"You are a disciple of Dragon Mountain Sect?" Jiang Cheng snorted, his voice heavy.

Li Muzhan smiled but said nothing. Zhou Huairen burst into loud laughter. "Old Man Jiang, you have moments like this! ...Little Li is one of us from Dragon Mountain Sect!"

Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes and stated coolly, "Your Dragon Mountain Sect is notoriously overbearing. If one wishes to marry a Dragon Mountain Sect disciple, they must join the sect. I assume Young Master Li must also join?"

"Nonsense!" Zhou Huairen quickly huffed. "That applies to ordinary disciples. Little Li is different; he needn't join us. But what does it matter if he’s a sect disciple or not? If we need something, can he stand aside?"

"Very well, very well!" Jiang Cheng nodded slowly, scrutinizing Li Muzhan from under half-closed eyes. "A hero emerges from youth. This old man deeply admires you!"

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "Elder Jiang flatters me."

That single strike had almost crippled his right hand; healing it perfectly would be difficult. In the way of the sword, a hair's breadth causes a thousand-mile difference; this tiny margin had reduced his swordsmanship significantly, leaving him far below his former peak.

He was always lenient with those who merely offended him, too lazy to bother pursuing retribution. But when his woman was insulted, he historically returned the slight tenfold. Murderous intent was already brewing in his heart; precisely because of this murderous intent, he spoke with pleasant composure, acting refined, amiable, and thoroughly polite, as if entirely devoid of temper.

Jiang Cheng sighed. "Brother Zhou, Brother Yang, we truly are getting old!"

"Old man Jiang, we aren't old, you're old!" Zhou Huairen laughed triumphantly. "Heh heh, from now on, your Linhai Pavilion better behave yourselves, or we won't be polite!"

Jiang Cheng shook his head with a bitter smile, then turned his gaze to Li Muzhan. He studied him, then nodded. "It's rare to see such ability at your age. It’s truly regrettable!... Your sword is rather common. Dragon Mountain Sect is too stingy. Though mine isn't a divine blade, it is certainly high-grade. I hope you won't disgrace it!"

He slowly undid the scabbard at his waist with his left hand. His sword was indeed a rare treasure. Although not as fine as the Yingxue Sword Li Muzhan possessed, it was still exceptional.

The Yingxue Sword was He Zudao’s weapon. Since he was currently masquerading as Li Guanhai, he couldn't carry it; now, he wore only an ordinary Qingfeng blade.

Li Muzhan quickly waved his hands. "Thank you for your kind intentions, Elder Jiang!"

"Hmph!" Zhou Huairen scoffed. "Who lacks a fine sword! Old man Jiang, stop being sanctimonious. Rest assured, we won't kill you!"

Jiang Cheng ignored him, holding out his long sword. He smiled faintly. "Take it. While I don't have many precious swords, I still possess two others!"

Yang Yesi said sternly, "It’s rare for him to be so generous, Guanhai, you should accept it!"

Li Muzhan nodded helplessly. "Very well."

He slowly extended his hand. Swish! A flash of lightning erupted. Li Muzhan didn't retreat but advanced, deliberately allowing his shoulder to be impaled by the long sword. He pressed a palm strike squarely onto Jiang Cheng’s chest.

Bang! Jiang Cheng flew back over twenty feet, slamming heavily against the wall before slowly sliding down.

The precious sword was lodged in Li Muzhan’s right shoulder. His expression was solemn... "What...?" Zhou Huairen stared, dumbfounded.

A cold glint flickered in Yang Yesi's eyes as he looked from Li Muzhan to Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng was retching blood, his body trembling, clearly on the verge of death.

He quickly stepped forward to Jiang Cheng’s side, frantically retrieving a jade vial from his robes and pouring a pill towards his mouth, but the medicine was washed away by blood.

Jiang Cheng shook his head, revealing a faint, bitter smile, then his legs stiffened, and he became utterly still. His eyes remained open, but all vitality had departed.

"Alas..." Yang Yesi stood up with a pained smile, turning to look at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan pressed a few fingers to his right shoulder, slowly drew out the embedded sword, and looked up at the elder. "Elder Yang, Elder Zhou, I’ve caused massive trouble, haven't I?"

"Alas... this is a disaster of heaven-shaking proportions!" Yang Yesi sighed.

Zhou Huairen spat angrily, "What are we afraid of? Linhai Pavilion only had Old Man Jiang as a significant figure; his death cleans things up nicely. Well done, Guanhai!"

Li Muzhan nodded gratefully to Zhou Huairen, knowing he was trying to comfort him. Killing Jiang Cheng with one palm strike was akin to poking a hornet's nest.

He said gravely, "Elder Zhou, Elder Yang, you two should leave first. I will deal with the masters of Linhai Pavilion!"

"Kid, are you underestimating us too much?" Zhou Huairen grumbled irritably.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Elder Zhou, Elder Yang, your statuses are different. If we engage Linhai Pavilion in a fight, it will trigger a war between the two sects. Even if we defeat Linhai Pavilion, others will reap the benefits. It wouldn't be worth the cost. Furthermore, with Biyun at the sect, if a full-scale war breaks out, Biyun would be in too much danger... I will handle things here. If I cannot prevail, I will retreat."

"Can you escape?" Zhou Huairen frowned. "Linhai Pavilion has some capable fighters. They may not have a master like Jiang Cheng, but they certainly have people only slightly below him. You won't withstand a coordinated assault from them!"

Though his temper was explosive and he appeared artless, he was not a fool. He understood the peril of facing Linhai Pavilion alone—it was like a small boat against a vast ocean.

Li Muzhan smiled. "If I can't win, I run. I have secret techniques for escaping, so do not worry, Seniors!"

"Secret techniques for escaping?" Zhou Huairen looked at him curiously.

Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. "I can catalyze my potential, doubling my power."

"Oh, if you have such a secret technique, that's good then." Zhou Huairen let out a breath of relief.

Li Muzhan's cultivation was already top-tier. Doubling it meant he truly had no equal; if he wished to flee, there was a high probability he could succeed. He turned to look at Yang Yesi.

Yang Yesi remained silent, deep in thought.

Li Muzhan urged, "Seniors, please leave quickly. This matter is not insurmountable. Once I hide deep in the mountains, they won't be able to touch me."

"...That might be best," Yang Yesi said gravely.

"Fourth Brother...?" Zhou Huairen looked at him hesitantly.

Yang Yesi stated, "We will operate openly and secretly. Guanhai, Old Third and I will be nearby. If you truly cannot hold them off or escape, send a signal!" As he spoke, he pulled out a bamboo tube and handed it to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan took it, smiling. "Good. Seniors, you go first. I'll leave shortly after."

"Good." Yang Yesi was decisive; once a decision was made, he hesitated no more... Zhou Huairen anxiously cautioned, "Kid, if you really can't hold on, send the signal. Don't force yourself. I don't want that little girl Biyun blaming me!"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. Yang Yesi said irritably, "Let's go, stop being long-winded. It's not a life-or-death parting!"

Zhou Huairen glared at him. "Facing Linhai Pavilion alone—it's never that easy! What if there's an unforeseen incident...? Guanhai, is there anything you want to tell that girl Biyun?"

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile. "Elder Zhou, I'll be fine!"

Yang Yesi pulled Zhou Huairen away and slipped out through the rear window, moving silently, almost unnoticed.

Li Muzhan approached Jiang Cheng’s body. He bent down slowly and took the items from the deceased’s robes, suddenly pausing as he found a small booklet.

One side of the booklet's cover was blank. He rose and sat down at the table, tucking the precious sword away in the process.

For a swordsman, the sword is life itself; it is fused with the self. If possible, one should never change swords. In combat, a tiny error can lead to disaster; a slight deviation can result in vastly different outcomes. The sword must be as familiar as one's own body; hastily changing to a different precious blade could actually ruin one's performance.

Li Muzhan’s approach to the sword was different. He was not a pure swordsman; the sword was merely a weapon, not his lifeblood. His spirit was formidable, and his sensory perception extraordinary. A new sword, once acquired, would quickly become an extension of his arm, as familiar as his own limbs.

When he turned to the second page, Li Muzhan smiled. There was a passage deeply analyzing the Way of the Sword—profound and ancient. He savored every single word, pondering it repeatedly and slowly.

The text dissected the concepts of Swordsmanship, Sword Arts, and the Dao of the Sword, detailing the method of integrating the sword into the Dao—the sword is the divine, and the divine is the sword—where the tangible blade merges with the intangible.

Though comprising only a hundred-odd characters, Li Muzhan read for a long time, occasionally tapping the table in admiration. It was truly exquisite, explaining the path of the sword with such clarity and thoroughness, pointing directly toward the Great Dao.

Li Muzhan cultivated Buddhist Dharma and also dabbled in Daoist arts. However, the Daoist lineage was far more subtle; without a master to guide him on the crucial timing and application of the techniques, self-comprehension was impossible, unlike with the Buddhist teachings.

As he perused these discussions on the Dao of the Sword, derived from his study of Daoist principles, his mind felt instantly clear. Strands of lingering doubt dissolved, as if the full moon had suddenly appeared in the firmament of his heart.

He briefly closed his eyes, contemplating the text, then slowly nodded. His understanding of the Way of the Sword had reached a new height. No wonder Jiang Cheng possessed such formidable swordsmanship.

After a moment of reflection, he turned the page again. Following the discourse were several sword techniques.

These moves shared a deep kinship with the sword techniques he had taught Wu Jingyi: simple in form yet yielding immense results; in fact, they seemed even superior to his own creations in some aspects.

There were eight forms in total. The original creator of these techniques possessed an insight into the Way of the Sword that surpassed his own—truly, there is always someone better beyond the heavens!

He studied the eight forms one by one, integrating them into his mind. Now, when learning a sword technique, he didn't need to master the exact sequence of movements; grasping the underlying sword intent was sufficient... "Ancestor! Ancestor!" Faint calls drifted up from downstairs, startling Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes slightly, smiled, and called out loudly, "Come up!"

Footsteps sounded, and two young men ascended. They were handsome and distinguished, brimming with martial spirit, bearing a slight resemblance to Huang Zongqi's bearing.

Li Muzhan mused that the disciples of Linhai Pavilion shared similar temperaments, likely due to their cultivation methods. Any technique capable of altering inherent temperament must be extraordinary.

The two youths stared warily at Li Muzhan as they approached, suddenly noticing Jiang Cheng slumped against the wall.

"Ancestor!" They cried out in shock and rushed forward.

When they helped lift Jiang Cheng, they realized his breath was gone. A chill instantly enveloped them both, leaving their minds blank, unsure what to do.

After a long pause, they snapped back to reality, turning to glare at Li Muzhan.

"You... you killed the Ancestor?!" the shorter youth demanded sternly.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Indeed, it was I."

"You... you...!" The shorter youth’s face darkened. The other youth snorted, "Nonsense! How could you possibly kill the Ancestor?!"

"That’s right!" The shorter youth recovered quickly, suppressing his rage. "It must have been those two old men! ...Where are they?"

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "Elder Jiang had fine swordsmanship, but alas, his character was too poor. He tried to ambush me, so I lost control and killed him!"

"You wait!" The shorter youth turned and bolted, smashing violently through the window. In an instant, both youths vanished, and a loud shout echoed from the distance: "Surround this place!"

Li Muzhan chuckled, gracefully leaped out the window, landing on a nearby rooftop, then flowed over the tiles, heading toward the distance.

"Stop him!" Someone shouted, and streams of people flew in pursuit.

Li Muzhan’s speed was incredible; in a blink, he vanished from their sight.

The crowd immediately panicked. Someone yelled loudly, "His Qinggong is too good! Hurry and summon the Masters and Uncles!"

"Send the signal, quickly!"

Bang! A burst of silver light exploded in the sky, transforming into a radiant white cloud that blanketed the sun.

Then, over a dozen figures shot toward the scene. "What happened?"

"Uncle-Master, someone is fleeing south!"

"Yao Shixiong and Xia Shixiong captured him—that man killed Ancestor Jiang!"

"Ridiculous!" A middle-aged man in a green robe snorted. "Who could kill Ancestor Jiang?"

"Yao Shixiong and Xia Shixiong said so. They’ve gone to find the Pavilion Master... Li Muzhan, who had been moving with effortless grace, suddenly slowed his pace, lest they lose him completely. Within moments, over a dozen middle-aged men in green robes caught up.

"Halt!" A square-faced middle-aged man roared.

He suddenly accelerated, transforming into a blur of shadow, landing directly in front of Li Muzhan to block his path. Li Muzhan was walking along a public road, and the streams of travelers seeing such a display dared not linger to watch, hurrying away instead.

Li Muzhan stopped, smiling as he looked at the fourteen men. "What business do you gentlemen have with me?"

"Did you kill Ancestor Jiang?" the square-faced man demanded sternly.

Li Muzhan laughed and slowly nodded.

He sighed inwardly. Linhai Pavilion's tactic here was clever; they had clarified the situation. The path was now obvious. On the busy public road, they could recognize him—if not for any other reason, then due to the distinct aura of a martial artist clinging to him.

If he had been intent on concealment, he could have been completely untraceable, but since he intentionally exposed himself, they recognized him instantly.

"It was really you?" the square-faced man said gravely. "With your skill, how could you kill Ancestor Jiang?"

Li Muzhan swept his arrogant gaze over them. "Why don't you all attack together!"

"What an arrogant brat!" A slightly younger middle-aged man drew his sword and lunged. "To claim you killed Ancestor Jiang—you bragged too much! Die!"

The sword light became a streak of white, slicing toward Li Muzhan, demonstrating exceptionally sharp swordsmanship.

Li Muzhan moved at his waist. In the next instant, the tip of his sword pierced the youth's right shoulder. Then the sword light vanished, and Li Muzhan’s right hand left the hilt of the weapon. He smiled faintly. "How about that?"

"You... you..." The youth clutched his shoulder. Someone nearby stepped forward to apply pressure to his meridian points and then sprinkled medicine on the wound to help stop the bleeding.

Everyone's face turned grim, their eyes locked on Li Muzhan, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

None of them had seen how Li Muzhan executed that strike; they only perceived a flash before their Junior Brother Mo was hit.

They muttered among themselves: Junior Brother Mo was the youngest and possessed the best swordplay; his initial strike often managed to disorient an opponent. Yet this time he failed. If they had stepped up, the result would have been even worse.

Li Muzhan said, "You all should retreat. Elder Jiang was the foremost master of your Linhai Pavilion, was he not? If he couldn't stop me, what hope do you have?"

He killed Jiang Cheng because of Liu Biyun; he held no murderous intent toward these others, considering them beneath his notice—he disdained killing them... "Brothers, let's attack together!" Junior Brother Mo, clutching his right shoulder, said gravely, "His sword is too fast. Everyone, focus on self-preservation, and slowly grind him down!"

"Listen to Junior Brother Mo!" the square-faced man said seriously.

The group drew their swords, swinging them to advance step by step, slowly closing in on Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. "You refuse to yield until you see the coffin, I see!"

Clang, clang, clang, clang... He twirled his sword once, and immediately several swords flew outward. The owners of those weapons clutched their wrists, staring at him in shock.

Li Muzhan warned, "If you continue to be unreasonable, do not blame me for being merciless. My feud was only with Elder Jiang; the wronged party should be the one to suffer the retribution. You all should step back!"

With that, his body flickered, slipping out of the encirclement. He then floated away and vanished.

The group stared at his receding back, their faces sullen but unable to speak.

While they were still stunned, three elderly men in grey robes suddenly flew in. "Where is he?!" one demanded sternly.

Junior Brother Mo forced back the pain, cupped his fists in a bow. "The Three Ancestors, we failed to stop him; he has fled!"

"Fled!?" The complexions of the three grey-robed elders became dark enough to drip water.

Junior Brother Mo looked distressed and admitted helplessly, "Ancestor Lin, this man's swordsmanship is too formidable. Even our combined strength couldn't withstand a single move from him!"

"Where did he go?" one elder grunted.

"South," Junior Brother Mo pointed in the direction Li Muzhan had vanished.

The three elders turned and left, disappearing from sight like ghosts. The oppressive atmosphere instantly dissipated, and someone sighed in relief. "Junior Brother Mo, can the three Ancestors restrain that fellow?"

Junior Brother Mo shook his head, his expression troubled.

"Then what do we do?" someone lamented.

They didn't doubt Junior Brother Mo's words. Although those three elders were individually profound and unfathomable, they were still a generation weaker than Ancestor Jiang. Even their combined might might not have surpassed Ancestor Jiang.

The youth had killed Ancestor Jiang; could the three Ancestors stop him? They had no confidence whatsoever.

As they were speaking, another three grey-robed elders arrived. Junior Brother Mo, without hesitation, pointed south again: "Ancestor Lin and the others are in pursuit!"

After this group, two more batches arrived—a total of twelve grey-robed elders.

The onlookers gasped. They had never witnessed such a mobilization; twelve Ancestors moving out simultaneously showed just how formidable this person must be!

"Junior Brother Mo, is this enough now?" someone asked.

Junior Brother Mo nodded slowly. "With twelve Ancestors taking action at once, he won't escape even with wings!"

"This time, he absolutely must be killed!" someone vowed resentfully. "How dare he touch Ancestor Jiang—he was asking for death!"

The others remained silent, feeling a wave of worry.

Ancestor Jiang’s existence was like a towering, ancient tree. Now that the tree had fallen, what would become of Linhai Pavilion, and what would become of them...? Li Muzhan floated onward, unconcerned by having kicked such a massive nest of hornets. Jiang Cheng was likely the most powerful figure in Linhai Pavilion; with him dead, the rest were negligible, as long as they didn't get bogged down by them.

Moreover, he possessed the ability of instantaneous movement (Shunyi); if he wished to escape, no one could stop him. The only person connected to Li Guanhai who mattered was Liu Biyun, and she was safe in Dragon Mountain Sect; they had no way to seek revenge against her.

A sudden frown creased his brow: it was unlikely Dragon Mountain Sect was entirely free of Linhai Pavilion spies. What if they launched a sneak attack...? He had to be cautious!

Killing Jiang Cheng wasn't entirely without benefit; it would certainly intimidate Dragon Mountain Sect, preventing them from pushing him too hard in the future.

He thought while accelerating, gradually leaving Zhou Huairen and Yang Yesi behind, heading toward Dragon Mountain Sect. A journey that originally took three days, he completed in two.

Without announcing himself, he floated up from the cliff behind the main compound, arriving directly at Liu Biyun’s small courtyard.

The morning sunlight bathed the courtyard. Liu Biyun was practicing her swordplay with Wu Jingyi. One moved quickly, the other slowly; their clashing sword lights made for a lively scene.

Li Muzhan appeared abruptly. Liu Biyun sensed his presence and turned, her face instantly lighting up with overwhelming joy. "Big Brother!"

Wu Jingyi ceased her sword practice and came forward obediently to bow. "Big Brother Li, you're back!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Your swordsmanship has improved!"

Mentioning swordplay caused Wu Jingyi's eyes to shine, and she beamed. "Big Brother Li, your sword skills are too amazing, truly..."

Liu Biyun quickly stepped forward to interrupt. "Alright, Junior Sister Wu, that’s enough practice for today. We'll continue tomorrow!"

"Senior Sister Liu—!" Wu Jingyi pouted in protest.

Liu Biyun waved her hand dismissively. "Or I won't practice with you anymore!"

"...Oh, fine then!" Wu Jingyi yielded helplessly.

She was obsessed with sword practice. She had discovered that practicing jointly with others was far more beneficial than solitary training. Liu Biyun’s skill was superior, and sparring with her for a day was equivalent to days of hard solo practice, which is why she had been pestering Liu Biyun to train together these past few days. (To be continued) RQ