Encountering Huo De

The next morning, the three of them descended the mountain.

Zuo Ruotong walked ahead, her steps light and slow, her moon-white Taoist robe appearing and disappearing among the trees. Li Muxuan, carrying a cloth bag larger than a bundle but smaller than a travel bag, walked in the middle, a blade of grass between his teeth, enthusiastically planning what he would eat after arriving in Hangzhou: West Lake Vinegar Fish, Longjing Shrimp, Dingsheng Cake, and the scallion pancakes he had ate once as a child and had been longing for ever since.

Liu Jin walked at the back, carrying a large bag containing a change of clothes and cultivation notes. He would occasionally chime in with a word or two from Li Muxuan, and sometimes stare blankly at the leaves on both sides of the mountain path that were gradually turning yellow.

About two hours after leaving the territory of Sanyi Gate, the mountain path merged into an official road. The official road became more crowded with people—carrying loads, riding donkeys, and driving horse-drawn carts—dust swirling in the autumn sun. In the distance, three people could be seen standing by a roadside tea stall, dressed in bright red short jackets with dark red belts around their waists. Although their clothes were not luxurious, they were neatly starched and their posture upright; they were clearly disciples from a major sect.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties with a square face and a neatly trimmed short beard. He was holding a bowl of tea and talking to the tea stall owner. When he saw Zuo Ruotong approaching from afar, he put down his tea bowl, took two steps forward, and clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.

"Master Zuo, it's been a long time."

"Sect Leader Chu," Zuo Ruotong returned the greeting, "Are you also heading to Hangzhou?"

"It's the 80th birthday of Old Master Lu. My master and the Lu family are old friends, so he ordered me to bring my disciples to offer my congratulations." Master Chu turned his head and gestured for two young disciples behind him to come over and pay their respects. The two young men bowed respectfully, but their eyes involuntarily drifted behind Zuo Ruotong. They weren't looking at Liu Jin, but at Li Muxuan.

Li Muxuan was idly chewing on a blade of grass when he noticed someone watching him. He raised an eyebrow, changed the direction of the grass, and continued chewing. The expressions of the two Huode Sect disciples were simultaneously filled with "Why is this guy like this?"

"Mu Xuan." Zuo Ruotong stepped aside to let Li Mu Xuan pass. "This is the Crown Master of the Huode Sect. The Huode Sect is famous throughout the world for its fire control techniques and has many dealings with our Sanyi Sect." Li Mu Xuan took the grass stem out of his mouth and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Crown Master." His voice was respectful, but his lazy attitude was obvious to everyone.

Master Chu sized him up and down, then shook his head with a smile: "As expected, each of Master Zuo's disciples has their own unique character. This one looks arrogant, even more arrogant than you were back then." Zuo Ruotong took the tea from the tea stall owner and said calmly: "It's not a bad thing for a young person to be a little arrogant. After cultivating for a few years, he should have some spirit."

Master Chu laughed heartily. The expressions of the two Huode Sect disciples behind him were not so pleasant. One of them, Feng Ping, stepped forward and bowed to Master Chu: "Master, this disciple wishes to spar with this senior brother from the Sanyi Sect. Please grant me permission." As he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Li Muxuan. His tone was respectful, but his eyes carried the arrogance unique to Huode Sect disciples. It wasn't directed at any individual, but rather Huode Sect's pride in the art of fire control.

Li Muxuan spat the grass stalks onto the roadside and grinned, "Master, this disciple would also like to ask for your permission." Zuo Ruotong glanced at him, then looked at Sect Leader Chu. Sect Leader Chu waved his hand dismissively, "That's enough, don't ruin the harmony."

The two stood in the open space beside the official road. Feng Ping crossed his palms, and a ball of orange-red flame rose from his palms. The surrounding air was distorted by the high temperature, and the tea stall owner quickly moved his teapot away. Li Muxuan did not have a fancy starting stance. He simply took a deep breath, reversed his Qi circulation, and a faint white light appeared on the skin of his hands.

Feng Ping struck first. His right hand, engulfed in flames, transformed into a fiery serpent, aimed directly at Li Muxuan's face. Li Muxuan dodged to the side, the serpent grazing his collar, leaving it slightly scorched. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward. His body, enhanced by the first level of Reverse Life, completely overwhelmed Feng Ping's lack of physical training in speed. This step was so fast that Feng Ping's pupils constricted, and before he could retract the serpent, Li Muxuan's hand was already on his wrist.

It wasn't a hit, it was a pinch. With a gentle pinch on the other's wrist, Feng Ping felt the Qi pathway in his entire arm being severed by an extremely gentle force, and the flame in his palm instantly extinguished. Li Muxuan pressed his other hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him forward. Feng Ping took three steps back, plopped down on the ground, and stared blankly at his extinguished palm.

The entire process took less than three breaths. There was no fierce exchange of blows, no dazzling moves, just a sidestep, a close-up, and two seemingly effortless actions. Master Chu's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air before slowly lowering it.

Li Muxuan released his grip, took a step back, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Thank you for your concession."

Feng Ping sat on the ground, stunned for a moment, then got up. The resentment on his face vanished completely, replaced by a bewildered expression as if his worldview had been shattered. Master Chu put down his teacup and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zuo Ruotong: "The Triple Reversal of Life truly lives up to its name. For a mere first-level disciple to possess such control..."

He changed the subject abruptly, turning back to glare at his disciple, "I always told you to focus on honing your skills, but you wouldn't listen. Now you know how big you are?" Feng Ping lowered his head and remained silent.

Li Muxuan returned to the queue, picked up another blade of grass, but his steps were much lighter than before. Liu Jin walked past him, casually remarking, "You shifted your weight when you turned to the side; if the other person hadn't reacted slowly, you wouldn't have been able to get in that step."

Li Muxuan almost dropped the grass stalk in his mouth, lowering his voice, "Senior brother, couldn't you have let me be smug for a little longer?"

"cannot."

......

"Hahaha, you can't keep up the act for more than three seconds. Just three seconds."

"Li Muxuan's training over the past few years has truly paid off."

"How could someone personally taught by Zuo Ruotong be bad? Besides, he gets thrashed by Liu Jin every now and then. He gets better and better from being thrashed."

"But to be honest, Feng Ping of the Fire Virtue Sect is not weak either. His fire control skills are good among his peers. It's just that he encountered Ni Sheng, who is not so afraid of being burned. It's an attribute advantage."

......

Afterwards, Zuo Ruotong also had a conversation with Master Chu about the art of fire control and obtained a basic fire control method for Liu Jin.

Liu Jin carefully accepted the gift and sincerely thanked Sect Leader Chu. At the same time, he felt both amused and warm inside. His master had previously scolded him for always eyeing other people's inheritances, yet he still went around asking for it for him.

He could only keep it in his heart and try his best to reach the third level and find a way to replenish his master's original essence in order to help his master break through the third level.

The Lu family's old residence is located at the foot of Wushan Mountain in West Lake, Hangzhou. Built against the mountain, it features white walls and black tiles. Above the door hangs an ebony plaque with the two characters "Lu Mansion" written in a dignified and robust style. In front of the door, two old camphor trees with lush foliage have aerial roots hanging down like two rows of beaded curtains.

On the day of the birthday banquet, the entire alley was adorned with red lanterns, and guests came and went in an endless stream, including Taoists, Buddhists, scions of prominent families, and wandering cultivators, crowding the alley to the point of being impassable.