For a whole night, Li Muzhan galloped along the official road for three or four hundred li. Before dawn broke, he stopped, releasing Chi Ying, which found a patch of woods on its own to forage.

Li Muzhan, meanwhile, floated into the city and found an inn. It was not yet light, but the innkeeper and the staff were already up and bustling.

He requested a small courtyard and strictly warned them not to disturb him unless he came out himself. Once inside his courtyard, he completely relaxed, settling into a cross-legged meditation to adjust his breath, entering the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing to repair his body and bring it to its peak condition.

Although the antidote had been taken, completely eliminating the Xue Xiang San, the danger was not entirely past. The Xue Xiang San had caused damage, and the antidote itself, being potent, was also harmful to the body.

Protected by the Jingang Buhuai Shen Gong, the damage was mitigated, but if neglected, it could easily settle as a latent illness, lying in ambush to erupt at some future time. Once he entered the vision of the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Tu, he lost all track of the passage of time.

…………………………………………………… When he awoke, the room was bright with a soft light. He rose from the couch, pushed open the window, and saw the sun shining brightly, directly overhead—it was noon.

He felt refreshed, his body in optimal condition, his internal energy flowing like a steady river, unhurried and calm. Faint sounds of activity and a subtle fragrance drifted to him, and his stomach rumbled—he was hungry.

He pushed open the door of the small courtyard and went to the inn in the front. After inquiring with the innkeeper, he sought out the best restaurant in the city, the Si Xian Lou.

The Si Xian Lou was not far from the inn, located near the South Gate. From the upper floor, one could clearly observe everyone entering and exiting the city gate, giving the feeling of standing high above the world.

This was precisely the allure of the Si Xian Lou; sitting upstairs, looking down upon the throngs of busy people passing through the gate evoked a sense of serene detachment, as if one were an immortal at ease. Li Muzhan, in his jade-colored monk's robe, slowly ascended to the second floor, gently turning his prayer beads.

It was quite lively up here, filled mostly with martial artists, bearing swords and blades, their eyes sharp, glistening with inner light, clearly possessing considerable cultivation. Li Muzhan sighed inwardly.

Truly, this was Eastern Chu, where the martial spirit was far more vigorous than in Da Yan. Even in a single restaurant, there were so many masters of the martial arts.

Suddenly, his heart jolted; a warning sign flared. He glanced around in surprise, meeting the gaze of dozens of astonished eyes fixed directly upon his face.

Li Muzhan knew instantly that something was amiss. A flood of thoughts rushed through his mind, but ultimately, he remained outwardly composed, slowly making his way to a spot near the window.

The window was shut. Even though the sun was high, it was still winter.

With so many people gathered, the hall was warm, but near the window, the chill lingered. He sat down.

A waiter eagerly attended him, shouting out the menu items. Once Li Muzhan had ordered, the waiter served his tea and scurried back downstairs.

In moments, two dishes arrived: a plate of cold beef salad and a small plate of spicy pickled cabbage, along with a jar of aged wine. ………………………… Li Muzhan sipped his wine while discreetly observing his surroundings.

The air felt subtly different; the general noise level had dropped significantly compared to when he entered. People communicated more with their eyes, mysteriously.

Li Muzhan pondered. Although he was from Da Yan and seemingly the only Da Yanese person in the restaurant, and a monk at that, this should not have made him a target of such specific attention; Eastern Chu was home to many people from Da Yan.

They were glancing at him secretly, as if something specific were afoot. He activated his Ta Xin Tong (Mind Reading), his expression barely shifting, and immediately realized this was the work of Su Yunyun.

There is nothing more venomous than a woman's heart—this Su Yunyun truly intended to see him dead! He picked up a few pieces of beef and drank a bowl of wine, thinking to himself: Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best.

Lingering here would surely lead to him being surrounded. With that thought, he suddenly flashed forward, smashing open the window and flying out, vanishing from sight.

The crowd erupted in a roar, everyone deploying their movement techniques. Some broke through the windows and chased after him, while others leaned out, shouting vehemently.

“It’s the Ming Kong bandit monk*…” “Help! Don’t let the Ming Yan bandit monk escape!” “Avenge General Ximen, kill the Ming Kong cur!” “Catch him!

He is Da Jing Ming Kong! Capture him and get a reward of ten thousand liang!” They were martial arts masters, shouting with lungs bursting, their cries shaking the heavens.

The entire city heard them, and the entire city mobilized. News that Da Yan’s Ming Kong had arrived in Eastern Chu had spread throughout the city that morning.

People discussed him with visceral hatred. Without Monk Ming Kong, there would have been no great defeat at Divine Radiance City, and the defeat of Divine Radiance City was an indelible shame for the people of Eastern Chu, who valued glory above all else.

Dozens of masters were already massed at the South Gate, standing ready. A ring of martial experts also surrounded the Si Xian Lou, looking up at where Li Muzhan had vanished.

Li Muzhan surveyed the scene from the Sky Eye, shaking his head with a sigh. He had truly become a rat crossing the street, hunted by all.

The people in the restaurant must have sent a message ahead of time. Mid-air, he gave a sharp flick of his sleeve.

Like a hawk spreading its wings, he utilized the unusually large surface area of his monk’s robe to catch the air, banking sharply and floating toward the distant rooftops. A circle of martial masters stood on the street below.

If he descended, he would be bogged down, and an endless stream of experts would soon arrive. Eastern Chu certainly had a plethora of high-level martial artists.

Though they lacked true peak masters, first-rate experts were as numerous as ox-hair, any one of whom would be a rare sight in the territory of Da Yan. He drifted softly onto a rooftop, only for a beam of cold light to shoot toward him from behind.

Li Muzhan swept his sleeve, deflecting the cold light, borrowing that force to float onward, gliding as if on snow, landing straight onto another rooftop. In moments, he reached the South Gate.

He encountered numerous attempts at sniping during this transit, but he avoided direct confrontation, refusing to become entangled, instead using the force generated to accelerate his escape. Once outside the city, he was confident he could shake them off.

………………………… With a deep rumble, the South Gate slowly closed. On the city walls, soldiers were arrayed densely, holding bows and arrows angled down into the city.

This wall was not high, far inferior to Ancient River City. Sunlight glinted off their armor, flashing with cold light—an imposing sight.

Martial experts were wary of the army; a continuous volley of arrows rained down, including several powerful crossbow bolts, which were even deadlier than the hidden weapons of the martial artists—impossible to guard against. The army, at any time, remained the strongest force of a nation; otherwise, if the state faced turmoil, it would cease to be a state.

Below the wall stood the martial masters; atop it, the rigid soldiers. Li Muzhan weighed his options slightly, then leaped towards the wall, soaring like a great roc spreading its wings, flying directly into the arrow storm toward the parapet.

Amidst whistling and hissing sounds, Li Muzhan waved his long sleeves, causing the arrows to fall away one by one. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he gracefully swept over the wall and flew toward the outer side.

The martial masters below the wall were greatly incensed and flew up after him. Hiss!

Whoosh! Suddenly, two piercing screeches sounded.

Two dark streaks shot through the air, closing rapidly on Li Muzhan, moments from striking him. Just then, Li Muzhan gave a sudden shift, like willow fluff caught in the wind.

This maneuver was perfectly timed, allowing him to just narrowly evade the two dark streaks. The streaks flew an immense distance, disappearing from sight.

People turned to look and saw two middle-aged men, unarmored, drawing their bows and shooting. Clearly, these two were not soldiers but martial arts masters.

“It’s Hero Song and Hero Feng!” someone exclaimed, followed by a flurry of discussion. “I didn’t expect Hero Song and Hero Feng to take action!” “Indeed, this Ming Kong bald donkey is a great enemy of our Eastern Chu.

To meet him is to kill without mercy; the two heroes would certainly not stand idly by!” “I wonder when the two heroes arrived.” “Hero Li Gongfu is celebrating his birthday; Hero Song and Hero Feng were coming to offer congratulations—what luck! Truly, Heaven is destroying the Ming Kong donkey!” “With the two heroes here, even if the Ming Kong donkey had three heads and six arms, he would meet his end here—how satisfying, hah, hah, hah…” The crowd buzzed, some laughing, others cursing.

Whoosh… Whoosh… The mournful whistling sounded again. Four dark streaks shot out simultaneously, sealing off Li Muzhan’s escape routes in all directions, allowing him no room to dodge.

…………………… Li Muzhan suddenly plunged downward, like a stone dropping into a well. He had avoided the two arrows from above, but the two from below were inescapable.

He swept his long sleeve; the Wu Qing Xiu imbued with immense power slowed the two dark streaks momentarily. Taking advantage of the slowdown, two finger-force projections struck the streaks, instantly shattering them into dust that drifted down like chaff.

Li Muzhan then floated gently to the ground. “Where do you think you’re going!” Two enraged shouts were heard, and silhouettes flashed as the two middle-aged men appeared.

The moment Li Muzhan landed, the two men blocked his path and immediately struck out with their palms, palms charged with wind and thunder, whistling loudly, their speed quicker than lightning. The man on the left was short, with a round, bean-like face; his small eyes shot out sharp, almost tangible beams of light.

He looked somewhat appealing but wore a frown, glaring at Li Muzhan with sternness. The other man had a broad face and large ears, sturdy and tall.

His gaze was gentle, and he shook his head as he looked at Li Muzhan, a hint of sympathy in his expression. Their palm strikes were incredibly fast, carrying the momentum of toppling mountains and overturning seas.

Furthermore, their coordination was seamless; their palm forces converged into a massive wave, leaving no escape. Li Muzhan had no choice but to meet them with a sleeve sweep.

Bang! Bang!

Two dull thuds sounded as the two palms struck his sleeve. All three recoiled simultaneously, sliding back a full zhang.

Li Muzhan smiled lightly: “My respects to the two seniors for their formidable skill. I bid you farewell!” Saying this, he flashed behind them, sending out jets of finger force that hissed like arrows splitting the air.

The two dared not meet the force head-on and were forced to evade. Seizing this brief delay, Li Muzhan flashed to a position fifty meters away, and with another flash, he was a hundred meters out.

The two snorted in anger and swiftly gave chase. The martial experts following behind rushed forward in a flurry but fell farther and farther behind.

By the time they had pursued a full li, the shadows of Li Muzhan and the two middle-aged men were long gone. They shook their heads and sighed.

“Damn it, as expected of the man who assassinated General Ximen—this Ming Kong donkey’s martial arts are indeed high!” “Nonsense, General Ximen wasn't weak, and he had so many Imperial Guards!” “Only now do we truly see—with people like us, trying to kill the Ming Kong donkey is sheer delusion!” “Alas…” Everyone shook their heads in wonder and disappointment. This chapter is to make up for the one owed yesterday; I truly risked my life for this chapter.