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墨書 Inktalez
Xunuo had no choice but to kneel and say, "Disciple has brought trouble to the sect and is willing to accept punishment."
Ximen Tower snorted coldly and said, "You must still have some grievances in your heart. Let me explain the reasons for your punishment so you won't have any complaints. This time, the silver you were supposed to escort has gone missing. As a senior, you failed to protect the sect's property; this alone is enough to punish you. Moreover, disciples reported that you were found at the Outer Gate, walking around with a sword and daring to practice sword techniques privately. Is that true?"
Xunuo silently lamented: why were these matters being brought up out of nowhere?
He quickly glanced at Tian Feiyu, but Tian Feiyu stared straight ahead, completely ignoring him.
Seeing this, Xunuo could only grit his teeth and say, "Disciple knows my wrongdoing."
Ximen Tower's expression turned stern as he said, "It's good that you know your wrongdoing, but your crimes are too serious to be lightly forgiven. I will punish you to face the wall at Broken Heart Cliff for three to five years."
Then Ximen Tower turned to Tian Feiyu and said, "I hope Master Tian won't blame me for being harsh."
Tian Feiyu replied without any expression, "You reap what you sow; your punishment is still somewhat lenient."
Ximen Tower nodded and sighed, "Master Tian understands the greater principles; I feel ashamed as a senior brother."
Then he shouted loudly, "Come here! Quickly take this person to Broken Heart Cliff; don't let him linger here and offend the eyes."
A voice responded from outside, and soon Liu Yunfei walked in. He approached Xunuo from behind, grabbed his shoulder, lifted him up, and pushed him out of the discussion hall.
Once outside the hall, Liu Yunfei winked at Xunuo and then walked ahead without a word. Xunuo felt puzzled and wanted to ask him about it, but Liu Yunfei wore an icy demeanor. He could only follow behind Liu Yunfei. Before long, they arrived at the entrance of Broken Heart Cliff.
Broken Heart Cliff was a desolate place of the Wuhua Sect. It was a cave opened in the mountain wall with only a narrow path built along it for entry and exit. Below was an abyss of unfathomable depth.
Originally, this place was used to imprison those who dared to infringe upon the Wuhua Sect. Later on, disciples who committed serious violations of sect rules were also imprisoned here. Years ago, Nangong Changjian had also been confined here.
At the entrance of Broken Heart Cliff stood a figure, and Xunuo recognized him from a distance as Liu Changqing, his senior brother. As he approached, Liu Yunfei casually remarked, "I've brought the person you wanted."
He then turned to Xunuo with a smile and asked, "Lu Shidi, did my grip hurt you?"
Xunuo quickly replied, "I’m tough-skinned and thick-fleshed; it’s nothing serious."
Liu Yunfei pondered for a moment before saying, "Some matters are better left for Liu Shidi to explain to you. I need to return and report back."
With that, he clasped his hands in farewell and left.
Only then did Liu Changqing come over, sizing up Xunuo for a while before saying, "I’ve only heard that Lu Shidi has changed somewhat, but seeing you in person reveals that the change is quite significant."
Xunuo chuckled and asked, "What brings you here, Liu Shixiong?"
Liu Changqing pointed at Xunuo and replied, "You’ve gained quite a reputation now; you expect us senior brothers to guard your door? And you still dare to ask that?"
Xunuo was puzzled. "I was punished by the sect and sent here to reflect. Why would my senior brother need to come watch over me? Am I capable of doing anything inappropriate here?"
Liu Changqing shot him an exasperated look. "I’m here on the orders of our master. It’s not just me; several other senior brothers will take turns coming as well. But we’re not here to guard you; we’re here to protect you."
Xunuo felt a jolt of surprise followed by a warm feeling in his heart. He said softly, "I misunderstood the master's good intentions earlier. Thank you for your trouble, senior brothers."
Liu Changqing smiled and said, "No need for such politeness among brothers. However, I don’t know the specifics; our master didn’t elaborate. Things have been chaotic on the mountain these past few days, so just rest easy here. The master has insisted on going down the mountain for your sake and has had some disputes with the Sect Leader. The Hall Master Gu Tianxiao from Divine Blade Hall and Azure Wind from Divine Mechanism Hall are down below clearing out the remnants of Nanyue Sect. If it weren't for our Seven Star Sword Hall being unable to leave the mountain gate, we would have gone down long ago to eliminate those bandits. Please don’t cause any more trouble; we wouldn’t want our master to worry."
Xunuo sighed and clasped his hands in thanks to Liu Changqing. He didn’t say anything further and walked towards Broken Heart Cliff with a heavy heart.
The path was short, less than a hundred feet long. At its end was a platform on the mountainside measuring over ten feet long and seven or eight feet wide. Carved into the wall of the ridge was a cave about four or five feet wide. Apart from this protruding platform, there were sheer cliffs above and below. Xunuo stood outside the cave for a moment before stepping inside.
To his surprise, the cave was not as shabby as he had imagined; instead, it had a refreshing feel to it. There was a wooden bed with complete new bedding on it. A writing desk held an oil lamp with two chairs beside it. On the wall next to the desk hung an Iron Sword. On the opposite wall of the cave stood a bookshelf filled with books stacked in two layers, with several pots of Orchids placed on top. The stone floor was flat and clean. Although there was no door at the entrance, a thick curtain hung there, secured at both sides with copper hooks.
Xunuo stood in the center of the cave, surrounded by the echoes of his thoughts, feeling an inexplicable sensation. In that moment, he finally felt a sense of belonging, no longer the aimless wanderer without support.
He calmed his mind and slowly sat down at the desk. He recalled the question posed by Ximen Tower earlier, convinced that there were no flaws in his response.
The Sect Leader had exiled himself here, yet Tian Master showed no signs of opposition, as if they had an unspoken understanding. It seemed like a punishment for Xunuo, but in reality, it was a form of protection. With this connection in mind, Xunuo became somewhat alert. Returning to the mountain gate and still being protected like this—could it be that there was a traitor within the sect?
As he pondered this, he suddenly remembered the scene in Qingyang City when Divine Sense had secretly observed the two figures in red and yellow robes. During their whispered conversation, the man in yellow had mentioned: "That person said this child..." Could it be that the person referred to by the man in yellow was indeed the traitor who had sold out his own?
Thinking back to when his group first arrived in Qingyang City, they had coincidentally encountered those individuals during the three-day appointment with Qingyang Boxing Hall. What a remarkable coincidence.
Moreover, it was already confirmed that this operation by Nanyue Sect was aimed directly at him. The situation felt baffling; although he had some talent in martial arts, he knew he was still inferior to prodigies like Liu Yunfei. His current achievements were largely due to the Huayang Classic; it was this cultivation method that was extraordinary, not his innate gifts. Xunuo was aware of this.
It seemed that Nanyue Sect viewed him as someone akin to Liu Yunfei, doing everything possible to eliminate him to prevent future troubles. Meanwhile, his own sect regarded him as a prodigy and took great care to protect him.
Understanding this connection brought Xunuo some relief. Since there was no immediate danger now, even though Broken Heart Cliff was lonely and devoid of ties or prying eyes, it was perfect for cultivation.
As for the person who betrayed him, he could only search slowly. Although Xunuo felt anxious about this individual, he could only wait for them to reveal themselves.
Feeling unburdened, Xunuo picked up his sword and practiced for a while before shaking out Sword Flower again, still chaotic and without structure. He laughed heartily and sheathed his sword, turning to practice Fist Technique instead.
Thus, he spent his days on Broken Heart Cliff training in martial arts and swordplay; life became quite orderly. During this time, Tian Feiyu visited once more to check on Xunuo's health. Seeing that there were no major issues, he felt reassured. Seizing the opportunity, Xunuo asked his master to leave Jing Lide on the mountain. Such trivial matters were easily agreed upon by Tian Feiyu after a few words of advice before departing.
Usually, only disciples from Seven Star Sword Hall would come by to deliver food; he rarely saw anyone else. A month passed like this; Xunuo's skills in fist and sword techniques grew increasingly proficient, though Sword Flower remained a mess. At this point, Xunuo began to covet something else.
He had obtained two Heavenly Shadow Spikes but lacked the techniques for using hidden weapons. These Heavenly Shadow Spikes were exceptionally sharp and should serve as one of his trump cards. With ample time now available, it would be wise to learn how to use them.
So Xunuo made his way along the path out of Broken Heart Cliff and found his senior brother Zhang Shoufeng sitting cross-legged outside. He hurried over and saluted, saying, "Greetings, Senior Brother."
Zhang Shoufeng glanced at Xunuo and remarked, "You really have patience; we've come several times looking for you, yet you didn't show yourself. I thought you might never come out again."
Xunuo smiled and said, "I've been reflecting on my mistakes these past few days and haven't dared to move around. I hope you won't hold it against me, brothers."
Zhang Shoufeng shot him a glance and asked, "So you don't need to reflect anymore today?"
With a chuckle, Xunuo replied, "A plain-looking bride must meet her in-laws eventually. Today, I'm here to apologize to you all. I've troubled you brothers quite a bit lately, and it's been weighing on my mind."
Zhang Shoufeng laughed as well. "You're quite the smooth talker; no wonder the master dotes on you so much."
The two exchanged some casual banter before Xunuo finally said, "I've learned a lesson from my recent outing. My martial arts skills are too shallow to protect myself. I want to learn some hidden weapon techniques; they could save my life in critical moments. Could you teach me a thing or two, brother?"
Zhang Shoufeng looked at Xunuo with a strange expression. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "You come out once and already bring me trouble. We only practice swordsmanship in the Seven Star Sword Hall; we don't bother with anything else. Not just me, but even the master isn't proficient in this area. However, given your current level of skill, it's tough to rely solely on sword techniques for self-defense. Fine, I'll break the rules this once and give you an opportunity."
With that, he stood up and said, "Follow me."
Xunuo was surprised by Zhang Shoufeng's boldness in taking him away from Broken Heart Cliff. Since the senior brother dared to do it, Xunuo felt no psychological burden and followed closely behind.
What Xunuo didn't realize was that as the eldest disciple of the Seven Star Sword Hall, Zhang Shoufeng's status within the Wuhua Sect was nearly on par with several Hall Masters. His actions were not something even those Hall Masters would easily dismiss. With Zhang Shoufeng's exceptional swordsmanship and steady character, he was bound to secure a position as either the next sect leader or a Hall Master.
Moreover, Zhang Shoufeng was a cautious person. He knew that keeping Xunuo confined to Broken Heart Cliff was actually for his protection. As long as he stayed by his side, there would be no danger. A brief stroll within the sect would eventually reach the ears of the sect leader; at most, he would receive a few scoldings without any serious consequences. If he could teach his junior brother some life-saving techniques in the process, enduring a few reprimands would be worth it.
After turning a few corners, Zhang Shoufeng arrived at the Divine Mechanism Hall. The disciple guarding the entrance recognized him immediately and hurriedly bowed to invite him inside.
Familiar with the place, Zhang Shoufeng led Xunuo through the courtyard and directly to a room where someone was speaking with several disciples. Upon seeing Zhang Shoufeng arrive, he quickly dismissed the disciples and clasped his hands in greeting. "Zhang Shixiong is gracious enough to visit; it's an honor."
Noticing Xunuo behind Zhang Shoufeng, his expression faltered for a moment but he remained silent and didn't even greet him.
Zhang Shoufeng returned the gesture and said, "I have something to trouble Qin Junior Brother with; I hope you won't refuse."
The man smiled and said, "Zhang Shixiong, you are too polite. If there is anything you need, just let me know, and I will do my best."
Zhang Shoufeng chuckled and replied, "I brought someone here to learn about hidden weapons. Please, Qin Junior Brother, do not hold back in your teachings."
The man glanced at Xunuo and asked, "May I ask which type of hidden weapon this junior brother wishes to learn?"
Xunuo thought for a moment and said, "I see that darts have great power and speed, so I would like to learn that."
Qin Senior Brother nodded, "That's not a bad choice. However, Junior Brother, do you know that to learn hidden weapons, you must first understand the acupoints? This requires patience and cannot be rushed. Are you skilled in identifying acupoints?"
Xunuo shook his head, "I haven't learned much about that."
Qin Senior Brother smiled and said, "This is not difficult. Let me show you something."
He pulled aside a curtain behind him, revealing a door. He opened the door and gestured for Xunuo to enter.
Zhang Shoufeng signaled for Xunuo to go in, and Xunuo followed him into the room. As soon as he entered, his eyes lit up with wonder, leaving him speechless.
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