"Thud," a muffled sound caused the purple-faced brute to frown and step back. His expression grew grave as he fixed his gaze on Li Muzhan, "Truly worthy of the one who slew General Ximen; you indeed possess some skill!"

Li Muzhan ignored him, turning instead, "General, perhaps we should instruct our men to stand down."

General Hua nodded, waving a hand toward Ji Wuming. Ji Wuming understood immediately, nodded, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone halt, withdraw, and stand guard outside!"

The purple-faced brute sneered at Li Muzhan, saying lightly, "Having a bit of self-awareness is the sensible course of action!"

Li Muzhan turned back to him, his demeanor placid, and asked coolly, "Are you a man of the Eastern Chu martial world, sir? May I ask your esteemed identity?"

"This is the great hero Qiu Huang, from Nine Ru Mountain!" an elder beside him announced proudly.

Li Muzhan glanced at General Hua, who, after briefly looking at the elder, nodded, "Nine Ru Mountain is a major sect in Eastern Chu, equal in stature to Yu Han Palace; they are not to be trifled with."

"So, a master from Nine Ru Mountain. My apologies for the lack of proper greeting." Li Muzhan inclined his head slightly.

Qiu Huang's gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over Li Muzhan's face, then he shook his head, "You are poisoned with Xue Xiang San; your days are numbered, hah..."

Li Muzhan sighed, "Mr. Huang has also witnessed Xue Xiang San?"

"Indeed. I once saw it firsthand. A supreme master, struck by Xue Xiang San, endured unimaginable torment, begging me to grant him a quick end!" Qiu Huang confirmed.

"He died?" General Hua asked with a frown.

Qiu Huang snorted, "Xue Xiang San takes a slow toll; the body rots away bit by bit. By the end, you won't even have the power to take your own life... The wisest path is to kill yourself early!"

"Is there no antidote?" General Hua frowned.

"Heh heh, an antidote? Only Yu Han Palace possesses it!" Qiu Huang sneered dismissively.

General Hua's expression remained unchanged, pondering the reason behind his look.

An elder nearby shook his head, "Hoping to get an antidote from Yu Han Palace—you might as well just commit suicide; it’ll be quicker!"

"Why?" Ji Wuru asked hastily.

The elder exchanged a knowing smile with Qiu Huang, saying smugly, "Yu Han Palace is unfathomable and mysterious; they are never seen! No one knows where they reside, impossible to find if you search! Furthermore, the people of Yu Han Palace are ruthless; they never give out antidotes. Heh heh, divine retribution has come!"

He glanced askance at Li Muzhan, his eyes lingering on the faintly graying color of the monk's face.

"Nonsense!" Ji Wuming snapped, stepping forward, ready to attack.

Li Muzhan intervened, "Brother Ji, forget it!"

Ji Wuming took a deep breath, restraining himself, his eyes blazing like fire as he glared at the elder.

The elder, triumphant, shot him a contemptuous sidelong glance, chuckling coldly, as if mocking his cowardice for not daring to strike—forced to remain a turtle in its shell.

Ji Wuming turned his face away, out of sight, out of mind.

Li Muzhan stated calmly, "You all came to kill me, to avenge the death of Ximen Zhan, is that correct?"

The purple-faced brute burst into laughter, "It seems we were one step too late! With the Xue Xiang San poisoning you, you only have about forty days left to live!"

Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "If that is the case, you still intend to kill me?"

"Better to eliminate you now to prevent future trouble!" Before the purple-faced brute finished speaking, he flashed in front of Li Muzhan and brought his right palm down.

Li Muzhan flicked his sleeve; the fabric collided with the palm.

"Thud," a dull sound, like striking hardened leather, made Li Muzhan slide back a zhang, then rise to his feet.

The purple-faced man lunged forward, thrusting his palm toward Li Muzhan's chest. The movement appeared slow, yet it was astonishingly fast; before Li Muzhan could react, the hand reached his chest.

Li Muzhan deftly shifted his body sideways, narrowly evading the blow.

He attacked relentlessly, his palms striking like thunder, their power growing greater and greater. The lights in the room flickered erratically, as if a strong wind had swept through, causing everyone's robes to billow.

Li Muzhan merely parried and dodged, seemingly restrained by the poison and unwilling to exert full force, only able to evade. This greatly energized the other three, who secretly cheered Qiu Huang on.

Qiu Huang’s moves became faster and more vicious, interspersed with faint sounds of tiger roars. His palms were a flurry of shadows that completely filled the space between him and Li Muzhan.

His face was grim, his mind heavy; he felt like striking feathers with a sledgehammer—nothing connected. This bald monk's footwork was truly formidable; his signature Raging Thunder Palm could not land a hit!

The people from the Nanjiang family exchanged glances, inwardly horrified. They had not expected this Eastern Chu fellow’s palm technique to be so potent; switching places with him, they likely wouldn't stand a chance.

His palm force was immense, but what was more terrifying was the speed—so fast it defied reaction!

Yet, this monk was also incredible, managing not to be overwhelmed. Who was he? With such martial arts skill and such youth, he should have long been famous throughout the world?

A monk? Could he be from Lan Tuo Temple?

The young woman, however, kept her eyes fixed on Li Muzhan's footwork, finding it infinitely profound. At first glance, it seemed simple compared to her own, but upon closer observation, it was filled with subtlety.

She watched for a while, gradually sensing a strange charm, glimpsing a thread of exquisite mystery, and felt secretly astonished. The footwork this monk employed seemed to involve the principles of Qimen Dunjia, going beyond the scope of ordinary movement techniques; it was truly marvelous!

General Hua and Ji Wuming grew anxious, wondering if Li Muzhan was holding back due to the poison, thus being forced onto the defensive.

Ji Wuming kept looking toward General Hua, wanting him to decide whether they should all attack together.

General Hua watched the center of the fight intently, deep in thought, making no move, which made Ji Wuming extremely agitated. His right hand gripped his saber, veins bulging like fiercely writhing earthworms...

Li Muzhan’s steps were light, his gray monastic robes flowing, giving him an air of detachment and grace. His features were ordinary, yet to the onlookers, he appeared like a refined, elegant young gentleman in a muddy world.

"Master..." General Hua finally spoke.

Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "Very well, let us stop here..."

He suddenly halted, pressing his right palm out flat, meeting Qiu Huang's right palm. With a dull impact, both men retreated one step simultaneously.

Qiu Huang's face suddenly shifted dramatically. His body flashed, a cold glint streaked past, immediately followed by a gush of blood. With a metallic clang, his long saber fell to the ground, dropping simultaneously with his entire right arm.

He swiftly pressed several points on his shoulder with his left hand, then drew out a porcelain bottle from his robe, crushing it instantly. Inside was a white ointment that emitted a sharp, pungent odor.

He smeared the white paste onto the stump of his shoulder, covering the bloody wound, quickly staunching the flow. By the time he finished, his face was ashen, sweat beading heavily on his forehead.

Only then did the others react. Ji Wuming felt a flash before his eyes, and his hand felt suddenly empty; the saber had been taken. He watched dumbfounded as Qiu Huang brought the blade down to sever his own arm.

Everyone was bewildered. Li Muzhan shook his head with a sigh, displaying an expression of apology.

"Great Hero Huang?" an elder gasped in shock.

Qiu Huang stared intently at Li Muzhan and said in a low voice, "Let's go..."

The elder looked from the severed arm on the floor to Qiu Huang, "Great Hero Huang, are you alright?" "I won't die!" Qiu Huang replied, fixing his gaze on Li Muzhan, "Monk, I will return..."

Li Muzhan sighed, "I never imagined my internal energy would become so toxic now... Mr. Huang, take care..."

Qiu Huang let out a cold laugh; this monk was truly hypocritical!

He turned and strode directly out of the room. The elder glanced at Li Muzhan, stamping his foot resentfully, "Your luck holds today, Monk. We will avenge General Ximen another time!" With that, he hastily turned and rushed out, the other two middle-aged men following close behind. In the blink of an eye, they were completely gone.

They came in haste, they left in haste.

Seeing them all depart, Ji Wuming bent down to retrieve the saber, but Li Muzhan stopped him with an outstretched hand.

Ji Wuming asked, puzzled, "Master, what exactly happened here..."

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile and sighed, "My internal energy has been transformed into a potent poison by the Xue Xiang San. Mr. Huang’s lightning-quick decision was truly formidable..."

"Ah?" Ji Wuming’s eyes widened in shock.

He quickly pieced together the events and couldn't help but admire the decisiveness and self-ruthlessness of the man named Huang, who cut off his own arm without hesitation.

For a master martial artist, losing the right hand was tantamount to having his martial arts crippled.

Li Muzhan shook his head, turning to look at the members of the Nanjiang family.

At this moment, they were all staring blankly at Li Muzhan, profoundly shaken, still unable to recover.

They had witnessed something eye-opening; they never imagined such a person existed in the world. Had it been them, they never could have acted with such resolve; they would have hesitated for some time.

Li Muzhan understood that while Qiu Huang's resolute amputation was due to his ruthless and decisive nature, more importantly, he had personally seen someone afflicted with Xue Xiang San.

He had witnessed firsthand the tragic fate of those poisoned, which enabled such swift action. Otherwise, the reaction wouldn't have been so immediate.

The value of historical experience was evident here; had he not personally seen the horror of Xue Xiang San, he couldn't have been so resolute—and now, he himself was poisoned.

His survival against the Xue Xiang San was purely down to luck; others might not be so fortunate.

"Master, please save my life..." The young woman suddenly approached Li Muzhan, about to kneel.

Li Muzhan flicked his sleeve, and the girl immediately found herself unable to complete the action. She pressed down forcefully but couldn't manage it, forced to give up kneeling with a look of helplessness.

Li Muzhan sighed, "Miss, I can barely save myself, how can I save others?" The girl stared at him with her clear, bright eyes, "If I am taken back, I will undoubtedly die. Master is a man of faith, dedicated to compassion; surely you won't just watch me go to my death..."

Li Muzhan looked at her, offering a helpless smile, then looked up, "Very well. Since we met, it is fate. Four esteemed seniors, I shall take responsibility for this young lady." The stout elder chuckled, "Master's martial arts are profound; we admire them. However, this is a private matter for our Nanjiang family. It would be best if the Master remained an observer..."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. The Nanjiang family's reputation is formidable, and I respect it greatly. I shall call upon you another day to offer my apologies..."

The stout elder narrowed his eyes and chuckled, "Does the Master insist on interfering in this affair..."

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded.

"Very well. May we request the Master’s Dharma name so we can report back..." The stout elder clapped his hands, appearing quite pleased.

"Ming Kong..." Li Muzhan brought his palms together in a gesture of respect, smiling, "Thank you all for your understanding..."

The stout elder cupped his hands, "Third Miss, take care!"

With that, he led his group away.