Douluo Continent: The Sword of Wine Sweeps Across the Sky, One Sword Opens the Heavens

Xie Yunliu politely declined Ning Fengzhi's invitation, causing a slight pause in the atmosphere.

Ning Rongrong's mouth opened slightly, somewhat surprised and disappointed.

She had thought that with the strength and sincerity of her sect, the other party would be somewhat moved, but she did not expect the rejection to be so decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.

Ning Fengzhi's smile remained unchanged, but he sighed softly in his heart.

He had long seen that the boy was aloof and unrestrained, but when he was actually rejected, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Such a genius, if he could join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, would surely become a pillar of the school in the future. For now, we can only give up.

Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo, raised an eyebrow, as if he wanted to say something, but was stopped by a look from Ning Fengzhi.

Forced relationships are never sweet, especially when the other party is a young man who has been kind to you and has extraordinary talent. Pushing him too hard will only backfire.

Only Sword Douluo Chen Xin kept his gaze fixed on Xie Yunliu, his eyes growing brighter as if he had discovered the rarest treasure in the world.

Throughout his life, he was obsessed with the sword, achieved success through the sword, and was also trapped by the sword.

His swordsmanship is unparalleled; he is a titled Douluo, and few in the world can catch his eye.

But the young man in front of me, with only a little over twenty levels of soul power, had pure sword intent, refined sword moves, and steady hand movements. He showed no impetuousness like his peers, and every sword strike revealed his ultimate focus on the way of the sword.

What's even more remarkable is that Xie Yunliu doesn't follow the path of flashy soul skills, but only uses soul rings to amplify himself, nurture his sword, and strengthen his will, which coincides with Chen Xin's philosophy that "the sword is the foundation."

Chen Xin even vaguely sensed that the young man's foundation in swordsmanship and his comprehension were far superior to all the younger generation he had ever seen, including the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall, who could hardly match him even a fraction of his talent.

This person is simply a born swordsman, the best candidate to inherit his swordsmanship and even surpass him.

Seeing this, Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Since you have made up your mind, young friend, I will not force you. However, I cannot leave your life-saving grace unreturned. Please accept this small gift as a token of our sect's appreciation."

After saying that, he waved his hand and had someone bring over a storage soul tool, which contained all sorts of spiritual herbs, golden souls, and sword-shaped body-tempering jade materials, all of which were great treasures that would greatly benefit sword cultivators.

Xie Yunliu didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to take it.

His independence from powerful forces does not mean he will turn down resources.

These items were perfect for breaking through to level 30 and honing his sword intent. He accepted them without hesitation, considering it compensation for his actions that day, with no further debts owed.

"In that case, we will not disturb your cultivation any longer." Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. "We have heard that you often train in the Soul Arena. We can take this opportunity to witness the Drunken Sword's prowess."

He did not leave immediately, but instead led Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Ning Rongrong to the VIP seats.

Firstly, he didn't want to appear too pragmatic, and secondly, he wanted to see for himself what kind of combat power this young man could display in a formal Soul Battle.

And worldly desires are something one cannot obtain.

Before long, Xie Yunliu's performance began.

The opponent is a level 38 Soul Master, a powerful attacker with a Giant Bear Martial Soul. He is thick-skinned and has amazing defense, and is known as the "Iron Wall Bear King" in the Soul Arena. He is extremely difficult to deal with.

The audience erupted in uproar.

"The Drunken Swordsman is back on the field! His opponent is none other than the Iron Wall Bear King!"

"The Bear King's defenses are extremely strong; even Soul Masters would have difficulty breaking through them. Can this young man handle it?"

"He even defeated the Soul Sect before; he might have a backup plan!"

In the VIP section, Ning Rongrong nervously gripped the hem of her clothes, her eyes fixed on the Soul Battle Arena.

Ning Fengzhi sipped his tea gently, his expression serene.

Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo, said with great interest: "This brat's defense is indeed solid. I'd like to see how this young man breaks through this predicament."

Only Chen Xin leaned forward slightly, his gaze unwavering, and even his breathing became lighter.

The referee gave the whistle, and the match began.

The Giant Bear Soul Master instantly possessed his Martial Soul, with his three Soul Rings (yellow, purple, and purple) rising. His muscles swelled, and his fur became as thick as a shield. With a roar, he charged forward fiercely.

The first and second soul skills are activated simultaneously, instantly maximizing the defensive power, making the user appear like a moving mountain, charging straight in.

Ordinary Soul Masters would either retreat or be severely injured by the impact.

Xie Yunliu stood still, his expression unchanged.

He didn't rush to dodge, nor did he suddenly unleash his power; he simply raised his hand slowly, and the Ink Shadow Sword was drawn from its sheath with a soft hum.

Two purple soul rings slowly swirled, one sharp and one steady, quietly activating the full-domain amplification.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, only a deep and profound sword intent that slowly unfolded.

"They're here," Chen Xin thought to himself.

Xie Yunliu took light steps, his figure as graceful as a willow in the breeze, avoiding the giant bear's head-on collision. At the same time, with a slight flick of his wrist, he thrust out the Ink Shadow Sword.

There were no fancy moves, just a simple, single thrust, yet it was fast, accurate, and penetrating, aimed directly at the weakest point in Xiong Hun Zun's defense.

"bite--"

The sword tip touched the bear skin, producing a metallic clang.

Xiong Hun Zun sneered, believing his defense to be impenetrable.

But the next moment, his expression changed drastically.

Xie Yunliu suddenly increased the force on his sword. The armor-piercing amplification of the Shadow Blade Leopard and the all-domain power amplification of the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horned Beast erupted simultaneously. The sword energy was like needles, penetrating layer by layer, and forcefully breaking through the thick bear skin defense.

The Bear Soul Venerable, in pain, roared and turned around to strike.

Xie Yunliu retreated again, his sword moving with him, each strike faster than the last.

Each sword strike is aimed at the same spot, with sword intent overlapping and sword energy becoming solid. There is no greed for quantity or speed, only the pursuit of ultimate defense breaking and precision.

He still didn't use any soul skills, relying entirely on his self-created sword techniques and pure amplification.

Chen Xin's eyes grew brighter and brighter with each opening.

"Well... well, a brilliant example of using a single point to break through the whole!"

"The sword intent is calm, the sword techniques are simple; with the simplest sword, the strongest defense is broken!"

"At such a young age, he already understands the principle that 'the value of a sword lies in the heart, not in strength'!"

The more he looked at it, the more alarmed he became, and the more alarmed he became, the more he liked it.

This young man's swordsmanship is without any deviation. He does not rely on external forces, does not indulge in soul techniques, and does not pursue flashy techniques. He only cultivates the sword itself and himself.

This is precisely the path he has walked throughout his life.

If we could take him under our wing and teach him everything we know, within twenty years, the Douluo Continent would surely produce another Sword Maniac Title Douluo, perhaps even stronger than him.

With him in charge, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will be safe and secure for the next hundred years.

His swordsmanship has finally found a true successor to carry on his legacy.

Thinking of this, Chen Xin felt a surge of passion in his heart.

But the next moment, he suddenly remembered Xie Yunliu's words, "Not belonging to any party, not bound by any constraints," and his heart sank, his joy instantly extinguished by a bucket of cold water.

Headache.

I have an incredibly bad headache.

In his entire life, he had never felt so powerless in his battles, in his fights against enemies, in his attempts to conquer the art of swordsmanship.

No matter how strong the opponent, he can defeat them with a single sword strike.

No matter how many enemies there are, he can defeat them all with a single sword strike.

Faced with a young man of unparalleled talent and unwavering will who refused to join a sect or become an apprentice, even with his extraordinary abilities, he was at a loss.

Taking on an apprentice? The other party refused.

Forcing them to stay? That would only create enmity, not spread the word.

Persuasion? The boy's eyes were as firm as swords, clearly indicating that he had already made up his mind and could not be easily swayed.

Chen Xin sighed softly, her fingertips clenching slightly.

He spent his life seeking the sword, but just when he was about to find the best successor, he was blocked from entering by an invisible wall.

On the battle stage, the fight was nearing its end.

Xie Yunliu pierced the old wound of the Giant Bear Soul Venerable with his sword. The triple boost of armor penetration, strength, and speed was combined, and the Giant Bear Soul Venerable could no longer hold on. He collapsed to the ground and admitted defeat on the spot.

The entire venue erupted in cheers.

"Drunken Swordsman wins! He wins again!"

"Even the Iron Wall Bear King's defenses were breached by him, he's too strong!"

Xie Yunliu sheathed his sword and stood still, his breathing steady and his soul power consumption minimal, demonstrating the full extent of the power amplification's endurance.

He slowly walked down from the battle arena, seemingly oblivious to the cheers, maintaining his aloof and indifferent demeanor.

In the VIP section, Chen Xin gazed at the figure in the blue robe from behind, remaining silent for a long time.

I like it, and the more I look at it, the more I like it.

It's a pity, the more I think about it, the more regrettable it is.

Ning Fengzhi saw through his thoughts and said softly, "Uncle Jian, we can't force it. This boy is like a lone sword with no sheath to hide in; he can only be allowed to walk alone."

Chen Xin remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed deeply: "In my entire life, I have never wanted to take on a disciple so much."

"It's a pity that his heart is with the world, not with the sect."

"Such talent, it would be a great pity if no one guided him."

Ning Rongrong whispered, "Grandpa Jian, he's really strong, isn't he?"

Chen Xin nodded slowly, his gaze complex: "Strong."

"So strong... that it makes this old man jealous."

"I only regret that I cannot keep him by my side to pass on my swordsmanship and inherit my mantle."

Even after he finished speaking, the cheers from the audience continued to be enthusiastic.

But in Chen Xin's heart, all that remained was admiration and utter helplessness.

A lone sword is hard to keep, a beautiful woman is hard to hold onto.

This young swordsman is destined to live a solitary life, roaming freely between heaven and earth.

And he, a titled Douluo in swordsmanship, could only watch from afar, full of regret for the talent, but unable to do anything about it.