Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect

As the carriage slowly approached the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Yu Tianshuang began to feel uneasy.

Thinking of the grandfather he was about to meet, he did not know what to do. Should he simply call him Grandfather? Or should he find a chance to sound him out and see whether Grandfather really did not know he had a grandson? Perhaps he should listen to what he had to say about his father and mother, or...

"Tianshuang, Tianshuang."

Shui Xinrou's voice pulled Yu Tianshuang back to reality from the countless thoughts consuming him.

"Mm... what is it, Teacher?"

"You really are something. I said there's no need to be too nervous later. Just be yourself and relax. Think of it as a trip out to clear your head. Whatever happens, you still have your teacher."

Calming the emotions stirring within him, Yu Tianshuang looked at the mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect drawing closer and nodded, his worries easing.

In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's reception hall, Shui Xinrou was speaking with a middle-aged man seated in the host's place. He was graceful and refined, with an easygoing manner.

"Sect Master Ning, if possible, I hope your sect can offer Skywater Academy a better price on this collaboration. After all, we've worked together for such a long time, and Skywater Academy has always supported your sect. We both belong to the Heaven Dou Empire, and you are His Highness the Crown Prince's teacher, Sect Master Ning. So what do you say?"

"Haha, Dean Shui, the price is easy enough to discuss. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can reduce it by another twenty percent. After all, quite a few graduates of Skywater Academy choose to join our sect. That's easily settled. But Dean Shui, surely you didn't come in person just to discuss a price?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled with refined ease as he looked at Shui Xinrou, wisdom in his eyes.

"That's right, Sect Master Ning. This is my new student. I mainly brought him here to see the splendor of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects."

"Oh, so this young friend is your new disciple, Dean Shui. What a graceful young man."

Yu Tianshuang stepped out from beside Shui Xinrou and bowed to Ning Fengzhi.

"To be honest, Sect Master Ning, I am Yu Tianshuang, and I have long admired your sect's elder, Sword Douluo. I hear Sword Douluo also has a disciple. Might I exchange pointers with him and learn a thing or two?"

He recalled what his teacher had told him on the road: Grandfather had taken in a disciple hailed as a swordsmanship prodigy who appeared only once in a thousand years. A spar would be the perfect pretext to bring Grandfather out to meet him.

"Haha, good lad! I'll agree to this on Old Sword's behalf. That old fellow took in a disciple and shows him off in front of me every day. Since you're willing, young friend, this is just what I wanted!"

"Uncle Gu, how can you treat this so lightly? Didn't you see that this young friend's Soul Power Level is only 26? Meng Qu is already level 39 and is about to break through to Soul Ancestor. How could such a match be fair?"

"What's so difficult about that? Just have young Meng Qu suppress his Soul Power Level and refrain from using his third Soul Skill."

"This... I still don't think it's appropriate. The difference of a major realm isn't just a matter of Soul Power Level and Soul Skills. There's physical strength and other factors as well. Young friend, why don't you go back and cultivate some more, then return after you've broken through to Soul Elder?"

"There's no need, Sect Master Ning. I'm confident I can have a fair match with Brother Meng Qu."

"Good, good, good! Young man, you're arrogant enough, and I like it! How can a young person be without a sharp edge? Don't worry. If you lose, I'll give his master a beating for you. Haha! Fengzhi, take our young friend to the sparring platform. I'll go find that old stubborn fellow right now."

On the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sparring platform, an old man dressed in white stood in the center, his hair white as well. From afar, he was like an unparalleled sword, his sword intent soaring into the sky.

Beside him, a black-haired youth saw the group approaching the sparring platform and cupped his fists in greeting. "Sect Master, Senior Shui."

Yu Tianshuang raised his head and looked at the white-haired old man in the arena, who had the bearing of an immortal. A sense of closeness born from his blood welled up within him.

Suppressing the turbulent emotions in his heart, Yu Tianshuang said to Sword Chen Xin, "Greetings, Elder Sword."

Like Yu Tianshuang, Sword Chen Xin felt his heart miss a beat the moment he saw him. A familiar stirring sprang up in his heart, and he could not help asking, "Child, have you seen me before?"

"No, I haven't. But I have long admired you, Senior. To see the true face of Sword Douluo, who possesses the strongest attack on the continent, has made this trip worthwhile."

"All right, enough with the pleasantries. Meng Qu, young Tianshuang wants a fair match with you. Don't hold back, but don't be too heavy-handed either. And don't worry, young Tianshuang. If someone can't pull their punches in time, as long as you're not dead-as long as you have a single breath left in you here at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect-you'll be fine. Go ahead without worrying."

As the others withdrew to the edge of the sparring arena, the black-haired youth Meng Qu was the first to summon his Martial Soul. It was a simple, ancient-looking silver-white longsword.

"Meng Qu, level 39 Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Mithril Longsword. Please advise me."

Yu Tianshuang glanced at Meng Qu, who had summoned his Martial Soul across from him, with little interest. Suppressing the stray thoughts in his heart, he glanced at Sword Chen Xin, then extended his right hand and summoned his second Martial Soul.

"With one sword, frost chills fourteen provinces. Sword, come!"

At the call of "Sword, come," dark clouds suddenly filled the sky. Then a streak of cold light appeared on the horizon, cleaving through the clouds. It was an ice-blue longsword wreathed in bone-piercing Cold Qi. With a boom and a whistle through the air, it plunged into the center of the sparring platform, and the ground around the sword slowly began to freeze.

Yu Tianshuang then beckoned with his right hand, and the longsword flew into his grasp.

"This sword is named Heavenly Frost Cold Qi."

At the sight of the longsword in Yu Tianshuang's hand, Sword Chen Xin shot to his feet, his face full of excitement. Then he sank back down, looking utterly dejected, and murmured, "Impossible, impossible. Back then, weren't Suxin and Xiaoruan..."

"Yu Tianshuang, level 26 Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Heavenly Frost Cold Qi. Please advise me."