With a sword drawn, he laughs proudly, his martial prowess dominating the heavens!

Chapter 4 My Junior Sister Has Grown Up

Just as a doctor can diagnose illness by taking a pulse, a martial artist can also determine a person's internal strength by taking a pulse.

Those who have achieved a certain level of internal skill have internal energy stored in the dantian (lower abdomen) and circulating throughout the body's meridians.

In particular, the internal energy cultivation of the Huashan School is balanced and peaceful, nourishing both body and spirit. However, when external forces enter the body, there is a response without deliberate effort.

Yue Buqun, who was squinting and stroking his beard, paused slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, before withdrawing the two fingers that were resting on Li Che's wrist.

"Very well! I grant you permission to go to the Cliff of Repentance for seclusion. Bai Luo."

"Disciple is here!"

"You are responsible for your ninth junior brother's three meals a day."

"Yes, Master!"

Ying Bailuo readily accepted the order. He and Li Che had joined the sect around the same time and were only a few months apart in age, and they were usually the closest of friends.

"Father, Senior Brother is still kneeling..."

"Have a meal!"

......

As night fell, the clanging of swords in the training ground ceased. Although Master Yue Buqun had only made an appearance in the morning, all the disciples practiced especially hard today, fearing they would be made an example of.

The lampstands on both sides of the entrance to the Zhengqi Hall were lit, and the dim candlelight spilled into the hall, casting a long shadow of Linghu Chong.

The air in the hall reeked of alcohol, and Linghu Chong had already come to his senses.

He rubbed his slightly throbbing forehead, then took a deep breath, his brows relaxing, the aroma of wine in the air temporarily dispelling the hunger in his stomach.

After a moment of reflection, he couldn't help but hiss softly in pain. He had been kneeling for several hours, and his knees were numb and painful.

Seeing that no one was around, he spread out the hem of his long robe, slumped down on the bluestone slab, and rubbed his knees.

"Alas, drunkenness leads to trouble. In the past, I would only kneel for two hours before my master's wife would call me to have a meal. This time, I'm afraid my master is really angry."

Linghu Chong, Linghu Chong, how come you never learn your lesson!

He regretfully raised his hand and patted his forehead, muttering, "Those managers Zhao, Qian, and Sun have done me a disservice. I was so drunk I was completely unconscious. Why did they have to carry me up the mountain? It was all for nothing."

After a moment, he shook his head and smiled, "Never mind, they are indeed honest people. Next time I go down the mountain, I will definitely drink up their hidden wine and avenge this 'grudge'."

The shopkeepers he mentioned were indeed honest people; if he hadn't insisted on returning to the mountain after drinking, why would they have sent people to escort him overnight?

"Oh dear, you're going to suffer again this time." He patted his buttocks, then suddenly found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Brother buttocks, in the end it's all the fault of your appetite, you should blame them."

They drink and eat heartily, enjoying themselves to the fullest, but leaving you exhausted and with cuts and bruises.

"Don't be a butt in your next life! And if you are, don't be Linghu Chong's butt, hahaha~"

He possessed considerable internal strength and keen senses. Although he was mocking himself, he was also paying attention to his surroundings. He was certain that anyone in the Huashan Sect, except for his master and mistress, would be able to detect him if they got too close.

Besides, if Master and Mistress were to come to the Righteousness Hall, why would they intentionally use their internal energy to conceal their presence?

After resting for a while, the blood flow in my knees gradually improved, and the soreness subsided. However, since I hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day, my stomach started churning again.

Thinking that if his master didn't come to punish him in a few hours, Lu Hou'er or his junior sister would surely bring him some food, so there was no need to be anxious.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and the hall became much brighter. He turned to look outside the door, where the bright moon hung in the sky and the stars shone brightly.

The moonlight shone on him, revealing his long face, sharp eyebrows, and thin lips. Although not exceptionally handsome, he had regular features and a rather heroic air.

He braced himself on the ground with his left hand, leaning to one side, one leg extended, his right wrist resting naturally on his knee. Although being punished, he showed no signs of distress; instead, a smile played at the corners of his mouth, his eyes were slightly narrowed, and he appeared quite carefree.

After admiring the moonlit scenery for a while, Linghu Chong felt rather bored. Just as he was about to lie down on his side, he heard a series of light footsteps beside him.

"Junior Sister?"

Before the words were finished, a figure entered through the doorway; it was Yue Lingshan.

Linghu Chong jumped up with a beaming smile and quickly went to greet her, "Junior Sister, have Master and Mistress calmed down?"

Yue Lingshan frowned slightly, sniffed, then shook her head and said softly, "Senior Brother, Mother made some rice cakes tonight. I saved some for you. You should eat them first."

Yue Lingshan lifted the brocade handkerchief, revealing several pieces of rice cake inside that were still steaming, indicating they had just been heated.

Linghu Chong was touched, thinking that without his master and mistress's permission, how could his junior sister's little actions have escaped their notice?

"I'm starving, junior sister, thank you so much!"

Being punished for stealing food was already wrong, so he didn't dare sit in the chair and sat on the floor to chew his food heartily.

Yue Lingshan slightly lifted her skirt, crossed her arms, and squatted down beside him, her face somewhat bitter. "Senior Brother, Father is furious this time, you're probably going to get a beating again."

"Haha, as long as Master can calm down, what's a few lashes?" Linghu Chong didn't care at all. Seeing her expression, he teased her, "Junior Sister, you don't know, Senior Brother has learned a martial art from these lashes. It looks like the skin is torn open, but it doesn't hurt at all."

Upon hearing this, Yue Lingshan asked in surprise, "Ah? What kind of kung fu is that?"

"Haha~ I heard that there is a martial art called the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill in Shaolin Temple. It is very powerful. When you master it, you are invulnerable to swords and spears."

My skill is naturally inferior; it can only protect my buttocks, hence the name "Indestructible Divine Buttocks." Let alone twenty or thirty strokes, even a hundred or two hundred wouldn't be a problem.

He knew that his junior sister was usually very lively and playful. In the past, when she made up stories like this, even if she was unhappy, she would turn her worries into joy and smile.

A few breaths later, Yue Lingshan twitched the corners of her mouth, but there was little sign of a smile.

Seeing this, Linghu Chong panicked and hurriedly asked, "Junior Sister, what happened? Did someone bully you? Was it Lu Hou'er or Ying Bailuo? Senior Brother will stand up for you!"

Yue Lingshan shook her head. "Senior Brother, could you please drink less alcohol in the future?"

Linghu Chong was taken aback, but then he heard her say, "Senior Brother, you have excellent martial arts skills and high talent. Our parents value you highly and hope that you can restore the glory of the Huashan Sect. But... but... what's so good about this wine?"

"Junior Sister, did Master and Mistress send you to persuade me?"

Linghu Chong held up half a rice cake in his right hand, looking at Yue Lingshan in a daze, and suddenly felt that his junior sister seemed different today.

It was clear that her delicate face carried a sorrow beyond her years, and I felt a pang of pain rise in my heart, making my chest feel extremely tight.

He thought to himself, "My master and mistress treat me like their own child. They must know how much I love my junior sister, which is why they sent her to persuade me. So... so..."

Suddenly, another surge of joy filled his heart, and he subconsciously said, "Okay! Senior Brother, I'll listen to you. From now on... I'll never get drunk!"

"Really? You can't lie to me, or I'll never talk to you again."

"Really! When has Senior Brother ever lied to you?"

Upon hearing this, Yue Lingshan's worries vanished, and her smile blossomed like a flower, instantly stunning Linghu Chong.

"Senior Brother, actually, I overheard those words when I passed by my parents' room. I'm not sure what I said, so please don't be angry with me if I'm wrong."

Also, Mother told me to tell you that Father is still angry. You must be sincere in your punishment and not shirk your duties. If Father finds out, things will definitely go wrong.

"Senior Brother, I have to go back now. You'd better kneel properly, don't just sit there admiring the moon."

A warmth began to grow in Linghu Chong's heart, and he nodded in agreement, "Alright, even if I kneel to my death in this Hall of Righteousness, I must beg for Master's forgiveness!"

"Pah, pah, pah, what do you mean by death! By the way, Senior Brother should thank Senior Brother Li properly. If he hadn't volunteered to go to the Cliff of Repentance for seclusion, you would have suffered that bitter and lonely fate."

After saying that, Yue Lingshan went out the door.

Linghu Chong was stunned for a moment, then thought, "Junior Brother Li is upright and doesn't like wine. How should I thank him? Sigh~"

......