As the translucent screen flickered before his eyes, a torrent of arcane knowledge seemed to pour directly into Ji Wuye's mind.

He sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor, back ramrod straight, eyes tightly shut in intense concentration. His brow furrowed as he absorb the profound insights of the Heavenly Dragon Fusion Gongfa.

…

A little over an hour passed before Ji Wuye finally opened his eyes, now glowing with a crimson hue and brimming with a newfound, ancient wisdom.

A look of utter disbelief spread across his chiseled features. 'This cannot be...how is this possible?' His mind raced, thoughts swirling like a tempest.

The knowledge of Heavenly Dragon Fusion Gongfa, he had just received was undoubtedly legitimate, containing no flaws or inconsistencies.

It clearly outlined a way for him to breakthrough to the next realm without the traditional two-year cycle of channeling his Qi between the Lower and Middle Dantians.

The concepts were reminiscent of the Twin Dragon Ascension Gongfa, the inner art he had mastered in a previous timeline, also the one help him to break into the 3rd realm.

Yet the crux of the matter lay in the requirements: a 'strong vessel' and 'rich or dense Qi'...Ji Wuye muttered the words under his breath, brow furrowing deeper.

As if by cosmic coincidence, he had just recently advanced to the 2nd stage of the Unbreakable Vajra Physique, fulfilling the condition of a 'strong vessel.'

'No, this defies reason...I must review the contents again,' Ji Wuye resolved, rising fluidly from his cross-legged stance.

He made to return the ancient 'Ascendant of Unity' manual to its resting place when a derisive snort shattered the silence. Ji Wuye's hand froze, crimson eyes narrowing toward the imposing figure garbed in a stark white martial robe with dark yellow stripes.

An Elder...his expression twisted in clear disdain.

"Ascendant of Unity?" the Elder sneered, beady eyes flickering with contempt as they settled on the tome in Ji Wuye's grasp.

"You're not even a 3rd realm martial artist yet, and already you aspire to lofty heights far beyond your faculties? How utterly impudent!" His voice dripped with venom as he glared at the young disciple.

"This is precisely why I cautioned against indulging your foolish request!"

The Elder cut an intimidating presence, with his closely cropped beard, long raven locks, and venomous glare.

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Standing a few inches taller than Ji Wuye's modest height of six chi, he was unmistakably the one who harbored the deepest enmity toward him.

Even now, Ji Wuye felt his throat constrict as he gulped down his saliva, struggling to calm his turbulent thoughts. 'That was in the past...' he reminded himself sternly, regaining his composure through sheer force of will.

"Greetings, Elder Mu," Ji Wuye replied, his voice level and betraying none of his inner turmoil. He cupped his hands formally before his chest, dipping his head in a respectful bow as he politely addressed the Elder.

Elder Mu, or Mu Lan Jiang, was the father of his former betrothed, Mu Lan Rou. The disdainful elder had persistently sought to have Ji Wuye expelled from the sect, his animosity stemming from their engagement.

Unlike Elder Xia, whose opposition was rooted in principles of equality, Elder Mu's resentment ran far deeper - he actively endangered Ji Wuye at every turn.

‘In fact, these two are no different,’ Ji Wuye suddenly remembered how Elder Xia had choked him in front of all the disciples, causing him to reconsider his view of Elder Xia. One was a narrow-minded Elder, clinging to old traditions and refusing to adapt, while the other was a loving father, extremely cruel and protective toward his daughter.

"Young people these days have no ethics, heh!" Elder Mu sneered, his eyes narrowing to slits. "You didn't even deign to answer my question and instead boldly ignored me. Are you looking down on me, young one?!"

Ji Wuye's expression remained an inscrutable mask as he replied, his crimson eyes meeting the Elder's piercing glare without a hint of anger or fear.

"Please forgive me, but as for your question, I was merely studying, Elder. Is that not permitted?" His tone remained deferential as he sought clarification, yet carried an undercurrent of quiet dignity.

SHRILL--!

Without warning, the world around Ji Wuye seemed to warp and distort. The surroundings blurred before his crimson gaze as an immense, oppressive force descended upon him - demanding submission.

A Sword Zone...the exclusive ability of 6th realm martial artists. Ji Wuye had witnessed its awesome might countless times before and was all too familiar with its suffocating effects.

"Do not play games with me," Elder Mu growled, squaring his shoulders as he advanced a step. "A young man like you, who has only been to the flower house and played with women's hearts, has no business even looking upon such an advanced manual."

His eyes bored into Ji Wuye, brimming with naked suspicion. "Now come to think… you seem even more suspicious to me! First, your impudent request to enter the Kunlun Thousand Pavilion, and now you are caught studying the our inner art!"

"State your purpose, now!" Elder Mu snapped, his glare accusatory.

The recent upheaval in the Jianghu following the Tower break had left the world on edge, prompting increased vigilance against potential threats or infiltrators.

To Elder Mu's eyes, Ji Wuye's actions reeked of deception.

…

While Elder Mu's scathing words washed over him, Ji Wuye's mind was preoccupied with an entirely different matter - the true extent of the Sword Zone's oppressive might.

The Sword Zone was hard to describe. For him, whose martial realm was lower, the experience was too profound; the surroundings became blurry and there was a heavy weight pressing down on his entire body.

It should have been heavy enough to crush even a sword, yet...

'It's not that strong...' he pondered inwardly, momentarily puzzled. Though the pressure was undoubtedly formidable, it fell short of overwhelming. Even the flow of Qi coursing through his meridians remained stable and unperturbed.

"Hmph!" Elder Mu seemed equally taken aback by Ji Wuye's resilience, his brow furrowing as the Sword Zone's intensity redoubled.

'The Granite Embrace realm...' Ji Wuye muttered the words like a silent epiphany. It made Ji Wuye smile because it didn't work on him, or rather, it wasn't as strong since his body was as hard as granite, even after Elder Mu increased the pressure.

But, for the sake of keeping the future knowledge advantage and preventing any alterations in the current timeline...

In the span of a heartbeat, his expression contorted with an exaggerated wince of apparent agony.

"Ugh..." He half-knelt, one hand braced against the floor as he feigned a racking cough, a solitary droplet of spittle escaping his lips. Even from the corner of his eye, he could discern Elder Mu's fleeting exhalation of relief.

"E-Elder...what have I done to deserve this treat...ment..." Ji Wuye forced the words out in a strained, stuttering rasp, his breathing becoming labored pants. His complexion reddened as he clutched at his throat, eyes bulging dramatically.

To add to the drama, he could use the Pressure Form Perfection Style, sealing his pressure points which made his Qi flow messy, but...

‘There is no way I can fool Elder Mu's eyes at this close distance…’ Ji Wuye muttered inwardly while continuing his act…

"Come with me; I will take you to the Hall of Insight where the other Elders will decide your punishment!" Elder Mu snarled, seizing Ji Wuye’s hand, forcing him to stand, and dragging him along.

But then… A shadow swept past them in a blur.

SWOOSH--!

"Young one...put that disciple down..." An aged, wizened figure now stood at Ji Wuye's side, one gnarled hand resting firmly on his shoulder as the other exerted an unseen force, pushing Elder Mu backwards a step.