Yi Xingzhi cursed crossly, "You ungrateful brat, blaming me? Didn't I give you a heads-up?" Besides, how was I supposed to know she would suddenly strike out like that!"

Li Muzhan countered, "Isn't this the Madam employing a strategy of offense as defense? She never truly agreed to my arrangement with Yulan, perhaps only yielding after the Sect Master’s persistent pleading, leading her to pull this stunt?"

"Mmm…" Yi Xingzhi pondered, slowly nodding, "That’s highly possible!"

Gu Hengdi chuckled, "You both make the Madam sound far too complex. In my opinion, the Madam wouldn't have thought up this scheme."

"She wouldn't have thought of this scheme," Yi Xingzhi laughed, nodding, "She always says precisely what’s on her mind, never beating around the bush, much less devising intricate plans."

"Then there must be someone else involved," Li Muzhan smiled.

"Someone else?" Gu Hengdi smiled quizzically, "Surely not Miss Hai?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "She wouldn't resort to such tactics."

She could actually sense Hai Yulan’s internal conflict; she wanted to speak, but feared the words would damage their bond and force a final resolution.

Her affection ran too deep, making her excessively anxious about loss, so she lacked the courage to say more. This filled Li Muzhan with pity and guilt, and he dared not press the matter either.

His feelings for Song Shuhua were also profound, and he would never abandon her; thus, he remained conflicted, hoping that if he simply stalled, time would eventually bring about a natural conclusion.

That thought was quite lovely, yet fate was contrary; Fu Feihong was now pushing for the marriage, and refusing would lead to an unenviable outcome.

But he absolutely would not agree. If he did, the fragile truce he had just established with Yulan would plummet, plunging their situation back into an icy valley.

Thinking of this, he shook his head again with a sigh of helplessness.

Yi Xingzhi frowned, "Could it be Sect Master Zhao?"

Li Muzhan nodded slowly, "That is highly likely! What do you think, Sect Master?"

"Yes, very possible!" Yi Xingzhi nodded, then shook his head with a wry smile, "This Sect Master Zhao is proving too difficult; her methods are endless and impossible to defend against, yet we are in a position where we can hardly complain!"

Li Muzhan agreed, "... That’s why the Sect Master shouldn't have agreed to her terms. Rather than letting the Madam block it, I would have preferred confronting Sect Master Zhao; at least I know how to handle her."

"Wuji, don't act rashly!" Yi Xingzhi hastily waved his hands, "The Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect isn't easily bullied. Their lineage-guarding sword technique, the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword, is no joke; it genuinely possesses the power to execute a Grandmaster!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "I have experienced it once; its power is indeed boundless."

Yi Xingzhi continued, "With the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword, she can handle you. The last time you went, it was before relations completely severed. If you go again, she won't be polite!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "I would actually like to witness the genuine Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword."

"You truly are something, this boy..." Yi Xingzhi shook his head, "The Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword once truly slew a Grandmaster, which is why the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, despite lacking a current Grandmaster, still maintains its standing!"

Li Muzhan's eyebrows shot up, "It truly killed a Grandmaster?"

"Yes, that was a century ago," Yi Xingzhi nodded, "That’s why everyone holds the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect in considerable awe."

Li Muzhan remarked, "This is the first time I’ve heard of that."

Yi Xingzhi shook his head, "Don't assume Sect Master Zhao is easy to cross. If she truly loses her temper and unleashes the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword recklessly, you won't come out unscathed!"

Gu Hengdi quickly nodded in agreement, "Exactly, exactly! Wuji, don't cause trouble!"

Li Muzhan smiled without speaking, but his curiosity deepened. His cultivation had advanced significantly this time, though others couldn't perceive it; only a Grandmaster could truly sense such a shift.

Yi Xingzhi and Gu Hengdi perceived Li Muzhan as an ocean—vast and inscrutable—making it impossible to truly gauge his strength. Even after Li Muzhan grew stronger, their perception remained the same: unfathomably deep.

This leap in progress made Li Muzhan eager to test his mettle against the genuine Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword.

Seeing his demeanor, Yi Xingzhi frowned, "Wuji, you are absolutely forbidden from going to bother Sect Master Zhao! That woman is too formidable; she might truly be waiting with her blade sharpened. Your previous strategic retreats have made you appear relentlessly aggressive, forcing her hand to deploy her ultimate weapon. Even if she actually killed you, she wouldn't face much moral condemnation."

Li Muzhan laughed, "It seems Sect Master Zhao has refrained from killing me because we have another Grandmaster. Otherwise, she would have acted long ago."

Yi Xingzhi slowly nodded, "That statement holds some truth."

Gu Hengdi frowned, "Sect Master, does she really have the nerve to kill a Grandmaster?"

Yi Xingzhi nodded, "Once you women are truly fierce, who can predict anything?"

Gu Hengdi worried, "If she truly kills Wuji, then our two sects will become mortal enemies, destined to annihilate the other!"

Yi Xingzhi shook his head with a wry smile, "If she could truly kill Wuji, why would she fear us? But she probably isn't certain. Last time was a probe to gauge Wuji's depth; I don't know if she succeeded."

Li Muzhan furrowed his brow, pondering, then smiled, "This is genuinely interesting. Sect Master, I must pay Sect Master Zhao a visit!"

Yi Xingzhi frowned, "Wuji, are you confident you can break their Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword?"

Li Muzhan replied, "The terrifying aspect of the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword lies in its integration. As long as one understands their vulnerabilities and prevents them from coalescing as one, it is not difficult to break."

Yi Xingzhi shook his head, "If it could be broken that simply, it wouldn't be called the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword. It’s useless. The disciples of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect need only a thought, and their sword intent erupts through the air, capable of fusing even from great distances. Within a certain radius, they can bypass distance limitations."

Li Muzhan's brow twitched slightly, and he smiled, "There is such subtle mystery to it?"

"A sword technique capable of slaying a Grandmaster cannot be ordinary," Yi Xingzhi sighed.

Li Muzhan asked, "Sect Master, which faction did the Grandmaster they killed originally belong to?"

"A sect that is now extinct—the Spring Breeze Sect," Yi Xingzhi replied.

"Spring Breeze Sect..." Li Muzhan thought for a moment, shaking his head, "I don't recall hearing of that sect."

Yi Xingzhi explained, "After that sect vanished, everyone preferred not to mention it, so very few people know about it."

Li Muzhan pressed, "Why was no one allowed to mention it?"

Yi Xingzhi sighed heavily, "Their cultivation method was too heretical."

Li Muzhan became even more curious and smiled, "Sect Master, just tell me everything at once, why be so secretive?"

Yi Xingzhi glanced at Gu Hengdi and offered a wry smile, "Their cultivation method was a Dual Cultivation technique."

Li Muzhan let out a light laugh, and Gu Hengdi flushed and huffed, "Shameless!"

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Master, that’s prejudice. Dual Cultivation methods possess unique wonders—but they demand an exceptionally high level of mental fortitude, requiring one to perceive desire without yielding to it, which is nearly superhuman. The Spring Breeze Sect must have had a unique method, correct?"

Yi Xingzhi nodded and sighed, "Yes, that's right. The Spring Breeze Sect's cultivation method was extremely profound, an ancient lineage passed down from the Great Dao, ultimately achieving one Grandmaster... But this Grandmaster coveted the disciples of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect as cauldrons, enraging the Sect Master of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect of that generation. In her fury, she personally executed the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword and slew that Grandmaster."

Li Muzhan stated, "That Sect Master was justified in taking lethal action. The Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect consists only of female disciples, and their unique techniques make them exceptionally fine cauldrons... To the Spring Breeze Sect, the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect was the largest piece of fat meat available; how could they resist devouring it? This was a fight for survival between sects, so after killing the Grandmaster, did they proceed to annihilate the Spring Breeze Sect?"

Yi Xingzhi shook his head, "Not exactly. The Spring Breeze Sect, upon learning of their Grandmaster's death, attacked the mountain in outrage, only to be completely routed on Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Mountain. The Spring Breeze Sect was consequently wiped out."

Li Muzhan mused briefly, then nodded, "The Spring Breeze Sect miscalculated their strategy. They assumed that having killed a Grandmaster, the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect must have suffered grievous losses, as killing a Grandmaster is no easy feat. They intended to strike while the iron was hot, but instead walked into a trap."

"Precisely so," Yi Xingzhi nodded, sighing, "This shows the might of the Great Luo Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword. After slaying one Grandmaster, it was still able to launch a subsequent attack and destroy the invading enemy. The Spring Breeze Sect was also a top-tier sect, only slightly inferior to our Cloud Soaring Sect, yet they met such an end."

Li Muzhan frowned, thinking, "Sect Master, since the Spring Breeze Sect was destroyed, their lineage must have fallen into the hands of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, am I correct?"

Yi Xingzhi shook his head, "Most people estimate that, but no one knows for sure now. I suspect only those within the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect truly know."

Li Muzhan smiled, "The Sect Master doesn't know either?"

"How could I possibly know?" Yi Xingzhi laughed.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Ask the Madam, then. Since the Madam is a disciple of the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect, she should know."

"How could I ask her about that!" Yi Xingzhi shook his head, laughing sheepishly, "Besides, I've forgotten that detail myself. If you hadn't brought it up, I wouldn't have remembered."

Li Muzhan suggested, "It’s possible it did fall into the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden Sect’s possession, but since that cultivation method is unfavorable to their female disciples, perhaps they sealed it away, or maybe even destroyed it."

"Yes, that's highly probable," Yi Xingzhi nodded, "That lineage was too extreme; it’s better if it was destroyed."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Dual Cultivation techniques aren't inherently sinister; they align with the Great Dao—it merely depends on how they are used. It's a pity about that Grandmaster."

Gu Hengdi stared intently at Li Muzhan, causing him to touch his own cheek, unsure why.

Gu Hengdi huffed, "Wuji, you sound quite knowledgeable about Dual Cultivation methods. Have you practiced them?"

Li Muzhan hastily waved his hands and laughed, "Master, what are you implying!"

Gu Hengdi glared suspiciously and huffed, "Hearing you speak like that, I’d say you have practiced Dual Cultivation. Go on, it’s fine; you’re already a Grandmaster!"

Li Muzhan quickly shook his head, "Master has misunderstood. I have studied Dual Cultivation methods, but I have never cultivated them. Please rest assured, Master!"

"You truly haven't cultivated them?" Gu Hengdi stared hard into his eyes.

Li Muzhan nodded vigorously, "Of course."

He inwardly sighed; he hadn't practiced them in this world, but he had in his original one. Thinking of that, he realized it had been a while since he returned. He had been communicating through the Limitless Brightness Heart Sutra; perhaps it was time to go back for a while.

"Sect Master, where was the Spring Breeze Sect located?" Li Muzhan inquired.

Yi Xingzhi smiled, "What, are you planning to examine it like the Heavenly Dao Alliance, hoping to find something left behind?"

Li Muzhan nodded and smiled, "Perhaps there will be a pleasant surprise."

Gu Hengdi retorted unhappily, "Are you hoping to acquire their Dual Cultivation methods?"

Li Muzhan laughed, "Master misunderstands. The Spring Breeze Sect was so powerful, they likely had substantial collections. Take the Heavenly Dao Alliance; so many secret manuals were from other factions, yet none were their own internal techniques."

Gu Hengdi’s expression softened, and she nodded, "That is true."

Yi Xingzhi offered, "Since you have the leisure, I'll look it up for you. We have records concerning the Spring Breeze Sect’s location within the sect archives, stored on dedicated scrolls."

He turned and entered a side door next to the main hall, returning shortly with a yellowed silk scroll in hand. He handed it to Li Muzhan, smiling, "Take a look; everything is inside."

Li Muzhan carefully took the scroll and slowly unrolled it. Inside were densely packed small characters and several diagrams. Some depicted portraits of people executing specific moves, while others were maps.

Li Muzhan examined it thoroughly and smiled, "Sect Master, Master, there really is an old site marked."

Yi Xingzhi cautioned, "Don't get your hopes up too high. So many years have passed; if anything was truly findable, someone would have discovered it already! The Heavenly Dao Alliance was hidden deep in the wilderness, and their movements were secret, so no one knew their lair. The Spring Breeze Sect is different."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Rest assured, Sect Master. I'm just amusing myself because I'm bored."

"Fine, do as you wish. How many men do you want to recruit for the Heavenly Dao Alliance?" Yi Xingzhi asked with a helpless smile.

Li Muzhan replied, "Ten would be best... I'll ask my Senior Sister to help find the personnel."

"Mmm, Mingxue carries significant prestige and is well-liked; she'll certainly find the people," Yi Xingzhi nodded, "Then I won't concern myself further, only awaiting the secret manuals."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Sect Master, rest assured, I will handle it properly!"

"That's good. Since you have a good relationship with Palace Master Li, there shouldn't be any issues," Yi Xingzhi smiled, "Wuji, Palace Master Li is not someone ordinary people can meet; she is quite mysterious. I only managed an audience thanks to your connection."

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Be careful those words don't reach the Madam's ears!"

Yi Xingzhi's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly glanced toward the main entrance before huffing, "Nonsense! I don't have such intentions. Do you think everyone is like you?!"

Li Muzhan rubbed the bridge of his nose with a look of resignation, "Sect Master, please let that topic drop!"

Yi Xingzhi snorted, "I think you shouldn't drag things out any longer either. Just make a clean cut; decide your path soon, or you might end up losing everything!"

Hearing this, Li Muzhan felt a headache coming on and hastily excused himself.

Holding the scroll, he pondered for a moment, then vanished with a flicker, leaving the Cloud Soaring Sect. He moved swiftly, following the direction marked on the scroll.

The map marked on the scroll actually indicated a mountain, but it was a mountain situated near a colossal city, not far removed from human habitation and the secular world like the Heavenly Dao Alliance's remote location.

"Juguang City," Li Muzhan looked up, assessing the immense city. Its imposing grandeur was in no way inferior to Tianjing City. (To be continued)