The soot-darkened man’s eyes glinted, watching him with surprise. Li Muzhan returned the smile, chuckling, "Senior possesses profound internal energy!" The dark-complexioned man shook his head, thoughtfully musing, "No, this boxing style of yours... it has an ancient feel... li!!: ... ... r . . . ." Li Muzhan flinched internally, though his expression remained unchanged—a placid smile masking his rapid thoughts. Could this man have sparred with Leng Feng and recognized the technique?

If so, he risked exposure. This style of boxing could no longer be displayed; it offered no advantage and only courted trouble. If he accidentally crossed paths with Leng Feng’s enemies, the situation would become dire. Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "Senior has seen it before?" The dark-browed man paused, then shook his head. Li Muzhan secretly exhaled in relief and grinned, "Take another blow from me!"

With that, he drove out another punch. The fist flashed, appearing and vanishing with blinding speed.

The dark-browed man had no choice but to raise his palm to block his chest again. Fist met palm with a dull thud, and both men were forced back a full step. Then, one attacking, the other defending, their strikes clashed with sharp cracks—a raw confrontation that yielded no easy outcome. The young man in white watched with fascination, praising, "What a powerful boxing style, Miss Mei, have you ever witnessed anything like it?" Mei Ruolan frowned, shaking her head, "Never seen it; it is certainly strange." The young man in white turned to ask, "What about Zhou Qizhi?" The beautiful middle-aged woman knitted her brows, pondering, then shook her head. Li Muzhan, applying a subtle three-part focus, heard their murmurs and breathed easier; thankfully, he hadn't been recognized. Of all his martial arts, this boxing style was the most formidable.

They exchanged dozens of blows, the dark-complexioned man’s internal power deep and vast like a raging river, while Li Muzhan’s energy was refined, circulating with incredible speed, his movements wonderfully intricate—he was gaining the upper hand.

Mei Ruolan spoke coolly, "Enough, Zhanran, let that be all."

Li Muzhan shifted fluidly, suddenly retreating two zhang, leaping out of the fray. He clasped his hands together, "Senior’s internal mastery is profound; I am deeply impressed!"

Before, before attaining the three Heart Pearls, or perhaps before mastering this specific boxing style, he would never have matched the dark-complexioned man. But now, things were different. The power of a sublime martial art was evident. "Truly worthy of Grandmaster Zhanran!" The young man in white applauded, "Uncle Li may not be the absolute pinnacle of masters, but he is rarely matched; Grandmaster Zhanran is indeed formidable!" "Senior merely conceded out of courtesy; I am ashamed," Li Muzhan smiled. With that, he prepared to depart again. Mei Ruolan preempted the young man in white, turning to say, "Xiaoyuan, help Zhanran settle in; let him rest well and ensure no one disturbs him." "Yes, Miss," Xiaoyuan responded, swaying gracefully toward Li Muzhan, "Zhanran, come with me. First, take a proper bath!" Li Muzhan bowed to everyone, smiled at the young man in white, and turned to leave. As the two departed, the young man in white laughed, "Miss Mei, don't be so cautious; I won't try to steal your man!" Mei Ruolan cast him a sidelong glance and replied coolly, "If you have the skill, then try to steal him!" With that, she rose and swept away, followed by Gong Qingyun. ~"Young Master, this Zhanran is quite remarkable!" The dark-complexioned man approached, clasping his hands in salute. The young man in white nodded thoughtfully, smiling, "Uncle Li rarely praises anyone; if he says so, he must be right!" He turned, "Auntie Zhou, what do you think?" The beautiful middle-aged woman shook her head, sighing softly, "Let's forget it. This Zhanran’s composure is extremely deep, and his mind is exceptional; he is not someone easily swayed." The young man in white nodded and smiled, "Indeed—in my view, Grandmaster Zhanran is a man of strong sentiment; only emotion will move him!" "Young Master is absolutely correct!" The middle-aged woman agreed.

She then inquired, "Young Master, why does Miss Mei always maintain such a distant demeanor, never giving you a pleasant look?... Have you perhaps offended her?" "How could I dare offend her?" The young man in white sighed, patted his forehead, his face etched with vexation, "It's all because of Fourth Sister-in-law." "Oh?" The middle-aged woman looked confused. The young man in white shook his head and sighed, "The Mei Manor has always held resentment against us, claiming there are questions surrounding Fourth Brother's death." The middle-aged woman's expression shifted slightly, and she fell silent. "Alas..." The young man in white shook his head, stood up, leaned against the railing, and gazed east. After a long silence, he sighed faintly, "Regarding the details of Fourth Brother's death, perhaps only Father truly knows..." The middle-aged woman pondered for a moment, drew a slow breath, and asked carefully, "Young Master, isn't the Poison Hand Scholar He Zhiyuan the murderer?"

She knew her question bordered on forbidden ground; some things were better left unknown, but her concern for the young man prompted her to risk it. "That He fellow is the murderer," the young man in white confirmed, letting out a cold sneer, "But how could He Zhiyuan alone manage to kill Fourth Brother? Fourth Brother was the fifth strongest expert in our family!" The middle-aged woman remained silent, musing for a moment before saying haltingly, "It was someone within the family...?" "No one knows that now," the young man in white replied, his expression desolate, sighing deeply. "The cruelest are those born to nobility; our Wang family is nothing, yet look at this situation..." "Young Master, speak carefully!" The middle-aged woman hurried to caution him. "Heh heh..." The young man in white waved his hand dismissively, laughing, "Auntie Zhou, you must be cautious; even among us few, we cannot relax. Our nerves are taut all day long; we can't bear it much longer!" The middle-aged woman smiled, "Miss Mei truly has a bold spirit, daring to look upon you with cold disdain; I admire her greatly!" The young man in white shook his head, "Heh heh, she isn't bold; this young girl is far too shrewd!" "Oh?" The middle-aged woman asked with a smile. The young man in white slapped the railing and huffed, "She is an acknowledged disciple of Abbess Zhuxi; how dare I provoke her?!" "So that's it!" The middle-aged woman understood suddenly, chuckling, "Abbess Zhuxi is certainly not to be trifled with; she is fiercely protective. If she lodged a complaint, she would surely descend the mountain and storm into our estate." "Indeed..." The young man in white sighed with resignation. Li Muzhan followed Xiaoyuan to the Rest Garden, arranged hot water for him, and let him soak thoroughly. After resting a while in the bath, he returned to the Tianshu Courtyard.

Zhao Yuzhen and the others were absent; Xiaoyuan said all the disciples in the manor had scattered like sheep, running out and having no intention of returning.

Some time ago, when Mei Ruolan left for escort duty, the Mei Manor forbade its disciples from leaving, fearing provocation from the Bai family and possible trouble.

Now that the Penglai Wang family had a representative present, the Bai family dared not act rashly. Thus, the ban was lifted, and the disciples, having been confined for so long, rushed out to enjoy their freedom. Li Muzhan laughed upon hearing this; he could empathize with their feelings, yet he felt envious. At this time, his only focus was training; he had no heart for frivolity, determined to seek revenge on Leng Feng.

Previously, he had considered seeking out the Helian clan directly; rather than letting them hunt him across the world, why not strike straight at the dragon's lair and eliminate the great threat?

After encountering Leng Feng, he realized how naive he had been, underestimating the world and the Helian clan. If he had truly charged in then, certain death would have been his only fate. Xiaoyuan soon returned, saying the Miss requested his presence, and he followed her to the Star Gazing Tower.

On the observation platform, Mei Ruolan stood quietly in her purple robes, the sunlight illuminating her face, pale and exquisite, dignified and ethereal, like jade carved into human form. "Miss," Li Muzhan approached, his voice gentle.

Mei Ruolan looked deeply at him, her bright eyes flickering with a distant sheen. After a long moment, she sighed deeply, "You have finally returned!" Li Muzhan smiled slightly, "Though by luck, I have returned nonetheless." Mei Ruolan broke into a smile, "I see your cultivation has advanced greatly, reaching immeasurable heights; consider it a blessing in disguise!" Li Muzhan chuckled and nodded, "Yes..."

Without these perils, he would never have reached this stage; though he suffered much, the reward far outweighed the cost. Li Muzhan smiled, "At the crucial moment, I relied on the method you provided." Mei Ruolan frowned and gently shook her head, "That was drinking poison to quench thirst; it must never be used unless absolutely necessary." Both were intelligent enough; there was no need to spell out the reference to the Life-Sacrifice Art. Li Muzhan then asked, "Miss, Fifth Young Master seems very decent, possessing excellent character, but has he offended you?"

Though his spiritual sense was not yet perfected, he possessed an innate intuition regarding human psychology—whether a person was gloomy or bright, friendly or hostile, he could discern instantly.

Mei Ruolan shook her head and smiled faintly, "He fears Master, so he dares not offend me."

Li Muzhan chuckled; this was contrary to his expectations.

Originally, he assumed the Fifth Young Master, being a member of the Penglai Wang family, meant the Mei Manor was merely a vassal; they ought to treat the Fifth Young Master with extreme deference and caution. Unexpectedly, the situation seemed reversed, as if the Fifth Young Master had come seeking help—it was quite strange. "There isn't a single good one among the Wang family!" Mei Ruolan snorted. Li Muzhan chose not to argue, chuckling, "Yes, I have noted that."

Mei Ruolan continued, "However, the martial arts of the Wang family do possess unique merits. If he tries to recruit you, just humor him for a while and learn some superior techniques." Li Muzhan frowned slightly, "Miss...?" Mei Ruolan waved her hand, sighing, "With your current profound skill, the martial arts of the Mei Manor are beneath you." "This time, I owe it to the Tianshu Sword Art," Li Muzhan replied, unconcerned, "If the Tianshu Sword Art is practiced well, its power is immense."

Mei Ruolan smiled and nodded, "Indeed, within the manor, only these seven foundational sword arts are worth mentioning... but truly grasping them is exceptionally difficult." Li Muzhan said, "I wish to study the remaining six sword styles." Mei Ruolan nodded, "Very well, I will speak to Commander Jin tomorrow." "Thank you, Miss," Li Muzhan said pleasantly. "There's no need for such formalities," Mei Ruolan waved her hand again.

She looked at Li Muzhan, her bright eyes flickering with uncertainty, and after a moment of thought, she shook her head as if hesitant, beginning to pace the Star Gazing Platform with her hands clasped behind her back. Li Muzhan waited patiently, watching her with a smile, allowing her time to speak. "Zhanran, very soon, I must go to the Canghai Sword Sect to formally apprentice." Mei Ruolan stated after some deliberation. Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, congratulations, Miss." Mei Ruolan continued, "I am permitted to take two people with me." Li Muzhan froze, quite surprised. Mei Ruolan added, "Master is understanding and allows me to bring two companions." "Miss means...?" Li Muzhan's heart gave a sudden leap, but he suppressed it instantly, maintaining a composed smile as he inquired.