Chapter 144: "I Killed Lin Xuan", Mingdu
Lin Xuan looked at the broken spirit tools scattered around and nodded with satisfaction.
"It's not too late to realize that this is how you should develop your Martial Soul. Alright, hurry up and continue. Show me all the results of your hard training over the past two years; I'm in a hurry to leave."
Xiao Hongchen's face couldn't help but twitch. This guy... his words were as infuriating as ever.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the nameless fire in his heart, and slashed his right hand down toward Lin Xuan like a sword! He shouted in a low voice,
"Then you'd better catch this!"
In an instant, the intact metal longswords in the surroundings immediately moved!
Dozens of longswords shot toward Lin Xuan like arrows from a bow! The sword blades trembled, emitting sharp hums and trailing silver-white afterimages in the void!
Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged. He first dodged several flying swords with a few casual side steps, then slowly waved his arms, drawing a circular arc in front of him, and the poisonous shadows beneath his feet moved accordingly!
Two pitch-black poison dragons suddenly lunged out from the shadows!
The poison dragons were entirely black with distinct scales, their heads held high, and their bodies surrounded by a foul-smelling poisonous mist.
They circled around Lin Xuan, sweeping their tails and extending their claws, blocking all the incoming flying swords!
The metal collided with the poisonous mist, producing a piercing hissing sound.
Once those flying swords touched the poisonous mist, the blades were immediately corroded with pitted marks, their light dimmed, they lost control, and they fell to the ground with a series of clangs.
Fifth Soul skills — Northland Poison Pond.
This Soul skills has two effects. First, it grants the shadows a poisonous attribute.
Second, it consumes a large amount of Soul Power to release a circular purple halo. Wherever the halo passes, it can assimilate all matter into poisonous shadows, creating an absolute Domain of poison and shadow.
Facing those two flying poisonous black dragons, Xiao Hongchen didn't dare let his flying swords touch them.
But he didn't hesitate. Instead, he urged his Soul Power again, making the remaining flying swords even faster, darting around Lin Xuan to find any imperceptible gap!
At the same time, he also split his attention to control the broken spirit tool cannons that were being corroded by the poison.
Those metal remains twisted and deformed under his control, then smashed violently toward Lin Xuan!
Facing these attacks, Lin Xuan's expression remained calm and indifferent.
He simply practiced Tai Chi with ease within the poison pond, the two poison dragons swimming frantically around him to block all the flying swords and broken spirit tool cannons.
At the same time, he was even chanting, "One watermelon cut in two, half for you, half for me..."
Within a few breaths, those flying swords and broken spirit tools were all blocked tightly.
Xiao Hongchen was so angry his teeth itched. This guy, chanting such nonsensical words while fighting, was clearly humiliating him!
He gritted his teeth, became completely ruthless, and fully circulated all the Soul Power in his body!
In the next moment, the entire Soul Fighting Arena seemed to tremble, and the smiles on Yan Shaozhe's and Jing Hongchen's faces froze slightly at the same time.
Xu Sanshi suddenly pointed at the opposite stands and exclaimed, "Look over there!"
Everyone looked over and saw the seats on the opposite stands shaking violently, emitting a tooth-aching sound of metal friction!
The sound grew louder and more frequent, and entire rows of seats were vibrating intensely!
Xiao Hongchen abruptly raised his hands and shouted in a low voice,
"Rise!"
An invisible force descended, and hundreds of seats, along with the metal frames at their base, were all violently ripped out!
Under the pull of his Soul Power, those metal components were constantly kneaded, twisted, deformed, and squeezed, slowly rising into the air!
Xiao Hongchen's arms trembled as he pulled them inward, the veins on his forehead bulging, and sweat sliding down his cheeks.
Those hundreds of seats also began to slowly collapse inward, metal colliding with metal, producing a piercing roar!
After a few breaths, a giant metal lump with a diameter of over ten meters hovered over the Soul Fighting Platform!
It was entirely composed of twisted metal, its surface pitted, yet it radiated a suffocating sense of pressure.
The sunlight hit it, reflecting a piercing cold light, and the shadow it cast enveloped more than half of the Soul Fighting Platform.
Xiao Hongchen swung his arms down violently,
"Smash him!"
The massive metal sphere crashed down! The air was squeezed, emitting a sharp whistle, and the entire Soul Fighting Platform trembled!
Lin Xuan looked up, then withdrew the slight smile on his face and became a bit more serious. He crouched down and pressed his hands into the poison pond beneath his feet.
In the next moment, the entire poison pond began to converge toward him frantically! Those pitch-black poisonous shadows, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, formed a constantly rotating hemispherical shield within ten meters of him!
Not only that, but within that shield, golden lightning began to roam!
Lightning snakes and poisonous mist intertwined, emitting crackling explosions, making the entire shield shine like a black-gold sun!
Self-Created Soul skills — Hunxiang Wind-Thunder Rotation!
The iron ball and the shield collided violently!
"BOOM—!!!"
Lightning exploded, metal shrieked, and poison splashed!
A terrifying shockwave spread in all directions from the point of collision, kicking up a tyrannical air current in the Soul Fighting Arena!
The ground cracked, rubble flew, and even the air was vibrating!
Yan Shaozhe and Jing Hongchen acted simultaneously, and a thick protective barrier instantly formed, blocking all the splashing poison and metal fragments!
The collision lasted for a few seconds, and then the giant iron lump burst apart! Countless metal fragments scattered in all directions like falling flower petals!
The Hunxiang Wind-Thunder Rotation also dissipated; the poisonous mist vanished, and the lightning light went out.
But Lin Xuan's figure within had disappeared.
Xiao Hongchen panted heavily, his body soaked in sweat. He looked blankly at the empty Soul Fighting Platform, his mind a complete blank.
Where was he?
Suddenly, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder from behind.
Xiao Hongchen was startled and reflexively controlled a flying sword protecting him to stab behind him!
The sword edge cut through the air with a sharp whistle, but it struck nothing.
In the next moment, Lin Xuan's figure appeared in front of him. Xiao Hongchen's pupils shrank, his spine went cold, and the hair on his body stood on end!
When?! When did he get over here?!
He didn't have time to think and controlled a broken flying sword from the ruins to shoot toward his front!
This sword was extremely fast, crossing the void in the blink of an eye, and then... it hit Lin Xuan right in the back of the heart! The sword edge pierced through his chest!
The entire arena fell into a dead silence.
Xiao Hongchen was stunned, his blood running cold.
Meng Hongchen and Jing Hongchen were even more unable to sit still. The two of them stood up abruptly, staring in shock at the figure in the arena with a sword through his chest.
A layer of cold sweat broke out on Jing Hongchen's back. He glanced nervously at Yan Shaozhe beside him, his mind already racing to figure out how he could take his grandson and granddaughter and escape from here under the siege of the Shrek elders.
But then he was stunned again. Where was there any sign of tension on Yan Shaozhe's face? He still wore a gentle smile and even turned to nod and smile at him.
Jing Hongchen: "..."
On the Soul Fighting Platform, Xiao Hongchen's eyes were hollow, his lips trembled, and he murmured in a low voice, "I... I killed Lin Xuan?"
His voice was shaking, and his face was as pale as paper.
"I... I actually killed Lin Xuan?"
Just as he was in despair, thinking he had caused a huge disaster, a familiar, somewhat playful voice suddenly sounded.
"Don't be so shameless. Kill me? Read the full Chapter 144 'I Killed Lin Xuan', Mingdu for free at link:. Just with you?"
Xiao Hongchen abruptly raised his head! He saw Lin Xuan with a faint smile, reaching out to grab the longsword that had pierced through his chest and slowly pulling it out.
As the sword edge was pulled out, it brought a wisp of black mist with it.
Through the wound, one could clearly see a heart surrounded by black mist beating inside, and in the middle of the heart, there was indeed a puncture wound.
But as the black mist surged, the wound actually healed at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Flesh regrew, bones reconnected, skin healed... in just the blink of an eye, he had completely recovered to his original state.
Lin Xuan casually tossed the longsword onto the ground, making a crisp metallic sound. He looked at Xiao Hongchen's horrified face and slightly curled his lips.
"Continue?"
Xiao Hongchen opened his mouth but couldn't say a single word. His mind was blank, with only one thought remaining.
Is... is this guy even human? He can act like nothing happened even after his heart was pierced?
Seeing him like this, Lin Xuan smiled. Shadow Transformation was a heaven-defying ability that could serve as a substitute for the Reverse Cursed Technique.
As long as his Soul Power wasn't exhausted or he wasn't killed in one hit, he could recover. A pierced heart? A small matter. As long as his Soul Power remained, he was practically immortal.
Xiao Hongchen stood in place, his chest heaving as he panted heavily.
He stared at the wound on Lin Xuan's chest that had completely healed without even leaving a scar and remained silent for a long while.
Then he let out a long breath, shook his head, and said in a disappointed tone,
"I'm not fighting anymore. Competing with someone like you is really boring."
In the stands, Jing Hongchen looked at the unharmed figure in the arena and let out a deep sigh of relief. He subconsciously clenched his fists, his palms covered in cold sweat.
Fortunately, he was fine.
He didn't even dare to imagine how crazy Shrek would have gone if something had really happened to Lin Xuan.
Jing Hongchen cleared his throat, stood up, and said loudly, "Alright, let's end this competition here."
He looked at Xiao Hongchen with a stern gaze but a gentle tone, "Xiao'er, have you seen clearly now? There is always someone better. You have indeed made a lot of progress in the last two years, but compared to Lin Xuan, you are still far off. You must learn humbly at Shrek in the future and never be complacent."
Xiao Hongchen lowered his head and said dully, "Yes, Grandfather."
Jing Hongchen then looked at Yan Shaozhe, his face once again wearing that signature smile. "Dean Yan, then we shall take our leave and return to the Sun Moon Empire."
Yan Shaozhe nodded with a smile. "Of course."
He paused, then suddenly changed the subject and continued, "However, before that, Hall Master Hongchen needs to pay for the damages to our Soul Fighting Arena. Don't worry, it's not expensive—just one eighth-level spirit tool will do."
Yan Shaozhe's smile didn't change as he explained patiently, "That's not right. The materials are indeed cheap, but the labor is expensive. These stands were built bit by bit by skilled craftsmen; they are their life's work. In my opinion, measuring it with money is an insult to their labor."
He paused, his smile deepening, "But since Hall Master Hongchen has an objection, we naturally won't force a sale. How about this: I'll go tell my teacher, and let him decide. What do you think?"
Jing Hongchen: "..."
He gave Yan Shaozhe a long look and then laughed out of anger.
Good, very good. I didn't realize your Shrek also had bandit genes.
But this was Shrek Academy, their home turf. He could only swallow this loss today.
Jing Hongchen grumpily took a storage spirit tool from his own and tossed it to Yan Shaozhe, then glared fiercely at Xiao Hongchen.
Xiao Hongchen shrunk his neck and pretended he hadn't seen anything. Jing Hongchen said no more and walked straight out of the Soul Fighting Arena.
By the Sea God Lake.
The morning light fell, and the lake surface shimmered. Jing Hongchen turned around and looked at Fan Yu and the eight Shrek exchange students, his gaze finally resting on Lin Xuan for the longest time.
"The journey ahead is long. Everyone, prepare to depart."
"Also, I, Jing Hongchen, Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue Hall, on behalf of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, welcome your arrival."
...
The capital of the Sun Moon Empire was called Sun Moon City, also known as Mingdu. When everyone could see the outline of Mingdu from afar, it was already late at night.
Looking out, there was a vast expanse of buildings that seemed to have no end. Most were buildings with more than five floors, and high-rise buildings over a dozen floors high were not uncommon.
Because of their advanced spirit tool technology, the Sun Moon Empire's architectural achievements were also far ahead of the original Douluo Continent side.
Countless spirit tool lamps dotted throughout the city illuminated this endless metropolis, their lights and the starlight reflecting each other in a hazy and shocking display.
Among the thousands of lights, there were also faint changes in Soul Power; those were the spirit tool formations spread across the city, slowly operating.
Lin Xuan gazed at Mingdu in the distance, his eyes momentarily dazed.
Beside him, Jing Hongchen, who had been secretly watching Lin Xuan, suddenly asked with a smile, "Lin Xuan, have you ever been to Mingdu before?"
Lin Xuan's gaze returned to indifference, and he shook his head. "First time."
Jing Hongchen smiled. "Then you can often go for walks in the city in the future. Shrek has Shrek's charm, and Mingdu has Mingdu's style."
As he spoke, he smilingly took out a brilliant golden token from his spirit tool and handed it to Lin Xuan. The token was only the size of a palm, with a mysterious Golden Toad pattern engraved on it, and the elegant words 'Red Dust' branded on the back.
"This is the token of my Hongchen Family. Seeing this token is like seeing me in person. Mingdu is not like Shrek Academy; the waters here are very deep. But as long as you have this token, with my Hongchen Family's bit of reputation, I can still ensure your safety."
"Take it."
Lin Xuan did not refuse. He reached out to take it and put it into his spirit tool. "Then I shall not be so impolite as to refuse."
Jing Hongchen smiled and nodded inwardly.
Lin Xuan had accepted the token, and he had done so in front of Fan Yu and the others. This indicated that he was not that hostile toward the Sun Moon Empire, or at least not that wary.
Otherwise, he could have acted like Fan Yu and the others, with a business-like attitude, not saying a word except for necessary communication and never actively reaching out.
Accepting the token meant he was willing to accept this goodwill.
As the saying goes, once a precedent is set, it won't stop. In the future, it might not be impossible to recruit Lin Xuan into their Sun Moon Empire.
Jing Hongchen was in a great mood and began to chat with Lin Xuan, mainly with him asking and Lin Xuan answering.
"I heard you also studied spirit tools at Shrek? To what level have you reached?"
"Fifth level."
"Fifth level?" Jing Hongchen was somewhat surprised. "Weren't you minoring in spirit tools? How could you still reach the fifth level?"
Lin Xuan smiled. "Perhaps I also have some talent for spirit tools."
Jing Hongchen remained noncommittal. One must know that a person's energy is limited. For Lin Xuan to reach such strength at the Soul King stage, one could imagine how much time he spent on Martial Soul cultivation.
To be able to learn up to the fifth level under such circumstances could already be considered top-tier talent.
"Then what do you think of spirit tools?" Jing Hongchen asked again. "I mean, compared to Martial Souls."
Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said seriously, "Each has its strengths. spirit tools have a low barrier to entry, and even ordinary people can use them; that's their advantage. But fundamentally, spirit tools are ultimately just external objects."
Jing Hongchen did not argue, just smiled and asked, "Then do you think spirit tools can replace Martial Souls in the future?"
Lin Xuan glanced at him and smiled faintly. "Perhaps they can, but that day is still very far off."
Jing Hongchen laughed loudly, his laughter drifting in the night wind. He didn't ask further, just looked at the brightly lit city, his gaze distant and profound.
"We have arrived in Mingdu."
Loving Book So Far Check Out 50+ Chapters In Advanced At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FictionsTL