"Master Lin," Li Muzhan sighed, "I shall depart now. I pose no threat to you, so why the relentless pressure?"

Lin Ping's smile vanished, replaced by a cold sneer. "Relentless pressure? You have only yourself to blame for seeking death, for provoking someone you shouldn't have!"

"A virtuous woman is sought by a gentleman," Li Muzhan countered. "Winning a woman's heart requires genuine sincerity. Otherwise, what meaning is there in having her in your home? Your behavior, Young Master Lin, is like an ox chewing a peony—utterly spoiling the view!"

"Facing death and you still dare speak like this!" Lin Ping scoffed.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "At worst, it is death. What is there left for me to fear?"

Lin Ping sneered, "Very well. It seems you are prepared to die. I waste no more words—unleash whatever skill you possess!"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Since you insist... let me witness Young Master Lin's ultimate technique!"

"Young Master!" the loyal elder behind him frowned.

Lin Ping waved his hand dismissively, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Fine. I shall grant him his wish!"

The loyal elder frowned deeply. "Young Master, caution is advised. Let this old man handle him and finish this quickly!"

"No need. He is but a grasshopper after autumn—how many hops can he manage?" Lin Ping waved his hand carelessly, smiling. "I will personally slay him!"

"Alas... then, Young Master, be careful!" the loyal elder conceded with helplessness.

He felt something strange about this man surnamed Jiang; he was altogether too composed, suggesting he had a trump card. A typical frail scholar would have been paralyzed with fear long ago. He took two steps forward, ready to intervene at any moment. While the Young Master possessed profound Neili (inner strength), his control was still somewhat lacking—not entirely reassuring.

The few men behind him shook their heads in confusion, thinking the elder was making a fuss over nothing. Given the Young Master's martial prowess, dealing with a delicate scholar should be child's play.

Li Muzhan drew the longsword from his waist, gave it a quick flourish, and held it before his chest. He stated in a deep voice, "Come then. Let this Jiang person experience exactly what abilities Young Master Lin possesses!"

"Watch my move!" Lin Ping, eager to end the confrontation and quench the burning hatred in his heart by running Li Muzhan through with his sword, dispensed with further talk. As the words fell, his sword was already drawn.

The blade flashed like lightning, brilliant and impossibly swift, its tip instantly before Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan seemed unprepared for such speed; he staggered back a step, narrowly avoiding the strike. He quickly thrust his own sword toward Lin Ping—his momentum far slower—which Lin Ping easily sidestepped. Another blade followed instantly, and Li Muzhan was forced to retreat another step.

The corner of Lin Ping’s mouth curled upward, revealing a sliver of mocking contempt. He pressed the attack with lightning speed, his sword strokes relentless. Li Muzhan continued to fall back, retreating a full ten zhang without pause. Lin Ping’s sword grew faster still, his attack surging like crashing waves, yet flowing ceaselessly like a waterfall. He felt exhilarated, refreshed, as if his swordsmanship had sharpened with every strike.

………………………………

Li Muzhan swung his sword with concentration, his brow furrowed tight, but his weapon was too slow; he couldn't even touch Lin Ping. As his blade neared, Lin Ping merely had to shift slightly to evade it safely. Conversely, Li Muzhan had to strain simply to evade Lin Ping’s attacks, having no recourse but to retreat. Dodging was impossible. Lin Ping could have ended this in a few strikes, yet he chose to toy with his prey, savoring the pleasure of humiliating Li Muzhan before killing him to fully vent his resentment.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Ping had unleashed fifty moves, yet the contest remained deadlocked. Li Muzhan retreated while Lin Ping advanced. The loyal elder breathed a sigh of relief, realizing this man named Jiang truly possessed meager swordsmanship. The Young Master was more than capable of handling him; there was no need to worry.

Unconsciously, the two had retreated over a dozen zhang. Moonlight, like spilled water, illuminated them both; the flickering sword lights cast faint traces of chill into the night.

The loyal elder sighed again. This man named Jiang was truly unlucky; provoking anyone but the Young Master would have been better. He brought this upon himself.

As he pondered this, he suddenly froze. He saw Lin Ping’s movements seize, stopping abruptly. The elder immediately sensed danger, kicking off the ground and rushing forward. By the time he reached the spot, Li Muzhan had already darted out another ten zhang and vanished into the dense woods.

The sword was buried in Lin Ping’s chest. Both hands clutched the blade, his eyes wide open, gradually losing their luster.

"Young Master!" the loyal elder roared in desperation and fury, a sound like a wolf's howl.

The other three men heard the cry and rushed over. Seeing the longsword lodged in Lin Ping’s heart, they gasped, quickly moving forward to check Lin Ping’s nostrils.

"Damn it, he’s stopped breathing!" the red-faced elder snarled grimly.

"Is there any hope?" another man asked.

"How can you save a dead man?" the red-faced elder snorted impatiently, turning away. "Kill that brat! Avenge the Young Master!"

"Let's go!" The loyal elder nodded slowly, his eyes blazing with cold light.

Leaving one man to guard Lin Ping’s corpse, the other three turned and plunged into the woods, pursuing the direction where Li Muzhan had disappeared.

Li Muzhan hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. Though Lin Ping’s Neili was formidable, his techniques were lacking, deficient in refinement. Li Muzhan had seized a single flaw and ended his life with one precise thrust. He deeply understood now that profound inner strength was not omnipotent. No matter how deep the Neili, if the technique is crude, one can only defend passively, placing their life in another's hands. Lin Ping was a perfect example: his inner strength was immense, perhaps even surpassing his own, yet he was killed so easily—a fact Li Muzhan still found hard to accept.

However, killing Lin Ping removed a massive burden from his shoulders. His entire being relaxed, as if a weight of ten thousand pounds had suddenly been lifted. From this moment on, he was free as a bird in the sky or a fish in the vast sea. His mission in Nanli was complete; the remaining time was entirely his own to command. But the immediate hurdle—Lin Ping's guards—would not be easy to overcome.

………………………………

"Boom!" A muffled thud echoed suddenly from the sky, like a burst of thunder. Li Muzhan looked up, a vague sense of dread settling in his chest. High above, he saw a lotus flower suspended in the air, rendered with startling realism, seemingly swaying gently in the breeze.

Li Muzhan had never witnessed such a signal; it was utterly unique. Such a grand display, at this late hour and in this secluded location, shining like a distant moon overhead. Such a massive commotion could only be related to his own actions.

He quickened his pace, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. His Eye of the Void surveyed the scene from above, allowing him to see his pursuers closing in rapidly. These three men were crazed, charging forward without regard for any obstacles in their path—they cleaved through brush and trampled grasses without hesitation, losing no time.

Li Muzhan frowned slightly. As a last resort, he initiated the Lantern Lighting Technique. His Neili now differed from before, and he wasn't entirely sure if the technique would still work. Fortunately, the Lantern Lighting Technique did not disappoint. The energy within his Dantian surged, flowing instantly through several unique meridians, drastically increasing his speed. He felt energy suffuse his entire body, making him want to split the mountain itself with a single blow. Under the Lantern Lighting Technique, his inner strength swelled like an overinflated balloon, but he knew it could not be sustained long without damaging his body.

With his speed doubled, the pursuit behind him gradually slackened, no longer as fierce as it had been initially.

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