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Chapter 30 Disaster from the Sunflower Manual, the Battle Between Sword and Qi

The paused scene continued playing.

Linghu Chong raised his sword, about to slash at the stone wall. Just as the tip of his sword was about to touch the wall, a thought suddenly struck him.

A true man acts with honor and integrity. A loss is a loss, a victory is a victory. If my Huashan Sect’s skills are inferior to others, what is there to say?

He let go of his sword and let out a long sigh. Deep down, he felt that the Five Mountain Sword Sects’ current prestige in Jianghu was somewhat fraudulent, or at the very least, purely luck-based.

The thousands of disciples across the five sects had managed to maintain their place in the martial world only because the diagrams on this stone wall had not been leaked.

Then, another thought arose in his mind.

Why don’t I take a large axe and erase these diagrams completely, leaving no trace behind?

That way, the Five Mountain Sword Sects’ reputation will remain intact. I could just pretend I never discovered this cave, and that would be that.

He turned to pick up a large axe, returning to the stone wall. However, as he gazed at the ingenious techniques carved into the wall, he found himself unable to strike it down.

After a long moment of hesitation, he finally said aloud, “Such despicable and shameless actions—how could they befit Linghu Chong?”

_____

Days passed.

One day, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze came to visit Linghu Chong. Having fallen seriously ill due to his heartbreak, Linghu Chong’s inner strength had not only failed to improve, but had actually weakened. This greatly disappointed Yue Buqun.

Seeing the deep worry on his master’s face, Linghu Chong felt both guilty and ashamed, immediately bowing down in repentance.

Yue Buqun helped him up and smiled.

“Since you now realize your mistakes, that is enough. Half a month from now, I will test your swordsmanship again.”

With that, he turned and left. Linghu Chong called out, “Master, there is something I must tell you…”

Linghu Chong had intended to report the discovery of the stone cave, but Yue Buqun waved his hand dismissively and continued descending the cliff.

“Mistress…”

He turned to Ning Zhongze, but she merely smiled, pointed toward Yue Buqun’s back, shook her head, and quickly followed after her husband.

Linghu Chong then decided to wait until half a month later—when his master and mistress returned to the cliff, he would report the matter then.

_____

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze returned to the Cliff of Reflection, bringing along Yue Lingshan, Lu Dayou, and Shi Daizi.

During the sword assessment, Linghu Chong instinctively used the counter-techniques from the stone wall, effortlessly neutralizing Ning Zhongze’s self-created sword move.

“Unmatched, Unrivaled—The Ning Clan’s Lone Sword.”

Yue Buqun immediately rushed forward, raised his right hand, and slapped Linghu Chong twice across the face with a loud PA! PA!

“You little bastard! What do you think you’re doing?”

Linghu Chong’s head spun, his body staggered, and he collapsed to his knees.

“Master, Mistress, I deserve to die!”

Yue Buqun, livid with rage, roared, “What exactly have you been reflecting on for the past six months? What skills have you been secretly practicing?”

Linghu Chong stammered, “D-Disciple… D-Disciple hasn’t… practiced anything…?”

Yue Buqun sternly pressed on.

“Then how did you suddenly come up with this move against your Mistress?”

Linghu Chong hesitated, “D-Disciple didn’t even think, it just… it just came out instinctively in a moment of danger…”

Yue Buqun sighed deeply.

“I expected as much—you didn’t even think about it. That is precisely why I am so angry. Do you realize you have already stepped onto a dangerous path, and if you continue, it will be difficult to turn back?”

Linghu Chong’s cheeks were now swollen and bruised, but he lowered his head and humbly accepted guidance.

“Please instruct me, Master.”

Yue Buqun then began recounting Huashan Sect’s past—the infamous ‘Battle Between Sword and Qi’.

______

【Back then, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng became estranged over the “Sunflower Manual.”】

【Their conflict escalated into the infamous “Battle Between Sword and Qi,” splitting Huashan Sect into the Sword Faction and the Qi Faction.】

【The so-called “Battle Between Sword and Qi” was a dispute over whether one’s martial cultivation should focus primarily on inner strength or sword techniques.】

【The Qi Faction believed: “The core of Huashan martial arts lies in Qi (internal energy). Once Qi cultivation is mastered, whether using fists, kicks, blades, or swords, one will be unstoppable. This is the true path of Huashan martial arts.”】

【The Sword Faction believed: “The core of Huashan martial arts lies in swordsmanship. If sword techniques reach their peak, then even with mediocre inner strength, one can still defeat stronger opponents.”】

【Neither side could convince the other.】

【Later, the Sun Moon Sect learned that Huashan Sect possessed the Sunflower Manual, leading them to launch a massive invasion.】

【Huashan Sect, in response, rallied allies and formed the Five Mountain Sword Alliance, clashing with the Sun Moon Sect in a decisive battle on Mount Hua.】

【The result? Both sides suffered devastating losses. Though the Sun Moon Sect stole an incomplete version of the Sunflower Manual, they also lost countless elite warriors.】

【From that day on, the Five Mountain Sword Sects and the Sun Moon Sect became eternal enemies.】

【Years later, ten elders of the Sun Moon Sect devised counter-techniques to break the Five Mountain Sword Techniques and challenged them at Mount Hua.】

【The Five Mountain Sword Sects were no match, so they trapped the ten elders inside a mountain cave, leaving them to die in bitterness.】

【Before perishing, the elders carved their techniques onto the stone wall, hoping for vengeance.】

【With their deaths, the Sun Moon Sect’s power declined, while Huashan Sect flourished, rising to the top of the Five Mountain Sects.】

【However, the decline of external enemies and Huashan’s rising power intensified its internal conflicts.】

【Thirty years ago, Huashan Sect became completely divided—from its elders down to its disciples, everyone had to pick a side between Sword and Qi.】

【Anyone who refused to take sides was killed by both factions.】

【Twenty-five years ago, the tension erupted into all-out war.】

【Fearing Sword Faction’s top expert, Feng Qingyang, the Qi Faction tricked him into leaving the mountain to get married.】

【Then, the Sword vs. Qi battle commenced.】

【After the battle, only a few from the Sword Faction survived, forced to flee Mount Hua.】

【Although the Qi Faction won, they suffered heavy casualties, leaving Huashan Sect crippled.】

【Once the most powerful among the Five Mountain Sects, Huashan fell into decline.】

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As the narration ended, the scene paused again. Meanwhile, the comment section immediately erupted into chaos!