Fan Pingye sneered coldly, "If you don't want to fight, that’s fine. Ten thousand taels of silver.

You surnamed He, you’re rich enough, hand it over, and I’ll spare your life!" Li Muzhan replied, "Ten thousand taels... that seems a little excessive." "Ten thousand taels to buy your petty life, you think it’s not worth it?!" Fan Pingye scoffed, examining him up and down.

"You certainly look like a respectable fellow!" Li Muzhan frowned. "How about fifty thousand taels?" "You surnamed He, are you trying to toy with me?!" Fan Pingye snapped, taking two steps forward.

"Haggle anymore, and I'll cleave you with one sword stroke!" Li Muzhan waved his hand. "I truly don't have that much silver on me." "Fine, then die!" Fan Pingye advanced another step, sneering coldly.

"Weren't you hopping around quite merrily last night? If you have no money, why put on airs?

You're asking for death!" As he spoke, he slowly drew his sword. Li Muzhan quickly waved his hands.

"Hold on, hold on! We can discuss things.

Gentlemen should use words, not fists!" "Enough nonsense! Either give me ten thousand taels, or die!" Fan Pingye sneered.

Li Muzhan asked, "Can't you take a little less?" "What do you think—!?" Fan Pingye gave a mocking grin. Li Muzhan’s face slowly darkened, becoming solemn and severe.

He shouted suddenly, "How audacious! ...This is Jingzhou City, in broad daylight!

Do you dare commit murder here?!" "Oh, a scholar after all!" Fan Pingye laughed, shaking his head. "How did a bookworm like you manage to survive this long?

You're quite lucky!" Fan Pingye found the situation amusing, but he intensely envied Li Muzhan’s looks. If he had such a handsome face, women would surely flock to him; why would he need to chase and seize them?

Li Muzhan said in a deep voice, "There is righteousness between heaven and earth. I do not believe that a mere martial brute like you would dare be so presumptuous.

This world is not entirely yours, you martial artists!" "Well said!" Fan Pingye clapped his hands, sheathing his sword, and smiling faintly. "I shouldn't resort to violence with a sword, you’ve reminded me." "Hmph, good that you understand!" Li Muzhan said coldly.

Fan Pingye smiled sweetly. "Without a sword, dealing with you will be even simpler!" As he spoke, he bent down and picked up a small, round stone.

This palm-sized piece of dark green rock had been polished smooth by the river water until it was as round as an egg, devoid of any sharp edges. Fan Pingye returned his sword to its scabbard, supporting the stone with his left hand.

In the bright morning sun, he slowly clenched it, then opened his hand—the stone in his palm fractured into five uniform pieces. "How about that?" Fan Pingye looked at Li Muzhan with mockery.

"Are your bones harder than this?... Ten thousand taels, or shattered bones?" Li Muzhan opened his mouth, his throat working, displaying tension, though his expression remained loftily unyielding as he stared coldly at Fan Pingye.

Fan Pingye shook his head. "It seems you truly are a gentleman, round on the outside but square within!

...Alright, I won't kill you. To avoid trouble, I'll just crush your bones piece by piece, just like I crushed this stone!" He knew killing a scholar would be troublesome.

The court protected the educated class relentlessly, and a martial artist killing a scholar spelled great disaster. That was why these scholars carried themselves with such dignified spirit, facing martial artists without fear, able to argue logically in the imperial court without losing ground.

———— Li Muzhan sneered, "Surnamed Fan, I advise you not to bring ruin upon yourself!" "Hehe. How interesting!" Fan Pingye surveyed him as an eagle might eye a chick.

"I’d like to see what trouble you can cause. It seems you have some background; are you from a noble lineage?" Saying this, he slowly reached out toward Li Muzhan, intending to seize him and torment him thoroughly to quell the hatred in his heart.

He cared little for Li Muzhan’s status; the Linhai Pavilion feared no noble family. With his elder brother protecting him, no one could touch him.

Li Muzhan suddenly flashed aside, instantly closing the distance, and slapped him squarely on the chest before letting out a triumphant roar, "Surnamed Fan, you fell for it!" "Bang!" Fan Pingye was flung backward, landing heavily in the river. Instantly, two small boats floating on the water rocked violently—one belonged to Li Muzhan, the other to Fan Pingye.

Li Muzhan stood proudly on the bank, laughing heartily. "Surnamed Fan, don't think only you know martial arts!

Martial arts are just a minor path; I am also somewhat versed in it, hehe..." Fan Pingye thrashed a few times in the water, spitting out two mouthfuls of blood. His face turned instantly pale.

He glared viciously at Li Muzhan, swam to his boat, and hauled himself aboard. Seeing this, Li Muzhan coldly laughed, "Trying to run?" He leaped gracefully onto his own boat, then used a bamboo pole to push off.

The small boat shot toward Fan Pingye like an arrow loosed from a bow. Fan Pingye realized the danger and quickly grabbed his own pole, paddling furiously.

His boat swayed, narrowly avoiding a collision with Li Muzhan’s, by the thinnest margin. Fan Pingye was startled.

Although he possessed some skill in water, once submerged, less than ten percent of his true ability remained. Furthermore, he was seriously injured; the surging blood made it nearly impossible to circulate his inner energy.

Falling into the water meant becoming a stray dog with no hope of escape. Having taken that palm strike, Fan Pingye was greatly wary of Li Muzhan's internal strength.

The palm strike itself held no profound subtlety, relying only on speed, but the force behind it was immense. His internal energy cultivation seemed even slightly superior to Fan Pingye's own.

Li Muzhan smiled, standing at the edge of his boat, and swept his bamboo pole across. "Bang!" The small boat spun like a top whipped into a frenzy.

Unable to utilize his inner energy, Fan Pingye had no choice but to draw his sword. "Bang!" Li Muzhan struck the boat again with the pole.

"Your swordsmanship is better suited for displaying down below!" With that, he swung the pole and struck the boat once more—"Crack!" The boat shattered into splinters. No matter how capable Fan Pingye was, he was forced into the water.

Unable to use his internal energy or lightness skill, plunging into the water while wielding a long sword was unbearably humiliating. Li Muzhan chuckled, shaking his head.

"Even a rabbit bites when cornered. This is just to teach you not to push people too far!" He swung the pole toward him—"Bang!" Fan Pingye flew up, sending a huge spray of water into the air.

Fan Pingye saw the pole coming and tried to parry with his sword, but the pole was too fast, and his internal energy was gone, making his sword strikes too slow to block it. He felt as if he had been struck by a sledgehammer; his internal organs churned violently.

He gritted his teeth, refusing to moan, his eyes burning with hatred as he stared fixedly at Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan watched him bobbing helplessly in the water, glaring venomously, and smiled.

"You’re unconvinced? ...You thought your clumsy swordsmanship could actually harm me?

...I was only playing with you. You truly are a fool!" He laughed, shaking his head.

"Have a good drink of water to sober up!" He pushed off with the pole, and the boat drifted away, quickly returning to the bank. Li Muzhan floated ashore, glanced one last time at Fan Pingye floundering in the river, and smiled.

"If you have the guts, come find me again!" "You wait!" Fan Pingye uttered these two words softly, as if squeezed through his teeth, so chillingly cold they seemed to freeze the surrounding river water into ice. Unfortunately, even the most venomous tone couldn't alter his miserable state.

His internal organs throbbed with pain, and his body felt weak and cold in waves. He felt as if he could lose consciousness at any moment.

He knew his injuries were too severe. Forgetting everything else, he struggled to the bank and pulled himself onto the stone steps.

His vision darkened intermittently, but he suppressed the blackness with sheer willpower, reaching into his robes to pull out a small jade vial. Thankfully, even though he fell into the water, the vial remained.

He let out a silent sigh of relief, murmuring that fate had not abandoned him. He uncorked the bottle, tilted it to his mouth, and swallowed all the medicine inside.

After finishing, he nearly passed out, but a surge of vital energy sustained him. Forcing down the drowsiness and faintness, he diligently circulated his energy to encourage the medicine's effects.

His runaway internal energy showed a slight sign of calming down. He could command a small portion, then focus on activating the medicine.

A wave of warmth and fragrant scent spread through his five organs; his spirit rallied, and the darkness vanished. He opened his eyes, turned his head to survey his surroundings.

It was early morning; most people were still asleep. A thin mist enveloped everything, and no one else was around.

He didn't see Li Muzhan, and he let out a long breath of relief, gritting his teeth resentfully. He dared not linger.

What if that surnamed He changed his mind and truly decided to kill him? He would truly be defenseless then!

Gritting his teeth, he managed to stand up, then walked east along the river until he found a boat. He hailed it, boarded, and fled the scene.

Li Muzhan watched him leave arduously and hurriedly from a distance, smiling and shaking his head. ———— By evening, Li Muzhan was leisurely reading a scroll in a small pavilion built in the center of a garden surrounded by lush, fragrant beauty.

Fruit and fine wine were set out on the stone table—preparations made with meticulous care by Xiuxiu. After finishing, she left, saying she needed to find servants.

Li Muzhan waved her away, letting her go. Although Xiuxiu was inexperienced and somewhat naive, she was intelligent and sincere, so he trusted her completely.

The sun slowly descended, painting everything around in deepening shades of red, especially the flowers, which were beginning to close slightly, mesmerizingly gorgeous and moving Li Muzhan. He set down his book and surveyed the garden, secretly admiring the elegance of the previous owner.

It was fortunate indeed that he managed to acquire this estate. Light footsteps sounded.

Xiuxiu, clad in a pale yellow silk robe, approached gracefully with two middle-aged women, moving like delicate willows in the wind, their figures charmingly enchanting. She stopped before the steps outside the pavilion, curtsied elegantly, and said softly, "Master, these are the servants I found." Li Muzhan examined the two middle-aged women briefly and nodded.

Both had ordinary looks, neither ugly nor beautiful; they appeared honest and hardworking—not willful people, but possessing steady temperaments, capable of enduring hardship. They were good choices for servants.

Li Muzhan glanced at Xiuxiu and revealed a smile. Xiuxiu felt her small thoughts instantly exposed.

She quickly lowered her head, blushing slightly, and whispered, "Master, the younger ones are too delicate. I thought these two would be quite suitable." Li Muzhan nodded and smiled faintly.

"Mm, very good. I leave it to you.

If you are not satisfied, you can replace them anytime; you don't need to tell me." "Yes!" Xiuxiu replied happily. She instantly felt the sense of being the mistress of the house.

She said softly, "Sister Zhang, Sister Wang, I will show you where to settle in. You can start working today." "Yes, Miss," the two middle-aged women nodded obediently.

Knowing that their fate rested entirely in Xiuxiu's hands, they dared not harbor any ill intentions. They would not dare to slight her because of her age; they could only listen obediently.

Li Muzhan waved his hand, picked up his book again, and drawled lazily, "Go on, go on. Xiuxiu, remember not to leave the garden these few days!" "Yes," Xiuxiu answered crisply without further questioning, then led the two middle-aged women out of the rear garden, whispering instructions as they walked.

She told them they were forbidden from entering the back garden so as not to disturb the Master's tranquility, and that there were other rules to follow, or they would be dismissed. She had undergone rigorous training on the Baihua Boat, which was why Madam Xu had demanded such a high price, and why Li Muzhan had paid without hesitation.

Li Muzhan watched the three of them, shaking his head with a smile. This Xiuxiu truly had a touch of feminine possessiveness; she probably avoided striking up with young girls for fear of having her favor diluted.

She genuinely saw herself as the lady of the house. The most significant difference between ordinary people and martial artists lies in their acceptance of fate.

No matter what happens, they quickly accept it. Xiuxiu's swift adaptation to her new role stemmed from her lack of desire to struggle—she went with the flow, naturally, without greed.

———— In the blink of an eye, three days passed. One morning, Li Muzhan was strolling along the riverside.

The air, carrying the scent of water, felt exceptionally fresh entering his lungs. He thoroughly enjoyed the sensation.

"Heh heh..." A cold laugh suddenly rang out. A small boat drifted over the river, and Fan Pingye stood at the prow, dressed in tight-fitting martial attire.

A long sword hung at his waist, and the venom in his eyes looked capable of devouring Li Muzhan whole. Li Muzhan smiled casually.

"Surnamed Fan, you haven't given up yet?" Fan Pingye sneered, "Surnamed He, today I'll beat you until you're begging on the ground, or my surname isn't Fan!" Li Muzhan laughed. "Whether your surname is Fan has nothing to do with me.

I certainly don't have a despicable brat like you as my kin!" "Bold!" Fan Pingye was instantly enraged. Li Muzhan stood by the bank, hands clasped behind his back, and shook his head.

"Your injuries are healed?" Fan Pingye gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Surnamed He, I will repay you handsomely!" Li Muzhan smiled. "Fine, I'd like to see what skills you possess!" He reached out and drew his sword, assuming a stance, watching Fan Pingye quietly.

"Come!" Fan Pingye leveraged off the boat and swept toward Li Muzhan, thrusting out a sword strike while still airborne—the man and the sword merged into a streak of white light, piercing straight toward Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan grunted and stepped back.

"You have some ability!" He seemed unwilling to meet the charge head-on. Fan Pingye pressed his advantage, seeing Li Muzhan retreat, and sent a torrential barrage of sword energy crashing toward him, like a river flooding downward.

Li Muzhan met the attack with his sword, "Ding ding ding ding..." The crisp sounds of metal meeting metal carried far in the still air, clear and pleasing to the ear. "Surnamed He, come on, come on!" Fan Pingye sneered triumphantly while swinging his sword, feeling invigorated.

His previous frustration vanished. He longed to howl at the heavens to vent his current elation.

Li Muzhan pressed his lips together, slowly retreating. In a few steps, he had fallen back over ten paces, seemingly unable to counterattack, struggling just to hold on.

Seeing his resilience but unable to press the attack, Fan Pingye grew anxious. He sneered, "Hmph, you kid do have some skill.

Take this strike!" His sword movement suddenly slowed, then he brought both hands down in a powerful chop, rushing in like a fierce gust of wind. Li Muzhan’s eyes suddenly widened, brilliant light shooting out.

"That's all you've got! Take one of my strikes!" He suddenly thrust his sword out.

The blade slid alongside Fan Pingye's long sword, stopping just before his throat—it arrived a step quicker than Fan Pingye's. Fan Pingye could only retreat.

Li Muzhan immediately followed up with a second thrust—a soft whistle, like silk tearing. Fan Pingye could only fall back; this strike was too fast.

Li Muzhan advanced another step and thrust out a third sword strike, forcing Fan Pingye to keep retreating. ———— Li Muzhan coldly scoffed, "Surnamed Fan, your swordsmanship is merely so-so.

It has a certain refinement, but it's wasted on you, a brute! You wouldn't know what 'wasting a treasure' means, would you?

It’s like letting a pig feast on fine cuisine!" "Surnamed He, you are courting death!" Fan Pingye roared in anger. Li Muzhan sneered, "Whether I'm courting death or you are, I'll spare you this once more.

If there's a next time, I will show no mercy. Once, twice, but never a third or fourth time!" With that, the light of his sword suddenly flashed.

Fan Pingye startled and tried to retreat, but it was too late. He felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and then his sword clattered to the ground.

Li Muzhan instantly surged forward and kicked him into the river. "Bang!" Fan Pingye hit the water hard, splashing water everywhere.

The boatman on the small boat was startled and dared not approach to help him. Fan Pingye clutched his right wrist, glaring furiously at Li Muzhan.

"Surnamed He, my hand..." Li Muzhan said lightly, "You wasted that exquisite sword art so badly, it's better for you to have no hands at all!" "You..." Fan Pingye looked at his wrist where the white bone was clearly visible. The intense pain almost overwhelmed him.

He spat out hoarsely with venom, "Surnamed He, I swear eternal enmity with you!" Li Muzhan returned his sword to its scabbard, smiling faintly. "You've said that several times already.

Go back and recuperate. Except for using it, the sword won't die." "Surnamed He, just you wait!" Fan Pingye glared at him, his eyes spewing fire, then suddenly wrenched his head around and shouted fiercely, "Come here!" The boatman trembled slightly, but under his fierce glare and shout, his courage completely deserted him.

He dared not disobey and nervously poled the boat over. Li Muzhan shook his head.

"Truly useless..." Hearing this, Fan Pingye nearly coughed up blood, his teeth grinding audibly. He glared back at Li Muzhan, then suddenly roared, "Hurry up and push off!" The boatman nodded repeatedly and slowly poled the boat away.

Li Muzhan burst into loud laughter, the sound infuriating Fan Pingye until his face turned white. He gnashed his teeth fiercely, spitting out all sorts of vicious curses.

Li Muzhan waited until Fan Pingye had completely vanished into the morning mist before shaking his head and smiling wryly. It was a pity that no one was around to appreciate his performance.

"Slap! Slap!" Clear clapping sounds rang out.

Li Muzhan turned his head and saw another small flower boat drifting leisurely on the river. Standing at the prow was a young woman in a white dress, her posture gracefully slender, her curves full and yielding, instantly stirring the heart of anyone who saw her.

Li Muzhan squinted slightly, recognizing her instantly, and smiled. "Miss Xu?" The young woman on the flower boat was exquisitely beautiful, though slightly less captivating than Yi Xiaoru’s original appearance.

Still, she was a beauty, and combined with her unique demeanor, she was enough to draw men's gazes. "Mr.

He, your swordsmanship is truly amazing!" Yi Xiaoru laughed charmingly, her voice soft and alluring, impossible not to be moved by. She had not only altered her appearance but also her voice, even her accent had changed; upon hearing it, she sounded like someone from the South, yet her voice was incredibly pleasing.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Just some minor tricks!" Yi Xiaoru covered her mouth and laughed sweetly.

"Mr. He, please come aboard.

The mist is too thick; don't let your clothes get damp." "Very well, how can I refuse an invitation from a beauty?" Li Muzhan laughed, floating effortlessly to where she stood; the small boat did not even rock. "Sir, your lightness skill is remarkable!" Yi Xiaoru applauded in admiration.

To the onlookers, the scene resembled a maiden admiring martial prowess and a handsome hero appreciating beauty. Such pairings were common.

They saw the delicate boatwoman and the martial artist, and while they were envious of the hero's luck in winning the beauty's favor, they didn't pay too much attention. After all, she was just a boatwoman, and there were plenty of beautiful boatwomen on the rivers of Jingzhou City; it wasn't something unusual.