As noon approached, they left the main road and stopped on a barren plain, the surroundings empty and stretching for hundreds of meters in every direction, making approach difficult. (8 Degree Mobile Site WP..C)

After halting, they immediately formed a circular defensive formation, enveloping Mei Ruolan’s carriage in the center.

Inside the carriage, Mei Ruolan reclined on the couch, her expression as still as deep water, brow furrowed in thought. She remained motionless, like a statue carved from white jade, her distant eyes flickering faintly, sparkling like brilliant gems.

Xiao Yuan sat cross-legged on an embroidered stool, watching Mei Ruolan with wide, expectant eyes, nervously rubbing her small, pale hands together and occasionally twitching her delicate body in agitation.

Gong Qingyun sat on an embroidered stool, her eyes closed as if cultivating internal energy, yet her delicate willow-leaf eyebrows were tightly knitted.

The sound of a falling pin could have been heard inside the carriage; only the faint rustle of Xiao Yuan’s rubbing hands could be detected.

After a long silence, Xiao Yuan could bear it no longer, letting out a delicate cry, "Miss, have you thought of a way yet?"

Mei Ruolan glanced at her, her tone mild, "Keep your composure. Do not let your formation break!"

Xiao Yuan pouted petulantly, "To just watch him run wild while we can do nothing—it’s infuriating!"

Mei Ruolan said calmly, "If we break formation, we fall right into his trap. With the Heart-Protecting Mirror, our lives aren't in immediate danger, so it's not critical."

"Hee hee, Zhan Ran is truly formidable!" Xiao Yuan suddenly giggled.

Mei Ruolan offered a faint smile and nodded in agreement.

"Miss, ask Zhan Ran to come over! Let him figure something out!" Xiao Yuan clapped her hands eagerly.

Mei Ruolan nodded. "Very well. Ask Zhan Ran to enter."

"Got it!" Xiao Yuan cheered, leaping up. Like a fledgling swallow, she darted past the beaded curtain and landed lightly beside Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan stood perfectly balanced, drawing his bow and aiming, utterly still.

Xiao Yuan patted his shoulder, but he didn't move, standing like an immoveable stone statue. He spoke gently, "Wait a moment!"

Xiao Yuan rolled her eyes at him. "Miss is waiting!"

Li Muzhan remained silent, still focused on his distant target. In his mind, row after row of goose-feather arrows flew forth, but every single one missed the mark. He stared intently at the bullseye, sensing it with his mind.

"Tch!" He released the string with his left hand, and the goose-feather arrow sliced through the air. Li Muzhan broke into a smile.

This arrow struck the bullseye perfectly, without deviation.

If he didn't shoot, he wouldn't, but once he did, a hit was guaranteed. This was his method for practicing archery, much like how he practiced throwing knives previously, an experience gained from playing basketball in his former life.

He didn't know how this method would fare for others, but for himself, it was remarkably effective. Practicing this way meant gaining something with every run-through, causing his skill to increase rapidly.

Xiao Yuan floated lightly over a dozen rods away, retrieved the goose-feather arrow stuck in a tree, and handed it back to him, huffing, "Is that good enough now?!"

Li Muzhan smiled as he took it, placing it into the quiver on his back. He chuckled, "My thanks. Let's go!"

Placing his bow on the carriage rack, he lifted the curtain and stepped inside. A heady fragrance washed over him, causing his heart to skip a beat. Both Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun looked over.

Li Muzhan bowed slightly. "Miss, what are your orders?"

Mei Ruolan pursed her lips into a slight smile. "How is your archery practice progressing?"

Li Muzhan laughed heartily. "Not bad, some progress has been made."

Mei Ruolan nodded. "That's good. I have already dispatched someone back; the Iron-Forged Bow should arrive by evening."

Xiao Yuan quickly inquired, "Zhan Ran, with your current archery skill, what use is an Iron-Forged Bow to you?... Don't tell me you plan to shoot that fellow?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Yes, I want to compete with him in archery."

"Hmph, that fellow is cunning, and his archery is formidable. You’re asking for trouble!" Xiao Yuan pouted, her face clearly expressing disbelief.

As they spoke, a sharp, mournful whistle pierced the air. Everyone inside the carriage frowned simultaneously; they knew instantly it was that villain harassing them again.

"Four men to a group, do not act rashly!" Elder Ouyang's voice boomed out.

This was immediately followed by a long, high-pitched cry that gradually faded as Elder Ouyang gave chase, the sound imbued with immense rage.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Miss, weaving around like this, he has only two likely targets: either you or me. This is just a diversion."

"Yes, that's sound reasoning," Mei Ruolan nodded.

Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "This is a classic ploy to draw the tiger from the mountain... Enrage the group, then conduct a sweeping pursuit; that gives him the opportunity to approach this location."

"If he tries to use a diversion tactic, what good does it do us if we know about it!" Xiao Yuan scoffed. "We can only stand here and take the beating. I’m nearly driven mad by him!"

Li Muzhan declared, "With the Iron-Forged Bow, I might be able to challenge him to a decisive duel!"

"You're going?" Xiao Yuan started, then immediately shook her head vehemently. "Zhan Ran, even though your movement technique is excellent, it’s not stronger than Elder Ouyang’s or Elder Zhang’s!"

The implication was clear: if the two elders were bested, he would fare even worse. His lightness skill was inferior, and the enemy specialized in archery; going out would be tantamount to suicide.

Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun both nodded, agreeing with Xiao Yuan.

"I have my own way to proceed; we can try it," Li Muzhan said with a slight smile.

Mei Ruolan studied him for a long moment. Seeing his composure and the confident bearing that suggested he already had a plan, she slowly nodded.

She possessed an inexplicable trust in Li Muzhan, feeling he was unfathomably deep and certainly not one to speak empty words. Since he claimed to be confident, he was likely telling the truth.

She nodded. "Alright, proceed as you see fit!"

Li Muzhan turned to Gong Qingyun. "Senior Sister Gong, I will need to leave for a while. You will have to work harder!"

"Don't forget me!" Xiao Yuan chirped sweetly.

Gong Qingyun glanced at him and replied flatly, "Mm, understood."

Li Muzhan turned back and smiled at Xiao Yuan. "Xiao Yuan, I'll thank the heavens if you can manage to take care of yourself!"

Xiao Yuan glared and retorted petulantly, "Nonsense! You look down on me too much!"

Li Muzhan laughed heartily, inclined his head toward Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun, then gracefully floated out of the carriage, vanishing in an instant.

Xiao Yuan remained unwilling to accept it, glaring resentfully at his retreating back.

Gong Qingyun frowned slightly. "Miss, do you really think he can succeed?"

Mei Ruolan sighed and shook her head. "At this point, there is no other recourse. We can only trust Zhan Ran."

Gong Qingyun’s delicate brows remained tightly furrowed as she shook her head and sighed.

"Don't worry. Zhan Ran has the Diamond Indestructible Divine Art protecting his body; he will be fine," Mei Ruolan comforted, perhaps more to reassure herself. Her distant gaze pierced the beaded curtain, cast toward the distance.

Li Muzhan picked up his bow and walked past the others, suddenly stopping before Elder Zhang. He clasped his hands in respect. "Elder, are there any of the goose-feather arrows shot by that person?"

Elder Zhang, clad in a simple hemp robe, possessed the appearance of an immortal, with youthful features despite his age. He was lounging on the ground, leaning against a carriage, drinking wine and basking in the scorching sun, clearly enjoying the intense heat.

Upon hearing Li Muzhan's question, he lowered his wine gourd and chuckled. "Zhan Ran, yes, there are arrows. What do you need those things for?"

"I have my use for them," Li Muzhan replied with a smile.

Elder Zhang gestured, and someone brought forward the arrows—ten in total—placing them at his feet. He pointed at them. "These bits of junk are what tormented the youngsters. Take them all if you want them, take them all!"

Li Muzhan squatted down, examined them briefly, and then carefully placed them into the quiver on his back. He cupped his hands. "Elder, I need to step out for a moment!"

Elder Zhang raised his wine gourd, sipping as he waved a hand dismissively. "Go, go. Just be careful, don't let that fellow spot you!"

Li Muzhan agreed with a smile and departed in a swift float.

He moved in one direction. The sun hung directly overhead, the heat oppressive, turning heaven and earth into a vast steamer.

Li Muzhan, in his gray monastic robe, drifted forward, holding his long bow. His footwork was light and quick, his speed tremendous, and in a flash, he appeared as a small black speck to the onlookers.

In a short while, he had traveled four or five li and stopped before a stretch of woods.

A shadow flickered, and Elder Ouyang burst out of the trees, sweeping toward him like a gust of wind, halting abruptly a short distance away, his monastic robe fluttering a few times.

Elder Ouyang stared at him. "Hey, Zhan Ran, what are you doing here?"

Li Muzhan clasped his hands in salutation. "I came to take a look."

Elder Ouyang shook his head, his tone stern. "That person is too dangerous! Come back with me!"

Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "Elder, please go ahead; I’ll look around a bit."

Elder Ouyang frowned, displeased. "That brat's lightness skill is exceptional, insidious, and cunning—impossible to guard against. You can't handle him alone!"

Li Muzhan knew the elder was harsh in appearance but warm-hearted and concerned for him, yet he could only refuse. He smiled. "Elder, my intuition is stronger than most people's. If he approaches, I will sense it beforehand."

"Really?" Elder Ouyang stared intently at him.

Li Muzhan nodded, smiling. "I am a man of the cloth; how could I tell falsehoods?"

Elder Ouyang considered it for a moment, then said coldly, "Fine. Take a signal arrow! ... Hmm—? Why aren't you wearing your Heart-Protecting Mirror?"

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile. "I don't need one."

Elder Ouyang snorted coldly, pulled a Heart-Protecting Mirror from his robe, and tied it directly onto Li Muzhan's chest, refusing any protest. He grumbled, "Better safe than sorry; this is a lesson I learned at the cost of my life!"

"Thank you, Elder!" Li Muzhan raised his hands helplessly, allowing the elder to secure the mirror beneath his gaze.

Elder Ouyang examined him for a few moments, nodding once. "Alright, be careful. I’m leaving!"

With that, he floated away, returning to the guards.

Li Muzhan entered the woods, leaped up into the fork of a pine tree, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, holding two goose-feather arrows in his palm.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and laughed aloud. "Since Your Presence has arrived, why hide? Am I so terrifying that you must conceal yourself from me alone?"

"Heh heh! A fine thieving monk!" Thirty-odd rods away, a pine tree suddenly rustled its branches, and a head emerged, a cold sneer twisting its lips.

He had a sharp, melon-seed face, finely arched eyebrows, a thin-lipped mouth, and strikingly fair skin—exceedingly delicate.

If this were a woman, she would be called beautiful, but on a man, the femininity was excessive, lacking in masculine vigor.

Against the backdrop of the pine needles, his handsomeness was even more striking; he appeared to be around twenty years old.

His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, the gaze icy, and his thin lips curled into a cold smirk. "You, the rogue monk, have great audacity—killing over a dozen of my brothers!"

Li Muzhan slowly drew his sword, nodding with a smile. "Correct, it was I."

"Very good. Today, I will use your head to comfort their spirits in the afterlife!" the handsome youth sneered, his shoulder twitching as he suddenly shot forth a streak of dark light.

"Whoosh..." A sharp, piercing whistle immediately sounded, and the dark streak was already before Li Muzhan's eyes.

Li Muzhan ducked low, narrowly evading it, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

His movements were fluid, like flowing water. After ducking, he immediately dropped from the tree and took off running.