Chapter 218: 218
Chu Yang replied, "Eighteen years ago, Sword Wise, the sect leader of the Sword Sect, was going to pass on his unique skill, Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin.
His disciple Wuming and his biological son Pojun competed to decide who would inherit the skill.
Sword Wise invited masters from all sides to watch, and the real Dugu Yifang was among them."
"Pojun was no match for Wuming, but Sword Wise was selfish and only wanted to pass the skill to his son.
So he used the Heaven Returning Ice Art, which not only froze himself but also simultaneously froze the twelve masters who were observing."
Nie Feng heard this and looked shocked, "So that's how it was.
But A Yang, where did you learn of such a secret of the martial arts world?"
Chu Yang casually replied, "I heard it through the grapevine."
Nie Feng did not press further and silently walked to Mingyue's side to help her collect her grandmother's remains.
Afterward, the two buried her in the Ming family ancestral graveyard.
Standing outside the tomb, Chu Yang asked, "What do you two plan to do from now on?"
Nie Feng and Mingyue exchanged glances, their eyes filled with hope for the future.
"I'll go back to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society) first to report what happened here to my master, and then I'll retire from the martial arts world with Mingyue," Nie Feng said with a smile.
"Why not just retire directly? There's no need to go back to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society)," Chu Yang said.
"A Yang, you don't have to worry.
I won't abandon Mingyue."
Nie Feng seemed to think that Chu Yang considered him a heartless person who couldn't bear to give up his position in Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society).
"If you go back this time, Xiongba will kill you."
Chu Yang said directly.
Nie Feng and Mingyue were both startled.
Mingyue quickly asked, "Nie Feng is Xiongba's favorite disciple, why would he want to kill him?"
Nie Feng also seemed to disbelieve it, looking at Chu Yang with a complicated expression.
"Years ago, Mud Bodhisattva gave Xiongba two lines of fate prophecy.
The full phrase was, 'How can a golden carp be a thing of the pond? Upon encountering wind and cloud, it transforms into a dragon.' "
"So, he took Nie Feng and Bu Jingyun as his disciples.
After that, you two fought for him in all directions, expanding Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society) into its current state."
Mingyue quickly interrupted, "Isn't that good? Why would Xiongba still want to kill Nie Feng?"
Chu Yang sighed, "Don't rush, let me finish first."
"Mingyue, wait for A Yang to finish," Nie Feng patted Mingyue's shoulder, comforting her with a gentle gaze.
He was a steady person, or perhaps he had become accustomed to the many secrets he had heard today, and he remained very calm at this moment.
"Mud Bodhisattva also had two later lines of prophecy: 'The dragon's roar in the nine heavens causes a world-shattering change; when wind and cloud meet, they swim in shallow waters,' implying that Xiongba's years of dominance would be overthrown by the two of you, Wind and Cloud."
"Xiongba doesn't know the latter two lines yet.
Once he sends someone to find Mud Bodhisattva, you and Bu Jingyun will become thorns in his side."
"Having been together for so many years, you should know what kind of person Xiongba is.
Anyone who stands in his way, let alone a disciple he personally trained, even his own family, he probably wouldn't care about."
After Chu Yang explained the whole story, he quietly waited for Nie Feng's response.
Mingyue looked at Nie Feng anxiously.
She still chose to believe Chu Yang's words because Chu Yang had no reason to lie to them.
Nie Feng's expression changed erratically, and finally, a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "I still have to go back."
"Feng, why?" Mingyue excitedly hugged Nie Feng's arm, "You believe A Yang, don't you? Even if it's false, you don't need to take the risk."
"Of course I believe A Yang, he saved our lives," Nie Feng replied solemnly, "What I'm worried about is Senior Brother Yun.
He doesn't know about this yet, and if I leave, what will happen to him?"
"A Yang just said that 'Wind and Cloud' refers to me and Senior Brother Yun.
If Master wants to kill me, he definitely won't let Senior Brother Yun off either."
Why are you so fond of your Senior Brother Yun?
Chu Yang really wanted to curse.
If he didn't want Mingyue to be happy, he wouldn't bother with all the messy affairs of Wind and Cloud.
Nie Feng's character was just like that; while he was gentle, he was more indecisive.
"Xiongba doesn't want to kill you two with his own hands.
He wants to make you and Bu Jingyun kill each other.
As long as you don't go back, he'll be helpless."
"Senior Brother Yun and I have a very good relationship, we would never do such a thing."
"Bu Jingyun likes Kong Ci, and Kong Ci likes you.
He's going to use Kong Ci to divide the two of you.
What will you do then?"
"Kong Ci… she grew up with us.
There's only sibling affection between us."
"That's hilarious.
You say it's sibling affection, so it is?
Did you call Kong Ci and ask her?"
"A Yang, what is a phone?"
"You brat, you can't hear the main point, can you? I really want to slap you."
Chu Yang's patience was clearly at its limit, and he stared at Nie Feng with an unfriendly expression.
Ultimately, he just wanted to go back and inform Bu Jingyun.
Nie Feng awkwardly rubbed his nose.
If Chu Yang really wanted to slap him, he would be powerless to resist.
Mingyue tugged at Nie Feng's sleeve and reminded him softly, "I don't know what that Miss Kong Ci thinks, but if I had grown up with you, I would definitely have fallen in love with you."
Mingyue's confession warmed Nie Feng's heart, but after much thought, he still shook his head and said, "I still can't just leave Senior Brother Yun behind."
Chu Yang rubbed his chin, looking at Nie Feng and asking seriously.
"Are you two really… involved?"
…
Despite Nie Feng's gentle nature, when he was stubborn, he was even more troublesome than "Tearless Shinigami" Bu Jingyun.
Chu Yang also couldn't just knock him out and take him away.
If he did, there might even be a rift between them.
As for Mingyue, naturally, wherever Nie Feng went, she would go.
Mingyue loved him so much that she would accompany him even if the path ahead was dangerous.
Nie Feng's decision to return to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society) was irreversible.
"Since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you anymore.
I still have things to do, so I won't be going the same way as you two."
Chu Yang's words made Mingyue's heart sink with a "thump."
She had fantasized that if Chu Yang went back to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society) with them, Nie Feng's safety would be assured.
After all, even Dugu Yifang, who was as famous as Xiongba, was instantly killed by Chu Yang.
Such combat power could be said to be the peak of the human world.
"That's how it should be.
A Yang, you've already saved me once.
If you were to risk yourself for Nie Feng again, how could I face you?"
Nie Feng laughed freely, as if he had already disregarded life and death.
Chu Yang ignored him, took the wu shuang sword from Mingyue's hand, and carved symbols onto it with his bare hands.
The wu shuang sword was a pair, divided into Yin and Yang.
Chu Yang took the Wu Shuang Yin Sword from Mingyue's hand.
Mingyue and Nie Feng didn't understand what Chu Yang was doing, but they could feel that Chu Yang was doing something for them, so they quietly stood by.
Chu Yang carved two techniques on the wu shuang sword: one was a defensive barrier to protect Mingyue from harm, and the other was Flying Thunder God.
After the techniques were carved, Chu Yang returned the wu shuang sword to Mingyue and instructed her, "No matter what happens, this sword must not leave your side, including when you bathe or relieve yourself…"
Mingyue nodded, blushing.
Chu Yang then turned to Nie Feng and said, "It will take at least half a month to travel from Wu Shuang City to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society).
News will definitely travel faster than you two.
Xiongba, knowing of Dugu Yifang's death, will accelerate his search for Mud Bodhisattva."
"Perhaps when you return, Xiongba will have already set up a killing trap.
Don't panic."
Nie Feng nodded solemnly.
"If my matters go smoothly, I will naturally appear at Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society) in half a month.
If not, you two must strive to protect yourselves and wait for me," Chu Yang said.
Mingyue and Nie Feng's faces bloomed with smiles again.
Chu Yang's words gave them more security than any promise.
Before parting ways, Chu Yang asked Nie Feng for the location of Lingyun Cave.
As Nie Feng answered, his eyes held an undissolvable worry.
His father had perished there, and Lingyun Cave and Kirins were a nightmare in his heart.
Mingyue also understood what Chu Yang meant by "important matters" and asked nervously, "A Yang, are you going to Lingyun Cave to find Kirins?"
Chu Yang nodded and smiled, "Kirins are strange beasts.
Others avoid them, but to me, they are just a bit stronger than Dugu Yifang."
Nie Feng advised, "Even so, Lingyun Cave is an inauspicious place.
You don't need to risk yourself."
Chu Yang waved his hand, no longer explaining, and turned to leave amidst their calls.
In the early plot of the Feng Yun World, there weren't many valuable things, but Lingyun Cave was an unmissable treasure trove.
There were Kirins and Blood Bodhi there.
Qilin Blood was a powerful poison to others, the mad blood that caused Nie Feng to become demonic, but in Chu Yang's eyes, it was an unparalleled treasure medicine.
After bathing in Qilin Blood, his already powerful physical body could advance another level.
Blood Bodhi, naturally, needed no further explanation.
Its effects were miraculous; it was a sacred healing medicine and could also increase one's cultivation.
If he was lucky, it might even forcefully push many martial arts, including Dragon Elephant Prajna Palm, to the Grand Perfection realm.
This would save Chu Yang many years of arduous cultivation.
Allowing him to integrate all his martial arts into one sooner, striving to create a Grand Dao that could rival Taiji True Meaning.
Inside Lingyun Cave, there were also Nie Feng's ancestral Snow Drink Saber and [Six Decapitations of Arrogant Cold], and Duan Lang's ancestral Fire Scale Sword.
However, compared to the Kirins and Blood Bodhi, these three items were not highly valuable, and Chu Yang had little interest in them.
What truly interested him was the Dragon Vein hidden deep within Lingyun Cave, and a unique skill left behind by the "Ten Strong Martial Artists" Wu Wudi.
Ten Directions Invincible!
In the later plot, Nie Feng, by chance, found a Qilin mural in Lingyun Cave and comprehended this unique skill from it, instantly soaring from the bottom to the top tier of combat power.
But Chu Yang wanted more than just these things.
[Ten Directions Invincible] was derived from Wu Wudi's core martial art [Xuan Wu True Skill].
Chu Yang hoped to deduce the complete mysteries of [Xuan Wu True Skill] based on this martial art.
[Xuan Wu True Skill] covered many martial arts routines, including saber, spear, sword, halberd, staff, fist, palm, leg, claw, and finger techniques.
It was somewhat similar to the [Nine Yin Manual] in the wuxia world, capable of comprehensively improving a person's martial arts attainments.
It was very suitable for a "big stew" practitioner like Chu Yang, as it could help him categorize and integrate other martial arts.
This was one of the few top-tier martial arts Chu Yang could currently access.
As for other existences more heaven-defying than [Xuan Wu True Skill], they required a lot of effort and were not yet feasible.
After Chu Yang left, Nie Feng and Mingyue also embarked on their journey to Tian Xia Hui (Under Heaven Society).
Compared to Mingyue's worrying, Nie Feng seemed relatively relaxed on the road, even overly relaxed.
This gave Mingyue a bad feeling.
She realized she had overlooked a very important matter!
Nie Feng was a very emotional person, and Xiongba's years of nurturing grace and their master-disciple relationship could not be erased by Chu Yang's few words.