He didn't feel rushed just because they were in the Divine Sword Sect's stronghold; instead, he slowly opened the manual, reading every single character and imprinting every image onto his mind. The entire manual spanned over thirty pages from beginning to end. This cultivation method wasn't overly complex, but it was immensely taxing on the spirit, making mastery quite difficult. The key lay in being able to clear the mind, quiet the mind, and steady the mind, maintaining that focus amidst the flowing movements of the coupling act—this was by no means an easy feat. Li Muzhan slowly closed the manual, placed it back under his pillow, and vanished.

He returned to his small courtyard, sitting atop the pavilion in the flower garden, lying back to face the heavens, watching the myriad of stars and contemplating the secret text he had just seen. The Divine Sword Forging Art was truly boundless in its mysteries. Its profoundness wasn't in the art of cai bu (harvesting and replenishing); the way of cai bu wasn't even that formidable. Li Muzhan had encountered numerous dual cultivation methods, and this Divine Sword Forging Art didn't rank among the highest. The true genius of this art lay in the forging itself—it was a supreme method for strengthening the body. However, the manual only detailed how to forge the sword and nothing else. Li Muzhan drew inspiration from this, extrapolating its principles for use throughout the entire body. In terms of sheer internal force, he possessed the power of the Lotus Heart Palm, which was sufficient to agitate and expand his meridians, but repairing them was impossible; the efficiency was too poor. This was why he had continuously sought some secret art for body refinement. This Divine Sword Forging Art was a dual cultivation technique and also a secret body refinement method, containing profound principles for tempering the physical form. Yet, most people who saw this manual would be mesmerized by the sword-forging aspect and wouldn't consider anything else. Furthermore, achieving true cai bu forging was exceedingly difficult; it required an ironclad state of mind, truly reaching a point of "invulnerability through desirelessness." How many people could actually accomplish that? Unless one were like those ancient monks—where form is emptiness, and emptiness is form, where form and void are one—truly seeing the sensuous beauty as mere skeletons, only then might they possibly cultivate this Divine Sword Forging Art. If the mental state isn't sufficient, the benefits gained are limited, and it’s hard to progress further; each act of cai bu yields less than one in ten, a massive waste. Li Muzhan shook his head and chuckled, resting his arms behind his head. He smiled faintly as he looked at the starry sky—truly a fine night, tomorrow would be clear and cloudless. If it were his situation, mastering this Divine Sword Forging Art would be easy. But he disdained it. His internal force cultivation progressed rapidly; what he needed was a body refinement secret art, not an increase in internal force. As long as his meridians could become wider and deeper, his internal force would naturally fill them quickly. He saw no need to rely on cai bu to cultivate internal force, as the resulting energy would lack true purity. Unless one has only a single ding lu (cauldron/partner), maintaining pure internal force is difficult, and moreover, the internal force of one ding lu is limited. Thus, while the Divine Sword Forging Art is excellent for increasing internal force, it harbors future dangers. The further one progresses, the harder it becomes to control. He surmised that reaching profound levels required a specialized core method capable of purifying the internal force—purifying, and purifying again—requiring immense effort and rigorous practice to re-temper the internal force several times over. To reach the echelon of peak masters, perhaps this Divine Sword Forging Art is no different from ordinary methods; both require a long time. However, in the initial stages, the Divine Sword Forging Art offers a huge advantage, allowing one to quickly become a master. Yet, the internal force isn't pure enough, resulting in a slight deficit, but it's already enough to suppress those practicing standard orthodox methods. To achieve deep purity later requires even more time than before, and when both periods are added together, it's comparable to orthodox methods.

For the next few days, the three of them did not leave the small courtyard. Only Xiuxiu occasionally went out to fetch supplies. Li Muzhan spent his time chatting casually with the two women, covering everything from astronomy and geography to historical anecdotes. They laughed and talked harmoniously, and the bond between the three deepened rapidly. Zhu Chuyun became increasingly pleased with Li Muzhan. The way she looked at Yi Xiaoru was often filled with such warmth that she seemed eager to push Yi Xiaoru into his arms. Even when Yi Xiaoru protested privately, it had little effect. Three days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. The two women had grown fond of Li Muzhan’s leisurely lifestyle, but Elder Hua couldn't stay put; he was anxious to return to the sect. He wanted to see how Elder Chu and the others were faring. He had fled at Elder Chu's request, but he knew nothing of the situation afterward. Zhao Yuanming certainly wouldn't let the matter rest and would pursue them relentlessly. And Yi Xiaoru, to maintain their concealment, hadn't even contacted her network of informants, leaving them completely cut off from outside news.

On one particular morning, Yi Xiaoru couldn't bear it any longer and slipped out. She returned with a somber expression. Zhu Chuyun and Li Muzhan were sitting in the rear garden; Li Muzhan was reading a book while Zhu Chuyun admired the blooming flowers. When they looked up and saw her expression, Zhu Chuyun sensed trouble and quickly stood up, asking, "Junior Sister, what is it?" Yi Xiaoru shook her head. "Not good. Half of our people have been killed!" "Who did it?!" Zhu Chuyun frowned. "Zhao Yuanming!" Yi Xiaoru spat out through gritted teeth. Zhu Chuyun knitted her brow. "This Zhao Yuanming is strange; for the leader of a sect to engage in battle personally suggests the Divine Sword Sect is truly at its breaking point, unable to hold on any longer!" "I don't think so!" Yi Xiaoru shook her head. "Looking at Sun Chenghe, do they look like they can't hold on?... I wonder what new plot Zhao Yuanming is hatching!" "Mmm, this Zhao fellow is ruthless; we must guard against him!" Zhu Chuyun nodded lightly and sighed. "Losing half our men, I wonder how Junior Brother Yin is doing?" "He won't die!" Yi Xiaoru pouted. "Good people don't live long; scourges last ten thousand years!" "With Elder Chu protecting him, he should be fine," Zhu Chuyun added with a smile. Li Muzhan asked, "Zhao Yuanming is the Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sect?" Yi Xiaoru nodded. "Yes. He is charming in appearance but honey-mouthed and black-hearted—a complete smiling tiger. A terrifying man!" Li Muzhan smiled. "I’d like to meet him!" Yi Xiaoru shook her head. "You aren't his match yet. He is one of the foremost experts in the world; you still lack a bit of fire." Li Muzhan nodded. "That is true."

As the two were talking, Elder Hua strode towards them with long, firm steps, calling out from a distance, "Xiaoru, did you get news?" Yi Xiaoru, her face grim, relayed the information. Elder Hua immediately grew agitated. "We must leave quickly! I want to return and check things out as soon as possible!" Li Muzhan quickly interjected. "Elder Hua, there's no need to rush; leaving now is very dangerous." "It's nothing major!" Elder Hua scoffed. "As long as we focus on escaping, they won't catch us!... Besides, we can change our appearances; they won't expect us to still be in Jingzhou City!" Li Muzhan wanted to argue further, but Zhu Chuyun said, "Alright, we must leave eventually; we can't keep hiding here indefinitely! ... Mr. He, we shall not impose any longer!" Li Muzhan frowned. "Senior Sister Zhu, this is too risky!" Zhu Chuyun sighed. "Although this place is hidden, staying too long will also lead to exposure. We mustn't underestimate the Divine Sword Sect! Mr. He, let's go!" Yi Xiaoru waved a hand to cut off Li Muzhan's protest. "You don't need to say any more. Since Elder Hua and Senior Sister have made up their minds, let's go!" Li Muzhan looked at her with concern, feeling uneasy, and finally sighed in resignation. "Since it is so, let us depart tonight. I will use a boat to see you out of the city!" "Then we must trouble you, Sir," Zhu Chuyun replied. Li Muzhan laughed. "We are so familiar now, Senior Sister Zhu is still being so formal!" Zhu Chuyun smiled but didn't drop her adherence to propriety. She understood the wisdom of 'no offense in politeness' and couldn't easily shake off this habit. Li Muzhan waved his hand and darted out. When night fully fell, Elder Hua, Zhu Chuyun, Yi Xiaoru, and Li Muzhan boarded a small boat together and drifted away from Jingzhou City.

Once outside the city, Yi Xiaoru urged him to leave. Li Muzhan didn't press the issue. As he was about to step off the boat, he pulled a piece of verdant jade pendant from his robe and handed it to Yi Xiaoru. "Take this." Yi Xiaoru glanced at it, slowly reached out, and accepted it. "What is this?" Li Muzhan said, "Consider it a parting gift, ... If you encounter danger and need me to appear, crush this, and I will come immediately!" "...Alright." Yi Xiaoru gazed deeply at him, took the jade pendant, and placed it in her bosom.

Only the two of them remained at the bow of the boat; Elder Hua and Zhu Chuyun tactfully retreated into the cabin, unable to see but able to hear everything clearly. Elder Hua shook his head, completely failing to understand Yi Xiaoru. Yin Zhaoji was hopelessly infatuated with her, yet she refused him, choosing instead a middle-aged man. The age difference was over a decade; he could almost be her father. Young women these days had such strange thoughts; it was baffling, impossible to decipher! Li Muzhan leaped up, floated onto the riverbank, waved his hand, and vanished into the darkness. Yi Xiaoru stood quietly at the bow, gazing fixedly in the direction Li Muzhan disappeared. She remained motionless for a long time as the small boat drifted downstream. "Ahem, ahem!" Zhu Chuyun cleared her throat lightly. Yi Xiaoru snapped awake, realizing she had been careless, and hurriedly turned back into the cabin. As soon as she entered, she met their smiling, peculiar gazes and immediately felt guilty, her face flushing crimson. She preempted them: "Senior Sister, let's stick to the waterway!" "Fine, you decide!" Zhu Chuyun said with a grin. "What were you thinking about?" Yi Xiaoru quickly replied, "Nothing!" "I know," Zhu Chuyun chuckled softly. "You were thinking about Mr. He, weren't you?" Yi Xiaoru flushed and shook her head. Zhu Chuyun continued, "If there's one thing about Mr. He that isn't a flaw, it's that he's a bit old. I wonder if Master will agree." Yi Xiaoru knew Li Muzhan's true identity; she dared not even consider the implications. She could solidify the guise of He Zudao, but in this world, no secret was foolproof. If it ever leaked, chaos would ensue. Therefore, she dared not entertain the thought and could only suppress it. Zhu Chuyun smiled. "Why don't you tell Master about it, Junior Sister? Stop hiding it. Master might actually agree." Yi Xiaoru shook her head. "Senior Sister, you misunderstood. He and I are just friends; there's nothing more!" "You little liar!" Zhu Chuyun said half-angrily. "Anyone can see the way you look at each other!... Right, Elder Hua?" "Heh heh..." Elder Hua stroked his beard and smiled, shaking his head. "Senior Sister Qi isn't inflexible; if she speaks to her properly, even without a strong background, she might agree." "You've all truly misunderstood!" Yi Xiaoru retorted irritably. Seeing her clench her jaw, Zhu Chuyun assumed she objected to Li Muzhan's age and said with a smile, "Although Mr. He is older, his cultivation is deep; he can easily live more than ten years longer than you. If you calculate it that way, you two are nearly the same age!" Yi Xiaoru glared at her. "Senior—Sister—!" Zhu Chuyun laughed. "Little Junior Sister, I'm afraid you'll follow my path and never marry! If you wait another night, you won't be able to marry at all!" "I'm not marrying anyone!" Yi Xiaoru snorted.

The two chatted merrily. Yi Xiaoru's face was red, and Zhu Chuyun smiled, relentlessly teasing her. A pleasant atmosphere filled the cabin. The night was hazy, and a bright moon illuminated the sky. The small boat drifted rapidly downstream. However, very few boats traveled at night to avoid collisions. If the boat moved too fast in the dim moonlight, one couldn't see far ahead, and by the time they spotted something to avoid, it would be too late. Li Muzhan watched them vanish, shaking his head. Fortunately, he had the jade pendant; he could instantly teleport to find them whenever he wished. His ability to traverse space in this world grew stronger every day.

The next morning, he awoke early and began studying the Divine Sword Forging Art. He used his left hand's meridians as an experiment: first, expanding them violently with the Lotus Heart Palm's internal force, and then repairing and strengthening them using the Divine Sword Forging Art. His internal force had both Yin and Yang elements, being both hard and soft, easily convertible into the internal force required by the Divine Sword Forging Art, focusing primarily on gentle nourishment and reinforcement. He remained immersed in this study for the entire morning, growing increasingly delighted. This Divine Sword Forging Art was truly miraculous; in just one morning, he felt his left hand's meridians had expanded slightly, the efficiency being incredibly fast. Li Muzhan remained engrossed until evening approached, when he suddenly frowned, sensing that something was amiss. "Master, it's time for dinner!" Xiuxiu came to urge him. This was the third time. She had prepared dinner, but Li Muzhan was so engrossed he couldn't extricate himself, waving her away to wait, postponing it until the moon was high overhead. Li Muzhan looked up at the moonlight, frowned, and said, "Xiuxiu, eat first. I'll be right back!" "Master!" Xiuxiu pouted in protest. Li Muzhan shook his head. "I truly have something urgent. I'm leaving!" With that, he flashed away from his spot. Xiuxiu stomped her foot, wondering which beauty he had gone off to find now; this young master was something else! "What happened?!" Following the location indicated by the jade pendant, Li Muzhan instantly appeared in a small courtyard to find Yi Xiaoru lying on a couch. Yi Xiaoru's face was ashen, devoid of color, her breathing rapid and faint, as if she could pass away at any moment. This sight made Li Muzhan's heart clench. He turned and glared at Zhu Chuyun, who held a jade pendant that had crumbled to dust, staring back at Li Muzhan in shock. Li Muzhan asked in a deep voice, "Senior Sister Zhu, what happened to her?!" He crossed the space to the couch in one stride, took her wrist, and examined her pulse. His expression immediately turned grim. Zhu Chuyun shook her head with a bitter smile. "We ran into people from the Divine Sword Sect... Junior Sister took a palm strike to save me!" "Where is Elder Hua?" Li Muzhan asked coldly, his gaze filled with tenderness as he looked at Yi Xiaoru's face.