With a sword drawn, he laughs proudly, his martial prowess dominating the heavens!

Chapter 3 Self-Reflection Cliff

After walking less than a mile, you will see a large mansion on the mountainside of Jade Maiden Peak.

The houses stand side by side, covering a considerable area, and one can still vaguely see the splendor of Mount Hua in its heyday.

But upon closer inspection, the slightly worn cedar gate, the scattered tiles on the roof, and the mottled stone walls spoke volumes about the owner's poverty.

Life at the Huashan Sect was indeed rather impoverished.

Li Che and Yue Lingshan stepped across the threshold one after the other, and neither of them spoke again for the rest of the way.

The former looked calm, while the latter frowned and remained silent, her cheeks slightly flushed. It was unclear whether she was worried about Linghu Chong or anxious because of Li Che's last question.

Upon entering the courtyard, one sees a dozen or so large wine jars stacked on the ground to the right, exuding a faint aroma of wine, which must be aged fine wine.

There are not many inner disciples of the Huashan Sect. Yue Ning and his companion together have only about twenty disciples. They usually eat in the side hall on the east side of the Zhengqi Hall.

As Li Che passed by the Hall of Righteousness, he saw a person kneeling inside. Linghu Chong had just woken up from a hangover. Although he had used his internal energy to dispel some of the alcohol, he was still drowsy and had to support himself with his hands from time to time to avoid collapsing.

Yue Lingshan shook Li Che's arm again, but he shook his head and didn't say anything before entering the side hall.

Several square tables were neatly arranged in the side hall, and all the disciples were present except for Lao Denuo, who was out.

The meal was not lavish, consisting of only porridge, pancakes, and pickled vegetables.

However, no one dared to touch their chopsticks.

Yue Buqun was extremely strict in managing his subordinates, with many rules and regulations, and the hierarchy of respect for elders and juniors was deeply ingrained in their minds.

Everyone knew that their master had been furious this morning. Old Yue sat at the head of the table, his face ashen, and the disciples remained silent in fear.

Li Che chuckled to himself. He could hear Lu Dayou's stomach pounding, but he pressed his hand against his belly, afraid of upsetting his father-in-law.

In fact, Yue Ning and his disciple did not often dine together. Li Che guessed that it was because the monthly exams were approaching, and in the past, Old Yue would appear at the right time to encourage and urge his disciple to concentrate on martial arts and not to slack off.

Yue Lingshan had already taken her seat at the table. Li Che walked up to Yue Ning and Li Lingshan, and respectfully greeted them, "Master, Mistress!"

As soon as he entered, Ning Zhongze clearly felt that her senior brother's gloomy mood gradually dissipated. When she saw Li Che bowing respectfully, she finally managed to squeeze out a smile.

"Yes, practicing martial arts is important, but we must not rush it. Our school's internal martial arts emphasize gradual progress and the accumulation of knowledge before unleashing its full potential. Che'er, you are still young, and the spring is still chilly. You should prioritize your health."

The disciples in the hall had different expressions, some surprised and some envious, but none of them were jealous. After three years, the disciples no longer had the capital to be jealous.

Although the Huashan internal energy is powerful, it is difficult to master. Before Li Che joined the sect, his senior brother Linghu Chong was a martial arts prodigy that the Huashan sect had only seen once in a century, but now he can only rank second.

"Master's teachings are correct," Li Che said respectfully. "I know I am young and have difficulty settling down. Practicing at the summit will not only temper my mind but also allow me to merge with the world, making it easier to calm my mind and enter a meditative state."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun was greatly pleased, thinking to himself, "My disciple is just like me!"

Seeing his smile deepen and his habitual gesture of stroking his beard, Ning Zhongze continued, "Senior brother, Che'er got up to practice at the beginning of the morning, he must be hungry. Let the disciples have their meal."

"Hmm~ Junior sister is right."

The disciples felt as if they had been granted a pardon. Although they did not get up as early as Li Che, with Li Juanwang by their side, they now got up half an hour earlier every day to practice swordsmanship. This physical work was more urgent than his hunger.

Naturally, the benefits are also obvious. Diligence is in the heart, not in the skill. At first, there may be more superficial work, and many people think that Li Che is just trying to please his master, so they imitate him.

But after three years of consistent effort, no one doubted his pretense anymore, and the disciples' superficial efforts gradually transformed into inner motivation.

The saying "diligence can make up for lack of talent" is not just an empty phrase.

Seeing Yue Lingshan pouting and looking sullen, Lu Dayou guessed that she was worried about her senior brother's matter. He leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Junior Sister, has Junior Brother Li agreed?"

The latter was in a daze, as if he hadn't heard him, the words "You like Senior Brother" echoing in his mind over and over again.

Like it?

I think she likes it.

But what kind of liking is it...?

She looked up at her father and his back to her, thinking, "He's only a year older than me, but he speaks like an old man. How annoying."

"Junior Sister?"

"Huh? Lu Hou'er, why are you scaring me?"

Lu Dayou: "..."

"Junior Sister, Senior Brother is still kneeling in the Righteousness Hall. He's been drinking all night..."

Yue Lingshan initially wanted to say that Li Che didn't care, but then she remembered his last words, "If you could understand your master's good intentions, you wouldn't have come to beg me," and instead said, "Eat your food!"

"Che'er, is there anything else?" Ning Zhongze asked gently, but her eyes glanced at her daughter. She thought to herself that this child didn't know what was important and that she should ask for help at a better time.

"I have a request for permission from my master and mistress."

Yue Buqun had already taken in his wife and daughter's expressions and guessed most of what was going on, but then he heard a "smack" as he slammed the chopsticks he had just picked up onto the table. He snorted angrily and said, "What is it? If it's to plead for your senior brother, there's no need for further words!"

"Master, that's not the case. My progress in internal energy cultivation has slowed down recently, and I wish to eliminate distracting thoughts in order to improve. Therefore, I would like to humbly request that you and my mistress allow me to go to the Cliff of Repentance for seclusion."

"what?"

The disciples in the hall gasped softly. Yue Ning and his wife exchanged a glance, with Old Yue's expression being particularly interesting.

These are such fine students; they have won my heart!

"Ah~ Junior Brother Li is so clever. Junior Sister, this time Senior Brother has to thank you and Junior Brother Li."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Lu Dacong leaned closer again and whispered, "Junior Brother Li is going to the Cliff of Contemplation for seclusion. Master will definitely not allow anyone to disturb him. In this way, Senior Brother will at most get a few lashes or be confined to Mount Hua."

The eldest brother loves excitement; how could he endure the hardships of the Cliff of Contemplation?

As for Junior Brother Li, he's a martial arts fanatic, so it's a win-win situation.

"Huh?" Yue Lingshan looked up at Li Che, thinking to herself, "So he wasn't rejecting me after all? What a hypocrite! Humph~"

If Li Che knew, he would definitely say: You're overthinking it!

It's true that he's in seclusion, and it's true that he's seeking the Five Mountains Sword Technique in the cave on the Cliff of Repentance. Perhaps he can even encounter Feng Qingyang and obtain the Dugu Nine Swords.

But what he values ​​most is the Zixia Divine Skill!

In his view, a sword without qi will not last long, and qi without a sword will not cause harm. He does not care about the reasons for the conflict between sword and qi; his only goal is to become stronger.

His body, nurtured by the Mud Pill Ice Jade, became his greatest reliance!

The first of the Nine Skills of Mount Hua, Zixia, cannot be lightly passed on to anyone other than the successor of the sect leader.

Old Yue was of average talent, and after practicing this skill for thirty years, he still hadn't mastered it. However, among the leaders of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, he was already a strong contender for second place, which shows that this skill was by no means simple.

Li Che glanced at Linghu Chong, who was still kneeling in the Righteousness Hall as punishment, as if he could see through the brick wall. He thought to himself, "I'm sorry, Senior Brother. Since you don't care, then I'll have to fight for it."

"Che'er, have you thought this through? It's good that you have this intention. Your master knows you have a strong personality, but the Cliff of Contemplation is too lonely to bear. At your age, if your will is not firm, and you make a mistake in your internal cultivation..."

Yue Buqun, who had been feeling quite pleased with himself, was suddenly startled, thinking to himself, "Thank goodness my junior sister reminded me. It's my fault for being so impatient; I almost ruined my promising disciple by trying to force her to grow too fast!"

He then nodded seriously and said, "Yes, what Junior Sister says is absolutely right. Practicing martial arts should be done step by step, and one should not be greedy for speed."

"Please, Master, take my pulse!"

......