Zhou Zhiruo was very beautiful. When she heard Zhang Sanfeng instruct Zhou Yan to personally teach Zhou Zhiruo swordsmanship, it naturally aroused Song Qingshu's dissatisfaction. However, he had no choice, as Zhou Yan was his martial uncle.
Moreover, Zhou Yan had suppressed him for seven full years, far surpassing him in both strength and appearance, so he could only harbor his discontent inwardly.
Afterward, Zhou Zhiruo settled in.
Zhou Zhiruo was very proactive. She found Zhou Yan immediately and said, "Martial Brother, your master asked you to teach me the Wudang swordsmanship. When will you start teaching me?"
"Let's start now," Zhou Yan replied.
"Okay, okay." Zhou Zhiruo was very happy. Zhou Yan was exceptionally handsome, and no woman would not be moved, especially a young girl like her experiencing first love, who was even more unable to resist Zhou Yan's charisma.
Thus, Zhou Yan began to teach Zhou Zhiruo the Wudang swordsmanship hand-in-hand. He also often spoke of things that made her very curious, which filled Zhou Zhiruo's heart with endless curiosity about Zhou Yan and deeply attracted her.
This made Song Qingshu, who was hiding nearby, very angry.
"Martial Brother Song, ever since this Zhou Yan arrived, the entire Wudang sect has been spreading rumors that he will be the next sect leader," said a Wudang disciple beside him.
"Yes, Martial Brother Song, what's so good about this Zhou Yan? Not only are all the senior uncles full of praise for him, but even the Grand Master always praises him. He's just relying on some talent. I think Martial Brother Song is more suitable to be the sect leader."
"Exactly, I also think Martial Brother Song is more suitable."
"Forget it, while Zhou Yan is away, we can go and tease Zhang Wuji." Song Qingshu decided to find an outlet for his anger. Usually, Zhou Yan protected Zhang Wuji, but now that Zhou Yan was teaching Zhou Zhiruo swordplay, it was the perfect time to bully him.
A few days later, in the morning, Song Yuanqiao announced, "All disciples, heed my command. For the next three months, Master will be comprehending the profound mysteries of the Tai Chi Swordplay. All major and minor affairs of Wudang will be managed with Zhou Yan's approval. You must all obey the instructions of Martial Uncle Zhou Yan."
"Yes," all the Wudang disciples replied.
Among the various halls, only Song Qingshu was unconvinced in his heart. If it weren't for Zhou Yan, these matters should have been handled by him.
Zhou Zhiruo soon heard that Zhou Yan was temporarily in charge of Wudang's affairs and was very happy. A person like him would surely inherit the position of sect leader in the future.
"Martial Brother Zhou, congratulations," Zhou Zhiruo, having specially dressed up, came to Zhou Yan's residence.
"You look quite beautiful today," Zhou Yan praised her.
This made Zhou Zhiruo very happy and she asked, "Then does Martial Brother Zhou like me dressed like this?"
Zhou Yan directly pulled Zhou Zhiruo into his arms and said, "Naturally."
Afterward, Zhou Yan kissed her directly. Zhou Zhiruo was greatly surprised, but she also liked Zhou Yan very much in her heart, so she let him kiss her.
Zhou Yan directly put Zhou Zhiruo on the bed. Zhou Zhiruo was shocked and quickly said, "Martial Brother, isn't this too fast?"
Zhou Yan replied, "Don't worry, I will personally go to Emei to marry you."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiruo became very happy and no longer resisted.
Then, Zhou Yan successfully took Zhou Zhiruo into his embrace, and they slept until evening.
Afterward, Zhou Yan heard a commotion outside.
"What's all the noise?" Zhou Zhiruo, lying in Zhou Yan's arms, was completely exhausted.
"Rest well, and I'll be back," Zhou Yan said.
"Mhm," Zhou Zhiruo nodded obediently.
He went to the main hall and found that the Heaven Reliant Sword was missing. He then inquired from the Wudang disciples and learned that Song Qingshu had taken disciples to chase after a woman from the Ming Cult and Zhang Wuji.
"They've come so quickly." He quickly pursued them and saw Song Qingshu, wielding the Heaven Reliant Sword, strike Zhang Wuji and Xiao Zhao off the cliff with a single sword stroke.
Zhou Yan hurried over and jumped off the cliff with them.
The Wudang disciples were greatly alarmed upon seeing this. "What should we do? This cliff is bottomless. Jumping from such a height will likely be fatal!"
"And if Master and the others find out, we'll all be punished. Martial Uncle Zhou Yan is the successor to the sect leader! What should we do?"
"Should we report it to Master and the others?"
Seeing Zhou Yan jump off the cliff to save Zhang Wuji, Song Qingshu was inwardly delighted. He wished that both Zhang Wuji and Zhou Yan would fall to their deaths.
Hearing them mention reporting to his father and others, he quickly said, "Why the panic? Now that Junior Martial Uncle has unfortunately fallen off the cliff while saving Junior Martial Brother Wuji, I will be in charge of all Wudang affairs from now on."
"This..."
"What, do you have any objections?" Song Qingshu looked at the other Wudang disciples with unfriendly eyes.
"Your disciples dare not."
"Then it's settled." Song Qingshu was smug.
...
After Zhou Yan jumped off the cliff, his powerful spiritual energy began to circulate. He grabbed Zhang Wuji with his left hand and Xiao Zhao with his right, and then safely landed on the ground with them.
Seeing it was Zhou Yan, Zhang Wuji quickly said, "Junior Martial Uncle, why are you here?"
"If I hadn't come, you would all be corpses by now," Zhou Yan replied.
Even without him, Zhang Wuji, with his protagonist's halo, wouldn't have died just like that.
"Martial Uncle?" Xiao Zhao looked at Zhou Yan and asked Zhang Wuji, "He's about our age. You call him Martial Uncle?"
"He's a disciple taken by my Grand Master. Is there anything wrong with me calling him Martial Uncle?" Zhang Wuji replied.
Xiao Zhao looked at Zhou Yan curiously. Her bright eyes were full of wonder. "He not only looks quite handsome but is also very righteous. He dared to jump down from such a height without hesitation. He's not an ordinary person."
"Of course. My Junior Martial Uncle has astonishing talent. In the entire Wudang sect, besides my Grand Master, his strength is the strongest. And he has treated me like a brother since childhood."
After saying that, Zhang Wuji looked at Zhou Yan and said, "It's just that I've implicated Junior Martial Uncle this time."
Zhou Yan said nonchalantly, "Since you called me Martial Uncle, I couldn't just watch you die."
"Exactly, your Martial Uncle is very righteous. You should be fortunate to have such a Martial Uncle," Xiao Zhao replied.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past, startling Xiao Zhao, who retreated several steps. She wondered, "Could there be monsters here?"
Afterward, they saw a giant stone ball rushing towards them. Zhou Yan did not want to reveal his strength and led them to dodge.
"Hahaha, I haven't eaten human flesh for a long time. Zhang Sanfeng made me suffer here. Eating two of his grand-disciples is not too much, is it?" Huo Gong Tou Tuo laughed heartily, landing on the large stone ball.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wuji quickly said, "Are you that Huo Gong Tou Tuo from Shaolin Temple?"
"Someone still remembers me." Huo Gong Tou Tuo's eyes lit up. He looked at Xiao Zhao behind them and said, "The girl behind you is tender and fair-skinned. She must be much tastier than you."
Xiao Zhao, frightened, hid behind Zhou Yan, tightly gripping his clothes.
As for Zhang Wuji, who had no martial arts, she didn't expect anything from him and only hoped Zhou Yan could prevent her from being eaten.
"Eating a young girl is not a feat. If you want to eat, eat me," Zhang Wuji stepped forward and said.
Huo Gong Tou Tuo saw Zhang Wuji's heroic spirit and immediately let them go, not attacking.
However, Zhang Wuji's Xuanming Divine Palm symptoms relapsed, causing Xiao Zhao to quickly ask, "What's wrong with him?"
"His Xuanming Divine Palm injury has relapsed." Zhou Yan then took out some pills and gave them to Zhang Wuji to swallow.
Huo Gong Tou Tuo was very surprised and said, "Xuanming Divine Palm is an extremely yin and evil technique, with no known cure. It must be Zhang Sanfeng's profound inner energy that has kept you going all these years. However, my 'Nine Yang Divine Skill' happens to be the nemesis of Xuanming Divine Palm. As long as you shout that Zhang Sanfeng is a bastard, I will teach you the first form of 'Nine Yang Divine Skill' to combat the cold poison."
Zhang Wuji immediately shouted, "You wish!"
Huo Gong Tou Tuo was displeased and wanted to attack Zhang Wuji. Zhou Yan quickly blocked him.
Huo Gong Tou Tuo looked at Zhou Yan and said, "I didn't expect Wudang to have produced a disciple like you besides Zhang Sanfeng."
"Do you want to fight me?" Zhou Yan said.
"I'm not so eager to die that I would bully a junior like you," Huo Gong Tou Tuo replied.
Zhou Yan said, "How about this: if this junior can defeat you, please teach me the 'Nine Yang Divine Skill'?"
"Junior Martial Uncle, please don't. He is very powerful," Zhang Wuji knew Zhou Yan was doing this for him.
"Don't worry, your Martial Uncle won't be defeated so easily," Zhou Yan said confidently.
"But this guy looks very troublesome," Xiao Zhao said.
"What are you afraid of? I can handle it," Zhou Yan replied.
Huo Gong Tou Tuo burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Hahaha, what a joke! I admit I can't defeat Zhang Sanfeng, but you, you're still far from it."
"Don't you dare, Senior?" Zhou Yan pressed.
"Fine, as long as you can defeat me, I will hand over the 'Nine Yang Divine Skill' with both hands," Huo Gong Tou Tuo said.
"Junior Martial Uncle, be careful."