The Long Sigh of the Sword! The sound of the sword was clear and filled with sorrow! The sword measured seven feet and six inches in length! The blade was utterly black! This was the Long Sigh Divine Sword! And it was precisely the blade once wielded by the former Vice-Lord of the Bitter Civilization...

This sidearm remained silent for ages upon ages after the death of the Vice-Lord of the Bitter Civilization, but now, it let out a long sigh once more. Zhou Qingxuan commanded this Long Sigh Divine Sword, manifesting one devastating move after another against his four opponents. Zhou Qingxuan's techniques possessed a breathtaking, soul-stirring charm.

But the opposition was stronger! One nearing the Civilization Realm, two at the One-Era level, and one at the Two-Era level of power—this combination was utterly invincible!

Zhou Qingxuan shifted his body, retreating into the ancient Sword Formation of the Circle. He and the Vice-Lord of the Circle Civilization had been close friends in the past, so he naturally understood the profound mysteries of the Vice-Lord’s ancient grand array. He entered it, wielding the Long Sigh Divine Sword to unleash the Circle's defense, warding off the assaults of the four masters.

Yet, Zhou Qingxuan knew he could not hold out for long; his power after his reformation was too weak—he was currently only at the One-Era level.

As the Son of Immortality, the Vice-Lord of the Eight-Prism Civilization, the Vice-Lord of the Power Saint Civilization, and the Vice-Lord of the Desert Eagle Civilization attacked relentlessly, a deafening sound erupted, and countless Heavenly Tribulations manifested in the distant sky. This was the Great Civilization Calamity, and the only person currently enduring it was Lu Yuan.

Once Lu Yuan survived the Great Civilization Calamity, he could achieve the Civilization Realm. Naturally, the four—the Son of Immortality and his allies—would never allow this to happen.

The Vice-Lord of the Power Saint Civilization summoned his axe. His axe was named the Heaven-Severing Divine Axe. He gently caressed it, saying, "Vice-Lord of the Bitter Civilization, I am about to unleash my true ultimate move." This Two-Era Civilization Vice-Lord, the strongest among them all, was finally ready to unleash his genuine ultimate technique.

Zhou Qingxuan’s expression darkened. This was difficult to handle! This moment was now absolutely critical.

.... ..

Lu Yuan was currently undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization!

Numerous great calamities descended from the sky. The one that had just struck was the Tribulation of Feng Shui (Wind and Water/Metaphysics). Merely touching this tribulation meant being utterly ensnared within it, making escape nearly impossible.

Moreover, even more calamities were raining down from the heavens. The next one to descend was an even more terrifying ordeal. Within this calamity, every figure who had died by Lu Yuan’s hand, and every person connected to Lu Yuan, manifested as semi-real, semi-illusory shadows surrounding him. This specific tribulation did not directly attack Lu Yuan but instead formed countless threads, incredibly fine, that wrapped around him.

Lu Yuan tried to sever these threads with his divine power but found it impossible to break them.

This was the Great Tribulation of Karma! For every cause, there must be an effect. There were countless causes stemming from his journey of cultivation, and the consequence was this descending Great Tribulation of Karma. Those infinitely thin threads were the Threads of Karma. If one’s core will was swayed by these threads, eternal damnation was certain. And this time, he had to rely on his own steadfastness because, with the Source of All Goodness present, even the Guardian Spirit of Righteousness dared not manifest.

Furthermore, streams of karmic fire descended from the sky. This karmic fire was no less destructive than the Fire of Civilization; it could incinerate all things. The karmic fire enveloped Lu Yuan, burning fiercely within it.

At this moment, Lu Yuan was enduring multiple Great Tribulations of Civilization.

Good and Evil, Astrology/Fate, Feng Shui, Karma, Karmic Fire—all these were inherent aspects of the universe that every person carried from birth. Everyone lived within their confines, and no one could escape them. However, to (assault/break through to) the Civilization Realm, one had to transcend these innate elements.

Transcending these great calamities was extremely difficult. It tested every facet of one's being, especially the heart. Historically, countless individuals had failed at this juncture while attempting to reach the Civilization Realm—geniuses numbering as many as the sands of the Ganges. But what was genius worth? The Great Civilization Calamity had destroyed immeasurable numbers of them. Ancient Primeval, for instance, had reached this threshold long ago but dared not advance, paralyzed by fear of the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization, only succeeding in breaking through recently.

“Good and Evil cannot bind me.” Lu Yuan stepped forward. The Source of All Goodness and the Source of All Evil separated completely between his feet, and Lu Yuan stood in the middle, untouched by either. The Heart of Heaven is my heart.

“Fate cannot shackle me.” Lu Yuan roared, shaking the Great Tribulation of Fate completely away.

“Feng Shui cannot stump me.” With Lu Yuan’s loud cry, the Tribulation of Feng Shui was forcefully driven back, hanging in the sky like a River of Feng Shui.

“Karma cannot restrain me.” Karma was instantly shouted far away into the void, leaving Lu Yuan’s body.

“Karmic Fire, shatter for me!” Under Lu Yuan’s commanding shouts, the karmic fire was pressed downward toward the ground, unable to touch him. Voice after voice rang out from Lu Yuan’s mouth, each representing a spirit and mettle of ultimate liberation and absolute freedom—nothing binds, no heart is tethered.

Lu Yuan roared once more: “I am Civilization; I am indestructible through myriad tribulations!”

Amidst these numerous calamities, Lu Yuan’s physical form took on a white hue—a white like that of white clouds. At this moment, Lu Yuan seemed to have transformed into a cloud drifting between heaven and earth. Whether it was Good and Evil, Fate, Feng Shui, Karma, or Karmic Fire—none of it truly concerned Lu Yuan. Within his body, shackle after shackle that had bound him since birth began to snap and crumble.

This was the true transcendence: stepping outside the Five Elements and existing outside the Three Realms.

Only the Civilization Realm allowed one to step outside the Five Elements and exist outside the Three Realms. That Stone Monkey from epochs past, possessing only World Realm strength, boasted of existing outside the Five Elements and outside the Three Realms—that was merely the ranting of a fool.

Lu Yuan’s form of life began to grow increasingly pure, radiating an aura that transcended all things.

However, the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization had not ended; it was still underway.

A single chain extended from the sky, coiling toward Lu Yuan. This chain was not Good and Evil, not Fate, not Feng Shui, not Karma, not Karmic Fire. It was the pure aura of the Sovereign—the Master.

The 'Sovereign' refers to the Lord of Civilization. In the past, the Vice-Lord of the Confucian Civilization used the Sovereign’s Prison to restrain the Vice-Lord of the Heavenly Principle Civilization. Now, what appeared in the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization was unmistakably the Sovereign’s Chain. While the Sovereign’s Chain was not as terrifying as the Sovereign’s Lock, it was terrifying nonetheless. Normal Heavenly Tribulations of Civilization would never manifest such a thing. It appeared solely because Lu Yuan was a swordsman—the heavens do not tolerate swordsmen—and because his accumulated power was too profound.

The Sovereign’s Chain materialized in the void and coiled toward Lu Yuan.

“Sovereign’s Chain, lock all things!” “Sovereign’s Chain, extinguish heaven and earth!” “Sovereign’s Chain, bind everything!” “Sovereign’s Chain, stagnate civilization!”

In the heavens, the Sovereign’s ode, the Sovereign’s hymn, seemed to sound.

Chain after chain of the Sovereign’s Chain emerged from the void, binding Lu Yuan tightly. Lu Yuan was utterly powerless to fight back. These chains did not just bind his physical body; they shackled his divine power and his soul. Innumerable bolts of thunderous heavenly lightning rained down after Lu Yuan was locked, relentlessly trying to destroy his body.

Damn it! He actually triggered the Sovereign’s Chain. The Sovereign’s Chain is normally used against Vice-Lords of Civilization. I haven't even reached the Civilization Realm, yet I am confronted by the Sovereign’s Chain. I never expected the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization to produce this object; Heaven granted me not even a sliver of opportunity to ascend to the Civilization Realm.

But if Heaven won't grant me an opportunity, I must create one myself.

The Sovereign’s Chain must be the hardest passage in this Heavenly Tribulation. If I overcome this barrier, I can pass the entire trial. But how does one break the Sovereign’s Chain? Lu Yuan sank into deep contemplation, unable to find any method to shatter the chains for a time.

Being restrained by chain after chain felt profoundly unsettling!

Yet, after racking his brain over every technique he knew—be it the Gate of the Sword, his swordsmanship, or the Sword of Restraining the Desolate—no technique could breach the Sovereign’s Chain. Even the character 'Dao' (Way), which held the most profound mysteries, could not restrain these chains because only a clone was present here.

The Sovereign’s Chains tightened relentlessly. If they managed to constrict fully, they could crush Lu Yuan to death within them.

No! I cannot die this way! Absolutely not! But what method exists to break the Sovereign’s Chain? This wasn't even meant for the Heavenly Tribulation of Civilization; it was meant for Vice-Lords! Wait, there might be one way.

What shape in this world is the hardest to bind? The Circle!

That’s right. Any shape can be bound relatively well, but the circular shape is the most difficult to restrain with chains—and even the Sovereign’s Chain might be subject to this. The Circle is the most slippery form, and I happen to possess the character for 'Circle,' along with the Path of the Circle from the Vice-Lord of the Circle Civilization, and even his Circular Apex Divine Sword. Everything aligns perfectly.

Truly, there is a hidden, inherent meaning in the flow of destiny. The Vice-Lord of the Circle Civilization, back then, never imagined that a successor would be trapped by the Sovereign’s Chain while attempting to reach the Civilization Realm. He left behind the character for 'Circle,' the Path of the Circle, and the Circular Apex Divine Sword—which were merely his legacy—but in the mysterious unfolding of fate, they came to aid Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan felt his heart settle. Regardless of chain after chain coiling toward him, he began to cultivate his Path of the Circle.

This approach held a better than seventy percent chance of success!

Lu Yuan used his divine consciousness to open the Path of the Circle within his new Sword World.

“Heaven is round, Earth is square; the Dao of Heaven is the Circle.” This was the very first sentence.

“Proficiency in human affairs constitutes true literature; one who masters human affairs is well-rounded in worldly matters, and the Dao of Man is also the Circle.” This was the second sentence.

“Therefore, the Dao of Heaven is the Circle.”

“The Dao of Man is the Circle.”

“The Dao of Heaven and Man are both the Circle.”

“This is the Path of the Circle.”

This opening summary encompassed the totality of the Circle of Heaven and Man, and it seemed the Circle of Heaven and Earth resided completely within his heart.