Chapter 14 - Wood Element Azure Dragon Sword Qi

Mingqing Hall.

After dispersing the disciples, Song Yuanqiao returned here with Yue Buqun and others.

“Master Yue, Daoist Tianmen, Mr. Mo, I was rude earlier, please don’t take offense,” Song Yuanqiao said. He realized that he had acted improperly by leaving Yue Buqun and the others behind earlier, but he had been too shocked at the time. It was a matter concerning their junior disciple, and he had to prioritize it.

He had a look of regret on his face. The other six Wudang Heroes wore similar expressions.

Yue Buqun and the others felt honored and humbled by this treatment. They might have been able to bear it calmly before, but now they couldn’t. The aura that Ning Changge had exuded earlier had been too overwhelming. It made them feel a sense of inferiority and embarrassment. At this point, they just wanted to cling to Wudang’s thigh and dare not have any other thoughts.

“Master Song, you’re being too modest. If we were in unfamiliar territory, we might have acted even more improperly,” Yue Buqun replied. “This visit to Wudang has allowed us to learn about the existence of Little Immortal. The trip here was not in vain, not in vain at all!”

“Master Song, you’re too humble!” the others chimed in, waving their hands dismissively.

Song Yuanqiao smiled and looked around at everyone. He could guess what this was about from the previous discussion.

But he too was secretly proud. If it weren’t for his junior brother, these people wouldn’t have been so respectful.

After another polite exchange, Yue Buqun, Mr. Mo and others looked at each other and saw the decision in each other’s eyes.

Yue Buqun stood up, bowed slightly, and said, “Master Song, I have an unpleasant request.”

Song Yuanqiao quickly supported Yue Buqun and said, “Master Yue, please feel free to speak. If there’s anything that Wudang can do to help, we will certainly do our best. Our master has always taught us to do good deeds together with fellow martial artists.” He smiled and looked around at everyone, but he had a general idea of what this was about.

During this visit to Wudang, four of the Five Mountain Sword Sects had come, and only one left was Zuo Lengchan of the Song Mountain Sect. Song Yuanqiao was no fool, and he had heard some rumors in the martial world.

Yue Buqun, noticing that Song Yuanqiao’s words seemed friendly but lacked substance, gritted his teeth and said, “I won’t hide the truth. This concerns an embarrassing matter for our Five Mountain Sword Sects. Now, I’m exposing our weaknesses in front of you all.”

His voice carried a hint of anger, but it wasn’t directed at Song Yuanqiao.

“Master Song, as you know, our Five Mountain Sword Sects were originally united as one family, standing together through thick and thin. Even when we faced our arch-enemy, the Sun Moon Holy Cult, we stood together. However, now, there’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing among us: Zuo Lengchan!”

Daoist Tianmen and Mr. Mo showed signs of anger on their faces.

Song Yuanqiao was surprised. “Isn’t Zuo Lengchan currently indisposed due to illness? Wasn’t that the reason he couldn’t accompany you all to Wudang today?”

Yue Buqun forced a bitter smile. “That was just an excuse we came up with to save face. Zuo Lengchan, this guy, became the leader of our Five Mountain Sword Sects but isn’t satisfied. Now, he wants to swallow our four sects whole and absorb our ancestral legacies.

“Zuo Lengchan has a lot of power and is subtly connected with the Demonic Cult. We have no choice but to ask Master Song to mediate for us!”

With that said, all members of the Five Mountain Sword Sects bowed and saluted together, creating a magnificent scene.

Initially, the four sects were uncertain due to the absence of Zhang Sanfeng, but after witnessing Ning Changge, they made up their minds.

The Seven Heroes of Wudang looked solemn and immediately helped everyone up.

Song Yuanqiao had a somewhat troubled expression and said, “It’s not that we are unwilling to help, but this matter can be considered an internal family matter of your Five Mountain Sword Sects … Wudang has no authority …”

Yue Buqun interrupted firmly, “Master Song, please rest assured. As long as Wudang is willing to take the lead for us, our four sects are willing to pledge allegiance to Wudang! This will give us a legitimate reason. Besides, Mount Song is currently acting no differently from the Demonic Cult, annihilating others without mercy. Liu Zhengfeng, our junior brother, has retired from the martial world because of it. Wudang, on the other hand, upholds justice and righteousness by assisting those in need. The martial world will not have any objections.”

Seeing that the Wudang Seven Heroes were still hesitant, Yue Buqun finally revealed his trump card. “Furthermore, our four sects are willing to transcribe the martial arts and manuals we’ve gained from dealing with Mount Song, and present them to Wudang!”

Yue Buqun was a clever man, and had observed two things from the comments made by the Wudang disciples he had encountered outside.

First, Ning Changge studied martial arts and Taoist scriptures in the scripture chamber all year round; secondly, the Seven Heroes of Wudang were very responsive to this junior brother of theirs. This condition he raised would definitely fall within Wudang’s self-interest.

He knew that if they offered these conditions, Wudang would undoubtedly agree.

Indeed, the eyes of the Seven Heroes lit up, and Song Yuanqiao chuckled. “Leader Yue, since you’ve put it this way, if Wudang refuses, it will indeed appear like we are heartless. Since Mount Song has already joined the demonic path, it is only reasonable for us to subdue Zuo Lengchan. Please rest assured, when the time comes, you can send a letter to us, and Wudang will undoubtedly send people to help!”

They were all excited. Their junior disciple had said that he had already read all of Wudang’s martial arts scriptures and manuals. Now, if they could obtain scriptures and manuals from the four sects, it would undoubtedly help their junior disciple further.

In other aspects, they couldn’t help their junior disciple much, but they could handle these miscellaneous matters for him.

They could also see through Yue Buqun’s ulterior motives, but since this matter would benefit their junior disciple, they agreed to it.

Yue Buqun’s face was filled with joy. “For Wudang’s righteousness! Yue Buqun thanks you!”

“We thank you!” The leaders of the four sects all bowed deeply.

In an instant, they became much closer. Wise people didn’t need to speak explicitly; they understood each other. In the future, even if the four sects were considered vassals to Wudang, if Wudang issued an order, they would have to obey.

On the other hand, Wudang had to handle the matter of annihilation of the four sects.

But Song Yuanqiao and others had the confidence to handle the matter to completion.

***

Scripture chamber.

The newly completed Eternal Verdant Art was still surging with spiritual energy within him. Countless rays of spiritual light flashed through his mind, and Ning Changge would encounter ephiphanies from time to time.

[You are surrounded by the pillars of cloud. Based on the martial arts principles of the Floating Cloud and Heavenly Feathers, combined with the rules of spiritual energy circulation, you have created the immortal technique “Riding the Wind and Controlling the Clouds”!]

…

[The Green Wood spiritual energy of the Eternal Verdant Art is surging within you. You have a deeper understanding of the power of the Wood Element. Based on the martial arts of the Infinite Azure Dragon Sword, you have created the immortal sword technique “Wood Element Azure Dragon Sword Qi”!]

…