Liu Biyun, though resentful, could not abandon her senior brother, so she stomped her foot in vexation, marking this debt in her heart before calling the inn attendant to help her carry Wang Hanyang back to their room.
When Wang Hanyang awoke on the inn’s couch, he was faint, his face the pale white of powder, faintly tinged with blue, which made Liu Biyun’s heart ache with bitterness and intensified her hatred for Li Muzhan.
“Junior Sister…” Wang Hanyang’s dry lips moved, his vacant gaze slowly settling on her face.
She sat by the couch, her eyes red, holding back tears, and softly urged, “Senior Brother Wang, don't dwell on it too much. Rest well.”
Wang Hanyang managed a wry smile. “I’ve disgraced the Sect this time.”
Liu Biyun replied, “A single loss means nothing. You can take it back in the future, Senior Brother.”
Wang Hanyang shook his head with effort, revealing another bitter smile.
Seeing him thus, Liu Biyun knew he was utterly defeated. She quickly said, “Senior Brother, our Sect possesses the world's most supreme arts. As long as you strive diligently, you will surely surpass him.”
Wang Hanyang sighed, lost in thought. After a long pause, he slowly murmured, “Junior Sister, could he possibly be a disciple of the Linhai Pavilion?”
Liu Biyun pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “Unlikely.”
Wang Hanyang pressed, “If he’s not from the Linhai Pavilion, how could he defeat me?”
Liu Biyun sighed inwardly. “He might be from the Linhai Pavilion, or he might not be; I cannot say for sure... He used the Tortoise Crane Divine Palm, not revealing his sect’s martial arts. Senior Brother, we underestimated this Tortoise Crane Marvelous Scripture!”
Wang Hanyang argued, “The Tortoise Crane Divine Palm is formidable, but it requires the accompanying Tortoise Crane Heart Sutra. How could he master the Heart Sutra instantly?”
Liu Biyun shook her head. “The Tortoise Crane Heart Sutra cannot be mastered instantly. His internal force is strange.”
Wang Hanyang agreed, “Yes, his internal force is very peculiar.”
Liu Biyun softly advised, “Senior Brother Wang, don't think too much now. Recovering your injuries is the priority. Excessive rumination will hinder your healing.”
His injuries were severe, though not life-threatening. Still, he would need a period of careful recuperation; even with the Sect’s spiritual elixirs, he would be confined to bed for a month.
Wang Hanyang took a deep breath, his handsome face contorting into a snarl. “This humiliation today, I vow to repay a hundredfold someday!”
Liu Biyun nodded vigorously. “Senior Brother Wang will surely get his revenge!”
She sighed inwardly. Revenge would be far from easy. Qingmei Li Guanhai—they didn't even know his background; how could they speak of revenge? Moreover, he had defeated her senior brother with ease. Such skill at his age implied his internal cultivation method was extraordinary. Senior Brother Wang might never catch up to him.
Wang Hanyang said, “Junior Sister, you should go to the Zishang Palace first.”
Liu Biyun paused, shaking her head. “No rush.”
“You’re still counting on him to inquire about the Zishang Palace for you?” Wang Hanyang scoffed.
Liu Biyun shook her head. “I cannot abandon you, Senior Brother Wang.”
“I’m fine,” Wang Hanyang insisted. “It’s good for me to settle down and regulate my breathing.”
Liu Biyun hesitated. “What if someone takes advantage of the situation…”
“Hmph, I doubt they dare!” Wang Hanyang squinted and sneered. “Even if they grew two more heads, they wouldn't have the ability!”
Liu Biyun shook her head. The Dragon Mountain Sect had enemies everywhere. If some fool dared to seek trouble... With no other Dragon Mountain Sect disciples nearby, it was genuinely inconvenient.
Wang Hanyang urged, “Junior Sister, we can’t delay any longer. Go, go… be quick and return!”
Liu Biyun hesitated. This matter truly could not be postponed. Delaying until nightfall might bring unforeseen complications, and failing the mission would be a great sin.
Wang Hanyang assured her, “Junior Sister, the man surnamed Li wouldn't dare kill me, otherwise, he wouldn't have shown restraint. Besides him, who else dares oppose our Dragon Mountain Sect? If you don't go, I cannot rest easy while recovering!”
“...Fine. I’ll go quickly and return!” Liu Biyun nodded lightly.
Wang Hanyang broke into a smile. “That’s better!”
Liu Biyun declared, “Then I’ll leave now!”
“Does Junior Sister know the location of the Zishang Palace?” Wang Hanyang asked.
Liu Biyun replied, “I’ll get close to the mountain and call out to them via sound transmission!”
Wang Hanyang smiled. “My Junior Sister is the clever one!” Go quickly!”
Liu Biyun instructed, “Senior Brother, be careful. If anyone comes, signal immediately.”
“Don’t worry, I know,” Wang Hanyang waved his hand weakly.
Li Muzhan returned to Purple Cloud Mountain and proceeded directly to the Zhaoxia Hall, but it was empty. Qin Yeqiu was not there, so he went straight to her small courtyard.
Qin Yeqiu’s courtyard was located on the far east side, nestled within a grove of pine trees, serene and peaceful.
He arrived outside the courtyard, knocked gently, and Qin Yeqiu’s clear, cool voice called from within, “Wuji? Come in.”
Li Muzhan pushed the door open. Qin Yeqiu, clad in white, stood poised, holding her sword, watching him quietly. “You’re back so soon?”
“Senior Sister. The disciple from the Dragon Mountain Sect is coming—a woman named Liu Biyun. She seems reasonable enough,” Li Muzhan approached and smiled. “The items from Wanchong Mountain, are they still preserved?”
Qin Yeqiu nodded. “Yes, they are all in the Ziyang Hall. Why?”
Li Muzhan explained, “There’s something strange. The Dragon Mountain Sect disciple is here specifically to claim those things.”
“They aren't here to demand retribution?” Qin Yeqiu asked.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “For now, they show no sign of seeking vengeance, though that might change later... Senior Sister, bring the items over first so we can examine them.”
Qin Yeqiu nodded slightly and called out. A girl in green robes floated in. Li Muzhan quickly said, “Senior Sister, let’s go together.”
Qin Yeqiu frowned at him for a moment, waved her hand, and the green-robed girl withdrew.
They left the small courtyard together. Qin Yeqiu murmured quietly, “What’s strange about it?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “If the Dragon Mountain Sect values them so highly, they must be extraordinary!”
Qin Yeqiu asked, “How do you know?”
Li Muzhan smiled. “I disguised myself as Qingmei Li Guanhai to get close to them.”
Qin Yeqiu glanced at him, musing, “Still, be cautious. It’s best to minimize direct encounters. Dragon Mountain Sect disciples must not be underestimated!”
Li Muzhan inquired, “Are you worried the mask won’t work?”
“The Dragon Mountain Sect possesses many arcane and strange arts; they are impossible to defend against entirely,” Qin Yeqiu stated.
Li Muzhan nodded. “Understood. I won't meet her face-to-face on the mountain... We’re here.”
They arrived before the Ziyang Hall. Qin Yeqiu led the way. With no one blocking them, they pushed the main doors open and entered. The hall exuded an atmosphere of decay. Rows of purple-lacquered wooden cabinets were neatly arranged, each displaying antique items—weapons, books, porcelain bottles, and even stones.
Qin Yeqiu walked directly to a cabinet in the center and pointed to a bundle lying on top. “It’s here.”
Li Muzhan reached out and took it. “I don't know what’s peculiar about it... Senior Sister, let’s take this back and study it carefully.”
Qin Yeqiu nodded toward the green-robed girl beside her. The two of them floated out of the Ziyang Hall and into Li Muzhan’s small courtyard.
The courtyard was clean, clearly maintained by someone. They went straight to the small pavilion and sat down. Li Muzhan untied the bundle, revealing two pieces of old clothing and four small white jade bottles.
Li Muzhan pointed at the jade bottles. “These should be good medicine, but it’s a waste since we don’t know their nature and dare not use them.”
Qin Yeqiu asked, “Were they after the elixirs?”
Li Muzhan pondered, shaking his head. “Unlikely. The Dragon Mountain Sect is immensely powerful. What elixirs might they lack that they’d need Wanchong Mountain’s?”
Qin Yeqiu countered, “That’s not necessarily true. Some rare elixirs depend on chance; sheer power doesn't guarantee acquisition. Wanchong Mountain has been very lucky to survive unnoticed for so long.”
Li Muzhan conceded, “If they really were elixirs, we could give them away and earn a favor.”
“Mmm,” Qin Yeqiu nodded in agreement.
Even the finest elixirs were useless if they didn't understand them. It was better to give them away as a gesture of goodwill.
Li Muzhan rummaged through the rest of the contents. Besides the four jade bottles and two old garments, there was nothing else—not a scrap of paper. He thought for a moment. “Senior Sister, did he leave anything else behind when he fell?”
“No,” Qin Yeqiu replied. “Important items, he likely kept close or hid them somewhere secret.”
Li Muzhan mused, then shook his head. “This man is cunning and must be deeply suspicious. The most important things he would keep on his person.”
Qin Yeqiu looked at him. “Could it be these two pieces of clothing?”
Li Muzhan’s gaze settled on the two old garments, turning them over, deep in thought.
Qin Yeqiu observed his reaction and shook her head. “Just two old rags. The fabric is ordinary; there’s nothing strange about them.”
Li Muzhan said, “Senior Sister, wait a moment!”
He turned and left the pavilion, soon returning with a basin of water, cold as if just drawn from the well—clear and crisp.
Li Muzhan tossed the two garments into the water, then pulled them out, shook them, and held them close to his eyes for inspection.
Qin Yeqiu ignored the wet clothes and fixed her gaze on Li Muzhan’s face.
Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes, which grew brighter and brighter, his gaze becoming almost substantial. Qin Yeqiu knew he was channeling his internal energy into his eyes and that prolonged effort would harm them.
Just as she was about to warn him, Li Muzhan suddenly broke into a smile, chuckling softly.
Qin Yeqiu quickly looked at the wet garments but couldn't discern anything. Li Muzhan smiled and quoted, “The qi of the husband is ultimate void and ultimate softness, yet ultimate firmness and ultimate magnitude. The birth of qi is Yin; the function of qi is Yang. The marvel of nurturing qi lies in the oscillation between Supreme Yin and Supreme Yang…”
Qin Yeqiu quickly interrupted. “Is this a cultivation method?”
Li Muzhan set the first garment down, picked up the second, brought it close to his face, focused his gaze, and let his sight fall upon it like a physical force.
Li Muzhan scanned it a few times and nodded. “It’s called the Dragon Subduing Art.”
Qin Yeqiu frowned, thought for a moment, and shook her head. “I’ve never heard of it... It’s likely not a Dragon Mountain Sect martial art.”
The Dragon Mountain Sect boasted thirty-six supreme arts, and the Dragon Subduing Art was not among them. Li Muzhan suggested, “Perhaps it’s a cultivation method Wanchong Mountain obtained.”
Qin Yeqiu pondered. “Wanchong Mountain was expelled from the Dragon Mountain Sect and had his martial arts crippled. If he became a top master again, the method he cultivated must be extraordinary. Is it this Dragon Subduing Art?”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Highly possible! Senior Sister, just remember this for now. The next few lines read: at midnight, Yin and Yang shift, transforming into a drop of vital qi, controlled and refined by the spirit, entering the Dantian, traversing the meridians, turning three times by the Yongquan point…”
He recited slowly. Qin Yeqiu quickly said, “Wait, let me find some paper to write it down.”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Senior Sister, memorize it in your mind. Don’t put it on paper.”
Qin Yeqiu paused, then nodded. “That’s wise. You go slower.”
Li Muzhan reduced his speed, continuing to recite in a low voice. After the first garment, he moved to the second, soon finishing the inscriptions on both pieces of clothing.
Qin Yeqiu took the garments and looked closely. They seemed blank. She concentrated her vision, and faintly, she could discern characters, flickering in and out of sight, almost indistinguishable from the weave of the cloth. If she hadn't been told beforehand, she never would have assumed they were writing.
She marveled inwardly at Wanchong Mountain's cunning—who would ever think to hide a cultivation method within old clothes? Anyone seeing these two rags would discard them instantly. He played on common human nature: those who wished him dead would naturally despise his belongings, seeing the old clothes as if smelling his presence, and thus throw them away without a second look, never seeing the cultivation method.
She turned to look at Li Muzhan, sighing internally. She truly didn’t know how he discovered it. His perception was fine as hair; discerning an autumn leaf hinted at the coming season. His wisdom was rarely matched in the world. She had always considered herself intelligent, but before Li Muzhan, she felt like a clumsy girl.
Li Muzhan thought for a moment. “The Dragon Subduing Art—it’s about subduing the power of a dragon, not subduing tigers. This internal force is extremely rigid and fierce, perhaps not entirely suited for women.”
“Mmm,” Qin Yeqiu agreed after contemplating the Dragon Subduing Art.
Li Muzhan continued, “I’ll try practicing it. Since everyone here now balances Yin and Yang, theoretically, the Senior Sisters could also practice this Dragon Subduing Art.”
Qin Yeqiu shook her head. “This Dragon Subduing Art is best paired with boxing or palm techniques. It’s a shame for swordplay.”
Li Muzhan laughed. “Senior Sister, I also acquired a manual—the Tortoise Crane Marvelous Scripture—which contains a set of palm techniques, the Tortoise Crane Divine Palm. Shall we spar?”
As he spoke, both his palms shot out—one heavy and profound, the other light and fluid—and he instantly appeared before Qin Yeqiu. Qin Yeqiu met him with her jade-like palms, and the two clashed. Li Muzhan’s profound internal force held the upper hand, and the infinite subtleties of the Tortoise Crane Divine Palm pressed down on Qin Yeqiu, leaving her breathless; despite using every skill she possessed, she couldn't catch her breath.
Li Muzhan suddenly leaped out of the engagement range and smiled. “Senior Sister, what do you think of the Tortoise Crane Divine Palm?”
“The Tortoise Crane Divine Palm?” Qin Yeqiu smoothed a stray lock of hair from her temple and nodded. “Truly profound!”
Li Muzhan stated, “I glimpsed the Tortoise Crane Marvelous Scripture from the Dragon Mountain Sect disciple. It’s incredibly subtle and includes a cultivation method, though it pales in comparison to the Dragon Subduing Art.”
“The Dragon Subduing Art is indeed unique,” Qin Yeqiu confirmed.
Li Muzhan concluded, “So, Senior Sister, we absolutely cannot hand over these two pieces of clothing.”
“...Mmm,” Qin Yeqiu slowly nodded.
Li Muzhan beckoned. The two old garments flew toward him. He clapped his palms together, and with a muffled bang, the old clothes exploded into dust, fluttering down lightly. A gentle breeze swept the remnants out of the pavilion.
Li Muzhan clapped his hands and laughed. “Peace has returned to the world!”
As they were speaking, a crisp, sweet call came from outside. “Palace Master, someone is calling for us outside. Should we lure them in?”
“Invite them in,” Qin Yeqiu instructed.
Li Muzhan said, “Senior Sister, I’m heading down the mountain.”
“Down the mountain?” Qin Yeqiu frowned. “What if you run into her?”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Unlikely. I have some lingering unease; I'll go down and take a look.”
“...As you wish,” Qin Yeqiu looked at him and nodded in agreement.
Li Muzhan clasped his fists in a salute and departed lightly, moving with a sense of urgency.
Qingmei Town, Fengyue Inn. “Heh, aren’t the Dragon Mountain Sect disciples supposed to be arrogant? Why does he look like a dead dog?” a burly man guffawed, looking at Wang Hanyang lying on the couch.
The room door lay shattered on the floor. The burly man resembled an iron tower, his short beard coarse as iron needles, and his eyes like copper bells shot out sharp glints, radiating faint menace.
Wang Hanyang managed a cold sneer on his pale face, struggling to prop himself against the wall to sit. He scoffed, “Ox, taking advantage of someone’s weakness—that’s all you’re good for!”
The burly man sneered triumphantly. “Heh heh, Wang boy, who’s to say I’m taking advantage? If I killed you without a sound, you’d die in vain!”
Wang Hanyang sneered back. “You try it. No secret is kept forever in this world. If you kill me, you won’t live freely! My Dragon Mountain Sect will send people to find you, and then we’ll make you wish for death more than life!”
“All empty boasts!” the burly man scoffed. “Who are you trying to scare? Alright, stop wasting time. Miss Liu left long ago; no one saw me arrive! I’m sending you on your way now!”
Wang Hanyang drew the long sword hidden beside the couch, held it across his chest, and coldly stated, “I’d like to see how much you’ve improved. Come on then!”
“Oh? You’re still trying to fight in this state?” The burly man shook his head and threw a punch: “Die!”
Bang! The burly man suddenly flew backward, smashing through the window and landing heavily in the courtyard. Wang Hanyang’s eyes widened, staring fixedly at the scene.
Li Muzhan clapped his hands and smiled faintly. “Young Hero Wang, I didn’t arrive too late, did I?”
“You… you…” Wang Hanyang pointed the sword at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan said, “No need to thank me; it was just a small effort!”
“Why are you here?” Wang Hanyang retracted his sword and snorted.
Li Muzhan smiled. “I was worried about this exact scenario.”
Wang Hanyang sneered. “You were afraid I’d die and the Sect would blame you?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “That’s right. Your death wouldn’t matter, but don't drag the people in our town into it.”
Wang Hanyang’s expression softened slightly, and he huffed, “How did you know I’d be in danger?”
Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed. “Is that even a question? Given the ways of your Dragon Mountain Sect, you’ve made countless enemies. You think no one would seize the opportunity of your injury to take your life? Ridiculous!”
Wang Hanyang glared at Li Muzhan, then huffed, “Regardless, thank you!”
Li Muzhan waved his hand. “I didn’t genuinely save you either; no need for thanks. I’d be grateful if you just caused me less trouble from now on!”
Wang Hanyang snorted. “We’ll call it even!”
Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow and smiled wryly. “That’s quite calculating of you. A life debt settled so easily?”
Wang Hanyang countered, “My life for yours—of course, it cancels out!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Do you really think you can defeat me?”
“Naturally!” Wang Hanyang snorted.
Li Muzhan replied, “With your current skill, you could train for a lifetime and never hope to beat me!”
Wang Hanyang huffed, “I will cultivate a superior cultivation method, and I will certainly defeat you. When that time comes, I won’t seek repayment for you saving me this time.”
Li Muzhan shook his head and laughed. “I won't kill you, yet you want to kill me. That truly is…”
They bickered, ignoring the burly man lying outside. Li Muzhan sat on an embroidered stool by the couch, chatting idly. Wang Hanyang was narrow-minded and arrogant, but he distinguished clearly between kindness and enmity. Li Muzhan had indeed saved his life, so Wang Hanyang became more talkative, peppering Li Muzhan with questions to probe his background.
Li Muzhan answered vaguely, brushing off the inquiries, and time passed quickly. By evening, Liu Biyun returned. (To be continued)