Li Muzhan was being held by the collar. Chi Nai offered a wry smile, knowing that Shi Xiang was doing it on purpose.

To humble Ji Heng, to sigh with exasperation—with her martial arts mastery, yet having to obey this junior brother of hers, felt profoundly unfair. Li Muzhan did not struggle, allowing her to keep him dangling by his collar.

The scenery before him blurred, as if warping, stretching into long shadows. He simply closed his eyes, letting the whooshing sound in his ears confirm what the rush of wind must feel like.

Just then, a clear, sharp cry rang out. At first, it sounded distant, but it rapidly grew closer, and in the blink of an eye, it was less than twenty zhang away.

"You there, stop!" a sharp shout echoed. Li Muzhan turned to look and saw a young man in white robes approaching slowly, seemingly treading upon the wind, a movement comparable in essence to his own Suo Di Cheng Cun lightness skill.

He walked with measured steps, looking ethereal. But with every step he took, he covered nearly twenty zhang; hands clasped behind his back, he paced closer like lightning, his speed even surpassing Wen Yinyue’s.

Li Muzhan called out loudly, "Are you from the Helian family?" "Not at all, not at all!" Qing Dong shook his head, his face composed, smiling faintly. "I am Jiang Nan of the Changbai Sword Sect.

Greetings, Miss Wen!" Little Wen Yinyue glanced at him indifferently. The lotus shadow beneath her feet flickered, solidifying a fraction more, and her speed suddenly doubled.

A powerful gust whipped across his face, feeling like a knife cut. Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes slightly, circulating his internal energy to guard his body and dispel the biting cold.

He thought to himself, to match this speed, he would need to burn his inner strength just to keep up. This Jiang Nan being from the Changbai Sword Sect meant trouble!

Jiang Nan was handsome as jade, his face powdered pale, lips red and teeth white—a rare beauty. Yet, the Eldest Senior Sister remained unconcerned, which brought him a measure of relief.

It was too common for men and women from feuding families to become entangled; he had heard such stories too often. Seeing this person’s handsomeness juxtaposed with his beautiful Senior Sister, a hidden worry arose in him.

"What marvelous lightness skill! The Cold Lotus Fairy lives up to her name!" Jiang Nan laughed loudly, quickening his pace behind them, refusing to fall out of sight.

Li Muzhan suddenly felt something odd, frowning as he scrutinized the youth for a few moments before suddenly chuckling, "Disguised as a man, aren't you, young lady? That’s rather amusing, isn't it?" Jiang Nan let out a tinkling laugh, the sound clear and pleasing to the ear.

She simpered sweetly, "Little monk, not bad at all; you have some insight!" Li Muzhan replied, "It’s not my insight; your disguise is clumsy. Anyone with even a little experience in the jianghu could tell." Wen Yinyue suddenly turned to glance at him, saying nothing.

She hadn't even realized this person was a woman. Could it be that she was truly that dense, lagging so far behind her junior brother?!

Jiang Nan giggled coquettishly, pointing at him, "Little monk, you're embarrassing me!" Being held by a woman like this was a complete disgrace to all men in the world!" Wen Yinyue snorted coldly, "Shut up!" Jiang Nan giggled again, "Wen Yinyue, stop! Let’s spar and see just how extraordinary you, the Cold Lotus Fairy, truly are!" Wen Yinyue smiled faintly, the lotus shadow beneath her feet flickered, solidified further, and her speed increased again.

Li Muzhan, being held by Wen Yinyue, had long since abandoned any thought of struggling free. He stayed put obediently, knowing that even if he ignited his internal energy, his own lightness skill couldn't match their current speed.

Jiang Nan gritted her teeth and cursed loudly, "That one surnamed Wen! You rely on seductive tricks!

All those men fall under your spell and praise you endlessly—you shouldn't take it seriously!" Wen Yinyue sneered, remaining silent, but Li Muzhan knew she was angered; her jade teeth bit her crimson lip, making her look alluringly sensual. Jiang Nan laughed sweetly, "I never expected you to be involved with a little monk.

If those men knew, they’d surely be stunned and immensely disappointed, hehe—" "Silence!" Wen Yinyue huffed coldly, turning to glare at her, but her pace did not slacken. Li Muzhan asked, "Senior Sister, who is she?" "I don't know," Wen Yinyue replied, biting her lower lip tightly.

"This girl is sharp-tongued and lacks the bearing of a prestigious sect. She's clearly spoiled.

Who is the Sect Master of the Changbai Sword Sect?" Li Muzhan inquired. "Jiang Luyan," Wen Yinyue answered.

Li Muzhan surmised, "Then this girl is likely Jiang Luyan's daughter." Just as the two were talking, Jiang Nan, still a good ten zhang distant, suddenly raised a hand and pointed her index finger at them from afar. With a sharp "Chi" whistle, a stream of cold energy shot through the air.

It seemed almost tangible. Li Muzhan suddenly threw a punch, meeting the cold energy head-on.

With a dull "Bang," his fist jolted as if striking iron or stone; a numbness spread up his arm, and a spike of coldness traveled along his limb toward his Dantian. This cold energy was extraordinarily dense, piercing toward his Dantian like an ice cone, moving with incredible swiftness.

Li Muzhan's thoughts raced; he felt his Canghai Divine Skill could not resist it. With a stir of his spirit, the Sarira moved in response.

The clear water formed by his true qi began to spin, transforming into a vortex. The ice cone drilled in and was instantly swept away by the vortex, melting into clear water in a flash.

Wen Yinyue glanced at him. Seeing he seemed unaffected, she asked, "Are you alright?" Li Muzhan shook his head, "Such incredibly solid internal energy." Wen Yinyue stated calmly, "That is the Ice Soul Divine Skill of the Changbai Sword Sect.

It counters the Canghai Divine Skill... Below the third layer, one cannot resist it." Li Muzhan nodded, knowing it was true.

The Canghai Divine Skill allowed internal energy to be refined into minute divisions—separating into Yin and Yang, Tai Yin, Shao Yin, and so on, layered one upon the other like waves. When external energy entered the body, it could be diminished layer by layer.

This Jiang Nan's finger force was so dense, it must have been at least fourth-layer strength; otherwise, it would have been completely nullified. "Senior Sister, what kind of finger technique is this?" Li Muzhan asked.

Wen Yinyue replied, "The Changbai Divine Finger." Li Muzhan showed an expression of envy, "What excellent finger strength!" Wen Yinyue said placidly, "If you like finger techniques, we also have the Canghai Divine Finger. You haven't learned it yet.

You can practice it when we return to the mountain." "That would be perfect!" Li Muzhan was overjoyed. After seeing the Vajra Finger previously, he had longed for a finger technique, dreaming of creating the Six Meridian Divine Sword, yet never realizing it.

Hearing of another finger technique now filled him with immense joy. He eagerly pressed, "Senior Sister, do you know this technique?

Teach it to me!" Wen Yinyue said, "Mm, alright. Listen carefully, little one." Immediately, Wen Yinyue's voice reached Li Muzhan's ears, each word clear and full, spoken without haste, sinking word by word into his heart.

After hearing it once, he had memorized it. He glanced toward Jiang Nan in the distance.

She was flying with desperate speed, trying to catch up, but alas, the distance refused to close. She glared at them with irritation.

Her bright eyes were clear as a cold spring, her lips tightly pursed, revealing a stubborn resolve. Li Muzhan called out loudly, "Miss Jiang, why chase so relentlessly?

It's futile. We shall meet again if fate wills it!" As he spoke, his other three parts focused on analyzing the finger technique Wen Yinyue had imparted.

He utilized three intents at once. Throughout the journey, though he appeared leisurely, he continuously contemplated and cultivated the Canghai Divine Skill.

By now, he had reached the third layer. When cultivating the Canghai Divine Skill, for reasons unknown to him, he advanced easily, meeting no resistance, ascending layer after layer, reaching the third layer in one go.

Li Muzhan vaguely felt there were two reasons for his rapid progress. First, he had seen the inscription personally written by Ancestor Li, giving him profound insight into those four characters, allowing him to naturally grasp the essence of the Canghai Divine Skill.

This essence was intuitive, impossible to teach through mere words. Once he mastered this essence, reading the Canghai Divine Skill cultivation method became instantly clear, dissolving like snow in hot water.

The second reason was that he cultivated all six meridians. When cultivating internal energy at the Mei Residence, he practiced the Sun True Scripture, Tai Yin True Scripture, Shao Yang True Scripture, and the other six true scriptures simultaneously.

With every layer of the Canghai Divine Skill he ascended, his internal energy gained two more qualities. The first layer produced Utmost Yin energy, the second layer produced Jue Yin energy, the third layer, Shao Yin.

The fourth layer would be Shao Yang, the fifth Yang Ming, the sixth Tai Yang, the seventh, Innate Yin. The eighth layer, Innate Yang, and the ninth layer, a state of perfect unity.

Ordinary practitioners, in order to specialize and speed up their cultivation, focused on a single meridian. Li Muzhan, however, practiced all six.

This gave him a natural advantage when cultivating the Canghai Divine Skill. Almost all disciples practicing the Canghai Divine Skill got stuck at the third layer, unable to break through.

This was because the nature of the internal energy changed completely when moving from Shao Yin to Shao Yang—a qualitative shift that was the most difficult hurdle. Zhong Bixuan was stuck there.

Because Li Muzhan cultivated both paths, his progress was unusually smooth, having already reached the third layer of the Canghai Divine Skill. Wen Yinyue held Li Muzhan, her feet treading on lotus flowers, moving like lightning, while Jiang Nan pursued desperately, unyielding.

Li Muzhan stared at her, his mind rapidly dissecting the Canghai Divine Finger. Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he pointed his index finger forward remotely.

With a sharp "Chi!" a ripple spread through the air, like a small stone dropped into a lake, sending expanding waves outward. Jiang Nan uttered an "Yi?" and her body swayed, shifting a foot sideways.

Li Muzhan's finger strike hit empty space. Yet, he chuckled, "I see!

I see now!" He had been struggling to decipher the mystery of how finger force could be projected outside the body, unable to resolve the confusion. Now, having comprehended the Canghai Divine Skill, the final barrier had been broken.

"Fiddling around!" Wen Yinyue frowned, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly upward. She sighed inwardly, No wonder Master dotes on this junior brother; his comprehension is truly astonishing.

It took me over a month just to grasp the threshold of the Canghai Divine Finger. Li Muzhan smiled, "Senior Sister, can we go faster?

Look at her expression; she seems to be preparing some secret technique. It’s best not to get entangled!" Wen Yinyue turned to look.

Jiang Nan's beautiful face was stern, her eyes flashing as she glared fixedly at them. Had Li Muzhan not pointed it out, she wouldn't have realized Jiang Nan was preparing a secret art.

Now enlightened, she nodded, "Good, let's go." With that, the two lotus shadows beneath her feet flickered again, solidifying further. Her speed instantly accelerated; the world ahead blurred, leaving only the rushing sound in her ears.

In a flash, Jiang Nan’s figure had vanished. Li Muzhan let out a long breath, "This Jiang Nan is a dangerous person.

It’s best we don't cross paths with her." Wen Yinyue set him down and said lightly, "Let's hope so." As the two were talking, a stream of cold energy suddenly struck them. Li Muzhan pointed his index finger.

With a crisp "Bo" sound, two streams of finger force met in mid-air. "Hehe, where do you think you're going?!" Jiang Nan floated elegantly before the pair.

I offer this New Year's greeting to everyone. May the new year bring you all good fortune and good health!

U