"Arrogant fool!"
Yu Tianheng roared in fury. An instant later, a layer of scales crackling with electric arcs covered both his hands, and one hand transformed into a dragon claw.
"First soul skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"
A bolt of lightning gathered on his dragon claw, its aura climbing steadily. The other two soul rings on Yu Tianheng's body lit up at the same time.
"Second soul skill, Thunderous Might!"
"Third soul skill, Thunderous Rage!"
After unleashing three soul skills in succession, Yu Tianheng's aura surged. He intended to win with a single blow and make Ji Hongchen understand the gulf between them.
Ji Hongchen's gaze remained calm.
He raised the Jinghong Sword and slashed.
"I told you, one strike is enough to defeat you!"
Clang!
One sword strike shook mountains and rivers!
A plain, unadorned streak of sword qi whistled forth.
Yu Tianheng's pupils contracted. He saw a streak of white light, and an unprecedented sense of danger made every hair on his body stand on end.
He had no time to think.
An instant later, nothing but white light filled his vision, and then he lost consciousness.
One sword strike defeated Yu Tianheng!
The entire arena fell silent.
Everyone's eyes widened. This was Yu Tianheng, after all-a genius from Heaven Dou Royal Academy and a disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
And he had been defeated with a single sword strike!
Ji Hongchen's strike had utterly stunned them, leaving every last one of them dumbstruck.
He hadn't used a soul skill.
Just one strike!
One plain, unadorned sword strike.
One strike had defeated Yu Tianheng, a level thirty-two Battle Soul Elder.
"Impressive lad!"
A flicker of approval crossed Chen Xin's eyes, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Now that's a Sword Cultivator. Unrivaled within his realm, shattering ten thousand arts with a single sword!"
He watched Ji Hongchen's figure.
A trace of interest gradually rose in his eyes.
He had to admit, a long sword paired with white robes-robes whiter than snow, a blade like a rainbow-really did look dashing.
And then there was that Sword Flight technique.
Jian Chen Xin had been coveting it for quite some time.
Ning Fengzhi, meanwhile, looked deeply gratified. "Hongchen is unrivaled within his realm. He's only just become a three-ring Soul Elder, yet he defeated Yu Tianheng, an established three-ring Soul Elder, with a single strike."
The stone weighing on his heart finally dropped.
Even if Ji Hongchen alone represented the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's next generation, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect could never match his strength. After all, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect was also facing a gap between its older and younger generations.
On the stage.
The announcer proclaimed the result in a voice pitched to feverish heights. "Let's congratulate the rising star of Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, the rookie king with thirty consecutive victories-Sword Lord, our winner!"
The entire arena erupted.
"Sword Lord! Sword Lord!"
"Sword Lord, I love you!"
At the announcer's declaration, Ji Hongchen's fans shouted at the top of their lungs, expressing their adoration.
Ji Hongchen smiled faintly.
Then he departed under everyone's watching eyes.
He walked out through the passage and entered the lounge.
Ning Rongrong hurried over to greet him.
"Brother Hongchen."
Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly and threw herself into Ji Hongchen's arms. A hint of mischief flashed in her eyes, along with a trace of possessiveness, like someone guarding her food.
She glanced at Ning Fengzhi.
"Dad, look how hard Brother Hongchen works. Training like this every day is exhausting, so..."
Seeing Ning Rongrong's expression,
Ning Fengzhi's face darkened.
Her meaning couldn't have been more obvious.
Wasn't she simply saying,
Old man.
My brother works so hard. Time for you to cough up some gold!
"Ahem."
Ning Fengzhi's face darkened. His little padded jacket had only been here a few days, yet she was already siding with an outsider.
Once a daughter grew up, there was no keeping her at home!
At that thought, Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Very well. Hongchen doesn't lack money now, anyway. The family happens to have quite a few rare ores left, so we might as well give them all to him."
They had also learned about the special nature of Ji Hongchen's martial soul.
It could improve its quality by devouring minerals. The Jinghong Sword had now evolved into an ultimate martial soul, possessing the attribute of ultimate sharpness.
The only drawback was that his ultimate martial soul had slowed Ji Hongchen's cultivation somewhat.
But the effect was minor. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had resources aplenty and could easily make up for it.
"Then thank you, Father-in-law."
Ji Hongchen cupped his hands in thanks.
Jian Chen Xin suddenly approached from the side and said with a smile, "Hongchen, that Sword Flight technique of yours is quite impressive. Could you teach Grandpa Sword?"
Well, well, even Sword Douluo wanted to ride a sword and show off!
Ji Hongchen chuckled inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged. "Of course. Sword Flight is only a fairly basic technique."
Jian Chen Xin's eyes lit up.
Ji Hongchen continued,
"The key to Sword Flight lies in... this and that, then such and such..."
Jian Chen Xin listened with rapt attention.
He felt as though everything had suddenly become clear.
"So that's how it works! Mastery of swordsmanship has such a marvelous application, too. You really are a genius with the sword, lad. No wonder your martial soul underwent a second awakening!"
After that, Ji Hongchen spent every day refining pills like mad.
One year later...
Ji Hongchen emerged from seclusion. Because of his ultimate attribute, he had only reached level thirty-four after an entire year, still a little short of level thirty-five.
"A hundred attempts at pill refining, a hundred successes!"
Ji Hongchen let out a long breath.
Next, he could find Dugu Bo and head to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to refine pills.
He left his room.
Ning Rongrong came over like a little bird nestling against him and slipped her arm through his.
"Brother Hongchen, you haven't spent time with me for days."
Seeing Ning Rongrong act so coy,
Ji Hongchen smiled, stroked her head, and kissed her forehead.
Ning Rongrong blushed and lowered her head.
Ji Hongchen smiled. "I need to go out again, but this time, I'm preparing a surprise for my little Rongrong. How does that sound?"
"A surprise?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.
Ji Hongchen nodded, then walked toward the door. Only then did Ning Rongrong reluctantly let go.
But at the thought of Ji Hongchen preparing a surprise for her,
Ning Rongrong secretly rejoiced.
He arrived at the Ye Family Pharmacy.
Upon seeing Ji Hongchen, Dugu Yan stood up and smiled faintly. "Hongchen, what brings you here? Do you need something from Grandpa?"
"Yes."
Ji Hongchen nodded.
"Then come with me. Grandpa's waiting for you at home. He hasn't gone out these past few days, and he seems to be feeling much better."
Dugu Yan's voice brimmed with gratitude as she spoke.
"Thanks to your Soul Core Method, my cultivation has become much faster, too, and I no longer have to worry about the poison turning against me."
Dugu Yan stood bashfully beside Ji Hongchen, like a young girl too shy to speak her mind. He found it rather cute.
Ji Hongchen spoke gently.
"There's no need to thank me. We're friends, after all. Helping each other is only natural."
Dugu Yan looked at Ji Hongchen with a hint of admiration.
"Yes, we're good friends."
Ji Hongchen noticed the change in Dugu Yan, but he also intended to work with her. After all, she was one of the must-have girls on the Douluo list.
Besides, he had always appreciated feminine beauty.
In common terms, he was lustful.
After all, if I came to the Douluo Continent and didn't fall in love, wouldn't that go against the way the Douluo Continent worked?
Before long, the two arrived at the Dugu Family residence.
They entered the front courtyard.
Ji Hongchen spotted Dugu Bo basking in the sun.
"Hmm? Hongchen's here."
Seeing Ji Hongchen arrive, Dugu Bo also noticed the bashful Dugu Yan beside him and immediately understood something.
But he didn't point it out.
Instead, he planned to find an opportunity to catch Ji Hongchen completely off guard.
He would wait until the raw rice had been cooked before saying anything.
After all, how could a poison user like me be any sort of decent person? Why would I obediently stick to proper, conventional methods?
Before you continue