Li Muzhan sized up the elder, whose features were once handsome, suggesting a fair youth, though now his beard and brows were snow-white, his face remarkably smooth and unlined, albeit possessing a faint purplish tinge that occasionally flickered with wisps of violet energy.
A chill ran down Li Muzhan’s spine; this was proof of internal energy achieving a mastery bordering on separation from the body, so abundant it nearly escaped its mortal confines, yet restrained by the very rules of heaven and earth from fully manifesting externally.
Li Muzhan mused that the elder’s internal mastery was already at its zenith; further practice would yield little change. Judging by his appearance, the man must be seventy or eighty years old.
However, the elder’s cultivation was profoundly deep, surpassing his own, reaching a level comparable to that of Tang Tianyu. Facing him, one truly needed to tread with caution.
“Xiao Jingxuan, you’ve found yourself a fine son-in-law!” the old man sneered with a dry laugh. “Remarkable skill, to cripple my grandson!”
“Martial Uncle Yin!” Gao Jingxuan hurried to say, “Uncle, please let me explain; this matter is truly not Dao’er’s fault—it was Zhaojiang who misstepped!”
The old man shook his head with a sigh. “When he was infatuated with your disciple, I warned him: stay clear of disciples from the Hidden Sect. He wouldn't listen, and now, he finally knows regret!”
Gao Jingxuan asked, “Martial Uncle, have you come here seeking vengeance for him?”
“Nonsense!” the elder huffed irritably. “If I didn’t come for revenge, what would I be doing here? ... I finally had such a promising grandson, and now he’s been crippled by your Hidden Sect. I deserve an accounting!”
Gao Jingxuan frowned. “Martial Uncle, this truly isn't our fault. Zhaojiang went to assassinate Dao’er and the others while they were in their bridal chamber that night. How could Dao’er remain calm? Besides, Zhaojiang was wearing night clothes and his face was covered.”
The old man waved his hand with an impatient snort. “I don’t care about all that! All I know is that my grandson was crippled by your Hidden Sect!”
Gao Jingxuan sighed, resignedly saying, “Then what should be done, Martial Uncle? Tell us!”
“Hmph, what should be done?!” the elder mocked coldly. “I’m a generous man, after all. I won’t demand his life. How about this: he cripples his own martial arts, and then we’ll consider the matter settled!”
Gao Jingxuan shook her head. “Martial Uncle, I regret I cannot comply! ... This was Zhaojiang’s error, and punishing Dao’er for it—is that reasonable?”
“Is the Myriad Saint Sect a place for reason?” the elder shot her a sidelong glance. “If we valued reason, we wouldn’t need martial arts! ... If you won’t do it, I will!”
“Martial Uncle, is there no room for leniency?” Gao Jingxuan asked slowly.
“Leniency my foot!” the elder cursed vehemently. “If you could restore my grandson’s martial arts, I’d be lenient. Otherwise, make him cripple his own, or I will!”
Gao Jingxuan slowly stated, “Since Martial Uncle insists on such unreasonableness, then we must prepare to face your superior techniques!”
“Oh, little Jingxuan, your wings have hardened, daring to challenge me!” the elder began to laugh, shaking his head. “You are still far too green. Don’t waste your effort seeking humiliation!”
Li Muzhan stepped forward slightly, smiling, “Senior, I am He Zudao. I welcome your esteemed techniques!”
“So, you’re the one who crippled my grandson?” The elder’s face darkened, a faint, malevolent aura shimmering around him as if it were tangible.
Li Muzhan frowned. This elder, despite his handsome appearance, had evidently killed many people. Where had so many victims come from for him to slay?
“Speak!” the elder commanded sternly.
Li Muzhan slowly nodded. “Yes. I was the one who disabled Brother Yin.”
“Good, then cripple your own martial arts, and I won’t have to dirty my hands,” the elder stated gravely.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Impossible! ... Senior demands I cripple my own cultivation without inquiring into the facts, relying solely on superior martial arts. Is that correct?”
“Indeed!” the elder declared proudly. “Are you unconvinced, young man?!”
Li Muzhan replied, “I am indeed unconvinced. Since martial arts dictate everything, let us compete. If I win, this matter ends here. What say you?”
“Heh heh...” the elder chuckled, shaking his head as he looked toward Gao Jingxuan. “Little Jingxuan, your son-in-law is quite interesting!”
Gao Jingxuan said, “Martial Uncle, don’t underestimate him; his swordsmanship is exceptionally sharp!”
“Very well, so you suggest a contest of swordsmanship then!” the elder said with a playful smile. “Then let’s test his swordsmanship; I want to see just how formidable he is!”
Gao Jingxuan smiled sweetly. “Martial Uncle, Zhaojiang was a good lad, but his intentions were impure, which is why he ended up like this. Martial Uncle, you must be cautious; the fact that he could disable Zhaojiang proves he is not easily dismissed, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hmm, you speak sense!” the elder nodded, smiling, and looked at Li Muzhan. “Young man, draw your sword then!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Senior, please wait a moment; I will retrieve my sword.”
“Go ahead, but I hope you don’t flee. If you truly intend to run, I suggest you cripple your own cultivation now, because if we catch you, mere crippling won’t be the consequence!” the elder said with a smiling threat.
Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. “Senior, just a moment!”
Saying this, he turned and walked away, quickly disappearing into Yi Xiaoru’s small hut.
“I’ll go check on him!” Gao Jingxuan said, hurrying after him.
The elder glanced at her, shook his head, and smiled, knowing she was likely giving him last-minute advice, though in a martial contest, what counsel could truly matter?
———— “Dao’er, be careful!” Gao Jingxuan urged as soon as she entered the room.
“Mistress...” Yi Xiaoru murmured, blushing.
She was lounging lazily against the long bolster, her face vibrant like a freshly watered flower, dew-kissed and tempting, with a lingering hint of springtime passion in her delicate brows.
Gao Jingxuan frowned and shot her a look, ignoring her, then turned to Li Muzhan. “Dao’er, this is my Martial Uncle. He is over three hundred years old; you must be extremely careful!”
Li Muzhan’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Over three hundred years?”
Gao Jingxuan nodded. “He is an expert in palm techniques—fierce and overbearing. You must be cautious. Furthermore, he is also proficient in leg techniques, making him even harder to handle!”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly. “Yes, Mistress, rest assured, I will take heed.”
“And he also possesses several secret arts!” Gao Jingxuan frowned. “We are not clear on the specifics of these arts, but they are capable of turning the tide in a crucial moment. Therefore, you should not aim for victory, but rather for maintaining an unbroken defense!”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “Mistress fears he might resort to desperate measures, leading to mutual destruction?”
“It is good that you understand,” Gao Jingxuan nodded slowly.
The various lineages within the Myriad Saint Sect all possessed secret techniques, each one intensely guarded, reserved only as ultimate life-saving skills for critical moments; no one was expected to see them.
And this Martial Uncle Yin had lived for over three centuries. Perhaps in his leisurely years, he spent his time practicing these secret arts simply to pass the time.
Three centuries—who knew how many secret techniques he might have mastered? This was Dao’er’s weakness!
Li Muzhan picked up his long sword from beside the bed, then slowly walked out of the room. Yi Xiaoru quickly slid off the couch. “Brother, is it dangerous?”
Li Muzhan turned and smiled. “Don’t get up. I’ll be right back!”
“Then Brother, be careful!” Yi Xiaoru nodded softly, watching him with lingering concern.
Li Muzhan smiled. “If I can’t win, I won’t surrender!”
Yi Xiaoru managed a slight smile before sinking back onto the bed, while Gao Jingxuan, watching the scene with a touch of sentimental affection, shook her head and followed him out.
Li Muzhan carried his sword to the training ground. The old man stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him with arrogant patience. He glanced at Gao Jingxuan. “Little Jingxuan, are you planning to intervene?”
Gao Jingxuan shook her head. “Martial Uncle, please show mercy; he is, after all, a junior! ... As for their own affairs, they should resolve them themselves!”
“Hmph, my grandson is crippled, how can they resolve it!?” the elder retorted irritably.
Gao Jingxuan asked, “With your skills, you couldn't save him?”
The elder glared at her. “Couldn’t save him. This brat’s methods were too vicious. That’s why I must face him, to repay him in kind!”
“Alas...” Gao Jingxuan sighed and stepped back.
———— Li Muzhan drew his sword, the steel sliding free with a soft rasp, and smiled. “Senior Yin, please!”
“You make the first move,” the elder stated firmly. “As the junior, it’s a bit of bullying for me to engage you, but necessity dictates it—who told you to cripple my grandson!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Behold the sword!”
He stabbed straight out, a clean, direct move, demonstrating straightforward martial conduct.
“A bit interesting!” The elder smiled and flicked his finger lightly. A sharp ding echoed, and Li Muzhan felt a searing heat rise through his sword, almost scorching his hand.
He inwardly praised the man’s reputation; circulating his internal energy, he instantly neutralized the burning sensation. Then, the momentum of his sword shifted, and with a whum, the blade hummed as it flashed instantly before the elder.
“Oh?” The elder was surprised, not expecting Li Muzhan to be unaffected by his internal energy projection.
He understood that his casual strike carried astonishing power—the force of his Blazing Flame Palm, capable of melting iron. That this young man remained unaffected marked him as a tough adversary.
He became even more determined to eliminate Li Muzhan. Otherwise, watching this youth soar would only deepen his grandson’s suffering; crippling this boy would bring some relief. Thinking this, he showed no mercy. Facing the incoming sword, he struck out with his palm again.
“Hmph!” The elder suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm. Li Muzhan’s sword tip had pierced straight through it. With a swish, he withdrew the blade, and blood immediately gushed forth.
The elder’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Li Muzhan. He had never imagined Li Muzhan’s swordsmanship was so exquisite as to break his palm defense in a single pass.
Li Muzhan retreated with a smile. “Senior Yin, do you still wish to continue the contest?”
The elder lightly brushed his right palm with his left, then chuckled. “Good lad, you certainly have some genuine skill. My grandson’s defeat at your hands wasn’t unjust. Let’s go again!”
Li Muzhan frowned, watching his palm. Where the left hand had brushed across, the wound on the right had already scabbed over, seemingly more than half-healed instantly.
Li Muzhan inquired, “May I ask what palm technique you just employed, Senior?”
“What I used just now was the Blazing Flame Palm,” the elder stated proudly. “Anyone struck by my palm, unless I personally neutralize it, will burn to ashes within three days.”
Li Muzhan asked, “I wish to know what palm technique you used with your left hand just now?”
“The Creation Palm!” The elder smiled proudly. “It embodies the idea of ceaseless creation and rebirth. Its offensive power is average, but hehe, it’s superb for healing!”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly. “Creation Palm...”
The elder snorted. “What, do you want to learn the Creation Palm too?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “A palm technique capable of saving lives—naturally, I wish to learn it!”
“If you want to learn, then you must enter Floating Cloud Island!” the elder dismissed with a curl of his lip. “I obtained my Creation Palm from Floating Cloud Island! Even my grandson couldn't learn it!”
Li Muzhan frowned, looking at him. “Floating Cloud Island?”
“Little Jingxuan, you didn’t tell him about Floating Cloud Island, did you?” the elder turned to look at Gao Jingxuan.
“There’s no rush,” Gao Jingxuan smiled. “It’s not too late to discuss it later!”
The elder laughed, shaking his head. “The Grand Competition is only a month away, and you aren’t rushing? ... As expected of Little Jingxuan; always measured and steady!”
Gao Jingxuan said, “Martial Uncle, I think perhaps we should drop the matter.”
She was trying to offer the elder a graceful way to back down. She could see that while the elder's cultivation was deep, it was ultimately inferior to Li Muzhan’s, as the latter’s exquisite swordsmanship compensated for any perceived lack in raw power.
———— Li Muzhan knew the elder was speaking extensively to buy time. This suggested the Creation Palm was indeed miraculous enough to repair significant damage in a short period. If it weren't so potent, the elder wouldn't need to stall.
The elder sneered, “Drop it? Why didn't he consider dropping it when he crippled my grandson? Little Jingxuan, give up this notion; no matter what, I must see him crippled!”
Gao Jingxuan sighed. “Alas... Martial Uncle, why must you insist?”
The elder said coldly, “It’s this very point of honor... Brat, come!”
Li Muzhan didn't waste words, immediately drawing his sword to stab. With a ding, the elder struck out with a palm again. Li Muzhan felt a blast of heat wash over him; his hand seemed scalded, and the sword hilt felt like a branding iron.
However, his internal energy was extraordinary, carrying a spiritual component that allowed him to dispel the heat, and his hand quickly returned to normal.
Amidst a continuous stream of clanging sounds—ding ding ding ding—the elder struck Li Muzhan’s sword again and again, each palm precisely meeting the blade.
Li Muzhan’s swordwork was not fast; it seemed deliberately timed to allow the elder to land his blows. With every palm contact, the elder transmitted a surge of internal energy.
The elder frowned, and suddenly his palm style shifted, becoming elusive and unpredictable. Seeing this, Li Muzhan instantly adapted, his sword light flashing sharply, instantly piercing the back of the elder’s hand.
The elder’s moves were refined, and his internal power profound; logically, he should have suppressed Li Muzhan. But with a sword in hand, Li Muzhan was like a tiger given wings, completely different from when he fought barehanded. The elder found himself instead being suppressed, every sword thrust aimed near his hands.
The elder practiced an ultimate Yang palm technique, fearsomely powerful. Li Muzhan needed to pierce this defense because it was too formidable; were it not for his peculiar internal energy, he would have been unable to hold out.
“Hmph!” The elder grunted, his right palm pierced by the sword again. He gently struck the long sword with his left palm.
Ding... The long sword could no longer withstand the force and shattered into inch-long fragments, leaving Li Muzhan holding only the hilt.
The elder brushed his right palm with his left, instantly stopping the bleeding, then brought his left palm sweeping forward.
This time disarmed, Li Muzhan slipped his feet and backed away, but unexpectedly, the elder moved like a clinging phantom, sliding forward as well, maintaining his pursuit.
Li Muzhan inwardly marveled; a practitioner of leg techniques was truly different. Even his own superior movement skills offered no advantage. Although he possessed the ability to teleport, he was reluctant to use it in front of outsiders.
Bang! The elder finally caught up to Li Muzhan, and their palms met.
The elder used his left palm; Li Muzhan used his right. Li Muzhan felt a vast, powerful force surge toward him—cool and refreshing, like plunging into a clear spring.
He immediately rallied his spirit, circulating his energy, barely managing to disperse the essence of this spring. This spring-like internal energy was truly formidable—it infiltrated silently, without provoking caution.
He understood then why his sword had broken: the clash of intense heat and profound cold made it difficult for the blade to endure, especially since it was only an ordinary Green Frontier Sword.