Chapter 5: Tian Boguang

After narrowly escaping death, Du Yu was panting, when he heard a mocking sneer. Startled, he quickly stood up, clutching his blood-stained sword, and sharply asked, "Who's there?"

Just as the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, a disaster may be looming. Du Yu's health was only at 18 points, not much better than the heavily injured Black Viper.

A figure appeared on the stone gate of the "Huashan School," laughing out loud. "Interesting! Interesting! Two amateurs battling it out to the death, using cunning tactics. Quite entertaining."

In the figure's hand, he held a petite body dressed in a large green nun's robe. Although lacking the customary black hair, it was clear that he had captured a nun.

Du Yu groaned inwardly, but maintained a stern expression as he shouted, "Who are you?"

"Master, you ask for my name?" The figure leaped down from the 10-foot-high stone gate of the mountain and landed lightly in front of Du Yu.

Du Yu's heart trembled as he observed the figure. Leaping down from such a height without any signs of injury, and with a nun in hand—what kind of extraordinary light-footed skill was this? This person's martial arts prowess was definitely superior to that of Huashan School's Liu Monkey Lu Dayou.

Upon closer inspection, the figure had an ordinary face, but his eyes gleamed with occasional flashes. He was well-dressed, muscular, and moved with the agility of a leopard—an expert of the highest caliber in the martial world.

"Since I have been observing your fight for some time now, I feel that you are an interesting match," the figure said casually. "So, let me tell you, my uncle is Tian Boguang, known as Wanli Lonely Walk..." Tian Boguang's tone was nonchalant.

Du Yu was momentarily stunned. Tian Boguang? The flower thief from "Swordsman"? That meant the nun in his grasp must be Yilin from the Hengshan School.

Looking up, Du Yu confirmed that Yilin was indeed a breathtaking beauty, akin to a celestial being. Although Yilin appeared unconscious, whether due to acupressure or the effects of incense, her delicate features remained enchanting. Even without her black hair, her stunning face still retained its beauty.

In Tian Boguang's grip, Yilin's fluttering eyelashes indicated her fear in her unconscious state. Her cherry lips moved slightly, as if reciting Buddhist scriptures or praying for the protection of Bodhisattva in her dreams. Du Yu couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.

Observing Du Yu's mesmerized gaze on Yilin, Tian Boguang didn't seem annoyed. On the contrary, he laughed heartily, like a wine enthusiast flaunting their prized collection to fellow enthusiasts or a writer boasting about their masterpiece.

"Young man, you are quite a rogue! And how about you, sir?" Tian Boguang inquired, referring to Du Yu's reputation. "How many innocent maidens and young wives have fallen victim to your charm?"

In Du Yu's heart, he lamented that he was an earnest and diligent individual, except for his extensive knowledge of action movies from a certain island country. Regarding his reputation with maidens and young wives, there hadn't been an opportunity to tarnish it, which was truly regrettable. But it seemed Tian Boguang was testing him, so he had no choice but to put on a brave face and respond, "Well, my good sir, I have peculiar tastes. I'm not fond of virgins; instead, I have a penchant for married women, particularly those with maturity. Please forgive me for my unorthodox preferences."

Little did he know that his words would elicit a newfound excitement in Tian Boguang's eyes, and his mouth almost watered, as if Boya had met Ziqi or Ximen Qing had encountered Pan Jinlian. "Hahaha! Young man, your tastes align perfectly with mine! I too don't care for virgins. What's the point of crying and being naive? Married women are far superior. Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous!"

Tian Boguang clapped his large hand onto Du Yu's shoulder, nearly causing internal injuries with the force. However, Du Yu noticed the change in Tian Boguang's address from "master" to "brother," indicating that his earlier remarks had struck a chord with the flower thief.

Waving his hand, Tian Boguang said, "We're currently at the mountain gate of the Huashan Sect. I've heard that Yue Laoer is holding a discipleship gathering. I happened to pass by and thought I'd join in the fun. But now, with you, brother, by my side, I have no interest in attending that meeting. It's not an ideal place for a good chat. Let's go to Luoyang City and revel in debauchery! I'll treat you to another visit to Qunyuyuan. Hahaha..."

Du Yu smiled wryly. He was a righteous and principled individual, yet somehow he had been branded as an eternal villain.

The three of them descended the mountain, and Tian Boguang proved himself worthy of the title "traveler alone in a thousand miles." His speed was astonishing, as if he were a blur, effortlessly carrying Yilin. Du Yu exerted his utmost effort but couldn't keep up, requesting that Tian Boguang slow down.

Annoyed, Tian Boguang turned his head and said, "Brother, it's not me talking about you, but if you can't even master the basic lightness kung fu after venturing this far, it's quite disappointing. You see, having excellent fist, foot, and sword skills is not crucial for our flower-picking trade. Lightness is

 the key to survival. You need to practice it diligently."

Du Yu had an idea. If he could learn some skills from Tian Boguang, why not take this opportunity to become an apprentice?

"Brother Tian, I am truly ashamed. In that case, please accept me as your disciple. I'm willing to bow down to you," Du Yu said resolutely, bowing his head to ensure his survival.

Tian Boguang grabbed Du Yu's arm, a half-smile forming on his face. "Though you and I share a connection, I'm accustomed to being a lone wolf. I'm not used to having followers. Your martial arts are poor, and if I bring you along to engage in petty theft, you'll surely be caught. Won't that be a bother, brother?"

Du Yu knew this was a crucial moment for apprenticeship, so he gritted his teeth. "Brother Tian, please tell me how I can learn your martial arts."

Tian Boguang nodded. "Since we are friends, there's no need for formalities. I'll teach you one of my unique skills. However, I can only instruct you to a certain level. The rest is up to your individual practice. How does that sound?"

Du Yu knew that Tian Boguang, with 20 favorability points, was offering him the best conditions. While the skills he would be taught were only at a beginner's level, it was still better than nothing. Thus, Du Yu agreed with a nod.

Chuckling, Tian Boguang said, "I have two sets of martial arts—Kuangfeng Saber Technique and Wanli Walking Lightness Kungfu. Which one would you like to learn?"

Du Yu's heart skipped a beat. In the recent life-or-death battle with the Black Viper, having the Wind Saber Technique and wielding a large knife would have likely prevented the dire situation he found himself in. However, mastering Wanli Walking Lightness Kungfu would offer him invaluable speed and agility.

After careful consideration, Du Yu responded in a deep voice, "Brother, I wish to learn your Wanli Walking Lightness Kungfu!"

This decision was the result of Du Yu's thorough contemplation. With his current appearance as [Wolf Gu Xuan Kuang], he had become an outcast in the righteous martial arts world, marked for death upon encountering Yue Buqun and likely others as well. Considering how Lu Dayou effortlessly dispatched the Black Viper, even with a basic understanding of the Wind Saber Technique, Du Yu realized he would be ill-equipped to deal with formidable opponents.

In the world of martial arts, speed was an unbreakable asset, and the thirty-six strategies were superior. Tian Boguang, surviving to this day despite his reputation as a flower thief and being well-known by martial arts masters like Yue Buqun, relied not on his sharp knife, but solely on his Wanli Walking Lightness Kungfu.

"Brother, I am willing to learn your Wanli Walking Lightness Kungfu," Du Yu declared.

The two continued their journey, with Tian Boguang teaching various lightness techniques along the way. Du Yu's foundation in light-footed skills was non-existent, making it extremely challenging to learn. Tian Boguang became impatient at times. Fortunately, Du Yu quickly changed the topic to women, despite his lack of actual combat experience. With a wealth of theoretical knowledge gained from watching countless island country action romance movies, he spoke with great enthusiasm, beaming with joy as he vividly described his encounters. It was as if he had actually achieved such heroic feats.

Unbeknownst to Tian Boguang, Du Yu, a sheltered young man who had never even held a woman's hand, became engrossed in his own tales. Tian Boguang tapped his acupoints again, rendering him immobile, to quell Yilin's annoyance at his rudeness.