Eons passed in that single glance.

Lu Yuan knew a vast amount of time had elapsed.

He glanced at the hourglass beside him; it had turned over five hundred times.

One turn of the hourglass signified one year.

Five hundred years had passed.

It turned out that this seclusion had spanned a full five centuries.

Of course, the transformation over these five hundred years, and the magnitude of his own advancement, were almost unimaginable.

He now possessed the power of the peak of the Eighteenth Epoch, so close to the Nineteenth Epoch that it was barely a breath away.

With his current strength, he could contend even with figures like the Lord of the Undying Civilization.

He had finally reached the zenith of the heavens and earth.

Unless the Lord of the Desolate Ancient Civilization had truly ascended to the Eternal Civilization Lord, he was now virtually invincible within the cosmos.

Lu Yuan had once held the title of Unmatched in Technique.

But that was merely unmatched in technique.

Now, he was simply unmatched.

Unmatched in technique was limited to specific moves; against those with superior magical force, he was not an equal.

But now, Lu Yuan felt fundamentally invincible.

This was truly an exhilaration beyond measure.

With a gentle clench of his hand in the void, countless streams of potent magical force flowed between his fingers.

With the world's might held in his grasp, who could be his opponent? Power! What was power? This was power! Lu Yuan shrugged lightly, and a boundless surge of strength erupted from his shoulders.

Every fiber of Lu Yuan’s being was now saturated, overflowing with explosive, dense power.

Furthermore, the quality of his magical force was extraordinarily high—far beyond the ordinary.

Through five centuries of tempering, Lu Yuan had absorbed the sword energies of numerous masters from the Ancient Sword Civilization using the Myriad Swords Return to the Source technique, resulting in his magical force possessing an extremely high density and quality.

Excellent.

With this combat prowess, he could venture anywhere in the world.

Lu Yuan leaped out of the earthen cavern.

It was still the familiar Ancient Sword Masters' Tomb.

Lu Yuan looked around the vicinity.

Due to the increase in his own strength, Lu Yuan vaguely sensed an object beneath the cavern floor.

He thrust his claw downward with a deafening roar, pulling out an object that shimmered like a streak of light.

This stream of light seemed to struggle in his grasp, eager to flash away.

Lu Yuan barked a cold shout: "Suppress!" The magical force of the Eighteenth Epoch roared forth, trying forcefully to pin the object down.

Yet, this stream of light was unwilling to yield.

What a formidable stream of light! Even with the magical force of the Eighteenth Epoch, he could not truly suppress it.

Truly, few things in heaven and earth could hold this light in check.

At this moment, Lu Yuan vaguely perceived something, and with a grand sweep of his hand, the Brush, the Tablet, and the Divine Halberd of Destiny materialized.

The Brush of Truth, the Tablet of Principles, the Divine Halberd of Heavenly Mandate.

These three artifacts subtly resonated with the stream of light.

Lu Yuan suppressed it again, this time incorporating the three artifacts into the restraint.

After the combined suppression, the heavens and earth shook, and the stream of light finally ceased struggling, utterly subdued.

Simultaneously, Lu Yuan understood that this stream of light was named the Unyielding Stream of Light.

It was also one of the Ten Fates.

Did people not often cry out: "Oh, Destiny, I will not bow to Fate." "Absolutely refuse to yield to destiny." In truth, unyielding was also a part of destiny.

This was the Unyielding Stream of Light.

Why had this magical force remained undepleted over eons counted in the hundreds of millions of years? Why was it so difficult to suppress? Frankly, the effect of this Unyielding Stream of Light played a role.

The reason Lu Yuan required a full five hundred years to absorb this magical force—besides the sheer magnitude of the energy—was also because of this Unyielding Stream of Light.

What a creature, Lu Yuan flicked the Unyielding Stream of Light lightly.

You cost me at least three hundred extra years.

Of course, Lu Yuan’s current rate of advancement was also frighteningly fast.

Five hundred years, advancing from the Fifteenth Epoch to the peak of the Eighteenth Epoch—this speed was terrifyingly rapid; no ordinary person could match such a pace.

As Lu Yuan began to absorb the Unyielding Stream of Light, an indomitable will permeated his sword and his body.

Moreover, his Iron Rule of Destiny increased from three components to four.

Each increase in the Iron Rule of Destiny correlated with an increase in power.

Excellent! Lu Yuan stood up.

Everything that needed improvement had been sufficiently enhanced; it was time to leave.

This seclusion lasted five hundred years, an unprecedented stretch for him.

He wondered how the outside world had changed—had the Lord of the Desolate Ancient Civilization become the Eternal Lord? Lu Yuan bowed to each of the grave markers in turn. "Lord of the Ancient Sword Civilization, Lord of the Sword Summit Civilization, Lord of the Sword Shock Civilization, Vice-Lord of the Sword Hero Civilization...

respected seniors," Lu Yuan stated, clasping his hands. "I, Lu Yuan, dare not make grand claims, but as long as I draw breath, the Way of the Sword shall endure.

You can be absolutely certain of this." It seemed Lu Yuan faintly perceived many seniors of the Sword Way peacefully allowing their final vestiges of divine thought to dissipate into dust.

Yes, they were at peace.

They had not witnessed any action from Lu Yuan, but the mere fact that Lu Yuan could pass the Sword Appraisal trial and enter this place proved he was a thoroughly qualified swordsman—no one else could pass that barrier.

Since such a qualified swordsman had made a promise, they had nothing left to worry about.

A gentleman's word weighs more than a thousand pounds.

After speaking, Lu Yuan smiled calmly, clasped his hands, and departed.

He left with effortless grace, utterly unburdened.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan finally emerged from the Ancient Sword Masters' Tomb, where he had cultivated for five hundred years.

This was still within the Eternal Star Field.

Lu Yuan activated his Sword Step.

He had to admit, after five hundred years of disuse, the Sword Step felt slightly unfamiliar.

But as he continued to employ it, that sensation returned.

He once again reveled in the feeling of lightning speed.

Lu Yuan flew along with delight.

Flying with incredible velocity.

First, he would visit the City of Moments to survey the situation.

When Lu Yuan arrived at the City of Moments, he was stunned.

Was this still the City of Moments? He had resided there for a very brief period before, but back then, the City of Moments was colossal, teeming with dozens of powerful auras lurking within like hidden dragons and tigers.

That City of Moments was magnificent.

But now—now the City of Moments had become this.

Lu Yuan stared at the scene of ruins and rubble, momentarily unsure what to say.

The City of Moments was destroyed! Utterly demolished! Looking at the devastation, it seemed a massive collision of magical forces had occurred here.

Even after several centuries, Lu Yuan could discern the residual traces.

One set of energy fluctuations belonged to the Lord of the City of Moments—he recognized that signature.

The other fluctuation was far more powerful than the City of Moments Lord's, but Lu Yuan did not recognize the magical traces.

The City of Moments was destroyed! Then what about the other places? Lu Yuan flew directly towards the City of Undying, the residence of the Lord of the Undying Civilization.

Upon reaching the City of Undying, he could only sigh in lamentation; it too was ruined, though the damage was slightly less severe than the City of Moments.

But it was destroyed nonetheless.

Lu Yuan moved continuously through the Eternal Star Field, discovering that not a single soul remained in the Eternal Star Domain.

He was the sole inhabitant.

At this point, an overwhelming sense of emptiness washed over Lu Yuan.

Right, the Gate of Eternity—he should go check the Gate of Eternity.

Lu Yuan activated his Sword Step and flew straight towards the Gate of Eternity.

Huh? Where was the Gate of Eternity? Lu Yuan realized he could not locate the Gate of Eternity.

No, that couldn't be right; the Gate of Eternity should definitely be here.

Why was it missing? Lu Yuan confirmed his location again and found two solitary islands not far away.

Five hundred years ago, these should have been two extremely precious Third-Grade Enlightenment Zones, but now they seemed inert.

Indeed, no Gate of Eternity, no Current of Eternity—nothing remained.

The Gate of Eternity had vanished! This left only one possibility.

The possibility Lu Yuan least wished to confront was that the Lord of the Desolate Ancient Civilization had, without a doubt, truly become the Desolate Ancient Eternal Lord.

Damn it! Lu Yuan desperately wanted to curse, but he couldn't hold back.

That bald rogue, Desolate Ancient, had actually become an Eternal Lord.

It was unjust, utterly unfair! Of course, Lu Yuan felt no genuine despair.

You’ve taken countless epochs to emerge, claiming boundless lifespan as an Eternal Lord—so what? If the chance arises, I will take you down too.

It’s no great matter, blast it! I am an Eighteenth Epoch powerhouse who can defeat a Nineteenth Epoch expert.

Perhaps when I reach the Nineteenth Epoch, I can defeat a Twentieth Epoch Eternal Lord.

Who can say what might happen? Lu Yuan shrugged.

Since the Eternal Star Field was deserted, Lu Yuan decided to head to the Central Celestial Dynasty to assess the overall situation.

His chief concern was the Civilization of the Sword.

Lu Yuan immediately commanded his Sword Step and flew off.

The entrance to the Eternal Star Field was naturally the Star Domain Gate.

Only now did Lu Yuan notice that the Star Domain Gate was blocked by a thick layer of gray substance.

Boom! Lu Yuan casually threw a punch, his Eighteenth Epoch magical force slamming into the thick gray matter.

The dense gray substance showed no reaction.

No way—even with my Eighteenth Epoch power, I can't break through this? Lu Yuan immediately summoned the Breaking Fate Sword.

This time, he thrust forward with a strike.

Aided by the Breaking Fate Sword, which was reputed to shatter all things between heaven and earth, Lu Yuan finally pierced through the layer of gray matter, emerging into the outside world and returning to the Central Celestial Dynasty.

Let's go! After five hundred years in seclusion, he had been waiting to beat the stuffing out of the Lord of the Desolate Ancient Civilization.

Whether he was currently a Civilization Lord or an Eternal Lord, Lu Yuan intended to pummel him.

(The second update is delivered.

August is finished; this book will conclude at the beginning of September.

Please continue to recommend my new book, Martial God Unrivaled.)