Xu Jingying said lightly, "Junior Brother has mastered the Dragon Slaying Hand?" Abbess Zhumei snorted, nodded, "Yes, so your Second Martial Aunt is insufferably smug, and I can't stand it.

Help me deflate her arrogance." "...Yes, Master," Xu Jingying nodded slowly.

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed, "Jingying, don't listen to your Master.

If you can't win, don't force it.

The fame of the Dragon Slaying Hand is earned through fighting, not through boasting." "Martial Aunt, I will be careful," Xu Jingying said with unruffled grace.

Abbess Zhuzhao nodded, "Alright...

Zhanran, try to live up to expectations, don't go easy on the ladies, or you'll anger your Martial Uncle." Li Muzhan smiled, "Yes, Master, your disciple will give it his all." Abbess Zhumei shot her a sidelong glance, "I won't be angry.

Second Martial Sister, your intentions are ill-meaning." "Martial Sister, I didn't say anything," Abbess Zhuzhao chirped with a laugh.

Li Zhuyue shook her head, "Two Martial Sisters, please don't make a spectacle for the disciples." "Very well, let's begin then," Abbess Zhumei composed her smile and waved her hand.

Li Muzhan and Xu Jingying floated to stand in the center of the grand hall, about five paces apart.

Xu Jingying drew her sword and pointed it diagonally at Li Muzhan, "Junior Brother, please guide me." Li Muzhan spread both palms, which slowly turned white as the color of blood receded, in the blink of an eye transforming into the appearance of white jade, warm and crystalline.

"What an impressive Dragon Slaying Hand, to manifest such a strange phenomenon!" Li Zhuyue nodded, her eyes gleaming.

Abbess Zhumei and Abbess Zhuzhao also stared intently, their gazes fixed on Li Muzhan's hands.

The name Dragon Slaying Hand was renowned, but this was the first time they had witnessed it firsthand.

Seeing this, Xu Jingying slightly narrowed her bright eyes, and suddenly the sword light surged, hanging down like an inverted waterfall, sweeping toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan remained motionless, waiting until the sword light reached him, then swiftly thrust out both hands.

With a crisp clang, the sword light dissolved, and the longsword was embedded in a nearby pillar.

Xu Jingying paused in astonishment, raising her hand to look; her grip was empty.

The sword had vanished.

She looked at Li Muzhan, perplexed.

"Good heavens, Zhanran, didn't we agree not to use other martial arts?" Abbess Zhumei glared, calling out.

Despite her benevolent appearance, when glaring, she remained gentle and mild, her demeanor completely contrary to her temper.

Li Muzhan shook his head and chuckled, "Martial Uncle, I haven't used any other martial arts.

This is precisely the Dragon Slaying Hand." "This is the Dragon Slaying Hand?

Let me experience it!" Abbess Zhumei cried out, leaping up, becoming one with her sword as she stabbed toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan, with a sigh of resignation, lightly deflected the sword blade with his right palm.

With another sharp clang, Abbess Zhumei’s sword slipped from her grasp and shot toward a pillar two zhang away.

She floated back to the ground, staring at Li Muzhan in surprise, a look of utter disbelief on her face.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Martial Uncle, I have offended you." With a subtle twist and pull of his wrist, the two longswords embedded in the pillar two zhang away trembled, buzzed, flew up, and instantly settled into his hands.

"Martial Uncle, Martial Sister, your swords," he offered them with both hands presented.

"Good boy, the Dragon Slaying Hand is truly extraordinary!" Abbess Zhumei broke into a wide smile, taking back her sword.

She glanced down and her expression immediately changed, "My sword!" Everyone looked where she pointed; her gleaming longsword was visibly twisted, bearing a distinct notch.

Li Muzhan managed a wry smile and rubbed his nose.

"Jingying, where is your sword?" Abbess Zhumei craned her neck to look; her own sword remained perfectly intact.

Confused, Abbess Zhumei looked at Li Muzhan.

Abbess Zhuzhao and Li Zhuyue also approached, examining the longsword.

They gasped in admiration, "Martial Sister, this sword is a treasured weapon.

To damage it like this, how much force must that have taken?" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed, "Zhanran, tell us what happened." Li Muzhan explained, "Master, the Dragon Slaying Hand is supremely firm and possesses the purest Yang energy, capable of shattering anything.

It excels at rebounding force.

Martial Uncle's internal energy is deep, so the rebound force was significant, therefore..." "Is that so..." Everyone nodded in sudden understanding.

"The Dragon Slaying Hand can actually reflect internal force—it truly is mystical," Abbess Zhumei studied Li Muzhan’s hands, which had already returned to normal.

"The speed was also incredible," Li Zhuyue remarked.

Both Abbess Zhumei's and Xu Jingying's swords were extremely fast, embodying the essence of the Nine Swords of the Vast Sea.

Yet Li Muzhan broke through their attacks instantly, and she hadn't even seen how he moved.

Abbess Zhuzhao beamed, "What a magnificent Dragon Slaying Hand, truly superb!" Li Muzhan replied, "Master, I am still far from mastery.

I have only managed the first layer; the more exquisite techniques, which complement the Eight Forms of Palm Work, are yet to be trained." "Then why haven't you been diligently practicing?" Abbess Zhuzhao chided him.

Li Muzhan scratched his head, "I have been in seclusion for so long, I missed Master dearly.

As soon as I mastered the first layer, I couldn't wait to come back and see you." "Smooth talker," Abbess Zhuzhao gave him a look, but she was smiling broadly.

Abbess Zhumei and Li Zhuyue shook their heads.

This pair of Master and Disciple—one silver-tongued, and the other utterly charmed by it—left them speechless.

"Zhanran, can others learn the Dragon Slaying Hand?" Abbess Zhuzhao inquired.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I'm afraid not." Abbess Zhuzhao asked, puzzled, "Why not?

You learned it; perhaps you could guide them, and they still couldn't master it?" She would never suspect Li Muzhan of hoarding secrets; there must be a genuine obstacle.

Li Muzhan explained, "It demands extremely high internal energy, the key being its purity...

If one's Canghai Divine Art has not reached Great Perfection, they shouldn't even think about learning the Dragon Slaying Hand." "I see..." Abbess Zhuzhao understood, then shook her head, "In that case, if one cannot practice it extensively, it's truly useless, isn't it?" Li Muzhan suggested, "Master, why don't we just discard it?" Abbess Zhuzhao shot him a glare, "Nonsense!" Li Muzhan laughed, "Of course, when we discard it, we can slightly modify it, and no one will likely notice." "And you call yourself a monk, full of such wicked ideas," Abbess Zhuzhao pouted, smiling.

Abbess Zhumei chuckled heartily, "That's a good idea!" Li Zhuyue shook her head, "It's too underhanded.

Let's forget it." Abbess Zhuzhao considered it, then declared, "No, we cannot discard it.

If we do, others will think we are afraid of them.

I want to see which scoundrels dare to cause trouble!" Li Muzhan smiled, "Master, why go to such trouble?" "This concerns our reputation; we cannot show fear before a fight," Abbess Zhuzhao huffed.

Li Muzhan shook his head, sighing inwardly.

He had guessed correctly; his earlier words to the Changbai Sword Sect were mere conjecture based on how his Master might react—they hadn't happened yet.

He had deliberately given the Changbai Sword Sect the false impression that he was dissatisfied with his low status in the Canghai Sword Sect, subtly inviting them to try and win him over.

This way, if they ever planned anything detrimental to the Canghai Sword Sect, they might target him instead, serving as an early warning and preparation.

"You, you court suffering just to save face," Abbess Zhumei shook her head and snorted, "How did Jingren and the others die?

Wasn't it because of this Dragon Slaying Manual...

Do you think we haven't lost enough disciples already, perhaps?" Li Zhuyue also advised, "Yes, Second Martial Sister, just discard it.

It costs us nothing, so why strain ourselves?" Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head, her expression resolute, "No matter how many disciples die, the majesty of Cangshan must not be compromised!" "You stubborn fool," Abbess Zhumei glared at her fiercely.

Li Zhuyue turned to Li Muzhan, "Zhanran, talk some sense into your Master; she listens to you." Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Martial Aunt, Martial Uncle, I actually feel that Master is not entirely unreasonable.

We cannot show weakness." "You think so too?" Abbess Zhumei frowned.

Li Muzhan nodded, "If we show weakness, there will be a chain reaction.

The martial world operates on the principle of the strong preying on the weak; perhaps petty individuals will come knocking at our door." "They certainly will," Abbess Zhuzhao snorted.

Abbess Zhumei and Li Zhuyue considered this and slowly nodded, agreeing there was sense in his words.

"Fine then, we'll go along with you.

You are the Sect Leader," Abbess Zhumei conceded.

Abbess Zhuzhao huffed, "Martial Sister, you only just remembered I'm the Sect Leader?" Abbess Zhumei gave her a pointed look, "What, do you expect me to apologize to you?" "Then forget it," Abbess Zhuzhao smiled.

Afterward, Abbess Zhuzhao asked Li Muzhan to demonstrate the power of the Dragon Slaying Hand again, having someone procure a Qingfeng sword, which she tested herself.

When she brought the sword down, Li Muzhan lightly tapped it, and the Qingfeng sword immediately bent, as if it were molded from clay.

The three women were utterly bewildered.

How could flesh and blood become so formidable?

These hands were equivalent to treasured weapons, yet far more agile.

More crucially, they could rebound internal force, making them more powerful than any sword.

The three tested it again, linking up and channeling their combined internal energy into Abbess Zhuzhao, who then struck Li Muzhan with a palm.

Li Muzhan met the blow with his right palm.

With a dull thump, all four of them recoiled several steps.

Li Muzhan’s face flushed momentarily before returning to normal, while the three women looked somewhat disheveled, having never anticipated such a result.

Li Muzhan's internal energy was profound, even deeper than theirs individually, but combined, their energy vastly surpassed his—at least double, they had thought—and should have been enough to repel him.

Instead, while they were repelled, they were also thrown back by the rebound shockwave, their Qi and blood surging turbulently.

Li Muzhan slightly closed his eyes, carefully sensing his body; there was not the slightest anomaly.

His palms felt as if cast from metal and stone, perfectly isolating the invasion of internal force.

The Dragon Slaying Hand truly lived up to its fearsome reputation.

"Good boy, you are ready to leave the mountain!" Abbess Zhuzhao raised and lowered her palms, steadying her breath, and smiled, "With this Dragon Slaying Hand, you can roam the world freely." Being able to withstand the combined blow of three masters meant that even if he couldn't be called invincible in the martial world, he could advance or retreat as he pleased.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Your disciple finally has the means to protect himself." "Yes, very good," Abbess Zhuzhao nodded in satisfaction.

"It's good that you think that way.

Don't become arrogant; the martial world is filled with countless masters." She paused in thought, "Let's use an analogy: the martial world is like a very ancient pool, and no one knows how many great fish are hidden within." "Yes, this disciple understands," Li Muzhan replied with a smile.

Abbess Zhuzhao waved her hand, "Go now.

Practice those eight accompanying moves well.

Once you have mastered them, you may descend the mountain to visit your parents." "Yes, Master," Li Muzhan nodded excitedly.

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