The seven sword artifacts all scattered, drifting in four directions. The other six swords were fine, but the body of the Refining Spirit Pseudo-Sword already showed fine cracks, with countless iron filings flaking away.

As the figures of Lin Xuanxuan and Ming Yu, along with the other five, plummeted from the sky like broken kites, across the Azure Realm, the faces of the tens of thousands of cultivators of the Life Dao turned ashen.

The previous excitement and hope vanished without a trace, replaced only by despair and profound sorrow. They understood clearly what the collapse of the sword array meant—

The Life Dao, inheriting ten thousand years of tradition and boasting hundreds of thousands of disciples, was it truly to perish today?

As the will of heaven and earth, once marshaled by the Seven Swords of Life, completely dissipated, the nine Ultimate Realm Saint Venerables distributed across the thirty-two Heavens felt the pressure lift noticeably, each displaying expressions of cold disdain.

Qing Xuan, in particular, had not spared a single glance for the Seven Swords of Life in the sky from beginning to end. Instead, his gaze was fixed upon the converging green light where Wei Xu was undergoing his tribulation. A moment later, Qing Xuan’s eyes narrowed slightly: “This Wei Xu has truly hidden his depths well. His core Great Dao is indeed not the Great Sun True Method, but something else altogether—”

“It should be the Mirror Reflection True Method!”

The one responding was True Lord Tai Huang. Just as Demon Lord Taishi ascended to the Dragon Transformation Fan Du Heaven of the thirty-first layer, the Seven Swords of Life were also shattered. It seemed the Grand Array of the Myriad Immortals’ Thirty-Three Heavens could no longer restrain him. Now, he easily stepped into the Jade Purity Realm Qingwei Heaven, parallel to the thirty-first layer, standing shoulder to shoulder with Qing Xuan.

“This Great Dao does not involve too many core origins of the domain realms, so he cannot achieve True Union through his own power alone. As I see it, though, it is terrifyingly potent! It can simulate and mirror countless Daoic True Methods, and it can reflect trillions of spiritual techniques. If he possessed an artifact capable of Heaven Opening, it could even grant him a measure of True Union ability. If this technique truly allows him to reach the Ultimate Realm, and he has someone like Xiu Guan for reference, he could become half a Xiu Guan. This child’s scheming runs deep; one wonders where he managed to mirror his Great Sun True Method from.”

There were several Saint Realms whose foundation was built upon the ‘Great Sun’ as their Dao base. Within Buddhism, there was the Great Sun Tathagata. Even within the Daoist sect, there was a Venerable Great Sun. For Wei Xu to be able to perfectly mirror a method from any of them, his relationship with that figure must be exceptionally deep.

However, pursuing this matter was meaningless.

“He certainly possesses exceptional natural talent, second only to Xi Zi and Xiu Guan! He managed to hold on under the Ultimate Realm Thunder Tribulation and the Blood Moon Blade. But what does it matter? After today, all will turn to ash.”

The Supreme Primordial Demon, Li Biexue, had also returned to the thirty-first layer. He raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression showing a touch of surprise.

“I am now more curious about how you, Daoist Brother Qing Xuan, managed to borrow this divine treasure from the Lu Family of Burning Sky? I hear the monarch who has always been friendly with the Life Dao is precisely the First Crown Prince of the Lu Family of Burning Sky—”

Qing Xuan smiled but did not answer. In fact, it was precisely because of this connection that he could so easily borrow the blade. If not for this prerequisite, borrowing the divine treasure might have truly required considerable effort. While the Sovereign of Great Qian, Zong Shou, was indeed the Lu Clan's Crown Prince, there were certainly factions within the Lu Family eager to clip his wings and sever his support. The Life Dao was one such faction, and Zong Shou’s master was another.

Thinking of this, he leisurely shifted his gaze back to the dragon shadow within the twenty-third layer tower, harboring hidden killing intent. One of the conditions of the exchange was that this Dragon Shadow Sword Saint must not escape this battle safely. Naturally, that wretched beast, the disobedient Flood Dragon Ao Kun—these lingering problems would also be resolved at the same time.

As they spoke, the entire Azure Realm sky began to echo with incessant cracking sounds, like shattering glazed tiles, and countless black fissures reappeared, spreading out. The thickest of these cracks were nearly a thousand feet wide.

The thirty-two layers of the golden pagoda finally began to show faint cracks, revealing the signs of collapse. At this moment, Lin Xuanshuang spat out another mouthful of fresh blood. Dragon Shadow Yuan Jing, too, was pale, desperately trying to maintain the structure, but it was proving futile; she could no longer halt the pagoda’s disintegration.

Zhu Xi ascended to the thirty-first Heaven Realm without any obstruction. Looking down at the 'Heaven Membrane' beneath his feet, which was already more than half shattered, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then swept a complex, profoundly melancholic gaze over the crumbling Azure Realm.

“My wish of six thousand years is finally fulfilled in one stroke. I have not failed the hopes of our preceding Saints; today, these Confucian (rebel traitors) and their heretical doctrines shall be utterly extinguished—”

His killing intent was sharp, yet his eyes held no joy, only a trace of sadness. Today’s battle could be considered an internal strife within Confucianism. Many of those who stood alongside Xi Zi to establish the Life Dao in the first place had actually emerged from Confucian ranks; even Xiu Guan was one of them. If division had not occurred, if these few figures, once numbered among the Hundred Schools of Thought, had not strayed onto the evil path, the Cloud Realm might already have swept clean the demonic blight, restoring the peace and order of the ancient Three Dynasties, eliminating warfare, and allowing all people to live in propriety and comfort.

The Heaven Treader, Xing Xie, who arrived subsequently, saw this and seemed to grasp the mood, yet he sneered derisively: “Utterly extinguish the rebels? Eliminate the heresy? Wishful thinking!”

Not only did many Life Dao disciples remain outside the Cloud Realm and had not returned, but the very doctrines of the Life Dao were not so easily wiped out. Just as the Mohists and Legalists, though both destroyed, left behind numerous texts that remained widely circulated and believed by many in the Cloud Realm. The Life Dao sought equality for all people, a world without distinction between rich and poor, without hierarchy of nobility and commoner, possessing equal rights. Such teachings that stir the hearts of the masses are the hardest to extinguish.

Master Zhu paid no mind to the words, but beside him, another aged voice sounded: “It is indeed a bit difficult! However, after today, there will be no Xi Zi, no Xiu Guan, and no Life Dao in any historical record of the Cloud Realm—”

Xing Xie’s eyes instantly narrowed, and he turned to look. Dong Zhongshu was also ascending, stepping lightly into the thirty-first Heaven Realm. This one paid Xing Xie no further heed, instead smiling at Qing Xuan: “Daoist Brother Qing Xuan, what do you think?”

Qing Xuan seemed to have anticipated this, nodding slightly without any change in expression or hesitation: “This is precisely what I desire, though I dared not ask. Since your Confucian school intends to revise the official histories of all dynasties, my Daoist sect cannot stand idly by. In the entire Cloud Realm, in all Daoist scriptures, travelogues, and even unofficial histories, the name of the Life Dao, Xi Zi, and Xiu Guan shall certainly be erased—”

Hearing this, Xing Xie suddenly realized, first feeling a chill run through him, and then a surge of excitement. This maneuver was even more ruthless than the First Emperor of Qin’s burning of books and burying of scholars. If these two factions joined forces, they truly stood a chance of completely suppressing the Life Dao.

Before he could speak, Li Biexue’s voice rang out coolly: “Agreed! My Demonic Path will certainly not lag behind in this matter.” Although the Demonic Path disregarded etiquette and acted arbitrarily, teachings that pursued universal equality, like those of the Life Dao, were still anathema.

After annihilating the opposition, the nine figures of Qing Xuan and the others had all stood upon the thirty-first Heaven Realm. The nine Ultimate Saint Venerables each took up a position, tacitly agreeing to ignore Xiu Guan, Dragon Shadow, and the others as if they were nothing.

Taishi was not from the Cloud Realm and cared little for these matters; he was already growing impatient listening to them. With a dissatisfied cold snort, he said, “Why all this tedious chatter? Since you are all here, go drag him down! Though annihilating this man is easy, sealing him is difficult—”

“Daoist Brother Taishi need not worry about this matter!” Qing Xuan smiled. With Xi Zi having gone before, sealing Xiu Guan should be smooth sailing. This person possessed an immortal soul and controlled the Dao of Eternity; he was indeed difficult. But if he hadn't been completely prepared, why would he have instigated this war?

However, when Qing Xuan’s gaze once more fell upon Xiu Guan, he was immediately stunned. In the Life Dao Azure Realm, the tens of thousands of disciples had almost entirely given up the will to resist. Some closed their eyes in silence, some murmured the scriptures of the Life Dao in low voices, and others sat in a deathly, ashen stillness. But only Xiu Guan showed not a trace of dejection, nor the slightest hint of sorrow. He offered no reaction to the words that sought to utterly erase the Life Dao. His gaze was focused, fixed firmly beneath the thirty-two layers of the golden pagoda.

At this moment, Xiu Guan’s eyes shone with brilliant, inscrutable smiles.

“A pity, you are but a hair too late! I won this battle today!”

These words, upon reaching the ears of the nine, sounded like a deafening clap of thunder. A hair too late? Xiu Guan won today’s battle? What did this mean? Had the foremost figure of the Cloud Realm gone mad from an inability to accept reality? With the situation as it was, what possible means could Xiu Guan have to reverse this defeat?

Xing Xie instinctively prepared to mock, but quickly stopped himself and turned his gaze downward as well. His sight first swept past Dragon Shadow atop the twenty-third layer golden pagoda, then Lin Xuanshuang on the twenty-second layer. Though both were wounded and somewhat weak, their expressions were now full of spirited excitement.

Next was Lin Xuanjing on the twenty-first layer. This Yuan Jing Hermit, inexplicably, was now laughing wildly, utterly disregarding her female identity.

“It’s done! It’s done! So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is. The Heavens favor the continuation of our Life Dao! Senior Brother Xi Zi, you idiot—”

Her laughter was unrestrained, filled with endless joy. Xing Xie’s heart sank, and he looked directly toward the very bottom. There he saw an unremarkable youth standing before a purplish-gold sword stained crimson with blood. His expression was solemn, his hand gripping the hilt tightly. Xing Xie could not discern the true depth of this youth's cultivation; he must have used some secret technique to wield Saint Realm power, while his innate cultivation lay somewhere between the Immortal and Divine Realms.

And inexplicably, the surging aura emanating from the youth caused Xing Xie to feel a sense of chilling awe.

“Refining Spirit Sword? Tan Qiu?”

Although Xing Xie had never seen the actual Refining Spirit Sword before, he recognized it instantly. Moreover, Tan Qiu had left a deep impression on him just ten days prior. But what sort of trick was this? Xiu Guan’s trump card was this youth.

The next moment, a clear chant echoed throughout the Azure Realm.

“Though I am not a monarch elected by the populace, I understand the principle that water can both capsize and support a boat. Thus, I grant authority to the people and rule by non-interference. Under my governance, distinctions of wealth and strength exist, but there is no hierarchy of nobility. The nation is governed by law, ensuring the strong do not oppress the weak; the ruler and the populace are united, and violations of the law shall be executed—”

The voice carried no true power, yet somehow it pierced through the clouds, audible for thousands of miles. At this moment, the entire Life Dao Azure Realm began to tremble. The six threads of potent sword intent that had been dispersed suddenly surged skyward again. The majestic power of heaven and earth, which had vanished, once more pressed down upon the Azure Realm!