Qin Hao saw Qi Long stop attacking and immediately stopped as well.
Like Qi Long, Qin Hao was brimming with fighting spirit. He had never felt more exhilarated.
"I thought the Azure Flame Grand Tournament would be nothing more than a formality for me."
"Who but I, Qi Long, could possibly claim first place?"
Qi Long's eyes gleamed, his low voice ringing with excitement. "Until I met you!"
"Qin Hao, you're the first person who's made me feel I've met a worthy rival. If I'd faced you half a year ago, I might truly have had no answer for you."
Qin Hao's heart stirred.
"Your Sword Qi Storm is unusual. I'd guess you've mastered some kind of Divine Ability sword technique?" Qi Long said.
"You could say that." Qin Hao neither denied it nor confirmed it outright.
He did not know whether Sword Heaven and Earth counted as a Divine Ability, but it was certainly a sword technique.
Sword Heaven and Earth was, after all, Qin Hao's Self-World unleashed in the form of a Sword Move.
"Very strong!" Qi Long nodded appreciatively, then shook his head. His tone turned grave. "Unfortunately, you met me!"
"Met you?" Qin Hao raised an eyebrow.
"Qin Hao, you weren't the only one cultivating these past six months." Qi Long drew a deep breath, excitement showing on his face.
"Oh?" Qin Hao's expression shifted. He had an inkling of what was coming.
"You kept cultivating and growing stronger over these six months, but I trained relentlessly too."
As Qi Long spoke, the pressure radiating from him climbed steadily. By the time his final word fell, the might of his Space Laws had surged from Sixth-Order Perfection all the way to Seventh-Order!
Shock flashed across Qin Hao's face.
"Seventh-Order Space Laws?!"
Among everyone present, the highest