Li Muzhan knew that if Gongsun Qingyun lived, he would surely seek revenge. It was better to cut the weeds and dig up the roots now.

Under the moonlight, the peach grove was shrouded in dimness. Following Gongsun Qingyun was akin to scaling a sheer cliff. The ancient maxim advised against pursuing a desperate foe, or entering a dense forest, yet he disregarded such prudence.

His figure was like lightning, darting through the peach trees, his direction unwavering. He hadn't caught up to Gongsun Qingyun yet, but his intuition had sharpened considerably.

Soon, they burst free of the peach grove and headed east. A relentless chain of mountains stretched out for a hundred miles, densely forested peaks rising high. Gongsun Qingyun clearly knew the terrain; retreating into the mountains would only give him more opportunities to employ his tricks.

Li Muzhan pressed on without rest, threading his way through the great mountains from dawn until the sky turned pale. After a full night and day, there was still no sign of Gongsun Qingyun, yet he did not give up.

He had a strong premonition that Gongsun Qingyun was not far ahead, merely that the man’s supreme lightness skill and marvelous movement had concealed his presence, preventing him from being detected.

As he chased, Li Muzhan employed the Tianyuan Tunan Technique. The sharp force of his internal energy plunged into the Sea of Inner Force, transforming into clear, pristine lake water.

At this moment, he grasped the profound utility of the Canghai Divine Skill. Though it consumed immense internal energy, its sheer purity made it exceptionally sustainable. His Sea of Inner Force had barely diminished—hardly worth mentioning.

At this rate, he could fight for several more days and nights without fear of his inner strength running dry.

Li Muzhan mused that after this ordeal, he must dedicate himself to breaking through to the sixth layer of the Canghai Divine Skill. The wonders of this technique far surpassed his initial understanding.

Without realizing it, noon arrived. Even while straining his lightness skill to the limit, Li Muzhan secretly admired Gongsun Qingyun. To run so fast after sustaining such grievous injuries was astounding.

He supposed Gongsun Qingyun carried potent elixirs. The Gongsun family built its reputation on medicine; they would certainly possess ample spiritual pills. As the Gongsun family's prodigy, he would naturally have access to many such remedies.

Sustained by these elixirs, Gongsun Qingyun hadn't collapsed. Anyone else, exhausted and wounded, who had run through the night and half a day would surely have burned out completely.

As dusk settled, Li Muzhan suddenly accelerated. His spirit was vibrant, his mind sharper than usual, like a piece of fine white jade that, while normally lustrous, was now illuminated by lamplight.

Li Muzhan's figure flickered sharply. He found himself within a dense pine forest, where every tree was thick and tall, seemingly rooted for a century.

He bounded off several pines, increasing his speed, and suddenly dropped down, blocking Gongsun Qingyun's path, stopping more than ten feet away.

Gongsun Qingyun no longer possessed the dashing heroism of before. A dark, scabrous wound ran from his forehead down his face, splitting it in two and giving him a terrifying, gruesome appearance.

His complexion was pale, devoid of color, yet his cheeks were flushed red. His eyes blazed, sharp as awls, piercing directly into Li Muzhan's.

He halted, leaning against a massive pine, breathing heavily. After a long moment, he straightened his waist and rasped, "You are determined to kill me?"

A gentle breeze swept by. Li Muzhan watched him quietly. "If I don't kill you, will you spare me?"

Gongsun Qingyun shook his head and laughed. "Indeed, no matter what, I must kill you!"

Li Muzhan sighed. "You force my hand. Which martial artist doesn't ultimately die at another's hand?! It's just a pity—I haven't lived long enough!"

Li Muzhan frowned, saying lightly, "You poisoned me again."

"Do you feel a sudden weakness throughout your body now?" Gongsun Qingyun smirked slightly. "For someone as astute as you, how could you find yourself at a disadvantage?"

Li Muzhan inwardly cursed his carelessness, but his face remained impassive as he calmly asked, "What poison is this?"

Gongsun Qingyun smiled broadly. "Drunken Life, Dreamy Death. In small doses, it’s excellent for calming the nerves. Too much, however, causes weakness..."

Li Muzhan’s expression did not change. He smiled faintly.

Gongsun Qingyun's smile broadened. "A little more causes weakness; a little more than that becomes fatal. Slowly, bit by bit, you drift to sleep, and never wake up."

Li Muzhan sighed and shook his head. "The Gongsun family truly lives up to its reputation."

Gongsun Qingyun chuckled. "Let this be a lesson: never underestimate any member of the Gongsun clan. As long as we breathe, we use poison."

Li Muzhan’s left hand suddenly shot out. A streak of dark light tore through the void, pierced Gongsun Qingyun’s body, and embedded itself in a pine tree thicker than three men combined.

"You..." Gongsun Qingyun struggled to raise his hand, trembling as he pointed, his face a mask of astonishment, before slowly toppling over in defeat.

Li Muzhan’s body immediately softened, and he collapsed to the ground as well.

He felt as if the bones in his body had been yanked out. All strength had vanished, leaving him utterly limp. He couldn't even twitch a finger. Had it not been for that final swift strike, he might have resisted the poison.

The full force of the Huanglong Flying Sword attack had allowed the toxin to find its way into his vital organs.

Now, he couldn't even summon the will to sit cross-legged. He lay soft and helpless on the grass, the scent of damp earth surrounding him. He tried to push himself up, intending to crawl toward Gongsun Qingyun to search for an antidote.

Alas, he could not move at all. Though his will was as firm as a mountain, his body refused to obey. Even a few feet seemed like an impassable gulf.

He gave a bitter smile and looked up at the sky framed by the treetops. The heavens were deep blue—it was late autumn, and the sky was exceptionally clear.

Was he truly going to die here, silently fading away in this deep mountain forest, decaying along with the fallen leaves, with no one ever knowing?

Although Li Muzhan had come to terms with life and death, knowing what death entailed, he felt a profound unwillingness in this situation. He hadn't yet experienced the truly spectacular moments of this lifetime. To die like this would make his ambition to become the foremost master in the world a mere joke; he hadn't even grasped the peak of martial arts.

After a moment’s thought, he felt his consciousness growing hazy. Darkness surged like a tide, threatening to swallow him whole at any moment.

He tried to bite his tongue, but his mouth was already numb, beyond his command.

With a soft internal sigh, Li Muzhan could only make one final gamble. While his mind was still clear, he forced his divine sense inward, diving into the Pearl of the Heart, entering the state of meditation.

His profound mastery of Chan (Zen meditation) proved its power once more. In the blink of an eye, he plunged into profound stillness.

Time flowed by, ceaseless. An hour later, he stirred slightly, then sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, hands forming a mudra. His posture was majestic and solemn.

Wisps of white vapor drifted from his body, one by one, thread by thread, like rising smoke, slowly escaping his robes, dispersed by the breeze into the air.

Time passed; the sun traversed the sky until it finally sank below the horizon. As twilight descended, Li Muzhan suddenly snapped his eyes open. A golden light flashed within them, almost tangible.

He let out a long sigh. Li Muzhan's lips curved slightly into a smile, revealing a hint of what was to come.

To be continued—if you wish to know what happens next, please log on to [Placeholder Website], where there are many chapters. Please support the author by reading authorized genuine content! XXXD