Chen Jianjun's Enlightenment

The Angel Soul Power and sword Qi dissipated.

Chen Jianjun's white robes shattered along with the Seven Kill Sword.

He fell toward the ground, disheveled and powerless. Seeing this, Chen Xin rushed forward, caught his elderly father, and landed safely with him in his arms.

"Cough, cough, cough." Chen Jianjun coughed up blood and tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Now I finally understand why they say Angel Soul Power is not to be underestimated. The meridians and Soul Power in my body are being shattered bit by bit, along with my life force."

"Father!" Hearing this, Chen Xin immediately looked at Qian Daoliu, intending to ask him to withdraw the Angel Soul Power. But Chen Jianjun took his hand first and said, "Xin'er, let's go."

"Father, your injuries are too severe. We have to treat them quickly." Anxiety filled Chen Xin's face. Ignoring Chen Jianjun's attempt to stop him, he looked pleadingly at Qian Daoliu. "Great Enshrined, please withdraw the Angel Soul Power."

"I can't." Qian Daoliu turned around. "Once Angel Soul Power has invaded the meridians, even I can't remove it. But if you're willing to go to Spirit City for treatment, you might still be able to save his life."

With that, Qian Daoliu stopped looking at the two of them.

Instead, he turned into a streak of golden light and returned to Spirit City.

Whether they lived or died had nothing to do with him.

The Spirit Hall crowd watching the spectacle also gave them one last shred of dignity.

They followed Qian Daoliu back, watching no longer.

"Father, let's hurry to Spirit City. You can still be saved." Chen Xin gripped Chen Jianjun's hand and spoke urgently. His eyes reddened without his noticing, and the reluctance to part in his heart burned like a barrel of oil.

But Chen Jianjun shook his head. "No, Xin'er. My time has run out. Even if I can be saved, I'll be reduced to a cripple. Rather than lose everything and cling to life, I'd rather take one last look at the scenery."

Compared to the death of his body,

it was the death of his spirit that made Chen Jianjun give up the courage to live on.

Even at death's door, he had failed to comprehend a higher level of the sword Dao.

He was tired.

"No, Father, you still have me. I'm still a Titled Douluo. You haven't lost everything. You can still teach me sword Qi. I don't want you to die, Father. I don't want to see you leave me." Chen Xin held Chen Jianjun's hand tightly.

Chen Jianjun's eyes were dim, but he tugged at the corner of his mouth and shook his head. He let go of Chen Xin's hand and, drawing on his last breath, walked onto the dirt road.

At that moment, his heart was calm.

It was as though he wasn't thinking about anything, only feeling.

He had forgotten the pain and everything like it. He even turned a deaf ear to the pleading voice behind him, as though he were the only one left.

Chen Jianjun dragged himself along for quite a while.

A powerful healing energy enveloped him.

The Angel Soul Power destroyed his meridians far more slowly than they healed. It felt as though the Angel Divine Power was being suppressed.

A beam of light seemed to have forced its way into Chen Jianjun's heart, which had already fallen deathly silent.

Seven Soul Rings, six black and one red, floated before Chen Jianjun and Chen Xin. Qian Xunling stood not far from them with Bibi Dong, having withdrawn the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.

A faint smile touched Qian Xunling's lips. "What a sorry sight. No, that's not right. Right now you look like a beaten dog."

"Martial Uncle, the old grandpa is already hurt so badly. Could you please stop teasing him?" Little Spider tugged at Qian Xunling's clothes and looked at him pleadingly.

Qian Xunling asked unhappily, "Are you on my side or his?"

"Yours, of course, Martial Uncle. But the old grandpa really is in a miserable state." Bibi Dong lowered her head.

"What the hell does that have to do with me? I warned him not to go courting death. Going there would only get him a beating for nothing, and he deserves it." Qian Xunling glanced at Chen Jianjun and sneered. "Just as I said, even if you came to fight my old man, you gained nothing.

"Because your sword Dao is actually superior to his. His Soul Power is simply stronger than yours."

Chen Xin was eager to retort to Qian Xunling.

But seeing his elderly father's injuries steadily improve,

and even approach full recovery, Chen Xin fell silent.

Chen Jianjun looked at his body and felt nothing in particular. Instead, his expression grew even more dejected.

Seeing him like this, Qian Xunling scolded him. "Old man, you should be counting your blessings. Although you didn't comprehend the sword Dao in this battle, your body was severely damaged by Angel Soul Power. If you can repeatedly study the places in your body that were severely damaged by it, perhaps you really can break through to Level 98."

"And you still have residual Angel Soul Power in your body. Perhaps you might even be able to comprehend a different kind of Soul Power through it."

"Really?" Chen Jianjun's eyes widened as he looked at Qian Xunling.

He could clearly feel the Angel Soul Power in his body.

Residual Angel Soul Power was still corroding his flesh.

He hadn't noticed it before, but after Qian Xunling pointed it out, he felt the idea might actually work.

At the very least, it would be more meaningful than hastily ending his life.

Qian Xunling waved a hand. "I'm guessing. I'm only pointing you in a direction. It won't necessarily succeed."

"Even that is enough. Thank you, Young Master Xunling." It was no exaggeration to call Chen Jianjun a sword fanatic. Now that he had a direction, a glimmer immediately returned to his dim face, and he said eagerly, "Then I'll begin comprehending it now."

"?"

Qian Xunling wanted to stop him.

After all, those people from Spirit Hall might turn back.

But when he saw that Chen Jianjun had already sat cross-legged and entered meditation,

Qian Xunling said nothing more. Instead, he summoned the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud again and said softly, "Vast Sea Protective Shroud."

It enclosed all five of them.

Chen Xin watched Chen Jianjun intently.

He was no less focused than when he had watched his elderly father fight desperately just now.

Bibi Dong tugged at Qian Xunling's clothes and watched the two intently as well. Only Qian Xunling paid them no mind. He dug in his ear, took out a wooden chair, and lay down on it.

Half a day passed, and night had fallen.

Chen Jianjun let out a breath, a touch of joy on his face. He stood and said, "It's different. It really is a little different. I think I've truly found a direction. Xin'er, perhaps we can't create our own Soul Skills now, but we can refine our sword Qi and raise the sword Qi passed down through the Chen Clan to another level. When that time comes, perhaps we can break through those shackles."

"Father, but how should we refine our sword Qi? Hasn't the sword Qi passed down through our clan already reached perfection?" Chen Xin asked curiously.

Chen Jianjun had been wondering about those two questions as well, but they didn't discourage him. On the contrary, he was especially excited now. He felt that this path was both very long and very short. Perhaps he could find it in his lifetime.

Chen Jianjun replied, "We'll find a way."

With that, Chen Jianjun looked at Qian Xunling and Bibi Dong lying on the wooden chair. The two were fast asleep.

"Uh..." Chen Jianjun looked at Chen Xin. "Xin'er, why don't you go wake Young Master Xunling?"

Chen Xin paused, then stepped toward Qian Xunling and Bibi Dong. But Bibi Dong woke up first. She rubbed her eyes with her little hands, looked at Chen Xin and Chen Jianjun, and smiled. "Old Grandpa, you're awake?"

"Mm." Chen Jianjun smiled kindly.

At that moment, the more he looked at Bibi Dong, the cuter he found her.

"Yay!" Bibi Dong said happily.

Qian Xunling suddenly picked her up by the back of her neck. He stared at her coldly and said sternly, "Who told you to lie beside me?"

"Little Spider was sleepy too... so..." Bibi Dong poked her little hands together and lowered her head.

Qian Xunling put her down and scolded her. "Don't do it again."

"Oh~" Bibi Dong replied.

Chen Jianjun hurried over to Qian Xunling and suddenly dropped to one knee. "Young Master Xunling, I will never forget your help this day for as long as I live. I-no, our entire Chen Clan owes you a great debt. If you need anything in the future, Young Master Xunling, I will go through fire and water for you."

"Father." Chen Xin was surprised, but not caught off guard. If Qian Xunling had saved him and pointed him in a new direction, it would have been a favor tantamount to giving him a new life. He would have chosen to kneel as well. So he slowly walked up to Qian Xunling and made to drop to one knee too.

But just then, Qian Xunling said sternly, "Cut it out. If you've gained your insight, hurry up and come with me. Do you think I saved you two for nothing? I need your help with something right now."