North of Moonlit City stretched an unbroken chain of towering mountains, while the other three sides opened up into vast plains, perfect for a sweeping gallop.
Moonlit City held no strategic advantage nor any local specialties, but just as a mountain's fame rests not on its height but on the immortals within, Moonlit City was renowned because of the Bright Mirror Sect.
Moonlit City sat closest to the Bright Mirror Sect, and its disciples often visited for respite, though most disguised themselves, rendering them unrecognizable to the common eye.
The Cloud-Gazing Pavilion was the grandest tavern in Moonlit City, opulent and extravagant, keeping ordinary folk at bay; a simple side dish there cost ten times the price elsewhere.
Despite the cost, the Pavilion was always bustling with people.
Li Muzhan sat at a window table on the third floor, the window wide open, allowing the evening sun to bathe him perfectly. Dressed in a simple azure robe, he sipped his fine wine with an air of serene leisure.
Possessing the Eye of the Void, the entirety of Moonlit City was mapped directly within his mind. From the third floor, he exuded an aura of effortless freedom, standing apart from the mundane world.
Moonlit City was indeed tranquil; order was strictly maintained within its walls, and violent altercations were rare. Martial artists who entered the city behaved themselves, daring not to cause trouble.
Li Muzhan shook his head—this was true authority, something his current Heavenly Abyss Pavilion sorely lacked.
He lingered here for a while; every two or three days he made a trip, drinking leisurely and absorbing the idle chatter of the diverse patrons, slowly piecing together intelligence on the Bright Mirror Sect.
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. Li Muzhan understood that obtaining the Bright Mirror Sect’s profound techniques would not be easy. Their disciples followed a rigid progression: only after mastering one level of their cultivation method could they study the next; viewing the subsequent level before achieving mastery in the preceding one was strictly forbidden.
The layers of cultivation Li Muzhan could counter were shallow; those who had reached deeper levels were beyond his current capabilities. This was why he had been at an impasse, with only one recourse: infiltrating the Bright Mirror Sect.
If he failed to acquire the Soul Transformation Palm this time, he would discard his martial arts and seek entry into the sect. Even if entry was denied, it would be inconsequential—he could simply re-activate the Great Violet Sun Technique.
As he sipped his wine thoughtfully, contemplating the Bright Mirror Sect, he suddenly frowned and turned his head. A blue-robed elder was slowly ascending the stairs.
Li Muzhan’s brow furrowed; something felt inherently wrong.
The elder had a square face and a stocky build, carrying an aura of profound stability, suggesting long-held authority. Though he appeared unpracticed in martial arts, a long sword was belted at his waist.
Li Muzhan’s gaze settled on the sword—a plain, unadorned blade, seemingly no different from any common Qingfeng sword.
Yet, Li Muzhan felt a cold prickle, an instinctive warning urging him to keep his distance from this elder—danger.
The elder walked deliberately to Li Muzhan's table and sat opposite him, smiling slightly, “Young man, might I share this space?”
His speech was slightly slurred, but his voice was deep, vibrating the very eardrums with a faint, aching intensity.
Li Muzhan nodded lightly, “Please, Elder, as you wish.”
The blue-robed elder nodded, “Thank you, young man. Waiter!”
He snapped his fingers, and a waiter, quick and neat, hurried over, bowing with a smile to take his order. The elder requested two side dishes and a jar of wine, then waved his hand dismissively.
The dishes and wine arrived swiftly. The elder knocked the seal off the jar, sniffed the contents with a smile, then slowly poured a bowl and drank it down in one gulp, ignoring the food. Then came a second bowl.
After draining three bowls in quick succession, he finally set the large bowl down and began slowly picking at the dishes. Li Muzhan watched him with a faint smile. The elder took two bites, then set down his chopsticks and looked toward Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan inquired, “Does Elder have some counsel for me?”
“You are Li Canghai, aren’t you?” the elder asked slowly.
Li Muzhan smiled, “Does the Elder know me?”
“It is good that you are Li Canghai!” The elder nodded, appraising him, “I hadn’t expected you to be so young.”
Li Muzhan returned, “And who might the Elder be…?”
The elder announced, “This old man is Zheng Tianhe!”
Li Muzhan paused, his brow suddenly arching, “Zheng Tianhe? Then you must be a senior from the Qinghe Sword School. A pleasure!”
Zheng Tianhe smiled, “For one so young, you possess remarkable composure. Rare indeed!”
Li Muzhan asked directly, “Senior Zheng, have you come seeking vengeance?”
Zheng Tianhe casually replied while studying him, “Both of my good-for-nothing sons died by your hand.”
Li Muzhan confirmed, “Zheng Haishan and Zheng Haiya were your sons?”
“Indeed!” Zheng Tianhe nodded, “They were outmatched; their deaths were not unjust. However, this debt must be repaid. Li Canghai, kill yourself now!”
Li Muzhan sighed, “They sought to kill me, so I could only kill them. How did the Senior find me?”
He was proficient in formations, integrating them with the current runic arrays to create a personal concealment talisman that masked his aura, rendering him undetectable to external probes. Coupled with his Heavenly Secret Art, he could virtually sever all tracking sorcery. Yet, Zheng Tianhe had tracked him down nonetheless. The Qinghe Sword School was truly not to be underestimated!
“You cannot escape,” Zheng Tianhe shook his head. “As for the tracking method, it is a unique secret art of the Qinghe Sword School, unknown to outsiders.”
Li Muzhan frowned, “Does that mean your Qinghe Sword School is determined to kill me, no matter what?”
Zheng Tianhe stated, “Junior Nephew Leng was next in line to inherit the leadership.”
Li Muzhan managed a wry smile, “I truly hadn't realized.”
Zheng Tianhe concluded, “So there is no point in you struggling pointlessly. Death is inevitable sooner or later. Better sooner, allowing for an earlier reincarnation, and sparing your family and friends.”
Li Muzhan shook his head, smiling faintly, “I am alone, with no attachments… Senior Zheng, a bare foot does not fear one who wears shoes. If your Qinghe Sword School continues to press me, I will show no courtesy!”
“When have you ever shown courtesy!” Zheng Tianhe said flatly, and the large wine bowl transformed into a streak of white light shooting toward Li Muzhan.
Chii! Li Muzhan pressed his thumb.
Bang! The bowl disintegrated into fine powder that drifted softly to the floor.
The wine jar followed, and with another finger flick from Li Muzhan, it too shattered into fragments. The fine wine splashed out, its rich aroma intoxicating, but before it could dissipate, it condensed into a fist and struck toward Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan met it with a punch. Bang! The two fists collided with a Hualala sound. Li Muzhan's chair disintegrated, while he floated backward four steps.
“You have some skill,” Zheng Tianhe said slowly, his demeanor shifting like a waking lion. His slightly drooping eyelids lifted, revealing eyes that were deep and unnerving to meet.
He crossed the distance in a single stride, and a flash of sword light erupted. Li Muzhan abruptly retreated, glancing down at a fine tear in the sleeve of his robe.
He sucked in a sharp breath—the sword was terrifyingly fast, too quick for him to even fully react.
Zheng Tianhe stepped forward again, suddenly right upon him. A second flash of sword light, and Li Muzhan clutched his shoulder, staggering back four steps, glaring at Zheng Tianhe with a frown.
His shoulder had taken a strike. Fortunately, his body was incredibly resilient, and his internal energy was pure, his protective aura solid; otherwise, this blow would have pierced straight to his heart.
“Fine swordsmanship!” Li Muzhan gritted out.
Zheng Tianhe’s eyelids drooped once more, and he shook his head, “Your cultivation at such a young age is truly rare. A pity, a pity!”
With that, the sword light flashed again. Li Muzhan’s right shoulder was struck once more, leaving him utterly incapable of counterattack. Zheng Tianhe’s sword moved beyond the limits of speed; the moment the light appeared, the sword was already back in its scabbard.
Li Muzhan had pursued speed in swordsmanship before, but compared to Zheng Tianhe, it was like a child learning from a master.
He had anticipated Zheng Tianhe’s cultivation to be deeper than his own, but he never imagined the gulf to be so wide, leaving him entirely defenseless. He sighed, shaking his head, “Senior Zheng, I will repay today’s lesson another day. I take my leave!”
With that, he flickered and vanished. Zheng Tianhe crossed the distance in one step, and the tip of his sword struck empty air where Li Muzhan had just been. Zheng Tianhe’s face instantly darkened.