Li Muzhan watched him leave, a smile playing on his lips, and then made his way toward Saint Snow Peak. The closer he got, the more immense it appeared, soaring and unreachable, seemingly touching the heavens, which only underscored his own insignificance.
Along the path, he observed numerous common folk kneeling, prostrating themselves before Saint Snow Peak in evident piety. His mind wandered, pondering the reason for such devotion. He mused that perhaps it was because the disciples of Saint Snow Peak often descended the mountain to aid others.
He possessed keen insight into the human heart, believing that such profound reverence could only be inspired by religion; otherwise, even the greatest meritorious deeds would struggle to elicit such heartfelt sincerity, for human nature, inherently, tended toward the wicked.
Could it be that Saint Snow Peak was not merely a martial sect, but a religious order? If so, it was certainly not to be trifled with. The power of religion was immense; in later ages, while poverty and the law of the jungle fueled conflict, religion was also a significant source of strife.
His steps never faltered, and finally, he reached the base of the mountain. The temperature dropped sharply, and a biting cold struck his face; the nearer he approached Saint Snow Peak, the colder it became.
Saint Snow Peak coiled like a silver dragon, stretching endlessly beyond sight. The foothills were dense with green pines, which gave way to withered, somber trees higher up, and then, finally, to vast expanses of pristine white snow—a world of silver brilliance, shimmering and bright.
The sun was at its zenith. He spotted a narrow, winding path ascending the slope. With a burst of speed, he leaped across the treetops until he reached the trail, then began his ascent along the path.
The higher he climbed, the more intense the cold became. Fortunately, the protection of his Canghai Shen Gong rendered him impervious to the chill, and his pace remained steady as he continued upward, finally stepping onto the snowfield.
“Who goes there?!” A sharp, feminine cry suddenly rang out. A mound of white snow erupted a zhang away, scattering like mist or smoke before settling to reveal a slender young woman.
She was clad in a white robe, utterly spotless, blending perfectly with the snow. Her face was an exquisite melon seed shape, flawless and bright, and her large, dazzling eyes held an intelligent spark. She held her sword horizontally across her chest, glaring vigilantly at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan clasped his hands together and smiled gently. “I am Zhan Ran of the Canghai Sword Sect, here on behalf of the Wang family of Penglai to honor an appointment. Is this indeed Saint Snow Peak?”
“You are from the Wang family of Penglai?” The young woman’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Li Muzhan nodded. “I am a disciple of the Canghai Sword Sect, sent under the command of my grand-uncle to participate in the contest on the Wang family’s behalf.”
“So you are one of the Wang family’s people!” the girl scoffed, giving him a sidelong look. “Why say so much? Are you trying to intimidate me with the Canghai Sword Sect?”
Li Muzhan gave a wry smile, touching the small mustache on his lip, and said no more.
The girl twisted her slender waist and turned, starting upward. “Fine. Since you are from the Wang family of Penglai, follow me!”
Li Muzhan followed behind her. The snow lay thick upon the ground, erasing any clear path. She trod lightly upon the deep drifts, her movements graceful and elegant. As they walked, Li Muzhan took in the surrounding scenery and casually inquired, “May I ask your esteemed name, young lady?”
The girl pouted. “Hmph. You’re only here this one time; what difference does it make if you know my name? We’re strangers anyway!”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “I have long heard tales of Saint Snow Peak’s fame. Now that I see it, truly, meeting is not as good as hearing!”
The girl stopped abruptly, turning to glare at him. “What do you mean by that?”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “Saint Snow Peak is considered a renowned major sect, but this manner of receiving guests is truly lacking, truly lacking!”
“Our Saint Snow Peak is a renowned major sect!” the girl huffed, pouting. “What, did you expect us to greet you with gongs and drums?!”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly. “I am not an enemy, after all. Isn’t it a joy to have friends arriving from afar? …Could it be that your sect lacks confidence in this martial contest?”
“Nonsense!” the girl retorted, glancing at him disdainfully. “Someone like you trying to defeat the Eldest Senior Sister? That’s just a fool’s dream!”
With that, she turned and walked away, chiding, “You talk too much, just shut up, shut up!”
She increased her pace, gliding over the white snow with astonishing lightness and elegance. Every three or four zhang, her foot would touch the snow surface, leaving only the faintest impression.
Li Muzhan praised silently. The light footwork of Saint Snow Peak, called Ta Xue Wu Hen (Treading Snow Without a Trace), was incredibly gentle, disturbing not even a fallen feather. It seemed truly worthy of its reputation. This young girl’s internal energy might not be strong, but her movement skill was so high, clearly indicating a supreme mastery of the relevant technique. If he could cultivate this skill, he might truly achieve genuine Ta Xue Wu Hen.
They ascended along the ridge, climbing ever higher. The snow grew deeper, the mountain steeper, and the icy wind cut against the face like knives. Without martial arts, one could never reach this height.
As they walked, the scenery suddenly opened up, and they arrived at a gentle plateau—a mountain valley. What met their eyes was a lake, oval-shaped, resembling a mirror. Blue sky and white clouds were perfectly captured within its surface.
This lake lay in the center of the valley, encircled by continuous buildings with unusually sharp roofs. Directly to the north stood a cluster of multi-storied pavilions, five or six in total, all connected, each exquisitely picturesque.
The lake exuded a faint mist, like a light veil draped over the mirror, undulating and flowing freely with the soft breeze, possessing an air of effortless grace. Surrounding the lake was lush, verdant grass covering the entire valley floor, and the valley walls were lined with dense, evergreen pines, creating a warmth like spring—an entirely different world from outside.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” the girl asked, turning with smug satisfaction.
Li Muzhan withdrew his gaze and exclaimed, “Truly an immortal realm on earth!”
The girl laughed proudly. “When people speak of Saint Snow Peak, they always imagine it’s unbearably cold, but they don’t know how miraculous the creation of heaven and earth is, possessing such a warm sanctuary!”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Indeed!”
The girl waved her hand, head held high. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to the lodging quarters!”
Beneath the northern pavilions was a martial arts training ground where a group of women was practicing. Their clothes were of various colors and styles, competing in splendor. Across the lake, they spotted Li Muzhan. One woman called out, “Junior Sister, who is this?”
Li Muzhan looked up. Among these women were many beauties, and even those of plainer looks possessed a cool, ethereal quality, almost transcendent. Li Muzhan observed them for a moment, noting similarities to the disciples of Canghai Mountain—even the ordinary-looking sisters were not ugly, possessing captivating auras. This was clearly due to their unique martial arts and mental cultivation methods.
The girl called back loudly, “Senior Sister Zhao, this is someone from the Wang family!”
“Oh—?” The woman’s voice was slightly husky. Immediately, the other women began to murmur, and bright, inquiring glances crossed the space, landing on Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, his expression composed, and returned their gazes one by one, ensuring his look swept over every single woman. The women felt as if their skin were burning, perceiving his gaze as intensely focused, and they were inwardly startled, realizing the profound internal energy of this man—he was clearly someone significant! Unable to withstand Li Muzhan’s stare, they slowly averted their eyes, feeling annoyed and indignant, deeming this man too domineering, decidedly not a good sort.
“Let’s go!” the girl said upon seeing this, huffing indignantly before turning away.
Li Muzhan touched his mustache, offered a slight bow toward the assembled women with a smile, and followed the girl toward the row of buildings stretching eastward.
After he left, the women began to discuss animatedly.
“Oh dear, this is bad, this fellow’s internal energy is formidable, much stronger than the Wang family members who came before. Eldest Senior Sister…”
“Senior Sister Song, don’t be intimidated by him. You know how formidable Eldest Senior Sister is. Even if he had three heads and six arms, he couldn’t possibly defeat her!”
“Exactly, exactly! Eldest Senior Sister is a celestial being; how could a mere mortal possibly win!”
“Ten of him tied together couldn’t beat Eldest Senior Sister! Don’t worry!”
They babbled on, their eyes shining with excitement.
“Hehe, we get to see Eldest Senior Sister display her martial arts again, we are in for a treat!”
“I hope this fellow isn’t too inept and can last a few more moves so we can watch more of Eldest Senior Sister’s skill!”
“How many moves do you think he can last?”
“I think he can manage past ten moves, considering he’s much stronger than the previous Wang family members!”
“Mmm, roughly.”
“In my opinion, he won’t last ten moves!”
“Twenty moves!” “Twenty moves? You overestimate him too much, don’t even dream about it!”
They argued back and forth, and the training ground became lively with their chatter and sweet voices. Though Li Muzhan was gone, his hearing remained sharp, catching every word. Hearing their discussion, he couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile. Was this Eldest Senior Sister truly as formidable as his own Eldest Senior Sister?
He followed the girl to a small courtyard. After pushing open the door, he found a rockery in the center serving as a screen. Flowerbeds graced the east and west sides, and a stone table was situated beneath the rockery. The arrangement was neat and elegant, clearly the work of a master. Li Muzhan nodded in appreciation.
The girl turned. “It’s not time for the contest yet. You can stay here for now, but don’t wander around carelessly, lest you annoy the senior sisters—they won’t be as polite as me!”
Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. “Thank you kindly.”
The girl waved her hand and wrinkled her nose. “Hmph, no need for thanks. You stay put; I’m going to report to the Master!” With that, she turned and left, vanishing from sight.
Li Muzhan entered the main room, which was fully equipped, much like an inn. On the bookshelf in the west room sat two rows of exquisitely printed books, most of which were Buddhist scriptures. Li Muzhan had studied all the Buddhist texts since childhood, borrowing them from Yingyue An. With his deep meditative focus and exceptional memory, he could recite many of them. He flipped through a few, finding some obscure historical anecdotes he had never read before. He drew one out, sat down at the stone table in the courtyard, brewed some tea, and began reading while sipping the fragrant brew. The tea was excellent, its purity invigorating; he was quite satisfied.
The sun shone brightly, warming his body. He lazily set down his teacup and looked toward the courtyard gate as footsteps sounded. Several women entered. Leading them was one woman, her white robes billowing, her figure graceful as she moved with a delicate, captivating elegance that stirred the heart. Her melon-seed face held a smile, and her eyes were like deep autumn water, supremely soft, like a pool of spring water whose smile was utterly intoxicating.
Li Muzhan’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly suppressed the reaction, bringing his mental lake back to tranquility. He inwardly praised her beauty—no man could resist such a gentle smile.