Early the next morning.

At the summit of Linghua Mountain.

The morning light rises, casting a golden hue over the sea of clouds.

Emperor Jiang holds a wine jar, silently watching Zhang Rongfang approach again.

"Yesterday, your brother came by."

"Senior, I have no brother. It was me yesterday as well." Zhang Rongfang smiled, clasping his fists.

"..."

At this moment, Emperor Jiang is relatively sane; the morning is his clearest time of the day.

Yet even with his mental instability, seeing Zhang Rongfang with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened, stirs a slight unease in his heart.

Because with that injury yesterday...anyone would need at least one or two months of recovery, right?

But now...?

"Your injury?" He looked at Zhang Rongfang's wound area, which was completely unmarked.

"That little wound is nothing; I actually wanted to return last night to seek more guidance but, considering that it would disturb your rest, I decided to wait until today," Zhang Rongfang said sincerely.

He truly came here to seek a beating.

The battle yesterday completely awakened him.

His martial arts were indeed too lacking. So, upon returning, he made a resolute decision to focus on improving his skills.

After long and arduous training, he has now fully mastered the three aspects of the Illusion Talisman Skill within the inner method.

However, Illusion Talisman Skill mostly involves enhancing breakthroughs beyond limits, with only a small portion addressing the Great Dao Teaching martial arts.

Therefore...since Emperor Jiang claims to have seen through the flaws of Great Dao Teaching's martial arts, isn't he the best object of study?

Zhang Rongfang is clear in his heart like a bright mirror.

Thus, eagerly, he came again early in the morning.

Emperor Jiang looked at Zhang Rongfang's unmarred injured area.

The wound between his chest and abdomen was the one he had deliberately inflicted with a blade yesterday.

Seeing the sincere and earnest look on Zhang Rongfang's face, he suddenly understood something.

"You're not suited to learn my Passion Saber Technique."

"Passion Saber Technique?" This was the first time Zhang Rongfang heard this name.

"No, senior misunderstood, I simply want to identify the weaknesses in my Great Dao Teaching martial arts," he realized the misunderstanding and replied.

"I won't teach you," Emperor Jiang shook his head. "I need to take care of Jun'Er, I have no spare time for you."

"Senior...have you ever seen your wife?" Zhang Rongfang thought for a moment and suddenly asked.

"Of course, I have."

"What is she like?"

"She looks a lot like me," Emperor Jiang replied confidently.

"....." Zhang Rongfang found himself with nothing left to say.

"Others say we have the face of a couple," Emperor Jiang added again.

"Indeed, senior and Jun'Er have a wonderful relationship," Zhang Rongfang complimented.

"Yes, we would unhesitatingly die for each other! I love her just as she loves me...." Emperor Jiang's eyes became dazed, appearing to once more fall into delusion.

"Senior, don't be anxious; perhaps if you wait a bit longer, Jun'Er will come!" Zhang Rongfang hurriedly spoke to stabilize his state.

"Oh, right! You're right! I'll hold on a little longer...a little longer...." Emperor Jiang's spirit lifted, finding reason.

"Since there's nothing else to do, senior, how about we spar a bit? It's a good way to exercise," Zhang Rongfang smiled.

"You're too weak. If it were Jin Yuyan, maybe you'd stand a chance," Emperor Jiang replied.

"....." The smile on Zhang Rongfang's face froze for a moment. Truly, when dealing with experts, everything is compared to one's grandmaster.

"Actually, I didn't perform well yesterday, but today will be different." He insisted.

"Heh..." Emperor Jiang didn't bother with empty words, standing up and kicking the wine jar, sending it flying afar.

The filled wine jar landed steadily on a protruding white stone in the distance, and though the opened mouth oscillated with the wine, not a drop spilled out.

"Even if you can't win, you have the temperament I had when I was young. Come on."

His right arm slid down, and a snow-white straight saber fell into his hand.

The saber was pristine, twenty centimeters long, double-edged, with a handle engraved with a pattern of tiny, assembled-like cracks.

Besides this, there was nothing unusual; it looked like any other top-quality straight saber from the outside.

From a distance, it resembled a dagger.

"By the way, let me remind you," Emperor Jiang spoke.

"This saber of mine is called Affinity. It's a Demon Saber, its sharpness far surpasses any other weapon. Ranked fifth on the Heavenly Weapons list."

"Demon Saber? Why is it called Affinity? Senior, does this name have a story?" Zhang Rongfang involuntarily recalled his old weapon, Parting Injury.

That name embodied his hopes for the future.

"Yes, because in this world, physical pain is nothing to fear; only affinity can wound the deepest..."

Emperor Jiang answered softly, raising the Demon Saber.

"Let's begin. The sooner I deal with you, the sooner I can shop for Jun'Er's groceries."

Zhang Rongfang took a deep breath, and a blood lotus rapidly unfolded from his back, enveloping his entire body.

This time, he wasn't wearing a shirt, only elastic leather shorts. At that moment, his body swiftly expanded and grew larger, casting a shadow that almost shrouded Emperor Jiang.

Whoosh!

A thin stream of air expanded around Zhang Rongfang.

His more than four-meter tall body now resembled a small giant, towering over Emperor Jiang.

"Senior, this is the blood lotus form of my sect's Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown! Condensed from the first elixir of Dao, it enhances overall strength—please be cautious!"

At this time, Zhang Rongfang's voice became deep and robust.

"No matter, you can't harm me." Emperor Jiang answered.

Swish!

He brandished the Demon Saber in his hand, stepping forward towards him.

"By the way, I haven't heard of this Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown you mentioned."