Sword Dao Chen Xin VS Bashan Libationer!

The sky outside the side hall gradually brightened.

Morning light filtered through the carved wooden windows and spilled over the bloodstains on the bluestone floor.

Chen Xin sat cross-legged on a rush cushion. He slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath of foul air tinged with the smell of blood.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

Those hands had once been covered in calluses built up over decades, the skin somewhat dry and withered.

But now, much of that old skin had actually peeled away, and new flesh had grown beneath it, carrying a faint, lustrous sheen.

He tried clenching his fists.

That familiar, immense level ninety-seven soul power inside him could no longer be found at all.

Now his body was empty, with only a faint thread of vital energy slowly flowing through his meridians.

That vital energy traveled up along his neck and finally gathered deep between his brows.

There, a tiny golden spirit embryo sat quietly cross-legged.

The spirit embryo looked extremely fragile, as if a single gust of wind could scatter it.

And yet Chen Xin smiled.

He smiled until tears glimmered at the corners of his eyes.

Because he could truly and clearly feel that this faint vital energy was completely under his own control.

It did not have the violent sensation brought by the remnant soul of a wild beast. It was as clean as water freshly drawn from a well.

"Old fellow, congratulations."

The wooden door of the side hall was pushed open, and Yankang Imperial Preceptor walked in carrying a steaming bowl of plain congee.

The Imperial Preceptor had changed into an ordinary long robe of blue cloth today, looking just like a schoolteacher heading out to buy vegetables.

He placed the bowl of plain congee on the small low table in front of Chen Xin.

"Have some congee to warm your stomach."

The Imperial Preceptor pulled over a rush cushion and sat down casually.

"You only just broke through the Spirit Fetus Barrier last night, so your body is still weak. His Majesty instructed that you report to the Imperial Academy first today."

"The Divine Strategy Battalion has strict rules. You should first familiarize yourself with our Yankang cultivation path in the Imperial Academy. It won't be too late to go serve as an instructor in the army after that."

Chen Xin picked up the bowl of plain congee, and warmth rose in his heart.

He was a foreigner who had lost his cultivation, yet he could actually have the tutor of an entire nation personally bring him breakfast.

Such treatment was something even Great Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire could not provide.

He gulped down the plain congee in big mouthfuls and wiped his mouth.

"Many thanks, Lord Imperial Preceptor. This old man will set off for the Imperial Academy at once."

The Imperial Preceptor nodded, took out a wooden waist token from his sleeve, and handed it to Chen Xin.

"Take this and go to the Imperial Academy to find the steward in charge."

"It isn't far. Leave the imperial palace and walk east for two streets, and you'll be there."

"You're in a mortal body now. This is a good chance to walk around the streets and see the local customs and people of our Yankang."

Chen Xin received the waist token with both hands, gave a respectful bow, then turned and withdrew from the side hall.

After he walked out of the palace gates, there was a broad street outside.

At this hour, it was early morning, and the number of pedestrians on the street was already gradually increasing.

Chen Xin walked slowly forward along the street with his hands clasped behind his back.

He no longer had soul power protecting him, so his steps were much heavier than before, but because of that, he could observe this world even more carefully.

He passed a bun shop selling breakfast.

Chen Xin stopped, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

The owner of the bun shop was a plump middle-aged man.

He stood in front of a large iron pot, but there was actually no firewood placed beneath it.

The man took a deep breath, formed a strange hand gesture with his right hand, and a ball of crimson flame instantly sprang from his fingertips.

With a flick of his finger, that ball of flame landed steadily at the bottom of the iron pot and burst into a blaze with a whoosh, the fire burning very evenly.

"Fresh buns are out! Two for three copper coins!"

The man shouted his hawker's call loudly while casually controlling the heat with vital energy, without even a single drop of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Chen Xin stood by the roadside, the corner of his eye twitching slightly.

He saw it very clearly.

There was a faint fluctuation of energy at the brow of that bun-seller, clearly marking him as a cultivator who had also opened the Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury.

A cultivator was actually selling buns on the street?

And he was using a spell that controlled fire?

Outside the screen of light...

The soul masters of Douluo Continent all froze when they saw this scene.

On the sports field of Shrek Academy, Ma Hongjun rubbed his belly, his expression somewhat awkward.

"This... this boss's technique—why does it feel a little like my Evil Fire Phoenix?"

Ma Hongjun swallowed.

"A genius with a mutated martial soul like me... If I were in Yankang Kingdom, would I only be fit to roast sweet potatoes on the roadside?"

Beside him, Oscar could not help laughing and patted Ma Hongjun on the shoulder.

"Fatty, with that craft of yours, you definitely wouldn't starve in Yankang Kingdom. Their cultivators sell buns, you sell sausages. A perfect match."

Yu Xiaogang glared at the two of them and hurriedly noted the scene down in his little notebook.

"The daily needs of the common people are the Way. So this is the true essence of their reform."

Yu Xiaogang's tone was filled with emotion.

"Using fire spells to steam buns, using wind spells to sweep the streets."

"This way of integrating cultivation into life can not only train one's control over vital qi, but also benefit ordinary people."

"As for the soul masters of our Douluo Continent, once they awaken their martial souls, they think themselves superior to others. They would rather collect Spirit Hall's relief funds than do rough work like this."

"Vision. Their vision really is too narrow."

Within the Sky Screen, Chen Xin continued walking forward.

Along the way, he saw fishmongers selling fish with freezing spells, and bricklayers using object-control techniques to move bricks.

These cultivation methods that should have been lofty and aloof were as ordinary here as a hoe in a farmer's hand.

It made Chen Xin's proud heart of the sword slowly settle into calm.

He felt like a newborn infant, needing to learn how to walk all over again in this country full of miracles.

After walking for about an hour.

A tall stone archway appeared ahead.

Three vigorous, powerful characters were carved onto the archway: Imperial Academy.

Behind the archway was a stretch of continuous buildings, including the towering Library Pavilion and a broad martial training ground.

Groups of young people dressed in uniform blue student robes were carrying books or wooden swords as they entered the gate in twos and threes.

What they discussed was not where to hunt soul beasts, but the energy circuits of some formation, or the force-bearing angle of a certain sword move.

Chen Xin tightened his grip on the wooden waist token in his hand, took a deep breath, and stepped through the gates of the Imperial Academy.

Following the signposts, he was just about to look for the deacon in charge.

Just then, from a shaded path ahead, there suddenly came a dull sound of hooves.

"Clip, clop, clip..."

Along with the hoofbeats came a thick reek of alcohol.

Chen Xin looked up.

He saw an enormous Azure Ox slowly making its way over along the path.

The Azure Ox's hide shone with an oily gloss, and the two horns on its head were as sharp as curved blades.

As it walked, it was still chewing a stalk of spirit grass it had pulled from who knew where.

And on the Azure Ox's broad back sat a bare-chested, rough-looking man.

The man had a face full of stubble, and the muscles all over his body were as sharply defined as blocks of stone.

An exaggerated, broad-backed saber was strapped to his back, while in his hand he held a large wine gourd, tipping his head back as he gulped down strong liquor.

It was none other than the Bashan Libationer who had instantly killed the Soul Ancestor Zhu Dazhi with a single sneeze by the riverside earlier!

Seeing this, the hearts of everyone from Douluo outside the screen of light instantly tightened.

"Oh no!"

On the sports field, Zhao Wuji stamped his feet in anxiety.

"How did he have to run into this fiend of all people!"

"Senior Chen Xin doesn't even have a shred of soul power right now. If he angers that ox, wouldn't one sneeze blow Senior apart?"

Sitting in the great hall, Ning Fengzhi was so tense that his palms were sweating.

He had seen with his own eyes how terrifying Bashan was. That Azure Ox was an even more unreasonable master.

At the same time, Chen Xin also recognized this fierce man who had once appeared in the Sky Screen.

He knew he was now an ordinary old man without any cultivation, so naturally he did not want to cause trouble.

He hurriedly stepped back two paces to the side of the road, preparing to give way to the Azure Ox.

But when the Azure Ox, which was chewing spirit grass, walked up to Chen Xin, it suddenly stopped.

The Azure Ox's huge nostrils sucked in the air hard twice.

Then it rolled a massive white eye, and that bovine mouth actually split into an extremely human look of disgust.

"Master."

The Azure Ox turned its head and spoke to Bashan Libationer on its back, its voice carrying the air of an old hand.

"Why does this old man smell just like that piece of trash we picked up by the river a while back?"

"Though that weird stink's faded a lot, it's still making my nose itch."

The moment the ox opened its mouth, Chen Xin froze on the spot.

Although he had seen the Azure Ox speak on the Sky Screen, hearing an ox call him trash with his own ears still felt exceedingly strange.

The Azure Ox snorted, its bovine eyes sizing Chen Xin up from head to toe.

"Old man, you're from that Douluo place too, aren't you?"

The Azure Ox chewed its spirit grass, its tone utterly disdainful.

"How come you don't have those glowing rings around your feet? Don't tell me you're even more useless than that Zhu Dazhi guy, so useless you can't even put on a ring?"

Being mocked like this by an ox—

If this had been the Sword Douluo of the past, he would have sliced off the ox's head with a burst of sword energy long ago.

But the current Chen Xin merely gave a wry smile.

He cupped his fists, his tone very calm.

"Brother Ox has sharp eyes indeed."

"I do indeed come from Douluo Continent, but those spirit rings beneath my feet were all shattered last night after I asked His Excellency the National Preceptor for help."

At those words, Bashan Libationer, who had still been drinking, paused with the wine gourd in his hand.

He lowered the wine gourd and wiped the liquor from his beard.

Those eyes, as large as bronze bells, landed on Chen Xin with a hint of surprise and scrutiny.

"Oh?"

Bashan's voice rumbled along the tree-lined path like muffled thunder.

"The National Preceptor personally shattered them for you?"

Bashan jumped down from the ox's back.

His enormous body landed on the ground without making the slightest sound.

That terrifying control over the power of his physical body made the corner of Chen Xin's eye twitch slightly.

Bashan walked up to Chen Xin and circled him once.

"You've got guts."

Bashan pinched the bushy beard on his chin and nodded appreciatively.

"I've seen that broken cultivation method from your world too. It really is trash that locks away your potential."

"For you to harden your heart and strip off all those impurities—this state of mind, I respect it."

Bashan stopped in front of Chen Xin, his gaze falling on the spot between his brows.

"Your Spirit Fetus has just begun to gather, and it looks stable enough."

"But..."

Bashan suddenly split his huge mouth in a grin, revealing a smile filled with wild fighting intent.

"The National Preceptor has too gentle a scholar's temperament. He helped you break out of your dead end, but he didn't teach you the rules of Yankang martial arts."

"Since you've entered the Imperial Academy's gates, then as the Libationer of the Imperial Academy, I have to test your foundation first today."

Bashan took down the broad-backed saber from his back and casually thrust it into the mud beside him.

He twisted his neck, and the bones throughout his body crackled like popping beans.

"Old man, I hear the people of your world fight entirely by relying on those glowing rings."

"Now that your rings are gone, all you've got left is a newly formed Spirit Fetus. I won't bully you."

Bashan pointed at his own chest.

"I'll suppress my cultivation to the Spirit Fetus realm."

"Use the skill you're best at and hit me with one punch. Let me see just how much blood and fire is still left in those old bones of yours!"

Hearing Bashan's provocation-filled words, everyone from Douluo outside the light screen instantly sucked in a breath of cold air.

"This brute wants to fight Sword Douluo?"

A soul master in Heaven Dou Imperial City cried out in alarm.

"Senior Sword Douluo doesn't have even a trace of soul power now, and his body was badly injured from having his soul rings stripped away."

"Even if this brute has suppressed his realm, he's still a libationer of Imperial Academy!"

Inside Shrek Academy.

Tang San's brows were tightly furrowed.

"Bashan looks rough and crude, but he's actually probing."

"He suppressed himself to the Spirit Fetus realm because he wants to see just how much combat power Senior Chen Xin can display with only his physical body and pure sword intent after losing his soul skills."

Tang San looked at the Sky Screen, sweat also dampening his palms.

"If he performs too poorly in this trial, I'm afraid the people of Imperial Academy won't take us people of Douluo Continent seriously."

On the Sky Screen, Chen Xin looked at Bashan before him, who resembled an iron tower.

He did not back down.

Instead, a blazing fighting spirit ignited in those aged eyes.

He was a pure sword cultivator.

Losing his soul power and losing the Seven Kill Sword martial soul had indeed left him very weak.

But his sword heart was still there.

The sword principles the National Preceptor had taught him last night regarding space and Arithmetic were now churning wildly through his mind.

"Since Lord Libationer is willing to instruct me."

Chen Xin straightened, his feet spreading slightly apart as he assumed the most basic opening stance.

"Then this old man will make a fool of himself."

Chen Xin did not draw a wooden sword from the weapon rack by the roadside.

He directly raised his right hand and joined his fingers into a sword.

He took a deep breath.

The Spirit Fetus that had just condensed and taken shape suddenly pulsed deep within his brow.

A weak yet extremely condensed strand of vital energy flowed along his meridians into his two fingers.

This vital energy did not have the multicolored radiance of soul power.

It was merely a faint, transparent current of air.

Chen Xin stared at Bashan's chest.

In his mind, dozens of different attack trajectories flashed past in an instant.

Wind direction, distance, the arc of Bashan's contracting muscles.

All factors converged into a single point in that moment.

"Thrust!"

Chen Xin let out a low shout and stepped forward.

Using the force of his forward charge, his two fingers became an afterimage and stabbed straight toward a flaw in Bashan's chest.

This finger strike had no earth-shattering momentum, but it was so fast that no one could react in time.

As Bashan looked at those two fingers thrusting toward him, a flash of surprise lit his eyes.

"What sharp eyes!"

Bashan burst out laughing.