Gu Qingyun looked up in surprise, glanced at the boy, and asked, "May I ask what business your young master has to discuss?"
The burly man pointed at Li Feiqing, his voice gradually rising: "My young master wants to buy this woman from you. Name your price."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Datou spat out a mouthful of tea, slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacups to tumble to the ground, and shouted, "What! You dare say that again!"
The burly man glared at her, about to repeat himself, but when he met Gu Qingyun's gaze, he felt a chill and swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
The people of Feihua Manor all started criticizing him: "What? He actually wants to buy Miss Qing? What does he take her for...?" "Miss Qing is our manor lord's darling, how dare he speak so disrespectfully..." "Ignorant brat, utterly ignorant..."
Seeing this, the boy's face darkened. He stood up and walked over, sneering at the burly man, "Useless thing! You can't even handle such a small matter. I, your young master, have to step in personally. Now get out of here." He then smiled at Li Feiqing and said crisply, "Don't be afraid. I'm buying you not to be a maid, but to be my wife when I grow up. Look, her, and her, they'll both be my wives from now on." As he spoke, he pointed to the two beauties behind him.
Li Feiqing found it both funny and absurd, and said, "I have never met... Young Master before, how could you have such thoughts?"
The boy looked at Li Feiqing and said seriously, "It's so frustrating to be around those two every day. You're beautiful and kind, unlike them who always have such a bitter look on their faces. I'm quite satisfied with you."
Li Feiqing glanced at the mountain of luggage and silently thought to herself: "A bitter face isn't something you're born with."
The boy pressed on, asking, "Hey, are you selling her or not?"
Zhang Datou roared, "Sell your grandpa's leg!"
The boy's face darkened, and he rolled his eyes, saying, "How dare you insult my grandfather?" With that, he clapped his hands together, and the two burly men immediately stepped forward, one on each side, pressing their palms against Zhang Datou's shoulders while simultaneously extending their feet to hook him to the ground. But Zhang Datou grabbed one of their wrists with each hand and, in a swift motion, delivered a flying kick forward. The two men were struck in the chest, letting out muffled groans and bending over.
Zhang Datou landed gracefully, and said disdainfully, "His voice is loud enough, but it's a pity that it's all show and no substance."
The boy's face paled even more. Suddenly, he leaped up, grabbed Zhang Datou's left ear, twisted it, and then stomped on it as he landed. Zhang Datou hadn't expected this little boy to possess martial arts skills, and given the boy's unpredictable movements and lightning-fast attacks, he only felt a numbness in the back of his neck before his ear was twisted. The pain almost brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to curse, but felt dizzy and short of breath; his mute acupoint had been sealed.
Gu Qingyun flicked her sleeve, releasing Zhang Datou's pressure points. Beside her, an unnamed swordsman shouted, "Good lad, not bad kung fu!"
The boy, with an arrogant expression, reached out to pull Li Feiqing. Before he could place his hand on her wrist, Li Feiqing pointed her finger at the Taiyuan acupoint on his wrist. The boy exclaimed with delight, "You know martial arts? This is so much fun!" His hands moved swiftly, displaying a series of small grappling techniques. Each move was swift and quick, showing remarkable adaptability, as if he had been trained by a master.
The nameless swordsman stepped forward and said, "Miss Li, please step back. Let me teach this brat a lesson." With that, he unleashed a palm strike, deflecting all of the boy's attacks.
The boy was small and weak, and after fighting for a while he gradually couldn't hold on. He saw the iron sword hanging at the waist of the unnamed man and shouted, "Stop!"
The man with the unnamed sword thought he was about to admit defeat, but he also admired the boy's skills, so he stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"
The boy waved his hand, and the beautiful woman behind him presented him with a sword. The blade was shorter than a typical longsword, which was just right for the boy to use. He took the sword and said to the nameless swordsman, "Let's have a swordsmanship contest. If you lose, you can hand this girl over to me to take away, how about that?"
Everyone secretly laughed when they saw that he wanted to test his swordsmanship against Bu Ming Yiwen. Zhang Datou covered his left ear and shouted, "If you lose, you have to give us these two wives."
The boy nodded and said, "It's a deal." He then drew his longsword, and the sword's light flickered and shone like autumn water. It drew a cold light in front of him, revealing itself to be a peerless sword.
Unafraid of the nameless swordsman, he unsheathed his iron sword and began to fight him.
The crowd initially watched with smiles, but after a few exchanges, their expressions turned serious, and they all abandoned their underestimation of the boy. The boy's movements were as swift as a ghost, his swordplay unpredictable, appearing on the left and then the right in an instant. Judging solely by his swordsmanship, he seemed to be evenly matched with the nameless swordsman.
Zhang Datou stole a glance at Gu Qingyun, secretly sweating: If I, Ming Yiwen, were to be slightly careless and lose to this little guy by even a move or two, and thus lose Miss Li to him, wouldn't the manor lord tear me to pieces?
Meeting an old friend
The nameless swordsman and the boy exchanged dozens of blows. The nameless swordsman secretly admired the boy's skill. Suddenly, he let out a soft shout, channeling his inner force to press down on the boy's sword. At the same time, he swiftly reached out with his left hand and grabbed the boy's wrist, striking a vital point. The boy's body went numb, his hand went limp, and his sword slipped from his grasp. The nameless swordsman easily flicked the sword with his foot, catching it along with his own iron sword, and looked at the boy with a grin.
The boy's expression changed, but he sneered, "Are we going to compete in swordsmanship or internal strength? If I grow up and my body matures, are you confident you can defeat me?"
The nameless swordsman pondered for a moment and said, "That's right. If it comes to that, I certainly have no confidence in defeating you." The boy raised his chin and sneered.
Gu Qingyun suddenly rose from his seat, took the iron sword from the nameless swordsman, and thrust it out into the air—the very first move the nameless swordsman had made when he sparred with the boy. His movements were fluid and graceful, executing the subtle nuances of the previous sword strikes with remarkable clarity. On the ninth move, the swordplay abruptly changed. The sword tip, seemingly exhausted, was suddenly flicked across his wrist, turning into a horizontal sweep, and then came to a stop.
Seeing the sudden change in the move, the unexpected direction of the attack, yet the seamless connection to the previous move, the nameless swordsman knew that the boy would surely be defeated. He was filled with admiration and exclaimed, "Brilliant!"
The boy also looked surprised and said to Gu Qingyun, "You junior, your swordsmanship is quite good." Then he turned to the nameless swordsman and said, "Let me go, and I'll give them to you."
The nameless swordsman refused to let go, laughing and scolding, "You little brat, how dare you speak disrespectfully to my master? Who is your junior?"
The boy struggled twice, but couldn't break free from the control of the nameless sword. He was so anxious that his face turned red. The two burly men tried to help, but the people from Feihua Village sealed his acupoints and he fell to the ground, unable to move.
Gu Qingyun smiled slightly and said, "Young master's swordsmanship is exquisite. May I ask your name and teacher?"
The boy glanced at Li Feiqing, coughed, and then put on a serious expression: "It's alright to tell you juniors. My surname is Han, and my given name is Fei. My father gave me this name because I was born handsome and very quiet."
Li Feiqing burst out laughing and said, "You're so young, yet you keep calling others 'junior.' Was that something your father taught you?"
Han Fei rolled his eyes at her and said, "I'm already twelve this year. After you marry me in a few years, you won't be considered a junior anymore."
The man with the unnamed sword exerted a little force and said, "You brat, do you still harbor delusions about Miss Li?"
He had intended to give the boy a minor punishment, but to his surprise, Han Fei suddenly burst into tears. Although he was highly skilled in martial arts and acted with maturity, he was still young and had been pampered since childhood. When he suffered this little grievance, he couldn't help but reveal his childlike nature and cry.
This was completely unexpected by the heroes of Feihua Manor. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Just then, a man hurried into the teahouse, exclaiming happily, "Grandmaster Uncle, so you're here! I've been looking for you for ages!"
Upon seeing the group from Feihua Manor, the man's joy faltered, turning into embarrassment. He forced a smile, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Gentlemen, how have you been?"
Zhang Datou exclaimed in surprise, "Situ Qing! What are you doing here?"
The man was dressed in a dark blue robe, with a long hook hanging from his waist. His eyes flashed with a sharp light. He was none other than Situ Qing, the "Cloud-Breaking Divine Sword" who had lost to the nameless swordsman on Shadow Mountain.
Upon hearing Zhang Datou's greeting, Situ Qing smiled and said, "It's been a long time since we parted ways at Yingshan. I never expected to meet you all here again. It's quite a coincidence." He then nodded to Li Feiqing and said, "Miss Li, you're here too."
Li Feiqing blushed slightly, and Gu Qingyun interjected, "Brother Situ, do you know this young master Han?"
Situ Qing coughed and said, "I have come to welcome Junior Grandmaster Han. I don't know how my Junior Grandmaster Han has misunderstood everyone. Please, for my sake..."
Unnamed Swordsman smiled and released Han Fei's wrist, tossing the sword back to him. He then chuckled at Situ Qing, "So you've switched to practicing with a long hook?"
Situ Qing blushed, coughed again, bowed to Han Fei, and said, "Grandmaster Uncle, please forgive me for being late in welcoming you."
Han Fei rubbed her wrist, having already wiped away her tears, and said arrogantly, "How many times have I told you, Grandmaster Uncle is Grandmaster Uncle, why add the word 'little'? Do you even know these juniors?"
Situ Qing replied respectfully, "Yes, Grandmaster Uncle, these are all good friends from Feihua Manor."
Han Fei nodded, his face stern, and said, "Let's go back to the mountain." Without another glance at the others, he walked straight out of the teahouse. Situ Qing quickly released the two burly men from their pressure point seals, ordered them to carry their luggage, and followed them out with the two girls.
Situ Qing hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said to Gu Qingyun, "Master Gu, my junior grand-uncle is known for holding grudges. You have offended him, so you must be extra careful. It would be best if you left this place as soon as possible." After saying this, he bowed to everyone and left in a hurry.
The unnamed swordsman laughed and said, "This man is quite a tough guy."
Zhang Datou said, "Why does he call that brat 'Grandmaster Uncle'? Has he lost his mind?"
The middle-aged man named Zhou Yi beside him pondered, "This child is strange in every way; he must have a remarkable background."
Hua Liran snorted and said coldly, "No matter how powerful your background is, Feihua Manor is not afraid."
Gu Qingyun smiled and said, "Situ Qing meant well in reminding us. Besides, we have things to do and shouldn't cause any trouble. Now that we've rested, let's get going."
The group continued their journey and found an inn to rest at sunset. However, because the boy named Han Fei had a strange background, and Situ Qing had given him a serious warning, the people of Feihua Manor appeared to be chatting and laughing, but were secretly on guard.
In the evening, Li Feiqing went out to get some water, only to find Gu Qingyun standing quietly in the courtyard outside. Startled, she asked, "Master Gu, it's so late, why aren't you resting yet?"
Gu Qingyun said, "Hmm... that child named Han Fei is quite strange. You should be careful these next few days."
Li Feiqing chuckled and said, "Are you afraid I'll be kidnapped by him? Master Gu, don't worry, although that child's martial arts are strange, his skill is still shallow. I can still beat him."
Gu Qingyun smiled faintly and said, "I was overthinking it."
Seeing that he seemed hesitant to speak, Li Feiqing asked, "Is there something you need to talk to me about?"
Gu Qingyun coughed lightly and said, "Don't take what they said during their sword fight during the day to heart."
Li Feiqing felt her face burning when she recalled the mushy words from the people of Feihua Manor who called her Gu Qingyun's darling. She lowered her head and thought for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Master Gu, you said before that you would find a way to break off the engagement. You weren't lying to me, were you?"
Gu Qingyun's expression changed slightly, and she said, "No, what?"
Li Feiqing twisted her hands, somewhat uneasy, and mumbled, "Well, I was thinking... I'll have to leave after we find the Demonic Sect's headquarters."
Gu Qingyun looked at her and said, "You want to go back to Yingshan?"
Li Feiqing shook her head and said softly, "Now that Master is gone, I want to travel around on my own. I can't just keep following you like this."
Gu Qingyun lowered her eyes and remained silent. After a long while, she slowly said, "Well, this matter shouldn't be rushed. It's getting late, you should get some rest." With that, she turned and left.
Li Feiqing stared at his retreating figure for a moment, sighed softly, poured out the water, returned to her room, and slowly closed the door.
The next morning, seeing that nothing had happened overnight, the group set off without worry. After traveling for a while, they entered a mountain range, where they saw rolling hills and verdant peaks stretching as far as the eye could see, a lush and verdant landscape.
Zhou Yi praised, "Secluded and majestic, what a beautiful view."
Zhang Datou rolled his eyes and snorted, "I don't see anything good about this place. Looking at this ghost mountain only makes me feel uncomfortable."
Just then, a sinister old laugh reached everyone's ears: "Why are you only arriving now? This old woman has been waiting here for a long time!"
Zhang Datou shouted, "Oh no! There really is a ghost!"
Hua Liran and the Unnamed Swordsman shouted at the same time, "Shut up!"
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people appearing in the bushes ahead.
One of them, dressed in a blue robe with a long hook, was none other than Situ Qing. He gave the Fei Hua Manor group an awkward smile, a hint of apology on his face. The other man was short and serious-looking; he was none other than Han Fei, Situ Qing's junior grand-uncle. The two of them, one on each side, supported an elderly woman in her sixties. Behind them, more than ten men and women stood expressionless, their hands at their sides.
The old woman was ugly and had a fierce look on her face. She coldly stared at the crowd, then suddenly pointed at the nameless swordsman and said, "You brat, come out here!"
The unnamed swordsman smiled and asked, "Madam, did you call me?"
The old woman ignored him and turned to Situ Qing, asking, "I heard that you lost a sword duel on Shadow Mountain two months ago and were forced to swear that you would never use a sword again in your life. Was that the young man?"
Situ Qing blushed and whispered, "Granny Zeng, that's true, but this one..."
Before he could finish speaking, the old woman impatiently interrupted him coldly, saying, "You've really embarrassed yourself to the core!"
She then turned to Han Fei and asked softly, "My dear, was this the person who bullied you yesterday?"
Han Fei frowned, raised his right hand in front of the old woman, and replied, "It was him. He used brute force to hold me down and pinched my wrist until it turned blue."
Unnamed Swordsman stepped forward, laughing loudly, "That's right, I did all these things. If you want to cause me trouble, just send your men over."
The old woman stared at him coldly for a long time before slowly saying, "Within Dragon Hidden Mountain, I'm afraid we cannot tolerate a madman like you running wild!"
Upon hearing this, everyone in Feihua Manor was taken aback.
The nameless swordsman exclaimed in disbelief, "What? This is Dragon Hidden Divine Mountain?"
Dragon Hidden Successor
Longyin Mountain is not the name of a mountain, but the legendary hermitage of the Elder Longyin.
Legend has it that the Hidden Dragon Elder was the greatest martial arts prodigy in the world. Even in his youth, he had mastered the essence of various martial arts schools, forming his own unique style. He later recruited many disciples, selecting those with exceptional talent and teaching them various miraculous martial arts techniques. Once they had mastered their skills, he would send them to their own schools. Therefore, many of the most renowned schools in the martial arts world today were founded by his disciples. The Hidden Dragon Elder's seniority in the martial arts world is unparalleled.
For decades, countless renowned martial arts masters and lone swordsmen have tirelessly searched for the whereabouts of the Hidden Dragon Elder, hoping to find solace in a single battle with him. Over time, the Hidden Dragon Elder seemed to grow weary of the search and frequently changed his residence. It was said that he preferred to live deep in the mountains, so people in the martial arts world called his mysterious hermitage "Hidden Dragon Mountain."