"Greetings, Miss Hu, long time no see?" Zheng Haiya clasped his hands in salute, his blue robe fluttering with an air of effortless grace.

Bai Mingqiu frowned coldly, "I truly never imagined that the dignified Qinghe Sword Sect would resort to such despicable means, attacking a defenseless woman!"

"Heh heh, Miss Hu is hardly a defenseless woman," Zheng Haiya chuckled. "For one so young to possess such cultivation, you must hail from a renowned lineage, I presume?"

Bai Mingqiu sneered, "I am no disciple of a great sect, or else you would not be allowed such brazenness!"

Leng Qian frowned, looking at her, then glancing at Zheng Haiya.

Zheng Haiya smiled pleasantly, "Are you alright, Miss?"

He knew his Martial Uncle Leng Qian was not one to be moved by pity or tenderness for women. A strike from that palm should have been instantly fatal for Miss Hu, yet here she was, not only unharmed but seemingly possessing increased cultivation—a truly bewildering sight.

"You must be quite disappointed that I didn't die, yes?" Bai Mingqiu gave a cold laugh.

She didn't know how Li Muzhan had saved her, but she knew it must have come at a great cost. Leng Qian's unique internal arts and pure neili were notoriously difficult to neutralize.

Zheng Haiya smiled, "It must be Young Hero Li's doing? Why doesn't Young Hero Li show himself?"

Bai Mingqiu’s expression darkened. "No need for you to inquire!"

Zheng Haiya let out a light laugh. "Is Young Hero Li inside the house then?" Impossible. That person clearly had no cultivation whatsoever!"

Bai Mingqiu's heart sank continuously. It was just as she feared; she hadn't been mistaken. His cultivation was gone, yet she still managed a cold laugh, "You've come to kill me, haven't you?"

"Heh heh..." Zheng Haiya shook his head and smiled. "Miss Hu, please don't misunderstand. We bear you no ill will, why would we harm you? We are here for Young Hero Li... Ah, the old saying proves true—even heroes are undone by beautiful women!"

Leng Qian grunted, "Stop wasting words with her, let's go in!"

Bai Mingqiu flashed into the room. Li Muzhan sat cross-legged, purple energy swirling around his face as if veiled in a fine violet gauze. His body emitted a sound like rushing water—utterly bizarre.

She was instantly overjoyed, sensing that Li Muzhan's cultivation was indeed returning. As Leng Qian and Zheng Haiya entered the room, Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes, beams of light emanating from them, sharp as lightning.

The moment Leng Qian and Zheng Haiya met his gaze, they froze. They hadn't expected that in just a brief moment, Li Muzhan’s aura had surged dramatically, entirely different from before.

A single thought struck them both: perhaps he had deliberately concealed his true essence and spirit earlier, luring them inside. Both instinctively tensed their bodies.

Li Muzhan raised both hands, and with a "Chii!" "Chii!" two streams of purple energy shot from his fingertips, moving as swiftly as lightning, striking their chests in an instant.

They couldn't dodge in time, having only time to strike outward with their palms before their chests. Bang! Bang! Both men were forced back a step. Li Muzhan instantly appeared beside Bai Mingqiu, seizing her slender waist as they vanished.

"Chase!" Leng Qian’s face grew grim. Zheng Haiya was furious as well. The two rushed out of the wooden hut but could find no trace of Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan, still embracing Bai Mingqiu, reappeared on a small hill ten li away.

Bai Mingqiu let out a long breath, turned her head, and smiled, "Junior Brother... Junior Brother!"

Li Muzhan’s face was flushed deep crimson, as if painted. He opened his mouth and expelled a stream of blood mist, falling backward toward the sky.

"Junior Brother!" Bai Mingqiu quickly caught him, pressing her right palm against his back and channeling internal energy inward. She found his body utterly hollowed out—not a trace of neili remained.

Being sharp and intelligent, she instantly understood: that single strike, though appearing devastating, had been him pouring out every ounce of his internal strength in one desperate gamble.

She slowly lowered Li Muzhan to the ground and fed her neili in. Li Muzhan's body felt like hard, dry earth; the energy flowed in and was immediately repelled, carrying a faint, vibrating force.

She frowned, confused by Li Muzhan’s condition. She gently wiped the corner of his mouth with a silk scarf and softly called, "Junior Brother, wake up, Junior Brother..."

After a long pause, Li Muzhan slowly regained consciousness.

"Junior Brother!" Bai Mingqiu was overjoyed, leaning close to ask, "Are you feeling any better?"

Li Muzhan struggled to sit up, cross-legged. He formed a hand seal and expelled two breaths of stale air, "Senior Sister, how long was I out?"

"You were unconscious for a quarter of an hour," Bai Mingqiu replied.

Li Muzhan frowned, "Not good. We must leave quickly!"

Bai Mingqiu asked, "Will they pursue us?"

Li Muzhan nodded. "They should be close by now. If they catch up again this time, I won't be able to escape!"

He had used the Ziyang Dafa, transforming the power within his blood into internal energy. This was the marvel of the Ziyang Dafa—refining essence into qi. Having expended the power from his blood, he was utterly exhausted, propped up only by his formidable spirit. Facing Leng Qian and Zheng Haiya again meant certain defeat.

Bai Mingqiu knelt down. "I will carry you and we'll run!"

Li Muzhan did not refuse, leaning forward onto her back. The softness and warmth enveloped him; a delicate fragrance reached his nose. Bai Mingqiu rose and moved with blinding speed, quickly descending the hill and plunging into the forest.

A gust of wind passed. Li Muzhan said, "Senior Sister, let's enter the city. I need a massive meal."

"At a time like this, you're thinking about eating?!" Bai Mingqiu huffed.

Li Muzhan replied, "Only when full can I have strength. They have secret arts and will catch up eventually. I have no strength now; I need meat."

"Alright!" Bai Mingqiu nodded helplessly. "When do you think they'll catch up?"

Li Muzhan paused in thought, calculating their pace. After a moment, he said, "About half an hour. Don't worry too much, Senior Sister."

"If they really catch us, we won't escape!" Bai Mingqiu grumbled. "The formation talismans Master gave me won't work on them either; Leng Qian is truly troublesome!"

Leng Qian's cultivation was too deep; ordinary talismans and arrays couldn't hold him. Rumor had it he practiced the supreme internal art of the Qinghe Sword Sect, his realm profound. It seemed the rumors were true.

Li Muzhan stated, "Once I've eaten my fill, I'll still have the strength to fight."

"Fine," Bai Mingqiu conceded with a sigh.

She knew that relying on her own abilities, escaping pursuit would be extremely difficult. Their cultivation was deeper, and their speed greater; they would catch them eventually. However, her Junior Brother possessed a secret technique that allowed him to instantly appear far away, surpassing any known qinggong—there was still hope for escape.

She carried Li Muzhan and sped away, soon arriving at a small town. They walked straight through to the central tavern and ordered ten catties of beef.

Li Muzhan then transformed into a gluttonous beast, devouring eight catties of beef in one sitting, leaving Bai Mingqiu slack-jawed with astonishment. Spread out, eight catties of beef could never fit in one person's stomach—how did he manage it?

Li Muzhan had achieved mastery in body refinement techniques; his internal organs were vastly stronger than ordinary people's, giving him an extremely powerful capacity for digestion and absorption. He digested as he ate, integrating the essence into his blood.

After eating, Li Muzhan ordered another ten catties of beef to go. As he ate, the purple energy swirled around his face, dissipating only after the beef was consumed.

Bai Mingqiu could feel his cultivation slowly strengthening and let out a deep sigh of relief. It seemed this was truly a miraculous technique—gaining cultivation through eating. If it were that simple, why bother with strenuous practice?

After eating, Li Muzhan tucked her under one arm and carried the beef in the other. They vanished the moment they left the town, reappearing a hundred li distant.

Escape was paramount now. He activated the Ziyang Dafa, converting it into an endless stream of internal energy. Bai Mingqiu was not overly surprised.

Li Muzhan cultivated while fleeing, using the Ziyang Dafa to heal the aftereffects of his Huaxu Divine Art.

That evening, Li Muzhan brought Bai Mingqiu back to the same valley. The setting sun dyed the valley red, casting an air of deep peace and tranquility over the place.

Bai Mingqiu loved this spot; it was here that she had let go of everything, achieving a complete shift in her state of mind. This valley held a special significance for her.

The two sat on a stone couch by the water pool, watching the clear surface while chatting idly. (To be continued)