"Oh, boy, you have quite the nerve. You truly intend to fight us?" The round-faced elder looked at him in surprise, scrutinizing him as if he were observing some oddity.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Senior Zhou doesn't dare?"

"The little fellow is trying to provoke me!" The round-faced elder waved his hand irritably, "Forget it. Since you put it that way, you must have some confidence. Let's give it a try then!"

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile and looked towards Wang Duli, "Sect Master, I have heard that Dragon Mountain Sect is guarded by four great masters, which is why no one dares to violate it!"

"Yes, it's good that you understand!" Wang Duli said gravely, "What are you trying to say?"

Li Muzhan smiled, "I know that for security, the Sect Master will never allow the four great masters to leave the sect together to pursue that Jiang Cheng!"

"...Correct!" Wang Duli pondered for a moment, slowly nodding, "Speak plainly, what is it you wish to convey!"

Li Muzhan maintained his smile, "I wish to make a deal with the Sect Master!"

The round-faced elder looked at Li Muzhan with great interest, chuckling, "You little fellow are growing bolder and bolder, trying to strike a bargain with the Sect Master!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Can the Sect Master make this trade?"

"Tell me what it is first," Wang Duli said lightly, his face betraying no emotion, as if discussing the most mundane matter.

Li Muzhan smiled, "If I kill this Jiang Cheng, Biyun will marry me!"

"You can just get married, why involve this!" Wang Duli snorted.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I will not join the Dragon Mountain Sect!"

Wang Duli frowned, staring deeply at him, as if trying to peer into the depths of Li Muzhan’s heart, and said gravely, "Young Master Li, why are you so averse to joining us? ...Could it be you hold a grudge against our Dragon Mountain Sect, or perhaps disapprove of us?"

Li Muzhan waved his hand, "The Sect Master worries too much. It’s just that it looks too unsightly for me to join the Dragon Mountain Sect and then marry Biyun; it would be like an in-marrying son-in-law, truly too embarrassing to face anyone!"

"Heh heh, you still think that way!" Wang Duli shook his head and laughed lightly, "Do you know how many people crave to be the in-marrying son-in-law of our Dragon Mountain Sect?"

Li Muzhan shook his head, "I don't wish to be such a person! ...Furthermore, my late master commanded that I must not join any sect, but remain a free spirit, like a cloud and crane!"

"Why such an order?" Wang Duli frowned.

Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "Perhaps Master saw my nature as too untamed and uncontrollable within a sect. As the saying goes, mountains and rivers are easier to change than innate disposition! Someone like me entering a sect would inevitably be expelled! ...It's better not to enter at all than face that outcome!"

"Your Master is being too harsh!" Wang Duli said gravely.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "My Master possessed celestial bearing; he would never speak falsely. I absolutely cannot disobey my Master's command, so, Sect Master, I beg your indulgence."

Wang Duli remained silent.

Li Muzhan turned with a smile, "Senior Zhou, please enlighten me!"

"You have quite the backbone, little fellow!" The round-faced elder said with a smile, "Such imposing pride! It's a pity you refuse to join our sect, such a pity!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Does Senior wish to spar?"

"Fine, what will you use?" The round-faced elder grunted, "Sword?"

Li Muzhan slowly nodded, slowly drawing his sword. It was an ordinary Qingfeng sword, yet the moment it left the sheath, an intangible power radiated from it, suffocating the air.

"Oh, even this aura is extraordinary!" The round-faced elder exclaimed in admiration, yet he didn't pay it too much mind. If Li Muzhan were to compete with him in inner force, he might have a headache. Being old, he could no longer rely on sinews and bones. Though his cultivation was similar to Li Muzhan's, how could these old bones compare to a young, vigorous man?

But Li Muzhan was challenging him in swordsmanship now. Swordplay was a matter of endless time; while saber techniques were easily mastered, swordsmanship required arduous practice, and truly mastering the sword demanded decades of bitter effort.

For someone so young to possess such cultivation, they must have encountered some rare fortune, certainly not achieved through grueling practice.

With profound cultivation, one naturally loses enthusiasm for other pursuits, especially swordsmanship. Swordsmanship relies most on experience and timing. No matter how many bouts Li Muzhan engaged in daily, his experience would be limited at his age; how could he compare to an old fellow who had lived for three centuries?!

Li Muzhan smiled, "Senior, please instruct me!"

"Very well, bring it on!" The round-faced elder beckoned, laughing, "Bring out any ruthless or venomous moves you have, let's see if you can best me!"

He stood with his hands behind his back. As his demeanor settled, his presence shifted entirely, becoming solemn and imposing, as if he were a different person.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Then the junior will not be polite. Behold my sword!"

A flash of sword light, and as Li Muzhan’s words faded, his sword tip was already at the elder’s throat—unbelievably fast. The elder hadn't even managed to react.

"Clang..." A crisp sound echoed as the round-faced elder flicked his finger, parrying Li Muzhan's sword tip at the very last instant.

The blade quivered slightly, and Li Muzhan pressed his attack with another thrust.

"Clang..." The round-faced elder repeated his trick, flicking the sword tip away again.

For anyone else, with his profound cultivation, a mere flick of the finger would have sent the sword flying. However, Li Muzhan's cultivation was close to his own, and though the force transmitted through the blade was considerable, the elder couldn't entirely overcome him.

He gave his sword a slight shake, neutralizing the force, then channeled that neutralized energy into momentum, thrusting out an even faster sword strike.

"Clang..." Another crisp sound; the round-faced elder flicked the tip again.

Relying on his extraordinary senses, he managed to strike the sword tip precisely in situations where evasion seemed impossible. Li Muzhan secretly admired this—truly an old fox, relying on intuition to locate the tip, using a mere finger flick to deflect it, all while subtly shifting his counter-strategy to prevent Li Muzhan’s tip from finding purchase.

Unfortunately for the elder, Li Muzhan’s sword was too fast. Each time it was deflected, the returning force was converted into greater momentum, making the sword speed increase like a boulder rolling down a mountain.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..." It sounded like a musical performance, quite pleasing, yet the other two present had no inclination to appreciate it. Instead, they stared intently at Li Muzhan and the round-faced elder, afraid to miss a single detail.

"I didn't expect..." The slender elder shook his head, watching the duel, muttering, "Sect Master, one must be wary of such talent!"

"Wary of what?" Wang Duli also watched the fight, asking softly.

"Don't cause things to backfire!" The slender elder said gravely, "I can also tell this man is immensely proud and would never submit easily to others!"

"It's no wonder he’s arrogant; his cultivation is truly astonishing!" Wang Duli said deeply.

"Yes," the slender elder nodded slowly. "One cannot be forceful with such a person; one must stroke the fur the right way, or things might sour quickly!"

Wang Duli sighed, "If he wants to marry Biyun but refuses to join our sect, wouldn't that mean driving Biyun out of the sect? I wouldn't dare do something like that!"

"You..." The slender elder sneered without mercy, "You are truly useless! Fearing your wife to such an extent brings shame upon us men!"

Wang Duli sheepishly rubbed his nose, "Ancestor Yang, I'm not afraid of my wife; it's just that she is so delicate and frail, how could I bear to bully her? I simply can't bring myself to do it!"

"You are simply useless!" The slender elder snorted coldly.

Wang Duli asked with a bitter smile, "Ancestor Yang, do you think Ancestor Zhou might lose?"

The slender elder frowned, "Third Brother is struggling hard, trying to find an opening for a counterattack, but this young man’s swordplay is too formidable; Third Brother can’t find the chance!"

Wang Duli exclaimed in astonishment, "Young Master Li's sword strikes flow one after the other, each faster than the last. Ancestor Zhou is completely suppressed, unable to lift his head. I truly never imagined someone with his cultivation would also possess such exquisite sword skills!... Last time I heard he defeated all the young disciples of the sect in one bout; he was truly unparalleled in prestige. It’s a pity I was in seclusion then and missed the best opportunity!"

"Don't worry," the slender elder waved his hand, "You won't persuade him to join the Dragon Mountain Sect! He is a man of firm will and will not easily change his mind!"

"Then what should we do?" Wang Duli frowned.

The slender elder sighed, "You understand that marrying Biyun means he is half a disciple of the sect. No matter how powerful he is, he won't overturn Biyun's control—just like you and your wife!"

Wang Duli laughed awkwardly twice, then quickly said, "Look, a victor is being decided!"

Li Muzhan's sword grew faster and faster, yet the sword light became increasingly contained. One could barely see the blade, only catching the faint glimmer of a solitary star flashing.

Li Muzhan smiled, pressing the sword tip against the round-faced elder's throat, "Ancestor Zhou, I thank you for the spar!"

The round-faced elder spat, grunting, "As if I let you win on purpose! I desperately wanted to teach you a lesson!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Does Ancestor Zhou wish to continue?"

The round-faced elder considered for a moment, then turned, "Fourth Brother, you try next!"

"I cannot defeat him," the slender elder frowned.

The round-faced elder laughed, "How do you know if you haven't tried!"

"His swordplay is too good; I am not his match," the slender elder grunted.

The round-faced elder kept gesturing, "Come try it! I think you're close enough. Don't rush to admit defeat; it sets a poor example for seniors, doesn't it?"

The slender elder was cornered by the cajoling and reluctantly agreed, stepping up to Li Muzhan. He said gravely, "Little brother, your swordsmanship is astonishing. Who taught you?"

Li Muzhan smiled, "My Master is a recluse of the wilderness, not widely known. If I told you his name, the senior would likely not know him."

"Tell me anyway," the slender elder said flatly.

Li Muzhan replied, "The Hermit of Bao Can Mountain."

The slender elder thought about it, then looked at the round-faced elder. They both pondered for a good while before finally shaking their heads; they truly hadn't heard of such a person. But how could such formidable swordplay be obscure?

Li Muzhan smiled, "My Master once said that his martial arts were never revealed to the world during his lifetime, which is why outsiders do not know him."

"Impressive!" The slender elder admired him, "To endure such solitude—he is truly a singular figure. I am impressed!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Senior Yang, would you care to try your hand?"

"Very well," the slender elder nodded deeply, suddenly striking out with his palm, reaching Li Muzhan in an instant.

A flash of sword light from Li Muzhan, and the tip was already before his palm. If the palm continued forward, it would automatically strike the sword tip. He could only reluctantly change his palm strike into a finger poke, lightly flicking out.

"Clang..." The slender elder struck the sword tip.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head, "Ancestor Zhou, what kind of miraculous skill is this?"

The round-faced elder chuckled heartily, "How is it? Isn't the power of the Flowing Light Finger quite something!"

Li Muzhan praised, "A magnificent Flowing Light Finger!"

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..." Crisp sounds rang out continuously—the Flowing Light Finger striking Li Muzhan's sword tip, the finger always connecting with uncanny accuracy. This Flowing Light Finger was indeed a peerless art.

Amidst his praise, Li Muzhan had already mapped out the round-faced elder's technique. He only used a few extra moves so as not to utterly humiliate the elder.

In the span of a hundred moves, Li Muzhan's sword style suddenly shifted. It abruptly transformed from complex flashiness to simplicity and raw awkwardness—plain and unremarkable.

The slender elder's face tightened; he faced a great foe. Within mere exchanges, Li Muzhan had his throat pinned by the sword tip, forcing him to stop helplessly.

Li Muzhan returned his sword to its sheath and cupped his hands, "I concede."

"Truly magnificent swordplay!" The slender elder slowly nodded in admiration, "In my estimation, your swordsmanship is no less than Jiang Cheng's!"

Li Muzhan's brow twitched. Such swordsmanship was judged as equal to Jiang Cheng's but not superior. This implied that Jiang Cheng's swordsmanship was absolutely formidable and not to be underestimated!

With this thought, Li Muzhan smiled, looking at the two elders and then towards Wang Duli, "Sect Master, Seniors, I will go meet that Jiang Cheng from the Linhai Pavilion. How about that?"

"You audacious boy, you still want to fight us both!" The round-faced elder grumbled indignantly.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Very well then, let’s fight!"

"Enough!" The slender elder waved his hand sternly, "Stop messing around. If the three of us combine, we might actually succeed!"

"Fine then!" The round-faced elder glared resentfully at Li Muzhan, "If you can beat both of us, then I will be truly convinced!"

Li Muzhan laughed, "This young one dares not be so presumptuous!... Sect Master Wang, if I manage to kill Jiang Cheng, will you grant me Biyun's hand in marriage?"

"...Agreed!" Wang Duli pondered for a moment, slowly nodding, "If you can truly kill Jiang Cheng, I will make an exception this once!"

"Thank you, Sect Master!" Li Muzhan was overjoyed. He hadn't held much hope; it seemed Ancestor Yang’s words had been effective.

The round-faced elder exclaimed, "Let's hurry and go deal with that surnamed Jiang! Every time I think of him, my stomach churns with rage. I must vent this anger!"

"If you are inferior, what anger is there to vent!" The slender elder snorted.

The round-faced elder retorted irritably, "Fourth Brother, don't you get angry hearing that nonsense he spouts?"

"Just treat it like a dog barking," the slender elder snorted dismissively.

The round-faced elder’s face grew cold as he huffed, "I am not that broad-minded. This revenge must be exacted! ...Boy, if you really kill the surnamed Jiang, I will teach you a secret art!"

"Ancestor Zhou!" Wang Duli quickly interjected.

The round-faced elder shot him a look, "What, are you going to meddle in my affairs?"

Wang Duli said helplessly, "Ancestor Zhou, he is not a disciple of our sect; he cannot casually learn our sect's martial arts. It would be harmful rather than beneficial to him!"

"I will teach him my martial arts; they aren't sect teachings!" The round-faced elder snapped, "I will teach him this Flowing Light Finger!"

Li Muzhan’s eyes immediately widened slightly. The Flowing Light Finger was indeed an exquisite finger technique. Were it not for it, given the martial arts of the two elders, they could not have blocked his swordplay. The greatest utility of the Flowing Light Finger was self-preservation; it was often executed instinctively, faster than one could consciously plan. Seeing the reactions of the round-faced and square-faced elders confirmed this—without the Flowing Light Finger, they could never have blocked his swift sword attacks.

Wang Duli sighed helplessly, "Ancestor Zhou, although the Flowing Light Finger is a technique you acquired, its power is too great. If it were leaked..."

"The boy is not an outsider; he will be Biyun's husband!" The round-faced elder retorted irritably, "Besides, this martial art is mine; who I teach it to is not for you to decide!"

"Alas..., forget it, let Ancestor Zhou decide," Wang Duli conceded with a helpless nod.

The round-faced elder beamed, "That's right. Why be so stingy? As long as he helps me get my revenge, I certainly won't treat him poorly!" He turned to Li Muzhan, "Boy, do you want to learn the Flowing Light Finger?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded, "Such an exquisite technique, I am truly curious; of course, I wish to obtain it."

"Very well, once Jiang Cheng is dead, I will teach it to you!" The round-faced elder grunted.

The slender elder snorted, "If you intend to teach it, teach it now. No need to wait for Jiang Cheng's death or not. It might even save his life at a crucial moment!"

The round-faced elder paused, thought for a moment, and finding himself unable to stubbornly resist the slender elder's logic, he reluctantly nodded, "Fine, I will teach him right now!"

Li Muzhan hurriedly declined, but the round-faced elder snapped irritably, "Stinking boy, don't feign modesty after gaining an advantage! Hurry up and learn it, lest you get injured when fighting that surnamed Jiang!"

Li Muzhan smiled. Seeing his demeanor, it wasn't a mere test, so he readily agreed, "Then I shall shamelessly accept this great favor!"

"Too much nonsense!" The round-faced elder was somewhat short-tempered.

Li Muzhan secretly chuckled; it seemed the anger stemming from Jiang Cheng had driven him to such lengths, willing to pay a high price for revenge.

"Listen carefully. I will only explain it twice. If you can't learn it, don't blame me!" The round-faced elder stated gravely.

Li Muzhan nodded. The round-faced elder began his detailed explanation, clarifying every point, clearly not wanting Li Muzhan to fail to learn, which contradicted his earlier assertion about not being blamed.

Li Muzhan possessed the ability to memorize things instantly, so he naturally grasped it after one recitation. However, wanting to conceal this ability, he pretended to struggle through two explanations before barely remembering.

Thus, the round-faced elder explained a third time, and then a fourth. Li Muzhan, tired of the rambling, quickly memorized it all and began demonstrating.

The round-faced elder nodded in admiration, "Good boy! No wonder you are so formidable at such a young age—such memory, such comprehension! It's enough to make one furious!"

"Alright, Third Brother, you are already old; why linger on this?" The slender elder said irritably, "Let's go quickly!"

"Right away, let's go!" The round-faced elder nodded excitedly, then tilted his head to look at Li Muzhan, "Boy, you must not lose your nerve at the critical moment!"

Li Muzhan smiled, "Ancestor Zhou, rest assured!"

He cupped his hands and smiled at Wang Duli, "Sect Master, I will take my leave first!"

"Good, I rely on you!" Wang Duli smiled and nodded.

The three of them floated out of the grand hall and flew directly over the cliff behind, unseen by the crowd. Wang Duli went to see Liu Biyun and told her a white lie: that Li Muzhan had left first, without mentioning he was going to kill Jiang Cheng.

Liu Biyun inquired with some worry if the two had fallen out. Wang Duli smiled and waved his hand, assuring her, saying that Li Guanhai was a fine young man, worthy of her trust.