Li Muzhan shook his head. “It’s nothing.” “Did you use some secret art?

You should rest a bit,” Fan Peiyao asked. Li Muzhan nodded.

“Mm, something like that. I’ll be fine in a few days.” He had intended to regulate his breathing for a while, but a sudden palpitation warned him something was amiss.

He rushed towards the small town, never expecting Li Tianlei would actually show up. That Li Tianlei has taken everything, he thought, shaking his head inwardly, a killing intent stirring within him.

... He said, “How about going to Taibai Stronghold?” “Wonderful,” Fan Peiyao agreed with a nod.

Li Muzhan then lifted her onto his back and vanished like a phantom into the moonlit forest surrounding the village. By the time the sky began to lighten, they had already materialized on Mount Taibai.

Standing at the peak, a dark abyss yawned beneath their feet. Li Muzhan closed his eyes, the Eye of the Void gazing down.

The Gang winds surged, whipping their clothes violently. Fan Peiyao stood beside him, taking in the surroundings, looking down at the scenery below, her beautiful face alight with excitement.

Such a panorama stirred the soul, causing an intense, uncontrollable surge of emotion. Li Muzhan’s Eye of the Void surveyed the scene; the entirety of Mount Taibai lay laid bare before him.

Taibai Post was already ruined; only a few elders, children, and women remained. Not a single able-bodied man survived—they had all been wiped out in the last bandit suppression.

Li Muzhan sighed. With just these few people, survival would be difficult; without the men, the women couldn't manage many necessary tasks.

Their sallow, malnourished complexions immediately told the story of their immense hardship. Li Muzhan opened his eyes, turned, and said, “Peiyao, you should stay in Taibai Stronghold for a while.

Help them out.” Fan Peiyao started. “Master, help who?” Li Muzhan said, “The stronghold has no men left.

These women and children struggle to support themselves alone. What if someone comes to bully them again…” Fan Peiyao seemed slightly uneasy, then slowly nodded.

“Alright, I will stay in the mountain village.” Ultimately, this was all her doing. Although the root cause was Taibai Post stealing the ginseng, forcing this situation, the resulting circumstances were now irreversible.

Li Muzhan took a slender, emerald-green flute from his robes and handed it to her. “In a moment of crisis, blow this.

I will certainly know and come to your aid.” Fan Peiyao accepted the long flute. It was exquisitely green and crystal clear, crafted from jade, smooth and warm to the touch.

She instantly adored it and smiled. “If I play this, you’ll know?” Li Muzhan chuckled.

“You must play a specific melody.” He took the jade flute back, brought it to his lips, and a low, mournful sound drifted out, dense and unwavering, soaring straight toward the heavens. Immediately, two piercing cries echoed from the sky, revealing two tiny black specks.

... As the flute melody flowed, the long cries continued to ring out—high, clear, and resounding throughout the entire sky, audible even miles away.

“What is this…?” Fan Peiyao watched the sky in astonishment. Li Muzhan stopped playing and smiled.

“Those are two eagles I keep. They are quite intelligent.

Once they hear the flute, they come. The other will go find me.” As he spoke, the two black specks rapidly grew larger, suddenly arriving close by.

A blast of strong wind swept past, forcing Fan Peiyao to narrow her eyes. When she reopened them, an eagle perched on each of Li Muzhan’s shoulders.

One eagle was large, the other small, both covered in ash-brown feathers that gleamed as if coated in silk. Their gazes were so sharp they seemed to pierce the heart, making one instinctively want to look away.

She instantly fell in love with these magnificent birds and reached out a jade hand. Li Muzhan quickly warned, “Don’t touch them!

… They have terrible tempers. No one else is allowed to handle them.” Fan Peiyao regretfully withdrew her hand and smiled.

“They truly are majestic. Where did you obtain them?” Li Muzhan said, “In West Zhao.

The last time I went to buy eagles, I ran into Feng Baishan, we fought, and an enmity formed. I never expected things to turn out like this…” He shook his head as he spoke, perhaps in regret, perhaps in melancholy.

“The world is fickle, its changes unpredictable. Fate, that thing, is a power working in the unseen—truly something to be revered.” Fan Peiyao pursed her lips and smiled, gazing fixedly at the two eagles, taking his words as philosophical musings.

He was a monk, naturally one who contemplated deeper matters. She, however, preferred to grasp the present, strive hard, and not dwell on fate.

“Did you remember the melody?” Li Muzhan asked. Fan Peiyao smiled.

“I can’t read music. Teach me instead.” Though she came from a prominent family, their background was in security escort services (biaoju), favoring martial arts over academics, and valuing sons over daughters.

Despite being a girl, she was unversed in needlework, music, or painting; her focus had always been martial training. Li Muzhan taught her note by note.

Fortunately, she was quick-witted; she memorized the sequence of finger positions and practiced tentatively, little by little. As she practiced, her lovely face flushed red.

Li Muzhan would play a few notes, then hand the jade flute over, and she would play a few notes back, always touching the same hole. Though she wiped the flute, she could still faintly feel their lips brushing when they passed it back and forth.

Thinking of it, her lips tingled, and her cheeks burned with shyness. Li Muzhan possessed the ability of thought-reading (you xin tong), but he usually kept it sealed, only activating it when facing enemies or strangers to avoid mental clutter.

He noticed Fan Peiyao’s strange expression but didn't connect it to their proximity. Assuming she was frustrated by her own slowness, he smiled and offered comfort.

“Don't rush. For a beginner in music, you’re already doing remarkably well.” “Really?” Fan Peiyao tried hard to suppress her shyness.

Li Muzhan said, “Much better than I was. When I first started…” He shook his head and smiled, not continuing, because the memory of Canghai Mountain surfaced.

... Even though his spiritual state was profound enough to cast aside trivial distractions, the pull of longing was tenacious, impossible to eradicate.

Every time he thought of Canghai Mountain, he yearned to return for a visit. His Master had already arranged for people to go to Jinyang City to bring his parents and elder brother to Canghai Mountain.

Jinyang City was unsafe, and despite his second sister being there, caution was still necessary. As for Li Jian’s family, he had already written to Li Jian, asking them to move over with their whole family.

Firstly, Li Jian would have a better future at Canghai Mountain; secondly, their presence would provide company for his parents, lest they feel lonely upon arrival. Fan Peiyao said, “Learning music won’t be of much use to me anyway.

Perhaps I should just stop.” Li Muzhan smiled. “The study of music cultivates temperament and tempers the mind, which greatly aids martial cultivation.

Moreover, music can harm people.” Fan Peiyao raised a delicate eyebrow. “Music can kill?

… I’ve heard of using sound to intimidate the enemy for a surprise advantage, but never of sound killing someone.” Li Muzhan said, “When one’s skill deepens, the sounds produced can injure others. The study of musical theory is even more capable of disrupting the mind—that is its unique advantage.” Fan Peiyao shook her head, unconvinced, thinking the power limited.

However, diligently following the melody Li Muzhan taught, after more than an hour, she finally mastered it. Li Muzhan smiled.

“Practice it a few more times while I’m here. Once you are proficient, if you play this piece after I leave, they will surely respond in earnest.” Fan Peiyao nodded, blushing, and began playing the jade flute.

The Gang winds whistled. The two magnificent azure eagles stood on Xiao Yuesheng’s shoulder, while Fan Peiyao held the jade flute, its mournful sound weaving faintly before quickly being scattered by the wind.

Another hour passed. Li Muzhan smiled.

“That’s enough, you’ve mastered it. Taibai Post doesn’t have any significant figures now; you can handle things inside yourself.

I won't be coming back for a while, lest the people from Thunder Sword Peak investigate.” “Master, you must be careful too,” Fan Peiyao said reluctantly, unable to hide her worry. “Don’t confront Thunder Sword Peak directly.

They won’t stay long.” “Oh?” Li Muzhan inquired with a smile. Fan Peiyao explained, “If this incident hadn’t happened, Saint Snow Peak would have turned a blind eye, but Saint Snow Peak will not tolerate Thunder Sword Peak running rampant in our Great Profound Territory.” Li Muzhan smiled.

“Good, I understand. You be careful.

Farewell.” Li Muzhan clasped his hands in a bow, flickered twice, and vanished from her sight. The two eagles shot into the sky, becoming two small black specks that disappeared in a blink.

Fan Peiyao looked at the empty surroundings and let out a soft sigh, a profound sense of melancholy welling up within her. Nothing seemed interesting.

She picked up the jade flute and played a few notes gently. She didn't play the required melody, just some random notes, chaotic and tuneless, mirroring her current state of mind.

“Sigh…” After a heavy sigh, she forcefully shook her head, throwing off the distracting thoughts, and began descending the mountain. ...

Li Muzhan found a mountain cave, sealed it shut, sat cross-legged to enter meditation, and began circulating the Viewing Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra to restore the Great Bright King Scripture. The next morning, he emerged from the cave, his spirit refreshed, his energy full, having completely recovered.

If not for the Viewing Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra being able to alter one's nature, allowing him to use the Great Bright King Scripture without restraint, a normal person would need two or three months to recover. He only needed one night.

The formidable power of the Viewing Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra was further demonstrated. When the Heart Pearls were few, the Sutra’s power was weak.

Now, with the increase in Heart Pearls, its power had grown, leading to astonishing internal energy recovery. Furthermore, he had refined the Yongquan, Dantian, and Laogong acupoints.

In the diagram of the Viewing Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Sutra, these three points manifested as points of light, absorbing moonlight for marrow cleansing and physical refinement. He turned and left, following the crowd through the north city gate in the early morning light.

In the main hall of the Fan Residence, Old Master Fan paced with his hands clasped behind his back, his brow deeply furrowed. His dark complexion betrayed heavy concern as he walked back and forth.

Two middle-aged men sat in the hall, facing him. One was handsome and refined, the other rugged and rough.

They sat on pear-wood chairs on opposite sides, staring at Old Master Fan. “Father, I can’t believe that bratty girl really has a secret affair with that monk!” the rough man snorted, glaring at the man opposite him.

“Brother, you certainly know how to raise a daughter!” The refined middle-aged man remained impassive, speaking calmly. “As her father, I am ashamed.

I never imagined she could make such a powerful friend!” The rough man sneered. “It’s a pity he’s a monk!

He can’t renounce his vows, can’t marry!” “That doesn’t matter,” the refined middle-aged man said with a slight smile. “Enough!

Both of you, shut up!” Old Master Fan stopped pacing, turned, and glared at them both. Just then, the sound of footsteps approached, stopping hurriedly outside the hall.

A voice called in, “Master, someone has just forced their way into the Fan household!” “Who is it?!” The rough middle-aged man instantly jumped up, strode to the hall entrance in three steps, and yanked the reporting youth inside. The delicate young man managed a bitter smile.

“It’s… it’s that monk!” “Damn his gall!” The rough middle-aged man erupted in fury.