Elder Mistress Zhuzhao swooped over only to find Li Muzhan and Chiying vanished into a wisp of smoke at the foot of the mountain. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot.

On the rooftops of the smaller courtyards stood numerous disciples, roused from their sleep by the commotion, secretly marveling. They had heard rumors of Senior Brother Zhanran possessing a treasured steed, swift as lightning and free as the wind, and now seeing it firsthand, they conceded its power.

"Hurry back to sleep, and keep your spirits up!" Elder Mistress Zhuzhao snapped, her apricot eyes flashing like a sudden bolt of electricity as she scanned the area.

The crowd stuck out their tongues, silently drifting down from the rooftops and returning to their rooms, unable to resist whispering amongst themselves. Senior Brother Zhanran was always so composed and serene, unruffled even if Mount Tai collapsed before him; why was he in such a hurry this time? Could something momentous have occurred?

They felt an underlying unease but couldn't fathom it. Some guessed it involved the Eldest Senior Sister and the others, but without any concrete news, their speculations were vague and unsubstantial, so they didn't truly believe them.

Elder Mistress Zhuzhao knitted her delicate brows in contemplation. She considered summoning experts from Cui Feng Pavilion and the Martial Arts Hall, but though their skills were high, they lacked Zhanran's divine agility. Going down the mountain would be useless; she had no idea where to even begin searching for help.

Shaking her head, she sighed inwardly. "With such a heavy heart, even Zhanran grows flustered. A man who plans everything meticulously, yet in this moment, he missed this."

Thinking of this, anxiety flared within her, a surging, hot anger burning in her chest.

Li Muzhan rode upon Chiying’s back; everything before him receded at dizzying speed, blurring into indistinct shapes. The fierce wind struck his face like slicing knives, yet he paid it no mind, his heart consumed by urgency.

Occasionally, an eagle’s cry echoed from the sky—the two birds guiding their way. Chiying, already possessing profound sentience, followed the sound naturally without needing instruction from Li Muzhan.

It shunned the main roads, cutting a direct line. When encountering forests, it slipped through as a fish moves through water; when facing mountains, it scaled them as if traversing level ground; when encountering water, it plunged straight through, its speed a breath faster than the highest level of qinggong.

Li Muzhan ceaselessly channeled his internal power to lend Chiying strength. The horse became like a tiger with wings, accelerating even further. In only half an hour, they had covered over a hundred li, a speed that defied belief.

His anxiety was acute. The thought of the vibrant and exquisitely beautiful Eldest Senior Sister and the placid, chrysanthemum-like Senior Sister Xu being harmed twisted his heart with agony, which rapidly coalesced into a raging inferno of wrath.

His self-control held. He quickly drew several deep breaths, regaining clarity. He closed his eyes and activated his Eye of the Void, probing the direction with pure instinct.

The eagle cries suddenly became rushed and urgent. Li Muzhan’s spirit lifted; he patted Chiying, and the steed surged forward once more, transforming into a fleeting shadow.

Within the Eye of the Void, the figures of the two women materialized.

Four men stood with arms crossed; some frowned, some shook their heads in wry smiles, and others radiated inexplicable excitement. The four were spaced about ten zhang apart, forming a square.

In the center, a handsome youth swung his sword, attacking Xu Jingying.

Xu Jingying, with Wen Yinyue draped across her back, pursed her lips and looked at her opponent faintly, struggling for breath as she parried his blade.

Her azure robes were torn in several places—on her legs, shoulder, and chest—revealing patches of pale, milky skin. She was slick with sweat, and her swordplay was soft and weak. After two more exchanges, her shoulder was pierced again, tearing the fabric.

The sword only grazed the cloth, not piercing the skin. The handsome youth watched her exposed skin with a leering smile.

"Splendid, truly flavorful. I like this!" the handsome youth chuckled, stroking his chin.

……………………

Li Muzhan’s inner fire erupted instantly, his killing intent boiling over like magma. Senior Sister Xu, usually as elegant as a chrysanthemum, was being mocked like this!

Senior Sister Xu Jingying had always possessed a cool detachment, distinct from Senior Sister Wen’s coldness; hers was an ethereal distance from worldly affairs, a detached inaction toward life. Among the disciples of Canghai Mountain, her standing was second only to the Eldest Senior Sister, Wen Yinyue.

Now, their goddess-like sister was being treated with such casual insolence! If the disciples of Canghai Mountain knew, they would fight to the death.

He frowned, then exhaled slowly. Wen Yinyue’s delicate head rested upon Xu Jingying’s shoulder, her face masked in a layer of grey, unconscious. Whether she lived or died was unknown.

However, as long as there was no external wound, the Creation Elixir could sustain her life. Judging by her appearance, she had been poisoned, meaning there was still a chance.

Covering several li took only a few breaths for Chiying. Li Muzhan employed the Lamp-Lighting Technique while on horseback, though lamentably, he could not use the Great Bright King Sutra.

He unleashed a long cry: "Senior Sister Xu—!"

The sound rolled like thunder, echoing across the entire sky, reverberating in all directions.

Xu Jingying’s spirits suddenly rallied. Recognizing Li Muzhan’s voice, the light of her sword flared abruptly. The handsome youth, taken aback, was forced to take a step back.

Li Muzhan pressed down on Chiying’s back, leveraging its momentum combined with his own qinggong, shooting toward the center of the fray like a taut crossbow bolt. His hands pointed forward simultaneously, and the Divine Sword of Canghai erupted forth.

Several streams of sword energy advanced in parallel, resembling ten pillars bound together, thrusting straight ahead.

Two middle-aged men swept forward to intercept, colliding with the sword energy. Realizing the danger, they tried to pull back, but it was a step too late; their shoulders were pierced—one in the left, the other in the right.

The other two men, facing him, were stunned by their companions' weakness. As they moved to assist, Li Muzhan had already reached Xu Jingying, his hands sweeping out, sword energy crisscrossing the space.

The handsome youth fenced with lightning speed: "Clang, clang, clang, clang..." a continuous series of clear rings. He was forced to retreat steadily. Li Muzhan’s sword energy carried immense power; though the youth's swordsmanship was exquisite, his internal energy was inferior.

"Senior Sister Xu, you take the Eldest Senior Sister and leave!" Li Muzhan placed a hand on her slender waist.

Xu Jingying felt a soft yet resilient force lift her, carrying her swiftly over a dozen zhang before setting her down lightly on the horse’s back; only then did the power dissipate.

Chiying let out a soft neigh, wheeled around, and vanished into the darkness like a phantom.

Li Muzhan followed closely. The five pursuers tried to keep up, but Li Muzhan’s sword energy suppressed them. He had mastered the Casting Stance of the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture, igniting three stars, making his internal energy ever purer, heavy as lead and mercury, brimming with colossal power.

……………………

The five men possessed exceptional sword skills, especially their astonishing speed, which was like streaks of lightning. However, they could not get close. No matter how strong their swordsmanship, they could not touch Li Muzhan, forcing them to strike at the barrage of sword energy defensively.

The two injured men served as a grim warning: this sword energy was far from a gentle caress. Their inner defenses could not protect their bodies; they could only fend off the onslaught with their blades.

Li Muzhan activated the Lamp-Lighting Technique. His internal energy burned fiercely, violent and potent, increasing his qinggong speed by several measures, allowing him to barely keep pace with Chiying.

Seeing this, the five pursuers stopped, helpless.

Gazing at the five, Li Muzhan took a deep breath. He longed to capture them, to torture them for seven days and seven nights until they died screaming, just to ease the rage in his heart.

But his reason remained intact. He forcefully suppressed the killing intent boiling like magma. The Eldest Senior Sister’s life was paramount. It would not be easy for him alone to deal with these five; delaying for their sake would render killing them several times over useless.

Li Muzhan drew another deep breath, swung onto the horse, settling behind Xu Jingying. He placed his palm on Wen Yinyue’s back to examine her injury, only to find his internal power sinking into the wound as if entering thick mud, sluggish and difficult.

He frowned, delicately slicing the cloth binding with his Kejian (Sword Index), flipping Wen Yinyue over. He placed his left palm over her heart meridian, feeling softness and resilience directly against his palm.

His mind was icy clear, unburdened by frivolous thoughts. He slowly transmitted internal energy into the heart meridian and discovered a sphere of protective force guarding it. He let out a long, relieved breath.

Xu Jingying lay limply against the horse’s back, her long hair fluttering, already dried by the wind in the short time that passed.

She turned to look back: "How is the Eldest Senior Sister?"

Li Muzhan withdrew his left palm. "She’s fine, thanks to taking the Creation Elixir in time! ...Who are they?!"

"Lin Ping, the Young Master of the South Altar of Sanxiao Hall!" Xu Jingying ground out through clenched teeth.

Li Muzhan spat, "Lin Ping! Hmph, I swear I will kill this wretch! ...Senior Sister Xu, how are your injuries?"

Xu Jingying shook her head. "I'm fine, just exhausted... If the Eldest Senior Sister hadn't blocked that for me, I would be the one lying down."

Li Muzhan asked, "An inner projectile?"

Xu Jingying nodded. "Yes, this projectile is very strange—invisible and colorless. I didn't notice it until the Eldest Senior Sister spotted it and shielded me."

Li Muzhan separated a thread of internal energy, shaping it into a spiral, which drilled through the muddy resistance of the internal blockages. It circled Wen Yinyue's body once, then he withdrew his left palm and placed it on her right breast, holding it steady.

Xu Jingying’s face flushed faintly but she said nothing, understanding that he had located the projectile.

Li Muzhan slowly retracted his palm, then flipped it upward. A flash of blue light glimmered over his hand—it was a fine, blue-tinged animal hair needle.

"What a vicious weapon!" Li Muzhan grunted.

Xu Jingying sighed. "No wonder..."

She turned to look at Wen Yinyue cradled in Li Muzhan’s arms. "For the Eldest Senior Sister to detect this, truly..."

…………………………

Her face, once crystalline as jade, was now smeared with a layer of grey, dull and lusterless. Her dark brows were slightly furrowed, as if she were in pain. Li Muzhan yearned to pull her into his embrace and suffer the torment in her stead.

Watching from the side, Xu Jingying saw him suppress his pity. He transferred Wen Yinyue to her care, dismounted lightly. Although Chiying was powerful, carrying three people still dragged down its speed; they needed to return to Canghai Mountain as quickly as possible.

Chiying bore the two women as if they weighed nothing, moving with electric speed. Half an hour later, they reached Canghai Mountain. Li Muzhan followed closely, his internal power surging, his blood energy roiling, his spirit and vigor strong.

At the base of Canghai Mountain, Chiying scrambled up the steps like a gust of smoke. Li Muzhan took the steps one by one, unable to use his qinggong.

When he reached the Wuji Hall, the interior was blazing with light. Elder Mistress Zhuzhao, Elder Mistress Zhumei, and Li Zhuyue were all present, along with the other core disciples.

Mei Ruolan, Gong Qingyun, and Xiaoyuan were all in seclusion and did not appear.

Elder Mistress Zhuzhao sat cross-legged, pressing her palms against Wen Yinyue’s back. A foot above her head, white energy condensed into the shape of a lotus flower that lingered for a long time, her demeanor solemn and dignified.

The grey pallor on Wen Yinyue’s face did not fade, and a lotus flower formed of white energy hovered above her head too, though it was far dimmer, shimmering faintly like sheer gauze.

Elder Mistress Zhumei’s face was grim, while Li Zhuyue maintained a calm expression, though his brow was slightly furrowed. Xu Jingying sat cross-legged, and the surrounding disciples stared silently at Wen Yinyue.

Noticing Li Muzhan enter, Elder Mistress Zhumei showed a hint of relief and beckoned him to sit beside her.

Li Muzhan walked over and sat down gently, glancing at Wen Yinyue’s condition before shaking his head.

Elder Mistress Zhumei whispered, "Zhanran, it was fortunate you arrived a step sooner. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable!"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "My martial arts were insufficient; I could not exact revenge for Senior Sister."

He knew that any other man in that situation would have fought to the death, yet he had forcibly suppressed the impulse to turn and flee, exhibiting a calmness that bordered on excessive. (To be continued)