Lu Yuan's entrance was anything but ordinary; in an instant, he seized control of the entire situation. It was quite remarkable that he could dominate the mood with the Sword Disciple, Tong Shangxin, and Tong Liulei—three formidable figures from the Great Tower—all present.

Lu Yuan took a long gulp of wine before turning his gaze toward the Sword Disciple. "Oh, Sword Disciple. You actually have the nerve to return? The Sword Gate has been under siege by the Mad Gate for so long, and yet you failed to show your face." Without question, Lu Yuan was slapping the Sword Disciple across the face. A scoundrel like the Sword Disciple wouldn't lift a finger to help the Sword Gate in its hour of need; such a person certainly wouldn't act if the Way of the Sword itself were in peril. The Sword Way has no need for such individuals.

The Sword Disciple offered a faint smile. "Why did it take you until now to appear, when the Sword Gate has been besieged by the Mad Gate for so long?" Lu Yuan shrugged. "I was being hunted by Zhan Kuangtie. It took everything I had to finally turn the tables and kill him before rushing here." The Sword Disciple clapped his hands. "That explains it. I, too, found myself in a perilous situation back then. By the time I navigated my own crisis, I already heard that Junior Brother Lu Yuan had resolved the Sword Gate's danger. I truly owe you one this time, Junior Brother Lu Yuan." He spoke these words lightly, wearing a casual smile.

Lu Yuan let out a hollow laugh. In a matter like this, no one could verify the truth. No one could prove the Sword Disciple was honest, nor could anyone prove he was lying, so there was no refuting his statement.

Ancestor Jian Mie spoke up. "Then, Sword Disciple, what is the purpose of your return?" The Sword Disciple stated calmly, "I recall a rule within our Sword Gate: once one reaches the sixth heaven of the World Realm, one can apply to take possession of the Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Great Desolation in the Minor Thousand World."

The Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Great Desolation in the Minor Thousand World—Lu Yuan was already familiar with this item. Legend held that after the destruction of the Minor Thousand World belonging to the previous Sword Ancient Civilization, a great powerhouse sealed a portion of that world using specialized techniques, transforming it into the current Fragmented Sword Scroll. Many Sword Gate disciples, before reaching the Primal Chaos Realm, could enter this scroll to cultivate and comprehend Sword Intent. This artifact was essentially the foremost treasure, the divine artifact, of the Sword Gate! Lu Yuan had heard whispers shortly after entering the Great Dao Realm that the Deputy Master of the Bronze Civilization desperately wanted to seize this very object. During his time in the fragmented scroll, Lu Yuan had even encountered a Sword Intent monster and absorbed vast amounts of intent. And now, the Sword Disciple was demanding the Minor Thousand World Fragmented Sword Scroll! Could one simply apply to take it? Lu Yuan couldn't help but be startled.

The Sword Disciple’s demand, naturally, had a profound motive. The eighth heaven of the World Realm is the True World Realm. This stage is completely different from what came before; the previous personal space was merely a domain, not a true world. In this realm, one must expand that space into a world, a feat requiring the frantic accumulation achieved in the seventh heaven, as well as immense power to cleave one's space into a world. For an individual to transform their own space into a world is an undertaking of near-impossible difficulty—in fact, it is the very limit of difficulty.

The Minor Thousand World Fragmented Sword Scroll is, in itself, a remnant of the ancient Sword World. If one could successfully seize this scroll and integrate it into their nascent world, they could rapidly advance to the eighth heaven of the World Realm, the True World Realm. Furthermore, the ancient Sword World was no ordinary place; it could rival the five great ancient civilizations of the present day. Although the sword scroll is only a fragment, that part alone contains boundless creation, profound depths, and incredible power. Integrating the scroll into one's own world would yield power far greater than a world cultivated entirely through personal effort. Beyond that, countless other benefits might be gained—perhaps even secret treasures from the ancient Sword World lurking within the scroll’s domain. In short, the power contained within this scroll was unimaginably vast.

Throughout the known history of the Sword Gate, countless masters have sought to claim the scroll, but every single attempt ended in failure! That is correct; otherwise, the scroll would not still remain unclaimed today. A long-standing rule within the Sword Gate stipulated that anyone reaching the sixth heaven of the World Realm was qualified to attempt to seize the scroll. Thus, the Sword Disciple was now here to claim it.

This was decidedly bad news! Ancestor Jian Mie and Taishi Kong simultaneously sensed impending trouble. Since the crisis with the Mad Gate began and the Sword Disciple remained absent, neither man truly considered him the true inheritor of the Sword Gate. How could they allow the Sword Gate's foremost secret treasure, the scroll, to fall into his hands? Yet, this was a rule established by the ancestors. Rules must not be broken! Moreover, it wasn't just about preserving tradition; with the Sword Disciple, Tong Liulei, and Tong Shangxin all present, could they really afford to break the rule? It seemed they were forced to let the Sword Disciple have his way.

But they absolutely could not let him succeed. If he succeeded, the ensuing disappointment would be minor compared to the fact that the Sword Gate’s foremost treasure would be lost, and placing it in the Sword Disciple's hands was tantamount to losing it anyway.

The Sword Disciple smiled faintly, radiating extreme confidence. He had long desired the scroll but knew his own strength was insufficient to claim it. However, this time, after receiving direct guidance from the Deputy Master of the Bronze Civilization, he had not only reached the sixth heaven of the World Realm but had also acquired a secret artifact capable of securing the scroll. This was why he had returned with such measured dignity.

"There is no other way," Ancestor Jian Mie conceded. In the end, he had no choice but to agree, bound by ancestral rules and the Sword Disciple's overwhelming presence.

"Wait, I want to go too. I claim a share in seizing the scroll," a voice suddenly interjected. Everyone turned to see that the speaker was Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan knew absolutely nothing about the process of seizing the Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Great Desolation in the Minor Thousand World, but sometimes, in life, you don't get to choose based on what you know. If he remained passive, this foremost treasure of the Sword Gate might fall into the Sword Disciple’s grasp. Thinking of the Sword Intent Monster, Lu Yuan felt a deep reluctance to hand over such a treasure to the Sword Disciple, especially since he himself had done nothing wrong.

The Sword Disciple looked at Lu Yuan and smiled thinly. "Unfortunately, for the Great Desolation Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Minor Thousand World, the rule set by the Sword Gate ancestors is that only those at the sixth heaven of the World Realm may attempt to seize it." Lu Yuan was taken aback; the Sword Disciple constantly invoking the rules made the situation difficult.

Ancestor Jian Mie’s mind settled. "Sword Disciple, the ancestral rules are not limited to just that one clause. The first rule states that anyone at the sixth heaven of the World Realm or above is qualified to go. The second rule states that if both the Sword Master and the Sword Ancestor, Xingchen Zhigui, agree, one may also go. I agree to let Lu Yuan proceed to collect the scroll." Unable to stop the Sword Disciple, the only recourse was to send Lu Yuan along. Ancestor Jian Mie now recognized a crucial point: the Sword Disciple might not necessarily prevail against Lu Yuan.

Taishi Kong immediately declared, "I naturally agree as well."

With the matter settled, Lu Yuan now held the qualification to go. Consequently, both Lu Yuan and the Sword Disciple were now permitted to proceed simultaneously.

Since the decision was made, negotiations ceased. Ancestor Jian Mie prepared to lead the Sword Disciple and Lu Yuan to Sword Apex Mountain. Taishi Kong, as the Sword Master, would naturally accompany them. Tong Liulei and Tong Shangxin also intended to go, but Ancestor Jian Mie immediately stopped them. "The sword scroll resides in a restricted area of the Sword Gate. You cannot enter," the Ancestor stated. "However, I can notify you of developments, allowing you to observe via the Water Mirror Technique." Tong Liulei and Tong Shangxin had primarily come to bolster the Sword Disciple's position; Ancestor Jian Mie’s reasoning was sound, and they halted their progress outside Sword Apex Mountain.

Sword Apex Mountain! This mountain range housed the Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Great Desolation in the Minor Thousand World. Lu Yuan had visited Sword Apex Mountain twice before, but both times he had entered the Sword Apex Palace. This time, however, they bypassed the palace and opened a passage leading deep into the earth.

Ancestor Jian Mie looked at the Sword Disciple and Lu Yuan. "The Fragmented Sword Scroll of the Great Desolation in the Minor Thousand World was inscribed by a supreme being at the end of the last era. He used over three hundred characters to consolidate fragmented vestiges of the ancient Sword Civilization into this scroll. Only by breaking through all three hundred characters can one obtain the scroll."

"These three hundred characters are not easily broken; they even generate fierce attacks. In past history, absurd things have occurred—for instance, there are precedents where experts at the sixth heaven of the World Realm have died under the assault of these characters. Sword Disciple, Lu Yuan, are you certain you wish to attempt to seize this scroll now?" He asked again, primarily directing the question toward Lu Yuan. The Sword Disciple clearly held significant certainty, likely having made thorough preparations. Lu Yuan, however, was completely unprepared, rushing blindly into the scroll's domain—an extremely perilous situation. The Ancestor naturally did not want Lu Yuan to perish inside.

Hearing the mention of characters, Lu Yuan couldn't help but smile. If it were anything else, he might face extreme difficulty, considering that this technique had outright killed masters of the Sword Gate at the sixth level of the World Realm. But since the challenge involved characters, and he possessed the Golden Devouring Dragon, the Wood Devouring Dragon, the Water Devouring Dragon, and the Thunder Devouring Dragon, the difficulty related to the script was halved. Yet, he could not afford carelessness; while one aspect of the challenge was cut in half, the other half remained. The Sword Disciple’s preparations were likely substantial.

Ancestor Jian Mie instructed, "You two should meditate here and adjust your breathing for a while. Soon, you may enter the scroll and take control of it." The Sword Disciple understood the rules and immediately sat down to regulate his breathing. Internally, he was smug; he had saved his ultimate trump card for seizing the scroll. Although Lu Yuan was strong, he could never surpass the advantages the Sword Disciple held. He was determined to obtain the scroll; as for Lu Yuan, he was destined for utter defeat this time. The Sword Disciple mused to himself that he was the true Son of the Sword Way, and Lu Yuan should prepare for failure.

The scroll was about to open! This would likely be its final opening!