Chen Xin suffered a panicked defeat, and Ning Fengzhi had another scheme

The facts proved it!

There was something to Lu Xuan's claim that with enough force, even a brick could fly!

He had been a support Soul Master for twenty years, yet today, a single slash had completely shattered the sword resolve Chen Xin had tempered over decades.

[Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul Avatar!]

[Ninth Soul Skill: God-Demon Dual Slash!]

Heaven and earth changed color. An enormous azure sword light swept toward Lu Xuan with world-destroying might, yet...

Lu Xuan merely flicked his hand in midair, and his blue-gold longsword cleaved it in two down the middle.

The sword light split to either side, its lingering force making his clothes snap and flutter.

At the sight, Chen Xin panicked! He was afraid!

All his past combat experience was buried beneath that sudden panic.

Everyone said that even a single level created an enormous gap between Titled Douluos, and beyond level 95, that gap became a heavenly chasm.

Now, Chen Xin had finally witnessed it himself.

Back then, his father, Chen Jianjun, had gone alone to challenge Qian Daoliu in pursuit of greater heights in the way of the sword.

Yet that level-98 Sword Saint had been gravely wounded by a single burst of recoil, eventually dying of his injuries. Even on his deathbed, he had repeatedly warned Chen Xin not to seek revenge!

Chen Xin had never understood before. Only now did he grasp what level 99 meant...

"I concede! I concede!"

Humble in manner and sincere in tone, Chen Xin withdrew his Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul and cupped his hands in a respectful salute to Lu Xuan.

"Your Eminence, my strength is inadequate. There is no need to continue this battle!"

An uproar swept through the crowd.

Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and all the spectators were dumbfounded.

Fewer than five seconds had passed since Lu Xuan's first slash, and the battle was already over? That was a guardian Douluo of the Upper Three Sects!

The crowd suddenly erupted like a hornet's nest, pointing at Chen Xin in the air and passing judgment.

"What's going on? How did it end so quickly?"

"Was that Titled Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect scared? Why did he surrender after just one slash?"

"Teacher Lu Xuan is mighty! Teacher Lu Xuan won!"

Lu Xuan released his Yazi Martial Soul Possession, and the excitement on his face gradually faded.

"Tsk."

"I'm not skilled with a sword. I'd hoped you could teach me a move or two."

His earlier easygoing manner was gone. When he looked at Chen Xin again, there was a clear trace of undisguised contempt in his eyes.

Yet Chen Xin remained respectful, lowering himself even further until he bent at the waist.

"Your Eminence, how could Chen Xin possibly have the ability to display his paltry skills before a master like you?"

"I failed to recognize Mount Tai when it stood before my eyes and offended Your Eminence. Please forgive me."

Lu Xuan cast Chen Xin an indifferent glance. "How dull."

The instant those words fell, the figure before Chen Xin dissolved without warning once more, leaving only a blue-gold blade of grass swaying as it drifted down.

Clearly, Lu Xuan had grown bored and left.

Yet Chen Xin, maintaining his utmost respect, still did not straighten up. Only after a long silence did he tentatively return to Ning Fengzhi below.

The moment he landed, Ning Fengzhi asked urgently, "Uncle Jian, what happened? Why did you only strike once?"

Chen Xin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and began explaining, still shaken.

"That man's depths are unfathomable. Even the three of us together would be no match for him. Had he not held back on his first strike, my Seven Kill Sword would already have shattered."

"Fengzhi, we cannot afford to provoke him!"

"I imagine only Qian Daoliu, the current Great Enshrined of Spirit Hall, could contend with him."

Seeing Chen Xin so nervous and hearing him describe the situation so gravely, Ning Fengzhi could not help drawing in a sharp breath before silently counting his blessings.

"Hiss..."

"Thank goodness we were polite enough earlier."

The atmosphere was heavy. Chen Xin was grateful that Lu Xuan had not struck him harder, while Ning Fengzhi was grateful that he had never offended Lu Xuan.

Yet... Gu Rong frowned and challenged him. "You old bastard, is it really as serious as you say?"

Silence fell for a moment. Chen Xin stared at Gu Rong in disbelief.

"You..."

"Didn't you see his second Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?"

"They say each Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring gives a Soul Master two Soul Skills. That means he has four Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skills available! And that doesn't even include the matching Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones!"

"Old Bones, how old is your ninth Soul Ring? Not over eighty thousand years, is it?"

"Think carefully about how powerful your Ninth Soul Skill is, then think about the difference in power between a thousand-year Soul Skill and a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill."

"And another thing! Surely you don't think he has Soul Rings but no Soul Bones?"

It had been so many years since Chen Xin had felt this nervous.

Gu Rong was left speechless by his rebuke.

Ning Fengzhi, meanwhile, began calmly analyzing the situation.

"Then, according to your assessment, Uncle Jian, this man's strength... may be beyond even Spirit Hall's ability to oppose."

"If we could form a favorable connection with someone like him..."

A flash of greed crossed Ning Fengzhi's eyes!

In the present world, Qian Daoliu, Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined, was the only publicly known Peerless Douluo. Tang Chen's whereabouts were unknown, while Bo Saixi was far away overseas.

If Ning Fengzhi could establish a connection with Lu Xuan, wouldn't his sect rise straight into the clouds?

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might well surpass the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, or even the Clear Sky Sect, and achieve still greater heights.

"Fengzhi, tread carefully."

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's expression, Chen Xin warned him, "We would be better off having no ties to him than acting rashly! After all, we still haven't figured out his temperament."

At those words, Ning Fengzhi's lips curved into a confident smile.

"Who says we don't know his temperament?"

"Uncle Jian, I have an idea."

"Didn't he say earlier that he only enjoys teaching and nurturing students?"

Elsewhere.

Lu Xuan used a Soul Skill to teleport straight to his dormitory door. The moment he opened it, Xiao Wu threw herself into his arms.

"Teacher, I'm scared."

The girl was still trembling, and her exposed little hands were icy cold.

It was clear that Xiao Wu was truly terrified.

Lu Xuan gently patted her back. "What is there to be afraid of? Don't you trust your teacher's strength?"

Rather than finding comfort in his words, Xiao Wu burst into tears.

"Boo-hoo-hoo..."

Who could understand her plight! She had only taken human form a few days ago, yet in those few days, she had encountered more Titled Douluos than she had seen in the previous hundred thousand years.

Lu Xuan had been the first, but that was fine. At least he was a good person.

But today, people from the Upper Three Sects had shown up too. If they discovered her identity, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Stop crying. Here, have a ring to play with."

"There seems to be plenty of good stuff inside. Take your time exploring it."

Lu Xuan casually stuffed the ring Chen Xin had given him into Xiao Wu's hand, hoping the Storage Soul Tool would distract her.

But Xiao Wu did not fall for it at all.

"Teacher, I'm really scared."

"Could you please not leave Xiao Wu?"

Lu Xuan:

"You've lived for a hundred thousand years. Why are you still such a crybaby?"