Chapter 9: My Body is Like a Sword!
"What the hell?!"
Elder Bone also stood up, blurting out without thinking.
"Hahaha..."
Sword Douluo felt that he hadn't laughed so happily in many years.
The audience around the venue was not as shocked as them. Although they all knew that Qin Jian had not improved his soul power for three consecutive years, he was Sword Douluo's direct disciple after all, and it wasn't too hard to believe he had advanced by four levels in one go.
Only Ning Fengzhi, who clearly knew Qin Jian's soul power level just a few days ago, found it utterly unbelievable.
"Uncle Sword, what is going on? How did Qin Jian's soul power improve so fast?" he couldn't help but ask.
Elder Bone next to him also pricked up his ears.
Sword Douluo frowned slightly, leaned closer to the two of them, and whispered, "This is Jian'er's greatest secret. I can't reveal it..."
Ning Fengzhi nodded, showing his understanding.
"Old Sword, with his unique first soul skill and now this ability to progress rapidly, in terms of talent, he must have surpassed Gu Yue. But his attitude toward the sect..." Elder Bone hesitated.
Even Ning Fengzhi looked over.
Sword Douluo wasn't concerned at all. "You can rest assured. After years of being with him, I've seen through this child's nature. He definitely won't let the sect down."
Ning Fengzhi heard this and nodded gently. "With Uncle Sword's judgment, I feel relieved..."
In the arena.
Gu Yue finally recovered from the shock. "You're already at level 14. Have you been hiding it all this time just to amaze everyone at this moment?"
"I think your soul power level is much higher than those opponents just now, which is why it had such a miraculous effect..."
He looked confident. "But I am not them. Don't think the same trick will work again!"
His analysis made many spectators nod in agreement, thinking they understood the truth.
Qin Jian merely smiled. "I advise you to use your full strength, or you'll lose in one round."
"The competition begins!"
Gu Yue's eyes widened in anger, but before he could retort, the presiding elder announced the start.
"Bang!"
Without a word, Gu Yue stomped the ground and dashed forward.
"You won't even use your Spirit. You'll pay the price for your arrogance!"
He roared, and the Bone Dragon Spirit behind him merged into his body. "First soul skill, Bone Claw!"
"Awesome!"
Seeing his smooth and aggressive move, the crowd couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Gu Yue didn't want to repeat others' mistakes, so he took the initiative. But Qin Jian still hasn't shown his Spirit—he's lost the initiative..."
Elder Bone smiled. "Although it's only a matter of time before Qin Jian surpasses Gu Yue, this round probably belongs to my little bone."
Sword Douluo's expression didn't change. "Don't celebrate too soon..."
In the field.
"Shua!"
Seeing the huge bone claw flying toward him, the audience gasped in alarm. But Qin Jian remained calm. He raised his right hand, fingers forming a sword shape in front of his chest, and shouted coldly:
"My body is like a sword!"
Bang!
A dark purple long sword descended in front of Qin Jian.
Bang!
The bone claw slammed into the sword with a piercing screech.
"It's over..."
Once the Love Sword Spirit appeared, Qin Jian seemed like a different person—filled with killing intent.
He didn't hesitate. Seizing the moment Gu Yue was stunned, he slashed his right sword finger.
"Sword Qi!"
Clang!
A dark purple sword energy burst from the long sword, striking Gu Yue's undefended chest.
Puff!
In the next moment, Gu Yue flew backward and fell outside the ring, tumbling several times before stopping.
The entire audience fell silent.
"What was that just now? A soul skill?"
"I didn't see it clearly. I just saw Gu Yue get defeated right after he summoned his Spirit."
"He hid his abilities for three whole years. He's terrifying..."
"..."
Finally, murmurs of discussion arose.
In the central stand, Ning Fengzhi and Elder Bone were still in shock.
Others couldn't understand it, but they were so familiar with Sword Douluo's techniques that they instantly recognized it.
This was clearly Sword Douluo's self-created soul skill: Unity of Man and Sword!
And "My body is like a sword" was Sword Douluo's usual opening move to summon his Spirit.
The two looked at each other, then turned to look at Sword Douluo.
"I told you not to be happy too early."
Sword Douluo grinned.
He had finally one-upped his old rival, and it felt fantastic.
Ning Rongrong was also ecstatic.
"Dad, Dad, Qin Jian won first place! Rongrong has the best eye, right?" She leapt into Ning Fengzhi's arms excitedly.
"Yes, yes, yes, my little princess has the best eye."
Ning Fengzhi could only echo her joy.
"The final winner is Qin Jian!"
The presiding elder finally announced the result, but it sparked very little reaction.
Because most of the audience still didn't understand what had just happened.
Only Gu Yue, climbing up from the ground, knew how terrifying Qin Jian's counterattack was in that instant.
That sword energy had torn through all his defenses—there was no shame in losing.
"I lost. You're stronger than me."
He stood before Qin Jian and said reluctantly, "But I'll definitely catch up to you in the future!"
Qin Jian glanced at him, saying nothing, and held no hostility.
Although everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect regarded them as rivals, like Sword Douluo and Elder Bone...
Qin Jian himself had never thought that way.
His opponent had never been Gu Yue, but Ning Rongrong—who was cheering at the sidelines—and the eight outstanding women to come.
The battlefield of love was where he truly fought!
"Next, will the sect's direct disciples please choose their partners. First is our little princess, Ning Rongrong!"
Before the elder could finish speaking, Ning Rongrong rushed up: "Qin Jian! Qin Jian! I choose Qin Jian!"
No one was surprised by this result, because as the sect master's daughter and the heir to the next generation, she could only choose the strongest.
"What about you, Qin Jian? Do you accept?"
Perhaps out of courtesy, the elder still asked Qin Jian's opinion. After he nodded, the elder announced, "Very well. The first pair of partners—Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong."
Gu Yue's palm clenched and loosened repeatedly before he finally lowered his head in frustration.
He knew that this time, he had truly lost. His winning streak over the past three years had all been wiped clean.
Qin Jian didn't pay attention to the rest of the pairings, because Ning Rongrong was already tugging him away. "Let's go, let's go! I want to keep listening to the story!"
So everyone watched the two of them swagger off together.
But the heat from this competition would not die down anytime soon. After all, the one who ultimately became Ning Rongrong's partner was not the long-anticipated Gu Yue, but Qin Jian, who had remained silent for three years before making a dazzling entrance.
Whether it was his mysterious performance in the earlier matches or his overwhelming final victory, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be talking about Qin Jian for a long time to come...
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(End of this chapter)