The moment Li Muzhan reappeared, he had no idea where he was. A quick look around revealed a wilderness of mountains, and he stood upon a lone, soaring peak where the fierce wind howled relentlessly.

He glanced sideways. Ten zhang away stood Li Yubing, her white robes fluttering, positioned at the edge of the precipice.

Opposite her stood an elder, his beard and brows completely white, his complexion ruddy, resembling the Immortal of the Southern Pole. The two stood silently, like statues, seemingly oblivious to Li Muzhan’s arrival.

The surrounding gale roared and wailed, the sound of two powerful winds tearing at each other like battling dragons. The turbulent air whipping around Li Muzhan was entirely their doing.

Li Muzhan shook his head with a bitter smile; it was instantly clear that Grandmasters were engaged in conflict. This scene felt terribly familiar, as he had clashed with Li Yubing in such a manner before.

Li Yubing favored commanding the gale; its power was boundless and ever-changing, perfectly matching her temperament, making it exceptionally easy for her to wield. Li Muzhan, however, was less adept with it.

Li Muzhan preferred commanding the void. His earlier Void-Piercing Sword Intent had given him a deeper understanding of emptiness, allowing him to often dissolve Li Yubing’s gales into nothingness.

Yet, sometimes his spirit would rise, and he would choose to meet her tempest with his own force, resulting in this very situation: two violent winds locking in mutual struggle, neither gaining the upper hand. Li Muzhan sighed, turned his gaze down the mountain.

On the opposite mountainside, halfway down, a figure traversed a path made of iron chains—three chains forming the walkway below, with two flanking it on either side, connecting the peak he stood upon to the opposing mountain. Two young women in white stood upon the chains, side-by-side, swaying with the movement of the cables like celestial beings.

Each held a long sword, its blade shimmering like water. The two guarded this iron-chain passage.

Facing them were about a hundred people, restless and eager to advance. Occasionally, someone would dash forward, only to be quickly driven back by the flashes of the young women’s sword light.

Even those who were bold and highly skilled would engage the duo for a few exchanges before being struck down into the deep chasm beneath the chains, their fate unknown. The two maidens stood on the swaying cables, their lovely faces cold and merciless, staring down at the crowd opposite as if gazing upon ants.

Li Muzhan glanced down and shook his head; the inner strength of the two maidens was almost depleted, and they were only maintaining their stance by sheer will. However, the opponents likely couldn't perceive this, thus hesitating to move.

Li Muzhan realized they must have adopted a strategy of attrition, constantly harassing the maidens to deny them rest, exploiting their numerical advantage. Seeing this situation, and then looking up at the two figures on the peak, Li Muzhan could only shake his head helplessly.

Li Muzhan raised his voice and called out, “Palace Mistress Li, do you require my assistance?” Li Yubing turned to look over. “Zhanran, why have you come?” Li Muzhan replied, “Was it not you, Palace Mistress, who summoned me?” “I did not?” Li Yubing shook her head, then suddenly glanced down.

Lying by her feet was a jade pendant, split neatly in two. She whirled around and glared at the elder opposite.

“Old Ghost Hu, look what good deeds you’ve done!” The old man also turned, his gaze clear and penetrating like still water. He smiled faintly, stroking his white beard.

“Palace Mistress Li, what is the meaning of this?” Li Yubing sneered, “If you hadn’t launched a sneak attack, how could it have shattered!” She pointed at the jade pendant on the ground and huffed, “It just saved my life!” The elder shook his head and sighed. “Palace Mistress Li, you have a strong life force; my calculation was off!

And this young fellow is…?” When Li Muzhan left Yuanxin Temple, he often wore a small cap. When returning, he would remove it; it was a flawless disguise.

At this moment, he had no time to remove his hat, so the elder could not discern his true identity. Li Muzhan removed the cap, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and smiled.

“This humble monk is Zhanran. May I ask the senior’s name?” “I am Hu Yu.

So, it is Young Master Zhanran. At your age, I could not see through your depth.

Remarkable!” The elder stroked his beard in admiration. Li Yubing scoffed, “Old Ghost Hu, stop posturing as an elder.

Zhanran is a Grandmaster despite his youth!” “A Grandmaster?” Hu Yu’s hand paused on his beard. He shook his head.

“Impossible?” Li Yubing replied irritably, “Impossible what? I’ve fought several rounds with him!” “This…” Hu Yu looked stunned.

“A Grandmaster isn’t…” Li Yubing interjected, “The Dharma is vast, and its miracles unique. Monk Zhanran’s understanding of the Dharma is profound; perhaps he has borrowed its power.” Hu Yu shook his head.

“The Dharma spans thousands of li, and I have never heard of any revered Buddhist monk reaching the Grandmaster realm. This shows that no matter how broad the Dharma is, it cannot possess such divine mystery.” “Enough nonsense.

In any case, Zhanran is a Grandmaster. Old Ghost Hu, do you still want to fight?” Li Yubing waved her hand, glancing sideways at him.

“The two of us Grandmasters cannot defeat you?” “That’s not necessarily true,” Hu Yu shook his head and smiled. “Though Master Zhanran is a Grandmaster, his cultivation level is likely incomplete; the outcome of a battle is hard to predict.” Li Yubing snorted, “Then I will hold you off, and let Zhanran assist me.

What can your devils and monsters accomplish?” She turned. “Zhanran, you don’t need to help up here.

Go down and lend me aid.” Li Muzhan smiled. “Do you truly want my help?” Li Yubing glanced at him twice and huffed, “I owe you a favor, and I will repay it!” Li Muzhan nodded with a gentle smile.

“Very well, I’ll go then… Senior Hu, please forgive my intrusion!” Without waiting for Hu Yu to speak, he flashed suddenly to the edge of the cliff and plummeted, drifting down like a cloud until he landed behind the two maidens on the iron chains. Instantly, sword lights flared.

The two maidens spun around and swung their blades, their light sweeping over like the gale above. Li Muzhan flicked his sleeve.

“Ladies, I am a friend of Palace Mistress Li, here to offer assistance.” The maidens were skeptical, yet the sword lights suddenly retracted. It wasn't that they stopped attacking, but rather that they couldn't bring themselves to strike; an invisible force had restrained their long swords.

“Siqing, Sibai, Zhanran is one of us!” Li Yubing’s voice drifted down, ethereal yet clear, reaching their ears. The two maidens were finally relieved.

Their bodies went weak, feeling as if all energy had drained away, leaving them limp. They tried to stand firm but lacked the will, on the verge of falling into the deep chasm below to be shattered.

Li Muzhan stepped forward and supported the two maidens, instantly injecting two streams of inner force. Warm vapor rose as the maidens immediately regained their spirits and strength, their energy surging back.

He smiled gently. “Take your time, slowly now.” He released his hands.

The maidens still felt the warmth circulating through their bodies, a comforting heat like soaking in a hot spring—languid yet incredibly energetic. Just then, three figures charged across, all with ferocious expressions, attempting to intimidate them by sheer presence, believing the maidens, who had appeared on the verge of collapse, were finished.

They brandished long sabers, charging aggressively. In a blink, they reached the iron chains.

The chains only swayed slightly, indicating the profound cultivation of the three attackers. From ten zhang away, they covered the distance in merely two or three steps, closing the gap instantly.

Saber light transformed into three silver ribbons sweeping forward, arranged in a triangle formation, showing excellent coordination. Their saber strikes were heavy and direct, aiming to crush skill with brute force and shove the two maidens off the path.

Li Muzhan retreated two steps and stood by with folded arms, watching quietly as the two maidens easily parried the assault. With crisp sounds of clashing metal ringing out, the two maidens stood steady.

Their sword light flowed like water. The three attackers struck relentlessly.

The dazzling display of saber light filled the air, yet none of it could penetrate the liquid grace of the swordsmanship. Li Muzhan nodded inwardly.

The maidens’ sword techniques were exquisite and peerless. Though the three men’s sabers were skillful, they were far inferior to the maidens’ swordsmanship, and their cultivation levels were also lower.

“Ah…” The maidens’ sword light abruptly shifted from slow to swift. The watery light suddenly became dazzling.

The three attackers couldn't evade in time and were struck, crying out as they fell from the chains into the deep gorge below, where all sound ceased. The people on the opposite side immediately fell silent, staring wide-eyed in this direction.

They had expected the maidens to be at the end of their tether, about to collapse, which is why they had rushed forward to claim the first glory. But the maidens, instead of falling, stood firm again and again, as if deliberately playing with them.

Now terrified, they wanted to retreat but dared not. Trapped, they finally let out a long, piercing howl toward the sky, and answering howls echoed from the distance.

Li Muzhan frowned and asked gravely, “Young ladies, are there skirmishes elsewhere?” The two maidens in white shook their heads. The round-faced maiden replied, “We heard the news and retreated.

The two of us were tasked with covering the rear.” “Is there no one else outside?” Li Muzhan mused. The round-faced maiden nodded.

“Everyone else has entered the Palace. Little Master can leave first; the Palace gates are already closed, they cannot get in.” Li Muzhan looked back.

The end of the iron path was a stone wall, revealing no obvious gate. He focused his senses and detected faint markings—indeed, there was a hidden mechanism.

He frowned. “Then how will you enter?” The round-faced maiden smiled faintly.

“We cannot enter either.” “Can those inside not open the gate?” Li Muzhan inquired. The round-faced maiden shook her head.

“At this time, the Palace gate cannot be opened.” Li Muzhan frowned. “Then you…” His expression shifted slightly; he vaguely grasped the situation.

The round-faced maiden smiled sweetly. “We only need to hold them off for a while.

It doesn’t matter if we die.” Li Muzhan sighed. “You have no path to survival?” The round-faced maiden smiled.

“If we fight them off, we can escape down the mountain.” The other maiden beside her added, “Master, we will not fight to the death. The Palace Mistress gave us a secret life-preserving technique.

Once we use it, they won’t be able to catch us!” “Then why not use it earlier?” Li Muzhan asked. If he hadn't appeared, the maidens’ situation would have been perilous, almost fatal.

“There was no need to rush,” the round-faced maiden replied with a slight smile. While they were speaking, another person appeared opposite them, bringing the total to twelve.

All were middle-aged men dressed in dark gray martial attire, their eyes flashing with sharp light, exuding an aura like fierce tigers. When they arrived close, the men who had been surrounding the chains immediately cleared a path.

They approached, coldly staring at the two maidens, their gazes finally landing on Li Muzhan. “Why is there a young monk here?” an elder with a sallow, withered face asked gravely.

He was thin, his complexion pale, but his spirit was vigorous, standing with a formidable bearing that commanded respect. A middle-aged man beside him stepped closer and whispered, “Old Wei, that little monk descended just now.

Who knows what lineage he belongs to?” “When did Moli Palace get mixed up with monks?” the elder named Wei frowned. The middle-aged man from before said quietly, “This little monk fell from the sky; he’s a bit strange.

Old Wei, you should be careful.” The elder Wei waved his hand and sneered, “You are all useless! Watching Moli Palace disciples slip away easily, only to be cornered by two young girls—you should be ashamed!” “Old Wei, we didn’t expect them to be so cunning…” the middle-aged man mumbled shamefully, lowering his head.

The elder Wei scoffed, “Hmph, you should have thought of it long ago. Moli Palace has lasted so many years without incident; they must have some ability!” “Yes, yes, we are incompetent,” the middle-aged man murmured.

The elder Wei grunted, “Are the people inside properly situated?” The middle-aged man quickly nodded. “Yes, Old Wei, rest assured.

Our people are already inside; they might have succeeded by now!” “That’s good!” Old Wei nodded. “At least there is some use for you.” The middle-aged man quickly added, “If it weren’t for having people inside, we wouldn’t be dawdling here.

Fighting on this side is meant to distract those inside so they don’t notice our operatives, right?” “Hmph, excuses!” Old Wei shook his head dismissively and waved a hand. “Alright, step aside!

Old Er He, you go. Don’t disgrace us.

Take those two down!” “Don’t worry, Old Master Wei, it’s on me!” A thin, small man stepped forward jauntily, nodding broadly. In his hand, he held a long staff.

The staff was as tall as he was, pitch black with no luster, appearing heavy and dense, seemingly forged of iron. When he thrust it into the ground, it sank two cun.

Old Wei waved his hand and said seriously, “Don’t boast. These two little lasses are tricky; their swordsmanship is good.

Be careful!” “Got it, got it!” The thin man nodded casually, leaped onto the iron chains, then hopped again, gliding forward until he was close. He swung his long staff, and instantly, shadows of the staff rained down.

With clangs of metal against metal, the two maidens stepped back two paces, their brows furrowed. Li Muzhan, though behind them, could clearly see their expressions and knew that the thin man’s staff technique was their nemesis.

Their swordplay was subtle, but the opponent’s staff work was not lacking. Li Muzhan himself let out a sound of admiration; such staff skills coming from such an unassuming man was unexpected.

Moreover, this staff was iron-cast, indicating the thin man possessed astonishing divine strength. Combined with his refined technique, he temporarily sealed off their sword arts.

“Heh heh…” The thin man grinned, swirling the black staff. “Two little girls, why don’t you yield to me?

Follow me, and I certainly won’t let you suffer; it’s much better than staying in this nunnery!” The two maidens tightly pursed their lips and struck with sword light as fast as lightning. Amidst the continuous ringing of metal, the maidens were forced to retreat steadily.

Although the thin man spoke crudely, his skill was truly exquisite. His inner force far surpassed theirs, and his staff technique was brilliant.

Furthermore, the length of the staff gave him an advantage over the long swords—a shorter weapon meant greater danger—and the long staff excelled, especially in this terrain. If the terrain were different, a swordsman could use agile footwork to compensate for the weapon length disparity, but here, the narrow iron chains made it difficult to break through the staff shadows.

Li Muzhan retreated with them, yet he watched with folded arms, not rushing to intervene, curious to see what other skills they possessed, feeling they wouldn't be defeated so easily. “Hmph, change your move!” the round-faced maiden muttered indignantly.

The maidens’ tactics immediately shifted. The round-faced maiden’s sword strikes became slow, like flowing water, while the other maiden’s sword strikes became swift as the wind—one fast, one slow, creating a stark contrast.

“Oh?” Old Wei frowned and pondered, “Spring Breeze Raging Rain Swordplay. Be careful!” The thin man chuckled, his black staff maintaining its momentum, still a storm of shadows.

He was confident in crushing subtlety with power, believing a single staff swing could break any intricate sword maneuver. His expression suddenly changed.

He felt as if his black staff had plunged into a swamp; the strike lacked purchase and instead had its force neutralized. When he tried to withdraw the staff, he met resistance, slowing his movement slightly.

With two sharp dings, two sword strikes landed on his staff during that moment of hesitation. His body trembled twice, and his limbs went numb.

The force transmitted through the sword was bizarre, leaving his body tingling, draining sixty to seventy percent of his strength instantly. Against this strange energy, his massive divine strength was useless; without resistance, six or seven tenths of it was wiped away, leaving him feeling utterly impotent.

“Die for me!” He roared in fury, bringing the staff down in a move resembling the Splitting Mount Hua cut from saber techniques. The round-faced maiden let out a soft hum, meeting the blow with her soft, yielding sword light, which immediately wrapped around the staff shaft, circling it left and right.

The other maiden swung her blade swiftly. With every crisp sound of impact, the thin man trembled.

His body shook, and the immense power from the black staff was shaved away, leaving him slack and weak. Li Muzhan smiled and nodded.

This sword technique was truly marvelous. The inner forces of the two combined to produce a strange reaction, affecting him as if he’d been electrocuted.

As a Grandmaster, the area within a hundred meters was his domain; he could clearly sense the circulation of their combined energies and even observe the changes in the thin man’s body. In this short time, the thin man was convulsing as if shocked, his strength depleted by seventy or eighty percent.

Had his foundation not been so deep, he would have collapsed long ago. Even so, his situation was dire; two more such strikes, and he likely wouldn’t even be able to hold his staff, which was extremely heavy due to being iron-cast.

“Ah…” The thin man roared again, swinging his staff down, but halfway through the motion, he abruptly pulled back, turned, and fled, covering the distance back into the crowd in two strides. The two maidens paused, making no move to pursue.

They slowly lowered their swords. Warm energy surged through their bodies, generating an endless flow of strength.

They felt no sign of exhaustion; instead, they were invigorated and ready for more fighting. “Old Wei, these two lasses are strange; I am no match for them!” the thin man admitted shamefully.

Old Wei waved a hand. “I know.

Spring Breeze Raging Rain Swordplay. I didn’t expect these two little girls to have mastered this set.

It’s understandable you couldn’t win.” The thin man shook his head and sighed, his face burning red; this tale would be too humiliating to tell. Old Wei said, “To counter the Spring Breeze Raging Rain Swordplay, one person is absolutely insufficient.

No matter how powerful your martial arts, you cannot handle it; you need two or more people.” “Then I’ll go again, find someone else!” The thin man’s eyes immediately lit up. Old Wei smiled, “Can you still take it?” The thin man growled, “Damn it, this is too embarrassing!

Being beaten until I couldn’t fight back by two little maids! I must have revenge, or I won’t be able to hold my head up as a man!” “Mm, alright, I’ll give you a chance for revenge,” Old Wei nodded.

“Xiao Guan, you work with Old Er He and finish them off!” “Got it!” A long-limbed youth nodded, holding a long saber, currently trimming his fingernails. The youth had unremarkable features, save for a crescent moon-shaped scar on his left cheek, which, instead of looking menacing, lent him a friendly air, like a neighbor boy.

Li Muzhan said, “Young ladies, perhaps we should leave now; there’s no need to stay here.” He intended to go up to see the top of the peak. The sound of the howling wind had gradually stopped; it seemed a victor had been decided, but he couldn't tell who had won or lost.

Li Yubing and Hu Yu stood motionless, revealing nothing. The two maidens shook their heads.

The round-faced maiden said, “Master should go first. We’ll take care of them and leave!” Li Muzhan shook his head.

“The newcomers are all experts. In my view, even winning would be a struggle, and it’s unnecessary.

Come up to the peak with me!” Without waiting for their reply, he raised his hands slightly in an empty gesture. From a meter away, he lifted the two maidens, causing them to ascend slowly, as if carried aloft by white clouds.

Everyone froze for a moment, then broke into curses and charged forward. Li Muzhan sighed, shook his head, and flicked his sleeve.

Instantly, the gale roared, sweeping them all away, causing them to fly backward and fall in front of the iron chains. Not a single person was spared.

They lay on the ground, looking up at the trio ascending into the sky. They exchanged fearful glances, not daring to utter another word.

They understood clearly that Li Muzhan had shown mercy; otherwise, a slightly weaker force in that single flick would have sent them straight into the deep chasm, costing them their lives. Li Muzhan carried the two maidens up to the peak.

Li Yubing’s lips showed a faint trace of blood. She turned to look over.

Li Muzhan frowned. “Palace Mistress Li, Senior Hu, can we stop here?” Hu Yu stroked his beard and smiled.

“Palace Mistress Li, shall we conclude our engagement here?” “There’s no such easy ending!” Li Yubing shook her head and smiled sweetly. “Old Ghost Hu, you came here provoking me; how could I let you off so easily!” Hu Yu stroked his beard and chuckled.

“I thought I had accounted for everything, but I never expected another Grandmaster to appear. Truly, man’s calculations cannot match Heaven’s design.” Li Yubing huffed, “When you do too many wicked deeds, Heaven won't help you!” Li Muzhan interjected, “Senior Li, revenge is not a matter of this moment; let it go for now.

It seems there’s a spy inside your Palace who needs to be thoroughly investigated.” “Hmm—?” Li Yubing frowned. Li Muzhan smiled.

“Senior Hu certainly has formidable methods; he planted his traps long ago, and they are about to spring. If Senior Li delays any longer, there will be casualties.” Li Yubing, however, remained unconcerned and languid.

“Very well. Then I shall wait and see.

I want to know exactly which fools are courting death!”

"Heh heh, Palace Master Li, you dabble with the Outer Path, and eventually, it will turn and bite you," Hu Yu stroked his beard, a smug smile playing on his lips. "A mere trivial trick from this old man is all it takes to make them turn tail and sink their teeth into you."

Li Yubing laughed gracefully. "To boast of such a low-class tactic—you should be ashamed, Old Ghost Hu. You best watch your own back, too; your underlings aren't exactly paragons of virtue!"

"Naturally, I am well aware, thank you for the reminder, Palace Master Li!" Hu Yu replied with a slight smile.

He cast a measuring glance at Li Muchan and chuckled. "Master Zhanran, how about we exchange a few pointers?"