Lu Yuan pierced the white clouds with his sword, soaring toward the glaring sunlight.

Even before reaching the Xian Zhang Plain, he sensed an intense fluctuation of vital energy emanating from that area.

This was an ability only accessible beyond the Great Dao Realm; discerning the fluctuations of Heaven and Earth's vital energy from afar was utterly impossible during the Longevity Stage.

As Lu Yuan approached the Xian Zhang Plain, he saw a figure flying directly toward him, his sword light flowing like water, seeming somewhat familiar. Lu Yuan met him, only to realize the person was his martial aunt, Dugu Ye. "Greetings, Martial Aunt."

Dugu Ye immediately stated upon seeing Lu Yuan, "You’ve arrived just in time. A massive battle is underway on the Xian Zhang Plain. Your strength is considerable; go protect your fellow disciples and retreat them to North Peak."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan couldn't help but pause.

What was the situation?

Wasn't the selection for the interim Sect Leader supposed to be taking place on the Xian Zhang Plain? Why was there a full-blown battle, even involving the core disciples?

Lu Yuan immediately asked, "What happened?"

Dugu Ye replied, "Something huge has occurred. Initially, twelve candidates were competing for the interim leadership, but Zhao Qingsong, a fifth-level Great Dao cultivator from the Sword Sect, accidentally killed Yu Qinggua of the Qi Sect. The Qi Sect erupted, and they have engaged the Sword Sect in a formal war. It’s a true conflict on the Xian Zhang Plain, a battle pushed to its absolute limits, with numerous casualties."

"I rushed out to call you here; save as many North Peak disciples as you can," Dugu Ye urged fiercely.

The situation was indeed dire.

The war between the Three Sects had finally broken out.

Lu Yuan couldn't quite name the feeling stirring within him, but the only thing he could do right now was one thing—exert his utmost effort to preserve more of Huashan's vital energy.

Lu Yuan instantly summoned the White Emperor Sword Dao. His sword light, refined like molten metal, shot toward the Xian Zhang Plain, immediately leaving Dugu Ye far behind.

When Lu Yuan arrived at the Xian Zhang Plain, he was stunned speechless.

The fighting was still ongoing within the arena, but most combatants were no longer fifth-level Great Dao cultivators. Those at that stage were either dead or severely wounded, possessing little effective combat strength left. It was primarily third and fourth-level Great Dao cultivators clashing.

The core disciples and other Elders had mostly been evacuated.

After all, under the surging power of the Great Dao cultivators, those in the Longevity Stage could only feel despair, let alone those in the Qi Refining or Body Tempering stages. When Great Dao cultivators fought, simply managing to stay standing for those below the Longevity Stage was an achievement.

This was the power of the Great Dao Realm!

Manipulating the vital energy of Heaven and Earth, their magical power was devastatingly immense, a force that made those below utterly unable to look directly upon them.

Lu Yuan couldn't help but carefully count the toll of the battle so far.

The core disciples of each peak were a priority for protection and suffered no losses. The nine core disciples of North Peak who remained at East Peak were all alive; after all, the fighters hadn't completely lost their minds; they knew core disciples were paramount and must not be lost. Furthermore, given that this fight involved Great Dao cultivators, did the participation of core disciples even make a fraction of a difference? Apart from North Peak's core disciples, most others from other peaks were sheltered by their seniors.

The ordinary disciples, lacking such protection, had seen quite a few killed by the residual shockwaves from the Great Dao masters.

The general ninth-generation Elders also sustained some losses from the aftershocks, but the overall damage wasn't significant.

For the ninth-generation Sword Immortals, North Peak suffered no losses. North Peak currently had only five such individuals, and due to the incidents surrounding the disappearance of Chu Duan and Zhuo Budang, fighting had mostly erupted between the Sword and Qi Sects. Coupled with the fact that North Peak usually kept a low profile among the Five Peaks, the ninth-generation Sword Immortals did not perish in large numbers, though the other four peaks each lost a few.

The losses among the Great Dao cultivators, surprisingly, weren't severe yet.

In truth, the battle had only just begun.

The most severe losses were among the fifth-level Great Dao cultivators.

Currently, Huashan had twelve cultivators at the fifth level of the Great Dao Realm: six belonging to the Sword Sect, four to the Qi Sect, and two to the Sword-Qi Sect.

And this time, the casualties were brutal. The Sword Sect lost two fifth-level Great Dao cultivators, and the Qi Sect lost two, totaling four deaths. Eight others were severely wounded. While the visible death toll only amounted to four, in reality, four!

Fifth-level Great Dao cultivators were the very backbone of Jin State.

And now, four were wiped out in one go.

This had injured the very foundation of Huashan.

Moreover, several other Great Dao cultivators had also died. Every Great Dao expert in Jin State was precious, yet several had fallen now.

This time, Huashan had suffered injuries that went to the bone.

More alarmingly, the Sword Sect, Qi Sect, and Sword-Qi Sect were still locked in combat, with injuries constantly accumulating. If this wasn't stopped soon, more people would likely die. Huashan could no longer afford such attrition.

Throughout Huashan's history, there had been several instances of internal conflict between the Three Sects. The most brutal occurred during the era of the Second Ancestor of North Peak. That internecine strife severely crippled Huashan, yet the Second Ancestor of North Peak managed to turn the tide, demonstrating genius talent and rebuilding the sect.

Subsequent times, this scenario repeated, and each time, a singular genius rose to redeem the situation.

Now, it happened again. Coincidentally, the most capable figure, Yan Cangtian, had ascended, and Zhou Qingxuan had yet to appear, clearly showing no inclination to intervene.

What was to be done now?

Lu Yuan's usual composure was now burning within him like a raging fire, consuming his very mind.

The conflict between the Three Sects, which his Master had worried about, had finally erupted.

The conflict between the Three Sects that Ancestor Yan had feared had finally occurred.

What should he do?

Lu Yuan had previously lived a life of solitary freedom—one man, one sword, one jug of wine—fighting enemies as they arose. But this time, the opponents were his own brethren; how was he to handle this?

Suddenly, words spoken by Ancestor Yan echoed in his mind: "Huashan, the internal rift within the Three Sects has opened. What is needed is a phoenix-like nirvana and rebirth to potentially mend the schism."

Ancestor Yan had left behind two contingencies. The first was Martial Uncle Zhou of the Repentance Peak; with him around, Huashan would not be utterly destroyed. However, Martial Uncle Zhou, burdened by heartache, was unwilling to involve himself in such matters. Therefore, rebuilding Huashan depended on others.

The second contingency was him.

Right, him.

Lu Yuan instantly grasped Ancestor Yan's intent from years ago. Yes, Huashan had just endured another terrible clash, one that had occurred several times in history. Every such event was a crucial juncture to mend the rift of the Three Sects, but the figures before him lacked the resolve to eliminate the division. Now, he could be the one.

Ancestor Yan teaching him the Reincarnation technique was precisely for this day.

Yes, Ancestor Yan had ascended, Martial Uncle Zhou refused to act, and now, here stood Lu Yuan.

He had to step forward now and claim the position of Huashan’s interim Sect Leader.

Then, he would use an iron fist to purge these issues.

To manage Huashan properly, one must become its leader. He, who preferred a detached and serene existence, never sought the position of Sect Leader. But sometimes, one is caught up in worldly affairs against their will. This time, for the sake of Huashan, he must become this interim leader. Moreover, his tenure as interim leader would be drastically different from any before; he would require bolder resolve than all previous leaders combined.

This task was monumentally difficult.

But sometimes, certain things simply must be done.

Because he hailed from Huashan.

And because he was doing it, Huashan's internal damage could be minimized. Revolution inevitably demands sacrifice, but he possessed the method of change that would result in the fewest deaths. How could he not act?

...

Lu Yuan instantly drew his sword, a flash of white light erupting. Summoning the White Emperor Sword Dao, he moved instantly, piercing toward the nearest combatants, striking their wrists with blinding speed. "Cease your blades!" The swords in the hands of the two struggling figures involuntarily dropped to the ground. Those whose wrists Lu Yuan struck instantly lost the ability to channel spells, making continued fighting impossible for the moment.

Lu Yuan moved again, simultaneously unleashing his Nourishing Spirit Sword and the Mountain Quelling Spirit Sword. Countless individuals fell beneath his blade, each struck precisely on the wrist—every single one below the fourth level of the Great Dao Realm, without exception. After striking numerous wrists, those nearby noticed Lu Yuan’s actions and paused in confusion, unable to fathom his intent.

Naturally, they would not allow a junior like Lu Yuan to strike their wrists. Sword Sect masters unleashed all manner of bizarre and unpredictable techniques, such as the 'Cloud Mist Changing Hand'—a hand technique famous for its myriad illusions and elusiveness, making it impossible to locate the actual hand movement. Yet, Lu Yuan pierced their wrists with uncanny precision.

The seniors of the Qi Sect channeled their Purple Cloud Heart Method, making their wrists incredibly resilient, seemingly impossible to pierce. But Lu Yuan's Nourishing Spirit Sword pierced through the defenses as if divinely guided.

The fierce fighting that had dominated the arena instantly halted its momentum.

In a single moment, hundreds of people had their wrists struck by Lu Yuan’s sword. Now, no one could fight effectively. Everyone turned to look at Lu Yuan, inevitably murmuring praise for his formidable swordsmanship!

All eyes fixed on Lu Yuan. One Sword Sect Martial Uncle spoke in a sharp, pointed voice, "Junior Lu Yuan, what are you trying to do?" This Martial Uncle also possessed third-level Great Dao magic power and was renowned for his intricate sword variations, yet he had just been completely outmatched by Lu Yuan’s pure swordsmanship, leaving him understandably furious.

Yes, what was Lu Yuan trying to do?

Everyone was bewildered, and absolutely no one could fathom the thoughts surging within Lu Yuan’s heart.