The New Sword World was filled with gasps of astonishment. The people of the Sword Sect had long awaited news of Lu Yuan.

And when the news finally arrived, it struck them like a succession of earth-shattering waves. The first time, they believed Lu Yuan had reached the Eighth Layer of the World Realm, an astounding achievement for the Sword Sect, far surpassing Old Ancestor Jian Mie. The second time, they thought he had attained the Tenth Layer of the World Realm, essentially matching the strength of the Sword Sect's First Ancestor. The third time, the rumor surfaced that Lu Yuan had reached the Half-Step Civilization Realm, which genuinely seemed unbelievable. Yet, they later realized these were merely minor ripples. The greater surges were yet to come. Lu Yuan had actually reached the Civilization Realm! The Civilization Realm, sovereign over all existence! Before anyone could fully process this, the claims became even more extravagant: Lu Yuan had slain three figures of the Civilization Realm—the Vice-Lord of the Eight-Prism Civilization, the Vice-Lord of the Desolate Eagle Civilization, and the Vice-Lord of the Mighty Saint Civilization. By eliminating three Vice-Lords, who were notoriously difficult to fell, Lu Yuan was challenging fate itself!

Within the New Sword World, describing everyone’s emotional state became an impossible task.

Outside the New Sword World, Tai Shi Kong also inquired, “Lu Yuan, what is your current strength? Eighth Layer World Realm? Tenth Layer? Half-Step Civilization?” “Civilization Realm,” Lu Yuan replied lightly.

Old Ancestor Jian Mie and Tai Shi Kong nearly stumbled to the ground. As figures of the World Realm, their flight capabilities were naturally superior, but the shock was immense. After a long pause, they finally regained their composure. Lu Yuan had indeed reached the Civilization Realm; it explained why he stood beside the Vice-Lord of the Bitter Sword Civilization, his aura showing no inferiority. Fearsome!

At this juncture, the entire affair officially concluded. Tai Shi Kong and the others settled into the New Sword World. Given his status as Lu Yuan’s master, Tai Shi Kong held extremely high authority within the New Sword World, equal to that of Shi Fei Xian.

Vice-Lord Wu Yan of the Martial Yan Civilization smiled faintly, waving her hand gracefully. “Lu Yuan, it seems I must take my leave. Oh, have you made up your mind? If you decide you want a dual cultivation partner, let me know. I would be more than willing.” Vice-Lord Wu Yan of the Martial Yan Civilization smiled again, giving a flirtatious wink, “If you plan on starting a harem, I might even be amenable.” Vice-Lord Wu Yan of the Martial Yan Civilization possessed exquisite features—delicate brows, perfectly formed lips, and eyes sparkling with spirit. Her slender, exposed neck contrasted with the cropped top and short, leg-baring skirt she wore. Her offer to join a harem was utterly captivating.

In truth, Vice-Lord Wu Yan was genuinely considering it. Lu Yuan’s potential was terrifying; having just entered the Civilization Realm, he could slay three existing Civilization Realm experts. Such brutal feats were world-shaking, and given Lu Yuan's youth and immense potential, as long as he survived, he was virtually guaranteed to ascend to the rank of Civilization Lord. Therefore, even if Lu Yuan established a harem, Vice-Lord Wu Yan of the Martial Yan Civilization would gladly pursue him.

It was unavoidable. Handsome, young, potent, and possessing a good nature—where else could one find such a Civilization Realm expert? The Central Celestial Dynasty barely boasted a few hundred Civilization Realm figures in total; finding one suitable in every aspect was incredibly difficult.

Lu Yuan wiped his brow, scoffing at the idea of a harem—he had never held such intentions. “Senior Wu Yan, I will never forget the kindness of your rescue. In the future, if you ever need assistance, as long as it does not violate the principles of righteousness, I, Lu Yuan, will exert every effort to help.”

Vice-Lord Wu Yan lightly stamped her foot, glanced at Lu Yuan, tossed her dark hair back, and departed.

Zhou Qingxuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling faintly.

Lu Yuan and Zhou Qingxuan did not immediately part ways; they remained together for the time being. The sword techniques practiced by the former Vice-Lord of the Bitter Sword Civilization held considerable uniqueness, and although Zhou Qingxuan now praised Lu Yuan’s mastery, he still proceeded to impart his own swordsmanship to Lu Yuan, piece by piece. Zhou Qingxuan’s art was known as the Way of the Bitter Sword.

Since Zhou Qingxuan was willing to teach, Lu Yuan naturally accepted.

Lu Yuan was currently following a path of absorbing the merits of various sword arts.

His Way of the Bitter Sword contained numerous profound mysteries. Firstly, the Way of the Bitter Sword carried a trace of deep loneliness. Infusing this solitary essence into his ultimate killing strike could greatly enhance it—this was the first benefit. Secondly, he gained several new ultimate moves, techniques evocative of sentiments such as, “The sorrow of the night rain over the Xiang River breaks the heart; the cicada’s mournful cry brings tears to the eyes.” Regarding such ultimate techniques, one could never have too many. Thirdly, and most crucially. “Minor Destiny Art!” Lu Yuan started. “Yes, the Minor Destiny Art,” Zhou Qingxuan affirmed.

On Gambling Immortal Island, Lu Yuan had encountered variations of what was termed the Minor Destiny Art. At that time, using his gambling-character avatar, he had battled various iterations, such as Jian Yun Chou’s Heart Sutra of the Gambling Fiend. He had then thought those variants of the Minor Destiny Art were nothing special, merely adequate. He surmised that those who studied the Minor Destiny Art were hoping to truly grasp the Grand Destiny Iron Rule, which was, in fact, an impossible feat.

Lu Yuan hadn't felt the Minor Destiny Art was particularly powerful, so he voiced his confusion.

“That is because what they mastered was never the true Minor Destiny Art; it was merely a variant. The genuine Minor Destiny Art is far stronger than what they possess. What I mastered in my past was the authentic Minor Destiny Art,” Zhou Qingxuan explained. “The strangeness of my life experiences, the peculiarity of my fate, is almost unparalleled, which consequently forged a destiny of sorrow across a hundred generations, leading me, through a fortunate confluence of events, to master the Minor Destiny Art.” Zhou Qingxuan continued, “The true Minor Destiny Art can equate to half of any other complete Iron Rule.”

Half—one should never underestimate that half.

Once one reached the Nine Iron Rules, they stood at the pinnacle of this world. To gain an additional half was an extraordinary achievement. Lu Yuan, now possessing eight and a half Iron Rules, naturally understood the vast gulf in power. If this were true, he had indeed underestimated the Minor Destiny Art before.

Zhou Qingxuan added, “Of course, I have not managed to re-cultivate the Minor Destiny Art myself, but I can plant the seed of the Minor Destiny Art within you. When fortune favors you, you will possess the opportunity to grasp the true Minor Destiny Art.” As Zhou Qingxuan spoke, he pressed the seed of the Minor Destiny Art into Lu Yuan’s palm; it required a twist of fate for Lu Yuan to master it fully.

When Zhou Qingxuan had taught nearly everything he intended, and Lu Yuan was preparing to return to the Central Celestial Dynasty, Zhou Qingxuan received a message. His expression immediately turned grave. “Lu Yuan, there is something you must know. The situation of Xiao Qing in the Phoenix Ancient Civilization is becoming precarious.”

Lu Yuan blinked in surprise. Xiao Qing! The beautiful maiden in green silks with whom he shared a karmic thread of affection. He involuntarily recalled the image of the green-clad girl, bearing an immortal sword, with a refined appearance and elegant demeanor. Hadn't she gone to serve as one of the Seven Maidens of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization? Rumor held that among the Phoenix Ancient Civilization, the Seven Maidens held the highest status beneath the Civilization Lord. How could her situation be perilous?

Zhou Qingxuan explained, “I still possess some connections within the Phoenix Ancient Civilization.” This stemmed from an incident long ago: one of the Seven Maidens had been fond of Zhou Qingxuan, but Zhou Qingxuan was devoted solely to Shang Shi. His fidelity was absolute, so the admirer never succeeded but waited for Zhou Qingxuan ceaselessly, unwavering to this day. “Something peculiar has arisen this epoch. A maiden of normal potential for a Blue Maiden (Qing Nü) only appears rarely per epoch. This epoch produced Xiao Qing, which was fortunate enough, but now another has appeared—a woman named Qing Lian from the Miao Civilization. With two Blue Maidens existing simultaneously, according to the long-standing rules of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization, these two must compete. However, this Qing Lian comes from the Miao Civilization and has powerful backing; Xiao Qing has no patron. Naturally, Xiao Qing is at a disadvantage, and her position is extremely perilous.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan’s decision was instantly solidified: he had to save Xiao Qing. She had, after all, saved him half a life once; when the Ancient Desolate Civilization came to kill him, it was due to Xiao Qing that the Phoenix Ancient Civilization Lord intervened to help him—a massive aid at the time. Furthermore, he and Xiao Qing were friends. And then there was a more fundamental reason: Lu Yuan was now at the level of a Vice-Lord of a Civilization. A Civilization Vice-Lord was no longer an ordinary figure; they could serve as a powerful anchor for others. Lu Yuan truly possessed that qualification now. Unconsciously, Lu Yuan had grown into a towering tree, standing firm between heaven and earth.

“Moreover, in this matter, you absolutely must go,” Zhou Qingxuan insisted. “It is crucial for the larger strategic picture.” Hearing Zhou Qingxuan stress its importance, Lu Yuan asked, “What is the reason?” “It concerns the political stance of the Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord. The Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord has always maintained a neutral position. That previous intervention to support you did not shift her into the Fagu or Wugu camps; it only leaned slightly toward them, keeping her essentially neutral,” Zhou Qingxuan explained. “You are already aware of the current dynamic between Wugu and Fagu against the Buddhist, Desolate, and Immortal Ancients.”

Lu Yuan certainly understood the situation. “The position of the Blue Maiden is vital, as she is one of the Seven Maidens, and will invariably influence the final stance of the Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord. There are two potential candidates for the Blue Maiden: Xiao Qing, who leans toward you, and Qing Lian. If Xiao Qing secures the position, the Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord is highly likely to align with Wugu and Fagu in the end.” “Conversely, the other candidate, Qing Lian, is from the Miao Civilization, which firmly supports the Ancient Desolate, Buddhist, and Immortal Ancients. If Qing Lian ends up as the Blue Maiden, the Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord is more likely to lean toward the Ancient Desolate, Buddhist, and Immortal Ancients.” “The Phoenix Queen Civilization Lord is one of the supreme Civilization Lords in the cosmos. Her ultimate allegiance is a matter of profound consequence.” “Therefore, you must go to assist Xiao Qing in securing the position of the Blue Maiden; you absolutely cannot allow Qing Lian of the Miao Civilization to succeed,” Zhou Qingxuan laid out the entire cause and effect with perfect clarity.

Lu Yuan’s resolve hardened further. Whether viewed from a personal standpoint or the grand strategic angle, he had to help Xiao Qing win.