Feng Mingxue gritted her teeth, knowing they were enduring immense agony. Her junior brother’s methods of torture were myriad and strange; even iron-willed men could be reduced to a puddle of despair.
In mere moments, vapor steamed from their heads, and sweat poured down in torrents, saturating the ground beneath their feet. Yet, Li Muzhan watched on, impassive. Feng Mingxue sighed, but did not plead. These men were assassins targeting their Sect Master; if they had succeeded, the Yunxiao Sect would have suffered a fatal blow, subsequently unleashing a frenzy of vengeful retaliation, plunging the martial world into chaos, resulting in countless deaths by the sword.
Thinking this, her heart hardened. These wretches were truly deserving of death for their malicious intent; anything less would fail to quell the hatred in her breast.
After a long pause, they began to tremble, their faces flushed crimson, but their spirits were utterly depleted. Each man seemed hazy and distant, caught between sleep and wakefulness.
Feng Mingxue turned to Li Muzhan. He murmured quietly, “If we don’t crush their will to fight and scatter their spirits, they might resort to secret arts again, and still refuse to tell the truth.”
Feng Mingxue nodded lightly, sighing. “Since they are resolved to die, they naturally won't speak truthfully.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “That’s why we must use this method. Now, they will answer whatever is asked; feel free to question them, Senior Sister.”
Feng Mingxue nodded gently. “Very well, I will ask.”
Li Muzhan flicked his sleeve, and a chorus of thuds erupted as the twelve middle-aged men collapsed onto the ground. They struggled slowly to rise but could not; their limbs were weak, utterly incapable of exerting force.
Feng Mingxue approached them and asked softly, “Who are you all?”
“Deathsworn!” the twelve men mumbled in unison.
Feng Mingxue inquired gently, “Where do you hail from?”
“From whence we came,” the twelve replied in the exact same low tone. Feng Mingxue’s expression shifted, and she looked toward Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan snorted, “Who were you sent to assassinate?”
“Someone from the Yunxiao Sect,” they answered, again with identical phrasing.
Li Muzhan frowned. “Who ordered you to come and carry out the assassination?”
“The Master,” they replied.
Li Muzhan huffed, “And who is the Master?”
“The Master is the Master!” they responded. Suddenly, Li Muzhan’s face changed drastically; he snatched Feng Mingxue’s arm, and the two vanished from the spot, reappearing a dozen zhang away.
With a series of muffled explosions—bang, bang, bang—each of the twelve men disintegrated into fragments of flesh. Li Muzhan shielded her eyes with his hand, then shimmered once more, and the pair vanished without a trace.
When they reappeared, Li Muzhan was already outside the mountain range, facing vast, undulating peaks, with a plain stretching behind them, and a small city lying further to the west.
Feng Mingxue turned, glaring at Li Muzhan. “What happened?”
Li Muzhan pondered. “Now, I truly cannot determine if this is connected to the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect!”
“Was it Hypnosis Art?” Feng Mingxue asked.
Li Muzhan nodded. “It should be the Hypnosis Art. Such exquisite Hypnosis Art cannot be performed by just anyone; at least, not Yu Lan, nor Senior Fu.”
Feng Mingxue frowned. “Weren't they subdued by you?”
The image of their explosive demise still flashed in her mind, though Li Muzhan had obscured the actual moment; she had only seen blood and gore scattered everywhere—utterly gruesome.
Li Muzhan sighed. “They were subdued, but that is precisely the terror of the Hypnosis Art. When these questions were asked, their secret technique began to activate, subtly, unconsciously… This secret art is truly profound, and its origin unknown—it poses a massive threat!”
He felt the terrifying nature of this secret art—the key was its stealth, its imperceptibility. It seemed entirely separate from the current martial arts system; it utilized no internal energy (Neili). Had he not possessed superior spiritual perception and retreated in time, anyone else would have been ensnared. Even someone with Senior Sister’s cultivation level could not have detected it quickly enough.
The last time the Sect Master escaped, it was sheer luck, a blessing from heaven. If there had been a next time, they might not have survived.
Recalling the earlier experience, Feng Mingxue broke out in a cold sweat. If her junior brother hadn't reacted, she truly wouldn't have escaped. Its stealth was terrifying.
“Now look, we found out nothing. It seems they anticipated being captured. Are these men truly deathsworn?” Feng Mingxue asked with a frown.
Li Muzhan nodded. “Deathsworn are not uncommon. It’s a pity they targeted disciples of our Yunxiao Sect; otherwise, they might have succeeded!”
“That’s true!” Feng Mingxue pursed her lips and smiled. “I’m truly curious who they were… Do you think they will come again?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “They certainly will… Senior Sister, wait a moment!”
He vanished abruptly and reappeared shortly after. Feng Mingxue eyed him suspiciously. “What were you doing?”
Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled. “Nothing, just looking for something… Let’s head to the city, rest for the night, and head to the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect tomorrow!”
“Alright.” Feng Mingxue asked no further questions.
The two walked west until they reached a small, tranquil city. Few outsiders ever came here, and the locals gazed upon the pair with curious stares.
The attention made them slightly uncomfortable, though Feng Mingxue was used to such gazes. Li Muzhan scratched his nose; he was quite unused to it, despite his ordinary appearance making him unremarkable in a crowd.
They abandoned any notion of sightseeing, found an inn, and rested there for the night. Early the next morning, they departed the small city, resuming their journey toward the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect.
They reached the site of yesterday’s ambush. Only purple scorch marks remained; nothing else was left—the flesh and blood entirely consumed by wild beasts.
Feng Mingxue quickened her pace. The scene immediately brought back yesterday’s events, causing her stomach to churn unpleasantly.
When they arrived at the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, Luo Zhen was already waiting beneath the ceremonial archway. A gust of mountain wind swept through, causing her green robes to flutter, displaying her graceful bearing.
Li Muzhan stepped forward, cupped his fists with a smile, and said, “I trouble Senior Luo.”
Luo Zhen smiled radiantly and gestured, “Young Hero Li, Miss Feng, please. The Sect Master has emerged from seclusion and awaits in the main hall!”
“Please!” Li Muzhan nodded solemnly.
The three ascended the mountain again. This time, even more women were practicing in the courtyard, staring at Li Muzhan as if he were a spectacle. Li Muzhan sighed inwardly, his expression grave, and proceeded forward solemnly, passing through the crowd of women to reach the main hall.
“Sect Master, Young Hero Li and Miss Feng have arrived,” Luo Zhen paused outside the hall and announced softly.
A gentle, melodious voice sounded from within: “Enter!”
“Yes,” Luo Zhen replied respectfully, smiling toward the pair.
Li Muzhan inclined his head slightly and stepped in, lifting the curtain to enter the hall. Seated on the main dais was a woman like mist or smoke, sitting quietly yet seeming to occupy a seat in the clouds.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Disciple Li Wuji greets Sect Master Zhao!”
He looked up, taking in the Zhao Sect Master. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with snow-white, crystalline skin. Her high, coiled hair was glossy black; her arched eyebrows were beautifully curved, as were her delicate nose and small mouth. Her demeanor was as gentle as flowing water.
Li Muzhan sighed softly. He had not expected the Zhao Sect Master to be so stunningly beautiful—even surpassing Fu Feihong. Fu Feihong possessed a bright, robust energy, with a captivating charm laced with spirited brightness; but the Zhao Sect Master was purely gentle, a serenity like water that could intoxicate the heart until one could not wake.
Sect Master Zhao smiled gently. “Young Hero Li, it seems you have indeed entered the Grandmaster realm.”
Li Muzhan replied, “This disciple is ashamed; I have only just touched upon this realm.”
“Truly a prodigy of this age. Sect Master Yi is blessed, and the Yunxiao Sect is fortunate,” Sect Master Zhao sighed softly, gently patting her jade-like palm, her face alight with admiration.
Any ordinary man receiving such praise from her would have been instantly transported to ecstasy, losing all sense of time and place. Her voice was as soft as the spring breeze, her eyes as gentle as spring water—drowning in it would prevent waking.
Li Muzhan said gravely, “Who can say whether fortune or misfortune it is! Our Yunxiao Sect has attracted too much envy due to its rising prominence, otherwise, why would the Sect Master be targeted for assassination?”
“I heard the news of Sect Master Yi being attacked, but it’s hardly a major event. Which sect master hasn't faced assassination attempts?” Sect Master Zhao smiled gently.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “The Sect Master being assassinated is indeed not a major event in itself, but outside the gates of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, that is quite another matter.”
Seeing that Li Muzhan was unmoved by her softness, responding like a boorish man oblivious to romance, and pressing her with cold insistence, Sect Master Zhao inwardly admired him but maintained her composed smile. “Zhen’er mentioned that you suspect our sect was involved?”
Li Muzhan stated sternly, “Indeed, it was the work of your esteemed sect!”
Sect Master Zhao smiled gently. “Young Hero Li, one must not speak carelessly, especially as a Grandmaster—one must be even more cautious. The consequences are immense!”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “Sect Master Zhao, why deny it if you did it?”
“If I didn't do it, how could I admit it?” Sect Master Zhao shook her head and sighed. “Though our two sects are not in harmony, we wouldn't resort to such means to resolve things.”
Li Muzhan suddenly laughed. Sect Master Zhao’s arched eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked at him curiously.
His smile vanished, and Li Muzhan let out a booming laugh toward the ceiling before stating grimly, “Such methods are too crude, aren’t they? A Honey Trap would have been better, wouldn't it?”
Sect Master Zhao pursed her lips into a charming smile. “A Honey Trap? That may not have been effective, not against someone like Young Hero Li.”
Her smile instantly made her radiance bloom, seeming to brighten the entire hall.
Li Muzhan smiled slightly. “That’s not necessarily true. It might not work on me, but what about on the Sect Master?”
Sect Master Zhao slightly furrowed her curved brows and smiled. “I don’t understand what Young Hero Li means.”
Li Muzhan snorted. “Sect Master Zhao understands perfectly well. The power of the Honey Trap is indeed infinite, but unfortunately for you, Sect Master Zhao didn't expect that things don't always go as planned—you lost the lady and the soldiers!”
Sect Master Zhao smiled sweetly and shook her head. “Young Hero Li, let’s stick to what we can understand. I truly know nothing of Sect Master Yi’s assassination attempt; it has nothing to do with our sect—I guarantee that much!”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “I don’t believe Sect Master Zhao’s guarantee. What is to be done, then?”
“Then what does Young Hero Li suggest…?” Sect Master Zhao frowned, though her smile remained unchanged as she asked.
Li Muzhan said, “Sect Master Zhao and Senior Fu have been in an on-again, off-again relationship. Whether they are together or apart, we juniors watching them get weary. I implore Sect Master Zhao to grant them peace!”
Sect Master Zhao was momentarily stunned, then smiled and shook her head. “I have no authority over that matter.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “I believe Sect Master Zhao does have the authority. If Sect Master Zhao gave the command for Senior Fu to marry down, would Senior Fu dare disobey?”
“Marital affairs are entirely up to the individuals; though I am Sect Master, I cannot forcibly interfere!” Sect Master Zhao sighed and shook her head. “Besides, forcing something sweet will never yield a sweet result…”
Li Muzhan smiled gently. “Since Sect Master Zhao initiated this entanglement, she must command its conclusion. To have a beginning and an end makes for proper closure, doesn't it, Sect Master Zhao?”
Feng Mingxue frowned, pondering Li Muzhan’s words. Every sentence held a hidden meaning, and she vaguely grasped it: Sect Master Zhao had deployed a Honey Trap.
Sect Master Zhao sighed and shook her head. “Young Hero Li, do you believe that once one reaches the Grandmaster realm, one can roam freely across the world, unchecked by anyone?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Precisely.”
“Young Hero Li, you are mistaken. There are many means in this world capable of restraining a Grandmaster,” Sect Master Zhao countered. “Furthermore, while Young Hero Li is a Grandmaster, not all your fellow disciples are.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “As long as I am a Grandmaster, that is sufficient.”
He continued, “Is Sect Master Zhao willing to grant the Sect Master and Senior Fu their union? … Or does Sect Master Zhao insist on watching them torture each other endlessly?”
“Young Hero Li, you are deliberately making things difficult for me!” Sect Master Zhao shook her head.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Sect Master Zhao, I never force anyone to do what they are unwilling to do. Regarding the Sect Master’s assassination attempt, I must investigate this to the very end. The culprits will not escape, and I would rather wrongly kill a thousand than let one guilty person go free!”
The words he spoke with a smile nevertheless sent shivers of cold down Sect Master Zhao’s spine.
She smiled sweetly, studying Li Muzhan, trying to gauge the depth of his resolve.
After a long silence, she laughed sweetly. “Young Hero Li, you only care about Sect Master Yi. Have you not considered yourself?”
Li Muzhan smiled slightly. “Once the Sect Master’s affair is settled, my own affairs will naturally follow.”
“That is not necessarily true,” Sect Master Zhao smiled sweetly and shook her head. “Yu Lan listens to her master, and I must listen to mine.”
Li Muzhan smiled, unconcerned. “Then it all relies on Sect Master Zhao’s goodwill! … However, she cares most about Senior Fu; as for the others…”
Feng Mingxue could tell that every word exchanged was fraught with subtle meaning—Sect Master Zhao was using Hai Mei Mei to threaten her junior brother. First, the junior brother had threatened the Sect Master; now, their verbal sparring was like clashing blades.
Sect Master Zhao looked at Li Muzhan with a faint smile. Li Muzhan smiled back. “Sect Master Zhao, I have long admired the prestige of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, yet I have never had the chance to fully experience your martial arts. How about a friendly spar?”
“That won't be necessary?” Sect Master Zhao waved her delicate hand and chuckled lightly. “Young Hero Li, you truly are formidable… Alright, I promise you this: I will order Junior Sister Fu to marry Sect Master Yi!”
Li Muzhan laughed heartily and bowed deeply. “I thank Sect Master Zhao on behalf of the Sect Master for granting this favor!”
“I dare not accept the thanks!” Sect Master Zhao pursed her lips and smiled. “I only hope Young Hero Li will not misunderstand!”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “We are practically family now; there is no room for misunderstanding. Rest assured, Sect Master Zhao, I will speak properly with the Sect Master.”
“That is good,” Sect Master Zhao chuckled lightly. “As for the auspicious date for the wedding, let Sect Master Yi decide. Just send us word.”
Li Muzhan replied, “Understood, I will inform the Sect Master.”
Sect Master Zhao sighed. “I feel rather weary. If there is nothing else, I shall retire. You can have Zhen’er accompany you around, or perhaps Yu Lan can as well.”
Li Muzhan quickly waved his hand and smiled. “No need to trouble yourselves. My Senior Sister and I must descend the mountain quickly to deliver this good news to the Sect Master!”
“…That is also fine.” Sect Master Zhao nodded lightly, smiling sweetly. “This joyous occasion will surely help mitigate Sect Master Yi’s injuries.”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Precisely. Bringing good luck to the Sect Master will surely ensure his swift recovery!”
With that, he cupped his fists in farewell and left the main hall with Feng Mingxue, lingering no longer.
The two left the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect. On the way down the mountain, Feng Mingxue pursed her lips and smiled. “I didn’t expect Sect Master Zhao to agree so readily!”
Li Muzhan snorted. “Indeed, worthy of being a Sect Master—formidable!”
“Was there some trickery involved? I feel her agreement was too fast, something is amiss,” Feng Mingxue tilted her head, musing. “Don’t let us get excited only to have them go back on their word when we return!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “That won’t happen, Senior Sister, rest assured. Sect Master Zhao is pragmatic; she is quite cunning!”
“What was this about the Honey Trap?” Feng Mingxue asked.
Li Muzhan shook his head, but Feng Mingxue insisted he explain clearly.
Li Muzhan smiled. “That was merely one of my suspicions.”
“What suspicion?” Feng Mingxue urged.
Li Muzhan said, “Senior Fu was likely ordered to execute the Honey Trap initially, but regrettably, she lost control of the situation and became entangled herself.”
“Impossible?” Feng Mingxue asked, surprised. After a moment of thought, she added, “Then what about Hai Mei Mei…?”
Li Muzhan laughed. “You know how I encountered her, Senior Sister. If it was intentional, then I truly must admit defeat!”
Feng Mingxue chuckled and shook her head. “That is true; your meeting was quite coincidental… But don’t go around making baseless guesses; if that gets out, it would be disastrous!”
Li Muzhan said, “Judging by Sect Master Zhao’s reaction, my guess is very close to the truth!”
“Regardless, they are finally united; this is cause for celebration!” Feng Mingxue clapped her hands, her face beaming with joy. “It would be even better if you hadn't used such underhanded tactics!”
Li Muzhan gave her an exasperated look. “Senior Sister, not everything in this world is beautiful. If I hadn't used this tactic, how could I have achieved this goal? Sect Master Zhao appears gentle and approachable, but she is no pushover!”
“I could tell,” Feng Mingxue pursed her lips and smiled. “To be able to battle you to a standstill, she is indeed powerful… To bend and stand firm, to advance and retreat—that takes true mettle!”
She understood the dynamic now: Li Muzhan had used his leverage to force her hand. In that situation, refusing meant a fight, and yielding after a humiliating defeat was worse than agreeing frankly from the start. Such a choice required detachment from ego and the ability to set one’s pride aside—something she admitted she could never manage.
Li Muzhan sighed. “That’s right. I’ve offended her deeply this time, all for the sake of the Sect Master. I must go back and claim my reward!”
Feng Mingxue said, “Before claiming rewards, let’s find those assassins first, lest they complicate the wedding matters later.”
Li Muzhan frowned and nodded, finding the prospect troublesome. He truly had no immediate solution.
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