Frankly, a sparring match with Zhao Nan from the West Peak of the Qi Sect was nothing more than a trivial diversion.

During the Five Hundredth Birthday celebration for Grandmaster Yuanyuan, the Lord of the North Peak, the real business should have been hosting guests from all factions and maintaining security. With so many people from the North Peak involved, the vigilance would undoubtedly be stricter than usual, requiring more manpower.

But what did any of that have to do with him?

Lu Yuan walked along the narrow mountain path, taking a swig from his wine gourd, feeling perfectly content.

Don't bother him with important matters like receiving guests; he's incapable of such things, and frankly, too lazy to involve himself in that sort of tiresome affair.

However, his current mood was quite cheerful. A victory always brightened one's spirits; most people prefer winning to losing. Ah, right—now he should head back to Changchun Residence and see if there were any ancient texts left by predecessors detailing methods for shattering spells with the sword. He was naturally inclined toward swordsmanship. While he had studied some minor spellcraft, he truly held little interest in it.

No interest in spells, but he knew he would inevitably encounter them in the future, so learning how to break them was necessary.

Just as he reached Changchun Residence, he found a young Taoist acolyte waiting at the entrance: "Greetings, Sixth Senior Brother. The Peak Lord has commanded that you proceed to his study immediately."

Why would Martial Uncle Yuanyuan summon him? A slight sense of surprise flickered in his heart. Nevertheless, since Martial Uncle Yuanyuan had called for him, he had no choice but to go. He followed the acolyte, heading straight toward Martial Uncle Yuanyuan's study. The study was situated at the very summit of Mount Hua's North Peak. They ascended continuously until they finally reached the highest point of the North Peak.

Upon arrival, the clouds and mist grew dense.

It felt as if one were walking within a sea of mist, with white clouds swirling around the knees—truly a celestial abode. The ambient spiritual energy here was even more concentrated than at Changchun Residence, richer by a noticeable margin. The higher they climbed, the steeper and more treacherous the path became. If one glanced to the side, they would see a sheer drop into an abyss thousands of feet deep.

He continued his ascent.

After walking for a while, a corner of a curved eave gradually emerged from the mist ahead. Drawing closer, one could discern a courtyard and pavilion constructed of stone and wood. Surrounded by swirling white clouds, it was indeed a sanctuary fit for immortals. Entering the courtyard and approaching the pavilion, Lu Yuan saw a horizontal plaque inscribed with four characters: "Zhongzheng Pinghe Zhai" (The Study of Centeredness and Tranquility).

Zhongzheng Pinghe Zhai—the name was quite fitting.

Martial Uncle Yuanyuan was a man of upright neutrality and profound peace, and under his leadership, the North Peak's strength had steadily grown more formidable.

His character was centered and calm; his actions mirrored this neutrality and peace.

Of course, if one truly managed to provoke him, this seemingly placid figure would cease to be centered and tranquil.

On a previous occasion, when someone attempted to assassinate Lu Yuan—the assassination of a core disciple being a grave taboo for Grandmaster Yuanyuan—it had unleashed a sweeping storm of retribution.

Putting aside his wandering thoughts, Lu Yuan entered the pavilion.

Upon first stepping inside, his gaze fell upon an extremely long, smooth stone table, accompanied by several chairs made of yellow pear wood. An elder stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing away from Lu Yuan, observing the clouds rise and dissipate outside the window, condensing and then vanishing. On the wall beside the elder, whose hair and beard were entirely white, hung two large characters written in powerful, sweeping calligraphy: "Harmony."

The elder stood there, not particularly tall, yet emanating an aura of profound stability, like a deep pool or a steadfast mountain.

At that moment, Lu Yuan realized he wasn't the only one summoned. Eldest Senior Brother Yun Yi and Second Senior Brother Yun Ping were already present. Being called here along with the two of them made Lu Yuan wonder what urgent matter required all three of them, causing him to ponder quietly.

Grandmaster Yuanyuan turned around. Seeing Lu Yuan, he couldn't help but let out a soft, scolding laugh: "Well now, Lu Yuan, still carrying that wine gourd when you come to see this old man?"

Yun Yi and Yun Ping glanced over. Seeing Lu Yuan's appearance, they inwardly sighed, thinking their Sixth Junior Brother truly paid no mind to appearances, even carrying a wine gourd in front of Grandmaster Yuanyuan.

Lu Yuan felt a surge of awkwardness. Usually, in front of his martial uncles, he managed to maintain some semblance of propriety. It couldn't be helped; that was the nature of a disciple from a renowned sect. Despite his naturally indolent temperament, he could feign decorum when necessary. Now, however, he was genuinely embarrassed—a minor tragedy. He quickly corked the wine gourd and tucked it into his sleeve.

Grandmaster Yuanyuan waved a hand dismissively. "No matter. I am not as rigid as your Martial Uncle Fang."

"Very well, let's get to the real business. The reason I called you here goes back over four hundred years. Four centuries ago..."

—————— Outside Zhongzheng Pinghe Zhai, clouds rolled and billowed, condensing and then surging.

The sheer abyss yawned just before them.

Silence. Such profound stillness.

Only the sound of the wind rushing past the pine trees clinging to the cliff's edge.

Inside Zhongzheng Pinghe Zhai, Grandmaster Yuanyuan recounted the tale of centuries past.

And Lu Yuan gradually began to understand the whole story.

The matter indeed dated back four centuries. Back then, among the core disciples of the direct lineage, there were two paramount figures: one was Grandmaster Yuanyuan, and the other was Yuan Ling. Yuan Ling was no ordinary character; his innate talent surpassed even Yuanyuan's. However, his methods were overly aggressive, which is why the Eighth Generation Patriarch ultimately entrusted the position of North Peak Lord to Grandmaster Yuanyuan.

If that had been the end of it, fine. But Yuan Ling, possessing immense talent and aggressive tendencies, believed he was superior to the balanced and moderate Yuanyuan in every aspect. Naturally, he resented Yuanyuan for taking the Peak Lord position he had coveted for so long, and thus instigated a rebellion. However, one must acknowledge that while Yuanyuan appeared ordinary, he was actually a man who hid a sharp edge beneath velvet, certainly not someone to be trifled with.

In a swift countermove, Yuanyuan crushed Yuan Ling’s rebellion.

Yet, Yuanyuan was young then, lacking the seasoned shrewdness he possessed now, and Yuan Ling was indeed a formidable opponent. Although the revolt ultimately failed, Yuan Ling did not perish; he managed to escape.

After fleeing, it was rumored that Yuan Ling began assembling his own faction, reportedly accumulating a considerable and powerful base of support.

And this time, with the multitude of guests arriving for Grandmaster Yuanyuan's Five Hundredth Birthday, the atmosphere was ripe for chaos among the mix of good and bad elements. Consequently, Yuan Ling intended to cause trouble under this cover. He dispatched several subordinates, but Grandmaster Yuanyuan detected their presence and planned to eliminate all of Yuan Ling's arrangements that very night. With the strength currently at his command, eliminating those intending disruption was hardly difficult. However, thinking it a fine opportunity to provide some real-world experience for his direct disciples, he summoned the three of them—this was intended as a crucial trial for the three of them. Furthermore, among the current Ten Great Direct Disciples, only Yun Yi, Yun Ping, and Lu Yuan were truly capable of handling matters of this magnitude; the other seven were still too green and couldn't participate in such a high-stakes trial.

Otherwise, Grandmaster Yuanyuan would genuinely have preferred to give all ten direct disciples a chance to temper themselves.

If nothing else, Grandmaster Yuanyuan treated his direct disciples with unparalleled care.

Lu Yuan felt a sense of awe. Grandmaster Yuanyuan was truly exceptional. That fellow Yuan Ling must also have been a figure of astonishing genius, yet he underestimated Grandmaster Yuanyuan, mistaking his balanced nature for mediocrity, only to ultimately fall at Yuanyuan’s hands.

Such individuals were the truly formidable ones.

Without showing a flicker of emotion, everything had been calculated perfectly.

Fortunately, he was the nephew of such a powerful figure. Standing on the same side as this great master greatly increased his sense of security. Of course, Grandmaster Yuanyuan took good care of his martial nephews; during the last intense upheaval that swept the North Peak, he certainly did not forget his nephews when distributing benefits.

Alright, it was time to get down to the real task.

The trivial matter of fighting Zhao Nan, a direct disciple from the Harmony Sect, could be cast aside. The true purpose had finally arrived.

Only by successfully completing this mission and shattering Yuan Ling's current scheme could they look forward to a peaceful continuation of the Five Hundredth Birthday celebration. How many disturbances did one five-hundredth birthday manage to attract! (The Grandmaster Yuanyuan's Five Hundredth Birthday Dungeon arc was nearing its conclusion, preparing for one final, satisfying clash.)

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