“Why the sudden pause?” Li Yubing asked, then pursed her lips into a smile, “Oh, Zhanran, are you trying to avoid suspicion?”
Li Muzhan chuckled, “Palace Mistress, you mistake my intentions. Miss Li is currently at a peak period of vigorous progress in her martial arts. Cultivating formations is too mentally taxing and might delay her martial progress. Wouldn't that be losing the greater advantage for the lesser? Mo Li Palace prioritizes martial arts, doesn't it?”
“That does hold a modicum of sense.” Li Yubing nodded slowly.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Give it a few years, once her martial arts plateau, she can switch to formations. Stones from other mountains can polish one’s own jade; perhaps there will be unexpected gains.”
“Hmm, sound reasoning.” Li Yubing smiled, turning to Xu Suxin, “Xin’er, what do you think?”
“I follow my Master’s word,” Xu Suxin replied with a slight smile.
Li Yubing pondered for a moment, then shook her head, “Forget it, let’s follow Zhanran’s advice. For now, let’s forego the formations. It won’t be too late to study them later.”
Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief, chuckling, “The Palace Mistress is wise.”
“No, you are the wise one!” Li Yubing waved her hand, smiling as she appraised him. Li Muzhan touched his face, “Is there something amiss with me?”
Li Yubing laughed, “Well, Zhanran, I misjudged you!”
Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile, “Please, Palace Mistress, stop teasing me! In a few days, I’ll have my senior brothers come over, and then we can all head to the Heavenly Dao Alliance valley, how about that?”
“That would be best,” Li Yubing nodded. “What will you be doing these next few days?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “I need to enter seclusion. The injuries I sustained this time were quite severe; rooting them out requires careful recuperation. I cannot afford to be careless.”
“Yes, that’s true. Spiritual damage is no minor matter,” Li Yubing agreed, nodding, and smiled, “How about you seclude yourself here? I shall guard you!”
Li Muzhan shook his head, smiling, “I dare not trouble the Palace Mistress with such a task. Returning to the sect will suffice.”
Li Yubing asked, “How long will your seclusion last?”
Li Muzhan shook his head, “It depends on when my injuries fully heal. I can’t say for certain now. Once I emerge, I will certainly pay a visit.”
Li Yubing said, “You don’t need my help? Don’t be polite with me.”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Not for the time being. Although this injury is tenacious, I believe I can treat it. If all else fails, I will seek out the Palace Mistress. I must take my leave now!”
“Very well,” Li Yubing nodded.
Li Muzhan offered Xu Suxin a smile, then abruptly vanished.
Xu Suxin asked, “Master, I truly won’t study formations? It’s such a rare opportunity!”
Li Yubing smiled sweetly, “You wish to cultivate formations?”
“Yes. I hear formations are vast and profound, possessing immense power,” Xu Suxin confirmed, nodding.
Li Yubing sighed, “That is not so easily achieved!”
Xu Suxin asserted, “He achieved such a level at such a young age; I can do it too.”
Li Yubing scrutinized her for a moment, then chuckled and shook her head, “You, girl, your competitive streak is still so strong. Surpassing him will not be easy!”
“Master, who says women are inferior to men? If he can do it, I can too,” Xu Suxin declared.
Li Yubing laughed, “He is now a Grandmaster; you believe you can match that?”
Xu Suxin nodded forcefully, “I can!”
Li Yubing shook her head with a soft laugh, “You, so young, and everything has gone smoothly for you; you don’t know the hardships of the world. Becoming a Grandmaster isn't so simple, otherwise, there wouldn't be only a handful in the world... Furthermore, his ascent to Grandmaster involved an element of luck. Even if your talent equals his, what good is it if your fortune does not?”
“If fortune falls short, effort can compensate!” Xu Suxin retorted.
Li Yubing let out a laugh, “You stubborn girl. Some things cannot be compensated for by effort alone; they are beyond human reach, determined by Heaven’s will.”
“Master, I have never believed in Heaven’s will!” Xu Suxin shook her head.
Li Yubing smiled, “Girl, the day you start believing in Heaven’s will is likely the day you’ll come close to stepping into the realm of Grandmaster!”
“Heaven’s will…” Xu Suxin pondered, then sneered coldly, unconvinced.
Li Yubing saw her reaction and felt a sense of resignation. Her resolute conviction brought her remarkable achievements, but the very same stubborn faith made her impervious to external influences, hardening her beliefs and obstructing her path to Grandmaster.
Life rarely allows for perfect balance. As a Grandmaster herself, Li Yubing viewed this with detachment. While the path to Grandmaster certainly demanded strenuous effort, Heaven’s will was the crucial factor—and Heaven’s decree is beyond mortal intervention.
Li Muzhan first returned to Floating Cloud Mountain, a place he hadn’t visited for some time.
When he materialized, Leng Chaoyun was slowly practicing her fist forms. Her movements were gentle, flowing like running water, resembling the Tai Chi of later ages but far more refined and subtle. The surrounding vital energy followed her movements as if a soft breeze supported her motions. A robe of red gauze veiled her graceful figure, yet her movements subtly revealed its contours, enchantingly alluring.
A veil of red gauze covered her face, leaving only her eyes and brows visible. Her bright eyes shimmered like autumn water, and her brows were like distant ink mountains.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Palace Mistress Leng.”
Leng Chaoyun inclined her head slightly, her movements uninterrupted, her expression distant as she remained silent. She didn't inquire why he hadn’t visited, acting as if his presence or absence was irrelevant to her—she was utterly unconcerned.
Li Muzhan shook his head; being ignored was a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time.
Leng Chaoyun’s movements slowed, and only after a considerable while did she cease. Li Muzhan applauded lightly, “A fine set of forms. Might I ask the name of this style?”
“Cloud Transformation Fist,” Leng Chaoyun glanced at him, “Do you wish to learn?”
Li Muzhan shook his head, smiling, “I think I’ll pass. How have you been these past few days, Palace Mistress Leng?”
“Everything remains as before.” Leng Chaoyun moved her lotus-like steps toward the main hall. Her red gauze robe billowed softly, and Li Muzhan followed closely behind. Upon entering the hall, Li Muzhan took a seat without waiting for an invitation.
Leng Chaoyun turned back, glanced at him, and frowned lightly, “Is there something else?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Nothing much. It’s been a few days since we last met, so I specifically came to check on the Palace Mistress.”
“No need to trouble yourself. If there is nothing urgent, you should attend to your own affairs,” Leng Chaoyun stated.
Li Muzhan stood up with a sense of resignation, smiling, “Very well then, I shall not disturb Palace Mistress Leng further. I plan to enter seclusion for a while, so I won’t be able to visit for some time.”
Leng Chaoyun frowned deeply, “Seclusion?”
Li Muzhan nodded, “Yes. I sustained a minor injury and require a period of deep recuperation.”
Leng Chaoyun examined him up and down, “You are injured?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Can the Palace Mistress tell?”
Leng Chaoyun shook her head, “I cannot discern it.”
Li Muzhan explained, “I suffered a spiritual injury—damage to my shen (spirit/soul). It is quite troublesome and requires long, quiet recuperation. It’s uncertain if it can be fully healed.”
“Spiritual injury, then…” Leng Chaoyun mused, “The method to repair spiritual damage should be within your Sword Control Scripture, right?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Yes, there are indeed methods for repairing spiritual injury, but they require quiet conditioning; there is no other shortcut.”
“Then you should focus on your seclusion,” Leng Chaoyun advised.
Li Muzhan clasped his hands in farewell and flashed away in an instant. Leng Chaoyun watched the spot where he vanished. Quietly, Li Muzhan sat on the couch, his eyes narrowed, reflecting on everything that transpired in the Heavenly Dao Alliance's original valley, especially Tong Tianshu’s final strike.
He had escaped the Heavenly Mandate God-Slaying Formation by means of his primordial spirit fleeing the array, but even that had resulted in injury. The Heavenly Mandate God-Slaying Formation lived up to its formidable reputation; it bound not only the physical body but also affected the primordial spirit.
However, it was unfortunate that he had only obtained an incomplete version of the formation. When he supplemented it himself, he focused primarily on the physical aspects, neglecting the spiritual implications. Thus, while the formation’s physical power seemed restored, its spiritual potency had not fully recovered. The road to full restoration was long, yet even in its current state, it had harmed his primordial spirit.
When Li Muzhan dueled Tong Tianshu in spiritual power, his own spirit had become refined and solidified, almost tangible. Tong Tianshu’s primordial spirit was somewhat inferior; though formidable, its degree of solidification was far less than Li Muzhan’s.
If Li Yubing had not made the mistake of moving him into the Heavenly God Palace, thereby nourishing and strengthening Tong Tianshu’s primordial spirit, Li Muzhan would have destroyed Tong Tianshu much sooner.
During the fierce confrontation with Tong Tianshu, he glimpsed a portion of Tong Tianshu’s memories, which included the Heaven Mending Art—a technique for devouring the essence, vitality, and spirit.
Li Muzhan executed it once, consuming Tong Tianshu’s primordial spirit, as if reliving Tong Tianshu’s life and inheriting everything he possessed. From his memories, Li Muzhan learned of his experiences and why he ended up trapped in the Heavenly Dao Valley in such a tragic state.
It was all the fault of the Heaven Mending Art. Tong Tianshu continuously devoured the spirits of others to strengthen himself—a secret technique he had stumbled upon, believed to be the only path for a Grandmaster to cultivate. He treasured it as a rare jewel and practiced ceaselessly, unknowingly consuming the primordial spirits of many individuals.
As a result, when he subsequently practiced the Heavenly God Possession Art, his primordial spirit became mixed and impure, allowing the Heavenly God essence to take advantage and nearly seize control of his consciousness, making him deviate from the norm.
The Grand Formation Master of the Heavenly Dao Alliance noticed his abnormality and warned the Alliance Leader. The Leader dispatched experts to deal with him, but they were defeated by Tong Tianshu, who then killed them and consumed their primordial spirits, growing ever stronger. However, this Tong Tianshu was no longer the original; the Heavenly God’s primordial spirit was subtly attached to him.
The Grand Formation Master, Lin Bing, sensing the danger, deployed his ultimate weapon: a relic to suppress Tong Tianshu, then trapped him using the formation. Alas, Lin Bing also perished from the effort, having exhausted his lifeblood. Most of the Heavenly Dao Alliance disciples managed to escape but were unable to re-enter the valley—a futile predicament.
As for what happened afterward, Tong Tianshu knew nothing, and Li Muzhan could only speculate. The Heavenly Dao Alliance was not annihilated, yet it vanished for so long; surely a major event must have occurred, making it difficult to fathom.
It was only when Li Muzhan and Li Yubing broke through the formation and entered the valley that Tong Tianshu thought he saw an opportunity, only to stumble and fail at the last hurdle, ultimately benefiting Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan let out an appreciative sound. He had indeed found a treasure, but the treasure was not the secret manuals or divine weapons within the valley—it was Tong Tianshu’s primordial spirit. He now possessed the lived experience of another Grandmaster, which he could contrast with his own to summarize the inherent rules of the Grandmaster realm.
This Heaven Mending Art was truly too potent and too susceptible to celestial retribution. It had only one constraint: it could not devour living people; consumption was only possible after the primordial spirit had already departed the body. Even so, it was terrifyingly powerful. Li Muzhan sighed; he needed to heed the lesson and never let anyone discover his secret, lest he meet the same end as Tong Tianshu.