The crowd finally registered what had happened; in just this short while, Li Muzhan had accepted an apprentice. They couldn't help but sigh inwardly, this monk was certainly efficient in his actions.

Zhao Shengli called out, "Monk, taking an apprentice is a great joy! You must treat us again!"

"Yes, another feast at Changping Tower!" the others chimed in, egging him on. Every trip to Changping Tower ended before they were satisfied, which only fueled their enthusiasm further.

Moreover, the dishes at Changping Tower truly lived up to their reputation. Rumor had it that the chefs were once part of the Imperial Kitchen; whether that was true or not, the taste was undeniably superb—they had never eaten anything so delicious.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Ah, how about tomorrow."

Zhao Shengli confirmed, "It’s settled then, Monk! We have a two-day leave anyway, so we won't head back tonight. After we eat tomorrow, we'll return to the camp!"

"Good!" Li Muzhan agreed with a smile, "I can also give Tongcheng some pointers then."

………………………………………………………………

Although he was a master for the first time, he called Tongcheng’s name with utmost fluency and natural ease, as if being a master was his destiny, making him seem much older than Gao Tongcheng.

In reality, the two were nearly the same age, perhaps only three or four years apart, yet the feeling was as if a generation separated them.

Gao Tongcheng didn't feel awkward either; it seemed this was how it should be.

"Master, please come into the hall for tea," Madam Gao said.

Li Muzhan smiled, "How about we take a look around first, and then sit down for tea?"

"Yes." Madam Gao nodded gently, leading everyone through the moon gate into a large courtyard that suddenly opened up, revealing a grand estate.

This courtyard was immense. To the east and west were rows of side rooms, and the northern side held several main chambers. Curving corridors adorned with carved beams and painted rafters connected them, each room exquisitely maintained.

Beneath the south wall grew a grove of bamboo. In the center of the courtyard was a circular flower bed, integrated with a rockery. Stones nestled among the flowers, and flowers among the stones, creating a unique, subtle charm.

A gentle breeze drifted in, brushing over the walls and rustling the green bamboo with a soft susu sound, instantly calming the mind and spirit, instilling a sense of detached tranquility.

Li Muzhan exclaimed, "A wonderful place!"

However, Zhao Shengli and the others didn't find the place particularly remarkable. They looked around, surveying the lush flora, but failed to grasp its depth. It wasn't like the front area, surrounded by a river, appearing like a small island, which they found very pleasing; here, there was only vegetation and buildings, and they couldn't appreciate the beauty.

Zhao Shengli asked, "Monk, are we all staying here?"

"How about this?" Li Muzhan asked with a smile, turning to Madam Gao, "Madam, you can take the main chamber?"

Madam Gao replied, "This humble woman will vacate it today."

Li Muzhan paused for a moment in thought, "Let's do this instead: how about you stay in the garden behind?"

Madam Gao was momentarily startled, then quickly nodded, "That is fine."

She wondered inwardly how he knew there was a garden behind without even looking, before realizing that all residences here had gardens; his guessing was not impossible.

Li Muzhan gestured around, "Head Zhao, you take the main chamber. Bear Four Sea and I will take the rooms on either side, and Li Zi and the others can take the side rooms. What do you think?"

Zhao Shengli shook his head, "Absolutely not. You are the master here; you should take the main chamber. We will all stay in the side rooms; there are plenty of rooms anyway!"

Li Muzhan said no more, nodding in agreement, "Then it shall be settled. Let’s go take a look behind."

The group entered through a side moon gate and arrived at the rear garden, which featured a circular lake dotted with water pavilions built over the surface, where lotus flowers bloomed.

The perimeter of the lake was lined with dense pine groves, lush and vibrant, filled with a vigorous life that rustled softly.

Zhao Shengli was instantly overjoyed, laughing, "This is truly a treasure!"

There were five water pavilions built over the small lake—southeast, northwest, and center—resembling a plum blossom floating on the water. Beneath the surface, fiery red koi fish flickered in and out of view.

Li Muzhan nodded, "Truly elegant. Madam's touch is not a few days' work."

Madam Gao managed a strained smile, thinking again of her husband. These arrangements had cost a fortune; only his doting affection had allowed for such luxury.

Li Muzhan said, "These few water pavilions, Madam, you may arrange as you wish. We will only stay in the front and not come to the back. Madam, rest assured."

"Forgive me... Thank you, Master," Madam Gao murmured, startled. She looked at him deeply, puzzled. In terms of scenic beauty, the rear garden surpassed the front by several times. He bought the house but gave away half of it; what was his intention?

Li Muzhan glanced at Zhao Shengli with a smile.

Zhao Shengli looked at Li Muzhan, then at Madam Gao, wanting to speak but stopping, his face a picture of frustration. He loved this place the most, yet the Monk had given it away in a single breath. Truly, love had clouded his judgment, making him forget friendship for beauty!

Li Muzhan laughed, "Let’s head back."

The group walked back, exiting the rear garden, passing through the large courtyard, and returning to the small island in the front. They sat down in the main hall, and soon a maidservant brought tea.

The hall was decorated grandly and solemnly. The floor was covered with a thick, soft green carpet, and the furniture was understated, mostly creamy white. Peonies stood in a vase on the desk by the window, emitting a faint, lingering fragrance.

The young maidservant was delicate and pretty, about fifteen or sixteen, in the bloom of youth. Seeing Zhao Shengli and the others, she showed a flash of fear and quickly set down the tea, ready to retreat, but Madam Gao called her back, beckoning, "Xiao Ya, don't go yet. Come here and pay your respects to the Great Master."

"Madam…?" The young maidservant approached.

Madam Gao instructed, "Xiao Ya, this residence now belongs to the Master. The Master is Cheng'er’s teacher."

"Yes, Madam!" Xiao Ya lowered her head sadly and curtsied to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan smiled and raised a hand, "No need for such ceremony."

He thought for a moment and said, "From now on, Madam will handle all these matters. We are coarse people and won't concern ourselves with such things."

"Yes," Madam Gao nodded, waving her hand, and Xiao Ya left.

……………………………………………………

The others dispersed, with Zhao Shengli and his group going to inspect their rooms. Thirteen Maiden helped Madam Gao tidy up the chambers. In the main hall, only Li Muzhan and Gao Tongcheng remained.

Li Muzhan sat back in the high-backed chair, observing Gao Tongcheng without speaking.

Gao Tongcheng was initially able to meet Li Muzhan's gaze, unwilling to show weakness. After a while, facing Li Muzhan's gaze, which was as still as deep water, he felt the pressure intensify, as if a mountain was bearing down on him. He couldn't hold it any longer and lowered his head, feeling anxious deep inside.

After a long silence, Li Muzhan picked up his tea cup, took a light sip, and said gently, "Tongcheng, do you know why I have taken you as an apprentice?"

"Is it because of my mother?" Gao Tongcheng looked up.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I am a monk! Although you are a bit slow and a bit simple, your aptitude is not bad; you can be molded. I will accept you to see if you can become my formal disciple."

"Really?" Gao Tongcheng asked with a joyful smile.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "You don't need to know my lineage now, but I certainly won't let you languish... For cultivation, I will only give you one year. If you don't achieve anything, our master-disciple affinity ends there."

"Yes, Master!" Gao Tongcheng nodded firmly, then scratched his head, "But Master, what exactly should I practice?"

"Start with the Raging Demon Staff Technique first. Build a solid foundation," Li Muzhan mused.

He saw that Gao Tongcheng possessed outstanding aptitude and indeed felt a pang of admiration for talent. However, he was hesitant about whether or not to pass on the Azure Sea Divine Art to him. Passing on the Azure Sea Divine Art would expose his identity, and moreover, training it without prior body tempering was unsuitable for him.

Yet, his physique was special; practicing the Azure Sea Divine Art would give him an unprecedented advantage, leading to swift progress, several times faster than ordinary people. With his five psychic pearls and powerful spiritual sense, his intuition became finer and more acute. Just a single glance at Gao Tongcheng told him that his temperament harmonized perfectly with the Azure Sea Divine Art.

Li Muzhan had been contemplating and probing deeply these past few days. He had originally been pondering the differences between inner cultivation in the martial world and military martial arts, seeking their profound secrets, and in the process, he had gained significant understanding of the mysteries of the human body. Taoist teachings state that the world is divided into five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, and that man and nature are one, meaning physiques are also categorized by the five elements. Those with a Water element constitution are best suited to cultivate the Azure Sea Divine Art.

However, the constitutions of most beings in this world are mixed combinations of several elements, and those possessing a pure, singular constitution are rare and precious. Li Muzhan had not expected to encounter one; Gao Tongcheng possessed a pure Water element constitution.

………………………………，………………………………

Li Muzhan understood that his own constitution was not purely sharp; it was primarily Earth, mixed with Water. This allowed him to cultivate the Azure Sea Divine Art quickly, purely due to his comprehension. Compared to Gao Tongcheng, his own aptitude was far from outstanding; in fact, it was quite poor.

Gao Tongcheng, with his pure Water constitution, would be like a fish in water practicing the Azure Sea Divine Art; his progress would inevitably be incredibly fast. Difficult hurdles for others, he would pass through as if walking on flat ground, effortlessly achieving success. This was truly enviable, but innate talent is a gift of heaven's creation; even envy or jealousy is futile. This was what was called genius; the only way to surpass it was to use slowness to counter speed.

Such an exceptional physique, especially for the Azure Sea lineage, could not be missed. Having seen countless people in the military camps, numbering no less than millions, Gao Tongcheng was the only person he had encountered with a pure element constitution. How could such talent be overlooked?

However, to outsiders, it appeared Li Muzhan was taking Gao Tongcheng as an apprentice out of pity for Madam Gao, showing favor to the one he loved. Li Muzhan deliberately acted this way to cloud others' perceptions. Although he knew outsiders couldn't discern Gao Tongcheng's constitution, precaution was necessary.

Li Muzhan pondered, "The Raging Demon Staff Technique I demonstrated earlier lacked perfect refinement; otherwise, it would have subtly contained the sound of wind and thunder... You practice that first, and then I will teach you other things."

"Yes," Gao Tongcheng nodded vigorously, his face alight with excitement. He had been deeply moved watching the Raging Demon Staff Technique earlier. Once learned, no one could get close when wielding the staff; even hidden weapons would be useless.

Li Muzhan then began teaching him the staff technique, explaining each move slowly, while pointing out the subtleties of breathing and circulation, showing extreme patience. Gao Tongcheng already had some foundation; he had learned from several masters before. Though those masters were not highly skilled, they had imparted the basic principles. Having a foundation made learning much easier than starting from scratch, and Gao Tongcheng's comprehension was very sharp; he grasped things instantly.

Li Muzhan integrated his inner strength meditation into the staff forms, transforming it from the original Raging Demon Staff Technique into something with its own profound mystery, though outsiders couldn't detect the difference. Li Muzhan’s comprehension was astonishing, and his understanding of martial arts was deep. His explanations were simple yet profound, easy to understand and engaging. Gao Tongcheng listened with rapt attention, and without realizing it, two hours passed until dusk. Gao Tongcheng finally snapped back to reality.

He felt as if he had been in a dream, completely immersed in the staff forms, unable to pull himself out, his focus sharper than ever before, his heart brimming with inexpressible excitement. Truly, a master teacher; explaining the moves was fascinating, and he learned immediately—a world apart from his previous masters who forbade questions, insisting only on rote practice.

As Li Muzhan explained, he sparred with Gao Tongcheng, applying the moves directly. After only a few repetitions, Gao Tongcheng grasped the essence of the move. Li Muzhan, having trained with Lan Chun and gone into seclusion to practice, had witnessed various martial arts and encountered many masters, memorizing every technique they used. His learning was incredibly diverse. He broke down all these techniques for Gao Tongcheng, allowing him to witness them.

……………………………………………………, Footsteps sounded. Zhao Shengli entered, escorting Thirteen Maiden and Madam Gao. Zhao Shengli laughed loudly, "Monk, you really are teaching your apprentice?" He had always suspected that accepting an apprentice was a ruse to get closer to the beautiful lady; he thought the monk was lecherous.

Li Muzhan turned and smiled, "How was it? Are you done with your tasks?"

"Done!" Zhao Shengli clapped his hands and slowly sat down in the high-backed chair, letting out a comfortable groan. He snorted, "Monk, you certainly know how to slack off! While we sweat like oxen and horses, you hide away in leisure!"

Li Muzhan smiled faintly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "Head Zhao, you think I'm lazing around? How about this: let Tongcheng spar a bit with you, how about it?"

"Him?" Zhao Shengli scoffed.

Li Muzhan laughed, "I taught him three staff techniques this afternoon. Let's see their power?"

"I won't bully a child!" Zhao Shengli pouted.

Li Baolu stood up and chuckled slyly, "Monk, I'll do it!"

"Good." Li Muzhan nodded, then turned and smiled at Gao Tongcheng, "Tongcheng, don't hold back. Show him what you've got!"

"Yes, Master!" Gao Tongcheng nodded excitedly.

The two moved to the center of the hall, an open space. Gao Tongcheng held his staff, while Li Baolu grasped his long saber, which flashed coldly. This was a real fight with real weapons. Li Muzhan stood nearby holding a bow and arrow, ready to fire a shot at a critical moment to ensure neither was seriously injured.

"Begin!" Zhao Shengli waved his hand and shouted.

"See my saber!" Li Baolu stepped forward with a swift and fierce strike. He was simple-minded, but diligent in practice, and his saber technique was not poor. This strike carried immense killing intent and moved as fast as lightning, having truly mastered the essence of murderous sabermanship.

"Bang!" A muffled sound echoed. Li Baolu was sent flying backward, tumbling twice on the ground before scrambling up, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Everyone saw clearly: Li Baolu's saber was fast, but Gao Tongcheng's staff was faster. One blow to his chest sent him flying effortlessly.