Facing the flash of the blade, Sword Douluo raised his brows slightly and tapped his right foot against the ground, using the force to spring up. In the blink of an eye, he reached Jun Yi's side, bringing his finger directly against Jun Yi's Soul Tool saber.
Clang!
The crisp collision rang throughout the training grounds, and Jun Yi was sent flying backward once again.
This time, he did not use Shambles again. Instead, he chose to take Sword Douluo's attack head-on, because Sword Douluo had only used ordinary swordsmanship just now, without releasing any Soul Power.
Even so, Jun Yi still could not withstand Sword Douluo's strike. Although his body was already covered in Armament Haki, he could still feel the hand holding his saber trembling slightly.
Although it was only a simple spar, he had gained a profound understanding of the gap between them. The pressure Sword Douluo exerted on him was simply too great, and Jun Yi had no way of doing anything to him.
"I'm done, Grandpa Sword. I can't beat you at all." Jun Yi slid the Soul Tool saber into its sheath, then mounted it on his right arm as he spoke.
Hearing Jun Yi say this, Sword Douluo also withdrew his imposing presence and said with satisfaction:
"Brat, you're a little stronger than I expected. Whether it's your use of spatial movement or that blade light you just unleashed, an ordinary Soul Grandmaster couldn't withstand it at all. Even Soul Elders with three Yellow Soul Rings would suffer at your hands."
Sword Douluo was unstinting in his praise of Jun Yi. During their exchange just now, he had once again clearly felt how formidable Jun Yi's blue space was. There were quite a few people in this world with spatial Martial Souls.
However, someone like Jun Yi, who could give space tangible form, envelop himself and his enemies within it, and freely control everything inside-that ability really did seem rather overpowered when he thought about it.
"Kid, with your ability to swap things within that space alone, you already have what it takes to become a formidable control-type Soul Master."
Jun Yi returned to his cocky self and said, "Grandpa Sword, thank you for the praise. Once I become a Titled Douluo, the two of us will definitely be invincible across the continent if we join forces."
Sword Douluo's face darkened. This kid Jun Yi was good in every way, except that he couldn't take praise. Give him a little sunshine, and he would bloom.
Sword Douluo coughed twice, then looked at Jun Yi solemnly and said, "Brat, even if we join forces after you become a Titled Douluo, we won't necessarily be the strongest on the continent."
"The Douluo Continent is full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons, and secluded experts are as numerous as the hairs on an ox. Only the Clear Sky Sect's sect master from back then could be called invincible," Sword Douluo said with a sigh.
"It's fine, Grandpa Sword. That Clear Sky Sect master was so powerful, but isn't he nowhere to be seen now? Once those old fossils die, we'll join forces. Won't we still be invincible then?"
"You little brat!"
Listening to Jun Yi's absurd remarks, Sword Douluo really was amused. With Jun Yi's thick-skinned, utterly shameless personality, even if he were to roam the continent alone in the future, he certainly wouldn't suffer too many losses.
Sword Douluo waved his hand and said, "Brat, stop thinking about the future. I have a pretty good understanding of your physical strength now. Next, I'll increase your training load and teach you some insights into Self-Created Soul Skills. You'd better prepare yourself."
"Mm-hmm."
And so, Jun Yi's pig-slaughtering screams once again rang throughout the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, though the number of howls had clearly decreased considerably.
Inside Ning Rongrong's bedroom, Ning Rongrong slowly opened her eyes as she soaked in her medicinal bath. Her whole body ached, as though it no longer belonged to her.
"What, is the sect slaughtering pigs again?" Ning Rongrong asked weakly.
"Miss, you're awake."
Seeing Ning Rongrong wake up, the servant beside her quickly offered her a cup of water.
Ning Rongrong wanted to take the cup and drain it in one gulp, but the soreness had already overwhelmed her body. Her hand was so limp that she couldn't even hold the white porcelain teacup.
The servant hurriedly supported Ning Rongrong, letting her lean against the bathtub, and helped her drink.
After drinking the tea, Ning Rongrong felt much more comfortable. Seeing her in this state, the servant asked curiously, "Miss, why did you suddenly start exercising? I heard from the others that you ran a full lap around our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. That's really impressive."
"Not a full lap. I ran about six or seven tenths of the way before my body couldn't keep going," Ning Rongrong replied.
"That's still very impressive. You managed to run so far on your very first attempt. If you exercise more in the future, Miss, it won't be hard for you to surpass the other disciples," the servant said flatteringly.
"I'm still a long way behind Jun Yi."
"After Young Master Jun carried you back today, I thought I saw him smile. How strange," the maid muttered.
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's expression immediately brightened a little. She looked up at the maid and said, "Did Jun Yi see that I was asleep and deliberately make fun of me in front of you?"
The maid hurriedly waved her hands and explained, "No, no, Miss, you've misunderstood. What I saw in Young Master Jun's eyes was gratification. I suppose he was won over by your perseverance too."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong said cockily, "Of course! Just who do you think I am? I'll definitely surpass Jun Yi someday and make him willingly call me Big Sister Rongrong."
Her expression was exactly the same as Jun Yi's when he had been showing off to Sword Douluo earlier-a cocky boy and a cocky girl through and through.
"How long was I asleep?"
"By my reckoning, about an hour," the maid replied.
"Then that's about enough. I still have to go train with Grandpa Sword." With that, Ning Rongrong forced herself to endure her exhaustion and soreness and stood up. The servant helped her dress and eat.
Afterward, Ning Rongrong, dressed in blue with her hair tied in a ponytail, left the room and slowly walked toward the training grounds. Behind her, the servants began whispering among themselves as they watched her.
"Miss Rongrong is working so hard. She must have met someone she likes. It has to be Young Master Jun Yi."
"Definitely. Otherwise, she wouldn't be working so hard. But the young lady herself doesn't seem to have realized it."
On the training grounds, Jun Yi had long since lost his earlier cockiness. Panting heavily, he struggled to sit on the ground, beads of sweat constantly sliding down his forehead. Although there was some dust on him, he was not nearly as disheveled as before.
"It seems this Soul Ring produced by your Martial Soul really has given you a substantial boost," Sword Douluo murmured.
"Hah, yes. That's right."
Jun Yi was just about to say something when Sword Douluo abruptly vanished, leaving him rather bewildered. He turned around and discovered that Ning Rongrong had actually arrived at the training grounds. Sword Douluo had gone to her side as though she were a precious treasure, his face full of affection.
(End of chapter)