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

Page 55

If it's not extremely unlikely, he's more like a Shaolin spy planted within the Five Mountains Sword Sect.

Yue Buqun was persuaded by Jiang Ning's words.

To be honest, he originally had some idea of ​​merging factions, after all, who hasn't fantasized about it? But his idea of ​​merging factions wasn't like Zuo Lengchan's, which involved ruthlessly attacking his allies. He wanted to make the various factions more closely connected.

But after hearing Jiang Ning's idea, he completely erased the idea of ​​merging factions from his mind, and stopped even fantasizing about it.

Rather than merging the Five Mountains Sword Sects, it would be better to strengthen the Huashan Sect, even though it would be slower, it would be more stable.

"In that case, we need to hurry up when we get back."

Yue Buqun said.

Jiang Ning's analysis of things is very clear, which makes him see things in front of him more clearly. As the saying goes, one person's wisdom is limited, but two people's plans are longer. He no longer feels confused about the future as he used to.

Previously, he pondered the future of the Huashan Sect alone. Even though Ning Zhongze knew his difficulties, she could not offer him advice and could only listen.

Jiang Ning's analysis of Zuo Lengchan, the Songshan Sect, and the Five Mountains Sword Sects was a revelation to him, and his extraordinary insight thrilled him.

However, Yue Buqun was still somewhat disappointed at this moment.

Actually, this should have been the time for Linghu Chong to discuss the future of the Huashan Sect with him.

But Linghu Chong...

Shaking his head, Yue Buqun cleared his mind and looked at Jiang Ning, asking another question: "Are you really going to Sichuan to cause trouble for the Qingcheng Sect and Abbot Yu?"

Jiang Ning nodded: "We should go, but not now. We should wait until Zuo Lengchan takes action against my Huashan Sect before we go."

Even if Jiang Ning wants to target the Qingcheng Sect, he can't ignore the main issue while focusing on the secondary one; the Huashan Sect is his core base.

If Zuo Lengchan had sent the Songshan Sect and the remnants of the Sword Sect to the mountain to force Yue Buqun to abdicate during his absence from Mount Hua, even if Yue Buqun's strength had greatly increased, if something unexpected happened, Jiang Ning, who was in Sichuan, would not have been able to get the information and would not have been able to return immediately.

Yue Buqun didn't have much to say either; Jiang Ning's arrangements were very rational and didn't require further explanation.

However, his expression still showed some hesitation.

After all, the Qingcheng Sect is still a righteous sect.

But then he thought of Lin Pingzhi's hatred for Yu Canghai, Yue Lingshan's words about helping Lin Pingzhi, and Jiang Ning's words about visiting the Qingcheng Sect later.

The expression in Yue Buqun's eyes kept changing.

After a while.

"Hey."

Yue Buqun let out a long sigh.

"My guiding principle has always been that I will not offend others unless they offend me. For the past few decades, apart from being irreconcilably opposed to the Demonic Sect, my Huashan Sect has had no conflicts with other righteous sects. But from now on, my Huashan Sect and the Qingcheng Sect will probably be... well, well. Now that we have entered the martial world, how easy is it to avoid offending anyone in everything?"

"Ning'er."

Yue Buqun looked at Jiang Ning: "After our Huashan Sect overcomes the next crisis, I will go to Sichuan with you."

His words marked the formal break between the Huashan Sect and the Qingcheng Sect.

Although his decision was due to the grudges between his disciples and his daughter and the Qingcheng Sect, the more important reason was that Yue Buqun was now also beginning to be dissatisfied with Yu Canghai.

Yue Buqun sneered, "It seems that Abbot Yu thinks my Huashan Sect is not as powerful as before and wants to interfere."

Now Yue Buqun realized something was amiss. Although Linghu Chong had taught Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong of the Qingcheng Sect a lesson in Hanzhong last year, things were not so simple.

His Qingcheng Sect is located in Sichuan, so what are his disciples doing in Shaanxi?

Upon discovering this anomaly, Yue Buqun questioned Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan in detail and found that not only Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong, but also some Qingcheng disciples had come to Hanzhong. After arriving, they did not do anything else, but instead acted as chivalrous heroes, helping those in need whenever they saw injustice.

This discovery is surprising, but it's just that strange.

If the other party was merely acting out of chivalry, then Linghu Chong wouldn't have taken action to teach them a lesson; there must have been a reason beforehand.

Linghu Chong discovered that after each act of chivalry, they would brainwash the people, saying how good the Qingcheng Sect was, how righteous its disciples were, how powerful it was, and that only the Qingcheng Sect could save them.

Linghu Chong wasn't very clear about the concepts of territorial disputes and resource competition, but seeing the other party so arrogant on his territory and disregarding the Huashan Sect, Linghu Chong subconsciously felt angry, as if his territory had been invaded. He might not know the reason for his anger, but he still took action.

He and Yue Lingshan deliberately caused trouble for the Qingcheng disciples. Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong were so angry that they said some rude things, which gave Linghu Chong an excuse to beat them up and drive them out of Hanzhong.

Later, after Linghu Chong returned to the mountain, fearing punishment from Yue Buqun, he did not tell the whole story. Instead, he used a subtle approach, briefly mentioning the events. As a result, Yue Buqun did not realize what had happened at first. When Linghu Chong pressed him for details, he dared not hide the truth, and only then did Yue Buqun find out.

Unlike Linghu Chong, Yue Buqun immediately realized that the Qingcheng Sect was trying to seize their Huashan Sect's territory.

Although Huashan's power is weak now, at its peak, the entire Shaanxi province belonged to the Huashan sect. The Qingcheng sect's actions are like snatching food from a tiger's mouth; they want to take advantage of Huashan's decline.

As for why the other party dared to be so bold, there is no suspense.

The Qingcheng Sect and the Songshan Sect are currently on good terms, and Yu Canghai and Zuo Lengchan have a very close personal relationship.

Yue Buqun sneered, "Master Yu is just like his master Changqingzi. In the previous generation, when my Huashan Sect was the leader of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, his master Changqingzi was on good terms with my master. Now that the Songshan Sect is the leader of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, Yu Canghai has switched to the Songshan Sect and befriended Zuo Lengchan. It must be because of Zuo Lengchan's tacit approval that he dared to come to Shaanxi to seize Hanzhong."

Zuo Lengchan did take action against the Huashan Sect, but he didn't personally lead the Songshan Sect into the fray. Instead, he sent the Qingcheng Sect to take action. The Qingcheng Sect was his pawn, used to test and suppress the Huashan Sect.

If we set aside Zuo Lengchan's unrealistic ambitions, his methods were indeed brilliant.

Jiang Ning also laughed and said, "There's a saying in chess: 'A pawn that crosses the river becomes a chariot.' It seems that Master Yu doesn't want to stay cooped up in Sichuan any longer and wants to make some moves."

Chapter 88: Giving Linghu Chong a Chance

"Once a pawn crosses the river, it remains a pawn, not a true chariot. It is merely a piece controlled by the player, its life and death entirely in the player's hands. It may be used by the player to gain greater benefits at any time, ultimately doing all the work for someone else."

Life is like a game of chess, and everyone is a piece. But there are always those who step outside the chessboard and take control of the pieces. At this moment, Yu Canghai and his Qingcheng Sect are Zuo Lengchan's pieces.

Given Zuo Lengchan's ambition, even if he ultimately succeeds in merging the factions, with his personality of targeting his own people, the Qingcheng Sect will not escape his grasp.

Yue Buqun smiled upon hearing this.

At this moment, he was truly very satisfied with Jiang Ning.

Leaving aside his strength, Jiang Ning's talent speaks for itself. He's also diligent, has a very clear mind, acts without impulsivity, is organized, doesn't procrastinate, and is ruthless when necessary. Furthermore, he possesses a strong sense of righteousness.

So far, apart from the incident in Xiangyang that Yue Buqun considered too impulsive, Jiang Ning's performance has been impeccable.

Heaven has taken pity on me, Yue Buqun.

Just as Yue Buqun was still sighing, he noticed a hint of hesitation on Jiang Ning's face and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Ning thought for a moment and then said, "Master, Senior Brother, he..."

"What outrageous thing has he done now?"

Before Jiang Ning could finish speaking, Yue Buqun interrupted him.

Yue Buqun frowned, a hint of anger appearing on his face.

"what?"

Even Jiang Ning, with his composed nature, couldn't help but feel a moment of bewilderment.

But Jiang Ning immediately realized what he meant and shook his head, saying, "No, it's because Senior Brother did a very good job this time."

Jiang Ning told Yue Buqun everything he had overheard in the woods outside Hengshan City about the conversation between Linghu Chong and Tian Boguang.

Yue Buqun's expression gradually softened.

Finally, Jiang Ning added one more sentence.

"My senior brother is usually carefree, but he stands firm when facing a lecherous scoundrel like Tian Boguang. Although his words were a bit inappropriate during the process, it was to save people, so it is understandable."

"Ah."

Yue Buqun couldn't help but stroke his beard and nod: "As you can see, although Chong'er is lazy, he has a good character. He didn't agree to befriend Tian Boguang just to survive. He can still distinguish right from wrong when it comes to matters of principle."

Having grown accustomed to hearing stories of Linghu Chong causing trouble, Yue Buqun felt a rather complicated mix of emotions upon suddenly hearing that Linghu Chong was actually a good kid.

However, Jiang Ning frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to say something but then hesitated, before finally saying, "Master, are you usually too harsh on Senior Brother?"

"Ok?"

Yue Buqun looked at Jiang Ning in surprise: "Why do you say that?"

“In the past, no matter how seriously or hard the eldest brother practiced swordsmanship, it seems that Master never praised him.”

Jiang Ning said, "Master seems to have higher expectations for the eldest brother than for the other brothers, and seems to be too strict with him."

Yue Buqun frowned slightly at this moment: "He is the eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect, your senior brother. His every move represents our Huashan Sect. Isn't it normal for me to have high expectations for him? Isn't it only right to be strict with him?"

Jiang Ning nodded: "That's certainly right, but in my opinion, Senior Brother seems to want Master to pay more attention to him."

Yue Buqun was stunned.

"care?"

Jiang Ning nodded: "Senior Brother regards Master as his father. As a child, although it is true that Master is strict in his discipline, he also wants Master's approval."

When Linghu Chong was practicing swordsmanship at Mount Hua, he worked very hard. In order to gain Yue Buqun's approval, he put in just as much effort as others. However, the lack of response over a long period of time caused Linghu Chong to become disheartened and give up, which is why his talent is still only at a second-rate level.

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun remained silent and fell into deep thought.

After a while.

Yue Buqun asked, "According to you, it's my way of disciplining him that's wrong?"

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "Senior Brother is cheerful, lively and outgoing. A one-sided, suppressive education will only stifle his nature. If this continues for a long time, he may become mediocre or go down a completely opposite path."

Yue Buqun fell silent again.

After a long time.

Yue Buqun spoke again: "You mean, you want me to change the way I discipline him?"

Jiang Ning nodded: "Perhaps Master could try to show more care for Senior Brother, and praise and acknowledge him more."

Yue Buqun's eyes showed hesitation, and he frowned as he said, "I disciplined him so strictly before, and he was still so lazy. If I relax my discipline on him, I'm afraid he will neglect his training even more."

Jiang Ning smiled and said, "Sometimes strict discipline may not be effective. Perhaps we can try other methods. Maybe Senior Brother will give Master a surprise."

In fact, Yue Buqun had always had high expectations for Linghu Chong, hoping that he could shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Huashan Sect. Therefore, he disciplined Linghu Chong much more strictly than other Huashan disciples.

The relationship between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong is like that of a strict father disciplining his child. Linghu Chong hopes to receive praise or recognition from Yue Buqun, but he never receives a word of approval. Perhaps it is for this reason that Linghu Chong becomes self-destructive, likes to drink, and often gets drunk.

Jiang Ning hadn't originally planned to say these things, but what he saw outside Hengshan City made him think that Linghu Chong might not be a hopeless person. With proper guidance, he might be able to get back on the right path.

For Linghu Chong, Yue Buqun was the most suitable and only person who could guide him.

Therefore, Jiang Ning was willing to say these things in front of Yue Buqun.

Yue Buqun remained silent, lost in thought.

After a long time.

"Ok."

Yue Buqun finally agreed. He looked up at Jiang Ning and said, "Since you speak up for him so much, then I might as well change my teaching methods as you suggested. I only hope that he can change his ways as you said, restrain his mind, and walk the right path in the future."

In fact, if Jiang Ning had said these words to anyone else, Yue Buqun would have been furious, even if it were Yue Lingshan.

But Jiang Ning was different; his position in Yue Buqun's heart was different from that of the other disciples.

So when Yue Buqun said these words in Jiangning, he was not angry at all; on the contrary, he felt a sense of relief.

In the past, although Jiang Ning and Linghu Chong were both disciples of Mount Hua, and had spent the longest time at Mount Hua besides Yue Lingshan, their relationship was not particularly close; it was just the affection between ordinary fellow disciples.

But the fact that Jiang Ning was willing to say these things for Linghu Chong, even if it might anger him, shows that the bond between the two brothers is still very important to Jiang Ning, which makes Yue Buqun very happy.

He had experienced the sword qi conflict of the previous generation of Huashan Sect, witnessed fellow disciples killing each other, and now had a new understanding of that tragic internal war. Therefore, Jiang Ning valued the bond between fellow disciples and found it very precious.

Therefore, he was willing to listen to Jiang Ning's advice and give Linghu Chong a chance.

(PS: I got up early this morning to write this, aren't you touched?)

Chapter 89: The Frosty Blade Has Never Been Tested

"What are you talking about? Why are you so happy?"

At this moment, the front curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Ning Zhongze led Yue Lingshan into the carriage, smiling at Jiang Ning and Yue Buqun.

"Master's wife, senior sister."

Jiang Ning nodded slightly.

Yue Buqun chuckled and said, "I was just checking Ning'er's training progress. By the way, how is Chong'er's injury?"