"I've heard tales that my Beast Clan's Savage Sand Sword can cleave through flying dust and rolling stones, that it's impossibly sharp. To finally behold its true form today, hah!" Zhan Fengyue rubbed his hands together, already restless.

Wan Jian Canglong rose, pushed open the sword case with both hands, and then forcefully brandished the long sword within. Instantly, a broad and powerful greatsword was revealed before the crowd.

"Whoa..." Ye Xiu craned his neck to look. This Savage Sand Sword bore a slight resemblance to Xiang Yu's greatsword, only the material of the blade looked quite peculiar. To call it a sword felt more like calling it a stone.

Zhan Fengyue also sighed and stood up. "Legend has it that the Savage Sand Sword was forged from the Savage Sand of Mount Meng in the Beast Clan. It has no fixed form, so why is it such a colossal thing upon first sight today?"

"The Savage Sand Sword is indeed forged from savage sand, and it possesses no fixed form." Canglong himself admired the rugged weapon, pondering in his mind just how much power this sword could wield.

"Sand can be forged into a sword?" Ye Xiu could hardly believe his ears. "If a sword has no fixed form, what kind of moves and attacks could it possibly have?"

Lang Taotian, standing behind, slapped Ye Xiu's back and laughed. "Brother Ye, you truly have a poor memory. Didn't the Radiant Flowing Light Sword in Jian Hongchen's hand the other day also have no fixed form? This suggests that the experts within the Three Swords Realm are truly beyond our comprehension."

"Legend tells of a time when a Human Clan master from Ten Thousand Sword City dueled a Beast Clan elder, wagering their respective swords. The Human Clan master luckily won, so this sword has remained in Ten Thousand Sword City for years. If one of the four among you can take this sword in a few days, perhaps you might unravel its secrets." Wan Jian Canglong greatly hoped someone would spar with him using this sword; defeating the legendary overlord of swords is what any proud individual hopes to encounter.

"Qinglin knows one other detail." Wan Jian Qinglin also gazed at the Savage Sand Sword with fascination. "I wonder if Big Brother has ever heard of the sword-forging master, Old Man Bing Ao? It is said this sword was also completed by his hands."

"This sword was also forged by Bing Ao?" Canglong wasn't very knowledgeable about such matters. "I only know the legend that Old Man Bing Ao forged four peerless swords representing the Four Great Realms during his lifetime. Once the four swords unite, they will bring both disaster and rebirth to the Three Swords Realm."

Upon hearing the name Old Man Bing Ao, Ye Xiu immediately thought of his own Hengchen. Just as Wan Jian Canglong suggested, the Hengchen Sword seemed to possess power comparable to the Ten Thousand Sword Art. Could the other three swords be the Savage Sand Sword, the Wind-Breaking Sword, and the Wave-Roaring Sword that he sought?

Xuan Hu remained silent for a moment, but he understood much common knowledge. "Among the Three Swords Realm, besides our Ten Thousand Sword City's Human Clan and the Beast Clan who wield swords, neither the Wing Clan nor the Water Clan has ever produced a single swordsman. How could the four swords forged by Old Man Bing Ao possibly represent all four races?"

"Alas, that is something I cannot know." Canglong shook his head and placed the Savage Sand Sword back into its case. What he desired was not some famous sword, but the stability of Ten Thousand Sword City's millennia-old foundation.

Ye Xiu felt a slight pique after hearing Wan Jian Qinglin's words. He glanced at Qinglin, only to find that the fellow was staring intently at him as well. Their thoughts connected in that instant; perhaps he should ask Qinglin for clarification.

"Very well, for the next few days, the four heroes may move freely within the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion. I have already given the order: those who see them are to see Wan Jian Canglong." Canglong was quite magnanimous, laughing heartily before walking away with his hands clasped behind his back.

Ye Xiu didn't pay much attention to anything else; his gaze remained fixed on Wan Jian Qinglin, and at that moment, Yi Tiannan had also slipped away without a sound.

"Brother Ye, what are your plans for the next few days?" Lang Taotian called out loudly. "Interested in going out to find my sister, A Jiao? She must be terribly bored all by herself."

"Heh, that silly girl," Ye Xiu chuckled slyly, wondering how A Jiao had managed these past few days alone, surely causing plenty of trouble for those guarding her.

"Alright, I need to get out for a walk and get some proper rest myself," Lang Taotian said cheerfully, whistling as he walked off alone.

The sudden tension eased, and Ye Xiu felt slightly unaccustomed to it. Regardless, tonight seemed like it would be a difficult one. He most disliked lying alone on a cold bed. Sometimes, when his emotions stirred, he would recall the people and events he had experienced; sometimes, when his heart moved, he felt that crossing over from the modern age to this ancient time was utterly meaningless, making him wish for death.

"What's wrong, Young Hero Ye? Are you lost with nowhere to go alone?" At this moment, Wan Jian Qinglin disregarded Xuan Hu's gaze and approached Ye Xiu. "If you truly have nowhere else to go, why don't you join Qinglin for some wine and moon-gazing?"

Ye Xiu understood that Qinglin was putting on an act. Moon-gazing and drinking were clearly a pretext to discuss something. However, today he didn't need to guard against scrutiny. Since even Wan Jian Canglong had invited him privately, one more person, Wan Jian Qinglin, wouldn't arouse Xuan Hu's suspicion. "Ye Xiu humbly accepts the invitation."

"Please," Wan Jian Qinglin walked ahead, leading the way for Ye Xiu. Ye Xiu followed closely behind. In the entire great hall, only Wan Jian Xuan Hu and Zhan Fengyue remained.

"Second City Lord, why didn't you mention earlier that the final round would require all four to compete consecutively?" Zhan Fengyue was, after all, Xuan Hu's trusted confidant; Ji Jingtian was merely an obvious decoy.

Xuan Hu shook his head and sighed. "It's regrettable, I didn't know either. This was all planned by Big Brother. At the very least, I now know who everyone's trump card is."

"What do you mean by that?" Zhan Fengyue cautiously edged closer to Xuan Hu, listening with rapt attention.

"That Yi Tiannan is clearly Big Brother's man. No matter who Lang Taotian sides with, the issue is that this Ye Xiu is too powerful. I fear he is just a mere swordsman, and if so, none of you will be able to stop him, and my plan will fall apart." Xuan Hu's worry was not unfounded. Regardless, Ye Xiu had the highest chance of winning among the four. Even the three masters from the Beast Clan, Wing Clan, and Water Clan, no matter how formidable, could not possibly defeat Jian Hongchen—and now even Jian Hongchen had been defeated.

"Then, Second City Lord's plan?" Zhan Fengyue also desired the Savage Sand Sword. If he could reclaim it for the Beast Clan, his name would be immortalized.

Xuan Hu was no fool and naturally understood Zhan Fengyue's thoughts. He abruptly stated, "Since a frontal assault has no chance of success, why not..."

"Why not I find someone to eliminate him before the martial competition?" Zhan Fengyue bared his teeth, revealing his sinister nature.

Xuan Hu pondered deeply, finding it unwise. "Who could you find? Someone from the Beast Clan? Wouldn't that clearly point to you? It would be better to find someone from the Water Clan or the Wing Clan. If successful, that's splendid. Even if unsuccessful, it could sow discord between Ye Xiu and those two clans—killing two birds with one stone."

"The Second City Lord is brilliant; your subordinate will go carry it out immediately." Zhan Fengyue felt a surge of triumph; if their plan succeeded, with his own abilities, he should be able to secure victory.

"You may leave..." Xuan Hu turned away, pouring himself a cup of wine and downing it in one gulp. That person should arrive tonight, shouldn't they? Wan Jian Canglong, your deeds shall finally be repaid, hmph!

"Young Hero Ye, please." Qinglin invited Ye Xiu to the Moon-Gazing Terrace and dismissed the maids, personally pouring Ye Xiu a cup of wine.

"Third City Lord, why be so polite?" Ye Xiu felt slightly awkward, yet he believed he and Qinglin were collaborators, so there was no need to be overly deferential.

"This cup is a sign of my respect for Young Hero Ye. To be honest, when I first encountered you at the Hidden Water Stream, I never imagined Young Hero Ye's skill would be this profound." Qinglin drank his first cup as a gesture of respect before sitting down.

Ye Xiu dared not be slow, finishing his drink with a laugh. "The moonlight tonight is ordinary. Isn't the Third City Lord worried that using such an excuse to invite me here might arouse suspicion from the First and Second City Lords?"

"Hahahaha, Young Hero Ye worries too much. If I guess correctly, I already knew who stood on which side among the four competitors. Moreover, at this point, the identity of the victor is all that matters. The winner is me." Qinglin was supremely confident, draining another cup.

"The Third City Lord speaks sense. Zhan Fengyue is clearly the Second City Lord's man, and the habitually aloof Yi Tiannan must be the First City Lord's confidant. However, as for Lang Taotian, the one with the Surging Sea Spear, I remain uncertain." Ye Xiu had actually guessed this long ago. Ever since Canglong mentioned that Ten Thousand Sword City invited the Wing Clan to assist in ascending Ten Thousand Sword Peak, he had already suspected the relationship between the Human Clan and the Wing Clan.

Qinglin raised his cup and laughed, shedding his usual look of melancholy. "Dealing with an intelligent person saves so much effort. I can speak fewer words. As for the Water Clan's Lang Taotian, you will know shortly. Let us first finish this cup."

"It seems the Third City Lord is quite the drinker. Why does the Second City Lord always think you're incapable?" Ye Xiu joked, though in reality, he could understand Qinglin's actions perfectly. Historically, there was Gou Jian enduring hardship, even consuming excrement, to feign weakness. Naturally, some people would deliberately conceal their abilities or even their temperament.

"In front of Young Hero Ye, Qinglin needs to pretend no longer. You and I are of the same path—either we become the best of friends, or the most hated of enemies, in a single thought." Qinglin downed another cup, as if the wine had no power to intoxicate him.

"Enemies? I fear Ye Xiu's power is far inferior to the Third City Lord's," Ye Xiu chuckled strangely, staring at Qinglin. "I wonder what kind of realm will manifest when the Ten Thousand Sword Art reaches the ninth level?"

"Hahahaha, I truly don't know how Young Hero Ye discerned that. But since you are interested, we can meet again at the Hidden Water Stream another day, and the outcome will be clear then." A fierce killing intent suddenly appeared on Qinglin's amiable face; beneath that gentle visage, one could not tell what tyrannical soul lay hidden.

At that moment, a cool, faint breeze swept across the Moon-Gazing Tower, its water-like, illusory aura startling Ye Xiu into tightly gripping Hengchen at his side.

"He has arrived," Qinglin said, pressing down on Ye Xiu's hand and revealing a strange smile.