Under the light, her skin was like fine jade, luminous and warm, overlaid with a layer of seductive radiance. Her eyes shimmered with brilliance, captivating the soul.

Li Muzhan stared directly at her, appreciating her beauty.

Being watched so intently by him, Leng Wushuang showed no shyness, meeting his gaze calmly, seemingly waiting for his reply.

Li Muzhan sighed helplessly, "Truly, an ethereal fairy is heartless. The Lake Master’s cultivation of mind and spirit is profound, having severed worldly attachments." She has truly achieved the state of a still, ancient well; I still fall short.

He smiled, "Lake Master, we should go take a look at the Three Smiles Hall."

Leng Wushuang frowned, "You want to see if they took the bait?"

Li Muzhan nodded. The Lake Master was exceptionally clever; conversation between them was remarkably efficient—a hint was enough for full understanding; no need for excessive words.

He shook his head and sighed, "They aren't so easily fooled by disguises. If they haven't fallen for it, alas... we will have to resort to our final measure."

Leng Wushuang nodded gently, knowing his final measure meant killing—wiping out the high-ranking officials—and then stalling for time.

Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed again, "It's a pity the Lake Master didn't arrange for an undercover agent to infiltrate. Otherwise, they would be useful right now."

"Undercover?" Leng Wushuang looked at him.

Li Muzhan looked at her in surprise and laughed, "Has the Lake Master never considered sending disciples to the major sects?"

Leng Wushuang shook her head, "No, there's no need for such hassle."

Li Muzhan couldn't help but chuckle, nodding. With Leng Wushuang's martial arts and the strength of the Star Lake Cottage, such measures were indeed unnecessary; they were sufficient to awe the assembled heroes.

However, judging by the matter of the Three Smiles Hall, the deterrence of the Star Lake Cottage wasn't strong enough. When a tiger doesn't show its might, people mistake it for a sick cat. It seemed the Star Lake Cottage had grown too complacent, and people had forgotten their danger.

Li Muzhan said, "Lake Master, we should send some people out. Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. Though our Cottage is strong, others are not weaklings either."

Leng Wushuang shook her head, unconcerned.

Li Muzhan pressed, "If we had someone inside the Three Smiles Hall, we could sweep through now and install our own man. Wouldn't half of the Three Smiles Hall then be ours?"

Leng Wushuang said lightly, "These tactics are merely low-tier methods. Without sufficient martial arts and genuine strength, everything is illusory—one is quickly beaten back to square one. They are not worth mentioning."

Li Muzhan shook his head and said no more, knowing persuasion would be futile. Individuals with spirits as formidable as theirs were extremely resolute and difficult to sway; they could only learn through experience.

…………………………, "Lake Master, let's go take a look at the Three Smiles Hall then," Li Muzhan said.

Leng Wushuang said, "I'll go alone. You go to bed and regulate your breathing."

Li Muzhan hurried to speak, "I..."

Leng Wushuang waved her hand, "This matter is nothing significant. If they haven't noticed, all will be well. If they have noticed, then they must be eliminated."

She spoke with such casualness, as if it were a trivial errand, yet a chilling murderous intent radiated from her.

Li Muzhan asked, "Lake Master, if they haven't grown suspicious, then what do we do tomorrow?"

Leng Wushuang pondered, "Tomorrow, we all rest. Inaction is better than action now. We will see."

Li Muzhan countered, "Lake Master, the longer it drags, the more complications arise. We should move that corpse into the lake first; the rest can wait."

"Hmm, you're right. So be it. You go with them tomorrow, then return to the lake," Leng Wushuang nodded slightly.

"And the Lake Master?" Li Muzhan asked.

Leng Wushuang said, "I will wait here and watch."

Li Muzhan considered it—not wanting to seem overly meddlesome—and after a moment of silence, said, "Lake Master, I have one personal matter I wish to attend to."

"Hmm?" Leng Wushuang raised a delicate eyebrow, her gaze shifting.

Li Muzhan stated, "I wish to go to the Sea Heaven Palace to see Senior Brother Xia's beloved."

"He wrote a letter?" Leng Wushuang's face darkened.

Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, Senior Brother Xia wants to notify her so she doesn't worry!"

Leng Wushuang gave a heavy snort, "He is quite the romantic."

Li Muzhan smiled, "If I deliver the message, Senior Brother Xia can settle his mind. Perhaps this seclusion will lead to a great leap in his cultivation, which would be a blessing to our Cottage!"

Leng Wushuang’s face grew stern, and the air around them seemed to solidify. Normally, she wasn't imposing, merely detached, but now she appeared genuinely frightening.

Li Muzhan's spirit was robust, a match for hers, and he remained unaffected, chatting without reservation.

Leng Wushuang huffed, "The trial of love is hard to overcome. I fear he might take one wrong step!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "The Lake Master worries too much. You should trust Senior Brother Xia."

"He cannot even control himself; how can I trust him!" Leng Wushuang shook her head.

Li Muzhan fell silent. Men and women ensnared in the net of love indeed find it hard to control themselves; they lose their reason and become fools despite their usual astuteness.

Leng Wushuang thought for a moment, "It might be fine for you to see her. Let's see what kind of person she is."

Li Muzhan quietly nodded.

Leng Wushuang instructed, "Don't tell her that I know. Just say that Xia Wufeng was dispatched by me on an urgent mission and cannot get away."

Li Muzhan's brow twitched, "The Lake Master means to..."

"We will see. I hope she truly likes Xia Wufeng," Leng Wushuang waved her hand dismissively.

………………………………………………, Leng Wushuang said a few more things, telling him not to rush off yet; it would be better to wait until his injuries healed before going to the Sea Heaven Palace. The Sea Heaven Palace and the Star Lake Cottage were not on friendly terms; going while injured might lead to trouble.

Li Muzhan agreed. After she left, he immediately entered the Heaven-Man Divine Illumination Diagram to absorb the essence of the sun and moon to nourish his body.

When he awoke in the morning, his wounds were itching as if ants were crawling on them. Li Muzhan forced himself to ignore it, rose, and left the small hut, heading for the rear garden.

In the rear garden, Leng Wushuang was instructing three women in their practice. Facing three opponents, Zhang Qiaoyi and the other two unleashed flashing swords, their cold light glittering, making the surrounding air feel noticeably cooler.

The bright sunlight shone upon them. Their white silk tight-fitting outfits shimmered silver. Each woman was full of vigor, radiating heroic grace, presenting a unique beauty.

Li Muzhan inhaled the fresh air, watching their spirited display, and his mood instantly brightened and eased. He walked toward them with a smile, stepping into the flower patch, approaching the training circle.

The three women's sword forms did not cease, attacking Leng Wushuang. Leng Wushuang also held a sword. Dressed in flowing white, her swordsmanship was light and agile. It appeared effortles, yet it constantly found the gaps between the three women's attacks.

Though the three women attacked in concert, their combined power was astonishing, yet against the effortless flow of Leng Wushuang's sword, they could not establish dominance. When she thrust, they were all forced into disarray.

Leng Wushuang appeared completely composed, as if acting on impulse without exerting any real effort. Sweat already beaded on the foreheads of the three women, their faces flushed beautifully like flowers.

Seeing Li Muzhan approach, Leng Wushuang called out loudly, "Li Zhu! Join us!" Li Muzhan smiled, "Gladly!" He drew the long sword from his waist, slid into position beside the three women, and thrust toward Leng Wushuang, channeling the intent of the 'Broken Peak Saber' into his swordsmanship, just as he had the night before.

This thrust was simple, yet perfectly timed. Combined with the three women, it formed a joint strike, instantly increasing their power. A torrent of sword light enveloped the target.

Li Muzhan had practiced their combined sword techniques with the three women for recreation when there was nothing else to do. Although his proficiency wasn't deep, the basic maneuvers were sound.

Furthermore, Li Muzhan's sword skill excelled in the strange inner force imbued in the blade, which could slow an opponent down. However, this effect seemed useless against Leng Wushuang; she appeared entirely unaffected.

As a result, Li Muzhan could only rely purely on his swordsmanship to compete, putting him at a clear disadvantage. His internal energy was profound, but in terms of the refinement of swordplay, he was several degrees behind the three women.

Under the combined attack of the four, Leng Wushuang grew even more relaxed and composed, frequently shaking her head at Li Muzhan, showing an expression of disappointment. This caused Li Muzhan to inwardly smile bitterly; he could only pretend not to see it.

……………………………………, after a hundred moves, Leng Wushuang suddenly flicked her long sword. The blade emitted a buzzing sound, creating several illusory sword shadows, as if a dozen long swords were striking simultaneously. This instantly shattered the coordinated attack of Li Muzhan and the three women.

"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" Four clear ringing sounds followed, and the swords of the four flew outwards. Leng Wushuang returned her blade to its sheath, shook her head, and said, "Your skill is too shallow!" The three women looked ashamed and quickly retrieved their weapons. Li Muzhan also awkwardly sheathed his sword.

Zhang Qiaoyi and the other two were tactful. Seeing Leng Wushuang's expression suggested she had matters to discuss with Li Muzhan, they excused themselves to change into their training attire.

Leng Wushuang lightly tossed her sword, which landed back on the rack beside her. She turned and said, "Let's talk inside."

The two entered the nearby pavilion and sat down separately. Leng Wushuang then said, "I went to listen last night, and they did take the bait."

Li Muzhan frowned, "They weren't suspicious?"

Leng Wushuang revealed a hint of a smile, "They had a flicker of doubt, but then they saw the Northern River Swordplay. The way they executed it was deliberately vague and flawed, which actually made them believe it more firmly." Li Muzhan laughed. This move was exceedingly cunning—the vagueness made it logical from any angle. If they were from the Northern River School, they were intentionally concealing their true techniques, hence the vague execution. If they weren't from the school and hadn't mastered the true Northern River Swordplay but were trying to frame the school, that also made sense.

This way, no matter how one analyzed it, it held water, making it difficult to pinpoint the truth.

Leng Wushuang concluded, "For now, there seems to be no problem. You should focus on healing your injuries and stop worrying about this."

Li Muzhan nodded, "Understood."

Subsequently, Li Muzhan paid no further attention to external affairs. Whether they were moving the remains now or deciding how many people to send away or keep behind, his sole focus was entering the Heaven-Man Divine Illumination Diagram to mend his body.

The White Cloud City was tranquil, like the calm after a storm. The Three Smiles Hall remained silent; having suddenly lost a large contingent of men, their strength was greatly diminished.

There was also little movement from the Star Lake Cottage side. Only five or six people left secretly; nothing outwardly unusual occurred, with Leng Wushuang personally overseeing things.

Seven days later, Li Muzhan's injuries had recovered. He reopened the Star Lake Cottage alone and set off for the Sea Heaven Palace.