Li Muzhan chuckled, "That's a blessing in disguise, then.

They wouldn't be able to use it even if they got it, right?" "Mhm," Liu Biyun nodded softly. "None of us can truly master the Lotus Heart Palm.

The Linhai Pavilion sect specializes in swordplay; achieving mastery of the Lotus Heart Palm is a fantasy for them!" Li Muzhan stroked his chin. "So, what do you plan to do now?" Liu Biyun hesitated, then turned to look at the other three.

Mo Jiye’s eyes flashed, and he said in a deep voice, "We'll chase after Huang Zongqi!" Li Muzhan tapped his chin, shaking his head. "You won't catch Young Hero Huang.

His Qinggong is excellent—otherwise, I would have caught him already!" Liu Biyun’s delicate face became solemn.

She turned and said, "Senior Brother Mo, I've experienced Young Master Li's Qinggong.

It far surpasses ours.

It seems we need to think of another plan!" Cui Shaoqing asked, "Should we inform the sect?" Mo Jiye pondered for a moment, then sighed. "There's not much we can do now.

We might as well tell the truth: we've failed!" Xie Jianfeng scrutinized Li Muzhan up and down, then turned to Liu Biyun. "Junior Sister Liu, Young Hero Li's Qinggong is truly that formidable?" Liu Biyun nodded slightly, answering with a hint of annoyance, "Senior Brother Xie, do you think I'd lie to you?!" Xie Jianfeng shook his head. "It's not that I doubt you, Junior Sister, but..." Li Muzhan smiled. "Since you all possess superior Qinggong skills, yet you couldn't catch Huang Zongqi just now, how do you know which path he took?" Xie Jianfeng replied, "We just need to intercept him right before the Linhai Pavilion." Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "If I were him, I would have sent a signal ahead, asking fellow disciples to escort me back to the mountain." Xie Jianfeng frowned in thought, then scoffed, "Huang Zongqi might not have thought of that!" Li Muzhan countered, "Young Hero Xie, what if he did exactly that? You'd be walking straight into a trap.

Given the relationship between your two factions, I doubt he would show mercy!" Xie Jianfeng turned back to Liu Biyun. "Junior Sister, how do you know Young Master Li?" Liu Biyun scolded him sweetly, "Senior Brother Xie! Young Master Li saved Senior Brother Wang and me! If Young Master Li hadn't been there last time, Senior Brother Wang and I would have surely perished!" "Oh.

So he's that Li Guanhai from Green Plum Alley!" Xie Jianfeng realized with a start.

Liu Biyun retorted with displeasure, "Senior Brother Xie, what exactly are you planning to do?" Xie Jianfeng declared, "At this juncture, we have no choice.

Senior Brother Mo, don't you agree?" Mo Jiye sighed, casting an apologetic glance toward Liu Biyun. "Junior Sister Liu, we truly have no alternative but to intercept Huang Zongqi.

Otherwise, failing this mission completely will leave us too ashamed to return to the mountain!" "But Senior Brother Mo, that's incredibly dangerous!" Liu Biyun frowned.

Mo Jiye stood tall and said, "How can one walk the Jianghu without facing danger? We must carve a path through peril to prove ourselves true disciples of the Dragon Mountain Sect!" "Exactly!" the others affirmed with resonant voices.

Liu Biyun looked at the three of them, then at Li Muzhan, her expression tinged with helplessness.

Li Muzhan laughed. "You three truly possess heroic spirit that puts my own to shame.

Very well, I shall be bold too, and accompany you on this journey!" "This...

this is too risky, Brother Li, perhaps you shouldn't..." Mo Jiye shook his head.

Li Muzhan quickly waved his hand. "Brother Mo, there's no need to persuade me.

Besides, I wouldn't feel at ease leaving Miss Liu behind!" "Heh heh..." Mo Jiye chuckled, glancing at Liu Biyun.

Liu Biyun's delicate face flushed, and she shot Li Muzhan a disgruntled glare.

Cui Shaoqing sized up the pair, while Xie Jianfeng’s expression shifted subtly, his sword-like eyebrows knitting together.

Li Muzhan glanced at Xie Jianfeng, recognizing the proprietary interest he held for Liu Biyun.

Though it bothered him slightly, he showed no sign of it; Liu Biyun was, admittedly, quite charming.

Liu Biyun, her cheeks still warm, gave Li Muzhan a meaningful look before turning and walking toward the woods.

Li Muzhan offered a smile to the trio and followed her into the shadows.

They moved deeper into the forest, using their Qinggong to cover several li until they reached nearly halfway up the mountainside.

Liu Biyun finally stopped and turned to face Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan smiled. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Liu Biyun frowned up at him. "Did the Palace suffer any losses? Ancestor Gu is formidable.

Were you injured?" Li Muzhan nodded. "His saber skills are indeed fine.

We fought to a mutual draw.

The Palace is fine; we managed to leave just in time." Liu Biyun let out a long sigh of relief. "That's good!" She had been worried sick about the disciples of the Purple Robe Palace.

If they had been harmed by the sect's masters, given Li Muzhan’s nature, he would never let it go, leading to massive upheaval—a situation where she would be truly caught in the middle.

Li Muzhan stated, "I am certainly indebted to your Dragon Mountain Sect for your great kindness." Liu Biyun frowned. "If that's the case, why are you following me?" Li Muzhan laughed. "You are you, and the Dragon Mountain Sect is the Dragon Mountain Sect; they cannot be lumped together! Are you truly going to proceed with this foolish move?" "All three of my senior brothers agreed; my opposition is useless," Liu Biyun replied, shaking her head.

Li Muzhan asked, "Are they truly unafraid of death?" Liu Biyun sighed, shaking her head. "My Senior Brother Mo and the others know this logic, but if we return empty-handed and fail the mission, we will be punished!" "What kind of punishment?" Li Muzhan inquired.

Liu Biyun sighed. "We’ll have to enter the Cold Wind Cave." Li Muzhan pondered. "A wind cave? Do you have to circulate internal energy to resist it inside?" "Yes," Liu Biyun confirmed. "The cold inside is bone-chilling; one misstep and death is certain.

Better to fight for it than perish there." Li Muzhan frowned. "That seems excessive, doesn't it? It's just one failed task, not a major transgression.

Why such severity?" Liu Biyun explained, "We signed a life-or-death vow.

If we couldn't recover the Lotus Flower Palm, we would enter the Cold Wind Cave." "And if you succeeded in recovering it?" Li Muzhan asked.

Liu Biyun smiled. "If we recovered it, each of us could select one of the Thirty-Six Arts." Li Muzhan frowned. "You haven't mastered the Thirty-Six Arts yet?" Liu Biyun nodded. "We have started them, but each of us has only cultivated one technique." Li Muzhan laughed. "Cultivating just one isn't enough? I heard that mastering just one of the Thirty-Six Arts is enough to roam the world freely.

Why be greedy for more?" Liu Biyun shook her head and sighed. "Actually, there is a core cultivation method among the Thirty-Six Arts that ordinary people are forbidden to practice." Li Muzhan's eyebrow twitched. "Which cultivation method is that?" "The Clear Illumination Art (Tongming Jue)," Liu Biyun said. "If you master the Clear Illumination Art, cultivating the Thirty-Six Arts becomes twice as efficient.

Without it, the arts take twice the effort, and there are lingering side effects." Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "A truly masterful arrangement!" Liu Biyun sighed again. "This time, we have no choice but to risk everything.

Failing to bring back the Lotus Heart Palm is a grave sin.

In our Dragon Mountain Sect, incompetence is a sin." Li Muzhan relented. "Very well.

I will go with you." "Thank you so much!" Liu Biyun expressed.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Why speak so formally between us? It only creates distance." Then he added, "Actually, Huang Zongqi didn't take the Lotus Heart Palm; he took the Mountain Splitting Palm (Duanyue Zhang)." "Mountain Splitting Palm?" Liu Biyun looked surprised. "Where did he get the Mountain Splitting Palm?" Li Muzhan rubbed his nose, chuckling. "It was a fake manual for the Mountain Splitting Palm I cooked up.

He genuinely believed it was real." "You made it?" Liu Biyun looked at him with suspicion, her bright eyes blinking twice before she pursed her lips and smiled. "How did you fool him? He is also quite knowledgeable!" Huang Zongqi came from a reputable family and was exceptionally talented; his martial arts knowledge far surpassed that of most people, meaning he wouldn't be easily duped.

Li Muzhan smiled. "It's a long story.

The point is, the manual he holds is a forgery." "Then where is the genuine manual?" Liu Biyun frowned.

Li Muzhan patted his chest.

Liu Biyun’s bright eyes widened. "You have it?" Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. "How could he possibly take it from me? If you hadn't arrived, I would have quietly swallowed the Lotus Heart Palm manual whole." Liu Biyun smiled wryly. "Are you planning to hand it over to me?" Li Muzhan shook his head. "I don't want anyone to know I've read the Lotus Heart Palm.

Can you find a way to conceal it?" Liu Biyun pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "If you truly gave it to me, they would certainly demand to know its origin." Li Muzhan sighed. "Fine.

Then we have no choice but to pursue Huang Zongqi and retrieve it from him.

This is truly shooting myself in the foot—making things worse by trying to fix them!" "We really have to chase Huang Zongqi?" Liu Biyun frowned. "That's too dangerous." Li Muzhan laughed. "What's there to fear from the Four Heroes of the Dragon Mountain Sect? If the Linhai Pavilion truly attacks, a war will break out between the two sects, so they won't dare act rashly." "That's not necessarily true," Liu Biyun frowned and shook her head.

After a moment of deep thought, she tightly pursed her lips and sighed. "Alright, we have no choice but to chase Huang Zongqi!" Li Muzhan smiled. "If you can't win, just run! It's no great matter!" Watching Li Muzhan and Liu Biyun disappear into the woods, Xie Jianfeng’s face darkened.

Cui Shaoqing commented, "Junior Brother Xie, it seems she's already taken!" "Hmph!" Xie Jianfeng snorted. "That's not necessarily true!" Mo Jiye frowned. "Junior Brother Xie, what are you planning?!" "They aren't married; nothing is certain!" Xie Jianfeng scoffed. "Perhaps in a few days, Junior Sister Liu will see through his true colors and stop liking him." Mo Jiye looked at him, then sighed wearily. "Alas...

you know Junior Sister Liu's temperament.

Once she settles on someone, she never changes.

Junior Brother Xie, you should give up." Xie Jianfeng's expression grew even gloomier.

Cui Shaoqing remarked, "He is quite worthy of Junior Sister Liu, I must admit." "Senior Brother Cui!" Xie Jianfeng snapped coldly. "How can he be worthy of Junior Sister Liu?" Cui Shaoqing stated calmly, "In age, he's no older than us.

In martial arts, he surpasses us.

In background, he clearly isn't from a prominent family, which makes him even more remarkable!" Xie Jianfeng sneered. "No matter how powerful he is, a poor background is worthless!" Cui Shaoqing glanced at him and shook his head. "If he marries Junior Sister, that flaw will disappear." "You..." Xie Jianfeng glared at him furiously.

Cui Shaoqing observed, "You're losing your composure, Junior Brother Xie!" Xie Jianfeng replied coldly, "I want to see just how strong he truly is!" "Then you’ll only be asking for trouble," Cui Shaoqing retorted.

Mo Jiye said sternly, "Enough, Junior Brother Cui, say a little less! Junior Brother Xie, Junior Brother Cui has a point.

You should give up.

Young Master Li's cultivation is indeed a whole tier above ours; don't make things difficult for yourself!"