The third round of the battle was for the top 150 slots out of 500. Simultaneously, the top 250 participants automatically qualified for the World Volcano, while the remaining 250 losers would see 115 of them selected based on their performance in this round, granting them partial qualification for the World Volcano. Thus, the third round of the Sect Battle was, in fact, quite crucial. Everyone was eager to win this round.

Lu Yuan, seeing that his opponent was the Ghost King Sect, couldn't help but pause, racking his brain to search his memories. After a long moment, he recalled the Ghost King Sect: the time he first went to the World Volcano, members of that sect had provoked him, only to be soundly defeated. Ah, he remembered now. So, this was that sect, a place steeped in an eerie, ghost-like aura.

At this moment, the Ghost King Sect was also observing their opponent and was startled to see the Sword Gate listed. Undoubtedly, the Sword Gate was a troublesome opponent. In the past, anyone who drew the Sword Gate was happy, whether it was the Raging Eagle Sect or the Peerless Gate; it was the same sentiment. But in actual combat, they realized facing the Sword Gate was far from pleasant. Lu Yuan of the Sword Gate was terrifying; he had played the role of 'one man against an entire sect' twice now. However, to suggest the Ghost King Sect would show weakness was impossible. You, Lu Yuan, are from the Sword Gate. The Sword Gate and the Peerless Gate have been enemies for years, so it’s understandable that you developed a method to counter the Peerless Gate's ultimate weapon. But surely, you couldn't have a way to dismantle our Ghost King Sect's ultimate weapon. The people of the Ghost King Sect truly didn't believe it.

The pairing list for the third round was fully displayed. Those matched against the Ten Strongest Sects secretly cursed their bad luck. Drawing one of the Ten Strongest Sects was inherently unlucky; they were simply too powerful. Regardless of the sighs and complaints from various sects, the third round of the Sect Battle commenced.

In the third round of the Sect Battle, the Ten Strongest Sects still demonstrated their overwhelming advantage. Furthermore, the Bamboo Joint Sect showed an unusually powerful strength this time. Finally, it was the Sword Gate’s turn to fight.

Before this match, the Betting Gate once again set up odds. It would be strange for the Betting Gate not to take bets. Previously, the odds for the Sword Gate to win were astronomically high because the likelihood of their victory was slim. Yet, despite the high payout, few bet on them, allowing the Betting Gate to profit handsomely in Sword Gate's previous two duels. This time, however, the Betting Gate dared not underestimate the Sword Gate. The odds for the Sword Gate to win were set at 1 to 1.5, much lower than the previous 1 to 5. They were wary of offering such a steep payout because the Sword Gate was now too strong, and Lu Yuan was too formidable, having repeatedly showcased the invincible style of 'one man against an entire sect.'

The fifty members of the Sword Gate leaped onto the stage. Technically, the Sword Gate had already accomplished its original goal of securing a place within the top 1,000. But recalling Lu Yuan’s roar about charging into the top ten, a surge of fighting spirit ignited within them. Yes, if there was a chance to break into the top ten, they too would feel their blood boil.

The Ghost King Sect also ascended to face their opponents. The Ghost King Sect boasted fifty World Realm experts and one hundred masters above the Fifth Heaven of the Chaotic Cave Realm. Essentially, the Ghost King Sect's strength was comparable to the Peerless Gate’s. The Ghost King Sect was aware of Lu Yuan's terrifying swordsmanship, so upon taking the stage, they showed no complacency. The Ghost King Sect Master, You Xu Wu, roared: "Summon the Ultimate Weapon!" "Yes!" The remaining 149 members responded in unison. Immediately, the 150 members of the Ghost King Sect exerted their combined power, unleashing a terrifying wave of aura—an exceptionally potent aura of dread. In the void, a colossal banner materialized, thousands of feet long and incredibly solid, appearing less like an illusion and more like a tangible object. At the exact center of the banner appeared a single character: 'Ghost' ($\text{}$), while dark mists swirled around its edges. The Ghost King's Banner of Dread! Indeed, this was the Ghost King Sect's ultimate weapon.

Seeing the Ghost King Sect summon their ultimate weapon, their rival sects couldn't help but feel a pang of worry. They had exhausted every conceivable method to counter the Ghost King's Banner of Dread. Still, the banner was too bizarre, terrifying, and tyrannical. They had suffered countless setbacks against this malevolent flag. The idea that Lu Yuan could easily neutralize the Ghost King's Banner of Dread was not only disbelieved by the Ghost King Sect itself but also by their staunchest rivals.

After the Ghost King's Banner of Dread was summoned, countless cries of spectral horror and wails of extreme fear echoed across the Pingtian Plateau, as if endless specters of every description were manifesting before the Sword Gate members. Moreover, the Sword Gate members felt a sharp ache in their kidneys—fear, they knew, was a sensation that afflicted the kidneys. The 150 members of the Ghost King Sect slowly pushed the Ghost King's Banner of Dread toward the Sword Gate contingent, the banner’s tip aimed directly at Lu Yuan.

How could Lu Yuan counter the Ghost King's Banner of Dread? How was he going to break it?

As everyone watched to see if and how Lu Yuan would neutralize the Ghost King's Banner of Dread, Lu Yuan let out a long shout, his mouth widening once more, and he directly ate the tip of the banner. He ate it! He ate it again!

The last time, Lu Yuan had swallowed the ultimate weapon, the Arrow of Peerlessness, whole, leaving everyone utterly astonished. They had assumed it was a unique case, a special circumstance, that it could happen once but not twice. But now, Lu Yuan had done it again, directly consuming the Ghost King's Banner of Dread.

Everyone’s eyes widened, their breathing catching in their throats, watching as Lu Yuan devoured the Ghost King's Banner of Dread section by section. He really ate it like that? What was going on with Lu Yuan? How was his stomach constructed? It had just casually, suddenly, consumed the ultimate weapon of the Ghost King Sect. Was this even human?

At this point, many people began to weep.

The Ghost King Sect members were the first to feel like crying. They had hoped Lu Yuan neutralizing the Arrow of Peerlessness was an anomaly. Now they realized it wasn't special at all; Lu Yuan could eat the Ghost King's Banner of Dread too. How could anyone fight this? It was entirely impossible to contend with him; couldn't he show them some respect? This was, after all, an ultimate weapon.

The rivals of the Ghost King Sect were also on the verge of tears. They had hoped to witness how Lu Yuan broke the Ghost King's Banner of Dread, so they could learn the method and use it against the Ghost King Sect in the future. But what did they see? Lu Yuan simply started eating, gobbling down the ultimate weapon in a few loud crunches. They certainly couldn't learn this technique. Lu Yuan having such fine teeth and such a stomach, capable of eating an ultimate weapon directly, did not mean they could. If they tried to emulate Lu Yuan, the only consequence would be being skewered to death by the ultimate weapon in the first second. They had not forgotten how terrifyingly powerful ultimate weapons were; they were only diminished when faced with Lu Yuan.

Meanwhile, many other sects felt like weeping. What kind of monstrous reincarnation was Lu Yuan, capable of consuming ultimate weapons? Now, anyone who drew the Sword Gate in future rounds would be cursed. They only prayed that they wouldn't be matched against the Sword Gate in the fourth round, or they would truly die of bad luck.

The Imperial Son Fa Qiang clapped his hands and laughed: "What an epic glutton." Among the two thousand sects, since there was a Betting Gate and a Drinking Gate, it was only natural to have an Eating Gate as well. The Eating Gate hadn't made it into the top 2,000, but its members didn't care, observing from the sidelines. Sect ranking battles were rare spectacles of excellence. Seeing Lu Yuan devour two ultimate weapons in a row, the Master of the Eating Gate, Fang Shi Tian, was deeply impressed: "I always thought I was a great eater—everything that flies, runs on land, swims, burrows in the sand, or hides in the air, I've eaten it all. Now I realize my level of gluttony is insufficient. I have never eaten a sect's ultimate weapon. I am truly impressed." Lu Yuan, meanwhile, was savoring the lingering delicious aftertaste of the Ghost King's Banner of Dread. Well, to be precise, he was cultivating Sword Nine: The Sword of Dread!

The Sword of Dread was one of the Seven Emotions. It required an endless surge of fear to materialize.

Within the Ghost King's Banner of Dread, Lu Yuan witnessed all manner of demons, specters, terrifying scenes, and scenes inciting profound terror. All these emotions of fear converged, gradually solidifying into a pitch-black sword within his mind. This black sword was precisely Sword Nine, the Sword of Dread. Beside the Sword of Dread, there was a crimson Sword of Fury, and a bright red Sword of Joy. The seven swords were now consolidated into three. It seemed highly probable that during this Sect Ranking Battle, he would succeed in forging all seven swords, ultimately transforming them into the supreme Sword Nine: The Seven Emotions Sword.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes and looked at the Ghost King Sect members: "Do you have any other moves? Bring them out and show me..." He placed his hand on his sword hilt; Lu Yuan was prepared for a genuine fight.

The Ghost King Sect Master, You Xu Wu, sighed deeply: "We yield." He had no choice but to concede. You Xu Wu’s strength was comparable to Elder Fu Shuang. He could defeat Yuan Ye Ying, but Yuan Ye Ying’s defeat at Lu Yuan’s hands was not overly shocking. What was far more terrifying was the battle between Elder Fu Shuang and Lu Yuan—that fight had shattered the courage of many observers. Fu Lao Shuang, a Sixth Heaven World Realm expert, under Lu Yuan’s blade, hadn't even managed to finish saying "I concede"; he only managed "I con," the third syllable, 'cede,' choked in his throat. This showed just how terrifying Lu Yuan’s swordsmanship was. You Xu Wu had already witnessed it and had no desire to test it personally.

This battle ended surprisingly easily? Lu Yuan was slightly taken aback.

This battle was indeed too effortless. The Sword Ancestor Mie, the Sword Ancestor Yun Zhong, and the others all felt the same way. They had entered the top 250 so easily. In the past, when the Sword Gate still had its other experts, securing a spot in the top 250 was incredibly difficult. Last time, they struggled to reach 333rd place, relying on sheer hard work and extreme luck. They had expected this Sect Ranking Battle to be difficult, but success had come with such ease. Ancestors of the Sword Gate, behold! The Sword Gate is fortunate; it is highly likely to flourish under Lu Yuan’s leadership.