“Bang, bang, bang, bang…” A series of muffled thuds echoed, and around Li Yubing, the withered grass turned to dust, mud and sand were violently kicked up and scattered, and stones cracked and splintered.
In the blink of an eye, the area within two zhang of her was flattened and clean, utterly bare.
Li Muzhan’s chanting grew deeper and lower, and Li Yubing’s expression became solemn; every syllable carried a powerful force that pierced straight to the heart.
She lightly parted her sandalwood lips, and instantly a clear, sharp cry rang out. It was like a gentle spring breeze, yet it dissolved the sound of Li Muzhan’s chanting. Their voices merged in the air; a fierce wind roared, and the pebbles and sand just two zhang away flew away again, plummeting down the mountain.
Li Muzhan opened his eyes and smiled as he observed Li Yubing. Indeed, she was worthy of being called a Grandmaster; she could break through his Wuliang Guangming Jing (Immeasurable Bright Heart Sutra), rendering the Buddhist Tianlong Fanchang (Heavenly Dragon Vaisravana Chanting) ineffective.
Mystical Arts and Martial Arts converge at the highest levels; both are applications and mastery of the forces of heaven and earth. Since his chant was ineffective, Li Muzhan simply abandoned it.
He brought his palms together in a salute and praised, “Palace Mistress Li shows formidable skill. Accept my next move!”
He gently flicked his sleeve, and the surrounding light seemed to dim momentarily. The void collapsed inward. Li Yubing struck out lightly with a palm.
“Bang!” It exploded between the two like heavenly thunder, yet neither of their clothes stirred. They sat facing each other, Li Yubing smiling sweetly, “Master Zhanran is indeed immensely powerful. It seems you have truly reached the Grandmaster realm.”
Li Muzhan smiled, bringing his palms together, “This is all due to the boundless Dharma; it is not merely the lesser path of martial arts.”
“Hmph, the lesser path of martial arts? What arrogance!” Li Yubing’s delicate face darkened. With a delicate shout, she pushed out another palm: “Take this second strike!”
As this palm came forth, the surrounding light distorted as if the void were overlapping. Her jade palm pushed out gently and slowly, but a vast, surging pressure had already arrived.
Li Muzhan raised his right hand and lightly pressed down with his thumb.
“Chi!” A light whistle sounded, followed by a soft “Bo!” Instantly, a furious gale roared. After the wind subsided, a layer had been perfectly planed off the ground within two zhang of them.
The surroundings were completely clean and flat. The original stones, pebbles, sand, trees, and withered grass had all vanished, leaving only stone as smooth as if polished.
“Master, this still isn’t martial arts?” Li Yubing laughed sweetly, striking out with another palm. Space twisted, and the surging power instantly pressed down.
Her palm strike seemed to ignore distance; it arrived the instant her hand moved. Li Muzhan understood that she had broken through the void because she was a Grandmaster, possessing absolute control and command over this piece of heaven and earth.
Li Muzhan pointed his right thumb out again. “Woo—” That vast power was not broken; it still pressed down and struck him.
Li Muzhan swayed slightly, then brushed his sleeve, immediately returning to normal.
He had been tricked by Li Yubing. This seemingly single point of his finger had broken her palm strike, but her palm force was peculiar—the single point was like touching water; it only broke off a tiny fraction, with the majority hitting him.
Fortunately, his body refinement had reached its peak; the heavy blow only caused his blood and qi to ripple momentarily. He was unharmed, but inwardly he felt a chill—she was indeed worthy of the title Grandmaster, her methods profound and far beyond his imagination.
Seeing his composure, Li Yubing smiled, pressing her lips together, “What powerful protective gangqi! Take another palm strike from me!”
She smiled enchantingly and struck out, silently, as if joking.
Li Muzhan spun abruptly. A palm strike roared past his shoulder from behind—it had struck from behind, defying people’s expectations, as if she were standing behind him when she struck.
Though she was sitting in front of him, the blow came from the rear, extraordinarily strange. However, Li Muzhan realized that this was not difficult; the difficulty lay in the unexpectedness.
Suddenly, his mind flashed with insight, as if a light had been switched on. So-called manipulation of heaven and earth was actually transformation born from the will, infinitely variable, one must not be constrained by conventional thinking.
“Palace Mistress Li, take a punch from me!” He suddenly threw a punch. The void instantly collapsed, as if a black hole appeared to her left, generating a powerful suction that tried to drag her in.
Li Yubing shook her head and smiled wryly, “Mere trickery!”
She pressed down lightly, and the black hole vanished instantly, restoring everything to normal. Instead, a force came from beneath his feet, striking directly into his body.
Li Muzhan shot straight up into the sky, then fell directly down. Several forces acted upon him simultaneously in the void—binding, pulling downwards, tugging upwards, tightening around his neck—too numerous to list.
Li Muzhan lightly shook his monastic robe, and an invisible gangqi scattered these forces. Immediately, invisible power surrounded him, forming a light shield that enclosed him.
The invisible forces continuously battered the light shield. Li Muzhan only held on for a moment. Before he even landed, the shield shattered, scattering in all directions.
Li Muzhan felt his vision blacken momentarily and sighed inwardly. He had thought that after becoming a Grandmaster, he was practically invincible. His spiritual strength was rare in the world, even ranking among the top Grandmasters.
Now, it seemed he had underestimated the heroes of the world. Li Yubing’s spiritual power far surpassed his; he was no match for her. This was a massive blow to him.
Helplessly, he flickered and vanished abruptly. The stones where he stood moments before instantly turned to powder. If he hadn't dodged just then, his fate would have been no better than the stones.
He flickered again and commanded sternly, “Wait!”
Li Yubing pursed her lips and chuckled, “Does the Master seek mercy? This Palace Mistress never leaves loose ends, you know. Master, you will be buried here today!”
Li Muzhan said solemnly, “Palace Mistress Li truly possesses profound cultivation. I admire you. However, the boundless Dharma and vast mystical powers are not understood by ordinary mortals. Today, I must ask the Buddha to lend me great strength!”
Li Yubing paused, then laughed lightly, “That is interesting. Very well, Master, use whatever means you have. This Palace Mistress will meet it!”
As she spoke, an invisible force suddenly lunged toward Li Muzhan, the void seeming to form a cage intended to confine him in place.
Unfortunately, Li Muzhan’s Xiao Nuoyi (Minor Teleportation) transcended the ordinary, allowing him to traverse the void. Furthermore, he had mastered the Sword Intent of Void-Breaking, so his body acted like a sword, capable of cutting through the void, rendering the cage useless against him.
He shook his head helplessly. He truly did not wish to reach this point, but as things stood, he could only borrow external strength. He was absolutely no match for her.
A contest between Grandmasters was different from ordinary matches; large disparities in strength were difficult to make up for through other means. Truly, one misstep meant being tied down.
Although he had a final trump card, he was reluctant to use it. It was a matter of life and death, and he did not wish to kill this Li Yubing.
Seeing him break free of the confinement and flee again, Li Yubing frowned. This Monk Zhanran was truly troublesome—too slippery. Unable to capture him, she could do nothing about him.
If this continued, he could leave whenever he wished and stay only when he chose. She felt utterly humiliated; she had never encountered such a situation before. Her delicate face darkened, her bright eyes flashing. Instantly, a sky-covering gale roared, spinning with her as the center. Stones flew in from afar, forming a gray dragon that circled around her, ready to strike at Li Muzhan at any moment.
Li Muzhan shook his head helplessly and took out a purple box from his wide sleeves.
This purple box was not large, only about the length of a hand in width and height. It would cause a bulge if hidden in his robes, but it was hard to spot when concealed within his large sleeves.
Li Yubing saw the purple box and her dark eyebrows furrowed. She did not know what it was but intensified her guard. The gray dragon formed by the stones circled faster, protecting her.
Li Muzhan smiled at her, then slowly opened the purple box. With a muffled “Bang,” the swirling stone dragon instantly fell to the ground and scattered with a rattling sound.
Li Yubing’s expression flickered between shades of uncertainty as she stared at Li Muzhan’s purple box. She glanced at the fallen stones, and the roaring gale gradually dissipated.
She felt that she had lost control over the forces of heaven and earth, as if she had suddenly fallen into the mundane world, becoming an ordinary martial artist, no longer a Grandmaster who could summon wind and rain.
“This is…” She watched Li Muzhan slowly pick up the prayer beads from the purple box and place them on his hands, unable to help blurting out the question.
Li Muzhan smiled, “These are prayer beads blessed by Master Youde. How powerful are they?”
“Prayer beads?” Li Yubing frowned. “These are Sacred Artifacts, aren’t they?”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly. “Indeed!”
“This little monk has some skill, to possess a Sacred Artifact. What is your background?” Li Yubing asked with a furrowed brow, her delicate face stern.
Li Muzhan smiled. “The acquisition of these beads was coincidental, merely the protection of the Buddha, a heaven-sent opportunity, not gifted by elders. Palace Mistress Li need not worry!”
“Little monk, you are quite formidable!” Li Yubing breathed a sigh of relief and smiled wryly, “But now that you have a Sacred Artifact, you have lost your Grandmaster strength. How can you defeat me without martial arts?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Martial arts are the lesser path. Before I cultivated the Dharma, I practiced martial arts for a time. I would like to experience Palace Mistress Li’s supreme skills!”
His words carried the demeanor of a high monk, which made Li Yubing grind her teeth, her voice coming out through clenched teeth: “Then very well. I shall let you see the power of this lesser path!”
Saying this, she lightly took a step forward, arriving before Li Muzhan, and struck out with a palm trailing a scent of perfume. Li Muzhan extended his left thumb and pressed down.
Li Yubing ignored it, allowing his thumb to press against her Laogong acupoint. In her view, though this young monk possessed profound cultivation like a Grandmaster, he was primarily treading the path of the Buddhist Dharma, using Buddhist mystical arts, which differed from martial arts. His internal energy could not be that strong at such a young age.
“Eh!” she exclaimed in surprise, her body trembling as if electrocuted.
Li Muzhan spun and appeared behind her. Before she could react, he tapped several vital acupoints on her back. He smiled and stepped back, “Palace Mistress Li, I have offended you.”
Li Yubing was immobilized, able only to move her facial features. She furrowed her delicate brows in surprise. “What incredibly powerful martial arts! Monk Zhanran, what style is this?”
Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. “Mere trickery, hardly worth mentioning.”
“Good, so you were hiding your true nature. I was disrespectful!” Li Yubing’s expression calmed, and she smiled engagingly, “To witness such a profound art makes this trip worthwhile.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Is Palace Mistress Li not afraid I will act ruthlessly?”
“A man of the cloth has the precept against killing and cannot kill arbitrarily,” Li Yubing chuckled. “Moreover, Monk Zhanran, you are not a cruel person.”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Palace Mistress Li has misjudged me. Though I am a monk, I have killed many. Subduing demons and eradicating evil to prevent disaster is also the duty of a monastic.”
Li Yubing laughed softly. “So, you are saying I am a demon or a monster?”
Li Muzhan lightly waved his sleeve, instantly releasing the pressure on Li Yubing’s acupoints, and shook his head, smiling, “Palace Mistress Li, let us call this a draw.”
Li Yubing rotated her pale wrists and laughed, “You little monk are truly slippery. Fine, you are formidable, and your Buddhist mystic arts are boundless. I concede!”
Li Muzhan said, “Without the blessing of the Dharma, I am absolutely no match for the Palace Mistress.”
“Hmph, good that you know it.” Li Yubing glared at him, pouting in annoyance, “You took advantage of me through trickery. I will be prepared next time.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Palace Mistress Li, may I take the liberty to ask, how does one cultivate to the Grandmaster realm?”
“That… I don’t know either,” Li Yubing shook her head and sighed. “My method is simply to find Grandmasters to fight. As I fight, I naturally become stronger.”
Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled. “So that is how it is.”
He finally understood why Li Yubing, known as the Madwoman, always enjoyed battling Grandmasters—the root reason was cultivation.
He pondered, “Is it that after exhausting oneself manipulating heaven and earth, one naturally grows stronger?”
“It seems not,” Li Yubing shook her head. “I have tried. If I don't fight others, practicing alone yields no effect. It is truly mysterious.”
Seeing that Li Muzhan had shown restraint, she felt she owed him a favor, so she held nothing back.
Li Muzhan frowned in thought, realizing it wasn't as simple as he imagined; there were deeper mysteries that required diligent searching.
Li Yubing smiled. “Little monk, how about this: let the two of us research it together?”
Li Muzhan looked up at her. “How shall we research it?”
“It’s very simple. I will stay where you are, and we can spar a few rounds often.” Li Yubing said with a charming smile.
Li Muzhan looked at her and nodded slowly. “That is certainly one way, but I fear Palace Mistress Li might use lethal force; I am not your match.”
“Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t kill you,” Li Yubing promised.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Since that is settled, let us agree. We will find the method to cultivate to the Grandmaster realm!”
“The little monk is straightforward; I appreciate you even more!” Li Yubing chuckled. “It’s a pity you became a monk, otherwise I would marry my disciple to you!”
Li Muzhan quickly smiled and replied, “Thank you, Palace Mistress, for your kindness; I gratefully accept!”
He truly had no mind for seeking women right now. The few he already had kept him busy enough. He was focused on finding the Grandmaster cultivation method. The previous Xinli Fa (Faith Power Method) had been somewhat effective, but relying on just that one method to increase faith power was too arduous, with too many variables, often leaving him out of control. It was far less efficient than cultivating on his own.
He settled Li Yubing down, finding a residence for her in Donglai Town. After that, he no longer needed to worry himself. A group of women suddenly appeared—they were disciples from Moli Palace.
Li Muzhan paid them no mind. He glanced at the sky; it was already evening. He flickered and vanished from Donglai Town, appearing at the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Sect.
“You finally decided to come!” As soon as he appeared, Hai Yulan, clad in a purple gown, rolled her eyes at him and stepped forward to offer him tea.
Li Muzhan smiled. “You’ve been waiting for me?”
“Of course!” Hai Yulan replied irritably. “I knew you rescued Martial Aunt Cheng and the others, and I’ve been hoping you’d come!”
Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile. “I’ve found myself a huge amount of trouble this time!”
“I hear you have enormous favor with Palace Mistress Leng,” Hai Yulan squinted at him, smiling charmingly. “I heard this Palace Mistress Leng is an unparalleled beauty!”
Li Muzhan sat down, took a slow sip of his tea. “A beauty? I really don’t know. She wears a veil, so her appearance is obscured. How can one determine she is beautiful?”
“That’s what people say,” Hai Yulan replied.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Perhaps no one but her master has seen her true face. Who can say if she is beautiful or ugly? It’s just rumors being passed around!”
“So you haven’t seen her either?” Hai Yulan asked.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “She only removes her veil in front of her husband!”
Hai Yulan pursed her lips and smiled. “Then you don’t want to lift her veil and take a look? With your ability, you could probably manage it?”
Li Muzhan laughed. “What sort of person would I be!” Stop overthinking things, he thought. My relationship with her is completely pure; it’s nothing like you imagine!
Hai Yulan snorted. “I know exactly what kind of person you are!”
Li Muzhan put down his teacup, stroked his little mustache, and shook his head. “Alas… I saved your martial aunts, and this is how you repay me?”
Hai Yulan giggled. “Alright, alright. I should thank you first. It was fortunate you were there this time; otherwise, they surely would have perished. Martial Aunt Cheng and the others praised you to the skies, saying you possess the art of bringing the dead back to life, that you revived the few they killed.”
Li Muzhan said, “Just a small secret technique… Are they doing alright now?”
Hai Yulan nodded. “Yes. Martial Ancestor has examined them and found they were afflicted with binding restrictions, but they are not serious. As long as Palace Mistress Leng doesn’t make a move, the restrictions will dissipate in a month.”
Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief. It was fortunate Leng Chaoyun hadn't struck with lethal intent; these restrictions could either be lethal or non-lethal. If she had placed a fatal restriction, it wouldn't be apparent during latency, but once it activated, it would cause instant death.
“Why does this Palace Mistress Leng show you such respect?” Hai Yulan persisted.
Li Muzhan explained that he had delivered a message and then helped with a small favor. Sadly, he had taken an oath previously and couldn't elaborate, only saying that she was extremely terrifying now and they must never seek trouble with her again.
“Oh, so can she beat you?” Hai Yulan tilted her head and asked.
Li Muzhan thought for a moment, then shook his head. “If she were truly ruthless and intent on killing me, it’s possible.”
Hai Yulan frowned. “That formidable?”
Li Muzhan said, “The foundation of Floating Cloud Palace, spanning thousands of li, cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, Palace Mistress Leng is clearly superior to her predecessor; her cultivation is not inferior to my senior sister’s.”
“Then we really can’t afford to provoke her,” Hai Yulan conceded.
She knew how formidable Feng Mingxue was—a figure who had cultivated the Huan Yu Jing and stood half a foot in the Grandmaster realm.
“All right, I will persuade Master,” Hai Yulan said, then shook her head. “But don’t hold out too much hope. My martial aunts have certainly made their decision; my words are useless.”
Li Muzhan sighed and nodded. He could see that because Fu Feihong had an emotional entanglement with the Sect Master, her status within the sect was somewhat awkward.
He suddenly turned his head toward the door. With a loud “Bang,” Fu Feihong pushed the door open, clad in snow-white robes, her face grim as she glared at him.
Li Muzhan cupped his hands in a greeting and smiled. Fu Feihong snorted, “What are you doing here again?”
Li Muzhan said, “Senior Fu, I apologize for offending you last time. It shouldn’t matter, right?”
“You’ve caused me terrible trouble!” Fu Feihong waved her hand irritably, sat opposite Li Muzhan, and shot a look at Hai Yulan. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”
Hai Yulan shook her head. “Master, forget it.”