As Bayers spoke, he took two steps forward, then suddenly stopped.
His gaze sharpened, and he warned in a low voice:
"In short, that talent of yours is terrifying, and dangerous... don't reveal it lightly, or you might attract the attention of certain beings."
Chen Lun froze briefly, then said earnestly:
"Thank you for the warning."
He reversed the longsword and held its hilt before his chest in salute.
Bayers nodded, then refused the others' attempts to persuade him to stay, pushed straight through the crowd, and left alone.
Everyone simply assumed that being defeated while teaching swordsmanship had cost him face, leaving him unwilling to linger.
But only Chen Lun knew that the Black Knight's current body was already on the verge of collapse after that intense battle.
To avoid falling apart in full view of everyone, he had chosen to leave at once.
"Oh, my sun! Mr. Jack, you were magnificent!"
Sibert hurried over and said excitedly.
Then he leaned closer and whispered:
"I knew it! You really did block that bullet with your cane earlier, didn't you!"
His tone was certain. Clearly, whatever explanation Chen Lun offered, he would take it as fact.
Chen Lun simply stopped trying to explain. He handed the longsword back to him with a chuckle.
"Thank you for lending me your longsword, Mr. Sibert."
"Oh, oh! You're welcome. In fact, I should thank you for using it!"
Sibert gave an exaggerated smile.
"Rest assured, once I get home, I'll take good care of this longsword and make it a family heirloom... when I'm old, I'll tell my sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons its story: how a master swordsman once used it to defeat another master swordsman!"
"You really are amusing."
His words succeeded in making Chen Lun laugh, and Chen Lun offered that