Chapter 24 (Second Update): Sword Sparring
Chapter 24 Sword Sparring
"Today, you will wield the Azure Cloud Sword," Elder He affirmed.
Although He Lingyun usually appeared carefree and nonchalant, it was often an act. But now, after receiving the Qingyun Sword from the old man and hearing his words, it was clear that he was genuinely nervous.
The fact that you can still feel nervous means that you're not indifferent to everything.
It's not that they care, it's that they care.
"Grandpa..." He Lingyun had just opened his mouth when the old master of the manor raised his hand to stop him, and with a flick of his sleeve, he said calmly, "Let's have a sword spar."
He Lingyun fell silent.
The old manor lord's words, "sparring and exchanging swordplay," resonated powerfully in the surrounding area!
Old Master Zhuang is going to have a sword duel with the Second Young Master?!
Oh my god!
The disciples on duty at Nanshan Garden all stopped what they were doing and gathered around with delight.
The old master rarely uses a sword, especially in recent years.
The Longevity Gentleman Sword was created by the old master himself, and everyone wanted to see what the "One Sword Enters the Clouds" in the old master's hands looked like.
The old master of the manor has been retired from the martial world for over twenty years, no longer concerning himself with its affairs, and rarely even taking up his sword formally. Even within the manor, it's rare to see the old master so earnestly and attentively discussing "sparring"—this is truly a rare opportunity.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of martial arts, especially those who use swords, knows that even just observing in such an setting is incredibly beneficial!
Immediately, all the disciples on duty in Nanshan Garden gathered around, while others hurried to their dormitories, the library, the training ground, the Meditation Cliff, and the Mind-Observing Rock, etc. In short, all sorts of places—the old master was going to spar with the second young master in Nanshan Garden!
No disciple of Qingyun Manor was willing to miss such a good opportunity. As a result, all the disciples who were not on duty rushed to Nanshan Garden, immediately surrounding it in layers, making it impossible to pass through.
Nanshan Garden is already very large, but it still can't accommodate so many people, yet disciples keep coming to Nanshan Garden.
As a result, the trees and rooftops of the entire Nanshan Garden, as well as those closer to the garden, were densely packed with people standing, squatting, or sitting... In short, everywhere was crowded with people.
Qingyun Manor has a long-standing tradition that if the manor lord decides to spar with his disciples, all the disciples of Qingyun Manor are welcome to come and observe and learn. Within Qingyun Manor, disciples are encouraged to watch such sparring matches; as long as it doesn't disrupt the manor's operations, even ordinary tasks can be temporarily suspended.
This time, it's not the owner of the manor, but the old owner. Such an opportunity is truly rare!
Therefore, as soon as the news spread that the old master and the second young master were going to spar at Nanshan Garden, all the off-duty disciples in Qingyun Manor couldn't help but head to Nanshan Garden.
He Huai'an had just come out of the pill room and went to the accounting office to review the accounts of Qingyun Manor for the past two months.
Uncle Huo also entrusted him with all the accounting matters.
He was in charge of all the income, expenses, and outstanding accounts of Qingyun Manor. No one in Qingyun Manor knew these trivial details of income and expenditure better than him.
The alchemy workshop operates for five days each month, and today is the first day. So, after meeting Miss Wang this morning, he supervised the work at the alchemy workshop for about an hour before heading to the accounting office. He had just overheard the accounting manager and his disciple discussing the accounts, and after about half an hour, he had casually flipped through less than one ledger when he heard a bustling noise outside the accounting office, mixed with excited chatter, and a crowd of people moving about.
The disciples of Qingyun Manor value self-cultivation. Apart from a few who are carefree and outspoken, such as He Lin, the rest of the disciples, led by He Ping, are gentle and refined, rarely making a fuss. But even He Lin, who is usually quite boisterous, would not do so in such a public place.
He Huai'an glanced at it, and immediately one of his disciples went to the window, his eyes clearly showing surprise. "Young Master, it seems that all the fellow disciples have gone towards Nanshan Garden."
To Nanshan Garden?
He Huai'an put down the account book in his hand and walked to the window. He saw a crowd of people heading towards Nanshan Garden.
"Go and ask," He Huai'an instructed.
The disciple beside him bowed in response. He Huai'an did not look away from the brief sounds of people going downstairs and talking. After a moment, the disciple who had just gone downstairs returned. "Reporting to the eldest young master, the senior and junior brothers are all heading to Nanshan Garden. It seems that the old master is 'sparring with the second young master.' I heard that the old master even took out the Qingyun Sword."
A sword duel? Grandfather and Lingyun?
Azure Cloud Sword...
Even He Huai'an's usually calm face showed a hint of surprise, and the steward beside him asked, "Then, Second Young Master, about the accounts?"
He Huai'an regained his composure. "Uncle Liu, Uncle Wang, Uncle Fu, please wait a moment regarding the accounts. I'll go check on my great-uncle and then return."
"Yes." The stewards bowed respectfully.
Surrounded by several disciples, He Huai'an went downstairs. The stewards also relaxed. Indeed, the old master had not sparred with anyone in the manor for a long time, and the Qingyun Sword had been sealed away for twenty years. What day was it today?
The managers looked at each other, but since most of the attendees were disciples from the mountains, the managers of the accounting office probably couldn't squeeze in anyway, so they gave up.
*
At Lianfeng Pavilion, Huo Lianchi was talking with the eldest disciple of the Lingxiao Sect.
Soon it will be the birthday of Xiao, the head of the Lingxiao Sect. Qingyun Manor and Lingxiao Sect are very close to each other. Every year, the two heads would visit each other on their birthdays or send their disciples to visit each other. They have a very close relationship.
Sending an invitation signifies a solemn occasion, so the person who came was Qin Feng, the beloved disciple of the Lingxiao Sect's leader and the sect's eldest disciple.
Qin Feng was about the same age as He Ping, and because he often visited Qingyun Manor, he was also close to Manor Lord Huo. Sometimes Huo Lianchi would also exchange a few moves with Qin Feng, which could be considered as guidance and instruction to his close junior.
As the two were talking, they saw many disciples from Qingyun Mountain gathering and heading towards a certain place.
This is truly rare in Qingyun Manor.
Huo Lianchi and Qin Feng also stopped. Huo Lianchi said gently, "Nephew, please wait a moment."
Qin Feng also cupped his hands in greeting.
Huo Lianchi was different from He Huai'an. He Huai'an had many trivial matters to deal with in the manor on a daily basis, so he was always surrounded by people wherever he went, with at least four or five people around him. However, Huo Lianchi was not used to having so many people around him.
Qin Feng is also here now, and there is only one disciple on duty serving tea at Lianfeng Pavilion.
Huo Lianchi called someone forward to ask, and the person quickly went to inquire.
Taking advantage of the break, Qin Feng asked, "Master Huo, is there something important happening at the manor? Then this disciple will not disturb you."
Huo Lianchi waved his hand, "No rush. It's been a while since we last met. I want to see how far you've progressed with your Lingxiao Finger, and whether you've broken through the bottleneck you faced last time."
As they spoke, the disciple serving tea returned and reported, "Reporting to the Master, the Second Young Master was having dinner with the Old Master at Nanshan Garden just now. After the meal, the Old Master suddenly became interested and invited the Second Young Master to 'spar with swords' in Nanshan Garden. The Old Master took the Qingyun Sword. All the fellow disciples went to Nanshan Garden to watch the sword match."
Qin Feng was also surprised, as he knew the rules of Qingyun Manor.
If it's a public 'sword duel' by the old master, it means he tacitly allows the disciples in the mountains to watch.
More importantly, Master He has been retired for twenty years, and there has been no news of him using the Qingyun Sword during these twenty years. Yet today, he has encountered such a situation.
Huo Lianchi frowned slightly, but didn't seem too surprised.
The old man never acts without a reason; he either doesn't do anything at all, or he thinks things through thoroughly. Even if it's just a spur-of-the-moment decision, he's already given it enough thought.
Others may not know, but he does: the old man's Qingyun Sword has been sealed away.
The sword is sealed again, and the legacy is passed down.
The old man's Qingyun Sword is about to change hands.
Huo Lianchi's furrowed brows gradually relaxed...
"I heard that the old master has been having a poor appetite and feeling unwell for some time. That's why my master didn't present the visiting card to him this time, fearing that if the old master saw it, he wouldn't be able to refuse even if he wasn't feeling well, which would only delay his recuperation. So, it seems that the old master's condition has improved?"
Qin Feng also asked about it.
"My appetite has only improved these past two days. Nephew Qin, why don't you come with me to take a look?" Huo Lianchi invited.
Qin Feng was naturally willing, saying, "I would be most honored to accept your offer."
Huo Lianchi nodded.
*
In the small kitchen courtyard, Wang Sumo was washing a pot. After washing the pot, she prepared to kill the two crucian carp that the old man had given her.
After being brought from Bazhenlou to Qingyun Villa, it really enjoyed the treatment of a pet fish for a few days. Finally, it's time to be put on the chopping board, just one meal away from washing the pot.
Don't rush, don't rush~
Wang Sumo was washing the pot when she gradually heard the Nanshan Garden becoming lively.
First came the hustle and bustle, then the rustling, then the talking, and then, people started standing on the trees in the small kitchen garden.
Huh? What's the custom at Qingyun Manor? Everyone likes to climb trees.
Every tree in Qingyun Manor is busy.
Wang Sumo has always loved watching excitement. He can forget to eat and sleep and become so engrossed in watching excitement that the old man is so anxious that he can only stare and stomp his feet in frustration at the Eight Treasures Restaurant.
With such excitement being delivered right to our doorstep, how could we possibly refuse to watch?
Let's watch the excitement first, then we'll clean the pot. We'll just watch for a little while, just a short while...
Some people always convince themselves this way. When they arrive in the garden, they find that not only this tree, but also that tree, and that tree, and that tree, are all crowded with people. Looking back, the rooftops are also full of disciples in blue and white robes, squatting in the front row and standing in the back row, making sure to leave room for them to see.
How lively and beautiful this is!
Damn it, she's all alone in the garden, with no stairs or ladders around. Before, she could squeeze to the front to watch the excitement, but now she can't even get up there. Wang Sumo is furious!
Suddenly, "Miss Wang!"
It was He Qingque's voice. Wang Sumo turned around, and sure enough, He Qingque came running up, panting.
"What's wrong, He Qingque?"
He Lin said, panting, "Miss Wang, I can't make it anymore. The old master said he doesn't want to eat it."
Wang Sumo was surprised, (⊙o⊙)…
Those four small pieces aren't even enough to fill He Qingque's teeth. Can't the old man eat them?
He Lin quickly waved his hand and corrected him vividly, "It's not that it's not delicious! It's not that I can't eat it! It's that the old master ate it and suddenly became very happy! Very happy, you know? Very happy! The old master hasn't seen me for a long time, and now he's actually pulling the second young master in Nanshan Garden to 'have a sword spar,' a 'sword spar.' All the off-duty fellow disciples in the manor have come!"
No wonder, this swarm of people suddenly appeared like ants, occupying all the places with a high vantage point.
Even if she could scale walls and rooftops, she might not be able to outnumber them.
Even watching the excitement at Qingyun Manor is so difficult...
Seeing that she was still holding the pot scrubber, He Lin quickly snatched it from her and put it aside. Wang Sumo looked at him and said, "Washing the pot!"
He Lin was annoyed. "I'll not cook any more dishes for now, and I'll wash the pot later."
“What’s so interesting about the excitement?” Wang Sumo asked deliberately. “If we don’t clean the pot of braised pork now, it will be hard to clean it later.”
He Lin pulled her along, "I'll swipe, I'll swipe! I'll be in charge of swiping in a bit, let's hurry up and get a seat or there won't be any left!"
Wang Sumo: (#^.^#)
She originally wanted to go and see what the commotion was about.
"Can you still find a good spot?" Wang Sumo asked.
“Just follow me!” He Qingque said confidently. Before being pulled out of the small kitchen, Wang Sumo looked back at the two crucian carp. They had survived again. Could they really become ornamental fish for the Eight Treasures Pavilion?
The small kitchen was right next to Nanshan Garden, but the whole way was crowded with people, as if everyone from the entire Qingyun Manor had come.
"Can Nanshan Garden accommodate everyone?" Wang Sumo backed down.
When it came to watching the excitement, He Lin remained calm: "Don't worry, we're close by!"
Too.
Taking the shortcut through the small kitchen door allowed them to leave many people behind, but the garden was also crowded with people.
"Can we go up to the roof?" He Lin asked.
Wang Sumo shook her head, "No, it's not possible."
He Lin quickly started shouting and pushing, while also gesturing to her to follow, "Make way, make way, can't you see Miss Wang is here? Don't push, don't push!"
Wang Sumo: (┬_┬)
So that's what following him meant...
However, this can be considered the first time that I've witnessed the spectacle firsthand and become a resource myself.
Finally, under He Lin's 'intimidation', everyone around her made way for her. After all, she was a young lady, and the disciples of Qingyun Manor were all very polite. They not only made way for her, but made way for a large distance.
It's as if this place is a quarantine zone, barren and off-limits to strangers.
Wang Sumo: -_-||
But no matter what, watching from the front row offers a much better view than seeing those "monkeys" hanging in the trees or standing on the rooftops of Qingyun Mountain!
Before the 'sword sparring' officially began, the old man said a long speech. He Lingyun didn't know why the old man was like this today, but he listened carefully to every word.
Wang Sumo had seen too much excitement and was more experienced than him. The old man deliberately made the opening remarks longer so that more people would come. Today's 'sword sparring' was something the old man wanted more disciples of Qingyun Manor to see.
Yes, there are indeed a lot. Luckily, they can all scale walls and roofs, otherwise she would have been afraid of being crowded and trampled.
"The first move of the Longevity Gentleman's Sword: The Gentleman's Virtue."
It seems that before the sparring session, Master He first started with the first move of the Longevity Gentleman Sword, as if he was being personally taught.
Wang Sumo suddenly realized.
He Lin was right beside her. She had originally wanted to ask, but she saw that He Lin, like everyone else around him, was completely focused and looking into the book with great excitement.
It seems that everyone here agrees that before a sparring match, the old master will briefly demonstrate each move of the Longevity Gentleman Sword.
It's very likely!
Therefore, the disciples of Qingyun Manor are unwilling to miss the sword sparring sessions, because this is the best time to learn and comprehend.
No wonder everyone in Qingyun Manor is coming to Nanshan Garden.
Wang Sumo put aside his thoughts and looked towards the old manor lord.
A virtuous person cherishes morality, while a petty person cherishes land; a virtuous person upholds the law, while a petty person seeks personal gain.
It turns out that the first move of the Longevity Gentleman's Sword was based on this, and Master He incorporated the principles of a gentleman into every move of the Gentleman's Sword.
To state the purpose clearly from the outset.
Without the principles of a gentleman, one cannot reach the highest level of mastery in the art of the gentleman's sword.
Wang Sumo was deeply moved.
Meanwhile, He Lin and the rest of his fellow disciples in the garden couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"
Even though the old master did not hold the Azure Cloud Sword, even an ordinary sword seemed to have reached its pinnacle in his hands, becoming a gentleman's sharp blade.
With a slight flick of the sword's edge, the force shifts abruptly, concealing its sharpness within the vastness of the path, advancing and retreating with measured grace, as free and unrestrained as flowing clouds and water.
The sword flower arises from the tip of the sword and dissolves into the flowing clouds and water. Every move and every stance seems to be naturally formed, blending with the surrounding atmosphere. Where the sword points, the wind blows; where the wind stops, the sword also ceases, without the slightest deviation.
The surrounding disciples were mesmerized, admiring and marveling at the sight.
Although Wang Sumo didn't quite understand the moves, he saw the ultimate aesthetics of the martial arts world.
Wherever the sword wind reached, clothing was tangled.
Every move and stance is as if it has stepped out of a painting, with elegance, wisdom and sharpness subtly concealed in one place, and every scene is better than words to describe it.
The old man truly is the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the martial arts world...
This single, breathtaking moment was enough for Wang Sumo to remember forever. Wang Sumo finally understood why, even after twenty years of seclusion, no one in the martial world could rival the old master's Gentleman's Sword...
"To think that the first move could be mastered to this extent..." He Qingque muttered to herself, her inner shock evident.
Not only He Qingque, but many disciples around him were also mimicking the old man's disguise.
Everyone was engrossed in the old master's live demonstration and instruction, and only Wang Sumo had the leisure to look around. So she noticed that He Lingyun's brows were slightly furrowed, and he was watching more attentively and intently than anyone else around him, a stark contrast to the two times she had seen him playfully roaming in the tree before.
He Lingyun was also nervous, and Wang Sumo knew it perfectly well.
He Lin finally realized that she didn't understand and didn't know the ins and outs, so she looked around the room.
He Lin whispered, "Miss Wang, you may not know this, but in a sword sparring match, the old master will first conceal his moves. Then, in the next round of sparring, the old master will only use that one move. The second young master can use that move, or any other move, to compete with the old master. You can try to neutralize, avoid, or even receive the old master's move, or even defeat him. So in this round, the disciples who come to observe, including the second young master on the field, can see and understand how the old master integrates this move."
So that's how it is. The so-called sword sparring was actually more like a public teaching session.
No wonder all the disciples of Qingyun Manor were eager to try; such an opportunity, personally taught by the old manor master, was truly rare.
"Has the old master not used a sword in a long time?" Wang Sumo asked curiously.
"Hmm." He Qingque whispered, afraid of disturbing those around her, "Such sword sparring is very rare. Even the manor lord rarely sees it, and the old manor lord almost never does. So everyone is very excited this time and must come to watch."
Old Master He wouldn't do this for no reason...
Wang Sumo crossed his arms and looked into the garden, wondering if Old Master He had made some decision.
"What a joke!"
Exclamations erupted from the surrounding crowd as the old master and the second young master began to fight!
He Lingyun had always been seen as a spoiled brat by the disciples of Qingyun Manor, always getting into trouble after going down the mountain, only to be dragged back by the senior disciple after the manor lord ordered him to leave. But seeing the Second Young Master fight the old manor lord this time, he's surprisingly not weak at all!
Although factors such as the fact that the old master could only use the first move while the second young master could use other moves, and that the second young master was also wielding the Qingyun Sword, it was still remarkable that they were able to remain so calm and composed under the old master's level of attack, without showing too much weakness.
I never knew the Second Young Master was so amazing!
Amidst the surrounding chatter, Wang Sumo guessed that one of the intentions of Old Master He was to testify for He Lingyun.
Facts speak louder than words. The vast majority of Qingyun Manor's disciples are here today, and what they see is true. They will naturally form their own judgments.
He had been exchanging blows for so long in this one round, and he was completely focused, with sweat beading on his forehead. Although he finally revealed a weakness, the old man knocked the Qingyun Sword out of his hand with a single sword strike.
With a "whoosh," a flash of cold light appeared, and the Azure Cloud Sword flew into the air.
Then, with a "thud," it pierced straight into the ground near the old man.
He Lingyun was stunned for a moment, then quickly came to his senses and bowed to the old man. This was the proper etiquette for a competition, and everyone would follow it.
The old man smiled gently and easily lifted the Qingyun Sword stuck in the ground with a single sword light. The swords circled and resonated with each other. Then the old man loosened his grip, and the Qingyun Sword flew into the air again with a "whoosh," which He Lingyun caught.
Wow, so fast!
The old master was able to deftly flick another sword stuck in the ground with his own, so quickly that no one could even see it clearly. Moreover, he was elegant and refined, without losing any manners, yet it was a sight to behold.
Master He sheathed his sword again and said seriously, "Second move: A gentleman is not a vessel."
Although Wang Sumo couldn't understand it, she had an "explanation" by her side!
Through the explanation, she understood more and more that this was a teaching of each move. The Longevity Gentleman Sword has a total of nine moves, and those nine moves are divided into nine rounds. In each round, Master He would perfectly demonstrate how to use the Gentleman Sword in this move and the previous move.
Wang Sumo looked at the rooftops, the trees, the garden, and even the distant mountain peaks, like monkeys roaming all over Qingyun Mountain.
It had quite a nice atmosphere.
She suddenly seemed to have some understanding of these martial arts sects.
Wang Sumo also saw He Ping in the crowd, and He Ping saw her too, because she was very bright. Among the group of disciples in blue robes from Qingyun Manor, she was the only one with a lotus root-colored dress. Everyone around her was crowded, but she could fly a kite here.
She smiled and nodded to He Ping, who also smiled and bowed in greeting.
"Senior Brother!" He Qingque greeted him 'enthusiastically' from afar.
Enthusiasm is expressed through mouth movements and gestures, but without uttering a sound; the old master is still here!
Wang Sumo knew that the two of them must have a very good relationship, so He Ping also took the opportunity to come over. Mainly, it was more spacious and less crowded at Miss Wang's place, and He Lin was secondary.
But He Lin didn't think so at all. When he saw his senior brother coming over, He Lin happily muttered to himself, "So the second young master is this amazing!"
He Ping laughed, "Who said he's not good?"
He Lin sighed, "So you're the one who always goes to drag the Second Young Master away, aren't you even more capable!"
Wang Sumo smiled.
He Ping didn't respond, but smiled and quietly watched the scene.
He Ping should feel this most deeply.
Some people are becoming increasingly difficult to catch, each time more difficult than the last. He should be the person in the entire Qingyun Manor besides the old manor lord and the manor lord who knows the Second Young Master's talent and the speed of his progress the most.
The old master wouldn't have sparred with the second young master at Nanshan Garden for no reason. The second young master was already able to apply what the old master had demonstrated in the first move in this round, turning the tables on the old master.
The second young master's talent actually far surpasses that of everyone else here.
With the second and third moves, He Lingyun was able to hold the position for longer and longer. Moreover, even Wang Sumo could see that many of the moves he used were the same ones that the old master had used on him in the previous competition and sparring. It was already good that this guy's mentality hadn't collapsed, but he could still use them effortlessly and return them all to the old master!
Wang Sumo recalled that He Ping had said that He Huai'an and He Lingyun only came to seek refuge with the old manor lord when they were eight or nine years old.
Anyone who has traveled the martial world knows the importance of innate talent, physical constitution, and early education. He Huai'an and He Lingyun were already eight or nine years old, almost ten, when they arrived at Qingyun Manor. Innate talent must be cultivated from a young age; the later it is cultivated, the slower the heights that can be reached and the speed of improvement will be, and it may even be difficult to even begin.
Geniuses like Lao Qu are even rarer.
But rare doesn't mean nonexistent; He Lingyun is one of them!
Some people are just naturally gifted in martial arts; they are blessed with natural talent and, with diligence, they undergo a complete transformation.
He Lingyun's Qingyun Sword was knocked from his hand again, but he simply picked it up again without any frustration. Wang Sumo also loved watching the old man use his sword to encircle another sword stuck in the ground, the swords circling and resonating with each other before flying out—that was the most exciting part!
People who enjoy watching a good show will love to watch this!
Wang Sumo especially loves watching it!
Huo Lianchi and Qin Feng were also watching intently. With the sixth and seventh moves, He Lingyun could indeed hold the position for longer and longer. Moreover, although he looked increasingly strained, he was actually becoming more and more relaxed by integrating the first six moves he had learned from his previous sparring with the old man...
[Author's Note]
First 100 people to receive red envelopes
——————
My lovely readers, I'll be posting updates tomorrow, so after this chapter is finished, see you at 11 PM tomorrow night. After that, I'll resume my normal daily update schedule.
A full subscription lottery will be held on September 5th; missed chapters can be added later.
*
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