The morning sun shone brightly as a luxurious, spacious carriage slowly made its way along the main road.

The carriage interior was richly appointed, with a low couch at the front and another at the back. Li Muzhan lay sprawled on the front couch, while Wen Yinyue and Abbess Zhuzhao were seated on the rear one.

Inside the carriage, Li Muzhan lay in a state between sleep and wakefulness, enveloped in a faint, pleasant fragrance that felt incredibly comforting, making him wish he could stay this way forever.

Abbess Zhuzhao leaned against the carriage wall, observing Li Muzhan and shaking her head with a sigh. "This rascal..." Wen Yinyue, sitting cross-legged, held a book in her hands. "This time, we owe everything to Junior Brother."

"Mm, without him, we wouldn't have dared to storm Wufeng Mountain," Abbess Zhuzhao chuckled, shaking her head. "He... his audacity is truly excessive!"

Wen Yinyue inquired, "Master, what will the Changbai Sword Sect do next?"

"What will they do?" Abbess Zhuzhao burst into triumphant laughter. "They’ll hide like turtles! At a time like this, they fear someone taking advantage of their vulnerability the most!"... "Yinyue, if you were in such a situation, what would you do?"

Wen Yinyue pondered for a moment. "If it were me, I would strike preemptively to establish authority and awe the masses. Otherwise, it truly becomes a case of 'when the wall falls, everyone pushes.'"

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "Aren't you afraid someone will seize the moment to cause trouble? Or that several sects will unite to attack?"

Wen Yinyue smiled and shook her head. "If they truly intend to act, hiding like a turtle will only fuel their ambition. A swift, thunderous response will actually make them hesitate."

"Indeed, well said, that makes sense!" Abbess Zhuzhao nodded and smiled. "Yinyue, your conduct is becoming increasingly refined. I can finally take things easy."

Wen Yinyue replied, "Master, you are in your prime; the time for stepping down is still far off!"

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head. "I have no desire to be the Sect Leader! I’d be busy to death every day, tangled up in endless affairs, unable to pursue my own interests—it’s exhausting!"

"Disciple is not yet mature enough to shoulder such a great responsibility, Master. You cannot slack off."

Abbess Zhuzhao smiled sweetly. "You, however, have gained enough experience. With that brat Zhanran assisting you... I can safely relinquish the bitter task of Sect Leadership!"

Wen Yinyue shook her head, musing for a moment. "Master, perhaps the position of Sect Leader should be passed to Junior Brother instead!"

"Hm?" Abbess Zhuzhao's apricot eyes widened, and her delicate eyebrows instantly furrowed. "Yinyue, what nonsense are you speaking!"

"Master, Junior Brother possesses far-sighted wisdom, never making a plan that isn't foolproof, and his actions are meticulous. He is a hundred times better than I am, and his martial arts are superior. He is far more suited to be the Sect Leader!" Wen Yinyue stated.

Abbess Zhuzhao frowned. "Why would you suddenly think of this?"

Wen Yinyue revealed a slight smile. "Master, I am just like you; I don't wish to take up this burden either. It is too heavy; I cannot bear it."

"Little girl, is this truly what you feel, or is it for that rascal?" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed and chided.

Wen Yinyue replied, "This is my sincere feeling. I also desire freedom and ease. Being the Sect Leader holds no real interest for me."

"Alas..." Abbess Zhuzhao sighed, shaking her head, and glanced at the drowsy Li Muzhan.

………………………………………………“……………………

"Master?" Wen Yinyue looked at her.

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head and sighed. "The Sect Leader of our Canghai Sword Sect must always be a woman. Zhanran cannot inherit the position."

"Why?" Wen Yinyue asked, puzzled.

Abbess Zhuzhao sighed again. "It is a sect rule; there is no other reason."

Wen Yinyue protested, "Junior Brother is a genius of the highest order. For him not to be Sect Leader is a massive loss!"

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "If he doesn't become the leader, helping you is just as good."

"It is truly unfair to Junior Brother," Wen Yinyue murmured, shaking her head.

Abbess Zhuzhao chuckled. "Then marry him!"

"Master!" Wen Yinyue pouted playfully and shook her head. "Junior Brother follows the path of a monastic practitioner; he is bound by the prohibition against secular attachments. How can he take a wife!"

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed and shook her head. "Yinyue, it seems you are still quite naïve. Our Canghai Mountain is a world unto itself. As long as the wedding happens on the mountain, who would know? Besides, even if they knew, who would bother climbing all the way up here?"

Wen Yinyue’s face flushed crimson, and she remained silent.

Abbess Zhuzhao sighed, shaking her head. "It seems one party harbors affection while the other is indifferent. All of Zhanran's yearning is in vain! What a pity, what a pity!"

"Master, please stop speaking nonsense!" Wen Yinyue's face grew even redder.

Abbess Zhuzhao lamented, "This rascal is quite the heartbreaker—he has attracted quite a few young women... like that Miss Li currently staying on our mountain."

"Miss Li should not be involved in matters of romantic entanglement," Wen Yinyue quickly interjected.

"Hmph, you actually believe that?" Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head dismissively.

Wen Yinyue lowered her gaze. "Junior Brother..."

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head. "Only you can keep him in check. As the saying goes, one thing conquers another. I doubt Ruolan or Qingyun could truly manage him!"

Wen Yinyue only shook her head without speaking.

Abbess Zhuzhao sighed. "However, this is a matter of mutual feeling. If you truly do not like him, I won't interfere further."

Wen Yinyue looked up at her, her face burning with embarrassment.

"Alright, alright, I won't pressure you anymore," Abbess Zhuzhao waved her hand.

Wen Yinyue let out a faint sigh, quickly glancing towards the unconscious Li Muzhan. Her bright eyes flickered several times.

Both women believed Li Muzhan was soundly asleep; his breathing was long and slow, and he remained perfectly still, appearing completely unconscious. Yet, they did not know he had long been awake.

Listening to their conversation, he inwardly let out a soft sigh.

………………………………………… The luxurious, spacious carriage moved slowly. Around noon, the carriage stopped beside a sparse stretch of woods to let the horses rest, feed, and drink.

In the current Dayuan Dynasty, horses were more precious than people. A person could go a day and a night without food or water, but a horse could not; they received more meticulous care than humans.

As the carriage halted, Li Muzhan seemed to slowly awaken. He sat up and looked around, meeting the concerned gazes of the two women.

"Master? Senior Sister?" Li Muzhan looked around vaguely.

Abbess Zhuzhao glared at him, playfully scolding, "You rascal, what are you looking at? We are still in the carriage!"

Li Muzhan asked, "Have we left Changbai Sword Peak?"

"Mm, we left a long time ago!" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "You slept like a pig; we've already covered over a hundred li."

Li Muzhan breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good then!"

"How are you recovering now?" Abbess Zhuzhao inquired.

Li Muzhan smiled. "No problem at all! Full of vigor and spirit—a fine man once more!"

He deliberately ignored the content of their earlier conversation. Furthermore, having just slept, he had sunk into a profound slumber, waking up utterly disoriented, with time and space feeling disjointed.

Abbess Zhuzhao scrutinized him. "Still a bit lacking. Looks like you need to keep resting."

Li Muzhan's eyes were still dull, lacking vitality and spirit, looking utterly dejected, like an eggplant bruised from a beating. Clearly, he had not fully recovered; the drain this time had been immense.

"Alas... it's good that we are out," Li Muzhan lay back down and sighed toward the sky. "That scene earlier truly felt like a dream. Did I really kill Nie Wangqiu?"

"What do you think?" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "Unless you were lying earlier!"

Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile. "I forgot to take his sword!"

"Enough," Abbess Zhuzhao waved her hand. "Since you say you killed him, naturally no one will doubt it. Tell us exactly what happened."

Li Muzhan nodded, got up, leaned against the carriage wall, and slowly began recounting the previous events, speaking at a measured pace. The two women listened with mounting tension.

What had taken only a moment in reality took Li Muzhan the time it takes to steep a cup of tea to narrate, describing the underground passages and the stone chamber clearly.

"That was a close call," Abbess Zhuzhao sighed. "It's fortunate that the Changbai Sword Sect has that specific rule, otherwise you might not have succeeded!"

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. "It was Heaven's will; Heaven intended to destroy him."

Abbess Zhuzhao chuckled. "So the legends are true after all? The forbidden ground of Wufeng Mountain is truly connected to the martial arts of the Changbai Sword Sect."

Li Muzhan nodded. "The person who inscribed the manual possessed profound internal energy and impressive fingertip strength."

The stone wall was incredibly hard; if he hadn't cultivated the Dragon-Slaying Hand, he wouldn't have been able to erase the inscription.

……………………………………………………………… "I wonder which master carved those words you saw?" Abbess Zhuzhao asked.

Li Muzhan chuckled, sounding slightly embarrassed. "Master, I memorized what was inscribed; I didn't smooth it over or destroy it."

"Oh?" Abbess Zhuzhao giggled and pointed at him. "You little rascal, you truly have a belly full of mischief!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Since they are the enemy, naturally, they must be suppressed."

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head and laughed. "This move of yours is utterly devastating! While the martial arts of the Changbai Sword Sect might not be completely lost, decline is certain!"

Li Muzhan asked, "Senior Sister, do you have brush and ink?"

Wen Yinyue averted her gaze, unwilling to look at him, and turned to find writing materials, personally grinding the inkstone.

"Zhanran, what are you doing?" Abbess Zhuzhao inquired.

Li Muzhan replied, "Master, I will write down the inscriptions on the wall. There are eighteen sword forms in total."

"You're really willing to share them?" Abbess Zhuzhao tilted her head, looking at him with a playful smile. "This is your spoils; it's fine even if you keep them."

Li Muzhan smiled. "If I practice them alone, it’s not as good as having the entire Canghai Mountain practice them."

"Sigh..." Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head. "You little thing..." She was deeply moved. Zhanran truly had no selfishness regarding Canghai Mountain, which was extremely rare.

"Done," Wen Yinyue set down the inkstone and moved the small table closer to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan struggled to sit up, panting slightly after a few movements. Abbess Zhuzhao hurried over to support him. "Slow down; you are at your weakest right now."

Li Muzhan sat upright, pondered for a moment holding the brush, and slowly drew a picture on a plain sheet of paper—a small figure executing a sword stance—then wrote a few characters beside it.

After finishing one sheet, he handed it to Abbess Zhuzhao and continued writing. He completed eighteen sheets in one go, then slowly set down the brush, letting out a long breath, his forehead already covered in sweat.

Wen Yinyue suddenly pulled a snow-white handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped his forehead. The fragrance was faint. Li Muzhan turned to smile at her, and Wen Yinyue quickly turned her head away.

"Good, Zhanran, these eighteen sword forms truly show shadows of the Flying Immortal Sword Art!" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed after examining all eighteen sheets. "It seems the Flying Immortal Sword Art evolved from these forms!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "These eighteen sword forms are somewhat more profound than the Flying Immortal Sword Art."

Abbess Zhuzhao nodded. "Indeed, they are far more profound. This set of sword techniques is largely responsible for the Changbai Sword Sect's longevity."

She smiled. "Zhanran, this is a great merit. What reward do you desire?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Disciple only wishes for our Canghai Mountain to become strong enough to protect every disciple here, ensuring their safety and that no one dares provoke us."

"Your ambition is greater than mine!" Abbess Zhuzhao laughed.

…………………………………………………… She handed the eighteen sheets to Wen Yinyue. "Yinyue, look them over, memorize them, and then burn them."

Wen Yinyue took them and slowly flipped through, page by page. After reading them once, she immediately started a second time, moving at an unhurried pace.

Having finished the second reading, she closed her eyes for a moment. Then, holding the eighteen sheets between her palms, she gently rubbed them together, instantly turning them into fine dust.

Abbess Zhuzhao remarked, "It was fortunate we killed Nie Wangqiu early. If he had fully comprehended this sword set, we truly would have had to bow our heads in submission!"

Wen Yinyue knitted her delicate brows. "Master, this sword art is quite esoteric. Is it real? Does flying swords truly exist?"

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "It is better to believe it exists than to believe it does not!"

Wen Yinyue shook her head. "If someone truly mastered such swordsmanship, they could not remain unknown. Even Nangong Sidiao could not reach such a level!"

Abbess Zhuzhao laughed. "Perhaps it is incredibly difficult to learn, much like the Dragon-Slaying Hand, the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art, or the Great Bright King Sutra... Nie Wangqiu's Flying Immortal Sword Art only managed to glean insights from the first ten forms, yet its power was already so immense."

Li Muzhan quickly added, "Master, I am ashamed. Those were all just strokes of luck!"

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head and laughed. "Mastering one is luck, mastering two is luck, mastering three is still luck?"

Li Muzhan nodded. "It is indeed luck."

Abbess Zhuzhao said, "Then try your luck this time too, strive to master these eighteen sword forms!"

Li Muzhan offered a bitter smile and shook his head. "Those later forms are truly too mystical. Killing with a flying sword—it is divine and terrifying. No one, from ancient times until now, has ever mastered it, right?"

"Legends speak of such Sword Immortals," Abbess Zhuzhao mentioned.

Li Muzhan smiled wryly. "Master, those are legends, myths!"

Abbess Zhuzhao shot him a look. "Nothing comes from nothing; there must be some basis for it. Stop the nonsense and hurry up and comprehend them! Master them!"

"Yes, Master..." Li Muzhan nodded helplessly.

Abbess Zhuzhao declared, "We will study them together. Three minds are always faster than one!"

"Precisely," Li Muzhan quickly agreed. As the saying goes, three ignorant cobblers outweigh one Zhuge Liang, illustrating the importance of pooling wisdom. Although his mind was exceptionally powerful, far surpassing ordinary people, it still had limitations and could not be perfect. Studying with others would certainly offer an advantage.