Er Sheng Chan sheathed his sword, smiled, and took out the Ice Jade Bow, drawing two arrows. A delicate, pale jade hand suddenly pressed down upon the Ice Jade Bow.

Li Mu Chan turned his head, and Mei Ruo Lan smiled faintly, "I will handle it."

The sunlight illuminated her face, snow-white and smooth, warm and tender as jade.

Li Mu Chan felt a sudden surge of impulse, wanting to reach out and touch that exquisite face, to see how the Dao of Creation had carved such a moving countenance with divine skill.

At this moment, the handsome man had already reached a hundred meters away. He turned back, a wicked smile playing on his handsome face, his sword tip pointed vaguely at Li Mu Chan: "Little monk, I shall return!"

"By all means!" Li Mu Chan smiled, watching him, his gaze as still as water, yet within his chest, murderous intent boiled and churned, transforming into magma, ready to erupt at any moment.

The handsome man threw his head back and roared with laughter: "Hahahaha, Flower Monk, your women are quite something! Excellent taste! I'll take your women first, and then I'll deal with you slowly! Hahahaha!"

Li Mu Chan’s face darkened.

"Pah! A dog’s mouth only spits out filth!" Xiao Yuan stamped her foot, pouting with charming indignation, her delicate face flushed, captivatingly lovely.

Gong Qing Yun's expression remained unchanged, as cool as ever, but a blush crept onto her cheeks, and she deliberately turned her face away, unwilling to let Li Mu Chan see.

Mei Ruo Lan’s expression was placid, undisturbed by any ripple. She slowly drew the Cold Moon Sword, held it level before her, and pointed it vaguely at the handsome man.

"Hahahaha, goodbye for now!" The handsome man made a sweeping, feigned thrust toward Li Mu Chan, full of blatant provocation. Laughing triumphantly, he turned and walked away.

Mei Ruo Lan smiled faintly and shot forward suddenly.

A streak of silver light flew out, like a white rainbow spanning the heavens, crossing a hundred meters straight toward the handsome man’s back.

The handsome man was about to slip into the woods when, at that instant, the hairs on his body stood erect. A chill swept down his spine; he sensed immense danger and exerted force, propelling himself three feet sideways.

"Tsssk!" Blood sprayed, and an arm flew into the air, still clutching a sword.

The silver light vanished, and Mei Ruo Lan appeared. She held her long sword level, gazing calmly at the young man, not a drop of blood staining its flawless, bright surface.

The handsome man grunted, gritting his teeth, struggling to raise his left hand to press several acupoints around his right shoulder, trying to staunch the gushing blood.

The Cold Moon Sword was too sharp; his right arm had been severed. He felt only a slight sting, but the wound on his left shoulder was agonizingly painful.

Moments later, he grunted again as the pain in his right arm surged like a tide, threatening to consume him, and his vision darkened in waves, nearly causing him to faint.

His teeth ground together with audible clicks. He drew a long breath, and his eyes, like bright stars, turned blood-red: "You... kill... you..."

Mei Ruo Lan slowly lowered her sword, saying faintly, "You deserve to die."

"Impressive! Truly impressive, I misjudged you completely!" Hahahaha, to die beneath a rose is romantic, even as a ghost! Hahahaha... Hahahaha," the handsome man suddenly burst into mad laughter.

Mei Ruo Lan returned her sword to its sheath, watching him calmly.

That strike was peerlessly fierce, yet she could not unleash it arbitrarily. The handsome man’s lewd words had enraged her, and as he spoke, her anger surged, boiling hotter and hotter until it reached a breaking point, catalyzing that single, devastating strike.

The cry of a crane echoed, a black light flashed, and the handsome man was violently yanked upward, his back slamming against a green pine tree, pinning him there.

A goose-feather arrow pierced his left armpit, nailing him to the trunk.

With a muffled sound, a small crossbow slid down. Mei Ruo Lan’s bright eyes narrowed, and her heart tightened.

The crossbow had come from the man's left sleeve; clearly, he intended to ambush her. If it weren't for Zhan Ran's arrow, she would have been in grave danger.

That single strike, though infinitely powerful, had drained her of all internal energy; her core was empty, unable to exert force. Once the crossbow was deployed, she would have no chance of survival.

"Tsssk! Tsssk!" Two black lights flashed, and the handsome man's legs were pinned as well.

Li Mu Chan drifted close, looked up at the handsome man, and sighed, shaking his head.

Mei Ruo Lan glanced at Li Mu Chan and sighed, "Xiao Yuan, give him a swift end."

Li Mu Chan frowned, his face as cold as water, utterly unlike his usual smiling demeanor. A chilling pressure emanated from him, and Mei Ruo Lan felt his profound anger.

"Yes, Miss!" Xiao Yuan answered. She leaped up, stabbed his heart, and landed gracefully.

With a "Clang," she returned her sword to its sheath, glaring hatefully at the man in the tree, pouting, clearly unappeased—as if killing him hadn't been satisfaction enough.

Gong Qing Yun glanced indifferently, then turned her attention to the guards.

The guards were fighting desperately. These bald brigands were no ordinary foes; their skills were formidable, and even more terrifying was their utter disregard for death, intent on dragging someone down with them.

By now, more than twenty guards had fallen.

Mei Ruo Lan surveyed the surroundings, her jade face darkening. "Xiao Yuan, Qing Yun, go!"

"Yes, Miss!" The two women replied, turning to join the fray.

Li Mu Chan took a breath and said gently, "Miss, let's head back."

"Mm," Mei Ruo Lan nodded and began walking back, saying faintly, "You've worked hard."

Li Mu Chan smiled, reverting to his usual self, beaming. "Miss's strike—its power was limitless. What sword art was that?"

"It is the (Zhù Jiàn Shù - Imprisoned Sword Technique)," Mei Ruo Lan replied.

"Zhù Jiàn Shù?" Li Mu Chan thought for a moment; he had never heard of it, shaking his head. "Is it a martial art of the Mei Manor?"

Mei Ruo Lan shook her head. "It is a supreme technique of the Canghai Sword Sect."

"So, it's the Canghai Sword Sect. No wonder." Li Mu Chan realized, becoming even more intrigued by the sect.

Mei Ruo Lan shifted the topic, pointing at the handsome man. "Zhan Ran, this man is also a huge problem."

Li Mu Chan nodded. This man, so young, with profound internal energy and exquisite swordsmanship, must have come from a renowned master. Like Feng Shang Kun, killing the son meant the father would not rest.

Mentioning the man reignited the anger in his heart. He picked up the Ice Jade Bow, pinching an arrow between his thumb and forefinger. Dark streaks of light shot out—the Tai Yin Arrows, silent and unseen.

When the two reached the carriage, he had already loosed thirty arrows, taking down thirty men.

One arrow, one man, never missing. Such divine archery greatly bolstered the morale of the guards.

Mei Ruo Lan stopped by the carriage, looking around, her bright eyes distant.

Li Mu Chan hopped onto the carriage shaft, reached behind him, and his movement froze. He shook his head with a wry smile.

"What is it?" Mei Ruo Lan noticed the oddity and looked up to ask.

Li Mu Chan smiled bitterly. "I'm out of arrows."

He raised his voice. "Xiao Yuan, Senior Sister, help me collect arrows!"

He sensed that Mei Ruo Lan's strength was deceptive; capturing the leader first was a known tactic, one they couldn't ignore. Thus, he remained still, directing Xiao Yuan and Gong Qing Yun.

"Alright! Xiao Yuan replied sweetly.

Gong Qing Yun said nothing, withdrew from the battle circle, and turned to gather the goose-feather arrows.

Li Mu Chan's Flying Cloud Arrow technique was marvelous; not a single arrow missed. All the goose-feather arrows were lodged in the men. To collect them, they had to be pulled from the bald brigands.

Gong Qing Yun and Xiao Yuan were light-footed. If they saw an arrow in a man they presumed dead, they pulled it out directly. If the man was not dead, they finished him with a quick stab before retrieving the arrow.

The two women, charming and lovely, were ruthless in their actions, showing no regard for human life, which sent chills down the spines of some of the remaining guards.

Mei Ruo Lan shook her head. If they were strong enough, there was no need to trouble them.

A moment later, Xiao Yuan and Gong Qing Yun returned to him, each wrapping a bundle of goose-feather arrows in their clothes.

The arrows were all stained with blood, and they wrinkled their noses, looking disgusted, finding the arrows too dirty.

Li Mu Chan smiled, took them, and placed them one by one into the quiver. He handed four full quivers to the two women, then leaped back onto the carriage shaft, drawing the Ice Jade Bow taut, shooting arrow after arrow.

By this time, his Flying Cloud Arrow technique had grown increasingly refined; every arrow struck true, silently claiming lives.

Under normal circumstances, the bald brigands might have dodged or slashed the arrows, but now they were engaged with the Mei Manor guards, their attention divided. Although they were aware of everything around them, the arrows were silent; by the time they noticed, it was too late.

Li Mu Chan shot continuously, each dark streak claiming a life.

His mind worked on two levels: half focused on shooting the arrows, and the other half contemplating: what if the Flying Cloud Arrow technique could be integrated into his flying knives? What would the power be like?

The more he considered it, the more feasible it seemed. Before entering the Mei Manor, he relied solely on strength for his flying knives. After entering, he integrated the Shadowless Sword Heart Method, increasing their speed.

Later, after the Golden Net Indestructible Divine Skill reached minor success, his strength surged. The power of his flying knives had already become immense.

His current flying knives were incredibly fast and powerful. Given the short distances, once released, they were unavoidable and had never failed.

Yet, he was not content, always feeling a sense of crisis. He constantly wondered: if he encountered a top-tier master, like Nangong Sidiao, could his flying knives achieve a one-hit kill?

The flying knife was his assassin's trump card, his final means of survival, always kept secret and meticulously concealed.

He ceaselessly sought to enhance the power of his flying knives, aiming for absolute certainty.

When he used a flying knife, it meant a life-or-death moment. If he couldn't kill the enemy in one strike, he would lose his own life and end his journey in this world.

Xiao Yuan and Gong Qing Yun were extremely busy, extracting the goose-feather arrows and returning them to the quivers. They would fill ten arrows, hand them to Li Mu Chan, then take empty quivers to pull more. Once ten were gathered, they returned them, and by then, the first quivers were empty.

The two women cycled through the four quivers, their movements becoming increasingly practiced: a finishing stab, an arrow pull, a quick wipe on their clothes, and on to the next.

Suddenly, Li Mu Chan's voice sounded in their ears: "Xiao Yuan, Senior Sister, that's enough."

The two startled, then stopped, as if waking from a dream. Xiao Yuan kicked an empty quiver away and ran to Li Mu Chan. "Zhan Ran, we don't need to pick up any more arrows?"

Li Mu Chan smiled and nodded. "You've worked hard. It's finished."

Gong Qing Yun brought back a full quiver of ten arrows.

Xiao Yuan glanced around the battlefield and clapped her hands delightedly. "Finally, they're all cleared out!"

Not a single bald man was left standing. The guards cheered; only seventy or so remained standing, with more than twenty lying on the ground.

Li Mu Chan said softly, "Miss, have the severely wounded brought over."

Mei Ruo Lan looked at him: "...Thank you so much."

"Why thank me?" Li Mu Chan smiled and returned to the carriage, sitting cross-legged behind the beaded curtain at the rear.

Mei Ruo Lan quietly instructed Xiao Yuan, who quickly fetched Elder Ouyang. Soon, the severely wounded were brought over, and Li Mu Chan employed the Control Crane Oil-Feeding Technique to save them from the brink of death.

He found that his internal energy had increased again; he could now perform the Control Crane Oil-Feeding Technique three times in succession.

Using the Nine Luminaries Heart Method, the process was even faster. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, his Dantian was full again. This speed was due both to the profound nature of the Nine Female Heart Method and the vast capacity of his Dantian.

In this manner, he performed the Control Crane Oil-Feeding Technique ten times. All the Mei Manor guards were saved; not a single one died.

A smile appeared on Mei Ruo Lan's face, and she let out a long breath of relief.

Li Mu Chan entered a meditative state with a smile. The others formed a circle around the carriage, guarding it silently, careful not to disturb his focus.

Mei Ruo Lan walked some distance away and gathered with Elder Ouyang and Elder Zhang to confer.

Elder Zhang played with his beard and chuckled. "Eldest Miss, Zhan Ran's merit is boundless!"

"Such a brutal battle, yet not a single loss. It is truly a miracle," Elder Ouyang stroked his beard and nodded slightly, a trace of a smile on his cold face.

"Yes, all thanks to Zhan Ran," Mei Ruo Lan agreed.

Elder Zhang laughed merrily. "In my analysis, the key reason everyone survived unharmed is that Zhan Ran gave them confidence. They had backing. Everyone thought that no matter how severe the injury, they could survive if they held on long enough... Without that hope, they might have collapsed quickly. With that hope, their potential was stimulated, allowing them to endure!"

"Yes, Elder Zhang's words are precise!" Mei Ruo Lan nodded.

Elder Ouyang smiled. "Eldest Miss, no matter what, Zhan Ran must be protected well."

"Indeed, indeed!" Elder Zhang quickly nodded. He pondered for a moment. "Why don't we send him back first?"

Mei Ruo Lan shook her head. "He won't agree."

Elder Zhang's suggestion betrayed a sliver of fear. Even as a Golden Armor Guard, he lacked confidence in surviving unscathed. The bald brigands' reputation, though not widespread, was confined to the Hexi martial arts circles, yet they proved this difficult. The road ahead looked perilous.

Elder Ouyang pondered briefly. "How about sending him back to deliver a message?"

Mei Ruo Lan shook her head. "He won't be fooled."

Elder Zhang laughed cheerfully. "Surely not, Eldest Miss? Is Zhan Ran that perceptive?"

"In terms of intellect, I am not his equal," Mei Ruo Lan slowly nodded.

Elder Zhang exclaimed, "Then we must send him back all the more!"

Elder Zhang mused: The Eldest Miss never lies. Since she says Zhan Ran is so formidable, he must be. Such talent is a pillar of the Mei Manor; if he can be preserved, he should be.

Mei Ruo Lan waved her hand faintly. "Forget it. He is stubborn. Once he makes up his mind, no one can persuade him, not even my words are effective."

Elder Zhang sighed regretfully. "What a pity. This Zhan Ran is truly a rare genius!"

Mei Ruo Lan frowned. "Elder Zhang, Elder Ouyang, could the Crimson Blood Hall be behind this attack?"

"I almost wish it were the Crimson Blood Hall causing trouble," Elder Ouyang said gravely.

Elder Zhang nodded. "Yes. We killed their young master, and the old man remains calm. That is too abnormal; it sets my teeth on edge!"

"Could something be keeping him tied up?" Mei Ruo Lan suggested slowly.

"Tied up?" Elder Zhang shook his head and sighed. "What could be more important than the vengeance for a son's death?"

Mei Ruo Lan countered, "Feng Junsheng of the Crimson Blood Hall has a terrible temper. Once he learns his son was killed, he will certainly erupt in fury. He would never endure this long in silence."

Elder Ouyang nodded. "The Eldest Miss is correct; something must have detained him."

Mei Ruo Lan waved her hand. "Never mind him for now. Everyone must remain vigilant. Do either of you elders know the location of the bald brigands' lair?"

Elder Zhang played with his beard, chuckling. "I wonder if the Liu Manor will send people over."

"They will send people. They have to respect the Eldest Miss's status," Elder Ouyang stated calmly. He pondered for a moment. "The bald brigands reside in Crouching Tiger Mountain. What does Zhan Ran intend to do?"

Mei Ruo Lan smiled. "He intends to attack their stronghold tonight."

"He really dares to think so!" Elder Zhang cried out in shock.

Mei Ruo Lan shook her head. "I couldn't dissuade him either. Let him go."

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