Among the assembled, Shi Chongtian of the Sword Sect naturally took the lead, though Duan Qingzhi, the head of the Qi Sect, naturally refused to concede, becoming the other leader.

The Lone Sword Immortal, Shi Chongtian, spoke first: "The Ten Great Elders of the Demon Faction—oh, no, I should say the Nine Great Elders—how shall we fight this battle?"

The Sword Elder, one of the Nine Great Elders of the Demon Faction, let out a hearty laugh: "How to fight? It’s simple. Our two sides will duel one by one until one side has no combatants left; that side shall be deemed the victor."

"What!" Hearing this proposal, the Sword Immortals on the Huashan side were all taken aback.

The current situation showed that the Huashan side had fielded twenty-nine Sword Immortals, while the Demon Faction had only sent the Nine Great Elders. Yet, the Nine Elders chose a fighting method most disadvantageous to themselves—fighting until one side is depleted. Where did such confidence come from?

Shi Chongtian looked toward the Sword Elder and then at the other Elders: "Is what Sword Elder said truly the case?"

"Why all the nonsense? What I said is naturally true. Do you think we are like you righteous folk, saying one thing and meaning another?" the Sword Elder sneered.

"People of the Demon Faction are thoroughly demonic, untrustworthy, and it’s perfectly normal. How could we dare believe the words of demons like you?" The voice came from He Zhongzhi of the East Peak of the Sword Sect, a Sword Immortal at the Eighth Layer of Longevity, whose cultivation was considered considerable.

The Sword Elder glanced faintly at He Zhongzhi: "You truly know me well, Elder He. Come, let us become closer." With a sudden movement, the Sword Elder lunged directly at Shi Chongtian. Seeing this, Shi Chongtian couldn't help but be startled; he immediately drew his sword in defense, aware of the Sword Elder’s formidable strength, which he suspected was no less than his own.

Just as the Sword Elder's blade was about to strike Shi Chongtian, initiating a duel, the Sword Elder suddenly reversed his grip and thrust his sword straight at He Zhongzhi. This maneuver was incredibly swift and utterly unexpected; the others couldn't react in time. As He Zhongzhi prepared to intercept the blow, the Sword Elder’s long sword instantly pierced through his defense and cleanly severed his head.

What a sudden action, what superb swordsmanship, what blinding speed.

Instantly, upon the Void Battle Array, the Huashan side fell into stunned silence, utterly unprepared for the Sword Elder’s overwhelming strength and rapid tactical shifts. In the blink of an eye, the Sword Elder advanced, retreated, toyed with Shi Chongtian, and executed He Zhongzhi—truly unrivaled in might, like Guan Yu slaying Yan Liang in the mortal world.

The Sword Elder returned to his original spot, let out a loud laugh, held his sword steady, and stood with an aura suggesting he could take on all the Huashan assembled figures alone.

The sheer intensity of his presence was chilling.

Lu Yuan was about to step forward when a voice cut through the air. From the East Peak Sword Immortals, one stepped out: "Sword Elder, to use treachery and sneak attacks—what manner of person are you?" It was He Huazhi, the elder brother of He Zhongzhi, a Sword Immortal at the Ninth Layer of Longevity from the East Peak. Seeing his younger brother slain by the Sword Elder, he could not help but step forward.

The Sword Elder scoffed: "If what you say is true—that I used a sneak attack—then how many moves could you last against me in a straight fight? If you can withstand ten of my moves, then I will concede you are a man of substance. I will then return your Huashan’s Swift Thunder Sword Art and even gift you my treasured Ten Perfect Vitality Elixir."

This time, the prize was the Swift Thunder Sword Art. Winning this bout would secure the technique, an offer too tempting to ignore. Furthermore, there was the Ten Perfect Vitality Elixir. Rumor had it that in the Demon Realm existed an elixir brewed from the most malevolent energies of heaven and earth; once refined, its negative essence inverted, transforming into an immense medicinal power capable of significantly boosting magical force. This elixir was exceedingly precious.

He Huazhi was greatly moved by the offer. However, just as he prepared to move, he looked at the Sword Elder and felt the figure before him swell into a vast, insurmountable Sword Mountain. A surging sword-intent pressed down upon him, almost burying him alive—what terrifying pressure this was.

At that moment, He Huazhi knew that the Sword Elder had planted the seed of defeat in his heart. If they truly fought, the possibility of him being killed within ten moves was extremely high.

Recalling how his brother He Zhongzhi was killed in a single move, He Huazhi knew that although he was stronger than his brother, the chance of surviving ten moves was minimal. He Huazhi was not inherently a timid man, but having this seed of failure sown by the Sword Elder, he grew increasingly fearful the more he considered it.

"Do you dare fight?" the Sword Elder bellowed again.

He Huazhi was torn, hesitating constantly. He feared losing face if he backed down but dreaded certain death if he charged forward.

"How laughable. You don't even possess the courage to last ten moves under me, yet you dare to challenge me?" the Sword Elder mocked.

In the span of a moment, he had slain He Zhongzhi, suppressed He Huazhi, and toyed with Shi Chongtian, the leader of the East Peak Sword Immortals. Single-handedly achieving all this, he reached an unparalleled level of prowess. His actions had made it clear to the Huashan contingent that his cultivation was that of a Half-Step Great Dao. This Sword Elder had rarely made a move before, never revealing his Half-Step Great Dao power except perhaps once against Lu Yuan; only now did they realize his true level.

How powerful the Sword Elder was!

The Huashan group now understood the true purpose behind seizing the Swift Thunder Sword Art: this was intended to crush the prestige of the Huashan Sect and shatter their morale. After this confrontation, the Sword Elder would undoubtedly become famous, with Huashan serving as his stepping stone. Moreover, Huashan had recently gained little advantage against the Demon Faction and was rumored to have secretly allied with the 'Defying Heaven Alliance,' causing significant difficulty for Huashan's Great Dao realm experts.

Understanding the Demon Faction's intent was futile; with the Sword Elder’s Half-Step Great Dao cultivation, it seemed no Sword Immortal on the Huashan side could match him.

...

Just then, a voice echoed: "Sword Elder, as per our previous agreement, if you can last ten moves under me, I will give you two sword techniques of the same caliber as the Swift Thunder Sword Art, along with forty mid-grade Spirit Stones. What do you say?" The moment this voice sounded, the entire assembly was shocked.

The Sword Elder was already renowned, his aura eclipsing the sky.

Under such circumstances, someone still dared to challenge him—truly possessing courage.

Furthermore, the challenger spoke with such audacity, claiming the Sword Elder could not even survive ten of his moves.

This was an astounding boast.

Silence descended upon the whole field.

All eyes turned to the speaker. It was a young man standing near the edge of the Huashan Sword Immortals' ranks, holding a wine gourd, an expression of utter nonchalance on his face.

Lu Yuan!

Lu Yuan smiled faintly: "Well, Sword Elder, do you have the courage to last ten moves under me?"

This was clearly courting death. Lu Yuan was formidable; he had previously defeated Elder Tiger among the Ten Great Elders. However, Elder Tiger was ranked in the lower to middle tiers of the Ten Elders, whereas this Sword Elder was clearly ranked near the top, possibly even number one. For Lu Yuan to challenge him, victory seemed impossible, yet he boasted of finishing the fight in under ten moves. From any angle, this was completely inconceivable.

"Lu Yuan, no!" Ye Yangrong shouted in alarm.

Chu Fei and Dugu Ye likewise shouted warnings; in their estimation, Lu Yuan was seeking his own demise.

Lu Yuan smiled, leaped lightly into the center of the Void Battle Array, placed his hand on his sword hilt, and looked at the Sword Elder with a playful smile: "Well? Dare you?"

Upon seeing Lu Yuan, the Sword Elder immediately began shifting his stance rapidly, changing his form with speed that left no room for anticipation.

Lu Yuan, however, did not move his feet; he merely looked.

In this impending duel, one man stood completely still, only watching, while the other continuously contorted his body, leaping and dancing about—it was profoundly bizarre.

The Sword Elder executed countless forms in the air, but finally stopped, standing still with resignation: "Lu Yuan, it seems I cannot survive ten of your moves." He had been utterly arrogant moments ago, slaying the Eighth Layer Longevity expert He Zhongzhi with one strike, severely wounding the Ninth Layer Longevity expert He Huazhi in nine moves, and toying with the Tenth Layer Shi Chongtian—he possessed an air of unstoppable dominance, seemingly capable of rivaling all of Huashan alone.

Yet now, with Lu Yuan’s sword unmoved and his body stationary, the Sword Elder admitted defeat, confessing he could not withstand ten moves. This turn of events struck everyone as exceedingly strange.

For a time, the Huashan Sword Immortals were utterly confused, though a few of the deepest cultivators, such as Shi Chongtian and Ling Luoshi, pondered in secret, sensing an unspoken, profound implication.

———————— The reality was this: when Lu Yuan appeared, the Sword Elder sensed that his aura was somehow amiss. After Lu Yuan uttered the boast about winning in ten moves, the Sword Elder observed him more closely, and the result was astonishing. Lu Yuan was currently at the True Sword King realm, capable of commanding a thousand swords to submission. The Sword Elder himself was a thousand-year-old Sword Demon. If Lu Yuan had remained at his previous Sword King level, it would have been inconsequential, but his current True Sword King realm exerted a degree of suppression upon the Elder.

If that were all, it might have been manageable. But crucially, as the Sword Elder shifted his countless forms in the air, attempting to attack Lu Yuan—he was no timid soul like He Huazhi—for every form he conjured, Lu Yuan’s gaze immediately pinpointed its flaw. He cycled through dozens of stances, conceiving hundreds of offensive strategies, yet every single one was effortlessly undone by a mere glance from Lu Yuan.

The Sword Elder had cultivated for a thousand years; his mastery of the Way of the Sword was undoubtedly exceptional. In the Longevity Realm, he had never encountered an opponent whose technique surpassed his, nor had he ever been so thoroughly exposed. Now facing Lu Yuan, being dismantled so cleanly, he was completely suppressed. Within his heart, a wave of terror arose.

Compounded by the suppression from Lu Yuan’s True Sword King realm, and having been exposed to this extent, the Sword Elder felt an involuntary urge to submit to Lu Yuan. His courage utterly shattered; he dared not fight any further, hence his only recourse was to admit he could not withstand ten of Lu Yuan’s moves.

Seeing that he had conceded, Lu Yuan simply retracted his gaze.

The Sword Elder instantly breathed a huge sigh of relief as Lu Yuan’s attention shifted away from his vulnerabilities. He retreated back into the ranks of the Demon Faction.

His arrogance had been completely shattered by Lu Yuan.

(I had intended for three updates today, but for some reason, I feel particularly lazy and will make up the missed chapter tomorrow.)RO