Chapter 70: Six Lunatics

Descending from the Cliff of Reflection, Zheng Jian took a moment to recuperate. There was no other way—he had broken through his cultivation, but the exhaustion to his mind and spirit was very real. After resting for a whole day, he emerged the next morning feeling refreshed, as though he was in peak condition.

Upon arriving at the Hall of Righteousness, Master Yue was already waiting for him.
“Jian’er, you’ve come out just in time. If you’d stayed secluded any longer, I would have had to set off with the disciples without you,” Master Yue said with a gentle smile.

Zheng Jian paused, quickly calculating the time left. The Five Mountains Conference was only half a month away, but thankfully, they were not pressed for time yet.

“You’ve been in seclusion for quite a while this time—it seems you’ve made significant progress,” Master Yue remarked, sensing Zheng Jian’s aura. His face lit up with joy; now their chances against Zuo Lengchan were much improved.

Zheng Jian did not feign humility. The breakthrough had been tremendous, but the ordeal was equally painful. Had he any other choice, he would never have forced himself to break through so recklessly.
What was so wrong about peacefully lying down and improving one’s martial arts? Why must it always feel like death was lurking around the corner...

Now, with little time remaining before the Five Mountains Conference, and Zheng Jian having completed his seclusion, Master Yue prepared to lead his party.
In the past, Master Yue might have brought the entire Huashan Sect along—after all, their numbers were few. But now, with many new disciples, bringing everyone would make for an impressive display, but might also provoke discontent among the other sword sects, giving Zuo Lengchan an excuse to target Huashan.

So, Master Yue decided to take only a few core disciples, and selected some clever outer disciples to join the journey.

“Sister, you’ll stay behind to guard Huashan and look after our disciples,” Master Yue said to Ning Zhongze, planning to leave her in charge along with Shi Daizi, Lu Dayou, Liang Fa, and Gao Genming—inner disciples who would help manage the influx of new outer disciples.

Ning Zhongze had always accompanied Master Yue, but she understood the importance of the sect, and agreed without hesitation.

Thus, those bound for Songshan to attend the conference were: Master Yue, Zheng Jian, Linghu Chong, Lin Pingzhi, Yue Lingshan, and several outer disciples, including the recently outstanding Huangfu Sheng and his sister. Altogether, a dozen or so set out for Songshan.

On the road, Zheng Jian would occasionally instruct Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi in martial arts, discovering their rapid progress. Linghu Chong, in particular, had successfully transformed the inner energy he absorbed via the Purple Mist Technique, now possessing a deep reservoir of power. His swordsmanship had improved significantly, and he was becoming the pillar of the Huashan Sect.

Lin Pingzhi, though he hadn’t cultivated any supreme internal arts, was highly gifted in swordsmanship—he was already considered a young expert in the martial world.

“Jian’er, while you were in seclusion, I passed on the sword techniques carved into the cliff wall to Chong’er and Pingzhi,” Master Yue said as he walked behind with Zheng Jian, making conversation. “At Songshan, there will be plenty of contests among the sects. If the opponents are ordinary, they can be handled by Chong’er or Pingzhi, letting them make a name for themselves before the heroes.”

“So that’s why Linghu and Lin have matured so much in their swordplay…” Zheng Jian laughed. The secrets carved upon the Cliff of Reflection contained the exquisite sword techniques of the Five Mountains Sects; Zheng Jian had long shared this with Master Yue. Until recently, Master Yue had kept it from the other disciples, but now, facing pressure from Songshan, he had passed it on to Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi—a thoughtful move.

That evening, as dusk approached, the group, weary from travel, found a large but dilapidated temple to rest in. Linghu Chong took Huangfu Sheng and several others to patrol the area, guarding against any mishaps.

The temple was in ruins. Master Yue sat upright, eyes closed as if meditating. Zheng Jian stood idly at the entrance, his mind rehearsing strategies for confronting Zuo Lengchan.

Soon, a commotion erupted nearby, accompanied by the sound of clothing whipping through the air.

Zheng Jian’s senses sharpened instantly; he signaled an alert and darted toward the source of the disturbance.

Inside the temple, Master Yue’s eyes snapped open. Seeing the new disciples in a panic, he called out, “Do not panic—remain vigilant and keep quiet!”

Master Yue trusted Zheng Jian’s abilities and did not follow, instead staying to protect the disciples, wary of any ploys to lure him away. These disciples were the future of the Huashan Sect; he could not afford to be careless.

Elsewhere, Zheng Jian, concerned for Linghu Chong and the others, arrived in the woods within moments. He saw Linghu Chong locked in combat with several men, struggling to hold his own.

Seeing Linghu Chong about to falter, Zheng Jian shouted fiercely and charged into the fray, sword flashing in rapid succession to drive back the attackers. Looking closely, his expression turned odd.

Surrounding them stood six men, all similar in appearance, their faces deeply wrinkled and uneven.

The name surfaced in Zheng Jian’s mind—The Six Sages of Peach Valley!

When they had beset Linghu Chong, their teamwork was impeccable. Now, even after Zheng Jian interrupted the fight, the six continued their endless chatter, speaking in riddles and arguing amongst themselves.

There was no doubt—these were the Six Sages of Peach Valley, lunatics every one!

Zheng Jian spoke loudly, “Are you the Six Sages of Peach Valley?”

The six, quarreling noisily, paused and replied in unison, “You know us? Yes, we are the Six Sages of Peach Valley!”

“Why did you seize my junior brother? He has no quarrel with you,” Zheng Jian asked, genuinely curious about these madmen.

“Who says there’s no quarrel? He’s better looking than me!” one shouted.

“Yes, you’re better looking than me too!” another chimed in.

“Anyone better looking than us must be captured!” said a third.

“What will you do once you’ve captured him?” Zheng Jian asked, suppressing a smile. So they fought Linghu Chong simply because he was handsome?

“Once we’ve caught him, I’ll use my sword to draw a turtle on his face!” the one with the shrill voice replied instantly.

“No, don’t draw a turtle, draw a tortoise!” another retorted.

“Draw a turtle, not a tortoise!” the shrill one insisted, and the two began to argue again.

Linghu Chong, Zheng Jian, and the other disciples looked on speechless.

Watching the six madmen bicker endlessly, Zheng Jian felt as if a thousand ducks were squawking at once. He swiftly advanced, darting among them to seal their acupoints and silence their voices.

“Ah... at last, peace returns to the world...” Zheng Jian sighed contentedly. Though he himself was quite talkative, after meeting these six lunatics, he finally understood what it meant to be truly verbose...

(End of Chapter)