At the other end of the Soul Arena.
Chen Xin lowered his head and looked at the Seven Killing Sword covered in cracks.
He remained silent for a long time.
Thirty years ago, his father, Chen Jianjun, had once been defeated by Qian Daochen.
After that battle, Chen Jianjun had regarded Qian Daochen as the pinnacle of swordsmanship he could never surpass in his lifetime.
Over the years, Chen Xin had never stopped cultivating.
He had originally thought that he at least possessed the qualifications to stand before Qian Daochen and draw his sword.
Yet the outcome had remained unchanged.
One sword strike.
It had still been only one sword strike.
Chen Xin slowly raised his head.
"I lost."
Qian Daochen walked to the edge of the ravine.
He did not comfort Chen Xin.
If a swordsman could not even endure a single defeat, he was not qualified to continue holding a sword.
"All these years, you have only focused on chasing the sword intent I left behind."
"The more you learned, the less of your own sword remained."
Chen Xin stood frozen in place.
He recalled the God-Demon Twin Slashes he had unleashed just now.
That strike had seemed powerful, yet it bore traces of Qian Daochen everywhere.
Qian Daochen looked at the Seven Killing Sword in his hand.
"The sword is yours."
"And the path should be yours to walk as well."
As his words fell.
Qian Daochen raised a finger.
A condensed sword intent flew from his fingertip and entered Chen Xin's brow.
Chen Xin's body trembled.
The complete trajectory of that sword strike immediately appeared in his mind.
From the opening movement to the descending blade.
From form to formlessness.
Every change was displayed with perfect clarity.
Chen Xin immediately closed his eyes.
The cracks on the Seven Killing Sword stopped spreading.
A sword intent unlike before slowly rose from within him.
Qian Daochen turned and walked out of the Soul Arena.
"You guarded this sword for me for thirty years."
"I give you that sword strike as payment."
"If you can comprehend it, you may yet advance further."
Ning Fengzhi hurried forward.
"Senior, are you leaving?"
Qian Daochen sheathed his sword.
"Someone is still waiting for me in Spirit City."
Ning Fengzhi wanted to persuade him to stay.
But the white-clad figure had already stepped into the air.
No Soul Rings appeared.
Nor was there any fluctuation of Soul Power.
Qian Daochen merely took one step forward and appeared beyond the mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
His second step fell.
His figure had already vanished into the distant clouds.
Ning Rongrong ran out of the Soul Arena.
She stood at the edge of the stone steps, her chin-length hair fluttering in the mountain wind.
Her white short dress draped along her slender figure, while the jade pendant at her waist swayed gently.
"Wait for me!"
Qian Daochen did not stop.
Ning Rongrong could only watch as the white-clad figure vanished completely.
She turned around and looked at Ning Fengzhi, who was still lost in thought.
"Dad."
"I don't want to go to Shrek Academy anymore."
Ning Fengzhi finally recovered from that sword strike.
"Why?"
Ning Rongrong pointed in the direction Qian Daochen had left.
"I want to cultivate under him."
"Grandpa Sword is so strong, yet he could not even withstand one sword strike from him."
"As long as he is willing to teach me, I will definitely become a supreme powerhouse."
She recalled Qian Daochen's appearance as he held his sword, her eyes filled with admiration.
The matter of having her forehead flicked and being scolded in the street had already been cast aside.
Ning Fengzhi looked at his daughter, his face full of helplessness.
"Rongrong."
"It is not as though Senior Qian Daochen will accept you just because you wish to follow him."
"Your father does not have the ability to make him agree to teach you either."
Ning Rongrong gave a soft snort.
"I'll go find him myself."
"Isn't he going to Spirit City?"
"I'll pack my things right away."
She turned to leave.
Ning Fengzhi raised his staff and blocked her path.
"You are not going anywhere."
"Senior Qian Daochen's identity is special."
"What happened today must not be revealed to anyone."
Ning Rongrong stopped.
With both hands behind her back, she leaned forward slightly.
Her fair face was filled with curiosity.
"Dad, who exactly is he?"
"Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone both call him Senior."
"He even knows the Snow Empress, the Evil Emperor, and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King."
"Grandpa also said that he belongs to the Angel Clan."
Ning Fengzhi exchanged a glance with Gu Rong.
Gu Rong walked to the edge of the shattered Soul Arena and lowered his head to look at the bottomless ravine.
"He is a Douluo legend from thirty years ago."
"The strongest swordsman of the Angel Clan."
"Even Qian Daoliu must call him Elder Brother when he sees him."
Ning Rongrong blinked.
"He is even stronger than Qian Daoliu?"
Gu Rong shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Don't ask me."
"I don't know just how strong he truly is either."
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Chen Xin, who was still comprehending the sword intent.
If that sword strike had moved forward another half inch, Chen Xin's Seven Killing Sword Martial Soul would have shattered completely.
Qian Daochen's control over his power had already reached a level they could not comprehend.
"Uncle Bone."
"If that sword strike had fallen on you, could you have blocked it?"
Gu Rong turned to Ning Fengzhi.
"Me, blocking Qian Daochen?"
He raised a hand and pointed at the Soul Arena cleaved apart before them.
"That old swordsman took that sword strike head-on and could at least still hold his Seven Killing Sword."
"If it were me, I would have left my bones here."
"Continental Number One Defense is merely a title given by outsiders."
"Before a swordsman like him, defense is not much different from a sheet of paper."
Ning Fengzhi fell silent.
He had originally wanted to offer Chen Xin a few words of comfort.
Losing to someone ranked among the legends of Douluo was nothing shameful.
Before he could step forward, Chen Xin had already opened his eyes.
The damaged Seven Killing Sword re-formed.
The aura surrounding its blade held less disorder than before and more purity.
Chen Xin looked in the direction Qian Daochen had departed.
"Fengzhi, there is no need to comfort me."
"I understand now."
"Senior was right."
"All these years, I have been walking his path."
"From today onward, I will cultivate only my own Seven Killing Sword."
Joy appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face.
"Uncle Sword, are you confident that you can advance further?"
Chen Xin looked at the Seven Killing Sword in his hand.
"The threshold has already loosened."
"Once I fully comprehend the sword strike Senior left behind, I will be able to take that step."
Gu Rong patted Chen Xin on the shoulder.
"You can break through after taking a sword strike."
"Old swordsman, that beating was worth it."
Chen Xin shot him a glance.
"You can go after Senior."
"Let him give you a sword strike too."
Gu Rong immediately withdrew his hand.
"Forget it."
Ning Rongrong stood nearby, her gaze fixed on the direction of the mountain gate.
She had completely forgotten that she had previously wanted Chen Xin to teach Qian Daochen a lesson.
Now, she only wanted to know just how many more abilities Qian Daochen was hiding.
Ning Fengzhi saw the look on his daughter's face and sighed softly.
"Rongrong."
"You must not tell anyone about what happened today."
"Especially about Senior Qian Daochen's strength."
Ning Rongrong nodded.
"I know."
She agreed readily, but she was already making plans in her heart.
Qian Daochen was going to Spirit City.
If she left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect ahead of time, she might be able to catch up with him.
Just then.
The golden Heavenly Screen above the Soul Arena changed once more.
The image of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King receiving his reward slowly faded away.
Boundless golden light gathered toward the sixth position on the Supreme Ranking.
Ning Fengzhi and the others, who had been conversing, all looked up at once.
The Heavenly Dao's proclamation descended.
[The Supreme Powerhouse Ranking review is about to continue!]
[Sixth place will soon be announced!]
Before you continue