Cao Ya stroked his beard and shook his head. "Hard to say. When he doesn't move, he's still; but when he moves, it’s with the force of thunder. My old adversary is formidable; it won't be easy."

Li Muzhan nodded, surveying their surroundings, then turned. "Xiao He, fetch my bow and arrows."

"Right away," Xiao He replied, turning and exiting the room. A moment later, she returned, retrieving a stark black bow and two quivers of arrows from Li Muzhan's inner quarters.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Good."

Xiao He shot him a look, then fetched four more quivers, setting them down heavily before him on the low table. "Is that enough now?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, looking toward Cao Ya. "Teacher, the roof of the boat offers a wider view."

"Let's go up," Cao Ya agreed. "Just be careful not to fall."

Li Muzhan laughed. "Rest assured, Teacher."

He smiled at Hu Ruilin. "Great Hero Hu, lend me your assistance."

Hu Ruilin said, "Wuji, I will impart a few lines of incantation to you. Practice them diligently and see if you can master them."

"An incantation?" Li Muzhan smiled. "Is it for the lightness skill?"

"Indeed," Hu Ruilin nodded. "Brother Cao didn't want you learning other martial arts, so I hesitated for a long time. But given the urgency, you should learn it now."

"Thank you, Great Hero Hu!" Li Muzhan cupped his fists.

Cao Ya shook his head helplessly. "When circumstances demand it, rules bend. Even if you learn it, do not use it lightly!"

"Yes," Li Muzhan agreed, eagerly looking towards Hu Ruilin.

He naturally understood the lightness skill, but he did not wish to expose his hand. If Hu Ruilin taught him the incantation, it would serve as a ready excuse to deploy his own qinggong. Understanding lightness skill but being unable to use it was as awkward as owning a carriage but being forced to walk.

Hu Ruilin leaned close to Li Muzhan, condensing his voice into a fine thread, whispering low into Li Muzhan's ear so no one else could hear. Li Muzhan listened, nodding occasionally.

The dozen lines of incantation were soon finished. Hu Ruilin looked at him. "How was it?"

Li Muzhan mused for a moment, then nodded. "I grasp the main idea."

"Oh—?" Hu Ruilin looked at him skeptically.

Li Muzhan smiled. "I’ve been reading some medical texts recently and familiarized myself with the meridians. This isn't difficult. Let me try."

With a "whoosh," he darted out, hitting the wall with a "bang." Fortunately, he managed to extend a hand in time to avoid hitting his face. Unconcerned, he pivoted and tried again. His eyes alight, he suddenly rushed forward, then abruptly stopped, narrowly missing another wall. He was like a novice driver, surging and slamming the brakes, making observers’ hearts leap into their throats.

Hu Ruilin clapped his hands in appreciation, turning to Cao Ya. "Brother Cao, Wuji’s comprehension is truly rare. It’s a pity he refuses to train in martial arts!"

Cao Ya laughed. "His insight is indeed excellent, Brother Hu, but please stop dwelling on it. I won't change my mind."

"Alas... you are too stubborn!" Hu Ruilin shook his head with resignation.

Hu Ruilin helped Li Muzhan onto the roof. Xiao He insisted on following, and Cao Miao reluctantly agreed with a nod. Xiao He beamed, standing beside him on the roof, her garments whipping loudly in the wind.

The fighting on the four distant covered boats was fierce and evenly matched. Xiao He raised a hand to shield her eyes, frowning as she watched for a long while. "It won't be decided quickly."

Xiao He turned back. "Young Master, time to act."

Li Muzhan shook his head, his hand moving away from the bowstring. "Why?" Xiao He asked.

Li Muzhan said, "No need to rush."

"Wouldn't it be better to finish them quickly!" Xiao He remarked.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "My senior brothers probably haven't used their true abilities yet."

Xiao He pouted with a smile. "Young Master, you’re afraid of upsetting them, aren't you?"

Li Muzhan asked, "If it were you, would you be happy?"

Xiao He declared, "Young Master, you worry too much! Why think so much? Just take them down first!"

Li Muzhan smiled, shaking his head in silence.

Her bright eyes darted around. Xiao He pursed her lips and chuckled lightly, then suddenly cupped her small hands around her mouth and called out loudly, "Eldest Senior Brother, do you need help?"

"Good," Cao Long grunted deeply, his voice clear and resonant reaching both of them.

Li Muzhan moved his hand. A streak of light hissed as it bored into the back of a middle-aged man in black. The arrowhead pierced through his chest. The man, who had been swinging a palm strike toward Cao Long’s back, suddenly flew off the boat with a "bang," splashing into the river and being swept away by the turbulent current.

"Young Master’s magnificent archery!" Xiao He clapped her hands and laughed.

Li Muzhan moved his hand again, and the bowstring gave a dull thwack. A streak of light shot out, hitting another middle-aged man in black and flinging him directly into the river.

Cao Long shouted, "Wuji’s excellent archery!"

Shooting one man away might be luck, but shooting two in succession was undoubtedly a sublime skill. Li Muzhan loosed two more arrows, one for each target. The two men in black tried to dodge, but the arrows were too fast; they only glimpsed a cold glint before being struck, with no time to evade.

Cao Long clapped his hands together and called out, "Wuji, finish them all off!"

Li Muzhan said gravely, "Understood."

With Cao Long’s go-ahead, Li Muzhan held back no longer. Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack—the bowstring sounded like thunderclaps, the arrows like flashes of lightning. In the blink of an eye, another ten men were shot clear into the river.

Cao Long’s four opponents were eliminated. The four brothers then guided their covered boat alongside the larger vessel. Cao Long stood at the bow, laughing heartily. "Wuji, your marksmanship is divine! I am truly impressed!"

Li Muzhan scratched his head self-consciously. "Eldest Senior Brother overpraises me... Eldest Senior Brother, did Second Senior Brother perhaps sustain an injury?"

"Just a small scratch, nothing serious!" Cao Hu waved his hand dismissively.

Though handsome, he possessed a tiger-like aura, truly living up to his name. When fighting, he was like a maddened tiger, disregarding his own safety in his quest to injure the enemy. Li Muzhan had missed two opponents—the ones who injured Cao Hu.

Li Muzhan’s expression shifted slightly. He pointed into the distance. Cao Long and the others turned to look, spotting a fleet of covered boats drifting toward them—there were more than twenty.

"Boss, what should we do?" Cao Hu grunted, his eyes gleaming as he stared intently at the twenty-plus boats.

Cao Long pondered briefly, then shook his head. "Since it's come to this, we have no choice but to fight head-on. Let's return to the main ship."

Cao Hu declared, "Boss, you all get aboard first. I’ll go meet them!"

Cao Long frowned. "Second Brother, this is not the time to show off!"

Cao Hu countered, "I’ll test their true strength so you all can be prepared... I’m off!"

Without waiting for Cao Long to speak further, his covered boat shot backward, quickly receding several dozen zhang. It shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow, heading toward the distant cluster of boats.

Li Muzhan turned to Xiao He. "Xiao He, bring more arrows."

"You got it." Xiao He agreed, leaping lightly off the roof. She soon returned, carrying four quivers, and placed them at Li Muzhan's feet. "Young Master, that's all we have!"

Li Muzhan nodded, his gaze fixed on Cao Hu.

Xiao He remarked, "Second Master will be fine. It’s a good thing we bought extra arrows this time, or we wouldn't have enough. Young Master's foresight is truly commendable!"

Li Muzhan smiled, plucked an arrow, and placed it on the string, staring fixedly into the distance.

In moments, Cao Hu met the foremost covered boat. He leaped onto it, and four middle-aged men in black emerged from the cabin, surrounding him in a fierce melee. Cao Hu fought like a desperate tiger, ignoring self-preservation. Soon, he sustained two wounds, but also managed to injure one foe. Li Muzhan frowned. "Eldest Senior Brother, their martial arts are stronger, aren't they?"

Cao Long and the other two were now beside him. Cao Long nodded. "A cut above. Second Brother is in danger!"

Li Muzhan drew his bow into a full moon. With a muffled thwack, a streak of light flashed out, instantly piercing the back of a middle-aged man in black and dragging him off the boat.

Once this arrow was loosed, only two opponents remained. Cao Hu’s tide turned; he switched from defense to relentless offense. Li Muzhan felt no joy, however; instead, he frowned. Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack—he loosed four arrows in quick succession. The arrow-streaks vanished into the turbulent river water.

Cao Long and the other two stared at him, bewildered. Li Muzhan stared intently at the river surface. Soon, patches of red bloomed on the water, spreading slowly, as if vermilion dye had been poured in.

Cao Long’s trio gasped. They immediately guessed the enemy’s intent: to sabotage the boat hulls. This tactic was venomous; if the boat sank, even those with excellent swimming skills would perish, for experts were surely lying in ambush below, waiting for them to fall in.

Li Muzhan quickly drew another arrow and shot again. Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack... A continuous drumming sound erupted. Xiao He and the three brothers could only see the blur of Li Muzhan's hand; his movements were too fast to discern.

Streamers of light sliced through the air and sank into the water. In that brief span, over twenty arrows were loosed. Li Muzhan let out a long breath, his face flushed, as if he had been holding his breath the entire time.

"Wuji, we owe you everything!" Cao Long sighed, shaking his head. Though he had considered the possibility of hull sabotage, he hadn't imagined it would happen so swiftly and covertly. He studied Li Muzhan, unable to fathom how he had detected it. Logically, with his own deep internal energy and superior eyesight, Li Muzhan should not have surpassed him.

Li Muzhan explained, "I didn't see them; it was purely a feeling that something was wrong. I shot based on that sensation, and it turns out there really were people below!"

"Good, good, you must be exhausted," Cao Long said with a smile, reaching out to place a hand on Li Muzhan's back. He channeled a stream of gentle, warm internal energy into him, and Li Muzhan instantly felt his vitality surge.

Such profound internal energy! Li Muzhan admired Cao Long, realizing that appearances were deceiving. At such a young age, his inner power was so deep, scarcely inferior to Hu Ruilin's.

Li Muzhan took a deep breath. "Eldest Senior Brother, I will begin firing now!"

"Go ahead and unleash yourself," Cao Long nodded.

Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack... The bowstring sounded like thunder; the arrows were streaks of light, each plunging into a covered boat. The experts aboard were slain instantly in their cabins.

As Li Muzhan emptied one quiver, Xiao He quickly held another one behind him. Li Muzhan's hand became a mere phantom blur, leaving Cao Long and the others utterly astonished.

"Eldest Senior Brother, our boat needs to speed up," Li Muzhan said while firing.

He loosed arrow after arrow, reaping life after life. The experts on the covered boats did not wait for death; they either erected makeshift shields or leaped into the water beneath their boats to hide.

Cao Long commanded, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, go below and help out!"

"On it!" Cao Bao agreed, and he and Cao He leaped off the roof.

The main ship soon accelerated. The covered boats, which had been closing in, stopped approaching but also failed to fall far behind; the distance remained constant, which suited Li Muzhan’s archery perfectly.

He shot arrow after arrow, cutting down life after life. His arrows were both swift and lethal; the speed made evasion impossible, and the force shattered the covered boats’ defenses. The men in black were forced to jump into the river to escape, relying on their deep inner energy to dive deep underwater and hold their breath.

This allowed them a chance to survive, for as the main ship sped on, it quickly left them behind by several dozen zhang. With the increased distance, and the arrows losing momentum as they hit the water, they gained a window for evasion.

A dozen clever individuals dove into the river and escaped by diving deep. All others perished without exception. In moments, the river water turned red.

Li Muzhan said, "Eldest Senior Brother, take me to Second Senior Brother’s boat."

Cao Long nodded, grasping him and leaping into the air. He tossed a piece of wood mid-flight, touched down on it with his toes, and leaped again. After two such bounds, they landed on Cao Hu’s boat.

The moment Li Muzhan landed, he began shooting. Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack... Amidst a rapid series of muffled sounds, streaks of light drilled into the water, followed by expanding crimson stains. Even those who had submerged themselves did not escape.

Li Muzhan stopped, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down him until he could barely stand, his arms trembling slightly, unable to hold the bow.

Cao Long had been continuously channeling internal energy into Li Muzhan and could feel the young man’s profound exhaustion.

Seeing this, Cao Hu quickly urged his covered boat to move, bringing it alongside the main vessel.

When Cao Long helped Li Muzhan back onto the main ship, everyone rushed to greet them. Hu Ruilin stared at Li Muzhan, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Truly divine archery!"

Cao Ya stroked his beard and smiled faintly. Cao Miao watched him with a gentle smile, her bright eyes like clear water.

Li Muzhan offered a weak, weary smile. "Teacher, Great Hero Hu."

"Go rest first," Cao Ya waved his hand.

Hu Ruilin praised him, "Wuji, astonishing. I couldn't have shot that many arrows."

Li Muzhan replied, "I owe a debt to Eldest Senior Brother's assistance."

White mist steamed from Cao Long’s head, his face ruddy. He shook his head and laughed. "I am fine; it was all thanks to Wuji’s divine arrows. We truly would have been in danger today!"

Hu Ruilin shook his head. "These fellows have gone mad. This isn't an assassination attempt; it's outright massacre!"

Cao Ya said, "Wuji, go rest now. Since they failed this time, they won't try again. We have weathered a storm; this hurdle is passed!"

Li Muzhan said, "Teacher, I need to rest a little."

"Rest easy," Cao Ya confirmed.

Cao Long supported Li Muzhan as he slowly made his way back to his room. //For fastest text updates from the book fans' tower//

Li Muzhan did not refuse. Cao Long spoke softly, "Junior Brother, I will teach you a set of internal cultivation methods, and then I will help you circulate your energy. Listen carefully."

Li Muzhan paused, turning to look at him. Cao Long smiled gently. "We are family; no need for formalities. I obtained this cultivation method by chance; it has profound subtleties. Listen closely."

Li Muzhan said, "Eldest Senior Brother, I already have Great Hero Hu's method."

"Mine is a step more marvelous," Cao Long countered. "Enough talk, listen well. When contained, it extends; when extended, it endures..."

Li Muzhan listened quietly. Cao Long then helped him activate his inner energy, guiding it through specific pathways. Li Muzhan instantly recognized the difference; the superiority of the two methods was immediately apparent.

The cries of apes on both banks could not hold back the swift boat, which had already passed ten thousand layers of mountains. The large vessel continued downriver rapidly. Five days later, they finally reached a small city—Hidden Immortal City (Yinxian Cheng).

The Cao Clan Ancestral Hall was located in Wolong Village, ten li south of the city. The Cao family held absolute sway in Wolong Village; all the land in the village belonged to the Caos. Even in Hidden Immortal City, the Cao family held significant influence.

The current Clan Head of the Cao family, Cao Hai, was Cao Ya’s elder brother by birth. Though over eighty, he was remarkably well-preserved, appearing much like Cao Ya.

When they arrived at Wolong Village, Cao Hai personally led the entire village to welcome them. Cao Ya was the most accomplished figure in the entire history of the Cao lineage, having held the highest official rank. Even though he had retired from office and returned home, the people still held him in the highest regard.