Ximen Luan raised an eyebrow—his brows were long, somewhat resembling a woman's. "Ye Yangrong of your North Peak, you should know him."

Lu Yuan grunted, unsure of his intent in mentioning Martial Uncle Ye.

Ximen Luan shook his head. "When I sparred with Ye Yangrong, I pressed him with forty-nine consecutive attacks. He couldn't land a single counter-strike, forcing him to admit defeat." Such power! Ye Yangrong was, after all, one of the Six Sword Immortals of the North Peak, yet in combat against him, he was driven back by forty-nine straight moves, unable to parry even once.

The Miscellaneous Sword Immortal, Ximen Luan!

What a formidable figure!

Ximen Luan casually waved a hand. "Never mind. You may strike first. If I were to initiate the attack, I fear you wouldn't even manage to launch your first offensive move."

Lu Yuan cupped his hands in a formal sword salute. "Then, Martial Uncle, I request your guidance." His Yangwu Sword shot out directly, aiming for Ximen Luan's shoulder—a move called Gale Rages By. Ximen Luan parried with a reflexive counter, a move he had broken many times, not giving it much thought. However, halfway through executing Gale Rages By, at the most crucial moment, he layered in A Gentle Breeze Arrives. Yangwu Sword targeted Ximen Luan’s shoulder precisely, forcing Ximen Luan to raise his own blade just to block.

Just as Ximen Luan prepared a counter-attack, leveraging one of his dozens of killing sword techniques, he found Lu Yuan’s long sword aimed straight at his heart. If he continued with his killing move instead of defending, Lu Yuan would pierce him directly. He was forced to raise his Canhe Spirit Sword to intercept.

Ximen Luan blocked that strike and prepared to press his advantage, but Lu Yuan’s sword was already aimed at his brow. Thinking to seize the initiative and counter-attack, Ximen Luan realized that no matter what he did, Lu Yuan's blade would reach his glabella a fraction of a second sooner. He was faster! Ximen Luan was visibly startled.

How powerful!

Everyone present knew Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship was impressive, but they hadn't expected that, up to this point, Lu Yuan had seized the offensive for three strikes to Ximen Luan’s one, leaving him with only defensive maneuvers. This made the onlookers gasp in astonishment.

Lu Yuan delivered another thrust, aiming for Ximen Luan’s left shoulder. Ximen Luan deflected the blade and deployed one of his signature killing moves, Yang Pass Three Stacks. Once executed, if Lu Yuan responded to this move, Ximen Luan could unleash an endless torrent of attacks. Yet, Lu Yuan’s long sword navigated with uncanny precision, shearing through Ximen Luan’s defense, rendering the follow-up assault completely inert.

Lu Yuan then unleashed Rain Drops on a Gentle Breeze. Ximen Luan had to parry again. He hadn't intended to defend, but failing to do so meant Lu Yuan’s blade would strike his heart. He was utterly helpless; forced to defend against this, the killing move he had meticulously prepared, Falling Blossom Kill, could not be unleashed.

Lu Yuan swept his long sword—a flicker in the air, a rise and fall—it was the movement of Swallow Flying in the Rain. This technique was both agile and subtle. Ximen Luan had no choice but to block another move.

Lu Yuan shifted Yangwu Sword again, this thrust slow, stretching out life energy—it was Dense Forest of the Seventy-Two Secluded Sword Forms, Thick Woods. Countless sword shadows enveloped several points on Ximen Luan’s body. Ximen Luan counter-parried frantically, barely managing to defend. He had seen countless others use Thick Woods, and he was confident he could break it easily. But somehow, wielded by Lu Yuan, this form felt incredibly difficult to pierce.

Lu Yuan followed up with a small arc from Yangwu Sword, transitioning into the grand Great Sun Under Heaven. This was a killing move from Sima Changbai’s Great Sun Sword style. Lu Yuan had witnessed it several times, and having grasped the Fire Sword Intent, even though the stance wasn't entirely perfect, the move resonated with divine essence. Ximen Luan thought to himself that perhaps even Sima Changbai using Great Sun Under Heaven might not achieve this level of subtlety. He could only parry once more.

This junior... how is he so overwhelmingly strong? Ximen Luan felt a shock deep in his heart. In the exchange so far, he had perceived at least seven instances of Sword Intent—seven different types of Sword Intent. With his discernment, he understood the vast gulf between executing a move possessing Sword Intent and one without. Ximen Luan was secretly aghast. What a terrifying successor, to command so many Intents.

What about the next move? What would the next attack look like?

Ximen Luan waited for the next strike.

Instead, Lu Yuan slowly sheathed his sword and stepped back.

Ximen Luan couldn't help but be stunned. "Why have you stopped attacking?"

"Martial Uncle Xi-men, that was the forty-ninth move," Lu Yuan stated calmly.

Ximen Luan trembled. The forty-ninth move.

In those forty-nine exchanges, Ximen Luan had been attacked forty-nine times, never once having the chance to counter-attack. And most ironically, he had just boasted about overwhelming Ye Yangrong with forty-nine straight moves, preventing a single counter.

Now, Lu Yuan had immediately returned the favor, launching forty-nine continuous attacks that kept Ximen Luan unable to land even one counter.

This...

The onlookers were now utterly stupefied!

Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship was incredibly profound.

To launch forty-nine consecutive attacks without allowing Ximen Luan a single offensive opportunity was nothing short of miraculous. Ximen Luan was renowned for his offense, ranked third among the eight Sword Immortals of the East Peak in direct combat, possessing dozens of killing techniques and trump cards. Yet, facing Lu Yuan, he was continuously assaulted, unable even to return fire.

This level of swordsmanship! It far surpassed Ximen Luan’s by a massive margin.

In truth, Ye Yangrong’s vulnerability to the forty-nine strikes also stemmed from his own sword style. Ye Yangrong’s swordsmanship was indeed inferior to Ximen Luan’s, but not by such a staggering degree. Primarily, Ye Yangrong practiced the doctrine of Fluid Sword Style, which favored defense leading to counter-attack. Against Ximen Luan that day, his defenses were utterly shattered, leaving him unable to defend or retaliate, hence his concession.

But now, Ximen Luan, who was famous for his offense, could not launch a single blow against Lu Yuan, being continually pressed for forty-nine moves.

Ximen Luan’s expression shifted dramatically. Before drawing his sword, he had absolute confidence. But once engaged with Lu Yuan, he realized the terrifying nature of his opponent's swordsmanship; he had no opportunity to counter. This didn't feel like the technique of a junior; it resembled the swordsmanship of those at the Great Dao Realm.

The North Peak has truly produced an astonishing talent!

"Good. I yield," Ximen Luan, a proud man who could admit defeat, a grandmaster of the Way of the Sword, no longer shamelessly prolonged the fight. "Your swordsmanship truly surpasses your peers. Oh, wait, among the ninth generation, few can match your skill. You are truly an exemplar of your time. It is a pity that someone like you remains in the Sword Qi Sect rather than joining the Sword Sect."

The cultivators from the Qi Sect, who habitually engaged in mockery, now fell silent, stunned into submission. Such swordsmanship! A junior exhibiting such terrifying skill momentarily robbed the Qi Sect members of speech. How could their own sect not produce such a genius in martial arts!

As for the Sword Sect members, their high spirits had deflated. To have their sword skills outmatched by a junior from the Sword Qi Sect—even if the Qi Sect members weren't overtly mocking them—was a profound humiliation. They resolved that they must practice their swordsmanship with greater diligence, striving for the day they could surpass this junior from the Sword Qi Sect.

In the Peak of Self-Reflection, there were a small number of Great Dao Realm figures also confined. However, it was beneath the dignity and status of those Dao Realm masters to intervene against a mere tenth-generation junior like Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan cared little for such matters. His priority now was acquiring the Black Tribulation Cloud Pill to enhance his Cloud elemental magical power.

Lu Yuan looked toward Lian Nian. Lian Nian smiled slightly. "You won the sword contest. Your swordsmanship is exceptional, worthy of respect and awe. Very well, very well. This Black Tribulation Cloud Pill can be yours, but only if you can successfully retrieve it."

What did this mean? Lu Yuan frowned slightly. An elder standing nearby explained the situation, and Lu Yuan finally understood.

It turned out that winning this pill contest only granted the qualification to retrieve the pill; actually obtaining it required individual capability.

The Five-Colored Tribulation Cloud had birthed the Five-Colored Tribulation Cloud Pill.

And this pill was not located on the Peak of Self-Reflection, but in the void adjacent to it. That area of space was densely saturated with Five-Colored Tribulation Clouds, which remained thick year-round. However, during this particular month of the year, the cloud concentration in that void increased by more than tenfold compared to other locations.

It was exceedingly difficult for cultivators to remain within the Five-Colored Tribulation Clouds; the lower the cultivation base, the harder the endurance. The boundless clouds were like layers of tribulations. While Lu Yuan, being at the first stage of Longevity, could normally manage the standard cloud concentration, being in that specific void where the density was tenfold greater meant that a Longevity First Stage cultivator essentially could not retrieve the pill.

Lian Nian smirked mischievously. "Pity, pity. Even though you earned the right to the Five-Colored Tribulation Cloud Pill based on the match results, you cannot actually claim it. Shall I retrieve it for you?" Lian Nian smiled. He wasn't petty; since he had lost, the Black Tribulation Cloud Pill was rightfully Lu Yuan’s. However, if Lian Nian were the one to retrieve it and hand it over, Lu Yuan would suffer a loss of face.

The Sword Sect members, recovering from their shock, couldn't help but laugh upon hearing Lian Nian's words.

It seemed the louder their laughter, the more it washed away the shame of their sect's swordsmanship being inferior to that of a junior from the Sword Qi Sect.

Given the tenfold increase in cloud density, an elder from the Sword Qi Sect spoke up. "Perhaps I can retrieve it for you?" He offered his help out of genuine kindness.

(First update. Aiming for three updates today.)