Mysterious and Elusive
“Second Young Master, you have never practiced martial arts since childhood, how could you casually enter the Scripture Pavilion and read the precious scriptures and secret manuals stored within?”
Uncle Hai asked, puzzled and perplexed.
“Hehe! I have asked myself this question as well. Even the high-ranking members of the Medicine Valley doubted whether the prohibition seals had malfunctioned. However, after a thorough investigation, it was confirmed that everything was in order, and no other reasonable explanation could be found. Bound by the rules of the Medicine Valley for thousands of years, they could only let me in. Fortunately, I am just a waste who can never cultivate martial arts or refine pills. Even if I am knowledgeable and well-read, at best, I am merely a theoretical master.”
Lu Suifeng sighed lightly.
“You’re right! However, this is an incredibly valuable treasure. It will surely come in handy in the future.”
Uncle Hai consoled, somewhat regretful.
“Uncle Hai is correct! When I was in the Medicine Valley, the alchemists would come to me with various difficult questions related to alchemy from days to nights, seeking enlightenment. Of course, each time, they had to pay a corresponding price. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”
Lu Suifeng smirked, revealing a hint of cunning merchant-like demeanor.
This Second Young Master was indeed not an easy person to deal with.
He seemed enveloped in a light mist, elusive and enigmatic, no longer the second little boy that Uncle Hai remembered.
“Second Young Master! Today’s events are too bizarre. Those black-clothed men were clearly targeting you, and it’s truly baffling!”
Uncle Hai couldn’t help but express his lingering doubts.
Lu Suifeng shook his head in confusion and said, “I have been isolated from the world for ten years. Just as I left the valley, I encountered an ambush on the way, and I was completely clueless about the reasons behind it. It’s a very troublesome matter! Like a fly on my back, it disturbs my peace day and night. The only clue we have now is this broken sword left behind by the black-clothed men. The hilt is engraved with the words ‘Flowing Cloud’.”
Uncle Hai carefully examined the broken sword the second young master handed him.
It was made of refined iron, incredibly tough, yet it was snapped in an instant.
It was something he could never achieve in his entire life.
“Flowing Cloud! Is it referring to a person, a place, or a sect?” Uncle Hai speculated aimlessly.
Lu Suifeng was in contemplation.
“Martial techniques are divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow.
The black-clothed person who sent you flying should have reached the pinnacle of the Earth Rank Realm, and the martial technique he displayed belongs to the intermediate level of the Profound Grade.
It is the eighth move, ‘Piercing Clouds and Pursuing the Moon’, from the ‘Flowing Cloud Nine Swords’.
On the other hand, Uncle Hai’s ‘Broken Flow Blade Technique’ is only at the intermediate level of the Yellow Grade, a whole grade lower in terms of strength and cultivation.
It was inevitable to be injured and sent flying with a single strike.
Martial techniques above the Profound Grade usually only appear in major sects and powerful forces.
Therefore, the background and origins of these black-clothed men must be profound and complex.”
Only at this moment did Uncle Hai start to believe the story about the second young master’s time in the Medicine Valley.
With just a glance, he could accurately decipher the cultivation realm, the grade of martial techniques, and even the names and moves of various sword and blade techniques from a split-second exchange of blows.
This was not something an ordinary weak young man could achieve.
The four guards seemed to have recovered from their injuries, and their sword wounds had already scabbed over.
They appeared full of vitality and energy, ready to continue their journey.
Kneeling before two newly dug graves, their faces were filled with sorrow.
Companions who were as close as brothers had suddenly been buried under a handful of yellow soil, forever remaining in this desolate wilderness.
The deepest sorrow in this world was no other than the separation of life and death.
After mourning silently once again, they looked up at the sky, with the moon nearing its zenith.
They hastily suppressed their grieving emotions and climbed onto the carriage, ready to continue their journey.
Pingling was just a small town with a population of tens of thousands.
Located on the border, it faced the desolate hills and ancient roads to the northwest.
The flow of people was usually sparse, giving it a rather desolate atmosphere, which became even more silent at night.
There was only one inn in the entire town that somewhat resembled a decent establishment.
If one wasn’t paying attention, it would be quite difficult to find.
In a room at the inn, a dim light flickered like a bean.
Under the dim light, an elderly man with graying temples sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, resembling an old monk in deep meditation.
Faint footsteps could be heard outside the door.
After a moment, the door cracked open, and three dark figures slipped inside.
“Is everything taken care of?”
The old man remained motionless, not even lifting an eyelid.
His tone was calm, yet carried a subtle aura of authority.
“We failed! Please punish me, Elder!”
The leader of the black-clothed people spoke anxiously.
“Hmph!”
The old man let out a deep and disdainful snort, and then slowly opened his half-closed eyes.
Two piercing glimmers swept across the three people as if they were tangible. They trembled, unable to help but shiver.
“Elder! I…”
The leader of the black-clothed people hesitated, unsure of how to explain.
He spoke with a hint of urgency, “I can explain…”
“I only care about the result, not the reason! Given that you are a named disciple of mine, I will give you a chance to explain. If it fails to convince me, you know what punishment awaits!”
The old man’s face turned cold, once again lowering his eyelids, refraining from further words.
The leader of the black-clothed people breathed a sigh of relief.
“I suspect that someone from the Medicine Valley were secretly accompanying them!”
“Merely a suspicion?”
The old man’s lips moved slightly.
“I was ambushed by the opponent and suffered severe injuries!”
The black-clothed person gritted his teeth and persistently explained.
“Go on!”
“At that time, I unleashed the eighth move of the Flowing Cloud Nine Swords, Piercing Clouds and Pursuing the Moon. With a thunderous momentum, my sword sent Captain Lu Hai of the Lu Family Guard flying and aimed directly at the person behind the curtain. However…”
The leader of the black-clothed people paused briefly, glanced at the old man, and continued, “Just as my sword pierced through the curtain, I suddenly felt it being firmly grasped by something, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make the slightest progress. In my dilemma, a tremendous force burst out from behind the curtain, like an electric current, instantly surging through my entire arm, no, my entire body! It felt as if countless ants were tearing and devouring me… I wanted to gather my energy to resist, but to my horror, I found that my meridians were shattered, making it impossible to condense any energy. In desperation, I had to abandon my sword. To retreat, I had to bite my tongue to stimulate the blood and qi within me. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would have been left there.”
The old man lowered his brows and listened quietly, his face subtly revealing changes that others would find difficult to perceive.
The leader of the black-clothed people, seeing no response from the old man, continued his analysis, “We are well aware of the Lu Family’s background. Among those accompanying them, only Lu Hai had the strength to put up a fight. However, Lu Hai had already been sent flying, and unless there was a master from the Medicine Valley hiding in the carriage, how could a thirteen-year-old boy withstand such a devastating sword strike, let alone counterattack and severely injure me? It’s not that I overestimate myself. Even if the Lu Family’s patriarch were present, it would not be an easy task to withstand that move. Not to mention inflicting severe injuries on me.”
As he spoke of ‘that move’, a radiant confidence appeared, exuding an air of unparalleled self-assurance.
This feeling quickly vanished, replaced by endless frustration and disappointment.
The old man’s expression remained calm as water, but his heart was in turmoil.
He was well aware of the black-clothed person’s cultivation level and the power of the Flowing Cloud Nine Swords.
It was a technique he secretly taught him, especially the eighth move, Piercing Clouds and Pursuing the Moon.
None among the Lu Family’s entourage could contend with it; those who tried either ended up injured or dead.
Thus, he somewhat agreed with the black-clothed person’s words.
The rumors about the Medicine Valley were occasionally heard, and it was better to believe they existed and keep a distance.
Never did he expect that the people from the Medicine Valley would attach such importance to this useless young man and even send skilled experts to secretly protect him.
Truly unexpected!
After a moment of contemplation, the old man slowly raised his half-closed eyes, fixing a strange gaze upon the black-clothed person. The latter frlt a chill in his heart; his scalp tingled, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Suddenly, the old man moved slightly and his withered hand reached straight for the black-clothed person’s wrist pulse.
Caught off guard, the black-clothed person’s face paled in shock.
He swiftly attempted to dodge and retreat, but before he could even move, his wrist pulse was already firmly grasped, rendering him immobile.
“What’s the rush?”
The old man’s voice turned cold as he scolded, “I’m just checking your flushed complexion!”
“I misread Elder’s good intentions! I beg for Elder’s forgiveness!”
The black-clothed person spoke anxiously.
The expression on the old man’s face changed repeatedly, his eyebrows furrowing tighter, and a faint bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“The rumors about the Medicine Valley are indeed true. Even I am no match for this person. We must not linger here for long; we must leave quickly! Remember, not a word about today’s events should be leaked. Otherwise…”
The old man let out a cold snort and, in a flash, disappeared without a trace.
The black-clothed person stood dumbfounded for a moment, then extinguished the light in the room and quietly departed.