The current bustle surrounding Mount Hua, Lu Yuan had no part in it. He simply wasn't the type to seek out crowds; his nature leaned toward tranquility.

More crucially, he was at the pivotal moment of breaking through to the ninth level of the Body Tempering stage.

Upon reaching the eighth level, the entirety of his internal organs, blood, skin, bones, and brain had undergone rigorous tempering, reaching an incredible state. His internal mana was substantial, and the physical conditioning itself had reached a certain plateau, yet a massive hurdle remained.

What if one’s meridians were severed? What if an arm was broken—was he destined to practice cultivation as a one-armed figure for the rest of his life?

A cultivator who could not resolve such issues—what right did they have to call themselves a cultivator?

And so, the ninth level of Body Tempering—Limb Regeneration—came into existence.

This stage, as the literal translation implies, allows for the regeneration of severed limbs. Injuries like severed meridians could be reconnected within a few hours. Of course, an injury resulting in a lost limb was more troublesome, requiring months of recuperation, copious amounts of spirit medicine, and the synergy of this stage to achieve complete regeneration of that part.

Naturally, a caveat must be mentioned: if the throat or heart were pierced, there was no need to wait for limb regeneration; death was immediate.

Limb Regeneration had its limits; it was not infinite.

In legend, reaching a certain transcendent stage, or mastering a supreme esoteric art, could grant the body the ability to regenerate endlessly and rapidly—this was known as the Perfect Body. Severing an arm would result in instant regrowth. But that remained mere legend, its truth unknown.

Setting aside the digression, now that the ninth level of Body Tempering—Limb Regeneration—has been explained, let us return to the main topic.

The main topic, naturally, was Lu Yuan.

He had reached the eighth level of Body Tempering over a year ago. Lu Yuan possessed an abundance of Cloud-element spirit beasts, meaning that for ordinary people, a difficult threshold was, for him, merely a stage he had conquered. In the span of a year, Lu Yuan had managed to stand at the very peak of the eighth level, a mere hair's breadth from the ninth. Had he not accompanied Ancestor Yan for sword practice, Lu Yuan would likely have reached the ninth level earlier.

The past year had been wholly devoted to the Way of the Sword.

Now, with his sword path newly solidified, he reclaimed some of his focus and immediately sensed the subtle stirrings of his mana preparing to advance.

Since the breakthrough was imminent, he decided to achieve it right here.

Lu Yuan seated himself atop the White Cloud Fairyland. The cloud beneath him felt incredibly soft and plush, offering supreme comfort. Lu Yuan took a deep breath, sweeping all extraneous thoughts from his mind. Mana surged through his body, while thick, potent streams of Cloud-element vital energy poured into him via the Spirit Sealing Plaque.

He lost track of time, until he vaguely sensed a change within his physical form—a subtle alteration at the most minute level.

Among cultivators, there existed a School of Research. This faction rarely engaged in combat, preferring instead to study the world: examining the distance between heaven and earth, the true expanse of the world, whether the Four Great Seas had limits, their depths, and the height of the world’s tallest peak, Mount Qitian.

These Research Cultivators were self-amused.

Of course, to conventional cultivators, they were merely indulging in pointless hobbies.

Yet, these researchers had uncovered some interesting truths. For instance, they posited that every part of the body—be it blood, bone, skin, or tissue—was composed of infinitesimal entities they termed ‘Immortals’ (, xianzi), too small to be seen by the naked eye. This research was later verified as having some basis in reality.

At this moment, Lu Yuan felt that within his very body, these supposed 'Immortals' were undergoing a change, filling with vitality.

Was this the transformation of the ninth level of Body Tempering?

Lu Yuan opened his eyes and, with a flick of his hand, summoned a sword manifestation onto his own palm, slicing a mark across his skin. Did it hurt? Lu Yuan felt a dull ache, but then observed the 'Immortals' within his body stir, releasing that newfound vitality to mend the wound. Moments later, the skin was as new as before, though some mana had been spent.

It seemed he had indeed reached the ninth level of Body Tempering: Limb Regeneration.

In truth, any level within Body Tempering was no longer difficult for Lu Yuan. The only genuine challenge was the transition from Body Tempering to the Longevity Stage. This crossing was rumored to be as difficult as ascending to heaven. It explained why so many cultivators at the tenth level of Body Tempering diligently entered secluded cultivation, rarely venturing out—if the breakthrough were easy, they wouldn't need such measures.

Ah, the Longevity Dao Fruit. Rumor held that these fruits appeared once every few years, and obtaining one significantly increased the chance of reaching the Longevity Stage.

After contemplating this, he shook the wine gourd by his side. Empty. Nothing more to say; time to fetch more wine.

He ambled down the path toward the village below in a slightly swaying gait. On his way, he encountered Ye Fang. The appointment of a new Sect Master for Mount Hua was a major event, compelling every true disciple to return. Ye Fang spotted Lu Yuan immediately and called out, "Good, Sixth Senior Brother! Just the person I needed. There’s a matter that truly requires you."

"What is it?" Lu Yuan asked.

Ye Fang quickly relayed the situation. Today was the formal ascension ceremony for Mount Hua’s new Sect Master. Important figures from various sects across the Great Jin, Great Yuan, and Great Qin nations had arrived to offer congratulations, each sending key disciples. With so many young cultivators gathered, friction was inevitable.

Moreover, the higher-ups implicitly permitted this friction.

Youngsters sparring to gain battle experience was perfectly normal, as long as the clashes remained within acceptable, rule-bound limits.

The issue today was a conflict between the young true disciples of Great Jin and Great Qin. Such friction could arise from myriad simple causes, but this particular clash had drawn attention because of the presence of Zhao Tianyan, the foremost true disciple of the Scarlet Dragon Immortal Sect.

Consequently, all the true disciples of Great Jin were having a miserable time, proving completely outmatched by Zhao Tianyan. This public defeat was a blow to the reputation of Jin’s cultivators. Ye Fang had been searching for Lu Yuan precisely for this reason, and his sudden encounter brought him immense relief.

Such affairs were utterly tedious.

Fine, he'd go take a look.

East Peak, Rising Sun Peak.

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Manifestations.

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Manifestations was an eatery on the East Peak. Its name suggested grandeur, presumably conceived by someone with vast vision. The scenery here was excellent. Not far off stood the Yang Gong Pagoda, itself a local legend on Mount Hua—famous mountains always accrued beautiful tales. To the southwest of the Pavilion lay a cliff, not excessively high, perhaps only ten zhang down, but this modest precipice only enhanced the area's appeal.

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Manifestations was currently surrounded by a throng of people.

Most were from Jin, with a smaller contingent from Qin. The Qin cultivators were loudly mocking the Jin cultivators, while the Yuan cultivators stood off to the side, merely observing.

As Lu Yuan arrived, he caught snatches of conversation from the Qin contingent.

"Oh, so this is the level of the Jin people."

"Indeed. With such strength, they dare challenge our Senior Brother?"

"What a joke."

"Senior Brother is mighty!"

"No one can withstand ten moves from our Senior Brother." The Qin cultivators laughed, while the favored, richly robed middle-aged man merely smiled. Zhao Tianyan differed from Zhao Qiankun of Kunlun Immortal Sect; Qiankun thrived on flattery, soaking it up gleefully. Zhao Tianyan, however, as the chief disciple of the Scarlet Dragon Immortal Sect, was indifferent to such praise. The only reason he was surrounded by sycophants was due to the requirements of cultivating the Emperor's Divine Art.

His core manual was the Emperor's Divine Art, which demanded dominion over subordinates through an imperial bearing.

Loyal ministers, treacherous officials, and petty men—all existed under the Emperor’s control.

This kind of adulation enraged the Jin cultivators, but having been defeated by Zhao Tianyan's Imperial Fist, they could only listen helplessly, especially those who lost, as the psychological blow from Imperial Fist was considerable. Zhao Tianyan, for his part, was satisfied. The Emperor’s Divine Art required crushing every opponent, everywhere, for its advancement.

Zhao Tianyan had heard rumors. Though he had defeated the top true disciples of Mount Hua (Song Nanshan), Wudang (Zhang Qingshu), Kunlun (Zhao Qiankun), Qingcheng (Li Xuxuan), and the South Sea (Qiao Silu), he heard these men were still dissatisfied and intended to seek reinforcements. Whom could they invite? No matter who they brought, they would never match him, he sneered inwardly. Surviving ten of his moves would be an achievement.

"He's coming, he's coming! Senior Brother Lu has arrived." Hearing this, Zhao Tianyan turned his gaze. He wondered what sort of person this was, glancing over dismissively, until his eyes fell upon the young man in green robes wearing that languid smile. Zhao Tianyan instantly froze. He recognized this figure; they had met at the Water-Fire Sword Tower.

Sweat immediately beaded on Zhao Tianyan’s forehead.

He had just fought five top true disciples without breaking a sweat, yet now he was visibly perspiring.

This Qin cultivator is utterly beyond arrogant, Lu Yuan thought, though he conceded it fit the Qin cultivators’ general disposition—extremely presumptuous. The more he heard this effusive praise, the more Lu Yuan felt compelled to intervene. He had initially only intended to observe, but now it seemed he had to act. Lu Yuan looked toward his intended opponent for the day, moving through the crowd.

He quickly zeroed in on the richly robed middle-aged man among the assembled group.

He looked vaguely familiar, but Lu Yuan couldn't immediately place him.

It didn't matter. He would make his move regardless.

(A brief apology: I momentarily mixed up the anniversaries of the founding of the Army and the Party. Indeed, staying indoors too long causes one to lose touch with the world. Friends, one must not isolate oneself too much.)