"Shall we go and receive them?" Li Muzhan asked. Xu Xiaorou sat down. "Receive them for what? The Lake Master dislikes crowds."

She continued, "Hurry and eat; we're going to see the Lake Master soon."

She told the girl in the white shirt to hurry up with the dishes, as they needed to see the Lake Master shortly. The girl in the white shirt immediately agreed. Soon, four dishes and one soup were served, all exquisitely aromatic and delicious. Li Muzhan swept through them like a passing cloud, clearing every dish.

Xu Xiaorou gently dabbed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled slightly, "You certainly can eat!"

Li Muzhan replied, "I've never tasted anything this delicious. Please forgive my lack of grace, Senior Sister Xu!"

Xu Xiaorou chuckled, "That's true... Where else can one find such culinary skill outside?"

The two descended to the second floor. Lin Ping was eating on the first floor; he looked up and saw them, his gaze flickering briefly before he lowered his head, pretending not to have noticed.

Li Muzhan smiled and also pretended not to have seen him.

He returned to the training ground. Everyone there was sizing him up with knowing smiles, their expressions peculiar.

Meng Sichao stepped forward, clapped him on the shoulder, and laughed heartily, "Junior Brother Li, you're quite something!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "What makes you say that, Senior Brother Meng?"

Meng Sichao gave a thumbs-up. "Senior Sister Xu is an aloof person. To earn her favorable attention... Junior Brother Li, you're the first!"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "Senior Brother Meng misunderstands."

"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, Senior Sister Xu has never paid attention to us common men!" Meng Sichao laughed nonstop, appearing thoroughly delighted.

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile.

Meng Sichao chuckled, "Alright, alright, I won't mention it anymore. If Senior Sister Xu finds out, we'll all be in trouble!"

"I heard the Lake Master has emerged from seclusion," Li Muzhan mentioned.

Meng Sichao said, "That's right, you'll meet the Lake Master soon enough!"

Li Muzhan was extremely eager to meet the Lake Master. What sort of person could command such reverence, as if she were a celestial being?

As he spoke with the others, his Eye of the Void unfurled, bringing the entire mountain into view. Finally, his gaze settled upon the two-story water pavilion on the lake, where he spotted the woman in the loft.

She was a maiden clad in snow-white robes, her skin like porcelain, unsullied by anything. Her features were sharply defined—brows fine and long, sweeping diagonally toward her temples—with slightly recessed phoenix eyes.

Her expression was tranquil as she sat quietly in a grand armchair in the first-floor main hall. To her left sat three men, and to her right, three women, all appearing to be forty or fifty years old.

Li Muzhan felt a pang of disappointment. Though she was beautiful, calling her heavenly seemed an exaggeration; her looks were even a shade less impressive than those of his Senior Sister Wen Yinyue.

The maiden in white suddenly looked up, her phoenix eyes cool and clear, seemingly meeting his gaze. Startled, Li Muzhan quickly retracted the Eye of the Void, a shiver running down his spine.

Indeed, the rumors were true. This white-robed maiden’s perception was sharper than that of ordinary people by far.

………………………………………………………… "Junior Brother Li! Junior Brother Li!" He was lost in thought when a call echoed from behind him. Recognizing Xu Xiaorou's voice, he turned to look.

Xu Xiaorou said, "Hurry, Junior Brother Lin must come too. The Lake Master wishes to see you both."

Li Muzhan composed himself and walked over with a smile, mentally warning himself never to use his divine abilities in her presence—it would be too easy to be discovered.

He and Lin Ping followed Xu Xiaorou out of the courtyard and down the mountain path to the pier at the foot of the mountain.

Xu Xiaorou leaped onto a small boat. The two followed her down. Xu Xiaorou asked, "Can either of you row?"

Both shook their heads. Xu Xiaorou said, "If your Qinggong isn't up to par, you'll have to row to see the Lake Master later. I'll teach you!"

In just a few moves, she explained the essentials of rowing a small boat. Lin Ping and Li Muzhan learned immediately. Li Muzhan volunteered to try rowing first.

Under Xu Xiaorou's direction, the small boat drifted slowly toward a small pavilion called the Falling Star Pavilion. From the north of the pavilion stretched a winding covered corridor, leading all the way to the two-story water pavilion in the center of the lake—the residence of the Lake Master, Leng Wushuang.

There were no stairs at the pavilion. Lin Ping lightly leaped into the pavilion. Li Muzhan looked toward Xu Xiaorou with a slight shake of his head.

Xu Xiaorou smiled faintly, placed her right hand on his back, and a gentle force lifted him. Together, they floated out of the small boat and landed in the pavilion.

"Let's go!" Xu Xiaorou led the way.

Li Muzhan and Lin Ping followed behind. Lin Ping shot a smug look at Li Muzhan, his mouth curling slightly into a sneer.

Li Muzhan acted as if he hadn't seen it, turning to observe his surroundings. The corridor boasted carved beams and painted rafters, their reflections shimmering on the lake's surface. Koi could be vaguely seen beneath the water, and the lake itself was as clear as a spring.

This was the first time Li Muzhan noticed the strangeness of this lake. The bottom seemed paved with a layer of shimmering blue sand, making the water crystal clear, like the color of the sky.

Everything at the bottom was visible: koi, black carp of all sizes, and some grass carp that seemed to grow larger or smaller as the water shifted.

Stepping onto the wide white stone steps, the three entered the main hall. The white-robed maiden, Leng Wushuang, immediately came into view, looking calmly at the three of them.

When Li Muzhan’s gaze met hers, it felt like a basin of icy water had been poured over his head, instantly washing away all worldly distractions.

Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui stood to one side, watching the three enter.

"Lake Master!" Xu Xiaorou bowed respectfully, then gestured to Li Muzhan and Lin Ping, "This is Li Zhu, and this is Lin Ping."

The two bowed in greeting, "Greetings to the Lake Master."

Leng Wushuang glanced over both of them and gave a slight nod. "Both are young heroes. The initiation ceremony will be held tomorrow."

"Thank you, Lake Master," Li Muzhan replied, bowing.

The maiden in white nodded slightly, then turned, "Mu Yi, elaborate for me on the current situation at Luoyang Mountain."

"Yes, Lake Master," Zhang Qiaoyi replied respectfully. She recounted everything from the moment they set out until their return to the Star Lake Lodge, omitting no detail.

Lin Ping listened, his brow constantly furrowing. Only then did he learn how they had eliminated the Twin Blades of Luoyang. It made sense now why Li’s swordsmanship was so exquisite—he had obtained the blade manual of the Twin Blades of Luoyang.

………………………………………… He glanced at Li Muzhan, feeling as if snakes were gnawing at his heart, and he resented the three women as well.

Leng Wushuang listened, then glanced at Li Muzhan but said nothing.

Her expression was serene, her aura calm. Li Muzhan felt that though she stood right before him, she was like someone on a cloud looking down at everything, unconcerned by worldly affairs, viewing everything as mere fleeting clouds.

She asked a few more questions, which Zhang Qiaoyi answered one by one. She gave a soft nod. "Hmm, you may go now."

"Yes, disciples take our leave," Zhang Qiaoyi replied respectfully, leading everyone out of the main hall.

Zhang Qiaoyi paused at the base of the steps, turned back, and said, "Junior Brother Li, Junior Brother Lin, bathe and change tonight to rest well. Do not eat breakfast tomorrow."

Li Muzhan was puzzled. Lin Ping had already spoken up, "Senior Sister Zhang... why not eat breakfast?"

Zhang Qiaoyi said, "It is custom; there is no need to ask why."

"...Yes," Lin Ping replied reluctantly.

They were in their prime and martial artists, possessing great appetites. Going without a meal made them hungry.

Zhang Qiaoyi and the other two women drifted out of the corridor, lightly touching the lake's surface. With a mere tap of their toes, like dragonflies skimming water, they soared up again, landing in a pavilion on the opposite side. Then, stepping off the water again, they flew to another water pavilion, and with a few movements, finally reached the pier. They waved toward the two men before floating up the mountain. Li Muzhan and Lin Ping exchanged helpless glances and could only jump back into the small boat. Li Muzhan began rowing slowly toward the pier.

One stood at the bow, the other at the stern.

Lin Ping turned and sneered, "Senior Brother Li, you have quite the presence!"

Li Muzhan rowed the oar and smiled, "What makes you say that, Junior Brother Lin?"

"Tracking down the Twin Blades of Luoyang, seeing through Zhao Yishan's scheme, and getting the Luoyang Blade Manual—I truly admire you!" Lin Ping said with a cold smile, narrowing his eyes.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse."

"I think you're pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger!" Lin Ping snorted.

Li Muzhan’s heart skipped a beat, but he smiled and shook his head.

Lin Ping huffed, "Senior Brother Li, do you think I'm easy to bully?"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Junior Brother Lin, you exaggerate. How would I dare bully you?"

"Senior Brother Li, I am the Young Master of the Southern Altar. Even if I knew no martial arts, I could command the service of supreme experts at will. You understand that, don't you?" Lin Ping stated.

Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, the Three Smiles Hall is filled with formidable masters, inspiring awe!"

Lin Ping looked at him with a cold smile, "Senior Brother Li, you have excellent aptitude and have cultivated supreme martial arts. But against a few masters from the Southern Altar, how many chances do you have of winning?"

Li Muzhan's expression shifted slightly, and he stared at Lin Ping, frowning.

…………………………………… This was an undisguised threat.

Lin Ping looked at him smugly, contemptuously, "If you don't want to lose your life, just behave yourself!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "If I don't leave the lodge, what does it matter if the Three Smiles Hall has many masters?"

"Fine, then you can rot here for the rest of your life!" Lin Ping sneered.

Although the Star Lake Lodge was good, it was ultimately too small and too quiet. For a young man, the outside world was exciting and thrilling; one should venture out while young.

Li Muzhan said, "Junior Brother Lin, even if I indulge you now, when we reach the Fourth Rank and must compete with the other senior brothers, will you use this method then?"

"That's none of your concern!" Lin Ping huffed.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "If the Three Smiles Hall truly dares to kill me, won't the Star Lake Lodge investigate?"

"We'll burn you to ashes, and who will know the Three Smiles Hall did it?" Lin Ping sneered dismissively.

Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled faintly. A murderous intent surged within him, yet he showed not a trace of it. His control was growing more profound; he could completely conceal his killing intent.

Li Muzhan slowly rowed until he reached the pier. Lin Ping leaped up, turned back on the pier, and glared at him with eyes like pinpoints before turning and leaving.

"Aren't you afraid I'll report this to the Lake Master?" Li Muzhan suddenly asked.

Lin Ping stopped dead in his tracks, turned back, fierce light flashing in his eyes, staring intensely at him.

Li Muzhan looked back with a gentle smile, "If I tell the Lake Master about your threats, I wonder if I might be expelled from the Star Lake Lodge?"

Lin Ping's face changed slightly, then he gave a cold laugh, "Do as you wish. Let's see if the Lake Master believes you!"

With that, he strode away.

Li Muzhan watched him ascend the mountain before stepping onto the ladder himself, pondering ways to eliminate Lin Ping.

He remembered Xu Xiaorou casually mentioning that the Star Lake Lodge had only two rules: first, disciples must not harm fellow disciples; second, they must not commit evil deeds.

He had considered using the first rule to strike through a borrowed knife to get rid of Lin Ping, but now it seemed that would let him off too easily.

As for informing on him, he hadn't considered that route. It was not worth the cost—expelling Lin Ping would diminish his own character, causing others to look down on him.

This was human nature: even if one was in the right, reporting someone instantly lowered one's own standing, and even if others understood, they couldn't help but feel a degree of contempt.

As for whether the Lake Master would believe Lin Ping's claim about the threats, that wasn't the main issue. If he could have the Lake Master secretly accompany him and manage to provoke a few threatening words from Lin Ping, it would be easy to incite him to threaten him openly. He considered this for a moment, shook his head, and ultimately decided against the idea.

………………………………”……………………

He returned to the courtyard. Lin Ping was not on the training ground. He practiced his saber techniques for a while; the more he pondered the Luoyang Saber Style, the more exquisite it seemed, containing profound mysteries of Yin and Yang transformation.

As he was engrossed in his practice, a soft call suddenly reached his ears, "Li Zhu! Junior Brother Li!"

He turned to look and saw a girl in a yellow dress waving to him from the edge of the field. She was slender, with eyes curved like twin crescent moons.

He put away his saber and walked over. The girl in yellow smiled gently, "Junior Brother Li, the Lake Master requests your presence!"

"Good," Li Muzhan nodded, following her out of the courtyard to the pier at the foot of the mountain. He was about to step onto the small boat when the girl in yellow stopped him.

She reached out, grasped his belt, and flew up. Like a graceful swallow skimming the lake surface, she swept over the water, traversed a few water pavilions, and in a flash arrived at the Falling Star Pavilion.

Stepping onto the pavilion, she let Li Muzhan down and smiled sweetly, "Junior Brother Li, please go in."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Sister. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Gu Xiaofeng," the girl in yellow replied with a smile.

Li Muzhan cupped his hands, "So, Senior Sister Gu."

"Let's go," Gu Xiaofeng moved forward gracefully with a smile, and Li Muzhan followed closely.

They crossed the winding corridor, stepped onto the white stone steps, and arrived at the main hall. Leng Wushuang sat in the center, with four people standing before her: Lin Ping, Zhang Qiaoyi, He Ruoshui, and Xu Xiaorou.

Li Muzhan gasped in surprise and glanced at Lin Ping.

Lin Ping showed a fleeting, smug cold smile before quickly concealing it, returning to a grave expression.

"Greetings to the Lake Master," Li Muzhan stood respectfully with cupped hands.

Leng Wushuang looked at him faintly, silent for a long moment before finally speaking, "Li Zhu, I summoned you because Lin Ping claims you threatened him."

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, "How did Junior Brother Lin say that?"

"Lin Ping, you speak." Leng Wushuang instructed.

"Yes, Lake Master," Lin Ping bowed respectfully, stepped forward, and glared coldly at Li Muzhan, "Senior Brother Li, you previously said on the boat that if I didn't yield to you, you would have Senior Sisters Zhang, He, and Xu discipline me!"

Li Muzhan laughed, "Oh?"

Lin Ping huffed, "You want to advance to a Sixth Rank disciple quickly to gain renown outside the lake! Anyone who obstructs you is your enemy and will be ruthlessly eliminated!"

Before Li Muzhan could speak, Lin Ping continued, "You said after tasting the food on the second floor, you never wanted to eat the food on the first floor again, unable to bear the meager treatment of First Rank disciples!"

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head.

Lin Ping said, "Senior Brother Li, as a farm boy, it's understandable that you can't resist such exquisite food upon encountering it. As long as you work hard, you can eventually become a Fifth or Sixth Rank disciple, but this kind of threatening tactic is truly chilling!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Junior Brother Lin, how could Senior Sisters Zhang and the others listen to me?"

Lin Ping declared loftily, "Originally, I disdained to report this, but then I thought, my own matter is minor. I was worried that Senior Brother Li might use this method to threaten other senior brothers, and I couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't be coerced. I had to act the villain and inform the Lake Master to make a ruling!"

Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui looked toward Li Muzhan, while Xu Xiaorou glared at Lin Ping, "Nonsense! I think you're accusing someone falsely!"