0 Chapter 10

The first night in the Repentance Cliff was finally over. Linghu Chong stood outside the cave stretching his hands and legs. “It’s so boring here!” he frowned. He placed his hands by his waist trying to think of a way to kill his boredom. Other than small tress and grasses there was practically nothing else on the cliff. He leapt up, somersaulted in the air and returned to the ground upside down. While standing on his hands, he moved toward the edge of the cliff and started exercising his arms by pushing himself into the air. He was delighted to see himself being able to perform such a dangerous move. He started laughing excitingly.

“Big apprentice brother! I want to play too!” It was the voice of Yue Lingshan. She was here to bring her big Apprentice Brother food. She placed the meal basket on the ground and ran toward the edge of the cliff.

Linghu Chong was very delighted to see her. He quickly returned to his feet, stretched his arms out sideways and got in her way. “Little Apprentice Sister! What are you trying to do?” he yelled.

Yue Lingshan pointed to the edge of the cliff. “I want to have some fun like you too!” she said excitingly.

Linghu Chong shook his head and looked at her sternly. “What is there to play? Do you know how dangerous that trick is? If Master finds out about this I would have to stay another year here!” he grumbled.

Yue Lingshan frowned, “This is not fair! How come you can come and play here and I have to stay at the Hall of Righteousness?” She pressed her lips and then continued, “Father wouldn’t even allow me to bring you food! He sent Lu Dayou to bring you food instead! I asked Lu Dayou to let me bring you food instead but he refused.”

Linghu Chong looked at her astonishingly. “How did you manage to bring me food then?” he looked at her confusingly.

Yue Lingshan grinned and said, “I got real upset and pretended to cry. The moment Lu Dayou saw me crying he quickly allowed me to bring you food instead.”

“Looks like my Junior Apprentice Sister’s tears are more powerful than any weapons,” Linghu Chong sneered while gently pinching her cheek.

Yue Lingshan chuckled, “Actually I didn’t even cry. I tricked him.”

Linghu Chong glared at his little Apprentice Sister with a grin. After growing up with her for so many years he wasn’t surprise that she would have picked up a few tricks from him. He was deeply moved to know that she went her way out just to bring him food.

The two of them walked into the cave and sat on a big rock. Yue Lingshan opened the meal basket, took out two plates of dishes, and a rice bowl, setting them on a big rock with a flat top. “Look, what’s this?” Yue Lingshan grinned. She took out a small bottle of wine from the bottom of the meal basket.

Linghu Chong clapped his hands delightfully. “Little apprentice sister is the best!! I was worried about having no wine to drink for an entire year. You just saved my life!”

Yue Lingshan handed the bottle to him. “There’s not much here. If I try to steal too much mother might find out about it,” she explained with a smile. After the meal the two of them chatted with no specific topics for hours. Yue Lingshan would only leave the cliff when its nightfall.

From that day onwards, Yue Lingshan would bring food up the cliff every evening. The two would have dinner together. At beginning of the next day, it would be Linghu Piao Xu who would bring her brother breakfast. Since Linghu Chong was able to see his little apprentice sister everyday he did feel lonely at all.

Three months have passed. Lin Pingzhi had been training his martial arts skills diligently under Yue Buqun but he was not making much progress. Each time he competed with his martial siblings he would be defeated very easily.

Another training session had ended. Yue Buqun returned to his room to take a rest.

“Senior Apprentice Brother, you just finished teaching Pingzhi sword skills?” Ning Zhongze placed a pot of tea on a side table. “How is he doing?”

Yue Buqun sat down and looked at his wife, “I’ve been teaching him basic skills for the past three months but he hasn’t made any progress. I think that he’s really not made to learn martial arts. Maybe like you said, we should teach him literature so that he can become a scholar.”

There a giggling sound coming from the outside. Yue Buqun looked toward the direction of the laughter and noticed his daughter standing outside. “Lingshan! Come in!” he said.

Yue Lingshan walked into the room and greeted her father. She then ran over to her mother and reached for her arm, “Mother.”

Yue Buqun stared at her and said, “How could you eavesdrop adults talking? No manners!”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping. You left the door wide open and I was passing by so I heard everything,” she retorted.

Yue Buqun shook his head as he sipped some tea from a cup.

Ning Zhongze looked at her daughter with grin, “Shan’Er, did you go and deliver food to your Big Apprentice Brother again?”

Yue Lingshan just nodded her head.

Yue Buqun placed the cup on a side table and grunted, “Lingshan, you’ve been overly lately. Whenever you go and deliver food you would go for hours. Not only are you disrupting my Senior Apprentice Brother from repenting, you’re also neglecting your own martial arts training.”

Yue Lingshan retorted, “When did I neglect my martial arts training?” She walked towards her father and continued, “Father, I already know our sect’s sword skills very well. In fact, I’m getting bored practicing the same skills over and over again. I’ve asked mother to teach me Jade Maiden Swordplay but no matter how hard I beg her, she still wouldn’t teach me.”

Ning Zhongze looked at her daughter, “Shan’Er, it’s not that I don’t want to teach you. It’s just that you’re still young and you don’t have enough inner strength. Our sect’s Nineteen Styles of Jade Maiden Swordplay was created to counter other sect’s sword skills. In that year, your father had to use the remarkable sword skills of ten different sects to practice it with me but was still unable to beat me.”

Yue Buqun nodded with a grin recalling the old days.

Ning Zhongze continued, “If you were to practice it with your Apprentice Brothers you would end up creating a set of techniques to counter the Huashan Sect sword skills.”

Yue Lingshan knitted her brows and thought of an idea. “I can get them not to use our sect’s sword techniques to practice with me,” she responded.

Ning Zhongze replied, “If you don’t practice it with your apprentice brothers who else would be able to practice it with you? By right Chong’Er would be the most ideal person. He has a broad knowledge of sword techniques and knows a lot of other sects martial arts.” She paused for a moment and looked at her husband as she continued, “Unfortunately he has to repent at the Repentance Cliff for a year.”

Yue Buqun looked away to prevent his wife from using this as an excuse to try and reduce Linghu Chong’s punishment duration.

Yue Lingshan ran toward her mother and said with a smile, “Mother, Third Apprentice Brother can practice it with me. He already knew martial arts before joining our sect.”

Yue Buqun interrupted, “No. Your Third Apprentice Brother only knew some basic skills before he joined us. I was the one who taught him all his sword skills.”

Yue Lingshan made a grimace, “Then there’s no one who can practice it with me?!”

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze looked at each other shaking their heads unknowing how to please their daughter.

Yue Lingshan folded her arms feeling frustrated. A sudden thought came to her mind. “Father, how about the new Junior Apprentice Brother, Lin Pingzhi? He knows the 72 Styles of Resisting Evil Swordplay! He can practice it with me!”

Yue Buqun rose from his seat and walked to the front. He narrowed his eyes and pondered to himself for a moment. “Though Lin Family’s Evil Resisting Swordplay is not powerful but every move is ingenious. You should be able to learn something from it,” he explained. He turned to look at his daughter and continued, “It’s not a bad idea to practice the Nineteen Styles of Jade Maiden Swordplay with the Lin Family’s Evil Resisting Swordplay.”

Yue Lingshan held her father’s arm and said axicitingly. “”It’s a deal then! Thank you father!”.

Ning Zhongze performed the Nineteen Styles of Jade Maiden Swordplay at flower garden. She whirled in the air and swung her sword sideways, unleashing a strong gust of funnel shape wind that blew all the leaves on the ground into the air. She then landed on the ground and thrust her sword downward.

Yue Lingshan and Lin Pingzhi gasped in astonishment.

Ning Zhongze placed her sword behind her back with a smile. She walked toward to her daughter and said, “Shan’Er, do you understand now?”

Yue Lingshan nodded, “Yes, mother.”

Ning Zhongzhe replied, “Good. You may now use the moves mother taught you to exchange moves with Pingzhi Resisting Evil Swordplay.”

Lin Pingzhi and Yue Lingshan stood in the middle and started exchanging sword moves. Yue Lingshan was able to counter all Lin Pingzhi’s sword moves. She stepped to the side to dodge another attack and simultaneously struck Lin Pingzhi’s hand with the flat surface of her sword, knocking the sword off his hand. She then threw a kick at Lin Pingzhi’s right shoulder and sent him staggering to the back.

Yue Buqun hid behind a pillar at a nearby corridor watching his daughter spar against Lin Pingzhi. He had seen Lin Pingzhi perform his family’s sword moves once but found it to be very ordinary. He suspected that Lin Pingzhi was withholding the real power and secrets of the Resisting Evil Swordplay. “If the Resisting Evil Swordplay is really related to the Sunflower Scripture then there has to be more to it. What’s the secret past between Sunflower Scripture and Resisting Evil Swordplay?” he thought to himself.

Yue Lingshan and Lin Pingzhi exchanged another six stances. With a swift slash of her sword, she cut off Lin Pingzhi’s belt.

Lin Pingzhi took a couple of steps back as his robe fell loose. He looked down at himself in disbelief.

Yue Lingshan placed her sword behind her back and said, “Why is your Resisting Evil Sword play to lousy? You can’t even last for more than ten moves. Even the Qingcheng Sect sword skills are stronger than yours!”

Upon hearing her words, Lin Pingzhi clenched his teeth and stared at her angrily.

Ning Zhongze raised her voice and said, “Lingshan! How can you speak without thinking?!”

Yue Lingshan looked her mother and started to feel bad. She had completely forgotten that the Qingcheng Sect were the one who destroyed Lin Pingzhi’s family. “I…” she muttered.

Ning Zhongze walked toward Lin Pin Zhi and patted him on the shoulder. “Pingzhi, please don’t take her words seriously,” she uttered.

Lin Pingzhi still fuming inside shook his head and responded, “Disciple dare not.” He paused and turned to look at Yue Lingshan, “Senior Apprentice Sister is right my martial arts skills are weak and I am not worthy to spar with her.”

Ning Zhongze responded, “Pingzhi, you must be tired. Let’s continue tomorrow.”

Lin Pingzhi bowed at her, “Yes Mistress. I’m going now.” He turned around and walked away.

Ning Zhongze walked towards her daughter and looked at her disappointingly. “Shan’Er, how can you say something like that to Pingzhi? You knew that his parents died because of Qingcheng Sect and yet you told him that Qingcheng Sect’s sword skills are better than his family’s Resisting Evil Swordplay.”

Yue Lingshan sulked and said, “Mother, I didn’t do it on purpose. It just came out from my mouth like that.”

Ning Zhongze just shook her head. “You must understand that when one practices martial arts, one must put in lots of hard work in order to succeed. Although Pingzhi’s martial arts skills are not as good as you right now but if he trains hard enough there may come a day when he can beat you.”

Yue Lingshan nodded and replied, “Mother, I understand. I won’t do it again.”

Ning Zhongze replied, “Arrogance and complacency is the biggest prohibition in martial arts training. You have to remember this.”

“I’ll remember,” Yue Lingshan answered with a smile. “Mother your sword skills are impressive!”

The moon was up. Lin Pingzhi’s eyes were filled with anger and hatred. He just could not forget the words Yue Lingshan said to him earlier in the day. He raised his sword into the air and slashed at a rock table with full force, slicing it apart to vent his frustration.

“There is no reason…no reason….Even when I was a kid whenever father teaches me any martial arts I’ll be able to learn it immediately. Why is that when I’m at Huashan I can’t seem to grasp any of its martial arts…” he murmured. He knitted his brows and continued, “No…it must be Master. He is holding back something whenever he teaches me. No wonder what I’m learning is different from what the other apprentice brothers are learning.” He started recalling the words Lao Denuo said whenever he guides his juniors. “Focus on inner energy and not raw strength. Concentrate on your intention and not your force…”

Lin Pingzhi shook his head disappointedly. “Master said sword techniques are the basic fundamentals. He was just deceiving me…” he said. “How can I get Master’s favor in the shortest period of time so that I can learn the best martial arts skills…” A thought suddenly flashed through his mind. “Perhaps I should use gain his daughter’s favor. Once I win her heart and will surely gain Master’s favor too!”

In the following weeks, Lin Pingzhi did whatever he could to get Yue Lingshan’s attention. He would practice his martial arts till late night and skip his meals. Seeing that he was so pitiful the compassionate Yue Lingshan finally decided to teach him whatever that she has learned from her father. As time went by their relationship became much closer. During this period of time, Lin Pingzhi’s martial arts skills had also improved.

Yue Lingshan sat under a tree looking at the silver hairpin in her hand. It was a gift from Lin Pingzhi.

“Little Sister, that looks nice,” Yue Lingfeng said as he walked toward her.

Yue Lingshan quickly tucked the hairpin into her sleeve. “Big Brother, you’re back! You wanted to see me for something?” she asked with a smile.

Yue Lingfeng sat next to her and said, “I was on my way to see Adopted Father and saw you sitting here dreaming away.”

Yue Lingshan looked down and shook her head. “It’s nothing I am just getting some fresh air,” she explained.

“Very well. I won’t bother you then,” Yue Lingfeng responded.

Inside a meditation room, Yue Buqun sat on the floor with his legs crossed cultivating his inner energy. There was a knock on the door.

“Adopted Father, it’s me, Lingfeng,” a male voice came from the outside.

Yue Buqun opened his eyes and got up from the floor. “Come in,” he said.

Yue Lingfeng slowly pushed the door open and stepped into the room. He bowed at Yue Buqun with his hands cupped. “Adopted Father, I’ve returned from Hengyang City,” he said.

“You managed to eliminate Qu Yang this time?” Yue Buqun looked him in the eyes and asked in a stern voice.

Yue Lingfeng responded, “Yes!”

Yue Buqun patted his shoulder and continued, “Feng’Er, you did well. Your Divine Art of Violet Twilight’s strength is seventy percent mine. If you continue to practice it diligently in time to come you will surely surpass me.”

Yue Lingfeng lowered his head. “I would never dare to compare myself with Adopted Father. Without Adopted Father there won’t be me,” he said.

Yue Buqun grinned and said, “My judgment will not be wrong. In time to come you will take my place as the Huashan Sect’s head master. But right now what we really need to go is to regain the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance leadership. Years ago the Songshan Sect snatched the leadership from us because we were suffering from an internal conflict.”

“I will do whatever I can to help Huashan Sect reclaim the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance leadership!” Yue Lingfeng asserted.

Yue Buqun placed his hands behind his back. “Among the five leaders Zuo Lengchan has the best martial arts skills. Unless we can eliminate him it’s going to be impossible to bring Huashan Sect back to the top. When the time is right, I’ll let you know my plans ,” he explained.

Another moth had passed. The sky was getting dark. Linghu Chong stood outside the cave waiting for his little apprentice sister to deliver him food. “It’s already so late and she’s still not here yet,” he murmured. After waiting for a little while more he saw Lu Dayou walking towards the cliff. “Lu Dayou?” he narrowed his eyes. “How come it’s you? Where is Little Apprentice Sister?”

Lu Dayou replied, “What difference does it make whether it’s me or Little Apprentice Sister? Let’s go and eat!” He walked towards the cave.

“What took you so long to bring me food?!” Linghu Chong asked abruptly.

Lu Dayou hummed, “It’s all Junior Apprentice Brother Lin’s fault!”

Linghu Chong quickly walked past him and stood in front of him. “Junior Apprentice Brother Lin? What happened?!” he asked anxiously.

“I even said something that I shouldn’t have…” Lu Dayou shrugged.

“What happened? Tell me everything now!” Linghu Chong said agitatedly.

“Little Apprentice Sister got hurt…” Lu Dayou uttered.

Linghu Chong was astounded the moment he ehard that his little apprentice sister was injured. “What? Little Apprentice Sister got injured?!! How did she get injured?!!” he asked angrily.

Lu Dayou knew how much Linghu Chong cared for their little apprentice sister. He quickly calmed him down and said, “Big Apprentice Brother, relax. Let’s go inside and talk.”

Lu Dayou told him about Lin Pingzhi going down the mountain to buy a painting for master and ended up coming back Yue Lingshan. She injured her leg while they were on their way back. After being caught by their master and mistress Lin Pingzhi insisted that they bumped into each other while they were on their back and that Yue Lingshan had gone down the mountain to buy some medicine for her mother’s cough.

“So that’s what happened. I never expected Little Apprentice Sister to be so filial,” Linghu Chong grinned.

Lu Dayou spat and said, “Yeah right! I think Little Apprentice Sister and Junior Apprentice Brother Lin went out to play instead. That Junior Apprentice Brother Lin knows how strict our sect rules are but yet he went out to play with Little Apprentice Sister. He even lied to Master. That’s just too much!”

“Forget it! You can’t blame him. You know Little Apprentice Sister very well. If she wanted to go out there isn’t anyone who can stop her,” Linghu Chong explained. He then looked at Lu Dayou and said, “Is Junior Apprentice Sister’s injury serious?”

“She can walk so it should be fine,” Lu Dayou replied.

Linghu Chong was relief to know that she only sustained a light injury. “Tell Little Apprentice Sister to take care of her leg and tell her not to come and deliver food tomorrow,” he said.

Lu Dayou grinned, “Big Apprentice Brother, I’ll do whatever you tell me to do. Don’t worry I’ll convey the message to Little Apprentice Sister.”

Linghu Chong nodded with a smile, “Let’s eat!’

It finally started snowing. Linghu Chong walked to and fro outside the cave. He looked up at the sky and said, “The snow is coming down pretty bad today. I wonder if Little Apprentice Sister’s foot injury is any better. The path up here is so slippery I don’t think that she’ll bring me food today.”

“Big Apprentice Brother…Big Apprentice Brother…!” Yue Lingshan called out as she walked her way up to the cliff.

Linghu Chong’s was delighted to see her. “Little Apprentice Sister!” he rushed toward her.

As Yue Lingshan was walking along the side of the cliff she suddenly slipped and dropped the meal basket off the edge of the cliff.

Linghu Chong immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her to the back.

The both of them looked down the cliff watching the meal basket plunging into the bottom. Yue Lingshan pursed her lips and looked at her big apprentice brother disappointedly.

Linghu Chong propped his Little Apprentice Sister by the shoulder and helped her to sit on a rock stool. “The mountain path is so slippery you shouldn’t have come alone! If you something happened to you how do I explain to Master and Mistress?” he grumbled.

Yue Lingshan frowned, “I worry that you won’t have anything to eat. I was too careless and dropped your meal into the valley.”

Linghu Chong shook his head and looked into her eyes. “As long as you’re safe I can starve for ten days,” he said asserted. “Remember, you must never risk yourself for me in the future,” he said, shaking his finger at her. “If you accidentally fall off from the cliff I would have jump down after you for sure.”

Yue Lingshan replied in a soft voice, “Big Apprentice Brother, I was careless. You don’t need to blame yourself.”

Linghu Chong smiled, “You’re my beloved Little Apprentice Sister. How can I not blame myself? If it was Lu Dayou who fell off the most I’ll do is take care of his mother. I won’t seek death for friendship. I’ll only do for love.”

Yue Lingshan fixed her eyes at him. “You mean that if I had died, you wouldn’t want to live either?” she asked slowly.

Linghu Chong shook his head with a smile, “Even if you beat me to death I’ll still not want to live.” He lifted up her foot to take a look. “Did it get any better?”

“A tiny bit,” Yue Lingshan replied, showing him a hand gesture. “But it really isn’t anything serious or else I wouldn’t have been able to come up here.”

Linghu Chong looked up at her, “Oh by the way, I heard from Dayou that Junior Apprentice Brother Lin took you off the mountain to play. Is that true?”

Yue Lingshan snorted, “That Dayou is dead!”

Linghu Chong rose from his seat and sneered, “That Junior Apprentice Brother Lin should have known that you’re playful but still brought you down the mountain to play.”

Yue Lingshan shook her head, “It’s not his fault. I insisted on going with him.”

Linghu Chong smirked, “I thought so too. Once you pull out your princess behavior even ten horses and nine bulls won’t be able to stop you.”

Yue Lingshan gripped onto Linghu Chong’s hands tightly, “Big Apprentice Brother let’s not talk about other people. Promise me once you are free you’ll take me off the mountains to play!”

Linghu Chong shrugged, “No thank you. If I do something wrong again I doubt the punishment will be as easy as repenting for a year.”

After a short silence, Linghu Chong broke the silence by asking, “Did Master and Mistress know that you came up here?”

Yue Lingshan shook her head, “Father, mother and Big Brother went to Mount Song to attend Alliance Chief Zuo’s birthday celebration.” She then remembered something. “Thought I dropped your meal down the cliff but I still brought you some goodies, come look.”

Linghu Chong walked her back to the rock table.

Yue Lingshan reached into a bag and pulled out a small bottle of wine.

Linghu Chong uncapped the small bottle and took a sniff. He could tell that it was wine.

“I know that wine is your life. Furthermore it’s been so cold lately. Drinking wine is the best way to keep you warm,” Yue Lingshan commented.

“Yes!” he happily sat on a rock stool took a gulp of wine. “I’m really happy today. I’ve got good wine and Little Apprentice Sister with me. If it’s like that everyday than this Repentance Cliff would be like heaven on earth. I wouldn’t mind staying here for another few more years then!”

Yue Lingshan propped her hands on her head looking at her big apprentice brother with a smile. “Big Apprentice Brother, since you’re so happy. How about I bring you more wine tomorrow?” she said.

Linghu Chong winked, “Wine is important but what’s more important is that you’re here to keep me company.”

Yue Lingshan just grinned.

Linghu Chong then sighed, “Unfortunately, happy times passes by so fast. It’s getting late. You should go back. Let me walk you out.”

Yue Lingshan disappointingly replied with a nod.

Linghu Chong slowly propped his Little Apprentice Sister by her shoulder and walked her out of the cave.

It was snowing heavily outside the cave. Linghu Chong looked at the snow in shock, “How did it start to snow so heavily so quick?! What should we do now?”

Yue Lingshan was enjoying the view of the beautiful snowfall rather than being worried that she couldn’t get back. She grinned and said, “I’ll go back when the snow stops then.”

Linghu Chong frowned, “No way!” He was worried that if his master and mistress would be angry if they found out that his little Apprentice Sister didn’t go home.

“It’s okay. Since father and mother are not around it’s okay if I go home later,” she smiled.

Linghu Chong grinned, “Alright then! Let’s go in!” He held Yue Lingshan’s hand and walked her into the cave.

The two of them sat in front of a stove chatting away. Linghu Chong stirred the stove with a stick to keep the file alive. “Little Apprentice Sister, do you remember when you were seven we started a bonfire in the back of the mountain and fell asleep?”

Yue Lingshan giggled, “How can I forget? We almost burned the whole mountain that time.”

Linghu Chong grinned, “Yes. Master almost beat me to death for that. Luckily Second Apprentice Brother came forward and admitted that he was the one who came up with the idea with me so that you didn’t get punished.”

Yue Lingshan looked at the ground and said, “Yes…Second Senior Apprentice Brother was not even there when we set the fire…” She started realizing that her second senior Apprentice Brother had been really nice to her.

“Then there was once you were nine years old we found a civet cat on the mountain. We were planning to catch it and eat it but ended up getting bitten by it,” Linghu Chong continued.

Yue Lingshan feeling tried fell asleep and rested her head on her big Apprentice Brother’s shoulder.

Linghu Chong took at her with a grin. He slowly got up, carried her to a bedstead and covered her with a blanket so that she wouldn’t feel cold.

Just as he was about to sleep on the floor below he suddenly heard Yue Lingshan murmuring in her sleep. “Little Lin, I know you are really nice. But we cant….we cant…”

Linghu Chong grinned, “Little Apprentice Sister and Junior Apprentice Brother Lin are getting along well…” He had so much confidence in himself that he didn’t suspect that their relationship was more complicated than he had expected. He returned to the stove and continued to keep the fire burning.

It was bright morning. After a good night’s sleep, Yue Lingshan finally woke up. She looked around the cave and noticed her big apprentice brother stretching his arms. “Big Apprentice Brother!” she called out.

Linghu Chong turned around to look at her. “You’re awake?” he slowly walked toward her. “Let me add more wood to fire so that you’ll feel warm.”

Yue Lingshan looked out of the cave and noticed that it was very bright outside. “It’s already dawn?”

“Yes it is,” Linghu Chong replied.

Yue Lingshan noticed the tiring looks on his face, “Big Apprentice Brother, what’s wrong with you? You didn’t sleep last night?”

Linghu Chong hummed, “Of course I didn’t sleep. You kept sleep talking last night. How could I sleep?”

Yue Lingshan looked at him in astonishment. “Sleep talking? What did I say?” she asked nervously.

Linghu Chong knitted his brow trying to recall what she said. “Nothing much really. But you kept calling Little Lin the whole night…” he replied.

Yue Lingshan looked away embarrassingly. “What…else did I say?”

Linghu Chong sat beside her and grinned. “You’re a responsible Senior Apprentice Sister! You supervise Little Lin in his training even while you’re asleep. Not bad,” he complimented her.

Yue Lingshan looked at him suspiciously, “That’s all I said?”

Linghu Chong looked at her confusingly, “What else would there be?”

Yue Lingshan shook her head. “Well, of course I’ve to supervise him closely. Especially now that father and mother is away,” she grinned.

Just then, Lin Pingzhi was calling for Yue Lingshan outside the cave.

Linghu Chong looked outside the cave and , “Why is he here?”

Yue Lingshan shrugged, “I don’t know either.”

Linghu Chong held her hand and helped her sit on a rock stool.

The anxious looking Lin Pingzhi stormed into the cave calling out for Yue Lingshan. “Senior Apprentice Sister! I finally found you!” he said.

“It was snowing heavily last night so I couldn’t go back,” Yue Lingshan uttered.

Lin Pingzhi interrupted her, “I was only worried about your foot. I didn’t see you this morning so I looked everywhere for you.”

Yue Lingshan snorted, “What can possibly happen to me?!” After finishing her sentence, she started sneezing.

Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi simultaneously reached their hands out for her. “Are you alright?”

Linghu Chong raised his eyebrows astonishingly. He was surprised to see Lin Pingzhi showing such very concerned for Yue Lingshan.

Lin Pingzhi dropped his hand and took a step back.

Yue Lingshan cast a side-glance at the two of them feeling awkward. “I’m alright Big Apprentice Brother,” she grinned.

Linghu Chong returned a smile, “That’s good.” He then looked at Lin Pingzhi, “Junior Apprentice Brother Lin, you better hurry bring Little Apprentice Sister back. It’s snowing outside, if she catches a cold it’ll be bad.”

“Yes, Senior Apprentice Brother,” Lin Pingzhi held Yue Lingshan’s hand and helped her up.

Yue Lingshan looked at Linghu Chong, “Big Apprentice Brother, I’m leaving then.

Linghu Chong shook his hand at her, “Remember if there’s nothing urgent don’t come up here anymore, ok?”

“Okay, got it,” Yue Lingshan giggled.

As Lin Pingzhi walked Yue Lingshan out of the cave he kept asking her she would like to go out and play with him. Yue Lingshan insisted that she was not interested to go anywhere with him.

Linghu Chong knitted his brows and propped his hands on his waist, “This Junior Apprentice Brother Lin didn’t even greet me when he saw me.” The more he thought about how Lin Pingzhi talked to Yue Lingshan, the more he felt that there was something going on with the two of them. “Linghu Chong….Linghu Chong don’t think too much! They’re just friends! Why are you thinking about unnecessary things! Little Apprentice Sister would never would never change her feelings towards me!”

The snow had finally stopped but the temperature was still very low. Linghu Chong sat inside the cave drinking his wine. He was wondering if it’s going to be his little apprentice sister who would be bringing him lunch today.

“Big Apprentice Brother!” Lu Dayou yelled while walking into the cave.


Linghu Chong became disappointed when he heard Lu Dayou’s voice. He got up from the ground and walked toward Lu Dayou. “Dayou! How come it’s you? Where’s Little Apprentice Sister?” he asked curiously.

Lu Dayou placed the meal basket on the rock table. “Little Apprentice Sister is not well today that why I’m here,” he explained.

Linghu Chong looked at him intensely and said, “What did you say?!! Little Apprentice Sister is sick?!!”


Lu Dayou looked away as he replied, “Don’t worry it’s nothing serious. Third Apprentice Brother has already given her some medicine.”

Linghu Chong knitted his brows and stared at him, “Really?”

“Re…really,” Lu Dayou stuttered.

Linghu Chong placed his right leg on a stool and slapped Lu Dayou’s arm. “Why are you stuttering?!” he asked suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes and started pondering to himself. “Could it be that she’s really ill?” Felling very worried for his little apprentice sister he took his leg off the stool and walked away toward the cave opening. “I’m going to go take a look!” he yelled.

Lu Dayou immediately grabbed Linghu Chong’s arm and pulled him back. “Big Apprentice Brother! Come back!”

Linghu Chong turned around and swung Lu Dayou’s hand away. “What is it?! What exactly happened?! Tell me quick!” he asked fiercely.

Lu Dayou pursed his lips unknowing what to say. He turned to the side and avoided Linghu Chong.

Looking at Lu Dayou’s facial expression Linghu Chong suspected that his little apprentice sister was very ill. Linghu Chong shook his hand at him angrily and shouted, “Tell me!”

Lu Dayou stomped the ground and looked at Linghu Chong. “I’ll tell you!” he responded. “Actually Little Apprentice Sister isn’t sick. She’s just pretending to be sick.”

Linghu Chong folded his arms and gave Lu Dayou a surprising look. “Pretending to be sick?” he asked confusingly.

Lu Dayou took a deep breath before he continued. “Actually it’s like this. Master and Mistress have gone to Mount Song right? So Little Apprentice Sister wants me to get you to come down from the Repentance Cliff to go and play with her,” he explained. “Initially I intended to help her. But I was worried that if Master finds out about this we’d all be in big trouble.”

Linghu Chong heaved a sigh of relief, “You scare me there for a moment!” He took a seat and continued, “Little Apprentice Sister is really too much. Even if she wants me to play with her, she should wait until I’m done repenting! Why does it have to be now? magine if Master finds out that I left the cliff? I’d be done for!” He shook his head annoyingly.

Lu Dayou patted Linghu Chong on the back. “Big Apprentice Brother, you’re not going down then?” he asked.

Linghu Chong cast a side glance at him and replied, “No! I’m not going.”

Lu Dayou was relieved to hear his words but very quickly started to panic again. “But what if Little Apprentice Sister gets angry with me?” he asked nervously.

Linghu Chong knitted his brows as he think of a solution. He then turned his head to look at Lu Dayou. “How about this! Just tell her to take care of herself and don’t come up here anymore for now. I’ll keep her company once I’ve finished repenting,” he responded.

Lu Dayou nodded with a smile.

Linghu Chong heaved a sigh, “This Little Apprentice Sister is too playful!”

Another four days has passed. Linghu Chong ran out of the cave and stood near the edge waiting for his lunch.

“Big Apprentice Brother!” Yue Lingshan called out while walking to the cliff.


Linghu Chong was excited to see that it was his little Apprentice Sister who came to send him food today. “Little Apprentice Sister!” he called out excitingly.

Yue Lingshan reached the cliff and placed the meal basket on a rock table. “Big Apprentice Brother!”

Linghu Chong grinned and said, “You’re finally here! I thought it would be Dayou again today.”

Yue Lingshan stared at him annoyingly and said, “I was sick and wanted you to come and see me but you wouldn’t even come…and now I still have to bring you food.”

Linghu Chong patted her shoulder and said, “I really wanted to go and see you but I was afraid that Master will find out.”

Yue Lingshan became even more disappointed. “Oh, so sect rules are more important than me,” she murmured.

Linghu Chong shrugged, “Don’t be like this…”

Yue Lingshan finally smiled and said, “Forget it. Let’s talk about something else. I came with some good news today.”

Linghu Chong grinned, “What good news?”

Yue Lingshan raised her left hand and showed him a sword. “Look at this!” she said excitingly.

Linghu Chong held the sword with both hands and took a look at it. “It’s the Clear Water Sword! Isn’t this Mistress sword?” he asked.

Yue Lingshan reached for the sword and replied, “Yes it is Clear Water Sword but it’s no longer mothers. She has given it to me.” She looked at the sword pleasingly. “Actually I’ve to thank Little Lin for it. After practicing with him every my sword skills improved real fast that’s why mother gave it to me.”

Linghu Chong looked away with a smirk. “I see! Looks like you didn’t come to see because you’ve been busy spending time with Junior Apprentice Brother Lin,” he sneered.

Yue Lingshan was shocked by his words. “No!” she responded. She then walked toward him and reached for his hand, “Big Apprentice Brother, why don’t you practice with me. I want to see how powerful the Jade Maiden Sword techniques would be by using the Clear Water Sword.”

Linghu Chong replied reluctantly, “Alright! I’ll use Qingcheng Sect’s Pine Wood Swordplay to practice with you then. Although this Yu Cang Hai is an idiot but this sword art is quite powerful. So be careful!”

“No problem! Bring it!” Yue Lingshan leapt to the back and drew her sword.

Linghu Chong got into his positioned and pointed his right hand outward, pretending that his hand was a sword.

Yue Lingshan smirked, “Big Apprentice Brother! You aren’t looking down on me are you? How could you use your hand to counter my moves!”

Linghu Chong replied, “You’ve not completely mastered it. Once you’ve mastered it I would no longer be able to counter it.”

Yue Lingshan snorted, “How arrogant! Today I’ll let you let you see Heroine Yue’s prowess! If you lose don’t cry to father and mother.”

Linghu Chong giggled, “Come and get me then!”

Yue Lingshan leapt toward her big martial brother and thrust her sword at him. Linghu Chong stepped to the side to dodge the attack. Yue Lingshan shifted her hand and swung her sword at him. Linghu Chong instantly ducked down to dodge. Yue Lingshan executed another thrust at him. This time Linghu Chong stepped to the side and struck the steel of the sword with his index and middle fingers forcefully, pushing Yue Lingshan ten steps back.

Linghu Chong narrowed his eyes and said, “Those moves of yours don’t seem to the Jade Maiden Sword moves. It’s more like the…”

Yue Lingshan lowered her head embarrasingly. “Those moves were the Resisting Evil Swordplay. I saw Little Lin practiced it a few times. I’m not sure why I suddenly used it…” She paused and looked at Linghu Chong, “It’s alright! I won’t use the Resisting Evil Swordplay anymore. Let’s spar again!” After finishing her words she went on to attack Linghu Chong with another series of sword stances.

Linghu Chong was still able to dodge and parry every single move very easily. After evading the fortieth stance he finally reached his hand out and caught Yue Lingshan’s wrist. He paused for a moment and started seeing images of Lin Ping Zhi practicing swordplay with Yue Lingshan intimately. He was fuming over it. He angrily knocked the sword off her hand and sent it straight down to the bottomless abyss.

Yue Lingshan stared at edge of the cliff crying out loud, “My sword!”

Linghu Chong was stunned. He apologetically said, “I didn’t mean to do it on purpose…I really didn’t mean to do it purpose!”

Yue Lingshan stared at him as tears rolled in her eyes. “Why did you have to do this?” she sobbed.

Linghu Chong apologetically shook his head, “I didn’t mean it…”

Yue Lingshan stomped her foot and ran away agitatedly.

“Little Apprentice Sister! Little Apprentice Sister!” Linghu Chong yelled, trying to call her back but it was of no use. He clenched his teeth in anger, “Why am I so silly! Why did I get jealous seeing her use Resisting Evil Swordplay? What should I do now?” He stomped his foot on the ground angrily.

Linghu Chong sat inside the cave fuming at himself. “I’m sorry Little Apprentice Sister…” he murmured to himself. “I used to be able to tolerate anything she did. Why did I knock her sword away today? Could it be because after seeing her use the Resisting Evil Swordplay I became jealous? How can I be like that…!” He shook his head and sighed, “Little Apprentice Sister and Junior Apprentice Brother Lin can’t be in a relationship. Perhaps I’ve been staying here for too long and became hot tempered.” He kept thinking of reasons to comfort himself. “Hopefully she’ll come again tomorrow so that I can sincerely apologize to her.”

He looked up at a rock in front of him with the words ‘Feng Qing Yang’ engraved on it. “Hey Feng Qing Yang!” he yelled out to vent his frustration. “Feng Qing Yang! Please tell me what should I do?”

Suddenly, a white figure swooshed into the cave a ligh speed. It was an old man with long white beard. He stood a dozen feet away from Linghu Chong, staring at him.

Linghu Chong immediately glared at him, “Who is it?!!”

The old man turned around and strode out of the cave.

Linghu Chong immediately reached for his sword and went after the old man.

The two of them started exchanging sword stances outside the cave. There was a visible energy field warped around the old man’s body. Only martial arts exponents with immense inner energy resources would be able to produce such mystical powers to shield their body from attacks.

Linghu Chong thrust his sword at the old man swiftly. The old man raised his arm and blocked the edge of the sword with his fingers. Linghu Chong retreated three steps back and subsequently slashed his sword at the old man’s head. The old man ducked down to dodge the slash. He snatched Linghu Chong’s sword away from him and subsequently thrust it at his chest.

Linghu Chong immediately stepped to the side to dodge the attack. The old man looked at him with a grin. He then bent his wrist and lashed the flat side of the sword at Linghu Chong’s chest, knocking him to the back.

The old man raised the sword into the air and started performing a series of sword stances. Each stance produced a wave of cold energy into the area.

Linghu Chong looked at the old man astonishingly. “Who is he? His sword moves is clearly the Nineteen Style Jade Maiden Swordplay which Little Apprentice Sister was using earlier…” he thought to himself. “But his stances are much simpler and every stance can be seen very clearly. From the looks of his stances not only would I not be able to knock his sword away. In fact any one of his stances is capable of slashing off my hand. No…it’s not just my hand…it could be any part of my body…good heavens…looks like this swordplay can actually be very powerful.”

After performing the nineteenth stance, the old man halted his steps and tossed the sword back to Linghu Chong. He then leapt into the dark sky and vanished from the area.

“Senior!” Linghu Chong called out as he reached for the handle of his sword. “With his skills no matter how ordinary the stances are I still wouldn’t be able to counter it. This is not because of the force behind the stances but the way he handles the sword. Who is this person? Why is he on Mount Hua? Could he be an elder of our Mount Hua Sect?”

Ever since Linghu Chong knocked his little apprentice sister’s sword off the cliff she had stop delivering food to him. Since he was confined at the cliff there was nothing he could do to cheer her up like he normally does. It was the first time in his life he felt completely dejected and lost

One fine morning, Yue Lingshan showed up at the cliff. This was the first time in weeks she came to deliver food to her big apprentice brother.

Linghu Chong was very happy to see her. “Little Apprentice Sister!” he called out excitingly.

Yue Lingshan glared at him annoyingly. After placing the meal basket on the ground she turned around and walked away.

“Little Apprentice Sister!” he called out and ran up to her. He grabbed her hand and asked, “Are you still mad at me?”

Yue Lingshan turned around to look at him. “I’m not as petty as you!” she said angrily.

Linghu Chong heaved a sigh, “I didn’t really mean to knock your lost off the cliff the other day. If you forgive me I’ll do anything.”

Yue Lingshan sneered, “Yeah you’ll do anything!” She paused for a moment and then continued, “You purposely asked Dayou to bully Little Lin!”

Linghu Chong was shocked by her words. “What? I didn’t do it. Why would I do such a thing?” he responded.

Yue Lingshan interrupted, “You know better if you did it or not! You’re the head disciple so it wouldn’t be difficult for you to get all the other junior apprentice brothers to pick on Little Lin and makeg his life miserable. I didn’t expect the Big Apprentice Brother that I trusted and respected so much would do something so despicable! I’m so disappointed in you!”

Linghu Chong shook his head repeatedly and grabbed Yue Ling Shan’s hand. “Listen to me…” he said.

“Let go of me!” Yue Lingshan pulled her hand away from him. The two of them started pushing and pulling and ended up tearing Yue Ling Shan’s sleeve.

Linghu Chong immediately let go of her and put both hands in air. He looked at her in shock and said, “Sorry….I didn’t mean it…”

Yue Lingshan glared at him furiously, “I hate you!” She turned around and ran out of the cave.

“Junior Apprentice Sister! Come back and listen to me!” Linghu Chong cried but his little apprentice sister was already gone. He heaved a long sigh and looked on the ground disappointingly.

Lu Dayou went to the Repentance Cliff the next day to deliver his big apprentice brother food

Linghu Chong rose from the ground, propped his hands on his waist and looked at him angrily. “Why are you bullying Junior Apprentice Brother Lin with the other martial brothers?!” he asked in a stern voice.

Lu Dayou looked away and replied , “Yes I did it intentionally! He does not follow sect morals! He knew that you and Little Apprentice Sister…”

Linghu Chong snapped him out of it angrily, “Shut up! Who asked you to be so nosy?!”

Lu Dayou looked at him distressingly, “Big Apprentice Brother…”

Linghu Chong pointed his finger at him, “Shut up! From now on don’t get involve with my matters anymore! Stop it! You hear me!”

“Got it,” Lu Dayou nodded his head as he replied.

Linghu Chong turned away and folded his arms in anger. He was angry that Lu Dayou got him into more trouble with his little apprentice sister.

Later, Linghu Chong walked to and fro inside the cave. He heaved a long sigh and said, “If I sneak down the cliff I’ll be punished even more.” He shook his head. “No matter what, I’ve to explain everything to Little Apprentice Sister! She needs to know that I was not the one who told Dayou to pick on Junior Apprentice Brother Lin!” He turned around and rushed out of the cave.

It was snowing again that night. Linghu Chong made his way back to the Mount Hua School. As he walked along a pathway, he looked around the area to make sure that no one saw him. As he turned toward a corridor, he noticed Lin Pingzhi and Yue Lingshan standing at the yard.

Lin Pingzhi was embracing Yue Lingshan in his arms. “Once Big Apprentice Brother returns from the Repentance Cliff can we still be like this?” he asked.

“You don’t trust me?” Yue Lingshan asked in a soft voice. She pulled herself away from him and continued, “If you don’t trust me then I’m leaving!”

Just as she was about to walk away Lin Pingzhi quickly grabbed her hand and pulled towards him. “I trust you,” he said with a smile. He then leaned forward and kissed her lips.

Linghu Chong hid behind a pillar as he looked at him. His heart was completely shattered. He could not believe that his little apprentice sister had fallen in love with another man while he was being confined at the cliff. Feeling disheartened and despair, he turned around and walked away with his head down. His eyes were filled with tears of helplessness.

End of Chapter 10