Chapter 127: Supreme Concealment of Emotions

Chapter 127: Supreme Concealment of Emotions

When Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun heard Feng Ziheng's words, they couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

Others pointed out their flaws, yet they did not become angry or ashamed; instead, they meticulously noted these flaws to make themselves stronger.

It was indeed no wonder that the Heavenly Blade Sect had stood firm in the martial world for hundreds of years.

Of course, this was mainly because flaws were different from vulnerabilities.

Flaws were merely oversights in one’s martial arts, loopholes in techniques. If known by others, they could even be used as traps to lure opponents into a false sense of security.

Hence, there was always the saying, "selling a flaw."

In martial confrontations, when skills were roughly equal, what truly mattered was cunning and strategy.

Selling a flaw to make the opponent believe they could succeed, only to fall into a trap and lose the upper hand.

In summary, flaws could be remedied. Even if they couldn't be changed, other methods could be employed to make them less exploitable.

But vulnerabilities were different...

Vulnerabilities typically appeared in impervious protective techniques.

Such techniques, though capable of making one invulnerable to blades and spears, would always have one or two spots that remained unprotected.

These vulnerabilities were generally unchangeable and could only be constantly guarded.

If breached by an opponent, it was possible to lose all one's strength in an instant.

However, today, Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun had witnessed the determination of the Heavenly Blade Sect members in perfecting their martial arts and their ruthlessness towards their own.

After the matter was settled, Liu Mo stepped forward and asked:

"Let me ask you, where is Tong Yun?"

Feng Ziheng gave Liu Mo a cold glance, puzzled by why this outsider was so concerned about his junior master.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun also looked at Fu Hanyuan, curious about his response.

To their surprise, Fu Hanyuan's eyes were filled with confusion: "Tong Yun... who is he?"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo's eyebrows immediately rose. He recalled that among the names Fu Hanyuan had mentioned earlier, there was indeed no mention of Tong Yun.

This meant that Fu Hanyuan was unaware of Tong Yun's flaw!

The mysterious person who had revealed almost all the flaws of the Heavenly Blade Sect's leadership had omitted Tong Yun!

Yang Xiaoyun couldn't help but glance at Su Mo, her eyes inscrutable.

Su Mo nodded slightly, falling into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Liu Mo's voice broke through the silence: "You don't know Tong Yun? The Unstoppable Blade, Tong Yun!"

"...Somewhat familiar, but not very. Is he a well-known hero in the martial world?"

Fu Hanyuan was even more confused than Liu Mo.

Su Mo thought for a moment and asked, "How exactly did you come to challenge the Heavenly Blade Sect?"

"This..."

Fu Hanyuan fell silent for a moment before speaking, recounting his story.

He was originally not a martial artist.

Just a farmer.

The northern land was desolate, with few people around. He barely managed to survive on a few acres of frozen fields.

One night, he suddenly heard noises outside, seemingly a martial conflict.

Terrified, he stayed in bed all night without daring to move. Only when dawn approached and everything calmed down did he finally drift off to sleep.

The next morning, upon waking and stepping outside, he discovered a corpse in his woodpile.

He assumed it was left by the people from last night, who had killed and discarded the body carelessly.

Cursing his bad luck, he decided to dig a grave and bury the body, giving him a proper burial.

On a whim, he thought that these martial artists might carry money. Since he was providing a proper burial, taking some compensation wasn't unreasonable. So, he began searching the body.

However, he found no money, but instead discovered a secret manual, which contained the Frost True Qi technique.

Being illiterate, he initially thought the manual was useless. But the text in the manual was intentionally misleading.

Ordinary practitioners would naturally read the manual word by word, memorizing it thoroughly before practicing.

Otherwise, once true qi started flowing through the meridians, not knowing where to direct it would be laughable.

The author of the Frost True Qi seemed to have deliberately used misleading text, combined with illustrations, to prevent anyone from mastering the technique.

Over decades, many storms had been stirred, yet no one had ever succeeded in mastering this martial art.

Unable to read, Fu Hanyuan found the illustrations interesting and decided to follow them step by step.

Unburdened by the text, his mind was pure, fitting the conditions for cultivation.

By chance, his internal strength progressed rapidly, and he gradually developed true qi, occasionally displaying remarkable effects.

Once a person acquires skills, their mindset naturally changes.

Before he mastered martial arts, Fu Hanyuan was timid and fearful of trouble. After acquiring martial arts, he considered himself a man, but having only internal energy without techniques ultimately proved futile. Thus, he set his house on fire, packed his belongings, and ventured into the world.

He wanted to learn a set of skills and make a name for himself in the world.

This journey was arduous, especially since he had no foundation, making it even more challenging.

Through trials and tribulations, his inherent straightforwardness gradually wore off, replaced by the cunning and sophistication of the world.

Over the following years, he pieced together a set of skills, which, when driven by Heavenly Frost True Qi, produced remarkable effects.

Only then did he begin to challenge numerous experts in the north.

However, these challenges were fraught with setbacks. His skills were haphazard, and he lacked combat experience. While the application of Heavenly Frost True Qi could surprise his opponents, once they were prepared, he was no match.

In the end, he received more beatings than victories.

Worse still, his Heavenly Frost True Qi was leaked, leading to a pursuit by those who sought to obtain it from him!

It was at this moment that he encountered the person who pointed out the weaknesses of the Heavenly Blade Sect and saved him.

He did not know where this person came from, only that his martial arts were extremely high, and Fu Hanyuan admitted that he was no match for him now.

The person told Fu Hanyuan that the north was merely a desolate place, and even if he became the top expert there, he would still be a frog at the bottom of a well.

Only by stepping out of this place could he see the vastness of the world.

Impressed by this person's broad horizons and formidable martial arts, Fu Hanyuan held his words as gospel.

The person then told Fu Hanyuan that he could help him gain fame in the world, but in return, he needed Fu Hanyuan to do something for him after achieving success.

Without much thought, Fu Hanyuan agreed, for this person had saved his life and could help him achieve fame; how could he refuse?

Having witnessed the wonders of the world, how could he possibly be content to return to his frozen fields?

He had to leave his mark in this world.

The person then told Fu Hanyuan that his name lacked power and needed to be changed to sound more impressive.

Thus, the name 'Fu Hanyuan' was born.

Over the next two years, this person continuously guided Fu Hanyuan in martial arts and occasionally provided him with pills, claiming they could enhance his strength and internal energy.

After prolonged interaction, Fu Hanyuan trusted this person immensely, and indeed, his internal energy advanced at an unprecedented rate after taking the pills.

During this period, the person also encouraged Fu Hanyuan to challenge several renowned experts in the north.

At first, Fu Hanyuan was hesitant, but as he won battles, his mindset began to change.

His reputation grew, and he indeed became a notable figure in the north.

Even those who had pursued him either fled or begged for mercy at his feet.

His confidence soared.

This is why, when Feng Ziheng said 'never heard of you,' Fu Hanyuan flew into a rage.

At that point, he held himself in high regard and could not tolerate anyone not knowing his name.

The person who guided him, however, sometimes disappeared and reappeared, seemingly indifferent to his growing fame.

Fu Hanyuan thought this person would be pleased, but instead, he showed cold indifference, which left Fu Hanyuan somewhat resentful.

Their words gradually led to conflict, and the person finally said coldly:

"Do you truly believe that making a minor name for yourself in the north makes you a significant figure? To the south lies Heavenly Gate Mountain, where the Heavenly Blade Sect resides. The sect is filled with experts, any one of whom could easily beat you to the ground!"

Naturally, Fu Hanyuan was not convinced.

But the person challenged him to prove it, using the sword techniques of the Heavenly Blade Sect to test Fu Hanyuan.

They engaged in combat immediately.

The person's sword techniques were unlike anything Fu Hanyuan had ever seen. In just a few moves, Fu Hanyuan was defeated.

This defeat ignited his competitive spirit.

From then on, the person used the techniques of the Heavenly Blade Sect to spar with Fu Hanyuan, revealing details about the sect's experts, their skills, and their weaknesses.

Over time, Fu Hanyuan knew these details by heart.

After several months, the person suddenly stopped sparring with Fu Hanyuan.

When Fu Hanyuan asked why, the person replied, "Your skills are now sufficient to challenge the experts in the southwestern martial world. You should set out to test your abilities."

Delighted, Fu Hanyuan was ready to depart.

But the person asked if he remembered their agreement.

Fu Hanyuan nodded immediately, recalling that this person would help him gain fame in exchange for doing one thing for him.

That thing was to defeat the experts of the Heavenly Blade Sect and make them hand over the Golden Jade Cone.

Fu Hanyuan readily agreed, and thus, he arrived at the Heavenly Blade Sect...

The rest of the story was known to everyone present.

...

...

After hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.

Initially, they had assumed that Fu Hanyuan was part of the group, but if what he said was true, then he was merely a pawn.

However, it was a pawn meticulously crafted over several years.

From start to finish, the target was only the Heavenly Blade Sect.

Reflecting on today's events, it seemed that the target was specifically Nangong Yu's sealed blade from five years ago.

Once this blade was unleashed, they no longer had any reservations.

Although it took years to hone this pawn, once used, he was discarded without a second thought, regardless of whether he would be captured by the Heavenly Blade Sect.

After all, even if he were captured, according to his account, Fu Hanyuan knew nothing about the group, so they suffered no real loss.

Despite this, the person's familiarity with the Heavenly Blade Sect far exceeded expectations.

Combining all the information, Su Mo found that the most likely candidate was Tong Yun.

Fu Hanyuan knew all the weaknesses of the Heavenly Blade Sect's experts except for Tong Yun.

The person was also skilled in the Heavenly Blade Sect's martial arts.

After the person went missing, the Suspend Moon Blade was stolen.

Then Fu Hanyuan came to challenge them, each event leading to one goal... the Golden Jade Cone.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, he saw Liu Mo suddenly ask Feng Ziheng, "May I ask, has Child of the Unending Blade, Tong Yun, ever left the Heavenly Blade Sect in recent years?"

Feng Ziheng gave him a cold look and then shook his head lightly:

"Little Uncle has been secluded in the mountain gate for a long time. He spends his days either admiring the scenery on the back mountain or drinking tea in the courtyard. It has been over a decade since he last left the Heavenly Blade Sect."

Liu Mo nodded, but his frown deepened.

He then questioned Fu Hanyuan about the person who had guided him, but Fu Hanyuan spoke vaguely, only knowing that the person was not too old and wore a white mask with no expression.

The excuse was that the person was born with an ugly face and wore the mask to avoid startling others.

Thus, despite spending two or three years together, Fu Hanyuan had no idea what the person looked like.

And he knew nothing about the person's name.

Previously, Fu Hanyuan felt that this was a meeting of heroes, a mutual admiration, and there was no need to know each other's names.

But now he realized he had probably been completely betrayed...

Seeing that nothing more could be gleaned from this person, Feng Ziheng waved for someone to take him away.

As Fu Hanyuan was dragged off, he shouted, "I am innocent... I am truly innocent..."

But no one paid much attention.

Yang Xiaoyun suddenly mused, "Fu Hanyuan... wronged?"

She glanced at Su Mo, "His name was given to him by the person who guided him... now it seems it was a forewarning."

Su Mo was taken aback; he hadn't expected this angle: "Xiaoyun, your perspective is quite surprising."

But looking at Feng Ziheng and Liu Mo's expressions, he saw they were not pleased.

They had hoped Fu Hanyuan would provide some inside information.

Instead, they were greatly disappointed.

Just then, the door opened, and a Heavenly Blade Sect disciple stepped out, his eyes sharp and piercing.

Feng Ziheng glanced back at him, "The Sect Master is awake?"

"Yes, please come in, honored guests."

The man nodded, his sharp gaze sweeping over Su Mo and the others.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun stood up immediately.

Since the Heavenly Blade Sect was here, they should meet the host before leaving.

Earlier, they had waited for Nangong Yu to wake up, and now that he was awake and Liu Mo had his answers, they planned to bid farewell after seeing Nangong Yu.

Stepping inside, they entered the bedroom.

Sure enough, Nangong Yu was awake, sitting by the bed. When he saw them, the old Sect Master did something that made Su Mo feel a chill run down his spine.

He smiled!!

While not everyone in the Heavenly Blade Sect was expressionless, those with expressions were few.

At this moment, he actually smiled!

Su Mo's first reaction was to wonder if the old Sect Master had been replaced by someone else.

Yang Xiaoyun and Liu Mo also tensed up, instinctively scanning their surroundings, feeling as if they had walked into a trap.

Seeing their reactions, Nangong Yu's expression turned from amusement to exasperation, his eyes still half-open, but otherwise normal.

He gently waved his hand and said, "Why such alarm, my friends? After releasing the pent-up blade intent from five years of seclusion and suffering severe injuries, my internal energy is reduced to a fraction of its former strength, and my sharpness is gone. Before I recover, my expressions will be no different from a normal person's..."

He actually knew the crux of the matter and explained it on the spot.

Su Mo marveled, "So it seems that the Heavenly Blade Sect is not as cold-hearted as rumored."

"Not only are they not cold-hearted..."

Nangong Yu continued, "But they are even more sensitive than ordinary people. Our martial arts aim for supreme detachment, achieving harmony between heaven and man. However, our founding ancestor had a unique insight, believing that the intensity of sword techniques lies in the strength of emotions. Therefore, he altered the 'forget' in 'supreme detachment' to 'hide'!

"Hide the intent within, hide the blade in the scabbard, hide the feelings in the heart.

"With this mindset, one unites with the blade, forging the supreme sword technique.

"This is what we call the unity of man and blade.

"However, practicing this method results in an overly sharp demeanor, with outward sharpness and inner feelings hidden. This indeed affects one's temperament.

"The external manifestation is difficulty in expressing emotions, with the core being to conceal feelings. How can one reveal too much? It inevitably gives off a cold and stern impression.

"But internally, they are passionate and sensitive, considering everything carefully. Yet, due to the 'hide,' there is a lack of means to express, ultimately leading to misunderstandings from the world, thinking all disciples of the Heavenly Blade Sect are as cold as blades.

"Unfortunately, most disciples of the Heavenly Blade Sect, hindered by their mental techniques, are not good at speaking. Even when faced with misunderstandings, there is little room for explanation.

"Over time, they have come to accept it."

Nangong Yu didn't treat Su Mo and the others as outsiders, directly revealing the core of the Heavenly Blade Sect's internal techniques.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged glances. Even Liu Mo, who knew that the people of the Heavenly Blade Sect were outwardly cold but inwardly warm, hadn't expected such a reason behind it.

Supreme detachment, supreme concealment...

A single character difference, yet a world apart. No wonder it wasn't recognized by the orthodox.

The gap was truly immense.

"Today's events, I believe you all understand now."

After explaining, Nangong Yu had everyone sit down and sighed, "The Jade Cone has been hidden in the Heavenly Blade Sect for decades. Since Master Uncle Tong Yun disappeared and the Moon Suspend Sword was stolen, we have suspected that these people were after the Jade Cone.

"However, we didn't expect that there would be an interlude involving Fu Hanyuan.

"Although I tried my best to increase manpower, it was still insufficient... resulting in the loss of the Jade Cone.

"Laughably, we still don't know who our enemy is.

"I apologize for any inconvenience, Chief Su."

Su Mo waved his hand, saying he dared not.

But he pondered, "May I ask, Sect Leader Nangong, why did the theft of the Moon Suspend Sword and the disappearance of Tong Yun lead you to conclude that this was related to the Jade Cone?"

"Hmm?"

Nangong Yu was taken aback, then patted his head, "I forgot to mention, the place where the Jade Cone is stored requires the Moon Suspend Sword as a key, and the secret location is known only to me and Master Uncle Tong Yun."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo raised an eyebrow:

"Sect Leader Nangong, please forgive me for asking another question. Where were you when you saw the black-clothed person?"

"...In front of the treasure vault, there was a fire inside. I was worried about the Jade Cone, but when I arrived, it was safe. Instead, this group of people appeared from somewhere unknown."

Nangong Yu sighed repeatedly, "I watched helplessly as they used the Moon Suspend Sword to open the vault and take the Jade Cone!"

Su Mo let out a breath, feeling that this matter... differed from what he had imagined.