While on Mount Hua, my mind is at peace!

Chapter 53 Life is like a play, all about acting skills

Yue Feng was overjoyed and immediately thanked Feng Buping repeatedly.

Feng Buping booked a superior room at the inn and taught Yue Feng a sword technique. Although this sword technique was nominally only one move, it had countless variations and was extremely complex. Feng Buping explained and demonstrated, teaching for almost half an hour before he finished teaching the move.

Finally, Feng Buping said, "This move, 'The Storm Is Coming,' was something I accidentally discovered while practicing swordsmanship in Zhongtiao Mountain. It is subtle, profound, and has boundless potential. Once you master this move, few among the younger generation in the martial arts world will be your match."

Yue Feng thanked Feng Buping again, and Feng Buping waved his hand:

"You don't need to thank me. As the saying goes, 'The master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you.' How well you can master this move depends on your talent and comprehension. Of the moves and variations I just demonstrated for you, which ones did you not remember? Tell me now, and I'll demonstrate them for you a few more times."

Yue Feng recalled all the sword moves that were about to unleash a storm, then shook his head and said, "No, I've memorized them all."

Feng Buping was extremely surprised. He was one of the best disciples of his generation in the Huashan Sword Sect, yet it had taken him a whole month to fully memorize this move. From the time he started teaching Yue Feng until now, it had only been half an hour at most, and this kid actually said he had memorized it all?

Feng Buping felt slightly displeased, but the golden-brown dough remained unmoved: "Oh? Is that so? Then demonstrate this sword technique from beginning to end, and let me see."

Yue Feng clasped his hands in a fist salute to Feng Buping, drew his longsword, and began executing the first variation of the "Undercurrent" technique with fluid, effortless grace. Feng Buping watched with growing astonishment and wonder, and before Yue Feng could fully execute the move, he grabbed his wrist.

"Have you learned this 'storm brewing' move anywhere else?"

Yue Feng looked bewildered: "No, if I had learned this move, I would have given that Wudang Taoist a real lesson."

Feng Buping thought about it and agreed. He slowly released Yue Feng's wrist, still unable to believe that Yue Feng had really mastered the move so quickly. He frowned, as if he had some important matter on his mind and slowly sat down by the table.

Seeing this, Yue Feng stepped forward and obediently poured Feng Buping a cup of tea. Feng Buping stared at him for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Young brother, do you know who I am?"

Yue Feng replied fluently, "Since my elder brother didn't tell me, I dared not inquire casually. But I imagine he must be a renowned senior hero in the martial arts world. I am truly fortunate to meet him today."

Hearing the sincerity in his tone, Feng Buping suddenly felt a long-lost feeling. Having lived in seclusion for many years, he had long since developed a solitary nature. Although Cheng Buyou and Cong Buqi were his junior brothers, he had always disliked their personalities. Only because the three of them depended on each other for survival and he couldn't abandon them had he feigned compliance until today. Spending so much time with them had even tainted him with their hostility.

Suddenly, a young man, as pure as unpolished jade, appeared beside him, showing him not only no prejudice but also great respect. He was like a traveler struggling through a long, dark night, who looked up and saw a glimmer of dawn on the horizon.

Feng Buping let out a long breath, seemingly having made up his mind, and said to Yue Feng, "Young brother, my surname is Feng, and my given name is Buping. My true identity is a disciple of the Huashan Sect, and I am of the same generation as Yue Buqun, the current head of the Huashan Qi Sect. You should have heard of the Huashan Sect, right? Do you know about the sword and qi conflict within the Huashan Sect?"

Yue Feng nodded first, then shook his head: "The Huashan Sect is one of the Five Sacred Mountains Sword Sects, and I have long admired it, but I have never been able to enter its ranks. As for the sword qi contest... I have never heard of it. Is it a very fierce competition?"

Feng Buping hummed in agreement, and after recalling for a long time, he said, "That was many years ago. You are too young to have heard of it, which is normal." Then he told Yue Feng the general process of the sword qi battle.

Yue Feng angrily said, "The Qi Sect used tricks to lure away the swordsmanship master Feng. They are utterly shameless! If I ever encounter any disciples of the Qi Sect, I will teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

Feng Buping said, "I intend to take you under my wing and have you inherit the mantle of the Sword Sect, but... I have other important matters to attend to and cannot delay."

"Would you be willing to travel with me? If my journey is successful, I will take you as my disciple, and when I pass away, the position of leader of the Huashan Sect will be yours."

Yue Feng feigned deep gratitude and said in a trembling voice, "I am willing! I don't even aspire to become the head of the Huashan Sect; I still have my two elder brothers, Cheng and Cong, above me."

Feng Buping sighed, "Those two are skilled in martial arts, but their character is flawed, so they can't possibly achieve anything great. But they are still my junior brothers, and I must take care of them, do you understand?"

"I understand."

"Alright, go and invite them over now. I need to say a few words to them."

Yue Feng immediately went to fetch Cheng Buyou and Cong Buqi, both of whom were already quite drunk. Yue Feng led them into the room, closed the door, and Cong Buqi said to Yue Feng, "Why aren't you leaving yet, kid? Staying in the room, are you trying to sleep with me?"

Yue Feng's anger flashed briefly before vanishing, and he remained silent. Feng Buping, smelling the alcohol on the two men, frowned and said, "Didn't I tell you to drink less? How come you're so drunk again!"

Cheng Buyou and Cong Buqi laughed and joked, completely ignoring Feng Buping's reprimand. Helpless, Feng Buping said, "This young brother Feng and I get along very well. I've already invited him to be our helper. We'll be working together for a long time to come, so you should all show him some respect."

Cheng Buyou's eyes widened: "What? This kid? He wants to be our helper? I... I spit!" He spat at Yue Feng. Yue Feng dodged it and said to Feng Buping, "I'll head back now."

Feng Buping nodded and gave Yue Feng an apologetic look. Yue Feng smiled slightly, didn't even glance at Cheng Buyou and Cong Buqi, and left, closing the door behind him.

Feng Buping was furious and gave the two a good scolding. The two got tired of listening and went to bed on their own. Soon they were snoring loudly, leaving Feng Buping alone with a solitary lamp.

Feng Buping sat in the room for a while, but couldn't stand the strong smell of alcohol, so he asked the innkeeper to book him another superior room. In the middle of the night, someone gently knocked twice on the door: "Brother Feng?"

Feng Buping sat up abruptly, grabbed the longsword from beside his pillow with his left hand, and hissed, "Who goes there!"

"It's me, Brother Feng. May I come in?"

Feng Buping, who was already sleeping in his clothes, merely frowned upon hearing this and said, "Come in."

Yue Feng pushed open the door and walked up to Feng Buping, his face solemn.

"Brother Feng, I was practicing my sword in my room just now. Because it was stuffy, I opened the window and I think I saw Brother Cheng and Brother Cong go out together."