The matter of the seven swords held little interest for Zong Shou. In fact, he was rather delighted by this pseudo-Refining Spirit Sword that Wei Xu had forged.

These seven implements could, to some extent, bolster the strength of the Dao of All Beings. If it could truly contend with two or three cultivators at the Ultimate Realm, as Wei Xu claimed, that would be the best possible outcome.

Passing through the sword array at the academy's center, it took them barely ten breaths to arrive before the main hall of the academy. However, upon reaching this spot, Zong Shou noticed another purple-gold longsword thrust into the ground beneath the steps before the hall doors.

This time, Zong Shou recognized it instantly: it was the genuine Soul Refining Sword! Stuck fast in the bluestone flagging, its brilliance dimmed, heavy with the aura of death.

Zong Shou immediately cast a questioning glance at Wei Xu and Ming Yu. He heard Wei Xu say, "It was Martial Uncle Xiu Guan who moved it here.

His intention was to test once more whether there is an owner for it within our Dao of All Beings. Placed here, any disciple of our Dao may try.

It's a pity—" Wei Xu paused, his gaze clouding over, "In these past two months, not a single one of the three hundred thousand disciples within the Vast Realm has been able to draw this sword." Zong Shou could sense the despair in Wei Xu's tone. He walked silently to the Soul Refining Sword, hesitating for a few moments before extending his hand and grasping the hilt.

In that instant, Zong Shou felt his heart pound violently. He was struck by a sensation as if the sword were physically connected to him, soul bound to soul.

The five-foot blade felt like an extension of his own arm! Their energies communed, their vital currents linked.

Zong Shou felt a surge of wild joy and pulled hard. Yet, he immediately froze.

His current cultivation was at the middle stage of the Immortal Realm, but his combat power rivaled that of the Divine Realm. This single pull should have equated to the force of at least a thousand Lesser Sumeru Mountains!

But the Soul Refining Sword seemed rooted, refusing to budge an inch from the ground. He tried again.

The result was the same. Zong Shou frowned and withdrew his hand.

He gave a self-deprecating smile, stroking the Nameless Sword concealed within his sleeve. This was likely his last attempt.

It was confirmed now: he and this sword were fated to be apart. It didn't truly matter; having the 'Nameless' was more than enough.

The Nameless Sword held infinite potential. Even the Ultimate Realm could not see its limit, with countless possibilities for growth.

Perhaps one day it could even surpass the Soul Refining and ascend to the rank of a Divine Weapon; there was no need to feel disheartened. Yet, a slight strangeness lingered in his heart.

When he touched it just now, he clearly felt as if he and the Soul Refining Sword had become one. It felt as if they had fought side-by-side for decades.

But in the end, he still could not wield it, always feeling something vital was missing. While he paid it little mind, Wei Xu and Ming Yu let out sighs of regret.

Hundreds of Dao of All Beings disciples in the distance, sensing the anomaly, looked over, shaking their heads and murmuring amongst themselves. "Another one!

It seems this Soul Refining Sword is destined to remain ownerless." "Who is this person? He requires the Venerable Seat to personally greet him?" "That is Tan Qiu, said to be the most outstanding junior disciple of our Dao of All Beings in the past few decades.

He even surpasses Fairy Taiyuan, Shui Lingbo—" "Is his cultivation in the Immortal Realm already? His progress seems recent; his realm is unstable, he can't entirely conceal his aura.

Has this person only been initiated for a few decades?" "Only a little over ten years! Of the Six Swords of the Cloud Realm, he was the only one who remained obscure in the Outer Domain, sending back no news whatsoever.

And now, without a sound, he has reached the Immortal Realm!" "That is truly extraordinary; no wonder the Venerable Seat came out to welcome him!" "Even someone of this caliber isn't recognized by the Soul Refining Sword? What would it take?" "We don't know what conditions Ancestor Xi Zi set for this sword spirit.

This is far too harsh." "What use is a sword without an owner? Especially at this critical juncture of great calamity for our Dao of All Beings—" The murmuring grew increasingly explicit.

Wei Xu's expression darkened, and he swept a sharp gaze across the crowd, instantly silencing the surrounding voices. The nearby disciples of the Dao of All Beings hushed immediately.

Despite this, many still harbored resentment. It wasn't directed at the Soul Refining Sword, but at Wei Xu.

"Speaking of the great calamity, it was the Venerable Seat's dereliction of duty and rash actions that brought catastrophe upon our Dao of All Beings." "Bringing doom upon the entire Dao of All Beings for the peril of one person—" At this moment, Ming Yu also let out a cold snort, infused with true power that struck at the heart. This finally kept everyone from voicing their thoughts.

The Nameless Sword continued to hum softly, as if sensing the injustice. Zong Shou mostly ignored them, turning his attention to Wei Xu.

He saw that although Wei Xu's expression was calm, his broad, towering frame seemed to slump suddenly, filled with a sense of bleak desolation. With a wry, self-mocking smile, Wei Xu showed no sign of taking offense and continued toward the main hall.

Ming Yu also sighed softly and followed along. He could use his authority to silence them, but he couldn't seal the public tongue.

Though they wouldn't speak openly, they would still gossip, and the words would likely be even more venomous behind closed doors. Zong Shou also clenched his fists tightly.

He hadn't expected that within the Vast Realm of the Dao of All Beings, the populace had become so fractured. The pressure exerted by the Daoist Sect had indeed taken effect.

People are like this; they only see Wei Xu's mistakes, the existential disaster he brought upon the Dao of All Beings. These people completely overlooked Wei Xu’s painstaking efforts in the past.

For millennia, he had exhausted himself in struggling for survival, slowly restoring the strength of the Dao of All Beings. If it weren't for this current rush for success, they could have nearly reached their peak strength.

And without Wei Xu, the Dao of All Beings might have perished thousands of years ago. But still— Zong Shou also let out a slow sigh and followed.

Ultimately, this was Wei Xu's fault, and he had to bear the responsibility. Such are people's hearts; a few words from them wouldn't easily change their views.

Furthermore, given Wei Xu's temperament, he likely disdained such efforts. To re-establish his prestige, he would only need to survive this coming tribulation of the Ultimate Realm safely.

Upon entering the main hall of the academy, Zong Shou was drawn to the figure seated highest in the center. White-browed and white-haired, yet possessing an extremely youthful appearance, his unique bearing was unforgettable.

But he lacked the imposing aura of a typical Sovereign at the Ultimate Realm; instead, he appeared like an ordinary person, his demeanor serene and peaceful. This was Xiu Guan!

It wasn't the first time Zong Shou had seen him, but the previous encounter was merely Xiu Guan's projection across thousands of worlds, and it was extremely brief. This was the first time he was seeing the man in person.

Among all the Ultimate Realm experts in the Cloud Realm, he was firmly ranked first! At this moment, his gaze was warm, filled with approval and satisfaction.

Zong Shou respectfully bowed to the elders present and found a seat. Immediately after, he heard Xiu Guan speak, "You are very good.

Your innate talent is superior, but your state of mind is even better. I am very pleased that Wei Xu took you as a disciple on behalf of your Master, placing you under Junior Sister Xuan Shuang—" The hall was filled with the core figures of the Dao of All Beings at or above the Divine Realm.

Zong Shou naturally had no need to conceal his identity, taking the tenth position according to the ranking on the Golden Tablet of Profound Fate. He was already attracting attention, and now, with Xiu Guan's words, almost everyone’s gaze turned toward him.

Zong Shou showed no sign of nervousness, accepting their scrutiny calmly. He then retorted without reservation, "The sect faces an existential crisis, a time for burning the boats and fighting to the death?

Why would Martial Uncle Xiu Guan and Senior Brother Wei Xu divert their attention? Why keep a fallback plan?

How can such actions unify the sect to resist the enemy? Does Ancestor Xiu Guan also lack confidence?" Everyone harbors the will to survive.

When the entire sect faces certain death, yet some individuals are exempt—how can that secure their conviction? The hall fell silent, faces exchanging glances.

And Xiu Guan, too, was momentarily stunned. Finally, he let out a soft laugh, showing no annoyance at Zong Shou's accusation, admitting his error frankly.

"I was mistaken! It is better for our Dao of All Beings to fight a glorious battle than to degenerate and cling to a miserable existence like the Legalists or the Demonic Sect.

The severance of our lineage is not the worst thing that can happen—" His words were light, but Wei Xu, standing beside him, offered a bitter smile. The severance of the lineage—how could he, Wei Xu, face Master Xi Zi after his own death?

He said nothing, however, and interjected, "Junior Brother Zong Shou speaks the truth! In this battle, our Dao of All Beings can only fight to the death!

As everyone knows, Daoist Lord Qing Xuan and Daoist Lord Tai Huang have both returned. The Confucian Sages Dong Zhongshu and Zhu Xi are already at White Deer Cave.

Furthermore, the Heaven Monarch Treading the World and the Supreme Primal Demon have sent avatars. In addition, the Daoist Sect can mobilize two more Divine Venerables at the Ultimate Realm.

The Confucian Sect has three Sage Avatars, and the Demonic Sect also has an Apocalypse Divine Venerable. The known combat strength at the Ultimate Realm alone totals twelve—" Only upon hearing this did Zong Shou realize that the people in the hall were not specifically waiting for him.

They had already gathered here and were discussing matters before he arrived. Twelve Ultimate Realm experts?

That was truly intimidating— He pursed his lips slightly, letting his gaze sweep over the figures seated above him. Xiu Guan, Lin Xuanjing and Lin Xuanxuan, and then his six senior brothers.

He already knew Wei Xu and Ming Yu. The one seated immediately below Wei Xu, with a pale, beardless face, was the Eldest Senior Brother, Xiang Ming.

The Second Senior Brother, Ji Shu, wore a gray robe and had a stern expression. The stout and powerfully built one, resembling an ignorant warrior, was Han Zhi.

The very last one, small in stature with the appearance of a fourteen-year-old boy, was his Fifth Senior Brother, Gu Xun. All six were Saint Realm Venerables, possessing formidable strength, each approaching the peak of the Divine Realm.

The names of these six mostly contained the character 'Ri' (Sun). As for the other Saints on the Golden Tablet of Profound Fate, aside from Martial Uncle Lan Ruo, who was of the same generation as Xi Zi, none were present.

These six were all extremely friendly toward Zong Shou. Seeing his gaze upon them, they nodded in acknowledgment, returning his greeting.

Zong Shou’s gaze then fixed behind the head of the Rogue Immortal Fan Meng, Lin Xuanxuan. A young girl was looking at him with deep sorrow in her eyes, filled with boundless joy, appearing as if she desperately wished to throw herself into his arms right at that moment.

However, she was clearly being restrained by Lin Xuanxuan's true power, unable to move, and now wore an expression on the verge of tears. Zong Shou almost laughed aloud, deeply desiring to hold this girl and cherish her properly.

His Chu Xue was truly too adorable. But he knew this was not the time; he had to forcibly restrain himself.