The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun

Page 438

But the old Taoist priest then said, "But since the real Zhenwu Sword has already appeared in the martial arts world, and is in the hands of the Huashan Sect, the Huashan Sect is different from the demonic sect. We both belong to the righteous path, and it is very easy for the two sects to communicate. As long as we communicate with Sect Leader Yue, I believe Sect Leader Yue will definitely return the Zhenwu Sword to its rightful owner."

Chongxu couldn't help but smile bitterly at this moment.

"Do you know why I proposed to forge a fake Zhenwu Sword after I returned?"

The old Taoist priest was taken aback, then asked, "Why?"

Chongxu reluctantly revealed the truth: "Because I had a conversation with Headmaster Yue before, during which Headmaster Yue asked whether the Zhenwu Sword of Wudang was still in Wudang Mountain, and I answered yes."

"what?"

The old Taoist priest was dumbfounded.

How could this happen? Why didn't you tell us about it?

"It was during that conversation with Sect Leader Yue that I came up with the idea of ​​forging a fake Zhenwu Sword before we could reclaim it."

The old Taoist priest was speechless.

This is bad, I don't know how to start.

"After this incident, I did think of writing to Headmaster Yue to find out the truth as soon as possible, but I had previously told Headmaster Yue that the True Martial Sword was on Wudang Mountain, so now I don't know how to bring it up."

Chongxu expressed his helplessness.

When they last met, Chongxu confidently told Yue Buqun that their Zhenwu Sword was still in Wudang Mountain. Now, only a short time has passed, and he's already writing to others saying that he lied and hoping that the Huashan Sect will return the Zhenwu Sword.

How can you expect him to bring this up?

Chongxu's heart was filled with bitter emotions.

The old Taoist priest didn't know what to say.

Why did you have to put on such a show? You could have just given it a quick and easy answer back then. Now you're making this incredibly awkward.

The old Taoist priest had originally planned to write a letter to Master Yue to discuss a deal between the two factions and bring back the Zhenwu Sword. However, he did not expect such a letter to appear, so he could not write the letter.

After all, the Zhenwu Sword had been lost for over eighty years. Although the news of it made the Wudang Sect lose face, it was the work of the Demonic Sect. Given the size of the Demonic Sect, it wasn't a big deal for the Wudang Sect to lose face, but Chongxu's matter was different.

After all, Chongxu is the current leader of Wudang Sect, with a high reputation and prestige. His every move represents the current Wudang Sect. If it were to be revealed that Chongxu was lying, it would be a huge blow to the Wudang Sect.

If they had written to Yue Buqun first, they would have truly lost both face and substance.

The old Taoist priest didn't know what to do either.

"Then... Sect Leader."

The old Taoist priest hesitated for a long time before asking, "What should we do now?"

Chongxu remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"Do nothing, just wait."

The old Taoist priest asked, "Wait?"

"Ah."

Chongxu nodded.

They are currently in a passive position, without any initiative. No matter what they do, it's not appropriate. If they make a rash move, it might lead to an even more unfavorable situation. They can only wait.

We need to wait for what Ren Woxing will do next, and also for a letter.

A letter from Mount Hua.

Chongxu believed that Yue Buqun would definitely write him a letter.

The old Taoist priest hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

That's all.

The conversation ended, and the room was quiet, but Chongxu's heart was far from calm.

His mind was constantly replaying his conversation with Yue Buqun.

Now, recalling the details of his private conversation with Yue Buqun on Mount Emei, Chongxu immediately understood.

It turns out that Yue Buqun already knew about this matter at that time, and even the Zhenwu Sword was already in Yue Buqun's hands. That time, he chatted with him alone to get information out of him. He was still in the dark, thinking that the Huashan Sect was going to side with Wudang, and was still trying his best to win over the Huashan Sect. In the end, he became a laughing stock.

Chongxu felt a surge of anger, but he quickly regained his composure.

So what if you're angry? The facts are right here: the Zhenwu Sword is in their hands. What can you do? Are you going to come knocking on their door and accuse Yue Buqun of knowing about this all along and deliberately trying to trick them into revealing information?

Chongxu wasn't that impulsive; he wouldn't do such a thing, nor could he.

You still need to communicate with them about how to get the Zhenwu Sword back. The initiative is in their hands. If you go to their door to demand an explanation, how can you communicate afterwards?

Especially Yue Buqun, who is no pushover.

The thought of having to deal with Yue Buqun, whom he was at a disadvantage, filled Chongxu with frustration.

The old Taoist priest stood up at this moment. He had originally come to tell Chongxu the good news, but unexpectedly received some rather disheartening bad news from Chongxu. The old Taoist priest was not in a good mood and was about to leave.

However, before leaving, the old Taoist hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't help but say, "Sect Leader, Sect Leader Yue is a righteous gentleman. If you, Sect Leader, were to write to Sect Leader Yue in private and tell him the truth, I believe Sect Leader Yue would understand and would not publicize it."

Chongxu could only smile bitterly at the old Taoist's last words.

gentleman?

In the past, Chongxu might have believed that Yue Buqun was a virtuous gentleman, but now Chongxu only had one thought in his mind.

That guy is incredibly cunning!

Chapter 596: A Letter from the Huashan Sent

While the news was spreading throughout the martial arts world, the Wudang Sect, which was at the center of the discussion, remained very quiet. They did not take any action as outsiders might have imagined, and they did not even respond to the rumors circulating in the martial arts world, as if it were none of their business.

Several days passed, and the Wudang Sect still hadn't responded to the matter. This attitude made many people unsure whether the matter was true or false. If it was true, why didn't the Wudang Sect issue a statement? If it was false, why didn't the Wudang Sect issue a statement?

Despite the Wudang Sect's complete silence on the matter, the enthusiasm for discussing it in the martial arts world has not diminished but rather surged.

As for Chongxu, who recently advocated waiting and responding to all changes with constancy, he finally got something after waiting for a few days.

However, the letter didn't come from the direction of the Huashan Sect, but from the direction of the capital.

At this moment, Chongxu on Wudang Mountain was receiving people who had come from the capital.

"You have come from afar, sir. I am sorry for not being able to greet you properly. Please forgive me."

In the main hall.

Chongxu bowed to a eunuch.

The eunuch who arrived was not presumptuous. After returning the greeting, he smiled and said, "Master Chongxu, I have come on His Majesty's orders."

Chongxu asked curiously, "What are Your Majesty's orders?"

The eunuch laughed and said, "It wasn't an order, His Majesty asked me to deliver a piece of calligraphy to the Taoist priest."

As soon as the eunuch raised his hand, his attendant stepped forward with a tray in both hands.

Upon seeing this, Chongxu wanted to kneel down to express his gratitude, but was stopped by the eunuch.

“Master Chongxu, there’s no need for such formality. His Majesty said this is just a gift for you. You don’t need to make such a big deal out of it.”

Upon hearing this, Chongxu's expression turned solemn. He bowed respectfully towards the direction of the capital and said, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

Chongxu then solemnly took the tray from the attendant's hands.

At this moment, the eunuch laughed and said, "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has never bestowed any rewards upon other high-ranking officials, let alone this calligraphy in His Majesty's own hand. This shows how much His Majesty values ​​the Taoist priest."

"I am deeply honored."

Chongxu said, "Since you have come from afar, why don't you stay at Wudang Mountain for a few days? I will be happy to entertain you."

The eunuch smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I need to return to the palace as soon as possible to report to His Majesty, so I won't stay any longer."

This eunuch came quickly and left in a hurry. He left immediately after completing his task, without lingering or accepting any gifts from Wudang. He was quite unique.

After seeing off the eunuch and his entourage, Chongxu returned to the mountain. The other Taoists had been waiting for a long time and came forward to greet him when he returned.

"Sect Leader, the Emperor has presented you with a calligraphy scroll, which shows that our Wudang Sect is still important in the Emperor's heart."

One of the Taoist priests couldn't hide his joy as he spoke.

Other Taoist priests also spoke up.

"Yes, the emperor summoned the sect leader shortly after ascending the throne and even presented him with gifts. This shows that the current emperor is different from the previous one, and our Wudang sect will definitely receive more support from the court in the future!"

These Taoist priests had differing opinions, but their basic stance was the same: the current emperor valued Wudang highly, and Wudang was likely to receive the emperor's support in the future.

Chongxu remained calm at this moment, as this incident had somewhat alleviated the melancholy caused by the Zhenwu Sword.

"Sect Leader, quickly take a look at what the Emperor has written in the calligraphy bestowed upon us."

One of the Taoist priests urged him on, and the other Taoist priests echoed his sentiments.

"Yes, Master."

Chongxu nodded.

It was difficult to check the message when the eunuch who delivered it was still alive, but now it can be checked.

Chongxu lifted the red cloth covering him, but his expression froze the next second.

"Only the sky is above, and no mountain can compare..."

The Taoist priest who saw the calligraphy read the words aloud.

The other Taoist priests were puzzled after hearing this.

"Isn't this Kou Zhun's poem about Mount Hua? How did the emperor give us this calligraphy?"

All the Taoist priests looked at Chongxu, wanting to see how he would explain their questions.

At this moment, Chongxu's mind was in turmoil, but his face remained calm.

“When I entered the palace, I happened to see the emperor writing this calligraphy. At that time, the emperor asked me to evaluate his calligraphy. I suppose that is why the emperor gave this calligraphy to me.”

Chongxu said without changing his expression.

"That's it."

The other Taoist priests nodded and said nothing more.

They no longer had any doubts, but Chongxu's heart was already filled with ripples.

The things he said to Zhu Houzhao were known only to him; no one else knew. Only Chongxu knew that Zhu Houzhao and Jiang Ning of the Huashan Sect knew each other. In fact, according to Zhu Houzhao, their relationship could even be described as that of close friends.

Just as news broke in the martial arts world that the Zhenwu Sword of his Wudang Sect was in Jiang Ning's hands, Zhu Houzhao sent someone to deliver this calligraphy. Especially at this critical juncture, Chongxu absolutely did not believe it was a coincidence.

What did Zhu Houzhao want to remind him of?

Chongxu was deep in thought, but his emotions remained unseen. Zhu Houzhao's gift of the calligraphy seemed to be just an interlude, and Chongxu made no further moves in the following days.

This prompted other Taoist priests to admire Chongxu's composure in the face of both favor and disgrace, as he remained unmoved even in the face of the emperor's grace.

Chongxu had no idea what others thought of him; only he knew what he had been feeling these past few days since receiving the calligraphy from Zhu Houzhao.

But on this day, Chongxu received something else.

It was a letter sent by the Huashan Sect.

"Sect Leader, Sect Leader."

The same old Taoist priest who had consulted with Chongxu earlier hurriedly ran towards Chongxu's residence.

"A letter has arrived from the Huashan Sect."

The old Taoist priest held a letter in his hand and said excitedly.

After waiting for so many days, the letter from the Huashan Sect finally arrived.

Upon hearing this news, Chongxu felt a tightness in his chest. Instead of feeling joy, he adopted a cautious attitude and said...

"Let me see."

After Chongxu took the letter from the old Taoist priest, he opened the envelope and quickly scanned the contents, but his expression grew increasingly solemn.

The old Taoist priest standing to the side looked on with a puzzled expression.

Did Yue Buqun impose extremely harsh conditions in his letter?

After Chongxu finished reading, the old Taoist priest finally asked his question.