Two evenings later, Li Muzhan and Bai Mingqiu stood at the foot of a towering mountain, craning their necks upward. They could not see the summit; the mid-section was entirely swallowed by mist.
“This is the Huaqing Sect?” Li Muzhan narrowed his eyes, still gazing up.
Bai Mingqiu let out a soft sigh, nodding slowly. “Yes.”
Li Muzhan noticed the flicker of thought in her bright eyes and smiled. “Have you been here before, Senior Sister?”
“Once,” Bai Mingqiu replied.
“Tagging along with the Master?” Li Muzhan inquired with a smile.
“Mhm,” she confirmed. “Master came to mediate between our Grandmaster and her husband—tried to reconcile them—but it was useless. Both are far too stubborn.”
Li Muzhan mused, “It’s hard for outsiders to truly understand the affairs between a husband and wife. Better to observe from a distance… Since they are at odds, will it truly cause no trouble here?”
Bai Mingqiu shot him a look, a hint of impatience in her tone. “Relax! We will get the help we need! Honestly, Junior Brother, you are too long-winded!”
Li Muzhan shook his head with a wry, helpless smile; his concern was clouding his judgment.
If the Huaqing Sect could genuinely assist, his worries would vanish, leaving him free to decisively confront the Qinghe Sword Sect. The Tianyuan Pavilion was his weakness; the Qinghe Sword Sect wouldn't need to engage him directly, only focus their elite forces on destroying Tianyuan Pavilion, leaving him with no choice but to passively defend.
As they spoke, two figures suddenly drifted out of the woods. Both wore long robes the color of pale moonlight, with swords suspended at their waists. They appeared refined, scholarly, and elegant.
Li Muzhan inwardly admired their outward appearance. Both were handsome; the one on the left was taller, while the shorter man on the right possessed a sharper aura, like a treasured sword just drawn from its scabbard.
“Junior Sister Bai!” The two exclaimed in surprise, cupping their fists and approaching. “Long time no see, Junior Sister Bai!”
Bai Mingqiu returned the gesture with a cool nod. “Senior Brother Cheng, Senior Brother Lin!”
“And this gentleman is…?” The two turned their sharp gazes toward Li Muzhan, their eyes like arrows, clearly aiming to pierce through to his very core.
Li Muzhan offered a polite smile and cupped his fist. “I am Li Wuji. A pleasure to meet you both.”
“Li Wuji…?” The pair exchanged a glance, scrutinizing him with surprise.
Li Muzhan maintained his slight smile, sensing they had indeed heard of his reputation, yet they remained silent. Bai Mingqiu interjected, “Senior Brother Cheng, is Grandmaster Li around?”
“Ah, bad timing,” the taller youth shook his head, regret evident in his expression. “Grandmaster Li is currently in seclusion.”
Bai Mingqiu frowned. “Seclusion?”
Li Muzhan also frowned; he detected a subtle abnormality in their demeanor.
The taller youth quickly nodded. “Grandmaster Li has been in seclusion for over a month now. We have no idea when he will emerge, and we certainly wouldn't dare disturb him.”
This statement effectively shut down Bai Mingqiu’s request. After a moment’s hesitation, she said flatly, “So, my trip here was in vain?”
“What business did you have visiting our Huaqing Sect, Junior Sister?” the taller youth asked hastily.
Li Muzhan murmured, “Senior Sister, perhaps we should just call it a day.” He saw through the trick instantly; clearly, the Huaqing Sect intended to stand on the sidelines, having no intention of offering aid—just as he had suspected.
Bai Mingqiu glanced coldly at Li Muzhan. “Since we’ve come all this way, we should at least ascend the mountain to pay respects to Sect Master Leng. Anything less would be grossly impolite!”
“Well, about that…” The taller youth hesitated, then shook his head in resignation. “It’s quite unfortunate; the Sect Master is also in seclusion. Perhaps you could see Elder Li instead?”
Bai Mingqiu paused again, then finally shook her head with a sigh. “Forget it. If both the Sect Master and Grandmaster Li are secluded, we shouldn’t waste your time on the mountain then!”
“Junior Sister Bai, since you’ve made the journey, please do come up!” the taller youth urged with a smile. “Allow us to offer some hospitality. Otherwise, if Grandmaster Li wakes and finds out we turned you away, we’ll be punished!”
Li Muzhan frowned, observing the two men closely.
Bai Mingqiu looked at Li Muzhan, dejected. His words had proven true—the Huaqing Sect truly planned to sit back and watch the fight unfold. She felt both shame and annoyance at the short-sightedness of the sect.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly. “Senior Sister, such warm hospitality is hard to refuse. A brief visit won’t hurt.”
“Fine,” Bai Mingqiu sighed, nodding. She adopted a cool tone. “Then let’s go up and take a look. We can wait for Grandmaster Li; perhaps he’ll emerge tomorrow!”
“Heh heh, precisely, precisely,” the two men quickly agreed, nodding fervently.
They led the way, moving with astonishing speed, like light wind carrying loose cotton, floating effortlessly upward. In moments, they reached the summit.
During their ascent, the fog thickened imperceptibly, obscuring the scenery below.
The mountaintop housed a complex of interconnected buildings, built into the mountainside and nestled among the trees, appearing as an organic extension of the peak itself, without the slightest hint of imposition.
Li Muzhan admired it. This was the heritage of a great power; buildings bearing the patina of ages, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.
“Junior Sister Bai, Junior Brother Li, please, come this way.” The two escorts had spoken little during the journey, focusing only on accelerating their pace, seemingly trying to shake off Li Muzhan and Bai Mingqiu.
Both escorts possessed respectable cultivation, yet they fell short of Li Muzhan and Bai Mingqiu. They failed to outpace them, feeling a touch of frustration seeing Li Muzhan remain so calm and unhurried.
Li Muzhan grew increasingly suspicious of their odd behavior. He sensed no outright hostility, yet their conduct was distinctly strange, as if they were plotting something.
They arrived before a small courtyard. The taller youth knocked lightly, entered, and soon emerged to invite Li Muzhan and Bai Mingqiu inside.
Once inside the courtyard, they were greeted by a dense pine grove. Beyond the pines was a small pavilion where a white-bearded elder sat. He had benevolent features and an infant-like rosy complexion, clearly mastering the art of longevity.
“Greetings, Elder Li!” Bai Mingqiu stated coolly, cupping her fist as she entered the pavilion.
Li Muzhan offered his own respectful bow, sizing up the Elder Li. His cultivation level was comparable to his own. The elder smiled kindly at Bai Mingqiu, chuckling, “Qiu’er, it’s rare for you to visit!”
Bai Mingqiu retorted coldly, “Elder Li, we are not close!”
“Alas…” Elder Li shook his head, then turned to Li Muzhan, a gentle smile blooming on his face. “Young Brother Li, your name rings loud in my ears!”
Li Muzhan felt a touch of bewilderment but kept his expression neutral, returning the bow with a smile. “Elder Li flatters me. It’s merely an undeserved reputation.”
Elder Li laughed. “That is no empty fame. The Qinghe Sword Sect is no weakling. You are powerful in martial arts, and brave as well. Poor Yue’er must be worried sick, hasn't she?”
Li Muzhan nodded with resignation. “I’ve certainly poked a hornet’s nest!” He realized then that this Elder Li had a definite connection to Bai Mingqiu—their relationship was far from simple, which instilled a strange sense of kinship in him.
Elder Li agreed. “Indeed, a very large nest of hornets!”
Bai Mingqiu scoffed. “I didn't realize the Huaqing Sect was so timid!”
“Qiu’er, you cannot blame us,” Elder Li sighed, shaking his head. “If we were to step in, the Mingjing Sect would seize the opportunity instantly!”
“So you fear the Mingjing Sect?” Bai Mingqiu challenged him with a sidelong glance.
Elder Li stroked his white beard, sighing wearily. “The Sect Master was injured.”
“By the Mingjing Sect?” Bai Mingqiu frowned.
Elder Li nodded. “The one surnamed Huang in the Mingjing Sect is extremely formidable!”
Li Muzhan knew he was referring to Huang Ningtian, the Sect Master of Mingjing, rumored to possess unparalleled martial arts, unmatched by any known master.
Bai Mingqiu pressed him. “Are you hiding from us, then?”
Elder Li chuckled awkwardly twice, stroking his beard, his embarrassment palpable. Seeing his expression, Bai Mingqiu’s face chilled, and she huffed. Elder Li quickly tried to smooth things over. “Qiu’er, they truly lacked the face to see you.”
“Will the Mingjing Sect come after us?” Bai Mingqiu asked.
Elder Li laughed awkwardly twice more, offering no reply.
Bai Mingqiu sneered. “What use are you then!”
Elder Li rushed to object. “Qiu’er, don't speak rashly! If the worst comes to the worst, you can retreat to your strongholds; they cannot breach them.”
“Can we defend forever?” Bai Mingqiu scoffed.
“Alas…” Elder Li shook his head helplessly. “That surnamed Huang is truly too powerful; we simply cannot handle him!” (To be continued)