Chapter 3

Xiao Ran's words were reasonable, but this place could be considered a crucial area of the Huashan Sect. If these methods to break through the techniques were to spread outside, it would be a disaster for Huashan.

Therefore, Linghu Chong did not dare to be careless: "Don't you know that this cave is where disciples who have committed offenses face the wall in penance, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter?"

Xiao Ran's attention was at its peak. If Linghu Chong were to attack again, it wouldn't be as hasty as before. He was not the least bit careless and laughed, "I am a new disciple and didn't know. If that's the case, then I have also committed an offense. Just punish me by making me face the wall here, it will be good to keep the senior brother company!"

Hearing Xiao Ran's casual words, Linghu Chong relaxed. He was naturally a carefree person: "If you're here to bring food, did you bring wine? Let's go out and drink!"

Linghu Chong didn't want Xiao Ran to see the sword techniques on the wall and immediately wanted to drive Xiao Ran out.

Thinking about it, Xiao Ran had just entered and was a new disciple. The cave was dark, so Xiao Ran probably couldn't see much in a glance.

"In the martial world, it's rumored that Linghu Chong is a heavy drinker. I've heard of Senior Brother's great name in the martial world, so I naturally brought wine!"

Xiao Ran didn't look around much and left the secret cave with Linghu Chong.

To befriend Linghu Chong, Xiao Ran had brought a lot of fine wine when he ascended Huashan. This time, he brought high-quality Fenjiu.

Linghu Chong was lost in thought, drinking the wine and chatting casually with Xiao Ran. He still didn't know what to do with Xiao Ran!

In Linghu Chong's view, the methods to break through the techniques in the secret cave behind the mountain were as important to Huashan as the Purple Star Divine Skill.

In the plot of "Swordsman," after losing the Purple Star Divine Skill, Linghu Chong once said that if ten people had seen the Purple Star Divine Skill, he would kill ten people, and if a hundred people had seen it, he would kill a hundred people.

If Xiao Ran were not a Huashan disciple, Linghu Chong would have considered killing him to silence him!

If Xiao Ran were a long-time disciple like Lu Dàyǒu, Linghu Chong wouldn't be too worried!

Taking another sip of wine, Linghu Chong thought, "Forget it, I should report this to Master and let him decide..."

But, if Master knew that the Huashan sword techniques had been completely broken, what would he think...

At this moment, Linghu Chong suddenly had an impulse to rush into the cave and destroy all the murals!

Xiao Ran didn't know what Linghu Chong was thinking, but he could guess about eighty percent of it. He said, "Senior Brother, I just saw something on the wall that said someone had completely broken the Huashan sword techniques...

Have our Huashan sword techniques really been broken!?"

Linghu Chong was startled, not expecting Xiao Ran to have really seen it. He stared straight at Xiao Ran, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes: "How much did you see!?"

"I just entered, and you attacked me with a sword, scaring me...

The light inside was dim, I only took a quick look, and didn't see it clearly. It seemed there were some words... something about someone completely breaking the Huashan sword techniques!" Thinking for a moment, Xiao Ran continued, "Huashan has been established for hundreds of years, one of the Five Great Sword Sects. Who would dare to say they've completely broken Huashan... Could it be the Nine Swords of Dugu?"

Xiao Ran knew that Feng Qingyang was on Huashan and had been secretly observing Linghu Chong. Otherwise, how would he have appeared when Linghu Chong knocked down Yue Lingshan's sword, or when Tian Boguang beat Linghu Chong to a pulp?

Feng Qingyang seemed to have a bit of a voyeuristic tendency, but in Xiao Ran's view, this was easy to explain.

Clearly, at that time, Feng Qingyang had the impulse to teach Linghu Chong sword techniques.

After all, he was old and didn't have much time left. If he didn't pass on his skills, he would take his incredible sword techniques to the grave.

No martial arts expert wants to be without successors. Even Ren Woxing carved the Absorbing Star Technique on a stone slab at the bottom of West Lake.

So, Feng Qingyang was likely just testing Linghu Chong.

By mentioning the Nine Swords of Dugu, Xiao Ran wanted to see if Feng Qingyang would react.

Linghu Chong was surprised: "The Nine Swords of Dugu, what kind of sword technique is that, to dare say it can break the Huashan sword techniques!? What a big mouth..."

Although the Huashan sword techniques had been broken in the cave, he didn't believe that just anyone could break them.

Xiao Ran laughed, "My family has many martial arts stories, and I've loved reading them since I was young. Wandering in the martial world, I've heard many rumors!

It's said that the Nine Swords of Dugu were created by a sword master in the Song Dynasty, but his story is unknown.

He was called Dugu Qiubai, who sought a defeat all his life but never found one. Just hearing his name, you can tell how powerful he was.

It's said that one of the Five Greats at the end of the Song Dynasty, Yang Guo, received part of his legacy.

It's also said that the Nine Swords of Dugu can break all sword techniques in the world, so I thought it might be the Nine Swords of Dugu that claimed to break the Huashan sword techniques."

Linghu Chong laughed, "Break all sword techniques in the world? What a big mouth. There are countless sword techniques in the world, and new ones are created all the time!

How could there be a sword technique that can break all sword techniques!

These are clearly just rumors in the martial world, not to be taken seriously!"

Thinking about it, Zhang Chengfeng and his brother were also great experts who spent a lot of time and effort to break the Huashan sword techniques. It wouldn't make sense for one sword technique to break all sword techniques!

Xiao Ran also laughed, "I think so too. It doesn't make sense. Otherwise, if there were a sword technique that could break all sword techniques, there would also be a sword technique that could break all saber techniques, a spear technique that could break all spear techniques...

In that case, one sword technique could break all martial arts... which is impossible.

It's probably just a story made up by storytellers!

I guess the name Dugu Qiubai is similar to Dongfang Bubai, the leader of the Cult of the Devil. I think the name was created based on Dongfang Bubai's name!"

Linghu Chong thought for a moment and nodded, "That makes sense."

Xiao Ran continued, "So, the Nine Swords of Dugu are likely just a myth. I thought there might really be such a miraculous sword technique!

But speaking of miraculous sword techniques, the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique that's been spreading in the martial world recently is quite amazing... but it requires castration to practice."

Although Linghu Chong was on the Cliff of Reflection, he had heard about this from Lu Dàyǒu and had seen the Evil-Exorcising Sword Manual. As a young man, he naturally had no desire to practice the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique. He sighed, "Junior Brother Lin's family was wiped out because of this sword technique. Thinking about it now, it was really not worth it!

If I had known the sword manual was like this, I would have just given it to Yu Canghai...

But this sword technique is indeed amazing. After practicing it, one's true energy can be so fast.

I used to think Tian Boguang's fast saber was rare in the world, but compared to the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique, it's as slow as a snail, completely beyond reason.

Facing someone who has practiced the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique, if our skills and power are equal, he can attack ten times while I can only defend nine times and counter once...

Most likely, I wouldn't be able to defend at all if I didn't know he had practiced the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique and wasn't prepared!"

Xiao Ran took another sip of wine and laughed, "This sword technique is strange but truly powerful.

Compared to the legendary Nine Swords of Dugu, it's not in the same league, but it's just hard to practice at the beginning..."

Linghu Chong also said, "If someone really practices this sword technique to perfection, I can't imagine how fast they would be. If you attack twice, they can attack four or five times, like playing chess. If your opponent makes two moves, I can make three or four, then even a poor player like me could beat a grandmaster..."

Xiao Ran smiled and waved his hand, "I don't think so!

Like the sword and qi dispute on Huashan, why did the Sword Sect lose to the Qi Sect?

What, you don't know the Sword Sect and the Qi Sect? It's like this..."

Xiao Ran briefly explained the dispute between the Sword and Qi Sects and then said, "The Sword Sect progressed quickly at first, similar to the Evil-Exorcising Sword Technique!

But why did they lose to the Qi Sect?

Let's say I am from the Sword Sect, and Senior Brother is from the Qi Sect!

At first, I progressed quickly. After ten years of practice, I could easily beat Senior Brother who practiced qi for ten years. The progress was fast!

After that, after twenty years of practice, I was about the same as Senior Brother who practiced qi for twenty years.

After that, I found it hard to beat Senior Brother because my progress was getting slower and slower!

At this point, I would feel a gap. In the first twenty years, I was used to winning Senior Brother with a single brilliant sword technique, so it was hard to accept the slow process of accumulating qi to become stronger...

I would want to take shortcuts and avoid hard work...

This requires a lot of perseverance and determination...

So, in my view, the defeat of the Sword Sect was inevitable, with the seeds of defeat planted from the beginning!"

...

The two of them drank and discussed sword techniques. Under Xiao Ran's intentional or unintentional guidance, the Nine Swords of Dugu and the Sword Sect were belittled, but what he said was not without reason!

"Ignorant child, sitting in a well and looking at the sky!"

A voice suddenly came.

Linghu Chong was startled, but Xiao Ran was delighted. "Old Master Feng, you're too easily provoked. I still had a lot to say, and you actually appeared!"

Feng Qingyang was not a person who could be easily provoked, no wonder he was forced into seclusion by the Qi Sect back then!

Feng Qingyang, dressed in green, stood outside the cave. Neither of them noticed when he arrived.

Feng Qingyang looked at Xiao Ran and laughed, "You've heard of the sword and qi dispute and the Nine Swords of Dugu. You must have also heard of my name.

Your behavior suggests you have some guesses and are trying to provoke me to appear."

Feng Qingyang's sword skills were extraordinary, and the Nine Swords of Dugu required extremely high insight and intelligence. He was also very experienced, so he saw through Xiao Ran's intentions clearly.

But his personality wouldn't let him listen to Xiao Ran's words!

Xiao Ran stood up, bowed to Feng Qingyang, and admitted, "I've heard of Old Master Feng and the Nine Swords of Dugu in the martial world, and I admire them.

But I didn't know Old Master was in seclusion on the back mountain.

I was just trying..."

"You're cunning, but not a hypocrite." Feng Qingyang nodded and turned to Linghu Chong, "You said someone claimed to have completely broken the Huashan sword techniques. I want to see who has such a big mouth."

Linghu Chong's thoughts were swirling. He wondered if the two were putting on a show to trick him and plot the martial arts in the cave.

But he didn't know he would break into such a secret cave today. Could these two have the ability to predict the future?

He had seen Feng Qingyang's name in the cave and witnessed his sword skills. Thinking about it, a sudden realization came to him.

He remembered how he easily broke the Jade Maiden's Nineteen Swords when facing his little junior sister Yue Lingshan, but when Feng Qingyang used the Jade Maiden's Nineteen Swords, he couldn't break them at all.

Linghu Chong, with his high insight, suddenly understood and laughed loudly, "I get it, I get it!

The method to break the techniques can break Linghu Chong's 'Endless Falling Leaves,' but it might not break Master's 'Endless Falling Leaves.' The key is who is using the sword technique!"

When the secret cave was first opened, Feng Qingyang didn't know what was going on, but hearing Linghu Chong's words, he understood, "You're not stupid!

Although what you said is correct, if the sword techniques are really broken, it would be a great disadvantage for ordinary sword experts!

Who dares to claim they can completely break the Huashan sword techniques?"

Although Feng Qingyang had retired, he still had deep feelings for the Huashan Sect!

Linghu Chong still had some doubts about Feng Qingyang's identity. Feng Qingyang didn't say much, just laughed and took Xiao Ran's sword, demonstrating the Huashan Yangwu Sword.

Feng Qingyang glanced at Xiao Ran. Without using internal energy, his sword technique was still impeccable and invincible.

His sword skills were divine!

Feng Qingyang's mastery of the Jade Maiden's Nineteen Swords had already amazed Linghu Chong, but his Yangwu Sword made Linghu Chong feel cold sweat and his limbs go cold!

He thought he had some skill with the sword and had practiced the Yangwu Sword well, but he felt he couldn't even land a single blow against Feng Qingyang's Yangwu Sword!

"Swords can be used like this, swords can be used like this..."

Feng Qingyang sheathed his sword and said, "Now, do you still doubt my identity?"

Linghu Chong respectfully knelt and bowed three times to Feng Qingyang, then stood up and said, "Disciple is ignorant, I greet Old Master Feng!"

After that, Linghu Chong told Feng Qingyang about what he had found in the cave. Feng Qingyang didn't say much, just led the two into the secret cave.

Seeing the murals in the cave, Feng Qingyang's expression didn't change. He nodded and said, "I see, these elders of the Cult of the Devil are indeed intelligent, actually breaking the Huashan sword techniques completely, but they only see the surface..."

The two of them chatted more and more, leaving Xiao Ran on the side.

Xiao Ran didn't mind. He was thick-skinned and, relying on his Huashan disciple status, listened in.

After a while, as the sky grew dark, Linghu Chong said to Xiao Ran, "Junior Brother Xiao, I can't leave the mountain now. When you go down the mountain, report the situation to Master."