After a long pause, the two realized that their astonishment had caused them both to stand up, abandoning their previous composure.

Sword King Realm!

Sword King Realm!

How could this be! In the cultivation world of Jin State, the number of people who had reached the Sword King Realm absolutely did not exceed twenty. Don't think twenty is a large number.

The entirety of Jin State comprised two hundred and seventy-seven provinces, over three thousand prefectures, and a population nearing ten billion.

Among such a massive population, only twenty individuals had attained the Sword King Realm, illustrating just how arduous the path to this echelon truly was. Mount Hua, the premier immortal sect, had its two Sword Masters here, both holding high ranks within the Sword Sect—only then could they comprehend the Sword King Realm. No one else present had reached this level.

This...

Lu Yuan, having just unleashed a sword strike, instinctively lowered his head to meditate on the sword move he had just executed.

Sima Changbai could not believe that the fatal strike he had prepared with all his might had been parried by Lu Yuan. He immediately slashed out again. This sword attack was still ferociously potent, his peak-level sword intent slashing directly toward Lu Yuan. The very air beside this blade began to scorch and burn, yet the contemplative Lu Yuan responded again without a moment's hesitation. With such a seemingly simple strike, he managed to shatter Sima Changbai's furious sword manifestation.

After stabbing out his sword, Lu Yuan once more bowed his head in deep thought.

Unable to accept this, Sima Changbai finally unleashed his ultimate technique reserved for when he wielded his dual swords as one: The Sun-Cycle Sword! Heavenly Tribulation of Blazing Fire. Once this strike was invoked, it was as if several suns were exploding in his hands, casting one blindingly intense beam of sunlight after another toward Lu Yuan. This move was vastly more powerful than anything preceding it; the sky and ground were filled with searing light, and the intense heat had already scorched the platform beneath them.

Just as the attack was about to reach Lu Yuan, he thrust his sword forward as the blade was about to make contact. This single thrust condensed the entirety of the profound Water Dao sword intent, completely neutralizing the brilliant sunlight. No matter what the Heavenly Tribulation of Blazing Fire claimed to be, it was utterly destroyed.

Lu Yuan returned to closing his eyes in meditation.

He had grasped the most fundamental essence of the Water Dao sword intent, achieving complete comprehension. However, mastering the Water Sovereign Sword Dao meant being able to control it; otherwise, how could one claim to be Sovereign?

To skillfully control the various facets of Water Dao sword intent—the core tenets were now laid bare before him. What he had achieved was control, and without realizing when it happened, something new had appeared within his Dantian, near his Nascent Soul, alongside the Cloud Dragon Heart Method: a water droplet. Simultaneously, the eight forms—Cloud, Rain, Ice, Snow, Lake, Sea, Mist, and Water—seemed to have entered it all at once.

This Water Spirit Pearl suddenly erupted in dazzling light. Its original colorless state instantly transformed into a vibrant aqueous hue. The pearl constantly shifted its form: sometimes manifesting as clouds, sometimes as rain, sometimes as ice, sometimes as snow, occasionally swirling like mist, and at other times spreading out with the vastness of a deep ocean.

The Water Sovereign Sword Dao was finally complete.

Lu Yuan let out a long breath.

Yes, the Water Sovereign Sword Dao, which he had practiced for an age beyond measure, was finally cultivated.

The hardships endured during this long process were beyond recounting.

Having achieved the Water Sovereign Sword Dao, he could now easily discern the flaws in any subsequent Water Dao sword technique. No matter the type of Water Dao sword intent—and also Water Dao spells—it would be exceedingly difficult to harm him now. The Great Dao of Water had been comprehended by him, and Water Dao spells were inherently bound by the scope of that Great Dao.

Water Sovereign, Water Sovereign—I am the Water Sovereign.

Lu Yuan was completely unaware that this realm was known as the Sword King Realm. Back then, Li Yuanbai had not fully understood this level, thus choosing not to explain it. Yan Cangtian, wishing for Lu Yuan to mature naturally rather than being forced, also kept silent. As a result, Lu Yuan had now ascended to the Sword King Realm without the slightest clue.

Lu Yuan abruptly lifted his head, opening his eyes, which were now filled with absolute confidence.

The sheer confidence radiating from Lu Yuan’s opened eyes caused a jolt in Sima Changbai’s heart.

Sun Qingchi and Lu Qingtao were also shaken. Countless cultivators at the Great Dao Realm in the audience were stunned, and Yuanyang Shangren and Huifeng Shangren both trembled. Yuanyang Shangren murmured, "The Sword King Realm, the supreme echelon of the Sword Dao in Jin State, has finally been mastered."

This level truly deserved the descriptor "supreme" within Jin State.

For so many years, only Yan Cangtian had broken through this realm, reaching the Sword Saint realm, two tiers above Sword King. No one else had ever surpassed it.

Supreme!

A realm worthy of being called Supreme demonstrated its terrifying power.

Huifeng Shangren sighed mournfully, "Such a prodigy... why isn't he in our Sword Sect, but in the Sword Qi Sect?" He sighed again, truly lamenting that such a genius, one that a Sword Sect might only produce once every millennium or even longer, was absent from their ranks. It was a tremendous pity.

The Sword King Realm: this was the ultimate, supreme sword realm of Jin State.

Of course, this shock was primarily among the Great Dao Realm practitioners; the greatest impact was felt by the Shangren level.

As for the Sword Immortals, Elders, and disciples, they could not comprehend the intricacies of the combat; they were merely spectators.

If even the Sword Immortals could only watch the spectacle without understanding the method, then the disciples were certainly just enjoying the show. Ye Fang and Ye Yuan led the cheer, and driven by them, the chant of, "Lu Yuan, defeat Sima Changbai!" erupted once more, resounding through the arena.

Sima Changbai was currently steeped in utter powerlessness. He had already deployed his ultimate move, the Sun-Cycle Sword! Heavenly Tribulation of Blazing Fire, and yet he still failed to subdue Lu Yuan. Moreover, the confidence in Lu Yuan's eyes upon opening them made Sima Changbai’s heart tremble violently.

Lu Yuan looked towards Sima Changbai, "Martial Uncle Sima, it is over now, including your ambition."

"Impossible!" Sima Changbai roared. "My ambition will not end! I will be the future Master of the North Peak!"

Lu Yuan shook his head, his clear eyes seeming to pierce Sima Changbai's inner workings. "Martial Uncle Sima likely already feels defeated deep down; why prolong this? Martial Uncle Sima, if you can still withstand three more of my strikes, I concede this battle." This declaration from Lu Yuan sounded wildly arrogant to the Sword Immortals, Elders, and disciples, who felt he was too presumptuous. However, the cultivators at the Great Dao Realm remained silent.

Three more strikes at most in the future!

Lu Yuan raised his Yangwu Sword.

A faint sword light drifted in the air, coalescing into a strange, immersive world.

It seemed that within this sword light, a lake materialized, encompassing the entire arena. Thick clouds piled up overhead, and soft snowflakes began to drift down, forming a thick layer of ice upon the lake’s surface. Then, a faint mist appeared, mingling with the rain droplets amidst the falling snow.

What blazing sun, what fire, what peak ascendancy—all were enveloped within this vast body of water.

Sima Changbai struggled fiercely within the confines of this water manifestation. Unsubmissive! I am the Fire Wrath! I am the Great Sun! I am the Zenith!

Can mere water truly trap me?

Earlier, Lu Yuan had attempted to use this Water Dao sword intent, but it was instantly evaporated by the might of Sima Changbai’s zenith-level power. What could it do now? Sima Changbai furiously channeled his integrated spirit swords—the Sun Spirit Sword and the Zenith Spirit Sword—unleashing one of his strongest moves: The Sunlight Strike! Central Blazing Sun!

Scorching flames were slashed forth from his blade, but they were immediately extinguished completely.

Yes, extinguished utterly.

The water that his previous strike could obliterate now consumed his flames entirely. What strange sword technique was this?

Sima Changbai continued his frantic counterattack, but soon fell into despair as he realized that what trapped him was not just a lake, but an ocean—an unimaginably colossal ocean. In every direction, there was nothing but endless depth; there was not the slightest hope of breaking free. No! No!

Sima Changbai now grasped that he might actually lose this battle!

Impossible, impossible.

Sima Changbai struck out repeatedly with his two integrated spirit swords. He could not possibly lose! For this bid to claim the Peak Master position, for his ambition, how long had he prepared? He waited for Li Yuanbai’s death, waited for the disappearance of Yuanyang Shangren and Yuanling Shangren, waited for Fang Ru’s severe injury. Finally, it was his turn to seize control of the crucial North Peak Master position. Everything had been arranged, and he had already defeated the other Sword Immortals of the North Peak. Under such circumstances, Lu Yuan had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

I refuse to accept defeat like this!

He launched strike after strike, but they remained utterly ineffective.

Lu Yuan watched Sima Changbai’s struggle and sighed softly.

This is the Water Sovereign Sword Dao.

All waters under heaven are subject to its control.

Sima Changbai, your Great Sun cultivation method, your Great Sun Sword Art, and your Zenith Spirit Sword are indeed remarkable, but they fall far short when compared to the Water Sovereign Sword Dao—it is ultimately nothing more than a futile struggle.

I initially thought three strikes would be necessary to subdue you; now, it seems two will suffice.

Lu Yuan once again raised the Yangwu Sword.

This strike was swung down, containing Cloud, Rain, Ice, Snow, Lake, Sea, Mist, and Water all within it. This attack appeared infinitely yielding, lacking any hint of brute force as it descended. Yet, this single sword stroke caused the few Shangren who had just sat down to leap back to their feet in unison.

What a strike!

At this moment, Lu Yuan felt neither joy nor sorrow.

All the grievances and enmities of the past decade and more, the root cause of all conflict, the trajectory of events, Sima Changbai’s sending subordinates to kill him multiple times, Sima Changbai’s relentless pressure on his master, the disaster Sima Changbai and Yuanling brought upon the North Peak through their collusion—all these thoughts and grievances were poured into this one sword strike.

The final strike!

It is time to end this!

A dazzling, fleeting sword light, carrying the utmost tenderness of the Water element, slashed forth as if the Milky Way were spilling from the Ninth Heaven.