Lu Chaozong staggered back three Zhang before finally planting his feet half a foot into the ground to halt his momentum, his face flushed crimson, his eyes wide as copper bells, fixed unwaveringly on Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan sighed internally. What an ancient Qi Refining Art; paired with the Void Qi Attraction Formula, they truly complemented each other, unleashing boundless might.
“Young Hero Lu, shall we cease?” Li Muzhan cupped his fists and smiled.
Lu Chaozong yanked his feet free, stomped down hard, and roared with laughter a few times: “Good! Good! A hero such as this, I, Old Lu, must make his friend!”
Li Muzhan smiled: “But I am from Xinghu Xiaozhu; it seems our two factions don't exactly see eye-to-eye?”
Lu Chaozong waved his hand dismissively: “Factions are factions; I am me—it has nothing to do with that. How about it, shall we become friends? You won’t think my martial arts too meager, will you?”
Li Muzhan laughed: “Very well, I’ll count this friendship as settled!”
“Hahahaha… Refreshing!” Lu Chaozong grinned broadly, then turned: “You four be witnesses! From this day forward, Old Lu here is Li Zhu’s friend!”
Zhang Chu hesitated for a moment, whispering softly: “Junior Brother Lu!”
Lu Chaozong waved him off: “Senior Brother Zhang, you don’t need to say anything. I know what you’re going to say—it’s just that he’s from Xinghu Xiaozhu, and we shouldn't associate with him, right?”
Zhang Chu nodded worriedly: “Yes! Haven’t you seen how Senior Sister Meng was punished? Do you also want to ascend Wuyou Cliff? … There’s nothing good to eat up there!”
Lu Chaozong frowned, stroked his chin, and pondered: “No good food is certainly a hassle, but for the sake of a good friend, it’s worth it!”
Li Muzhan smiled: “The friendship of a gentleman is like clear water; there’s no need to be overly constrained by circumstance. Since your faction is so strict, how could I involve you?”
“What does that matter? I’ve decided to be your friend!” Lu Chaozong declared grandly, waving his hand. “Let’s go, let’s head to Feixing Tower for a drink!”
Seeing his magnanimity, the heroism in Li Muzhan’s chest was also stirred. He laughed: “Excellent! Let’s go drink at Feixing Tower! I’ll risk my life to accompany a true gentleman!”
Lu Chaozong turned back: “You four coming or not?”
Li Minghui hesitated, but ultimately said nothing. They knew following would lead to trouble later, but at this point, retreating was no longer an option.
Li Muzhan saw their hesitation, shook his head with a smile, and walked ahead with Lu Chaozong, chatting and laughing.
The other four watched them go, exchanging looks of resignation and wry smiles. This Junior Brother Lu was too reckless, turning an opponent into a friend.
But Junior Brother Lu had always been straightforward like this. When interacting with people, he only judged the person, ignoring their status or background completely. Furthermore, the Palace Master held him in high regard, calling him pure-hearted, which only made him more unrestrained—doing exactly as he pleased without regard for others.
The two walked in front, heading out of the mountain, talking as they went.
“Brother Li, what rank disciple are you in Xinghu Xiaozhu?” Lu Chaozong asked.
Li Muzhan smiled: “When I left the lake, I was Sixth Rank. As for now… I’m not entirely sure.”
“Good heavens, a Sixth Rank disciple is already this formidable?” Lu Chaozong stuck out his tongue. “Then what is your ranking?”
Li Muzhan chuckled: “I joined the sect the latest; everyone else is my Senior Brother or Senior Sister.”
“Good heavens!” Lu Chaozong was even more dumbfounded.
Li Muzhan asked with a smile: “Brother Lu, have you never met anyone from my Xinghu Xiaozhu?”
“Never, only heard rumors,” Lu Chaozong shook his head. “They all say the disciples of Xinghu Xiaozhu are arrogant and look down on everyone. I see that’s not entirely true, is it?”
Li Muzhan smiled: “Hearing is illusion, seeing is reality. Rumors spread like this. People also say that the disciples of your Haitian Palace are incredibly haughty.”
“Hahaha, that part isn’t false. Our Haitian Palace disciples are indeed quite proud,” Lu Chaozong scratched his head and laughed heartily.
Li Muzhan shook his head with a smile, offering no rebuttal. Lu Chaozong was being honest; the disciples of Haitian Palace all harbored a certain arrogance, even more pronounced than those from Xinghu Xiaozhu.
The disciples of Xinghu Xiaozhu rarely displayed arrogance, but they possessed backbone—outwardly tranquil and harmonious, yet fundamentally possessing a sense of superiority, merely being approachable.
Haitian Palace disciples were different; their pride was manifest, aggressive, as if declaring themselves number one in the world and demanding obedience.
Without comparison, the difference might not be obvious, but when the two groups stood side-by-side, the disparity in quality immediately emerged. Li Muzhan felt a surge of pride internally; this was the difference in heritage.
“Oh yes, I’ve heard the name Xia Wufeng for a long time. To actually win over Senior Sister Meng, the most beautiful woman in our Haitian Palace, is quite an accomplishment. I’ve always wanted to meet him and perhaps seek some pointers!” Lu Chaozong said.
Li Muzhan smiled: “Senior Brother Xia? If you enjoy making friends, you absolutely must get acquainted with Senior Brother Xia.”
“Oh—?” Lu Chaozong looked at him with interest.
Li Muzhan continued: “Senior Brother Xia is handsome, elegant, and carries an air of detached transcendence. He can truly be called a rare talent of this age. It’s no wonder Senior Sister Meng favors him; she has a discerning eye for true heroes!”
“Is Xia Wufeng’s martial skill better than yours?” Lu Chaozong asked.
Li Muzhan shook his head: “It’s the difference between heaven and earth, between clouds and mud. When I sparred with Senior Brother Xia, I never won!”
“That skilled?” Lu Chaozong gasped.
He had just witnessed Li Muzhan’s power. In his estimation, someone like Li Zhu, so young yet possessing such pure and deep internal energy, must be unique. Now, to hear him say he was far inferior to Xia Wufeng meant he himself was also far behind Xia Wufeng. He had always felt resentful, wanting to challenge Xia Wufeng to see what capabilities he possessed to win Senior Sister Meng’s heart, convinced he could win.
Li Muzhan’s words made his spirit sink, and his confidence greatly diminished.
Li Muzhan chuckled secretly. He hadn't been able to defeat Senior Brother Xia back then, but now with his vastly increased internal energy and deeper understanding of the Blade Intent, if he fought Xia Wufeng, he couldn't definitively say he would lose.
However, his own techniques still had flaws. Compared to Senior Brother Xia, he would still likely lose, as his martial cultivation lagged behind—this was due to experience, not something solvable by mere hard training.
Lu Chaozong sighed regretfully: “So, if I sparred with Xia Wufeng, I’d be far behind?”
Li Muzhan nodded: “I won't speak falsely. Though your martial arts are strong, Brother Lu, Senior Brother Xia is the youngest Ninth Rank master in our Xinghu Xiaozhu. The gap is indeed significant.”
“Alas…” Lu Chaozong stomped his foot in frustration.
Li Muzhan smiled: “But a gentleman constantly strives for self-improvement. As long as you keep working hard, perhaps one day you truly can surpass Senior Brother Xia!”
Lu Chaozong shook his head: “More than half of my martial arts came from fortuitous encounters; I myself haven't suffered much hardship. To catch up to Xia Wufeng is simply a joke!”
Li Muzhan turned serious: “That’s not right. As long as there is a sliver of hope, one must pursue it. Besides, who knows, maybe you’ll have another fortuitous encounter!”
“Hehe, that’s true too!” Lu Chaozong brightened up again.
The two chatted and laughed, just like old friends of many years. Li Muzhan, being perceptive, knew that Lu Chaozong genuinely wanted to befriend him and recognized him as a man of true character whom he couldn't afford to miss. Such people were rare, and missing out would bring regret. So, he opened his heart, and they began sharing their experiences, talking animatedly, punctuated by Lu Chaozong’s boisterous laughter.
Zhang Chu and the other three followed behind them, listening to the two chat idly, only able to smile wryly to themselves.
Soon, they entered the city and arrived at Feixing Tower.
Feixing Tower was located in the south of the city, at the intersection of the central North-South and East-West streets, situated in the area with the densest foot traffic, making its business naturally booming.
The two ascended to the upper floor. Lu Chaozong called out loudly and quickly secured a window seat. Then all six sat down, talking while looking out at the scenery.
Lu Chaozong had an extremely high tolerance for alcohol. He ordered the waiter to bring large bowls and four large jars of wine, setting up a posture with Li Muzhan to begin drinking.
The four of Zhang Chu also felt a competitive urge, wanting to regain face through drinking. Since they couldn't beat Li Muzhan in a fight, they decided to take turns challenging him in drinking, refusing to believe they couldn't out-drink him.
Li Muzhan accepted every bowl without hesitation, downing them one after another without changing expression.
Lu Chaozong had made an agreement with him: neither was allowed to use internal energy to force the wine down; they had to drink using their true capacity. Otherwise, drinking would be too dull.
Li Muzhan agreed, which suited him perfectly. Having practiced the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, his internal organs were robust, several times stronger than ordinary people; drinking felt no different than drinking water.
They drank from morning through noon, and then into the afternoon. Zhang Chu and the other three had collapsed onto the table, while only Li Muzhan and Lu Chaozong remained spirited, drinking relentlessly.
Lu Chaozong had also trained in external martial arts; his internal organs were solid, coupled with an astonishing natural tolerance for alcohol, making him nearly Li Muzhan’s match, showing no signs of intoxication.
When Li Muzhan finally cleared his head, he looked over to find eight jars of wine placed nearby, the majority of which had been consumed by the two of them. Looking at their stomachs and then the empty jars, in terms of volume, they should barely have held one jar each, yet they had consumed eight. The sight was alarming.
The surrounding patrons cast astonished glances, but Lu Chaozong remained unconcerned, chatting as usual, seeming even more energetic, speaking volubly.
Li Muzhan was unbothered either; he drank while talking, finding the experience exhilarating.
With a soulmate, a thousand cups are too few; with congenial company, half a sentence is too much. Sometimes, meeting someone who matches your temperament makes drinking immensely satisfying, wishing you could keep drinking forever.
Lu Chaozong’s straightforward and generous nature perfectly suited Li Muzhan’s taste. Lu Chaozong, in turn, felt that this Li Zhu was a man of great spirit, a rare find.
By evening, Lu Chaozong began to show signs of exhaustion.
Li Muzhan bid farewell, explaining he had to leave Lanyun City and return to Xinghu Xiaozhu, promising to return when he had leisure another day.
Lu Chaozong urgently tried to keep him, insisting he stay for a while to explore the capital city with him; there were many interesting places nearby.
Li Muzhan shook his head and refused with a smile; he truly had matters to attend to and could not delay further.
Lu Chaozong was deeply disappointed, but he slapped his chest and guaranteed that the next time he visited, he would definitely take him into Wuyou Cliff.