Indeed, while observing the chaotic struggle for the elixir, Lu Yuan realized this was like a miniature version of the Three Sect War. Or perhaps, in the not-too-distant future, the three major sects of Mount Hua would also descend into such conflict, with potentially far graver consequences. His Master’s words, the final testament of Ancestor Yan, still echoed clearly.

If he possessed the ability then, he resolved he must intervene. Lu Yuan held a deep sense of belonging toward the Mount Hua Immortal Sect. Moreover, the final charges from his Master before passing, and from Ancestor Yan before his ascension, placed a certain burden squarely upon Lu Yuan’s shoulders.

Though he preferred a lazy life of practicing the sword and drinking wine, there was no choice; as a man, sometimes one simply had to shoulder obligations and bear responsibilities. A man, after all. The potential Three Sect War of the future!

Naturally, to prepare for what lay ahead, he needed to apply himself diligently in the coming days and significantly improve his strength. While Lu Yuan was preoccupied with these thoughts, he heard Lian Nian of the Sword Sect issue a challenge—a public slight—stating that if anyone could defeat the swordsmanship of a Sword Sect member, he would hand over his own Black Tribulation Cloud Elixir. Following this, even Shu Jian Yu Danqing issued a similar boast, which caused Lu Yuan to let out an involuntary, dry laugh.

This was like mana falling from the heavens. Hence, he spoke those words. And once Lu Yuan uttered his statement, the entire assembly on Sigong Peak was thrown into utter astonishment!

First, the members of the Sword Qi Sect. They were already aware that Lu Yuan was a genius of the Tenth Generation from the Northern Peak. For such a figure to willingly step forward now seemed like courting death.

They quickly rationalized that Lu Yuan was too young, too impetuous, and perhaps letting him suffer a setback here wasn't so bad, especially since killing someone on the grounds of Sigong Peak was strictly forbidden. Simply entering Sigong Peak was already a violation of sect rules. To commit murder or injure a fellow disciple here would be a compounding offense, potentially leading to immediate execution by the Immortal Sect itself.

Such was the stance of the Sword Qi Sect members. Meanwhile, the members of the Sword Sect were initially puzzled as to who this young man was. But upon hearing Lian Nian’s introduction—that this youth was Lu Yuan, a junior from the Northern Peak—they burst into laughter.

“Strange things happen every year, but this year is particularly bizarre.” “Indeed. Those Sword Qi Sect folk don't even practice swordsmanship professionally; they dabble in spells as well. And they want to compete with our sword techniques?” “And it’s a Sword Qi Sect junior challenging one of our Sword Sect people.

How laughable.” True scorn filled the air. Amidst this widespread ridicule, Lu Yuan merely raised an eyebrow faintly: “Could it be… that the members of the Sword Sect no longer possess the courage to compete purely on swordsmanship?” This statement was a devastating blow. The Sword Sect prided itself on having the foremost swordsmanship in the Great Jin; they were obsessed with the sword, consumed by the blade.

If you said they lacked powerful spells, they considered it praise. If you implied their magical power was lacking, they were indifferent. But if you dared suggest their swordsmanship was inferior—that was absolutely unacceptable!

Under no circumstances! Consequently, upon hearing Lu Yuan’s words, the Sword Sect members were instantly filled with righteous indignation, determined to obliterate Lu Yuan. Even if they couldn't kill him on Sigong Peak, they would certainly defeat him and teach this young upstart a harsh lesson.

Amidst the clamor of challenges, Lu Yuan calmly stated: “Of course, as a mere junior, my cultivation is not strong, perhaps a bit weak. However, I am confident in my swordsmanship, and winning against the Sword Sect’s techniques should not be difficult. Therefore, I only wish to compete based on swordsmanship; I dare not compete on cultivation.” Another public slight.

Lu Yuan’s phrasing had zero effect on members of other immortal sects; which of them would agree to a contest focusing solely on swordplay while ignoring all other skills? But his target was specifically the Sword Sect. Their fanaticism for the sword, and the status the blade held in their hearts, was unique.

“Fight him! Duel him!” “This junior must be taught how high the sky is!” “This junior must learn the true prowess of our Sword Sect’s techniques!” The highest point of Sigong Peak featured only a platform about ten zhang wide; the space was truly limited. At such close quarters, maneuvering via sword flight was unnecessary.

Lu Yuan stood still, watching his opponent approach from the Sword Sect contingent. She Jian Lian Nian. Lu Yuan and Lian Nian were somewhat familiar, having shared six months together on Sigh Cliff.

Lu Yuan smiled: “Martial Uncle Lian, I never expected we’d be the ones sparring.” Lian Nian also smiled slightly: “I am indeed surprised by your confidence in your swordsmanship; it is quite astonishing. Very well, let me see the sword skills of a Tenth Generation genius.” That Lu Yuan had reached the Longevity Stage was common knowledge, proving his genius, yet despite his words, Lian Nian did not believe Lu Yuan was his match. A mere genius!

A genius who hasn't fully matured is just that—a genius waiting to happen. Furthermore, Lu Yuan was a Tenth Generation genius, while Lian Nian himself was an elite figure of the Ninth Generation. How could a mere twenty-something genius, still unformed, possibly best a three-hundred-plus-year-old elite?

The answer seemed obvious. In fact, it wasn't just Lian Nian who thought this; not a single person among the onlookers from the Sword Sect, Qi Sect, or Sword Qi Sect believed Lu Yuan would win. During the elixir fight that just occurred, everyone witnessed how Lian Nian had cultivated the Xiyi Sword Style to such profound depths that one could barely discern where the sword actually was.

Lian Nian smiled faintly, his eyes narrowing like a serpent’s—cannot see is Yi, cannot hear is Xi. What Lian Nian had mastered was the Yi Sword Intent, making his strikes invisible. Recalling the moment he forged his sword intent brought Lian Nian a faint spike of pain.

Back then, he had been treated as an experimental subject by someone from the Northern Peak, leading him to grasp this comprehension of sword intent through an extreme stroke of luck. Ever since, Lian Nian set killing that specific person from the Northern Peak as his ultimate goal. To achieve this, he even delved into the forbidden arts left behind by that Northern Peak figure, eventually being discovered for murdering a fellow disciple and subsequently confined to Sigong Peak for one hundred years.

In the process, his eyes and his temperament grew increasingly similar to the person he hated most from the Northern Peak. Yuan Yi Ling momentarily collected his thoughts. This junior before him possessed a completely different temperament from the person he most detested on the Northern Peak.

With a movement of his hand, Lian Nian drew his serpentine sword. The instant it cleared its scabbard, he unleashed the If Xi, If Yi form from the Xiyi Sword Style. As this technique launched, the shadow of the sword vanished immediately.

This opponent cannot withstand many of my strikes. Lian Nian thought to himself that although others couldn't see his long sword, he knew this thrust was aimed directly at the junior Lu Yuan's throat, mere instants away. However, in that crucial instant, something shifted.

Lu Yuan suddenly drew his own sword, blocking Lian Nian’s serpentine blade at the final critical moment. It must have been an accident! This junior had a burst of unexpected power and managed to parry my strike.

But this block was not the end of the exchange. Lu Yuan’s blade instantly whirled, piercing directly toward Lian Nian’s throat. Lian Nian hastily flashed backward, evading the attack.

Lian Nian was momentarily stunned, and the spectators were equally astonished. They had initially assumed Lu Yuan was simply a naive youngster unafraid of the tiger, but this single counter-strike revealed that this junior from the Sword Qi Sect possessed genuinely formidable swordsmanship. However, overcoming Lian Nian?

Impossible. Lian Nian retreated a short distance, then immediately advanced again, the serpentine sword stabbing forward. This move was Not Xi, Not Yi.

Lu Yuan spotted an opening on Lian Nian's left flank and drove his Yangwu Sword forward. This thrust was subtle beyond measure. If Lian Nian did not retreat, not only would he fail to strike Lu Yuan, but his own left ribs would be impaled.

Reluctantly, Lian Nian was forced to step back once more. Being forced back two steps by a junior left Lian Nian feeling deeply disgraced. He instantly spun, unleashing one of the ultimate moves of the Xiyi Sword Style—Serpent in the Grass.

This move was not technically the strongest in the Xiyi Style, but Lian Nian had cultivated this particular technique to terrifying strength. The essence of Serpent in the Grass was Though moving like a serpent in grass, its tracks cannot be discerned. The killing intent of this move was simultaneously sinister, brutal, venomous, swift, precise, and invisible—the seven "ands" emphasizing its terror.

Once deployed, this sword strike instantly arrived at Lu Yuan’s face. Several observers who had sparred with Lian Nian previously wore expressions of profound misery upon seeing the Serpent in the Grass. How could Lian Nian have refined this technique to such power?

They had all suffered under this move before, and now they felt a shared sense of tragedy. Those who hadn't faced Lian Nian directly were inwardly shocked by the speed of the incoming attack, thinking that if they had been in Lu Yuan’s position, they surely could not have blocked this sword. To their astonishment, Lu Yuan moved his hand in reverse.

The Yangwu Sword moved with astonishing speed, perfectly deflecting the incoming strike. Following the block, his sword slid smoothly, the tip thrusting toward Lian Nian, while Lian Nian's serpentine sword tip was blocked by Lu Yuan’s sword guard. In essence, this left Lian Nian unable to attack Lu Yuan without withdrawing his own blade, whereas Lu Yuan retained the ability to strike.

Lian Nian immediately leaped high into the air, unleashing the move Dust Micro, Soundless, stabbing down toward Lu Yuan. This move leaned toward the principle of Great Sound, Little Noise within the Xiyi Sword Style—it was piercingly fast yet utterly silent. Lu Yuan smoothly rotated his Yangwu Sword, causing Lian Nian to sense that if he pressed the attack further, one of his arms risked being pulverized by Lu Yuan.

With no other recourse, Lian Nian was forced to fall back again. Lian Nian attacked twenty-three times in succession and retreated twenty-three times in succession, being effortlessly repelled by Lu Yuan in every exchange. Furthermore, someone noticed that Lian Nian kept advancing aggressively only to be forced back repeatedly.

The dignified elite Elder of the Ninth Generation resembled a mere monkey, while Lu Yuan, from beginning to end, kept his left hand resting behind his back, his feet planted firmly on the same spot without moving an inch, relying solely on his right hand and a single sword to defend. Facing Lian Nian, who was renowned specifically for his swordsmanship, Lu Yuan had not shifted his stance by a single step—a truly awe-inspiring feat. The Sword Sect, perpetually obsessed with swordsmanship, knew that Lian Nian was a true master of the Way of the Sword.

Seeing that he could not win even under these circumstances, realizing his sword skills were far inferior to Lu Yuan's, further fighting would only result in senseless disgrace. Lian Nian finally stated: “Well done, Junior Lu Yuan. This is interesting.

In terms of swordsmanship, you have indeed surpassed me.” With that, he ceased the contest. To persist now would be to sacrifice all sense of dignity.