Li Muzhan’s long cry drew the attention of the distant experts of the Lin family. They spread out, searching everywhere, some near and some far. The big man wielding the staff was closer and arrived quickly. For those further away, though they faintly heard the cry, it would take some time to reach him; by the time they arrived, Li Muzhan would already have succeeded.

With that long cry, he immediately drew the notice of the Lin family experts, who rushed toward him at top speed. Li Muzhan intentionally revealed himself, letting them see the direction he was fleeing, disregarding Wuyou Cliff for the moment.

Bai Xiaotian watched Li Muzhan appear on a distant mountain cliff, followed by two figures leaping after him—clearly experts from the Lin family. Judging by their Qinggong and movement techniques, their cultivation was peerless, no less than his own.

He moved slightly, then stopped again. He estimated that going up would not be of much help; Li Zhu’s only recourse was escape, and facing two opponents simultaneously was likely perilous.

He considered this, then leaped, drifting toward another mountain peak, soaring far above these peaks, allowing him to look down upon all the summits, taking in the entire scene. He saw Li Muzhan already engaged in combat with the two pursuers.

The three were locked in battle. These two were old men with ordinary appearances, looking like rustic farmers, exhibiting none of the bearing of martial arts masters.

But the two—one wielding a saber and the other a sword—unleashed incredibly formidable power. He admitted to himself that stepping in would mean he was certainly no match, yet Li Zhu was managing to hold his own against both, showing no disadvantage—truly terrifying.

He sighed inwardly, reflecting that Star Lake Lodge truly lived up to its name. Its disciples, even at their current age, could not be underestimated; in the martial world, they were all top-tier masters.

With Star Lake Lodge being this formidable, who could possibly rival them? The Lin family, it seemed, was overestimating its own strength, mistakenly believing they knew the true capabilities of Star Lake Lodge.

He shook his head with a sigh, suddenly feeling a touch of pity. He felt the Lin family was recklessly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth and would soon receive a harsh lesson. Star Lake Lodge’s ability to stand proudly in the martial world for hundreds of years was no mere coincidence.

A sect’s foundational heritage was something that could never be overlooked. To aspire to dominate the martial world, without profound foundations and several generations spent solidly building their roots, true prosperity could never be achieved.

Even if a certain generation experienced a sudden, massive surge, producing a few top masters—or just one—to elevate the sect to prominence, if the underlying foundation was insufficient, decline would follow swiftly.

As the leader of a sect, he had devoted himself to studying the rise and fall of dozens of sects, gaining profound insight into the nature of foundations and heritage. A place like Star Lake Lodge, which seemed unassuming and low-key, possessed immense reserves—like a great tree where one only saw the parts above the soil, while the massive roots beneath were hard to discern.

But such a great tree, without dense, widespread roots, could never achieve lasting prosperity. Star Lake Lodge appeared small in number, but its foundation was substantial, making it far from easy to handle.

The Lin family’s strength was immense, with masters like clouds, but this was all on the surface. As for Star Lake Lodge’s top masters, no one knew how many there truly were.

Only when Star Lake Lodge was truly provoked would outsiders see the reality of its strength. Though he was annoyed by the Lin family’s actions, he secretly hoped they would stir things up, offering an opportunity to gauge the true power of Star Lake Lodge.

……………………………………, he stood against the wind, his sapphire blue long robe snapping loudly. Looking down at the fight below, he saw Li Muzhan suddenly twist his body, employing a marvelous footwork technique, instantly appearing beside the saber-wielding old man. He struck the man’s shoulder with a palm, then snatched the long saber from his grasp.

Bai Xiaotian could not help but want to exclaim in admiration. This move, disarming an opponent bare-handed, was peerlessly exquisite. If it were him, he likely wouldn't withstand such an attack and would lose his weapon.

With the long saber in hand, Li Muzhan’s entire presence, his spirit and essence, underwent a dramatic shift, as if he had fused entirely with the blade—the man was the saber, and the saber was the man.

He swung the blade out, slow and measured, yet imbued with an air of effortless ease and natural grace. With a light, floating cut, he struck the long sword of the other elder.

“Clang…” Bai Xiaotian clearly heard the sound of the metal meeting.

The sword-wielding elder staggered momentarily, and Li Muzhan’s long saber swept toward him, intending to slash his throat. Just then, the other elder threw a punch, intercepting the long saber, striking the blade accurately.

“Clink…” another sharp sound rang out. Li Muzhan laughed loudly, the long saber slowly turning to cut toward the fist-throwing elder. The elder involuntarily retreated. At this moment, the sword-wielding elder advanced.

The two—one with a punch, one with a sword—engaged Li Muzhan in close combat, yet he had managed to suppress them. The fist-throwing elder attacked at critical moments, while the sword-wielding elder kept Li Muzhan occupied, preventing him from landing a fatal blow on the other. The pair managed barely to parry Li Muzhan’s long saber, but it was merely a death struggle, offering no hope of victory.

Li Muzhan suddenly unleashed several fierce slashes, then turned and fled, vanishing from the mountain peak like a wisp of light smoke, clearly having leaped off the cliff, disappearing in an instant.

The two elders exchanged a glance and followed close behind, leaping off the cliff as well. However, Li Muzhan was clinging to a rock face. As the two leaped down, he suddenly hurled two stones.

He employed the technique of the (Zhù Jiàn Jué - Arrow-Fixing Art). These two fist-sized stones carried a peculiar, powerful force, shooting toward the two elders like cannonballs.

They hurriedly met the attack with their sword or fists, only to find the stones incredibly hard and strange.

“Bang!” The fist collided with a stone, emitting a dull thud, like striking decaying grass. The elder was sent tumbling backward, swept far away as if battered by a massive log.

“Ding…” With a crisp sound, the sword-wielding elder’s movement faltered, his long sword flying away. He plummeted straight down, just like a falling stone.

Li Muzhan clung to the cliff face below, adhering like a gecko. Once the two were thrown into disarray, their internal energy flow disrupted, he once again hurled two smaller pebbles.

These smaller stones, only the size of a thumb, moved with astonishing speed, tracing two streaks of cyan light that instantly caught up to the two elders and struck them.

Mid-air, they lost control, desperately trying to contain their internal energy, attempting to expel a strange surge of energy from within their bodies. This energy kept churning, relentlessly pushing toward their heart meridians.

While they were busy fighting off the intrusive energy, the two small stones arrived. Unable to dodge, they could only watch helplessly as a sharp pain shot through their chests, and the world was swallowed by surging darkness, rendering them unconscious.

Li Muzhan let out a long, triumphant laugh toward the sky. His form dissolved into a gentle mist and drifted away, disappearing into the continuous expanse of mountains, where the trees were dense, boundless, and infinite.

……………………………………

At Star Lake Lodge in the early morning, a young gentleman in white appeared by the lake. With graceful bearing and a folding fan in hand, though his looks were not handsome, his extraordinary temperament was enough to draw attention.

At first glance, he lacked any hint of true martial prowess, resembling a pale scholar. On closer inspection, a faint luminescence flowed beneath his skin, like white jade, and his eyes were clear and dark, distinctly different from ordinary men.

This was Li Muzhan. He adopted the guise of a pale scholar to conceal his identity and evade pursuit by the Lin family experts. Along the way, he had endured more than ten battles, facing mortal danger several times. He had finally navigated through the perils to arrive safely at the Lodge.

Throughout his journey, encountering many masters, he felt a growing apprehension regarding the Lin family’s strength, knowing that his own power alone would be insufficient to resist them. His only recourse was to seek aid from Star Lake Lodge.

After his long cry, a long cry echoed from the distance, followed by a small boat gliding over. A young woman was aboard, moving with leisurely grace. Though her progress seemed slow, in the blink of an eye, she arrived close by.

Li Muzhan stepped forward and smiled, “Senior Sister Xu, why is it you?”

“Hmph, I figured you were back. I volunteered to come. What, you don’t like it?” Xu Xiaorou shot him a look. She wore a white gown and exuded spirited heroism.

Li Muzhan chuckled, “How could that be? Come, let’s hurry to see the Lake Lord.” Xu Xiaorou appraised him from head to toe, laughing, “What’s with the disguise, boy? Did you stir up trouble again, hiding from people?”

Li Muzhan leaped lightly into the small boat and smiled, “Senior Sister, hurry up then.”

Xu Xiaorou laughed, “Good lad, your martial arts have improved! Let’s go!”

She gently pushed the oars, and the boat shot forward like an arrow leaving a bowstring, skimming over the lake surface. As they traveled, she asked Li Muzhan what he had been doing out there.

Li Muzhan did not conceal anything, recounting the Lin family’s pursuit. Hearing this, Xu Xiaorou’s delicate eyebrows shot up, and she chided him repeatedly for not calling her to join him.

Li Muzhan laughed, “Senior Sister Xu, you can’t blame me. I was originally trying to probe the situation in Baiyun City, but who knew the Lin family was waiting there? I fell right into their trap, and breaking free became difficult.”

“Hmph, the Lin family has astounding audacity!” Xu Xiaorou pouted and snorted resentfully.

Li Muzhan shook his head, “The Lin family’s strength is substantial now, with masters like clouds. I fear their ambition has swelled too, wanting to challenge our Star Lake Lodge.”

“They seek only humiliation!” Xu Xiaorou scoffed dismissively.

The boat’s speed increased rapidly. In moments, they reached Luoxing Pavilion. She stopped the boat and whispered, “Tell the Lake Lord what happened, and hurry back afterward!”

Li Muzhan nodded, drifted onto the pavilion, and headed directly toward Leng Wushuang’s small study.

…………………………………………

Leng Wushuang was reclined on a low couch in the main hall, holding a book. She wore a white robe, radiating an air of serene tranquility. The morning sun streamed through the open window, bathing her in what looked like a layer of rosy light.

Seeing him enter, Leng Wushuang raised her head and paused for a moment. Her eyes brightened momentarily as her gaze swept over him with tangible intensity, before slowly retracting.

“Lake Lord,” Li Muzhan stepped forward to salute.

Leng Wushuang waved her hand, sat up, and pointed the book toward an embroidered stool opposite her, “That’s enough ceremony. Come, sit and talk.”

Li Muzhan approached and sat on the low stool near her, sighing, “Lake Lord, I’ve brought trouble this time.”

He directly narrated the entire sequence of events: how he was ambushed by the Lin family, his escape to Haitan Palace, spending some time in seclusion at Wuyou Cliff, and finally, his flight all the way back to Star Lake Lodge.

Leng Wushuang listened with an impassive expression, occasionally nodding slightly, her bright eyes thoughtful.

When Li Muzhan finished speaking, Leng Wushuang nodded, “It seems your gains were quite significant, and your cultivation has advanced considerably. Have you managed to cultivate the third type of Qi?”

Li Muzhan shook his head, “I failed to master it, only reaching the Earth Qi and Wood Qi.”

“Mm, the third Qi is exceedingly difficult, and you have cultivated these two so deeply, making it even harder,” Leng Wushuang conceded.

Li Muzhan began, “Lake Lord, regarding the Lin family…”

Leng Wushuang waved her hand, “You don’t need to concern yourself with the Lin family’s affairs. Go back and enter seclusion to cultivate the third Qi.”