Chapter 2: Sparring Among Fellow Disciples

Just when everyone thought it was a stalemate, Yue Po adapted to the fighting style, striking with his fist against the sword body, producing a sound reminiscent of metal clashing. Linghu's internal strength was inferior to Yue Po's; with a flick of his hand, he attempted to deflect the incoming force, only to find that Yue Po had already closed in, executing the Black Tiger Heart-Piercing move. The crowd was astonished, wondering if this attack would be limited to just this one move. Linghu Chong also possessed considerable skill with the sword, parrying four strikes to counter the unexpected changes, yet he saw Yue Po slightly leverage the momentum, half-sliding to the ground, and hooking with his left foot.

Yue Buqun nodded and said, "Indeed, your stance is solid, using your qi to control your fist. The fist has both hardness and softness, and there are four variations beyond that. However, you, Liu Hou, seem to have regressed, unable to hold your sword steadily." Yue Po was astonished: "I have four follow-up moves in my hands, but I have seven consecutive moves with my feet. How could he not see that?" He did not dare to speak at that moment. Yue Buqun continued, "Chong'er, you go up and spar with your junior brother. When you draw your sword, be sure to control your strength; you must not let your sword slip away." Linghu Chong acknowledged and stepped forward.

At the outer academy, Yue Buqun was already seated on the steps, with all his disciples standing respectfully below. Among them were six senior sisters, but the second senior brother, Lao Denuo, and the junior sister, Yue Ling Shan, were absent. Ning Zhongze was seated on another chair. After Yue Po paid his respects to the sect leader, he greeted each of the senior brothers and sisters. It was Ling Hu Chong who caught his eye; although his posture was somewhat relaxed, he truly embodied the essence of the Nine Swords heir and the library, standing out wherever he was, like a crane among chickens. Ling Hu Chong noticed Yue Po looking at him and smiled, nodding in acknowledgment. Yue Po realized he had been somewhat disrespectful, and after greeting everyone, he ended up being the last in line.

Ning Zhong regarded Yue Po as her own child, while Qiu Erduo, due to the previous incident of escaping a meal, found it quite enjoyable to pull on the ears occasionally, which became an addiction. Yue Po also viewed his master as a mother, cherishing the ears and feeling sweetness in his heart.

Half an hour had passed, yet neither side could gain the upper hand. The vulture abandoned its attempt to soar and left, while the cobra also departed. Yue Po, however, felt as if he were looking at flowers through a fog—he seemed to understand yet did not, and despite his deep contemplation, clarity eluded him. Nevertheless, there was a thread that consistently guided him. Just as he was pondering, Ning Zhongze approached and asked, "Po'er, what are you thinking about?"

Linghu Chong nodded and indicated, "Junior brother is indeed a dragon among men, there is no need to hold back, just attack." Yue Po replied, "Please guide me, senior brother." Linghu Chong maintained a welcoming demeanor like a pine tree, yet exuded a certain distinguished air. Yue Po did not dare to underestimate him and stepped closer. With his sword in hand, Linghu Chong merely pointed to the Jianjing acupoint. Yue Po used his cloud finger to flick, but it missed by half a point. He advanced another step, still employing the Black Tiger Prowling Heart technique. Linghu Chong noticed the change and was startled, beginning to wield his sword swiftly, executing the Huashan sword technique to perfection. Yue Po struggled without a sword and was at a disadvantage, relying solely on his internal energy. He saw the sword strike against the sword but was unable to launch an attack. The onlookers were astonished, as Yue Po's flicks, punches, and kicks consistently caused the sword to veer off slightly.

Linghu Chong retreated half a step after channeling his internal energy, only to see a foot flying towards him. The sword was too long to block it effectively. He attempted to guard with his left forearm, but Yue Po, noticing this, executed a circular kick, following up with a Black Tiger Pouncing on the Heart strike aimed at his blocking arm. Linghu Chong felt a surge of immense force and retreated another half step, losing his lower body's stability. Yue Po employed the Great Skill Hidden in the Abyss Fist, which, though heavy in its execution, was remarkably versatile. The continuous attacks rendered Linghu Chong unable to use his sword; any attempt to block resulted in pain, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. To make matters worse, there were occasional sweeping leg strikes, showcasing an astonishing level of waist strength and coordination. He had no choice but to use his left hand to block and retreat, intending to position his sword horizontally, but he noticed that Yue Po had already set his sights on him. With minimal offensive action from his left hand, Linghu Chong feared that a horizontal sword movement would leave him vulnerable to a strike to his vital points.

Lu Dayou held his sword behind him, presenting the pine tree to welcome guests, which was a signal for his junior brother to attack first. Yue Po pointed his head down without hesitation, and with a sudden movement, he also executed the move of the pine tree welcoming guests. Yue Buqun was taken aback and remarked, "There is a faint aura of a master; Junior Sister, you are truly formidable." Ning Zhongze sighed, saying, "With such high talent and diligence, it is a pity that you can only fight barehanded, but defeating your six monkeys is certainly not a problem." Yue Buqun stroked his chin and nodded.

Yue and - Picture - The book is astonishing, as it subtly aligns with the strategies of military arts and the principles of martial arts. The eagle moves with agility, while the snake is cunning. The eagle's claws attack the enemy with both real and feigned moves, while the snake avoids real attacks by striking at the feigned, and vice versa. The responses to both are indeed different. ... The eagle is also wise, possessing contingencies for both real and feigned actions ...

On the mountain, Yue was diligently practicing his finger strength when he spotted a king cobra about ten meters away. The snake, three meters long and as thick as a small bowl, was about to become his meal when a hawk, four meters in length, swooped down from the sky. The hawk aimed to seize the snake but missed as the cobra twisted its body to evade the attack. The hawk hovered above, teasing the snake to expose its vulnerabilities, while the cobra held its head high, refraining from initiating an attack. After a prolonged standoff, the hawk lost patience and struck down with its claws towards the snake. In response, the cobra coiled and lunged at the hawk, resulting in a spectacular clash between the two.

Yue Po took two steps forward, his right fist striking like a black tiger pouncing on its prey. Lu Dayou, light on his feet, turned and thrust his sword towards Yue Po's shoulder, hoping to force him to withdraw his attack, which would count as half a victory. However, Yue Po's left fist struck the sword's body with such force that Lu Dayou could not maintain his grip, causing the sword to fall from his hand. Seizing the moment, Yue Po closed the distance and executed a cloud finger technique, lightly tapping at the acupoint. The crowd was astonished; although some had anticipated Yue Po's potential victory, they did not expect it to be so effortless. Even Ning Zhongze was taken aback, wondering how he could so easily break a sword with his bare hands.

Ning Zhongze said, "Senior Brother, you really look down on me, this junior sister. How about letting Chong'er spar with my family Po'er?" Yue Buqun smiled and replied, "Junior sister, do not be angry. We are unaware of Po'er's skills; why not let Liu Hou'er give it a try and then assess the situation?" Ning Zhongze smiled slightly and turned to Yue Po, saying, "Did you hear that clearly? Please show mercy." Although Ning Zhongze was not entirely sure of Yue Po's level, she was quite confident in defeating Liu Hou. Yue Buqun respected his wife and, knowing that a competitive spirit had arisen, smiled slightly without saying a word.

Yue Po said, turning to salute Lu Dayou, while others dispersed. Yue Po clasped his fists and said, "I hope Sixth Senior Brother will show mercy." Lu Dayou held the sword hilt with the tip pointing to the ground and replied, "Junior Brother, I am taking advantage of the fact that you are unarmed. However, seeing that Master Aunt is so confident, I dare not win either." Ning Zhongze interjected, "You, Sixth Monkey, talk too much. If you win, I will reward you with something else." Lu Dayou joyfully said, "Then I thank Master Aunt in advance, but I must trouble Junior Brother." Yue Po smiled and said, "Being troubled is a small matter, just don't injure me."

Year after year, now the mountain has been broken for sixteen years. The fists and feet are calloused, impervious to ordinary blades. It is a pity that the Zixia skill has only reached the second level. The outer disciples are rarely seen, but it is known that the master’s wife has a disciple who became a wild man at the age of eight and still lives on the mountain. The disciples all believe this is a punishment from the master’s wife, and they often seek peace and books. Ning Zhong merely smiles it off, offering no explanation.

Yue Buqun cleared his throat and said, "Liu Zhengfeng of the Hengshan Sect, who is also your Shishu, will summon heroes from all over the world next month to announce his retirement from the martial world. I would like all of you to attend and become acquainted with the heroes of the world. Among you, Po'er has never been down the mountain, so he must also experience the world. However, I fear that your martial skills are too lacking and may embarrass Huashan, which is why I have arranged this demonstration. A gentleman should win others over with virtue; virtue precedes martial prowess, and you must keep this in mind. You have all sparred with each other, but Po'er has rarely engaged in combat except with your Shimu. You also know that Po'er is unable to wield a sword, so be sure to exercise restraint. Liu Hou'er, you will spar with Po'er first."

Yue Po was overjoyed to see his master arrive and recounted the scene he had just witnessed in detail. Ning Zhongze pondered for a moment and said, "When our sect was founded, there was indeed a secret manual that recorded the techniques of the battle between the snake and the eagle, but later generations destroyed it in their efforts to promote the sword sect. I did not expect you to have such a coincidence; could it be fate?" Yue Po asked, "What is the name of that manual?" Ning Zhongze replied with five words, "Eagle and Snake Life-and-Death Struggle," sighed, and continued, "Both you and your master favor heavy swords over light fists, but you must comprehend this for yourself and create your own martial art." Although he said this, he was well aware of the difficulty involved. Seeing Yue Po still deep in thought, he lightly tugged his ear and said, "The master wants to assess the disciple's martial skills; come with me quickly."