After talking for a while longer, Li Muzhan saw that she was gradually relaxing, truly tired. He patted her back until she fell asleep, and only then did he leave.
As for Fu Feihong, there was no way to smooth things over; she would never change her mind. He could only think of another way. Li Muzhan was not anxious; as long as he wished to see Hai Yulan, he would be able to.
He himself remained in Tianjing City, contemplating a method to break the Danxin Tiequan, quietly sensing its aura and strengthening his own spirit.
Back then, he had constantly pondered a way to break it but found himself utterly helpless. The spiritual power amplified by that collective of eminent monks was indeed as vast and boundless as a great ocean.
He did not give up, constantly thinking of breaking through their suppression. After several days of arduous effort, it was still fruitless, yet he unintentionally discovered that his spirit had increased by a fraction.
This enhancement was greater and took less time than cultivating the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing.
A flash of inspiration struck him, filling him with overwhelming joy. The world is truly miraculous—Yin and Yang coexist; turning Yin to Yang is merely a matter of thought. If this Danxin Tiequan could suppress him, could it not also temper him?
Since advancing to the Grandmaster realm, his progress had abruptly slowed, and more critically, his spirit—the transformation of spirit from void to substance—had only one method of cultivation: the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing.
Cultivating the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing required focused time for seclusion once a fixed period was reached. The Immeasurable Bright Heart Sutra was also somewhat lacking, and even the Jade Buddha he later obtained offered limited aid to him as a Grandmaster.
He had finally found another method: using the Danxin Tiequan to hone and strengthen his spirit, achieving a breakthrough superior to secluded cultivation of the Guan Tian Ren Shen Zhao Jing.
Thus, he settled down in Tianjing City. This place was the most prosperous under heaven, possessing everything, provided one had money. He was extremely wealthy, free from worries about food and clothing.
Feng Mingxue lived with him, constantly refining a small sword. The power of this little sword grew stronger, only slightly inferior to Li Muzhan’s flying dagger.
It moved silently and with incredible speed, easier to control than an ordinary longsword. Feng Mingxue wielded it according to her will; when she tested it against Li Muzhan, the results were astonishing.
Li Muzhan’s Sky-Piercing Sword Intent arrived instantly by traversing the void, whereas her small sword arrived soundlessly, completely undetected.
However, Li Muzhan’s senses were keen enough to anticipate it beforehand, so he could not be stabbed. Other Grandmasters encountering the small sword would almost certainly perish.
Feng Mingxue felt a deep spiritual connection with the small sword—the sword was like the person, and the person was like the sword, perfectly attuned. She opened her mind completely, ceaselessly refining it, striving to reach the realm of man and sword as one.
This was the pinnacle of the Sword Control Scripture. Li Muzhan had reached Grandmaster, but the Sword Control Scripture had not reached its peak; it required step-by-step cultivation.
Having become a Grandmaster, he relied less on the Sword Control Scripture, so he had been lazy about practicing it further. Now, he was actually lagging behind Feng Mingxue.
Cultivating the Sword Control Scripture was also a form of spiritual training. Li Muzhan had originally planned to meditate and practice for a period, but now with the Danxin Tiequan, he changed his mind, choosing to hone his spirit first.
As evening approached, the sun sank low, and the sunset glow dyed the western sky crimson, bathing their residence in red light. Li Muzhan and Feng Mingxue were strolling by the lake. Having practiced martial arts all day, they should rest and prepare for dinner.
They began discussing Hai Yulan. Li Muzhan hid nothing, recounting the entire sequence of events. Feng Mingxue’s expression changed many times as she listened.
“I never expected Elder Fu to be so ruthless!” Feng Mingxue shook her head, her delicate steps moving lightly as she scattered a handful of crushed pastry crumbs, instantly causing the carp in the lake to churn.
She held a small bag in her hand, filled with these crumbs, specially kept for feeding the fish.
Li Muzhan said, “She is disregarding everything for the sake of her disciple!”
“It certainly falls short of her status,” Feng Mingxue murmured, watching the carp struggle for the crumbs. “This tactic is also quite vicious. You weren’t tricked, were you?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Though the tactic is harsh, it was excessive.”
“That’s true,” Feng Mingxue nodded. “Too much is as bad as too little. They still have men lying in ambush; there’s no way for you to go now, is there?”
Li Muzhan replied, “Let’s wait a couple of days.”
As they were speaking, a delicate young maidservant ran over, reporting that there were two guests outside, both surnamed Dugu.
Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow. It was Dugu Heng; as expected of one of the Four Great Clans, their network of informants was widespread. It had only been a few days, and he had already been discovered. Was the woman beside him his intended partner?
“Let’s go; Brother Dugu has arrived at our door,” Li Muzhan said with a smile.
Feng Mingxue waved her hand. “Forget it; you go ahead.”
Li Muzhan said, “Besides Brother Dugu, there is another young lady. Could it be Miss Tang? Probably not; they wouldn’t be so blatant.”
Hearing this, Feng Mingxue also grew curious. With a light toss, the bag of pastry crumbs in her hand floated onto the stone table of the small pavilion, and she walked out with Li Muzhan.
The two passed through the four courtyards to the main gate. The gate was wide open, and Dugu Heng stood side-by-side with a young lady in yellow, both smiling as they looked toward them.
Li Muzhan cupped his hands and smiled, “Brother Dugu, long time no see!”
Dugu Heng, cloaked in an elegant green robe, returned the gesture with a smile, “Brother Li, you are truly something! Coming to Tianjing and not looking me up!”
Li Muzhan chuckled, “I arrived without fanfare, not wanting to be discovered… Come, come, let’s go inside and talk!”
“Oh?” Dugu Heng looked at him with surprise, then pulled the yellow-clad young lady beside him. “This is my younger sister, Dugu Meng. Let’s go in!”
Li Muzhan cupped his hands and smiled at the young lady. She was dressed in a yellow gown, her skin tender like an infant’s, with red lips and white teeth. Her features were lovely, though not overwhelmingly beautiful; she was simply pleasing to the eye.
The four walked inside. After closing the main gate, they proceeded directly to the rear garden. They needed no pleasantries between them, settling down in the small pavilion by the lake.
“This is my senior sister, Feng Mingxue,” Li Muzhan introduced Feng Mingxue, adding with a smile, “My senior sister is an unparalleled genius of the Yunxiao Sect, having mastered the Huan Yu Scripture and the Sword Control Scripture. She will be a future Grandmaster!”
Dugu Heng cupped his hands and laughed heartily, “Miss Feng, forgive my offense. Brother Li and I are friends, so we are not outsiders.”
Feng Mingxue smiled and returned the courtesy. Dugu Heng then introduced Dugu Meng, saying with a smile, “My little sister heard I made a new friend and insisted on coming along to see.”
Dugu Meng’s large eyes sparkled with cleverness and innocence as she sized up Li Muzhan from head to toe: “Big Brother Li, why aren’t you carrying a sword? I heard your blade work is also excellent!”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Little Sister Dugu, I am concealing my identity right now, so I don’t carry blades or swords.”
Dugu Meng asked, “Why conceal your identity?”
Li Muzhan chuckled, “I want to gauge the true strength of the Zhu family.”
“You are quite audacious,” Dugu Meng exclaimed, her large eyes shining with excitement. “You dared to storm the Zhu Residence?”
Li Muzhan replied, “Ignorance breeds fearlessness. I don’t dare to now.”
“That means you have broken in before?” Dugu Meng said excitedly. “Did you fight?”
“Alright, Little Sister, stop causing trouble!” Dugu Heng interjected.
Li Muzhan shook his head and laughed, “It’s no laughing matter, but we encountered a black-robed elder—wiry and withered like a piece of driftwood—and we couldn't defeat him.”
“The one you met might be Zhu He!” Dugu Heng said. “With Brother Li’s martial arts, few in the Zhu family could match you, save for that old monster.”
“Zhu He?” Li Muzhan’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
At that moment, a delicate young maidservant brought tea. Feng Mingxue rose to receive the wooden tray, personally serving tea to everyone before sitting aside to listen to their conversation.
Dugu Heng accepted his tea cup with a smile, and Dugu Meng thanked him obediently as well.
“The Zhu family’s cultivation methods are fierce and domineering; it is difficult for those who cultivate them to live long,” Dugu Heng said after taking a slow sip of tea. “Only this old monster, Zhu He, seems incapable of dying; he is already one hundred and fifty-three!”
“One hundred and fifty-three!” Li Muzhan laughed. “No wonder his cultivation is so profound!”
Dugu Heng said, “Among the Four Great Clans, most live past 120, but only this Zhu He, who practices a fierce technique, lives the longest. It’s truly bizarre!”
Feng Mingxue suddenly asked, “Is he a Grandmaster?”
Dugu Heng shook his head. “Everyone has that suspicion, but regrettably, he is genuinely not a Grandmaster.”
Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. He could sense that Zhu He was indeed not a Grandmaster, but within the range of the Danxin Tiequan, he was comparable to one.
Dugu Heng smiled, “Brother Li, being able to trade blows with him and retreat safely is something to be proud of. Countless masters have died at his hands!”
Li Muzhan chuckled, “He was quite amicable, actually. After exchanging a palm strike with me, he let us leave without further obstruction.”
Dugu Heng laughed, “That’s because Brother Li is formidable. Zhu He, that old monster, is the most cunning. Once he is not absolutely certain he can keep someone, he will never offend them, opting instead to show leniency.”
“The Zhu family is indeed formidable, worthy of being one of the Four Great Clans,” Li Muzhan praised.
Dugu Meng looked disappointed. “Big Brother Li, you came back after just one fight with Zhu He?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “I only then realized the immensity of the heavens and the earth. I couldn't defeat him, so I had to retreat.”
“The Zhu family has formations. You managed to break in?” Dugu Meng asked curiously.
Li Muzhan smiled, “I know a bit about formations as well.”
Dugu Meng grew more curious, her eyes glittering, about to ask more when Dugu Heng interrupted her. “I heard Zhu Wu is dead. Do you know, Brother Li?”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Zhu Wu? Yes, I killed him!”
“It really was you!” Dugu Heng managed a wry smile. “Brother Li, you’ve stirred up huge trouble!”
Li Muzhan replied, “There was no choice. He crippled Bai Da and the others first, and then intended to kill me, so I had no choice but to kill him. Was Zhu Wu highly ranked in the Zhu family?”
“The key isn't the rank; he was a direct descendant,” Dugu Heng explained. “Direct disciples of the Four Great Clans are almost never lost.”
“Why is that?” Li Muzhan inquired.
Dugu Heng answered, “Firstly, the cultivation methods they practice are superior; secondly, they have the protection of top-tier experts; and thirdly, mutual apprehension… Once a direct disciple is truly killed, the murderer will never escape. Their entire family and sect will be rooted out, without mercy!”
Li Muzhan laughed, shaking his head. “So you mean the Zhu family not only wants to kill me but also destroy my Yunxiao Sect?”
The Yunxiao Sect was known as the foremost sword sect under heaven, not some ordinary minor school, and it possessed a Grandmaster. Who would dare provoke the Yunxiao Sect?
Dugu Heng shook his head and sighed, “I fear the Yunxiao Sect might not dare protect you.”
Li Muzhan smiled, “That’s fine; as long as it doesn't implicate the sect, it doesn’t matter.”
“Alas… Brother Li, this action was unwise,” Dugu Heng sighed, shaking his head. “At most, you should have crippled him; why kill him!”
Li Muzhan asked, “This Zhu Wu liked ripping out people’s hearts, didn't he?”
“Yes, he was indeed a brutal fellow!” Dugu Heng nodded and sighed. “To be dragged down as a scapegoat by such a guy, it wasn't worth it!”
Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed, “Such a cruel brute who treats human lives as trifles would kill countless people if he lived. I was forced into a corner and had to carry out Heaven’s will!”
“Good riddance!” Dugu Meng nodded emphatically, thrilled. “That is a true hero!”
Dugu Heng glared at her disapprovingly. “Little Sister, stop fooling around!” Killing is satisfying, but it brings endless trouble. What do we do now?”
Li Muzhan asked, “The Zhu family is still investigating, right?”
“Yes, everyone in the world now knows Zhu Wu was killed,” Dugu Heng nodded, his smile strained. “It won’t take long for them to trace it back to Brother Li!”
Li Muzhan laughed, “Then let them come. I also wish to see the experts of the Zhu family.”
What worried him was that once the Danxin Tiequan was gone, no number of experts would matter, as long as they weren’t Grandmasters.
Feng Mingxue suddenly asked, “Can the Zhu family afford to hire a Grandmaster?”
Dugu Heng shook his head. “The Zhu family does not command that much influence!”
Feng Mingxue let out a breath of relief and said lightly, “The Zhu family must have many experts. How many Grandmaster-level masters do they have?”
“As for Grandmaster experts… at least over a hundred!” Dugu Heng replied.
Feng Mingxue’s expression shifted slightly. She turned to look at Li Muzhan, who smiled and said, “Not bad!”
Dugu Heng pondered for a moment, then said, “Brother Li, how about this: come back with me and stay at my place for a while!”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Wouldn’t that implicate you?”
Dugu Heng said, “We already oppose the Zhu family; I doubt they would dare do anything to us!”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “They lost a direct descendant this time and cannot take revenge. Where is the Zhu family’s honor now? They will certainly go mad.”
Dugu Meng exclaimed, “What are we afraid of? The Zhu family is nothing special!”
Dugu Heng laughed, “Exactly! What’s so great about the Zhu family? Kill them if they dare! If they want to fight, let them fight!” He was naturally bold, and being provoked by Li Muzhan made him feel supremely confident.
Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, “Brother Dugu’s kindness is appreciated, but one man must answer for one man’s deeds. Are we disciples of the Yunxiao Sect people who fear trouble? Besides, my junior brother is helping me!”
Dugu Heng insisted, “Over a hundred top-tier Grandmasters going out—no matter how powerful you are, you can’t handle that!”
Li Muzhan laughed, “I won't shed tears until I see the coffin. Let’s fight first before we talk.”
Feng Mingxue said, “Young Master Dugu, if we can’t win, we will ask you for help then. It is too early now.”
Dugu Heng was helpless. “Miss Feng, by the time that happens, it will be too late. The Zhu family has always acted with the intent to strike decisively; they will pour all their strength into one blow.”
No matter how much he tried to persuade him, Li Muzhan refused to go to the Dugu Residence, wanting to face the Zhu family alone. Dugu Heng, truly exasperated, shouted in a deep voice, “Men!”
“Young Master!” More than a dozen gray-robed elders appeared like phantoms, cupped their hands, and spoke in deep tones.
Dugu Heng pointed at Li Muzhan. “Invite Brother Li back!”
Li Muzhan offered a wry smile. “Brother Dugu, what is the meaning of this?”
Dugu Heng cupped his hands, his face turning grim. “Brother Li, I apologize, but I must forcefully invite you back. It’s better than watching you throw your life away!”
Dugu Meng widened her eyes in excitement, watching everything. Feng Mingxue shook her head helplessly but was moved by Dugu Heng’s enthusiasm and friendship. Such selfless friendship was truly rare.
“Make your move!” Dugu Heng waved his hand.
“We offend you!” The twelve gray-robed elders roared in unison and lunged toward Li Muzhan, seeming to shift position instantaneously, arriving before him and striking out with their claws.
Li Muzhan sighed helplessly, “Brother Dugu, you truly are…”
With a gentle sweep of his hand, there was a muffled bang. The twelve gray-robed elders staggered back two steps as if they had hit an invisible wall of energy, their bodies swaying.
Their faces turned ashen; they had not expected this.
“Ah!” Dugu Meng gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“Hmm—?” Dugu Heng also widened his eyes, staring at Li Muzhan with astonishment. These twelve gray-robed elders were Grandmasters among Grandmasters, the world’s absolute top experts, yet they were repelled with a single brush of his hand.
This was no mere oversight; when they struck, they exerted their full strength.
Li Muzhan stepped behind one gray-robed elder and slapped him; the man floated lightly out of the small pavilion. Before the others could react, he stepped behind another and slapped him away as well.
The remaining ten elders immediately moved, their forms incredibly swift, circling him, yet he struck them away one by one with the ease of strolling through a garden.
The repelled elders floated down in the distance, seemingly unharmed, but too ashamed to rejoin the fray.
“Heh heh, Brother Li, you…” Dugu Heng shook his head and laughed. “A true master hides his depth. You have hidden it too deeply!”
Although he felt Li Muzhan was unfathomable, he had never imagined him to be this powerful—twelve top experts couldn’t even touch a corner of his robe.
With such cultivation, there was truly no need to fear the Zhu family. They had over a hundred Grandmaster experts, but if they rushed in, only about a dozen could engage him at once, forming layers upon layers.
Dealing with a dozen or even over a hundred simultaneously was not an issue, provided his internal energy lasted, and besides, he had Feng Mingxue, who was also unfathomable.
His mind settled. He waved his hand, and the twelve gray-robed elders drifted away.
“Now I am relieved,” Dugu Heng stated.
Dugu Meng chided, “Big Brother, you were too reckless! Anyone who didn't know might think you were avenging Zhu Wu!”
Dugu Heng chuckled, “Brother Li was too stubborn, forcing me to take this last resort!”
Li Muzhan pointed at him, smiling and shaking his head. “You… you are too impatient. I kept saying I wasn't afraid of the Zhu family, but you never believed me!”
The two laughed heartily. Dugu Heng said, “The Yunxiao Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost sword sect under heaven. Seeing you two is proof enough!”
Li Muzhan and Feng Mingxue exchanged a look and smiled, saying no more.
Dugu Heng continued, “Alright, since you aren’t afraid of the Zhu family, I am relieved too. Come to my residence tonight; we’ll drink to our hearts’ content!”
Li Muzhan nodded, and the two accompanied Dugu Heng directly to the Dugu Residence.
The Dugu Residence was completely different from the Zhu Residence—it was magnificent and extremely luxurious, which made Feng Mingxue frown; she hadn't expected this.
The four sat in Dugu Heng’s room. There was a round table; the room was not large but extremely opulent—a rosewood round table and chairs, thick, soft carpets, and several luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling, casting a soft light that illuminated the entire room as if it were daytime.
Dugu Heng, clad in a gorgeous brocade robe, smiled. “Miss Feng, do you find it too extravagant?”
Feng Mingxue nodded. Dugu Heng laughed, “There’s no helping it. If we weren’t like this, the Emperor wouldn’t feel at ease.”
Feng Mingxue understood immediately and nodded thoughtfully.
“BOOM!” As the four were speaking, a tremendous noise suddenly echoed, followed by a loud shout: “Li Wuji, come out and face death!”