Li Muzhan strode out of the tavern, laughing towards the sky, the sound carrying clearly back inside to the patrons, while Zheng Haishi’s face darkened, his jaw clenched tight.

Li Muzhan continued to wander through White Stone City, curious to see what other tricks Zheng Haishi might have up his sleeve.

He had deliberately set out to gauge the true strength of the Clear River Sword Sect; having already offended the Mu family, a confrontation with the sect was inevitable, and he preferred to prepare sooner rather than later.

His steps were light and airy as he drifted along the streets. Though his pace appeared slow and leisurely, he covered ground incredibly fast, managing to survey the entirety of White Stone City before nightfall.

His Eye of the Void could pierce twenty li in any direction, but at that range, he could only see the scenery, unable to discern any clear sound; proximity was necessary for auditory clarity.

Upon returning to the inn, he sat cross-legged in meditation, conserving his energy, fully aware that the Clear River Sword Sect was bound to retaliate—he just didn't know how many would attack this time.

In the dead of night, Li Muzhan, who had been sitting on the couch, suddenly snapped his eyes open. He glanced upward, waved a hand, and the window slid open by itself, allowing him to drift out.

“Hmph!” The moment he stepped out, a flash of cold light materialized right before him—a sword tip. He casually deflected it with a gentle sweep, already outside the inn, his figure electric as he shot past one rooftop after another.

Four figures in black chased relentlessly behind him. In moments, they had cleared White Stone City and entered the woods outside, the five of them gliding swiftly above the treetops.

Li Muzhan boomed with laughter: “Young Master Zheng, you finally couldn’t hold back, could you? This is the virtue of your esteemed Clear River Sword Sect!”

The four men in black, their faces masked with dark cloth, pursued him without cease. Their movement techniques were swift, but alas, they were a step behind Li Muzhan and could never quite catch up. Li Muzhan continued to laugh as he sped along, leaving them frustrated and unable to utter a word.

Li Muzhan laughed even louder: “Young Master Zheng, your efforts are entirely in vain. Send someone better next time! Surely the dignified Clear River Sword Sect has more skill than this, haven’t they?!”

With those words, he suddenly accelerated, vanishing from their sight in the blink of an eye, leaving the four men a hundred meters behind.

The four exchanged a look, then abruptly surged forward, instantaneously encircling Li Muzhan. They drew their swords, forming a shimmering curtain of light that descended to envelop him.

Li Muzhan flicked his fingers lightly. “Ding, ding, ding, ding…” A continuous cascade of clear chimes erupted, dense and interwoven like a sudden downpour on banana leaves.

Li Muzhan shook his head. “You must have activated some kind of secret art, something you can’t sustain for long, can you?”

He spoke deliberately to provoke them; the more they relied on such secret techniques, the less they could withstand goading, and agitation would lead to a loss of control—wielding a secret art was like a child swinging a sledgehammer, one wrong move and they’d strike themselves.

“Aargh…” A roar of fury tore through the air, and one man ripped off his black mask, revealing his true face—it was none other than Zheng Haishi. His handsome features were contorted in rage as he bellowed: “Four Symbols Burning Essence!”

Following his shout, the swords of the four men simultaneously blazed, resembling a setting sun. Li Muzhan’s eyes stung painfully, having blinked a fraction too late, slightly injuring his vision.

This bizarre sword technique, he realized with a jolt, was clearly designed specifically to target the eyes. He inwardly cursed the vicious cunning of the Clear River Sword Sect. No matter how strong one’s cultivation or physical fortitude, the eyes remained a fragile spot, and even a minor impairment in a close fight against an equally matched foe could be decisive.

Seeing Li Muzhan close his eyes, the four were ecstatic; they knew they had succeeded. Their swordplay instantly changed: the sky full of illusory sword shadows dispersed, the light contracted, and the movements became slow, deliberate, and utterly silent.

Li Muzhan appeared to strain his ears, allowing their long swords to close in on him. Suddenly, he raised all ten fingers simultaneously, launching ten streams of internal energy.

“Chiiii, chiiii, chiiii, chiiii…” With whistling sounds, the finger strikes landed upon their bodies.

His launch was sudden, his energy incredibly swift. The four were beside themselves with excitement, focused solely on killing Li Muzhan, never anticipating a counterattack, and their reaction was too slow.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang…” The finger strikes landed like hammers, sending the four men flying horizontally through the air.

Li Muzhan pressed his right thumb forward. “Chii!” and “Pu!” Two sounds erupted almost concurrently; his energy pierced one man’s chest, spraying a fountain of blood.

He followed immediately by pressing his thumb again. The remaining three desperately swung their swords, but they still couldn't block the attack; one finger strike sent their weapons flying, and the second pierced their bodies.

After they fell to the ground, the four lay still. Li Muzhan walked to Zheng Haishi’s side, looked down at him, and sighed, shaking his head. “Young Master Zheng, why the necessity?”

Zheng Haishi’s handsome face was now pale as parchment, a crimson hole in his left chest oozing blood. He looked up at Li Muzhan and suddenly began to laugh.

Li Muzhan smiled in return. “Are you imagining that I won’t escape the Clear River Sword Sect’s relentless pursuit, and will soon join you below?”

“It’s good that you know. I’ll be waiting for you down there!” Zheng Haishi said with a grin, watching Li Muzhan with satisfaction. “You can’t escape!”

Li Muzhan chuckled. “I’ll hide deep in the mountains. I doubt the Clear River Sword Sect can find me then!”

Zheng Haishi shook his head with difficulty. “You won’t escape…”

With those words, his neck snapped to the side, and he became utterly motionless.

Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed again. It was truly a pity to kill such a promising young talent, but he had only himself to blame for repeatedly attempting to murder him; leniency was no longer an option.

Li Muzhan drifted away, now facing the impending encirclement by the Clear River Sword Sect.

The midday sun illuminated the main hall of the Heavenly Abyss Pavilion with a bright, soft glow. Inside, Long Jingyue and Bai Mingqiu sat facing each other, speaking in low tones.

“Mingqiu, your concern is clouding your judgment. Wuji will be fine,” Long Jingyue said gently. She was clad in a moon-white silk robe, elegant and pristine.

Bai Mingqiu wore a striking, bright crimson silk robe, yet her delicate brows were furrowed. “My junior brother is becoming more and more endangered; I cannot simply stand by and watch!”

“Wuji handles things with discretion. If he truly can’t cope, he will send a signal,” Long Jingyue replied.

Bai Mingqiu shook her head. “My junior brother has reservations and won’t ask us for help!” She paused, then stated firmly, “Master, I must go!”

“You truly…” Long Jingyue shook her head. “It seems you’ve fallen hard for him!”

Bai Mingqiu frowned. “Master worries unnecessarily. The Heavenly Abyss Pavilion cannot afford to lose our junior brother!”

“Sigh…” Long Jingyue sighed. “Wuji is arguably the foremost expert in the Heavenly Abyss Pavilion now. If he fails, our going there will be pointless!”

“Even one more person adds a measure of strength; I could provide support for my junior brother. The Clear River Sword Sect is hunting him across the entire realm—it’s too difficult for him!”

“I fear if we go, not only will we be unable to help, but we might become a burden. I advise you, Mingqiu, to exercise patience and watch a little longer,” Long Jingyue cautioned.

“Master!” Bai Mingqiu grew anxious, frowning sternly. “The Clear River Sword Sect has already lost a hundred of their masters; the entire world knows this, and everyone is watching… How can they possibly allow my junior brother to roam free? They will certainly send their most elite experts, vowing to kill him!”

“Mingqiu, don’t fret!” Long Jingyue smiled and shook her head. “The more top-tier experts they send, the less Wuji fears them. He has the Heavenly Mandate Art, which allows him to foresee opportunities and escape in advance.”

“Against absolute power, the Heavenly Mandate Art may not be effective.” Bai Mingqiu took a deep breath, suppressing her rising temper. “Master, rest assured, I will disguise myself. No one will recognize my identity.” Long Jingyue retorted sharply. “Wuji’s finger techniques are formidable, but without your sword skills, your martial power is reduced by twenty percent—how can I feel secure?!”

“I will use the Heavenly Yin Palm!”

“You haven’t truly mastered the Heavenly Yin Palm; the backlash is too severe!” Long Jingyue shook her head.

“I won’t use it unless it’s a critical moment. Master, I want to leave the mountain immediately!”

“Alas…” Long Jingyue sighed deeply. “This Wuji—he stirs up too much trouble. At first, we thought it was just a minor skirmish to test the Clear River Sword Sect’s defenses, but we never expected him to escalate things this far, slaughtering wave after wave of their people. Now, it’s truly a fight to the death!”

Bai Mingqiu also sighed. “I can only pray my junior brother stays hidden deeply enough.”

Long Jingyue said, “Mingqiu, stop practicing the Supreme Purity of the Grand Ultimate Scripture. Wuji advised me about it recently, and he was right.”

“Mm,” Bai Mingqiu murmured, nodding distractedly.

Long Jingyue frowned. “That scripture is indeed inappropriate; I will stop practicing it as well.” (To be continued)

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