Everything Under Control

Chapter 27: Everything Under Control

"Then we shall do as the Pope says!"

Sword Douluo gripped the Seven Kill Sword and swung it. The ancient sword slashed through the air before him, Soul Power perfectly coating its blade. Like a brush, its tip began to paint in the air, the sword strokes winding like dragons and serpents. The sword qi he unleashed did not fly out; instead, it formed a single flowing motion, creating the character for "kill" in midair.

Only when the final stroke fell did Sword Douluo send the character flying toward Qian Xunji. Wherever it passed, the angel feathers turned into dust too fine to see and scattered away.

Qian Xunji also swung his sword several times, sending out streaks of golden sword qi. Unlike Sword Douluo's earlier attack, his sword qi did not linger in the air, but followed the Sacred Sword as it swung.

The golden sword qi struck the character for "kill," and Angel Spirit Power purified all the killing intent and sword qi.

Couldn't do it?

Qian Xunji's eyes showed thoughtfulness. The sword qi he had just unleashed had deliberately imitated Sword Douluo's movements. Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Swordplay gathered the sword qi he released in the air before unleashing it all at once, producing an explosive force clearly far greater than Qian Xunji's simple sword qi.

Qian Xunji had been able to neutralize it only because of his innate advantage. The purifying power of Angel Spirit Power cleansed away the invisible sword qi that had reduced the feathers to dust.

Gathering sword qi in the air and then releasing it all in one strike—such a method existed only in the Chen Family across the entire Douluo Continent. That was why the Seven Kill Sword Titled Douluo was hailed as the continent's strongest attack-type Titled Douluo.

But an innate advantage naturally had to be put to good use. He needed to make Chen Xin use more of the Seven Kill Swordplay.

Qian Xunji placed his left hand behind his back and activated Heart Separation Control, Three Aperture Control Heart. As he swung his sword, he split off part of his focus and Soul Power, gathering it in his fist. Then he threw a fierce punch, sending a golden fist imprint toward Sword Douluo.

Golden fist imprint and sword qi attacked at once. Sword Douluo's gaze sharpened as he swung his sword again. This time, it was no longer the character for "kill," but a Seven Kill Sword formed from Soul Power. Pale white sword qi surrounded it, making it resemble a shield at a glance.

The sword qi, fist imprint, and Seven Kill Sword collided. The sword qi and fist imprint were forced backward one after another, transforming into pure Angel Spirit Power that purified Sword Douluo's attack.

It had no offensive power at all. This should be the defensive technique within the Seven Kill Swordplay.

On the arena, golden and pale white sword qi constantly struck the walls surrounding the field, leaving crack after crack. Though the arena walls were sturdy, how could they withstand attacks unleashed by Titled Douluo?

A careful observer would notice that the cracks Qian Xunji made on either side were much wider and appeared more destructive. The cracks made by Sword Douluo, however, looked like thin needles up close, piercing a foot into the walls and seemingly leaving behind something cold.

If a Soul Master accidentally touched one of those cracks without protecting their hand with Soul Power, their flesh would be torn open. What remained within them was naturally sword qi.

In the stands, countless Soul Masters watched Qian Xunji and Sword Douluo's battle with burning eyes. This was a battle between Titled Douluo, not something one could watch whenever one pleased.

Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Tian, however, showed little interest. Though Qian Xunji and Sword Douluo's fight looked spectacular, with golden and pale white Soul Power flashing constantly, the two had actually used less than half their Soul Power. To Titled Douluo, this was no different from old men practicing tai chi.

As the Sacred Sword and Seven Kill Sword clashed again and again, sparks flying from their friction, Sword Douluo's brows gradually furrowed. He discovered that Qian Xunji seemed to be secretly learning his Seven Kill Swordplay!

The Seven Kill Swordplay was naturally not so easy to learn. It required not only the forms, but also a Soul Master's understanding of the sword. Even if Qian Xunji copied it, he could only imitate its shape, not grasp its essence. But that did not mean Sword Douluo did not mind Qian Xunji secretly learning it.

Pale white light suddenly flashed from Sword Douluo's body. The Seven Kill Sword in his hand abruptly vanished, yet nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—still surged beneath his feet.

It was not that Sword Douluo had put away his Martial Soul and intended to stop fighting. Rather, he had become one with his sword, merging his Martial Soul into his body. At this moment, he was the Seven Kill Sword, and the Seven Kill Sword was him.

"Pope, let us settle this with one final move."

Hearing the faint displeasure in Sword Douluo's voice, Qian Xunji understood that Sword Douluo had noticed him secretly learning the Seven Kill Swordplay. Being in the wrong, he agreed.

Qian Xunji spread his arms into a cross-like pose, palms facing upward. Eleven illusory Sacred Swords floated neatly around his hands, forming a semicircle.

Of the eleven Sacred Swords, only the one above his head was real; all the others were illusions.

Qian Xunji slowly raised his hands. The ten illusory Sacred Swords converged toward the real Sacred Sword above his head. With every sword that merged into it, the Sacred Sword's power increased by another measure.

Did the Qian Family have its own sword technique? Of course it did. Yet for some reason, it seemed to consist of only this one move. When eleven Sacred Swords merged into one, it could unleash several times its usual power. It was essentially a charged attack.

Once all ten illusory Sacred Swords had gathered into the solid Sacred Sword, Qian Xunji's hands closed around it. The Sacred Sword swelled dramatically, becoming a colossal forty-meter blade that slashed down toward Sword Douluo.

Sword Douluo looked up. A huge character for "kill" gathered before him and collided with the Sacred Sword.

As Qian Xunji and Sword Douluo continuously poured in Soul Power, terrifying Soul Power fluctuations erupted. The spectators no longer dared to simply watch; they activated Martial Soul Possession, and soul rings slowly emerged beneath their feet as they defended themselves.

Nine soul rings also appeared beneath Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Zhen. Not only did nine soul rings emerge beneath Gu Rong's feet, but he also activated his Bone Dragon Martial Soul, taking every possible precaution to protect Ning Fengzhi and Bibi Dong.

As golden and pale white light flashed, the sound of cloth tearing rang out, followed by the sound of something else shattering.

The Soul Power fluctuations ceased, and the spectators looked toward the arena. The sleeve on the arm Sword Douluo had used to block Qian Xunji's Sacred Sword was gone, exposing fair, delicate skin. His arm was not as muscular as those of the Clear Sky Sect's disciples, looking little different from an ordinary adult's.

Meanwhile, the Sacred Sword in Qian Xunji's hand had shattered. The earlier crack had been the sound of the Sacred Sword breaking.

The Sacred Sword was, after all, merely an ordinary ten-thousand-year fifth soul skill. According to Spirit Hall's records, the highest age for a fifth soul ring was only twelve thousand years, so its endurance was limited.

Thus, no one thought much of Qian Xunji's broken sword. This had been a Friendship Competition to begin with. Both men remained standing, their Soul Power abundant. One had a torn sleeve, while the other had a broken sword. It could be considered a draw.

Qian Xunji returned to the raised platform and took out the Papal Scepter. Sword Douluo, meanwhile, walked back to the stands through the entrance. By the time he appeared there, he had already changed into another outfit.

As a Titled Douluo, one's image was still important.

With Qian Xunji and Sword Douluo setting an example, one Soul Master after another began holding Friendship Competitions, especially the Soul Emperors and Soul Sages.

The Upper Three Sects and Lower Four Sects had not come all this way just to be mere spectators.