Chapter 4

Yue Fangxing, upon hearing this, secretly pondered in his heart: Indeed, it is Linghuchong. No wonder he is the protagonist of the original story. Despite the great changes he has undergone, though he looks somewhat down and out, his eyes are still lively and his pride is still evident. At such a young age, he is already so extraordinary; he will surely become a great talent in the future. No wonder Father has taken him as his eldest disciple. Although his temperament is not yet steady, as long as he is taught properly and trained a bit more, he will surely become like a dragon emerging from the depths. While he was thinking, he did not stop talking, and the three of them—father and children—chatted for a while, enjoying a warm and harmonious time.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. During these days, Yue Fangxing, Yue Lingshan, and Linghuchong had become very close. After all, they were all children, at the age when they love to play. Linghuchong came from the foot of the mountain, and many things he brought were things Yue Fangxing and Yue Lingshan had never seen. Yue Lingshan was lively and cute, while Yue Fangxing, having lived two lives, had an active mind and had just regained some of his childlike nature. The three of them played together, and if it weren't for the concern about Yue Wuguan on the mountain, they would have probably turned the entire Huashan Mountain upside down.

Early one morning, Yue Wuguan and Ning Zhongze got up early and arranged for a few old servants to prepare for the disciple-taking ceremony. After having breakfast, they led the three children into the back hall. As soon as Yue Fangxing entered, he saw a plaque on the beam with the words "Control the Sword with Qi" written in large characters. The hall was solemnly arranged, with long swords hanging on both walls. The scabbards were dark, and the tassels were old, presumably the swords of the previous masters of the Huashan Sect. He couldn't help but think: "The Huashan Sect, indeed, is a great martial arts sect with a history of hundreds of years. Over the centuries, it has produced countless heroes. Many people have lost their lives to the long swords of these predecessors. Although it has suffered great changes and declined somewhat, it is also an opportunity for renewal. As long as it adapts to the changes, it might become even more glorious."

Looking at the center, there was an altar with the spirit tablets of the Huashan Sect's ancestors, densely packed, with incense and candles burning beside them. Yue Fangxing looked closely and saw that the topmost tablet was that of Guangningzi Hao Datong. He searched carefully but did not see the tablet of Xian Yutong, unsure if it was not placed or if he had not found it. He thought: "The Huashan Sect indeed has a deep foundation, inheriting some of the Quanzhen Sect's martial arts. Over the centuries, it has continuously improved, forming a complete system of martial arts, cultivating countless talents. Its hidden influence in the martial world is immeasurable. I wonder if there are other predecessors like Feng Qingyang who are still in seclusion on Huashan or in the martial world. No wonder, in recent years, with only a few people left in the Huashan Sect, no one has dared to attack the mountain. I guess the people in the martial world don't know the depth of its strength. Even the once powerful demonic sect suffered the loss of ten elders on Huashan!"

At this moment, Yue Wuguan led Linghuchong forward, and he knelt respectfully before the altar, bowing four times. He prayed: "Disciple Yue Wuguan, the thirteenth-generation leader of the Huashan Sect, has been blessed by the ancestors to lead the Huashan Sect. Today, I am opening the mountain to take disciples and enrolling Linghuchong as the fourteenth-generation eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect. I pray that the spirits of the ancestors in heaven will protect him, teach him to study diligently, maintain his integrity, abide by the sect's rules, and bring glory to the Huashan Sect, restoring its former glory."

Linghuchong, upon hearing his master's words, hurriedly knelt down respectfully. Yue Wuguan stood up and said solemnly: "Linghuchong, today you join the Huashan Sect. You must abide by the sect's rules. If you violate them, you will be punished according to the severity of the offense, and those who commit grave crimes will be executed without mercy. Our sect has stood in the martial world for hundreds of years. Although we compete with other sects in martial arts, the temporary strength or weakness is not important. What truly matters is that every disciple of our sect cherishes the reputation of the sect. You must remember this well."

Linghuchong said: "Yes, disciple will heed Master's teachings."

Yue Wuguan said: "Linghuchong, today I will teach you the sect's rules. Listen carefully."

Linghuchong said: "Yes, Master, disciple will remember."

Yue Wuguan said: "Our sect's first rule is to forbid disrespecting the master and ancestors and not showing respect to elders. The second rule is to forbid using strength to bully the weak and harming the innocent. The third rule is to forbid lewd and lascivious behavior and harassing women. The fourth rule is to forbid jealousy among fellow disciples and mutual killing. The fifth rule is to forbid greed and stealing. The sixth rule is to forbid arrogance and offending fellow martial artists. The seventh rule is to forbid associating with bandits and colluding with evil. These are the seven prohibitions of the Huashan Sect, and all disciples must abide by them."

Linghuchong said: "Yes, disciple will remember Master's teachings: Our sect's first rule is to forbid disrespecting the master and ancestors and not showing respect to elders. The second rule is to forbid using strength to bully the weak and harming the innocent. The third rule is to forbid lewd and lascivious behavior and harassing women. The fourth rule is to forbid jealousy among fellow disciples and mutual killing. The fifth rule is to forbid greed and stealing. The sixth rule is to forbid arrogance and offending fellow martial artists. The seventh rule is to forbid associating with bandits and colluding with evil." He recited the seven prohibitions after hearing them, indeed living up to his reputation as the fourteenth-generation eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect, showing his exceptional talent.

Yue Wuguan was very satisfied with this and smiled: "That's all. Our sect does not have as many strict rules as other sects. As long as you follow these seven prohibitions and always remember to prioritize righteousness, you will be a good person and a gentleman, and your Master and Mistress will be very happy. Come, come and meet your Mistress."

Linghuchong said: "Yes, Master! I will meet Mistress!" and then bowed to Ning Zhongze.

Yue Wuguan said: "Linghuchong, from today on, you are the fourteenth-generation eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect. You must study hard in martial arts and bring glory to the Huashan Sect. Tomorrow, I will teach you the basic skills of our sect."

Yue Lingshan, standing beside Ning Zhongze, had been impatient for a while. Upon hearing that there was martial arts to learn, she shouted: "I want to learn, I want to learn." Yue Wuguan looked at Yue Fangxing beside her, seeing that he also had a look of longing, and felt very gratified. He then looked at Linghuchong and thought: "The future of the Huashan Sect depends on these children." He said: "You two are still young, and your bodies are weak. For now, follow your eldest brother to learn some basic skills, and focus on reading and writing. Linghuchong, you also need to learn some writing and cultivation skills to avoid being laughed at in the martial world, saying that the disciples of Yue Wuguan do not understand the words of the sages."

Yue Fangxing, standing to the side, watched Linghuchong perform the disciple-taking ceremony and couldn't help but marvel at the heavy etiquette of the ancients. Hearing the seven prohibitions of the Huashan Sect, he thought that the Huashan Sect's long history indeed had its reasons. The seven prohibitions, though simple, were profound and aligned with Confucian and Taoist culture. Hearing the last sentence, he secretly smiled, knowing that his father was proud of his reputation as the "Gentleman Sword" in the martial world and was using it to teach Linghuchong.

The three children, upon hearing this, all respectfully responded, and then happily ran off to play. Yue Wuguan and Ning Zhongze exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile bitterly. After all, they were still children. Then they felt a pang of sadness. The ceremony for the fourteenth-generation eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect was attended only by their own people. Recalling the last time he took over as the leader, there were few spectators, so this time he did not invite anyone to avoid embarrassment. He planned to announce it to the major sects in the martial world after a few years when Linghuchong's martial arts had improved.

The next day, Yue Wuguan gathered the three children early and brought them to the Huashan training ground. The ground was lined with weapons, but they were somewhat old. The three children, seeing this, were eager to try, but Yue Wuguan said: "Our sect's skills prioritize the cultivation of qi. Once qi is cultivated, sword techniques and boxing skills come naturally, and even a flower or a leaf can be used to injure. Before practicing martial arts, you must first warm up to avoid injury. Later, I will teach you how to stand in a horse stance to strengthen your foundation and cultivate qi. This is the first step in our sect's skills, and all sects have similar methods, though the specifics may vary. Our Huashan Sect's skills especially emphasize a strong foundation. Without a solid foundation, everything is in vain. Watch carefully."

He then demonstrated a few poses. Yue Fangxing watched for a while and realized these were warm-up exercises to prevent injury to the joints and muscles, similar to modern warm-up exercises. He followed along. Then Yue Wuguan taught them how to stand in a horse stance, giving them the mnemonic and breathing techniques. These were secret techniques of the sect, never recorded in writing to prevent outsiders from learning them. However, if the sect suffered changes, it could easily lead to the loss of these techniques, as many sects in the martial world had experienced. Although the techniques and moves were passed down, later generations often made little progress, unable to reach the level of their predecessors, lacking the key points of practice.

The three children followed his instructions, and Yue Wuguan corrected any mistakes. Yue Lingshan and Yue Fangxing could only stand for about the length of an incense stick before they couldn't bear it, while Linghuchong stood for more than a quarter of an hour, leaving the three children with sore waists, legs, and dizzy heads. Yue Wuguan, seeing this, quickly massaged their blood and qi, making them feel warm and refreshed. Yue Fangxing thought: "Could this be the Purple Mist Divine Skill?" But upon closer inspection, he saw no unusual signs on Yue Wuguan's face, knowing it wasn't. He felt slightly disappointed, as the Purple Mist Divine Skill was famous in the martial world for its healing effects, and he wondered about its true power. However, he was mistaken. Although the Purple Mist Divine Skill had remarkable healing effects, it also consumed a lot of internal energy, and Yue Wuguan would not use it lightly. Massaging and stimulating the blood and qi points required only a little Purple Mist True Qi, not the full power of the Purple Mist Divine Skill.

After a while, the three children recovered. Yue Wuguan said: "After breakfast, rest for a while. In the morning, I will teach you reading and writing. In the afternoon, Linghuchong will continue to practice the horse stance. Lingshan and Fangxing are still young, so they don't need to practice anymore to avoid injuring their bodies."

The three children followed his instructions. In the morning, they studied reading and writing, and in the afternoon, Linghuchong practiced, while Yue Lingshan and Yue Fangxing either played on the mountain or watched Linghuchong practice. Sometimes they would deliberately try to distract Linghuchong, but Yue Wuguan did not stop them, using it to train Linghuchong's character.

After a few days, the three children found it hard to bear. Yue Lingshan couldn't help but cry to Yue Wuguan: "Every day is the same, it's not fun. I won't practice anymore."

Yue Wuguan, hearing this, became angry: "The path of martial arts requires perseverance. There is nothing fun about it. How can you say you will practice and then not practice?"

Yue Lingshan, who had never seen her father so angry, burst into tears. Ning Zhongze, hearing the crying, rushed out of the room, holding Yue Lingshan in her arms and comforting her. She knew her husband was always thinking about the future of the sect and had never taught a disciple before, so he was a bit impatient and the training was a bit heavy. She said: "Brother, Lingshan is still young and a girl. Let her practice with me in the future!"

Yue Wuguan, hearing this, felt a bit helpless. He knew his wife was worried about their daughter, and he also felt a bit reluctant to see her suffer. But the martial world was dangerous, and the Huashan Sect was in a precarious situation. Without intense training, how could they stand in the martial world? However, his wife's words were not without merit. After all, boys and girls were different. Although the three children were young now, as they grew older, practicing together would become inconvenient. Separating them was better, so he said: "That's fine, but don't slack off. Have Lingshan and Fangxing compete from time to time."

Ning Zhongze, hearing this, laughed: "That's great. Brother, my skills may not be as good as yours, but my ability to teach may not be inferior."

Yue Wuguan also laughed: "Let's see who can teach better, the famous 'Ning Lady' or the 'Gentleman Sword' in the martial world." He knew his wife was proud and still liked to be called "Ning Lady" by martial artists, not "Mrs. Yue," as "Ning Lady" praised her own abilities, while "Mrs. Yue" implied reliance on her famous husband. However, they always respected each other, so he didn't mind. Today, he said it to tease her, also to prevent her from being too lenient in teaching their daughter.

Ning Zhongze, understanding her husband's intentions, said: "Brother, don't worry. I'm afraid that in the end, Fangxing won't be able to match Lingshan." She then carried Yue Lingshan away.

Yue Fangxing, having practiced the horse stance every day for the past few days, knew the importance of a strong foundation but was still young and weak, and found it hard to bear. Hearing Yue Wuguan's words, he knew his intentions could not be changed and had to settle down to practice every day. Linghuchong, who always respected his master, dared not disobey and had much heavier daily tasks than Yue Lingshan and Yue Fangxing, but he never complained. However, whenever they had free time, the three children still played together. This continued for half a year.

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