Bai Mingqiu scoffed, "You've all had your courage scared out of you. Utterly useless!" Elder Li glanced at her, shaking his head.

"Qiu'er, you haven't seen the man surnamed Huang make a move... Never mind, you two just wait here." "Wait until when?" Bai Mingqiu sneered.

"We can't rely on anyone else!" "Qiu'er, don't go back just yet!" Elder Li said softly. Bai Mingqiu narrowed her eyes slightly.

Li Muzhan knew she was angry and quickly interjected, "Senior Li, are you Senior Sister Bai's...?" "I am her maternal grandfather," Elder Li chuckled. Li Muzhan looked at Bai Mingqiu in surprise.

She snorted and turned away from him. Li Muzhan suddenly understood, nodding.

"No wonder!" Then, turning to the elder, he said with a smile, "Senior Sister, since that's the case, perhaps you should stay here for a while longer!" He then turned back to Elder Li and asked with a smile, "Surely Master has sent word by now?" "What a sharp little fellow!" Elder Li shook his head, chuckling. He hadn't expected Li Muzhan to guess this; the acuity and precision of his thinking were astonishing.

He wouldn't have been able to reach this conclusion no matter what. "Mas—ter—?" Bai Mingqiu frowned, looking at Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan explained, "Senior Sister, this is clearly Master's doing. It seems he intends to have a serious confrontation with the Qinghe Sword Sect!" "Hmph!" Bai Mingqiu immediately grasped her Master's painstaking effort—fearing she might meet with trouble, he had sent her here first and then written ahead to her maternal grandfather to detain her.

She felt both touched and irritated; her Master’s methods were entirely too sneaky! Li Muzhan pressed on, "Senior Sister, if a real fight breaks out, the Qinghe Sword Sect will surely target you first to strike at us!" "And what of it!" Bai Mingqiu said coldly.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Senior Sister, you've seen the experts of the Qinghe Sword Sect; they are very difficult to guard against!" He might manage to slip away himself, but Senior Sister Bai couldn't.

Her Qinggong wasn't advanced enough, and without the Tianji Jue, she couldn't divine fortune and avoid disaster, nor was her intuition sharp enough. Even with the Tianji Jue, without the ability to instantly teleport, she wouldn't escape.

The Qinghe Sword Sect had a method to break the Tianji Jue, possibly involving Elder Duan. Bai Mingqiu sneered, "Am I that useless?" Li Muzhan smiled.

"Senior Sister is the future pillar of support; right now, you are still somewhat tender." "Hmph!" Bai Mingqiu snorted, offering no further rebuttal. Before Li Muzhan arrived, she was unrivaled among the younger generation of experts, but now, with him present, her confidence had waned.

Elder Li quickly chimed in, "Exactly, exactly! Qiu'er is the future of the Tianyuan Pavilion.

If anything happens to you, the Pavilion will surely decline!" Bai Mingqiu shook her head. "I have no inheritance; it means nothing." If she possessed the genuine inheritance and died, the loss would be enormous.

Since she didn't have it, even her death wouldn't matter much; there was still her junior brother. Li Muzhan forced a bitter smile.

"My death is inconsequential; I'm just a troublemaker anyway. It’s different for Senior Sister; you are the future Pavilion Master.

How could anything happen to you?" "Junior Brother!" Bai Mingqiu frowned, displeased by his self-deprecation. Li Muzhan persisted, "If Senior Sister doesn't want Master to worry, you should really stay here." "No way," Bai Mingqiu shook her head.

Li Muzhan turned to Elder Li, who shook his head with a pained smile. He understood Li Muzhan's intention but felt powerless.

Li Muzhan frowned, looking at Bai Mingqiu. She stared back coldly.

"Junior Brother, if you abandon me, I will go back on my own!" Li Muzhan sighed helplessly. "Senior Sister..." "Don't say another word.

I am not staying here!" Bai Mingqiu waved her hand and snorted coldly. Elder Li sighed.

"Alas... the girl is still this willful!" Li Muzhan looked at Bai Mingqiu, finally pulling his gaze away to face Elder Li.

"Then we shall take our leave for now!" He knew Bai Mingqiu's temperament and realized further persuasion was pointless. He stopped fussing, especially since he had lost all hope regarding the Huaqing Sect and saw no reason to linger.

"No, wait a moment!" Elder Li sighed. Guilt weighing on him, he frowned deeply in thought.

"The strength of the Qinghe Sword Sect has grown considerably over the years. Their core cultivation methods are profound, and their luck is strong.

It is unwise for you to confront them at this juncture." Bai Mingqiu said coldly, "We're already at this stage; why mention such things now!" Elder Li asked, "How is the training of your Twelve Tianyuan Arts progressing?" Li Muzhan smiled. "We've just scratched the surface." "The Twelve Tianyuan Swords have a certain connection with us," Elder Li mused.

Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow. "Oh—?" Elder Li pondered for a moment.

"How about this? You wait here for a bit; I'll be right back!" "Doing what?" Bai Mingqiu asked impatiently.

"Wait," Elder Li turned and went inside the house, quickly returning with a slender book which he handed to Bai Mingqiu. Bai Mingqiu gave him a lazy glance, snorted, and turned away.

Li Muzhan smiled, reaching out to take it. He glanced down, then looked up at the elder.

"The Eight Insights of the Sword Dao?" The book was quite substantial, around two hundred pages, and its weathered appearance suggested considerable age. He guessed it was a secret manual for sword techniques.

His intuition urged him to accept this manual; it would be extremely useful. "This isn't considered a martial arts secret manual," Elder Li explained with a smile.

"So I haven't broken sect rules. You may look at it; perhaps it will be of some assistance." "Whose manual is it?" Bai Mingqiu turned her head, glanced over coldly, and asked.

Elder Li replied, "Senior Meng’s... I obtained this by chance.

Though it belongs to our sect, it's not about sword techniques, merely some collected insights and reflections." "Thank you, Senior Li!" Li Muzhan cupped his hands and smiled, tucking the thick volume into his robes. He then remarked with a smile, "I never expected the Twelve Tianyuan Swords to be related to the Huaqing Sect." Elder Li explained, "The Twelve Tianyuan Swords were not created from nothing.

A predecessor from your Tianyuan Pavilion created them by referencing the sword techniques of our Huaqing Sect." "Hmph, talking big!" Bai Mingqiu shook her head. Li Muzhan smiled gently.

"Did a predecessor of the Tianyuan Pavilion have ties with the Huaqing Sect?" "Yes." Elder Li nodded. "In the past, Dong Gan of the Tianyuan Pavilion and Senior Meng were husband and wife.

Unfortunately, they eventually became bitter enemies." Li Muzhan knew that Dong Gan was the founding patriarch of the Tianyuan Pavilion, a figure of profound genius. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked with a smile, "Like our Master and..." "Their fallout wasn't that severe; they simply wouldn't see each other, no physical fighting occurred," Elder Li shook his head.

"Dong Gan and his wife had a lifetime of conflict due to a misunderstanding." "No victor decided?" Li Muzhan chuckled. Elder Li sighed.

"Dong Gan was indeed a singular talent, possessing eidetic memory and extraordinary comprehension. In sparring with Senior Meng, he gradually developed the Twelve Tianyuan Swords...

Regrettably, Senior Meng was also a heroic woman who kept Dong Gan perpetually suppressed." Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed; being consistently held down by a woman was certainly not a pleasant experience. He glanced at Bai Mingqiu, who shook her head, clearly unaware of these details.

Though she revered Founding Ancestor Dong, the Ancestor remained shrouded in mystery, and she had never heard such tales. Li Muzhan smiled.

"Then we thank Elder Li!" For Li Muzhan, Senior Meng’s reflections were more valuable than any martial arts manual, offering a glimpse into the essence of the Twelve Tianyuan Swords. Elder Li suggested, "Why don't you stay on the mountain for a while?

Studying this thoroughly will greatly benefit your comprehension of the Twelve Tianyuan Swords!" Bai Mingqiu huffed. "Not necessary!" Li Muzhan smiled wryly.

"Rest assured, Elder Li, we will proceed within our capabilities." "Then I entrust it to you, Little Brother Li!" Elder Li sighed helplessly. Li Muzhan slowly nodded, cupped his hands in thanks, and left the small courtyard.