"Zhenwu Sword Inquiry challenger, Chen Hao of the Pure Yang Sword Sect!"
Giving the crowd no time for surprise or lament, the Sword Chief Ranking acted like a judge, announcing Zhenwu's next Sword Inquiry Cultivator the instant Qi Po's head flew from his neck.
"Clang!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Hao abruptly drew his sword, transformed into a streak of sword light, and thrust at the Sword Fiend.
Almost at the same moment Chen Hao drew his sword, Cui Tiegu suddenly roared:
"Chen Hao, save that boy, and This Old Man will owe you a favor!"
In truth, even without Cui Tiegu's promise, Chen Hao was already doing just that.
"Rumble...!"
With a sudden, explosive peal of thunder, torrential rain abruptly poured down wherever Chen Hao's streak of sword light passed. The downpour plunged like a waterfall, pounding the ground and sending up countless splashes, as though the entire world had been submerged in rain.
And the instant before the sword light struck the Sword Fiend, it drew the raindrops filling the sky together behind it, thrusting toward the Sword Fiend as one.
Sword Qi Transforms into Rain!
Amid a tremendous crash that shook the ground, the Sword Fiend, who had been about to use his longsword to shred Qi Po's head along with his primordial spirit, had no choice but to turn his blade toward the "downpour" falling upon him.
"Boom!"
Though Chen Hao had forced the Sword Fiend to turn his blade, the downpour formed from his sword qi was cleaved apart by a single stroke.
The sword intent of that stroke was like a heavenly god's furious cry, like a flood dragon's roar, its sound shaking the nine heavens and its force piercing the rainbow.
In the end, even the streak of sword light into which Chen