As he was about to arrive home, an imposing figure appeared, blocking his way at the door.
The man in the black robe clearly had no good intentions, exuding arrogance, but he had the power to back it up.
Chen Xuan broke into a cold sweat. Being blocked at his own doorstep meant that this person had been planning for a long time and had been waiting for him.
Fortunately, Chen Yiyi was safe, as she remained within Chen Xuan's perception range. The intruder had not made a move against his family.
"Come with me. Don't think about resisting. If I take action, you'll be left half-dead," the black-robed man said casually, clearly not seeing Chen Xuan as a threat.
Perhaps this young man was a top-tier genius among his peers, but unfortunately, a genius that hadn't matured was just a slightly stronger grasshopper.
"Who is it that wants to see me?" Chen Xuan asked, trying to buy time as he thought of a way to escape.
The man, with his hands behind his back, replied indifferently, "You don't need to know. The only thing you need to understand is that in this land, in this empire, the person who wants to see you holds a very important status."
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Come with me. I won't harm you before the decision is made," the man said, his patience clearly running thin.
"I don't believe you," Chen Xuan said, pulling out a three-foot sword and preparing for battle.
The Kusanagi Sword, a legendary weapon, was the strongest weapon he had. It would suffice on this continent.
Following this man would be like handing over his life. That wasn't Chen Xuan's style.
"If I were you, I wouldn't resist. How foolish," the black-robed man said coldly.
This was why he didn't like dealing with geniuses—every single one tried to struggle, wasting his time.
Swish!
The black-robed man moved, incredibly fast, closing the gap of several dozen meters in the blink of an eye.
Chen Xuan was shocked and immediately retreated, using his lightning step technique to open a distance of over a hundred meters.
The man's speed was beyond belief. In just a blink, he was already upon Chen Xuan.
The black-robed man was relentless, his speed unimaginable, catching up to Chen Xuan in an instant and throwing a punch.
Chen Xuan harnessed the power of lightning. With a crack, the Kusanagi Sword erupted in dazzling arcs of electricity, covering the blade in violent energy.
Lightning flashed and crackled chaotically as the sword met the man's fist. Instead of the expected bloodshed, a metallic clanging sound echoed, like steel striking steel.
Chen Xuan's pupils contracted, his mind reeling. The sword had struck the man's fist, but it hadn't touched flesh. A strange white light had formed a barrier between them.
The black-robed man hadn't even activated his martial soul, yet his power was terrifying, his methods mysterious, and his strength overwhelming.
Boom! Chen Xuan was sent flying backward, the Kusanagi Sword knocked away with him for several dozen meters.
His arm went numb, and blood seeped from the cracks in his hand. He nearly lost his grip on the sword.
With just one clash, Chen Xuan felt unprecedented pressure. The man's strength was far beyond his own, much greater than any opponent he had ever faced.
Chen Xuan steadied himself, quickly forming hand seals, wasting no time.
The black-robed man stomped the ground, causing the earth to crack and a large crater to form as if hit by a massive boulder.
He charged forward like a human missile, his fist aimed directly at Chen Xuan.
"Fire Style, Song of Dragon Flames!"
Chen Xuan gathered a large amount of soul power and spewed forth a vast flame, transforming into four dragon heads that surged with scorching heat.
"Let's see how you dodge this."
The four fiery dragons attacked from all directions—above, below, left, and right—leaving the black-robed man in mid-air with no escape.
The Song of Dragon Flames was Chen Xuan's most powerful fire attack, capable of igniting a forest within a hundred meters.
"You have some brains, but unfortunately, you lack strength."
The black-robed man remained calm, unfazed by the approaching flames.
Boom!
In the next moment, the area erupted in an explosion, flames soaring into the sky, engulfing the land in a sea of fire.
The nearby ground turned black and scorched, flowers and grass burned to ashes, and even the two towering trees were consumed by the inferno.
The temperature was so high it could melt metal. Chen Xuan had to retreat a bit. If it had been him, he wouldn't have survived that attack.
If the Song of Dragon Flames couldn't hurt this man, there would be no point in continuing the fight.
"You've got some skill. I underestimated you. It seems you were holding back during the competition."
From within the fire, the black-robed man's voice rang out, tinged with a hint of surprise.
Chen Xuan's expression changed slightly, feeling a sense of powerlessness. The worst-case scenario had occurred. This man was far stronger than him, beyond any enemy he had ever faced.
Against a Soul Saint, he had stood a chance, using the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan. But this man felt like an abyss, far beyond the level of a Soul Saint, perhaps even a titled...
"Alright, enough with the charade. I can't let you continue jumping around."
From the fire, a white light emerged, like a giant blade slicing through the flames, creating an uncloseable gap.
The black-robed man walked out slowly, his robes unharmed, not a trace of burns on them.
"Nine Rings!"
Chen Xuan's pupils contracted, his spine chilled. The man was a Titled Douluo with nine soul rings.
The black-robed man's aura grew stronger, more terrifying. Nine soul rings appeared beneath him—two yellow, two purple, and five black—the standard configuration of a Titled Douluo.
Chen Xuan felt powerless. The gap was too vast, beyond imagination. Even though he had expected this man to be strong, he hadn't thought he'd encounter a Titled Douluo in Tiandou City.
There were only a few dozen people on the continent who had reached level 90 or above, making them the pinnacle of power.
"You're not bad. You've earned the right to stay by the young lady's side," the black-robed man said, his voice deep and imposing, as he took slow steps forward.
He was incredibly powerful. Even the slightest leak of his soul power caused the flowers to explode and the ground to crack.
"The young lady?" Chen Xuan was shocked. He knew many princesses in the Tiandou Empire, but none had the power to command a Titled Douluo.
As he thought about the young noblewomen he knew, none seemed capable of such a feat. What kind of background would it take to have a Titled Douluo as a servant?
"That's right."
The black-robed man nodded, his tone less harsh than before. "My young lady wishes to meet you and assess your strength. This isn't your full power, is it? You must have more to show, but no matter. You've met my expectations."
Now, he looked at Chen Xuan with a bit more respect. Facing an opponent several levels stronger than him, the young man had remained calm, a sign that he wasn't ordinary.
Even without using his martial soul, a Super Douluo like the black-robed man could easily crush a regular Soul Saint. The fact that Chen Xuan, at only level 40, could exchange a few blows was no small feat.
"So, will you come willingly, or should I beat you into submission?" the black-robed man asked.
Chen Xuan decided not to resist any further. He had only been training for a little over two months, and he knew he wasn't at this man's level.
He understood his limits. Facing a Titled Douluo, using his Mangekyō Sharingan would only waste his eye power. It wouldn't make much difference, especially since he hadn't had enough time to fully master his powers. He could only open Susano'o to the third stage at best.
"I'll go with you," Chen Xuan said, reluctantly sheathing his sword. He had no choice. If he could, he wouldn't willingly hand over his life.
"Smart choice," the black-robed man said coolly. With a wave of his sleeve, a white light enveloped Chen Xuan, lifting him up as they disappeared from the spot.
"Who exactly is this 'young lady'?" Chen Xuan wondered, full of questions.
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