Li Muzhan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Leng Feng was ruthless. If he captured him this time, he would learn from the last encounter and immediately cripple his internal power, then sever his hand and foot tendons. If that were the case, even the protection of the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art would be useless. "Let's go!" Leng Feng said lightly, rising and walking toward the exit. He had now gauged Li Muzhan's true strength and felt confident he wouldn't let the young man drag things out this time. Li Muzhan clasped his hands in salute to Zhao Yuzhen and the others: "Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, when you return, say nothing of this to my Elder Brother." "Fifth Junior Brother..." Zhao Yuzhen frowned, his azure long robe stirring though there was no wind. Li Muzhan quickly said, "Eldest Senior Brother, just go with the flow; do not worry for me!" He Nanshan and the other two slowly stepped forward, their robes fluttering without wind, positioning themselves between Li Muzhan and Leng Feng, their eyes burning brightly.

Leng Feng laughed, shaking his head: "A mantis trying to stop a chariot. You court death! ... If you four lads wish to die, I am happy to oblige!" Zhao Jinsheng, Xu Jingying, and Zhong Bixuan stepped forward a few paces, standing before Zhao Yuzhen and the others, gazing faintly at Leng Feng with cold smiles playing on their lips. Leng Feng sneered, "What, you want to get involved too?" Zhao Jinsheng clasped his fists: "Senior Leng, we truly do not wish to take advantage of a smaller number, so we request the Senior depart... Junior Brother Zhanran can settle the matter with the Helian family later on his own!" Leng Feng chuckled, "Zhanran goes by himself?" Zhao Jinsheng nodded: "Indeed... The Helian family has been persistently hounding the Mei Residence. Junior Sister Mei is now the direct disciple of the Grand Elder; her status is different. We will visit the Helian family shortly to state the facts and consequences." Leng Feng shook his head: "Such audacity!" Zhao Jinsheng replied, "I am of humble standing, naturally unqualified to mediate, I am merely conveying a few words from the Sect Leader Martial Uncle." "Bamboo Illumination has quite the airs!" Leng Feng scoffed, shaking his head dismissively. Zhao Jinsheng continued, "The Helian family has been so aggressive that the Sect Leader Martial Uncle feels they have gone too far, hence dispatching us to convey this message, lest he be compelled to issue an order." Leng Feng waved his hand impatiently: "Enough talk. I don't understand these niceties, nor do I care for them. I have only one matter: taking the little monk with me!" Zhao Jinsheng shook his head: "Senior will be disappointed. Junior Brother Zhanran will not be going with you." "Senior Brother Zhao, it should have been this way long ago!" Li Muzhan smiled slightly. Zhao Jinsheng smiled and shook his head: "If we were not forced into it, we truly would not wish to gang up on you!" Li Muzhan chuckled: "A temporary measure, safety first." "Junior Brother speaks wisely," Xu Jingying murmured faintly. Zhao Jinsheng smiled again: "Since it is so, Junior Sister Xu, Junior Sister Zhong, the three of us shall together experience Senior Leng's formidable skills... Senior Leng, please forgive our offense." Leng Feng shook his head and sneered: "Less nonsense, let's fight. So hesitant and wishy-washy—your Canghai Sword Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a group run by women!" Zhao Jinsheng's expression shifted, his smile vanishing, and he gazed deeply at Leng Feng.

Leng Feng chuckled softly: "What, little fellow, did I touch a nerve?" "Senior, mind your words!" Zhao Jinsheng said coldly, then turned: "Junior Sister Xu, Junior Sister Zhong, we need not be polite any longer!" Zhong Bixuan snorted: "It's about time! For such a wicked person, a single sword strike to the death would be best!" Zhao Jinsheng stated gravely: "Rise—!" "Clang..." Three arcs of sword light shot toward the sky like three silver dragons sweeping toward Leng Feng. Leng Feng utilized his movement technique, flashing once, twice, thrice. His figure flickered, suddenly appearing in front, then behind, his movements unpredictable. The sword light, like dragons, merged into one circle, trapping him. No matter how he charged left or right, it was futile; he could not break past the boundary of the light. Leng Feng’s expression grew serious, a hint of alarm briefly visible. He employed every skill he possessed, using his fists to knock the blades aside, his fingers to deflect the tips, or his palms to push the sword spines. He had not expected that the three youngsters he initially looked down upon, when combined, possessed such formidable swordsmanship. Every strike carried a strange kind of force. Not only was the force in their swords peculiar, but contact with his flesh sent a tingling numbness like thunder and lightning. Their sword techniques were exquisitely refined; his movement skill was rendered useless beneath their blades. He took a deep breath, and suddenly, a silver glow erupted from his waist. "Clink, clink, clink, clink..." A series of crisp ringing sounds filled the air as Leng Feng drew his long sword and engaged the three in battle. Li Muzhan stood beside Mei Ruolan and chuckled upon hearing the sound: "This fellow Leng relies on his swordsmanship as his trump card—what deep scheming!" Mei Ruolan pursed her lips and smiled: "Far inferior to yours." Li Muzhan laughed: "Hehe, Miss praises me too much. What schemes do I possess!" Mei Ruolan glanced sideways at him: "You staged a self-inflicted injury play to clear the mental obstacles for Senior Brother Zhao and the others. Truly a labor of love." Li Muzhan smiled: "I knew I couldn't hide it from Miss." As the two spoke in low voices, the other four battled fiercely, locked in an indecisive fight. The three silver dragons moved swift as arrows, their variations instantaneous and incredibly mysterious. Leng Feng’s swordplay was also potent, appearing clumsy yet profound. His strikes were slow and heavy, but though he was clearly at a disadvantage against the three silver dragons, he managed to hold his ground steadfastly. The area enveloped by his sword reach continually shrank, until he was confined to a circle barely a meter wide, like a curled-up hedgehog—solid and stubborn, unable to be broken through. Zhao Jinsheng’s jade-like face grew increasingly radiant, as if truly transformed into a piece of white jade. His eyes shone with the sharp glint of cold light, his spirit soaring, completely unlike his prior demeanor. The robes of the other two women billowed softly; though their sword lights were swift as arrows, their movements were light and graceful, like dancing and stepping, mesmerizing to behold. Li Muzhan exclaimed in admiration: "Senior Sisters, what superb swordplay! ... Miss, how is your sword technique progressing?" Mei Ruolan shook her head: "I am far behind. Recently, I have focused solely on mental cultivation. Master says sword skills are not urgent; no matter how good they become, they are ultimately limited by the internal cultivation method. ... The martial arts of our Canghai Sword Sect are unique and entirely dependent on the mental cultivation foundation; if the foundation level is low, the sword skill cannot truly mature." Li Muzhan nodded. He shared this confusion. When he defeated Zhong Bixuan previously, he had already guessed that although her internal energy was deep, it was still slightly inferior to his own. Of course, without the preceding month of the Ji Mie Suo Yuan Jue, his internal energy would not have surged so dramatically, and he naturally could not have surpassed Zhong Bixuan; that was simply the way fate unfolded.

Mei Ruolan continued, "My internal cultivation is only at the third level; I am far from complete. ... According to Master, if one can cultivate to the fifth level, they are capable of traversing the world unhindered." "What level is Senior Sister Zhong at?" Li Muzhan inquired. Mei Ruolan pondered: "It seems to be the third level as well. ... Senior Sister Zhong is usually very good-tempered, innocent and guileless, without a trace of guile. However, she has been quite agitated lately, so please do not mind her behavior." Li Muzhan smiled: "Is it because of the Canghai Divine Art?" "Mmm," Mei Ruolan nodded, sighing, "The Canghai Divine Art is immensely powerful, but it demands extremely high comprehension. Senior Sister Zhong has been stuck at the third level for quite some time, unable to break through, which is causing her great distress. ... That is why Master arranged for Senior Sister Zhong to descend the mountain, to gain more worldly experience in the hope she might achieve some insight and break through the third level." "No wonder..." Li Muzhan smiled, then asked, "Then what level is Senior Brother Zhao at?" Mei Ruolan shook her head: "Senior Brother Zhao and the others do not practice the Canghai Divine Art." Li Muzhan was surprised: "Then I will not be practicing the Canghai Divine Art either in the future?" Mei Ruolan nodded. She smiled: "The Canghai Divine Art is a skill of extreme Yin nature; it is twice as hard for men to cultivate. Instead, they practice another technique, the Dragon Serpent Ascent Art." Li Muzhan huffed: "It's a good thing Master lied to me, saying if I entered the inner sect, I could cultivate the Canghai Divine Art!" Mei Ruolan laughed: "Well, you are the exception." Seeing Li Muzhan staring at her, Mei Ruolan glanced towards the confrontation, where the fight was still intense. Leng Feng was in peril but stubbornly refused to fall, showing remarkable tenacity. "Miss, is it perhaps because I practiced the Six Scriptures?" Li Muzhan asked with a smile. Mei Ruolan nodded: "Precisely! ... You have practiced all Six Scriptures; your internal energy can be both hard and soft. Although the power might be slightly less, you can practice any mental cultivation method." Li Muzhan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "That's a relief! ... It would truly have been a pity if I couldn't practice the Canghai Divine Art; I must thank my past insistence on cultivating all Six Scriptures." Mei Ruolan said, "Actually, the Dragon Serpent Ascent Art is overwhelmingly powerful, even surpassing the Canghai Divine Art. However, the Nine Turns of the Dragon Serpent demand extreme requirements in comprehension and composure, making it very difficult to master." Li Muzhan nodded: "Then what level is Senior Brother Zhao's Dragon Serpent Ascent Art at?" Mei Ruolan replied: "He has reached the third level. See how his swordplay resembles a dragon, vast in its spirit—that is the third level, the Dragon Transformation Art." Li Muzhan exclaimed: "What a Transformation Art!" He mused to himself that Senior Brother Zhao's internal energy was vastly powerful and extremely profound, far surpassing his own. He might only be able to match him if he burned his internal energy.

"Clink..." A sharp sound resonated, and a long sword flew toward him. Li Muzhan reached out and caught it. The sword light was fluid, trembling gently, like a clear spring shimmering under the sun. "A fine sword!" Li Muzhan praised, casually hanging it at his waist. Leng Feng stood with a furrowed brow, his eyes icy cold. He held nothing in his hands; clearly, the sword Li Muzhan held was his. Li Muzhan clasped his hands and smiled: "Senior Leng, we shall meet again soon; I will not see you out!" Zhao Jinsheng floated forward, positioning himself in front of Li Muzhan, pointing his sword steadily at Leng Feng’s vital points, completely still, his gaze locked on him. Leng Feng’s cheek muscles twitched as he gritted his teeth: "A fine Canghai Sword Sect!" Li Muzhan smiled faintly: "Since Senior Leng holds our Canghai Sword Sect in such disdain, you are welcome to visit us to demand an explanation. I will await your arrival on Canghai Mountain!" "Good. Leng shall indeed meet Bamboo Illumination!" Leng Feng stared at Li Muzhan, his eyes shooting out beams of sharp, palpable energy. He let out a cold laugh, then swept out through the window, vanishing. "Junior Brother Zhanran, you truly are..." Zhao Jinsheng shook his head with a wry smile. Li Muzhan unbuckled his own treasured sword and said with a grin: "This is a fine blade, quite rare. ... I shall offer a gift to repay kindness; Senior Sister Zhong, please accept it!" Zhong Bixuan was startled, greatly surprised, and then her delicate face flushed crimson. She snorted, "I don't want your sword!" Li Muzhan smiled: "Senior Sister Zhong, consider it my apology; please accept it!" "Junior Sister Zhong, take it!" Xu Jingying smiled softly and shook her head: "Don't be like a child; humor Junior Brother Zhanran a little!" "Hmph, fine then!" Zhong Bixuan hesitated briefly, then immediately agreed, snatching the sword away. She turned it over and over, examining it, her face beaming with pleasure. Li Muzhan laughed: "Senior Sister Zhong's dragon-like swordplay, I am truly impressed!" Zhong Bixuan shot him a sideways glance and huffed: "I don't fall for such tactics. Save your sweet talk; don't forget, my lightness skill is inferior to yours!" Saying this, she lowered her head again, happily fiddling with the long sword. Li Muzhan smiled, saying no more. He turned and asked, "Senior Brother Zhao, shall we rest at the Mei Residence for a few days before heading to the Helian family?" Zhao Jinsheng nodded: "Mmm, that is exactly what I intended. I also need to regulate my breathing and treat my injuries." So, the group left the tavern together and went to the Mei Residence. After settling them in, Li Muzhan and the four of Zhao Yuzhen returned to the Tianshu Courtyard. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Yu Chi Ming exclaimed loudly: "Fifth Junior Brother, you are too generous! Why are you trying to curry favor with that girl? Wasting kindness on someone who doesn't appreciate it!" Li Muzhan shook his head and laughed: "Fourth Senior Brother, there was no choice. I had to offend Senior Sister Zhong halfway here to establish authority; I have to try and smooth things over." He Nanshan chided with a laugh: "Fourth Junior Brother, you can't get anything good out of that dog's mouth!" Having narrowly escaped death, everyone was joyous, and their speech was relaxed and casual.

Li Muzhan chuckled inwardly. Giving this treasured sword to Zhong Bixuan was a carefully considered decision. The sword was too light for his own use, and too long for Gong Qingyun and Xiao Yuan, who were shorter; Mei Ruolan was slender and it might suit her, but she already possessed the Cold Moon Sword. It was better to use it to forge a connection and ease the relationship with Zhong Bixuan than to keep it. After all, despite being part of the sect, he was still an outer disciple; if she continued to cause trouble, it would distract him. The speed of his thought process was evident; having accepted the sword, he reached these conclusions in an instant. Zhao Yuzhen and the others began pressing him about his time in the Canghai Sword Sect and what profound skills he had learned. Li Muzhan recounted laughing how he had only done manual labor and had not cultivated any martial arts. They all shook their heads in indignation, saying, "Fifth Junior Brother, with your physique, you needed to do that?" Li Muzhan smiled: "Sect rules cannot be broken. For the next year or two, don't even think about learning any martial arts." "Alas... Fifth Junior Brother, perhaps you should switch to another sect. With your aptitude, delaying one year's progress is too great a loss!" Li Muzhan had only been in the sect for two to three years since entering the residence, with another year and a half of solitary confinement ahead. His internal power had advanced by leaps and bounds, making the difference immense. If he could then cultivate other supreme arts, becoming a top master would not be difficult. But joining the Canghai Sword Sect required delaying him for one or two years—this was truly excessive! They expressed their indignation, each offering suggestions. Finally, they proposed he should seek out the Divine Nun Xueyin, who was a supreme Buddhist master in the world, unparalleled in both Dharma and martial arts. Li Muzhan shook his head with a bitter smile. If he could have apprenticed under the Divine Nun Xueyin, he would have done so long ago; why would he have needed to enter the Mei Residence?! As they talked and laughed, time slipped by unnoticed. In a flash, two days passed, and it was time to depart the Mei Residence and head toward the Helian family.