bookbashuk Chapter 28 The Hypocrite
Chapter 28 The Hypocrite
The instant the mask fell, Yue Buqun's expression darkened almost imperceptibly, a flicker of shock, anger, and apprehension crossing his eyes.
However, this loss of composure lasted for less than half a breath before he perfectly concealed it.
When he looked up again, a gentle smile was on his face. He bowed slightly to Zhao Yu, his tone full of praise, without a trace of annoyance.
"Young hero, what superb skills and swift movements! I, Yue, have grown so many years older, yet I couldn't even withstand a single move from you. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."
Looking at him like this, Zhao Yu secretly admired him.
It's true that there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong given names.
Yue Buqun is known as the "Gentleman Sword," and his appearance is truly flawless.
With a face as fair as jade and a neatly trimmed beard, even dressed in black at night with slightly disheveled hair, he could not conceal his gentle and dignified gentlemanly demeanor.
At first glance, everyone would praise him as a gentleman; he is clearly an upright and honorable person.
If he hadn't been familiar with the original work and known what kind of sinister, ruthless, and ambitious thoughts were hidden beneath this gentlemanly exterior, he probably would have been fooled by this appearance as well.
Zhao Yu casually tossed the black veil on his foot, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Sect Leader Yue, please forgive my abruptness. I've revealed your whereabouts; you truly are a kind and honest elder."
"Young hero, you flatter me." Yue Buqun waved his hand, appearing magnanimous. "It was I who concealed my presence first. It's only natural for you to be wary and test me. I'm not so foolish as to hold a grudge against you for such a trivial matter."
"Yeah?"
Zhao Yu gave a casual reply without commenting, then lightly leaped up and landed back on the roof ridge, his gaze still fixed on the courtyard below where the fighting was raging.
Yue Buqun coldly watched his retreating figure, his pupils slightly contracting.
He seemed to have received the palm strike, but in reality, his internal organs were still aching from the strange and powerful force of the palm.
It took several cycles of the Zixia Gong to barely suppress the churning blood and qi.
This young man looked to be no more than twenty years old, yet his inner strength was so profound and his movements so unpredictable that they were unheard of and unseen before.
He was filled with apprehension, but after only a moment's hesitation, he mustered his strength and leaped onto the rooftop, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Yu.
"Dad? It really is you!"
Yue Lingshan then came to her senses, jumped up and pounced on Yue Buqun, grabbing his arm, her almond-shaped eyes wide with surprise and delight.
"I thought that kid was just talking nonsense! What are you doing in Fuzhou? And dressed like that, sneaking around following us?"
Laudenau quickly stepped forward, bowed his head, and whispered, "Master."
Yue Buqun nodded slightly to him, then turned to look at his daughter, his face instantly breaking into a doting smile as he reached out and ruffled her hair.
He said gently, "Silly girl, this is the first time you've traveled so far alone. How could your mother and I not worry? After the affairs at Mount Hua were settled, I quietly followed you here."
"The reason I've kept quiet and haven't met you is to give you some experience during this trip to Fuzhou. You're growing up now, and sooner or later you'll have to travel the world on your own. If I don't take this opportunity to temper your character and hone your skills, how can I rest easy in the future?"
"Dad~~~"
Yue Lingshan's pretty face instantly turned bright red. She stomped her foot in a coquettish tone and glanced shyly at Zhao Yu beside her.
"There are outsiders here, why are you saying these things?"
She considered herself a capable female knight-errant, but in front of strangers, she was scolded by her own father like a child. How could she possibly save face?
Yue Buqun chuckled and shook his head, then looked at Zhao Yu, his tone full of sincerity: "Lingshan, this young hero looks to be about your age, but in terms of martial arts skills alone, even I, your father, am not necessarily his match. How could he laugh at you?"
Upon hearing this, Yue Lingshan immediately pouted, her face full of disbelief.
She acknowledged that Zhao Yu's martial arts skills were superior to hers.
After all, he was able to easily remove her mask and stop her father, so he must be quite capable.
She wouldn't believe a word of it if you told her that this young man, who looked about her age, was more skilled in martial arts than her famous "Gentleman Sword" father.
In her mind, these words were nothing more than her father's gentlemanly manners and his intention to elevate the young man.
She secretly glared at Zhao Yu, muttering to herself: "Pretending to be something you're not, look how much face my dad's giving you."
Yue Buqun naturally noticed his daughter's little actions, but he didn't scold her. Instead, he slowly walked to Zhao Yu's side and looked down at the battlefield with him.
"May I ask your esteemed name, young hero, and which school you belong to? You already know my background, so I will not say any more."
"My surname is Zhao, and my given name is Yu." Zhao Yu continued to look down, where Tong Baixiong and Yu Canghai were locked in a fierce battle.
Without turning his head, he said casually, "I'm just an unknown nobody in the martial arts world. I'm sure Master Yue has never heard of me."
Upon seeing this, Yue Lingshan immediately lost her temper.
Her father asked her questions in a polite tone, but this person didn't even turn his head. How arrogant and rude!
She was about to argue when Yue Buqun stopped her with a gesture and a look, signaling her to calm down.
Yue Buqun still wore a gentle smile: "Young hero, you jest. With your martial arts skills, it's only a matter of time before you become famous throughout the martial world. Why belittle yourself? A sect you come from is just an external thing. In the martial world, in the end, it's your skills that matter."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu finally turned around, looking at him with a half-smile: "Oh? If I were to say that I came from the Sun Moon Divine Sect, and am now a traitor who has left the sect, would Sect Leader Yue still think I could become famous throughout the martial world in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun's smile froze instantly, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
The Sun Moon Cult? A Demonic Cult?
The Five Mountains Sword Sect and the Sun Moon Sect were sworn enemies, fighting for decades, with countless Five Mountains disciples dying at the hands of the demonic sect.
This young man in front of me is actually a member of the Demonic Sect?
Countless thoughts raced through his mind in an instant, but he managed to maintain a forced smile: "Young hero, you jest. The Sun Moon Sect acts eccentrically, but you, young hero, are upright and honorable, unlike the demons and monsters of the sect. These words should not be taken seriously."
"Whether it's a joke or not, Sect Leader Yue will find out soon enough."
Zhao Yu smiled, offered no further explanation, stood up, stretched, and his joints cracked with a series of crisp sounds.
He flexed his wrists and said calmly, "Alright, the next two have finished their fight, it's my turn."
"What do you mean by that?"
Yue Lingshan couldn't help but speak up, looking at him with a puzzled expression: "Are you still going to go down and get involved? They're both bloodthirsty. If you go down now, they'll definitely join forces against you first! Neither the Demonic Sect nor the Qingcheng Sect are good people. Why take the risk?"
Zhao Yu turned around and grinned at her: "A girl your age should wear bright and nice clothes and dress up pretty. Don't try to look ugly all the time, wearing a buck-toothed mask, wasting your good looks."
Yue Lingshan's heart skipped a beat, and her face instantly turned bright red, filled with both shame and anger.
Immediately, she glared at Zhao Yujiao and shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting! What business is it of yours to interfere in my affairs? How old are you to dare lecture me!"