Li Muzhan rose and walked to the railing, turning to lean against it as he gazed at the still lake surface, where gentle ripples caught the sunlight, scattering shattered light.

Though Guo Xiaoxia didn't know the reason, she obeyed the Lake Master's command without hesitation. She tilted her head in thought, then picked up her brush and wrote three characters.

Leng Wushuang nodded slightly. "Yes, that’s enough. Bring the Lingpu tea."

"Yes." Guo Xiaoxia responded, her steps light as she departed.

Leng Wushuang picked up the note, gave it a gentle shake, and it instantly disintegrated into fragments. "Done. Li Zhu, you may speak now."

Li Muzhan turned back, his face slightly pale, and smiled faintly. "Flying Phoenix Sword."

A faint smile touched Leng Wushuang's lips. "Hmm, not bad."

Li Muzhan grinned. "Does this count as mind-reading?"

"Can you truly see what others are thinking?" Leng Wushuang inquired.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "It's like viewing flowers through a fog—vague and fleeting. It requires immense concentration. If the other person's impression is vivid, I can see it clearly."

"Though not true mind-reading, it is remarkable," Leng Wushuang acknowledged with a slight nod. "When did you acquire this skill?"

Li Muzhan replied, "After mastering the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art, it appeared inexplicably."

"The Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art—death leading to rebirth, shedding the old self for a new one. That makes sense," Leng Wushuang nodded again. "We shall call this ability mind-reading. Tell no one; it serves no purpose and only brings harm."

Li Muzhan chuckled. "Naturally, I understand, Lake Master. I wouldn't tell a soul besides you."

"You understand the harm involved. If word got out, who would dare associate with you?" Leng Wushuang asked.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Lake Master, with your powerful spirit, I cannot see through your innermost thoughts no matter what."

Leng Wushuang shot him a sidelong glance. "Use this mind-reading skill sparingly, if at all. Use it only on enemies, never on allies, or you'll only embarrass yourself!"

Li Muzhan swiftly dropped his smile, nodding seriously.

The Lake Master was indeed supremely wise, able to penetrate the subtleties of such matters. He knew his ability of 'Heart Comprehension' should be avoided. The human mind was complex, inherently containing both light and shadow, and most people carried a heavier burden of darker thoughts.

One needed to embrace all aspects without judgment, requiring profound mental stability and detachment from worldly concerns to withstand it. Otherwise, one often became corrupted by darkness.

In this way, Heart Comprehension became a deadly poison, leaving one unable to find release.

Thus, the Buddhist scriptures often stated that supernatural abilities are hindrances; the true path lies in not seeking them. Ordinary people often mistakenly believe that such powers are prerequisites for high cultivation, unaware that using them to promote the Dharma is a deviation.

"That's enough. Xia Wufeng must be getting impatient. Go meet him now," Leng Wushuang waved her hand.

"Lake Master, what about the Three Smiles Hall?" Li Muzhan asked.

Leng Wushuang shook her head. "They haven't made any moves yet. Let's wait and see for a while. Their silence is what’s abnormal; we need to be cautious."

Li Muzhan quickly interjected, "Lake Master, allow me to probe their strength and reality."

Leng Wushuang frowned. "Probe where?"

"To the north," Li Muzhan replied.

Leng Wushuang pondered for a moment, then waved him off. "Let me think about it. You go ahead first."

Seeing this, Li Muzhan could only nod helplessly. "Understood."

As the sun dipped toward the west, Xia Wufeng stood at the cliff’s edge, clad in a blue gown, hands clasped behind his back, resembling a pine tree gazing toward the brocade of the western sky.

His blue robes billowed softly, and his jade-like face was bathed in a crimson hue, making him seem merged with the heavens and earth.

The moment Li Muzhan appeared, Xia Wufeng spun around sharply, looking down the mountainside, a smile spreading across his face.

Li Muzhan carried a jar of wine in one hand and a purple wooden box containing several small dishes in the other. His feet floated as if riding the wind; he swept over the treetops, ascending the cliff like a slowly rising white cloud.

"Senior Brother!" Li Muzhan set down the items and cupped his hands in greeting, smiling.

"You good-for-nothing, you're finally back!" Xia Wufeng was overjoyed.

Li Muzhan smiled. "My apologies for keeping Senior Brother waiting!"

"Did you see Qiuxia?" Xia Wufeng quickly asked.

Li Muzhan nodded. "Yes, I saw Senior Sister Meng."

"How is she doing?" Xia Wufeng pressed eagerly, his eyes bright and sharp, the light seeming almost substantial as it pierced into the depths of Li Muzhan’s heart.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Senior Sister Meng is confined on Worry-Free Cliff."

"Worry-Free Cliff?!" Xia Wufeng cried out in shock, his face instantly paling. Given his deep concern for Meng Qiuxia, he knew exactly what Worry-Free Cliff was.

It was the forbidden ground of the Sea Sky Palace. The turbulent winds pierced inward; those with lower internal energy perished within a year or so; those with stronger cultivation might last a little longer.

Li Muzhan hurriedly reassured him, "But Senior Brother, rest assured, Senior Sister Meng's cultivation is profound. She will merely suffer hardship there; her life is not in immediate danger!"

"Alas... it is all my fault!" Xia Wufeng sighed toward the heavens, a bitter smile twisting his features.

Li Muzhan continued, "Senior Sister Meng has no regrets, so Senior Brother need not be overly distressed. I gave her a bottle of Yuan Cultivating Pills; that should sustain her long enough. Perhaps she can even escape Worry-Free Cliff in the end!"

Xia Wufeng shook his head repeatedly. "Once one enters Worry-Free Cliff, survival is slim. Difficult! Difficult! Difficult!"

"I spoke with Senior Sister Meng," Li Muzhan said. "I asked her to study a specific cultivation method and give it to her to practice, so she can break free from Worry-Free Cliff sooner!"

Xia Wufeng also knew the rules of Worry-Free Cliff: if one could withstand the fierce winds unaided and prevent them from harming the body, they could walk free, and their crime would be pardoned.

However, those who achieved this were exceedingly rare; since the founding of the Sea Sky Palace, only one person had managed it.

Though Qiuxia possessed outstanding aptitude, she was not the once-in-a-century talent needed to break through this barrier. Achieving it was harder than climbing to heaven.

Thinking of this, his face grew paler again, and his lips curved into a bitter line.

Meng Qiuxia never spoke of it, but Li Muzhan knew the peril of Worry-Free Cliff. Even with her deep internal power, he couldn't guarantee zero danger, which was why he had decisively given her the Yuan Cultivating Pills.

Li Muzhan asked, "Senior Brother Xia, if the two of us study this together, perhaps we can create a new mental cultivation technique that rapidly enhances internal energy, don't you think?"

Xia Wufeng looked up at the sky, pondered for a moment, and then gave a wry smile. "I do know of methods for rapidly increasing internal energy, but they are far too dangerous, so I've never dared try them."

Li Muzhan urged, "That doesn't matter. We can research and improve this method, removing the flaws, right?"

He didn't find the creation of martial arts difficult, thanks to the guidance of Lan Chunhe, which had removed any mental block regarding martial arts innovation.

But ordinary martial artists dared not alter established mental techniques, proceeding with utmost caution lest they practice incorrectly. Who would casually change a formulation?

The formation of a martial art often represented the distilled wisdom of generations, perfected to be nearly flawless; to improve it was incredibly hard. Furthermore, the practice of mental cultivation often involves minuscule differences leading to vast discrepancies—any unauthorized alteration risked backlash or internal deviation.

This stems partly from a lack of confidence in one's own wisdom and reverence for predecessors, and partly from the danger of internal deviation, leading people to be conservative about cultivation methods. When practicing, they focus on understanding, grasping, and thoroughly comprehending, rather than seeking improvement.

Modifying mental techniques was usually reserved for martial arts grandmasters in their later years, who, possessing deep understanding and vast knowledge, finally earned the right to add to them.

Though Xia Wufeng was a rare genius, he had never considered inventing or researching new mental techniques.

Hearing Li Muzhan’s suggestion, he only offered bitter smiles and shook his head, clearly unconvinced.

Li Muzhan quickly countered, "Senior Brother, we have the Lake Master here. What is there to worry about? Even if the technique is flawed and causes internal deviation, it's not the end of the world. At worst, we just start cultivating again from the beginning!"

Xia Wufeng paused, then nodded, realizing the logic. With the Lake Master present, their lives were absolutely secure; even if deviation occurred, the Lake Master could save him.

Li Muzhan added with a smile, "Besides, even if I suffered internal deviation, damaged my body, and lost my martial arts, living in seclusion here wouldn't be the worst outcome, right?"

Xia Wufeng smiled and shook his head. "Junior Brother, at your young age, you possess a detached, transcendental mindset. That is truly rare!"

Li Muzhan smiled back. "Does Senior Brother not have such thoughts?... Have you never considered retiring to the mountains with Senior Sister Meng, leaving behind the affairs of the martial world?"

Xia Wufeng shook his head. "We are young. If we don't achieve something significant, how can we repay the Lake Master and the Small Abode? I would not rest easy."

Li Muzhan nodded slowly, understanding his sentiment.

He rallied his spirits and grinned. "Then so be it! Let's aim high. First, we create a mental technique to help Senior Sister escape her predicament, and then we appeal to the Lake Master!"

Xia Wufeng smiled. "Junior Brother, don't involve yourself in this matter further; I don't want the Lake Master to be displeased with you."

Li Muzhan insisted, "If I don't get involved, the two of you might truly end up as unfortunate lovers. It doesn't matter. If the Lake Master is angry with me, at most, he'll punish me by making me enter seclusion here with you. I have no attachments anyway, so it saves trouble and allows me to focus purely on martial arts research!"

Xia Wufeng shook his head, sat down, broke the wax seal on the wine, and the aroma instantly filled the air. He then grabbed a large bowl resting upside-down on a nearby boulder and filled it generously.

Li Muzhan sat down too, opened the purple wooden box, and took out the four dishes—two meat, two vegetarian—their rich fragrance testament to He Ruoshui’s cooking.

They drank two bowls and ate heartily, and the atmosphere quickly warmed.

Amidst chatter and laughter, Li Muzhan recounted everything that happened at White Cloud City—the minutiae, from the emergence of the desire to kill Lin Ping, to the planning, the execution, and how the situation eventually evolved. He recounted it all for Xia Wufeng to ponder carefully.

Xia Wufeng finished his bowl, wiped his mouth, and chuckled. "Junior Brother, I wouldn't have guessed that someone so young could be so meticulous in thought and calm in action... In martial arts, I might have some talent, but when it comes to planning, I am far behind!"

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "That experience comes from hunting. This world is like a vast forest; people are no different from prey—it’s a life-and-death struggle."

"Haha, well said, a life-and-death struggle!" Xia Wufeng exclaimed heartily. He poured another bowl, raised it to toast Li Muzhan, drained it in one gulp, and wiped his mouth. "It is only within our Lake that we can truly lower our guard and find genuine peace!"

Li Muzhan agreed, nodding, and downed a large bowl himself.

Xia Wufeng declared, "That is why I cannot retire to the mountains. For the sake of this peace we share, I must traverse the world and awe the powerful, ensuring they remain disciplined and dare not touch us!"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Precisely!"

He poured two more large bowls for them and continued, "However, Senior Brother, the outside world isn't entirely filled with villains. I made a friend at the Sea Sky Palace named Lu Chaozong. He is overwhelmingly bold and a man of true character!"

"Lu Chaozong?" Xia Wufeng frowned in thought. "Now that you mention it, I think Qiuxia mentioned someone—a genius who emerged from the Sea Sky Palace, dazzling the disciples. What impressed everyone most was his incredible fortune and continuous lucky encounters; there was nothing to complain about!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "Yes, that's the one. Open-minded, with the heart of an innocent child. I drank with him for a whole day, and I still couldn't make him drunk!"

"Hmm, a character like that is certainly worth meeting!" Xia Wufeng remarked.

Li Muzhan proposed, "Senior Brother, let's create a cultivation technique together and present it to the Lake, have it inscribed in the Star Hall. Perhaps the Lake Master will be merciful and release Senior Brother!"

Xia Wufeng shook his head. "Don't count on it. The Lake Master said three years, and that will not change."

They talked for a while longer until the two jars of wine were empty. Finally, Xia Wufeng agreed to collaborate with Li Muzhan on developing the mental technique.

He pulled out a thin booklet from his robe. Its color was somewhat faded yellow, and the corners were frayed, suggesting it hadn't existed for too long.

Xia Wufeng explained that he had found this minor manual by chance. It was called the Heaven-Stealing Scripture, but it was essentially a method for absorbing the vital essence of heaven and earth.

To seize the world's essence to fortify one's internal energy was the essence of the Heaven-Stealing Scripture, stemming from the Yin Talisman Sutra, which states: "Heaven has five thieves; those who steal them prosper."

This scripture mainly focused on absorbing the essence from the flora and fauna of nature. Among the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—Wood energy was the most nourishing. This scripture primarily focused on absorbing Wood energy.

The other four energies were mentioned only briefly, operating on the same principle as absorbing Wood energy, but they were much harder to harness. Wood energy was the easiest to absorb and utilize.

Li Muzhan took it and flipped through it, nodding. "Senior Brother, this Heaven-Stealing Scripture is indeed marvelous, but it’s a pity it lacks a conversion method."

Xia Wufeng agreed. "Exactly. It only has absorption methods. The true Qi absorbed cannot be converted for one's own use—a waste of effort. It requires one's internal energy to slowly refine it, which is slow and difficult, only marginally faster than normal cultivation. It’s not fast enough."

Li Muzhan nodded. While marginally faster than self-cultivation, for ordinary people, this was a rare manual. The slight speed advantage wouldn't be obvious initially, but over time, its power would manifest.

However, for Meng Qiuxia, this slight edge would be insufficient. If she had to remain on Worry-Free Cliff for ten or twenty years, Xia Wufeng might not endure it.

Xia Wufeng said, "Junior Brother, we both practice top-tier martial arts. Working together, we should be able to perfect this technique."

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "I do possess a conversion method, but it's an ancient Qi Refining Art that cannot be taught externally."

"Then we'll create our own conversion method based on its principles," Xia Wufeng suggested.

Li Muzhan agreed happily. "That sounds like a task requiring diligent exploration, but it's certainly achievable. I trust that the two of us can find a good path."

They immediately put their words into action, setting aside food and drink to begin their research.

In Li Muzhan's view, while the Heaven-Stealing Scripture was ingenious, it was a level below the Void Guiding Qi Art. Regarding the conversion of true Qi, he had learned two methods: the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art and the Void Guiding Qi Art.

Neither could be taught outwardly. He had a concept: to circulate internal energy, causing the true Qi to transform through several acupoints, shedding impurities and forming his own internal energy.

The current task was to map out a pathway that could effectively facilitate this transformation. With so many major acupoints scattered across the body like constellations, achieving this was not simple.

However, having practiced the ancient Qi Refining Art, he felt as if he had opened another world, clearly perceiving the Five Element attributes of his body, his internal organs, and every major acupoint.

In this regard, Xia Wufeng lagged far behind. Li Muzhan’s internal vision was as clear as reading palm lines. He began by cultivating the Wood Qi method, observing the changes in energy flow throughout his body, gaining an implicit understanding of the attributes of certain acupoints.

Although he couldn't grasp everything completely, practicing the Wood Qi gave him a general idea.

Even so, finding the optimal path to convert Wood Qi immediately was not easy; it required careful contemplation and gradual experimentation.

Xia Wufeng couldn't offer much help here. Despite his high cultivation and deep internal energy, his spirit was not strong enough for clear internal visualization; he could only watch Li Muzhan fumble through his exploration.

Xia Wufeng thought Li Muzhan’s approach was feasible but could not contribute much practically, merely watching as Li Muzhan sank into deep thought, remaining utterly motionless like a statue.

Li Muzhan was outwardly still, as if in deep meditation, but his body was active. Internal energy circulated, flowing from one acupoint to the next.

He attempted to practice the Heaven-Stealing Scripture and then convert that Wood Qi using the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art, observing which acupoints reacted during the process.

Though difficult, he slowly discerned a pattern. While not as efficient as the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art or the Void Guiding Qi Art, it was significantly faster than simple internal energy melting.

With this speed of cultivation, he could match four to five times the pace of ordinary practitioners—one year of his practice equaling four to five years for others, two years equaling eight to ten. This was astonishing.

However, this advancement had limits. At a certain level, the capacity of the meridians and the Dantian would become the bottleneck, requiring meridian refinement methods or body-tempering techniques, such as the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill.