352: Deceive Xu Fu and form a united front!

Nameless fell silent.

Lu Jiuyuan's words, direct and powerful, pulled him back into this tumultuous Mortal World, into the imminent, overwhelming vortex.

He had originally been disheartened, wishing to devote himself to the Dao of the Sword and remain aloof from worldly affairs. But the four characters "Millennium Great Calamity" were like an unavoidable bolt of lightning, splitting open the shell of tranquility he had tried to build.

He recalled Broken Army's dying roar, his wife's tragic death, and the countless conflicts and slaughters in the Martial Forest... If there truly was a catastrophe affecting the entire Divine Land, what did personal grudges or temporary peace amount to in the face of billions of lives being trampled?

His sword heart trembled, resonating. The Dao of Heavenly Sword, the Dao of Guardianship.

After a long while, Nameless slowly raised his head, the confusion and struggle in his eyes completely gone, replaced by a more resolute, more steadfast gleam.

He bowed again to Lu Jiuyuan, this time deeper than any time before.

"For the sake of the common people, Nameless... is willing to do his humble best."

He did not pledge allegiance, but the six characters "willing to do his humble best," coming from his mouth, carried more weight than any oath.

This meant that this former martial arts myth, now a Grandmaster of the Dao of the Sword, officially stood with the World Society and Overlord on the same front to face the Millennium Great Calamity.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Lu Jiuyuan's eyes, and he nodded slightly: "Good."

He then turned to Xu Fu, his tone returning to its previous calmness, yet with an imperceptible sharpness:

"Xu Fu, the one-year agreement, our wager, remains.

But in the face of the Great Calamity, any internal strife is foolish. I hope you... conduct yourself well."

Xu Fu knew that Lu Jiuyuan saw his apprehension towards Nameless, and his meaning was that he was not allowed to lay hands on Nameless.

Xu Fu chuckled, his eyes glinting: "That's natural, this old man is also curious what kind of sight this Millennium Great Calamity truly is.

It's just that Lad Lu needs to have a good chat with me. A chat about how that unlucky old immortal died because he slayed a Dragon!"

"Alright!"

Lu Jiuyuan's red hair subtly lifted, and he nodded slightly to Nameless: "Mr. Nameless may go to the Sword Pavilion to cultivate in seclusion. If he has any difficulties, he may seek Frost of the Qin."

Nameless understood, knowing that the upcoming conversation was not for him to hear. He bowed once more,

Then turned and walked towards the newly established "Sword Pavilion," his plain robed back casting a long shadow in the setting sun.

After Nameless had walked far away, Lu Jiuyuan's gaze turned to Xu Fu, a golden light subtly appearing in his profound, abyss-like eyes: "Want to know? Follow me."

Before he finished speaking, his figure faded like an illusion, appearing on the top of Number One Tower Under Heaven the next moment.

A sharp glint flashed in Xu Fu's eyes. Without hesitation, his figure twisted and dissipated eerily, as if merging into the wind, following closely behind.

On the top of Number One Tower Under Heaven, a gentle breeze blew, making it seem unusually spacious.

"Speaking here, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know!" Lu Jiuyuan's voice rang out: "Now, you can ask with confidence."

Xu Fu reined in his playful smile, his expression unprecedentedly solemn.

"Lu Jiuyuan, how much do you truly know?"

Xu Fu asked in a deep voice, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, trying to see through the person before him: "That 'old immortal who plotted against the Divine Dragon and died from heavenly backlash'... who are you referring to? Is it me?"

"It is you, it is you! On the Day of Startling Auspice, you plotted with the Seven Martial Artists to slay the Dragon. Because of Invincible Martial, your phoenix blood was lost, allowing you only immortality, not eternal youth, so you created the Sacred Heart Art to slow down aging."

"I saw you successfully slay the Dragon and obtain the Dragon Core. The Dragon Core and phoenix blood conflicted, and you were forced to use the Five Thunders Extreme Transformation Hand to dissolve the phoenix blood, but were then seized upon and killed by the Great Demon God."

"The Great Demon God killed me? Why would he kill me? For seventeen hundred years, he never killed me? Why would he kill me?" Xu Fu was surprised.

"Why do you think?" Lu Jiuyuan asked:

"Because of the Dragon Core! The Dragon is the strongest of the four Divine Beasts, and the Dragon Core is also the strongest! They don't want me to get the Dragon Core, to get the strongest power!" Xu Fu said slowly:

"So that's it. I, who had the phoenix blood, was not regarded by them, but I, who obtained the Dragon Core, was not allowed to exist!"

"In that case, it makes sense!"

Xu Fu muttered to himself, the muscles in his face twitching slightly. In his eyes, which had lived for a thousand years, an unbelievable horror first flashed, then was replaced by resentment and anger.

He no longer doubted the truthfulness of Lu Jiuyuan's words, because those details—the Startling Auspice Dragon Slaying, the loss of phoenix blood, the Five Thunders Extreme Transformation Hand, the potential conflict between Dragon Core and phoenix blood—were all core secrets he had deeply hidden in his heart and planned for centuries.

For example, the Five Thunders Extreme Transformation Hand was originally a technique prepared in advance for the potential conflict between the Dragon Core and phoenix blood; outsiders would have no way of knowing it.

Yet Lu Jiuyuan could recite them as if counting his own treasures, even pointing out the inescapable death trap he had not foreseen!

"Great Demon God... Laugh Shocks the Heavens! And his secretive brother, Laugh Commands the World!"

Xu Fu's voice carried a bone-chilling coldness, "Good! Very good! This old man has lived for seventeen hundred years, and we've kept to ourselves.

I never thought they would be so intolerant of me! Just because I might gain stronger power? Just because I obtained the Dragon Core?"

The word 'death' was what Xu Fu feared most in his life. Now, knowing that he would be killed after obtaining the Dragon Core, the rage in his heart was impossible to conceal.

"You want to join forces with me to deal with them?"

"They can't tolerate you, can they tolerate me, who is ten times more of a Genius than you?" Lu Jiuyuan retorted:

"From the moment I came into this world, I knew they were enemies, enemies destined to be unchangeable."

"Are you mocking me, or boasting?"

"I am merely stating a fact."

Lu Jiuyuan took out the scroll of the Sacred Heart Art from his sleeve, opened it in front of Xu Fu, and recorded its contents in his mind.

He continuously analyzed every word and sentence within it.

In his spiritual consciousness, a virtual Dharma form sat upon a lotus flower.

Countless 01 characters rotated around him, rapidly analyzing the content.

"Old fellow, one Sacred Heart Art, fifty-three flaws. You are truly shameless."

The muscles on Xu Fu's face twitched violently, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes—was it that fast?

But it was immediately replaced by forcibly suppressed annoyance and deeper apprehension.

He let out two dry laughs: "Don't you go slandering good people. In this Sacred Heart Art I gave you, I only kept 49 hidden moves."

He stroked his beard, his eyes flickering: "If you want to learn my fundamental Cultivation Technique, you naturally need to have the ability to learn it.

If you can learn it, you learn. If you can't, you become a Puppet. One eats according to one's ability.

It is only natural for people to live by their abilities in this world, Lad Lu, you wouldn't not understand that, would you?"

"Well said! I think so too!" Lu Jiuyuan laughed heartily:

"Dragons must be slayed, people must be killed! Nameless must be cultivated..."

"You must think clearly, how great is Nameless's potential? If he can achieve immortality, we are all ants!" Xu Fu said in a low voice:

"I have never, as I do today, wanted to eliminate someone."

"Heroes of the world are as numerous as carps crossing a river!"

To use their wisdom for my own benefit is the mark of a true hero. Xu Fu, your heart is too narrow!"