The two returned to the lake in the valley. Protected by two sets of arrays, Zhu Ling had improved considerably and no one could intrude upon her. She returned to the mountain with the other two.
Inside the grand hall, Li Muzhan and Bai Mingqiu stood facing Long Jingyue.
Long Jingyue frowned and remained silent. The atmosphere in the hall seemed frozen; neither Li Muzhan nor Bai Mingqiu spoke, merely staring at Long Jingyue.
After a long pause, Long Jingyue said in a raspy voice, “So, Wuji, you killed over forty Divine Fist Sect disciples in one go?”
Li Muzhan nodded.
Bai Mingqiu interjected, “Master, the situation then was kill or be killed. If we hadn’t killed them, we would be dead. It’s pure luck that we survived.”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Master, so what if I killed them? Is it that hard to handle?”
“Hmph, how can the Divine Fist Sect just let this go?!” Long Jingyue shot him a glare. “Tell me, what should be done?”
Li Muzhan replied, “Master, send me to question them, to ask what exactly they intend to do. Are they trying to incite a war between sects?”
“Aren't you afraid they’ll kill you?” Long Jingyue chuckled.
Li Muzhan laughed, “They wouldn’t dare!”
Long Jingyue shook her head, “You underestimate the Divine Fist Sect too much. If you dare to go, they absolutely dare to kill you. You are forcing their hand; if they don't kill you, how can they maintain their standing in the martial world?!”
Li Muzhan retorted, “Then we shall see if they can kill me!”
“It seems you have means to protect yourself,” Long Jingyue observed. “That is good, but we cannot risk it. You are not to leave the mountain these days.”
“Master, surely Junior Brother’s merit this time is great enough to exchange for a cultivation method, right?” Bai Mingqiu asked.
Long Jingyue inquired, “Which one do you wish to practice?”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Master, what about that cultivation method we possess that can break through the blockade of talisman arrays and allow for free perception, isn’t that right?”
“Oh,” Long Jingyue pondered for a moment, then nodded. “The Celestial Mystery Art, which specifically cultivates the divine sense. You wish to practice this?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Yes.”
Long Jingyue deliberated, “Mingqiu must have told you. This Celestial Mystery Art is difficult to master and seemingly useless. It is best you don’t practice it. However, given your inherent pride, you won’t be convinced. Go ahead and try it, but I hope you don’t become obsessed!”
Li Muzhan laughed, “Rest assured, Master. If it proves impossible, I will let it go promptly!”
“That is good!” Long Jingyue nodded. “Follow me!”
She stood up and walked out, Li Muzhan following closely. They arrived at the easternmost grand hall. Upon opening it, rows upon rows of bookshelves lined the interior.
Li Muzhan’s eyes gleamed. His Void Eye had surveyed the entire hall; every shelf was laden with secret manuals—nearly tens of thousands of them. It was truly astonishing.
Long Jingyue approached a bookshelf, floated up, and retrieved a thin silk booklet from the highest shelf. She descended gracefully and handed it to Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan took it and saw three large characters: Celestial Mystery Art.
“Hold it carefully. Although this thing is of little practical use, its essence is profound. Ordinary people could only dream of obtaining it. If you hadn’t performed this service, you wouldn’t even have seen it,” Long Jingyue stated.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Thank you, Master.”
Long Jingyue waved her hand. “You earned it through your own efforts. This matter is giving me a headache… Go back and cultivate peacefully. Set a limit of one year; if you haven’t succeeded by then, give it up!”
“Yes, Master,” Li Muzhan replied, nodding.
Li Muzhan returned to his small courtyard. Lin Shaobai rushed over and hugged him excitedly. Li Muzhan quickly pushed him away with a wry smile, “Senior Brother Lin, I’m not Senior Sister Zhu!”
Lin Shaobai’s lips trembled with emotion, “I heard from Senior Sister Zhu. If it hadn't been for you this time, she would have lost her life. Thank you so much! Thank you so much!”
Li Muzhan said, “It was my duty. Why thank me? It would be the same for anyone else.”
“But not everyone has this capability,” Lin Shaobai insisted. “Senior Sister Zhu said she underestimated Junior Brother Li too much. Without you, she really wouldn’t have survived.”
Li Muzhan smiled, “This was Master’s arrangement; any thanks should go to Master… By the way, is Senior Sister Zhu feeling better?”
“She should be able to walk in a couple of days,” Lin Shaobai nodded vigorously. “I can never repay the life-saving debt, Junior Brother Li. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Li Muzhan shook his head with a smile. Saving Senior Sister Zhu’s life made him even more grateful than saving Senior Brother Lin’s life—such is the power of being smitten!
Li Muzhan said, “I plan to enter seclusion for cultivation. Senior Brother Lin, could you gather some news about Reincarnation Island for me?”
“Reincarnation Island?” Lin Shaobai tilted his head in thought. “I haven't heard of it. I’ll inquire diligently; rest assured!”
Li Muzhan smiled, “The more detailed, the better.”
Lin Shaobai replied, “Senior Brother Tan is an informant for everything; he must know about such news. I will ask for his help.”
Li Muzhan nodded and said no more. Lin Shaobai took his leave.
Li Muzhan settled his mind and opened the Celestial Mystery Art. There were only three pages of silk cloth. The first page had only about a hundred sparse characters. The second and third pages contained diagrams. The first diagram was of a spherical, oval object. The second was a star chart, densely packed with stars, featuring a sun and a moon, looking quite strange.
He frowned. The text of the Celestial Mystery Art stated that there was no other method of cultivation than contemplating these two diagrams. If one could unify the two diagrams, visualizing them as heaven and earth, the spirit would resonate with the cosmos and perceive the celestial mysteries.
Li Muzhan gave a bitter smile. Both diagrams held a strange power. After glancing at them and then closing his eyes, his mind remained completely dark; nothing appeared.
He had encountered this situation before when visualizing talisman seals. It felt as if an invisible force was protecting the space, preventing entry into his mind.
Li Muzhan’s spiritual strength back then was far inferior to his current level. Now, even visualizing talisman seals wasn't as difficult; it was nowhere near the challenge presented by these two diagrams.
He possessed an eidetic memory, and situations like this were exceedingly rare.
Fortunately, he had experience, knowing it wasn't that visualization was impossible, but that his concentration and spiritual state were insufficient, requiring patient accumulation, like slowly filling a reservoir.
He began his cultivation, day and night without rest. When exhausted, he used the Contemplating Heaven and Man Illuminating Scripture to recover and build up his spirit, then returned to visualization. There was no concept of day or night; he lost all track of time.
Unconsciously, he entered a state of self-forgetfulness, unaware of time, location, or even his own existence. Only the two diagrams remained in his mind.
Slowly, he managed to visualize them, but unifying the two diagrams consumed too much of his energy; he couldn't achieve it.
“Rumble…” A tremendous clap of thunder exploded. While in meditation, the two diagrams appeared in his mind, one above the other, yet they refused to merge into one. This peal of thunder instantly shattered the images in his mind.
His resolve was firm. He did not give up under such circumstances. He began visualizing anew, undisturbed by the thunder, and the two diagrams reappeared.
“Rumble…” The thunder sounded again, and the images in his mind shattered once more, like a mirror broken into pieces, dissolving into darkness.
“Rumble…” Thunder sounded, then another, striking nine times in succession.
The diagrams in Li Muzhan’s mind fractured nine times. When they reappeared for the tenth time, they suddenly merged together. Instantly, his mind felt as if it were forcibly expanded by an unseen power—a small lake transforming into an ocean, a feeling of infinite boundlessness surging in his chest, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of emotion.
This feeling intensified until, with a boom, he felt as if he, too, had shattered, turning into fine dust drifting across the world, inundated by endless sensations: a gentle breeze, sounds both silent and chaotic, the clear blue sky, the motes of dust in the air, the faint chirping and wriggling of insects on the ground.
“Rumble…” Lightning seemed to strike his forehead, and as the thunder echoed, he truly awakened, his mind now encompassing the entire world.
A smile broke across his face—the Celestial Mystery Art was mastered!
“Senior Brother Lin!” he shouted aloud.
The entire scenery of Tianyuan Pavilion appeared clearly in his mind. Long Jingyue, Bai Mingqiu, and Zhu Ling were gone. The Pavilion held very few disciples—only five scattered figures.
Lin Shaobai was practicing his sword in the adjacent small courtyard. Hearing Li Muzhan’s call, he leaped over the wall into Li Muzhan’s courtyard and called out, “Junior Brother Li?”
Li Muzhan floated out of his room, frowning, “Where are all the Senior Brothers and Sisters?”
“They went to fight the Divine Fist Sect!” Lin Shaobai replied.
Li Muzhan’s brow furrowed. “It’s finally started then?”
Lin Shaobai nodded. “They killed two more of our disciples. The Pavilion Master is furious and has decided to declare total war on them.”
Li Muzhan asked, “When did this happen?”
“About three days ago,” Lin Shaobai said.
Li Muzhan turned and went back into his room, strapping his sword to his waist. Lin Shaobai quickly stopped him. “Wait, Junior Brother Li, the Pavilion Master specifically ordered you not to leave the mountain!”
Li Muzhan retorted, “Everyone is fighting for their lives; how can I just stand by and watch?”
Lin Shaobai hurried to explain, “The Pavilion Master said your going would be like adding fuel to the fire, and that they would stop at nothing to kill you—going there means certain death!”
Li Muzhan laughed, “If I die, I die. Senior Brother Lin, you should come along too!”
“I’ll have completed my task once you emerge from seclusion, so I’m going,” Lin Shaobai confirmed.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Then I’ll take my leave first.”
Lin Shaobai tried to block him, but Li Muzhan sidestepped him in a flash and vanished from his sight. Lin Shaobai called out loudly, “Junior Brother Li, where are you going?”
Li Muzhan’s laughter drifted back on the wind, “I will find them!”
Lin Shaobai stamped his foot in frustration. He hadn't expected Li Muzhan to emerge from seclusion so quickly. His prior preparations were now useless. If Li Muzhan truly went, he would be walking into a death trap!
He paused to think, realizing he could only rush to find the Pavilion Master first and report, to see if the Master could devise a plan.
Li Muzhan was no longer the same person. With the Celestial Mystery Art mastered, his perceptive abilities had increased severalfold. He didn't need to ask; he could sense Bai Mingqiu and the others.
He activated his Qinggong, his feet light upon the ground, able to feel the existence of every blade of grass beneath him. This feeling of having the world under his control was indescribably wonderful.
After traveling for a full day, he caught up with Long Jingyue and the others near evening.
He approached directly to the outside of Long Jingyue’s tent. Bai Mingqiu emerged, her delicate brows knitting upon seeing him. “Junior Brother, what are you doing here!”
Li Muzhan smiled, “Senior Sister, I’m not too late, am I?”
“Go back!” Bai Mingqiu said coldly.
Li Muzhan said with a grin, “How can I miss out on such good fun?” Master is here?”
“She is inside and won’t see you,” Bai Mingqiu stated.
Li Muzhan insisted, “I must see the Master!”
Bai Mingqiu hesitated, then turned and entered the tent.
The surrounding disciples murmured quietly amongst themselves, occasionally glancing over with looks of curiosity.
They knew this whole affair stemmed from Li Muzhan killing over forty experts of the Divine Fist Sect. That alone warranted attention. They had all seen the Divine Fist Sect disciples; every single one was a formidable opponent, tough to handle. Dealing with one was difficult enough; him killing forty-plus in one go was truly exhilarating!
As for the resulting irreconcilable feud with the Divine Fist Sect, they didn't care much. The Divine Fist Sect had been overbearing for years, causing them immense suffering. They had long harbored pent-up frustration, and martial artists, fueled by blood and spirit, could least tolerate being oppressed. (To be continued)