The emaciated elder hadn't even managed to fall before Li Muzhan reappeared behind another elder. A flash of sword light, then gone again, reappearing behind a third gray-robed elder, followed by another blinding flash of the blade.

In this manner, four times, the four gray-robed elders collapsed almost simultaneously, each clutching their throat, eyes locked wide on Li Muzhan. They tried to speak but no sound emerged, only strangled "huh-huh" noises.

Li Muzhan lightly flicked his sword, which remained pristine, unblemished by blood, and slid it back into its sheath. He looked toward Deng Jiuru, "Is Headman Deng heading to our Sect...?" "Yes." Deng Jiuru had not yet recovered from the shock and answered instinctively.

Li Muzhan smiled. "Then I shall take my leave first. Headman Deng, there is no need to rush. In another ten li is our territory; they dare not cause trouble there."

Deng Jiuru clasped his hands in salute and nodded, his expression still unsettled. He had been utterly intimidated by Li Muzhan's swordsmanship, constantly running scenarios in his head, wondering if he could have evaded it.

Li Muzhan gave a slight smile and drifted gracefully into the woods.

Deng Jiuru remained lost in contemplation of the swordsmanship he had just witnessed. If it had been him, truly, there would have been no escape—he would have ended up no different from these four from the Xijiang Gang, facing only death.

He shook his head, heart heavy and spirit flagging, a wry smile touching his lips.

He stood motionless for a time, until suddenly a single leaf drifted down to rest on his shoulder. He gave a gentle shake, and the leaf fluttered down to the ground, settling without a sound.

Seeing this, Deng Jiuru was struck by a sudden enlightenment: a person, like a drifting leaf, is often powerless over their own trajectory. Everyone possesses their own patch of sky, and there is no need to envy others! Besides, he bore the safety of an entire sect on his shoulders; how could he afford to be so sentimental?

Li Muzhan moved swiftly, soon returning to the Tianyuan Pavilion. He had not traveled with Deng Jiuru; staying together would only have bred awkwardness and discomfort. Given his relationship with the Qinghe Sword Sect, letting Deng Jiuru perish would have made little difference. But then he considered that for a sect like Qinghe, a successor would naturally step up upon the headman’s death—it would be business as usual. It was better, instead, to seize this opportunity to do a favor, dissolving the enmity between the Qinghe Sword Sect and the Tianyuan Pavilion. Furthermore, this was the first time he had acted under command, and executing it perfectly carried no downside.

Upon reaching the Pavilion, he sought out Long Jingyue and recounted the events he had encountered.

The three of them sat once more in the main hall—Bai Mingqiu and Long Jingyue both wore finely arched brows, their expressions grave as they listened to Li Muzhan describe what he had seen.

"Wuji, based on what you say, this Xijiang Gang is certainly formidable!" Long Jingyue nodded slightly, the white silk of her robe setting off her face, which was like polished jade. "We underestimated them earlier!"

Li Muzhan asked, "We have no conflict with the Xijiang Gang, do we?"

Long Jingyue shook her head and chuckled. "Not only no conflict, but a slight entanglement. The Xijiang Gang originally wanted to help resist the Qinghe Sword Sect, but I refused them."

"'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,'" Li Muzhan smiled. "It seems the feud between the Xijiang Gang and the Qinghe Sword Sect is substantial."

Long Jingyue replied, "They incurred this grudge three years ago, and it has only intensified since. But the Xijiang Gang has never been a truly powerful force; how did they become so skilled?"

Bai Mingqiu, clad in a lake-green silk gown, her jade face cool, remarked faintly, "Could they have powerful backing?"

"Hmm..." Long Jingyue nodded. "Highly possible!"

The Qinghe Sword Sect's backer was the Mingjing Sect. The Tianyuan Pavilion's support had been the Huaqing Sect, but now things were nebulous; the connection to Huaqing hadn't entirely severed, yet they had also aligned with the Mingjing Sect, playing both sides deftly.

Li Muzhan asked, "Master, has anything significant happened recently?"

Long Jingyue glanced at Bai Mingqiu and said with a smile, "Su Pingyang—do you know him, Wuji?"

Li Muzhan's brow lifted slightly. "The most outstanding disciple of the Huaqing Sect?"

"He has arrived," Long Jingyue informed him.

Li Muzhan pondered, his mind racing: "Are they friends or foes?" The relationship between the Tianyuan Pavilion and the Huaqing Sect was intricate, and his own induction into the Mingjing Sect, becoming one of their disciples, only complicated matters further. The Huaqing Sect, having offered no aid when needed, might view the Tianyuan Pavilion's reconciliation with the Mingjing Sect, and his subsequent allegiance, as either betrayal or forced submission—it was all a matter of perspective.

Long Jingyue looked towards Bai Mingqiu. "Elder Su has brought him here to propose marriage!"

Li Muzhan’s heart sank instantly. "Who?"

"Who else?!" Long Jingyue shot a look at Bai Mingqiu.

Li Muzhan's face darkened. He turned his gaze to Bai Mingqiu, who stared back without yielding, their eyes locking in the air.

After a moment, Li Muzhan shifted his focus back to Long Jingyue. "Master, what is your intention?"

"Qiu'er is the next Pavilion Head; how could she be married off?" Long Jingyue stated firmly.

Li Muzhan frowned. "He would join the Tianyuan Pavilion as a son-in-law, wouldn't he?"

Long Jingyue nodded. "Yes."

Li Muzhan turned to Bai Mingqiu. "Senior Sister, what is your feeling on the matter?"

"I follow Master's decision," Bai Mingqiu replied coldly.

Li Muzhan pressed, "If Master agrees, then Senior Sister will marry him?"

"And why not!" Bai Mingqiu said flatly. "If you disagree, you clever man know what the consequences will be!"

Li Muzhan's expression grew grim. Of course he understood: this was the Huaqing Sect forcing the Tianyuan Pavilion to choose a side—family or enemy; there could be no ambiguity. He felt utterly powerless; he could throw the Qinghe Sword Sect into chaos, but he could not shake the Huaqing Sect. This sense of helplessness gnawed at his heart like insects.

Long Jingyue sighed. "Wuji, I will decline Elder Su's proposal."

"Master!" Bai Mingqiu frowned.

Long Jingyue shook her head. "Qiu'er, if passing this crisis requires you to marry, then the Tianyuan Pavilion has no need to continue existing!"

Li Muzhan spoke with grave intensity. "Master, let Senior Sister join the Mingjing Sect!"

Bai Mingqiu countered, "Master, I wish to join the Huaqing Sect. Let Ling'er come here instead!"

"Qiu'er, don't be foolish!" Long Jingyue urged immediately.

Bai Mingqiu shook her head. "Master, I am perfectly clear-headed. If Junior Brother enters the Mingjing Sect, and I join the Huaqing Sect, no one will dare provoke the Tianyuan Pavilion again!"

Long Jingyue waved her hand. "Nonsense!"

Bai Mingqiu continued, "In a few decades, if Junior Brother and I join forces to improve our martial arts here, the Tianyuan Pavilion might truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Huaqing Sect and the Mingjing Sect!"

Li Muzhan felt a tightness in his chest, as if choked by cotton fluff. He quickly intervened, "Senior Sister, you don't need to worry about this; I alone am enough!"

Bai Mingqiu ignored him, looking only at Long Jingyue. "Master, I have never cared for romantic attachments; marrying Su Pingyang is not such a major thing."

Long Jingyue kept her face set and remained silent.

Li Muzhan could comprehend Senior Sister Bai Mingqiu's resentment, her frustration and anger at their powerlessness against reality—he had felt that sensation himself. Especially when facing the Tianyuan Pavilion being besieged, unable to step outside their gates, that powerlessness made him furious, wishing he could shatter his body to pieces just to increase the Pavilion's strength and stand tall in the world. That was why he had resolutely joined the Mingjing Sect, training relentlessly to pass the Stone Forest trials quickly, become a top disciple, and expand his influence to protect the Tianyuan Pavilion. But he hadn't anticipated the Huaqing Sect pressing so hard, arriving so soon, demanding the Tianyuan Pavilion declare itself before he had truly matured. The Pavilion was currently too fragile, unable to withstand storms. Even with Mingjing Sect protection, the Huaqing Sect possessed means to retaliate; appeasing the Tianyuan Pavilion would be difficult. If he felt this intensely, it was unsurprising that his Senior Sister, who had grown up in the Pavilion and always taken its revitalization as her duty, would make such a decision.

A sharp, intermittent pain twisted in his heart, as if being squeezed by a knife.

Li Muzhan paused, then spoke with measured gravity. "Master, expel me from the Pavilion!"

"Hm—?" Long Jingyue frowned at him.

Li Muzhan clarified, "Expel me from the Tianyuan Pavilion, and refuse their marriage proposal as well!"