Emperor Starblood.

Silence dominated the large hall after Fang Yau finished making his declaration, all but a few of the people present utterly dumbfounded by what they had seen. A 1st Immortal Door cultivator managed to draw blood from a cultivator at the 4th Earthen Door in single combat, even resisting his barrage of attacks for an extended period of time.

And above all that, while most Earthen Door cultivators would consider this a great shame, Fang Yau was elated about the entire thing and clearly respected and appreciated Yin Long a great deal. He even bestowed him a title, one out of respect rather than fear like most other titles. And this was a title that was bound to follow him until the day he managed to surpass Fang Yau, if such a day should ever come.

But no matter how dumbfounded the battle had left most of the spectators, there was one among them that couldn't afford to remain dumbfounded. After all, the battle had ended with Yin Long leaving the stage, meaning that Jie Yue had to announce the result as well as the start of the next battle.

"Wow, now wasn't that exhilarating everyone! I must truly commend Young Master Long for his outstanding courage, I know that I would certainly not be able to so confidently and calmly face an opponent that much stronger than me! It's a shame, but I believe the final result hasn't surprised any of you, and it falls to me to announce it. Bloodgrass Team 4 has accumulated 1 loss and 0 wins, while Starsong Team 1 has accumulated 1 win and 0 losses. I ask that both teams please leave the stage."

Jie Yue's words and figure instantly drew the attention of the audience, finally allowing everyone to realize that the battle had indeed ended. A few claps echoed throughout the grand hall, some of the people who appreciated Yin Long's courage and skills not shy about showing their approval in this manner.

Fang Yau turned his head to glance at his 9 team members, gesturing towards their seating area with his thumb while using his chin to gesture towards Yin Long. He hopped down from the stage after he finished his gesture, striding towards Yin Long as he rose from his seated position and wiped away the blood that was leaking out from his moth.

"You're much sturdier than you look, a kick like that should have shuffled around your organs a fair bit, you clearly haven't been lazy with your training. Here, swallow it and use your Qi to guide the energy around your body, it should drastically increase the speed at which you recuperate."

He tossed out a dark brown pill covered in what looked like tiger stripes as he spoke, his gaze sweeping over Yin Long's stomach. That was a kick he had delivered on instinct alone so it contained almost his full strength, yet Yin Long was still able to stand and had only spat out blood. He didn't feel the aura of a body cultivator from Yin Long so the only explanation was that he hadn't stopped his basic training a single day for several years, honing his slim body to perfection.

Yin Long wasn't shy about it and caught the pill, stealthily sweeping his senses over it for a second before he stuffed it into his mouth and swallowed it. A scorching stream of energy erupted from his throat and stomach as the pill dissolved, the aching in his abdomen receding as he covered his wounds in the energy. He waved his hand a few times to fling away the blood he had just wiped from his mouth, locking eyes with Fang Yau.

"Thanks, I'll consider it a favour owed. Do you have to return to the rest of your team straight away?"

Since their battle was over, there was naturally no reason for either of them to stick around here, it would be best to return to their respective seating areas so that they could rest and digest the process of their previous battle. But neither of them showed signs of returning, Fang Yau smirking in anticipation of what Yin Long was going to ask him.

"That depends entirely on what you're about to ask me, doesn't it?"

The heart, skills, courage, and determination of someone worthy of chasing after the seat of god, how could Fang Yau not be interested in what such a man had to ask? And Yin Long didn't disappoint him, not beating around the bush in the slightest.

"I want you to teach me how to use twin swords."

Yin Long had used a dual sword style twice, but both times it had only been him using two swords at the same time for a single instant. Such an act was a far cry from being a proper dual sword style, it was far from enough to truly teach him how to use a dual sword style. Fang Yau's smirk only grew wider, such a question was truly not something you'd expect from the person you had just beaten.

"You know what, Yin Long? I'm starting to like you more and more. If you answer one of my questions, then I'll teach you the basics. But I won't teach you more than the basics, because if I teach you everything that I know then you'll inevitably become influenced by my own style, it'll become a fair bit harder for you to create your own style at that point. And wouldn't that be a damn shame when it comes to someone like you?"

He wasn't ashamed, he wasn't disheartened, the only thing his loss had done was push him further forward and shown him new ways to grow stronger. He was even willing to ask for guidance from the person who had beaten him in front of so many eyes, it was a strength of heart that only made Fang Yau appreciate Yin Long more and more. Yin Long also didn't need to spend a lot of time thinking about his answer, only leaving behind a bottom line for himself.

"As long as the question isn't too intrusive, then I don't see a reason not to."

Fang Yau wasn't surprised by his stipulation, everyone had questions they didn't want to answer after all. But he was confident that his question didn't push against this bottom line, looking at Yin Long with slightly narrowed eyes.

"How old are you really?"

One's appearance wasn't a good way to determine someone's age, checking their bones and aura were a much better way to do so. But Fang Yau hadn't gotten so strong that he could tell these things at a glance so he had to ask, his eyes bulging slightly as Yin Long responded.

"A few months away from 21."

Yin Long's 20th birthday was also the day he died at the hands of his younger sister, and it truly hadn't been that long since then. But the sheer amount of events that had taken place during those few months made them so hectic that it almost felt like several years. Fang Yau had expected a fairly low number, but the actual truth left him and those few spectators who could hear it quite dumbfounded.

"20...20... HAHAHA, you're an interesting thing, a really interesting thing! Come, let me show you the basics."

Fang Yau gestured by hooking his finger as he walked, the two of them moving a bit of distance away from the seating area. There was a two-kilometre wide space between the seating area and the stage itself so they were perfectly capable of staying there even as two new teams ascended the stage.

"The most important thing to know about a dual sword style is that it follows the same basic rule as every other combat style, it isn't perfect. It lacks a little in power, it's hard to control, you can easily leave openings, and you are practically required to have a strong foundation in a defensive sword style. But what it gives you in return is versatility, great defence, and fluidity that can give you the upper hand in most fights. Mastering it is hard, but if you can master it and form a style that suits you then you will become a terrifying force to reckon with."

No combat style was perfect, otherwise, it would be the only style that was ever taught to anyone. The most important thing was to find a style that was perfectly suited to you or to create a style that was perfectly suited to you. Only such a style could reduce your weaknesses to a minimum, or in some extremely rare cases remove them entirely.

"The first thing we'll work on is splitting your mind into multiple parts. Both arms have to be able to move independently and like separate entities, but you also need enough presence of mind to actually observe your opponent and your surroundings. Take these two and we'll begin."

Fang Yau tossed Yin Long two heavy metal rods and took out two for himself, using them as swords as he took a stance. This was why a dual sword style was hard to control, you had to move your arms in an independent fashion. But it was also this that was one of its greatest strengths, the versatility that came from being instantly able to change what both arms were doing, it would be like fighting two separate people at once.

Yin Long drew in a slow breath and calmed his mind, grasping the two metal rods and mimicking Fang Yau's stance. Fang Yau observed him for a moment before nodding his head and stepping forward, slowing the speed of his attacks to a manageable level while occasionally throwing out a few short words of advice.

The clanging of their metal rods was quickly drowned out by the sounds of battle coming from the stage, but both of them completely ignored the fierce competition on the stage and focused on their own little spar. Fang Yau slowed increased his speed and the complexity of his moves, the minutes quickly becoming hours before he stopped his movements and put away the metal rods.

"Alright, we ought to call it quits here. Training with dual swords is as exhausting on the body as it is on the mind, rest is important for both of them. We can continue tomorrow or at some other time, I truly look forward to seeing how fast you will learn."

His eyes gleamed as he spoke, his yellow pupils sweeping over the sweaty Yin Long. The more he saw of him, the more anticipation and shock he felt. It had only been a few hours at best, but Yin Long had already shown clear signs of understanding, his movements becoming more and more fluid.

He guessed that it probably wouldn't take Yin Long more than a few days before he managed to actually use the dual sword style in combat, he might even use it in the next fight. But how could such a person exist? It was as if his entire being had been born for the sword, a life that the gods had carved and dedicated to all swords in creation.

Yin Long let out a heavy breath and put away the two metal rods, using his sleeve to wipe away the sweat on his face. Training in a dual sword style might be hard for others since they had to split their mind, but that particular step was one of the easiest for Yin Long.

He was born with a special and strong soul, his law of space even allowed him to observe his surroundings in the form of a three-dimensional image in his mind. He could observe his surroundings like that and use his eyes at the same time, so he was already quite used to splitting up his mind somewhat.

He cupped his hands at Fang Yau, who turned around with a wave of his hand and simply walked away with a carefree and somewhat expectant chuckle. With him departing, Yin Long also turned around and returned to the seating area where Lan Yun and the others were with a faint smile, Lan Yun poking his abdomen while wearing a similarly faint smile.

"If you look that happy after a bit of training then you're really going to make me jealous."

She only spoke to interact with him, in truth she was more than happy with Yin Long finding someone like Fang Yau. His previous occupation didn't give him too many opportunities to make friends so there was no way she would stop him from making more friends now that he actually had that chance. Yin Long didn't sit down after he reached the seating area, grinning lightly at Lan Yun for a second before he pat Jin Wang on the head to signal that he should stay here.

"That might be rather cute to watch, but I'll do that later. I'm gonna go for a walk to digest what I just learned, please stay here and keep an eye on the battles for me, let me know if anyone interesting appears."

He stepped past her after he finished speaking, but both Lan Yun and Jin Wang followed him with slightly narrowed gazes as he walked away. They knew Yin Long better than anyone here, there was no way he would be willing to actually walk away from all the battles that would take place unless he had a very good reason.

But they didn't choose to follow after him, he had wanted them to stay here so they had to respect that choice of his. Of course, should he end up harmed in the slightest then he could forget about them ever respecting that choice again in the future, he would be lucky if they let him go alone ever again.

Yin Long's expression slowly sank as he walked, turning as calm and placid as a lake, his pitch-black eyes not showing a single hint of emotion. His exterior looked calm, but he was doing everything he could to calm his mind and thudding heart, the cool air outside of the building helping him slightly.

The sun was already starting to set over the horizon so he guessed that the first day of the competition would only go on for two or three more hours at most. But that particular fact didn't matter to him right now as he entered a dim side-street located a short distance away from the dome where the competition took place.

"Starblood, isn't it about time you showed yourself?"

His voice echoed throughout the dim alley, as cold and calm as he used to be when he took the lives of his targets back in the clan. And shortly after his voice sounded out, the air behind him shimmered and morphed, a kneeling man appearing in the alley.

"As expected, I was unable to hide from Milord."

Yin Long turned his body in a disinterested manner and allowed his gaze to sweep over the kneeling man. He kept his head lowered so Yin Long couldn't see his eyes, but he had a head covered in dark silver hair and a few faint wrinkles on the back of his neck. He was kneeling, but that wasn't enough to cover his stature, he was probably a bit over three metres in height when standing.

Yin Long had never seen this man before, but the formless pressure that felt like it wanted to crush his heart was the second-worst pressure he had ever felt. The only pressure that had been worse than this one was the pressure he felt from the white-haired and blue-eyed youth he encountered when he first died and entered the Netherworld, the youth who had frozen everything around him just with his presence.

And for him to have such a strong pressure, which was worse than even Territory Lord Bloodgrass, there was a 90% chance that he was Province Emperor Starblood. Yin Long hadn't actually discovered this man's presence, he had just felt as if someone was looking at him ever since he entered the venue of the competition.

It was just a flaring of his instincts, like a fish realizing that an eagle was surely soaring above the waters to snatch it up if it showed itself. But since he had revealed himself when Yin Long called out to him, it only made him more confident in his guess that it really was Emperor Starblood that was keeping an eye on him. After all, Emperor Starblood had even passed down an order to leave Yin Long alone when he first revealed his power in the previous city.

As for his calm and indifferent stance, he was doing it because he didn't know about the relationship he had with Starblood. He guessed that it had something to do with the Lord of Everburning Trees, the name that the people of the Netherworld had used when they saw him, that was the only part about him that he felt could connect the two of them.

But since he didn't know the exact relationship between the two, he could only guess based on what he had seen and felt in the Netherworld. And with Emperor Starblood kneeling and speaking so respectfully, it seemed like his gamble had paid off. Searching him out like this was all to gain the initiative, it was far better than allowing Starblood to approach him while he was with Lan Yun and the others. He didn't allow himself to even heave a stealthy sigh of relief, maintaining his placid expressions as he questioned the kneeling emperor.

"So, why are you going out of your way to pay so much attention to me?"

He had already gambled when it came to the relationship that Emperor Starblood shared with the Lord of Everburning Trees so he continued to gamble when it came to how an exalted lord of the Netherworld usually acted. If his gamble paid off then he would be able to learn more truths about himself, if it failed then he might very well die.

But since Emperor Starblood had been paying attention to him from the start, the risk of death had always been there even as he just walked around. Luckily enough, Emperor Starblood didn't show any strange reaction and actually lowered his head further, the hairs on his neck actually standing up slightly.

"Milord? I was worried that things might have gone awry after Bai Xiang finished the reincarnation and suddenly cut all contact, I was merely making sure that everything was fine."

His words almost made Yin Long's eyes narrow sharply, but he managed to suppress it at the last moment. He had guessed it long ago, but finally getting some proof that Bai Xiang was tied to everything was better than any guess.

Of course, that proof also sprouted the seed of a slightly depressing thought. The reason Bai Xiang treated him as he did, was as good to him as he had been, was it all because of this Lord of Everburning Trees and not because of Yin Long himself? But he couldn't entertain that thought right now, instead choosing to snort somewhat coldly while glancing at the sky.

"And in doing so you risked alerting those above to it. Or is that perhaps your true goal?"

If all this really had something to do with an exalted lord of the Netherworld then it was undoubtedly something that went against the Celestial World. After all, the two were eternal enemies who would try to eradicate each other. A very faint tremble ran through Emperor Starblood as Yin Long snorted, but a glimmer of excitement flashed through his hidden eyes at the same time.

"Definitely not, Milord, your successful reincarnation into our world has always been our highest priority and greatest goal, the sudden success just left me somewhat absent-minded. But speaking of those above Milord, would it be fine for me to ask a question?"

Yin Long was eager to ask questions of his own, but he had to continue playing his role as the reincarnation of the Lord of Everburning Trees, which truly seemed to be what he was. So he maintained his placid and indifferent expression as he gave a wave of his hand. But as Emperor Starblood started to talk, Yin Long found it harder and harder to maintain his expression.

"If you're worried about alerting them to your successful rebirth, why are you travelling and staying with one of their dolls? I'm aware that you might have your own plans, but I would highly recommend killing her before you accidentally use too much of your Netherworld Energy and activate the extermination protocol that has been programmed into her artificial soul. Her strength might not be enough, but she will definitely be able to ruin your soul if they make her self-destruct."