Song Wenbin lowered his voice. "That Zhao Qing is immensely strong, ruthless, and fights to kill. Li Muzhan's eyebrow twitched, and he laughed, "But aren't several senior brothers and sisters watching nearby?

Will you still get hurt?" Song Wenbin shook his head. "As long as there's no mortal danger, the senior sisters and brothers won't intervene. Getting injured is just getting injured." "Is that so..." Li Muzhan nodded slowly.

Li Zongheng gritted his teeth and snarled, "That Zhao fellow is lucky he didn't run into me!" Song Wenbin chuckled softly and leaned close to Li Muzhan's ear, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Zongheng lost to Zhao Qing before. Even though he defeated him, he was wounded." "No wonder..." Li Muzhan laughed knowingly.

Li Zongheng glared with wide eyes and huffed, "What are you two whispering about? Talking trash about me again?!" Li Muzhan chuckled, "Senior Brother Li, so you were wounded by that Zhao Qing! Haha, if he could wound you, he must be something special!" Li Zongheng waved his hand dismissively and snorted, "He's like a rabid dog; whoever gets tangled up with him is unlucky!" Song Wenbin laughed.

"This time he's the unlucky one running into Zhanran; he won't get off easy. However, Zhanran, you must be careful. He's vicious; even when defeated, he'll try to take you down with him." Li Muzhan smiled and nodded.

"Understood, I will be cautious." Inside, his curiosity intensified; he was eager to see this Zhao Qing and learn what sort of person he was. Watching everyone draw lots, Li Muzhan was momentarily transported back to the Mei residence. The minor competition there had been just like this—only the faces and the location were different.

He vaguely understood that these minor competitions were like school examinations in later eras; the format was almost identical: draw lots first, then pair up to determine winners and losers. Even the Canghai Sword Sect couldn't escape this structure, just as the finest universities still required exams. Soon, the drawing was complete, and the matches began.

A pair, one male and one female, ascended the platform, and the wooden slips were handed over. The handsome youth from before took the slips and announced two names. Thus, another pair, a man and a woman, climbed onto the high platform.

Man fought man, woman fought woman, resulting in a lively flurry of fists and kicks. Li Muzhan asked, "Which senior brother was that just now?" Song Wenbin whispered, "Zhanran, you haven't heard of the Five Tigers of the South Courtyard or the Four Beauties of the North Courtyard, have you?" "Never heard of them. Senior Brother Song, please tell me about them," Li Muzhan requested.

"The ones seated on the platform are the five masters of the South Courtyard: Eldest Senior Brother Lu Jingren, Second Senior Brother Xiao Xueming, Third Senior Brother Zhao Jinsheng, Fourth Senior Brother Yue Jianshu, and Fifth Senior Brother Yan Yingxiong. The one just now was Fourth Senior Brother Yue Jianshu." Li Muzhan nodded. He had interacted with Zhao Jinsheng and knew he wasn't a bad person.

Looking at this Senior Brother Yue, his gaze was clear, and his bearing was upright and noble; he wasn't lacking either, truly a dragon among men. However, Senior Brother Zhao was handsome and kind, but too long-winded—that didn't quite fit the 'Tiger' description. Song Wenbin counted on his fingers, recounting them like treasured items.

"As for the Four Beauties of the North Courtyard, Eldest Senior Sister Wen Yinyue goes without saying. Then there's Second Senior Sister Xu Jingying, Third Senior Sister Xu Wanjing, and Fourth Senior Sister Zhong Bixuan... But now with Senior Sister Mei, perhaps we should call them the Five Beauties of the North Courtyard!" Li Muzhan nodded.

These senior sisters were all beautiful, each possessing a unique aura; standing among the female disciples, they truly stood out from the crowd. As the two spoke, the fight above had already concluded, and a victor was determined. Next, another pair, one man and one woman, took the stage.

Song Wenbin explained, "This is based on room numbers, so Zhanran, you're scheduled for the very last match." Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, eager to watch the show. "Li Zongheng!" Yue Jianshu called from the stage. His voice wasn't loud, sounding like ordinary speech, but it was concentrated, neither dissipating nor fading, reaching every disciple clearly.

Li Zongheng shot to his feet and strode through the crowd, his footsteps echoing deng, deng, deng as he mounted the steps and stood before the other male disciple. "I'm here!" His opponent was also a burly youth, seemingly even more robust than Li Zongheng, but upon seeing Li Zongheng, the man’s imposing presence instantly deflated, as if he had shrunk by a full measure. Li Muzhan shook his head.

Intimidation before the battle even begins; this man’s achievements would be limited, no matter how well he cultivated his martial arts. Yue Jianshu frowned slightly and spoke gently, "Junior Brother Feng, are you ready?" "Rea... ready!" The burly youth nodded forcefully, his eyes darting around, unwilling to meet Li Zongheng’s gaze.

Yue Jianshu’s sword-like brows knitted together, and he said solemnly, "A martial artist faces heaven and earth without fear. Even if you fail, you start over! That is the path!" "...Yes!" The burly youth stiffened his neck and shouted.

Yue Jianshu nodded, a look of satisfaction crossing his face, and waved his hand. "Good! Begin the match!!" The burly youth roared and stepped into a bow stance, throwing his punch with the full force of his body, generating a fierce wind that slammed directly into Li Zongheng’s chest.

With a dull thud, Li Zongheng took a single step back. His expression remained unchanged, and he nodded. "Senior Brother Feng, you've improved!" The burly youth’s face flushed crimson.

He had poured all his strength into that punch, yet it only made Li Zongheng stumble slightly. A wave of helplessness washed over him; he knew he was defeated. Taking advantage of his daze, Li Zongheng stepped forward twice, leaning with his shoulder, and knocked the opponent flying outward, high and far off the stage.

Yue Jianshu gestured, and the fleeing youth was caught neatly, landing right at the edge of the platform. Yue Jianshu shook his head and chuckled, "Junior Brother Li, your Flying Bear Fist grows more adept." "Heh heh, Senior Brother Yue flatters me." Li Zongheng scratched his head and laughed sheepishly as he stepped down. When he returned to Li Muzhan's side, he shook his head repeatedly.

"Ah... too unsatisfying, completely unsatisfying!" Song Wenbin laughed, "Three points secured. Zongheng, you’ve taken another step toward the Inner Sect!" "Ah...

no hope for this year!" Li Zongheng sighed, then suddenly glanced sideways at Li Muzhan. "If my luck runs out and I run into Zhanran, I'll be done for!" Li Muzhan smiled. "Are you asking me to go easy?" "Hmph!

Am I that kind of person?!" Li Zongheng shot back, glaring contemptuously. Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "That wouldn't be impossible.

Even if I tried my hardest, there’s no way I’ll enter the Inner Sect this year." "I absolutely forbid such a thing!" Li Zongheng huffed, staring at Li Muzhan. "If you do that, I’ll turn against you." Li Muzhan chuckled and stopped teasing him. Time slipped by; in the blink of an eye, the sun climbed to its zenith, its light turning fierce, stinging the skin, yet the disciples paid it no mind.

The male disciples cared little for their skin, but the female disciples did. However, they feared no sun exposure; they bathed in hot springs daily, keeping their skin soft and tender, flawlessly smooth, immune to the sun’s rays. "Zhanran!" Yue Jianshu took a wooden slip and called out loudly.

Instantly, the gazes of more than four hundred people snapped toward him. Over a hundred male disciples and over a hundred female disciples had all heard of Zhanran’s name; after all, breaking one trial barrier per day made him the first person in the Canghai Sword Sect’s history spanning centuries. Li Zongheng snickered.

"It's Cheng the Third. What rotten luck for him!" He gloated heartily, while Song Wenbin looked toward the young man on the stage with sympathy. The youth was not handsome but was tall and slender, his face a mask of haughtiness.

His head was perpetually tilted slightly upward, as if looking down upon everyone else. He stood on the stage, gazing down at the crowd, coldly fixing his eyes on Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan rose, slowly weaving past the rows of cushions, and mounted the steps, arriving on the high platform.

"Junior Brother Zhanran, do you know the rules?" Yue Jianshu asked Li Muzhan with curiosity. Li Muzhan bowed in salute to the assembled core disciples and then to Yue Jianshu. "Yes, Senior Brother Yue, I understand." "Very well, begin!" Yue Jianshu nodded, waved his arm, and stepped back.

Li Muzhan positioned himself before the youth and clasped his hands in salute. "Senior Brother Cheng, I must offend." "Junior Brother Zhanran’s name rings like thunder in my ears; I am eager to test you!" the youth said coldly, his eyes narrowing to sharp needles that pierced. Li Muzhan smiled lightly.

"It is just empty fame. Please!" "Watch my move!" The youth wasted no more words, letting out a light cry, and threw a punch like an iron hammer. Li Muzhan did not retreat but advanced, stepping forward to the side.

The punch grazed directly past his chest, rustling the fabric of his green robe. With a thump, Li Muzhan’s shoulder connected with the youth’s chest. The youth flew upward, high and far, like a stone hurled from a catapult.

Yue Jianshu soared up like a white crane, graceful and unhurried, yet moving with astonishing speed. He caught the youth in mid-air and landed elegantly. The youth’s eyes were closed; he had already lost consciousness, knocked out by the sheer impact of Li Muzhan’s collision.

Li Muzhan felt a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected this youth, so aggressive and arrogant, to be so fragile against a direct impact; one collision and he was out cold. "Senior Brother Yue, is he alright?" Li Muzhan asked apologetically.

Yue Jianshu shook his head and sighed. "Your reputation is well-deserved, Junior Brother Zhanran. You have won." Li Muzhan saluted with clasped hands again to the core disciples before stepping down the stairs.

Under the gaze of the crowd, he returned to his spot between Li Zongheng and Song Wenbin and sat down to continue watching. The subsequent matches were unremarkable. Li Muzhan sensed Li Zongheng’s frustration—it wasn't exciting, not interesting.

Although he highly valued exquisite martial arts, after sparring with Senior Sister Wen Yinyue, watching these outer disciples felt like observing children fight. No matter how subtle the moves, they could not escape the boundaries set by his senior sister. After watching for a while, he grew bored.

It felt like watching children spar. So, he formed hand seals and began to circulate his internal energy, hoping to break the Vanishing Silence Primordial Art. He realized that this Vanishing Silence Imprisonment Art was not unbreakable; at the very least, he had already broken through half of it.

With continued effort, he estimated it would take only half a month to dissolve it completely. The Vanishing Silence Imprisonment Art had been cast by his Master and Martial Uncle. Their internal energies, flowing like water, formed a sphere that enveloped his Dantian, preventing his internal energy from escaping.

However, as time passed, he noticed the original water sphere was gradually shrinking, having contracted slightly. He immediately understood this was due to the peculiar nature of his relic. The relic was layered in three states: gaseous, liquid, and solid.

As time passed, the murky mist continuously transformed into clear water. As the mist diminished, the internal energies set by the two senior figures began converting into mist. Without realizing it, a month passed, and a significant portion had already converted.