Within the borders of the Great Qin Kingdom, the former Mount Wudang, its spiritual energy now severed, had been transformed into the mid-section of the Taihe Mountain range.
Outside the True Martial Grotto-Heaven.
The sound of sharp intakes of breath—it was no wonder they gasped.
Before, Lu Yuan’s identity had not been revealed, which was one thing.
An Elder who reached the Fifth Layer of Longevity below the age of two hundred would only be considered a slight genius even in the Jin Kingdom; such figures appeared only a few times every hundred years, which was hardly an exaggeration.
But once Mo Liu exposed Lu Yuan’s true status, they realized this person was not an Elder at all, but the Tenth Generation disciple of the Mount Hua Immortal Sect.
In a strong southern nation like the Great Qin Kingdom, the current crop of disciples rarely managed to reach the Fifth or Sixth Layer of Body Tempering; reaching the Seventh Layer was already quite remarkable.
Yet, Lu Yuan had actually attained the magical power of the Third Layer of Longevity—this was utterly astounding.
Such talent, such a pace of progress, occurring in the Jin Kingdom, which wasn't even a major southern power.
So young, with such profound magical power, this speed would rank among the very best even in the Central Dynasty, the great empire at the heart of the continent; perhaps no one in the Central Dynasty itself would dare claim such rapid advancement.
Legend held that at the center of the entire, nearly boundless continent, there lay an immense empire.
Other nations named themselves things like Great Qin, Great Yuan, or Great Jin, or Great Chu and Great Qi.
But this nation felt that any name given to it would be unworthy of its stature, thus they referred to themselves simply as the Central Dynasty—the Middle Kingdom, the very Center.
Other states had courts, but none dared to use the title "Celestial Dynasty" as they did.
That name alone bespoke boundless dominance.
The Central Dynasty! It was rumored that one of the greatest immortal sects in the cultivation world, the Great Kunlun, was situated within the Central Dynasty.
The Kunlun of the Jin Kingdom was merely a small offshoot.
In the ancient times, there was a Kunlun.
That Kunlun had a long lineage and was said to have even produced Sages.
This Kunlun possessed countless branches, and these branches established various immortal sects in different regions and capitals.
Some changed their names, adopting other titles, but most retained the original name, Kunlun.
Within the Central Dynasty, there was an immensely vast Kunlun remnant sect; they did not call themselves Kunlun, but Great Kunlun, signifying their superiority to all other Kunluns.
In the Central Dynasty, within the Great Kunlun, geniuses like Lu Yuan, true prodigies among prodigies, did appear occasionally.
After all, this was the Central Dynasty.
However, the emergence of such a genius in the remote and spiritually thin Jin Kingdom was extraordinary.
Therefore, the cultivators of the Great Qin Kingdom were all utterly astonished at this moment.
As Yin Zheng, Lu Yuan, and their group headed directly for the teleportation array at the border of the Great Qin Kingdom, various letters flew ceaselessly.
Before Lu Yuan and the others had even arrived at Mount Wudang, the heads of the four great immortal sects of Great Qin had already received news of the safe return of those from the True Martial Grotto-Heaven.
In the Abbot's chamber of the Great Dharma Flower Temple, a renowned Buddhist temple established countless years ago, the elderly monk with sunken eyes and a face etched with wrinkles glanced at the message transmitted to him: “Amitabha, the Jin Kingdom has produced a true talent...
and he is from the Mount Hua lineage.
Yan Cangtian has an heir; this is joyous indeed.” This old monk’s dharma name was Xuanji.
Those of the Twelfth Generation of the Great Dharma Flower Temple who held the prefix 'Xuan' were all remarkably accomplished figures.
Someone like Master Jifa had not yet reached that pinnacle, hence he was not assigned the 'Xuan' prefix.
This old monk Xuanji had mastered forty-five supreme esoteric skills.
According to Patriarch Bodhidharma, he needed only master four more skills to achieve ascension beyond the earth.
This old monk was highly likely to become the foremost Grandmaster in the Great Qin Kingdom following the void-breaking ascension of the Carefree Master.
As a Grandmaster, possessing profound Buddhist insight and immense virtue, he felt no hint of jealousy.
To have reached his level and still harbor envy or greed would render his status as the abbot of a major Buddhist monastery meaningless.
He murmured "Amitabha," closed his eyes, and resumed his midday ritual.
As the abbot, he strictly maintained his three daily sessions, never failing.
In the Carefree Immortal Sect, the one who succeeded the Carefree Master as Sect Leader was Wuxiaozi.
Wuxiaozi could be described as both carefree and utterly devoid of leisure.
The Eleventh Generation of the Carefree Immortal Sect was undoubtedly dominated by the Carefree Master, who was spoken of alongside Yan Cangtian.
However, the Carefree Master lived a life devoted entirely to one person, consumed by his singular passion.
His junior martial brother, the current Sect Leader Wuxiaozi, was simultaneously loved by three junior martial sisters, resulting in a perpetually complicated and entangled romantic situation.
Wuxiaozi presented the image of a mature, composed, and profoundly refined middle-aged man.
The assertion that the Carefree Immortal Sect comprised only handsome men and beautiful women was not an exaggeration.
“Oh, the Mount Hua Immortal Sect has produced a prodigy.
Such a figure is interesting,” Wuxiaozi remarked, lightly fanning himself with his folding fan.
The Swordless Immortal Sect.
The Old Ancestor Zhong lay half-dozing, leaning back.
The Old Ancestor Zhong was nested within layers of thick, heavy fur robes, seemingly terrified of the cold outside, occasionally letting out a dry cough.
This Old Ancestor Zhong possessed a pale complexion and snow-white hair, resembling an aged invalid.
Standing opposite him was a young woman who looked like a spirit of the snow.
“That Lu Yuan, you know him.” “Yes,” replied Miss Zhong.
“I hear from those below that your relationship with him is tolerable.
Find a way to win him over.
He is a genius discovered only today; marriage might be the best approach, or… you decide,” the Old Ancestor Zhong stated.
Miss Zhong paused momentarily.
The Crimson Dragon Immortal Sect.
The Sect Leader of the Crimson Dragon Immortal Sect styled himself the Dragon Emperor! This Dragon Emperor was a man radiating boundless imposing aura, appearing like the sun no matter where he stood: “Damn it, a genius among geniuses should have emerged from our Crimson Dragon Immortal Sect! We are the pinnacle among men, the immortal among immortals, the emperor among emperors! How could mere ordinary cultivators possibly match us?” Although the Dragon Emperor’s reasoning was flawed, his earth-shattering presence lent it an air of absolute credibility as his terrifying momentum erupted from him.
At the Pillar Peak of Mount Wudang, one of the Seventy-Two Peaks of Devotion.
Lu Yuan sat cross-legged.
He had now reached the Third Layer of Longevity realm.
Not long ago, at a cultivator market near the Wudang Immortal Sect, he had traded two Beast-level Spirit Beasts for Cloud-elemental Beast-level Spirit Beasts.
This meant he now possessed a total of twenty-nine large Cloud Beasts.
And three Jùshòu-level Cloud Beasts—Cloud Rhinos.
Before entering the True Martial Grotto-Heaven, he had only twenty-three large Cloud Beasts.
Now, with so many more, he felt the dense, rolling elemental True Qi of the Cloud system within his entire body descend upon him like rolling thunder, which was incredibly satisfying to absorb.
His current rate of magical power cultivation was likely more than double his previous speed, perhaps around two and a half times faster.
Previously, his rate of increasing magical power before entering the True Martial Grotto-Heaven was not significantly different from other early-stage Longevity cultivators.
Now, the gap had widened dramatically.
In fact, Lu Yuan’s current wealth—in terms of assets—was nearly catching up to a Ninth Generation Sword Immortal, perhaps reaching about half of what a Ninth Generation Sword Immortal might possess.
Generally, a Ninth Generation Sword Immortal would not possess more than ten Beast-level Spirit Beasts.
Oh, right, he still had True Martial Pills.
He immediately swallowed the True Martial Pills obtained from the True Martial Grotto-Heaven.
As he consumed them, he felt the surging medicinal power flow down and spread throughout his body.
Lu Yuan did not rush, slowly circulating his magical power, running the Cloud Dragon Heart Method.
After an hour passed, Lu Yuan re-tested his magical power and found that it had reached the Mid-stage of the Third Layer of Longevity.
Reaching the Third Layer and progressing from early to mid-stage usually required a considerable amount of time—measured in years was perfectly normal.
Achieving such rapid progress thanks to the True Martial Pills, jumping forward so much, was certainly a cause for pleasure.
Coming to Mount Wudang to help the Wudang Immortal Sect secure the True Martial Grotto-Heaven was merely an incidental matter Lu Yuan encountered.
The true purpose of the North Peak group coming to Mount Wudang was to train the numerous Core Disciples of the North Peak.
Naturally, the North Peak placed great importance on a genius like Lu Yuan, but they intended to diligently cultivate all nine other Core Disciples as well.
The development of a sect depended not on one person, but on a group of people.
Those in positions of authority understood this clearly.
At this point, they were attending to essential matters.
On the grass outside a side hall of the Wudang Immortal Sect, many people had gathered.
Lu Yuan was among them, though he did not join the sparring, watching instead alongside Martial Uncle Dugu Ye and Martial Uncle Chu Fei.
Shen Xia from the Wudang Immortal Sect was also observing.
Sparring were over twenty Core Disciples from the Wudang Immortal Sect.
The Wudang Immortal Sect had forty Core Disciples in total.
Even the Eldest Senior Brother Zhang Qingshu took the field for a few rounds.
Zhang Qingshu’s magical power had already reached the Third Layer of Body Tempering.
Furthermore, the North Peak’s top two, Yun Yi and Yun Ping, had both reached the First Layer of Body Tempering, enough to trade a few moves with Zhang Qingshu before being defeated.
“Senior Brother Zhang, watch my sword,” Yun Yi shouted, unleashing his Middle Way Sword’s exquisite move, Wind Rises and Clouds Surge.
This move had achieved a profound mastery of the Way of the Sword; though he hadn't grasped Sword Intent, it was still excellent.
Zhang Qingshu countered with the Twisting Finger Softness Sword.
This technique intricately entangled Yun Yi’s Middle Way Sword.
Yun Yi felt Zhang Qingshu’s swordplay was bizarrely clinging to his own, causing him to inwardly startle.
He tried to break the technique but found himself unable to.
With a sharp clang, Yun Yi’s longsword flew from his grip and clattered to the ground.
Zhang Qingshu smiled: “Next one.” The next was naturally Yun Ping.
Among the rest of the North Peak disciples, only Yun Yi and Yun Ping were considered qualified to spar with Zhang Qingshu.
Yun Ping straightened his Dragon Head Sword and performed a sword salute: “I ask Senior Brother Zhang for guidance.” Zhang Qingshu returned the salute: “Junior Brother Yun, no need for formalities.” Immediately, a fierce exchange began again: swords moved, swords rose, swords flew, swords fell, displaying the exquisite moves of the Twisting Finger Softness Sword technique intermixed with the intricate maneuvers of the One Hundred and Eight Wind and Cloud Swords.
Yun Ping also hoped to win a round in front of his master, Dugu Ye, but he only felt Zhang Qingshu’s sword momentum was like mountains and seas, leaving him merely struggling.
“Senior Brother Zhang is truly formidable.” “Indeed.” “The First Core Disciple of the Wudang Immortal Sect is truly extraordinary.” As these people discussed, very few included Lu Yuan in their calculations.
Lu Yuan was now gradually being regarded not as a Tenth Generation, but essentially as a Ninth Generation member.
Lu Yuan watched the sparring matches from the side.
Such sword moves naturally failed to capture his attention; he merely watched casually while taking a drink.
At that moment, Dugu Ye beside him spoke softly: “Travel and pay a visit to Kunlun.”