The battle came to an abrupt halt after the thirty-seventh clash.
Cui Ciyou and the Sword God withdrew their swords and stepped back at the same time, opening the distance between them to ten paces once more.
Cracks of varying depths covered the ground around them. Several pillars had been sheared halfway through, and rubble lay scattered everywhere.
There was a slash in the clothing over the Sword God's chest, with a shallow line of blood on the skin beneath.
Most of Cui Ciyou's left cuff had also been shredded, exposing part of his forearm.
The two looked at each other.
The Sword God, Gal Farion, touched the wound on his chest, then threw back his head and laughed. "Hahahaha-good! Good! Good!"
He said "good" three times, each louder than the last.
"Since I became the Sword God, you're the first person to fight me to a draw without taking a scratch!"
The swordsmen present were utterly silent.
Sword Emperors Timothy and Raida stood at the front of the crowd. They exchanged a glance, each seeing the same shock in the other's eyes. They understood better than anyone the weight of the Sword God's three declarations-those had been neither pleasantries nor modest words, but his acknowledgment of an equal.
A draw. Or rather, neither side had used their true killing moves.
The Sword God still had secret techniques he had yet to reveal, and Cui Ciyou had held something in reserve throughout.
But everyone present understood that Cui Ciyou's title as the "Last Seat of the Seven Great Powers" carried far more weight than they had imagined.
"Nullifier... Nullifier." The Sword God's smile faded, and his golden eyes regarded Cui Ciyou seriously.
"What exactly did you come to the Sword Sanctum for?"
Cui Ciyou sheathed his sword. "My first purpose