Yue Hongling's actions seemed to contradict what Han Wubing had previously said—Han Wubing believed that Yue Hongling's cultivation through the Sword Emperor Inheritance would become troublesome upon encountering the Sword Emperor, just as Yuxu faced Tao Venerable. So he said, since the Sword Emperor has emerged, wouldn't you be at least a little cautious about your own state?

Yue Hongling demonstrated through her actions that not only was she not cautious upon the appearance of the Sword Emperor, but she decisively initiated a challenge.

Facing adversity with unwavering determination, this is the Sword Bone.

Han Wubing admired this, as he was the same kind of person.

The Sword Emperor naturally appreciated it too.

"I have no interest in breaking the Four Symbols Formation... so naturally, I choose the second option. If you lose, I'll take the White Tiger." He responded quite naturally, as if it were a perfectly ordinary matter.

San Niang and the others' expressions were quite strange. Offering two options doesn't necessarily mean you have to accept them. Who has the right to make you choose? You could refuse... yet, unexpectedly, he was willing! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The third ranking of the Ancient Demon God, synonymous with the world's Sword Dao, and competing with a girl in her twenties in swordsmanship! She's eaten more rice than you've wielded swords.

What kind of thought processes do these swordsmen have...

This time, they didn't need to restrain the frenzied White Tiger, as Han Wubing voluntarily went over and dragged the White Tiger aside. In front of Han Wubing, the frenzied White Tiger was as docile as a cat.

The crowd dispersed around, forming a faint formation in case of emergency. Yue Hongling quietly stood at the center, still in the stance of holding her sword hilt upside down and cupping her fist: "Please, senior."

The Sword Emperor looked at her again with great interest and asked: "With such Sword Bone... in today's world, purely in terms of Sword Dao, are you not the most outstanding one?"

Yue Hongling glanced at Han Wubing. She hadn't fought against Han Wubing, especially after he merged with the White Tiger, so she couldn't make a judgment. She could only say, "Excluding the White Tiger, yes."

The Sword Emperor asked with interest: "Have you fought all of them? So sure?"

Yue Hongling said, "In today's world, pure swordsmen are quite numerous in the Worldly Society, but at the Imperial Realm level, they are few, as most are skilled in multiple techniques. Just like my husband's overall strength may be stronger than mine, but his sword is just one of his methods. Wanzhuang Chichi, and the like, purely in terms of Sword Dao, I can't think of anyone worth mentioning."

The Sword Emperor was somewhat surprised: "Husband? A true swordsman only weds the sword."

Yue Hongling smiled slightly: "Sword Dao is vast, not just one path, senior, you are too attached."

"Well said." The Sword Emperor also smiled: "Make a move, let me see how someone with a husband fares in Sword Dao."

"Forgive me." Yue Hongling's expression was calm, and her reversed grip suddenly turned right, pointing with her sword at the Sword Emperor's chest in an unremarkable manner.

A ceremonious move, Pine Tree Welcoming Guests... who knows if such a duel etiquette existed in ancient times, but it almost made the Sword Emperor smile, as he deftly turned his sword and steadily pressed down Yue Hongling's.

Indeed, the force was restrained to the early stage of Imperial Realm Second Layer, exactly matching Yue Hongling's current state. Yet Yue Hongling's sword was easily deflected, affected by the energy transmission mode and the direction and position of the sword collision, a basic of the basics, akin to a beginner's sect sparring.

If there was any difference, it was too fast. A normal swordsman probably couldn't even see the move.

While deflecting her sword, the Sword Emperor's sword slid along Yue Hongling's sword towards her fingers.

Yue Hongling flicked her wrist, the sword tip tilted, aiming at the opponent's wrist.

Both of their steps crossed at the same time, and in the next moment, the sound of "ding ding ding ding," like pearls dropping onto a jade plate, rang out. The ceremonial start instantly transformed into a dizzying rapid exchange, each sword targeting vital points, each offense and defense containing hundreds or thousands of potential subsequent variations, yet still as if sparring, perfectly parrying each other's moves.

It seemed like the process from basics to advanced in sword practice for ordinary people.

But who among the spectators wasn't an expert, each with piercing eyes, recognizing that within this fundamental offense and defense lay the most essential understanding of Sword Dao, returning to simplicity. A slight lack of understanding would mean this round of offense and defense could have been fatal multiple times.

Both seemed to agree unwittingly to verify through this method, the Sword Emperor assessing the young woman's Sword Dao understanding, and Yue Hongling using the Sword Emperor as a touchstone to see if there were any weaknesses or deviations in her understanding.

In reality, Yue Hongling's Sword Dao understanding was flawless, akin to her and the Sword Emperor both being exemplars of this Dao.

In each of these exchanges, the Sword Emperor was either holding back or absorbing a little bit of Yue Hongling's power, the more they fought, the stronger his power became, eventually surging violently like a storm. But this technique held no significance against Yue Hongling, as if she was more familiar with it than he was.

The onlookers were also familiar with it; everyone's husband in the early days used... techniques learned from the Sword Emperor.

As they fought, the Sword Emperor found it somewhat amusing: "Your understanding isn't learned, it seems you're inherently familiar with my method."

Yue Hongling seemed a bit embarrassed: "Yes, extremely familiar."

"If I'm not mistaken, you've inherited a trace of my late sword intent. This Yuan Tu's Sword is my early skill, which I had long abandoned. How are you so familiar with it?"

"This set of techniques from you greatly aided my husband back then, once being his main auxiliary combat method."

"So your husband is the one who took the sword seal inheritance I left on the outskirts of the tomb back then? And the Evil Sword I left to guard was also cut apart by him?"

"Yes."

"I had thought my inheritance would be his, as it was a systematic inheritance after all. As for you... unexpected, unexpected." The Sword Emperor chuckled, didn't say more, and quickly transitioned: "Take note."