After traveling day and night for over half a month, the four arrived deep within a range of continuous mountains, majestic as a slumbering dragon, winding endlessly into the distance.

The four reined in their horses and halted, gazing at the dense, lush peaks. Xiao Yuan turned her head, "Miss, is this where the Canghai Sword Sect is?" A pink silk blouse enveloped her full, delicate figure, her round face flushed crimson, looking utterly delectable.

Mei Ruolan frowned as she examined the surroundings, pulling out a map from her sleeve to cross-reference. She nodded, "Yes, we enter the mountains here, head south, and there should be a great river; following the river east will lead us there. Xiao Yuan worried, "Oh, if we get lost, that would be disastrous!"

The distant mountains were shrouded in thick forests, untouched by humanity. If they truly lost their way, they might never find their way out, which caused some anxiety.

Gong Qingyun said calmly, "Mark our path clearly; we can always return."

Xiao Yuan giggled, "How did I not think of that? Sister Gong is indeed the clever one!"

Gong Qingyun smiled faintly and shook her head.

Li Muzhan sat astride his horse, quietly observing the distance, vaguely sensing a surging, profound power, as if emanating from the very heavens and earth, or perhaps from the towering mountains themselves.

The four continued due south; the path grew narrower and increasingly rugged until, finally, it was only wide enough for a single horse, and then, the path vanished entirely.

Li Muzhan dismounted, drawing his dark, unpolished longsword. He hacked and slashed through the thorny undergrowth, forcefully carving a path forward.

His qi channels were long and his physical body tremendously robust. From morning till night, he swung his sword relentlessly, ensuring their speed of progress did not diminish in the slightest.

The three women took turns helping, each holding the sword for an hour. They finished panting heavily, utterly astonished by Li Muzhan's incredible stamina. Only by experiencing it firsthand did they realize how arduous the task of clearing a path truly was.

Branches and vines, which one might assume break easily, were unlike ordinary creepers. Growing deep in ancient forests for ages, they were each as thick as a child's arm and exceptionally tough. If one's strength faltered, the sword stroke would fail to sever them. The two women needed to channel their internal energy and condense their force just to slice through cleanly. An hour of this was no less taxing than a proper fight.

Although their profound internal energy sustained them, being women, their constitutions were naturally weaker. Despite possessing deep neili, their bodies ached and felt numb, making it hard to hold the sword steady.

Seeing their condition—each panting heavily and drenched in fragrant sweat after their turn—Li Muzhan laughed, "Senior Sister, Xiao Yuan, perhaps it's best to stop. I'll handle it!"

Xiao Yuan pursed her lips and glanced askance at him, "Hmph, Zhanran, are you secretly laughing at us for being delicate and precious?"

Li Muzhan chuckled, then threw out his other sword as well. A screen of sword light erupted before him, resembling a sphere of light. His feet never paused, and anything obstructing their progress was instantly reduced to dust.

Watching him proceed unimpeded, the three women stopped pushing themselves and obediently sat back on their horses, following his pace. He then engaged his movement technique (qinggong), and their speed increased dramatically.

Li Muzhan forged the path ahead while the three Mei Ruolan followed on horseback. The group moved incredibly fast, matching the pace they had maintained on the official roads earlier.

Time slipped by as the sun traversed the sky. Unconsciously, it had already sunk toward the western mountains, painting the entire expanse in colors like rich brocade—the whole world seemed bathed in rose hues. "Ah, Miss, look! We're here!" Xiao Yuan cried out softly, pointing excitedly toward a silver ribbon of a great river in the distance. "We finally made it!"

Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun also spotted the large river. Li Muzhan moved even faster; vines flew as he swept aside all obstacles. In a short while, the ground changed. The vines disappeared, replaced by sand—

This stretch of beach was over a li away from the great river.

Glancing at the sky, Li Muzhan asked, "Miss, shall we camp here tonight?"

Mei Ruolan surveyed the open surroundings from horseback; there seemed no immediate danger. She nodded, "Yes, we'll stay here... rest for one night, and we should arrive tomorrow." Xiao Yuan fanned herself lightly, sighing softly, "Finally arriving! I'm utterly exhausted!"

Gong Qingyun gave her a sidelong glance. Mei Ruolan smiled, "Zhanran hasn't even complained about being tired. You merely rode a horse and walked, yet you cry exhaustion. You're truly useless!"

Xiao Yuan giggled, "How can I compare myself to Zhanran? He possesses an indestructible body!"

Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, "Don't offer such exaggerated praise. With my current cultivation, I am still far from an indestructible body!" "Hehe, given your aptitude, Zhanran, that’s only a matter of time!" Xiao Yuan laughed charmingly, leaping off her horse and stomping hard on the sand. "It’s so fine and soft!" "Be a little careful," Mei Ruolan instructed.

They quickly set up two tents: Mei Ruolan in one by herself, and Xiao Yuan with Gong Qingyun in the other. Li Muzhan chose to sleep under the open sky, needing no tent. After eating some dry rations, everyone soon sat cross-legged to rest, meditating to adjust their breathing and conserve energy for the journey ahead the next day. The night passed without incident. The next morning, just as the sun rose, Li Muzhan woke and walked to the riverbank.

The great river roared, turbulent like a tiger, yet its water was clear enough to see the riverbed, where stones were round and exquisitely shaped, beautiful enough to serve as ornaments if picked up.

Near the aquatic grasses along the bank, fish darted about—mostly carp, white and black, with very few golden ones. They were all quite large and plump. Seeing Li Muzhan approach, they instantly fled upstream, moving with great speed.

Li Muzhan gazed into the distance. The great river thundered out from between two towering, majestic mountains. Deeper in, the view was obscured by the mountain terrain, his sight unable to penetrate further.

He was sitting by the riverbank, lost in contemplation, when he suddenly heard a whooshing sound. Though the water roared like a tiger, he could distinguish the difference in sound.

Turning his head, he saw a figure flying from the west, dressed in flowing yellow robes that fluttered as if riding the wind, ethereal and graceful. Looking like he was leisurely crossing the air, in the blink of an eye, he arrived before Mei Ruolan and the others. Li Muzhan’s brow twitched slightly, but he remained where he was, standing by the riverbank to observe the newcomer.

The man appeared to be around twenty, with a face like fine white jade. He was clean-shaven under the chin, his sword-like eyebrows slanted sharply toward his temples, his nose like a jade tube, the bridge perfectly straight, his lips neither too thin nor too thick, and his phoenix eyes sparkled with spirit, like jewels. Li Muzhan silently admired him: what an unparalleled handsome man! Mei Ruolan, Xiao Yuan, and Gong Qingyun had been practicing their exercises but immediately ceased their movements and stood upright upon seeing the man fly in.

The youth in yellow was initially flying past but abruptly stopped, descending gracefully before Mei Ruolan. He clasped his fists and bowed, "Greetings, fair lady. I am Zhao Jinsheng, a disciple of the South Courtyard of the Canghai Sword Sect." Mei Ruolan was momentarily taken aback, then returned the salute with clasped fists, "This humble woman is Mei Ruolan. Greetings, Senior Brother Zhao." "Oh? Miss Mei is a disciple of our Canghai Sword Sect?" Zhao Jinsheng raised his eyebrows slightly, gave Mei Ruolan a look, and shook his head, "It doesn't seem so. If you were a disciple of the Canghai Sword Sect, I would surely recognize you." Mei Ruolan replied, "My master's monastic name is Zhumei. I am merely a registered disciple, here to visit the sect and formally enter its gates."

"So you are Registered Disciple of Elder Martial Brother Zhumei!" Zhao Jinsheng exclaimed in surprise, and his demeanor immediately grew much warmer. He nodded and smiled, "Then we are family!" Mei Ruolan smiled and nodded, asking for guidance.

Zhao Jinsheng readily agreed, laughing, "We are not far from the sect now; we should arrive by noon. Have you eaten breakfast?"

Mei Ruolan shook her head. Zhao Jinsheng pondered for a moment, "It's best we leave promptly. I have a small matter I must attend to urgently, so we can eat on the road. I haven't had a chance to eat breakfast either." Mei Ruolan agreed and beckoned to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan floated over. Mei Ruolan introduced him one by one, and Zhao Jinsheng returned the courtesies warmly, showing no hint of arrogance.

Li Muzhan vaguely sensed that his internal energy was comparable to his own, though he couldn't gauge his standing within the sect. Furthermore, the man's disposition seemed genuinely open, offering sincere welcome to their group.

They mounted their horses. Li Muzhan and Zhao Jinsheng walked in front, following the sandy beach forward, passing through the majestic valley and continuing eastward.

Zhao Jinsheng spoke with Li Muzhan in a very easygoing manner, entirely lacking the haughtiness expected of a disciple from a renowned sect. Li Muzhan developed a good impression of him.

However, the man did have one flaw: he was extremely talkative, incapable of stopping once he started, and overly meticulous. Li Muzhan secretly shook his head; this habit marred his otherwise fine appearance.

As they talked, Zhao Jinsheng listened to Li Muzhan recount his situation and shook his head, "Junior Brother Zhanran, since you are joining the sect with existing skills, you will save considerable effort."

He continued, "Generally, when a normal male disciple joins the sect, they first become an Outer Gate disciple, doing chores for three years. Once they master the foundational martial arts and accumulate enough merit points, they can enter the Inner Gate to study the higher-level techniques."

He went on, "Since Junior Brother Zhanran already possesses skills, your progress will be much faster... Once you master the basic martial arts, you use them in the Small Competitions to earn points. As soon as you accumulate enough points, you can enter the Inner Gate." "Points?" Li Muzhan seized upon the key term.

"Yes, there is a small competition every month and a major one every six months. In the Small Competition, everyone participates in three bouts; winning one earns three points, a draw earns one point... The Major Competition doubles these amounts. You need just 300 points total to enter the Inner Gate."

Li Muzhan suddenly understood, recalling later-generation football matches; they were almost identical. He couldn't help but marvel at the wonderful strangeness of the world, how similarities always surfaced among the myriad things.

As they talked, Zhao Jinsheng's pace quickened. Seeing Li Muzhan move with such ease, he was greatly surprised that Junior Brother Zhanran possessed such excellent qinggong. The two ran for a while before stopping to wait for Mei Ruolan and the others, whose horse-riding speed could not match the two men's movement techniques. Around noon, the group arrived at the foot of a towering mountain. Looking up, Li Muzhan was filled with emotion.

He had seen Mount Wohu, which was extremely steep and high, but the Yuxian Sect mountain surpassed it—unclimbable by anyone. Now, looking at this Canghai Sword Sect mountain, it was in no way inferior to those two.

Looking at this peak, he immediately thought of Mount Tai from his later era; the resemblance was uncanny. The mountain soared into the clouds, the peaks obscured by mist, making its true height impossible to gauge. Endless steps snaked upward, seemingly without end.

"Junior Brother Zhanran, Junior Sister Mei, Junior Sister Gong, Junior Sister Xiao Yuan, our Canghai Sword Sect has one rule I must mention first." Zhao Jinsheng spoke with a smile, looking at the four who were staring up dumbfounded. The four snapped back to attention and turned toward him. Zhao Jinsheng stated, "If you wish to join our Canghai Sword Sect, you must ascend to the summit on foot."

The four nodded, reflecting on the severity of the requirement. Possessing internal energy gave them longer qi channels than ordinary people. A normal person without inner cultivation attempting to climb this mountain would likely shed a layer of skin.

Zhao Jinsheng smiled broadly, "There is another rule for those joining with prior skills: you cannot use your gong—you must disperse your cultivation and climb using only your natural strength." The expressions of the four instantly changed.

Zhao Jinsheng chuckled, "If you cannot reach the summit, you can turn back and try again. You can reach it whenever you manage; there is no need to force it." Mei Ruolan exchanged glances with the other two, looking at the distant, endless stone steps. Li Muzhan asked, "Then can we receive assistance?" Zhao Jinsheng shook his head, "Naturally not."

He smiled then, "Junior Sister Mei, Junior Brother Zhanran, take your time, don't rush. Control your rhythm; rushing only leads to chaos, and an agitated heart makes it difficult to ascend." Having said that, he clasped his fists and floated away, his voice drifting back from afar, "Your elder brother will wait for you on the mountain."

At the entrance to the sect gate stood a grand memorial archway, flanked by two small pavilions, one on each side. Inside sat four disciples in green robes. Seeing Zhao Jinsheng approach, they quickly bowed in salute.

Zhao Jinsheng stopped and waved his hand dismissively, "No need for formalities. Several Junior Brothers, those individuals are disciples of Elder Martial Brother Zhumei. They are about to attempt the climb; you need not obstruct them." "Yes, Senior Brother Zhao!" The four disciples in green robes acknowledged with clasped fists.

Zhao Jinsheng smiled, floated onto the stone steps, moving like a pellet flicked from a catapult, hopping one step at a time. In moments, he disappeared into the clouds. Li Muzhan glanced up and smiled, "Miss, can we make it up?" Mei Ruolan bit her red lip, "Let's try!" With that, she lifted her head and ascended, handing the four horses over to the disciples in green robes before stepping onto the stairs.

Li Muzhan, possessing the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill, had undergone marrow cleansing, and his internal organ function far surpassed that of ordinary people. He ascended one step at a time, feeling no strain whatsoever.

Even when the temperature dropped and the air thinned later on, he remained perfectly normal, sensing no difference; his body regulated itself automatically.

Looking at the three women, Mei Ruolan was in the best shape, merely panting softly, a fine sheen of sweat beading on her smooth forehead. Gong Qingyun and Xiao Yuan breathed heavily, their fragrant sweat pouring down, making them look as if they had just emerged from water.

Their damp hair clung to their bodies, dripping continuously. Their thin garments adhered tightly to their delicate forms, fully revealing their graceful curves, steam rising visibly around them, white vapor billowing out.

Li Muzhan walked last. The women grew shy, stealing glances back for fear Li Muzhan was staring, but Li Muzhan practiced non-observance, focusing only on the surrounding scenery.

This mountain was named Canghai Mountain. The surrounding landscape was perilous yet beautiful; observing it broadened the mind and inspired great spirit. He suddenly felt an impulse to howl toward the sky. "Ah! No... I can't... I can't go on... let's rest... rest for a moment!" Xiao Yuan slumped weakly onto the stone steps, no longer caring about propriety.

Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun also stopped, letting themselves sink down naturally, unconcerned now. Fortunately, the stone steps were as clean as if washed, so their clothing did not soil.

Li Muzhan also paused, observing the surroundings. These stone steps were located on the north side of the mountain. Since a south wind was blowing, there was no wind; otherwise, climbing higher would surely have been even more difficult.

Li Muzhan smiled secretly. If one wished to seek apprenticeship at the Canghai Sword Sect, they needed to remember one thing: visit during the summer, or the biting north wind would freeze a person solid.