The expanse of Da Li was truly boundless, an undeniable truth, yet Li Muzhan had never before heard of or seen such a colossal city.

This was Juguang City, located in the east of Da Li. It was said to be an ancient city, and judging by the weathered simplicity of the walls, overgrown with moss and bearing the patina of age, this claim seemed very likely to be true.

Upon seeing a city of this magnitude, Li Muzhan felt a familiar itch of curiosity, so he first entered the city to explore. He discovered the residents here to be remarkably guileless; their business dealings were simple, lacking the tendency to haggle over trifles—a satisfactory arrangement was usually sufficient.

Li Muzhan shook his head, musing that the local temperament was truly a product of the land. If these people tried to conduct business with the folk of Tianjing City, they would be ruined down to their last copper.

However, Li Muzhan was quite fond of this simple way of life. He even wished he could find a residence here, stay for a good while, and savor the tranquil atmosphere.

What he desired most was to find the Chunfeng Sect. He hoped to investigate whether any of their teachings remained, specifically seeking out cultivation techniques for dual cultivation.

He knew dual cultivation methods, but upon reviewing them carefully after arriving in this world, he realized they possessed certain flaws. They weren't top-tier methods; they even seemed inferior to the methods of a Grandmaster.

He aimed to discover a more profound technique for dual cultivation. Only then could he quickly boost the cultivation and defensive capabilities of the women from his original world.

This would finally put his mind at ease, allowing him to wander the realm without constant worry, which was precisely why the mention of the Chunfeng Sect had spurred him to rush here.

He entered through the West Gate, traversed the ancient city, and exited the East Gate, proceeding into the mountains beyond. Outside the East Gate, the mountains rose in a dense, unbroken wilderness, forming a sheer chasm that severed Juguang City from its surroundings.

These mountain ranges were perilous and towering, almost impossible for birds to cross, and scaling them presented a considerable challenge even for martial arts masters. However, rumor had it that few ever attempted the crossing.

After circling the city once, he had already made several friends. The local residents were familiar with one another, speaking without subtlety, straightforwardly stating whatever was on their minds without concealment. Li Muzhan was thus easily able to gather information.

He no longer needed to consult the scroll; it was entirely imprinted in his memory. Swiftly, following the map, he located a great mountain whose peaks soared so high they pierced the clouds, concealing the summit from view.

This mountain exhibited all four seasons: spring at the base, growing colder as one ascended until the pinnacle was enveloped in winter. Oddly, despite the current winter season, the mountain base here remained perpetually spring-like.

It was said that the mountain’s peculiar topography shielded it, maintaining a warmth akin to eternal spring, making it a truly exceptional location.

As Li Muzhan walked deeper into the mountain, he felt the air grow warmer. The Chunfeng Sect—Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow—perhaps the "Chunfeng" (Spring Wind) simply referred to this perpetual warmth, and nothing more.

If that were the case, the name Chunfeng Sect had unjustly maligned its namesake, making people assume it implied impure or inappropriate intentions.

He shook his head with a wry smile; in this world, the distinction between right and wrong was often elusive.

Arriving at the foot of the mountain, Li Muzhan looked up. He saw no clear path, only dense pine trees carpeting the slopes, their branches interwoven into an invisible net, making progress nearly impossible.

Li Muzhan ascended lightly, stepping upon the tips of the pine branches. He soon reached the middle slopes, then took a turn left, walked a li, turned right, and found himself entering a secluded valley.

The sensation of spring-like warmth washed over him. As he proceeded deeper into the valley, the warmth intensified until he finally reached the edge of a circular lake.

The lake was about ten zhang in diameter, its surface smooth as a mirror, with wisps of mist floating upon it like a gently unfurling veil of fine gauze.

Li Muzhan stepped forward a few paces to the bank, his feet sinking into the lush green grass. He bent down to test the water, finding it pleasantly warm—indeed, a hot spring.

He let out an exclamation of appreciation, surveying the surroundings. The mountain formations here were peculiar and difficult to detect from the outside. If he hadn't had the map's guidance, even reaching the valley's edge, he might never have noticed or located this spot.

Li Muzhan shook his head in wonder. This valley was a true sanctuary; it was no wonder the Chunfeng Sect established itself here. After a few glances at the lake, he turned and continued onward. Around a bend, he was faced with a sheer precipice, plunging straight up into the white clouds, its top unseen.

Dotting the cliff face were numerous caves, perhaps a hundred in total, varying in height, depth, and size.

Li Muzhan's spirit lifted. He focused his senses, examining the rock face closely, then his figure flickered, adhering to the stone wall. He ascended swiftly, seemingly floating upward, and after a while, drifted to the summit, almost brushing the clouds, arriving before one specific cave entrance.

The moment he materialized, a blast of fierce wind—Wooo—erupted from the cave, sounding like the roar of a wild beast. Li Muzhan pressed down lightly, and with a muffled Peng, he drifted backward to the cave below. Suddenly whirling, a giant serpent shot out.

Mid-air, Li Muzhan smoothly shifted sideways by a chi, narrowly evading the serpent's attack. This gray snake was peculiar; it flew in the air, twisted its body sharply, and lunged at Li Muzhan again.

Li Muzhan frowned, surprised at the tenacity of his opponent. He flicked his finger—a crisp Ding sound followed—and the serpent's body trembled before plummeting straight down.

Though its body was hard, falling from such a height smashed it into a bloody pulp, leaving no hope of survival. Li Muzhan tapped the stone wall once more and shot skyward again, flying toward the original cave.

Woooo... another strange howl echoed from the stone opening. Li Muzhan slapped out with his palm—a muffled Peng—and he flipped backward somersault in the air.

He frowned in surprise, unable to clearly discern what had attacked him, but the force was immensely powerful, possessing a soul-shaking quality—truly bizarre.

He then pressed against the rock face again, leaping upward toward the cave. He could sense that this specific cavern held some mystery, some hidden mechanism.

Woooo... another shriek, and the surging power was even stronger. Li Muzhan twisted and was thrown back again, landing near the cave beneath. A black bat flew out, incredibly fast, reaching Li Muzhan in an instant.

Li Muzhan hastily twisted to avoid it. The black bat swooped over his head and vanished instantly, but a faint, fishy odor lingered near his nostrils.

Li Muzhan's eyebrow twitched. This bat surely harbored potent venom; fortunately, he had dodged it, or he would be facing a major problem now. He found this stone wall exceedingly strange.

Li Muzhan concentrated, using his Void Eye to probe further, only to find a membrane blocking his vision, making clear sight difficult. However, as his spirit strengthened, he stabbed his focus forward like an arrow, instantly discerning the nature of the various caves.

Each cave housed some form of venomous beast—snakes, birds—none of which were benign. Getting too close would inevitably lead to a sneak attack.

Li Muzhan frowned, finally settling his attention on the cave from which the strange wind had been continuously howling. This cave seemed to stretch into an infinite abyss, its depths utterly obscured.

Even the Void Eye could not pierce its true extent. His confidence grew; this must be the gateway to what lay within. Perhaps the Chunfeng Sect resided inside this very cave.

He took a deep breath, channeled his internal energy to its peak, and flashed to the cave entrance. The Wuuuu-wu sounds of the strange gale rushed out, and a formidable power slammed into him.

This time, Li Muzhan did not retreat. His legs felt rooted into the stone, standing firm. His palms carved arcs slowly, forming a circle, diverting the incoming force.

But the power manifested ceaselessly, seemingly inexhaustible. Li Muzhan finally understood: this was indeed a true protective gale, but its force was astonishingly potent. Crossing it would not be a quick matter; it demanded powerful body-guarding skills.

Li Muzhan frowned, considering. With his current strength, he couldn't withstand the erosion of this gale. This gale was profoundly strange; once it penetrated the body, the blood and vital energy would instantly boil, as if threatening to ignite.

Li Muzhan was astonished. Given his current Great Grandmaster cultivation, coupled with his original divine body-protection technique, he should be immune to all ills. Yet, facing this bizarre wind, it was useless. His protective Gang Qi was also ineffective. The fiery essence passed right through the Gang Qi and into his body, seemingly attempting to convert his Gang Qi into its own power, almost burning Li Muzhan up—truly odd.

This was the first time Li Muzhan had encountered such an esoteric gale, and he dared not be careless. After several attempts with his palms, he finally could not sustain it and retreated along the cliff face. Looking up, he sighed in resignation. Truly, the world held wonders beyond reckoning. With this gale present, no one could possibly break through; no matter what technique one practiced, one would be helpless against it.

Those cultivating extreme Yin methods would meet disaster, their techniques ruined and their Yin power purged. Those cultivating extreme Yang methods would suffer Yang excess, burning themselves up.

This meant no one could truly counter this peculiar gale. Li Muzhan shook his head. As things stood, he had no choice but to retreat and find another opportunity to investigate later.

Still unwilling to give up, he returned to Juguang City and sought out a smithy called the "Julong Blacksmith Shop."

This shop was reputed to be the best in the city. Upon entering, he found a large workshop where three furnaces roared simultaneously, and over a dozen smiths hammered away.

Li Muzhan found the proprietor, a sturdy, muscular elder, bare-chested, with white beard and hair, yet possessing a face as dark and ruddy as a young man's.

"What did you say, honored guest?" the elder boomed.

Li Muzhan replied, "I need you to forge an iron coffin for me."

"An iron coffin?" The elder looked at him in surprise. "What do you need an iron coffin for? We don't bury people in iron coffins."

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head, "It’s not for burial. It’s actually for armor. I find the process too troublesome—measuring the body, carefully tempering it—it takes too much time, and I can't wait."

"I see..." The elder nodded. "Well, forging armor is entirely different from forging a coffin, miles apart!" "What exactly do you intend to do?"

Li Muzhan said, "I want to shield myself from the wind, to lie inside it so that no wind can penetrate."

"If no wind can get in, how will you breathe?" the elder frowned. "Don't suffocate yourself!"

Li Muzhan laughed, "That's my concern. Can you forge it, Elder?"

"To forge a completely airtight coffin, that's no problem. When do you need it?" the elder asked.

"As soon as possible."

"Alright, come back tomorrow!" the elder replied.

Li Muzhan smiled, "That would be perfect. Should I have my measurements taken?"

"No need, no need, I can tell at a glance!" the elder asked. "Should the coffin be as small as possible?"

Li Muzhan nodded, "As small as possible, the smaller the better... I have one requirement: it absolutely cannot leak a single breath of air!"

"Completely airtight?" The elder considered for a moment, then smiled. "That's certainly a peculiar request."

Li Muzhan smiled, "Can you complete it?"

"Hmm, no problem. Come pick it up tomorrow morning!" The elder nodded. "The price won't be too high, but you’ll need a deposit. No one has ever ordered something like this; if it’s finished, I won't be able to sell it!"

Li Muzhan glanced at the elder in surprise. Someone with such business acumen was probably unmatched in Juguang City, explaining why Julong Blacksmith Shop was the largest in town.

Even the merchants in the city were uniformly simple, never thinking of cheating others or acting maliciously; they trusted everyone implicitly.

Li Muzhan stayed at an inn for the night and returned early the next morning to find the iron coffin. It was the exact length of his height and utterly impenetrable, made of solid iron plates.

He stepped forward, lifted it gently, feeling its substantial weight—it was honest work. He was very satisfied; with iron plates like these blocking the way, how could the gale possibly get in?

He paid the fee and declined the elder's offer of help from the shop hands to carry it. He lifted the coffin himself and floated away lightly.

Watching Li Muzhan carry the heavy iron coffin with such ease, the elder was utterly dumbfounded.

Not far from the smithy, Li Muzhan immediately executed the Great Displacement Technique. Now that his spirit was powerful, the weight of the iron coffin posed no burden. In a flash, he was transported to the lakeside.

He looked up at the row of caves—hundreds of openings, one of which was unremarkable. Few people could truly find it, but his sharp perception had led him here.

Li Muzhan quickly regulated his breathing, opened the coffin, propped it upright, and stepped inside to stand straight, using his mental power to seal it shut.

The coffin closed together perfectly, airtight. Li Muzhan marveled at the craftsmanship; it truly didn't let a single speck of air pass.

He closed his mouth and nose, relying on cutaneous respiration. He didn't truly stop needing air, but by breathing through his skin, he could significantly slow his respiration rate, thus prolonging the time he could sustain himself.

The pitch-black coffin lifted into the air, flying up along the stone wall. It looked indescribably bizarre and terrifying; anyone witnessing it would surely faint on the spot.

Though hidden inside the coffin, Li Muzhan could see clearly through the Void Eye. In an instant, the coffin reached the stone opening—the specific cave from before.

Woooo... Even through the sealed coffin, he could sense the gale howling. But since the coffin was airtight, the fierce wind genuinely could not penetrate.

He was overjoyed. He immediately employed his Great Grandmaster essence to pilot the iron coffin inward. The deeper he went, the hotter it became. After moving about ten meters, the gale turned intensely fiery, blasting against the coffin, instantly turning it into an oven. Li Muzhan, roasting inside, couldn't endure it for long.

He piloted the iron coffin out of the cave. While still in the air, he slipped out of the coffin and lightly dropped into the lake water.

With a loud Plop, he plunged into the water, and the intense heat was instantly washed away.

When he surfaced, his face was etched with frustration. Even this tactic had failed; he was truly at a loss. After a moment of thought, he suddenly laughed.

He slowly moved his hands, causing the surrounding water surface to form a vortex, which then slowly coiled upward, forming a spherical ball of water that enveloped him.

He trod lightly upon the water's surface, his hands never ceasing their motion, the water ball rolling forward, eventually leaving the surface and ascending.

The water sphere, nearly a zhang in diameter, rotated continuously. Li Muzhan’s feet never touched the ground; he trod upon the void, completely encased by the water sphere, which itself did not touch the ground.

The water sphere carried him straight upward, flying directly into the cave entrance. Immediately, the Woooo sound of the gale assaulted the water sphere.

The sphere began to roll even faster, continuously repelling the gale's buffeting. Li Muzhan was ecstatic and hastened inward. But after traveling about ten zhang, the water began to vaporize rapidly. His internal energy could no longer protect the sphere, and soon, most of the water had evaporated. Seeing the danger, Li Muzhan had no choice but to flee back out.

The Moli Palace. Li Muzhan and Li Yubing strolled through the valley. The sunlight was bright and warm upon their skin, but Li Muzhan had no mind to enjoy the splendor.

"Palace Mistress, do you know of anything that can block intense heat?" Li Muzhan asked.

Li Yubing, clad in snow-white robes, resembled the Goddess Guanyin. She smiled and asked, "Intense heat?"

Li Muzhan nodded. "This wind is extremely hot. When encountered, there is truly no solution. Armor is useless, and protective Gang Qi is also useless. This heat is profoundly strange!"

"Where is such a strange wind?" Li Yubing asked, smiling.

Li Muzhan replied, "I cannot speak carelessly about this matter."

Li Yubing scrutinized him, then sniffed. "Did you encounter another place of strange fortune?"

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I cannot say much."

"Fine, let me think," Li Yubing said with a hint of annoyance.

As the two walked slowly outward, Xu Suxin suddenly approached from a distance. She smiled brightly at Li Muzhan. "Master Zhanran, greetings."

Li Muzhan clasped his hands in return, smiling, "Miss Xu, greetings to you as well."

"Your sect's disciples will be arriving soon, won't they?" Xu Suxin asked. "Our disciples are prepared to depart."

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, "That is excellent. We shall set off immediately."

Li Yubing clapped her hands and laughed, "Now I remember! If armor is useless, I do recall a treasure that can counteract intense heat."

Li Muzhan quickly inquired, "What treasure is that?"

"The Cold Soul Bead," Li Yubing replied.

Li Muzhan pondered, "The Cold Soul Bead...?"

"This bead is extremely cold; most people truly cannot endure it," Li Yubing nodded. "However, Cold Jade can also be used, though it is slightly inferior to the Cold Soul Bead."

Li Muzhan asked, "Where is the Cold Soul Bead located?"

"The Cold Jade Palace." Li Yubing said.

Xu Suxin stuck out her tongue. "The Cold Jade Palace?" She shook her head. "Better give up on that idea. The Cold Jade Palace is not to be trifled with!"

Li Muzhan's brow furrowed slightly, then he smiled. "Palace Mistress, where is the Cold Jade Palace situated?"

Li Yubing explained, "The Cold Jade Palace is located at the far North, situated atop an iceberg. You would never find it on your own."

Li Muzhan asked, "Do you know someone there?"

"Yes, I have visited twice," Li Yubing nodded slightly, then shook her head. "The key issue is that the Cold Jade Palace forbids men from setting foot inside."

Li Muzhan considered for a moment, then smiled. "Then I must trouble the Palace Mistress for assistance."

"You wish for my help? Well, that isn't entirely out of the question," Li Yubing smiled at him, saying no more. (To be continued)