He watched for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Cheng Xiaofeng and Yu Chimin, letting out a soft laugh, "What excellent swordsmanship!"

Yu Chimin was instantly provoked, shooting to his feet and moving to snatch the scroll.

He Nanshan sidestepped fluidly, smiling, "Fourth Junior Brother, you must change this temperament of yours; too rash!"

"Fine then, Second Senior Brother, let's spar a bit!" Yu Chimin rolled up his sleeves and boomed.

He Nanshan, still smiling affably, turned to the eldest, "Eldest Senior Brother, look at him, how can this temper ever settle?"

Zhao Yuzhen shook his head. "Second Junior Brother, stop teasing him!"

He Nanshan chuckled, passed the yellow silk booklet over, and said, "Since the Eldest Senior Brother has spoken, it's yours!"

Yu Chimin snatched it immediately, huffing, "Second Senior Brother, you just wait!"

He Nanshan roared with laughter, waving a dismissive hand, utterly unconcerned.

Zhao Yuzhen turned his head and saw Li Muzhan watching their playful banter with composed ease, entirely devoid of eagerness. He smiled, "Fifth Junior Brother, are you practicing the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords?"

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother," Li Muzhan nodded.

Zhao Yuzhen smiled gently. "Ah, the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords, though rudimentary, it is the foundation. Master them well, and practicing any other swordsmanship afterwards will yield twice the result with half the effort... Do not look down upon it."

Cheng Xiaofeng chimed in, "Eldest Senior Brother, Fifth Junior Brother is a true prodigy. In just half a month, his mastery of the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords is already at the six or seven-tenths level!"

"Oh—!" Zhao Yuzhen looked Li Muzhan up and down, nodding with a smile, "Good! Very good!"

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile, "Third Senior Brother, why must you flatter me so! This talk of prodigies—it’s not true. I am quite dull, and training my sword is arduous."

"What's going on?" Zhao Yuzhen turned to Cheng Xiaofeng.

"Eldest Senior Brother, it's like this..." He Nanshan began, smiling.

He recounted Li Muzhan's situation to Zhao Yuzhen piece by piece.

Zhao Yuzhen listened, nodding repeatedly, lost in thought. After hearing everything, he paused before saying, "Fifth Junior Brother, you are truly blessed by heaven; cherish it well! ... It's fine if practicing the sword is difficult; practice slowly. Diligence can compensate for lack of natural talent. As long as you do not slacken, you will surely achieve success."

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother," Li Muzhan nodded, adopting a modest posture.

He felt quite favorably disposed toward Eldest Senior Brother Zhao Yuzhen. The man truly possessed the bearing of an elder brother—steady, dignified, neither too warm nor too cold, capable of holding the three others in check.

Cheng Xiaofeng and Yu Chimin had finished reviewing the sword manual. Cheng Xiaofeng passed it to Li Muzhan, "Fifth Junior Brother, this Shadowless Sword is truly profound. With your strength and swift strikes, learning it is perfectly suited for you!"

Li Muzhan took it and began flipping through slowly.

The yellow silk booklet was filled with illustrations. A figure was practicing sword forms in each drawing. Each figure was rendered in just a few deft strokes, clearly depicting every movement and stance, immediately understandable upon sight.

Li Muzhan counted—thirty-six moves in total. He committed them to memory after a single viewing. Closing the booklet, he returned it to Zhao Yuzhen, smiling, "Indeed, this is excellent swordsmanship; the moves are exquisite, far surpassing the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords."

Yu Chimin snickered, "Fifth Junior Brother, how can the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords compare to this Shadowless Sword!"

Saying this, he stood up and grinned, "Let me try practicing it!"

He drew his sword and leaped out onto the covered walkway, standing in the sunlight. As he executed the first moves, a chilling sword light instantly diffused, and the surrounding air grew noticeably cooler.

His swings were incredibly fast; streaks of sword shadows flickered around him, as if he were wielding a dozen swords.

The sword grew faster and faster until, finally, a curtain of light enveloped Yu Chimin. The sword shadows vanished; one could only see his wrist turning, but the long blade itself seemed invisible, transformed into nothingness.

He Nanshan nodded in admiration, "Excellent! Truly worthy of the name 'Shadowless'!"

Cheng Xiaofeng smiled and nodded, turning to Li Muzhan, "Fifth Junior Brother, if you learned this sword art, who could possibly oppose you?"

Li Muzhan, still contemplating the Shadowless Sword, smiled and shook his head upon hearing this. "This set of sword techniques is too exquisite. I haven't even studied the accompanying internal arts; I fear it won't work for me."

This Shadowless Sword possessed a unique set of internal cultivation techniques, which he found novel.

The secret of the Shadowless Sword lay not in the finesse of its moves, but in its unique inner force methods.

The internal force was like a silken ribbon, wrapping once around the arm and elbow, then twice around the wrist—three wraps in total, involving nineteen vital points, exceedingly complex. That Fourth Senior Brother could deploy it immediately proved he was indeed a disciple of the Tianshu Courtyard, not to be underestimated.

He tested it secretly, guiding a thread of internal force from his Dantian, flowing upwards through the Shaoyin channel, entering the Shaohai, passing through Shaohai to Quze, Chize, Zhouliao, Quchi, and Tianting, the internal force rotating once around the elbow.

Having learned basic martial knowledge alongside the three senior brothers these past few months, coupled with his concentrated spirit allowing him subtle internal vision, his control over his internal force was far superior to that of an ordinary person.

His Zen mastery was profound, granting him nimble and effortless control over his internal body—like an arm commanding a finger. However, controlling his physical body was clumsy; the two realms were vastly different, diametrically opposed extremes.

The internal force completed its rotation at the elbow, then surged forward, entering the Lingdao, flowing along Neiguan, Lieque, Huizong, Waiguan, and Pianli before rotating again.

Then, it entered Shenmen, Yanggu, Yangxi, Yangchi, Shenmen, Daling, and Taiyuan, revolving a third time before entering Shaoshang.

The internal force had coiled around his arm three times in total—truly complex. Instantly, his arm felt lighter, as if it had melted. He quickly touched it; it was still there.

He tested it gently and smiled; his hand was significantly faster.

The mental technique of this Shadowless Sword was indeed profound. A single wisp of internal force catalyzed a two-tenths increase in his hand speed, surpassing years of arduous self-cultivation.

For the past decade or more, he had relentlessly practiced the direct thrust, never stopping.

Initially, his progress was noticeable, with significant improvement each month. Later, however, it seemed he had hit a ceiling, achieving only marginal gains annually.

In the last two years, the improvement had been minuscule. Having witnessed the speed of his Second Sister's movements, he knew he was far behind. Without learning martial arts, he might toil his entire life and still not surpass an average martial artist.

"Good! That was exhilarating!" Yu Chimin stopped, his face beaming.

He leaped down to stand before them, grinning, "Eldest Senior Brother, this Shadowless Sword is excellent. Paired with my Eight Winds Sword, its power will surely increase tremendously!"

Zhao Yuzhen nodded slowly. "The subtlety of the Shadowless Sword lies precisely in the application of internal force. Integrating it into the Eight Winds Sword—the potential power is immense!"

"Haha, thank you, Eldest Senior Brother!" Yu Chimin was overjoyed.

The group talked for a while longer. Li Muzhan maintained a low profile, speaking little, mostly just smiling.

As evening approached, the five left the Mei Residence and headed for the Chaoran Tower.

It was not yet dark, the residual glow of the sunset still present, yet the Chaoran Tower was already alight, glowing like daylight, its sounds of revelry and music drifting faintly into the surroundings.

As the five approached, a handsome young man hurried forward, cupping his hands in greeting with a smile, "Senior Brother Zhao, Senior Brother He, Senior Brother Cheng, Senior Brother Yu... Master Zhanran?"

Zhao Yuzhen replied, "Xiao Fang, from now on, call him Senior Brother Zhanran. Fifth Junior Brother has already entered our Tianshu Courtyard."

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhanran!" The young man named Xiao Fang started slightly, then quickly bowed with joined hands toward Li Muzhan, smiling.

Li Muzhan returned the salute with joined hands, smiling, "Thank you. Is Xiao Jian here?"

This young man, Xiao Fang, was tall and handsome, possessing the graceful air of a noble scholar, radiating an inexplicable warmth in his every gesture that put people at ease.

Li Muzhan frequented the Chaoran Tower and naturally knew him. The greeter, Xiao Fang, was famous for his excellent memory; once someone visited the Chaoran Tower, he could recall them, correctly naming them upon their next visit—quite a skill.

Xiao Fang apologized apologetically, "Unfortunately, Li Jian is not here today; he requested leave to prepare for his wedding."

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile, explaining to Zhao Yuzhen, "Eldest Senior Brother, I used to sell the firewood I chopped to the Chaoran Tower. A good friend of mine works here as an attendant."

Zhao Yuzhen nodded, then turned to Xiao Fang. "Xiao Fang, please take us to the third floor. Today we celebrate Fifth Junior Brother's induction!"

Xiao Fang replied, "The Green Bamboo Room is still free. Please follow me."

The others followed him up the staircase directly to the third floor.

Although Li Muzhan was familiar with the Chaoran Tower, he had never been to the third floor, having only dined on the second floor at most. Ordinary guests could not access the third floor; a certain status was required.

The first floor was quite noisy, with only half-height green vine partitions separating the tables, making it very spacious. Some drinkers laughed boisterously, some argued loudly over wine debts, others sang to their drinks, displaying all manner of unrestrained behavior—a lively scene of human variety.

The second floor was much quieter, with tall screens partitioning the seating areas. People spoke in hushed tones. The sound of stringed instruments drifted, accompanied by the ethereal, clear notes of a songstress—a girl in red singing up front, filling the listener's heart with joy and tranquility.

On the third floor, the space was divided into private rooms.

They arrived at a room on the south side. Upon stepping in, they found a green carpet that felt like walking on thick grass. The walls were adorned with paintings of sparse green bamboo, and the room was suffused with an air of refined elegance. In the center sat a square table. On the window-side low table, a vase sat on the left, and a beast-shaped censer on the right, from which thin, nearly invisible white smoke curled, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance.

The room had two sections: the outer area for dining, and the inner area for resting or sleeping.

"Fifth Junior Brother, is this satisfactory?" Zhao Yuzhen asked with a smile.

Li Muzhan smiled back, "Excellent, very elegant!"

Zhao Yuzhen turned to Xiao Fang. "Then we'll take this one! ... Xiao Fang, bring the dishes. Twelve courses—judge the timing yourself."

"Alright, they'll be here shortly!" Xiao Fang acknowledged, stepping back.

Immediately, a green-clad girl entered gracefully, holding an ink-green teapot. Her slender hands looked even fairer against the dark ceramic. She poured tea for everyone, curtsied slightly, and quietly withdrew.

This green-clad girl was graceful in figure and beautiful in appearance—truly a beauty.

Zhao Yuzhen subtly observed Li Muzhan, noting that after glancing at the girl a few times, his expression remained normal.

He then looked at his other three junior brothers: the Second Junior Brother spared the girl two glances before slowly looking away; the Third Junior Brother glanced briefly, then paid no further attention; the Fourth Junior Brother stared at her continuously.

The Second Junior Brother was profound, capable of self-control; the Third Junior Brother was aloof, regarding women with disdain; the Fourth Junior Brother was true to his nature—also a sensualist. Only the Second Junior Brother seemed perfectly ordinary, showing no unusual reaction, making him somewhat unfathomable.

Logically, as a son of a farmer, even being the younger brother of Deputy Steward Li, he should never have been to the third floor. Yet, faced with such exquisite and refined furnishings, he displayed no unusual reaction.

The dishes arrived quickly. Two vegetarian dishes were presented first, seemingly to accommodate Li Muzhan’s monastic status: Five-Color Brocade Mushrooms and Wood-Ear Tofu, all perfectly colored, fragrant, and delicious, making one’s mouth water.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Four Senior Brothers, there is no need to be mindful of me... My sect differs from common Shaolin monks; we do not need to adhere strictly to precepts."

Zhao Yuzhen became interested and asked with a smile, "Fifth Junior Brother, you don't need to follow Buddhist strictures?"

Li Muzhan nodded. "If one remains in the Desire Realm, one must keep the precepts; transgression leads to the lifelong impossibility of leaving the Desire Realm. My cultivation is sufficient; I have already transcended the Desire Realm. The precepts of the Desire Realm are no longer binding."

Zhao Yuzhen and the other three were curious and pressed him for answers, which Li Muzhan provided one by one.

Finally, Yu Chimin chuckled, "Fifth Junior Brother, you monk have it good! You don't have to follow those strict rules—it's almost like you aren't a monk at all!"

Li Muzhan shook his head, offering a wry smile, "There is one precept I must still follow."

"Which one?" Yu Chimin quickly asked.

Li Muzhan replied, "The Precept Against Secularization."

Zhao Yuzhen and the four exchanged puzzled glances.

Li Muzhan explained, "Last year, the Emperor issued an edict: no monk in the realm may return to secular life."

"I remember now! There really was such a thing," Yu Chimin slapped his forehead.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Though I don't need to follow the precepts, I am still a man of the cloth, and some things I cannot do."

"Like marrying and having children?" Zhao Yuzhen inquired.

Li Muzhan nodded slowly.

"Alas... what a pity," Zhao Yuzhen sighed.

"It's nothing much," Li Muzhan smiled, picking up his silver chopsticks. "Let's begin our meal."

Yu Chimin quickly agreed, "Right, let's not talk about dampening spirits—eat, eat!"

The five also ordered wine. Li Muzhan found it quite delicious—mellow and lingering, with little harshness. Compared to the fine wines of later ages, it possessed a unique flavor.

The five chatted and laughed, the atmosphere harmonious. As they grew warm from the wine, there was a sudden, loud BANG as the door was kicked open. They immediately set down their cups, rested their hands on their swords, and tensed their bodies.

A young woman in white stood gracefully at the doorway, her cold gaze piercing into the room.

Behind her stood four other young women, all clad in light pink, thin silk garments, their hands resting on their long swords. Their eyebrows were sharply raised, glaring fiercely at the group inside.

"Oh, what a lively gathering here!" The woman in white had a mocking smile on her face, her chin slightly raised as she cast a sidelong glance at everyone.

Her voice was clear and bright, and Li Muzhan instantly detected a note of haughtiness.

"Gong Qingyun!" Yu Chimin shot up instantly and roared, "What are you doing here!"

Was this Gong Qingyun?

Li Muzhan's interest spiked. He narrowed his eyes to examine her: a delicate melon-seed face, phoenix eyes, delicately drawn eyebrows, a sharp, refined nose, and tightly pursed cherry lips.

Her figure was slender and frail, as if a gust of wind might carry her away. Her features were exquisitely refined, captivatingly charming, yet her expression was cold, laced with stubborn defiance.

Li Muzhan felt a stir in his heart—this Gong Qingyun's demeanor bore a similarity to his elder sister-in-law, but with an added layer of cold arrogance. Her face seemed masked in frost, keeping people a thousand miles away.

"Defeated foe, move aside!" Gong Qingyun waved her hand as if shooing away a fly, not even sparing Yu Chimin a glance. She stepped into the room, followed by her four companions. Under the soft lamplight, the five women shone brilliantly.

Gong Qingyun's bright eyes were fixed sharply on Zhao Yuzhen. She snorted, "You surnamed Zhao, I heard you returned. I came specifically to take a look!"

Zhao Yuzhen's sword-like eyebrows furrowed, his face steady as he remained seated, replying coldly, "No need for your concern!"

Gong Qingyun lifted her chin slightly and said coldly, "I heard you were credited with merit on this mission and are to be awarded the Plum Blossom Sword by the Family Head. Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Zhao Yuzhen said in a deep voice.

Gong Qingyun continued coldly, "You earned merit, but these junior brothers of yours have made little progress. Why not move out of the Tianshu Courtyard? Don't cling desperately to the space."

"Gong Qingyun, you have too much audacity!" Yu Chimin’s face flushed crimson as he roared, utterly enraged.

Normally, he would have drawn his sword instantly, but mindful of Gong Qingyun's martial prowess, he fiercely suppressed the urge to fight.

Gong Qingyun cast him a faint glance, the corners of her delicate mouth curving into a silent, cold sneer. She then turned to Li Muzhan. "You must be the novice little monk Zhanran who just entered the Tianshu Courtyard?"

"I am Zhanran. Greetings, Senior Sister Gong!" Li Muzhan rose, saluted with joined hands, and spoke with a smile.

Gong Qingyun glanced at him disdainfully. "Since you could enter the Tianshu Courtyard, you must have some skill. ... Xiuxiu, please teach Little Monk Zhanran a few moves!"

"Yes, Eldest Senior Sister!" A girl stepped out from behind, rested her hand on her sword, took two steps forward, and cried out sharply, "Little monk, make your move!"

She was voluptuous, with prominent curves, her face fiery yet sweetly charming, a stark contrast to Gong Qingyun's pristine elegance—possessing a different kind of allure.

"Gong Qingyun, you are despicable!" Yu Chimin shouted in fury.

Cheng Xiaofeng frowned and let out a soft snort.

He Nanshan cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Junior Sister Gong, Fifth Junior Brother has only just joined and only learned the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords. Your actions here are utterly unreasonable, wouldn't you say?"

Gong Qingyun gave them a sidelong glance, then suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. "Those who can enter the Tianshu Courtyard all possess supreme natural talent, far better than the rest of us! ... Even the Plum Blossom Twelve Swords, when wielded by him, must possess extraordinary power. Why the false modesty?!"

Her previously tightly held, icy features dissolved in a sudden radiance that dazzled everyone. Their eyes were uncontrollably drawn to her, unable to look away—even Zhao Yuzhen's gaze froze.

Li Muzhan's mind remained resolute, unmoved. He turned and saluted Zhao Yuzhen with joined hands, "Eldest Senior Brother, your little brother requests permission to fight."

"Fifth Junior Brother..." Zhao Yuzhen's face reddened slightly, his brow furrowed as he shook his head.

Li Muzhan smiled gently. "Since Senior Sister Gong wishes to instruct me, how can I refuse to fight?"

Zhao Yuzhen looked at him, then glanced at the other three senior brothers. He had never been able to gauge the depth of this Fifth Junior Brother, feeling like he was facing an unfathomable, deep pool.

Gong Qingyun smiled faintly. "Little monk, purely for this spirit of backbone, you are much better than those useless senior brothers of yours! ... Xiuxiu, don't strike too heavily!"

"Rest assured, Eldest Senior Sister!" Xiuxiu nodded vigorously, her ample bosom trembling slightly.

Li Muzhan chuckled inwardly. This Gong Qingyun hadn't even properly looked at him; she was merely using him as a target to strike at the Eldest Senior Brother. He found the sensation of being so lightly regarded rather amusing.

He smiled, saluted with joined hands, "Senior Sister Gong, we are merely sparring fellow disciples. Why resort to such shallow tactics of sowing discord? It only invites ridicule."

Without waiting for Gong Qingyun to retort, he turned slightly and smiled at Xiuxiu. "Junior Sister Xiuxiu, please guide me!"

"Fifth Junior Brother, hold nothing back!" Cheng Xiaofeng said calmly.

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

Gong Qingyun's face was icy, her lips tightly bitten as she glared hatefully at Li Muzhan. This little monk, smiling so pleasantly, clearly hadn't taken her seriously at all—more infuriating than Zhao Yuzhen!

Xiuxiu drew her sword with a sharp cry, "Little monk, receive my move!"

A mass of sword light suddenly enveloped him, carrying an intense chill. Though sweet-faced, her attack was vicious, as if she intended to shred Li Muzhan into pieces with a single strike.