Li Muchen didn't strike, merely surveying his surroundings. "What's going on?"

"People from the Secret Shadow Sect," Liu Biyun replied.

Li Muchen asked, "Why are you alone?"

As he spoke, his right palm drew an arc, sending the closest ring of people flying backward to collapse onto those behind them, instantly blunting the surging assault.

Li Muchen asked gently, "You came out by yourself?"

Liu Biyun breathed a sigh of relief, returning her sword to its sheath. As soon as Li Muchen appeared, her anxiety eased. She had thought her effort was in vain, never expecting he would actually show up.

"Big Brother, I was ordered to deliver a letter, and they ambushed me here," Liu Biyun huffed.

Li Muchen inquired, "You got into a fight with the Secret Shadow Sect?"

"Yes," Liu Biyun nodded. "We killed a few of them as retaliation. I thought they would yield and retreat after seeing that, but they held a grudge and intended to kill me for revenge."

"How should we deal with them?" Li Muchen’s face darkened.

If he had truly left, Liu Biyun would have been in mortal danger this time! The thought sent a pang of fear through him; he couldn't imagine the feeling of losing her, and a killing intent immediately arose.

"What does Big Brother think?" Liu Biyun asked.

Li Muchen stated, "Crippple them all!"

Liu Biyun smiled and nodded. "Good!"

A wave of lingering fear washed over her as well. If Big Brother hadn't appeared, she truly wouldn't have escaped this time; they had surrounded her layer upon layer, clearly intending to wear her down until death. Crippling their martial arts was already merciful!

Li Muchen’s expression hardened, and his form vanished in an instant. He reappeared at the outermost perimeter, drifting like a phantom. Wherever he swept past, a person collapsed.

The attackers realized his terrifying might and tried to flee, but they couldn't; their companions blocked them. It was all because their formation was too tight, designed to prevent Liu Biyun from escaping—so dense it was impenetrable. Escape was impossible.

As a result, Li Muchen moved like a reaper harvesting grain; wherever he passed, people fell. In just a moment, Li Muchen stopped before Liu Biyun.

Liu Biyun beamed, "Big Brother, where have you actually been?"

Two months apart felt like an eternity to her.

Li Muchen smiled. "I found a place to enter seclusion."

"Hmph, lying!" Liu Biyun playfully shot him a look.

Li Muchen observed her expression, noting her determined composure, and rubbed his nose with a hint of resignation. "There were some matters. Biyun, your cultivation has reached a certain level, but your swordplay and palm techniques lag behind. You need to apply yourself vigorously to practice."

"I’ve been swamped with work, how could I possibly have the focus to train?" Liu Biyun complained. "The Sect Master has his sights set on me; he makes me do everything."

Li Muchen frowned and huffed, "He’s trying to pressure me into action!"

Liu Biyun paused, then slowly nodded. She was sharp-witted; Li Muchen’s brief remark made everything clear. Realizing the situation, she huffed, "The Sect Master is truly unfair!"

Li Muchen nodded. "Indeed, unfair! ... Big Brother, are you leaving again?"

Li Muchen sighed and shook his head. "I'll escort you back."

"Great!" Liu Biyun happily agreed immediately... The two walked slowly. Liu Biyun wasn't in a hurry to return; rather, she wished the road would stretch further, that their pace would slow down, allowing her more time with Li Muchen.

"Will Big Brother go into seclusion again?" Liu Biyun moved as if floating on the wind. After cultivating intimately with him several times, her power was profound, far surpassing her peers.

Li Muchen estimated her current strength was comparable to Elder Yan’s.

Li Muchen mused for a moment before slowly nodding. "I am actually going somewhere on business. I don't know when I can return."

"Where to?" Liu Biyun asked quickly.

Li Muchen smiled and shook his head. Liu Biyun pouted, "Do you have to keep secrets from me too?"

"Biyun, I don’t know the exact location myself," Li Muchen replied with a gentle smile, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I won't be in danger, and I will return early."

"Then when will you be back?" Liu Biyun persisted relentlessly.

These two months apart felt like years; she could not stand the torment. It was as if the whole world had turned gray, devoid of joy, and every day was spent longing for him to suddenly appear as he once did.

But often, disappointment was all that arrived. This time, she was confident she could escape the siege, yet she deliberately crushed the jade pendant to find an excuse to see him. She had expected disappointment, not this surprise.

Li Muchen pondered. "It will likely take about half a year to a year. I have transmitted the Immeasurable Brightness Sutra to you; as long as you recite it, our minds can connect."

"I still want to see Big Brother with my own eyes," Liu Biyun insisted.

Li Muchen smiled. "Biyun, there is plenty of time, no need to rush."

Liu Biyun shook her exquisite head and sighed. She understood, but she couldn't help her situation, making the pain of longing unbearable.

Li Muchen gently brushed her smooth shoulder. A warm aura immediately enveloped her wound. The injury had already been treated with the secret medicine of the Dragon Mountain Sect, which was proving highly effective, and with the stimulation of Li Muchen’s internal force, the medicinal effect spread even faster.

Liu Biyun turned to look at him. "Big Brother, come back soon!"

Li Muchen nodded and smiled. "I'll stay with you for a while."

"No need," Liu Biyun shook her head. Better a sharp pain than a prolonged one; if he had to leave, it was best to go and return quickly.

A faint ache resonated in Li Muchen’s heart—a touch of pity and reluctance. Compared to the devotion all these women offered him, he felt deeply indebted to them.

"I will escort you back," Li Muchen said softly, drawing her slender waist to him, and they vanished instantly... Li Muchen returned to the valley, paused in thought, and slowly headed deeper in. The further he walked, the denser the spiritual energy became, and an invisible pressure washed over him.

Li Muchen narrowed his eyes. He trusted his intuition; there was danger inside, but not mortal peril. Driven by urgency and curiosity, if he couldn't find the way home here, perhaps the other side held the answer.

The world was vast, nearly boundless, and searching randomly without clues was nearly impossible. Fortunately, this time he had Feng Batian's travelogue, but the result was disappointing. He didn't know when the next clue would surface. It was better to venture in first; perhaps he would find something.

He would not abandon even a sliver of possibility. With the Primordial Sword Art mastered, his yearning to return home grew stronger, more desperate. The thoughts from the women on Immeasurable Brightness Mountain did not alleviate his lovesickness; instead, they intensified his longing, wishing he had wings to fly back in an instant.

That was why he felt such tenderness for Liu Biyun—because he understood the agony of separation.

As he walked inward, his thoughts surged, a torrent of ideas flooding his mind, yet his steps remained unshakably firm. As the spiritual energy thickened, the pressure intensified.

Ahead lay a blanket of mist, white and opaque, obscuring the distance. He activated his Void Eye, but even it perceived only a churning cloud, revealing nothing within.

He took a deep breath and pushed forward against the pressure, slowly advancing. Finally, the haze cleared, opening into a dense forest. The trees were immense, soaring heavenward, so thick and tall they were unlike anything in his original world.

Seeing the forest and sensing the lush spiritual energy surrounding him, Li Muchen shook his head and sighed. His intuition had been correct; this was not his original world. He hadn't managed to return!

Extreme disappointment set in. He managed a bitter smile and floated up onto a tree, gazing upward, unable to see an end. In the distance, an endless sea of green met the sky.

The scene here resembled the area outside the valley in his original world, only grander—the trees taller, thicker, and more numerous. To navigate out would require fortune.

Yet, the spiritual energy in this world was denser, even richer than the world he longed for. He released his internal force, and a layer of silver gangqi instantly enveloped his body.