You see, he's a newly promoted second-rate fighter, but he actually managed to defeat two veteran second-rate masters in a one-on-two fight. That's quite a feat.
He even showed off the secret manuals and silver bills he'd taken, eagerly waiting for his shi-mother's praise. But instead, he got a scolding from her, and Lian Cheng got caught in the crossfire too.
"You two are so reckless!"
Ning Zhong Ze didn't know whether to be angry or worried, "One first-rate and two second-rate fighters from the other side, how could you two dare to face them alone? You should've returned and consulted with your shi-mother first, instead of charging in like that!"
We weren't being reckless, we won, didn't we!
Linghu Chong's expression conveyed these unspoken words, but how could Ning Zhong Ze not understand him?
She treated Linghu Chong like her own son. She knew him well enough to understand what he was thinking. This kid, always looking for trouble!
Fortunately, Lian Cheng calmed her down, "Shi-mother, Master Brother and I weren't reckless. We were planning to see what kind of enemies we were facing and how strong they were. When we found an opportunity to win and realized they had no reinforcements, we acted decisively. If we had found ourselves outmatched, we would've simply used the Lingbo Weibu to run away. I'm always cautious with my actions, shi-mother, there's no need to worry about any risks."
Ning Zhong Ze sighed, "Alright, since Cheng'er said so, I won't blame you two anymore."
Linghu Chong was dumbfounded.
What does that mean? So, I, the senior disciple, am untrustworthy?
Well, Linghu Chong was self-aware. He'd only matured for a year, so he wasn't as steady as his junior brother. He also wasn't as strong as his junior brother, and his core personality was still a bit impulsive. It was normal for his shi-mother to be wary of him.
Lian Cheng quickly changed the subject, "Shi-mother, have you contacted the Hengshan Sect?"
Ning Zhong Ze nodded, "I've sent out a carrier pigeon. We should get a reply in a few days."
"Ding Xian Shi Tai and the others will surely agree. With the support of the Hengshan Sect's intelligence, our Huashan Sect won't be left in the dark. But we need to prepare ourselves as soon as possible. The Demon Cult lost two first-rate and three second-rate fighters, so they won't stay silent. We need to be vigilant against enemy attacks and also beware of any ambitious figures trying to stir up trouble!"
Ning Zhong Ze and Linghu Chong exchanged glances, both understanding that Lian Cheng was referring to the Songshan Sect.
Indeed, the Songshan Sect was notorious for their underhanded tactics. This wasn't their first time doing this. Over the years, whenever Yue Buqun or Ning Zhong Ze left the mountain, they always encountered some trouble.
If they weren't hesitant, they probably would have sent people to assassinate them.
If the Huashan Sect lost its only two first-rate masters, then the sect would be nothing more than a shell.
Lian Cheng knew that it wasn't out of kindness that Zuo Lengchan hadn't taken any action. He wasn't willing to risk it. The Songshan Sect didn't have many first-rate masters either. They dared not assassinate Yue Buqun before knowing for sure what he was capable of.
If they struck the snake without killing it, it would only bite back. It would be painful.
So, Zuo Lengchan was mainly buying out underworld masters in secret, just waiting for the right moment to unleash them to assassinate Yue Buqun.
In the original story, both the Huashan Sect and the Hengshan Sect were attacked by the Songshan Sect in secret.
Especially the Hengshan Sect, they suffered many casualties.
This showed how ruthless Zuo Lengchan was. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Facing such an ambitious figure, one could never be too cautious.
Lian Cheng thought about the Songshan Sword Technique and said, "Shi-mother, Master Brother probably hasn't learned the Mountain Cave Sword Technique yet. I think it should be passed down to Master Brother. It could enhance our fighting power against such ambitious figures."
Mountain Cave Sword Technique?
Linghu Chong was confused. Did the Huashan Sect have a sword technique he didn't know about?
Hearing this, Ning Zhong Ze agreed, "You're right. With Chong'er's current strength, it's a good idea for him to learn the Mountain Cave Sword Technique. I can make the decision. Chong'er, Shan'er, you two must keep this a secret, don't talk about it to anyone else."
Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan exchanged glances. They didn't understand, but they nodded in agreement.
Ning Zhong Ze left the study and came back after a while, holding a delicate box. She opened it and handed the secret manual inside to Linghu Chong.
"Take a look. Try to memorize it quickly. The manual isn't yours to keep."
"Yes, Shi-mother."
Linghu Chong took the secret manual and looked at it. He was immediately surprised. He couldn't believe the sect had been hiding these sword techniques.
He hadn't had much contact with the people from the other four Great Sects, but he had some understanding of their sword techniques. He could tell that the sword techniques in this manual were of the same origin as those of the Five Great Sects, but they were even more profound and powerful.
Furthermore, the paper of the manual was brand new. It seemed to be a recent acquisition.
Where did it come from?
Linghu Chong was very curious, "Shi-mother, these sword techniques..."
Ning Zhong Ze shook her head, "Ask your second junior brother later. For now, just memorize everything. You must practice hard in the future."
Linghu Chong didn't ask further. He quickly started to examine the manual carefully. He had a natural talent for sword techniques. If it was a book he had to memorize, he wouldn't be able to do it, but he could remember the sword diagrams very quickly.
Soon, he had memorized everything.
Ning Zhong Ze immediately took back the manual, "Alright, remember to practice diligently every day. If you forget any moves, ask your second junior brother. He's already learned them."
"Yes, Shi-mother."
Linghu Chong watched his shi-mother leave with the box. He couldn't wait to ask Lian Cheng about it. He was clearly very interested.
However, he hesitated because Yue Lingshan was right there.
Lian Cheng waved his hand, "It's fine. Little Junior Sister knows more than you. This story starts with when I was comprehending the Lian Cheng Sword Technique on the Cliff of Reflection. As I was practicing, I moved a large rock and smashed a section of the cliff wall..."
He quickly told him about the mysterious cave.
Linghu Chong was dumbfounded. He didn't know the Cliff of Reflection had such a secret. He really wanted to see the cave!
Lian Cheng could see what the boy was thinking, and he rolled his eyes, "Don't even think about going there. Master sealed the cave. It's not easy to open it. And if the cave is opened again, there's a risk of being discovered. Right now, our Huashan Sect faces many dangers. If the news leaks out, the other four Great Sects or even the Demon Cult might come knocking. So don't act impulsively for the sake of your curiosity. Little Junior Sister, the same goes for you. You and Master Brother must keep this a secret. This is a matter of life or death for our sect!"
Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan immediately nodded, "We understand! We will keep it a secret!"
Lian Cheng finally felt relieved. He suggested, "Since this is the case, Master Brother, you should hurry up and practice. Don't forget the moves you just saw. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions."
For the next few days, Linghu Chong focused on practicing the Mountain Cave Sword Technique, while Yue Lingshan watched from the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Shi-mother received a carrier pigeon from the Hengshan Sect. Ding Xian Shi Tai, the head of the Hengshan Sect, agreed to the Huashan Sect's request and would share some of their intelligence.
She also thoughtfully attached recent news from the martial arts world to the letter.
Learning that the Demon Cult had no plans for a large-scale military campaign, Ning Zhong Ze and Lian Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like the Huashan Sect was safe for now.