Sword Douluo's finger swept across the Seven Kill Sword, and the notch the Green Steel Sword had just carved into it healed without a trace.
That single gesture made the spectators in the stands draw in a sharp breath.
That was the Seven Kill Sword—the Seven Kill Sword of a Titled Douluo! What kind of strength did it take to damage it with an iron sword?
Tang Hao recalled the sword marks covering Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer a few days ago and was now certain that Ling Chen's Martial Soul was incredibly domineering.
"No wonder he managed to leave Slaughter City. Even Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword is struggling to hold up, so those people in Slaughter City don't stand a chance."
Ning Fengzhi remained calm and composed, but he still couldn't conceal his shock.
"Sword Douluo has gone on the offensive! Li Tianyi is rolling across the ground, his nimble body dodging Sword Douluo's attacks!"
Bone Dragon Douluo's booming commentary rang out, but once the match had begun, his voice could no longer pass through the energy barrier to reach Ling Chen and the others.
Sword Douluo used no special techniques. He merely swung his sword, yet he had Ling Chen so thoroughly suppressed that he could barely lift his head.
Ling Chen knew he couldn't go on like this. As he activated the Peerless Domain, he rolled away from Sword Douluo to open some distance between them.
Once he was back on his feet, Ling Chen didn't retreat. Instead, he launched an attack. He had to hold out for the remaining three rounds before his Soul Power ran dry.
Ling Chen's domain caught Sword Douluo off guard. The overall reduction in his speed threw off the rhythm of his attacks, slowing him by about one percent.
Every one of Ling Chen's strikes clashed with the Seven Kill Sword, but each time he tried to cut through it, Sword Douluo easily deflected him.
Ling Chen carefully studied Sword Douluo's moves. They appeared chaotic, but in truth, he waited for his opponent to make the first move before striking.
With simple sword techniques alone, Sword Douluo was enough to ensure his own invincibility.
Chen Xin's expression, however, was grave. The effects of the Peerless Domain on him were growing stronger. With every clash against Ling Chen, his attributes were reduced by another one percent.
Not only that, Chen Xin had also noticed that Ling Chen's domain was expanding as they fought. Ling Chen's own enhancements were steadily increasing across the board, percentage by percentage.
"This is getting more and more interesting. If Chen Xin doesn't finish Ling Chen soon, he'll be in trouble!"
Hearing Ning Fengzhi say this, Tang Hao shook his head.
"There's no need to worry. Even with Innate Soul Power, maintaining a domain for long would be nearly impossible. And this one keeps expanding."
Ning Fengzhi gave it some thought and decided Tang Hao had a point. Still, it was only speculation. They would have to see how the battle unfolded.
The two fought so evenly that the spectators could no longer sit still.
"Sword Douluo! Stop holding back and finish the little brat with one sword!"
"Quit testing him! I bet he's just trying to bask in your fame so he can brag about it later!"
The crowd's shouts shook the heavens, but the energy barrier blocked them all, keeping them from reaching the two fighters.
"Li Tianyi, your domain doesn't have any fierce killing intent. It shouldn't be your Divine Slaughter's Domain."
Ling Chen didn't answer, which was as good as admitting it. But the question had given him an idea. If he infused his Peerless Domain with killing intent, would it become a Divine Slaughter's Domain?
Bone Dragon Douluo floated above the arena, still commentating, when he suddenly sensed himself being enveloped by an invisible force.
"It actually broke through the energy barrier and spread all the way here! Is this really the Divine Slaughter's Domain I know?"
Bone Dragon Douluo stared in disbelief at Chen Xin, who was still fighting. Ling Chen's Peerless Domain had reached the astonishing level of a twenty-percent increase and decrease.
The effect applied across the board. Soul Power consumption, agility, strength, defense—even mental fortitude—were all widening the gap between the two fighters.
What was terrifying was that Ling Chen's domain was still expanding, and the percentage increase and decrease kept rising.
Before he had awakened his Martial Soul, activating the Peerless Domain required him to convert his Martial Soul Origin into Soul Power. The percentage boost to his Soul Power recovery couldn't replenish that source.
As a result, Ling Chen couldn't keep the Peerless Domain going for long, and it also drained his Martial Soul Origin even faster.
But now, with Soul Power at his disposal, he was practically a perpetual-motion machine.
Even though he was only at level ten, the percentage boost to his Soul Power recovery made it fairly easy to maintain a domain like this for a long time. And that boost was still increasing.
There was, however, a limit. Ling Chen had already reached his maximum when he expanded the domain to the stands.
The increase and decrease stopped at twenty-five percent, and Ling Chen had also made it through the fourth round.
"Has the expansion and reduction stopped? Li Tianyi, you've truly opened my eyes! To possess such abilities at six years old—I'm envious!"
Chen Xin gripped his sword and swept it through the air. A streak of sword energy shot toward Ling Chen at incredible speed.
"But if you want to become my disciple, it won't be that easy!"
Ling Chen dodged the sword energy, but his vigilant Killing Intent Perception didn't sense the killing intent fading. If anything, it had grown much stronger.
Ling Chen rolled sideways and saw the Seven Kill Sword stabbing at the spot where he'd just been. It immediately swept back toward him.
Ling Chen raised his sword to block. A powerful burst of force slammed into the Green Steel Sword and sent him flying.
The Seven Kill Sword had snapped in two, its broken blade clattering onto the arena. But Chen Xin's attack didn't stop. Even with only half a sword in hand, he pursued Ling Chen through the air.
Killing Intent Perception blared its warning. Ling Chen felt a suffocating, bottomless despair. Killing intent swirled in his eyes as a dense wave of murderous aura burst forth and drove Chen Xin back.
After landing, Ling Chen was no longer his usual calm self. His overwhelming murderous aura merged into the Peerless Domain, and a dense red mist instantly engulfed the entire arena.
"Thump, thump—!"
"Thump, thump—!"
Everyone could hear their own heartbeat speeding up as wave after wave of negative emotions flooded their minds. It was as if they had been plunged into hell, watching a god of slaughter butcher living beings.
Tang Hao and Bone Dragon Douluo were the first to regain their senses. Even these two Titled Douluos had fallen into an illusion under the twenty-five-percent reduction to their mental fortitude.
Tang Hao immediately unleashed the Divine Slaughter's Domain, temporarily suppressing the force for the spectators.
Chen Xin knitted his brows. Something was terribly wrong with Ling Chen's current state. He stood there, laughing madly with a twisted expression.
"Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Why? Why do you always like to bully me? Do you have to drench this land in blood before you'll be satisfied?"
Suddenly, Ling Chen vanished. Chen Xin immediately sensed danger: the increase and decrease of Ling Chen's Peerless Domain had just doubled!
The situation was spiraling out of control. If they couldn't stop Ling Chen, a massacre was inevitable.
"Move! Suppress him!"
The instant Chen Xin spoke, Bone Dragon Douluo and Clear Sky Douluo appeared on the arena. Ning Fengzhi immediately evacuated the spectators, activated the Seven Treasures True Body, and boosted the three of them.
Their tremendous pressure instantly dispersed the blood mist. Ling Chen was slammed to the ground beneath it, unable to move.
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