The young woman who had appeared earlier stepped forward with a sharp, sweet cry, "Zhanran, this is our Sect Master. Why aren't you paying respects!" Li Muzhan rose, glanced at her fleetingly, then turned to the woman of exquisite gentleness.

He clasped his hands together in a formal salute, smiling faintly. "This junior, Canghai Zhanran, greets Sect Master Li!" This woman was Li Yunqing, the Sect Master of Holy Snow Peak.

Though appearing to be around thirty, she was actually in her early forties, similar in age to his own master, Abbess Zhuzhao. Both possessed exceptional arts of preservation, appearing as women in the bloom of youth; yet, his master seemed slightly younger, likely due to her mastery of internal energy cultivation.

Li Yunqing smiled sweetly and inquired, "Are you a mendicant?" Li Muzhan’s heart gave a small jolt, which he quickly suppressed, nodding with a smile. "Yes, this disciple has already taken the vows." Li Yunqing laughed charmingly.

"You must be newly affiliated with the Canghai Sword Sect, then?" "I am," Li Muzhan replied respectfully, bowing his head, and stepping aside. "Senior Li, please enter." Amidst a faint, delicate fragrance, the group of women came inside and settled near the stone table.

Four figures followed Li Yunqing; one was the young woman from before, and the other two were also young beauties, bright-eyed and agile, clearly women who preferred action over stillness. The two newcomers scrutinized Li Muzhan up and down, brazenly, without any feminine reserve, their gazes like still water, fixed upon him for a long moment, projecting an almost palpable pressure.

Li Muzhan understood this was deliberate; they intended to dominate him with their presence, seizing the initiative so he would feel constrained and uncomfortable. Li Yunqing studied Li Muzhan in detail, her smile soft and pleasing.

Li Muzhan met her gaze with an unyielding yet polite smile, saying nothing. They held the silent exchange for a good while.

Li Yunqing chuckled softly. "What a coincidence today.

It is Xinyi’s turn on duty. This little girl can be impetuous and sharp-tongued.

If she has offended you in any way, Zhanran, please overlook it." Li Muzhan returned the smile. "So it is Junior Sister Xinyi.

She is outspoken and naturally innocent; I rather like her spirit. How could I take offense!" Song Xinyi snorted, pouting at him, inwardly cursing his hypocrisy.

She hated him enough to gnash her teeth, yet he claimed to like her—she had never met anyone so utterly two-faced! However, Li Muzhan’s words were not entirely false.

With his inner sight, he could discern whether someone held malice instantly. Though Song Xinyi’s words were reckless, they carried no genuine ill intent.

He was deeply aware of the dangers lurking in the human heart, and since acquiring his inner sight, he never judged people solely by their speech. He felt no particular aversion toward Song Xinyi; he merely found the girl spirited, sharp-tongued, and rather interesting, sparking a desire to tease her.

Li Yunqing smiled gracefully. "Such an open mind is truly rare.

Young people nowadays are all restless and irritable, unable to bear the slightest slight! ...

This little Xinyi, with her tongue, has offended countless people, yet she never seems to learn her lesson!" Li Muzhan smiled. "Junior Sister Xinyi is still young; she will improve as she grows older." "Hmph!" Song Xinyi let out a delicate huff, widening her bright eyes to glare fiercely at him.

Li Muzhan laughed. "Junior Sister Xinyi, did I say something wrong?" Song Xinyi pursed her lips dismissively.

"Hmph, I’m not speaking to you, you hypocrite!" "All right, Xinyi, don't be unforgiving!" Li Yunqing waved a hand, smiling. "Zhanran, the martial competition is still some time away.

Let Lanzhi and Tingyan accompany you. You can either explore the scenery around here or head down the mountain for a bit of diversion to relax and prepare to surpass Yujiao." "Yes, thank you, Senior Li," Li Muzhan replied, clasping his hands.

The two women behind Li Yunqing stepped forward, offering him a graceful curtsy, smiling faintly, their poise alluring and captivating. Li Muzhan nodded back, assessing the two.

Their smiles were lovely, and he felt intensely curious. The two women shared a slight resemblance: both had oval faces, dimples when they smiled, making them sweetly captivating.

Jiang Lanzhi’s complexion was slightly darker, as if she spent more time in the sun, while Wang Tingyan possessed skin as fair and pure as white jade. Wang Tingyan beamed.

"Senior Brother Zhanran, how about we show you around Holy Snow Peak?" Li Muzhan smiled. "That would be wonderful; I shall trouble Junior Sister." Li Yunqing instructed, "You two, entertain Zhanran well.

Don't play any tricks on him!" "Yes, Master!" the two responded crisply, beaming. Li Yunqing shook her head, then turned to him with a gentle voice.

"Zhanran, I have spoiled them; they lack proper deference. If they are remiss in their duties, I ask for your understanding." Li Muzhan returned the clasped-hand salute with a nod and a smile.

Li Yunqing stood up, smiling sweetly. "Very well, I shall take my leave now.

... If you require anything, just let them know; do not stand on ceremony.

If you wish to see me, come to the South Dipper Hall." "Yes, thank you, Senior Li," Li Muzhan clasped his hands again, surprised by her politeness. Her demeanor was not that of an opponent, but rather that of a close, elder relative, showing not a trace of hostility.

Li Muzhan sighed internally; this was truly the bearing of a prestigious, established sect. As she departed, Song Xinyi shot him a fierce glare.

Seeing Li Muzhan’s smile only annoyed her more, and she glared at him through gritted teeth before reluctantly following Li Yunqing away. Once Li Yunqing and the others left, Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan exchanged a look, smiled, and then turned.

"Senior Brother Zhanran, shall we go out now and tour Holy Snow Peak?" Li Muzhan nodded and followed the two out of the small courtyard, then out of the valley, heading up the peak against the biting cold wind. The wind cut like knives, making his thin garments snap loudly.

He had arrived wearing only a light sapphire-blue long robe and had not changed it; he still wore just the thin layer. The two women wore thin padded jackets.

While also light, it was different from a single layer of cloth, and more importantly, their internal cultivation methods differed, making them immune to the severe cold. They had come early specifically hoping to let him experience the chill.

Li Muzhan had already discerned their small ploy but pretended ignorance. Either his Indestructible Vajra Divine Art or the Canghai Divine Art could fend off the biting cold; he was impervious to extremes of temperature.

Along the way, the two women employed a light-foot technique, their steps barely touching the ground, occasionally springing up like feathers caught on the wind, moving with graceful elegance that was pleasing to the eye. Li Muzhan trailed behind them, barely keeping pace, feigning an appearance of strain, which provoked the women to accelerate furiously, eager to wear him out and make him look foolish.

When they reached the halfway point, both women were panting heavily, beads of perspiration shining on their temples. Seeing that Li Muzhan, despite his labored breathing, showed no change in expression, they instantly realized they had been tricked.

The two women bit their lower lips, exchanging glances that betrayed their mounting annoyance. Without resting, they continued upward, maintaining their light-foot technique while slowly recovering their internal energy.

In this environment, their internal reserves were unusually active, allowing for rapid replenishment. In a short while, the two women regained their breath and sped up again.

After about half an hour, the trio reached the summit, standing atop a massive slab of rock. The gale howled past their robes, emitting a mournful sound of surprising intensity.

From the peak, they gazed down at the endless expanse of meadows below. The entire vast grassland seemed boundless, meeting the horizon in a single line.

Holy Snow Peak glittered coldly under the setting sun; dusk was approaching. The sunlight striking the snowy mountain softened its glare, lending it a touch of magnificent splendor.

The two women stood beside him, smiling at each other as they watched his focused expression. Faced with such a breathtaking vista, no one could remain unmoved.

After a moment, Wang Tingyan broke the silence, laughing. "Senior Brother Zhanran, isn't this beautiful?" Li Muzhan turned and smiled.

"It is very fine!" Wang Tingyan giggled. "Senior Brother Zhanran, Canghai Mountain is reputed to be very tall—is it taller than our Holy Snow Peak?" Li Muzhan nodded.

"Yes, a bit taller." "Is there snow up there?" Jiang Lanzhi asked. Li Muzhan shook his head.

"No snow." "Oh, no snow? Then it’s not much to look at," Jiang Lanzhi replied, shaking her head in disappointment.

Wang Tingyan chuckled slyly. "Senior Brother Zhanran, the martial arts of Canghai Mountain are formidable.

I've long admired them! How about we spar a little first?" Li Muzhan smiled.

"Perhaps we should not; it would spoil the scenery." Wang Tingyan teased him playfully. "Senior Brother Zhanran, are you perhaps afraid I’ll discover your true abilities and report back to Senior Sister?" Li Muzhan laughed.

"Your esteemed Senior Sister must be too proud to bother with such trivialities." "You know our Senior Sister well!" Wang Tingyan laughed. "Everyone is guessing how many moves you can withstand from her.

I thought I’d find out beforehand." Li Muzhan stroked his small beard and chuckled. "I see!" He pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well. Let us have a brief exchange then.

Shall we go to the training grounds?" "No need, right here is fine!" Wang Tingyan said cheerfully, assuming a stance, raising both palms. "Let's test our palm techniques, to avoid any injuries before the competition." Li Muzhan nodded.

"Agreed. Junior Sister Wang, please make the first move!" "Take this palm strike!" Wang Tingyan shouted lightly, floating forward.

She brought both palms down, so weightless they seemed like falling snowflakes, utterly captivating. Her palm strikes appeared ethereal, like snow settling, but their speed was astonishing, instantly arriving at Li Muzhan’s chest.

His foot slipped back slightly, causing him to retreat a foot, narrowly avoiding the blow. The stone they stood on was huge, spanning three or four zhang in width and length, but for two people sparring, it was still not abundant space; a misstep could send one tumbling off.

Fortunately, the ground below was covered in snow, so a fall wouldn't cause grievous injury, but dropping off would certainly count as defeat. Li Muzhan employed the Canghai Nine Palms to meet Wang Tingyan’s dual strikes, handling them with ease.

Though Wang Tingyan’s palm techniques were clever, they were still a notch below the Canghai Nine Palms. Furthermore, his comprehension of the Canghai Nine Palms was profound, while Wang Tingyan’s understanding of her own technique was superficial, creating a wider gap between them.

In the blink of an eye, about fifty moves had passed. Li Muzhan only defended, handling everything smoothly.

No matter how hard Wang Tingyan tried, she could make no headway. Jiang Lanzhi watched Wang Tingyan fail to gain any advantage and pouted with a soft laugh.

"Truly worthy of challenging Senior Sister. You do have real skill.

I'll join in too. Can you manage both of us?" Li Muzhan laughed.

"Bring it on!" The two women attacked together, their palm techniques weaving intricate patterns, their combined power instantly augmented, making it seem as if three or four people were attacking simultaneously. Li Muzhan carefully observed the palm forms the two utilized—this must be the Snow Flurry Divine Palm.

While exquisite, both women were far from mastering it; their understanding was too shallow to unleash its true potential.