The heavy blaze of war seemed poised to ignite.

However, this concern was not for Dugu Ye, Chu Fei, or their company. When the heavens fell, the taller ones would naturally hold them up. Within the Great Jin Kingdom, there were countless powerful figures; it was not their place to worry about such matters. For now, it appeared the assembly of the Five Immortal Sects was not yet prepared to launch. The Elder Council and the Five Immortal Alliance seemed sufficient for the time being.

In the history of the Jin Kingdom, the assembly of the Five Immortal Sects was convened only when facing a truly dire emergency.

In ordinary situations, the Elder Council determined the course of various military actions.

Clearly, this situation had not yet reached the level of an emergency.

It was rumored, however, that the Five Immortal Alliance, which was supposed to be suppressing the underworld, had temporarily seconded a large contingent of personnel to the border between the two nations. Even Zǔ Qiānqiū, the Alliance Leader of the Five Immortal Alliance, had gone personally. Zu Qianqiu’s strength should be on par with Chu Duan, the Sky-Severing Sword, possessing an unfathomable, immeasurable power.

Enough of discussing world affairs; everyone should return to their own business.

As for Lu Yuan, he was off to fetch wine.

The core true disciples of the North Peak were still here sparring and practicing their swordsmanship, and Lu Yuan, bored and nearly out of drink, naturally needed to acquire more.

Unfortunately, there was no wine sold on Kunlun Mountain. Kunlun was similar to Mount Hua in that they didn't forbid drinking, but you had to descend the mountain to buy it—a point where it was inferior to the Wuling Immortal Sect, which reportedly sold its own wine within the sect grounds, said to be legacy of their first generation master, Great Dream True Man.

Enough complaining.

Lu Yuan rode his sword down from Kunlun. A streak of white sword light was utterly unremarkable against the white snows of Kunlun. It was a snowy day, the landscape beyond the light a vast expanse of white. Lu Yuan's mind, however, was elsewhere. Kunlun was situated in the Western Regions, where a distinct, alternative fine wine called putaojiu (grape wine) was brewed. This wine had never existed in the Central Plains before. While some had been introduced recently, they couldn't compare to the authentic product from the Western Regions.

This grape wine was rumored to be the color of amber and sweet in taste; Lu Yuan had been craving it for ages.

Some people possessed the grand ambition to dominate the world.

Lu Yuan’s ambition was to reign supreme among the world’s fine wines, within the Forest of Alcohol.

Flying amidst the vast white snow, he had not gone far from Kunlun. Continuing his flight, he spotted a city several hundred li ahead. Just as he was about to pass it, a warning sign flashed in his mind. He instantly shifted his trajectory, but the evasion came too late. His long sword was struck by a streak of crimson shadow, and he felt his blood and qi surge turbulently.

“Who goes there?” Lu Yuan couldn't help but demand. “Hahahaha, I never expected to run into you. Interesting, truly interesting.” A middle-aged man in a red robe materialized in the void. This man had a sinister appearance, his entire body radiating an intensely dense aura of blood energy, as if the robe itself were stained with blood. At his waist hung a Blood Sword.

“You are?” Lu Yuan demanded sternly.

“Blood Sword Sect, Blood Transformation Sword Immortal, Si Nan,” the middle-aged man spoke sinisterly. This man bore a long scar across his face; when he smiled, the scar writhed like a centipede, looking exceptionally terrifying.

Hearing the name, Lu Yuan’s heart sank. Blood Transformation Sword Immortal Si Nan. He had heard of this person before.

The Blood Sword Sect’s master, the Blood Sword Ancestor, held sway over a region; his power was likely no less than that of Yuan Yuan Shangren, and his wicked reputation surpassed even that of Yuan Ling Shangren. He was notoriously bloodthirsty; wherever he went, rivers of blood flowed. He had once provoked Yan Cangtian to action, only to be defeated in a few moves. However, the fact that he survived after Yan Cangtian intervened had greatly amplified his fame.

The Blood Sword Sect traditionally maintained the "Seven Blood Sword Sons."

Each of these Seven Blood Sword Sons was considered a Sword Immortal level expert.

Of course, one point needed clarification: among Mid-Tier Immortal Sects, those at the sixth or seventh level of Longevity Reaching could be termed Sword Immortals.

But in High-Tier Immortal Sects, one required at least the eighth level of Longevity Reaching to earn the title of Sword Immortal.

It couldn't be helped; the standards of a Mid-Tier Sect could not align with those of a High-Tier Sect, so the requirements naturally had to be lowered.

The Seven Blood Sword Sons of the Blood Sword Sect all possessed fearsome reputations.

Lu Yuan never expected to run into Si Nan, the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal, one of the Seven Blood Sword Sons, here. Si Nan was known for his mastery of disguise and makeup, and his attacks were exceptionally ruthless, employing the 'Seven Changes of the Blood Cloud Great Art.' Lu Yuan had previously encountered members of the Blood Sword Sect and knew their spirit beasts were similar to those of North Peak—one dealing in the Cloud element, the other in the Blood Cloud element. If he could manage to kill a major figure from the Blood Sword Sect, it would be an enormous windfall. But that remained mere fantasy; the Blood Sword Sect was not easily provoked, so this notion had always been confined to his thoughts.

He never imagined encountering one of the Seven Blood Sword Sons, the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal, here. This time, he was truly in trouble.

Lu Yuan mused internally while the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal cackled, "What incredible luck! Capturing you, Lu Yuan, brings considerable rewards." With a move, his Blood Sword lunged. This Blood Sword Stab was entirely different from the attack of the common Blood Sword Sect Daoist he had previously encountered. This thrust came like a coiling blood dragon, immensely intimidating, with an overwhelmingly powerful surge of blood energy washing over him. The stench of gore filled Lu Yuan’s nostrils, making him profoundly uncomfortable. Given the overwhelming aura, Lu Yuan knew escaping now would be difficult. He slapped out, deploying his Nourishing Self Sword to meet the attack head-on.

Clang! Lu Yuan felt the opponent’s magical power was extraordinarily sharp and aggressive. The moment the opposing mana entered his body, it began to ravage it wildly.

He circulated the Cloud Dragon Heart Sutra, driving the foreign energy out of his system. Reassured, he judged that the opponent’s cultivation level was likely sixth or seventh level of Longevity Reaching. While he couldn't defeat such an opponent, escaping shouldn't be too difficult. Just as he thought this, the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal moved again. His blood-red robe transformed into a massive, shadowy blood figure that enveloped Lu Yuan. As Lu Yuan prepared to evade, the robe suddenly expanded to an unknowable width and breadth. Simultaneously, a wave of bloody stench assailed his nose. The moment this stench entered his system, his internal mana sputtered. Whoosh—the blood-red robe had him ensnared.

“Kid, you’re quite skilled, but you lack experience. Falling for my Blood Shadow Fragrant Mist, just collapse now.” Si Nan gibbered menacingly. His entire body reeked of blood, not just to intimidate, but to conceal the potent poison of his Blood Shadow Fragrant Mist. This poison spread through the air, mimicking the scent of blood. Once the blood robe opened, it dispersed along with the bloody aroma, making it easy for the opponent to fall victim.

Lu Yuan slowly regained consciousness. He found himself in a snow valley, surrounded entirely by accumulated snow. He had been captured by the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal. He attempted to circulate the mana within his body, only to realize a strange poison had sunk deep inside, rendering his powers utterly immobile. Damn it—the poison!

In the cultivation world, poison users were rare.

After all, during the second major stage of cultivation, the Body Refining Stage, one could control every organ within the body. If any toxin entered, the cultivator could automatically expel it externally; ordinary poisons were ineffective against the immortal body. If someone in the cultivation world chose to use poison, it signaled one thing: the poison was extraordinarily terrifying—so terrifying that even the immortal body forged during the Body Refining Stage could not expel it.

Clearly, what he had ingested was such a formidable poison.

The large, crimson blood robe filled his vision, followed by the face of the Blood Transformation Sword Immortal, Si Nan. Si Nan grinned unnervingly, “Stop struggling. You’ve been afflicted by my Blood Shadow Fragrant Mist toxin; you cannot mobilize your mana. Very well, we can now have a proper discussion.”

Lu Yuan was surprisingly calm, feeling no haste for some unknown reason. He meticulously inspected his body and discovered that the Small Sumeru Pouch integrated into his right arm was still there. He let out a sigh of relief. When he trained under Patriarch Yan, the Patriarch had taught Lu Yuan a small technique: sealing spatial artifacts within one's limbs to hide valuable items inside a Small Sumeru Pouch. Thus, Lu Yuan had shrunk his pouch to the absolute minimum and sealed it within his right arm. He checked his Asura Pouch; it had clearly been rifled through, but since it contained nothing but wine, Si Nan likely didn't value it.

After checking his body, Lu Yuan looked at Si Nan. “Why did you capture me?”

“Why did I capture you? Uh-uh, let me think.” The scar on Si Nan’s face twitched like a centipede. “Several years ago, about half a year before Yan Cangtian ascended, I saw you accompanying him. Later, considering that you disappeared from North Peak for a year, and Yan Cangtian also disappeared for a year before ascending, plus the fact that you are a genius from Mount Hua—it requires no great leap of logic that Yan Cangtian must have imparted his world-shattering, unparalleled techniques to you.”

Si Nan stared at Lu Yuan, observing his expression. “Am I correct?”

Lu Yuan’s face remained impassive, though a slight ripple stirred within his heart. He realized that even while training under Patriarch Yan, he had been observed. However, Patriarch Yan had used disguise and alteration. How the Hundred Transformations Sword Immortal Si Nan knew was unclear; it turned out that Si Nan possessed naturally discerning eyes capable of seeing through disguises. The moment he glimpsed Yan Cangtian’s true face, he had fled a thousand li in terror before stopping. After Yan Cangtian’s ascension was reported, combined with his prior sighting, he deduced that Lu Yuan had trained under him.

He was merely passing through this area this time but was overjoyed to spot Lu Yuan, leading him to capture him immediately.

“Hand over the unparalleled secret manual and cultivation method left by Yan Cangtian, and I can spare your life,” Si Nan laughed heartily.

Lu Yuan let out a hollow laugh. “If I hand it over, and then you let me go, if I return alive and tell everyone you captured me, Mount Hua will have you hunted throughout the entire Jin Kingdom. How could you survive? Clearly, once I give it to you, I’ll likely meet an untimely end.”

“Wrong. This world isn't just the Jin Kingdom; Mount Hua’s influence is limited to Jin.” Si Nan countered. “As long as you give me the secret manual, I will release you.”

Naturally, Lu Yuan would never pass the Five Emperors Five Sovereigns Reincarnation Sword Dao to Si Nan. Si Nan exhausted every conceivable method to make Lu Yuan speak, but Lu Yuan steadfastly refused.

Consequently, Si Nan certainly would not let Lu Yuan off easy.

The suffering inflicted upon him was beyond description.

Lu Yuan had never endured such torment in his life, but even enduring immense pain, he refused to surrender the Five Emperors Five Sovereigns Reincarnation Sword Dao. He secretly vowed that if he ever had the chance, he would kill Si Nan and steal the Blood Cloud Spirit Beast he carried. A Sword Immortal’s spirit beasts were astonishingly numerous, let alone those from the Blood Sword Sect, whose spirit beasts far outnumbered those of other sects.

He was finding pleasure in his suffering, pondering such things even while captured.

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