44: The celebration has ended, but its fame has spread far and wide!

Yan Nantian, the envoy from the Yu Hua Immortal Sect, was the first to approach.

This Soul Transformation Stage Elder from the hegemon of the Eastern Wilderness no longer held the reserve and arrogance he initially displayed. In their place was deep respect, and even a hint of ingratiating politeness.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Lu." Yan Nantian cupped his hands, his tone sincere: "To break through in the midst of battle, comprehend the Four Transformations Sword Law, and achieve a Sword Domain—such talent is rare indeed, even in the tens of thousands of years of records held by my Yu Hua Immortal Sect.

Although you are currently at the Soul Transformation Stage Middle Stage, by virtue of this Four Transformations Law, you have already obtained the key to the Void Refining Stage path. As long as you do not fall prematurely, a place among the top experts of the Eastern Wilderness in the future will surely be yours."

For a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator, comprehension of Law is fundamental.

The Fourth Transformation is a qualitative change; it is the hallmark of Law manifesting as a Domain.

Usually, only Void Refining Stage experts can master it.

Mastering the Four Transformations Law at the Soul Transformation Stage means that as long as one's Qi accumulation is sufficient, there is more than a seventy percent chance of breaking through to the Void Refining Stage.

This seventy percent chance is enough to drive any faction crazy, and it is enough for Yan Nantian to lower his status to befriend him.

Lu Yuan nodded slightly, his expression calm and unperturbed: "Fellow Daoist Yan is too kind; it was merely a stroke of luck."

"Fellow Daoist, you are too modest." Yan Nantian smiled, then flipped his palm, and the Primordial Unity Sword, radiating vast starlight, appeared in his hand.

"Since the Clone of the Taiyi Sect Leader has been defeated, this Primordial Unity Sword rightfully belongs to you, Fellow Daoist."

Lu Yuan took the High Grade Spirit Treasure and gently brushed his fingertips across the blade.

The sword vibrated slightly, emitting an unyielding hum, seemingly still resisting its new master.

Lu Yuan merely frowned slightly, and a surge of Fourth Transformation Sword Intent suppressed it. The humming sound vanished instantly, and it became incomparably docile.

"Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Yan for witnessing this." Lu Yuan casually put the sword away.

At this moment, a commotion arose on the other side of the square.

Gu Qingxiao, the head of the Enforcement Hall, walked over, escorting a pale-faced middle-aged Cultivator.

Behind that Cultivator knelt a trembling young Disciple.

"Reporting to the Old Ancestor." Gu Qingxiao bowed, his voice cold and stern: "Just now, while you were exchanging blows with that Ye Chen, someone attempted to poison the celebratory spirit wine to create chaos. Fortunately, thanks to your prior warning, I have captured the poisoner and the mastermind behind them on the spot."

The escorted middle-aged Cultivator was none other than the Master of the Star Meteor Pavilion, who had come to offer birthday congratulations—a Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage Early Stage. The young Disciple was the executor who had administered the poison.

The Star Meteor Pavilion was one of the Nascent Soul factions that relied upon the Taiyi Sect.

Yan Nantian glanced at the Star Meteor Pavilion Master, frowned slightly, but said nothing further. He said to Lu Yuan: "Since this person committed a crime at your Sect's celebration, it is naturally up to Fellow Daoist Lu to dispose of him. Whether he lives or dies, the Yu Hua Immortal Sect will not interfere."

Lu Yuan turned, his gaze falling indifferently upon the Star Meteor Pavilion Master.

"Senior... Senior Lu, please spare me." The Star Meteor Pavilion Master felt that bone-chilling Killing Intent and was terrified to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, kowtowing repeatedly: "This was all this Rebellious Disciple acting on his own initiative, having accepted benefits from the Taiyi Sect. This Junior knew nothing about it! This Junior has always revered the Azure Cloud Sect and harbors no ill will whatsoever. I beg you, Senior, to see the truth."

He tried to shift all responsibility onto that Disciple to save his own life.

However, Lu Yuan had no interest in listening to his excuses.

"Whether you knew or didn't know, it doesn't matter. Since it was someone from your Star Meteor Pavilion who made the move, as the Pavilion Master, you are hard-pressed to escape responsibility."

Lu Yuan's voice did not have a single fluctuation.

He raised his hand and casually pointed into the air.

"Whoosh."

An invisible Sword Qi manifested out of thin air and instantly pierced the center of the Star Meteor Pavilion Master's brow.

The Star Meteor Pavilion Master's eyes widened, as if he could not believe that the other party had killed him directly without even giving him a chance to defend himself.

His life force was rapidly severed, and his Nascent Soul did not even have a chance to escape before it was shredded by the Sword Qi within his Purple Mansion.

With a thud, the corpse fell to the ground.

The entire scene fell silent.

Everyone was stunned by Lu Yuan's thunderous methods.

A Nascent Soul True Monarch killed just like that, as casually as crushing an ant.

"Tianhu." Lu Yuan spoke calmly.

In the crowd, Venerable Tianhu, who had been bowing and waiting for orders, immediately stepped forward and knelt respectfully: "This subordinate is here."

"Go to the Star Meteor Pavilion." Lu Yuan's tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling scent of blood: "From today on, there is no need for the name 'Star Meteor Pavilion' to exist in this world. Leave no one alive."

"As you command." Venerable Tianhu loudly accepted the order, a flash of bloodthirst appearing in his eyes.

But he hesitated slightly: "Although the Star Meteor Pavilion is only a Nascent Soul Sect, it is said to have a rather formidable Mountain Protection Array, and there are two Grand Elders in seclusion. While this subordinate does not fear them, if we are to finish this quickly..."

"Bring the sword."

Lu Yuan interrupted him.

Venerable Tianhu hurriedly presented a Tier 4 Flying Sword with both hands.

Lu Yuan extended his finger and gently brushed it across the sword's blade.

"Hum."

An extremely profound fluctuation flowed across the blade.

Lu Yuan branded one of his Four Transformations Sword Law into this Flying Sword.

"This sword is sealed with one of my Sword Intents. Even if a Soul Transformation Stage Early Stage Cultivator stands before you, it can slay them with a single strike. It is more than enough to break the array and kill."

Venerable Tianhu took the Flying Sword, feeling the terrifyingly immense power within it, and was overjoyed, feeling even more awe toward Lu Yuan than ever before.

"Many thanks to the Old Ancestor for bestowing the sword. This subordinate will certainly not fail the mission."

After speaking, he transformed into a streak of firelight and flew toward the outside of the mountain gate, filled with Killing Intent.

All the guests present, watching that departing streak of light and looking at the Nascent Soul corpse on the ground that was gradually growing cold, all had the same thought arise in their minds.

This Ancestor Qingyun is not only heaven-defying in strength, but also a ruthless person who is decisive in slaughter and seeks revenge for the slightest grievance.

No matter who you provoke, you must never provoke the Azure Cloud Sect.

...

Great Yan Kingdom, Taiyi Sect.

As the only Soul Transformation Stage Sect in the Great Yan Kingdom, the Taiyi Sect occupies the best Tier 4 High Grade Spiritual Vein in the country.

The mountains are towering, palaces are continuous, and the atmosphere is magnificent.

However, at this moment, in a secret chamber deep within the Taiyi Sect, the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.

"Puff."

Ye Chen, who was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, suddenly opened his eyes and spat out a large mouthful of golden blood.

His face was deathly pale, and his originally formidable aura had become listless and even somewhat chaotic.

"Lu Yuan... Lu Yuan."

Ye Chen gripped the meditation cushion beneath him tightly, his eyes flashing with bone-deep hatred and unwillingness.

His Clone had been severed.

That was no ordinary Clone, but a supreme secret technique he had begun to Cultivate since his Nascent Soul Stage days, called the "Mysterious Female Nascent Infant Transformation Method".

After this method was mastered, the Clone and the main body shared cultivation insights and existed independently, with little difference in strength between the two.

The reason he Cultivated this method was to prepare for breaking through to the True Immortal Realm in the future. When the time was ripe, the main body and the Clone would merge into one, and he could use that power of Fusion to break the barrier between mortal and immortal.