Li Muzhan felt a pang of pity. “Feng’er, rushing won't help, no matter how anxious you are. Better to let nature take its course and leave things to fate!”
Wang Shuangfeng nodded, though her anxiety was still palpable.
Li Muzhan sighed, shaking his head. “With your current state of mind and cultivation, you are in for a difficult time ahead. You are destined to take charge of the Wang family—such a large clan, constantly facing issues. Thinking this way is no different from suicide. I must advise you: perhaps you shouldn't take on the role of Family Head at all!”
Wang Shuangfeng gave a self-mocking smile and sighed.
Li Muzhan chuckled. “You only force yourself because you don’t want to disappoint the Old Ancestor?”
Wang Shuangfeng paused, looking at him, surprised that he had seen through her intentions so easily.
Li Muzhan continued, “Being disappointed now is better than being disappointed later. Let your father take the next position as Family Head; he can handle it better.”
Wang Shuangfeng sighed. “Martial Uncle, this is not for me to decide.”
Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed again, taking in her appearance. “You are so young to carry such a burden; it’s too heavy!”
Wang Shuangfeng replied with a sigh, “Thank you, Martial Uncle.”
Li Muzhan waved his hand. “It’s my meddling, really. I simply cannot bear to see you suffer like this.”
Wang Shuangfeng managed a bitter smile and shook her head. “It is the time, and it is fate. I grew up by the Old Ancestor’s side since childhood, absorbing her influence. I am not entirely useless, Martial Uncle. Please don't worry.”
Li Muzhan nodded, glancing at the sky. “Let’s go; it’s getting late. They must be growing anxious.”
Wang Shuangfeng instantly brightened. “Yes!”
The two left the small courtyard. Li Muzhan wore a simple blue robe, while Wang Shuangfeng was clad in green battle gear, radiating vigor, though her body trembled slightly with overwhelming excitement.
The key to the Wang family’s revival rested on this single confrontation, and the result would soon be known. She could not remain calm.
As they walked, Li Muzhan said, “Feng’er, once the martial contest is over, I will immediately return to the small courtyard for secluded cultivation. Don't worry about me; just ensure you secure the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture.”
“…Martial Uncle?” Wang Shuangfeng startled, feeling a faint sense of unease.
Li Muzhan smiled. “I need to employ a secret technique, similar to your Wang family’s Self-Sacrifice Art. My temperament will become violent. Don't come near me, lest I injure you.”
“Will it be alright, Martial Uncle?” Wang Shuangfeng frowned and asked.
Li Muzhan smiled reassuringly. “Don't worry, there is no danger to my life. I will try my utmost to control it.”
“…Mmm.” Wang Shuangfeng hesitated, then slowly nodded.
Although it felt wrong, this battle concerned the fate of the Wang family and the life and death of the Old Ancestor. She could not afford to dwell on misgivings. As long as there was no life-threatening danger, she was satisfied. Hearing Li Muzhan speak with such certainty filled her with immense joy.
When they arrived at the training grounds, the people from Sacred Snow Peak were already gathered, filling the space, leaving a clear patch in the center. Li Yujiao was seated cross-legged on a cushion, her eyes slightly closed.
Opposite her sat another cushion, clearly reserved for Li Muzhan. To the side, between them, Li Yunqing sat in a high-backed chair, also resting with her eyes closed.
The surrounding women were all energetic and excited, whispering amongst themselves in a lively atmosphere. Li Yunqing did not dampen their spirits and allowed them to murmur to one another.
When Li Muzhan and Wang Shuangfeng stepped into view, hundreds of gazes snapped toward them simultaneously. Li Muzhan remained composed, offering a slight smile and a nod as he approached slowly.
Wang Shuangfeng, however, was startled. She then forcibly suppressed the fluctuations in her heart and followed behind Li Muzhan, gradually entering the circle, where she exchanged courtesies with Li Yunqing.
Li Yunqing smiled sweetly. “Zhanran, we owe you our lives for saving Tingyan during that tussle a few days ago! Thank heavens you were there!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Senior Li is too kind. It was a small effort for a junior.”
Li Yunqing chuckled charmingly. “How can we repay a life-saving debt? …This contest, aim for a decisive point but do not take a life!”
“Understood!” Li Muzhan bowed with cupped hands. Li Yujiao lightly rose, huffing, “Martial Brother Li, please proceed—!”
Li Muzhan waved his hand. “Please wait a moment. I wish to perform a secret technique first; otherwise, I would certainly not be Junior Sister Li’s match!”
Li Yujiao knitted her delicate brows and huffed softly, “By all means, please do!”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, sat down cross-legged, formed a hand seal, and closed his eyes slightly. His appearance was solemn, dignified, and sacred. The women around gradually ceased their chatter, their gazes drawn to him.
Upon him, the solemnity, vastness, and sanctity of Buddhism became increasingly pronounced, emanating a fatal allure, like the rising sun—too brilliant to look at directly; one could only gaze up in reverence.
Not only were Li Yujiao and the others astonished, but Wang Shuangfeng also wondered what incredible secret technique this young Martial Uncle was about to employ.
Li Yunqing frowned, her expression shifting slightly. “The Great Bright King Sutra!?”
Li Yujiao turned to ask, “Mother, what is the Great Bright King Sutra?”
“If he has cultivated the Great Bright King Sutra, this is no small matter!” Li Yunqing’s face changed subtly, and she shook her head.
“Mother—?” Li Yujiao pressed.
Li Yunqing stared intently at Li Muzhan, seemingly not hearing her daughter. After a long pause, she finally sighed, “The Great Bright King Sutra is a peerless art lost for several hundred years. It is rumored to be the foundational technique of Mount Canghai.”
“Why have I never heard of it?” Li Yujiao asked.
Li Yunqing’s expression grew grave, and she sighed again. “This technique is too dangerous. Once activated, although one’s power multiplies immensely, the user immediately descends into madness and is ruined! …Many experts from Mount Canghai met their end due to cultivating the Great Bright King Sutra and suffering Zouhu Rumo (going berserk and entering a demonic state).”
“Mother, how do you know all this?” Li Yujiao asked her, confused.
Li Yunqing’s face stiffened, then she shot her daughter a look. “I know a great deal more than you realize! …Yujiao, if you are going to lose this match, you might as well concede right now!”
“Mother—!” Li Yujiao frowned, clearly displeased.
Li Yunqing shook her head. “Silly girl, don’t try to be too brave. Although Zhanran’s cultivation is not equal to yours, he is not far behind. With the Great Bright King Sutra unleashed, his power will double—you are simply no match for him. Why court humiliation?!”
Li Yujiao snorted. “To admit defeat without even fighting—I cannot bring myself to do something like that!”
“Alas… you won’t learn until you see the coffin. Fine, just be careful!” Li Yunqing sighed helplessly and turned to look at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan’s clothes began to move without wind. The skullcap on his head flew off, revealing a shining, bald head. At that moment, a silver shadow suddenly appeared in the sky, like a massive dark cloud drifting overhead.
The women looked up but saw no dark clouds, only a mass of black mist. Their chests felt tight, as if a huge boulder had been placed upon them, making breathing difficult.
“Eh?” someone cried out in alarm. They watched as the black mist transformed, suddenly taking the shape of a figure.
This figure radiated a blue-green aura. He held a sword in his right hand and a rope in his left; his right eye looked upward, and his left eye looked downward. Blue-green flames roared around his body.
Heaven and earth seemed to have turned into a massive furnace. Everyone felt scorching heat, their mouths dry, while the oppressive pressure intensified, nearly suffocating them.
Slowly, this figure descended from the heavens until he hovered directly over Li Muzhan’s head. Then, he abruptly dissolved into a wisp of light smoke and drifted down into Li Muzhan’s crown.
Li Muzhan’s robes puffed out again as an unstoppable, surging aura erupted from him. The crowd hastily retreated, instantly putting a clear foot of distance between themselves and him.
Li Yujiao also took a step back, inwardly alarmed, staring fixedly at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan suddenly opened his eyes. They were utterly cold, devoid of human emotion. He looked faintly at Li Yujiao, then swept his gaze over the surroundings.
The moment anyone met his eyes, they felt a chill pierce their hearts, as if he had seen straight through them, instantly piercing their innermost thoughts. They felt deeply uncomfortable.
Li Muzhan stated calmly, “Please—!”
Li Yujiao gritted her teeth, feeling as though he were a fireball radiating intense flames that dared no one to approach. Yet, unwilling to yield, she snorted coldly, “A formidable Great Bright King Sutra! Take this!”
With that, she drew her sword and lunged.
Li Muzhan did not move, allowing her sword to press toward his chest, and he struck out with one palm.
Seeing that he neither dodged nor retreated, Li Yujiao quickly flicked the tip of her sword, aiming for the empty space beside him, narrowly avoiding Li Muzhan’s right palm strike.
Her heart lurched in shock. Li Muzhan’s palm move was lightning-fast; had she not changed her trajectory in time, she would have been struck. As this thought formed, the vision before her flashed, and suddenly, a sharp pain struck her tiger’s mouth, forcing her sword to fly from her grasp.
Li Muzhan’s palm now rested precisely over her sternum, between her high breasts. No matter how she shifted or moved her body with practiced footwork, his hand clung to her like maggots to bone, fixed over her heart.
Li Muzhan suddenly stepped back one pace and stated calmly, “You lost.”
“That settles it; Yujiao has lost. Our sect will return the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture!” Li Yunqing’s voice rang out as she drew a long, rectangular wooden box from her sleeve.
Li Muzhan turned and left, dissolving into a streak of light, vanishing instantly.
“What a powerful Great Bright King Sutra!” Li Yunqing sighed softly, her beautiful face taking on a look of bewilderment, her gaze slowly growing vacant.
Li Yujiao took a deep breath, calmly walked ten paces away, and retrieved her sword. She looked down to see a clear palm print branded onto the blade, the texture of the palm lines perfectly distinct.
“Mother!” She approached Li Yunqing.
Li Yunqing snapped back to attention. “Are you hurt?”
Li Yujiao shook her head, looking puzzled, as if she hadn't fully emerged from the reality of the previous moments.
“He used the Great Bright King Sutra; you were no match for him,” Li Yunqing sighed.
Li Yujiao nodded absently, turned around, and announced, “Sister Wang, you have won!”
Wang Shuangfeng nodded forcefully, tears streaming down her cheeks. For this day, the Old Ancestor and the entire Wang family had waited anxiously for over forty years.
Li Yunqing smiled faintly. “We return the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture intact. This is the original copy; we have kept only a tracing, and we vow never to pass it on to outsiders again!”
“…Yes!” Wang Shuangfeng received the wooden box with both hands, her body trembling slightly, her gaze glued to the box, unable to look away.
“Open it and take a look; make sure it’s correct,” Li Yunqing said with a smile.
“Alright.” Wang Shuangfeng slowly opened the wooden box. Inside lay a slightly yellowed silk booklet, quite thin, only about ten pages. After flipping through two pages, she knew it was genuine.
Li Yunqing continued, “Although this Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture is profound, it is extremely difficult to cultivate. In our sect over two generations, only Yujiao has managed to learn it.”
Wang Shuangfeng nodded emphatically. “Yes, the Old Ancestor told us that while this method is marvelous, achieving mastery is incredibly arduous. But once mastered, its power is unparalleled and sufficient to secure peace for our Wang family for generations.”
“Mmm, quite right,” Li Yunqing agreed, smiling. “It’s fortunate Yujiao could master it; otherwise, what a waste of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture it would have been!”
Wang Shuangfeng carefully tucked it away, closed the wooden box, and said, “Martial Head Li, I deeply admire your magnanimity and bearing!”
Li Yunqing waved her hand, smiling sweetly. “You flatter me. Truthfully speaking, if it weren't for the presence of the Canghai Sword Sect, we wouldn't have been so amicable.”
Wang Shuangfeng nodded slightly. Although she didn't fully grasp the hidden reasons, she presumed they involved that elder from the Canghai Sword Sect.
The Canghai Sword Sect was, after all, one of the Seven Great Sects of the world; even the powerful Sacred Snow Peak dared not offend them lightly.
Li Yunqing sighed heavily. “Alas… Zhanran is a pity…”
Wang Shuangfeng startled and quickly asked, “Senior, what happened?”
“You don’t know?” Li Yunqing looked at her.
Wang Shuangfeng hurried to ask, “Know what?”
Li Yunqing nodded. “It seems you truly didn’t know. The technique Zhanran used just now was the Great Bright King Sutra, the miraculous secret art of Mount Canghai.”
“So it was the Great Bright King Sutra,” Wang Shuangfeng acknowledged.
Li Yunqing continued, “However, this scripture holds immense power, multiplying one’s strength, but it has one fatal flaw: after use, the individual goes mad and dies.”
“What?!” Wang Shuangfeng’s voice suddenly rose sharply.
Li Yunqing lamented, “What a shame. He was certainly a rare genius, yet he resorted to using the Great Bright King Sutra for this match. Alas…”
Wang Shuangfeng’s face drained of color, all blood receding. She turned to leave immediately.
Li Yunqing reached out and stopped her. “Miss Wang, where are you going?”
Wang Shuangfeng cried out, “I’m going to find Martial Uncle!”
“Don’t go!” Li Yunqing held her back, shaking her head. “He is likely in a frenzy right now, unable to distinguish friend from foe. If you approach, he will kill you!”
Wang Shuangfeng struggled violently. “I must see him!”
Li Yunqing placed a hand on her shoulder, channeling internal energy into her, sealing her acupoints. She sighed, “Silly girl, it’s too late now. We must wait!”
“Senior!” Wang Shuangfeng frowned, her expression anxious.
Li Yunqing said gently, “Perhaps fortune favors the good; maybe he can pull through!”
Wang Shuangfeng pleaded mournfully, “Senior, please release me!”
Li Yunqing shook her head. “If you go now, you are courting death. Wait a little longer; don't rush!”
Saying this, she sealed Wang Shuangfeng’s mute point to prevent her from speaking, then turned away with a sigh. “All disciples must remain here and stay put!”
The women all agreed. Only then did they fully comprehend: their Senior Sister had been defeated by Zhanran!
The seemingly unfathomable and invincible Senior Sister had been beaten so easily by Zhanran!
This was difficult for them to accept. In their view, no one among the current younger generation could compare to their Senior Sister; no one could defeat her—and certainly not this Zhanran.
Yet, this contest had ended with Zhanran winning so effortlessly, all because of that secret technique he used—the Great Bright King Sutra!
From Li Yunqing’s words, they understood that Li Muzhan’s use of the Great Bright King Sutra meant a path to death; he would inevitably go berserk and perish. Recalling the immense pressure earlier, they vaguely grasped that the power was too strong, inciting him into madness, which would ultimately lead to exhaustion and death.
They also sighed quietly, remembering that he had saved Junior Sister Wang’s life previously.
Li Yujiao frowned. “Mother, is there really no way?”
Li Yunqing considered it for a moment, then shook her head. “If there were a way, Mount Canghai wouldn't have lost so many experts!”
“Mother, Martial Brother Zhanran has the Yin-Yang Creation Art…” Li Yujiao offered.
Li Yunqing shook her head. “It’s useless. He is irrational now and won't be able to use it. Besides, the Yin-Yang Creation Art is not something known to be used on oneself.”
“Then we can only watch him…” Li Yujiao suddenly flared up, letting out a heavy snort.
Although she had previously looked down on Li Muzhan, witnessing him sacrifice himself for the Wang family’s duel, coupled with his earlier rescue of Wang Tingyan, her impression of him had greatly improved. She certainly didn't want him to die.
“Alas…” Li Yunqing shook her head with a wry smile. “Perhaps Mount Canghai has developed some method capable of saving his life. I find this young man Zhanran to be an extraordinary figure; he wouldn't simply seek death so easily.”
She suddenly smiled. “Perhaps… perhaps we have all been tricked by him, and he truly does have a method of self-preservation!”
“Really?!” Li Yujiao asked eagerly.
Li Yunqing nodded emphatically, clapping her hands in appreciation. “The more I think about it, the more correct it seems! …This young fellow is indeed formidable; we must not underestimate him!”
She struck Wang Shuangfeng’s sealed acupoints, releasing them, and asked, “Miss Wang, did Zhanran give you any instructions?”
Wang Shuangfeng nodded. “Martial Uncle only told me to guard him, to keep people away!”
“Just as I suspected!” Li Yunqing slapped her hands together forcefully and sighed. “It seems he has a way to save himself! …Good job, Canghai Sword Sect, very good!”
She mused that if the Canghai Sword Sect truly managed to overcome the residual curse of the Great Bright King Sutra, their strength would increase significantly. The powered-up Zhanran, though perhaps not matching Nangong Sidao, would still be an unmatched expert in the contemporary world.
Li Yujiao urged, “Mother, let’s go and check on him quickly!”
Li Yunqing shook her head. “Wait a moment longer. It’s likely he cannot be disturbed now. We will check on him closer to evening!”
Li Yujiao suggested, “Then let’s go to the outside of his courtyard and act as protectors, ensuring no one disturbs him!”
“Go ahead,” Li Yunqing considered, then waved her hand.
Li Yujiao and Wang Shuangfeng hurried off. Li Yunqing watched her daughter’s retreating back, lost in thought.
By evening, Li Muzhan awoke from his meditation. He felt his entire body bursting with energy, and his Heart Pearl had miraculously increased by one, now totaling four.
With four Heart Pearls, the world before him appeared even more vibrant. He could multitask four thoughts simultaneously, his reasoning was quicker, and his internal energy circulated faster—his strength had advanced another level.
PS: Only two updates today; I will make up the rest tomorrow. V