No Longer All-Knowing

"That year, I was just like you. At the final moment, I failed to hold back, and my killing intent leaked out."

"In the end, all my efforts came to nothing." Elder Wei's tone was calm, as though he were recounting some old tale that had nothing to do with him.

Yet those two offhand sentences were tantamount to a formal admission that he had once attempted to slay an emperor—and failed.

"How much of this Emperor-Slaying Sword Technique did you remember?"

As Elder Wei spoke, he casually waved a hand. A solid surge of force shot through the air and struck Li Shun in the chest.

Li Shun's body shuddered, and he suddenly coughed up another mouthful of dark red clotted blood. Only then did he realize that the stagnant, churning blood and qi within him had begun to flow smoothly again.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, closed his eyes, and rapidly retraced the entire process of being forced to perform the sword dance earlier.

"I remembered seventy percent of the sword moves and forms. But the sword intent—" Li Shun opened his eyes and shook his head helplessly.

Elder Wei merely nodded in silence, his expression unchanged.

Then he said, "Starting today, come to my courtyard every afternoon at three. I will teach you for seven days in total. How much you can learn will depend on your own fortune."

Li Shun hesitated, as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself.

Seeing this, Elder Wei let out a derisive laugh. "Do you think that in Great Qian today, swords can no longer harm people, so this sword technique of mine has no place to be used?"

"How utterly absurd!"

"All methods under heaven lead to the same destination. If you master this