You're Lin Tianyi!

Before him stood an old man, a middle-aged man, and a delicate, adorable little girl.

Lin Tianyi recognized the little girl. She was Ning Rongrong.

He did not recognize the old man or the middle-aged man, but he had guessed their identities.

They should be Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin wore a spotless snow-white robe. His beard and hair were both white, and his long silver hair was neatly combed behind his back.

His features were ancient and dignified, yet his face was as tender as a baby's. His expression was indifferent, and his eyes seemed unable to see anything around him. He merely stood there silently without speaking.

Yet simply standing there gave off the feeling that all things between heaven and earth were beneath him alone.

Ning Fengzhi had a face like polished jade, a straight nose, and square lips. He appeared refined and gentle, dressed in a pristine white robe.

He looked to be in his early forties. His gaze was mild, and he resembled an elegant scholar.

Why were they here... Lin Tianyi wondered.

He did not want Ning Rongrong to recognize him, so he had no intention of greeting them and wanted to pass directly by them.

However, just as he reached them, Ning Fengzhi suddenly stepped to the left, blocking Lin Tianyi's path.

Ning Fengzhi smiled at Lin Tianyi, who wore the Crimson Dragon mask:

"Friend Yi Xian, might we have a word?"

Hearing this, Lin Tianyi understood. They were probably trying to recruit him.

Unfortunately, he would not join any faction. Having Qian Renxue was enough for him.

He discreetly glanced at Ning Rongrong, who was sizing him up with curiosity and confusion, then deliberately altered his voice.

"What is it?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

I came only to invite you to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. What do you think, Friend Yi Xian?"

"Not interested."

Lin Tianyi shook his head and refused without a second thought, showing no courtesy whatsoever.

With that, Lin Tianyi stepped around Ning Fengzhi and headed toward the contestants' waiting area.

The smile on Ning Fengzhi's face suddenly froze. He stood there in a daze, as though he had not expected Lin Tianyi to refuse so decisively.

Beside him, Sword Douluo Chen Xin frowned slightly as he watched Lin Tianyi.

Ning Rongrong's two slender brows shot up. The more she looked at Yi Xian, the more familiar he seemed. His utter lack of hesitation in refusing to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was very much like someone she knew.

Ning Fengzhi turned around, looked at Lin Tianyi's retreating back, and called out:

"Friend Yi Xian, please wait!"

Hearing the call from behind him, Lin Tianyi stopped and turned his head.

"Is there anything else?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled helplessly. In the past, even dukes would show him considerable respect, yet this Yi Xian gave him no face at all.

Perhaps this is the pride of a genius... Ning Fengzhi thought.

Then he pointed at Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who stood proudly beside him, and said with a faint smile:

"Friend Yi Xian, do you know who he is?"

Before Lin Tianyi could answer, Ning Fengzhi spoke with immense confidence and pride.

"He is the foremost swordsman on the continent, Sword Douluo Chen Xin!"

After saying that, he looked at Lin Tianyi with an ambiguous smile.

"Friend Yi Xian, if Sword Douluo were willing to take you as his disciple, would you accept?"

A self-satisfied smile hung on his face as he watched Lin Tianyi, fully convinced that the other party would be overjoyed to acknowledge Sword Douluo as his master.

After all, for a Soul Master with a sword-type martial soul, Sword Douluo's reputation as the continent's foremost swordsman was enough to earn the reverence of all sword-type Soul Masters.

But Ning Fengzhi soon found himself unable to smile.

Because after learning Sword Douluo's true identity, Lin Tianyi's reaction was utterly ordinary. It was as though he had merely heard an ordinary person's name, without the slightest intense reaction of shock.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin fixed his sword-like gaze on Yi Xian, his eyes burning with fervor. For such a swordsmanship genius, he wished he could immediately take him in as his final disciple.

Thus, Sword Douluo Chen Xin looked at Lin Tianyi with a warm smile.

"Yi Xian, are you willing to take me as your master?

As long as you kowtow and acknowledge me as your master, I will spare no effort in teaching you swordsmanship. You will surely reach the pinnacle of the sword path!"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin's words were filled with immense confidence and pride.

Lin Tianyi smiled upon hearing this.

Back at the academy tournament, Ning Rongrong had invited him to become Sword Douluo's disciple. He had refused then, and naturally, his answer would be the same now.

He had no interest in the sword path. He only wanted to comprehend a sword technique because of a system mission.

He had only one goal now: to break through to Level 99 within twenty years, then directly inherit the Supreme God of Space-Time Throne!

By then, he would be invincible above and below heaven. Who would still bother learning swordsmanship?

Looking at the proudly standing Sword Douluo Chen Xin and the confident Ning Fengzhi, Lin Tianyi shook his head in refusal.

"Not interested."

With that, he turned and left.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi were utterly dumbfounded, standing frozen in place.

In their eyes, this was an enormous stroke of fortune, yet Yi Xian had refused it without the slightest hesitation?

This made no sense!

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stared at Lin Tianyi's retreating back with his sword-like eyes, his brows tightly furrowed.

The last time he had been rejected was by that six-year-old Lin Tianyi, who had not known how powerful he was.

He had not expected that in just two months, he would be rejected a second time by someone else—and this person had done so while fully knowing that he was the foremost swordsman!

Sword Douluo Chen Xin felt insulted. As the foremost swordsman, it was the first time he had ever felt this way!

It was one thing for that Lin Tianyi not to know his strength, but why would this Yi Xian still refuse?

He could not understand it. He truly could not understand it!

Ning Fengzhi stared blankly at Lin Tianyi's back, his expression filled with complexity and disbelief.

He had thought that having Sword Douluo accept a disciple was a powerful bargaining chip, one that would certainly allow him to bring such a genius under his banner. He had never expected to be refused so decisively anyway.

That should not be possible. How could such a swordsmanship genius have no interest in the sword path?

He should have been ecstatic at the great opportunity of becoming the final disciple of the foremost swordsman!

The last time he had been this shocked was because of that six-year-old child named Lin Tianyi.

Just as Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi were struggling to accept this, Ning Rongrong suddenly shouted loudly at Lin Tianyi's departing back:

"Lin Tianyi!!"

Upon hearing this, Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi were deeply shaken, their eyes widening like bronze bells.

No way?

They stared fixedly at Lin Tianyi's back.

Lin Tianyi paused for half a second, then pretended he had heard nothing and continued forward.

Seeing that Lin Tianyi did not react, Ning Rongrong shouted:

"Stop pretending! Only you would refuse to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without hesitation and refuse to become Grandpa Jian's final disciple!

I remember that you're under 1.4 meters tall. It matches perfectly. Don't think I won't recognize you just because you put on a mask and changed your voice!

You're Lin Tianyi!"

Hearing this, Lin Tianyi stopped and turned around.

Then, under the gradually widening eyes of Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi,

he raised a hand and removed his mask, revealing a youthful little face with red lips and white teeth.

Lin Tianyi looked at Ning Rongrong in amazement.

"You could recognize me from that?"

Ning Rongrong lifted her delicate little chin and said smugly:

"I might not recognize anyone else, but I'd definitely recognize you!

You were the first person who ever ignored me.

And Lin Xianxian too!"

Ning Rongrong added very seriously.

Lin Tianyi curled his lips, glanced at Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi, who stood rooted to the spot with their jaws hanging open, then looked at Ning Rongrong.

"Don't tell anyone about me."

With that, he turned and left.

"Hey, don't go!"

Ning Rongrong reached out with her little hand, wanting to grab him and stop Lin Tianyi from leaving.