Chen Daotang escorted Li Muzhan back to the small courtyard, lingering to guard him during his meditation, not leaving immediately until Li Muzhan awoke from his trance near dusk.

Chen Daotang then departed the courtyard. He asked no details; this was highly confidential information that even those closest to the matter should not probe.

Li Muzhan resumed his meditation. This time, the strain was immense. Patriarch Mo's cultivation was too profound, causing severe damage to his Lung Meridian, leaving it brittle and ready to collapse. He painstakingly applied the Marrow Cleansing technique, draining his spirit.

Fortunately, the profound mysteries of the Yellow Heaven Earth Scripture supplied an unending flow of Earth-attributed inner strength, which quickly nourished the Lung Meridian, allowing him to complete the treatment successfully.

He wondered what Patriarch Mo would bestow upon him in return. Such immense service could not be repaid with a mere one or two secret manuals; it had to be something truly valuable.

He understood his shallow cultivation prevented him from dominating the world, which was precisely why he expended such effort to heal Patriarch Mo, for the Patriarch held several supreme legacies.

He was beginning to grasp that the Mingjing Sect's greatest asset lay in its esoteric legacies—mysteries unknown to the common world. These were not accessible to ordinary disciples; they required passing countless trials and aligning perfectly with one's innate aptitude before one was deemed worthy to receive them.

The next morning, Li Muzhan arrived at Patriarch Mo's small courtyard.

Bright sunlight bathed the courtyard. Patriarch Mo sat in the center, resting in his grand armchair, smiling as he watched Li Muzhan approach. "Are you recovered?"

"I am well," Li Muzhan nodded. Patriarch Mo said, "You have worked hard."

Li Muzhan shook his head. "To serve the Patriarch is the greatest fortune!"

Patriarch Mo waved his hand. "Sit down and talk!"

Li Muzhan sat opposite him, watching him quietly.

Patriarch Mo said, "Wuji, you practice the Celestial Secret Sword Arts, correct?"

Li Muzhan nodded.

Patriarch Mo pondered. "The Celestial Secret Sword Arts is the foremost among the Thirty-Six Meridians. Its power is immense, yet its cultivation is difficult. Your choice shows both immense pride and courage."

Li Muzhan smiled but remained silent.

Patriarch Mo rose, hands clasped behind his back, pacing back and forth several times before stopping. He mused, "I won't hide it from you; throughout history, only the founding patriarch managed to master the Celestial Secret Sword Arts. No one else has succeeded since; those closest to success ultimately suffered internal chaos and perished."

Li Muzhan nodded, indicating he understood.

Patriarch Mo continued, "Do you realize that to master the Celestial Secret Sword Arts, there is one pivotal transmission required? Without this specific legacy, no matter how great one's aptitude, mastery is impossible."

Li Muzhan’s brow twitched; this was truly new information.

Patriarch Mo declared, "I possess several legacies. As thanks, I shall transmit the legacy of the Big Dipper Star Envoy to you. May you fulfill the long-held aspiration and master the Celestial Secret Sword Arts."

Li Muzhan bowed deeply. "Thank you, Grand-Patriarch!"

"I pass this legacy to you not out of selfish intent, but because your aptitude meets the required standard. Not just anyone can accept a transmission. Otherwise, I would not have been burdened with this heavy responsibility and unable to find release all this time!"

Li Muzhan understood and nodded. He knew the intricacies of these transmissions, having experienced the peril in the Tianyuan Pavilion. Without sufficiently powerful spiritual energy, one could not withstand the influx and would immediately have their soul scattered.

Choosing a recipient must be done with the utmost caution; failure could result not only in death but also in the severing of the legacy itself. Absolute certainty was paramount.

"Among my many legacies, the most arduous is that of the Big Dipper Star Envoy; it demands an impossibly high spiritual threshold. Almost no one can achieve it," Patriarch Mo said, his cloudy eyes suddenly shining brightly as he fixed them on Li Muzhan. "I never imagined that at your young age, you would possess such formidable spiritual strength. You are truly the perfect candidate for the Big Dipper Star Envoy!"

When Li Muzhan had helped him with the Marrow Cleansing process, the Patriarch had already glimpsed the depth of Li Muzhan’s power and personally experienced his tremendous spiritual fortitude.

Li Muzhan smiled. "What exactly is the Big Dipper Star Envoy legacy about?"

"The Big Dipper governs the positioning of Heaven and Earth. By gaining the Big Dipper, one can grasp the secrets of the Heavens. You have practiced the Big Dipper Divine Sword; you must vaguely sense its subtle power, yes?"... "But no matter how well you cultivate the Big Dipper Divine Sword, there is no hope of directly mastering the Celestial Secret Sword. Only by becoming the Big Dipper Star Envoy can you achieve that mastery."

Li Muzhan remained silent in contemplation, slowly nodding.

It explained the persistent sense of resistance he always felt, as if an invisible force blocked his further progress—it was due to the lack of this specific transmission.

As his practice of the Big Dipper Divine Sword deepened, it faintly revealed divine anomalies that, when merged with the Celestial Secret Formula, made his intuition incredibly sharp. He had been hesitant to push further, not realizing this was the reason.

"I will now transmit the Big Dipper Star Envoy legacy to you," Patriarch Mo stated gravely.

Li Muzhan clasped his fists. "Thank you, Grand-Patriarch!"

"Follow me!" Patriarch Mo turned and headed toward the rear garden, entering the underground Sutra Repository, soon locating a stone chamber.

The chamber was not large, capable of holding four beds. A jade bed was placed in a corner, opposite which were supplies like dried meat, rations, and waterskins.

Li Muzhan estimated that even if the chamber were sealed, he could survive here for one or two months without issue.

"This place is the safest. Let us begin!"

Patriarch Mo sat upon the jade bed. Li Muzhan sat opposite him, watching quietly. Patriarch Mo closed his eyes, motionless, forming hand seals. Moments later, his gray robe fluttered without wind. Li Muzhan, his senses heightened, looked up at the sky. A strange fluctuation resonated from the void, resembling stellar energy, yet far more potent—vast, unfathomable, and exerting a majestic pressure that bore down upon them.

Li Muzhan frowned. Patriarch Mo, his eyes still shut, stated firmly, "Block it!"

Li Muzhan rallied his spirit. The unpredictable, overwhelming heavenly might surged forward, pressing directly upon his head. He felt his body dissolve into air, seemingly about to be crushed.

He knew this was a spiritual illusion. Having attained such deep mastery in Zen tranquility, he was long immune to such phantasms. He remained clear-headed, turned his focus inward, and the myriad illusions vanished. He found himself entering the Divine Illumination Scripture of Man and Heaven.

An image imprinted itself on his mind: the crystalline blue sky of the Man and Heaven Divine Illumination Diagram was suddenly overlaid by the Big Dipper constellation, shaped like a ladle, glittering brilliantly.

The light of these seven stars outshone the deepest night, impossible to ignore. Li Muzhan gazed at the Big Dipper, feeling an inexplicable connection forming.

Sensing the seven stars, his spirit focused upon them. The stars instantly flickered, lighting up one by one. Once all seven were alight, each emitted a ray of light that condensed into a line in the air, descending directly into Li Muzhan’s Baihui acupoint and entering his mind.

Li Muzhan withdrew from the Man and Heaven Divine Illumination Diagram. A singular, wondrous sensation arose—as if he were now linked to the Big Dipper in the heavens, able to sense and clearly perceive them at any moment.

Even deep within the underground chamber, his spiritual connection was unimpeded.

Patriarch Mo opened his eyes, a look of deep satisfaction on his face. "Good! Very good!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Grand-Patriarch, is it done?"

"It is done," Patriarch Mo nodded. "Does it feel… underwhelming?"

Li Muzhan smiled and nodded. "It was too fast."

"That is precisely where its difficulty lies," Patriarch Mo sighed, shaking his head. "It arrives with the force of thunder, instantly deciding life or death, allowing no room for trickery or preparation... If you cannot withstand its oppression, you die instantly. If you hold firm, you succeed."

He observed Li Muzhan. "Tell me, have you sensed the stellar energy?"

Li Muzhan concentrated. A stream of stellar energy flowed from the heavens, instantly reaching his Baihui and entering his Dantian. It was overwhelmingly potent. Compared to the trickle provided by the Big Dipper Divine Sword or the Heavenly Manifestation Divine Sword previously, this was like a waterfall—an incomparable difference.

With a thought, he dispersed the stellar energy; it moved as if it were his own limb, obedient to his command.

"From this day forward, you are the Big Dipper Star Envoy. The Celestial Secret Sword can now be achieved," Patriarch Mo stated slowly.

Li Muzhan clasped his hands. "Thank you, Grand-Patriarch!"

"This is your fortune; you need not thank me." Patriarch Mo waved his hand. "The legacy of the Big Dipper Star Envoy is now your responsibility. You must find a successor, no matter what."

Li Muzhan’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

"I am much lighter now!" Patriarch Mo smiled faintly. "Being a Star Envoy is not easy, and finding a successor is incredibly difficult. Until one is found, release is impossible. It is up to your destiny now."

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile and nodded. (To be continued)