone shouted, "What are you yelling about?"

The old man immediately lowered the volume of his zither, still humming, "Golden Beach... Twin Dragons Gathering... Defeated in the first battle..."

Yue Lingshan whispered, "Why did Second Senior Brother stop talking?"

Laudenau said in a low voice, "Have you ever heard of Master Mo Da's love for playing the erhu? His rendition of 'Night Rain in Xiaoxiang' can bring tears to people's eyes. The eight characters 'A sword is hidden in the erhu, and the sword's sound comes from the erhu' perfectly describe him."

Yue Lingshan said anxiously, "I've heard Father mention it. Second Senior Brother, you know a lot, so don't keep me in suspense."

Laudenau asked cautiously, "Don't you think that old man singing and playing the erhu is a bit strange?"

Yue Lingshan took a closer look and saw that although the old man was old and withered, a glint of light flashed in his eyes from time to time. She exclaimed, "Could he be Master Mo..." She quickly covered her mouth halfway through her sentence and looked at Lao Denuo.

Laudenuo nodded and didn't elaborate further. In fact, he had met Master Mo Da once twenty years ago when he was Zuo Lengchan's third disciple. Now, he couldn't bring it up to avoid being questioned and revealing his true identity.

At this moment, someone said, "I heard that this Third Master Liu of the Hengshan Sect is only in his fifties, and his internal strength is even more remarkable. He is at the peak of his martial arts skills. Why does he suddenly want to retire? Wouldn't that be a waste of his excellent skills?"

One person chimed in, “There are many reasons why martial arts practitioners retire from their profession. If a notorious thief has committed many evil deeds in his life, retiring from the profession means he will never again engage in robbery, murder, or arson. This serves two purposes: firstly, it is a way to reform his ways and leave a good reputation for his children and grandchildren; secondly, it helps him clear himself of suspicion should a major case occur in the area.”

"However, Master Liu's family is very wealthy. The Liu family of Hengshan has been prosperous for generations, so this matter has nothing to do with him."

Another person said, "We martial artists spend our lives wielding knives and guns, inevitably killing people and making many enemies. When Master Liu invites guests to his home and proclaims to the world that he will never use swords again, it means that his enemies don't need to worry about him taking revenge, and they shouldn't bother him anymore. From now on, all grudges will be settled."

Someone remarked, "Even a clay pot will break at the well, and a general will inevitably die on the battlefield. The world of martial arts is inherently risky, and the phrase 'retiring gracefully at the height of one's fame' is easier said than done. Master Liu's reputation was at its zenith when he suddenly chose to retire gracefully, which is truly remarkable and worthy of our utmost admiration."

At this moment, a middle-aged man chimed in, "Brother, you don't know this, but Master Liu didn't retire from the martial arts world because of this. I once heard from fellow martial artists that Master Liu had his own compelling reasons for retiring from the martial arts world."

The man asked curiously, "What unavoidable predicament?"

The middle-aged man shook his head and said, "Naturally, it's because my martial arts skills are too high and I have too many friends in the Hengshan Sect, so I have no choice but to retire from martial arts."

He spoke loudly, and many eyes immediately turned to him in the teahouse. Several people asked in unison, "Just because you have good martial arts skills and good interpersonal relationships doesn't mean you should retire from the martial arts world. What kind of logic is that?"

The middle-aged man sneered, "You probably don't know, but everyone says that Master Liu is the second best in the Hengshan Sect. However, everyone in the Hengshan Sect, including the heroes from all walks of life, knows that Master Liu's mastery of the thirty-six styles of 'Returning Wind and Falling Wild Geese Sword' has actually surpassed that of the sect leader, Master Mo. Master Mo can stab down three wild geese with one sword, but Master Liu can stab down five with one sword."

"Not only is his martial arts skill high, but Master Liu is also skilled at teaching his disciples. Look at Master Liu's disciples, each one of them surpasses the disciples of Master Mo Da, the head of Hengshan Sect."

"His martial arts skills are inferior, and his ability to teach disciples is also inferior. In a few years, Master Mo's reputation may be overshadowed by Master Liu. This is a big deal. Who will the Hengshan disciples listen to then? They will listen to Master Mo. His martial arts skills are not as good as Master Liu's, his popularity is not as good as Master Liu's, and he is inferior in teaching disciples. He is lacking in every aspect, which is very detrimental to the development of the Hengshan Sect."

“If we listen to Master Liu, after all, Mo Da is the sect leader, and conflicts are inevitable, making us a laughing stock. I think Master Liu has come to terms with it.”

"After all, he has a large family and business, and he is unwilling to compete with his senior brother for this empty title. It would inevitably cause trouble between them. That's why he wants to retire from the business and live a peaceful life as a wealthy man."

After saying that, the middle-aged man banged the teapot lid loudly and called out to the tea server, "Make tea, make tea."

Several people nodded and said, "I see. Master Liu is a man of great integrity, but it's such a pity that he retired from the martial world at the prime of his life."

Yue Lingshan and the others glanced at the old man playing the erhu. He changed his tune and sang, "Little Dongren, you've committed a terrible disaster..." His tone was mournful and melodious, with a hint of anger within it.

At this moment, someone chimed in: "That's exactly the point. If you ask me, then Mr. Mo is wrong. He forced Master Liu to withdraw from the martial arts world, which weakened the prestige of his own Hengshan Sect. Why not be more magnanimous and accommodate this junior brother? What's wrong with sharing some power? It would still strengthen the Hengshan Sect, and it wouldn't benefit outsiders."

The middle-aged man sneered, "There aren't that many selfless people in the world. As long as I can secure my position as the sect leader, whether the sect's prestige increases or decreases is not that important to some people."

A man next to him suddenly realized and said, "I knew it! Master Liu's retirement from the martial arts world is a big event for the Hengshan Sect. Guests from all sects and heroes from all over the country have come to congratulate him, but the Hengshan Sect..." He shook his head and sighed.

Someone asked curiously, "My friend, what about the Hengshan Sect itself?"

The man said, "Didn't you notice that everywhere in Hengshan City, those greeting guests are all disciples of Master Liu, as well as servants and stewards from the Liu family? Have you seen anyone else coming to help with the arrangements?"

"With such a good reputation as Master Liu, the disciples of Hengshan Sect dare not show their faces. Do you think there is any explanation for this? Who has such great power to deter these disciples from showing their faces?"

Everyone looked at each other, and the meaning was self-evident.

Apart from the sect leader, probably no one in the Hengshan Sect has such power to control so many disciples.

The middle-aged man chuckled and said, "So, the matter is obvious, and anyone can see it clearly. All of us here can speak freely about the factional disputes within the Hengshan Sect without any reservations. No one from the Hengshan Sect is in Hengshan City, and they have no say in our affairs."