As the words were spoken, nine burly men slowly closed in, faces twisted into cold sneers, murderous intent radiating from them.

Li Muzhan let out a sigh, shaking his head. "A true man earns his distinction on the battlefield; as a soldier, honor is found in slaying the enemy. Yet you treat your comrades as foes. Alas... you are truly unworthy to be a soldier of our Dayang!"

He looked at the nine men and lamented, "As for you few, he is at fault, yet instead of dissuading him and making him rein in at the precipice, you aid the villainy. Alas..."

"Shut your mouth, brat!" one of the big men grumbled, lowering his voice to a grunt. "You're a wet-behind-the-ears punk; don't lecture us with your grand pronouncements. Today, you die!"

Li Muzhan offered a faint smile. "If I die, the military law will not spare you either, gentlemen!"

"Heh heh, don't worry. We'll do it so nobody knows anything. Everyone will think you deserted!" Yue Feihu stroked his chin, watching him with amusement.

Li Muzhan sighed. "Since that is the case, then make your move!"

As he spoke, the nine big men completed their encirclement, shouldering their long spears, the chilling tips aimed squarely at him. The moonlight illuminated their faces, stark and murderous, their eyes icy as if they were gazing upon a corpse.

Li Muzhan quickly raised a hand. "Hold!"

Yue Feihu stroked his chin and grinned. "Got any last words? Spit them out!"

Li Muzhan challenged, "Yue Feihu, do you dare fight me one-on-one?"

Yue Feihu frowned and sneered. "Brat, do you really think you're that amazing?... Don't forget, you're just a rookie!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "Are you getting timid?... Don't even have the guts to challenge a rookie? With courage like yours, on the field of battle, you'd probably wet your pants before the fighting even starts, ha ha ha..."

He suddenly burst into loud, rolling laughter.

"Silence!" Yue Feihu's face darkened, his smile vanishing entirely. He gritted his teeth, cold light glinting in his eyes. "You bald damned lunatic, I'll make you wish for life but find death!"

Li Muzhan chuckled. "Oh? Did I hit a nerve? Did you really wet your pants? Ha ha ha..."

With his Mind-Reading ability active, he had instantly pierced Yue Feihu's sore spot, successfully provoking him.

"Feihu, don't fall for it!" a square-faced man said gravely, staring intently at Li Muzhan. "This brat wants to send a message, call reinforcements over!"

Yue Feihu startled, then took a deep breath and nodded. "Good one, brat. You and your lot were lured away by us; don't expect anyone to help you!... Heh heh, you want to fight me alone? Do you think I'm that stupid?!"

Li Muzhan glanced at the square-faced man. He looked honest, with clear eyes, seemingly not a bad person, but alas, appearances could be deceiving. He shook his head.

The big man also shook his head. "Little monk, stop trying your tricks. You must die today, so let's make it quick!"

Li Muzhan roared with laughter. "I truly never expected that a dignified army would harbor a nest of scum like you, harming your own comrades. Your crime deserves death!"

The nine men opposite smirked, unmoved. Having experienced the blood and slaughter of the battlefield, their hearts were like iron; Li Muzhan’s few words would not sway them.

"Brothers, let's move! The longer this drags on, the more complications arise!" Yue Feihu waved his hand.

"Kill!" The nine shouted in unison, driving their spears forward. Ten icy points of light stabbed towards him from all directions, leaving no room to dodge.

Li Muzhan roared, his spear trembling, conjuring several blossoms of silver light, then stepped forward.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..." Amidst several crisp metallic clashes, he stood just outside the circle. Four long spears had already flown away, landing far off on the muddy ground.

"This one’s tough!" one of the big men yelled. Those who lost their spears immediately drew the long sabers at their waists, fiercely pressing forward, hoping for close-quarters fighting.

Li Muzhan's recent rigorous practice of spear techniques, combined with his inherent martial understanding, had led to rapid progress, achieving true mastery. In his view, the long spear was merely a variation of the 'Sleeveless Robe' technique; once he understood the flow of force, he could control it effortlessly.

He spun his spear at his waist, unleashing a devastating sweep that could shatter a thousand armies. The four big men rushing closer hastily blocked with their sabers, sending their weapons flying. They were also quick-witted; sensing danger, they blocked while retreating, barely avoiding disaster.

Li Muzhan suddenly lunged, covering several steps to rush between three of them. His spear rotated around his waist, the tip carving a silver arc that sliced across the three men's abdomens.

"Ah..." Three big men clutched their stomachs, screaming as they fell.

Li Muzhan's expression remained calm; without even glancing at the fallen, he turned and charged towards Yue Feihu and the remaining six.

Seeing the miserable state of their companions, they paused momentarily before instantly reshaping their formation. Yue Feihu positioned himself in the center, supported by six men fanned out in coordination, long spears raised.

"Charge—!" Yue Feihu bellowed, charging forward. The six followed closely, spears leveled. Though only seven men, they exuded a chilling killing aura, as if dozens were bearing down on him.

Li Muzhan understood this was the momentum forged by battlefield experience, the aura only the truly lethal possess.

Li Muzhan smiled slightly; opponents like this were interesting. He roared and met the charge, his spear conjuring several silver blossoms, aimed only at Yue Feihu.

Two spears thrust out from the sides, blocking in front of Yue Feihu, while the other four spears attacked Li Muzhan, boxing him in vertically and horizontally, sealing off any space to evade.

Li Muzhan spun his spear, forming a curtain of light. Upon contact, the spear tips were all deflected. He then retracted his spear, stabbed, and spun away.

The square-faced big man clutched his throat and collapsed—it was the man who looked so honest with clear eyes.

"Kill!" Seeing his comrade fall, Yue Feihu's eyes flushed red. He shrieked and vigorously pursued Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan walked briskly for about ten paces, seemingly trying to escape the encirclement. The remaining five big men followed closely behind Yue Feihu.

Li Muzhan's pace was not fast, resembling the lumbering run of a black bear. The six under Yue Feihu were overjoyed, closing the distance until only a spear's length separated them. Just as Yue Feihu prepared to strike, a silver glint flashed before his eyes, followed by a sharp pain in his throat.

As Li Muzhan walked swiftly, facing forward, his spear suddenly thrust backward—like a viper darting from its hole. It was the 'Riding-Back Thrust' Li Muzhan knew well. Back in his modern life, he had been fascinated by this move in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and now that he had practiced the spear, he wanted to replicate it.

"Ugh..." Yue Feihu clutched his throat, pointing at him with utter unwillingness, and slowly pitched backward.

The other five men froze momentarily, their steps faltering.

Li Muzhan stopped, wearing a faint smile, but his gaze was icy as he stared at the five.

The five exchanged glances, becoming increasingly hesitant. One of them said solemnly, "It's useless. Let's retreat?"

Another man's eyes were bloodshot, gritting his teeth. "If I don't kill this bald donkey, I, Li Mou, swear I am not a man! If you want to leave, go! I'll do it myself!"

"Brother Li, let's forget it..." a big man whispered softly.

Brother Li suddenly turned, his voice cold. "Cowards!"

"Brother Li, we can't kill him. Going up is just throwing our lives away!" the big man mumbled, slowly lowering his head.

Another big man advised softly, "That's right, Brother Li. We can't kill him. The monk has perfected his spear technique. A gentleman's revenge is never too late."

"Get lost, I'm going alone!" Brother Li spat a mouthful of saliva onto the ground, sneered dismissively, dropped his spear, grabbed his saber, and charged toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan stood quietly, watching him charge with both arms raised with the saber. When the distance narrowed to about two meters, his shoulder shifted, and his spear shot out like a venomous snake—a swift thrust followed by an immediate retraction, like a gecko snapping up a mosquito.

"Ugh..." Brother Li clutched his left throat, staring fiercely at Li Muzhan, his resentment boiling over.

"Clang..." The saber fell with a dull thud, followed by a "thump" as he too collapsed. He kicked twice, then lay still.

"Monk!" "Monk!" Zhao Shengli's loud voice rang out, followed by hurried footsteps. A dozen figures rushed out of the darkness, then abruptly stopped, stunned by the scene on the ground.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Head Zhao, Dakun, Xiao Cai, Li Zi, you're late."

Zhao Shengli rushed up to him, scrutinizing him up and down, then let out a breath. He turned and cursed, "Damn it, Cao Lao San, you truly are a piece of trash!"

A bald big man rubbed his bald head, confused. "Head Zhao, what did I do?"

Zhao Shengli sneered. "Were you in cahoots with Yue Feihu, trying to stall us and ambush the monk?!"

The bald big man frantically waved his hands. "Head Zhao, don't wrongfully accuse an honest man! That’s completely unfounded!... How would I know something like this would happen?!"

Zhao Shengli sneered repeatedly, giving him a vicious glare, then turned back. "Monk, are you hurt?"

Li Muzhan shook his head and chuckled. "You all were a step too late, and I would have been in grave danger!"

Feng Dakun approached Yue Feihu, brought his index finger close to his nostril, and shook his head. "Dead!"

Cai Yuzhang stood up from near the others and also shook his head. "Also dead!"

In the darkness, the bloodstains were invisible, but the smell of gore was thick. Everyone looked at the several figures on the ground, then at Li Muzhan, their gazes strange.

Zhao Shengli laughed heartily and gave a thumbs-up. "Not bad, Monk, very capable! You even took down Li Hulu. Impressive, impressive!"

Feng Dakun examined the wounds of the deceased one by one, nodding. "Killed in a single strike. You didn't train your spear work for nothing!"

Li Baolu asked curiously, "Monk, what happened?"

"I was practicing my spear, and these ten came to kill me... Alas, my spear technique was imperfect, my aim wasn't true. I originally only intended to injure them," Li Muzhan said with a wry smile, then turned. "Head Zhao, should we call the commander?"

"Yes, Li Zi, go fetch the Sima!" Zhao Shengli ordered loudly.

"Got it!" Li Baolu shot off like a rabbit, disappearing into the night.

Li Muzhan stood still, retracting his spear, and coldly stared at the remaining four. Zhao Shengli and the other two stepped forward, surrounding the four, glaring fiercely, their killing intent palpable.

"Head Zhao, why don't we just finish them all off now?" Feng Dakun said coldly.

Zhao Shengli frowned tightly, staring at the four. The four remained completely unfazed. One stout man clasped his fists. "Head Zhao Tie, this is not our fault. Head Li gave the order; we could only obey!"

"Hmph!" Zhao Shengli snorted and turned to Li Muzhan. "Monk, what do you think?"

Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "Let's just forget it. They are all fellow comrades; we will fight enemies together in the future. Let's count this as a misunderstanding!"

"You monk, you certainly have a soft heart!" Zhao Shengli shook his head dismissively.

Li Muzhan laughed. "Head Zhao, put yourself in their shoes. If Head Zhao had given an order to kill someone, we couldn't refuse either!"

Zhao Shengli snorted. "I would never do such a dirty thing!"

The four bowed to Li Muzhan and said no more.

Zhao Shengli turned to look at the bald big man and snorted. "Cao Lao San, you little rascal, stop being slippery! Come on, let's spar a bit!"

The bald big man quickly clasped his hands together, smiling wryly. "Old Zhao, it's a misunderstanding! I'm the unluckiest one here, getting dragged into this mess!"

Zhao Shengli glared with wide eyes and said coldly, "You better tell the truth, what exactly happened!"

The bald big man quickly said, "Old Zhao, fine, I'll tell the truth. Just don't get angry!"

"Damn it, all the crap you stir up, how can I not be angry?" Zhao Shengli's face darkened, and he started cursing loudly. "You little punk, you're tired of living! You dare try to scheme against my people?"

"Alas... I thought it was just a lesson for Mingkong, just a beating, who knew they were going for the kill?" The bald big man grimaced repeatedly.

"Damn it, you're asking for death! Asking for death!" Zhao Shengli launched a flying kick, followed by a punch, knocking the bald big man to the ground, raining down punches and kicks.

The bald big man didn't resist, only covering his head and enduring the beating in silence. Zhao Shengli struck a few times, then, feeling it was pointless, kicked heavily and stepped back angrily.

Li Muzhan maintained a faint smile throughout, standing apart as if he were an outsider. Cai Yuzhang glanced at him, thoughtful.

Li Muzhan had Mind-Reading. Letting the four go was not due to soft-heartedness, but for his own sake. Killing everyone would have been satisfying, but it would create endless future trouble. Once people were dead, proving his innocence would be impossible, and punishment was likely.

Through his Mind-Reading, he knew the four did not resent him; in fact, they were secretly pleased. In this group, they formed a faction opposed to Yue Feihu's six and had always been marginalized. Brother Li became their leader only by taking credit for their efforts, fostering resentment among them. Seeing Yue Feihu and the others dead, they felt a sense of satisfaction.

Li Muzhan shook his head, sighing inwardly. This was human nature—scheming and infighting were ubiquitous, even in the army.

Everyone looked at Li Muzhan, unable to decipher exactly who he was. His claim that he intended to injure them but killed them due to inexact spear work was sheer nonsense; anyone could see the single-strike lethality, possessing stability, ruthlessness, and accuracy. He was merciless when he struck. Yet, he spared those four, making him seem soft-hearted, not like a ruthless killer. Cai Yuzhang pondered, faintly guessing Li Muzhan's intentions.

A sound of footsteps approached, punctuated by the clack-clack of iron armor. A fiery dragon seemed to emerge from the tent and quickly advanced—over twenty armored soldiers carrying torches rushed forward, looking like a dragon of fire from a distance.

They immediately surrounded the group; the torchlight illuminated the area as brightly as day. The blood on the ground was vivid. The expressions of the six figures lying there were all etched with shock and indignation; all were dead.

Four guards wearing long black cloaks stepped forward, suddenly splitting into two groups to flank the center. A person appeared in the middle: a plump elderly man dressed in grey, whose footsteps were light. He had a round face, salt-and-pepper hair, kind eyes, and skin like a newborn baby, utterly devoid of wrinkles, glowing with a ruddy hue—clearly a man skilled in longevity practices.

"Oh, what seems to be the trouble here?" he asked with a smile.

Zhao Shengli clasped his fists, a fawning smile on his face. "Sima Li, thank you for coming... My subordinate was besieged and killed a few people in self-defense. We had to trouble you to come over."

"Let me see who has such skill?" Sima Li smiled as he surveyed the ground, his gaze settling on Li Muzhan. He had been squinting slightly, and even after seeing the six dead, his expression remained unchanged.

Li Muzhan stepped forward and gave a military salute. "Greetings, Sima!"

Sima Li chuckled. "Oh, a little master! Why would a monk join the army?"

Li Muzhan pressed his palms together in a Buddhist salute. "Entering the world to cultivate, tempering the heart on the battlefield—that is this humble monk's path of refinement."

Sima Li nodded. "I see. Rare, truly rare. Little master has great courage... The battlefield is the best place to temper the heart, and it serves the nation well. Excellent!"

"Yes," Li Muzhan replied with utmost respect. This Sima Li held a favorable view of monks, Li Muzhan noted inwardly. He understood that military law was unforgiving; in the army, escaping consequences was not easy once a law was broken.

Sima Li walked forward, stopping before Brother Li. He bent down to examine the wound and nodded. "Hmm, very precise spear work! Not bad!"

He moved to the other five, inspecting their wounds, and nodded again. "All killed with a single shot. Little master, your spear technique is quite good." He examined the bodies, his expression utterly unmoved by the carnage, as if looking at a flower, his face fixed in a perpetual smile.

Li Muzhan quickly said, "I have only been learning spear work for a short time."

"Oh—?" Sima Li's eyebrows lifted slightly. He nodded. "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Li Muzhan explained, "I was practicing my spear when these ten men arrived. Yue Feihu had lost a match to me previously and likely held a grudge. He instigated these men to teach me a lesson... The four tried to dissuade him but couldn't stop them."

The four men’s faces twitched in surprise, and they quickly nodded vigorously. One of the big men sighed. "Yes, Sima Li... Little Yue couldn't defeat him alone and insisted on dragging us in to teach Mingkong a lesson. I thought it was just horseplay and offered a few words of advice, but they wouldn't listen... We never imagined they were serious enough to try and kill Mingkong!"

"Mmm..." Sima Li smiled as he sized up the four. They stood calmly, eyes wide open, staring fixedly at him, careful not to betray any guilt.

Cai Yuzhang glanced at Li Muzhan and smiled faintly, thinking to himself: Brilliant. This monk is truly a formidable character, thinking two steps ahead. I am inferior to him!

Sima Li considered for a moment, then sighed. "Six men dead. This is a serious matter!... Guards, take him away!"

"Yes!" Two armored soldiers stepped forward, flanking Li Muzhan, one on each side.

"Sima Li!" Zhao Shengli grew anxious and started to speak.

Sima Li waved his hand, still smiling amiably. "It's alright, Little Zhao, I must take him. As for the exact punishment, I need to report to the Commandant... Six deaths, this is no small thing!" With that, he smiled faintly. "Little Zhao, you few, collect their remains!"

"Sima Li, Mingkong he..." Zhao Shengli pleaded anxiously.

Sima Li smiled. "You are too impatient! Rushing won't help. The higher-ups will deal with it!" With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Take him away!"

He turned and walked away with light, brisk steps. The four cloaked guards swept their capes and followed behind him. The rest of the armored guards escorted Li Muzhan after them. Li Muzhan offered no resistance; he simply set his spear down, smiled and nodded at Zhao Shengli and the others, and left with the armored soldiers.

"This... This..." Zhao Shengli stomped his feet in distress, watching them lead Li Muzhan away.

Feng Dakun said, "Head Zhao, worrying is useless. In my opinion, it's not a major problem."

Zhao Shengli glared. "Not a major problem?!... That place, the Hall of Military Justice, you lose a layer of skin just by entering! How can it not be a major problem?!"

Feng Dakun shook his head and snorted. "The monk was too ruthless, killing six in one go. How can he not go to the Hall of Military Justice?... But it was well done; that brat Yue Feihu should have died long ago!"

"Don't worry, the Monk will be fine," Cai Yuzhang said, patting Zhao Shengli's shoulder.

He walked up to the four remaining men and said kindly, "Gentlemen, thank you. We are now grasshoppers on the same rope."

"Understood," the four big men nodded.

Zhao Shengli walked up to the bald big man and glared fiercely. "Cao Lao San, keep your mouth shut tight, don't mess things up!"

The bald big man quickly nodded. "Old Zhao, don't worry, this has nothing to do with me, nothing at all!"

Zhao Shengli's eyes were like a hawk's as he stared at him and snorted, "If anything happens to the Monk, Cao, I'll hold you personally accountable!"

The bald big man said, "Old Zhao, rest assured, Sima Li is a devout Buddhist."

"Mmm, that's true!" Zhao Shengli nodded.

"So, he will punish lightly. Mingkong won't have any major issues," the bald big man quickly added.

Zhao Shengli glared. "Nonsense! ... You don't know Sima Li! He only recognizes military law, not personal relationships!"

Li Baolu looked up at the sky, his brow furrowed, saying nothing.

Zhao Shengli slapped the back of his head. "Li Zi, are you mute? Why aren't you talking!"

Li Baolu scratched his head and said slowly, "Head Zhao, maybe I should also break military law and go to the Hall of Military Justice with the Monk?"

"Nonsense!" Zhao Shengli slapped him again.

Li Baolu ducked quickly to avoid the second blow. "Those locked up in the Hall of Military Justice are all military convicts; they are no good. The Monk's frail body will be bullied."

Zhao Shengli scoffed. "With your physique, you'd just be useless going there!"

Li Baolu, unconvinced, retorted, "Head Zhao, you underestimate me too much! Two people are better than one!"

Zhao Shengli waved his hand impatiently. "Enough. The Monk has already mastered the Flying Bear Palm, what about you?"

Li Baolu immediately fell silent. He was still practicing the Evergreen Fist; his body wasn't strong enough to start the second level of martial arts, and besides, the Monk possessed boundless strength, far surpassing him.

Zhao Shengli clapped him on the shoulder and gazed in the direction Li Muzhan and the others had gone, sighing with a frown. "Alas, I hope he can pull through..."

Cai Yuzhang came over and chuckled. "Head Zhao, don't worry. The Monk is very cunning; he won't suffer a loss!"

"You're still laughing! You're still laughing!" Zhao Shengli scolded him furiously, his nose out of joint.

Cai Yuzhang knew he was angry, rubbed his nose, ignored him, and turned to discuss the collection of the bodies with the four big men.