His immense strength, coupled with exquisite spear technique and an indestructible body protected by his Jingang Buhuai (Indestructible Diamond) armor, allowed him to fully repel the encircling enemy. His long spear moved like a coiling dragon, circling his body, swift and true as an arrow.
He never stopped moving his feet while wielding the spear. The masses tried to surround him, but they could not hold him; he retreated while striking, moving with incredible speed, covering a li (a Chinese mile) in the blink of an eye.
Within that li, the Western Zhao soldiers left over a hundred more corpses. A chilling, ominous aura enveloped Li Muzhan. Showing no fatigue, his Flying Dragon Spear circled faster and struck with even greater force.
He had mastered the Flying Dragon Spear technique, yet had no real battlefield experience. Sparring in a practice yard was vastly different. Now, after felling hundreds, the Flying Dragon Spear felt utterly intuitive, its power growing exponentially.
The Flying Dragon Spear swept around him; anything it touched either fell instantly or was flung away—no exceptions. This included the Black Eagle Riders interspersed among the ranks.
The Black Eagle Riders were all martial arts masters, and this contingent of elites was particularly formidable. Before Li Muzhan cultivated the Jiu Zhuan Xisui Jing (Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture), encountering them would have necessitated flight as the best strategy. Now, with his power amplified tenfold, he feared nothing.
In that moment, he was unstoppable, utterly dominating, moving freely and devastatingly amongst the cavalry of Western Zhao.
He slaughtered ruthlessly, yet his black armor remained unstained. The long Flying Dragon Spear ensured the blood never reached him. Where he passed, men fell in a circle; in just a short while, dozens more had been slain.
His thoughts were lightning-fast, his movements impossibly quick. In his eyes, these Western Zhao cavalrymen were no different from wooden dummies; their movements were slow as snails, posing no threat whatsoever.
His heart was calm as a deep lake, utterly undisturbed, killing them as easily as mowing grass; his spirit remained unmoved.
Suddenly, a long, piercing cry echoed out. A black speck appeared on the southern horizon, the sound rolling like thunder, shaking the very soul. Li Muzhan frowned; this man possessed astonishing internal energy!
As the cry faded, a hulking brute appeared, clad in black armor, his hair streaked with white. His square face was etched with hardship, as if he had traveled from ten thousand li away, worn by dust and wind.
His features were ordinary, much like an old farmer, save for a pair of Phoenix Eyes that gleamed with piercing light—cold, deep, and chilling. A single glance felt like plunging into an ice cellar.
“Everyone stand aside!” he roared. The Western Zhao cavalry retreated instantly, flowing back like a tide, clearing a space around Li Muzhan in the center.
Li Muzhan had not closed his Xintong (Heart Aperture); countless waves of terror and hatred crashed against his mind. He had been refining his heart while fighting the enemy, forging it until it was as clear as jade and as hard as diamond.
Sensing the overwhelming worship and excitement emanating from the troops, Li Muzhan knew this newcomer held immense prestige within the Western Zhao army, capable of instantly boosting morale.
He stood alone, holding his spear, and stated calmly, “Warrior, declare your name!”
The old man replied coldly, “Deputy Commander of the Black Eagle Riders, Dao Gaofeng! Who are you?”
His expression was grave and imposing; clearly, he was accustomed to high command and issuing orders, possessing an aura that dwarfed mountains and forced submission.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly. “A mere private from the Cavalry Camp, Mingkong!”
“A fine Mingkong! Take my sword!” The old man shot forward, his broadsword cleaving down from above like a descending bolt of lightning.
Clang! A sharp sound rang out as Li Muzhan thrust his spear straight forward, meeting the broadsword.
Li Muzhan staggered back a step, planted his spear behind him to check his retreat, and stamped both feet simultaneously. Instantly, the earth cracked beneath him like shattered ceramic tiles.
However, the old man only retreated a single step, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
Li Muzhan was startled, a bitter taste rising in his mouth. He had thought his mounting power would let him dominate the field, if not become an absolute master. Instead, his very first serious engagement was against an immovable obstacle.
The Western Zhao riders erupted in cheers. They hated Li Muzhan to the bone, wishing they could drink his blood and eat his flesh—only slicing him into a thousand pieces could assuage their fury.
The old man’s lips curled slightly in a cold smile, his eyes sharp and focused entirely on Li Muzhan. He frowned slightly upon seeing the fissures spreading from the monk’s feet.
The difference in their power levels was not significant. Li Muzhan was not as weak as his forced retreat suggested; he stepped back several paces merely to dissipate the momentum, whereas Dao Gaofeng deliberately absorbed the shock.
It was not his preference, but a necessary act to rally morale, for if he were seen to lose, the entire force would scatter immediately.
His piercing gaze swept over the cavalry, and he stated sternly, “This encirclement ends here! … Xiao Feng, take them back to the main camp immediately; do not delay!”
“Deputy…?” A Black Eagle Rider stepped out from the ranks, lifting his helmet, confused. “Why don’t we kill him together now!”
“Do my words no longer count?” Dao Gaofeng asked coldly.
“No, sir…” The Black Eagle Knight quickly shook his head and stepped back, lowering his gaze. “Yes, your subordinate obeys!”
He turned and huffed, “All hands, follow me back to the main camp!”
The troops assented readily, casting lingering, hate-filled glances at Li Muzhan—a hatred so deep it was chilling. Li Muzhan remained composed, looking calmly at the old man. “Commander Dao truly treats his men like his own children!”
Dao Gaofeng sneered, “You have slain the sons of Western Zhao; your crime is heinous. Do not blame me for showing no mercy!”
Li Muzhan laughed softly. “Commander Dao, can you truly kill me?”
“We shall see!” Dao Gaofeng responded coldly, leading with his broadsword, which flashed down like lightning.
Clang! A sharp sound rang out. Li Muzhan pointed his spear, meeting the blow again. Both men retreated several steps, Dao Gaofeng taking the opportunity to ease the force.
It seemed their powers were equal, yet Li Muzhan knew the old man was slightly superior. He could not win through raw energy; only technique remained.
“Shorter, more dangerous.” The long spear was the king of all weapons; he held the advantage. The killing he had just performed had honed his Flying Dragon Spear technique to perfection; his maneuvers were exquisite.
Clang, clang, clang! He switched from defense to offense, initiating the attacks. Dao Gaofeng blocked with his sword, maintaining a flawless, solid defense, vigorous and unyielding.
Li Muzhan felt a faint, almost negligible numbness in both hands. If he hadn't been so focused, he might have ignored the intermittent, strange internal force transmitted through the spear.
However, his control over his own energy was precise, and he quickly diffused this strange internal force with every passing moment.
Li Muzhan’s spear danced and surged, one move flowing into the next, his energy continuous, like a hanging waterfall. He steadily began to suppress Dao Gaofeng’s momentum.
Though suppressed, Dao Gaofeng appeared composed, his mind clear, though filled with astonishment.
He hadn't expected this young monk to be so troublesome; not only was his internal power formidable, but his technique was also brilliant. Dao Gaofeng possessed a unique internal method that often struck opponents invisibly, but this monk seemed able to neutralize it just by observing him.
This unique internal method was his greatest weapon; it felt like a surge of lightning that would paralyze the opponent, leaving them powerless before they realized it was too late.
He was shocked by Li Muzhan’s acute perception, which far surpassed that of ordinary men, allowing him to detect and dissolve the strange internal energy beforehand. Most people failed to notice until the debilitating effect set in, by which point it was too late to resist.
In the blink of an eye, a hundred moves passed. Li Muzhan’s momentum had not waned; rather, it had intensified, surging like a mighty river, ceaseless and growing stronger.
Dao Gaofeng frowned. This could not continue. His martial art possessed a snowball effect, growing stronger, and the pressure on his sword increased relentlessly. If he let this continue for another hundred moves, defeat would be certain.
Li Muzhan’s control over energy was perfect. By borrowing Dao Gaofeng’s force, his spear grew heavier and heavier, truly accumulating power layer by layer like a rolling snowball.
His own momentum grew stronger, yet the physical effort required grew less, as long as he guided the force. His Tianyuan Tunan Shu (Heavenly Origin Absorption Technique) provided more than enough replenishment.
“Hah!” Dao Gaofeng roared in anger. His broadsword suddenly flashed with blinding light, knocking aside the tip of Li Muzhan’s spear and lunging toward his chest.
Li Muzhan quickly retreated. He had anticipated the shift in Dao Gaofeng’s mood and was prepared. Seeing the sudden surge of cold light, he backed away just in time to evade the strike.
“Heh!” Dao Gaofeng shouted again, the broadsword shining even brighter. Man and sword merged into a streak of long rainbow light, piercing directly toward Li Muzhan’s chest.
Li Muzhan’s mind reacted, but his body lagged. He deflected with his spear—clink—a continuous, lingering sound. He let out a muffled groan.
He was struck in the chest. Fortunately, he had blocked with the spear, which greatly slowed the sword’s momentum. When it reached his chest, it was stopped by the protective energy membrane.
Intense pain flooded him. He gritted his teeth and swept his spear out violently, faster than lightning. With a dull thud, Dao Gaofeng was sent flying backward.
He wondered at the immense resistance transmitted from the sword tip. As the spear swept toward him, he couldn't react in time. A searing pain struck his waist, feeling as if it had snapped. The scenery rapidly receded as he tumbled backward, landing with a muffled thud that shook everything violently.
Li Muzhan looked down; thankfully, his chest wasn't bleeding. The protective membrane’s strength was far beyond his expectation; the sword strike hadn't even broken his skin.
Dao Gaofeng landed heavily. He felt as if his waist had been broken, but his black armor was vastly superior to ordinary metal, immensely strong, and though it received a deep dent, his body was unharmed. Furthermore, he also possessed powerful body-hardening techniques; he wasn't one to be easily injured.
He rolled over, got up, and immediately turned to flee. Li Muzhan saw this and pursued rapidly. To slay such a figure would be equivalent to saving countless people of Dayan.
Dao Gaofeng moved with incredible speed, his feet barely touching the ground. Li Muzhan flashed past in bursts, utilizing the mystical art of Suodi Chengcun (Shrinking the Ground to an Inch), making their speeds neck and neck.
In a short while, they had covered over ten li. Far in the distance, the Western Zhao cavalry came into view. They turned their heads to look back, seeing two black shadows—one ahead, one behind—that zipped past them in an instant.
A sharp-eyed soldier yelled out, “It’s Commander Dao!”
“Ahead or behind?” someone urgently asked.
Someone else replied, “…Ahead!”
A man cursed, “Damn it, you must be seeing things! You got it backwards!”
“I… I didn’t see wrong! It’s definitely that monk chasing Commander Dao!” another man retorted nervously.
In that brief moment, the two black shadows shrank to tiny black dots and vanished from sight.
“No wonder Commander Dao ordered us to retreat. This kid is truly fierce!” one person remarked with a shake of his head.
“Alas… If even Commander Dao can’t hold him, who can?”
Someone offered, “Don’t worry, we still have Commander Lin!”
“Commander Lin isn’t here, what should we do?”
“Maybe Commander Lin has returned and caught up, dealing with this fellow!”
“Heh heh, you certainly know how to dream!” The crowd shook their heads repeatedly.
Just then, a long cry rang out, rumbling like spring thunder. The soldiers’ spirits instantly lifted, and they shouted in unison, “It’s Commander Lin!”
A short while later, three black specks appeared before them, rapidly closing the distance. Before they could focus their eyes, the specks dissolved into a gust of wind that swept past them and quickly vanished toward the north.
A burly man laughed heartily, “It’s Commander Lin, and Commander Dao too! Haha, the two of them are chasing that fellow hell-for-leather! How satisfying!”
“Are you sure it was both commanders?” the men urgently asked.
The burly man proudly gestured toward his eyes, “No mistake! Heh heh, my eyes are as good as our Eagle King’s; I wouldn’t be wrong!”
The crowd cheered loudly, feeling vindicated. As for fighting dishonorably, they didn't consider it at all. This was a military engagement, not a martial arts duel; the best tactic was always overwhelming force for an easy victory.
Li Muzhan flashed forward, each burst covering over thirty zhang. Closing his eyes, his Void Eye gazed down upon the two men behind him, and he sighed at his bad luck.
Dao Gaofeng from before was already formidable, and Li Muzhan had luckily gained a slight edge. Unexpectedly, another man appeared—middle-aged, wearing a black robe, completely unblemished by battle, possessing terrifyingly strong martial arts.
This middle-aged man had a handsome, jade-like face and an extraordinary, elegant demeanor, like an immortal untainted by worldly entanglement.
Yet, this man's martial prowess was overwhelming. With every movement, he seemed to carry the potential for wind and thunder. Li Muzhan had only managed a single block against his palm strike, and his entire body’s vital energy surged, leaving him faintly injured.
It was only thanks to his Jingang Buhuai Shengong (Indestructible Diamond Divine Skill) that he survived; an ordinary person would have been killed instantly by that single palm. The man’s noble bearing belied his ruthless ruthlessness.
After meeting that single palm strike, Li Muzhan knew he had encountered a hard obstacle, and he turned to flee.
Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing was the best. However, escaping was not easy. Dao Gaofeng’s speed matched his own, but this middle-aged man was terrifyingly skilled and was gradually closing the distance, about to overtake him.
With no other choice, Li Muzhan had to use the Randen Shu (Burning Lamp Technique).
Activating the Burning Technique caused his speed to increase dramatically, pulling away from the two pursuers. In a flash, he vanished from their sight and returned to Tenglong City.
On the walls of Tenglong City stood a large crowd. The city ramparts were towering, reaching perhaps thirty zhang into the clouds, known as an impassable natural moat—a height even the most supreme martial arts masters could not scale.
They gazed from their vantage point, watching Li Muzhan’s battle against the enemy forces, their blood surging with excitement.
Later, when Dao Gaofeng appeared and the two fought, and subsequently when Li Muzhan chased Dao Gaofeng, they had been clamoring, urging the Commander to lead a sortie and take advantage of the chaos.
The Commander stroked his beard while observing, waved his hand, and refused the request to engage.
They were greatly dissatisfied, feeling the Commander was too cautious; opportunities like this—the chance to annihilate the entire enemy force—were rare.
Just then, they saw Li Muzhan flying toward them like a meteor, his speed astonishing, arriving near Tenglong City in a heartbeat.
“What is happening?!” someone urgently asked.
Zhao Shengli and the others stood together, ecstatic as they watched Li Muzhan display his might, feeling a shared glory.
When they saw Li Muzhan fleeing back, they were shocked. Zhao Shengli cried out, “Oh no, is the monk injured?”
“Doesn’t look like it. There are experts behind him!” Xiong Sihai squinted and shook his head after a moment.
“Damn it, two against one! That’s not honorable!” They recognized Dao Gaofeng and the other man, understanding why Li Muzhan fled. Just seeing their speed confirmed they were true masters.
Clearly, the monk couldn't win and had to retreat. Zhao Shengli and the others were indignant, wishing they could rush down to assist Li Muzhan.
But they weren't foolish; going down would only be a burden and cause more trouble.
As they were about to open the city gates, Dao Gaofeng and the middle-aged man reached Li Muzhan’s side. Once the gate was opened, they would certainly rush in.
Li Muzhan shouted loudly, “No need to open the city gates!”
The Commander called out, “Do not open the gates! Bring the ropes!”
“Yes!” Someone responded, quickly fetching a large coil of thick rope. One end was tied to the parapet, and the other was thrown down, dangling straight to the base of the wall.
The Commander stood on the watchtower platform, reaching out. “Bring the bow!”
A personal guard produced a long bow, half the height of a man, adorned with tiger heads carved on both ends—ancient and authoritative. The Commander took it, raised it, and shouted, “Lin Wufei, you, the dignified Commander of the Black Eagle Riders, bullying a junior like this is laughable!”
A clear voice reached everyone’s ears: “Surname Hu, stop wasting breath. I must kill him.”
The voice wasn't loud, yet it echoed thinly and did not dissipate, like an echo in a mountain valley.
Everyone’s faces paled. Such internal energy clearly signaled a grandmaster. If Mingkong faced him, he wouldn't fare well!
The Commander stroked his beard and laughed heartily. “Haha, you’ll have to ask if I agree!”
Saying this, he nocked an arrow. Whoosh! A streak of silver light instantly arrived, shooting toward Dao Gaofeng. Dao Gaofeng shifted his body deftly, just barely dodging it.
“Commander Dao, kill him!” the middle-aged man, Lin Wufei, stated calmly, swinging his sword toward Li Muzhan. Dao Gaofeng pressed the attack, and the two sword lights enveloped Li Muzhan.
The Flying Dragon Spear transformed into a coiling dragon, circling around him. Though the two sword lights were sharp, Li Muzhan held firm for the moment. The air was filled with incessant, sharp hissing sounds.
Streaks of arrow light shot toward Dao Gaofeng, but deliberately avoided Lin Wufei. The Commander knew his archery, though excellent, could not reach Lin Wufei to achieve the goal of restraint.
The crowd cheered Li Muzhan on, finally witnessing his true prowess; they now understood that the rumors of his heroism were not exaggerated.
Li Muzhan suddenly flung his Flying Dragon Spear, embedding it several zhang away in the city wall. The bluestone wall crumbled like tofu, showing the force contained within the throw.
Then, he drew his two broadswords. The sword light flashed like snow, sweeping around his body. The onlookers could only see two swirling masses of light, unable to discern his technique.
Clang, clang, clang, clang! The sound of steel meeting steel was continuous, rapid as rain beating on banana leaves.
He suddenly leaped upward, landing on the embedded spear, and with another leap, utilizing the spear’s leverage, ascended another ten zhang. Simultaneously, he pulled, and the long spear flew back into his hand.
He tossed the two broadswords down. He gripped the thick rope with one hand and held the Flying Dragon Spear with the other, transforming into a coiling dragon, meeting the two pursuers who were catching up.
Both their broadswords were divine weapons; they sank easily into the bluestone wall, which they used to gain leverage to catch up to Li Muzhan.
Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss! A sky full of arrows rained down, sharp as electricity. The Commander’s eyes shone with piercing light; every arrow carried immense power.
The two men pulled their broadswords from the wall, batting away the arrows, and grabbed the rope with one hand each. Li Muzhan stomped his foot, and the rope snapped. Under the pressure of the arrow storm, they were forced to drift downward helplessly.
Some people desperately pulled the rope, but Li Muzhan was already back on the rampart in a flash.