The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun

Page 197

"Oh? It seems they traveled by water."

Yue Buqun nodded.

There are two routes from Huashan to Hengshan: one by water and one by land. The water route is to the northwest, which is longer than the land route, but it is less strenuous.

"Then let's hurry up and go."

Yue Buqun said something, then mounted his horse and continued on his way.

Jiang Ning and Yue Buqun did not arrive at a riverbank until it was almost dark.

The two did not see any signs of fighting along the way.

"Let's rest for the night and set off tomorrow."

Yue Buqun looked at the sky and said.

"it is good."

Jiang Ning nodded, and then he and Yue Buqun planned to find a house nearby to stay for the night. But just as the two were about to leave, they suddenly saw boats on the river in the distance heading this way.

"It's Senior Uncle Dingyi and the others."

Jiang Ning stopped and looked into the distance, and discovered that the people standing on these boats were none other than the nun Dingyi and others they had been looking for.

"It really is."

Yue Buqun also saw it, and his eyes showed delight.

"Uncle-Master Dingyi, Uncle-Master Dingjing."

Jiang Ning shouted loudly, and his voice carried far and wide.

Standing at the bow of the ship, Abbess Dingyi, with a grim expression, was deep in thought when she heard Jiang Ning's shout. Looking up, she saw Jiang Ning and Yue Buqun.

Master Dingyi looked surprised, then raised her hand and waved it.

"Lean closer."

"Yes, Master."

The Hengshan disciples rowing the boat responded and sped up to get closer to the shore.

"Senior Brother Yue, Junior Nephew Jiang, what brings you here?"

After the two nuns, Dingyi and Dingjing, came ashore, nun Dingyi spoke.

Yue Buqun did not speak immediately, but looked at Master Dingyi and her group. He noticed that many of the Hengshan disciples were injured, and his brows furrowed.

"Master, have you been ambushed?"

Master Dingyi nodded with a grim expression.

"good."

Master Dingjing continued, "We originally intended to return to Hengshan by waterway, but there were people lying in ambush on the other side of the river. Fortunately, there weren't many of them, and we managed to drive them away."

Master Dingyi said, "We suspected that these people were members of the Demonic Sect. They were still up to no good and wanted to make a comeback, so we planned to return to Mount Hua. We didn't expect to run into you here."

Yue Buqun and Jiang Ning exchanged a glance, and then Yue Buqun said, "These people are not the witch's people, but assassins sent by Zuo Lengchan."

"what?"

"Zuo Lengchan's men?"

The two nuns, Dingyi and Dingjing, stared wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous.

Yue Buqun then recounted what had happened at Mount Tai and Mount Heng, and Master Dingyi's expression became even more unpleasant.

"Thank you for informing us, Senior Brother Yue. We understand now."

Master Dingyi's tone was somewhat cold, but this was directed at Zuo Lengchan.

"Since it's not the witch's people who have returned, then we won't come again. Senior Brother Yue, Junior Nephew Jiang, you should go back."

“Two nuns, I see that many of my Hengshan disciples are injured. Why don’t you return to Huashan to rest first?”

Yue Buqun said.

Master Dingyi shook her head: "No need, their injuries are not serious and will not affect their journey back."

Seeing that the other party was determined to leave, Yue Buqun could not say anything more and said, "Please be careful on your journey, nuns. Zuo Lengchan may be lying in ambush for you on the way."

Master Dingyi nodded; she knew this even without Yue Buqun saying it.

"Then I'll take my leave."

Master Dingyi cupped her hands in farewell, and Yue Buqun and Jiang Ning also bid her farewell.

After the two left, Abbess Dingjing asked, "Shall we return by land?"

Master Dingyi thought for a moment and shook her head: "No, we'll go around through Yan'an Prefecture."

Since Zuo Lengchan has already laid an ambush on the waterway, he must have laid one on the land as well. In this case, the only option is to take a longer route, first to Yan'an Prefecture, then to Taiyuan, and then to Hengshan. Although the route is a bit longer, there are many nunneries along the way, so they can resupply along the way and it will be safer.

"Hehe, it's good that I was here this time, otherwise, who knows how many of you little nuns would have died."

At that moment, a tall, fat monk emerged from the cabin of a boat on the river, a smile on his face.

After the fat monk came out, a nun emerged from the cabin; it was Yilin.

"father."

Yilin quickly called out, telling the monk Bujie not to be disrespectful to her master.

When Abbess Dingyi saw Bujie, her face darkened, but she still nodded.

"We really owe a lot to your advance communication this time."

Originally, they were unaware that someone was lying in ambush on the other side of the river. It was only after the monk Bujie informed them that they learned that Bujie had also come to Mount Hua.

"Since I have done a favor for your Hengshan Sect, may I take my daughter away?"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the monk Bujie made a request.

"no!"

Master Dingyi sternly refused.

“One thing at a time. Although you are Yilin’s biological father and have indeed done a great service to my Hengshan Sect, Yilin will always be a disciple of Hengshan.”

"Hey, You……"

Upon hearing this, the monk Bujie's chubby face darkened, and he was about to speak, but Yilin stopped him.

"Father, I'm doing well in Hengshan. My master treats me very well too. I don't want to leave."

Yilin whispered.

Hearing this, the monk Bujie felt helpless and said to Abbess Dingyi, "If you won't let me take my daughter with me, at least let me see her more often in the future, okay?"

In the past, Abbess Dingyi forbade him to go up Hengshan to see Yilin, so Monk Bujie would always sneak up the mountain.

"That's fine."

Upon hearing this, Abbess Dingyi's expression softened, and she said, "You can come to Hengshan to see Yilin in the future, but don't do it too often."

The Hengshan Sect is a nunnery, and the frequent visits of monks like Bujie to Hengshan are bad for its reputation.

The monk Bujie was overjoyed and repeatedly said, "Good, good, good."

Although Master Dingyi said not to go to Hengshan too often, he could go openly or secretly, since Master Dingyi hadn't said he couldn't go secretly.

Seeing his behavior, Abbess Dingyi assumed he was simply doting on his daughter and didn't think much of it.

"Let's go, change course, and head to Yan'an."

Master Dingyi waved his hand and led the Hengshan disciples away by another route.

……

pat.

pat.

Jiang Ning and Yue Buqun walked through the forest, their shadows stretching long on the ground under the moonlight.

"Don't you still sense the opportunity for a breakthrough?"

Having already met the Hengshan Sect, and finding them unharmed, Yue Buqun wasn't in a hurry to return to Huashan. As he approached Huashan, he dismounted and walked at night. Fortunately, nothing happened, and Yue Buqun brought up the topic of Jiang Ning's breakthrough.

Jiang Ning's main goal in this trip down the mountain was to break through his cultivation level. If Jiang Ning had the opportunity to break through now, he wouldn't need to go down the mountain.

Yue Buqun was still worried that Jiang Ning might be in danger if he went out.

"No."

Jiang Ning shook his head.

It's not that easy.

"Hey."

Yue Buqun sighed and said nothing more.

After a moment, Yue Buqun said again, "I have reached the end of my journey in the Innate Skill. From now on, it is up to you."

Yue Buqun looked up at the moon in the sky, his tone tinged with a faint sense of melancholy.

Since Jiang Ning rediscovered the Innate Skill, Yue Buqun has never stopped cultivating it. However, after cultivating the Innate Skill to the fourth stage, he has vaguely sensed that his Innate Skill has reached its limit and he will never have the chance to reach the fifth stage in this lifetime.

Before practicing the Innate Skill, Yue Buqun practiced the Purple Cloud Divine Skill. After mastering it, Yue Buqun's internal energy turned purple, which was a manifestation of the Purple Cloud Divine Skill. After starting to practice the Innate Skill, his internal energy gradually changed from purple to white. This was the process of transforming the Purple Cloud internal energy into the Innate Skill internal energy.

Yue Buqun has now reached the fourth stage of the Innate Skill. His Purple Cloud Inner Force has been transformed into the Innate Skill's inner force. However, no matter what, his inner force is always mixed with a trace of purple. This was the case when he treated Cheng Buyou's injuries. Jiang Ning's, on the other hand, is pure white without a trace of impurity.

This was not due to the Zixia Divine Skill, but rather to Yue Buqun's own actions.

He is no longer a person of pure yang nature.

To practice the Innate Skill, a pure Yang body is best. Yue Buqun, with a non-pure Yang body, managed to cultivate the Innate Skill to the fourth stage in just a few years, mainly thanks to the Zixia Divine Skill. Without the Zixia Divine Skill, he probably wouldn't have been able to cultivate the Innate Skill to this level in such a short time, or even to master it.

"Your innate three treasures are still intact, and you have a better chance than your master to master the fifth stage of the innate skill."

Yue Buqun then spoke to Jiang Ning.

The human body has three treasures: essence, qi, and spirit. These three treasures are further divided into innate and acquired.

Innate primordial essence, innate primordial spirit, innate primordial energy, acquired consciousness, acquired essence of desire, and acquired breath.

Everyone is born with three innate treasures, but these treasures gradually disappear as we age.

If one wants to practice the Innate Skill, it is best to be someone who still possesses the Innate Three Treasures. Although someone who has lost the Innate Three Treasures can also practice, they need to diligently and continuously cultivate the Acquired Three Treasures for many years to achieve any results. Their efficiency is far less than that of someone who possesses all three Innate Treasures, and their potential is also very low, just like Yue Buqun.

Jiang Ning is still a virgin, and he has been honing his skills since childhood. Now that he has all three treasures, he is exceptionally talented and can practice the Innate Skill with ease. He will definitely have the opportunity to enter the fifth stage in the future.

"You are still young. If you don't have the opportunity to break through your current level during this trip, don't be discouraged."

Yue Buqun said, "You will definitely be more powerful than your master in the future, more powerful than everyone else, so you should not be impatient at times, otherwise it will backfire."

Taoist martial arts emphasize mental state. If one is too obsessed with breaking through realms, one may suffer from qi deviation. Yue Buqun patiently warned Jiang Ning.

Yue Buqun placed all his hopes on Jiang Ning, and he didn't want anything to happen to Jiang Ning.

"Yes, Master."

Jiang Ning nodded. He also knew that one could not rush the practice of martial arts, especially internal energy cultivation techniques.

External martial arts techniques can be accumulated over time and will eventually be mastered. However, internal martial arts techniques, although they do not require physical training, are far more dangerous than external martial arts techniques. If one is not careful, one may suffer from qi deviation or even death. Jiang Ning was well aware of the dangers involved.

"Yes, I know you've always been very sensible and know what's right."

Yue Buqun nodded as well.

This is what puts Jiang Ning at ease.

Except when killing someone.

As the two talked, they unknowingly returned to Mount Hua.

"Alright, you should go back and rest now."

Yue Buqun said to Jiang Ning.

By this time, it was already getting light.

"Yes, Master."

Jiang Ning nodded, then led Maodou away.