Li Muzhan fought without using his internal energy, relying purely on his techniques. His immense strength compensated for the lack of neili, and his blade movements flowed like water, unbroken, forming a curtain of shimmering light before him.

Against a single opponent, he could hold his own, but these two were cunning, their footwork incredibly nimble, maintaining a coordinated pincer attack from front and rear, their moves exquisitely refined. Li Muzhan found himself stretched thin, struggling to cover both sides despite his best efforts to maneuver.

Xu Xiaorou, while fighting alongside Lin Ping, kept an eye on the situation. Seeing Li Muzhan at a disadvantage, a spark ignited in her bright eyes, and she devised a plan for the three of them to converge.

Li Muzhan instantly responded, unleashing three swift, whooshing slashes that forced a middle-aged man back. Li Muzhan then leaped forward in a single bound, arriving before Xu Xiaorou.

Xu Xiaorou let out a cheer, declaring triumphantly, "Watch how I deal with them!" Li Muzhan managed a wry smile, "Senior Sister Xu, my blade work is paltry; I am truly ashamed!" "You’ve practiced by yourself; it’s quite impressive you’ve reached this level!" Xu Xiaorou laughed, her sword light scattering like starlight all around. She engaged three men alone, leaving the other two to Li Muzhan and Lin Ping respectively.

Li Muzhan's blade work was continuous, appearing soft and weak, like a lover practicing with a blade, entirely devoid of killing intent. Yet, he held a treasured sword, and his opponents dared not underestimate him.

Their blades met and parted, both seeking flaws in the other’s stance. After a dozen exchanges, their long blades had not truly clashed, as the opponents were wary of the treasure sword’s edge.

Lin Ping's sword light was like lightning, incomparably fast. His opponent, a burly man with a thick beard, met the assault fearlessly—his long saber was swung into a blur, "Clang, clang, clang, clang," the sound incessant.

Li Muzhan's blade craft and Lin Ping's sword light were starkly different: one exceedingly slow, the other lightning fast; one like flowing autumn water, the other like a clap of thunder. Xu Xiaorou’s sword technique was a blend of slow and fast—sometimes slow as a running stream, sometimes quick as an electric flash.

The star-like sword-light enveloped her, sparse yet gapless, effortlessly and comfortably fending off the three assailants. Her primary goal was to avoid error, not necessarily to achieve glorious feats, and she also sought to gauge the skills of Lin Ping and Li Muzhan.

As it stood, Lin Ping seemed to have the upper hand. She subtly thought to herself while weaving her swordplay: appearances could indeed be deceiving.

Junior Brother Lin’s sword light was like lightning, his aura fierce as a tiger. Though his features were handsome to the point of being somewhat effeminate, his martial arts were robustly powerful and domineering, brimming with heroic spirit—truly captivating.

Junior Brother Li’s blade work, however, was soft and yielding. While aesthetically pleasing, flowing like moving clouds and water, its destructive power seemed insufficient; he failed to seize the opportunity for decisive action.

It suggested a lack of combat experience; otherwise, with that set of blade techniques, he should have won long ago. She glanced toward the distant thicket.

Sword light flickered, shouts rang out endlessly, interspersed with cries of pain and groans. Senior Sister Zhang and Senior Sister He were fighting as a pair; those assailants were certainly not having an easy time.

"Senior Sister Zhang?" she called out loudly. A voice drifted from afar: "Rourou, how are things on your end?" "No need to worry, Senior Sister Zhang, we can hold them off!" Xu Xiaorou replied sweetly.

"Good, we’ll be done here shortly!" Zhang Qiaoyi called back, smiling. …………………………………………” "Oh!" she suddenly gasped in surprise, then exclaimed, "Junior Sister He!" "What's wrong, Senior Sister He?" Xu Xiaorou asked, startled.

He Ruoshui's voice sounded, "It’s nothing serious!" "Watch out for the hidden weapons!" Li Muzhan suddenly shouted, pulling a packet from his robe and hurling it out. A flash of blade light intercepted it—the paper packet burst open, scattering white smoke across the air.

Just then, a gust of mountain wind blew from behind them, sweeping the white mist to engulf the five opponents opposite. Li Muzhan yelled, "Senior Sister Xu, move!" The five burly men retreated several yards, their hands sweeping the air, fearing the powder might be poison.

Xu Xiaorou, jolted from her surprise by his shout, grabbed his sleeve and lightly floated away. Lin Ping quickly followed suit, retracting his sword.

The three of them darted past the horses and leaped into the upper growth of grass, where nine men were surrounding Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui. He Ruoshui was using her left hand to wield her sword, while blood was streaming from her right shoulder.

"Senior Sister He!" Xu Xiaorou roared in anger and lunged forward, still pulling Li Muzhan with her. Lin Ping followed closely behind.

The three plunged into the encirclement. The sword lights of Xu Xiaorou, Zhang Qiaoyi, and He Ruoshui merged, causing the brilliance of their blades to surge.

The three women’s sword techniques were marvelous; the more opponents there were, the stronger their combined force became—it wasn't mere addition, but multiplication. A duo could generate the power of four, and a trio, the power of eight.

Lin Ping pressed his lips tight, his sword light like electricity. Li Muzhan, meanwhile, sheathed his saber.

"Senior Sister He, let me apply some medicine for you." "No need, I'm fine." He Ruoshui quickly shook her head, her face flushing. Li Muzhan pulled a small white porcelain bottle from his robe and smiled, "This is Three Laughs Powder I acquired privately—it works wonders." Lin Ping chuckled, then pulled a small jade vial from his own robe and tossed it to Li Muzhan, "Use mine—Three Laughs Powder is too weak.

This is Three Laughs Jade Powder." Li Muzhan took it with a smile, uncorked the bottle, and aimed it at the wound on He Ruoshui's shoulder from behind her. A fine white powder dusted the injury.

He Ruoshui knitted her brows momentarily, her sword light intensifying as she channeled the pain into strength. Li Muzhan corked the jade vial and tossed it back to Lin Ping, then quietly stood in the center of the four fighting figures, watching.

He knew his blade skill was inferior, and he didn't intend to embarrass himself further. In the span of time it took to watch, three of the big men were run through and collapsed.

The remaining six found themselves struggling even more, and soon another man fell, pierced through the heart by He Ruoshui. He Ruoshui, though delicate and shy internally, showed no hesitation when delivering a killing blow.

Five of the burly men rushed over, cursing loudly, "Well, well! The prestigious Star Lake Lodge resorts to such underhanded tricks!

We’ve truly learned something today!" …………………………………… Zhang Qiaoyi glanced at Xu Xiaorou, who let out a small giggle and shook her head, "Junior Brother Li's method might not be elegant, but it’s effective." Li Muzhan scratched his short beard, slightly embarrassed. "Senior Sister Zhang, it was just some lime powder I brought to startle them." Zhang Qiaoyi shook her head and smiled without comment.

Lin Ping added dryly, "The technique is unsophisticated, but the result is good. Speaking of which, you lot—a few men ganging up on delicate young women—it’s a disgrace to us men!" One of the burly men grinned nastily, "Pretty boy, clinging to women's skirts—that's no way for a real man!" The five joined the fray, slightly leveling the odds, but they were still clearly outmatched by the incredibly fierce power generated by the three women fighting in concert.

Li Muzhan watched, utterly astonished. If just three of them were this formidable, were several disciples fighting together practically invincible?

He supposed the amplification of this combined attack technique couldn't grow infinitely, however. Seeing He Ruoshui wince repeatedly, Li Muzhan shouted, "Watch out for hidden weapons!" He pulled another paper packet from his robe and flung it out with a flourish.

A flash of blade light shredded the packet. Immediately, white powder drifted everywhere, and just then, a wind picked up from behind, sweeping the fluttering powder towards the opposing band of assailants.

Li Muzhan waited for the wind to rise before using it to disperse the powder, achieving excellent effect. "Junior Brother Li!" Zhang Qiaoyi shook her head with a wry smile, but said nothing.

One of the men shouted, "Don't worry, everyone! It’s just lime powder; close your eyes!" "A-choo!" "A-choo!" "A-choo!" "Damn it!

Who said that was lime powder!" "A-choo!" The burly men erupted into violent, uncontrollable sneezes, bending over and shaking, their deep internal energies unable to suppress the reflex. The three women, moving gracefully, their sword lights like scattered starlight, sliced through the convulsing group and were instantly back.

The sound of sneezing stopped; silence followed. Another gust of wind blew, and the white powder vanished.

More than a dozen burly men lay motionless on the ground. The three women clapped their hands and sheathed their swords, satisfied.

Xu Xiaorou turned and smiled, "Junior Brother Li, this wasn't lime powder, was it?" Li Muzhan nodded, embarrassed, "It was pepper powder." "You have quite a few tricks up your sleeve—what other powders do you have?" Xu Xiaorou asked with a laugh. Li Muzhan chuckled twice, somewhat sheepishly, "There’s one more—itch powder." The three women burst into laughter and shook their heads.

Zhang Qiaoyi said, "Junior Brother Li, this is ultimately not the orthodox path." Li Muzhan smiled, "Though these things seem insignificant, they can save your life at a crucial moment. I once used them to escape and live to tell the tale." "These are minor arts, beneath notice.

Mastering your blade technique is what truly matters," Zhang Qiaoyi stated earnestly. Li Muzhan sighed wryly, "Though I practice diligently, I just can't seem to grasp the fundamentals.

I have no choice but to rely on these tricky methods. Preserving my life is the most important thing." "Mmm..." Zhang Qiaoyi nodded, "That is understandable..." …………………………………………”,………… Lin Ping pursed his lips, shot Li Muzhan a sidelong glance filled with disdain.

Zhang Qiaoyi noticed but remained silent. Zhang Qiaoyi smiled, "Alright, the smell of blood here is too strong.

Let's leave quickly." Li Muzhan asked, "Who were these men, and why did they ambush us?" Zhang Qiaoyi replied, "These are desperate bandits who rob anyone they see. No use asking them questions.

This sort of thing happens every time we pass through this area. Let's go." Li Muzhan asked, "Will the road ahead be safer?" Zhang Qiaoyi nodded, "Yes, this served as a warning—it should keep them in check.

Ah... every time we take this path, we have to endure an encounter like this." Li Muzhan mused, "Logically, they should know that Star Lake Lodge is not to be trifled with." Zhang Qiaoyi sighed, "These groups die quickly, one batch after another.

We rarely return to the lake throughout the year. By the next time we travel this route, everyone who knew our might will be dead." Li Muzhan suddenly understood, surveyed the surroundings, and sighed.

"Let's move," Zhang Qiaoyi said. Everyone returned to the road and remounted their horses, continuing uphill.

The path gradually became rugged and difficult to traverse; halfway up the mountain, they could only proceed one horse at a time. The grass on both sides was dense, making it easy for ambushes to remain hidden.

The group remained cautious and tense. By the time they reached the summit, Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui showed signs of fatigue.

The fierce battle they had just fought, followed by the sustained tension of vigilance, caused their exhaustion to crash over them like a tide once they finally relaxed. "Let's rest a bit," Zhang Qiaoyi let out a long breath, raising a slender hand to shade her eyes as she gazed down the mountain.

Standing on the peak, the view opened wide—blue sky, white clouds, and rolling mountains. Mountain winds occasionally lifted and billowed Zhang Qiaoyi's robes, making her look like an immortal.

Xu Xiaorou dismounted and rubbed her back, "This path is exhausting!" Lin Ping smiled, "Senior Sister Xu, is this the only small path?" Xu Xiaorou nodded, "If there were a main road, why would we risk taking this one?" Li Muzhan dismounted and used his Green Water Saber to cut some green grass, distributing it among the ten horses. He smiled wryly, "Senior Sister Xu, it seems I can't return to White Cloud City alone." Xu Xiaorou laughed, "That’s right.

That’s why you all must reach the Fifth Rank before you're allowed to leave the lake. Traveling roads like this below the Fifth Rank is just asking for death!" "What rank is Senior Sister Xu?" Li Muzhan asked.

"Me? I'm Sixth Rank!" Xu Xiaorou puffed out her chest proudly.

Li Muzhan smiled, "For Senior Sister Xu to reach Sixth Rank at her age is truly remarkable!" Xu Xiaorou’s lips curved upwards, but she remained modest, "It's nothing much." Zhang Qiaoyi turned around and smiled, "Rourou’s aptitude is indeed high. Among the three of us, she was the fastest to reach the Sixth Rank." "Is Senior Sister Zhang also Sixth Rank?" Lin Ping quickly interjected.

………………………………………… Zhang Qiaoyi nodded, "All three of us are Sixth Rank." Li Muzhan observed that Zhang Qiaoyi seemed the strongest martial artist, followed by He Ruoshui, with Xu Xiaorou being the weakest—even though they were all Sixth Rank, the depth of their mastery was clearly different. He Ruoshui suddenly spoke, "Senior Sister, do you smell blood?" Zhang Qiaoyi paused, "Where is the smell of blood coming from?" He Ruoshui pointed toward the opposite side, frowning, "It seems to be coming from over there." "Let’s go and see!" Zhang Qiaoyi decided.

The five remounted and continued along the path downhill. Xu Xiaorou rode last, speaking to Li Muzhan ahead of her, "Junior Brother Li, that saber of yours really is a treasure sword!" Li Muzhan nodded, "It is, the Green Water Saber.

It’s truly sharp." Lin Ping, in front of him, turned back, "It’s such a pity you use such a fine sword!" Li Muzhan was not angered; he simply chuckled, "Indeed. Though I possess a fine sword, my technique is lacking.

A treasure sword gathering dust—what a crime, what a crime." "You are quite exasperating!" Xu Xiaorou shook her head. Li Muzhan laughed, "Senior Sister Xu, it's unavoidable.

If my skill is inferior, should I resort to fighting to the death over a mere disagreement? I’d have died long ago!" "That's true," Xu Xiaorou conceded.

They stopped abruptly halfway down the mountain. Zhang Qiaoyi floated down into the nearby tall grass, followed closely by He Ruoshui.

Xu Xiaorou remained near Li Muzhan and Lin Ping, warily watching their surroundings. Even seated on their horses, they couldn't clearly see deep into the thicket.

Xu Xiaorou asked, "Senior Sister Zhang, what is it?" Zhang Qiaoyi’s voice drifted back, "A group of pitiful souls." Then she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, there's one alive!" Xu Xiaorou fidgeted, eager to rush over, but restrained herself. "Junior Sister He, the Salvation Elixir!" Zhang Qiaoyi commanded.

He Ruoshui replied, "Here." Moments later, the two reappeared, supporting a young man between them, slowly emerging from the grass and coming before the three others. Li Muzhan took in the newcomer's appearance: sword-like eyebrows meeting over a straight nose and square jaw, a long, handsome face—his looks surpassed even Lin Ping's.

Lin Ping possessed a beautiful, almost feminine handsomeness tinged with soft energy. This youth, however, radiated vigorous heroism and masculine power, possessing a fatal attraction for women.

Compared to the two, Li Muzhan seemed dull, like a tiny star beside the bright moon. The youth’s eyes were closed, unconscious.

He was held aloft between Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui as they brought him to a large rock by the roadside. The long, rectangular stone resembled a bed.

He was gently laid down, his breathing gradually deepening.