The spring light at this moment was brilliant, the breeze soft on the face, everything stirring to life, birds chirping amidst it—truly a magnificent spring scene. At a time like this, one should seek a quiet, secluded spot in the mountains and forests, bring a jar of fine wine, and drink freely on the ground, toasting Heaven, toasting this beautiful world.

Alas, under such glorious weather, one must resort to iron-blooded means, immersed in the vulgar struggle and conflict between people.

But there was no alternative.

Lu Yuan was, after all, a cultivator, and a cultivator must live within the grand environment of the Cultivation World. And to live in this environment, sometimes even if you do not wish to fight or contend, you have no choice but to contend and fight.

Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai had pushed things too far, right to his doorstep. Before, he lacked the strength to deal with them and could only let them be. Now that his strength was sufficient, letting them off was out of the question.

He would first make an example of Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai by executing them, warning the monkeys nearby. Otherwise, others would genuinely mistake his temper for being too mild and easy to bully. Incidentally, he must also reclaim the enterprises held by Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai; those were assets left by his Master, and there was no reason to hand them over.

"A man in the Jianghu cannot control himself,"—it was precisely this.

Entering this circle meant adhering to its rules; one could not always follow one's own disposition.

The world’s great affairs emerge from our generation; entering the path of cultivation, years hasten by. Eternal dominion, discussed in laughter and talk, yet failing to surpass the intoxication of a single earthly cup.

"Gu Tao Prefecture" was situated quite a distance from Jiangyin Prefecture, and it was one of the 3,777 prefectures within the Great Jin Nation.

This was Shangguan Qing's main stronghold.

Gu Tao Prefecture possessed four city gates: the East Gate, Qin Han Gate; the West Gate, Fengyi Gate; the North Gate, Gongji Gate; and the South Gate, Mingping Gate. Flying above Gu Tao Prefecture, one could observe its general layout. This prefecture was quite expansive; while not comparable to Jiangyin Prefecture, it wasn't small either. It comprised four main avenues, eight smaller streets, and seventy-two deep alleys.

Lu Yuan had already descended onto the main road of Gu Tao Prefecture, with Uncle Song trailing silently nearby.

Lu Yuan was not hurrying.

He was looking for wine.

Gu Tao Prefecture was famous for a particular wine called Lamb Fine Wine. This Lamb Fine Wine was said to be quite unique, considered one of the celebrated liquors of the Great Jin Nation. Lu Yuan had long heard of its reputation but had never had the chance to visit Gu Tao Prefecture or taste it. Since he was finally here, he intended to try it.

"You're looking for Lamb Fine Wine?" A local resident replied with local enthusiasm when he heard Lu Yuan’s query. "That is the celebrated liquor of our Gu Tao Prefecture! You must be from out of town. The Lamb Fine Wine shop is right in the middle of East Avenue; it's very easy to find." The local looked immensely proud.

Lu Yuan thanked him and headed straight for the wine shop.

It was a finely decorated, three-story wooden building, with a queue stretching out from the entrance. As Lu Yuan approached, he was immediately shushed: "Queue up, queue up! We’ve been waiting quite a while." Lu Yuan, naturally possessing a relaxed temperament, obediently joined the line.

While waiting, he inquired and learned that this Lamb Fine Wine was only sold once every half-month, and only five hundred catties were available.

Once it sold out, "sorry, no more sales."

Furthermore, there was a limit of ten catties per person.

This was why the line was always so crowded every time.

Lu Yuan was not impatient and waited his turn steadily. After a long wait, it was finally his turn. Lu Yuan stated, "Give me ten catties of Lamb Fine Wine." Ten catties of the liquor immediately poured into Lu Yuan's wineskin. Lu Yuan examined it; the wine was the color of amber and smelled intensely fragrant.

Uncle Song remarked, "This is a local specialty. I visited this place in my youth, back when the Old Master was establishing his foundation here." Listening to Uncle Song's tone, he seemed quite nostalgic. "The ingredients for this Lamb Fine Wine are incredibly particular, selecting superior Tai rice, tender young lamb, fresh fruits, and numerous precious medicinal herbs, blending the aromas of ester, milk, fruit, and medicine—truly unique."

Lu Yuan had already taken a sip; the taste was indeed excellent. The entry into the mouth was entirely different from other wines, carrying hints of milk, fruit, and herbal fragrance. Sampling the world's fine wines was one of his grand ambitions, and it seemed he had advanced another step toward that goal. Rare, truly rare.

"Greetings, Estate Master." At some point, Shangguan Qing arrived, leading a large contingent of cultivators. He cupped his hands in a salute toward Lu Yuan.

Shangguan Qing was the overlord of Gu Tao Prefecture. His sudden appearance here, bowing to a young man, immediately caused extreme astonishment among the surrounding crowd. People nearby realized that the unassuming, seemingly easy-going youth moments before held a status even higher than the local hegemon, Shangguan Qing.

This...

Everyone nearby was deeply shocked. Most onlookers were mortals, with a few cultivators at the second or third level of Qi Refining. To them, Shangguan Qing was already the pinnacle of authority; what could be higher than him?

As for Lu Yuan, a cold sneer formed in his heart.

Shangguan Qing was issuing a display of force. He had entered the city barely half an hour ago, dressed plainly. For Shangguan Qing to find him so quickly showed how numerous Shangguan Qing’s eyes and ears were within Gu Tao Prefecture. Lu Yuan inwardly sneered, tossing the wineskin containing the Lamb Fine Wine into his Asura Pouch.

This was a courtyard structure within Gu Tao Prefecture, consisting of five entries and seven open sections, surrounded by even larger courtyards.

Here stood the largest estate in Gu Tao Prefecture, known as the Shangguan Residence.

The Shangguan family was the most powerful clan in Gu Tao Prefecture. Originally, it was rumored to belong to the Li family, but for some unknown reason, it had been replaced by the Shangguan family. Commoners neither knew nor dared to inquire about this shift in power; it had simply changed, transforming silently.

Inside a grand hall of the Shangguan Residence, a banquet had been set.

It was a fine banquet.

The table was already laden with many local delicacies from Gu Tao, alongside various fine dishes from other regions. In the center was a whole roasted lamb feast, accompanied by seventeen other exquisite dishes, such as white-cut chicken and stir-fried lamb kidney. Beside them were numerous local specialty wines, including the Lamb Fine Wine.

The dishes were excellent, the wine superb.

Lu Yuan had no appetite whatsoever, merely picking at the food with his chopsticks.

This banquet was hosted by Shangguan Qing. Dining with such people made even the most delicious cuisine taste quite vile. Lu Yuan casually ate a few bites, showing little interest. Both Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai were present at this feast, along with several others who appeared to be trusted confidants of Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai.

Lu Yuan observed that apart from Uncle Song, everyone else among the attendees was clearly antagonistic, though everyone understood this without overtly showing it. Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai incessantly urged him to drink, maintaining an air of warm hospitality.

"It is a rare honor for the Estate Master to visit me. Come, come, eat some food." Shangguan Qing urged. "I hear the Estate Master is a connoisseur of wine; I, Shangguan, am also fond of fine drink. Come, drink, drink."

Nangong Bai also constantly pressed wine upon him. Although Lu Yuan had remained largely silent, Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai managed to keep the atmosphere at the table surprisingly lively—that, too, was a skill. Deep down, both Shangguan Qing and Nangong Bai loathed Lu Yuan and wished him dead, yet their outward demeanor was one of extreme warmth and hospitality.

Seeing that Lu Yuan had eaten very little, Shangguan Qing commented, "The Estate Master seems to have a poor appetite. Is it perhaps due to submitting the spirit stones? Times are hard, alas. Disaster follows disaster, and hardship follows hardship—it is bleak. Next year, next year I absolutely must submit more spirit stones; I certainly won't want to displease the Estate Master."

What an act. Lu Yuan simply couldn't comprehend why Shangguan Qing was putting on such a charade.

The act reached its mid-point.

The actors involved seemed almost self-satisfied in their performance.

Lu Yuan coldly watched. Shangguan Qing cleared his throat. Lu Yuan initially expected Shangguan Qing to start spouting nonsense again. Lu Yuan was prepared to let him ramble, as no matter how much nonsense he spoke, Lu Yuan was determined to use iron-blooded means against him this time. Nangong Bai's arrival meant he wouldn't have to make two trips.

Shangguan Qing cleared his throat. "The Estate Master’s sudden arrival in Gu Tao Prefecture did surprise Shangguan somewhat. However, Estate Master, your experience is still shallow. If you were at North Peak, I surely could not touch you. But here, in Gu Tao Prefecture, wouldn't it be wonderful if we killed the Estate Master?"

Those who had been acting moments ago burst into laughter, clearly having reached this decision long ago. Nangong Bai added, "Exactly! We've long wanted to kill you. We followed that old scoundrel Li for so many years; if we haven't earned merit, we've certainly borne hardship. We thought we could finally claim these enterprises for ourselves, only for some disciple like you to suddenly appear—it’s chaos! If your aptitude had been mediocre, we might have elevated you as a puppet. But since you are so strong and possess such great talent, we cannot make you a puppet; we have no choice but to kill you."

The true intentions were finally revealed.

Lu Yuan smiled. "Very good. But do you truly think that you, Shangguan Qing, Nangong Bai, plus a group of useless subordinates, can overcome me? Do you not think too little of me?" Lu Yuan shrugged. "As for killing me, and then killing a core disciple of Mount Hua—that is truly a grave offense. Are the two of you asking for death?"

"After killing you, we naturally have means of self-preservation. Although Mount Hua Immortal Sect is immense, there certainly exist those who are perpetually hunted by the sect yet remain alive?" Shangguan Qing revealed a strange smile. "The two of us would normally be enough to kill the Estate Master, but to be safe, I have invited two others."

Two sets of footsteps sounded abruptly, steps that seemed to tread directly upon the depths of men's hearts.

(The second chapter is delivered.)