War Maniac Tie estimated that Lu Yuan, within the Hidden Sword Sect, would quickly utilize the Mad Gate's prior discoveries to locate it.

Upon finding the Hidden Sword Sect, he then laid down heavy ambushes around the perimeter, completely sealing off the surrounding space.

Only after completing these tasks did he brazenly reveal himself.

Before appearing, he hadn't paid much attention to the changes within the Hidden Sword Sect. Regardless, with this area locked down, who among them was his match? Jian Ruhai? No, that one was only fit to be a burrowing mouse. Lu Yuan, though possessing astonishing swordsmanship, had deficient magical power. As for the others, like Jian Yunzhongzu or Ji Qianyu, they weren't even worth three moves against him, so he didn't care in the slightest.

When Zhan Kuang Tie materialized, a casual glance from his emotional meter instantly left him stunned.

The Seven Desires: Ninth Grade Upper!

Ninth Grade Upper!

What kind of concept was this!

This was simply unimaginable.

Lu Yuan was actually Ninth Grade Upper!

He was supposed to be deficient in the Seven Desires; logically, Lu Yuan should have been First Grade or Second Grade, at best Second Grade. How could he now be Ninth Grade Upper! Had he misread it? After confirming he hadn't misread, Zhan Kuang Tie took a deep breath: "Lu Yuan, you truly surprise me. It seems you managed to elevate your Seven Desires to the Ninth Grade in such a short time."

"When trying to break through to the fifth level of the World Realm, many attempt to raise their Seven Desires, but generally, they only manage to raise them by one or two grades. To raise them by three or four would be quite remarkable. Yet, you've jumped directly from First or Second Grade to Ninth Grade. I truly underestimated your potential. Fortunately, I arrived early. Even with Ninth Grade Seven Desires, you would still require other resources and a considerable amount of time to reach the fifth level of the World Realm, and until you reach that stage, you cannot possibly be my equal."

"Today, you must perish here!" Zhan Kuang Tie roared.

He looked intently at Lu Yuan and realized that deep within his soul, a burgeoning fear of Lu Yuan was taking root. Lu Yuan's potential was this immense. Such an individual had to be extinguished before he could fully mature; otherwise, the annihilation of the Mad Gate was practically guaranteed. He had suspected Lu Yuan possessed great potential, but never had he imagined it would be this vast.

To think it had reached this level.

He recalled Lu Yuan's Sixth Sword Technique, Heaven-Deterring!

He remembered Lu Yuan's Eighth Sword Technique, Myriad Swords Return to One!

Zhan Kuang Tie solidified his resolve deep down: he absolutely had to kill Lu Yuan, no matter what.

Zhan Kuang Tie turned his gaze to Jian Ruhai: "You are first." He selected Jian Ruhai as his initial target. This wasn't because Jian Ruhai posed the greatest threat—in fact, Jian Ruhai was the least threatening. But this was the Hidden Sword Sect, these people were like burrowing rats. Even though he had sealed the vicinity, he feared the Hidden Sword Sect might have concealed last-resort tactics, so he chose Ruhai as the first target.

Zhan Kuang Tie lifted his hand, and the Tiger Wing Saber moved through the void, slashing toward Jian Ruhai.

A sharp blade light pressed forward, a blade light nearly a thousand zhang long, every inch of it impossibly dense and solid. This strike also had a grand name: Questioning the Master, Accusing the World's Chaos. This strike lay in the concept of 'guilt'; under the sharpness of this blade, Jian Ruhai felt as if he himself were the original sin causing the world's disorder, as if he were compelled to commit suicide. Jian Ruhai swung out his long sword, knowing this was the imposing aura of the saber forcing such a reaction. Facing Zhan Kuang Tie's long saber, he knew he was at the ultimate precipice between life and death. Therefore, at this moment, he dared not hesitate any further, unleashing his strongest sword technique: Sword Like a Wheel.

Sword Like a Wheel was a technique derived from the Sword of Reincarnation.

The Sword Like a Wheel technique moved like an endless cycle of reincarnation, and with a single strike, the sword qi produced was abundant, reaching thousands or even tens of thousands of streams. This was a classic move prioritizing sheer quantity for victory.

"Break!" Zhan Kuang Tie roared, and the Tiger Wing Saber cleaved down fiercely, the saber energy surging even stronger, brutally slicing through tens of thousands of sword qi streams. With a clang, Jian Ruhai was thrown tumbling far away. Zhan Kuang Tie laughed heartily: "With swordsmanship like yours, you think you can withstand my Questioning the Master, Accusing the World's Chaos?"

"Next, again." Zhan Kuang Tie executed the second move of his Long March Saber technique: Impenetrable Walls, Cleared Fields, Bloody Mountains and Rivers. Instantly, an endless river of blood poured forth from his long saber, twisting toward the pale-faced Jian Ruhai. This strike was fierce and savage, ruthless and sharp, wild and arrogant—it had reached a terrifying extreme.

The Long March Saber Technique!

The march was not for roads, but for men.

To conquer billions of living souls—that was the Long March Saber Technique.

And now, Zhan Kuang Tie intended to use this very technique to conquer and slay every one of these people.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

With every strike exchanged, Jian Ruhai’s face grew paler.

"Defeated!" Jian Ruhai was split down the middle by a long slash, almost cut in half at the chest. Though not dead, he was close to it.

Zhan Kuang Tie swung toward Su Yingxiu again. He detested Su Yingxiu's boat (implying seduction or alliance). Ji Qianyu immediately lunged forward upon seeing this; they were sisters united by heart. Zhu Tianrong, Zhu Liefeng, and Jian Yunzhongzu knew this was the critical moment. The five joined forces, coalescing into a vast offensive that struck toward Zhan Kuang Tie.

Zhan Kuang Tie sneered. Mere five individuals at the fourth level of the World Realm dared to challenge him? He unleashed the remaining moves of his Long March Saber Technique one after another: Close Combat, Shattering Isolated Armies!, Exchanging Violence for Greater Violence, General’s Command!, War Flames Burn the Sky, Calamity is Born!, Displaying Might, Extending the Great Wall Formation!, and other ferocious and arrogant saber moves.

Boom! Zhu Tianrong was blasted flying to the side.

Boom! Zhu Liefeng tumbled aside.

Jian Yunzhongzu was spitting up great mouthfuls of blood, while Ji Qianyu and Su Yingxiu both had faces as white as parchment, clinging to the last vestiges of their breath.

All figures possessing combat strength had been defeated. Zhan Kuang Tie stood like a demon god, the true majesty of the sixth level of the World Realm now fully displayed. Ji Qianyu and the others were engulfed in despair. It was no wonder they despaired; facing Zhan Kuang Tie, they had tried countless methods, fled distances counted in millions and billions of li, only to ultimately die at his hands? They truly refused to accept this fate!

In truth, Jian Ruhai felt the most indignant. What Jian Ruhai desired most was the resurgence of the Dao of the Sword, and was that hope to be extinguished here? Lu Yuan could not die!

While Jian Ruhai, Ji Qianyu, and the others fought Zhan Kuang Tie, Lu Yuan was contemplating his next move!

In that instant, Lu Yuan’s thought process was moving at the speed of light. Engaging Zhan Kuang Tie now would certainly wound him, but ultimately, Lu Yuan would only die at Zhan Kuang Tie's hands. He did not want this outcome, as he still had far too many tasks ahead of him.

The only way to deal with Zhan Kuang Tie was to advance to the fifth level of the World Realm, the Realm of Creation.

To hastily advance to the fifth level of the World Realm, the Realm of Creation, required mastering the Zenith of the Seven Desires.

To grasp the Zenith of the Seven Desires, even with his current Ninth Grade Upper Seven Desires, required resources such as Origin Stones.

Without resources, he could not charge toward the fifth level of the World Realm.

Wait!

When did he develop this notion—that advancing realms was impossible without resources?

Back at Mount Hua, he had managed to upgrade purely through comprehension multiple times.

Why must resources be essential for breaking through realms?

A flicker of enlightenment crossed Lu Yuan’s mind.

At this moment, Zhan Kuang Tie had defeated everyone else and now turned his attention to Lu Yuan, the final and greatest main course: "Lu Yuan, you wounded me twice with your sword; I have always remembered that. Now, the time has come for you to die. You will perish under my blade. Oh, Tiger Wing, you should be happy. This is not just anyone's blood. You are about to consume the blood of the Eighth Son of Destiny, the Sword Dao's greatest genius, Lu Yuan—the blood of the Central Heavenly Dynasty’s strongest swordsman." The Tiger Wing Saber chimed softly, as if excited. Indeed, why wouldn't the Tiger Wing Saber be excited? It had never consumed the blood of someone with such immense potential—the strongest Sword Dao genius! The Central Heavenly Dynasty's foremost sword!

Zhan Kuang Tie unleashed a strike—sharp! precise! cruel! absolute!

One blow cleaved Lu Yuan into two halves.

Zhan Kuang Tie immediately sensed something was wrong and spotted another Lu Yuan standing nearby.

"Floating Life is like a Dream?" Zhan Kuang Tie encountered this move for the first time. He immediately analyzed it in his mind and quickly deduced the method to break it: simply suppress and shatter it with brute magical force.

"Zhan Kuang Tie, do you truly believe I must rely on resources to ascend to the fifth level of the World Realm, the Realm of Creation? If so, you are gravely mistaken." A faint smile curved the corner of Lu Yuan's lips: "Activate, Seven Desires." In that instant, Lu Yuan's entire demeanor shifted abruptly.

And then, above Lu Yuan’s head, the emotional meter began to change rapidly.

"Testing Seven Desires: Joy."

"Seven Desires: Joy, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Wrath."

"Seven Desires: Wrath, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Sorrow."

"Seven Desires: Sorrow, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Fear."

"Seven Desires: Fear, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Love."

"Seven Desires: Love, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Evil."

"Seven Desires: Evil, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

"Testing Seven Desires: Desire."

"Seven Desires: Desire, Tenth Grade Upper, Pinnacle."

This transformation in Lu Yuan caused Zhan Kuang Tie’s mouth to gape, his pupils contracting rapidly. What was happening?

Seven Desires at the Ninth Grade represented the limit; how could Lu Yuan now be producing Tenth Grade? This exceeded the limit—what in the world was this? Zhan Kuang Tie couldn't accept it for a moment. The heavily wounded Jian Ruhai and the others were completely bewildered; how had Lu Yuan conjured Seventh Desires at the Tenth Grade in that split second!

How could the Seven Desires have a Tenth Grade!

It seemed that the situation had taken a subtle turn in an instant.

Just like Zhan Kuang Tie’s constricted pupils, and just like the faint smile on the corner of Lu Yuan's mouth.

The wind blew silently, precisely mirroring the wind inside the Sword Listening Chamber.