Lu Yuan was momentarily stumped. The sequence of events was as follows: Lu Yuan had just reached the World Realm Fourth Heaven, the Yi Wu Realm, and simultaneously mastered four new sword intents, intending to depart. Just then, with a resounding boom, a three-headed lion Gu Gu Beast descended before him. The oppressive aura of a Celestial Venerable-level expert, emanating from the three-headed lion Gu Gu Beast, was undeniable.

“Human, we feel that none of our three questions managed to stump you. You are an intelligent being, almost as clever as us astute Gu Gu Beasts,” said the leftmost head of the three-headed lion. “Indeed. What three tricky questions shall we pose next time?” the middle head mused. “If we can’t stump you, we must stump the next human to truly showcase our Gu Gu Beast intelligence,” the rightmost head nodded immediately. And so, Lu Yuan was stuck. It was not easy to devise three supremely difficult questions on the spot, especially since Lu Yuan had absolutely no desire to help the Gu Gu Beasts. While perhaps somewhat simple-minded, the Gu Gu Beasts possessed terrifying strength and were known to devour humans; Lu Yuan never wished to be an accomplice to evil. However, the immediate problem was that the three-headed lion Gu Gu Beast's power far surpassed his own.

A thought flashed through Lu Yuan’s mind: “How could your great and wise Gu Gu Beasts fail to devise a unique and clever method? Asking humans direct questions seems far too cliché.”

The leftmost lion head immediately agreed emphatically: “That’s right. We are the magnificent Gu Gu Beasts.” The middle lion head stated: “How could we possibly ask a human?” The rightmost lion head concurred wholeheartedly: “Precisely, precisely. We, the great Gu Gu Beasts, must devise three exceedingly difficult questions, ensuring the next human fails to solve them. We shall devour any human who cannot answer our riddles…” The three heads then ignored Lu Yuan, turning aside to deliberate on precisely what three extremely difficult questions to formulate next.

Lu Yuan brushed the dust from his robes. After weathering the recent turbulence, his azure attire was somewhat tattered. He patted his long sword, preparing to leave the Gu Gu Deadlands.

A short while later, on the official road.

Ling Xiongtian and Ling Qingyun were waiting. Ling Qingyun had long since deployed his magical net trap, waiting for Lu Yuan to emerge and walk right into it. Meanwhile, the long spear in Ling Xiongtian’s hand was utterly silent.

“Lu Yuan has been inside the Gu Gu Deadlands for so long; he must have perished within,” Ling Qingyun remarked. “Yes,” Ling Xiongtian nodded. “He should have died in there. But just in case, we’ll wait another hundred days. If he hasn’t emerged by then, Lu Yuan is practically dead. Then, we’ll pin the blame on the Son of the Sword; given the current climate, no one will believe it wasn't the Son of the Sword who killed him.”

Ling Qingyun smiled gently: “Exactly right. Both the Son of the Sword and Lu Yuan will be destroyed by my machinations. I, Ling Qingyun, am destined to seize control of the core authority of the Confucian Civilization.”

Father and son chuckled with satisfaction. They had every right to be pleased; their scheme was brilliant. Ling Qingyun now had a very high probability of controlling the high command of the Confucian Civilization, and the matter could be perfectly framed. Furthermore, after killing Lu Yuan, given Lu Yuan’s renown, he must possess many treasures. Ling Xiongtian couldn't help but lick his lips; he had secretly hoped Lu Yuan would die by his own hand rather than the Gu Gu Beasts’, primarily so he could loot Lu Yuan’s wealth.

Ling Xiongtian and Ling Qingyun, father and son, both presented themselves as refined gentlemen on the surface and maintained their disguise impeccably in public. But now, with no outsiders present, only the two of them remained, and a portion of their true nature was revealed. They were, in essence, utter hypocrites.

Just as they were pondering, a streak of azure light flashed past. This azure light shot directly from off the main road, carrying intense killing intent. Facing this light, Ling Xiongtian dared not be careless for a moment. He raised his spear, immediately unleashing the move, ‘Gentleman’s Vastness.’ This technique erupted with vast, righteous energy; while many of his Hundred Gentleman Strikes involved insidious tactics, this was one of his formidable head-on clashes.

The azure light collided with the spear light.

In that instant, countless rays of light erupted.

Upon initial contact with the azure light, Ling Xiongtian felt a moment of reassurance; he clearly perceived that the magical power behind the azure light was inferior to his own, leading him to fight boldly. But immediately, he realized something was wrong: the opponent’s azure light was continuously eroding his magical power, making his side progressively weaker.

Boom!

Ling Xiongtian’s expression changed drastically, and he retreated swiftly. There was a sword wound across his shoulder, and his face was slightly pale. Who was this? Despite having less magical power, the opponent had managed to claw back the advantage purely through martial technique, ultimately wounding him with that move. What level of astounding mastery of technique could this be?

Who was this opponent? Could it be Lu Yuan? No, surely not.

Ling Xiongtian finally saw his opponent clearly: it was Gong Qingyi, carrying the bright, long-singing sword on his shoulder. Who else could it be if not Lu Yuan? Damn it, it really was Lu Yuan! He hadn’t expected Lu Yuan to break through to the World Realm Fourth Heaven, and upon reaching that stage, unleash such terrifying combat power.

Lu Yuan shrugged: “Ling Xiongtian, Ling Qingyun, you two hypocrites intended to trouble me, to kill me. Unfortunate for you, you won’t get the chance.”

“Is that so?” Ling Xiongtian, worthy of being a World Realm Fifth Heaven expert—a figure who held significant standing in any Civilization—erupted with fierce battle intent. “Very well, let us fight today and see who is stronger: you, the newly ascended Fourth Heaven newcomer, or I, the established World Realm Fifth Heaven veteran.”

“Is that so? Then try me,” Lu Yuan thrust his sword toward Ling Xiongtian.

Ling Xiongtian thrust his spear in return, instantly striking Lu Yuan. But immediately, he realized the truth: although he had struck Lu Yuan, this seemed to be Lu Yuan’s phantom projection, nothing more than that damned Fallen Life, Dream Like technique. Ling Xiongtian immediately tried various methods to shatter the illusion.

He stabbed! He stabbed again!

The Gentleman’s Spear in his hand unleashed endless spear techniques, striking Lu Yuan repeatedly, but each strike only hit a fake Lu Yuan, not the true one.

He used dozens of the Hundred Gentleman Strikes, employing every insidious method he knew, yet he couldn't inflict the slightest injury on Lu Yuan. Conversely, Ling Xiongtian’s own injuries mounted, growing more numerous and severe.

The more he fought, the more terror and dread Ling Xiongtian felt. He realized that no matter how he attacked, no matter what technique he used, he could not touch Lu Yuan. He had tried every conceivable method, while Lu Yuan continuously inflicted damage upon him. This battle was simply unwinnable. Ling Xiongtian finally understood what Fallen Life, Dream Like truly meant—a technique that inspired utter despair, a technique that simply could not be hit. How could such a technique even exist!

Ling Xiongtian knew he was defeated; he could not possibly win against Lu Yuan.

Sensing his imminent failure, Ling Xiongtian pressed his hand into the void. Instantly, a book materialized beneath his feet. This tome released a white aura that enveloped his entire body. Lu Yuan struck this white flow of energy with his sword, but the blade could not penetrate it at all.

What is this? Lu Yuan questioned internally, feeling immense resistance as his sword light slammed against the white aura, seemingly unable to cut through.

Ling Xiongtian looked at Lu Yuan and sneered: “Lu Yuan, I, Ling Xiongtian, have lived a lifetime of conquest, played the hypocrite for a lifetime, scheming at every turn. How could I fall so easily to your blade? Before coming to attack you, I calculated contingency plans for if you broke through to the World Realm Fourth Heaven and surpassed me in strength.” “Therefore, I had this artifact prepared early: the Pseudo! Three Character Classic,” Ling Xiongtian said with a cold laugh.

The Three Character Classic was one of the foundational treasures of the Confucian Civilization. The triangle was its most stable configuration; the Three Character Classic was composed of countless small triangles forming a larger triangle, which in turn formed an even grander triangle, creating an utterly stable structure. The defense of a genuine Three Character Classic was astonishingly formidable. There was a legendary tale of a Civilization Vice-Master attacking a cultivator protected by the Three Character Classic—who was at the Chaos Realm—and failing to inflict even a scratch.

Since then, the Three Character Classic has been widely celebrated as an immensely powerful defensive artifact, its defensive might believed to be no less than the top-tier artifacts of the Buddhist Gu Civilization.

Naturally, Ling Xiongtian did not possess the genuine article, but the Confucian Civilization also possessed Pseudo! Three Character Classics. The one Ling Xiongtian activated now was a pseudo version. He had planned ahead; how could a cunning hypocrite like him allow himself to be placed in danger?

Lu Yuan struck again and again, unleashing every conceivable sword technique—those of supreme hardness and rigidity, those of ultimate softness and fluidity. Yet, regardless of the sword style, none could pierce the defense of the Pseudo! Three Character Classic.

Protected within the artifact, standing on the scroll, Ling Xiongtian sneered: “Lu Yuan, farewell for now. Wait for my next scheme against you.” He said this for a reason: he aimed to enrage Lu Yuan. If Lu Yuan carried that anger back to the Sword Gate and into his battle against the Son of the Sword, lacking true equanimity, Lu Yuan would be doomed. Ling Xiongtian would strike Lu Yuan from every angle. This was precisely the insidious and cunning nature of Ling Xiongtian.

He channeled his energy into the scroll beneath his feet, preparing to depart.

Lu Yuan let out a cold laugh and once more held his sword horizontally before Ling Xiongtian. Man and sword stood opposite, azure robes fluttering, sword light sharp and piercing.

Ling Xiongtian scoffed: “You can’t touch me at all. What are you trying to test now?”

“Is that so?” Lu Yuan sneered. “Then let’s test this move of mine: Sword Zero, Heart-Piercing Strike.” Having practiced Sword Zero within the Elemental Tower and further honed it in the Gu Gu Deadlands, the long period of training finally found its stage. A chilling, almost radioactive beam of sword light erupted from Lu Yuan’s Nourishing Self Immortal Sword, carrying a touch of arrogant defiance as it thrust toward Ling Xiongtian.