Chapter 373 - 218: Hidden Dragon List 72 (4)

Chapter 373: Chapter 218: Hidden Dragon List 72 (4)

However, there were a few exceptions who distinguished themselves shortly after they began practicing, surpassing their peers and earning the admiration of their instructors.

Lv Liangdong watched Xie Yuan in the back row. With one hand clasped behind his back and the other stroking his beard, he nodded slightly.

’This Zhang Shan... As expected of someone who could last so long on Sword Peak. He’s extraordinarily talented and remarkably perceptive. He’s already grasped the basics of the Cloud-Entering Sword Skill.’

’How many months has he been training? All told, he hasn’t even been in the Inner Sect for more than a few months. In fact, it’s only been a year since he first came to the mountain—if you count his time in the Servants’ Courtyard.’

’Talent like his is a rarity in all of Cloud Mountain. By all rights, one of the Grandmasters should have already taken him as a disciple...’

’But the Grandmasters came to observe him one after another, and every one of them left shaking their heads.’

’It looks like... could it be that this Zhang Shan has some kind of hidden affliction?’

Lv Liangdong didn’t understand it at first. Only later, after overhearing some disciples quietly discussing it, did he learn of a rumor.

Apparently, the Sect Leader, Li Xingtuo, wanted to take Zhang Shan as his personal disciple. He had used both threats and inducements on the elders of the various branches, which only resulted in them cursing him out and airing all the dirty laundry from his youth.

Having been at Cloud Mountain for a long time, Lv Liangdong felt this sounded exactly like Li Xingtuo’s style. ’Don’t be fooled by his current appearance as a model Sect Leader. A leopard can’t change its spots.’

However, much time passed, and Zhang Shan remained in the Inner Sect, perfectly fine. Aside from frequently requesting leave to go down the mountain for a few days, he was a model disciple who never missed his morning or evening training.

Gradually, the disciples stopped discussing the matter. The rumors of Zhang Shan ascending to the main peak faded away, and it was as if he had become just another ordinary Inner Sect Disciple.

But Lv Liangdong could see that Zhang Shan was anything but ordinary.

Even in the Inner Sect, which was filled with elites, his progress in Swordsmanship was a cut above the rest. He would make sudden leaps in skill every so often, having abrupt epiphanies, completely unlike the steady, step-by-step progress of others.

’It’s as if... as if the guy had already mastered the Swordsmanship long ago and only decided to show a bit of his true skill when he felt the time was right.’

Lv Liangdong shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought.

’Since the Grandmasters wouldn’t teach him for one reason or another, then he would do his best to instruct this rare talent himself.’

’Not that he really needed to say much. It seemed Zhang Shan figured things out on his own anyway.’

"Very good. Your stances are precise, your energy is vigorous, and it’s full of Sword Intent! Zhang Shan, have you had another epiphany recently? Keep up the good work."

Lv Liangdong walked to the back of the formation, his tone full of praise.

Xie Yuan raised his sword in a salute and said respectfully,

"Thank you for the praise, Instructor Lv! It’s all because of your excellent instruction that I’m able to have these frequent insights while practicing."

A faint smile touched Lv Liangdong’s lips upon hearing this.

’If a disciple with poor skills had said that, it would be shameless flattery from someone with ulterior motives.’

’But coming from Xie Yuan, it was a sign of humility and politeness, proof that he was both tactful and clever.’

Everyone likes to hear a compliment. Despite his often-stern expression and meticulous supervision of the disciples’ training, Lv Liangdong was no stuffy old man, out of touch with the ways of the world.

On the contrary, as the head instructor of Ruyun Peak, Lv Liangdong was quite savvy. It was just that with his high seniority and vast experience, he generally paid no mind to such things, focusing only on a disciple’s martial skill.

Any disciple with poor skills who tried to scrape by on connections would certainly face twice the punishment.

But for someone with great skill and a proper attitude, it was seen as being both talented and courteous, a sign of worldliness that was truly admirable.

Lv Liangdong offered some gentle encouragement.

"Ultimately, it’s up to you. Keep practicing."

He then turned his head, his face growing stern again.

"The rest of you, learn from Zhang Shan’s attitude toward training! Look how focused he is when he holds his sword. Don’t be afraid of a little hard work. All you know how to do is slack off!"

"Yes..."

Seeing Instructor Lv praise Zhang Shan yet again—even cracking a rare smile on his perpetually stern face—only to turn back to them with the same old lecture, the other disciples began muttering under their breath.

’What a try-hard! A total bootlicker! All he does all day is practice his sword to suck up to the instructors!’

’He trains in the morning, trains at night, and still trains by himself during the day! Are all the guys from the Servants’ Courtyard this desperate?’

’He lasted nine days on Sword Peak. What league am I in? How can I compare to him?’

’I’ve never even been to Sword Peak. If I had the chance, I bet I could do it too...’

Xie Yuan’s diligence during sword practice was truly commendable, and combined with his excellent results, it was only natural that the instructors favored him. In large classes, it was inevitable that a few students would be singled out as examples, and so the same scenes that had played out in the Outer Sect and the Servants’ Courtyard were now repeating themselves.

Many disciples assumed his intense habits were just a holdover from his time in the Servants’ and Outer Courtyards. They had no idea that their predecessors in those places had long suffered because of him, praying day and night for him to finally ascend to Ruyun Peak. It was hard to say whether Xie Yuan’s rapid advancement was secretly aided by the collective willpower of his former peers. Thus, the suffering was transferred from the Half-Mountain Stream and Waterfall up to the summit of Ruyun Peak, while the smiles of relief traveled in the opposite direction.

The more Lv Liangdong looked at Xie Yuan, the more satisfied he became.

’He’s diligent in his sword practice, his skills are excellent, his attitude is respectful, and his appearance is... well, honest and simple. He looks so proper and upright, the kind of person you can tell at a glance would never deceive anyone.’

’The very model of a perfect disciple.’

’I really don’t understand why no one has taken him as a disciple.’

’If he himself didn’t already treat every Inner Sect Disciple as his own student, never holding anything back but also never taking a personal disciple, he would probably be entertaining the thought himself.’

When the group class ended, many disciples ran up to Instructor Lv to ask questions about their Swordsmanship. Others gathered in small groups to discuss amongst themselves.

After all, working in isolation yields limited insight; brainstorming with others can often help one break through personal hurdles.

Xie Yuan also exchanged a few words with Lin Cheng.

Of course, most of the time, what they called a "discussion" was in reality Xie Yuan giving Lin Cheng pointers. On rare occasions, however, Lin Cheng’s ideas or the problems he encountered would also give Xie Yuan a flash of inspiration, allowing him to benefit as well. It was a perfect example of the proverb: the stone of another mountain can be used to polish one’s own jade.