Lin Ping pursed his lips, a look of disdain crossing his features. Possessing considerable beauty himself, he could not stand seeing others surpass him in looks, and a tempest of jealousy and vexation brewed uncontrollably within him.

Li Muzhan seemed oblivious to his expression, chuckling, "Junior Brother Lin, you've been outshone!"

Lin Ping’s face darkened slightly, and he let out a soft snort.

Li Muzhan shook his head and continued, "I am utterly ashamed of my own appearance."

Zhang Qiaoyi smiled. "Junior Brother Li, there is no need for such modesty. With time, mere looks become insignificant; what truly matters is a kind and gentle heart."

Li Muzhan smiled back. "I am most willing to listen to Senior Sister Zhang’s wisdom."

Zhang Qiaoyi shook her head and smiled, looking down at the young man. "He is not seriously injured; his state is mostly due to shock. He will awaken after some rest."

"He must have encountered something terrible," Lin Ping interjected quickly.

Zhang Qiaoyi nodded. "Yes, his companions were all slaughtered. He is the sole survivor."

"Those damned wretches again!" Lin Ping ground his teeth.

Zhang Qiaoyi sighed. "These bandits are inhumane, killing men, women, old, and young based solely on whim. Their crime warrants death many times over."

Li Muzhan frowned. "Senior Sister Zhang... why don't we at Star Lake Lodge sweep through their stronghold, root and branch, wiping them out completely?"

Zhang Qiaoyi shook her head and sighed. "The mountains in this area are too numerous, the terrain treacherous, and there are formidable masters hidden among them. Star Lake Lodge, though willing, lacks the capability."

"I see..." Li Muzhan nodded.

He dimly understood there must be some hidden context; otherwise, other sects would not pass up such an opportunity to establish fame and accumulate prestige.

Lin Ping declared, "I will report back and tell Father to order the Three Smiles Hall to flatten this place!"

"Junior Brother Lin, do not waste your effort. Master Lin is aware of this area but dares not make a rash move," Zhang Qiaoyi replied with a wry smile.

"Senior Sister Zhang, rest assured, my father listens to me!" Lin Ping stated confidently.

Zhang Qiaoyi smiled, then suddenly turned her gaze toward the young man.

The handsome youth abruptly snapped his eyes open, scanned the surrounding figures, and suddenly bolted upright, sneering, "You are so vicious! Even as a ghost, this young scholar will never forgive you!"

Saying this, he closed his eyes, ready to meet death with resolve.

The others were astonished. Li Muzhan chuckled, "He must have mistaken us for someone else."

Zhang Qiaoyi smiled gently. "Young Master, what exactly happened?"

The handsome youth opened his eyes again, turning to look at Zhang Qiaoyi, frowning. "You are...?"

"We are travelers who happened upon you and saw that you could still be saved... We wonder what calamity befell you!" Zhang Qiaoyi said with a gentle, cordial smile that was as refreshing as a spring breeze.

"..............................," "You are not... those people...?" The handsome youth frowned, sweeping his gaze over everyone.

Li Muzhan met his clear eyes, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Young Master, we are from Star Lake Lodge, just about to return to the lake."

"Star Lake Lodge?" The handsome youth hesitated, then thought for a moment. "I believe I have heard of it..."

Lin Ping stated flatly, "It seems you are not part of the martial world!"

The handsome youth nodded stubbornly. "I am but a mere scholar. Alas... a scholar is utterly useless; I deeply regret not having studied martial arts!"

He sighed, looking into the distance, his eyes gradually losing focus, his spirit soaring miles away.

"Young Master, who inflicted these injuries?" Zhang Qiaoyi inquired with a smile.

The handsome youth looked over blankly, then after a pause, sighed. "It was two people—a man and a woman. The man was about fifty, the woman around thirty... They didn't even spare a child!" "They didn't spare a child!"

He ground his teeth, tears flickering in his deep eyes.

"The dead cannot be brought back to life; please accept my condolences," Zhang Qiaoyi sighed.

Xu Xiaorou's eyes lit up. She lowered her voice and asked hurriedly, "Senior Sister Zhang, could it be the Sunset Twin Blades?"

Zhang Qiaoyi nodded slightly. "Eight or nine times out of ten."

"Hmph, those two villains!" Xu Xiaorou stamped her foot fiercely, gritting her teeth.

Li Muzhan looked over. Xu Xiaorou explained, "Junior Brother Li, the Sunset Twin Blades are a pair of martial siblings, husband and wife—though they have over a decade's age difference—and they particularly enjoy killing children!"

"Why is that?" Li Muzhan frowned.

Xu Xiaorou replied, "They weren't originally that wicked, but after their two-year-old son was killed by an enemy, they became brutal and bloodthirsty, specializing in murdering children."

Li Muzhan fell silent, shaking his head with a sigh. Such tragic human suffering left one truly speechless.

When faced with such tragedy, no matter how great one's martial prowess, one cannot remain detached. Grief and indignation leading to extremism are perfectly normal; some endure and attribute it to fate, others displace their anger onto others.

The power of fate was truly awe-inspiring. He sighed, "People like this must be eliminated, no matter what."

"Yes, yes!" Xu Xiaorou nodded vigorously.

Zhang Qiaoyi turned and asked softly, "We have not yet had the pleasure of asking the Young Master's name."

"This humble scholar is Zhao Yishan!" The handsome youth cupped his hands.

Zhang Qiaoyi asked, "Young Master Zhao, do you recall when these two appeared, and which direction they left from?"

Zhao Yishan furrowed his sword-like brows, thinking hard, then slowly replied, "It was morning. Where they left from, I do not know; I... I passed out."

He gritted his teeth in concentration, then shook his head in shame and regret.

"..............................."

Li Muzhan thought to himself: Should I reveal my special abilities? With my skill, finding those two would not be difficult, but it might invite suspicion.

Yet, these two were truly detestable, so inhuman; they could not be allowed to live. If I kept my true strength hidden and let them go, I could not rest easy.

If I wait for an opportunity to kill them alone, I fear their martial arts are too strong, and I might not be a match. Having reached Nanli, I realize my own skill is not truly high.

The border between Nanli and Dayang is lax, allowing free passage. The martial artists of Nanli dare not venture into Dayang to commit atrocities because the military martial arts of Dayang are formidable; if provoked, they will directly wipe out entire lineages, which is why the Dayang martial world remains peaceful.

"What should we do!" Xu Xiaorou stomped her foot, consumed by hatred.

She dearly loved children and detested the Sunset Twin Blades most intensely, wishing she could slay them immediately upon hearing of them.

Zhao Yishan’s face flushed, and he lowered his head.

Zhang Qiaoyi turned to speak. "Junior Sister Xu, let this pass for now. They flee far away after every act. We won't be able to find them."

"We can't kill them!" Xu Xiaorou gritted her teeth, anger flaring. "Again and again... when will we ever catch them!"

She shot a sidelong glance at Zhao Yishan, pursing her lips.

Lin Ping watched Zhao Yishan with ill-concealed schadenfreude, then also pursed his lips.

"It's not Young Master Zhao's fault," Zhang Qiaoyi said, giving Xu Xiaorou a look. "Young Master Zhao is a mere scholar; how could he not be horrified seeing such a gruesome scene?"

Li Muzhan added, "Indeed. If it were me, I would fare worse. Young Master Zhao faced sheer terror without losing composure; his spirit is truly admirable!"

Xu Xiaorou huffed, "And we still won't catch the Sunset Twin Blades this time!"

She was so angry her eyes turned red, her teeth grinding audibly—she was absolutely furious.

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment. "Senior Sister Xu, perhaps I could try and see if I can locate them?" "You?" Xu Xiaorou was startled. She wiped a corner of her eye and tilted her head. "You can find them?"

Li Muzhan replied, "I possess a family heirloom tracking technique. It was originally for hunting, but this will be the first time I use it to find people. I don't know if it will work."

"Great! We must try!" Xu Xiaorou’s eyes brightened, and she nodded eagerly.

Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui turned, observing him with curiosity.

"Senior Sister Zhang, Senior Sister He, let Junior Brother Li try!" Xu Xiaorou urged.

Lin Ping frowned. "Senior Brother Li, hunting and finding people are different things—can you really do it? Don't overexert yourself!"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I can only try; it's better than doing nothing."

"Yes, alright, trying is better than nothing," Zhang Qiaoyi nodded lightly.

Judging by her expression, she wasn't entirely optimistic about Li Muzhan’s chances, but trying wouldn't hurt; it showed some effort.

"....................................................."

Li Muzhan followed Zhang Qiaoyi to the clearing and saw the thirty or so bodies lying stiffly on the ground, each killed instantly by a single blade strike.

Li Muzhan examined their wounds—they were indeed the work of master swordsmen; these people offered no resistance. It was a great fortune that Young Master Zhao escaped; perhaps he collapsed early, and the two assumed the other had struck him down, thus not delivering a finishing blow.

He observed for a while, then shook his head with a wry smile. "They left nothing behind. I can only try my best."

"If you can't find them, it's fine," Zhang Qiaoyi said gently.

Only the two of them came into the area; the others waited outside.

Li Muzhan’s eyes shone brightly as he surveyed the surroundings, then headed west. After walking about ten meters, he stopped—he had indeed spotted four footprints pressed into the grass.

Li Muzhan continued walking west, occasionally spotting another set of four prints.

Their lightness skill (Qinggong) was high; they trod lightly across the tips of the grass, yet they still left traces. Although the marks were faint, under Li Muzhan's guidance, Zhang Qiaoyi could discern them too.

Leaving Lin Ping to look after Zhao Yishan, Xu Xiaorou and He Ruoshui followed closely behind Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan walked forward seemingly with ease, occasionally stopping to look around or stepping back a short distance to search the vicinity before veering in another direction.

He was using his Void Eyes, but to avoid astonishing them, he deliberately made a few false turns.

The three women followed closely, surrounding him in a triangular formation, maintaining a vigilant watch.

After about half an hour, Li Muzhan stopped. Before them lay a dense grove of bamboo, lush and vibrantly green, looking refreshing and captivating. A gust of wind rustled through, creating a soft, almost ethereal sound.

Li Muzhan sensed danger. He glanced around and whispered, "Senior Sister Zhang, if I haven't tracked them wrongly, they should be within this bamboo forest."

Zhang Qiaoyi frowned, surveying the area. "Would they choose to reside in such an elegant place?"

Two murderous fiends seemed completely out of place in such refined surroundings.

Li Muzhan stated, "They must have entered here."

"Let's go in and see!" Xu Xiaorou was impatient.

The four moved forward stealthily. Li Muzhan shook his head. "They trod upon the bamboo stalks; I can no longer find footprints."

"Let me look!" Xu Xiaorou sprang up onto a bamboo stalk, clinging to it with her left hand while shading her eyes with her right to peer out.

She gracefully landed and pointed due north. "Over there!"

She led the way, while Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui kept close to Li Muzhan's sides. The four soon arrived before a cluster of bamboo huts—four structures connected together.

To the west was a fenced enclosure where six small chicks were kept. As they approached, the chicks clucked incessantly, seeming hungry for food.

Xu Xiaorou's bright eyes sparkled as she surveyed the area, appearing like a drawn sword, ready for action.

"................................", "......................................"

Zhang Qiaoyi drew her sword and glided silently to the window of the central hut, glancing inside swiftly before floating to the window of the eastern hut, quiet as a wildcat.

He Ruoshui went to the western hut, her movements light and graceful. Xu Xiaorou remained by Li Muzhan's side, her hand resting on her sword hilt, looking left and right.

Li Muzhan murmured, "Senior Sister Xu, you don't need to worry about me."

Xu Xiaorou kept her eyes fixed on Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui, shaking her head. "No, don't say any more!"

Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui had checked every hut and returned to Li Muzhan. Zhang Qiaoyi shook her head. "No one is here."

Li Muzhan frowned, stepping into the main hut to examine the traces inside. He stood before a bamboo table and sighed, "It seems they have already left; we are one step too late."

Zhang Qiaoyi frowned. "A cunning rabbit has three burrows. If they weren't so cautious, they wouldn't have survived this long!"

"They escaped again!" Xu Xiaorou drew her sword and slashed, splitting the bamboo table in two. It fell to the ground with a creak, and the teapot and cups on top scattered everywhere.

She turned. "Junior Brother Li, can we catch up to them again?"

Li Muzhan scanned the surroundings and shook his head. "They walked through the bamboo forest. Bamboo branches are hard; their Qinggong would not leave traces."

"Alas...!" Xu Xiaorou angrily sheathed her sword.

Zhang Qiaoyi sighed. "Never mind. It must be their fate to survive this time. Heaven won't let them run wild forever!"

She couldn't hide her disappointment; she too deeply wished to kill the Sunset Twin Blades. However, her vast experience gave her much greater composure; though she harbored the intent to kill, it did not show outwardly—she appeared calm.

The four started walking out. As they passed the chicken pen, Li Muzhan grabbed a handful of grain from a nearby basket and scattered it inside, then opened the gate to the enclosure.

The six chickens busied themselves pecking at the grain, paying no mind to escaping.

Zhang Qiaoyi inwardly praised Li Muzhan’s meticulousness and kindness.

Xu Xiaorou kept turning back every few steps, hoping the Sunset Twin Blades would suddenly appear, until the bamboo huts were out of sight, whereupon she sighed in disappointment.

The four quickly exited the bamboo grove. Li Muzhan suddenly stopped and shouted, "Be careful!"

Two streaks of cold light flashed forth—swift and bright as lightning—arriving instantly before Zhang Qiaoyi. Zhang Qiaoyi remained composed, drawing her sword to unleash a shower of starlight.

Clang, clang, clang, ding... The sword light continuously struck the blade light, gradually diminishing it.

He Ruoshui reacted quickly, drawing her left-hand sword. Its light merged with Zhang Qiaoyi's, causing their combined sword light to surge, barely holding the two blade streaks at bay.

Xu Xiaorou shouted excitedly, "The Sunset Twin Blades!"

Li Muzhan urged, "Senior Sister Xu, seize the opportunity; don't worry about me!"

Xu Xiaorou hesitated for a moment, then suddenly grabbed his hand and rushed to Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui's side, adding her sword light to theirs.

Instantly, the three women's combined sword light suppressed the two blade streaks.

Li Muzhan stood behind the three women, carefully observing the Sunset Twin Blades' technique, taking in their appearance. The old man was tall and powerfully built, his temples graying, his face a roadmap of wrinkles and hardship. The woman was icy beautiful, charming as a peach blossom, yet her eyes, as they opened and closed, radiated chilling venom and cruelty.