Yi Xingzhi and the two guards paused, turning their heads towards the direction of the disturbance, sensing instinctively that trouble had erupted there. He spoke in a deep voice, "Go!"

As his words fell, he was already moving, covering over ten zhang in an instant, his body like an apparition. The two guards in black quickly exerted themselves to follow, yet could never catch up.

By the time the three arrived at the original spot, they found a crowd gathered in a circle, watching the spectacle. In the center stood Fu Feihong and Li Muzhan, and a woman in red lay motionless on the ground. Since she was face down, her expression and condition—alive or dead—could not be discerned.

Fu Feihong was blocking Li Muzhan, holding the red bridal veil in her hand. Her stunningly beautiful face was overlaid with a layer of icy frost as she glared coldly at Li Muzhan.

"What happened?" Yi Xingzhi hurried forward, asking Fu Feihong in a low voice. He then turned and waved his hand, "Everyone disperse, go about your business!"

The crowd began to scatter, though they kept glancing back with ill-concealed interest. Standing beside Fu Feihong were Hao Xuemei and Hai Yulan, both glaring at Li Muzhan with expressions of indignation.

Li Muzhan, however, merely shook his head repeatedly, a wry smile etched on his face.

Yi Xingzhi spoke, "Wuji, what is going on? How did you provoke Feihong?"

Li Muzhan sighed, about to speak, when Fu Feihong sneered, "Li Wuji, you have the gall to injure someone from our Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect!"

Li Muzhan sighed again, "Senior, may I offer an explanation?"

"Explanation? What explanation? You injured Junior Sister Li—is that true or not?" Fu Feihong snorted, staring at him coldly. "If you're going to explain, at least come up with a credible excuse!"

Li Muzhan admitted, "Senior Fu, it is true."

"Enough with the 'true' and 'false,' this isn't how you joke around!" Fu Feihong waved her hand dismissively. "Hurry up and apologize to Junior Sister Li, and release her pressure points!"

Hao Xuemei went to the woman in red, turned her over, and patted her a few times, but to no avail. She looked up, "Junior Brother Li, you release her pressure points!"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I cannot! ... Senior Fu, as I was approaching just now, she was about to strike at you, harboring clear killing intent!"

"Nonsense!" Fu Feihong retorted without patience. "She is my junior sister; how could she kill me?"

Hai Yulan sighed helplessly, "Indeed. This is Martial Uncle Li, a fellow disciple from Master’s childhood. Even if she were confused, she wouldn't do such a thing!"

Li Muzhan shook his head in frustration, "Regardless, she revealed killing intent and was about to kill Senior Fu!"

"If she revealed killing intent, wouldn't I know?" Fu Feihong challenged, clearly annoyed.

Li Muzhan countered, "She is skilled in concealment; her killing intent was hidden and unexpressed. Senior, you wouldn't have noticed it!"

"You..." Fu Feihong started to retort sarcastically but suddenly recalled that this young man was a Grandmaster, truly superior to her in cultivation.

She frowned, turning to glance at the woman in red lying on the ground, a flicker of doubt crossing her features. Could it be that Junior Sister Li actually intended to kill her?

No, it couldn't be. Even if their relationship wasn't entirely smooth, any minor tricks she pulled in private were only harmless squabbles, not a matter of life and death, after all, they had been sisters in the sect for many years.

Li Muzhan pressed, "Senior Fu, think about it. Senior and I have no prior grudges, nor have we ever met. Why would I falsely accuse her, wouldn't you agree?"

"That's too ridiculous! Why would Junior Sister Li kill me!?" Fu Feihong demanded crossly, fixing Li Muzhan with a fierce glare.

However, her beauty surpassed the flowers; though younger, her allure was superior to that of Hai Yulan and Hao Xuemei. With peerless elegance, even her glare held an indescribable charm.

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile, "I suspect she is connected to the group that attempted to assassinate the Sect Master—acting in collusion, making them impossible to guard against. If I hadn't returned in time..."

Yi Xingzhi understood suddenly, "No wonder you returned unexpectedly—you detected danger!"

Li Muzhan continued, "I didn't expect them to target Senior Fu, employing a tactic to lure the dragon away from its mountain... It's strange, though, why would they try to assassinate Senior Fu...?"

He frowned, puzzled after deep consideration. Logically, Fu Feihong should not have been the target. Could it be that their goal wasn't to kill the Sect Master, but to discredit the Cloud Heaven Sect?

As he pondered deeply, Fu Feihong grew impatient. Sensing his distraction, she huffed, "So, I should thank you for saving my life?!"

Yi Xingzhi interjected, "Feihong, I was speaking with Wuji. He suddenly sensed something amiss—and vanished immediately. He wouldn't do that without reason... Is that Junior Sister Li truly reliable?"

Fu Feihong snorted, "What do you think? A junior sister whom you've shared your sect life with for over forty years—is she reliable?"

Yi Xingzhi pondered, "Could it be someone disguised as her?"

Fu Feihong turned to look at Hao Xuemei, who shook her head. Fu Feihong declared, "She's the genuine article!... Brat, what is going on with you?"

Li Muzhan shook his head with a bitter smile, "Sect Master, I am truly at a loss; logic won't penetrate this... I tried to save someone, and now I’ve caused trouble. As the head of the house, you should manage Senior Fu!"

Yi Xingzhi’s expression shifted, and he quickly motioned for Li Muzhan to stop.

Fu Feihong squinted at Yi Xingzhi with a cold smile, humming, "Oh, such authority! You intend to manage me, do you?"

Yi Xingzhi hastily laughed, "Feihong, don't listen to this kid's nonsense!"

Fu Feihong peered at him sideways, "He's talking nonsense? Why would he? ... I don't believe he would fabricate things out of thin air. You intend to manage me, perhaps you bragged too much about your power before?"

Li Muzhan smiled, glancing triumphantly at Hai Yulan. Hai Yulan pursed her lips into a brief smile before quickly composing herself into a serious demeanor, inwardly chuckling at Li Muzhan's cunning—this tactic of redirecting trouble was perfectly executed.

Yi Xingzhi spoke softly to Fu Feihong, finally placating her. Fu Feihong's anger subsided, and she huffed, "Fine. Brat, come over here and explain exactly what happened!"

Li Muzhan replied languidly, "Senior Fu, perhaps you should investigate this yourselves. Since you don't believe what I say, there's no point in saying more!"

"That kid has quite a temper!" Fu Feihong raised her slender eyebrows, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Very well, then I shall send Lan'er back on a trip..."

Li Muzhan quickly relented, "Forget it, I'll tell you!"

Fu Feihong shot him a triumphant look; holding his weakness, how could he escape her grasp!

"Sect Master, this matter requires secrecy, so..." Li Muzhan stated.

Yi Xingzhi nodded, waved his hand, and the guards stepped back. Everyone else followed suit, leaving Li Muzhan to cast down four jade pendants, forming a small Thunder Sound Formation that prevented any sound from escaping.

Since becoming a Grandmaster, his comprehension of formations had deepened. Although he rarely needed them now, he would occasionally study them out of interest.

He had read two treatises on formation arts while at the Floating Cloud Palace. The Floating Cloud Palace clearly hadn't paid much attention to these books, suggesting nobody there specialized in formations. In those two books, he found many formations; he had tested them out. Though their power wasn't immense, their functions were peculiar and held considerable intrigue.

The surroundings immediately fell silent. From a distance, everything seemed unreal: people cooking, tending fires, chopping wood, checking luggage. As they worked, they frequently glanced over here, sneaking looks, perhaps thinking others hadn't noticed, but everything was clear in the eyes of Yi Xingzhi and the others.

The sixteen guards formed a circle, subtly surrounding Yi Xingzhi and the others, blocking the populace. They stood motionless, like sculpted figures. All of this was clearly visible to them, yet utterly soundless, as if they were isolated, belonging to a different world—a very strange sensation.

Li Muzhan coughed lightly and smiled, "This is the Minor Thunder Sound Formation; it isolates sound."

Everyone understood instantly. Fu Feihong glanced at him; she truly hadn't realized he was proficient in formations. It explained how this fellow managed to captivate Lan'er—his skills seemed endless, always capable of delivering surprises.

"Sect Master, Senior Fu, the origin of these assassins is quite significant..." Li Muzhan began slowly.

Only Yi Xingzhi, Fu Feihong, Hai Yulan, and Hao Xuemei could hear Li Muzhan's voice. Amidst the profound silence, only his voice carried, sounding quite peculiar.

He recounted the events, explained his suspicions, and even mentioned the Celestial Dao Alliance.

Yi Xingzhi frowned in contemplation, "The Celestial Dao Alliance..." He turned to Fu Feihong, "Feihong, have you ever heard of them...?"

Fu Feihong shook her head, then turned to Hai Yulan, "Lan'er?"

Hai Yulan's bright eyes flickered thoughtfully. After a moment, she nodded, "I think I saw intelligence reports about the Celestial Dao Alliance... Oh, are they from Xihua?"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Clever, they are a sect from Xihua!"

"I remember now!" Hai Yulan affirmed, "But it was only a few brief sentences, saying they vanished a century ago and their whereabouts were unknown, presumed dispersed."

Li Muzhan smiled, "The world believes they disappeared, but it seems their secret arts have been passed down. I heard from Palace Master Li that this is a secret art of the Celestial Dao Alliance."

"Palace Master Li?" Hai Yulan frowned.

Yi Xingzhi and Fu Feihong also looked at him with curiosity. Li Muzhan clarified, "The Palace Master of the Mo Li Palace."

"Mo Li Palace..." Yi Xingzhi frowned, shaking his head, "How did you get entangled with them?"

"Mo Li Palace?!" Hai Yulan also knitted her delicate brows, humming, "How did you get mixed up with them?! ... Are they all women?"

"It was quite coincidental," Li Muzhan smiled. "We didn't know each other until we fought."

Hai Yulan snorted, "You always have a knack for meeting women, and coincidences always happen to you!"

Fu Feihong huffed, "Which Mo Li Palace?"

Hai Yulan explained, "Master, the Mo Li Palace is a major sect in Xihua, comparable in status to the Cloud Heaven Sect in our Great Li. All the disciples in the palace are women, and beautiful ones at that. The Palace Master, Li Yubing, is a Grandmaster!" She knew her master rarely concerned herself with such matters, focusing only on martial arts advancement or Sect Master Yi's affairs; she paid little heed to worldly events.

Fu Feihong frowned, "Li Wuji, how did you provoke them?"

Li Muzhan explained, "I was traveling in Xihua and had a conflict with people from the Mo Li Palace. Ultimately, Palace Master Li stepped in, and we fought—that's how we got acquainted."

Fu Feihong asked, "Did you defeat that woman named Li?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I couldn't win; Palace Master Li's cultivation far surpasses mine."

"That makes sense. She must be an old crone by now, right?" Fu Feihong chuckled, then turned to Hai Yulan with a smile, "Don't worry, she must be seventy or eighty."

Hai Yulan blushed, hurriedly saying, "Mas—ter—!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Senior Fu is mistaken. Although Palace Master Li is old, she appears to be about the same age as you, Senior, and her charm is no less than yours."

"Oh—?" Fu Feihong frowned and huffed, "So what! No matter how beautiful, she's still your grandmother's generation!"

Li Muzhan shook his head helplessly; it was impossible to explain clearly. He smiled, "Yes, yes... Palace Master Li and I became acquainted through a fight. I inquired about this matter, and she said the Celestial Dao Alliance should not be underestimated; getting involved with them is very troublesome."

Yi Xingzhi looked at Li Muzhan. He truly didn't know Li Yubing, nor was he aware that Li Yubing had come to assist the Cloud Heaven Sect; Li Muzhan had kept it quiet, only mentioning a friend.

"The Celestial Dao Alliance..." Yi Xingzhi shook his head. "I need to investigate further. I truly don't know when we offended this Celestial Dao Alliance!"

Li Muzhan began, "Sect Master, within our sect..." He trailed off, shaking his head and sighing.

Yi Xingzhi's face changed slightly, "Wuji, what are you trying to say?!"

Li Muzhan continued, "I thought of this after encountering Senior Fu's junior sister: could there be... someone in our sect? However, this matter should not be widely spread."

Only then did Yi Xingzhi understand why Li Muzhan had set up the formation, preventing outsiders from hearing. His expression grew grave, "Wuji, you must not act recklessly!"

Li Muzhan nodded, "Understood. It is best not to mention this."

Yi Xingzhi thought for a while, "Let's pretend we don't know. Our sect is different from others; we don't need to fear, as long as our martial arts aren't leaked."

"Yes," Li Muzhan nodded.

Listening to their exchange, the faces of Fu Feihong and her two disciples changed. They understood the implication of Li Muzhan's words—he suspected an insider within the Cloud Heaven Sect. Suspecting one's own sect members was a disastrous affair; handled poorly, it could incite panic, breed disunity, and even lead to the sect's fragmentation.

"Li Wuji, are you saying Junior Sister Li is a spy?!" Fu Feihong huffed.

Li Muzhan pondered, "Senior Fu, I cannot confirm if she is a spy, but I am certain she intended to kill you. I hope you will take some precautions."

"No, she cannot be a spy!" Fu Feihong mused. "Attempting to kill me doesn't necessarily mean she's a spy; perhaps it was simply jealousy."

"Jealousy?" Li Muzhan feigned surprise.

Fu Feihong glanced at Yi Xingzhi and sneered, "Isn't it all thanks to his good deeds!?"

Yi Xingzhi's eyes widened, "Feihong, I—?"

"Junior Sister Li secretly likes you; I don't believe you don't know!" Fu Feihong retorted crossly.

Yi Xingzhi flushed deeply, quickly saying, "Feihong!" He felt embarrassed; the three juniors were present, how could such things be said aloud!

Fu Feihong continued, "You must secretly be pleased, aren't you?... No wonder; who can compare to you in attracting bees and butterflies? Why is this Li Wuji boy like this? It’s because the model above is crooked!"

Li Muzhan rubbed the bridge of his nose, shaking his head helplessly.

Hai Yulan shot him a sidelong glance, visibly annoyed by the topic, feeling sour.

Yi Xingzhi quickly intervened, "Alright, alright, let's stop talking about this. Let's discuss how to handle this!" He knew this argument couldn't be resolved; the more they delved, the murkier it became. The best course was to change the subject.

Fu Feihong grumbled, "What can we do? We can't just kill her!"

Li Muzhan offered, "Senior Fu, you decide the course of action. In my opinion, sending her back is best."

Fu Feihong huffed, "If she didn't strike, and you struck first, it will be hard to explain to the Sect Master!"

Li Muzhan sighed wryly, "That becomes a problem... Fine. Send her to Sect Master Zhao, and let's say I was the one who struck her!"

Fu Feihong sneered, "You have quite the swagger. Do you think our Sect Master is easy to bully?"

Li Muzhan replied, "How would I dare? Sect Master Zhao seems amiable, but he is profoundly calculating. I don't know where he might strike me from; I must be careful!"

"You had better not offend the Sect Master, or else, you and Lan'er..." Fu Feihong shook her head.

Li Muzhan quickly asked, "Senior Fu, do you agree?"

"I disagree!" Fu Feihong said irritably. "Marrying you, this fellow, is pushing Lan'er into a pit of fire; I absolutely forbid it!"

Yi Xingzhi quickly waved his hand, "Then Wuji, you escort her back!"

Li Muzhan paused, "Sect Master, this might not be appropriate?"

Yi Xingzhi waved it off, "Besides you, who else is most suitable?... Don't worry, there shouldn't be any more assassins."

Li Muzhan hesitated, "This..."

"Is this using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?" Yi Xingzhi smiled.

Li Muzhan sighed, "Very well, I agree!"

He retracted the Minor Thunder Sound Formation. Instantly, sounds from all directions flooded back in. They felt somewhat unaccustomed, frowning as they adjusted, and when they looked again, Li Muzhan had vanished.

"Where is he?" Fu Feihong grumbled.

Hai Yulan suggested, "Perhaps he is making arrangements."

Moments later, Li Muzhan reappeared, followed by a woman dressed entirely in black, wearing a black hat. The black gauze of the hat concealed her face, but one could discern she was female by her graceful silhouette and lotus-like steps.

Li Muzhan approached them and smiled, "Sect Master, this is Palace Master Leng from the Floating Cloud Palace."

"Palace Master Leng of the Floating Cloud Palace?!" Yi Xingzhi was startled, then his face changed drastically, "This... Wuji, you are being too reckless!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "I truly cannot be at ease..."

"Even so, you shouldn't have troubled Palace Master Leng to make this trip!" Yi Xingzhi frowned sternly.

Leng Chaoyun stated coolly, "Sect Master Yi, I owe him a favor; that is all."

"Alas... I have been truly discourteous!" Yi Xingzhi bowed respectfully, apologizing solemnly, then sighed, "How could I trouble Palace Master Leng..."

"Sect Master Yi, I am departing," Leng Chaoyun bowed coldly and indifferently, then drifted away gracefully.

Everyone watched her departure with varying expressions.

"Wuji, you truly know how to cause trouble!" Yi Xingzhi said irritably. "Palace Master Leng is a person of such stature; how could she perform such a task? Moreover..."

Li Muzhan explained, "Sect Master, the matter is of great importance, and I couldn't overthink it. I don't know many people, only a few who could be of use, and only Palace Master Leng and Palace Master Li fit the bill."

"Palace Master Li?" Yi Xingzhi’s expression changed again.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Palace Master Li is also nearby; she won't show herself."

"You..." Yi Xingzhi shook his head and sighed.

Fu Feihong pursed her lips and smiled, "Yi Xingzhi, you put on quite the airs. The Palace Master of the Floating Cloud Palace acts as your guard, and you have another Grandmaster besides!"

"Watch your words!" Yi Xingzhi hurriedly cautioned, glancing around.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Palace Master Li is not here." He could sense Li Yubing's presence; she had already moved to a distance. Because Li Muzhan was present, she didn't need to stay here and was instead patrolling further afield.