The First Year of Tianshun, One Peak Towered Above All

Jiang Yungu, lying on the bed, was puzzled, wondering why the clan elder had suddenly lost his composure.

But upon hearing the words "stationed in the Northern Frontier," his expression changed drastically.

Is it Lu Huaiqing?!

How could this person have entered Luofu Grotto-Heaven again?

Wasn't he already appointed by Martial Emperor Yan as the garrison commander of the Northern Dark Continent, stationed in the Northern Frontier of Great Yan?

Before entering the cave, I had heard that the situation in the Northern Dark Continent was treacherous. The military leader of the Northern Dark Continent and the bandit Lu, who was in charge of guarding the territory, disagreed on political views, causing one disturbance after another. Furthermore, there were disturbances caused by foreign tribes, and even the Great Yan Dynasty issued an edict to reprimand the Northern Frontier.

"Lu Huaiqing pays his respects to Elder Jiang."

A gentle and peaceful voice came from outside the house.

Jiang Yungu was shocked, and anger surged within him.

This person betrayed the Jiang family and sided with Martial Emperor Yan, becoming the sharpest weapon the emperor used to suppress the Jiang Household. How dare he come to their Jiang Household residence now?!

He endured the excruciating pain, raised his head, and craned his neck, determined to see if this person had three heads and six arms.

"Get in here!" the Jiang Household elder roared.

Under Jiang Yungu's gaze, a slightly weathered middle-aged man walked into the room. He had an ordinary appearance and a gentle and calm temperament, without the slightest hint of sharpness.

This guy is Lu Huaiqing? He's so ordinary! What makes him so capable of making my great-aunt remain unmarried for life?

"Lu Huaiqing, I ask you, what gives you the right to die?" The old man's hair and beard bristled with rage. "What did you say when you betrayed the Jiang Household and allied yourself with Martial Emperor Yan?"

Jiang Yungu felt even more lost.

He knew that everyone in the clan hated that this man was still alive, including the clan elders. But why did the clan elders wish for his death, yet also find it unacceptable?

The position of guardian of a region is coveted by countless people throughout the land. If it weren't for Lu Huaiqing's past cooperation with the imperial family in suppressing the Jiang Household, how could it have been his turn?

Now that Lu Huaiqing is dead, his position is vacant. Shouldn't that be a good thing for everyone?

Lu Huaiqing clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying softly:

"The situation in the Northern Frontier is dire. Huaiqing can protect the Northern Frontier, but he cannot protect himself. Fortunately, Brother Wenxuan is in charge of the Cosmic Heaven Grand Array on my behalf. Brother Wenxuan has already reached the Half-Step Dharma Aspect and is now supporting the situation in the Northern Dark Sea on my behalf."

Wenxuan...

Jiang Yungu was breathing heavily.

Is it Jiang Wenxuan?!

Ninety years ago, he was the leading figure of the Jiang Household family, far superior to himself. Yet, for some reason, he was bewitched by Lu, and was willing to leave his Lineage to follow him!

That's why the clan has been saying for years that Lu Huaiqing ruined the Jiang Household's century-long fortune!

"Wenxuan..."

The old man was also stunned and lost in thought.

Unexpectedly, the second Dharma Aspect expert that the Jiang Household had longed for for hundreds of years was actually Jiang Wenxuan, who left with Lu Huaiqing back then.

Recalling the various sordid incidents that had occurred within the clan in the past, the old man felt conflicted and speechless.

He murmured, "Is the situation in the Northern Frontier really this bad? Even you, Lu Huaiqing, can't protect yourself?"

"The news is on its way; you will know soon, Senior," Lu Huaiqing said softly. "In this battle, Huaiqing has no regrets, nor has he failed his promise. Now, with my remaining Yin Spirit body, I revisit this place only because there are still two unfulfilled wishes. One is to find another pillar of strength for the Northern Dark Continent, and the other..."

Lu Huaiqing paused, not continuing, but simply looked out the window, as if he could see that person deep in the town from afar...

A strict teacher.

He remained silent in his heart:

Lu Huaiqing's last wish was to end this millennia-long conspiracy.

But deep within the cave.

As if he had heard someone's innermost thoughts, the man didn't even offer a cold laugh.

Ninety years have passed, and you've already become so arrogant?

It's because each generation outside is worse than the last, and now there's no one left. How dare you, a worthless nobody who isn't even Dharma Aspect External Scenery, bare your teeth?

Hearing the familiar tone and feeling a deep sense of warmth in her voice, Lu Huaiqing was filled with emotion.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the young Jiang Household boy on the bed, who was craning his neck to look at him despite the excruciating pain.

He chuckled, "Seeing this lad reminds me of my old friend Wenxuan."

The old man sneered, "What right does he have to compare himself to Wenxuan? He's not even worthy to carry Wenxuan's shoes!"

Jiang Yungu's face flushed red, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He is indeed not worthy of being compared to that Granduncle Xuan...

Lu Huaiqing comforted the Human Dao, "Young man, as long as he's not a beast as wicked as Jiang Wentao, he can always be changed. If he doesn't change, beat him up. Beat him up a few times, and he'll be trained to be decent."

Jiang Yungu's pupils suddenly contracted.

It wasn't because the old man surnamed Lu beat him up, but because the Uncle Wentao he mentioned had already been designated as the next head of their Luo River Jiang Clan!

The elder's attitude at this moment was even more strange; he remained silent and did not refute anything!

This left Jiang Yungu in a state of confusion. Did the clan elders share the same opinion?

Combined with the clan elders' strange attitude towards Lu Huaiqing—

The ideas we've held for the past decade or so seem to have crumbled at this moment.

The Jiang Household he knew didn't seem to be the real Jiang Household; and the "bandit Lu" he had heard about didn't seem to be the real Lu Huaiqing.

"Clouds hide in valleys, Buzheng the brilliance of the sun and moon." Lu Huaiqing suddenly sighed, "That's what I told her when Wenqing me about my future aspirations. It seems she still hasn't let go of what happened back then..."

Jiang Yungu felt as if he had suddenly lost all the strength that supported him.

Earlier, when the clan elder asked him why he hated Yu Tunzhou, he explained that he lost his father at a young age, and his mother passed away after being overwhelmed with grief. He was forced to be born prematurely, resulting in congenital defects. Furthermore, because his father was suspected of betraying the Lineage, no one in the clan was willing to raise him. Only his great-aunt took him in, and he was the "Wenqing" mentioned by Lu Huaiqing. His name was also given to him by his great-aunt.

Therefore, Jiang Yungu regarded his great-aunt as his only close relative in the world.

His closest relative, however, remained unmarried her entire life because of the woman before her, and was regarded as an outcast by her clan for being a bandit.

As a result, he regarded everything and everyone related to the Lu bandits, even those who only resembled them, as his greatest enemy.

But only today did he learn his name...

It all originated from this person!

Realizing that his great-aunt still hadn't forgotten him, and didn't seem to hate Lu the bandit, he instantly lost all his energy and spirit, collapsing onto the bed with a blank stare.

I feel that everything I've done these past few days has been so ridiculous, so... self-righteous.

Just as Lu Huaiqing was bowing and taking his leave...

The elder of the Jiang Household suddenly shouted:

"Etc!"

Lu Huaiqing turned around and looked at the old man who had chosen him and given him a place to stay back then.

The old man's facial muscles twitched slightly, but he finally took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

"Lu Huaiqing, although you later betrayed my Luo River Jiang Clan and allied with that Martial Emperor Yan, I have witnessed all your words and actions since then. Therefore, I have never regretted choosing you in the first place. If I could do it all over again..."

"I will still accept you on behalf of the Jiang Household!"

Lu Huaiqing remained silent, bowed deeply, and did not rise for a long time.

After saying this, the old man looked tired, yet it was as if he had finally unloaded a long-cherished wish. He waved his hand and said:

"Get lost."

"It's because the Jiang Household is too small to accommodate such a great Buddha as you."

After Lu Huaiqing left the mansion, only the old man and Jiang Yungu remained inside.

Jiang Yungu whispered, "Elder, why do you treat him so differently? Isn't it because Lu Huaiqing ruined the Jiang Household's century-old fortune?"

The old man said expressionlessly, "If one day you, Jiang Yungu, can sort out the events of that year and distinguish right from wrong, then you, Jiang Yungu, may have the opportunity to become a new pillar of the Luo River Jiang Clan."

Lu Huaiqing tucked his hands into his sleeves, walked out of the Jiang Household mansion, and strolled through the streets and alleys of the town, revisiting familiar places.

Even though the angry shouts from all sides continued unabated, he remained smiling throughout, seemingly unconcerned.

On his way, he passed a fortune-telling stall. The bald Daoist priest behind the stall had a complicated expression on his face. He had already received the battle report from the Northern Sea, so he truly admired the man in front of him.

"Have you truly sacrificed both the main body and the Yang Spirit?" Mo Shougui low voice, "Is there absolutely no room for reversal?"

Lu Huaiqing calmly said, "The situation is worse than you think. If even I was unwilling to sacrifice myself back then, who else on the Northern Sea battlefield would be willing to die?"

Mo Shougui and remaining silent.

"Are you the mastermind behind the Yu Tunzhou?" he suddenly asked.

Lu Huaiqing said with some helplessness, "Lu Huaiqing is just an Outer External Scenery. He can barely manage on his own in the Northern Dark Continent. How could he possibly have the ability to intervene in this Luofu Grotto-Heaven?"

"I have faith in him only because I have faith in my past self."

As he said this, there was a hint of pride in his eyes, and one could still vaguely see the brilliance of someone who once dominated an entire generation.

Several days later.

The three messages that came from outside the cave shocked the Shouxin, who immediately questioned their authenticity.

The first message came from the Northern Dark Continent--

A month ago, the Northern Sea Dragon Palace fell, and Demon Race Great Sage appeared behind it. The Northern Sea defense line was on the verge of collapse, and the situation was extremely precarious.

At this critical moment, Lu Huaiqing, the garrison commander of Yizhou, first beheaded the Northern Dark Sea Army Commander and seized military power. Then, he persuaded the major sects of the Northern Dark Continent to work together and set up the Cosmic Heaven Grand Array to turn the tide in the Northern Sea and cut off the path of the Great Sage of the Demon Race to return.

After this battle, nearly half of the high-end combat power of the Northern Dark Continent was lost, and Lu Huaiqing, who was guarding the city, even sacrificed himself for the cause. However, the battle in the Northern Sea was a great victory!

The second message also came from the Northern Dark Continent --

The Daoist Fuyao others with his cultivation level, broke through to the Half-Step Dharma Aspect with the help of Lu Huaiqing 'Cosmic Heaven Grand Array.

At the time, foreign tribes were performing rituals, and a blood moon hung in the sky. However, Heavenly Peng roc spread its wings and swept across the nine heavens. With a single flap of its wings, it swept across the azure sky, and fought against the powerful Dharma Aspect the remnant tribe. After ten days of bloody battle, it severed the other's arms and returned in great victory!

After this battle, Daoist Fuyao peered into the Heavenly Dao, ascended to the top of the Earth Ranking, and set his sights on the Heaven Ranking.

The third news item --

In the spring of the seventy-third year of Yanwu, on the day of Jiazi in the first month, the emperor died in the Western Palace, and the whole world was shaken.

The imperial edict reads: [I have received the Mandate of Heaven for seventy-three years, and have been filled with anxiety and worry, working diligently day and night to benefit the people. My younger brother, Jingde, is benevolent, wise, filial, and fraternal, and the people have his heart. He is fit to ascend the throne. All civil and military officials, both inside and outside the court, shall work together to assist in governing and to bring peace to my people...]

Therefore, Emperor Jingde ascended the throne and changed the era name to [Tianshun].

In the first year of the Tianshun reign, war had already broken out everywhere outside the Central Plains.

It was also on this day.

Within the Luofu Grotto-Heaven, the Yu Tunzhou, carrying the momentum of the grotto's water transport, broke through the ninth and tenth Heavenly Gates in just seven days with unstoppable force.

A single peak stands out in the sky.