Barely an hour passed before the She Shen Da Fa failed, and an extreme sensation of weakness washed over him. He nearly blacked out, a bitter smile twisting his lips.

Every inch of his body ached as if subjected to a thousand cuts; he wished only for death to claim him immediately.

Li Muzhan drew a deep breath, shook his head, suppressing the pain, and began to enter meditation.

Soon, he was immersed in the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing. His consciousness split into three streams, pouring into the core bead. On the lotus, his spectral figure swiftly materialized, perfectly identical to his physical self outside.

The three core beads drilled inward through the Tian Men, and a vertical eye with three pupils appeared on his brow; his body naturally exuded a solemn majesty, resembling a celestial deity. Forming a hand seal, a pillar of silvery-white light descended, enveloping him.

It felt as if countless small hands were caressing him, soft and incredibly soothing. Li Muzhan was greatly astonished. "This feeling seems much more intense."

He looked up at the silvery-white pillar of light. It was denser and more substantial than the previous milky-white beam, resembling a true silver column piercing the heavens. After a moment's thought, he understood: the moonlight essence had solidified significantly, thanks to the increase in his core beads. With the solidified moon essence, the effect was overwhelmingly stronger.

All the physical suffering seemed to have been stripped away; he could no longer feel it. A coolness pervaded his body, accompanied by the sensation of small hands stroking him, an experience so comfortable and blissful he longed to simply drift off to sleep. He was neither quite asleep nor awake, existing in a strange, hazy state, oblivious to the passage of time.

When he finally awoke, it was broad daylight outside. He listened intently for a moment, then pushed aside the stone sealing the entrance and emerged from the cave, immediately bathed in the sunlight.

He stretched luxuriously, throwing his arms open to embrace the sky, drawing several long, deep breaths of the fresh air. The heavens seemed intensely high, and the surrounding scenery exquisitely beautiful. At this moment, his complexion was pale, but his eyes gleamed with sharp light, as if recovering from a severe illness that still clung to him.

He had never truly grasped the profound mystery of the She Shen Da Fa. Even with the inner visualization clear, he could not discern precisely what had been lost. The Jiu Yao Xin Fa offered no method of recovery; only the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing might suffice. He pondered, unsure how many days had passed. Leng Song must surely be gone by now. Would he have gone to Jinyang City if he couldn't find him?

He did not rush to leave. He found some fruit, remained there for a while, and began to practice two sets of martial arts: one set of fist techniques and one set of movement skills.

He had already mastered this set of qinggong. Applied skillfully, his speed was astonishing. He could vanish and reappear a dozen zhang away in an instant, seemingly bypassing the intermediate space entirely, silent and swift as a phantom. He thought of the mythical concept of shrinking the ground to an inch, marveling at its true strangeness.

The fist technique was equally esoteric, utilizing the unique core beads for power. Its speed matched the movement skill’s, executing a strike that seemed to leap across space directly, leaving no traceable path. Because the moves were invisible, they were impossible to decipher and thus impossible to counter—one could only defend. ////■●●●rqu;●●●●●● 11~∽●■●●●●●//~●●■● Fifteen days later, a carriage arrived unexpectedly at the Mei Residence in Jinyang City.

It was an ordinary carriage, the kind seen everywhere on the main streets. It halted slowly before the main gate of the Mei Residence. Four large men immediately stepped forward, their hands resting on their sword hilts, watching the coachman coldly.

The coachman visibly flinched, quickly forcing a smile. "I have a guest who wishes to call here. Forgive the intrusion, sirs, but I hope you mighty men will not take offense."

As the coachman spoke, a middle-aged scholar stepped down from the carriage. He idly fanned himself with a folding fan while calmly surveying the gatehouse, utterly composed.

He possessed refined brows and bright eyes that shone like cold stars. His nose was straight, and a small mustache graced his lip, lending him an air of scholarly elegance and maturity, a truly captivating presence.

He wore a square cap inlaid with a piece of fine jade, his robes were snow-white scholar's garb, and he held a white jade folding fan, exuding a refined, unsullied demeanor.

The four guards appraised him for a moment. One sturdy man spoke in a deep voice, "Who might you be, sir? Do you seek entry to our humble residence?"

"Precisely," the middle-aged scholar nodded. He turned his gaze toward them, cupped his hands in a gesture of greeting, and smiled nonchalantly. "I wish to request an audience with the young mistress of your household. I would trouble one of you to announce me."

"The young mistress?" The four guards examined him further. Noticing his tranquil jing-qi shen—clearly not that of a martial artist—one of them politely returned the bow. "May we trouble you for your esteemed name, sir?"

"My surname is Li." The middle-aged scholar smiled.

One guard looked at him with suspicion, knitting his brows, lost in thought. He quickly reminded himself this was no place for contemplation, composed his expression, and nodded. "Please wait a moment." With that, he turned and entered the residence. Moments later, he strode back out, cupping his hands. "The young mistress grants you an audience."

"I thank you." The middle-aged scholar smiled and nodded, following the guard straight into the main hall, where Mei Ruolan was already seated.

Mei Ruolan sat quietly in a light purple silk gown, radiating a composed dignity. Seated below her was Gong Qingyun, clad in snow-white robes, and behind her stood Xiao Yuan in pale pink attire.

"Xiao Song, you may go," Mei Ruolan said, waving a hand, her mesmerizing eyes fixed intently on the visitor's face.

"Yes, Young Mistress," the guard said, bowing respectfully before withdrawing.

"Heh heh... Young Miss, Senior Sister Gong, Xiao Yuan, have you been well?" The middle-aged scholar suddenly chuckled, gently tearing off the small mustache on his lip, removing his cap, and greeting them with a clasped-hand salute.

"It really is you!" Mei Ruolan laughed, letting out a long sigh of relief as she leaned back against the chair. Xiao Yuan's bright eyes widened, and she rushed forward, crying out sweetly, "Zhan Ran!"

Gong Qingyun also looked deeply moved but forced herself to remain composed, staring intently at him. Li Muzhan met her gaze for a few exchanges before they both looked away.

"It's me," Li Muzhan replied with a smile, patting Xiao Yuan's delicate shoulder. "Is everything peaceful here? Did the Helian family cause any trouble?"

Xiao Yuan pouted slightly. "Hmph! With the Fifth Young Master of the Wang family here, they wouldn't dare!"

"The Fifth Young Master of the Wang family?" Li Muzhan laughed as he sat down.

Xiao Yuan recounted the events until Li Muzhan understood. The Penglai Wang family had not stood idly by; rather, they took the matter seriously and dispatched the Fifth Young Master personally.

The Fifth Young Master brought four top-tier experts. With them present, the arrogant Helian family members arrived, only to be repulsed and forced to retreat in disgrace. Xiao Yuan giggled excitedly as she spoke.

Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief and recounted his experiences, omitting his time at the Yuxian Sect. He merely mentioned healing there for a few days, then running into experts, being captured, escaping, and being forced to return in disguise.

Xiao Yuan scrutinized him, giggling. "Zhan Ran, your disguise was perfect! None of them recognized you!" The Young Mistress was the sharpest; as soon as she heard the surname Li, she knew it was you! She tilted her head, laughing, "The way you pulled your eyebrows changes your entire appearance!" Li Muzhan chuckled. "I messed with it a bit. As long as I wasn't recognized, I was fine." "Yes, truly unrecognizable!" Xiao Yuan nodded emphatically.

Li Muzhan’s features were ordinary, yet his five facial features were well-proportioned: refined eyebrows, small eyes, a straight nose, a mouth neither too large nor too small, and an elongated face. Nothing was inherently flawed. But when these features combined, they resulted in a common appearance that struggled to capture anyone's attention.

Furthermore, since his Purple Elixir was complete, if he didn't actively circulate his inner power, his jing-qi shen was completely retracted, never leaking outward, lacking the spirited exuberance of a martial artist. He could stand in a crowd and blend seamlessly. It was precisely because of the Purple Elixir's containment of his essence and spirit that he appeared unremarkable as a master, making his disguise as a scholar uncannily effective. He hired a carriage in his scholar's attire and leisurely traveled all the way to Jinyang City.

Mei Ruolan stood up. "Zhan Ran, let's go to the Donghua Garden to meet the Fifth Young Master." Li Muzhan agreed with a nod. The four of them left the main hall, walking east along Ming Lake, rounding the north side to a small courtyard in the southeast corner. The courtyard was partially hidden by willow trees; unless one looked closely, it was difficult to spot.

Outside the courtyard, Xiao Yuan stepped forward to knock. The door quickly opened to reveal a dark-complexioned middle-aged man, whose demeanor was as simple and unrefined as a farmer's. The dark-skinned man glanced at the four and nodded. "Miss Mei, please come in!"

He stepped aside, allowing Mei Ruolan to lead the way. Li Muzhan, Gong Qingyun, and Xiao Yuan followed into the courtyard, immediately greeted by the fragrance of flowers.

In the courtyard, a slender young man sat cross-legged on the rockery, absorbed in quiet meditation. Hearing the sound, he opened his eyes. "Miss Mei," he said, smiling and nodding, radiating scholarly refinement. Li Muzhan sized him up: fair-skinned and handsome, with bright, clear features like a pristine being, appearing remarkably gentle.

However, he sensed that this Fifth Young Master was not to be underestimated; his gaze was clear and sharp, with a hidden edge of decisiveness—one should not be misled by his delicate appearance.

"The Fifth Young Master, this is Zhan Ran," Mei Ruolan introduced.

The white-robed youth murmured "Mm," turning to scrutinize Li Muzhan. He then gracefully floated down, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Master Zhan Ran, I have long admired your reputation!"

Li Muzhan smiled and returned the salute. "I am ashamed. I caused trouble that required the Fifth Young Master to come personally."

The white-robed youth waved his hand, smiling faintly. "Nonsense. Though the Helian family has considerable strength, they dare not provoke our Wang family."

"Young Master, let us sit and talk," a beautiful middle-aged woman standing behind him suggested.

"Aunt Zhou is right. Let us proceed." The white-robed youth smiled, leading everyone to a small pavilion on the west side where they all took seats.

Li Muzhan and Gong Qingyun sat below Mei Ruolan; Xiao Yuan stood behind her. The dark-skinned man sat below the youth, and the middle-aged woman sat behind the youth. The white-robed youth cupped his hands. "Master Zhan Ran, first, allow me to apologize." Li Muzhan returned the salute with a polite smile. "Fifth Young Master is too kind; I am unworthy of the title Zhan Ran."

The white-robed youth smiled. "Miss Mei was insistent on sending two people to trail you for secret protection, which I did not agree to. You must not blame me for that." Li Muzhan smiled, glanced at Mei Ruolan, and shook his head. "I imagine the Fifth Young Master had his concerns."

The white-robed youth clapped his hands and laughed. "Indeed! We were careless this time. We didn't expect the Helian family to be so arrogant; capturing you was merely the pretext!"

He continued, "The Helian family dispatched ten experts at once; their ambitions are vast. I could do nothing but prioritize the safety of the Mei Residence." Li Muzhan smiled and nodded.

If it were him, he likely would have done the same. The Mei Residence housed hundreds, while he was only one person; the choice between the two was clear. The white-robed youth chuckled. "You managed to escape the Helian family's pursuit; that is impressive. I admire you greatly!" Li Muzhan offered polite remarks, laughing it off as sheer luck.

After a few more exchanges, Li Muzhan took his leave. Although he felt favorable toward the Fifth Young Master, he did not wish to delay; he needed to cultivate desperately if he intended to exact revenge soon.

Being captured by Leng Feng this time—the feeling of being meat on the chopping block—had struck him profoundly. He never wanted a second occurrence and intended to train relentlessly.

The white-robed youth smiled slyly. "Don't rush off. Now that we’ve finally met, let's chat a little longer." Li Muzhan managed a bitter smile and nodded. The white-robed youth asked, "Master Zhan Ran, what martial arts do you practice?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "I practice the Tianshu Sword Style. Later, I acquired the Qiankun Sword Style from outside... and recently, when I visited Old Master Lu's estate, I learned a set of fist techniques from a Daoist priest from Chaoyang Mountain."

"Your blessings are profound. Congratulations!" the white-robed youth nodded.

The white-robed youth then said, "Uncle Li, why don't you exchange a few moves with Master Zhan Ran? ... Since he could escape the Helian family experts, his martial arts must be quite high." Mei Ruolan frowned, displeased. "Fifth Young Master, Zhan Ran just returned and hasn't rested!"

The white-robed youth smiled. "Miss Mei, there's no need to worry. Master Zhan Ran looks vigorous and shows no signs of fatigue. I am simply too eager to witness Master Zhan Ran's prowess!"

"Another day, perhaps!" Mei Ruolan's face darkened, her tone turning cold.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Young Miss, since the Fifth Young Master wishes to see, why should I refuse? Moreover, I wish to witness this senior's martial arts as well." He wanted to test the wondrous capabilities of his Xin Tong once more.

The last time he captured Leng Feng's mental echoes, it wasn't entirely reliable. Having been constantly near Leng Feng, with his Xin Tong running constantly, their minds had almost merged. It wouldn't work on strangers.

Now, standing before Mei Ruolan and the others, he could vaguely perceive their undercurrents of thought but could not capture specific mental content, let alone their internal cultivation methods.

"You..." Mei Ruolan shot him a reproachful glance.

Li Muzhan smiled sweetly. "Young Miss, if I embarrass myself later, don't blame me!"

Mei Ruolan snorted. "Show only as much skill as you possess!"

The two left the pavilion and walked to the wide clearing before the rockery, taking their positions opposite each other.

Li Muzhan saluted with clasped hands. "Senior, please instruct me!"

The dark-skinned man's expression was placid. "What do you wish to spar in?"

"Swordplay might accidentally harm our goodwill. Let's stick to fist techniques," Li Muzhan suggested.

The dark-skinned man nodded deeply. "Very well. Throw a punch."

Li Muzhan saluted again. "I will be presumptuous!"

He threw a punch and suddenly vanished; his fist was already before the dark-skinned man's chest.

"Eh?" The dark-skinned man sucked in his abdomen, recoiled his chest, and rapidly retreated, as if violently jerked back by an unseen rope, narrowly avoiding Li Muzhan's blow.

The dark-skinned man appeared clumsy and blocky, his figure squarely built, seeming slow, yet his movement technique was extremely fast.

Li Muzhan followed with an advancing step, relentlessly pursuing, throwing another punch that flickered to appear again at the man’s chest. The dark-skinned man had no choice but to raise his palm to block the impact directly in front of his chest. He thought to himself that Zhan Ran's internal force was inferior to his own, and it would be dishonorable to meet force with force. But at this juncture, he couldn't afford such considerations; he could only extend his palm and meet the punch head-on. With a muffled bang, Li Muzhan retreated a single step, while the dark-skinned man stumbled back three steps in quick succession, though his expression remained unchanged. His face was dark and weathered, so any change in complexion would be invisible anyway.

"Good!" the dark-skinned man roared deeply, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

Li Muzhan, however, frowned, sighing inwardly. It seemed his Xin Tong indeed had limitations. During the clash of palm and fist, he had only vaguely sensed the opponent's thoughts—more like intuition—and it was a million miles away from clarity.