The Soul-Breaking Spear was like a sharp spear, all its attacks focused on a single point.
The Dragon Sword Protection couldn't withstand it and was about to shatter when Ning Tianchen relied on his agility to dodge the attack.
"Boy, your strength is impressive. Being able to withstand my attacks is already something to be proud of. But to become the leader of the Breaking Clan? You're far from it!"
Yang Wudi's eyes glowed red, his gaze becoming intensely focused, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Seventh soul skill, Martial Soul True Body!"
Niu Gao couldn't help but curse, "Old Mountain Goat, are you planning to tear down my residence?"
Although the Defense Clan wouldn't live here in the future, he still didn't want his residence destroyed—it was at least a keepsake.
Ning Tianchen's fighting spirit burned even brighter. He held the Seven Kill Sword in front of him, and the blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring beneath his feet suddenly lit up.
The true bodies of two weapon-type martial souls appeared simultaneously.
The powerful fluctuations of soul force caused a slight tremor in the Defense Clan's residence and the surrounding streets.
Bai Chenxiang covered her mouth and exclaimed, "He possesses both the True Body of a weapon-type martial soul and a beast-type martial soul? How is that even possible?"
Oscar stood beside her, smirking mischievously. "Miss Xiang Xiang, there's no need to think too hard about it. Only weapon-type martial souls can achieve this."
For someone with copying abilities like him, it seemed possible in the future.
However, he was currently only at the Soul Emperor level and couldn't yet use the True Body of a copied martial soul.
---
The Seven Kill Sword and the Soul-Breaking Spear collided violently.
Ning Tianchen's attacks were balanced between offense and defense, leaving no openings. On the other hand, Yang Wudi had no defense—his upper, middle, and lower paths were completely exposed.
However, Yang Wudi's attack frequency was extremely high, and Ning Tianchen couldn't break through his assault or land a hit on his body.
"Killing God Domain, activate!"
An Asura mark appeared in Ning Tianchen's pupils, and his eye sockets turned crimson.
Coldness and killing intent spread rapidly from his body.
"What intense killing intent! Is this the Killing God Domain?"
Yang Wudi unconsciously tightened his grip on the Soul-Breaking Spear.
Tang Hao and Tang Chen both possessed the Killing God Domain, so he was familiar with it.
With such a domain and Ning Tianchen's current strength, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that he surpassed Tang Chen and Tang Hao.
Thinking about this, Yang Wudi felt that having the Breaking Clan join the other party's sect wasn't a bad idea.
With such a powerful sect leader, how could their future be bleak?
In this sparring match, he willingly became the whetstone for the other's blade, pushing Ning Tianchen to unleash his full potential.
Thus, Yang Wudi changed his tactics, and his attacks were no longer as sharp or fierce as before.
Of course, this was also due to the suppression of the domain.
"Seven Kill Sword Technique, Swift Sword Style."
Ning Tianchen shifted from defense to offense. His sword moved like the wind, swift as thunder.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Sweep!"
Yang Wudi planted his feet firmly, holding the spear with both hands. With his right hand gripping the spear shaft at his waist and the spearhead pointing downward, he unleashed a sudden burst of force.
His movements were clean and precise, the spear tip resembling a broom, as if trying to sweep away everything in front of him.
The Seven Kill Sword blocked horizontally, and the tremendous impact made Ning Tianchen's hands tremble slightly.
"No wonder it's called the king of all weapons!" Ning Tianchen couldn't help but exclaim.
The momentum of a spear-type martial soul far exceeded that of a sword-type martial soul. At the same level, the spear had an absolute advantage.
Yang Wudi laughed heartily. "I have one final move—be ready!"
As he finished speaking, the eighth soul ring beneath his feet emitted a dazzling light.
"Old Mountain Goat, have you gone mad!" Bai He and Niu Gao exclaimed in unison.
Yang Wudi's eighth soul skill was an ultimate attack-type skill.
If not controlled properly, it could easily result in accidental fatalities.
Ning Tianchen wasn't just their sect leader but also the number one genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. If he were to fall here, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would never forgive them!
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body." Niu Gao's expression turned grave as he transformed into his martial soul's true form, preparing to intercept Yang Wudi's attack.
---
Ning Tianchen, however, remained calm and composed where he stood.
The Seven Kill Sword twirled in his hand, and the next moment, a powerful sword aura erupted from the tip.
The sword aura began to condense around him spontaneously, forming a domain—the Seven Kill Domain.
Under the influence of the two domains, all of Yang Wudi's attributes were suppressed by 20% by the Killing God Domain, and his attack power was further reduced by 50% by the Seven Kill Domain.
On the other hand, Ning Tianchen received nearly equal amplification.
With this give-and-take, even though Yang Wudi's soul power level was higher than Ning Tianchen's, his full-strength attack posed no threat to Ning Tianchen within the two domains.
"So this is the innate domain of the Seven Kill Sword," Yang Wudi murmured softly, his gaze firm.
At this moment, he seemed to understand why the Seven Kill Sword always outclassed the Soul-Breaking Spear.
With such an overpowered domain, how could any Soul-Breaking Spear master at the same level possibly break through his defenses?
"Eighth soul skill, Annihilation!"
Yang Wudi leapt into the air and hurled the Soul-Breaking Spear with all his might.
Just as Niu Gao was about to intervene, he suddenly sensed something unusual.
"Impossible! Old Mountain Goat's eighth soul skill—its power has been reduced by 70%!"
Without time to be surprised, he anxiously watched Ning Tianchen, fearing the slightest mishap.
"Azure Dragon Break!"
The Seven Kill Sword slashed casually, unleashing a torrent of dragon qi that collided with the Soul-Breaking Spear.
"Crack, crack~"
Yang Wudi seemed to have anticipated the outcome. As the light from the collision of soul skills dissipated, he began to clap.
Ning Tianchen clasped his hands and bowed. "Thank you, Senior, for holding back."
Yang Wudi snorted. "Don't act smug after gaining an advantage. I didn't hold back—it was your domain that weakened my attack power so much that it lost all effectiveness."
Bai He and Niu Gao exchanged glances, their understanding of Ning Tianchen's strength seemingly deepened.
Ning Tianchen smiled and responded briefly before asking, "Then may I ask, Master Yang Wudi, for your answer?"
Yang Wudi grinned and looked at Niu Gao, then at Bai He. "Brothers, it seems we'll be able to reunite in the future."
"Sect Leader, I accept your proposal. Tomorrow, I'll return and bring the clan's disciples to the sect."
Not only Ning Tianchen but even Oscar and Chen Huayu beside him couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Having secured the allegiance of the three great single-attribute families, their mission on this trip was accomplished, and they could now prepare to return.
That day, everyone drank late into the night at the Defense Clan's residence.
During the feast, Ning Tianchen suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but say, "By the way, Elder Yang Wudi, I have something that I think would be more suitable in your hands."
Yang Wudi set down his wine cup and chuckled. "Oh? What is it? Our Breaking Clan specializes in alchemy, so if it's medicinal herbs, there's no need..."
Before he could finish, he saw the faint purple flower floating in Ning Tianchen's hand and immediately widened his eyes.
Without hesitation, Yang Wudi abruptly stood up but tripped over the table in front of him. However, nothing could stop him—he crawled step by step to Ning Tianchen's side, his eyes gleaming. "Sect Leader, are you giving it to me?"
Bai He covered his face and chuckled helplessly.
It seemed that the unknown herb in Ning Tianchen's hand fascinated Yang Wudi even more than the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.
Niu Gao laughed heartily. "Old Mountain Goat, pull yourself together. Don't lose face."
Ning Tianchen forced a smile. "Elder Yang Wudi, what's gotten into you? Please get up."
Yang Wudi stared intently at the divine herb, not daring to blink. "Sect Leader, this is the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb. I've spent most of my life searching for it, and I never expected it to be in your possession."
"If you had shown it earlier, I wouldn't have dared to cause trouble for you."
Ning Tianchen let out a dry laugh and handed the divine herb to Yang Wudi.
If he had brought it out at the beginning, the other party wouldn't have reacted like this.
Yang Wudi's obsession was based on the premise that they were all familiar with each other.
If it were a stranger, he would only be more vigilant. Trying to use this to invite him to join the Heaven Sword Sect would be even harder than before.
---
The next morning.
The three boarded the carriage. Before leaving, Ning Tianchen instructed, "Elder Niu Gao, we'll go back first to prepare the construction materials. You set off early—the sect's construction is still waiting for you to begin."
"Elder Bai He and Elder Yang Wudi, your two families can move a bit slower."
"I'll be waiting for you at the sect."
With that, Chen Huayu drove the carriage toward Tiandou City.
The Defense Clan's residence was under surveillance by the Elephant Armor Sect. Although the latter hadn't caused trouble recently, it didn't mean they had abandoned their plans to annex them.
However, this posed no difficulty for the Defense Clan.
They were the continent's top architectural craftsmen. The residence they built for themselves naturally had escape tunnels.
"What a pity. Old Ape is just too loyal to the Hao Tian Sect," Bai He sighed.
Yang Wudi lamented, "I truly hope the four of us old brothers can reunite. That stubborn guy refuses to budge. When we get to Tiandou City, the three of us will work hard to change his mind."
Niu Gao placed his arms around both of them. "Come on, stop thinking about these things. Let's go back and continue drinking. I've already instructed the clan disciples to pack up. After nightfall, we'll officially depart."
---
Tian Dou Imperial Palace
Xue Ye's health was deteriorating day by day. Today at noon, as the attendants were about to wheel Xue Ye into the courtyard of the sleeping quarters to bask in the sun, who would have thought that upon contact with the sunlight, Xue Ye coughed up several mouthfuls of black blood. His condition seemed to worsen further.
Currently, all imperial affairs were being handled by Xue Qinghe.
The situation on the continent was extremely tense, and war had already broken out along the borders of the two empires. Xue Qinghe endured his grief and finished dealing with official business before rushing to visit Xue Ye.
Emperor Xue Ye's current condition could lead to his demise at any moment.
Upon hearing the news from the palace, Ning Fengzhi quickly arrived at the palace with Bone Douluo.
"Qinghe, His Majesty has the blessings of heaven and will surely be fine. The burden of the empire rests entirely on your shoulders—you must stay strong," Ning Fengzhi solemnly reminded him.
The underlying meaning was clear: Xue Qinghe could start preparing to ascend the throne at any time.
As for the hypocritical Ning Fengzhi, Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) didn't particularly like him.
But given the current situation of the Tiandou Empire, Xue Qinghe had no choice but to rely on his influence to stabilize his position in court, even to the point of standing against Bibi Dong.
"Thank you for your reminder, teacher. I know what to do."
Xue Qinghe's expression remained somber as he gave a perfunctory response before going to inquire about Xue Ye's condition from the imperial physicians.
Gu Rong smiled and whispered to Ning Fengzhi, "This child, despite such temptation, can still maintain filial piety—it's truly rare."
If it were Xue Beng or anyone else, how many could remain calm knowing they were about to ascend the throne?
Ning Fengzhi was momentarily lost in thought.
He felt that Xue Ye's sudden illness was somewhat suspicious.
But if Xue Ye passed away and Xue Qinghe ascended the throne, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would be one of the greatest beneficiaries. Anyone could raise questions—except them.
As for whether there was anything hidden, Ning Fengzhi felt it wasn't important.
Once Xue Qinghe ascended the throne, the investments made by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect over the years would yield long-term returns—and that was enough.
On the other hand, Xue Qinghe didn't think the same way.
The Spirit Hall's soul-hunting operation had already begun, and with Emperor Xue Ye gravely ill, various forces were eyeing the Tiandou Empire.
Currently, Xue Qinghe was merely acting as regent, just one step away from ascending the throne. But taking that step wouldn't be easy.
Xue Ye was still some time away from death.
During this period, there were still many threats Xue Qinghe needed to eliminate, especially Prince Xue Xing and Crown Prince Xue Beng.
After learning about Xue Ye's condition, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect deployed some covert scouts within the palace.
At the slightest sign of trouble, Ning Fengzhi would be informed immediately.
Therefore, this final step for Xue Qinghe was not only urgent but also required extreme caution to avoid exposing himself.
---
On the return journey, Ning Tianchen and the others didn't stop for a moment.
In just over half a month, the three of them returned to Tiandou City.
During this time, under the arrangements of Feng Xiaotian, the Three Elemental Academy had been fully integrated into Seven Treasures Academy. However, due to prior agreements, the Three Elemental Academy wasn't directly led by Seven Treasures Academy. Although it was a branch, it enjoyed high autonomy in teaching.
After understanding the situation, Ning Tianchen immediately sent Oscar back to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to report on the trip.
Meanwhile, he gathered the senior members of the Heaven Sword Sect currently in Tiandou City to discuss matters related to the sect's construction.
With the help of Ning Rongrong and others, although Ning Tianchen's workload was shared, he was still very busy.
"Goodness, establishing a sect involves so many tedious tasks!" Oscar exclaimed while clutching his head after helping handle some affairs.
Ning Tianchen chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Take a break if you're tired. These few days are busy, but things will ease up afterward."
The Heaven Sword Sect was different from the Tang Sect of the original timeline.
Among the four great single-attribute families, the Strength Clan was Tang San's loyal servant, and Bai He had familial ties with Tang San. After Tang San established the Tang Sect, with these two around, he could act as a hands-off leader and still maintain strong control over the sect.
But Ning Tianchen couldn't do the same.
A sect formed by uniting various forces required balancing everyone's interests as the top priority.
Otherwise, the sect would quickly fall apart.
After a pause, Ning Tianchen suggested, "By the way, our next training location is only a few cities away from Gengxin City. After the training ends, let's pay a visit."
"Gengxin City?"
At first, everyone was puzzled, but they soon understood.
Ning Rongrong smiled. "There's a Blacksmith Association in Gengxin City. The schematics for the hidden weapons we obtained might be studied by the masters there. Brother Tianchen, I've heard the people there have strange tempers, so we need to be well-prepared."
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