"Eighth Soul Skill, Radiant Myriad Rays!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo acted simultaneously.
Ghost Douluo shielded Huyan Zhen from Ning Tianchen's attacks, while Chrysanthemum Douluo aimed to cripple Ning Tianchen with a powerful high-level soul skill and force him to cease his assault.
"How dare you!"
Chen Xin furiously stood up, launching the Seven Kill Sword toward Chrysanthemum Douluo.
Dugu Bo activated his True Body state, intercepting the Spirit Hall experts who were attempting to intervene.
For a moment, the tension in the venue reached a breaking point. It seemed as though the Sky Sword Sect and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect were on the verge of clashing with the Spirit Hall.
Ning Tianchen, however, was not one to sit idly by. Huyan Zhen had sought death willingly—no one could save him now!
"Eighth Soul Skill, Fragmented Shadow Sword Song."
The blood-red soul ring glowed once more.
The soul skill granted by the divine-bestowed soul ring was always the most compatible with the soul master.
In an instant, Ning Tianchen's figure vanished from his original position, dodging Chrysanthemum Douluo's attack.
The next second, his figure reappeared beside Huyan Zhen, splitting into ten shadowy images.
Each shadow appeared to be composed entirely of pure sword energy, none of them being Ning Tianchen's true body.
The ten shadows darted toward Huyan Zhen simultaneously. If all of them struck, Huyan Zhen would be torn apart limb from limb!
Ghost Douluo dared not underestimate Ning Tianchen. Upon entering the Seven Kill Domain, he had clearly felt his strength being suppressed, and the ferocity of Ning Tianchen's attacks was beyond comprehension.
He was certain that, given time, Ning Tianchen would undoubtedly become the strongest power on the continent.
But for now, the latter had yet to fully mature!
"Ninth Soul Skill, Hellish Specters!"
Gigantic skeletal arms erupted from the ground, shielding Huyan Zhen's body.
On the other side, Chrysanthemum Douluo engaged Chen Xin directly.
A ninety-five-level Title Douluo stood no chance against a ninety-seven-level Title Douluo.
After just a few exchanges, Chrysanthemum Douluo was thoroughly suppressed by Chen Xin, looking utterly disheveled.
Ning Fengzhi abruptly stood up, turning toward Bibi Dong with a cold expression. "Your Holiness Pope, does the Spirit Hall intend to disrupt the fairness of this conference?"
The eyes of the masses were sharp.
This was Ning Tianchen and Huyan Zhen's battlefield. The Spirit Hall's experts stepping in to aid Huyan Zhen was clearly an act of favoritism.
Such actions made it impossible to guarantee the fairness of the new ranking of the seven great sects!
In an instant, the audience rallied behind Ning Fengzhi, collectively condemning the Spirit Hall.
Bibi Dong's expression darkened.
These spectators hailed from various major sects across the continent—the Spirit Hall couldn't silence so many people.
If word spread, the reputation the Spirit Hall had built over tens of thousands of years would be destroyed, and Bibi Dong's plans would never come to fruition.
---
On the battlefield, Ghost Douluo's ninth soul skill failed to protect Huyan Zhen.
Nine figures crashed down, shattering the defense of the skeletal arms. The final burst of sword energy slammed into Huyan Zhen, gravely injuring him. Not a single piece of flesh on his body remained intact.
"Enough!"
Bibi Dong roared angrily, activating her Killing God Domain, which enveloped the entire venue.
Once the soul skill finished activating, Ning Tianchen landed beside Chen Xin.
Facing Bibi Dong's pressure, he showed no fear, countering with his own Killing God Domain.
"Evolution Skill of the Killing God Domain: Eye of the Asura."
A pair of blood-red eyes brimming with killing intent appeared behind him.
The Killing God Domain originated from the Asura God. As the successor of the Asura God, how could Ning Tianchen possibly lose in a clash of domains?
The moment the Eye of the Asura appeared, Bibi Dong felt a deep-seated dread in her soul, her eyes twitching slightly.
Under immense pressure from all sides, Bibi Dong declared, "The sect leader battle is over. The Sky Sword Sect is victorious!"
"Hmph!"
Chen Xin snorted coldly before returning to the rest area alongside Ning Tianchen.
Though this farce had concluded, the audience was far from satisfied.
The Spirit Hall personally intervening to undermine the fairness of the conference wasn't something that could be resolved by simply declaring Ning Tianchen the victor.
Besides, the victory rightfully belonged to Ning Tianchen.
Seeing Bibi Dong's growing inclination to take action, Hu Liena quickly stepped forward to address the crowd. "The safety of every contestant will be protected by the Spirit Hall."
"Although Huyan Zhen's actions during the match were excessive, he is also a guest of the Spirit Hall."
"In previous re-selection conferences of the seven great sects, there have always been zero casualties. We cannot make an exception at this conference."
"The situation earlier was urgent, and we didn't have time to explain to everyone, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings. On behalf of the Spirit Hall, I sincerely apologize to the Sky Sword Sect and Ning Tianchen. I hope that everyone can remain restrained in the upcoming matches."
It must be said, Hu Liena's crisis management skills were exceptional.
After her speech, many in the audience gradually accepted the Spirit Hall's actions and ceased their objections.
The re-selection conference of the seven great sects was the focal point of the entire continent. If tensions escalated here, it would further destabilize the continent and lead to an expanded scale of war.
Since the Spirit Hall had backed down and provided a face-saving solution, neither Ning Tianchen nor Ning Fengzhi pressed the matter further.
After exchanging glances, they accepted the Spirit Hall's apology.
Dugu Bo approvingly remarked, "Little one, your performance at the conference has already dealt a heavy blow to the Pope's pride. To press further would only provoke the Spirit Hall's murderous intent."
Though Ning Tianchen's strength could rival that of a Title Douluo, his soul power level had not yet reached an invincible state.
For now, avoiding conflict with the Spirit Hall and secretly accumulating strength was the wise choice.
With this episode concluded, the conference resumed.
Regardless of whether the arena was damaged, the elder battles in the same round would still proceed.
On the Elephant Armor Sect's side, seeing their sect leader Huyan Zhen so grievously injured, the elders united in indignation, vowing to reclaim their honor in the elder battles.
Even if they ultimately lost this round, they were determined not to let the Sky Sword Sect's experts leave the venue standing!
"Sect Leader, let me go!"
Yang Wudi clenched his fists, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Ning Tianchen didn't understand why Yang Wudi was so enraged, but after Dugu Bo explained, he nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Elder Yang, show your prowess on the stage and thoroughly crush the Elephant Armor Sect's arrogance. However, the Elephant Armor Sect surely has more underhanded tricks—they must be handled with extreme caution."
As he spoke, he returned the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb to Yang Wudi.
If the Elephant Armor Sect used toxic mist again, Yang Wudi would be completely immune.
"The Sky Sword Sect versus the Elephant Armor Sect, the first elder battle is about to begin. Please have the competitors step onto the stage!"
Before the referee's words faded, Yang Wudi had already arrived on the stage.
Seeing this, the Elephant Armor Sect sent out their strongest elder, Grand Elder Huyan Bo.
The match was charged with hostility. As soon as the referee announced the start, the two immediately clashed.
There was no probing—both activated their True Body states and attacked with full force.
Without a proper arena, they fought within the deep crater.
Though the audience couldn't see how they exchanged blows, the sounds of battle echoing from the crater indicated that this match was brutal and visceral.
---
"Elder Yang's strength is indeed formidable."
Huo Lie, sensing the situation on the battlefield, couldn't help but praise him.
Among all the elders of the Sky Sword Sect, Yang Wudi's soul power level ranked near the bottom. However, in terms of actual combat strength, Yang Wudi was undoubtedly among the top tier—one might even call him the strongest of the elders.
From the start of the battle, Grand Elder Huyan Bo was thoroughly suppressed by Yang Wudi.
Though Huyan Bo repeatedly broke free of Yang Wudi's attacks using his eighty-seven-level soul pressure, he was quickly forced back into a disadvantageous position.
The intense battle lasted for about the time it took to burn a stick of incense. Gradually, the sounds of combat from the crater below subsided.
Yang Wudi emerged from the crater, dragging the severely injured Huyan Bo back to the surface. He tossed Huyan Bo aside and placed his right foot firmly on the man's head.
Yang Wudi's gaze turned toward the Elephant Armor Sect's rest area, piercingly locking onto Second Elder Huyan Qi and Third Elder Huyan Nan. He spat on the ground.
The audience, unable to see the details of the match, erupted in cheers upon witnessing Yang Wudi's display.
The biggest highlight of the re-selection conference of the seven great sects was the grudge between the two sects. Now it was clear—the Sky Sword Sect decisively outclassed the Elephant Armor Sect. In the future, any attempt by the Elephant Armor Sect to seek revenge would be nearly impossible.
Seeing Bibi Dong's expression grow increasingly grim, the referee hastily announced the Sky Sword Sect's victory.
Pausing briefly, the referee continued, "Due to the damage to the arena, the next match between the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Snow Mountain Sect will be postponed until repairs are completed."
The audience immediately expressed their dissatisfaction.
The most anticipated match of the day was undoubtedly the battle between Chen Xin and Tian Ruyang.
A match that was supposed to happen immediately had been postponed by the organizers, leaving the audience feeling as if ants were crawling all over their hearts.
Ning Fengzhi and Tian Ruyang exchanged glances and simultaneously declared, "There's no need. We don't require a stage—we'll fight directly."
Between the two sects, there were a total of five Title Douluo-level experts. As powerful individuals, Title Douluos could stand in mid-air, so the battlefield could easily be set in the sky.
Since neither sect objected, the referee naturally had no objections either.
The referee then inquired about the sequence of matches for the two sects. Both sides unanimously agreed to begin with the sect leader battle.
This announcement sent the audience into a frenzy, with many praising the two sects.
Of course, for Chen Xin and Tian Ruyang, a confrontation was inevitable sooner or later. There was no point in delaying it—they might as well fight now.
A battle between two ninety-seven-level Title Douluos would undoubtedly be a feast for the eyes.
---
The two figures simultaneously ascended to the airspace above the arena.
Tian Ruyang clasped his fists and said, "Sword Douluo, please guide me."
Chen Xin responded, "Ling Huang (Spirit Phoenix) Douluo, please!"
The battle began!
Chen Xin extended his right hand in a sword gesture, controlling the Seven Kill Sword to strike at his opponent first.
The Ice Spirit Phoenix flapped its wings, releasing countless feather blades.
Below, Ning Tianchen watched the exchange between the two powerhouses intently.
Especially Chen Xin—every single move he made seemed to contain an infinite amount of sword energy. Even after the attack dissipated, the sword energy lingered in the air, quickly forming walls of sword energy.
Ning Tianchen could also create walls of sword energy, but his process was relatively slow, and during combat, he found it difficult to fully unleash their power.
On the other hand, when Chen Xin formed a continuous wall of sword energy, Tian Ruyang could only counter with even stronger soul skills.
Back and forth, Tian Ruyang's soul power consumption grew significantly, creating a gap between him and Chen Xin.
As fellow ninety-seven-level Title Douluos, Chen Xin fought conservatively, avoiding aggressive tactics.
Of course, this sect leader battle determined the title of the continent's number one sect—caution was always wise.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body."
Tian Ruyang, unable to withstand the pressure any longer, decided to resolve the battle quickly using his True Body state.
Chen Xin anticipated his next move and countered with his own True Body.
Simultaneously, the eighth soul ring beneath his feet lit up.
"Eighth Soul Skill, Seven Kill Thunder Rises, One Sword Breaks the Heavens!"
Streams of sword energy appeared before Chen Xin, and he raised the Seven Kill Sword to deliver a devastating overhead strike.
"Eighth Soul Skill, Phoenix Resonance Dust-Clearing Cry!"
Tian Ruyang's eighth soul skill wasn't a physical attack but rather a sonic wave-type soul skill.
The cry of the phoenix caused spatial tremors with its sound waves.
The closer Chen Xin's eighth soul skill approached the Ice Spirit Phoenix, the more its power diminished.
The sonic wave attack made the air feel viscous, severely weakening the power of the Seven Kill Sword's eighth soul skill as it traveled.
"Sonic wave attack."
Chen Xin frowned.
Sonic wave-type soul skills were second only to spirit-based soul skills in terms of mystery and were extremely rare on the continent.
In the audience, Dugu Bo felt a sense of dread.
The Phoenix martial soul countered his snake-type martial soul, especially with sonic wave attacks, which chilled him to the bone.
"Truly formidable," Ning Tianchen couldn't help but remark.
If it were him facing such a powerful sonic wave soul skill, he doubted he'd find a way to counter it in the short term.
He wondered how Chen Xin would respond.
In the rest area of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi watched the aerial battlefield with tense eyes.
Gu Rong sighed, "Spirit Phoenix Douluo's sonic wave attacks are far stronger than my Wind Howl. Old Sword Man might be in trouble."
---
In the aerial battlefield, Chen Xin couldn't fully grasp the specifics of the soul skill. To play it safe, he chose to maintain a sufficient distance from his opponent.
Seeing this, Tian Ruyang inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had already experienced the destructive power of the Seven Kill Sword.
Had it not been for his tactical advantage, the earlier direct clash would have left him at a disadvantage.
However, his eighth soul skill consumed a tremendous amount of soul power, making it impossible to use multiple times. Simply achieving this much was far from enough to defeat Chen Xin.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Instant Ice Blade!"
The Ice Spirit Phoenix flapped its wings, stirring up a storm.
Moisture in the air was drawn into the storm, transforming into countless sharp ice blades.
"He's practically 'committing a crime'!" Dugu Bo couldn't help but comment.
The Seven Kill Sword was a real blade, whereas Tian Ruyang's attacks were merely ice blades formed from water.
Facing actual weapons, initiating such an attack would be suicide.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xin didn't choose to clash head-on. Instead, he planted the Seven Kill Sword in front of him, forming a barrier of sword energy to block the attack.
The opportunity passed in the blink of an eye.
Tian Ruyang quickly realized the issue and avoided making similar mistakes in the subsequent battle.
Ning Tianchen sighed helplessly. "Grandpa is still too cautious."
In the original timeline, Chen Xin had never achieved particularly outstanding results.
Even when he faced Chrysanthemum Douluo earlier, he had merely suppressed the opponent.
The problem was obvious—the Seven Kill Sword seemed to have lost its edge!
Ning Tianchen couldn't determine the reason.
Perhaps joining the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and being constrained by Ning Fengzhi had led Chen Xin to voluntarily tone down his aggression.
Or perhaps the heavy burden he carried made him reluctant to take risks.
Whatever the reason, it wasn't a good thing.
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