...He shot out of the woods, leaping onto a tree to look out, and saw Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun fighting a fierce battle together against the bald man. Mei Ruolan stood to one side, watching calmly.
Her expression was placid. A light breeze stirred the silk of her pale lilac robe.
Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief and scrutinized the bald man. The man was about thirty years old, with a square face, slender sword-like eyebrows, and piercing eyes.
He was exceptionally handsome, his features radiating masculine energy and virility, enough to captivate any woman. Compared to his appearance, Li Muzhan fell far short; they stood together like the bright moon and a mere star.
People would easily overlook Li Muzhan. Others who were bald looked coarse and unsightly.
But this man's baldness only enhanced his heroic aura; in his glances, his eyes seemed to spark with electricity. His internal energy was profound, and his charisma boundless.
Yet Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun seemed blind to it all, their every move lethal, their every sword strike vicious, intent on taking his life. The bald man parried their attacks while laughing loudly, “Two such beautiful ladies, why the desperate struggle?
Why not sit down and have a chat?” Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun remained silent, their assault relentless. The handsome man laughed again, “Why don’t the two of you come with me?
From now on, you can soar wherever birds fly and leap wherever fish swim; I assure you, I will never restrain you.” Xiaoyuan tightly pursed her lips, glaring at him hatefully. Gong Qingyun’s expression was serene, cold as ice, showing no reaction, as if she hadn't heard him; her sword flashed with incredible speed, its light dotted like the myriad stars in the night sky.
The handsome youth parried with ease, his footwork fluid, dodging while chuckling, “If you two would follow me, I guarantee I won’t harm your young mistress. How about it?” Xiaoyuan attacked fiercely with her sword, crying out sharply, “Dreaming in broad daylight!
Talking nonsense!” Gong Qingyun matched her swordplay, increasing her tempo. They moved one to the left and one to the right, their coordination flawless.
They were clearly employing a combined sword technique, their minds perfectly attuned. Li Muzhan tapped the ground lightly with his toe and darted into the woods.
He needed to continue hunting down the stragglers who remained hidden in the forest, harboring malicious intent. Li Muzhan’s movement technique was swift, his hidden arrows silent and imbued with infinite power.
If they were in the open, in the bright daylight, the arrows would be more difficult to employ effectively, but in the dark woods, they were easy weapons. He had already shot four or five men.
By his estimation, there were still about ten people remaining in the woods. As for Xiaoyuan and the others, they wouldn't be in immediate danger.
This man had a handsome face and was clearly lecherous; he likely wanted to capture the two women alive. A cold smile touched Li Muzhan’s heart.
Furthermore, there was Mei Ruolan. She looked gentle and elegant, and most people would assume she possessed no martial arts, yet they didn't know her skill was astonishing—enough to give this fellow a real headache.
Li Muzhan felt intensely uncomfortable, his killing intent surging. He longed to step forward immediately and slay the bald man with a single strike.
Any ordinary man would surely have lost control. Men harbor a desire for exclusive possession over beautiful women, especially those nearby, and cannot tolerate another man laying a finger on them.
Although Li Muzhan's Chan Gong (Zen Mastery) was profound, he was still a man, and suppressing the urge was incredibly difficult. He took several deep breaths, silently reciting the Vajra Sutra, pushing away the emotional interference.
This man’s martial arts were extremely high-level; Li Muzhan had no guarantee of victory, and even if he won, it would take time and exact a price. The immediate priority was eliminating those in the forest, lest they ambush the guards or summon reinforcements.
As for Xiaoyuan and the others, with Mei Ruolan present, they would not suffer harm. Mei Ruolan possessed the ultimate techniques of the Canghai Sword Sect, which she kept secret, and she would certainly display her might at the critical moment.
Li Muzhan took a deep breath, smothering the turbulent, surging killing intent, then turned and returned to the pursuit. His movement technique was elusive and swift, drifting lightly.
He held an arrow between his thumb and forefinger—the Taiyin Arrow—and loosed it silently. Every shot was accurate; none missed.
He vented his boiling killing intent upon these men. In a short while, he claimed four more lives.
Six men remained, and seeing the shift in fortunes, they immediately fled, scrambling across the branches, using the leaves for cover. Their movement skills were respectable, and with their entire focus on escape, their potential was fully unleashed, making them even faster.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, his figure flickering. With a dull thud, he fragmented into several shadows, then coalesced into a streak of light, suddenly appearing thirty zhang away, catching up to one man.
This was the Feiyun Step (Flying Cloud Gait). Prior to this, he had been multitasking, practicing archery while secretly studying the Feiyun Step.
He excelled in the manipulation of internal energy, and while the Feiyun Step was difficult for others to master, it was not so hard for him. He quickly grasped its essence, and now, employing it, its power was indeed extraordinary, surpassing Feng Shangkun’s execution by several measures.
With this advantage, the six men were doomed. In a short time, all perished under his arrows.
He quickly exited the woods, swept past the assembled group, and arrived before the carriage. By then, Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun were panting heavily, sweat glistening on their skin, their robes clinging to their backs.
Heat rose from their heads; they were nearing their limit. Mei Ruolan stood with her hands behind her back, watching calmly, still refraining from action.
The handsome man’s attacks were neither fast nor slow; he smiled wryly, speaking, “Two ladies, why the struggle? Why?
I truly do not have the heart to destroy such beauty. Why not give up?” Xiaoyuan gasped heavily and glared at him fiercely, “Hmph!
Dream on!” The handsome man laughed heartily, shaking his head, “You little girl are truly fiery. Not bad, not bad!” “Not bad my foot!” Xiaoyuan cursed rudely, her delicate face flushed with extreme annoyance.
Unfortunately, their skill was inferior; they were constrained at every turn. Mei Ruolan only watched, not acting, and Xiaoyuan dared not press her further.
Gong Qingyun tightly pressed her lips together, sword-fighting silently, her movements much slower now, yet unceasing. Her gaze was icy, devoid of emotion.
The man found her boring, so he concentrated on provoking Xiaoyuan. Seeing Xiaoyuan enraged delighted him greatly.
Li Muzhan smiled coldly, his face composed, and drifted over to stand before Mei Ruolan. He clasped his hands together, “Sister, I am late.” Mei Ruolan offered a faint smile, sizing him up with her eyes.
“Is everything resolved?” “Yes,” Li Muzhan nodded. Both were exceptionally intelligent, with sharp gazes and keen minds, possessing the insight of seeing the whole season in a single falling leaf.
Mei Ruolan could guess Li Muzhan’s actions with eight or nine parts accuracy. Mei Ruolan pointed at the handsome man and said coolly, “This man deserves to die.” “Yes,” Li Muzhan replied, clasping his hands.
He put away the Ice Jade Bow and slowly drew his sword, walking forward. “Xiaoyuan, Senior Sister, you two step back; let me handle this!” Xiaoyuan chirped petulantly, “Zhan Ran, why did you take so long?” She retreated with a flourish of her sword, taking the opportunity to cast a glare at Li Muzhan, pouting in genuine annoyance.
The handsome man laughed loudly, “Slowly, slowly! We haven’t had enough fun yet; how can you leave so soon?
Stay a while, ha ha!” As he spoke, his sword light flared, enveloping Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun, not allowing them to disengage. Li Muzhan frowned, his killing intent surging.
This man’s swordsmanship could not be underestimated, but mocking Xiaoyuan like this was an unforgivable offense. With a muffled sound, his figure fractured into several forms, suddenly vanishing from his spot.
With a crisp ding, Li Muzhan appeared right in front of the handsome man. Their two swords met, scattering sparks, and both recoiled a step.
Li Muzhan’s expression was serious as he fixed his gaze on the man. This man was not old, yet his internal energy was as profound as Elder Ouyang’s.
In a single exchange, they were evenly matched, neither gaining an advantage. The handsome man stared back at Li Muzhan, his expression startled.
He had been taught by a recluse since childhood and had consumed peerless elixirs. His internal energy was immensely deep.
He had always been arrogant, confident that even Nangong Sidao, at this age, would not possess such power. Thus, he considered himself the future master of the martial world, possessing an unyielding spirit, looking down upon all others with supreme confidence and certainty in his actions.
This young monk, emerging from nowhere, possessed internal energy comparable to his own at such a young age—truly astonishing. If allowed to develop, in the future… He stared at Li Muzhan, jealousy surging within him, growing stronger, transforming into a chilling killing intent.
Heaven cannot have two suns; one mountain cannot harbor two tigers! He threw his head back and laughed, seemingly heartily, “Heh heh, young Buddhist Master, your skills are admirable.
May I ask your Buddhist name? Which treasured temple do you cultivate in?” Li Muzhan’s senses were sharp; he caught the fleeting gloom in the man’s eyes, recognizing the depth of his cunning and severe composure.
He replied calmly, “This humble monk is Zhan Ran.” He raised his long sword, and without waiting for the handsome man to speak, delivered a light thrust. This thrust was incredibly light, almost playful, yet the tip of the blade shot to the handsome man’s chest in an instant.
The handsome man’s face changed. He hastily sucked in his abdomen and retreated, his feet moving as if mounted with springs, instantly stepping back three chi.
His knees did not bend; the retreat relied entirely on the strength in his toes—a movement exceptionally abrupt. As he retreated, he flicked his sword upward in a counter-sweep, not to save himself, but to strike Li Muzhan, attempting to relieve pressure by attacking the greater threat.
Li Muzhan smiled. With a muffled thud, he manifested several more figures.
The sword tip accelerated suddenly, slicing through the air like a meteor, piercing the man’s shoulder. Simultaneously, with a dull thump, Li Muzhan used his left hand holding the scabbard to block the upward sweep.
This handsome man was indeed formidable; even as he was pierced, he managed to shift his body several inches sideways, narrowly avoiding a vital spot. The thrust had been aimed at his heart, but now it only struck his left shoulder.
Li Muzhan pressed the attack, thrusting forward again. The sword tip transformed into a point of cold starlight, arriving instantaneously.
The handsome man had no time to staunch the bleeding. Instead of retreating, he advanced, his sword thrust exquisitely aimed, striking directly at Li Muzhan’s heart, forcing him back.
Li Muzhan blocked with his left-hand scabbard while maintaining the momentum of his right-hand sword. The handsome man was forced to twist his body to evade, and his sword momentum shifted, aiming to slice Li Muzhan’s right arm.
Li Muzhan blocked the incoming slash horizontally with his left-hand scabbard, while his right sword swept across towards the man’s neck, forcing the handsome man to retreat again. The handsome man possessed deep internal energy and exquisite swordsmanship, clearly superior to Li Muzhan’s own.
However, Li Muzhan was employing two weapons—one sword, one scabbard—acting as if he were two people, perhaps even possessing greater combined force than two fighters working in tandem. The handsome man could not withstand the assault and was forced into continuous retreat.
“Good! Good!
Kill him! Kill this fellow!” Xiaoyuan clapped her hands in delight, her eyes shining.
Gong Qingyun also showed a pleased smile. Mei Ruolan smiled faintly, astonished inwardly: Zhan Ran’s sword skills have advanced so much.
Especially the way he uses the scabbard in his left hand—so smooth, without any awkwardness. The handsome man’s left shoulder was wounded and bleeding continuously.
Li Muzhan’s sword strikes followed one after another with incredible speed, allowing him no time to catch his breath or stop the bleeding. After ten more exchanges, the handsome man turned and fled, dissolving into a wisp of light smoke.
If he could not win, he would retreat, lest he collapse from exhaustion. I earnestly request everyone's monthly tickets and recommendation tickets for support.
Thank you very much.”D