Outside Shrek Academy, on the vast plains—
Cough, cough… Is this the power of a Rank 99 Limit Douluo?
Defeated in a single strike by Chen Xiaoming, Sword Douluo Chen Xin felt no anger. Instead, he was filled with deep contemplation. Years ago, his father perished in battle against a Limit Douluo. Today, even with Ning Fengzhi's support, he was still defeated in one blow.
Now, he finally grasped, in the most direct way, the sheer power of a Rank 99 Limit Douluo.
However, what Chen Xin didn't know was that the opponent he faced was far beyond the level of a mere Limit Titled Douluo.
With a single step, the battle ended. The radiant energy dissipated, and Chen Xiaoming's figure reappeared, landing gently on the ground as he slowly walked towards Ning Fengzhi's side.
"Are you alright? It was my first time using this power, and I had some trouble controlling it."
Seeing the injured Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Chen Xiaoming felt slightly apologetic. He wasn't someone who killed indiscriminately. His duel with Chen Xin had merely been a spontaneous test of strength.
Chen Xiaoming admired Chen Xin's pure and relentless pursuit of the highest realms in swordsmanship. With Ning Fengzhi amplifying his soul power by seventy percent, Chen Xin was now far stronger than the injured Tang Hao from before. This gave Chen Xiaoming a reason to unleash his bloodline power—something he had never used before.
He had wanted to test its might, but since it was his first time using it, his mastery over it was incomplete, leading to an unintentional overuse of force that ended up injuring Chen Xin.
"It's nothing. A little rest and I'll be fine."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin waved his hand dismissively. He had clearly felt that Chen Xiaoming had held back at the last moment. Moreover, the domain he infused into his Seven Kill Sword had absorbed much of the impact, reducing the damage to a minor injury.
"Grandpa Jian, are you okay?"
As the battle ended, Ning Rongrong ran forward without hesitation. She threw herself into Chen Xin's arms, her voice choked with concern. Normally arrogant and willful, she was now genuinely worried about his injuries.
Seeing this scene, Chen Xiaoming felt even more awkward. His eyes flickered, and as he turned slightly, he spotted Oscar approaching from a distance. Without hesitation, he shouted loudly—
"Oscar! Get over here! Can't you see you're needed?"
Oscar was momentarily stunned by the sudden call. But upon noticing Ning Rongrong's anxious expression, he immediately understood. Without delay, he sprang forward, but then, as if realizing something, he murmured under his breath and conjured several recovery sausages.
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda lacked healing abilities. At this moment, Oscar's recovery sausages were the only viable solution to aid Chen Xin's recovery.
And as for the opportunity to win favor in front of his future father-in-law? Oscar was more than happy to seize it.
Especially given the mysterious battle between Chen Xiaoming and Ning Fengzhi's group, Oscar's mind quickly filled in the gaps, assuming that negotiations had fallen apart. This, in turn, meant that he had another shot.
As he passed by Chen Xiaoming, a voice infused with soul power whispered into his ear, carrying only two words: Good luck.
Oscar was momentarily taken aback. Looking up in confusion, he saw Chen Xiaoming flash him a knowing smile, patting him on the shoulder before turning away.
After exchanging a subtle nod with Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xiaoming decisively made his exit.
After all, lingering around after showing off wasn't his style—especially in such an awkward situation.
Not long after, he ran into Grandmaster, Flender, and the others. Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the rest of the Shrek Seven Devils looked at Chen Xiaoming with shock and awe. His strength had once again shattered their understanding of what a Titled Douluo could achieve.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's expressions were complicated—shock, admiration, longing, and many other emotions mixed within them. But the most dominant was sheer astonishment.
Especially Tang San. Though he had lived two lifetimes, after witnessing Chen Xiaoming's power today, a sense of aspiration ignited within him.
Could a Soul Master really reach such heights?
If Chen Xiaoming had known Tang San's thoughts, he would have merely smiled faintly and told him—
A Soul Master? No chance. But if you're willing to cheat, that's a different story.
Without staying long, even as Grandmaster hesitated to speak and gazed at him longingly, Chen Xiaoming had no intention of serving as someone's test subject or revealing his secrets.
Moreover, after his duel with Sword Douluo Chen Xin, he felt a deeper connection to the essence of his bloodline origin. Now that he had some free time, he planned to immerse himself in comprehending it further.
This battle had made him even more satisfied with his bloodline origin.
If not for the risk of overextending himself, he would have attempted to level it up to the intermediate stage right away. But he knew better.
Calm down, take it slow. Progress must be made one step at a time.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Chen Xiaoming decided to perfect his comprehension of the initial stage before upgrading further.
After a brief exchange with Flender and the others, he made his way back to Shrek Academy.
Upon returning, he found Zhao Wuji and the others waiting anxiously. They had sensed the terrifying fluctuations of soul power from afar but had refrained from rushing over rashly.
Seeing Chen Xiaoming return safely, Zhao Wuji stepped forward to inquire. However, Chen Xiaoming simply brushed him off with a casual reassurance and took the opportunity to stall Sweet Pea Soul Master Shao Xin, giving Oscar an opening.
Oscar, that's the most help I can give you.
With that thought, he left the matter alone and strolled leisurely back to his room. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, absorbing the insights he had gained.
A shimmering silver glow flickered around him. His figure occasionally blurred, becoming faintly visible as he sank deeper into cultivation.
Meanwhile, on the other side—
Having failed to get answers from Chen Xiaoming, Grandmaster turned to Sword Douluo for information. However, Chen Xin only responded briefly before refusing to say more. Recognizing the futility of further questioning, Grandmaster wisely held his tongue.
After all, his knowledge of soul power at the Titled Douluo level was limited, and he had no understanding of the existence of Limit Douluos.
With Sword Douluo injured, Flender politely invited him to recover at Shrek Academy. Under Ning Rongrong's persuasion, Ning Fengzhi and his group also made their way toward the academy.
...
The next day.
After meditating through the night, Chen Xiaoming slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of silver light flashing within them. One night's effort had yielded great rewards. His comprehension of his bloodline origin had deepened further.
His understanding of the laws of space had also grown from his previous battle.
Recalling the insights he had gained in combat, a sharp brilliance flickered in Chen Xiaoming's eyes.
As expected, only by brushing against death can one truly comprehend its essence!
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