On the morning of the twenty-second, Li Muzhan, Li Zongheng, and Song Wenbin sat in the dining hall of the Xiao Yuan Palace's light corridor, eating and discussing the details of their descent from the mountain.

Wen Yinyue's peerless grace intoxicated everyone present.

"Alas, if only I could be like Eldest Senior Sister! Xiaoyuan gazed into the void, a smile playing on her lips, looking utterly longing.

Both of them were clad in black robes, cinched at the waist with sleeves tailored to be loose where volume was needed and snug where it wasn't—dashingly heroic yet maintaining a slender, graceful silhouette.

Li Muzhan deeply admired the clothing of the sect's female disciples and praised the original designer for creating attire that was simultaneously firm and heroic, yet beautifully graceful, embodying the true spirit of a female knight-errant.

Gong Qingyun glanced at Xiaoyuan and stated coolly, "Eldest Senior Sister's natural talent is unparalleled, the foremost in the Canghai sect. For you to be like her will be difficult!" Xiaoyuan huffed, "Diligence can compensate for lack of talent, right? Zhanran's natural talent isn't that great either!" Li Muzhan smiled faintly, keeping his head down to eat, offering no comment.

Gong Qingyun asked mildly, "Who told you Zhanran's aptitude isn't good?" Xiaoyuan replied, "Commander Jin! He said Zhanran learns the sword so slowly; things others learn in a month, he takes two."

Gong Qingyun shook her head. "Nonsense! Ask Eldest Sister about Zhanran's talent."

Xiaoyuan immediately tilted her head to ask Li Muzhan, "Zhanran, what exactly is your aptitude?" Li Muzhan swallowed the food in his mouth and laughed, "Neither good nor bad, I suppose. Because I have practiced Zen meditation since I was young, my mind is calm and my spirit focused, which is better than most people. However, my body lacks training, so my limbs don't obey my mind as well as others."

"And how about compared to me?" Xiaoyuan asked.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Roughly the same."

Xiaoyuan immediately brightened, breaking into a smile. "Then if I work hard, I can also master martial arts?" Li Muzhan chuckled, "Naturally."

"The future Heroine Xiaoyuan!" Xiaoyuan laughed coquettishly with pride, as if she had already become a famed martial artist.

Gong Qingyun shook her head.

She shot Li Muzhan a sharp look.

Li Muzhan chuckled softly.

The dining hall was bustling with people coming and going, occasionally sparing glances toward their table.

Li Muzhan asked, "Xiaoyuan, are you still in the Outer Gate?" Xiaoyuan sighed softly, "In two more months, Sister Gong will only need one more month, and we can both enter the Inner Gate! But still far behind you, Zhanran!" "That's for sure!" Li Zongheng boomed coarsely.

Song Wenbin smiled, "Congratulations, Junior Sister Xiaoyuan and Junior Sister Gong. Seeing how formidable you are, Zongheng got fired up. He rushed through the second trial in one go, and now he's farming vegetables with me. After one more small competition, we can all enter the Inner Gate."

Li Muzhan offered his congratulations with a smile. Li Zongheng pouted and waved his hand dismissively, grunting, "What's there to congratulate? No matter how fast I am, I can't catch up to a freak like you."

Li Muzhan laughed, "You might just overtake me later and leave me eating your dust."

"Just keep laughing at me!" Li Zongheng glared with wide, ox-like eyes.

Li Muzhan laughed heartily. "I'll be entering seclusion to train in a few days, so you all need to work harder too. Don't let me get too far ahead!" "Don't you worry about that!" Li Zongheng grunted.

Xiaoyuan quickly interjected, "Zhanran, since you're going into seclusion, do you need me to bring you meals?" Li Muzhan laughed, "Xiaoyuan, you are now an official disciple of the Canghai Sword Sect; your status is different now. How can you wait on me?"

Xiaoyuan pouted, "With your picky palate, who could possibly satisfy it?!" Li Muzhan laughed, "I'll have to make do."

"Things aren't like they used to be."

Xiaoyuan tilted her head in thought. "I'll go ask Miss, ask her to put in a good word, and I'll serve you!" Li Muzhan laughed, "No need, no need."

"What skill will you cultivate when you enter the Inner Gate?" "The Canghai Divine Art," Xiaoyuan replied.

Li Muzhan looked toward Gong Qingyun, who nodded slightly. "Me too."

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment. "When I return, I will paint a picture for you both."

"What kind of painting?" Xiaoyuan asked with a bright smile.

Li Muzhan said, "It will be some of my insights into the Canghai Divine Art. Look at it often every day; it will benefit you."

"Great!" Xiaoyuan nodded happily.

Leaving the dining hall, the five of them returned to Li Muzhan's small courtyard. Xiaoyuan ground the inkstone, Gong Qingyun spread the paper, while Li Zongheng and Song Wenbin watched with longing, wishing they could trade places.

Everything made ready, Li Muzhan stood before the writing desk, gathering his focus, closing his eyes, and regulating his breath. He stood perfectly still. The other four held their breath and clamped their mouths shut, staring at him.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he suddenly opened his eyes. Subtle lightning flickered within them, and the surrounding air immediately grew taut, as if about to solidify. The four felt their breathing become labored; they perceived him as having transformed into a mountain, something they had to look up to.

Li Muzhan raised his brush. Like a winding dragon or a creeping snake, the great ocean slowly took shape. On the clear, jade-green surface of the sea floated a small boat. Not far away, the spray of the waves rose like silver mountains, and on the crests of those waves, there was another small boat.

A mass of dark clouds enveloped the small boat atop the massive waves, while bright, sunny light illuminated the other small boat.

One still and clear, one surging and tumultuous; one dark cloud, one bright sun—a stark contrast was formed.

Then, he put down the brush and blew gently on it, examining the painting, and laughed, "It's done. Take a look."

Xiaoyuan rushed forward, pushing him aside, and scrutinized the painting with a squinting smile. "Is this the ocean? This is just a small boat... there's nothing much to see." Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile; this girl Xiaoyuan was clever, but lacked subtlety.

Gong Qingyun stood beside Xiaoyuan, staring thoughtfully at the painting.

Li Muzhan said, "Xiaoyuan, look at it for half an hour every day, without missing a day!" Xiaoyuan pouted and laughed, "This painting isn't much. There's only water, no beautiful birds, no pretty girls. What's there to look at? I won't look at it."

Li Muzhan said, "If you want to be a heroine, then look! If you don't look, don't even dream of mastering the Canghai Divine Art."

Xiaoyuan pursed her cherry-red lips and huffed, "Fine. I'll look, I guess!" Gong Qingyun shook her head. This painting was Zhanran’s comprehension of the Canghai Divine Art, infused into his brushwork.

She had learned from Eldest Sister that the Canghai Divine Art was extremely difficult to cultivate, understood only intuitively, hard to express in words. The Master could only transmit the technique but could not assist in the actual practice; cultivation depended on each person's own exploration and realization. Zhanran's insight was astonishing—to be able to translate such realization into a painting was no small feat. For ordinary people, such a scroll was an unattainable treasure; yet Xiaoyuan was unenthusiastic. If the Eldest Miss knew, she would surely scold her.

As she gazed, she felt herself transform into a small boat, the salty, fishy smell washing over her, the sea waves lightly lapping. Slow and overwhelming, she felt powerless to resist.

"Zhanran, don't be biased. What about us!" Li Zongheng gruffly demanded.

Li Muzhan laughed, "You all need to cultivate the Dragon-Snake Ascending Art. I haven't practiced it; I can't help."

"You cultivate the Canghai Divine Art?" Li Zongheng asked.

Li Muzhan nodded. Li Zongheng quickly exclaimed, "But men can't cultivate the Canghai Divine Art! It's absolutely impossible for them! How did you manage to practice it?" He immediately added, "Oh, right, you're a monster; you can't be measured by ordinary standards."

Li Muzhan smiled, "When you all have learned the Dragon-Snake Ascending Art, show it to me."

Li Zongheng awkwardly bent his neck. "No need, we'll manage ourselves! Hmph, I want to see if I can catch up to you."

Li Muzhan shook his head with a smile and said no more.

On the morning of the third day, the sunlight was bright, illuminating the entire small courtyard. Dewdrops on the flowers and leaves sparkled like jewels, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and peace.

Li Muzhan was practicing his swordplay. His sword light was continuous, embodying the steadfastness of a mountain or a great peak—it was the Eight Swords of Towned Peaks, yet he felt he hadn't grasped their true essence or unleashed their real power.

Bo-bo sounded at the courtyard gate.

"Senior Sister, please come in," Li Muzhan called out loudly, his sword movements never faltering.

The gate squeaked open, and Wen Yinyue stepped inside. She wore a light green silk robe; her face was as white as jade, her eyebrows delicate, her phoenix eyes captivating, radiating a cool, almost dangerous allure, like a goddess descended.

As she entered, Li Muzhan continued his sword practice.

Wen Yinyue said nothing, moving gracefully like a lotus, and sat down by the small pavilion. She brewed some tea, sipped it, and observed Li Muzhan's movements.

Li Muzhan finished his practice shortly after. After washing up, he came to sit in the pavilion.

"Senior Sister," Li Muzhan said with a smile. "The small competition is over?" It was the end of the month again, time for the Outer Gate's small competition, which Wen Yinyue was presiding over.

Wen Yinyue nodded. "Today you begin your seclusion. Master has a stone cave behind the mountain, her place for quiet cultivation. She has gifted it to you for your seclusion." While speaking, she glanced sideways at Li Muzhan, feeling that their Master showed him too much favoritism; she had certainly never received such treatment herself, far less favored than he was.

"Thank you, Master. I shall not refuse," Li Muzhan said with a smile.

He then went to change his clothes, still in his simple gray monk's robe, and followed Wen Yinyue out of the courtyard.

The two left the courtyard and headed north. They passed the front of the Wuji Hall and arrived behind it, facing a cliff as steep as a drawn sword, rising and falling sheerly with no discernible path. Standing before the precipice, the valley below was unfathomably deep and dark, and the roaring gales carried a faint, angry sound, like the roar of a fierce tiger.

Li Muzhan strained his eyes, unable to see the bottom of the valley, only the vague glimmer of a river, which he guessed must be the great river below Canghai Mountain.

Wen Yinyue stood facing the wind. As her silk robe fluttered, her graceful curves were faintly visible, breathtakingly alluring.

"It's here," Wen Yinyue said.

With that, she stepped out, landing on the empty air. She instantly dropped three or four zhang before suddenly swaying and vanishing into the cliff face.

Li Muzhan leaped down. After descending three or four zhang, he spotted a dark, gaping cave entrance where Wen Yinyue stood, her silk robe billowing, watching him calmly.

Li Muzhan's figure shifted, and he floated down before her. A delicate fragrance reached his nose.

"Come in. I will seal the entrance," Wen Yinyue said. With that, she pushed against a massive boulder—two zhang high and two zhang wide. With a gentle push, the stone rumbled shut, sealing the opening and plunging them into darkness.

Wen Yinyue took out a small brocade pouch from her embrace and produced a round bead. As large as a dragon's eye, it shone with a milky white light, dispelling the surrounding darkness. Li Muzhan sensed that the air was flowing, fresh and untainted.

Wen Yinyue moved with graceful steps, walking inward along a wide passage. After two turns, she stopped. Before them were three stone chambers, one on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right. The central chamber appeared to be a study, containing a cot, a meditation cushion, bookshelves, a writing desk, and on the desk, a qin, chess pieces, painting supplies, and a tea stove with cups.

Wen Yinyue entered and pointed at the cot. "Junior Brother, this is it."

"An excellent place," Li Muzhan praised. Standing there, enveloped in absolute silence, his mind also quieted.

Wen Yinyue said, "This is Master's place of cultivation. Besides you and me, no one else knows of it." Li Muzhan sighed, "Master's kindness is truly too much to repay."

"Cultivate your martial arts well; that is the repayment," Wen Yinyue stated calmly.

"Yes," Li Muzhan nodded.

(To be continued)