Lu Yun is still cautious. He encounters the injured old man in the middle of the night. He cannot tell if he is good or bad.
The old man immediately notices Lu Yun"s worries and sighs, "Child, I have been trapped in the mountains for a few days, and I have encountered fierce monsters. My legs were bitten by them and I can"t walk. Can you carry me on your back down the mountain?"
They are now on the mountainside. If Lu Yun carries the old man down the mountain and then comes up, considering the monsters on the way it will probably dawn. It is very time-consuming to deal with the monsters.
The Frost Herbs bloom only during the night. Only those in the flower can treat internal injuries.
Seeing that the old man is not like a bad person and that he is injured, Lu Yun thinks that he can cope with the situation even if the old man is malicious.
Gradually, he let his guard down. "Sir, I am here to get the Frost Herbs for my father to treat his internal injuries. If we go down the mountain now, with the monsters on the way, when I am back, I am afraid that the day will break." Lu Yun explains awkwardly.
"Oh, you are a filial child. You should get the Frost Herbs first. Then remember that an old man is waiting for you to come to his rescue after you have found the herbs." The old man says with understanding and appreciation in his eyes.
However, what follows surprises the old man. Lu Yun does not leave but kneels to carry the old man on his back.
The old man doesn"t understand why and asks, "Child, what are you doing?"
"I can"t leave you here. The monsters will come by the smell of your blood. I am to look for the Frost Herbs taking you with me. Then we leave the mountain together after I have found the herbs." At the word, Lu Yun carries the old man on his back and goes to the direction where the Frost Herbs grow.
He cannot see the old man"s expressions at the moment. It is a mixture of appreciation and satisfaction.
It was already difficult for Lu Yun to deal with the many monsters on his way to look for the Frost Herbs. With an old man on his back, his progress is slowed down.
Lu Yun does not complain.
He is firm and decisive, killing the monsters in his way.
"From who did you learn the saber method?" asks the old man.
Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Lu Yun replies, "My father!"
It seems that you have practiced the method for decades. You must be an amazing genius!" the old man praises.
Lu Yun had no time to reply to the old man"s compliments when a monster attacks. He kills it with a wave of his saber.
Then he replies, "I am just a bit more diligent than others. I keep practicing every day. Over time, practice makes perfect."
The old man nods and then falls into meditation. Lu Yun has given the old man a very good impression. It is rare to see such a modest young man.
"This child is more kind-hearted than ambitious. He is also blessed with filial piety and talent. It is the fate that makes us meet. It seems that he doesn"t know who I am. He takes the risk to look for the Frost Herbs, a common medicine, which reveals his humble position in his clan."
The old man finds it puzzling at his humble position in his clan in spite of his talents. Every clan is proud of their geniuses and give them training with all the possible resources.
Clan Lu is the only clan living in the neighborhood. It is big but no one of the young generations is comparable to Lu Yun. The old man has met Lu Ji before, the patriarch"s eldest grandson. He is well gifted but very proud.
"Child, what is your name?" he asks.
"My name is Lu Yun, and yours?" Lu Yun says.
The old man grins and says: "I am an ordinary warrior in the city of Yidong. You can call me Uncle Chen."
The two get to know each other in this way. Lu Yun doesn"t try to figure out who is on his back because he has no intention to get any profit from the old man.
The old man thinks, "As expected, he is from Clan Lu. I have seen their patriarch, Li Yu, who is far from impartial. So, Lu Yun must be an unseen genius. Fortunately, he meets me!"
Naturally, Lu Yun doesn"t know what the old man is thinking about and what decisions he has made. In his mind, the most important is to find the Frost Herbs and cure his father. A big smile comes to his face when he finally sees the blooming Frost Herbs on the edge of the cliff.
The monsters in the mountain follow them by the smell of the blood from the old man"s injured legs.
"Second-level monsters, blood wolf!" Lu Yun says, clenching his teeth.
These monsters are unexpectedly cunning. They didn"t attack until Lu Yun has spent a lot of vital energy fighting against other monsters along the way.
The second-level monster is difficult to deal with, and now it is even more difficult for Lu Yun.
Lu Yun puts the old man down and says: "Uncle Chen, please sit down and have a rest. I am to fight a way to take you down the mountain."
Lu Yun rushed to the blood wolves with his saber. The fight is so intense that Lu Yun has to employ the Whispering Saber method.
Seeing this, the old man"s eyes light up. "The child is of sacred physique and is capable of learning any type of martial arts! Such a genius, how can I let him die among the second-level monsters?"
"Child, move your vital energy to your soles, then you will move as swiftly as wind and stay as steady as a mountain. You will be unparallel if you use your saber at such a state," the old man says to Lu Yun in the distance.
Lu Yun pauses a short moment at the words, then immediately understands and follows his instructions.
He notices that the method saves him a lot of vital energy in the fight and that his Black Dragon Saber method becomes more powerful.
"Very good! He learns very fast although I gave only verbal instructions. The young man is promising and worthy to be taught." Chen is delighted and continues, "The following method is to make your body as light as a feather. Be like still water when you are static. Be as hard as steel when you move..."
Following his instructions, Lu Yun fights against the monsters and finds what the old man taught him are really good martial arts.
Chen continues with his instructions caressing his white beard, very happy at Lu Yun"s performance.
The old man, wounded in the legs, teaches with verbal instructions while the young man learns and applies immediately in fighting against the monsters. The fierce intention to kill is blended into the free combination of dodging, attacking, jumping and advancing.
Originally, the blood wolves rush to attach unceasingly. When seeing that Lu Yun becomes more and more fierce, they are scared. They pretend to escape but Lu Yun sees it through. He stands still watching. When they come back for the attack, Lu Yun kills the first one coming close to him with only a wave of his saber. After several more attempts, the blood wolves finally retreat from the cliff at a helpless howl coming from within the pack.
Lu Yun utters a sigh with relief and quickly returns to the old man, "Thank you for your instructions. But I have nothing to pay you back."
"My silly child, you saved my life and I taught you the martial art I created. It is a fair exchange!" says the old man. "I named this Qinggong method Swan."