Chapter 53: Cultivating the Self

Wang Jingyuan found the figure somewhat familiar, so he walked up to it and stepped around to the front. Wasn't this NPC Niu Da who had previously gone up the mountain to complain about him?

"You're a novice village NPC, how can you cross maps?" Wang Jingyuan walked up and greeted him.

Discovering that the newcomer was Wang Jingyuan, Niu Da looked rather sheepish: "Greetings, Hero Wang. I came down the mountain to take care of some personal business."

Wang Jingyuan nodded: "I didn't expect background NPCs to have such a high degree of freedom. Let me ask you something: is there a coppersmith with exceptionally good craftsmanship around here?"

Niu Da patted his chest: "When I was young, I was an apprentice in a coppersmith shop. My craft was the best among all the apprentices. After my apprenticeship ended, the shopkeeper originally wanted to keep me working in the shop. But because my mother fell gravely ill and her health failed, I came back to take care of her. Hero Wang, what do you need made? I will make it for you."

Wang Jingyuan thought for a moment: "Briefly tell me what you learned back at the coppersmith shop and what the key points are."

Niu Da had no idea why Wang Jingyuan was asking about this, but he was honest. Since Wang Jingyuan wanted to listen, he began to chatter away, explaining it all to him.

Before long, Wang Jingyuan received a system prompt:

[Niu Da is imparting "Hammering Technique" to you]

[Do you wish to learn: Yes/No]

[Yes]

Wang Jingyuan stopped Niu Da: "I've understood everything. Go on with your business, I'm leaving."

However, Niu Da grabbed Wang Jingyuan's sleeve: "Hero Wang, I can tell that you genuinely want to accomplish something. Please let me help you. You are a hero, and I have no great abilities, but perhaps this is the only time I can be of help to you."

"Is it because you feel bad about reporting me last time? Didn't you already apologize? Besides, you gave me quite a few things, so I haven't taken it to heart." If I had really taken it to heart, you wouldn't even exist anymore.

Niu Da shook his head: "It's not about that. It's that I was ignorant before and failed to appreciate Hero Wang's good intentions."

"Good intentions? I... did I?"

Niu Da grasped Wang Jingyuan's hand and said sincerely: "At first, Hero Wang made me walk my mother around the village every day like that. My mother was so exhausted she could barely stand it, and I worried she wouldn't make it through. But later, I found that after resting well, my mother's physique became much stronger. Moreover, if we missed our daily walk, we would feel somewhat unaccustomed to it. Now, I'm the one taking my mother for this walk every single day. My mother's complexion is getting better and better by the day. My whole family is grateful to Hero Wang, but we just didn't know how to repay you."

Seeing his firm intention, Wang Jingyuan could not be bothered to decline any further and simply described the general structure of the item he wanted. Upon hearing that it was such a simple matter, Niu Da patted his chest and promised to deliver the item to Mount Hua before nightfall.

Bidding farewell to Niu Da, Wang Jingyuan headed up Mount Hua. Previously, when using lightweight kung fu to dart across Mount Hua, there had been some slight resistance. But ever since learning Tian Boguang's "Tri-fold Cloud" series of lightweight kung fu, going up the mountain was indeed much more convenient.

It was a pity that Quanzhen's "Golden Wild Goose Skill" had not been passed down, otherwise Wang Jingyuan would have definitely wanted to try what it felt like to step on one's left foot with one's right foot and take off on the spot.

Returning to Mount Hua, Wang Jingyuan first went to find Monkey Lu and coaxed the little monkey away. Although the little monkey still regarded Monkey Lu as its master and had a deeper emotional bond with him, Monkey Lu after all could not provide nuts to the little monkey in large quantities the way Wang Jingyuan could. Once the little monkey accepted nuts the first time, it would habitually accept them a second time. Once something started, there was no turning back, and Wang Jingyuan believed that it wouldn't be long before the little monkey completely capitulated.

When that time came, if Wang Jingyuan was in a good mood, he might even write a book titled "A Monkey's Heart is Like a Blade" and present it to Monkey Lu.

After finishing lunch, Wang Jingyuan didn't bother returning to his small courtyard. He simply tossed the key to his courtyard and a bundle containing dirty clothes to the little monkey, which then skillfully picked up the bundle and trotted away.

Wang Jingyuan instead came to the Mount Hua practice ground and began practicing his sword forms. The people up and down Mount Hua had long grown accustomed to this cultivation maniac. Seeing Wang Jingyuan start practicing his sword, the disciples would only think of quickly finishing the food on their plates and slipping back to their sleeping quarters for a midday nap.

They prayed that master would not suddenly issue an order for everyone to practice along with Wang Jingyuan. The fastest eater was undoubtedly Senior Apprentice Brother Linghu Chong; he sneaked out of the dining hall right after finishing his lunch.

As he left, he casually glanced at Wang Jingyuan practicing his sword, but at this single glance, his feet became rooted to the spot. He saw Wang Jingyuan's body following his sword as a longsword whipped up clusters of sword shadows, only for them to suddenly vanish, and in the blink of an eye, the longsword would appear in his other hand.

Aside from Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze's signature techniques, Linghu Chong had learned virtually all of the Mount Hua Sect's sword techniques. Yet in his memory, this particular sword form did not exist.

Linghu Chong watched, utterly entranced. The other disciples who had slipped out after finishing their meals saw Linghu Chong standing there staring and couldn't help walking over to take a look.

Then, just like Linghu Chong, they stood frozen in place. On one hand, they felt somewhat doubtful because Wang Jingyuan's sword technique was neither that of the Mount Hua Sect nor the "Evil-Warding Sword Technique" he had previously demonstrated.

On the other hand, the Hengshan Sect's "Hengshan Cloud and Mist Thirteen Styles of Varied Illusions" was, after all, derived from ancient stage magic. Once displayed, it indeed possessed a very high visual appeal.

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze, who finished eating last, saw a group of disciples gathered around the perimeter of the practice ground and wondering what had happened, walked over to take a look.

As soon as the couple arrived, they caught sight of Wang Jingyuan practicing his martial arts.

Having traveled the Jianghu for many years, Yue Buqun and his wife naturally recognized this set of sword techniques. Yue Buqun nodded inwardly; he hadn't expected that during this trip down the mountain, apart from the "Evil-Warding Sword Technique" and "How is Mount Dai?", Wang Jingyuan had also acquired another ultimate skill, which could be considered a bountiful harvest.

However, a moment later, Yue Buqun felt something was amiss. Upon closer reflection, aside from these sword techniques from other sects, the only Mount Hua sword technique Wang Jingyuan had ever learned was the most basic "Mount Hua Sword Technique."

Although Yue Buqun had already passed down the "Purple Qi Divine Skill," and the current Mount Hua Sect emphasized controlling the sword through internal energy, surely one couldn't channel techniques exclusively from other sects during a duel.

"Humph!" Yue Buqun immediately gave a light cough and dismissed the rest of the Mount Hua disciples. When they had walked far enough away, he approached Wang Jingyuan: "I observe that the Immortal's sword technique has already reached the pinnacle of perfection. How about I demonstrate a set of the 'Foster Righteousness Sword Technique' for the Immortal once more?"

[Yue Buqun is imparting the "Foster Righteousness Sword Technique" to you]

[Do you wish to learn: Yes/No]

Of course, Wang Jingyuan chose to accept.

[Yes]

Having watched it just once, Wang Jingyuan mastered this set of sword techniques. Furthermore, as he executed it, it already carried a trace of the unique charm of the "Foster Righteousness Sword Technique"—namely, "righteous energy enduring through the ages, upright and unyielding."

This caused Yue Buqun to nod repeatedly. An immortal was truly an immortal, quite beyond the reach of ordinary mortals like themselves.

By evening, Niu Da indeed arrived up the mountain as promised, carrying the custom items Wang Jingyuan had ordered. Wang Jingyuan took the objects and carefully inspected them. Although the structure was inherently simple, the details showed that Niu Da had put genuine effort into them.

Since it was already late, Wang Jingyuan could only store the items away for now, waiting until the morrow to continue the grand revival plan for Mount Hua.

(PS: I've been working overtime both yesterday and today, so this chapter is updated a bit late.)