It was unexpected that Shi Feixian possessed the Body of Civilization, and even more so that two appeared at once; one could only wonder which one the other Body of Civilization referred to. Lu Yuan felt a faint curiosity stirring within him. Simultaneously, with a series of swift sword fingers, he executed them, slaughtering the remaining members of the Blood Blade Clan.

This left the fallen with spirits that refused to rest, wondering why Lu Yuan had gone back on his word after promising not to kill them if they revealed why they pursued Shi Feixian. Wasn't this the same Lu Yuan rumored to be incredibly bound by his promises? The truth was, these people misunderstood Lu Yuan’s way of operating.

To a gentleman, one applies the principles of a gentleman. To a scoundrel, naturally, one applies the principles of a scoundrel. To keep a promise with a scoundrel?

Don't make me laugh. .................. A cleaver swept through the void.

It sliced a Half-Step Civilization Realm expert clean in two, right there in the emptiness. Blood splattered, great sheets of crimson raining down onto the ground. A flavor of gloom and solitude descended upon the scene.

Then, a man clad in blood-red robes, carrying a butcher’s blade, landed above the void, gazing at his opponents: “Ten Half-Step Civilization Realm experts joining forces just to steal the Body of Civilization from me? How utterly laughable,” the Butcher Gao Jin stated nonchalantly, as if defeating the combined efforts of ten Half-Step Civilization Realm experts was merely a trivial task. What had just transpired was simple: Butcher Gao Jin was searching for an obscure figure named Shi Feixian.

One Half-Step Civilization Realm expert, driven by curiosity, inadvertently uncovered the truth about the Body of Civilization. For those in the Half-Step Civilization Realm, the Body of Civilization represented an immense temptation. Of course, he also knew that alone, he stood no chance against the Heavenly Ranking giant, Butcher Gao Jin.

So, he gathered nine other Half-Step Civilization Realm experts, intending to confront Butcher Gao Jin with the combined might of ten. They had originally believed that the combined force of ten Half-Step Civilization Realm experts offered them a significant chance of victory against Butcher Gao Jin. These ten Half-Step Civilization Realm experts were figures of some renown across the realms.

Among them was the Fox Saint Imperial Concubine, whom Lu Yuan had encountered at the Sacred Land of Civilization—a key figure in the Fox Civilization. The others, while perhaps lacking the formidable backing of the Fox Saint Imperial Concubine, possessed individual strengths no less than hers. It was thought that these ten experts, fighting in concert, should possess a certain power to resist.

But they were wrong. The combined force of ten Half-Step Civilization Realm experts proved utterly incapable of matching the Heavenly Ranking giant, Butcher Gao Jin, ranked forty-eighth. This was sheer terror.

Gao Jin sneered. The disparity between a Heavenly Ranking giant and ordinary Half-Step Civilization Realm experts was vast—immeasurably vast. To think that a mere ten Half-Step Civilization Realm figures could oppose him was utterly absurd.

Gao Jin had only executed one of the ten Half-Step experts. He understood perfectly well whom to kill and whom not to. Half of these ten had powerful backers, and there was no need to offend them.

Thus, after demonstrating absolute, overwhelming power, Gao Jin struck down one person to solidify the situation with a bloody display. Indeed, the other nine were now sufficiently shaken. Gao Jin stood with his hands behind his back amidst the blood-soaked earth, advancing toward the delicate, ethereal maiden.

The maiden, clear and ethereal as a celestial being, clutched her immortal sword, yet found that even the courage to hold it was draining away. Facing such a Heavenly Ranking giant, she realized all her strength had deserted her—and even if it hadn't, it would have been useless, for she couldn't move a single finger. Against Gao Jin, what power did she possess to even attempt movement?

It was much like Lu Yuan facing the Civilization Lord, unable to stir in the slightest. Gao Jin looked at the ethereal maiden: “Body of Civilization, you cannot escape. No one can snatch you from my grasp, and no one can save you.

I will use the Blood Hand Dragon-Drawing Art to extract your Civilization Divine Essence.” At this moment, Gao Jin was god, he was demon, he was the sole sovereign of heaven and earth. He held the life of everyone present in his hands. The Blood Hand Dragon-Drawing Art was an exceedingly brutal technique, originating from the Immortal Ancient Civilization.

Legend held that the Immortal Ancient Civilization once acquired a child who had been gestating for three years; shortly after birth, they used this very Blood Hand Dragon-Drawing Art to brutally tear the dragon tendon from a young dragon of the Dragon Civilization. In the end, the Immortal Ancient Civilization held the greater power, and the Dragon Civilization could only swallow the injustice. “Who says no one can save her?

I say, if I intend to save her, I will save her,” a clear voice rang out. Who dared contradict the Heavenly Ranking giant Butcher Gao Jin at this moment? The remaining nine Half-Step Civilization Realm experts were petrified, wondering who had dared to speak.

Gao Jin, too, was slightly perplexed; who dared to contradict his words at this juncture? Gao Jin turned his head. His features were quite ordinary: thick lips, heavy eyebrows, dressed like a common butcher, emanating a killing aura that soared straight to the Ninth Heaven.

Gao Jin’s origins were indeed that of a butcher; he was once a professional Immortal Executioner for the Heavenly Court. This Gao Jin had stumbled upon a random Divine Skill technique, which allowed him to randomly acquire the cultivation method of any Immortal he executed. With this, Gao Jin accumulated countless Immortal techniques.

His innate talent was extraordinary, and his luck even more so, allowing him to fight his way up and eventually become a master in the Half-Step Civilization Realm—such was Gao Jin’s life, one steeped in destiny. The fifty Heavenly Ranking giants—each one basically embodied the template of a protagonist. Which of them hadn't experienced continuous miraculous encounters?

The fortune of the Son of Desolation, in fact, surpassed even Lu Yuan’s outlandish and unbelievable luck. When Gao Jin turned, he saw a young man in green robes. The young man in green was slightly handsome, a faint smile playing on the corner of his lips: “I said, if I mean to save her, I will save her.” Gao Jin paused, taken aback: “Who are you?” “Sword Gate, Lu Yuan,” the young man in green stated calmly.

Gao Jin nodded in sudden realization. Several of the other Half-Step Civilization Realm experts had recognized Lu Yuan much earlier; for instance, the Fox Saint Imperial Concubine had recognized him immediately. She had seen Lu Yuan at the Sacred Land of Civilization.

However, although Lu Yuan was famous, how could he dare speak to a Heavenly Ranking giant in such a manner? Was he courting death? Even Hua Fasheng was far inferior to Gao Jin.

“So, you are Lu Yuan of the Sword Gate,” Butcher Gao Jin said mildly. “That’s right, I am Lu Yuan of the Sword Gate,” Lu Yuan replied lightly, unconcerned. “Shi Feixian is one of my sect’s people.

You dare to cause trouble for someone from my Sword Gate? Are you looking to die? A mere Butcher Gao Jin.” The moment Lu Yuan uttered these words, almost everyone present assumed he had gone mad.

He was facing a Heavenly Ranking giant! Against a Heavenly Ranking giant, Lu Yuan should have been the one at a disadvantage. Yet, Lu Yuan’s tone suggested he held the absolute upper hand, as if he could casually manipulate the Heavenly Ranking giant.

This was pure insanity. The Fox Saint Imperial Concubine and the other nine Half-Step Civilization Realm experts beside him, having just engaged in battle with Gao Jin, had directly experienced the giant’s terrifying killing power. This only solidified their conviction that Lu Yuan was raving mad.

Perhaps he had no concept of the power level of a Heavenly Ranking giant? Did he imagine they were comparable to Hua Fasheng? Gao Jin also laughed—a laugh born of extreme anger.

How could he not be enraged? He had attained the rank of Heavenly Ranking giant; for ages, no one had dared to provoke him so openly. But now, someone had appeared to do just that: “Lu Yuan, I was originally going to afford you some courtesy since you are the future son-in-law of the Lord of the Ancient Law Civilization.

But clearly, there is no need for any courtesy now.” Gao Jin wasn't afraid of offending the Lord of the Ancient Law Civilization. If he truly killed Lu Yuan, he could simply take refuge in the Desolate Ancient, Immortal Ancient, or Buddhist Ancient Realms, becoming one of their people. While it was difficult for others to enter the Five Great Ancient Civilizations, it was not hard for a Heavenly Ranking giant.

He also knew the Desolate Ancient Realm sought to kill Lu Yuan, and he figured that if he killed Xu Yuan, the Desolate Ancient Realm would surely protect him. Once he obtained the Body of Civilization and drained its Divine Essence, what was there to fear? In Gao Jin’s fit of rage, Lu Yuan had already arrived beside Shi Feixian, shielding her behind him: “I will save you.

The Way of the Sword is not so easily dictated.” Lu Yuan’s instantaneous movement wasn't seamless; Gao Jin felt he could easily disrupt it. A brief explanation is necessary here: once one reaches the level of a Heavenly Ranking giant, they can perceive spatial traces. Many individuals can use instantaneous movement, but this leaves a spatial footprint.

The more obvious the trace, the easier it is for an opponent to interfere mid-teleport—for instance, if they sense your arrival point, they can cleave you apart with a strike through the void. Such incidents have occurred. For example, Liu Yidao, the fifth-ranked Heavenly Ranking giant of the Martial Ancient Civilization, specialized in slaying those mid-teleport.

Consequently, very few dared to use instantaneous movement in Liu Yidao's presence; being slain from another dimension halfway through a teleport is a most unpleasant experience. Generally, among those at the Heavenly Ranking giant tier, the higher the ranking, the fainter the spatial trace left by their teleportation. Gao Jin observed Lu Yuan's teleportation trace.

It was quite large, suggesting Lu Yuan’s strength was not exceptional—which seemed consistent with legends. He estimated Lu Yuan was only as strong as Hua Fasheng. While this level was respectable against others, it was utterly insufficient against a Heavenly Ranking giant like himself.

Gao Jin had clearly misjudged. The reason Lu Yuan’s teleportation seemed crude was that he was entirely unfamiliar with the power dynamics of the Heavenly Ranking giants. It was similar to when Wang Xueze and Zhu Tianren initially gained the upper hand using the Civilization Killing Song; Lu Yuan didn’t understand it at first, but after observing, he immediately used the Civilization Killing Song to equalize the situation.

The current scenario was much the same. Gao Jin focused on Lu Yuan: “Lu Yuan.” This was the first loud shout. “Lu Yuan!” This was the second loud shout.

“Lu Yuan!” This was the third loud shout. Three consecutive shouts capable of severing the soul—this was a supreme art Gao Jin learned from an Immortal he had executed, called the Three Shouts That Sever the Soul. This technique originated from the Soul-Severing Immortal.

The Soul-Severing Immortal had two disciples who inherited incomplete versions of this power, creating the Hum and Ha Qi Method, but the Hum and Ha Qi was far weaker than the original Three Shouts That Sever the Soul. Gao Jin’s killing move was unleashed. (Happy Children’s Day.)

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