Wen Hua entered the cabin and saw Li Muzhan's face was the color of pale gold. He sighed helplessly, "Little He, this matter..."

Seeing Li Muzhan's complexion, he surmised that his life was in danger; he was too badly wounded. Asking him to expend energy saving someone at this point was truly asking too much. If it were him, preserving his own life would be the priority.

Li Muzhan shook his head: "Saving people is paramount."

"Alas..." Wen Hua shook his head with resignation, "It's our own incompetence!"

Li Muzhan had Mo Guiyi sit cross-legged with his back to him, placing both palms on Mo Guiyi's back. He asked in a soft voice, "Senior Wen, did everyone manage to kill Zhao Yuanming?"

"He got away!" Wen Hua gave a bitter smile.

Li Muzhan frowned: "Logically, he shouldn't be able to use the demonic artifact... Has he truly fallen into demonhood?"

Wen Hua nodded slowly and sighed, "In my view, he was struck back by the artifact and became a demon!"

Li Muzhan asked, "Is there any way to save him?"

"Alas..." Wen Hua shook his head and sighed, "When the demonic artifact backfires, only death awaits."

Li Muzhan frowned: "He will slaughter wildly before he dies; everyone must kill him quickly!"

Wen Hua shook his head and sighed, "Once he becomes a demon, he will become even more cunning and insidious. He won't fight us head-on. Trying to corner him will be difficult!"

Li Muzhan asked, "So we can only let him kill people?"

Wen Hua sighed, helpless: "No matter how many people he kills, he is fated to die eventually. That can be considered eliminating this great threat. Furthermore, with the demonic artifact out of control, the Divine Sword Sect is no longer a concern!"

Li Muzhan frowned and pondered for a moment, then looked straight at Wen Hua: "Senior Wen, is this what Sect Master Tang planned? He calculated that Zhao Yuanming would go mad and urge the demonic artifact forward recklessly!"

Wen Hua shook his head: "Junior Brother Tang would not do such a thing! ... Our original calculation was that Zhao Yuanming wouldn't dare use the demonic artifact. We never expected him to be this frenzied!"

"He wants mutual destruction," Li Muzhan mused, "perhaps wanting to kill us all before fully entering demonhood, and then commit suicide... or maybe he has a way to avoid becoming a demon?"

"Avoiding demonhood is impossible," Wen Hua shook his head. "Judging by his state, he has already fallen. The power of the demonic artifact is not something man can resist!"

Li Muzhan sighed, shaking his head helplessly: "This is troublesome!"

"Indeed. All our sect disciples must be careful," Wen Hua nodded slowly, his expression heavy.

Falling into demonhood did not mean losing one's mind and becoming a lunatic; rather, it transformed one into a more formidable devil—cruel, ruthless, taking pleasure in slaughter, and far more sinister and treacherous than ordinary people.

He would kill madly. But he would absolutely not spare the Myriad Saints Sect; the consequences were endless. The thought sent a chill down Wen Hua’s spine. He didn't know how to respond; the disciples of the Myriad Saints Sect were no match for Zhao Yuanming, and those not currently on the mountain were in danger.

Li Muzhan said, "Senior Wen, you should relay a message to Sect Master Tang first."

"Right, I'll do it immediately." Wen Hua nodded. "Old Mo is left to you."

Li Muzhan nodded: "I will do my utmost."

"Very well, I'm leaving now." Wen Hua hurried away... Half an hour later, a weak voice drifted from the cabin: "Xiao Ru, come in."

Yi Xiaoru, burning with anxiety, hurried into the cabin. Seeing blood trickling from the corner of Li Muzhan's mouth, she immediately grew anxious: "Big Brother, how is it?!"

Li Muzhan waved his hand: "I'm fine. Senior Mo is out of danger; he just needs some time to recuperate."

"Big Brother, you really are alright?" Yi Xiaoru stepped forward, took his wrist, and slowly let out a breath, frowning, "Big Brother, you truly don't take care of yourself!"

Li Muzhan smiled: "Alright, send Senior Mo out; I need to start healing immediately!"

"Okay." Yi Xiaoru wanted to say a few more words. Her spirit was unsettled, but seeing how haggard and weak Li Muzhan looked, she couldn't bear to, so she left the cabin to call for help from those on the shore to move Mo Guiyi.

Mo Guiyi was still unconscious, but his complexion was ruddy, and his breathing was steady. It was clear he was safe and his life was no longer in peril.

Two elderly men floated onto the boat, both inquiring about Li Muzhan with concern. As members of the other Seven Sects, they held no affection for Li Muzhan of the Hidden Sect. However, seeing him in such a state after saving Mo Guiyi, they felt a pang of apology.

Li Muzhan met their gazes with a smile. After they left, Yi Xiaoru stood guard outside while he healed, and Xiuxiu pushed the small boat gently back toward the shore.

A bright moon, like a silver platter, illuminated the rippling waves. Occasionally, pleasure boats drifted by, their interiors brightly lit, the sounds of silk and bamboo music drifting out faintly and continuously.

Amidst the surrounding liveliness, the small boat carrying Li Muzhan and the others seemed even quieter. Silently, they reached the riverbank but did not disembark.

Li Muzhan’s voice drifted out: "Get off the boat."

Yi Xiaoru and Xiuxiu came to help him, but he shook his head and smiled: "I'm not that far gone yet; no need."

"Big Brother, hurry up!" Yi Xiaoru said with a touch of impatience.

Xiuxiu also shot him a look, resenting him for pushing himself so hard over something that wasn't his own affair.

Li Muzhan smiled at their attitude and said no more.

The two women helped him off the small boat and floated to the shore. They were about to walk toward the small courtyard, which was concealed within an array, making it indistinct in the moonlight. They could only see the neighboring courtyard, not their own, as if no residence existed there at all.

"Huh!" Li Muzhan suddenly stopped, his expression changing drastically.

"Big Brother?" Yi Xiaoru asked quickly.

Li Muzhan pulled his arms free, pulling the two women back behind him, and said in a deep voice, "You two stand back. When things start, you go in first!"

"Young Master, what's wrong?" Xiuxiu asked curiously.

Li Muzhan shook his head, slowly drawing his sword. The Yingxue Sword emitted a watery brilliance, trembling slightly like gentle ripples. Li Muzhan’s face was grave as he stared intently at one spot and said in a deep voice, "As soon as I make a move, you leave!"

Hearing the unmistakable gravity in his voice, Yi Xiaoru dared not say more and nodded slowly. "Okay..." Li Muzhan said solemnly, "Sect Master Zhao, come out!"

"Heh heh..." A cold, sinister laugh suddenly echoed, and then Zhao Yuanming walked out of the darkness. The moonlight reflecting off the river illuminated his face, clearly revealing the strange, chilling smile upon it, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.

The moment the two women saw that smile, their hair stood on end.

"I really didn't expect..." Li Muzhan shook his head. "Sect Master Zhao thinks very highly of me, coming to find me first!"

Zhao Yuanming let out a cold, sinister laugh: "Heh heh. Killing you is worth more than all the rest of them combined!"

Li Muzhan understood what he meant. In terms of the number of people killed and the heaviness of killing intent (Sha Qi), the people of the Myriad Saints Sect were indeed far inferior to him—if not a thousand, then at least eight hundred.

However, his profound Buddhist cultivation allowed him to dissolve malevolence and killing intent. Thus, ordinary people could not sense it; instead, they perceived him as having a warm demeanor, as if he had never killed anyone.

Li Muzhan said solemnly, "So that's it. Then let's begin! ... What is the name of your demonic artifact?"

"Reverse Heart," Zhao Yuanming sneered, and with a flash of sword light, the tip of his blade was already at Li Muzhan's chest. Li Muzhan sidestepped to avoid the strike and retreated a step toward the riverbank.

Zhao Yuanming immediately followed, his sword lights surging. Li Muzhan kept retreating, quickly falling into a defensive position.

"Miss Yi, let's go in first!" Xiuxiu whispered.

Yi Xiaoru was engrossed in watching. Xiuxiu's reminder brought her back to her senses, but she hesitated. Seeing Li Muzhan at a disadvantage, she wanted to help.

Xiuxiu whispered, "It's Big Brother deliberately drawing him away. Let's go in quickly; Big Brother will be fine!"

"But he's seriously injured..." Yi Xiaoru frowned.

Xiuxiu said, "Even if Big Brother is seriously injured, we can't help, and we'll only be a burden. Let's go into the courtyard first, alright?"

Yi Xiaoru nodded helplessly; what Xiuxiu said made sense.

The two women darted into the small courtyard in a few steps and floated up to the courtyard wall to watch. At that moment, Li Muzhan's sword light surged, and he managed to reclaim a sliver of advantage against Zhao Yuanming.

Yi Xiaoru let out a breath of relief, while Xiuxiu frowned deeply: "This fellow is very formidable."

"Of course the Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sect is powerful," Yi Xiaoru sighed. "Besides, he has become a demon; I fear Big Brother..."

She trailed off, shaking her head repeatedly with worry etched on her face.

Xiuxiu asked, "Then Big Brother can't beat this fellow?"

"Mmm, he can't beat him," Yi Xiaoru nodded gently. "He is controlled by the demonic artifact; he's incredibly strong, and Big Brother is already injured... We'll see if Big Brother can retreat later."

"What should we do then..." Xiuxiu frowned, thinking hard.

Seeing her distressed expression, Yi Xiaoru suddenly found it amusing and shook her head: "Even if Big Brother can't win, he can certainly escape. It’s fine."

"That's right!" Xiuxiu immediately broke into a smile. "No one can match Big Brother's skill at fleeing..." While the two were speaking, the sounds of clashing long swords filled the air—"Ding ding ding ding..."—so continuous that it was almost impossible to distinguish individual sounds, just one unbroken clamor.

Li Muzhan suddenly shouted, "Fine swordsmanship!"

"Heh heh..." Zhao Yuanming sneered, and his sword technique suddenly shifted, becoming sinister and unpredictable. He often thrust a blade from an unimaginable angle, leaving one unable to defend.

Yi Xiaoru sighed softly, "What powerful swordplay!"

Xiuxiu also widened her bright eyes: "What kind of ghost swordplay is this? It's wicked!"

Watching this technique made her feel cold all over. It was grim and unpleasant to look at, making her want to avert her gaze, yet she couldn't help but worry about Li Muzhan's safety.

Li Muzhan's swordsmanship also changed accordingly—it became ancient, simple, yet capable of accurately intercepting the unexpected strikes. The two exchanged more than a dozen moves quickly.

"Clang..." "Clang..." After a long while, their swords touched once more.

After another dozen exchanges, Li Muzhan shook his head: "Sect Master Zhao's swordsmanship is superb; I am impressed. We shall meet again!"

With that, his form flickered, and he appeared a dozen yards away, falling into the river, floating effortlessly across the water, vanishing in the time it took to cross the river.

Zhao Yuanming roared in anger, his sword shooting out like an arrow from a string. His toes tapped the river surface, and he quickly closed in on Li Muzhan, but Li Muzhan flickered once more and disappeared entirely.

A furious roar echoed from a distance, like thunder, startling the boats on the small river into lighting their lamps as people woke from their sleep.

"Big Brother!" Yi Xiaoru cried out in delight.

Li Muzhan reappeared beside the two women, shaking his head with a wry smile: "This Zhao Yuanming is incredibly formidable!"

"Big Brother, are you alright?" Yi Xiaoru hurriedly looked him up and down, and Xiuxiu stared at him intently as well.

Li Muzhan smiled: "Luckily, I ran fast!... Senior Wen and the others will need to be careful, but they have superior numbers, so they should be mostly safe."

"Let's hope so!" Yi Xiaoru nodded. "Big Brother, hurry up and heal; he won't give up easily. He will certainly come looking for you again!"

Li Muzhan smiled: "Yes, indeed."

He waved his hand: "Alright, you two go back and rest; I need to treat my injuries."

"Then I'll leave," Xiuxiu withdrew tactfully.

Yi Xiaoru blushed and whispered, "Big Brother, do you need me to help you out?"

Li Muzhan smiled: "Why not!"

Yi Xiaoru knew of a secret method Li Muzhan possessed that allowed two people to cultivate together, yielding even better healing effects. Normally shy and reserved, she would refuse such intimacy, but the current situation was different; she put aside her modesty.

Li Muzhan smiled, pulled her into the room, and the two lay on the couch to begin their healing... The next morning, Xiuxiu woke up early and saw Li Muzhan and Yi Xiaoru practicing in the rear garden, both looking refreshed and spirited.

"Young Master, are your injuries healed?" Xiuxiu looked Li Muzhan up and down, marveling, "I can't see any trace of injury at all."

Li Muzhan, dressed in white close-fitting attire, smiled: "All better."

"Your healing method is truly profound," Xiuxiu exclaimed. "Such a severe injury healed overnight; truly amazing!"

She clicked her tongue in admiration, noticing Yi Xiaoru's blushing face, which made her feel strange. She looked at Yi Xiaoru a few more times, and Yi Xiaoru's face grew redder, blooming like a delicate flower. Xiuxiu teased, "Xiuxiu, what are you staring at!"

Xiuxiu looked at her in confusion, then glanced at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan said, "Enough, Xiuxiu. I want to see if you’ve been slacking off lately; let's spar!"

Xiuxiu giggled happily: "Young Master, then I shall experience your profound skills!"

As the three were talking, five young women floated over. Seeing Li Muzhan and Xiuxiu preparing to fight, they gathered curiously.

One girl whispered to Yi Xiaoru, "Miss, what happened last night?"

Yi Xiaoru quietly told them what had occurred, warning them strictly never to venture out, as Zhao Yuanming was running rampant and would surely target the sect disciples.

They nodded repeatedly. Zhao Yuanming was already formidable, and now that he was maddened, there was no sense in seeking death.

Li Muzhan defeated Xiuxiu in two moves, shaking his head: "You haven't been slacking, but you haven't been diligent either. At this rate, you won't become a master; you need to endure hardship."

"Yes, Young Master, I will work hard," Xiuxiu promised quickly.

Li Muzhan didn't press the issue. Xiuxiu's foundation was solid; with gradual practice, she would eventually become a top-tier expert; there was no need to rush.

A long howl suddenly rang out. Li Muzhan frowned, opened his Eye of the Void, and tracked the sound to its source, spotting Zhao Yuanming.

Li Muzhan frowned. Yi Xiaoru quickly asked, "Is that him?"

Li Muzhan nodded. Yi Xiaoru asked urgently, "Is he going after Senior Martial Brother Wen and the others?"

"Mmm," Li Muzhan nodded.

Yi Xiaoru said, "With Senior Martial Brother Wen and the others together, they should be able to hold him off."

Li Muzhan smiled: "If you're worried, I can go take a look."

Yi Xiaoru quickly shook her head: "Better not. Even if you went, you probably couldn't stop him. I believe Senior Martial Brother Wen and the others have a trump card."

Li Muzhan laughed: "Xiao Ru, you're finally being smart."

Yi Xiaoru gave him a look and then turned toward the direction of the howl, deciding to ignore it. Last night, Big Brother insisted on healing despite his severe injuries to save Senior Brother Mo; he had already done more than enough. If Big Brother hadn't been so skilled, and Zhao Yuanming had found him, escape would have been impossible, and she would have deserved a hundred deaths.

She sighed, secretly blaming Martial Uncle Tang for being so obstinate, only sending these few people, resulting in the current, uncontrollable situation! If he had sent a hundred people at once, crushing the Divine Sword Sect with overwhelming force, none of this would have happened. There must be some hidden reason, and the whole affair felt deeply unsettling.

Li Muzhan patted her fragrant shoulder: "Let's each sweep the snow from our own doorstep. Don't forget Master's words."

"Mmm, I won't worry about it anymore!" Yi Xiaoru nodded firmly. (To be continued) RQ