The Prodigal Disciple of Mount Hua: Seizing All Opportunities

Seeing that Guo Jing's expression was off, Huang Rong also stopped joking.

"Brother Jing, what happened?"

Chen Qianyang also moved closer, his gaze falling on the letter.

All that could be seen were a few lines of wild cursive script.

"The Mongol army marched south from Hebei and Shanxi in three routes. The border troops of the Great Xia collapsed at the first contact. The Mongol vanguard cavalry had already drunk their way into the Yellow River, and their advance was aimed directly at the heart of the Central Plains!"

"I, Qiao, though unworthy, have already issued a 'Heroic Invitation' in Luoyang, calling upon all martial arts practitioners to temporarily set aside personal grudges, unite in the face of national crisis, and march north to resist the Mongols!"

"The army is at the Yellow River..."

Chen Qianyang was also shocked when he saw these four words.

Although he knew that the world situation was chaotic and that the Mongols in the north were the only dominant force, he did not expect the situation to collapse so quickly.

"Rong'er".

Guo Jing slowly raised his head and looked at his wife.

"We're afraid we won't be able to go to Hengshan."

Huang Rong looked into her husband's eyes and said softly, "Wherever Brother Jing goes, I will go. The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen. Since Chief Qiao has issued the invitation to heroes, as disciples of the Seventh Master and citizens of Great Xia, we naturally have no choice but to do our duty."

"good!"

Guo Jing felt a surge of heroic spirit.

He turned to look at Chen Qianyang, a hint of expectation in his eyes: "Brother Chen!"

"Brother Guo."

"You've seen it too," Guo Jing said, pointing to the letter with fervor. "Now that the nation is in peril, with barbarians invading the borders, it is the time for men to establish their merits and defend their country! You are highly skilled in martial arts, full of wisdom, and possess a chivalrous heart. Why not join my wife and me on our journey north? Together with Chief Qiao, we can gather heroes from all over the land to fight against our powerful foe. Wouldn't that be wonderful!"

Chen Qianyang felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Marching north to resist the Mongols, with swords and horses, what a magnificent and epic journey it was!

Moreover, Qiao Feng is there.

That heroic and valiant Qiao Feng, who was like a god of war!

If I could fight alongside him, my journey in this world would not have been in vain.

but……

There are reasons why I must stay on Mount Hua.

Moreover, Zuo Lengchan's conspiracy from Mount Song still looms large.

The blood feud against his parents urgently needs to be avenged.

The Hengshan Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony is imminent, marking a major turning point in the entire Swordsman storyline and the starting point for Zuo Lengchan's full-scale conspiracy.

He had to go there to complete his plan.

Only by surviving and becoming stronger can one have the right to talk about family, country, and the world.

"Brother Guo..."

Chen Qianyang took a deep breath, a bitter expression on his face.

"I... I wish I could sprout wings and follow you north to slaughter all the barbarians. But as a disciple of Mount Hua, my sect has ordered me to stay. My Uncle Liu of Mount Heng is about to retire from the martial arts world, and I simply cannot leave..."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Guo Jing's eyes.

He patted Chen Qianyang on the shoulder and laughed, "It's alright! Everyone has their own ambitions, and besides, it's hard to disobey a master's orders. Since you have things to do, my dear brother, go and take care of your business first."

This great undertaking of resisting the Mongols won't be accomplished in a day or two. Once you've finished your business, my dear brother, you're welcome to come find me in the north! At that time, I will certainly introduce you to Chief Qiao! I believe that with your character and martial arts skills, Chief Qiao will definitely consider you a brother!

"must!"

Chen Qianyang's eyes were resolute: "Once I've settled my worldly affairs, I'll definitely go north and have a good drink with my elder brother!"

"Okay! It's a deal!"

The three had made a decision: to go and say goodbye to Yue Buqun, and also to settle Yang Guo's matter of becoming his disciple.

Inside the main hall of the Fuwei Escort Agency.

Yue Buqun sat upright in the main seat. Although his face was still a little pale, he had obviously recovered from the humiliation of the day before.

Seeing Chen Qianyang leading Guo and Huang over, Yue Buqun stood up and bowed, saying, "The arrival of the virtuous couple, Hero Guo, is just in time. Consider them witnesses for me."

His gaze slowly swept over the crowd below.

"Gentlemen."

Yue Buqun's voice was heavy with sorrow: "These past few days, I have been reflecting on my mistakes behind closed doors. Whenever I recall the scene in Xiangyang Lane that day, my heart is filled with remorse and unbearable shame."

He stood up and bowed deeply to the crowd below.

"Sect Leader Yue!" Guo Jing was startled and quickly got up to help him.

Yue Buqun insisted on completing the bow, his face full of self-reproach: "If you've done something wrong, you should naturally admit it."

He sighed, "That 'Evil-Repelling Sword Manual' is an unparalleled martial art that has shaken the ages. Although I, Yue, have prided myself on cultivating my character for many years, I still lost my composure and became greedy in the face of such temptation. I almost made an irreparable mistake, not only nearly ruining the reputation of my Huashan Sect for hundreds of years, but also almost harming the child Pingzhi."

At this point, Yue Buqun's eyes reddened slightly.

"If Qianyang hadn't acted decisively and burned away the root of the problem, I, Yue, would probably still be trapped in that demonic obsession. Qianyang..."

He turned to look at Chen Qianyang, his eyes full of admiration, "Your sword strike not only averted a catastrophe in the martial world, but also awakened my own greed!"

Chen Qianyang said with trepidation, "Master, you are too kind. I acted impulsively at the time and didn't think much about it. I know your teachings well; I only know that thing is a menace and cannot be kept."

"What a fine 'cannot be kept' statement!" Yue Buqun patted Chen Qianyang on the shoulder. "To have such awareness, you are indeed worthy of being a disciple of my Huashan Sect! It has not been in vain for my usual teachings."

These words were spoken with heartfelt sincerity.

If Chen Qianyang hadn't witnessed his disgraceful behavior of eavesdropping on the rooftop that night and personally experienced his madness when snatching the sword manual, he probably would have been truly impressed by the acting skills of this "Gentleman Swordsman".

Huang Rong watched coldly from the sidelines. She gently touched Guo Jing's arm and whispered, "Brother Jing, look at this Headmaster Yue, he's acting so convincingly."

Guo Jing, however, was an honest man. Hearing Yue Buqun's frankness, he felt respect for him and said in a low voice, "Rong'er, it is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. The fact that Sect Leader Yue can admit his mistakes in public shows a magnanimity that is truly beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Yue Buqun's gaze then fell on Lin Pingzhi.

"Pingzhi, your parents suffered such a terrible calamity, and your uncle-in-law felt guilty for not being able to protect them. Now, you are the only one left in the Fuwei Escort Agency. This world is treacherous. Although the sword manual has been destroyed, there are still those with ulterior motives... Why not join my Huashan Sect? We will surely protect you and teach you martial arts so that you will have the ability to protect yourself in the future. What do you say?"

Lin Pingzhi trembled slightly upon hearing this.

He slowly raised his head, and his once youthful face now held a deeper meaning.

After this incident, the once dashing young man seemed to have become a completely different person.

He looked at Yue Buqun and suddenly knelt down.

"Uncle Yue's kindness and virtue are something I will never forget. However, Fuwei Escort Agency is the foundation of our ancestors' business. Although I am not very capable, I cannot let this brand fall in my hands."

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Yue Buqun's eyes.

"Pingzhi has decided to regroup and reopen the Fuwei Escort Agency!" Lin Pingzhi gritted his teeth. "Although most of the escorts have dispersed, the Fuwei Escort Agency still has many branches elsewhere. As long as I, Lin Pingzhi, have a breath left, the Fuwei Escort Agency will not fall!"

Yue Buqun frowned slightly.

Lin Pingzhi's reaction was somewhat unexpected.

Logically speaking, a young man who has suffered a great misfortune and is now all alone should be moved to tears and bow down in gratitude when personally recruited by the head of the Huashan Sect.

But Lin Pingzhi actually refused?

Does he really want to preserve his family business?

Or...did you see something?

Yue Buqun's mind raced, but he remained outwardly calm: "I am very pleased with your ambition. However, I'm afraid this escort agency will be difficult to run."

"Uncle Yue, rest assured, although Pingzhi's martial arts skills are weak, he will not be easily slaughtered. If anyone goes too far, Pingzhi's life is worthless!"

There was already a hint of ruthlessness in those words.

Chen Qianyang understood.

That once arrogant young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) has died in the karmic fire of Xiangyang Lane.

Lin Pingzhi has now completed his transformation.

He clearly did not trust Yue Buqun.

Linghu Chong's words that night, and everything that happened afterward, made him see a corner of the hypocritical mask beneath the "Gentleman Sword".

"Since that's the case..." Yue Buqun sighed, "Everyone has their own ambitions, and I can't force you. However, since you call me uncle, I can't just abandon you."

He pondered for a moment: "How about this, if you don't want to be my inner disciple, then how about being an outer disciple? You don't have to come up the mountain with me; you can stay here in Fuzhou and run your escort agency. I will teach you a few sets of Huashan Sect's introductory sword techniques and mental cultivation methods. If any villains dare to offend you again, you will still be considered a disciple of my Huashan Sect, and my Huashan Sect will have your back."

Lin Pingzhi was silent for a moment, then said, "Thank you, Uncle Yue... thank you, Master!"

He knew this was the best outcome he could achieve at the moment.

Having the identity of an outer disciple of the Huashan Sect would at least deter ordinary martial arts scoundrels, giving him a chance to breathe and grow.

"Good, good." Yue Buqun nodded in satisfaction. "Get up."