"He's furious!" Li Yubing pointed toward Tong Tianshu not far away. Tong Tianshu was exerting every ounce of his strength, his palms moving like the wind, roaring in anger, though the sound failed to carry.

Li Muzhan said, "This is the Starry Sky God-Slaying Formation. Of all the formations I know, this one possesses the greatest power. It's a pity it has been lost to time; I could only deduce and derive it to this extent myself."

"The Starry Sky God-Slaying Formation, a formation saturated with intense killing intent," Li Yubing chuckled.

Li Muzhan nodded. "With the name 'God-Slaying,' it is no fluke. Let him rage for a while; the formation will absorb his power, growing stronger. He's in for a rough time."

"Can this formation actually kill him?" Li Yubing asked.

Li Muzhan replied, "If he were a Grandmaster, this formation would be useless against him. But since he is not a Grandmaster, his death is certain."

"I never realized the Dao of Formations held such terrifying power!" Li Yubing sighed.

Li Muzhan laughed. "The power of a formation requires the right timing and terrain. It falls somewhat short of a Grandmaster, perhaps, but once the right conditions align, a single formation can equal several Grandmasters. That is no exaggeration."

"It seems I should study formations too," Li Yubing mused.

Li Muzhan smiled. "A fine idea, but the world is vast, and the true Great Formation Masters can be counted on two hands. Gaining entry into their tutelage is no easy task."

"Why should I seek them out? I'll just learn from you!" Li Yubing laughed.

"Me—?" Li Muzhan shook his head, chuckling. "My own knowledge is far from complete. How could I teach others?"

Li Yubing shot him an exasperated look. "Just stop being so modest. Are you hoarding your secrets, unwilling to teach me?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Since the Palace Mistress has made up her mind, I agree. But the path of formations demands far greater patience than martial arts."

Li Yubing beamed. "I don't believe I can't learn it."

Li Muzhan shook his head. "The key to cultivating formations is innate talent. While Grandmasters might have an advantage overall, their initial entry into this path is the same as an ordinary person's. Whether one can even cross the threshold depends entirely on talent."

"Very well. After this ordeal is over, I shall begin my studies," Li Yubing declared.

She watched Tong Tianshu leap and struggle, unable to break free, confined to a mere ten-foot radius. She found it utterly miraculous and felt an infinite surge of curiosity and interest in learning the art of formations.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "This time, we must search thoroughly. I hope the Heavenly Dao Alliance isn't too stingy with their treasures."

"Zhanran, for our earnings this time, you get two shares, and I get one!" Li Yubing declared.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Let's split it evenly. The core arts are what matter; the rest is secondary. He barely valued wealth. He already possessed several treasuries, with more money than he could ever spend. Besides, the Cloud Sky Sect also places little emphasis on money; their disciples are naturally detached from material desires."

"Furthermore, they all live on an island rich in resources, where life's necessities are never a concern. The customs there differ from the secular world; status isn't measured by wealth, but by martial prowess. Strength earns respect; wealth alone means nothing. Everyone pursues martial arts, not money."

"That Divine Possession Technique manual must be genuine, right?" Li Yubing asked.

Li Muzhan pulled a scroll from his robes and gently floated it toward Li Yubing. She caught it and flipped through the pages, frowning. "I can't tell if it's genuine or not."

Li Muzhan said, "It likely is, but achieving mastery in its cultivation will be difficult."

"Why is that?" Li Yubing returned the booklet. "I saw quite a few disciples of the Heavenly Dao Alliance employing techniques that seemed related."

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment. "Does the Palace Mistress not sense something amiss with Tong Tianshu?"

Li Yubing asked, "What do you mean?"

Li Muzhan considered it. "I can't articulate exactly what, but I suspect something went wrong when he practiced the Divine Possession Technique."

"Tell me more," Li Yubing said curiously, glancing at the struggling Tong Tianshu, who thrashed his palms wildly—like a fierce beast caged, fighting pointlessly.

Li Muzhan also turned to look at Tong Tianshu, musing, "I think his mind has been damaged. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been fooled so easily."

Li Yubing shook her head. "That's not necessarily true. The smarter one is, the harder it is to become a Grandmaster; their minds are too cluttered, unable to achieve perfect purity."

Li Muzhan laughed. "Are we two simple-minded, then?"

Li Yubing pursed her lips and smiled. "I suppose that's true. But it's not that his mind is insufficient; it's that you are too cunning. If it were me, I would have fallen for it too. Your prior provocations and deceptions led to that final strike—a killing blow no one could guard against!"

Li Muzhan insisted, "I believe something went wrong with his Divine Possession Technique cultivation, causing mental degradation. That is why he is so desperately trying to destroy the sacred artifact. Moreover, there might be something here that can control him."

"We'll find out what it is. Can you break this formation?" Li Yubing asked.

Li Muzhan replied, "I can only try. The formation is arranged with exquisite sophistication and is drawing power from the sacred artifact. It will take several days to undo."

"No rush. Let's kill Tong Tianshu first!" Li Yubing urged.

Li Muzhan estimated, "About one night should suffice."

"Then let's have a good look around and see what treasures are actually here," Li Yubing suggested with a smile.

Li Muzhan nodded in agreement, and the two began searching from east to west, north to south, carefully avoiding the Hall of the Divine Protector—it exuded an eerie aura best left undisturbed.

They scoured the area, searching almost the entire valley.

They found nothing of note and eventually returned to the Hall of the Divine Protector, shaking their heads in resignation.

"This doesn't feel right. It's impossible for there to be nothing," Li Yubing sat on the couch, perplexed. "The massive Heavenly Dao Alliance, once at its peak, how could it have nothing left?"

Li Muzhan wondered aloud, "Could someone have moved the contents?"

"Unlikely, isn't it?" Li Yubing shook her head. "Look at Tong Tianshu's state; could he let anyone leave? He would certainly drag someone down with him!"

Li Muzhan paused, his gaze sweeping through the Hall of the Divine Protector, finally settling on the crimson lacquered pillars in the east.

There were six such pillars in the hall, each as thick as a man could hug, yet still appearing as fresh and vivid crimson as the day they were finished, despite the passage of time.

He approached a pillar, examining it from top to bottom. It bore no carvings, perfectly smooth and round. It must have been crafted by a supreme master in the past.

"What is it?" Li Yubing approached, observing with curiosity.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head, slowly reaching out to feel the pillar. He traced from the middle downwards, then slowly moved upward, using his lightness skill to adhere to the column like a gecko, climbing slowly.

Finally, he shook his head and drifted down. Li Yubing asked, "Did you find anything?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, then suddenly stamped his foot heavily onto the pillar. With a muffled boom, a black hole suddenly opened at their feet.

"It really is here!" Li Muzhan exclaimed in admiration.

Li Yubing pursed her lips and smiled. "How did you discover it?"

Li Muzhan laughed. "I have a bit of experience. People generally share similar ideas when hiding things—they're usually nearby."

He was richly experienced in finding hidden caches, and furthermore, his hands were sensitive enough to detect lingering traces of human presence.

"I wonder what treasures lie below. Shall we take a look?" Li Yubing suggested cheerfully.

Li Muzhan nodded, and the two floated down into the black hole, landing on a stone staircase. About twenty steps descended diagonally below them, illuminated by luminous night-pearls hanging overhead. They could see a wide, flat expanse beneath the steps, much lower than their current position—far higher than an ordinary roof, nearly as high as the Hall of the Divine Protector outside. Anyone standing below would feel insignificant.

The scale of this lower area matched the one above; perhaps this was the true Hall of the Divine Protector. The two exchanged a look and slowly began their descent, mindful of potential traps.

Fortunately, whether the Heavenly Dao Alliance members were too confident or their mechanisms had failed, they reached the bottom of the steps safely without triggering anything.

"So many treasures!" Li Yubing exclaimed, looking at the weapons placed sporadically around the area, a dazzling display before her eyes.

The vast hall contained over twenty weapon racks, each holding a single piece: swords, blades, spears, and bows.

Li Muzhan and Li Yubing stopped before the foremost rack, upon which rested a longsword, ancient and magnificent, instantly capturing both their attention.

Li Muzhan extended his hand, but Li Yubing was quicker, picking up the longsword with a slight smile. She drew it with a gentle pull, and an intense chill immediately washed over them.

The blade felt smooth and radiant, as if carved from ice, and the cold emanating from it was exceptionally potent—distinct from mere killing intent or malevolent energy; it was pure, unadulterated cold.

As the sword was drawn, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop slightly. Li Muzhan studied it intently. "I recall hearing of a type of rare sword forged from Nine Nether Ice Essence."

"Indeed. This is the Ice Essence Divine Sword!" Li Yubing nodded, smiling brightly. "We agreed, this sword is mine! Don't even think about snatching it!"

Li Muzhan chuckled. "The Palace Mistress's core technique is supremely Yin and cold. Paired with this sword, it truly adds wings to a tiger. Congratulations!"

"I won't be using this sword; it's for my disciple," Li Yubing said with a smile. "Her current cultivation level is still insufficient. With this sword, she will at least have a sliver of ability to protect herself."

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow slightly and laughed. "Your disciple?"

"You haven't met her. She was out undergoing trials when the last incident occurred," Li Yubing explained cheerfully.

Li Muzhan smiled. "It seems this disciple has achieved considerable success; the Palace Mistress can't stop smiling!"

Li Yubing beamed. "My disciple has potential comparable to your senior martial sister. If things go well, she could also become a Grandmaster in the future!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "Then I must offer my congratulations!"

"However, you brat had better not meet her!" Li Yubing warned with a huff.

Li Muzhan rubbed his nose. "Palace Mistress, here we go again!"

On the journey to the Heavenly Dao Alliance, Li Yubing had frequently teased him about this matter, calling him a lecher and insisting that once men gain ability, they become restless and start gathering more women.

"I don't want Xin'er to get hurt," Li Yubing stated firmly.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I hardly possess such grand capabilities, Palace Mistress worries too much!"

"Women are drawn to capable men. You, though your appearance isn't striking, are a Grandmaster at such a young age—a rarity in this world. That naturally holds a fatal attraction for women," Li Yubing sniffed. "The more proud and aloof a woman is, the less she can resist."

Li Muzhan rubbed his nose, shaking his head with a smile. "The Palace Mistress truly overpraises me."

"Praise or not, you are forbidden from even looking at Xin'er!" Li Yubing insisted.

Li Muzhan nodded. "Yes, I promise."

"It would be best if you two never met," Li Yubing concluded.

Li Muzhan laughed. "Must it be so extreme? I'm quite curious what the Palace Mistress's disciple looks like."

Li Yubing snorted. "You'd better rein in your heart. If you make your senior martial sister sad again, I won't stand by and will enact heavenly justice for her!"

Li Muzhan asked, "And how will you enact heavenly justice?"

"By removing your source of trouble!" Li Yubing glanced at him playfully.

Li Muzhan instantly felt a chill course through him and quickly nodded. "Right, right. Let's talk about something else. I'll look for some things too."

He moved to another weapon rack nearby, picked up a sword that looked utterly plain, and drew it. It gave off a dull sheen, but when Li Muzhan flicked it lightly, it rang out with a sound like a dragon's cry—Zheng.

Li Muzhan praised it. "A fine sword!"

However, he was hardly dependent on weapons anymore. After a brief look, he set it down. The women accompanying him all possessed excellent weapons; there was no need to change. Moreover, weapons carried for a long time become imbued with the owner's aura, almost gaining a life of their own, making frequent replacements inadvisable.

He approached a long saber. The scabbard was archaic, but when he drew the blade, it was clear as a mirror, unlike common blades. Unfortunately, he didn't need a saber; Leng Chaoyun of the Floating Cloud Palace already had a precious saber and wouldn't need him to deliver one.

After some thought, Li Muzhan shook his head; these items were of little use to him. He turned and smiled. "Palace Mistress Li, if you like any of these, please take them."

"These are all treasures, and you don't value them?" Li Yubing said, surprised.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "They are of no use to me."

"Forget it, let's split them fifty-fifty," Li Yubing conceded, shaking her head. "You truly are a spendthrift! Your disciples would advance greatly with these!"

Li Muzhan countered, "Relying on external objects is ultimately not the true path. Developing such a habit is detrimental."

"Yes, that's true," Li Yubing agreed. "I will control usage—the true wonder lies in the heart; if used well, any item can unleash its power."

Li Muzhan smiled. "Very well, Palace Mistress, feel free to choose. I'll take what remains."

Li Yubing smiled back. "You are quite generous. Then I won't be polite!"

After inspecting the weapons, they searched around again but found nothing else. Li Yubing shook her head in slight disappointment. Li Muzhan smiled. "Is the Sect Master searching for martial arts manuals?"

"Yes!" Li Yubing confirmed. "The martial arts of the Heavenly Dao Alliance are supreme under heaven. In their heyday, they must have amassed countless martial arts scrolls."

Li Muzhan smiled. "Does the Mo Li Palace lack martial arts manuals?"

Li Yubing shot him a look. "You still don't understand? Teaching must be tailored to aptitude. Every person's innate talent differs, and progress practicing the same martial art varies. Instruction should be bespoke."

"That is true," Li Muzhan nodded, then added, "But surely the Mo Li Palace has already collected quite a number of martial arts, enough for your needs?"

"Of course, the more manuals the better," Li Yubing countered. "The first few Patriarchs collected a great deal, and as a successor, I cannot just rely on their legacy; I must also strive to gather more."

Li Muzhan smiled. "Alright then. Let's check over there."

"You found something?" Li Yubing's bright eyes lit up.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Just a guess. I haven't found anything yet. Let's go take a look."

"Quickly, quickly," Li Yubing urged.

The two left the armory. The stone slab closed automatically, leaving no trace of it being a secret passage. More crucially, the slab was incredibly thick; even striking it would be useless.

Li Muzhan approached the pillar on the west side and delivered a heavy kick. Instantly, another black hole appeared. Li Yubing was overjoyed and floated down into it immediately.

"Chh-chh-chh..." A volley of arrows shot out. Li Yubing swept her sleeves, and the incoming arrows fell to the ground, flashing with blue brilliance.

Li Muzhan let out a breath, chastising her mildly. "Palace Mistress, be careful!"

Li Yubing stuck out her tongue and laughed. "I lost my composure. Let's go down slowly; are there more traps?"

Li Muzhan noted, "It seems the Heavenly Dao Alliance valued their manuals even more highly. There might be something significant here."

"I'd like to see what kind of traps they set," Li Yubing huffed rebelliously.

She drifted down, and Li Muzhan followed closely. They could look out for each other, and with two Grandmasters working together, even the strongest traps could likely be broken.

Regrettably, the divine statues here exerted an intangible power, almost as potent as sacred artifacts, completely suppressing their spirits and preventing the full deployment of their Grandmaster abilities. Furthermore, a sacred artifact was nearby. Under this dual pressure, both felt intensely uncomfortable, forced to constantly fight against the immense load.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang..." Streams of crossbow bolts fired, immediately shattered by Li Yubing's fierce strikes. She was hitting them with full force, pulverizing the bolts and anything else in their path.

Seeing her actions, Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. Though this consumed energy, the effect was quite good. They quickly descended the stairs to the open ground below.

The architecture and layout here mirrored the armory, but the weapon racks had been replaced by rows of bookshelves. Li Yubing approached one shelf, pulled out a book, and after scanning a few lines, erupted in joy. "These are genuine manuals!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "We really struck gold this time!"

"Excellent, excellent!" Li Yubing pulled out several more books, flipping through them one by one, admiring, "These are all extraordinary, profound skills—rare finds!"

Li Muzhan asked, "Can't they all be Grandmaster martial arts?"

"How could there be so many Grandmaster martial arts?!" Li Yubing glared at him. "You are being too greedy! We should thank the heavens if even a few of these books contain Grandmaster techniques!"

Li Muzhan walked to another row of shelves, pulled out a few books to examine, and nodded with a smile. "They do indeed contain unique insights—but most are incomplete fragments."

"The complete ones are true treasures!" Li Yubing stared at the rows of scrolls, her eyes shining, praising, "Zhanran, we have excellent luck!"

Li Muzhan nodded. "Palace Mistress, how do you plan to deal with these?"

"Take them all, of course!" Li Yubing replied without hesitation.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Fifty-fifty split?"

"Hmm... Fifty-fifty, and then we dispatch people to copy the other half, how about that?" Li Yubing suggested.

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Couldn't be better!"

Li Yubing pursed her lips and smiled. "In truth, I'm gaining the advantage here. I owe you a favor!"

Li Muzhan noted, "Alright, I'll remember that. Let's go through them first, pull out the Grandmaster martial arts, copy those immediately, and then let the disciples copy the rest later."

"Good idea," Li Yubing agreed.

The two then set to work, carefully examining every scroll. Their spirits were strong; they looked through an entire night without feeling tired, only growing more excited and invigorated. (To be continued)