As he slowly swept the steps and walked downward, the morning sunlight bathed him, warm and comforting. Unknowingly, it was already early autumn.

The air was fresh, carrying a unique crispness that, when inhaled, seemed to clear his viscera and expel all impurities, leaving him feeling light and indescribably comfortable.

Li Muzhan circulated the Tianyuan Tunan Shu while contemplating the Canghai Shen Gong.

The profundity of the Canghai Shen Gong was truly extraordinary. Having previously trained in the Six Sutras, his meridians were exceptionally robust, allowing him to advance by leaps and bounds when cultivating the Canghai Shen Gong, making his progress incredibly swift.

With every level achieved in the Canghai Shen Gong, he gained an additional type of inner force. While this appeared similar to the Six Sutras, the subtlety was vastly different.

With the Six Sutras, once inner force emerged from the Dantian, it flowed through six specific meridians, causing the nature of the inner force to change according to the path it took.

The Canghai Shen Gong was different; the inner force transformed within the Dantian. The meridians no longer dictated the attribute of the inner force because this energy was far more refined, having already condensed into a single mass.

This mass of inner force, pure and uniform, yet each part containing inherent properties, could unite when desired or separate at will. The true marvel lay in the ease of application, governed entirely by intent.

Although the Canghai Shen Gong was exquisite, its cultivation was arduous, unlike the Six Sutras, which naturally formed inner forces of distinct attributes by following set meridians.

The inner force of the Canghai Shen Gong had to be generated within the Dantian, originating from the Shen (Spirit/Mind). This required changes in the state of mind and comprehension of its essence before the inner force could manifest, rather than relying on specific meridians—it was utterly untraceable.

Li Muzhan surmised that the Canghai Shen Gong, though appearing to be a Daoist mental cultivation technique at first glance, was fundamentally a Buddhist one.

Buddhism places supreme importance on enlightenment (Wu); the state of mind dictates the level of cultivation. Only through sudden realization can one ascend to the next stage; the mind determines the achievement. Such a technique bordered on transcending the scope of martial arts altogether, qualifying instead as Buddhist doctrine.

What Li Muzhan pondered constantly was the Canghai Sword Qi within his Dantian.

According to his master, the Canghai Sword Qi required the inner force of the sixth level to be fully dissolved; otherwise, it would remain condensed and unscattered, continuously devouring the original inner force of the Dantian, growing stronger until, one day, it became uncontrollable and claimed his life.

After reaching the sixth level, he had intended to eliminate this potential threat and dissolve it immediately. However, a sudden flash of insight stayed his hand; he did not act.

He wondered: if such substantive, solidified sword energy could be unleashed through finger techniques, would it not rival the Six Meridian Divine Sword, perhaps even matching the Vajra Finger?

Condensing these six streams of inner force within the Wuqing Xiu (Sleeves of Heartlessness) indeed granted formidable power. The six streams formed three balanced Yin-Yang pairs, operating silently, like a gentle breeze passing by.

Upon contact with a target, the six streams of inner force would instantly erupt, transforming into a surging flood, layer upon layer of power churning, vast in scope, and unfathomably wondrous in effect.

It was through this very skill, during the previous incident at the Wuji Hall, that he nearly caused Mistress Zhuzhao a silent, bitter loss.

It was a pity that the Canghai Sword Sect prioritized swordplay and lacked any truly exceptional finger techniques.

In the current age, nothing could truly compare to the Vajra Finger. Relying on finger techniques to suppress it was unrealistic, advice his Mistress Zhuzhao had given him.

Despite the lack of a suitable finger technique, Li Muzhan was undeterred. He considered creating a finger art of his own, especially since he had witnessed the Canghai Sword Qi being manifested by the Jade Statue, which appeared to use a finger technique.

If the Jade Statue could trigger it, why couldn't he? Moreover, it clearly was a finger technique.

Mistress Zhuzhao had further confirmed that it was indeed a set of finger techniques, but this specific set had been lost; no one in the Canghai Sword Sect currently knew how to execute it.

This set of techniques was called the Canghai Divine Sword, and the finger force it projected was precisely the Canghai Sword Qi—the strongest ultimate art of the Canghai Sword Sect, renowned throughout the world.

His ambition to forge a new finger technique was met not with mockery but with encouragement from Mistress Zhuzhao. She had smiled, saying that if he truly succeeded in creating it and restoring the Canghai Divine Sword, it would be an act of immeasurable merit.

Li Muzhan understood that devising an entire finger art on his own was exceedingly difficult; if it were simple, the Vajra Finger would not stand alone as it did.

However, this presented an opportunity. With the Canghai Sword Qi dormant in his Dantian, he continuously interacted with it using his inner force, analyzing and sensing its structure in an effort to replicate it.

Regrettably, the Canghai Sword Qi was as hard and substantial as physical matter, making its analysis a difficult task. He made no significant progress in a short time.

He did not despair, resolving instead to study it with the perseverance of 'dripping water piercing stone,' confident that one day he would successfully mimic the Canghai Sword Qi, perhaps even restoring the Canghai Divine Sword.

As for the Daming Wang Jing (Great Bright King Scripture), he began condensing seeds to re-cultivate it.

He knew he was not yet ready for the Daming Wang Jing; he required at least four Xinzhu (Heart Pearls) before he would be capable of matching the Divine King (Ming Wang) power. Otherwise, if the deity manifested, he would immediately fall unconscious, as if lost in a dream.

The last time, the Xinzhu had fortunately protected his spirit from being utterly incinerated by the Azure Flame; without them, he would be nothing more than a walking corpse now. Even now, the memory left him with lingering dread.

However, if truly faced with a life-or-death crisis, he would still utilize the Daming Wang Jing. With the Xinzhu safeguarding his core spirit, his mind would be secure.

The only lingering concern was that deploying the Daming Wang Jing and summoning the Divine King meant he would operate purely on subconscious instinct, inevitably leading to absurd actions. The casual offense against his senior sister last time continued to cause problems now and would surely extend into the future—a maddening prospect. If he accidentally killed someone, the repercussions would be endless.

Yet, compared to the threat of death, these were secondary concerns. After much deliberation, he decided to continue practicing the Daming Wang Jing. Causing trouble was preferable to losing his life.

After finishing the Canghai Shen Gong, his routine followed with the Daming Wang Jing, and then the Wuqing Xiu.

While sweeping, all his focus was on mastering the Wuqing Xiu, concurrently practicing the Tianyuan Tunan Shu.

As time passed, he had abandoned the Jiuyou Xin Fa (Nine Luminaries Heart Method), but the Tianyuan Tunan Shu remained constant, and he increasingly recognized its boundless mystery. Now, the pores across his body opened and closed, circulating his breath, which descended into his Dantian to replenish the diminishing clear water, merging with it.

The Canghai Sword Qi had grown significantly, expanding to double its previous size, like a small fish becoming large. At this rate, his Dantian would rupture within a year.

As the Canghai Shen Gong deepened, the mist within his Dantian had diminished to almost nothing. The area of clear water expanded until the Dantian seemed entirely transformed into lake water, shrouded only by a faint, ethereal mist, almost imperceptible yet beautifully mysterious.

This lake water was slowly converting into the inner force of the Canghai Shen Gong.

Reaching the sixth level signified the Xiaocheng (Minor Completion) of the Canghai Shen Gong. All six streams of inner force had been cultivated, establishing a perfect Yin-Yang balance, causing the inner force to condense into clear water.

The transformation from gas to liquid was a change in essence, marking the Xiaocheng stage, endowing the Canghai Shen Gong with infinite potential power.

Supported by this inner force, his application of the Wuqing Xiu became far stronger. Now, sweeping the steps was effortless; it took only half a morning instead of a full day.

That day at noon, having finished sweeping the steps, he arrived at the North Courtyard, the second courtyard of the Eighth Heaven, and knocked on the gate.

"Enter!" a cold voice responded from within.

Li Muzhan pushed the door open to find a tall screen decorated with a Buddha image. Beyond the screen lay a spacious courtyard.

A rockery stood in the center, atop which rested a small pavilion with five curved eaves, appearing like an eagle about to spread its wings—its imposing aura exerted a palpable pressure.

Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes. Observing its aura, he vaguely understood that this Senior Sister Xu possessed considerable ambition.

However, her aspiration to become the Sect Leader was unlikely. Senior Sister Wen was the designated successor and was certain to take the position, unless something unforeseen happened to Junior Brother Wen.

Li Muzhan frowned slightly. While his feelings for Wen Yinyue were largely driven by desire rather than affection like his bond with Mei Ruolan, he could not tolerate anyone harming her. He neither liked nor disliked such a woman; he simply felt she wasn't suited to be a wife but would likely make an excellent mistress.

The thought vanished instantly as he suppressed it. He was rigorously focused on maintaining correct thoughts and intentions, refusing to allow any dark impulses to surface. The moment such a seed sprouted, he extinguished it, fearing it might sink into his subconscious, leading him to act upon it when using the Daming Wang Jing.

Seated atop the small pavilion was a slender, tall woman in a pale yellow silk robe, her back to the courtyard entrance. She was bent over a painting, her expression intensely focused—it was Xu Jingying.

Li Muzhan leaped lightly, drifting slowly onto the pavilion floor.

Xu Jingying set down her brush, turned, and nodded faintly. "Junior Brother Zhanran, you have arrived."

Li Muzhan cupped his hands in salute. "Senior Sister Xu, I apologize for keeping you waiting."

Xu Jingying waved her hand. "Please sit. We begin painting lessons today."

"Yes," Li Muzhan nodded, speaking no more than necessary. He knew Xu Jingying currently felt a degree of aversion toward him, and under such circumstances, even eloquent pleading would be futile, only deepening her annoyance.

Xu Jingying glanced at him briefly, her expression impassive. She directly instructed him to paint the courtyard scene before them, to gauge his skill.

Li Muzhan did not hesitate and began painting, quickly sketching the courtyard with just a few strokes.

Xu Jingying, who had initially worn a faint, detached smile, suddenly furrowed her delicate brow upon seeing this, glancing intently at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan maintained intense concentration, pretending not to notice, focusing only on his work. Soon, a vivid, lifelike painting lay before her.

Xu Jingying nodded. "Junior Brother Zhanran, you possess marvelous eyes, capable of piercing observation!"

Xu Jingying's mastery of painting was profound. Through a painting, she could discern the painter's thoughts, character, and even ideology—it was one of her primary methods of judging people. Asking Li Muzhan to paint was not just about assessing his technique but his nature and psyche, to see if he was truly as he had appeared that other day.

Now, seeing how his few strokes rendered the scene with such clarity and an imposing presence, she recognized that Junior Brother Zhanran’s state of mind was vast and his bearing lofty—certainly not that of an ordinary man. Perhaps his tumultuous behavior at Wuji Hall was truly the result of temporary derangement or deviation in his cultivation path.

She studied him again and smiled faintly. "Good, very good!"

Li Muzhan smiled back. "Senior Sister Xu, is there anywhere I can still improve? I feel constrained, unable to fully express the intent in my heart." He sensed that Senior Sister Xu's opinion of him had improved, and her demeanor was slightly warmer.

Xu Jingying pondered for a moment. "Nothing else, only that you have painted too little."

"What should I do then?" Li Muzhan asked.

Xu Jingying replied, "Very well. After today, you must complete ten paintings daily, using the scenery of Canghai Mountain as your subject... You will paint one picture for every step you ascend. After a month, given your aptitude, you should see considerable progress."

Li Muzhan nodded, finding this suggestion excellent. One step, one scene. The scenery of Canghai Mountain was indeed spectacular; capturing it all in paint would surely be magnificent.

Xu Jingying continued, "I can see, Junior Brother Zhanran, that your painting relies entirely on your own observation, lacking formal guidance, thus your technique is impure."

Li Muzhan admitted, "Yes, when I was a novice monk, I often used branches to sketch when idle, just drawing for amusement."

Xu Jingying showed a flicker of a smile. "Junior Brother, you are currently unpolished jade. A little refinement, and your brilliance will shine forth."

"Senior Sister flatters me," Li Muzhan said, smiling and shaking his head.

Xu Jingying smiled faintly, not arguing. "We shall see after a month. For now, listen as I explain the methods of painting."

Then, she explained meticulously, imparting her entire skill set, techniques, and nuances of painting. Li Muzhan possessed perfect recollection and had always practiced painting independently, so he had unconsciously grasped many techniques, albeit instinctively.

Xu Jingying's instruction acted like a sudden opening of a window, and his vision instantly widened, granting him a sense of 'one principle understood, a hundred principles revealed.' His painting skill advanced rapidly.

Under Xu Jingying’s tutelage, in just a few days, the change in Li Muzhan's work was transformative, becoming increasingly vivid and expressive. He continually marveled that the guidance of a true master held immense power; a single sentence often equaled over a decade of his own fumbling efforts. He realized, too, that this was a case of deep accumulation finally yielding results; for a complete beginner, however exquisite the instruction, it would be difficult to absorb.

Ten paintings daily, three hundred over a month. He began painting from the first step, one painting for each stage, traversing three hundred steps.

After a month, Xu Jingying examined Li Muzhan's recent work, tilted her head, and sighed, saying he had already surpassed his apprenticeship; she had nothing more to teach him.

Through their month of proximity, although Xu Jingying remained cool and distant, never showing him overt kindness, their relationship had significantly thawed.

The Yanwu Hall (Martial Practice Hall) was a vast structure, similar to the dining hall in scale. This enormous palace managed to absorb sound, ensuring it never became noisy or chaotic, a testament to its unique design.

Hanging on the walls of the Yanwu Hall were numerous scrolls, each containing martial arts manuals: sword techniques, palm arts, fist forms, lightness skill methods, and even diagrams of internal energy pathways.

The Yanwu Hall was the core sanctuary of the Canghai Sword Sect, and entry was strictly forbidden to any disciple not directly assigned to it. Those permitted entry were invariably individuals of supreme intellect and innate talent for martial arts, spanning various ages—the youngest in their thirties, the eldest over seventy.

One clear morning, the Canghai Nine Swords manual, which normally hung on the south wall of the Yanwu Hall, was replaced by a landscape painting of Canghai Mountain.