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The Thunderclap Gorge, as its name suggests, is a canyon perpetually ravaged by thunder.
Under the relentless bombardment of lightning, rocks constantly crumble, forming a chaotic expanse of jagged terrain. Within the gorge, the roar of thunder echoes ceaselessly, deafening to the ears.
Above the gorge, the sky is shrouded in storm clouds, with flashes of electricity illuminating the horizon and rolling thunder reverberating endlessly, as if brimming with infinite power.
Upon seeing this sight at the entrance, Ning Tianchen couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature.
"Are you from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?" A disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, stationed here as a guardian, approached them upon noticing their arrival.
The Thunderclap Gorge was their private territory, and all forms of poaching were strictly prohibited.
Ning Tianchen's group consisted of both young and old members, clearly not resembling poachers. Thus, the disciple casually asked the question.
Chen Xin casually tossed over a token symbolizing their identity from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
After inspecting it, the disciple respectfully returned the token and opened the passage into the Thunderclap Gorge.
"The esteemed guests of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, our patriarch has already been informed. You may proceed directly."
The environment inside the Thunderclap Gorge was vastly different from the outside world.
As the four of them entered, they found themselves surrounded by dampness. The atmosphere was unbearably humid and sticky.
To ensure Ning Rongrong's safety, Ning Fengzhi had specially dispatched a Soul Douluo-level elder from the sect.
This person was named Ke Jie, his control-type martial soul being the Celestial Chessboard, with a soul power level of 88.
Upon hearing his name, Ning Tianchen felt a wave of astonishment. The name bore a striking resemblance to a chess player from his previous life, and to make matters even more peculiar, his martial soul was also a chessboard—a truly curious coincidence.
Not long after entering, everyone except Chen Xin was drenched in sweat.
The oppressive humidity made it difficult for the sweat to drip off their bodies, causing it to cling uncomfortably to their skin.
After just a few steps, Ning Rongrong's body began to give out first.
"Miss, shall I escort you out?" Ke Jie couldn't help but suggest.
They hadn't ventured far into the Thunderclap Gorge yet, so leaving now wouldn't delay Ning Tianchen's soul-hunting mission.
However, Ning Rongrong seemed determined to witness Ning Tianchen's breakthrough to Soul Elder. Despite her heavy breathing, she insisted on continuing.
"Since Rongrong wishes to stay, let's leave it to Grandpa Sword."
A faint smile appeared on Chen Xin's lips, revealing his deep affection for Ning Rongrong.
In the next moment, the Seven Kill Sword martial soul materialized in his hand. With a single swing, he dispersed the stifling, humid air around them.
The returning air became noticeably drier and even brought a cool breeze.
"What a refined sword technique," Ning Tianchen thought in admiration.
The path to mastering the sword was indeed a long and arduous one.
…
Along the way, Chen Xin shared much information about the Thunderclap Gorge with Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong.
This canyon had two entrances—one where they had entered and another located within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family's stronghold, accessible only to their disciples.
Others who wished to hunt for soul rings could only enter through the main entrance. Moreover, the area was patrolled by numerous enforcers of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family. Anyone caught poaching would be used as fertilizer for spirit beasts.
However, in recent years, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had fallen into decline. Among the younger generation, no one was capable of succeeding Yu Yuanzhen. As a result, the family had adopted a strategy of contraction.
Patrol efforts in the Thunderclap Gorge had significantly decreased, allowing many daring soul masters to sneak in and poach.
"The decline of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family is inevitable," Ning Tianchen remarked. "Sword Elder, I believe the current Blue Lightning Duo cannot compare to the former Hao Tian Duo."
Even without the Spirit Hall's soul-hunting campaign, within thirty years, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family would inevitably collapse on its own.
Chen Xin nodded noncommittally. "Most of the spirit beasts here were captured by the strong members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family. Tianchen, the third soul ring I've chosen for you belongs to a Sword-Winged Dragon spirit beast."
"The third soul skill of the Seven Kill Sword is a flight-type ability. Having such a skill will greatly assist you in battle."
Of course, it wasn't limited to flight alone. It could also enable long-range attacks using the sword.
In short, this was one of the most crucial skills for the early stages of the Seven Kill Sword martial soul, making the selection of the soul ring particularly critical.
Dragon-type spirit beasts naturally possessed the ability to fly, but very few perfectly complemented the Seven Kill Sword.
Ning Tianchen nodded slightly, imagining himself flying through the skies while wielding his sword.
However, at the Soul Elder level, using the third soul skill consumed a significant amount of energy. Even if he managed to achieve sword flight, it wouldn't last long.
The Sword-Winged Dragon's territory wasn't deep within the Thunderclap Gorge, but the outer regions spanned a vast area.
In the humid and sticky environment of the Thunderclap Gorge, countless insects swarmed around, making every minute spent there a torment.
After two days without finding the Sword-Winged Dragon, everyone's patience began to wear thin.
"Where the hell is that damn thing hiding?" Ning Rongrong complained impatiently.
Even with Chen Xin clearing the way, after two days, her clothes were still covered in grime.
"Rongrong, we mustn't rush when searching for spirit beasts. If we make a mistake, we might accidentally trespass into the territory of a powerful spirit beast, causing unnecessary trouble."
When hunting for his second soul ring, Ning Tianchen had wandered the Sunset Forest for over a month before finally succeeding.
Two days was really nothing in comparison.
Of course, Ning Rongrong couldn't be blamed for her impatience. The source of soul rings for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul was predetermined. Before Ning Rongrong's breakthrough, Ning Fengzhi had already sent people to confirm the location of the spirit beast.
Thus, whenever she went out to hunt for soul rings, she usually found a suitable spirit beast within half a day.
Experiencing two fruitless days like this was a first.
"Rongrong, the Thunderclap Gorge isn't our territory. We don't know the distribution of spirit beasts here. Treat this soul-hunting trip as a form of training," Chen Xin said calmly.
"Sword Elder, you all rest here for a moment while I search the nearby area. If I find anything, I'll notify you immediately," Ke Jie said before heading off to scout the surroundings.
The Sword-Winged Dragon was a flying-type spirit beast, but in the Thunderclap Gorge's environment, combined with the fact that it wasn't a lightning-attribute creature, flying too high risked being struck by lightning.
Flight was its instinct, so it was likely to fly low instead.
To locate it, they would need to search along the rocky walls on either side of the canyon.
With Ke Jie taking the initiative to search, Chen Xin saw no urgency in leading Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong onward. Instead, they decided to rest in place.
About two hours later, a massive chessboard suddenly appeared in Ning Tianchen's field of vision.
Chen Xin noticed the situation and stood up, gazing in the direction of the chessboard.
"This is his true martial soul form. For Ke Jie to act this way, he must have encountered a high-year spirit beast."
Chen Xin raised an eyebrow. "Tianchen, Rongrong, follow me. But do not participate in the battle. Once I take control of the battlefield, Ke Jie will immediately come to protect you."
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