Liu Biyun’s heart immediately settled upon hearing his words; the Sect Master was her grandmaster. If she failed to look after Li Guanhai, passing the test set by her own master would be out of the question.
Her master had raised her as if she were her own flesh and blood; her word was law.
Li Muzhan and the two elders drifted away, skimming over the earth like three shadows. At first, the two elders had been testing him, increasing their speed to see if Li Muzhan could keep up.
Eventually, when they were moving at their absolute fastest, seeing Li Muzhan maintain a look of serene ease without any hint of strain, they were finally convinced. This young man’s cultivation was no less than theirs, and his swordsmanship far surpassed them—he truly was a monster.
“Little fellow, you even know our names,” the round-faced elder said as they sped along. “I am Zhou Huairen, and this man is Yang Yesi.”
Li Muzhan smiled and cupped his fists. The scenery before them blurred into streaks of light, flashing past like flowing radiance. The round-faced elder remarked, “Li boy, how did you attain this level of cultivation? It certainly wasn’t through your own hard training, was it?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “It was a final gift from my late master.”
“Your master was formidable!” Zhou Huairen exclaimed.
Infusing one’s own internal energy into another body to forge a master was merely a beautiful wish, not reality.
Internal energy is derived from jing (essence), and every person’s body is different, resulting in different types of internal energy. Even two people practicing the same core technique would possess distinct energies.
When another person’s energy enters one’s body, it is instinctively resisted and dissolved; the most critical step is transforming it into one’s own power.
In this process, no matter how profound the original energy, it would be depleted, and only a fraction could ever be absorbed. Less than one in ten parts of the infused energy could be retained.
More crucial were the meridians and the dantian. In the initial stages of cultivation, progress would be rapid because the meridians and dantian were ample, simply accepting whatever energy was generated.
But at a certain stage, the meridians and dantian cease to expand, limiting further advancement. This is where the quality of the core technique becomes decisive. A superior technique cultivates pure energy capable of nourishing and widening the meridians and dantian; an ordinary technique cannot, leading to excruciatingly slow progress.
Injecting too much energy at once is not only useless but damaging, much like trying to fill a lake—no matter how much more water is poured in, it will simply spill over.
Therefore, cultivating internal energy is a matter of accumulated time; there is no shortcut. Even if internal power could surge, it only happens in the beginning stages when the meridians and acupoints are spacious. Past that threshold, no amount of energy can be accommodated.
Since the people at this initial stage are not masters, the guanding (anointing/infusion) method cannot create experts. It can only offer a trick in the early stages; the foundation of a martial artist is paramount. A weak foundation guarantees future suffering.
Li Muzhan smiled gently. “May both seniors enjoy longevity. I truly envy that.”
“Heh-heh…” the two laughed.
Zhou Huairen boasted proudly, “Little fellow, if you entered our Dragon Mountain Sect and became a direct disciple, you could practice our core techniques, and naturally, you would live long!”
Li Muzhan smiled. “Seniors, is your longevity due to your core technique?”
“Of course!” Zhou Huairen declared proudly. “The martial arts of our Dragon Mountain Sect are extraordinary; it is the ultimate technique for cultivating both Martial Prowess and Destiny!”
Li Muzhan nodded.
“Well, are you tempted?” Zhou Huairen chuckled. “What good is powerful martial arts if everyone still dies?”
Li Muzhan chuckled; this was clearly a competition of who could live longer... The three traveled at incredible speed. It took them only three days to get from Dragon Mountain Sect to Linhai Pavilion. During occasional rests, Li Muzhan would slip back to the Hidden Sect to inform Yi Xiaoru that he would be entering seclusion.
On the morning of the fourth day, they arrived at a small coastal town. Li Muzhan only then realized that Linhai Pavilion was situated in such an unremarkable settlement.
He had always assumed Linhai Pavilion would be on a small island in the sea, or perhaps in a large coastal city, or maybe even deep within the mountains. He never expected it to be in such a mundane, utterly common town.
After entering the town, Li Muzhan asked, “Senior Zhou, Senior Yang, shall we go straight up?”
“No need,” Zhou Huairen said smugly. “The moment we appear, that fellow will come looking for us!”
Yang Yesi added, “This is Linhai Pavilion’s lair; their senses are sharp. They knew we entered the city the moment we did. That old dog will certainly come.”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly. The trio entered a tavern, took seats by the window, ordered wine and food, and began observing the street scene while awaiting someone from Linhai Pavilion.
Li Muzhan remarked, “This little town is very peaceful; I like it.”
“Linhai Pavilion has some capability; see what’s different about this place?” Yang Yesi said gravely.
Li Muzhan observed for a moment, then mused, “It seems there are no martial artists here?”
“Correct,” Yang Yesi stated heavily. “Martial artists are forbidden from entering this area.”
“Hm?” Li Muzhan expressed surprise.
Yang Yesi shook his head and snorted. “This is like draining the pond so no fish can swim in. Linhai Pavilion’s methods are truly venomous!”
“Quite a few have fallen victim here,” Zhou Huairen shook his head. “Linhai Pavilion also possesses a demonic artifact. Once an energy cultivator enters the city, Linhai Pavilion senses it and drags them out.”
Li Muzhan asked, “What happens if a martial artist does enter?”
Zhou Huairen curled his lip. “At best, they are expelled; at worst, their martial arts are crippled, or they are killed outright. People call our Dragon Mountain Sect overbearing, but I think Linhai Pavilion is worse—they just keep a low profile and pretend to be weak, playing the pig to eat the tiger!”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly. “That method is quite ingenious!”
Yang Yesi sneered. “This Spring and Autumn City is impregnable; Linhai Pavilion has been secure for ages.”
Zhou Huairen scoffed. “Those Linhai Pavilion fellows are pure cowards, lacking any real ambition!”
Li Muzhan smiled, agreeing with the sentiment... “Who is a coward?” A cold snort came from the staircase as a grey-robed elder slowly ascended. He was powerfully built, with a square face that radiated honesty.
Li Muzhan frowned. This was that Jiang Cheng—his cultivation was deep, his spirit formidable, and crucially, he exuded an inexplicable, chilling murderous aura; he must have taken at least eighty or ninety lives.
“Hey, Jiang surnamed, you came fast enough!” Zhou Huairen curled his lip disdainfully. “What are you doing here?”
Jiang Cheng sneered. “Zhou Huairen, I should ask you that. What are you doing here? Coming to deliver death?”
Zhou Huairen laughed heartily. “Jiang surnamed, you’ll be the one dying this time. We’ve brought a helper; we’ll settle things with you together!”
Jiang Cheng glanced at him askance, shook his head, and turned to Yang Yesi. “Old Yang, are you here to settle a score again? ...I already said last time was just a lesson for the younger ones. Is it worth you causing trouble repeatedly!”
Yang Yesi said flatly, “Jiang Cheng, don’t get it wrong. Last time was for the juniors to get satisfaction; this time, it’s for us.”
Jiang Cheng grunted. “I shouldn't have been soft back then. If I had just slapped them dead, we wouldn't have all this hassle!”
“Hmph, if you dared kill them, we’d wipe out your Linhai Pavilion!” Zhou Huairen scoffed.
Jiang Cheng didn’t even look at him, addressing Yang Yesi. “Last time I held back and didn’t kill you, and you repay me by pushing things too far!”
“Jiang surnamed!” Zhou Huairen roared in fury. “Are you deaf?!”
Jiang Cheng glanced at him dismissively. “Zhou surnamed, a defeated opponent—on what grounds do you speak to me?!”
“Fine, Jiang surnamed, let’s fight again!” Zhou Huairen erupted in anger.
Jiang Cheng shook his head. “I have no interest in defeated opponents!”
Li Muzhan coughed lightly, and Zhou Huairen immediately sobered up. That single cough from Li Muzhan carried a strange power capable of steadying the mind.
He could see that despite his age, Zhou Huairen’s temper remained volatile. A man whose nature doesn’t change easily, yet one who lacks cunning in his heart, making him paradoxically easier to deal with.
“Alright, this time we brought an expert!” Zhou Huairen boasted proudly. “This is the young lady Biyun’s beloved, her future husband!”
Only then did Jiang Cheng turn his attention to Li Muzhan. He had been observing subtly but pretended not to notice. Just based on this, Li Muzhan concluded the man was outwardly simple but inwardly sly.
Jiang Cheng sized up Li Muzhan. “Miss Liu’s sweetheart?”
Zhou Huairen scoffed proudly. “That’s right! Well, does your Linhai Pavilion have anyone like him?”
“No,” Jiang Cheng shook his head.
Zhou Huairen puffed out his chest proudly. “This time, we’ll let this young man settle the score for us. If you can defeat him, we’ll leave obediently and never set foot in Linhai Pavilion again!”
“Truly?” Jiang Cheng frowned, staring intently at Li Muzhan.
“Hmph, when have I ever gone back on my word!” Zhou Huairen declared arrogantly. “I mean what I say; my word is absolute!”
Jiang Cheng nodded, still fixing his gaze on Li Muzhan... “Jiang surnamed, are you scared?” Zhou Huairen sneered triumphantly.
Jiang Cheng laughed and shook his head. “The young fellow is certainly unusual, but too young. What skills can he truly possess? ...Young man, did you have some miraculous encounter?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Indeed.”
“Good luck,” Jiang Cheng nodded. “But luck won’t always be with you; it still comes down to real skill. Why are you involving yourself in this matter?”
Li Muzhan smiled slightly. “I enjoy swordsmanship and have a few insights of my own. Hearing seniors say that you, Senior, are outstanding with the blade, I feel a sudden itch to spar. I request your guidance!”
“Heh heh... Is that so.” Jiang Cheng examined Li Muzhan. “It seems you are obsessed with the blade, which explains your boldness. Very well, I shall grant your wish!”
Li Muzhan drew his sword, pointing the tip at Jiang Cheng. “Please!”
It was early morning; most people were still asleep, and very few customers were downstairs. The second floor was empty save for the four of them.
“You strike first,” Jiang Cheng said solemnly.
Though he looked down on Li Muzhan—believing his cultivation was uselessly high due to a fluke—swordsmanship was different. The refinement of swordplay could not be rushed like internal energy. He refused to believe that his hundreds of years of refinement couldn't surpass a young man.
Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. With a soft chi whistle, the sword tip instantly reached Jiang Cheng’s chest. Jiang Cheng twisted his body and stepped sideways, shouting, “Good—!”
Li Muzhan inwardly admired him; very few could dodge that strike. If Zhou Huairen and Yang Yesi lacked their Flowing Light Finger, they couldn't withstand that thrust either.
That gentle thrust contained the essence of his life’s work, akin to a flying dagger technique. He had practiced this single thrust since childhood; as he mastered higher-level sword arts later on, the power of this thrust would only grow, becoming stronger and stronger.
Weng... A glint of cold starlight transformed into a curtain of sword light, instantly spreading out and enveloping Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng had no way to evade and could only draw his sword. Ding ding ding ding... Their longswords clashed, producing a long, drawn-out sound.
Their swords moved too fast, and the resulting chimes were too rapid, like a waterfall’s continuous flow, making it impossible to distinguish individual beats because the frequency exceeded the ear's range of perception.
“This kid really has some skill!” Zhou Huairen watched them intently, praising softly.
Yang Yesi nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the action. The continuous sword flashes and rapid turning of their bodies formed a mass of shadows, the light and movement merging into a single, indistinct blur. Zhou Huairen and Yang Yesi had to focus intently just to see clearly.
Ding... With a sudden, sharp, high-pitched chime, Li Muzhan drifted backward. Jiang Cheng followed closely, as if in pursuit.
Zhou Huairen urged, “Shall we go up?”
Yang Yesi raised his hand and slowly shook his head. “Let’s wait a bit longer!”
“I think Li boy is losing!” Zhou Huairen urged quickly. “We can’t wait any longer!”
Yang Yesi shook his head. “It’s not that simple...” In the time it took them to speak, the situation on the field shifted again. The continuous flow of sword light vanished. Now, their swords were slow and heavy, as if hauling immense weights.
Both Zhou Huairen and Yang Yesi frowned, unable to grasp what was happening. Their swords moved very slowly, but their gazes were sharper than the flashes of light, darting back and forth between each other. It was bizarre.
Zhou Huairen scratched his head in confusion. “What’s going on?”
Yang Yesi pondered for a moment, then snorted, “They are using their gazes as swords; look closely!”
Zhou Huairen peered intently and suddenly nodded. “You know, you’re right! ...These two are truly strange!”
He felt certain he couldn’t pull off such a strange maneuver—not using the sword, but using the eyes, as if their vision were brighter than anyone else's, just staring intensely at each other.
Yang Yesi glanced at him irritably. “If you don’t understand, don’t speak nonsense. With you, it’s like playing a zither to an ox!”
“Don’t think I don’t know—they are using their eyes to break each other’s moves!” Zhou Huairen retorted.
“It’s good that you know!” Yang Yesi huffed. “This tests swordsmanship even more. They change and launch moves too quickly; if it were us, we wouldn’t be able to keep up. No wonder we lost unjustly!”
“Yes, yes, not unjustly!” Zhou Huairen pouted. “I have nothing to say about Jiang Cheng fighting like that, but how can this little fellow be so powerful? Do you think he’s a demon?”
“A genius of heaven’s making!” Yang Yesi nodded slightly. “We’re about to gain a huge advantage. That little girl Biyun has good fortune indeed!”
“Hmph, Du Li almost forced him to rebel!” Zhou Huairen grumbled. “I think that Du Li boy is becoming more unreliable by the day!”
“Don’t blame him,” Yang Yesi shook his head. “Who could believe someone so young possesses this level of cultivation and swordsmanship? If it were you, could you believe it without seeing it yourself?”
“Well, that’s true. Even if told, I wouldn’t believe it!” Zhou Huairen nodded. “But Du Li is too careless, too arrogant!”
“Enough, watch closely; the match is about to conclude!” Yang Yesi waved his hand, his eyes fixed on the action.
Li Muzhan and Jiang Cheng moved slowly, but their expressions were grave. Wisps and threads of white vapor rose from their hair, drifting upward.
A gentle breeze blew in, dispersing the vapor.
Zhou Huairen exclaimed excitedly, “Good lad, forcing Jiang surnamed into this state!”
Hiss— Li Muzhan suddenly flicked his sword, the tip seeming to tear silk as it made a sound. The two-meter gap between them vanished instantly; the sword tip appeared before Jiang Cheng’s chest... “This strike is fearsome!” Zhou Huairen cried out, his eyes wide.
He had suffered under this strike before, but this one was even fiercer. He felt certain even his Flowing Light Finger couldn't block it—it was simply too fast, impossible to defend against.
Yang Yesi frowned in thought, imagining himself in that position, then shook his head. He truly couldn't deal with this strike. It seemed he had held back during their own contest back then.
Thinking of this, he sighed, shaking his head. This young man was truly a monster, achieving such swordsmanship at this age—it defied all reason!
Ding... Jiang Cheng blocked horizontally with his sword, seemingly anticipating Li Muzhan’s strike. Li Muzhan exclaimed in admiration, “Fine swordsmanship!”
He discerned the subtlety of Jiang Cheng’s technique; it wasn’t a void-piercing strike like his own. Jiang Cheng’s arm seemed slightly thicker.
Chi—! A flash of sword light, and Jiang Cheng counter-thrusted. The sword light was truly as fast as lightning, arriving instantly, in no way inferior to Li Muzhan’s previous move.
Li Muzhan’s previous strike seemed to leap across the void, but Jiang Cheng’s strike was clearly visible, yet it was defined solely by its speed.
Li Muzhan parried, feeling a tremendous force transmitted through the blade that almost knocked the sword from his hand. He quickly flicked his wrist, and with a weng sound, the sword flower vibrated wildly, neutralizing that force.
Ding ding ding ding... Li Muzhan parried the torrent of sword light, stepping back inch by inch. Jiang Cheng’s swordplay was like a furious storm, utterly suffocating.
Zhou Huairen and Yang Yesi flushed red. They imagined themselves in Li Muzhan’s place, their bodies instinctively tensing, parrying while retreating step by step.
They realized they couldn’t keep up with Jiang Cheng’s sword pace. If they were in that position now, they would have been sliced into pieces long ago, dissipating into smoke.
“Should we go up? It looks like the young fellow can’t hold on!” Zhou Huairen whispered.
His tone lacked certainty. Such powerful sword techniques meant that even if he intervened, it probably wouldn’t help. But whether it helped or not wasn’t the point; the key was whether to assist.
“No rush!” Yang Yesi frowned and shook his head.
He had a feeling Li Muzhan hadn't used his trump card yet; he wouldn't lose so easily.
“If we don’t act now, it will be too late!” Zhou Huairen urged.
Yang Yesi just shook his head without speaking. Anxious, Zhou Huairen stomped his foot, drawing his sword, ready to rush forward, but then he heard Li Muzhan suddenly laugh loudly: “Senior Jiang’s secret art is amazing; now it’s my turn!”
He wielded his sword while laughing, and suddenly, the sword light flared brilliantly, emitting a dazzling glare, as if the sun had fallen, blinding everyone.
Jiang Cheng could only retreat a step in self-preservation.
When his vision cleared, the sky was filled with sword light showering down, incredibly swift like lightning. Li Muzhan’s sword momentum was identical to his own; this time, it was Jiang Cheng’s turn to defend, with no opportunity to press an attack.
Ding— The sound of their longswords meeting was like a single, drawn-out chime, with no discernible break.
Zhou Huairen breathed a sigh of relief. “Good lad, he really does have substance!”
Yang Yesi stared closely at the sword light. There were no other arcane mysteries to their sword arts, only speed. But he knew he couldn’t achieve that level of quickness himself; there must be profound mysteries woven within.
“Take this!” Li Muzhan suddenly shouted, and the sword light flared intensely again, shining like another sun descending.
When everyone recovered their sight, Jiang Cheng was clutching his shoulder, staring fixedly at Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan gently flicked his sword, restoring its luster, and smiled at Jiang Cheng. “This strike settles the score for Biyun!”
“Fine swordsmanship,” Jiang Cheng stated gravely. He lightly touched two fingers to his right shoulder, staunching the blood, and slowly sheathed his sword with his right hand, his face pale.
Li Muzhan secretly admired him. That strike had nearly severed his tendons; the simple action of sheathing his sword required him to endure excruciating pain. (To be continued) RQ