A System That Beats Death 26 A New Horizon

[Durable b.u.t.ter Knife(-20)]

As the other Sword Sage thrust his odachi forward, Guren redirected the blade with the puny b.u.t.ter knife. Instead of penetrating his abdomen, it missed his stomach by a few inches.

"As I suspected, you were hiding your strength all along", the Sword Sage Tianli said before retracting his blade.

Confused, the supposed disciple by the name of Yidong halted his blade even though he wanted to fight along side the more venerable Sword Sage.

"Why did you stop?", Yidong asked with worry. Even if Guren was a fake, he would still be formidable for a mere Swordwielder like him.

"You'll be lucky if you're just disciplined for this. Disciples should always side by their capable teachers", Tianli said before preparing to walk away.

Tianli had already noticed the discontent disciple's behavior. It was deplorable but it was also a good excuse for him to meet Guren. Sword Sages and those above could be considered esoteric masters and therefore, their willfulness should be tolerated as much as possible. The idiotic Yidong didn't even realize how lucky he was to have Guren as a teacher. He was just too incompetent to be taught which could be interpreted by both his actions and opinion towards Guren.

"Wait. You said you're an actual Sword Sage and I'm not, so why don't you dare fight me?", Guren stated in a provocative manner.

Atlas had thought that since the other seemed to be skilled. He would be able to receive a lot of points from farming this Sword Sage. He at least wanted to be compensated for the 20 points wasted on the b.u.t.ter Knife taunt.

"Host, each combatant only counts once", the System immediately warned as it sensed Host's intent on going on a grinding spree.

The System sighed as it thought that the Host should go on shopping spree instead as Host was being miserly with his 194650 Points saved.

Atlas frowned before relinquishing all thoughts of continuously bashing the Sword Sage in front of him.

"Of course, I wouldn't dare fight you. How could an actual Sword Sage be able to rival the Saintess like you could", Tianli said as he insinuated that Guren was already at Saint Rank but keeping a low profile.

"Then why did you come to provoke me?", Guren said demanding an explanation.

"To verify your intentions. If you were weak then you don't deserve the Sword Sage Rank and must be penalized for being an imposter while if you were strong then to encourage you to lead the new generation better", Tianli said before attempting to leave.

However, Atlas wouldn't let him leave without at least reaping experience from him. As he was knew to this world, he understood that Guren was no normal Sword Sage and wanted to see how powerful an actual one was.

Wait... new generation? Guren was that old? He took out a mirror and began to inspect Guren's appearance. He was dressed neatly with the Blessed Robes but due to side effects from his vessel maintenance session, he had a full beard which threatened to block his youthful features and even his eyesight.

"I'm not that old", Guren grumbled before he began to shave his beard. As soon as the ma.s.s of hair disappeared, Guren seemed to become 30 years younger. If not for the Blessed Robes which made him seem cold and sagely, he would've been called a devilishly handsome male concubine.

Surprised by such a drastic change, TIanli froze in place. He realized he had just tried to tell a person to retire due to old age when they were even younger than he was.

"I apologize. I did not believe that you were this young", Tianli said.

"To doubt me is to wrong me so face me or I will harbor a grudge", Guren shouted to Tianli and Yidong's surprise.

As Yidong still believed that Tianli was on his side and that his previous words were only to anger Guren, he grinned upon thinking of Guren being beaten. If he wanted to see Guren being beaten, he should've went to find Guren a week earlier.

Guren also had a worn out appearance when cuckolded as he refused to reveal his handsome features. If he had, he wouldn't have been cuckolded and beaten to death but Guren was a fool too obsessed with the sword and that was his downfall.

Understanding that he was only able to accept the duel which he initiated, he once again drew his odachi. Tianli then suddenly sped up to the point where his movements seem to flicker. Surprised, Yidong tried to look for him only to find that Guren vanished as well.

Atlas had intended to play around with Tianli by using the b.u.t.ter Knife as the weapon but he had clearly underestimated Tianli as the b.u.t.ter Knife despite being labeled as Durable, had shattered in 3 blows.

Taking out the real Guren's sword, the Steel Slayer, he began to exchange blows. Tianli thrust his sword repeatedly in the same way that one would do with a rapier. Instead of guarding, Guren avoided every blow through a bit of maneuvering. This did not astonish Tianli as he already heard of Guren's unparalleled prowess and was further convinced that his minimal activity was a facade.

Upon Tianli's rapier barrage ending, Guren retaliated with a air-splitting strike. Deflecting the blow, he was knocked back 10 steps. He then dashed forward and drew a wide arc which Guren could not dodge. The strength of the blow not only split air but caused the wind to howl.

Guren countered with a slash with as much power but from the opposite angle. The two blades clashed violently and such overwhelming strength was involved that the ground shattered. Tianli was once again knocked back 10 steps but his blade remained steady while Guren remained in place but the Steel Slayer creaked due to lack of maintenance.

Yidong who did not have enough ability to see the two blurs clash, could only watch in bafflement as craters formed all around the mountain. This is a fight between Sword Sages? He gulped in trepidation as he realized couldn't have offended a foe greater than Guren.

An hour pa.s.sed with the two Sword Sages causing enough air currents to create a twister. Despite not being able to see the two properly, Yidong was still observing the fight attentively as the two only increased in intensity with one splitting a mountain peak while the other causing earthquakes.

"You're pretty good at this", Guren praised before inhibiting a flurry of slashes.

Slightly strained, Tianli began to grin instead of feeling anxious. It had been a long time since he had a proper fight at his level. The other Sword Sages weren't at his level and the Saintess had even said that he was at the level of a Saint but he had refused the promotion. After all, he had already dueled all the Sword Sages except one. The Sword Sage Guren which had left on a journey and was known to rival the Saintess who was superior to him.

Feeling that the fight was nearing an end and that his body could not continue, he shouted, "And you're holding back!".

"Very well", Guren said before pulling back. He then lifted the Steel Slayer above his head and began to channel his true strength.

[Technique Learned: Worldly Rend]

The blade then abruptly came down at such a frightening speed that Tianli could actually feel his life about to end. He had tried to raise his sword to impede the blow but from his perception, his arm moved in slow motion while the Steel Slayer in front of him descended like a fallen angel. Enchanted by the move, he even felt that it was an honor to die in such a way at that moment.

Before the blade reached Tianli's head, Guren stopped. Tianli was not harmed by the blade but he was affected by the resulting sonic boom which created an explosion which sent him flying.

[5000 Points Added]

Impressed by his own might, Atlas couldn't help but think of even greater battles to come.

"You did well", Guren said as he walked in front of Tianli.

To his surprise, Tianli responded by kowtowing instead of accepting the praise.

"Please accept me as your disciple", Tianli said with such resolution that Atlas couldn't help but think as if his decision would decide whether Tianli lived or died.

Tianli had not even felt such oppression from the Saintess who was the stronger of the two Saints, which clearly clarified the magnitude of a being like Guren. Not only that but he realized that the oppression felt by the Saintess was like a strand of hair when compared to Guren's outstanding display.

"Do you think you are capable?", Guren asked in an esoteric tone which betrayed the intent to test and evaluate.

"I am not", Tianli stated before looking up and continuing, "However through your display, I have seen a new horizon and to try to reach it, I am willing dedicate my life to seizing it"

Guren then smiled mirthfully and raised his hand towards Tianli's forehead.

[Induct]