After devising this technique, Li Muzhan tested it himself before letting Xia Wufeng try practicing it. Xia Wufeng tried it out and found nothing amiss.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "It’s finally done. Congratulations, Senior Brother. You’ll be seeing Senior Sister Meng soon!"

Li Muzhan looked rather disheveled at the moment, his beard thick and long, making him appear as a heavily bearded man. The small black tuft of hair on his lip nearly concealed his mouth.

He looked somewhat like a wild man, yet his clothes were clean and spotless, untouched by dust, a testament to his profound inner strength that repelled grime.

Xia Wufeng shook his head and smiled, "This is all thanks to you, Junior Brother. You’ve worked hard!"

Li Muzhan laughed, "What credit is there for me? I merely extended the concept; it’s no great matter. I’ll report to the Lake Master. If I present this technique, perhaps she’ll release you from seclusion!"

Xia Wufeng shook his head. "This technique is your creation, Senior Brother. I contributed nothing!"

Li Muzhan paused in surprise, then shook his head, laughing, "Senior Brother Xia, what do you mean by that?"

"The technique you created, Junior Brother, I didn't exert any effort on it," Xia Wufeng stated.

Li Muzhan shook his head, letting out a wry smile. "What's this talk of 'you' and 'me'? Without your secret manual, no matter how capable I am, I couldn't conjure something from nothing... Besides, this is a joint creation. The credit is useless to me; just owe me a favor!"

Xia Wufeng shook his head, unconvinced, absolutely refusing to let this achievement be claimed solely by him.

Li Muzhan’s smile vanished, his brow furrowing. "Senior Brother Xia, why are you being so stubborn? For the sake of your pride, where does that leave Senior Sister Meng? Must she wait in bitter anticipation?"

Xia Wufeng remained silent, pondering. After a long pause, he sighed, raised his head, and said, "Alright then, I won't be coy. I will repay this kindness and grievance later!"

Li Muzhan beamed. "Now that’s a proper man—able to take and let go. What does face matter? But I am keeping track of this favor. You are not permitted to refuse me in the future!"

"Don't worry about it!" Xia Wufeng chuckled.

He felt deep gratitude; his junior brother phrased it that way to ease the guilt weighing on his heart. This technique possessed immense power; it was truly a supreme method, and the credit was enormous.

Li Muzhan smiled. "I'm going to report to the Lake Master!"

With that, he turned and left, not giving Xia Wufeng a chance to object. He soared off the cliff, descending like a drifting piece of fluff, skimming past the treetops.

"Junior Brother, change your clothes and wash up before seeing the Lake Master!" Xia Wufeng’s voice drifted after him, reaching Li Muzhan’s ears.

Li Muzhan waved his hand in the air, signaling he understood, and then vanished.

He first descended the mountain and then returned to his waterside pavilion. Upon entering, he found someone inside—it was Xu Xiaorou, slowly tidying the room.

As soon as he entered, Xu Xiaorou turned, her eyes slightly wide. "Who are you!"

Xu Xiaorou, clad in snow-white robes, with bright red lips and pearly white teeth, was breathtakingly beautiful. Her crisp, clear challenge carried an indescribable charm as she floated forward.

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile. "Senior Sister Xu, it’s me!"

"Oh, it's Junior Brother?" Xu Xiaorou’s bright eyes widened. Seeing Li Muzhan nod, she scrutinized him for a moment, then burst into laughter, doubling over and unable to straighten up.

Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile and touched his nose. "Senior Sister, I’ll wash up first!"

"Alright, alright, hurry up. Hahahaha... you’ve really become a different person; I almost didn't recognize you!" Xu Xiaorou agreed amidst her giggles, then turned and left.

Li Muzhan quickly washed and tidied himself. He didn't cut his long beard but left it, which instantly made him appear over a decade older.

His expression already carried maturity and steadiness, hinting at worldly experience. With the added beard, he suddenly looked like someone in his mid-thirties, well-traveled, exuding an indescribable charm.

When Li Muzhan opened the door again, three women were waiting outside. Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui had been pulled over by Xu Xiaorou to share in the fun of seeing Li Muzhan's new look.

"Three Senior Sisters," Li Muzhan said with a smile.

Zhang Qiaoyi and He Ruoshui, both dressed in snow-white shirts with ethereal demeanors, paused upon seeing him before laughing and nodding. Zhang Qiaoyi remarked, "Not bad. Junior Brother, with this look, you appear mature and steady, like a completely different person—we almost didn't recognize you!"

He Ruoshui nodded in agreement, saying, "It truly is marvelous."

To alter one's apparent age without resorting to disguise, simply by adding a long beard, was indeed wonderful. They seemed to glimpse what Li Muzhan might look like ten or twenty years in the future, just as he looked now.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Senior Sister Zhang, you are all back? Who did you leave guarding White Cloud City?"

As he spoke, he invited the three women to sit at the table, taking a seat himself, and asked, "Did you leave no one behind? Are you abandoning the Hall of Three Laughs?"

Zhang Qiaoyi nodded slightly. "No one was left there. The Lake Master doesn't care for the Hall of Three Laughs. If they truly seek revenge, we can simply strike them down."

Li Muzhan considered this and nodded. Fighting a pointless battle would only lead to needless losses. If the people from the Hall of Three Laughs sought vengeance, they would surely attack Star Lake Courtyard first. Unless dozens of people were left behind, the courtyard would certainly lose. Rather than that, it was better to retreat entirely back into the lake.

While this approach was somewhat passive, it was better than leaving disciples at Star Lake Courtyard as targets. This was the Lake Master’s benevolent consideration, prioritizing the safety of her disciples.

He pondered for a moment, feeling an urge to go investigate the situation, but gaining the Lake Master’s approval wouldn't be easy. He would have to wait for an opportunity to discuss it.

Xu Xiaorou began her interrogation, pouting coquettishly. "Junior Brother, when did you return? Why have we not seen you? Where did you run off to!"

Li Muzhan chuckled, saying he had gone up the mountain to spar with Senior Brother Xia and had been in seclusion since. The three women had nothing more to say upon hearing this, only urging him to take it easy and not push himself too hard.

After chatting with the three women for a while, Li Muzhan proceeded to Falling Star Pavilion to request an audience with the Lake Master, Leng Wushuang.

Leng Wushuang was practicing her skills. He waited in the main hall for a short time before she slowly descended the stairs and sat across from him, dressed in loose white robes, appearing utterly serene.

"What is it?" she asked, picking up her teacup and taking a delicate sip. Her movements were graceful and enchanting, possessing a detached beauty that momentarily stirred Li Muzhan's heart.

He forced his mind to settle and slowly began, "Lake Master, Senior Brother Xia has created a new cultivation technique and wishes to offer it to our small abode, to be recorded in the Hall of Stars."

"Oh—?" Leng Wushuang raised her delicate eyebrows and set down her teacup. "What technique is it?"

Li Muzhan replied, "The Heaven-Stealing Scripture."

"Have you practiced it?" Leng Wushuang asked flatly, her jade-like face showing no excitement.

Li Muzhan nodded. "Yes, I was involved a little, offering some advice. It was a minor contribution, but this technique is indeed overwhelmingly powerful!"

"What is its unique quality?" Leng Wushuang inquired.

Li Muzhan explained, "The cultivation speed using this method is four to five times faster than normal!"

"Hmm—?" Leng Wushuang gasped, blurting out, "What are the drawbacks?"

Her understanding of martial arts was profound, and she deeply grasped the principle of Yin generating Yang. The faster a cultivation technique developed, the greater its hidden flaws. Orthodox mystic techniques often yielded slower progress.

Li Muzhan scratched his head, thinking. "Yes, this method places a significant strain on the body, causing some damage. It requires a tempering technique to complement it."

Leng Wushuang nodded slightly. "In that case, it requires a high-level body tempering method, not just any ordinary one?"

Li Muzhan affirmed, "The Lake Master is perceptive."

"Did Xia Wufeng create this himself?" Leng Wushuang asked.

Li Muzhan nodded. Leng Wushuang smiled faintly. "There must be some contribution from you, correct?"

Li Muzhan scratched his head, laughing, "I only offered Senior Brother Xia a small amount of help; it hardly counts as credit."

"Very well, I shall take a look." Leng Wushuang nodded.

Li Muzhan quickly added, "Lake Master, if this technique is acceptable, could you reduce Senior Brother Xia's seclusion time?"

"Impossible," Leng Wushuang shook her head.

Li Muzhan immediately gave a wry smile. "Even with such merit, it’s not enough?"

Leng Wushuang raised an eyebrow slightly and said coolly, "Li Zhu, it seems you still don't understand. At our Star Lake Abode, merit is merit, and fault is fault; the two cannot cancel each other out."

"I see..." Li Muzhan shook his head with a bitter smile.

Leng Wushuang challenged, "What, does this mean you no longer wish to present the technique?"

Li Muzhan shook his head quickly. "Certainly not! But I have one small request: I wish to pass this technique on to Senior Sister Meng's side?"

Leng Wushuang’s expression instantly darkened, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe. Li Muzhan had to circulate his inner energy just to dispel the sensation.

Li Muzhan smiled lightly. "I will have Senior Sister Meng swear an oath not to pass it on."

Leng Wushuang snorted. "Fine. Since you created the technique, you can deal with it as you see fit. No one will interfere!"

Li Muzhan knew Leng Wushuang was displeased, but he felt this was necessary. Senior Sister Meng’s group genuinely needed a superior cultivation method to bolster their strength and escape Worry-Free Cliff.

Leng Wushuang turned and left the hall, completely ignoring Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan rubbed his nose; seeing the Lake Master so angry was truly a rare sight.

He waited in the hall for Leng Wushuang. After a while, she floated back in. Seeing he was still there, she glanced at him coolly, ignored him, and sat down beside him, opening a small booklet.

This booklet was the Heaven-Stealing Scripture authored by Li Muzhan and Xia Wufeng, the revised version that included the method for transforming Zhenqi (True Qi).

After Leng Wushuang had finished reading through it, Li Muzhan waited a moment before asking, "Lake Master, does this set of techniques have any flaws?"

"Mmm, it's acceptable," Leng Wushuang replied faintly.

Li Muzhan rubbed his nose, pretending not to notice her cold demeanor, and shamelessly asked, "Does it meet your approval, Lake Master? Is it not too embarrassing?"

Leng Wushuang said faintly, "It is rare to conceive of this path. You derived it from the Ancient Qi Refining Arts, didn't you?"

Li Muzhan chuckled twice but said no more.

Leng Wushuang continued, "You are quite generous, exerting yourself to the utmost to fulfill their wishes. What benefit did they offer you?"

Li Muzhan shook his head.

Leng Wushuang snorted. "Then why did you put in so much effort? Running errands and creating a technique—do you realize that the Sea Heaven Palace is our enemy, not our friend? If you went there alone, being beaten up would be the least of it!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "I am a disciple of Star Lake Abode; they wouldn't dare do anything significant!"

"Hmph, always saying the comforting words!" Leng Wushuang snorted faintly.

Li Muzhan grinned. "I understand. Even if they caused trouble, at most they’d only humiliate me; they wouldn't go too far. The prestige of our Star Lake Abode isn't baseless!"

"Be careful you don't capsize in a shallow ditch with that mindset. The martial world is full of reckless people who fear nothing; not everyone is afraid of our Abode!" Leng Wushuang snorted.

By distracting her, she had momentarily forgotten the original topic, but she quickly recalled it. "Hmph. Why are you helping them so relentlessly?"

Li Muzhan considered, then replied, "Lake Master, the rest is simply a small wish of mine: that lovers in the world may finally be united. Seeing such suffering lovers, I wish to help them fulfill their desires!"

"I didn't realize you were such a benevolent soul!" Leng Wushuang shook her head.

Li Muzhan touched his nose, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Actually, I’m just soft-hearted; I couldn’t bear it."

Leng Wushuang nodded slightly. "A fine 'couldn't bear it.' This is the root of compassion. You indeed possess spiritual aptitude. No wonder you achieved such powerful spirit with only one volume of the Vajra Sutra."

"Lake Master, what do you think...?" Li Muzhan asked again.

Leng Wushuang pondered for a moment. "Very well, you may pass it to Meng Qiuxia. However, your technique has one fatal flaw."

"Where?" Li Muzhan quickly asked.

Leng Wushuang shook her head. "Cultivating this way, while Zhenqi increases rapidly, it lacks purity. More importantly, once converted by the Qi Refining Art, it is impure—wood that is not wood. Should it encounter your inner energy, they will have absolutely no power to resist... To put it plainly, anyone who practices this technique, you are their natural nemesis!"

"Is that so?" Li Muzhan was momentarily stunned, then realized with a flash of understanding.

This method of Zhenqi conversion originated from the Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art, but it was not the true technique—merely a simplified or abridged version, vastly inferior in power.

Moreover, the inner energy converted this way was not complete, but a semi-finished product, utterly incomparable to the inner energy transformed by Li Muzhan's Nine Revolutions Qi Refining Art. Upon collision, they would instantly fail.

Li Muzhan gave a bitter smile. "In that case, it sounds as if I have selfish motives."

"This might be for the best. If this technique were to be leaked, the consequences are unpredictable. It is best if you can control them," Leng Wushuang said calmly.

Li Muzhan considered this and slowly nodded.

Leng Wushuang waved her hand. "Enough. You may go now. Find Meng Qiuxia and pass the Heaven-Stealing Scripture to her. As for those two, let them see what fate has in store for them."

Li Muzhan was overjoyed. "Lake Master, does this mean you no longer object to the two of them being together?"

Leng Wushuang nodded. "Yes, I won't interfere anymore."

Li Muzhan grinned, struggling to hold back a hearty laugh. He chuckled, "Senior Brother Xia will be ecstatic when he hears this news. He was deeply distressed when you didn't agree."

"Men..." Leng Wushuang shook her head and waved Li Muzhan out.