Li Muzhan smiled. “Submerged Dragon Stance, Master. What do you think?”
“A fine Submerged Dragon Stance!” Long Jingyue suppressed her surprise and nodded lightly. “You’ve grasped a bit of the essence!”
“The Submerged Dragon Stance is where I feel most connected; I think I’m finally finding the gateway to it!”
“Mm, not bad,” Long Jingyue assented.
Bai Mingqiu had been sparring with him constantly and was aware of his progress. Sword intent was not something to be rushed; though she had started practicing earlier and possessed deeper mastery, there was always a veil she couldn’t penetrate to grasp the underlying sword intent.
She executed a feather-light thrust, and a faint cry of a crane seemed to echo. Long Jingyue vanished from her spot and reappeared ten feet away, looking at Bai Mingqiu with evident pleasant surprise.
Bai Mingqiu allowed a faint smile to surface. “Master, what about this move?”
“Good, you have finally comprehended the essence of the Crane Dance Stance. Excellent, this trip to Tianyuan was not in vain!” Long Jingyue finally turned her gaze to Li Muzhan.
Bai Mingqiu offered, “It is indeed thanks to Junior Brother’s guidance!”
“I chose the right disciple, then?” Long Jingyue inquired.
Bai Mingqiu cupped her hands and chuckled, “Congratulations, Master!”
Long Jingyue addressed Li Muzhan. “Wuji, which other stances have you grasped?”
Li Muzhan replied with a smile, “The Flowing Water Stance as well.”
“Flowing Water Stance?” Long Jingyue was surprised.
Within the Twelve Stances of Tianyuan, each one held an independent sword intent, unrelated to the others. All were notoriously difficult to grasp, requiring fortuitous encounters, natural talent, insight, and inspiration, with interaction between them offering the only faint hope of success.
However, there was a spectrum of difficulty among the Twelve Stances of Tianyuan. Stances like the Crane Dance Stance and the Soaring Eagle Stance were considered simpler; they required diligent observation and imitation of the movements of cranes and eagles, integrating them into oneself until they became instinctive, offering a slim chance of grasping their intent.
Some intents were nearly impossible to attain, offering almost no hope, such as the Flowing Water Stance and the White Cloud Stance—movements derived from the very nature of heaven and earth—to fully comprehend their meaning was incredibly difficult.
Li Muzhan smiled. “Please instruct me, Master!”
As he spoke, a radiance of sword light flowed from him, cascading like a pure spring, instantly engulfing Long Jingyue before she could even manage to evade.
The Flowing Water Stance, while appearing measured and slow, was actually blindingly swift, arriving in an instant, and possessed the strange ability to subtly retard the opponent’s actions and reactions.
With a continuous cascade of sharp, clear metallic ringing—ding ding ding ding—Long Jingyue finally broke free of the sword light’s influence and retreated ten feet away.
Li Muzhan praised, “Master truly possesses profound cultivation!”
“You mischievous boy, you did that on purpose, didn’t you!” Long Jingyue shot him a look, annoyed.
If she hadn’t relied on her deep, unyielding cultivation to force her way through, she wouldn't have been able to block it at all; the sword light spilled like liquid mercury, infiltrating everywhere, offering no clear point of defense. Only through decades of relentless, day-in, day-out ascetic practice in the Twelve Swords of Tianyuan was she barely able to maintain a sliver of opportunity to finally escape.
Li Muzhan queried with a smile, “Master hasn’t fully comprehended the Twelve Swords either?”
Long Jingyue huffed, “How could it be that easy!” No one had ever fully grasped all Twelve Swords of Tianyuan. “I’ve only mastered four; I couldn’t decipher your Flowing Water Stance.”
Li Muzhan grinned knowingly. “Is the power of this stance acceptable?”
“Enough!” Long Jingyue snorted. “Since you managed to grasp this formidable move, go rest. Mingqiu, you have no time for rest; you must head down the mountain.”
“Yes, Master,” Bai Mingqiu nodded gravely.
Li Muzhan asked, “Master, why is Senior Sister going down the mountain?”
Long Jingyue explained, “Two outer disciples are missing. Ask Mingqiu to investigate whether they merely wandered off for fun or if something untoward has happened.”
“Master, I’ll leave immediately!” Bai Mingqiu frowned.
Li Muzhan quickly interjected, “Master, I’ll go with Senior Sister!”
Long Jingyue shook her head. “You just arrived; you should rest well. Mingqiu can handle this minor matter alone. Besides, you have other things to attend to.”
Li Muzhan looked at Bai Mingqiu, then at Long Jingyue, and nodded with resignation. “Very well then, Senior Sister, be careful.”
Bai Mingqiu didn't spare him a glance. “Master, which two are missing?”
Long Jingyue turned to Li Muzhan. “Wuji, go back and rest first.”
Li Muzhan sighed internally, nodded, cupped his hands in salute, and turned to leave.
Long Jingyue watched him depart, then pursed her lips and smiled at Bai Mingqiu. “Mingqiu, such an exceptional man—and you feel not a single stirring of emotion?”
“Master knows my heart; I wish to avoid the entanglement of mortal love,” Bai Mingqiu retorted.
Long Jingyue shook her head. “You are still too naive. Affairs of the heart are the ultimate crucible for one’s will. Only if you can enter hell and emerge from it can you truly achieve detachment; otherwise, attaining true heights will be exceedingly difficult.”
“What do you mean by that, Master?” Bai Mingqiu furrowed her brow.
“Find a way to fall in love with Wuji, and then forget him. Only then can you achieve true heartlessness,” Long Jingyue instructed. “Only then can you truly master the Supreme Jade Purity Scripture.”
Bai Mingqiu frowned and pondered for a long moment, then shook her head.
Long Jingyue chuckled softly. “What, you doubt your ability to achieve it?”
“Didn’t you say before that this is playing with fire and inviting self-immolation?” Bai Mingqiu countered.
Long Jingyue smiled and shook her head. “One of our past Patriarchs achieved it this way, so the path is viable.”
“Then why didn’t you do it, Master?” Bai Mingqiu asked.
Long Jingyue sighed. “I tried, but alas, the men in this world are so dreadfully mediocre, I simply couldn’t muster the interest. It was impossible for me!”
“Master’s standards are too high,” Bai Mingqiu observed.
Long Jingyue conceded with a nod. “Perhaps so, but more crucially, I lacked good fortune. Mingqiu, you are quite lucky; Wuji is an excellent man.”
Bai Mingqiu replied, “I fear Master will be disappointed. I have no other feelings for Junior Brother Wuji. He is supremely intelligent, possesses an unshakeable will, truly outstanding—it’s just a pity…” She shook her head, a look of helplessness on her face.
“That is true,” Long Jingyue conceded. “Affection between a man and a woman hinges more on feeling than on such qualities. Fine, if it cannot be, then so be it.”
“If Junior Brother were to hear this, I wonder how heartbroken he would be,” Bai Mingqiu stared at her, unimpressed.
Long Jingyue chuckled. “If you truly managed it, mastering the Supreme Jade Purity Scripture, the shock of it would spur him on, and he too could become a peak expert.”
“Master’s scheme is quite elaborate!” Bai Mingqiu scoffed. “It’s best to give up that idea!”
Long Jingyue shook her head. “Mingqiu, this is a shortcut. Otherwise, for you to master the Supreme Jade Purity Scripture and surpass your master—it’s nearly impossible. You understand that, don't you?”
“I will rely on my own capability,” Bai Mingqiu insisted.
Long Jingyue smiled and shook her head. “Silly girl. If you refuse shortcuts and fail to utilize what is available, with your aptitude, you could practice until you die and still achieve nothing. All the past Patriarchs were geniuses of unparalleled wisdom and talent; only two of them truly mastered the Supreme Jade Purity Scripture.”
“Master, please say no more!” Bai Mingqiu huffed.
Long Jingyue laughed. “Alright, alright, I won’t mention it. You will understand later. You should leave now and see what has happened with those two.”
“Yes,” Bai Mingqiu nodded.
Long Jingyue cautioned, “Be careful. I have a feeling something is strange this time.”
Bai Mingqiu nodded slightly. “I’ll go change my clothes and set off immediately!”
“Go, go, I’m waiting for you,” Long Jingyue waved her off. “Go quickly and return swiftly!”
Bai Mingqiu turned and left the Grand Hall, returning to her small courtyard to change, and then immediately departed down the mountain. Over ten days passed without any news of her.
Since returning from Tianyuan, Li Muzhan had returned to a leisurely pace, spending his days practicing in his own courtyard. One evening, someone arrived with a message: the Pavilion Master requested his presence. (To be continued)