Gu Qing slowly turned around to face the superpower whose fearsome reputation was known throughout the continent.
His expression remained calm as still water, utterly unruffled by the fact that he was facing a Titled Douluo.
"Your concealment techniques are indeed impressive. You've even suppressed your Soul Power fluctuations remarkably well."
Gu Qing casually sized up the white-robed old man before him.
"Too bad the sword energy on you is far too fierce. That edge etched into your very bones—I could sense it clearly even from ten li away."
Hearing this merciless exposure, a rare trace of awkwardness flickered across Sword Douluo's eternally stern face.
By the young man's account, he had been discovered from the very beginning of the tailing.
The other party had simply kept quiet until now, waiting for a secluded spot to confront him.
Sword Douluo gave a dry cough, swiftly clearing his mind of stray thoughts as his gaze sharpened once more.
The future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was at stake. He had to get to the bottom of this.
"Since you noticed me long ago, I'll get straight to the point."
Sword Douluo took half a step forward, and an invisible pressure spread toward Gu Qing.
"Why did you deliberately approach Rongrong? What ulterior motive do you have against our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Faced with that overwhelming, landslide-like pressure, Gu Qing barely even blinked.
He clasped his hands behind his back and stood ramrod straight, like an immovable mountain.
"You're overthinking it. My meeting with Ning Rongrong was nothing more than a chance encounter at the Lantern Festival."
Gu Qing's voice gradually turned cold, carrying an intense sense of oppression.
"I have no ill intentions toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You, on the other hand, followed me in secret for no reason all this way. That hardly seems like the conduct of a reputable sect, does it?"
Sword Douluo didn't get angry when a junior talked back to him so brazenly. On the contrary, a blazing fighting spirit kindled deep in his eyes.
He knew all too well the weight carried by the title of Martial Soul Hall Holy Son.
"Such a sharp tongue. I won't trade barbs with you."
Sword Douluo's white robe stirred in the wind, flapping loudly.
"You are the Martial Soul Hall Holy Son, and you've spent years secluded from the world. Rumor has it that your strength is unfathomable."
The old man's gaze was like a tangible sharp sword, locking firmly onto Gu Qing.
"Since we've crossed paths today, I humbly ask you to grant me a match. Let me see whether you truly have the strength to live up to that title!"
Just as the air grew taut with tension, and a battle seemed ready to erupt at any moment,
the muffled clang of a night watchman's gong drifted faintly from Heaven Dou Imperial Capital in the distance.
It was just past midnight. A new day had quietly begun.
At that very instant, a crisp system notification suddenly rang out in the depths of Gu Qing's mind.
[Detected that the host is currently in a special environment outside the city. Today's sign-in has been completed automatically.] Congratulations, host. You have obtained a special ocular skill—Insight Eye.
A cool stream of energy surged along Gu Qing's meridians and poured into his eyes.
From the system's description, he immediately understood just how powerful this ocular skill was.
Once activated, the Insight Eye could reveal every movement trajectory and opening in an enemy's techniques during battle.
Feeling the new power surging in his eyes, Gu Qing lifted the corners of his mouth with a satisfied smile.
Talk about the pillow arriving just as you got sleepy. He had only just gained a new ability, and now he had the perfect whetstone for testing it.
Faced with Sword Douluo's aggressive challenge, Gu Qing showed no hint of retreat.
He stood at ease and made an inviting gesture toward the white-robed old man.
"If you want to see what I can do, then make your move."
At this utterly arrogant reply, the light in Sword Douluo's eyes flared.
Before attacking, he had tentatively extended his formidable mental power, hoping to gauge the depths of Gu Qing's Soul Power.
But the instant his mental power touched Gu Qing, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea. He couldn't probe anything useful at all.
The young man before him was like a bottomless black hole, exuding an utterly mysterious and dangerous aura.
Sword Douluo stopped holding back and abandoned any further probing.
A deafening sword cry cleaved through the still night sky.
A massive sword, silver-white from tip to hilt and shining with dazzling light, appeared behind Sword Douluo without warning.
The Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul had revealed its true form.
Sword Douluo unleashed his full aura. Within ten meters, weeds and branches were shredded to powder by the fierce sword energy.
He stamped his right foot against the ground. His whole body became a bolt of white lightning as he charged straight at Gu Qing.
Facing this terrifying strike, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter stone, Gu Qing's expression didn't waver in the slightest.
Just as the Seven Kill Sword was about to reach him, he snapped his eyes open. Two deep, mysterious golden lights ignited in his pupils.
The Insight Eye activated in an instant.
In Gu Qing's vision, Sword Douluo's lightning-fast charge slowed to a crawl.
Every trace of Soul Power flowing through his opponent's technique, every detail of his movements—all were laid bare, with nothing concealed.
Once he had seen through everything, Gu Qing finally moved.
He raised his right hand. Vast clouds of dense, inky-black mist welled from his palm.
It was his Dark-type Blue Silver Grass.
The vines, imbued with terrifying corrosive properties, didn't extend outward. Instead, under Gu Qing's deliberate compression, they frantically converged and coiled together.
In the blink of an eye, countless strands of Dark-type Blue Silver Grass formed a pitch-black Dark Blue Silver Sword in his hand.
Gu Qing flicked his wrist. The Dark Blue Silver Sword traced a flawless black arc through the air, meeting the thrusting Seven Kill Sword with pinpoint precision.
The two swords clashed head-on in midair, without any fancy tricks.
With a deafening crash that pierced the clouds, a visible ring of violent air swept out from the pair, surging wildly in every direction.
The tremendous force of the rebound traveled along the blade. Sword Douluo, his white robes fluttering, suddenly widened his eyes.
At the very first clash, he felt a terrifying force surge from the strange black sword—one that was in no way inferior to his own.
That was power no young junior should have possessed!
Sword Douluo was stunned. The impact sent him staggering back three steps, each footfall leaving a deep print in the hard ground.
He stared at Gu Qing, whose shoulders had only shifted slightly. His shock was beyond words.
At last, he could confirm one truly terrifying fact.
The Martial Soul Hall Holy Son before him was indeed unfathomably powerful—at the very least, he had already reached the level of a Titled Douluo!
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