The place most favored by the young people throughout the Fagū Civilization was called the Yard of Fa.

The Yard of Fa, in reality, possessed a simple layout, yet its proprietor was an astute businessman. It sold spirits, initially offering them freely before gradually implementing tiered discounts and hosting occasional events, thus cultivating an atmosphere that attracted scores of youths. Gradually, sparring sessions held within the Yard of Fa became a trend.

This eventually developed into the primary dueling ground for the younger generation of the Fagū Civilization, a turn of events that entirely surprised the initial owner.

Back in its early days, the Yard of Fa even maintained a Rank Board for its achievements.

Those with the finest records at the Yard of Fa could have their names inscribed upon this board. While there were no tangible rewards associated with this ranking, the prize was sheer glory. To be ranked at the Yard of Fa within the Fagū Civilization was an immense honor; possessing this distinction would cause any prospective romantic interest to view you with significantly greater esteem, and a master whose disciple was listed enjoyed reflected honor.

The fame of the Yard of Fa was substantial, even spreading beyond the borders of the Fagū Civilization. Many youths visiting the region from other civilizations made it a point to see the Yard of Fa, to witness this veritable sacred ground for Fagū’s young talents. And at the very top of the Yard of Fa Rank Board, glaringly displayed, was the Son of Fa.

Son of Fa, Record: Invincible.

Occupying the second position was Hua Fasheng.

Following them were several other outstanding figures of the younger generation.

At that moment, the atmosphere within the Yard of Fa was exquisitely tense.

A youth with fiery red hair, radiating an overwhelming ferocity and a body corded with muscle, stood suspended high above the Yard of Fa, bearing a placard. A resolute, square-jawed expression marked his face, which betrayed a haughty arrogance: "On my journey here, I heard tales of the Fagū Civilization’s Yard of Fa, a convergence of young masters. Now, I see it’s nothing much. Hua Fasheng, ranked second, only managed to withstand a single move from me. What a pity, such a pity."

Indeed, this person was none other than the Son of Dou from the Dòu Gū Civilization.

The placard the Son of Dou carried upon his shoulder bore an inscription written in bold characters: "Who Can Withstand Me!" This was the height of impudence. Of course, by inscribing these words, he effectively barred intervention from the older generation; if they were to strike down a junior, they risked gaining a reputation for bullying, so only the younger generation was expected to respond.

However, given that Hua Fasheng, a top figure among the young, had been defeated in a single move, how many others could possibly succeed? In truth, for Hua Fasheng to withstand one move from a Deputy Gui of the Yī Jì Yuán Civilization wouldn't typically pose much difficulty. But the Son of Dou utilized Dòu Qì, something Hua Fasheng had never encountered before, leading to his swift defeat in the surprise attack.

The Son of Dou sneered coldly: "So, who else dares?" "I shall take him on," declared the lean and frail Son of Fa, soaring down from the sky: "Let me, the Son of Fa, experience the prowess of you, the Son of Dou."

As the number one ranked figure at the Yard of Fa, the Son of Fa was obligated to step forward. Furthermore, he was eager to gauge the true capability of the Son of Dou, rumored to have emerged from the deepest reaches of the legendary Lost Lands.

After making his declaration, the Son of Fa conjured tens of thousands of spells, unleashing a massive bombardment upon the Son of Dou. While the Son of Fa’s myriad spells appeared entirely aimless, they were, in fact, highly calculated. These spells encompassed a diverse array of techniques, allowing the Son of Fa to meticulously gauge the opponent’s defenses, attack methodology, and any inherent weaknesses. The Son of Fa had always excelled in precision calculations.

Having recently attained the Mana level of Yī Jì Yuán, the Son of Fa’s mastery over all forms of sorcery had reached a new apex.

At that moment, the Son of Dou was enveloped in a seven-hued radiance: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These seven rays of light existed in the liminal space between pure spellcraft and physical impact, distinct from either form of attack, and each color appeared to possess its own unique function. This was, in fact, the supreme technique of the Dòu Gū Civilization: the Seven-Colored Dòu Qì.

The Dòu Gū Civilization possessed seven distinct types of Dòu Qì.

These seven energies each conferred different abilities: Red Dòu Qì was specifically tailored against magical attacks; Orange Dòu Qì was the most versatile; Yellow Dòu Qì was the most domineering; Green Dòu Qì was ceaseless and virtually inexhaustible; Blue Dòu Qì could ignore defenses; Indigo Dòu Qì could neutralize or weaken negative status effects; and Violet Dòu Qì targeted the spiritual psyche.

Generally, practitioners could only master one of these seven Dòu Qì, though occasionally, mastering a few was possible.

Yet, the Son of Dou had mastered all seven, fusing them into the Seven-Colored Dòu Qì. This composite energy combined the attributes of all seven types, rendering him exceptionally difficult to contend with—a feat rarely achieved even within the Dòu Gū Civilization.

Both the Son of Dou and the Son of Fa commanded the Mana of Yī Jì Yuán, yet relatively speaking, the Son of Dou had long dedicated himself to studying these arcane energies, while this was the Son of Fa’s first encounter with the bizarre nature of Dòu Qì. Naturally, the Son of Fa suffered some initial disadvantages. From the outset of the battle, the Son of Fa was put on the back foot as the Son of Dou wielded his Seven-Colored Dòu Qì with fluid ease, relentlessly pressing his assault.

"Boom!" The Son of Dou finally struck the Son of Fa down to the ground: "Oh? The legendary Son of Fa isn't so formidable either?" the Son of Dou remarked dismissively. The Dòu Gū Civilization had been in secluded training for an immensely long time. About thirty years prior, he had undertaken a brief tour during which he learned of the 'Seven Children of Fortune' (Qì Yùn Qī Zǐ). Now, having defeated the Son of Fa—one of the Seven Children of Fortune—he concluded the group was vastly overrated.

The defeat of the Son of Fa by the Son of Dou immediately ignited a maelstrom of discussion.

"Heavens! The Son of Fa has actually lost."

"Indeed. The Son of Fa is one of the Seven Children of Fortune, yet he was defeated. What exactly is the background of this Son of Dou?"

"He isn't one of the Seven Children of Fortune, so how can he conquer them?" "The heavens and earth always produce anomalies. Don't forget Lu Yuan; he isn't one of the Seven Children of Fortune either, yet he is already this powerful." Indeed, if Lu Yuan could emerge as such an anomaly, then the Son of Dou was not beyond possibility. The world was vast, and peerless geniuses were abundant.

"If the Son of Fa fails, what about the Son of Wu?" someone ventured.

"It is rumored that the Son of Wu recently encountered the Son of Huang and was struck several times, suffering grievous injuries. He barely managed to escape with his life and is currently recuperating." "Could it be that no one can check this Son of Dou?" "If Lu Yuan were here, that would solve it."

Near the Yard of Fa were several members of the Dòu Gū Civilization, present explicitly to deliver an intimidation display, intended to showcase the might of the Dòu Gū Civilization. A powerful Dòu Gū Civilization would allow them to secure more favorable positions within the Fa-Wu Alliance. The significance of positions within the Central Heavenly Dynasty should not be underestimated. It was widely anticipated that the geopolitical landscape of the Central Heavenly Dynasty was on the cusp of massive upheaval: if the Alliance of Desolate Immortals and Buddhas prevailed, the dominion of the Demon Civilization over the Central Heavenly Dynasty would be sealed; conversely, if the Fa-Wu Alliance won, the Dòu Gū Civilization’s ascendancy to the center would be a certainty. Dòu Gū wished to project immediate authority to guarantee greater returns upon victory.

And now, it seemed the Son of Dou was truly exceptional, having vanquished the Son of Fa. It appeared the complete self-seclusion of the Dòu Gū Civilization had been a wise strategy; with their collective power greatly enhanced, the Dòu Gū Civilization was poised to shake the Nine Heavens upon their reappearance.

Following his victory over the Son of Fa, the Son of Dou laughed boisterously. He stood perfectly erect and arrogant, still hoisting the placard reading "Who Can Withstand Me!" He had heard the murmurs of the onlookers and responded with a disdainful smile: "Who is Lu Yuan? You believe Lu Yuan can defeat me? Preposterous. I am the Son of Dou." The Son of Dou had barely heard of Lu Yuan’s name. He had only learned of the Seven Children of Fortune during his single tour thirty years ago, after which he immediately entered deep seclusion. His recent emergence coincided with the Dòu Gū Civilization’s collective reappearance, and he had traveled straight to the Fagū Civilization without rest, thus having absolutely no awareness of Lu Yuan’s growing reputation.

In the Son of Dou’s estimation, someone whose name wasn't even known thirty years ago couldn't possibly pose a significant threat—certainly not to him.

"You are certain I cannot defeat you?" A voice resonated through the void of heaven and earth.

A languid youth dressed in green robes materialized directly before the Son of Dou.

The Son of Dou narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the newcomer: "And you are?"

The relaxed, green-robed youth smiled faintly: "You just said I couldn't defeat you. I am Lu Yuan. Care to test that claim? See how many moves you can last against me." Lu Yuan spoke with extreme nonchalance. At that moment, Lu Yuan was simultaneously receiving at least five incoming private transmissions: one from the Sovereign of the Fa Transformation Civilization, one from the First Imperial Disciple of Fa, one from Imperial Consort Yue Mei, one from the Vice-Lord of the Ice Civilization, and one from the Vice-Lord of the Medicine Civilization.

The Sovereign of the Fa Transformation Civilization and the First Imperial Disciple of Fa were acting based on the grand strategy: they needed to immediately suppress the rising momentum of the Dòu Gū Civilization. If the Son of Dou were allowed to remain so arrogant, the Fa-Wu Alliance would suffer a massive loss of face, making future command structures difficult to enforce. During this crucial period of integration, they had to project strength to secure a higher status later, and the Son of Dou’s arrogance needed immediate crushing.

As for Imperial Consort Yue Mei, she was the elder sister of Yun Xiuxue. While the Son of Dou hadn't directly offended her, he had harassed Imperial Consort Roufu, the third sister of Yun Xiuxue. Roufu, being timid, had suffered in silence, but Yue Mei, possessing a fiery temperament, could not stand by and watch. Unable to deal with the Son of Dou herself, this was the perfect moment for her sworn brother-in-law, Lu Yuan, to make an appearance.

The Vice-Lord of the Ice Civilization, typically aloof and severe, felt an instinctive revulsion toward the Son of Dou.

The Vice-Lord of the Medicine Civilization, meanwhile, harbored long-standing grievances and conflicts with the Dòu Gū faction, making him equally displeased with the Son of Dou.

Lu Yuan shrugged. With so many people holding grudges against the Son of Dou for various reasons, it was incumbent upon him to subdue this upstart.

Subduing the Son of Dou would smooth over the integration of this Dòu Gū contingent, preparing the ground for Lu Yuan’s eventual departure to the Grand Decisive Battle.

"Lu Wu has arrived."

"Haha! Lu Yuan has finally shown himself!"

"Now that Lu Yuan is here, let’s see what tricks this Son of Dou from Dòu Gū has left." "Yes, can the Dòu Gū Civilization really cause any further trouble?" A wave of excited discussion rippled through the crowd.

"It has been a long time since Lu Yuan last made a move. I wonder how his fighting prowess has fared?"

"We eagerly await the display." This was certainly true. Following his engagement against Huang Wen in the War of the Artifact Civilization, Lu Yuan had not publicly fought or released any news of himself for a very, very long time. His reappearance now naturally shocked everyone, drawing universal anticipation.

(First update delivered.)