Chapter 16

Time flies, and another six years had passed.

On this evening, by a pond in a forest on Huashan Mountain, a young man sat cross-legged, practicing his internal skills. The water stains beneath him indicated that he had just emerged from the water, seemingly having gained some insight, and he had not even dried himself before starting his practice.

After a while, he let out a clear whistle, his voice filled with unrestrained joy. He muttered to himself, "Ten years of hard practice, and the Hunyuan Gong is finally complete." His words were tinged with a sense of nostalgia, clearly reflecting the great effort he had put in.

This young man was Yue Fangxing. Since he had last guided Yue Buqun to the inner cave on Siguai Cliff, another six years had passed. During these six years, Yue Fangxing had diligently practiced and honed his internal skills and techniques, finally achieving mastery of the Hunyuan Gong. The breakthrough in his Hunyuan Gong had prompted him to let out the clear whistle involuntarily.

Over these six years, Yue Fangxing's physique had developed rapidly, making him tall and robust, looking like an adult. However, a hint of youthful innocence still lingered in his brows, revealing that he was still a young man. As his body developed quickly, his martial arts practice also advanced, especially in internal skills. He had practiced martial arts since childhood, and although he was not exceptionally gifted, he was certainly not ordinary. Additionally, he had practiced the Yijin Twelve Postures, which benefited his tendons and muscles, making them wide and resilient. This natural advantage allowed him to achieve mastery of the Hunyuan Gong in just ten years through his own efforts.

After achieving mastery of the Hunyuan Gong, its power was immense, comparable to that of a top-tier expert. However, Yue Fangxing was still young, and his internal strength was not as profound as that of the older top-tier experts. He also lacked the experience and other aspects of a seasoned martial artist, so he had not yet reached the highest level. He needed more time to truly become a top-tier expert. Nevertheless, he was already far superior to second-tier experts and could be considered a near-top-tier expert.

At this level, Yue Fangxing had already surpassed Linghu Chong. In fact, his internal skills had surpassed Linghu Chong's two years ago. However, Linghu Chong's sword skills were astonishing, and his combat experience was much richer, so in regular sparring, Yue Fangxing often lost more than he won. After all, Yue Fangxing's main focus over the past few years had been on internal skills and unarmed combat, and although he had put effort into sword skills, he had only learned the basic Huashan sword techniques refined by Yue Buqun.

This was not because Yue Fangxing did not understand the importance of sword skills, but because his practice of the Hunyuan Gong emphasized unarmed combat, leaving him less time to practice sword skills. He did not have the energy to learn other martial arts, so he focused on building a solid foundation and dedicated himself to learning the basic sword techniques, striving to understand the essence of each move. For example, he spent over two months on the "Falling Leaves" technique, practicing until he could pierce every leaf before stopping. This technique was now highly effective for blocking fast swords and deflecting projectiles, even causing Linghu Chong to suffer.

Thus, Yue Fangxing's progress in sword skills was naturally slower. It took him four years to learn all the moves of the basic Huashan sword techniques, and another year to link them together. During this time, Linghu Chong often sparred with him using other sword techniques he had seen in the martial world, and Yue Buqun occasionally used techniques from other schools to guide him. As a result, Yue Fangxing's basic sword skills were more refined than Linghu Chong's, with each move executed perfectly and with great stability. When Linghu Chong sparred with him, he had to use his advanced Xiyi Sword Technique to win.

Although Yue Fangxing was not as skilled in sword techniques as Linghu Chong, his unarmed combat skills were far superior. This was always his strong point, and he was considered the best in unarmed combat on Huashan Mountain, largely due to the Poyu Fist.

The Poyu Fist was one of Huashan's most formidable techniques, with each move being powerful and forceful. When mastered, it could shatter stones and jade, making it invincible. However, due to the high requirements for internal skill circulation, only those who practiced the Hunyuan Gong could master it. Although Yue Fangxing's internal skills were not yet fully developed, he was very close, far surpassing others on Huashan Mountain.

Apart from the Poyu Fist, Huashan Mountain had few other unarmed combat techniques. The Ying She Sheng Si Bo, one of the nine Huashan techniques, had long been lost, and in recent centuries, Huashan had become primarily a sword school. Recognizing this, Yue Fangxing created a set of techniques called the Tianluo Diwang Style based on his knowledge of the same-named technique from the Gumu School. This technique focused on catching sparrows to train agility and unarmed combat.

This set of techniques was a basic skill, emphasizing agility and quick reflexes. Given Huashan's rugged terrain and the emphasis on lightness in its martial arts, creating this set of techniques was not difficult. However, it did not suit Yue Fangxing's personality, as his Hunyuan Gong was primarily about power and force. Therefore, he did not use it often. Instead, Yue Ling Shan learned it and practiced it diligently, and after Ning Zhongze refined it, it became one of the basic techniques of Huashan, especially for female disciples. Linghu Chong, due to his playful nature, also enjoyed it, which helped to compensate for his weakness in unarmed combat.

Yue Fangxing's thoughts were scattered, and he seemed to have gained some insight. He stood up and performed a set of Hunyuan Palm. This palm technique was the one he had practiced the most over the past ten years and was naturally very proficient. However, this time was different. As soon as he moved, he felt the newly breakthrough Hunyuan True Qi circulating in his body without any of the usual hindrances, making him feel invigorated and full of energy.

After finishing the practice, Yue Fangxing was still not satisfied and, while in high spirits, practiced the Poyu Fist. In the forest, the shadows of his punches were dense, and the wind and sand flew, creating a formidable scene. Gradually, the wind subsided, but his punches became even more powerful. Finally, he struck a rock in front of him, and the rock shattered into several pieces, with the fracture lines smooth, as if cut.

Yue Fangxing was pleasantly surprised, not expecting that the Poyu Fist would also be nearing mastery after the completion of the Hunyuan Gong. The last punch he had just made was the essence of the Poyu Fist. While the technique itself was not particularly intricate, its essence lay in the "breaking" aspect, using the internal strength of the Hunyuan Gong as its foundation. Once mastered, it could shatter stones and jade, making it invincible. Although Yue Fangxing had understood this before, he had not been able to achieve it. However, his last punch had a hint of invincibility, and with further practice, he could certainly master the Poyu Fist.

In his excitement, Yue Fangxing tried other Huashan unarmed combat techniques, such as the Iron Finger Technique and the Leopard Tail Kick, and found new insights in each. He continued practicing until the sun set and then returned to the Huashan sect.

On his way back, many people greeted him. Over the years, although Yue Buqun rarely left Huashan, his few appearances had made him seem even more profound and mysterious. With Linghu Chong's growing martial skills and frequent travels, the reputation of the Huashan sect had gradually recovered, and more people were seeking to join. Each year, many martial artists came to Huashan, and after Yue Buqun's examination, he accepted a few more disciples, and the number of servants also increased, making the mountain more lively than before.

However, the most significant increase was in the number of outer disciples. With only Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze as the senior members, they did not have the energy to take on many disciples, so many were placed in the outer sect. The outer sect no longer taught only basic skills; some widely known martial arts and techniques from other schools were also taught. Although these techniques were not highly regarded by the Huashan sect, diligent practice could make one a second-tier expert, capable of maintaining a region, which was more than enough to teach these people.

Among the outer disciples, the most skilled was Laodenuo. He had joined the mountain a year ago and was already a second-tier peak expert, second only to Linghu Chong and Yue Fangxing among the Huashan disciples. He had originally wanted to join the inner sect, but his skills were already set, and his potential was limited. Therefore, Yue Buqun made him the head of the outer sect, managing the outer sect's affairs at the foot of Huashan Mountain and welcoming guests. Over the past year, he had been diligent, and the outer sect's affairs were well-managed, earning frequent praise from Yue Buqun.

This arrangement was also due to Yue Fangxing's suggestion. When Yue Buqun felt that Laodenuo's skills were already set and not suitable for Huashan's techniques, he could not simply reject a second-tier peak expert, as it would harm the Huashan sect's reputation. Yue Fangxing suggested making Laodenuo the head of the outer sect, managing the outer sect's affairs at the foot of Huashan. This made it sound good and kept him from accessing the inner sect's affairs.

Furthermore, Yue Fangxing secretly instructed a few skilled outer disciples to monitor Laodenuo for any suspicious behavior. These disciples were already dissatisfied with Laodenuo's position, so they were diligent in their task. However, over the past year, Laodenuo had not caused any trouble and had been very diligent. Nevertheless, Yue Fangxing did not relax, as he knew Laodenuo's background and had warned the inner disciples to be cautious, to prevent them from accidentally revealing Huashan's secrets. The Yijin Twelve Postures, although basic, were considered extraordinary techniques and must not be revealed. Laodenuo, being much older, was called "elder brother" by the other disciples, who were unhappy and avoided contact with him. Since he often stayed at the foot of the mountain, he rarely saw the inner disciples, making it difficult for him to leak any information.

Over the past six years, the Huashan sect had gradually added four more inner disciples: Lu Dayou, Tao Jun, Ying Baituo, and Shu Qi. Lu Dayou was brought to the mountain by Linghu Chong during one of his travels, and although his talent was not exceptional, Yue Buqun saw his potential in lightness and his diligence, so he accepted him. Tao Jun, Ying Baituo, and Shu Qi were from respectable families at the foot of Huashan Mountain, with exceptional talent and perseverance. After examination, Yue Buqun accepted them as well. These four were still in the stage of opening their meridians and learning basic sword and unarmed combat techniques, still building their foundation and not yet capable of significant assistance.

The six-year-old inner disciples Liang Fa, Shi Dazi, and Gao Genming were much stronger. Shi Dazi practiced the Hunyuan Gong under Yue Fangxing's guidance, benefiting from Yue Fangxing's experience and his own hard work, achieving small success two years ago and beginning to practice the Baoyuan Strength and Poyu Fist. He was the strongest in internal skills among the three and also had excellent talent in unarmed combat, although his sword skills were a bit lacking. Therefore, with Yue Buqun's approval, Yue Fangxing had him focus on unarmed combat. Liang Fa and Gao Genming were also diligent, having already opened their twelve main meridians and completed the basic sword techniques, with other basic skills also quite good. They could be considered third-tier experts in the martial world. In a few years, the three of them could travel together in the martial world.

When Yue Fangxing returned to Huashan, he did not go to see Yue Buqun first but went to the study to practice calligraphy. This was a habit he had developed over the past few years. Since he had seen the characters "Feng Qingyang" carved on Siguai Cliff six years ago, he had been trying to incorporate sword techniques into calligraphy. Although he had not yet succeeded, he had made some progress, with his calligraphy becoming upright and powerful, with a hint of martial intent. Yue Buqun often praised him, believing he would eventually form his own style.

Among the works he practiced, "Xiake Xing" and "Zhengqi Ge" were the most frequent. "Xiake Xing" was a poem he liked, containing the essence of chivalry. Since he began practicing chivalry with Linghu Chong at the foot of Huashan Mountain a year ago, his understanding of the poem had deepened, and his calligraphy had become more expressive. "Zhengqi Ge" was for preparing to practice the Yangwu Sword, with its grand and righteous spirit, which he felt would be beneficial for his future practice. He had been practicing it diligently.

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