The battle raged at Heart Mountain. Lu Yuan, standing alone, had slain the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son—a half-step Civilization Realm master—stunning everyone present.

That was a half-step Civilization Realm expert. Every half-step Civilization Realm cultivator was a heaven-shaking figure.

The fall of any such master was an earth-shattering event, yet one had just perished. Lu Yuan let out a breath.

He rested his sword on his shoulder: "Oh, I'm here. Not too late." Seven simple words: Oh, I'm here, not too late.

"Well done, Lu Yuan, you truly have grown stronger, slaying the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son. But make no mistake, the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son was not a true half-step Civilization Realm master.

He had only just reached that threshold. A genuine half-step Civilization Realm master is incredibly difficult to kill; he hadn't even mastered the necessary survival techniques for that realm." The Jade Emperor suddenly spoke, his voice laced with an aura of majesty that instantly quieted the surrounding crowd.

"At Kidney Mountain, you avoided confronting me; since you wouldn't fight me then, I shall take you on today." The Jade Emperor’s presence was imposing; he was a veteran of the half-step Civilization Realm, incomparable to a newcomer like the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son. Frankly speaking, an initial entry into the half-step Civilization Realm offered little actual difference from the peak of the World Realm Tenth Heaven.

The Jade Emperor inherently looked down upon those like the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son. In his prime, the Jade Emperor commanded the Celestial Palace, having battled countless foes and experienced infinite grand stages; how could a mere Lu Yuan now merit his attention?

Because the Jade Emperor had stepped forward, the morale on the side of the Desolate Alliance surged once more. The Desolate Saint Emperor’s Son shouldered his great saber, letting it rest across his collarbone: "Lu Yuan, the last time at the Stomach Lake, you defeated me once.

That was luck. This time, this Emperor will fight you again." The Desolate Saint Emperor’s Son had consulted with the Son of Desolation this time, and his confidence had greatly increased; he sought another contest with Lu Yuan.

The Might-Strong Emperor’s Son spun a colossal axe, weighing millions of catties, which felt as light as a feather in his hands: "Lu Yuan, I’ve heard of you. Let us test each other today.

I hear your strength is formidable, but against my axe, you are useless. I will smash you into meat paste!

This Emperor delights in consuming the meat paste of geniuses; my appetite is keen, hahaha!" He was built ruggedly, yet his eyes were piercingly sharp, radiating a densely concentrated killing intent—an aura alone capable of felling those below the World Realm Seventh Heaven. The Might-Strong Emperor’s Son had killed countless individuals in his life.

Zhu Renyu held a book in his hands: "I don't know why, Lu Yuan, though this is our first meeting, I instinctively find you utterly irritating. Therefore, I must also enter this fight." An aura of extinction coiled around Zhu Renyu.

He followed the path of 'Preserve Heaven's Principle, Extinguish Human Desire,' yet he was completely unaware that Li Taishi, the one he hated most, was Lu Yuan. He merely felt an instinctive revulsion, perhaps derived from Li Taishi’s true identity.

After entering the Sacred Land of Civilization, Zhu Renyu had intended to search everywhere for Li Taishi to seize the Book of Civilization, only to fail to find him. Instead, he heard that Li Taishi had obtained the Original Script Character and had defeated the Son of Demon.

Upon hearing this news, Zhu Renyu nearly went mad. The Book of Civilization and the Original Script Character were both things he desperately coveted, yet Li Taishi had taken them both.

A raging fire simmered beneath his heart. Now that he found Lu Yuan displeasing to the eye, he would vent that built-up frustration upon him.

There was no recourse; if you run into me when I am already furious, then you must accept your misfortune. Zhu Renyu’s entire body exuded an increasing righteous aura that extinguished everything—this was known as Extinction Righteousness.

While normal righteousness nurtures all things, this specific righteousness from the Heavenly Principle Civilization could not allow anything to flourish. Tong Yunqiu smiled faintly, gently fanning himself with a feather fan: "Lu Yuan, I personally bear you no ill will.

However, since the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son died by your hand, I feel compelled to take action. I hope you will forgive my intrusion." He was polite and amicable, showing no outward murderous intent or shift in aura, but anyone who truly believed his words would find their bones chilling, having failed to prepare their spirit for battle against Tong Yunqiu.

The Son of Immortals looked at Lu Yuan and shook his head with feigned sentiment: "Back during the Sect Ranking Battles, I advised you not to come to the Sacred Land of Civilization, yet you came." This was an attempt to leverage past kindness, urging Lu Yuan to recall their history. If the Holy Son Fa hadn't mentioned it once, Lu Yuan might have actually been deceived by the Son of Immortals' superficial guise; the Son of Immortals was precisely such a cunning character.

After his lament, the Son of Immortals continued: "But I didn't expect you to be so extraordinary. Outside the Sacred Land, your spirit battle against the Son of Desolation was not inferior.

I worried too much; you truly are a person of immense potential. It’s a pity; I genuinely admire you, but alas, at this juncture, we must cross swords.

What a waste." "Very well, let us exchange a few casual blows; stopping when it's enough should suffice." The Son of Immortals idly played with his snow-white silver hair. The silver hair danced in the wind, exhibiting an extraordinary and peerless grace.

The Son of Immortals began by recalling his past advice to Lu Yuan, then expressing his admiration, and finally suggesting a casual exchange. In one sweep, he deployed several cards of faux sincerity.

Should Lu Yuan have been fooled and trusted him during the fight, he would have met a merciless end. If Lu Yuan happened to gain the upper hand, the Son of Immortals could also retreat gracefully—though such a scenario was almost impossible.

Now, there was the Jade Emperor, the Desolate Saint Emperor’s Son, the Might-Strong Emperor’s Son, Zhu Renyu, Tong Yunqiu, and the Son of Immortals. Of these six, the first five were half-step Civilization Realm masters.

And though the Son of Immortals was not a half-step Civilization Realm master—merely World Realm Tenth Heaven—his combat power surpassed that of an average half-step Civilization Realm expert. These six possessed distinct auras, unique techniques, and formidable power.

The Jade Emperor’s aura was that of a Sovereign; the Desolate Saint Emperor’s Son, a Hegemon; the Might-Strong Emperor’s Son, a Brute; Zhu Renyu, Extinction; Tong Yunqiu, Intellect; and the Son of Immortals, Deceit. Six boundless, mighty auras enveloped the solitary figure of Lu Yuan.

They formed a formation akin to the Six Harmonies Array, trapping him within. And the message conveyed by these six was singular: all of them intended to kill Lu Yuan.

This was essentially a combined assault by six top-tier experts, five of whom were half-step Civilization Realm masters. Who could possibly oppose such a formidable coalition?

Any single one among them was incomparable to a rookie half-step Civilization Realm master like the Bronze Saint Emperor’s Son. With these six masters joining forces, who within the Sacred Land of Civilization could withstand them, aside from the Son of Desolation and Hua Fasheng?

Thus, Lu Yuan was doomed! Utterly without a sliver of hope for survival.

On the side opposing the Anti-Desolate Alliance, many wished to rush to Lu Yuan's aid, but could they? They possessed the will but lacked the strength.

Amidst the encirclement of the six, Lu Yuan laughed heartily: "Excellent. Let me see.

Five half-step Civilization Realm experts, plus the Son of Immortals from the Seven Sons of Fortune—six against one. Very good.

Since you have all arrived, let us fight together. I want to gauge just how strong a joint force of six great masters can be, and whether my own limit can surpass the combined might of these six!" Yes, he also wished to test his own limits.

He had now reached the World Realm Tenth Heaven, greatly increasing his fundamental combat power. Moreover, through the method derived from refining the Chaos Civilization Beast residue, his movement speed had increased by thirty percent, and his attack speed by twenty percent—a significant boost to his battle prowess.

Having also mastered the Formless Devouring Art, his confidence soared, and his hands itched for a real fight. Arrogant!

So arrogant! Unboundedly arrogant!

Lu Yuan was utterly audacious; he intended to challenge the combined assault of six masters simultaneously. Any single one of these six masters was a heaven-shaking figure, and Lu Yuan sought to challenge all six—it was sheer madness.

The Jade Emperor chuckled upon hearing this: "Good. In all my years reigning supreme over the Celestial Palace, I have never been so bold.

I only witnessed such audacity in that Stone Monkey long ago. I shall see how your capabilities stack up against that Stone Monkey after it reached its perfected state." He was not intimidated in the slightest; it would have been strange if he were, having faced so many grand scenarios.

He faintly discerned a certain resemblance between Lu Yuan and that Stone Monkey, and the memory of the Stone Monkey, and all that transpired back then, caused a momentary ripple in the Jade Emperor's heart, followed by a sudden sinking feeling. The Jade Emperor roared, unleashing the Nine Dragon Emperor Fist.

Nine is the number of extremity. Dragon is the child of Heaven and Earth.

Emperor claims dominion and authority. Fist represents power and control.

The Nine Dragon Emperor Fist gathered the most powerful, most tyrannical forces of Heaven and Earth into a single offensive strike. It was an exceptionally difficult technique to master; throughout the Ancient Immortal Civilization, fewer than three individuals had ever succeeded, and every one who mastered it was a monumental figure.

The Jade Emperor was among the most formidable of the six masters. As his Nine Dragon Emperor Fist struck out, nine divine dragons roared forth from between his palms—nine ancient divine dragons, each bearing a ferocious appearance.

Previously, when Lu Yuan’s Evil Sword Civilization Swordplay reached perfection, the resulting sword light was comparable to only a single ancient divine dragon. But now, the Jade Emperor summoned nine strikes of ancient divine dragon caliber with a mere raising of his hand, demonstrating his terrifying dominance.

Furthermore, these nine ancient divine dragon strikes subtly shifted and evolved. As Nine is the number of extremity, these nine ancient dragons subtly formed a higher order of existence, faintly taking on the essence of Dragons of Civilization.

Above the Dragon of Civilization was the Ancestral Dragon level. To cultivate a fist technique to this degree was already unparalleled beneath the Civilization Realm.

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