The courtyard where the group from Mount Hua's North Peak resided at the Wuling Immortal Sect was called Tingyu Study (Listening to the Rain Study). A small building hears the spring rain overnight; tomorrow, the deep alley sells apricot blossoms. When Lu Yuan returned to the Tingyu Study, the other core disciples came out.

Ye Fang was the first to ask, "Sixth Senior Brother, I heard you displayed mighty power this time, fighting two cultivators in the Body Tempering Stage Eight single-handedly. Is that true?" Ye Yuan added from the side, "And they say you fought with your right hand wielding the sword while eating with your left—only using your right hand against the enemy." The other core disciples made sounds of awe. After hearing the news, they didn't doubt it; they were just seeking confirmation.

Moreover, they had long felt the gap between themselves and Lu Yuan widening, becoming impossibly vast, long having given up on closing it. Lu Yuan nodded. "Nonsense." Just as the core disciples were chuckling, a low voice sounded.

It was the Gentleman Sword, Fang Ru, walking over. "Sword duels are matters of life and death; how can one fight while eating and drinking? Truly reckless." He felt it necessary to reprimand this disciple on behalf of his absent master, Senior Brother Li.

Lu Yuan could only listen submissively. He couldn't help it; this Martial Uncle Fang had always been like this—extremely rigid. How could he possibly argue back?

In truth, Martial Uncle Fang's words held some validity. A sword duel is a matter of life and death. However, Lu Yuan’s supreme talent in swordsmanship stemmed from both innate factors and the cultivation derived from his acquired interest.

Lu Yuan had never believed that swordsmanship was solely for combat. Swordsmanship was a vast field of knowledge, and winning a fight was only one part of that learning. Many swordsmen and sword immortals believed that one must become sincere to the sword for the sword to be sincere to you.

This wasn't wrong; for many, that was precisely the path. Unfortunately, Lu Yuan never desired to be a swordsman 'sincere to the sword.' Lu Yuan was interested in the Dao of the Sword itself. For instance, Lu Yuan might use a sword to carve slices of meat—something a conventional sword immortal would absolutely never do.

Lu Yuan always believed that maintaining his utmost interest in the sword was the ultimate way. Therefore, sometimes, Lu Yuan would intentionally pose difficult challenges for himself within the Dao of the Sword. For example, fighting an enemy while eating and drinking, as he did this time.

Of course, Lu Yuan wasn't foolish enough to argue with Fang Ru. After Fang Ru’s lecture, they all stood there obediently listening. The lecture lasted the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Lu Yuan was about to despair. Ye Fang was pitiful to have such a master. His own master, Li Yuanbai, was much better, always adopting a permissive and hands-off educational approach toward him.

The reason the reprimand stopped after one stick of incense was that guests arrived. The Wuling Immortal Sect was currently teeming with cultivators. The Sect Master Succession Ceremony of the Wuling Immortal Sect was a major event in the cultivation world of the Great Jin Kingdom.

For such a grand occasion, naturally, cultivators from various immortal sects needed to send representatives. Fang Ru, with his consistently rigid nature, valued friendships as 'plain as water,' and thus had few acquaintances in the cultivation world. However, he represented the North Peak, and because of this representation, people naturally came to pay their respects.

Fang Ru had to receive them, and in receiving these visitors, it was inevitable they would meet Lu Yuan. The title of the number one young cultivator in the Great Jin Kingdom was immensely significant. Moreover, not long ago, news spread that he had fought two Body Tempering Stage Eight cultivators in an inn, forcing both of them to flee.

Such a record was remarkable. "Nephew Lu is indeed formidable," said Mo Qi of the Wudang Seven Stars from the Wudang Immortal Sect. "One day, we must drink together." Mo Qi shook the wine gourd in his hand.

Each member of the Wudang Seven Stars was a Venerable-level figure—their status was even slightly higher than Fang Ru's. His casual words made others want to laugh and cry. Lu Yuan naturally wanted to agree.

In Lu Yuan's view, this was not about elders or juniors; it was merely about sharing a drink. "Nephew Lu's swordsmanship... it was truly enlightening," said Qin Ying, the Flying Rain Sword Immortal from the Qingcheng Immortal Sect.

This senior sword immortal possessed a youthful, maiden-like appearance. She was said to specialize in the 'Rain Beating Flying Silk' sword technique, one of the Six Absolute Swords of Qingcheng. Since she was a senior sword immortal and a woman, Lu Yuan could only offer humble agreement repeatedly.

"Nephew Lu, that fight was excellent," commented the Crippled Heaven Elder from the Kunlun Immortal Sect. This elder held immense seniority, rumored to also be Venerable-level, and allegedly was the brother of the Ugly Heaven Elder from the Heaven-Defying Alliance. "Nephew Lu is quite something.

When you have time, come visit our South Sea Immortal Sect. We definitely have scenery unlike the Central Plains," said Ding Hai of the South Sea Immortal Sect, known by the title Lingering Sword Immortal. "I certainly will, if the opportunity arises," Lu Yuan replied politely.

Lu Yuan was quite familiar with the standard pleasantries used by the orthodox sects. Oh, right. After Mo Qi of the Wudang Immortal Sect left, Fang Ru seemed to murmur a few words.

Lu Yuan inquired, and Fang Ru only responded briefly. Currently, among the Five Great Immortal Sects, Huashan was undoubtedly the strongest, with Wudang second. In fact, excluding the personal factor of Yan Cangtian, Wudang’s true strength was by no means inferior to Huashan’s.

Furthermore, the Huashan Immortal Sect was internally divided into three branches, whereas the Wudang Immortal Sect was not. The current Wudang Seven Stars—seven Venerable-level experts—were extremely close. And according to Fang Ru, the Wudang Immortal Sect was currently quite ambitious.

They also wished to grow stronger, even aiming to absorb some smaller neighboring sects to restore the past glory of the Wudang Immortal Sect. It should be noted that the Wudang Immortal Sect itself did not originate in the Great Jin Kingdom; it came from the Great Qin Kingdom. Legend has it that the Wudang Immortal Sect was once a massive immortal sect within the Great Qin Kingdom, but due to failure in conflicts and a series of other reasons, they relocated to the Great Jin Kingdom, where the level of cultivation was lower, establishing themselves as a great immortal sect there.

The cultivation standard in the Great Qin Kingdom was significantly higher than in the Great Jin Kingdom. For instance, in the Great Jin, a major immortal sect might produce one or two cultivators in the Body Tempering Stage around the age of forty. In contrast, the four major immortal sects of the Great Qin could birth one or two Body Tempering cultivators around the age of twenty.

This small detail was illustrative enough to show how high the cultivation level in the Great Qin Kingdom was. The Sect Master Succession Ceremony began. This ceremony was no small matter.

The Wuling Immortal Sect, being a mid-tier immortal sect, could not and dared not allow any error in such a grand rite, nor could it lose face or substance. On Mount Wuling, the Wuling Immortal Sect possessed the Peach Blossom Spring Palace. Though called a palace, the Peach Blossom Spring Palace was the least palatial of structures.

The entire building was constructed with a strong sense of daily life. Within the palace were countless murals depicting a small, contented village free of strife, peaceful and happy, where the elderly were cared for, the young secured, and chickens and dogs could be heard calling. Written across the murals were several lines of cursive script—the very Tale of the Peach Blossom Spring written by the Great Dream True Man of the Wuling Immortal Sect.

The Great Dream True Man spent his life pursuing the Peach Blossom Spring but never found it, so he built this palace. The murals and calligraphy in the palace were all drawn and handwritten by the Great Dream True Man in his time. Lu Yuan and the other core disciples from Huashan’s North Peak followed Fang Ru into the Peach Blossom Spring Palace.

They found the palace truly curious. After walking some distance within, a hall appeared ahead, ethereal and dreamlike. This structure shifted colors—sometimes purple, sometimes pink, sometimes yellow—multicolored and ever-changing, much like a beautiful dream.

"The Great Dream Hall." The Great Dream True Man established the 'Sandwiched Dream Hall' within the Peach Blossom Spring Palace, wishing only to remain within his dreamscape his entire life. Actually, besides the Great Dream Heart Method and the Thousand Year Sword Technique, the Great Dream True Man also possessed a divine art called the 'Deadwood Sloth Divine Art.' This manual was recorded, but for some reason, in the three thousand years since the founding of the Wuling Immortal Sect, no one had managed to master this art. It remained a mystery what component was missing.

Entering the Great Dream Hall, the interior arrangement was equally illusory and dream-like. Seats had already been arranged for various guests. A young attendant led Fang Ru to his designated spot.

As for Lu Yuan and the others, despite being core disciples, they currently had no seats and were expected to stand to the side. Lu Yuan was long accustomed to this. Once his generation reached the Elder ranks, it would be their turn to sit.

Never mind that he was currently the foremost figure of the tenth generation; rules were rules, and standing was required. Of course, Lu Yuan’s own temperament was very indifferent; he didn't value such things, so standing was fine. As Fang Ru arrived, representatives from other peaks had also come.

Moments later, another party arrived. The leader of this group was not a senior sword immortal, but a young girl whose head was veiled in light gauze and who wore white robes. The girl kept her hands clasped behind her back, possessing an inherent, extraordinary bearing of one long accustomed to high authority.

Behind her, several Longevity Stage sword immortals stood respectfully. The sword immortals and representatives from the major sects had all arrived. The Five Great Immortal Sects were present, naturally, and most of the righteous sects among the Ten Mid-Tier Immortal Sects had also sent envoys.

"The Young Miss Zhong of the Swordless Immortal Sect from the Great Qin Kingdom has arrived!" the usher announced clearly from the hall entrance. Although this Young Miss Zhong was from a younger generation, her status was exceptionally high, representing the Swordless Immortal Sect, which was stronger than any single one of the five major sects of the Great Qin Kingdom. Given her status as a distant guest, the Wuling Immortal Sect had prepared a seat for her, placing her on par with the renowned sword immortals from the other sects.

Lu Yuan muttered to himself: The Swordless Immortal Sect, Young Miss Zhong... Could the girl he saved be her? But that didn't seem right; the girl he rescued lacked this icy aloofness, whereas this veiled white-robed girl radiated a profound chill just standing there.

Furthermore, if she truly were the Young Miss Zhong of the Swordless Immortal Sect, Murong An would likely not have been so foolish as to try and capture her. Of course, there was also a possibility. Was this truly the same girl he saved?

Lu Yuan felt a flicker of curiosity. Lu Yuan didn't dwell on it for long. The Sect Master Succession Ceremony of the Wuling Immortal Sect was already commencing.

He had been in the cultivation world for eleven years but had never witnessed a sect’s succession ceremony. Now, he was finally getting to see something novel. (Second update; there might be a third update today.)