Xie Fantian smiled a strange, deeply malevolent smile. His weapon was a long, slightly curved sword that pulsed with an eerie silver light. The blade, both menacing and thin, was called the Evil Ghost Sword; just looking at it exuded malevolence, and staring at it for too long could cause those with weaker cultivation to lose themselves in its strangeness.

Scattered before Xie Fantian lay a group of bodies—all those who had challenged him, hoping to withstand three moves to avoid submission to his faction. Xie Fantian’s background was clearly formidable, so naturally, no one wanted their sect’s lineage destroyed, hence the three-move challenge. Yet, to date, no one had even managed that.

The strongest among them, Liu Suiyun, the former Sect Master of the Liu Sword Immortal Sect, had fallen on the second move, never reaching the third.

Even Xiao Qing, the rising star from the Yue Nü Sword Sect, who had momentarily stunned everyone with her opening move, the "Disarming Strike," failed to produce a second impressive technique and was felled by Xie Fantian’s two swift attacks. Xiao Qing had only awakened a sliver of her past life memories and remained vastly different from the invincible A'Qing who once dominated the Southern Border and was renowned throughout the Central Dynasty. Moreover, Xie Fantian had used the Evil Ghost Sword to carve a plum blossom mark onto Xiao Qing’s forehead—a signature habit of his for any beautiful woman defeated by him.

Furthermore, all the defeated individuals, along with the leaders of their respective sects, were now bound tightly by silver threads, resembling cattle or sheep caught in a snare. Xie Fantian treated them with utter disdain, not as people but as livestock, since they were destined for research back in the Evil Sword Civilization.

These captives were to be taken back for study, as the Evil Sword Civilization aimed to integrate and analyze them to uncover more techniques and cultivation methods from the ancient Sword Civilization.

The Evil Sword Civilization currently held a status akin to the Demonic Path sects in the Jin Kingdom; they had long been hunted by the Sword Ancient Civilization and still harbored lingering dread of their former power. Acquiring any techniques from the Sword Ancient Civilization would bring them immense joy.

“Next, it is Jing—” Xie Fantian sneered coldly.

“I will face him.” A steady, powerful voice rang out as a handsome, sharp-browed middle-aged man stepped forward: Yuan Jinshe! In the Southern Border, the custom of using swords was less prevalent than in the Jin Kingdom. For instance, none of the three great holy lands of the Yuan Kingdom used swords; half of the four major immortal sects of the Qin Kingdom did; the foremost sect of the Murong Kingdom used swords, but it was not their primary focus; and the people of Bai Pin Kingdom favored fists over blades.

Yuan Jinshe, however, was undeniably one of the most renowned swordsmen in the entire Southern Border, having achieved fame ten thousand years prior.

“Make your move,” Xie Fantian commanded harshly.

“Very well.” Yuan Jinshe dared not show any hesitation. Xie Fantian’s previous exchanges, even against Liu Suiyun, had lasted only two moves. Yuan Jinshe knew how terrifying his opponent was. Yuan Jinshe’s sword moved sinuously, like a serpent, and his technique was the Bixue Sword Style. The name of this style sounded supremely righteous, suggesting ideals like "Crimson Blood Under the Azure Sky," but its actual maneuvers were bizarre and sinister.

Under Yuan Jinshe's blade, a twisting, ascending evil serpent seemed to materialize.

“A bit interesting. Such swordplay... what a pity it is too weak. The sword styles of this era are truly fragile, utterly incomparable to the techniques of our great Evil Sword Civilization, and leagues behind those of our previous Age of Swords,” Xie Fantian declared as the Evil Ghost Sword flashed out. If the Bixue Sword Style was considered evil, his cuts were even more so.

Evil meeting Evil!

The people of the Southern Border had always known the Bixue Sword Style was wicked, but only now did they realize how insignificant its deviation was compared to Xie Fantian’s true malice.

Three moves! Indeed, Yuan Jinshe managed to last until the third strike, only to be defeated mercilessly then.

Xie Fantian, however, appeared entirely unsatisfied: “Is that all? Too weak, far too weak. Is there no one stronger? I held back considerably, and yet you only lasted three moves. I was considering sparing you, but the sword techniques of this era are simply too weak. Do you even call this swordsmanship?”

Many observers nearby did not understand his words.

What did he mean by "the sword techniques of this era"? Was he using techniques from a different epoch?

Liu Suiyun, former master of the massive Liu Sword Immortal Sect, defeated in two moves. Yuan Jinshe, master of the giant immortal sect, defeated in three moves. Xiao Qing, the new outstanding talent from the Yue Nü Sword Sect, defeated in two moves and branded with a plum blossom on her brow.

These were essentially the strongest swordsmen in the Southern Border.

If these masters couldn't stand against him, then lesser individuals stood no chance against even a single move from Xie Fantian.

At this moment, Xie Fantian was powerful, terrifying, wicked, and invincible. Just like the gloomy, rain-threatened sky—unbeatable.

Just then, a streak of white dissipated, perhaps a fleeting glimpse of scattered clouds. It seemed like an optical illusion, given the oppressive, thick dark clouds filling the threatening sky; how could there be white clouds?

“Xie Fantian, is it? You are quite the celebrity. Initially, you said you’d defeat these people within three moves. If they survived, you would spare their respective sects and let them leave, right?” A clear, bright voice echoed.

“That’s right. Though my morals may be questionable and I enjoy killing, I keep my word,” Xie Fantian replied dismissively. He paid no attention to the speaker; everyone before him was an ant, unworthy of his notice.

“How about this? I, too, will give you three swords. If you can last three of my strikes, I will spare your life today.” The clear voice continued. If the surrounding crowd hadn't been paying attention before, they were now forced to focus. Everyone turned toward the source of the sound, and even Xie Fantian’s face contorted in anger—ridiculous! Ants daring to speak to him like this!

Xie Fantian turned to see a young man from a large immortal sect speaking.

A young man from a large immortal sect acting so arrogant! Xie Fantian had just defeated masters from giant immortal sects; he barely noticed mere large ones.

As Xie Fantian looked, everyone else saw the speaker.

The man stood with his blue robes billowing gently in the wind, exuding an air of easygoing freedom and tranquility.

Lu Yuan!

In the Southern Border, most people knew Lu Yuan. His performance during the Central Dynasty assessment had been striking, ultimately placing him nineteenth among the four domains. Xiao Qing from the Yue Nü Sect, in particular, became immensely excited. However, recognizing Lu Yuan did not mean they believed he could challenge Xie Fantian.

News between the outer domains and the Central Dynasty was mostly cut off. While Lu Yuan had made a name for himself in the Central Dynasty, the information flow was still restricted. To most people in the outer domains, the last concrete news about Lu Yuan was when he left for the assessment, around the fifth or sixth stage of the Great Dao Realm. Some remembered his life-and-death duel at Mount Hua against Jiuhua Mountain, where he reputedly reached a level close to the Chaos Realm. But even that wasn't enough; it was significantly weaker than the strength displayed by Yuan Jinshe and the others.

Under such circumstances, defeating Xie Fantian was impossible. Yet here was Lu Yuan, brazenly claiming he could defeat Xie Fantian in three moves, or else let him go alive. This was outright, boundless boasting.

Lu Yuan was courting death, absolute death, and would surely perish without a trace.

Lu Yuan had finally comprehended the Sword Intent of Harmony; only the Sword Intents of Glory and Descent remained before he mastered the Iron Rule of Order. Realizing this, and then waking to find this situation unfolding in Dayong City, he saw that Xie Fantian was truly unparalleled in his arrogance.

Lu Yuan was also enraged.

Thus, just as Xie Fantian proposed three moves, Lu Yuan countered with three swords.

Arrogance meeting arrogance, madness meeting madness.

Silence! A deathly silence descended.

Lu Yuan’s simple declaration brought about a profound quiet.

After a long pause, Xie Fantian erupted in maniacal laughter: “Hahahaha! Preposterous! Utterly ridiculous! I thought I was arrogant, but you surpass me! To think I couldn't last three of your swords—you must be dreaming! Such arrogance is excellent. I enjoy arrogant people the most. I will kill you, feast on your flesh, and use your skull as my chamber pot to show you the glory of the Evil Sword Civilization! Then, I will raze your sect to the ground, annihilating your lineage completely! How dare you speak such nonsense before me? I am Xie Fantian, far superior to all you weaklings! You late-era sword users are mere dregs!”

“Watch closely. My first sword: Evil King’s First Strike, Chaotic Heaven and Earth.” Xie Fantian unleashed his opening move—a terrifying strike that seemed to throw heaven and earth into immediate disarray. This strike far exceeded everyone’s imagination, carrying the terrifying aura of evil capable of overturning creation itself.

What kind of swordsmanship was this?

All the onlookers were stunned!

“You are too weak. Do you know this is a world-class sword technique? Of course, with your shallow understanding, you wouldn't know. You people usually call these 'God-level' techniques,” Xie Fantian boasted, proudly waving his sword. This was a world-class technique, utterly beyond the comprehension of these country bumpkins from the outer domains.

Indeed, in Xie Fantian’s eyes, Lu Yuan was nothing more than a blatant rustic. How dare such a person compare himself to one emerging from his noble civilization? It was laughable.

Today, he would teach this opponent a lesson: people from the outer domains are simply country bumpkins.