However, following the defeat of the Reincarnated Spirit Child, Tiemu'er, by Lu Yuan, and his subsequent abduction by Yuan Ling, the chase initiated by Venerable Fanfa and his company after Yuan Ling effectively brought the entire affair to a close.

Naturally, the official Five Great Immortal Sects of the Great Jin Kingdom still needed to offer some form of recompense to the Great Yuan Kingdom.

But this explanation was astonishingly simple.

"We truly did our utmost, but we could not apprehend Yuan Ling—what could we do? Didn't you notice we failed to catch Yuan Ling for several centuries prior? Do you expect us to capture Yuan Ling within a few months, accomplishing what centuries have failed to achieve, simply because your Great Yuan Kingdom's Spirit Child was snatched?" This was the official wording from the Great Jin Kingdom, utterly beyond reproach.

The Great Jin Kingdom possessed an abundance of seasoned veterans—old foxes.

Generally, those who reached the Venerable level were remarkably cunning.

Of course, Venerable Yuanyuan was a cut above the rest in terms of shrewdness; after all, the other Venerables hadn't faced the same noxious environment. On one side, they were the weakest contingent among the three main branches of the Mount Hua Immortal Sect; on the other, Yuan Ling was constantly causing trouble outside, while Sima Changbai harbored rampant ambition internally. This crucible had polished Venerable Yuanyuan’s methods to an unprecedented level of smoothness.

Regardless, the Great Yuan Kingdom could find no fault in this matter. When they requested the Great Jin Kingdom's assistance in pursuing Yuan Ling, the Great Jin Kingdom dispatched a few individuals as a symbolic gesture, yet Yuan Ling remained untraced.

With that, the issue was virtually concluded.

As for the Great Yuan Kingdom’s continued pursuit—that was entirely their affair, with no bearing on the Great Jin Kingdom.

The North Peak grew quiet again.

It reverted to its usual, cold and solitary state.

Cultivating immortality on the mountain was predicated precisely on its isolation.

The mountain’s serenity was better suited for preserving one’s original nature.

Only when one’s original nature merged seamlessly with the vastness of nature could true immortal cultivation proceed effectively.

Before the mountain quieted down, quite a few people had come to visit Li Yuanbai. In truth, they sought an audience with Lu Yuan, but as elders and seniors—especially figures like the Seven Sages of Wudang, whose standing was no lower than Venerable Yuanyuan’s—it would have been ludicrous for them to call upon Lu Yuan, a junior. Thus, they found pretext to visit Li Yuanbai.

Lu Yuan had intended to hide, but as these were seniors, evasion was impossible; he had no choice but to receive them alongside his master.

Fortunately, this period of unwanted attention did not last long. These seniors eventually departed Mount Hua, granting him a rare stretch of peace and quiet. Lu Yuan sometimes sighed at how life constrained one’s actions. Without strength, attaining true freedom in this world was arduous; yet, once strength was achieved, it inevitably imposed obligations.

Matters like the Great Yuan envoys—had he lacked power, he wouldn't have been called upon to intervene; he could have remained comfortably in a corner. But with his current strength, stepping forward became unavoidable.

In this world, one’s path is rarely self-directed.

Ah well, he would enjoy the freedom he could while it lasted.

Lu Yuan shook the wine bottle in his hand; it was empty. It was convenient to store wine in a spatial artifact like the Asura Pouch. With a wave of his hand, he retrieved another wineskin, filled the bottle, and resumed sipping languidly. At this moment, Lu Yuan was perched upon a thick branch of a century-old pine on the North Peak.

The spot was secluded, bathed in pristine tranquility.

Gazing into the distance, the rain misted the air, and everywhere he looked, female cultivators held aloft multicolored oiled-paper umbrellas. These varied canopies painted a scene beneath the downpour unlike the usual landscape.

While the North Peak was currently subdued, the West Peak of Mount Hua was buzzing with activity. Song Nanshan of the West Peak, observing the surge of true disciples flocking to Mount Hua for the Great Yuan envoy incident, decided to host a grand gathering for the younger generation on the West Peak once the disturbance subsided, inviting all true disciples.

He extended invitations to disciples from both the Five Great Immortal Sects and the mid-tier sects.

And Song Nanshan held considerable sway. Among the tenth-generation true disciples of the Mount Hua Immortal Sect, Lu Yuan possessed the highest cultivation, while Han Nanshan commanded the greatest influence. Song Nanshan himself had high innate potential, was slated to inherit command of the Qi Sect, and was adept at socializing, having cultivated a broad network of friends over the years. This prestige was well-earned.

The others attended, partly out of respect for Song Nanshan’s standing, and partly out of curiosity regarding the foremost sect of the Great Jin Kingdom. Thus, everyone gravitated toward the West Peak. It must be quite lively there now.

They had, of course, extended an invitation to Lu Yuan as well.

But Lu Yuan declined.

Lu Yuan was realizing that socializing with true disciples was becoming tiresome. His current power far outstripped theirs. Most true disciples were at the sixth, seventh, or eighth levels of the Qi Refining Stage; the top-tier ones reached the ninth or tenth. Each of the Five Great Immortal Sects possessed one practitioner at the Body Tempering Stage. Lu Yuan, however, was already at the fourth level of the Body Tempering Stage. Even if the five Body Tempering experts from the Five Great Sects attacked him simultaneously, they would certainly be no match for him.

Was this what the legends called the loneliness of a master?

Well, he was certainly idle enough to wish for the loneliness of a master. True masterly loneliness belonged to Ancestor Yan atop Tianfeng; it was hardly his place to claim it. He swallowed a mouthful of wine, and Lu Yuan’s thoughts drifted aimlessly. For a time, he wasn’t sure what he was thinking about—perhaps, at this very moment, his mind was perfectly blank.

That sensation of an empty mind was actually quite pleasant, like the vast sky.

Lu Yuan’s absence from the West Peak brought a significant reduction in pressure for the other true disciples, especially the top-tier ones. Most true disciples were young, rarely older than forty. When young people gather, a little showing off is natural. Drinking, chatting, friendly sparring, comparing strength, and boasting about past achievements—it was all perfectly normal human behavior.

If Lu Yuan had attended, what would he boast about? To the other true disciples, Lu Yuan was a towering mountain. It was more comfortable for them that he stayed away; his presence would have made them uncomfortable.

In any case, Lu Yuan not going to the West Peak allowed him to be at ease, and it allowed the other true disciples to be at ease too.

A month passed.

He had indulged in another month of laziness.

Lu Yuan had spent this month comfortably, leisurely, and peacefully, dedicating his days solely to drinking and practicing the sword.

And now, Lu Yuan was practicing again.

The Nourishing Myriad Sword rested in his hand, executing the techniques of the One Hundred and Eight Wind and Cloud Swordsmanship—"Gentle Cloud Intent," "Heavy Gale," "Entangling Cloud Sword*..." "The Great Wind Arises,"... "Cloud Layered, Wind Raging," "Wind Passes Over the Land Leaving No Trace,"... "Wandering Clouds, Disturbed Winds," "Wind Passes Over the Land Leaving No Trace," "Cloud Locks the Deep Mountain, Wind Stills"—each movement flowed through his execution. Lu Yuan channeled his mind into the subtle, wondrous state achieved in his practice. After an unknowable amount of time, Lu Yuan let out a long breath, shook his head: “Failed again*…” Though he failed, he felt little discouragement. With a flick of his wrist, the Nourishing Myriad Sword slid back into its sheath.

This session was an attempt to merge multiple sword intents into a single strike, to unleash a tempest of wind and cloud with one swing.

Alas, he had not yet reached that level.

But there was no need to rush. Venerable Yuanyuan and Venerable Yuan Ling were only at that same level of swordsmanship; it was indeed too difficult to match their sword skill by the time he was twenty. The sword returned to its scabbard, and the wine bottle found its way back into his hand. He tilted his head back and gulped down a mouthful, experiencing a rush of pure satisfaction.

He then strode toward the Changchun Residence. Lately, he had spent considerable time with his master. If his memory served him correctly, his master had only three months left.

Three months!

Inside the Changchun Residence, Li Yuanbai stood with his hands clasped behind his back. There was no trace of sorrow on his face; he had long ago seen through the cycle of life and death—what joy in birth, what fear in death? Seeing Lu Yuan enter, Li Yuanbai nodded: “Ah, you’ve returned.*…” It was a simple inquiry.

Between master and disciple, there was no need for superfluous pleasantries; simplicity was truth.

They were about to eat dinner, a remarkably light meal, as Li Yuanbai always preferred simplicity. “This time, I want to entrust you with one task.” “Master, please just tell me what you need,” Lu Yuan replied.

“Help me gather the Bìngzhú Flower,” Li Yuanbai requested.

The Bìngzhú Flower—Lu Yuan had also heard the beautiful legends surrounding this flower. It grew in dark, damp subterranean places, and the locations where it bloomed were exceedingly rare, yet it was said to be the most stunning flower in existence. Its blooming period lasted a mere three hours; past that window, the legendary most beautiful Bìngzhú Flower would wilt. Furthermore, the Bìngzhú Flower carried a beautiful legend: if one encountered a young maiden while gathering it, she would be the perfect companion for life, leading to a supremely beautiful romance.

Li Yuanbai spoke slowly, “Over three hundred years ago, your mistress and I met underground, precisely while gathering the Bìngzhú Flower. Because of that, I gained the most beautiful love. And a hundred years ago, your mistress passed away on the very day the Bìngzhú Flower bloomed*…”

“In two months, it will be the time for the Bìngzhú Flower to open. I wish to see it one last time, but my body is failing, and I fear I cannot endure the exertion, so I ask this favor of you,” Li Yuanbai concluded.

Master had always been philosophical about life. This must be his final wish. Lu Yuan naturally nodded his agreement.

Li Yuanbai cautioned, “The Bìngzhú Flower opens underground. The depths signify danger. You must be exceedingly careful*…”

“Yes*…” Lu Yuan nodded, then returned to his own chamber shortly after.

After Lu Yuan retired, Uncle Song, who was clearing the dishes, murmured softly, “Old Master, by sending the Young Master to gather the Bìngzhú Flower, are you perhaps hoping for…?”

“I want him to gather the Bìngzhú Flower partly because I genuinely wish to see it; it is one of the last two desires of my life.”

“The other desire will also be realized on this occasion,” Li Yuanbai smiled. “If both wishes are fulfilled, this old man can close his eyes in peace.”

“No regrets in life, no regrets in death.”