The Young Swordsman of Dalu

Wenfei was groping his way forward in the cave when he suddenly noticed a light ahead.

Wenfei followed the light and walked quickly. He found that he had reached the end of the cave. There was a big tree next to him. He put his hand on the tree and looked down. The tree was lush and the bottom could not be seen at a glance.

Wenfei carefully hugged the tree and climbed up. He slid down the tree little by little, and after a while, he finally reached the bottom of the tree.

Wenfei steadied himself and looked around. He didn't find anything unusual. He looked at his clothes, which were torn to shreds by tree branches, and his hair was a mess. He looked like a beggar.

Wenfei tidied himself up, looked around, and then looked up at the sky. The entire sky was blocked by dense foliage, and he couldn't tell which direction the sun was facing. He couldn't tell which way was east, west, south, or north. "Whatever, it's all the same anyway, it doesn't matter which way I go," Wenfei muttered to himself. He then turned and walked forward in one direction.

As Wenfei walked, he cautiously surveyed his surroundings, worried that some birds or beasts might attack him. He walked until it got dark, but he didn't go out and didn't see a single person.

Wenfei was not only starving but also parched. He wanted to find food and water as soon as possible, or he would really lose his life here.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Wenfei noticed a faint light ahead. Excited, he quickened his pace and found a small thatched hut not far away. He ran to the hut, gently knocked on the door, and it creaked open, revealing an elderly man with white hair standing before him.

"Young man, are you lost?" the old man asked.

"Yes, sir, I accidentally fell off the cliff and don't know how to get out. I've been wandering around this old forest for a whole day. Please forgive my impertinence, but I've finally found a living person." Wen Fei said excitedly.

"Did you come down from the mountain?" the old man asked.

"Yes, I accidentally fell down. I didn't know there was such a place as Wangtianya," Wenfei said.

"Are you Li Chaoyang's apprentice?" the old man asked.

“No,” Wenfei said.

"He drove you down the mountain?" the old man asked.

"Do you know how to tell fortunes?" Wenfei asked in surprise.

The old man smiled but said nothing.

"Old man, do you know Elder Li?" Wen Fei asked timidly.

"Hahaha! We do have some history, but let's not talk about him for now. Young man, you must be hungry and thirsty after wandering around in the mountains all day, right? Eat and drink your fill first," the old man said.

"You are so understanding, much better than that Li Chaoyang," Wen Fei said with a smile.

"Stop flattering me, fill your stomach first." The old man said, bringing over the food and drinks and placing them in front of Wenfei.

Wenfei wolfed down his food, eating with great relish, as if he hadn't eaten for days. The old man watched Wenfei eat and a kind smile appeared on his face.

After finishing his meal, Wenfei wanted to talk to the old man a little longer, but he was too tired and fell asleep on the bed as soon as he finished eating.

In his dream, he saw two white-bearded old men sitting face to face on a mountaintop, seemingly competing in internal strength. They competed for a long time without a clear winner, and neither seemed willing to concede to the other, so they remained deadlocked.

Wen Fei was getting anxious. He walked up to the two white-bearded old men and was about to reach out to help them when he looked closely and realized that it was Li Chaoyang and the white-haired old man. Wen Fei was startled and woke up.

"You're awake! You seem tired," the old man said from the bedside.

"Grandpa, how long have I been asleep?" Wenfei asked.

"Three days, I guess," the old man said.

"Oh no, Changsheng must be worried sick up there. I have to go up. Old man, please tell me how to get up the mountain," Wenfei said anxiously.

"Young man, don't rush back. Since you're here, make the best of it," the old man said calmly.

“I have things to do, I need to leave this place,” Wenfei said.

"Do you hate this place that much?" the old man asked.

“I just don’t want to waste any more time here. Li Chaoyang is unwilling to take me as his disciple, but the world is vast, and I’m sure I can find a great master to take me as his disciple,” Wen Fei said.

“Yes! You’re right about that. There are always mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people. Li Chaoyang isn’t the only one who can be a teacher to the world,” the old man said.

"As long as I leave here, I will definitely find a master to learn from, and I will come back to challenge Li Chaoyang again," Wen Fei said with great confidence.

“You don’t need to look anywhere else, there’s a master teacher right here,” the old man said, pointing to himself.

"Are you as good as Li Chaoyang?" Wen Fei asked.

"I competed with him forty-nine times, and I won twenty-four times. If it weren't for an accident, I wouldn't have lost to him the last time, allowing him to win one more time," the old man said.

Wen Fei took another look at the old man in front of him. He had a head of white hair and a long white beard, but his eyes were bright and piercing. He was strong and his steps were light. He must be a martial artist.

"So, you and Li Chaoyang are evenly matched," Wen Fei said excitedly. "Tell me, what kind of person is Li Chaoyang? Why is he so strange?"

"Don't call him Li Chaoyang anymore. He is still your teacher, even if he is only a teacher for a day. You must respect your teacher." The old man said solemnly.

"You are right. I was wrong. I will not say it again," Wenfei said sincerely.

"You're a promising young man. Why doesn't that old fellow Li Chaoyang think much of you? I've gotten a good deal." The old man said with a smile.

"I haven't said I want to become your disciple yet. I need to think about it," Wenfei said.

"Once this opportunity is gone, it'll be gone forever. You have to seize it. I don't take on apprentices easily," the old man said proudly.

Wenfei thought about it all night. He couldn't go back to the modern era and could only stay in this dynasty for the time being. Since he didn't know how long he would have to stay here, the most important thing was to learn some self-defense skills. He couldn't find his second brother for the time being, so he might as well stay here and learn some martial arts from the old man to protect himself.

The next day, Wenfei tidied himself up, performed the apprenticeship ceremony for the old man, and served him tea, thus successfully becoming his apprentice.

"I'm sorry, Elder Li, I have no choice but to become your apprentice again at the foot of your mountain. Why do you always try to drive me away?" Wen Fei thought to himself.

"To become my apprentice, you only need to do one thing well," the old man said.

"Master, which one?" Wenfei asked.

"You must master what I teach you, and it would be even better if you could be innovative. I, an old man, appreciate unconventional talents," the old man said.

"Is there anything else? Like your principles, bottom line, or something?" Wenfei asked.

"I don't have that many complicated things. As long as you don't use what I teach you to do anything immoral, there are no rules here," the old man said with a smile.

“Master, although it is disrespectful, I do not know your name. If someone asks me where I come from or who you are, I will not know how to answer,” Wenfei said.

"There's no need to know my name. I, the Flying Hero of the Western Continent, don't need fame or fortune to sway me," the old man said calmly.

Yes, this old man is none other than Ji Wuchang, the famous Flying Knight of the Western Continent from Yulu Kingdom.