He peered out with his Void Eyes, seeing the four of them stopped outside the Tianyuan Pavilion. Due to the great formation, they couldn't enter and could only hover anxiously outside.
Li Muzhan let out a breath of relief. Since Tianyuan Pavilion had sealed the mountain, it didn't matter if they knew he was the culprit. By hiding in Tianyuan, they couldn't get in.
"Are they catching up?" Bai Mingqiu asked.
Li Muzhan nodded. "They are, and rather quickly. Tell everyone not to go out, lest they be caught and used as leverage. Let's see how long they can last!"
Bai Mingqiu frowned. "How long can you hide?"
Li Muzhan asked, "If I truly obtain the Inheritance Flower, will my power increase dramatically?"
"...That depends on your skill," Bai Mingqiu replied.
Li Muzhan laughed. "Then let's try. I can't beat them; it's all up to the Inheritance Flower!"
"Not everyone succeeds with the Inheritance Flower," Bai Mingqiu dampened his enthusiasm, lest he become too eager and suffer too great a disappointment.
Li Muzhan said, "Let's see what fate intends!"
The more profound his cultivation became, the more he sensed the irresistible force operating behind the scenes. The ignorant were fearless; when one's power was small, one felt, My fate is mine to command, not heaven's. As cultivation grew, sensing the overwhelming power, he increasingly felt the insignificance of human effort.
As the two spoke, Long Jingyue drifted over, beckoning. "Wuji, come with me to meet the Elders."
Li Muzhan’s spirit soared. Finally, he would see the ultimate power of Tianyuan Pavilion. Thrilled, he followed Long Jingyue as she floated down into the Tianyuan, descending continuously.
They passed the meditation cave where he had faced the wall, but kept going down—it grew colder, darker, and Li Muzhan felt as if time itself had solidified.
After a long while, Long Jingyue said in a deep voice, "We've arrived!"
Her voice sounded strange, and Li Muzhan knew it was due to the surrounding environment. An invisible force oppressed him, making breathing difficult; every movement required several times the usual effort.
Long Jingyue drifted into a cave. Li Muzhan closely followed. It looked similar to the cave where he meditated, only deeper and considerably colder.
After walking a few steps inside, they turned left into another cavern. Before them, the space opened up into a vast, empty hall.
Several seats were arranged in the hall. Six graceful middle-aged beautiful women and two white-bearded elders silently watched the two enter.
"Master, this is Li Wuji." Long Jingyue pointed to Li Muzhan. "Wuji, these are Martial Uncle He, Martial Uncle Meng, Martial Uncle Zhao..."
She introduced them one by one. The two white-bearded elders were actually martial grand-uncles.
Li Muzhan greeted the martial grand-ancestors with solemn reverence.
"Well, a fine young man," the middle-aged woman in the center smiled. "Very spirited, clear-eyed, and calm-minded."
The other five scrutinized Li Muzhan without comment.
"Master, can Wuji receive the inheritance?" Long Jingyue asked.
The middle-aged woman glanced at the five and smiled. "Then it is decided. This little fellow doesn't seem like a bad person, and he has performed such great service. Let's let him try one!"
"Yes. Thank you, Master!" Long Jingyue was overjoyed.
Li Muzhan bowed deeply to thank them, neither servile nor overbearing. He knew this was the attitude elders favored most—the path of moderation, the safest approach.
"Wuji, come with me!" Long Jingyue turned, bowed to the others, and led Li Muzhan to an adjacent grotto. "Wuji, the Inheritance Flower is not easily fused. I will guard you during the process. If it truly fails, give it up; do not force yourself!" Long Jingyue said gravely.
Li Muzhan sat with her on a jade kang bed, which was pleasantly warm, sending soft, gentle energy into his body, warding off the intense cold.
The cold here was too severe, penetrating deep into the marrow. If one's protective Gang Qi was insufficient, one would instantly freeze into an ice sculpture and die immediately.
This jade bed seemed perfectly integrated with the floor, not an external addition but an inherent feature. When he asked curiously, Long Jingyue confirmed that the jade bed was naturally formed.
Where Yin reaches its extreme, Yang is born. This grotto possessed that profound mystery; the warm jade bed's energy resisted the piercing cold, ensuring safety even if internal strength waned.
One could fully circulate their energy while sitting there, without fear of exhausting their Neili.
Li Muzhan nodded and smiled. "Master, rest assured. As long as the green hills remain, there's no shortage of firewood; I understand that principle!"
"Mm, that's good. I was just afraid you might become obsessed and unable to let go when the time comes," Long Jingyue nodded lightly. "The Inheritance Flower is strange; even if fusion fails, it won't be damaged. So, set aside the burden, and just do your best."
Li Muzhan asked, "Master, may I pick one myself?"
"...Very well, come with me!" Long Jingyue pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Li Muzhan understood this must be unprecedented, and he was setting another precedent. His Master truly treated him exceptionally well!
Long Jingyue led Li Muzhan to another grotto. After striking a section of the rock wall a dozen times, the wall opened with a 'rumble,' revealing a passage.
Even with Li Muzhan’s sharp sight, he couldn't discern the opening; the stonework was truly seamless, showing no trace whatsoever.
They entered the grotto. Inside, the light was dazzling, as if they had arrived in another world. The entire grotto appeared to be constructed of jade, the walls a brilliant green. Three magnificent flowers floated silently in the air, radiating a brilliant luster that lit up the whole cavern, making it hard to look directly at them.
"Wuji, choose one of these three Inheritance Flowers," Long Jingyue pointed to the three blossoms suspended in the air, letting out a sigh.
The light illuminated her face, making it as white as jade, and her bright eyes sparkled.
Li Muzhan’s spirit was completely captivated by the three flowers. Focusing his gaze, he saw that their shapes were bizarre—unlike anything he had ever encountered.
The three flowers were distinct yet all beautiful and harmonious. Gazing upon them, one's spirit would gradually be drawn in, slowly becoming unable to pull away.
Li Muzhan possessed a powerful spirit; realizing something was amiss, he immediately pulled back his attention and turned to her. "Master, may I choose any one freely?"
"Yes," Long Jingyue nodded gently and smiled. "It seems you have great hope."
She recalled that when she first saw the Inheritance Flower, she was instantly trapped and couldn't break free until her Master woke her; she had been lost in a daze for a long time.
But Wuji could remain unaffected—that level of composure was astonishing. And composure was what fusing the Inheritance Flower required most; the deeper the composure, the greater the gain.
Suddenly, she felt utterly confident in Li Muzhan. "Choose one. Don't hesitate."
Li Muzhan nodded, closed his eyes, settled his breath for a moment, and then suddenly reached out, instantly drawing the central flower into his hand.
The touch was searing, a heat that sank deep into his bones, as if his entire hand were engulfed in flames. Li Muzhan barely endured the pain, staring intently at the strange flower.
Its material was also peculiar: seeming like jade yet not, like iron yet not, yet lighter than air. Still, he could touch it, and the searing heat grew stronger.
"It's very hot, isn't it?" Long Jingyue asked.
Li Muzhan asked, "What is this made of?"
"Heart Jade," Long Jingyue replied. "This substance is extremely rare; almost no one in the world recognizes it."
Li Muzhan stated, "How do I fuse it? Master, teach me."
Long Jingyue said, "Let's discuss it outside."
The two left the jade grotto and returned to the previous one, sitting on the warm jade bed. Long Jingyue taught him a set of incantations, telling him to master them first.
Li Muzhan practiced for a day, then began the fusion process.
The searing Inheritance Flower was placed against his brow. The heart incantation circulated, and an invisible force instantly rose from his Zuoqiao (ancestral aperture), slowly emerging from his brow and landing on the Inheritance Flower.
"Boom..." A thunderclap seemed to sound in his ears. His spirit shook violently, and his entire body felt lifted up. The world spun wildly.
At this point, his formidable composure took effect. He had encountered similar situations countless times during his Zen meditation practice; all were illusions, extinguished by observing emptiness.
His spirit remained unmoved, letting the thunder roar in his ears and his body spin unbalanced. His mind was as tranquil as ever, like sitting atop a mountain watching the breeze.
After nine peals of thunder, a surging power poured in from the Zuoqiao, like a flood breaking through a dam, rushing down. Instantly, the Zuoqiao swelled, then filled his entire head—his brain felt as if it were about to explode.
The intense pain twisted his features into a grimace. He felt endless content flooding his mind, convinced his head would burst like a balloon at any second.
He gritted his teeth, his spirit tightly guarding his head, preventing unconsciousness. He was like a lone candle in a gale, flickering precariously, yet refusing to be extinguished.
Long Jingyue watched Li Muzhan intently, holding her breath, never blinking, silently cheering him on. She understood this feeling—it was akin to being near death. The longer one persisted, the greater the benefit. If he passed out, the process of fusing the Inheritance Flower's experience would end.
She herself had only lasted a brief moment before succumbing to the shock and losing consciousness. Upon waking, she had gained immense benefits, feeling as though she had cultivated for forty or fifty years, with a completely transformed understanding of martial arts, and radically improved comprehension and insight.
She watched Li Muzhan and unconsciously broke into a smile. He had persisted far longer than she had. To maintain such focus, what terrifying spirit he possessed!
Li Muzhan's facial muscles contorted, sweat streamed down in torrents, and wisps of white smoke began to rise from his hair, quickly coalescing into a small white cloud above his head.
Long Jingyue took a deep breath. To persist this long—he truly was a monster!
Li Muzhan’s body began to tremble slowly, as if seized by a fit. Sweat poured out, soaking his clothes in an instant, making him look as though he had been pulled from water.
The white vapor grew denser, soon enveloping his face like a veil. Even this close, Long Jingyue couldn't discern his expression.
She let out a soft breath, her face beaming. Having persisted for so long, his gains must be unimaginable.
She wondered which senior had created this Inheritance Flower. Anyone capable of condensing one must possess profound cultivation and a long lifespan, certainly not an ordinary person. She had gained the equivalent of forty or fifty years of experience just by lasting a moment; his gains after such a long duration must exceed a century of experience—it was incredible!
She sighed inwardly while watching him, eager to see how long he could last. Time seemed to slow down, moving with agonizing slowness.
"Hss—" A long, soft whistle echoed in the room. Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes. The white mist instantly drilled into his nostrils and vanished without a trace.
As his eyes opened, bolts of electricity shot forth. Long Jingyue instinctively averted her gaze, unable to look directly at him.
"Master," Li Muzhan smiled.
"Wuji, you actually persisted through it!" Long Jingyue looked at him in astonishment, examining him up and down.
Li Muzhan sighed. "It is incredibly potent!"
"How does it feel?" Long Jingyue hastily asked.
Li Muzhan paused in thought, then slowly nodded. "Very good."
"Have all the experiences fused?" Long Jingyue inquired.
Li Muzhan nodded. "I believe so... It's too vast, too enormous. I need time to sort it out properly."