They were blessed by heaven, able to learn profound martial arts without exhausting effort. As long as they were willing to toil and cultivate diligently, there was hope of reaching the pinnacle, joining the ranks of the martial world's supreme masters—a state unattainable for ordinary people.

Though the Mei Residence was fine, it was but a small temple. To grow into a great Bodhisattva, remaining solely within the Mei Residence would likely prove insufficient.

Within the Mei Residence, no matter how fiercely one cultivated, achievements would remain limited. Compared to the scions of those great families, dreaming of becoming the greatest under heaven was laughable.

At that moment, the thought of leaving the Mei Residence suddenly arose within him.

Then he reconsidered; it was nearly impossible. The Mei Residence had made him what he was. Without the Vajra Indestructible Body or the Tianyuan Breathing Technique, he would long be dead.

To leave so easily would be an act of ingratitude. Setting aside what others might think, his Elder Brother would certainly not agree.

"Bang!" He stripped off his outer garment, shaping it like an umbrella, and his descent immediately slowed.

The garment was one worn by the bald-headed brigand; the silk material was exceptionally fine, far superior to his own coarse gray monk's robe. As his internal energy spread, the resistance grew stronger.

He glanced upward. Channeling his inner force to his eyes, Wohu Mountain was clearly visible. He sensed Xin Jue standing on the steps, sneering at him, his reddish-brown monk's robe fluttering in the wind.

The gaze felt capable of piercing through space, aimed directly at him. Li Muzhan's heart tightened, and he let out a soft sigh.

He harbored a deep wariness of Monk Xin Jue—ruthless, unpredictable in action. While he had escaped easily this time, the next time, it might not be so simple.

Ten-odd zhang above the treetops, he employed the Cloud Dragon Nine Shifts, making several sharp turns. As he fell, he converted the descent into horizontal movement. Though he couldn't nullify all the momentum, much of it was reduced.

With a "thud," the great tree shuddered. Pine needles rained down softly. He landed steadily on a thick branch, then slid off, drifting gracefully to the ground.

Treading on the thick, soft carpet of pine needles, he surveyed his surroundings, then swiftly activated his movement technique.

Xin Jue's Qinggong was exceptionally high, several steps superior to his own. If the monk truly gave chase, escape would be difficult.

While speeding away, he treated his injuries. The Purple Elixir rotated, splitting into two streams. One surged to his legs, causing the passing scenery to blur rapidly; the other coiled around his viscera, mending internal damage.

The Mighty Demon Subduing Fist—truly exquisite!

He praised it again inwardly. With his natural divine strength augmented by profound internal energy, practicing this fist technique would yield unimaginable power, enough to rampage through the martial world!

As he indulged in this vision, he shook his head with a wry smile. The Tantuo Temple had endured to this day, and the secrets of its martial arts were not leaked to the outside world; clearly, they possessed meticulous methods. For an outsider to obtain them was simply daydreaming!

He first returned to Xiannv Peak, arriving at that small mountain valley.

The scenery in the little valley remained the same, quiet and peaceful beneath the moonlight. It felt as if time had reversed, returning to those initial moments, with Xiao Yuan attending to him by his side. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.

He walked to the edge of the pool, bent over, cupped water to wash his face, and took a sip. It was sweet and biting cold, chilling him to the core.

He let out a long breath, sat on the wooden log beside the pool, assumed the cross-legged posture, formed a hand seal, and slightly closed his eyes, beginning the meditation for healing.

Moments later, he entered the state described in the Heaven and Man Reflection Scripture. His spirit plunged into the two heart pearls, and an astral body slowly materialized upon the lotus. Resembling him exactly, the two heart pearls drilled inward, transforming into a vertical eye between his brows.

Forming a hand seal, the moonlight instantly poured down like a pillar, ceaselessly repairing his astral body. His entire being felt as if bathed in a hot spring, the comfort indescribable.

After an unknown length of time, he awoke. Looking up, the sun burst forth with myriad beams of golden light, the entire western side of the valley completely gilded, magnificent and brilliant.

He looked around for a few moments, unsure how many days had passed, when his stomach rumbled.

He got off the couch, netted three fat fish, skillfully started a fire, and soon they were roasted. After finishing the meal, his belly felt tight and very full.

Glancing around again, he sighed. Such a wondrous place could only be visited occasionally; one could not reside here permanently. In youth, one could not indulge in comfort!

He flew out of the valley, carefully concealing his tracks, ensuring no one could detect his presence.

Descending Xiannv Peak to the south, he pursued his way, finally spotting the Mei Residence guards around noon.

From afar, he saw the Mei guards arrayed in a tight circle, pulling their defenses inward, surrounded by over a hundred attackers.

These assailants wielded various weapons—swords, sabers, spears—their attire equally diverse and motley. Some were even bare-chested; clearly, they were a rabble.

Li Muzhan stood atop a jujube tree, observing the distant scene, his brow deeply furrowed.

One must not judge by appearances. This group of disorderly thugs possessed martial skill that was not inferior to the bald-headed brigand. Even in groups of three or five, their coordination was seamless, and each fought with utter disregard for death.

A sallow-faced man stood outside the fray, holding a long saber, shouting loudly: "Brothers, push harder! Take them down, and ten thousand taels of gold will be ours!"

He was tall in stature but very lean, as if long ill, yet he stood radiating powerful presence.

He continued shouting: "With this ten thousand gold, we can finally catch a break this year and enjoy ourselves! Push on, brothers!" "Boss Chang, rest assured, this ten thousand gold won't get away!" another burly fellow shouted exuberantly.

"Zhao Laosan, don't slack off, show us your trick!" the sallow-faced man called out.

"Coming right up!" Zhao Laosan let out a booming laugh, and his body suddenly shook. Immediately, his outer clothes shredded, revealing coiled, powerful muscles.

His pectorals bulged, and his back was broad and thick, as if clad in armor.

"Bang!" A sword struck his chest, emitting a dull thud, like hitting hardened leather.

It left a white mark. The Mei guard wielding the sword was startled, realizing this man's profound external hardening technique rendered him impervious to blades and spears.

Zhao Laosan cackled, his large hands reaching out to grab the guard's sword.

The Mei guard was swift in his attack; the sword tip jabbed his chest again but could not penetrate. Zhao Laosan extended both hands, seized the long sword, and twisted—the blade coiled into a rope.

The Mei guard's face changed dramatically. He dropped the sword and retreated, only for another sword to appear silently behind him. It was as if he had impaled himself upon it.

"Chii!" A faint whistle cut through the air, a flash of purple light, and the owner of the sword flew backward.

"Chii-chii-chii-chii!" The whistling sound did not cease. A series of purple lights flashed, accompanied by men flying backward like tattered cloth bags before hitting the ground.

"It's Zhanran!" The Mei guards roared. Instantly invigorated, their morale soared.

"Haha, Zhanran, you're here!" Elder Zhang laughed heartily.

He was currently engaged with a middle-aged man in gray, their swords clashing and ringing, fighting to a standstill.

Xiao Yuan stood beside Mei Ruolan, her small hand shading her eyes as she looked around, letting out a delicate hum: "Zhanran, you're finally here! Hurry and take care of them!"

"As you command!" Li Muzhan drifted down from the jujube tree, approaching slowly. The Immaculate Bow in his hand released streams of purple light. With sounds of "chii," one man after another flew up.

In just over ten steps, he loosed more than twenty streaks of purple light. Over twenty men collapsed to the ground, groaning and crying out, unable to fight further.

Li Muzhan saw that no guards had died, so he held back his lethal force; otherwise, he would have taken their lives directly.

The sallow-faced man stopped them, leveling his saber and shouting: "Hold it! Who are you?"

Li Muzhan did not pause, walking and shooting simultaneously, smiling: "I am a guard of the Mei Residence. Who are you!"

The sallow-faced man bellowed: "Stop immediately! We are disciples of the Liang Family Stockade!"

The Immaculate Bow shot out streaks of purple light. Li Muzhan shook his head: "Liang Family Stockade? Never heard of it. Why are you troubling us!"

Seeing this, the sallow-faced man roared in anger and charged forward, his saber light like a weaving net.

Li Muzhan's figure swayed, evading the attack, but the Immaculate Bow did not stop.

The sallow-faced man's swordsmanship was fiercely sharp; he twisted his momentum and lunged again.

Li Muzhan shifted his stance again, avoiding the strike. The Immaculate Bow continued its work. In that short time, another ten men flew up, and the tide of battle began to turn.

The sallow-faced man suddenly stopped, sheathing his long saber, and waved his hand: "Good! Good! We admit defeat. Brothers, fall back!"

The thugs retreated, leaping out of the encirclement. The fighting ceased.

Li Muzhan smiled. This sallow-faced man was quite perceptive. He drifted to the front of Mei Ruolan: "Sister, I am late." Mei Ruolan offered a faint smile: "It's a good thing you came."

Mei Ruolan had been standing in the center with her hands clasped behind her back, her expression calm and composed.

The two exchanged a glance, then turned away, a hint of awkwardness between them.

Xiao Yuan ran over, hugged his arm, and giggled sweetly: "Zhanran, you're finally here! If you hadn't come, we wouldn't have seen you again!"

Gong Qingyun looked at him deeply. Their eyes met, and then they gently separated.

Li Muzhan smiled: "When the Young Miss takes action, naturally they are no match." He paused, "What happened?"

Xiao Yuan pouted with mock anger: "The Li Family issued a bounty! A hundred taels for killing one of us, and ten thousand taels for capturing us alive!"

Li Muzhan's eyebrows shot up: "How vicious!"

Xiao Yuan continued: "This is the second wave! The first wave was nothing; we dismissed them easily. But this wave is much more formidable."

Li Muzhan nodded, then turned: "Young Miss, should we execute them or let them go?"

Mei Ruolan pondered briefly, then sighed: "Let them go."

Li Muzhan shouted: "Scram!"

The sallow-faced man gritted his teeth, fire blazing in his eyes. He cupped his hands and shouted: "The green mountains remain, and the flowing water endures! We shall repay today's debt another day!"

Li Muzhan chuckled, shaking his head, too lazy to bother.

Elder Ouyang and Elder Zhang approached, greeting Li Muzhan warmly. When they heard he had lured the Li Family members to Wohu Mountain, they applauded enthusiastically.

When he recounted his exchange with Xin Jue of the Tantuo Temple, everyone held their breath.

Elder Zhang stroked his white beard and chuckled: "Zhanran, you truly are blessed with great fortune and luck. The monks of Tantuo Temple are not to be trifled with; they kill without blinking."

Li Muzhan was perplexed: "The Tantuo Temple is a sacred place of Buddhism, founded on compassion!"

"Ahem!" Elder Zhang coughed, waving his hand and shaking his head: "It is true the Tantuo Temple is a sacred place, but most of the monks there cultivate Buddhist doctrine, very few disciples ever leave the temple. Those who do cultivate demon-subduing techniques—things like 'benevolence through killing,' slaying men to benefit the common people."

Li Muzhan managed a wry smile: "I nearly got executed as a demon."

Elder Zhang shook his head repeatedly: "If the Tantuo Temple decides someone is a demon, then they are a demon. They are incredibly overbearing!"

Elder Ouyang snorted coldly: "You should say less, Zhang."

Elder Zhang quickly glanced around, patting his chest: "That was close! If the people from Tantuo Temple overheard those words, it would cause no end of trouble!"

Li Muzhan frowned. He had always assumed the Tantuo Temple was a holy Buddhist sanctuary with strict rules and esoteric martial arts, not realizing their conduct was so tyrannical as to provoke widespread resentment.

"Don't listen to the old fool Zhang babbling; he's had trouble with the Tantuo Temple before." Elder Ouyang said flatly: "Overall, the Tantuo Temple acts openly and justly, upholding righteousness, and they don't resort to schemes or underhanded plotting, nor do they invert black and white. That is rare enough."

"Hmph!" Elder Zhang's beard bristled with clear displeasure.

Li Muzhan smiled and asked no more. What the Tantuo Temple was truly like, he would have to experience for himself; one could not trust entirely in the words of others.

He boarded the carriage and used the Crane-Guiding Oil-Adding Technique to treat the guards' injuries, earning their deep gratitude.

In the days that followed, they rode swiftly on horseback. Occasionally, they were stopped on the road, but most were frightened off by the power of Li Muzhan's Immaculate Bow. His firing speed was astonishing, and his power immense; ordinary masters could not withstand it.

The journey proceeded smoothly. After more than ten days, they left Haidong Province and returned to Jinyang City.

They entered the city just as the sun was setting, the twilight like gauze. City lights twinkled—some already lit, some not yet lit. The city was exceptionally lively.

They entered through the South Gate, dismounted immediately upon entry, and led their horses forward until they reached the front of the Mei Residence.

A group of people was already waiting there. Seeing their return, they gathered around.

The first to greet them was Mei Ruohai, dressed in a green robe, brimming with heroic spirit. From afar, he laughed heartily: "Eldest Sister, you're back so soon! I thought it would take a few more days!"

Mei Ruolan smiled: "Yes, we didn't delay along the way; it was quite smooth."

"That's good! That's good!" Mei Ruohai looked her over, laughing: "You must have suffered, Eldest Sister; you've lost weight!"

Mei Ruolan smiled faintly: "Let's go inside the manor to talk."

Everyone followed them into the residence. Naturally, someone came forward to take the horses. Li Muzhan, Xiao Yuan, and Gong Qingyun followed Mei Ruolan into a large hall.

The other guards went off to wash and rest.

Entering the hall, Mei Ruolan sat down, and Xiao Yuan stood behind her. Li Muzhan and Gong Qingyun took seats of honor. He slightly lowered his eyelids, seeming asleep yet not quite.

Mei Ruohai's gaze swept over him, then settled on Mei Ruolan, and he chuckled: "Eldest Sister, was it truly smooth?"

Though he seemed rough, he was not dull; rather, he was keenly perceptive, noticing Mei Ruolan's subtle change in demeanor.

Mei Ruolan shook her head and recounted the events concerning the Li Family.

Mei Ruohai slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and sprang up: "Well done for killing them!"

Li Muzhan opened his eyes, offering a wry smile: "Second Young Master, the Young Miss has been blaming me for this."

"Hmph, if it were me, I'd have done the same!" Mei Ruohai gritted his teeth, filled with hatred: "Well done, Zhanran, that was satisfying! A good-for-nothing Li Jixian and a Li Family that bullies others too much!"

Mei Ruolan waved her hand: "Enough, sit down and talk."

Mei Ruohai snorted loudly: "Eldest Sister, if those Li Family whelps don't come, fine. But if they dare step foot in Jinyang City, I will personally lead men and slaughter them!"

Mei Ruolan shook her head: "Indulging a moment's pleasure only leads to endless trouble; it is not the best course of action."

"Eldest Sister!" Mei Ruohai looked agitated and was about to retort.

"Let's not talk about it anymore." Mei Ruolan waved her hand and turned to Li Muzhan: "Zhanran, you and Qingyun go rest first."

"Alright, I'll go home and check on things." Li Muzhan immediately stood up, his heart soaring as if sprouting wings, and flew back in an instant.

"This..." Mei Ruohai hesitated for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "Zhanran, Li Jian is injured."

"Hmm—?" Li Muzhan frowned, and a flash of purple energy flickered across his face.