They formed a group of six, arrayed in a snowflake pattern, their feet barely touching the ground as they moved without pause, their long swords whipping out, showering sparks of blade light everywhere. Every single one of them wore a mask of frost, their eyes cold and utterly devoid of expression.

“Ah…” “Oof…” Shouts and groans erupted from the large men, some collapsing instantly dead, others writhing on the ground, emitting piercing screams. For a moment, the valley transformed into a living hellscape.

These burly men had charged in with fierce momentum, but upon meeting the women, they softened as if snow met boiling water, either falling or retreating instantly. Li Muzhan marveled, “What a formidable formation!” Wang Shuangfeng’s face was tense, her gaze focused.

“Martial Uncle, what array is this? It’s as if each person has ten extra arms?” Li Muzhan shook his head, sighing, “With this formation, Sacred Snow Peak faces no danger!” The scene below confirmed his words.

The aggressive horde, confronted by the hexagonal formations, were like targets struck by thrown darts—cut, split, and quickly shattered into fragments. In the blink of an eye, the side that held the numerical advantage was utterly routed.

Amidst the glint of swords and blades, they fell in rows, like wheat being harvested. One of the large men roared, “Everyone attack!

There aren’t that many of them! We can drown them with spit alone!

Brothers, charge! Let’s snatch them back to be our wives!” His voice was hoarse, echoing above the screams and moans in the valley.

Li Muzhan smiled thinly, “He is seeking death!” As his words fell, a white shadow shot out from the South Dipper Hall, seeming to step across the lake’s surface, arriving before that large man. A sword pierced his heart, and in an instant, he was sent flying back, skimming across the water until he disappeared back into the South Dipper Hall.

In a flash of hawk and hare, it was over in the blink of an eye. The large man clutched his chest, slowly tilting his head back to the sky.

With a dull thud, he lay still, having drawn his last breath. This single sword strike chilled everyone present.

To walk upon the water, delivering a fatal blow in one swift move—such martial prowess was truly terrifying. They inwardly calculated that faced with such a master, they would have no power to resist; only death awaited.

Li Muzhan clapped his hands and sighed, “What a Li Yujiao, such incredible Qinggong! Such speed with the blade!” “Incredible Qinggong!” Wang Shuangfeng nodded, having never witnessed movement so light.

The lake was vast, nearly a hundred feet wide; traversing it by treading on the water was extremely difficult. “The Snow Step Without Trace technique of Sacred Snow Peak is indeed superior!” Li Muzhan sighed.

Mighty Ocean Mountain had the Ocean Chant, which was exquisite, but still a notch below this skill. In terms of lightness, he admitted he was far inferior to Li Yujiao.

Wang Shuangfeng added, “I didn't expect them to be so ruthless.” She had observed Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan—she thought they hadn't killed before, appearing cold and detached at the foot of the mountain, yet possessing a soft heart, the weakness of women. But now, enveloped in the sword array, they were clean and decisive, showing no mercy.

In this short time, each of them had slain four or five men, as if they were transformed. Li Muzhan glanced over, pondered a moment, and said, “It might be due to their core cultivation method.

When operating it, their feelings and desires are stripped away, leaving only pure logic, devoid of emotion.” Observing their gazes—icy, merciless, utterly lacking human feeling—and sensing it through his ability to perceive others’ thoughts, Li Muzhan guessed the secret behind it. “So that’s how it is!” Wang Shuangfeng suddenly understood.

After a moment, Wang Shuangfeng suddenly proposed, “Martial Uncle, perhaps we should offer assistance.” Just then, more than a dozen figures flew in from outside the valley, all masked and clearly masters. They also formed their own arrays, grouping into sets of a dozen or so, striking against the Sacred Snow Peak disciples.

The Sacred Snow Peak disciples, in their formations of six, were like constantly spinning saw blades, reaping lives. Now, meeting these dozen intruders, their rotation instantly stalled.

Li Muzhan nodded, “Yes, that is appropriate. They came well-prepared!” The two descended from the roof and rushed into the fray.

Wang Shuangfeng’s sword light was like snow, her strikes ruthless, killing two men in a swift moment. Li Muzhan merely flicked his sleeve, and those confronting him were all sent flying outward.

Within a distance of three zhang, not a single one was spared; they were flung away, clearing a space. He then slowly walked into the midst of the Sacred Snow Peak disciples.

“Junior Sister Jiang, Junior Sister Wang, let me through!” Li Muzhan called out loudly. Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan were facing a group of ten large men—the ones who had just rushed in, all masked and displaying formidable skills.

Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan’s faces were icy, their eyes sharp, like snowmen without life. They frowned.

Jiang Lanzhi said, “Senior Brother Li, please return. Our Sacred Snow Peak can handle them!” Li Muzhan snorted, “Enough nonsense, let me in!” Jiang Lanzhi and Wang Tingyan exchanged a look, nodded, their sword lights slowed briefly, and Li Muzhan pulled Wang Shuangfeng along, swiftly slipping into the center of the six-person formation.

The two women immediately wielded their swords sharply a few times, patching the gaps and restoring their defensive structure, struggling to meet the charge of the dozen or so men, finding it increasingly difficult. Inside the array, Li Muzhan smiled faintly and gently tapped a finger outward.

With a soft ‘chi’ sound, the force of the Mighty Ocean Divine Finger shot out, striking one large man. The man flew upward with a ‘bang,’ as if struck by a massive log, hurtling five or six zhang before crashing down, knocking several other men aside on his path, and never rising again.

Wang Shuangfeng was startled, not expecting Li Muzhan’s finger technique to be so potent. Li Muzhan was also momentarily surprised.

He hadn't practiced the Mighty Ocean Divine Finger in a while, yet it remained so powerful. Ultimately, it was the progress of his Mighty Ocean Divine Art that was the root cause.

His internal energy was so refined, almost liquefied, that when he unleashed his finger force, the resulting power was astonishing. The man he struck was no novice, yet he possessed no power to resist such a forceful strike.

He tapped out finger after finger, and in the blink of an eye, four of the dozen large men were neutralized. The remaining men became extremely cautious, guarding against Li Muzhan’s finger force, causing their attacks to slow down.

Thus, the situation shifted again. Jiang Lanzhi and the five others regained the upper hand, successfully holding off the frenzied assault of the ten men.

At this moment, another dozen masked figures charged in, making straight for another six-person sword array, not on this side, but on the west side of the lake. Too far to reach, Li Muzhan shook his head.

Although the Mighty Ocean Divine Finger was marvelous, its power waned over such distance. He suddenly brought both hands forward and shot out fingers, accompanied by a series of ‘chi chi chi’ sounds.

Li Muzhan lamented internally. He hadn't spent much effort perfecting this finger technique, unable to fire simultaneously from all ten fingers; he could only project force from his index finger.

If he could fire continuously from all ten fingers, like the Six Meridian Divine Swords, becoming an ancient version of a machine gun, his power would multiply. ‘Bang!

Bang! Bang!

Bang!’ Four unlucky men were struck by his finger forces and immediately flew away, knocking several others down in their trajectory. Now, only six large men remained, on par with Jiang Lanzhi’s group.

The situation changed again: they were at a disadvantage, no match for Jiang Lanzhi’s group. If it were one-on-one, each of them would have surpassed Jiang Lanzhi’s group, but their sword array was subtle and profound; combined, the six were far superior to the six large men individually.

Li Muzhan laughed heartily, his figure flickering as he left the sword array. He moved across the lake’s surface, swishing his sleeves a couple of times, then swept across the water and landed on the opposite bank.

The dozen large men were assaulting another group fiercely, like a gale hitting small trees, on the verge of victory. Li Muzhan arrived suddenly, flicked his right sleeve, and instantly two large men were sent flying.

Afterward, he used his Mighty Ocean Divine Finger, neutralizing four more, directly turning the tide of the battle. “Kill that man!” a sharp command suddenly cut through the crowd.

Dozens of large men charged forward violently, surrounding Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan laughed.

Although he had ascended Sacred Snow Peak to reclaim the Marrow Cleansing Sutra, the fate of Sacred Snow Peak was not his primary concern. However, encountering this situation, Li Muzhan felt unable to stand idly by.

After spending time with Jiang Lanzhi and the others, he realized the women of Sacred Snow Peak were cold outwardly but warm within, pure and untainted at their core—they suited his tastes, resembling the Jade Immortal Sect. Faced with such a predicament, his conscience would not allow him to remain aloof.

Dozens of large men surrounded Li Muzhan, unleashing their blades and swords, intending to chop him into meat paste. Li Muzhan remained completely unafraid, neither dodging nor avoiding, letting the weapons strike his body.

His face was like white jade, and his hands were the same; he looked as if carved from white jade, strangely captivating. Swords and blades struck him, only tearing his outer garments, yet drawing no blood.

The Indestructible Vajra Divine Art—his progress had been slow, and he was only beginning to gain some insight. He hadn't used it enough; the technique had hit a bottleneck, and the only way through was application—even enduring beatings counted.

Though he endured the blades and swords, his movements were undeterred. His palms struck like lightning, one palm per man, continuously sending the large men flying back with cries of pain.

In moments, he had knocked away more than twenty of them. At this point, one large man shouted, “You all fall back!” The assembled men scrambled backward, retreating far from Li Muzhan.

Seeing that their weapons could not pierce his skin, they were somewhat unnerved; these people deeply believed in the existence of spirits in the world. “This is just some superficial hardening technique from the Central Plains martial arts world, nothing special!” the large man yelled out.

As his voice faded, a large man floated over from behind, accompanied by four elders. Their hair was white and frosty, their complexions ruddy, their steps light and ethereal, as if they didn't touch the ground—utterly graceful and elegant, possessing the air of immortals.

Jiang Lanzhi called out, “Qi, it’s you!” The large man had a square face, a prominent nose, and eyes like copper bells—fierce and heroic. He laughed loudly several times, “Hahaha… You little vixens of Sacred Snow Peak!

The Great Steppe is where eagles spread their wings and soar; it is not the domain of you hens! Tonight, we shall restore the glory of the Great Steppe!” Jiang Lanzhi said coldly, “Qi, our Eldest Senior Sister spared your life that day.

You have remarkable nerve to dare attack our Sacred Snow Peak again!” The large man gritted his teeth and sneered coldly, “The shame inflicted by Li that day, I, Qi Linhe, shall repay tenfold today!” A white shadow darted out from the South Dipper Hall, skimming the lake surface, and landed beside Li Muzhan, saying calmly, “Qi Linhe, you wish to repay tenfold? Very well, come then.” Her movement was swift and elusive, arriving suddenly, a faint, delicate fragrance lingering around Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan stepped back one pace, remaining silent. The large man Qi Linhe involuntarily took a step back, then puffed out his chest and laughed loudly, “A gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years.

Li Yujiao, I, Qi Linhe, will never forget the insult of that day!” Li Yujiao asked mildly, “So you schemed and gathered various forces to attack my Sacred Snow Peak?” “You already know?” The large man’s expression shifted slightly. Li Yujiao smiled faintly, “I was just curious to see which monstrous devils and wicked spirits would show up.

There are quite a few, more than I expected!” She suddenly pursed her lips and let out a clear whistle. Instantly, dozens of white-clad young women floated in from the west, swiftly blocking the valley entrance.

They formed two layers, inside and out. The outer layer pointed their swords toward the valley exit, while the inner layer aimed inward, creating a living dike.

Qi Linhe’s expression changed again. He said gravely, “You knew all along?

Aunt Zuo she…?” “She is not dead, merely confined,” Li Yujiao stated plainly. Qi Linhe threw his head back and roared with laughter, “Good!

Excellent! A Sacred Snow Peak indeed lives up to its name!

Hahaha… Today, we settle everything!” Li Yujiao’s expression was icy, the delicate curve of her lips turning up in a slight curl of disdain. Qi Linhe shouted loudly, “Li Yujiao, my brothers here are merely assisting me; they do not deserve death.

Please show mercy!” By this time, the large men were retreating steadily, nearly a hundred of them already dead. Before the women’s sword arrays, they seemed as helpless as unarmed men being slaughtered.

Li Yujiao remained silent, watching him with a mocking gaze. “Damn you, I’ll fight you to the death!” Qi Linhe roared in fury and suddenly charged forward, like a charging behemoth, arriving right before Li Yujiao.

“Chi!” As he got close, he suddenly raised his left arm—a cold glint shot out. Ding… With a crisp sound, a flash of cold light appeared.

Li Yujiao did not retreat but advanced, her sword light, like a white rainbow, pushing aside the cold glint and stabbing straight forward. Qi Linhe suddenly froze.

The four elders behind him halted their movements and hurriedly shouted, “Young Master!” “Uh…” Qi Linhe slowly lowered his head, looked at the long sword piercing his heart, then looked up at Li Yujiao. His eyes widened, filled with astonishment and unwillingness, as he slowly raised his right arm.

“Chi!” Several more cold glints shot out. The two were close enough that the projectiles from the hand crossbow were incredibly fast.

Li Yujiao hadn't expected him to have spare bolts loaded, nor had she expected his dying counterattack to be so vicious. She watched the crossbow bolts approach in horror, unable to evade them.

Suddenly, a light breeze blew by, and the three diamond-shaped bolts abruptly bent, turning a right angle, flying harmlessly to the side, where they clattered to the ground after striking a long saber lying there. Li Yujiao sharply turned her head, meeting Li Muzhan’s smiling gaze.

She was surprised that it was Li Muzhan who had saved her. She gritted her teeth and said gravely, “…Thank you!” Li Muzhan smiled, understanding her awkwardness, and said lightly, “A small effort, just a fortunate chance… Miss Li, in my view, the main culprit has been executed; perhaps we should spare the rest of these men.” “…Sacred Snow Peak disciples, halt!” Li Yujiao stared at him intensely for a long moment, then slowly raised her hand.

The women instantly retreated, their movements ceasing, their long swords pointed vaguely toward the remaining large men. Li Yujiao said sternly, “Clear the valley entrance, let them scram!” The two rows of female disciples at the entrance parted, creating a path, staring coldly at the remaining men.

The large men had utterly lost their will to fight. Seeing the path opened, they scrambled out as if chased from home, utterly pathetic.

Li Muzhan suddenly joined his palms in a salute and pronounced a Buddhist chant: “Amitabha, boundless merit!” Li Yujiao snorted, turned, and walked away.