Chapter 7, New Grudges and Old Hatreds

Li Yunshun's two personal maids were already accustomed to such scenes. They walked in an orderly manner to the front of the crowd and unfurled a scroll. Yuyou recognized the elegant and distinctive handwriting as that of her master. After glancing at it a few times, her head began to ache; it was a difficult and obscure article. She could only see a few names of acupoints. Could it be a medical text?

Amidst the earth-shattering cries, Zhu Liancheng looked at Cheng Yueren with a complex expression and asked, "Are you... willing to become a disciple of the Bamboo Sea?"

Master Wan felt secretly displeased, while Master Huo thought of something but only hinted to his own son. He thought this in his heart, yet could not show it on his face. After all, Master Zhu would only select one disciple, and despite their usual good relations, they were competitors at this moment.

Having injured his leg, his mobility is somewhat limited. A few of us will stay temporarily in the bamboo forest, waiting for this child to recover from his injuries before we set off again

What is he doing?

Cheng Yueran sneered, "Yes, it is me. So what? You willingly used your hair to exchange with me; did I force you to do it?"

Yoyo anxiously moved behind Li Yunshun and tugged at her sleeve, whispering in her ear: "Master Uncle, you must make him recite the article! Is he out of his mind?"

Huo Shaoxun was in a state of panic and unleashed his lethal move. Cheng Yueran's face turned pale, realizing that if he fell for this attack, he would either be dead or severely injured. With a fierce glint in his eyes, he abandoned the conventional boxing techniques that were calm and restrained, devoid of any vicious or aggressive moves. At this point, Cheng Yueran decided to forsake the established boxing patterns, seeking only to protect himself while injuring his opponent. Instead of evading, he advanced, transforming the originally entangling boxing style into a brutal pull, forcefully tearing Huo Shaoxun's left leg away.

Cheng Yueran pondered for a moment, trying hard to conceal the brilliance in his eyes, and said in a low and resolute voice: "I am willing"

Master Huo Er, with a quick mind, furrowed his brows for a moment and whispered a few words in his son's ear, to which Huo Shaoxun nodded

You will comprehend for a moment, and then use the small stones on the ground to strike that bamboo over there. Li Yunshun pointed to a few green bamboos two zhang away, by the female wall, while the nearby ones were the "bamboo friends" that the master cherished like treasures, and were naturally not to be touched

Zhu Liancheng's gaze slowly swept across the faces of the three young men. Wan Huaijun, youthful and shy, felt his face flush even under Zhu Liancheng's kind gaze. Huo Shaoxun was also somewhat nervous, forcing himself to remain calm, while the Zhang family youth, though his expression remained unchanged, clenched his fists tightly.

He walked to a less crowded and open area, took a deep breath, and executed a set of martial arts moves with the grace of flowing clouds and flowing water. Although at times it appeared somewhat unrefined, it was generally elegant and fluid.

Zhu Liancheng nodded and smiled slightly, while Huo Shaoxun looked at his father with a hint of pride. Old Master Huo also returned a look of approval.

For some reason, the young man hesitated for a moment, and finally narrowed his long and attractive eyes, seemingly making a stubborn decision, "My name is Cheng Yueren"

The young man halted his movements, and Zhu Liancheng carefully examined him, "What is your name?"

Huo Shaoxun let out a cry and fell to the ground, startling everyone.

Wan Huaijun, being young and impetuous, after thinking for a while, did not find anything remarkable about that move. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, he found it no difficulty to hit a distant bamboo with small stones. He recalled the gestures that Li Yunshun had just demonstrated; they were merely more elaborate than the techniques of the Wan family. He was confident that he could replicate them perfectly.

The young man from Zhangjia looked on coldly. When it was his turn, his expression hardened as he walked over to pick up a stone the size of an egg. Without a moment's hesitation, he threw it, and with a loud crack, the bamboo snapped in half and fell down with a rustle.

Zhu Liancheng calmly said to Master Huo, expressing his meaning very clearly

Ah? Youyou is completely baffled

Wan Huaijun stepped forward to recite, and although there were a few stumbles and repetitions in the middle, he managed to recite the entire piece. Youyou couldn't help but applaud in praise, and Wan Huaijun also couldn't resist sharing a smile with her.

No wonder she always finds him familiar; he is that little beggar

Zhu Liancheng and Pei Junwu both looked at him attentively, seemingly deep in thought

He patted his son's shoulder, encouraging him to do his best as long as he tried his utmost

Zhu Liancheng quickly stepped forward, his movements swift as the wind, and in just a few moments, he had restored Huo Shaoxun's leg bones. Youyou rushed to Huo Shaoxun's side and began to cry, her heart aching deeply.

Huo Shaoxun has a proud personality and shares a deep affection with Youyou. He immediately jumped in to support her, saying, "I have long wanted to help Youyou vent this anger; you are simply walking into a trap!"

Walking to the edge of the cobblestone path, he selected a pebble the size of a fingernail from the soil beneath the bamboo. If the stone were too large, it would not reflect his youthful martial arts skills. Wan Huaijun took a deep breath to steady his mind, rotated his wrist, and with a hissing sound, the small pebble shot out, striking precisely at the waist of a bamboo stalk. A rustling sound of bamboo leaves followed, as slender green leaves fell to the ground.

Oh! It's you!" She suddenly jumped up in a fit of rage, her small hand trembling as she pointed at him, truly a case of enemies crossing paths! "Master, Master, it was he who cut off my hair!"

Cheng Yueren glimpsed the way forward, and his boxing skills became increasingly proficient. Having mingled in the martial world since childhood, his fighting experience was already more abundant than that of Young Master Huo. Coupled with his innate talent for martial arts, after just a few exchanges, he surprisingly forced Huo Shaoxun to retreat repeatedly.

Yoyo opened his mouth wide, unable to help but worry for the young man from the Zhang family. Even if he couldn't recite the article, there was no need to show off the family martial arts, was there? Isn't this akin to flaunting one's skills in front of an expert?

"To avenge Youyou, there is no need to rely on numbers; I alone am sufficient to teach you a lesson!" Huo Shaoxun snorted and struck with a clean punch. Neither Huo Er Ye nor Wan Laoye spoke to stop him; in terms of wit and adaptability, their own child was indeed outmatched by this seemingly nameless youth who appeared out of nowhere. The situation arose suddenly, perhaps it was also an opportunity for a turning point.

This time, Wan Huai Jun displayed a relaxed expression, as he has always excelled in memory.

As time passed, the maid gathered the long scroll and stepped aside

Huo Shaoxun also selected a stone of similar size to that of Wan Huaijun, striking it against the bamboo pole. The bamboo trembled with a resonant sound, producing a continuous buzzing noise for a long while, yet not a single leaf fell.

"You all take a good look." She smiled charmingly at the three young men and executed a basic move from the Bamboo Sea martial arts, the "Flying Flower Hand." Her delicate arms and beautiful hands made the simple move particularly pleasing to the eye. She merely gestured the move without using any internal energy, resembling a dance.

Cheng Yueran cast a sidelong glance at Zhu Liancheng and Pei Junwu with a hint of sarcasm, his gaze indifferent as it landed on Huo Shaoxun and the recently approached Wan Huaijun. When he had just announced his name, he anticipated that Youyou would recognize him, "What, do you intend to bully others by relying on your numbers?"

Zhu Liancheng smiled and took a sip of tea, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Pei Junwu raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not speak.

Li Yunshun looked at the young man in black with great interest, "Is that article really a set of martial arts techniques?"

Zhu Liancheng smiled and nodded, while Li Yunshun stood up. Recently, she had been accompanying her master in selecting disciples, and she was already quite familiar with the process.

Youyou noticed that the grandmaster and the master exchanged glances, seemingly surprised. Although she could not discern the intricacies yet, she understood that this young man from the Zhang family had a clumsy technique, far from that of the second young master Huo. Uncle Yunshun even chuckled aloud. He should have been aware of it himself, yet he wore a stubborn expression, showing no signs of timidity

"The time of a half-stick of incense, remember as much as you can." Li Yunshun said, glancing at the young man from the Zhang family, seemingly very interested in him

The technique appears to be simple, yet she did not provide guidance on the internal energy principles, nor did she reveal the direction of the internal breath earlier. It is not easy to execute this move convincingly.

Although the two gentlemen of the Huo family were disappointed, they had no choice but to clasp their fists in acknowledgment

Li Yunshun smiled charmingly, leaning against Pei Junwu with a hint of teasing, "Indeed, Youyou, your enemy has now become your master uncle."

Huo Shaoxun's face showed difficulty; the first few lines were recited quite fluently, but as he progressed, he became increasingly slow, often taking a long time to recall. Ultimately, after recounting more than half, he gave up.

It is your turn now. Li Yunshun smiled as he looked at the Zhang family youth standing behind Young Master Huo Waner, who had been frowning, seemingly lost in thought

Master Wan furrowed his brow, and only then did he understand what Second Master Huo had said to his son. The internal strength of the Bamboo Sea has always been renowned for its resilience; Huo Shaoxun's strike was indeed strong and resilient, surpassing Wan Huaijun by a notch.

Li Yunshun glanced back at her and said, "What are you in such a hurry for? He is behind us."

Li Yunshun's smile deepened a bit, interesting, interesting, this Cheng Yueren actually resorted to veiled criticism of his master and Junwu.

A single sentence left one speechless and at a loss for words

The Huo family martial arts are imposing and fierce, and Huo Shaoxun has deeply grasped their essence. With just a few moves, he has forced Cheng Yueren into a disadvantageous position. It is evident from their exchanges that Cheng Yueren's martial arts foundation is quite poor, seemingly lacking rigorous training, and his strikes are devoid of any form, leaving him powerless to counter Huo Shaoxun's attacks. Huo Shaoxun seems surprised by the weakness of his opponent; in front of Master Zhu and Hero Pei, his blatant bullying appears quite unethical. As he hesitates, Cheng Yueren seizes the opportunity to fight back, unknowingly employing the boxing techniques he had just learned from the scroll. Huo Shaoxun is taken aback and responds earnestly.

Youyou stared at him in astonishment once again.

Cheng Yueran

Zhu Liancheng forced a smile as he took her hand, wiping away the tears that crisscrossed her face, "Youyou, from now on, you should get along well with him, let's not hold onto past grievances."

Youyou jumped up, tears streaming down her face, "Master Ancestor, do not take him as a disciple! He is a bad person! One moment he pretends to be a beggar, the next he comes to seek a master, with ulterior motives, he is definitely not a good person!"

Filled with anger and sorrow, she shook her master's hand and cried out loudly, expressing her unwillingness