Auber stood under the old locust tree in front of Luo Ge's residence, one hand on the scabbard at his waist, like a silent stone statue.
When Luo Ge opened the door and came out, he immediately noticed the uninvited guest and was slightly taken aback. "Senior Auber? You haven't left yet?"
"Uh-huh!"
Auber turned around, a smile appearing on his face, which was angular and weathered by the harshness of the North for years. "Before I leave, there's something I really can't let go of."
Luo Ge didn't press for details, but leaned against the doorframe, waiting for him to continue.
Although the two hadn't spent much time together, he had gotten a pretty good grasp of the North Emperor's personality.
This person always speaks directly and never beats around the bush.
As expected, Auber remained silent for a moment, then spoke directly, "Before I leave, I wish to witness the true strength of you, the Demon Sword King."
Luo Ge raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"
"Right."
Auber's gaze was intense. "After all, when I first arrived here, our battle was still unresolved."
"Being interrupted halfway through the sparring session left me feeling a bit itchy."
He spoke calmly, but Luo Ge could see the flickering flame in his eyes.
That's the almost greedy fighting spirit that a swordsman reveals when he encounters a worthy opponent.
Luo Ge stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly straightened up, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Since that's the case, so be it."
Auber was immediately overjoyed.
He had traveled the world for half his life and met quite a few geniuses, but none of them had ever excited him as much as Luo Ge.
The Demon Sword King.
At the age of nine, he possessed the cultivation King Rank. His talent and terrifying learning ability made him seem like someone born for the sword.
It would be incredibly satisfying to actually defeat someone like that in a fight, wouldn't it?
The thought flashed through Auber's mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
Because he knew it very well in his heart.
Defeating the Demon Sword King is far more difficult than it sounds.
During this period, although he was nominally guiding Luo Ge's North God Style, he was actually an observer most of the time.
He watched as the boy absorbed every move he had taught him at an almost terrifying speed, then applied it to other situations and mastered it completely.
Sword God Style, King Rank.
Water God Style, King Rank.
North God Style has also crossed the threshold of the King Rank.
With the three major schools of thought combined in one, his overall strength is at least at the Emperor Rank level, in addition to his magical reserves that even he cannot fathom.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the number one power after the great powers.
Auber took a deep breath.
The moment Luo Ge uttered the words "As you wish," his body reacted before his mind could process them.
He reached for his waist with both hands at the same time, drawing out a pair of swords, one long and one short, from his left and right sides. Then he drew a third spare short blade from behind his back and held it between his teeth.
He lowered his body by half an inch, shifted his center of gravity, and assumed the classic "Three Swords Slashing Simultaneously" stance of the North God Style.
Be prepared and go all out.
It was very quiet all around.
On the hillside behind the house, which was used as a temporary sparring spot, only the rustling of grass in the wind could be heard.
Auber stared intently at the ten-year-old boy a few steps away, his eyes unblinking.
Luo Ge stood there, without making any exaggerated gestures.
He merely gripped the hilt of the Elegant Dragon Sword, the tip pointing diagonally towards the ground, without even fully drawing the sword from its sheath.
Yet, even this casual standing posture made Auber feel an extremely strong sense of pressure.
It wasn't murderous intent, nor was it malice; rather, it was a purer aura, emanating from absolute self-confidence.
It's as if that person, simply by standing there, has already determined which way the scales of victory will tip.
Auber swallowed, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead.
But he was, after all, the North Emperor.
They are nominally powerful figures capable of establishing their own sects, and they would never shrink back because of this sense of oppression.
He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all distractions, and then—
It moved.
Strike first.
This was a strategy he had planned long ago. Luo Ge's strongest skill was the Sword God Style, and the essence of the Sword God Style lay in striking first and killing with a single blow.
As long as you take the initiative and firmly grasp the rhythm, forcing your opponent to respond rather than making the first move, you can gain the upper hand.
However, the instant Auber unleashed his crossed swords, he realized he was terribly wrong.
Luo Ge raised the Elegant Dragon Sword and casually parried.
"Bite--"
The instant sparks flew, a chilling shockwave emanated from the two of them, causing the grass within a three-zhang radius to bend over.
But Auber did not stop; the North God Style swordsmanship was always known for its continuous, unending strikes.
With a flick of his wrist, he retracted the left sword and shifted the position of the right sword.
The three knives switched between each other in his hands, their angles unpredictable and cunning. Sometimes they stabbed from under his ribs, sometimes they cleaved down from above his head, and sometimes they swept across the ground, leaving no room for error.
However, no matter how fast or tricky his attacks were, Luo Ge only used one hand to swing his sword.
Moreover, the timing of each block was perfect, not a minute more or less.
The elegant dragon sword seemed to have eyes in his hands, accurately blocking the weakest point of Auber's blade every time.
What made Auber's scalp tingle even more was the phrase that Luo Ge kept uttering.
"Attack the waist three inches away."
Just as Auber slashed his left sword diagonally, he heard these words, and his sword strike was a step ahead of him.
"Sword strike to the lower leg."
Just as he crouched down to lower his blade, Luo Ge had already taken two steps back, and his sweeping blade only cut through the air.
"Horizontal slash."
The moment he moved his shoulder, the elegant dragon sword was already positioned in the very middle of his blade's path.
"Prick."
To Auber's horror, he discovered that every single one of his attacks, every tiny initiation, was precisely predicted by his opponent before he could even make a move.
It was as if Luo Ge could read his mind and foresee the future.
Sweat finally slid down his forehead, stinging his eyes, but Auber didn't bother to blink.
The three swords in his hands were still wielding, but the rhythm had begun to falter—his moves, once read from his hand, posed no threat whatsoever.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered around them without them even realizing it.
The first to arrive was the Sword God Gal. He emerged from the shadow of some tree, crossed his arms, leaned against the trunk, and squinted as he watched the battle unfold.
Following closely behind was the Water God Reida, who walked calmly to Gal's side, her silver hair fluttering slightly in the aftershocks of their battle.
Then came Isolte, who came running up the hillside, panting, clearly having rushed over after hearing the commotion.
Following behind were Nina and her cousin Gino.
Then more and more people surged forward—two Sword Emperor from the holy land, a large group of Sword Saint, and young, newly initiated disciples.
"Oh my god..."
One disciple couldn't help but cover his mouth and whisper, " The Demon Sword King is handling Lord Auber's attacks so easily? That's the North Emperor!"
"What do you know? Lord Demon Sword King is a genius that appears only once in a hundred years in our Sword Sanctum. How could he lose to someone else?"
"That's true, but the opponent is an Emperor Rank expert after all... He's not even ten years old yet, is he?"
The murmurs spread like a tide through the crowd.
The disciples stared at the figure calmly blocking the attack, their eyes filled with amazement and admiration.
Luo Ge had only been a little over a year since joining the Sword Sanctum, but his reputation had already been solidly built up through countless real battles.
In the hearts of the younger generation in the Holy Land, the title of Demon Sword King has long been synonymous with "invincible".
Sword God Gal listened to the whispers of his disciples behind him, and his lips curled up slightly.
"I never expected this kid to push Auber to this point."
Reida glanced at him sideways, her tone tinged with a hint of melancholy, "Even without using the Water God Style's secret techniques, I doubt I could ever win against him now."
"Um."
Gal, unusually, didn't have a cold expression. He stared at the sword-wielding figure in the arena, his eyes unusually gentle. "In a few years, I reckon this kid will really cause trouble for someone like the Dragon God. I'm getting more and more excited."
When he mentioned the Dragon God, his voice was very low, as if he were afraid of startling something fragile.
Reida glanced at him but said nothing more.
She knew very well what Gal was thinking; the long-cherished wish that had weighed on the Sword God's heart for over twenty years finally had a suitable person to entrust it to.
Perhaps fate wasn't so cruel after all; after making Gal realize that he had no hope of defeating the Dragon God in this lifetime, it bestowed upon him such a disciple.
Gal clenched his fist.
He suddenly felt that he should pour all the knowledge he had acquired in his life into this apprentice's mind, and not waste a single moment of it.
"That's amazing! As expected of you, Luo Ge..."
Isolte stood at the front of the crowd, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes curving into two beautiful crescent moons.
The more easily Luo Ge handled the situation, the wider her smile became.
She even secretly gave him a perfect score in her mind for the accuracy of each of his sword strikes.
Nina, standing next to her, had a completely different expression.
She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into the flesh of her palms.
Her lips were pressed into a tight line as she stared intently at Luo Ge's expressionless face.
Her progress was too rapid... that speed made all her years of hard work seem so insignificant.
She started wielding a sword at the age of five, practicing every day until her palms were bloody and raw, thinking she had already worked very hard.
But compared to Luo Ge, her sweat was like a ladle of water poured into the sea—it made no sound at all.
Can I really compete with someone like that for the title of Sword God in the future?
Nina lowered her eyelashes, staring at her calloused hands, a tightness gripping her chest.
She was unwilling to accept it, truly unwilling.
From childhood to adulthood, being recognized by her father and inheriting the position of Sword God was the only belief that supported her all the way.
But now this belief is slipping away from her grasp, inch by inch; the tighter she holds on, the faster it slips away.
" Nina? Nina!"
Gino nudged her from the side, "What's wrong? Your face is all pale."
Nina snapped out of her daze, loosened her grip on her knuckles which had turned white, and forced a smile, "N-nothing... Just focus on watching."
She turned her gaze back to the field, but there was something new in her eyes that she hadn't seen before.
The battle continued for a while longer.
Auber's offensive began to slow down.
While the North God Style Three-Sword Combo is indeed powerful, it is ultimately an extremely physically demanding fighting style.
After exerting himself at full power for nearly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his breathing became noticeably heavy, and the muscles in his arms began to feel a slight soreness.
Luo Ge stood opposite him, his breathing barely changing.
Auber finally stopped his attack, took three steps back, sheathed his two swords, and removed the short blade he had been holding between his teeth, hanging it back on his back.
"That's enough for today." He let out a long sigh, sweat dripping from his chin onto his shirt. "I've lost."
Auber looked at Luo Ge and continued, " Demon Sword King King's swordsmanship is now on par with mine. Today was truly a very exhilarating battle."
"Um!"
Luo Ge slowly sheathed the Elegant Dragon Sword, nodded, and said nothing of polite modesty.
Because he knew that for someone like Auber, honestly accepting victory or defeat was the greatest respect.
Auber bowed deeply to Luo Ge, saying, "Thank you for your guidance today Demon Sword King."
Just call me Luo Ge.
Luo Ge paused, then added, "Um... Senior Auber."
Auber straightened up, paused for a moment, then scratched the back of his head somewhat awkwardly. "Senior? How could I possibly be qualified to call you senior in front of me right now?"
"Your ability to predict the future is something I have never heard of or seen before."
"To be honest, I should be the one addressing you as 'senior'."
"No."
Luo Ge shook his head, his expression serious. "You've taught me so much during this time: the power generation techniques of the North God Style, the rhythm control of switching between the three swords, and the idea of using offense as defense... I'm truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart."
"At least in my eyes, you will always deserve the title of 'senior'."
Auber opened his mouth, a thousand words stuck in his throat, finally turning into a helpless chuckle, "... You child, you're clearly this strong, yet you're still so good with words."
"I'm truly impressed."
He straightened the knife at his waist, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, I'm very curious, how did you manage to see through all my attacks just now?"
"It's as if they already knew where my next strike would be; this is something that ordinary intuition can't do."
Luo Ge was silent for a moment.
Of course, you can't tell the truth. You can't exactly tell the other person that you actually opened it, can you?
He replied without changing his expression, "I merely predicted your next, most precise attack, because that is the optimal solution and the most reasonable attack route."
"I see."
Auber stared into his eyes for a few moments, then suddenly realized.
He smiled and didn't press further, " Demon Sword King's skill truly impresses me. Is this really the difference between a genius and an ordinary person? It's something I can only look up to with envy."
"Then I will not stay any longer. Farewell."
Auber finished speaking with emotion.
Then he walked towards the gate outside the dojo, and bowed to the Sword God Gal and the Water God Reida as he passed by.
Gal, unusually, didn't put on airs and nodded slightly in response.
Reida smiled and waved, "Come visit my Water God Style Dojo next time, I still have a jar of fine fruit wine that I haven't opened yet."
"Must."
Auber laughed.
When he reached the gate of the holy site, he paused for a moment, turned around, and looked past the crowd to find the young man standing with a sword in his hand.
"I wish Demon Sword King continued success in his martial endeavors and that he may soon achieve his goal." He said this solemnly, then turned around and strode out of the threshold of the Sword Sanctum.
The road outside the door leads to the distance, to the snow-covered land of the North.
Auber's figure walked in the afterglow of the setting sun, growing longer and longer until it was swallowed up by the shadows of the trees at the corner and disappeared from sight.
The crowd around the dojo gradually dispersed, and the disciples discussed the battle in twos and threes, their voices fading into the distance.
Isolte stood still, her gaze fixed on Luo Ge's thin back.
The setting sun gilded his silhouette with gold, and in that instant, she suddenly felt that this person was so distant that it seemed unreal.
"Let's go, Ruth."
Nina tugged at her sleeve.
Isolte came to her senses, gave a soft "hmm," glanced at Luo Ge again, and then turned and left with Nina.
In the end, only Luo Ge remained among them.
He stood in the deepening twilight, gazing in the direction where Auber had disappeared, and suddenly murmured, "He was quite a formidable opponent."
A breeze blew in from the sea, carrying the chill of late autumn.
Luo Ge glanced down at the elegant dragon sword at his waist, gripped the hilt tightly, and then walked toward his courtyard.
The spiritual practice must continue.
He can't afford to let his guard down now.
Winning against Auber doesn't prove anything; it only shows he's very strong. But his opponent was the Dragon God of the Seven Great Powers!
With this level of skill, how could it possibly be enough?