Recently, Ning Fengzhi had been extremely busy, frequently traveling between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Crown Prince's residence in Heaven Dou City. Officially, he was there to teach the Crown Prince, and while he did provide some instruction, his primary focus was on helping the Crown Prince solidify his position.
With Ning Fengzhi's assistance, Xue Qinghe had gained a number of loyal supporters in the imperial court, greatly strengthening his authority as the Crown Prince.
Ning Fengzhi's contributions were undoubtedly significant. However, his frequent absences from the sect meant he had less time to spend with his daughter, Ning Rongrong. With her father away, Ning Rongrong's naturally playful and carefree personality was given free rein.
Moreover, whenever Ning Fengzhi left the sect, he was always accompanied by a Titled Douluo for protection—either Chen Xin or Gu Luo.
As a result, the time Chen Yuan spent training under Chen Xin was significantly reduced. However, Chen Yuan didn't mind.
Chen Xin had already taught Chen Yuan all three of the Chen family's secret techniques: the Seven Kill Sword Technique, the Killing Intent Principle, and the Soul Ring Refinement. All that remained was for Chen Yuan to practice diligently.
Of course, Chen Yuan didn't slack off. Even when Ning Rongrong came to play with him, he would deliberately brush her off.
He knew very well that his time was precious and couldn't be wasted.
---
In the midst of Chen Yuan's disciplined and monotonous training, time flew by like an arrow. Three years passed in the blink of an eye.
**Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a private training ground in the back mountains.**
Now eleven years old, Chen Yuan was sweating profusely as he trained. In his hand was a 64-jin iron sword, which he wielded with ease, swinging it as if it were an extension of his arm. His movements were swift, powerful, and razor-sharp.
Over the past three years, through relentless training, Chen Yuan had mastered the 16-jin, 32-jin, and finally the 64-jin iron sword.
Thanks to his rigorous training, supplemented by a nutritious diet and medicinal baths, Chen Yuan's physique had become exceptionally strong. His muscles were firm but not bulky, and he stood at an impressive height of 1.8 meters. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he resembled a towering sword. His features had fully matured, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a heroic aura.
After completing a set of the Seven Kill Sword Technique, Chen Yuan sheathed his sword and stood still. His breathing was steady, and his expression was calm, showing no signs of fatigue. The 64-jin iron sword felt as light as a feather in his hand.
Chen Yuan frowned slightly and muttered:
"I wonder when Teacher will return. After half a year of cultivation, my soul power has finally undergone a qualitative change, officially breaking through from level 29 to level 30. I can now absorb my third soul ring and become a Soul Elder. For my third soul ring, I must hunt a soul beast of at least 5,000 years."
At the same time, he thought to himself:
'Based on my age, which is similar to Ning Rongrong's, I've officially broken through to level 30 soul power at just eleven years old, a few months shy of twelve. This is faster than Tang San and Xiao Wu, who both had innate full soul power. However, Tang San spent his days forging, and Xiao Wu was always playing around. Neither of them devoted themselves fully to cultivation.'
'I've surpassed them for two reasons: first, because of my relentless training, and second, because the soul rings I absorbed—one hundred-year and one thousand-year—not only helped me break through but also boosted my soul power significantly, saving me months or even years of cultivation. Being one step ahead gives me the opportunity to stay ahead. I must seize every opportunity that comes my way.'
With this in mind, Chen Yuan began practicing the Seven Kill Sword Technique again. His swordsmanship had already reached an extremely high level, but he still hadn't fully mastered the state of "man and sword as one."
According to Chen Xin, this state was a life-risking technique that could double one's attack power. Once mastered, it would become a deadly trump card. There was no reason for Chen Yuan not to strive for it.
Unbeknownst to him, the sun had begun to set, painting the sky with hues of fiery red.
Ning Fengzhi, who had been in Heaven Dou City, returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect under Chen Xin's protection.
Chen Yuan was overjoyed to see Chen Xin back. He immediately went to him and explained his situation:
"Teacher, I've broken through to level 30 soul power and can now absorb my third soul ring to become a Soul Elder. Please help me hunt the soul beast I need."
Chen Xin was both surprised and delighted. He patted Chen Yuan's shoulder and said with a smile:
"Excellent. Your cultivation speed is unmatched across the entire continent. Rest well today. Tomorrow, we'll go see the Sect Leader, and then we'll head out to hunt soul beasts."
"As for the type of soul beast, Yuan'er, do you want to be able to fly on your sword, soaring through the skies under your own power?"
Hearing this, Chen Yuan didn't hesitate. Flying on a sword was both incredibly cool and practical. He replied firmly:
"Teacher, I do."
Chen Xin smiled. He had once yearned for the same ability. He then said:
"Then we'll hunt the same soul beast I did—the Golden Feather Divine Eagle. It's one of the best among eagle-type soul beasts, with a sharp beak and talons that can greatly enhance the sharpness of our martial soul. But what we really want is its ability to fly hundreds of meters in an instant. As for its age, based on your physical strength, we should aim for a Golden Feather Divine Eagle between 4,000 and 6,000 years old."
Chen Yuan's eyes lit up. It seemed that once he became a Soul Elder, he would be able to fly on his sword, free to explore the vast skies.
He nodded and said:
"I'll follow your arrangements, Teacher."
Chen Xin replied:
"Go rest now. Make sure you're well-prepared."
Chen Yuan responded:
"Understood, Teacher!"
As night fell, Chen Yuan returned to his room. His excitement kept him from entering a meditative state, but once he calmed down, he finally began his cultivation.
---
The next morning!
Chen Xin and Chen Yuan woke up early. Chen Xin then took Chen Yuan to see Ning Fengzhi.
Chen Xin couldn't hide his smile:
"Sect Leader, I won't be able to accompany you to Heaven Dou City for a while. My disciple has broken through to level 30 soul power and needs to hunt a soul beast for his third soul ring."
Ning Fengzhi was also surprised. He looked at Chen Yuan and said in amazement:
"Chen Yuan, you've broken through to level 30 at just eleven years old. You truly are the top genius of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Let's go, Sword Elder. I'm looking forward to seeing how much Chen Yuan improves after absorbing his third soul ring."
Chen Xin nodded and said:
"The soul beast we're hunting this time is quite special, so it might take a while."
Ning Fengzhi had no objections:
"That's how it should be. With Chen Yuan's talent, absorbing an ordinary soul ring would be a waste."
Chen Xin then turned to Chen Yuan:
"Yuan'er, let's go."
Chen Yuan immediately responded and followed Chen Xin:
"Yes."
Once outside, Chen Xin grabbed Chen Yuan, and the two shot into the sky like a streak of sword light, heading toward the Sunset Forest.
However, upon reaching the Sunset Forest, Chen Xin didn't land. Instead, he continued flying northwest until they arrived at a region of towering cliffs.
The area was barren, with jagged peaks that pierced the sky like swords, reaching high into the clouds. It was a majestic and awe-inspiring sight.
Eagle-type soul beasts didn't inhabit ordinary forests. This was their domain.
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,359
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