Chapter 1: Sword Douluo's Direct Disciple Is a Soul Beast
"Jian'er, your soul power still hasn't grown?"
In the worship residential area of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, within a small building facing the lake.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin stepped up the stairs and arrived at a closed door on the second floor.
Click.
He pressed the switch on the door with one hand, and saw the two heavy doors slowly open to either side.
"Jian'er, don't always stay in this sword pool. Although the simulated training ground can help you comprehend the self-created soul skills I taught you, it's not something that can be mastered in a short time..."
Sword Douluo looked into the room, and a faint smile appeared on his usually rigid face: "You, don't be too ambitious. After all, it took me thirty years to create this technique. It's a self-created soul skill comparable to the Great Sumeru Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect. It's natural you haven't grasped it fully in just three years."
Bang bang.
The door fully opened. Sword Douluo looked inside as he spoke: "At your age, it's more important to accumulate soul power. Even though you were born with full soul power, there's been no progress in three years. Old Gu's disciples have already surpassed you..."
"Huh? Where is he?"
Sword Douluo suddenly froze. He scanned the sword forest inside the room but saw no figure.
"Not in the training ground today?"
He muttered in confusion, but in the next moment, his pupils shrank as his eyes locked onto the center of the sword forest.
Sure enough, the figure of an eight or nine-year-old boy gradually appeared there.
"Teacher, I've been here the whole time..."
Qin Jian looked at Sword Douluo by the door, a warm smile on his face.
He wore light blue clothes similar to Sword Douluo's, looking like a miniature version of him from a distance.
But his face was much more delicate handsome, even better looking than Sword Douluo.
"This is... a like a sword itself!"
Sword Douluo spoke slowly, unable to hide his shock.
Qin Jian walked out of the sword pool in small steps, raised his head, and smiled at Sword Douluo: "Yes, teacher. After three years, I've finally comprehended your self-created soul skill!"
Sword Douluo took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, calming the shock in his heart.
He had never underestimated his direct disciple's talent. Even though Qin Jian hadn't made progress in soul power, he never doubted his potential.
After all, the boy was born with full soul power, and his martial soul was a sword a killing weapon!
But still, Sword Douluo hadn't expected Qin Jian to comprehend his self-created soul skill, the Unity of Man and Sword, at such a young age. What terrifying talent this was... he could hardly fathom it.
"Come on, let's eat."
He returned to his usual impassive expression, rubbed Qin Jian's soft hair, and turned to walk downstairs.
Qin Jian hurried to catch up, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly into a smile: "Teacher's acting again. I bet he'll go show off to Bone Douluo after dinner!"
The dining table in the restaurant was not large. With Sword Douluo and Qin Jian sitting opposite each other, they weren't far apart.
"Thank you, teacher, for preparing dinner for me."
Qin Jian had been practicing all day and was starving. He immediately grabbed the chopsticks and began gobbling up the food.
Seeing this, Sword Douluo couldn't help but shake his head. "Eat slowly, don't choke."
"Umm..."
Qin Jian nodded without slowing down.
"Besides, this meal wasn't made by me..."
Sword Douluo picked up a dish and frowned: "The food made by the sect chef is far inferior to yours, Jian'er."
Qin Jian heard this, swallowed the food in his mouth, looked up, and narrowed his eyes with a smile: "Then I'll cook for teacher from now on."
Sword Douluo looked at the boy's tender and delicate face, and his heart softened slightly: "The smile on this child's face is always so warm..."
He raised his chopsticks, hesitated for a moment, and frowned slightly.
Qin Jian tilted his head. "Teacher, what's wrong?"
Sword Douluo opened his mouth, looked at Qin Jian again, then slowly said: "Jian'er, from what I know, after a soul beast transforms, its cultivation speed is far faster than that of humans..."
Clack!
Qin Jian's expression stiffened, and one of his chopsticks fell to the table.
The sound seemed jarringly loud in the silence.
But his face returned to normal instantly. He picked up the chopsticks as if nothing had happened and put another bite into his mouth.
He chewed and mumbled, "Teacher, didn't you say that soul beasts who become human have extremely high talent and cultivate quickly? So it's normal they're faster than us humans, right?"
Sword Douluo watched his seemingly calm expression and couldn't help but smirk slightly.
Since he had chosen to expose Qin Jian's identity, he wasn't going to stop now.
He rested his chin on one hand and casually asked, "Then why has your soul power not increased at all over the past three years?"
Thump thump thump...
Qin Jian's heart pounded wildly. He forced a smile: "Te... Teacher, I don't know what you mean. What does my stagnant soul power have to do with soul beasts?"
"How can it have nothing to do with it?"
Sword Douluo smiled easily, but his words sent chills through Qin Jian's body like falling into an ice cave: "Aren't you a soul beast transformed into a human?"
He calmly picked up another bite of food.
Across from him, Qin Jian's entire body froze. He slowly lowered his head and whispered with a glimmer of hope: "Teacher... don't joke. How could I be a soul beast..."
Sword Douluo looked at his guarded expression, and for some reason, he wanted to tease the boy a little more.
The child had been acting like a little adult all day. Sword Douluo had long wanted to see him lose composure. Even if he was a soul beast turned human, his mind should still be that of a child.
"Jian'er, I have to say your disguise is very good. Even though you haven't reached level 60, there's not a trace of soul beast aura on you. That's why neither I nor old Gu discovered your identity at first..."
Sword Douluo stood up as he spoke and walked to sit beside Qin Jian.
"But you are my direct disciple. After three years of living together day and night, some habits of yours are still different from those of humans..."
His gaze bore into Qin Jian like a hunter watching his prey.
Sweat beaded on Qin Jian's forehead, rolled down his cheek, and dripped onto the table.
"But teacher, that's just your speculation, right?" he said softly.
Sword Douluo shook his head. "Still unwilling to admit it? Then I'll say one more thing—something you might not even know."
He smiled. "You think you've hidden your aura well, but what you don't know is that it's all thanks to the soul power in your body. Once that power is exhausted, you can no longer suppress the aura of the soul beast..."
Qin Jian's face changed drastically. He suddenly stood up, backed away several steps, and stared at Sword Douluo in disbelief: "Teacher... is this... is this true?"
Sword Douluo burst into hearty laughter.
"Of course it's true!"
"..."
(End of this chapter)