"You mean, would the Hidden Sect tolerate him, right?" the round-faced youth scoffed. "I deeply respect Senior Sister Yi, but the Hidden Sect? Hmph!"

The Myriad Saint Sect revered strength above all else; this belief was ingrained in their bones and difficult to change. Even though he admired Yi Xiaoru, it didn't alter his contempt for the Hidden Sect.

Noticing the youth seemed deep in thought, the round-faced youth continued, "The Hidden Sect barely has a few people. Senior Uncle Gao is powerful, but he's still only one person. Senior Sister Cheng and Senior Sister Zhu aren't top-tier experts; if they truly refuse, what can they do about that fellow surnamed Yin?!"

Li Muzhan slowly nodded. "That makes sense!"

"Even if you know this, it's useless. Who would believe you?" The round-faced youth looked at him as if he were already a dead man, shaking his head. "If he decides to use poison, no one can stop him."

Li Muzhan smiled. "It seems my chances are slim!"

"It's good that you understand!" The round-faced youth nodded vigorously. "All you can do now is try to force your way out—see if you can carve a path to survival!"

"How should I force my way out?" Li Muzhan asked with a smile. "I hope you'll be kind enough to enlighten me!"

The round-faced youth snorted. "Strike first! ... Kill that Yin fellow first, and naturally, no one else will harm you!"

Li Muzhan chuckled. "If I kill him, how could Sect Master Tang let it go?!"

"Heh heh, you don't know about this, do you?" The round-faced youth shook his head smugly. "Our Sect is different from ordinary sects. If you defeat him in an open, fair fight and kill him, absolutely no one will say a word!"

Li Muzhan looked at him with a strange, half-smile. "There's such a rule?"

"...Fine, you'll receive a severe punishment. But you definitely won't lose your life. Isn't that better than losing it now, like this?" Seeing Li Muzhan's expression, the round-faced youth reluctantly told the truth.

Li Muzhan smiled. "What kind of punishment would I receive?"

"Well now..." The round-faced youth scratched his head. "It might be being thrown into the Myriad Serpent Cave, or perhaps the Startling Cloud Mountain."

Li Muzhan watched him with a gentle smile. The round-faced youth quickly added, "Don't look at me like that! ... Truthfully, I think you have a sliver of hope entering the Myriad Serpent Cave or Startling Cloud Mountain, but if that Yin has poisoned you, it's certain death!"

Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. "Then I thank you very much! ... I still haven't learned your distinguished name, brother."

"Chang Jiqing!" The round-faced youth snorted. "I'm from the Beast Taming Sect. If you really end up in the Myriad Serpent Cave, I can help. I guarantee you won't die!"

Li Muzhan smiled benignly. "Then I thank you, Brother Chang. If I truly enter the Myriad Serpent Cave, I will certainly ask for Brother Chang's assistance!"

Chang Jiqing slapped his chest proudly. "The Myriad Serpent Cave is a perilous place for others, but for me, it's child's play. Feel free to look for me!"

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. "Brother Chang, would you care to visit the Hidden Sect as a guest?"

"Heh heh, no need, no need." Chang Jiqing quickly waved his hands in refusal. "Then let's part ways for now, farewell!"

With a wave, he turned, and the crowd escorting him vanished into the woods.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. This Chang Jiqing looked simple-minded, but he possessed some subtle calculations. He was trying to use someone else's hand to commit murder. The disciples of the Myriad Saint Sect truly could not be underestimated... He quickly returned to the mountain. The mountain was festooned with lanterns and streamers; the grand wedding was imminent, and the joyous atmosphere could no longer be suppressed. Yet, the people on the mountain were quiet; the three women were all practicing their martial arts.

Seeing him return, Zhu Chuyun pursed her lips and smiled. "Little Junior Sister, are you finally relieved now!?"

Cheng Lian also shook her head with a smile, glancing at Yi Xiaoru, who had been muttering constantly these past few days—muttering over twenty times a day until they were thoroughly annoyed.

Yi Xiaoru’s bright eyes sparkled as she stared at Li Muzhan, drawing her sword and stepping forward. "You're back?"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Yes, finally back!"

"Didn't run into any trouble, did you?" Yi Xiaoru sized him up.

The three women were all clad in moon-white practice robes, looking heroic and spirited; the loose robes couldn't quite conceal Yi Xiaoru's ample and graceful figure.

"If you ask about trouble, I certainly ran into quite a bit!" Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. "People from the Linhai Pavilion, the Divine Sword Sect, and then there was Chang Jiqing—quite a lively gathering."

"Chang Jiqing?" Yi Xiaoru frowned instantly. "That Chang Jiqing from the Beast Taming Sect?"

Zhu Chuyun laughed. "Chang Jiqing is the top disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. He sought you out too?"

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. "This Brother Chang is quite an interesting fellow, very amusing. He said Young Master Yin plans to use poison during the wedding banquet to eliminate me, suggesting I strike first and take care of Young Master Yin."

Cheng Lian shook her head and chuckled. "Junior Brother Chang really knows how to stir up trouble!"

Zhu Chuyun lightly laughed. "He and Junior Brother Yin are long-standing rivals, always competing. Brother Chang's fist techniques are very formidable, aren't they?"

Li Muzhan nodded. "His fist techniques are exquisite, and his internal energy is extremely rigid and yang—truly rare. ... Their cultivation levels are similar; why isn't Brother Chang as famous?"

In his view, Chang Jiqing's cultivation was no less than Yin Zhaojiang’s, or at least very close, yet their fame differed vastly.

"This is exactly what Junior Brother Chang resents," Zhu Chuyun shook her head and laughed. "He is a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, while Junior Brother Yin is a disciple of the Core Sect. Their statuses are different."

Li Muzhan smiled. "Since Young Master Yin is a disciple of the Core Sect, he will be the Sect Master in the future, so he has more fame?"

"That's precisely the reason!" Zhu Chuyun nodded. "People call him the number one disciple of the Myriad Saint Sect, but it's not just about martial arts. There are several others whose martial prowess is no less than Junior Brother Yin's, like Senior Sister Cheng, but they lack his renown!"

Li Muzhan slowly nodded and smiled. "I see. If I were to kill this Young Master Yin, what would the consequences be?"

Zhu Chuyun paused, glancing at Cheng Lian. Cheng Lian frowned, pondering for a moment, then shook her head. "Mr. He, it's best to dismiss this thought. Junior Brother Yin is not that easy to kill!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Does he possess a secret technique?"

Cheng Lian nodded. "Yes. As a candidate to succeed the Sect Master, he possesses life-saving secret techniques, making him almost impossible to kill. ... Furthermore, if he dies, you, Mr. He, won't survive either."

Li Muzhan said, "Brother Chang told me that as long as I kill him openly in a martial contest, it won't matter."

Cheng Lian shook her head. "Even so, you’d be sent to the Myriad Serpent Cave or Startling Cloud Mountain... Brother Chang has ill intentions. In those two places, existence would be worse than death!"

Zhu Chuyun huffed, "That Brother Chang is truly hateful!"

Li Muzhan shook his head with a gentle smile. "I know he wants to borrow a knife to kill, but the suggestion is very tempting. I’m tempted to try."

"Absolutely not!" Zhu Chuyun frantically waved her hands.

Yi Xiaoru also chimed in, "Forget it. It's not worth sacrificing yourself for him. He belongs to the Core Sect; if he truly dies, Martial Uncle Tang will never let it go!"

Cheng Lian nodded softly. "The Core Sect and us have never been on good terms. If this happens, they'll have even more reason to expel us from the Myriad Saint Sect!"

Li Muzhan sighed, helpless. "If that's the case, must I just live at the mercy of others?"

"If our strength is insufficient, that's all we can do!" Cheng Lian smiled and shook her head. Li Muzhan could see the bitterness in her smile, the unwillingness in her heart... Li Muzhan looked up at the sky, took a deep breath. Since arriving in this world, he had never been able to hold his head high—it was the same in the Purple Robe Palace as it was here.

Cheng Lian whispered, "Mr. He, when you came to our Hidden Sect, you should have been prepared for grievances. Fortunately, we usually don't interact much with the other sects."

Li Muzhan took a deep breath, smiled, and nodded. "Fine. It's nothing major, just treat it as the barking of dogs... As for Young Master Yin, I will find a way."

Cheng Lian quickly said, "Young Master Yin cannot die. He is deeply favored by Martial Uncle Tang and is Martial Uncle Tang's personal disciple. If anything happens to him, Martial Uncle Tang will never stand down. You might not die, but we will suffer severely. Our sect is too weak; we cannot withstand such repercussions!"

Li Muzhan pondered. "I wonder what the cultivation level of Sect Master Tang truly is."

"You will meet Martial Uncle Tang at your grand wedding," Cheng Lian replied with a soft smile.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Good, I understand. Rest assured."

"You've traveled for so long and must be tired; go back and rest a while," Yi Xiaoru finally managed to interject, speaking softly.

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'll go adjust my breathing for a moment."

Yi Xiaoru quickly accompanied him back to the room, causing Cheng Lian and Zhu Chuyun to shake their heads incessantly.

Once inside the room, Li Muzhan pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly. Yi Xiaoru's face flushed crimson. Although they had already known intimacy, she remained shy and easily embarrassed.

Holding her soft, warm body, Li Muzhan sat on the couch and whispered, "Did they bother you these past few days?"

"No," Yi Xiaoru gently shook her head. "With Master shielding us, they wouldn't dare act presumptuously. Master would never be polite!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "You are indeed a fresh flower of the Myriad Saint Sect, and now that I have plucked you, I've angered many. Chang Jiqing and the others wish they could kill me!"

"They wouldn't dare attack!" Yi Xiaoru chuckled lightly and shook her head. "They all fear Master."

Li Muzhan asked curiously, "Why do they all fear the Sect Master?"

"Master is ruthless in her actions; she has killed quite a few people," Yi Xiaoru replied.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Without the Sect Master holding things down, the Hidden Sect truly struggles to establish itself. Are your daily lives uncomfortable too?"

"It's alright," Yi Xiaoru shook her head. "With Master here, they don't dare approach, keeping their distance."

Li Muzhan sighed, shaking his head. "The Sect Master really suffers."

Yi Xiaoru said, "Yes. It's a pity we aren't capable enough to learn Master's skills."

Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "No need to rush. Master is getting better and better; none of you need to hurry to prop up the sect."

Yi Xiaoru looked up at him, her bright eyes like still water. "We have you to thank for this. Master's injuries are healed; none of us have anything to fear now!"

Li Muzhan saw the gentle ripple in her gaze and was immediately moved. He lightly kissed her red lips and smiled, "Your cultivation will catch up to Master's soon enough."

Hearing this, Yi Xiaoru’s jade face flushed again. The improvement in her cultivation was thanks to Li Muzhan; during their intimate moments, he would employ a secret technique to help her advance her power.

Although she found it marvelous, she also felt a touch of shame, as if she had gained something precious without strenuous training—like finding gold that fell from the sky.

Yi Xiaoru said softly, "Big Brother, you absolutely must not kill Junior Brother Yin!"

As their relationship grew closer, she had changed the way she addressed him.

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Alright, I understand."

"It's a hardship for you, Big Brother," Yi Xiaoru said softly. Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head.

PS: My state hasn't been good these past two days; I will make up for it tomorrow. (To be continued) RQ