A dozen or so figures maintained a defensive posture, slowly closing in. Though Li Muzhan's stones were formidable, his opponents were no pushovers; every man still standing possessed deep internal energy and profound martial arts skill.

Li Muzhan suddenly paused his attack, gazing calmly at the surrounding figures as they advanced, a carefree smile playing on his lips.

Seeing his odd smile, the dozen or so middle-aged men felt a flicker of apprehension, yet their anger and killing intent burned fiercely, preventing them from stopping; they were determined to press on and kill him.

They quickened their pace and soon arrived within striking distance. Immediately, the sword glints from both sides intertwined. Li Muzhan abruptly flicked his wrist, sending a handful of small pebbles flying outward.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..." Most of the pebbles were batted away, but several still found their mark. They had not anticipated this maneuver.

Five men were sent flying, instantly halving their numbers. Li Muzhan laughed, "Senior Sister Zhang, don't mind me, just slaughter them!"

Zhang Qiaoyi made an immediate decision, shouting, "Attack!"

The three women instantly separated, transforming into three streaks of flowing light that plunged into the crowd. With a series of clear ringing sounds, the three women reappeared, smiling calmly at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Three Senior Sisters have marvelous skill; I am truly impressed!"

Zhang Qiaoyi smiled and shook her head, "Junior Brother Li, I truly hadn't expected your hidden weapon skills to be so potent. I am the one who is impressed!"

Li Muzhan scratched his head and chuckled wryly, "Hidden weapon skills? I was merely tossing pebbles; where are any hidden weapon skills to speak of!"

"Your stone-throwing technique just now was exceptionally brilliant. Did you learn hidden weapon methods from the Lake Master?" Zhang Qiaoyi pressed, smiling.

Xu Xiaorou chimed in, "What method? Was it Chansi Jin (Entwining Silk Strength), or Jinyu Shou (Gold Jade Hand), or perhaps Tiannv Sanhua (Celestial Maiden Scatters Flowers) or Lihua Luoxue (Pear Blossoms Falling Like Snow)?"

He Ruoshui shook her head, "It resembled none of those."

The three women paid no mind to the pile of bodies strewn around them, conversing cheerfully.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I genuinely never learned any hidden weapon methods. I just tossed them randomly for fun. When I was herding sheep as a boy... I used stones to manage them; I gained a bit of accuracy."

"Hmph, you can just keep talking nonsense!" Xu Xiaorou pursed her lips.

Li Muzhan insisted, "Three Senior Sisters, truly... ask the Lake Master, and she will know. How could I be talking nonsense!"

"Alright, we believe you then. To achieve such hidden weapon mastery just by herding sheep is truly miraculous. I’m starting to want to go herd sheep myself!" Xu Xiaorou laughed merrily.

Li Muzhan smiled, "This took over a decade of practice. If I had actually learned a formal hidden weapon technique, the power would be far greater."

"Well, that is true!" Xu Xiaorou nodded.

Zhang Qiaoyi turned her gaze toward the other side. Leng Wushuang was enveloped in a siege by five figures; the thin, slight elder had joined them. Apart from these five, no one else remained.

In the time it took, the remaining elders had vanished, evidently having been struck down by Leng Wushuang.

…………………………, "Lake Master, is that sufficient?" Li Muzhan called out loudly.

Leng Wushuang suddenly flicked her sleeve, sending another elder flying. Then, she pushed both palms forward simultaneously, seemingly defying the constraints of time and space; her jade-white palms struck the chests of two elders.

She then flashed past, appearing behind the other two elders, delivering a blow to each of their backs, sending them flying as well. Instantly, the field was empty.

Leng Wushuang withdrew her hands, pulled out a silk handkerchief to wipe them, tucked it back into her sleeve, and turned, "I had intended to study their martial arts techniques."

"Is this batch finished, then?" Li Muzhan inquired.

"There should be stragglers," Leng Wushuang shook her head, sighing, "Qiaoyi, you three continue on to Baiyun City. Li Zhu and I will return."

Zhang Qiaoyi asked, "Lake Master, aren't you going to visit Baiyun City and check on Pavilion Master Lin?"

Leng Wushuang waved her hand dismissively, "Not this time. When you return, say nothing of this. Pretend you know nothing... and do not fall out with him."

"...Hmph, such a despicable wretch—and he deserves a pleasant face?" Xu Xiaorou pouted.

Leng Wushuang said, "We will settle that score later. For now, act as if you are ignorant, Xiaorou?"

Xu Xiaorou reluctantly nodded, "Yes, Lake Master. I will treat him like a dead man and won't fall out with him. Why argue with a corpse!"

"That way of thinking is not entirely wrong," Leng Wushuang smiled faintly.

Xu Xiaorou asked with anticipation, "Lake Master, when do we deal with him? I can hardly wait!"

Leng Wushuang replied, "I must consider this matter carefully. We cannot act rashly; this involves the Sanxiao Hall, so we must be cautious. Do not let impulse rule you!"

Xu Xiaorou sighed, nodding helplessly, "Yes, Lake Master! I won't act on impulse... Wait, when did I act on impulse?"

Leng Wushuang glanced at her and shook her head.

Xu Xiaorou complained coquettishly, "Lake Master, you cannot wrongly accuse me!"

Zhang Qiaoyi tugged her arm, "That's enough, Rou'er, stop arguing needlessly."

Xu Xiaorou pouted, "Senior Sister Zhang, am I truly being impulsive?"

"What do you think?" Zhang Qiaoyi huffed.

He Ruoshui smiled faintly, "Last time in Baiyun City, you tossed that Young Master Feng into the water, and you broke Young Hero Zhao's leg. Wasn't that acting on impulse?"

Xu Xiaorou retorted defensively, "They deserved a beating! If I hadn't taught them a lesson, who knows how many other girls they would have bullied."

He Ruoshui chuckled softly and shook her head; Zhang Qiaoyi also shook hers repeatedly.

"Does that count as acting on impulse?" Xu Xiaorou turned to look at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Senior Sister Xu administers swift justice; well done, exceedingly well done!"

"Hmph, you're just flattering me. Don't think I can't tell!" Xu Xiaorou shot him a look.

…………………………, the three women spurred their horses and departed, vanishing into the vast greenery in the blink of an eye.

Li Muzhan and Leng Wushuang stood side-by-side, watching them go. They turned and exchanged a glance. Leng Wushuang said, "Let's go after the people from Tianji Lou."

"Should we chase them?" Li Muzhan smiled. "Didn't the Lake Master say to leave them for our senior brothers and sisters?"

Leng Wushuang replied, "They are whetstones. For now, let's sharpen this dull blade—you!"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, "Alright!"

"I will first teach you the remaining stances of the Duanyue Saber Technique," Leng Wushuang said, immediately beginning to recite the saber incantations of the Duanyue Dao Fa. As she spoke, she drew the saber from Li Muzhan's waist and demonstrated each stance.

The Duanyue Dao Fa consisted of seven stances. The movements themselves were simple, certainly not exquisite. The most critical aspects were the inner cultivation method (Xinfa) and the Saber Intent (Dao Yi); the Saber Intent was the very essence of the Duanyue Dao Fa.

However, grasping the Saber Intent of the Duanyue Dao was by no means easy. Without immense perseverance, profound focus, and grand ambition, success was nearly impossible.

Leng Wushuang’s teaching this time was different from before.

When she taught him the first stance previously, she only introduced the Xinfa, demonstrated the movements once, and then sent him away to practice and explore on his own.

This time was different. After explaining the incantations, she asked Li Muzhan to repeat them. Li Muzhan recited them back without a single error. Leng Wushuang showed no surprise, as if his astonishing memory was commonplace.

In reality, possessing such a photographic memory was incredibly rare. With this ability, one could learn anything much faster than a normal person, saving vast amounts of time and energy.

After he recited them perfectly, Leng Wushuang heard no deviation and began her demonstration.

This demonstration was completely different from the last. A downward slash flowed out like a brilliant rainbow piercing down, seemingly capable of cleaving a mountain in two.

This is the Duanyue Saber Technique! Li Muzhan marveled internally, astonished that such a delicate frame could wield such a majestic and profound Saber Intent.

At this moment, upon witnessing the true Duanyue Dao Fa, Li Muzhan realized the gap between himself and Leng Wushuang was far more than just a little bit.

This was the genuine Duanyue Dao Fa, capable of splitting mountains and breaking peaks, unstoppable—the only way to traverse the world and stand proudly above all others.

The first stance, the second, the third... she executed all seven in one continuous flow. When she concluded, she gently guided the saber back into its sheath at Li Muzhan's waist.

Leng Wushuang asked calmly, "Did you see clearly?"

At this moment, she was serene and composed, seemingly not the same person who had just commanded a saber that cleaved mountains and broke peaks; there was not a trace of sharp aggression about her.

…………………………, Li Muzhan sighed softly and nodded slowly.

Knowing his power of instant recall, Leng Wushuang stated, "I have grasped only a portion of the Duanyue Dao Fa's Saber Intent, not its true essence (Shen Sui). You must advance further."

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, "Lake Master, you haven't yet grasped the Shen Sui of the Duanyue Dao Fa?"

"No, I’m still a bit short," Leng Wushuang confirmed.

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile, "To my eyes, it is already breathtakingly profound, something beyond reach."

"Your comprehension is high; you are the ideal candidate to learn this saber technique. To truly comprehend the Duanyue Dao Yi, you must observe the power of heaven and earth in nature, perceive the work of creation; mere imagination will not suffice," Leng Wushuang advised.

Li Muzhan slowly nodded, grasping the meaning in his heart. Yes, the natural world holds mysterious power; all Saber Intents and Sword Intents originate from the cosmos. To comprehend them, self-contemplation is insufficient; human effort has its limits; one must borrow the force of nature.

Leng Wushuang continued, "Besides comprehending nature, you must strengthen your mental force. Your spirit is tenacious, but it lacks sharpness; it cannot transform into Saber Intent."

"Sharpness?" Li Muzhan frowned thoughtfully.

"Saber Intent leads Qi with intent; when intent is firm, Qi is firm. Your cultivation of spirit uses Buddhist methods—vast and sweeping, but not sufficiently concentrated... Your intent lacks sharpness, and your Qi cannot keep up," Leng Wushuang explained.

Li Muzhan meticulously absorbed every word. These were secret transmissions of vital knowledge, the true core of the art. Missing even one character would be a tremendous loss.

Leng Wushuang went on, "Your spirit is currently strong, but like a block of iron—solid and powerful, yet unrefined into a blade. You must first condense your intent into a blade before you can even step into the doorway of Saber Intent. Otherwise, everything remains illusory, like a castle in the air, collapsing at the slightest touch."

Li Muzhan asked, "How does one condense intent into a blade?"

"You will find out in the coming days," Leng Wushuang smiled faintly. "Can you catch the people from Tianji Lou?"

Li Muzhan nodded, "No problem."

He had already held back, secretly ensuring a few survived, hoping to locate their hidden base. Though he wasn't entirely certain they would return there, he had to try.

"Chase after them," Leng Wushuang instructed.

Li Muzhan acknowledged the command, spurred his horse, and headed back in the direction of his intuition.