One was Xie Fantian, whose imposing aura seemed to pierce the heavens, a figure of immense pedigree. The other was Lu Yuan, young and having only recently entered the $\text{[Central] Heaven}$ Dynasty. While Lu Yuan had indeed been among the stronger cultivators of his cohort back then, a mere few decades was hardly enough time for him to show significant advancement.

Thus, in this engagement, the overwhelming majority of the gathered onlookers were certain that Lu Yuan was destined to lose.

Of course, no one understood the source of Lu Yuan’s audacity to demand a victory over Xie Fantian within three strikes.

Xie Fantian, meanwhile, was consumed by incandescent rage; his mind felt scorched by fury. He, a distinguished figure hailing from a true civilization, was being mocked by this provincial youth! Damn him. Xie Fantian ignited the Xie Huo Xin Jing (Evil Fire Heart Sutra), summoning a dense, chilling wave of killing intent. He intended to end Lu Yuan.

His first strike was a world-class sword technique! This was a noble sword art, one born of civilization.

You bumpkins from the Outer Regions surely haven't witnessed such elegance.

He launched the strike directly forward.

Just as the sword pierced the air, Lu Yuan offered a slight, unimpressed smile. World-class swordplay! How utterly comical. To face him with a world-class technique—it had been ages since he’d encountered such a thing. This man actually believed himself impressive. Lu Yuan was nearly laughing; he paid the world-class technique no mind and merely sidestepped with effortless grace.

That casual evasion, however, revealed something strange.

This sword set was far more ferocious than any ordinary world-class technique, carrying a faint, world-ending sharpness. His own carelessness had allowed the edge to graze and tear his azure sleeve! Hmm! He had been too lax. Against a normal world-class technique, he should have easily dodged it. Could this be a sword art from the previous epoch?

The previous epoch was the Epoch of the Sword.

The sword arts of the Epoch of the Sword were clearly not to be trifled with.

This encounter with the Evil Sword Civilization might prove interesting after all.

Xie Fantian mentally commended himself for unleashing his world-class technique. Dealing with a mere country bumpkin from the Outer Regions, this should be more than sufficient. If this one strike failed to kill the Outer Region peasant, it would certainly leave him severely wounded, shattering his resolve and soul.

This was Xie Fantian's initial assumption, and most others shared it. They had never witnessed a sword art of such terrifying power. What an intensely sinister technique! Furthermore, Xie Fantian had boasted that this was a God-tier Sword Art. Legends of God-tier Sword Arts persisted in the Southern Border, said to be wielded by true Gods—each move possessing power far exceeding that of the stars, strength only deities could command.

Such a sword art, such a terrifying opponent—how could he possibly lose?

Lu Yuan was fated only for defeat!

Following a fleeting flash of malevolent energy, the final result of the exchange was revealed.

“Oh? This technique of yours is rather impressive; you actually managed to pierce my sleeve. Well done.”

The young man in green spoke these words with an air of detached calmness.

Lu Yuan’s utterance nearly caused the surrounding crowd to lose their footing. What was he saying?

Was he joking?

A sword technique of absolute, world-shattering might! And it had only managed to nick Lu Yuan’s sleeve?

And judging by Lu Yuan’s tone, managing to tear his sleeve seemed to be counted as a minor compliment.

Had the world been inverted?

That was a Ji Ling (God-Spirit) level sword art!

In truth, Lu Yuan wasn't posturing or anything of the sort; he was stating a simple fact. A world-class technique managing to pierce his sleeve? If this news reached the $\text{[Central] Heaven}$ Dynasty, not only would Lu Yuan be surprised, but those familiar with him would be astonished. This was truly a case of capsizing in shallow water. The reality was twofold: first, Lu Yuan hadn't taken the 'world-class' claim seriously; second, Xie Fantian’s sword art was genuinely exceptional. Even a technique from the declining years of the Epoch of the Sword possessed inherent depth.

However, sometimes the truth is the hardest thing to accept.

Take Xie Fantian, for instance. He now felt an unprecedented humiliation. He had been mocked again by this Outer Region boor. Fury boiled in his heart: “Take this next move! This is the second stance of the Xie Wang Sword Art: Xie Ji Luan Tian (Evil Extreme Chaos Heaven).” This stance was another astonishingly potent world-class sword technique—what the Outer Regions referred to as a God-tier art. This move was stronger, fiercer, and more absolute than the last.

What a terrifying sword art!

After the terrifying radiance of this attack faded, Lu Yuan remained completely unharmed. This time, not even a thread of his sleeve was damaged. The previous instance was a fluke; how could he allow Xie Fantian to tear his sleeve again?

“It seems the celebrated sword arts of the Evil Sword Civilization are nothing much, after all,” Lu Yuan sneered casually.

Xie Fantian burned with rage. He immediately unleashed the remaining eight stances of the Xie Wang Sword Art. These subsequent moves included techniques like Mo Fan Ban Ruo (Demonic Brahma Pāramitā), Duan Fo Wang Dao (Severing Buddha, Forgetting the Way), Xie Tun Tiandi (Evil Devouring Heaven and Earth), and Xie Luan Qiankun (Evil Tumultuous Universe). Each strike was more evil, more terrifying than the last, yet none managed to graze Lu Yuan. Any one of these techniques, when employed against the top sword cultivators of the Southern Border, such as Yuan Jinshe, would result in an easy victory. Yet, against Lu Yuan, he couldn't even touch his sleeve again. His highest achievement remained that single nick on the cuff; everything else was utterly useless.

When had Lu Yuan become this powerful?

Barely thirty years ago, Lu Yuan participated in the $\text{[Central] Heaven}$ Dynasty assessment, barely at the fifth heaven of the Great Dao Realm. Only a mere three decades had passed.

The sword cultivators of the Southern Border were completely bewildered, utterly lost in confusion.

Xie Fantian’s initial rage eventually gave way to the realization that this Outer Region peasant, despite his ease in evasion, was formidable. Yet, even so, Xie Fantian refused to believe he would lose—he was, after all, merely a peasant from the Outer Regions, perhaps skilled in dodging, but nothing more.

In that precise moment, Lu Yuan ceased retreating. “It is time for my counterattack. Let’s see if you can survive three strikes from my blade. If you can, I shall spare your life.” Lu Yuan’s tone was utterly level. The reason he hadn't struck earlier was simple: he wished to study Xie Fantian’s swordplay. The arts of the Evil Sword Civilization, stemming from the previous epoch, certainly held unique insights. He intended to learn from them using his Wan Xiang Sen Luo Sword Dao. Now that he felt he had learned enough, it was time to conclude the battle.

“First Strike… Xie Wang Yi Jian (Evil King First Sword)!” Lu Yuan instantly unleashed a strike that synthesized every world-class technique Xie Fantian had just used, carrying a power that verged on the world-ending. Once unleashed, this single sword strike was devastatingly magnificent. Xie Fantian rushed to defend, but facing such an earth-shattering blade, he was incapable of mounting a proper defense. In an instant, his body was riddled with wounds.

“I had originally intended to use the Jian Ji (Sword Principles) from the Ancient Sword Dao against you, but seeing your current state, I shall simply use the Jian Yi (Sword One),” Lu Yuan sighed. Then, an incomparably brilliant sword light manifested beneath Lu Yuan’s blade. This was Jian Yi: Prosperity fades, one season passes. Within this strike, Xie Fantian witnessed the supreme sword moves of the ancient Sword Civilization, collected by the Evil Sword Civilization—moves that allowed them to dominate regions and eventually stand above ordinary civilizations, second only to the Five Great Ancient Civilizations. In his ambition, Xie Fantian had become one of the preeminent experts between Heaven and Earth, rising to the rank of Celestial Venerable and achieving immense fame in the $\text{[Central] Heaven}$ Dynasty.

As his dream reached its zenith, Lu Yuan’s sword had already passed through his throat.

Lu Yuan gently flicked his Yang Wu Immortal Sword. “So, you were only worth two strikes. I was overestimating you when I said three.” Two strikes, and the battle was over!

This! This! This!

Xie Fantian clutched at his throat. “You, how could you possess such powerful swordplay? No, how could a mere Outer Region peasant possess such strength? Even the foremost sword sects of the $\text{[Central] Heaven}$ Dynasty, the (Xian Jian Sect) and the (Yin Jian Sect), shouldn't possess techniques this potent.” He was utterly stunned by Lu Yuan’s Jian Yi.

“Impossible! How can your swordsmanship surpass mine? I am a great figure from the Evil Sword Civilization! My art is handed down from the previous epoch, and it is a God-tier technique!” He truly couldn't believe his eyes. He, such a noble figure, wielding such noble swordplay, had been defeated by an Outer Region bumpkin. He knew, with cold certainty, that this Outer Region peasant’s swordsmanship was objectively superior to his own.

Lu Yuan lightly dusted his sword and blew a soft breath across the edge.

The surrounding area fell into absolute silence.

Earlier, Xie Fantian had defeated any Southern Border cultivator in at most three moves. Now, Lu Yuan defeated Xie Fantian in just two strikes. This was a pure confrontation of sword mastery. Had Lu Yuan’s skill truly ascended to such heights?

At this juncture, Xie Fantian roared, “Don't presume too much just because you won the sword fight! The strike that pierced my throat might destroy the vitality of others, but it cannot destroy the life force of someone as noble as myself, born of the Evil Sword Civilization! We in the Evil Sword Civilization possess secret methods! Yes, your swordsmanship is strong, but this world isn't just about blades; it’s also about magical power (Fali). I initially thought you lot were mere ants, intending to play with only the fourth heaven of the Chaotic Void Realm power level. Now, I will show you my true might! My cultivation is at the third heaven of the World Realm—what you call the third heaven of the God Realm! I am a god among gods! What good is your exquisite swordsmanship if you are destined to be utterly crushed by my colossal magical power? Die!” Xie Fantian’s entire essence of Fali began to churn wildly, his terrifying aura rising to an even more dreadful level.

The sheer magnitude of this aura made many in the Southern Border feel as if they were being driven insane by the pressure.

This was a true God! And a powerhouse among the Gods!

Xie Fantian realized he could not win through swordsmanship, so he resolved to crush Lu Yuan physically with sheer magical dominance. He was precisely such a shameless individual, shameless to the extreme. But what did shamelessness matter? All that mattered was victory.

Damn Outer Region peasant! He must be paralyzed with fear seeing my immense God-level Fali.