Cheng Lian suppressed her shyness, glancing around. "Did we finally lose the Flying Squirrels?"

Li Muzhan couldn't help but laugh. "Heh heh, they just ran out of stamina; they couldn't keep up!"

Cheng Lian chuckled, shaking her head. This brother-in-law looked so steady and composed, yet he possessed such a childlike spirit, racing the Flying Squirrels and actually shaking them off.

"How far are we now?" Cheng Lian asked.

Li Muzhan pondered for a moment. "About five thousand li, I'd say."

He inwardly marveled at the sheer size of Floating Cloud Mountain. He had run five thousand li in one go, and yet there was no end in sight. In his former world, that distance would cover an entire nation, but here, he hadn't even managed to leave Floating Cloud Mountain—it showed how vast this world truly was.

"Five thousand li..." Cheng Lian shook her head with a wry smile. "We've probably traveled the farthest."

Li Muzhan grinned. "The farther we go, the better our chances of finding treasures, right?"

"That's true enough," Cheng Lian nodded. "But distance isn't the most critical factor."

Li Muzhan nodded in understanding. "I know. The key is luck! ... My luck has always been good, otherwise I wouldn't have reached this level. So, Senior Sister, rest assured, we will encounter treasures."

Cheng Lian smiled without refuting him. If it had been Zhu Chuyun, she certainly would have offered a sarcastic remark. Cheng Lian had a gentle nature; though unconvinced, she didn't press the issue.

"Are you hungry? I'll go find something." Li Muzhan leaped onto a branch, flashed twice, and vanished. After landing, Cheng Lian gathered some dry twigs, preparing to start a fire.

Just as she got a small pile going, the sky suddenly became overcast. Soon, raindrops began to patter down, quickly extinguishing the embers and soaking her clothes.

Li Muzhan reappeared instantly by her side, holding two muntjacs in his hand. His clothes were drenched. "Senior Sister, let's find shelter!"

Cheng Lian looked at the sky. "The rain isn't heavy; it should stop soon."

Li Muzhan shook his head. "I'm afraid it will get worse! ... Not good!"

"Rumble..." A deafening crack of thunder split the sky. Heaven and earth seemed to shake; the sound filled everything, drowning out all other noise.

Before the thunder stopped, the rain intensified, the drops falling like hail.

Li Muzhan looked up at the sky, his expression grave. "That thunder is too low... Senior Sister, chop down trees!"

"Chop trees for what?" Cheng Lian was puzzled.

Li Muzhan drew his sword, a flash of cold light piercing the downpour and sinking into a tree trunk as thick as a man's embrace, swift as lightning.

Li Muzhan stepped forward twice and pushed the large tree with his left palm. With a creak, the massive trunk slowly began to fall, leaning onto a neighboring tree.

Li Muzhan advanced two more steps and swung his sword again, the blade light vanishing into another tree. "The trees here are too tall; lightning strikes are dangerous."

"You don't think so..." Cheng Lian shook her head, feeling Li Muzhan was overreacting. The lightning seemed so high above. How could it possibly strike a person?

"Chop the trees first, then we'll talk!" Li Muzhan insisted.

Seeing his serious demeanor, Cheng Lian reluctantly nodded. Drawing her sword, she focused her gongfu, channeling it into the blade. The tree, thick as a man's embrace, split in two with a single cut.

However, the blade met immense resistance. These trees were ancient and incredibly hard; while not as tough as iron or stone, they were close. After chopping three, she was already tiring... Rumble... Crack! Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the area, and a tree not far to her left exploded, engulfed in flames.

The heavy rain quickly doused the fire. Cheng Lian sucked in a sharp breath. If that bolt had struck her, there would have been no chance of evasion.

She glanced at Li Muzhan. His sword flashed, and in the time it took her to look, he had already felled over twenty trees, clearing a circular patch around them.

She felt a pang of shame. She had only managed three, while he was close to thirty; their cultivation levels and sword skills were worlds apart. Felling such massive, hard trees required not only deep internal energy but also exquisite swordsmanship; otherwise, the long sword would be useless, only piercing instead of cutting through.

Li Muzhan turned and smiled. "Senior Sister, I'll construct a lean-to. Judging by this downpour, this rain won't stop anytime soon!"

"Good," Cheng Lian nodded. Her wet clothes clung to her body, revealing her figure uncomfortably.

As Li Muzhan's sword light flashed, the fallen trees were quickly dismantled. Under his skillful manipulation, they soon took the shape of a small wooden hut.

Watching him pound wooden spars like a hammer, Cheng Lian gave a bitter smile, feeling utterly useless. Just then, Li Muzhan called out, "Senior Sister, bring over some dry twigs—the ones that haven't gotten too soaked if possible."

Cheng Lian quickly agreed and sprang into action. Despite the heavy rain, some dry branches could be found. She soon gathered an armful and brought them into the hut.

The structure Li Muzhan built was complete, capable of sheltering them from wind and rain. It was about the same size as the shelter they had on the mountain, spacious enough for three sections, though they didn't have time for such detail now, settling for one open room.

She entered, placed down the twigs, and dug up some dry leaves to start a fire. Smoke immediately billowed out thickly, gradually thinning as the damp wood dried, until it became minimal smoke.

Li Muzhan entered, clapped his hands, and sat beside Cheng Lian, though his gaze did not linger on her exquisitely formed body. "Once the rain stops, we still have to travel, so we don't need to make it too elaborate!"

"It's already wonderful!" Cheng Lian laughed, turning the two muntjacs over the fire. The fat dripping onto the embers hissed, releasing a fragrance that momentarily masked her own subtle scent... "Here you go." Cheng Lian handed him the golden-brown muntjacs, smiling. "After traveling five thousand li, if we were meant to meet something, we would have. If not, it's not the end of the world."

Li Muzhan took a piece and gnawed at it fiercely. "I can't match your open-mindedness, Senior Sister. Do you happen to know the origin of Floating Cloud Mountain?"

"No one knows," Cheng Lian shook her head, taking a small bite of the muntjac meat, chewing slowly and delicately, her movements graceful and refined—unbelievably beautiful to watch.

Li Muzhan vigorously chewed the golden meat. Cheng Lian must have used some unknown seasoning; the flavor was superb, making him wish he could devour it all at once. "I've never seen a mountain this immense."

Cheng Lian delicately chewed, smiling faintly. "Floating Cloud Mountain is filled with endless mysteries, a pity we are too unskilled to uncover them fully."

"Is it related to the secret manuals obtained from Floating Cloud Mountain?" Li Muzhan inquired.

Cheng Lian lightly shook her head. "Everyone keeps those secrets close."

Li Muzhan laughed, clapped his hands, tossing the bones aside. "Delicious! ... I'm going to fetch a few more!"

In the time it took, their clothes had dried. Cheng Lian's were dry too. As he started to leave, she quickly stopped him. "No need to go out again. I can't finish this one. If you don't mind, you can eat it."

Li Muzhan paused, looking at the meat in her hand. He knew she worried about him going out into the rain again, and venturing out in such weather was dangerous.

They had cleared an open space, so they weren't directly under the trees, and the hut offered rain protection. But walking outside, trees this tall were prime targets for lightning.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "One won't be enough. I have a large appetite; I can eat several at once!"

Saying that, he slipped out of the hut and into the rain, returning shortly, carrying three more muntjacs. His wet clothes clung to his body, showcasing his well-proportioned muscles.

Cheng Lian dared not look too long, pursing her lips into a slight smile. She took the meat and began hanging it over the fire, taking some seasonings from her deerskin pouch and sprinkling them lightly. As they hit the fire, a unique aroma wafted out.

Li Muzhan shook himself off, steam rising from his body, and his clothes dried almost instantly. He sat opposite Cheng Lian, shaking his head. "Judging by the look of things, it's going to rain for several days!"

"Then our luck is truly bad," Cheng Lian sighed. "There's no thought of traveling in this weather!"

She had previously underestimated the danger of lightning, but having witnessed a tree struck, she dared not take it lightly again. Possessions were important, but life was more so.

Li Muzhan responded, "We'll see what heaven intends."

"Crack! ... Boom—!" A lightning bolt tore a gash across the sky, the world suddenly blazing bright, followed by a thunderous explosion.

The small hut shuddered, seemingly about to collapse.

"I've come here twice before, and I've never encountered weather like this!" Cheng Lian stood up and walked to the doorway, observing the torrential rain outside.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "This rain might just last three days."

"Let's hope not," Cheng Lian shook her head, returning to the fire to continue roasting the meat. It quickly turned golden-brown, and a rich aroma filled the entire hut... The heavy rain persisted from dawn till dusk. As evening approached and night began to creep in, Li Muzhan opened his eyes, got up, and went to the doorway.

"Senior Sister, it seems the rain won't stop soon. I'll go fetch more wood for burning and eating."

Cheng Lian opened her bright eyes. "Be careful."

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile and flashed into the rain. Cheng Lian went to the hut's entrance, watching the direction Li Muzhan had disappeared with a measure of worry.

No matter how powerful one's cultivation, in the face of the might of heaven and earth, they were nothing. One strike of lightning, and even those with heaven-defying cultivation could not withstand it.

Darkness deepened, and Li Muzhan had vanished without a trace. Anxious thoughts slowly welled up in Cheng Lian's chest. She frowned, staring into the dense twilight, still no sign of Li Muzhan.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her agitation, and paced near the entrance. Only when the fire was about to die out did she realize it, scrambling to add more firewood and reigniting the blaze.

The moment she turned back, a smile broke across her face. Li Muzhan floated back, a thick round log balanced on his shoulder, and several wild fowl in his left hand.

He stopped outside the hut as Cheng Lian moved to emerge. "Senior Sister, don't come out. I can manage this alone!"

Cheng Lian breathed a sigh of relief, her mood instantly brighter. She ignored him and slipped out of the hut, taking the fowl from his hand. "Why did it take so long!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "It took quite an effort to find this log!"

"Is this log special?" Cheng Lian examined the round wood on his shoulder. It looked withered, not from a new tree, but as if it had been dead for a long time.

Li Muzhan shook his shoulder, and the log flew into the air. His sword flashed a few times at his waist, and the log instantly split into several segments, which burrowed into the hut.

Li Muzhan shook his body again, an action similar to a dog shaking water off after a swim, sending droplets flying. Cheng Lian let out a soft, chastising sound and quickly retreated back into the warmth of the hut.

It hadn't felt close while inside, but stepping out for a moment and then returning made the interior feel spring-like.

She went to the fire, beginning to dry her clothes. Li Muzhan shook himself once more, and white vapor curled up from his body. By the time he sat opposite her, his clothes were already dry.

Cheng Lian tossed a piece of wood onto the fire. Li Muzhan laughed. "Senior Sister, don't rush to throw it in. This wood burns slowly; it should last at least two hours."

"That long?" Cheng Lian looked at the log in the fire with disbelief. It had started burning, but only a small section was alight; the rest remained untouched.

"It truly is strange," Cheng Lian noted upon observation. Ordinary wood wouldn't behave this way; once tossed on the fire, it would usually ignite fully, unlike this log, which seemed hesitant, only burning at one corner. If it continued to spread slowly, she could believe it would last an hour, but perhaps two hours was possible... The night passed quietly. Li Muzhan meditated and rested, but Cheng Lian was not idle. She washed the feathers of the fowl and then wove them into a light, thin garment—enough to ward off rain, though there weren't many birds to make a substantial piece.

At dawn, the heavy rain still poured outside. Cheng Lian frowned, got up, and went to the doorway to assess the downpour. The heavy rain had fallen all night, yet there was no pooling water; it seemed to have seeped entirely into the earth. She donned her feather garment and drifted outside, but the moment her boot touched the ground, she sank deep into the mud.

She quickly circulated her gongfu, using her lightness skill to float back to the hut. She spent considerable time cleaning her boots with leaves and twigs.

Li Muzhan had arrived by her side at some point. "Senior Sister, what an exquisite feather coat. How is it outside?"

"We can't travel," Cheng Lian sighed, looking helplessly at the rain. "If it continues like this endlessly, we've come all this way for nothing. Heaven is against us!"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "It seems our trip was wasted; let's treat it as sightseeing. The scenery here is beautiful, a pity we can't stay."

He could sense a faint spiritual energy (lingqi), far superior to the outside world, although considerably weaker than the world preceding this one. Furthermore, the cultivation techniques of this world did not focus on absorbing lingqi, rendering it useless to them. Nevertheless, rich lingqi made one feel comfortable and healthy, vastly superior to places where it was depleted, making it a much more pleasant environment.

Cheng Lian frowned, staring at the heavy rain. "It's the second day; it looks like it might rain for another one."

Li Muzhan deliberated. "Senior Sister, perhaps we should press on through the rain!"

"Absolutely not; it's too dangerous!" Cheng Lian refused without hesitation.

Li Muzhan smiled. "They say fortune favors the bold. If we shrink back every time we meet danger, we'll never achieve anything."

"That's true, but this is too perilous!" Cheng Lian frowned. "If lightning truly strikes, we'll certainly die. The treasures here are just weapons or secret manuals. Our Hidden Sect's internal methods aren't weak; we just haven't cultivated them well enough. We don't need other secret manuals."

Li Muzhan countered, "I lack a precious sword; perhaps I'll encounter one here."

Cheng Lian replied, "If you need a sword, you can ask the Master to bestow one. Our Hidden Sect has several rare, fine swords in its collection."

Li Muzhan grinned. "Why aren't you wearing them?"

Cheng Lian shook her head with a smile. "Our contributions aren't sufficient."

Li Muzhan's eyebrows rose slightly, and he smiled. Cheng Lian continued, "Brother-in-law must think our sect only has four members, so why be so particular, right?"

Li Muzhan nodded slowly. Cheng Lian explained, "Though our numbers are few, our rules are extremely strict, especially regarding clear rewards and punishments. The treasured swords in the sect cannot be bestowed without the requisite merits, not even by the Master. We can only watch them from afar, unable even to touch them."

Li Muzhan smiled, "I truly didn't expect that."

Cheng Lian assured him, "With your merits, Brother-in-law, acquiring a precious sword wouldn't be difficult."

Li Muzhan smiled. "Rather than receiving one from the Master, it would be better to find one here."

Cheng Lian slowly nodded. "...That is true..." Li Muzhan then plunged into the curtain of rain and quickly returned with a pile of wild vegetables and mushrooms, along with a square stone. After setting down the greens and fungi, he examined the stone.

The stone was about a meter square. Cheng Lian looked at the vegetables and mushrooms. "Brother-in-law, these are inedible without a cooking pot."

Li Muzhan laughed. "A pity we don't have a precious sword; that would save a lot of trouble—we could conjure a pot!"

Saying this, he placed his left palm on the stone and suddenly pressed down his wrist. A muffled thud echoed from his palm. He slowly released his left hand and blew gently.

"Oh!" Cheng Lian exclaimed in surprise. "What powerful palm force!"

A perfect hollow had appeared in the stone. Li Muzhan smiled, reached his left palm inside, and slowly smoothed the surface. Stone powder rained down as the hollow grew larger. He pulled his palm out and smoothed the exterior, creating a perfectly round shape. A stone pot was thus fashioned, drawing heartfelt admiration from Cheng Lian.

"Superb technique!" Cheng Lian praised, taking the stone pot. She went outside to collect rainwater and placed it over the fire. The water in the stone pot quickly boiled, gurgling loudly.

She boiled it for a while, then poured it out, collected fresh rainwater—the air here was clean, and the rain was pure—and put the vegetables, mushrooms, fowl meat, and seasonings back in, setting it over the fire to cook. Soon, accompanied by the bubbling sound, a rich fragrance filled the air.

Li Muzhan praised her cooking skills, and they ate until their stomachs were full.

Once satisfied, Li Muzhan stood up, looked outside the doorway for a moment, and then turned back. "Senior Sister, let's go!"

"Brother-in-law, it's truly too dangerous!" Cheng Lian frowned.

Li Muzhan chuckled. "We aren't doing anything wicked; we won't be struck down by lightning, will we?"

His initial alarm had subsided after noticing the sky had calmed down, raining heavily but without thunder. Thus, he relaxed, unwilling to abandon their efforts in vain. He desired a precious sword, and perhaps even a secret manual to advance his cultivation further. Tang Tianyu's cultivation was profound, augmented by a demonic artifact, making any attempt to steal it almost impossible. His only option was to enhance his own power. The Divine Art of Sword Forging was excellent, and his cultivation had improved significantly, but better methods would be even better. Moreover, he wanted to probe the true nature of Floating Cloud Mountain, which he sensed held endless secrets; perhaps the rainy weather would yield unexpected gains.

Cheng Lian saw his resolve and sighed helplessly. "Fine, let's go then!"

She also felt that since they weren't doing anything wrong, they shouldn't invite divine retribution.

Li Muzhan looped an arm around her slender waist and floated out of the hut into the rain. Cheng Lian offered him her feather coat, but he declined. Both of them were strong and not afraid of the rain, but when Cheng Lian’s clothes got wet, her figure became conspicuously outlined, which was improper, so it was best for her to keep the feather coat on. Cheng Lian didn't insist, and the two departed like wisps of smoke, drifting through the rain.

Moments later, Li Muzhan drew his sword and advanced rapidly, the sword light deflecting the raindrops. Cheng Lian sighed with relief; the raindrops hitting her face felt painful, like hidden projectiles, because their speed was so fast, making the rain feel fast and fierce.

"Rumble..." A sudden peal of thunder echoed overhead.

Cheng Lian flinched in fright and quickly said, "Let's find shelter quickly!"

Li Muzhan laughed. "It doesn't matter."

Just as Cheng Lian was about to speak, her vision was suddenly flooded with brilliant light, and her body was propelled forward by an immense force. The raindrops striking her felt like weapons assaulting her skin, causing intense pain.

"Brother-in-law!" As she opened her eyes, she let out a sharp cry. (To be continued) RQ