The first form of the Green Lotus Sword Technique, Nine Heavens Fall! [Please support me, thank you!]

"Haha, indeed, indeed! Fighting like this all the time does my sword a disservice!"

Li Bai coated his feet in soul power and leaped backward, landing on the surface of the water.

"Fine control of soul power." Yu Yuanzhen nodded approvingly.

Below, the tip of Li Bai's sword had already dipped into the water, sending up a spray.

"By incorporating elements of the Seven Kill Sword Technique and studying dozens of swordsmanship manuals, then bringing everything together..." A faint smile curved Li Bai's lips as he spun his sword with effortless grace, stirring up a wave of water.

"I finally created the first form of my Green Lotus Sword Technique. Brother Wushuang, try its power for yourself!"

Above the waterfall, Sword Douluo's brow furrowed. His expression turned solemn, his sharp eyes fixed intently on Li Bai below.

After spending this time with Li Bai, he no longer had any doubts about the boy's Talent. What he wanted to see most now was Li Bai perfecting his own sword technique!

The others also held their breath, watching Li Bai below.

Li Bai did not unleash his move immediately. Instead, seemingly swept up in the moment, he gazed at the rushing waterfall and laughed aloud:

"Sunlight on Incense Burner Peak gives rise to purple mist,"

His blade skimmed the water, flashing brilliantly in the sunlight.

"From afar, the waterfall hangs before the river."

He suddenly moved, his body as nimble as a hunting leopard, so swift he left no trace.

"Its torrent plunges straight down three thousand feet,"

Sword light danced, leaving only a few indistinct afterimages.

"Which one is the real body?" Long Wushuang thought Li Bai's true body was hidden among those sword-shadow clones, and his brows knitted gravely.

He could not see through them.

"It doesn't matter. As long as my defense is strong enough, you can't hurt me, Taibai," Long Wushuang murmured as his second soul ring lit up.

"Second Soul Skill, Bone Shield!"

An enormous bone shield appeared in his hand. It looked incredibly heavy, yet in Long Wushuang's grasp, it seemed as light as a sheet of paper, swinging freely.

"As though the Milky Way were falling from the nine heavens."

Just then, a clear voice rang out above Long Wushuang's head.

Long Wushuang looked up in shock.

At some point, Li Bai had already leaped into the air, the Green Lotus Sword in his hand blazing with sword light!

"First form of the Green Lotus Sword Technique—Nine Heavens Fall!"

In an instant, the afterimages dispersed, transforming into pure sword intent that filled the sky!

The sword wielder seemed not like a six-year-old child, but a peerless swordsman!

The sword shadows plummeted like streaks of light, and sword energy descended!

Whoosh!

Long Wushuang reacted, raising the bone shield overhead almost on instinct.

Crack!

The sword tip pierced the bone shield. Fierce sword energy transformed into invisible blades, shattering the shield from within.

Unfortunately, that was as far as it could go.

When the blade struck the white bone armor, it no longer crushed everything in its path. Instead, the two briefly reached a stalemate.

In the end, Long Wushuang unleashed his stored strength, sending out a surge of soul power that drove Li Bai back.

"Taibai, your sword technique is incredible!" Long Wushuang took a couple of breaths and gave him a thumbs-up, making no attempt to pursue Li Bai and attack.

Strictly speaking, both of them had held back during this brief exchange.

Long Wushuang had not used all his soul power from the outset, while Li Bai had not used the external soul bone in his palm. Both still had strength to spare. After all, they were close brothers from the same sect; a friendly spar only needed to go so far.

Above the waterfall.

Ning Fengzhi smiled and clapped, then turned to Sword Douluo. "Uncle Jian, for Taibai to develop a sword technique like this, it truly shows that a great teacher produces great students!"

The corners of Sword Douluo's lips lifted for a moment before he immediately forced them down, putting on a dissatisfied expression. "The sword technique is too rough, and the sword intent isn't concentrated enough. It's far inferior to my Seven Kill Sword Technique. Ah, this child never lets me stop worrying."

Everyone: "..."

Could you at least stop smiling before you start humblebragging?

"Brother Taibai is amazing!" Ning Rongrong waved her fists excitedly, completely forgetting that she had said she would ignore Li Bai.

Ning Rongrong's shout also made Li Bai and Long Wushuang look up, noticing the group above.

Long Wushuang felt a little embarrassed. He was supposed to welcome the younger members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan later, but his spar with Li Bai had ended up drawing everyone over.

Li Bai, however, was not embarrassed in the slightest. He casually dismissed his martial soul and cupped his hands toward the group above. "Junior Li Bai greets Uncle Ning, Master, Senior Bone, and all the other seniors."

"Haha, no need to stand on ceremony, young friend." Yu Yuanzhen appeared to laugh heartily, but inwardly, he felt rather bitter.

He had just been feeling smug about the Talent of his clan's younger generation. Yet look at Sword Douluo's disciple—not only did he keep up his soul power cultivation, he had even created his own sword technique. Comparisons really were infuriating.

Qian Renxue's eyes also gleamed with interest.

To think the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had such a talented young swordsman. This child's future accomplishments might well surpass those of the current Sword Douluo.

Qian Renxue suppressed the murderous intent in her heart. Reminding herself that neither she nor her junior brother lacked Talent compared to anyone else, she smiled and congratulated Sword Douluo on having such a gifted disciple.

Sword Douluo simply stopped pretending. With a proud smile on his face, he appeared beside Li Bai beneath the waterfall in an instant.

"Taibai, I saw your sword technique just now. When I was your age, I hadn't even figured out the Seven Kill Sword Technique, yet you can already create your own. Your future achievements will surely surpass mine."

"I will not disappoint you, Master."

After that, Sword Douluo began humblebragging openly.

Meanwhile, inside a Casino in Heaven Dou City—

A black-haired man with a towering, muscular build and a faint scar at the corner of his mouth looked at the cards in his hand, then slammed them onto the table in frustration.

"Haha, I won again! Brother Toji, pay up, pay up." Across from him, a rather sleazy-looking middle-aged man with a pointed face and pinched cheeks slapped the table excitedly and roared with laughter.

Toji clicked his tongue, expressionless. He knew that gambling almost always ended in losses, but surely that did not mean he could play nearly a hundred hands without winning even once?

Toji pushed the gold soul coins in front of him over to the man opposite.

"Brother Toji, are we still playing?" The pointed-faced man chuckled, his tone dripping with provocation.

Toji stared expressionlessly at his empty side of the table, then beckoned to a loan shark nearby. "Come here. Lend me another thousand gold soul coins."

"Sorry, Mr. Fushiguro, but you've already borrowed twenty thousand gold soul coins from us. We can't lend you any more. We'd also like you to repay everything you owe us right now. If you refuse, you'll have to come with us." The loan shark wore a cheerful smile, but soul power was already gathering around him.

He had seen plenty of people who borrowed money to gamble. Some thought being soul masters meant they could refuse to pay. But anyone operating a loan-sharking business in Heaven Dou City had backing from various noble factions and could summon plenty of high-ranking soul masters. Naturally, those soul masters who owed money ended up being taught a lesson with clubs.