"Heh..."
Li Shaobai took a deep breath, trying to straighten his stooped back.
But age and injuries kept him slightly bent.
"When Uncle Wang walked this road back then, I stood along the sides."
"I was quite envious."
"Today, it's finally my turn."
With a soft chuckle, Li Shaobai walked through the passage formed by the crowd, then slowly rose into the air.
He turned around, looking at Zhong Yushu, Yuan Qingshan, Qi Changshan, the Ink Academy's principal, the Director of Teaching, and all the others behind him...
Finally, his gaze settled on his son.
He frowned slightly.
"Get up!"
"What are you crying for? Stop being so spineless."
"Everyone, I'll be going on ahead. I'm leaving Demon-Suppressing Pass to you!"
His figure rose higher and higher. Looking toward the high-rises he could faintly make out within Demon-Suppressing Pass, he gave a faint, untroubled smile.
A sword rang out.
A blue-green longsword appeared, inlaid with seven crystal stones.
Several cracks marred its overall beauty, however.
"Over seventy years now."
Looking at the sword, Li Shaobai murmured and gently stroked it.
"One final battle..."
"Let them see..."
"What it means..."
"To be the Gentleman's Sword!"
As Li Shaobai's words fell, the longsword suddenly shattered. The seven crystal stones shone brilliantly, like stars in the sky.
Finally...
The seven crystal stones likewise arranged themselves in the void.
They became illusory.
The crystal stones vanished.
They flowed into Li Shaobai's body.
In an instant, his pale, terribly frail self seemed to have returned to his peak.
Surging energy accompanied his every movement.
"Sword... form!"
Amid his murmuring, Li Shaobai raised his hand slightly. A somewhat illusory blue-green longsword, formed entirely of energy, appeared in his grasp.
The next moment, Li Shaobai became a streak of rainbow light, hurtling toward the Thousand-Li Demon Plain.