The Heavenly Realm's Savage Forest spanned an immense territory, home to untold numbers of bizarre beasts. Even Grandmist masters were hesitant to venture into the Forest alone, let alone engage in combat there. Offending a high-level exotic beast by ill chance could bring untold suffering. Generally, the myriad beasts in the Savage Forest, beyond their needs for predation, rarely engaged in large-scale battles, so the Forest had long maintained a semblance of peace.

Yet, today, in the northern reaches of the Savage Forest, a massive conflict erupted. Its scale was not measured by the number of Desolate Beasts involved, but by the sheer, overwhelming power of the energy unleashed.

At least ten thousand towering trees were instantly reduced to ash, and the impact site was scarred by a colossal crater spanning over a hundred li. Nothing remained save for blackened cinders. The exotic beasts within tens of thousands of li felt the tremor. Within a thousand li, not a single Savage Beast remained. Even the trees imbued with spiritual awareness attempted to shift their massive trunks to flee this perilous zone, but their movement was agonizingly slow; many were vaporized into dust before they could move far.

Of the occasional one or two that managed to escape, the majority of their leaves had already fallen, leaving them looking as if they were on the verge of dying.

The entire scene was hushed, with only two figures standing suspended in the void overhead...

Xuan Yuan Jue’s aged body had regained much of its youth, but his expression held no hint of joy. His robes were tattered and ruined. His arms, shoulders, back, and lower abdomen were crosshatched with wounds—deep, bone-visible saber gashes.

Is this truly my current combat power? Xuan Yuan Jue’s mind involuntarily replayed the immediate past. Facing the mighty strike from Dugu Ba Chen, he had unfurled the Li Di Yan Guang Qi (Flame Light Banner that Separates from Earth). He had fully expected that, relying on the banner, even if he couldn't defeat the foe, he could at least stall for enough time. But who could have foreseen that, as he fully activated the Li Di Yan Guang Qi, spewing forth formidable essence fire to ignite the world he had conjured, Dugu Ba Chen’s figure simply vanished.

Yes, he had vanished from within his own fabricated world, yet the world itself remained. This was an impossible feat, even for the Five Great Immortal Saints.

Xuan Yuan Jue was deeply shocked. He genuinely could not fathom where Dugu Ba Chen had gone. Had he concealed himself within his own creation? Impossible. Under the illumination of the essence fire, there was no place to hide.

Soon, he realized Dugu Ba Chen had indeed exited his world, for a world-shattering saber aura directly sliced through the fire-engulfed realm, penetrating inward.

He had exited his own domain, then used supreme power to cleave apart the world Xuan Yuan Jue had manifested—what manner of strength was that?

Xuan Yuan Jue was stunned, deeply and fundamentally shocked. Faced with Dugu Ba Chen’s earth-shattering slash, he could only rely on the Li Di Yan Guang Qi to tightly shield his body. That single strike cleaved through the entire manifested world and finally slammed heavily onto the banner itself.

While the Li Di Yan Guang Qi successfully intercepted the ferocious strike, the immense recoil sent a violent churning through his heart-veins, causing him to violently spew a mouthful of blood. Immediately following this, the manifested world exploded outward. Endless saber energy, interwoven with flame, shot out in all directions. This desolate expanse spanning hundreds of li was the direct result of the energy released by that exploded world.

Even the multitude of large and small injuries peppering his body were inflicted by the ceaseless saber energy piercing through the defenses of the Li Di Yan Guang Qi.

Gazing at Dugu Ba Chen, who stood suspended in the void not far away, Xuan Yuan Jue felt nothing but shock. He believed with certainty that without a primordial treasure like the Li Di Yan Guang Qi, his physical body would have been utterly reduced to ash under such a barrage of saber energy.

Has his strength reached this level? How could he possibly surpass him? How could he possibly stop him?

Xuan Yuan Jue sighed inwardly, murmuring to himself. He was still the Dugu Ba Chen of the past, while he himself was long past being the Xuan Yuan Jue of old. The moment he discarded his arrogance and willingly became a servant to the Five Great Immortal Saints, this outcome was already sealed.

Defeated. He had lost, and Xuan Yuan Jue admitted defeat wholeheartedly. His eyes held no gloom, no helplessness, no regret—only acceptance, the most tranquil form of acceptance.

“I am not your equal…” Xuan Yuan Jue stated calmly, his tone utterly level, betraying no hint of dejection.

Seeing the composed Xuan Yuan Jue, seeing the myriad scars upon him, the roughly clad and gaunt Dugu Ba Chen remained silent. He turned, preparing to fly back toward the gorge from which he came. Since Xuan Yuan Jue was now inferior, why waste any more time here? The contest was over; Dugu Ba Chen was utterly defeated.

But just as Dugu Ba Chen began to turn, a sharp, piercing sword intent erupted from within Xuan Yuan Jue’s core. The previously placid look in his eyes flashed with intense fighting spirit. Yes, it was a battle intent bordering on madness—a fervor that even the peak Xuan Yuan Jue of his prime would never have possessed.

“You…” Witnessing Xuan Yuan Jue’s gaze filled with battle fury, Dugu Ba Chen paused, somewhat bewildered. Did he intend to continue the duel? He started to ask, but the words were cut off by Xuan Yuan Jue.

“Thank you for striking with your full power just now. Thank you for still considering me a worthy opponent at this moment. Now, accept my final sword strike. I trust it will not disappoint you!” Xuan Yuan Jue spoke lightly, yet the sword intent radiating from him intensified with every passing moment...

Dugu Ba Chen could clearly sense the power within Xuan Yuan Jue burning wildly, even his physical body and soul beginning to combust at that instant...

To deliver this ultimate sword strike, Xuan Yuan Jue was once again recklessly burning his divine soul—the very soul he had only just managed to repair...

“Is all this worth it?” Dugu Ba Chen muttered with a soft sigh, yet he halted his movement. Clutching his stone blade, he turned to face Xuan Yuan Jue squarely...

“There is no question of worthiness or unworthiness, Dugu Ba Chen. Let the grievances between you and me be settled with this one final exchange. Receive my last strike—the Sky Severing Sword...” Xuan Yuan Jue let out a cold snort. His entire being transformed, dissolving directly into a sword—a tangible, real sword, the true Tian Jue Jian (Heavenly Severing Sword)...

Heaven offers no path for the desperate, but Xuan Yuan Jue’s strike not only severed the other man’s path but completely annihilated his own. Boundless sword intent locked down Dugu Ba Chen and the surrounding space. The enormous blade descended straight toward Dugu Ba Chen for the strike...