Li Muzhan glanced in surprise at her shoulder, where perched a snow-white hawk, magnificent and proud, glaring down at him.

Li Muzhan chuckled. “Senior Sister, where did this fellow come from?”

Feng Mingxue smiled sweetly. “I have no idea myself. This hawk seems rather fond of me.”

“How did you subdue it, Senior Sister?”

Feng Mingxue shook her head. “I didn’t subdue it. It simply flew onto my shoulder. I sensed no hostility, so I let it settle, and now it just stays with me!”

Li Muzhan’s expression shifted; he frowned. “Senior Sister, you are far too careless. They are cunning creatures, impossible to guard against.”

Feng Mingxue replied lightly, “I don’t see it that way. They look quite beautiful.”

Li Muzhan offered a wry smile. “The more beautiful they are, the more dangerous they become! Senior Sister, you must not let their appearance deceive you!”

“I will certainly be careful. But if one is overly cautious, one would never gain a Snow Eagle like this!”

“Snow Eagle…” Li Muzhan appraised the flawless white bird. Its eyes, sharp and intelligent like jewels, seemed almost human in their gaze.

Li Yubing let out an impressed sigh. “Truly magnificent. A fine hawk!”

Feng Mingxue laughed. “It harbors no ill will. Do you really think, as you suggested, Junior Brother, that they view people as mere prey?”

Li Muzhan sighed slowly. “It seems you two have extraordinary fortune. Do the spirit beasts of the Arctic Sacred Realm truly favor women, perhaps viewing men as enemies?”

He found himself pondering—did the spirit beasts of the Arctic Sacred Realm genuinely prefer women and see men as threats?

He paused for thought, then vanished from the room in a flicker. Feng Mingxue and Li Yubing exchanged a look, puzzled but unconcerned, and began to talk.

“Palace Mistress, how does one raise a spirit beast? Does it require specific food?” Feng Mingxue inquired.

Li Yubing shook her head, smiling. “From my experience, they need no food at all. They subsist purely on Yuan Qi; nothing else sustains them.”

“Is that so…” Feng Mingxue smiled back. “That certainly saves trouble. I was worried it might cause some calamity.”

Hawks possess wild natures; they usually hunt rabbits or other beasts, and could conceivably mistake a person for prey. That would truly be trouble.

Li Yubing chuckled. “You must ask Wuji for a cultivation manual. Otherwise, they will struggle to survive here. The ambient spiritual energy outside the Sacred Realm is far weaker; they cannot endure it for long.”

Feng Mingxue glanced back at the Snow Eagle. It remained majestic, its gaze electric, surveying everything, showing no sign of distress.

“It can endure it now,” Li Yubing warned, “but in a few days, it won’t. Do not forget this.”

Feng Mingxue smiled. “What kind of manual does Junior Brother possess?”

“A method for absorbing spiritual energy—quite exquisite. For the spirit beast to learn it, he must use the Spirit Infusion technique on it.”

Feng Mingxue nodded slowly, reaching out to stroke the Snow Eagle’s head. It flapped its wings once, looking rather reluctant. Li Yubing laughed. “It certainly has an arrogant spirit!”

As the two women were speaking, Li Muzhan suddenly reappeared. Li Yubing teased, “Wuji, off causing some delightful mischief?”

Li Muzhan sighed. “Alas… I truly hadn’t realized. While the world boasts many Grandmasters, female Grandmasters are exceedingly rare—there are only the two of you!”

“Hmm—” Li Yubing frowned in thought, then slowly nodded. “Thinking about it, that’s quite true. There are several Grandmasters, but none of them are women!”

“Junior Brother, why do you ask about this?” Feng Mingxue inquired.

Li Muzhan smiled. “I find it strange. You both gained spirit beasts, yet I’ve never heard of anyone else obtaining one. Calculating it out, it must be related to the fact that you are women.”

“That’s possible,” Li Yubing conceded after a moment’s thought. “I obtained a spirit beast, and Miss Li obtained one too, yet you did not!”

Feng Mingxue gave a light laugh. “Perhaps because his killing aura is too strong.”

Li Muzhan shook his head. “I have taken many lives, but surely the Palace Mistress has killed her share as well? Why was she chosen over me?”

“Because I possess compassion!” Li Yubing pursed her lips and smiled. “You, on the other hand, have a heart of stone!”

Li Muzhan laughed. “My heart is stone?”

Li Yubing smiled and shook her head. “You are quite good to women, though!”

Li Muzhan waved his hands hastily. “Palace Mistress, not again!”

Li Yubing giggled. “What? Are you embarrassed in front of Miss Li?”

Feng Mingxue advised, “Junior Brother, you must break this habit of cherishing the fairer sex. Otherwise, you’ll be entangled in karmic debt, which is terribly troublesome!”

Li Muzhan nodded in slightly flustered agreement. “Yes, yes, I understand. Now that you both possess spirit beasts, your progress will be much easier. Congratulations.”

“And you, Wuji?” Li Yubing asked.

Li Muzhan smiled. “I shall hunt spirit beasts. I won’t fall behind you two.”

“You can truly bear to kill such docile, lovely spirit beasts!” Li Yubing shook her head dismissively.

Li Muzhan countered, “It’s not I who kills them; it’s they who wish to kill me. Otherwise, they wouldn't approach me to attack!”

“Then don’t enter the Sacred Realm,” Li Yubing suggested.

Li Muzhan shook his head, chuckling. “Palace Mistress, that is unreasonable. If I walk in there for a moment, they come out to kill me. Am I not allowed to defend myself?”

Feng Mingxue softly mused, “Some spirit beasts are indeed quite endearing.”

Li Muzhan sighed and shook his head. “I once saw a small deer kill a Grandmaster. There is truly nothing endearing about that.”

“Nonsense,” Li Yubing shot him a look.

Li Muzhan replied earnestly, “Palace Mistress, am I a man who speaks falsehoods?”

For the following several days, the trio lingered between the small cottage and the Sacred Realm. Li Muzhan would occasionally return to Miaolian Temple to expound the Dharma, continuing to expand his base of believers.

His sermons were brilliant and accessible, greatly increasing the comprehension of his followers, accelerating their cultivation progress. They, in turn, became even more devout, strengthening their faith power directed toward him.

Coupled with his strategy of hunting spirit beasts in the Sacred Realm, Li Muzhan’s rate of cultivation growth surpassed even that of the two women. They did not hunt the beasts but rather consumed spirit herbs; however, these herbs were always guarded by spirit beasts, requiring the women to either scare them away or dispatch them.

As the cultivation of the two women deepened, an invisible transformation occurred in their essence, spirit, and vigor. Standing still, they exuded a sharp, almost intimidating aura—a solemn majesty that discouraged direct staring.

Li Muzhan’s change was the opposite. He grew increasingly simple and unadorned, like the wind: easy to overlook when still, the eye sweeping over him without lingering, leaving no impression on the mind despite being seen.

Only a perceptive individual would notice the anomaly; most people would easily ignore him, never even considering him, treating him as if he were invisible.

This was the effect of Li Muzhan’s cultivation of the Hidden Blade technique.

This Hidden Blade mental art was profound—not a grand, open path, but a sharp, secluded trail, yet it could not be underestimated. Li Muzhan increasingly felt its boundless mystery. The Hidden Blade method subtly paralleled the Void-Breaking Sword Intent; both encapsulated the profound secrets of heaven and earth, deepening and refining the more he comprehended them.

Li Muzhan ceaselessly explored the technique, reaping endless benefits. The power of his flying blades grew stronger, truly capable of killing without a trace.

This principle extended beyond just the blades; it could be applied to his internal energy, and even to himself. Li Muzhan mused that if he could fully grasp its secrets, he might become an invisible man.

Currently, his comprehension was insufficient; he could only conceal his flying blades, completely muffling their presence, merging them with the Void-Breaking Sword Intent to slay unseen.

Li Muzhan was not satisfied with this level; he constantly probed, seeking to glimpse the mystery of concealment. If he could truly hide himself completely, he would indeed be invincible in the world.

Alas, the core teachings of the Hidden Blade remained at a superficial level, and further enlightenment proved incredibly difficult. He practiced while studying, alternating between battling spirit beasts in the Sacred Realm and teaching the Dharma at Miaolian Temple, living a full life.

Time flowed by unnoticed, and soon summer arrived. People shed heavy clothes, exposing skin, and women donned dresses, yet the Arctic Sacred Realm remained locked in frost and snow, unchanging as ever.

Li Yubing and Feng Mingxue largely stayed within the cottage, occasionally venturing into the Sacred Realm to have the spirit beasts guide them to spirit herbs; most of their time was dedicated to cultivation.

They too had changed into lighter silk robes, becoming even more captivatingly beautiful.

One evening, Li Muzhan returned from Miaolian Temple and took a detour to the Northern Desolation City to visit the City Lord, gauging the gap between their strengths.

While others could not discern Li Muzhan’s true capabilities, he could clearly see theirs. He sensed he was drawing closer to the City Lord, believing he would catch up before too long.

In terms of efficiency in hunting spirit beasts, Li Muzhan was unrivaled. Other Grandmasters facing these creatures had only a fifty-fifty chance of survival, and a mere ten percent victory rate was considered exceptionally high.

These spirit beasts were generally superior to Grandmasters. Winning one or two battles by leveraging weakness was possible, but it was no sustainable path. While the Grandmasters possessed trump cards, so did the spirit beasts. Li Muzhan’s flying blades were peerless; in the art of assassination, none could match him.

When these Grandmasters encountered the beasts, escaping with their lives was often considered a victory. Far more perished in the jaws of the spirits. Li Muzhan noticed new faces appearing in the city periodically, while familiar ones vanished—evidence of the slaughter in the Sacred Realm.

Grandmasters were constantly culled and replenished, yet the Northern Desolation City remained prosperous. Li Muzhan secretly marveled at the vastness of this world, which exceeded all imagination.

The entire Dali Dynasty possessed few Grandmasters, and the number of Dali Grandmasters within Northern Desolation City was a mere handful. He had seen some before, but they were gone now, leaving only the three of them—he learned from the City Lord that they had all perished in the Arctic Sacred Realm.

As Li Muzhan privately sighed, a thread of sorrow touched him. Human greed was boundless; even at the Grandmaster level with centuries of lifespan ahead, they pushed desperately for higher attainment, only to meet their end in the Arctic Sacred Realm. It was truly lamentable.

He reflected on himself; the closer one reached the peak, the more one yearned to ascend, the more reluctant one became to remain static at the Grandmaster realm.

The City Lord, Cheng Jun, was seated in the main hall when he saw Li Muzhan enter. He stood up and laughed. “Ah, Young Master Li, you arrive at a perfect moment! Master Shengkong is here!”

He remembered that Li Muzhan had long wished to meet Master Shengkong. Had it been anyone else, he might have forgotten, but he had kept meticulous track of Li Muzhan’s astonishing progress, ensuring the memory remained sharp.

Li Muzhan’s eyebrow twitched. “Master Shengkong?”

“Indeed,” Cheng Jun smiled. “Master Shengkong arrived three days ago and was just preparing to return to Xuankong Temple. What fate brings you here just as he is leaving—it is destiny!”

“May I ask where Master Shengkong is now?”

“Please wait a moment; I shall summon the Master.” Cheng Jun smiled, beckoning, and issued a quiet instruction to a nearby attendant, who nodded and slipped away silently.

“Come, come, Young Master Li, let us talk inside.” Cheng Jun ushered him in.

Li Muzhan entered the hall and took a seat. The hall was quiet. Cheng Jun remarked, “Young Master Li has made great strides again. At this pace, it won’t be long before you surpass this old man.”

Li Muzhan shook his head. “The City Lord flatters me. City Lord, may I ask what the next realm beyond Grandmaster is called?”

“That…” Cheng Jun hesitated, then offered a rueful smile. “It might be called the Profound Realm (Xuan Jing).”

“Profound Realm?” Li Muzhan mused.

Cheng Jun explained, “Only by surpassing the Grandmaster stage does one formally step into the Profound Gate.”

Li Muzhan’s brow furrowed, and he remained silent in contemplation.

Cheng Jun continued, “I observe your cultivation advancing at lightning speed, Young Master Li. At this rate, you have a high chance of entering the Profound Gate. However, the Profound Gate is mysterious beyond measure, and speaking of it openly can actually harm one’s progress, making true breakthrough difficult. I only speak of it because I see you have great potential.”

Li Muzhan smiled. “Why is it a hindrance to speak of it?”

“It invites mental obstacles,” Cheng Jun cautioned. “The existence of the Profound Gate is subtle. Knowing too much beforehand can instead impede cultivation, making true transcendence impossible.”

Li Muzhan asked, “Is it like reaching the Grandmaster stage—requiring sudden enlightenment?”

“Precisely,” Cheng Jun nodded slowly. “It requires the Profound Pass (Xuan Guan) to open spontaneously. Otherwise, no matter how strong the cultivation, if the Pass remains shut, it is useless.”

Li Muzhan frowned. “The Profound Pass opening?”

Cheng Jun nodded and smiled. “The Profound Pass is neither inside nor outside the body. Only when cultivation is sufficient does it flicker into existence. It cannot be explained to outsiders, nor can it be articulated clearly, hence why it is called Profound beyond Profound.”

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. “Since that is the case, I shall ask no further questions.”

Just as they were speaking, an aged monk with a long white beard and flowing eyebrows approached, tall in stature, carrying a profound majesty, his eyes still as water.

“Master, come, come! Let me introduce a brilliant young talent, Young Master Li Wuji!” Cheng Jun rose, smiling. “Young Master Li is truly a figure to astound antiquity and burnish the contemporary age—the youngest Grandmaster in thousands of years!”

Li Muzhan clasped his hands together, smiling. “The City Lord overpraises me. Master Shengkong, your disciple Li Wuji pays respects.”

“Amitabha, greetings, Benefactor Li.” Master Shengkong smiled kindly, his eyes flashing. “Benefactor Li, are you also connected to the Buddhist path?”

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. “My initial mentor was a monk. I practiced meditation from a young age before delving into martial arts later in life.”

“Excellent, excellent!” Master Shengkong nodded slowly. “I am impressed by Benefactor Li’s profound mastery of Buddhist principles!”

He could sense the surging, unfathomable Buddhist power emanating from Li Muzhan, no less potent than his own, perhaps even superior.

Li Muzhan smiled slightly. “I am but shallow, yet I hear of Master’s deep cultivation and broad insight. I have come seeking guidance.”

“Speak freely, Benefactor. This old monk will answer what I know,” Master Shengkong replied.

Li Muzhan asked, “I wish to know: can a Sacred Artifact ultimately be deciphered?”

Master Shengkong’s eyebrows rose sharply, and he looked at Li Muzhan in surprise.

Li Muzhan smiled. “I possess one Sacred Artifact that seems infinitely mysterious. I wish to find a way to break its secret.”

Saying this, he drew a string of prayer beads from the purple casket at his waist—the very string of Sarira Buddha Beads. (To be continued)