"Qingcheng?" Lu Yuan uttered, a note of surprise in his voice. After the trials of this journey—the looming threat of the Yuan Kingdom's army and the recent business with the Blood Sword Sect—he had expected their plans to shift. The fact that their itinerary for external cultivation remained unchanged caught him momentarily off guard.

"Yes, Qingcheng," Du Gu Ye confirmed. "But the itinerary has changed significantly from the original plan."

"Originally, Qingcheng was just the third destination on our tour, but now it's because the Five Mountains Alliance is being held there."

"The Five Mountains Alliance?" Lu Yuan's surprise deepened.

The Five Mountains Alliance was no trivial matter.

The 'Five Mountains' were known throughout the Jin State: Mount Hua, Wudang, Qingcheng, Kunlun, and the South Sea. Though the South Sea Immortal Sect resided on a mountain, it was one of the immortal isles rising from the sea, not part of the mainland ranges. The Five Mountains Alliance itself was a major event, signifying a convocation of these five great immortal sects.

Such an alliance was only convened when truly significant matters arose within the Jin State. Petty issues could be handled by the Elder Council. The Five Mountains Alliance was where the future trajectory of the entire Jin State would be debated and decided. To think it was happening now was astonishing.

Lu Yuan frowned. "They are holding a Five Mountains Alliance just because the Yuan Kingdom is pressing against the border?" He found it almost unbelievable. Such a solemn, grand affair was not something that was called lightly.

"Not entirely," Fang Ru shook his head. "Since Martial Uncle Yan ascended, the situation in the Jin State has been unstable. The subterranean demons are stirring, the 'Heaven-Serving Alliance' is engaged in countless minor machinations, and then there is the Yuan Kingdom. This time, even a Tianyuan Grandmaster has personally stationed himself there; the involvement of a Generation Master speaks volumes."

"One could say the Jin State is still enjoying an era of great peace, yet the signs point to a storm brewing—shan yu yu lai feng man lou [the wind fills the tower before the mountain storm arrives]. A single misstep could plunge us into chaos, resulting in widespread suffering, a true disaster for the common people," Fang Ru mused with a hint of melancholy.

Du Gu Ye offered a light, almost careless smile. "Actually, if chaos descends, it isn't necessarily a bad thing." This woman, whose beauty and temperament were like a secluded orchid in an empty valley, was known to be ruthless; she never hesitated when taking a life.

Fang Ru continued, "Therefore, the five great immortal sects have decided to hold the Five Mountains Alliance." He clarified, "Technically, aside from the five premier sects, the seven intermediate sects will also attend, making twelve in total to confer. However, the seven intermediate sects hold little true decision-making power, so the event is always referred to as the Five Mountains Alliance, never the cumbersome 'Twelve Immortal Sects Convocation.'"

The reason it fell to Qingcheng this time was simple. The hosting duties rotated among Mount Hua, Wudang, Kunlun, and Qingcheng—one sect hosting each time. As for the South Sea, Fang Ru offered an apologetic shrug: "Forgive the South Sea sect, but they are simply too far; it’s impractical to hold the meeting there specially. Thus, the rotation occurs among these four mountains. This time, it's simply Qingcheng's turn."

This was, indeed, a monumental occasion.

Yet, for Lu Yuan, it didn't truly matter much in the grand scheme. His next step was simply to visit Qingcheng and witness the spectacle of the Five Mountains Alliance.

"Very well, we depart in three days. Prepare yourself," Fang Ru instructed.

Three days, then.

Kunlun Mountain was renowned for countless scenic spots. Normally, these three days would have been spent exploring them. The most famous was the Kunlun Spring, rumored to be channeled water from the ancient Jade Pond of Kunlun Mountain—though its authenticity was impossible to verify. The spring water was said to remain perpetually warm, surrounded by exotic flowers. Beyond the spring lay numerous other sights.

Lu Yuan, however, visited none of them. Honestly, now that his strength neared the Sword Immortal level, he was eager to advance further, to settle accounts with Sima Chang Bai sooner. Furthermore, he carried burdens—the responsibility of the Three Sword Qi Sects—and longed for a life unencumbered by such weight. But as a man, some duties were inescapable.

On a snow-swept valley halfway up Kunlun Mountain, snow drifted down softly. Trees were sheathed in thick layers of rime, bending low under the weight. Occasionally, with a sharp crack, a branch would finally surrender and snap off, the sound emphasizing the profound stillness of the valley, a world silenced.

A young man in green robes arrived in the valley. With a gentle movement of his hand, he drew the Yang Wu sword. The sword immediately shot forth, hovering and swirling about ten zhang away.

The young man in green raised his hand again, and a second flying sword materialized from his grasp.

This sword was three feet, three inches long, one inch, two points wide. It would likely weigh over thirty jin in his hand, though he couldn't gauge the exact heft. A chill like flowing water radiated from the blade. Etched into the hilt were two ancient seal characters: "Zhen Yue" (). These characters were ancient and imposing, while the blade itself was liquid-smooth, possessing the chilling aura of 'a sword’s light chilling nineteen provinces,' yet maintaining a grounded, ancient dignity.

This sword was no ordinary artifact.

It was not a spoil of battle but was brought by Fang Ru. Fang Ru had carried it before he even located Lu Yuan, but Elder Yuan Yuan had held an unshakeable conviction that Lu Yuan would survive. Yuan Yuan Shangren sent this sword via Fang Ru with a specific purpose.

The Zhen Yue Sword!

Even the name bespoke significance. Mount Hua, Wudang, Qingcheng, Kunlun, the South Sea—all were mountains. This flying sword was named 'Mountain Suppressor,' its intention clear. It represented the expectations Yuan Yuan Shangren held for Lu Yuan.

He hadn't been given a second sword previously because Lu Yuan was far from the fifth level of Longevity. Now, close to it, Yuan Yuan Shangren had tasked Fang Ru with bringing this weapon.

Lu Yuan’s fingers gently stroked the Zhen Yue Sword, feeling both a bone-deep chill and an ancient resonance. He now possessed two swords: one carrying his master's hopes, meant to nurture righteous Yang Wu energy; the other, representing Martial Uncle Yuan Yuan's aspiration that he could truly 'suppress mountains and peaks.' He hoped to live up to the expectations of both his master and his martial uncle.

Gathering his thoughts, he reminded himself he was here to practice controlling two swords simultaneously. He had achieved the fourth stage of Longevity, the Primordial Spirit manifestation.

The fifth stage of Longevity required the mastery of dual-sword control. Controlling the first sword utilized pure spirit force; controlling the second required the Primordial Spirit itself. The Yang Wu sword was already circling tenaciously nearby. Lu Yuan launched the Zhen Yue Sword from his hand, but the moment it left his grip, it fell to the ground with a soft thud. Controlling a sword with the Primordial Spirit was far from simple.

Failure meant starting again. He initiated control with his Primordial Spirit once more. This attempt was slightly better; the sword hovered momentarily before dropping again. He experimented ceaselessly, the sword continually clattering onto the snow. After two full days of this practice, he was nearly exhausted, yet success remained elusive.

Enough, he decided. Time for a rest.

Failure was just failure. The path of cultivation was long and winding; success was naturally interspersed with failure. Such a minor setback was utterly normal.

Failing to break through to the fifth level of Longevity meant he would try again later. In fact, the transition from the fourth to the fifth level of Longevity was notoriously difficult, considered one of the major hurdles among the ten stages. Others included the sixth level, Void Core; the seventh level, Great Completion of the Golden Core; and the ninth level, Three Extremes Unification.

With a gesture, Lu Yuan recalled both the Yang Wu and Zhen Yue swords to their sheaths. He then produced a flask of wine—authentic Western Regions grape wine. Its color was a deep crimson; it was exquisitely mellow on the tongue, possessing a subtle sweetness. It was markedly different from the wines of the Central Plains—truly fine liquor.

Sipping the wine, he leaped up and flew toward the summit of Kunlun Mountain. Judging by the time, it was nearly time to depart for Qingcheng.

The group traveled along the official road leading to Qingcheng Mountain. At the forefront marched three figures: a middle-aged man with a stern, unyielding expression; another middle-aged man whose smile was exceedingly amiable; and a woman whose poise was akin to that of an orchid in an empty valley. Trailing behind were a dozen or so younger cultivators, chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

"What do you think is the best way to counter Kunlun's sword techniques?"

"Kunlun's swordplay isn't that remarkable, but their artifacts are troublesome, and their fire-element spells—the 'Wildfire Scourge'—are truly maddening."

"Exactly. It seems Kunlun's fire arts are harder to break than those of other immortal sects." The Kunlun fire magic stemmed from the fragmented texts of the Qing Xu Dao De, which was famous for its mastery of fire, including the legendary 'Seven Fowl Five Fire Merit,' which allowed them to command the five fires of heaven and earth at will. The youths debated fiercely.

Among the dozen, the one lagging farthest behind carried two swords on his back and held a wine gourd. The nine youths ahead discussed methods to counter the artifacts of the Kunlun Immortal Sect, but the last young man, the one bearing two swords, remained silent.

The wine was too good; he couldn't be bothered to join the chatter.

This was authentic Western Regions grape wine, and Lu Yuan took another slow drink.

As they advanced, a mountain range finally appeared ahead. It soared high into the clouds, seemingly splitting the heavens. Though not reaching ten thousand zhang, it approached that colossal height.

Qingcheng, 'Sublime Seclusion under Heaven.'

The Qingcheng Immortal Sect, one of the Five Great Immortal Sects, was finally reached.

Qingcheng Mountain was said to possess thirty-six peaks, eight great caverns, seventy-two minor caves, and one hundred and eighty scenic spots. Behind Qingcheng Mountain lay the legendary thousand-mile Min River, accompanied by the saying, 'To seek the Dao, ascend Qingcheng Mountain.' This saying alone attested to the prestige of the Qingcheng School.

Legend held that at the very center of the earth resided a grand sect called the Celestial Master Immortal Sect, whose origins supposedly traced back to this Qingcheng Mountain, though this claim was unverifiable.

Upon arrival at Qingcheng Mountain, personnel from the sect came forward to receive them. Following a brief exchange, they ascended the mountain. Once on the slopes, Lu Yuan felt the beauty of Qingcheng even more intensely. The entire mountain was saturated in verdant growth, like a painting brought to life. Its thousand-tiered winding paths led through secluded, immaculate tranquility.

Lush water, deep woods, majestic peaks—this was Lu Yuan's initial impression of Qingcheng Mountain.

The famous mountains of the Great Jin State truly lived up to their reputation.