"Master!" Jikong called out, sounding aggrieved. Li Muzan shook his head and glanced at him: "You, having studied the Arhat Fist, yet failing to grasp its essence, relying solely on brute force!"

"Yes, disciple accepts his fault!" Jikong lowered his head helplessly. The wound on his abdomen had closed, the bleeding stopped, and a warmth spread through his core.

Li Muzan declared, "Watch how your master performs the Arhat Fist!"

He then turned to the three women with a mild tone. "My sincere thanks to the three ladies for instructing my young apprentice. His lack of skill led to his injury; it is not anyone else's fault. This humble monk seeks guidance from the three benefactresses!"

"Strike the junior, and the elder appears!" the leading girl in white sneered, casting a sidelong glance at him. "Are you that little monk's master?"

Li Muzan nodded: "Precisely."

"You look younger than the little monk!" the white-clad girl scoffed. "Are you trying to trick us?"

Li Muzan smiled faintly: "A man of the cloth speaks no lies."

"Hmph. Portraying piety on the surface, yet engaging in depravity behind closed doors—not a single monk is any good!" The white-clad girl curled her lip in disdain, sneering repeatedly. "You monks are the best at deception. What talk of the Western Paradise? That is the grandest lie!"

Li Muzan frowned. It seemed she harbored deep animosity toward Buddhism. He spoke calmly: "Benefactress, do not utter reckless words and create bad karma; you risk falling into the Avici Hell after death!"

"That suits me just fine; I want to see if there is a hell!" the white-clad girl retorted dismissively. "You foul monk, come then! I want to see what skills you possess!"

Her anger mounted, her bright eyes flashing with cold light as she drew her sword and lunged.

Li Muzan felt a surge of annoyance. If not for a premonition that had urged him to appear ahead of time, Jikong’s life would already be forfeit, necessitating his arduous rescue.

If he hadn't possessed the means to save him, Jikong truly would have been killed, beyond recall. Although Jikong had been with him for a short time, he served with meticulous care, showing respect and warmth, treating him like a parent. If anything untoward had happened, it would have been a profound disservice.

These three women were ruthless. Despite their beauty, their hearts were venomous. Though angered, he maintained an impassive exterior, intending to teach them a lesson.

However, the lesson required method; he could not afford to lose the demeanor of a high monk. Otherwise, losing the respect and faith of the onlookers would be a net loss.

Facing the lightning-fast sword thrust, he lightly stepped forward and slowly threw a punch. With a crisp ding, the long sword was deflected. He immediately took another step, appearing at the white-clad girl's side, his left fist driving out to meet her left elbow.

Bang! The white-clad girl flew backward, landing lightly on a nearby table, descending like a feather. The onlookers were astonished; why was the impact like that? Should she not have crashed heavily?

Crack! The table shattered into pieces, and the girl dropped through, landing somewhat awkwardly, barely managing to stay upright before tumbling down.

Another girl, seeing the danger, quickly reached out to steady her, but swayed herself from the force.

Li Muzan smiled faintly: "Jikong, did you see clearly? The key is not the speed of the punch, but the timing, the seeking of an opening, and grasping the trajectory!"

"Yes, Master." Jikong nodded, as if something had clicked.

Li Muzan shook his head: "This still requires real combat experience, a subtle sense. Merely practicing diligently without sparring makes it difficult to master!"

"Master, be careful!" Jikong suddenly cried out.

As Li Muzan turned to speak to him, the third white-clad girl suddenly struck, her sword thrust silent, nearly a sneak attack. The blade arrived at his back with incredible speed.

Li Muzan sighed and shook his head: "Your swordsmanship is good, but unfortunately, your mastery is lacking!"

He lightly struck backward, connecting precisely with the sword tip. With a sharp ding, like the clash of metal, the long sword was thrown aside. The white-clad girl stumbled back three steps, colliding with an octagonal table. Crack! The table split apart, collapsing in a heap.

She staggered back two more steps, landing on the broken pieces of wood, her face ashen. Then, she let out a large mouthful of blood with a wah.

Clutching her chest, swaying precariously, she glared fiercely at Li Muzan.

Although Li Muzan's strike appeared effortless and harmless, the internal force transmitted through the sword coursed into her body. Waves of pure power crashed inward, one following the next—six surges in total. She managed to block them with great effort, but she could not avoid grievous injury. Li Muzan shook his head: "To whom do the three female benefactresses belong? They possess such exquisite swordsmanship."

"That's none of your concern!" the lead white-clad girl sneered. "Who are you?"

Li Muzan replied: "Zhanran."

"A fine monk, Zhanran! We shall remember you!" the leading girl mocked. "For today's lesson, we shall surely repay you another day!"

Li Muzan's eyebrow twitched, then he smiled: "Kindness to others is the highest principle. Why must the three benefactresses be so aggressive?"

"You seek death! I want to see how long you foul monk can remain carefree!" The white-clad girl sneered, then scoffed, "Let's go!"

"Yes." The other two white-clad girls agreed, helping her slowly out of the Donglai Tower.

Li Muzan sighed and shook his head, wearing an expression of disappointment as he watched them leave, showing no intention of stopping them, which made Jikong stomp his feet in frustration.

Once they were completely gone, he stamped his foot and complained: "Master, why did you let them go!"

Li Muzan said gently: "And what if I hadn't? We are men of the cloth; we cannot break the precept against killing. They merely misunderstood us; everything will be fine once the truth is investigated."

Jikong continued to stomp, wishing he could chase after them, but seeing Li Muzan's gentle, smiling expression, he swallowed his further protests.

He knew that although his Master presented a gentle disposition, underneath lay a core of decisive ruthlessness; he was certainly not a pedantic man. Perhaps he was deliberately acting that way in public, and as his apprentice, he needed to cooperate with the performance, but he absolutely could not overstep, lest he suffer consequences later.

Li Muzan turned and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect toward the assembled crowd, then moved to the table of Elder Hu and Steward Zheng, smiling. "Steward Zheng, Elder Hu, thank you both."

"Master arrived just in time; otherwise, things would have been perilous!" Steward Zheng smiled.

Li Muzan inquired: "May I ask if Steward Zheng and Elder Hu know the origins of those women?"

He had already discerned that the two were martial artists, and Grandmasters at that, far from ordinary experts. They seemed to be living in seclusion, perhaps having renounced the mundane world or having some other hidden reason. Since he was not familiar with them, it was best not to press too hard.

Elder Hu frowned, glanced around, and shook his head.

Steward Zheng also frowned, looked around the vicinity, and said in a low voice: "Master Zhanran, let us speak upstairs!"

Li Muzan nodded. The three stood up. Li Muzan turned and instructed: "Jikong, go back and rest, then practice the Arhat Fist!"

"Yes." Jikong nodded.

He remembered his Master telling him that the profound heart technique of the Arhat Fist could not only use movement to embody stillness but also treat injuries with excellent effect.

After Li Muzan waved his hand and offered another respectful clasp to the others, he followed Steward Zheng and Elder Hu up to the third floor, entering a private room.

The room was quite spacious, furnished luxuriously yet elegantly, suggesting it was arranged by a person of superior taste, certainly not ordinary.

Li Muzan surveyed the room, then glanced at Steward Zheng. Indeed, Steward Zheng was a profound figure, clearly no mere townsman; his chest held mountains and ravines.

After the three were seated, both Steward Zheng and Elder Hu frowned, remaining silent. A graceful and nimble attendant entered, quietly preparing tea. Steward Zheng waved his hand, and the attendant discreetly withdrew, closing the door.

"Master Zhanran, this matter is a bit troublesome," Steward Zheng sighed, frowning.

Li Muzan picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, composed and serene, smiling faintly: "Steward Zheng, these three female benefactresses have extraordinary backgrounds?"

Steward Zheng sighed: "If my guess is correct, they are disciples of the Moli Palace."

Having said that, he turned to look at Elder Hu.

Elder Hu raised his teacup, took a sip, nodded slowly, and smiled bitterly: "It should be correct."

Li Muzan pondered: "Moli Palace?"

Having just arrived, he truly had not heard of the Moli Palace. He hadn't visited Tianjing City recently to meet Dugu Jinghua, so he was unaware of the news from the Xihua Dynasty and unfamiliar with everything concerning the Xihua Kingdom.

"Master is a man outside the world; you might not have heard of the Moli Palace, but to us martial artists, it is thunderous; known by all," Elder Hu sighed.

Li Muzan asked: "Is this Moli Palace the greatest sect in the world?"

Elder Hu replied: "While not the greatest, it is close! ... What Moli Palace values most is not their martial arts, but their temperaments!"

Li Muzan pondered: "I observed these three female benefactresses as arrogant and unreasonable, driven only by slaughter, lacking forgiveness. Are all Moli Palace disciples like this?"

"More or less!" Elder Hu sighed. "The Palace Mistress of Moli, Li Yubing, is one of the foremost experts in the world, and fiercely protective. No matter the right or wrong of any incident, she invariably shields her disciples. Anyone who dares harm a Moli Palace disciple will be killed without mercy!"

Li Muzan pondered: "So you mean I have provoked a death sentence?"

"Alas... Moli Palace disciples are unreasonable. It seems that Zhao Wuji was controlled by Moli Palace disciples. It was a miscalculation; we shouldn't have let him go!" Elder Hu shook his head and sighed.

Steward Zheng commented: "If we had known Zhao Wuji was a pawn of Moli Palace, we should have killed him with one palm strike, avoiding such a massive disaster!"

Elder Hu shook his head: "Who would have thought Zhao Wuji belonged to Moli Palace!"

"Look at his arrogant, unrestrained manner; we should have realized he had powerful backing!" Steward Zheng shook his head and sighed. "Old Hu, we are both too old now!"

Elder Hu sighed: "Indeed... we misjudged."

The two men were filled with emotion. Li Muzan frowned: "Steward Zheng, Elder Hu, since Li Yubing is so overbearing, is she a Grandmaster?"

The two nodded, sighed, and offered bitter smiles. Elder Hu said: "If she weren't a Grandmaster, with such tyranny, someone would have already dealt with her!"

Li Muzan inquired: "So, she is a Grandmaster... How old is she?"

"Around a hundred years, I suppose," Elder Hu said. "Certainly much older than this old man. She gained fame young and has always been decisive and swift. In her youth, she forged a fearsome reputation that made people tremble!"

Li Muzan sighed: "It seems my doom is truly approaching!"

"Master, in my opinion, you should leave," Elder Hu suggested.

Steward Zheng nodded: "Precisely. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is the best. Master need not concern himself with the Moli Palace; it is best to avoid them."

Li Muzan shook his head and smiled.

Elder Hu considered: "In Xihua, forget it. The Moli Palace is too powerful to contend with. You should go to Dali. No matter how tyrannical the Moli Palace is, they would not dare run wild in Dali!"

Li Muzan smiled: "Is the Dali Dynasty so formidable?"

"Li Yubing once suffered a loss in Dali and made an agreement with a Dali Grandmaster. For the duration of that Grandmaster's life, Moli Palace disciples are forbidden from setting foot in Dali!" Elder Hu explained.

Li Muzan's brow twitched, then he smiled: "May I ask who this Grandmaster is?"

"Fan Taihe. Does the Master know him?" Elder Hu asked.

Li Muzan smiled: "This humble monk knows little of these martial world affairs. Fan Taihe... It seems only a Grandmaster can manage the Moli Palace. Are there no other Grandmasters..."

"We in Xihua also have a Grandmaster, but he has always remained hidden from the world, rarely stepping into the dust of mortal life. We haven't seen him in many years, so Li Yubing has reigned supreme these past years, unchecked," Elder Hu elaborated.

Li Muzan nodded slowly: "Thank you for the kindness of Steward Zheng and Elder Hu."

"Master, you really should evade this. There is no need to argue with the Moli Palace," Steward Zheng insisted.

Li Muzan smiled: "One evades when one should evade, but not when one should not. In this situation, if I retreat, it truly impedes my cultivation of the Dharma."

"But Master, Li Yubing is truly powerful. Though Master's Dharma is profound and his powers vast, she is still a Grandmaster, possessing the ability to conjure clouds and mist," Steward Zheng argued.

Li Muzan stated: "When external demons invade, there is only one way: subdue them. I appreciate the good intentions of both benefactors, but no further discussion is needed!"

"This..." The two exchanged helpless glances, surprised by this outcome.

Li Muzan smiled faintly: "Furthermore, in my eyes, martial arts are ultimately a minor path. They do not grant liberation or ultimate freedom. They are not worth worrying over!"

"Master, what you say..." The two smiled bitterly.

Li Muzan continued: "Although I practice martial arts, it is to exercise my body, stretch my muscles, and also subdue demons and monsters, not for the sake of competing for dominance. No matter how ruthless she is, I simply will not strike back if she does not."

"Master, if you don't strike back, she will simply kill you," Elder Hu shook his head. "Master, you don't know Li Yubing's character!"

Li Muzan smiled: "All living beings possess the Buddha-nature; human nature is fundamentally good. I believe I can persuade Benefactress Li!"

"Master, you should give up that idea immediately!" Elder Hu shook his head and laughed. "She has killed monks before, and she especially hates monks!"

"Why is that?" Li Muzan asked.

Elder Hu explained: "It is said that when Li Yubing was young, she had a sweetheart who later became a monk. Ever since then, Li Yubing has held extreme hatred for monks and has killed quite a few of them."

Li Muzan frowned: "Have no highly virtuous monks stepped forward?"

"Alas... Although a few eminent Buddhist masters have occasionally appeared, they could not defeat Li Yubing. A Grandmaster is no trifling matter; they are existences that transcend heaven and earth," Elder Hu lamented.

Li Muzan shook his head and mused: "From what I know, Buddhism possesses secret methods and divine powers that can deal with Grandmasters."

"Really?" Elder Hu startled, exchanging a look with Steward Zheng, their expressions filled with astonishment.

Li Muzan pondered: "Buddhism has various divine powers, though they are not suitable for display before outsiders. But there are secret methods to deal with Grandmasters; surely someone has mastered them?"

Elder Hu quickly inquired: "Then does the Master possess such a secret method?"

Li Muzan slowly nodded: "While I do not have a method to completely counter her, self-preservation should not be an issue."

"Truly?" Elder Hu was overjoyed.

Li Muzan smiled: "A man of the cloth speaks no lies."

"Heh heh heh..." Elder Hu beamed with delight and chuckled: "Then this old man can rest assured!"

Steward Zheng chuckled: "No wonder the Master was sitting so calmly; he already had a countermeasure!"

Li Muzan responded: "Though I lack absolute certainty, I cannot simply retreat at the first sign of trouble. What use is cultivating the Buddha if one lacks such fearless resolve? One can never become a Buddha otherwise!"

"We are taught," the two said, clasping their hands in respect and nodding solemnly.

When Li Muzan returned to Yuanxin Temple, he felt a stirring of anticipation. He hadn't expected to encounter another Grandmaster. Since becoming a Grandmaster himself, he had never met one. He was curious about what other Grandmasters were like and the extent of their attainment.

Although Li Yubing was an unwelcome foe, she was, after all, a Grandmaster. Perhaps he might have the chance to meet her, to observe how she cultivated and progressed.

Since his injury, Jikong had practiced with even greater fervor, gaining a deeper understanding of the Arhat Fist's essence, making rapid progress and greatly increasing his inner strength.

On the third day, Li Muzan left Yuanxin Temple and traveled to the Dugu Residence in Tianjing City.

In Dugu Jinghua's small courtyard, upon his sudden appearance, she felt a resonance. She, too, had studied the Limitless Brightness Heart Sutra, granting them a mutual connection, especially when he was nearby.

The sun was setting, about to dip below the western mountains, the twilight rising as purple-gold hues spread. When Li Muzan appeared in the courtyard, Dugu Jinghua quickly emerged, clad in a flowing white silk robe.

The moment she saw Li Muzan, her eyes curved into a smile. She gave him a mock reproachful look, then led him to the rear garden, settling down in the waterside pavilion.

Li Muzan looked around and smiled: "Why don't I see the Patriarch?"

"Big Brother is in seclusion again," Dugu Jinghua replied, handing him a teacup with her slender, pale hand.

Li Muzan's eyebrow arched as he took the cup: "Mm—?"

"Big Brother has figured things out and decided not to act," Dugu Jinghua sat opposite him and smiled. "This is thanks to your admonition, Master. He listened."

Li Muzan smiled: "The Patriarch is wise; it has little to do with me... I came to inquire about the situation of the Xihua martial world."

"Master truly doesn't come to the Three Treasures Hall without a purpose!" Dugu Jinghua shot him a look.

Li Muzan touched his shaved head and chuckled twice.

"Why are you dressed like this, Master? Have you seen through the mortal world and become a monk?" Dugu Jinghua observed him with a smile.

Li Muzan explained: "It's a long story. I intend to travel through Xihua, and being a monk makes it more convenient to avoid martial conflicts."

"Then why are you asking about the Xihua martial world?" Dugu Jinghua inquired.

Li Muzan replied: "It seems I cannot avoid it after all; I have provoked figures from the Xihua martial world. Do you know of the Xihua martial world?"

"I know a little, but not as detailed as our Dali," Dugu Jinghua rose and smiled. "I'll be right back!"

She left gracefully, then returned, placing four thin booklets on the table. "This is a general overview of the Xihua martial world; it's not very detailed."

Li Muzan smiled: "This is sufficient! ... Does Ninth Miss know of the Moli Palace?"

"Master has actually provoked the Moli Palace?!" Dugu Jinghua frowned.