Upon his return, he told Jiang Yuyan that he intended to go to Eastern Chu, and while he was away, she was not to leave the residence for any reason... everything else would be handled by messengers.

Though this was the capital city, the Nanjiang family's influence was immense, their foundation in the court deep-seated; even under the Son of Heaven’s gaze, they would not be overly cautious.

Jiang Yuyan pondered for a moment and then said, "I wish to accompany the Master."

Li Muzhan shook his head. "This journey will be too dangerous; it is best you remain behind."

Jiang Yuyan replied, "The family will surely come looking. Rather than wait here, it’s better to go with the Master; there might be more chances of survival, don't you think?"

Her bright eyes flowed with expression, displaying a captivating, delicate demeanor.

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded, finding her logic sound.

………………

Her bright, knowing gaze remained fixed on Li Muzhan. Seeing him nod, Jiang Yuyan instantly smiled, "Master...?"

Li Muzhan said, "Then you shall go under General Hua’s protection. This time he will be taking the Imperial Palace Dragon Guards; your safety will be guaranteed."

Her smile froze instantly. Jiang Yuyan shook her head. "Master, I won't go!"

"Why?" Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, shaking his head with a smile. "General Hua is upright; he won't force anyone against their will. Rest assured!"

"It’s not about that..." Jiang Yuyan shook her head and gave a soft huff. "I detest men like him—good family background, thinking themselves suave and refined—utterly artificial!"

Li Muzhan shook his head and chuckled. In his eyes, General Hua was elegant and unconstrained, yet in Jiang Yuyan’s view, he was merely affected. Truly, a thousand people saw a thousand different things.

He considered it, then sighed. "You had best go to Divine Light City then, and wait for me there."

"Very well." Jiang Yuyan’s face bloomed into a smile, as radiant as a snow lotus unfurling.

General Hua departed the capital first, and he left shortly after. Jiang Yuyan disguised herself as a delicate young attendant and followed closely behind Li Muzhan.

Jiang Yuyan’s martial arts skill was high. Her cultivation method was unique; while her internal energy wasn't overwhelmingly vast, her meridians were exceptionally long-lasting, her inner power flowing like ceaseless, fine water.

The pair traveled by day and abandoned inns at night, sometimes making a campfire in the wilderness. Protected by their internal energy, they feared no cold. Chiying, magnificent and spirited, also cared nothing for the chill, and Jiang Yuyan’s mount was also a fine steed, so they were unbothered.

That evening, having missed their planned stop for lodging, they found a stretch of woods and built a fire in an open space, then let their horses roam freely.

The fine steed kept close to Chiying, obedient and quiet, while Chiying certainly didn't run off, standing lazily to the west of the fire, watching the flames. It cultivated its internal energy independently. Li Muzhan could feel the flow of its power, inwardly marveling that all living things possessed spirit; Chiying's concentration in its cultivation far surpassed that of men.

The night wind swept in, sharp with cold, making the fire flicker.

Li Muzhan sat cross-legged east of the fire, his eyelids slightly lowered. Over his abdomen, a collection of hand shadows materialized, forming rapid seals that quickly dissolved and reformed in unpredictable ways. He was deeply immersed in his cultivation, striving to break through the barrier of the Heart Pearl.

………………

Jiang Yuyan was busy tending to a small red clay stove, coaxing a fire to boil water for tea. To her left rested a vermilion-lacquered wooden box, about a meter square.

Whenever they passed a place with people, they would stop to gather some cooked meals and store them in the wooden box, just in case—sometimes it was needed, sometimes not.

As she fiddled with the coals beneath the little stove, she occasionally glanced at Li Muzhan. His normally unremarkable face, illuminated by the firelight, exuded a strange, compelling charm.

This Master Mingkong was profoundly mysterious, like an enigma wrapped in layers of secrets; to uncover them was extraordinarily difficult. This only further ignited her curiosity; she desperately wanted to understand what kind of man he truly was—reserved and profound, like a cask of aged spirit, with endless depth of flavor.

After a hiss and a sputter, a gentle simmering sound arose; the water had boiled. She opened the vermilion box, and the aroma of the preserved dishes drifted out, swirling gently around them.

She took out the teacups and leaves to brew the tea, her movements graceful and elegant, impossibly beautiful to watch.

Li Muzhan kept his eyes nearly closed, focusing entirely on his hand seals. He had a vague notion that this set of seals contained a peculiar power, yet there was room for improvement. If his hands were fast enough to form eighteen seals in a single instant, condensing them into one ultimate seal, its power would be far greater—that would be the true seal.

Conceiving this notion was difficult; putting it into practice was harder still. Initially, he could continuously increase his speed, making clear progress, but there was a limit. Once a certain level was reached, no amount of practice could push the speed any further; it was like a sheer cliff face blocking the way.

He sighed internally; he was just shy of the mark. Currently, he could only manage six threads of thought simultaneously, expertly directing six fingers, while the remaining four lagged far behind. Among the eighteen seals, three were exceptionally complex, requiring every one of his ten fingers to form strange shapes, and his speed stalled precisely at these three seals.

He lamented that if he could achieve ten threads of thought, mastering all ten fingers with fluid skill, he could certainly form the eighteen seals in a single breath, unleashing their full might. As it stood, being unable to think with ten threads meant the resulting seal formations were unstable—sometimes successful, sometimes failing—too reliant on chance.

"Master, the tea is ready." Jiang Yuyan’s clear voice sounded.

Li Muzhan let out a long breath, paused his hand seals, and slowly opened his eyes. A clear light flickered in them as he accepted the teacup handed to him by Jiang Yuyan.

He took a small sip, exhaled a puff of white mist, and smiled faintly. "We’ll soon reach Divine Light City. Yuyan, this journey must have been quite taxing for you?"

Jiang Yuyan took her cup and chuckled lightly. "Master, don't treat me like some pampered young lady. Before I met you, I was constantly fleeing; that was much harder than this."

Li Muzhan nodded. "Tell me about it then; what exactly happened?"

……………………

Jiang Yuyan paused in thought, then nodded and began to speak slowly, recounting the deep secrets of the Nanjiang family.

The current head of the Nanjiang family had two sons and one daughter. The lineage was not thriving: the eldest son was born to a concubine, the second son was the legitimate heir, and Jiang Yuyan, also born to a concubine, was one of three daughters.

Whether the headship should pass to the eldest or the legitimate second son, the patriarch had long been undecided. In the previous lifetime, the eldest son had suffered a backlash while cultivating, and though he was saved, he was left with a chronic ailment, his constitution far inferior to before, sparking the thought of abdication.

The eldest and second sons had always contended fiercely, locked in constant open and covert struggles, and now the conflict had intensified terribly.

Jiang Yuyan had initially remained neutral, unwilling to be drawn into the feud, knowing that the family headship could never pass to a concubine's daughter. However, witnessing the second son’s increasing arrogance, leveraging his status as the legitimate heir to look down upon both the eldest and herself with utter disregard, she eventually began supporting the eldest, which provoked a murderous intent from the second son.

Last time, she was responsible for escorting a shipment of salt. Midway, they were ambushed by a band of black-clad assassins. She possessed exceptional martial talent and a deep, calculating mind, holding a life-saving ultimate technique that she never revealed. Although the assassins’ faces were masked, she recognized the leader’s identity instantly: it was her second brother. Overwhelmed by indignation, she suddenly unleashed her secret technique, severing his right leg before fleeing for her life.

This act earned her a death sentence. The Nanjiang family was already sparsely populated, possessing only one legitimate heir, and now she had crippled him. The patriarch was enraged and issued a kill order.

She recounted the tale lightly, but Li Muzhan could discern the deep sorrow and anger churning within her.

"Alas..." He sighed and shook his head. "The most heartless are those in imperial or noble houses. When the family grows large, human affections grow thin. It is regrettable and lamentable!"

Jiang Yuyan managed a self-deprecating smile. "I have no other concerns now but to ensure I don't implicate my mother. If I can hide for a while, once Big Brother takes the seat, everything will be fine."

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Yuyan, even if your elder brother ascends the position, he may still have to kill you."

"He won't!" Jiang Yuyan shook her head and smiled. "Big Brother is gentle and courteous; he has always been kind to me. He wouldn't kill me."

Li Muzhan sighed. "Circumstances change..."

Jiang Yuyan only shook her head, but her expression darkened, her delicate eyebrows lightly furrowed.

Li Muzhan observed her, then said no more, lowering his gaze to savor his tea. Jiang Yuyan was extremely intelligent, her mind sharp, and she understood the treachery of human hearts. She was merely blinded by the immediate situation; a slight nudge, and she would understand.

………………

After a while, Jiang Yuyan lifted her pale, beautiful face, gazing at the expanse of stars, and sighed softly. "I can never go back, can I?"

Li Muzhan remained silent.

Jiang Yuyan displayed an expression of desolate sadness, shaking her head, her eyes flashing with a distant, hazy light.

Li Muzhan said, "A family like that is best kept at a respectful distance. Bring your mother to the residence; honor her well, and then I shall depart."

Jiang Yuyan nodded silently and lowered her head to drink her tea.

Li Muzhan suddenly frowned. "Yuyan, we have visitors."

Jiang Yuyan looked up, her bright eyes sharpening. "Are they looking for me?"

Li Muzhan replied, "Most likely the Nanjiang family."

"Stubborn to the last. It seems my father is determined to see me dead!" Jiang Yuyan let out a strange laugh.

Li Muzhan asked, "To kill, or to spare?"

Jiang Yuyan took a deep breath. "Let it be. They are only following orders."

Li Muzhan looked at her and slowly nodded. "Very well."

As they spoke, ten figures floated close, approaching in a fan formation. Leading them was a short, lean elder with a hooked nose and eyes like a falcon's.

"Miss, come back with this old one!"

Jiang Yuyan shook her head. "Elder He, save yourself the trouble. Just pretend you never saw me."

"The family head has calmed his anger; he won't kill you, Miss," the elder said in a deep voice. A cold glint shot from his eyes, lingering on Li Muzhan several times, before he spoke coldly, "Is he that Master Mingkong?"

He sneered, "On his account alone, can he stop the Nanjiang family? ... Miss, it’s better not to implicate him."

Jiang Yuyan frowned, sensing the threat, and her beautiful face grew cold. "Don't humiliate yourselves needlessly. Go or stay as you wish, but don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, she turned, elegantly picking up the teapot and offering the cups to Li Muzhan with both hands.

Li Muzhan accepted the teacup with his left hand, dipped his right index finger into it, wetting the tip, and flicked it lightly.

"Snap! Snap!" Two crisp sounds echoed, and all ten men retreated a step, their bodies instantly tensing.

There was a tree to their left and a tree to their right, both showing small holes running clean through their trunks. Their internal energy was profound, and the darkness couldn't obscure their sight; they saw clearly and sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. (To be continued)