Zhao Yuzhen shook her head and sighed, "Fifth Brother, you truly are undeserving of such fortune!" Li Muzhan smiled, "Indeed, I am ashamed!" He secretly praised the Eldest Miss; her means were truly formidable.

To tie him down this way, such boldness—even a man might balk at it.

The Eldest Miss's overt protection stemmed from nothing more than the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art.

As for romantic affections, he hadn't even spared it a thought.

In her eyes, he was a subordinate, deliberately nurtured, with no entanglement of the heart involved.

Her nature was calm, her intelligence undeniable; she could peer into the minds of others.

For such a person to be moved would be exceedingly difficult, unless it were an exceptionally peerless hero whom she truly revered and admired.

He possessed no particular merit beyond his sheer physical strength, and his transcendent mindset was hardly a virtue.

Zhao Yuzhen stood up and chuckled, "It's getting late; let's set off and celebrate Fifth Brother's emergence from seclusion!" Yu Chi Ming sprang up instantly, face alight with excitement, "Wonderful! It’s settled, tonight I choose the dishes—we must have the Crystal Pork Knuckle!" "Fourth Brother, you are nothing but a glutton!" Cheng Xiaofeng commented dryly.

Yu Chi Ming's eyes widened, and he chuckled sheepishly, "What is life for, if not for one's appetite? Third Brother, surely you eat?!" Cheng Xiaofeng turned away, ignoring him, and said to Li Muzhan, "Fifth Brother, tonight we drink till we drop!" "Excellent!" Li Muzhan replied with a smile.

Li Muzhan drew his sword, laughing, "Brothers, take a look at my blade." "What strength!" Yu Chi Ming leaned in, snatched it away, and examined it closely, clicking his tongue in admiration, "This was forged by Master Cheng himself; how did it break?" The others leaned in curiously.

He Nanshan chimed in, "Master Cheng's craftsmanship is absolutely first-rate.

Though this is a Green Peak Sword, its tenacity doesn't yield to Eldest Brother's Plum Blossom Sword!" The last time they undertook a mission, Zhao Yuzhen had distinguished himself and was gifted the Plum Blossom Sword, far superior to the standard Green Peak Swords used by the disciples.

Li Muzhan said, "This time when I returned home, during a spar with Second Sister...

by accident..." "So it was Miss Li!" Yu Chi Ming realized with a nod of sudden understanding, "No wonder!" Li Muzhan shook his head, "I was in seclusion for a year and a half, and my strength increased again.

The Green Peak Sword could be snapped with ease." The Vajra Indestructible Divine Art: the first layer refined the internal organs, the second the bones, the third the skin, the fourth the flesh.

While refining the bones, his strength doubled once more. "Your strength grew again?" Yu Chi Ming's eyes bulged, and he sighed, "You really are a monster!" The others laughed.

He Nanshan remarked, "We haven't had a proper spar with Fifth Brother yet." Zhao Yuzhen smiled, "It seems this sword is useless now...

take mine for the time being.

Tomorrow when you officially take office, mention it to the Eldest Miss." Saying this, he unbuckled the longsword at his waist and handed it to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan quickly waved his hands, "No need, just tell the Eldest Miss tomorrow; we can manage this one night." "You cannot be careless!" Zhao Yuzhen pressed the sword into his hand, his tone grave, "A martial artist must never be parted from his sword; never be careless!" Li Muzhan smiled, accepting it without further protest and hanging it at his waist.

Eldest Brother speaks truly; the world is unpredictable, often stranger than imagined.

One never knows when a sword might be needed; it is best to remain vigilant at all times.

The dark green scabbard was similar to his own, just adorned with a few more plum blossom patterns, easily overlooked if not closely inspected.

Zhao Yuzhen returned to his room and retrieved another sword—his original Green Peak Sword—and then the group set off.

It was already midnight when they returned from Chaoran.

The moon hung high in the sky, as bright as a silver platter, casting down a clear radiance that cooled the land.

They had drunk until their faces were flushed.

Yu Chi Ming was rambling incoherently, but the other four paid him no mind.

Upon returning to the Tianshu Courtyard, just as they were about to retire to their rooms, Li Muzhan suddenly said, "My four senior brothers, I need your help with something!" "What is it? Just say the word!" Yu Chi Ming declared, thumping his chest casually.

Under the moonlight, Li Muzhan's face was as fair as jade.

He gestured towards the cloister and smiled, "Return these swords to their owners!" In the direction he pointed lay two bundles of longswords. "Return...

return them to their owners?" Yu Chi Ming hiccupped loudly.

Li Muzhan smiled, "They are useless to us now; better to give them back." "Give them back for what!" Yu Chi Ming waved his hand dismissively, chuckling, "Tomorrow, let's hang them on tree branches! Heh heh, that'll teach those fellows that the Tianshu Courtyard is not to be trifled with!" Li Muzhan chuckled softly, "That’s too much, let’s forgo that." "Fifth Brother, you are too soft-hearted, like a weak woman!" Yu Chi Ming sounded displeased.

Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, glancing at Zhao Yuzhen and the other two.

He Nanshan stroked his beard and smiled, "Fifth Brother, how do you propose we return them?" Li Muzhan chuckled, "It must be done without anyone knowing, without a trace.

Can you manage that?" He Nanshan burst into loud laughter, clapping his hands and sighing, "Brilliant! This idea is brilliant!" "What's brilliant?" Yu Chi Ming asked, puzzled. "Without anyone knowing, ha ha, marvelous!" He Nanshan roared with laughter. "Second Brother!" Yu Chi Ming exclaimed, slightly irritated, then glanced at Zhao Yuzhen and Cheng Xiaofeng; both seemed thoughtful, faint smiles gracing their lips.

He burst out laughing again, "Yes, excellent, that's what we'll do!" Zhao Yuzhen smiled, "Then let's make our move!" He entered the cloister, flicked his sleeve, and the longswords flew towards the four of them; each caught six or seven blades.

He took ten himself and commanded, "Let's go!" With that, he floated out of the Tianshu Courtyard and headed west.

Riding the night breeze, his feet barely touched the ground as he drifted along, as if propelled by the wind, his movements graceful, possessing the air of a refined young gentleman in a vulgar world.

He Nanshan, Cheng Xiaofeng, and Yu Chi Ming moved similarly—their figures gliding as if carried by the wind, silent and swift, merging seamlessly with the night.

Seeing his four senior brothers move like this, Li Muzhan inwardly praised them.

Truly worthy of being disciples of the Tianshu Courtyard; their lightness skill was extraordinary.

He practiced the Floating Light Flickering Shadow technique; they cultivated the Cloud Dragon Nine Appearances, faster than his, though less agile.

Carried by the night breeze, under the slowly descending silver glow, the five entered the Kaiyang Courtyard.

They slipped into the rooms without a sound, placing the longswords by each person's bedside.

Then, they departed without anyone noticing.

As Li Muzhan was leaving, he glanced back at the Kaiyang Courtyard bathed in moonlight.

He vaguely sensed a pair of eyes upon him, but searching closely, he found nothing.

He trusted his feeling; clearly, this person's martial arts far surpassed his own.

It must be one of the guards of the Kaiyang Courtyard.

The next day, Li Muzhan woke early and practiced the Eight Swords of Suppressing the Mountain in the Tianshu Courtyard.

His sword light coiled like silver silk ribbons, layer upon layer, resembling an inverted waterfall. "Fifth Brother, I'm here!" Yu Chi Ming suddenly darted out of his room, drawing his sword and charging forward.

His blade whistled through the air, incredibly fast.

He knew that Fifth Brother's draw was astonishingly quick; the only way to defeat him was to be even faster.

Fortunately, his own swordplay also prioritized speed, sweeping in like a gale. "Clang..." As the longsword met the silver torrent, it instantly slipped from his grip, tumbling end over end into the air.

Yu Chi Ming retreated swiftly a full zhang, catching the falling blade steadily with his hand.

He sucked in a cold breath, examining Li Muzhan up and down, "Such immense strength!" The sword light receded, and Li Muzhan sheathed his blade, standing still, smiling, "Fourth Brother, you mock me!" Yu Chi Ming shook his head in amazement, "With this much strength, why bother practicing internal arts!" Li Muzhan returned his sword to its sheath and chuckled, "Without internal arts, I wouldn't possess this much strength." "Oh, that's true; it seems the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art is truly potent!" Yu Chi Ming nodded.

He glanced at his own sword, then suddenly paused, "Eh!" "What is it?" Cheng Xiaofeng emerged from the room, dressed in sapphire blue fighting silks, handsome and dashing. "My sword..." Yu Chi Ming began.

Cheng Xiaofeng swept over to his side, peered down, and smiled, "You want to change swords like Fifth Brother?" Yu Chi Ming retorted testily, "Go away, Third Brother, don't join the fun!...

I just exchanged one move with Fifth Brother, and this happened to my sword!" "Oh—?!" Cheng Xiaofeng looked at Li Muzhan in surprise.

The sword bore a small nick, about the size of a grain of rice, but its presence was jarring.

Li Muzhan drew his sword, and with his left hand, formed a sword seal, gently stroking the blade with two fingers.

After examining it, he saw nothing unusual and laughed, "The Plum Blossom Sword is indeed formidable!" Zhao Yuzhen and He Nanshan also came out.

Zhao Yuzhen asked, "What about the Plum Blossom Sword?" Li Muzhan unhooked the scabbard, placed the sword back within, and offered both hands forward, "Eldest Brother, your sword!" Zhao Yuzhen accepted it and hung it at his waist, saying with a smile, "Fourth Brother, what new trouble are you stirring up?" Yu Chi Ming loudly protested, "Eldest Brother, you are wrongfully accusing him! You have to compensate me for my sword!" He passed the sword over for everyone to see the nick.

Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, "It's my fault; I didn't realize the Plum Blossom Sword was so sharp!" He Nanshan chuckled, "Fifth Brother, he cares little for a bit of silver!" When entering the mansion, they were given a free Green Peak Sword.

If it broke, they had to pay fifty taels to have a new one forged—a bit cheaper than outside. "That could buy so many Crystal Pork Knuckles!" Yu Chi Ming quickly interjected.

Cheng Xiaofeng shook his head and sighed, "You are truly nothing but a glutton!" Li Muzhan left the Tianshu Courtyard, following the lakeside, passing through the drooping willows, and arrived at the Qiyuan Garden.

The training ground was filled with flashing cold light.

Gong Qingyun, clad in white, moved with sword light like flowing water, illuminating her delicate, melon-seed face.

She was aloof and cold, keeping people a thousand miles away.

Li Muzhan stopped at the side to watch.

With a final, swift thrust, Gong Qingyun sheathed her sword, turned, and left, gliding out of the training ground and disappearing beyond the Moon Gate.

She did not spare him a glance, as if unaware of his presence.

Li Muzhan shook his head with a bitter smile, sighing inwardly.

It seemed his effort to sever emotional threads was working well; the day of success was not far off.

He turned, passed through the Moon Gate, and arrived at Mei Ruolan's small courtyard.

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, the fragrance of lilies flooded his senses.

Xiaoyuan, a small girl, emerged from the main house, rushing to greet him with a sweet smile, "Zhanran, you're here! Miss is inside!" Her dimples were shallow, and she looked up at Li Muzhan with excitement.

Li Muzhan inclined his head and smiled, saying nothing, then lifted the curtain and entered the main room.

Mei Ruolan sat facing south, watching him enter calmly, and gestured, "Sit." "Eldest Miss." Li Muzhan smiled, clasping his hands, and sat in the chair to the east, watching her placidly.

Xiaoyuan drifted in carrying a tray, gracefully placing a tea cup before him, smiling at him before standing beside Mei Ruolan. "Returning the swords—Zhanran, you managed it well." Mei Ruolan nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips, clearly in good spirits.

Li Muzhan paused, then understood; his feeling had been correct—there had indeed been someone watching covertly.

He smiled, "I am a monk; it is best if I avoid taking lives." Mei Ruolan smiled, "Do you still remember what I told you yesterday?" "I dare not forget." Li Muzhan smiled, clasping his hands.

Mei Ruolan's smile faded, and she said lightly, "Good.

I will rely on you henceforth.

If you need anything, just tell me directly."