Li Yubing shot a venomous glare in the direction where Yan Luo had been, then turned to Li Muchen, urging, "Wuji, are you badly hurt?"

Li Muchen shook his head with a wry smile, "This time, I'm truly down and out!"

"I never expected him to be so decisive, just detonating himself outright!" Li Yubing shook her head. "I miscalculated. Is your injury serious?"

The self-detonation of a Grandmaster was beyond imagination; encountering it meant near-certain death. She had escaped with only minor injuries this time; it was sheer luck.

Had Li Muchen not stood in front of her, she would have been finished.

Li Muchen shook his head, his complexion suddenly paling, as if all the blood had been instantly drained away.

"Wuji?!" Li Yubing gasped in alarm, finally noticing that Li Muchen's robes were shredded, exposing his chest, which was slightly sunken, as if crushed by a massive stone.

One only needed to look at the surroundings to gauge the power of that blast—trees had been pulverized, and the ground beneath them was scraped away as if planed flat.

Li Muchen shook his head and sighed, "Bad luck!"

"You..." Li Yubing panicked, hurrying to ask, "Are you alright?"

Li Muchen shook his head, "Not dead. Palace Mistress, don't worry."

As he spoke, blood began to well up in his mouth; it was clear his internal organs were severely damaged.

"Don't talk!" Li Yubing quickly commanded, placing her palm gently on his chest, careful not to apply force, merely resting it there, while probing the condition inside Li Muchen.

Her expression gradually darkened. Li Muchen's interior resembled a brutal battlefield where several streams of internal energy were clashing and tearing each other apart, torturing his body; his meridians were a chaotic mess, and his viscera were constantly being damaged.

Each surge of energy was immensely powerful. When her internal energy entered, it was immediately repelled by these forces, which united against her intrusion, pushing her energy out.

She was utterly helpless, which filled her with both anxiety and fury.

Li Muchen managed a weak smile and shook his head, "Palace Mistress, let me handle it myself!"

"What exactly is going on?" Li Yubing pressed.

Li Muchen sighed, "This is the might of a Grandmaster's self-destruction. We underestimated it! ... Let me handle it."

"How will you manage it?" Li Yubing urged anxiously.

She could feel Li Muchen's vitality ebbing away, step by step. If this continued, even an iron body could not hold out long before it withered and died.

She looked at Li Muchen's chest; his bones seemed shattered, the flesh soft and collapsed, a terrifying sight. How much force must have been involved to inflict such damage!

If it had been her, she would have already stopped breathing!

Li Muchen sighed, "I'll try my best. Healing oneself is impossible, I don't know if I can succeed."

"Stop wasting time, hurry up!" Li Yubing insisted.

Li Muchen nodded, trying laboriously to sit cross-legged, but the slightest movement caused him to spew a mouthful of blood, frightening Li Yubing into stillness. Her hand, which had been ready to help, froze mid-air, afraid to touch him.

Li Muchen sighed, "I can only try this clumsy method."

Saying this, he formed a mudra with both hands and placed them before his chest, then closed his eyes, motionless, his breathing faint, slowly growing weaker until it seemed he had stopped breathing altogether.

Li Yubing stared intently at him, watching his breath recede to the very edge, then a pale, bright moon gradually manifested behind his head, its moonlight showering down onto his body.

The moonlight, like flowing water, slowly enveloped him, as if a layer of shimmering water coated him. Although Li Yubing found the sight bizarre, she remained fixed on him, afraid to disturb him.

Unbeknownst to her, the day was drawing to a close. She glanced up; the sun was setting, casting the entire forest in an amber glow. The moon behind Li Muchen’s head had dimmed slightly, but his complexion had regained some color, and though his body hadn't healed, she sensed his life force strengthening.

She let out a long breath. It seemed he truly possessed some miraculous self-healing technique. She had never witnessed such a strange phenomenon, nor did she know what secret art it was.

As she pondered this, the radiant moonlight slowly retracted, the moon shrinking back behind Li Muchen's head. Li Muchen slowly opened his eyes.

Li Yubing swiftly pressed her palm to his chest, a faint smile appearing, "Much better... Did you suppress them?"

Li Muchen smiled, "I could only force them down. Otherwise, they would riot again. I have no time to deal with them properly now, so I sealed them forcefully. It's not too late to handle them later."

"In that case, you can't exert too much internal energy, or they will revolt again, causing even greater harm!" Li Yubing cautioned. This was a solution that poisoned the well to quench thirst—it could suppress the immediate threat, but these internal energies would slowly consume the sealed energy, growing stronger. When the seal finally broke, it would be a full-scale riot, and then, perhaps, they could never be suppressed again.

Li Muchen chuckled, "I know."

"And this needs to be resolved quickly; it's too dangerous," Li Yubing stressed.

Li Muchen smiled, "When we return, Palace Mistress, you, my senior sister, and two others can join forces. We should be able to subdue them."

"As quickly as possible," Li Yubing agreed.

Li Muchen smiled, "I can't use the Great Teleportation now. To get back, we have to walk or run slowly. Palace Mistress, I trouble you!"

"How far is it?" Li Yubing asked.

Li Muchen thought for a moment, "About a hundred li. His cultivation was deep, and his speed was incredible."

"Alright, I'll carry you back!" Li Yubing nodded. One hundred li wasn't far; they could be back in a moment.

Li Muchen chuckled, "Very well."

It had always been him holding Li Yubing; this reversal made him inwardly muse on the turning of the wheel of fortune.

When Li Yubing carried Li Muchen back to Moli Palace, Xu Suxin rushed to meet them, her expression changing slightly, "Mistress, you're injured?"

Li Yubing shook her head, "He is far worse off."

She didn't linger with Xu Suxin, heading straight for her private chambers and carefully laying Li Muchen onto the couch, moving with extreme caution, fearful of causing further injury upon injury.

Although Li Muchen's vitality had somewhat recovered, his body was frail. A careless move could aggravate his wounds, leading to grave trouble.

Xu Suxin followed her into the room, quickly asking, "Mistress, what happened?"

Li Yubing commanded, "Bring the Icy Muscle Jade Bone Powder!"

"Oh." Xu Suxin nodded, glancing at the prone Li Muchen. He was smiling at her, appearing rather comfortable with the situation.

She shot Li Muchen a glare and floated out of the room, returning quickly with a porcelain bottle that looked utterly ordinary.

Li Yubing opened the bottle, sniffed the contents, nodded, then tore open Li Muchen's robes. They were already in tatters, and the tearing reduced them to fragments.

"Mistress?" Xu Suxin was startled, crying out softly.

Li Yubing glared back, "What are you making a fuss about!"

Xu Suxin flushed, avoiding looking at Li Muchen's chest, and mumbled, "Mistress, what are you doing?"

"Come here, help me apply it," Li Yubing instructed, handing the porcelain bottle to Xu Suxin.

Xu Suxin hesitated, "Mistress..."

Li Yubing thrust the bottle forward, "Enough chatter, take it! ... I will use my energy to guard him; you apply the Icy Muscle Jade Bone Powder."

Xu Suxin stammered, "Mistress, I... he..."

"Stop with the 'I' and 'he.' His injuries are too severe; there's no time to waste. Hurry! You know how to use the Icy Muscle Jade Bone Powder—be careful!" Li Yubing snapped, pressing both palms onto Li Muchen's shoulders, circulating her internal energy to support his bones.

Li Muchen smiled, "Palace Mistress, there’s no need for such trouble. I can recover slowly on my own; there’s no need to bother Miss Xu."

Hearing this, Xu Suxin opened the porcelain bottle without another word, pouring some onto her left palm, setting the bottle aside, and staring wide-eyed at Li Muchen's chest.

The initial shyness vanished the moment she saw the state of his chest. She rubbed her palms together, releasing a faint, sweet fragrance.

Xu Suxin placed her palms on Li Muchen's chest and slowly began to rub. His bones were protected by Li Yubing’s energy and remained undisturbed; instead, the sensation was like soaking in warm water, delightfully comfortable.

Li Muchen laughed, "Palace Mistress, this treatment is too excellent. I almost wish I were injured!"

"Don't tempt fate, you crow's mouth!" Li Yubing huffed. "You were lucky this time; if he had been even a little closer, you'd be dead!"

Li Muchen nodded, "Yes. If I hadn't seen the situation turning south, both of us would have perished today! ... Alas, what is a Grandmaster? Even their life is as fragile as paper!"

Xu Suxin's palms trembled, inadvertently pressing a little harder. Li Yubing shot her a look, "Gently!"

Xu Suxin asked, "Mistress, were you in danger today?"

Li Yubing nodded, "That old wretch tried to take us down with him. Fortunately, we are hardy!"

Xu Suxin's face tightened, "Mistress, please stop provoking Grandmasters! If anything were to happen to you, our Moli Palace would be finished!"

"Enough, I know, stop nagging!" Li Yubing waved her off.

Xu Suxin retorted, "You agree with your mouth, but you never take it to heart. If you continue risking danger like this, and something truly happens, others will surely devour our Moli Palace!"

Li Yubing shook her head, "Do they dare—!"

Xu Suxin snorted, "What don't they dare? They are all watching now, waiting for an accident to befall you!"

Li Muchen smiled slyly, "Palace Mistress, I think Miss Xu has a point. You bear heavy responsibilities now; safety must come first!"

Li Yubing shot him a look, "Wuji, don't join the fray!"

Li Muchen chuckled, "This time was a lesson. We were just barely safe, just barely!"

Li Yubing said seriously, "If it hadn't been for you this time, I truly might have died! ... Your physical frame is tough, but mine is not. If I had taken that blast, I would either be dead or half-dead."

Li Muchen smiled pleasantly, "I practiced body refinement techniques back then. Otherwise, my bones and sinews would have been completely shattered, and I would have died instantly."

"Wuji, what are your thoughts on the Northern Wilderness Holy Land?" Li Yubing asked.

Great kindness is not spoken of; she owed Li Muchen another life. Further words were meaningless; she could only look for opportunities later. However, judging by his progress and cultivation, she truly couldn't offer much substantial help.

Li Muchen replied, "The Northern Wilderness Holy Land is indeed a fine place, but regrettably, it is not our destiny."

Li Yubing mused, "That may not be certain. Are the Lu family the only ones connected to the Northern Wilderness Holy Land in this world?"

Li Muchen smiled, "I actually have little interest. Does the Palace Mistress have an interest?"

"Don't you wish to advance further?" Li Yubing teased.

Li Muchen replied, "Achieve immortality?... That would be nice, but it's illusory and not worth believing in. It's better to live well in the present."

Li Yubing chuckled, "After becoming a Grandmaster, when you can't find a cultivation method, don't you feel lost, feel the pain?"

Li Muchen replied, "Not necessarily. I am currently exploring, trying to discover a method for Grandmaster cultivation; I now have some inklings."

"You can really find one?!" Li Yubing asked, surprised, then laughed, "Highly unlikely."

Li Muchen smiled, "Were all methods not created by people in the beginning? Why can't we create our own method?"

Li Yubing countered, "Countless people have held that idea over the years, yet no success has been reported! Grandmasters are not fools."

Li Muchen smiled, "Just because others failed doesn't mean I will fail."

Li Yubing looked at him and shook her head, yet her heart gave a slight jolt. A Grandmaster at his age was unprecedented. Since it happened once, perhaps it could happen again.

Seeing her expression, Li Muchen realized she almost believed him, and smiled, "Palace Mistress, you haven't found a method for cultivation over all these years?"

"The method I found is to fiercely battle Grandmasters," Li Yubing stated.

Li Muchen smiled, "Has the Palace Mistress ever considered the underlying reason?"

Li Yubing shook her head, "I couldn't figure it out."

Xu Suxin gently rubbed the Icy Muscle Jade Bone Powder into Li Muchen's chest, simultaneously circulating her internal energy to activate and dissolve the medicinal power.

Li Muchen smiled, "This Icy Muscle Jade Bone Powder is marvelous."

"It's the finest medicinal pill in our Palace," Li Yubing huffed.

Li Muchen replied, "Then I must be grateful, Palace Mistress. I need to rest here for two days to recuperate."

"Yes, rest assured. Shall I send a message back?" Li Yubing asked.

Li Muchen shook his head, "No need. I'll start recovering now. The sooner I heal, the sooner we see if the Lu family was sufficiently frightened by this incident."

"If they cause trouble again, I'll just storm their gate!" Li Yubing declared fiercely.

As she spoke, she led Xu Suxin out of her room. Xu Suxin asked, "Mistress, you two..."

"If it weren't for Wuji this time, I would have fallen!" Li Yubing shook her head. "He blocked me at the critical moment; I only sustained minor injuries... Are his injuries severe?"

Xu Suxin nodded and sighed, "Almost none of his bones are intact!"

She shuddered, thinking about it. With all his bones shattered, the pain must have been excruciating, yet Li Wuji seemed unaffected, speaking and laughing naturally.

Li Yubing sighed, "Ah... forget it. Don't disturb him; he has a miraculous healing technique; he should be fine."

"Mmm," Xu Suxin nodded quietly.

Two days later, Li Muchen could walk. The speed of his recovery astonished both Li Yubing and Xu Suxin. The saying goes that broken bones take a hundred days to heal, yet he was walking in two—a true miracle.

After getting on his feet, Li Muchen immediately sought out Dugu Jinghua to comfort her. She had been anxious these past two days, constantly worried that something might have happened to him.

Li Muchen dared not linger intimately with her, speaking only a few words before saying he had urgent matters and needed to leave for a few days. Dugu Jinghua didn't overthink it and agreed readily.

When Li Muchen returned to Floating Cloud Palace and appeared in the side hall, Xiao Yan, dressed in a cyan robe, rushed over, "Sir, please help the Young Miss quickly!"

Li Muchen raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"The Young Miss she..." Xiao Yan said anxiously, "The Young Miss is injured!"

"Injured?" Li Muchen frowned. "Did someone come up the mountain?"

"No, no, the Young Miss injured herself practicing her cultivation!" Xiao Yan explained. "It seems like she suffered Zou Huo Ru Mo (Deviation of Qi)!"

Li Muchen's expression shifted slightly, "Lead the way!"

Xiao Yan hurriedly nodded, leading Li Muchen out of the side hall into the central great hall, then directly up to the second floor, stopping outside a quiet chamber.

"Young Miss?" Xiao Yan called softly.

"Xiao Yan, come in!" Leng Chaoyun's voice came.

Xiao Yan glanced at Li Muchen, signaled him to wait, and cautiously entered. Her report was soon heard from inside: Li Wuji had come to check on her.

Leng Chaoyun snorted, "He knows I'm back! ... I won't see him!"

Xiao Yan pleaded, "Young Miss, please let Young Master Li examine you!"

Leng Chaoyun coldly asked, "Xiao Yan, did you tell him about my injury?"

"Yes, Young Miss," Xiao Yan replied. "Only Young Master Li can help you now; none of us can do anything!"

"I don't need his help!" Leng Chaoyun scoffed.

Xiao Yan was desperate, "Young Miss, this is hardly the time to be stubborn! If someone comes up the mountain to challenge us, what will we do?!"

Leng Chaoyun was silent for a long moment, then slowly said, "Mmm, I understand. Tell him to come in!"

Xiao Yan instantly responded with excitement, rushing out as if afraid Leng Chaoyun might change her mind, "Sir, the Young Miss invites you in!"

Li Muchen nodded and slowly stepped into the quiet chamber. A faint, ethereal fragrance lingered—Li Muchen recognized it as her natural scent, particularly seductive.

The chamber was sparsely furnished: only a couch and a table. The moon-white carpet muffled their footsteps. Leng Chaoyun sat cross-legged on the couch, clad in a red gauze robe and veil, revealing only the area above her eyes.

"Palace Mistress, I trust you have been well!" Li Muchen cupped his fists in greeting.

Leng Chaoyun looked at him quietly, her bright eyes like water, her brow furrowed, "You are injured?"

Li Muchen nodded, "I encountered some trouble."

"What kind of person could injure you?" Leng Chaoyun asked, disbelievingly.

As a Grandmaster, known for his calm and strategic demeanor, few in the world could truly threaten him. She hadn't expected him to suffer such a serious injury.

Even though she was heavily injured and her martial arts were nearly crippled, she could sense that Li Muchen's vitality was not strong and his wounds were not light. At his level, sustaining such severe injuries was rare.

Li Muchen sighed, "A Grandmaster executed a self-destruction technique, and I took one hit."

Leng Chaoyun frowned, "A Grandmaster?... You are lucky to have escaped with your life!"

Although she wasn't a Grandmaster, she understood them well enough to know that almost no one could survive a self-detonation.

Li Muchen gave a bitter smile, "I am indeed quite lucky. Let me examine the Palace Mistress's injury."

Leng Chaoyun said, "You are so severely wounded yourself; even if I see it, I can't cure it. Better forget it."

Li Muchen smiled, "Even if I can't cure it, there might be other methods."

"...Fine," Leng Chaoyun conceded helplessly.