Lanyun City lay in the heart of the Southern Realm, the capital, though everyone simply referred to it as Zhongjing, never mentioning Lanyun City. ## Must-read novels here ## Zhongjing dwarfed Baiyun City, a metropolis compared to a rural town. Thankfully, Li Muzhan had witnessed the splendor of the Grand Yan capital before, so this grandeur failed to overwhelm him. The prosperity of Zhongjing was in no way inferior to the Grand Yan capital, and the architectural styles were strikingly similar—who imitated whom, Li Muzhan couldn't guess. The city thrummed with people coming and going, a constant flow of traffic.

Li Muzhan inquired and found the Sea Heaven Palace quite easy to locate. It was situated in a Taoist center in the southern part of the city. With his Void Eye surveying the area, he saw several vast compounds connected together, forming an enormous complex of opulent buildings—this was the Sea Heaven Palace. He had assumed it would be nestled in the mountains, yet here it was, in the bustling city. Li Muzhan shook his head with a faint smile and followed the directions people offered until he stood before a grand mansion.

A pair of stone lions, one male and one female, squatted at the entrance, emanating a stern aura that warned off idlers. Flanking the lions stood a young man and a young woman, both girded with long swords, dressed in dark cyan robes. Though a hint of youthful immaturity softened their brows, it could not conceal a vibrant martial spirit. Observing the jingqishen (vitality and spirit) of the two, Li Muzhan nodded inwardly. They truly carried the bearing of a major sect; true grandeur was not easily cultivated but fostered by environment, not forced pretense.

As Li Muzhan approached, the delicate young woman stepped forward, clasped her hands in a salute, and asked him the purpose of his visit to the Sea Heaven Palace. Li Muzhan smiled, the effect as refreshing as a spring breeze, and stated he wished to see Meng Qiuxia. The young woman asked his name, informing him that Senior Sister Meng was currently away and asked if he would like to wait inside. Li Muzhan smiled and asked when Meng Qiuxia was expected to return. The young woman replied it would be tomorrow. Li Muzhan considered this, then said he would return the following day. The young woman nodded, asking no further questions, though her gaze lingered for a moment on the saber at his waist, a peculiar, slight smile touching her lips.

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow slightly, pretended not to notice, and turned to leave. He then found the Changsheng Inn nearby and retreated to his room to practice his cultivation.

As evening fell, he left the inn alone to wander the bustling night markets of the capital. The restaurants blazed with light, making it a city that never slept. Most people spilled out to enjoy the night stalls, which seemed even livelier than during the day. Li Muzhan melted into the crowd, pausing intermittently at small food stalls, ordering a snack here, moving to the next there. In one go, he sampled over a dozen different treats, enjoying it immensely.

Walking through the lively throng, a sense of loneliness suddenly washed over Li Muzhan. He thought of Canghai Mountain, wondering what Senior Sister Wen was doing, and where his Master was, and the other Senior Sisters. Then, his thoughts drifted to Su Yunyun. Su Yunyun was the Young Mistress of the Yu Han Palace—he had truly stirred up a hornet's nest. Luckily, she showed no sign of wanting to settle scores afterward and had even sent Jin Qiaoqiao to assist him. Her saving him might have been ill-intentioned, perhaps wanting to deal with him personally, but regardless, he owed her a life debt that he couldn't deny. This life debt had to be repaid both to Jin Qiaoqiao and Su Yunyun. Currently, he had no opportunity, so he could only repay it another day. "Alas..." he walked amidst the bustling crowds, gazing up at the icy, wheel-like moon, sighing. On the moon, he seemed to glimpse his Master's gentle, flowery smile, urging him to return. He was beginning to feel too comfortable here, reluctant to leave this place. The Star Lake Retreat was wonderfully comfortable, offering freedom alongside warmth and harmony. Such a sect was truly rare in the world, likely attributable to the governing style of the Lake Master, Leng Wushuang—a policy of non-interference (wuwei). After some more time, when he returned to the lake, conferred with his martial brother Xia Wufeng, he would be free to roam the martial world. At that time, disguised, he could return to Canghai Mountain for a visit to ease his longing. ## Must-read novels here ##

After touring half the capital, he suddenly plunged into the crowd, flickering several times before vanishing into the mass of humanity. He then slipped out of the city walls and headed towards the mountain range south of the city. Although he sensed no immediate pursuit, this was the domain of the Sea Heaven Palace, so caution was necessary. While the Sea Heaven Palace might not match the Star Lake Retreat, it was still filled with experts and talent, not to be underestimated. It was entirely possible that they had hidden masters capable of evading his spiritual sense; he couldn't take the risk, which was why he had entered the crowd before slipping out of the city.

He suddenly felt an urge to cultivate, sensing a prime opportunity, but practicing in an inn within the city was far too inconvenient; he had to leave the city. The icy moon overhead grew ever brighter, casting a hazy, soft glow, as if the surroundings were shrouded in an ethereal white veil, beautiful yet faintly concealed. His feet barely seemed to touch the ground as he moved, as if riding the wind. His speed was incredible, like a wisp of light breeze, and he swept into the great mountains. In a few swift moves, he located a secluded valley.

The valley contained a dense, lush forest, warm as spring—truly a marvelous spot. Li Muzhan entertained the thought of building a small hut here for secluded cultivation. He surveyed the surroundings; there were no large predators, only creatures like musk deer and wild hares in the woods, along with a few goats, and the largest beings were several Azure Deer, living peacefully, free from natural enemies. This valley exuded an atmosphere of profound peace, which Li Muzhan cherished most; it shared a subtle temperament with the Star Lake Retreat. He sat there, feeling a deep sense of peace settle upon him.

He entered the woods and found a large, nearly century-old tree—sturdy, thick, and unyielding in the wind. He constructed a small shelter upon it and settled inside to begin his practice. The air here was incomparably fresh, superior to the city air—perfect for cultivating qi. Furthermore, it was uninhabited, ensuring no disturbances—a wonderful advantage that allowed him to focus on his training. He first entered the Gazing at Heaven and Man’s Divine Illumination Sutra until his spirit harmonized completely with heaven and earth. Then, he withdrew from that practice and began cultivating the Ancient Qi Refining Technique.

The Qi Changing Art, the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining, he had been attempting to practice this entire journey. Each attempt caused a violent surge of vital energy, almost forcing him to vomit blood before he had to stop. Despite the lack of progress and the violent reactions, Li Muzhan never doubted the technique's authenticity. The Lake Master would never deceive him; the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art could not be false. It was precisely this unwavering faith that allowed him to persist, each session leaving him dizzy and on the brink of qi deviation.

Before leaving Baiyun City, Lake Master Leng Wushuang had explicitly warned him not to practice the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art until he returned to her side, where she could protect him. The technique was too perilous, carrying the risk of instant death. Li Muzhan had merely smiled then and changed the subject, leading Leng Wushuang to believe he had heeded her words. She could not have imagined his audacity in practicing it anyway. Li Muzhan had disregarded her instruction because of his intuition. If danger arose, his intuition would warn him in time to stop, preventing any actual harm. Throughout his travels, he had practiced ceaselessly, stopping the moment his intuition flared with danger, thus avoiding true peril, which only emboldened him further.

Tonight, as his thoughts churned with homesickness, his vital energy suddenly moved. He intuitively felt it was the perfect time for cultivation. Since he trusted his intuition implicitly, he naturally could not let the opportunity pass. He found this secluded, tranquil spot, certain of no interruption. Fastest updates

The Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art began its circulation: opening the Tian (Heaven point), drawing in a surge of pure qing qi (clear energy) into the Baihui point, then guiding it down past the Yuzhen point, through the Three Passes, all the way to the Weilu point, and finally entering the Huiyin point, causing the lower regions to solidify like iron. This method of guiding qi was a technique of replenishment and boosting deficiency, marking the true beginning of a Qi Refiner’s complete metamorphosis. Those suffering from insufficient shen qi (kidney essence) would quickly regain the vigor of youth, becoming robust and incomparably powerful. However, for Li Muzhan, this was perhaps too much replenishment; his lower body became hard as iron. His deeply rooted mental fortitude asserted itself, leaving his emotions undisturbed, preventing him from breaking the state of harmony between man and heaven. This stage was nearly impossible for ordinary men to pass. When shen qi ignites the fire of the body, lust, rooted in human nature, is incredibly difficult to eradicate. At this level of practice, desire burns intensely; even a sow might appear as Diaochan, and maintaining control becomes an insurmountable obstacle. Those who reach this point possess immense willpower and rare fortune, true dragons among men. Yet, many who achieved success failed here.

Li Muzhan was fortunate. He had first obtained the Gazing at Heaven and Man’s Divine Illumination Sutra, then the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill, which solidified his mind bead, granting him profound composure. Coupled with the black Buddha statue, which formed a relic, his foundational stability far surpassed that of ordinary people. At its peak, one could truly achieve the Four Great Emptinesses—emptiness is existence, and existence is emptiness—achieving transcendence without hindrance. The vital energy passed the Huiyin point and then ascended towards the Dantian. Pushing it further upward entered the truly difficult phase: every inch the qi traveled upward felt as difficult as scaling a sheer cliff, causing the blood and qi throughout his body to surge in response.

He tested this, finding sustained upward movement almost impossible. Thus, he stored the vital energy in his Dantian, then connected with the heavens to draw in another stream of vital energy, channeling it down into the Dantian. He then fed the energy in streams, quickly filling the Dantian. Once full, he did not stop. He continued drawing qi in, relentlessly squeezing and compressing the vital energy within the Dantian, as if compressing an inflated ball. After compressing the fist-sized mass of qi down to the size of a quail egg, he ceased. He then used his intent to guide it, starting from the Dantian and slowly ascending toward the Middle Dantian. This mass of qi was solid as if tangible. Wherever it passed, his meridians ached subtly. Li Muzhan could not attend to this. His body began to tremble lightly, slowly swelling until his robes ballooned like a leather ball. Then, his body began to lift, as if supported by an invisible force beneath him.

He hovered in mid-air, his backside a full foot above the wooden plank, his body trembling softly, his brow tightly furrowed, his face flushed a deep red, like a man heavily intoxicated. This was due to overexertion; his intent had inadvertently propelled his body upward. The internal energy was moving against the flow of the Ren Vessel, like climbing a sheer, slippery rock face—an immense struggle. “Pfft!” He suddenly convulsed and spat out a jet of blood that pierced the wooden plank, leaving a fist-sized hole in the wall of the small hut, through which a beam of moonlight shone. “Pfft!” Li Muzhan convulsed again and spat another jet of blood. Then, with a third tremor, he spat a third jet of blood. These three streams of blood carved three holes in the wall before him, forming a Chinese character shape (), allowing three beams of moonlight to illuminate his face. His complexion was pale as paper, shimmering faintly, as if moonlight were striking polished white jade. Externally, he had only expelled three jets of blood, but internally, his body was undergoing violent turmoil, heaven and earth inverted, akin to shattering the void. The mass of vital energy reached the Middle Dantian and immediately collided with the qi of the spleen. Upon impact, the two masses of energy exploded apart.

With a sound like a thunderclap, his chest erupted in agonizing pain, as if he had been blown into dust. The force of the explosion rushed upward and downward simultaneously. His meridians burned with excruciating pain, feeling as if they were being torn apart by immense pressure. At the same time, a force surged straight toward his forehead, plunging his vision into utter blackness. His consciousness shattered into fragments; devoid of thought or perception, he felt as if he had died.

He didn't know how long had passed before he slowly awoke, as if surfacing from deep water and taking his first breath of fresh air, brought back to life. He let out a long sigh and observed his internal state, which he could see with perfect clarity. He saw a mass of golden, mercury-like substance suspended motionlessly in his Dantian. It was shining brightly, appearing like liquid gold. He was not unfamiliar with this substance. Previously, when he practiced until his vital energy transformed into mercury, it was the condensation of qi from a gaseous to a liquid state—the result of highly refined vital energy, marking a qualitative leap. The previous condensation resembled common mercury, but this one was like gold—the difference was significant. He suddenly realized that what he was currently cultivating was Earth qi; did that mean the Canghai Divine Skill cultivated Water qi? Though the techniques differed, perhaps when pushed to the extreme, they converged. In that case, he could completely substitute Water qi with the mastery from the Canghai Divine Skill, saving him considerable effort. He felt a surge of joy, then continued observing. His meridians had expanded considerably, nearly double their former capacity, though they were less thick than before, as if they had been stretched open. His heart pounded; that moment just now had been perilously close to death. If his spirit had not been so formidable, the shockwave of the explosion would have annihilated him, leaving him a vegetable even if he had survived. If he hadn't cultivated the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill, making his meridians thick and strong, the explosion would have snapped them instantly, killing him completely. Thinking back, he realized how utterly reckless he had been.

However, if his intuition had not guided him, he would never have dared take such a risk. It seemed this time, he had gambled correctly again. He tried to command this golden liquid; where his thought went, the qi followed, like an extension of his own arm. But because his meridians were so wide now, this mass of vital energy seemed almost negligible within them. He paused, then thought of the Void Drawing Qi Art, and immediately began the practice. Heaven opened, and vast Primordial Qi poured down, running directly into the Dantian via the Ren Vessel. He frowned instantly and immediately ceased the Void Drawing Qi Art. His meridians ached, unable to withstand the sheer force of the Primordial Qi. He knew this attempt had caused a serious injury. He opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light, sharp as a physical object, shot out.

Only then did he realize the sky had turned bright; the sun was high overhead. Sitting inside the small wooden house, he avoided the direct light. His Void Eye surveyed the surroundings, finding nothing amiss. He retrieved a small vial from his robes, poured out a pill, swallowed it, and then began circulating his energy to regulate his breath, starting the practice of the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill. Instantly, his entire body was enveloped in a layer of gold, making him truly resemble a Luohan (Arhat). Controlling the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill with Earth qi was the most ingenious pairing possible; it was as if they were naturally meant for each other, and now they were finally united. Under the influence of the Vajra Divine Skill, his meridians felt thoroughly nourished, like dry earth receiving sweet rain, experiencing a refreshing comfort akin to soaking in a hot spring.

Once he felt his meridians recovered, he proceeded to circulate the Void Drawing Qi Art again. Vast Primordial Qi descended, entering the Dantian. Then, the Dantian began to pulse, breathing in the stale and breathing out the fresh, exhaling impurities and inhaling purity. He immersed himself in the growth of the vital energy mass in his Dantian. Unconsciously, the qi in his Dantian swelled into a boundless, rolling sea of gold. A smile touched his lips as he looked upon this sight, finally feeling at ease. With this scale of energy, he wouldn't have to worry about depletion—he had grown accustomed to inexhaustible qi from the Celestial Origin Breathing Technique and could not tolerate the frequent exhaustion he'd experienced before.

He stood up, stretched, and his stomach suddenly let out a thunderous rumble—he was fiercely hungry. An intense wave of starvation washed over him. He shook his head with a wry smile, unsure how much time had passed. He floated down from the tree, plucked a few wild peaches, ate them, and then left the forest and the valley, heading back toward Lanyun City.

Outside the Sea Heaven Palace, Li Muzhan approached slowly. It was the same young man and woman he had met before, both in tight dark cyan attire, looking dashing and valiant. Seeing him arrive, the delicate young woman stepped forward, smiling sweetly, "Senior Sister Qiuxia is already back. May I ask your esteemed name, sir? I will go report your arrival!" Li Muzhan clasped his hands in a salute: "My name is Li Zhu." "Li Zhu?" The young woman started, then shook her head and laughed, "Aren't you Xia Wufeng?" Li Muzhan smiled. "Miss, you are mistaken. I am not." "Hmph, you really aren't Xia Wufeng?" The young man beside her stepped forward and asked coldly. Li Muzhan's brow twitched slightly, and he smiled faintly. "I never change my name or alter my surname; I am Li Zhu. I dare not impersonate Senior Brother Xia!" This youth was handsome, but there was a slight touch of immaturity in his demeanor, indicating he was young and lacked experience. "Senior Brother Xia?" The youth stared fixedly at him. "You are also a disciple of the Star Lake Retreat?" Li Muzhan nodded. "Indeed." "Then why are you here!" the youth snorted. Li Muzhan said, "I wish to see Miss Meng. Is that not permitted?" The youth sneered, curling his lip. "Hmph! None of you from the Star Lake Retreat are good people!" He called out loudly, "Senior Brother Zhang, Senior Brother Li, that person is here!" As soon as his words fell, four figures darted out like a cleansing breeze, instantly appearing before Li Muzhan, demonstrating supreme lightness skill. The four stood before Li Muzhan—two men and two women, all handsome and beautiful beyond the ordinary, immediately capturing the eye. Li Muzhan frowned, looking at the four of them, then back at the youth. The youth snorted, "Senior Brother Zhang, he says his name is Li Zhu, not Xia Wufeng!" "This gentleman is not Xia Wufeng?" asked the handsome, somewhat scholarly youth with a round face. His gaze was gentle, lacking any aggressive sharpness. His posture was slender, like a jade tree standing gracefully in the wind, instantly inspiring goodwill. Li Muzhan nodded. "Senior Brother Xia Wufeng is my martial brother; I am Li Zhu." Senior Brother Zhang inclined his head slightly. "So, you are Young Hero Li. I am Zhang Chu of the Sea Heaven Palace. Forgive my lack of courtesy." "What is the meaning of this, Young Hero Zhang?" Li Muzhan asked. Zhang Chu shook his head and sighed. "Senior Sister Meng has suffered greatly because of Xia Wufeng. We intend to exact revenge on her behalf! ...Since you are Xia Wufeng's junior brother, the blame must fall on you!" Saying this, he waved his hand. "Junior Brother Li, please teach Young Hero Li a lesson in your formidable skills!" (To be continued)