Chapter 119: Huashan Heroes Gathering

Chapter 119: Huashan Heroes Gathering

Chapter 119: Huashan Heroes Gathering

Huashan, July 7th.

Occasionally, I see deer in the woods and hear birds singing in the valleys.

Since ancient times, there has been only one road to Mount Huashan, which is famous for its strangeness and danger.

In front of the mountain gate, there was a middle-aged man in a gray robe, about forty or fifty years old, with a somewhat old face. He had a faint smile on his face, revealing a simple and honest spirit.

Behind him stood seven young disciples, wearing narrow-sleeved warrior uniforms, with long swords hanging from their waists. Each of them stood tall and straight, and was very polite to the visitor from the martial arts world, yet there was an invisible arrogance hidden in their faces.

After all, this is the Huashan Sect, and the Five Mountains Sword Alliance to which it belongs is very powerful in the current martial arts world.

A group of six or seven people walked up the stone steps and soon arrived at the mountain gate.

Zhang Yu and the other person followed behind Xique Martial Arts School.

Tang An had a cold face and occasionally looked back, as if someone owed him eight hundred dollars.

Above the stone archway in front is engraved "Taihua is the Most Respectable", but on the left and right are two asymmetrical couplets "Only the sky is above, no mountain is equal to it".

The characters are three-quarters deep into the stone, faintly implying a strange and dangerous sword intent, as well as the domineering aura of dominating the world.

These thirteen words were left by the previous leader Ning Qingyu with his sword.

At that time, Huashan Sect was still the leader of the Five Mountains, and its power far exceeded that of the other four sects. Naturally, it deserved the comment "No other mountain can match it".

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "People are shaped by the land and water they live in. Huashan is unique, the swordsmanship is unique, and so are the people. Since ancient times, there has been only one way to climb Huashan, either to reach the top or to fall into the abyss. Perhaps Yue Buqun's later transformation was destined."

"Old hero Sun, it is an honor for our sect to come all the way here."

"No way, thank you for your hard work in welcoming me at the mountain gate."

The grey-robed man was none other than Huashan's second disciple, Lao Denuo. He had met Sun Siwang from Xique Martial Arts School a few times before. He took two steps forward and started exchanging polite words. After a conversation, they seemed to be having a very pleasant chat.

Lao Denuo came to learn martial arts and was no younger than Yue Buqun, so when the two of them talked, Sun Siwang called him Mr. Lao, not treating him as a junior, but also showing respect.

Lao Denuo smiled and asked, "Old hero Sun is only over 60 years old, in the prime of life, and in good health. How could he think of retiring? That would be a loss to the righteous forces in Guanzhong's martial arts world."

"With Mr. Yue here, the Taoist demon has been eliminated, and the martial arts world in Guanzhong has long been as peaceful as a mountain."

Sun Siwang looked at the two people in the Ping An Inn and introduced them with a smile, "Speaking of which, this person is a close neighbor of your sect, Manager Zhang of the Ping An Inn in Shilipo. I met him while drinking in the inn. Manager Zhang admires the reputation of the Huashan Sect, and on this occasion, he asked me to introduce him to you."

"Manager Zhang, this is Master Yue's direct disciple, Mr. Lao Denuo. He is highly skilled in martial arts, smart and intelligent. He is also in charge of the sect's affairs and is Master Yue's most capable assistant."

Sun Siwang is an old hand in this world. He has no close friendship with Zhang Yu, and he doesn't know the details of Ping'an Inn. He must first make the relationship between the two parties clear. In case of any unexpected events, it will have nothing to do with him. Old people are shrewd and have an instinctive avoidance of risks.

Zhang Yu bowed and said, "Zhang Liyu from Ping'an Inn, nice to meet you, Mr. Lao."

Unexpectedly, Lao Denuo had heard of Zhang Liyu's name. He took two steps forward, bowed and saluted, and his level of respect was no less than that towards an old acquaintance like Sun Siwang.

"It turned out to be Shopkeeper Zhang who got rid of the yellow-haired tiger. A few days ago, I told Master about a tiger-killing hero who emerged in Huazhou. Master said that Huashan Sect should have more exchanges with chivalrous people like him."

Zhu Laosan died at the city gate, but everyone in Huazhou thought that it was Ping'an Inn that was responsible.

Especially under the guidance of those drunkards, Manager Zhang was almost becoming Zhang Tianshi. At three quarters after noon, he summoned thunder to kill the yellow-haired tiger.

Zhang Yu did not deny it and said with a smile: "Mr. Lao, you are too kind. Your sect is the pillar of Huazhou. I am a newcomer and I have no choice but to handle this trivial matter. It is not worth mentioning."

Lao Denuo glanced at him and chuckled, "Three years ago, that yellow-haired beast committed evil in the street. He was stopped by a disciple of our sect and beaten. Later, he took the initiative to come to Huashan to apologize, and kowtowed from the mountain gate to the Jade Maiden Peak. In addition, several people from the Huazhou government asked for mercy, so Master spared his life. We thought he would reform, but he returned to his old ways. Such a villain, I believe that even if people don't kill him, God will take him away."

A few people talked for a while, and saw other martial arts sects coming from Wulong Bridge.

As usual, Sun Siwang and Zhang Yu handed over the visiting cards and gift lists to Huashan Sect and walked towards the mountain.

Lao Denuo took a quick look and saw that Xique Martial Arts School was very wealthy, so they offered fifty pieces of silk and satin of various colors, four pieces of jade, and five hundred taels of gift money. When he looked at the gift list of Ping'an Inn, he couldn't help but show a strange look on his face.

"Two jars of wine, a wooden hairpin... that's all. Isn't this too stingy?"

Laudno asked someone to put away the gift list.

Those gifts were placed at Yuquanyuan at the foot of the mountain, so it was naturally impossible to let the guests pick them up at Yunu Peak, as that would be too ugly.

The Huashan Sect values ​​a good reputation, and Sect Leader Yue hates it most when people say that he accepts gifts on the pretext of celebrating his birthday, let alone on the pretext of his daughter's birthday.

Along the way, Zhang Yu intentionally fell behind Xique Martial Arts School, observing the terrain of the mountain and secretly memorizing it in his mind. After all, the Huashan Sect was the biggest enemy of the Sun Moon Sect in the Guanzhong martial arts world. Only by knowing both oneself and the enemy could one realize his plan.

After passing Yaowang Cave, Wuli Pass and Yunmen, we arrived at Qingkeping. Several acres of flat land appeared out of nowhere on the steep mountainside, as if it had been cut by swords or axes. Flowers, plants and trees grew on the flat land. In the distance, there was the sound of rushing water. A white waterfall hung across the sky and fell into a stone pool under the mountain wall. There was a mountain pavilion next to it.

There are Huashan disciples to guide you at every place along the way.

Yue Buqun was very careful about his reputation and had very high requirements for his disciples. In addition to martial arts qualifications, they also had to have a clean family background and good character. There were only six or seven disciples in the Huashan Sect.

But the standards for ordinary disciples were relaxed a lot. There were more than eighty people in the entire Huashan Sect, and their qualifications were not as good as those of the direct disciples. In addition to learning swordsmanship, they were also responsible for patrolling and guarding the mountain gate, occasionally welcoming and seeing off guests, and even doing miscellaneous chores.

The road before was still a human road. Above Qing Keping, it was somewhat unfriendly to ordinary people.

Thousand-foot Cloud Stack is known as the most dangerous place in Huashan. The road builders chiseled stone holes on the cliff, wedged in stone piles, and placed three wooden rafters between the stone piles, which were only wide enough. When visitors come here, they have to face the wall, stick to their stomachs, and move forward sideways on the wooden rafters. Even Huashan disciples have to be careful when passing by.

Sun Siwang walked in front with steady steps.

He has stepped on the plum blossom pile of Xique Martial Arts School countless times and has mastered the skills of his footwork.

Tang An's expression was a little solemn. If he stepped on empty air, he would not fall down, but it would be embarrassing in front of the two country bastards in Ping'an Inn, which would be a bad feeling.

"Tang An, walk slower and watch your step."

"A steady mind leads to steady feet."

“Whether it’s a smooth road to heaven or a path on a cliff, your foothold is only a foot wide. As long as you have a path in mind, your feet will naturally be stable.”

Sun Si saw that Tang An was a little uncertain and reminded him. He turned around to look at Zhang Liyu who was at the back and saw that he seemed to be strolling in a garden, watching a few white cranes flying in the sky outside the cliff. He didn't care about the suspended road under his feet at all, and each step he took was extremely precise. This is what it means to walk as if on flat ground.

Seeing this scene, Tang An couldn't help feeling a little jealous.

They were almost the same age, but his martial arts skills were obviously far superior to his own. He was the eldest grandson of the governor, who lived in praise and flowers, but he was surpassed by an innkeeper.

"Master, rest assured. I have a steady footing. This thousand-foot cloud stack is nothing. Not only can I walk, I can run, and I can even jump..."

As soon as the words fell, the entire iron chain plank road shook.

"boom!"

Young Master Tang stepped on empty air, but fortunately he grabbed the iron chain beside the stone wall with his right hand, leaned forward, knelt heavily on one knee on the wooden rafter, and almost hit his head. He paid great tribute to the Great Emperor Jintianyuansheng of Xiyue.

He quickly stood up and pretended nothing happened.

Sun Siwang had some understanding of his disciples, so he sighed and stopped talking.

Zhang Yu walked across the Thousand-foot Cloud Stack and looked back. The mountain wall was immovable, and the iron chain was shaking gently. He couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature.

Further ahead are the three main peaks of Huashan.

No wonder these martial arts sects don't pay much attention to the imperial court. They all occupy the terrain where one man can block a thousand men. Ordinary soldiers can't attack, but with a few masters in charge, they can hold on for a long time.

Unless the imperial court makes great efforts to close the mountains and forests, it will be unable to do anything to them.

Of course, the underworld forces also have their own red lines. They cannot occupy cities, even if it is just a county town, they will be surrounded and suppressed by the Jinyiwei. Even Pingdingzhou is still nominally under the jurisdiction of the court.

The group walked another fifteen or sixteen miles along a winding mountain road, passing through dangerous places such as Qingniu Ligou and the Line of Life and Death, before finally reaching the Yunu Peak.

Led by Shi Daizi, one of the fourth disciples of Mount Hua, they went to the guest room to rest and drink tea.

Yunvfeng is the central peak of Huashan, supported by the other two peaks.

There originally existed a Jade Maiden Temple, which was built so long ago that no one knew in which dynasty it was built. It was dedicated to Nong Yu, the daughter of Duke Mu.

The forests are lush and green, the environment is quiet, and groups of houses are hidden under the lingering mountain mist, just like a fairyland.

All Huashan disciples wear plain clothes and carry long swords. Even ordinary disciples have a dignified demeanor when facing these long-established celebrities in the martial arts world.

"Which of the top sects in the martial arts world does not have a profound foundation and a long tradition?"

Sun Siwang sighed and said that Xique Martial Arts School was somewhat famous in Xi'an Prefecture, but compared with the Huashan Sect, which had been passed down for hundreds of years and had a great master of the Innate Realm, it was inevitable that one would feel awe-inspiring.

He looked at the owner of the Ping'an Inn beside him, and remembered that he was still a young man at that time, handsome and full of passion.

"When I was young, I also wanted to join the Huashan Sect. An elder of the Sword Sect said that I had some resilience, but not enough agility, too many thoughts, too rigid, too cautious, and not direct enough. I would never achieve anything in my life practicing swordsmanship. At that time, I was also young and hot-headed, so I turned around and went down the mountain, thinking that one day, when my swordsmanship was perfected, I would come back to him to take back his words. However, many things happened later, and I found that I was really not cut out for practicing swordsmanship."

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "Misfortunes often come with blessings. If Mr. Sun had joined the Huashan Sect that year, he might not have achieved what he has today."

Calculating the time, the conflict between Qi and Sword had already shown signs.

When Sun Siwang heard this, he thought of the past few decades. He wondered whether the other party's words were just casual remarks or had deeper meaning.

The fights within the sect often have no bottom line.

After all, we are all family, and everyone knows each other. There is no need to be polite or pretend to be civilized. It has always been the case that the turtle boxing, the eight palms, and the foot that cut off the descendants are used together. The ugliest history of a sect is a taboo that no one wants to be mentioned by outsiders.

He laughed and said, "The past is like smoke, there is no need to mention it again. As one of the Five Great Sword Sects, Huashan Sect is now very famous in the martial arts world. This is both the grace of the predecessors and the hard work of the younger generations. It is an honor for Xique Martial Arts School to be able to participate in today's event."

The old foxes in the martial arts world may not be very skilled in martial arts, but they know when to speak in a low voice and when to shout loudly.

When Shi Daizi, who was walking in front, heard this, a smile appeared on his face. He was honored to be a disciple of the Huashan Sect. He secretly memorized the name of Xique Martial Arts School.

Tang An disagreed. He said, "All under heaven belongs to the king. What's so great about the Huashan Sect? As long as it is in Guanzhong, it is under the jurisdiction of the Shaanxi Provincial Government."

With the Tang family's family background, if he wanted to join, he could find a way to join the Huashan Sect, let alone Shaolin and Wudang. However, he wanted to enter the official career after all, and did not want to be too involved with the martial arts world.

He thought to himself, "They are just bandits and robbers. When the imperial court has time, we will wipe them out. As for the person who runs the black shop, we must not let him go."

The central courtyard was swept clean, and it was obvious that the Huashan Party had made good preparations for today's event.

The guest rooms are on the east side of Zhengqi Hall, with seven or eight rooms in a row.

Xi Que Martial Arts School, Zhang Yu and others were the first to arrive and occupied a room to themselves. Shi Daizi prepared tea and snacks, said some polite words, and then walked out of the door to meet old friends from other mountains.

The eldest senior brother just came back last night, and he has always been a person who doesn't like to get involved in other people's affairs. Among all the fellow disciples, only he and the second senior brother have the patience to do these chores.

Shi Daizi was walking past the Zhengqi Hall when he suddenly saw a man in green hiding behind a pillar. He said with a smile, "Hey, little apprentice sister, where are you going?"

Yue Lingshan came out from behind the pillar, holding a small porcelain bottle in her hand: "Fourth Brother, you scared me to death. I thought I met my father."

"Master is meeting with Mr. Qiu and several other good sect leaders in the study, so he doesn't have time to take care of you."

Yue Lingshan was happy: "Are you coming from Daddy's study?"

"No, I still have to go and receive the leaders of the various sects who are coming up the mountain. They were the people from Xi Que Martial Arts School."

Shi Daizi suddenly laughed softly and said, "Little Junior Sister, I heard that they are going to choose a son-in-law for you from among these handsome men in Guanzhong. Why don't you go and take a look?"

"Fourth Senior Brother, you are still talking nonsense. I will ignore you."

Yue Lingshan glared at him, then turned and walked towards the West Garden.

Seeing that she was shy, Shi Daizi deliberately joked, "Little apprentice sister, why don't you go and take a look? There is a very handsome young man in there with an extraordinary demeanor. You and him are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman.

Yue Lingshan's voice came from the corner: "Even if he looks like Pan An or Song Yu, I wouldn't even look at him twice. If Fourth Senior Brother likes him, go and show your courtesy yourself."

The people of Jianghu speak and laugh without restraint. As long as Yue Buqun is not around, they speak casually to each other as brothers.

Shi Daizi smiled and shook his head.

　Thanks to brother Zhan Ning for the reward. I feel embarrassed to say thank you since I just thanked you verbally. I owe you one chapter and will make it up later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)