Shu Mountain.

As the saying goes, a mountain is famous not for its height but for the immortals dwelling within; a body of water is sacred not for its depth but for the dragons residing there.

And as a renowned blessed mountain and sacred ground in Shu Prefecture, and even throughout the entire world, Shu Mountain is a prime example. In terms of the size of its mountain range and the height of its peaks, Shu Mountain is not even comparable to Wudang Mountain.

However, Shu Mountain has a unique honor that no other force possesses: the "Shu" of Shu Prefecture is derived from the "Shu" of Shu Mountain.

Although Shu Mountain is not the most top-tier mountain in the world, it can definitely be considered a blessed mountain and sacred ground. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, one can only see swirling white mist and pervading immortal energy.

Occasionally, white cranes frolic among the immortal mists, enveloping it in an aura of tranquility and peace, making people yearn for it.

As one of the top ten immortal sects of the present era, and a sacred ground for sword cultivators, Shu Mountain's requirements for accepting disciples are naturally extremely high. They only accept disciples once every ten years, taking advantage of the Sword Offering Ceremony.

Therefore, many people come here to witness this event, or to send their young sons and daughters to Shu Mountain for cultivation.

Sword cultivators value comprehension, which is also a type of aptitude.

Of course, if one has excellent natural endowments, that's even better. After Chen Yuan arrived near Shu Mountain, he saw many such people; there were at least hundreds, if not thousands, of children under the age of ten.

If any family has a child with good natural endowments, they will send them to Shu Mountain to try their luck. Therefore, although it is difficult to join Shu Mountain, once you succeed, it is equivalent to finding a backer for your family's power.

The Liu family of Cao County, who once had a feud with Chen Yuan, was like this. It was precisely because Liu Changkong joined the Qingyun Sword Sect that the Liu family was able to thrive in Cao County. Although the sect may not necessarily help, having this reputation deters many from taking risks.

Chen Yuan, as the Sky Character Divine Envoy of the Sky Patrol Division, overseeing the three southern prefectures, is definitely a distinguished guest even for Shu Mountain. From the moment he presented his invitation, the post station for receiving foreign guests caused quite a stir.

He was respectfully invited by a Dan Realm Grandmaster of Shu Mountain to wait in the main hall of the post station. After only a quarter of an hour, a voice came from outside:

"Is Marquis Wu'an, Lord Chen, here?"

Chen Yuan had already sensed someone approaching. After hearing these words, he soared into the void and looked at the two figures in front.

One was an old man with graying hair and beard, wearing a light purple robe, devoid of material possessions, yet possessing a refined and untainted aura. The other was his old acquaintance, Bai Changqing.

"This humble Daoist is Shen Xu, greetings Lord Chen."

The purple-robed old man raised his hand in a salute and nodded with a smile.

"Brother Chen."

Bai Changqing also smiled warmly.

"So it's Daoist Shen Xu." Chen Yuan realized. He had heard of the Five Elders of Shu Mountain long ago, who were on par with the Seven Disciples of Wudang, and were the top figures of Shu Mountain.

Although he was only at the Refining Spirit Realm, Chen Yuan would not underestimate him.

In fact, to have the Five Elders of Shu Mountain personally welcome him was definitely an honor. This also showed the change in Chen Yuan's status. When he went to Wudang Mountain, only Zuo Chengzong welcomed him, but this time, Bai Changqing and Shen Xu both came.

"It seems that this old man's slight reputation has also reached the ears of Marquis Wu'an." Daoist Shen Xu stroked his long beard and smiled.

"The Five Elders of Shu Mountain guard Shu Prefecture. Chen has naturally admired them for a long time."

Since he had arrived on someone else's territory and they were showing goodwill, Chen Yuan was not the kind of person to be aggressive. It was only natural to offer a few compliments.

"Hehe, Lord Chen, please come up the mountain for a chat. My Senior Brother, the Sect Leader, is waiting in the Wuji Hall." Daoist Shen Xu raised his hand in a gesture of invitation.

"Alright."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly, soared into the air to stand beside the two of them, and under the envious gazes of countless people below, gradually flew away.

"That's Marquis Wu'an, Lord Chen Yuan. He really has a lot of face, actually able to have Daoist Shen Xu personally welcome him." Someone sighed, watching the three figures disappear into the distance.

"That's only natural. Chen Yuan is an important court official overseeing the South, and his talent is rare in a thousand years. Even Shu Mountain, as an immortal sect and sacred ground, would not dare to neglect him."

"I'm just a little curious, why would Marquis Wu'an come to Shu Mountain to participate in the Sword Offering Ceremony? It's really rare."

Shu Mountain's Sword Offering Ceremony is held once every ten years, and once every hundred years it is a grand event in the martial world, when many powerful figures from the immortal sects come to congratulate Shu Mountain. But the small ceremony held every ten years doesn't actually attract many people.

At most, it's just a grand event in Shu Prefecture, and sometimes its influence is only limited to the eastern part of Shu. Chen Yuan's arrival this time is truly surprising.

"In my opinion, Marquis Wu'an is here to pay a visit to the mountain."

"What makes you say that?"

"Hehe, everyone in the world knows the name of Shu Mountain, especially in Shu Prefecture where it has a great reputation. Although Marquis Wu'an is strong, he sometimes needs to borrow the power of the martial world.

Previously, he was too busy to free himself, but this time, I'm afraid it's not the same. Marquis Wu'an wants to save face. As a court official, it's somewhat inappropriate to visit a Jianghu sect.

But taking advantage of the Sword Offering Ceremony is different. It can both save face and allow him to befriend Shu Mountain...."

Someone seemed to see everything clearly, and analyzed Chen Yuan's intentions to the people around him with a radiant expression.

"What you say, friend, is not without reason."

......

......

Chen Yuan naturally couldn't hear the judgments of the martial artists, who were already far away. Of course, even if he did hear them, he would just smile knowingly and wouldn't explain anything.

If his purpose in coming to Shu Mountain could be kept secret, he would naturally hide it. Let the people outside guess as they please, it wouldn't matter.

Shu Mountain seems close at hand, but in reality, it is still tens of miles away from the previous city. The three of them were not flying fast, but were talking and laughing in the void.

There was a strong sense of carefree immortals.

Daoist Shen Xu praised Chen Yuan for his decisive and resolute actions, his lightning-fast efficiency, and his talent that was rare throughout the ages. Chen Yuan praised Shu Mountain's sword Dao as divine and unparalleled in the world.

In short, it was mutual flattery.

Looking at Chen Yuan, who was on equal footing with his master, or even slightly more dominant, Bai Changqing suddenly felt some emotion. He had long accepted that Chen Yuan far surpassed him.

He was shocked and envious, but because Chen Yuan rose too quickly, he didn't have any complicated thoughts.

But now it was different. Chen Yuan, who was on equal footing with the Five Elders of Shu Mountain, had created a truly insurmountable gap between them, even making him genuinely want to say that being born in the same era as Chen Yuan was both lucky and unfortunate.

He was the Senior Brother of the current generation of Shu Mountain, one of the future Five Elders of Shu Mountain. Even though his talent was amazing, his seniority was still there, and he still had to be respectful to his masters.

By analogy, wasn't he a generation lower than Chen Yuan for no reason?

Shu Mountain was a bit far away, but that was all it was. Amidst their conversations, the three of them quickly arrived at Shu Mountain. The formation seemed to have intelligence, and the white mist parted to create a path.

Bai Changqing went ahead, and Chen Yuan and Shen Xu followed behind, stepping into Shu Mountain together.

The inside of Shu Mountain was even more miraculous. The formation was connected to the heavens and the earth, and the concentration of Yuan Qi was no less than that of the former Yuan Sky Realm. The further in they went, the more concentrated the Yuan Qi became.

Sword immortal figures flying through the sky could be seen everywhere, and sharp sword Qi streaked across the sky. Hundreds of disciples were cultivating below, truly a sacred place of immortals.

Among the mountains, as far as the eye could see, were palaces and halls, white cranes and immortal birds.

The most magnificent was the Wuji Great Hall in the center of Shu Mountain. After entering Shu Mountain, Bai Changqing took the initiative to leave to prepare a residence for Chen Yuan, while Shen Xu invited Chen Yuan to the hall for a discussion.

This place was very peaceful, which was somewhat different from what Chen Yuan had initially expected of Shu Mountain. He had thought that since Shu Mountain cultivated the sword Dao, it should have a sharp and fierce style.

But there was no murderous aura, only peace and harmony.

In front of the Taiji Hall, an old man with a tall figure, youthful appearance, and crane-like hair stood, smiling gently. His robes were deep purple, and his demeanor was extraordinary. Unlike Jiang He, who was sharp and soaring, he had his own imposing aura.

Hundreds of feet apart, Chen Yuan did not recognize this person, but he could deduce his identity. He must be the Sect Leader of Shu Mountain, the head of the Five Elders, the top ten on the Supreme Heaven Ranking, True Lord Lingxu!

As the master of an immortal sect, although True Lord Lingxu rarely took action, Dengxian Tower still included the unparalleled killing sword immortal of Shu Mountain in the top ten of the Supreme Ranking.

As for his true strength, no one knows for now.

"Marquis Wu'an, this humble Daoist has long admired you."

Before Chen Yuan even got close, True Lord Lingxu's laughter reached his ears. There was nothing miraculous about it, he seemed like just an ordinary old man.

"Chen has also long admired the name of True Lord Lingxu."

Chen Yuan descended from the sky to the ground and walked closer.

"Please."

True Lord Lingxu nodded slightly and invited Chen Yuan to the Taiji Hall for a chat. Daoist Shen Xu, who was beside him, twitched his ear, understood in his heart, and said with a faint smile:

"Lord Chen, this humble Daoist has some trivial matters to deal with, so I won't accompany you."

"Daoist Shen Xu, please do as you wish."

"Alright."

......

......

There was no one else in the Taiji Hall.

Chen Yuan had not yet had the chance to meet the other three of the Five Elders of Shu Mountain. True Lord Lingxu seemed to see Chen Yuan's curiosity and explained:

"The Demon Suppression Tower has been acting strangely recently, and the three junior brothers have gone to deal with it. Lord Chen, you don't need to be an outsider."

"Weren't the demon clan powerhouses suppressed within the Demon Suppression Tower already hundreds of years old? Why would there be any strange movements recently?" Chen Yuan had no intention of mentioning the Demon Suppression Tower, but since Lingxu had started the topic, he asked along the way.

"It happens every once in a while. It's not surprising."

"I see...."

Chen Yuan smiled.

"Lord Chen, your visit to Shu Mountain this time is probably not just to attend the Sword Offering Ceremony, right?" True Lord Lingxu's eyes seemed to see everything clearly, and he noticed Chen Yuan's unusual behavior.

"Shu Mountain's Sword Offering Ceremony is a grand event in Shu Prefecture. This is also Chen's first time seeing it. Why can't I come to participate? Why does True Lord Lingxu say this?"

Chen Yuan asked rhetorically.

Seeing Chen Yuan like this, True Lord Lingxu looked at him with a smile that was not a smile, and said:

"Lord Chen is overseeing the three southern prefectures, and recently annexed the entire seven prefectures of Western Shu. The lands of the prefectures in Central Shu are also in your pocket. You can be called a person with countless things to do every day. It is naturally impossible for you to come here just to attend a small ceremony that happens once every ten years."

Chen Yuan's face, which was originally smiling gently, stiffened for a moment, and his smile froze for a moment. He was shocked in his heart. He did not expect that Shu Mountain had already learned of his identity as the true controller behind Western Shu.

Not only that, but True Lord Lingxu also directly exposed this matter, which was truly beyond some of his expectations.

Chen Yuan's control of Western Shu never hoped to hide it from everyone in the world. What he wanted was to confuse people in a short period of time, so as to improve his strength as much as possible.

In fact, he now has the power to annex Central Shu, but it is also because of this reason, plus other considerations, that he finally decided not to take action, but only let the Shangguan clan and the Liu clan fuel the flames.

The smile froze, and the solemn color on Chen Yuan's face flashed by. He frowned and asked:

"What does True Lord Lingxu mean by this? When did Chen annex the seven prefectures of Western Shu? Swords can be cultivated haphazardly, but sometimes words cannot be spoken haphazardly. Chen is wholeheartedly devoted to the country and is loyal. If such rumors spread, where would Chen be placed?"

Lingxu's expression remained unchanged as he continued:

"Lord Chen was forced to marry by Jingtai in the capital, and openly collided with him in the main hall. You want to be loyal to the country, but the emperor does not think so. Your kind of peerless genius is both a good thing and a hidden danger. If they don't completely tie you down, the emperor and the Sima family will not give up. There will inevitably be a battle between you. Is this true?"

"If the imperial court does not betray me, Chen will not betray the imperial court."

"If that is really the case, why would Marquis prepare early? The seven prefectures of Western Shu, Mount Tang in Qing Prefecture, these are probably all the Marquis's backup plans, wanting to compete in the future."

"If True Lord Lingxu really says so, then Chen has nothing to refute. However, the pure will be pure, and the turbid will be turbid. There will be a public opinion in the future." No matter how he probed, Chen Yuan would not admit it.

"Marquis doesn't need to worry. Jianghu and the imperial court have a natural separation. In fact, Shu Mountain does not want to support the Sima family to rule the world." True Lord Lingxu shook his head slowly.

"If that is really the case, why did Shu Mountain help when the former Chu was destroyed?" Chen Yuan did not believe this old man's nonsense at all. As far as he knew, Shu Mountain was one of the forces that divided up the former Chu.

It was precisely because of this that Shu Mountain completely established its authority in Eastern Shu!

Before this, although Shu Mountain was an immortal sect, the former Chu imperial court suppressed it too much, and it did not have the current transcendent situation at all.

"How does Marquis know that Shu Mountain did not help?" True Lord Lingxu smiled faintly, stood with his hands behind his back, and there was a divine wheel in front of him. A trace of reminiscence flashed in his eyes.

"Could it be that Shu Mountain helped the former Chu?"

"Shu Mountain never owes anyone anything. Thousands of years ago, when Shu Mountain was first established, the former Chu Emperor Taizu helped. This favor was repaid halfway in the battle against the demons five hundred years ago. Shu Mountain was badly damaged. More than two hundred years ago, Shu Mountain repaid the other half. My Shu Mountain Sword Immortal helped the Xiang family once at the cost of death."

"True Lord Lingxu, don't deceive me because I am young and don't know the world, and use these words to deceive me?" Whether it was from the mouth of his second uncle Chen Huaiyi or senior Moro, he had never heard of Shu Mountain helping the former Chu more than two hundred years ago. He only knew that Shu Mountain took advantage of the destruction of the former Chu to greatly increase its power.

It almost included the entire Eastern Shu into its territory, and from then on, it completely established the reputation of the Sword Sect Holy Land.

"What benefit would this humble Daoist have from deceiving you? I didn't want to say this, but now I have to. More than two hundred years ago, a former Chu imperial family immortal sent a message for help, hoping that Shu Mountain would do its best to help the Xiang family quell the rebellion, in exchange for half of Shu Prefecture and sealing Shu Mountain as the national religion."

"And then?"

"The immortal agreed to this matter, but in order not to let the entire Shu Mountain fall into war, he only left alone, and there has been no news since then. Only a broken sword returned to the Sword Tomb.

This matter has never been spread in Jianghu, and no one in the world knows about it, but only the Five Elders of Shu Mountain know the truth. My Shu Mountain Sword Immortal will never live in humiliation.

The immortal sword has been broken, and it must have fallen. Later, after careful consideration by this humble Daoist master, knowing that the general trend was irreversible and Shu Mountain had completely repaid the Xiang family's favor, he took the opportunity to bite off a piece of meat from the Sima family. Eastern Shu was secretly controlled by my Shu Mountain because of this matter. The Sima family did not know about this, otherwise they would never tolerate Shu Mountain and would suppress it like the Goddess Palace. Although Marquis Wu'an knows a lot, he naturally cannot understand the secrets here."

After True Lord Lingxu finished speaking, he turned to look at Chen Yuan, his expression solemn.

Chen Yuan judged the truth of the matter in his heart, but his face was no different, and he said faintly:

"This official is a ten thousand household Marquis personally conferred by the imperial court. True Lord Lingxu, are you not afraid that this matter will be reported to His Majesty when you say these things in front of this official?"

"I'm not afraid."

"Hmm?"

"In the battle of Liangshan, the world is in chaos, and the imperial court has begun to shrink its power. The three southern prefectures have been abandoned and will become a place of mixed battles in the future.

The imperial court has no power to come and crusade against Shu Mountain. Moreover, that is, after all, an old matter. Even if you say it, I think the emperor will pretend not to know. Besides, you won't say it."

"Is the Daoist Master too confident?" Chen Yuan sneered.

True Lord Lingxu chuckled a few times and said:

"Now, Lord Chen, you don't even dare to go to Central Prefecture, how could you possibly report this matter? Besides, Shu Mountain has no intention of helping the imperial court. For you, it is actually a good thing."

"Chen is a court official, why would I not dare to enter Central Prefecture?"

Chen Yuan remained calm and was not moved by Lingxu's words at all.

"Do you really want this humble Daoist to say it?"

"Since we've come to this point, it doesn't matter even if the Daoist Master doesn't say it. Just say it directly." Chen Yuan smiled, he really wanted to see what other tricks this old man had.

Chen Yuan understood that from the moment he stepped into the Wuji Hall, True Lord Lingxu had been intentionally or unintentionally guiding him in this direction. Even if he didn't let the other party say it, the other party would detour around and come back to this point.

True Lord Lingxu said the word 'good' and stared at Chen Yuan very seriously and said:

"Because you are the Kirin Demon True Lord of the Dao God Palace who has repeatedly ruined the imperial court's affairs!"

"Boom!"

This sentence was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, causing Chen Yuan's heart to tighten. He quickly thought about where his identity had been leaked, but the people in the entire Jianghu who knew his identity were only a few people, and it was impossible for them to betray him.

The old bull-nosed Lingxu was trying to trick him!

In an instant, Chen Yuan understood the secret.

His eyes met True Lord Lingxu's with a calm look:

"Nonsense! This official swears to be irreconcilable with the demonic path, how could I be the Kirin Demon Lord of the Dao God Palace? This official's cultivation is only at the Refining Spirit Realm, how can I be a match for a True Lord?

Even if the Daoist Master is making up nonsense, he must respect this official."

"Who said that Refining Spirit can't be a match for a True Lord? Yang God True Lords can even defy the heavens and defeat immortals. As the number one genius for thousands of years after the Chu Emperor Taizu, a peerless genius who has always fought across levels, with the help of the Kirin God Blood, it is not impossible to be a match for a True Lord!"

True Lord Lingxu said in a deep voice.

"If the Daoist Master is still talking such nonsense, then Chen will have to leave."