Li Muzhan scratched his head sheepishly. "Elder Ji, I need to ask for another leave of absence. I want to continue my seclusion."

"Oh?" Elder Ji watched him with a knowing smile.

Li Muzhan mumbled, "During this recent seclusion, I finally hit the right feeling. I want to strike while the iron is hot and practice the Minor Dragon Form."

Elder Ji chuckled. "Training requires both tension and relaxation; don't just rush forward blindly, it can be harmful. Your body might hold up, but your spirit might not be able to bear it." Old Man Li called out, "Little Monk! How far have you progressed with the Minor Dragon Form?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I just have a vague sense that it’s almost there."

"Near complete mastery?" Old Man Li's small eyes widened considerably.

Li Muzhan nodded slowly.

"Elder Ji, grant him the leave! Grant him the leave!" Old Man Li urged hastily, his small eyes shining with excitement. "I desperately want to see how long it takes him to master the Minor Dragon Form!"

..................................................

Elder Ji laughed. "Mingkong, what we are practicing is the Minor Dragon Form, and we haven't reached grand completion yet." Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, sensing the surging vital energy emanating from them, ready to burst forth, as if a colossal beast lay dormant within their bodies.

He had assumed they had already formed Gang Qi (Aura/Tension Energy), but it seemed they were still a step short.

He asked, "Elder Ji, is it just the final push?"

"Precisely." Elder Ji nodded, sighing. "Achieving grand completion in the Minor Dragon Form—that final step is truly arduous. Don't think it’s simple." Li Muzhan replied, "I believe this disciple can reach perfection in two months, but that's just an estimate; I might encounter obstacles midway."

Elder Ji's eyes shone with astonishment. He stared at Li Muzhan for a long moment before slowly nodding. "Indeed, your progress is incredibly fast... However, two months is perhaps too optimistic. Very well. Practice for two months then... Be careful not to overexert yourself. Go wander the streets in your free time and relax a bit."

"Yes, thank you, Elder Ji!" Li Muzhan smiled.

Old Man Li exclaimed, "Little Monk, if you truly master the Minor Dragon Form, we’ll petition the General to teach you the Major Dragon Form! That would be incredible!" "Old Li, stop talking nonsense!" Elder Ji's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly stopped him.

Old Man Li was unconvinced. "Elder Ji, how am I talking nonsense? With Mingkong's innate talent, if he doesn't learn the Major Dragon Form, who will!"

"Only the General is qualified to learn the Major Dragon Form," Elder Ji shook his head and sighed. "The Minor Dragon Form, we can turn a blind eye to, but the Major Dragon Form—absolutely not. The General will never agree." "Then what? If we eliminate the Black Hawk, the General will certainly be pleased!" Old Man Li said with a grin.

Elder Ji shook his head and chuckled. "Alright, stop with the outlandish talk."

He turned back to Li Muzhan. "Mingkong, focus on mastering the Minor Dragon Form first... The Major Dragon Form is reserved exclusively for the General. However, given your astonishing strength, if you perform a world-shaking meritorious deed, perhaps an exception can be made."

"Yes, thank you, Elder Ji," Li Muzhan nodded.

Li Muzhan mounted Red Shadow and left the inner camp again, returning to Tianlong City.

He found it almost amusing to consider—though he had joined the army, his time spent in the barracks was minimal; most of his days were spent at the Ming Manor. Others would surely find it strange.

He knew that the ease with which he secured leave and the leniency shown to him stemmed from his exceptionally rapid progress in strength, which had already surprised them. Geniuses, no matter when or where, always draw special attention.

If he had gone for seclusion once and made little progress, asking for leave wouldn't have been so easy. Look at Zhao Shengli and the others, who were shackled daily, forced to train on the drill grounds with no freedom whatsoever.

Riding Red Shadow, by noon he had returned to Tianlong City and the Ming Manor. As he entered the South Gate, he suddenly paused, his brow furrowing slightly.

When he arrived back at the Ming Manor, Xiaoyuan greeted him with delight, laughing sweetly, "Mingkong, why are you back so soon? Did you never leave?" Li Muzhan released Red Shadow, allowing it to return to the stables on its own, and walked toward the main hall, smiling. "I went back and requested another leave. What are you all preparing for?" Xiaoyuan was dressed in a rosy pink silk dress, looking dazzling and captivating, as if for a grand festival.

She chirped, "Thirteenth Lady invited us all out shopping."

"Her?" Li Muzhan frowned.

Xiaoyuan giggled, "Don't worry! Miss also noticed that this Thirteenth Lady is very secretive, and she wants to figure out exactly what she’s planning." Li Muzhan shook his head, unconcerned. "Why bother with other people's business? She's a local power; it's best to avoid provoking her."

"Then tell Miss that," Xiaoyuan giggled, a hint of slyness in her eyes.

Li Muzhan glared at her good-naturedly. "Fine, I'll accompany you all today."

"Really?" Xiaoyuan's bright eyes widened.

Li Muzhan nodded. "Yes, I also need a change of scenery."

"I'll go tell Miss!" Xiaoyuan cheered and dashed off in a whirlwind.

Li Muzhan shook his head with a smile, feeling a warmth in his heart. He frowned, recalling the figure he had seen at the city gate, feeling a sense of strangeness, but he suppressed his curiosity for the moment.

Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun soon arrived. Upon seeing Li Muzhan, Mei Ruolan gave him a faint, expressionless glance. Gong Qingyun offered him a slight smile but didn't speak much.

Both women were exquisitely dressed, making them even more beautiful. However, both covered their faces with white gauze, revealing only their eyes and above. Their cheeks and cherry lips were hidden.

Their graceful figures and elegant bearing, with the white gauze gently fluttering, offered fleeting glimpses of their features, which only enhanced their charm, stirring an irresistible yearning.

Xiaoyuan stepped forward and looped her arm through his. "Mingkong, let's go!"

A faint, delicate fragrance drifted into his nose. Li Muzhan smiled. "Alright, let's go!"

..................................................

As the four of them stepped out of the Ming Manor's main gate, a light chuckle came from nearby. "Oh, the Master is back too?"

Li Muzhan turned his head and saw Thirteenth Lady standing by the adjacent doorway, clad in a light pink silk dress that billowed slightly in the breeze, her posture graceful and alluring.

The bright sunlight illuminated her exquisite features, making her look like a flower in full bloom.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Thirteenth Lady, long time no see."

"It certainly has been, nearly a month, hasn't it!" Thirteenth Lady pursed her lips into a smile and elegantly approached. She glanced briefly at the three women, then at Li Muzhan, and remarked with a laugh, "I didn't expect the Master to have such stunningly beautiful companions!" Li Muzhan smiled back. "How have you been, Thirteenth Lady?"

"Same as always," Thirteenth Lady replied cheerfully. She exchanged greetings with Mei Ruolan and the other two women, then gracefully moved her delicate steps toward the west along the street.

The group walked west, chatting and laughing leisurely. They soon crossed the quiet main street and reached the bustling North-South Avenue, where the clamor and prosperity struck them immediately, feeling like two entirely different worlds.

The five strolled down the busy street at an unhurried pace, yet they did not draw undue attention. Li Muzhan wore a hat that concealed his identity as a monk; otherwise, their group would have been startlingly conspicuous.

Thirteenth Lady, Mei Ruolan, and the other two chatted animatedly, occasionally glancing at Li Muzhan. Their alluring gazes were captivating, capable of stirring deep emotion in any other man, likely leading to endless fantasies.

Li Muzhan, however, remained steady and composed, pretending not to notice her captivating glances, focusing instead on the lively atmosphere around him. The rich scent of everyday life brought ease to his mind and body.

All five possessed excellent stamina, so the slow pace didn't tire them. Only as evening approached, with the sun setting, did they finally settle down at the Changping Tower.

When they reached Changping Tower, it was peak dinner time, full of comings and goings, and incredibly lively.

However, Thirteenth Lady possessed considerable influence, and they were still granted a private room. A refined young waiter led the way upstairs to the second floor, heading east.

As they passed one of the private rooms, a loud, hearty laugh erupted from within, followed by crisp, tinkling giggles. Li Muzhan suddenly stopped and turned to look.

The four women beside him stopped too. Thirteenth Lady asked with a smile, "Master, an acquaintance?" Li Muzhan frowned and nodded slowly. "Miss Fan from the Fan family."

"Oh, is it really her? Should we say hello?" Thirteenth Lady asked with a raised eyebrow.

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That would be suitable." He stepped forward and knocked lightly on the door. Someone pulled it open and paused in surprise upon seeing Li Muzhan. "Master...?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Is Miss Fan inside?"

He recognized the man who opened the door as Fan Peiyao’s personal guard, a man about sixty years old with considerable cultivation.

"It is the Master?" Fan Peiyao appeared with a sweet smile, dressed in a moon-white silk gown, a jade hairpin adorning her hair, altogether feminine and stunningly beautiful, which momentarily caught Li Muzhan off guard.

Li Muzhan smiled. "I heard the laughter and knew it was Miss Fan; I thought I’d say hello."

Fan Peiyao glanced at Mei Ruolan and the other three women, then smiled. "The Master is with friends? Wonderful. Thirteenth Lady offered a graceful curtsy. "Miss Fan."

Fan Peiyao pursed her lips into an almost-smile. "Thirteenth Lady is here too... The Master truly has a delightful social circle!" Li Muzhan laughed. "Are you also entertaining guests, Miss Fan?"

"Yes," Fan Peiyao nodded and said with a smile, "Why don't you all come in and sit with us?" She stepped aside, and Li Muzhan saw the man seated inside—it was indeed Feng Baishan.

Feng Baishan sat calmly, his face as fair as jade, radiating refined elegance, possessing truly distinguished bearing. He had been smiling warmly toward the door, but when Fan Peiyao moved aside to reveal Li Muzhan, he immediately froze, his smile vanishing.

Li Muzhan turned back and smiled. "Since there are guests already, there's no need to be polite. More people make for a livelier gathering."

Xiaoyuan glanced at Mei Ruolan, pouting slightly, quite annoyed—this Zhanran was clearly a flirtatious monk, attracting yet another beautiful woman!

Mei Ruolan’s bright eyes looked distant, showing little reaction. Gong Qingyun frowned slightly, looking at Li Muzhan.

Thirteenth Lady smiled. "That sounds wonderful! It's perfect that Miss Fan has guests to share with!" She stepped inside first. Mei Ruolan glanced at Li Muzhan and followed. Xiaoyuan and Gong Qingyun followed behind them, with Li Muzhan entering last.

"You..." Feng Baishan stood up, staring at Li Muzhan with an unpleasant expression.

Fan Peiyao walked over, looking surprised at the sight. "Master, you know Brother Feng?" Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "We met once before; I didn't expect to run into Brother Feng here." Saying this, he cupped his hands in greeting. "Brother Feng, it’s a pleasure!"

Feng Baishan recovered his smile and cupped his hands in return. "A pleasure. I have not yet had the honor of learning your esteemed name, brother."

"Allow me to introduce," Fan Peiyao said, gesturing toward Feng Baishan. "Master, this is an old family acquaintance, Brother Feng Baishan."

PS: I am truly stretched thin; this damned body is pushing me to the limit. My deepest apologies to everyone. (To be continued)