Li Muzhan chuckled, "We'll just wait for the Palace Master's elixir. This senior sister has immense potential, even surpassing mine; she might reach an even higher realm." Li Yubing considered this, nodding slowly, "That's true enough." If Li Muzhan's Grandmaster achievement contained an element of luck, Feng Mingxue’s was earned purely through diligent cultivation, without the slightest strain, demonstrating her vast potential.

She was undoubtedly the foremost among the younger generation, destined to be the very best even among Grandmasters. There were realms beyond Grandmaster, unknown to anyone, rumored to grant eternal life.

Among the current Grandmasters, Feng Mingxue had the greatest chance of breaking through to such a state. Li Muzhan said, "Palace Master, you’ve done us such a great favor; Senior Sister won't forget it.

It will surely benefit you in the future!" "Oh, alright, alright, look how you put it, as if I were so calculating!" Li Yubing waved her jade hand, smiling faintly, "I'll do this favor!" Li Muzhan chuckled heartily, "You won't release the hawk until you see the pigeon, how could I not know the Palace Master's methods?" Li Yubing laughed outright, "You cheeky boy, misrepresenting me! ...

I'm leaving now; aren't you coming with me?" Li Muzhan replied, "Very well." After consuming the spirit herb, Li Yubing's strength had greatly increased, but she was still a step behind Li Muzhan, especially concerning killing prowess. Her spirit beast made her an object of intense desire; though they couldn't take the beast, they could obtain the spirit herb.

In the North Pole Sacred Realm, improving one's cultivation followed two paths: slaying spirit beasts or consuming spirit herbs. Neither could be actively sought out; one had to stumble upon them.

Slaying a spirit beast offered only a fifty percent chance, sometimes less, because spirit beasts generally appeared to harass others, not to present themselves for slaughter. Countless Grandmasters had perished in the North Pole Sacred Realm.

Spirit herbs were not only rare but also serendipitous; Grandmasters rarely encountered them, as the spirit beasts usually claimed them first. Thus, upon seeing Li Yubing possessed a spirit beast, others would never let the chance pass.

For these Grandmasters, killing one of their own kind was easier than killing a spirit beast. Li Muzhan arrived at another small hut, informed Feng Mingxue, and then, sweeping Li Yubing into his arms, vanished abruptly, entering the North Pole Sacred Realm.

Xiao Lu, familiar with the terrain, quickly located a Lingzhi mushroom halfway up a silver mountain. Li Yubing was overjoyed, never expecting it to be so easy.

Just as she moved to pick it, Li Muzhan's expression turned grave, and he slowly shook his head, "Palace Master, wait a moment." "What is it?" Li Yubing turned to look at him. Li Muzhan shook his head, "It seems a spirit beast is guarding it." "Hmm—?" Li Yubing focused her gaze and saw a short, silver snake coiled beside the Lingzhi.

It blended seamlessly with the white snow; she hadn't noticed it at first. "Is this little thing very powerful?" Li Yubing smiled.

She didn't sense any particular threat from the small silver snake; it looked quite short, as if newly born, posing little danger—a single sword strike should suffice. However, observing Li Muzhan’s solemn expression, she knew something was amiss and dared not be careless.

Li Muzhan sighed, "This little snake is extremely dangerous! ...

The City Lord once mentioned that in the North Pole Sacred Realm, the more beautiful the spirit beast, the more perilous it is." "Oh, now I recall, this little snake is indeed beautiful," Li Yubing nodded with a smile. "But it’s certainly not cute!" Women possess an inherent fear of snakes; even the prettiest little snake holds no appeal, instead causing an uneasy prickling sensation and raising the hairs on their arms.

Li Muzhan cautioned, "This little snake is dangerous, Palace Master should step back." "Is it that serious?" Li Yubing asked lightly. Li Muzhan nodded slowly, "My intuition is rarely wrong; Palace Master, please retreat first." "Alright, alright, I’ll step back," Li Yubing conceded with a smile, "I think you’re being overly cautious; how much power can such a small snake possess?" Power is derived from mass; no matter how strong a small snake is, its strength is inherently limited.

Li Muzhan glanced at her without further comment. Li Yubing sighed inwardly and retreated about twenty zhang, holding Xiao Lu far back.

She hadn't seen any sign of fear in Xiao Lu, so she hadn't taken it too seriously. Although she now owned the spirit deer, she didn't truly understand the characteristics of spirit beasts.

In this world, few truly understood them; those who encountered them were either killed by them or managed to kill them. Li Muzhan also lacked knowledge of their habits, vaguely surmising that spirit beasts did not engage in the brutal law of the jungle seen among ordinary wild animals; they seemed not to fight amongst themselves.

Born of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy, they subsisted on qi, even consuming spirit herbs to grow stronger; consuming other spirit beasts was useless. Devouring Grandmasters was the most effective nourishment.

Li Muzhan slowly approached the Lingzhi. When he reached within three zhang, the small snake beneath it remained motionless, like a petrified creature, perfectly camouflaged by the surrounding snow, easily deceiving the eye.

Li Muzhan's senses were sharp; even though his perception was somewhat limited after entering the North Pole Sacred Realm, he maintained a degree of vigilance that allowed him to sense the snake’s presence prematurely. Otherwise, despite his keen eyesight, spotting the snake would have been difficult, making him highly vulnerable to its attack, for it radiated extreme danger to him.

Xiao Lu hadn't warned Li Yubing of the danger, perhaps because, in its eyes, the little snake posed no threat. Li Muzhan continued to press forward slowly, pondering this discrepancy.

With a sharp hiss, a streak of white light flashed before his eyes. Li Muzhan’s sword light flickered, meeting the attack with a crisp clink sound.

He was driven straight back, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground for two zhang. Li Yubing sucked in a sharp breath, staring stunned at the placid little snake.

She hadn't anticipated its speed—truly lightning-fast, allowing no time for reaction. Had it been anyone other than Li Muzhan, resisting such a sudden, incredibly quick attack, which happened in the blink of an eye, would have been impossible even if seen.

Li Muzhan took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "Palace Master, did you see that?" "Truly formidable!" Li Yubing sighed. "We nearly fell for it this time; it’s a good thing you came!" She could easily imagine that if it had been just her and Xiao Lu, they would have rushed to pick the Lingzhi without noticing the coiled serpent.

Given the snake's speed in that ambush, she wouldn't have been able to dodge, and the snake likely possessed potent venom, putting her life in extreme peril. Li Muzhan advised, "Spirit herbs are almost always guarded by spirit beasts; this is rarely an exception.

Remember next time: never approach rashly." "Yes, I've learned this lesson," Li Yubing acknowledged. Li Muzhan again advanced slowly.

Once within three zhang, another streak of white light flashed, and with a clink, Li Muzhan blocked it with his sword. He retreated with harsh scraping sounds, scattering snow, carving two more trenches.

Li Muzhan moved back beyond three zhang again. Li Yubing asked, "Wuji, can you defeat it?" "I cannot," Li Muzhan shook his head.

"It is harder than iron, possesses tremendous strength, and is incredibly fast. I have no effective means against it." "Then what do we do?" Li Yubing inquired.

Li Muzhan stated, "We must use stratagem! ...

You two leave first." "Can you manage alone?" Li Yubing hesitated. She suspected his plan involved using his spatial translocation ability—an excellent tactic, but inherently dangerous given the silver snake's terrifying speed.

Li Muzhan stared at the small silver snake and slowly said, "I'll give it a try." Li Yubing offered, "Should I prepare some antidote pills first?" Li Muzhan laughed, shaking his head, "No need. You both should leave now, lest it becomes enraged." "Alright," Li Yubing nodded, saying no more.

She held Xiao Lu and floated away, vanishing from sight in an instant. Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief.

With Li Yubing present, he couldn't unleash his full capabilities; alone, he had no reservations. He pointed a finger, and a surge of gale-force wind erupted, enveloping him in snow, transforming him into a rolling snowball moving toward the Lingzhi.

Within three zhang, the little snake suddenly shot into the blizzard. Li Muzhan instantly reappeared beside the Lingzhi and then blinked out of existence.

The little snake burst from the wind and snow to find the Lingzhi gone. It immediately shrieked, "Hissing," its body swelling, increasing in size tenfold.

It whipped its thick tail, sweeping toward the snowball. With a dull thud, the snowball dispersed, revealing no sign of Li Muzhan.

The snake grew even more furious, coiling and thrashing, turning the surrounding ten zhang into a tempest of chaos. "Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss..." The giant snake let out another piercing cry, its massive body shuddered, resembling a distorted shadow in water.

Unseen, three small daggers materialized on the snow-covered ground, silently waiting. As the giant snake raged, sweeping its tail around, it collided with them.

Its hide was thick and tough; ordinary stones and ice shards simply shattered into dust upon contact, unable to impede it, revealing its overwhelming might. However, these three small daggers were made of a strange material and imbued with a peculiar, void-piercing sword intent.

Upon contact, they immediately embedded themselves deeply. Being a spirit beast, it didn't bleed, but its spiritual energy was severely depleted, losing its previous solidity.

Suffering such a massive drain, it became exponentially more enraged, thrashing its tail and emitting strange, piercing cries that echoed across the heavens. It deliberately avoided the spots where the daggers were lodged, but it hadn't anticipated the daggers could move.

As it rolled, it struck another, sustaining further damage. Its once-solid form grew increasingly ethereal, like mist, threatening to dissipate at any moment.

Its shock and fury mounted, but its anger didn't override its reason. Sensing the unfavorable turn, it abruptly shrunk back into a small snake and prepared to flee.

Li Muzhan flashed into existence, smiling as he watched the little snake attempt to escape. With a flick of his hand, accompanied by sharp hissing sounds, the three flying daggers embedded themselves into the little snake.

With a final, unwilling twist, the little snake turned into nothingness with a faint hiss... Li Muzhan felt a chill between his brows.

He immediately sat cross-legged; the three flying daggers had vanished. He sat quietly on the snow-covered ground.

The snowy terrain beneath him was now utterly ravaged, as if trampled by a monstrous beast, incredibly messy. Li Muzhan sat down without concern, absorbing his gains.

This little snake possessed profound strength. Had he not used the flying daggers, defeating it would have been immensely difficult.

Incorporating the void-piercing blade technique from the Hidden Blade Mind Method had made them frighteningly potent, truly invisible and silent. A direct confrontation would have made subduing the snake a grueling battle, with no guarantee of success; it might have escaped.

Now, the process was effortless, demonstrating the daggers' terrifying effectiveness. After the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, Li Muzhan revealed a look of delight.

He rose gracefully and vanished, reappearing instantly beside Li Yubing. Li Yubing was walking leisurely with Xiao Lu, the pair traversing the pure white snow in a scene of indescribable, aesthetic beauty.

Li Muzhan's sudden appearance made Li Yubing turn, smiling radiantly, "Wuji, did you get it?" Li Muzhan nodded, "It went reasonably well." "You must have some secret technique you can’t show off, haven't you?" Li Yubing hummed. Li Muzhan laughed, "I used my trump card." Li Yubing sighed, "I truly never imagined a spirit beast would guard the herb.

I wonder how Xiao Lu managed to find the Lingzhi and Ginseng back then." Li Muzhan smiled, "Spirit beasts must have their unique means of communication; rest assured." "It seems I must strengthen my power; otherwise, even having spirit herbs is useless," Li Yubing concluded. Li Muzhan laughed, "That is true; the Palace Master must not relax her efforts." They continued walking and talking.

Li Yubing asked, "Wuji, what realm lies above Grandmaster?" Li Muzhan shook his head, "I do not know either." "Have you touched upon any fringes of it?" Li Yubing pressed. She could perceive Li Muzhan's progress was immense, far outstripping her own, making him increasingly mysterious.

Li Muzhan sighed and shook his head, "Not yet. I only feel how weak I am and how much I need to improve.

I don't know if I can reach that realm." "Did the City Lord not say?" Li Yubing asked. Li Muzhan shook his head, "The City Lord said that once the realm is reached, we will know; speaking of it now is useless.

It is profoundly mystical; explaining too much might even be inappropriate." "Hmph, perhaps he was just misleading us?" Li Yubing snorted. Li Muzhan smiled, "The City Lord appears to be an honest man, and his vision is lofty; he wouldn't lie.

It must be a realm beyond words, otherwise, the cultivation methods would have been passed down long ago." "Hmm, that makes sense," Li Yubing nodded. Why was there no cultivation method beyond Grandmaster?

She had pondered this extensively and finally concluded that perhaps the path was subject to no fixed rule—the road beyond Grandmaster had to be discovered by oneself; everyone's path was unique, rendering prior knowledge useless. Hearing Li Muzhan confirm this solidified her guess.

She sighed, "This path feels so long, as if it has no end." Li Muzhan smiled, "It is rumored that this path leads to eternal life, so it is naturally excruciatingly difficult. Since antiquity, who has ever achieved immortality?" "Wuji, you are mistaken there," Li Yubing countered, "I have heard there truly are immortals." Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, "There really are immortals?

... Then why haven't we seen a single one?

Has someone seen them?" "You wouldn't be able to see them even if you wanted to," Li Yubing snorted. "They no longer reside here; they have ascended to another layer of heaven." Li Muzhan laughed and shook his head, "In any case, no one knows for sure." "This is absolute fact," Li Yubing insisted.

"I have heard it said; there definitely is another layer of heaven; it is by no means a lie." Li Muzhan smiled, "Has the Palace Master seen it?" "Though I haven't seen that layer of heaven myself, I have heard of it," Li Yubing confirmed. Li Muzhan was starting to believe it.

Just as he had traveled from another world to arrive in this one, different worlds clearly existed. If one world existed, why couldn't another?

"Does the Palace Master know how to enter another world?" Li Muzhan asked. Li Yubing shook her head, "It is said that when the realm and cultivation are high enough, one naturally knows the way; otherwise, seeking it is futile." Li Muzhan nodded slowly, "If they reach the other world, can they return?" "Returning is certainly possible," Li Yubing nodded.

"But no one wishes to return, just as you wouldn't want to leave a bustling metropolis to stay in a poor, small mountain village?" Li Muzhan laughed, "They can really come back?" Li Yubing looked around slowly, then sighed, "Alright, I'll tell you the truth. One of our ancestors from the Moling Palace reached that realm and returned.

So, we are certain." Li Muzhan’s brow arched, and he chuckled, "Palace Master, you are quite sly; if an ancestor reached it, why ask me?" Li Yubing shot him a look. "Even though the ancestor reached that realm, entered the other world, and even returned, when her disciples asked her, she refused to say anything.

She only claimed that one must forge their own path to reach the endpoint; following another's path would only hinder one's own cultivation. She wouldn't speak of it!" Li Muzhan nodded slowly, frowning, "There must be some restraint, right?

Otherwise, if they all returned, wouldn't this place descend into chaos with no one to control it!" Li Yubing laughed, shaking her head, "That's unnecessary worry. No matter how high their cultivation upon returning to this world, they are immediately knocked back down to the Grandmaster realm.

It is said that the apex of this world is the Grandmaster realm; it cannot be broken, constrained by the power of heaven and earth—no one can defy it." Li Muzhan suddenly understood, "So that's how it is." Li Yubing continued, "Because they cannot advance further here, they leave this world. Even those who might be homesick can go to the other world for a look, to broaden their horizons, and return later.

I wonder if the City Lord has been there." Li Muzhan sighed, "So that's the way it is." Li Yubing pursed her lips and smiled, "You only know how to say that one phrase! ...

But very few Grandmasters who go to the other world return; it seems that place is exceptionally good." Li Muzhan laughed, "That is truly tempting! Let's strive to reach that realm soon and see that world for ourselves to expand our knowledge!" "Exactly so!" Li Yubing nodded vigorously.

"I have been itching to go. Previously, I struggled to find a way to enhance my strength, only capable of challenging Grandmasters.

Now that I've found a method, it’s a blessing from heaven; I cannot let this opportunity slip away!" Li Muzhan smiled, "The Palace Master intends to travel with me, doesn't she?" "So we can look out for each other!" Li Yubing agreed. Li Muzhan nodded, "That is excellent.

Perhaps your ancestor is still alive; how old would she be now?" "If she were alive, she would be about five hundred years old," Li Yubing estimated. Li Muzhan smiled, "Quite possible, but it might be even more dangerous up there." Li Yubing nodded.

"I have long suspected our Ancestor died. That world is wonderful, but also perilous—that's something the Ancestor mentioned."