What a magnificent, raging fire! The fierce flames scorched everything to nothingness, their glorious might spreading across the land.

The sun on the stage grew hotter and hotter, burning the sky and the ground until both were crimson and aflame. With crackling sounds, other streams of fire danced wildly, soaring through the air!

Sima Changbai wielded his pair of Twin Spirit Swords, synergizing them with his fire-elemental core technique, the Great Sun Heart Method, and his Great Sun Sword Style, creating this terrifying effect.

So powerful, Sima Changbai.

Those who had been cheering for Lu Yuan suddenly fell silent.

Lu Yuan inwardly cried out in distress. He had not expected Sima Changbai’s ultimate hidden technique to be so terrifying. Lu Yuan had deployed his Sword Intent of Snow and Sword Intent of Ice, but he felt his water-elemental Sword Intent was still lacking when pitted against Sima Changbai’s power, leading him into peril repeatedly. Now, “to overcome Sima Changbai’s fire, I must push my water element to an even higher realm.”

Undoubtedly, if he could master the Water Sovereign Sword Dao, he could absolutely defeat Sima Changbai.

However, mastering the Water Sovereign Sword Dao was no simple feat.

Patriarch Yan had once said that the Water Sovereign Sword Dao required comprehension of ten water-elemental Sword Intents, yet he currently grasped only seven. “To instantly comprehend three more Sword Intents”—this seemed utterly impossible.

But there was no choice; in this situation, he could only try.

If he didn't try, he would certainly be defeated by Sima Changbai wielding the Twin Spirit Swords.

The seven intents he had already grasped were Rain, Cloud, Water, Ice, Sea, Lake, and Snow.

He would try for Mist first. In the Myriad Toxin Cave, he had seen the process of comprehending the Sword Intent of Mist. A senior from Qingcheng had sat on Qingcheng Mountain, observing the heavy fog, meditating for eleven full years, finally grasping that single intent. The book he read detailed the entire process of comprehending a Sword Intent, charting the changes at every stage.

He did not have eleven years; he only had time for instant comprehension.

His body moved almost instinctively, sweeping his long sword against Sima Changbai’s attacks while simultaneously evading.

What is the Sword Intent of Mist?

Memories flashed through Lu Yuan’s mind—nights spent on Mount Hua, particularly the North Peak, known as Cloud Terrace Peak, where the clouds often gathered deep, accompanied by frequent fog.

Sometimes, it was a faint mist, like sheer gauze, drifting like smoke or clouds, hanging on tree branches, winding around roof beams, spreading over the cobblestone paths, hiding among the grass. Wisps of rosy vapor drifted and danced, settling lightly and sweetly on the skin. When inhaled, it carried a faint medicinal fragrance, like wild chrysanthemums, creating a slight, aromatic haze.

At other times, the mist was incredibly dense, thick as a rolling sea of clouds. How heavy it was! Everything was indistinct; the nearby trees and distant mountains vanished into a pale, hazy expanse. Occasionally, the mist would thin slightly, revealing the vague outline of the mountain.

During light rain, fog sometimes arose. This mist, broken apart by the drizzle, seemed to clear the vision momentarily, yet moments later, new mist appeared to well up from the ground. Whether it was rain breeding fog or fog breeding rain, he could no longer discern; the rain and the mist had merged into one entity.

The fog after rain was an ethereal scene. Looking back at the mountain after fetching wine from the village below, one would see only a landscape fit for immortals.

These were all forms of mist.

In the span of a single thought, countless reflections materialized in his mind.

The Sword Intent of Mist was realized!

The reason this comprehension of the Mist Sword Intent was achieved so quickly had several causes. First, having already mastered seven water-elemental Sword Intents, the difficulty of grasping another had significantly decreased.

Second, witnessing the complete process of comprehending the Mist Sword Intent in the Myriad Toxin Cave had lowered the hurdle further. Third, being caught between life and death had spurred an intense obsession, smoothing the path for this breakthrough.

These three factors combined allowed him to awaken the Sword Intent of Mist.

However, grasping one more intent, bringing his water-elemental mastery to eight, offered no guaranteed path to victory. Against Sima Changbai’s sky-scorching offensive, his situation grew increasingly perilous; defeat was imminent if things continued this way.

No, he could not allow this to continue.

He had to grasp the Water Sovereign Sword Dao. But the Water Sovereign Sword Dao required ten water-elemental Sword Intents to be forged.

Wait!

A realization struck Lu Yuan. Why did the Water Sovereign Sword Dao require exactly ten intents? Patriarch Yan’s original words, accurately recalled, were: “If you can comprehend ten water-elemental Sword Intents, utilizing the distinct manifestation of each of the ten, grasp what constitutes the fundamental nature of Water, the basics of the water element, and then—merge the ten Sword Intents, transforming them into the Water Sovereign Sword Dao.” Simply put, one needed to grasp the fundamental basics of the water-elemental Sword Intents and then fuse them into the Water Sovereign Sword Dao.

If ten worked, why must it be ten? Could eight not suffice?

Ten—it probably wasn't an exact number, merely an approximation.

Then, what was the specific connection between these water-elemental Sword Intents?

Lu Yuan sank into deep contemplation again.

What is Water?

The Daoist treasure, the Tao Te Ching, stated: "The highest good is like water." What, then, is the essence of water itself?

"Nothing in the world is softer or weaker than water, yet for attacking the hard, nothing can surpass it. It cannot be replaced. It overcomes the strong with the weak, conquering the rigid with the gentle."

"Water benefits all things and does not contend."

"The ultimate softness in the world roams over the ultimate hardness in the world. It penetrates where there is no space. From this, I know the value of non-action."

Sima Changbai's sword became increasingly scorching and terrifying. The sun on the stage threatened to engulf the entire arena; it was a sun truly at its zenith—indeed, like the sun at noon.

Lu Yuan was left with only a sliver of space. Sima Changbai struck with the fiercest energy of his sword toward Lu Yuan.

Countless dazzling, eye-blinding sword lights cleaved toward Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan was going to lose.

At this moment, almost everyone believed Lu Yuan was doomed—elders, disciples, outsiders, and sect members alike. In the eastern elder seating area, several wounded Sword Immortals sighed helplessly. Lu Yuan had fought impressively to reach this point, but Sima Changbai was stronger, possessing the rare Twin Spirit Swords.

In that instant, Sima Changbai’s sword pressed against Lu Yuan’s body—this would be the final blow!

“After this strike, I will claim the position of North Peak Master and reign over the North Peak,” Sima Changbai thought, filled with absolute confidence of victory.

And at this moment, Lu Yuan, who seemed capable only of defending, flung out a sword strike.

As this single sword left him, seemingly endless water intent poured forth from it. An inexhaustible stream of yielding water gushed out. This was not a conscious strike; Lu Yuan was still immersed in his process of enlightenment, acting purely on instinct. Yet, this instinctive action seemed to strike the sun on the stage, punching a small hole in it, granting Lu Yuan slightly more room to maneuver.

And at this moment, the Great Dao Realm experts outside the arena were deeply shaken.

This strike!

This strike!

The three Cloud Ascension Realm figures presiding over the event—Sun Qingchi, Lu Qingtao, and Sima Qinggui—all changed expression simultaneously.

At the same time, the two Peak Masters of the Sword Sect, Venerable Yuanyang and Venerable Huifeng, were abruptly startled. Venerable Yuanyang recoiled sharply: “Such swordsmanship! How is this possible?” The two Venerables of the Qi Sect, having prior dealings with the Sword Sect, recognized the profound state of the sword realm Lu Yuan was displaying.

Swordsmanship was divided into many tiers.

The first tier: The sword moves are rigid; the person wielding them is also rigid.

The second tier: The sword moves are rigid; the person is fluid, freely commanding the maneuvers.

The third tier: The Sword Intent Level. Having comprehended one Sword Intent; this is the realm of the Longevity stage.

The fourth tier: Having comprehended multiple Sword Intents; this is the realm of the Sword Immortal.

The fifth tier: Being able to fuse numerous Sword Intents into a single strike; this is the realm of the general Great Dao expert. Only upon reaching this level does one become qualified to challenge the ultimate peak of the Sword Dao.

And there is a sixth tier: Mastering the limit of one elemental Sword Intent line, honing one to perfection. At this stage, one can rule supreme within that elemental line, commonly known as a Sword King.

The seventh tier: Between heaven and earth exist ten Iron Laws. These ten Iron Laws are states achieved by taking the comprehension of multiple elemental Sword Intent limits and fusing them. Reincarnation, for example, is one of the ten Iron Laws, requiring five Sword Kings of different elements to forge. Reaching this level earns the title of Sword Emperor.

The eighth tier: Being able to master several of the ten Iron Laws. At this level, one can be called a Sword Saint. In fact, Yan Cangtian’s swordsmanship reached this realm. The Five Emperors Five Emperors Reincarnation Sword Dao, Reincarnation, was one of the ten Iron Laws he had grasped, and he was not limited to just that.

The ninth tier: Mastering all three thousand Sword Intents without exception, and fully grasping all ten Iron Laws. At this stage, all things under heaven can be turned into a sword strike; every casual move is an exquisite sword technique. This realm is called Sword God!

That is the true God of the Sword.

The Sword God realm, it is said, does not exist even in the Central Dynasty.

And the Sword Saint is the limit of this world.

Except for transcendent figures like Yan Cangtian, who nearly leaped beyond limitations, in a nation like the Great Jin, the Sword King realm was the established maximum.

Among the Great Dao Realm experts present, only the two Sword Sect Venerables, dedicated to sword practice, had attained the Sword King realm.

Other Great Dao experts, even Venerables, had not reached the Sword King level.

Yet, this single strike from Lu Yuan seemed to be initiating the process of honing a single elemental line of Sword Intent to its ultimate, perfect state. Lu Yuan was currently challenging the threshold of the Sword King realm.

If he succeeded, in a nation like Jin, no one could surpass him in terms of sheer martial technique.

Sword King, King of Swords.

Could he succeed?