The days flowed by in silence. Time, one of the greatest mysteries between heaven and earth, passed thus, never to return.

Beauty fades to bone, heroes bow to twilight. Such is the way of things.

It had been nearly a month since Lu Yuan entered the Sword Gate. Outside the Soaring Sword Tower, Jian Zhi Xing (Sword Star), Wen Hao, laughed boisterously, "Lu Yuan, my Sword Star has already passed the sixth level.

Yes, a bit later than you, but this time the newcomer leader is me, not you. I will soon become a core disciple, and then we will compete again." He laughed maniacally.

This time, he had learned a super ultimate move from his elder brother, Jian Zhi Zi (Son of the Sword), who had single-handedly slain numerous experts at the peak of the Ninth and Tenth Strata of the Great Dao Realm, refining their essence into stones for him to swallow. Although this would destabilize his foundation, his strength would surge, and his combat instincts would sharpen dramatically.

As for the unstable foundation, that was hardly a concern. With his brother, Jian Zhi Zi, around, what truly mattered could be easily handled.

A mere trifle, a minor issue. "Lu Yuan, just wait.

We will all become core disciples, but you will only be a core disciple under Supreme Master Taishi. I, however, will apprentice under the far more powerful Supreme Master Xuanyuan.

Supreme Master Xuanyuan is not comparable to your Supreme Master Taishi." Among the Nine Great Supremes, Xuanyuan held the first seat; this was common knowledge. The standard for accepting disciples set by Supreme Master Xuanyuan was far stricter than that of Supreme Master Taishi.

Ordinary individuals simply had no hope of becoming a disciple of Supreme Master Xuanyuan. Even those with significant connections found it incredibly difficult.

However, Jian Zhi Xing was the younger brother of Jian Zhi Zi, and Supreme Master Xuanyuan would certainly grant face to Jian Zhi Zi. Consequently, onlookers watched Jian Zhi Xing with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

He was born lucky, blessed with a powerful elder brother; what could anyone do about that? Meanwhile, within the Soaring Sword Tower, a woman as graceful as an immortal was challenging the levels.

This woman was currently on the fourth level. Shi Fei Xian had already cleared the third level and was now assaulting the fourth.

After arriving from the Outer Domain and entering the Central Celestial Dynasty, many people experienced massive advancements, and Shi Fei Xian was continuously improving. Lu Yuan, when you entered the Central Celestial Dynasty, Fei Xian was no weaker than you, and she certainly would not be weaker in the future.

And then there was Wan Wan, the mortal enemy from the Fagu Civilization. Although Fei Xian joined a Supreme Great Sect, which might not surpass the Fagu Civilization, she would certainly not be weaker than you.

Mount Kong, Wangyang Peak. This was one of the peaks of Mount Kong.

It was the first peak in the entire Mount Kong range to greet the sun. However, it was said that the sun of the Central Celestial Dynasty was too tyrannical, so the Sword Gate implemented certain shielding measures, making the sunlight here less scorching.

Even so, standing on Wangyang Peak to view the sun revealed a celestial body incomparably immense, perhaps a hundred times larger than what was seen in the Jin Kingdom. This colossal sun swept over everything with an imposing aura that seemed to survey all existence.

Lu Yuan sat cross-legged within the core of the star, deep in contemplation. While others had been making progress during this period, how could Lu Yuan not be advancing?

He had spent this time solidly consolidating his mana at the peak of the Sixth Stratum of the Great Dao Realm. Previously, his foundation was not entirely firm, as he had only reached the Sixth Stratum recently, and his prior pace of progress had been too rapid.

Over the past month, he had painstakingly solidified his foundation to an unshakeable degree, and simultaneously, he had attempted several times to break through to the Seventh Stratum of the Great Dao Realm—the Celestial Canopy above the head. The Celestial Canopy—ethereal like smoke, indistinct like clouds, dense and fluctuating, turning slowly—this is what is called the Celestial Canopy.

This so-called Celestial Canopy above the head referred to the convergence of numerous Laws, gradually forming an independent, small boundary, a miniature realm. This small boundary was entirely separate from the Great Thousand World where the main body resided; extracting a portion of space from the Great Thousand World was no easy feat.

Despite the guidance of his master, Taishi Kong, all his previous attempts to break through had ended in failure. This stage was inherently difficult to pass.

Lu Yuan exhaled slowly and began his assault once more. The thirty-seven ancient talismans hovering above his head began to condense incessantly, striving to coalesce into a complete small boundary, separate from the Great Thousand World.

But complete severance was not simple; the moment he began the isolation process, the mighty forces of heaven and earth would shatter the nascent boundary. Failure struck again.

Lu Yuan showed no impatience. He retrieved a flask of wine and began to drink.

He had finally found a place in the Central Celestial Dynasty that sold wine. He had initially felt that everything in the Central Celestial Dynasty surpassed the Jin Kingdom by tens or hundreds of times—even the sun was a hundred times larger—but upon tasting the wine, he discovered it was merely on par with the quality found in the Jin Kingdom.

Nothing more. As Lu Yuan was drinking and resting his spirit, he noticed his senior sister, Le Shuang, approaching from afar.

Le Shuang wore a dress of bright crimson, marking her as a dazzling beauty. She was the only female among the senior disciples who preceded him, ranked twenty-seventh.

Le Shuang rode her sword through the air, her posture captivating. Senior Sister Le Shuang spoke, "Little Junior Brother, the rare opportunity to temper Sword Intent, which occurs only once every ten years, is approaching.

This is truly a precious chance." Yuan froze: Tempering Sword Intent required ten years? Wasn't it something that could be practiced anytime?

... Lu Yuan was genuinely bewildered.

Le Shuang smiled faintly and settled onto a piece of green stone near Lu Yuan, her posture exceedingly elegant. "You truly don't know what the greatest treasure of our Sword Gate is, do you?

It’s neither the Million Sword Array, famed as the strongest in attack, nor the Star Sword Technique, said to be residual Sword Law from the last era." "What is it?" Lu Yuan asked. "It is the Sword Gate's supreme treasure: the Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World," Le Shuang stated.

"What is that?" Lu Yuan couldn't help but be startled. "What is it?" Le Shuang smiled gently.

"The Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World is the Sword Gate's ultimate treasure. This treasure is rumored to be a product of the previous Sword Era.

That era naturally had the Lord of Sword Civilization, who created the Sword Minor Thousand World. However, even a Minor Thousand World is destroyed utterly without a trace when an era collapses.

But it seems a Minor Thousand World from the last Sword Era received the intervention of a mysterious, great power. Although all life within that Minor Thousand World perished completely, and the world was severely shattered, it was refined into a magical artifact—this Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World." Pausing here, Le Shuang continued, "Of this scroll, only the painting remains.

It unfurls once every ten years. This scroll is peculiar: if one’s cultivation reaches the Chaos Cave Realm, they can no longer enter it." "Therefore, our sect permits all core disciples who have not reached the Chaos Cave Realm, and selectively, some highly talented, or those who have rendered significant service among the True Disciples, to enter the Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World." "To gain enlightenment within the Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World and observe that Minor Thousand World composed entirely of Sword!

Although it is damaged, it is extraordinary, allowing one to grasp numerous Sword Intents. Of course, even so, most people can only grasp two or three Sword Intents upon their first entry; they cannot grasp more on subsequent visits." "But given your talent, it would be normal for you to grasp four or five Sword Intents on your first attempt." "When the time comes, strive to grasp five, or even six Sword Intents in one go, to shock the disciples of the other eight Supremes, lest they look down upon us with dog eyes and think that the disciples of our Supreme Master Taishi are easy targets.

Junior Brother, you also know that few geniuses have emerged from under Supreme Master Taishi’s tutelage; we are often looked down upon." Le Shuang clapped Lu Yuan on the shoulder, her spirit bold and high. "Senior Sister is counting on you!" Lu Yuan was stunned.

The Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World—a great master from the previous era forcibly sealing a severely shattered Sword Minor Thousand World into a scroll—what an overwhelmingly grand, bold, and decisive undertaking! It was truly awe-inspiring.

Lu Yuan was now completely convinced. Moreover, he felt a surge of anticipation.

He had been stuck at thirty-seven kinds of Sword Intent for some time. He recalled that Ancestor Yan, upon ascending, claimed to possess ninety-nine kinds of Sword Intent.

He was still far from Ancestor Yan's ninety-nine intents and had been wondering how much he could naturally increase his intents; even reaching the Fifth Heaven of the Chaos Cave Realm might not equal Ancestor Yan’s ninety-nine intents. But now, seeing the existence of such a powerful weapon as the Incomplete Great Desolation Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World...

Ha! The opportunity to grasp multiple Sword Intents at once had arrived.

This wasn't just the thrill of increasing strength; it was driven by the pure love of the sword. To be sincere to the sword, allowing his Sword Dao to advance—what supreme elation!

"By the way, Senior Sister, who exactly are the Nine Great Supremes?" Lu Yuan inquired. "The Nine Great Supremes are headed by Supreme Master Xuanyuan.

Rumor has it that Supreme Master Xuanyuan is the one most likely to step into the World Realm. The World Realm is a major realm higher than the Chaos Cave Realm, and it is almost the final major stage.

Beyond the World Realm lies only the rank of Civilization Lord." "Among the other eight Supremes, our master, Supreme Master Taishi, Supreme Master Xiahou Shang, and Supreme Master Baili are friends, but their influence within the Sword Gate is currently not significant." "Supreme Master Gongyang and Supreme Master Dongye generally do not involve themselves in major internal affairs of the Sword Gate, maintaining a neutral stance toward our master." "Supreme Master Duanmu, Supreme Master Shangguan, and Supreme Master Nangong align with Supreme Master Xuanyuan; they form the current ruling faction within the Sword Gate and are the main force suppressing the lineage of our Supreme Master Taishi," Le Shuang briefly outlined the Nine Great Supremes of the Sword Gate. Lu Yuan thus gained a general impression of the sect’s power structure.

The Nine Great Supremes: Supreme Master Xuanyuan, Supreme Master Duanmu, Supreme Master Shangguan, Supreme Master Nangong, Supreme Master Gongyang, Supreme Master Dongye, Supreme Master Taishi, Supreme Master Xiahou, and Supreme Master Baili. These were the nine towering pillars of the Sword Gate, standing firm between heaven and earth.