Chapter 16: An Unprecedented Display of Power
"How is this possible?" Chrysanthemum Douluo was shocked. The ground was made of a special metal mixed with deep-sea silver and reinforced at the edges. It was so hard that even a Soul Emperor could barely damage it. But Qin Xuan had achieved this level of destruction without using any Soul skills.
Chrysanthemum Douluo knew he could also do it, but he was a Contra at level 89 while Qin Xuan was only a Soul King. If Ghost Douluo hadn't warned him and he hadn't dodged, he would have been seriously injured. He didn't think his palms could be much stronger than the floor.
It wasn't just him and Ghost Douluo who were shocked. The 7 Elders in front of the Seraph statue were also in awe.
"Hey, big brother, that was sword energy just now, right?" Guang Ling Douluo said, his eyes slightly narrowed. The cynical look on his youthful face was gone, replaced by surprise and solemnity. As far as he knew, among the known Soul Masters who used swords, the only one who could wield sword energy without using Soul skills, besides his eldest brother, was Sword Douluo Chenxin. Even the current Pope, Qian Xunji, couldn't do this.
"That's right," Qian Daoliu replied calmly, maintaining his gentle smile. Though he spoke with ease, his golden eyes showed admiration. It seemed Qin Xuan was even more capable than he had thought.
Guang Ling Douluo then turned to Qianjun and Jiang Mo. "Old Liu and Old Qi, did you two teach that kid's swordsmanship?"
Hearing this, Qianjun and Jiang Mo felt their faces burn. They exchanged a bitter smile, shook their heads, and said, "Qin Xuan's swordsmanship was taught by several Cardinals with sword Martial Souls."
They usually only gave Qin Xuan occasional guidance on using Soul skills and practicing Martial Soul fusion. They were skilled at teaching staff and spear techniques, but not swordsmanship.
"Tsk tsk. Then you two teachers are really failures," Guang Ling Douluo said, returning to his cynical demeanor. The Fourth Elder, Lion Douluo, and the Second Elder, Golden Crocodile Douluo, along with the Third Elder, Qingluan Douluo, all nodded in agreement. Qianjun and Jiang Mo blushed even more, wishing they could disappear into the ground.
The battle between Qin Xuan and Chrysanthemum Douluo continued. Qin Xuan's sword was powerful and dazzling. His eyes reflected the fire, and two red rays of light danced in the air. With each move, he left ferocious sword marks on the ground, sending sand and rocks flying.
Learning his lesson, Chrysanthemum Douluo no longer dared to be careless. He unleashed his level 89 Soul power, turning his Strange Velvet Chrysanthemum into a long whip that clashed with the Everbright Sword. Despite the massive difference in Soul power, Qin Xuan, with his retractable sword energy, was able to fight Chrysanthemum Douluo to a standstill.
However, as the battle continued, the attribute-based restraint between their Martial Souls became apparent. Although the Strange Velvet Chrysanthemum was a high-quality fairy herb, it was still a plant. Qin Xuan's Everbright Sword had dual attributes of thunder and fire. Fire overpowers grass, and without the additional attributes from a Soul Ring, the Strange Velvet Chrysanthemum was no match for the Everbright Sword.
After a while, Chrysanthemum Douluo was forced to retreat.
"This is ridiculous!" Chrysanthemum Douluo roared, having never fought such a frustrating battle. The battle had gone on for a long time, and he was getting angrier. If Qin Xuan had only relied on his sword energy and unpredictable moves, Chrysanthemum Douluo wouldn't have been so frustrated. But Qin Xuan's Martial Soul attribute completely overpowered him, leaving him with almost no power to fight back.
Boom! Under the Martial Soul restraint, the plant whip in Chrysanthemum Douluo's hand was split in two by the Everbright Sword's blazing blade. The fire continued its path, hitting Chrysanthemum Douluo hard in the chest. His body flew backward like a cannonball, hitting one of the stone pillars and creating a large cloud of dust.
"This kid is amazing," Guang Ling Douluo exclaimed, his eyes filled with admiration. Most of the other Elders felt the same. Even the usually taciturn and arrogant Golden Crocodile Douluo said, "It's true. The defeat is decided. Chrysanthemum isn't his opponent. It seems this kid's proposal to go to Slaughter City wasn't just arrogance."
"Ahem!" The sound of Chrysanthemum Douluo coughing violently came from the dust. He was thoroughly embarrassed. A dignified level 89 Soul Douluo, a quasi-Titled Douluo, had been beaten by a Soul King without the ability to fight back. If this got out, people would laugh at him.
"Damn it, Qin Xuan, I have to admit you are powerful. But I still have one more move, a self-created Soul skill—the Broken Chrysanthemum Spear." Chrysanthemum Douluo swung the remaining half of his plant whip in his right hand. The other half that was on the ground flew into the air as if summoned. The two long whips merged at the break and instantly straightened, transforming into a sharp plant javelin. At this moment, his high spirits were gone. His long golden hair was messy, and a 5-centimeter gap was cut into his golden armor, with blood seeping out.
The wound was caused by Qin Xuan's sword energy from a move called "Crossing the Four Directions," one of the most powerful moves in the horizontal swordsmanship. Although it seemed like one move, it had four rapid changes. Chrysanthemum Douluo blocked the first with his whip and the next two with his Soul power, but the fourth one landed on his chest, breaking through his armor and causing a physical wound.