Cheng Lian nodded slightly, "Zhao Yuanming is indeed brilliant. You were extremely lucky to escape from his clutches this time; next time, you might not be so fortunate!"

"Indeed. I still feel the lingering fear. If it happened again, we might not be so lucky!" Yin Zhaojiang managed a wry smile and nodded, "This is all thanks to Junior Sister Yi; she kept sensing something was amiss, which made Elder Chu cautious. Otherwise, we would have been completely annihilated this time!"

Yi Xiaoru looked at him calmly, showing no outward emotion.

"Little Junior Sister was also very lucky this time; without Mr. He's help, escaping alive would have been difficult," Cheng Lian smiled.

Yin Zhaojiang sighed, "This is all my fault. I ask for Junior Sister Yi and Senior Sister Zhu's forgiveness!"

Zhu Chuyun snorted, "We wouldn't dare presume! ... Junior Brother Yin, do you need anything else?"

Yin Zhaojiang smiled, "Seeing Senior Sister Zhu and Junior Sister Yi are safe and sound puts my mind at ease! ... Martial Uncle, you look well!"

Gao Jingxuan revealed a slight smile, "I'm managing. Has your Master emerged from seclusion?"

"Not yet," Yin Zhaojiang shook his head. "If Master were to come out now, upon hearing this news, he would have already gone looking for Zhao Yuanming!"

"What was your Master doing before!" Gao Jingxuan shook her head with a sigh. "Nurturing a tiger to become a disaster; even considering old affections, he should have dealt with that Zhao Yuanming!"

Yin Zhaojiang looked somewhat embarrassed and shook his head helplessly.

Gao Jingxuan waved a hand, "Forget it, there's no point in discussing it. Your Master is too stubborn; no amount of persuasion will work! ... Alright, you can go back now!"

"What is Brother He doing here...?" Yin Zhaojiang looked towards Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan smiled, "I've come to ask for a bride!"

"Ask for a bride?" Yin Zhaojiang's expression shifted.

Li Muzhan smiled, "I wish to marry Xiaoru. I came personally to petition Senior Gao."

"This is..." Yin Zhaojiang's handsome face darkened. He had long considered Yi Xiaoru his woman, and now another man harbored improper intentions, even proposing marriage. Even with his exemplary composure, he could not tolerate it.

He turned to glance at Yi Xiaoru, seeing her slightly lowered head, a mixture of shyness and hidden joy, and his surge of anger could no longer be contained. His expression changed, "You wish to marry Junior Sister Yi?!"

Li Muzhan nodded, "Precisely!"

"Impossible!" Yin Zhaojiang said coldly.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "How is it impossible? ... A virtuous lady is pursued by a gentleman; Xiaoru is beautiful as a flower and gentle in temperament. Who wouldn't want to bring such a woman home?"

Yin Zhaojiang turned to look at Gao Jingxuan, "Martial Uncle, if he wants to marry Junior Sister Yi, can it truly happen?"

Gao Jingxuan smiled and shook her head, "I do not agree!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Yin Zhaojiang quickly nodded in agreement, letting out a breath of relief. "How could a disciple of our Myriad Saints Sect marry just anyone!"

Gao Jingxuan smiled gently, "I have no desire for Xiaoru to marry. What good is marriage? To serve a despicable man, toil her entire life only to gain no reward. It's better not to marry at all!"

"That..." Yin Zhaojiang didn't agree but refrained from arguing. The more resolute Gao Jingxuan was at this moment, the better; they could repel this man surnamed He first!

———— Li Muzhan smiled, "Sect Master speaks incorrectly. Heaven and Earth create men and women precisely for them to unite. It is a pity for such a beautiful, delicate woman to spend her life alone!"

Gao Jingxuan retorted, "Being alone for life is far better than being defiled by a man!"

Li Muzhan shook his head helplessly and said no more. He smiled at Yin Zhaojiang, "Young Master Yin, are your injuries not yet healed?"

"They are," Yin Zhaojiang slowly nodded, forcefully suppressing the killing intent in his heart.

He wished he could strike Li Muzhan dead with one palm right now, eliminating this hidden threat. Daring to covet his woman—this was seeking death! Though his composure allowed him to tolerate much, this matter left absolutely no room for tolerance. Seeing a man like Li Muzhan, his verdict was execution without mercy!

Li Muzhan sighed, "Young Master Yin's injuries seem severe; you should rest well. You must not get angry or stir internal flames, or your injuries will worsen."

Yin Zhaojiang sneered, "Thank you for your concern, Brother He!"

All the women sensed the tension between the two men like drawn swords. Zhu Chuyun smiled as she glanced at Yi Xiaoru, only to see Yi Xiaoru frowning, displaying worry.

Zhu Chuyun understood her meaning—she was concerned for He Zudao. Currently, although He Zudao's martial arts seemed superior, Yin Zhaojiang commanded countless experts. If a conflict truly erupted, He Zudao would not benefit!

Zhu Chuyun chuckled lightly, "Junior Brother Yin, you also wish to marry Junior Sister Yi, do you not?"

"Senior Sister Zhu—!" Yi Xiaoru scolded with a hint of pique.

Zhu Chuyun smiled, "Is that so, Junior Brother Yin?"

Yin Zhaojiang slowly nodded, "That is correct. I have admired Junior Sister Yi for a long time and kept looking for an opportunity to express it."

"Heh heh, then you are a step too late!" Zhu Chuyun shook her head. "Mr. He first saved our lives under the Divine Sword Sect, and then escorted us all the way back to the mountain. Mr. He's kindness cannot be repaid except by Junior Sister Yi giving herself to him! ... Now look at you, Junior Brother Yin, when you could have saved us, you fled first to ensure your own safety. Think about it, if it were you, who would you marry? ... Does a woman not marry a man just for a sense of security? Someone who runs at the first sign of danger—which woman would dare marry you!"

"You..." Yin Zhaojiang was instantly furious.

Zhu Chuyun pursed her lips and smiled, "Junior Brother Yin, are you so easily provoked by a few words from me? ... Does it feel like every sentence hit the core of your heart?"

Yin Zhaojiang said gravely, "Senior Sister Zhu misunderstands. I did think of Senior Sister and Junior Sister Yi, but the situation was too critical then. Zhao Yuanming was pursuing us relentlessly, and Elder Chu was injured. Was I supposed to sacrifice Elder Chu and the others for the sake of personal romance?!"

"Yes, you men only think of the grand enterprise; we women are unimportant," Zhu Chuyun nodded lightly, sighing, and glanced at Gao Jingxuan.

Gao Jingxuan also sighed and shook her head, "Zhaojiang, you should go back. Even without Mr. He, I would not marry Xiaoru to you!"

"...Then this junior will take his leave!" Yin Zhaojiang took a deep breath and slowly forced a smile.

———— After watching him depart, Li Muzhan shook his head and laughed, "A fatal attraction for a beauty; I have truly offended him!"

"What, Mr. He, are you afraid?!" Zhu Chuyun pursed her lips and chuckled.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "It would be a lie to say I am not afraid. His martial arts are inferior to mine, but one word from him can turn the entire Myriad Saints Sect against me. I am no immortal; how could I not be afraid?"

"Rest assured!" Zhu Chuyun smiled. "Master will not stand idly by!"

Li Muzhan shook his head with a smile, "It is better not to rely on that. I must face my own actions. If I cannot withstand even this slight danger, how can I protect her?"

"Sigh... You men just love playing the hero!" Zhu Chuyun shook her head dismissively. "Master, what do you think should be done?"

"What should be done?" Gao Jingxuan shook her head. "You fanned the flames too much; why ask me!"

She was Zhu Chuyun's master and had watched her grow up; how could she not know her tricks? Clearly, she had deliberately provoked Yin Zhaojiang. After a moment of thought, she vaguely grasped Zhu Chuyun's scheme and secretly shook her head.

Zhu Chuyun urged anxiously, "Master, if you do not intervene, Mr. He will truly be in danger! ... Unless Mr. He stays on the mountain forever, who knows what accident might occur!"

Cheng Lian watched Zhu Chuyun with a smile, also guessing her intentions.

Gao Jingxuan cast a sideways glance at her and snorted, "Well done, Little Yun. What favors did you receive from Mr. He that you are trying so hard to help them!"

Zhu Chuyun giggled, "Master, Mr. He is my savior; shouldn't I lend a hand?!"

"Aren't you afraid of pushing your junior sister into a pit of fire?" Gao Jingxuan snorted.

Zhu Chuyun chuckled lightly, "Master, this is not a pit of fire; it's a jar of honey!"

Gao Jingxuan shook her head and smiled at Li Muzhan, "Mr. He, do you truly wish to marry Xiaoru?"

Li Muzhan nodded emphatically, "Yes, Sect Master!"

"I have one condition!" Gao Jingxuan pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, "You must think clearly."

Li Muzhan nodded slightly, "Sect Master, please speak."

Gao Jingxuan said, "You must make a solemn vow never to be unfaithful in this life, and furthermore, you cannot marry a second woman!"

Li Muzhan was startled and looked towards Yi Xiaoru.

Yi Xiaoru frowned, glancing at her Master, then looking at Li Muzhan.

"What, can you not agree?" Gao Jingxuan looked at him faintly. The other women also stared at him fixedly, their expressions showing confusion.

Li Muzhan revealed a wry smile.

Only Yi Xiaoru understood the reason, knowing he was thinking of his beloved from the Dragon Mountain Sect.

———— "What is going on?" Gao Jingxuan's expression slowly darkened. "My request isn't excessive, Mr. He?... If it weren't for Xiaoru's deep devotion, I would never agree!"

Li Muzhan replied with a bitter smile, "Sect Master, please allow me a moment to consider!"

Gao Jingxuan stared intently at him and slowly said, "Think it over carefully, and then tell me!... If you cannot agree, then your matters with Xiaoru are over; I will absolutely not marry Xiaoru to you!"

Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, Sect Master."

He sighed, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and then slowly walked back. Yi Xiaoru hurried to follow, but was stopped by Gao Jingxuan's sharp call: "Xiaoru!"

Yi Xiaoru protested, "Master..."

"Xiaoru, let him think it over properly; don't disturb him!" Gao Jingxuan snorted.

Zhu Chuyun said, "Little Junior Sister, to be honest, this condition Master proposed isn't difficult. Why is he stumped so easily?... Could it be that he already has a wife!?"

The three women looked over simultaneously. Yi Xiaoru quickly shook her head, "No!"

"Then what is it?" Zhu Chuyun smiled. "He looked quite troubled. If he doesn't have a wife, what is he troubled about? Could it be he's already planning to take a second wife?!"

The expressions of the three women shifted slightly. Cheng Lian frowned, "Junior Sister Xiaoru, have you truly understood this man?"

"Senior Sister Cheng, you also know he has a concubine," Yi Xiaoru confessed.

Cheng Lian was momentarily stunned, then nodded slowly, "Yes, I recall. He did buy a concubine some time ago; she was beautiful and quite bright."

"He's hesitating because of her. If he agrees to Master's terms, does that mean he has to discard her?" Yi Xiaoru quickly said, letting out a breath of relief. Thankfully, her quick thinking provided an explanation.

"That's true..." Cheng Lian nodded slightly. "That Miss Xiuxiu is also pitiful; her parents are gone, and she sold herself to a brothel to pay for their burial. If Mr. He suddenly appeared and rescued her from that abyss, casting her aside now would be truly cruel!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Yi Xiaoru quickly agreed. "If Mr. He truly casts aside Xiuxiu, won't he be a heartless person?"

Gao Jingxuan shook her head, helplessly saying, "You girl, you haven't even joined the He family yet, and you're already defending him like this. What will you do if he truly changes his heart in the future!"

Yi Xiaoru smiled, "Master, don't worry. With my beauty, I will certainly hold him tightly and never allow him to change his mind!"

"Indeed, Master, don't worry!" Zhu Chuyun smiled. "If he truly wrongs Little Junior Sister, we won't let him off either!"

"You all..." Gao Jingxuan shook her head. "You don't understand men. They are all fickle; the moment they see a beautiful woman, they are instantly attracted!"

"Master, don't worry, he is not that kind of person," Yi Xiaoru quickly asserted.

Cheng Lian pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Master, I think we shouldn't make things difficult for him! He is, after all, Junior Sister Xiaoru's beloved; making him suffer like this is hard on Xiaoru too!"

"Yes, Master!" Yi Xiaoru nodded repeatedly.

Zhu Chuyun pursed her lips and smiled, causing Yi Xiaoru to blush. Gao Jingxuan looked at her beautiful, blooming appearance and worried inwardly, sighing, "Xiaoru, you are too deeply invested!"

Yi Xiaoru blushed and pleaded, "Master, please stop making things difficult for him!"

Zhu Chuyun quickly added, "Yes, Master, just let it go. If he is to marry Little Junior Sister, let him marry quickly; there is no need to obstruct him further, lest feelings are hurt, right?"

Cheng Lian nodded slightly, "Master, Senior Sister Zhu speaks reasonably."

"Sigh... You all, you still understand men too little!" Gao Jingxuan shook her head and sighed.

Zhu Chuyun smiled, "Master, if he truly wants to confess his feelings, can you stop him? ... The human heart is unpredictable; it is best to let nature take its course, depending on Little Junior Sister's fate!"

"Master..." Yi Xiaoru looked at her pleadingly.

"Sigh..." Gao Jingxuan sighed helplessly, then nodded, "Since it is so, then forget it. I agree. Xiaoru may marry him!"

"Thank you, Master!" Yi Xiaoru was overjoyed.

Li Muzhan was pacing back and forth in the room. His Eye of the Void was open, and everything they said entered his ears and eyes. He was greatly relieved in his heart and finally let out a breath.

He looked at Yi Xiaoru and sighed inwardly. This foolish girl truly possessed noble integrity. Even though she knew his concern lay with Liu Biyun, she still stood up for him, not using this opportunity to force him.

———— The next morning, a crowd suddenly surged up the mountain and began setting up. Some carried tables, others brought chairs, some hung lanterns, and some strung colored paper. The entire Hidden Sect became lively.

Li Muzhan, conversely, was idle. He took the opportunity to enter secluded cultivation, as his vital energy was severely depleted from before and had not yet recovered. The room where he stayed became a forbidden zone; no one was allowed near it.

Three days later, when Li Muzhan emerged from seclusion at dawn, the entire Hidden Sect was transformed—decorated with lanterns and festive streamers, buzzing with activity, naturally radiating joy.

Seeing him emerge, the four women practicing martial arts looked over.

Gao Jingxuan beckoned, and Li Muzhan walked over, cupping his fists in a polite greeting, "Sect Master."

"Mm, your complexion looks much better," Gao Jingxuan nodded, smiling gently. "That's how it should be; I don't want the groom to look sickly!"

"It was not a serious injury," Li Muzhan laughed. "Are the decorations all ready?"

Gao Jingxuan smiled and nodded, "It's all set. In two more days, Xiaoru can marry you, and you will be considered half a member of the Hidden Sect!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Thank you, Sect Master, for fulfilling this wish."

Gao Jingxuan waved her hand, "You don't need to feel indebted to me; it was all Xiaoru's insistence. We will see if she regrets it later!... There isn't much to do here, but there are some things I must discuss with you; you need to be careful."

Li Muzhan replied, "I am eager to listen."

———— Gao Jingxuan beckoned and turned to enter the room. Li Muzhan followed her in, avoiding the other three women.

Seated on the main seat, Gao Jingxuan pointed to the chair opposite, and after Li Muzhan sat down, she paused in thought and said, "Our Myriad Saints Sect has nine sub-sects in total, do you know this?"

Li Muzhan replied, "I know there are nine sects, but I'm not clear on which ones they are. Xiaoru never mentioned it."

Gao Jingxuan gave Yi Xiaoru an approving look and smiled gently, "The Origin Sect, Sword Sect, Blade Sect, Medicine Sect, Divine Sword Sect, Beast Taming Sect, Heavenly Craft Sect, Heavenly Mystery Sect, and the Hidden Sect—nine sects in total."

Li Muzhan pondered, carefully considering these nine names. He already knew the Sword Sect, Divine Sword Sect, Medicine Sect, and Hidden Sect; he had never heard of the others, and they seemed to have no presence in the martial world.

Gao Jingxuan stated, "It is the rule that disciples of the nine sects introduce themselves outwardly as Myriad Saints Sect members, so outsiders have no idea about the nine divisions."

Li Muzhan nodded in sudden understanding.

Gao Jingxuan continued, "Any single master appointed from the nine sects is comparable to a major sect in the martial world."

Li Muzhan agreed, "Indeed. Seeing the strength of the Divine Sword Sect, the might of the nine sects is truly astonishing."

Gao Jingxuan said, "Unfortunately, the nine sects have always suffered internal strife, which has weakened their power. Otherwise, how could the Dragon Mountain Sect and the Shoreline Pavilion dare to be so presumptuous?!"

Li Muzhan smiled and said, "Sect Master means to remind me that there are rivals to our Hidden Sect among the nine. Which ones are they?"

"Yes," Gao Jingxuan slowly nodded. "The Blade Sect, and also the Divine Sword Sect, are our rivals. Although the Origin Sect smiles sweetly at us, we cannot let our guard down!"

Li Muzhan asked, "The Blade Sect?"

Gao Jingxuan snorted, "Those fellows from the Blade Sect are domineering, arrogant, and unreasonable; there's no need to bother with them. The key is the Origin Sect."

"The Origin Sect?" Li Muzhan pondered, "I presume Young Master Yin is from the Origin Sect?"

"That's right!" Gao Jingxuan nodded. "He will absolutely not let this go easily. He is stubborn by nature; since he has set his sights on Xiaoru, he will never give up easily. You must be careful!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "So during these past few days, the Sect Master kept me out of sight, fearing he might use excuses to cause trouble, right?"

Gao Jingxuan smiled; Li Muzhan's astuteness surpassed her imagination.

Li Muzhan pondered, "Sect Master, I believe Young Master Yin will find an opportunity sooner or later. It might be better to settle this before the wedding, avoiding endless entanglement that could disrupt the wedding feast and cause ridicule."

"What do you intend to do?" Gao Jingxuan asked.

Li Muzhan replied, "I will go down the mountain once and bring Xiuxiu here."

"That little concubine of yours?" Gao Jingxuan's face immediately darkened.

Li Muzhan gave a bitter smile, "Xiuxiu is also a child with a bitter fate. I redeemed her initially mostly out of pity, unable to bear her plight. Then I met Xiaoru..."

"Sigh... Never mind. Do what you think is best!" Gao Jingxuan waved her hand. "Since Xiaoru can accept it, what more can I say!"

Li Muzhan showed an expression of apology, "Sect Master, then I shall leave today and return quickly."

"Go, go, ... Do you know how dangerous this trip is?" Gao Jingxuan couldn't help but remind him.

Li Muzhan replied, "I understand, but if I cannot survive even this, I will not be worthy of protecting Xiaoru, nor will I have the face to return!"

"Be careful. Elder Chu might make a move," Gao Jingxuan warned. "Though your cultivation is deep, old man Chu is no easy opponent."

Li Muzhan nodded, "Yes, Sect Master, I will be cautious. I won't tell Xiaoru; I'll leave now!"

"Go then!"