The Qingying Sword gave a flick, shaking off a bead of blood. Its blade returned to a pool of autumn water.
Chu Zhiyuan sheathed his sword, cupped his fists, and smiled. "Mr. Gao, you let me win."
Facing a Grandmaster, he could not possibly hold back. Avoiding the vital points and stabbing Gao Jiong in the shoulder was already the limit. What he had seized was that razor-thin chance of speed; had he hesitated even slightly, those two thrusts would never have gone in.
Gao Jiong lowered his head and glanced at his left shoulder.
Blood was still gushing steadily from it.
The two sword thrusts had landed in precisely the same spot, their wounds not differing by a hair. If he had stood still, that would have been one thing, but while moving like that, Chu Zhiyuan had still achieved such precision. It was truly inconceivable. He had never seen anything like it.
More astonishing still, such exquisite swordsmanship belonged to someone in the Innate Realm. Someone at the Innate Realm had already managed to break through his protective Gang Qi.
No wonder the Emperor had sent him to temper Chu Zhiyuan. Replacing him with Xiantian Masters simply would not have worked.
Chu Mingxuan grinned and clapped his hands, laughing loudly. "Haha, as expected of Fourth Son!"
"Fourth Brother is amazing!"
"These two sword strikes, tsk tsk!"
"No wonder he's first in slaughter and battle!"
"What swordsmanship!"
"Hehe... Fourth Brother is still Fourth Brother!"
The crowd cheered and praised him, jubilant beyond measure.
Earlier, Gao Jiong had defeated them as though an adult were beating children, leaving them both frustrated and furious. Yet they had been powerless to win back their pride; the difference in realms had crushed them completely.
Chu Zhiyuan's victory felt like their own. They