Elder Zhao chuckled, "Li Wuji, come, come, let us drain a few bowls to express my slight gratitude!"

Li Muchan smiled, picked up the large bowl, and the two clinked them together before draining them in one go.

Seeing Li Muchan drink heartily, Elder Zhao felt even more that they shared a similar spirit. He laughed, "Li Wuji, you are a disciple of the Tianyuan Pavilion, correct?"

Li Muchan nodded, reached out, picked up the wine jar, and filled both bowls again.

"The martial arts of Tianyuan Pavilion evolved from the Huaqing Sect, which is not bad," Elder Zhao smiled, raising his large bowl and finishing it in one gulp.

Li Muchan followed suit, emptying his bowl, and picked up the jar to refill them.

"The martial arts of our Mingjing Sect surpass the Huaqing Sect's, and our paths are different. I hear you have been practicing the Great Sorrow Sword (Dabei Jian) all this month?" Elder Zhao inquired.

Li Muchan nodded, "The Great Sorrow Sword is endlessly profound. The more I practice it, the more I savor its exquisite nature. I truly cannot bear to put it down."

"Heh, truly a prodigy," Elder Zhao nodded. "All incoming disciples are informed of the subtlety of the Great Sorrow Sword—it is the foundational sword technique, yet also the ultimate art of distilling complexity into simplicity. It should never be underestimated... but none of the disciples take it to heart. They lack the patience for rigorous practice; they skim over it like rain dampening the surface of the ground, eager to move on to deeper martial arts, scorning the Great Sorrow Sword."

Li Muchan said, "The Great Sorrow Sword is quite difficult to master!"

"Good! Good!...... The fact that you can say this shows you have truly grasped the essence of the Great Sorrow Sword!" Elder Zhao nodded repeatedly. "Without a deep foundation in martial arts, without supreme comprehension, the Great Sorrow Sword appears as nothing special. For the disciples within the sect, it isn't overly difficult—only when one truly touches the threshold do they discover the profound depth of the Great Sorrow Sword!"

Li Muchan smiled, refilled both bowls, and the two drank them down in one draught again. Elder Zhao laughed, "A person's character is reflected in their drinking habits. You are straightforward; come visit often in the future!"

"Yes," Li Muchan agreed.

The next morning, Li Muchan was practicing the Great Sorrow Sword in his small courtyard, avoiding the training grounds where few practiced it.

Just as he reached a moment of profound focus, his whole body steaming with internal heat, a knock sounded on the door. He called out loudly, "Come in."

Li Ye stepped in gracefully, hands behind her back, approaching him and shaking her head, "Junior Brother Li, still practicing the Great Sorrow Sword!"

Li Muchan turned to glance at her. Her cyan robe fit perfectly, tailored just right to accentuate her graceful figure. Her crescent eyes, curved into a smile, were scrutinizing him. He huffed, "What does Junior Sister Li want?"

"Just checking how well you're practicing!" Li Ye wrinkled her nose and snorted, "Consider yourself lucky to have dodged a calamity!"

Li Muchan didn't stop his movements, slowly circulating the Great Sorrow Sword to urge his internal energy. He shook his head, "Junior Sister Li, allow me to offer you a sincere word of advice: if one's intentions are not righteous, one's achievements will be limited!"

"Don't trouble yourself!" Li Ye pouted. "No matter how limited my achievements are, I can still deal with you!"

Li Muchan smiled and shook his head, "That's not necessarily true."

"Hmph, we shall see!" Li Ye sneered coldly and turned to leave.

Li Muchan watched her depart and stopped his sword movements, letting out a sigh. Li Ye regarded him as an irreconcilable enemy, and her schemes were not simple; he couldn't afford to underestimate her.

If she were a man, he would have already struck first for the advantage. Unfortunately, she was a beautiful woman, and his weakness for cherishing the fairer sex kicked in again; he couldn't bring himself to severely injure her.

Another month passed. Li Muchan was still practicing the Great Sorrow Sword, his cultivation having doubled, his progress exceptionally fast. The more he comprehended the Great Sorrow Sword, the more boundless mystery he sensed. Comparing it with the Twelve Swords of Tianyuan, his enlightenment deepened, and the power of the Great Sorrow Sword grew stronger.

Eventually, he felt that the Great Sorrow Sword encompassed all sword stances under heaven, like the mutual generation and combination of Bagua, capable of evolving into countless techniques. The Great Sorrow Sword was the core, from which he could expand outward.

During this month, he frequently visited Elder Zhao to discuss the Great Sorrow Sword. Elder Zhao's martial knowledge was profound, and his understanding of martial arts was exceptionally deep. Li Muchan excelled in unconventional thinking, providing Elder Zhao with much inspiration. Their sparring sessions often sparked flashes of insight, which is why Elder Zhao welcomed his visits warmly.

Zhao Jingzong was tactful and hadn't bothered Li Ye again. Li Muchan didn't seek him out for trouble, upholding his promise to Elder Zhao.

He understood that Zhao Jingzong would eventually be unable to restrain himself, especially with Li Ye around—a hero struggles to resist the allure of a beauty. Li Ye’s scheming was also significant; sooner or later, she would provoke him into challenging Li Muchan.

One morning, Chen Daotang appeared, silently entering the small courtyard and watching Li Muchan practice the Great Sorrow Sword. He stood by the training area, stroking his chin, deep in thought.

Li Muchan had noticed him long ago but didn't interrupt his movements, practicing the Great Sorrow Sword three more times before slowly stopping, steam rising from his body.

"Wuji, your tempering of the Great Sorrow Sword is quite substantial!" Chen Daotang came to the small pavilion and sat down, beckoning him over.

Li Muchan wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and sat opposite, pouring tea for Chen Daotang. "I've only just touched the surface; I'm far from complete."

"It's unlikely one can master the Great Sorrow Sword in one go," Chen Daotang took a slow sip of tea. "When you practice martial arts at a deeper level in the future, you will gain a more profound understanding of the Great Sorrow Sword. The cultivation of the Great Sorrow Sword runs through the entire journey; there's no need to rush."

"Senior Brother Chen, are you here to teach me martial arts?" Li Muchan inquired.

Chen Daotang nodded. "I am ordered by the Sect Master to teach you martial arts. Which lineage do you wish to choose?"

Li Muchan had already sorted this out. He smiled, "I wish to learn the Heavenly Secret Sword (Tianji Jian)!"

"Hmm—?" Chen Daotang paused, frowning, "You want to learn the Heavenly Secret Sword technique?"

Li Muchan smiled, "Among the thirty-six lineages, the Heavenly Secret Sword lineage has the strongest power. Naturally, I must learn the Heavenly Secret Sword!"

Chen Daotang frowned, "Wuji, have you considered this carefully?"

Li Muchan nodded slowly, "I want to learn the Heavenly Secret Sword!"

"Very well!" Chen Daotang conceded with a sigh. "The Heavenly Secret Sword counters all martial arts under heaven, but it is exceedingly difficult to master. If not for your exceptional comprehension, I would never watch you waste your time!"

Li Muchan asked, "Has anyone succeeded in cultivating the Heavenly Secret Sword technique?"

"An elder achieved mastery two hundred years ago," Chen Daotang replied. "He was truly unmatched against everyone!"

"What about the Soul Transformation Palm (Huahun Zhang)?" Li Muchan smiled.

Chen Daotang frowned, looked at him deeply, and snorted, "If that elder hadn't suffered qi deviation and injured the top experts in the sect, would the Soul Transformation Palm even have the arrogance to run rampant?!"

Li Muchan's brow twitched slightly. "Qi deviation (Zou Huo Ru Mo)?"

Chen Daotang said solemnly, "The backlash from the Heavenly Secret Sword is severe. Wuji, think clearly. It's best if you don't choose this lineage!"

Li Muchan asked, "How does one suffer qi deviation?"

Chen Daotang stated gravely, "The Heavenly Secret Sword is too esoteric; forcing its practice easily leads to qi deviation. That elder possessed peerless talent and supreme intelligence, yet he ultimately suffered qi deviation. You... Li Muchan thought of that book, Eight Understandings of the Sword Way (Jiandao Bajie); its author eventually went mad too. Could it be one and the same?"

Li Muchan asked, "Did that elder leave behind a sword manual?"

Chen Daotang shook his head. "I heard he had a manual of practice insights, concerning his feelings about martial arts, but it was lost along with him when he disappeared. What a pity, what a pity!"

"Indeed, a pity!" Li Muchan nodded firmly and sighed, "What was it called?"

"I don't know that," Chen Daotang shook his head. "That elder was taboo; few people mention him. You should speak of him less in the future too."

Li Muchan nodded. His intuition grew clearer: the Eight Understandings of the Sword Way must have been written by that elder. This made choosing the Heavenly Secret Sword technique even more necessary.

The Heavenly Secret Sword technique was a lineage of transmission; only after mastering the initial stages could one cultivate the Heavenly Secret Sword Form. There were more than a dozen prerequisite sword techniques that needed to be mastered step by step; one could not reach the heavens in a single leap.

He chose the Heavenly Secret Sword technique for two reasons. First, the Heavenly Secret Sword lineage was the crown jewel of the Mingjing Sect, possessing the strongest power. Once mastered, even if he couldn't be invincible under heaven, he could certainly be invincible within the Mingjing Sect.

Secondly, he possessed the Heavenly Secret Art (Tianji Jue). Although he didn't know its connection to the Heavenly Secret Sword, his intuition told him there must be one. Cultivating the Heavenly Secret Art first, then practicing the Heavenly Secret Sword, should yield twice the result with half the effort.