Li Muzhan sighed, drawing Liu Biyun close, the soft warmth of her body cradled in his arms. He spoke gently, “Biyun, the martial path is an ocean, immeasurably vast. Though my cultivation is not low, I cannot be invincible. I hate the thought of being powerless when you are in danger.”
“Brother, you worry too much,” Liu Biyun murmured softly.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “The martial world is a jungle where the strong prey on the weak. There will always be existences stronger than you. I cannot stop progressing… If it were just me, I could wander freely; if I couldn't win, I’d run. But it’s different now.”
“Sigh…” Liu Biyun sighed, giving him a sidelong glance. “Does that Miss Yi know about this?”
Li Muzhan started, a wry smile touching his lips.
Liu Biyun huffed softly. “Is everything alright on her side?”
Li Muzhan nodded helplessly, saying no more. More words would only lead to more mistakes; silence was better.
Liu Biyun continued, “Fine, I can’t control you, Brother, but you must be careful. Don't force things. My martial arts aren't top-tier, but I can protect myself!”
Li Muzhan mused, “I need to find a way…”
“Brother, I am a disciple of the Dragon Mountain Sect. Not just anyone dares harm me,” Liu Biyun asserted.
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Ordinary people won’t dare, but anyone who genuinely dares to harm you will certainly not be ordinary. You might not be able to handle them!”
“Brother thinks too little of me!” Liu Biyun retorted with a flash of her eyes.
Li Muzhan remained silent in thought for a moment, then shook his head. “You have taken the Marrow Cleansing Pill, but its full effects haven’t manifested yet. To improve further, the only way is through dual cultivation.”
Liu Biyun’s face immediately flushed, and she glared at him, her gaze shimmering like water.
Li Muzhan whispered tenderly, “Yin-Yang Creation, conforming to Heaven or defying it—only this method carries no hidden consequences.”
Liu Biyun lowered her head, her cheeks burning. Recalling the scene in the room, her limbs felt soft and boneless; the sensation was too profound to forget.
Li Muzhan smiled and kissed her forehead. He rose, carrying her back to the room, from which soon emerged faint, lingering moans, sounding like plaintive cries.
Wu Jingyi suddenly ran back. She stopped abruptly at the courtyard gate, her delicate face instantly blazing red. She practiced the Vast Righteous Sword; her internal energy was profound, and she clearly heard the sounds from within.
Having never experienced intimacy, she nonetheless knew exactly what those sounds meant. Shamed, she turned immediately and fled. She had intended to spar with Li Muzhan, seeking guidance on the Vast Righteous Sword, but instead stumbled upon this.
Li Muzhan, engaged in internal conquest within the room, heard the commotion outside but paid it no mind. Liu Biyun’s spirit was entirely adrift, detached from external awareness.
After a long while, a long, drawn-out sigh echoed, followed by silence.
The next morning, Wu Jingyi rushed over again. Seeing Liu Biyun, she flushed deeply. Liu Biyun, completely unaware, smiled upon seeing her reddened face. “What is it, Junior Sister Wu?”
Wu Jingyi, clad in a purple robe, had a face as pale and fine as jade. Now, it was flushed as if covered in rouge, lovely as a blooming flower. She shook her head hastily. “Nothing, Senior Sister Liu has become even more beautiful!”
“Have I?” Liu Biyun’s face also turned pink.
She had noticed it herself while washing that morning—her entire being seemed to glow, as if a pearl had been wiped clean of dust, its brilliance flowing freely.
She knew this was the wonder of Li Muzhan’s dual cultivation. Not only was her appearance radiant, but her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, increasing several times over from before.
In the past, she would never have believed such a method existed, one capable of transforming someone into a master overnight. However, seeing Li Muzhan’s slightly pale complexion, she understood the price he had paid… Li Muzhan first returned to the Purple Robe Palace to bid farewell to Qin Yeqiu and Cao Ya, before heading back to the Sword Sect.
The valley of the Sword Sect remained serene, almost devoid of vitality. Most disciples were practicing their swordsmanship, rarely concerning themselves with worldly matters, only stirring around meal times.
The main hall was empty of practitioners. When Li Muzhan entered, only Hu Chu stood with his hands behind his back, pacing. Seeing him arrive, Hu Chu quickly beckoned him over.
“Senior Brother?” Li Muzhan cupped his hands and approached with a smile.
Hu Chu scrutinized him for a moment, then asked hesitantly, “Mastered it?”
Li Muzhan nodded slowly, smiling. “I have!”
“Truly achieved it?” Hu Chu questioned cautiously.
Li Muzhan nodded firmly. He tapped his left index finger forward, and with a sharp chi sound, a nearby chair exploded into fragments.
“Excellent!” Hu Chu’s sword-like eyebrows lifted, and he roared out loud.
Li Muzhan smiled. “It happened quite coincidentally. I went to Mount Meng; the spiritual energy there was abundant, saturated with lightning.”
“Mount Meng…” Hu Chus expression shifted instantly.
Li Muzhan watched him, then said gently, “Senior Brother, I visited the Jade Peak Sect.”
“No wonder then,” Hu Chus sighed, shaking his head. “Senior Sister Gao came over causing a fuss. The root of the trouble is here!… Whom did you meet?”
Li Muzhan sat down on a chair. “I met Sect Master Yao and Elder Zhong. They inquired about Senior Brother.”
Hu Chu’s expression remained calm as he slowly nodded.
Li Muzhan pressed, “Senior Brother, are you going or not?”
Hu Chu shook his head. “Junior Brother He, those are all old matters. Let them pass!”
Li Muzhan challenged, “Can Senior Brother truly let it go?”
Hu Chu gave a faint smile. “Time flows, circumstances change; what is there that cannot be let go?… Let this matter rest.”
Li Muzhan observed his expression closely. “Senior Brother, I heard from Sect Master Yao that Elder Zhong is deeply melancholic and has never forgotten.”
Hu Chu offered a faint smile. “She and I are strangers now; I can’t concern myself with that. Junior Brother, you should also stop meddling.”
Li Muzhan stated, “Senior Brother, I intend to travel the world; I might not return for a long time.”
“Travel the world?” Hu Chu inquired. “Do you have a destination in mind?”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “I’ve heard rumors of some strange places that connect to another world; I don’t know if they are true.”
“Junior Brother, you want to venture over there?” Hu Chu frowned.
Li Muzhan nodded. “With the Grand Sword Art mastered, there are few rivals in this world. It’s time to test myself elsewhere; perhaps there are deeper sword techniques to be found.”
Hu Chu thought it over, then nodded.
Having achieved the Grand Sword Art, one had effectively mastered the Sword Codex. For one who had cultivated the Grand Sword Art, the Codex itself was not insurmountable; once the Grand Sword Art was complete, mastery of sword techniques followed naturally.
Junior Brother He’s mastery of the Sword Codex meant he was virtually unrivaled in this era. Junior Brother He embodied the spirit of the Sword Sect, pursuing not invincibility under heaven, but the profound Dao of Swordsmanship.
Only someone like this could truly master the Sword Codex and thereby become unrivaled.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Senior Brother agrees?”
“Very well,” Hu Chu nodded. “Leaving so soon, isn’t it too rushed?”
Li Muzhan laughed. “Does Senior Brother Hu want the others to witness the power of the Sword Codex?”
“Precisely,” Hu Chu smiled.
For generations, no one in the Sword Sect had mastered the Sword Codex; the world believed the sect had declined, unable to produce such a master again. If they weren’t shown its power, how would they know the strength of the Sword Sect? If Li Muzhan simply left, wouldn’t it be like walking in brocade robes at night?
Li Muzhan smiled and shook his head. “Senior Brother Hu, perhaps it is better not to. If something happens to me out there, it will only bring trouble upon the sect.”
Once he became immensely powerful, he was bound to attract countless formidable opponents. If he were delayed in returning, the Sword Sect would face enormous pressure.
Hu Chu pondered, then slowly nodded. “I was indeed short-sighted; that is true!” He shook his head with a wry smile. “Having been suppressed for so long, I am too eager to stretch my muscles. In terms of cultivating patience, I am inferior to Junior Brother!”
Li Muzhan asked, “Senior Brother, after I leave, if anything were to happen to me, what about Xiao Ru and the others…”
“Rest assured. Senior Sister Gao and I are not outsiders; we won’t allow the Hidden Sect to be bullied,” Hu Chu confirmed with a smile. “You worry too much, don’t you?”
Li Muzhan shook his head. “Even having mastered the Grand Sword Art, I dare not claim to be invincible.”
“That is true,” Hu Chu conceded. “There is no invincible martial art in this world; there is always someone better. I am relieved that Junior Brother holds such a balanced view.”
Li Muzhan clasped his hands in farewell. It was clear Hu Chu was moved and would likely visit Mount Huayang. Li Muzhan knew of several locations from Feng Batian’s book, confident that at least one led to an exit from this world. Though reluctant to leave the women he cherished, he steeled his heart to depart.
He stood in a valley, gazing upon the lush greenery, nodding slowly. He could sense the spiritual energy here, far surpassing that of Mount Meng. Without the guidance from the book, he would have almost certainly never found this place, as it was too inconspicuous, hidden within an immense, endless, and deeply dense forest.
Being within this forest felt like being dropped into a desert—a sense of despair arose, unsure if one could ever find a way out, let alone locate the valley. The spiritual energy in this valley was exceedingly rich, but the forest was so vast that the concentration couldn't be detected from afar, making it virtually undiscoverable by outsiders. It was only because Feng Batian had coincidentally become lost in this wood that he had found it.
Li Muzhan stood before the valley entrance, lingering before stepping in. Entering might return him to his original world, or it might not; there could even be unpredictable dangers. Despite his formidable spirit and firm will, he couldn't help but hesitate before the unknown future. His emotions churned like an unstoppable tide.
After observing for a long time, he took a deep breath, his divine sense severing all distracting thoughts, settling his mind. Moments later, clarity returned, and tranquility was restored.
He opened his heart and intuition to gauge fortune and misfortune. After a while, he shook his head with a bitter smile; his intuition suggested the path ahead did not lead to his original world. He decisively turned away and proceeded to the second location: a cave halfway up a mountain peak, also brimming with spiritual energy, but unfortunately, inaccessible to most.
He opened his intuition again, still sensing that the destination was not his home realm, so he turned back decisively and moved to the next spot.
He had found six locations in the book. Sadly, after experiencing each one, his intuition indicated they did not connect to his original world, but to other worlds entirely.
Li Muzhan felt disappointed yet astonished. Were there six different worlds awaiting him? He proceeded to traverse all six locations again, investigating thoroughly. He discovered that all six paths led to a single world, a realm whose spiritual energy was even more potent than his own.
He traveled back and forth. The six sites were separated by tens of thousands of miles in six different directions. Though he possessed instant movement, the initial exploration required him to cover the distance sequentially, consuming two months.
One morning, he stood before the valley, intending to step inside. Even if it wasn't his original world, he wanted to see it.
Suddenly, his heart stirred. He sensed the shattering of a jade pendant and instantly vanished from his spot, reappearing elsewhere. What met his eyes was a dense swarm of nearly a hundred black-clad figures. Liu Biyun stood alone in the center, enveloped by the flash and clang of blades and swords. Li Muzhan frowned. Liu Biyun’s sword light was like lightning, never missing its mark; she felled one opponent with every strike. However, the surrounding numbers were too great, and some fighters were formidable. Gradually, the tide turned against her. Her coordination improved, but critically, a gash marked Liu Biyun’s left shoulder—she had clearly taken a blow.