This time, Chen Xiao-Jun wasn't able to completely dodge.
The two pegasus figures came sweeping in from the left and right. Misjudging the timing, he twisted right and slashed horizontally with his sword—but the wind from the left struck his arm, leaving a bloody gash.
After two or three more exchanges, though he managed to dodge each time, Chen Xiao-Jun was now covered in several cuts.
"No other way… In the end, I still have to use that move."
He angled his sword to the side and slowly drew the scabbard from his soul tool, sheathing the blade with care. Then he closed his eyes. He knew that relying on sight alone wasn't enough.
The Pegasus, having circled, charged again—its speed nearly invisible to the naked eye. This was an "Extreme Speed Breakthrough".
It wasn't stupid—quite the opposite. With a keen intuition, it sensed a threat when the 1.3-meter-tall child before it closed his eyes. It realized "Lightsplit Phantom" might be countered, so it switched to Extreme Speed Breakthrough instead.
This pegasus truly had extraordinary talent. Except for Divine Gale Thornburst, it had awakened nearly all sub-ten-thousand-year innate abilities. Fortunately, it didn't have any ranged attack skills—or hadn't trained them yet.
Lightsplit Phantom was a fusion of wind and light elements, primarily using light to create illusions and disorient the opponent, while the wind formed the clone.
But Extreme Speed Breakthrough pushed the Pegasus' speed to its absolute limit. The diamond on its forehead glowed silver, giving it a faint spatial attribute. As it charged, tiny spatial fissures appeared in its wake—sharp enough to send chills down one's spine.
However, this skill came with a huge drawback—it required an incredibly strong body and abundant soul power to survive the backlash. Even in peak conditions, this ability would injure it. "Space reigns supreme" was no idle saying—let alone in its current wounded state.
As a top-tier thousand-year soul beast with high intelligence, the Pegasus knew it wouldn't survive. It had already chosen mutual destruction.
The final moment.
A suffocating atmosphere.
Chen Yu watched intently. Several times he nearly acted but stopped himself.
In that split-second—
Chen Xiao-Jun raised his hand.
The sword was drawn.
A single sword cry split the air.
A blinding flash of cold light—
A gleam like a rainbow tore through the sky.
It was a draw-cut technique!
At that moment, drawing the sword meant life or death. It was the embodiment of unyielding will, fearless courage, and absolute resolve.
The sheer grace of that strike rendered even Chen Yu, the only spectator, silent in awe.
In that flash of cold light, blood and flesh flew from the Pegasus' neck.
It collapsed.
No cry.
No struggle.
It died instantly.
That sword—perfect in speed, force, control, and precision—struck true, fatal in a single blow.
A few breaths later, Chen Xiao-Jun couldn't help but vomit a mouthful of blood.
Though the Pegasus had died, the spatial shock it generated remained unstoppable—it wasn't something that could be taken lightly.
Not far away, as the Pegasus' body fell, a faint purple light began to rise from it—misty and ethereal, as if it could vanish at any moment.
A six-year-old child.
A Level 10 Soul Master.
Face-to-face, he killed a 1,500-year-old, top-tier, upper-class soul beast.
Even with its injuries, such a feat was nearly unheard of in the past several centuries.
Even Chen Yu, a titled Douluo, couldn't help but tremble—not just from excitement, but from fear, exhilaration, and finally, profound relief.
If this were a fantasy novel, Chen Yu might have shouted to the heavens:
"My grandson has the makings of a Great Emperor!"
He took a moment to compose himself, then flew to Chen Xiao-Jun, handing him a pill and a box of ointment.
"This thousand-year soul ring will last for two hours. Don't rush—heal first.
This is an Ancient Dust Pill, a top-grade healing elixir. It not only staunches bleeding and closes wounds, but rapidly restores soul power.
This is Sword Spirit Balm. It's gentle, perfect for external use—reduces swelling, stops pain and bleeding.
These two are legacy formulas of the Chen Clan—very effective for swordsmen like us."
The Ancient Dust Pill was a reddish-orange, irregularly-shaped bead, its surface etched with tiny sword-like patterns—like miniature swords swimming within.
Chen Xiao-Jun took the pill without hesitation. Soul power and blood flow stabilized almost immediately. His soul power began to recover.
Then he applied the white Sword Spirit Balm—its scent wasn't harsh, and it gave a cooling sensation. The bleeding stopped on contact, no itchiness, and the wounds scabbed visibly fast. The paste was smooth, non-irritating, and comfortable.
One hour later, Chen Xiao-Jun was fully stabilized.
"Xiao'er, a 1,500-year-old soul ring as your first soul ring—
I haven't heard of such a thing in centuries. Be careful.
If anything goes wrong, stop immediately. If I sense danger, I'll forcibly interrupt the process."
A luminous Sword Spirit Pearl appeared, shining with a gentle white glow from Chen Xiao-Jun's palm as he sat cross-legged.
He beckoned toward the Pegasus' lingering soul ring. It floated toward him and circled his body.
As the ring's power entered him, a terrifying surge of explosive energy burst within.
It was a vast, intense, and scorching-hot force, flooding into his limbs and bones, burning like fire throughout his body.
The first wave of impact was brutal. His body felt as if it were about to explode—
In agony, he vomited another mouthful of blood.
"Xiao'er, quick—run the Righteous Sword Qi Method!"
Chen Xiao-Jun immediately began circulating the Righteous Sword Qi Method. His soul power, though small, was forced into its meridian cycle through his inner cultivation technique.
Just then, his Lower Soul Core (魂巢) began to draw with immense suction—like a floodgate bursting open. The majority of the soul power rushed downward.
Since the Lower Soul Core hadn't fully opened yet, the incoming soul power formed a vortex at the entrance, getting sucked in rapidly like a funnel. It acted like a bottomless pit—only taking in, not letting out.
Meanwhile, part of the heat energy was absorbed by the meridians, rapidly repairing his injuries.
This essence—the vital energy of the Pegasus' flesh—should have been dangerously overpowering, but thanks to his wounded state, it was perfectly absorbed to heal and restore.
Destruction and repair.
Damage and creation.
A cycle of rebirth.
Simultaneously, in the Upper Soul Core, waves of mental energy surged.
But before the Pegasus' remnant soul could resist, it let out a final wail—then was mostly drawn away.
The scattered residual mental energy dispersed into starlight and was absorbed by his sea of consciousness.
Residual souls—what the ancients called will, and modern science describes as bioelectricity or brainwaves.
The stronger and more intelligent the creature, the more powerful its remnant soul after death.
In this world, the more elite the soul beast, the more intense the resentment left behind in its soul ring.
Though the Pegasus was strong, it had only lived 1,500 years. The Sword Spirit Pearl easily absorbed it.
Inside the Lower Soul Core, the faint white, semi-transparent first Sword Spirit Pearl shone brightly. Soul power poured in, spinning around it, forming a swirling nebula.
The soul power spun faster and faster. Within the light, a divine sword slowly took shape—visible to the naked eye—until it was fully formed. Then, the ring stopped drawing energy.
By now, Chen Xiao-Jun had calmed.
The searing heat had subsided.
The Righteous Sword Qi Method flowed smoothly, forming a perfect small cycle.
The bloated feeling in his body faded, replaced by a warm, cozy sensation.
His organs, spine, and limbs felt significantly stronger—
It was a complete physical transformation.
Even a single doubling of strength—say, from 300 jin to 600 jin—could make an enormous difference.
His previously narrow meridians had also expanded and strengthened.
Two hours later, the purple soul ring slowly faded. A final wisp of faint violet light drifted down and merged into his body.
Chen Xiao-Jun opened his eyes at last and exhaled a long breath.
A flash of white light shone from him, illuminating his body with a pure glow.