What an immense eagle this was! Infinitely majestic, infinitely fierce!

It descended with an ancient aura that made even sword cultivators tremble—a primordial power raining down. The Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle.

This was a terrifying giant eagle that had humbled many Grand Elders on Sword Ancestor Star; it was the apex predator of Sword Ancestor Star's entire food chain, overwhelmingly powerful. Its mere arrival scattered a terrifying might across the entire assembly.

The colossal beast nearly consumed the entire Stone Sword Plaza, and the airflow generated by its descent swept away anyone who had retreated too slowly. These individuals, though not Grand Elders, were still masters of the Hun-Cave Realm, yet they were tossed about by the mere current.

Almost everyone involuntarily looked up toward the eagle’s head. Who could it be, standing atop such a formidable giant, commanding this eagle's obedience?

Too many Grand Elders held bitter memories concerning this very eagle; several had been grievously wounded by its talons in past encounters. Every soul there knew the sheer terror this eagle represented.

On Sword Ancestor Star, every Grand Elder had been explicitly warned: there were a few top-tier demonic beasts on this star that must never be provoked. If encountered, one was to flee immediately, lest they suffer an inescapable doom.

Among these few supreme beasts was this giant eagle. The Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Eagle.

The survival conditions on Sword Ancestor Star were not particularly safe, far less secure than Sword Cultivator Star. While Sword Cultivator Star also harbored demonic beasts, they lacked this level of terrifying strength, and those beasts were protected by the crystalline barrier of the Dao of the Sword Tree.

The reason Sword Ancestor Star remained so perilous, despite the lack of effort to cleanse its environment, was simple. It stemmed from a decree left by the First Sword Master who founded the Sword Gate: "Sword Ancestor Star is dangerous.

But if the Grand Elders cannot survive here, how can they possibly endure the harsher natural environment of the Central Celestial Dynasty, or survive the inevitable collapse of powers within the Central Celestial Dynasty?" Because of these words, Sword Ancestor Star remained as it was. It was a convergence point for the mightiest demonic beasts.

And now, the ultimate Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle had appeared here. At last, the gazes of the crowd settled upon the figure perched above the eagle’s head.

It was a gentle young man, bearing a casually unconstrained smile, radiating a soft, easygoing aura. He held a sword resting on his shoulder with his right hand, and in his left, a wine gourd.

His azure robes fluttered wildly in the wind. Lu Yuan!

The figure standing atop the eagle’s head was, impossibly, Lu Yuan! The assembled Grand Elders and their disciples had all expected to see someone of the World Realm Fifth Level Ancestor stature commanding the beast, only to find it was Lu Yuan!

The sheer, massive contrast left many present struggling to comprehend, some even feeling a slight wave of dizziness. The sunlight bathed Lu Yuan upon the eagle’s crest, his smile radiating pure, bright energy: "Greetings, everyone." It really was Lu Yuan!

Do not fault the Grand Elders for their internal gasps; Lu Yuan's ability to stand on the head of this terrifying giant was profoundly shocking. How could he possibly command a creature like the Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle, something generally requiring an Ancestor-level Sword Cultivator to subdue?

Lu Yuan was undeniably a sword cultivator—how had he accomplished this? "Look, the eagle is injured." "Yes, and severely so." The sheer presence of the eagle when it first arrived had been so overwhelming that it nearly obscured the injuries it carried.

Only now, as their minds settled, did they notice that this giant eagle wasn't merely wounded; it was ravaged. The Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle, known for its golden eyes, showed countless scars.

Its entire plumage was disordered, its sharp talons were covered in abrasions, and one claw tip appeared shredded. The eagle now exhibited a strange fragility, and its innate primordial aura was utterly disrupted.

"I knew it. No wonder Lu Yuan could subdue this eagle—it's wounded." "Indeed.

The eagle is so weak now; it would be far easier to subdue than usual." "Alas, Lu Yuan has stumbled into a massive windfall. This eagle must have battled other top-tier beasts on Sword Ancestor Star and been grievously wounded, letting him seize the prize." "Oh, and I just inquired—it turns out Lu Yuan also possesses a Beast Taming Token that allows mandatory subjugation.

Combined with the eagle's severe injuries, no wonder Lu Yuan could tame it and arrive riding it." The Grand Elders murmured amongst themselves. These two factors, when put together, barely managed to explain how Lu Yuan had managed to subdue the giant eagle and arrive in such a manner.

Even so, the sight of Lu Yuan commanding the eagle filled the Grand Elders with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Once this eagle recovered from its wounds in a few years, it would be an incredibly potent fighting force.

In truth, Lu Yuan hadn't originally planned such a showy entrance by riding the eagle. But how else to manage the arrival?

Where could he keep the eagle? Normally, a self-reared pet could be stored in one’s personal dimensional space, but alas, this eagle was too enormous.

Placing it inside his space would likely cause it to burst immediately, given the creature’s height of over ten thousand zhang. Moreover, his Sword Space needed room for other possessions.

The other option was a Beast Sealing Plaque. These plaques weren't expensive, but one capable of sealing an eagle over ten thousand zhang tall was not merely a matter of expense; it was practically impossible.

Legend held that in the previous epoch, there was a Beast Civilization whose primary asset was the Beast Sealing Plaque, capable of storing monstrous beasts and divine beasts tens of thousands of zhang high. But that civilization had long vanished into the river of history, with only occasional remnants found now in the Lost Lands.

Beast Sealing Plaques still existed in the current era, but they were exceedingly rare, and Lu Yuan couldn't find one in time. This eagle’s wild nature remained untamed.

If placed near Sword Cloud City now, it would likely flee instantly. Thus, Lu Yuan simply flew in atop it himself.

This, precisely, was the origin of his spectacularly flashy arrival. Lu Yuan stood upon the eagle’s head, gazing at the richly clad young master before him—the Son of the Sword.

The Son of the Sword returned Lu Yuan’s gaze, the two long-standing rivals engaging in a subtle confrontation. The Son of the Sword spoke coolly to the Ancestor Jian Xu beside him: "This Lu Yuan truly overestimates himself.

Though he has potential, attempting to challenge me head-on now is seeking death." His tone carried an inherent air of unmatched dominance. "However," the Son of the Sword shifted his tone, "Lu Yuan does possess some strength, far superior to Jian Hui or the Sword Devil.

The original Eight Extremes of the Sword Dao weren't even worthy of serving as my whetstone, but Lu Yuan has earned that qualification." He paused, then continued, "He will ultimately be defeated by me, his destiny stolen, to become the sharpening stone for this heaven-shattering divine sword of mine, allowing me to achieve the rank of Number One in the Sword Dao of the Central Celestial Dynasty." The Son of the Sword tilted his head toward the sky, which stretched infinitely high. "There are several Sword Dao experts in the Lost Lands, some even reaching the Celestial Venerable realm, but I will defeat them all." The Son of the Sword did not know precisely which masters resided in the Lost Lands, but he sensed the presence of Celestial Venerable-level sword experts there—beings stronger than Sword Ancestor Jian Mie.

This was the keen intuition shared between swordsmen; the Son of the Sword could sense the emergence of any formidable swordsman in the world. Lu Yuan leaped down and patted the giant eagle beside him, signaling it to move aside.

The eagle shifted, granting the Stone Sword Plaza a little more space. At this point, the three major factions of Sword Ancestor Star had all assembled: Ancestor Jian Feng’s faction, Ancestor Jian Yun’s faction, and Ancestor Jian Xu’s faction.

Logically, Ancestor Jian Yun’s side should have been the weakest, as the other two factions allied, and Ancestor Jian Xu’s group, bolstered by the Son of the Sword, usually held the advantage. But Lu Yuan’s dramatic entrance had significantly bolstered the morale of Ancestor Jian Yun’s faction.

In that very instant, an aura capable of extinguishing heaven and earth radiated outwards. What was that!

If the World Realm represented divinity, this aura was that of a High God—far stronger than the average divine being. This presence swept across the world, its world-destroying might causing even the Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle, perpetually arrogant and disdainful of these sword cultivators, to feel a distinct unease.

The Sword Gate’s foremost figure, Ancestor Jian Mie, had finally emerged from seclusion. He was a somewhat short, thin old man with a white beard.

Despite his aged appearance, he exuded an air of utter annihilation, as if capable of destroying all existence. This overwhelming power surpassed that of anyone else present.

"Greetings, Ancestor." "Greetings, Ancestor." All factions bowed towards the short, thin elder who stood atop the hundred-zhang high stone sword. This was the true pillar of the Sword Gate; without Ancestor Jian Mie, the sect might not have survived this long, perhaps having been annihilated by other sects long ago.

Ancestor Jian Mie raised a hand: "There is no need for such ceremony. You three factions have brought a total of forty-six individuals.

These forty-six will participate in the Sword Skill Competition. This competition will not judge the height of magical power or the speed of movement, but purely the mastery of sword techniques.

Participants will engage in one-on-one combat, and the final victor advances to the Sword Relief Sculpture. During this contest, reliance on magical power or speed for victory is strictly forbidden." "Furthermore," he continued, "any sword move used in this competition must be one you know how to counter yourself.

If you cannot break a technique, do not employ it, as this is a contest of techniques. What use is a move you cannot deconstruct yourself?" This rule was implemented to prevent anyone from using ancient, indecipherable moves to intentionally trap an opponent.

The Sword Skill Competition was a true test of sword techniques and one's comprehension of them. Lu Yuan listened to the rules, understanding dawning: so that was the case.

Ancestor Jian Mie gestured: "The Sword Skill Competition begins now." As he spoke, Ancestor Jian Mie closely studied Lu Yuan. This young man managing to subdue the Wilderness Golden-Pupil Soaring Cloud Eagle was indeed unexpected.

This person must be Lu Yuan—a natural harbinger of immense fortune. Indeed, the moment the younger generation made their move, they shocked the entirety of Sword Ancestor Star!