These few fish were plump, rich in fat. With a sizzling sound, oil occasionally dripped onto the bonfire, and the aroma grew increasingly strong.

Li Muzhan quickly finished making the window frame and lattice, set them aside, and then rolled his wheelchair to the campfire.

Xiao Yuan handed him one string, took one for herself, puffed out her cheeks, blew on it twice, and took an eager bite.

"So delicious! Truly delicious!" She kept chewing, unable to stop praising it, her delicate tongue darting out to cool her mouth.

Li Muzhan took a bite. It was tender, soft, fragrant, and smooth, melting in his mouth—truly exquisite.

It wasn't just Xiao Yuan's skill at roasting; it was the richness of the fish itself. After swallowing, a faint sweetness lingered, a profound aftertaste that coated his palate.

"Xiao Yuan, we're in luck. From now on, we'll live on these fish!" Li Muzhan quickly finished one, chuckling happily.

Xiao Yuan nodded while eating, "Yes, yes, it's so fragrant, I can never get enough!"

After they both ate their fill, Xiao Yuan helped him out of the wheelchair. They both lay directly on the grass, looking up at the starry night sky.

Silence reigned around them, punctuated only by the rising and falling chirps of insects.

After a long while, Xiao Yuan softly asked, "Zhanran, do you think Miss and the others are resting now?"

"They should have settled down too," Li Muzhan replied.

Xiao Yuan sighed, "I wonder if they encountered any danger."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Don't worry. Miss's martial arts are formidable; can't you trust that?"

Xiao Yuan paused, then nodded, as if comforting herself, "Hmm, that's true. Miss's martial arts are extremely high; no one can possibly overcome her."

"Stop overthinking," Li Muzhan said. "Tomorrow, we'll secure the rope to the cliff face, leaving a retreat path... I'll begin my seclusion tonight."

"Okay, got it," Xiao Yuan agreed.

The two continued talking. Xiao Yuan began recounting stories from her childhood, and as she spoke, she gradually grew drowsy, feeling the pull of sleep.

Li Muzhan woke her up. The night dew was heavy, and the chill against the skin was detrimental to the body.

They entered the house. Xiao Yuan took a cushion from her bundle and placed it on his couch, then moved him from the wheelchair onto the cushion.

Li Muzhan smiled at her thoughtfulness. A woman is a woman; no matter how innocent and carefree she is, she is still more meticulous than a man. She even thought to bring this—it touched him deeply.

Li Muzhan sat on the cushion, formed his hand seals, and entered meditation.

In the days that followed, he remained in seclusion.

In truth, whether he meditated or not made little difference. The valley was already secluded, cut off from the world; as long as he didn't venture out, it counted as seclusion.

Though called seclusion, he still left the hut.

He sat inside the hut at night. During the day, he would go out and sit on the couch outside. Xiao Yuan served him food and drink quietly, and then he would meditate and practice his arts, just as quietly.

At night, Li Muzhan cultivated the Gazing at Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra to repair his body. After five days, the three puncture wounds had closed, leaving only faint, pale circles.

During the day, he cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, specifically the second level of Bone Forging.

He discovered that the Gazing at Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra was not omnipotent; its physical restoration favored flesh and blood, having little effect on the bones. Though his recovery was faster than normal, the difference compared to flesh repair was like comparing heaven and mud.

Thus, he used the second level of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art for bone forging, which proved remarkably effective.

He had Xiao Yuan use the Ice Jade Bow to hunt, taking down a wild boar. He insisted on drinking the bone broth made from it, which greatly aided the process.

The might of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art was evident again: normally, healing serious injuries took a hundred days, yet while drinking bone broth and running the second level of the bone-forging technique, he could walk normally after only five days.

The growth of bone was inherently slow, and they were still a bit fragile. He could walk, but he couldn't exert too much force.

Even so, he was delighted. Previously, he had to rely on Xiao Yuan for everything—getting in and out of the couch—which had begun to wear on his patience.

Xiao Yuan was equally thrilled to see him walking again.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Li Muzhan smiled, "Just a few more days, and we can catch up to the convoy!"

At that moment, the morning sun was bright. The two were eating breakfast. Li Muzhan finished his grilled fish, drank the bone broth in one go, and let out a deeply satisfied sigh.

Xiao Yuan's small hands were still greasy, and oil stained the corner of her mouth. She stared blankly at the pool, silent, lost in thought.

Li Muzhan called her name, and she jumped, startled.

"Xiao Yuan, what are you thinking about? You're so engrossed," Li Muzhan asked with a smile.

Xiao Yuan looked at him, a hesitant expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You're usually so direct; why the sudden bashfulness?"

Xiao Yuan lowered her head, troubled, "Miss told me not to say some things."

"There are no outsiders here. Tell me," Li Muzhan smiled.

Xiao Yuan thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I suppose I can tell you... Zhanran. When Miss left, she ordered me to find a way to keep you here, to stop you from following!"

"Stop me from following?" Li Muzhan frowned, pondering.

Xiao Yuan watched him. Seeing his brow furrowed, she quickly asked, "Zhanran, what's going on? What riddle is Miss setting up?"

Li Muzhan laughed, "Nothing much. Perhaps she was afraid I'd drag everyone down with me..."

Xiao Yuan nodded, suddenly understanding, "That makes sense. Who knew you'd recover so quickly!"

Li Muzhan offered a slight smile, still appearing thoughtful.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuan didn't disturb him. She gathered the bowls and chopsticks, went to the pool edge to scoop water, washed them clean, careful not to rinse them directly in the pool to avoid polluting the clear water.

Watching her work, Li Muzhan sighed inwardly. It seemed this journey was fraught with danger, and Miss didn't want him wading into this muddy water again. Such concern made him feel deeply undeserving!

Two more days passed, and Li Muzhan's lower legs healed. Seven days achieved what normally took a hundred, illustrating the might of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art.

This time, he resumed bone forging. Through breaking and rebuilding, his lower legs became even stronger, his lightness skill improved significantly, and his overall strength increased marginally.

As a result, his comprehensive power rose slightly.

At dusk, a small couch was placed by the pool, dyed crimson by the setting sun.

On the couch, Li Muzhan sat cross-legged, eyes closed, hand seals formed. His skin was fair and smooth. His bearing was solemn and dignified; only his chest rose and fell gently, his breathing long and deep.

He was cultivating the Six Ministries True Sutras, using split focus to train two meridians simultaneously.

He felt increasingly that his internal energy was insufficient. Against ordinary opponents, he could rely on the swiftness and ruthlessness of his sword to gain victory, but when facing those with profound internal strength, he was helpless.

It was clear then that the true path to power lay in Neili (internal energy).

Normally, he utilized his dual-focus ability to cultivate continuously, making terrifyingly rapid progress.

At the Mei Manor, he had been somewhat complacent, but outside, in just these few days, his perspective had broadened, and he understood his own shallowness.

The Mei Manor was a major power in Jinyang City, but viewed against the entire martial world, it was but a drop in the ocean, insignificant. The foremost master of the Mei Manor was nothing special.

Being forced to feign death to escape the confrontation with the bald-headed brigand leader—this leader wasn't even considered top-tier in the Hexi martial arts circle. If he met someone truly formidable, wouldn't he merely be waiting for death?

This near-death experience spurred him on, making his training even more diligent.

However, he knew that practice required steady progression; rushing ahead rashly invited endless trouble by weakening the foundation. Thus, he suppressed his impatience and proceeded slowly.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. He opened his eyes and called out, "Xiao Yuan!"

Xiao Yuan's charming, sweet voice replied from the hut, "What is it?"

"Pack things up, we're leaving!" Li Muzhan said in a deep voice.

He leaped up and swept into the hut like a gust of wind. Xiao Yuan was inside, arranging a bouquet of wildflowers in a vase, which she was admiring from every angle by the window.

Seeing his urgency, Xiao Yuan paused, "What's wrong?"

"Someone is coming. We leave immediately," Li Muzhan stated, unhooking the long sword from above his bed and fastening it to his waist. "Quickly!"

"Did they really track us down?" Xiao Yuan's large, bright eyes widened in disbelief.

Noticing Li Muzhan glaring at her, Xiao Yuan hastily packed her bundle, rushing out to fetch the bowls, seasoning, and the cushion from his couch.

"Forget those things, let's go!" Li Muzhan suppressed a wry smile, stepped forward, swept his arm around her slender waist, and soared out of the small hut, leaping onto the treetops to flee.

Xiao Yuan had initially felt defiant, but as Li Muzhan gathered her close, her body instantly went limp. She softened into his embrace, speechless, allowing him to carry her as they flew.

Breathing in his scent, watching the scenery flash by, her senses swam as if lost in a dream.

Li Muzhan skimmed just above the canopy toward the rope secured on the cliff face. By this time, people had already entered the valley. Looking up, they spotted him and shouted, "Leader, he's found!"

Li Muzhan glanced back. A group of men poured into the valley, over a dozen heads gleaming under the setting sun.

Leading them was a middle-aged monk whose imposing aura was like that of a tiger. Li Muzhan's heart sank; this monk was the very leader.

He accelerated his footwork, reaching the rope in a blink. His left hand gripped the rope, and he lifted Xiao Yuan with his right, swinging her behind him. He commanded in a low voice, "Xiao Yuan, hold on tight!"

Xiao Yuan snapped back to awareness, wrapping her arms around his neck and clamping her legs around his waist.

Li Muzhan exerted both hands, ascending the rope rapidly. The middle-aged monk leaped onto the treetops, skimming the foliage with astonishing speed, his large frame moving with surprising lightness.

Li Muzhan frowned, quickly calculating—there wasn't enough time to escape.

"Xiao Yuan, you go up first!" Li Muzhan pressed his hands together, supporting her rounded hips, and gave a gentle push.

Xiao Yuan trembled slightly, her body growing weak, as she fumbled to grasp the rope in mid-air.

"Faster!" Li Muzhan urged.

Knowing she was slowing him down, Xiao Yuan gripped the rope firmly with both hands and ascended swiftly.

The middle-aged monk was incredibly fast, closing the distance to within twenty zhang in that brief moment. As he flew, he laughed loudly, "Hahaha... little monk, you have nine lives! Let's see if you can escape this time!"

His voice rolled like a tide, filling the entire valley.

Li Muzhan suddenly stopped, wrapping a foot around the rope to anchor himself against the stone wall. He drew an Arrow of Wild Goose Feathers, drew back the Ice Jade Bow, and shot a dark streak towards the monk.

The monk didn't alter his trajectory, instead bringing his left palm down upon the dark streak. With a sharp ding, like the clash of metal against metal, the dark streak fell away, yet his speed remained undiminished.

Li Muzhan shot two more dark streaks. Planting his feet on a protrusion on the stone wall, he sprang upwards violently, instantly gaining ten zhang in elevation, catching up to Xiao Yuan.

With a soft hiss, Li Muzhan twisted his body in mid-air. Crack—a small hole appeared in the stone wall.