"Pity what?" Jin Shijie asked, frowning.

He vaguely felt things were not that simple. This Monk Mingkong was neither a fool nor a madman; speaking such bold words clearly meant he had something to rely on.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "I had intended to use this saber as the stake for our wager, but your sect requires the formulation for the Guyuan Pill as the stake. Only then would it be a worthy exchange. It seems I was wishful thinking."

"A stake?" Jin Shijie glanced at the saber hanging from Li Muzhan's waist.

Li Muzhan drew the blade. Instantly, a sheet of clear spring water seemed to shimmer, radiating an intense cold that suddenly surged forth, causing the surrounding temperature to drop noticeably.

"A fine saber," Jin Shijie couldn't help but exclaim.

Li Muzhan gently stroked the blade. The light reflecting from it illuminated his face. He squinted slightly, a look of intoxication on his features, and sighed, "Such a magnificent weapon—I truly hate to part with it."

"What saber is this?" Jin Shijie inquired.

Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes and stated plainly, "The Duan Yue Saber... If an elder in my family were not in poor health and in need of the Guyuan Pill for recuperation, how could I possibly relinquish this blade?"

"The Duan Yue Saber?" Jin Shijie started, his expression flickering for a moment before returning to normal. He then laughed, "Did I hear you correctly? Which Duan Yue Saber?"

Li Muzhan regarded him with a half-smile, as if seeing through him. Pretending to be unconcerned, Jin Shijie quickly pressed on, abandoning any pretense of composure: "Could it be... the Duan Yue Saber of Saber Saint Chunyu?"

"Chunyu Yueyun, known as the Saber Saint?" Li Muzhan asked with a smile, then shook his head. "I didn't realize he had such a resounding title in Western Zhao."

Jin Shijie eagerly asked, "Is it truly the Duan Yue Saber of Saber Saint Chunyu?"

Li Muzhan smiled, then suddenly reached out, offering the hilt forward. "See for yourself."

Jin Shijie hesitated, but finally couldn't resist. Slowly, almost tremulously, he extended his right hand and accepted the Duan Yue Saber. Holding it, he closed his eyes.

After a long moment, he opened his eyes, brought the blade close, and examined it meticulously, tracing the surface. Near the hilt, he found two large characters inscribed: "Duan Yue."

Upon seeing these characters, Jin Shijie knew without a doubt that this must be the Duan Yue Saber of Saber Saint Chunyu.

Only the Saber Saint himself could have inscribed characters possessing such soaring majesty; it had to be his own handwriting, making this undeniably the Duan Yue Saber.

"How... how did this saber end up in your hands?" Jin Shijie turned, his eyes blazing, staring intently at Li Muzhan, asking through gritted teeth.

Li Muzhan smiled. "It was passed down from an elder. What say you, is it counterfeit?"

Jin Shijie shook his head. "Many purported Duan Yue Sabers claiming lineage from Saber Saint Chunyu have surfaced over the years; distinguishing truth from falsehood is difficult. How could a junior like myself discern it?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, extending his hand. "Very well, let's assume it's fake then. In any case, the Guyuan Pill formulation cannot be shared, and I have little interest in other things."

"Wait a moment," Jin Shijie retracted his hand, evading Li Muzhan's grasp, and chuckled, "I must report this to the Sect Master. Whatever the decision, it will be made by him."

Li Muzhan nodded. "That is acceptable... but you will return the saber to me now, won't you?"

His smile remained, but his gaze sharpened, suggesting immediate action if refused.

Jin Shijie sheepishly smiled and handed over the Duan Yue Saber. "Forgive me, I lost my composure for a moment. Here you go."

Li Muzhan took the Duan Yue Saber back and laughed. "In our Great Yan, this Chunyu Yueyun isn't considered any great figure, and there’s little interest in the Duan Yue Saber. I never expected Chunyu Yueyun to hold such stature in Great Western Zhao."

"Saber Saint Chunyu was a young prodigy who created the Duan Yue Saber technique, unrivaled under heaven," Jin Shijie stated solemnly, his expression radiating pride and self-assurance.

Li Muzhan sighed. "A pity he encountered Nangong Sidao."

"I heard Nangong Sidao is known as the foremost master in the world. I wonder if that’s true," Jin Shijie's expression shifted slightly, betraying some discomfort.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "At the time of their duel, Chunyu Yueyun was forty, and Nangong Sidao was eighteen. He wielded his self-created saber technique, while Nangong Sidao used his self-created sword technique. In the end, Nangong Sidao proved superior... Perhaps Chunyu Yueyun’s saber skills were excellent, but unfortunately, one who loses to a king and defeats a bandit doesn't rank highly in our Great Yan."

He continued, "Perhaps Nangong Sidao was simply too dazzling, overshadowing him."

Jin Shijie gave a cold laugh. "Most people are willfully blind. Though Saber Saint Chunyu couldn't defeat Nangong Sidao, he remains peerless among all others."

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "That is what he claims; others do not believe it."

"So, this saber isn't considered precious in Great Yan?" Jin Shijie quickly asked.

Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. "Not entirely. Judging solely by the material of this saber, it is already exceedingly rare. How could it not be precious?"

"Can you name a price?" Jin Shijie urged.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Nothing short of the Guyuan Pill formulation is worthy of this. ...I heard this saber contains the essence of the Duan Yue Saber technique. I practice spear and sword styles, not saber techniques, so I have no interest in it."

Li Muzhan added, "Furthermore, no one truly knows if it is real or fake. In any case, I have not managed to glean any essence of the saber technique from it."

Jin Shijie countered, "That must merely be a rumor."

Li Muzhan gave him a knowing look. "A rumor?... Not entirely? In short, this saber relates to the entire legacy of the Duan Yue Saber technique; its value is immeasurable. How could I trade it carelessly?"

Without waiting for Jin Shijie to speak, he continued, "If your sect could obtain the Duan Yue Saber technique, I wonder what that might entail?"

Jin Shijie finally sighed in resignation and nodded. "Very well, I shall report this to the Sect Master and give you news tomorrow."

He too recognized the gravity of the matter, far beyond his authority to decide. After taking one last careful look at the saber in Li Muzhan's hand, he smiled faintly, and in the time it took to speak, he had led them to a small courtyard.

Leaving the Daoist temple, turning east, and walking a short distance down the mountain led to a complex of connected buildings, subtly shielded by lush groves of trees, lending an indescribable sense of refined tranquility.

Both of them were quite pleased with the courtyard. Surrounded by pine trees, the birds chirped ceaselessly, creating an atmosphere of profound quietude and peace.

Jin Shijie smiled. "It has become unusually quiet these past few days; there are no other guests. You may do as you wish without fear of disturbing anyone."

Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. "That will be all, Young Hero Jin. Thank you for guiding us; we can manage from here."

"Very well. If you require anything, send word to the temple," Jin Shijie did not press the matter and turned away hurriedly. Despite his deep composure, he could not entirely mask his agitation now.

The Duan Yue Saber was simply too astonishing and held too much significance. Jin Shijie understood its importance; his usual equanimity had vanished, leaving only one thought: "Report to the Sect Master."

He hurried back, entering the temple, passing straight through the crowd without acknowledging his Martial Uncle on the dais, and proceeded directly into the main hall behind.

In the main hall, beneath a statue of Taishang Laojun, three elders sat cross-legged. Each had white hair and beards, ruddy complexions, and an aura of immortal grace.

The three elders possessed different appearances but shared a similar bearing. They sat motionless on their prayer cushions.

As Jin Shijie entered, the elder in the center spoke lightly, "Shijie, what great matter troubles you so much? Sit down and speak."

This elder had a melon-shaped face, delicate features bordering on feminine, a straight nose, deep-set eyes, and a small mouth—utterly lacking in commanding presence.

However, when he opened his eyes, they crackled like lightning, instantly manifesting an awe-inspiring, inviolable majesty.

Upon seeing him, Jin Shijie seemed to shrink, bowing slightly and sitting obediently on the cushion opposite the three.

The other two elders opened their eyes simultaneously. They shared some resemblance, both having square faces and large eyes, prominent noses and square mouths, exuding simple honesty tempered by righteousness.

The two glanced at Jin Shijie. One chuckled faintly, "Hmm, seeing the auspicious aura over your head, has something good happened?"

Jin Shijie nodded eagerly. "Yes, Second Martial Uncle, a very great thing has happened."

"Tell us about it. Good news isn't always truly good, and bad news isn't always truly bad. Who can truly distinguish between good and bad, or bad and good..." the elder spoke mildly, his voice distant.

Jin Shijie dared not interrupt, remaining still with eyes downcast, letting the elder finish. The other elder snorted impatiently. "Elder Brother, let us meditate; listen to Young Jin speak first."

The elder sighed, nodding, and said no more. He turned back to Jin Shijie, and the Sect Master also looked over, saying lightly, "Shijie, speak. What is it?"

"Master, today two people forced their way up the mountain, challenging us," Jin Shijie reported.

The Sect Master nodded, stroking his beard slowly. "Indeed, few have managed to ascend the mountain these past few years... Are they those two from Great Yan?"

"Precisely," Jin Shijie confirmed, smiling. "I didn't expect these two to be so formidable."

"Yes, the quality of our disciples has generally improved; the difficulty has certainly increased," the Sect Master conceded. "Are there any surprises regarding these two from Great Yan?"

"They are both quite young, around seventeen or eighteen. One is a monk," Jin Shijie said.

The Sect Master asked, "And then?"

Jin Shijie's eyes lit up with excitement. "The monk carries a treasured saber, Master, you would never guess what kind of treasure it is."

The Sect Master stroked his beard, pondered briefly, and then smiled. "Ah... could it be the Duan Yue Saber?"

Jin Shijie clapped his hands emphatically. "Yes, it is the Duan Yue Saber!"

The other elder curled his lip slightly. "Another fake?"

This was the elder who had previously stopped the first one from talking too much; among the three, he seemed to have the lowest seniority.

"First Martial Uncle, it is not fake," Jin Shijie quickly denied.

The elder raised a frosty brow. "Oh—?"

Jin Shijie rushed on. "First Martial Uncle, Second Martial Uncle, Master, between a real treasured saber and a fake one, can I not discern the difference?"

"That is not necessarily the case," the Second Martial Uncle said mildly, about to elaborate, but the First Martial Uncle interrupted, his eyes widening. "Is it the real Duan Yue Saber?"

"Yes," Jin Shijie nodded firmly, resolute. "It is absolutely, unquestionably the Duan Yue Saber!"

"How can you be so certain?" the Second Martial Uncle asked calmly.

Jin Shijie explained, "Our sect possesses the Saber Saint's Heart Sutra; I have seen Saber Saint Chunyu's handwriting. The treasured saber is engraved with two large characters: Duan Yue. They are precisely the Saber Saint's own writing!"

"Characters can be imitated," the Second Martial Uncle stated plainly.

"Second Martial Uncle, common imitation is utterly distinct from the Saber Saint's own hand," Jin Shijie insisted forcefully. "If I had never seen the Saber Saint's original script, I wouldn't dare be certain, but upon seeing those two characters, only one thought registered: it was absolutely carved by the Saint himself!"

"Oh—?" the Second Martial Uncle mused.

Jin Shijie pressed on. "The sheer, heaven-piercing spirit within them is something no ordinary person could replicate!"

The three elders paused, exchanging glances, and slowly nodded. Jin Shijie was known for his steady conduct and deep cunning, the most capable among all the disciples.

If he was so certain that it was the Saber Saint's authentic calligraphy, then this treasured saber was, in all likelihood, the real Duan Yue Saber.

Upon this realization, the three felt a surge of excitement. They knew better than anyone what the Duan Yue Saber represented: the legacy of the Saber Saint lineage.

The Saber Saint's peerless saber art—the Duan Yue Saber Technique—was the supreme martial art of the age. To master it would ensure one ranked among the pinnacle masters, if not stand above all heroes.

The Spirit Mountain Sect had long relied on spiritual medicines to boost disciple cultivation, but their true ultimate skills were not considered exceptional. However, possessing the Duan Yue Saber Technique would change everything.

The Duan Yue Saber Technique was like a pair of wings. The Spirit Mountain Sect was like a fierce tiger; once these wings were attached, they could roar across the land, unstoppable.

Thinking of this, their eyes burned with fervor; even those who had deciphered the mysteries of heaven and earth could not help but be moved.

The Sect Master said quietly, "Shijie, if he possesses this saber, why would he dare display it so openly? Is he not afraid of inviting catastrophic disaster?"

"I am also puzzled, Master," Jin Shijie shook his head, displaying confusion. "He speaks with immense arrogance, proposing a wager using this saber as the stake, while demanding the formulation for the Guyuan Pill as ours."

"What incredible audacity!" The three elders’ eyes widened, and the air in the chamber instantly grew tense, oppressively so.

Jin Shijie took a deep, steadying breath to keep from suffocating.

"Hmm, this young man seems utterly without fear," the Second Martial Uncle sighed languidly.

The other elder nodded, frowning. "Indeed, he shows no fear... It seems he is not afraid of any backing the Spirit Mountain Sect might possess?"

He continued muttering under his breath, "Could it be another sect?"

"They should be from Great Yan," Jin Shijie whispered.

"How can you tell?" the First Martial Uncle asked.

Jin Shijie replied, "The confidence in their speech, and even their expressions, do not resemble those of people from our Western Zhao."