Mu Hongxue suddenly extended her hand. On her wrist, there was a red thread.

"There's no harm in telling you. I've been afflicted by a strange poison called 'Red Thread.' When this red thread condenses in my palm, if I don't have the antidote, my life will end. The one who poisoned me wants me to steal your Leisure Cloud Valley's secret skill, or I will die."

"Now that I've said this, do you believe me?"

Wang Mu was stunned, then nodded. "If that's the case, then I believe you. At least there's a reason for it."

"Hahahaha..." Mu Hongxue was taken aback, then burst into laughter. She immediately wiped away the red thread on her wrist.

It turned out to be merely a line she had casually drawn with congealed blood.

What kind of strange poison was that?

"You brat, so you think you're clever... You really are quite clever... to see through me at a glance," Mu Hongxue laughed. "None of your senior brothers saw through it."

"But to say you're foolish, you're also quite foolish. You believed what I casually said?"

She probably found it incredibly amusing, as she laughed until tears streamed down her face.

Wang Mu said silently, "I am not foolish. I just trusted Brother Mu."

"..." Mu Hongxue's laughter halted.

At that moment, footsteps were heard outside the house.

"Brother Mu..." Wang Mu said softly, "If you truly need this secret skill to save your life... then go. I will keep your secret. A secret skill should not be passed on to outsiders, but if it can save a life, I am willing to bear this responsibility for you."

Mu Hongxue watched him silently, then jumped out of the window without a word.

Soon after, his three senior brothers arrived. Seeing the open window, they immediately knew the thief had fled and rushed to give chase.

Wang Mu, intending to hide the truth, quickly rose to block them. A conflict was incited, and a battle erupted.

His three senior brothers had been in the valley for many years and possessed profound Martial Arts. They were usually placid and restrained in their attacks, but Wang Mu, facing three opponents, was ultimately no match for them.

At a critical moment, Wang Mu unleashed the Four Seasons Yin Yang Palm and defeated his three senior brothers, halting their pursuit.

Then, Master Wuyou walked over calmly. Seeing this scene, he asked, "Wang Mu, why did you do this?"

"To save a life," Wang Mu replied.

Master Wuyou looked deeply into Wang Mu's eyes and said, "The Martial Arts you just employed are not from our Leisure Cloud Valley. It is an extremely profound Hand Technique; it should be the Four Seasons Yin Yang Palm of the Yin Yang Taoist. That Yin Yang Taoist was enigmatic and passed away many years ago, and this secret skill also went missing..."

"Although you were lenient, you still attacked your fellow disciples and let the thief escape..."

"Are you aware of the punishment you'll face?"

Wang Mu remained silent.

According to sect rules, learning other miscellaneous arts was permissible. However, attacking a fellow disciple demonstrated poor martial virtue and necessitated the abolishment of one's Martial Arts. Coupled with letting a thief escape, the punishment would be even more severe.

At that moment, the Eldest Senior Brother got up, clutching his chest, and said, "Master, Little Brother was just momentarily confused... Please, Master, just sentence him to confinement... As for letting the thief escape, Little Brother is likely inexperienced with the world and was surely deceived by that scoundrel..."

"Hmph... This fool! Apart from that Four Seasons Yin Yang Palm, his cultivation in other Martial Arts is mediocre, utterly lacking. Why should Master even bother abolishing his Martial Arts?" the Second Senior Brother said coldly. "Just expel him from Leisure Cloud Valley directly!"

"Little Brother has been very respectful to Master and to us since joining the valley a few months ago. For him to make such a choice... there might be another reason..." the Third Senior Brother said softly. "Master, why not keep him under observation? Perhaps we can use this to lure the thief into reappearing!"

The three senior brothers each had different personalities. The Eldest Senior Brother was kind and compassionate. The Second Senior Brother had a sharp tongue but a warm heart. The Third Senior Brother was quite resourceful.

Yet, at this moment, they were, in essence, all speaking from their own perspectives, and Wang Mu could discern this.

"My decision on this matter is final!"

Master Carefree's figure flickered. He extended a finger and tapped Wang Mu's abdomen, at his Dan Tian.

In an instant, all his various forms of Inner Strength and his understanding of Martial Arts techniques were reduced to nothing.

Wang Mu felt a shock course through his body, and his limbs went limp.

He knew his Martial Arts had been abolished; in this state, he was no different from a cripple.

"How can the sect's rules be so easily disregarded?" Master Carefree continued. "He let the thief escape, which warrants a separate punishment. Take him to the Ice and Fire Pond in the valley and confine him there for one month!"

The three of them were greatly shocked upon hearing this.

The Ice and Fire Pond was exceedingly peculiar: one half was like a scalding hot spring, while the other half was bone-chilling ice.

Normally, even someone with profound Inner Strength could only train there for a few days. To stay near the Ice and Fire Pond for a month meant the frigid and scorching energies would invade the body, upsetting its Yin-Yang balance. In mild cases, meridians would be damaged; in severe cases, one's life would be forfeit. After thirty days of this, it was feared the person would be utterly gone.

"I have failed Leisure Cloud Valley and willingly accept my punishment," Wang Mu stated, then silently staggered towards the Ice and Fire Pond.

Master Carefree nodded slightly, watching him go without intervening...

For the entire following month, Wang Mu remained in the Ice and Fire Pond, enduring the agonizing erosion of the frigid and scorching energies, suffering excruciating pain day after day...

BANG!

「Fengyue Valley, the back mountain.」

A crimson-clad figure had an ashen face.

"That old codger! He truly shows no mercy, does he!"

She stared at the image on the screen—at the figure writhing in pain on the ground—and fell silent.

"I remember you later said you didn't receive any severe punishment, just a few days of confinement..." She bit her lip lightly. "You lied to me about that too?"

Now, observing from a third-person perspective, she watched the figure in the image endure such torment.

However, not much later, she saw the man in the image actually begin to practice the Four Seasons Yin Yang Palm within the Ice and Fire Pond, seemingly achieving some sudden enlightenment.

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