The Villain's Counterattack

The string music starts, the autumn wind blows, and waves of sadness and desolation arise.

The bamboo leaves are light, the sword energy is cool, and the rain falls all over the vastness.

Just as Jian Chen and Duan Lang (the stand-in) were looking at each other in confusion, a desolate and lonely sound of a huqin rang out, accompanied by a faint breeze. The wind gently blew up the fallen leaves on the ground, as if a sky full of wind and rain was covering all directions.

Well, except for the three feet around Wuyazi (Duanlang), there was no wind or rain. He seemed to be non-existent, and it seemed as if he was a world of his own, unaffected by the wind and clouds from the outside world. No matter whether there was a violent storm or a gentle breeze outside, it could not invade his territory at all.

It does not create a pure land with powerful skills, nor does it protect against wind and rain with advanced martial arts. It is more like a self-contained entity separated from the world, giving people a natural and extremely awkward feeling.

A faint whistle appeared on Wuyazi's (Duanlang) lips as he muttered to himself, "You finally couldn't help but take the initiative to stand up. It's worth it that I am here with you, my disciple, to perform this wonderful show. Heavenly Sword Wuming, let me see your sword."

His voice was soft and almost inaudible, but it was so low that it could bypass the two little disciples and reach the ears of the person he wanted to convey it to. He waved his hands, and the scroll and the Fire Scale Sword disappeared out of thin air. He raised his right hand to the sky, and a bamboo leaf from the top of the leaning green bamboo broke away from its mother body and flew out, and was pinched by two fingers.

A bamboo leaf is placed on the lips, and the same melody comes slowly with a different artistic conception. There is no desolation or loneliness, but only a faint sadness and remembrance, as well as a hint of vague sigh.

What are you lamenting about?

Unfair fate?

Life is unpredictable?

Time passes?

Maybe a lot, maybe none, who knows.

"Speaking of heroes, I sigh for Yingxiong. Their fates are coincidentally the same; I only regret that one hero, the other Yingxiong, fought for half their lives and wanted to retire in silence, but suddenly looking back, they realized... their fate was never in their own hands!"

The song ended but the crowd was still there. The voice of Wuyazi (Duanlang) was heard from afar. A slender figure walked slowly towards them from outside the bamboo forest. His steps did not seem big and his speed was insignificant, but he was close to them in just a few steps.

"Master, you are in a good mood. You and my elder brother..." The person who came was Wuming. He was sure that he did not know this old man. He had an extremely contradictory temperament, full of vitality yet magnificent and unfathomable. His eyes were not turbid like those of an old man, but were full of natural innocence, like a baby.

This person has reached a very high level of cultivation. Although he calls himself "old man" all the time, he actually follows the path of Taoism. This can be seen from the way he resists the sword intent of his Heavenly Sword. Wuming has retired from the martial arts world for many years and has long since passed the stage of competing for fame and fortune, but he can't help but want to find out a thing or two about this old man.

Wuyazi (Duanlang) pointed at Duanlang (his stand-in) and said, "This boy's name is Duanlang, the son of the Nanlin Swordmaster. A few years ago, he pretended to be a playboy and tricked a few righteous disciples who were trying to cause trouble for a reclusive old man. I was there at the time and was attracted by his clever mind and found it very interesting. If my intuition is correct, you were not far away at the time."

Upon hearing this, Wuming glanced at Duanlang (his stand-in) and suddenly realized, "Are you the guy who wants to send me to the Ten Great Sects, or even overseas?"

Duan Lang's (the stand-in) expression straightened, his back straightened, and his silly and adorable temperament instantly disappeared without a trace. The aura of a noble young man was faintly visible, and his eyes were bright and shining. He bowed deeply to Wuming: "I am a third-generation disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, personally taught by the master. I pay my respects to the legend of the martial arts world, Senior Wuming. My admiration for you is like the endless flow of a river, and also like..."

A wave of flattery rushed towards Wuming, leaving the martial arts legend slightly stunned. Then he couldn't help laughing and pointed at him, saying, "I was wondering how that clever and eccentric boy from a few years ago could quietly become a dull and low-key apprentice. It turns out..."

Jian Chen was stunned watching from the side until Duan Lang (the stand-in) winked at him, which made him come back to his senses. He pointed at him and seemed to be hesitant to say something. Was he being fooled?

Seeing Jian Chen's dazed expression, Wuyazi (Duanlang) and Duanlang (his stand-in) couldn't help but burst out laughing. Wuyazi (Duanlang) shook his head and said, "Master Wuming's disciple has extraordinary talent and has made great achievements in the way of the sword. It's just that he has too little experience and has not encountered many setbacks. In the end, he couldn't achieve perfection. It's probably because he hasn't experienced enough."

Wuming nodded slightly upon hearing this, and then thought about Duanlang's life experience, realizing that Jianchen was older than Duanlang, but his experience was far less than Duanlang's. He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Everyone has their own destiny. Jianchen is already quite good. I see how free and easy the Taoist is, free and unrestrained, yet he has a little detachment from the world..."

At this point, Wuming paused slightly, and Wuyazi (Duanlang) laughed heartily and said, "You are surprised, sir. My realm is only half a step to heaven, but I can compete with you in realm and I am at a disadvantage?"

Wuming nodded, then shook his head and said, "Quite the contrary. I'm just confused. The Taoist priest is clearly at an exceptional level and possesses extraordinary strength, and he has no personal limitations. Why is he only a half-step celestial being, and not a celestial being?"

He was called the Nameless Heavenly Sword, and even among the Celestial Beings, he was considered a master, his realm profound. Even a master among the Celestial Beings like the Sword Saint couldn't match him. Yet, this strange old Taoist before him, wearing no Taoist robes, holding no whisk, or even claiming to be the Infinite Heavenly Venerable, possessed a supremely high state of Dao Fa Zi Ran. Most bizarrely, this person's realm was compared to his own, at the level of a five-point Heavenly Sword, and he wasn't even a step behind.

After careful observation, he found no trace of damage. Instead, he felt even more strongly that this person was extremely powerful. How could such a person be a Half-Step Heavenly Being, rather than a Heavenly Being? Such a master, even among Heavenly Beings, should definitely not be a novice, but a senior Heavenly Being master.

"Did you listen to my introduction just now?" Wuyazi (Duanlang) asked back. Wuming's expression changed. "Xiaoyao Sect, Wuyazi, the headmaster."

"Do you know the highest pursuit of family?"

"Taoism, achieving enlightenment and becoming an immortal?" Wuming guessed cautiously. Even he himself did not quite believe this answer, but for some reason, this idea suddenly popped up in his mind and could never be erased, as if it was tailor-made for the old Taoist in front of him.

"My life is limited, but my knowledge is limitless. To pursue the limitless with the limited is dangerous! To then seek knowledge is even more dangerous! Doing good does not bring fame, and doing evil does not bring punishment. Follow the principles of the principles of the mind and the heart, and you can protect yourself, live a full life, support your parents, and live to a ripe old age." Wuyazi (Duanlang) smiled and said, "My master, Xiaoyaozi, inherited the martial art 'Xiaoyao Yufeng'. I am fortunate to be his disciple, but my talent is somewhat lacking, and I cannot cultivate this great way."

"Master saw that I had some patience, so he gave me the Taoist name Wuyazi, hoping that I could make up for my shortcomings with hard work. He even split the 'Free and Easy Wind Control' into three parts: the 'Northern Divine Art', the 'Small Invisible Art', and the 'Eternal Spring and Immortality Art'. I practiced all three together, and then combined them into the 'Free and Easy Wind Control'. Although I was able to enter this door, I ultimately could not achieve perfection. I took a shortcut. In order to seek the great way, I did not dare to merge with the heaven and earth before achieving perfection."

Wuming couldn't help but stand in awe upon hearing this, and a trace of confusion suddenly arose in his heart. Breaking through the heavens, can this thing be controlled? Isn't it that when it arrives, it arrives, and when it doesn't arrive, it doesn't arrive?

You are constantly making progress, and you have reached the level of skill, realm, and knowledge. How can you still not actively enter?