"Greetings, Elder Alex!"
As Alex and Lin Pingzhi reached the mist-shrouded foot of Huashan, two Sun Moon Sect disciples, clad in discreet robes, dropped to their knees before Alex, their eyes gleaming with reverence.
The disciples gazed at Alex with unbridled admiration. Since his dazzling display at Liu Zhengfeng's Jinpen Retirement Conference, Alex's fame had rippled through the martial arts world. His mastery of the legendary art of controlling the sword with qi had resurfaced, captivating all who heard of it. In recent weeks, he'd earned the title Ghost Hand Sword Saint—the "ghost hand" honoring his peerless black blood needle technique, and "sword saint" heralding his transcendent swordsmanship.
As Alex's fame grew, Sun Moon Sect disciples buzzed with curiosity about their enigmatic elder, hailing him as a hero. His audacity to navigate the Five Mountains Sword Sect's gathering alone, emerging unscathed, had bolstered the sect's prestige. Yet, Alex's reclusive months at Blackwood Cliff, immersed in martial practice, cloaked him in mystery, heightening his allure among the disciples.
"Have Cheng Buyu and the others gone up the mountain?" Alex asked, looking at the kneeling Sun Moon Sect disciples at Huashan's misty base.
"Yes, Elder Alex," one disciple answered, nodding quickly. "Half an hour ago, Lu Bai of the Songshan Sect took Feng Buping, Cheng Buyu, and Cong Buqi to the Huashan Sect."
Alex nodded, saying nothing more. With Lin Pingzhi beside him, he headed up Huashan's steep slopes.
The Huashan Sect had few members, just dozens, all gathered in the main hall to face the Sword Sect's challenge for leadership. No one guarded the gate, so Alex and Lin Pingzhi entered the sect easily.
In the main hall, swords flashed with speed. An older man, Feng Buping of the Sword Sect, swung his blade fast as the wind. But a young Huashan disciple—Linghu Chong—blocked every move with a broom, his strikes smooth and clever, hitting weak spots like magic.
Everyone, including Yue Buqun, was caught up in the fight, not noticing Alex and Lin Pingzhi. Yue Buqun's face showed mixed feelings. Linghu Chong's amazing skill could lock in his role as leader, but it also made Yue Buqun jealous. This swordplay was better than his own, even outmatching the Sword Sect.
"I've never seen such incredible swordsmanship," Lu Bai of the Songshan Sect said, amazed. Though rivals, the Five Mountains Sword Sect members couldn't look away from Linghu Chong's skill.
Clang, clang, clang!
Feng Buping, who'd studied swords his whole life, couldn't match the Dugu Nine Swords. His blade flew from his hand, hitting the stone floor. He stared at it, stunned, unable to believe a young Huashan disciple had beaten him.
Clap, clap, clap!
Sudden clapping broke the quiet, catching everyone's attention. "That's the best swordsmanship in the world—really impressive," Alex said, his eyes shining with excitement.
Even without sword training, Alex could see the Dugu Nine Swords' brilliance. Linghu Chong's moves always struck first, finding flaws like a cheat code.
"Ghost Hand Sword Saint, Alex?" The crowd gasped, recognizing him. His fame, nearly as great as Dongfang Bubai's, marked him as a dangerous figure. His sudden arrival shocked them.
Yue Buqun and Lu Bai, who'd seen Alex's power at the Jinpen Retirement Conference, stiffened. There, Alex's qi-controlled sword cut off Ding Mian's hand in one move.
"Why's Elder Alex here at Huashan?" Yue Buqun asked, his face shifting between worry and wonder.
"To give a gift," Alex answered plainly.
"A gift? What kind?" Yue Buqun asked.
"Not for you, though you're Huashan's leader," Alex said, shaking his head. He turned to Linghu Chong. "I've got a sword technique meant for you. Want to learn it?"
"What?" Linghu Chong looked confused. He'd seen Alex beat Tian Boguang in one hit and shine at the Jinpen Retirement Conference. But this offer from someone he barely knew felt odd. Was it a trick?
Though puzzled, Linghu Chong trusted his Dugu Nine Swords and saw Yue Buqun watching. He shook his head. "Thanks, Elder, but Huashan's sword skills are enough for me. Learning Sun Moon Sect stuff…"
"Hold on," Yue Buqun cut in, stopping him. To Alex, he asked, "Elder Alex, are you trying to get Chong'er to join the Sun Moon Sect?"
"It's just a gift, no strings attached," Alex said, shaking his head. "This is my own choice, not the Sun Moon Sect's. I'll teach the technique and leave."
Lu Bai's eyes widened, worry spiking. Was Alex really giving Huashan's disciple the qi-controlled sword skill?
"Master Yue," he said firmly, "the Sun Moon Sect's our enemy. If your disciple learns their skills, how can Huashan stay righteous? Think of Liu Zhengfeng's mistake."
Lu Bai and Yue Buqun both thought Alex meant his qi-controlled swordplay. Yue Buqun always said good and evil don't mix, but a skill this strong could change everything. It might be a Sun Moon Sect trick, but the reward was too big to ignore.
Yue Buqun thought hard, then nodded. "Brother Fei Bin, Elder Alex says this is personal, not the Sun Moon Sect. We can't stop him. Let's do what Elder Alex wants."
As Lu Bai tried to argue, Alex's eyes fixed on him. "Want to test your skills against mine?"
Lu Bai went quiet, remembering Ding Mian's lost hand. His skills weren't better than Ding Mian's. He couldn't speak.
Alex's no-strings offer was too tempting for Yue Buqun, who saw a chance to gain. Though Linghu Chong was carefree, he listened to his master. With Yue Buqun's okay, he stepped toward Alex.
Alex reached out, gently touching Linghu Chong's forehead.
Ding! Removable storage device found!
Alex's mind tapped into the operation interface, pulling up Linghu Chong's D drive like opening a book.
The D drive held all of Linghu Chong's skills—Huashan Basic Swordsmanship, horse riding, and more. Each skill took up different space based on how well he knew it. For example, Huashan Basic Swordsmanship was on both Linghu Chong's and Yue Buqun's D drives, but Yue Buqun's version was bigger because he'd mastered it better.
Even the same skill varied in size depending on the user's skill level. After copying, the strength of the skill would match the original's power.
Alex quickly spotted the "Dugu Nine Swords" file in Linghu Chong's D drive. It was about 5G—bigger than the blocking skill he'd copied from Claire. Without hesitation, he started copying it to his own D drive.
A progress bar popped up. Thanks to Alex's growing strength, copying was faster than when he'd taken Magneto's 10G gene file, which took half an hour. The Dugu Nine Swords, at 5G, would take about seven or eight minutes, judging by the bar.
Seven or eight minutes wasn't long, but standing still, hand on Linghu Chong's forehead, with everyone staring, felt awkward. The hall was quiet, all eyes on Alex as he worked his secret technique.
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