Li Muzhan said, "This Elder Feng is meticulous and utterly ruthless.

Judging by the mechanisms he set up, he's a grand schemer.

I say we give up on this." "Brother Li, what do you mean by that?!" Mo Jiye frowned.

Li Muzhan replied, "He would never let us gain an advantage cheaply; he must have a final, killing move hidden away." "What killing move?" Mo Jiye asked.

Li Muzhan stated, "Mutual annihilation!" Mo Jiye's expression flickered.

If Li Muzhan had said this before they entered, he would have simply laughed it off.

But having witnessed the sheer power of the mechanisms, Li Muzhan's words now sent a shiver down his spine.

Li Kaiyu's face also changed, and he frowned without speaking.

Mo Jiye pondered, "If Elder Feng is this formidable, what he concealed must be extraordinary.

Perhaps we should..." A thousand years hence, they knew only his reputation; they didn't truly grasp the extent of his might.

However, after this setback, their admiration for Feng Batian only deepened, making them even more eager to obtain his cultivation methods.

Li Kaiyu slowly said, "Let's go; we'll discuss it back at the sect!" "Brother Li, we're leaving already?!" Song Ling glared at him, displeased.

Li Kaiyu said sternly, "I'll discuss with Master whether we can abandon this.

This secret vault is too dangerous; it's not worth it." "But we've come this far; giving up now..." Song Ling felt unwilling.

Song Zhigang said, "Little sister, don't try to be brave; listen to Brother Li!" Song Ling turned and glared at Liu Biyun, sneering, "You surnamed Liu, you haven't figured out a solution either, have you?" Liu Biyun smiled faintly, "You surnamed Song, whether we go in or not makes little difference.

Missing one secret vault won't change much for us!" "Hmph, your Dragon Mountain Sect talks a good game!" Song Ling curled her lip dismissively. "Let's go," Li Kaiyu said with a heavy voice.

He cupped his hands toward the group, turned, and walked away.

Watching them depart, Li Muzhan chuckled, "This Brother Li is certainly a character; he knows when to take risks and when to let go!" Mo Jiye countered, "They won't give up!" Liu Biyun snorted, "Exactly.

Their Shadow Secret Sect is the stingiest.

If they've come this far, they won't just abandon it—they'll try to hide their efforts from us!" Li Muzhan asked, "Brother Mo, with your vast experience, can you think of no way?" Mo Jiye mused, "I recall a certain noble family skilled in automata.

Their puppets were crafted so lifelike they were astonishing!" Li Muzhan exclaimed in surprise, "Send a puppet inside?" "I think we should try it!" Mo Jiye suggested.

Li Muzhan felt a surge of curiosity, "Are they truly that exquisite?" The idea of sending a puppet in to explore was akin to modern robotics; achieving such intricacy in this era was almost unimaginable, and he was genuinely intrigued.

Mo Jiye confirmed, "When I first saw them, I thought it was divine work." "Then I must see it to believe it!" Li Muzhan said, his interest piqued.

Mo Jiye replied, "I wonder if you can describe it; I'll go speak with the Sect Master." Li Muzhan returned to the Dragon Mountain Sect with Liu Biyun and the others.

He took the opportunity to enter seclusion for a while, returning to the Hidden Sect to meet Yi Xiaoru.

In the early morning light, in a small, fragrant chamber, Li Muzhan lay on the couch, holding Yi Xiaoru close.

Yi Xiaoru rested against his chest, her firm, full breasts pressing against him.

His large hand gently stroked her soft skin as he casually made small talk. "It seems Martial Uncle Tang was badly injured," Yi Xiaoru remarked.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Hasn't he come out of seclusion yet?" "Nope." Yi Xiaoru looked up at him, "Everyone else is back, returned empty-handed, looking like frost-bitten eggplants.

It's quite amusing!" Li Muzhan shook his head, smiling, "They couldn't have come back with absolutely nothing, could they?" "We took the lion's share; they really didn't gain much," Yi Xiaoru chuckled softly. "If they knew, they'd surely devour us!" Li Muzhan asked, "When does Master plan to move on that treasure horde?" "Master says there's no rush," Yi Xiaoru replied. "Let's wait until this current excitement dies down, lest we attract unwanted attention." "Yes, that makes sense." Li Muzhan nodded.

It was not easy for Gao Jingxuan to remain so clear-headed facing such immense wealth without being consumed by greed.

Though the Hidden Sect was small, her capacity for discretion was vast.

Yi Xiaoru asked, "Big Brother, are you really giving that Demonic Artifact to Master?" Li Muzhan nodded. "Only with this can our Hidden Sect stand unshaken." "But keeping it yourself would be just as effective," Yi Xiaoru countered.

This Demonic Artifact was the root of a sect.

With it, Li Muzhan could easily establish his own faction, especially combined with his formidable martial arts.

Yet, he insisted on giving it to his Master, ceding this opportunity.

While his position in the Hidden Sect was good and brought benefits, he still felt somewhat dependent, like relying on a woman.

Would it not be better to found his own sect? Establishing a sect held immense allure for any man; why was he utterly uninterested? Li Muzhan smiled. "My ambitions are small; I only desire the carefree life of a wandering crane.

Why would I need a Demonic Artifact?" Besides, it's not a good thing; the less contact, the better." "Doesn't Big Brother have a way to resist the Demonic Artifact?" Yi Xiaoru asked.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "This thing is too powerful; it's best not to touch it at all...

Has Master inquired about the existence of such a place?" "Not yet," Yi Xiaoru shook her head, then suddenly her delicate face turned serious, and she asked, "What do you need such a place for, Big Brother? Are you planning to leave?" Li Muzhan laughed, "I was just curious." Yi Xiaoru's face remained tight. "Really?" Li Muzhan smiled again. "How could I bear to leave you?" "Hmph, 'us'!" Yi Xiaoru shot him a sidelong glance. "How is Miss Liu from the Dragon Mountain Sect lately?" Li Muzhan rubbed the bridge of his nose and chuckled twice, hoping to gloss over the subject.

But Yi Xiaoru cut straight to the chase: "What are your plans, Big Brother?" Li Muzhan sighed helplessly. "I'll see what happens.

She is a disciple of the Dragon Mountain Sect; marrying her won't be simple." "You want to marry her?" Yi Xiaoru snorted.

Li Muzhan sighed again, burdened. "I don't want to fail you, nor can I fail her.

I am truly in a bind right now." Yi Xiaoru stared directly at him, shaking her head and sighing, "You truly are greedy!" Li Muzhan smiled. "It's the nature of men, Little Ru.

If I truly pushed Biyun away, I would be uneasy for the rest of my life." "Fine, fine," Yi Xiaoru suddenly turned her body away. "I can only blame my unfortunate fate." Li Muzhan was overjoyed.

He hadn't expected this hurdle to be cleared so easily.

He immediately held her close and cherished her tenderly for a long time.

A few days later, Li Muzhan returned to the Dragon Mountain Sect.

It was early morning when he emerged, and he saw Liu Biyun and Wu Jingyi practicing their swordsmanship in the small courtyard.

Both were dressed in moon-white training attire, looking spirited and sharp.

Seeing him appear, they stopped their practice, wiped the sweat from their brows with towels, and turned to look at him.

Their cheeks were flushed, making them look captivatingly lovely. "Big Brother Li!" Wu Jingyi approached him sweetly, her smile like a blooming flower.

Li Muzhan assessed her briefly and smiled. "Junior Sister Wu, how is your swordsmanship progressing?" "Hehe, do you want to see, Big Brother?" Wu Jingyi instantly looked delighted.

Li Muzhan waved his hand and turned to Liu Biyun. "How are things with Brother Mo?" "It's not going to work," Liu Biyun said with a slight smile, shaking her head. "Junior Sister Wu has been pestering you these past few days, hoping you might offer pointers! Brother Mo said it was useless; although the mechanism is ingenious, the puppet cannot act independently." "Then what is to be done?" Li Muzhan inquired.

Liu Biyun informed him, "The Sect Master has decided to give up." "Truly giving up?" Li Muzhan sounded surprised.

This Feng Batian was clearly a formidable figure; his martial arts must be extraordinary.

To give up so readily did not seem like the usual conduct of the Dragon Mountain Sect.

Liu Biyun explained, "The Sect Master says we shouldn't be too greedy." Li Muzhan nodded slowly. "Giving up might be for the best." Wu Jingyi pouted, watching Li Muzhan with eager eyes, like a puppy begging for food.

Li Muzhan relented. "Alright then, I'll take a look at your sword practice." "Wonderful!" Wu Jingyi instantly revived, beaming with joy.

Liu Biyun approached him and whispered, "Is Big Brother perhaps thinking of entering alone?" She had been close to Li Muzhan and noticed how effortlessly he navigated those mechanisms, a stark contrast to the struggles of everyone else.

At the time, she had wondered if, without the burden of the group, he could manage to pass through if he went alone. "Big Brother, it's too perilous inside," Liu Biyun sighed softly.

Li Muzhan watched Wu Jingyi's swordplay while murmuring quietly, "I still have some skill in escaping death." PS: My apologies for the last few days.

I came down with a strange ailment called Neuralgic Allergy—a virus latent in the nerves flared up, causing bumps along the nerves from my neck to my ears, and intense headaches.

It felt like someone was driving nails into my head, one by one, pain so excruciating it made life unbearable.

The hospital said it wasn't major, but I have to endure the suffering for at least a week before it improves.

These past few days, the pain made me want to commit suicide, yet I didn't want to stop updating.

Writing during this time inevitably leads to errors and omissions; I ask for everyone's understanding.

(To be continued.)