Lin Xiao, oh, Lin Xiao, have you forgotten the pain of waiting for that last piece-the Four-Piece Magic War Shoulder?
What are you daydreaming about?
Just as the thought began to take root, Lin Xiao remembered the agony of having four pieces and lacking the fifth. He put it out of his mind.
He looked at the next skill.
Five-Stage Slash: Launch sliding attacks in any direction.
"Hmm, a pretty good escape skill."
Lin Xiao was all too familiar with this skill.
Without a doubt, it was a movement skill. The damage hardly mattered, but it was fast and looked cool. When playing the game, he always put at least one point into it.
He was already at the final skill.
Backstep Slash: Attack while stepping backward, unleashing a wave of sword energy.
There was little to say about it. Its damage barely scratched the enemy's skin.
At last, he had finished reviewing the skills.
Lin Xiao suddenly felt rather bored.
"Forget it. I'll go home and open some jars for a little excitement."
With that thought, Lin Xiao opened his System Space to retrieve an Instant Teleportation Potion. He also took out the one remaining Level-Up Ticket from before and used it.
The next instant, his soul power level rose from eleven, which he had reached after obtaining his soul ring, to twelve.
"Old Suo, come over. We're going home."
Lin Xiao called out after drinking the Instant Teleportation Potion.
Soderos, however, remained where he stood.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Xiao asked quietly.
"Master, someone is approaching from that direction."
Soderos looked in a particular direction.
Following Soderos's gaze, Lin Xiao finally spotted a speck of light on the distant horizon, gradually growing brighter.
"Someone's coming toward us?"
"Yes."
"Now that's interesting."
After receiving Soderos's confirmation, Lin Xiao also looked curiously at the streak of light, no longer in a hurry to leave.
Before long.
The streak of light gradually became clearer in Lin Xiao's eyes.
He made it out: two people were flying on a sword.
They looked transcendent, untouched by worldly dust.
They were the very image of sword immortals from a cultivation novel.
But Lin Xiao knew this was no cultivation novel. He was on the Douluo Continent. That made the identity of the man flying on a sword all but obvious.
Sword Douluo.
Then that refined middle-aged man behind Sword Douluo must be Ning Fengzhi.
The thought left Lin Xiao feeling rather surprised.
He had never expected to encounter them on his very first visit to the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Uncle Jian, are you sure the sword energy came from here?"
Ning Fengzhi asked quietly from behind Sword Douluo.
"That's right."
Sword Douluo nodded firmly. "Sect Master, it was them. That elderly man, in particular, carries a keen sword intent that ordinary people cannot detect. Even I cannot take him lightly."
"Very well. Let's head down."
Ning Fengzhi suggested.
In the blink of an eye, Sword Douluo had guided the Seven Kill Sword down to the ground.
Ning Fengzhi also stepped forward to stand beside Sword Douluo.
He cupped his fists. "My apologies for disturbing you both. I am Ning Fengzhi, sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. This is an elder of our sect, Sword Douluo Chen Xin."
"Lin Xiao."
Lin Xiao replied with a slight smile.
As for Soderos, he did not give Ning Fengzhi so much as a glance.
That was right.
He had that much attitude.
Lin Xiao... his surname is Lin... Ning Fengzhi frowned at the name.
As far as he remembered, there did not seem to be any soul master clan surnamed Lin on the Douluo Continent.
But an elderly man whom even Sword Douluo treated so seriously had to be a Titled Douluo at the very least, didn't he?
Then where had they come from?
For a moment, he was steeped in bewilderment.
"Sect Master Ning, what brings you all this way?" Lin Xiao asked, getting straight to the point. He really could not be bothered to beat around the bush.
Ning Fengzhi froze, not expecting Lin Xiao to be so direct.
But he truly did not know why they had come. He had merely followed Sword Douluo's wishes.
His gaze flickered, and he looked toward Sword Douluo.
Beside him, Sword Douluo looked at Soderos with burning eyes. "There is indeed a reason. I wish to spar with you, sir. Please grant my request."
He had sensed the keen aura that erupted earlier. He believed this elderly man carrying several swords on his back was worthy of being his opponent.
"You want to spar with Old Suo?"
Lin Xiao's expression turned a little strange.
He knew Sword Douluo was powerful, but that strength lay more in sheer power.
His technique and understanding of the sword were also extraordinary, with their own distinctive accomplishments, but who knew how far behind Soderos he stood?
Of course.
This problem was not unique to Sword Douluo. Every soul master on the Douluo Continent suffered from it.
They relied too heavily on the additional skills granted by soul rings and soul bones, neglecting the development of their own techniques.
That was also the main reason Tang San could thrive like a fish in water in the Douluo world with a set of low-level martial arts.
Still, a swordsman who had yet to become a god challenging a Sword God-wasn't that just asking for a thrashing?
Lin Xiao turned to Soderos. "Old Suo, do you mind?"
"That is fine, Master."
Soderos answered in a deep voice, fighting spirit flashing in his eyes as well.
He could sense that Sword Douluo Chen Xin followed an entirely different path of the sword from his own.
Perhaps their sparring match would yield some unexpected gains.
However.
The moment Soderos used that form of address, both Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo were startled.
What had this expert, who appeared to be a Titled Douluo, called the young man?
Master?
Just who was this Lin Xiao?
Both Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo realized that this young man named Lin Xiao might have an even more extraordinary background than they had imagined.
But now was not the time to dwell on it.
Sword Douluo reached out and summoned the Seven Kill Sword into his hand. At the same time, nine soul rings rose from beneath his feet: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.
"Chen Xin. Martial soul: Seven Kill Sword. Level 96, power-attack-type Titled Douluo. Please instruct me."
"Soderos. You can consider my soul power level to be Level 95. As for my martial soul, you may regard the swords I carry as my martial soul."
Soderos answered in a deep voice.
"What does that mean?"
At those words, Ning Fengzhi froze, unable to fully understand what Soderos meant.
"Since you're Level 95, I won't use soul power beyond Level 95 either."
Sword Douluo said solemnly.
"There is no need."
As Soderos spoke, he had already drawn the first sword from his back.
It was a greatsword with a dragon-shaped guard.
Greatsword: [Yi Long Sword: Choice].
Lin Xiao recognized the sword, a trace of excitement entering his eyes as he exclaimed inwardly, Here it comes. Here he comes! Lord Suō's four signature blows are about to make their debut on the Douluo Continent.
Normally, the next weapons would be the blunt weapon, Dwarf's Mighty Golden Hammer; the lightsaber, Heaven's Spine Bone Prison Breath; and the greatsword, Demon's Slave.
He still remembered that exquisite agony of being killed instantly by one of Soderos's combos. He had never forgotten it.
He just wondered what the experience would be like for Sword Douluo.
"That sword is indeed extraordinary."
"But that alone is not enough..."
Sword Douluo's gaze flickered as he watched Soderos draw his sword.
He could sense that this sword was not a martial soul, yet its aura was no weaker than one.
But compared to a top-tier martial soul like the Seven Kill Sword, it seemed somewhat lacking.
After a moment's contemplation, Sword Douluo fixed his gaze on Soderos and spoke again. "You are very strong. On the Douluo Continent, your attainment in the sword alone is second only to mine."
"Make the first move. I'm afraid that if I strike first, you will have neither the opportunity nor the courage to attack!"
As he spoke, he held the Seven Kill Sword horizontally before him, taking a stance that seemed to say: let you be strong as you please; a gentle breeze merely brushes the mountain ridge.
P.S.
Here it is.
I'll work hard to write another chapter. I just don't know whether I can finish it in time.
If not, I'll post it tomorrow morning.
Claiming tomorrow's votes in advance.
Before you continue