Li Muzhan stepped out of the room. Yu Chi Ming bounded over, grabbing his arm. “Stop! What mischief are you up to, causing such a ruckus?”
He craned his neck, peering inside.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Just practicing my palm strikes. Fourth Senior Brother, I heard you’re trying out to become a Bronze-Armored Guard?”
“Heh, you heard that, did you?” Yu Chi Ming instantly broke into a broad grin, scratching his head. “Just giving it a try, seeing if I can pass.”
“You should be careful,” Li Muzhan advised with a smile. “The Young Mistress has been in a foul mood lately; she’ll be especially strict.”
Yu Chi Ming waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry. The Eldest Young Lady always keeps her public and private affairs separate!”
As they were speaking, Jin Kaitai entered with the imposing gait of a tiger. Standing on the steps, he beckoned. “Zhan Ran. Come with me!”
Li Muzhan gave Yu Chi Ming a smile. He followed Jin Kaitai to the weeping willow by the lake.
The vast lake was like a mirror, a gentle breeze lightly skimming its surface. The willow branches swayed softly, displaying graceful, pliant curves, as enchanting as a young maiden.
Jin Kaitai stopped, staring at him for a long moment, then suddenly sighed. “Zhan Ran, do you know? The Eldest Young Mistress thinks highly of you!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Yes, the Young Mistress’s favor is too great for this humble body to repay.”
Jin Kaitai nodded, his voice filled with emotion. “The Young Mistress has asked me to pass on the Six Courtyards’ foundational sword techniques to you! In our Mei household, no one has ever mastered all seven sets!”
Li Muzhan looked astonished. “Even the Commander hasn’t mastered them all?”
Jin Kaitai nodded. “Mmm, I only know four. The remaining three require the Eldest Young Mistress to instruct you personally.”
Li Muzhan suddenly understood: the four sets he knew were for men. The remaining three were cultivated by women, naturally mastered by Mei Ruolan.
Jin Kaitai smiled knowingly. “Zhan Ran, given your talent, mastering all seven sets will take some time. Settle your mind and take it slowly.”
“Yes,” Li Muzhan replied respectfully.
Subsequently, Jin Kaitai taught him the Tianhu Sword Technique and instructed him for an hour, telling him to return at this time every day to learn one set of sword forms.
After he left, Li Muzhan practiced relentlessly. He did not return to the Heavenly Pivot Courtyard, skipping lunch, and practiced until the sun dipped below the horizon, finally gaining some comprehension.
He shook his head with a wry smile. He was truly strange. Cultivating the mental methods progressed incredibly fast, yet mastering the sword forms was agonizingly slow. With his talent, he should focus on simpler forms, techniques that relied on sheer power, like the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms he’d seen in later ages.
Alas, his current fortune was insufficient, his environment limiting. He hadn't encountered such supreme arts, and he wondered if such divine skills even existed in this world.
When he returned to the Heavenly Pivot Courtyard, Yu Chi Ming rushed to meet him. “Fifth Junior Brother, Miss Xiao Yuan just arrived and asked you to go to the Third Young Mistress’s place.”
Li Muzhan nodded and left the Heavenly Pivot Courtyard, heading to the small pavilion on the east side of the lake—Mei Songwan’s residence.
The sun was setting, bathing the flower garden in hues of gold and crimson. In the central pavilion, light gauze curtains fluttered, and Mei Songwan leaned on the railing, gazing at the sunset.
She wore a pale lotus-colored light gown, simple and elegant. The setting sun traced the beautiful contours of her figure.
She practiced no martial arts and could not hear Li Muzhan approaching.
“Ahem,” Li Muzhan coughed lightly, pushed open the wicker gate, and slowly walked in, following the winding path through the fragrant grass to the pavilion.
He sighed inwardly, pity stirring in his heart. The Third Young Mistress appeared lonely and desolate, radiating an air of approaching twilight.
Mei Songwan turned, offered a faint smile, and stepped forward to greet him. “Master Zhan Ran, please come in.”
Li Muzhan stepped inside, and an intense fragrance immediately greeted his nose.
They sat down. Mei Songwan personally served the tea, smiling. “Master, have you met the Fifth Young Master of the Wang family?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Yes, a true dragon among men; worthy of his aristocratic standing.”
Mei Songwan sat opposite him, her starlike eyes flickering. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Master, do you believe people truly have souls, and that there is an afterlife?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Yes.”
Mei Songwan fell silent, lifting her teacup to sip delicately. Her movements were graceful, but her bright eyes gradually grew hazy, her expression lost in thought.
Li Muzhan lowered his head to drink his tea, remaining quiet.
After a pause, Mei Songwan looked up. “For the past few years, I’ve held onto a knot in my heart—Yuan Qing’s death. It was so unclear…”
Li Muzhan looked up. “Third Young Mistress, the dead are gone. You must mourn and move on. This world is inherently bitter; one must seek the light. Dwelling too long in sorrow is not wise.”
Mei Songwan bit her red lip. “I don’t believe Yuan Qing was truly killed by He Zhiyuan!”
Li Muzhan advised, “So many years have passed; there is no way left to investigate. Third Young Mistress, perhaps it is best to let it go. Be happy; I imagine the Third Young Master would wish the same.”
Mei Songwan remained silent, sighing softly after a long time.
They sat in quiet companionship as the last rays of the setting sun stretched their shadows long across the ground.
The sun finally sank, and the encroaching dusk gradually swallowed the earth, blurring everything into indistinct shapes.
Mei Songwan set down her teacup and asked, “Master, do people truly have souls after death?”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “Third Young Mistress, a monk does not speak falsehoods. However, in the cycle of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, very few retain memories of their previous life; they are all washed away by karmic residue.”
“Alas,” Mei Songwan sighed again.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Instead of sighing endlessly, Young Mistress, you should cultivate martial arts and investigate it yourself in the future.”
Mei Songwan offered a desolate smile. “I suffered a Qi deviation once, damaging my meridians. I can no longer practice martial arts.”
Li Muzhan looked at her and vaguely guessed that the root of her Qi deviation was still related to the Third Young Master of the Wang family; it seemed their affections were deeply intertwined.
Mei Songwan confessed, “Master, I wish to rely on Buddhist doctrine to dissolve my afflictions, yet I cannot truly believe in my heart. What should I do?”
Li Muzhan considered for a moment. “How about this: if anyone in the city passes away, I will go and help with the salvation rituals. You can accompany me.”
“Good!” Mei Songwan smiled and nodded.
They spoke for a while longer, mostly Mei Songwan inquiring about Buddhist theory. Li Muzhan could tell that she was extremely intelligent, with precise and rigorous thought.
It was a pity, he reflected, that she only understood the doctrines but could not truly practice them.
Monasticism, Buddhist doctrine, and Buddhist cultivation—these three are not one, though common people often confuse them. Li Muzhan cultivated Buddhism to seek enlightenment, following the path of the Shakyamuni Buddha to attain the Great Dao and achieve liberation. The worldly faithful, however, mostly seek blessings from the Buddha, a notion he held in contempt.
As they were talking, he suddenly turned his gaze and saw a group of people standing outside the wicker fence.
Frowning, he looked over. Seeing Li Muzhan look their way, the person raised his voice. “Master Zhan Ran, what a coincidence! You are here too.”
Li Muzhan stood up, performed a gesture of palms pressed together, and replied, “Fifth Young Master, indeed, a great coincidence.”
The Fifth Young Master of the Wang family pushed open the wicker gate and walked slowly along the path, followed by four others. The middle-aged man with the surname Xu glared at Li Muzhan with wide, bell-like eyes.
Li Muzhan acted as if he didn't see him, focusing only on the Fifth Young Master of the Wang family.
Mei Songwan whispered, “He is the Fifth Son of the Wang family, Wang Yuanxin.”
As she spoke, Wang Yuanxin entered the pavilion, smiling faintly. “Fourth Sister-in-law, I apologize for intruding. I trust I haven’t disturbed you two?”
Li Muzhan frowned and remained silent.
Mei Songwan glanced at him sideways and playfully chided, “Stop fooling around. I am discussing Buddhist doctrine with the Master!”
Wang Yuanxin looked surprised and laughed. “Master Zhan Ran’s martial arts are supreme; is his Buddhist teaching just as profound?”
Mei Songwan laughed and shook her head. “Yuanxin, you are too ignorant! Master Zhan Ran’s Buddhist mastery is profound; even the Divine Nun Xueyin highly praised him. She invited him to the Moon-Viewing Dharma Assembly, but Master Zhan Ran declined.”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly but said nothing.
Mei Songwan was very warm toward Yuanxin, perhaps out of affection for her husband—a complete contrast to her demeanor toward Mei Ruolan.
“Oh? My apologies, my apologies!” Wang Yuanxin raised his sharp eyebrows and performed a salute. “This young man truly has eyes but fails to recognize Mount Tai!”
Buddhist teachings flourished in the world today, and monks held extremely high status, especially those with profound understanding of the Dharma, who were revered. Hearing this, Wang Yuanxin’s attitude shifted dramatically.
Li Muzhan smiled and returned the gesture. “Fifth Young Master need not be so formal.”
Having said that, he spoke no more, quietly sipping his tea.
Wang Yuanxin, being sharp-witted himself, saw the situation and ceased his disturbance, turning to Mei Songwan.
He said earnestly, “Fourth Sister-in-law, come back with me.”
Mei Songwan smiled and shook her head. “Little Uncle, you need not say more. I will not be returning.”
Wang Yuanxin thumped his chest as a guarantee. “Don’t worry, Fourth Sister-in-law, as long as I am here, no one will dare bully you!”
Mei Songwan pursed her lips into a small smile, shaking her head. “You, too, are just a clay Bodhisattva!”
Wang Yuanxin paused, then shook his head with a wry smile. “Fourth Sister-in-law, you exaggerate. I never involve myself in that petty, crawling business; no one would target me!”
“That is not necessarily true,” Mei Songwan replied, shaking her head.
“Alas…” Wang Yuanxin frowned. “With you here, my heart is constantly suspended; I cannot rest easy at night.”
Mei Songwan chuckled softly. “Little Uncle need not worry so.”
Wang Yuanxin smiled bitterly. “If you remain in the Mei manor and something happens to you, how will I explain it to Fourth Brother?”
Mei Songwan shook her head. “You don’t need to take Fourth Brother’s words seriously. I have nothing to do with your Wang family now, and I won’t go live there.”
Li Muzhan inferred that Wang Yuanxin was acting on the dying instructions of the Fourth Young Master Wang to look after Mei Songwan.
After leaving Mei Songwan, Wang Yuanxin invited Li Muzhan to dine with him. Li Muzhan accepted. The six of them went to the Chaoran Tower.
They chatted pleasantly. Li Muzhan remained calm and composed; though he spoke little, his words were often pearls of wisdom. Wang Yuanxin was talkative and quite enthusiastic.
Li Muzhan discerned that Wang Yuanxin’s words subtly encouraged him to pursue Mei Songwan, leading him to shake his head and smile faintly, finding the notion absurd.
Wang Yuanxin’s tolerance for alcohol was low; after a few cups, he was already slightly tipsy, and his speech increased.
With slightly glazed eyes, he sighed deeply, smiling bitterly. “Master, I have no choice! Watching Fourth Sister-in-law sink further into depression day by day, if this continues, she won't last! Please help Fourth Sister-in-law!”
Li Muzhan chuckled, shaking his head repeatedly. He hadn't expected this Fifth Young Master to be such an amusing character, coming up with such an outlandish idea.
In the end, he plied Wang Yuanxin until he was thoroughly drunk, then departed home with a light heart.
When he returned, Li Zhuzi and the others were asleep. Only Daoist Zheng was drinking under the moonlight. Seeing him enter, the Daoist beckoned. “Little Monk, I have something to entrust to you.”
Li Muzhan stepped forward, smiling. “Daoist Master, command me.”
The moonlight was like flowing water, illuminating Daoist Zheng’s face, which was as fine as jade, his eyes gleaming like cold stars, his spirit radiant.
Daoist Zheng took out an envelope from his robes and handed it over. “I have a letter here. Help me deliver it to the Jade Immortal Sect.”
“Jade Immortal Sect?” Li Muzhan paused, taking the letter with both hands.
Daoist Zheng said, “This counts as helping you. Little Monk, Miss Lin sought you out, presumably to have you cultivate the Dragon-Phoenix Morning Union Golden Sutra, didn’t she?”
Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. Daoist Zheng chuckled. “You little monk are quite formidable; you can withstand temptation. The Dragon-Phoenix Morning Union Golden Sutra is a secret scripture of the Immortals!”
Li Muzhan looked slightly embarrassed. “If I had known it was so powerful, perhaps I wouldn’t have agreed so readily.”
“Heh, interesting. What you say is sincere!” Daoist Zheng stroked his beard and smiled.
He quickly lowered his voice, glancing around. “I almost forgot; they’ve already gone to bed.”
“Daoist Master, when should it be delivered?” Li Muzhan asked.
“Leave tomorrow. The sooner the better,” Daoist Zheng instructed.
Li Muzhan nodded and solemnly tucked the letter into his robes.
“Monk, remember this,” Daoist Zheng’s expression turned serious. “If you run into trouble and cannot deliver it into the hands of the Jade Immortal Sect, tear the letter first. Do not let anyone else read it.”
“Understood,” Li Muzhan smiled, though he asked no further questions.
Daoist Zheng continued, “Inside this is a mental cultivation method. It will prevent Miss Lin from being perpetually discontent. With this method, the martial arts of the Jade Immortal Sect will advance a level, enough for self-preservation.”
Li Muzhan suddenly understood and said gravely, “Daoist Master, rest assured. No matter what, I will deliver the letter.”
“Mmm, I trust your competence in handling affairs, Little Monk.” Daoist Zheng smiled, patted his shoulder, and retreated into his room.
The next day, Li Muzhan informed Mei Ruolan that he intended to visit the Jade Immortal Sect. Mei Ruolan objected. With Wang Yuanxin and the others holding sway, the Helian Family might be wary and avoid the Mei Manor, but they would never be truly reconciled and would certainly move against him. They could not afford such a loss of face.
Li Muzhan thanked her for her concern, but stated that he still had to go to the Jade Immortal Sect.
Mei Ruolan said coldly, “Suit yourself!”
She then turned and left the Resting Garden, refusing to look at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan thought it over and ultimately decided to leave the Mei Manor, angering Mei Ruolan, who wanted to chase after him.
Finally, exasperated, she could only beg Wang Yuanxin to send two people to pursue Li Muzhan, to shadow him secretly and prevent any chance encounters with the Helian Family.
Wang Yuanxin readily agreed and dispatched an elder and a dark-skinned strong man.
Their Qinggong was superb. As soon as they left the Mei Manor, they utilized their lightness skill, moving faster than galloping horses, chasing after Li Muzhan.
However, after pursuing for an entire day without catching sight of Li Muzhan, they began to suspect they had taken the wrong path. After a moment’s thought, they decided to push their speed to the limit, rushing ahead to wait for him at the next staging point.