Upon reaching the foothills of Mount Hua, Lu Yuan finally let out a breath of relief.

Back to Mount Hua again.

Lu Yuan felt a pang of emotion. Half a year ago, he had ventured to Taihu Lake for the dispute there, only to be thrown into a massive upheaval. Fang Ru, walking beside him, coughed lightly—what a miserable state they had been in, almost losing their lives to the hands of those from the Seven Kill Constellation Sea if not for being rescued by a junior.

At the North Peak of Mount Hua, people were already coming out to greet them.

The return of Fang Ru and Lu Yuan caused a huge stir at the North Peak.

First, there was Fang Ru. Besides the seven Eighth Generation figures residing in the Clouds Immortality Realm, Fang Ru was the strongest at the North Peak.

And such a powerful figure had returned gravely injured. The injury itself wasn't the main issue; the real oddity was sustaining it right before the election for the new Peak Master. The impact of Fang Ru's injury on the North Peak's future was immeasurable.

Second, Lu Yuan had returned.

Six months ago, Venerable Yuan Yuan vanished, and the North Peak's foremost genius, Lu Yuan, disappeared with him. Many searched for a long time without success, assuming Lu Yuan was dead. Now, Lu Yuan was finally back. His return was naturally a major event. His fellow disciples swarmed him, asking about the events of the past half-year. Lu Yuan offered brief answers, feeling a genuine warmth; having people care was a good feeling.

Among those who came to welcome them was the rare presence of Sima Changbai.

That Fang Ru would return alive, and that Lu Yuan would also return alive, truly exceeded Sima Changbai’s expectations.

However, it didn't really change much; the overall situation was already firmly in his control.

After a bout of clamor, Lu Yuan finally made it back to the Evergreen Residence.

The quiet Evergreen Residence.

Lu Yuan felt an immediate wave of exhaustion the moment he stepped inside. He had spent five months absorbed in comprehending various sword intents within the Myriad Poison Cave. Following that, he had a brief rest before immediately facing Tong Bainian in a decisive battle, and then the protracted chase and counter-chase with the people from Bei Ling Mountain. It had been utterly grueling. Thus, upon reaching the Evergreen Residence, where the sense of safety was highest, fatigue washed over him.

Forget it, he thought, I’ll sleep first.

He slept for a long time, losing all track of time until he finally awoke.

After waking, he had little desire to look at books or practice martial arts; the past six months of training had given him a headache.

Never mind that, he decided. I’ll order a few dishes from the restaurant. I’ve been eating the Taisui meat for half a year now. While the Taisui meat is tastier than pork, eating nothing but meat for six months, not even a vegetable, makes one nauseous. Now that he was finally free, he needed a proper feast. He headed to the restaurant and ordered several dishes.

Spicy Triple Delight, Sauerkraut Fish, Shredded Pork with Sauce, Twice-Cooked Pork, Spicy Pan-Fried Loach, Stir-Fried Prawns, and a bowl of Huacai Soup.

Having not enjoyed fine dining in half a year, he was determined to savor this moment.

As the dishes arrived, Lu Yuan first tasted the Twice-Cooked Pork. The fat and lean were perfectly balanced in his mouth—a true delicacy. Then he sampled the Spicy Pan-Fried Loach—spicy, exhilaratingly so! He took a sip of wine, and Lu Yuan felt a momentary sense of being like an immortal. This is how life should be lived: free and comfortable.

With wine, meat, and life, one can roam freely like an immortal. The struggle for supremacy is exhausting; tyrants and devils eventually become dust.

Lu Yuan indulged himself freely. After enjoying the food for a while, his concentration finally shifted away from the meal, and the murmurs of conversations nearby reached his ears.

“Who do you think is most likely to win the upcoming North Peak Master election?”

“Why, Fang Ru Senior Martial Brother, of course. Gentleman Sword Immortal Fang Ru—his reputation isn't baseless. Besides Venerable Yuan Yuan, he’s the most formidable.”

“A pity he’s severely injured now. In that case, besides him, it must be Sima Changbai Senior Martial Brother.”

“Not necessarily. Senior Martial Brother Ye Yangrong’s strength is nothing to scoff at either.”

“Senior Martial Brother Ye’s power is certainly strong, but I suspect he’s slightly weaker than Senior Martial Brother Sima.”

“As for Martial Uncle Chu and Martial Uncle Dugu, they are a bit further behind.”

Tsk, tsk. It was all talk about the impending North Peak Master selection, and the majority believed Sima Changbai had the highest chance of becoming the new Peak Master.

Lu Yuan couldn't be bothered with their discussions. He intended to enjoy his drinks. He had already made the preparations necessary for his part. As for the final outcome, he’d leave it to fate. For now, he focused on the delicious food before him.

Just as he was about to start eating in earnest, another group entered the restaurant.

This group carried a significant air of authority.

The leader was a handsome young man, and behind him stood no fewer than ten followers. Figures like Situ Zuo and Situ You had been relegated to the sidelines, while several elders in the Body Tempering stage stood beside the young master, bolstering his imposing presence. Lu Yuan glanced over casually—wasn't that Sima Hao?

Sima Hao was putting on quite a show now, accompanied by ten men.

Sima Hao clearly spotted Lu Yuan as well. His face tightened in surprise when he saw Lu Yuan, and he instinctively took half a step back. But he quickly recovered his composure. Why should he fear Lu Yuan? Yes, Lu Yuan was a genius, but he was the grandson of the future North Peak Master. If Lu Yuan had strength, he had power and status.

Once his grandfather became the Peak Master, then it would be time to see who would dominate whom.

Sima Hao felt he had no reason to fear a mere Lu Yuan. He stepped right up to Lu Yuan: “Congratulations on your return, Senior Brother Lu. I honestly thought you wouldn't be coming back, in which case I might have become a true disciple. Oh, pardon me, my apologies, congratulations on your return nonetheless.”

Lu Yuan gave Sima Hao a cool look. “Oh, a dog is barking.” He then turned away from Sima Hao and resumed drinking leisurely.

Treating Sima Hao like a dog—Sima Hao had only himself to blame for being inept at verbal sparring; he had lost to Lu Yuan every time they exchanged barbs.

Sima Hao had intended to retort sharply, but for some reason, he felt an astonishing aura radiating from Lu Yuan. He was unnaturally subdued by this pressure and dared not speak back. It was no wonder; Lu Yuan was now at the Seventh Level of Longevity Realm, while Sima Hao barely reached the Sixth Level of Qi Refining. The gap in cultivation was immeasurable; Lu Yuan’s casual exertion of aura was enough to subdue him easily.

This left Young Master Sima completely disgraced. Ever since Sima Changbai began aiming for the North Peak Master position, he had been flattered everywhere he went. To suffer such an insult now filled him with burning resentment. Fine, Lu Yuan, enjoy your arrogance for a while longer. Once Grandfather becomes the North Peak Master, I’ll have plenty of opportunities to deal with you. Fuming, he lost his appetite, abruptly left, and hurried away.

Lu Yuan was summoned to the Righteous Residence.

Inside the Righteous Residence, several people were already assembled.

The Gentleman Sword, Fang Ru; the Harmonious Sword, Ye Yangrong; the Solitary Heart Sword, Dugu Ye; and the Flying Heaven Sword, Chu Fei.

And Lu Yuan—a total of five people.

Summoning Lu Yuan here for counsel confirmed that his strength was on par with the Sword Immortal level. They no longer regarded him as a junior but essentially as an equal. Killing two cultivators at the Seventh Level of Longevity Realm with a surprise strike—such power certainly qualified one to be called a Sword Immortal.

“The North Peak Master election is set for two days from now, on the first of May,” Ye Yangrong stated.

“The current complication is Fang Senior Brother’s injury, and precisely, Sima Changbai is colluding with Yuan Ling,” Ye Yangrong continued.

Lu Yuan felt a bit confused. “Since you know Sima and Yuan Ling are colluding, why not state it openly? And why not summon the Martial Uncles from the Clouds Immortality Realm to prevent Sima from taking the seat?”

Ye Yangrong shook his head. “First, there is no concrete proof. There was some evidence, but it has since disappeared. Second, among the seven Great Dao Realm Venerables in the Clouds Immortality Realm, one is Sima Changbai’s master, Sima Qinggui. Moreover, Sima Qinggui holds immense prestige among the Eighth Generation. Furthermore, the Clouds Immortality Realm itself is somewhat fractured, with internal conflicts of interest. Therefore, relying on the Clouds Immortality Realm is extremely difficult, hard, hard.”

After much discussion, they failed to reach a definitive conclusion. In the end, they decided Ye Yangrong would challenge Sima Changbai. Both were at the Ninth Level of Longevity Realm; they would simply do their best.

Lu Yuan didn't say much more, as he himself wasn't entirely certain he could defeat Sima Changbai for sure. They would know once the fight commenced.

In the following days, the number of visitors to the North Peak increased. As one of the Five Peaks of the Mount Hua Immortal Sect, the selection of a new Peak Master was a momentous event for the Great Jin Dynasty. Naturally, various sects sent congratulatory envoys to observe, unaware of the intricate schemes woven into this contest for the new North Peak Lord.

While the North Peak grew bustling and clamorous, Lu Yuan found a quiet spot by a lake to settle his mind, hone his sword, and drink.

This was all preparation for the imminent battle.

The first of May finally arrived.

That day, the clear weather of the previous day had completely changed.

The sky was frighteningly overcast.

A persistent drizzle had begun to fall, with the possibility of a heavier downpour.

Sima Changbai's nickname was the Great Sun Sword Immortal.

Lu Yuan woke up very early that day.

He drank the last drop from his wine flask, then slammed it down. The bottle shattered loudly on the ground.

“Nourish me, Suppress the Peaks, my good brothers,” Lu Yuan murmured softly to the two swords hovering before him. “The battle I’ve looked forward to for over a decade is finally here.” With a turn of his wrist, both swords slid back into their sheaths, their cold light vanishing.

Lu Yuan, holding his two swords suspended, walked away from the edge of the clear pool.

It was raining. He took out a bamboo hat from his spatial artifact and placed it on his head.

A green robe beneath a bamboo hat; a lifetime weathered by wind and rain.

Yes, more than ten years.

His enmity with Sima Changbai dated back over a decade. So much had happened in those years.

Now, it was finally time for resolution.