In the training grounds, Tang Yin stood across from Chen Xin, while Fenzhi and Gu Rong watched alongside Rongrong and the others.
Having seen Ning Rongrong's soul ring configuration, the two elders couldn't help but be curious about Tang Yin's current strength.
"Let's see how long this guy can hold on," muttered Bone Douluo, releasing the Bone Dragon Martial Soul to shield the others.
Sword Douluo released his martial soul, performing the standard duel ritual.
"Chen Xin—Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul. Level 97, Titled Douluo. Please!"
An ancient silver sword materialized in his right hand, while nine soul rings hovered around him: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, and another Black.
A classic, intimidating configuration.
Tang Yin's eyes glowed violet, his long, flowing blue hair drifting in the wind as he assumed a fighting stance.
"Tang Yin—Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul. Level 88, Soul Douluo. Please!"
A blue-and-gold vine sprouted from his right hand, while eight soul rings hovered around him: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Red, Red, Red, and finally, Red.
Chen Xin blinked, disbelief etched across his face. Ning Fenzhi coughed dryly, while envy flickered across Gu Rong's darkening expression.
Sword Douluo gently closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and began reciting his mantra over and over again:
"One Sword, One Heart."
He tightened his grip, steadying his sword heart. His long white hair floated freely in the breeze as he readied himself to strike.
Suddenly, his nine soul rings fused directly into the sword, disappearing from view. No longer external, they now manifested as nine radiant stars embedded within the Seven Kill Sword, each star glowing with the color of its soul ring.
Tang Yin raised a brow, a spark of recognition lighting his eyes. He had seen this ability before—in the donghua
"Ring Fusion…?" he murmured.
"This technique lets one activate their Skills instantly. But that's not all—the Martial Soul itself can be upgraded based on the age and quality of the fused soul rings. If someone were to amass rings totaling a millions years… their Wuhun could ascend to a God-Level Martial Soul."
Tang Yin shook his head, a shadow of regret crossing his features. "But… Chen Xin will never have that chance."
Sword douluo immediately appeared infront of him in a striking motion. Tang yin's reaction speed was swift as he disappeared like ghost.
Whoosh!
Whenever the sword was hair breath away from hacking at him, he would swiftly evade while also redirecting to the sword towards the other direction with his bare hands.
Clang!
"Woohoo! Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track— Com'on Tang Yin show him." Xiao Wu cheered on recognizing the technique Tang Yin was using to evade Sword douluo's sword.
"Such a delicate movement skill." Ning Fenzhi commented while Gu Rong felt that the way to evade the attack was even more amazing.
"It's the Controlling Crane Catching Dragon and Mysterious Jade Hand combination," Zhuqing muttered, awe in her voice as she recognized the flawless harmony of the four skills under Tang Yin's control.
Seeing all his attacks were futile, Chen Xin halted his advance, stepping back and keeping his distance from Tang Yin. Slowly, he raised his sword, then with a swift, vertical motion, unleashed its full force.
Shing!
A razor-thin cutting wave erupted from the blade, tearing through the training ground as it surged toward Tang Yin, who now radiated an eerie, oppressive aura.
"Asura Revolving Circle Killing Formation—Asura Death Formation!" a chilling voice boomed.
Within the terrifying Asura Hell, Tang Yin's killing intent surged to its peak, manifesting as a blinding, rapidly spinning spiral of white light, each rotation screaming sharply like the cries of the damned.
In the next instant, the sword aura shattered—disrupted and rendered useless—dissipating before it could even touch Tang Yin.
"Is this the Death God Domain…?" Gu Rong whispered, a chill running down his spine.
Seeing the attack neutralized, Sword Douluo began releasing a relentless barrage of sword aura—but Tang Yin easily blocked it with the Death God Domain.
Chen Xin gained no advantage, so he finally unleashed one of his signature sword skill.
"Overlapping Sword Shadows!" he whispered.
A massive projection of the Seven Kill Sword plunged into the ground, erupting dozens of smaller projections that spun and revolved around the central blade like deadly satellites.
Fshhh!
Tang Yin was immediately engulfed in a swirling tornado of sword attacks, each blade slicing through the air with razor-sharp precision as he readied himself to counter.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Emperor's Boost!"
Tang Yin's fifth soul ring flared brilliantly, and Blue Silver Emperor surged, tenfold in power, for the next two hours.
"Self-Created Skill—Emperor's Armor!"
A resplendent Blue-Gold armor materialized around him, gleaming with a metallic sheen, its defenses amplified tenfold.
Ding—!
The tornado of sword aura slammed into him, but not even a scratch appeared—the massive surge of sword projections shattered like glass against his newly manifested armor.
In the audience, Bone Douluo's eyes bulged in disbelief, while Fengzhi's usually stoic face cracked into an expression of shock.
"Wohoo! Tang Yin! Defeat Grandpa Chen!" Rongrong cheered, her voice ringing with excitement.
Chen Xin nearly tripped at her words, his eyes narrowing as he shot Tang Yin a glare tinged with hostility. "Damn brat! Because of you, my precious granddaughter is no longer cheering for me."
Tang Yin gulped, sensing the murderous intent, and began hustling to rein in Rongrong—who, of course, only grinned cheekily, fanning the flames even further.
"Grandpa Chen can't even break Tang Yin's armor. Of course my hubby is the strongest!" Rongrong continued boasting loudly.
Sword Douluo's aura flared violently as he suddenly transformed, his form stretching and twisting until he became a giant manifestation—the Seven Kill Sword Avatar!
Tang Yin didn't hesitate. His eyes gleamed as his Eighth Ring shimmered into existence.
"Eighth Soul Skill—Wooden Ichthyosaurus!"
From the ground beneath him erupted a 200-meter-tall Wooden Dragon, massive and impervious. It roared as it met Sword Douluo's strike head-on.
The blade threatened to cleave through, but Emperor's Boost reinforced the dragon from every angle, causing the attack to grind to a halt—harmless, impotent.
The soul power drain slammed into Tang Yin like a wave, but a clash at this level demanded nothing less. As he steadied himself from the fatigue, someone at the edge of the battlefield caught his attention.
Qian Renxue—who had come to ask Ning Fenzhi if he had any news about Tang Yin's whereabouts—froze midstep.
Waaa! You're back! she thought, her heart skipping.
Seeing her, Tang Yin lowered his gaze slightly, standing tall atop the dragon with his arms crossed, a faintly condescending smirk tugging at his lips.
Let me be cool for once. Sorry about this, Sword Douluo… alright then—let the performance begin.
"I admit your strike was powerful," he said, voice dripping with arrogance, "but it still can't slay my dragon."
Qian Renxue's eyes widened as she took in the overwhelming sight—Tang Yin towering above the wooden behemoth, his long blue hair dancing in the wind like a war banner.
"So cool…" she breathed, barely audible, starry-eyed. She was utterly dazed before hastily composing herself, cheering for him inwardly.
Beside her, Ning Fenzhi caught the soft murmur and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He even found himself nodding in agreement—
until he paused.
Wait… was that just admiration he heard?
Or… was that desire?
Ning Fenzhi blinked, shook his head quickly.
No, surely he misheard.
Hmm… must've been the wind.
"Disciple Qinghe, since when did you arrive?" he asked with a gentle smile.
"Just now, Master. Let's watch!" Renxue said quickly, not wanting to be interrupted again.
Fenzhi nodded as well—he had no intention of missing even a heartbeat of what was about to unfold.
Tang Yin raised his hand, and the Wooden Ichthyosaurus responded instantly. Its jagged maw yawned open, gathering force—then boom—a compressed water cannon erupted with explosive ferocity. The beam slammed directly into Chen Xin's sword-transformed form, a massive target in the open sky.
BOOM—!
Sword Douluo's figure was thrown backward.
His transformation shattered, and he landed on his feet with a sharp exhale, chest rising and falling. He glared at Tang Yin—the gall of this brat, his future grandson-in-law, daring to blast him so casually.
Very well.
He decided he would educate the boy.
"Hmph… Watch closely. Today, I will slay a dragon." His cold voice rumbled like distant thunder, icy and commanding. "Thunderous Eruption—One Sword Strikes the Sky!"
He roared, fury and sword intent erupting in a violent surge. Nearly two-fifths of his soul power poured into the technique—a skill that fed on the wielder's soul power, growing stronger the more he invested.
Whizzz—
Above them, a colossal sword materialized, radiating overwhelming sword intent. The pressure it exuded was so immense that even spectators tensed instinctively.
All that terrifying energy focused into the tip—then Chen Xin hurled it down.
Shhhiiinnng—!
The giant sword plummeted like divine punishment, the air around it bending under its weight, aiming straight for Tang Yin.
"This is one of Sword Douluo's strongest attacks… can he survive it?" Fenzhi asked, concern tightening his brow.
Before Bone Douluo could answer, Qinhe's calm voice reached him.
"He will."
Confidence radiated from his disciples words, compelling Fenzhi to believe her.
Tang Yin's Wooden Dragon surged skyward, meeting the descending sword head-on.
Bam—!
The dragon and the sword collided in a titanic clash. For a heartbeat, neither side yielded; the sheer force made the air itself tremble.
Slowly, the colossal sword began to dissipate, and the Wooden Dragon started to crack, splintering under the immense pressure.
Crrraaaccck!
Yet in truth, it wasn't the dragon that had fully endured the strike. With perfect timing, Tang Yin subtly shifted, releasing his Spirit Body at just the right angle. He absorbed the brunt of the attack himself, drawing in the remaining soul power from the sword as it vanished.
The result was a flawless illusion—the dragon appeared to take the full impact, but he had carefully ensured that Sword Douluo's sword dao remained intact. He even controlled how the Wooden Dragon shattered, letting it break partially to preserve the opponents pride.
To the spectators, it was a stunning display of power: a draw. Yet only Tang Yin knew the truth behind the deception, his mastery of energy and strategy hidden from every pair of eyes.
In the end, the verdict was clear: a draw.
Even so, the result shocked Renxue.
She had supported him emotionally, but logically… it shouldn't have been possible for Tang Yin to survive, let alone counterattack—he wasn't even a Titled Douluo yet.
(Qian Renxue didn't know about his soul ring configuration, having arrived only after he had completed his skill release. Her Titled Douluo guards hadn't entered the sect—they would have been discovered by either Bone Douluo or Sword Douluo.)
"Hahaha… Tang Yin, boy, you've surprised me enough with your strength. I approve of you." Chen Xin admitted generously, a rare, genuine smile breaking through. It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to fight without holding back.
He was well aware that Tang Yin's soul power was nearly depleted after using two 100,000-year soul skills, which was why they had finally stopped their duel.
Still… the sting of being unable to fully subdue Tang Yin lingered. Though, as his grandson-in-law, it hardly stung as deeply as it might have otherwise.
Tang Yin nodded with a smile, then shifted his gaze toward Xue Qinhe, who was lost in deep contemplation about the draw.
With a playful grin, he spread his arms wide and pulled her into a sudden, tight hug, making her jolt in surprise. Yet Renxue didn't resist; instead, she leaned into him, inhaling his scent as if trying to memorize it.
"Brother Qinhe, I've really missed you," he murmured softly, a charming smile lingering on his lips just a second longer than necessary.
Composing herself, she gently pushed him back, resuming the facade of a good friend.
"I've also missed your presence, Brother Tang. How long are you planning to stay this time?" Her voice carried a trace of longing that caught him off guard.
Tang Yin shook his head regretfully. "I want to stay for a while, but… I'm afraid I can't."
Seeing her subtle frown, he hurriedly added, "I'll come visit in three months at the latest. I have some important matters to attend to."
Renxue finally nodded, though inwardly she regretted that she wouldn't see him for three more months.
Ning Fenzhi was happy seeing his disciples good relationship with Tang Yin but he was also worried as he approached him with a serious expression.
"Are you going somewhere dangerous?"
Gu Rong and Chen Xin also stepped forward, concern etched on their faces. "Is Rongrong going somewhere dangerous with you?"
Tang Yin waved them off lightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Just me this time. Happy? Spend this time with her. She'll be going back with me once I return."
The girls exchanged worried glances. "Are you going to bring back Liu Erlong?" they asked.
Outwardly, Tang Yin nodded reassuringly to calm them. "I'll be back. Don't worry."
He reached out telepathically, connecting only to his lovers. "During this time, don't leave the Seven Treasure Sect. Wait for me here. I need to warn you… enemies will be attacking your clan soon, Rongrong."
His words made her pale with fright. "Who are the enemies?" she asked.
"The same enemies who will also be attacking the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—Spirit Hall. I'll go protect Erlong, while you safeguard Rongrong's clan." He instructed calmly.
His lovers nodded solemnly, promising to protect Rongrong's clan in his absence.
With that, he bid farewell to everyone—and finally to Qian Renxue, who was once again reluctant to part with him—before setting off for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.