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Chen Xin's words were something that Gu Rong and Ning Fengzhi were willing to believe.
But the appearance of the Seven Kill Sword martial soul couldn't have happened without reason.
According to the theory of martial soul inheritance, a child's martial soul could only inherit from one of their parents. Even if there was a mutation in the martial soul, it wouldn't mutate precisely into the Seven Kill Sword, would it?
Moreover, Ning Tianchen's father didn't have a sword-type martial soul.
"Perhaps there's another possibility," Ning Fengzhi, ever the intelligent one, offered an explanation: "Tianchen's father's family might have some connection with the Chen family from the past."
"It's possible that a woman from the Chen family, after marrying into another clan, gave birth to descendants who, though not possessing the Seven Kill Sword martial soul, still carried its bloodline. Tianchen might have awakened this latent bloodline during his martial soul awakening, which led to the manifestation of the Seven Kill Sword martial soul."
Gu Rong and Chen Xin both nodded in agreement.
However, Ning Tianchen's father had long since perished, and trying to trace the family lineage was now impossible.
Regardless of whether this theory was true or not, the matter was settled for good.
"Sword Uncle, Tianchen is now entrusted to your guidance," Ning Fengzhi said with a satisfied smile.
Chen Xin had no reason to refuse. "I will teach him how to cultivate, but how much of the Seven Kill Sword's essence he can grasp depends on his own destiny."
"Congratulations, old swordsman. One of these days, I'll take on a disciple too," Gu Rong said with a hint of envy before leaving.
…
The next day.
The sun had just risen in the east, its light piercing through the clouds and illuminating the entire sky. The clouds were dyed a soft pink, like a beautiful painting.
Ning Tianchen woke up early, and there was still half an hour before the formal training session arranged by the sect.
He didn't slack off. Instead, he began running laps around the sect's training grounds.
For a battle-oriented soul master, physical fitness was the most crucial aspect.
In his previous life, Ning Tianchen had gained some understanding of soul master cultivation through books.
The number of years a soul ring could be absorbed depended on the individual's physical condition.
Building a strong physique greatly aided in absorbing soul rings.
And the higher the soul ring's years, the greater the boost it provided to the soul master.
Being from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, hunting for soul rings wasn't an issue. Therefore, Ning Tianchen only needed to absorb soul rings with the highest possible years.
At some point, Chen Xin appeared on the roof of a nearby building, watching Ning Tianchen train. His expression remained calm and indifferent.
"Old swordsman, this kid has potential. Becoming a one-ring soul master is within reach, yet he's already actively training his body. Perhaps his first soul ring can be considered at four hundred years," Gu Rong said, approaching him with a laugh.
If it weren't for the fact that Ning Tianchen's martial soul was the Seven Kill Sword, Gu Rong would have definitely taken him as a disciple based on his diligence alone.
Chen Xin's face remained stoic, his tone calm. "It's irrelevant. Physical fitness merely increases the power behind each swing. For the path of the Seven Kill Sword, strength is the least important factor."
There were indeed many people on the continent whose martial souls were heavy swords, so strength was something they should consider.
But the Seven Kill Sword had a complete heritage. Cultivating the Seven Kill Sword's heart yielded far greater benefits than simply focusing on strength.
"Fine, my martial soul isn't the Seven Kill Sword anyway. You handle your disciple yourself," Gu Rong said, uninterested, as he turned and left.
Deep down, Chen Xin didn't want to take Ning Tianchen as a disciple. The Seven Kill Sword lineage had nearly vanished from the continent, and now that there was new blood, Chen Xin secretly wished he could adopt him as a grandson instead.
However, once Ning Tianchen's martial soul was exposed, the sect's disciples would inevitably gossip. Adopting him as a grandson so soon wouldn't be appropriate.
…
After just ten minutes of running, Ning Tianchen felt as though his heart was about to burst out of his chest.
The original body had been raised as an auxiliary soul master by default, so physical endurance wasn't exactly his strong suit.
"It seems I need to train more in the future," Ning Tianchen panted heavily, lying down on the training ground.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze passed, and Chen Xin appeared on the training ground. "What do you think is the most important aspect of cultivating the sword dao?"
The sudden voice startled Ning Tianchen, making him whip his head around.
When had Chen Xin appeared behind him?
Quickly rising to his feet, Ning Tianchen gasped for air and replied, "To answer you, Sword Elder... I believe the most important thing is the heart of the sword. Only when the practitioner and the sword become one does one reach the pinnacle of the sword dao."
He didn't truly understand the sword dao. This statement was something he had picked up from novels in his previous life.
But to Chen Xin, for a six-year-old child to articulate such words accurately was impressive enough.
Regaining his composure, Chen Xin spoke gently, "You're absolutely right, but the realm of unity between man and sword is still far beyond your current level."
"Let's break it down into stages. For now, what you need to do is familiarize yourself with basic sword techniques. I'll teach you three foundational moves: the thrust, the downward slash, and the upward flick."
"For the next five days, every morning at this time, I will personally teach you how to wield the sword. After five days, if you can execute these three moves to my satisfaction, I will personally take you to hunt for your soul ring. Furthermore, I will continue to guide your cultivation afterward."
"Thank you, Sword Elder," Ning Tianchen said with a deep bow.
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(A/N: Sword Dao Chen Xin is widely regarded as the foremost expert in the sword dao on the continent. Even Qian Daoliu, in terms of swordsmanship, falls short compared to him. With such a teacher, how could one fail to become a powerful soul master?)
Chen Xin's teaching method was also unique.
Rather than demonstrating the techniques himself or guiding Ning Tianchen step-by-step, he used spiritual force to directly transmit the sword techniques into Ning Tianchen's mind.
As Ning Tianchen absorbed the information in his mind, he summoned his martial soul and began practicing the sword techniques.
"This kid is in such a hurry," Chen Xin muttered, raising an eyebrow slightly.
After all, summoning a martial soul before obtaining a soul ring placed a significant strain on the body.
As expected, just a few minutes later, Ning Tianchen's vision blurred, and his martial soul involuntarily retracted back into his body.
Chen Xin casually tossed down a wooden sword, equal in weight to the Seven Kill Sword. "Practice with this wooden sword. In your spare time, go to the sect's academy and study theoretical knowledge."
Ning Tianchen awkwardly nodded.
…
Time flew by in cultivation, and in the blink of an eye, half an hour had quietly passed.
As other disciples began arriving at the training ground, Chen Xin immediately disappeared.
Before leaving, his voice reached Ning Tianchen's ears: "Train with everyone else. Don't disappoint me."
"Yes, I will follow your instructions," Ning Tianchen silently replied.
To become a disciple of the Sword Douluo, one must undoubtedly pass his tests.
During his practice earlier, Ning Tianchen had already grasped the techniques.
The three foundational moves taught by Chen Xin didn't require brute strength to make the sword swing forcefully. Instead, they relied on finesse to counter an opponent's attacks.
"Tianchen big brother, did you come to train so early?" Ning Rongrong rubbed her sleepy eyes, reluctantly arriving at the training ground.
"Rongrong, you're up early too," Ning Tianchen said, wiping the sweat from his hands and gently patting her forehead.
Ning Rongrong pouted. "If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have awakened my martial soul. Now Daddy won't even let me sleep in."
"Oh, by the way, Tianchen big brother, here's a soul-guidance ring for you. Rongrong has another one just like it."
As she spoke, she proudly showed off the ring hanging around her neck (her hands were too small to wear it).
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