“Stinking brat, watch carefully as this old man draws my sword. This old man doesn't believe that the Sword Dao that I cultivated bitterly for a lifetime cannot make you exert even a bit of strength in the end!”

The old man suddenly turned. After saying this, he no longer paid attention to Yu Xiyi and solemnly looked toward the Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

Then, as the old man spoke softly, the sword dragon behind him led a flying sword forward first, like a long rainbow.

After the first flying sword, the second followed, then the third.

In an instant, long rainbows streaked across the sky.

Afterwards, countless flying swords surged simultaneously, and the entire sky was filled with the rainbows drawn by flying swords, extremely magnificent.

Yu Xiyi’s eyes widened, his gaze refusing to leave the flying swords.

On each flying sword rested the essence of the old man’s lifelong Sword Dao; truly something rare and unattainable.

Even the Sword Sect’s Sect Master, upon seeing these flying swords, lamented with vicissitudes of emotion, “Remarkable. To finally let them fall like rain onto the world, let’s see how many of your seeds will take root and sprout.”

......

......

Chen Chao and Xu Bai had arrived at the most spectacular moment of the duel. In fact, given Xu Bai’s sword-riding speed, there was no way for them to arrive in time. At first, Chen Chao patiently followed Xu Bai slowly, but later he could not bear it and directly lifted Xu Bai, increasing their speed.

A martial artist at the end of Nepenthe putting all his strength into going somewhere, apart from other cultivators of the same level, no one would be able to catch up.

At this moment, Xu Bai stopped, rubbing his face, which had been stung by the wind. But the next moment, he could no longer bother with it. His full attention was on the battle unfolding before him.

Chen Chao, an outsider, had come to observe the duel. To say he could clearly understand the profound techniques of Sword Dao was unrealistic, yet at his level, by observing the flows of sword qi, he could still discern some of the methods used by both sides.

As time passed, more people arrived. Sword cultivators gradually gathered, and upon seeing such a magnificent scene, they could not stop exclaiming.

“Never would I have imagined that one day my flying sword could clash with the Sword Sect’s Sect Master. Rounded up, doesn’t that mean I too have faced the Sword Sect’s Sect Master?”

“Indeed, exactly so. This must be carefully recorded and later told to future generations!”

“Then, Fellow Daoist, shall we bear witness for each other, so that when this is mentioned later, it will seem credible?”

“Good, good. I am Jiang Zhongxin, from...”

For a while, the place was filled with noise, all kinds of voices.

Some statements were downright laughable.

Meanwhile, Xu Bai had barely regained his composure. With his cultivation realm and eyesight, he could only see so much of the duel. Beyond this, it was difficult to follow.

After all, both of these individuals were top Sword Dao grandmasters of the age. The profundity of their Sword Dao was not something a sword cultivator who had not yet reached the end of Nepenthe could see through.

Chen Chao smiled, “Xu Daoist, did you gain anything?”

Xu Bai forced a smile and said, “I dare not speak yet, but vaguely, some things seem already to have settled in my mind.”

Chen Chao laughed, “Then the next time I meet Xu Daoist, I suppose I will have to respectfully call you Sword Immortal Xu.”

Xu Bai waved his hand, “Even if I became a sword immortal, in front of Lord Warden Commander, I would still be a flickering light. How dare I compete with the bright moon?”

Chen Chao was taken aback. Hearing this, he looked curiously at Xu Bai. This fellow, could he even flatter someone now?

Xu Bai hesitated for a moment and spoke softly, “There is one matter I have not yet had the chance to thank Lord Warden Commander for.”

Chen Chao naturally understood what he meant but did not care much, waving his hand, “Fortuitous encounters is not something others can provide.”

Xu Bai shook his head, “Regardless, I am indebted to Lord Warden Commander's kindness. If there is a chance in the future, I will repay it.”

Hearing this, Chen Chao half-joked, “Then do not repay me. If one day Great Liang cannot hold back the demons in the north, I hope that when the demons advance south, Fellow Daoist Xu will rise northward.”

Xu Bai was momentarily surprised but quickly nodded, “Of course. Normally, cultivating and practicing swords is for oneself. Matters of the world are comparatively unimportant. But if one day the demons march south and calamity spreads across the nine provinces of Great Liang, I will certainly go north with my sword.”

Chen Chao listened with a smile on his face. Only after Xu Bai finished speaking did he seem to speak earnestly, “Actually, Fellow Daoist Xu, if you could have done this earlier, it would have been better.”

Xu Bai was confused by this, unsure how to respond.

He truly could not figure out what “earlier” meant. Did it mean that he should have broken through sooner and become a genuine sword immortal?

Chen Chao touched on the matter lightly and stopped. He knew that saying too much could be counterproductive. After all, he had already left a bad impression with that man before, had he not?

Before leaving the small town, Chen Chao had deliberately waited a while but saw that the man had not come looking for him. Upon careful thought, many things became clear.

The man had likely already decided in his heart that Chen Chao was a calculating person; someone not to be trusted closely.

Once such a misunderstanding arose, if neither side took the initiative to clarify, the misunderstanding would only deepen.

Chen Chao sighed. He would find a time to seek out that martial artist himself.

The number of powerhouses in Great Liang right now were still too few.

Even if he could not persuade that martial artist to join, he could at least maintain a good relationship, right?

Someone like Xu Bai, though normally not particularly useful, could still contribute when things got critical.

Having a group of such friends was very valuable.

While Chen Chao was thinking this, the battle ahead was reaching its final stage.

The old sword immortal hurled all the borrowed flying swords with magnificent force. Yet what was most interesting was the Sword Sect’s Sect Master. He could have cut many of the flying swords in half, but he seemed unwilling to do so. At this moment, not a single flying sword was broken.

All remained intact.

This earned the Sword Sect’s Sect Master much respect from the observing sword cultivators, many thinking that he truly cherished his swords. Only Chen Chao understood that the Sword Sect’s Sect Master did not care at all about what ordinary sword cultivators thought. His actions were solely because of his sixty-year friendship with the old sword immortal Yang Luting.

After considering the other as a friend, he would not casually disregard his last wishes.

He truly placed them in his heart.

Still, even so, to think that the Sword Sect’s Sect Master would deliberately let the old sword immortal win was unrealistic.

A duel of Sword Dao never depended on letting the sword decide.

This was the highest respect for a sword cultivator.

Since he did not let the sword decide, the old sword immortal truly had no chance of winning.

Several minutes later.

The old man panted, expending all his sword qi, like a elder in his twilight, who knew death was near and did not intend to leave even a single possession behind.

After the last flying sword sped forward, many flying swords had already been deflected by the Sword Sect’s Sect Master, pinned in various places around them.

However, on each flying sword, the trace of sword qi the old man had left remained intact; the Sword Sect’s Sect Master chose not to shatter them.

The old man saw this but did not point it out.

Finally, the exhausted old man glanced at the Sword Sect’s Sect Master and said softly, “Old fogey, so you really did comprehend that sword move? But if you have such a sword, why not show it to this old man?”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master said calmly, “Once this sword appears, you cannot stop it. Moreover, it is not something you should see.”

The corners of the old man's mouth twitched and he muttered, “You’re still so fucking conceited.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master did not care and merely said calmly, “This sword of yours is actually equivalent to mine from sixty years ago. Had I known you possessed such resolve, I should have held back when I drew my sword against you back then, to observe you for another sixty years.”

The old man opened his mouth, only to mutter a single “scram.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master was indifferent and asked, “Do you have any remaining wishes?”

A person like him, wholly devoted to Sword Dao, rarely showed such a soft side.

The old man shook his head, not bothering with this old fogey. He reached out, and the flying sword Wild Grass came before him. He patted Wild Grass and then looked at Yu Xiyi, “It’s your turn.”

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master frowned slightly.

The old man who was already like a lamp that had ran out of oil, tilted his head back and laughed, “Stinking brat, your luck ran a bit short. The whetstone you chose has taken one step forward, and now truly stands above Nepenthe. The height of Sword Dao here, unprecedented in history!”

Wild Grass flew forward and landed in Yu Xiyi’s hands.

The young sword immortal, full of vigor, laughed, “If it is like this, even better. After all, there is no better whetstone in the world than mine!”

“Elder Brother, losing today does not matter. In a few years, this junior will surely surpass him and avenge you!”

Yu Xiyi laughed heartily, full of youthful spirit. One unaware might have thought his Sword Dao surpassed even the Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

The old man scoffed, “Say whatever you want, this old man won’t see it anyway.”

......

......

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master, who had not spoken until now, finally understood the situation. He glanced at Yu Xiyi. This Sword Sect’s Sect Master who had already exited seclusion naturally would not spoil the scene by leaving. But allowing himself, the current number one person in Sword Dao, to willingly serve as Yu Xiyi’s whetstone, was not so easy.

“Yu Xiyi, since you think so, I can grant your wish. But I must first tell you: I will suppress my realm to Nepenthe, yet I will not hold back. Until you break through, this duel will not be simply about victory or defeat.”

In other words, the Sword Sect’s Sect Master meant: since you, Yu Xiyi, want to use me as your whetstone, I will not refuse. But I will not merely feed you sword strikes, that's impossible.

When I draw my sword, it will be aiming to kill.

If you, Yu Xiyi, cannot endure it, you have no one to blame.

Yu Xiyi laughed freely, unbothered. Then he spoke clearly and seriously, “Sword Sect disciple Yu Xiyi asks the Sect Master for a duel today!”

The words echoed through the clouds; everyone heard them clearly.