The late autumn water was bone-chilling, extinguishing the flames of desire. He paused in the water, observing the underwater scene.

Fine sand covered the bottom, pristine white beneath the surface, while green algae drifted, trailing in delicate strands, swaying like willows as the water rippled. The lake water shifted, shimmering with reflections, and schools of brocade carp swam through the green algae, utterly ignoring him, playing leisurely.

A smile touched his lips; surely life for the fish here must be exceedingly beautiful. He had been in grave danger this time.

He hadn't expected the ** acupoint to hold such immense power; the intensity of the desire was enough to burn away sanity and reason. If he hadn't had the quick wit to rush into the lake, he might not have escaped disaster.

Mei Ruolan, seeing Li Muzhan plunge into the lake and remain utterly still without any further sound, frowned in thought, then suddenly leaped, diving into the water like a swimming fish. The Mei Residence possessed a clear lake, and she had mastered swimming from childhood.

As she entered the water, the surroundings became clear, the green algae drifting past. She spotted Li Muzhan immediately.

With a few strokes, she swiftly glided to his side, reaching out an arm to pull him. Li Muzhan turned his head and saw Mei Ruolan’s jade-like face, like a hibiscus blossom, etched with concern.

He inwardly cursed his misfortune. He pulled with his arms a few times, moving slowly forward a short distance, evading Mei Ruolan.

Mei Ruolan was puzzled. She popped her head up for a breath, then dove back down, pursuing Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan fled, but his swimming skills were poor. He relied on his long-lasting Qi channels, requiring no breath, so he wasn't afraid of the water, but his coordination in paddling with his hands and legs was mismatched, canceling out his efforts and making his progress agonizingly slow.

The two chased each other like fish in the lake. In moments, they darted from the south end to the north.

Li Muzhan was finally caught. Mei Ruolan reached out to grab his arm, about to demand an explanation.

The moment their skin touched, Li Muzhan secretly cried out in pain. The fire of desire flared back to life, surging instantly to his mind.

In the clear, bright water, Mei Ruolan appeared even more noble and coldly beautiful. Desire burned fiercely in his chest; he longed to pull her into his embrace and merge them into one.

A sliver of clarity remained in his mind, which he desperately controlled, trying to push Mei Ruolan away. Seeing this, Mei Ruolan grasped both his hands, intending to pull him up and ask what was wrong.

Li Muzhan had initially been pushing back, but the contact with her soft hands instantly ignited the raging desire, sending it soaring to his mind, consuming the last shred of lucidity. He pulled her toward him, reaching out and drawing Mei Ruolan into his embrace.

Looking at her delicate, tender red lips, he could hold back no longer and pressed his mouth to hers directly. "Ying..." Mei Ruolan gasped, her lips already covered.

Her mind instantly went blank. Even the strongest heroine was reduced to a weak woman at this moment.

Her body stiffened, her bright eyes wide, as Li Muzhan held her tightly and took liberties. Moments later, she suddenly reacted, pushing away violently.

Her heart was filled with anguish, shame, and anger. But she had been practicing the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture these past few days, dispersing the power of the Vast Sea Divine Art.

Li Muzhan was protected by the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art, making him overwhelmingly strong. No matter how hard she struggled, it was like an ant trying to shake a mountain—utterly futile.

Li Muzhan was lost in the softness of her lips, his tongue twisting, greedily drawing in more. His arms clamped around Mei Ruolan, holding the soft, warm jade that felt yielding and tender.

Immobilized, she could only endure the liberties taken. Unknowingly, her jade teeth were parted, and his tongue aggressively intruded.

By the time she realized it, the critical moment had passed. She could only dodge fruitlessly, keeping her tongue from meeting his.

Li Muzhan’s tongue was agile, constantly pursuing her fragrant tongue, finally succeeding in entangling it. "Boom..." Li Muzhan felt an explosion in his mind, like the roar of spring thunder.

After a moment of disorientation, it was as if a basin of cold water had been dumped on him; the fire of desire instantly vanished. He felt cool currents flowing from his tongue tip, drilling directly into his Sarira.

This breath was cool and pure, thick as oil. As the Sarira absorbed this pure energy, his mind cleared completely, his resolve greatly increased, and his spirit strengthened at a visible rate.

"Ying..." A massive force surged, and Mei Ruolan broke free, gliding away like a fish, disappearing in a blink. Li Muzhan stared blankly, feeling a profound sense of loss.

The sensation of soft warmth still lingered, yet she was gone. Mei Ruolan was both ashamed and enraged.

The shameful scene replayed endlessly before her eyes; her skin burned, and she was overcome with shyness, wishing she could melt into the water and never emerge. When he kissed her, she had tried to resist, but her body had gone limp, devoid of any strength.

At the crucial moment, a warm, gentle current suddenly flowed from her tongue tip. The Wonderful Lotus Scripture instantly reactivated, circulating immediately, infusing her with boundless strength, allowing her to yank herself free with a powerful surge.

If not for that warm current, who knew what might have happened... Thinking of this, her face burned even hotter.

This little monk was truly despicable. However, the incident felt strange.

His sudden transformation might be due to a deviation in his cultivation. Though vexed and angry, she retained her clarity.

Recalling the previous situation, she knew he was on the verge of losing control, which was why she fled. It was a pity she hadn't been cleverer; concern had clouded her judgment.

Instead of thinking things through, she had delivered herself right to him—like a lamb walking straight to the wolf, asking for trouble. Li Muzhan sat cross-legged at the bottom of the lake, resting on the soft fine sand, his pores open.

The Sarira had just moved, and the Vast Sea Divine Art surged out, driving away the internal energy from the military exercises. He frowned in thought.

In the cold water, his mind was exceptionally clear, perfect for contemplation. Losing control earlier and touching the Young Miss was no great matter; the Young Miss would likely understand, perhaps feeling only awkwardness when they met next.

He needed to understand why the Sarira had suddenly stirred, why a strange energy from her tongue tip had surged in and drilled into the Sarira, causing it to gain a touch of gold. The original Sarira had been like a crystal sphere, occasionally flashing a golden gleam, barely noticeable unless closely examined, the golden light faint and elusive.

Now, with this infusion of vital essence, the golden light surged, increasing tenfold compared to before. The Sarira was now enveloped in a faint golden hue, its appearance transformed.

Li Muzhan found it curious. Was this vital essence from the Young Miss's Wonderful Lotus Scripture?

There was another possibility: the pure Yin essence of a woman. When the Sarira first formed, it was through contemplating that Black Buddha, unintentionally refining the Purple Elixir into a Sarira.

The Buddhist schools west of the Great Snow Mountains differed considerably from those in the Central Plains. They possessed dual cultivation methods.

Could the method contained within this Black Buddha actually permit dual cultivation? He pondered repeatedly but couldn't be certain.

He would have to test it later. Testing would be difficult.

The chance earlier was rare; to steal another kiss would be slim. Perhaps he could feign an accident and trick the Young Miss into another kiss.

However, this was only a fleeting thought. After this incident, Mei Ruolan would certainly be cautious, making it hard to succeed unless he resorted to force.

Forcing a woman was something he utterly disdained and would never consider. After thinking through everything, he surfaced from the lake and was met by a gaze as clear as water.

It was Xiaoyuan, who was perched on the railing, propping her chin in her hands, staring at him curiously. Li Muzhan leaped out, entered the waterside pavilion, and shook his body lightly.

His internal energy expelled the water droplets, restoring dryness. Li Muzhan took the initiative: "Xiaoyuan, why are you here instead of practicing?" Xiaoyuan tilted her head, examining him suspiciously.

"Mingkong, what were you and the Miss doing underwater just now?" "Nothing at all," Li Muzhan shook his head. Xiaoyuan shook her head and gave him an exasperated look.

"If you were doing nothing, why did the water surface churn so violently?" Li Muzhan chuckled. "You saw it all?" "I'm not blind...

Mingkong, tell me honestly, did you wrong the Miss?" Xiaoyuan chided, pouting her lips. "The Miss's face has never been that red.

There must be something going on." Li Muzhan laughed. "I experienced a Qi deviation just now, and the Young Miss restrained me.

But, underwater... her clothes..." Xiaoyuan suddenly understood.

The Miss was wearing her close-fitting practice attire; submerged in the water, her curves were fully revealed, much like being unclothed. No wonder her face was so red.

Li Muzhan sat down. Xiaoyuan served him a teacup and smiled.

"Mingkong, how long until we master the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture?" Li Muzhan reached out to press her slender wrist; the touch was as smooth as satin. He smiled.

"About another month." "That long?" Xiaoyuan pouted. Li Muzhan quickly stood up, leaning against the railing to look out at the lake.

Xiaoyuan's changing expressions—joyful, pouty, flirtatious—were all captivating. His current resolve wasn't deep enough; he dared not look too long.

Xiaoyuan walked over to him and leaned on the railing to gaze into the distance, a faint, delicate fragrance lingering around them. Li Muzhan looked afar and smiled.

"Once the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture is mastered, your power will double. A month is already very short; don't be too greedy." "Hehe, alright," Xiaoyuan giggled.

"It's boring staying hidden in the residence all the time. Miss Shisan is quite interesting." "No matter what, you cannot leave this month," Li Muzhan shook his head.

Li Muzhan left the waterside pavilion and returned to the front room to continue his cultivation. He sat on the ground, using the ** acupoint to absorb the Earth's vital essence, hoping to gain complete control.

No matter what, the speed at which the ** acupoint absorbed vital essence was unmatched by other points; even the Yongquan and Laogong acupoints combined couldn't compare by several times. One day of this cultivation was worth several days otherwise; he couldn't easily abandon this practice.

This time, he noticed something unusual. Once the fire of desire rose, the Sarira suddenly expelled a current of cool energy that ascended along the Du Meridian, rushed into his mind, circled, and then descended along the Ren Meridian, returning to the Sarira.

Whenever the desire rose to his mind, the cool energy naturally emerged. He was overjoyed.

With this, he no longer needed to worry; the speed of his internal energy cultivation increased dramatically, and the growth of his Qi membrane was visible to the naked eye. With every circuit the cool energy made, his resolve grew stronger, his spirit healthier, and when it returned to the Sarira, it transformed into purified Vast Sea Divine Art, causing the gold within the Sarira to fade slightly.

Li Muzhan estimated that this cool energy wouldn't last forever. Once it was depleted, he would likely revert to his old state, unable to suppress the fire of desire with mere resolve.

For the following month, he stayed entirely within his own courtyard, avoiding the back garden, which puzzled Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun. Mei Ruolan acted as if nothing had happened, offering no comment.

Li Muzhan was intoxicated by the rapid increase in his internal energy. He stopped refining other acupoints, focusing entirely on absorbing the Earth's vital essence.

Simultaneously, he held the Mountain Severing Blade, intending to refine it until it merged completely with his mind and spirit. This time, however, he encountered trouble.

The blade seemed possessed of an invisible force, resisting the intrusion of his mind. Despite the soaring power of his spirit, attempting to merge with the blade made agonizingly slow progress.

In one month, his Qi membrane had grown by half. In another two months, it would likely reach completion, yet the Mountain Severing Blade still hadn't fully integrated with his consciousness.

But it was not entirely without gain.