This palace, named the Qiankun Palace.

Perhaps other Supremes named their palaces Qiankun Palace due to the sheer dominance the characters imply, but the reason the Void Supreme, Taishi Kong, chose this name was likely inspired by the saying: In drunkenness, the universe resides.

Taishi Kong sat upon his seat, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword: "Disciple, show me your swordsmanship. If you can force me to take a single step back, then you will have proven your skill. This bout is purely about the sword."

"Is that so? Very well." [, , Lu Yuan nodded, making no pretense of modesty. After executing a sword salute, his blade shot out instantly. This strike was profoundly simple yet executed with masterful skill, swift as lightning. Taishi Kong smiled faintly: "A decent strike, but it won't force me to move even one step." Completely unconcerned, he took a swig from the wine flask in his left hand and drew his own Immortal Sword with his right. As the Immortal Sword left its scabbard, infinite radiance burst forth, smashing toward Lu Yuan's oncoming Spirit Nurturing Sword.

The two longswords were about to clash in mid-air. This collision, Taishi Kong thought, should neutralize Lu Yuan’s attack. But just at that moment, he sensed that Lu Yuan’s sword, in the split second of engagement, didn't wait for the full impact. Instead, it leveraged the minuscule rebound force to instantly change direction, accelerating even faster toward him.

To alter trajectory during the precise instant of impact between two blades, utilizing only the faintest reverberation—and counter-attack! Excellent swordsmanship!

However, landing a hit on me remains impossible, Taishi Kong mused internally. His Immortal Sword executed a near-impossible defensive retraction. The two blades were once again on the verge of colliding, but in that same instant, Lu Yuan’s Spirit Nurturing Sword multiplied into more than ten blades. Were these illusions? Taishi Kong instantly pinpointed the true body of the sword and met it head-on.

The first exchange could be attributed to carelessness. This time, Taishi Kong finally exerted five-tenths of his attention.

Sword met sword in the void. Lu Yuan’s blade ascended; Taishi Kong followed suit. Lu Yuan advanced; Taishi Kong countered with a downward slash against Lu Yuan’s sword. Taishi Kong transitioned from defense to offense, unleashing a sharp, aggressive strike, which Lu Yuan deftly parried...

In a single moment, the two exchanged at least a thousand blows.

This was their true engagement. What formidable swordsmanship!

Taishi Kong felt a surge of pleasant surprise. He hadn't expected his newly accepted disciple’s skill to be so profound. Still, forcing him back a step was not easily achieved. Seeing Lu Yuan’s blade tip aimed directly at his chest, Taishi Kong finally grew serious, unleashing his true swordsmanship. His sword style shifted instantly.

In a flash, his sword seemed to vanish, replaced before Lu Yuan by countless individual stars.

Innumerable stars flickered into existence in the void.

One star shot toward him at incredible speed. Lu Yuan deflected his sword, using the tip to tap it—a technique for dissipating force. Yet, even so, his palm felt numb from the tremendous power.

And now, in the void, nine stars aligned, surging toward Lu Yuan.

This was, in fact, one of the supreme sword arts: the Star Sword Technique. The sword transforms into stars. This transformation isn't purely illusionary; if one reaches an exceedingly high realm, the sword can truly become the stars, allowing one to control countless stars as swords to assail an enemy. Before that mastery, it exists in a blend of illusion and reality, straddling the true and the false.

This Star Sword Technique is a sword art that embodies the killing intent of Heaven itself.

Before striking, this sword art is ethereal and elusive, but upon contact, its terror is fully revealed. Furthermore, it can summon various celestial configurations: the Big Dipper, the Southern Dipper, the Nine Stars Alignment, and even the ultimate secret technique: manifesting three hundred and sixty-five Heavenly Stars within a single sword strike—that is the supreme profound meaning.

At the minor success level of this technique, the sword is the star, and the star is the sword.

At the major success level, the sword is the heaven and earth, and the heaven and earth is the sword.

It is one of the three foundational sword arts of the Sword Sect, possessing techniques derived from an entire epoch.

However, no one has achieved the major success realm of this technique for ages. Even achieving the minor success level is exceedingly rare. Yet, relying only on this...

Taishi Kong had now deployed his genuine power. He realized Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship was unexpectedly potent, likely having reached the peak of the Sword King realm. But he absolutely would not yield a single pace.

Seeing a disciple surpass the master is a good thing.

But being forced back by a newly accepted disciple on the very first day was hardly a display of face.

One of the Sword Sect’s Three Great Secret Swords!

Truly a terrifying sword art!

Lu Yuan felt that all the swordsmanship he had learned outside the Central Celestial Dynasty was rendered impotent before this terrifying level. Techniques like the One Hundred and Eight Swords of Wind and Cloud, the Swift Sword of Raging Wind, the Sword of One Qi of the Morning Sun, and the Thirteen Hundred Clouds and Mists of Ten Thousand Changes—all felt futile against this. The foundational sword arts of the supreme great sects of the Central Celestial Dynasty were truly extraordinary.

After cycling through dozens of techniques and finding none effective against this bizarre and frightening style, Lu Yuan, having no other recourse, unleashed Reincarnation!

Reincarnation, one of the Ten Great Iron Laws. All things in existence—living or non-living, people, mountains, or stones, even stars—are subject to the cycle of reincarnation, for stars themselves are destined to perish and be reborn. As soon as the power of Reincarnation was invoked, the surrounding stars instantly descended into chaos... Finally, the momentum of the sword—Taishi Kong had absolutely not anticipated that the power of the Star Sword Technique could be broken. He reacted quickly, but Lu Yuan's sword was faster.

He involuntarily stepped backward.

One step, two steps, three steps... seven steps.

He finally halted his momentum after seven steps, dispelling the force of Reincarnation. At this point, his sword managed to block the thrust aimed at him by Lu Yuan.

Taishi Kong was stunned. The other Supreme present, Xiahou Shang, was equally dumbfounded.

Both Supremes understood perfectly: Taishi Kong had exerted ten-tenths of his sword skill, fully deploying even the Star Sword Technique. Under such circumstances, he was still forced back seven steps by his new disciple. The initial agreement was that one step back meant Lu Yuan won, and now it was seven steps.

This new disciple possesses sword skills of such staggering mastery!

And what was that technique he just used?

Taishi Kong and Xiahou Shang, both among the Nine Supremes of the Sword, possessed vision of the highest caliber. They recognized it almost immediately: this was highly likely one of the Iron Laws.

According to the records, Lu Yuan should only be in his thirties or forties, yet he has mastered an Iron Law?

If true, this is utterly unbelievable.

This new disciple is not merely a Sword Marquis, nor a Sword King; he is a Sword Emperor! Moreover, judging by the proficiency displayed, he doesn't seem newly ascended to the Sword Emperor realm; he must have been one for some time.

Taishi Kong realized he had been utterly shocked this time. A Sword Emperor in his thirties! What kind of disciple has he accepted?

Xiahou Shang, standing nearby, was filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. A Sword Emperor in his thirties! The old fellow Taishi Kong had indeed accepted an incredibly talented disciple this time. However, considering Taishi Kong hadn't produced any brilliant disciples in the last few thousand years—and his only exceptional student was lost to the Land of Exile—it was perhaps natural that he finally found a prodigy. Was this cosmic balance?

"Good, Lu Yuan, I underestimated you completely. Sword Emperor realm—I didn't expect Sword Emperor realm. That was Reincarnation from the Ten Great Iron Laws, wasn't it?"

"It was," Lu Yuan nodded. "Created and taught by Ancestor Yan during my time in Jin State."

"Was that Cang Tian?" Taishi Kong asked, hands clasped behind his back. "Yan Cang Tian’s innate talent surpassed even mine. It is a pity I failed to protect him back then, causing him to leave the Central Celestial Dynasty. Recently, he even journeyed to the Land of Exile. He finally comprehended Reincarnation among the Ten Great Iron Laws. But to master Reincarnation to this degree is your own achievement, Lu Yuan. A Sword Emperor in his thirties!" he praised with a clicking sound.

Within the Central Celestial Dynasty, most of the Ten Great Iron Laws exist, save for the legendary top-ranked Law of Destiny, which remains utterly intangible and undiscoverable.

If one master understands it, then those close to them can certainly learn it.

Nevertheless, even so, anyone achieving the Sword Emperor realm under the age of one thousand is considered a genius.

Now, here stands a living Sword Emperor in his thirties, causing universal astonishment.

But this surprise doesn't feel entirely out of place in the grand scheme of things. After all, the Son of the Sword in those days achieved the Sword Emperor realm in his twenties.

The matter of the Son of the Sword is not so long past that this current achievement is wholly unacceptable.

Taishi Kong felt an immense satisfaction in taking in someone of such towering innate talent. Naturally, he couldn't compare to the Son of the Sword, but this achievement was nonetheless exceptional.

"Again," Taishi Kong said, clearly invigorated. His hand moved, and he no longer used the Star Sword Technique, but a remarkably common sword form. Yet, this very commonality felt utterly bizarre; it seemed as if space itself had been warped. Lu Yuan sensed something was deeply wrong. He intended to strike forward, but his sword motion inexplicably became aimed at himself.

What was happening? An illusion? No, it couldn't be an illusion; Supreme Taishi Kong was not renowned for illusionary arts.

Then what was it? His own sword work was correct; the only thing shifting must be space itself. Lu Yuan immediately realized: space was being continuously adjusted.

The Venerable of Void, the Iron Law of Space!

There was no alternative. Under these circumstances, Lu Yuan had to counter the Law of Space with the Iron Law of Reincarnation. The Law of Reincarnation should not be weaker than the Law of Space. Lu Yuan once again activated the power of Reincarnation, centering it upon himself to begin the cycle. Instantly, the surrounding space was repelled. However, Lu Yuan distinctly felt that beyond the immediate vicinity, the Law of Space was relentlessly grinding away at the Iron Law of Reincarnation, encroaching upon him.

This did not mean the Law of Reincarnation was inferior to the Law of Space; it meant his mastery of Reincarnation was still shallow, while Taishi Kong’s comprehension of the Law of Space ran deep.

In the end, Taishi Kong’s longsword stopped directly at Lu Yuan’s throat, but he withdrew it immediately.

Taishi Kong burst into laughter. His victory was inevitable; after all, he had lived for so long, it would be strange if he couldn't defeat Lu Yuan. Even with the same Iron Law, there is a difference in depth of mastery. Nevertheless, Taishi Kong was truly shocked. He had deployed such swordsmanship only to narrowly defeat Lu Yuan.

This disciple's sword skill is truly terrifying.

Taishi Kong arrived at a conclusion that stunned him: his own swordsmanship was not substantially superior to this disciple’s. To have initially assumed this disciple was merely a Sword Marquis or Sword King—what a profound miscalculation. (To be continued. [Baidu Huashan Immortal Forum Manual Update] RA