Li Muzhan frowned. These fifty people included ten elders and over forty middle-aged men, all unfamiliar faces, none of the ones he had seen last time.

If they were from the Dongyuan Gang, it was unlikely they would be completely without the masters from before; at least two elders should have profound cultivation, ranking as first-class experts.

Clearly, these were not from the Dongyuan Gang. If not the Dongyuan Gang, whose people could they be? The Changbai Sword Sect was about to announce itself!

Li Muzhan secretly sighed at Fan Dongyuan’s cunning—showing weakness to lure the enemy in, and then calling for aid from the Changbai Sword Sect. While this move wasn't as glorious as wiping out the threat with the Dongyuan Gang’s own strength, it was safer. If things went wrong, no blame could fall on him; the failure would rest on the incompetence of the Changbai Sword Sect masters.

This way, he incurred no losses and managed to curb his desire, choosing this path. Fan Dongyuan was truly a capable man.

Li Muzhan admired him inwardly, then glanced at the self-satisfied Fan Dongyuan, allowing slivers of killing intent to drift out from his heart.

Wen Yinyue said coolly, "You intend to stand up for the Changbai Sword Sect?"

"Heh heh…" Fan Dongyuan stroked his yellow beard and smiled, "Fairy Wen, please forgive me. This old man belongs to the Changbai Sword Sect and naturally acts for the sect. As for you, Fairy, I admire you immensely, but it is a pity you belong to the Canghai Mountain. A great pity!"

He shook his head repeatedly with regret.

Wen Yinyue smiled faintly, "So, you must kill me?"

"Circumstances leave no choice; this old man must do it. Forgive me, Fairy!" Fan Dongyuan sighed, shook his head, and waved his hand, "Senior Brothers, let us begin."

Over fifty experts floated down from the wall, landing before Wen Yinyue, surrounding Li Muzhan and the other two in three rings, their long swords pointed menacingly.

Abbess Zhuzhao let out a soft laugh but remained silent.

Wen Yinyue’s delicate eyebrows knitted slightly. She slowly drew her sword, the light in her eyes sparkling, poised and eager for a fight. Li Muzhan noticed this and shook his head repeatedly.

His Senior Sister had made significant breakthroughs comprehending the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture these past few days, but Li Muzhan himself was mentally exhausted, and his Master forbade him from fighting, leaving her extremely restless.

Now she had finally found someone to test her skills on. Despite her naturally cool disposition, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"Senior Sister, make it quick," Li Muzhan whispered. Wen Yinyue gazed intently ahead, nodded slowly, and then shot forward in a flash of sword light.

The air shimmered with blinding light, as if the sun had fallen to earth, dazzling the eyes.

Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes to watch. Wen Yinyue’s sword speed was astonishing, striking at the hollow spaces while maintaining offense, her sword tip like a dragonfly touching water, yet every strike found the opponent's weak spot, none missing.

Her footwork was light and agile, her movements graceful and flowing, carrying a unique rhythm, as if she were dancing amidst a sphere of light. In an instant, she had killed ten men.

…………………………

"Senior Sister, magnificent swordsmanship!" Li Muzhan applauded in admiration.

Wen Yinyue turned and smiled, her sword light remaining beautiful and sharp. Each stroke was light, like a dragonfly kissing water, piercing a tiny, almost imperceptible spot on the chests of over a dozen experts.

But the force on the sword tips penetrated the body, directly severing the vital organs and extinguishing life.

Li Muzhan turned to his Master, "Master, Senior Sister's swordsmanship has advanced greatly. It seems the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture is indeed profound!"

Abbess Zhuzhao nodded with a happy smile, "Indeed, this Flying Immortal Sword Scripture is truly formidable. I wonder who created it—a celestial being, perhaps!"

"How does it compare to our Ancestral Master?" Li Muzhan asked.

Abbess Zhuzhao shook her head, "Although the Founding Ancestor was powerful, he might still be a notch below the creator of this Flying Immortal Sword Scripture. It's just a pity the disciples of the Changbai Sword Sect are incapable of comprehending its subtlety."

Li Muzhan nodded; this was true. They had stumbled upon treasure only to leave empty-handed; the Changbai Sword Sect disciples were truly unworthy, allowing such a profound sword scripture to gather dust.

Abbess Zhuzhao said, "You scoundrel, you have earned merit! It’s a good thing you killed Nie Wangqiu; had he been allowed to continue studying it, he might have surpassed us one day."

Li Muzhan mused, "Master, since this scripture is so powerful, why has the Changbai Sword Sect never truly risen to prominence?"

Abbess Zhuzhao chuckled, "I’ve been thinking about this these past few days; I think I have some inkling."

"I am eager to hear your esteemed opinion, Master," Li Muzhan said with a smile.

Abbess Zhuzhao shot him a sidelong glance, "Slick talker! Don't laugh when you hear it!"

"This disciple wouldn't dare," Li Muzhan quickly replied.

Abbess Zhuzhao snorted softly, "I trust you wouldn't!"

She sighed inwardly. The longer she spent with this disciple, the more she recognized his sharpness. No wonder Yinyue held him in such high regard; he was truly beyond compare.

She continued, "After thinking it over, the root cause is the Changbai Sword Sect’s shallow foundation. They only have this one sword scripture and no other high-level martial arts… It's like trying to climb a towering mountain with no path. While the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture is mighty, mastering it is not easy."

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, "Great minds think alike. This disciple feels the same."

Abbess Zhuzhao smiled, "The martial arts of our Canghai Sword Sect follow a step-by-step progression. As long as one practices diligently, even someone not exceptionally bright can achieve success. With more intelligence and effort, becoming a master is not difficult… Moreover, it's not just the Canghai Divine Sword lineage; if the Canghai Divine Art doesn't suit someone, they can practice the Su Yu Skill, the Wonderful Lotus Scripture, or the Dragon Transformation Art… The martial arts of the Changbai Sword Sect are all derived from the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture; they are incomplete and too singular—not suitable for every disciple."

Li Muzhan laughed, "Concise and precise!"

"Alright, stop flattering me!" Abbess Zhuzhao scolded, grinning broadly.

………………………………

While they spoke, Wen Yinyue moved her sword with graceful agility, swimming through the sea of flashing blades like a fish, completely at ease. Every sword strike brought a man's death.

In the time it took them to exchange a few words, another ten men fell. She remained untainted, her breath even.

The remaining twenty-odd experts in the fray looked grim, yet showed no sign of fear. Someone shouted, "If we cannot kill Wen Yinyue today, we have no face left to live!"

The crowd fell silent, and their sword light intensified. Li Muzhan glanced at the speaker—it was Fan Dongyuan, his face dark, his eyes flashing with cold malice, yet he stood behind the main group.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Master, he's trying to run."

Abbess Zhuzhao gave a soft smile, "Don't worry. Your Senior Sister won't let him!"

Then, Wen Yinyue spun her figure, her movements as graceful as a dance, a flash of killing intent instantly passing through her graceful movements. She swept through them, unstoppable.

Li Muzhan marveled internally. Although these experts were considered top-tier, they were still only in the First-Class realm. Under his Senior Sister's sword, they had no power to fight back. Her swordsmanship’s perfection was truly exceptional.

The Flying Immortal Sword Scripture had aided her immensely. He estimated that purely in terms of sword power, she had improved by twenty to thirty percent—a massive leap.

Fan Dongyuan’s heart sank. He had heard the name Cold Lotus Fairy, hailed as the number one master among the younger generation, but he had always dismissed it as gossip, believing people only praised her due to her beauty.

Even so, cautious as he was, to ensure absolute success, he had invited fifty experts from the Changbai Sword Sect to ambush her, feeling completely confident.

Though these fifty experts weren't the absolute pinnacle of the Changbai Sword Sect, they were several times stronger than the Dongyuan Gang’s masters—enough to deal with Wen Yinyue.

Reality, however, was brutally harsh. These experts, who fought alongside him, couldn't withstand a single exchange. This Wen Yinyue was even more terrifying than rumored. To possess such profound swordsmanship at such a young age was monstrous!

He felt the urge to retreat. If this attempt failed, he would find even stronger experts next time. He had to eliminate her one way or another. Such a figure, before she became the Sect Leader of the Canghai Sword Sect, should be eliminated early, which would benefit the Changbai Sword Sect.

He slowly retreated, hoping to slip away unnoticed while everyone was preoccupied.

With a soft hiss, a white shadow flashed before his eyes, and cold light reached his chest.

He was shocked. In a swift move, he executed the 'Shedding Robe and Changing Girdle,' simultaneously kicking back while waving his sword into a whirling mass, the sword light enveloping him like flowing water.

Clang! A crisp sound rang out. He felt his arm go numb, a sharp pain in his chest, and then darkness surged in, swallowing all awareness.

To the onlookers, the sword light around him suddenly vanished, his long sword fell from his grasp, and he crashed heavily to the ground, utterly still—dead.

Wen Yinyue’s feet never paused. Her figure flickered like a white shadow, her sword transforming into a shooting cold star accompanying her. Retreating divinely, moving swiftly as the wind, in the blink of an eye, the twenty-odd experts were all dead, without exception.

She gracefully returned to Li Muzhan’s side. The faint, delicate fragrance remained unchanged. There was not a trace of bloodstain on her body. She looked as serene as calm clouds, refreshed, without any lingering killing intent.

…………………………………………

The practice of the Wonderful Lotus Scripture emphasizes the heart remaining like a lotus flower, unsullied by the mud. Chaotic emotions never taint it; one remains in a state of perfect tranquility.

"Senior Sister’s swordplay is superb, I am deeply impressed!" Li Muzhan clapped his hands in admiration and laughed, "This battle was clean and swift—utterly gratifying!"

Wen Yinyue glanced at him lightly, "It’s far inferior to Junior Brother’s Canghai Divine Sword!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "The Canghai Divine Sword... Senior Sister should check outside, see if anyone is hiding in the shadows; I suspect there are both open and hidden threats."

Wen Yinyue nodded, flashed away, and returned in an instant, shaking her head, "Too late. That person is already gone."

Li Muzhan shook his head with a sigh.

Wen Yinyue understood his thoughts, "Junior Brother relies too much on divine abilities. But that’s fine; we kill whoever comes."

"Yes, Zhanran, you shouldn't always rely on divine abilities. Killing this Fan Dongyuan this time is like cutting off one finger of the Changbai Sword Sect."

Li Muzhan shook his head, "The Dongyuan Gang is insignificant; they are nothing to the Changbai Sword Sect. However, these fifty-plus experts represent a considerable loss for the Changbai Sword Sect."

"Their martial arts were ordinary too," Wen Yinyue countered.

Li Muzhan smiled, "It wasn't that they were incompetent, but that Senior Sister’s swordplay has become formidable."

Wen Yinyue showed a hint of a smile, "I also feel the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture is marvelous; my swordsmanship has made some progress."

The three discussed for a while before promptly leaving. Staying where so many had died was uncomfortable, so they continued their journey.

The next day around noon, they were traversing an open area. Under the bright sunlight, the wide official road stretched endlessly into the distance. Sparse woods lined the route, the area sparsely populated and vast.

Li Muzhan sat on top of the carriage, sunbathing. The wind was still a bit harsh, but the sun felt genuinely comfortable. The two women had gotten out of the carriage to walk, feeling stifled from sitting inside constantly.

As he basked in the sun, Li Muzhan suddenly sighed, "Master, Senior Sister, trouble is coming again!"

He raised a hand to shield his eyes and looked out, "Ten people. It seems they are targeting us."

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