He flinched and glanced forward to where the voice came from. He was astonished. At the center of the grand arena, enclosed by the massive, ten-meter wall that isolated combatants from onlookers, there was an old, amiable-looking man with roseate cheeks as well a lively expression adorned to his face. The man seemed to have a hard time standing upright, plausibly swayed by the alcohol from his wine flagon. His eyes, however, were clear and left not the view of tipsiness as they sparkled with an enigmatic, thoughtful gleam.

“Senior, what a delightful surprise.” Gregjoy cupped his hands while staring at Old Man Sheng with an apprehensive smile.

Apparently, his opponent for his first match would be the old man who chatted with him in the waiting rooms.

“Haha, indeed.” Old man Sheng hiccuped. “Are you ready?"

"Yes, I am."

Gregjoy took a deep breath. He had come here for two reasons: To develop his mastery over the sword, and to obtain victory. For him to lose against an old man in the Body Refining Realm, someone who hadn't been able to become a Mind Temperer in all these years but still attempts to break through with a constantly deteriorating body, that is unacceptable! Gregjoy absolutely wanted to prove his worth now. His master was watching from within the cross!

He slowly unsheathed the sword strapped to his waist. It was a fine sword, forged with black iron by his brother in the Eternal Sword Sect's refinery. The two weren't brothers by blood, yet, their bond had definitely been thicker than most. Jiang Ye was slain during the besiegement of the sect. Gregjoy would with conviction bring the dreams of his into reality, becoming a super expert able to impose the vengeance Jiang Ye deserved to have.

"Watch out" he shouted, storming toward old man Sheng.

Old man Sheng's eyes twinkled, and he summoned his rusty, old sword to block.

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*

They immediately exchanged several blows. Old man Sheng leisurely countered Gregjoy's intense combo.

"Good sword..." mumbled old man Sheng with a smile, using a powerful slash from above. Gregjoy blocked it but was astounded from the sheer might of old man Sheng’s sword. He was hurled flying like a kite, his arms shaking with pain. Vibrations spread across his body from the great rebound. What power!

“What?! How is he so strong?!” Gregjoy screeched inwardly after landing. He quickly got up to his toes again, still shocked to the core. A mere fall like this wouldn't' hurt him, and he couldn't care less about that right now. His opponent was incredibly strong! And how embarrassing, he had just condemned the man for being foolish and weak! To have this strneght in the Body Refining Realm was a feat in itself!

Calming down, Gregjoy tried to get a grasp on the old man's power and cultivation base.

The old man's body seemed to be as fragile as a piece of bamboo leaf, yet carried within intensity that was similar to a volcano, able to erupt instantly with inexplicable force! He was hesitant about other things since this was his first battle. The old man was most likely faster as well and had more rapid reflexes. And thit was with his old, degenerating body!

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"You are stronger and more skilled than I." Gregjoy said after a while. "But I need to win.

He stopped the quivering of his right hand and glared at old man Sheng. In one speedy movement, he shot away like a bullet, and then in a fluid movement, imagining his sword being a stream of water, the young man lashed out. His sword flew in a straight path toward its aim.

“Haste make waste. No need to hurry.” Old man Sheng chortled and sidestepped, escaping Gregjoy's sword as easily as if he was wandering through his own backyard. He slashed down again and sent the young man tumbling across the dirt. "Ahaha, too predictable!” ‘

"How can you see through my moves?" Gregjoy inquired confusedly, once again getting up from the arena floor.

The 'One Sword Reaches Sky' is only a Body Refining Sword Manual. However, it is one of the greatest body refining techniques ever created - A simplified version of the 'One Sword Severs The Sky'. The only difference between the two is,  from what he have heard, that 'One Sword Reaches Sky' doesn't require 'heaven and earth energy' to train in. Frankly speaking, the sword manual is a preparation for the real one that he can only begin to practice when he enters the Mind Temperer Realm. That said, how could the old man perceive his techniques this easily?

“Your moves?” Old man Sheng laughed. "Yes, they are good but hollow. They lack essence."

"Essence?"

"You have the form. But not the understanding behind it. Hence, your moves will always be false and easy to see through. You have the knowledge, but not the wisdom, and without the wisdom, you can't use the knowledge.

"I don't understand..." Gregjoy stared blankly, frowning. "How do I achieve wisdom?"

"That's up to you to find out." The old man smiled. "Now come. Let me taste your blade. Or we won't find peace with the crowd.

Gregjoy nodded slowly. He somehow realized what the old man meant. Although he was unsure about certain aspects, it was clear that the old man could indeed see through his sword techniques. This further meant that the old man probably knew how he could improve. If this was the case, Gregjoy should do nothing else but to pay heed to what Old man Sheng explained to him. He needed to achieve wisdom. How he was supposed to find wisdom when he had no clue where to start, he didn't know, but perhaps this old man did.

He bit his lip and did what the old man advised him to do.

Charge.

By trying the same attack as earlier, the swift slash similar to a whip, he tried to see if there was a difference between now and earlier. Maybe the previous exchanges were flukes two times in a row. After all, things like that could happen. Sometimes.

He soon realized that those two times weren't flukes at all.

*Swoosh*

"Let me give you a hint" Old man Sheng whispered under his breath as he continued to dodge Gregjoy's attacks

*Swoosh*    *Swoosh*

"When the earth was born from life's mist, two supreme factions governed the lands. The Demons and the Immortals. These two groups battled frequently and were even prophesied to do so until world's demise. However, there was one immortal, an ordinary one among many others, one among some that shone even brighter than him. This fellow without any fortune or godsent talent later became the Jade Emperor, the first immortal deity of the three realms. He created the Song realm above the sky and banished the demons below the mortal realm, in the Hing realm which he also created."

"Now let me ask you, how was he different from the other immortals that were far above him in both strength and intelligence? Why was it he who banished the demons and created mankind?"

Gregjoy was at a stump for words. "I don't know. Please enlighten me."

"While others fought aimlessly, he tried to understand why he was to fight. While others swung their sword, he tried to understand what purpose the sword had when swung. That is the essence, the intent within."

He thought for a while, then asked. "Do you mean that while I know the movements, I don't understand them?"

The old man smiled in acknowledgment, looking up to the crowd in the stands.

"Good luck."

In a flashing motion, the old man's hand transformed in a blur. His sword turned invisible. Gregjoy felt a dull pain to the back of his head. First, the young man lost the feeling of his fingers, and then gradually became numb in his entire body as his eyes invertedly closed. A placid darkness enveloped him while he succumbed to his fate.