Chapter 17

Yue Fangxing practiced calligraphy for a while, then looked up and realized that Yue Buqun had already been standing beside him for some time. He hurriedly bowed to greet him.

More than ten years had passed, but Yue Buqun's appearance seemed to have changed little. On the contrary, he looked even younger than he did a few years ago. Although he was actually over fifty, he still looked like he was in his thirties, which couldn't help but elicit admiration.

This was actually one of the effects of the Purple Star Divine Skill. As a genuine Daoist internal skill, the Purple Star Divine Skill was not only highly effective in healing but also beneficial for health preservation. When practiced to a high level, it even had a certain effect in maintaining one's youthful appearance. Although Yue Fangxing's Mixed Yuan Skill had progressed rapidly in recent years, he didn't know how far Yue Buqun had advanced. However, based on his own perception, he felt that Yue Buqun was much stronger than a few years ago, although he still felt that he was not as strong as Feng Qingyang, he was getting closer.

Over the years, Yue Buqun's martial arts had made significant progress. Not only had his internal skill advanced rapidly after breaking through, but he had also refined and improved the Hua Mountain Sword Technique. He had also absorbed the essence of the other four mountains' techniques and countermeasures from the stone walls, as well as the Hua Mountain's own records of the other four mountains, to create the Suppressing Mountains Sword Technique, which was extremely powerful. It not only included some techniques from the Five Mountains Sword Sect but could also counter their techniques to a certain extent. However, this sword technique was quite complex, so it could only be considered a rough creation and had not been taught to his disciples. Yue Fangxing had only practiced it with him a few times. In recent years, Yue Buqun had also frequently practiced on the Sun Platform, whether to cultivate his internal skill or to understand the momentum of the sun, as mentioned by Yue Fangxing. It was likely that he was doing both.

When Yue Buqun entered the room, he immediately sensed a powerful aura, which was due to Yue Fangxing's recent breakthrough, which he had not yet fully controlled. The Mixed Yuan Skill cultivated both internal and external aspects, and normally, the internal skill and the body were integrated, making it difficult for ordinary people to detect it unless it was deliberately displayed. Moreover, Yue Fangxing's breathing technique had become increasingly subtle over the years, truly integrating it into his daily life, making his aura even more hidden. Yue Buqun usually had to use his true qi to detect his progress in martial arts. This time, he felt the aura that had not yet been fully controlled, knowing that Yue Fangxing had likely made another breakthrough.

Seeing Yue Fangxing practicing calligraphy, Yue Buqun did not disturb him and just watched. When Yue Fangxing stood up to greet him, he asked, "Xing'er, has your Mixed Yuan Skill made another breakthrough?" He had known two months ago that Yue Fangxing's Mixed Yuan Skill was about to reach a high level, but he thought it would take another year. He was surprised that it had progressed so quickly.

Yue Fangxing replied, "I made a breakthrough during practice this afternoon and have now reached the high level."

Hearing this, Yue Buqun was overjoyed. He took Yue Fangxing's left hand and used the Purple Star true qi to probe, exclaiming in surprise, "Indeed, you have reached the high level!"

Yue Fangxing felt a firm true qi probing his body and then withdrawing, knowing that his father was checking his cultivation. He did not resist, but was inwardly amazed. He had not known how far his father's cultivation had progressed in recent years, but now, sensing this true qi, he immediately realized how refined it was, comparable even to his own Mixed Yuan true qi.

This greatly surprised Yue Fangxing. The Mixed Yuan Skill cultivated both internal and external aspects, and its true qi was far more refined than ordinary internal skills. The Purple Star Divine Skill, on the other hand, was known for its thickness and endurance. Now, Yue Buqun's Purple Star true qi was as refined as his, which was truly remarkable. It was indeed a divine-level internal skill.

Feeling this, Yue Fangxing's admiration for his father deepened. He thought that his father was now one of the top martial artists in the world, and even if his martial arts might not be as strong as Zuo Lengchan's, his internal skill was certainly superior.

While Yue Fangxing's thoughts were churning, Yue Buqun was overjoyed. With the Mixed Yuan Skill reaching a high level, Yue Fangxing was now a first-class martial artist in terms of internal skill. Although he was not yet as strong as the older generation, with some time, he could catch up. Learning a couple of high-level sword techniques would make him a solid first-class martial artist. Even in his youth, he did not have this level of skill, and in the decades he had seen, only a few had reached the level of a first-class martial artist in ten years. Moreover, Yue Fangxing was only sixteen, with a lot of room for improvement. In a few decades, he would not only become a top martial artist but could even become the best in the world. The Hua Mountain Sect was truly on the path to revival!

While Yue Buqun was lost in thought, he heard Yue Fangxing say, "Father, now that my Mixed Yuan Skill has reached a high level, I feel it will be very difficult to make further progress. I want to go down the mountain for a while to gain some experience in the martial world and seek opportunities."

Yue Fangxing thought that the curtain of the "Smiling, Proud Wanderer" would be lifted in just two years, so he wanted to seize the time to improve his strength. This way, he would be better prepared for the future calamity. Although his Mixed Yuan Skill had reached a high level, he was only at the initial stage of being a first-class martial artist. If he continued to practice in a routine manner, he would at most consolidate his current level in the next two years, and it would be difficult to make significant progress. After all, the path of internal skill cultivation became increasingly difficult, and sometimes a single barrier could hold one back for decades. Moreover, he was the most proficient in the Mixed Yuan Skill among the Hua Mountain Sect, so he needed to explore and cultivate on his own.

Yue Buqun pondered for a moment. He knew that his son had long wanted to go down the mountain, but he and Ning Zhongze had been concerned about his age and safety, so they only allowed him to travel with Linghu Chong at the foot of Hua Mountain. Now that his martial arts had reached a high level, he could no longer hold him back, as it might hinder his progress. After all, a bird kept in a cage can never fly high, and without experiencing the trials of the martial world, how could one become a top martial artist? Moreover, Yue Fangxing's current martial arts were sufficient to ensure his safety in the martial world.

Therefore, after a brief thought, Yue Buqun said slowly, "Xing'er, with your current martial arts, you are capable of traveling in the martial world. Even if you encounter some senior martial artists, they would likely give our Hua Mountain Sect some face. However, the martial world is dangerous, and high martial arts do not guarantee safety. Various tricks are unpredictable, and you must be cautious. Especially with the evil sects, who act without restraint and use despicable means. Although they have no grudges with us, you must be extra careful. Moreover, our Five Mountains Sword Sect has always been at odds with the Devil Sect, so you must be extremely cautious and never be complacent!"

Pausing, Yue Buqun continued, "You have completed the basic Hua Mountain sword techniques and have been focusing on internal skill cultivation recently. Now that your Mixed Yuan Skill has reached a high level, it's time to learn a high-level sword technique. Tomorrow, I will teach you the Yangwu Sword. This sword technique emphasizes defense, which will provide you with more protection in the martial world."

Hearing this, Yue Fangxing was overjoyed. To ensure a smooth departure, he had prepared several reasons in his mind, but he didn't need to use any of them as his father agreed. He said, "Father, rest assured. I have traveled with my senior brother a few times recently and know the dangers of the martial world. I will be extra careful."

Yue Fangxing was referring to the recent incident where he and Linghu Chong had eliminated a group of bandits at the foot of Hua Mountain. That battle was extremely tough, and they almost didn't make it. They thought it was just a group of ordinary bandits, but inside, they found a high-level martial artist. Together, they barely managed to hold him off, and if Yue Buqun hadn't come to their aid, they might have been killed. Even so, Yue Fangxing had several new scars, which only healed recently. He believed that his recent breakthrough in the Mixed Yuan Skill was partly due to that battle.

After that incident, Yue Fangxing truly understood the dangers of the martial world. A small bandit group could hide such a high-level martial artist, so who knew how many more there were in the martial world? Even with his Mixed Yuan Skill at a high level, he couldn't be sure of defeating such a person. The martial world was truly full of hidden dragons and tigers!

However, Yue Fangxing was mistaken. The bandits actually had a different background; otherwise, why would a first-class martial artist become a bandit, especially in the Hua Mountain area? This was due to his lack of experience in the martial world, thinking that first-class martial artists appeared as easily as in books. In the future, when he understood the status of first-class martial artists in the martial world, he would realize the peculiarities. Yue Buqun knew this but did not point it out, wanting to instill a sense of caution in Yue Fangxing.

After that, they had no more words. A few days later, seeing that Yue Fangxing had consolidated his internal skill, Yue Buqun began to teach him the Yangwu Sword.

The Yangwu Sword was one of the few complete high-level sword techniques preserved by the Hua Mountain Sect. "Yangwu" means to cultivate a righteous and mighty aura in the sword technique. As Mencius said, "I am good at cultivating a mighty and righteous aura." This sword technique emphasizes the cultivation of qi, aligning well with the principle of controlling the sword with qi. It was one of Yue Buqun's most skilled techniques, and his reputation as the "Gentleman Sword" was largely due to this sword technique.

Yue Fangxing had long admired this sword technique and had listed it as one of the must-learn techniques. He practiced "The Song of Righteousness" daily to prepare for learning the Yangwu Sword, but he had not learned it before because he focused on hand-to-hand combat. Now, he was finally about to see its true form!

"Xing'er, the most important aspect of the Yangwu Sword is to cultivate a mighty and righteous aura. Only then can you unleash the full power of this sword technique. Although your senior brother has learned it, his personality does not suit this technique, so he has not mastered it. Instead, he excels in the Xiyi Sword. I see that you have read many poems and books since childhood, so you likely have some understanding of the mighty and righteous aura. Therefore, I will teach you this sword technique first. If you are interested, you can also learn the Xiyi Sword in the future. Now, I will demonstrate the Yangwu Sword for you." Saying this, Yue Buqun focused and began to demonstrate the technique.

Yue Fangxing watched carefully. At first, he didn't feel anything special, but the more he watched, the more amazed he became. It wasn't because of the intricate techniques of the Yangwu Sword, but because he sensed the aura Yue Buqun emitted while demonstrating it. It was clear that Yue Buqun was on the verge of grasping the concept of "momentum," just one step away. Since he proposed the theory of sword momentum six years ago, although he had been working towards this, his cultivation had held him back, and he had only been laying the foundation. He never expected that Yue Buqun had already reached the edge of "momentum," and not just ordinary momentum, but the rare and mighty momentum.

This was partly due to Yue Fangxing's contribution, though he was unaware of the significant impact his theory had on Yue Buqun. On that day, although Yue Buqun did not express an opinion, the theory had lingered in his mind, unable to be shaken off. After all, the Hua Mountain Sect had undergone significant changes when Yue Buqun was young, and his martial arts were not yet at a high level. Many advanced martial arts theories had not been passed down, and the older generation was almost all gone. Therefore, his martial arts knowledge mostly came from books, and his martial arts theory was not much higher than Yue Fangxing's. Moreover, the Qi Sect's sword techniques were not strong and lacked a complete theory. When his sword technique reached a certain level, he felt there was no way to advance. To break through, he even secretly practiced a few sword techniques from the Sword Sect, but they did not align with his existing techniques and could only be used as tricks, not to break through his current level.

After breaking through with the Purple Star Divine Skill, Yue Buqun felt the deficiency in his sword technique even more and had been thinking about it. When he heard Yue Fangxing's theory of sword momentum, he felt it aligned well with his path. However, no Hua Mountain ancestor had walked this path, and it was proposed by a child, so he could not make a decision. After much hesitation, Yue Buqun decided to follow this path, even if it didn't succeed, it would be a test for his son.

Initially, Yue Buqun focused on the momentum of the sun, as his Purple Star Divine Skill had broken through with this. The Hua Mountain Sect had the "Sun Qi Sword," a high-level technique of the Qi Sect, though incomplete. He studied it carefully and found that it contained the concept of momentum, though not explicitly stated, which further strengthened his belief in understanding sword momentum.

Over time, Yue Buqun not only mastered the "Sun Qi Sword" but also completed some of its missing parts. However, he could not break through and instead, while practicing the Yangwu Sword, vaguely grasped the essence of the mighty and righteous aura, thus shifting his focus to understanding the mighty momentum. What he was demonstrating to Yue Fangxing was the result of his efforts over the years.