The arena fell into profound silence. Lu Yuan was actually managing to suppress Sima Changbai. It was utterly astonishing. The exchange in the center continued. Over by the true disciples on the west side, Yun Yi and Yun Ping’s eyes were wide open. After a long pause, Yun Yi finally let out a breath: “So powerful!” Yun Ping nodded: “I fear even if you and I joined forces now, we couldn’t withstand a single strike from Sixth Junior Brother.” Yun Ping turned to Ling Yuluo: “Third Junior Sister, you interact with Sixth Junior Brother more often. Do you know just how strong his swordsmanship is now?” Ling Yuzhu sighed helplessly: “Ye Fang and Ye Yuan don’t know, how could I possibly know.” Sima Bo’s expression was currently rather strange, verging on grim. And then, Ye Fang and Ye Yuan finally leaped out, shouting: “Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai!” To shout this phrase at this juncture carried significant risk; if Sima Changbai ultimately won and became the Peak Master, he would surely purge these two for this outburst. But at this moment, Ye Fang and Ye Yuan were too excited—they shouted the words involuntarily. As soon as their cry left their lips, others immediately followed suit: “Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai.”

Firstly, Lu Yuan belonged to the younger generation, and the younger generation here was certainly more numerous.

Secondly, Lu Yuan had earned considerable fame in the cultivation world through the campaigns at Wudang Immortal Sect’s True Martial Grotto-Heaven and the incidents where the Blood Sword Sect released several prisoners, thus garnering support from some present.

Thirdly, the masses always enjoy an upset—Sima Changbai had been so arrogant before; if he were miraculously defeated, naturally, some people would cheer.

Consequently, before anyone realized it, many voices were chanting: “Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai.” One chant after another coalesced into a tremendous roar.

Meanwhile, during the exchange, among the Elders on the east side, several Sword Immortals exchanged uneasy glances. After a lengthy silence, Ye Yangrong let out a wry smile: “What a kid… I initially thought his strength hadn’t reached the Sword Immortal level—perhaps only close to the eighth level of Longevity at best. I never expected he could suppress even Sima Changbai, who is at the ninth level of Longevity.” “It seems we are about to be surpassed,” Dugu Ye chuckled.

Chu Fei was likely the most at ease among the observers. Among the North Peak Sword Immortals, his strength was the weakest. If Lu Yuan were to leapfrog them, he would be the first surpassed, which would surely cost him face. Fortunately, the strength Lu Yuan displayed this time was likely only slightly below that of Senior Brother Fang Ru. With so many being surpassed at once, Chu Fei naturally felt no resentment.

Fang Ru observed for a long time before speaking: “Lu Yuan’s strength now is not much weaker than when Senior Brother Li was at his peak. Senior Brother Li can rest peacefully in the spiritual realm.” The setting sun Sword Immortal Li Yuanbai was formidable at his peak, but his repeated decline in later years led to humiliation when others dared challenge him.

The guests from the south side were also secretly stunned. They hadn't expected the Huashan junior, Lu Yuan, to have reached this level. Huashan truly produced geniuses. And now, the genius of this generation belonged to the North Peak, which was somewhat regrettable for the Sword Sect. However, thinking back, the eighth generation of the Sword Sect had far more geniuses than the current North Peak. Yan Cangtian’s growth rate back then was no less than Lu Yuan’s, and the progress of Zhou Qingxuan and the others was unmatched by today’s North Peak.

Huashan, an Immortal Sect that frequently produced geniuses.

Those from the Wudang Immortal Sect muttered inwardly: If Wudang had such a genius, returning to the ranks of the major Immortal Sects would be possible. Alas.

The people from Qingcheng Immortal Sect and Kunlun Immortal Sect were scrutinizing all of Huashan, wondering inwardly if the geomancy here was exceptionally good, otherwise, how could such a genius emerge every one or two generations! It must be the geomancy.

Sima Changbai brandished the Sun Spirit Sword in his hand, its movements drawing blazing arcs in the air—it was the move Arc of Sunlight. This sword strike cut across the air like an arc, yet any lapse in guard would unleash devastating damage from within that arc. Lu Yuan countered with a reverse strike; the Nourishing My Sword parried and deflected Sima Changbai’s Sun Spirit Sword, using the rebound force to launch a thrust. This strike was miraculous, carving an inscrutable trajectory through the air. What a profound strike!

Sima Changbai’s Sun Spirit Sword retreated to defend, barely blocking Lu Yuan’s attack. Although he parried the sword, the momentum he hoped to use to shift from defense to offense was thwarted. He was still at a disadvantage.

At this moment, the tide-like roar surged: “Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai.”

Sima Changbai did not become enraged by the commotion. He was, after all, a formidable figure and remained incredibly calm: “Lu Yuan, among the younger generation, you are unrivaled. You have reason to be proud, for you have forced me to bring out my second Spirit Sword. So, appear—the Mid-Heaven Spirit Sword.” Another Spirit Sword hissed free from its sheath! At first glance, this new Spirit Sword appeared entirely ordinary. It bore no blazing flames or terrifying might; it resembled the sky itself. Sima Changbai’s second sword had finally been drawn.

The Mid-Heaven Spirit Sword! Lu Yuan inwardly started, though not overly shocked, because up to this point, he had only used the Nourishing My Sword; the Mountain Quelling Sword remained dormant. Now that Sima Changbai’s second sword, the Mid-Heaven Spirit Sword, had appeared, his own second sword, the Mountain Quelling Sword, could also be unleashed. However, he intended to first observe the peculiarities of Sima Changbai’s second blade.

Sima Changbai moved like fire, and his two swords—the Sun Spirit Sword and the Mid-Heaven Spirit Sword—clashed in the air. Upon contact, it seemed the second sword also ignited like flame—no, it was far more than mere burning; it was vastly more terrifying than when the Sun Spirit Sword stood alone. Lu Yuan instantly sensed something was wrong—it felt as though his very blood was igniting. Any sweat on his skin had already evaporated clean, and his own sword seemed to be burning, consuming his sword qi relentlessly. What is this! This was the first time Lu Yuan had faced such a technique from Sima Changbai. However, Lu Yuan was not overly surprised. A figure like Sima Changbai was unlikely to lack a hidden trump card.

On the viewing platform, the Sword Immortals on the east side all wore expressions of deep gravity. “Indeed…” Chu Fei started in shock. “Yes, I hadn’t expected his second Spirit Sword to be like this,” Dugu Ye nodded. “A Bound-Unity Spirit Sword has appeared,” Ye Yangrong remarked.

At the level of flying swords, they were sharp but inherently lacked spirituality. Once reaching the Spirit Sword tier, things grew peculiar; the concept of sentience began to emerge. For example, if one broke over four hundred flying swords, it caused no concern. But the Spirit Sword tier was different. Tong Bainian broke forty-nine Spirit Swords, causing all Spirit Swords in the world to resist him; he could never again hold a single one. This was the spirituality of Spirit Swords.

In the cultivation world, there was also a category called Bound-Unity Spirit Swords. These were swords—two or more—that, due to various factors, were perfectly harmonious, allowing them to unleash power far exceeding that of ordinary Spirit Swords when combined. These were called Bound-Unity Spirit Swords. For instance, the most famous in the Jin State cultivation world were the Male and Female Twin Spirit Swords: one Female Spirit Sword and one Male Spirit Sword; when wielded together, their power was infinite. These swords were used by two seniors, a man and a woman, from the Huashan Sword Qi Sect back in the day. They each wielded one, and their power was immense, but the female cultivator later changed her heart, and the two swords fell into obscurity. There were also the Dragon-Phoenix Twin Spirit Swords—one Dragon Spirit Sword and one Phoenix Spirit Sword—also extremely famous, used by the founding patriarch of the Snow Mountain Immortal Sect. And, the Whisk Sword, which combined a whisk and a sword into one unit, wielded by an accomplished Daoist of the Wudang Immortal Sect. It was rumored that in the Central Heavenly Dynasty, there were two Immortal Swords that were a unity: the Gan Jiang Immortal Sword and the Mo Ye Immortal Sword, whose power was unimaginably great. However, these Bound-Unity Spirit Swords and Bound-Unity Immortal Swords were exceedingly rare, almost mythical. Possessing such a Bound-Unity Spirit Sword could drastically enhance one’s combat prowess.

Never in a million years did they expect that the two Spirit Swords in Sima Changbai’s hands were a pair of Bound-Unity Spirit Swords. The Sun Spirit Sword, the Mid-Heaven Spirit Sword. Combined, they were the Sun Reaching Zenith Spirit Sword! Lu Yuan now clearly understood the effect of these two Spirit Swords combined: his entire body felt as if it were being burned, as if everything about him was about to be consumed. This was a light that incinerated all, a flame that annihilated everything—this was Sima Changbai’s ultimate ability, and it gave Lu Yuan a severe headache. Fortunately, he still possessed the Ice Sword Intent and the Snow Sword Intent for protection. Otherwise, he would have suffered terribly from the outset; his body might have combusted. Furthermore, with both Ice and Snow Sword Intents guarding the Nourishing My Sword, he could avoid immediate defeat and hold on for some time. But the situation was critically dangerous.

Lu Yuan’s Mountain Quelling Sword traced perfect trajectories in the air, profoundly demonstrating his mastery of the Way of the Sword. In terms of pure swordsmanship, he had already surpassed Sima Changbai significantly. Yet, against Sima Changbai’s two Spirit Swords that incinerated everything, Lu Yuan was forced onto the defensive, and it seemed he could not sustain this for much longer. Lu Yuan was fighting purely evasively now, relying entirely on exquisite swordsmanship to hold out. Sima Changbai’s momentum, however, surged. The heat intensified, turning the platform into a sea of fire. And within this sea of flame, a sun began to appear, continuously expanding. Once this sun expanded to engulf the entire arena, Lu Yuan’s defeat would be certain, regardless of how subtle his swordsmanship was. At this point, Sima Changbai was winning purely with fire and magical power, no longer debating swordsmanship with him. The entire audience fell silent! The voices that had been shouting “Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai” now withered away.