Mount Hua lay shrouded in mist and rain.

Mount Hua was not only enveloped in the damp gloom of the rain, but its very spirit felt overcast.

Though Mount Hua had faded considerably, it was still counted among the five superior immortal sects, and in its prime, it had been the foremost. Such inherent pride was natural. Yet now, they were cornered at their very gates by a mere mid-tier sect—an immense humiliation. Being besieged at the gates alone was bad enough.

Worse still, the very leader of that mid-tier sect, Liancheng Immortal Sect’s master, Tang Shichuan, had somehow acquired a spiritual sword, the Formless Spirit Sword. This sword specialized in shattering sword energies and destroying magical artifacts, much like the formless sword qi of the Formless Sword Sect. Not long ago, High Master Yuanyang and High Master Zixia challenged him but were both defeated by Tang Shichuan.

High Master Yuanyang and High Master Zixia had refrained from reporting the situation to Lu Yuan, the acting sect master, before engaging in battle for two reasons. First, Lu Yuan was in secluded cultivation at the time, and with the Hundred Kingdoms Assessment fast approaching, they felt it inappropriate to disturb his vital seclusion. Second, they genuinely believed themselves superior to Tang Shichuan, never anticipating that he possessed the Formless Spirit Sword.

Formless sword qi was simply too troublesome. If the Formless Sword Sect’s version consumed too much vital energy, Tang Shichuan’s spirit sword—which employed formless sword qi requiring almost no energy expenditure—was even more terrifying. Furthermore, this Formless Spirit Sword was a parent-child blade, capable of splitting into two, making the formless twin blades even more fearsome than the single sword.

The strengths of High Master Yuanyang and High Master Zixia were only roughly equal to Tang Shichuan’s; it was only with the aid of that potent spiritual weapon that Tang Shichuan managed a narrow victory over them.

This incident utterly disgraced Mount Hua.

To be driven to their very threshold by the master of a mid-tier sect, suffering the defeat of two experts at the fifth stage of the Great Dao realm, had stripped Mount Hua of all its dignity.

The tens of thousands of people who called Mount Hua home—it was likely closer to twenty or thirty thousand now, far down from the thousands once housed on a single peak—watched their sect suffer this disgrace, and every face was heavy with shame. Even the newest initiates who had only recently joined the Mount Hua Immortal Sect began to doubt whether joining Mount Hua had been the right decision.

Nearby, other cultivators had gathered. Why else would they come than to witness the spectacle?

For the esteemed Mount Hua Immortal Sect, once the premier immortal sect, to have its gates blockaded by the leader of a mid-tier sect was an unprecedented loss of face. If one skipped watching a spectacle like this, what entertainment was worth watching?

Initially, the onlookers believed this was merely a minor disturbance, expecting someone like Tang Shichuan to be swiftly repelled. But after High Master Yuanyang and High Master Zixia fell in succession, they realized this was shaping up to be the greatest spectacle in living memory.

Tang Shichuan possessed a strikingly handsome visage, imbued with a mature and distinguished charm—he was, quite simply, an elegant, middle-aged gentleman.

Tang Shichuan felt a surge of triumph. He had recently obtained the Formless Spirit Sword and, upon discovering its incredible efficacy, had conceived the idea of challenging Mount Hua. When he first set out to challenge them, he harbored a flicker of apprehension, but now he saw that there had been no need for worry at all.

The Formless Spirit Sword was too effective. Even Yuanyang and Zixia, whose power matched his own, were no match for him beneath his blade.

And currently, Mount Hua’s highest tier of combat strength rested solely on High Master Yuanyang and High Master Zixia.

Mount Hua was once formidable, but following the Chaos of the Three Sects, rumor held that they now possessed perhaps only three or four cultivators at the fifth stage of the Great Dao realm, with Yuanyang and Zixia representing their zenith. Since both were defeated, who among them could stand against him?

As for Lu Yuan, Tang Shichuan let out a sneer. He had already speculated why Mount Hua chose Lu Yuan as acting master. Lu Yuan might possess some skill, but compared to himself, he was still too green. Mount Hua likely appointed Lu Yuan because they were terrified of frequent leadership changes; frequent transitions were a cardinal sin for an immortal sect. Since the previous master, Chu Duan, had died after only a few years, they had reluctantly chosen Lu Yuan as a potential successor to prevent further attrition caused by instability.

Lu Yuan was absolutely no match for him. If the world contained ten measures of pride, Tang Shichuan currently possessed eight.

By defeating Mount Hua, he would secure the criteria for a superior immortal sect, allowing his Liancheng Immortal Sect to upgrade. Five superior immortal sects in Jin Kingdom!

Simultaneously, Tang Shichuan felt a slight haziness in his focus. His gaze fell upon several young, beautiful girls from Mount Hua, particularly one named Liu Ye’er, whose innocence was unparalleled. In all his years, Tang Shichuan had never encountered such a purely unspoiled young woman.

Tang Shichuan’s lifelong motto was: “Among cultivators, my poetry is supreme; among poets, my magic is supreme.” He was, in essence, profoundly reserved, yet possessing a touch of handsomeness complemented by the refined elegance of an experienced man, a combination that had successfully charmed many young women.

Moreover, he was currently riding a wave of supreme confidence.

Men, after all, harbor certain base instincts.

Once a man gains power, he invariably seeks many, many beautiful women.

He was on the cusp of victory, about to become one of the most renowned figures in the cultivation world of Jin. He already planned that once he seized Mount Hua’s superior sect status, he would find an opportunity to court this young girl.

With such purity, this girl would surely fall under his control.

How could a mere young girl escape his practiced methods?

Besides, once he was the master of a superior immortal sect, his status would be immense. How many women in the cultivation world henceforth would not be intoxicated by his perfectly cultivated mature and elegant demeanor?

Tang Shichuan now felt nine parts elated.

“Long live the Sect Master!”

“May the Sect Master enjoy eternal immortal fortune!”

“May the Sect Master’s life be as long as the heavens!” The members of the Liancheng Immortal Sect, led by the steadfast Tie Suo Heng Jiang Qi Bufa, cheered in unison. The Liancheng Immortal Sect was truly making a grand display today; showing off brazenly before the gates of Mount Hua was something no one would have imagined possible ten years ago, or even just last year.

Then, he noticed a stir from the Mount Hua contingent, followed by calls rising one after another: “The Sect Master has arrived!” “Long live the Sect Master!” “The Sect Master is finally here!”

As Tang Shichuan heard the shouts, he had been intently watching Liu Ye’er. He saw a flash of sheer delight cross her face when the news of the Sect Master’s arrival came. Tang Shichuan immediately understood: this was the expression of a young woman for the man she adored. A wave of irritation washed over Tang Shichuan. A beardless junior daring to compete with an elder for a woman? Preposterous.

Lu Yuan, you junior! Lu Yuan, you junior! Today, not only will I steal the designation of a superior immortal sect, but I will also take this pure and lovely girl. I will heap immense humiliation upon you, Lu Yuan, the so-called peerless genius!

Finally, Tang Shichuan saw Lu Yuan: simple green robes, entirely unadorned, a faint smile gracing his face—just an ordinary young man. This was Lu Yuan, one of the five Supreme Masters of Jin. Hmph, those five Supreme Masters should be my title, Tang Shichuan’s.

“So, you are the junior, Lu Yuan.” Lu Yuan’s seniority was indeed low, but his position as Mount Hua’s master elevated him; even someone like Song Fengqiao would address him as an equal. This was the prerogative of a Supreme Master. Tang Shichuan addressing him as 'junior Lu Yuan' instantly ignited a torrent of fury.

“And you are Tang Shichuan of the Liancheng Immortal Sect.” Lu Yuan nodded. “Correct, I am Lu Yuan. But looking at you, you don’t seem like much. Very well. If you can withstand thirty of my moves today, I shall spare your life.” What arrogance!

A statement that shocked the world!

In the previous exchanges, even the two high masters, Yuanyang and Zixia, had succumbed to Tang Shichuan. Where did Lu Yuan find the audacity for such a boast?

Such blatant talk! Shameless! Utterly conceited!

“Good! Junior, today I, your elder, shall teach you the meaning of humility!” Tang Shichuan roared.

CRACK! Tang Shichuan was struck squarely in the face by a punch and sent tumbling backward.

Lu Yuan stood his ground, casually shaking his fist. “Is that all? Not that strong, are you? Is this your full capacity?” Lu Yuan used his fist, but the principle of the fist mirrors the principle of the sword; all paths lead to the same destination. Lu Yuan stood at the peak of the Sword King realm, channeling sword intent into his punch, shattering Tang Shichuan’s guard. The blow landed on his right cheek while he was caught off guard—this outcome was utterly predictable.

Tang Shichuan currently felt a burning heat on his right cheek. While the condensed vital energy in Lu Yuan’s fist was certainly painful, the greater agony was the shame.

He had been posturing here for so long, unchallenged by anyone at Mount Hua, his self-regard inflated to an absurd degree, viewing Mount Hua as nothing more than ants. At this critical moment, he was struck by a single blow, right on the face, sending him flying. Crucially, he was trying to court the pure and lovely Liu Ye’er. To be so thoroughly humiliated in front of the very woman he desired—no man could endure that. The saying goes: a man’s face must not be struck, or it leads to a fight to the death; a woman’s feet must not be touched, or it taints her purity. Tang Shichuan now desired only to kill.

“You junior! You dare use a sneak attack! I will kill you! I want you dead!” Tang Shichuan shrieked.

A movement in his sleeve launched forth the Formless Spirit Sword. Silent, formless, and invisible, it rushed toward Lu Yuan. The formless parent-child blades split, striking in tandem. He was genuinely enraged. “Today, I’ll show you what an elder truly is!” Beneath the Formless Twin Blades, the Liancheng Sword Style was unleashed.

Liancheng Sword Style: A Lone Gaze Across the Horizon That Breaks the Heart.

Liancheng Sword Style: The Galaxy Hanging Down Over the Three Stone Beams.