NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: Chapter 8: "You May Step Down"
As the elder announced the result, the audience finally snapped out of their daze.
"Ugh, he actually won by using his looks to make someone forfeit!"
"Shameless! He's taking advantage of a girl's affection!"
"Exactly! Even if he's Sword Douluo's personal disciple, he shouldn't behave like this…"
"…"
The crowd, unaware of the full truth, jumped to a seemingly reasonable yet incorrect conclusion. Many youths of the same age began voicing their disapproval.
Whether their indignation was genuine or just jealousy of Qin Jian's striking appearance remained unclear.
"I don't believe all his opponents will be girls. Just wait until a male Soul Master faces him; he'll definitely be taught a lesson!"
On the sidelines, Gu Yue, who had just won a match, showed no signs of joy. What he wanted to see most was Qin Jian being beaten to the ground.
In the next match, Qin Jian's opponent was once again a girl.
Soon enough, yet another girl fell for him at first sight and left the stage in surrender.
This time, the crowd was livid. One after another, the boys gritted their teeth, wishing they could punch him in the face.
By the third match, the audience's prayers were answered—a male opponent finally stepped onto the stage.
"Su Jian, Level 9 Battle Soul Scholar, martial soul: Earth Wolf. Qin Jian, prepare yourself!"
Without another word, Su Jian charged forward. The boys below cheered wildly, eager to see Qin Jian get his comeuppance.
But Qin Jian merely smiled faintly, locking eyes with Su Jian. A faint trace of pink sword energy flickered in his gaze.
"You may step down," he said casually.
The crowd jeered.
"He still thinks his opponent is a girl, huh?"
But what happened next stunned everyone into silence.
Su Jian's charging speed inexplicably slowed. Then, without a word, he turned around and walked off the stage.
The arena was dead silent.
"Hey, Su Jian! Why did you just step down?!" a boy finally shouted in confusion.
Su Jian rubbed his head, his expression dazed. "I don't know… I just suddenly didn't feel like fighting him anymore…"
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances.
"A silent technique that manipulates the opponent's mind… what a terrifying soul skill," muttered Bone Douluo, his expression serious.
Sword Douluo smirked faintly. "My disciple has boundless potential."
Ning Fengzhi nodded thoughtfully. "This soul skill isn't completely indefensible. I finally detected faint fluctuations of Soul Power—it must be less effective against male opponents. But, Sword Uncle, Qin Jian hasn't shown any offensive abilities yet, which is unlike your teaching style."
Sword Douluo chuckled. "Just wait and see."
In subsequent matches, all eyes were on Qin Jian. Yet the results remained the same—whether his opponents were male or female, they would inevitably leave the stage of their own volition.
"He's unstoppable," someone muttered.
Finally, it came down to the last match: Qin Jian versus Gu Yue.
"For the final match, the contestants are Qin Jian and Gu Yue," the elder announced.
Before he had even finished speaking, Ning Rongrong shouted enthusiastically, "Qin Jian, you can do it! You have to win!"
Her cheer set off an uproar among the surrounding boys.
"Gu Yue, crush him!"
"Yeah! Beat him down, and we'll make you our leader!"
"Don't hold back! And don't you dare walk off the stage on your own!"
The scene left the elders and sect leaders both amused and exasperated.
Bone Douluo shook his head. "Sword Uncle, if Qin Jian uses his old trick again and Gu Yue loses like that, he'll never be able to mingle with the younger generation of the sect."
Sword Douluo hesitated. "He might not resort to that this time. I think…"
Ning Fengzhi frowned. "Without that soul skill, Qin Jian's Soul Power at Level 11 shouldn't be enough to defeat Gu Yue at Level 15."
"Level 11?" Bone Douluo looked surprised. "He's finally advanced one level?"
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Yes, just a few days ago."
"Let's watch and see."
Sword Douluo's gaze turned expectant. He was eager to find out how far Qin Jian's true capabilities could go.
On the stage, Gu Yue clenched his fists, glaring at Qin Jian. "You won't defeat me with that trick again!"
"Gu Yue, Level 16 Defense-Type Soul Master, martial soul: Bone Dragon!"
"He's Level 16 already?" Ning Fengzhi said, astonished. "It hasn't even been a few months since his last breakthrough. His talent is remarkable."
Bone Douluo beamed proudly. "He trains with great diligence."
A hum filled the air as a yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath Gu Yue's feet, eliciting gasps from the crowd.
For most Soul Masters, the first Soul Ring was only ten years old. A hundred-year Soul Ring was rare and often exceeded what most bodies could endure. Only prodigies could achieve it, and Gu Yue was evidently among them.
"Gu Yue absorbed a 300-year Soul Ring," Bone Douluo explained smugly. "Defense-type Soul Masters naturally have stronger physiques."
Then, he turned to Sword Douluo. "But I'm curious—what is the age of Qin Jian's first Soul Ring?"
Sword Douluo crossed his arms and snorted. "Watch and see."
As Gu Yue summoned his Soul Ring, everyone turned to Qin Jian, wondering if he would repeat his usual tactic of saying, "You may step down."
To their relief, Qin Jian didn't disappoint. Facing Gu Yue, he said solemnly, "I've never fought you seriously before. This time, I'll show you respect."
A hum resonated, and a yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.
The arena fell silent once more.
"That's… the purest hundred-year Soul Ring…"
Bone Douluo's face changed. "Old Sword, just how old is this boy's first Soul Ring? It's clearly not just a couple of hundred years."
Sword Douluo's stoic face betrayed a hint of pride. "It's a 900-year Soul Ring, the maximum he could bear."
"Nine hundred years?!"
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo leapt to their feet in shock.
"That's impossible! No one at eight or nine years old could have such physical strength!" Bone Douluo exclaimed.
Sword Douluo secretly reveled in their reactions.
"Indeed, no ordinary person could. But Qin Jian isn't exactly ordinary… He's a million-year Soul Beast in human form," he mused internally.
On the stage, Qin Jian ignored the gasps and whispers. He looked at Gu Yue, whose face mirrored the crowd's shock, and declared loudly, "Qin Jian, Level 14, Assault-Type Soul Master, martial soul: Emotion Sword!"
"What?!"
Ning Fengzhi shot to his feet once again. "Level… Level 14?!"
Bone Douluo blinked, confused. "Didn't you just say he was Level 11 a few days ago?"
Ning Fengzhi's expression twitched. "Yes… just a few days ago…"
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