Li Muzhan shook his head. "It doesn't seem entirely safe."

"This is the only method I possess; if it fails to subdue it, then I can do nothing," Cold Zhaoyun replied, shaking her head, her brow furrowed as she stared at the flying knife. Her senses were keen, and she could clearly feel the danger emanating from it.

Li Muzhan sighed helplessly, suddenly releasing Cold Zhaoyun. He sat cross-legged on the couch, pressing his palms together and slightly closing his eyes, murmuring to himself.

The Immeasurable Bright Heart Sutra drifted from his lips like pearls, circling within the great hall, solidifying without dissipating. The flying knife, which had been trembling and struggling to break free, immediately faltered, then began to struggle even more violently.

Cold Zhaoyun quickly exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

Unfortunately, her body felt weak and pliant; she was unable to stop Li Muzhan. As she slowly paced toward him, she was arrested by his solemn and majestic presence and did not disturb him.

She sat on the edge of the couch, turning her head to look at the flying knife, which glowed faintly red as it hovered mid-air, trembling slightly as if ready to strike at any moment. The mist of blood had now seeped into it entirely. She could sense the knife's intent—it was savage and ferocious, wanting only to kill her.

She gasped in fright, her face turning paler, completely drained of color, in a desperate attempt to block that violent mental intrusion. Her eyes looked dim and lifeless. What was most terrifying was the surge of fierce spiritual energy, crashing over her in wave after wave, possessing the relentless drive to consume her entirely.

While exerting all her strength to resist, she turned to look at Li Muzhan. He appeared dignified and solemn, chanting the scripture neither hurriedly nor slowly, each word falling like a pearl directly into her heart. Unconsciously, she began to relax, and the surging waves of murderous intent no longer seemed quite so overwhelming.

After about a quarter of an hour, the chanting stopped. Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes. Cold Zhaoyun blinked, as if waking from a dream, and quickly looked toward him.

She suddenly realized that she must have fallen asleep just then, slipping into a trance without awareness, knowing nothing at all. Startled, she immediately looked toward the flying knife, but saw nothing—it was gone.

Yet, she could feel it: the flying knife was suspended silently in the air, motionless, as if fixed in place. As her intention shifted, it suddenly shot forward, embedding itself into her palm.

Li Muzhan looked over. "Palace Mistress Leng, how is it?"

Cold Zhaoyun was overwhelmingly delighted, joy shimmering across her features. With a flicker of her thought, the flying knife flashed, reverting to its original form as it appeared in her palm.

Resting on her palm of fine mutton-fat jade was a small, exquisitely crafted blade. The two complemented each other; the jade palm seemed even whiter, and the flying knife grew even more crystalline, as if carved from ice.

"A fine blade!" Li Muzhan praised.

Cold Zhaoyun looked up at him. "Thank you."

Li Muzhan smiled, shaking his head, and sighed. "This item is too malevolent; using it is ominous. It might even consume its wielder. I hope the Palace Mistress will use it cautiously."

"I understand," Cold Zhaoyun scoffed. "Don't look so glum. I promise you, I will never use this blade against the disciples of the Cloud Ascension Sect."

Li Muzhan offered a bitter smile and sighed again.

He truly didn't know if he had done the right or wrong thing by releasing this flying knife. It was undeniably a menace, and its destructive power surpassed even his own three flying knives.

His own knives could move without form or trace because of his Void-Shattering Sword Intent; this knife was entirely different—it inherently concealed its movements and suppressed its aura. If not for the faint trace of his own aura clinging to it, it would have been impossible to detect.

Using this blade to ambush him would almost certainly succeed. A Grandmaster's reaction speed is incredibly fast; he might not be killed, but injury would be inevitable.

A flying knife capable of wounding a Grandmaster demonstrated just how potent its power was: invincible below the Master level!

Li Muzhan asked, "Is this the treasured item passed down through generations of your Floating Cloud Palace?"

"Yes," Cold Zhaoyun nodded slightly, examining the flying knife closely. She suddenly grasped the implied meaning behind his words and glanced at him sideways. "Do you think it’s not worth the trouble?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "After all, this is an external object. I expected it to be a manual."

Cold Zhaoyun countered, "A manual might not be mastered, but a weapon can be used immediately."

Li Muzhan laughed. "Not necessarily? I nearly fell prey to this very knife today. A genuine case of capsizing in a ditch!"

Cold Zhaoyun frowned. "I owe you my life today thanks to you. I will certainly repay it in the future!"

"It's good that you remember," Li Muzhan said, rising. "Since the matter is settled, I shall take my leave."

Cold Zhaoyun pondered for a moment. "Leave tomorrow. You must be tired from this ordeal. Rest well before setting off."

Li Muzhan turned to look at the sky. The hall was dark, with faint moonlight spilling in through the windows. They had been so focused on the flying knife that they hadn't noticed how deep the night had become.

"Mm... very well," Li Muzhan nodded slightly.

He glanced around the hall and chuckled. "This place was nearly torn apart. It needs repairing, lest it collapses on us!"

The wind atop the mountain was strong, especially at night, placing extremely high demands on structures. This place had been riddled with holes by the flying knife, particularly the pillars, which were now practically sieves.

"I know. You don't need to see me out," Cold Zhaoyun huffed.

Li Muzhan turned, then paused, pointing at the purple casket on the table. "That thing is quite good. Give it to me."

"Take it," Cold Zhaoyun waved her hand, and the purple casket shot toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan reached out and caught it, saying with a smile, "Capable of suppressing this knife for so many years, it must be no ordinary item."

"Consider it a token of thanks for your assistance," Cold Zhaoyun offered.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "Very well, then you only owe me a life."

Carrying the purple casket, he walked out of the hall. Xiao Yan and the other three girls were standing outside. Seeing him emerge, they immediately widened their eyes. Xiao Yan hurried to ask, "How was it? How is the Mistress?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "You can go in now."

A cold moon hung high in the sky. Clad in moonlight, he returned to his side hall and sat on the couch to examine the purple casket. Its material was strange, seemingly wood yet not wood, seemingly iron yet not iron—it was like a type of jade he had never encountered before.

He extended his left hand, and a flying knife instantly appeared in his palm. Unlike the one Cold Zhaoyun had acquired, this one was slightly larger and lacked the delicate refinement of the other blade, but they shared one similarity—they were both transparent as ice.

He placed the flying knife into the casket and closed the lid. Immediately, the connection was lost, as if the casket had formed its own separate space. His flying knife possessed Void-Shattering Sword Intent, allowing it to pierce the void; even if thrown into another world, he could sense it and control it effortlessly.

This confirmed the casket's profound mystery—it was a supreme artifact for covert attacks. If one stored various hidden weapons inside, opening the box would instantly launch them, making success incredibly easy.

Logically, it should be difficult to achieve surprise, yet he felt it would be easy to succeed. Top martial arts masters, especially those like himself, possess a sixth sense—what is called intuition—that allows them to sense danger ahead of time, making sneak attacks very difficult.

Precisely because of this, these top masters do not fear ambushes. If they cannot sense the danger within the casket, they naturally assume there is none and open it without defense, thus falling prey to the attack.

However, using this purple casket for simple assassination was overkill. It would be best used to store truly extraordinary items, such as Holy Relic prayer beads, or other Saintly artifacts.

With a thought, he vanished from the couch in a flash, returning to Hengbo Island and heading directly to Feng Mingxue’s small courtyard.

He felt uneasy leaving his Saintly artifacts anywhere else; only by keeping them on Feng Mingxue could he also potentially use the artifacts’ oppressive aura to aid her cultivation.

The moonlight was like water.

The small courtyard was silent. As Li Muzhan appeared, lanterns instantly lit up, bathing the courtyard in a soft glow. Feng Mingxue, clad in a flowing white silk gown, emerged gracefully.

"Why are you here at this hour?" she asked languidly, stretching her arms. Her beautiful eyebrows still held a trace of sleepiness, and her jade face was flushed as if drunk.

Li Muzhan replied, "I've found something good for Senior Sister to feast her eyes on."

Seeing that he was there to present a treasure, Feng Mingxue immediately became alert. She settled into the pavilion. "It's so late, let's skip the tea. Go fetch some wine... What is it?"

Li Muzhan took the purple casket from his robes and placed it on the stone table, then turned and brought back a jar of wine, pouring a cup for each of their jade goblets.

The wine here was all fruit wine, which Feng Mingxue enjoyed. Li Muzhan felt it was better than nothing.

He raised his white jade cup and took a sip. These two white jade cups were gifts he had given Feng Mingxue back when he was on Phoenix Island. He had acquired many treasures then, but they were all mundane things she paid no mind to, treating them as ordinary.

"What is it?" Feng Mingxue examined the casket for a moment, then shook her head, unable to discern any profound mystery within it.

Li Muzhan said, "Senior Sister, bring out the prayer beads."

Feng Mingxue unclasped the beads from her wrist and handed them to him. Li Muzhan pointed at the purple casket. "Place them inside."

Feng Mingxue, not understanding, placed the beads inside. Li Muzhan closed the casket and smiled. "How about that?"

"Eh?" Feng Mingxue felt a strange sensation; her body suddenly felt lighter, as if she might float. It was the spiritual pressure that had instantly vanished.

"This..." Feng Mingxue pointed at the casket, astonished. "It can actually neutralize the aura of a Saintly Artifact?"

Li Muzhan nodded proudly. "How about that? Is it a treasure or not?"

Feng Mingxue scrutinized the purple casket. "What exactly is this thing?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I don't know either. I'll ask the Palace Master tomorrow. With her vast knowledge, she might know. This was truly an unexpected gain!"

"What were you doing at the Floating Cloud Palace, Junior Brother?" Feng Mingxue asked, taking a light sip from her white jade cup. Her gaze fell upon his face, seemingly casual.

Li Muzhan replied, "I helped Palace Mistress Leng with a matter." He gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"Was there a problem with that favor?" Feng Mingxue inquired. Having spent considerable time with Li Muzhan, she understood his character well and sensed his reluctance.

Li Muzhan sighed. "I fear I have released a tiger into the wild."

"Tell me exactly what happened, go over it carefully," Feng Mingxue urged.

Li Muzhan then recounted the entire sequence of events. Feng Mingxue pondered for a moment. "How formidable is that flying knife?"

Li Muzhan raised his hand; the flying knife suddenly materialized in his palm. Clenching his fist, a nearby purple bamboo stalk slowly tilted and broke neatly in half mid-way.

He opened his hand again; the flying knife remained in his palm, as if it had never moved. But Feng Mingxue knew that the knife had silently severed the bamboo without trace or sound.

She had witnessed this flying knife before; she knew it was her Junior Brother's ultimate trump card.

Feng Mingxue’s bright eyes flickered, and she frowned, asking, "Is that knife even more powerful than your flying knives, Junior Brother?"

Li Muzhan nodded slowly. "Only stronger, never weaker."

"Then that truly is troublesome," Feng Mingxue nodded lightly, sighing. "Your flying knife is unpredictable and supernatural. That other knife... could it kill you?"

Li Muzhan replied, "It could injure me."

Feng Mingxue discerned the implication in his tone and frowned. "That means, across the vast world, almost everyone except a few select Grandmasters could not evade it?"

"Yes, something like that," Li Muzhan confirmed.

Feng Mingxue studied him up and down. Li Muzhan touched his face and smiled. "Senior Sister, is there something on my face?"

"Junior Brother," Feng Mingxue said, "Palace Mistress Leng must be a great beauty, right?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Her face was veiled by red gauze; I couldn't see her features clearly."

"Oh?" Feng Mingxue pursed her lips and smiled. "That's strange. What benefit did she offer you that you took such pains to help her?"

Li Muzhan sighed. "Palace Mistress Leng used my curiosity against me. She was certain I would agree to help."

Feng Mingxue smiled. "She sounds like a formidable character. The only one who can trick you so readily, Junior Brother, besides Sister Hai, is no one else!"

Li Muzhan sighed. "Senior Sister, well..." He then recounted the matters concerning the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect. Feng Mingxue suddenly understood and laughed. "No wonder. So it was because of Sister Hai. Fine, I won't press the matter!"

Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief. "The key issue now is what to do. With the flying knife, she is like a tiger with wings; the consequences are hard to predict!"

Feng Mingxue said, "Junior Brother, you worry too much. She is the head of a faction; her actions must consider the consequences."

Li Muzhan countered, "What I fear now is the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect provoking her again. After suffering such a heavy loss this time, they certainly won't let it rest."

Feng Mingxue sighed and shook her head. "Junior Brother, you are truly busy!"

Li Muzhan gave a bitter smile. "I can't let Miss Hai be sad... Forget it. I’ll go speak with Palace Mistress Leng and try to mediate."

"Can you persuade Palace Mistress Leng?" Feng Mingxue asked with a half-smile.

Li Muzhan replied, "At the very least, I helped her with such a great favor!"

Feng Mingxue snorted. "If you can persuade Palace Mistress Leng, can you persuade the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then admitted helplessly, "If heaven insists on raining, and a mother insists on marrying off her daughter—let them. I won't meddle anymore!"

"That's the spirit!" Feng Mingxue smiled. "The more you try to control things, the worse they will get. Just let go and act as if you were never involved!"

Li Muzhan sighed. "I am afraid Palace Mistress Leng will use the flying knife against the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect. I won't kill anyone, but if deaths occur because of me, I truly won't be able to live with the guilt."

Feng Mingxue glanced at him sideways. "I didn't expect you to be so soft-hearted, Junior Brother. I truly see you in a new light!"

Li Muzhan wisely closed his mouth. He needed to think this through carefully and see if there was a way to resolve the grievances between the Floating Cloud Palace and the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect without loss on either side.

However, women were usually petty, and once resentment was established, it was hard to dissipate. Hope was slim, but as long as he tried his best, he could maintain a clear conscience. He was a Grandmaster, not the Buddha.

The next morning, Li Muzhan rose to take his leave from Cold Zhaoyun. She was standing silently by his door, dressed in a flowing red silk robe.

Li Muzhan was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Palace Mistress Leng, so early?"

"Are you leaving?" Cold Zhaoyun asked, her eyes like water turning toward him, seeming to pull his heart into their depths, letting it drift along the current.

Li Muzhan replied, "It is time to depart. It's a pity I haven't finished reading these books."

Cold Zhaoyun said, "If you wish to read them, then stay and read. No one is driving you away."

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, sizing her up, unsure of her true intentions or whether some scheme was afoot. He smiled. "I won't be disturbing you, I hope?"

"Disturbing what!" Cold Zhaoyun shook her head. "This place is desolate; few people ever come. Whether you stay in the side hall or not makes little difference."

Li Muzhan pondered. "If that is the case, may I come over every night to read?"

"Every night?" Cold Zhaoyun frowned.

Li Muzhan laughed. "Yes."

Cold Zhaoyun asked, "You leave during the day and return at night?"

Li Muzhan nodded, smiling. "Precisely. I won't disturb the Palace Mistress's peace, will I? ... If it's inconvenient, we can forget it!"

"Fine," Cold Zhaoyun waved her hand. "Do as you wish. ... Would you like to see the power of my flying knife? I have refined it one layer further now."

Li Muzhan smiled broadly. "That would be best!"

"Don't blame me if you get hurt," Cold Zhaoyun cautioned. "I still cannot control it entirely at will."

Li Muzhan smiled slyly. "Palace Mistress Leng isn't trying to get some payback, are you?"

Cold Zhaoyun frowned. "What nonsense are you speaking!"

Li Muzhan chuckled. "I don't think Palace Mistress Leng is that petty... Very well, then I shall experience the marvel of this flying knife."

"Swish!" A light whistle suddenly sounded. Li Muzhan flickered, vanishing from his original spot and reappearing behind Cold Zhaoyun. He smiled. "I also possess a flying knife. Does the Palace Mistress wish to see a demonstration?"

"That would be excellent!" Cold Zhaoyun huffed.

She guided her knife silently toward Li Muzhan, but Li Muzhan simply flicked his finger lightly. With a crisp ding, the flying knife flashed once and then vanished again.

Just as she was about to guide her knife again, Li Muzhan laughed. "Palace Mistress Leng, you have lost."

Cold Zhaoyun frowned in confusion and looked at him. Li Muzhan pointed toward her chest. She looked down and saw a crystalline flying knife suspended right before her breast, almost touching her red gauze robe.

A chill ran through her. She hadn't even noticed it—the knife was poised against her, and she hadn't detected it. This was astonishing, signifying that she had been struck under circumstances she didn't comprehend.

"You also have a flying knife?!" Cold Zhaoyun stared at Li Muzhan's blade.

Li Muzhan smiled. "I obtained this flying knife through a fortuitous encounter. I have cultivated it since I was young, condensing my sword intent within it. As for its power, I ask the Palace Mistress for guidance!"

"Not bad," Cold Zhaoyun nodded slightly, frowning. "Silent and invisible, similar to my own blade... How did you detect my knife?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Has the Palace Mistress forgotten? We released that knife together. There is my brand upon the blade, allowing me to sense it."

"I see," Cold Zhaoyun slowly nodded. "My refinement process has not yet reached perfection."

Li Muzhan smiled winningly. "The Palace Mistress intended to completely refine away my aura. Why? ... Could it be you intended to kill me?"

"Not necessarily," Cold Zhaoyun replied. "If you do nothing to betray the Floating Cloud Palace, why would I kill you?"

Li Muzhan asked, "So, if I do something that betrays the Floating Cloud Palace, you will kill me?"

"Yes," Cold Zhaoyun nodded slowly. "Anyone who betrays the Floating Cloud Palace, I will show no mercy!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Truly worthy of being the Palace Mistress!"

"Have breakfast before you leave!" Cold Zhaoyun said, then turned and walked away. Her steps seemed to press against white clouds as she rose gracefully and vanished from the hall.

Li Muzhan stroked his chin as he watched her receding figure. Her movements were graceful and elegant; she had clearly received rigorous training and a fine education from a young age, groomed to be the Palace Mistress, possessing a unique, peerless charm.

By revealing his own flying knife, he intended to give her a warning, preventing her from acting recklessly, and also to show her that the flying knife's power wasn't absolute.

As for coming over every night to read, one reason was that the books here were diverse...