"Grandfather, did he succeed?!" Tang Xiao watched the Heavenly Screen, a measure of hope in his eyes.
Tang Chen had been missing for decades, and many people already believed he had passed away.
But many others still hoped that Tang Chen was alive in this world.
As Tang Chen's descendant and the current master of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Xiao was naturally one of them.
After all, the Clear Sky Sect with Tang Chen and the Clear Sky Sect without him were two entirely different things.
Besides...
I hope Grandfather's personal monologue comes next. Tang Chen began to pray inwardly.
Everyone who made this so-called personal monologue ranking was still alive.
As long as Tang Chen appeared on the list, that would be enough to prove everything.
[I had thought that after Tang Chen left, there was no one left on the continent who could stand against me, no one with whom I could test my skills.]
[I never expected someone would actually seek me out and lead me to Giant Sword Mountain.]
[And this time, it was the heir of the Seven Kill Sword family-Chen Jianjun, a level ninety-seven Titled Douluo.]
[The Seven Kill Sword ranked among the top-tier tool Martial Souls, as renowned as the Clear Sky Hammer. This Martial Soul was known for its ultimate attack power and possessed an exceptionally strong killing attribute.]
[The attack power of a Soul Master who became a Titled Douluo with this Martial Soul was naturally not to be underestimated.]
[Of course, it still wasn't enough to impress me.]
[As it happened, Chen Jianjun's father had fallen to me, and now his son had come to challenge me in turn.]
[Although my Martial Soul was the Six-Winged Angel, I was also exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship.]
[Once, I had traveled the continent under an assumed name and made a name for myself as the 'Sword Immortal.' Later, I called myself 'Angel Sword' and worked in the shadows to eliminate everyone under heaven who threatened Spirit Hall.]
[Chen Jianjun's Soul Power was only at level ninety-seven, and the gap between him and me, a Peerless Douluo, was like an impassable chasm.]
[But what could I do? Ever since Tang Chen left and disappeared, I had been terribly bored, so I accepted the fight.]
[In any case, Chen Jianjun was a Titled Douluo, one of the outstanding figures of this age who stood at its peak.
Besides, he could easily become a threat to Spirit Hall, so the necessary punishment had to be meted out. Taking the edge off his spirit would do nicely.]
"It's Father!" Watching the Heavenly Screen, Chen Xin sprang to his feet.
He had never expected to see the great battle between his father and Qian Daoliu.
"Old Sword..." Just then, Gu Rong also hurried over.
Although Chen Xin had long since come to terms with the matter, it was different for those who knew the truth.
That was the real reason Gu Rong had hurried over.
He wanted to comfort his old friend, lest he do something rash.
The Douluo I era was still far too backward.
Su Ming watched the Heavenly Screen, just as uninterested as before.
Without Soul Cores, the gaps between Titled Douluo had not grown too wide.
Thus, the three so-called Peerless Douluo of the Douluo I era could not utterly overpower their opponents. Several high-level Titled Douluo joining forces could still put up a fight against one of them.
But as the eras progressed, Soul Cores appeared first, followed by Battle Armor... The gaps between the strong grew absurdly wide.
It was only because Su Ming needed the standing Qian Daoliu and the others held in the present age to lend weight to the Heavenly Screen's rankings, and to plant hooks in them ahead of time, so that people would more readily believe in the ranked individuals revealed afterward and he could better harvest Vow Power.
Otherwise, Su Ming truly wanted the first person on the list to be an identity he had fabricated himself.
After all, that was what it meant to keep the rich water from flowing into outsiders' fields.
But this works too. With Qian Daoliu and the others as a comparison, people will better understand the significance of Soul Cores, Soul Spirits, and Battle Armor, and then go completely mad.
In the script Su Ming had devised, the stronger the Douluo Plane became, the more it would benefit him.
Besides harvesting Vow Power, he also intended to use this plane as a foundation to conquer the Divine Realm and even other planes.
The evolution of the eras would make the native inhabitants stronger, allowing them to play their parts more effectively.
"Brother, let's go eat." Just then, Xiao Wu came over.
"Okay."
[Thus, I cast aside my previously casual manner and nodded, accepting the duel. When the Seven Kill Sword left its sheath, it indeed showed some of his father's old flair, and even surpassed the blue from which it had come.]
[I suppressed my Soul Power and exchanged moves with him at roughly level ninety-seven.]
[After all, if I had used the full strength of a Peerless Douluo from the outset, it would not have been a spar, but a slaughter.]
[I had to admit that the Seven Kill Sword Technique was truly exquisite, its killing intent chilling yet in harmony with the Heavenly Dao. Every sword strike carried the resolve to press forward without hesitation.]
[Chen Jianjun's understanding of the sword had already surpassed that of the vast majority of swordsmen in this age. No wonder he had joined the ranks of those at level ninety-seven.]
[Yet not long after we began fighting, he suddenly withdrew his sword and stepped back. He looked at me with tightly knitted brows, a trace of unwillingness and entreaty in his voice. "Senior, you're suppressing your strength. Please fight me with everything you have."]
[I was slightly taken aback, then said frankly, "Do you know what that means? If I go all out, you may not even be able to withstand three moves."]
[He tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his gaze as firm as iron. "I know. Level ninety-seven is my limit. I have no chance of reaching ninety-eight in this life, much less dare to hope for ninety-nine. I only want to see the highest peak of this world with my own eyes while I'm alive-even if only for an instant."]
[I fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded. Since he was so resolved, why should I hold anything back? I released the Six-Winged Angel's pressure without restraint, and golden light covered the entire sky.]
[Chen Jianjun also chose to burn everything he had, slashing out nine consecutive characters for "kill."]
[Once Soul Power reached level ninety-five, it underwent a qualitative transformation. Soul Masters also often ceased to confine themselves to Soul Skills, instead becoming one with their Martial Souls.]
[His Nine Kills had tremendous attack power, but unfortunately for him, he had encountered me.]
[I too had become one with my Martial Soul, and my Soul Power Level was as high as ninety-nine. I blocked every one of his Nine Kills.]
[At the same time, my Angel Soul Power shook and injured his internal organs. In the world today, I feared no one could heal him. Whether he survived would depend on his own fate.]
[The gulf between level ninety-seven and level ninety-nine could not be bridged by willpower and burning oneself out. It had not been easy for Chen Jianjun to come this far; dying against my full strength could also be considered a worthy fulfillment of what he had sought all his life.]
[After that battle ended, Chen Jianjun hurriedly left Giant Sword Mountain. Presumably, he went to leave his final words for his descendants.]
Father... At some point, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's eyes had reddened.
Seeing his old friend like this, Gu Rong did not know what words he could use to comfort him.