Old Li winked, "Little monk, don't you already have three wives? Heh heh, I hear they are quite beautiful, is that right?" Li Muzhan nodded, "They were arranged before I took vows." ... "Good lad, eating from your bowl while eyeing the basin! What a fickle fellow!" Old Li chuckled, clapping Li Muzhan hard on the shoulder.
Li Muzhan offered a wry smile, "Old Li, Miss Fan and I have no romantic entanglement; we are just good friends.
If a friend is in trouble and I don't help, wouldn't that be disloyal?" ... "Hmm, a man cannot lack loyalty!" Old Li readily agreed.
Li Muzhan secretly smiled.
Old Li valued loyalty above all else; it was his Achilles' heel, easily touched upon.
Old Li said, "Old Ji, in my view, we should just let him go!" Old Ji, uncharacteristically grave, shot Old Li a glance before turning to Li Muzhan, "Mingkong, are you certain you can retreat unscathed, even if this is a trap set by Leijian Peak?" Li Muzhan smiled, "Elder Ji need not worry!" Old Ji sighed deeply, "I am incompetent; I cannot procure the Great Dragon Form for you.
Alas!" He inwardly mused that with Mingkong's current cultivation, mastering the Great Dragon Form would double his martial arts prowess, making him perhaps the foremost expert in the Divine Martial Guard.
It was a pity that the Great Dragon Form, the most crucial secret art of the Divine Martial Guard, was not taught to those without sufficient merit.
Even if Mingkong mastered the Lesser Dragon Form to perfection, it would not suffice.
In terms of cultivation, Mingkong was already the top master in the Divine Martial Camp; even General Feng, who practiced the Great Dragon Form, might not surpass him.
Yet, due to his position, he was restricted from learning it—a massive waste.
Li Muzhan smiled, "My contributions are insufficient.
Even if I had the Great Dragon Form, I would be too embarrassed to practice it.
Elder Ji need not press the matter." His internal power had now merged seamlessly with the Sea-Covering Divine Art, giving him mastery over his spirit and mind, lessening his urgency for the Great Dragon Form.
With the Mountain-Shattering Blade Technique, the Flying Dragon Spear Technique, the Lamp-Burning Art, and the Great Bright King Scripture, he was sufficiently equipped for self-preservation.
Old Ji sighed and shook his head, "Very well.
Be careful.
If you sense things are amiss, prioritize your safety.
Do not overexert yourself for the sake of a woman!" Li Muzhan nodded and smiled, "Yes, this junior understands!" Old Li pulled a porcelain vial from his robes and handed it over. "Little monk, take this bottle of Dragon Tiger Pills.
Take one in a critical moment; it can save your life." Li Muzhan accepted it, his gaze questioning.
Old Li explained, "Swallow it, and your power will double.
However, you'll need half a month to recover afterward; it severely damages vital energy.
Don't take it unless absolutely necessary!" Li Muzhan looked at the vial in surprise, then slowly nodded.
Although he possessed the Lamp-Burning Art and didn't strictly need the pill, such a substance was extraordinarily precious, truly a life-saving item that could unleash double strength in a crisis, sufficient for escape.
In the rear garden of the Fan Residence, two acres of clear lake mirrored the white clouds above like polished glass.
The lotus flowers in the pond were withered, but the willows along the banks swayed softly, their slender branches gracefully moving in the gentle breeze, enchantingly tender.
Not far from the lake edge was a bamboo grove, rustling in the cool wind.
Fan Peiyao, clad in a moon-white silk robe, walked slowly by the water.
Her waist was bare; her sword was gone.
She paused occasionally, leaning against a willow, gazing into the distance in a daze.
After a long time, she snapped back to the present and continued her measured stroll along the lake.
She held a willow branch, waving it gently.
Her beautiful face remained, yet it was drawn and haggard; her naturally dark, exquisite hair had turned brittle and yellowed.
Her entire being seemed devoid of spirit, listless, with confusion occasionally flickering across her bright eyes. "Alas..." A long sigh suddenly broke the silence.
She startled, quickly turning to look toward the woods behind her.
There stood Li Muzhan, clad in a green robe, amidst the bamboo, shaking his head and sighing.
His green attire blended perfectly with the green stalks, making him hard to distinguish.
A gust of wind swept through, causing the bamboo to rustle and sway gently.
His robe fluttered with it, setting off his otherworldly elegance, making him appear ethereal, like an immortal. "And you..." Fan Peiyao was terribly anxious.
She glanced around quickly, darted two or three steps into the bamboo grove, and lowered her voice urgently, "Master, you...
why did you really come!" She had been worried sick that Li Muzhan would come.
She had guessed he would, because if the roles were reversed, facing such a situation, she would certainly come to his aid.
She and Li Muzhan were deeply understanding of each other; she knew he couldn't just stand by and watch her be killed; he had to come save her.
This was precisely what troubled her: she felt that it was because of her that he had walked into such grave danger.
She felt her own death was inconsequential, but she couldn't let him be implicated! Old Master Fan's maneuver left her disheartened.
Living alone in the world held no joy; the sooner she died, the sooner she could be reborn.
If Li Muzhan came, he would fall right into the trap set by her grandfather and Sect Leader Li—a snare from which escape was impossible.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "I came to see you." He looked her over, shaking his head, "You've lost weight.
Why punish yourself so?" Fan Peiyao rushed, "Go! Go quickly!" Her grandfather and Sect Leader Li are waiting for you; this is walking right into a trap! Go!" Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, "I'll rescue you first." Fan Peiyao immediately urged, "You must leave quickly, you don't need to save me...
Grandfather won't truly harm me; it's just a tactic to lure you out!" Li Muzhan smiled, "Perhaps not entirely..." Fan Peiyao fell silent for a moment, then shook her head, "Even a tiger doesn't eat its young.
Don't worry." ..............................................
She understood that her grandfather didn't truly wish to kill her, but when faced with the choice between her life alone and the safety of the entire family, he would not hesitate to sacrifice her to protect them all.
She didn't resent her grandfather; who could blame Leijian Peak for being so tyrannical? Man is the knife, and she is the fish on the chopping block.
She only blamed the Fan family for not being strong enough, and herself for lacking sufficient martial prowess.
Li Muzhan surveyed her and chuckled, "Even if I can't defeat Leijian Peak, I can certainly escape.
Let's go!" Saying this, without waiting for Fan Peiyao to protest, he stooped down and crouched before her.
Fan Peiyao hastily shook her head, "You can escape alone, but taking me along is impossible.
You must leave quickly!" Li Muzhan turned, "Stop talking nonsense and get on quickly.
If we dawdle any longer, they will arrive!" Seeing his resolute expression, Fan Peiyao sighed helplessly.
She knew that if she refused to climb on, he would never leave.
She could only climb onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
They had been in a similar situation when attacking Taibai Stockade; this position was less awkward for them now.
Li Muzhan slowly straightened up.
His body suddenly stiffened.
He stamped his foot, transforming into a streak of light that shot eastward. "Hmph!" A cold snort sounded, and two men in grey robes shot in from the west.
Seeing Li Muzhan, they snorted coldly and let out a long, piercing whistle that echoed throughout the entire Fan Residence.
Fan Peiyao, clinging to Li Muzhan's back, felt warmth against her chest while her face stung from the wind.
She heard the whistle and turned to see the two grey-robed figures.
She whispered urgently, "That's Leijian Peak's men!" If they were the Fan family guards, they might have looked the other way, but the Leijian Peak disciples would certainly not; they all harbored deep hatred for him and wished him dead.
Li Muzhan moved like a wisp of smoke, his voice grave, "Hold tight.
We are about to engage!" Fan Peiyao tightened her embrace.
The softness of her chest pressed against his back, but she dared not feel shy; at this critical juncture, failure to break through meant certain death. "Where do you think you're going!" Just as he vaulted over the courtyard wall, two cold glints enveloped them.
The two grey-robed figures intercepted them mid-air, their sword lights flashing like lightning.
Li Muzhan’s momentum did not lessen.
He thrust his fingers out in succession, "Chih! Chih! Chih! Chih!" The whistles were piercing, striking directly at the two men, shattering their cold glints.
Two bursts of finger force hit home, and the two grey-robed figures dropped like stones. "Don't try to flee!" Just as the first two fell, three more figures appeared in the air, attacking with their swords, weaving a dense net of blades.
Li Muzhan paid them no mind.
He shot out finger force relentlessly, much like a modern machine gun, forcibly carving a path with his internal energy.
No matter how sharp the sword light, it dissipated upon meeting his finger force.
He did not pause, breaking out of the Fan Residence in the blink of an eye, leaving the masters of Leijian Peak, whose Qinggong was inferior to his, quickly behind.
Li Muzhan sped toward the North Gate.
He thought of Taibai Stockade; given the current situation, going there was best.
The ideal hiding spot would have been the military camp, but women were strictly forbidden entry—an absolute rule.
Otherwise, Mei Ruolan and the other two wouldn't have had to return to the mountains.
The only viable option was to hide in the mountains where Taibai Stockade was located.
Furthermore, Taibai Stockade possessed a secret tunnel carved into the cliff face; if they could reach that, surely no one could find them.
His movement technique was incredibly fast, like smoke drifting by.
The pursuers from Leijian Peak gradually fell further behind; in a short while, his shadow had vanished.
They were vexed yet secretly awestruck.
He had indeed killed their Senior Brother; his cultivation was astonishing.
Though they couldn't catch up, they dared not give up.
Their Master was incandescent with rage; slacking off now would invite trouble, and punishment would be the least of it.
They gritted their teeth, pressing forward desperately, striving not to let Li Muzhan get away, but it was all in vain.
In just the length of one street, Li Muzhan had disappeared.
They could only chase by instinct, heading toward the North City Gate.
Suddenly, a flash of purple light streaked by them like a gust of wind.
They all exclaimed in shock, "Master!" Fan Peiyao turned her head and smiled, "We shook them off!" She hadn't expected Li Muzhan's martial arts to advance so rapidly.
His movement technique was twice as fast as before, shaking off the Leijian Peak experts in an instant.
Li Muzhan did not slow down; if anything, he accelerated.
In a moment, they reached the North City Gate and shot straight over the wall, drawing a chorus of angry shouts.
Fan Peiyao immediately understood: her grandfather and Li Tianlei must have made their move.
They were not the same level as the Leijian Peak disciples or the Fan Residence experts; they were top-tier masters.
Having left the city, Li Muzhan suddenly changed direction, heading east instead of toward Taibai Stockade. "Where do you think you're going, thief!" A furious roar, rolling like thunder, reached their ears.
Fan Peiyao's face instantly flushed, blood surging upward.
Li Muzhan's speed increased further; his feet barely touched the ground.
Fan Peiyao turned to look.
In the distance, a purple shadow was rapidly approaching.
Sooner or later, it would catch them.
It was none other than Li Tianlei, the Sect Leader of Leijian Peak! (To be continued)