Library of Heaven's Path

by Little Merger

Traversing into another world, Zhang Xuan finds himself becoming an honorable teacher. Along with his transcension, a mysterious library appears in his mind. As long as it is something he has seen, regardless of whether it is a human or an object, a book on its weaknesses will be automatically compiled in the library. Thus, he becomes formidable. “Emperor Zhuoyang, why do you detes

21. 641

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 641: Frenzied Absorption - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 641: Frenzied Absorption Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 641: Frenzied Absorption

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Cheating?"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

In a sense, what he did could really be considered as cheating.

While the others were using their physical bodies as a bridge to nourish their soul, he was plunging his soul straight into the Lake Eye and absorbing the spiritual energy directly.

This was just like how a retailer's profit margin would be cut should there be an intermediary between them and the manufacturer.

But to be fair, he didn't make use of any artifact or weapon; it was all done through his own ability. Thus, it couldn't really be called cheating in the strictest sense.

"Indeed, cheating. If that's not the case, how could you absorb spiritual energy so quickly?"

Princess Fei-er widened her eyes.

"This..." Zhang Xuan had no idea how he should reply to that.

The matter regarding soul oracles mustn't be made known or things could prove to become troublesome.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan replied, "If I had cheated, surely you should know how I did it. If even a princess from Hongyuan Empire couldn't find a way to cheat, how could I have possibly done so? If you don't believe me, why don't we swap Lake Eyes?"

"Your Lake Eye is nearly empty already, who would want to switch with you?" Princess Fei-er rolled her eyes.

Dream on! You have nearly finished absorbing your Lake Eye already. If I were to swap with you, what am I supposed to absorb?

"Teacher, I'll swap with you..."

On the other hand, Luo Qiqi offered her own Lake Eye to Zhang Xuan.

She was the strongest among the group who came from the Master Teacher Academy, having reached Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle.

Given her cultivation, the effects of the Cleansing Lake on her were already terribly limited.

As such, she was willing to trade it for a chance to see how the other party managed to absorb the spiritual energy from the Lake Eye so quickly.

"This..."

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan nodded.

His soul cultivation had only advanced by a small bit before his Lake Eye started to run low on spiritual energy. He couldn't possibly just wait idly for everyone to be done!

Leaving his Lake Eye, Zhang Xuan stepped Luo Qiqi's, and Luo Qiqi stepped into his.

"Alright, you can start cultivating now. If you can cultivate as fast as before, I'll believe that you didn't cheat!"

Princess Fei-er harrumphed.

This time, she stared at Zhang Xuan's Lake Eye without even blinking. She wanted to make sure the other party didn't put anything into the lake to cheat.

"Un!"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan's body jolted slightly as his soul was drawn out from his physical body.

Even a 6-star soul oracle was unable to see his soul, needless to say, they couldn't see it either.

Hong long long!

As he started to cultivate, the Spirit Cleansing Incense floating on the Lake Eye began burning down swiftly. In less than five minutes, the three incense sticks were on the verge of burning out once more.

Zhang Xuan returned his soul back to his body helplessly.

He had thought that things would improve if he changed to another Lake Eye, but he didn't expect the results to be the same.

The lake dried out once more before his soul managed to get much spiritual energy in...

The spiritual energy inside was simply too little, how was he supposed to cultivate like that?

One should remember that for his soul to improve, he had sucked the entire seed water of the Yin-Yang Lake dry back then.

Frustrated, Zhang Xuan raised his head to look at the lady before him.

"You saw everything just now, did I cheat?"

"This..." Princess Fei-er fidgeted awkwardly, and her face reddened. "No!"

She had cast doubt on the other party's integrity, and yet the other party used his impressive capability to prove her wrong... What do you expect me to say?

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She felt so stifled inside that she could spew blood at any moment.

If only she knew that this fellow absorbed spiritual energy so swiftly, she would have never competed with him.

Wasn't this just looking for a face slap?

It seemed like there was no point continuing this wager, she was already destined to lose...

"Alright, you should hurry up and cultivate."

Seeing that the lady was on the verge of tears, Zhang Xuan felt awkward. He waved his hands and said, "There's no need to get anxious now, there's a chance that you might still win..."

He did promise Xing Yuan to allow the other party to win. He couldn't possibly allow the other party to give up as soon as the bet began!

"A chance..."

Luo Qiqi rolled her eyes.

Who do you think you are fooling?

You finished nearly three Spirit Cleansing Incense in five minutes whereas both of our incense have barely burned through the tip. How could Fei-er win like that?

Surely you could put more sincerity into your consolation!

"Teacher is right, we should hurry up and cultivate! Let's not waste this opportunity..."

Even though Luo Qiqi felt frenzied by Zhang Xuan's words, she still spoke up to advise her good friend.

"Un!"

Princess Fei-er nodded before closing her eyes to cultivate.

While she knew that her odds of victory were nearly zero, cultivating here was highly beneficial to the soul, and this was an opportunity not to be wasted.

Seeing that her good friend was still in the mood to cultivate, Luo Qiqi heaved a sigh of relief. She shot Zhang laoshi a glance before shutting her eyes.

While the spiritual energy in the Lake Eye was nearly depleted, given her rate of cultivation, it was still sufficient to last her half a day.

Watching as the duo continued cultivating, Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella.

If he were to continue using his soul to absorb, this Spirit Cleansing Incense would surely burn out in less than one minute.

It was a hard-to-come-by opportunity to enter the Cleansing Lake; was he going to walk out of here without gaining anything?

After all he had done, he felt like he had made a huge loss!

But there was nothing else he could do at the moment.

There was no point intentionally slowing his cultivation by absorbing it via his body.

"What should I do?"

Frustrated, Zhang Xuan was just considering if he should finish absorbing the spiritual energy in the Lake Eye and leave when a thought suddenly struck him, and his eyes lit up.

"Right! How did I forget about the Library of Heaven's Path?"

He had been too busy cultivating that he forgot about it.

Placing his finger into the lake, he willed.

"Flaws!"

Following which, his head jolted, and a book appeared before him.

"Master Teacher Continent, Huanyu Empire Cleansing Lake's Lake Eye. It possesses spiritual energy capable of nourishing one's soul and raising one's soul cultivation. Flaws: No.1, there is too little spiritual energy inside as compared to the water in the lake. If one were to absorb it directly via one's soul, it'll dry up very swiftly. No.2..."

Various flaws were listed in the book.

"Too little spiritual energy as compared to the water in the lake? That's right! The spiritual energy from the Lake Eye originates from the lake, so if I can absorb the spiritual energy straight from the lake, I won't need to worry about it the spiritual energy drying up anymore!"

Upon seeing the first flaw, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up as he turned his gaze to the lake beside him.

The furious surges of energy intersecting one another within the Cleansing Lake induced fear in those that set their eyes on it, leaving them daring not to approach.

In comparison, the Lake Eye was visibly much calmer. The spiritual energy here seemed much more inviting as compared to the raging ones on the other side.

Similar to how a pit dug on a beach would be filled in soon by the waves of the sea, the Lake Eyes were formed by the spiritual energy from the lake permeating into these depressions. Naturally, the concentration of spiritual energy it contained was as good as a drop within an ocean.

If Zhang Xuan wanted to absorb more spiritual energy, the massive Cleansing Lake was his best bet.

"Just that... given how the Cleansing Lake was able to even melt a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon in an instant, it's impossible for me to withstand it as well!"

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While Zhang Xuan knew there was plenty of spiritual energy inside the lake, he didn't dare move recklessly, especially with the previous sight still fresh in his mind.

That lake actually melted even a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon! Even though Zhang Xuan was confident in the resilience of his body, he knew he couldn't compare up to a weapon of that tier.

After a long moment of contemplation, just as Zhang Xuan was about to give up, he suddenly slapped his forehead, and his eyes gleamed in excitement. "Hmm? Why am I so foolish?

"My physical body might not be able to enter the lake, but my soul can!"

If others were to separate their souls from their bodies, death would be inevitable. However, Zhang Xuan was an exception. Having inherited the several dozen millennia heritage of the soul oracles, he could easily separate his soul from his body and have it enter the Cleansing Lake independently.

The searing energy contained within the Cleansing Lake which melted the Spirit intermediate-tier weapon previously would prove to be fatal to the souls of other soul oracles—they would be reduced to nothing in an instant. But having cultivated Heaven's Path Soul Art, the concept of the Five Soul Declines didn't apply to Zhang Xuan. Thus, his soul would be completely unfazed by the searing energy!

Furthermore, given the intangible nature of a soul, the violent energies rampaging in the Cleansing Lake that would have torn apart nearly anything easily wouldn't pose a threat to his soul.

"I should give it a try!"

Having thought things true, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged to maintain a meditation position. Then, he drew his soul out of his body.

His soul flew through the air all the way to the boundary between land and the lake. After a moment of hesitation, he finally stuck his hand in.

Hu!

His hand plunged into the water.

"I'm completely fine..."

After confirming that his soul didn't suffer the slightest damage or discomfort, Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed in excitement. He immediately plunged his entire soul into the lake.

Tzzzzzzzzzzz!

The raging currents of the Cleansing Lake that could melt even a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon was completely ineffective against him.

"Absorb!"

Moving to the center of the lake, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged and began to drive the Heaven's Path Soul Art.

Hong long long!

Spiritual energy immediately gushed into his soul through various acupoints, raising his cultivation swiftly.

Zhang Xuan moaned in pleasure.

"What concentrated spiritual energy..."

Indeed, when one door closes, another opens.

He initially thought that the Cleansing Lake would be ineffective on him considering how swiftly the Spirit Cleansing Incense burned down, but to his delight, his soul was actually able to absorb spiritual energy straight from the Cleansing Lake.

The quantity of spiritual energy in the Lake Eye couldn't even start comparing to this. There was no need for Zhang Xuan to hold back at all!

'Right, I should have clone out to absorb some as well!' Zhang Xuan thought.

His clone also had to raise its soul cultivation. Since this was a valuable opportunity, it would be best to have him cultivate here as well.

With a thought, Zhang Xuan's consciousness connected with the ring, and in the next instant, his clone appeared in the Lake Eye.

To prevent anyone from realizing that there were two Zhang Xuans, he swiftly instructed his clone to sneak here. Fortunately, under the cover of the veil of spiritual energy, the two ladies didn't notice anything at all.

"Given that clone is crafted of Nine Hearts Lotus, it shouldn't fear the water of this lake."

Considering that the material used to craft his clone was a God artifact, it was impossible that the water of the Cleansing Lake could possibly faze it.

But to be safe, he had his clone put his hand in first, and as expected, nothing happened.

"Come over here!"

Zhang Xuan had his clone move over to where his soul was, and the two sat side by side one another.

"Let's start cultivating!"

The clone drew out his soul, and the two souls began to absorb the spiritual energy from the lake.

Hong long long!

Hualala!

It was as though two gigantic vortices had appeared in the center of the Cleansing Lake. Spiritual energy flooded in at an insane rate.

Geji! Geji! Geji!

As though consuming an immensely nutritious pill, the two souls grew non-stop. From a size equivalent to their physical body, they grew larger and taller.

Two meters, three meters, four meters...

Back then, after consuming the spiritual energy from the seed water of the Yin-Yang Lake, Zhang Xuan's soul grew to three meters large. However, this was even more exaggerated.

Under the huge influx of spiritual energy, after four hours, the two souls had grown to a size of five to six meters.

It could be said that they were no different from giants at this point.

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Chapter 642: Zhang Xuan Is Dead?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"But I'm still far from Lu Chong's size..."

Recalling Lu Chong's mountain-sized soul body, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Five meters was already an astounding size for an ordinary soul oracle, but it was still far from matching up to Lu Chong.

"I should continue absorbing!"

Thus, Zhang Xuan continued to take in spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake.

As he picked up his pace, his clone did the same as well.

Just like that, another four more hours passed. In this period of time, the spiritual energy in the Cleansing Lake visibly declined as the furious currents and rampaging energies dampened.

"The spiritual energy in the area has thinned, but I'm just a little way off to reaching ten meters..."

The spiritual energy in the air had thinned to the point that it seemed as though it would dry up at any moment. However, seeing that he was nearing his goal, Zhang Xuan decided to quicken his pace.

He was just a little off from reaching ten meters. Once he broke this limit, his soul cultivation would reach newer heights. With this breakthrough, he wouldn't be too far off from matching the Lu Chong back then.

While Lu Chong's soul was indeed huge, Zhang Xuan's soul had been tempered with the Heaven's Path Soul Art. While Heaven's Path Soul Art required extremely pure spiritual energy, it also made his soul far stronger than other soul oracles'.

Hong long!

At that moment, his clone's soul suddenly jolted lightly. The other party had managed to surpass the ten meters mark.

To think that his clone would actually absorb spiritual energy at a rate faster than him!

Perplexed as to why one soul could absorb spiritual energy faster than the other despite being the same entity in essence, Zhang Xuan lowered his head to take a glance, and the sight he saw immediately rendered him speechless.

His clone had his body to absorb spiritual energy from the lake as well.

Forged out of a God artifact, the Nine Hearts Lotus, his clone's body wasn't fazed by the violent energies raging throughout the lake. Even though its rate of absorption was significantly slower than its soul, the additional boost from it allowed his clone's soul to cultivate much faster than the main soul.

After reaching ten meters, the soul of his clone grew visibly stronger. At the same time, its rate of absorption was also hiked up a notch.

"I should speed up as well!"

Feeling threatened by his clone, Zhang Xuan absorbed the spiritual energy from his surroundings with greater tenacity.

But no matter how much effort he put into absorbing spiritual energy, he seemed to be gradually slowing down. Lifting his gaze, he realized that a giant vortex had formed around his clone, taking in the spiritual energy around him. It was no wonder his growth was slowing.

A qualitative change would be induced in one's soul upon reaching ten meters. The other party's rate of absorption was at least three times faster than him now.

Seeing the other party frenziedly absorbing spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake as though he wouldn't be content until the lake ran dry, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a surge of rage. He slapped the other party's head and hollered, "What are you doing? Leave some for me!"

What the heck was this!

Get this clear, you're my clone!

Stop being so ungrateful. It's one thing for you to send me flying with a punch, now you're even snatching spiritual energy from me?

Where did your sense of shame go?

As an upright master teacher, how could I possibly have a shameless clone like you?

"I..." Slapped, the clone stopped his cultivation indignantly.

Zhang Xuan had the other party return to his physical body, and then back into the storage ring. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.

"Hehehe. With no competition, I should be able to break the ten meters mark easily!"

Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan opened up all of the acupoints inside his soul.

With his clone no longer vying with him for spiritual energy, he could finally hasten his rate of cultivation.

"Start."

Muttering softly, he began to draw in spiritual energy furiously through his acupoints.

Hong long!

The spiritual energy flowing into his soul was swiftly converted into soul energy. At this moment, a violent rumbling suddenly sounded, and the Cleansing Lake beneath him began to shake violently before eventually bursting apart.

Hualala!

The lake water flooded into the surroundings as though a leaking dam.

"What happened?"

Stopping his cultivation, Zhang Xuan immediately looked around him to see what was going on, only to see that all of the cultivators had opened their eyes, alarmed by this sudden turn of events.

All of them had confused looks on their faces.

'This is bad. If other people notice my motionless body, it will be hard to explain the matter!'

His body was currently lying by itself in the Lake Eye. At this moment, there was still some spiritual energy mist shielding his body from the eyes of others. However, once the water from the lake ran dry and the mist scattered, he would be exposed before others.

Given that everyone had already opened their eyes and that he was the only one 'cultivating', everyone would surely notice that something was amiss.

...

Outside the Cleansing Lake, Emperor Ye Wentian and Pavilion Master Wei Jiang were looking over the entire lake from a distance not too far away.

"Lying in the east of the Cleansing Lake is the Verdant Mountain whereas connecting from the west is the Dragon-scaled River. With the breath of the mountain and river, as well as the accumulation of energy from the earth vein, those that cultivate here will surely find their souls being enhanced, becoming even more resilient."

Stroking his beard, Ye Wentian smiled.

As the foundation of Huanyu Empire, the effects of the Cleansing Lake couldn't possibly be just to nourish one's soul. Absorbing the spiritual energy tempered by the earth vein could make one's soul more resilient, and this would be highly beneficial for future cultivation.

This was especially beneficial for one's breakthrough to Transcendent Mortal 8-dan, Ethereal Treading realm.

The term 'Ethereal Treading ' originated from the idea of stepping on the intangible, treating the void as stairs. Using one's soul as an intermediary, one could borrow the strength from the surroundings to allow one's physical body to float in the air for a short period of time.

Without a strong soul, not only would one be unable to float in midair, one might even find one's cultivation being capped. Perhaps even reaching Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm would be a huge struggle.

While the spiritual energy in the Lake Eyes was much tamer, it had also been tempered by the furious energies flowing through the river. Absorbing such spiritual energy was much more beneficial than absorbing the plain spiritual energy contained in spirit stones.

This was precisely the reason why the Cleansing Lake was so famous.

"Indeed!" Wei shi nodded. "A huge volcano lies under the Cleansing Lake, thus drawing in spiritual energy from the world. This spiritual energy would then be tempered by the volcano, thus raising its purity! On top of that, it also imbues a yang attribute to the spiritual energy, granting one the ability to ward off yin energy."

"Un!" Ye Wentian chuckled. "Look at the spiritual energy bubbling from the lake, it's as though a pot of boiling water. Only through endless tempering will a gem finally show its glow... Hmm? Th-this... What is going on?"

Just as Ye Wentian was commenting on how incredible the Cleansing Lake was, he suddenly froze, and his voice quivered in shock.

Noticing the peculiarity in his companion, Wei shi quickly turned his head, and what he saw stumped him.

It was as though someone had poured a huge bucket of ice water into the bubbling lake water, thus returning it calmness.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Wei shi suggested, "Perhaps... it might have been bubbling for too long, and it wants a rest?"

Having lived for more than a hundred years, he had witnessed the opening of the Cleansing Lake many times. In fact, he had even once cultivated in it as well... Logically speaking, under the ceaseless clash between the various energies harnessed within the lake water, its bubbling should have never stopped... so why did it suddenly turn stagnant all of the sudden?

"Impossible!" Ye Wentian's face paled. "Our ancestors set up a formation around the lake water, and it is powered by the spiritual energy in the lake. If the lake were to turn stagnant, it could only mean that the spiritual energy has been sapped dry. If that's the case, the formation could break down anytime now..."

Hong long!

Before he could finish, the ground suddenly shook, and a huge crack slowly spread across the Cleansing Lake. Following which, the lake water immediately gushed out frenziedly.

"It really broke down..."

Wei shi felt the sight before him turning dark.

The Cleansing Lake was the greatest treasure of Huanyu Empire. If it were to fall apart, the number of future experts the empire would have would surely sharply decrease, and the entire empire would fall into panic!

How did this happen?

Everything went as it should... There was no reason why cultivators cultivating in the Lake Eye would cause a sharp decrease in spiritual energy in the Cleansing Lake, thus resulting in instability in the formation!

Watching as the water gushed out from the lake rapidly, Emperor Ye Wentian anxiously said, "I'll get Sixth Princess and the others to evacuate now. Once all of the lake water runs dry... the pressure suppressing the volcano will be released, and this could result in a catastrophe! Wei shi, you should hurry up and get Guild Leader Wu and the others from the Formation Master Guild over here to fix the formation!"

The Cleansing Lake had been regulated by a massive formation to create a balance among the energies from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein. However, with the formation breaking apart, the balance that had been suppressing the earth vein had been shattered, and as the earth vein grew more and more active, there was a good chance that an eruption may occur.

Given the massive size of this volcano, no one incapable of flight would be able to escape should an eruption occur, not even a Half-Saint. Everyone here would surely be reduced to dust.

The might of nature is unrivaled. Only a true Saint could still stand their ground before it. Anything else would be nothing other than mere ants.

It was one thing for him to meet with danger, but if some kind of mishap were to come unto the Sixth Princess and the others... the entire Huanyu Empire could possibly be destroyed under the wrath of Hongyuan Empire!

He thought that by inviting the Sixth Princess here to train, he could make use of this chance to please the other party and raise Huanyu Empire's status. Who knew that the usually stable Cleansing Lake would suddenly explode!

What the hell was this?

Why did Cleansing Lake simply explode without any warning at all?

If he were to know that Zhang shi was the culprit behind it, he would surely feel extremely stifled inside.

"Alright! I'll go invite them over now!"

Understanding the severity of this matter, Wei shi whistled sharply, and an aerial beast immediately flew over. Jumping onto its back, the duo headed straight for the capital.

They had to repair the formation as soon as possible to keep the situation in check. Otherwise, with the earth vein becoming more and more active, it was just a matter of time before the volcano erupts. The land in a radius of several hundred kilometers would be flattened, and countless lives would be lost.

"Un!"

On the other hand, Emperor Ye Wentian immediately rushed toward where the Sixth Princess's Lake Eye was.

...

At this moment, Princess Fei-er had already awoken from her cultivation. Along with Luo Qiqi, she was staring at a young man in bewilderment.

Despite the huge commotion, and the entire Cleansing Lake being on the verge of exploding, this Zhang shi was actually still in the midst of his cultivation? How could he possibly keep his composure under such circumstances?

If he really was cultivating, they would have admitted it... But the Spirit Cleansing Incense floating before them was still as long as before... In other words, in the previous eight hours, this fellow didn't absorb the slightest spiritual energy!

But if he wasn't cultivating, what else could he be doing?

"Zhang laoshi..." Luo Qiqi shouted, unable to hold herself back any longer.

No response.

"Since something happened to the Cleansing Lake, and I'm unable to beat your record, we'll take this as your victory...'

Princess Fei-er harrumphed.

The other party had already expended five Spirit Cleansing Incense whereas she wasn't even done with her first one yet. Without a doubt, this bet was her loss.

Since I've already admitted defeat, stop putting on an act and come out!

But the young man before her remained completely motionless. There was no response whatsoever.

"What's wrong with him?"

No matter how foolish they could be, it was certain that something was amiss.

"I'll take a look!"

Anxious, Luo Qiqi rushed forward and jumped into Zhang Xuan's Lake Eye. She nudged the other party, but the other party remained completely motionless. Stumped, she instinctively raised her forefinger to the other party's nostril, only to leap in shock.

The young man wasn't breathing at all.

With trembling lips, Luo Qiqi uttered in horror, "He... he... he's dead!"

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Chapter 643: Zhang Xuan Losing His First Kiss?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Shouldn't the spiritual energy in the Lake Eye be gentle and safe?

How could someone die in here?

A person couldn't actually cultivate to death here, could they?

"He's dead? How is that possible?"

Princess Fei-er was also shocked.

She had been thinking about how she could win a bet against this unreliable fellow, but never in her dreams did she expect the other party to simply drop dead like that...

"Let me take a look!"

She immediately leaped into the Lake Eye and touched the other party's body. In an instant, her face paled as well.

The fellow who was still smug over burning down five Spirit Cleansing Incense eight hours ago was now as hard as a rock, devoid of his breath and heartbeat.

To think that... he was actually dead!

Even though she didn't bear the slightest goodwill toward this fellow, she was still the other party's maid... how could this fellow die before she could even redeem herself?

Was this status going to remain with her for her entire life, unable to be dispelled?

"It can't be that he fell into this state because... he absorbed too much too quickly while trying to win the bet against me?" Princess Fei-er's body trembled, and her face paled at this realization.

The fellow had never left the Lake Eye, and this leaves only one single possibility—in an overly tenacious attempt to emerge victorious in this bet, he absorbed the spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake too vigorously, resulting in a fault which eventually killed him.

"That's a possibility."

Luo Qiqi nodded grimly. "But if that's the case, there's a high chance it might be a pseudo-death!"

As a talented apothecary, she knew a fair bit about various medicinal conditions as well.

"Pseudo death?" Princess Fei-er was taken aback.

"Yes. If one were to absorb too much spiritual energy within a period of time, it might result in one's meridians being clogged up, thus obstructing one's blood flow. As a result, one might suffer from asphyxiation, resulting in a state of pseudo-death. However, this kind of 'death' isn't true death—as long as one is treated promptly, one can be saved... I've once read of such a condition on a book. Given that Zhang shi was still perfectly fine a moment ago, this is very likely to be the situation!" Luo Qiqi said.

"Then... do you how to save him?" Princess Fei-er asked worriedly.

Frowning, Luo Qiqi contemplated for a moment before replying, "If I recall correctly... we need to remove the spiritual energy from his body in one swift stroke!"

"In one swift stroke?" Princess Fei-er couldn't understand the intent behind these words.

"His meridians are currently bloated with spiritual energy, thus putting them under high strain. If we were to remove the spiritual energy from his body using traditional palm-to-palm method, it might cause a pressure difference in the spiritual energy in his body, and this could potentially result in his meridians rupturing. If this were to happen, it could complicate matters and make it even harder to save him. Even if we were to save him from such a condition by chance, he would be crippled for life. Thus, we have to remove the spiritual energy from his body in one swift stroke..."

At this point, Luo Qiqi's face suddenly reddened. "In other words... we need to remove spiritual energy from his body mouth-to-mouth!"

"Mouth-to-mouth?"

Princess Fei-er's face twitched.

Removing the spiritual energy from the other party's body palm-to-palm would indeed be inefficient, and a failure to maintain an apt pressure difference in the body could easily cause his meridians to rupture, given the feeble state it was in. Should his meridians rupture entirely, his life as a cultivator would be over.

But they were of different gender! To remove spiritual energy mouth-to-mouth...

With a face scarlet in embarrassment, Princess Fei-er urged, "Since he's your teacher, you should hurry up and save him!"

"Me?"

Luo Qiqi shook her head swiftly. "The relationship between a teacher and student is sacred. This... is a little too intimate, I cannot sully this relationship with this... Rather, aren't you intent on beating him in a bet? If he were to die, you'd have to carry the name of being his maid for your entire life..."

"This..." Princess Fei-er's face paled.

The other party had struck right at her vitals. This was exactly what she felt the most conflicted about.

Given that she had lost the bet, she would remain as the other party's maid. If this fellow were to die here, this shame would follow her for life!

Others might even think that she had killed him out of rage from losing. She could never cleanse her reputation were that to happen.

What the heck was this!

Just a mere bet, and she suddenly became responsible for the other party's life. The thought of it left her incredibly stifled.

Seeing that her good friend was still hesitating at this point, Luo Qiqi urged her again. "You should hurry up if you want to save him. The longer you delay, the lower the possibility of him being resuscitated!"

Conflicted, Princess Fei-er contemplated for a short moment before gritting her teeth. "Fine, I'll save him!"

She had always been doted upon ever since she could remember, and never had she suffered such a huge humiliation. Not only did this fellow beat her in a bet, he even made her his maid and left her bottom swollen with a kick, leaving her nearly unable to walk.

She was furious, but what she wanted to do was to beat him fair and square.

If he were to die, how could she get even with him?

This regret would follow her for life!

Before this, the gender difference seemed less significant in comparison.

Gritting her teeth tightly, she drove her zhenqi and slowly approached the other party's mouth.

"What are you doing?"

Zhang Xuan, who had just rushed over from the Cleansing Lake, happened to arrive on the scene at this moment, and he nearly fainted from the sight.

Due to the rapid growth of his soul, his control over it was lacking. Thus, to prevent anyone from noticing his soul, he had travel underwater, and as such, he wasn't aware of what was happening above. Just as he was about to re-enter his physical body, he saw the Sixth Princess holding his body, ready to kiss him, and he nearly died of shock.

The Sixth Princess looked normal on the surface, and yet as soon as he was gone, she actually tried to kiss him! Indeed, you can't judge a book by its cover.

Stifled, he was just about to push the other party apart when an anxious voice sounded.

"Sixth Princess!"

At that crucial moment, Xing Yuan arrived on the scene.

While he feigned calmness on the surface, his heart was crumbling within.

He had spent so many years wooing the Sixth Princess, only to be ignored and snubbed. Yet, the other party was now taking the initiative to kiss a fellow who nearly angered her to death a few days ago. What was with this crazy twist?

"Ah? Xing Yuan, you came at the perfect timing!"

Upon seeing that fellow, Princess Fei-er blushed in embarrassment. At the same time, she also heaved a sigh of relief. She quickly beckoned the other party over. "Hurry, come and save him!"

"Save him?" Xing Yuan was taken aback.

"That's right. There isn't much time to explain the matter in detail, but to save him... it would require one to draw the spiritual energy in his body out in a single breath through mouth-to-mouth contact. Hurry up, or else he'll die..." Princess Fei-er rushed the other party.

"Mouth-to-mouth contact?" Xing Yuan's body swayed weakly. "Me and him?"

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan's sight also darkened.

While I might not show too much interest in ladies... this doesn't mean that I'm interested in guys!

If I were to really be kissed by him, wouldn't I die of disgust...

"Indeed, hurry up. Otherwise, we won't make it in time!" Princess Fei-er nodded.

"I..." Zhang Xuan was about to puke blood. On the other hand, Xing Yuan was also on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Seeing the conflicted expression on the other party's face, Princess Fei-er said, "If you won't, I'll do it!"

Xing Yuan clenched his jaws and replied, "Never mind, I'll do it..."

He would rather sacrifice himself than see his goddess's lips stolen by another man!

Thus, he leaped into the Lake Eye, held Zhang Xuan's body in his grasp, and his lips began to approach the latter's.

"The heck!" Zhang Xuan was on the verge of crying.

"No, I must return to my physical body now. Otherwise, I'll lose my first kiss to a man..." At this moment, he couldn't care any longer. His soul immediately rushed straight toward his physical body.

As long as his soul entered his physical body, his body would regain its consciousness, and he would be able to salvage the situation before him.

"Hmm?"

But Zhang Xuan's soul came into contact with his glabella, he suddenly stiffened.

Due to his soul growing far too much in this round of cultivation, reaching a level beyond the tolerable limit for his physical body, he actually found himself unable to re-enter his body!

To put it simply, his soul was too big for his physical body, causing him to be unable to squeeze back into his body.

But... that fellow's lips were on the verge of touching his already!

"I can't care anymore..."

Seeing that the two lips were about to meet, Zhang Xuan couldn't hold it back anymore. Gathering his soul energy, he sent a kick at the other party.

While a soul may be intangible, it could materialize soul energy to fight with another.

Peng!

Not expecting that someone would attack him, Xing Yuan didn't even have the time to react before he was kicked in the face. With an anguished shout, he was sent flying into the Cleansing Lake!

"AH, SAVE ME..." Xing Yuan screamed in desperation.

He thought that, just like the Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, he would melt into goo upon falling into the water. But after shouting for a little longer, he realized that he was perfectly fine, and his face began to slowly flush.

As the spiritual energy in the Cleansing Lake had been sapped dry, it had lost its violent nature and its corrosive ability as well. Let alone him, even an ordinary human would be fine in there now.

It could be said that the Cleansing Lake was no different from an ordinary pool of water at this moment.

"What are you trying to do?" Princess Fei-er's face was as dark and cold as the middle of winter.

She had thought that this fellow would be able to save Zhang shi swiftly, but who knew that before he would end up jumping here and there, screaming and shouting? What was he up to?

Did he suffer a stroke?

While an attack comprising soul energy might be intangible, they, as 5-star master teachers, should be able to notice that something was amiss if they were to pay closer attention. However, with everyone's attention on saving Zhang shi, no one noticed anything at all.

"If you don't wish to save him, just say so! There's no need to put on such an elaborate act." Not even waiting for the other party to explain himself, Princess Fei-er stomped forward angrily.

There was clearly nothing there at all, and yet this fellow leaped backward all of the sudden. It was clear that he didn't wish to save the other party. If he didn't want to do so, he should have said so earlier. This delay had robbed them of precious time.

"I..." Xing Yuan nearly burst into tears.

Can't you see this huge footprint on my face...

However, Princess Fei-er couldn't be bothered with him anymore. Puckering her lips, she began moving her face closer to Zhang Xuan's.

"Sixth Princess, Xing Yuan gongzi, Luo Qiqi xiaojie, this is..."

Before her lips could come into contact, a shocked voice sounded. Lifting their gaze, they saw Emperor Ye Wentian standing before them.

Ye Wentian was also completely stumped by the situation before him. He was going to evacuate the Sixth Princess and the others out of the Lake Eyes as soon as possible when he stumbled upon such a scene.

While he was feeling extremely awkward, he couldn't help but sigh...

Youngsters nowadays are getting more and more liberal! Even in the middle of a day, in a public pool, they would do such stuff...

Upon seeing Ye Wentian, Princess Fei-er heaved a sigh of relief and said, "You came at the perfect time. Something has gone wrong with Zhang shi's cultivation, so take a look quickly and see if you have any ideas on how he can be saved!"

The other party was a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle expert, as well as the emperor of a country. In terms of eye of discernment and scope of knowledge, he was surely far above Luo Qiqi. Perhaps, he might have a better idea than mouth-to-mouth

"Something has gone wrong with Zhang shi's cultivation?" Ye Wentian was taken aback for a moment before redness slowly crept across his face. He thought that the duo was giving in to their carnal needs, but it turned out that something bad had happened.

Following which, his eyebrows slowly came together to form a tight frown.

This young man was an existence that could potentially become a combat master in the future. More importantly, he was also a person protected by Pavilion Master Mo of Hongyuan Empire. If something were to happen to him, he could probably retire from his position as the emperor...

Leaping into the Lake Eye, he walked up to Zhang Xuan, took a look, and frowned.

Seeing the grim expression on the other party's face, Princess Fei-er asked nervously, "What's wrong?"

"It seems like..."

Ye Wentian's eyes were widened, as though he could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"... his soul has left his body!"

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Chapter 644: Crawling Back In

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"His soul has left his body?"

Princess Fei-er, Luo Qiqi, and the others were stunned.

Such an issue was also known as 'missing soul', and it was one of the most feared things of a cultivator. If one's soul fails to return back to its body, the body would turn into an empty shell and die.

However, for one's soul to leave its body, it must be sufficiently strong first. One must be at least Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle or even Cosmos Bridge realm to achieve that. How could such a situation occur on a Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator?

Ye Wentian spoke grimly. "There are many causes for a soul leaving the body. For example, one's soul could be attracted by some kind of unique formation or fail to suppress one's inner demons... Zhang shi might have used a secret art beyond his means to cultivate his soul, resulting in such a situation... If we don't quickly return his soul to his body, he might really die soon!"

While soul oracles were the most adept at it, they weren't the only ones capable of drawing their souls out of their bodies. There were some formidable formations or secret arts that could achieve the same effect as well.

"Is there a cure for it?" Luo Qiqi asked anxiously.

This young man was her apothecary teacher, and she couldn't watch as the other party died because of this.

"There's indeed a cure. However, it's extremely troublesome, and there isn't any time for it now..."

Turning to look at the Cleansing Lake, which was being drained at an astounding rate, Ye Wentian frowned.

The steps to summoning one's soul were extremely complex and troublesome. Without several hours or even days of effort, it would be difficult for him to succeed. However, given that they were just moments away from the water in the Cleansing Lake running dry, and a volcano eruption was imminent, time simply wasn't on their side.

"Then what should we do?"

"Pull him up first!"

Knowing that this wasn't the place to speak, Ye Wentian picked Zhang Xuan's body up and leaped to shore.

"..." Watching as his physical body was being carried away, Zhang Xuan's massive soul was on the verge of tears.

Are you all trying to save me or kill me?

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan decided against following his body.

'While it would have been difficult for my soul to enter like that, with sufficient time, I could still have succeeded. However, you actually allowed Ye Wentian to take my body away... If my soul were to try to enter my body now, Ye Wentian might just try to dissipate my soul, thinking that I'm just a specter...

'I can only wait for a chance to snatch my body back...'

While a soul formed via Heaven's Path Soul Art didn't carry a heavy yin aura, thus making it hard for one to sense it, there was still a good chance that he would be noticed if he were to run right up to the other party's face.

This was especially so given that Ye Wentian was a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle expert. If he tried to creep up on the other party, he might just be killed before he could even identify himself.

Besides, even if he were to report his identity to the latter, he had to win the latter's trust first.

A Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator possessing a ten-meter large soul that could leave its body and cultivate individually... How was he supposed to explain all of that?

Thus, the best course of action he could do now was to remain hidden.

As long as he could find a suitable opportunity to dive back into his physical body, everything would be solved. At the very most, he could just blame it on his anxiety to accomplish greater heights that resulted in his erring.

...

While Zhang Xuan's soul was still camping in the water, waiting for a suitable moment to strike, Ye Wentian had already carried his body over to the courtyard where they were previously.

Seeing that the other party was completely motionless, Hong shi, Luo shi, and the others immediately rushed up anxiously and asked, "How is Zhang shi?"

"Most probably, his soul has left his body!" Ye Wentian said with a grim voice.

"His soul has left his body?" Hong shi's face paled as his body shook in agitation. "How could that be?"

Zhang shi's teacher was an incredibly powerful existence that could possibly be an 8-star master teacher. To actually cause his student to lose his soul... If he were to learn of it, not only Huanyu Empire, perhaps even the entire Hongyuan Empire would be a goner!

"If I'm not mistaken, it could be due to the sudden agitation of the Cleansing Lake in the midst of his cultivation that caused his soul to be jolted away, thus leaving behind this empty shell," Ye Wentian said.

This was the only explanation he could think of.

Otherwise, how could others be fine while he was in such a state?

It must be due to the abrupt change in the lake that jolted his soul out of his body!

If his soul was still intact after the impact, it would still be possible to find him. However, if his soul were to have dissipated, it would be extremely difficult to save him.

"This..." With a pale face, Hong shi was just about to ask if Zhang shi could be healed when the ground suddenly shook. A searing aura suddenly burst forth from the center of the lake.

"This is bad; the volcano is about to erupt!"

Ye Wentian face immediately warped in shock. He quickly placed Zhang Xuan's 'corpse' down on a stone table and turned his sight over.

The situation at the Cleansing Lake also caught the attention of others.

At this moment, the lake water was bubbling violently. Searing heatwaves flowed into the surroundings, and the ground shook non-stop. It was as if a massive savage beast was rampaging beneath the ground, threatening to leap out at any moment to slaughter them all.

"What's going on?"

Feeling the shaking intensify, everyone frowned.

"I think it's about to reach its limit..."

Clenching his fists tightly, Ye Wentian's face was turning paler by the moment.

He thought that even though the formation was breached, given how many years that the Cleansing Lake had been maintained for, it should be able to suppress the volcano for another few more hours. Who knew that everything would unfold so quickly!

If everything were to go down at this rate, in less than ten minutes, the rampaging energy contained in the volcano and the earth vein would come gushing out!

"Ye Qian, quickly take Sixth Princess and the others away!"

Ye Wentian turned around and quickly instructed.

As the emperor, he couldn't leave the scene. However, nothing bad must happen onto the Sixth Princess and the others.

"Alright!"

Ye Qian also understood the severity of the incident, and he rushed forward to Princess Fei-er. "Sixth Princess and Senior Xing Yuan, the Cleansing Lake isn't going to hold on for much longer, and an eruption is imminent. This area is dangerous, so allow me to bring you to a safer location..."

"Alright!"

Xing Yuan nodded, and he quickly turned around to beckon Princess Fei-er to leave as well. However, the latter simply looked at Ye Qian with a frown and said, "Since this fellow's soul isn't in his body, does that mean that his soul is currently in the Cleansing Lake?"

"This..." Ye Qian was taken aback. "That should be the case."

"Then what should we do? If we don't find his soul and deliver it back to his body, he really will die..." Princess Fei-er said anxiously.

"Don't worry, I'll have my men look for it. Senior, you should hurry up and make use of the little time we have left to leave..." Ye Qian reassured.

"Un!" Nodding her head, Princess Fei-er turned to her good friend and said, "Let's go first!"

The reason why she wanted to save Zhang Xuan was because she couldn't bear the shame of being the other party's maid for her entire life. Since the other party's soul had escaped from his body, there was nothing else she could do. Even if she were to remain here, she would be completely useless. Thus, she decided to simply leave.

Luo Qiqi shook her head.

"You go first. I'm indebted to Zhang laoshi, and given that his life and death is uncertain at the moment, I really cannot leave at this moment!"

Zhang shi had once taught her pill forging, thus inducing huge growth in her pill forging skills... and above all, she had already acknowledged the other party as her teacher!

How could she leave on her own now that the other party was in a coma? She couldn't bring herself to do so!

"Since you aren't leaving, I'll stay here too. I'm also interested to see what is happening to the Cleansing Lake..."

Seeing her good friend refusing to leave, Princess Fei-er decided to remain here as well.

"Ah?"

Hearing that the duo had decided to remain here, Ye Qian nearly went insane on the spot. Just as he was wracking his brains to find a way to persuade the two obstinate ladies, a gust of wind suddenly howled above them, and a massive aerial spirit beast appeared before the crowd.

Hu hu hu!

A few figures leaped down from the sky.

Taking a closer look at the men falling from the sky, Ye Qian's eyes lit up.

"It's Wei shi, and Guild Leader Wu from the Formation Master Guild!"

He knew about the secret of the Cleansing Lake as well, and this situation was clearly due to the energies in the lake being in imbalanced, resulting in the collapse of the formation. As a 5-star pinnacle formation master, Guild Leader Wu might be able to find a way to reverse the situation.

"How did this happen?"

Reaching the ground, Guild Leader Wu looked around him and saw the lake water flowing into the surroundings, and the ground trembling violently, as though it would collapse under them at any moment. He frowned.

The Huanyu Empire royal family would invite him over each year to reinforce the formation, so he knew a great deal about the formation as well. If it was just cultivating in the Lake Eye, it should be impossible for such a situation to occur... then why was everything crumbling now?

"I don't know the exact reason, but now isn't the time to be talking about this. Guild Leader Wu, hurry up and see if there's a way to salvage the formation so as to stop the volcano below from erupting!" Ye Wentian instructed anxiously.

Nothing would change even if they were to point fingers now.

The urgent matter at hand was to see if there was a way to salvage the situation. Otherwise, none of them here would survive this ordeal.

"Un!"

Knowing the severity of the matter, Guild Leader Wu nodded. He turned his sight over to the lake.

"Elder Lu, you will take the kan position. Elder Han, you will take the gen position..."

After assessing the situation, he quickly issued orders to the other elders who came with him.

The few elders nodded and quickly got into their respective positions. Then, they each took out a formation flag and stabbed it deeply into the ground.

Hong long!

As soon as all of the formation flags got in place, the spilling lake water was suddenly held in place, as though it was being sealed by something.

However, it was as if sealing a rampaging dragon. The ground tremored more and more violently, like it would tear past whatever that was restraining it to burst forth.

"This isn't right..." Guild Leader Wu frowned.

Emperor Ye Wentian walked up to the group and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Located precisely at the intersection of the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and the earth vein, the Cleansing Lake should be rich in spiritual energy. The formation set up here tapped into the concentrated pool of spiritual energy here to suppress the violent energies from the three sides at this intersection... How come there's no spiritual energy here now?"

Guild Leader Wu was astonished.

"No spiritual energy here?"

Ye Wentian froze. He closed his eyes and tried perceiving the surroundings carefully, and he realized that something was indeed amiss.

Just a few hours ago, the spiritual energy here was so powerful that even a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert would be slaughtered easily if he were to enter the lake. How could it disappear so abruptly?

"Indeed..."

Guild Leader Wu nodded. He was just about to speak when someone behind him shrieked.

Hearing the voice, Ye Wentian quickly turned around to see what was going on.

He immediately saw Luo Qiqi and the Sixth Princess staring doubtfully at the master teacher known as Luo Xuan.

"Where's Zhang laoshi?"

On the stone table right before them, Zhang shi's 'corpse' had disappeared without a trace.

"H-he..."

Hearing the other party's questions, Luo Xian's mouth quivered uncontrollably. His eyes were widened, and he looked as though he was about to cry at any moment. He pointed at the lake not too far away and said, "He was still lying there a moment back, and in the moment that my attention was somewhere else, he... crawled back into the lake..."

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Chapter 645: Physical Body Too Weak

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"He crawled back in himself?"

Everyone stared at one another in bewilderment, as though someone had struck the back of their heads with a wooden bat.

"Do you take me a for a fool? His soul has left his body, and he's no different from a corpse now. How could he possibly crawl back into the Cleansing Lake himself?"

Princess Fei-er glared at Luo Xuan angrily.

Even if you wish to scare us, you should find a more believable story!

I took a look at Zhang shi myself, and his heartbeat and breathing had halted, and his body was stiff and cold. He was no different from a corpse.

Under such circumstances, how could his body possibly crawl back into the lake by itself?

Ye Wentian, Hong shi, and the others shared the same thoughts as well. They turned to look at Luo Xuan, wanting to hear his explanation.

"I'm not lying!"

Seeing how everyone was staring at him as though he was a lunatic, Luo Xuan found himself on the verge of really going insane.

The commotion caused by the Cleansing Lake previously was too large, and everyone's attention was captured by it. He was no exception as well. However, at that moment, he saw a black shadow in his peripheral vision.

It was from the corpse-like Zhang Xuan!

Somehow, the fellow seemed to have found a surge of strength within him. Through pushing his hands against the ground, that fellow swiftly crawled toward the lake. Everything happened so quickly that Luo Xuan barely saw a gray blur.

Seeing the incredibly stifled expression on the other party's face, Luo Qiqi asked, "Calm down, how did he crawl into the Cleansing Lake? Did he wake up, or was he still in his previous state?"

"H-his eyes were still closed, and his body was still stiff and lifeless. It didn't seem like he had woken up at all..."

Even though it was just a momentary glance, as a half 5-star master teacher, Luo Xuan was still able to notice some details regarding the incident.

While that fellow did move, his movements looked like a puppet on a string that was being drawn forward instead.

But of course, that was also the limit of his eye of discernment.

"His body was stiff, and his eyes were closed... and he crawled to the Cleansing Lake by himself?" Princess Fei-er frowned. "You mean that... he has been possessed?"

"Cough cough!"

Ye Wentian choked on his own saliva. "Zhang shi's soul has only escaped his body, he isn't truly dead yet... so it is impossible for him to be possessed!"

"Then... what was with him crawling away by himself?" Hong shi asked.

Among those present at that moment, only he and Luo Xuan knew that Zhang Xuan was the direct disciple of an 8-star master teacher. Even though Bi Jianghai had participated in the Hongfeng Empire Master Teacher Tournament as well, he wasn't present for the affairs that night, so he wasn't too sure about the details.

If Yang shi were to learn that on top of having his soul missing, his disciple had his body possessed as well... Hong shi trembled.

"I'm not too sure either." Ye Wentian shook his head.

He had never stumbled before such a bizarre incident in his life before.

Hong long!

Just as everyone was completely perplexed by how a fellow who had his soul missing could possibly crawl away, the ground suddenly shook violent once more.

Everyone immediately staggered, nearly falling to the ground.

"We're in a dire state now! The strength of the earth vein is growing by the moment, and the formation is on the brink of collapse. Everyone, we need you to infuse your zhenqi into the lake to maintain its stability!" Guild Leader Wu yelled anxiously.

Hearing the shout, no one could spare a single thought for Zhang Xuan anymore. They quickly turned their attention to the formation before them.

The lake water which had been sealed by the formation flag bubbled once more. As though it was set on fire, it threatened to knock down the barrier.

In order to stabilize the barrier, Elder Lu, Elder Han, and the others had infused all of their zhenqi in, and their faces paled in frailty. They seemed as though they would collapse at any moment.

"Alright, quickly infuse your zhenqi into the lake!"

Hearing his words, Ye Wentian understood that they were at an extremely crucial and dangerous moment. Thus, without any hesitation, he stepped forward and pumped his zhenqi into the lake.

Hong long!

With the infusion of fresh zhenqi into the lake, the shaking formation flags stabilized slightly.

Following which, Wei shi, Hong shi, Luo Qiqi, Princess Fei-er, and the others who were cultivating at the Lake Eye stepped forward and did the same as well.

Under the massive influx of zhenqi, the shaking formation flag began to show signs of stabilization. The rampaging lake water below also gradually regained its calmness. Even so, the furious rumbling of the volcano could still be heard below. It was as if even though the massive beast had been suppressed for the time being, it would still break free with sufficient time.

"Guild Leader Wu, such a forceful measure isn't feasible in the long-run!" Wei shi commented.

For the time being, they were still able to maintain the formation and suppress the earth vein and the volcano with brute force... but once everyone's zhenqi ran dry, the situation could possibly rebound on them!

Besides, as time passed, the earth vein would gather more and more strength. In a way, it was similar to a spring. The further one tried to suppress it, the greater it would rebound back at one. By then, they would be placed in an even more dangerous situation.

"Indeed. You all continue suppressing the formation first, I'll study the formation and see how I can re-establish the balance between the earth vein, Verdant Mountain, and Dragon-scaled River to control the volcano below!" Guild Leader Wu said.

The might of a formation was dependent on many factors, such as the geographical terrain or even the position of celestial bodies.

While the formation had been reactivated through the use of the formation flag, the intense trembling from a moment ago had changed the geographical terrain. Thus, some adjustments had to be made to the formation to bring out its greatest might.

If he could get the formation working properly once more, it would be able to draw in spiritual energy once more and possibly resolve the crisis they were in.

"Alright!"

Understanding the intent of Guild Leader Wu, Ye Wentian, Wei shi, and the others nodded their heads silently. Spreading their palms wide, they continued to infuse their zhenqi into the lake frenziedly so as to suppress any movement from the volcano.

On the other hand, with a compass in hand, Guild Leader Wu slowly walked around the formation in order to find the layout to best bring out the might of the formation.

...

While a tense atmosphere weighed on the shore, within the lake, Zhang Xuan's soul heaved a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that an abrupt movement in the lake had caught everyone's attention. Otherwise, it would never have been so easy for him to take back his body.

As his soul was simply too big, he wasn't able to slip in instantly. Thus, he could only forcefully control parts of his body to have it walk over by itself. His original thought was to move his legs, but due to the extreme stiffness in the region and the immense complexity of making his body walk, he had to give up on the idea. Thus, he had no choice but to move his arms and have his body... crawl into the lake.

However, Luo Xuan coincidentally caught sight of him, thus resulting in the 'possession' issue.

"Regardless, I should first have my soul enter my body first!"

Zhang Xuan could easily imagine the uproar that was happening outside, but he didn't have the luxury to be thinking about it now. His soul immediately rushed straight to his glabella in an attempt to enter his body.

No matter how difficult it may be, he had to do so. Otherwise, his body might just really die on him.

Tzzzzzz!

His massive soul trying to squeeze into his physical body was similar to an elephant trying to squeeze into a human-sized door.

"I can't get in..."

Zhang Xuan gave it all his might, but it was simply an impossible feat. He couldn't help but shake his head.

A ten-meter-tall soul forcefully entering a body of 1.8 meters... If not for his soul being intangible, his bones would probably have shattered into countless fragments by now.

His soul was squeezed to the extent that it was distorted scarily, but he still couldn't even get half of it in.

"Right, how did clone manage to get into his body so easily then?"

Zhang Xuan suddenly froze.

His clone's soul was much larger than him, but the other party didn't have any problems entering his body at all. Why was he having so much trouble then?

Hu!

Doubtful, Zhang Xuan brought out his clone and communicated with him. Soon, he found himself being rendered speechless.

His clone's body was forged using the Nine Hearts Lotus, granting it extraordinary flexibility. Putting aside a ten-meter-tall soul, even a hundred-meter-tall soul would be able to slip in easily without any trouble.

On the other hand, his main body was still mortal...

Staring at the clone, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel frustrated at how his main body ended up being inferior to his clone's.

But this couldn't be helped. Anything forged from a God artifact was bound to be extraordinary at birth.

"It seems like I have to focus my attention on cultivating my physical body when I finally get back into my body. Otherwise, it won't be able to withstand the further cultivation of my soul!"

Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella.

After communicating with his clone, Zhang Xuan finally understood that the main reason why he couldn't get into his body was because his body was still too weak!

If his body possessed abilities equivalent to the Nine Hearts Lotus, he would never have ended up facing such a difficult time now.

He had cultivated his physical body twice, but those were both when he hadn't reached Transcendent Mortal realm yet. While his physical body was superior to ordinary cultivators, it was still insufficient to house such a large soul.

"What the hell is this..."

Zhang Xuan was speechless.

To absorb too much spiritual energy and be unable to re-enter his body... he was probably the only one in the entire history of the Master Teacher Continent to meet with such a ridiculous situation.

"The only way I can resolve this problem is to find some way to cultivate my physical body..."

Only a strong body could harness such a huge soul. However, given that his body had no soul, how could he possibly cultivate?

This paradoxical relationship sure made one's head hurt.

Boom!

Just as Zhang Xuan was troubled over the matter, the lake water around him suddenly shook intensely. Lowering his head, he saw a searing heat wave suddenly rising from the bottom of the Cleansing Lake.

"This is... geothermal heat? Could there be a volcano underneath?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

With his soul energy protecting his physical body, he was in no danger at all. However, to be able to cause the entire lake to boil in the blink of an eye, there must be a massive volcano beneath the lake.

Only the earth flame could possess such searing heat!

Back then, when retrieving the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed, Zhang Xuan happened to see it, and he understood how fearsome it could be.

At that moment, a thought struck Zhang Xuan, and his eyes lit up.

"Right! If I can draw the earth flame over and create an amalgamation of yin and yang through fusing it with the lake water... perhaps, I might be able to temper my physical body without controlling it!"

In his long journey, he had collected innumerable books, and a huge portion of them were regarding tempering one's physical body.

Some involve the usage of poison, some involve pushing oneself to the limit... and some require earth flame and a spiritual energy lake.

Earth flame was a flame created naturally formed by the movements of the earth veins, and it harnessed the weight of the earth. On the other hand, spiritual energy lake was formed in a region where spirit veins intersected, and it carried the majesty of nature. If these two were to be fused together, they would create the perfect mix for tempering one's physical body.

"However... My clone and I have nearly sapped the spiritual energy in the lake dry..."

With an idea in mind, Zhang Xuan felt a little more relaxed. However, a new problem soon emerged.

It took innumerable years for so much spiritual energy to gather in the Cleansing Lake, but in just eight mere hours, he and his clone had nearly sapped it dry... Without spiritual energy, the entire lake would only be engulfed by the earth flame.

If he didn't resolve this problem before drawing the earth flame up, instead of tempering his physical body, he would only be barbecuing himself!

Give a few minutes and add a pinch of salt and cumin, and he would be ready to be tucked into.

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Chapter 646: A Shoe

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Forget it, this is a dire situation. I'll use that!"

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out the spirit stone that he obtained as the prize for the Master Teacher Tournament.

The spiritual energy harnessed within a high-tier spirit stone was immense. Since there was no better choice, Zhang Xuan could only make use of it to temper his physical body first.

Hong long long!

While he was still hesitating over the issue, the ground trembled once more. Then, he heard some muffled voices above the water surface.

Following which, many surges of zhenqi began gushing into the lake, and the dying spiritual lake came to life once more.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

He was just troubled about how he should return spiritual energy back into the lake when someone suddenly sent zhenqi over. It was as if a pillow was delivered when one was about to nap, or a feast was spread out just as one was hungry!

"Furthermore, this is zhenqi, refined spiritual energy. It'll be easier for me to absorb it..."

If Zhang Xuan were to use spirit stones, given that the spiritual energy contained inside wasn't refined yet, it would be inconvenient for him to absorb it. However, zhenqi was different.

Zhenqi was similar to a concentrated extract of spiritual energy, thus making it much easier to absorb.

"Could someone above know that I'm in dire need of tempering my physical body and intentionally delivered zhenqi over?"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion.

He had been too busy trying to return his soul back into his body to care about what was happening above. Could the others have realized that he needed spiritual energy, and decided to expend their own zhenqi to help him?

They were all too kind!

Touched, Zhang Xuan turned to his clone.

"You should draw the earth flame up. I'll find the most suitable place to temper my physical body!"

"Alright!"

His clone nodded before rushing to the center of the lake, where the source of the heat was coming from.

As a God artifact, the Nine Hearts Lotus was fazed by neither heat nor cold. While the earth flame might be a formidable force, it wasn't sufficient to damage it.

After the clone left, Zhang Xuan carried his physical body to look for the location most suited to temper his physical body.

Soon, Zhang Xuan came to a stop. He maneuvered his body such that it was sitting cross-legged on the ground. After a lot of trouble, he managed to open the pores throughout his body, and only then did the zhenqi floating in the river begin to gush into his body.

The single origin conceives two, two conceives three, and three conceives all. Heaven's Path zhenqi was refined from the most fundamental and most accurate cultivation technique. It possessed no attribute, and it could fuse together with zhenqi of any attribute. Thus, even though there were many different types of zhenqi around him, it made no difference to him at all.

Just by drawing it into his body and driving it toward his dantian, it would be automatically refined to remove all impurities and form the purest Heaven's Path zhenqi.

And under the tempering of these aura, Zhang Xuan's body was gradually getting stronger and stronger.

...

With a compass in hand, Guild Leader Wu walked a few rounds around the entire lake silently. Seeing the sight, Wei shi couldn't help but ask, "Guild Leader Wu, have you found a solution yet?"

"Calm down, this is a grade-6 formation. With my capability, I can only reinforce it. It would be extremely difficult to modify it." Guild Leader Wu frowned deeply.

He was only a 5-star pinnacle formation master, and even if he were to give it his all, he still wouldn't be able to set up a grade-6 formation. The most he could do at the moment was just to sustain the formation. Even though he did say he intended to modify the formation based on the change in geographical terrain, it would be rather unlikely for him to succeed.

"Then what should we do? We can't possibly go on infusing our zhenqi in like this!" Wei shi exclaimed.

Infusing zhenqi into the Cleansing Lake could postpone the danger, but it wouldn't resolve the problem they had at hand.

"Give me some time!" Guild Leader Wu waved his hands. "Even though it's out of desperation that we're infusing zhenqi in, the consumption in maintaining the barrier through such isn't too high. With so many people, we should be able to last for two hours!"

As a lake that was concentrated in spiritual energy previously, it carried the ability to store spiritual energy and zhenqi. While this method might be troublesome, it should still buy them a decent length of time. Within this time period, perhaps he could find a solution to repair the formation!

"Alright then..."

Knowing that there was no better solution, Wei shi nodded. Just as he was about to speak, Ye Wentian's face suddenly warped in shock. "Wei shi and Guild Leader Wu, look..."

Turning their gazes over, they saw the center of the lake shaking violently, and a huge vortex gradually appeared.

Tzzzzz!

The vortex gradually grew larger. The zhenqi which the crowd had just pumped into the water seemed to have been swallowed whole, disappearing entirely.

"It seems like it's consuming our zhenqi..."

"That seems to be the case. My zhenqi has disappeared..."

"It's our zhenqi that is preventing the formation from collapsing. Once it is consumed dry..."

...

Everyone stared at one another with widened eyes.

What was going on?

Wasn't this lake a place that could be used to store zhenqi? If that was the case, how was all of their zhenqi consumed in the blink of an eye?

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Wei shi turned around and exclaimed, "Guild Leader Wu... the lake is consuming our zhenqi. I fear that... we won't be able to last two hours!"

"Then... How long can you all hold on for?"

Guild Leader Wu frowned.

Wei shi did a rough calculation based on everyone's cultivation and said, "At most... ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?"

Guild Leader Wu's face warped in shock, and he clenched his jaw. "Ten minutes is fine too. As long as the earth flame doesn't surge up, we will be safe. I'll try to find a solution within this period of time. Or else..."

As he spoke, he stared at his compass intently to study the formation. However, at the moment, the ground shook once more.

"What happened this time?"

Turning his gaze back to the Cleansing Lake, he saw Wei shi and Ye Wentian looking at him with tearful faces. "It seems that the earth flame has surged up!"

"..." Guild Leader Wu felt as though he was about to faint.

What the heck was this!

When he thought that the Cleansing Lake could store spiritual energy, and by infusing zhenqi into it, the formation could last for a significant period of time, all of the zhenqi ended up being consumed instead. Just as he said that they would be safe as long as the earth flame doesn't surge up from the volcano, it immediately happened...

Dear heavens, are you toying with us?

Hong long long!

As the earth flame threatened to leap out from the lake, the Cleansing Lake raged once more, and unable to take the impact, an elder was sent flying as mouthfuls of fresh blood spurted from his mouth.

'Kacha!', the formation flag before him also broke into two halves.

"We're done for..."

With a pale face, Guild Leader Wu couldn't help but stagger backward feebly.

The formation was already on the verge of breakdown when there was no spiritual energy in the Cleansing Lake to maintain it. Now that even the earth flame was gushing up to the earth... the eruption of the volcano was inevitable now.

"We should hurry up and leave..."

Guild Leader Wu waved his hands in desolation.

With the eruption of this volcano, the entire Huanyu Capital would be plunged into a massive catastrophe. Countless lives would die due to this disaster.

"Is there really no solution at all?"

Ye Wentian clenched his jaws tightly.

"None at all, unless..."

Upon recalling something, Guild Leader Wu shook his head and said, "No, it's impossible to pull off!"

"Unless what?"

Ye Wentian and Wei shi turned their sights over to Guild Leader Wu.

"There's no point. It's something that can't possibly be achieved!" Guild Leader Wu sighed.

"Why don't you tell us? Maybe we can find a solution together," Ye Wentian said anxiously.

With the earth flame gushing up, the group probably didn't even have three minutes left. If Guild Leader Wu had a solution in mind, they could at least give it a try. After all, they couldn't possibly watch idly as millions of lives were extinguished before them.

"The main purpose of the formation is to maintain balance among the energies from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and the earth vein, thus suppressing the volcano underneath. This was the reason why Huanyu Capital was able to enjoy so many years of peace. However, in the end, a formation can only be considered as an external regulator... If we could find the exact point where the energies of the trio intersect and direct them to cancel one another out, we would be able to return stability to the region even without the formation!"

"But... we don't have the luxury of time to do so at this point. Besides, this matter involves the energies from the entire Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein. If we were to make a mistake here, we might just make things much worse..." Guild Leader Wu said.

Wei shi and Ye Wentian fell into deep contemplation.

The both of them understood the meaning behind Guild Leader Wu's words.

In truth, the main purpose of the formation was to regulate the energies from the three sides to create a balance.

If they could find the balancing point where the three energies intersected and direct their flow such that they canceled one another out, they could create an equivalent effect as well.

But... how were they supposed to find this point?

Putting aside how the Verdant Mountain and Dragon-scaled River stretched for thousands of kilometers, just the fact that the earth vein was located underground already made it impossible for one to determine the intensity of its energy at specific locations.

If they were to make an error and have the energies superimpose on one another instead of canceling one another out, they could possibly worsen the disaster!

This was similar to balancing a gold coin. The slightest deviation would lead to the coin falling... it was no easy feat to balance the three energies!

Not to mention, they had no time now!

The earth flame was surging up, the zhenqi everyone pumped into the Cleansing Lake had been devoured, and one of the formation flags was destroyed... In less than three minutes, this entire area would be turned into ruins. Nothing would be left behind at all.

"Let's evacuate everyone now..."

Guild Leader Wu waved his hands.

"Yes!"

Knowing that there was nothing they could do, Ye Wentian hurriedly issued instructions to everyone.

Hualala!

The beast tamers on duty were immediately beckoned, and eight aerial spirit beasts came flying over.

Knowing how dangerous the situation was, Ye Wentian had already made preparations should the worst occur.

"Everyone, hurry up and get on the aerial beast..."

Ye Wentian beckoned the group over. But at that moment, the ground trembled once more.

Hong long long!

The shaking was much more intense this time round. In that instant, it was as if the Cleansing Lake had been overturned. A searing heat wave gushed forth as though a majestic dragon from the bottom of the lake.

Seeing that an explosion was imminent, Hong shi asked, "What will happen to Zhang shi if we were to leave like that?"

"It's too late to save him, let's go..." Ye Wentian shouted.

Hong long!

Before he could finish his words, a huge pillar of fire gushed into the air. Everyone felt a searing gust of wind rushing at them, burning their skin.

"It's too late... We can't get away anymore..."

Ye Wentian thought that they would at least have three minutes, but before they could even get onto the aerial beasts, the volcano was already erupting. A tight squeeze gripped his heart, and subconsciously, he closed his eyes, awaiting his imminent death.

But after waiting for a moment, he realized he wasn't engulfed by the flames. Just as he was perplexed by what was happening, someone amidst the crowd suddenly shouted, "Wait a moment, look! Why is there a person on the flames?"

Ye Wentian quickly raised his head and looked over, only to see a man standing above the fire dragon. The other party had a sharp gaze reminiscent of a bolt of lightning.

Amidst curious gazes, the other party took off his shoe and threw it casually.

Jiya!

The fire dragon immediately withered. The clash among the energies from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein immediately calmed down, as though a balance had been achieved.

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Chapter 647: Yang shi Reappears

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This?"

Wei shi and Ye Wentian stared at one another in astonishment, as though they had seen a ghost.

Guild Leader Wu's entire body was trembling non-stop, as if someone was grabbing his neck. His eyes were widened so much that they were about to pop out. "I-it's the balance point! By throwing his shoe, he directed the energies to cancel one another out at the balancing point..."

The main difficulty with balancing the energies from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein was finding the balance point. Once it was found, it wasn't too difficult to re-establish a balance.

Just that... Of all the things he had thought of that could resolve the situation, be it a formation plate, a formation flag, or some kind of formidable artifact, to think that it was a mere shoe that saved them from their impending doom... This was nearly inconceivable!

How formidable must that person be to achieve such a feat?

Who in the world was that person?

Just as Guild Leader Wu was completely dumbfounded, unable to utter a single word, Hong shi and Luo Xuan's lips trembled, and they hurriedly kneeled to the ground.

"Junior Hong Qian pays respect to Yang shi!"

"Junior Luo Xuan pays respect to Yang shi!"

The duo immediately recognized the figure as soon as he appeared in the air—it was no other than the man who subdued the alliance of the fourteen strongest regional powers in Hongfeng Empire singlehandedly, the supreme expert... Yang Xuan!

They thought that they would surely die this time, but who knew that Yang shi would actually appear at this crucial moment and resolve their crisis.

At this current moment, Yang Xuan was standing silently in the air, exuding a calm but unfathomable disposition.

Ye Wentian, Wei shi, and the others turned to look at Hong shi and Luo Xuan questioningly.

"He is..."

They were all in the midst of dire trouble when the other party suddenly appeared and resolved the entire crisis with the toss of a shoe. Upon seeing Hong Qian and Luo Xuan greeting the other party with utmost respect, they immediately turned to them for answers.

Given how the other party was able to easily resolve a situation that was beyond them, it couldn't be clearer that the other party was a formidable figure.

Hong shi swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he said, "This elder is... Zhang Xuan's teacher, Yang shi! Even Pavilion Master Mo from the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion has to respectfully address him as senior!"

Even though this wasn't his first time meeting Yang shi, the pressure which the other party exerted on him was still as powerful as always.

This was especially so on his soul. He felt as though he was facing an immovable mountain, rendering him incapable of even conjuring the slightest thought of aggression.

"Even Pavilion Master Mo has to respectfully address him as senior?"

"Zhang shi's teacher?"

Wei shi, Ye Wentian, Guild Leader Wu, and the others narrowed their eyes, and their lips twitched violently.

One must know that Pavilion Master Mo was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, an expert who had reached Sainthood!

And yet, even a person like him had to address this person as 'senior'... How strong must this Yang shi be?

Furthermore, they had lost Zhang shi's body, and after the previous burst of flames, it was unlikely that even cinders were left of him. For his teacher to appear at this instant... how could they possibly explain this matter to the other party?

If only they had known that the other party had such a fearsome teacher, they would have surely braved through danger to look after Zhang shi!

The more they thought about it, the more nervous they became. Thus, the trio hurriedly bowed down.

"Huanyu Empire's Ye Wentian, Wu Zun, and Wei Jiang pay respect to Yang shi!"

With his hands behind his back, Yang shi stared down at the group coldly.

"If my student Zhang Xuan has erred, you can reprimand and correct him. To leave him to fend for himself in the river... do you think that there's no one behind him?"

"We dare not think so..."

Seeing that the other party had come due to this matter, everyone froze in fear. At the same time, they felt indignant as well.

We really tried to save your student, but in just a moment that our attention was away from him, he leaped into the lake himself. The situation back then was simply too complicated, there was nothing we could have done...

"You'd better not."

Harrumphing coldly, Yang shi turned his gaze away from the crowd. He turned his hand to the Cleansing Lake and grabbed. An unconscious figure slowly rose from the water.

It was Zhang Xuan!

Just by stretching his hand forward, this Yang shi actually managed to find Zhang Xuan and fish him up.

"Despite grabbing through space, there isn't the slightest sign of energy ripple in his movement at all?"

"Even a Saint 1-dan wouldn't be capable of doing so!"

Ye Wentian and Wei shi glanced at one another, and their bodies trembled in fear.

That movement might not seem like anything special, but as Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle experts, they had a clear grasp of how difficult the feat was.

They were also capable of grabbing something remotely through space as well, but to find a grab a person over a distance of several dozens of meters from the huge Cleansing Lake without the slightest energy ripple... This was a feat that no ordinary man was capable of!

Even Pavilion Master Mo Gaoyuan from Hongyuan Empire was probably incapable of such a feat!

Expert!

He was a true expert!

Ye Wentian, Wei shi, and Guild Leader Wu glanced at one another, and their bodies stiffened.

There were some master teachers who were very protective of their students, and they would take it personally if one dared to bully their students. If Yang shi were to really settle this score with them... while they might be esteemed figures in Huanyu Empire, they knew that they were nothing to him.

Gritting his teeth, Ye Wentian stepped forward.

"I apologize for failing to take good care for Zhang shi. I ask of Yang shi to... punish me!"

The Cleansing Lake was a possession of Huanyu Empire's royalty, and he was the one who invited the others over as well. In a sense, the entire matter was intricately related to him, and he wouldn't be able to shirk his responsibility.

Yang shi harrumphed.

"Punish you? If I wished to punish you, do you think that you would be talking to me at this very moment?"

Flicking his wrist, the unconscious Zhang Xuan came to a halt in midair, floating calmly just beside him.

Upon seeing this movement, everyone's faces were drained of all color.

Even without coming into contact with the other party, just by the energy he leaked, Yang shi was actually able to allow someone to float by his side... This was a feat completely inconceivable to them!

"The Cleansing Lake is formed by the energies from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein. If this power is not controlled well, it could result in mass destruction. As a master teacher, this isn't a sight that I wish to see, so I've resolved this problem for you!"

Glancing at Zhang Xuan and noticing that there was nothing wrong with the other party, Yang shi's complexion alleviated slightly. Flinging his sleeves, he said, "However, this incident has caused massive damage to the Cleansing Lake. It will take around fifty years before it can recover back to its original state... however, with the three energies in perfect balance, your cultivators can now enter the Cleansing Lake directly to cultivate. Since there's no longer any dependence on the Lake Eyes, the ten-year limit can be abolished!"

"Can enter the Cleansing Lake directly to cultivate? Ten-year limit can be abolished?"

Initially, when Ye Wentian heard that it would take fifty years for the Cleansing Lake to recover, he was slightly disappointed. However, when he heard that there was no longer any need to be dependent on the Lake Eye and that the ten-year limit was no longer applicable, he nearly leaped in joy.

Even though the Cleansing Lake was highly beneficial to one's cultivation, the spiritual energy contained within was simply too violent. One could only cultivate in a Lake Eye, thus creating a natural restraint of three days every ten years.

Once this restraint was gone, given the size of the Cleansing Lake, a few hundred people would be able to cultivate simultaneously. Furthermore, there was no need for any interval in between... He could already foresee the exponential increase in experts in Huanyu Empire fifty years from now. With this, they would surely be able to rise to the top among Tier 2 Empires.

While it was impossible for them to become a Tier 1 Empire with just this, this would surely bring their entire nation to greater heights.

"Thank you, Yang shi!"

Kneeling on the floor, Ye Wentian bowed in earnest gratitude.

When something happened to the Cleansing Lake, he'd thought that Huanyu Empire would come to an end under his rule. Who could have known that this would actually be a blessing in disguise? Not only did Zhang shi's teacher resolve the issue, he even removed the previous limits on the Cleansing Lake!

With this, the other party saved Huanyu Empire and granted it the potential to stand among the top of other Tier 2 Empires!

This favor was so great that there was nothing equivalent Huanyu Empire could offer!

Seeing Ye Wentian kneeling before him, Yang shi waved his hands casually before walking on thin air into the distance. Zhang shi's body floated closely behind him.

Soon, the duo disappeared from everyone's sight.

"To be able to bring another person along with him in a flight..."

Everyone swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Due to their limited cultivation, most people present here weren't aware of exactly how fearsome Yang shi was. Even so, the fact that he could settle the Cleansing Lake, even though it was on the verge of explosion, just by tossing a shoe and bring another person on a flight with him had left them indescribably shocked.

No matter how dull-witted they may be, it was clear that Yang shi was someone they should never trifle with.

Even though Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ethereal Treading realm cultivators could step on empty space as well, they were only capable of vertical translation. In a sense, there wasn't much difference from leaping upward.

Only upon officially becoming a Saint and reaching 1-dan Void Pursuit realm would one be capable of true flight.

But even so, this ability would only be confined to the individual. To actually bring another person with him so casually... the other party's cultivation was beyond their imaginations!

"Zhang shi... actually has such a powerful teacher?"

Xing Yuan gulped down his saliva.

In truth, he had been thinking of finding an opportunity to teach this brat a lesson so that he would never cause Princess Fei-er any trouble in the future. But at this moment, he realized how foolish his thoughts were.

It was fortunate that he didn't make a move. Otherwise, even his entire clan combined wouldn't be able to withstand a single slap from the other party's teacher!

The gap between the both of them was this huge!

Even though the strongest man in his clan, the old ancestor, was capable of flight as well, he knew very well that the old ancestor wouldn't be able to bring another person along with him so casually.

'It seems like I'll have to get on good terms with Zhang shi in the future!' Xing Yuan thought.

'Zhang shi's teacher...' Yu Fei-er also widened her eyes in shock.

It was no wonder Zhang Xuan was able to defeat her time and time again. It turned out that he had such a formidable teacher!

With such a formidable figure grooming him, even if she was an incredible talent, it was inevitable that she wouldn't be a match for the other party...

'Humph! Even if you have a strong teacher, I refuse to be your maid. Let's see who will have the last laugh...'

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

'So what if the other party has a powerful teacher? I, Yu Fei-er, am not one to trifle with either. Do you think I'll serve as your maid obediently?

'Dream on!

'If an opportunity comes, I'll surely defeat you in a bet and redeem myself...'

But at this moment, she suddenly recalled that she had just lost another ten thousand spirit stones... how frustrating!

"That's a relief..."

Seeing Yang shi arriving on time to save Zhang shi, Hong shi and Luo Xuan each heaved a sigh of relief.

Luo Qiqi also came to a realization at this moment.

She had been wondering why Zhang shi possessed such astounding knowledge in pill forging. However, Yang shi's presence explained everything. With such a formidable teacher, it was impossible for the student to be ordinary.

"The crisis in the Cleansing Lake might have been resolved, but given the current circumstances, we can't continue cultivating any longer!"

After seeing off the incredible Yang shi, Ye Wentian turned to Luo Qiqi, Princess Fei-er, and the others and apologized.

He had invited them over to cultivate so as to get on their good side, but it turned out to be fraught with dangers, and they even almost died here. This was indeed a tragic failure.

"That's right!"

Everyone nodded as they turned to look at the ruined Cleansing Lake with twitching lips. At the same time, a doubt sprouted within their minds.

Wasn't this lake supposed to be safe? Why would it suddenly... act up?

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Chapter 648: Verdant Mountain

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While everyone was staring at the Cleansing Lake with doubts in their mind, Yang shi, who had impressed all of them with his previous incredible feats, suddenly plummeted from the sky as soon as he got out of everyone's sight.

Peng!

Following which, pained moaning echoed. Slowly, the face of the majestic Yang shi slowly turned into Zhang Xuan's face.

"Can't you give me a hand instead of watching as I fall from the sky?"

Grabbing his spinning head, Zhang Xuan turned to glare at his clone in anger.

Naturally, he was the one feigning Yang shi whereas that 'Zhang Xuan' was his clone.

Back then, at the bottom of the Cleansing Lake, after absorbing everyone's zhenqi and the earth flame, he managed to strengthen his physical body considerably, thus allowing his ten-meter-large soul to enter his body.

Only after this all was done did he realize that the Cleansing Lake was on the verge of explosion.

In order to preserve his life, he immediately checked on the situation with the Library of Heaven's Path, and only then did he realize that he and his clone's action of absorbing all of the spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake had disturbed the balance among the three energies, thus causing such a huge commotion.

In an instant, he felt embarrassed.

The other party had kindly brought him over to cultivate, but he actually caused their lake to explode instead...

It was indeed wrong of him to do so.

But honestly speaking, he didn't do it intentionally either!

All of this had to be blamed on... his clone! If not for that fellow absorbing the spiritual energy with all of his might, how could the balance have been disturbed?

But it was useless to be pointing fingers now. If he were to run out and explain the situation to Ye Wentian now, the other party would probably kill him with a single slap out of rage.

Left with no choice, he could only summon 'Yang shi' once more.

With this 'expert' appearing, he would be able to openly resolve this issue, as well as compensate the other party for the damage.

In order to make the entire matter more believable, he even instructed his clone to pass off as the unconscious him.

This way, he would be able to brush off everything when he returned. He could simply say that he didn't know anything other than the fact that his teacher saved him.

Given that the others had witnessed the previous sight, they probably wouldn't pursue the matter either.

And of course, the method of flight that Zhang Xuan used was the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step. On the other hand, his clone was slightly different. As a God artifact, the Nine Hearts Lotus possessed the innate ability of flight, and this ability was transferred to his clone.

With these two working with one another to put on the act, even Wei shi, a 5-star high-tier master teacher, failed to see through it.

Right after reaching this area, Zhang Xuan suddenly found his zhenqi being depleted. Due to the breakthrough his soul and physical body had just undergone, he wasn't able to gauge his zhenqi accurately. As such, his vision just darkened all of the sudden, and he plummeted from the sky!

He thought that his clone would at least lend him a hand to help him land safely on the ground. Who knew that this fellow would simply watch idly as he crashed all the way down...

Zhang Xuan felt so angry that he could explode at any moment.

While he wasn't severely injured due to his physical resilience and the low altitude of his flight, he thought that his clone should at least share some of his burdens.

What the heck was this?

Remember, as a clone, you should rush forward when you see that I'm in difficulty...

Just as Zhang Xuan was just about to give this fellow an 'ideology lesson' so that he would learn his priorities, the other party slowly closed his eyes... It looked as though he was saying that 'it's not my fault that you're so dumb'.

"..."

Zhang Xuan spurted blood.

Just because I said you shouldn't just 'watch as I fall from the sky', you closed your eyes... How in the world did I create a fool like you?

The clones of others were fierce and loyal. When they saw their main body in trouble, they would immediately rush forward to save him. And yet, this fellow actually simply watched as the main body fell to the ground... Just the thought of it left Zhang Xuan light-headed!

What a darned clone he had!

"Forget it, let me see how much stronger I have grown first!"

Since he couldn't be bothered to lash out at this fellow, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to his growth instead.

Under the nourishment of the earth flame and spiritual lake, his physical body had grown by leaps and bounds. At this moment, every single cell of his felt strong and flexible, as though they had just gone through a metamorphosis.

Raising his arm, he sent a fist forward.

Hong long!

The might of his punch shot through the tree as though a fist-sized bullet, rattling the entire tree with its force.

"My physical body has grown this strong?"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

In the previous attack, he used neither his soul cultivation nor his zhenqi, just solely the strength of his physical body. He wanted to see how much power he could tap into. He didn't expect the force of his punch to be able to create a gaping hole in a gigantic tree a dozen meters away.

Even a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan Consonant Spirit realm cultivator would find it hard to execute this kind of attack.

"Just my physical body itself wields a strength of 2,000,000 ding!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

With this, he had confirmed the might his physical body wielded. It was actually on par with his zhenqi, reaching 2,000,000 ding.

In other words, without zhenqi or soul energy, just by the might of his flesh itself, he could destroy a Consonant Spirit realm primary stage cultivator.

Fearsome!

"What about my soul cultivation?"

After testing his physical body, Zhang Xuan raised his palm and drove his soul energy.

Hong long!

A small hill dozens of meters away was immediately reduced to dust.

"Even though the might is still capped at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle – 3,200,000 ding – my stamina has improved. I'll be able to sustain my soul energy longer in a fight..."

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though Zhang Xuan's soul had grown to a height of ten meters, the might he could tap into didn't increase. It was still at 3,200,000 ding.

What improved instead was his stamina.

Making an analogy, if an ordinary human were to harness all of their might, they might be able to lift an object of 100kg. However, that would be their limit, and they would need to rest for quite a while before they could do so once more.

3,200,000 ding referred to the maximum might one could harness in an attack. In other words, it was impossible for one to launch such an attack continuously without rest.

However, as Zhang Xuan's soul reached a height of ten meters, the limits of his stamina were released. He was now able to launch attacks of 3,200,000 ding without tiring himself out.

This was an extremely fearsome ability. If he could sustain a might of 3,200,000 ding in every single attack, he could even kill a Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage cultivator.

"With 2,000,000 ding from my physical body, 2,000,000 ding from my zhenqi, and 3,200,000 ding from my soul cultivation, I can rival even a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator in a fight!"

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan could feel overwhelming power flowing through his body, as though an undefeatable titan.

Despite being at Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle, he already harnessed a might superior to Cosmos Bridge pinnacle experts, who wielded a might of 6,400,000 ding. There was probably no one who wouldn't feel excited at that thought.

"Come, let's cross fists!"

Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan turned to his clone.

Due to the limits of his physical body, he was sent flying by the other party's fist the previous time. However, with a breakthrough in all aspects, it would be difficult for the other party to do the same now!

Perhaps, he might even be able to teach the other party a lesson and let him know the difference between the main body and a clone!

"Un!" His clone nodded his head. Gathering might in his fist, he punched forward.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan gathered the might from his body, soul, and zhenqi, and in an instant, his strength was brought to its peak.

With the current might he possessed, he felt that even a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan primary stage expert could be killed with a single punch.

Boom!

The two fists collided.

"You..."

A scream in agony echoed in the air. While his clone stood completely motionless on the spot, Zhang Xuan was sent flying backward. His body tore through a dozen huge trees over a distance of several hundred meters before finally coming to a stop. Blood spewed profusely from his mouth.

The heck!

Did you need to be so vicious?

He thought that with such a massive improvement, he would be able to easily teach the other party a lesson. Who knew that the gap between them only seemed to have widened...

He had used his full strength, but not only was the other party completely fine, he also nearly died from the encounter himself...

How could reality be so darned? Are you the clone or am I?

Struggling to his feet, Zhang Xuan glared at the other party.

"Your physical body is still too weak, so you aren't able to bring out the full might of your soul!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was feeling displeased, his clone walked over with his hands behind his back, carrying an authoritative disposition. "If you wish to defeat me, you still need much more practice. But of course, if you acknowledge me as your teacher, I can teach you..."

"Scram!"

With a darkened face, Zhang Xuan put that fellow straight into his storage ring.

His clone actually tried to take him as a student? What was the world turning into?

If you're that capable, why don't you try ascending to the heavens?

"That fellow's words might be infuriating, but he does make sense."

After putting away the other party, Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was indeed true that his physical body wasn't unable to bring out the full might of his soul cultivation.

While his physical body had made massive progress under the tempering of the earth flame and spiritual lake, the duration was too short. It was only sufficient for his massive soul to slip into his body.

It still wasn't enough for his soul to fuse perfectly with his body and bring out the full extent of his strength.

"With a certain degree of incompatibility between my soul and physical body, I won't have precise control over my strength..."

A powerful soul needs a powerful body to house it. Otherwise, it would be like an adult taking control over an infant's body. No matter how powerful the adult was, it was impossible for him to bring out his full might through an infant's body. In fact, the difference between the strength of the two might even cause the adult to be unable to control his own strength precisely as well.

This was exactly the situation that was happening with Zhang Xuan. Even though his soul had finally grown to be capable of housing his massive soul, it was still comparatively much weaker than it. As such, his control over his soul cultivation and physical body wasn't as thorough as it used to be.

In a sense, it was similar to the situation when he first cultivated Heaven's Path Golden Body in Master Lu Chen's house.

Although he didn't feel that he had used too much strength, he ended up sending Master Lu Chen flying with a touch.

Just that this time, the lack of control worked both ways. His strength could be either much stronger or weaker than the what he perceived himself.

"It seems like... I'll have to train my physical body!"

Zhang Xuan massaged his glabella.

The momentary tempering just now was clearly insufficient. It seemed that he had to hurry up and raise the strength of his physical body. Otherwise, if he were to suddenly have a burst of strength and a moment of frailty now and then, others might just think that he was a lunatic.

"Or else, I could ask Emperor Ye Wentian for some cultivation techniques for training one's physical body. As long as I can compile Heaven's Path Golden Body 3-dan, my physical body should grow significantly stronger!"

As long as he had sufficient physical body cultivation techniques, his Library of Heaven's Path would be able to form a Heaven's Path Golden Body, and he would be able to improve swiftly.

"Where am I?"

Only after deciding on his next course of action was Zhang Xuan's attention brought back to his surroundings. Taking a glance, he was stunned.

"This is... the Verdant Mountain?"

Back then, he was in a hurry to escape as soon as possible so he didn't take note of it, but it seemed like he had traveled a long distance away from Huanyu Capital, reaching the depths of Verdant Mountain.

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Chapter 649: Heartthrob

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A towering, winding mountain range filled with a light fragrance from primitive and foreign flora and fauna. Even though it was already deep into winter, the spiritual energy in the region was still filled with the vitality of spring.

After taking a look, Zhang Xuan complimented his surroundings.

"This Verdant Mountain is indeed a blessed land for cultivation!"

To rise above innumerable kingdoms to become a Tier 2 Empire, while having a strong Master Teacher Pavilion was important, so was attracting capable talents and possessing a good geographical terrain.

Be it the Verdant Mountain or the Dragon-scaled River, their lands carried a soothing atmosphere and gentle spiritual energy that boosted one's cultivation.

"Let's return first!"

After resting for a moment to recuperate from the injuries incurred from the previous fall, Zhang Xuan prepared to return to the capital when the leaves not too far away rustled.

'Shh shhh.'

Following which, a massive Armored Beartiger came into view. It was trudging forward warily in a certain direction.

"Hmm?"

Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The Armored Beartiger was an incredibly ferocious Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beast. Known as the Autarch of the Forest, even a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan primary stage cultivator would find it hard to defeat it.

This fellow usually hunted openly since nothing could possibly stand in its way. Why was it moving around carefully as though it was some kind of wolf?

More importantly, since Zhang Xuan was able to see the other party, the other party should have noticed him as well, given its cultivation. Yet, it actually continued moving along its path, ignoring him entirely. This left some doubts in his mind.

'Let's see what that fellow is up to...'

Zhang Xuan's curiosity was immediately piqued. He leaped onto a tree branch and followed behind the Armored Beartiger.

Soon, the large fellow bent low, looking around his surroundings in alarm as it advanced slowly.

Hu hu!

At a distance not too far away, Zhang Xuan could see a massive Grandlion Spirit Beast.

Just like the Armored Beartiger, the Grandlion Spirit Beast was a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beast as well. Given that they were equally matched in strength and shared the same prey, they were usually in a hostile relationship.

'It seems like its nemesis has appeared. Perhaps these two are intending on assaulting one another.'

Zhang Xuan chuckled.

He was still wondering what was happening, but it turned out that two nemeses had just met one another, and they were prowling around for an opportunity to strike at the other.

'I should pay careful attention to their battle. Perhaps, I might be able to learn some new techniques to infuse into my battle techniques!' Zhang Xuan thought.

Since everyone knew that he was taken away by his teacher, he was in no hurry to return.

Such a ferocious battle could broaden his horizons, so it would be a pity to miss it.

In fact, there were many incredible techniques that were created after watching spirit beasts fight one another.

Squatting on a tree branch, Zhang Xuan watched as the Armored Beartiger and Grandlion Spirit Beast slowly approached one another. Before long, they had already circled around the shrubs and saw one another.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan thought that a magnificent battle would break out instantly, but contrary to his expectations, the duo simply nodded their heads, seemingly coming to an agreement, before heading forward side by side.

'This...'

Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in surprise.

When did these two nemeses become good friends?

Furthermore, from the looks of it, they seemed to be working in unison.

Curious, Zhang Xuan followed behind them. A little distance away, the loud roaring of the wind echoed from above. A massive aerial spirit beast swooped down from the air.

'Transcendent Mortal 5-dan aerial spirit beast... Dracoeagle Beast?'

Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

This fellow was extremely famous as well. With steel talons that could even rip apart Spirit intermediate-tier weapons, it was given the majestic name of Sky Overlord.

Even three of his Demon Cinque Beast wouldn't be a match for the Dracoeagle Beast!

Were these two spirit beasts working together to deal with it?

But that shouldn't be possible. The spirit beasts on land and in the sky usually didn't cross one another. Besides, the other party was capable of flight, so how could the duo possibly attack it?

This was similar to how a lion would usually prey on rabbits and deer instead of sparrows and crows.

Since they were from two completely different worlds, there was no need for them to cross one another!

Huala!

By the time Zhang Xuan had recovered from his astonishment, the Dracoeagle Beast had already landed before the other spirit beasts. Just like before, it nodded its head toward the duo, and as though coming to an understanding, the trio advanced forward together.

'The Dracoeagle Beast... is collaborating with them as well?'

Zhang Xuan's shock was gradually deepening.

It was already baffling that two nemeses of the forest were working with one another. Now that even the Sky Overlord was cooperating with them, what in the world could they be up to?

What could have happened for them to put aside their differences and ally with one another?

Ssssssss!

Walking on, the group stumbled by a massive python, a ferocious ape, a swift sparrow... Before long, more than thirty spirit beasts were gathered together.

All of them possessed a cultivation of at least Transcendent Mortal 5-dan, and given their natural advantages as spirit beasts, Zhang Xuan would have a difficult time defeating even a single one of them. Yet, so many of them were gathered together at this instant. Even a person as brave as Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel his goosebumps rising in fear.

'It will be difficult for me to escape if they notice me!'

Zhang Xuan moved carefully in fear, afraid that he would accidentally make a noise that would catch their attention. His palm was drenched with cold sweat.

If they were to manage to surround him, there was a chance that he would even be done in.

Flying, crawling, running, slithering... There were truly spirit beasts of all sorts. Every single one of them possessed might that an ordinary Transcendent Mortal 5-dan pinnacle cultivator would find hard to stand against. Together, not even a 7-dan expert would escape from their clutches.

'What is it that brought so many spirit beasts together? Are they going to fight an enemy?'

Despite the danger involved in this matter, Zhang Xuan couldn't hold back his curiosity.

So many different species of spirit beasts were present here, and a huge bunch of them were even nemeses of one another. And yet, here they were, working together with one another. What could have happened?

'Could it be that... they have found some kind of treasure?'

A thought popped into Zhang Xuan's mind, and excitement begin to tingle within him.

It was rumored that true treasures would attract the presence of countless spirit beast or even incur a stampede. Could these fellows be gathered for some kind of incredible treasure?

'That's not it. If it's a treasure, they would probably be fighting with one another over it at this instant...'

However, Zhang Xuan soon rejected the idea.

There would be no one who wouldn't wish to claim a treasure for themselves. If that was truly the case, it would be impossible for them to work together—it would be a scene of bloodshed instead.

'No matter what, I should just watch on. The answer should unfold itself soon!'

Since he was already up to this point, he had to get to the bottom of the matter. Thus, he followed behind the group discreetly.

Hualala!

While he was following behind the group, a slight rustling sounded from the trees ahead, and a group of silhouettes appeared.

'This...'

Upon seeing those silhouettes, Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

All that came before were all spirit beasts, but this group were all humans!

There were seven to eight of them, and just like the spirit beasts, they had all reached Transcendent Mortal 5-dan as well. There was a slight but distinct scent of blood coming from them.

'They are... beast hunters!'

A name appeared in Zhang Xuan's mind, and excitement immediately overwhelmed him.

A spirit beast's skin, bones, blood, and inner core were extremely valuable treasures to cultivators.

In fact, there was even a market specializing in such sales.

Given how lucrative the market was, there was naturally a group of people who specialized in hunting down spirit beasts and procuring the useful body parts, thus giving rise to a unique occupation... beast hunters!

However, just like herbologists, the beast hunter occupation wasn't acknowledged by the Master Teacher Pavilion.

It wasn't due to how cruel the occupation was but that it had no complete heritage.

Most people chose this life due to compelling situations, and as such, there were no organizations nor guilds regulating them and passing down knowledge. Furthermore, the death toll of this occupation was simply too huge. The hunters would often become hunted themselves, thus making it difficult to pass down their heritage.

As such, it couldn't really be called a 'unique occupation'.

But even so, there was quite a number of them over the entire continent, and they were recorded in books too. Just that... this group of beast hunters had actually come together with the spirit beasts!

The beast hunters simply walked up to the pack of spirit beasts, nodded, and then they began advancing together.

Beast hunters and spirit beasts were mortal enemies, and yet they were walking side by side at this moment... What the heck was going on?

What should have been a great battle between the spirit beasts and the beast hunters ended up as though an amicable meeting among old friends. This was contradictory and bewildering!

As the group slowly grew larger, in order to prevent himself from being noticed, Zhang Xuan could only fly amidst the lush leaves using the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps.

After advancing a little further, they arrived at the bottom of a waterfall. The water cascaded from a height of three thousand chi, creating a deafening roar.

A slight vapor rose from the bottom of the waterfall, nourishing the brilliant greenery in the area.

Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

'It's the middle of winter... how come the greenery is so verdant?'

While the greenery in Verdant Mountain wouldn't wither due to the rich spiritual energy in the area, the color of the greenery would still darken in the middle of winter.

But the greenery in this region had a bright shade of green, as though it was the onset of spring. This very sight was baffling.

Could there be something special about this waterfall?

Hualala!

Beneath the waterfall was a massive lake. A white, furry spirit beast was swimming freely in it.

That fellow was around the size of a watermelon, and its bright eyes only made it more adorable.

'This is a Snow Fox! Furthermore, it seems that it is a newborn!'

Zhang Xuan immediately recognized the spirit beast.

Snow Fox was an extremely rare spirit beast. It possessed nearly no offensive ability, but its inner core was exceptionally valuable. Rumor had it that it contained a unique energy that could allow both cultivators and spirit beasts to unconditionally raise their cultivation by a big realm!

This wasn't just primary stage to intermediate stage, or intermediate stage to advanced stage, it was a big realm... In other words, it could allow a Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator to reach Consonant Spirit realm directly!

It was among one of the most sought after treasures in the world!

'But... a mere Snow Fox shouldn't require all of these fellows to work together though?'

The Snow Fox might be valuable, but considering its lack of offensive power, the Armored Beartiger, Grandlion Spirit Beast, or any of the other spirit beast could easily tear it apart. Why would they march here in such a large group then?

Furthermore, considering that this was a newborn Snow Fox, surely these fellows need not proceed so warily?

'No, it seems like the one they intend to deal with is...'

Baffled, Zhang Xuan took a closer look and realized that the spirit beasts and beast hunters were looking at a specific direction. Tracing their gazes, he was taken aback.

By the side of the lake stood a white-robed lady. She stood silently amidst flowers and grass, as if a peaceful painting.

It was simply too tranquil that even with a soul as strong as Zhang Xuan's, he didn't notice her presence at all!

As Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over, the white-robed lady also turned her face over. Her beautiful features seemed to meld together with the peaceful scenery. With just a momentary glance, Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

For the first time since he arrived in this world, Zhang Xuan's composed state of mind was sent into disarray.

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Chapter 650: Saving Her

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan had seen many beauties.

Shen Bi Ru, Mo Yu, Zhao Feiwu, Yu Fei-er, Luo Qiqi... Even his students, Wang Ying and Zhao Ya, were beauties in their own rights.

Among them, there were a few who bore feelings for him, and some even voiced their willingness to be with him...

But Zhang Xuan's heart remained unmoved.

He wasn't devoid of feelings, nor was he uninterested in beautiful ladies; he was simply unmoved.

Since he possessed no particular feelings for them, he wasn't willing to get involved with them.

He thought that it might be due to the Library of Heaven's Path in his head. Perhaps the library had come together with the unfeelingness of the heavens. Never had he imagined a day would come where his heart would actually beat helplessly at the sight of a lady.

It was as if the other party possessed some kind of quality that drew him in, leaving him with no choice but to leap forward.

She was extremely beautiful, such that even Zhao Ya would pale before her. Even so, Zhang Xuan's mind wasn't so weak as to be assailed by mere physical appearance. But for some reason, this lady had an extraordinarily intimate presence to him.

As if he had seen her somewhere before.

"I mustn't allow anything happen to her..."

Such a thought simply appeared out of nowhere.

Prowling in the area were more than thirty Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beasts and eight beast hunters. If they were to attack the white-robed lady, she would surely be unable to withstand their assault.

'Save her!'

This thought sprouted in Zhang Xuan's mind, and it was growing stronger by the second, compelling him into action.

He didn't want to see this white-robed lady being torn apart by all of these spirit beasts.

'If I were to rush forward to save her, I would be surrounded by them before I could even reach her. If so, I would be dead before I could even achieve anything!'

While the thought had gripped Zhang Xuan's entirety, he knew that it would be foolishness to dive in without a plan.

There were plenty of formidable aerial spirit beasts amidst the group as well. Even with Zhang Xuan flight capability, it would still be difficult for him to outrun them.

'Should I disguise myself as Yang shi to scare this group off?'

After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan realized that he couldn't find any better idea. Thus, he decided to resort to his specialty... hoodwinking!

If he could frighten this group off, that would be for the best.

Otherwise... he would have no choice but to face them.

At the most, he would just have to call his clone out at that time to fight alongside him. While victory was unlikely, he was confident that he could at least get away.

'It's settled then!'

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Xuan refined the details of his plan before standing up. His muscles slowly shifted, turning his appearance into that of Yang shi.

Hualala!

Right when he was done with his preparations, the spirit beasts finished circling the entire area. There was a bizarre glint in their eyes, and it seemed as though they would leap forward at any moment.

"I have to go in now or else I won't make it in time..."

Frowning, Zhang Xuan immediately flew straight toward the side of the lake, where the white-robed lady was.

"Humph!"

While he was in the air, a cold harrumph resounded in the area. It sounded like the roar of a dragon, causing the entire forest to tremor.

His soul energy and zhenqi were devoted to this harrumph, and it carried a grandness that made one feel small in comparison.

Accustomed to playing as an expert, Zhang Xuan naturally commanded an aura befitting of one. With his majestic demeanor, he resembled a deity descending from the heavens.

The spirit beasts and beast hunters who were just about to pounce on the white-robed lady all halted their movements before his presence.

While the intelligence of spirit beasts hadn't reached the level of humans yet, they were still no fools.

Considering how the figure was able to fly in the sky, it was unlikely that they would be able to stand against him.

Hu!

Seeing that his presence had made everyone stop for the moment, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a few steps, he walked to the aerial space right above the white-robed lady.

From the current location where he was standing, he would be able to grab her and escape swiftly should the unexpected happen.

Now that he was closer to the white-robed lady, he was able to catch a clearer look at the latter's features. She was a young lady of a similar age to him. She had a composed look on her face, seemingly unaware that she was already completely surrounded by many spirit beasts and beast hunters.

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan's gaze fell upon the spirit beasts and beast hunters.

"I am fond of this scenery, and I don't wish for blood to besmirch this land. Back down!"

After saying these words, he secretly sent a telepathic message to the young lady below him.

"Try to find a way to escape later on. Spirit beasts have already surrounded this area, and I fear that they... mean you harm!"

However, after waiting for a while, Zhang Xuan still didn't receive the other party's reply. Glancing downward, he saw the white-robed lady looking at him nonchalantly.

'Could it be that... she doesn't believe me?'

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Those spirit beasts and beast hunters had approached silently, and they were currently hiding amidst the greenery. It was possible that the other party did not believe his words.

Thinking about it, it wasn't too surprising. Given that a man had suddenly appeared and sent a telepathic message to her saying that the area was filled with spirit beasts, she would probably think that he was a lunatic.

"Do my words mean nothing to you?"

Knowing that he would only make himself seem less credible the more he explained the matter, Zhang Xuan decided to turn his gaze back to the forest, flung his sleeves, and roared, "I told you to back down!"

Roar!

Zhang Xuan's bellow had succeeded in inducing fear in the spirit beasts in the region. One of them unintentionally let loose a fearful whimper, revealing its presence.

Knowing that the other party was already aware of their presence, the spirit beasts and beast hunters decided to step out of their hiding spots.

Hualala!

The might of more than thirty Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beasts and eight beast hunters exerted an immense pressure on Zhang Xuan.

"Now you should believe me, right? They are intending to deal with you and your Snow Fox..."

Cold sweat dripped off Zhang Xuan's forehead as he sent a telepathic message to the white-robed lady.

The white-robed lady seemed to be slightly astonished by the arrival of the spirit beasts as well.

"You don't need to fear. Since I'm here, I won't allow them to do as they please. Don't worry, I'll chase them off for you!" Zhang Xuan reassured her before turning to the crowd.

"Are you certain you want to challenge me?"

Hong long!

A powerful surge of soul energy swept through the entire area.

Zhang Xuan's cultivation might be ordinary, but his soul energy was superior to even the Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ye Wentian's.

With the release of his soul energy, the spirit beasts and beast hunters immediately felt immense threat.

Padah!

One of the aerial spirit beasts even lost control of its body and plummeted from the sky.

A few spirit beasts also collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the pressure.

Seeing this situation, the tense Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It seemed these spirit beasts were no fools. They knew better than to challenge an opponent beyond them.

Roar!

But just as Zhang Xuan thought that the group would back down from fear, a ferocious howling sounded. It came from the Armored Beartiger that he first met.

Hualala!

Hearing the howling, the frightened spirit beasts immediately regained their nerves. They turned their gazes over once more—this time, it was filled with savagery.

'What's going on?'

It was just a moment ago that all of them were trembling in fear. Yet, after this fellow's howling, all of them seemed to have regained their fighting spirit. Zhang Xuan's face immediately warped in fear.

Could it be that... this Armored Beartiger recognized him as the person from before?

In the previous meeting with this fellow, his true cultivation was probably exposed. But even so, the person whom he saw previously was Zhang Xuan while the current him was Yang shi. How could the other party possibly recognize him?

Roar!

While Zhang Xuan was still bewildered by the situation before him, the Armored Beartiger yelled furiously once more. Pushing its large paws against the ground, it leaped forward.

'This is bad!'

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

It was extremely clear that he had given himself away somehow.

It seemed that his disguise still needed a little more work for it to be effective under the scrutiny of spirit beasts' astute senses!

Even though they didn't possess intelligence on par with humans, they had sharp eyes and sensitive noses in exchange. Perhaps he had neglected an important aspect of his disguise that allowed the Armored Beartiger to see through it.

Or perhaps, it might be due to the lack of harmony between his soul and his body, resulting in his inability to hide his aura perfectly.

With his aura leaking out, it wasn't too difficult for them to deduce that this 'expert' was a fake.

'I have no choice but to fight them now...'

Seeing the large fellow rush over, Zhang Xuan knew that a fight was inevitable. Thus, he rushed in front of the white-robed lady and grabbed her hand. "Run!"

Hu!

But before they could escape, the Armored Beartiger was already right before Zhang Xuan. It swung its massive claws, and a sharp wave of might tore through space, heading straight for Zhang Xuan's arm.

"Damn it!"

Zhang Xuan's face darkened. The Armored Beartiger was much stronger and faster than he had expected.

The strongest aspects of an Armored Beartiger was its claws and strength. Even though Zhang Xuan's physical body had been tempered by the Cleansing Lake, it would still be hard for him to clash with the other party face-on.

Letting go of the lady, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and the Glacier Rain Sword appeared in his palm. He immediately slashed it toward the other party's claw.

Huala!

The sword qi immediately covered a distance of several dozen meters and collided with the other party's attack.

Boom!

A loud explosion created two huge depressions of seven to eight meters deep.

Zhang Xuan remained unmoving on the spot whereas the Armored Beartiger was forced back. A shallow, white cut appeared on its body.

Even though the Armored Beartiger was one of the strongest even among Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beasts, Zhang Xuan's soul, physical body, and zhenqi were simply extraordinary.

Even so, the other party was indeed formidable.

If it had been any other ordinary Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beast, Zhang Xuan's sword would have surely split it in two. To leave behind just a single shallow white cut said a lot about the other party's fearsome defensive capability.

Roar roar roar!

However, the very survival of the Armored Beartiger against Zhang Xuan showed that he wasn't sufficiently powerful to stand against all of them. The spirit beasts and beast hunters in the surroundings immediately realized that Zhang Xuan was just acting before. Thus, with a loud roar, they charged forward furiously.

Sou sou sou!

Numerous arrows also came flying straight toward Zhang Xuan—the beast hunters!

They specialized in long-range attacks, and their arrows were infused with dense zhenqi. Even from afar, astounding killing intent could be felt from them.

Narrowing his eyes, Zhang Xuan felt his goosebumps rising up.

There were aerial spirit beasts to guard the sky, land spirit beast to charge on land, and even long-range support fire from the beast hunters... If they managed to surround him, it would be difficult for him to break out from their encirclement even with the help of his clone.

"Flee!"

Flicking his wrists swiftly, multiple blasts of sword qi shot out to deflect the arrows. Following which, Zhang Xuan pulled the white-robed lady forward and leaped into the lake.

Amidst this perilous situation, this was the only possible escape route!

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Chapter 651: Consonance of Soul and Body

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The white-robed lady seemed to be unwilling to leave, but Zhang Xuan knew that there wasn't time to persuade her. Thus, he pulled her along forcefully.

Putong!

The duo fell into the lake. Seeing the two of them enter the lake, the Snow Fox also came swimming over.

"Let's leave quickly. Otherwise, we'll surely die!"

Grabbing the Snow Fox with one hand and pulling the white-robed lady with the other, Zhang Xuan yelled anxiously as he swam to the depths of the lake.

He had examined the spirit beasts carefully and there were none that specialized in aqua combat. They would be much safer down here.

Furthermore, this lake was connected to a river. It was possible for them to escape from their pursuers through here.

Hula!

Not too long after they swam down into the depths of the lake, a violent disturbance rippled from the top of the lake. There were a couple of spirit beasts who jumped into the lake to pursue them.

Knowing that there was no time to be lost, Zhang Xuan drove his zhenqi, and they picked up speed. Based on his memory, he swam in the direction where the river was at.

As Zhang Xuan expected, they were indeed much safer in the water. While there were some spirit beasts who chased them, he managed to ward them off with relative ease. Slowly, the number of spirit beasts decreased. After around two hours, they managed to shake off all of the spirit beasts. Only then did Zhang Xuan heave a sigh of relief and start swimming to the surface.

Holding his breath for two hours wasn't too hard for him given his current cultivation. Turning to look at the white-robed lady beside him, it seemed that the other party was fine as well.

Considering how the spirit beasts had to approach her so carefully, it was likely that her cultivation was on par with his.

Hu!

As the beast and two humans emerged from the water, Zhang Xuan immediately scanned his surroundings. Only after confirming that there was no danger did he heave a sigh of relief.

"It's safe now..."

Zhang Xuan pulled the lady to the shore.

After swimming for two hours, they were now a considerable distance away from the waterfall. Given the various splits in the meandering river along the way, it would be hard for the spirit beasts to track them down.

However, it was best for them to be careful anyway. The other party did have aerial spirit beasts who specialized in scouting on their side.

"Let's find a safe spot, get some food, and dry our clothes!"

The three of them were looking rather unkempt after the long swim. Their clothes were sticking firmly to their skin. Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

Knowing that Zhang Xuan had gone through so much to save her, the white-robed lady seemed much friendlier from before. Smiling, she nodded in agreement at his words.

There were several large caves dug out by the spirit beasts in Verdant Mountain. It didn't take too long for the duo to find an empty one.

Following which, they gathered a few dry branches and started a campfire. Only then did they feel their bodies warming up.

Even with cultivation levels such as theirs, swimming for two hours in the middle of winter was still no joke. The chill felt like a sharp dagger stabbing at their insides.

"I am Zhang Xuan! You are..."

After drying his clothes, Zhang Xuan took out a few pieces of dried jerky from his storage ring and offered them to the other party. Following which, he reverted his appearance and clasped his fist.

For some reason, this lady simply felt extremely familiar to him, as though he had known her all his life. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to save her.

With a faint smile, the lady shook her head. She took the jerky from Zhang Xuan's hands, tore off a small portion, and ate it. Her movements were extremely graceful and refined.

"You... can't speak?"

Realizing that the other party hadn't spoken a word since they met, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Until now, it seemed like the other party had been replying to his words with a smile.

The lady shook her head.

"Is it due to some kind of persisting illness or... do you need me to treat you? I am actually quite a capable physician!" Zhang Xuan said.

There were some who would lose their voice due to injury or cultivating incorrectly. However, it was still treatable as long as one had the correct treatment method.

Considering how he had read many books on medicine, and also had the Library of Heaven's Path to fall back on, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to treat the other party.

The white-robed lady shook her hands.

"Are you afraid that I can't cure you... or are you unwilling to be treated?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The lady continued to shake her hands nonchalantly. It seemed as though she was already used to being in such a situation, and she didn't want to be treated.

"Since that's the case... I won't talk about it anymore then!"

Since the other party wasn't willing to be treated, Zhang Xuan couldn't possibly force his treatment on her.

For some reason, sitting beside this lady made him feel extremely calm, drawing him away from the material aspect of life.

"Hmm?"

Sitting silently, Zhang Xuan was searching for something, anything, to say when his face suddenly warped in pain. His entire body began shaking uncontrollably.

"Shit..."

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.

Even though his physical body had grown much stronger after the tempering from the earth flame and Cleansing Lake, it wasn't sufficient for him to fully adapt to his massive soul. Thus, he should have avoided overexerting himself while training his physical body for it to adapt to his soul.

Who knew that he would have met with this white-robed lady and end up overexerting himself? He didn't feel anything in the face of danger back then, but now that they were safe, he immediately felt a sharp pain in his soul as though someone had stabbed needles deep into it, and dizziness suddenly overwhelmed him.

Using the shoe measurements in his previous life, his current soul was size 45 while his physical body was size 42. While he could still slip in with some force, he would still be injured should he walk too much.

The current situation was as such.

Even though his body and soul were incompatible with one another, he might still have been fine if he hadn't overexerted himself. But he did, and now he had to tolerate an insufferable pain in his soul.

Honestly, Zhang Xuan wanted to leave a good impression on the other party by saving her, but such a situation happened instead. He couldn't help but feel a little stifled.

"Suppress!"

Zhang Xuan forcefully suppressed his soul to force it to adapt to his physical body. Who knew that the more he tried to do so, the more violent the backlash became? It was as if the side effect of forcefully stuffing his soul back into his body was coming back to bite him all at once.

"AHHH..."

With a roar, Zhang Xuan couldn't hold on any longer, and his soul began gushing out of his glabella.

It was the previous problem playing up again—an overly powerful soul for a relatively weak physical body. Unless he could raise the strength of his physical body, the two wouldn't be able to fuse together perfectly.

"It's over..."

Feeling that his soul was about to leave his body, Zhang Xuan heart turned cold.

Actually, if his soul were to leave his body, he would be able to avoid such pain... but if he were to allow it to occur now, it would be as good as telling the other party that he was a soul oracle, and this would be difficult to explain.

Even though the soul oracle occupation was a complete one, its heritage had already gone missing for many years, and it had officially been eradicated by the Master Teacher Pavilion a long time ago. In the view of most cultivators, they were a callous and mysterious existence.

If the other party were to learn that he had such a sinister occupation, the goodwill that he had built up with much difficulty would definitely disappear instantaneously.

What in the world was this? Of all the times for his condition to work up, it just had to be now...

How would the other party view him after this? Would she think that he was up to no good?

Just as Zhang Xuan was at a complete loss, the white-robed lady stood up and pressed on his glabella lightly.

Hu la!

The soul that was about to slip out of his body was suppressed in an instant, and it returned obediently back into his body.

At the same time, a unique energy flowed through his entire body, relieving it of the extreme pain it felt instantaneously.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

This was a problem which had troubled him greatly, and yet the other party resolved it with a single pat. What was this?

Could it be that... the white-robed lady possessed a cultivation far higher than the Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ye Wentian?

One must know that not even Ye Wentian could resolve the problem of his soul going missing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have just placed Zhang Xuan on the stone table helplessly.

Doubtful, Zhang Xuan was just about to ask about the issue when a pang of exhaustion suddenly struck him. His vision darkened, and he gradually lost consciousness.

Amidst his sleep, he felt as though his soul and physical body were harmonizing once more, and the discomfort he felt previously gradually vanished...

Sometime later, he woke up.

"Hmm?"

Rubbing his eyes, Zhang Xuan sat up. Indeed, the incompatibility between his soul and physical body had vanished, and he felt much more relaxed than before.

"My physical body hasn't gotten any stronger, but my soul seemed to have undergone some kind of refinement. It has become much purer, making it easier to slip it into my body!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though his soul was still ten meters tall, it had become much more flexible, making it easier to enter his body and control it.

'I should give it a try!'

Closing his eyes, Zhang Xuan's soul swept through his body, and he could feel that every single muscle and cell was within his control. He could now perfectly move his entire body.

Even before the affair at the Cleansing Lake, he had never felt such precise control over his body before.

'This is... Perfect Consonance of Body and Soul?'

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly, and his body trembled in excitement.

At Transcendent Mortal 5-dan, a cultivator would be able to harmonize his body and soul as one. This consonance would refine his control over his strength and body, allowing for more precise movements.

Rumor had it that if this consonance were to reach the level of perfection, one would be able to look inwardly into one's physical body and repair the damaged regions. One's body would be able to become as flawless as a piece of white jade.

However, even Transcendent Mortal 9-dan experts would be unable to reach such a realm. Only Saints would have a chance of accomplishing this... and yet, Zhang Xuan actually succeeded!

In the midst of Zhang Xuan's excitement, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and he froze.

'But... if my soul and body are perfectly consonant, won't my soul be unable to leave my body?'

Typically, becoming a soul oracle meant abandoning one's natural body. As far as Zhang Xuan knew, no soul oracle had achieved a Perfect Consonance of Body and Soul before... If his soul and body were to be perfectly consonant while he was unconscious, would it mean that he had lost his ability as a soul oracle?

If that was the case, then there was nothing for him to be happy about!

Even taking the occupations from ancient times into account, the abilities of a soul oracle were one of the more practical and useful ones. For example, there would be no other occupation that would have allowed Zhang Xuan to absorb the spiritual energy from the Cleansing Lake earlier on.

Thus, Zhang Xuan quickly drove the Soul Guiding Formula. Fortunately, he realized that his soul could still part from his body and move freely.

Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.

Sending his soul back into his physical body, Zhang Xuan stood up and looked around the cave.

However, the cave was oddly silent. The campfire was already extinguished, and there was not a person to be seen. The white-robed lady whom he had saved previously had already disappeared without a trace.

"Lady?" Zhang Xuan yelled. He was just about to go out to look for the latter when he caught sight of a line of neatly written words on the stone wall not too far away.

'You have saved me once, and I have returned the favor. Thus, we are even now. There is still a long time ahead of us, so may we meet again in the future!'

"Meet again in the future?"

Zhang Xuan was dumbstruck. "She left?"

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Chapter 652: Consonant Spirit Realm Pinnacle

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Seeing the words left on the wall, Zhang Xuan felt disappointed.

This was the first lady that had sent his heart beating, but they ended up parting so quickly. He didn't even manage to get the other party's name.

Zhang Xuan raised his hand and wiped away the words on the wall before walking out of the cave.

The vast sky appeared before him, but there wasn't a single person in sight.

It seemed like the other party had already left long ago.

After searching around the perimeter and realizing that the other party was gone, he began calculating the time based on his surroundings, and the result left his head shaking.

"I was actually out for three days?"

He didn't expect to have been out for three whole days.

"The Perfect Consonance of Soul and Body has raised my zhenqi cultivation to Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle..."

Previously, Zhang Xuan's breakthroughs were dependent on completing the corresponding Heaven's Path Divine Art. But this time, just by fainting once, not only did his soul and body merge together flawlessly, his zhenqi cultivation even made a huge leap.

From Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle, he advanced all the way to Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle!

That was an entire cultivation realm!

However, considering that the main goal of Consonant Spirit realm was to harmonize one's soul and body together, as well as to nourish one's soul, that was to be expected.

The very concept of his soul being flawlessly consonant with his body was aligned with that of the Heaven's Path Divine Art. As such, he naturally achieved a breakthrough with this.

Zhenqi gushed through his body at rapid speed, nourishing his entire body and revitalizing his spirit.

"A normal Consonant Spirit realm cultivator would wield a might of 3,200,000 ding, but my strength has reached... 4,000,000 ding!"

Closing his eyes, Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness into his dantian.

With the Perfect Consonance of Soul and Body, he could look inwardly to clearly see how much might he wielded at the moment even without testing it out.

With a might of 4,000,000 ding in Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, he could rival a Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage cultivator with just his zhenqi strength.

If the 2,000,000 ding from his physical body and 3,200,000 ding from his soul cultivation were to be added into the equation, that would total up to a staggering 9,200,000 ding. Even a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage cultivator might be killed with a single punch from him.

(Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage 8,000,000 ding; intermediate stage 9,000,000 ding; advanced stage 10,000,000 ding; pinnacle 11,000,000 ding!)

But of course, Perfect Harmonization realm involves harmonizing everything into a singularity. One's zhenqi, soul, and physical body would be enhanced significantly. At the same time, one would also achieve astounding mastery over one's control over the environment, thus granting one sharp instincts against danger. It wouldn't be easy at all to injure an expert of this caliber.

Take for example Zhang Xuan's fight with Princess Fei-er, even though he wielded the advantage in terms of strength, he still had to make use of the Library of Heaven's Path to defeat her.

A difference in cultivation realm meant a significant difference in speed, reflexes, and preciseness in movements as well. All of these advantages couldn't be made up for with mere strength.

While Zhang Xuan's strength might be superior to even Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage cultivator, his actual fighting prowess would allow him to draw with a Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage cultivator only.

But beneath that, none would be a match for the current Zhang Xuan. Even if a bunch of Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivators were to come charging at him, he would still be able to eradicate them easily.

"After reaching Consonant Spirit realm, my master teacher rank can be considered to have reached half 5-star..."

Zhang Xuan's cultivation had always been the greatest impediment to his progress as a master teacher. Now that he had raised his cultivation, he could be considered as a half 5-star master teacher just like Luo Xuan and the others.

"Three days have already passed, I wonder if they're still here..."

Given that their schedule was tight, it was hard to tell whether Hong shi and the others were still in Huanyu Capital.

Under normal circumstances, as soon as the cultivation at the Cleansing Lake was over, they would have to head to Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. However, given that the Cleansing Lake had broken down, there was no point remaining here. Thus, it was possible that they might have headed off first.

It was a long distance to Hongyuan Empire, if they didn't make haste, they might fail to make it in time for the start of the opening ceremony, and this could spell the disqualification of their candidature.

The Master Teacher Academy would accept a bunch of freshmen in the second month and eighth month of each year. Their group was rushing in order to join the second month's batch, and it was already the first month now. They didn't have much time left.

"I should return..."

Knowing that he didn't have much time left, Zhang Xuan took in a deep breath and prepared to fly back to Huanyu Capital to check if Hong shi and the others had left already or not. However, flurried footsteps sounded at that moment, and a few human silhouettes came into sight.

"Xing Yuan, Princess Fei-er, and the others? Why are they here?"

Zhang Xuan immediately leaped silently onto a huge tree, and gazing downward, he was taken aback.

The people he saw were none other than Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Luo Qiqi, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian.

Luo Qiqi stood at the very forefront, and she had a map in her hands. She seemed to be looking for something while others were following behind her with grim expressions.

The group of five was in a rather unkempt state. All of them had clear injuries over them which indicated that they had just undergone a bitter fight.

"Qiqi, how much further?"

Anxiety could be seen on Yu Fei-er's face.

Luo Qiqi confirmed the terrain in the surroundings and replied, "Based on the map, it should be somewhere here..."

"Good. We should quicken our pace. Even though I've stopped those fellows with my formation plate for the time being, given their strength, they could overcome it anytime and come rushing in..." Yu Fei-er said.

"Indeed!"

Xing Yuan nodded as he subconsciously glanced behind warily. It seemed that the matter which had happened previously had left him fearful.

"It's truly weird. Spirit beasts usually operate alone, so why are the spirit beasts here cooperating with one another? They were all prowling the area frenziedly in groups, as though trying to find something."

Wu Zhen found the situation they were in unbelievable.

"I also find it weird as well. The two great land spirit beasts, Grandlion Spirit Beast and Armored Beartiger, are usually the nemeses of one another. Yet, they actually collaborated with one another and attacked in unison as though they were old buddies. And that Dracoeagle Beast as well... When did an aerial spirit beast become so intimate with land spirit beasts?" Xing Yuan added in bewilderment.

Since the Cleansing Lake couldn't be used anymore, they recuperated in the capital for nearly three days before entering the Verdant Mountain to complete the mission the academy had assigned to them. However, before they could even reach their destination, they stumbled upon a group of frenzied spirit beasts.

Possessing a might of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan, every single one of those beasts were incredibly powerful. To make things worse, they were even working with one another, hunting down every human that they saw. Under their frenzied onslaught, Luo Qiqi and the rest of the group nearly lost their lives.

If not for the many defensive artifacts that Yu Fei-er possessed, they surely wouldn't have been able to get away!

"Ye Qian, didn't you say that the Verdant Mountain is very safe? You call this safe?"

Recalling that huge bunch of spirit beasts pursuing them and the desperate situation they were in, Yu Fei-er found herself bubbling with rage.

Other than that darned Zhang Xuan, when had she suffered such injustice?

"I..." Cold sweat appeared on Ye Qian's forehead. With a tearful face, he replied, "The spirit beasts are usually tame and don't attack humans... I have no idea what's going on either!"

He also found himself incapable of comprehending the situation before him.

This wasn't the first time he had been in Verdant Mountain, and he knew a fair bit of the spirit beasts here. Under normal circumstances, these fellows rarely attacked humans. Yet, today, they were all collaborating with one another to strike down all of the humans they saw.

One must know that before coming here, he had reassured them confidently that the Verdant Mountain was completely safe!

Yet, for last few hours, they had been chased by the many spirit beasts around the entire mountain, and they felt so exhausted that they could spew blood. Just the thought of them left him stifled.

"Alright, you need not explain anymore. If those fellows come once more, you will block them by yourself..." Yu Fei-er waved her hands.

Ye Qian's lips twitched.

If he, a Consonant Spirit realm cultivator, were to stand against that rampaging horde singlehandedly, he would probably die in the very first wave of attacks. After a moment of hesitation, Ye Qian said, "Why don't I have my father dispatch some troops over to drive away the spirit beasts?"

Huanyu Capital wasn't too far away, and as long as they wanted to, they could have the army up here to save them. Dozens of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beasts might be fearsome, but they couldn't possibly stand against an entire army of cultivators.

"Don't you know that this is a mission from the academy? To dispatch troops here, are you that intent to see us fail and return in disgrace?" Yu Fei-er harrumphed coldly.

"This..."

Ye Qian scratched his head.

The other party was right. The mission they were on was confidential and couldn't be made known to anyone. If others were to learn of it, failure to accomplish the mission would be the least of their worries—they might even be expelled for failing to maintain confidentiality.

"Alright, let's stop talking about such useless stuff. Let's hurry up and find the entrance to the underground chamber. As long as we enter the underground chamber, we should be safe. Otherwise, I'll throw you to the horde of spirit beasts to let them have a taste for themselves what a crown prince tastes like!"

Frowning, Yu Fei-er waved her hands.

"Yes!" Ye Qian's lips twitched, but he didn't dare to argue back. Thus, he hurried over to Luo Qiqi's side to help her with the navigation.

He might be the crown prince of Huanyu Empire, but there was nothing he could do before this obstinate princess.

After looking around, he pointed forward and said, "It seems like our destination isn't too far away. The entrance should be behind that hill..."

"Good, let's hurry then!"

The group immediately rushed forward to the coordinates denoted on the map.

Right after they left, Zhang Xuan's figure appeared from his hiding spot.

"They must be trying to finish some kind of mission..."

He had heard that Yu Fei-er's group had come to Huanyu Empire to accomplish some kind of mission for the Master Teacher Academy, but to think that their destination would be Verdant Mountain.

"Judging from their words, they must have met with those spirit beasts!"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

To save that white-robed lady, he offended more than thirty spirit beasts at once. Perhaps out of anger, those spirit beasts attacked all of the humans that came into their territories, and Luo Qiqi and the others just became a victim of their wrath.

"If they are still in the surroundings, it would be best for me not to leave via flight. Otherwise, they might notice me..."

Perhaps it was due to the difficulty of finding the exact position of their destination through the lush crown of the trees, but it was fortunate that Luo Qiqi and the others didn't ride an aerial spirit beast over as well.

Of the thirty spirit beasts, there were some that specialized in aerial battle. Had they chosen to ride on an aerial spirit beast, they would have been noticed and surrounded immediately, thus putting them in a very vulnerable position.

If they were surrounded on the ground, they would at least be able to retaliate and possibly escape. But in the air, the only fate awaiting them would be descending to their graves.

"This will be troublesome..."

Similarly, Zhang Xuan wouldn't want to be surrounded by those spirit beasts in midair as well.

Even though his cultivation had soared by a fair bit and he no longer feared those spirit beasts, he would still like to avoid a fight if possible.

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Chapter 653: Attracting Spirit Beasts

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

'I guess I'll walk to the capital!'

Jumping down from the branch, Zhang Xuan confirmed his direction before walking over.

The other party might be on a mission, but this had nothing to do with him. The most important matter for him at the moment was to liaise with Hong shi and the others and return to Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy rather than waste his time here.

Hualala!

After taking a few steps, Zhang Xuan heard some heavy footsteps. He immediately leaped up and hid in the tree. Following which, he saw a few large spirit beasts sniffing off the ground before rushing in the direction where Luo Qiqi and the others disappeared to.

'They found them...'

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even though these spirit beasts were only at Transcendent Mortal 5-dan—other than Ye Qian, Luo Qiqi and the others were all 6-dan experts—it would still be a difficult battle to fight against them.

'I guess I should still offer them some help.'

Thinking so, Zhang Xuan followed behind the spirit beasts.

No matter what, he was acquainted with Princess Fei-er and the others, and Luo Qiqi was his apothecary student as well. He couldn't just stand idly by the side knowing that they were in danger.

Roar! Roar!

"Damn it, they're here again. Ye Qian, you're up..."

A ruckus sounded ahead of him, and following which, a violent ripple of energy spread from the forest.

'They've started fighting!'

Knowing that there was no time to lose, Zhang Xuan immediately rushed forward, only to hear a sharp gust of wind blowing above him. Raising his head, he saw a massive Dracoeagle beast swooping down to grab him.

It was the same one that had been amongst the beasts surrounding the white-robed lady back then.

As Zhang Xuan had been hiding within the lush crown of the trees while concealing his aura, he hadn't been noticed by the spirit beasts yet. However, as soon as he drove his zhenqi and charged forward, they immediately noticed his presence.

Having met its mortal enemy, the Dracoeagle Beast's eyes reddened in wrath. Its steel talons sliced through the air, producing a sharp screeching sound that seemed as though it would tear through even metal.

"If I get entangled with it, it'll become hard for me to escape later on..."

Knowing that, if he were to waste time on this fellow, the other spirit beasts would soon gather around him and it would be hard for him to leave then, Zhang Xuan clenched his jaws.

"Moo!"

The Dracoeagle Beast possessed the Dragon Bloodline as well so the mysterious 'beast language' that he learned previously should be effective on it as well. Through practice, he had realized that its effects were less significant on those that didn't possess the Dragon Bloodline. As this was the only spirit beast that possessed the Dragon Bloodline back then, he knew that he would be slaughtered by the other spirit beasts once he expends all of his zhenqi on the 'beast language'—it had insane zhenqi consumption after all. Thus, the only viable course of action back then was to escape.

And as expected, after the shout, the Dracoeagle Beast suddenly froze in fear, and it began plummeting from the sky.

Putong!

The spirit beast with a wingspan of ten meters fell heavily to the ground, creating a cloud of dust in the air as it twitched uncontrollably.

Roar!

After dealing with this huge fellow, Zhang Xuan was just about to leave when he heard a roaring sound. The Armored Beartiger from before leaped up, and swinging its claws, a sharp force came falling onto him.

The commotion from before had attracted the attention of the spirit beasts. As the fastest spirit beast in the area, this fellow immediately rushed over to help.

"This will be troublesome."

The other party had its eyes fixed on him as though he had killed the other party's parents. Knowing that a battle wasn't avoidable anymore, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

'Since you want a battle, a battle you will get!

'It just happened that my cultivation has raised by a fair bit, so I guess I'll just try it out on you.'

Zhang Xuan thrust his palm forward with astounding might, creating a powerful shock wave that immediately covered a distance of dozens of meters to strike the Armored Beartiger.

Huala!

He hadn't used his soul energy in this attack, but even so, with the strength of his physical body and zhenqi harnessed behind it, the might of the attack exceeded 6,000,000 ding. This was far beyond the tolerable limit for the Armored Beartiger. The force from its claws was immediately dissipated, and its body was pressed down firmly against the ground.

"Roar?"

The Armored Beartiger widened its eyes in shock, as though it had seen a ghost.

Just three days ago, it fought with this fellow, and while the other party's swordsmanship was exquisite, he was still far lacking in strength to stand against it... How could it possibly gain the strength to overwhelm him completely with just a single palm in just a few days?

This was... a little, no, way too exaggerated!

If it had known that the other party was so formidable, it wouldn't have dared to prowl around in search of him. Instead, it would have certainly made sure to hide well so as to stay out of the other party's way...

"Don't you dare pursue me anymore. Otherwise, I'll start spilling blood!"

A roar, and the Dracoeagle Beast plummeted to the ground. A palm, and the Armored Beartiger lost its fighting will. Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves and turned around to assist Luo Qiqi and the others. However, at this moment, the group of spirit beasts consisting of the Grandlion Spirit Beasts and a few others who were further in front turned around and encircled Zhang Xuan.

Most probably, the Dracoeagle Beast had called for them before engaging Zhang Xuan in a fight.

"Since you came knocking on your own accord, don't blame me if you were to get injured!"

Initially, Zhang Xuan had no plans of going after these spirit beasts. But since they had come over to challenge him, there was no reason for him to hold back at all. Leaping lightly off the tree, Zhang Xuan dashed forward.

Heaven's Path Movement Art!

Along with the growth of his physical body and cultivation, Zhang Xuan's control over Heaven's Path Movement Art was getting more and more adept, and his maximum speed had increased as well. In an instant, it was as if he had torn a hole through space and leaped through it, appearing right before the Grandlion Spirit Beast in an instant and knocking it down with his body.

'You specialize in defense?

'Fine, I'll use brute strength to crush the defensive ability you are so proud of!'

Peng!

As the two came into collision, the Grandlion Spirit Beast suddenly found its massive body flying backward swiftly, crashing through dozens of trees in the course of his movement, leaving him light-headed from the impact.

After sending this huge fellow flying, Zhang Xuan twisted his body and charged toward a wolf-like spirit beast.

'Pi pa!', the sheer might of Zhang Xuan's fist compressed even air itself. Unable to dodge the attack, the wolf-like spirit beast could only take it forcefully. However, its defense didn't even last for an instant before it was crushed into the ground, subdued.

...

While an intense battle was going on here, Luo Qiqi and the others were dumbfounded.

It was just a moment ago that the group of spirit beasts had caught up to them and was readying to launch an attack. Furious, Yu Fei-er pushed Ye Qian forward to take the brunt of the attack.

Given Ye Qian's Consonant Spirit realm cultivation, even if he were to survive this ordeal, he would surely end up lying on the bed for months afterward. Who could have known that, before anything could happen, those furious spirit beasts would suddenly back down?

"Could it be that they are aware of my identity as the crown prince, so they dared not lay their hands on me?"

Ye Qian scratched his head in embarrassment.

But that was impossible!

When had the savage spirit beasts ever considered a person's social standing before ripping him apart? Even an emperor would be no exception to this rule!

"Someone has attracted the attention of the spirit beasts in our place. Look, there's a battle going on there!"

With a frown on her face, Yu Fei-er was the first one to figure out the situation.

All of the retreating spirit beasts had headed in the same direction, and a violent disturbance in the spiritual energy could be felt from that direction as well. Adding the frenzied roars in that direction, it was clear that a battle was ongoing.

"Ye Qian, could it be one of your men?" Xing Yuan frowned.

Their mission had to be carried out in absolute secrecy. As such, they had strictly told Ye Qian that he was not to allow anyone to follow them. In order to ensure that, they even chose to walk on foot instead of riding on an aerial spirit beast...

Given that someone had lured the spirit beasts away as soon as they had met with danger, they found it hard to believe that it wasn't the doing of Ye Qian's men.

"It isn't me, I didn't allow anyone to follow me..."

Ye Qian quickly waved his hands to explain himself.

He knew how important the mission was, so how could he make such a serious mistake?

"We'll know once we get there..."

Luo Qiqi waved her hands.

"Un!" Xing Yuan nodded. "Nothing can be allowed to go wrong with our mission. If we really were followed, we will be in deep trouble..."

With this, the group silently advanced toward the direction where the battle was ongoing.

A moment later, they arrived at the scene, and with just a single glance, they all froze.

"It's... Zhang shi!"

"Why would teacher be here?"

"Wasn't this fellow taken away by his teacher? How could he appear here?"

...

Seeing that it was a familiar face, different expressions surfaced on their own faces.

The one who was delighted was naturally Luo Qiqi, whereas the one who despaired was Princess Yu Fei-er.

She had lost a wager with Zhang Xuan, so meeting him and having the bet enforced was the last thing she would want to see happening.

"I know! Teacher must have seen that we were getting attacked, so he intentionally attracted that bunch of spirit beasts over to him..." Luo Qiqi suddenly said.

"You're overthinking the matter, when has he ever been so kind?" Yu Fei-er harrumphed.

"If that wasn't the case, why would the aggression of these spirit beasts suddenly turn from us to him? Given how frenzied they were, it was unlikely that they would have changed target if not for Zhang laoshi intentionally drawing their attention!" Luo Qiqi said.

"This..."

Everyone was stunned.

Luo Qiqi's words made perfect sense.

It was just a moment ago that all of the spirit beasts looked as though they would devour them whole. As such, they thought that a bitter fight awaited them. Yet, in the blink of an eye, they abandoned them and turned their hostility toward Zhang shi instead. It was a little hard to believe that Zhang shi hadn't done anything to draw their aggression given such circumstances.

"Regardless of whether he intentionally drew their attention or not, look at their battle..." Wu Zhen interrupted the thoughts of the crowd, and pointed to the battle with a shaking finger.

Hearing those words, everyone immediately turned their gazes over; almost instantly, their pupils dilated in shock, and their mouths went dry.

"Wasn't he still at Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle a few days ago?"

Xing Yuan gulped down his saliva.

Just three days ago, when they were entering the Cleansing Lake, the other party was still at Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle. How could he possibly be at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle at this very instant?

They had seen geniuses who improved swiftly... but this was completely inconceivable!

More importantly... even though he had reached Consonant Spirit realm, their cultivation was still higher than him. Yet, despite fighting with so many spirit beasts that even they would feel threatened before, he was able to subdue them with ease as though an adult playing with a child...

Wasn't his fighting prowess a little way too strong?

Princess Yu Fei-er widened her eyes in shock, and her face twitched violently.

She never thought that this shameless figure would actually possess such astounding strength!

If the other party had displayed such astounding prowess in their previous battle as well, she would probably have been defeated in a single move.

If that was the case... did he do it intentionally?

'That must be it!'

Recalling how the other party kicked her bottom, her face flushed from rage.

If it wasn't intentional, how could his attacks so coincidentally land on her bottom each time?

He could have subdued her easily, but he chose to kick her bottom instead. A ruffian he was indeed! Shameless!

Unaware of everyone's thoughts, Ye Qian asked, "Senior, since Zhang shi is so formidable, and he could already be considered as a member of the academy as well, is it possible for us to bring him on the mission with us? With him, I feel that we'll be in a much safer position."

"Bring teacher along with us?" Luo Qiqi's eyes gleamed in excitement. "Indeed! With him, the success rate of our mission would be boosted significantly!"

"Un, your words do make sense. I approve of this matter!" After a moment of contemplation, Xing Yuan nodded in agreement.

"No, he can't go with us!"

Yu Fei-er's eyes widened at that suggestion, and she quickly shot it down.

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Chapter 654: Wu Yangzi

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"He can't go with us?" Luo Qiqi frowned as she turned to look at her close friend. "Why?"

This mission was fraught with danger. Given teacher's wisdom and superior cultivation, he would be able to aid them out of difficult situations. Why would her good friend turn down such a good idea?

"H-he... is lecherous!" Yu Fei-er exclaimed with gritted teeth.

"Lecherous? You're overthinking it, he has no interest in you at all..."

Luo Qiqi shook her head at her good friend's words.

She had confidence in this aspect.

Putting everything aside, Luo Qiqi's appearance was top-notch as well, comparable to Princess Yu Fei-er. Yet, despite her beauty and her respect for Zhang shi, the other party never even spared her a glance.

Given how obstinate you are... that's even more impossible!

"..." Yu Fei-er staggered backward as her vision darkened.

What do you mean by this? No interest in me?

I'm not that bad, alright?

Why does it sound as though I was turned down by the other party? As an esteemed princess, I should be the one turning others down...

"Qiqi is right. Zhang shi has high standards. He has a student known as Wang Ying who is much prettier than you—I've seen her myself—but he has no interest in her whatsoever. Given that, it's unlikely for him to be interested in you either..." Xing Yuan nodded in agreement.

Given his fondness for Yu Fei-er, he felt threatened by Zhang Xuan's capability and the intricate relationship between the duo. Thus, he had his men investigate the latter's background.

Not only did Zhang shi have a student who was even more beautiful than Yu Fei-er, he had also had many pursuers in the past, but he still remained unmoved by any of them.

Yu Fei-er might be beautiful, but her temper was simply horrendous. Even Xing Yuan could only barely tolerate it himself. For others... it was probably completely out of question.

"What did you say?"

'Luo luo!', the sound of teeth gritting against one another sounded as Yu Fei-er glared at Xing Yuan with widened eyes while emanating blatant killing intent. "Xing Yuan, why don't you try repeating what you have just said..."

"I..."

A cold shiver ran through Xing Yuan.

Seeing that Xing Yuan was frightened into such a state, Wu Zhen chuckled lightly beneath his hand. However, a cold glare from Yu Fei-er immediately removed any hilarity he saw in this matter. "What are you laughing for? Are you dying for another beating..."

"..." Wu Zhen trembled.

I'm just watching the commotion, there's no need to involve me in your affairs, right...

"Alright, enough! I'll invite teacher later on, and Fei-er, you'd better don't talk at all. I fear that teacher might try to enforce the bet or command you to serve him if you get on his bad side."

Seeing the group falling into an argument before the entrance to the underground chamber had even been found, Luo Qiqi shook her head.

"..."

Upon hearing the words 'enforce the bet', Princess Fei-er suddenly recalled the matter of her being a maid, and this immediately silenced her.

By the time the argument among them halted, Zhang Xuan was already done cleaning up the spirit beasts.

The thirty or so spirit beasts were lying on the floor, moaning in agony.

This time, the beast hunters didn't come along. However, even if they did, the same fate probably would have awaited them.

Seeing Zhang Xuan clap his hands and preparing to leave after clearing up the spirit beasts, Luo Qiqi yelled and walked over.

"Teacher!"

"Little Qi!" Zhang Xuan smiled.

In truth, he had noticed the group as soon as they arrived.

Since he had come to save them, there was nothing for him to hide.

Walking up to Zhang Xuan, Luo Qiqi bowed deeply and said, "Teacher, I have an insolent request that I need to ask of you."

"Hmm?"

"I wish to invite teacher to participate in a mission from the academy..." Luo Qiqi began explaining the matter.

"Mission?" Zhang Xuan waved his hands. "I'll pass on the matter. I still need to meet up with Hong shi and the others, and head for Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy..."

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Luo Qiqi was taken aback for a moment before replying.

"Hong shi? They have already left!"

"Left?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

How could they leave without the champion of the Master Teacher Tournament?

"Indeed. In order to make it in time for the opening ceremony, they took a flying ship of the Huanyu Empire royalty along with the others. Before leaving, Hong shi consulted Pavilion Master Mo on your matter, and it was only with his agreement that they decided to leave..." Luo Qiqi replied.

"Flying ship?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

"Un. It's a military transportation device found only within empires. It is driven by dozens of spirit beasts, and the ship can house up to a thousand people!"

Seeing that her apothecary teacher hadn't even heard of such a thing before, Luo Qiqi looked at him in bewilderment.

There was no master teacher in the empire who didn't know about flying ships. Given how knowledgeable he was and how formidable his teacher was, how could he have never heard of flying ships before?

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Truthfully, he had been thinking that given how far an empire's territory stretched, if a war were to happen, wouldn't it take years just to deploy troops, needless to say, send reinforcements in?

It turned out that there was a transportation device for this very purpose!

To use dozens of aerial spirit beasts to ferry a thousand people at once... probably only the royalty of an empire would possess the wealth and resources to do so.

"Right, Hong shi took teacher's students along with him as well. He said that there's no need to worry about you since you were with Yang shi, and it would be best for them to wait for you at Hongyuan Empire..."

Luo Qiqi continued filling Zhang Xuan in on the details.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

He didn't expect so many things to happen in the three days that he was out.

Everyone thought that given how formidable Yang shi was, he would be completely safe together with him. They probably never could have imagined that... the seemingly omnipotent Yang shi in their mind was actually just a hoax, a fictional character!

"Forget it!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He was still worried about his students and Sun Qiang since Hong shi had left, but since Hong shi had taken them along with him, they should be fine.

All he had to do was to appear at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy when the time comes.

Since there was nothing tying him down now, Zhang Xuan became curious about the mission Luo Qiqi spoke of.

"So, what kind of mission are you all on?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's..." Luo Qiqi hesitated for a moment before switching to telepathic message. "It's the underground chamber of 6-star Blacksmith Wu Yangzi!"

"6-star blacksmith?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

"Un. Wu Yangzi is an extremely famous grandmaster blacksmith from three thousand years ago, and he possesses blacksmithing skills unmatched by any. He is known as Hongyuan Empire's number one blacksmith in the past ten thousand years. In fact, even the royal seal currently used was crafted by his hands!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"If he is a grandmaster blacksmith of Hongyuan Empire... why would his underground chamber be located here?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Hongyuan Empire was at least several million kilometers away from here. Why would a grandmaster blacksmith travel so far out here?

"This..."

Luo Qiqi scratched her head awkwardly and said, "He was... kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped?"

For a 6-star master teacher, whose cultivation had reached Saint rank, to be kidnapped... are you for real?

Besides, standing behind every single blacksmith was the entire Blacksmith Guild. It was one of the strongest occupation alliance even when considering the entire continent. To dare to lay their hands on one of their esteemed members... who could be so arrogant?

"Un. Given how formidable his blacksmithing skills are... it is believed that someone captured him to have him forge weapons for them! Due to this matter, the Master Teacher Pavilion and Blacksmith Guild sent many experts out to search through the entire Hongyuan Empire, but they were still unable to find him," Luo Qiqi said. "However, in the last few months, while I was reading through some ancient texts, I found some clues about the incident back then!"

"You?"

Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

Given how so many experts in the Master Teacher Pavilion and Blacksmith Guild failed to find anything at all, how could she, a mere 5-star primary master teacher and Grade 2 student of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, possibly find any clues? More importantly, there was an interval of several thousand years in between!

"Actually... it's all just a deduction on my part. On top of forging pills, I have an interest in smithing as well, and Grandmaster Wu Yangzi has always been a person I deeply respected. I even once tried to learn his 'Zither Forging Technique'... but due to his incomplete heritage, I was only able to learn a small portion of it." Luo Qiqi explained.

"I did some research on the matter, and I realized that there were actually some weapons in Huanyu Empire that were created using such a forging technique. Perplexed, I did some investigation, and in the midst of doing so, I chanced upon a map to an underground chamber. That was why I applied for this mission with the academy. But of course, it's still too early to tell whether it leads to Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's underground chamber or not."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

To actually notice some clues based on how a weapon was forged, it seemed like Luo Qiqi was a truly tenacious person.

But thinking about it, if not for her tenacity, how could she, a talented Grade 2 genius and a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan pinnacle cultivator, possibly acknowledge him as her teacher without any hesitation?

"Even though teacher hasn't reported to the Master Teacher Academy yet, you can already be considered as a member of the academy already. Thus, you're qualified to participate in this mission as well... Furthermore, the purpose of this mission is just to find whether the underground chamber exists and whether it is related to Wu Yangzi. There is not much danger involved in it. As long as we succeed, we'll obtain two academic credits, and this will surely prove to be useful to teacher in the future!"

Luo Qiqi smiled.

"Academic credits?" Zhang Xuan was baffled by those words.

As the librarian of a high school in his previous life, he had heard of this term before. Was there something like that in the Master Teacher Academy as well?

"Academic credits are something unique to Master Teacher Academies. It's said to be a system enforced by Kong shi personally. It serves as a judging criterion, and students can use it to purchase better cultivation resources, lessons for higher ranked master teachers... or even a currency for purchasing anything at all! Without these, students will find themselves unable to make any progress within the academy. In fact, one could say that the most valuable items in the Master Teacher Academy aren't spirit stones or Tutelage Jade Tokens but academic credits!" Luo Qiqi explained.

As master teachers, those in the Master Teacher Academy had no lack of Tutelage Jade Tokens and spirit stones, and thus, such resources had lower value there.

"Is there an academic credit criterion to graduation?" Zhang Xuan asked with a bizarre expression.

"Of course not! Academic credits are just a currency used among students, they aren't a fundamental criterion for graduation... how can one possibly be barred from graduation just because they don't have sufficient academic credits?" Luo Qiqi replied in exclamation.

Only then did Zhang Xuan heave a sigh of relief.

Taking the model from high schools in his previous life, he thought that academic credits would be a necessary requirement for graduation... but it seemed like the only thing alike was its name. In essence, they were two completely different items.

"Teacher... do you want to come with us? If this is the underground chamber where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi was locked in, there's a high chance that his heritage will be inside!" Luo Qiqi said.

"Heritage?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before his eyes lit up. "I heard that blacksmiths specialize in training their bodies. Suppose that he really left his heritage there, is it possible that there will be a physical body cultivation technique within it?"

Even though Zhang Xuan's body and soul were in perfect consonance already, his body was still slightly weaker than his soul. If his soul were to grow larger than ten meters once again, the same incompatibility issue would crop up once more. Zhang Xuan couldn't possibly abandon his soul cultivation, so it would be best if he could find some physical body cultivation technique to train his body.

Given that blacksmiths spent their days with flames, ores, and metals, their body had to be exceptionally resilient. Thus, they usually possessed a unique physical body cultivation technique.

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Chapter 655: Formation Destroying Silver Needle

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Not expecting to hear such a question, a bizarre expression appeared on Luo Qiqi's face as she replied, "There should be! Not only is Grandmaster Wu Yangzi a blacksmith, he's also an expert at tempering his physical body!"

"Alright, I'll go then!" Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

A high requirement for one's physical resilience and might stood in the way of those who sought the path of a blacksmith. Without sufficient strength, one would be unable to forge the best of weapons. Thus, every master blacksmith that had ever existed was an expert at tempering their physical body.

It would be much better for Zhang Xuan to obtain the cultivation technique of a 6-star blacksmith than to search through the entire Huanyu Empire for other physical body cultivation techniques.

"Great!"

Hearing her teacher agree to join them on this exploration, Luo Qiqi was filled with excitement.

Even though it hadn't been long since she had met this apothecary teacher of hers, the other party gave her the feeling of an unfathomable person. Somehow, she felt that they would be much safer were he to accompany them.

Having come to an agreement, Luo Qiqi beckoned the others over, and Princess Fei-er and the others walked up to the duo.

"I did lose the bet at the Cleansing Lake, but don't you dare use it to blackmail me!"

As soon as Princess Fei-er walked up to Zhang Xuan, she immediately gritted her teeth and said, "I'll prepare the spirit stones, but I'll only be able to repay you when we arrive at Hongyuan Empire!"

"Given that something abrupt occurred in the Cleansing Lake, and neither of us completed the conditions of the bet... why don't we just call it a draw?"

Seeing how the other party accepted the results of the bet candidly, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

He was the one who collapsed the entire Cleansing Lake. While he did make some compensation to Huanyu Empire, he still felt a little embarrassed by the matter. After all, the farce did occur due to his carelessness.

Since something abrupt occurred before any of them could finish the bet, naturally, there wasn't a winner or a loser.

"A draw?" Princess Fei-er was taken aback.

She'd thought that the other party would grasp onto this to force her to serve as his maid or taunt her, leaving her in a difficult and embarrassed position. Who knew that he would offer a truce instead?

Could he... really be that generous?

"That's right. But of course, if you're not content with the results, we could always have another bet!" Zhang Xuan continued.

Princess Fei-er's mouth twitched, and she hurriedly shook her head. "There's no need for it..."

It was just a moment ago that she thought the other party was generous when he uttered such kind words. But now it seemed like everything he said was a mere facade.

Have another bet? You must be taking me for a fool!

After losing so tragically twice, if I were to continue betting with you, it would just be a matter of time before I'm completely broke.

"What about you all? Are any of you interested in betting against me for Princess Fei-er's sake?"

Seeing how the lady paled upon hearing his words, Zhang Xuan shook his head and turned his gaze to Xing Yuan and the others.

Honestly, these bets were truly too good a source of income to miss. After all, even though he might have quite a few spirit stones at hand for the moment, considering the immense spiritual energy consumption for the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it probably wouldn't be too long before his wealth dried up.

"We'll pass..."

Xing Yuan and the others flinched upon seeing Zhang Xuan's sight on them.

'Betting against you is like betting on a rigged game. No matter how foolish I am, I can't possibly bet on something that I can't win in.'

"Sigh, I don't even get a chance to lose at all."

Seeing that no one dared to bet against him, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

Are these truly geniuses from the Master Teacher Academy?

To dare not engage in a bet against him, weren't they a little too cowardly?

If the others were to learn of his thoughts, tears would definitely start streaming down their faces. We aren't the ones who are weak, it's you who is monstrously strong, alright?

The previous head of the Mystical Treasure Hall devoted decades to the deciphering of the stone pillars only to meet with little success, and you completed what he couldn't within seconds. The other master teachers took days to absorb the spiritual energy from the Lake Eye, but you actually took in almost everything within minutes... Who would possibly be so bored as to challenge you in an impossible bet?

...

"Let's hurry to the underground chamber!"

Knowing that Zhang Xuan had a formidable teacher whom even Pavilion Master Mo was deferential to, not to mention, he himself possessed exceptional strength as well, Xing Yuan and the others didn't dare to view him as an ordinary freshman. Instead, they thought of him as a fellow peer.

The next matter they had at hand was to find the entrance to the underground chamber. They swiftly introduced themselves before scaling across the mountain before them and walking into a vast valley.

Luo Qiqi came to a stop.

"Based on the descriptions in the map, the underground chamber should be located here!"

"Here?"

Xing Yuan and the others glanced at one another in confusion.

This valley wasn't too huge, and it looked perfectly ordinary on the outside. Surrounding them were trees and plants, and the chirps from birds echoed harmoniously in the area, creating an exceptionally lively scenery. However, after searching around, they couldn't find any entrance that could possibly lead to an underground chamber.

Could the news have been false, or did they get the wrong location?

"This is the very valley where the weapon forged using the [Zither Forging Technique] was found by a beast hunter three thousand years ago. Through my investigation, it seems that six other weapons forged using the same technique originated from this location as well. Corroborating these with my other intelligence, I'm certain that there's an underground chamber here!" Luo Qiqi said confidently.

"However... the spiritual energy in the air is exceptionally stable, and there isn't the slightest disturbance to be felt. It doesn't seem like there's a formation here though?"

Xing Yuan and the others frowned.

If the entrance to the underground chamber wasn't plain to their eyes, it could only mean that it was hidden beneath a formation... However, given the lack of disturbance in the spiritual energy in the surroundings, it was impossible for there to be a formation here.

"Let me take a look. I'm a 5-star formation master, so I should be able to find the formation and decipher it if there's one!"

Princess Fei-er stepped forward.

Their group didn't come together just based on their degree of intimacy. Their expertise also complemented the flaws of one another.

One would require five 5-star supporting occupations to qualify as a 5-star master teacher, and Princess Yu Fei-er happened to be a 5-star formation master as well.

'Un!" Everyone nodded.

Princess Fei-er flicked her wrist and took out a compass. Following which, she circled around the valley, searching around with every step she took. A moment later, she abruptly came to a halt.

Flicking her wrist, she took out a sharp needle reminiscent of a spear.

It was hard to tell what it was forged on by its outer appearance, but there was a unique inscription on it which emanated a cold gleam.

Noticing the doubtful gazes from Ye Qian and the others, Luo Qiqi explained what it was.

"This is a Formation Destroying Silver Needle!"

"Formation Destroying Silver Needle?"

"Un. There are some high-grade formations that absorb spiritual energy from the environment and hide themselves within their environment, thus making them extremely difficult to detect. Thus, such a tool is required to make their true forms appear. There are special formation inscriptions on it that can send the spiritual energy harnessed within a formation into disarray, forcing it to reveal itself," Luo Qiqi explained.

Only then did everyone understand the situation and nod their heads.

Zhang Xuan also nodded too as he examined the needle with a peculiar gaze.

He had read about Formation Destroying Silver Needles in the books from the Formation Master Guild before, and it was written inside that they had the ability to dispel formations. Zhang Xuan thought that such a tool would only be seen in higher tier Formation Master Guilds, but to think that Princess Fei-er would have one with her as well.

It seemed like they did come prepared.

After drawing the Formation Destroying Silver Needle, Princess Fei-er didn't rush into action. Instead, she walked around with the compass in hand and even bent down to pinch the soil before and pluck a few blades of wild grass.

High-grade formations could change their weak point depending on the geography of the location. If one couldn't find the crux of the formation, nothing one did would be able to sway the formation.

It was just like how if one wanted to sink the boat, one had to open up a hole in the crucial regions. Otherwise, even if one were to crack open a gaping hole in the deck, it wouldn't do anything at all.

"Step back!"

After taking a look, Yu Fei-er seemed to have found something, and she turned around and waved her hands to gesture for the others to step back.

Knowing how dangerous the formation could be, Luo Qiqi and the others retreated to outside the valley without saying anything.

After the group stepped out of the valley, a deep frown appeared on Princess Fei-er's face. All of the sudden, her disposition changed into that of a valiant warrior on the battlefield.

Hu!

With a flick of her wrist, she threw the Formation Destroying Silver Needle out, and it fell onto a region not too far away from her. Following which, she formed a few seals with her hands before tapping on the needle forcefully.

Weng!

The silver needle began to spin.

As it spun, the formation inscriptions on the surface of the silver needle seemed to have turned into a vortex of spiritual energy, drawing in the spiritual energy in the surroundings into its center. Eventually, it formed a massive pillar of spiritual energy that extended to the heavens.

"The Formation Destroying Silver Needle can draw spiritual energy from the surroundings and cause a huge spiritual energy disturbance, thus forcing even the greatest of formation to show its marks," Luo Qiqi explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Formations were sustained by spiritual energy, and if the spiritual energy in the surroundings was sapped dry, it would lose its balance, thus revealing its form. It was the same logic as how the rocks at the bottom of the river would be revealed as the current ran dry.

The collapsing of the formation at the Cleansing Lake was also due to its balance being destroyed.

Hu hu hu!

As the rotation of the silver needle hastened, more and more spiritual energy was drawn from the surrounding. At the same time, a thick layer of sweat cloaked Princess Fei-er's forehead.

"Open!"

With a slight buzz, the surroundings of the silver needle abruptly distorted. A slight mist came into appearance.

"Indeed, there's a formation here!"

Upon seeing the mist, everyone's eyes lit up.

The mist was the sign of the presence of a formation... This meant that Luo Qiqi's deduction was accurate, and it was highly likely there was an underground chamber here!

Wuwuwuwu!

The rotation of the silver needle quickened even more, but Princess Fei-er was already wearied.

Given how this formation was able to remain hidden so many years without being noticed, there was no doubt that it was a high-grade formation. Even a 5-star formation master like her was finding it difficult to break open the formation.

Hu!

Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Princess Fei-er halted the Formation Destroying Silver Needle before falling to the floor weakly. Exhausted, she couldn't even care about her own appearance at this moment.

"How is it?"

Seeing her state, Luo Qiqi immediately rushed up and fed her a pill to recover her vitality. Only then did her pale complexion finally recover slightly.

After resting for a moment, Princess Fei-er stood up and shook her head.

"There's a grade-6 formation here. Due to my limited cultivation, I'm unable to force it to show itself."

She had put her entire strength into the previous attempt, but she was only able to force out hints of the formation. Her current strength was still a little too low to force it out entirely.

"If even you are unable to force out the formation, how can we enter the underground chamber?"

Luo Qiqi frowned.

If they couldn't even force the formation to appear, naturally, they wouldn't be able to decipher it either, let alone, enter the underground chamber.

They had come here proudly to accomplish a mission, but who knew that they would be stopped right at the doorstep?

If they were to return like that, they would surely become a laughingstock.

"I don't know either..." Princess Fei-er shook her head.

She thought that with her capability as a 5-star formation master, even if she couldn't decipher the formation, it shouldn't be too hard for her to force the formation to show its form. Who knew that she would end in failure? She couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Gritting her teeth, Princess Fei-er said, "Allow me to rest for a moment first, I'll give it a try after I've recuperated fully..."

However, at that moment, a nonchalant voice suddenly sounded.

"This won't work!"

Turning around, she saw Zhang Xuan walking up to her.

"You know formation deciphering too?" Seeing that he was the one who spoke, Princess Fei-er harrumphed. "Since you said that this won't work, why don't you share your wisdom with us and tell us what incredible plan you have in mind?"

"I dare not say my plan is incredible, but since there's a formation here, all we have to do is to decipher it, right? Why must we go through an additional step to force it to show itself?" Zhang Xuan replied.

Since the purpose was to find the entrance of the formation, they could just decipher the formation straight. Why go through the additional step of forcing it out?

Princess Fei-er flung her sleeves and harrumphed coldly.

"You're proposing for us to decipher the formation directly? Humph, do you even know the slightest thing about formations?"

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Chapter 656: Underground Chamber

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

If a formation didn't show its form, could one tell whether it's a Confinement Formation, Slaughter Formation, Illusory Formation, or Beguilement Formation?

It was just like fighting an unidentifiable spirit beast. If one couldn't even see its form and identify its flaws, how did one intend to kill it?

'You must be kidding!'

Those who knew the slightest thing about formations wouldn't utter such amateurish words!

"The Way of Formation is deep and profound, and it has a long heritage behind of it. It's one of the top occupations throughout the entire continent, paling little in comparison to even master teacher. Such profound knowledge, and all you can say is to decipher it? You sure know how to speak rubbish!"

Princess Fei-er harrumphed coldly. This was her chance to get back at the other party for the previous two humiliations. Her eyebrows shot up, and she spoke majestically. "This valley might not be too big, but it is more than a hundred mu (6 hectare). Furthermore, there are a few thousand different flora and fauna in here. As for the geography, it is located within a mountain range and is connected to a forest and a lake. Its east is faced with yang whereas its west is faced with yin.

"In other words, it's a blessed land suited for setting up all kinds of formations. Just speaking of grade-6 formations, there are 14,372 types that could be set up here. Each of them also has innumerable different variations. Unless the formation is dragged into sight and analyzed, it's impossible to tell which it is!

"If one doesn't know the formation's type, variation, area, and strength... Let me ask you, how could one decipher the formation?"

Flinging her sleeves, Princess Fei-er harrumphed coldly.

Xing Yuan and the others nodded in agreement.

While Yu Fei-er could be obstinate at times, and she was extremely emotionally-charged in her actions, she did possess incredible talent in formations. She was a famous formation master genius even within the Master Teacher Academy.

This was also the main reason why Luo Qiqi invited the other party along after receiving the mission.

Not expecting her good friend to put down her teacher, Luo Qiqi frowned.

"Enough, Fei-er... even if teacher doesn't know much about formation, you can still explain the situation to him calmly. There's no need to use such a tone with him..."

Her teacher might be a rare genius in pill forging—even a 6-star apothecary would pale before him—but in the field of formations... he did seem to be a little lacking.

However, this was to be expected. After all, it was impossible for one to be proficient in everything.

Unfazed by the other party's rant, Zhang Xuan continued making his point.

"You're just making things pointlessly complicated. Formations are created by placing formation flags in alignment with the environment. As long as we find the formation flags, it should be easy to stop the formation."

"Formations are indeed created by formation flags, but do you know how many combination of formation flags there are? Even if one were to know where the flags are located, one must remove it in a strict sequential order. Or else, it could possibly bring about a backlash from the formation, causing everyone here to die."

Hearing the nonsensical words that the other party was spouting, Yu Fei-er's face reddened in anger.

What the heck was this!

If she knew how ignorant this fellow was in the Way of Formations, she would have challenged him to a duel on that back then.

"Cough cough. Teacher, formations cannot be broken that easily, not to mention, this kind of hidden formation. It is impossible to find the formation flag under such circumstances..."

Luo Qiqi's face also reddened as she quickly explained the situation to the other party. However, before she could finish her words, the young man before her scratched his head and stomped on the ground.

Sou!

A formation flag popped up and fell into his hands. Holding onto it, Zhang Xuan turned to look at the group with a sheepish expression.

"This should be the formation flag, right? It doesn't seem to be as troublesome as you all make it out to be."

"Ah?"

Everyone was stunned. In that instant, they looked as though they had seen a ghost.

It was just a moment ago that they thought the other party was just an ignorant oaf who was trying to show off. However, upon seeing this sight, their eyes were about to pop out from their sockets. This was especially so for Yu Fei-er.

Was this for real?

She had spent so much effort on trying to force out the formation that she was completely drained at this very moment. Yet, she could just barely see a slight hint of the formation. Yet, that fellow, with just a casual step... actually took out a formation flag!

What was with this huge disparity?

"This... does seem to be the formation flag..."

Luo Qiqi gulped down her saliva.

This formation flag looked ancient, and it had suffered significant wear and tear from the trial of time. With just a glance, anyone could tell that it had been buried underground for a very long time.

The chances were that it had originated from the formation that appeared earlier.

"Fei-er, look..." Luo Qiqi exclaimed.

Suppressing her shock, Princess Fei-er said, "Look at what? Even if he coincidentally found one formation flag, it would be futile if he can't remove the remaining ones sequentially. If a grade-6 formation could be torn down that easily, 6-star formation masters wouldn't have such a prestigious standing..."

So what if you found one formation flag by coincidence? Formations like this have at least a hundred formation flags scattered all around. You might have altered the structure of the formation by extracting one of them, but you are a long way off from destroying it!

In fact, a careless mistake might even cause the entire formation to explode.

The accumulation of spiritual energy of a formation that had been operated for several millenniums was frightening. If it were to explode, the consequences would be as dire as what happened in the Cleansing Lake. Even a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert could be blown to bits in an instant.

Formations weren't a joke. If it could be dispelled so easily, why would 6-star formation masters waste so much effort learning the art?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt. Princess Fei-er was just about to lecture the other party when she felt someone pulling on her arm. Shifting her gaze, she realized that it was her close friend, Luo Qiqi. Perplexed, she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Don't say anything else, just look over there..."

Luo Qiqi's face was pale in shock.

"Look over there?"

Princess Fei-er turned her gaze over, and the sight that stood before her left her face twitching uncontrollably. She nearly fainted on the spot.

Unknowingly, the young man who she'd thought was still standing beside her was already twenty meters away. While walking, he would bend down from time to time to pluck out a formation flag, just like a farmer pulling out onions from his field. As though to further exaggerate things, he was even whistling leisurely.

Hwee, hwee, hwoo...

"..."

Her eyes rolled up.

Princess Fei-er was on the verge of tears.

Do you really need to be so exaggerated?

That's a formation that I failed to force out despite using the entirety of my strength, and yet there you are, plucking out its flags one after another casually...

When dealing with hidden formations, even the greatest formation masters would use the Formation Destroying Silver Needle to force it out first before analyzing its type based on the spiritual energy it exuded before deducing the location of its Life Gate...

Yet, this ignorant fellow simply jumped past all those steps and began plucking out the flags... Have we gone crazy?

Of course, if it was just plucking out formation flags, most people could do it. But... you don't know the slightest thing about formations, and the flags were also hidden as well, so how could you do it so confidently and leisurely?

To even begin whistling on top of that... Are you that confident that there would be no backlash?

It was truly fortunate that she didn't bet with him earlier, otherwise she would be deeper in debt at this very moment...

"It seems like... teacher does know the location of every single formation flag, as well as the sequence so as to prevent any backlash..."

Luo Qiqi felt her throat turning dry.

Based on her teacher's words previously, she thought that he didn't know anything about formations at all. Only now did she realize that she was gravely mistaken... the other party was in truth a master at formations!

Even Princess Fei-er, a 5-star formation master, was far from a match for him!

In fact... she didn't think that even the formation masters who expertise in deciphering formation could do it the way he did!

I mean, look at that... precise footsteps, leisurely posture, bored gaze, and relaxed whistling...

The hell! Tell us the truth, are you the one who set up this formation?

Otherwise, how could you be so familiar with it?

"This..."

"He actually... broke the formation just like that?"

Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian also rubbed their eyes in disbelief as they glanced at one another in astonishment.

Hidden formations were one of the hardest types of formation to decipher. If one couldn't force it out, it would be impossible to decipher it.

Yet, to be plucking out the formation flags while whistling so leisurely...

They had never seen such an unbelievable sight in their life before! Why did it feel as though they were dreaming?

"I'm done!"

Amidst everyone's dumbstruck gazes, the young man flicked his wrist and put the pile of formation flags into his storage ring. After which, he clapped away the dust from his hands before turning to look at the group.

Even though the formation flags were already worn out, he could still set up a grade-6 formation with it. Not to mention, it was also an antique, so it would probably fetch a hefty price in an auction.

The group hurriedly scanned the surrounding, and they noticed a clear change in the previously empty valley.

A massive gate—six meters tall—appeared right before their eyes. It was hard to tell what metal it was forged with, but it was full of aged marks that indicated more than a millennium of history behind it.

Beyond the gate was a flight of stairs that headed deep into the underground. From the spot they were standing at, it seemed to lead into an abyss.

"It's indeed that underground chamber!"

Upon seeing the gate, everyone's eyes lit up in excitement.

This proved that Luo Qiqi's deduction was accurate!

While the evidence that Luo Qiqi provided was credible, and the odds were in their favor—if not, the academy wouldn't have offered them this mission for academic credits after cross-checking the evidence—they still couldn't hold back their agitation at having found a concrete lead on Grandmaster Wu Yangzi.

"Let's enter!"

Xing Yuan's eyes were gleaming with excitement.

"Wait a moment first. It's hard to tell how long it's been since the underground chamber was last opened, so there might be all kinds of poisonous fumes inside!"

Luo Qiqi stepped forward to stopped him. Flicking her wrist, she took out a jade bottle. "This is an antidote that I forged specially for this occasion. It can neutralize up to a thousand types of poisonous fumes found in underground chambers."

After which, she opened the jade bottle, and round pills rolled out.

Given the lack of ventilation within a typical underground chamber, rotting corpses, insects, and natural-produced gases were among many factors that could lead to poisonous fumes in it. Thus, Luo Qiqi specially prepared pills to deal with this. Otherwise, even a Cosmos Bridge realm expert might fall under the venomous onslaught.

"Un!"

Knowing that this was a matter involving their safety, everyone took a pill and swallowed it without protesting.

Zhang Xuan was no exception either. He took a pill and swallowed it too.

After swallowing the medicine, Luo Qiqi turned to Wu Zhen and said, "Wu Zhen, since you specialize in mechanisms, we'll be depending on you later on!"

Among the group, Wu Zhen was a proficient celestial designer, and he possessed extensive knowledge over the various kinds of mechanisms and traps. Given that they were stepping into uncharted territory, there was no guarantee that there would be no defensive mechanisms to fend off intruders.

"Leave it to me!"

Flicking his wrist, Wu Zhen took out an artifact reminiscent of an umbrella.

It was a tool that celestial designers use specially for deciphering mechanisms, a 'Thousand Utility Umbrella'.

"Let's go!"

Opening the Thousand Utility Umbrella, Wu Zhen led the way in.

Without any hesitation, the rest of the group followed along as well.

Seeing that they were prepared, Zhang Xuan also followed behind Luo Qiqi.

Hu!

Darkness immediately overwhelmed them as soon as they stepped through the gate, rendering them blind.

Xing Yuan stepped forward, flicked his wrist, and a few Night Illumination Pearls immediately rolled down the stairs, providing illumination for the group.

For the time being, the sound of pearls rolling down was still echoing ceaselessly throughout the chamber, indicating the deep depth of the underground chamber.

Scanning the surroundings and confirming that everyone was safe, Wu Zhen said "Let's proceed then!" before leading the way forward.

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Chapter 657: Two Stone Tablets

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The further down they proceeded, the colder they felt. A sinister sensation gripped them as though they had stepped into a graveyard.

It was fortunate that they were only surrounded by ordinary cavern walls. There were no mechanisms, formations, or any other traps, and this left them sighing in relief.

After descending for several hundred meters, they arrived at a vast underground chamber.

Xing Yuan took out another handful of Night Illumination Pearls and threw them forward.

Hu la!

The Night Illumination Pearls rolled across the entire chamber, bringing dim light to the room.

Due to the high cultivation of the group, they were still able to see the sight before them clearly despite the dim illumination.

Not too far from the stone stairs was a small bridge with a small stream flowing through it. Oddly, despite being sealed for innumerable years, the air in the underground chamber wasn't stale at all.

The group had expected to encounter pungent and poisonous gas that had accumulated over the years, but never had they thought that the air down here would the same as the air at the surface.

"Everyone, be careful. This underground chamber was probably built to house many people. Otherwise, it's impossible for it to be so well-ventilated," said Wu Zhen.

"To house many people?"

The others frowned.

"That's right. If that's not the case, there's no need to go through the effort of drawing a stream from the river over here or ventilate it so thoroughly!" Wu Zhen explained.

Specializing in mechanisms, he knew how difficult it was to ventilate and draw a stream into an underground chamber.

If it was just a temporary lodging for a small group of people, given how vast the space was, they wouldn't run the risk of suffocating. There would be no need for them to go through so much effort to ventilate the place so thoroughly.

Hearing his explanation, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

He had visited the soul oracle tomb previously, and it did feel much more stifling than here. The airflow was clearly worse than here.

"Could it be that there was more than one culprit who kidnapped Grandmaster Wu Yangzi?"

Luo Qiqi blinked her eyes in shock.

Based on her investigation, this underground chamber was closely related to Wu Yangzi, and chances were that he was kidnapped and brought here back then... Given that the environment was built to house many people at once, could it be that Wu Yangzi was held hostage by a group of people?

"That I can't confirm..."

Wu Zhen shook his head. "There's a stone tablet over there, let's go and take a look."

Right in front of the bridge stood an average-sized stone tablet. Under the dim illumination, they could still vaguely see the inscriptions on it.

Upon walking up, three huge words came into sight.

"Yearning Abode Lodge?"

Luo Qiqi frowned.

Underground chambers were usually either tombs or a secret gathering location of a power. What did these out-of-place three words mean then?

"These words are a little weird."

Ye Qian frowned.

"Oh?" Hearing his interjection, everyone turned to look at him.

Even though this crown prince was only a half 5-star master teacher, he had already reached the level of 5-star in the Way of Painting. Thus, he possessed an exceptional sensitivity toward matters that were in the field of painting.

"Words can bring out one's true thoughts and mental state. These three words have reached the third level 'Infused Intentions', thus allowing one to clearly feel the emotions of the writer then. The feeling I'm getting is that the writer feels out-of-place and wishes to stay away from the temporal world," Ye Qian said.

Zhang Xuan nodded. He felt the same feelings from the words as well.

Yearning Abode Lodge, both the face meaning of those words and the emotions behind them reflected the writer's intent to return to his hometown.

As a skilled painter himself, he could see this much even without the Library of Heaven's Path.

"Longing for one's home? It seems like this really is the underground chamber where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi was brought!"

Luo Qiqi's eyes lit up. "Most probably, he was kidnapped by someone, and his yearning for Hongyuan Empire compelled him to leave behind these words. But regretfully, until the day of his death, he wasn't able to return there."

"Your explanation does sound plausible." Xing Yuan and the others nodded.

The very fact that an underground chamber was called Yearning Abode Lodge was very bizarre in itself. However, if the person who wrote this was here against their will, that did explain it.

It was very possible, and these few words were left behind by Wu Yangzi to express his longing for his home.

"I disagree with your view. On top of one's longing for his home, there is a strong killing intent reminiscent to that in a battlefield infused into these words as well..." Ye Qian frowned. "Grandmaster Wu Yangzi was known to be an amiable person, so it's unlikely for such savage killing intent to originate from him!"

Grandmaster Wu Yangzi had spent his entire life accompanying metal and weapons. Even though his craft was centered around weapons of slaughter, he himself didn't carry such a disposition.

However, these three words had glaring killing intent infused into them, and that in itself was intriguing.

"In truth, I think that it's precisely due to the presence of the killing intent that makes it even more likely that it was Grandmaster Wu Yangzi who left it behind!"

Xing Yuan chuckled. "For a proud 6-star blacksmith to be kidnapped and locked in this kind of unholy location, it would instead be bizarre if he carried no killing intent at all!"

"This..."

Ye Qian was taken aback.

Indeed. For a person of such standing to be captured and locked in this kind of gloomy underground chamber, it was only natural that he would feel indignant and motivated to slaughter those who put him into his current state.

Luo Qiqi spoke grimly.

"As a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith, Elder Wu Yangzi's cultivation had long reached Saint realm. Given that even a person of his strength was trapped here... Everyone, be careful. I fear that this underground chamber might not be as simple as it seems!"

"Un!"

Everyone nodded as tension built within them.

How could an underground chamber that could even lock a Saint realm cultivator possibly be anything simple? Even though three thousand years had passed, such means still weren't something that a bunch of Consonant Spirit realm and Cosmos Bridge realm fellows could withstand.

"Let's go!"

After looking around the stone tablet and confirming that there was nothing useful around it, the group advanced forward.

At the back of the group, Zhang Xuan spared another glance to the words on the stone tablet and frowned. He walked up to it, touched it lightly with his finger, and seemingly realizing something, a deep frown surfaced on his face.

Passing the stone tablet, he proceeded onto the bridge.

The bridge wasn't too long, but the current of the stream below was surprisingly swift. The swishing sound of the water felt exceptionally pleasant amidst this ghastly quiet atmosphere.

Wu Zhen turned around to nod at the group before placing the Thousand Utility Umbrella in front to scout the way. The others followed tightly behind him.

At the opposite side of the bridge was a vast hall, and within it was yet another stone tablet.

Holding onto a Night Illumination Pearl, Xing Yuan walked forward, and under a dim yellow light, he saw three large words inscribed on it: Burying Sorrow Lodge.

"This..."

Seeing the words on it, the group blinked in astonishment.

Was this the name of the underground chamber as well? Does this place have two names?

Yearning Abode Lodge previously, and Burying Sorrow Lodge now, what exactly was the true name of this place?

"These three words are calm and upright. Only by finding joy again can one abandon sorrow; this means that there's something inside that he seeks which can help him to overcome his sadness..."

Ye Qian took a look and analyzed the words. "If I'm not mistaken, these must be the words left behind by those who imprisoned Grandmaster Wu Yangzi!"

"You're right. Since they had imprisoned Grandmaster Wu Yangzi to forge weapons or artifacts for them, naturally, they would be overjoyed enough to forget even their sorrows..."

Xing Yuan nodded.

Luo Qiqi and Princess Fei-er hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement as well.

This was the most plausible explanation for the entire matter.

Just that, they still couldn't understand why there was a stone tablet with different inscribing on each end of the bridge?

After looking at the stone tablet, they took a look around the hall. However, it was entirely empty, and there was nothing to be seen at all.

"Let me take a look!"

Wu Zhen walked around the walls, knocking on them as he passed them by, but he soon shook his head and said, "There isn't any mechanism here."

"Could there be a hidden formation then?"

With a formation compass in hand, Princess Fei-er also explored the area, but her face slowly darkened.

"There isn't any formation here either."

"It can't be that this is it to the underground chamber?"

Everyone frowned.

Given the effort made to set up such a formidable hidden formation outside, dig out this deep underground chamber, setting up the ventilation, and drawing a river in here, all there was here was this big hall?

If that was the case, wouldn't this be way too pointless?

"With just this empty hall, we won't be able to determine whether Wu Yangzi once lived here or not. If that's the case, it means that our mission is a failure..."

Luo Qiqi frowned.

She had confidence in Wu Zhen and Princess Fei-er's capabilities.

Since the both of them said that there was nothing here, that was likely to be the case.

However... given that this area was completely empty, there was nothing they could use to gauge whether Wu Yangzi had been here or not. How were they supposed to report this matter when they return?

What was even more bizarre was that if there was nothing here, where in the world did those weapons that were forged using Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's unique forging technique come from?

"Indeed. To think that all we would see was a mere empty hall after all the effort we took coming here."

Xing Yuan also shook his head in disappointment.

He thought that they would be able to find some clues by coming here, but there was nothing more than two stone tablets and a small bridge here. Was their mission destined to end in failure?

Just as everyone was shaking their heads in disappointment, Luo Qiqi suddenly said, "Teacher, did you... manage to discern anything at all?"

Everyone quickly shifted their gazes, only to see that Zhang Xuan was standing before the second stone tablet once more. The latter stretched out his hand and touched the tablet.

Zhang Xuan turned around and said, "I find that there's something very bizarre with these two stone tablets."

"Bizarre?"

Everyone walked forward and gathered around the stone tablets once more.

Zhang Xuan revealed his deduction.

"Un. Yearning Abode Lodge and Burying Sorrow Lodge... If I'm not mistaken, it should represent two different roads. The words left on the stone tablets are probably a choice offered to those who stumble upon this area."

"Now that you say it, that does seem possible!"

Everyone was taken aback.

Of the entire underground chamber, the most conspicuous objects were the stone tablets. Perhaps, there was some kind of mechanism hidden within it.

"Let me take a look!"

Wu Zhen hesitated for a moment before walking up.

He took out a Night Illumination Pearl and carefully studied the stone tablet. Suddenly his eyes lit up.

"There does seem to be... a mechanism hidden in here."

"A mechanism?"

"Perhaps this mechanism will open up a passageway that lead us to another location. In other words, we are only at the entrance of the underground chamber!"

Everyone's interest was immediately piqued, and they hurried forward to the tablet to take a look as well.

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Chapter 658: Indecipherable

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Since there was a mechanism on the stone tablet, there was a good chance that the place they were in wasn't the real underground chamber. Perhaps, there might be a passageway leading to it, just that they hadn't found it yet.

"Teacher's eye of discernment is indeed formidable!"

Luo Qiqi turned to look at Zhang Xuan with eyes shining in admiration.

Indeed, she did well pulling her teacher along with them. His eye of discernment was proving to be incomparably valuable at this timing.

Otherwise, they would surely still be wasting their time, looking around futilely.

Seeing her good friend admiring Zhang shi, Yu Fei-er pouted in displeasure and harrumphed.

"He's just lucky!"

Even though she knew that Zhang shi possessed extraordinary capability, she still couldn't help but feel a little displeased when she saw the other party doing well.

Zhang Xuan turned to look at her and asked, "Lucky? Do you want to bet with me then?"

"You..."

Nearly choking on her saliva, Yu Fei-er gritted her teeth and turned her head away.

Knowing that it was best not to interfere in the conflict between the two—the previous time, he was pummeled due to it—Wu Zhen turned a blind eye to it. He hurried over to the stone tablet and said, "Let me see if I can decipher the mechanism!"

Closing his eyes tightly, he began feeling the tablet lightly with his fingers.

Since it was a mechanism, there must be a core controlling it. With his deep understanding of mechanisms as a celestial designer, he should be able to analyze its inner workings through the minor differences on its surface and find its weakness.

"Everyone, be silent. He needs to concentrate hard to find the core. As long as he finds it, he should able to break open this mechanism without any trouble!" Xing Yuan said.

While the mechanisms created by celestial designers were formidable, they had their flaws as well. There was no mechanism that couldn't work without a core to power it, and once one finds it, even the most difficult of mechanisms could be undone easily.

"Un!"

Understanding this, everyone nodded and fell silent. In an instant, the only sound that could be heard in the area was the torrent beneath the bridge.

Controlling his breathing and heartbeat, Wu Zhen drove his zhenqi to make his touch even more sensitive. He quickly felt his way around the entire stone tablet, and after contemplating for a moment, he abruptly opened his eyes.

"Alright, I've found the core. I should be able to open the underground chamber now!"

Wu Zhen chuckled with deep confidence.

His cultivation might not be on par with Xing Yuan, Luo Qiqi, and Princess Fei-er, but he had the absolute confidence in dealing with mechanisms.

It was finally his turn to shine.

Taking a deep breath, he shook the Thousand Utility Umbrella in his hand.

Huala!

A sharp needle suddenly appeared at the top of the umbrella.

The needle was around three centimeters long, and under the warm glow of the Night Illumination Pearl it emanated a fearsome cold gleam. With just a look, one could tell that it was extremely sharp.

"This is the Thousand Utility Thorn of the Thousand Utility Umbrella. It's used to decipher all kinds of mechanisms. Just for this thorn, five 5-star blacksmiths would have to work tirelessly for ten days to successfully forge it!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"Five 5-star blacksmiths would have to work tirelessly for ten days?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

This sharp needle that was as thin as a strand of hair actually required so much effort behind it?

But thinking about it, crafting such a sharp and narrow needle couldn't possibly be an easy task.

After all, the narrower it was, the more prone it would be to breaking.

Luo Qiqi continued explaining. "Un. It is only because he's a master teacher that he could mobilize so many blacksmiths at once. If it had been anybody else, it would have been impossible to hire them for such a laborious job!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

As the number one occupation in the world, being a master teacher did have lots of benefits.

There was only benefits that stood to be gained from getting acquainted with a young and talented 5-star master teacher. Thus, it wasn't too hard for Wu Zhen to get five 5-star blacksmiths to spend ten whole days to craft a weapon for him. If it had been any other occupation, that would have been impossible.

Weng!

While they were speaking, the aura around Wu Zhen suddenly surged, and his eyes widened. The Thousand Utility Umbrella abruptly stabbed the side of the tablet diagonally.

Ding!

As soon as the Thousand Needle Utility came into contact with the stone tablet, it seemed to sink into a small crack that was so small that one couldn't even see it with one's eyes.

Ji ji ji!

Some heavy creaking noises sounded from the stone tablet, as though it was grinding against the floor.

Upon hearing this noise, Wu Zhen's confident face suddenly darkened, and he hurriedly shouted, "Darn it, be careful!"

However, before he could finish his words, a storm-like noise suddenly came from the stone tablet, and countless sharp needles shot out from it.

Each of the needles moved at an exceptionally fast speed, and while it wouldn't be fatal were it to hit, it could cause one a fair bit of suffering.

Huala!

Wu Zhen immediately pressed a point on the Thousand Utility Umbrella, and it opened up.

The cloth of the Thousand Utility Umbrella was forged using a unique material, making it as resilient as a shield. Putting aside these needles, even a sharp weapon couldn't hope to tear through it.

If not for such incredible functionalities, the Thousand Utility Umbrella wouldn't be an artifact so well-loved by celestial designers such that they would go to the extent of bankruptcy just to have one forged.

Ding ding dang dang!

The resilient umbrella managed to deflect most of the needles, but there were still some which slipped through its defense.

"Retreat!"

Stepping forward, Xing Yuan flicked his wrist and took out a shield.

Knowing that underground chambers were usually filled with mechanisms and traps, he had brought many things in preparations for the various circumstances they could face. This shield was both two meters in height and width, and it could easily cover everyone behind.

Hu la la!

With a sound reminiscent of rain pattering on banana leaves, the thin needles were stopped in their tracks. Quite a few of them ended up lodging themselves into the ground and the shield.

"That was close!"

Seeing the dense congregation of needles on the ground and the shield, everyone felt cold sweat trickling down their backs.

If not for Xing Yuan preparing this in advance, they would have been turned into pincushions. They would probably be wishing that they would be dead even though the attack wasn't fatal.

Wiping the cold sweat off his forehead, Xing Yuan turned to Wu Zhen and bellowed furiously.

"Are you trying to open the underground chamber or are you trying to murder us?"

You were supposed to decipher the mechanism, not to murder us. If we had reacted any slower than that, we would have been done in just now.

In fact, despite his swift reaction, he was still pierced by five small needles. He couldn't control the overwhelming rage bubbling within him.

It was just a moment ago that the other party confidently declared that he had solved it when such a matter occurred. Can't you look properly before piercing your umbrella into that mechanism?

"I..."

Knowing that he was at fault, Wu Zhen's lips twitched. "Every single mechanism will have some intentional flaws installed to serve as traps to prevent others from deciphering it successfully. I picked the wrong one just now. Don't worry, I won't make any mistake this time..."

Closing the Thousand Utility Umbrella, he closed his eyes and began feeling the stone tablet once more. Finally, he confirmed another point, and he declared with a look of confidence, "This is definitely right this time around..."

"Are you certain?" The face of a doubtful Xing Yuan appeared from the back of the shield.

"I'm certain. If I'm mistaken this time again, I'll cut my head off!" Wu Zhen gritted his teeth, and without any hesitation, he pierced the Thousand Utility Thorn into it once more.

He was determined to succeed this time to cleanse off the humiliation from his failure, as well as to prove himself!

Hong long! Ji ya!

The Thousand Utility Thorn struck the stone tablet, and the heavy creaking sound echoed once more. This time, before Wu Zhen could say anything, countless thin needles shot out once more.

Wu Zhen's face paled. At this point, he was already on the verge of crying.

I clearly checked it multiple times, how could I possibly be wrong...

While Wu Zhen was in disbelief, Xing Yuan was on the verge of explosion. Tearing away needles from his face, he howled.

"You're courting death!"

Are you sure you are sufficiently capable?

Can't you have at least given us a warning before you pierced the stone tablet? My head is still outside, you know... If not for me using my zhenqi to ward off the might of the needles, who knows what could have happened to me now?

But even so, having an entire face full of needles as though a porcupine had made him frenzied.

Can't you be a little careful and aim for the correct point?

Two consecutive failures; are you really trying to pull everyone down to their graves along with you?

"Don't worry! I'll surely get it right the next time..."

Plucking away a few silver needles from his head, Wu Zhen's lips twitched in frenzy. He closed the Thousand Utility Umbrella once more and began feeling the stone tablet.

After a long time, he paused, and gritting his teeth, he said, "I'm sure that it's this one, no mistake about it..."

"Are you... very certain?" Xing Yuan asked questioningly.

"I'm very certain!"

Xing Yuan nodded.

"Alright... Do it then!"

Xing Yuan swiftly hid behind the shield, concealing his entire body behind it.

Even though this fellow had spoken confidently, he had also done the same the two previous times. After triggering the trap consecutively, he would be a fool to not seek cover.

"Un!"

Gritting his teeth, Wu Zhen held up his Thousand Utility Thorn and pierced the stone.

Ji ya ya!

This time, it wasn't the sound of heavy creaking but the melodic tune of gears turning.

"Haha, I succeeded! There's surely no problem this time..."

Hearing this sound, Wu Zhen's eyes lit up, and he quickly turned around to share his joy.

"That's more like it..."

Heaving a sigh of relief, Xing Yuan's head peeked out from the umbrella. Given the difference in noise, the other party should have gotten it right this time...

Huala!

As soon as his head peeked out, a storm-like noise resounded in the air once more, and innumerable flying thin needles appeared in his sight.

"The heck!"

Xing Yuan was on the verge of crying.

Big Brother, will you only be content after you get rid of me?

Didn't you say that you had succeeded?

If you really had succeeded, what's with these thin needles?

In truth, Wu Zhen felt even more frenzied than him at this very moment.

He clearly heard the cogs of the mechanism turning, why would it still shoot out thin needles?

Even though he had opened the Thousand Utility Umbrella in time to ward off the majority of them, due to his slower reaction from having his guard down, he was still pierced by dozens of needles. The places stabbed by the needles swelled red, creating quite a glaring sight.

Xing Yuan, it's not that I want to kill you, but that this mechanism wants to kill the both of us...

"I got it..."

After a long moment, after Wu Zhen finally plucked out the thin needles from his body, he suddenly thought of something and his mouth twitched. "This seems to be... a grade-6 mechanism set up by a 6-star celestial designer..."

"Grade-6 mechanism?"

Everyone staggered.

If it was a grade-6 mechanism, what the hell were you doing up there?

As a 5-star celestial designer, you should know better than to make such an elementary mistake!

Knowing what everyone was thinking, Wu Zhen hurriedly explained himself.

"It is because there's a booby trap contained within the grade-6 mechanism!"

"A booby trap?"

"Un. Using some special means, this grade-6 mechanism is disguised as a grade-5, and fake flaws were installed on them to lure others to trigger them. Furthermore, there are different sounds to triggering these flaws to beguile those attempting to decipher it, thus putting their guards down momentarily... I've only seen this kind of mechanism in some books once, and I thought its heritage had already died out. Who knew that... I would actually find one here!"

Wu Zhen's face paled.

This booby-trapped mechanism was designed so exquisitely that even a 6-star celestial designer could possibly fall into the trap, not to mention, him.

As an occupation specializing in the crafting of mechanisms, celestial designers had a unique heritage, and it was an occupation recognized by the Master Teacher Pavilion. There was a significant difference between the knowledge or capability of those in between every single rank. As a 5-star primary celestial designer, it was perfectly normal that he would be unable to see through the booby-trapped mechanism of a grade-6 mechanism.

It was fortunate that limited by the disguise, it was impossible to fill the stone tablets with anything stronger than the needles. Otherwise, they would have been dead by now.

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Chapter 659: Be Careful

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Seeing the other party's depressed expression, Luo Qiqi asked, "In other words, you can't decipher it, right?"

"If I said that I could decipher it... would you allow me to continue?" Wu Zhen asked.

Everyone swiftly shook their heads.

Xing Yuan gritted his teeth and said, "If you dare to continue deciphering it, do you believe that I won't kill you right now?"

You must be joking! Even though I am really interested in opening the pathway to the true underground chamber, I still don't want to die yet.

Putting everything aside, after only three attempts at deciphering the stone tablet, his face was already swollen due to those needles. If this were to continue, he would probably die before the tablet was deciphered.

"Then what should we do?"

Since they weren't able to decipher the mechanism, they couldn't possibly just wait here for their entire lives!

"Let me give it a try!"

Seeing the look of frustration on everyone's faces, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.

When he touched the stone tablet previously, a book had already been compiled in the Library of Heaven's Path on it. It wasn't that he was interested in seeing Wu Zhen make a fool of himself, but that the complex mechanisms contained within the stone tablet were simply too fascinating that he found himself absorbed into it. By the time he had come to, Xing Yuan's face was already filled with silver needles.

"You?"

Seeing him step forth, Wu Zhen frowned and asked, "Are you... well-versed in the ways of a celestial designer as well?"

Given how formidable this fellow was in pill forging and formations, he couldn't possibly be an expert in mechanisms as well!

While celestial designers weren't as prestigious as formation masters and apothecaries, it didn't impede the ingenuity of their craft. Their work was extremely complex and difficult to master. Even the slightest deviation in the details could cause a vast difference in the results

And in this occupation, he could be considered as a rare genius already. Even so, despite his years of study, he had only reached 5-star. Considering how even he was unable to solve it, a fellow who was younger than him... It couldn't be that the other party was more capable than him?

But that was impossible!

Zhang Xuan chuckled. "I dabble."

"Dabble?"

Wu Zhen shook his head. "If you only dabble, it will surely be impossible for you to decipher it. You witnessed the situation just now; even the slightest mistake will trigger the silver needle mechanism. There was no poison on the needles previously, so we were still able to get by, but what if the needles from now on are coated with lethal poison? If that happens, none of us will get out of here!"

"So, if you don't have absolute confidence in your ability to decipher it, it'll be best not to give it a try. I fear that we might all die here..."

Seeing Wu Zhen obstructing his path, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Absolute confidence? Aren't you the same too?"

Despite not being completely sure, didn't you try three times? Still able to get by... Why don't you ask Xing Yuan whether he agrees with your words!

Let's see, he would surely pummel you to the ground if you were to utter such words before him.

"Humph, how could I be the same? I'm from a family of celestial designers, and I created my own automated mechanism when I was three. By seventeen, I was already a 4-star celestial designer, and after I entered Hongyuan Academy, I became the student of the only 6-star pinnacle celestial designer within the empire..."

Flinging his sleeves, Wu Zhen raised his head proudly. "Even though I've failed three times, that doesn't mean that I'm unconfident. Even though this is a booby-trapped mechanism from a 6-star celestial designer, as long as I attempt it a few more times, I'm certain that I can decipher it...

"But if you really insist on going ahead, there's little I can do to stop you either. How about this, why don't I ask you two basic questions, and if you can answer them, it will mean that you do possess some basic knowledge regarding celestial designers, and that you aren't just fooling about!"

Wu Zhen turned to look at him.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan came to a halt.

"Who is the most famous celestial designer in the past ten thousand years of Hongyuan Empire?" Wu Zhen asked.

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion.

He had barely read any books on celestial designers, so how could he possibly know who the most famous celestial designer in Hongyuan Empire was?

Besides, he didn't even know the name of the incumbent emperor of Hongyuan Empire was nor the name of the Master Teacher Academy's principal, so how could he know anything about that?

"You don't even know this?"

Seeing the embarrassed look on the other party, Wu Zhen frowned. "Since that's the case, I don't think you know who is the one who created the concept of a booby-trapped mechanism then?"

"I don't."

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I'm just going to decipher the stone tablets, what do the questions you asked have to do with it?"

"Of course, it has everything to do with it!"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Wu Zhen's eyes flashed in disappointment. "This is the most basic knowledge that every celestial designer knows, and the fact that you don't know it means that you don't know a thing about the occupation. How are you supposed to find the core and decipher the mechanism like that? I don't deny that you do possess a unique interpretation of pill forging and formation, but mechanism is something very much different from that. One cannot solve it with confidence alone...

"Why don't I tell you about the origin and fundamental theories regarding mechanisms so that you can understand the complexity of the subject? By then, you can consider once more if you really intend to continue on..."

The more Wu Zhen spoke, the more Zhang Xuan felt that calluses would start growing on his ears. Bored of the other party, he stepped toward to the stone tablet, flicked his wrist, and took out the Glacier Rain Sword.

"What are you doing? This is a mechanism! Using a sword against it will only draw more aggression onto ourselves..."

Just as Wu Zhen was rambling on, he saw the other party draw a sword, and he nearly fainted from anger.

Are you kidding me?

Due to the small parts of the mechanism, there was very little room for any error. That was the reason why I had to search the stone tablet so thoroughly for the core before using the Thousand Umbrella Thorn to pierce it precisely. And yet, you actually took out a sword? Are you for real?

Just as he was thinking that the other party was just causing needless trouble, the young man before him seemed to have heard his words of advice and put his sword away.

"That's more like it..."

Just as Wu Zhen was thinking that fellow was still acceptable given how receptive he was to advise, the other party flicked his wrist and whipped out a huge hammer.

The hammer was even larger than the ones used by blacksmiths to forge weapons; it was on par with those used by workers on construction sites. On top of that, its material was also sub-par. It was hard to understand why a master teacher like Zhang Xuan would have such a weapon on him.

"What are you going to do..."

Wu Zhen was so shocked that he was even starting to stutter, but seemingly paying him no heed, the young man before him raised his metal hammer and smashed it against the stone tablet.

"The heck!"

Wu Zhen's sight darkened, and a stifled sensation welled up in his chest. In that instant, he felt an urge to spew blood.

Even when using the Thousand Utility Thorn, he nearly ended up being killed by the onslaught of needles. Yet, you actually used a metal hammer to strike it... Even if you're seeking death, that's not the way to do it!

Wu Zhen opened his Thousand Utility Umbrella in a panic and hid behind it as though a quail, not daring to move at all. Following which, a sound reminiscent to a grandfather clock reverberated in the room, sending goosebumps up the skin of others.

Kacha! Kacha!

A series of crisp clicks sounded, as though an egg being peeled of its shell... and everything fell silent.

Just as Wu Zhen was doubtful why there were no needles shooting over this time, he suddenly heard the nonchalant voice of the young man from the stone tablet.

"Alright, the passageway has opened!"

He carefully emerged from the back of his Thousand Utility Umbrella, and upon taking a glance, he suddenly froze.

"This... this..."

His eyes widened as though he had seen a ghost.

The stone tablet before him had disappeared entirely from view, and in its place was a huge stone door and a series of stone steps, leading downward, toward the bottom of the stream not too far away.

"It's open?"

Not just him, Luo Qiqi and Xing Yuan were stunned as well.

A famed 5-star celestial designer of the academy had gone through so much trouble and triggered the trap multiple times, only to fail miserably... and yet, this fellow simply smacked it hard with a metal hammer and it was immediately deciphered.

Wasn't there something very wrong about this?

Was Wu Zhen the 5-star celestial designer, or was Zhang shi?

After a moment of shock, Luo Qiqi said, "The true underground chamber lies beneath the stream. It's no wonder we can't find the source of the ventilation despite the smooth air currents here!"

When she first discovered that the air in this room was fresh, she tried looking for the source of ventilation, but to her surprise, she couldn't find it at all. However, with the revelation of the underground passageway, she finally came to a realization—the secret lay beneath the stream.

The fresh air in the underground chamber originated from the stream!

Princess Yu Fei-er nodded. "Since we managed to find the underground chamber, let's hurry down and check if this place is related to Grandmaster Wu Yangzi!"

Even though she detested Zhang Xuan, she had to admit that the other party did possess extraordinary capability.

There were simply too many things that had happened for her to deny it.

"The underground chamber may have opened, but I think we shouldn't go in yet," Zhang Xuan said.

"Why?" Princess Yu Fei-er turned her sight to him.

Given that there was such an elaborate mechanism hiding an underground chamber, the answers they sought were probably inside. Since what they were looking for were right before them, why shouldn't they enter?"

"All in all, we have seen a total of two stone tablets on both sides of the bridge; one is marked with Yearning Abode Lodge while the other Burying Sorrow Lodge. I think that there's another pathway hidden in the other stone tablet, so we should make a decision before entering," Zhang Xuan explained.

Since an underground passageway was found in one of the two stone tablets, perhaps the same could be said for the other as well.

"That's right!"

The group nodded.

Blinded by their excitement in uncovering the stone tablet, they neglected this point. Thinking of it, it was indeed highly possible that another passageway hid behind the other stone tablet.

If that was really the case, then Zhang Xuan's conjecture would be spot-on—two names, two choices.

"Un. What we should do now is decipher the other stone tablet before making a decision..." Seeing that everyone had realized what he was talking about, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt his hand being relieved of the weight in it—someone had taken the metal hammer from his hand.

Following which, an impassive voice spoke. "I'll decipher the stone tablet over there..."

By the time Zhang Xuan lifted his gaze, Wu Zhen was already at the other side of the bridge. Lifting the metal hammer up, he smashed it powerfully on the stone tablet.

That fellow was too desperate to prove himself.

Despite being a 5-star celestial designer, he failed to decipher the mechanism behind the stone tablet despite three attempts. Yet, an amateur actually opened it with a smash of a metal hammer. The embarrassment and frustration he felt was understandable.

However, there stood another stone tablet for him to redeem himself and prove his own capability. How could he possibly just give up this opportunity to showcase his ability to the other party? Thus, he snatched the hammer and rushed over immediately.

Recalling the direction, trajectory, and might of the other party's hammer strike, he bellowed loudly and smashed the hammer down onto the stone tablet.

"Be..."

Not expecting the other party to move so quickly, Zhang Xuan was taken aback. Before he could finish his words, the sound of heavy grinding sounded from the stone tablet at the opposite side of the river.

Following which, a whole rain of thin needles came flying forth.

Puhe! Puhe! Puhe!

Unprepared, Wu Zhen didn't even manage to open the Thousand Utility Umbrella before the rain of needles blurred his vision. In an instant, he turned into a cactus.

"... careful," Zhang Xuan uttered, as he stared at the sight before him.

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Chapter 660: Another Bet

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"..." Wu Zhen cried silently.

I really only wanted to prove myself...

Who in the world did I offend for this to become of me?

Even though he had exerted his zhenqi at the final moment to protect his vitals, he was still pierced by several hundred needles. Furthermore, each of them had pierced at least an inch deep, leaving him in deep pain.

What is the use of saying be careful now?

Didn't you use the metal hammer to smash the stone tablet just now as well?

Why didn't it work for me?

The same location, the same strength, and the same technique... and yet, you opened up a passageway whereas I transformed into a human cactus...

Tears streamed down Wu Zhen's face as he trembled in indignation. Driving his zhenqi through his body, he flexed his muscles, and the needles lodged into his flesh were immediately jolted out. With a flick of his wrist, he took out the wine gourd he received from Zhang Xuan.

As Princess Fei-er didn't use it all back then, he still had a portion of the 'Saint recovery medicine'. Since he was wounded all over at the moment, this was the perfect time to use it.

"Since this is an external wound..."

Wu Zhen deduced the logic behind Zhang shi's words before uncorking the cap and pouring the wine all over his body.

On the opposite side of the river, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched upon seeing the sight.

"Cough cough..."

Of course, he remembered this wine! He had no choice but to feign it as a gift due to Luo Zhao, Feng Yu, and Chen Yue cornering Hong shi back then... The basis behind its healing property was Heaven's Path zhenqi, but considering how a few days had passed, the zhenqi contained within the wine had already long dried out. In other words, what was within the gourd was just ordinary wine... and to pour alcohol on such gaping wound would surely be excruciating...

"AHH..."

While Zhang Xuan was still in his thoughts, the sound of a pig being butchered echoed in the air. Wu Zhen's entire body convulsed as though it had been shocked.

In terms of pain, rubbing alcohol on one's wounds was really not much different from rubbing salt on them. The immense suffering that he felt threatened to steal his consciousness away from him.

Watching as white foam started pouring out from the edges of the other party's mouth, Zhang Xuan immediately instructed, "Little Qi, quickly feed him a recovery pill. Otherwise... I fear that he might just die!"

"Yes!"

Luo Qiqi quickly rushed over, pinched open the other party's mouth, and fed him a recovery pill.

Only with the consumption of the recovery pill did the other party's complexion finally recover slightly.

While the needles weren't fatal, there were simply too many of them. Not to mention, the alcohol also had other ingredients in it that would only aggravate one's wounds.

Thus, even though Wu Zhen had managed to survive the ordeal with the help of the recovery pill, he was in terrible shape. His vision was a little unclear, his face was entirely swollen, and he felt listless.

Standing up, he shot a glare at Zhang shi and began weeping silently.

You liar!

Be it the metal hammer striking the stone tablet or the Saint recovery medicine...

I must have been a fool to trust you!

"Allow me."

Not expecting Wu Zhen to be so rash as to rush to the other stone tablet without allowing him to finish his words, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly. Along with Xing Yuan and the others, he walked over to the other side.

He took the Thousand Utility Umbrella from Wu Zhen's hands, and with a flick of his wrist, the Thousand Utility Thorn appeared. Then, he aimed it at the stone tablet before him and stabbed it in.

Ding ding ding!

Three crisp mechanical clicks sounded.

Jiya! Jiya!

The stone tablet slowly split apart, revealing a towering door.

"Aren't you supposed to use the metal hammer..."

Wu Zhen staggered at that sight.

"Ah. Adaptability is a very important in deciphering mechanisms. The Thousand Utility Thorn works perfectly fine on this stone tablet!" Zhang Xuan said.

"..." Wu Zhen.

Ignoring Wu Zhen, who was on the verge of a breakdown, the group walked over to the entrance.

Within it was a flight of stone stairs leading to the bottom of the stream as well, but the direction was the complete opposite to the other passageway's. Most likely, the two passageways led to different places.

"There are indeed two underground chambers..."

A grim expression appeared on everyone's face. At that moment, the surface of the bridge not too far away from them shook, and the sound of cogs whirring into action echoed through the chamber.

A cold voice abruptly boomed.

"Congratulations for opening the two entrances. However, each one of you can only choose one door to enter. You'll have an incense's time to choose, and once you make your choice, retreat is no longer an option!"

Knowing the importance of this matter, Wu Zhen put aside his grudges and began explaining.

"It's 'Mechanical Recorder'!"

"Mechanical Recorder?" Everyone was confused.

"Un. On top of creating traps reminiscent of formations, there are some formidable mechanisms that are capable of recording human speech as well. Upon triggering it, the voice recorded within will play," Wu Zhen explained.

"I see!" Zhang Xuan was surprised, but his astonishment didn't last for too long.

There were plenty of similar gadgets in his previous life as well. For example, the music box consisted of various mechanisms to play a specific melody. Given the incredible technology celestial designers wielded, it shouldn't be too difficult for them to create a machine that could emulate human speech.

Interrupting Wu Zhen, Princess Yu Fei-er said, "Now isn't the time to be bothering about that, let's discuss which passageway we should choose instead!"

"Un!" The group nodded.

The trigger to the recorded voice was probably the opening of both entrances. According to the words from the voice in the Mechanical Recorder, they had to choose between the two entrances within an incense's time.

They hardly had the luxury to be thinking about anything else at the moment.

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Qiqi revealed her own conjecture.

"From the words left behind on the stone tablets, it should be clear how we should choose. On this side is 'Yearning Abode Lodge', which is highly likely to reflect Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's nostalgia for his own homeland. Since that's the case, it's likely to be the underground chamber where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi lived in. On the other hand, 'Burying Sorrow Lodge' is likely to refer to the place where those who confined Grandmaster Wu Yangzi here lived!"

"I agree with Qiqi's point of view!" Princess Yu Fei-er nodded.

Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian also expressed their approval of that view.

They had agreed on this conclusion as soon as they saw the stone tablets, so it wasn't too hard for them to agree with Luo Qiqi's point of view.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan said, "I have an alternative point of view."

"May I know what teacher thinks of this matter?"

Luo Qiqi turned her eyes over.

The others also gathered their gazes on Zhang Xuan.

This young man had displayed outstanding performance ever since their arrival, so no one dared to take his words lightly anymore.

"Contrary to your perspective, I feel that 'Burying Sorrow Lodge' is where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi lived instead. As for the reason, I can't really put it out in words for you all!" Zhang Xuan said.

Touching the stone tablet only showed Zhang Xuan the mechanisms hidden within it. It didn't explain the interior of the underground chamber within and whether it had anything to do with Wu Yangzi or not. As such, this conclusion actually came from his own hypothesis, and there was no concrete evidence behind it.

"How can that be?"

Princess Fei-er's lips curled up into a sneer, and she harrumphed coldly. "Captured by others to become a weapon-forging machine, Grandmaster Wu Yangzi is surely filled with indignation and wrath. How could he possibly bury his sorrows under such circumstances?"

"Indeed. Captured, Grandmaster Wu Yangzi would surely be missing his own homeland. I agree with Sixth Princess's view!" Xing Yuan nodded.

Knowing that her teacher wouldn't raise claims without any basis behind them, Luo Qiqi asked, "Teacher, for you to say so... could it be that you have noticed something peculiar?"

"I didn't notice anything out of ordinary, just that I am a little perplexed by the killing intent contained within the words 'Yearning Abode Lodge'. I have some understanding of painting, and I find it hard to believe that those words were left behind by a grandmaster blacksmith. On the other hand, the words 'Burying Sorrow Lodge' seemed to emanate calmness and contained a far deeper intent into it. It felt more like the work of a grandmaster. That is the reason why I think so!" Zhang Xuan said.

"I got the same feeling as well..." Ye Qian interjected.

As a 5-star painter, he also felt similar intents from the two inscriptions on the stone tablets.

"Like we said before, it's normal for there to be killing intent infused into his words. Captured and imprisoned, it would only be bizarre if he didn't have such emotions. Burying Sorrow Lodge... Hehe, probably only those who captured him could live their days happily without any sorrow!"

Princess Fei-er shook her head. "I'll still choose this passageway!"

From the very start, she harbored a great dislike for Zhang Xuan. Seeing that there was no strong basis behind the other party's words, her confidence began to increase.

"I also choose this passageway!"

Xing Yuan nodded.

He would follow Princess Fei-er no matter where she went... Besides, he also thought that her words were more reasonable at the moment.

Princess Fei-er turned to Wu Zhen.

"What about you?"

"I..."

After a moment of hesitation, Wu Zhen nodded and replied, "I'll choose here as well!"

He also felt that Princess Fei-er's words were correct.

Seeing another person standing on her side, Princess Fei-er felt as though she was finally going to achieve victory over the other party. Delighted, she turned to the crown prince and asked, "Ye Qian, what about you?"

"I... agree more with Zhang shi's words..." Ye Qian replied, but halfway through, he suddenly noticed the eyebrows of the princess in front of him shooting up all of the sudden, and his courage immediately faded. "However, I'll still choose this passageway!"

"That's more like it!"

Seeing her junior supporting her as well, Princess Fei-er nodded her head in satisfaction. She turned to Zhang Xuan with a triumphant look and said, "Alright, four of the six have made their decisions. What about you?"

Aren't you good at betting?

Let's see how you'll win this time!

"I'll still choose the passageway on the opposite end!" Before the other party's provocation, Zhang Xuan could only shake his head. Turning to Luo Qiqi, he asked, "What about you?"

"I..."

Luo Qiqi hesitated for a while before eventually replying, "I'll follow teacher!"

"Qiqi!"

Not expecting her close friend to actually betray her at such a moment, Yu Fei-er hurried forward and tried to persuade her otherwise. "Don't you agree with our deduction as well? That passageway definitely has nothing to do with Grandmaster Wu Yangzi at all..."

Hearing the other party spouting such words, Zhang Xuan interjected with a smile. "Definitely? You sure sound certain. Do you dare to bet on it?"

"Of course!"

Yu Fei-er flung her sleeves majestically.

She possessed absolute confidence regarding this.

"Good. With so many people witnessing this, I doubt that you would refuse to pay up. This time, instead of ten thousand middle-tier spirit stones, the bet will be one high-tier spirit stone instead..."

Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly. "The victory will be decided by which passageway leads to Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's living quarters. If the path I chose is correct, you'll have to pay me one high-tier spirit stone. On the other hand... I'll relieve you of your duties as my maid, and we'll owe each another nothing!"

"Fine! But if you lose, not only must you relieve me as your maid, you must also repay the 700 middle-tier spirit stones back to me. Also... also..."

Princess Yu Fei-er gritted her teeth. "You must also serve me wine!"

"Sure, I'll serve you wine if you win!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

"It's a deal then!"

Princess Yu Fei-er sneered coldly, "Just you wait! Let's go!"

After which, she began walking into the stone passageway.

Xing Yuan, Ye Qian, and Wu Zhen followed closely behind her.

"Let's go as well!"

Seeing them walking down the stone stairs, Zhang Xuan beckoned Luo Qiqi, and the duo crossed the bridge and descended down into the other passageway.

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Chapter 661: An Arm

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A dark world lay behind the stone door. Luo Qiqi stepped forward and hurled a few Night Illumination Pearls down to light up the interior.

The further the duo walked down the stairs, the louder the flow of the stream above them sounded.

Even though they were beneath a stream, it didn't feel humid at all. On the contrary, it felt extremely dry. On top of that, the air seemed to be getting fresher and richer in spiritual energy.

"The spiritual energy is drawn in from the stream above. Most probably, a unique Spirit Gathering Formation was inscribed on top," Luo Qiqi uttered with a hushed voice as she studied the surroundings.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

By building a huge Spirit Gathering Formation in the river, they would be able to draw in spiritual energy from the surface discreetly.

With this influx of spiritual energy, this underground chamber would become an excellent location to cultivate in.

Jiya!

However, a moment after they walked in, they heard the sound of something crashing down above them. Looking upward, they realized that the opening from the entrance where they came from had disappeared.

"This is bad..."

Their faces darkened, and they hurriedly rushed back to the entrance. However, some kind of mechanism had already sealed the entrance tightly.

"This is a Dragon Severing Lock which only 6-star celestial designers can forge!" Luo Qiqi's face paled.

A grave expression surfaced on Zhang Xuan.

"Un. It seems like the other party meant it when he said that we would only get a single chance at choosing the passageway. Once the Dragon Severing Lock is in place, even a 6-star celestial designer would be troubled to overcome it. No one amongst us would be able to get in or out!"

They didn't take the voice on the stone bridge seriously, thinking that it was just a figure of speech. Who knew that he would actually be serious about it!

He had encountered the Dragon Severing Lock back at the soul oracle tomb as well. Once this artifact was in place, unless one possessed the might rivaling a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan cultivator, one would never be able to overcome it. On top of that, for some reason, the Dragon Severing Lock installed here seemed to be much stronger than the one in the soul oracle tomb, making it even more impossible for them to bypass it.

In other words, they were both trapped in this underground chamber.

Luo Qiqi turned to look at Zhang Xuan anxiously.

"Teacher, what should we do now?"

Even though she was a feared genius among her fellow peers, before Zhang shi, she felt as ignorant as a child. For some reason, she found herself developing a dependency on the other party, and it felt as though the ideas that came out from the other party's mind would always be the best.

If not for this deep trust in the other party, she wouldn't have chosen to follow Zhang shi despite feeling that Yu Fei-er's words were more logical.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan replied, "Since we can only pick one passageway, it means that the other passageway where Xing Yuan and the others are at must be locked as well. Let's just advance for now. Perhaps there might be another exit here..."

"Un!"

Luo Qiqi nodded in agreement.

Thus, the duo continued downward. Soon, they arrived at an average-sized room. Under the illumination of the Night Illumination Pearls, they could see that there was a stone table and two stone chairs in here—a very simple layout.

There were no windows or doors here. They had come to the end of the path.

"So small?"

Luo Qiqi frowned.

The hall they were in previously spanned over a few hundred square meters, so they thought that the underground chamber below here should at least be larger. Who knew that it would only be around twenty square meters, not to mention, empty? Rather than an underground chamber, it felt like a cage instead.

"We're at the end? Could it be that... I've really picked the wrong passageway?"

Zhang Xuan's complexion also turned rather awful.

He didn't pick this road on a whim... but judging from the narrow room and the lack of any further passage for them to walk down on, could his instincts have truly failed him?

Were they doomed to die here?

Looking around, Zhang Xuan suppressed his anxiety and said, "Regardless of whether I am mistaken or not, judging from how deep the underground chamber is, and the effort put into installing the Dragon Severing Lock, it's not logical for the passageway to end with this small room. There must be some kind of trick to this room!"

Dragon Severing Lock was an extremely valuable artifact, even for a 6-star celestial designer. Putting aside the technology required to install it, just the resilient material that made it difficult for even a normal Saint to break it was incomparably expensive in itself.

It truly didn't make sense to use such a valuable object to seal a passageway just to have such a small room at the very end of it.

"I'll try looking around."

Luo Qiqi nodded. She walked to the stone table and touched it, but she instantly withdrew her fingers with a shocked expression. "There's no dust at all!"

Astonished, Zhang Xuan rushed up and touched the table as well. His face immediately turned grim.

The stone table and stone chairs had been here for innumerable years, and yet, there wasn't the slightest dust to be found on them. It was as if someone had dusted them regularly...

"Could it be that... someone actually lives here?"

Luo Qiqi narrowed her eyes.

It was one thing for a voice to be recorded on a Mechanical Recorder, but if someone was alive... that would change the essence of things!

First and foremost, they would be in even graver danger than before.

This was a power that could even kidnap the 6-star pinnacle Blacksmith Wu Yangzi alive... Their true strength was unimaginable.

If someone were to be alive, given the current cultivation realms of the duo, it would be hard for them to escape with their lives!

"I took the formation flags outside one by one, and based on my observations, it should have been at least two thousand years since anyone has touched them... To remain in this underground chamber for two thousand years? No one has that long of a lifespan!" Zhang Xuan said with a grim expression.

Even after reaching Transcendent Mortal realm, and one's physical constitution improves by leaps and bounds, one's lifespan would still be limited to a maximum of around three hundred years. It was impossible to go beyond them!

In fact, even upon reaching Saint realm, where one's level of existence evolved once more, a thousand years would still be the limit. It was completely unheard of for any Saints to live for more than two thousand years.

Even Empyrean Kong shi also couldn't withstand the test of time, and eventually vanished in the annals of history.

Given that the formation flags hadn't been touched for two thousand years, it would mean that no one had come out and entered the underground chamber in this period of time. To still be living after such a long period of time... how could that be possible?

Even soul oracles had a limit to their lifespan as well. Back then, if not for the protection from the Nine Hearts Lotus, under the corrosion of the Five Soul Declines, it would have been impossible for Mo Hunsheng to live so long.

"But... if there are no living beings here, why is there no dust in here?"

Luo Qiqi also understood the logic behind this. However, it was extremely clear that this table had been cleaned on a frequent basis.

One must know that they were in an underground chamber which was filled with rocks and dust. It was perfectly normal for dust to accumulate on furniture... If no one was living here, how could the cleanliness of the furniture be explained?

Zhang Xuan interrupted her thoughts.

"That... I'm not too sure either. Let's not think about it now. The urgent matter at hand is to find if there any mechanism that can get us out of here. Otherwise, it will just be a matter of time before we run out of food and water!"

The urgent matter at hand wasn't whether there was anyone here or not—even if there was, given the size of this underground passageway, there was nowhere they could hide anyway.

The thing they had to do now was to find an escape route. The longer they remained here, the more likely it was that something bad would happen to them.

He didn't want to die here just for a mere mission.

"Un!"

Luo Qiqi nodded as she started placing her hands on the walls to feel them.

Zhang Xuan also placed his fingers against the wall while shouting 'flaws' in his mind.

Hu!

A book immediately appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path. Zhang Xuan swiftly opened it up.

"Virescental Stone, a strong mineral found in the ground, created by the collision of earth veins..."

Taking a look, Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

The Library of Heaven's Path only analyzed whatever it came into contact with. As what Zhang Xuan touched was the wall and not a mechanism, the Library of Heaven's Path only reflected the properties of the rock.

He slowly slid his fingers along the wall.

He was certain that there was some mechanism along the wall, but due to the other party's ingenious camouflaging of the mechanism with the surrounding Virescental Stone, he was unable to see it at the moment.

Kacha!

While Zhang Xuan was moving along the wall, he suddenly heard the crisp click of a gear. Following which, Luo Qiqi excitedly called out.

"I found the mechanism!"

Turning around, he saw the portion of the wall where Luo Qiqi's hand was pressing against sinking several inches in, as though she was pressing on some kind of button.

Geji! Geji!

The mechanism released deep creaking sound, and an average-sized stone door slowly appeared in front of Luo Qiqi.

"Teacher, look..."

Exclaiming in excitement, she fetched a Night Illumination Pearl with her other hand to throw it in so as to see what was inside when 'hu!', an arm suddenly stretched out and grabbed her up by her neck.

That arm was incomparably thick, similar to the thigh of a human. The muscles, tendons, and junctions looked swollen. The skin was a dark shade of gray, unseemly of the tone a human should have.

"Damn it!"

Everything happened so quickly that Zhang Xuan didn't even have time to react. He narrowed his eyes and hurriedly rushed forward by executing his Heaven's Path Movement Art.

In his path of motion, he whipped out his Glacier Rain Sword and slashed down on that arm.

Before the sharp gleam of the sword, the palm released Luo Qiqi and flicked its finger toward the sword instead.

Ding!

As the black fingernails came into contact with the tip of the sword, a mighty force suddenly came gushing toward Zhang Xuan as though he was struck by a meteorite. With a stifled feeling in his chest, he was sent flying in an instant.

Peng!

His back crashed heavily against the wall, forming a human-shaped depression in it. A sweet sensation welled up in his throat, and fresh blood seeped from the edge of his mouth.

With his recent breakthrough, his fighting prowess had improved tremendously. In terms of strength, he could even rival a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage cultivator. Yet, he couldn't even withstand a single finger flick from the other party!

'The opponent must be at least Transcendent Mortal 8-dan... or even higher!'

Zhang Xuan's face turned livid, and his grip on his sword tightened to the point that the edges of his fingers were turning white.

Back then, he instantaneously realized the danger of the situation and executed the Heaven's Path Sword Art with all the might he could harness. Yet, he was still sent flying with a single flick.

The huge disparity between him and his opponent left despair creeping up on him.

Hu!

While Zhang Xuan was sent flying, the massive palm came grabbing at Luo Qiqi once more.

"Damn it!"

At that moment, Luo Qiqi also recovered from the shock from the sudden attack.

No matter what, she was one of the top geniuses of the Master Teacher Academy, a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan pinnacle expert. It was only due to her carelessness that the other party managed to grab her neck so easily. Having recovered her senses, she immediately bellowed loudly and stabbed her sword forward.

Her swordsmanship was forceful and elegant. Just from her movements itself, it could be seen that her understanding and mastery of swordsmanship wasn't beneath Zhang Xuan by too much!

She had reached the Sword Heart realm as well!

Hu la!

Seeing Luo Qiqi retaliate, the giant palm swiftly changed the trajectory of its motion and slapped her sword instead.

Ding!

Luo Qiqi's sword immediately flew out of her hands and stabbed deep into the ceiling of the room. The immense force from the motion left the sword impaled into the ceiling, shaking non-stop.

"Run!"

Knowing that it would be impossible for them to stand against that huge hand with their cultivation, Zhang Xuan immediately executed the Heaven's Path Movement Art and appeared before Luo Qiqi. Covering her with his zhenqi, he picked her up and immediately retreated to the corner.

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Chapter 662: Miscalculated

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Teacher, what's that?"

Until now, Luo Qiqi's face was still pale in shock.

She had used her full might for that attack, and yet her sword was sent flying so casually without even harming the other party in the slightest. A sense of helplessness was rising within her.

"I don't know either, but that thing isn't something that we can deal with given our current capability!" Zhang Xuan said as he drove the Heaven's Path zhenqi within him to recuperate from his previous injuries. "Most probably, you might have triggered the wrong mechanism and released it..."

"I released it?"

Luo Qiqi's figure jolted in shock, and regret surfaced on her face.

Indeed.

It was only after she pressed a certain mechanism did that massive hand appear.

"Un. Even though I can't tell exactly what the other party is, the appearance of the arm did remind me of something..."

Zhang Xuan frowned.

"What is it?" Luo Qiqi asked grimly.

"Otherworldly Demons!"

Upon exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Zhang Xuan had completely healed from his previous injuries.

"You mean the tribe which Kong shi expelled from the Master Teacher Continent long ago... the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?" Luo Qiqi's entire body stiffened, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Indeed. I've seen an Otherworldly Demon before, and while the skin tone seemed a little different, there doesn't seem to be much difference in terms of the skeletal structure!" Zhang Xuan said.

There was a specific reason why he chose this passageway instead of the other one where Yu Fei-er and the others went to.

'Yearning Abode Lodge', the killing intent infused within those three words wasn't something that a human could possess... but an Otherworldly Demon!

Back during the Master Teacher Tournament, in order to test their courage, Hong shi had brought out an Otherworldly Demon. There was no way Zhang Xuan could forget the feeling from the killing intent back then.

And it was identical to the killing intent he felt from the three words.

As such, he didn't think that it belonged to Grandmaster Wu Yangzi.

But even so, Zhang Xuan wasn't too sure at the start. After all, it had been a long time since the Otherworldly Demons had disappeared... but to think that there would really be some here!

Furthermore, it appeared in the underground chamber he had specifically chosen to avoid them!

Could he have really made the wrong choice? Could it be that the Yearning Abode Lodge was truly the living quarters of Wu Yangzi whereas residing in this Burying Sorrow Lodge was a huge monster?

Geji! Geji!

While the duo was speaking, a creaking sound continued to echo from the mechanism, and the stone door kept opening.

The initial crack was only sufficient for a hand to pass through, but at this rate, it would only be a matter of time before the entire stone door opened and the monster trapped within charged out.

Hearing of the Otherworldly Demon and recalling the killing intent from a moment ago, cold sweat trickled down Luo Qiqi's head, and her face paled.

"Teacher, let's go up..."

Even though she was a 5-star master teacher, she was still young, and she had never come into contract with the Otherworldly Demons before. In a sense, she wasn't faring any better than Ruohuan gongzi and the others back then.

Having dealt with an Otherworldly Demon once, Zhang Xuan didn't panic. Instead, he activated the Eye of Insight and began to analyze the situation rationally.

"There's a Dragon Severing Lock up top, not to mention, the stairway is also narrow. We would be cornered over there, and that would spell our death!"

Escaping this narrow stone room was indeed his first thought as well, but it was far from the most correct move.

There was only one road in this passageway, and the duo could barely stand side by side with its width. If they were to escape up there, it would just be a matter of time before they were cornered.

"What should we do then?" Hearing the other party's words, Luo Qiqi also realized that the idea wasn't feasible, and her face paled in anxiety and fear.

"There's no other option before us now. We have to find another mechanism to escape this room. Otherwise, we'll die here!" Zhang Xuan said.

Under the effects of the Heaven's Path zhenqi and his Soul Depth of 16.0, the astounding killing intent from the Otherworldly Demon had little effect on him. As such, he was still capable of rationally analyzing the situation.

"I understand!"

Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws in determination.

Naturally, her reputation as the top genius of Grade 2 students didn't come from nowhere. Panicked as she may be, she knew that there was no mistake in her teacher's words, so she nodded and hurriedly moved to the wall.

Zhang Xuan also moved to the wall and yelled 'flaws' in his mind as he touched every single part of it.

The stone room wasn't too large, spanning only several dozen square meters. It didn't take long for the duo to go around the entire room. Zhang Xuan swiftly flipped through the books in the Library of Heaven's Path, but a huge frown appeared on his forehead.

All of these books were on the type of mineral the walls were made of—there wasn't the slightest part detailing about a mechanism or that sort. Could he have been mistaken? Was there really no other mechanism in the room?

"How is it?"

He turned to look at Luo Qiqi.

Even though she may not specialize in mechanisms like Wu Zhen, as a 5-star master teacher, she still possessed an astounding eye of discernment. Otherwise, she wouldn't have triggered the previous mechanism and accidentally let that huge fellow out.

"Nothing at all!"

Luo Qiqi shook her head. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she immediately paled. With a nervous look, she turned to look at Zhang Xuan and asked, "Teacher... is it possible that the mechanism to the exit is actually..."

Unable to continue speaking, she lifted her shaking finger and pointed.

Seeing where she was pointing at, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched.

It was the stone door that the Otherworldly Demon was in.

In truth, when he found no other mechanism in the room, he also stumbled upon this thought. However, unwilling to accept it, he shoved the thought to the side of the mind. However, as Luo Qiqi pointed it out at this moment, he had no choice but to face it now.

"This will be a gamble. If the exit is down there, we might still stand a chance at survival... otherwise, the only path remaining for us is death!"

Looking at the stone door slowly creaking open, Zhang Xuan knew that it was just a matter of time before that fellow leaped out to slaughter them. They had to make up their minds now

Should their suspicions prove to be false, and it was actually a dead end beyond the stone door, they would be doomed!

However, if there was a passageway in there, they would get a shot at getting through this ordeal.

"Yes!" Understanding this, Luo Qiqi nodded in consent to the operation.

"You should hide behind the stone door first. Once that fellow leaps out, I'll draw him away from the front. Meanwhile, you should enter the stone door, and if there's a passageway, run away immediately. There's no need for you to wait for me," instructed Zhang Xuan telepathically with a grim frown on his forehead.

"I can't!"

Hearing the other party's arrangement, Luo Qiqi's face flushed in agitation, and she yelled out.

She had experienced the strength of that fellow inside, so she knew that Zhang shi was putting himself at terrible risk just to create a chance to escape for her!

In times of danger, most would be thinking of how they could preserve their own life. On the other hand, Zhang shi was actually volunteering to sacrifice himself for her...

There was no way she could repay this favor.

"Teacher..."

Her eyes reddened in agitation.

Only in times of trouble would one's true colors shine through.

This is what a real teacher is!

To be able to sacrifice everything for the welfare of their student!

Even though she was a 5-star master teacher, she realized that she would be unable to do the same if she were to be placed in the same position.

"Quick, stop hesitating! Otherwise, neither one of us will get away!" Zhang Xuan bellowed to her.

"I... Alright!"

Gritting her teeth, Luo Qiqi nodded before rushing to the side of the stone door.

Jiya! Jiya!

Just as she succeeded in concealing her figure, the stone door finally opened entirely, and a towering figure emerged from beyond it.

It was a three-meter tall fellow. Its entire body was dyed a shade of gray, and it carried an aura of death.

"This is... a puppet made from the corpse of Otherworldly Demons?"

Narrowing her eyes, Luo Qiqi covered her mouth in shock, her slender body trembling uncontrollably.

Otherworldly Demons were an existence blessed with superior strength at birth. Be it their physical body, soul, or cultivation, their innate abilities were far higher than an average human. In a sense, a puppet forged out of a corpse would be similar to the Soulless Metal Humanoid, but due to the superior physical body, it would be far stronger. In fact, due to the nature of its body, it would be able to exert the full might the Otherworldly Demon possessed before its demise.

This explained the mystery of the cleaned furniture from before...

They were wondering how there could be any survivors after a lapse of two thousand years, but to think that it would be a puppet instead!

This kind of artifact was driven by spiritual energy, and as long it wasn't damaged, it could be said that there was no definite limit to its lifespan. Even though they were underground, the region was rich in spiritual energy, sufficient to fuel the puppet no matter how high its consumption of spiritual energy was.

Most likely, the furniture was cleaned by him.

Even though it possessed no sentience, it would still accomplish the mission its master commanded of it.

Just as Luo Qiqi was immersed in shock, Zhang shi abruptly bellowed and slashed his sword.

"Die!"

Tzz la!

The immense might of Zhang Xuan's slash, along with the emanation of sword qi, creating a sharp buzzing noise in the air as the sword qi flew toward the puppet.

The puppet stepped forward from the stone door and slapped down Zhang Xuan's sword qi with its thick hands.

Hu!

The collision between Zhang Xuan's rampaging might and the puppet's slap was reminiscent of a lone boat before a tsunami, it dissipated entirely under the immense force of the slap without stopping the puppet for too long.

Just as Luo Qiqi was hesitating, unable to decide whether to assist Zhang shi or flee, the other party's anxious shout suddenly echoed in the room.

"Hurry up and leave!"

"Un!"

Knowing that the other party was doing this so as to offer her a chance at survival, Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws and rushed toward the stone door.

Teacher, thank you...

If we can get out of here alive, I'll obey every single instruction you have of me. I'll be your student and your guardian for life...

Hong long!

While she was dashing through the stone door, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt an immense force crushing down on him. With a sharp exhalation of breath, he was sent crashing into the wall once again.

'This shouldn't be!'

Struggling off the wall, Zhang Xuan looked at the rampaging Otherworldly Demon puppet in bewilderment.

It wasn't out of his kindness that he drew this huge fellow to himself and allowed Luo Qiqi to escape first... Rather, he wanted to make use of the other party's gratitude to form a golden page!

With that, he was confident of destroying even a Saint!

Since the other party had acknowledged him as her teacher, and she did possess deep gratitude toward him, he thought that a golden page would surely be formed. Who could have thought that... there would be nothing at all!

Could it be that he failed to induce the other party's gratitude?

But that shouldn't be! From her eyes, he could tell that she was earnestly grateful to him for his sacrifice. However, if that was the case, why didn't the golden page form?

Suddenly, an idea popped into Zhang Xuan's head.

'Could it be that... there's a difference between the gratitude I receive from guiding someone and from saving someone?'

All along, the golden pages formed in the Book of Heaven's Path were due to him imparting a battle technique, cultivation technique, or clarifying the doubts of another.

But this situation was clearly much different from the others.

This time, the gratitude the other party had for him was for saving her life. While it was indeed a huge favor, it wasn't the kind of gratitude between a teacher and a student. Rather, it was directed toward his magnanimity and his noble character.

'I miscalculated...'

Zhang Xuan's lips twitched, and cold sweat started dripping down his forehead.

He thought that the criteria for forming a golden page would be the relationship between of a teacher and a student, and gratitude between them. As long as a golden page was formed, he would be able to get out of this desperate situation. Who knew that he would actually fail...

This time, he would really have to fight against this huge fellow head on!

And clearly, he was no match for the other party at all.

Hu!

Just as he was stifled by the darned situation before him, the Otherworldly Demon was already right before him. Its massive fist smashed right toward his head.

From this moment on, every action Zhang Xuan took could spell his death.

This was the greatest crisis Zhang Xuan was in ever since his transcension!

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Chapter 663: Crimson Blaze Cauldron

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Clone!"

Knowing that he would be a goner if this fist were to land on him, Zhang Xuan immediately brought out his clone while his main body dodged to the side.

"Main body, did you find some good stuff again? Ah?!"

The clone had been in the storage ring all along, so he wasn't aware of what was going on outside. When he was summoned, he thought that there would be something for him, similar to how it was with the Cleansing Lake back then... but just as he was getting excited, a massive fist was already right before his eyes.

Peng!

Before he could even process what was going on, he was already punched in his head, and his head flattened as though a squashed pancake. His rage immediately flew off the charts.

"To dare to strike me, you're courting death!"

Not expecting to meet with something like this as soon as he appeared, the clone was frenzied. In a moment, the clone's flattened head immediately puffed up back to normal, and he raised his fist to punch the Otherworldly Demon puppet!

As the clone's body was molded out of Nine Hearts Lotus, it had no specific form, thus allowing it to recover even if it were to be reduced to a pile of mud. In a sense, it could be said to be indestructible. This was also the reason why Zhang Xuan used the latter as a shield at this crucial moment.

Hu hu!

Clashing fists with the Otherworldly Demon puppet, 'peng!', the clone was immediately sent crashing into a wall.

Despite its unparalleled physical resilience, the clone's cultivation and true strength were still way too low. As such, it wasn't a match for this monster either.

It was just like how a diamond might be tougher than steel, but a steel hammer could still shatter it into bits.

Hong long!

But while the clone couldn't stand on equal footing with the Otherworldly Demon puppet, it did manage to provoke it with its fist. The furious Otherworldly Demon puppet immediately rushed forward and kicked at the clone.

"This is bad..."

Just the fist itself nearly caused his entire body to fall apart, the clone instinctively knew that he wouldn't be able to withstand the might of this kick. Frightened, he swiftly dodged to the side.

"Die!"

At the same moment, Zhang Xuan, who was wielding a sword, immediately raised his sword and cut down on the Otherworldly Demon puppet's neck.

The main body and the clone shared their consciousness, allowing them to work together with exceptional synergy. While the clone drew attention away from the Otherworldly Demon puppet, Zhang Xuan made use of this opportunity when the other party's attention wasn't on him to launch an attack.

Ding!

However, as the sword struck the neck of the puppet, a crisp metallic sound echoed with a burst of sparks.

Zhang Xuan felt a dull pain in his arm. It was as if he had struck a metal pole with a wooden stick; his sword nearly fell out of his hands.

"Isn't he simply way too tough?"

Taking a look, Zhang Xuan realized that he had only managed to leave nothing but a white scar on the other party's neck. His face immediately darkened.

The sword he was wielding was a Spirit intermediate-tier pinnacle sword, and yet, an attack with his full might actually failed to even cut through the other party's skin. How formidable must this fellow's defense be?

"Could it be that... on top of the corpse of an Otherworldly Demon, some other materials were used to forge this puppet into a weapon?"

Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed.

With an immense strength exceeding 9,000,000 ding and the might of a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, even the head of a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert would be easily lopped off. And yet, he barely scraped the other party's skin. That could only mean one thing...

This fellow wasn't just an ordinary puppet forged out of a mere corpse. It was highly likely that its body was coated with a layer of some extraordinary alloy, turning it into a weapon exceeding Spirit intermediate-tier.

That was the only plausible explanation as to why Zhang Xuan's attack was rendered ineffective!

"How do I fight against something like this?"

Zhang Xuan's face turned exceptionally awful.

Even his strongest weapon wasn't sufficient to break through the other party's defense. In other words, he was incapable of hurting the other party, needless to say, kill it!

Hu!

While Zhang Xuan was in the midst of despairing, the Otherworldly Demon puppet, infuriated by his backstab, turned around and smashed its massive fist at him.

Its fist seemed to wield strength comparable to a mountain, compressing the air in space with a loud sonic boom. Even before it could reach Zhang Xuan, he could already feel a searing heat in his surroundings, as though he had been placed in a massive cauldron.

Might of a Searing Cauldron!

Legend has it that when one's fist reached a certain strength, the shock wave of one's punch would become reminiscent of a searing cauldron, capable of even melting steel.

Zhang Xuan had always thought that it was just an exaggeration of old legends, but to think that he would experience it himself!

"Retreat..."

Knowing that it was impossible to stand against such a powerful punch, Zhang Xuan immediately rushed backward.

Peng!

However, the room was simply too small. Barely after retreating two steps, he felt the cold wall pressing tightly against his back.

"Dragon Scale Amulet!"

Knowing that it would be impossible for him to dodge this attack, Zhang Xuan was left with no choice but to activate the amulet from before.

There were only three uses to this object. He had used it once in the soul oracle tomb, and this was his second use.

A light barrier appeared and shrouded him.

Boom!

As the fist came into contact with the light barrier, an ear-splitting sonic boom sounded, and the latter immediately burst.

In an instant, Zhang Xuan felt an immense force transferring from the barrier and on to him. The stone wall directly behind him was reduced to dust while he spurted a mouthful of fresh blood.

If not for the physical body tempering he had undergone in the Cleansing Lake, his bones would have been shattered by that blow.

"To be able to destroy a barrier that could even withstand an attack from a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan pinnacle, this fellow's strength must have reached Saint realm..."

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan swiftly moved aside to create room for himself while driving the Heaven's Path zhenqi within him to heal his injuries.

He thought that as long as he collaborated with his clone, even if they couldn't defeat it, he would at least be able to escape. Who could have known that, on top of being strong, the other party's defensive capabilities would be extraordinary as well?

Only a Saint could possibly possess such capabilities.

At Zhang Xuan's current cultivation, it was impossible for him to defeat the other party.

Unless...

"... there's a Spirit pinnacle weapon for me to wield!"

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

Due to the other party's overwhelming defense, even though he knew its flaws, with his current strength, it was impossible for him to exploit them against the other party. However, it was possible for him to make up for his weakness through a stronger weapon... If there was a Spirit pinnacle weapon here, he might still stand a chance against the puppet... otherwise, the only fate that awaited him would be death!

What should he do?

Ever since his transcension, everything had been smooth-sailing. He never thought that a day would come where he would meet with such a dangerous situation.

If the other party was a living being, he might still be able to hoodwink it through his Impartation of Heaven's Will, just as he had done with the Otherworldly Demon back then...

But a puppet possessed no sentience at all! No number of words could possibly sway a being whose only purpose of existence was to accomplish the instructions asked of it.

While Zhang Xuan was at a loss, he suddenly heard Luo Qiqi's telepathic voice in his head.

"Teacher, there's a passageway in here, come in..."

Many things had happened, but it had only been ten breaths since she entered the stone door. It seemed as though she found something within it.

"Alright!"

Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and exerted another wave of sword qi. At the same moment, he had his clone attack from behind. After all was done, he immediately turned around and fled for the stone door.

His clone was indestructible, so he had nothing to fear, but Zhang Xuan was different. Should his head be caved in by that fearsome fist, he would really die on the spot.

Geji! Geji!

Seemingly sensing Zhang Xuan's intention, the Otherworldly Demon puppet flew into a greater rage. Paying no heed to his sword qi, it charged forward right at Zhang Xuan.

It wanted to use the fearsome might of its charge to smash Zhang Xuan's body!

"Damn it!"

Zhang Xuan gritted with his teeth in frustration.

If it was just a single punch, he could still avoid it with his movement art. However, if it was an entire body... this narrow room had no space for him to dodge at all! Once that massive body crashed into him, even if he were to survive, he would be as good as dead.

"Scram!"

At that moment, his clone suddenly charged forward and struck the Otherworldly Demon puppet's side.

Peng!

Even though his clone wasn't sufficiently strong to knock down the puppet, he still managed to cause a slight deviation in the direction of its charge.

What should have struck Zhang Xuan's body squarely ended up sweeping by his shoulder.

Weng!

At that crucial moment, Zhang Xuan activated the last Dragon Scale Amulet, and with a loud 'kacha!', the light barrier broke. Under the immense force of that charge, Zhang Xuan fell through the stone door.

"Clone, come back!"

While Zhang Xuan was flying through the air, he returned the clone into his storage ring before crashing into the wall once more.

A worried voice called out from in front of him.

"Teacher..."

Turning around, he saw a passageway behind the stone door. It seemed like there was some kind of mechanism in here which Luo Qiqi had triggered in the time she was in here. The passageway was narrow, allowing only one person to pass through at a time.

The place where he had crashed into was the wall of this exact passageway.

Knowing that the huge fellow could come rushing in at any moment, Zhang Xuan immediately stood up and dashed inward, not daring to hesitate in the slightest.

The passageway wasn't too long, only around ten meters or so. Zhang Xuan came to the end within half a breath, and a vast stone chamber appeared before him.

It was much larger than the room from before, spanning over several thousand square meters.

"This..."

Not expecting that there would be such a huge space behind that narrow passageway, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

While Zhang Xuan was examining the area curiously, Luo Qiqi said excitedly, "Teacher, you're right! These are indeed Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's living quarters. Here are the books and cauldron that he left behind..."

Lifting his gaze, he saw the young lady looking at her excitedly.

She was, of course, delighted to see that her teacher was fine, but it was something else that was causing her excitement.

"Books? Cauldron?"

Lifting his gaze, under the illumination of numerous Night Illumination Pearls, there was a row of giant bookshelves behind the young lady. Not too far away from the bookshelves stood a massive cauldron.

Unlike the cauldrons used for pill forging, this one looked like a huge furnace instead. Even though it wasn't lit, one could still feel a violent energy rampaging within it.

With just a glance, it was clear that it was an extraordinary artifact!

"Un. I've examined it, and it's the forging cauldron that Grandmaster Wu Yangzi used back then, the 'Crimson Blaze Cauldron'!" Luo Qiqi said.

A blacksmith's cauldron was equivalent to his pride and his life. The fact that his cauldron was here meant that he had definitely lived here before.

In other words... they were at the right place!

The Burying Sorrow Lodge was indeed where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi had lived after he had been kidnapped.

As long as they brought this Crimson Blaze Cauldron back to the academy, it would mean that they had succeeded in clearing their mission!

"Great! Have you found the exit yet?" Zhang Xuan asked.

In truth, he wasn't too interested in the mission. His current priority was to find an exit to leave this damned place!

The narrow passageway could hold back the massive fellow for a moment, but it would only be a matter of time before it charged in there and kills them. Before they could enjoy whatever treasures were in there, they had to ensure their survival first.

"Exit? I... I haven't found it yet..."

Luo Qiqi's face paled.

In truth, the sight of the Crimson Blaze Cauldron and the books had left her so excited that she had forgotten her current goal.

Furthermore, given the size of the room and poor lighting, it would be hard for them to find it in an instant either.

Boom!

Before she could finish her words, the duo suddenly felt a powerful killing intent assaulting them. The puppet from before walked into the hall.

"This is really bad..."

Zhang Xuan's face paled.

Chapter 664: Zhang Xuan Sets Up a Formation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Before they could find the exit, the other party had already rushed into the chamber. They were now cornered like rats.

Not giving Zhang Xuan any time to think, the Otherworldly Demon puppet rushed straight toward Zhang Xuan as soon as it entered the room.

Clearly, it was currently blinded by rage such that it couldn't care less about Luo Qiqi.

"Damn it!"

Knowing that it was impossible for him to withstand the fearsome might of this fellow, Zhang Xuan immediately flew into the sky.

It was fortunate that the ceiling of the chamber was also much higher than the stone room, being over several dozen meters high. Even though Zhang Xuan was unable to fight against the Otherworldly Demon puppet, he could escape to the sky temporarily to think of a plan.

Sou!

As soon as he flew up, he immediately felt a powerful force rushing up to him. The puppet had leaped up in pursuit of him.

Limited by the nature of its existence as a puppet, this fellow wasn't capable of flight. But even so, a height of several dozen meters wasn't difficult for a puppet possessing might equivalent to a Saint to cover.

"Teacher, I'll help you!"

Seeing how that fellow was pursuing her teacher relentlessly, Luo Qiqi was anxious. She immediately whipped out a bow, drew an arrow, and shot it right toward the puppet in the sky.

Wu!

Harnessing the full might of a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan pinnacle expert, it appeared right before the puppet in an instant. However, with a single flick of its arm, it patted away the arrow easily.

However, this brief lapse in its concentration granted Zhang Xuan an opportunity to alter the direction of his flight to Luo Qiqi.

On the other hand, as the puppet was 'flying' through the force of its leap, it could only continue on with the trajectory of its motion.

"Teacher..."

At that crucial moment, there was no time for Luo Qiqi to question why Zhang Xuan was flying. She worriedly looked over and asked, "Are you fine..."

"I'm fine now, but if we don't find the exit anytime soon, we will be goners soon..." Zhang Xuan said grimly.

Although he was able to maneuver around the ceiling to dodge the other party's attacks, once his zhenqi ran dry, they would still be done for.

Knowing that there was no time to talk any further, Zhang Xuan quickly instructed, "Take the Crimson Blaze Cauldron and quickly look for the exit..."

"Yes..."

Luo Qiqi hurriedly nodded before rushing over to the cauldron. She placed her palm on it, intending to place it within her storage ring.

But before she could move it, the gears of a mechanism suddenly clicked, and a voice sounded.

"I am Wu Yangzi! Guests, if you can forge a Spirit high-tier weapon, you'll be entitled to my heritage. Otherwise, if you were to forcefully claim my Crimson Blaze Cauldron, the entire underground chamber will collapse. Only through earning my heritage will I reveal the exit to this chamber. Otherwise, be prepared to be buried with me!"

"Collapse?"

"Buried with him?"

Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi were stunned for a moment before frenzy overwhelmed them.

Who in the world wants your heritage!

With such a damned puppet chasing after their lives, who has the time to forge your freaking weapons?

You must be trying to kill us!

Besides, forging a Spirit high-tier weapon... Only 5-star pinnacle blacksmiths can do so!

Even though Luo Qiqi had dabbled in weapon forging before, she was only a 5-star primary blacksmith. How could she forge a weapon which only a 5-star pinnacle could forge?

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan... could be said to know nothing about weapon forging at all. He wasn't even qualified as a 1-star blacksmith, so that was even more impossible for him...

Boom!

While the duo was still depressed about their current predicament, a shock wave suddenly burst in the chamber. The Otherworldly Demon puppet had already landed on the ground, and after determining its next path of motion, it dashed forward.

Given the latter's speed, it would be just a few breaths before it reaches them.

"Teacher, what do we do?" Luo Qiqi asked, panicking.

At the same time, Zhang Xuan also felt goosebumps rising up on his skin.

He had just crossed hands with this huge fellow, and despite working together with his clone, they could hardly even fend off a single move... To face it in a direct battle, they would probably be destroyed in just a few blows!

And according to Wu Yangzi's words, only those who had obtained his heritage could leave...

To obtain his heritage, they would have to forge a weapon... but under such circumstances, even if they wanted to give it a try, this huge fellow couldn't possibly give them any!

"Unless... there was some kind of formation that could trap this huge fellow temporarily. Otherwise, we won't be able to forge anything at all..." Luo Qiqi said anxiously.

"Indeed. Furthermore, the formation must be at least grade-6, or else he would break out in an instant..."

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. He was just about to continue speaking when an epiphany suddenly struck him. "Grade-6 formation?"

"Little Qi, help me by distracting this fellow for a few breaths!"

Suddenly recalling something, Zhang Xuan leaped up and flew into the sky.

"Alright!"

Judging from her teacher's expression, he must have noticed something. Luo Qiqi immediately took out another handful of arrows and shot at the puppet.

Sou sou sou sou!

Every single arrow of hers harnessed immense might, leaving the puppet no choice but to deflect them properly.

Knowing that it was impossible for Luo Qiqi to sustain this, Zhang Xuan hurriedly flicked his wrist, and a bunch of formation flags appeared in his hands.

These were the ones which he had procured at the mountain valley outside earlier on.

Zhang Xuan knew a lot of the grade-3 formations, but his knowledge for anything beyond grade-4 was terribly limited. The only grade-5 formation he knew was a Spirit Gathering Formation.

As such, it should be impossible for him to set up a grade-6 formation.

Without the formation blueprint and formation flags, how could he possibly succeed?

But due to sheer coincidence, he did have the formation blueprint and formation flags for a grade-6 formation.

Yu Fei-er had used a Formation Destroying Silver Needle to trigger the formation, thus creating a detailed book on its flaws to be compiled in the Library of Heaven's Path. This had given Zhang Xuan perfect knowledge regarding the formation.

And this Hidden Formation happened to be grade-6... and he also had those flags in his storage ring as well!

Back then, he was only thinking that it would be a huge waste to leave behind such valuable objects. Who would have thought that it might actually save his life now?

Zhang Xuan examined the hall from his position in the sky.

'The chamber is sufficiently huge for me to lay out the formation...'

He intended to use this formation to hide the region where the cauldron and books were gathered.

As long as he could keep the puppet out for a period of time, they would be able to try to obtain Wu Yangzi's heritage through forging a weapon!

However, this Hidden Formation required substantial space to lay it out, and it was fortunate that this chamber was large enough. Otherwise, there would be nothing Zhang Xuan could do.

"Alright!"

Confirming the positions, Zhang Xuan flicked his fingers.

Weng!

A couple of the formation flags in his palm scattered across the entire room.

"Formation flags? Is teacher going to set up a formation?"

Luo Qiqi, who was busy stopping the puppet with her arrows, couldn't help but be slightly bewildered by Zhang Xuan's actions.

Even though she hadn't studied formations before, her close friend was a 5-star formation master, so she had many opportunities to see how formations were laid out.

Even the most formidable formation master in the Master Teacher Academy had to use a compass to assess the surroundings first, searching inch by inch and placing flag after flag into the ground...

Yet, this fellow actually simply threw a bunch of formation flags down from the sky at once...

Was this for real?

Would a formation set up so casually really work?

Wasn't this taking formations too lightly?

While she was overwhelmed by astonishment, one of the arrows was accidentally shot with insufficient strength. As such, with a furious roar, the puppet on the receiving end stretched out its hand and grabbed it, before throwing it back at her.

Wu wu!

Even though the arrow was hurled with the puppet's bare hands, its strength was simply too great. It whizzed through the air, heading straight back at Luo Qiqi.

Alarmed, Luo Qiqi's eyes narrowed, and she quickly stepped aside. But even so, the sheer wind pressure from the trajectory of the arrow ripped the cloth by her shoulder and deeply cut her snow-white skin.

Roar!

At the same time, the Otherworldly Demon puppet, freed from the previous barrage of arrows, roared furiously and leaped at Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan swiftly twisted his body and changed his trajectory. At the same time, he continued to hurl flags downward to specific locations below.

"Your enemy is me, don't even think of going after teacher!"

Seeing that the fellow was pursuing Zhang Xuan once more, Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws and drew her arrows once more.

Weng!

This arrow pulled out of rage harnessed nearly her entire might. With a speed as swift as a shooting star, it appeared before the Otherworldly Demon puppet in an instant.

Ding!

Before the puppet could even react, it was already shot in its glabella.

However, this fellow's defense was simply too strong. Not to mention, as a puppet, concepts such as acupoint and the like didn't apply to it. As such, striking what that should have been a vital didn't damage it in the least; on the contrary, it only infuriated it further.

Roaring furiously, it changed its target from Zhang Xuan to her.

With that previous attack, its aggression had been pulled from Zhang Xuan to her. Its massive arms threatened to smash the woman before it into a lump of meat.

Hu!

Astonished, Luo Qiqi could hardly react when the Otherworldly Demon puppet was already standing right before her. With opened fingers, its hand stretched forward to grab her.

Even though its attack wasn't reinforced with zhenqi, the sheer brute force behind it still made the young lady's breathing hasten.

"Get lost!"

There was no time for her to shoot an arrow anymore. Thus, with an enraged roar, she smashed her bow at the huge fellow before her.

Even though it was unlikely to help her much, she had no other choice before her—her sword was still deeply lodged in the ceiling of the stone room. Besides, even if she wanted to draw another weapon at this moment, she wouldn't make it in time.

Huala!

Before the bow could strike the puppet, the latter had already grabbed it firmly and twisted it forcefully.

Feeling an immense force threatening to rip her hands, Luo Qiqi swiftly released her grip.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn't stand toe-to-toe against this monstrous puppet, so how could she possibly do so?

Kacha!

With the bow in its hands, the Otherworldly Demon puppet ripped the Spirit intermediate-tier weapon into two before casually tossing it aside. Then, it reached out with its hand to grab Luo Qiqi once more.

Pi li pa la!

An incredible sonic boom exploded in the air. Luo Qiqi hurriedly backed away, but she was still too late. She managed to avoid the grip, but she was struck in her chest by a fearsome shock wave, causing her to flip several rounds in midair before crashing forcefully into a wall not too away.

Pssst!

A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, and Luo Qiqi's face turned incredibly pale.

To think that a Grade 2 genius of the Master Teacher Academy would be incapable of even withstanding a single attack from the other party. This left her feeling incredibly frustrated and helpless.

'No, I must stall for some time for my teacher!'

Seeing as the puppet turned its eyes back to Zhang Xuan once more, Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws, climbed to her feet, and dashed forward.

With a furious roar, she threw her fist forward.

"Your opponent is me!"

Luo Feng Fist!

This was a Spirit high-tier fist art that her ancestors left behind. It was the most powerful technique she had at hand.

With this battle technique, she could even stand toe-to-toe with a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage expert.

A pity it was, but this monster was neither a human nor a Perfect Harmonization realm expert. The Otherworldly Demon puppet lifted its finger and tapped lightly on Luo Qiqi's fist.

Pu!

Spewing blood frenziedly, Luo Qiqi was sent flying back into the wall once more.

Severely injured, if she were to crash into the wall one more time, she might just end up crippled. However, at that moment, a surge of zhenqi embraced her, cushioning the impact.

Following which, she heard a nonchalant voice by her ears.

"Leave the rest... to me!"

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Chapter 665: Heaven's Path Smith Art

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hearing those words, Luo Qiqi's eyes immediately reddened. Unknowingly, Zhang Xuan was already standing before her.

Looking around, she saw more than a hundred formation flags erected in the surroundings. While they were placed in a unique formation, there wasn't the slightest disturbance from them.

"Teacher, are you done laying out your formation?"

"Almost!"

Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a formation plate flew out.

Weng!

The formation plate was activated in midair, and spiritual energy was immediately drawn to it, forming a huge vortex.

"This is... Spirit Gathering Formation?"

Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

Wasn't he setting up a formation in the surrounding? Why was he activating a Spirit Gathering Formation now?

Besides, a Spirit Gathering Formation should be used for cultivating. She had never heard of anyone using it in a battle, especially against one that possesses the strength of a Saint.

Roar!

The puppet seemed to be taken aback by the formation plate as well, but after realizing that nothing had happened at all, it immediately charged forward like a rampaging beast.

As the other party swiftly closed the distance between them, Luo Qiqi grew tenser and tenser. But at that moment, the young man before her harrumphed coldly.

Following which, he stomped on the ground, and the area before him suddenly distorted. The puppet had disappeared, and silence returned to the chamber.

It was as if the earlier sight was only a figment of her imagination.

"What is going on?"

Luo Qiqi examined her surroundings anxiously, but she realized that the Crimson Blaze Cauldron and the books were still present. However, the area where the puppet was earlier had disappeared completely from view and from touch, replaced by deep darkness.

It seemed as though the young man's stomp had torn this space away to an entirely different dimension.

"This is... a Hidden Formation?"

A thought suddenly emerged in her mind.

There was only one type of formation which could produce this type of effect—Hidden Formations!

On top of hiding the formation itself, it would also hide a specific space. That was also the reason why they couldn't find the entrance to the underground chamber no matter how thoroughly they searched.

If not for deciphering the formation, even if they were given three more years and dug up the entire ground in that valley, they would not find the entrance leading down here.

She was curious as to what Zhang shi was setting up earlier, but after seeing this bizarre sight, she suddenly recalled the formation flags and such a thought came to mind.

'However... Hidden Formations require an immense amount of spiritual energy to trigger. One has to be at least a 6-star formation master to activate it. How did teacher manage to do so...'

Even though there was no doubt about the matter, she still found it hard to believe.

Grade-6 formations, not to mention such a profound Hidden Formation, required one to possess a cultivation of at least Transcendent Mortal 6-dan to activate. Given that Zhang shi was only at the Consonant Spirit realm... this was inconceivable!

'Could it be... the Spirit Gathering Formation from earlier?'

Luo Qiqi narrowed her eyes.

Just a moment ago, Zhang shi threw out a Spirit Gathering Formation. She didn't think much of it earlier, but putting everything together, she immediately came to a realization.

That grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation must have served as the engine to activating this Hidden Formation.

Using a formation to activate another... this was the legendary Augmented Formation! Even 6-star pinnacle formation masters would find it hard to install something as complex as this!

Yet, not only had Zhang shi managed to do so, he even did it with incredible ease...

Luo Qiqi's eyes were about to pop out from their sockets.

Formations were formed by harnessing spiritual energy to influence the magnetic field in the environment to create specific phenomena. The concept of 'one plus one equals two' didn't apply here. The interference between two formations could easily prove to be destructive, thus rendering both formations ineffective simultaneously.

To use a Spirit Gathering Formation to activate a Hidden Formation... even though she had just seen it with her own eyes, she still found it hard to believe.

How formidable must one's understanding and control over formations be to achieve such a feat?

Oblivious to Luo Qiqi's shock, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and said, "Alright. Now that we're hidden, let's hurry up and forge the weapon to obtain Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's heritage!"

Given his current capability, it was impossible for him to activate a grade-6 Hidden Formation. In fact, even if he were able to activate it, he didn't have sufficient zhenqi to maintain it for too long.

In a sense, it was similar to a snail pulling a carriage. Even though he did possess strong zhenqi, it was insufficient to maintain the operation of a grade-6 formation.

Left with no other choice, he could only resort to the grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation in his storage ring.

With this and a few hundred middle-tier spirit stones in his possession, he could activate and maintain the grade-6 Hidden Formation for a fair amount of time.

As for complementing the Spirit Gathering Formation with the Hidden Formation perfectly with one another, with the Library of Heaven's Path in hand, it truly wasn't a difficult problem for him at all.

And as expected, he succeeded eventually.

"Indeed. The urgent matter at hand is to forge a Spirit high-tier weapon, meet the requirements of Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's heritage, and uncover the way to leave this underground chamber..."

Recovering from her shock, Luo Qiqi nodded. Then, with a doubtful voice, she asked, "Is teacher going to forge the weapon personally?"

Even though her teacher was younger than her, he had shown capability that astounded her far too often.

At this point, she wouldn't be astonished even if the other party were to forge a Spirit high-tier weapon.

"Me?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He couldn't do so even if he wanted to!

Blacksmith was one of the occupations of the Upper Nine Paths as well. Similar to pill forging, smithing emphasized heavily on one's basics. As such, it required many years of practice to refine one's movements. Given that Zhang Xuan had never forged a weapon before, how was he supposed to forge a Spirit high-tier weapon all of the sudden?

After all, despite his extensive knowledge of pill forging, he still wasn't able to forge a single pill at all. This was even more so for smithing.

"Teacher won't be doing it?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

"I won't. You should do the forging instead!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Me?" Luo Qiqi was astonished.

"Un. It won't be appropriate for me to acknowledge another person as my teacher. If the other party insists on taking me in as his student after I win his recognition, I would be put in a tight spot!" Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

"This... Your teacher is Yang shi, right? He... imparts the Way of Smithing to you as well?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

That day, at the Cleansing Lake, Yang shi rose from a blazing dragon and resolved the calamity with a single shoe. This astounding feat had left her incredibly impressed.

She'd thought that Yang shi was only Zhang shi's cultivation teacher, but to think that he would be teaching the latter smithing as well...

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"But..."

Luo Qiqi was filled with envy upon hearing those words. But soon, a bitter smile surfaced on her lips, and a deep frown appeared on her forehead. "... I'm only a 5-star primary blacksmith. I don't think that I can forge anything that could satisfy Grandmaster Wu Yangzi..."

"Don't worry, I'll guide you along," Zhang Xuan said.

"Thank you!" Hearing that the other party would guide her along, Luo Qiqi's face flushed in agitation.

One must know that Zhang shi was the person who guided her to forging a grade-6 pill!

"Un. You should quickly recuperate from your injuries first. Otherwise, you might collapse while you're smithing..." Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

"Yes!"

Knowing that her severe injuries would impede her from forging a satisfactory weapon, Luo Qiqi immediately sat down and swallowed a recovery pill.

Gugugu!

Warm medicinal energy flowed through her body, healing her wounds slowly.

Hu!

While the other party was in the midst of recuperating, Zhang Xuan hurried over to the bookshelves.

Honestly speaking, while he did possess some knowledge of smithing, it was terribly limited.

While he had read some books on smithing in Tianxuan Kingdom and Tianwu Kingdom, they were limited in quantity, and as such, he was unable to form a complete system of the art. In other words, his Heaven's Path Smith Art was incomplete.

Under such circumstances, while it was possible for him to guide another to forge an ordinary weapon, a Spirit high-tier weapon was far out of his league.

Thus, the only course of action he could take at the moment was to quickly brush up on his knowledge.

Unlike the Hidden Formation set up outside previously, where the formation was harmonized with nature and gathered spiritual energy from the entire mountain range spanning over several thousand kilometers, this formation was only powered by his middle-tier spirit stones...

Once his hundreds of middle-tier spirit stones were sapped dry, the Hidden Formation would immediately fall apart.

By then, the puppet would be able to get in, and they would be doomed!

Fortunately, the books on the shelves were all regarding smithing.

It was either Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's own collection or it was given to him by the group who kidnapped him so that he could refer to it.

But nevertheless, the presence of these books was good news. Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan placed his finger on the first book and began running.

In a tea's time, he finished gathering the hundred thousand books on the shelves into the Library of Heaven's Path.

'Compile!'

With a thought, the hundred thousand books fused together to form six books.

They were the [Heaven's Path Smith Art] books from 1-star to 6-star.

As long as he studied all of them, his understanding of smithing would become on par with a real 6-star blacksmith.

He began flipping through it.

'Smithing is the art of creating tools suitable for human use. The best tool is a human's body, and the essence to Heaven's Path Smith Art is to forge a weapon through a human's body...'

The profound logic contained within the book left him refreshed, and countless doubts that had baffled him before immediately resolved themselves.

There might be countless variations to pill forging and smithing, but standing at the center of each of them was a set of fundamental laws. And those were exactly what the Heaven's Path books recorded.

Mastering the knowledge within the Heaven's Path Smith Art books meant to master the fundamental laws of smithing. With this, it wouldn't be difficult for him to smith any weapons.

Closing his eyes, Zhang Xuan began studying them book by book.

One hour, two hours, three hours, four hours...

Soon, twelve hours passed.

Zhang Xuan had finished mastering the knowledge within the six Heaven's Path Smith Art books.

At the same time, he had also turned from an ignorant amateur into a true grandmaster blacksmith.

Even if Wu Yangzi were to come to life now, it was unlikely he could compete with Zhang Xuan in the field of smithing.

But of course, this only applied to knowledge, not skill. Despite his extensive and profound knowledge of the art, it was likely that he would fail terribly if he were to try to smith a weapon.

Smithing is was a profound art that required many years of practice. Just forging the 'Metal Ingot' in itself required much practice.

It would be impossible to master the art within an instant.

If Zhang Xuan wanted to pursue this path, he would have to devote substantial time into practicing.

'Looks like there's no physical body cultivation technique here!'

After studying the Heaven's Path Smith Art, Zhang Xuan went through the remaining books and shook his head in disappointment.

His main purpose here was to obtain Wu Yangzi's physical body cultivation technique, but there wasn't one on the bookshelves.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan stood up and looked at Luo Qiqi. However, a frown immediately appeared on his face.

"You haven't... recovered from your injury yet?"

Luo Qiqi was still meditating on the spot, recuperating from her injury. Even though her aura felt significantly stronger than before, she hadn't completely recovered from her internal injury yet. Judging from her ragged breathing, she was still in pain.

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Chapter 666: Weapon Smithing (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It had been twelve hours already, and despite consuming a recovery pill, the other party hadn't fully healed from her injuries. This was a little... way too slow!

Halting her meditation, Luo Qiqi lifted her head and replied, "My injuries are too severe... Even though I've consumed medicine, I'll still require around three days to make substantial recovery, and half a month to recover to my peak state."

She had incurred serious injuries from the previous battle, and to be able to heal within three days was already an incredible feat.

After all, recovering from one's injuries wasn't like eating, where one could speed up just because one wanted to.

Hearing that she would still require such a long period of time, Zhang Xuan frowned. "The longer we wait, the more danger we are in."

While they were currently hidden by the formation, no one could guarantee that there wouldn't be any abrupt changes, especially not in a foreign place like this. Time was a luxury for them at the moment.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan asked, "Do you have a Qi Regeneration Pill?"

"Qi Regeneration Pill? I do," Luo Qiqi replied.

Qi Regeneration Pill was one of the most common medicaments that cultivators used to recover their zhenqi. Naturally, there were different tiers to cater to those of different cultivation realms.

Similar to Spirit Gathering Formations, a single leap in the tier of the pill would spell a world of difference in its effectiveness.

The Qi Regeneration Pill in her possession was at grade-5 primary. Even if her zhenqi were to be sapped dry, by consuming one, she would be able to recover around fifty percent of her zhenqi for a short moment to cope with any danger before her.

Flicking her wrist, she took out one.

"Un."

Grabbing the pill, Zhang Xuan circled it around his fingers before passing it back. "Eat it."

"Yes!" Even though Luo Qiqi was perplexed, she still swallowed the pill.

Qi Regeneration Pills were only used to recover one's zhenqi. Given that her zhenqi was currently full at the moment, what was the use consuming it?

Just as she was bewildered by Zhang Xuan's actions, the Qi Regeneration Pill she swallowed slowly melted, and a warm surge of energy flowed through her entire body.

Wherever the energy flowed, her injuries, be they internal or external, healed at a noticeable pace. A few breaths later, she felt completely re-energized, as though a phoenix rising from the ashes.

"This..."

Luo Qiqi stood up and moved her body around, and her eyes immediately widened in disbelief.

The injuries that should have taken at least half a month of recuperation actually healed right after consuming a single Qi Regeneration Pill!

"Teacher, this Qi Regeneration Pill..."

No matter how slow she might be, it was clear that her teacher had done something to the Qi Regeneration Pill to turn it into such an incredible recovery medicine.

Without even using a cauldron or adding in any medicinal herbs, just by touching it, he was able to change the property of a pill... How in the world did he do it?

Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually and instructed, "Alright, prepare yourself. We will start smithing soon!"

If they were to depend on Luo Qiqi's means of recovery, it would have been a long while before they could have started smithing anything. The only way to have healed her injuries so swiftly via his Heaven's Path zhenqi.

However, this type of zhenqi was too peculiar, and the other party was a 5-star master teacher as well. If he had infused it into the other party's body directly, there was a high chance that the other party would have noticed the peculiarity in his zhenqi. Thus, he decided to make use of an intermediary.

The Qi Regeneration Pill, which contained rampaging spiritual energy, was the best intermediary for him to store his zhenqi in. It helped to conceal the presence of his zhenqi at the initial phase, and by the time the other party realized that something was odd, his zhenqi would have already melded with the other party's zhenqi, thus making it impossible for her to investigate the matter.

In essence, it worked the same way as his Saint recovery medicinal wine as well.

Due to the spiciness of the wine, it drew one's attention away from the already nearly indiscernible Heaven's Path zhenqi.

"Un!"

Knowing that her teacher was unwilling to speak about the topic, Luo Qiqi also knew better than to probe the other party's secrets. Thus, she stepped up to the Crimson Blaze Cauldron.

There were all kinds of materials around the cauldron, be it coal or ores, allowing her to start smithing any time she was ready.

"Let's begin!"

Taking in a deep breath, Luo Qiqi flicked her wrist and placed the coal into the cauldron before lighting it up using a unique zhenqi infusion method. Under the infusion of her zhenqi, it didn't take long for the cauldron to grow fiery hot.

The temperature required for forging a weapon was much higher than that required to forge a pill. The surroundings were scorching, and it felt as though any sword would melt as soon as it was thrown in.

"What is the highest tier of weapons you have forged?"

Judging from the fluid movements Luo Qiqi made as she lit up the flame within the cauldron, Zhang Xuan could tell that she had a good foundation and nodded in commendation.

"Teacher, the best weapon I've ever forged is a Spirit low-tier weapon... I've never succeeded in forging a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon before..." Luo Qiqi said with a reddened face.

The basic requirement to becoming a 5-star blacksmith was to be able to forge a Spirit low-tier weapon. It seemed like she barely reached the mark.

"5-star primary blacksmith... It'll indeed be difficult for you to forge a Spirit high-tier weapon."

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Unlike pill forging, the cultivation requirement for smithing was far stricter.

For the former, as long as one refined and fused the medicinal herbs in the most accurate manner, there would be a high chance of forming a pill.

On the other hand, in smithing, if one's cultivation wasn't sufficiently high, one would be unable to bring out sufficient heat from the coal, thus making it difficult to even melt the ores. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult to forge a good weapon.

Given that Luo Qiqi had never succeeded in forging a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, chances were that there was a huge flaw in her control over the flames. Her current cultivation realm didn't help either. If she couldn't even generate sufficient heat to melt the ores properly, how could she succeed?

With a dark expression, Zhang Xuan began scanning through the various materials which Wu Yangzi had left behind.

"Crimson Flower ore, Gild Violet ore, Cold Emerald Stone..."

Every single ore that Zhang Xuan saw only made his complexion darken further.

All of them were hard to process, and even the easiest Cold Emerald Stone demanded a minimum cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 7-dan to melt. As for Crimson Flower ore and Gild Violet ore... these would require one to be Transcendent Mortal 8-dan or even 9-dan to process!

In other words... putting aside smithing, just melting these ores would be nigh impossible for them!

After a long moment of thought, Zhang Xuan finally said, "Given your current capability and cultivation realm, forging a Spirit high-tier weapon is impossible... However, if it's just upgrading an existent weapon, it might still be possible!"

If they were unable to melt the ore, they would be unable to form metal ingots to smith weapons.

However, if it was just raising the tier of an existing weapon, the job should prove to be significantly easier.

As it was already a completed piece, they wouldn't need to melt the ores entirely to upgrade it.

Since upgrading an existing weapon could be considered as forging as well, there was unlikely to be any fuss on this aspect.

"Upgrade?" Luo Qiqi questioned a little awkwardly. "Upgrading an existing weapon would indeed be easier, just that... I lost my only Spirit intermediate-tier sword in the previous battle... not to mention, none of my weapons are upgradable!"

Upgrading a weapon may be easier, but there were specific prerequisites for a weapon to be upgradable.

She did have a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, but it was smashed into the ceiling in the battle at the stone room earlier, and she hadn't gotten a chance to retrieve yet.

More importantly, these weapons were completed products. If they were to be tempered any further, they might exceed their limits, resulting in a fall in quality instead.

Only specific upgradable weapons could be further forged and refined.

But these types of weapons were incredibly rare, even she had hardly seen any of those. How could they find any all of a sudden, especially given that they were trapped here?

"Let's use mine then."

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out his Glacier Rain Sword.

He had obtained this sword from the Mystical Treasure Hall back then, and it was an upgradable Spirit intermediate-tier pinnacle weapon.

"This... Alright then!"

Seeing how her teacher offered to use his own personal weapon despite the risk of having its quality lowered, Luo Qiqi felt a surge of warmth flowing through her heart.

Noticing the other party's lack of confidence, Zhang Xuan encouraged her. "There's no need to be nervous. Just do as I say, and it won't be too difficult to raise the Glacier Rain Sword to Spirit high-tier."

Having learned from the six books of Heaven's Path Smith Art, his understanding of smithing had reached a level surpassing that of even Wu Yangzi.

Even though he was unable to melt most ores due to the limitation of his cultivation, it wouldn't be too hard to raise the Glacier Rain Sword, which was already a step away from a breakthrough, to Spirit high-tier.

"However... our current goal isn't Spirit high-tier but... pinnacle!" Zhang Xuan said grimly

"Pinnacle?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

Reaching high-tier would meet Wu Yangzi's requirement, and they would be able to obtain the heritage already. Was there really a need to reach pinnacle?

Even ordinary 6-star blacksmiths would find it hard to craft a Spirit pinnacle weapon.

For her to do so... even if it was just upgrading, she didn't think that it was possible at all.

"Indeed!"

Zhang Xuan nodded. "I don't know what kind of ores that puppet was coated with, but ordinary weapons can hardly scratch its skin. The only way to kill it is to wield a weapon of that tier...

"Even if we obtain Wu Yangzi's heritage and find the exit, we will still be in danger as long as we are unable to get rid of this fellow. Instead of risking it, we should just forge a Spirit pinnacle weapon and slay it!"

A sharp glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes as he clenched his fists tightly.

After fighting against the puppet, he realized that the only way to injure the puppet was to wield a Spirit pinnacle weapon.

Since there was a chance to upgrade his weapon now, it was best that he made full use of this opportunity and get rid of the threat looming before them.

"This..."

Luo Qiqi's face twitched.

She didn't even have the confidence to upgrade the weapon to Spirit high-tier, but now she had to upgrade it to Spirit pinnacle? How was that possible?

Unconfident, Luo Qiqi said, "Teacher. Given my current capability, I can only soften the Cold Emerald Stone and refine it slightly. I won't be able to melt it entirely... As such, I don't think I'll be able to forge a Spirit pinnacle weapon!"

"Don't worry, that's enough!" Understanding her worries, Zhang Xuan smiled and reassured her.

"Enough?"

Luo Qiqi blinked her eyes in confusion.

Cold Emerald Stone was indeed a rare and valuable ore, but it was significantly inferior to the Crimson Flower ore and Gild Violet ore.

Not to mention, her inability to fully melt the ore would make it harder to fuse it with the Glacier Rain Sword. Given that, it would be already difficult to raise it to Spirit high-tier, needless to say, pinnacle.

How could she possibly succeed?

"Of the entire smithing process, what is the most important step to making a weapon sharper and harder?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's... quenching!" Luo Qiqi replied.

Quenching could induce a qualitative change in a weapon through fusing the various materials within it better.

Performing the quenching process well could cause a significant quality difference in two weapons forged using the same materials and smithing techniques.

Using pill forging as an analogy, the more thoroughly the various medicinal herbs were fused together, the higher the quality of the formed pills.

As such, quenching was an extremely important process that would determine the ultimate tier of the weapon.

It was a technique that countless blacksmith dreamt of mastering, but very few succeeded.

Zhang Xuan chuckled.

"Indeed, it's quenching! Under normal circumstances, the greater the difference in temperature, the better the effects of the quenching. However, given the limitations of your cultivation, it'll be impossible for us to raise the temperature to a satisfactory level. Since that's the case... we can always lower the temperature required for quenching!"

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Chapter 667: Weapon Smithing (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Lower the temperature required for quenching?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

Weren't weapons quenched with water? There was a limit to how cold a water could be before it would turn into ice, so how could the temperature required for quenching be reduced?

Besides, Zhang Xuan was viewing the matter too lightly. The difference in the temperature wasn't all that mattered. More importantly, quenching had to be done within the durability limit of the weapon. Otherwise, the weapon might be unable to endure the abrupt change in temperature and shatter!

There were many blacksmiths who had tried to change the substance used for quenching so as to further raise the tier of their crafted weapon, but more often than not, the quenching fluid ended up reacting with their weapon instead. As a result, the weapon they had forged with great difficulty shattered, resulting in a waste of their effort and precious ores.

Smithing was a very complex art—the proportion of ores, temperature, type of quenching fluid, timing... All of these factors played a crucial role in determining the quality of the ultimate product, and a shortcoming in any of them could easily lead to a subpar product or even failure. As such, the difficulty of smithing could be considered to be on par with pill forging. It was also due to the profoundness behind the art that blacksmith was classified as an Upper Nine Paths occupation.

"Indeed." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. "Did you bring your pill cauldron here?"

"Pill... cauldron?" Luo Qiqi repeated in astonishment, thinking that she had heard it wrong.

Aren't we going to forge a weapon? Why will we need a pill cauldron?"

Zhang Xuan looked at her calmly and said, "I want you to forge Ice Soul Pills!"

"Ice Soul Pills?" Luo Qiqi was taken aback. Then, coming to a realization, her eyes widened. "Teacher intends to... use the frigidity from Ice Soul Pill to quench the weapon?"

Ice Soul Pill was a unique medicine that was used to awaken the Ice Soul Constitution. Should an ordinary human consume it, the special frost aura harnessed within it would freeze him to death instantly

"But no matter how cold the Ice Soul Pill is, how could it be used to quench the sword, especially considering its size..." Luo Qiqi was bewildered.

An average Ice Soul Pill was around the size of a grape whereas the Glacier Rain Sword was nearly a meter long. How could a small pill possibly be used to quench an entire sword?

One must know it was imperative for the entire blade to be plunged into the quenching fluid simultaneously so that it would undergo the quenching process simultaneously.

Otherwise, the blade could end up with differing degrees of hardness across it, and the imbalance would end up introducing vulnerabilities to it instead.

Using a pill to quench an entire sword... Why did it sound completely inconceivable to her?

Interrupting the other party's queries, Zhang Xuan asked, "Put that aside for now. You just have to tell me whether you have a pill cauldron and medicinal herbs to forge an Ice Soul Pill now."

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Qiqi said, "Ice Soul Pill is an uncommon pill, and it is rarely forged by apothecaries as well. As such, I don't have the complete set of medicinal herbs to forge it. However, a while ago, I promised someone to forge a Frigid Yin Pill for her, and I prepared three portions of the medicinal herbs for it..."

Ice Soul Constitution was an extremely rare unique constitution that only handful of people of the entire Master Teacher Continent possessed. As such, Ice Soul Pills were rarely forged. Even if one were to search through the entire Apothecary School of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, one would probably be unable to find even a single Ice Soul Pill.

"Frigid Yin Pill?"

Zhang Xuan frowned. "The effects of Frigid Yin Pill is inferior to Ice Soul Pill. However, if we were to use the three portions together, we might be able to make up for the qualitative difference through quantity..."

Frigid Yin Pill was a medicament used to treat injuries incurred from fire attribute cultivation techniques. Even though there was the difference of a grade between it and the Ice Soul Pill, if they were to use the three portions of medicinal herbs properly, they should be able to bridge the difference.

"Alright, we'll forge the pill and the weapon simultaneously!"

Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment to further analyze his plan and refine the details, and after which, he waved his hands, gesturing for Luo Qiqi to start.

"Yes!"

Knowing that her teacher must have already worked out the details, Luo Qiqi decided to just go along with him. With a flick of her wrist, she took out her pill cauldron and lit it up. At the same time, she also lit up the Crimson Blaze Cauldron

As an apothecary, she carried the materials she needed to forge a pill everywhere she went, be it the medicinal herbs, cauldron, or coal. As such, it didn't take too long for her to get ready.

Not too long later, the flames surged, and searing heat emanated from the cauldrons.

"Teacher..."

After laying out the medicinal herbs required for the forging of Frigid Yin Pill neatly on the table not too far away, Luo Qiqi turned her gaze to her teacher.

While she didn't know what Zhang shi was up to, after witnessing the various miraculous feats he had accomplished, she possessed a near equivalent of blind faith in the latter.

Perhaps... with the other party's guidance, she might just be able to upgrade a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon to Spirit pinnacle!

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan took a glance at the cauldrons and instructed, "The cauldrons still aren't hot enough, continue raising the temperature!"

"Frigid Yin Pill is a cold attribute medicine. If the pill cauldron is too hot, I fear that we might deprive it of its cold properties..."

Upon hearing the instruction to continue raising the temperature, Luo Qiqi's lips twitched.

Even the current temperature was already too hot for the forging of Frigid Yin Pill. Any further than that and the Frigid Yin Pill would melt before its formation, thus evaporating any frigid aura it should harness.

But instead of explaining, Zhang Xuan simply reiterated his instruction, "Continue raising the temperature!"

"Yes!" Gritting her teeth, Luo Qiqi drove her zhenqi and infused it into the coals.

Xiong xiong xiong xiong!

Huge flames burst forth from the cauldrons, threatening to melt down the pill cauldron.

"Place the Glacier Rain Sword and Cold Emerald Stone into the Crimson Blaze Cauldron!"

"Un!"

Perplexed as she was, Luo Qiqi decided to just follow Zhang Xuan's instructions. She picked up the sword and Cold Emerald Stone and placed it in the smithing cauldron.

Upon contact with the searing cauldron, the Glacier Rain Sword immediately glowed crimson as the intense heat whittled down its flexibility and durability. If it were to be retrieved from the cauldron right now, it would surely suffer a sharp fall in tier.

At the same time, the Cold Emerald Stone also started to soften. However, the temperature of the cauldron seemed to be too low to melt it entirely.

"In the pill cauldron, add three stalks of Crimsontail Grass. Three breaths later, add a stalk of Frigid Yin Grass. After which, use the Seven Leaves Forging Technique to add in half a stalk of Void Severing Grass and three qian of Purplestar Smoke..." Zhang Xuan instructed swiftly.

Frowning, Luo Qiqi's hands flew around the place as she added the medicinal herbs precisely according to Zhang Xuan's instructions.

As a famous genius of the Apothecary School, her talent in pill forging far surpassed that of her smithing. Zhang Xuan's instructions may have been swift, but she could still follow them with ease.

But as she continued to add medicinal herbs into the pill cauldron, amazement swiftly built up within her.

She found that she actually knew every single forging technique that the other party instructed her to utilize! There were even some of them that she learned coincidentally or secretly, and very few in the academy knew that she was aware of them. Yet, the other party included those in his instructions as well.

She didn't think that it was a mere coincidence or that she was knowledgeable. Most likely, Zhang shi had grasped the full extent of her capabilities and designed a forging method tailored for her!

How profound must one's understanding of pill forging be in order to achieve this?

This feat far exceeded the boundaries of incredible; it was terrifying!

Even her teacher, School Head Lu of the Apothecary School, would be incapable of such a feat!

'To think that the Purplestar Smoke and the Void Severing Grass could be added into the cauldron simultaneously. Based on my previous conjecture, the two medicinal herbs would react violently with one another, inducing an explosion. Yet, there isn't the slightest instability in the cauldron due to it now. If I'm not wrong, this has something to do with the intensity of the flames...'

While Luo Qiqi was astonished, she was also ruminating on the various steps of the forging process.

The sequence at which Zhang shi instructed her to add the medicinal herbs in was completely contrary to the Frigid Yin Pill formula that she learned in the past... On top of that, the speed of the forging this time round was so swift that it was mind-boggling.

Typically, it would take at least three to four hours for her to finish forging the Frigid Yin Pill. However, in less than half a minute, she had already added in half of the three portions of medicinal herbs.

A thought suddenly came to her, and her eyes narrowed in shock.

'Wait a minute... Does Zhang shi intend to forge the three portions of medicinal herbs simultaneously? B-but this is impossible!'

The reason why three portions of medicinal herbs were usually prepared was to serve as a backup should the pill forging fail.

In other words, the medicinal herbs were intended to be used in three separate forging process... And yet, Zhang shi actually instructed her to throw all of them into the pill cauldron...

Putting three portions of medicinal herbs into a single cauldron... To make an analogy, it was similar to a person driving three horses at once.

Was that even possible?

Worried, she quickly turned to her teacher for reassurance, only to see the latter continuing to issue instructions nonchalantly.

"Use the Cascading Silk Forging Technique to add in three stalks of Tricoin Grass and two petals of Red-leafed Flower..."

'Never mind, there is definitely no mistake in listening to teacher's instructions!'

Clenching her jaws in resolution, Luo Qiqi continued adding more medicinal herbs into the cauldron according to Zhang Xuan's instructions.

Back then, in the Apothecary Guild, she was also worried that the cauldron would explode at any moment. However, following the other party's instructions, not only did she succeed, she even managed to forge a grade-6 medicinal solution, gaining precious experience in the midst of doing so.

After witnessing the many eye-widening, tongue-tying means of Zhang shi, surely this should be nothing for her to worry about as well.

The further she progressed into the forging process, the faster the pace at which medicinal herbs were thrown in. As such, it didn't take long before the cauldron was teetering before its breaking point.

She wasn't able to overcome her anxiety the previous time, but after having experienced it once, she learned to let go of her fears.

Just as she was busy adding more medicinal herbs into the pill cauldron, Zhang shi's instructions suddenly sounded again.

"Intensify the flames for the Crimson Blaze Cauldron!"

"Yes!"

The rapid pace at which the forging was going at currently had left her a little flustered. Upon hearing that the flames of the Crimson Blaze Cauldron had to be intensified, Luo Qiqi hurriedly drove her zhenqi and infused it over frenziedly through her left hand.

Hu la! The flames immediately intensified with zeal.

Using zhenqi to control the temperature of the flames was the most fundamental skill that every apothecary and blacksmith would learn as soon as they come into contact with the art. As a talented apothecary, Luo Qiqi had no problem doing so. What she was truly struggling with at the moment was multitasking.

With a hand busy with the medicinal herbs while the other infusing zhenqi into the Crimson Blaze Cauldron, it didn't take long for her entire face to be drenched with sweat. The cauldrons before her also kept rocking non-stop, threatening to explode on her at any moment.

"Teacher..."

Flustered, Luo Qiqi quickly turned to look at Zhang Xuan.

While the explosion of the Frigid Yin Pill would be much weaker than the explosion of the grade-6 medicinal solution they concocted before, given the current cultivation of the duo, it still wasn't a force that they could withstand.

Not to mention, the Crimson Blaze Cauldron was also in an unstable position at the moment.

The explosion of the pill cauldron would surely agitate the Crimson Blaze Cauldron as well, and the combined might of the two cauldron explosions would kill them even before the puppet could.

It could be said that they were in far greater danger than they were back in the Apothecary Hall!

When they forged the grade-6 medicinal solution back then, the head of the Apothecary Guild was around, and the forging was done within the Apothecary Guild as well. Even if an explosion were to occur, the guild leader and the formation within the guild would surely suppress the explosion as soon as possible, thus minimizing the damage. However... there was no such insurance here!

"Don't panic. Add a stalk of Mintaroma Flower into the pill cauldron!" Zhang Xuan continued instructing calmly.

In truth, he was also anxious at the sight of the rocking cauldrons, but he knew that this was the only way they could survive the dire situation they were in.

If the Glacier Rain Sword didn't reach Spirit pinnacle, they would be unable to kill the puppet. Even if they were to find the exit, they would surely be unable to escape!

Having experienced the fearsome might of that puppet firsthand, he knew that they would never be able to outrun it given their current cultivation.

Thus, this was their best and possibly only shot at survival.

Seeing her teacher's nonchalant attitude to the matter; Luo Qiqi felt reassured. Nodding, she continued intensifying the flames in the Crimson Flame Cauldron with her left hand while grabbing the Mintaroma Flower with her right.

Hu la la!

As soon as the Mintaroma Flower was thrown into the pill cauldron, the energies within it seemed to abruptly calm down. Luo Qiqi heaved a sigh of relief. However, at that moment, she suddenly felt a bizarre sensation in her left hand, so she hurriedly turned her head to take a look. With a glance, her eyes immediately narrowed.

"Teacher, bad news! The Glacier Rain Sword... is melting!"

Unknowingly, the fiery-red Crimson Rain Sword had softened, and it was just a matter of time before it would be reduced to mere metallic fluid.

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Chapter 668: Third Acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though the Glacier Rain Sword was a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, due to its cold attribute, its melting point was significantly lower than other weapons of the same tier.

The crux behind upgrading a weapon was to fuse one or a few rare metals into the original weapon. One of the greatest taboos in this process was to melt the original weapon.

If the original weapon were to lose its original shape, it would lose its original attributes, and the weapon would have to be reforged from scratch. That would mean an increase in the difficulty by severalfold!

As Luo Qiqi had been multitasking, she hadn't been paying attention to the Glacier Rain Sword. Who knew that while she was preoccupied with placing a few medicinal herbs into the pill cauldron, the Glacier Rain Sword would actually reach its melting point!

Upgrading a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon to high-tier was simple, but forging a Spirit high-tier weapon from scratch... At the very least, given Luo Qiqi's current capability, she didn't think that she was capable of it!

Just as she was completely flustered by the sudden situation, Zhang shi confident voice sounded, "Add a droplet of Purplestar Grass's medicinal extract onto the Glacier Rain Sword."

"Purplestar Grass's medicinal extract? Alright... Hmm?"

As soon as she took out the medicinal extract, she suddenly froze as she came to a realization. "Onto the Glacier Rain Sword?"

What kind of insanity was this?

Glacier Rain Sword was a weapon whereas the Purplestar Grass's medicinal extract should be used for pill forging!

Adding the medicinal extract to the weapon? That was no different to adding some minced meat and tomato ketchup on a metal ingot while trying to cast a metal pot! Are you sure you are forging a weapon and not barbecuing it to eat?

Are you certain you didn't issue the wrong instruction?

"That's right, hurry up!" Zhang Xuan urged.

"Alright!"

With twitching eyelids, Luo Qiqi flicked her wrist, and the medicinal extract immediately fell on the melting Glacier Rain Sword.

Tzz la!

The sizzling sound reminiscent of barbecued meat echoed in the air. The medicinal extract flowed down the sword as it gradually turned into a white mist, emanating a deep aroma.

"How fragrant..."

The aroma wafting in the air made Luo Qiqi subconsciously draw in a deep breath.

The Purplestar Grass did leave a pleasant smell upon contact with flames. Perhaps she could make something to eat with it in the future...

Just as she was harboring such thoughts, intense vertigo suddenly assaulted her, and her legs began wobbling weakly.

"This is bad!"

Luo Qiqi's eyes narrowed as it suddenly dawned on her what she had just done, and her heart froze.

The Purplestar Grass was an extremely rare medicinal herb. Its name originated from the purple spots reminiscent of little stars on its surface. The medicinal herb usually served as a mediating factor to facilitate the forging process of other pills, but if used individually, it carried a slight poison that could induce hallucination and dizziness!

Mesmerized by the pleasant scent, she actually neglected this!

They were currently at a crucial moment in the pill forging and smithing. If she were to faint, there was little doubt that a cauldron explosion would occur!

To be killed by a simultaneous explosion of a pill cauldron and a smithing cauldron... Should their bodies be found, they would probably go down as the first to do so in the long history of Hongyuan Empire!

Luo Qiqi attempted to gather her concentration, but her eyelid kept drooping down persistently. As hard as she struggled, drowsiness clung to her tightly, unwilling to relinquish its grasp over her.

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

"This is bad!"

He had refined his plans in anticipation of the many different things that could possibly go wrong in the forging process, but how could he have expected Luo Qiqi to be so careless as to inhale the poisonous fume of the Purplestar Grass!

It was unbecoming of a 5-star apothecary to be so careless!

But still, Luo Qiqi couldn't be entirely blamed for the matter. The Purplestar Grass was a rare medicinal herb that was hardly used by apothecaries, and even on occasions that it was required, it would usually serve as a mediating factor. As such, it wasn't too surprising for her to neglect its other properties.

Furthermore, with her attention devoted to multitasking between the smithing and the pill forging, she had little capacity to process other thoughts either. It was the unfortunate combination of such factors that made her fall prey to the poisonous fumes.

If Luo Qiqi were to lose consciousness, they would be doomed. Even though Zhang Xuan had vast knowledge of pill forging and smithing, he was unable to translate them into practical skills for his own use... Under current circumstances, a double cauldron explosion would be inevitable!

Or perhaps... could the formation be retracted so that they could draw the puppet over to kill it through the explosion?

But Zhang Xuan couldn't control the timing and might of the explosion accurately either. If the explosion proved to be too strong, even if they were to survive the primary impact, there was a chance that the ceiling might collapse inward, burying them alive.

More importantly, the puppet possessed extraordinary defensive ability. The might of the explosion might be fearsome to them, but there was no guarantee that it would be fatal to that fellow.

Gu gu gu gu!

Anxious, Zhang Xuan was just about to rush forward to wake Luo Qiqi wake up when the cauldron before him shook intensely once more. Violent energies rampaged within it, and an explosion was imminent.

The essence of the Limit Revolving Pill Forging Technique was to keep the cauldron teetering just before the breaking limit. As a result, even the slightest lapse in concentration could easily result in an explosion.

With the sudden onslaught of the drowsiness spell, the forging sequence was already delayed by nearly two breaths. If the medicinal herb wasn't added in at this very instant, an explosion would really occur!

But given Zhang Xuan's current proximity to the medicinal herbs, even if he were to dash forward at this very instant, he still wouldn't make it in time!

"Add the Red-leafed Beard into the cauldron..."

Overwhelmed by anxiety, Zhang Xuan shouted. But this time, perhaps due to his sheer determination willing it to happen, his voice was subconsciously imbued with Impartation of Heaven's Path.

Hu!

Despite her lack of consciousness, Luo Qiqi's movements remained as fluid as ever. She stretched her hand forward to grab the Red-leafed Beard and threw it into the cauldron.

Huala!

As the medicinal herb fell into the cauldron, the signs of explosion finally calmed down.

"This..."

Surprised by the turn of events, Zhang Xuan blinked in a daze for a short moment before excitement gushed through his body.

Why didn't he think of this from the very start?

As long as one's words were aligned with the quintessence of nature, one could induce another to follow one's instructions, willingly or not. Luo Qiqi might have fallen into a semi-conscious state, but this didn't hinder the effects of Impartation of Heaven's Will on her!

In fact, with her emotions out of the equation, the pill forging was progressing smoother than before!

"Place the Cold Emerald Stone beside the Glacier Rain Sword. Following which, use the Bamboo Drawing Forging Technique to add a blade of Frozen Yin Grass into the pill cauldron..."

Having succeeded once, Zhang Xuan continued using his Impartation of Heaven's Will.

Before this, Luo Qiqi still had to process the differing sets of instructions for the two cauldrons and work simultaneously, and this had caused her to fall into a fluster. However, under the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will, her hands could operate freely from one another—one focused on smithing while the other focused on pill forging.

In an instant, her efficiency doubled.

Tzzzzz!

As the Cold Emerald Stone was placed with the Glacier Rain Sword, 'tz la!', the two began fusing with one another.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan said, "Take out the sword and use the Layered Tempering Technique to hammer it 779 times!"

Hearing the instructions, Luo Qiqi shook her left hand, and the sword immediately fell onto a stone platform. She grabbed the hammer that Wu Yangzi had left behind and started hammering the sword.

Zhang Xuan continued instructing her.

"Add the Leisure Flower Stem and Baoxing Extract into the pill cauldron and raise the intensity of the flames by 30%. After that, use the Lucid Pitching Hands to shake the cauldron seven times!"

Hua hua la la!

Luo Qiqi followed his instructions calmly, without the slightest error.

Humans are subordinate to their emotions. Never having forged a pill and smithed simultaneously before, it was natural that Luo Qiqi had felt trepidation upon seeing the pill cauldron being brought to the verge of explosion. With this kind of fear plaguing her, her movements had become restricted, thus making it hard for her to succeed.

Who could have known that her losing consciousness would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, raising the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire forging process altogether?

Zhang Xuan's instructions grew more and more rapid, and Luo Qiqi's movements became faster and faster as well. The both of them were working together with such harmony that it seemed as though Zhang Xuan was forging the weapon and the pill himself.

Even though the cauldron seemed as though it would explode at any moment, under Zhang Xuan's astute instructions, it was actually extremely safe.

After hammering the Glacier Rain Sword, which was fused with Cold Emerald Stone and Purplestar Grass, it regained its form as a sword, and it looked much sharper than before.

After an unknown period of time, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows suddenly shot up. Driving his Soul Depth to its maximum, he instructed, "Alright, open the pill cauldron!"

Hu!

Luo Qiqi's right hand reached forward and opened the lid of the pill cauldron. The concentrated bulk of medicinal energies immediately gathered, and a pill was about to form at any moment now.

"Place the Glacier Rain Sword into the cauldron!"

Upon hearing the instructions, the young lady subconsciously threw the long sword into the pill cauldron.

Weng!

A sharp buzzing sound reminiscent of a melody hummed by the dragons echoed in the stone chamber. It sounded so melodious that one could get drunk on it.

Hu!

Following which, the Glacier Rain Sword flew out from the pill cauldron and danced in the air, as though a bird which had just fled from its cage, releasing an excited call.

A cold gleam flashed from the body of the sword, and it felt as though it could easily tear apart any metal or jade. Just by looking at its sharp edge, one would feel as though one's eyes might be pierced through by it.

"Come here!"

Beckoning with his hands, the sword immediately flew over and landed in Zhang Xuan's outstretched hand.

Lowering his head to examine it, the Glacier Rain Sword was still of the same length. However, it looked much lighter, and its previously clear surface was now twinkling with stars. It felt as though the power of a celestial was infused into this blade, bringing an extraordinarily majestic disposition to the blade.

Flicking his finger on the blade lightly, the sword immediately released a loud metallic call. It seemed as though it would transform into a mighty dragon and rule the heavens.

"This is... Half-Saint?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in shock.

Having mastered the knowledge contained within the six Heaven's Path Smith Art manuals, his eye of discernment for weapon had reached a new height. Even without the Library of Heaven's Path, he could easily tell that the Glacier Rain Sword had exceeded the boundaries of Spirit pinnacle to reach Half-Saint!

Weapons could be divided into God, Saint, Spirit, Phantom, and Mortal.

Even though a Half-Saint weapon hadn't truly reached Sainthood yet, it had already broken free from the shackles of Spirit, reaching an entirely different level of existence.

Even a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith like Wu Yangzi couldn't hope to successfully forge a sword of this quality!

Only a 7-star blacksmith could possibly forge such a masterpiece!

In other words, using the Impartation of Heaven's Will, Zhang Xuan actually forged a Half-Saint weapon through Luo Qiqi's hands. If word were to spread, innumerable people would surely die of shock!

Weapons of such a tier were rare even within Hongyuan Empire!

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan put away the sword before turning to Luo Qiqi.

At this moment, she was meditating on the floor with her eyes closed, seemingly in a state of enlightenment.

Even though she was unconscious during the forging process, the experience she gained from forging the Frigid Yin Pills and upgrading the weapon through the Impartation of Heaven's Will remained with her as her muscle memory.

With this, both her pill forging and smithing techniques would advance to greater heights.

Seeing the other party's state, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

'Even though she was unconscious throughout the forging process, her movements and her zhenqi circulation will stay with her as her muscle memory, forming a much stronger impression. The benefits she obtained from this were even greater than the guidance back in the Apothecary Guild!

'It seems like Impartation of Heaven's Will doesn't only impart the way of cultivation to others. It also encourages them to cultivate and tempers their mental resilience, thus paving their way for improvement in the future!

'Indolence and fear are a part of human nature, and inevitably, it is such. Should words fail to persuade them, enforcement will be necessary. Through forming muscle memory, this will pave the way for their future growth..."

Coming to an enlightenment, the underground chamber suddenly shook. A unique aura descended from the sky and shrouded Zhang Xuan entirely.

The third acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher!

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Chapter 669: Mind of Void

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Back in Huanyu Empire...

At this moment, the collapsed infrastructure and cracked ground around the Cleansing Lake had already been fixed, and while the spiritual energy in the Cleansing Lake still wasn't as concentrated as before, it was showing signs of recovery.

By the side of the Cleansing Lake, a huge stone tablet was erected, and five words were inscribed on it—Yang shi Throws His Shoe!

These words carried a majesty that seemed to draw one's eyes to them. With just a glance, one could tell that it was the work of a 5-star painter.

Not too far from the stone tablet was where Zhang Xuan rose from the top of a fire dragon and threw his shoe.

By throwing the shoe, Zhang Xuan was just seeking the point where the three energies intersected—it need not necessarily be a shoe.

Nevertheless, the shoe was still taken by the Huanyu Empire as its national treasure, and a stabilizing formation flag was put in its place.

As long as the flag remained in place, the colliding spiritual energy would reach a state of equilibrium, thus providing energy to the Cleansing Lake, allowing Huanyu Empire to groom even more talents.

It was truly a blessing in disguise for Huanyu Empire.

Standing before the stone tablet, a historian recorded, "Huanyu Empire, 67th Year of Wentian's Reign, Winter. The spiritual energy from the Verdant Mountain, Dragon-scaled River, and earth vein collided, destroying the Cleansing Lake and threatened to lay ruin to the capital. However, Yang shi descended from the sky and broke out of the perilous situation with a single shoe..."

While the historian was in the midst of writing, the water in the lake suddenly grew agitated, and bells chimed in the distance. Countless birds soared into the sky, shrouding the heavens.

"What is happening?"

"I have no idea..."

...

Upon seeing this situation, the guards in the region stared at one another in confusion.

"Pavilion Master Wei, what is going on?"

Emperor Ye Wentian, who hadn't left the region, noticed the commotion as well and immediately rushed out from his room. Standing beside him was Pavilion Master Wei Jiang.

Pavilion Master Wei suddenly recalled a certain ancient record he had read in the past and froze.

"Blessings of the Hundred Birds... Someone is being acknowledged for a Celestial Occupation!"

Ye Wentian froze as well.

"Celestial Occupation? You mean someone has reached a proficiency in an occupation which even the heavens recognize?"

A Celestial Occupation represented the acknowledgement of the heavens for one's contribution and proficiency in a certain occupation. Those who could bring forth such a phenomenon were all top-notch geniuses who would surely achieve incredible feats in the future.

For such a situation to occur here, doesn't that mean that there's a top-notch genius emerging in Huanyu Empire?

"That's right!"

Pavilion Master Wei nodded. "Celestial Occupation means that one's blessed by the heavens... Don't worry, I'll go and investigate it right now to see what occupation it is and who the one who triggered it is!"

"Un, you should. Tell me after you uncovered that person's identity; I must pay that genius a visit personally..." Ye Wentian replied.

"Alright!" Pavilion Master Wei leaped onto the back of the savage beast and flew off to the Master Teacher Pavilion.

However, before he could even enter the pavilion, an elder suddenly rushed over with a fearful expression on his face and reported, "Pavilion master, something bad has happened... The Teacher Acknowledgement Hall has collapsed, and all of the ancestral tablets... have fallen!"

"The Teacher Acknowledgement Hall has collapsed?"

Pavilion Master Wei was stunned. At that moment, he suddenly recalled another matter, and his body trembled in disbelief. "Trembling of the Myriad Tokens, Harmony of the Chimes... Could the Celestial Occupation be... Celestial Master Teacher?"

Celestial Master Teacher was an honor which only Empyrean Kong shi had undergone in the past. Even his direct disciples and the innumerable geniuses who rose after him had never been entitled to such honor before.

For such an incredible phenomenon to occur in the Huanyu Empire Master Teacher Pavilion... Who in the world was it?

A figure suddenly surfaced in Pavilion Master Wei's mind.

"Could it be... Yang shi?"

The only plausible candidate in his mind was that unfathomable master teacher whom Pavilion Master Mo ordered a silence restraint for, Yang Xuan!

The image of how that elder descended by the sky and sealed the impending calamity with just a single shoe was still deeply-rooted in his mind.

Recalling the order from Pavilion Master Mo, Pavilion Master Wei swiftly issued an order.

"Inform all of the master teachers to remain silent on this matter! Those who defy this order shall be stripped of their master teacher qualification!"

Regardless of whether it was Yang Xuan or a Celestial Master Teacher, both of these were matters beyond them. It was best for them to remain silent on this matter, or else... they might just end up being wiped clean from the map.

Besides, there had only been a single Celestial Master Teacher in the entire history of the human race, Kong shi. While his affairs were recorded by historians afterward, no one could say for sure whether the records were accurate, and if this phenomenon really represented the acknowledgement from the heavens.

"Yes!"

Even though the elder was bewildered by the situation, he still quickly nodded in response before returning to carry out Pavilion Master Wei's orders.

...

In Myriad Kingdom City...

Stretching her back lazily, Zhao Feiwu walked out from her room.

After cultivating in seclusion for a full month, she was feeling a little stiff all over.

But even so, she knew that this was the only way she could catch a glimpse of that man's back, albeit the distance between them would only continue to increase.

"You're done with your cultivation? Not bad, you have improved immensely!"

Pavilion Master Kang walked over, and after taking a look at Zhao Feiwu, he nodded in commendation.

Zhang shi had entrusted Zhao Feiwu to him before departing, so Pavilion Master Kang had been focusing his attention on her throughout the past month, and the latter had benefited greatly from his guidance.

Hong long!

At that moment, Pavilion Master Kang suddenly felt the ground beneath him tremble, and bells chimed furiously from the direction of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"This is... Celestial Master Teacher? Again?"

Pavilion Master Kang widened his eyes in shock.

It had just happened just a while ago, why would it happen once again all of a sudden?

When did the anticipated Celestial Master Teacher become so recurrent, as if it were an annual festival?

Zhao Feiwu was taken aback. She suddenly recalled the bits and pieces of the young man whom she spent several months with, and she couldn't help but ask, "Could it be Zhang shi?"

"Zhang shi? Impossible! He has already gone ahead to Huanyu Empire, and that is almost a million kilometers away from here. How could it be him?" Pavilion Master Kang shook his head.

Even the phenomenon of a Celestial Master Teacher's acknowledgement had a fixed range to it. Considering how Zhang shi wasn't in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, how could he possibly trigger the phenomenon in here?

"I once read an ancient text, and it was said that when Kong shi became a Celestial 9-star Master Teacher, the entire continent celebrated his achievement. Phoenixes and true dragons arrived to offer their blessings, and rays of brilliant light fell from the heavens... Could the range of the phenomenon increase along with the rank of the Celestial Master Teacher?" Zhao Feiwu analyzed.

Even though she wasn't a master teacher, due to her disability, she'd spent her entire youth reading books. Not to mention, as an empire, the Myriad Kingdom Alliance did contain many confidential texts depicting the history and numerous secrets of the continent. In terms of general knowledge, she was comparable to Pavilion Master Kang.

"This..." Pavilion Master Kang was stunned.

It was reasonable to assume that the phenomenon behind a Celestial 1-star Master Teacher would be different from a Celestial 9-star Master Teacher.

Could this huge commotion really have been caused by that fellow?

...

Xuanyuan Kingdom.

Dressed in resplendent robes, Mo Yu sat majestically on a throne.

After several months of reorganizing, she had managed to bring the entire kingdom under her control.

After the news that Zhang shi had become a 4-star master teacher reached this region, no one dared to utter the slightest complaint against Mo Yu's sovereignty anymore.

There was no one in this kingdom who didn't know of the intimate relationship between Empress Mo Yu and Zhang shi. If anyone were to be so blind as to incite a rebellion, putting aside the impressive fighting force that Mo Yu had under her command, even the Master Teacher Pavilion would surely step in and teach that person a lesson!

Dang dang dang dang!

The officials were currently in the midst of reporting on the various affairs across the kingdom when the loud chiming of bells sounded from the direction of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"This..." Astonished, Mo Yu subconsciously stood up. The other officials also turned their gazes over.

Every single master teacher across Xuanyuan Kingdom immediately rushed over to the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Everyone was bewildered by the sudden commotion, unable to comprehend what was going on.

...

The same situation also unfolded in Tianwu Kingdom and other regions as well.

It could be said that the phenomenon occurred in every single Master Teacher Pavilion under Huanyu Empire.

Most people had no idea what was going on, but even those who did had no idea who was the one who had incited it.

At the current moment, the culprit behind the uproar finally got to his feet.

After the Third Celestial Master Teacher came to an end, even though his cultivation was still capped at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, his comprehension of battle techniques and cultivation had grown even deeper.

At the same time, the consonance between his soul and his physical body had become even more perfect as well. Naturally, his fighting prowess had been brought to new heights too.

'Even though I am still no match for Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage cultivators, there isn't anyone in the primary stage who can rival me anymore!'

Sensing the difference in him, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

Even though Celestial Master Teacher didn't affect one's cultivation, it broadened one's mind and analytical capability, allowing one to see past the superficial.

In a way, it was due to the previous two Celestial Master Teacher acknowledgements that Zhang Xuan was much calmer than Luo Qiqi when facing the puppet earlier.

'My Soul Depth actually increased by 3.0!'

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

His Soul Depth had actually increased by 3.0, more than it had done the previous two times.

In other words, his current Soul Depth was 19.1, which was comparable to even a 6-star master teacher!

To possess the Soul Depth of a 6-star master teacher despite being in one's twenties... Just the thought of it was frightening!

A Soul Depth increase of 3.0 was equivalent to the leap of an entire master teacher rank. If it had been anyone else, it would have taken dozens of years of cultivation to achieve the same breakthrough.

Along with the rise in Soul Depth, Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will and Eye of Insight had grown even more powerful as well.

In the past, Zhang Xuan could only view things that were two small cultivation realms above of him. After the rise in his Soul Depth, it had increased to three small cultivation realms.

In other words, given his current zhenqi cultivation of Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, if a Cosmos Bridge realm advanced stage cultivator were to appear before him, he would be able to see through the flaws in the other party's moves through the Eye of Insight even without tapping into the Library of Heaven's Path.

The improvement in Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will was even more fearsome. Even if it was a 6-star middle-tier master teacher, he was confident he'd be able to beguile the other party with his words.

'The greatest gain from this acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher is not the increase in my Soul Depth or the enhancement of my Impartation of Heaven's Will and Eye of Insight... It is Mind of Void!'

After checking his physical condition, Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together in agitation.

The acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher had furthered his various abilities as a master teacher, but what left him the most delighted was that his physical body had gained the ability of Mind of Void.

Mind of Void, this was a state where one's physical body could move solely on habit, even without a soul or intent driving it.

Back when Zhang Xuan was in the Cleansing Lake, his soulless body was reduced to a state reminiscent of a corpse, unable to be controlled or moved.

However, with the Mind of Void, his physical body was now able to cultivate or even fight without a soul!

In fact, without having to go through his mind, the reflexes of his body would be faster than ever!

If he were to face that puppet from before once more, he would be able to divide his body and soul to fight separately, thus exerting a far greater prowess than before!

'This is incredible! With this ability, I'll be able to multitask easily!'

Zhang Xuan smiled in delight at his immense gains. At that moment, he suddenly heard a moaning sound beside him. Luo Qiqi had recovered from her state of enlightenment.

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Chapter 670: Genocide

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Teacher!" As soon as she recovered, Luo Qiqi immediately got up and clasped her fist.

Immersed in her previous state of enlightenment, she was unaware that Zhang Xuan had gone through a Celestial Master Teacher acknowledgement. However, her understanding toward pill forging and smithing had improved significantly.

Her previous talent in smithing could only be considered as slightly above average, but with her current understanding, she was confident that she would be able to best those famous geniuses from the Blacksmith School as well!

"Not bad!"

Seeing the other party's spirited gaze, Zhang Xuan knew that the other party must have benefited greatly from her state of enlightenment, so he nodded in satisfaction.

No matter what, the other party was his student. As her teacher, he would feel pride at her improvement.

"Teacher, thank you for your guidance!"

Luo Qiqi knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude.

Hu!

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to help the other party up, the Library of Heaven's Path jolted, and the Book of Heaven's Path appeared.

A golden page was within in.

Zhang Xuan had tried to create it previously when he was attacked by the puppet but to no avail. To think that it would appear now!

'This is great...'

With this golden page, he would surely be able to turn that puppet into minced meat and escape without worry.

'It seems like my conjecture was right. Only gratitude derived from the impartation of knowledge can induce the golden page!' Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had won Luo Qiqi's gratitude previously by stalling the puppet and allowing her to get away, but the golden page hadn't been produced.

All of this was pointing to one fact—only gratitude earned from accomplishing his duty as a teacher would trigger the golden page. Anything other than that was ineffective.

"Stand up. Since you have managed to smith a weapon with quality exceeding Spirit high-tier, let's see if you can receive Wu Yangzi's heritage and find the escape route!"

Seeing the golden page, Zhang Xuan's mood lifted. He hurriedly helped the lady up, before flicking his wrist and placing the Glacier Rain Sword on the platform before the Crimson Blaze Cauldron.

Jiyaya!

Having seemingly assessed that the quality of the sword had met the standard, the stone platform shook, and the voice from the Mechanical Recorder sounded once more.

"Congratulations, you have forged a weapon exceeding Spirit high-tier. As such, you're qualified to become my student, and I'll impart my life's work to you!"

Hu!

As he spoke those words, the ground before him trembled, and a stone pedestal slowly surfaced.

To think that there was a mechanism below the stone chamber as well!

"On the stone pedestal, there's a total of three objects. First, there is a manual on the forging technique that I created through consolidating the essence of my understanding of smithing, Zither Forging Technique. Second, there is my physical body cultivation technique, Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body. Last but not least, my experience here and the exit route!

"Even though I was trapped here, I didn't feel the slightest anger or hatred at all. Instead, by devoting all of my attention to smithing, I was able to forget my sorrows instead... However, it was a pity that there is a limit to a man's lifespan. My ultimate goal of forging a Saint weapon remains out of my reach even as I approach the end of my life, and it will forever remain my greatest regret.

"I hope that after receiving my heritage, you can accomplish my wish and smith a Saint weapon using my 'Zither Forging Technique' so as to appease my soul in the heavens above. This way... I'll be able to rest in peace.

"If you are willing, make a vow and I'll reveal an important piece of information to you. This information concerns a treasure left behind from ancient ruins, and if you manage to obtain it, there will be no problem reaching Sainthood!"

"Reaching Sainthood?"

Glancing at one another, Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi's breathing hastened.

Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm was also known as the Embryonic realm, Nascent Heart realm, or Golden Core realm.

The main purpose of that realm was to gather the entirety of one's cultivation to form an Origin Embryo. Once the formation of the Origin Embryo was complete, one would be able to surpass one's limitation and achieve Sainthood.

The formation of the Origin Embryo was the final, as well as the greatest, hurdle that Transcendent Mortals would face, and many found themselves unable to overcome this challenge.

Considering how this object provided a ticket to reaching Sainthood, its value was indeed immeasurable.

"I agree!"

After glancing at Zhang shi and receiving his approval, Luo Qiqi stepped forward and bowed deeply to the pedestal to signify that her acknowledgement as of Grandmaster Wu Yangzi as her teacher.

Zhang Xuan was Luo Qiqi's apothecary teacher. While he did impart the art of smithing to the latter as well, he didn't accept the latter as his disciple, so there were no qualms with her acknowledging another as her teacher.

Not to mention, a precious treasure and a heritage were at stake here.

After making her vows, the voice in the Mechanical Recorder finally continued speaking.

"Since you have made a vow, I will reveal the secret to you now. I have left most of my treasures and the information beneath my old mansion. At the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon, you just have to put down three formation flags according to the Three Stars, and the items will surface automatically!"

The voice came to a halt.

"Three Stars of the Earth Dragon? Old mansion?"

Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi stared at one another, and they nearly fainted from anger.

Are you taking us for a fool?

It has been two thousand years since you died, who in the world would know where your old mansion was? Also, what the heck is the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon?

Given that this cryptic message was left behind on a Mechanical Recorder, there was no way they could ask about it, and this only left them even more frustrated.

To reveal the existence of a treasure to them but not identify the location clearly, just the thought of it left the duo light-headed.

"Considering how Wu Yangzi was captured and brought here, there's no way of telling who would challenge his trial and obtain his heritage. As such, it's understandable that he would speak in riddles!"

Even though Zhang Xuan was frustrated, he could understand the rationale behind the other party's actions.

Given that Wu Yangzi was brought here against his will, any precious treasures that were on him must have been already taken away by his captors. Considering how his captors had the easiest access to this stone chamber, there was a high chance that they would have uncovered this information and claimed the treasure for themselves should the clue be too direct.

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask, "But... where is his old mansion?"

"I have no idea either. However, if I recall correctly, Grandmaster Wu Yangzi used to live in Hongyuan Capital, the city where Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy is located." Luo Qiqi thought for a moment before continuing. "I'll check the records after I return to the academy. It has only been two thousand years, so I should be able to uncover some traces of it!"

"Un!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Two thousand years might be a long time to a small kingdom like Tianxuan Kingdom, and immense changes could happen to it in that timeframe, but to a massive behemoth like Hongyuan Empire, the effects of the passing of two thousand years wasn't as obvious.

Tier 1 Empires had Saint realm experts, and considering how they possessed a lifespan of around a thousand years, a span of two thousand years could only be considered as the passing of two to three generations. Thus, it shouldn't be too difficult to find Wu Yangzi's old mansion.

"Let's take a look at his heritage."

Since they couldn't access the treasure stuck in this underground chamber, there was no use thinking about it for now. Thus, Zhang Xuan gestured for Luo Qiqi to look at the items on the stone pedestal.

Luo Qiqi nodded and walked toward the stone pedestal.

Of the three items that Wu Yangzi left behind, she reached out for the third one immediately—the way to escape from here.

Naturally, their survival took precedence over everything else.

"Teacher!"

Luo Qiqi passed the book over.

"Un!" Taking the book, Zhang Xuan flipped through it casually before a bizarre expression appeared on his face.

Seeing Zhang Xuan's expression, Luo Qiqi's face tensed.

"What's wrong, teacher? Is there no way to leave here?"

It would truly be a disaster if they couldn't get out, but Zhang Xuan smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, there's a way out. It's just that I saw something interesting. It seems like Grandmaster Wu Yangzi is a very different person from how we thought he was..."

"Different?" Luo Qiqi was perplexed.

"You should take a look yourself."

Zhang Xuan passed the book over to Luo Qiqi.

Confused, Luo Qiqi took the book and browsed through it. After she was done, a bizarre expression appeared on her face as well.

Having expected this, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

Wu Yangzi was captured and brought to this underground chamber by the Otherworldly Demons.

In other words, this underground chamber was a lair for the Otherworldly Demons!

The Otherworldly Demons had once enjoyed great prestige ruling over the other races, including the humans. Yet, they had been forced to hide within remote places where the sun didn't reach just to survive. Naturally, they would seek to return to where they had once stood.

As such, the first stone tablet inscribed with 'Yearning Abode Lodge' actually reflected their wish instead of Wu Yangzi's.

This was the reason why the three words carried the unique killing intent of Otherworldly Demons.

This underground chamber was constructed by the Otherworldly Demons to avoid the pursuit of human cultivators, and it housed dozens of their brethren. Due to the skillful construction of the underground chamber, it didn't feel stifling despite the size of their group.

As for why they had chosen to capture Wu Yangzi, the reason was simple. This bunch of Otherworldly Demons had hidden from the Master Teacher Pavilion for many millenniums, but due to their limited populace, they could only cross-marry, and this resulted in a degeneration in their genes, thus limiting their ability to reproduce. As such, their populace declined steadily, and they slowly approached extinction.

To resolve this problem, they decided to capture Wu Yangzi, who was renowned for his proficiency in smithing and mechanisms then, to temper their bodies and prolong their lifespan.

The idea was good, but... how could tempering one's body and prolonging one's lifespan be easy?

Putting aside how Wu Yangzi was only a 6-star blacksmith, even an 8-star or 9-star blacksmith wouldn't be able to achieve this feat!

Otherwise, that person would surely become renowned across the entire Master Teacher Continent, and countless people would flock to him in hopes of prolonging their lifespan.

Who would willingly accept death when there was an opportunity to live on?

As such, Wu Yangzi was captured and locked within this stone chamber. While it was vast, it did little to reduce the fact that it was a prison. The only way to escape this stone chamber was through the narrow stone door, but so long as someone was guarding it, it was impossible to escape.

Losing his freedom, even if he had smithing to accompany him, frustration and loneliness would surely slowly gnaw at him. As such, 'Burying Sorrow' was incomprehensible.

But through this book, Zhang Xuan learned why Wu Yangzi granted this stone chamber such a name.

The Otherworldly Demons who captured him wanted Wu Yangzi to temper their bodies and prolong their longevity... and that fellow was indeed tenacious. He went through all of the trouble and used every means at his disposal to temper their bodies to make them nigh indestructible...

But at the same time... while tempering their bodies, Wu Yangzi also robbed them of their consciousness, turning them into puppets who could only obey orders.

In other words... the puppet outside was actually one of the Otherworldly Demons who kidnapped Grandmaster Wu Yangzi, and it ended up being forged into nothing more than a puppet!

Wu Yangzi knew that the Otherworldly Demons would never allow him to escape, so he designed a mechanism to secretly release the weapons he forged out into the world. He intended for them to trace his location through those weapons and organize a party to save him... but who knew that this wait would take him more than two thousand years!

In these two thousand years, all of the Otherworldly Demons, except for those who had been tempered into mere puppets, had all died. This was the reason why the underground chamber seemed to be completely empty when their group entered.

Eventually, as Wu Yangzi's lifespan approached its limit, he began to accept the fact that he might not be able to escape, so he decided to leave his heritage here. As for the puppet outside, it was probably the guard in charge of looking after Wu Yangzi's chamber and preventing him from leaving. Considering how all of the Otherworldly Demons had died out, it was probably still in the midst of fulfilling the last command issued to it.

"This..."

Luo Qiqi was in disbelief.

Wu Yangzi was known to be an upright and honorable man. Who would have thought that he could be so scheming?

To actually turn the Otherworldly Demons that had captured him into puppets... he sure was vicious!

In a sense, this was as good as committing genocide!

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Chapter 671: Slaying the Puppet

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"To forge the Otherworldly Demons into puppets and implant commands into them such that they would function as ordinary living beings... it would indeed be difficult to tell the difference in the short run. Grandmaster Wu Yangzi probably derived joy from seeing how the Otherworldly Demons slowly fell into his trap, and gradually, this source of entertainment allowed him to forget his sorrows!"

Zhang Xuan chuckled.

The human race and the Otherworldly Demons were mortal enemies. As a renowned blacksmith, Wu Yangzi understood this logic.

When he was first captured, he would have surely been filled with indignation and rage. However, as he killed all of them slowly by converting them into puppets, he was surely filled with exhilaration.

After all, none of these ancient Otherworldly Demons were weaker than him... and yet, singlehandedly, he turned them into puppets, thus eradicating every last one of them. Just the thought of it could send one's heart pumping in excitement...

With such a mission in life, it was no wonder he could forget his sorrows!

Judging from the joyful tone in his handwriting, it could be seen that the other party was so elated that it was almost as if he would float into the sky.

As for how he managed to convince so many Otherworldly Demon to be willingly tempered under his hands, thinking that they would become immortal... nothing was written in the book about it, so it was impossible to tell for sure.

Nevertheless, Zhang Xuan deduced that it was probably a gradual change.

For example, Wu Yangzi would temper the other party's arms first. Tempering the arms had little impact on one's ability to think, and the primary success would convince everyone else to do it too.

Following which, he would move on to the legs, spine, and body...

And finally, when everyone had let down their guard, he would temper their heads, thus successfully converting them into puppets...

But of course, this was only Zhang Xuan's conjecture. Without seeing it for himself, there was no way of confirming it.

Under the perseverance of Wu Yangzi, the Otherworldly Demon who sought to lengthen their lifespans... ended up being eradicated instead.

"According to Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's records, there are at least twenty Otherworldly Demon in this underground chamber that fell for his ploy, thus ending up as puppets. If this merit were to be reported to the Master Teacher Pavilion, the reward obtained would be so great that it could ensure the prosperity of a clan for several generations to come," Luo Qiqi said.

Killing Otherworldly Demons was a huge merit to the human race, and the Master Teacher Pavilion offered rewards for it.

The higher the cultivation realm and quantity of Otherworldly Demons killed, the greater the reward. Considering how Wu Yangzi had managed to slay over twenty Otherworldly Demons of nearly equal cultivation as himself, that was sufficient for his name to go down in history, and the Master Teacher Pavilion would help look after his descendants for generations to come in reciprocation for his contribution!

In fact, so long as he said the word, they could allow one of his descendants to become the emperor of Hongyuan Empire.

"Un. We'll report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion honestly. As for how they will reward his descendants, that is none of our business!" Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Let's leave first before talking about other matters!"

Luo Qiqi nodded.

"Based on Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's description, we have to return to the path we came from. Even though we can't break the Dragon Severing Lock, there is a mechanism installed on it that we can make use of... In other words, if we wish to break out of this underground chamber, we'll have to get rid of that fellow outside first!" Zhang Xuan said.

The method of leaving this place was recorded in the book.

This was a prison, a place to incarcerate Wu Yangzi. Naturally, there wouldn't be side exits installed in this place. Thus, the only way to leave was through the Dragon Severing Lock.

As a grandmaster blacksmith, Wu Yangzi seemed to have left some kind of mechanism on the lock such that it would be easy for him to get away in the future.

However, it's a pity that he never succeeded.

"Get rid of that fellow?"

Recalling the fearsome Otherworldly Demon puppet, Luo Qiqi's face paled.

Even just thinking about it now was enough to send shivers down her spine!

It was swift, strong, and possessed impenetrable skin; there was no flaw that they could exploit against it!

Seeing through Luo Qiqi's thoughts, Zhang Xuan chuckled.

"Don't worry. We might not have been able to deal with it before, but now... we do have a weapon in our hands!"

Previously, even though the Library of Heaven's Path reflected the location of the flaws of the puppet, Zhang Xuan had still been unable to exploit them due to his low cultivation realm.

It was similar to an ant attempting to kill a divine dragon. Even if the ant knew the flaws of the dragon, how could it possibly land a fatal blow when it couldn't even bite through the other party's skin?

While Zhang Xuan knew that the puppet would fall once its head was lopped off, its astounding defense covered for its flaws. Even an attack with Zhang Xuan's full might and using his strongest weapon could only leave a shallow cut on the other party's neck. So, how could he possibly defeat the other party?

While the Library of Heaven's Path allowed Zhang Xuan to rival opponents stronger than him, there was a limit to how wide a gap it could bridge... Sometimes, even the opponent's flaw could be way beyond his current cultivation.

However, that was then. Now that the Glacier Rain Sword had advanced to become a Half-Saint weapon, everything was simple.

Seeing Zhang Xuan pick up the Glacier Rain Sword, Luo Qiqi was stunned.

"Teacher means to... fight against it?"

She knew that the Glacier Rain Sword had exceeded Spirit high-tier, but how far beyond that still eluded her.

Her ability in appraising weapons was still far beneath that of Zhang Xuan. Not to mention, given her current cultivation realm, it was perfectly normal for her to have never encountered Half-Saint artifacts before.

"Un. I'll tear away the formation later on. You'll have to attract its attention from the front while I sneak to its back to attempt killing it with a single blow!"

Zhang Xuan began going into details regarding the plan of how they would deal with the puppet. "This is what you have to do..."

"Alright!" Hearing her teacher's instructions, Luo Qiqi nodded without any hesitation.

To guide her to forge a pill and smith simultaneously, and for it to be a success at that, what else could her teacher possibly be incapable of?

She walked up to the Crimson Blaze Cauldron and put it in her storage ring. Following which, with a flick of her wrist, she took out a bow and drew an arrow.

As the bow she used previously was destroyed by the puppet, she was currently wielding a lower tier one.

There was no other choice. This was the only long-range Spirit weapon she had in her possession.

Seeing that Luo Qiqi was ready, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and pushed himself up to the sky.

After looking around for a moment, he finally stopped at a certain position before driving his zhenqi and grabbing downward.

Wuwuwuwu!

The formation flags were pulled out of the ground, and the originally pitch-black portion of the stone chamber gradually lost its darkness under the radiance of the Night Illumination Pearls. Slowly, the Otherworldly Demon puppet's huge silhouette came into appearance.

ROAR!

As they saw the figure of the Otherworldly Demon puppet, the other party also caught side of Luo Qiqi. With a furious roar, it dashed forward frenziedly.

"Die!" Luo Qiqi cried out, and arrows immediately rained down upon the large puppet.

Ding ding ding ding!

However, due to the lacking might behind her arrows, it did little to impede the other party's advance. In fact, none of the arrows pierced through the other party's skin.

Not expecting her arrows to be shrugged off so easily, Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws and threw her bow at it.

Kacha!

The Otherworldly Puppet flung its arm, and the bow shattered. By this moment, it was already standing right before Luo Qiqi. With a booming shock wave, its steel fist crushed toward her.

If Luo Qiqi were to be struck by this outrageously powerful fist, she would surely die on the spot.

Seeing that the fist was about to strike her, Luo Qiqi's eyebrows shot up, and she immediately flicked her wrist.

Dang!

With a metallic reverberation, the Crimson Blaze Cauldron which she had just placed in her storage ring appeared before her.

There was a small ventilation gap on the cauldron that was used to insert coal into it. The puppet's punch struck precisely into the ventilation gap, and its fist was immediately trapped inside the cauldron.

The Crimson Blaze cauldron was an artifact that Wu Yangzi used to forge his weapon, and even he himself was unable to destroy it. Naturally, the puppet was unable to do so as well. With its fist trapped, the puppet thrashed around furiously, but there was nothing it could do.

"I succeeded!"

Seeing that the plan was working, Luo Qiqi's eyes lit up.

When her teacher shared his plan with her previously, she thought that it would be very hard to put it into action. However, just by following the other party's instructions strictly, she actually managed to do it easily.

It was a wonder to her how the other party managed to plan this far ahead.

That kind of analytical ability and battle sense was nothing short of monstrous!

Huala!

Just as Luo Qiqi was filled with awe, a cold gleam suddenly flashed across her eyes, and the puppet abruptly staggered. Following which, its head slowly slid to the ground.

Unknowingly, her teacher had appeared behind the puppet and lopped off its head with a single slash.

"How sharp..."

Seeing how the Glacier Rain Sword easily cut through the other party's neck with a simple cut, Luo Qiqi's eyes widened in shock.

Even though her appraisal ability wasn't up to par with Zhang Xuan, she could tell that the might of the Glacier Rain Sword exceeded that of Spirit pinnacle weapons.

There was no Spirit pinnacle weapon that could achieve this feat so easily!

Luo Qiqi couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, what is the current tier of the Glacier Rain Sword?"

"Half-Saint!" There was no reason for Zhang Xuan to hide it from her either.

"Half-Saint?" Luo Qiqi's body trembled in astonishment.

Even 6-star blacksmiths would be unable to smith out such a weapon! And yet... in that groggy state, she actually succeeded in creating such a weapon?

"Alright. Gather everything that's of any value, and let's quickly leave this area!"

Seeing Luo Qiqi's eyes widening in disbelief, Zhang Xuan shrugged nonchalantly. At the same time, he also felt a little perplexed... Considering the prestige of the Master Teacher Academy—after all, most master teachers view it as their aim—why did these few talented students that he met seem so ignorant?

After going through so much effort to quench the Glacier Rain Sword, while it was a surprise that the Glacier Rain Sword was able to reach Half-Saint, it wasn't entirely unexpected. Was there a reason for her to make such a huge fuss out of it?

"Yes!"

Unaware of Zhang shi's doubts, Luo Qiqi suppressed the astonishment deep within her and put everything that seemed to be valuable into her storage ring. At that moment, she suddenly recalled something. Turning around, she passed a book over to Zhang Xuan.

"Teacher, this is the physical body cultivation technique of Grandmaster Wu Yangzi, the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, a Spirit pinnacle secret manual..."

The main reason why Zhang Xuan came with them was because he was seeking Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's physical body cultivation technique. Since they had obtained it now, it was only right for her to present it to him.

"Un!" Zhang Xuan's finger fell on the book for a moment before retracting it. "This isn't right. Since this is Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's personal cultivation technique, I don't think I'll take it after all. You should study hard so as to not let him down."

Considering that the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body was a personal cultivation technique of Wu Yangzi's and that he intended to pass it down only to his student, it would indeed be inappropriate for an outsider to learn it.

This was the basic respect among cultivators.

"This..."

Not expecting the other party to reject it, Luo Qiqi's face reddened. She opened her mouth, but she couldn't find any words to say.

Before such a precious physical body cultivation technique, others would surely toss aside their etiquette and take it for themselves. Yet, her teacher actually turned it down...

This professionalism and character were indeed worthy of respect!

'Zhang laoshi, from now onward, you shall be my role model! I shall strive to emulate your behavior!' Luo Qiqi vowed in her heart.

While she was completely impressed with Zhang Xuan, at this moment, the latter was currently staring at the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body manual in the Library of Heaven's Path with a bitter face.

"78 flaws? The heck! Can this still be called a Spirit pinnacle physical body cultivation technique? You must be joking with me! To regard this kind of rotten book as your treasure and pass it down as an inheritance, screw this..."

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Chapter 672: Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

When Zhang Xuan's finger came into contact with the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body earlier, he had already duplicated another one in the Library of Heaven's Path. Thus, it mattered not to him whether he had the physical copy or not.

Initially, Zhang Xuan thought that given how high-tiered the physical body cultivation technique was, it must be extremely profound and powerful. Who would have known that it would be riddled with flaws...

If only he knew how trashy this cultivation technique was, he wouldn't have wasted his time coming here. He would have just gathered the books at Huanyu Empire instead.

He was confident he could compile a far stronger physical body cultivation technique with the manuals in Huanyu Empire!

In other words, he had gone through so much trouble for nothing!

Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

However, it was too late for regrets. All he could do was to recoup his losses as much as possible. Thus, he stepped forward to the puppet and placed it in his storage ring.

Although the puppet had been incapacitated, considering how tough its defense was, it was likely to have been made out of some kind of valuable ore.

Thus, Zhang Xuan intended to take it back and examine it properly. Perhaps, he might be able to extract some precious ores from it.

Walking out of the stone chamber, Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi walked back through the passageway and into the stone room, where Luo Qiqi retrieved her sword. After which, they went back up the stairs, and soon, they were standing before the Dragon Severing Lock.

Zhang Xuan's finger fell on the location written on the Dragon Severing Lock, and he pressed down lightly.

Kacha!

The creaking of a mechanism sounded, and following which, the Dragon Severing Lock shook.

"Is it done?" Luo Qiqi's eyes lit up as she walked forward to push the lock. However, despite exerting so much force that her face was turning red, the Dragon Severing Lock showed no sign of moving at all.

Zhang Xuan frowned.

As a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan pinnacle expert, Luo Qiqi wielded strength exceeding 6,200,000 ding. It was one thing for her to be unable to open the Dragon Severing Lock when it was sealed, but given that the mechanism had been activated, why was she still unable to move it?

"Let me give it a try!"

Frowning, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and pushed with all his might.

Boom!

Harnessing the strength of his physical body, soul, and zhenqi together, a force exceeding 9,000,000 ding was exerted against the Dragon Severing Lock.

Hu!

But even so, the huge boulder still remained completely motionless, as though it was perfectly stuck to the ground.

"This..." Retracting his arms, Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion. "It can't be that... the mechanism has stopped working after two thousand years?"

According to the book left behind by Wu Yangzi, as long as the mechanism was activated, the Dragon Severing Lock should have been able to be knocked open. But if that was the case, why wasn't it budging even though they had put so much strength into it?

This shouldn't be the case!

If the mechanism was really broken, the both of them would be doomed.

Even a Saint realm cultivator would find it hard to break the Dragon Severing Lock, let alone them.

Was their only way out gone... just like that?

"It is recorded in the book that even after triggering the mechanism, the Dragon Severing Lock still can't be opened normally. One will have to exert pure physical strength to push it open. Once the mechanism senses the presence of zhenqi, it'll automatically deactivate..."

Taking Wu Yangzi's book out once more, Luo Qiqi read with a grim expression.

"Pure physical strength?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Indeed. The mechanism against the Dragon Severing Lock is made out of a unique material which is exceptionally sensitive to zhenqi... Grandmaster Wu Yangzi probably did it this way so as to prevent the Otherworldly Demon from noticing and exploiting the mechanism. The killing intent that the Otherworldly Demon emanates possesses properties similar to zhenqi, so even if they were to notice the mechanism, they would still be unable to open it," Luo Qiqi said.

"I see!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Given Wu Yangzi's meticulous personality, it was indeed possible for him to design such a mechanism.

Even if an Otherworldly Demon were to obtain his heritage, it would still be unable to leave this underground chamber alive, thus frustrating it to death.

"I'll give it another try!"

With this conjecture in mind, Zhang Xuan retracted his soul and zhenqi cultivation, and using just the might of his muscles, he pushed the Dragon Severing Lock with all his might.

Geji! Geji!

The Dragon Severing Lock groaned, but Zhang Xuan was still unable to open it.

"I don't have sufficient strength to open it."

"I'll help you!"

Luo Qiqi walked over, and the duo pushed the Dragon Severing Lock together. However, it still didn't budge.

This meant that their combined strength was still insufficient.

However, the groaning sound did indicate that their line of thought was right, it was just that they were lacking sufficient strength to push open the Dragon Severing Lock.

"Even though we failed to open it, the mechanism seems to be working... the only option for us now is to quickly raise our physical strength!"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even though he could summon his clone, and with the combined might between him and his clone, it should be possible to open the Dragon Severing Lock. However... his clone was made of a God artifact, and he didn't want anyone to learn of its existence yet.

Once his clone's existence was made known, it was possible that others might doubt Yang shi's existence, and the matter of him practicing the arts of a soul oracle would likely be exposed as well.

"Raise our physical strength? Teacher means that... we should cultivate the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body?"

Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

"Un. It is very likely that this is another test from Grandmaster Wu Yangzi—if we can't even cultivate the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, it is likely that we will be unable to fulfill his wish of forging a Saint weapon. And since our words are an empty promise... he would rather that we remain here to accompany him!" Zhang Xuan analyzed.

Wu Yangzi was indeed an extremely thorough person, having taken into account every single possibility.

But considering how he was the man who managed to dupe so many Otherworldly Demons into offering their heads to him, it didn't really come as a surprise.

Otherwise, he would probably have been killed by the Otherworldly Demons.

"Cultivate right now?" Luo Qiqi's face was plagued with dilemma. "A physical body cultivation technique cannot be mastered within a single day. It requires many years of hard work. Are we going to be trapped here for that long?"

Just like normal zhenqi cultivation techniques, physical body cultivation techniques also required many years of diligence for one to achieve mastery.

If they had to learn the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body before they could leave... how long would that take?

What if they never succeeded in it? Would this underground chamber really be their final resting place?

Seeing Luo Qiqi frown, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Other than the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, do you have any other physical body cultivation technique manuals on you?"

Not knowing why her teacher would ask such a question, Luo Qiqi was dazed for a moment before replying.

"Other physical body cultivation technique manuals? I do have quite a few, but none of them can be compared to the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body!"

Possessing a strong physical body was one of the requirements for becoming a 5-star apothecary and 5-star blacksmith. As such, she did possess quite a few physical body cultivation technique manuals on her. However, none of their grades could match the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body.

"Allow me to take a look."

Zhang Xuan had only asked that question casually, not expecting to receive a positive answer. His eyes immediately lit up in delight.

"Alright."

Knowing that her teacher must have an idea in mind for asking for them, Luo Qiqi flicked her wrist and placed a few piles of books on the stairs without any hesitation. There were probably around a few hundred books within the pile.

"There are so many of them..."

Not expecting the other party to be carrying so many books on her, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He hurriedly brushed his fingertip across all of them.

"Actually... it was a friend who helped me collect all of these. Back then, when I was striving to become a 5-star blacksmith, my physical body was still too weak. So, a friend gave all of these to me..." Luo Qiqi said awkwardly.

Despite Princess Yu Fei-er's difficult personality, she still had many pursuers. Given Luo Qiqi's appearance, it was natural that she would have no lack of pursuers either.

Back then, when she failed the 5-star blacksmith examination, a senior in the Blacksmith School who was pursuing her gathered all of these physical body cultivation techniques and gave them to her.

She had been wanting to return them to the other party since then, but she hadn't found an opportunity yet. Since her teacher needed them now, she brought all of them out.

"Good..."

After collecting all of the books into the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan stood up and muttered 'compile'.

Hu!

A brand-new Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Zhang Xuan quickly flipped it open, and amidst its content, there were only four errors.

"Great!"

Zhang Xuan chuckled in delight.

He was still troubled over the excessive flaws in the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body manual previously, but after assimilating the content from the other physical body cultivation technique manuals from Luo Qiqi, he was able to make up for most of the flaws. Even though there were still four flaws remaining, they were negligible.

With this, he would surely be able to strengthen his physical body to the required level within two hours!

"Let's return to the stone chamber first."

The stone chamber was narrow, dark, and damp, which weren't conditions suited for cultivating. Thus, the duo returned to the stone chamber, and sitting down, they began cultivating.

Understanding her teacher's intentions, Luo Qiqi flipped open the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body.

An introduction to the technique was written on the first page.

"The Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body wasn't created by me; I found it when I was roaming through ancient ruins. There is a total of five levels to the technique, and they are otherwise known as the Five Incandescence. Upon mastering the technique, one's physical body will be imbued with a five-colored light, granting one immense might... However, this technique is extremely difficult to cultivate, and even I have only been able to reach the Third Incandescence."

After taking a look, Luo Qiqi couldn't help but feel impressed.

Honestly speaking, the person who created the cultivation technique was indeed a genius.

She had seen many geniuses and formidable master teachers in the Master Teacher Academy, and she had heard of many different physical body cultivation techniques as well. However, none of them seemed to be able to compete with this one.

But while the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body was indeed strong, it was difficult to cultivate as well.

Putting everything aside, to reach the Second Incandescence and beyond, one would require some supporting materials to temper their body with.

Even though Luo Qiqi had plenty of pills and medicinal herbs on her, none of them fulfilled the requirements.

'Forget it. I shall cultivate the First Incandescence and leave this place first...'

Putting all other miscellaneous thoughts aside, she began to browse through the content of the First Incandescence.

"To master the First Incandescence, one has to be able to gather the full might of one's body. It will take at least two years for a genius to achieve Major Accomplishment, while those who are less talented can easily take more than ten years!"

Such a sentence was written in the very first paragraph depicting the First Incandescence.

'Two years?'

Luo Qiqi's mouth twitched.

If she were to be trapped here for two years, the entire school would probably think that she was dead!

Furthermore, this was still assuming that she possessed an affinity for the cultivation technique. If she lacked talent in it, wouldn't they be trapped here for ten years?

'What am I thinking all of this for? I should focus my attention on cultivating. The faster I master the technique, the earlier I'll be able to leave this underground chamber.'

Luo Qiqi shook away other miscellaneous thoughts from her head. Clenching her jaws, she began to memorize the formula for the First Incandescence. Soon, just after she managed to memorize the content and was just about to decipher and cultivate it, Zhang shi suddenly stood up.

"Let's go!"

"Where?"

Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

She hadn't even started cultivating yet, where were they heading to?

"To leave! Do you not want to leave?"

Zhang Xuan shot her a perplexed expression.

"I..."

Luo Qiqi was completely confused by the situation before her. "Of course, I want to leave... but we aren't able to open the Dragon Severing Lock with our current combined strength! I have barely memorized the First Incandescence of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, and I haven't started cultivating yet..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It's alright, I have already mastered it!"

"Mastered it?"

Luo Qiqi was taken aback. "What does that mean?"

At that moment, the duo was already standing right before the Dragon Severing Lock. Zhang shi raised his arm and abruptly exerted an immense force on the Dragon Severing Lock.

Weng!

A bright light emanated from his body, and with a 'jiya!', the Dragon Severing Lock opened.

"Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body... First Incandescence? What is going on?"

Luo Qiqi's body trembled; she felt like she was about to go insane.

I thought you didn't read that cultivation technique manual?

What in the world was going on?

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