The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun.

During the exchange of pleasantries, Jiang Ning glanced behind Wang Yuanba and noticed that the Wang family members were carrying more than a dozen large boxes up Mount Hua, wondering what they contained.

Chapter 609: What is Jianghu?

"Sect Leader Wang, what is this?"

Jiang Ning inquired.

"These are what I brought for Pingzhi."

Wang Yuanba laughed heartily.

Jiang Ning didn't say anything more.

If this were filled with gold and silver and given to the Huashan Sect by the Golden Saber Sect, Jiang Ning would not accept it. But since it was given to Lin Pingzhi, he couldn't say anything.

Jiang Ning bowed to an old man next to Wang Yuanba and said, "Junior Jiang Ning greets Abbot Chen."

The old man was none other than Headmaster Chen of Lingfeng Academy, accompanied by a young girl, Chen Lanjin, whom Jiang Ning had met once two years ago.

“Nephew, there’s no need for such formality. I’m just an ordinary person. This is too much for me.”

Seeing Jiang Ning being so polite to him, Chen, despite his advanced age, still felt flattered.

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "Master Chen is a good friend of my master and also my elder, so I naturally accept this courtesy."

Seeing how polite the other party was, Dean Chen couldn't help but sigh that he was indeed worthy of being a disciple of a major sect, and his manners were different from those of ordinary people in the martial arts world.

Headmaster Chen smiled and asked, "How has Sect Leader Yue been lately?"

Jiang Ning said, "My master is doing well. A few days ago, my master went down the mountain and was delayed for a while. Before he left, he told me that if you two came to Mount Hua, I would be the one to receive you."

It turned out to be the case.

Wang Yuanba and Dean Chen nodded; no wonder they hadn't seen Yue Buqun.

But what followed was surprise.

"Sect Leader Wang, this is my master's wife..."

Jiang Ning then introduced Ning Zhongze, Feng Buping, Cheng Buyou, and others who were standing behind Wang Yuanba.

Wang Yuanba dared not be careless and quickly bowed.

"Miss Ning, I have long admired your name."

Ning Zhongze smiled slightly and then returned the greeting.

Wang Yuanba had also heard of Feng Buping and Cheng Buyou, but only from rumors in the martial arts world. The two were once members of the Huashan Sword Sect, but were later subdued by Yue Buqun, and the two sects merged.

After exchanging greetings with the three men, Wang Yuanba was shocked.

These three people included Yue Buqun's first wife and two other senior martial uncles of the same generation. All three were behind Jiang Ning, who led and received them. None of them had any objections, which shows that Jiang Ning's status in the Huashan Sect was extremely high, second only to Yue Buqun.

It seems that Ning Yanwang is a foregone conclusion that he will be the future leader of the Huashan Sect.

Wang Yuanba thought to himself.

Not only Wang Yuanba realized this, but even Chen Yuanzhu, an ordinary person who was not a member of the martial arts world, understood what this meant.

At this moment, Chen Lanjin, the head of the academy, stared intently at Jiang Ning with her bright eyes, but her gaze kept sweeping among the Huashan disciples behind her, as if she were looking for someone.

When Lin Pingzhi saw Wang Yuanba and his group, he wanted to go up and greet them, but since everyone was there, he held back and decided to catch up with his maternal grandfather's family later.

"Please follow me, everyone."

Jiang Ning received Wang Yuanba and Dean Chen in the main hall, while the Wang family members of the Golden Saber Sect scattered to admire the scenery of Mount Hua. Wang Jiaju and Wang Jiajun went to find Lin Pingzhi, while Chen Lanjin followed Dean Chen.

“Nephew Jiang, I must thank you and Nephew Linghu for saving my Wang family’s life last time. If it weren’t for you two, my Wang family would have been wiped out by the Demonic Sect long ago. Today, I’ve come to visit Pingzhi’s child and to express my gratitude to the Huashan Sect for their help.”

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Wang Yuanba spoke.

"It was just a small favor, nothing to mention."

Jiang Ning smiled slightly: "I said back in Luoyang that the Demonic Sect is the mortal enemy of our righteous path, and naturally we will not allow them to harm others. Sect Master Wang, you don't need to take it too seriously."

"Actually, there is another matter I came to Mount Hua with that I would like to discuss with your sect about cooperation. I wonder if your sect is interested?"

Wang Yuanba then brought up another topic.

Cooperation?

Jiang Ning and Ning Zhongze exchanged a glance, and Jiang Ning said, "I would like to hear the details."

That's right.

Wang Yuanba said, “As you know, my grandson Lin Pingzhi’s family used to run a security escort business, but due to the Qingcheng Sect incident, the Fuwei Security Escort Agency no longer exists. I think that although Pingzhi has joined the Huashan Sect, he still needs to take care of the family business. I want to help my grandson revive the Fuwei Security Escort Agency.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning said, "Sect Leader Wang and Junior Brother Lin can discuss this matter. If Junior Brother Lin has no objections, then the Huashan Sect will not interfere too much."

That's good.

Wang Yuanba smiled.

The only concern is that the Huashan Sect might think that its disciples are ruining the sect's reputation by engaging in worldly business instead of practicing martial arts properly. As long as the Huashan Sect doesn't object, things will be much easier from here on out.

Now that we've finished discussing Wang Yuanba's matter, it's time to talk about Dean Chen's.

Or rather, it's about Chen Lanjin.

"I want to join the Huashan Sect."

With a thud, Chen Lanjin knelt before Jiang Ning and Ning Zhongze, her expression resolute.

"This……"

Jiang Ning and Ning Zhong looked at each other in bewilderment.

This girl is really persistent. She was rejected once two years ago, and now she's coming back again.

Remembering that Yue Buqun had told him to say a few perfunctory words to her before he left, Jiang Ning paused and said.

"Please rise, Miss Chen."

Chen Lanjin kowtowed again.

"I beg your esteemed sect to accept me as your disciple."

Seeing that the other party was determined, Jiang Ning asked, "Miss Chen, the recruitment of disciples for this year of our Huashan Sect has ended. We will not recruit any more disciples. Besides, you are already past the age for practicing martial arts and do not meet the requirements for entry."

Chen Lanjin is already eighteen years old this year, long past the age for practicing martial arts.

Chen Lanjin still refused to give up.

"I know that you have to start learning martial arts at the age of seven, but I started learning martial arts when I was seven. It doesn't matter. Please accept me as your student."

Seeing that the other party was determined to join the Huashan Sect, Jiang Ning did not continue to refuse, but instead asked a question.

"Why is Miss Chen so determined to join my Huashan Sect?"

Chen Lanjin gets excited whenever this is mentioned.

"I want to learn advanced martial arts and master unparalleled skills."

Jiang Ning then asked, "Why do you learn martial arts?"

Chen Lanjin looked on with anticipation: "To make my way in the world!"

Jiang Ning asked again, "What is your view of the martial arts world?"

Without hesitation, Chen Lanjin replied, "It is about seeking justice and vengeance, about love and affection, about robbing the rich to help the poor, about helping those in need, and about taking full responsibility for all consequences."

The image of Jiang Ning saying on the streets of Luoyang that he would protect Lin Pingzhi and that everyone should look for him had been etched in Chen Lanjin's mind.

"No!"

Jiang Ning rejected her answer, saying, "The martial world is a place of bloodshed and treachery, of good versus evil, of life and death."

Chen Lanjin was stunned.

Jiang Ning continued, "Do you know how many novice martial artists, just like you, have been robbed and killed as soon as they entered the martial world because of their poor skills? Do you know how many martial artists have died in martial arts feuds, and how many righteous people have died at the hands of the demonic sect?"

"You want to settle scores quickly and rob the rich to help the poor, but why do you want to rob the rich to help the poor?"

Chapter 610: Far Away Yet So Close

Chen Lanjin was taken aback by the questions and couldn't answer them.

When Jiang Ning asked the last question, Chen Lanjin felt she could answer it and quickly replied, "Of course, it's about using the rich's money to help the poor."

"Why?"

Jiang Ning countered with a question.

"On what grounds?"

Chen Lanjin said blankly, "Of course it's those rich people who are heartless."

Jiang Ning said calmly.

“I admire Ms. Chen’s compassion for the poor. I do not deny that there are indeed many wealthy but heartless businessmen in the world. But I have a question for Ms. Chen: Are all rich people heartless? Are all poor people hardworking and kind?”

"Miss Chen, your family is quite well-off. If one day someone takes money from your family under the guise of robbing the rich to help the poor, do you think that's a chivalrous act? Is that the kind of chivalry you want?"

"I……"

Chen Lanjin couldn't answer, her eyes filled with a clear sense of confusion.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Ning said, "Miss Chen, the martial world is cruel, not as beautiful as you think. Before you understand what the martial world is, the Huashan Sect will not accept you as a member."

Chen Lanjin silently got up and no longer mentioned joining the Huashan Sect.

They finally managed to get away with it.

Jiang Ning thought to himself.

Actually, Jiang Ning's question wasn't unanswerable; everyone present except Chen Lanjin could answer it. They were all seasoned veterans, and this kind of question wouldn't stump them, but there was no need to answer it.

As Jiang Ning said, for Chen Lanjin, clinging to fantasies before figuring out what the martial arts world truly is is actually detrimental to her.

With Chen Lanjin's matter resolved, Wang Yuanba was also going down to find Lin Pingzhi. The crowd dispersed from the main hall, but before Jiang Ning left, Chen Lanjin approached him again.