The man kept his eyes slightly closed, his body completely still, not even showing the slightest rise and fall, as if he were a statue carved from ancient stone. Yet, strangely, he projected an overwhelming pressure—not one of brute dominance, but a royal authority, as if whatever he decreed were the absolute truth, the very Dao of Heaven and Earth.

The reason for this feeling was that he was like a sword—a supreme imperial blade meant to gauge the foulness of the world.

The sword was still sheathed, yet it already represented the ultimate authority between heaven and earth.

Even the undefeated God of War, Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan, whose fighting spirit burned fiercely and who himself was unmatched, seemed like a mere three-year-old child in this man's presence. He dared not move an inch, standing silently, awaiting the man’s awakening.

With a sudden "swish," the man’s eyes snapped open, unleashing two beams of sharp light. His entire aura erupted like a drawn sword, a powerful sword intent soaring into the sky, as if the only thing remaining between heaven and earth was this single blade.

A king's sword, representing the undeniable truth of the cosmos.

"Ancestor..." Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan immediately knelt down in utmost reverence. To command such genuflection and sincere worship from him, there was truly only one person in all of existence.

This person was none other than the foremost figure in the world: Xuanyuan Jue.

"Rise," Xuanyuan Jue said faintly, looking at Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan. His gaze, his tone, his very words carried no trace of emotion, resembling an ancient Buddha who had transcended all worldly attachments.

Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan dared not speak more, rising respectfully to stand quietly to the side. He asked nothing, knowing that his ancestor had summoned him at this final juncture for a crucial instruction.

"Can you see through that strike?" Xuanyuan Jue inquired. The strike he referred to was, naturally, Ye Jingyu's final sword art: the Blade of Life and Death's Illusionary Annihilation.

"No, I cannot!" Facing his ancestor, Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan harbored no secrets, admitting directly that he could not fathom that single strike.

"This generation is one where the winds rise and the clouds surge; this is an era belonging to the young. Dugu Na Si’s disciple has already managed to create such a magnificent and exquisite strike. This places him far ahead of all of you. How many members of the Xuanyuan family will survive the Battle of the Spirit Souls a year from now?" Xuanyuan Jue spoke as if musing aloud, yet also addressing Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan.

Upon hearing the words Battle of the Spirit Souls, Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan’s brow tightened. At his level, he knew exactly what that battle signified—it was the collision of the highest powers across the entire Spirit Soul Continent, underpinned by profoundly deep implications.

Though his own strength was immense, his essence had been inherited from this ancestor. The martial techniques he had created were merely adequate, certainly not peerless arts, let alone comparable to the Blade of Life and Death's Illusionary Annihilation used by Ye Jingyu.

Despite his realm and strength being far inferior to his own, the move Ye Jingyu employed had severely wounded him. This fact alone demonstrated the terrifying power, the exquisite precision, and the sheer ingenuity of that strike—it was almost comparable to the Heaven-Shattering Sword created by Xuanyuan Jue himself.

Of course, in terms of raw destructive power, it fell far short of the Heaven-Shattering Sword. But how old was Ye Jingyu? Given time to perfect that move, who could say if this blade wouldn't one day become a legendary technique shaking the Nine Provinces?

"You temper your character through war, you train through conflict; this is indeed a grand path. But there are no eternally undefeated generals in this world. Victory and defeat are common knowledge in warfare. To aspire to be an unfading myth is inherently impossible. Persistence is good, but obsession is a vice. The Martial Dao requires persistence, not obsession. Do you understand?" Xuanyuan Jue spoke calmly, his tone still as placid as an ancient well.

Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan was no fool; on the contrary, he was a supreme genius. He naturally grasped what Xuanyuan Jue was trying to convey: the Martial Dao demands dedication, not fixation.

He had previously been obsessed with winning every single battle. But now that he had failed, utterly failed, his obsession had been shattered. Was he meant to sink into despair? No. He must pursue his path with genuine persistence.

Be neither arrogant in victory nor dejected in defeat.

This was the true, persistent pursuit of the Martial Dao: unwavering belief, continuously seeking breakthroughs amidst setbacks, constantly finding the path to victory through defeat.

"I understand!" Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan nodded respectfully. A path never before seen unfolded before his eyes.

"It is good that you understand. I am taking Jing'er away. The Xuanyuan family must not fall in the Battle of the Spirit Souls a year from now. For this year and more, your sole task is to ensure the Xuanyuan family survives. Dedicate the rest of your time to the Martial Dao. Worldly wars can never truly articulate the essence of the Martial Way," Xuanyuan Jue finished speaking. His body slowly vanished from the stone upon which he sat, as if he had never been there. However, the stone itself, after he departed, fractured, shattering into fine particles and dust.

Witnessing the profound might contained within Xuanyuan Jue's every gesture, Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan knelt once more, bowing deeply three times toward the pulverized stone before rising again.

The rage from losing his son and the dejection from his defeat vanished without a trace. In their place emerged an endless conviction of persistent belief and the absolute courage to fight the Heavens.

Outside Yun Jing City, the thirty legions, having lost Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan as their anchor, could no longer hold formation. Nangong Shang, leading the Seven Edicts of the Cloud Guard, cut a bloody swath, driving the thirty thousand troops into a full rout.

Famous generals of the Southern Cloud Empire, like Xiao Geng and Qin Yun Xiao, seized the opportunity, leading their forces to mercilessly punish the fleeing enemy. They not only drove the Tian Yuan Empire’s armies out of Yun County's territory but also reclaimed lost lands such as Yan Zhou and Lan Zhou.

This campaign dragged on for nearly another month, culminating in a decisive victory for the Southern Cloud Empire.

However, after this battle, both the Tian Yuan Empire and the Southern Cloud Empire suffered crippling losses. Especially with Xuanyuan Xiao Zhan’s defeat, the morale of the entire Tian Yuan Empire plummeted to its lowest point. Had the Southern Cloud Empire not also incurred heavy costs, and had the Western Chu Empire possessed greater national strength, they might have seized this moment to annihilate the Tian Yuan Empire entirely.

But regardless of the outcome, one name echoed throughout the Nine Provinces because of the Defense of Yun Jing City: Ye Jingyu.

The new God of War, or perhaps, the War Venerable.

Yet, our War Venerable, little Ye, felt no elation from such immense honor. Instead, he was consumed by extreme fury, all because of Ling’er.