The Pope Hall.
The seat standing atop several layers of steps was once the position longed for by countless people of the Spirit Hall, and the female Pope sitting upon that seat was an unattainable beauty in the eyes of countless people.
She was noble, cold, naturally beautiful, stunning in appearance, like a rose covered in sharp thorns—making people yearn for her, yet only able to stop at a distance.
She was ruthless and decisive in her actions. For years, she had never allowed any man to enter within twenty meters of her.
She was perpetually worried, her brows always furrowed, as if she carried endless troubles.
But in the past few days, Hu Liena suddenly discovered that her noble and cold master often sat on the throne in a daze, then after a while would smile. That smile was breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that even she, as her disciple, was stunned by it for a long time.
After so many years, the Empress had actually smiled for the first time.
Hu Liena, with her golden short hair, stood below the steps and looked upward. She had already walked here, yet Bibi Dong still hadn't noticed her.
"Master?"
"Hm? It's Nana. What is it?"
Bibi Dong immediately withdrew her smile and returned to her original cold appearance, even when facing her own disciple.
Hu Liena bit her red lips and asked shyly, "Master, I want to ask you… the boy you've been looking for recently, who exactly is he?"
The expression on Bibi Dong's peerlessly beautiful face once again became somewhat absent-minded.
"This seat also doesn't know who he is… it's just that…"
Hu Liena's beautiful eyes widened slightly as she asked softly, "Just that what?"
Bibi Dong glanced at her, her smile fading. "It's nothing. You can go down first. If there is any new information about him, report it to me as soon as possible."
Hu Liena puffed up her cheeks. After all, she was only a twelve-year-old child, and at this moment she felt as if she had lost favor in front of her master, inevitably feeling a bit downcast.
"Alright, I understand. Then this disciple will withdraw first."
Watching Hu Liena's departing figure, Bibi Dong raised her snow-white arm and gently supported her head, her expression once again becoming melancholy.
Following her previous words, she muttered to herself, "It's just that… he seems to be the only person in this world who understands me."
"Where exactly are you, little one…"
...
"Split?!"
Chen Xin exclaimed in surprise. Actually, at his level, it was very easy to restrain emotions, but upon hearing that the meteor stone had split, he still couldn't suppress his shock.
Lou Gao narrowed his eyes. "What? It wasn't you?"
Chen Xin shook his head with a serious expression.
Gu Rong laughed. "Could it be some reclusive expert? You old bastard, looks like your title as the number one attacking Titled Douluo might not be secure anymore!"
"Get lost, stop talking nonsense here."
Ning Rongrong found it extremely interesting to watch the two old fellows argue. She giggled happily in Chen Xin's arms.
Lou Gao took a deep breath, folded his arms thick as waists, and analyzed seriously, "The one who could split this meteor stone is probably a super Douluo whose soul power exceeds level ninety-five."
But Gu Rong shook his head. "Not necessarily. I once struck that meteor stone with all my strength and have a deep understanding of its material. This is something that at least a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo could accomplish."
Chen Xin nodded. "Don't look at Old Bone always talking nonsense, but I actually agree with this sentence. It probably requires a Titled Douluo at the level of my father to achieve this."
At this moment, he seemed to think of something. Excitedly, he slapped Ning Rongrong's butt, producing a crisp sound.
"Aow!"
Ning Rongrong covered her butt and pouted.
"Lou Gao, hurry, check who bought those meteor fragments back then!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"I want to see exactly who it is!"
...
That night, Chi Xiu chose to meditate to consolidate the soul power in his body and did not sleep.
The power of the Shura God Sword was obviously far more terrifying than he had imagined. This was beyond doubt—it almost restrained all sword martial souls.
In his just-awakened state, sword soul masters below level twenty would be unable to even release their martial souls when facing him. Even if they were Soul Elders, their martial souls would completely lose their combat capability.
Not only that, as long as Chi Xiu concentrated all his hostility and suppression on one person, even a six-ring Soul Emperor would be helpless.
The Great Elder was the best proof.
This was the pressure belonging to a superior—absolute, thorough pressure.
...
The next day.
Chi Xiu stopped meditating and stretched lazily. His whole body felt both relaxed and full of power.
Sure enough, for soul masters, sleeping was almost a waste of time. Meditation could completely replace sleep.
But for Chi Xiu, sleeping was a shortcut to the path of ultimate strength.
The only problem was that he never knew whose bed he would wake up on next time… This was a problem. What if he encountered a woman he had "slept with" in real life? What should he do…
"Bad news! Bad news!"
"Little Young Master!"
"Hundreds, even thousands of people have come outside the sect. I heard they're all here to find you!"
A servant suddenly ran over in panic and knocked on Chi Xiu's door repeatedly.
Chi Xiu widened his eyes. Looking for me? For what reason?
Bibi Dong? Or that meteor stone?
...
Outside the Purple Star Sect.
The entire street had already been packed with all kinds of people, blocked so tightly that not even water could pass through.
Chen Xin's body lightly descended from midair. He extended his sword fingers and drew a streak of light beside him, and the Seven Kill Sword martial soul beneath his feet once again concealed itself.
"What kind of sect is the Purple Star Sect? How come I've never heard of it?"
Gu Rong looked around. "This is the border region of the Tian Dou Empire, tens of thousands of miles away from the center of Tian Dou City."
The Sword Douluo nodded. Looking at the dense crowd around them, he couldn't help frowning. "Why have so many other sects come here?"
"Wind Sword Sect, Broken Sword Sect, Heavenly Sword Sect… almost all the sword sects of the Tian Dou Empire are here. Where is Lou Gao? Did he call them here?"
Gu Rong chuckled. "Probably heard some rumors yesterday. Lou Gao is over there. Let's go take a look."
...
"What did you say?!"
"A child?!"
"And he's six years old, who are you trying to fool?!"
When Lou Gao got angry, his body directly seemed to grow several inches taller. He panted like a bull, and the muscles all over his body bulged exaggeratedly.
Seeing that many sects had come today, the Great Elder, considering himself the number one figure of the Purple Star Sect, had eagerly come out to welcome them on behalf of Chi Yuan. Who would have thought that now he would almost be strangled to death by Lou Gao in excitement.
"Senior Lou Gao, please don't get excited. It really was a child who split it. More than a hundred people from our Purple Star Sect witnessed it together. Could it be fake?!"
The Great Elder explained with a flushed face. Although he was arrogant by nature, he couldn't be arrogant at all in front of the number one divine craftsman on the continent.
"Lou Gao, don't get excited. Ask clearly first."
Chen Xin and Gu Rong slowly walked over. The aura of the two Titled Douluo was truly extraordinary. The surrounding crowd consciously made way. Some miscellaneous sects that had just wanted to speak immediately shut up when they saw Chen Xin appear.
"Chen Xin Mianxia!"
The Great Elder was like a fan seeing a star. His legs went soft and he was about to kneel.
Chen Xin raised his sword finger. The surging air current lifted the Great Elder's knees off the ground.
"No need for formalities. We are all from the major sects of Tian Dou City. We heard that the meteor stone of your sect was split, so we came to take a look."
"May I ask, was it really split by a child?"
The Great Elder nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Yes!"
"Six years old?"
Chen Xin narrowed his eyes.
The Great Elder continued nodding.
The crowd erupted in an uproar. Chen Xin and Gu Rong looked at each other, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.
"What is his martial soul? What is his innate soul power?"
Chen Xin asked impatiently.
"It is the martial soul inherited in our Purple Star Sect lineage, the Purple Star Sword, only it mutated. As for innate soul power…"
"Full level."
The Great Elder deliberately kept everyone in suspense before speaking. After all, this was the glory of their Purple Star Sect—if he didn't show off now, when would he?
"Full level?!"
"My heavens!"
"This unknown Purple Star Sect actually produced a monster with innate full soul power!"
The entire street exploded instantly.
All sects cherished talent like life itself. Everyone hoped that they could rise to prominence by relying on a genius disciple.
And now, such an opportunity had actually fallen to this small Purple Star Sect!
Chen Xin was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha, Old Bone, mutated martial soul, innate full soul power, able to split the meteor stone just after awakening. Guess what I thought of?"
Gu Rong narrowed his eyes and smiled. The tacit understanding between him and this old partner was unmatched.
"Sword Dao inheritance?"
"Sword Dao inheritance!"
"Hahaha, I knew you old bastard never accepted disciples because your taste was too picky."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other sects standing nearby immediately became unhappy.
The sect master of the Wind Sword Sect stepped forward. "Chen Xin Mianxia, even if your sword path is unmatched across the continent, there's no need to come to another sect to snatch people, right?"
"Exactly."
"That makes sense."
...
People began to echo one after another. These people had originally come just to watch the excitement, but who would have thought that the protagonist would be a child who had just awakened his martial soul with heaven-defying talent!
If they didn't dig him into their own sect, how could they justify it?!
Who cares about snatching people? Who cares about the Purple Star Sect? They had never even heard of the name—whatever, they were going to snatch him anyway!
But who would have thought that Chen Xin also had the intention of recruiting him.
"Not so!"
Chen Xin flicked his sleeve, and the surging aura shook away the crowd that had squeezed forward.
"This seat only accepts him as a disciple in a personal capacity. This child is still a member of the Purple Star Sect and has nothing to do with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Heh, just words on the surface… This was the unanimous thought in everyone's minds.
The sect master of the Wind Sword Sect immediately raised his hand.
"Me! The sect master of the Wind Sword Sect also promises to accept that child as a disciple in a personal capacity!"
Once one sect spoke up, the others immediately became restless and scrambled to speak.
"Me! The sect master of the Broken Sword Sect, also in a personal capacity! I'll even give that child a soul bone!"
"Me! The sect master of the Heavenly Sword Sect! In a personal capacity! I'll cover all that child's soul rings!"
"I'll take that child and raise him as my father! Whoever the hell tries to steal my dad, I'll fight him!"
...
All kinds of temptations emerged endlessly. Chen Xin was too lazy to watch these weaklings peck at each other and directly walked toward the Great Elder. But the Great Elder was already unable to speak. Chen Xin had no choice but to speak to Chi Yuan beside him.
"You are the sect master of the Purple Star Sect?"
"Yes! Yes! I am also that child's father!"
Chi Yuan said excitedly.
Chen Xin smiled and nodded. "You've all seen our sincerity. Why not inform that child and let him come out to meet us? Of course, none of us will make things difficult for him."
After hearing this, Chi Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead, nodded, then immediately ran toward the interior of the sect.
...
"Son! Xiao Xiu!"
"Many sects have come outside! Sword Douluo Chen Xin has also come! Do you want to go out and meet them? Chen Xin even wants to accept you as a disciple in a personal capacity. Are you willing?"
Chi Yuan pushed open the door and saw Chi Xiu sitting cross-legged in meditation.
"Son?"
Chi Xiu opened his eyes, his pupils bright like gemstones.
He exhaled lightly, calm and indifferent.
"I won't meet them, and I don't want to be anyone's disciple."
Chi Yuan was stunned. He only saw Chi Xiu smile once, then continue speaking.
"Dad, open the sect gates and let only Senior Lou Gao come in. Let him deliver the promised gift first."
(End of Chapter)