Cloud Emperor City, Prefect's residence.
Shen Yue pulled his wooden sword from the four-armed old man's corpse. He was drenched in blood, his robes in tatters, and a ghastly wound gaped across his left side. Yet his expression remained cold and stern.
The four-armed old man lay in a pool of blood. The bloodied cloth that had covered his eyes was gone. He struggled to open them, his eyes bloodred as he stared at Shen Yue and asked in a trembling voice, "Was that... something you... comprehended on the spot?"
Shen Yue looked down at him. "That's right. You backed me into a corner, and that's why I had that breakthrough."
"Backed into a corner? Heh..."
The four-armed old man gave a self-mocking smile. He simply didn't believe Shen Yue.
From the moment Shen Yue had refused Li Qingqiu's help, he'd known that Shen Yue had absolute confidence in his ability to win.
He simply hadn't expected to be defeated by a swordsman in the Nourishing Yuan Realm Ninth Layer. Now he felt both ashamed and, strangely, relieved.
"Young man, you've defeated this old man, the Northern Court Sword God. From now on, you may call yourself the Sword God..." the four-armed old man said with difficulty, his voice growing weaker.
Shen Yue remained expressionless. "I've been the Sword God for a long time. I don't call myself that—the world does."
The four-armed old man's face filled with astonishment. Then, he seemed to accept it.
Whoosh—
A gust of cold wind swept past, and the four-armed old man's body crumbled to ash and scattered on the breeze.
Shen Yue finally let out a breath of relief. Then he dropped to one knee, clutching his sword in one hand and pressing the other to his side. Pain twisted his face.
He