Li Muzhan first returned to the Cavalry Camp, ordered Chi Ying back to the stable, then returned to the barracks to meet the others, who were all gathered in Zhao Shengli’s room.

Zhao Shengli sat cross-legged on the couch, holding a military manual, and said solemnly, “Monk, you must be careful. This time, the Black Hawk Riders are even more ferocious… Damn it all, my right eyelid has been twitching non-stop these past two days. It makes my heart pound—a bad omen!” Li Muzhan laughed, “You’re probably overthinking things, haven’t been sleeping well, have you?”

“Yeah, I keep waking up startled by those severed heads.” Zhao Shengli put down the book with a sigh. “Damn it, tell me about it. I’ve seen dead men before, but so many heads piled up together—it’s too horrifying!”

Li Baolu leaned against the desk, nodding vigorously, “Tell me about it! I’m scared to death too! I have nightmares every night that wake me up!” Xiong Sihai asked, “Great Monk, are you going alone, or should we all go together?”

Li Muzhan smiled, “I’ll go take a look first. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll call everyone.” “Hah, if we go, we’ll just be a burden. Don’t trouble yourself with that!” Zhao Shengli waved his hand. “Last time, weren’t we just chased until our pants were soaking wet!” Xiong Sihai nodded in agreement, “Exactly. You should go alone. If things go south, it’ll be easier for you to run. We’d truly be dead weight, completely useless!”

Li Muzhan laughed, “More people are always better… But the situation is unclear right now. Traveling alone, I’ll be a smaller target.” Zhao Shengli cautioned him solemnly, “Monk, keeping yourself alive is the priority. Don’t push your luck… This time, those fellows have gone completely mad. Be extremely careful!”

Li Muzhan chuckled, “Understood. They’re just desperate now, cornered animals.” …………………………………………………… Li Muzhan strapped two quivers of arrows to his back, held the Cold Jiao Bow, girded the Deer-Slicing Saber at his waist, and carried the Flying Dragon Spear on his back. The Flying Dragon Spear had a mechanism that allowed it to separate into a short spear and a staff, which was quite convenient for carrying.

Having gathered his gear, he left the South Gate of Longteng City alone and set foot onto the Great Cui Plains.

He did not ride Chi Ying, but walked. After passing the South Gate, he headed directly for a grove of trees and found a quiet spot to meditate, seeking to restore his Vast Sea Divine Art.

The essence of the Vast Sea Divine Art surged from his sarira, while simultaneously activating the Heavenly Origin Breath Circulation Technique. Instantly, internal energy flooded into him, faster than ever before. His pores seemed to have doubled in size, and the speed of absorbing primal energy increased nearly twofold.

As a result, his internal energy recovery rate was double the former speed. The previously saturated internal energy began to absorb true qi anew, and his Dantian had expanded by a factor of two.

An hour later, his internal energy continued to grow relentlessly, as if inexhaustible. Eventually, his internal energy doubled, and his martial arts skill surged, demonstrating the efficacy of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture.

He opened his eyes in delight, a smile playing on his lips, and leaped up, filled with absolute confidence.

Now that his strength had increased so dramatically, he felt capable of handling any challenge. Even if the Black Hawk Riders laid a trap, he was confident he could enter it and escape.

He let out a long, piercing cry that rolled across the land like a cloud of birds sweeping through the sky. For a moment, it seemed as though only his cry existed in the entire world, missing no corner.

After the cry faded, his figure flashed, covering thirty zhang in a single bound, and he shot straight toward the south. ………………………………………………………………. High above, a Black Hawk appeared. Li Muzhan glanced at it, offering a faint smile. He had no immediate counter for this hawk. Though he possessed the Cloud-Flying Arrows, they couldn't reach it; it was too far away, rendering all his methods useless.

With this hawk acting as an eye in the sky, they could accurately track his location—truly ingenious. He wondered if he, too, should find such an eagle.

He knew that eagles of this caliber were exceedingly rare. Across the entire Western Zhao Kingdom, there were probably only a few, requiring a master’s skill in selection and training. Ordinary people simply couldn't manage it.

He secretly resolved that after this venture, he must find an eagle to train, specifically to counter this one. Besides using an eagle to counter an eagle, there was no other way.

For others, training an eagle was difficult, but not for him. With his immense and powerful spirit, subduing such a proud creature would be easy. No matter how arrogant the hawk, faced with incomparable spiritual might, it would yield.

Furthermore, he possessed the Mind-Reading Skill, which was useful not only on people but also on animals. His Mind-Reading Skill had recently advanced: not only could he understand the other party, but the other party could now understand him.

Li Muzhan felt this latter function was even more marvelous. People could never completely understand one another; having this ability meant the other party could grasp his thoughts, saving countless words—it was akin to influencing their subconscious, producing an extraordinary effect.

Chi Ying, though intelligent, understood his thoughts directly without needing words, precisely due to his Mind-Reading Skill.

Thinking this, he kept moving, circulating the Heavenly Origin Breath Circulation Technique. His internal energy recovered at a speed far exceeding simple rest, amounting to continuous meditation.

Unfortunately, the Vast Sea Divine Art showed no progress. Although his internal energy was double what it was before, there was no sign of a breakthrough; it seemed stuck at this level.

Li Muzhan understood that breaking through this level required enlightenment and a change in mental state, not just the depth of internal energy. Even with shallow internal energy, one could break through upon true realization.

Alas, this profound subtlety relied on chance, and one could not force it.

Suddenly, the Black Hawk in the sky let out a long shriek that vibrated through the air. Li Muzhan paused, startled, and looked up. He closed his eyes, and instantly, everything within a two-li radius unfolded before his mind's eye.

He frowned and let out a cold laugh. He saw twenty Black Hawk Riders charging toward him, each with two horses. They wore black armor and black helmets adorned with two black feathers, revealing only their eyes.

Li Muzhan frowned. These eyes were cold and menacing, as if numbed, devoid of attachment to life, caring nothing for the deaths of others or themselves.

Li Muzhan shook his head. Killing people like this was truly unsettling. He could sense the oppressive killing intent radiating from them even from this distance—they must have slain too many people.

These twenty Black Hawk Knights sat on their horses as if merged into one with the black steeds, which galloped with a lightness and agility, as if something beneath them was providing the lift.

Li Muzhan understood they were employing their movement arts, which was why the sound of the hooves was so faint; the hooves were wrapped in cloth, so he couldn't hear them. If he hadn't possessed the Void Eye showing him everything within two li, he would certainly have been fooled. ………………………………………………………………. Soon, besides the cavalry to the south, there were twenty riders to the east and twenty to the west—forty horses in total, moving with that same light agility, their hooves muffled by thick cloth, making no sound.

Clearly, they were well-prepared this time, determined to surround him. Judging by their aura, they were even sharper than the regular Black Hawk Riders; they must be the elite unit.

Li Muzhan smiled, eager to test the mettle of the Black Hawk Rider elite.

He suddenly let out a long cry and charged towards the south, unleashing his movement skill to its peak. In the blink of an eye, the two groups met, separated by about one li.

The Black Hawk Knights accelerated, drawing their long bows, unleashing a volley of arrows that enveloped Li Muzhan. Their natural bow strength, combined with the speed of their mounts’ charge, actually sent the arrows reaching Li Muzhan.

This range was truly terrifying. On a battlefield, this could give them two extra volleys compared to others, making guerrilla warfare impossible for their opponents.

Li Muzhan watched the arrow rain, sighing inwardly. They truly lived up to their reputation as the elite. This level of archery was a significant leap above the original Black Hawk Riders.

Anyone else suddenly facing such a volley might have been helpless, as the coverage was vast, spreading above, below, left, right, front, and back—impossible to evade.

Li Muzhan, however, paid them no mind. He wore black armor, incredibly resilient, and furthermore, he possessed the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art. The qi membrane flowed around him, especially covering his chest and abdomen.

He wanted to test the power of the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art—could it block the arrows?

“Clang, clang, clang, clang…” With a series of crisp sounds, the arrows bounced away. A few managed to pierce the black armor and head toward his body.

As the arrowheads neared his skin, his skin and flesh suddenly underwent a strange transformation. Under the effect of the qi membrane, they became strangely supple and tough, resisting the arrowheads’ advance. Once an arrowhead penetrated an inch, its forward momentum ceased, and it was promptly flicked away.

Thus, more than a dozen arrows were repelled by his body; none penetrated.

He was surprised yet immensely proud, realizing how formidable his Indestructible Vajra Divine Art had become. Although the distance was considerable, these Black Hawk Knights were full of power, far exceeding ordinary men, and their arrows carried immense force.

Satisfied, he let the Cold Jiao Bow display its might. He moved in a ‘Z’ pattern, flashing and darting, preemptively avoiding the arrow rain, while simultaneously, streaks of black light whistled out, reaching the opposing side in an instant.

Each streak of black light struck one rider, sending them flying high off their horses before crashing heavily to the ground, never to move again, their internal energy shattered by Li Muzhan.

In the blink of an eye, six men were dead, and they were still half a li away from Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan’s agility was astonishing. He continuously circled them, retreating when they advanced, always maintaining a distance of about half a li. This range was safe; their arrows couldn't harm him.

Even so, he took over thirty arrows—the Black Hawk Knights’ archery was viciously accurate. ………………………………………………………………. The arrow rain grew sparser. Only ten men remained. They exchanged glances, suddenly forming a straight line and charging directly at Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan frowned. Seeing this formation, they clearly intended to engage in close combat. They must be martial arts experts, superior even to their archery skills. He certainly wouldn't let them have their way.

He urged his lightness skill, retreating rapidly, flashing and flickering, just managing to keep pace with their speed, maintaining the half-li distance. Arrow lights shot forward like lightning toward the lead rider.

The man in front retracted his bow, raising his heavy sword with both hands, forming a curtain of light. Li Muzhan shot out a streak of black light, which collided with the sword light. The sword light immediately scattered but quickly reformed.

Li Muzhan retreated while they pressed forward. He closed his eyes, using the Void Eye to observe from above. The ten men formed a line, straight as a rod—their horsemanship was truly exceptional. This man could repel his arrow with his heavy sword without losing his grip, clearly possessing profound internal energy. He smiled slightly, activating the Arrow Control Art, infusing the arrow with a tremendous amount of internal energy, which slammed into the heavy sword with a muffled boom. The sword light instantly dispersed, then reformed again.

Li Muzhan was astonished. He hadn't expected this man’s internal energy to be so deep. His own internal energy had doubled, making the power contained in his arrows formidable enough.

He nocked another arrow, sending a streak of black light out. Suddenly, it burst in mid-air, dissolving into fine powder that drifted away—the arrow simply couldn't withstand the excessively dense internal energy.

Li Muzhan shook his head helplessly. This effectively defended against him. The elite among the Black Hawk Riders were indeed extraordinary. He smiled faintly, suddenly leaping up and shooting several long arrows.

Simultaneously, a shower of arrows enveloped him. The nine riders behind were waiting for him to leap into the air.

“Clang, clang, clang, clang…” With a series of crisp sounds, Li Muzhan shifted sideways in mid-air but still couldn't escape the arrow rain, taking five hits.

Protected by the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art, he was unharmed. However, three of the opponents were sent flying by his attack and killed, so he leaped again, and they exchanged fire again.

After three rounds, only three knights remained, all wielding heavy swords, focusing only on defense and no longer shooting arrows as they charged toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan also lowered his bow, drew the Deer-Slicing Saber, and charged forward to meet them.

The two sides collided, meeting in an instant. Li Muzhan swung his saber with his right hand, while suddenly raising his left, pointing it at the three men, unleashing the Vast Sea Divine Finger.

“Hiss!” “Hiss!” “Hiss!” Three whistling sounds followed as five streaks of finger force shot out, piercing directly through the three men’s black armor, no less potent than arrows.

At such close range, they hadn't expected such an attack from Li Muzhan. They froze momentarily, then slowly slid off their horses, crashing to the ground with a thud.

The black horses ran a distance, then noticed their riders were missing, turned, and came back to investigate. ………………………………………… ………………

Li Muzhan turned and left, flying toward the twenty riders in the east. Before the men from the west could catch up, he killed them, then turned back to face the twenty riders from the west.

He spent about fifteen minutes wiping out all sixty knights. Afterward, he felt a touch of melancholy, realizing how fragile and fleeting life was, truly like a grand dream, utterly pointless.

His expression suddenly changed. A shocking scene appeared in his mind: nearly a thousand men formed a circle, galloping two li away, slowly tightening like a closing net.

He had already fallen into the encirclement of a thousand people. Some of these knights had black armor and black horses, about a hundred men; the rest wore iron armor, carried bows and arrows, and had heavy swords girded at their waists.

In a flash, a black circle appeared on the horizon, slowly contracting to ensnare him. Li Muzhan let out a long shout toward the heavens and bolted straight north.

Before leaving, he bent down and retrieved four quivers of arrows, strapping them around his waist. As he sprinted north, the Cold Jiao Bow shot out streaks of black light, whistling ahead to scout the path.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!…” With a series of dull thuds, the cavalry half a li away collapsed one after another, falling off their mounts. The hooves of the horses behind them trampled over them, killing those who hadn’t died outright.

Li Muzhan stopped retreating, as a rain of arrows descended. Daring not to risk it, he put away the Cold Jiao Bow, drew the Flying Dragon Spear, assembled it into a long spear, and wielded it into a curtain of light.

“Clang, clang, clang, clang…” Like rain beating on plantain leaves, the arrows fell but were all blocked outside the light curtain. Li Muzhan kept moving his feet, and in moments, he had charged through the cavalry ranks.

Instantly, he was like a wolf entering a flock of sheep. The Flying Dragon Spear truly moved like a coiling dragon among the knights. All that could be seen was a mass of silver light, irresistible to all it met.

Although these cavalrymen were formidable, they couldn't withstand a single move under his long spear. Even the Black Hawk Riders could not block it. The spear danced like a dragon, protecting him on all sides, allowing none to harm him.

Whether it was a heavy sword strike or a desperate arrow shot, all were deflected by the spear transformed into a coiling dragon; none escaped, its power absolute.

Li Muzhan let out a long shout, feeling an indescribable thrill. Fighting in battle with a long spear was far more potent and satisfying than using a saber. The principle of ‘an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous’ was displayed vividly here; often, they couldn't even reach Li Muzhan before being sliced by the spear tip or flicked away.

Wherever he passed, men fell or were sent flying; no one could block his advance. In moments, he had sliced through the opposing cavalry formation and broken free from the encirclement.

His feet pounded the ground as he swept the long spear, blocking the arrows behind him. Once clear of the arrow range, he retracted the Flying Dragon Spear and began shooting arrows.

At about half a li, his arrows moved like streaks of light, arriving instantly. He shot down one knight, but the following riders couldn't hit him; their arrows lost momentum midway and fell harmlessly, unable to reach him.

This left them completely passive targets, yet they refused to give up, pursuing relentlessly.

They weren't fools. They soon realized shooting was futile and pulled out their heavy swords, swinging them as they chased, deflecting Li Muzhan’s long arrows. Though their heavy swords were often knocked away by the arrows, they managed to save their lives.

Li Muzhan’s lightness skill was exceptional, his speed surpassing that of a charging horse, allowing him to proceed calmly and execute his archery with ease. He maintained a steady pace, keeping the distance at half a li, continuously shooting.

It didn't take long before he emptied six quivers, each holding over twenty arrows, claiming over a hundred lives. However, with so many men this time—over a thousand—losing a mere hundred didn't affect morale. They still chased him relentlessly, sworn to catch him.

Having used half a quiver left, Li Muzhan stopped. He believed in leaving reserves for critical moments. His feet suddenly paused; instead of fleeing, he turned and charged toward the mass of knights, moving like a streak of light, his speed astonishingly fast.

Before they could react, Li Muzhan had crashed into the crowd, whirling his long spear, unstoppable. This time, he didn't run away.

The numbers kept increasing, and those from the rear caught up, surrounding Li Muzhan in layers upon layers. Even if it took exhaustion, they would wear him down, showcasing the might of the Western Zhao Black Hawk Riders.

Li Muzhan let out a joyous, triumphant shout, his long spear coiling like a dragon around him. The crowd attacked frantically, yet he managed with ease, a smile playing on his lips.

He experienced the profound mystery of commanding his strength, feeling immensely satisfied, a boundless joy rising within him.

Being besieged was even more exhilarating and less strenuous than fighting one-on-one. By borrowing strength, he used the force exerted by one side to attack another. Their attempts to surround him were tantamount to self-destruction; he expended little effort.

The knights fell in waves, the long spear acting like a sickle, ceaselessly harvesting their lives at incredible speed.