"The pinnacle of perfection?"
Sword Douluo couldn't help but laugh.
"Kid, do you even know what you're saying? Even I wouldn't dare make such a bold claim!"
Chen Feng smiled calmly.
"But I would."
"How about this—let's make a wager, shall we?"
Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances.
"A wager? What kind of wager?" they asked in unison.
"Simple. A duel between Sword Grandpa and me, using only soul skills—no soul power involved. If I can hold my own, then I'll have earned the right to be so arrogant," Chen Feng replied confidently.
Sword Douluo was surprised.
"Have you gone mad, boy? I don't even need to activate my martial soul to easily beat you with my physical strength alone."
Chen Feng nodded.
"Exactly. That's why, to make it fair, neither of us is allowed to use soul power. We fight using only soul skills. Whoever loses—or breaks the rules—concedes defeat. Sound fair?"
Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi locked eyes again. Sword Douluo's expression turned serious.
"Are you sure about this? I've immersed myself in swordsmanship for over a hundred years. Even without soul power, one move from me could seriously injure you."
"There's always risk in battle, especially with swords. I'm prepared for that," Chen Feng said earnestly. "But I suggest you be careful too, Sword Grandpa—don't let me injure you."
Sword Douluo snorted.
"You asked for it. Don't worry, I'll hold back when it matters."
Ning Fengzhi, standing by, was intrigued. He was curious to see just how talented this young man with the Seven Kill Sword was.
"Even if you don't win, if Sword Uncle acknowledges you, I'll grant you the honorary title of Elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Ning Fengzhi said after some thought.
"Very well!" Chen Feng nodded.
In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a position like that of a Guardian Elder held real authority and couldn't be granted lightly. But an honorary elder title was already a great privilege—perfect for Chen Feng's needs.
"Let's go! To the sect's training grounds!" Sword Douluo said straightforwardly.
With that, he grabbed both Chen Feng and Ning Fengzhi by the arms and dashed toward the inner sanctum of the sect.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had thousands of soul masters, and naturally, multiple training arenas. Sword Douluo brought them to a secluded, private arena—a courtyard that also served as the personal training space of Sword and Bone Douluo. Aside from Ning Fengzhi, few dared set foot there without an invitation.
Hearing the commotion, an old man nearly two and a half meters tall emerged. His towering frame and sturdy bones made him instantly recognizable: the defensive powerhouse, Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
"What's going on here?" he bellowed from afar. "You old bastard, what are you doing challenging a kid? Aren't you ashamed?"
Sword Douluo ignored him completely and took his position opposite Chen Feng.
"Fengzhi, you be the referee."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. Since they weren't using soul power, there wouldn't be much collateral damage. He could easily manage the arena on his own.
"Activate martial souls!"
The two shouted in unison.
In the next moment, identical Seven Kill Swords materialized.
Chen Feng's soul rings spun rhythmically beneath his feet—one yellow and two purple. Sword Douluo's soul rings, however, gleamed like embedded stars on his sword:
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black—a perfect nine-ring configuration.
Even without soul power, just the presence of such a high-level martial soul exerted immense pressure on Chen Feng.
Nearby, Bone Douluo stood beside Ning Fengzhi and took over as controller of the field.
"I don't know why you two are dueling, but really—old bastard, using your Seven Kill Sword against a child? The weapon alone is in another league. How is that fair?" Gu Rong called out. "Why not use iron swords? Since it's just a test of technique, that would be far more balanced."
"Shut up!" Sword Douluo snapped.
Still, after a moment's thought, he dismissed his martial soul and retrieved a pair of plain iron swords from the nearby weapons rack. He didn't want to win by sheer advantage.
Chen Feng welcomed the change. Martial souls enhanced weapon quality dramatically. If he had to fight Sword Douluo with Seven Kill Swords, he'd be at a huge disadvantage.
Soon, both fighters were armed with ordinary iron swords.
At Bone Douluo's shout—"Begin!"—they simultaneously stepped forward and thrust their swords.
Clang!
Chen Feng's sword was knocked high into the air. Even without soul power, Sword Douluo's physical strength far surpassed his.
But Chen Feng remained calm. Using the rebound momentum, he swung his sword downward in a heavy slash.
Clang!
Their blades clashed again. This time, Sword Douluo noticed Chen Feng's strike was stronger.
"This force accumulation technique... isn't that part of the Clear Sky Sect's Disorder Wind Hammer Method? You adapted it for the sword?" Sword Douluo asked, surprised.
Despite only a few exchanges, he had already recognized the core technique behind Chen Feng's strikes.
"Does it matter where the technique comes from?" Chen Feng replied. "All that matters is whether it works."
Sword Douluo laughed.
"Very well! But you should know—Seven Kill Sword techniques emphasize speed and ferocity. The Clear Sky Sect's hammer method is powerful, yes, but it's also too slow for swordplay. Watch closely!"
He suddenly shifted his stance, sword tilted downward, body and blade melding into one seamless form.
"Seven Kill Sword Technique: Swift!"
With a shout, Sword Douluo's figure vanished in a blur. In an instant, he closed the gap and slashed down.
"Swift!"
Chen Feng roared as well. Instead of abandoning the hammer-based style, he layered it atop the Seven Kill Sword's burst strike, combining strength and speed.
Clang!
Their swords met once more—and both snapped clean in half.
They weren't martial souls after all, and couldn't withstand the impact.
Sword Douluo took half a step back, expression shifting.
To fuse the Clear Sky Sect's hammer method with the Seven Kill Sword—this youth was, indeed, dazzlingly talented.
But recognition was one thing. Acceptance was another.
"Chen Feng," Sword Douluo said seriously, "ordinary swords can't fully showcase the essence of the Seven Kill Sword. So here's the deal: I'll use my true martial soul, but I won't use any soul power. Just one sword technique, at 30% strength. If you can withstand it, I'll acknowledge you."
Then he added,
"To compensate for the martial soul's superiority, you're allowed to use your full soul power. What do you say?"
Chen Feng considered it, then nodded.
If Sword Douluo didn't use the Seven Kill Sword, it wouldn't be a true test. But if he did, the gap in power would be massive.
This compromise seemed fair.