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"Mr. Levis, please do not mistake our forbearance for weakness. I will repeat: the Temple has neither reason nor capability to use the curse you mentioned. We would never act in a way that tarnishes the glory of the Light God, nor will we turn a blind eye to any act that insults His dignity." A clear and resonant voice echoed, its authority matching that of the Flame Saint. It must be the mysterious "Divine Blessed Paladin." As the voice spoke, a deep and layered hymn began to reverberate throughout Saint Spirit Mountain. Unlike Jin Luosha's song, these hymns had no divine effects but could gather holy power to aid allies. The white halos formed by the songs seemed both illusory and real, even diluting Levis's intense energy.

Seeing the two Sword Saints about to clash, such a rare confrontation naturally held an irresistible allure for me. Unfortunately, Knight Apu was blocking my path, preventing me from getting closer. I had to find another way.

"Apu, the High Priests' order was not to let me meet with the Flame Saint, right?"

"That's correct, so let's go back quickly. Look, the two Sword Saints are about to fight. If you accidentally get hit, even a Sword Emperor couldn't withstand it," Knight Apu said, not realizing my intention, focused solely on persuading me to leave.

"Ha, such a rare opportunity, missing it would be a shame. Apu, watching from a distance shouldn't violate the High Priests' orders, right?" I asked with a smile.

"Well, technically, that's true, but places too far from the battlefield can't see anything, and if you get too close to the duel circle, it's too dangerous. Not to mention the terrifying speed of the Sword Saints; even standing still, their sword qi is incredibly lethal," Knight Apu said, his face full of concern.

"Don't worry, I have a place in mind. It offers a good view, is safe, and won't be seen by the Flame Saint. It's the perfect spot to watch the battle." I pointed towards the highest tower of the main hall of Saint Spirit Mountain—the "Crown of the Sun." "It's high up, with a clear view, invisible from below, and protected by the Temple's strongest magical barrier. Isn't that ideal for watching the battle?"

"But... isn't that a bit inappropriate? That tower is right above the statue of the Light God..." Knight Apu hesitated.

"What's the problem? Didn't some craftsmen climb up there to fix the skylight just the other day?" Without further ado, I ran towards the main hall, and Knight Apu followed reluctantly.

Despite my haste, I arrived a bit late. By the time I peeked out from the tower, the square was already filled with sword qi, and the two were engaged in fierce combat.

Apart from the four High Priests spreading their barriers around the perimeter and dozens of senior priests, only two figures were battling intensely in the center of the square. One figure was bathed in golden-red flames, causing the air to warp and the ground to crack, accompanied by thunderous explosions. The other figure, pure white, moved at incredible speed, slightly faster than its opponent. White holy power from all directions of Saint Spirit Mountain flowed into this figure, forming countless light threads that wove into a vortex-like net of holy power, enveloping the golden-red figure.

If not for my innate Nine Yin True Qi, which enhanced my senses far beyond ordinary people, I wouldn't have been able to discern the situation clearly. Concentrating my vision, I identified the golden-red figure as the Flame Saint Levis, whose presence I had sensed but never seen. He was tall and robust, wearing a long red robe adorned with gold patterns, with fiery red hair and a face that appeared to be in his forties. His thick red eyebrows arched into his temples, and a deep scar marked his forehead. The golden flames emanating from him were familiar—his disciples had once used "Boiling Star Sea" and "Fiery Heaven," indicating he practiced "Boiling Sea Burning Sky" and "Azure Fire Heart." The red force swirling around him likely came from one of the Ten Divine Swords, "Destruction Sword—Red Lotus."

The white figure was much more slender, fully clad in silver mithril armor, concealing their face. Despite covering the entire body, the armor did not appear bulky, adorned with intricate magical arrays that shimmered like stars under the influence of holy power. Three pairs of white light wings spread behind them, enhancing their speed and agility while serving as offensive and defensive weapons. They wielded a double-edged light spear, breaking through the Flame Saint's flames with relentless thrusts.

Neither had summoned their divine weapons yet, only invoking their powers to create light weapons, probing each other.

"Hmph, you young whelp hiding behind a mask, do you think boosting your strength with Saint Spirit Mountain's holy power can compensate for your lack of cultivation? Let me show you the true secrets of the Sacred Realm!" After prolonged probing, the Flame Saint Levis grew impatient. Initially wary of the Temple's defense system built over a century, he found no remarkable defenses during their exchange. Uncertain whether the Temple was holding back or had hidden reasons, he decided to act. With a flick of his wrist, a crimson crystal rod, about a foot long, appeared in his hand.

The appearance of this strange short rod tightened the atmosphere. This seemingly unrelated object was none other than one of the Ten Divine Swords, "Ten Realms Red Lotus."

"Destruction Sword Red Lotus" was the most peculiar among the Ten Divine Swords, having only a hilt without a blade. Only when infused with power did it emit a flame edge, changing freely and indestructible. Due to this characteristic, "Magic Flame Swords," imitations of "Red Lotus," became popular on the Mainland. These swords, powered by crystal cores, produced flames similar to qi, attracting many wealthy heirs unwilling to practice. However, unlike the imitations, the true "Ten Realms Red Lotus" had a blade made of a unique gaseous metal mined from meteorites. The hotter the temperature, the sharper and harder the blade became, capable of channeling qi for enhanced lethality and breaking through magic. This material was obtained by the ninth-generation Elven King, who used the soul of a fire giant from the elemental plane, whose power rivaled dragons, to forge this unparalleled "Red Lotus."