After hearing A Meng's account, Xu Taiping frowned and said:
"Could this be why the Sword Chief Ranking chose Senior Chen Hao?"
Beside him, Dugu Qingxiao said with a worried expression:
"Chen Hao, the road of cultivation is long. There's no need to rush to improve your swordsmanship."
Yet after hearing A Meng's words, Lin Qingnu, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly showed a trace of appreciation in his previously still-as-an-ancient-well gaze as he looked toward the Sword Platform.
Keeping his eyes fixed on Chen Hao on the Sword Platform, Lin Qingnu murmured without turning his head:
"Rather abandon the road to immortality than give up seeking that one sword strike. If that truly is the case, he might make a worthy opponent someday."
While everyone was discussing this, Chen Hao's Sword Qi Transforms into Rain on the Sword Platform was like a sheet of rice paper enveloped by the Sword Fiend's Sword Qi True Flame. Beneath the licking flames, it slowly curled and crumpled, burning to ash bit by bit.
Only an area a little over ten zhang in radius around Chen Hao still lay beneath the pouring rain.
Seeing that Chen Hao was about to be defeated, A Meng, as an elder of his sect, immediately called out a reminder:
"Hao, just do your best. We're still here behind you!"
Cui Tiegu also spoke up:
"Chen Hao, you needn't worry about that Sword Fiend after conceding. Someone on our side will be there to receive you."
"Even serious injuries won't matter."
"I could save Qi Po even with his head severed, let alone you."
Struggling to hold on atop the Sword Platform, Chen Hao immediately smiled and thanked them when he heard this:
"Thank you for the reminder, Junior Martial Uncle, and thank you for your