"Chirpsssssss—" "Chirpsssssss—" the cry of the cicada echoed, perhaps the most vibrant sound of summer.

In the courtyard, Lu Yuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back. This time, after dealing with Huang Fengbo, Sun Tiangang, Wang Hongtu, and Qian Leng, he had imprisoned the four of them. According to his original plan, he should have seized control of all the mines in the area, and at most, only Sun Tiangang, whose backing was incredibly strong, would have survived; the others would have been securely locked away in the Heavenly Prison.

As it turned out, the final judgment from the Elder Council allowed them to live, though the mines were transferred to his faction’s control.

Simply put, one of his objectives was achieved, and one was not.

Lu Yuan had initially assumed that the Elder Council, fundamentally composed of members from the Five Great Immortal Sects, would naturally favor his Huashan Immortal Sect in the event of any dispute. However, he discovered that the Council did not lean in his direction this time.

The decision, if anything, leaned slightly toward the opposition.

This was peculiar.

Upon receiving the ruling, Lu Yuan only felt a sense of oddity.

It wasn't until Uncle Lu explained that Lu Yuan finally understood.

The Huashan Immortal Sect was currently divided into five peaks, each with its own internal conflicts, further segmented into the Sword Sect, the Qi Sect, and the Sword-Qi Sect. The Eastern Peak and Southern Peak belonged to the Sword Sect; the Central Peak and Western Peak to the Qi Sect; and the Northern Peak to the Sword-Qi Sect. Although the Huashan Immortal Sect had five peaks, when united, its overall strength ranked first among the Five Great Immortal Sects.

The Huashan Immortal Sect was currently too ascendant, overshadowing the other four great sects.

Therefore, the other four sects felt it necessary to apply some restraint on Huashan.

Coincidentally, the incident in the Dongdao Prefecture had reached the Elder Council. Logically, given Huashan’s established dominance and the brilliance of Lu Yuan’s tactics this time, the mines should have been handed over to Huashan’s management, and Huang Fengbo and the others should have been sent to the Huashan Heavenly Prison—perhaps Sun Tiangang would have been luckier due to his powerful connections.

As previously mentioned, the Elder Council was primarily composed of members from the Five Great Immortal Sects.

At this moment, the other four sects shared the desire to curb Huashan's power.

Consequently, the final verdict unexpectedly benefited the factions backing the Wang family, the Royal family, and the Qian sect.

The Elder Council had delivered a significant slap in the face to the Huashan Immortal Sect this time, essentially a united suppression by the four other sects against Huashan.

Elder Yuan Yuan was naturally unwilling to accept this, but with the four great sects joining forces to exert pressure, even Huashan had to concede slightly. Elder Yuan Yuan protested repeatedly in the Council sessions to no avail; if his protests couldn't sway the ruling, naturally, Li Yuanbai’s objections stood little chance of shaking the decision.

Thus, the ruling was handed down.

It finally landed in Lu Yuan’s hands.

Good.

A cold sneer touched the corner of Lu Yuan’s lips.

Once the Elder Council issued a decree, no one dared to question it or refuse to comply.

Lu Yuan did not dare to defy it either, so he had no choice but to release Huang Fengbo and the others according to the ruling.

Hah. Who says I dare not.

The sneer on Lu Yuan’s lips intensified. Huang Fengbo and the others dared to occupy the Xiangshan Mine first, and then actively provoke him upon his arrival. He hadn't harbored any genuine murderous intent initially, but this Elder Council ruling meant that after provoking his faction, Huang Fengbo and the others could simply settle the matter by forfeiting one mine.

What a joke.

Indeed, Lu Yuan was usually a man of indolence, often looking carefree and amiable, sometimes throwing a few sharp words, which he would never bother to contest. However, every matter has a limit. Once that boundary is crossed, Lu Yuan ceases to be his usual good-natured self.

Huang Fengbo and the others had clearly crossed that line. Letting them go so easily was never an option.

Yes, the Elder Council’s verdict was out, but while ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent of cultivators would never dare violate the Council’s ruling, he dared. He was precisely that audacious. Back on the Northern Peak, he had dared to provoke the vastly more powerful Sima Changbai.

Languid, cunning, and recklessly bold—these were essentially his core characteristics.

He had put on an act for those people earlier, pretending to strictly adhere to the Elder Council’s decree. By now, the Royal families and their associates had likely fled far away, beyond the jurisdiction of Dongdao Prefecture. It was about time for him to act. He would settle this final matter before returning to the mountain.

With a movement of his hand, he pulled a mask from his Asura Pouch. This was a disguise mask, capable of completely altering one's appearance. It had been gifted to him four years ago by a rogue cultivator friend of his master; that senior had perished two years prior. When using this disguise mask, there would be absolutely no flaw.

Huang Fengbo, Sun Tiangang, Wang Hongtu, Qian Leng—truly, provoking him was one thing, but crossing his bottom line meant only one path: death.

Who says I don't dare?

...

The elder named Lu watched the freshly delivered intelligence reports in his hands with a heart full of dread.

Huang Fengbo, dead. Sun Tiangang, dead. Wang Hongtu, dead. Qian Leng, dead.

When the four death notices arrived, the elder surnamed Lu felt his heartbeat accelerate violently. Normally, killing these four would not be a major event, but this was certainly not a normal time; these deaths occurred shortly after the Elder Council had issued its decree.

The elder surnamed Lu knew that his Old Master had accepted the Elder Council’s ruling, meaning the Old Master hadn't ordered the killings. Could it be the Young Master? But that seemed unlikely; the Young Master usually appeared so listless, surely not so recklessly daring. Yet, he immediately recalled the Young Master daring to provoke Sima Changbai on the Northern Peak and challenging his sword hall. Beneath the Young Master’s habitual laziness, there surely lay the shadow of sheer audacity.

Could it truly be the Young Master’s doing? The elder surnamed Lu hurriedly rushed to the Young Master’s residence. He had been too preoccupied with governing the newly established Dongdao Prefecture recently and hadn't paid close attention to the Young Master. Upon arrival, he found the Young Master lying down asleep in broad daylight.

"Young Master, Huang Fengbo, Sun Tiangang, Wang Hongtu, and Qian Leng are all dead?" the elder surnamed Lu stated.

"What?" Lu Yuan feigned surprise. "How did those four die?"

The elder surnamed Lu urged, "Young Master, if you did this, confess quickly. I will report it to the Old Master and try to find a way to manage the fallout."

Lu Yuan replied with an expression of deep confusion, "How could I? The Elder Council’s ruling has been issued; how would I dare take action?"

——————

The Elder Council—that was heavenly authority. Heavenly authority is inscrutable. The heavenly authority of the Elder Council grows ever more mysterious.

The Elder Council absolutely does not interfere in the internal affairs of the Five Great Immortal Sects. However, regarding matters outside the sects, the Elder Council holds absolute dominion. Once their verdict is rendered, even if the opposing party is a sworn enemy, they must cease action upon the Council's command. Over the past five thousand years, this absolute authority has been firmly established.

Now, look at this situation: not long after the Elder Council ruled on the Dongdao Prefecture matter, Huang Fengbo, Sun Tiangang, Wang Hongtu, and Qian Leng were all killed. This forced the Elder Council to launch an investigation, and soon, investigators from the Council arrived in the Dongdao Prefecture area.

The most likely suspect, naturally, was Lu Yuan.

The Elder Council members were clad in robes of white, their faces hidden behind white veils, entirely shrouded in white. Their robes were voluminous, making it impossible to discern the investigators’ build or features—only a vague sense of height could be ascertained; all other information was withheld.

In the room, the two Elder Council Investigators sat. Even while seated, they exuded immense pressure, like a mountain collapsing before you. Lu Yuan, too, was seated, slouching carelessly before the two investigators, showing none of the tension that others displayed in such an audience.

One of the investigators spoke in a deep voice, "Lu Yuan, we are beginning our inquiry now. Recently, Huang Fengbo, Sun Tiangang, Wang Hongtu, and Qian Leng all died. Are you aware of this?"

"I know," Lu Yuan replied.

"Oh? How did you know?" the investigator pressed.

"Uncle Lu informed me a few days ago," Lu Yuan answered.

The other investigator interjected, "Then how do you explain your frequent disappearances for several days at a time?" This, in the investigator's mind, was Lu Yuan’s biggest vulnerability. Disappearing for days suggested opportunity and suspicion; following this lead could yield substantial evidence.

The majesty of the Elder Council must not be infringed upon.

Lu Yuan spoke languidly then, "Before you investigate this matter, you truly should look into my usual character. For one, I am fond of wine and often become intoxicated during my drinking sessions. Secondly, I am lazy and frequently just find a corner to fall asleep anywhere. So, during this period, I maintained my usual lifestyle: going out, and if there was nothing to do, finding a secluded spot to nap. This is normal for me. It would be abnormal if I were seen every single day. If I’m not seen for a few days, that’s actually the norm," Lu Yuan said with an air of utter innocence.

...

Both Elder Council investigators found Lu Yuan to be extremely cunning, acting nothing like an eighteen-year-old youth. They couldn't extract any useful information from him or find any cracks in his demeanor. What kind of environment had nurtured such a young fox? What was most frustrating was that the deaths of Huang Fengbo and the others left behind no evidence—no footprints, no traces of magical arts or sword energy. The perpetrator was exceptionally skilled. In the killing of Sun Tiangang, though a face was briefly shown, it was entirely different from Lu Yuan’s appearance.

The two investigators were seventy percent certain that Lu Yuan was responsible, but without any concrete proof or vulnerability, they were powerless.

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