What relieved Xiao Lin was that the sword did not ultimately fall upon him.

Just as the masked man was about to strike, the pure white mask on his face suddenly dimmed, as if he remembered something, and he quickly withdrew his stance.

The thunder on the long sword vanished with this action.

"Hmm? What's going on?" Xiao Lin snapped out of his shock, looking at the masked man who had sheathed his sword, utterly puzzled.

"No, if I use this sword, I'll run out of energy." The masked man shook his head, speaking in his unique electric voice.

It's worth mentioning that this time, his electric voice seemed weaker, and the human voice part was more pronounced.

Running low on power, huh... Then don't use the electric voice, save some energy...

Xiao Lin's mouth twitched slightly, thinking to himself how abstract his encounter was.

"However, you felt that sword just now, didn't you? How was it? Still want to learn the sword from me?" The masked man sheathed his long sword and stood with his hands behind his back. "This Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword in the World has three forms in total. That Falling Thunder was just one of them, the other two are..."

"Thank you, senior, for teaching me swordsmanship! I will never forget your great kindness!" Before the masked man could finish, Xiao Lin knelt on one knee and bowed his head in salute.

"…"

The masked man looked at Xiao Lin, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Aren't you being too opportunistic? At least let me finish speaking, right?"

"I am just such a person who loves the Sword Dao, please forgive me, senior!"

"…"

The masked man was silent for another moment, then nodded, "Very well, just for your shameless enthusiasm, I will teach you this Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword. Stand up."

"Senior, I have a question that I dare to ask."

"Go ahead."

"May I ask if this sword technique has another name?"

Xiao Lin stood up and asked tentatively.

This name, I can't remember it at all, there must be a shorter version, right?

"You also think this name isn't domineering enough, don't you?" The masked man laughed heartily, slightly raising his head, "Actually, I think so too. This sword technique does have another name, called the Supreme Unrivaled Across Heaven and Earth, Eternal Sword Dao Like a Dark Room, My Sword Brings Light, Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations Thunder Sword. But this name seems unpopular, so I haven't used it. Now, since you want..."

"But speaking of which, senior, the previous name seems fine too."

"…You young man, you're quite impolite."

"Forgive me for making you laugh, senior."

"Enough, enough, let's get down to business."

The masked man waved his hand and continued, "Let me ask you, young man, what do you think is the most important thing to learn my Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword?"

"You need a sword!"

"Correct, anything else?"

"…Insight?"

"Don't talk about those abstract things, talk about something practical."

"Then... you need a mask on your face?"

"…"

The masked man looked at Xiao Lin, said nothing, yet seemed to say everything.

"Fine, I'll tell you." The masked man sighed lightly and answered his own question, "The most important thing about my Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword, besides the word 'sword,' is the word 'thunder.'"

Thunder?

Xiao Lin looked at his right arm without showing any emotion.

The previous Falling Thunder was so stunning that he had almost forgotten about it.

Could this encounter be related to the Kui Ox Mark?

"But you don't need to worry." The masked man laughed again, "We are destined, you young man are very compatible with my Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword. Rest assured, you'll learn it quickly."

"Before practicing the sword, forgive me for daring to ask another question." Seeing the masked man nod, Xiao Lin continued to ask, "May I ask, senior, are you teaching me this Ultimate... Ultimate Invincible... um... Thunder Sword..."

"It's the Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword!"

"May I ask, senior, are you teaching me swordsmanship just because we are destined? Or is there another reason?"

"You skipped it entirely! You young man, so impolite!"

The masked man roared a few times in his electric voice before answering, "Of course, it's because we are destined. Otherwise, do you think you could see me? My existence is to pass down the Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword, and since you can see me, it proves you are the right candidate."

"Is that all?" By now, Xiao Lin had figured out the masked man's temperament, so he boldly asked another question.

"What else?" The masked man glanced at Xiao Lin.

Xiao Lin didn't answer the masked man directly but said, "I believe every gift has its price, it's just a matter of time..."

"Oh? That's an interesting thought." The masked man pondered for a moment, then waved his hand, "Don't overthink it, young man. If I really wanted to harm you, why go through so much trouble?"

"That's true, I'm just curious, what exactly is this destiny?" Xiao Lin, however, did not let it go.

It's rare for this senior to be so approachable, so he naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity— the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the masked man in front of him must be connected to the Kui Ox. In other words, the masked man might have the answers he wanted, or at least could provide some clues.

"You young man, so many questions." The masked man said helplessly, "As for what kind of destiny it is, I don't know either. Perhaps you should know better, right? After all, you have the aura of a Kui Ox."

"Senior has a good eye." Hearing this, Xiao Lin simply rolled up his sleeve and showed the Kui Ox Mark, "The Kui Ox aura you mentioned probably comes from this. May I ask, senior, what does this mark represent? Or do you know why this mark appeared on me?"

"I don't know." The masked man looked at the Kui Ox Mark on Xiao Lin's right forearm, his tone also puzzled, "Actually, I don't even know what a Kui Ox is... I just feel a familiar aura from you, and the words Kui Ox naturally appeared in my mind..."

"Then what do you remember, senior?" Xiao Lin frowned.

"Nothing."

The masked man shook his head, then added, "Or more accurately, besides knowing that I need to pass down the Ultimate Invincible Sweep Across the Eight Desolations, Number One Thunder Sword, I have no specific memories... I don't even know who I am."

...