She let out a breath, gazing steadily at Li Muzhan, “The Demon Blade’s reputation is well-deserved, isn't it?”
Li Muzhan nodded, sighing, “Two hundred years of cultivation is indeed formidable. His blade work is exquisite, having transcended the realm of mere technique. I am not his equal.”
“Your swordsmanship is also quite good,” Qin Yeqiu remarked.
Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry smile, “I once thought mine was decent, but now I see how far I still have to go... Senior Sister, let’s not rush back just yet.”
“Hmm—?” Qin Yeqiu frowned, looking at him.
Li Muzhan continued, “I fear they might have some hidden tactics. Old foxes can’t be underestimated; caution is necessary!”
“Yes,” Qin Yeqiu slowly nodded.
Li Muzhan struggled to sit up, and Qin Yeqiu helped steady him. He gasped for air, then sighed, “I need a good period to regulate my internal energy. Senior Sister, guard me while I meditate.”
“Let’s find a quiet place,” Qin Yeqiu suggested.
Li Muzhan retorted, “The longer this lingers, the worse it gets. The sooner the better, regardless of formalities!”
Qin Yeqiu frowned, sensing something amiss. “His blade-force was potent, wasn’t it?”
Li Muzhan managed a bitter smile, “It couldn't be hidden from you, Senior Sister! The physical cut wasn't severe, but the dao jin—the blade force—is what’s truly dangerous. I must deal with it carefully.”
“Let me lend you my strength,” Qin Yeqiu offered.
Li Muzhan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded, “Thank you, Senior Sister!”
Qin Yeqiu sat cross-legged behind him, pressing her palms against his back. Both closed their eyes and channeled their gong. In moments, wisps of white vapor drifted from the back of Li Muzhan’s head, and shortly after, the same appeared from Qin Yeqiu.
The white vapor emanating from behind their heads grew thicker and denser. Their faces flushed as if drunk. Qin Yeqiu’s purple robes billowed out, as if inflating like a ball.
Li Muzhan’s complexion gained a touch of color, while Qin Yeqiu’s garments fluttered violently. With a sudden “Pfft!”, Li Muzhan spat out a jet of blood. Qin Yeqiu was thrown backward with a “Bang,” slamming into a tree behind her, nearly knocking her unconscious.
Li Muzhan’s face grew even paler. He turned to glance at Qin Yeqiu and offered a weak smile, “Senior Sister, this blade force is incredibly fierce. Please, pay it no mind!”
“You...?” Qin Yeqiu gazed at him with worry.
Li Muzhan chuckled, “I can handle it. Just keep anyone from disturbing me, Senior Sister. It will take a while to suppress this; don't worry!”
“Be careful!” Qin Yeqiu slowly nodded.
There was nothing she could do to help now. Her internal organs felt almost overturned; the damage was severe. She sighed, realizing that even the backlash she received just by being near him was this fierce—he must have borne the brunt of it.
She fixed her gaze on Li Muzhan’s face. Seeing him so calm and composed, her heart gradually settled, regaining confidence.
The immediate priority was healing. If Gu Dongting and his group caught up, she was powerless to help Li Muzhan escape. She immediately closed her eyes and began circulating her gong.
When Li Muzhan awoke, the sky was bright. Midday sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves onto his head. He looked up; it was high noon.
“Junior Brother!” Qin Yeqiu called out faintly.
Li Muzhan looked over with a smile, “Senior Sister, how long has it been?”
“A day and a night!” Qin Yeqiu replied, assessing him. “The injuries aren't serious anymore, are they?”
Li Muzhan nodded, “I was lucky; I’m mostly fine now!”
“That’s a relief!” Qin Yeqiu exhaled. She had faith in Li Muzhan, but the Demon Blade had been famous for a hundred years—the gap between them was too wide.
Li Muzhan asked, “They didn’t come after us, did they?”
“They didn't pursue,” Qin Yeqiu shook her head, pulling a thin booklet from her embrace.
Li Muzhan smiled, “It seems this Elder Gu is full of confidence, believing he could kill me!”
He hadn't expected the blade force to be this potent; it truly was troublesome. If he hadn't cultivated the Chaoxia Gong and Yingyue Gong, along with the Xianglong Jue, he certainly wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
To resist that blade force, all three were indispensable. Without the pure internal energy cultivated by Chaoxia Gong and Yingyue Gong, and the fierce dominance of Xianglong Jue, he could never have resisted the corrosive nature of the Demon Blade’s force and would currently be lying dead.
Li Muzhan sighed inwardly. The martial arts of this world truly possess unique aspects that must not be underestimated. A Grandmaster here could easily meet their demise if careless.
“Junior Brother, your swordsmanship is truly…” Qin Yeqiu gave a self-deprecating laugh.
When she first received Li Muzhan’s secret manual, she hadn't given it much thought. He was so young, how long could he have studied martial arts to create his own style? It seemed incredible.
It was like wanting to run before one could walk; how could one avoid stumbling? She hadn't been interested in the swordsmanship Li Muzhan created, but out of boredom, she had flipped through it and started practicing.
Li Muzhan’s nine sword moves were simple and easy to learn; she mastered them quickly. Then, comparing them against her original techniques, she realized their profound superiority.
Li Muzhan smiled, “I devised these through painstaking effort. We still need my martial brothers and sisters to test if they are effective.”
“What incredible swordsmanship!” Qin Yeqiu shook her head and sighed, “Wuji, how could you…?”
She still struggled to comprehend. Was it true that some were born with innate knowledge? Logically, based on the sword styles he had encountered, he absolutely should not have been able to create such profound yet deceptively simple moves.
Even a master like the Demon Blade Gu Dongting, who had devoted his life to the path of the blade, found it difficult to create his own signature style and make significant breakthroughs.
Li Muzhan laughed, “Perhaps heaven favors us, and Heaven will not destroy our Zishang Palace.”
“Alas…” Qin Yeqiu sighed.
Li Muzhan asked, “Senior Sister, why are you troubled again?”
Qin Yeqiu shook her head, “Zishang Palace owes you too much!”
Li Muzhan smiled, “If you hadn't taken us in back then, Master might have perished, and I wouldn't be alive either. Zishang Palace is my home; why speak of debts?”
“Yes, Zishang Palace is your home,” Qin Yeqiu nodded gently. “I am so glad you feel that way!”
Li Muzhan affirmed, “Senior Sister, rest assured, the Longshan Sect cannot destroy our Zishang Palace!”
“With you here, I have no fear,” Qin Yeqiu revealed a smile.
She was usually cold and distant; this sudden smile gave Li Muzhan a dazzling feeling.
On a large boulder atop the mountain peak, Li Muzhan sat cross-legged, inhaling the morning light. The rising sun draped him in a cloak of rosy glow.
Two thin white lines drifted from his nose and mouth. At a glance, one might mistake them for actual threads; they were faint, barely perceptible. Only upon closer inspection could one discern that they were fine lines condensed from qi.
The two thin threads drifted and twisted in the air about an inch in front of his nose, moving back and forth, a truly wondrous sight. Li Muzhan’s breathing differed from that of ordinary practitioners. When others cultivated, their breath grew stronger, exhaled like arrows. He, however, grew softer the more he practiced, dissolving into the ethereal.
Qi tends toward the coarse; it is easy to make it dense but difficult to refine it until it is subtle. Refining it requires passing through a stage of coarseness first, and only after reaching a certain level of density can one begin the return to subtlety, a process incredibly difficult to achieve. Li Muzhan’s powerful spirit was the reason for this progress.
Footsteps sounded, and Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes. Qin Yeqiu, clad in flowing purple, stood opposite him. He smiled, “Senior Sister?”
Qin Yeqiu drew a letter from her sleeve and handed it over. “Your friend has sent another message to Qingmei Town.”
Li Muzhan took it, smiling slightly, knowing it was Liu Biyun concerned for him. He opened the note and read it, shaking his head with a faint smile.
Qin Yeqiu asked, “Is that the friend from the Longshan Sect?”
Li Muzhan laughed, “Gu Dongting went back and claimed he had already killed me.”
“Hmph. What arrogance!” Qin Yeqiu’s delicate face hardened, and she snorted.
Li Muzhan mused, “His blade force is indeed peculiar… Senior Sister, has there been any recent news from the Longshan Sect?”
“None,” Qin Yeqiu shook her head. “I have already given orders to closely monitor the Longshan Sect. We will know immediately if there is any word.”
Li Muzhan nodded, paused for a moment, and tucked the letter into his robes.
“You aren’t writing back?” Qin Yeqiu asked lightly.
Li Muzhan replied, “Senior Sister, please wait a moment, I’ll be done right away!”
“No hurry,” Qin Yeqiu said calmly.
Li Muzhan smiled, rose from the large stone, and walked toward a small wooden hut nearby, situated by the edge of the woods, offering a serene environment.
Inside the hut, he approached the writing desk by the window, picked up a brush, and sketched a pattern on the plain paper. The pattern was odd, resembling a painting or perhaps a single character.
Li Muzhan finished the sketch in just a few strokes, blew gently on it, sealed it in an envelope, and handed it to Qin Yeqiu as he exited the hut. “Senior Sister, please send this back.”
“Finished so quickly?” Qin Yeqiu looked at the envelope with suspicion.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Just letting her know I’m safe.”
Qin Yeqiu warned, “You must be careful not to implicate this friend. We are enemies of the Longshan Sect now!”
Li Muzhan nodded, “I understand.”
“Very well, I will send the letter,” Qin Yeqiu agreed. “Are you accustomed to living here alone? Should we move you back to the main residence?”
Li Muzhan laughed, “I enjoy the solitude; it’s perfect for focusing on my cultivation. I will repay this injury from the blade sooner or later!”
Qin Yeqiu frowned and shook her head, “Wuji, Gu Dongting is over two hundred, and his cultivation is at its peak. It will be too difficult to catch up to him. Don’t rush; take it slow.”
Li Muzhan replied, “I fear he might not wait for my revenge... Senior Sister, how are everyone’s sword techniques progressing?”
“Your nine moves are easy to learn; everyone has mastered them,” Qin Yeqiu nodded. “The key is in execution; they require significant polishing.”
Li Muzhan stated, “This requires more sparring. The more they are polished, the stronger the sword style’s power will become... Surely Senior Sister isn't planning to keep everyone confined in this valley forever?”
“We need to lie low for a while,” Qin Yeqiu said.
Li Muzhan shook his head, “As long as they change their appearance, who would know they are Zishang Palace disciples? If they only use my sword style, others shouldn't recognize them.”
“Hmm, that is true,” Qin Yeqiu slowly nodded.
Li Muzhan’s self-created nine sword forms were simple and easy to practice, yet their power surpassed the Chaoxia Sword Style and Yingyue Sword Style, and no one could trace their origin. Traveling the martial world using this style was indeed a good idea.
Firstly, the Longshan Sect would never imagine they were so bold. Secondly, it would allow the disciples to relax a bit. Being stuck in the valley constantly would make them restless and could lead them to lose faith in the Zishang Palace.
She said solemnly, “I will let them go out to gain some perspective and experience... Are you still going into seclusion?”
Li Muzhan responded, “I am trying to figure out how to counter Gu Dongting’s blade technique.”
“Have you found any headway?” Qin Yeqiu inquired.
Li Muzhan nodded, “I have some inklings. His blade work is truly formidable; the Longshan Sect cannot be slighted.”
“Yes, I know,” Qin Yeqiu replied. “You should go out and stretch your legs too.”
Li Muzhan shook his head, “Never mind. I’ll continue my practice.”
He had been jolted awake by Gu Dongting. His current level of cultivation was insufficient; he was still far from invincible and far from contending for the Demonic Artifacts.
He had already gathered intelligence on the Demonic Artifacts; the Wansheng Sect possessed one.