The Sword Elder, previously so imposing—having slain He Zhongzhi and held Hua Huazhi to his ten-move pact, projecting the arrogance of the Sword Sect’s foremost genius, Shi Chongtian—was inexplicably unnerved by Lu Yuan, shrinking back from accepting Lu Yuan’s own ten-move challenge. Lu Yuan knew the reason; the Sword Elder knew the reason. Their clash of wills, the crossing of their swords’ auras, made it clear to both.

But for everyone else, the reason remained obscure, though a few thoughtful observers seemed to grasp something.

Because the majority did not understand, they were thoroughly perplexed as to why the celebrated Sword Elder would suddenly concede. Yet, reflecting on it, the concession that he couldn't withstand ten moves seemed bizarre but ultimately beneficial. Had Lu Yuan not stepped forward, the morale of the Mount Hua faction might have been utterly crushed; this intervention ensured that would not happen.

At this moment, the most elite cohort of the Longevity Realm experts from Mount Hua and the Demon Faction stood locked in a temporary, tense equilibrium.

Then, a faint point of light seemed to emanate.

All eyes turned to see a soft luminescence glowing from a ring on the right hand of He Zhongzhi’s corpse.

This light was incredibly gentle in hue. Lu Yuan observed it to be a pale white, almost resonating slightly with his own Cloud Dragon Ten Transformations technique. Immediately, someone remarked, "What is this light? Like the rising sun—it feels connected to the Rising Sun Heart Method," said one from the East Peak.

"It’s clearly transparent, like mist—it must relate to the Cloud Mist Heart Method," countered someone from the South Peak of the Sword Sect.

"It’s clearly purple; this treasure is destined for our Qi Sect," asserted a voice from the West Peak of the Qi Sect.

At this declaration, a sudden realization dawned upon the crowd.

The color was different for everyone they saw.

How could this be? Each person perceived a different color!

Perhaps Lu Yuan was the slowest to react, being the youngest, least experienced, and possessing the shallowest background. The Sword Sect’s Ling Luoshi roared the words: "Great Dao Law Elixir!" The moment those five characters were spoken, an overwhelming wave of avarice washed over both the Mount Hua faction and the Demon Faction, though the greed of the demons was far more intense.

This object was beyond ordinary conception.

The Great Dao Realm required one to master the fundamental laws governing heaven and earth, progressing from self-mastery to the manipulation of the external world.

Undoubtedly, the difficulty in advancing from the Longevity Realm to the Great Dao Realm was astronomically high.

The Great Dao Law Elixir offered a slight possibility—some estimated perhaps a half-percent chance—of advancing to the Great Dao Realm. Even this meager possibility rendered it a treasure fiercely coveted by countless cultivators, the paramount jewel among Longevity Realm artifacts.

However, the Great Dao Law Elixir was exceedingly rare.

It contained the very laws of the universe.

Since every individual comprehends different laws, they perceive the Great Dao Law Elixir in different colors—white for Lu Yuan practicing the Cloud Dragon Ten Transformations, purple for those practicing Purple Haze Thousand Miles. Only when the cry went out did they realize what it was.

He Zhongzhi had stumbled upon the Great Dao Law Elixir by chance, filling him with immense joy. Yet, with his cultivation at the eighth level of the Longevity Realm, it would take him countless years to reach the peak of the tenth level, the prerequisite for using such an elixir. He hadn't minded the wait; keeping such a treasure until the breakthrough to the Great Dao Realm seemed fitting. But fate turned cruel; a sneak attack by the Sword Elder killed him. This treasure, naturally luminous, had been suppressed by He Zhongzhi’s power, rendering it invisible. Now, with his death, it began to shine.

The Sword Elder was instantly filled with bitter regret. Damn it, he should have searched He Zhongzhi’s spatial artifacts; he had missed out on a supreme treasure. With the Sword Elder’s current power, he could utilize it immediately.

But the Sword Elder was not the only one whose eyes burned with envy; nearly every Sword Immortal present felt the same covetous pang.

In an instant, many lunged toward the direction of He Zhongzhi’s corpse, all seeking the ring on his right hand. Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Countless engagements erupted simultaneously. The absolute pinnacle of the Longevity Realm experts unleashed their full capabilities.

Those from the Sword Sect, the Qi Sect, the Sword-Qi Sect, and the nine Demon Elders all employed their distinct methods. Diverse ultimate skills flashed!

Under this barrage of attacks, cultivators fell defeated or wounded one after another. The Mount Hua side, being slightly weaker on average, lost five or six combatants. On the demon side, Elder Crane was defeated first, followed by two of Elder Mosquito. The ferocity of the fight attested to their desperate desire for the Great Dao Law Elixir.

In that single moment, all the elders of Mount Hua felt a sudden weakness in their limbs; their power output diminished, and their vital energy circulation became sluggish. A soft, delicate laugh echoed from the demon ranks: "You are all afflicted by my Sorrowful Wind Autumnal Grief poison. Unfortunate for you, this Great Dao Law Elixir belongs to us demons."

The speaker was the seemingly harmless, charming young woman, Elder White Fox. She smiled; this Elder White Fox was a formidable figure. In that instant, while everyone was distracted and momentarily stunned by the appearance of the Law Elixir, she unleashed her poison. Elder White Fox was truly exceptional to administer the poison so swiftly, incapacitating the Mount Hua elders. Her skill in toxicology was unparalleled. In fact, among the ten great Demon Elders, Elder Bat was the strongest in direct combat; in one-on-one confrontations, the other nine, including the Sword Elder, were no match for him.

However, he was called Bat the Second because in a past wager with Elder White Fox over who could inflict greater harm, Elder White Fox won decisively through her mesmerizing poisons. Thus, the strongest combatant earned the moniker "Bat the Second," highlighting the terrifying efficacy of Elder White Fox's toxins.

Now, having poisoned so many Mount Hua elders instantly, the remaining seven elders still capable of fighting charged en masse toward the Great Dao Law Elixir.

They were finally united in purpose.

If they could seize the elixir now, Mount Hua would suffer a massive blow, losing not only prestige and face but also a supreme treasure like the Great Dao Law Elixir, especially on the Void Battle Array. The demons would claim all victory and glory.

Elder Bat was the fastest, reaching out for the elixir. At that crucial instant, a sword materialized and struck with lethal precision. The trajectory was flawless, forcing Elder Bat to reluctantly evade sideways. The sword then pursued him like a serpent.

Elder Bat, famous for his speed, barely registered the pursuit, assuming the strike was merely a sneak attack. His movement was lightning-fast. With a flicker, he unleashed the technique learned from the Scarlet Wing Demon King—the Bat King’s Movement!

With a "Bat King’s Laugh," his form flashed past, evading the sword and lunging directly for the elixir.

But just then, the sword reappeared with impossible swiftness, thrusting again towards Elder Bat’s vital points.

So fast!

Seeing this, Elder Bat immediately employed the most exquisite maneuver from his repertoire—the Bat King’s Smile—within the Bat King’s Movement. The Scarlet Wing Demon King was once among the fastest individuals in Jin State; it was said that with just one smile, he could instantly appear beside his target, moving faster than the naked eye could perceive. Elder Bat, the true inheritor of this legacy, now invoked the move.

"Bat King’s Smile!"

"What? It’s the Bat King’s Smile!"

"It’s rumored the Scarlet Wing Demon King once escaped from Master Yan’s sword strikes using this move!"

"What? Escaped from Master Yan’s swordplay?"

"Incredible!"

"The Scarlet Wing Demon King once snatched the sword from Venerable Yuanyang using the Bat King’s Smile!"

"Venerable Yuanyang is also a Peak Lord! He possessed such speed!"

"And Elder Bat reportedly mastered the Bat King’s Smile. When he fought for the position of the top Demon Elder, he used the Bat King’s Smile to steal the head of Elder Earth, the previous leader, securing his own supremacy!"

"It truly is the Bat King’s Smile."

"Then who is confronting Elder Bat?"

"Unknown. Elder Bat’s black wings are too large, obscuring his form. We only see a glimpse of green robes, nothing else. And many cultivators in the cultivation world wear green!"

The Bat King’s Smile was laden with legend. Now, a smile crossed Elder Bat’s face as his speed maximized, utterly surpassing the scope of human vision. His target was his opponent’s throat; he was genuinely deploying his ultimate technique to pierce it.

With the smile manifesting, his body dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind only a faint, inky black afterimage.

"Clang!" A single, decisive sword strike slashed out, forcibly carving the ethereal Elder Bat out of his void state.

"What!"

"He broke the Bat King’s Smile!"

"Impossible! Who is this person? How did he break the Bat King’s Smile?"

"To cut someone out of the void created by the Bat King’s Smile—Heavens, are my eyes malfunctioning?" Those from Mount Hua understood the terror of the Bat King’s Smile better, as countless renowned figures from their sect had fallen victim to it. It was the gesture of Death itself, and now it had been nullified.

Who was the person who shattered the Bat King’s Smile and blocked Elder Bat with a single sword?

Forced out of the Bat King’s Smile’s void state by the sword, Elder Bat retracted his black wings, revealing the figure confronting him.

(Chapter One delivered.)RO