The old man turned his head and laughed heartily, "Luring Little Hu isn't like he has three heads and six arms; Little Hu is supposed to be as brilliant as a flower."

Li Muzhan remained perfectly still, his expression steady and calm, showing no outward sign of emotion.

Another, thin old man stroked his beard and smiled, "Old Li, this child Hu isn't one for bragging. Go on, give it a try."

This elder was slight of build, conspicuously so among the dozen or so people present. He was the leanest, his features sharp, yet his expression was the most approachable and kind.

However, Li Muzhan could sense that he was subtly the focal point of everyone there.

The first old man had previously laughed, "If Elder Ji speaks, there's naturally no mistake. Little Hu, you stand further back. We need to properly test this young fellow!"

"Yes." Hu Yihang gave Li Muzhan a deep look, offering encouragement.

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded back, his demeanor composed and unruffled, calm and steady, showing nothing unusual.

………………………………………………………………

Seeing him thus, the others felt no surprise. For a true master, composure was the paramount, most fundamental quality. In actual combat on the field, losing one's composure meant the mind would become chaotic, leaving no chance of survival.

The fact that Li Muzhan had managed to slay so many Black Eagle Cavalry was certainly no accident; his steadiness was to be expected.

A grey shadow flickered, and a fist suddenly appeared, rushing to enlarge before his nose. Li Muzhan stomped his foot, executing the move Tuò Páo Huàn Dài (Shedding Robe and Changing Sash), retreating a full zhang in a flash, narrowly avoiding the blow.

"Haha, Old Li, your trick didn't work the first time!"

"Old Man Li is too mischievous, insisting on putting the lad on the defensive, why aim for the nose?"

One of the elders roared with laughter, "Old Man Li, your old arms and legs are shot, no longer good for much, haha..."

Li Muzhan retreated one zhang and stopped. The elder who had attacked him also paused, blinking, then stroked his beard and nodded, "Hmm, he truly has some skill!"

Li Muzhan smiled but remained silent.

The elder suddenly turned his head and roared, "Stop your clamoring! Shut your mouths!"

The group of elders burst into laughter, becoming even more boisterous, each one voicing playful taunts.

"Old Man Li, if you can't manage it, just concede. Old age demands respect; stop competing with the young!"

"Old Li, just call it off. Don't keep fighting, lest you be defeated by the youngster and ruin a lifetime of fame!"

"Exactly! I think this little fellow is quite sharp; he'll surely beat Old Man Li!"

They chattered on, each adopting a tone of earnest, well-meaning persuasion, their faces showing expressions of concern. Yet, Li Muzhan understood they were merely fanning the flames, hoping for chaos.

He inwardly shook his head with a wry smile. Not one of these old fellows was good—they were trying to provoke the elder into fighting with all his might.

If a real fight ensued, winning would offend the elder, and losing wouldn't gain him much favor, possibly blocking entry into the Inner Camp—neither outcome was good. The only way out was to fight to a draw.

However, even a draw was far from perfect and would likely displease the Li-surnamed elder.

In the span of a breath, his mind raced through these thoughts. After considering everything, he quickly made his decision: he had to give it his all and strive for victory no matter what.

Still, this Li-surnamed elder’s movement technique was incredibly fast; winning against him would likely be difficult.

……………………………………， …………………………

The elder had a round face and small eyes; he usually looked innocently honest when smiling, but now his gaze held a certain ferocity. He blinked his small eyes and grunted, "Kid, this bunch of old nuisances is noisy. You're going to have bad luck, don't blame me!"

With that, he flashed, his form dissolving into a flurry of shadows, suddenly appearing before Li Muzhan and launching a punch aimed at the head, possessing the momentum of a charging tiger. Before the fist arrived, a chilling aura preceded it.

Li Muzhan’s hair stood on end, sensing danger. This Li-surnamed elder seemed to be radiating light all over his body. He quickly extended his arm to block, intending to test the elder's true strength.

In the past, he would never have blocked head-on; a more cautious evasion would have been his choice.

But now, this was a test of his martial skill, and furthermore, protected by the Jingang Buhuai Shengong (Indestructible Vajra Divine Art), enveloped by a protective membrane, his defensive capacity was immense, giving him deep confidence.

With a dull thump, Li Muzhan’s feet swept in an arc, pushed by an invisible force, retreating continuously until he was two zhang away, leaving a row of distinct footprints on the blue brick floor.

Li Muzhan’s face paled momentarily before quickly returning to normal. He looked at the elder in surprise.

The elder was even more astonished. He glanced at Li Muzhan, ignored the crowd's clamor, and suddenly produced several shadow images of himself, instantly appearing before Li Muzhan to deliver another punch.

Another dull thump. Li Muzhan retreated again, his legs sweeping in arcs, leaving five footprints, stopping over a zhang away. His complexion remained normal.

"Kid, you really do have some ability!" the Li-surnamed elder exclaimed, flashing away and delivering another punch, this one increasingly fierce and sharp.

Li Muzhan felt that the elder was emitting light—this was no illusion. His spiritual focus was powerful now; he wouldn't mistake such a thing. It could only mean the elder possessed a peculiar internal cultivation method.

Thump! Another muffled sound. Li Muzhan retreated three more steps, his footprints clearly imprinted as if branded.

The crowd quieted their chatter, watching the exchange with surprise. They could see that Old Li had been holding back initially, but had gradually exerted more force.

Yet, the young man was blocking with increasing ease, as if he had grasped the secret to deflecting the power.

Looking at the footprints on the ground, it was clear he was successfully diverting the force. Such an exquisite technique for dissipating impact—even they couldn't execute it as skillfully.

Furthermore, they knew Old Li was a brute force expert, possessing tremendous power. His punches made even them wary. This youngster could actually withstand them—it was truly impressive.

"Hmph!! Take this next punch!" The elder's small eyes widened, his grizzled beard floating upward without wind, and he suddenly materialized before Li Muzhan.

Bang! Li Muzhan was sent flying, soaring over ten zhang away. Upon landing, he staggered backward until he reached a standing stone pillar.

The pillar was about thigh-thick, carved with swirling cloud patterns and flying dragons, rendered vividly and possessing an imposing aura.

Seeing this, Li Muzhan was overjoyed. He reached out and slapped the pillar. With a muffled thump, both palms sank into the stone. Thump! Following another dull sound, the pillar snapped, its upper half slowly falling to the ground, causing the earth to tremble slightly.

………………………………………………………………

Li Muzhan’s face flushed crimson, then turned white, as smooth and pale as jade, before finally returning to normal. A slight sweetness lingered in his mouth, and he shook his head with a bitter smile—he had sustained internal injuries.

It seemed the Jingang Buhuai Shengong was not omnipotent. This elder's punch had struck with the force of a mountain, nearly crushing him to dust.

If he hadn't understood the technique of force dissipation, his arms would have been broken at the very least from that single blow.

"Well done!" An elder shouted, followed by cheers and thumbs-up from the others, marveling at Li Muzhan being a young hero.

The Li-surnamed elder stroked his beard, glaring fiercely with his small eyes, and stomped his foot, "Naughty boy! Where did you learn that crooked skill? Come here, come here!"

Li Muzhan stepped forward, a look of apology on his face, glancing at the pillar, "Seniors, this pillar..."

One elder stroked his beard and smiled, "Forget it. It was for standing meditation. We’ll just carve another one; it's no trouble."

"Yes." Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief.

The Li-surnamed elder barked, "Naughty boy! What wicked technique did you use just now?"

Li Muzhan replied, "It is the secret of force dissipation I grasped from spear techniques, Senior. Are there any errors?"

"Spear techniques?" the Li-surnamed elder quickly asked.

Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, the Feilong Qiang (Flying Dragon Spear) taught by the instructor."

"Damn it! So it was that old ghost surnamed Zhang causing trouble!" The Li-surnamed elder immediately jumped up high, shouting, "I’m going to find that old ghost!"

Li Muzhan hurriedly said, "It wasn't the Head Instructor, but Instructor Zhang."

"It's that Zhang family brat!" The Li-surnamed elder paused, tugged hard on his beard, and grunted, "That kid is such a blockhead; never mind him!"

The thin, small elder stroked his beard with a benevolent smile, "Hmm, since the Zhang kid took you in, making you the successor to the Flying Dragon Spear technique, your aptitude must certainly be extraordinary."

Li Muzhan smiled awkwardly; he knew his aptitude wasn't truly exceptional.

The thin elder slowly nodded, "Hmm, since you could grasp the essence of the Flying Dragon Spear, your insight isn't too poor either. Alright, you can enter the Inner Camp!"

"Thank you, General!" Li Muzhan snapped a crisp military salute.

Captain Hu was so excited he almost leaped up, hurrying forward and saying loudly, "Thank you, Elder Ji!"

The thin elder smiled, "What are you thanking me for? Little Hu, I should be thanking you for selecting such a talent. You should return first. Let Mingkong finish his current training, then he can return."

"Yes, General!" Hu Yihang replied respectfully, turning to give Li Muzhan a deep look.

Li Muzhan nodded, indicating understanding. He knew Hu Yihang was cautioning him to be careful not to offend anyone here.

Watching Hu Yihang depart, the Grand Captain smiled, "Old fellows, how should we train this boy? Should we all take turns, or assign one person to teach him?"

Elder Ji stroked his beard and smiled, "Old Li, what do you think?"

The Li-surnamed elder puffed out his cheeks and grunted, "Does this little fellow even need us to teach him?" He's already practicing the Xiao Long Xing (Lesser Dragon Form)!"

"Oh—?" The others were startled, then realization dawned.

Li Muzhan had only used one motion to block—the most rudimentary move, utterly devoid of flourish. They had been careless and failed to notice he was using the Lesser Dragon Form.

The Lesser Dragon Form's most basic and simplest technique is the Qianzhuizhang (Fore-Pillar Palm). When executed, almost no one considers it a profound move; everyone instinctively uses this technique when attacked.

Li Muzhan had practiced the Lesser Dragon Form until it was perfectly integrated into his every movement, returning to simplicity, so inconspicuous that it escaped their notice.

"What a fellow! He's actually mastered the Lesser Dragon Form!" the others murmured.

Elder Ji shook his head, "Little Hu is truly too bold!"

"Heh heh, I permitted it." The Grand Captain stroked his beard and smiled. "Little Hu came to me, saying he couldn't resist teaching him the Lesser Dragon Form and regretted it too late, begging me to agree... Alas, I couldn't refuse his persistence, so I consented."

"Hmm, it seems this boy is genuinely formidable," Elder Ji nodded, stroking his beard. "The Lesser Dragon Form follows a straightforward path. Though it is difficult, there are no inherent dangers, so let him continue practicing it."

"Then why did he come to our Inner Camp?" one elder shook his head.

Old Li blinked his small eyes and chuckled, "Why don't we teach him the Da Long Xing (Greater Dragon Form)?"

"Nonsense!" Elder Ji shook his head and smiled.

Old Li grunted, "Wanting to master the Lesser Dragon Form takes ten years or more; don't even think about it otherwise. Are we going to teach him for ten years or more?"

Elder Ji stroked his beard and smiled gently, "There is a shortcut to mastering the Lesser Dragon Form: real combat."

Old Li instantly beamed, nodding repeatedly, "Heh heh, heh heh! General, you are wise! Now we have something fun to look forward to!"

Li Muzhan felt a chill hearing this. Judging by Old Li’s expression, this was likely not good news.

Real combat—could it mean following the method of his great-uncle, fighting people every day to spur rapid progress?

Some elders shook their heads in sympathy, sighing, "Poor little fellow, you have a difficult road ahead of you..."

Li Muzhan remained silent, looking towards the Grand Captain.

The Grand Captain chuckled, "Mingkong, martial skill advances through enduring hardship. Can you bear it?"

Li Muzhan felt helpless internally, but outwardly he nodded resolutely, "Yes, I will follow the Grand Captain's orders!"

The Grand Captain smiled and nodded, "Very well. From now on, you will stay by their side. They will spar with you. Though it will be hard, the benefits will be immense."

"Yes, Grand Captain." Li Muzhan nodded firmly.

Old Li shook his head and muttered, "Another earnest fool!"

Li Muzhan pretended not to hear, maintaining a natural expression.

The Grand Captain said, "Old fellows, I entrust Mingkong to you. No matter what, train him up. In recent years, the army has lacked successors and talent is scarce. It's not a sustainable solution for only us old guards to hold things up, is it?"

"Old Zhang, stop your nagging! You can rest assured!" Old Li waved his hand impatiently.

The Grand Captain smiled, cupped his fists in salute, and turned to leave.

Only Li Muzhan and the dozen or so elders remained on the training ground. They looked at Li Muzhan with excitement, examining him like a treasured artifact.

Li Muzhan felt a prickle of unease under their gaze, but his expression remained calm and composed as he met their eyes.

One elder stroked his beard and laughed, "Not bad! Not bad! This little fellow is better than that other blockhead!"

"Hmm, not bad. At least his temperament is far stronger. He truly deserves to have been a monk." Another elder chimed in, nodding in admiration. "Just based on that composure, he has the bearing of a great general!"

"Alright, let's take him to the Inner Camp first," Elder Ji said, stroking his beard and smiling.

The others agreed, then crowded around Li Muzhan, leaving the training ground. They exited the main gate and headed west, walking until they reached the westernmost part, near the city wall.

About ten zhang from the wall, a large residence stood tall. Its main gate faced north, covering a significant area, but beneath the soaring city wall, it still appeared small and low.

The residence's gate was ancient, a dark, unadorned black door, lacking even stone lions on either side—extremely unremarkable, even somewhat desolate.

When the group entered, Li Muzhan’s vision opened up to a flat training ground paved with red earth.

The training ground was circular, about two hundred meters in circumference—neither too large nor too small. It was entirely covered in red earth, an extravagance that surpassed even the Grand Captain’s temporary residence.

Surrounding the training ground was a row of small courtyards; the gate of each courtyard faced the training ground, which was quite convenient.

Currently, one person was running frantically on the empty training ground, circling a stone pedestal, moving with slow, dragging steps, laboriously forcing his feet forward.

Seeing Li Muzhan looking puzzled, Elder Ji stroked his beard and smiled, "There is only one person in the Inner Camp right now. Now that you are here, you can keep him company. Then we old folks can finally get moving again."

"Where did that Senior go...?" Li Muzhan asked.

Elder Ji laughed, "He’s not really a Senior. His name is Yan Lingsi, and he’s even a bit younger than you."

Li Muzhan nodded, sizing up this Yan Lingsi. He wore only simple, short martial arts attire, with sleeves and trouser legs cut short, exposing his arms and thighs.

He was tall and powerfully built; with every step, the muscles across his body twisted and exerted force, radiating a masculine beauty that was admirable.

"This blockhead is a bit dull, but his nature is simple and stubborn. Once he latches onto something, even nine oxen couldn't pull him away. He is a promising material," Elder Ji said with a gentle smile.

Li Muzhan nodded slowly, observing him. The man ran slowly towards them, his gaze fixed straight ahead, passing right by the group without acknowledging them, as if he hadn't seen them at all.

Li Muzhan nodded inwardly. Elder Ji stroked his beard and smiled, "This little fellow is dense and single-minded. Pay attention when you speak to him in the future; he takes everything literally and never jokes!"

Li Muzhan nodded, watching him run past step by step.

Old Li grunted, "A piece of wood! Too tedious, truly boring!"

Elder Ji turned and smiled, "Old Li, if he were interesting, he wouldn't be a potential talent. Complain a little less. Is anyone perfect?"

"Hmph, I am!" Old Li puffed out his chest proudly, "High martial skill, kind temperament, and not dull—I have no shortcomings!"

"Too noisy!" One elder grunted softly.

"Old Zhao, you're asking for a beating!" Old Li’s small eyes glared, and he lunged forward. The two immediately assumed fighting stances, and bang, bang, bang, bang, they started fighting—not an uncommon sight.

The surrounding elders paid them no mind, glancing over before returning to their own concerns, letting the two fight amidst the excitement. Li Muzhan pretended not to see.

Elder Ji ignored them and led Li Muzhan to a small courtyard on the east side, saying with a smile, "You will stay here. See if you like it. For the days to come, this will be your residence."

"Elder Ji, when can I leave the camp?" Li Muzhan asked.

Elder Ji smiled, "You can leave anytime you wish, but to graduate from the Inner Camp, you must master the Lesser Dragon Form and then cultivate the Greater Dragon Form."

Li Muzhan recalled, "I heard Senior Li say that mastering the Lesser Dragon Form takes ten years or more."

"With us here, it won't take that long," Elder Ji said with a slight smile.

Li Muzhan quickly asked, "Then how long will it take?"

Elder Ji said, "It depends on your progress... If fast, perhaps half a year to a year; if slow, three to five years. You will certainly master it, so don't rush."

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile; three to five years was truly too long.

Elder Ji saw his expression and knew he found the time frame long. He smiled, "You are already far ahead of others; be content... Speaking of the Lesser Dragon Form, ordinary people won't even be considered for transmission until they reach the rank of Langjiang (Colonel). Your talent must be exceptional, or Little Hu wouldn't have dared to teach you the Lesser Dragon Form."

Li Muzhan smiled, "I was born with great strength; perhaps that counts as talent."

"Indeed, innate divine strength is the rarest thing. The fact that you could withstand Old Li’s punch shows truly astonishing talent. Little Hu teaching you the Lesser Dragon Form was a wise move," Elder Ji concluded.

Li Muzhan touched his small beard and smiled, then stepped through the door into the small courtyard.

The courtyard was quite spacious. A flowerbed occupied the center, taking up most of the space, with plum trees planted in the corners and a rockery in the middle of the flowerbed.

Although the furnishings were sparse, there was a certain atmosphere.

Elder Ji pointed east, "Little Yan lives next door to you... Here, the schedule is the same as the Outer Camp: early to rise, early to sleep. You have half a day for training, and the remaining half you can arrange as you wish... For today, rest."

Elder Ji smiled and waved, and the elders departed with him, leaving Li Muzhan alone.

………………………………………………………………

Li Muzhan stood dumbfounded for a moment. He hadn't expected to enter the Inner Camp so easily, nor did he expect there would only be one person inside.

He had anticipated fierce competition and having to strive with every fiber of his being to succeed. The reality was a huge contrast to his expectations, and arriving suddenly in an unfamiliar place felt strange.

He quickly suppressed these distracting thoughts, regaining clarity; his mind was calm and waveless. He entered the main room. The bedding was complete and of excellent quality, far superior to the conditions in the Outer Camp.

Sitting on the couch, it was thick, soft, and supremely comfortable. A smile touched his lips; he found a trace of the feeling he had at Canghai Mountain, when he also prioritized comfort.

The furniture was simple: a low desk placed by the window, an eight-immortals table, and against the north wall, a bookshelf filled to capacity. Li Muzhan walked over to look.

The topmost shelf held military treatises. The same book on military strategy the Captain had gifted him was listed, along with Head Zhao’s Bingjie (Military Exegesis), and many other martial texts.

Li Muzhan admired the collection. Just these military books made the trip to the Inner Camp worthwhile.

Military texts were extremely rare nowadays, not circulating in the world but only copied and passed down within the army, treasured just like martial arts manuals.

Here, there was an entire shelf dedicated to them—the Inner Camp truly lived up to its reputation.

The second shelf down began the collection of martial arts manuals. After the third shelf, starting from the fifth, were ordinary scrolls: the Classics, Histories, Philosophies, and miscellaneous records and unofficial histories.

Li Muzhan felt as if he had unearthed a treasure; these military texts gave him a huge surprise.

Among the military texts, there was a profound field of study: the Art of the Qimen Dunjia (Mysterious Doors and Hidden Branches). He had encountered mentions of this art in the Lieque Bingjie gifted by the Captain, but only in a few vague lines, insufficient for him to grasp its depth, no matter how clever he was.

Now, with other military texts, he hoped to find something on the Qimen Dunjia. He flipped through them one by one and indeed found two volumes: one titled Qimen Tianyan (Mysterious Doors Celestial Evolution), and the other, Dun Zhi Dao (The Way of Concealment).

He pulled out both books; they were thick tomes, wide as his palm. An ordinary person would immediately feel dizzy upon seeing them, but Li Muzhan stared excitedly, sat on the couch, and began flipping through them by the bedside.

"Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, movement and stillness, fortune and ill-omen, all within the palm. The Eight Paths of Qimen..."

Li Muzhan read sentence by sentence, immersing himself, lingering over each line for a long time before moving to the next. The more he read, the more profound the meaning became, and the more insight he gained.

Unconsciously, the sky had darkened. He didn't realize it until the sound of footsteps broke his concentration.