Ten phantoms circled the clone, each about five meters away from it.
"Clone-type Soul Skill!"
Chen Xin looked utterly astonished, and Gu Rong quickly explained.
"Tian Yi said he wanted a clone-type Soul Skill, so I did as he asked. He can split into ten clones and create a hundred phantoms, then switch places with the clones and phantoms."
Chen Xin said nothing. Just by looking at the clones, he couldn't tell the approximate age of the Soul Ring.
"Forget it. Let's not get hung up on that for now. This kid has so many secrets, there's no way we can figure them all out in a short while."
Chen Xin had more or less come to terms with it. Ling Chen had left him so stunned that he was almost speechless all day. At one point, Chen Xin had even wondered whether Ling Chen himself was the Shrek body.
"By the way, Tian Yi! Let me see your sword."
Chen Xin hadn't forgotten the real business. He'd thumbed through ancient books until they were practically falling apart, but hadn't found a Sword Martial Soul like Ling Chen's. Now he finally had the chance to examine it.
Ling Chen formed the Green Steel Sword and carefully handed it to Chen Xin.
Gu Rong reminded him from the side, "Careful. His sword weighs a hundred jin!"
Ning Rongrong was the first to disbelieve him.
"Grandpa Bone, you might get away with bragging about that before, but how could a little kid's Martial Soul be so ridiculously heavy? A hundred jin? Hmph! Then my Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda must weigh a thousand!"
Seeing Rongrong mock him like that, Ning Fengzhi reprimanded her.
"Rongrong, be quiet! Don't talk nonsense!"
Chen Xin took Ling Chen's Green Steel Sword, and its weight nearly made him lose his grip. The sword was small, but given its weight, it could hardly be described as a Martial Soul anymore.
"Gu Rong!"
Gu Rong understood at once. Chen Xin wanted to see whether he could cut through metal like butter with Ling Chen's sword, too.
"Rongrong, let Grandpa see how your cultivation is coming along!"
The Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda flew from Ning Rongrong's hand, and streaks of colored light entered Chen Xin and Gu Rong.
"First: Strength, Second: Speed, Third: Soul, Fourth: Defense, Fifth: Attack!"
The Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda's boosts took effect. Only then did Chen Xin feel the Green Steel Sword in his hand grow a little lighter, while Gu Rong got ready.
"Second Soul Skill—Bone Armor! Fourth Soul Skill—Bone Defense!"
The two defensive Soul Skills activated together. Chen Xin swung his sword down on the powerful defensive barrier called Bone Defense. He didn't use a Soul Skill for this strike, relying purely on brute force.
"Crack! Crack!"
A long fissure appeared in the Bone Defense Gu Rong had formed, but the sword didn't cleave all the way through it.
"Let's try Bone Armor!"
Gu Rong withdrew Bone Defense, exposing the gray scales of his Bone Armor. Chen Xin slashed, leaving a deep sword mark across the gray armor.
Chen Xin hadn't used his full strength, but that blow had still threatened Gu Rong.
"Gasp! It broke through my defense!"
He was a Titled Douluo renowned for his defensive power, yet the Green Steel Sword had still left a mark on him.
"Chen Xin, this sword..."
Ning Fengzhi was starting to worry. One look at the deep gash on Gu Rong, and it was easy to imagine just how terrifying the destructive power of Ling Chen's sword was.
"This sword really does weigh a hundred jin, but I've never seen a Sword Martial Soul like it. Sect Master, boost Gu Rong as well. Rongrong, stop boosting me."
"Okay!"
Father and daughter answered in unison. The result had already far exceeded their expectations. As the two Titled Douluos' closest companions, they knew better than anyone how powerful their attacks and defenses were.
The two often sparred. Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword could break through Gu Rong's Bone Armor, but only with a Soul Skill or some other method.
It had never been like this—tearing through Gu Rong's defenses with brute force alone and leaving such a deep sword mark.
After Gu Rong received the boost, his Bone Armor quickly recovered. Chen Xin swung his sword once more.
The sword rang out again and again, leaving another mark on the armor. This time, however, it wasn't as deep as the first.
"Excellent! Excellent! It really is a fine sword!"
Chen Xin studied the little Green Steel Sword, his eyes filled with delight he could barely conceal. He'd clearly made the right choice in taking this disciple.
One day, Ling Chen might become the greatest weapon-wielding Soul Master under heaven. It wasn't impossible that he would even kill Qian Daoliu for Chen Xin.
Just as Chen Xin was returning the Green Steel Sword to Ling Chen, a delicate hand closed around its hilt.
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, stop putting on an act! Why stage a whole performance just to fool a child?"
As she spoke, Ning Rongrong tried to take the sword from Chen Xin's hand. Ning Fengzhi could only shake his head helplessly. His girl simply didn't want to admit how strong Ling Chen was.
Ning Rongrong felt the weight of the Green Steel Sword and couldn't help freezing for a moment. Something was definitely wrong with its weight.
"How is this possible? Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, First: Strength!"
The strength boost took effect on her, and her confidence soared.
"It's just a little iron sword. Watch me..."
"Hup! Haaah!"
Ning Rongrong grabbed it with both hands, determined to lift it. Ling Chen wanted to laugh, but did his best to keep it in.
With Ning Rongrong's little grunts and the way she was moving, it looked like she was straining on a toilet and couldn't get anything out, giving it everything she had...
Ling Chen could only think of things that weren't funny. But the moment he saw Ning Rongrong making that face again, he had to turn away. He could no longer keep the smile off his face.
Chen Xin and the others, at least, kept their composure, their expressions unchanged.
She tried bracing, pushing, pulling, and lifting. No matter what she did—even with Ning Fengzhi boosting her—she could only shift the Green Steel Sword by a hair's breadth.
"All right, Rongrong. Stop trying to make your Grandpa Bone laugh!"
Gu Rong took the Green Steel Sword and returned it to Ling Chen. Ning Rongrong could only stomp her foot in frustration.
"Hmph! You're all picking on me! Just you wait! Once I get stronger, you'll all be sorry!"
Ning Rongrong spun around and stormed off in a huff. Ning Fengzhi hurried after her; the proud little princess wasn't easy to appease.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong exchanged smiles, then turned their attention back to Ling Chen.
"You've really stumbled into a huge stroke of luck. I'm off! The sect still has things to take care of. I'll leave this child to you!"
Gu Rong patted Chen Xin on the shoulder, then vanished.
Once everyone else had left, Chen Xin took a slightly smaller, ordinary iron sword from his Soul Tool.
Then Chen Xin pointed his fingers at several acupoints around Ling Chen's dantian. The Green Steel Sword in Ling Chen's hand vanished at once.
"For the next year, you won't be able to use your Martial Soul. Keep training with this iron sword."
At those words, Ling Chen's face immediately fell.
He'd only awakened his Martial Soul half a day ago, hadn't he? He hadn't even had his fill of using it yet, and now he wasn't allowed to use it. It was more than a little disappointing.
Seeing Ling Chen's expression, Chen Xin felt even more certain of his guess.
"Your Martial Soul is too powerful, so you rely on it too much. As a swordsman, you must cultivate more than the sword. You must also cultivate your heart."
"Next, I'll teach you how to wield a sword and how to temper your sword intent."
Ling Chen nodded and took the iron sword.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master! Gah! It's so heavy!"
Ling Chen stared at Chen Xin in disbelief, then finally understood the painstaking thought behind his decision. The Green Steel Sword had thrown off his sense of strength; this ordinary iron sword, by contrast, made him feel its full weight.
"Rest assured, Master. Your disciple won't let you down!"
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