The Valley of Mist and Clouds, where the vapor hung thick, obscuring vision. Within the Valley of Mist and Clouds, anything slightly distant became indistinct.

In truth, the duel between Eldest Brother Yun Yi and Second Brother Yun Ping was not far from the Eight Great True Disciples, yet the dense clouds made even this short distance unclear; one could only distinctly hear the sharp sounds of their swords clashing. The strike of Yun Yi’s Zhong Zheng Sword possessed a relatively calm resonance, embodying the very spirit of balance and peace. In contrast, the impact of Yun Ping’s Dragon Head Sword was fiercely passionate and surging. Different temperaments yield different swords, and thus, the sounds of the swords themselves differed. This was a contest for the foremost position among the Ten Great True Disciples, with the Zhong Zheng and Dragon Head swords relentlessly engaging.

Meanwhile, among the other eight True Disciples, Lu Yuan smoothly recalled his Nourishing Self Sword. Its blade, bright as a pool of autumn water, vanished back into its sheath. At that precise moment, Sima Bo was sent flying further and further away, utterly shattered by a single devastating strike carried on a gale. It was not just that move that had failed; it was his confidence. One move. Merely a single move. He was defeated. Sima Bo was adrift, unsure of what thoughts or feelings occupied his mind.

At this juncture, the other six True Disciples all shifted their expressions. From the Third True Disciple, Ling Yuzhu, down to the Tenth, Ye Yuan—though the eight possessed varying levels of strength—there had never been a precedent where a single sword stroke caused another True Disciple to yield so immediately. And now, Lu Yuan had defeated Sima Bo with one strike. This set a precedent, and naturally, all six remaining True Disciples’ faces changed. Sima Bo was known as a formidable expert among the latter eight, certainly no mere placeholder like Ye Fang or Ye Yuan. Conversely, Lu Yuan had previously ranked at the very bottom among the Ten Great True Disciples, only showing slightly better form during the last North Peak Grand Competition. Lu Yuan, the last-ranked, had vanquished Sima Bo with a single sword. This staggering contrast left the other True Disciples momentarily unable to process the reality.

Bang! Sima Bo’s body slammed heavily onto the ground. After that impact, all other extraneous noise ceased; the clouds stirred, the mist shifted, and only a faint breeze moved. “Meow—” The cloud-type spirit beast nestled in Lu Yuan’s arms, the Cloud Cat, let out a soft cry. Lu Yuan smiled faintly. “I said, I claim this Cloud Cat. Brothers and Sisters, come forward. If you attack one by one, you won't last more than a few moves against me.” If Lu Yuan had spoken this earlier, the other disciples might have dismissed it as boasting. But now, no one dared to regard his words as mere bravado. The man who defeated Sima Bo with one sword certainly earned the right to such bold claims.

Ling Yuzhu struck instantly. The sword she wielded was the Heart Jade Sword. It possessed a faint reddish tint, arguably the most beautiful blade among the Ten Great True Disciples, forged for her by Duguye of the Lone Heart Sword lineage. The entire blade was as flawless as jade, with a subtle crimson hue—exquisitely lovely. However beautiful the sword, her swordsmanship was far from conventionally pleasing. Her style was derived from the sword arts of the North Peak's Six Sword Immortals, centered on being skewed, sharp, bizarre, and unconventional. Once this peculiar style—skewed, sharp, bizarre, and unique—unfurled, it struck directly toward Lu Yuan’s many apparent weaknesses. Such an attack drew immediate murmurs of appreciation from the other True Disciples.

Simultaneously, Fourth Brother Fang Dan attacked. Fang Dan studied under the Gentleman Sword, Fang Ru. His swordsmanship mirrored his teacher’s: upright, proper, and fundamentally sound. His moves were impeccably conventional, lacking any strange or unexpected twists. Yet, in their sheer structure, they held an imposing grandeur that made them difficult to oppose.

Seventh Brother An Zhi’s master was the North Peak Master himself, Yuan Yuan Shangren, but An Zhi’s sword skills were still nascent, having absorbed only a fraction of his master's true teachings. Still, a rudimentary framework for a superb style was evident in his execution. His Direct Center Swordplay was dignified, balanced, and supremely expansive. If mastered, this technique would undoubtedly prove formidable.

Eighth Brother Ye Fei’s master was an elder not counted among the North Peak’s Six Sword Immortals. This elder was powerful enough to warrant his disciple inclusion among the Ten Great True Disciples. Ye Fei’s sword style was fast, high, absolute, and swift—it possessed characteristics, though he had not yet honed them to perfection. As for Ninth Brother Ye Fang and Tenth Brother Ye Yuan, having sparred often, their sword styles were already intimately familiar; no special introduction was necessary.

Once Lu Yuan displayed the power to defeat Sima Bo with a single stroke, the remaining five True Disciples ceased holding back. Five figures moved simultaneously, five distinct sword styles converging on Lu Yuan. Various sword lights flashed around him, the movement of the shadows generating the light, and the light driving the shadows.

Lu Yuan moved his hand, unleashing the defensive stance known as "Cloud Gathering Instability" (Yun Ju Wu Chang). Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! A continuous cascade of metallic collisions erupted. Lu Yuan conceded internally that the combined force of these five True Disciples was indeed considerable. However, the five True Disciples were gripped by even greater shock and horror.

These five had genuinely believed that five against one, attacking from five directions with five distinct sword styles combined, would present Lu Yuan with a challenge hard to manage, as defending simultaneously against five different attacks was immensely difficult. Unexpectedly, Lu Yuan had held his ground. Such swordsmanship commanded awe.

On another note, Lu Yuan’s spiritual power was revealed during the constant clashes. As sword met sword, the five True Disciples realized Lu Yuan’s internal energy was surprisingly deep, reaching the level of the sixth stage of Qi Refining: Qi Manifesting as a Shield (Lian Qi Cheng Gang). Achieving this was no small feat. Both Ling Yuzhu and Fang Dan had been stuck at the fifth stage of Qi Refining for a considerable time. They hadn't expected Lu Yuan to surpass them to the sixth stage first. This meant Lu Yuan held a significant advantage in raw power, alongside his evident superiority in swordsmanship.

After this exchange, Ling Yuzhu, who had always considered herself the strongest among the latter eight True Disciples, now recognized that Lu Yuan's strength surpassed hers in both energy cultivation and sword technique. However, as the Third True Disciple, Ling Yuzhu possessed an iron will and was not one to surrender easily. Now was not one against one; it was five against one. Five True Disciples against one Lu Yuan—victory was certain.

—————— Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! A continuous stream of metal striking metal sounded as Lu Yuan remained vigilant, observing.

He had already reached the third tier of swordsmanship—the Sword Intent level—far surpassing many junior brothers who had only reached the first tier. However, to break their attacks using his own Sword Intent, he first needed to perceive the intent embedded within their sword arts. Once the Sword Intent of a technique was seen through, its flaws became self-evident.

Third Sister Ling Yuzhu’s style—skewed, sharp, bizarre, and unique—possessed an intent that was difficult to decipher. Lu Yuan watched her moves, and suddenly, enlightenment struck: the intent of her style was simply encapsulated in the words "skewed" and "odd." But Ling Yuzhu’s skewed and odd elements were not perfectly executed, meaning her style could still be broken.

Of course, Lu Yuan was in no hurry to break it. He shifted his focus to Fourth Brother Fang Dan’s technique. Fang Dan’s style was upright and honorable, without the slightest error, devoid of unusual flourishes. Its intent should be that of a true gentleman. Unfortunately, Fang Dan merely mimicked the motions stiffly, failing to genuinely grasp the noble, righteous spirit of a true gentleman. If he had truly understood that spirit, like Uncle Fang Ru, Lu Yuan wouldn't even consider breaking the style; his priority would be escape.

He then turned his attention to Seventh Brother An Zhi. An Zhi’s Sword Intent was easier to perceive. Eighth Brother Ye Fei’s intent was likely "speed," but Ye Fei himself lacked sufficient swiftness, making the intent of "speed" highly vulnerable to penetration. As for Ye Fang and Ye Yuan, Lu Yuan had long since understood the intent and flaws in their styles completely.

He had now observed the Sword Intents, and the weaknesses, of all five opposing True Disciples. It was almost time to counterattack.

(Updating slowly; acceleration expected next week.)