"No matter, you just need to remember..." Old Jue Yan didn't finish his words, but instead swiftly dropped low, dropping to all fours before instantly lunging at Lang Taotian. Lang Taotian cursed internally, thinking the Beast Clan people were indeed despicable, but his reaction was quick enough; as Old Jue Yan sprang, he thrust his spear across his chest, firmly blocking the claw strike.

"The young fellow certainly has some skill!" Old Jue Yan was already short, and now he threw his entire weight against Lang Taotian’s spear, shoving his face close to Lang Taotian's, sneering coldly, "Farewell, young one!"

"What!" Lang Taotian had expected Old Jue Yan to retreat after one failed attack to prepare for the next. He never anticipated that Old Jue Yan, far from abandoning his assault, would suddenly spray a fierce jet of flame from his mouth directly toward Lang Taotian's cheek. "Agh..." Lang Taotian felt an intense burning sensation on his skin and hastily dropped the spear, executing a full 360-degree spin, barely managing to dodge the jet of fire. However, Old Jue Yan was no fool; his gourd was full of wine, which he immediately hurled out. The wine ignited another spurt of flame, rushing toward the still-unsteady Lang Taotian.

"Ocean Surge." Lang Taotian flicked his sleeve, shooting out a burst of mist from thin air, instantly dousing Old Jue Yan's sea of fire.

"Good! Beat him." A Jiao directed from the sidelines, seemingly more energetic than those actually on the stage.

Lang Taotian stabilized his footing and pressed his advantage, closing the distance with a rapid stride toward the retreating Old Jue Yan. He firmly grasped his spear, pulling it back and drawing it away from Old Jue Yan's grasp, then surged forward again, stabbing and forcing Old Jue Yan into a corner with no escape...

"Kaka-kaka-kaka." Ye Xiu stood within the slowly ascending lift, the scene below receding farther and farther away. Whether those guys won or lost mattered little to him. Since he had ascended to the Three Swords Realm only for the Three Swords of Gods and Ghosts, having this singular goal meant he shouldn't harbor any affections for others.

"Young Master Ye, please stay." As the lift halted on the platform of the Star Gazing Pavilion, someone dressed in clothes of a similar cut but different color to Yuan Wencheng barred Ye Xiu's way. "I am Zuo Wencheng of Ten Thousand Sword City. I have been commanded by the Great City Lord to invite you for a meeting."

Ye Xiu studied Zuo Wencheng closely. This man had thick eyebrows and large eyes, a broad face, and pendulous earlobes. In both temperament and bearing, he far surpassed the Yuan Wencheng below. But why would the Great City Lord summon him now? It couldn't simply be to discuss the martial competition, could it?

"Young Master Ye, please," Zuo Wencheng instructed his men to raise the lift again, and he accompanied Ye Xiu toward the palace of the Ten Thousand Sword Azure Dragon at the very summit of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion.

Ye Xiu instinctively glanced downward. From atop the Star Gazing Pavilion, Wan Jian Qinglin and Wan Jian Chenying were standing right by the lift entrance, watching him from a distance. Ye Xiu smiled and nodded at Wan Jian Qinglin to show his loyalty. This smile was interpreted by Wan Jian Chenying as the perfect gesture of return courtesy, causing her to shyly lower her head.

"What do you think of Young Master Ye, little sister?" Qinglin knew who Zuo Wencheng was taking him to see; this was all within his expectations. His elder brother was just that kind of person. Rather than seeking a confidant for this competition, it was more straightforward for him to find someone he genuinely believed could win. Furthermore, Cang Long, the elder brother, possessed an ingrained reverence and determination for the Way of the Sword.

"Young Master Ye possesses supreme swordsmanship, and he is quite witty and humorous..." Wan Jian Chenying's voice trailed off as she spoke, her cheeks flushing slightly while praising Ye Xiu. However, none of this registered in Qinglin's mind. Wan Jian Qinglin was a man destined for great things, and his ambitions were no less challenging than Wan Jian Cang Long's.

The upper level of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion was named the Soaring Heaven Tower, not a royal reception hall, but the private sanctuary and practice ground of the Great City Lord, Wan Jian Cang Long. Led by Zuo Wencheng, Ye Xiu stepped into an environment brimming with lushness and serenity. Every blade of grass, every tree, every spring and lake helped to ease his previously taut nerves.

"The Great City Lord is just ahead, at the Profound Sky Lake." Zuo Wencheng only escorted Ye Xiu this far before respectfully taking his leave.

Profound Sky Lake? Ye Xiu paced forward slowly. Upon a structure that towered into the clouds, a body of water had been constructed. He craned his neck upward, and that single glance absorbed all the azure blue into his eyes. The lake reflected the clouds above, and those clouds seemed to immerse themselves in the water, merging and separating in mutual embrace.

"Young Hero Ye has arrived." Wan Jian Cang Long had been standing with his back to the world in the lake pavilion. Sensing the approach of someone, he turned around, his expression gentle. "Young Hero Ye is not angered that Cang Long has not afforded you a chance to rest, I trust."

"The Great City Lord flatters me. My minor battle required no rest." The injuries Ye Xiu sustained were negligible. What puzzled him was the vastness of the Profound Sky Lake; the pavilion, named the Heaven-Piercing Pavilion, stood utterly alone in the middle of the water, with no visible path leading to it. "Why is this Heaven-Piercing Pavilion constructed so unusually?"

"Hahaha, Young Hero Ye's lightness skill is extraordinary; this small distance should not trouble you. Might I ask Young Hero Ye to cross over and speak?" Wan Jian Cang Long’s laughter was deep, carrying a faint hint of provocation.

Ye Xiu understood Wan Jian Cang Long's meaning. Without hesitation, he prepared to step onto the lake, intending to perform several 'dragonfly touching water' leaps before landing squarely on the Heaven-Piercing Pavilion. However, the Profound Sky Lake was no ordinary water. The moment Ye Xiu's foot landed on the surface, he felt an intense heat, and a water column shot out like sword light, slicing toward him. "Ah!" Ye Xiu gasped, twisting his body mid-air to barely evade the attack. By then, his entire body was already gliding over the lake surface, finding no solid ground to push off from. Out of necessity, he drew his Hengchen Sword, using the blade to brace against the lake edge, which instantly triggered several more water columns to assault him from the depths. He plunged his sword into the water, wildly sweeping it back and forth to disrupt the trajectory of the columns, using the minute points of contact between the blade and the water surface to propel himself back into the air. Glancing up again, he saw that the Heaven-Piercing Pavilion was still a great, great distance away.

"Phew... It seems there is no other way." Ye Xiu felt ashamed for underestimating the power of the lake water. In truth, his lightness skill was not particularly strong; perhaps not even comparable to A Jiao's agility. However, he still had the Ghost Step technique as a last resort. With a mere flash, he vanished from the lake's surface.

"Heh heh, that peculiar speed again." Wan Jian Cang Long swept out one hand, positioning his Absolute Heaven Startling Swan in front of him. Although Ye Xiu's figure was invisible on the lake now, the swift, spurting water columns were clearly visible. As those columns approached him one by one, Ye Xiu was already standing before him, bowing with a smile.

"Ye Xiu pays his respects to the Great City Lord." Ye Xiu bent low, extremely deferentially. "I wonder what the Great City Lord requires of me."

"Indeed, a rare swordsman." Wan Jian Cang Long raised a hand, motioning Ye Xiu to rise. This was their first close encounter, and his gaze was solemn. "Young Hero Ye, barely over twenty years of age, how did you master such world-shaking, peerless techniques?"

Ye Xiu knew Cang Long was probing his background, so he certainly wouldn't speak the truth. "Ye Xiu was merely a humble hunter from the countryside. By sheer coincidence, I met a master and learned a mere fraction of his skills. I never even saw that person's face clearly."

Wan Jian Cang Long did not press further on that matter, instead steering the conversation toward the sword. "For humans in my Ten Thousand Sword City who learn single-handed swordsmanship, they invariably learn some aspect of the Ten Thousand Sword Arts. In your previous fight, Young Hero Ye's swordplay seemed limited to mere thrusts; there were no other discernible moves."

"Ye Xiu has never learned any of the Ten Thousand Sword Arts; therefore, I only know some simple stabbing maneuvers." Ye Xiu did not conceal this. In fact, his specialty—the Ghost Valley Thrust Sword technique and Mozi's sword moves—had been completely forgotten after he lost the Heaven's Will Sword. He was currently forced to use the sword as a substitute for his demon blade, relying solely on the power of the Ghost Step to achieve his stunning reputation.

"May I examine Young Hero Ye's sword?" Cang Long's gaze settled upon Hengchen.

"The Great City Lord is welcome to it," Ye Xiu offered Hengchen with both hands, without the slightest hesitation.

Wan Jian Cang Long took the treasured sword carefully, examining it closely in his hand. The Hengchen Sword was about a meter long, its scabbard exquisitely carved with images of various terrestrial and celestial scenes. Apart from this detail, it appeared no different from any other sword.

"Whoosh..." Cang Long raised the sword and drew it slightly, producing a clear, ringing sound that pierced the ear. A sharp cold light illuminated the surroundings. "Aggressive energy, yet infused with profound natural power. An excellent sword!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Great City Lord." Ye Xiu knew Hengchen was a fine sword, but he himself had never managed to glean many useful techniques from it.

"However..." Cang Long's tone shifted slightly, betraying a hint of puzzlement. "The carvings of flying birds, beasts, and swimming fish on the blade... I feel as if I have seen them somewhere before."

"Such a thing?" Ye Xiu felt surprised. Qinglin had already exposed him as a man of the Central Plains, and now Cang Long harbored doubts about his sword. It seemed the royal family of Ten Thousand Sword City was indeed composed of extraordinary individuals.

"Heh heh, perhaps I have seen too many swords, leading to confusion," Wan Jian Cang Long shook his head with a smile, returning the sword to Ye Xiu. Then, with a flat palm strike, he positioned his own sword before him. "I wonder if my Absolute Heaven Startling Swan can contend with Young Hero Ye's treasured Hengchen Sword?"

Ye Xiu instantly understood Cang Long's intention. He hadn't expected the great City Lord of Ten Thousand Sword City to be such a pugnacious individual. Historically, those who achieve great things possess an unyielding will to win. Whenever they encounter someone stronger than themselves, it ignites their latent fighting spirit. He squinted his eyes, intensely admiring the sword named Absolute Heaven Startling Swan. Its blade was encased in magnificent gold. While it might not be cast from pure gold, the sword itself was saturated with the essence of various jewels and profound iron. Even a single glance conveyed an aura of kingly dominance.