Her name is Ling Hao. Her surname, Ling, originated from the Linghu family line, slowly changing over time. Although her surname and given name are unusual, Ling Hao felt that everything else about...
Chapter 128 (Chapter 128) - Drawing the Sword...
Chapter 128 Drawing the Sword
Sensing the presence of the intruder, Ling Hao's next move was to draw her sword. Her shards of snow gleamed coldly in the sunlight, carrying a chilling killing intent.
"Clang—!"
The man blocked Linghao's sword with his own, and with a backhand slash, pushed her attack away. Linghao, however, was forced to retreat, and the two men's cold glints clashed.
Seeing that the man and Ling Hao were locked in a fierce battle, Gongzi Yu immediately raised his hand to help deliver a blow, but after seeing one of Ling Hao's moves, he took a step back and withdrew his killing move.
Feng Qingyang glanced at Gongzi Yu out of the corner of his eye, then pushed Ling Hao's sword away with a single move. "Not bad, you've improved."
"Master." Ling Hao sheathed the broken snow sword with a backhand motion, and looked at the newcomer with a smile, "Why didn't you say you were coming?"
Feng Qingyang casually tossed the sword in his hand to Gongzi Yu. Seeing that Gongzi Yu held the sword obediently, Feng Qingyang felt a little relieved. "Your swordsmanship is even more fierce now."
Ling Hao didn't mind Feng Qingyang changing the subject. That's just how her master was; if he didn't want to answer something, he'd change the subject, so she just pretended it never happened. She said proudly, "I've been down the mountain for so long now; if I hadn't improved, how could I be worthy of being Master's disciple, right?"
Feng Qingyang smiled and nodded. "Indeed, my disciple should naturally make progress from time to time." He was a martial arts prodigy, but not a master who knew how to teach disciples. Before meeting Ling Hao, he had encountered several people who treated him differently.
However, when it came to teaching martial arts, Feng Qingyang faltered. Each of the children, seemingly bright and clever, couldn't understand what he was saying, which greatly troubled him. Later, after meeting Ling Hao, Feng Qingyang realized that it wasn't that he couldn't teach his disciples, but rather that they were incapable.
Look, look, how well he's taught Ling Hao! People in the martial arts world call him a monster. Indeed, indeed, that was his title back then. It's clear their master-disciple relationship was truly destined by heaven. Looking at Ling Hao, Feng Qingyang was filled with satisfaction.
He glanced at Gongzi Yu beside him and found him utterly irritating, even the sword he had casually picked up earlier seemed out of place. Sigh.
"Master." Seeing that Feng Qingyang's attention was on Gongzi Yu, Ling Hao smiled and stood beside him. "This is A Yu, my beloved."
Feng Qingyang: Stare.
Gongzi Yu felt the pressure, but could only smile and step forward to pay his respects, "Master, I..."
"Wait a minute." Feng Qingyang raised his hand to stop Gongzi Yu from continuing. "I only have one disciple in my life, Ahao. Only she can call me master."
Whatever the reason, he didn't want another person to call him master. He wouldn't teach a disciple, nor did he want to teach another one, especially not someone with Gongzi Yu's motives.
Gongzi Yu nodded and said, "Master, I am A-Yu, and I am A-Hao's sweetheart." No matter what, A-Hao has said that he is her sweetheart, so this place must be held together.
Feng Qingyang: "..."
This kid is completely stubborn.
Ling Hao glanced at Feng Qingyang, then at Gongzi Yu, and thought both of them were quite childish. "Master, did you see the letters I sent you?"
Feng Qingyang, who had been glaring angrily at Gongzi Yu, suddenly paused, his expression becoming somewhat dazed, "No..."
“Master.” Ling Hao blinked and looked at Feng Qingyang.
"I have received them all." Feng Qingyang changed the subject. "Ah Hao, you have done very well. You have fulfilled all my instructions. I am very happy."
"I thought Master hadn't received it." Ling Hao's smile was bright and cheerful. "After all, I sent so many letters by carrier pigeon, but I didn't receive a single reply." She thought the pigeons hadn't delivered the letters to Feng Qingyang, otherwise why wouldn't she have received a single reply?
Feng Qingyang felt that Ling Hao was being sarcastic, even in her bright and cheerful smile. However, feeling guilty, he didn't dare to ask her if she was being sarcastic. "Well, I've been quite busy and forgot for a moment."
“Master.” Ling Hao’s smile vanished completely. “Do you know? From childhood to adulthood, you always refer to yourself as ‘Master’ whenever you feel guilty.” The old man, Master, was not a conventional person. He rarely referred to himself as “Master” to her unless he felt guilty.
Just like now, they keep calling me "Master".
Feng Qingyang's expression froze, then he said, "Well, I'm really hungry after traveling all this way. Kid, do you have any food at home?"
Gongzi Yu nodded, "Yes, Master can have whatever he wants to eat." At the same time, his gaze fell on Ling Hao. He was waiting for her answer.
Although Feng Qingyang is A-Hao's master, and although he respects him, if A-Hao has other ideas, he will definitely listen to A-Hao.
How could Feng Qingyang not understand Gongzi Yu's meaning? He first laughed in anger, then thought it wasn't so bad. This kid had a good appearance, decent martial arts skills, and although his background was somewhat questionable, it wasn't bad either. But most importantly, he listened to his disciple.
Based on this alone, Feng Qingyang found Gongzi Yu somewhat more agreeable. Of course, only somewhat.
Ling Hao knew there was a reason why Feng Qingyang wouldn't believe her. But since he wouldn't say, she, as his disciple, couldn't force him. So, she could only say helplessly, "Ayu, my master likes to eat meat and drink alcohol."
Gongzi Yu immediately understood. "I'll have someone prepare a table of dishes, and I'll go to the cellar to fetch a pot of good wine." Of course, he didn't need to go personally to fetch the wine; he just wanted to give the master and apprentice a chance to talk alone.
"Okay." Ling Hao nodded.
"Master," Ling Kan looked at Feng Qingyang, "Do you have something to do this time you came down the mountain?" He had clearly hidden away after kicking her down the mountain, so why has he suddenly appeared now? She was a little puzzled.
Seeing that Gongzi Yu had indeed gone far away, Feng Qingyang's attitude immediately changed. The air of a martial arts master he had just put on vanished instantly, and he now looked more like a mischievous child. "You still have to talk! You've been tricked by this kid, so of course I had to come down the mountain to check on him?"
Ling Hao put one hand on her hip and said, "Master, why can't I be the one who tricked that boy into marrying me? Look at A Yu's appearance, he's so handsome. Even if he doesn't do anything, just looking at him is pleasing to the eye." If he didn't have such a handsome face, his previous behavior would have been enough for her to beat him up a dozen or twenty times over.
Feng Qingyang choked, "You...you only judge a person by their appearance?"
“That’s not true,” Linghao said confidently. “Ayu is obedient, Master saw that just now, didn’t he?”
Feng Qingyang couldn't deny this point. Just look at how that kid acted like he didn't care about money; he couldn't deny it. "Ah, you know, men in this world are often fickle, maybe..."
“Maybe I’ll change my mind before A-Yu does,” Ling Hao retorted. “Master, fickle people don’t discriminate between men and women.”
Feng Qingyang just stared at Ling Hao and said, "Do you really have to argue with me?"
"It's because Master didn't reply to my letter." Ling Hao thought about her worries in the past few days and realized that she had really worried for nothing.
Okay, he's in the wrong here. Feng Qingyang waved his hand, "Alright, alright, I know you won't suffer any loss, I won't interfere anymore."
His apprentice was different from other children from a young age. She wasn't like a boy, nor like a girl; she was simply a child who forged ahead without fear or retreat. Later, as she grew up, she learned to be aloof from him, but her essence remained unchanged.
She said those things intentionally, but she meant them sincerely. Feng Qingyang thought to himself that he was the one who was narrow-minded, judging his disciple with worldly eyes.
Ling chuckled and said, "Master, have you forgotten something?"
"What's wrong?" Feng Qingyang was a little confused when he heard her say that.
"My silver!" Ling Hao said angrily. "When Master kicked me off the mountain to wander the world, he didn't even give me any silver and then avoided me. I can forgive everything else, but what about the silver I earned from selling the hunted animals?"
Feng Qingyang's gaze was unfocused. "You're very rich now. Didn't you say that the little girl from the Zhu family gave you back gold? Why are you still thinking about those odds and ends of silver?"
"Whether it's small change or not, it's all my money." Ling Hao was furious when he thought about how disheveled he looked when he came down from the mountain. "Master, did you take it to drink again?"
Feng Qingyang remained silent, feeling guilty. Actually, he hadn't replied to Ling Hao's letter for any particular reason; he was simply feeling guilty.
To be honest, after Feng Qingyang took Ling Hao in and made her his apprentice, he did indeed support her for a period of time. But once Ling Hao's martial arts skills improved and she learned to hunt, she took over the management of their lives.
The money for their livelihood came from selling the game they hunted or the herbs they gathered. She managed everything herself, ensuring she became well-acquainted with the townspeople at the foot of Mount Hua. Thus, she and her master lived a stable life. But life always has its little surprises; occasionally, Feng Qingyang couldn't resist his cravings and would go out for a drink.
He also refused to drink watered-down wine, which led to the predicament of the two of them having no living expenses. It was precisely because of this that Feng Qingyang couldn't really put on any airs of a master in front of his disciple, Ling Hao.
Seeing Feng Qingyang's behavior, Hao Qi laughed. She began to suspect that part of the reason she was kicked out to venture into the martial world was because someone preemptively tried to escape her nagging.
"Oh dear, I'm so hungry." Feng Qingyang rubbed his stomach, took a step, and pulled someone out from a corner. "Girl, take me to eat."
The guard, who had been abruptly pulled out, looked completely bewildered. She'd just been dragged out like that? Without any reaction at all?
Ling Hao said helplessly, "Master, don't bully people."
"I didn't," Feng Qingyang released Shici's sleeve. "I just wanted someone to show me the way." This little girl was hiding in the closest place, so he easily found her. Isn't that normal?
"Master, you..."
"Good news." Gongzi Yu flew over carrying a jar of wine. "My master and mistress have also arrived."
Ling Hao: "???"
Is today some kind of special day? Why is everyone gathered together?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Feng Qingyang: Feeling guilty and guilty