"Nephew!" Yuan Siwu cried in shock.
He had never imagined Yuan Sheng would lose just like that, to a single sword strike!
Still, Yuan Sheng was not dead, only gravely wounded. Just before he hit the ground, he swung his sword to check his fall, then flipped over and barely managed to land on his feet.
He propped himself up with his sword, then spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Tsk, tsk!" Zhang Yuanrang laughed. "Not a pretty sight, is it? Weren't you swaggering around just a moment ago?"
"Let me tell you, you should count yourselves lucky. Senior wasn't the one who struck! Otherwise, there wouldn't even be scraps of you left!"
Yuan Sheng said nothing. A loss was a loss. He turned to Yuan Siwu and said, "Let's go!"
"Hmph!" Yuan Siwu flicked his sleeve at Zhang Yuanrang, then hurriedly helped Yuan Sheng out.
Inside, Lin Yi emerged, walked straight up to Xu Tong, and knelt, prostrating himself fully!
"Thank you, Senior! Without your guidance, I would never have had another chance!"
Xu Tong smiled. "Your understanding strayed somewhat from mine, but everyone has their own Dao. What you comprehended is your own Dao."
"Very good. I am pleased that your state of mind recovered before your cultivation did!"
"You gave tangible form to the sword in your heart, and it could easily shatter the defenses of someone in the refining spirit and returning to void realm. You have passed my test!"
Lin Yi raised his head and said delightedly, "Senior, does that mean I can take you as my master?"
"What do you think?" Xu Tong asked in return.
Lin Yi immediately straightened his kneeling posture and bowed again. "Your disciple, Lin Yi, pays his respects to his master!"
"Dispense with the formalities. Get up!" Xu Tong