A sudden challenge had arrived. But since they were here, a fight it would be. Lu Yuan paid it no mind. Wielding his Yang Wu Sword, he unleashed his sword techniques one after another. At this moment, Jiang Boran was completely constrained by Lu Yuan's swordsmanship.

Jiang Boran could not help but feel a mixture of shock and fury. As a renowned rogue cultivator who had faced countless masters and witnessed figures from the Five Great Immortal Sects, he had never imagined that a mere junior, not even twenty years old, could elevate his swordsmanship to such a profound level.

The other two members of the Three Great Swords of Xizhou, Jiang Danu and Jiang Bonu, were equally stunned. They too were long-established rogue cultivators, yet they had genuinely never seen swordsmanship capable of cornering their elder brother, Jiang Boran, to such an extent—it was as if he were utterly controlled.

Jiang Danu and Jiang Bonu exchanged a glance, then immediately drew their swords and plunged into the fray. Their objective this time was to capture and kill Lu Yuan, not to engage in a one-on-one duel. They had initially assumed Jiang Boran could handle his opponent, but since their elder brother was failing, three against one it would have to be.

Jiang Danu employed the Earth-Shattering Sword Style. Once unleashed, this technique carried a momentum capable of splitting the heavens and cleaving the earth, its formidable sword intent slicing directly toward Lu Yuan.

On the other side, Jiang Bonu, the last of the Three Great Swords of Xizhou, manifested the Vajra Sword Style. When this style was displayed, he resembled an Enraged Vajra, his imposing aura exceptionally terrifying.

Jiang Boran’s Earth-Cracking Sword Style, Jiang Danu’s Earth-Shattering Sword Style, and Jiang Bonu’s Vajra Sword Style.

Three immensely fierce and powerfully imposing sword styles converged upon Lu Yuan. Jiang Boran and Jiang Danu surged forth with yellowish earth-toned sword qi, while Jiang Bonu projected golden-yellow sword qi. The three streams of energy crisscrossed and churned, pressing down on Lu Yuan, creating an initial impression that he was indeed being suppressed.

The opponents are strong.

After his Yang Wu Sword clashed with the three long swords, Lu Yuan recognized their formidable strength. Two of them appeared to be at the eighth level of Qi Condensation, and one at the seventh. Their combined assault was far superior to his own; dealing with such opponents would be difficult. The ferocity of their three overwhelmingly strong sword styles was already straining his Yang Wu Sword to its limits.

No need to rush.

First, wear down the opponents.

Lu Yuan’s sword movements began to appear soft and yielding, yet every technique concealed a hidden sting. The hilt of the Yang Wu Sword spun in his hand as he executed one exquisite, subtle move after another. Since the three opponents relied on sheer aggression, he would counter hardness with softness.

However, it was still somewhat troublesome.

After all, there were three of them, all dedicated to a purely aggressive path, constantly trying to force a direct clash of magical power—a contest of sheer ferocity. But these were minor annoyances. Truthfully, their swordsmanship was rather mediocre. With just a few casual thrusts, he pointed out the flaws in their attacks.

With a few more movements, he prevented them from forcing any brute-force exchanges.

Finally, a few more deft strikes shattered their coordination, forcing the three to scatter under the pressure of Lu Yuan’s sword momentum.

Indeed, the only challenge in this battle was the initial three-person coordination. Afterward, Lu Yuan fought with considerable ease.

If he had not broken through to the seventh level of Qi Condensation, this fight would have been arduous. He recalled how taxing it was to fight Yue Xiuluo. But now, having reached the seventh level, dealing with the Three Great Swords of Xizhou—two at the eighth level and one at the seventh—presented little real pressure.

He allowed them the superficial advantage at the start, only to immediately envelop them within his sword momentum. Facing three opponents, he had driven them all into disarray, fighting casually without any serious effort, yet he had managed to pin down their combined might.

Lu Yuan grew increasingly relaxed as the fight progressed, his sword movements flowing freely and naturally.

At this moment, Jiang Boran, Jiang Danu, and Jiang Bonu of the Three Great Swords of Xizhou were drenched in sweat. When they accepted the commission to capture Lu Yuan, they believed it would be a straightforward task. Only when the fight began did they realize how utterly mistaken they were.

The swordsmanship of this junior was superior to anyone they had ever encountered.

Wielding only a single long sword, he had managed to trap the three of them.

It was crucial to remember that this junior’s magical power was slightly weaker than any of the three of them individually.

Yet, possessing less magical strength than his opponents, he used one sword to hold three in check—a swordsmanship so incredible it defied logic and imagination.

Under Lu Yuan’s sword, the three brothers found themselves suffering intensely. They longed to execute full techniques but couldn't, and any attempt to coordinate their efforts was instantly thwarted. They were forced to leap and dart about, appearing utterly dominated by the opposing blade. The three of them simultaneously recalled the words of the person who hired them: “This junior Lu Yuan is at the sixth level of Qi Condensation, and his swordsmanship is decent.”

Damn it, his power level is clearly the seventh level of Qi Condensation! While a mere one-level discrepancy in power might be dismissed as inaccurate intelligence, how could his swordsmanship be described as merely ‘decent’? It was absolutely exquisite!

Damn it!

By this time, a considerable crowd had gathered to watch. Initially, onlookers kept their distance, fearing the wild, ferocious attacks of the Jiang brothers. But as they watched, they realized the ferocious tactics of the three brothers were completely suppressed by the young man.

“Who is this youth? He looks barely twenty, yet he can overpower the Three Great Swords of Xizhou with one sword.”

“Indeed. The Three Great Swords of Xizhou are notorious rogue cultivators from that region, known for murder and plunder. They recently arrived in our Jiangyin Prefecture. Those three are so wicked they should have died long ago, surviving only because their fighting prowess is so brutal. To think they are being completely suppressed by a young junior.”

“Right. Jiang Boran, the eldest of the Three Great Swords, only slightly lost ground when he fought Yun Ping, the second disciple of Mount Hua’s Northern Peak, not long ago. Who is this youth? How can he be so strong?”

“Overpowering the Three Great Swords of Xizhou with one sword—what an incredible youth.” Jiangyin County is close to Mount Hua, so immortal cultivators frequently pass through. Among the bystanders were several such cultivators who recognized the Jiang brothers. Most failed to recognize Lu Yuan, but they were greatly intrigued by a youth single-handedly suppressing the infamous trio.

Finally, a tenth-generation disciple from Mount Hua’s Northern Peak, who had once received instruction from Lu Yuan during a sword practice session, exclaimed in surprise: “Isn’t that Senior Sixth Brother? Senior Sixth Brother is fighting the Three Great Swords of Xizhou, and he’s suppressing all three of them... this...” Hearing that someone recognized the youth’s background, the others immediately flocked around, demanding details. The tenth-generation disciple then proceeded to recount Lu Yuan’s past achievements one by one.