After a long moment, Li Muzhan let his vital energy flow, and Jiang Ruyue coughed once before she could speak, glaring at him: "You... you..."

Li Muzhan shook his head and sighed, "Sect Master Jiang, you take too little care of your body!"

Jiang Ruyue sneered and turned her head away, her gaze strange, conveying an indescribable sense of dislike.

Li Muzhan sighed, "If you continue like this, how many years can you expect to live?"

"Life and death are decreed by fate!" Jiang Ruyue said coldly.

Li Muzhan stated, "If you keep training like this, you will surely die within five years!"

"Alarmist nonsense!" Jiang Ruyue pouted, still refusing to look at him.

Li Muzhan frowned, "Why bother? Is reviving the Great Jiang Sect more important than your life?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ruyue confirmed.

Li Muzhan countered, "If you die, what good is the re-establishment of the Great Jiang Sect? ... It will likely be crushed again soon. Who will uphold the lineage? ... Jing Zhongtang? Forget about him!"

Jiang Ruyue snapped her head around to glare at him, "No need for your concern!"

Li Muzhan smiled faintly, "It seems I was worrying needlessly. Alas... perhaps you possess some secret art for self-preservation! ... A three-foot layer of ice doesn't form in a single day. You've practiced for too long; the cold energy has already permeated your marrow. As the saying goes, solitary Yin cannot thrive—you should find someone to marry!"

"Silence!" Jiang Ruyue let out a cold snort.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "Given your unique constitution and such profound cultivation, if you truly wed, I fear the recipient might not withstand it!"

By his estimation, even if the Ice Soul Divine Art had an inheritor, it would be difficult to master, requiring a singular physical constitution. Since she possessed the Pure Yin Body, she was able to cultivate the Ice Soul Divine Art.

"Lecherous!" Jiang Ruyue scoffed coldly, "Mind your own business!"

Li Muzhan explained, "Your heart meridian is fragile; I can only treat the symptoms. To survive, you must either master the Ice Soul Divine Art completely or achieve the union of Yin and Yang."

The Ice Soul Divine Art was no ordinary cultivation method. Once a certain level was reached, extreme Yin could generate Yang, leading to a state of perfect harmony between Yin and Yang. This would not only grant immense power but also dramatically extend one's lifespan.

Jiang Ruyue fell silent.

She knew both paths were currently inaccessible. The Ice Soul Divine Art grew exponentially harder, and achieving Yin-Yang harmony would mean discarding her cultivation, rendering survival meaningless.

After a pause, Li Muzhan released his hand. Jiang Ruyue's complexion had regained some color, and she turned to fix him with a deep look.

Li Muzhan chuckled, "Sect Master Jiang now owes me another life."

Jiang Ruyue remained silent.

Li Muzhan advised, "It would be best to find a secluded spot to cultivate until you perfect the Ice Soul Divine Art."

He knew Jiang Ruyue would never abandon her practice. Her only recourse was forward—to push forward desperately, reaching mastery before her body gave out. This Ice Soul Divine Art was truly extreme; it offered a single path to life—advance or perish, forcing one into desperate cultivation.

"Enough, I have said all I can. Let's leave this place!" Li Muzhan sighed, shaking his head.

Jiang Ruyue shook her head in response, "We cannot leave."

Li Muzhan looked at her, and Jiang Ruyue said, "There are people outside."

"Who?!" Li Muzhan frowned. She was always immensely proud; those outside could not be ordinary individuals.

Jiang Ruyue replied, "From the Purple Star Hall."

Li Muzhan was surprised, "You've provoked the Purple Star Hall as well?"

Jiang Ruyue formed hand seals, then began circulating her energy to regulate her breath, her eyelids drooping slightly as she said faintly, "The Purple Star Hall is hailed as the foremost sect in the world, making enemies of all other sects."

She held both hatred and admiration for the Purple Star Hall; their strength and spirit were truly astonishing.

Li Muzhan activated his Eye of the Void but could see nothing outside; a thick white mist shrouded everything. He asked, "How many people are out there?"

"Two," Jiang Ruyue confirmed.

Li Muzhan frowned. Fewer people often meant a more serious situation. The Purple Star Hall was highly mysterious; they would certainly ascertain her current strength before confronting Jiang Ruyue.

"Can't we handle one each?" Li Muzhan asked.

Jiang Ruyue glanced sideways at him and snorted, "None of your concern!"

Li Muzhan frowned again, "Sect Master Jiang, in your current state, you can only hide here. Don't underestimate the Purple Star Hall; they might just be able to break through your talisman array."

"Hmph, no one is breaking through this place!" Jiang Ruyue declared proudly.

Li Muzhan shook his head, "You underestimate the Purple Star Hall. ... No matter how strong the Purple Star Hall is, they wouldn't invite enmity without reason. How did you offend them?"

Jiang Ruyue pretended not to hear.

Li Muzhan pressed, "Did you kill someone from the Purple Star Hall?"

Jiang Ruyue remained impassive, closing her eyes to continue circulating her energy.

Li Muzhan smiled, "Did you steal a secret manual from the Purple Star Hall?"

Jiang Ruyue opened her eyes briefly, then closed them again, her face expressionless, maintaining her silence.

Li Muzhan laughed, "Your Great Jiang Sect is quite capable!"

He had guessed the reason on a whim, and unexpectedly, he had hit the mark.

Jiang Ruyue snorted but remained silent.

Li Muzhan inquired, "Which manual was it?"

Jiang Ruyue still offered no reply.

Li Muzhan teased, "Is this how you repay a life-saving benefactor? Saying a few words is no big deal."

"No comment!" Jiang Ruyue retorted coldly.

Li Muzhan probed, "It must not have been a very important manual."

"Hmph!" Jiang Ruyue scoffed coldly.

Li Muzhan continued, "If it were important, the Purple Star Hall would have reclaimed it long ago. If they are only coming for it now, it must be quite ordinary."

Jiang Ruyue said coldly, "The Grand Yin Scripture!"

Li Muzhan's eyebrows twitched, and he laughed, "The Grand Yin Scripture... that's on the same track as your Ice Soul Divine Art, isn't it?"

"Mm," Jiang Ruyue admitted reluctantly.

Li Muzhan asked, "The Grand Yin Scripture... does it contain body tempering techniques?"

The Grand Yin Body Tempering was a supreme marvelous method, akin to his own Indestructible Vajra Divine Art, capable of compensating for the drawbacks of the Ice Soul Divine Art. If she had truly cultivated this ultimate art, she wouldn't be in this current state.

Jiang Ruyue shook her head, "I couldn't read it."

Li Muzhan was astonished, then suddenly laughed, shaking his head, "Your Great Jiang Sect is filled with talents; surely none of you could decipher it?"

"The script is strange; I've never seen it," Jiang Ruyue huffed.

Li Muzhan questioned, "Is it not a script from this world?"

"Yes," Jiang Ruyue pouted, "It looks like heavenly script!"

"Since you couldn't read it, why not just return it to them!" Li Muzhan laughed, "Why insist on holding onto such a hot potato?"

"I gave it back to them!" Jiang Ruyue stated coldly.

Li Muzhan burst into laughter and shook his head.

He understood now: the Great Jiang Sect had returned the manual, yet the Purple Star Hall still wouldn't relent. It seemed the Grand Yin Scripture was indeed extraordinary, piquing his curiosity even more.

Li Muzhan said, "I want to see the Grand Yin Scripture."

Jiang Ruyue was about to speak when Li Muzhan cut her off, "Don't tell me you didn't make a copy!"

"...Fine." Jiang Ruyue huffed, "It’s heavenly script anyway, it doesn't hurt for you to look!"

She rose and drifted away. Li Muzhan walked beside her, sweeping over vast stretches of white snow until they reached a mountain peak. The majestic silver spire, over a thousand meters tall, was ascended by them in one breath. They stopped before an ice wall on the summit.

Two faint shadows appeared on the ice wall. She stepped forward and tapped the wall a few times. With a booming sound, the ice wall sank, revealing an entrance.

"Come in," Jiang Ruyue turned and invited.

Li Muzhan followed with a smile. Inside was a simple stone chamber, with a stone table and a stone bed. In the southeast corner was a small pool, emitting wisps of white vapor. The west wall was fashioned into a bookshelf, lined with rows of books. She stepped forward, drew one out, and handed it to Li Muzhan.

The characters Grand Yin Scripture leaped into his vision, and Li Muzhan's expression subtly changed.

"What, you actually recognize it?" Jiang Ruyue had been watching him intently.

Li Muzhan nodded slowly. He did indeed recognize the script; it was intensely familiar—it was the royal script of his second world! He had left that world to search for something to counter the Sacred Artifacts, only to end up here, ceaselessly seeking the path home. At a moment of growing despair, he saw the Grand Yin Scripture, saw this script—it was like a bright moon suddenly appearing in a pitch-black night. Had his spirit not been strong, he would have lost control of his overwhelming joy!

"It is the Grand Yin Scripture, isn't it?" Jiang Ruyue asked.

Li Muzhan nodded and flipped through it. It was only twenty-odd pages, which he finished quickly. He frowned and looked up, "Where is the second half?"

Jiang Ruyue shot him a sidelong glance, turned, and pulled out another volume, handing it over.

Li Muzhan smiled then quickly finished reading that one too, looking up with a sigh of frustration, "There's more, right?"

"Hmph, looks like you really can read it!" Jiang Ruyue retorted unhappily, pulling out yet another volume to hand over.

Li Muzhan gave a wry smile, "You truly are cautious!"

The Grand Yin Scripture was divided into three parts. After reading through them all, Li Muzhan nodded, "This is the Grand Yin Scripture. The key part is the Grand Yin Body Tempering, which will be very helpful to you."

"The Grand Yin Body Tempering..." Jiang Ruyue slowly nodded.

Li Muzhan wasn't overly concerned with the body tempering aspect; the crucial part was the Grand Yin Sensing Scripture, which was a method for sensing Stellar Force, specifically attuned to sensing the bright moon. Unfortunately, this required a proper lineage for establishing the connection; without it, sensing was difficult.

However, recalling how he once cultivated, Li Muzhan felt a sudden strange impulse to try practicing it, to see if he could establish a connection with the moon. He paused, "I will recite the Body Tempering for you. It will greatly aid your injuries. If you don't want to die, practice it well."

Jiang Ruyue gazed at him, and Li Muzhan watched her with a slight smile. She seemed to try and penetrate his thoughts—what was he truly thinking? Sometimes he wanted her dead, yet he saved her now. He was utterly inscrutable.

Li Muzhan reassured her, "Don't worry. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it long ago!"

"Very well, then thank you," Jiang Ruyue took a deep breath and said slowly. She was fiercely proud and utterly unaccustomed to receiving charity from others, but this concerned her very life, and it was him offering. She felt she owed Li Muzhan too much, perhaps more than she could ever repay; adding one more debt or saving one debt made little difference now, and her vigilance toward him had lessened.

Li Muzhan slowly recited the Grand Yin Body Tempering Technique. It was only about thirty-odd lines of incantation, which Jiang Ruyue memorized instantly—she never forgot anything once seen. Li Muzhan didn't elaborate on the details; since she could cultivate the Ice Soul Divine Art, her comprehension was surely not beneath his. Explaining too much might only interfere with her realization.

Jiang Ruyue closed her eyes to meditate, slowly stretching her body into strange postures, beginning to cultivate the Grand Yin Body Tempering. Li Muzhan, meanwhile, began to study the Grand Yin Sensing Scripture.

After practicing for a while with no breakthrough, a thought suddenly struck him. He circulated the Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Scripture and quickly entered the realm of the Divine Illumination Diagram. He sat cross-legged on a lotus flower, sensing the bright moon in the sky. Soon, a beam of moonlight pierced down from above his head, cleansing his body. This was the deepest layer of the Grand Yin Body Tempering: using Yin power to temper the body, and in doing so, tempering Qi and spirit as well. Its power should not be underestimated. Li Muzhan estimated that mastering this final layer, even if it didn't grant eternal life, would yield astonishing longevity.

He exited the realm of the Divine Illumination Diagram and attempted to sense the moon again, but there was no change. Undeterred, he repeatedly entered and exited the diagram, faintly grasping a clue. He abandoned external practice and focused solely on the Heaven and Man Divine Illumination Scripture, intending to imprint the moon's sensation onto his mind—this would require a sufficiently long time.

The two practiced separately, eating dried rations, cured meat, and preserved vegetables nearby when hungry, and drinking the refreshing, clear spring water from the pool when thirsty.

Five days passed unnoticed. On this morning, Jiang Ruyue suddenly opened her eyes and said in a deep voice, "Not good!"

She turned and commanded, "Let's go!"

Before Li Muzhan could speak, she drifted out of the stone chamber. Li Muzhan followed closely. Reaching the summit, Jiang Ruyue’s robes whipped in the wind. She turned and stated, "The exit route of the array is below. Jump!"

With that, she leaped down. Li Muzhan could only shake his head and follow her plunge.

Just as they neared the ground, the scenery before them flashed abruptly. The boundless white snow beneath their feet transformed into dense, dark forests. Their descent slowed, and they drifted onto the treetops. Jiang Ruyue looked up at a crimson flower hanging motionless in the sky, her expression turning ugly. She stomped her foot in frustration and hurried off. Li Muzhan could only follow, determined to see precisely what had caused her such a loss of composure.