The wind suddenly picked up around midnight, roaring through the woods outside the temple, sending a shiver down the spine and unsettling the minds of all who heard it.
They were all masters, yet unaffected. The only exception was Xiao-shui Li, who was practicing the internal energy cultivation method taught to her by Li Muzhan.
With her pure heart and sharp comprehension, in just a few days, fueled by the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art from Li Muzhan, her internal energy had surged forward dramatically, as if she had just achieved the initial breakthrough.
Li Muzhan seized the time to practice the Dragon Slaying Hand. Wen Yinyue, somewhat distracted, remained vigilant, secretly sighing at her Martial Uncle’s bias against her junior martial brother, yet feeling utterly helpless about it.
Abbess Zhumei was also discreetly cautious. She was an old hand in the jianghu, brave yet meticulous. Although she didn't believe Li Muzhan’s outlandish tales, she wasn't completely dismissive.
“Heh heh, is Abbess Zhumei present? Old man Zhao Hanshi pays his respects!” A boisterous, rough laugh echoed in, startling everyone awake.
Abbess Zhumei’s eyes snapped open, shining brightly.
Abbess Zhumei let out a soft hum and called out loudly, “Elder Zhao, please come in. Forgive me for not greeting you further out.”
“Heh heh, why be so formal, Reverend Master!” A figure flashed, and a tall, burly old man pushed the door open, followed by a dozen people filing in behind him.
The old man wore simple hemp clothes, his hair streaked with white. With large hands and large feet, he looked like a country farmer. After walking in slowly, he stood firm, possessing the imposing presence of a mountain that cannot be moved, demanding respect.
Behind the old man were twelve others—four older men and eight middle-aged fellows. All had sharp eyes and carried a dense, solemn aura... one could tell instantly they were masters of the internal arts.
Abbess Zhumei’s brow furrowed slightly. She stood up, joining her palms in a salute: “Elder Zhao, what brings you here so late at night?”
The old man, Zhao Hanshi, returned the salute with a smile: “Heh heh, Reverend Master makes an old man chase hard. Fortunately, I hurried as fast as I could and still caught up!...”
Abbess Zhumei scoffed: “Is this about the Secret Tome of Dragon Slaying?”
“Heh heh, Reverend Master speaks plainly. Indeed, we have come precisely for the Secret Tome of Dragon Slaying.” Zhao Hanshi chuckled sheepishly.
Wen Yinyue had appeared beside Li Muzhan at some point; a faint, delicate fragrance drifted into his nose.
“Senior Sister, who are they?” Li Muzhan asked.
Wen Yinyue turned and glanced at him: “People from Xiankong Island.”
Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow: “They arrived fast!”
Xiankong Island was also one of the Seven Great Sects. They were numerous and gossipy, so arriving this quickly was quite rare, especially since this location was not close to the island.
Wen Yinyue snorted softly: “They must have gotten wind of the news beforehand, but didn't expect us to get the prize first.”
Li Muzhan nodded: “So many experts; they must intend to finish this in one fell swoop.”
Wen Yinyue said: “An intense battle is inevitable.”
While the two were speaking quietly, the atmosphere on the other side had already turned hostile.
…………
Abbess Zhumei sneered: “Zhao, very well! The Secret Tome of Dragon Slaying is in my hands. If you have the ability, come and take it back!”
Zhao Hanshi laughed: “Reverend Master, then we shall dispense with pleasantries. Let us see whose skills truly prevail!”
“Enough nonsense!” Abbess Zhumei drew her sword.
Li Muzhan quickly interjected: “Martial Aunt, why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken? Let me handle this!”
Abbess Zhumei waved her hand: “Zhao’s swordsmanship is strange and tricky. You watch from the side for now.”
Li Muzhan nodded, not pressing his request to fight. His Martial Aunt Zhumei meant well, and he was also curious to witness the swordsmanship of Xiankong Island.
Wen Yinyue drifted over to where Li Xiaoshui stood. The girl was staring around with wide, bright, excited eyes.
Zhao Hanshi laughed: “Reverend Master, if we are to fight, let’s make it decisive. Everyone attack together!”
The twelve experts stepped forward, drawing their swords. Their blades were narrow and long, utterly black and lusterless, looking as if they were carved from charcoal.
The Canghai Sword Sect members were not to be outdone. They drew their swords and stepped forward to meet them.
Li Wudi unhooked two spears from his back, twisted them together at the middle to form a long spear, then held it vertically across his line of sight.
With Wen Yinyue guarding Li Xiaoshui, whose fame was widespread, Li Wudi felt no need to worry about his daughter. He resolved to fight fiercely, offering his merit as a token of loyalty.
Li Muzhan stood by the doorway with his hands clasped behind his back, distanced from the others, aloof from the fray.
Being young and unremarkable in appearance, he was easily overlooked. Combined with his contained brilliance, he looked like an entry-level disciple who knew no martial arts, so the others disregarded him.
“Attack!” Zhao Hanshi laughed loudly, and his black sword flashed suddenly, heading straight for Abbess Zhumei’s heart, darting out like a venomous snake, wickedly cold and piercing.
The sword was jet-black and incredibly fast. Even Li Xiaoshui’s wide eyes couldn't track its movement; it seemed to arrive before Abbess Zhumei in an instant.
Abbess Zhumei sidestepped precisely past the sword’s tip, moving to Zhao Hanshi’s right side. A cascade of sword light poured down upon him, like a waterfall plunging from a height.
Clang, clang, clatter... Their long swords clashed, emitting a continuous series of clear ringing sounds. White light and black light intertwined—one black, one white, one Yin, one Yang—a spectacular sight.
As the two moved, the experts from both factions followed suit. Li Wudi’s peerless spear skills met three opponents alone. The rest paired off one-on-one, engaging in a fierce entanglement.
Sword shadows flickered, and the clear ringing of metal on metal was incessant, like standing inside a smithy, the clashing sound never ceasing—a truly lively scene.
Li Xiaoshui could no longer spare attention for Abbess Zhumei and Zhao Hanshi. She turned to watch Li Wudi, clapping her hands and cheering when she saw him hold his own against three: “Daddy is amazing!”
Li Wudi roared with laughter, thoroughly exhilarated. His spear grew even more ferocious, soaring like a flooded dragon, sweeping unchecked... unstoppable. For a moment, he managed to suppress the trio.
Li Muzhan slightly lowered his eyelids, his mind clearly mapping out every fighter, missing nothing.
……………………
Suddenly, he reached out a hand. A soft hiss sound occurred, barely perceptible amidst the chorus of clanging metal, easily missed.
“Uh...” A muffled grunt came from an elder of Xiankong Island. His momentum stalled for a fraction of a second. His opponent, a middle-aged master from the Yanwu Hall, instantly intensified his sword light upon seeing this, engulfing the elder.
When the sword light faded, blood sprayed from the elder’s throat as he slowly collapsed.
This Yanwu Hall master wore a blue robe, had a long, narrow face, and a blank expression. Having secured the kill, he didn't even glance at Li Muzhan, turning instead to engage another pair. He joined a comrade, making it two against one, and in moments, another elder from Xiankong Island was slain.
The experts of Yanwu Hall were martial fanatics. They had mastered the Canghai Nine Swords to perfection and deeply studied the sword styles of all sects, with the swordsmanship of Xiankong Island being a primary focus. Thus, even though they were middle-aged, their internal energy might not match the elders of Xiankong Island, but their swordsmanship was in no way inferior.
The Yanwu Hall experts knew Li Muzhan had mastered the Canghai Divine Sword. They sought his aid but remained silent, precisely to prevent others from noticing, thus creating an opening for Li Muzhan’s subsequent sneak attacks.
Though a martial fanatic focused solely on practice and uninterested in worldly affairs, he was not foolish in combat; in fact, he was sharper than most ordinary people.
Sword light flashed, and rings of metal sounded, yet Li Muzhan did not use the Canghai Divine Sword again after that initial strike, which had already broken the balance of the fight.
After his first calculated move resulted in a victory, he joined forces with his ally to easily defeat another opponent, then teamed up with another, again winning easily.
Thus, the momentum built like a snowball. In a short time, five Xiankong Island experts had fallen.
“Xiankong Sword Formation!” Zhao Hanshi, locked in combat with Abbess Zhumei, saw this and his eyes turned red. He roared and fiercely swung his sword, immediately engulfing himself in a shroud of black light as he lunged forward.
Clang, clang, clang, clang... Abbess Zhumei’s sword light rained down like a shower, but she could not stop him.
Zhao Hanshi burst forth, followed by the remaining seven. The eight converged into a tight formation, their collective black light intensifying around the flickering bonfire in the center.
Abbess Zhumei stamped her foot in frustration, furious. The Xiankong Sword Formation was the supreme art of the Xiankong Island Sect. Though she hadn't seen it, she had heard of its name.
Once they formed the sword array, it would not be easily broken; her plan to strike when the enemy was vulnerable had failed!
The Canghai Sword Sect members surrounded the eight, attacking wildly to no avail. The sword light within their formation was dense and seamless, impenetrable as water.
…………
Li Muzhan stared fixedly at the sword formation, motionless. Wen Yinyue frowned and walked toward Abbess Zhumei: “Martial Aunt, it’s useless. Let it go.”
Abbess Zhumei retracted her sword and stepped back two paces, staring at Zhao Hanshi within the black light. She murmured, “Yinyue, letting a tiger return to the mountains spells endless trouble!”
Wen Yinyue replied: “Martial Aunt, at least this time they cannot cause further chaos. We must conserve our strength.”
“Sigh...” “You are right!” Abbess Zhumei slowly nodded.
She said in a deep voice: “Stop the fight!”
As soon as her command fell, the ten experts of the Canghai Sword Sect gracefully retreated to stand behind her.
The eight from Zhao Hanshi stood firm with their swords drawn, glaring sharply at Abbess Zhumei, their eyes keen as hawks.
Abbess Zhumei sneered: “Zhao, you are lucky today. I won’t stoop to your level!”
Zhao Hanshi’s face was grim. He replied coldly: “We lost by a narrow margin this time. We accept our defeat. Mountains do not shift, but paths cross. We shall meet again!”
He waved his hand, and the other seven bent down to lift the five fallen comrades, then turned to leave. Zhao Hanshi held his sword, staring coldly at Abbess Zhumei, and only after the other seven had gone did he drift out.
Abbess Zhumei’s face was also grim, her brow deeply furrowed. Not eliminating Zhao Hanshi today left her deeply unsatisfied and brooding.
“Eh? Where is Junior Brother?” Wen Yinyue asked with surprise.
Abbess Zhumei turned to look; Li Muzhan had vanished without a trace, disappearing silently. She looked around at the others, but they all shook their heads.
Li Xiaoshui whispered: “Martial Aunt, Senior Sister, Zhanran Senior Brother went out.”
“When did he leave?” Abbess Zhumei asked, frowning.
Li Xiaoshui lowered her head and said softly, “He was here when the fighting started.”
Abbess Zhumei shook her head: “That rogue, what trick is he pulling?”
Wen Yinyue whispered: “Could Junior Brother have gone after Zhao Hanshi and the others?”
Given Junior Brother’s habit of thinking three steps ahead, that was highly probable!
Abbess Zhumei snorted heavily: “Nonsense! Why would he go alone! Yinyue, hurry and chase after him. Don’t let misplaced pride hurt you!... If a fight breaks out, send a signal!”
“Yes.” Wen Yinyue acknowledged, then drifted out. (To be continued)