With the return of Xu Mi, Lu Changsheng, and Lu Jing, the Mirror Lake Mansion was bustling with activity for a time.

After three rounds of drinks.

After five courses of dishes.

Lu Qingyu, her eyes drunk and bleary, cast a faint glow of spirit light as she looked towards the exterior of Mirror Lake. Getting up suddenly, she muttered, "These people are too conspicuous; I'm going to shoo them away."

As her voice fell,

she rose slowly without any ostentatious gesture.

Lu Jing and her brother Lu Changsheng both looked towards their aunt. They saw Lu Qingyu's figure flicker, leaving behind seven or eight illusory figures—some sitting, some standing, some walking—and in the blink of an eye, she was outside the house.

"Auntie."

Lu Jing called out without thinking and immediately followed her out.

Lu Changsheng looked towards his father and uncle, with Xu Mi beside him, his face showing a trace of difficulty. Then, he looked up at Lu Qingshan.

Lu Qingshan turned his head, only to see his elder brother as if unseeing, instead saying lightly with a smile, "No need to worry, Qingyu can handle it."

"Big brother, you noticed them long ago?"

Lu Qingshan's words came out and he laughed again, "Indeed, if I could detect those people, how could big brother, with his cultivation, not notice them."

This laugh.

The tension that had filled his heart these last few days was swept away in an instant, relaxing his tightly wound spirit.

"Still, in the future, one must be more cautious in such matters," said Lu Qingfeng, casting a grave look at Qingshan.

He knew that Qingshan always hoped to be independent, not wanting to rely too much on him. Therefore, in many challenging and dangerous situations outside, he strived to overcome them alone. Over the years, apart from the past peril involving Xu Mi, he had hardly ever asked Lu Qingfeng for help.

Including this time.

"Big brother knows the origins of these people?" Lu Qingshan, tasting the layers in his brother's words, hesitated and asked.

Lu Qingfeng replied with a question, "You don't know?"

"I don't."

Qingshan shook his head.

Indeed, he did not know. Only a few months ago, he vaguely felt that there were watchers around Mirror Lake. Those watchers had high cultivation; at least at the Gathering Law Realm, if not the Golden Core Realm. However, since Lu Qingshan practiced the Luofu Sword Scripture, which was extremely mysterious, despite only recently entering the Gathering Law Realm, his perception was acute enough to sense something amiss.

He sent Lu Changsheng and Lu Jing to Bright Moon City thousands of miles away for arrangements, while he waited for the true culprits to show themselves at Mirror Lake. He didn't expect them to arrive, but instead, his elder brother and Qingyu did.

Four hundred years had passed.

Xu Mi had an excellent talent for cultivation and was a dazzling prodigy in his youth. He had already achieved the Core Formation Realm.

As for Lu Changsheng.

Though his natural talent was not as remarkable as his mother's, it still surpassed his father's, Lu Qingshan. With four hundred years of cultivation, he had reached the peak of the Spirit Void Realm, just one step away from advancing to the Core Formation Realm.

Only Lu Jing was still young. Although she was spiritually intelligent, her time in cultivation was too short; she was merely at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Lu Qingshan had recently initiated the topic with Qingyu, wanting Lu Jing to accompany her in cultivation, due to the concern that Lu Jing's low level of cultivation would make it difficult to protect her if sudden changes occurred.

Lu Changsheng was on the side.

Completely unaware of the riddles his uncle and father were discussing.

"It's just a few Golden Core Sword Cultivators from the Floating Mountain Sect to the north."

Lu Qingfeng said nonchalantly.

With his insight and experience, he could tell at a glance that the six Golden Core Sword Cultivators lurking outside Mirror Lake all practiced the Chongxiao Absolute Sword from the Floating Mountain Sect, belonging to the lineage of Chongxiao Peak, which was a law-enforcement branch of the sect.

Four hundred years ago, Lu Qingshan, guided by his elder brother in secret, inherited the legacy of Mu Ye Sword Venerate of Floating Mountain Sect from 240,000 years prior. This Mu Ye Sword Venerate originated from the Po Gu Peak lineage of the same sect.

Therefore,

Lu Qingshan practiced the Po Gu Peak Sword techniques, including the "Breaking Heaven Four Sword Forms" derived from the Thirteen Ultimate Sword techniques of the venerate, which was why he failed to recognize the identities of the newcomers.

"Floating Mountain Sect?"

"So it's them."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingshan immediately realized.

He had received the legacy of that Ancestor Master from Floating Mountain Sect 240,000 years ago and was practicing Floating Mountain Sect's secret ultimate swordsmanship. Although he had been at Biyang Lake for a long time, Floating Mountain Sect, with its formidable strength and vast influence, always found a way to be informed.

Dispatching six Golden Core Experts to monitor outside Mirror Lake, they were clearly worried about him escaping, leading to the essence of their sword techniques being leaked.

Yet,

knowing now that the people outside Mirror Lake were from Floating Mountain Sect, Lu Qingshan's heart completely settled, "I have accepted the legacy of the Ancestor Master within Cloud Platform Mountain, and even taken Mu Ye Sword Venerate as my master to study the 'Po Gu Ultimate Sword'. I have every right to practice it, and even Floating Mountain Sect has no authority to question it."

As he thought this,

He suddenly remembered Qingyu, and Lu Qingshan's expression changed slightly, "Since it's cultivators from Floating Mountain Sect, then Qingyu..."

"It's fine."

"Qingyu knows her limits."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head.

The Floating Mountain Sect knew full well that Qingshan was his own brother, yet they still sent people to monitor him closely without making a sound outside Mirror Lake for several months; they deserved some lesson.

"Thank you, big brother."

Lu Qingshan and Xu Mi exchanged glances and thanked Lu Qingfeng together.

Lu Qingfeng waved his hand.

Seeing Lu Changsheng lost in thought, in the room but with his heart flying outside, he couldn't help but say, "Changsheng, your aunt's swordsmanship is sharp and her techniques are agile. Don't miss this great opportunity. Come with your uncle and have a look."

Upon reflection, it had been over fifty thousand years since he last saw Lu Xiao and Lu Yao. Seeing the siblings, Lu Changsheng and Lu Jing, Lu Qingfeng couldn't help but think of his own son and daughter in the Immortal Qin Realm.

The four cousins, all with brotherly simplicity and sisterly vivacity.

"Yes!"

Lu Changsheng promptly responded, following his uncle.

Lu Qingshan and Xu Mi also stood up and walked out together.

Outside Mirror Lake,

Lu Qingyu, in a flowing white robe, exuded a heroic and chivalrous demeanor. With her graceful movements leaving no trace, she floated into mid-air. Her eyes blurry, she flexed her fingers in a flicking motion, shooting out six strands of Sword Qi into the four corners of Mirror Lake.

The next moment,

From the woods and deep mountains, six figures soared into the sky, forming a surrounding posture, encircling Mirror Lake and confronting Lu Qingyu from afar.

"This is—"

Lu Jing's eyes widened in shock as she watched her aunt suddenly make a move, witnessing the six decisive experts burst forth from their surroundings, completely confused by the situation.

With Lu Qingyu in the air, she lowered her head to look at her niece Lu Jing and said with a bright laugh, "Jing'er, watch closely; this sword technique your aunt is using is called 'Heart Monkey Swordsmanship.'"

Her voice resonated clearly.

Among the six Golden Core experts in all directions, upon seeing Qingyu's berserk demeanor, someone frowned and rebuked, "Arrogant!"

Then, the person brought their fingers together as if holding a sword, sending out a Sword Qi that tore through the skies, aiming straight for Lu Qingyu.

"Naive little Taoist!"

Lu Qingyu laughed heartily, forming a sword with her fingers as well, her footsteps lax and unpredictable, like a wild monkey or an uncontrollable horse. As she moved, her Sword Qi whizzed forth, clashing with the oncoming Chongxiao Sword Qi in mid-air and instantly shredding the Sword Qi released by the Golden Core Sword Cultivator of Floating Mountain Sect.

Determining the superior one was unmistakable.

And her Sword Qi did not cease, hurtling towards the assailant's face.

"Boom!"

The Sword Qi was swift; the person couldn't dodge in time and had to hastily wield their Flying Sword in defense. With a 'boom', the Sword Qi exploded, sending the person flying backward with tremendous force.

Blood sprayed in the air.

Hair disheveled.

It was quite a sorry sight.

"Aunt is amazing!"

Seeing her aunt defeat a formidable enemy with a casual strike and doing so with such ease, Lu Jing watched from below, her blood boiling with excitement as she clapped her hands and cheered.

"Such audacity!"

"How dare you act so violently!"

The remaining five sword cultivators from Floating Mountain Sect saw their companion injured and immediately became enraged. Yet, cautious not to overestimate themselves, they each formed Sword techniques with their hands, summoning Flying Swords to attack Lu Qingyu.

The Sword Light divided, instantly arranging into a formation that enveloped Lu Qingyu.

"Trifling tricks."

Lu Qingyu let out a dismissive chuckle.

Unbeknownst to anyone, she now held a long sword in her hand. The long sword danced, elusive and swift like a monkey in the woods, hard to grasp. With a swing of her sword—

Thunderous rumbles!

The Sword Light surrounding her shattered in an instant.

The next moment.

Lu Qingyu held the long sword, and with a shift in her stance, she transformed into myriad sword glimmers. The flashing Sword Light surged toward all sides, far too swift for Lu Jing, with her foundation-level cultivation, to clearly discern the scene.

But in the blink of an eye.

Lu Jing only heard several booming sounds, and then, as the Sword Light dispersed, she saw her aunt's figure descend gracefully, fluttering like a Female Sword Immortal descending from the heavens, and she shimmered into view right in front of her.

The enemies around, however, had disappeared without a trace.

"Aunt, you're so incredible!"

Upon seeing her aunt land, Lu Jing ran up to her, exclaiming with a face full of amazement.

The Golden Core Level combat, for someone with only Foundation Establishment cultivation like Lu Jing, was, of course, shocking. Moreover, Lu Jing had never expected that her always affectionate aunt could exhibit such a free-spirited and vigorous side.

With amazement came an even deeper sense of admiration.

"How does she compare to your father?"

Seeing the look of admiration on her niece's face, Lu Qingyu, delighted and proud, asked out loud.

Lu Jing glanced behind her and saw that her father and grand uncle were at some distance away; she then turned to her aunt and crisply exclaimed, "Of course Aunt is more awesome."

"Ha-ha!"

Lu Qingyu laughed heartily upon hearing this. Her eyes brimming with mirth, she turned to Lu Jing, "The techniques I just used are the 'Heart Monkey Swordsmanship' and 'Light Splitting and Shadow Transformation.' Both are filled with mysterious intricacies. If Jing'er likes them, how about you accompany your aunt to Wind Wave Valley in a few days? I can teach you these two sword techniques on the way, how about that?"

"Ah!"

"Thank you, Aunt!"

Lu Jing was overjoyed.

Her aunt's demeanor while performing those two sword techniques, nonchalant yet elegant like a Female Sword Immortal, had filled her with envy. Compared to those, although her father's 'Cloud Summit Step' was stylish, his other techniques and swordplay were mostly forceful and straightforward, not as pleasing to the eye.

Comparing the two.

Naturally, she preferred learning swordsmanship from her aunt.

The thought of soon being able to learn those two sword techniques, and even joining her aunt in tasting various exquisite wines and celestial brews, made Lu Jing almost too eager to wait.

The aunt and niece discussed excitedly.

Not far away.

Lu Qingshan sensed the energies of the Golden Core sword cultivators nearby were disrupted, but they had not moved at all. Evidently, Qingyu had intentionally held back, breaking only the six individuals' protective mana without harming their Primordial Qi.

He glanced at Qingyu and then at his older brother, praising, "Qingyu's swordsmanship has improved again. That 'Heart Monkey Swordsmanship,' executed at will, can draw upon the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, borrowing the power of the world; it seems she has reached the realm of 'commands manifest as techniques.'"

The Fifth Realm of Techniques is about 'controlling the situation.'

That's precisely this realm.

"Indeed."

"Qingyu has been traveling around in these years, fighting with demons in Wind Wave Valley, her mastery of the Sword Dao advancing by leaps and bounds. She has already mastered the essence of 'Heart Monkey Swordsmanship.' She needs to make one more step, to have enough insight to create the fifteenth and sixteenth forms based on the 'Heart Monkey Fourteen Forms.'"

Lu Qingfeng also had a grasp on the 'Heart Monkey Swordsmanship.'

The Heart Monkey Swordsmanship was originally created by the Heart Monkey Sword Venerate, incorporating his entire life's sword insights from his time in the Primordial Spirit Realm into a unified form. However, limited by his cultivation and Dao ability, only fourteen forms were created. Although it was a Super-level Technique, it was nothing out of the ordinary. If one could create the fifteenth and sixteenth forms, that would be truly top-tier.

Lu Qingfeng had already enhanced it, leading to the creation of nineteen forms of Heart Monkey Swordsmanship. Still, seeing that Qingyu was keen on attempting to understand and derive subsequent forms on her own, he was in no rush to offer them.

"Creating one's own sword forms is never easy."

Lu Qingshan remarked.

To study and comprehend swordsmanship is extremely challenging, let alone creating one's own.

Lu Qingfeng was about to inquire and offer guidance about the techniques and swordsmanship that Qingshan had cultivated when he suddenly paused and looked towards the north.

There, he saw a tunneling light flicker, and a hearty voice rang out—

"From Guangling South Mountain, I've come to meet with True One Lu Qingfeng!"