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

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Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 737: Consulting the School Head - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 737: Consulting the School Head Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 737: Consulting the School Head

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Hualala!

Dust rose rapidly from the ground. The master teachers who had been spectating the sight abruptly backed away in fear.

Peng peng peng peng!

Consecutive collisions sounded as dozens of master teachers were slammed violently against a wall.

Quickly stabilizing his posture, Zhang Xuan gazed at the sight before him, and his lips began to twitch.

Not only had the Passageway of Records collapsed entirely, half of the Blacksmith Guild's main hall had also collapsed, leaving behind a cloak of dust in the wake of its former glory. The entire area screamed of a disaster, as if it had been bombarded.

If Zhang Xuan's action of collapsing the Chamber of Earth Flame had sent everyone into a frenzy a moment ago, this was at least ten times worse!

The Passageway of Records and its mechanisms and formations along with half of the main hall had been completely wrecked. Even if it is fixed eventually, the Blacksmith School would still become a laughingstock for the entire Master Teacher Academy.

There was probably no one who would have thought that a mere record challenger would end up reducing the entire branch into such a state!

It was fortunate that most of the master teachers in the Blacksmith Guild possessed incredible cultivation. Protected by their zhenqi, they sustained minimal injuries, but... considering how a Chamber of Earth Flame was worth 20 high-tier spirit stones, how much will all of this cost?

Zhang Xuan's lips twitched as he saw the sight before him slowly turning dark. At this point, he was already on the verge of tears.

There was nothing wrong with the Earth Flame which he had tempered to replace the Earth Flame Heart, and the formation had been reinforced to be extremely stable as well.

It should be impossible for anything to go wrong, but something still did. The mistake lay in the formation plate used to draw earth flame from the ground. The Verdantrise Rock and Furnace Crystal were valuable ores, but they were susceptible to heat under extreme conditions.

Typically speaking, those ores should be able to endure the heat from Earth Flame, but there was one thing Zhang Xuan had neglected.

The formation in the Chamber of Earth Flame was crafted in the manner such that it would emit varying degrees of heat depending on the cultivation of the person who stepped in. When Yuan Hong stepped into the formation, the temperature began rising swiftly, eventually exceeding the melting points of those ores. Naturally, it began to lose its shape.

This was similar to delivery trucks from his previous life.

If one were to follow the weight limit, it could last for a very long time. However, if one were to overload it, it could be damaged very easily.

If that formation plate to retrieve Earth Flame from the ground was crafted of better materials, this wouldn't be a problem. However, that wasn't the case.

As the formation plate began to melt, the stability which Zhang Xuan had created with great difficulty was shaken, resulting in the violent Earth Flame running amok... As a result, a calamity occurred.

In other words...

If it wasn't Yuan Hong who entered, such a problem would have never occurred!

It was due to the formation plate being too weak and Yuan Hong being too strong that such an accident happened.

This was something Zhang Xuan hadn't expected to happen.

Even the elder who had come up with this solution probably couldn't have imagined that the complex compound formation he came up with would fall apart due to inferior quality material.

"This isn't my fault..." With a tearful face, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched uncontrollably.

While that was what Zhang Xuan believed, the others didn't share his thoughts. As the shaking ground calmed, Luo Yan and the others stood up and glanced at the ruins around them before turning to him. Their eyes were filled with so much fury that it seemed as if they would devour him alive.

This was the core of their Blacksmith School! How were they supposed to smith weapons now that it had been reduced to ruins? How could they raise their heads proudly before the other schools?

"What did you do..." Luo Yan spat through clenched teeth.

At this moment, he felt so angry that his hands were dying to rip the fellow before him apart. In the end, he still chose to suppress his anger, and turning to the side, he instructed, "You two, keep a close eye on him, don't let him escape. As for the rest, follow me. We'll go and save my teacher!"

This wasn't the time to deal with that fellow yet. His teacher's safety was the current priority.

"Yes!" Two master teachers stepped forward and stood by Zhang Xuan's flanks, sealing his path of escape.

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On the other hand, the others swiftly rushed to the ruins of where the Chamber of Earth Flame once stood.

The explosion had caused the entire Passageway of Records and the branch to collapse. Considering how Vice School Head Yuan had been standing at the center of the explosion, he was probably in a worse state than everyone else.

But just as they were about to start digging through the ruins, "huala!", a figure suddenly emerged amidst the dust—Yuan Hong.

At this very moment, a huge portion of his hair had been burnt away. His face was livid, and flames of rage were burning in his eyes, and it seemed as if he was on the verge of going on a rampage.

"Cough cough!"

As soon as Yuan Hong rose from the dust, he began coughing violently, and fresh blood spewed from his mouth. His body wobbled feebly.

"Teacher..."

"Vice School Head Yuan..."

Everyone immediately rushed up to him in worry.

The person before them was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, a Saint realm expert. How wounded must he be to be in such a state?

"I'm fine!" Yuan Hong waved his hands as a sharp glint flashed across his eyes.

"Where's that fellow?"

Had he not used his full strength to suppress the explosion, perhaps half of the entire Blacksmith School might have been reduced to ashes by now.

Didn't you declare confidently that there wouldn't be any problems?

Didn't you reassure me time and time again that it would be fine?

Tell me what is this then!

Why was I so foolish as to listen to your lies...

The more he thought about it, the more furious Yuan Hong felt.

"He's over there..." Luo Yan pointed to the side, only to see the young man walking over under the "escort" of the other two master teachers.

"Who in the world are you? What do you intend to do here?" Yuan Hong roared furiously.

He was beginning to suspect that the fellow might have been sent by the other schools to wreak havoc here.

Otherwise, how could a simple record challenge cause such a huge stir? Wasn't the very notion of it inconceivable?

"All I wanted was to take the 5-star blacksmith examination..." Zhang Xuan sighed.

His goal was that simple, but who could have thought that he would require Academic Credits for even that. Left with no choice, he could only seek a way to earn some... He thought that it should be a walk in a park, but in the end, not only did he fail to earn his Academic Credits, he even got himself in such a huge mess!

"Take the 5-star blacksmith examination? You call this taking the 5-star blacksmith examination? Admit it, you're here to tear down our school!" Yuan Hong said as he gritted his teeth furiously.

When other students take the examination, we earn Academic Credits and money, but when it comes to you... Are you sure you aren't trying to slaughter us all!

If not for my swift reaction and high cultivation, I would have died in there!

Have you ever seen anyone who tore down a guild while trying to take an examination?

"I... really didn't do it intentionally. How about this, I'm willing to compensate for this..." Zhang Xuan's face reddened.

While everything that had happened felt like a cruel prank from the heavens, the issue still ultimately originated from him, so he had to carry the responsibility for everything that had happened. The only thing he could do now was to offer compensation.

"Compensate? What are you going to compensate us with? Can you even afford to compensate us?" Yuan Hong was so angry that his body began shaking in fury.

Gathered in the Passageway of Records is the achievements of countless predecessors before them, how are you going to compensate for that? Besides, you can't even fork out ten high-tier spirit stones, what can you offer us?

Even if we were to sell you, we won't be able to earn that much!

"Why don't you tell me... how much spirit stones do I need to compensate? I'll try my best to earn that sum and repay it to you..." Zhang Xuan said through clenched jaws.

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At the very most, he would just have to do more part-time work and have Yang shi appear to treat patients and offer guidance. In any case, he would repay this debt.

While he couldn't be entirely blamed for this incident, it wouldn't be fair to the other party if he were to try to shrug off responsibility. Thus, he could only clench his jaws and shoulder it.

"Repay?" Yuan Hong sneered.

You sure know how to talk!

As a mere 4-star master teacher, even if you were to work your life away, you won't be able to repay this!

"Do you know how much damage have you caused?" With a sharp glint in his eyes, Yuan Hong bellowed. "There are a total of 37 challenges in the Passageway of Records, each of them containing the blood, sweat, and tears of countless predecessors, as well as innumerable precious artifacts and ores that couldn't be bought with money! Furthermore, adding in half of the guild branch into the mix, even three thousand high-tier spirit stones wouldn't be enough. Given so, you still dare to talk about compensation? Tell me! How do you intend to compensate?"

Blacksmith was an extremely money-consuming occupation. Amenities required for smithing wasn't cheap, especially for advanced facilities to process high-grade ores. It wouldn't be a joke to say that every inch of the Blacksmith Guild was worth gold.

To cause such immense damage to the Blacksmith Guild... Even a 7-star low-tier master teacher would find it hard to compensate all of this, needless to say, you!

"Three thousand high-tier spirit stones?" Zhang Xuan's body wobbled weakly.

He only had a high-tier spirit stone in possession at the moment. Even if he were to sell all of his possessions, he would only have at most ten. Three thousand... how could he possibly afford such a sum!

Even if he were to disguise as Yang shi, he wouldn't be able to earn so much within a short period of time.

"What are the other record challenges here? Why don't I... try fixing them?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Since he couldn't possibly fork the bill, he could only offer to help fix as much as he could to lower his debt.

"You..."

Yuan Hong nearly died of anger after hearing those words.

That fellow arrogantly promised that he would be able to fix the Chamber of Earth Flame, but what happened afterward?

From the collapse of a single chamber, the destruction extended to half of the entire branch!

Furthermore, the damages increased by ten high-tier spirit stones to three thousand. That was an increase of three hundred folds!

He thought that the other party should at least comprehend what kind of situation he was in and take a humbler attitude, but to think that he was so brazen as to continue shooting his mouth here...

Repair your head!

If I were to allow you to continue acting as you please, the Blacksmith School or perhaps even the entire Master Teacher Academy would be destroyed by you!

Furthermore, the Passageway of Records wasn't something that a blacksmith could fix by his own. There were also many mechanisms involved, so the expertise of a celestial designer was required as well.

No matter how skilled you are at smithing, you won't be able to fix them on your own as long as you are ignorant of mechanical engineering!

"If it requires expertise on mechanical engineering as well, I can go and take the celestial designer examination first..." Perhaps realizing what Yuan Hong was thinking of, Zhang Xuan quickly added.

"..." Yuan Hong body shook feebly once more.

Aren't you getting more and more arrogant?

Take the celestial designer examination first? Do you think that the examination will be so easy that you can pass it as and when you like?

"Keep a close eye on this lad..." With his cheeks crimson with rage, Yuan Hong felt that he might die from anger if he were to continue speaking with the other party. Thus, he waved his hands and turned his head away.

"Yes!" Luo Yan and the others hurriedly nodded.

"I'll go and consult the school head on this matter. In the meantime, make sure that he doesn't get away..." Yuan Hong instructed.

The current situation was already beyond his control. He had to report it to the school head.

The school head would then decide on what to do with this fellow!

"Yes!" the crowd answered.

"Vice School Head Yuan, the school head asks for you to go to his office as soon as possible!" At that moment, a master teacher suddenly rushed into the room anxiously and reported.

"He wants me to go to his office?" Yuan Hong was taken aback.

"Could he be aware of what is going on here?"

While there was a huge commotion here, considering the immense size of the Blacksmith School, and the far distance between the school head's office and here, the school head shouldn't have received the news yet. But if that wasn't the case, why would the latter be asking for him?

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Chapter 738: Golden Armored Cloak

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

But regardless, since the school head was looking for him, he mustn't keep him waiting. After instructing Luo Yan and the others once more to not allow Zhang Xuan to get away at any cost, he followed the master teacher to the school head's office.

The Blacksmith School was extremely large, taking up more than several ten thousand mu of land. It was divided into the Smithery, Staff Office, Learning Hall, and various examination facilities.

(10,000 mu = 6,666,666m2)

Yuan Hong was in charge of the examination facilities, which was at the opposite end of the Staff Office.

Even so, with his incredible speed as a Saint realm expert, it didn't take him long to arrive before the school head's office.

Stepping into the office, he saw the school head and the other three vice school heads seated within, seemingly discussing something vital.

Head of the Blacksmith School, Zhao Bingxu, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers!

Of the entire Master Teacher Academy, his standing was second to only the head of the Apothecary School.

Seated upright at the end of the room, he carried a dignified and authoritative aura.

At this moment, the school head's eyebrows were knitted together, and the other three vice school heads had austere expressions on their faces as well.

"School head, you were looking for me?" Yuan Hong asked doubtfully as he headed towards an empty seat amidst the group.

"You arrived at a timely moment. There's something which I need your input on!" the school head nodded as he flicked his palm.

Huala!

A formation in the room was activated, creating a barrier between those in the room and the rest of the world.

With the activation of this barrier, it would be impossible for anyone outside to listen to the conversation within the room.

Of course, this also meant that news outside wouldn't be able to reach this room either as long as the formation was active.

Seeing the school head going to the extent of even activating a formation to ensure perfect confidentiality, Yuan Hong was bewildered.

"Since everyone has arrived, I'll start then." School Head Zhao Bingxu nodded with a grim expression. "Just a moment ago, Elder Mo and Pavilion Master Mo have gathered the Ten Great Master Teachers together and announced something vital!"

Yuan Hong's face twisted in astonishment.

It must be a grave matter for Pavilion Master Mo and Elder Mo to have to gather the Ten Great Master Teachers together to confer about it.

"Could it be... news about the old principal?" One of the vice school heads couldn't help but ask.

The most crucial issue the Master Teacher Academy was facing at the moment was the old principal going missing, resulting in the lack of a leader to unite the academy together.

It would be great if there was news on him!

"That's not it." Zhao Bingxu shook his head gravely. "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has been appeared in the vicinity of Hongyuan City!"

"Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?" Yuan Hong's body instantaneously tensed up.

As a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, he understood the significance of an appearance of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

But for the school head to activate a formation of confidentiality, the matter probably wasn't as simple as a mere appearance of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"That's right. Senior Byzantium Helios has come under their assault on Leiyuan Peak, and we are still unable to verify whether he's dead or alive at the moment." Zhao Bingxu said slowly.

The four men gathered here were the vice heads of the Blacksmith School, important pillars supporting humanity. They were trustworthy men whom he could entrust such crucial intelligence to.

"Senior Byzantium Helios has gone missing?" Yuan Hong and the others widened their eyes in astonishment.

They could hardly believe what they were hearing.

If that was truly the case, the situation must be truly dire!

Byzantium Helios Beast was the old principal's tamed beast, and his cultivation had long reached Saint 1-dan pinnacle. On top of that, as a saint beast, he commanded strength far beyond any of them here. If even he had fallen prey to the Otherworldly Demons... how powerful must their enemies be?

"Un. Senior Byzantium Helios went missing even before he could even send a message to us... Furthermore, based on the marks of battle left on Leiyuan Peak, there must be at least ten Saints among the Otherworldly Demons, and one of them was at least Saint 2-dan at minimum!" Zhao Bingxu said grimly.

The reason why he rushed here to inform the other vice school heads on this matter right after the conference was to have the Blacksmith School act immediately. If they were to delay on this matter, they might just miss the ideal window to save Byzantium Helios Beast.

"At least ten Saint realm Otherworldly Demons?"

"One of them is at least Saint 2-dan?"

Everyone trembled upon learning that news.

If that was really the case, this matter would be far beyond their ability.

"Should we... report this matter to the headquarter?" Yuan Hong asked.

With the appearance of so many Otherworldly Demons simultaneously, the Master Teacher Academy might just find itself overpowered. Given such, it might be preferable to have the headquarter send down stronger master teachers to deal with this issue.

"Mu shi from the headquarter has already arrived at the academy, and we have reported this matter to him as well. His view was to have us deal with this matter as far as we can, and if anyone succeeds in saving Senior Byzantium Helios, he would become the next principal of the academy!" Zhao Bingxu replied.

"The next principal?" Everyone's eyes immediately lit up.

If Zhao Bingxu could become the academy's new principal, the standing of the Blacksmith School in the academy would surely soar as well. It would only be a matter of time before it overtakes the Apothecary School as the first school in the academy.

"Un. The reason why I have all of you gathered here is to have you investigate the whereabouts of Senior Byzantium Helios. Our Blacksmith School must find him before the others..." Zhao Bingxu nodded, revealing his intentions.

"That's no problem at all!"

"School head, rest assured. We'll do our best!"

Hong Yuan and the others nodded.

This wasn't just a matter regarding Zhao Bingxu's promotion. The appearance of the Otherworldly Demons would be a threat to the entire Master Teacher Academy and even humanity as a whole. Even without the incentive of the principal's seat, they were still obligated to do so.

"Good, that's all for now. Return and make whatever necessary arrangements!" Zhao Bingxu nodded.

"School head, there's a matter I need to report!" Seeing the school head dismissing them, one of the vice school heads immediately stood up and said.

"I also have a matter to report..." Yuan Hong also hurriedly said.

"Vice School Head Xiong, you'll go first!" Seeing that the two vice school heads had matters to report, Zhao Bingxu nodded.

Vice School Head Xiong Bing was in charge of the Learning Hall, and he had the closest relationship with the students as well.

"Alright!" Xiong Bing nodded. "It's like that. A while back, a student reported finding traces left behind by Elder Wu Yangzi, and she requested to initiate a mission on it... Such matters often occur, so I didn't think too much of it either. So, I offered them a few Academic Credits as the reward and sent them on their way."

Wu Yangzi was the most talented blacksmith in the past ten thousand years of history of Hongyuan Empire, and many students viewed him as their idol. As a result, there were many students who would approach him with news they had gathered on Wu Yangzi and apply for a mission each year, but most of them would turn out to just be mere rumors.

"Could it be... they succeeded?" Hearing Xiong Bing abruptly raising this matter, a thought flashed across Yuan Hong's head, and his breathing began to hasten in agitation.

If this was true, it would cause a huge uproar in the Blacksmith School!

Even though it had been long since Wu Yangzi had passed away, he still commanded great prestige amongst the blacksmiths in Hongyuan City.

"It's still a little too early for me to verify whether it's true or not, but the one who reported the completion of the mission is... the Sixth Princess!" Xiong Bing said.

"Sixth Princess? You mean Princess Yu Fei-er?" Zhao Bingxu asked.

Yu Fei-er was a member of royalty, so even as one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, he had also heard about her.

"That's right. Not only so, there is Grade 2's Luo Qiqi and Xing Yuan from the Xing Clan!" Xiong Bing continued.

"I have heard of Luo Qiqi, she's a famous blacksmith genius in Grade 2. If we could groom her well, she would surely achieve great things in the future. As for Xing Yuan, is he that old fellow's offspring?" Zhao Bingxu asked.

"He is!" Xiong Bing nodded.

"Why would they suddenly go searching for Elder Wu Yangzi's whereabouts?" Yuan Hong asked in bewilderment.

Each year, there were many students who would attempt to search for Wu Yangzi's whereabouts to uncover the truth behind his disappearance, but often, the news they gathered turned out to just be rumors amongst the populace. As the top students of their grade, surely they should know better than to pursue groundless rumors?

"I am not too sure on that, but just today, they came to me and reported the completion of their mission. On top of that, they brought Elder Wu Yangzi's remains back... Due to the immense significance of this issue, I dare not pass judgement by myself. Thus, I hope that the rest of you can help me verify the authenticity of this issue as well!" Xiong Bing said gravely.

"Sure, we'll be more than willing to. Where are those students?" Zhao Bingxu said.

Everyone was taken aback to hear that the group had brought back Wu Yangzi's remains. Missions relating to searching for Wu Yangzi's whereabouts had always ended in a failure, but this group claimed to have found his body...

If that was true, this would truly be a huge matter!

While Zhao Bingxu was a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith as well, his skill was still terribly lacking as compared to Wu Yangzi. If the group had brought back any secret manuals left behind by Wu Yangzi along with them, the Blacksmith School could be revolutionized!

"They are currently waiting outside the room. I'll call them in now!" Xiong Bing hurriedly said.

"Alright!" Zhao Bingxu nodded.

Xiong Bing stepped out of the room, and a moment later, he returned with three students following behind him.

They were Xing Yuan, Luo Qiqi, and Yu Fei-er.

While Xing Yuan and Ye Qian had left Huanyu Empire earlier than Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er, the speed of the aerial spirit beast they took was far beneath that of the Great Violetwing Beast. As a result, Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi ended up arriving earlier than them.

As a result, it took them so long to gather together to report on the matter.

"Xing Yuan (Luo Qiqi, Yu Fei-er) pays respect to School Head Zhao and the other vice school heads!" The group clasped their fists and greeted.

"Spare with the ceremony!" Zhao Bingxu stroked his beard as his gaze fell on the group of three. "I heard that you found Elder Wu Yangzi's remains. Is that true?"

"That's true. This is the reason why we're here!" Xing Yuan nodded affirmatively. "I beseech School Head Zhao to verify the authenticity of the remains!"

With those words, he flicked his wrist, and a corpse appeared before the crowd.

It was the body which they had found in the underground chamber.

"This..."

Upon seeing the corpse, Zhao Bingxu, Yuan Hong, and the others traded gazes, and their eyes narrowed.

As one of the top blacksmiths in Hongyuan City back in his time, there were many paintings on him, and they were passed down through the generations. The few of them had seen those paintings as well, and while the corpse before them was slightly withered, they were astonished to see that the distinctive features were identical to the painting depictions!

In other words... there was a good chance that the corpse before them belonged to Elder Wu Yangzi!

Could they have really accomplished what countless before them had failed to do?

"Elder Wu Yangzi has once smithed a [Golden Armored Cloak] which, unlike ordinary armor, could be concealed beneath one's skin. If this corpse has the Golden Armored Cloak beneath his skin, there will be no doubt that he's indeed Elder Wu Yangzi!" Zhao Bingxu stood up and observed the corpse carefully.

"Golden Armored Cloak?" Yuan Hong and the others were taken aback.

They had never heard of this before.

"That's right. Zhao Bingxu nodded as he gathered a surge of sword qi on his fingertip and lightly sliced the corpse's skin.

Si la!

A small incision was made on the corpse's skin, revealing a gleaming golden armor within.

"This is indeed the Golden Armored Cloak! There's no doubt about it, this is the remains of Elder Wu Yangzi!" Upon seeing the yellow shine beneath the corpse's skin, Zhao Bingxu clenched his fists tightly in agitation, and his breathing hastened.

A corpse could be faked, but it was impossible for the Golden Armored Cloak to be faked. This was because its forging method had already long disappeared from the face of the earth!

There was only one possibility given that the corpse before him was wearing it—he must be Wu Yangzi!

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Chapter 739: His Name is Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"It's true?"

"That's great..."

Upon hearing School Head Zhao's confirmation on the matter, the faces of Yuan Hong and the others flushed crimson in agitation.

As 6-star pinnacle blacksmiths, they understood the significance of the words "Wu Yangzi" to Hongyuan Empire.

Back then, when this esteemed elder disappeared without a trace, a huge turmoil broke out in the Blacksmith Guild. Countless men stepped forth to lead the search for his whereabouts, but their efforts ended in futility. Who could have thought that the ones who would eventually uncover his traces would be the students of the Master Teacher Academy?

They could already foresee the huge commotion that would occur with the announcement regarding the discovery of this corpse. This would boost the Blacksmith School's prestige amongst the students and blacksmiths.

"You have done well. I'll have the school reward you handsomely for your accomplishments!" Zhao Bingxu nodded in commendation as he gazed at the students before him, proud of them.

To be honest, he had also attempted to uncover Elder Wu Yangzi's trails when he was younger, but he eventually found himself stumbling upon a dead end, leaving him no choice but to give up.

"Thank you, School Head Zhao!" Xing Yuan and the others clasped their fists.

Vice School Head Xiong Bing had thought that it would be difficult for them to succeed when they first applied for the mission, so he didn't bother offering much of a reward. However, with such great achievement, locating Wu Yangzi's whereabouts and finding his remains, it was natural that the reward should be increased significantly.

"Since you have found Elder Wu Yangzi's body, regarding his heritage..." One of the vice school heads couldn't help but ask anxiously.

Back then, when the esteemed Wu Yangzi disappeared from the world, he didn't leave behind his heritage. This was also part of the reason why after his disappearance, many had searched far and wide for his whereabouts, in hopes of uncovering his heritage.

Since these students were able to find his remains, could they have obtained his heritage as well?

Given their current capability, Wu Yangzi's heritage was no longer crucial to them. They also wouldn't stoop so low as to steal the heritage from the students either, especially given their standing. However, if the Blacksmith School could obtain Wu Yangzi's heritage, it would definitely allow many of their blacksmiths to advance their smithing proficiency. This was beneficial to the entire Blacksmith School.

"We managed to find his heritage... At the same time, I was also accepted as Elder Wu Yangzi's direct disciple. However, I won't be able to make the call to contribute the heritage to the school by myself!"

The one who spoke this time around was Luo Qiqi.

"You found Elder Wu Yangzi's heritage?"

"You can't make the call yourself? True, your group did go through a lot of effort to obtain the heritage. You should indeed discuss among yourselves before coming to a decision."

"Don't worry, if you don't wish to make it public, I promise that no one will be able to make things difficult for you..."

"The Master Teacher Pavilion has its own rules. There will be no one who would risk bringing the ire of the Master Teacher Pavilion upon themselves for a heritage!"

Upon hearing that the group had obtained the heritage, everyone was astonished. But soon, they nodded in agreement.

The responsibility of master teachers was to impart knowledge and enlighten the masses. But as noble as their mission was, they were still mortal, and they had their own desires and interests. It would be unreasonable to expect them to impart everything they knew selflessly to others.

It was precisely for this reason that there was a classification between direct disciple, normal students, and listening in.

Those who were listening in would only be imparted the bare fundamentals whereas the direct disciples would be taught the most profound of techniques.

This was also the reason why the standing of direct disciples was higher than those listening in, with the latter having to address the former as "senior".

Since Luo Qiqi had become Wu Yangzi's direct disciple and inherited his heritage, it should belong to her. If she was willing to pass it on, that would be goodwill on her part. However, if she was unwilling to do so, they weren't in a position to say anything either.

This was the magnanimity that master teachers should have. Otherwise, how could they be qualified to enlighten the masses?

"Rather than saying our group went through a lot of effort, it would be more accurate to say that that person went through a lot of effort... As long as he agrees, I believe that Qiqi will be more than willing to contribute the heritage to the Blacksmith School!" Realizing that there was some misunderstanding between them, Yu Fei-er quickly stepped forward to explain.

"That person?" Zhao Bingxu, Yuan Hong, and the others glanced at one another doubtfully.

"Indeed. Not only was that person the one who helped us obtain the heritage, he even saved all of us. If not for him, we might have died within the underground chamber!" Gratitude gleamed in Luo Qiqi's eyes as she spoke.

"We can forgo the rewards that School Head Zhao has promised us as long as he is amply rewarded!" Xing Yuan added.

Even though he was frustrated by the complicated relationship between Princess Yu Fei-er and that fellow, he still felt obliged to repay the other party for saving their lives.

Sensing the earnest tone behind the duo's words, Zhao Bingxu frowned, "What happened? Did you encounter some kind of danger while seeking Elder Wu Yangzi?"

Wu Yangzi's disappearance back then was extremely abrupt, there was no signs or marks left behind, as if he had vanished into thin air. Even Zhao Bingxu, despite his immense authority, could only fathom a guess on the happenings, deducing that the Otherworldly Demons might have been involved in this matter.

But as for the truth, there was no one who could say for sure.

Furthermore, after such a long time had passed, whatever existing danger back then should have already dissipated.

"Dangerous can't possibly summarize what we went through. Elder Wu Yangzi was captured by the Otherworldly Demons back then, and here is a personal note he left behind..." Luo Qiqi nodded as she passed a book over.

This was the notebook which they obtained from Wu Yangzi back in the underground chamber.

Written on it was the happenings in his capture and his experiences with the Otherworldly Demons in the underground chamber.

"This..."

After reading through the note, Zhao Bingxu's eyes narrowed, "Otherworldly Demon puppet? Could it be that... you have met those in the underground chamber?"

"Indeed. Due to a moment of carelessness, we ended up being surrounded, and we were almost killed. Despite the danger, that person stepped forward and saved us. Furthermore, in order to destroy those puppets, he even destroyed the underground chamber, burying himself with them..." Luo Qiqi recounted the affairs that happened that day.

Upon hearing about how that person stood bravely against an Otherworldly Demon puppet to save Luo Qiqi, everyone fell silent.

They tried putting themselves in the other party's shoes, but they realized that it would be difficult for them to put themselves in danger in order to save a mere acquaintance.

Furthermore, that person even handed the heritage over to Luo Qiqi without even taking a glance at it. Very few would be willing to do so if put in his position.

There was no blacksmith who could remain unmoved before Wu Yangzi's heritage, and yet, that person willingly gave the opportunity to Luo Qiqi. It would be hard to find anyone as noble as he was.

As the five school head and vice school heads listened to how that person braved through many Saint realm Otherworldly Demon puppets without regard for his life in order to save Yu Fei-er and the others, their mouths opened wide in astonishment.

"If those Otherworldly Demon puppets were to escape from the underground chamber, they would pose a fatal threat to Huanyu Empire and perhaps even Hongyuan Empire. Many will suffer under their tyranny. His actions have saved all of us. He's... truly a noble person!"

"Indeed. Putting his life on the line, he attracted all of the Otherworldly Demon puppets away and collapsed the underground chamber so as to stop them... Putting the lives of others above his, he's indeed a true master teacher!"

A long moment later, Zhao Bingxu and the others finally spoke up, nodding in admiration and awe for the other party.

To charge into a despairing situation for humanity, there was nothing greater than that!

Unwittingly, they thought of Kong shi.

Back then, Kong shi had established the master teacher occupation for the advancement of mankind.

After tens of thousand years, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had long disappeared. While the Master Teacher Pavilion had managed to remain true to its aims, the number hot-blooded master teachers who were willing to truly put their life on the line for humanity had been decreasing over the years, perhaps even disappearing entirely.

Who would have known that they would find one right in their Master Teacher Academy!

"He's really a respectable master teacher." Xing Yuan nodded.

"He was the one who helped me obtain this heritage. As long as he gives his consent, I'll contribute it to the Blacksmith School without any hesitation!" Luo Qiqi said.

It was through Zhang shi's blood and sweat that they obtained Wu Yangzi's heritage. If he agrees to it, she would hand it over straight away. Otherwise, even at the risk of her life, she wouldn't divulge a single word about it.

"Judging from how noble that person you spoke of is, I'm sure he'll be more than willing to contribute this valuable knowledge to the masses." Yuan Hong remarked.

"I'm sure he will. He's such a person after all..." After a moment of thought, Luo Qiqi nodded.

Her apothecary teacher might be young, but he wasn't one who was obsessed with gains and losses. Even if she were to seek his permission for this matter, he would surely give his consent without any hesitation.

"I'll contribute Wu Yangzi's heritage to the Blacksmith School then. However, I hope that the school can reward him for his efforts!"

With those words, Luo Qiqi flicked her wrist and took out a book.

It was the secret manual which many would go into a frenzy in order to obtain it, Wu Yangzi's personal smithing technique, [Zither Forging Technique].

"This..."

Flipping through the book casually, Zhao Bingxu could tell that it was authentic instantly, and his eyes reddened in agitation.

The various interpretations and comprehension of smithing in the manual were refreshing and novel. If this could be imparted to the students of the Blacksmith School, their smithing proficiency would definitely be raised by leaps and bounds.

Even Zhao Bingxu himself might be able to surpass his bottleneck and reach higher realms in his smithing with this!

"That person is indeed a great man. He has contributed greatly to humanity. Where is that person now? Is he... still alive?" Zhao Bingxu asked hesitantly.

Luo Qiqi had only said that that person chose to willingly remain in the underground chamber in order to save them, not mentioning whether he had survived that ordeal or not.

If that person was still alive, the Blacksmith School would have to reward him handsomely for his immense contributions. If he had already passed away... they would ensure that his family members are well taken of so as to honor his deeds.

"He's alive, of course he's alive!" Not expecting for there to be such a misunderstanding, Luo Qiqi hurriedly clarified. "Not only is he alive, he has also participated in the entrance examination, and he should be a freshman in the academy now!"

They hadn't heard from Zhang Xuan whether he had passed the entrance examination or not, but given his capability, it shouldn't pose a problem to him at all.

"Freshman? You mean to say that that person who saved you... is a freshman of our academy?" Zhao Bingxu was stunned.

The other vice school heads were also dumbstruck by that revelation.

When they heard that that person had selflessly put his life at stake to save them, they had thought that he would be a 5-star master teacher a minimum, or perhaps even beyond that. Who could have thought that it would be a humble freshman in their academy?

"That's right!" Luo Qiqi nodded.

"I see... What is his name then? I'll send someone to find him and convince him to join our Blacksmith School!" Yuan Hong said.

Putting everything aside, just by the fact that he had contributed the Zither Forging Technique to the Blacksmith School would earn him the respect of countless students here.

"He's my apothecary teacher. His name is... Zhang Xuan!" Luo Qiqi announced proudly.

"Zhang Xuan?"

Yuan Hong froze for an instant as his body trembled to that familiar his name. With a shaky voice, he asked, "Is that Zhang Xuan you spoke a young man in his twenties, around this tall, and has a fair complexion?"

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Chapter 740: Meritorious

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Upon hearing Vice School Head Yuan's words, Luo Qiqi pondered for a moment before nodding, "Teacher is indeed in his twenties, and he does have fair complexion..."

After cultivating the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, his body became as smooth and flawless as an infant. It wouldn't be inaccurate to describe him as possessing "fair complexion".

"Zhang Xuan, a freshman, and in his twenties..." Yuan Hong felt frenzied.

The person who had just caused immense destruction in the Blacksmith Guild also went by the same name, and the description fits to a T as well...

"What's wrong, Vice School Head Yuan?" Seeing Yuan Hong going into a daze after asking that question, Zhao Bingxu couldn't help but ask doubtfully. "Could it be that you know Zhang shi?"

"I..." Yuan Hong had no idea how he should answer that question. Still in disbelief, he turned to Luo Qiqi and asked once again, "Does Zhang shi has a formidable teacher who is a master teacher beyond 6-star?"

"Are you referring to Yang shi? I'm not too sure about the details, but it does seem like he possesses means beyond a normal 6-star master teacher!" Luo Qiqi nodded.

"Yang shi... Yang Xuan..." Yuan Hong's body shook intensely.

There was no need to ask any further, there was overwhelming evidence to say that the two people described were the same person.

That fellow had reported himself as Yang Xuan's student. He was also a freshman in his twenties, and the names were similar too... No matter how you look at it, they were definitely the same person!

What the heck was this!

As soon as he arrived at the academy, the first thing he did was to destroy the Chamber of Earth Flame before reducing the entire Passageway of Records to ruins, leaving the Blacksmith Guild in tatters.

He thought that he might be a student sent from the other schools to wreak havoc in the Blacksmith School, but who could have thought that he had such a background?

Putting his life on the line to face the Otherworldly Demons alone, giving away Wu Yangzi's heritage without any hesitation... Every single one of these deeds was incredibly noble, leaving those who have heard of them with nothing but awe for him.

A conceited God of Destruction and a selfless master teacher...

How could they possibly be the same person!

This... Was he suffering from dissociative identity disorder?

"What's wrong?" Seeing Yuan Hong's face slowly being reduced to tears, Zhao Bingxu asked once more.

As a 6-star master teacher, Yuan Hong should have at least reached a level where he could conceal his emotions. Why would he still show such a depressed expression?

"It's like this. Didn't I just said that I had something I needed to report to you?" Hearing School Head Zhao's question, Yuan Hong swiftly recovered and clasped his fist.

"Un." Zhao Bingxu nodded. "What is it?"

Previously, right after Vice School Head Xiong spoke, Yuan Hong did say that he had something to report as well.

"That is... the Passageway of Records has collapsed, and half of the Blacksmith Guild has been destroyed..." Yuan Hong's face reddened in embarrassment.

Despite being the person-in-charge of the examination facilities in the Blacksmith School, the area under his jurisdiction ended up being destroyed by a record challenger. He would probably become a laughingstock for the other vice school heads.

"The Passageway of Records and half of the Blacksmith Guild has been destroyed? Is there an attack by the Otherworldly Demons?" Zhao Bingxu's eyebrows shot up in alarm.

As they had been busy discussing inside the office, and communication with the external world had been terminated, they hadn't received news about the matter yet.

However, the Passageway of Records was constructed and reinforced with incredibly resilient materials, allowing it to withstand the trial of time over several millenniums. Unless there was an invasion by the Otherworldly Demons, how could it collapse all of the sudden?

"That's not it!" Not expecting School Head Zhao to actually make such a connection, Yuan Hong hurriedly clarified it awkwardly. "Someone came to challenge the Chamber of Earth Flame..."

Yuan Hong swiftly went through the happenings of the incident.

"You are saying that... someone survived in the Chamber of Earth Flame for over two hours? And when he finally came out, the chamber collapsed, and the Earth Flame Hearts were completely depleted?

"On top of that, he used Earth Flame to substitute as a catalyst for the Earth Flame Hearts and successfully repaired the chamber. However, as soon as you stepped in... it exploded?"

...

After hearing Yuan Hong's recount, the other vice school heads stared at him as if they had seen a ghost.

To survive the blistering heat in the Chamber of Earth Flame for two hours straight, and even recreating it with Earth Flame... Are you for real?

Was that even something a 4-star master teacher was capable of?

One must know that even they, as 6-star master teachers, were incapable of doing the same!

"Yes..." Yuan Hong nodded. "The person who caused the commotion also goes by the name of... Zhang Xuan, and he's a freshman as well."

"His name is Zhang Xuan? Could they be the same person?"

"To be able to save his peers from the Otherworldly Demon puppets and destroy the underground chamber to trap them down there, Zhang shi possessed both courage and wits. Only a someone like him could possess such great capability!"

...

The other vice school heads remarked.

If someone had told them that a person had endured two hours in the Chamber of Earth Flame and destroyed half of the Blacksmith Guild, they would have never believed it.

However, after hearing about the incredible exploits of Zhang shi, these feats seemed to be nothing much in comparison.

"The Chamber of Earth Flame serves to test the resilience of one's physical body. The longer one can remain in there, the stronger one's physical body is deemed to be. If the both Zhang shi are the same person, considering that he had inherited Elder Wu Yangzi's heritage and cultivated the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to last two hours inside!" Zhao Bingxu nodded.

His first thought upon hearing that someone had lasted two hours in the Chamber of Earth Flame was disbelief as well, but as he recalled the matter regarding Wu Yangzi's heritage, he couldn't help but consider the possibility.

Even though he had never seen the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body before, it was famed to be the best physical body cultivation technique in Hongyuan Empire, paving the way for Wu Yangzi to become the best blacksmith here.

"I... I didn't know. I thought that he was intentionally causing trouble, so I demanded him to compensate for the damages..." Hong Yuan said anxiously.

If he had known that Zhang Xuan had really endured the heat in the Chamber of Earth Flame with his own strength, he wouldn't have caused such a fuss.

Ultimately, the Chamber of Earth Flame was a record challenge. If Zhang shi had truly endured the heat in the Chamber of Earth Flame with his own capability, it could only be said that the Chamber of Earth Flame was not sufficiently well-built to match up to his capability... To demand the challenger to pay for the reparation under such circumstances was a massive humiliation for the Blacksmith School.

And if Yuan Hong hadn't asked for compensation, the mess that came afterward wouldn't have occurred either.

"We can't blame him for this issue. There is indeed a huge flaw with the design of the Chamber of Earth Flame, resulting in its inability to hold up in the face of a true expert..." Zhao Bingxu sighed.

"You're right." Yuan Hong nodded. "But now, the damage is no longer limited to just the Chamber of Earth Flame. The entire Passageway of Records and half of the guild has been destroyed. What should we do about that?"

If it had just been the Chamber of Earth Flame, they could easily forgo it. After all, ten high-tier spirit stones wasn't a huge sum for the Blacksmith School. However, the damage had gone way farther than that.

"Regarding that... let's just call off the debt!" After a long contemplation, Zhao Bingxu waved his hand and sighed.

"Call it off? How can we..." Yuan Hong exclaimed in shock.

If they were to simply call it off, the Blacksmith School would be incurring a debt of several thousand high-tier spirit stones! As rich as they were, that was still an immense burden on them!

"Are you thinking about the loss? His contribution of the Zither Forging Technique to our Blacksmith School goes way farther than a few thousand high-tier spirit stones!" Zhao Bingxu shook his head.

Wu Yangzi's heritage would boost the skills of the members of the Blacksmith School by leaps and bounds. Zhang Xuan's contribution would benefit generations of students to come, and that was worth far more than a few thousand high-tier spirit stones.

If needed, the Blacksmith School was willing to fork out even several ten thousand high-tier spirit stones for Wu Yangzi's heritage if it had to.

The Zither Forging Technique was not only elegant, it made smithing into an art form. This encouraged immersion in their work, allowing them to raise their understanding of smithing subconsciously as they worked.

With this secret manual in hand, the Blacksmith School could very well overtake the Apothecary School within a decade, becoming the number school in Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!

Even Zhao Bingxu, the head of the Blacksmith School, was incapable of such a feat, so how could such contribution be valued only at a few thousand high-tier spirit stones?

They were on two totally different levels!

Given the immense contributions that Zhang Xuan had made to the school, if they were to continue demanding compensation from the other party over such a minor matter, wouldn't they make the other students disillusioned about the school?

"Indeed! Not only should we cancel the compensation, we should reward him even!"

"It's only right for us to reward such talents to retain them in our Blacksmith School!"

The other vice school heads expressed their support on the matter as well.

There were many schools in the master teacher, so the competition over talents was extremely rife. No matter what, they had to retain a talent like Zhang shi in the Blacksmith School and have it become his main supporting occupation. This way, if he were to make his name in the world, the school's reputation would also rise along with his!

On the other hand, Yuan Hong's mouth twitched.

That fellow had nearly destroyed the entire branch, and not only were they not going to penalize him, they were going to reward him even... If that was the case, wouldn't he lose his authority among the students?

Nevertheless, he had no choice but to acknowledge School Head Zhao's words.

Contributing the Zither Forging Technique to the Blacksmith School was indeed a huge merit. Even if Zhang Xuan were to wreak havoc upon the entire Blacksmith School, as long as no students were hurt in the process, his merit could easily wipe off his wrongdoings.

In the end, the core of the Master Teacher Academy lay in its people. As long as they had sufficient talents, the academy could always be rebuilt.

The Master Teacher Pavilion in the higher ranked empires had been assaulted by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe many times, and its facilities and libraries had been destroyed again and again. However, the heritage of master teachers still lived on, guiding humanity to greater heights.

"Alright, the matter is decided then. Right, didn't you say that he intends to take the 5-star blacksmith examination? Bring him to the Ocean of Weapons then. As long as he clears the examination, I'll take him in as my student..." Zhao Bingxu chuckled.

It would be ideal if he could accept such a genius as his student!

"Yes!" Yuan Hong nodded.

"As for the rest of you, you have done well in the mission as well. I'll obtain a few pills from the Apothecary School for you and conduct a Meridian and Bone Cleansing for you personally!" Zhao Bingxu turned to Luo Qiqi and the others and said.

"Meridian and Bone Cleansing? Thank you, School Head Zhao!" Upon hearing those words, the faces of Luo Qiqi and the others flushed in agitation.

Considering that it was a Meridian and Bone Cleansing by one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, were it to succeed, they would be able to progress from straight to Half-Saint without facing any bottlenecks in their cultivation!

Meridian and Bone Cleansing was an extremely exhausting process. Even a Saint realm expert wouldn't do so easily. In that aspect, this was the best reward they could receive.

It was far better than earning Academic Credits!

"Yuan Hong, you should bring Zhang shi to the examination hall now. Make sure to treat him amiably, don't give him the idea that our Blacksmith School mistreats meritorious students!" Zhao Bingxu instructed sternly.

"Yes!" With a lowered head, Yuan Hong walked out from the office, and a bitter smile emerged on his lips.

When he first arrived at the office, he was still thinking about having the school head to issue a severe punishment to Zhang Xuan... Who could have thought that there would be such a huge turnaround?

How did things turn to this?

Just the thought of it left him extremely stifled within.

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Chapter 741: I Am Not a Blacksmith Yet

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What's going on?"

"Did you see that? This fellow cheated in the Chamber of Earth Flame challenge and destroyed the entire area. On top of that, he even intentionally directed the Earth Flame to tear down the Passageway of Records!"

"Is that fellow insane, or is he simply sick of living?"

"I have no clue either, but since it isn't a matter involving us, let's just watch quietly..."

A portion of the guild collapsing was no trifling matter. Before long, a huge crowd had already gathered around the area, each busy asking one another to satisfy their curiosity.

When they learned that it was a freshman who had caused such a huge uproar, pity immediately surfaced in their eyes.

Even if he was tired of living, this wasn't how he should seek the end!

They were in the Master Teacher Academy, not some countryside school. To cause such a mess and be caught personally by Vice School Head Yuan Hong at that... It would be perfectly accurate to say that he was a goner!

Even if he were to spend his life working here, he would never be able to pay off the debt!

"Stand obediently!" Luo Yan glared at the young man coldly.

Knowing that his teacher was truly infuriated by this matter, he dispatched eight experts to guard this fellow. If not for fear that it might reflect badly on them, he would have already had him pummeled!

For a freshman to go about wreaking havoc instead of staying put in the freshman area, he deserved it even if he was expelled from the academy!

"I don't mean to do anything, I just want to check on the other mechanisms in the Passageway of Records and see if they can be fixed!" Seeing how the other students were so guarded against him as if he was a burglar out to steal their valuables, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

He was also very apologetic that such a situation had occurred.

All he'd wanted to do was take the 5-star blacksmith examination quietly. Never had he thought that he would end up in such a state.

In the end, he allowed greed to get the better of him. Earth Flame Hearts were extremely valuable commodities, and who knows how long it would be before he could encounter another one?

Furthermore, he also hadn't thought that the renowned Earth Flame Heart's reputation would precede its capability. He had already tried to limit himself, thinking that he would stop once his soul reached ten meters, but it coincidentally broke down right when he reached that mark.

And as for the repairs, how could he have known that the esteemed Blacksmith School would end up skimming on a formation plate used to draw Earth Flame...

But it was all too late now. The only thing he could do now was try to salvage the situation as best he could. Otherwise, if he were to really incur a debt of three thousand high-tier spirit stones, he would end up wasting many years here!

"You are thinking of repairing the other mechanisms? Let me tell you, if you dare to lay even a finger on them, don't blame me for getting nasty!" Seeing that the other party lacked the slightest remorse for his actions, attempting to put his demonic claws on the other mechanisms as well, Luo Yan's rage immediately flurried.

'What the hell is this!

'If it wasn't for your "fixing", would the Blacksmith Guild have been reduced to ruins?

'If you don't have the ability to fix it, don't even try it in the first place!'

"I can really fix them! What happened a moment ago... was just an accident!" Zhang Xuan hurriedly explained. "I can prove it to you. Bring me a higher quality formation plate, and I'll fix the Chamber of Earth Flame before your eyes..."

"You... You're seeking death!" Seeing how that fellow was still prattling on despite all he had done, Luo Yan's rage finally reached its breaking point. A powerful aura gushed forth as he thrusted his palm toward the conceited fellow before him.

Hu la!

As a 5-star pinnacle blacksmith, his cultivation had already reached Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ethereal Treading realm. His palm thrust was bursting with might, threatening to tear apart the fabric of space.

"Stop!" Just as the palm was about to reach Zhang Xuan, a loud bellow suddenly sounded from afar. A silhouette rushed forward, and with a light flick of his hand, he dispelled the zhenqi that Luo Yan had gathered behind his strike.

Deng deng deng deng!

Luo Yan's face reddened, and he was pushed several steps back. A dull pain resonated throughout his body as his zhenqi fell into disarray with his offense abruptly dispelled.

Upon catching a clear sight of the figure who had stopped his offense, Luo Yan froze.

"Teacher..."

It was no other than his teacher, who was dying to strangle Zhang Xuan a moment ago!

Wasn't his teacher extremely furious with this fellow? Why would he stop him from teaching this fellow a lesson?

Bewildered, he was just about to ask his teacher about the matter when the latter suddenly turned around to look at the young man behind him with a bright smile on his face. "Are you alright? Are you injured? How dare that unfilial student of mine lay his hands on you! Shall I teach him a lesson in your stead?"

"Ah?" Hearing those words, Luo Yan's body staggered from shock.

What was this madness unfolding before him?

Was the person he was seeing really his teacher, the vice head of the Blacksmith School?

Wasn't he dying to strangle that fellow to death a moment ago? Why did his attitude suddenly make a 180-degree change...

"Didn't you say that Vice School Head Yuan is extremely angry?"

"Given that the branch has suffered such severe damage, who wouldn't be angry in his position? But that response of his... It doesn't seem like he's angry at all?"

"That is a gross understatement. Look carefully, don't you feel that he's fawning over that freshman?"

"Fawning? You are exaggerating! Vice School Head Yuan is a 6-star pinnacle master teacher and blacksmith! With such esteemed standing, is there anyone in the school he needs to fawn over?"

...

All of the students who had gathered for the commotion were also dumbfounded.

With the branch suffering such catastrophic damage, they'd thought that the freshman behind it would be heavily punished to send out a stern warning to the others. But if that was the case, what was with that declaration to teach Luo Yan a lesson?

That bright smile and that attitude... No matter how one looked at it, surely the vice school head was trying to fawn over that fellow!

"Teach him a lesson? There's no need for that; I'm fine!"

They weren't the only ones who were baffled by the situation, even Zhang Xuan, the perpetrator of this entire incident, was confused by the abrupt twist in the plot.

Didn't this elder march off furiously to the school head's office to bring forth a heavy penalty upon him? Why would he suddenly treat him so kindly?

"It's good that you're fine!" Yuan Hong heaved a sigh of relief. Following which, he turned his gaze to Luo Yan and bellowed, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and apologize to Zhang shi!"

Ever since leaving the school head's office, Yuan Hong had rushed all the way back here, fearing that the students might have laid their hands on Zhang Xuan. And it was fortunate that he did.

If that palm were to land on Zhang Xuan, it would strike out whatever goodwill he had for the Blacksmith School along with it.

If that were to happen, how were they going to keep him in the Blacksmith School?

One must know that the school head had already expressed his interest in accepting him as his direct disciple! If he were to reject the Blacksmith School due to Luo Yan's slap, how was he going to explain this matter to the school head?

This unfilial student of his had nearly gotten him into deep trouble!

"Apologize? I..." Luo Yan couldn't help but feel that the world had gone bonkers. "Teacher, why should I apologize to him? He destroyed the Passageway of Records and half of the Blacksmith Guild..."

"Enough!"

But before Luo Yan could finish his words, Yuan Hong interrupted furiously. Waving his hands in annoyance, he roared sharply, "Return back to your quarters and reflect on what you have done! Without my orders, you are not to leave your room!"

'Just apologize when I tell you to, do you need to spout so much nonsense?

'Are you only going to be content when you land me into deep trouble?'

"Teacher..." Hearing that his teacher was going to ground him for no good reason, Luo Yan seethed with indignation, unable to accept what was happening before him. At the same time, the others in the area also glanced at one another, uncomprehending of what Yuan Hong was up to.

"What are you all standing around for? The group over there, take Luo Yan back to his quarters!" Yuan Hong instructed sternly.

After issuing those orders, Yuan Hong turned his gaze back to Zhang Xuan and said politely, "Zhang shi, aren't you intending to take the 5-star blacksmith examination? Allow me to bring you to the Ocean of Weapons!"

"Ocean of Weapons? But... I don't have any Academic Credits..." Zhang Xuan uttered in bewilderment.

'What is wrong with this fellow? Did he bump his head somewhere?

'It is one thing to teach Luo Yan a lesson, but to bring me to the Ocean of Weapons as well?

'I thought that the Ocean of Weapons is only open to those with ample Academic Credits!'

"You don't have any Academic Credits? Don't worry, that's not a problem at all! The group over there, wait there for a moment. Luo Yan, take out your Academic Credit Token and give Zhang shi two..." ordered Yuan Hong as he turned to the departing group.

"I..." Hearing those words, Luo Yan nearly collapsed burst into tears from sheer indignation.

'Why should I?

'That fellow caused a huge mess over here, but not only are you sparing him from punishment, you are even asking me to give him Academic Credits? Isn't this favoritism too much!'

"Stop wasting time, hurry up!" Yuan Hong frowned.

"Alright."

Nevertheless, Luo Yan dared not disobey the commands of his teachers, so he obediently passed his Academic Credit Card over.

Students were allowed to transfer Academic Credits amongst themselves as well. Given that Zhang Xuan hadn't received his identity token yet, it went without saying that he hadn't received an Academic Credit Card as well. However, such a small issue couldn't possibly stumble a vice school head.

With a flick of his wrist, Yuan Hong took out an empty card and transferred two points into it from Luo Yan's card.

"Alright, Zhang shi. We have the Academic Credits now, so let's go!"

After doing what had to be done, Yuan Hong turned to Zhang Xuan with a smile and gestured for him to head forward.

Zhang Xuan blinked in a daze, overwhelmed by the happenings before him. He pointed to the rubble in the area blankly and asked, "This... Don't I have to compensate for this?"

"You don't have to worry about it. This isn't your fault, so you won't have to compensate for this. I'll have someone fix it up later," Yuan Hong replied.

"This... Alright then." Even though Zhang Xuan had no idea what was going on, he was still relieved to hear that he was excused from payment.

Three thousand high-tier spirit stones was way beyond his means. It would be best if he could be spared from compensation.

"This..."

"Is this really the austere Vice School Head Yuan that I know?"

"What kind of play is this?"

"It was just a moment ago that Vice School Head Yuan looked as if he was going to tear that fellow apart. Yet, in just a few short moments, he suddenly became like that..."

...

Taking that scene into sight, the master teachers gathered in the area were trembling in frenzy.

This was a branch of the Blacksmith Guild! That fellow had caused the collapse of half of the entire building, and yet, not only was he not criticized for it, he was even granted so many privileges.

This was way too abnormal!

Such a feeling resonated particularly strongly with Li Xuan amidst the crowd. Her body was trembling uncontrollably, and she nearly fainted from the sight.

She had been the one to show that fellow around ever since he'd arrived at the Blacksmith Guild, and all this time, she had thought of him as a conceited and naive freshman... For such a person to actually win Vice School Head Yuan's favor, what was this world turning into...

...

Despite wracking his brain, Zhang Xuan was unable to find any logical reason as to why the attitude of the elder before him would change so abruptly. In the end, he could only attribute it to Elder Mo and Pavilion Master Mo's halo. Sighing deeply, he followed Yuan Hong to the other half of the Blacksmith Guild, which had, fortunately, remained intact despite the previous explosion.

Before long, he was standing before a towering door.

"Zhang shi, this is the entrance to the Ocean of Weapons. To take the 5-star blacksmith examination, you just have to place your Academic Credit Card and 4-star emblem on the stone pedestal over there and step through the door, and you will be brought to the corresponding examination area." With a gentle smile, Yuan Hong gestured.

Just like the Passageway of Records, the Ocean of Weapons was also a complex mechanism created using many unique materials. In order to activate it, one would require sufficient Academic Credits in their card, as well as an emblem a rank lower than the examination one was going to take.

With these two objects, one would be able to activate the mechanism and take the corresponding examination. This was an extremely efficient system which spared the Blacksmith Guild from having to devote too much manpower into manning its examination facilities.

"I need a 4-star emblem for the examination?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Indeed. Since Zhang shi is here to take the 5-star examination, I believe you should already have the 4-star emblem in your possession. Don't worry, any emblem distributed by the Blacksmith Guild is usable here!" Yuan Hong explained, thinking that Zhang Xuan was worried that the blacksmith emblem which he'd obtained elsewhere might not be usable here.

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly. "Is an emblem really required? What do I have to do if I don't have one?"

"Don't have one?" Yuan Hong froze. "What do you mean by that?"

Zhang Xuan blushed in embarrassment.

"That is... I have yet to take a blacksmith examination. The truth is that I am actually not a blacksmith yet..."

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Chapter 742: Taking the Blacksmith Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You aren't a blacksmith yet?" Yuan Hong's body swayed weakly from sheer shock, and he nearly spewed a mouthful of blood onto the other party's face.

The other master teachers who had gathered in the area out of curiosity also had their eyes bulging in astonishment.

'You aren't a blacksmith, and yet you are here to take the 5-star examination? And you still dare to say that you aren't here to cause trouble?'

Blacksmithing was a part of the Upper Nine Paths, one of the most prestigious occupations in the continent. Countless had devoted innumerable years of their lives to refining their skills, forsaking sleep and meals just to be accepted into this esteemed organization.

Even the most talented of blacksmiths would require a decade of training before they could challenge the 5-star organization. Those who were less talented might even take fifty years just to prepare for it!

And yet, a twenty-year-old fellow who wasn't even a 1-star blacksmith actually wanted to challenge the 5-star examination?

'Did you think that blacksmith is an occupation which you could master on a whim?

'You are taking it way too lightly!'

"I have learnt smithing on my private time, I just haven't had the time to take the examination yet..." Noticing everyone's dumbfounded gaze, realization struck Zhang Xuan, and he hurriedly came up with an explanation. "Since that's the case, why don't I start from the 1-star examination? Is it possible to take the 1-star examination here? Or do I have to take the apprentice examination first?"

Even though Zhang Xuan's smithing capability was above even that of Wu Yangzi, he had never taken any blacksmith examination before. In terms of ranking, he was currently even beneath that of an apprentice, let alone a blacksmith.

"Apprentice..." Hearing those words, Yuan Hong's lips twitched, and he grabbed his face in frustration.

If he hadn't witnessed this sight for himself, he would never have believed it to be true.

To think that a person who wasn't even an apprentice yet would come to the Blacksmith School and declare that he was going to take the 5-star examination. On top of that, he even created a huge fuss in the school, collapsing the Passageway of Records along with half of the entire branch...

More importantly... despite all of this, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, Zhao Bingxu, was still interested in taking him as his direct disciple!

All of this, he had seen with his own eyes. But even so, he couldn't help but feel as though he was in a dream.

"There's no need for you to take the apprentice examination, you can take the 1-star examination straight... For the time being, just try to pass the 1-star examination first. As for 5-star... we'll talk about it in the future!" Suppressing the frustration he was feeling, Yuan Hong turned to the master teacher crowd behind and asked, "Does any of you have an apprentice emblem?"

As a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith in the Blacksmith School, even his weakest student was a 5-star blacksmith at the minimum. As a result, he didn't have any spare apprentice emblems with him.

"Apprentice emblem?"

"Is there likely to be anyone with an apprentice emblem in the Blacksmith School?"

...

The crowd in the area shook their heads.

Most of those gathered around were 5-star blacksmiths, and even the weakest of the crowd was a 4-star at the minimum. As such, it would be difficult for them to find an apprentice emblem all of the sudden.

"This..." Yuan Hong looked around awkwardly.

What the heck was this!

To think that a day would come where a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith like him would end up having to look for an apprentice emblem, and fail to find one at that...

"Vice School Head Yuan, I have one here!"

At that moment, a timid voice suddenly sounded. Zhang Xuan turned around and saw Li Xuan, the female receptionist who had been bringing him around previously, stepping forward and offering her emblem.

While she was working at the Blacksmith School, she wasn't too involved in the occupation. As a result, she was still an apprentice blacksmith at the moment.

"Good..." Yuan Hong heaved a sigh of relief.

Taking the emblem, he imprinted Zhang Xuan's name on it before passing it to the latter.

"Zhang Xuan, this shall be your apprentice emblem. With this, you should be able to activate the Ocean of Weapons and take the 1-star blacksmith examination."

"Thank you!" Zhang Xuan took the emblem and nodded.

He walked up to the stone pedestal, and just as he was about to place his emblem and Academic Credit Card on it, he suddenly recalled something and turned around. "If I were to pass the 1-star examination, would I have to expend more Academic Credits if I wanted to continue taking the 2-star examination?"

"If you remain in the Ocean of Weapons, you won't have to expend any more Academic Credits. However, once you step out of the doors, you will have to pay more Academic Credits if you want to enter once more and take the examination again," Yuan Hong replied.

With two Academic Credits, one could activate the Ocean of Weapons once. As long as the Ocean of Weapons remained activated, there would be no need for one to expend any more Academic Credits to re-activate it for the subsequent examinations.

In a sense, it was like paying for a ticket to the museum. As long as the entrance fee was paid, one could remain within until closing time. It was only after leaving the museum that one would have to repurchase another ticket to enter its premises once more.

Upon hearing that he would have to expend more Academic Credits to enter the Ocean of Weapons once more if he were to leave the area, Zhang Xuan immediately asked worriedly, "I won't have to expend any more Academic Credits as long as I remain within? Then... once I clear the 1-star blacksmith examination, can I proceed on with the 2-star examination?"

The two Academic Credits he currently had didn't come easily. He would have to spend a great deal of effort in earning more Academic Credits if he had to spend two for each rank promotion.

Even if the elder before him was willing to finance him, he would still feel guilty taking the Academic Credits of others for his own use, especially considering how valuable they were!

On top of that, if he were to accept the favor of others without giving an equivalent return, he would owe a karmic debt to the other party.

The reason Zhang Xuan had been reluctant to accept the favor of others for free all along was due to the messy implications that came along with it. If possible, he would like to avoid it for as long as he could.

"Of course you can. However, the Ocean of Weapons will only remain activated for four hours regardless of which examination you are taking. Regardless of whether you are able to successfully forge a weapon or not, you will be evicted from the premises once time is up... I don't think that you will have sufficient time to challenge the other examinations after clearing the 1-star examination!" Yuan Hong explained.

The underlying motive behind the creation of the Ocean of Weapons was to accommodate for a greater number of students in taking the blacksmith examination. Given that, if they were to allow students to camp inside the facility after paying two Academic Credits, wouldn't that be contrary to its primary purpose?

As such, a time limit of four hours was imposed on the system. Regardless of how one's progress in the examination was, one would be evicted without fail once the time was up, even if their weapon was already on the verge of completion.

If a student were to deem that four hours was insufficient for them to clear the examination, the student could always pay more Academic Credits to extend their time. In this case, an Academic Credit would correspond to an additional two hours.

If the student successfully cleared the examination, the Ocean of Weapons would distribute a new corresponding emblem. Otherwise, they would leave empty-handed.

Since Zhang Xuan had two Academic Credits, he would be allowed to stay within the Ocean of Weapons for four hours. However, weapon smithing was an extremely lengthy process. Four hours might be sufficient for him to smith a weapon to clear the 1-star examination, but to be able to smith another one for the 2-star examination in that limited time... It didn't seem too plausible.

Besides, smithing was an extremely laborious process that consumed an immense amount of zhenqi. Considering Zhang Xuan's current cultivation, just smithing a single weapon could easily consume up more than half of his zhenqi capacity, so even if there was sufficient time, it would be nigh impossible for him to smith two weapons consecutively.

As such, while Vice School Head Yuan thought that it was good that Zhang Xuan was driven, he didn't think that it was a feasible idea.

Even he, as a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith, could only smith two to three weapons within four hours. Anything more than that was impossible.

Unlike pills, weapons, regardless of their grade, require ceaseless hammering and refinement in order to shape and refine it.

"Four hours? Alright then." Hearing that he only had this amount of time, Zhang Xuan nodded.

After clarifying everything, he placed his blacksmith apprentice emblem and Academic Credit Card on the stone pedestal, and with a bright surge of light, the doors to the Ocean of Weapons opened.

Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan walked in.

The Ocean of Weapons seemed to operate via a mechanism somewhat similar to the Passageway of Records. The room Zhang Xuan stepped into was completely dark, and with an abrupt rumbling beneath his feet, he was transported to a hall.

Placed within the hall were all kinds of ores and metals. There was also a large cauldron and furnace by the side.

"This is supposed to be... an illusion?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but mutter in awe. Taking a swift glance around him, he realized that everything in this room was extremely vivid and detailed, making it hard to discern it from reality.

Previously, the female receptionist, Li Xuan, had told him that the Ocean of Weapons utilized an Illusion Formation in order to simulate a lifelike smithing experience. This was indeed what was happening to Zhang Xuan right now. Everything around him was fake, regardless of how real it all looked.

Taking a look around him, Zhang Xuan saw a pile of books on the table before him. He walked up to it and flipped through them casually. Written in them were the smithing methods of various weapons.

Examinees could pick any one of these smithing methods for the examination if they wanted to, but this wasn't a compulsory criterion for the examination. As long as the weapon they smithed reached a certain grade, they would be deemed to have cleared the examination.

"I only have four hours. I must hurry so that I can take the 5-star examination..."

Knowing that Academic Credits didn't come easily, Zhang Xuan wasn't content with just clearing the 1-star examination. It would be best if he could clear the 5-star examination in a single go so that he wouldn't have to return here again.

'Thus... it would be best for the weapon I smith to be as simple as possible so as to minimize the time spent on them!'

There was a clear difference in the difficulty between forging a metal ingot into a sword and hammer, and the time required for the both of them would be different as well.

'Unlike pill forging where each ingredient must be carefully prepared in order to forge a satisfactory pill, there's no need for me to be too thorough in the forging of the weapon. Since only the grade of the weapon is being assessed here, there's no need for me to pursue perfection...'

A weapon's grade was determined by factors such as its resilience, flexibility, sharpness, medium for zhenqi, and such.

Aesthetics took a secondary role in determining the grade of the weapon.

While going through the additional effort of hammering the weapon into the perfect shape and size would boost the utility of the weapon as well, this wasn't a vital aspect of the blacksmith examination.

Since that was the case... there would be no need for Zhang Xuan to spend additional effort on shaping the metal ingot.

As long as he were to take careful note of the proportion of metal used in creating the alloy, as well as the refinement and quenching process, he should be able to create a decent weapon.

After browsing through the books, Zhang Xuan frowned.

"It'll take too long to hammer the metal ingot into the shapes depicted in these books..."

Not only would it be hard to do so given his lack of practice in hammering, more importantly, he also didn't have the time to waste on it either.

If he were to follow the smithing process listed in any of the books, it would be impossible for him to successfully smith any weapons without at least two hours of effort.

If that was going to be it, he wouldn't even have enough time to clear the 2-star examination!

"Forget it, I should just start first!"

Tossing the book aside, Zhang Xuan swiftly examined the eight ores and metals on the table as he swiftly simulated the various combinations of alloys he could make with them.

Having learned the Heaven's Path Smith Art, his understanding of smithing was already beyond most 6-star pinnacle blacksmiths. While the ores and metals before him were inferior materials that were suited only for smithing low-tier weapons, as long as he were to complement their strengths well, he would still be able to create a decent weapon.

"Alright, this should do!" Zhang Xuan muttered as a confident smile crept onto his lips.

With a light flick of his wrist, the eight metals and ores immediately rose from the table and flew into the searing furnace.

Tzzzzzz!

As Zhang Xuan infused his zhenqi into the furnace, it began to glow crimson. The ores and metals swiftly melted and flowed out of the furnace from a groove by the side.

"Synthesize!"

With another flick of his wrist, the metallic fluid separated into eight distinct fluids, and they began synthesizing with one another through a series of sequences.

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Chapter 743: Is It Too Late to Practice?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

With nimble movements from his fingers, Zhang Xuan precisely manipulated the metallic fluids with his zhenqi.

Those metallic fluids clashed with one another in midair, producing resounding melodic metallic clangs reminiscent of the music from a keyboard.

If a blacksmith were to be present here, he would surely be left with his mouth agape upon seeing this sight.

This was no longer smithing but a performance! It was a melody perfectly aligned with nature!

The reason Wu Yangzi's Zither Forging Technique was so sought after was due to its alignment with nature, making the arduous smithing a pleasurable activity. However, the smithing technique that Zhang Xuan was utilizing here was clearly far more profound than the Zither Forging Technique!

Not only was it an enjoyment to the eyes and the ears, one might even find one's soul resonating in pleasure to it.

Heaven's Path Smith Art!

Hu hu hu!

Before long, the eight metallic fluids were completely synthesized with one another, forming a solid alloy. Following which, Zhang Xuan threw the alloy into the water trough by the side.

Tz la!

As soon as the searing metal alloy came into contact with the water, steam immediately rose from the water surface.

This was the final step of smithing, quenching!

Typically, smithing consisted of three steps—synthesizing the metals and ores into an alloy, forging the alloy into its intended form, and quenching the weapon to strengthen the material. Zhang Xuan had jumped from the first phase right into the third phase, skipping the second phase.

In smithing, the forging phase was extremely important. If a weapon was forged properly, it could enhance its grade as well.

Skipping the second phase meant that his work couldn't be considered as a true weapon, and thus, its grade would take a steep fall. However, it also spared him from the most arduous and lengthy process of hammering his weapon into its intended form, thus significantly speeding up his smithing process.

Hu!

The searing alloy caused the calm water in the trough to bubble furiously. After some time, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, retrieving the alloy from the water.

Timing was essential for quenching. The duration for which a weapon was immersed into a quenching fluid would affect the quality of the end product.

Zhang Xuan had used eight different types of ores and metals to create his alloy, each with vastly different properties. While they could serve to complement each other's strengths, if he couldn't grasp the perfect timing for the quenching, it could introduce an imbalance within the weapon, causing the various metals and ores to hinder the functions of one another. If that were to happen, the resulting alloy would be severely weakened, turning it into a failed product.

"Alright, this... should be it..."

Having completed the quenching process, Zhang Xuan glanced at the metal lump in his palm and scratched his head awkwardly.

If he were to take this metal lump out and call it a weapon, he would surely be mocked by the other blacksmiths, and his reputation would plummet. Fortunately, he was only in a simulation.

Sighing deeply, he walked up to the grading pedestal and placed the metal lump on it.

The grading pedestal served to gauge the quality of the weapon smithed, and as long as the weapon achieved the required grade, the examinee would be deemed to have cleared the examination.

Weng!

A light buzz sounded, and a red light glowed.

Following which, a mechanic voice announced, "Using the most basic Lava Stone, White Steel, Black Pebble... the examinee has managed to smith a Phantom low-tier weapon. Congratulations, you have passed the 1-star blacksmith examination!"

"This metal lump has reached Phantom low-tier? Not bad..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

In truth, this was his first time smithing, so he didn't have a precise gauge of how he had fared. To think that this lump of metal would be considered as a Phantom low-tier weapon!

Weapons could be divided into five tiers—God, Saint, Spirit, Phantom, and Mortal.

The criterion for clearing the 1-star blacksmith examination was to smith a Mortal pinnacle weapon. Even though the weapon Zhang Xuan had smithed using the Heaven's Path Smith Art was crude, bearing no semblance to a weapon whatsoever, it was still graded as a Phantom low-tier weapon due to the quality of its alloy.

If it were to be properly forged into a weapon, it could easily reach Phantom intermediate-tier or even high-tier.

After clearing the 1-star examination, Zhang Xuan spoke up without any hesitation.

"I request to challenge the 2-star blacksmith examination!"

Ji ya ya!

The entire area abruptly darkened, and the rumbling of mechanisms whirring into action sounded. By the time the area lit up once more, he was already in another hall.

The entire layout was similar to the 1-star examination hall, but the area was visibly larger. There was a larger variety of ores and metals placed on the table in the room, and most of them were higher grade and rarer than the ones offered in the 1-star examination.

"Time to start work again!"

After swiftly examining the selection of ores and metals, Zhang Xuan picked 17 of them and threw them into the furnace. Working as he had previously, another metal lump was soon standing in front of him before long.

This metal lump looked even more horrendous than the previous one smithed. It was completely black, and no one would ever be able to make a correlation between it and a weapon.

This was the result of skipping the forging phase of the smithing process.

The forging process was essential to giving shape to the alloy. If one wanted a sword, one would have to hammer it into a sword. If one wanted a dagger, one would have to hammer it into a dagger.

However, putting aside the fact that this phase was extremely time-consuming, hammering was also a skill that one could only master through hands-on experience. With no prior experience whatsoever, it would be nigh impossible for Zhang Xuan to shape the weapons properly even if he were to attempt it in earnest.

Since that was the case, he decided to skip it altogether.

Once again, he placed the metal lump on the grading pedestal.

Weng!

With a brilliant flash of red light, a mechanical voice announced, "... the examinee has managed to smith a Phantom intermediate-tier weapon. Congratulations, you have passed the 2-star blacksmith examination!"

After clearing the 2-star blacksmith examination, Zhang Xuan immediately moved on to the 3-star.

An hour later, taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan said, "I request to challenge the 5-star blacksmith examination!"

After challenging four examinations consecutively, he was starting to feel a little drained despite his pure zhenqi.

Hu la!

The mechanisms rumbled into action once more, and an even larger room came into sight.

"They are all actually the same hall, it's just my perception of it that has changed..."

After undergoing the 'venue switching' procedure several times, Zhang Xuan soon realized that despite the various differences among the examination halls, the location where he was hadn't changed at all.

In the first place, the examination halls were only a simulation created by the Ocean of Weapons, not a real location. As such, changing the venue wasn't a difficult job,

"Ashenstar Rock, Purpletopaz Metal, Greendust Stone... The materials offered in this examination sure are far better than the ones in the previous examinations..." Zhang Xuan remarked in awe as he examined the selection of ores and metals in the room.

There were plenty of rare materials in the previous four examinations as well, but they paled in comparison to the current spread before him.

Both the Ashenstar Rock and the Purpletopaz Metal were materials which Transcendent Mortal experts would kill to get their hands on. With them, they could forge top-notch weapons.

However, these superior materials did little to alleviate the grimness on Zhang Xuan's face. While better materials did allow for the forging of better weapons, the criterion to clearing the examination was rising at an even faster pace.

To clear the 5-star blacksmith examination, he would have to smith a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon. It was impossible to smith a weapon of that tier with just good materials in hand!

More importantly, one had to wield incredible control over the metals and ores and command an extremely high understanding of the quenching process. Otherwise, the slightest mistake made could result in the wastage of these precious materials.

Hu hu hu!

Zhang Xuan's hands went through the various metals and ores nimbly, synthesizing them together one by one. Unlike previous times, he was working with the metals and ores in the furnace this time around. As such, he had to regulate the temperature in the furnace through his zhenqi simultaneously.

Each metal and ore had its own melting point. In order to create a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, each material had to be processed carefully to bring out the finest properties within it in the resulting alloy, so the temperature had to be carefully regulated in the synthesis phase.

Soon, just as Zhang Xuan's zhenqi was just about to be completely depleted, he finally finished synthesizing the last ore into the alloy.

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan threw the metal lump into the water trough by the side.

"Quench!"

Tzzzzz!

A dense layer of mist formed around the water trough, concealing it from sight. Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight to keep a close eye on even the most trivial of changes in the metal lump, and as its quality finally reached its peak, he quickly took it out.

Based on his experience in the previous examinations, he learned that it was easier for him to grasp the condition of the quenching process through his Eye of Insight, thus further enhancing the quality of the final product.

"Test!"

Once again, Zhang Xuan placed the metal lump on the grading pedestal.

Weng!

A mechanical voice announced, "... the examinee has managed to smith a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon. Congratulations, you have passed the 5-star blacksmith examination!"

"I've passed the examination!" Seeing that it was a success, Zhang Xuan's body finally gave into exhaustion, and he fell weakly onto the ground.

Even though he had skipped the hammering stage, it was still tough work controlling the flames in the furnace with his zhenqi. At this point, his zhenqi was nearly completely depleted.

It was fortunately that he had still succeeded eventually.

"I should heal up first." Sitting on the ground, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a jade box appeared in his hands.

Opening the jade box, he immediately felt a gush of incredibly pure spiritual energy blowing at him; it felt as if small needles were pricking his skin, creating a tingling sensation.

A translucent stone sat inside the box.

This was Zhang Xuan's first time using a high-tier spirit stone.

Those whose cultivation was too low would be unable to assimilate the pure spiritual energy within a high-tier spirt stones into their body. Even if they could absorb it, the spiritual energy would still leak from the minuscule pores in their meridians.

The meridians within the human body was similar to a sandpit in some ways. There were many fine pores in them such that while thick and viscous mud could flow through it, pure water would usually seep right through those pores, resulting in immense wastage.

In this analogy, the pure water would be referring to the concentrated spiritual energy within a high-tier spirit stone.

Spiritual energy, in its purest form, was extremely fine, to the point that it could easily seep through the smallest openings. Even if an ordinary human were to try to absorb the spiritual energy within a high-tier spirit stone, they wouldn't be able to retain the slightest bit of it in their body.

Only upon reaching Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm would the openings in one's body be sealed like a cocoon, forming a Seamless Body. Only then would one be able to absorb the spiritual energy within a high-tier spirit stone to strive for greater heights.

Zhang Xuan was currently only at Cosmos Bridge realm, three realms away from reaching Chrysalis realm. Typically speaking, even if he had a high-tier spirit stone in his possession, he shouldn't be able to use it.

However, having cultivated Heaven's Path zhenqi, his body had already been reformed by it, granting him a physical body far stronger than other cultivators. On top of that, he had also reached the Second Incandescence of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body. This granted him enhanced control over his body, allowing him to seal his pores to retain the fine spiritual energy from the high-tier spirit stone within his body.

Gu gu gu gu!

As the pure spiritual energy circulated in Zhang Xuan's body as per the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it was swiftly converted into zhenqi before being deposited in his dantian.

His depleted dantian swiftly filled up, reaching full capacity within thirty minutes.

"As expected of a high-tier spirit stone, I was able to recover swiftly!" Zhang Xuan stood up and did some stretches.

If it had been a middle-tier spirit stone or a Spirit Gathering Formation, it would have taken at least several hours for his zhenqi to fully recover. However, through absorbing the spiritual energy in a high-tier spirit stone via the Heaven's Path Divine Art, he was able to recover within just thirty minutes. This was a pace comparable to most pills forged specially for recovering one's zhenqi!

'I still have another hour to go!' Zhang Xuan thought in delight as he returned the high-tier spirit stone to his storage ring.

With an hour left, perhaps he might have enough time to challenge the 6-star blacksmith examination!

While his current cultivation was still a little too low, the depth of his comprehension in smithing was superior to most 6-star pinnacle blacksmiths. If he could pass the 6-star blacksmith examination as well, he would be spared from spending even more Academic Credits here.

Based on what he had seen and heard so far, he could tell that Academic Credits were extremely difficult to earn. There would surely be many places where he would require them in the future, so it was best for him to save as much as possible for the time being.

"Challenging the 6-star blacksmith examination is a little beyond my current cultivation at the moment. If I want to clear the examination, I won't be able to skip the forging phase anymore..."

The reason Zhang Xuan had been able to clear all of the previous examinations was because of the superior quality of the alloy he had created. As such, even though the weapons he had smithed so far were just mere lumps of steel, they were still able to reach the required grade.

However, in the 6-star examination, he would have to handle ores and metals which were beyond his current cultivation, and this meant that he wouldn't be able to process them as freely as he had all along. Due to that, it was unlikely that he would be able to clear the examination based on the quality of the alloy in itself.

In other words, if he wanted to clear the examination, he would have to forge the weapon... However, he had no experience with hammering whatsoever. If he were to start practicing now... would he still be able to make it in time?

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Chapter 744: Attempting the 6-star Blacksmith Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I won't be able to make it in time..."

Hammering, just like pill forging, was a hands-on skill which could only be mastered through countless years of practice. Even with the Library of Heaven's Path guiding him along, it would still be impossible for him to master the skill in time with only an hour left on the clock.

Just as Zhang Xuan was distressed as to what he should do next, a thought suddenly flashed across his mind, and his eyes lit up in excitement.

"Wait... Even though I can't forge a sword or those of that sort, I can turn the iron lump into a hammer! That should be much easier than other weapons..."

There were many intricacies behind swords and sabers which made them extremely difficult to forge them, but that shouldn't be the case for hammers!

With just a few hits on the metal lump, he should be able to create a hammer easily!

"Alright, it's decided then!" With a smile on his lips, Zhang Xuan shouted, "I request to challenge the 6-star blacksmith examination!"

Weng!

The sight before Zhang Xuan changed once more, turning into an even larger hall.

Many ores and metals that would have been difficult to find in real life appeared before him.

After some contemplation, Zhang Xuan picked out a few dozen of them and brought them to the furnace.

Xiong xiong!

Tossing the ores and metals into the furnace, Zhang Xuan began with his smithing.

...

Meanwhile, Yuan Hong and a group of master teachers were standing outside the Ocean of Weapons, waiting for the results of the examination.

After all that had happened, it was already nearing midnight. However, it didn't seem like anyone had the intention to leave.

That Zhang Xuan fellow had caused such a huge mess in the Blacksmith School, but not only did Vice School Head Yuan not punish him, he even escorted him to the Ocean of Weapons for him to take the blacksmith examination.

Everyone was curious to see what kind of legendary figure Zhang Xuan was for a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith to treat him with such respect.

"How far do you think he can advance in the Ocean of Weapons?"

"Do you even need to ask? With just four hours on the clock, he will only be able to clear the 1-star examination!"

"Even if he is a talented blacksmith who is capable of producing weapons at an unprecedented speed, he'll only be able to clear the 2-star examination at the maximum. Anything beyond that is physically impossible!"

"Indeed. Just take the forging process for example, in order to hammer the alloy into the perfect shape, one would have to spend at least an hour or two on it. Even seasoned blacksmiths wouldn't be able to go any faster than that!"

...

Everyone muttered with hushed voices.

Since that fellow declared that he would be challenging the 5-star blacksmith examination, he should possess the ability to smith a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon at the minimum. However, due to the time limit within the Ocean of Weapons, it would be difficult for him to reach 2-star.

Anything further than that would be plain impossible!

As such, there was no one here who really thought that he would be able to clear the 5-star blacksmith examination today.

Nevertheless, for a person who had never challenged the blacksmith examination before, clearing two stars simultaneously was still an incredible feat.

Just as everyone was waiting patiently for the results from the Ocean of Weapons, footsteps suddenly sounded. Turning their heads over, everyone saw a few elders walking over.

"Look, the school head is here!"

"No, it isn't just the school head. The other vice school heads as well... Why are they all here?"

"They probably heard about the matter here and came over to take a look!"

The one who was leading the group was the head of the Blacksmith School, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, Zhao Bingxu.

There were three elders walking behind him, and they were the remaining three vice school heads.

After conducting a Meridian and Bone Cleansing for Luo Qiqi and the others, they decided to head over here to see if the legendary student would be able to clear the 5-star blacksmith examination.

"School head!" As if having guessed that the school head would come, Yuan Hong didn't seem surprised in the least. He clasped his fist and greeted the other party.

"How is it? Has he begun the 5-star blacksmith examination yet? Judging from the current time, he should be done soon!" Zhao Bingxu asked with a smile.

"5-star blacksmith examination... This..." Yuan Hong muttered awkwardly.

Bewildered by Yuan Hong's reaction to his words, Zhao Bingxu asked doubtfully, "What's wrong? Isn't it Zhang shi who is undergoing the examination inside at the moment?"

"It's indeed him who is inside, but... it appears that Zhang shi has never taken a blacksmith examination before, so he is currently challenging the 1-star examination," Yuan Hong replied.

"He has never taken any blacksmith examination before?" Zhao Bingxu exclaimed.

The other three vice school heads behind him were also stunned by the revelation.

Since that fellow had never taken the 1-star examination before, why in the name of Kong shi was he attempting to challenge the 5-star examination?

"Yes." Yuan Hong nodded. "His intention before entering the Ocean of Weapons seemed to be to challenge the 2-star examination after clearing the 1-star examination. I wonder if he will be able to succeed."

Before entering the Ocean of Weapons, that fellow had asked if he could challenge the subsequent examinations as well, so he was probably preparing to do so. It would be difficult, but that fellow might just be able to pull it off.

"Are you curious? Actually, we can just take a peek at it!" Zhang Bingxu chuckled.

"Take a peek? But the Ocean of Weapons is still in operation, how do we take a look?" Yuan Hong was bewildered.

By right, as long as the Ocean of Weapons was still in operation, it was impossible to know the results of the test inside. Otherwise, he wouldn't be waiting here.

"While it's indeed impossible to see the results within the Ocean of Weapons, we can always try to apply for the emblem for him! If the emblem appears, it will mean that he has cleared the 1-star examination!" Zhao Bingxu said as he stroked his beard.

"That... Indeed! Why didn't I think of that?" Yuan Hong slapped his thigh and chuckled.

The emblem would be dispatched outside after one cleared the examination in the Ocean of Weapons. As long as one had cleared the examination inside, the system would distribute an emblem when an application was sent in.

It was impossible to know the results of the blacksmith examination directly since Zhang Xuan wasn't out yet, but they could use this method to know how far he was into the examination!

If they were to succeed in applying for the 1-star emblem, it would mean that he had already cleared the 1-star examination and was in the midst of challenging the 2-star examination...

Such a simple matter, but to think that it had slipped his mind!

"Alright, I shall give it a try!"

Yuan Hong stepped forward, placed his hand on a button on the gigantic doors of the Ocean of Weapons, and pressed it lightly.

There was a momentary burst of light before an emblem fell from an aperture below the button.

"Oh? He cleared the 1-star examination?" Yuan Hong muttered as he grabbed the falling emblem.

It was Zhang Xuan's 1-star blacksmith emblem.

Since it was dispatched, it could only mean that Zhang Xuan had cleared the 1-star examination.

"Since he has cleared the 1-star examination, he should probably be in the midst of the 2-star examination at the moment..." Zhao Bingxu nodded.

"Hmm, it is about to be four hours soon. Let me give it a try to see if he has passed the 2-star examination yet..." Yuan Hong pondered for a moment before placing his palm back on the button.

Weng!

Another burst of light, and an emblem fell from the aperture once more.

"Th-this is the 2-star emblem? He has cleared the 2-star examination as well?" Yuan Hong froze for an instant before hurriedly reaching out to grab the falling emblem.

In his view, clearing an examination within four hours was already extremely difficult in itself. Even if there was some spare time after clearing the 1-star examination, the chances were that the examinee would already be exhausted by then, making it nearly impossible to clear the next one. Yet, this fellow actually cleared two examinations consecutively... Was this for real?

"He's cleared the 2-star examination?" Zhao Bingxu was taken aback as well.

He walked up to Yuan Hong, took the emblem from him, and examined it carefully. Inscribed on it was Zhang Xuan's name. There was no doubt about it... he had cleared the 2-star examination within the four-hour limit!

"But if he has cleared the 2-star examination, why isn't he out yet? Could it be that... he is trying for the 3-star examination?" Yuan Hong widened his eyes at that thought.

If Zhang Xuan wasn't out after clearing the 2-star examination, did that mean that he was attempting the subsequent 3-star examination?

To still have the strength to attempt subsequent examinations after clearing the 2-star examination... What was that fellow made of?

"That should be the case. However, given the limited amount of time, it is impossible for him to clear the 3-star examination..." Yuan Hong shook his head.

As a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith, he knew how difficult smithing was.

Even with his current skills, he would only be able to smith Phantom low-tier weapons within four hours at best. Anything more than that was impossible!

To clear the 1-star and 2-star examination, Zhang Xuan would have to smith at least two weapons. However, no matter how proficient he was in smithing, he couldn't possibly be faster than a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith. As such, how could he possibly be able to smith the third weapon?

"Let's just try giving it a press..." Zhao Bingxu interjected as he walked up to the door and pressed on the button.

Weng!

Yet another flash of light and emblem.

"This... a 3-star emblem?"

Not only did Yuan Hong leap in shock, even Zhao Bingxu was stunned.

To smith three weapons within four hours, advancing from an apprentice to a 3-star blacksmith... This speed was insane!

"Could it be possible that..."

The duo glanced at one another, only to see the shock in each other's eyes. Unable to stand the curiosity any longer, Yuan Hong pressed the button once more.

Huala!

Again, another flash of light and another emblem.

Yuan Hong swallowed his saliva and uttered hoarsely, "4-star... He is actually trying to clear up to the 5-star blacksmith examination within four hours..."

When that fellow said that he would challenge the 5-star blacksmith examination, Yuan Hong had regarded it as nothing more than a joke. After all, how could anyone advance from an apprentice to a 5-star blacksmith within a single day? But who could have thought that he would actually succeed!

Since the 4-star emblem had appeared, it could only mean that he was currently attempting for the 5-star blacksmith examination.

To smith four weapons within four hours, and not to mention, all four of them had to reach the required quality in order to clear the examination... How in the world was that fellow doing it?

Xiong Bing, who had been watching the scene, couldn't help but ask, "Do you think that it's possible that... he might have cleared the 5-star examination?"

"That's impossible!" Hearing those words, Yuan Hong immediately shook his head in denial. "If he had cleared the 5-star examination, he would have been out by now. Why would he still be inside?"

But despite the words Yuan Hong was speaking, his hand still stretched out to press that button once again.

Huala!

And yet again, another emblem fell from the aperture.

Grabbing it hurriedly, Yuan Hong rubbed his eyes and stared at the name and rank inscribed on the emblem, and his body began shaking intensely.

"A 5-star emblem... H-h-h-h-he has even cleared the 5-star blacksmith examination as well? T-t-t-then... what examination is he taking at the moment?"

Yuan Hong felt as if everything he had known about the world was crumbling before his eyes, and tears threatened to spill down his cheeks.

If they could apply for the 5-star emblem but that fellow wasn't out yet, didn't that mean that the fellow was attempting the 6-star blacksmith examination?

But how could that be possible?!

Even if he had sufficient time to attempt it... his cultivation was too low to clear the examination!

In order to become a 6-star blacksmith, one must be able to smith a Spirit pinnacle weapon at the minimum, and in order to do so, the minimum cultivation one must possess was Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm!

This was a well-known fact amongst blacksmiths. Until one had achieved a Seamless Body at Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm, the inadvertent leakage of zhenqi would result in imperfections in the smithing process, making it impossible to smith a Spirit pinnacle weapon.

For a weapon to reach Spirit pinnacle, it had to be rich in spirit and nearly impeccable. If one couldn't even control one's body perfectly, how could one possibly forge such a weapon?

Weng!

In the midst of his shock, Yuan Hong subconsciously reached out to press the button once more, and with a flash of light, another emblem fell from the aperture again.

"6-star..."

As if statues, everyone froze in place, and silence loomed before the Ocean of Weapons.

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Chapter 745: Accepting You As My Teacher's Disciple

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Usually in the four-hour timeframe in the Ocean of Weapons, one would only be able to raise one's rank up by a single star. Yet, in a single seating, six emblems had been distributed by the Ocean of Weapons!

This meant that... in a single breath, he cleared the examination from 1-star all the way to 6-star, and it was all a success!

For a freshman with a Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation to actually clear the 6-star blacksmith examination...

Everyone couldn't help but tremble out of sheer agitation and shock.

This was especially so for the female receptionist, Li Xuan. Her eyes rolled up, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

Through her conversation with him, she could tell that he possessed minimal knowledge of the Blacksmith School at best. And yet, such a person actually cleared the 6-star blacksmith examination...

She actually got impatient with a person who possessed the capability of a 6-star blacksmith! As such a thought flashed through her mind, she began shaking in fear. If there was a hole in the ground at this moment, she would dive in without any hesitation.

On the other hand, Zhao Bingxu, Yuan Hong, and the other vice school heads also nearly blacked out.

To forge six weapons within four hours to progress from a mere apprentice to a 6-star blacksmith... Was he still a human?

"School head, do you think that... you would be able to do it as well?" Yuan Hong couldn't help but ask with his quivering lips.

School Head Zhao boasted the greatest capability in smithing among them, and it was by a wide margin at that.

If there was any one of them who could match that achievement, it would only be School Head Zhao.

"I..." After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Bingxu eventually shook his head, "I couldn't do it either!"

Despite his superior smithing speed, it was impossible for him to complete six weapons within six hours.

In truth, the smithing of lower grade weapons didn't necessarily take less time than higher quality weapons.

It was true that lower quality materials were easier to process, making the synthesis phase much easier. However, the forging phase was still likely to be extremely time-consuming. While the material would be easier to shape, special care had to be taken in order to ensure that the weapon didn't snap or deform. As such, the forging of the weapon still had to be done step by step.

In such a case, his incredible strength as a Saint didn't provide him much of an advantage.

If he were to start from 1-star, 3-star would probably be his limit. Yet, that fellow actually reached 6-star in a single breath...

Was this feat still humanly possible?

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Yuan Hong asked hesitantly, "Then... the matter regarding accepting him as your disciple..."

"That..." A crimson tinge swiftly enveloped Zhao Bingxu's face as he found himself at a loss for words.

He was still thinking a moment ago that he would accept the other party as his student and impart the essence of his comprehension of smithing to him, thus creating a beautiful legend for the Blacksmith School.

But... if that fellow was able to accomplish what he wasn't able to, he would only be humiliating himself if he were to ask the other party to be his student!

Ji ya!

While the both of them were stuck in a dilemma and the others were frozen in shock, the Ocean of Weapons' doors abruptly opened, and the silhouette of a young man came into sight.

At this moment, fatigue was written all over Zhang Xuan's face, and his movements were sluggish.

Even though he had recovered some of his strength inside through absorbing the spiritual energy in the high-tier spirit stone, he had still overexerted himself in the 6-star blacksmith examination.

Ultimately, his current cultivation was only at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle. Even with the enhancement from Heaven's Path zhenqi and Heaven's Path Golden Body, he was still pushed to his very limits. Thus, after clearing the examination, he had to rest for a moment before he could muster the strength to stand up and leave.

Nevertheless, it was fortunate that he had cleared the examination!

At the current moment, he was already a quasi 6-star blacksmith!

(In the Upper Nine Paths occupations, unless special exceptions are given from the headquarters, as long as one's cultivation has yet to reach the required level, it could only be considered as a quasi-rank.)

"Zhang shi..." Yuan Hong walked over with admiration evident on his face.

If he was still a little conflicted a moment ago due to the destruction of the various amenities, at this moment, he finally realized how wise the school head's decision was.

To be able to pass the 6-star blacksmith examination with just a cultivation of Cosmos Bridge realm, such talent had never been seen in the Blacksmith School's thousands of years of history!

Given sufficient time, he would surely become yet another Wu Yangzi of Hongyuan Empire!

With such a figure in the Blacksmith School, the reputation of the school would soar, and more talents would opt to join their ranks as well.

"Here is your emblem!" Yuan Hong stepped forward and passed Zhang Xuan his quasi 6-star emblem.

"Thank you!" Taking the emblem, Zhang Xuan nodded.

At this moment, another elder with a bright smile on his face stepped forward.

"Zhang shi, I am Zhao Bingxu!"

"Zhao Bingxu?" Zhang Xuan glanced at Yuan Hong doubtfully.

This name sounded extremely foreign to him. He didn't know anyone who went by such a name.

Looking at the puzzled expression on Zhang Xuan's face, the master teachers in the area staggered.

'You came to the Blacksmith School to challenge its examinations, but you don't know who the school head is? That's really enough of you!'

Li Xuan could also feel tears pouring down her face.

She'd thought that Zhang Xuan was only ignorant of the rules of the academy, but it turned out that... he was ignorant of everything!

Yet, it was such an ignorant person who cleared the 6-star blacksmith examination, bringing the school head and vice school heads here just to meet him personally. On the other hand, she could only serve as a humble receptionist in the Blacksmith School...

Truly, how could the difference between two humans be so great?

Knowing that the young man before him truly didn't know of the Zhao Bingxu's identity, Yuan Hong hurriedly explained, "Zhao shi is the head of the Blacksmith School, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers..."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and greeted him.

"Zhang Xuan pays respect to School Head Zhao!"

While he had successfully cleared the 6-star blacksmith examination, there was still a huge gap between him and the head of the Blacksmith School and a member of the Ten Great Master Teachers.

"It's okay, there's no need to stand on ceremony, Zhang shi. It is heartening to see a man as young as you clear the 6-star blacksmith examination!" Seeing the young man retaining his humility despite his astounding achievement, Zhao Bingxu nodded in commendation.

"Thank you for your polite words, I was just lucky..." Zhang Xuan quickly replied.

With his current cultivation, it was extremely difficult for him to smith a Spirit pinnacle weapon. If not for a fair bit of luck here and there, he would still be a 5-star blacksmith at this moment.

"Luck favors the diligent and capable. It is rare to see a person who can still remain level-headed in the face of success. I can see why Luo Qiqi and the others are in awe of you," Zhao Bingxu said as he stroked his beard. He was getting more and more fond of the young man before him.

Too many times he had seen young geniuses with their heads in the skies due to just a few accomplishments here and there. On the other hand, the young man didn't allow his success to go to his head. It seemed like his smithing ability wasn't just the only aspect of him that was admirable; his mental fortitude was incredible as well.

If he could accept such a genius as his disciple, his reputation would surely soar!

However... considering that the other party's skills were not beneath his, it would be unlikely for the other party to accept it.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Bingxu smiled and said, "Zhang shi, your talent in smithing is unmatched by any in the younger generation! However, if you wish to reach greater heights, you must have someone to guide and correct you... With my shallow grasp of smithing, I dare not ask you to become my student. However, if you wish, in the stead of my teacher, I hope to accept you as his student!"

"Accept me as your teacher's student?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"That's right. My teacher is a 7-star master teacher in Qingyuan Conferred Empire, and he possesses great prestige there. I'm sure he would be more than glad to have a talented blacksmith like you as his student!" Zhao Bingxu replied.

"School Head Zhao will accept that fellow as his teacher's student in place of his teacher?"

"If that were to happen, does that mean that Zhang shi would be School Head Zhao's junior?"

"This..."

"To become the junior of one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, the student of a 7-star blacksmith... Regardless of which title it is, there will be no one who will dare to stand in his way in the academy!"

"This is amazing..."

...

Hearing the conversation between the duo, an uproar broke out amidst the master teachers in the area.

Even Yuan Hong had nearly fell to the ground from shock.

He already found it shocking to hear of School Head Zhao's intentions to take Zhang shi in as his student, but for him to become his junior instead... This was madness!

If Zhang shi were to accept that offer, wouldn't that mean that he would be a peer to them?

For a Grade 1 student who hadn't even received his student token yet to become the school head's junior...

Yuan Hong, Xiong Bing, and the others glanced at one another with bulging eyes.

But as insane as this matter sounded, Zhang shi had already shown that he was qualified for that.

To advance from an apprentice to 6-star in a single breath... This had never ever been done before, and this record would likely remain unbroken for ages to come!

Perhaps the unfathomable Sage Clans in the Conferred Empires might be capable of such a feat, but one thing was for sure, this feat was beyond everyone in the Master Teacher Academy.

"This..." Not expecting that there would be another person who would attempt to take him in as his student once more in the same day, this time in the stead of his teacher, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply for a moment before shaking his head. "I am truly apologetic, but I already have a teacher named Yang Xuan. For the time being, I don't intend to acknowledge any teachers."

If Zhang Xuan were to accept the other party's offer, he might find several restrictions imposed on him. At the same time, he could easily accumulate any required knowledge by reading through books. There was no need for him to learn from another.

"He rejected the offer?"

"That was an opportunity to become School Head Zhao's junior!"

"The world has gone mad, truly mad! An opportunity to become the student of the school head is something that countless have dreamed of, and yet he rejected an offer to become his junior... Slap me, I want to see if I am dreaming!"

"Rejecting an offer to become a student of a 7-star master teacher, what else does he want?"

...

Everyone became petrified upon hearing that rejection.

Countless here had laughed heartily when granted the opportunity of becoming School Head Zhao's student, only to wake up and realize in dejection that it was just a dream.

Yet, that fellow wasn't even willing to become School Head Zhao's junior...

'Why don't you just ascend to the heavens?!'

At this moment, Luo Yan's body was trembling in agitation, and he nearly fell to the ground weakly.

He had sneaked out from his quarters, and it was only after seeing this scene that he realized why his teacher's attitude would change so abruptly.

A junior of one of the Ten Great Master Teachers... Just this title itself was deserving of Yuan Hong's respect.

But what that left him tugging his hair in frenzy was that... that fellow rejected that offer!

Screw that!

'Big brother, let's negotiate about this matter. Why don't we switch places... or rather, it's fine if I can become your disciple too!'

"You... aren't willing?" Zhao Bingxu was stupefied as well.

He had already gone this far, accepting that fellow as his teacher's disciple out of fear that he wouldn't be willing to become his student, but who could have known that he would be disagreeable to that as well!

'Don't you know that a formidable teacher means strong backing as well? Do you understand the kind of privileges and authority you will gain the academy due to that?'

"School Head Zhao, thank you for your high appraisal of me!" Zhang Xuan bowed. He had an indifferent expression on his face, but the truth was that his heart was bleeding at this moment.

He had already crafted Yang shi as an unparalleled expert of the world. After all that had been said and done, he had little choice but to go on with his lie.

If he were to take another as his teacher so easily, what would that say about Yang shi?

How could he convince others that Yang shi was at least an 8-star master teacher when his direct disciple would take even a 7-star master teacher as his teacher?

Argh, he would have no choice but to swallow the bitter fruit he had sowed!

"I guess I was being a little too hasty..." Seeing the other party's determined attitude, Zhao Bingxu sighed deeply. "Pardon me for my ignorance, but may I know who Yang shi is?"

Since Zhang shi could even reject the opportunity to become a student of a 7-star master teacher, it could only mean to say that Yang shi was a formidable master teacher himself... But if that was the case, why hadn't he heard of the other party before?

"My teacher seeks a carefree life wandering the lands, not wanting to be tied down by fame. As such, there are very few who know of his name!" Zhang Xuan chuckled.

After a moment of pondering, Zhao Bingxu clasped his fist.

"I am interested in paying respect to the master teacher who is capable of grooming such an outstanding student. May I trouble Zhang shi to extend my regards to him?"

"You wish to meet my teacher?" Zhang Xuan froze.

"Indeed. You are an incredible genius, and I think that it's a pity if we simply leave your talent for smithing be. It's normal for a master teacher to have several teachers in his lifetime, and even Kong shi himself acknowledged quite a few people as his teacher—Tan shi, Li shi... Thus, I wish to meet Yang shi and discuss this matter with him. If we just impart the art of smithing to you, there shouldn't be a conflict of interest!" Zhao Bingxu said.

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Chapter 746: Zhang Xuan's Flaw

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

It seemed like the other party was truly determined to have him become his junior.

However, despite the various benefits that could come from the opportunity, he still thought that it was better for him to turn down the deal. The privileges would come with a set of responsibilities, and he wasn't willing to bear them.

"Since Yang shi is also one of our own, surely it should be fine for us to just meet?" Zhao Bingxu stroked his beard.

He was indeed interested in meeting the teacher behind such an outstanding student.

"This... The truth is that my teacher has no fixed lodging, so I don't know where he is at the moment either. However, I'll make sure to relay your intentions to him the next time I meet him," said Zhang Xuan with a conflicted expression.

'What the heck is this?

'All I wanted to do was to read my books patiently, take all of the required examinations, and leave dashingly. Who could have known that... everyone I met would be so intent on taking me as their student or their junior...

'Do I look like an easy man?!

'Seems like it's about time to have Yang shi make an appearance. Otherwise, if the Ten Great Master Teachers visit me one after another, how can I read my books in peace?

'I want to keep a low profile, you know!'

"Alright, that's a promise then!" Zhao Bingxu chuckled.

"School Head Zhao and the other vice school heads, I have overexerted myself in the 6-star blacksmith examination, so I would like to return to my residence to rest. I'll be taking my leave now!" Fearing that Zhao Bingxu would continue asking him about Yang shi's affairs and put him on the spot, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.

"Right, you must be drained by now. You should quickly return and have a good rest!"

"It must be exhausting to forge six weapons in four hours. Let's talk tomorrow then!"

...

It was only after hearing those words that it struck Zhao Bingxu, Yuan Hong, and the others that the young man before them had just finished forging six weapons. In a moment of agitation, it had slipped their minds.

It was indeed rude of them to keep the other party with them when he was already on the verge of collapsing.

"Thank you!"

Hearing their agreement, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. However, just as he was about to leave, Zhao Bingxu's voice sounded once more. "Since you have just joined the academy, you must be staying at the shared dormitory at the moment. Here is my personal token. Get yourself a residence in the Elite Sector with this. This will make it more convenient for us to meet and talk."

As he said those words, School Head Zhao took out a token similar to the one Elder Mo had given him previously and proffered it to Zhang Xuan.

Back at the School Head's Office, Yuan Hong had only spoken about how Zhang Xuan had destroyed the Passageway of Records. He didn't mention that the latter had Elder Mo's token in hand.

Besides, Zhao Bingxu clearly intended this as a gesture of goodwill to get on the good side of this rising talent. Were it not for Yuan Hong's own personal token commanding less authority than the Ten Great Master Teachers', he would have wanted to give his own to Zhang shi as well.

"This..." Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

"Take it. My token should bring you some convenience in the academy." Zhao Bingxu nodded, indicating that it was fine for him to accept the gift.

"Thank you, School Head Zhao!" At the other party's insistence, Zhang Xuan accepted the token.

He had already rejected the other party's offer once, so it would be disrespectful of him to turn down this gift as well.

However, as the crowd saw the look of reluctance on Zhang Xuan's face as he accepted Zhao Bingxu's token, their mouths twitched violently, and they nearly burst into tears.

One must know that it was be difficult for an average student to even meet School Head Zhao.

School Head Zhao had come personally to meet that fellow, and not only did he reject the offer to become his junior, he was even unwilling to accept the token... Where did this freak come from?

Did he know how many of them wanted to pummel him to death right then because of that reluctance on his face?

"I'll be taking my leave then!"

Taking the token, Zhang Xuan immediately turned around and left. Before long, he had already disappeared over the horizon.

"It sure is a huge pity..." Watching as Zhang Xuan's silhouette disappear, Zhao Bingxu shook his head.

"A pity?" Yuan Hong asked, uncomprehending of Zhao Bingxu's words.

"Zhang shi is an incredible genius. Despite his politeness, I can still see the pride in his eyes. It will be hard to win him over with material gains. It will be nigh impossible to retain him in the Blacksmith School!" Zhao Bingxu sighed.

"You're right." After a moment of contemplation, Yuan Hong nodded as well.

That was an opportunity to become School Head Zhao's junior, but he still rejected it without much hesitation... As such, what else could the Blacksmith School offer him?

Surely there wasn't anything as attractive as that?

"Let's just take a step at a time and see what we can do. In any case, make sure to treat him with respect and don't offend him," Zhao Bingxu said.

After which, he turned his eyes to the Ocean of Weapons and said, "Yuan Hong and Xiong Bing, follow me in. I am really interested to see how he managed to forge six weapons in four hours!"

Even Zhao Bingxu himself had to concede that it was impossible for him to forge six weapons and advance from an apprentice to a 6-star master teacher within four hours. How did a Cosmos Bridge realm blacksmith accomplish a feat that was even beyond him?

"Yes!" Yuan Hong and Xiong Bing nodded.

In truth, they harbored the same doubts as well.

Thus, the group pushed open the towering doors of the Ocean of Weapons and walked in.

As the head of the Blacksmith School, Zhao Bingxu wielded special privileges that allowed him to enter the Ocean of Weapons even without using Academic Credits.

"Let's look at the recordings of the examination!" Zhao Bingxu said as he flicked his finger.

Weng!

The Ocean of Weapons whirred into action, and Zhang Xuan's figure from a moment ago, when he was still taking the examination, appeared before the group's eyes.

There was a special installation in the Ocean of Weapons that allowed it to record the happenings in the examinations and replay it, so that others could study and learn from outstanding examinees.

Hu!

Under the gazes of the group, Zhang Xuan casually grabbed a couple of ores and metals and threw it into the furnace. After which, he retrieved them and synthesized them together before tossing it into the quenching fluid straight.

"This..."

"He went straight into quenching without forging the weapon?" Everyone froze in shock.

"However, forging is indeed the most time-consuming phase in the smithing of a weapon. He could indeed save himself a lot of time through skipping it. This is a brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of it?" Zhao Bingxu's eyes glowed in excitement as he slapped his thigh.

Of the three phases of smithing, the most arduous and complicated procedure was, without doubt, hammering the ingot into its intended shape. If one could skip this step, one could indeed save a fair bit of time.

However... could the product of this smithing still be considered a weapon?

Soon, they saw Zhang Xuan retrieving a metal lump from the quenching fluid before placing it on the grading pedestal. After which... he cleared the examination.

"To think that a mere alloy which hasn't undergone hammering yet could reach Phantom low-tier. Incredible!" Xiong Bing nodded in commendation.

It was not without reason that weapons were called "creations under a thousand hammerings". The purpose of the forging phase wasn't just to shape the weapon but to strike out the impurities in the weapon and balance out the alloy as well, thus enhancing its quality. Yet, without a single hammering, that fellow was able to make a mere metal lump achieve the quality worthy of being deemed as a weapon.

Even as 6-star pinnacle blacksmiths, none of them were capable of doing the same!

"To craft such a perfect alloy would require a thorough understanding of every single property of the ores and metal, so as to determine the temperature of the furnace, the timing of the synthesis, and deduce the reaction from the synthesis..."

"On top of that, he has to work on the metals and ores simultaneously in the synthesis process while controlling the heat in the furnace through his zhenqi... To be able to multitask that well, it could only mean that he has a powerful soul as well!'

"Furthermore, to be able to remain unfazed at such proximity to the furnace, and even grab the searing alloy barehanded... How powerful must his physical body be?"

"His movements are fluid, devoid of the slightest hesitation. This goes to say that he possesses mental fortitude, allowing him to move confidently without allowing doubt to hinder him!"

...

The longer they watched, the more astonished the group became.

Synthesizing the metals and ores into an alloy and quenching it straight after, they could easily do the same as well. However, it was a different question whether they would be able to clear the examination with what they created.

In fact, even the legendary grandmaster blacksmith, Wu Yangzi, didn't seem to be capable of this feat!

Was that fellow really an inheritor of Wu Yangzi's heritage and not his teacher?

Soon, they reached the 6-star blacksmith examination simulation.

With each flick of a finger, a melodious metallic ring sounded. Before long, a massive metal hammer appeared before Zhang Xuan.

"This..."

"Is this really a weapon forged by a blacksmith?"

Judging by how skillful that young man was in his hammering, they'd thought that the end product would astound them, just as he had done many times before. Who would have thought that... his work would turn out to be so hideous!

Are you sure that it is a metal hammer and not a steel tower?

Everyone glanced at one another speechlessly.

After watching the entire examination, Zhao Bingxu couldn't help but remark, "It seems like... Zhang shi does possess great talent, but... his forging skills are still a little lacking!"

"Lacking is an understatement... It is as if he has never learnt hammering before!" Yuan Hong shook his head.

Honestly speaking, not even an apprentice blacksmith would create a hammer as terrible as his.

Flame control, synthesis, quenching... All of these, Zhang shi had perfect grasp over. Yet, why would he simply fail so utterly in the hammering phase?

One must know that this was actually the simplest phase of the entire smithing process. It could easily be mastered through repetition...

"But this works to our advantage as well. We can use this opportunity to teach him and rally him to our Blacksmith School!" Zhao Bingxu smiled.

He was still thinking about how he could win Zhang Xuan over and tie him down to the Blacksmith School when this opportunity appeared before him. With this, he could step forward and guide the other party along, thus making him indebted to the Blacksmith School!

"Yes, that's a good idea!" The other vice school heads also nodded in agreement as well.

Their only fear was that Zhang Xuan would have no flaws at all. As long as he had a flaw, they could use it as an impetus to approach him and build a close relationship with him.

Once he started learning from one of them, it would just be a matter of time before he was tied down to their ship!

...

On the other hand, after returning to his residence in the Elite Sector, fatigue finally set into Zhang Xuan's body, leaving him feeling weak throughout.

While he did cut some corners in his work, it still hadn't been an easy feat for him to smith six weapons within four hours.

His zhenqi was depleted, and his spirit and soul were worn out.

If not for his soul having broken the ten meters bottleneck, he might have just collapsed in the midst of the examination.

"I didn't have a chance to examine it before, but it seems my soul has undergone a qualitative change after breaking the ten meters bottleneck."

After absorbing some spiritual energy from his high-tier spirit stone to recharge, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled a matter.

Back in the Chamber of Earth Flame, when his soul had successfully overcome the ten meters bottleneck, he vividly felt some changes in his soul. However, with the chamber collapsing on him right afterward and the various troubles afterward, he hadn't had the opportunity to check on it yet.

Since he had some time now, it would be good for him to see what was going on.

His soul, physical body, and zhenqi: these were the three factors that stood at the foundation of his strength. Through past experience, he'd learned that it was essential for him to maintain a perfect grasp of his condition so as to avoid any unfortunate mishaps.

Activating the formation around him to block out any prying eyes, Zhang Xuan sat on the ground and closed his eyes.

Hu!

His soul left his body.

At this moment, his soul was as enormous as a giant. Even with his feet on the ground, his head could still easily reach the roof of the residence.

"Introspection!"

Zhang Xuan activated the Eye of Insight to view the situation in his soul.

"What is this? H-how is this possible..."

Upon first glance, Zhang Xuan suddenly froze, and shocked exclamations escaped from his mouth.

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Chapter 747: Return of the Innate Fetal Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Under the discerning gaze of the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan could see a thin gray line floating amidst his massive soul. It resembled a parasite, leaving him with an ominous feeling within.

"This is... the Innate Fetal Poison?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Even back when he was still in Tianxuan Kingdom, he had already noticed the Innate Fetal Poison in him. However, as he began to cultivate the Heaven's Path Divine Art, the poison was suppressed by the Heaven's Path zhenqi, thus crippling it for the time being. As time passed, he began to pay less and less heed to it.

Based on his previous investigation, he should be able to resolve the problem by becoming a 9-star master teacher before the age of thirty. Who could have known that... the Innate Fetal Poison would actually slip into his soul?

He could suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in his physical body through his Heaven's Path zhenqi, but how was he supposed to deal with it in his soul?

Zhang Xuan's face turned livid.

A soul was the foundation of a human's consciousness. Its destruction would spell irreversible death for one.

Zhang Xuan was still previously harboring the thought of focusing on the cultivation of his soul such that even if he was unable to resolve his Innate Fetal Poison, he could at least still live on as a soul.

But from the looks of it, this idea was impossible now.

Unknowingly, the treacherous poison had managed to seep into his soul.

As his soul was too weak before, he wasn't able to perceive it. However, as his soul broke the ten meters bottleneck and grew even stronger and more sensitive, he finally noticed that something was amiss.

"Or perhaps... has the Innate Fetal Poison been in my soul from the very start?"

The Innate Fetal Poison was planted in him back when he was nothing more than a fetus in his mother's womb. Given how vulnerable he was then, it shouldn't have been too difficult for it to spread from his body to his soul, or vice-versa.

However, considering how it had been some time since he'd become a soul oracle, it didn't seem quite possible for him to have never noticed the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul all along. It was as if that congregation of Innate Fetal Poison had been invisible to him all along!

Or could it be that it was simply too weak for him to perceive then? If that was the case, could it mean that the Innate Fetal Poison was leeching off his soul, growing along with it?

'What should I do? Will the Innate Fetal Poison work up earlier if I continue cultivating my soul?' Zhang Xuan thought grimly.

Without the Heaven's Path zhenqi, it would be difficult for him to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison. If the poison in his soul were to trigger, he would be helpless before it.

What the heck was this!

The other protagonists that transcend to another world were either top-notch geniuses or given overpowered artifacts that allowed them to dominate the world. It was one thing for him to have been born with average talent, but he was even given such a 'gift' from the world. What crime did he commit in his previous life to deserve this?

While the Soul of Heaven's Path was indeed powerful, it shared one common trait with the other souls—it was incapable of harnessing zhenqi, and this included the Heaven's Path zhenqi as well. Without the Heaven's Path zhenqi to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison, it would be able to do as it pleased in his soul.

In other words, his life and death hinged on the whim of that monstrosity!

"Unless... I can find something to suppress it!"

If his Heaven's Path zhenqi couldn't help him suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul, he would just have to find something else that could!

Otherwise, if that monstrosity were to get into a bad mood and wreak havoc, he might just die a premature death.

It wouldn't do to simply bank his fate on luck.

"Soul oracle is the occupation that specializes in the topic of souls. I have received Mo Hunsheng's heritage, but there isn't any method for me to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in there. Furthermore, the heritage of soul oracles has been wiped out by the Master Teacher Pavilion, so it's unlikely that I'll be able to find a solution from there..." Zhang Xuan contemplated.

If he wanted to find something to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul, he would have to first find something compatible with his soul. To do so, he would first have to deepen his understanding regarding souls.

However, with the heritage of the number one occupation specializing in the study of souls extinct, he could only try to find another substitute for it.

"Of the ten schools in the Master Teacher Academy, the supporting occupations that can influence one's soul are painter, demonic tunist, and terpsichore. Painting can calm hearts and build conception, but it possesses no offensive capability whatsoever. On the other hand, demonic tunist and terpsichore can beguile hearts and destroy souls. Thus, I should focus on the latter two instead."

The other supporting occupations such as beast tamer, blacksmith, celestial designer, and physicians had little regarding the study of souls.

At this point, the only two occupations which could possibly help Zhang Xuan were demonic tunist and terpsichore.

Those two occupations specialized in the beguilement of souls, so they should have a sizeable collection regarding the study of souls.

"Un, I will pay those two schools a visit when dawn comes!"

Time waited for no one. Every day he waited meant an additional day where he could be killed by the Innate Fetal Poison.

However, it was already nearing midnight, so it was unlikely that their facilities would still be open. Thus, it would better for him to head there after daybreak.

Even though there was an event in the academy tomorrow, in which the teachers of the academy would accept students under their tutelage, it didn't make a difference to him whether he went there or not.

After all, if he intended to seek a teacher, he would have already accepted Zhao Bingxu's offer to become his junior. It would be pointless for him to reject that offer and seek a normal teacher instead.

Even if a student was left without a teacher at the end of the event, it wasn't the end of the world for him. For one, he could still attend public lessons.

Besides, Zhang Xuan's main goal for coming to the Master Teacher Academy was to access the collection of books in here. In view of that, it didn't matter whether he had the guidance of a teacher or not.

"I don't think I can sleep tonight. I guess I shall take a look at how Wang Ying and the others are doing!"

With the issue regarding the Innate Fetal Poison weighing down his mind, it was unlikely that he would be able to rest. Since that was the case, he might as well take a look at how his students and butler were doing and provide them some guidance on their cultivation.

Otherwise, they might find themselves lagging too far behind Yuan Tao, Zhao Ya, and Lu Chong.

Thus, Zhang Xuan stood up and walked out of his room.

Turbid clouds shrouded the night sky, and not a single star or the moon was to be seen.

Even on such a dark night, it would be too conspicuous for him to travel using the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, especially since there were sentries keeping a lookout for the aerial space in the academy given the presence of Saint realm experts in the city. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to summon the Great Violetwing Beast.

There were quite a few students in the academy who bore the beast tamer occupation, so aerial spirit beasts were allowed to travel to and fro unrestricted grounds in the academy.

Leaping onto the back of the aerial spirit beast, Zhang Xuan flew out of the academy.

Before heading to Leiyuan Peak, Sun Qiang had already found a residence, and he had informed Zhang Xuan of the address as well. After a couple minutes of flight, a small residence soon came into sight.

This residence was only a few hundred meters square large, significantly smaller than the previous one they'd stayed in.

Nevertheless, in Hongyuan City where every inch of ground was worth a fortune, it must have taken a huge deal of effort to find a residence of this size.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to leap down from the Great Violetwing Beast's back, he suddenly frowned.

"Eye of Insight!"

With a sharp gaze, he surveyed his surroundings.

Soon, he saw a few shadows hidden inconspicuously in the shadows around the residence, seemingly up to no good.

"They are all Ethereal Treading realm experts!"

While they had done a good job concealing their trail, they were still unable to fool the Eye of Insight.

Zhang Xuan could feel immense power lying dormant in their bodies, as if a crouching mighty dragon. Astonishingly, they were all Transcendent Mortal 8-dan experts!

Why would such experts be lurking around his residence?

Could it be that they meant Sun Qiang and the others harm?

"We have just arrived here, and Sun Qiang and the others have nothing much of fortune on them either. How did they catch the eye of such experts?"

While Ethereal Treading realm cultivators weren't the top tier power in Hongyuan City, they were definitely considered experts here.

For so many experts to surround a small residence, what could they be up to?

Surely Sun Qiang and the others didn't have any possession on them that could attract their attention?

"Forget it, this is a good opportunity to try out my new strength!" A glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes.

At Leiyuan Peak, he had managed to advance his cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, resulting in his zhenqi strength rising to 8,000,000 ding. In the Chamber of Earth Flame, he had managed to achieve Second Incandescence in the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, thus enhancing his overall physical strength to 8,000,000 ding as well. Factoring in the 3,200,000 ding of strength from his soul cultivation, the overall might he could harness added up to almost 20,000,000 ding.

This granted him the strength to fight with Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage experts on equal grounds!

Since those fellows seemed to be up to no good, there shouldn't be any trouble using them as punching bags.

Hu!

With a leap, Zhang Xuan descended from the back of the Great Violetwing Beast.

Since the Great Violetwing Beast was maintaining a high altitude in the sky, the several men hidden in the shadows didn't seem to notice Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan drove his zhenqi and activated the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step. As if a light feather, he slowly drifted down amidst the cloak of the night sky.

"I should start from the weakest!"

There was a total of four men hidden in the area, and the weakest of them was at Ethereal Treading realm primary stage. Silently, as if an apparition, Zhang Xuan's figure floated stealthily toward the masked man hidden behind an ancient tree.

By cloaking his vitals with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, he was able to erase his presence such that not even a Chrysalis realm expert would be able to notice him.

He silently gathered his strength on his palm and pressed it against the masked man.

The masked man behind the ancient tree felt an abrupt jolt on his back before immense might began gushing through his body, sealing every single one of his meridians.

Putong!

The next moment, he was already lying on the ground, unconscious.

"Oh? This isn't as difficult as I thought it would be!" Zhang Xuan muttered.

It was just a day ago that he was still completely powerless before an Ethereal Treading realm expert, but at this moment, he could already incapacitate them without much effort.

After knocking the first one out, he turned his gaze toward his second target and slowly made his way over.

The target this time around was an Ethereal Treading realm intermediate stage expert. He was slightly warier, and Zhang Xuan was discovered before he could make his way to him. Just as he was able to exclaim to warn his other comrades, he suddenly felt an extremely heavy pressure pushing on his soul, rendering him incapable of speech.

It was an assault on his soul!

While he was an Ethereal Treading realm expert, he was far weaker than Zhang Xuan when it came to the prowess of their souls. As a result, he was paralyzed for half a second.

It was a short moment, but a moment was all it took to overwhelm an opponent in a battle.

Hu!

Executing the same palm strike, the second target was also knocked unconscious. Even at the point when his consciousness faded, he wasn't able to see the face of his assailant.

"It was easier for these two because they are weaker, but it probably won't so as smoothly for the remaining two..."

After knocking out two of the four targets, Zhang Xuan exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

In terms of absolute strength, the two he had knocked out were weaker than him. However, the remaining two were at Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage and pinnacle respectively, and this meant that both their cultivation and absolute strength were higher than his.

As such, it wouldn't be easy for him to assault them and knock them out as easily as the other two.

"It'll be troublesome if they band together upon noticing my presence. I should clear one of them as fast as I can first!"

While it would be difficult to strike out the remaining targets with a single strike, he should be able to overwhelm his opponent swiftly using the element of surprise as long as he attacked decisively. Thus, he pushed his foot powerfully against the ground.

Hu!

With movements as swift as lightning, he rushed straight for the Ethereal treading realm advanced stage masked man.

Heaven's Path Movement Art!

Zhang Xuan's movements were so fast that one could only barely see a shadow flitting across the darkness.

"What?"

The huge gale raked up by the Heaven's Path Movement Art alarmed the remaining two targets. The Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage masked man whom Zhang Xuan was aiming for narrowed his eyes, and cold sweat suddenly began trickling down his back.

However, it was already too late for him to do anything. Just as he was about to flee, a fist was already heading straight for his solar plexus.

Peng!

This punch harnessed the great momentum of the Heaven's Path Movement Art and the immense strength of the Heaven's Path Fist Art, creating an overwhelming might that couldn't be opposed.

Pu!

Before the masked man could react, he was already struck squarely by the fist. Fresh blood spewed from his mouth as he flew a dozen meters away, striking head first into a massive boulder before passing out.

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Chapter 748: Spirit Emporium

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You are seeking death!" the final masked man howled.

He didn't expect to be assaulted here, and his face turned livid. Clenching his jaw, he drove his zhenqi, and the powerful aura of an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert gushed from his body.

Hu!

The masked man raised his hands, and his zhenqi suddenly flooded the area. In an instant, the air around Zhang Xuan grew viscous. There was an immense resistance against every single movement he made, resulting in a huge dip in his movement speed.

His strength didn't pale too far in comparison to the other party, but due to the difference in their cultivation, and thus the comprehension of nature, his ability in utilizing zhenqi was far beneath the other party's. In a battle, this would pose as a significant disadvantage.

In other words, while he could stand toe-to-toe with an Ethereal Treading realm expert in a direct clash of strength, he was still severely handicapped in a proper battle.

"Break!"

But even so, Zhang Xuan wouldn't allow himself to be defeated without any resistance. Gathering his strength, he abruptly kicked forward.

Huala!

Under the immense force nearing 20,000,000 ding, the zhenqi spatial lockdown shattered like a broken mirror.

Hu!

Activating the Heaven's Path Movement Art once more, Zhang Xuan charged right up to the masked man.

Hua la!

A fist as tough as adamantium shot forth for the masked man.

"Humph!" After the first clash, the masked man could already see that his opponent's cultivation was only at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle. While the other party might have raised his strength significantly through some unknown means, it was still a far way from reaching up to him, an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert!

There was no way he could lose to a Cosmos Bridge realm opponent!

Gathering his zhenqi in his arms, he struck back with a palm strike.

Hua la!

His hand carried great might that seemed to be more than capable of collapsing mountains.

Spirit high-tier battle technique, Mountain Collapsing Palm!

In a moment of daze, it felt as if the heaven and earth had dimmed in the face of this palm. Even if his opponent was another Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert, he was confident he could overpower the other party easily!

This was the strongest battle technique he had up his sleeves. The bizarre means of the fellow before him had sent warning bells ringing in his head, so he decided to use his strongest technique right from the get go.

He thought that he would be able to send that fellow flying in an instant with this strike, incapacitating him. But who knew that before his palm could even reach, he would hear the other party's excited voice.

"A head-on confrontation? Great!"

Following which, the young man before him agilely dodged to his left.

"This..." Upon seeing this maneuver, the masked man's soul nearly fled his body from fright.

The other party's hand was headed right for where the mingmen of his Mountain Collapsing Palm was located!

Every technique had its own flaws, this was something inevitable. However, as long as one were to move with sufficient speed, one could prevent one's opponent from exploiting one's weaknesses. As such, in a battle among experts, it was rare to see the striking of mingmen.

However, it was as if that fellow had known the flaws of his Mountain Collapsing Palm from the very start, moving right into his blind spot to strike his mingmen as soon as he began executing the technique.

Putting aside how he knew the mingmen of his technique, to be able to recognize it and react instantaneously, how deep of an understanding of the Mountain Collapsing Palm must he possess?

However, at this crucial moment, he had no time to process his shock at all. His rapidly twitching eyes saw the young man's finger leisurely reaching for the weakness in his technique, but due to the immense momentum from his offense, he couldn't move away at all.

Pu!

It was just a light jab, but his body was immediately sent flying into his distance. His zhenqi was sent into disarray, and fresh blood spurted from his mouth like a fountain. Eventually, he struck a tree and fell to the ground.

That jab had precisely struck the center of his flow of zhenqi, sending the zhenqi in his body into a devastating rampage instantaneously, tearing apart his meridians and acupoints. Even if he were to recover from his injury, his cultivation was pretty much crippled at this point.

Sensing the changes in his body, tears flowed down the masked man's face.

He had practiced the Mountain Collapsing Palm to a very high level, making it difficult for his opponent to notice the flaws in his technique. How in the world did that fellow find it and even strike it precisely without the slightest deviation?

If only he'd known that such a situation would occur, he would have never used the Mountain Collapsing Palm against that young fellow...

After knocking out all four of them, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief and instructed, "Alright, bring those fellows to me!"

Roar!

Hearing the orders, the Great Violetwing Beast immediately got into action.

"Young Master, you're here!"

"Teacher!"

Sun Qiang, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others rushed out upon hearing the ruckus outside, and they immediately saw Zhang Xuan's silhouette beneath the night sky.

The group walked into the residence, and after taking a seat, Zhang Xuan asked with a frown, "Right, did you offend anyone in the capital or cause any trouble somewhere?"

"Offend anyone? Cause trouble? We didn't!" Sun Qiang replied.

"If you didn't do anything, why would four Ethereal Treading realm experts be lurking around the residence?" Zhang Xuan questioned sternly.

"Four Ethereal Treading realm experts?" Upon hearing those words, Sun Qiang immediately leaped in shock.

At that moment, "putong!", a stack of bodies was suddenly tossed at the doorway of the main hall by the Great Violetwing Beast.

"Take a look yourself!" Zhang Xuan pointed to the doorway.

Sun Qiang walked to the doorway and examined the faces of those masked men before shaking his head in confusion. "I don't recognize any of these men..."

"If you don't know them, why would they be loitering around our residence?"

However, what Zhang Xuan faced was only the bewildered gazes of his students and butler. Thus, he sighed deeply and waved his hands. "Bring them in!"

Roar!

The four men were lifted and dumped into the main hall.

As they had been fighting in the dark previously, Zhang Xuan didn't have an opportunity to examine the profile of his opponents. Under the illumination from the Night Illumination Pearls in the room, he saw four middle-aged men, seemingly in their forties. They had a dark skin-tone and a large physique.

"Who are you? Why are you lurking around this residence?" Zhang Xuan turned to the Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle cultivator, the only one conscious of the four, and harrumphed.

"We were just passing by this area; we didn't mean to alarm you," the other party replied.

"Passing by?" Seeing how the other party was still trying to deny the matter, a sharp glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes as he waved his hands and instructed, "Kill them and toss their bodies outside the city!"

He was already in a bad mood, and that fellow still dared to play games with him.

Courting death!

Zhang Xuan wasn't fond of bloodshed, but he didn't mind staining his hands with the blood of those who dared to threaten the lives of his students and butler.

Roar!

Hearing the command, the Great Violetwing Beast immediately nodded in excitement. With a deafening roar, its talon swiped right for the four men.

If it were to land on them, their heads would surely explode on the spot.

"D-d-don't kill me! I'll speak! I'll speak!" The lack of hesitation from the young man before him in ordering for their deaths sent a cold chill down the man's spine. "I was only obeying orders from my master, I beg of you to spare my life..."

The man knew that he would never get an opportunity to speak again if he didn't speak now, so he immediately gave in.

"Orders? Whose?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"The Spirit Emporium..." the man replied.

"Spirit Emporium?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had never heard of that place before, so why would the other party go after him?

"You are from the Spirit Emporium?" Sun Qiang froze for an instant before clasping his fist toward Zhang Xuan. "Young Master, the Spirit Emporium is a shop in Hongyuan City which deals with artifacts... Just today, I visited its storefront!"

"You visited the Spirit Emporium?" Zhang Xuan asked questioningly.

"Yes. After all, we are a little short on money at the moment... Thus, I thought of selling the treasures you have gathered from Huanyu Empire to tide us through this period, and after asking around, I eventually found the Spirit Emporium," Sun Qiang explained.

Back in Huanyu Empire's Mystical Treasure Hall, he had acquired quite a few artifacts, but he hadn't found an opportunity to sell them so far. However, with their finances running low, Sun Qiang had no choice but to sell those artifacts.

Who would have thought that he would end up drawing eyes to their group?

"I see." After asking a few more questions, Zhang Xuan soon got a clear grasp of the situation.

Even though the Spirit Emporium appeared to be a proper business on the surface, it was in fact a black market headed by a dangerous organization. Through their official business, they were able to find potential targets which their members could rob from to earn easy bucks.

Sun Qiang, Zheng Yang, and the others possessed weak cultivation, but they carried immense wealth with them. How could the Spirit Emporium possibly let such an easy target go?

Thus, the Spirit Emporium dispatched these four men for them. The main role of these four men was to scout their targets to ensure that there were no experts in their midst. If the targets were within their capability, they would then conduct an attack and plunder their wealth.

"How dare they try to rob my students and butler? They must be tired of living!" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

They should already be thanking the gods that he hadn't brought destruction upon their organization yet, but to think that they would be so brazen as to lay their eyes on his students and butler instead!

Zhang Xuan turned to Sun Qiang and asked, "Where is the Spirit Emporium?"

"It isn't too far from here. It should be a ten-minute journey on foot!" Sun Qiang replied.

"Alright then. Make preparations, we'll pay them a visit at dawn!" Zhang Xuan commanded with narrowed eyes.

If he hadn't come back on a whim, what would be awaiting him might very well be a river of blood and lifeless corpses.

Zheng Yang and the others had accompanied him throughout his journey, and he had already regarded them as his kin. Those who dare to inflict harm on his kin must be prepared to face his devastating fury!

If he couldn't even protect his students and butler, what was the use of him pursuing even greater power?

"Yes!"

Hearing the veiled fury behind the young master's words, Sun Qiang nodded.

Having accompanied the young master from Tianxuan Kingdom to here, he had gotten a clear grasp of the latter's personality.

The young master was an easy-going person who was usually fine with anything. However, if anyone dared to threaten the safety of those around him, he would transform into a demon, destroying every single enemy in his way.

Back then, when Lu Chong was mortally wounded by Ding Chong, Zhang Xuan charged singlehandedly into Xuanyuan Kingdom to destroy its royal family, exacting vengeance for his student.

Since the Spirit Emporium had dared to lay its hands on them, the same fate would likely befall them.

Sun Qiang pointed to the four men in the center of the main hall and asked, "What do we do with these men?"

Zhang Xuan harrumphed.

"Cripple their cultivation and tie them up. We'll send them back as gifts at daylight!"

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded before carrying the four men down with the Great Violetwing Beast.

With their departure, only Zhang Xuan, Zheng Yang, and his other students were left in the room.

Zhang Xuan had them execute a battle technique each and offered them some pointers on their techniques. Following which, he imparted them a simplified version of the Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art before dismissing them so that they could spend the night slowly deciphering its essence.

After which, he returned back to his room.

Hu la!

With a flick of his wrist, a massive ape appeared before him.

Byzantium Helios Beast!

He had stuffed this fellow into the Myriad Anthive Nest earlier this afternoon, and since there was some time now, he decided to take it out.

"You... What do you want to do?"

The Byzantium Helios Beast had severe wounds inflicted all over its body, and its body was tightly bound, sealing his movements. Upon seeing the face of the 'Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's royalty', it immediately gritted its teeth and roared in hostility, "Kill me if you want to, but don't even dream of making me betray my master!"

...

At the same moment, in a magnificent courtyard within the Master Teacher Academy, an elder abruptly stood up.

"Mu shi, what's wrong?" a calm voice asked by the side.

If the head of the Apothecary School was here, he would surely recognize the owner of the voice was the 'junior' whom Mu shi recommended here—Luo Ruoxin.

"Lady Ruoxin... I think I sense the aura of Byzantium Helios Beast!" Mu shi replied.

Strangely, his attitude was extremely respectful, unlike how one would usually treat a junior.

Most likely, Luo Ruoxin might really be a lady from one of the Sage Clans, just as everyone had guessed.

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Chapter 749: Fatal Danger

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Byzantium Helios Beast?" The young lady frowned. "Do you mean the tamed beast of the old principal?"

"That's the case." Mu shi nodded. "I am an old friend of the old principal, so I am familiar with his tamed beast as well. Even though the aura is extremely weak, I am certain that it is him!"

As a close friend of the missing old principal, he was acquainted with Byzantium Helios Beast as well.

It was just this afternoon that he heard that the other party had been kidnapped by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, so how could he remain calm when he sensed his aura at this very moment?

Knowing what Mu shi was thinking, the young lady said, "Go and take a look then."

"Yes!" Mu shi nodded in gratitude before rushing in the direction of where the aura was coming from.

Watching Mu shi's departing back, Luo Ruoxin sighed deeply.

"Since it's so easy for him to find what he seeks, why can't it be the same for me? If only I'd known earlier, I'd have brought that with me. Now that I can only sense the rough region where it is, who knows how long it'll take before I can find it..." Rubbing her glabella, she shook her head before turning her gaze back to the night sky.

Just like that, the young lady stared deeply into the depths of the night sky, creating a transient painting of tranquility.

...

"Hah, you sure are loyal to your master!" Seeing the Byzantium Helios Beast declaring his fealty to his master, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Who knew what kind of magic potion the Otherworldly Demons fed this fellow for it to obstinately hold onto their secrets despite the beatings it had taken?

"Are you really not afraid of death?" Zhang Xuan asked coldly.

"What is there to fear from death? If I can be with my master after death, why should I be afraid?" the Byzantium Helios Beast roared.

"This fellow..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The other party was extremely adamant on his view, unwilling to budge in the least.

What in the world was this?

The spirit beasts whom he had met before would usually be settled with just a kick or two, but not only did this fellow refuse to submit after all that beating, it still remained obstinately loyal to its previous master.

Honestly speaking, even Zhang Xuan was feeling a little impressed by now.

Its willpower was indeed commendable.

"This place isn't wide enough..."

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to submit, Zhang Xuan was just about to give it another beating when he looked at the cramped room he was in and frowned.

The residence which Sun Qiang had gotten them was simply too small. If he were to summon the puppets here to pummel the Byzantium Helios Beast, the entire residence might just be torn down by them.

If even this residence were to be destroyed, where else would his students stay?

He had already used up his money on this residence, so it was impossible to purchase another one at this point.

"Forget it, I'll head outside the city then!" Zhang Xuan muttered.

As long as he traveled a fitting distance away from the city walls, he should be able to do as he pleased without alarming anyone.

With such a thought in mind, he flicked his wrist and placed that fellow back into the Myriad Anthive Nest.

After which, he walked out of his room, activated the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, and headed to the skies.

As the residence was located in a rural part of the city, there were almost no guards or sentries stationed nearby, so there was no need for him to restrict himself. Furthermore, as unlikely as it was, it would still be better to have the Great Violetwing Beast guard the residence in case the Spirit Emporium sent another wave of assassins for them.

When it came to the safety of his students and butler, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Right after Zhang Xuan left the residence, another figure soaring through the night sky came to an abrupt halt.

"Hmm? His aura disappeared?" A white-bearded elder looked around him in confusion and frowned—Mu shi.

As soon as he sensed the Byzantium Helios Beast's aura, he immediately rushed over. But just as he was about to zero in on the source of the aura, it abruptly vanished, as if it had never been there in the first place.

"Was he captured once more?" Mu shi frowned.

Even though he had declared that anyone who found the Byzantium Helios Beast would be declared as the next principal, this didn't mean that he should remain idle when an opportunity to save the latter appeared before him.

The Byzantium Helios Beast was the tamed beast of his old pal, and he had slain many Otherworldly Demons in his time, saving countless humans from harm.

"There is someone there!" Scanning the area, Mu shi suddenly spotted a silhouette on the horizon.

Even though he couldn't determine the extent of the other party's cultivation, he should still be a Saint at the very minimum, considering that he was capable of flight.

"To be traveling in the middle of the night, there's something amiss here..." Mu shi frowned. "I should go over and take a look!"

With such a thought in mind, he rushed toward the silhouette.

Every single Saint realm expert in Hongyuan City wielded immense prestige, and very few of them would choose to travel in the night. On top of that, the other party appeared as soon as the Byzantium Helios Beast's aura vanished. This made the situation even more suspicious.

'Hmm? Someone is following me?' In the midst of his flight, Zhang Xuan suddenly noticed something, and his eyelids started twitching.

His current plan was simple: find a quiet place, teach the Byzantium Helios Beast a lesson, and force it to spew out the whereabouts of the Otherworldly Demons it was serving. Who would have thought that he would be followed as soon as he left his residence?

"To be able to mobilize even Saint realm experts, it seems like the water in the Spirit Emporium runs deeper than I thought!" Considering how his pursuer was flying in midair as well, there was no doubt about it—he was a Saint realm expert!

This fellow appeared right after he had subdued the four masked men, so the chances were that the Spirit Emporium had sent him here as well!

To have such an expert make a move over just that bit of wealth, the Spirit Emporium sure was persistent!

'Could it be that... there are some precious artifacts amongst the items received from the Mystical Treasure Hall that I don't know of?'

As he had obtained simply far too many objects from the Mystical Treasure Hall, he hadn't bothered checking them properly.

However, considering that it was from Huanyu Empire, it should be unlikely for it to be worth much in Hongyuan Empire. Yet, the Spirit Emporium actually mobilized a Saint realm expert for his possession!

This was no different from making a mountain out of a molehill!

'I should lure him out of the city and get rid of him!' The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more furious he felt.

To send one wave after another, was the Spirit Emporium not tired of such games yet?

'Dispatching four Ethereal Treading experts is already bad enough, but to even mobilize a Saint realm expert for us... Are you really that intent on seeing me rip apart your organization?

'So what if your men have reached Saint realm?

'Not even the Byzantium Helios Beast could subdue me, let more your men!

'If a war is what you want, I don't mind allowing Vicious and the other Otherworldly Demon puppets to make another appearance!

'Did you think that you could climb over my head just because I am a newcomer in Hongyuan City?

'No, I should still hold myself back. The Byzantium Helios Beast has pledged allegiance to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, so there is no harm in killing him. However, the enemy this time around is a human, and the Spirit Emporium is aware of this operation as well. If the other party were to be killed and an investigation were to be conducted, I might risk exposing the existence of the Otherworldly Demon puppets!'

While Zhang Xuan wanted to eliminate the conceited fellow pursuing him, he knew that he mustn't act recklessly.

Saints were the top powers in the city. The death of any single one of them would cause a huge uproar, so it would be best to avoid that altogether. On top of that, given that the Saint realm expert was dispatched to deal with Sun Qiang, the Spirit Emporium would surely know that their group was the culprit.

If the Spirit Emporium were to pull some strings and make a case against them, Zhang Xuan might eventually come under scrutiny as well.

And if the Otherworldly Demon puppets and Vicious were revealed to be in his possession in the midst of the investigation, it would be difficult for him to account for that.

After all, how could a mere 4-star master teacher possess the ability to tame the head of the Otherworldly Demons and make those puppets obey his orders obediently?

There was no way he could absolve himself of blame once this was exposed, so he had to ensure that he wasn't put into such a situation in the first place.

'But if I don't get rid of him, that will be a potential threat looming above me... What can I do?'

Considering the vicious deeds that the Spirit Emporium had committed over the years, what if the Saint realm expert were to lay their hands on him, or even worse, his students?

He couldn't possibly just sit idly and watch it all happen!

'Seems like it's about time to let Yang shi make an appearance!' After a long moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan made up his mind.

With his current capability, without tapping into the strength of Vicious or the Otherworldly Demon puppets, it was impossible for him to stand against a Saint realm expert. The only way he could get out of this situation was to... hoodwink the other party!

This wasn't his first time doing something like this anyway.

As long as the other party acknowledged him as his teacher, the Spirit Emporium would be unable to send the other party after him.

With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan began reshaping his appearance to take on Yang Xuan's form.

As his mastery of Heaven's Path Golden Body deepened, he became more and more proficient in warping his muscles to alter his physical appearance, making it difficult for even a 6-star pinnacle master teacher to see through the disguise.

Not even Mo Gaoyuan had suspected that he and Yang shi were the same person back then.

Considering that his back was against the other party, it was late at night, and the other party hadn't seen his appearance yet, he should be able to discreetly alter his appearance without the other party noticing.

After warping his appearance, he drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to alter the aura around him to create a fleeting and unfathomable impression.

When all was done, he heaved a sigh of relief before discreetly sending a glance behind.

'Flaws!' Zhang Xuan muttered internally.

In a sense, the flight of a Saint could be considered as the execution of a battle technique as well as it required one to drive their zhenqi, so he was able to compile a book on the other party via the Library of Heaven's Path.

Weng!

The Library of Heaven's Path jolted as a book materialized.

As Zhang Xuan's body continued soaring ahead, his consciousness was already immersed in the Library of Heaven's Path, reading the book which had just been compiled.

"Mu Yuan, 7-star master teacher from the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. Saint realm 3-dan cultivator. Flaws: ..."

'7-star master teacher? Saint realm 3-dan cultivator?' Zhang Xuan's lips twitched as he nearly fell from the sky.

What was with the backing of the Spirit Emporium?!

How could they possibly be able to mobilize a 7-star master teacher as well?

Why would someone of the other party's standing travel all the way from the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion just to grab his possessions? Was this for real?

'It's fortunate that I didn't bring out the puppets, or else the one who would have been destroyed is me...' While Zhang Xuan felt frustrated inside, he also felt relieved as well.

He could easily deal with Saint 1-dan and 2-dan spirit beasts with his bunch of puppets, but it would be a little iffy when it came to 3-dan.

At Saint 1-dan Void Pursuit realm, Saints would open the Zhukong acupoint, thus gaining the ability of free flight.

At Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm, Saints would open their Incipient Eye, allowing them to extend their psyche over a distance, perceiving everything within their range spiritually.

Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm was, in some ways, similar to Chrysalis realm. In the latter, one would gather the zhenqi stored within the dantian to forge an Embryonic Core, otherwise termed as Golden Core. As for the former, an Embryonic Soul reminiscent of an infant would break out of the Embryonic Core. As a result, this realm was also termed as Origin Soul realm.

Once one's soul had been tempered into an Origin Soul, it would be able to tap into the power of the world. At this realm, one could be considered to have taken one's first step into Sainthood, gaining the ability to overturn oceans and move mountains at a thought.

Furthermore, this would be done not through brute force but via zhenqi itself.

Against a Saint 2-dan, Zhang Xuan's twenty Otherworldly Demon puppets could still overwhelm them with numbers. However, if the enemy was an Embryonic Soul realm expert, such a strategy wouldn't work.

Even if he were to call upon Vicious' prowess as well, it was impossible to tell if that fellow had any other trump cards up his sleeves.

If he wanted to call upon the Otherworldly Demon puppets and Vicious, he would have to be completely certain that he would be able to kill the other party. Otherwise, it would bring endless trouble upon him.

'Forget it, I should see what kind of flaws he has and use it against him!'

Since neither fight nor flight was an option, he could only rely on his glib tongue to hoodwink the other party into obeying his commands. Success, he would be spared from danger, but failure... he would be squashed on the spot.

Swiftly browsing through the other party's flaws, Zhang Xuan suddenly saw something that left his mouth widened and eyes bulging.

'This...'

Chapter 750: Who Are You?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The content of the book was simply too shocking. Even with Zhang Xuan's worldliness, he still found it hard to believe his eyes.

'Forget it...'

However, this wasn't the time to touch on that, so he swiftly closed the book and went through the contents once more in his head. After ensuring that everything was correct, he drove his zhenqi and abruptly stopped in midair.

Flinging his sleeves, he placed his hands behind his back and stood silently, not even bothering to turn his head around. For an instant, his dashing profile resembled an immortal departing on the clouds.

"The friend behind, surely you should be contented with following me this far?" His cold voice echoed in the night sky.

"Oh, I sensed the aura of a close friend, so I came over to take a look. On my way, I happened to catch sight of you, and my curiosity got the better of me... However, I must say that you do look rather unfamiliar. Are you from Hongyuan City?" Mu shi replied with a smile.

Even though he suspected that the man standing before him was related to the disappearance of Byzantium Helios Beast, he had no concrete evidence to prove it, so there was no way he could accuse the other party of the matter. Thus, he decided that he would engage the other party in a conversation in hopes of uncovering some clues from his words.

Standing with his back facing the other party, Zhang Xuan harrumphed.

"As a master teacher from Qingyuan Conferred Empire, how many of Hongyuan City's experts could you possibly know?"

"You know that I'm from Qingyuan Conferred Empire?" Mu shi was taken aback.

All along, the other party hadn't even turned around, and he didn't reveal his true cultivation either. How did the other party know that he was from Qingyuan Conferred Empire?

"The convergence of zhenqi at the Yehai acupoint before flowing through the Three Mystic Acupoints, Nihai, Wuwei, and Durang. Gathering the wood attribute spiritual energy from the world to nourish your body, but skipping out on the Huaihai and Longzhen acupoints... Such a bizarre cultivation technique doesn't exist in Hongyuan City, or even in Qingyuan Conferred Empire at that. If I'm not mistaken, you must be a member of the Mu Clan, one of the Sage Clans!" an impassive voice explained from the front.

"Who are you?" Alarmed, Mu shi narrowed his eyes.

There was nearly no one who knew that he was from the Mu Clan, and this included his closest friends in Qingyuan Conferred Empire as well. Yet, the other party spoke of it casually as if it couldn't be any more obvious... What was the identity of the man standing before him?

On top of that, the zhenqi circulation method that the other party had just mentioned was a secret art of the Mu Clan, exclusive to their own clansmen. How could the other party know about it?

Could he be... a member of the Mu Clan as well?

Astonished, Mu shi immediately extended his Spiritual Perception over and examine the man in front of him, only to realize that he was peering into an abyss. The other party's aura was so profound and deep that all he could manage was to scratch at the surface.

Considering that the other party could see through his identity and cultivation with a glance, but he wasn't able to do the same... Could it mean that the man before him was even stronger than he was?

Since when had there been such an expert in Hongyuan City?

"Who am I?" Upon hearing Mu shi's question, the man seemed to have been thrown into an ocean of nostalgia. Eventually, he shook his head and replied, "It seems it has been far too long since my last appearance that those of the younger generation can't even recognize me!"

There was a short moment of silence before the man continued asking impassively, "Who is the current head of the Mu Clan?"

Mu shi was reluctant to respond to that question, but after a moment of hesitation, he still decided to speak up. "The current clan head is my uncle, Mu Yan. May I ask if the senior in front knows of my uncle?"

The current head of the Mu Clan, Mu Yan, wielded immense reputation within the Master Teacher Pavilion of Conferred Empires, so there was nothing much for him to hide.

He phrased his words carefully to indicate his identity as well, in hopes that he could exert some pressure on the other party and gain dominance over this exchange.

"Mu Yan?" The figure in front shook his head. "Never seen him before. However, I did meet with his father on one occasion!"

"Father? You mean... Old Ancestor Mu Tian?" Mu shi froze for an instant before shock embraced every inch of him.

Mu Yan's father, as well as Mu shi's grandfather, Mu Tian, was an ancient relic whose age exceeded 1300.

While Sainthood did alter the fundamental nature of one's existence, allowing one to live a lifespan exceeding that of ordinary humans, 1000 years was usually the limit for most. Never had there been a Saint who had gone beyond 2000 years in age before.

Thus, those who had lived beyond a thousand could be considered an old ancestor of the clan, and they would hardly leave the confines of the main residence.

To have met with Old Ancestor Mu Tian... Could the man be another old monster from the same era as him?

But that was impossible!

Even if those from that era was still living at this point in time, they wouldn't dare to travel beyond the confines of their residence so easily. In order to clutch onto the final sparks of life, they had to utilize all kinds of means... Otherwise, the heavens would mercilessly fall upon them and reap their lives.

While he was unable to see through the cultivation of the man, he could clearly feel the overwhelming vitality within his body. This was unlike the wither that those old monsters suffered from.

"Yes, that lad Mu Tian..." The man spoke deeply, his voice carrying the vicissitudes of life.

"Lad..." Mu shi's eyebrows shot up.

Old Ancestor Mu Tian was a 1300-year-old ancient relic, and yet the other party called him a lad?

Just as Mu shi was overwhelmed with shock, the person in front of him spoke up once again.

"The zhenqi of your Mu Clan is centered around balance and harmony, allowing them to conceal their aura at will. However, your aura feels unstable, and it seems like your meridians have grown rigid. It seems like it has been many years since you have last returned to your clan."

"This..."

The other party was right, it had indeed been many years since he last returned to the Mu Clan. It was to the point where most of those in the Mu Clan had already forgotten about his existence.

"Your aura feels heavy. Wood attribute zhenqi should be ethereal, but I can feel the heaviness of the metal attribute within it. If I'm not mistaken, it isn't that you are unwilling to return to your clan, but that you were expelled from it," that voice continued.

"H-h-how did you know?" Shocked, Mu shi nearly lost control of himself and plummeted to the ground.

The other party's deductions were spot-on.

The reason why he hadn't returned to his clan after so many years was not because he was unwilling to, but that he had been expelled and he was too ashamed to return.

However... this was a secret he had hidden in the depths of his heart, and he had never spoken about it to another soul before. On the other hand, the Mu Clan regarded it as a huge humiliation, so it was impossible for them to have leaked the news either. How did the man before him learn of this matter?

Did he really guess this much just by peering into his zhenqi circulation?

If that was the case, wasn't the man before him a little too overpowered!

How could there be a person in the world with such discerning eyes?

"As a person who cultivates wood attribute zhenqi, your Yingtai and Tianmen acupoints should have a slight tinge of green, but it is taking on a dark shade of red instead. With just a glance, one can tell that it's the result of conflicting energies within your body. Of the five elements, wood curbs earth, earth curbs water, water curbs fire, fire curbs metal, and metal curbs wood. The only element that could cause such immense damage to your body is metal. If I'm not mistaken, someone must have planted some form of metal attribute energy within your body, thus suppressing your cultivation and talent!" the man in front replied.

"This..." Mu shi's body stiffened.

Every single word that the other party spoke dredged up the secrets which he had sealed in the bottom of his heart, leaving him terrified and apprehensive.

The other party was right, he was indeed expelled from his clan. However, it wasn't that he was framed, but that he had committed an unforgivable act.

The story had to be traced back to five hundred years ago.

Back then, the young and talented him had become a 6-star master teacher before even reaching his forties, making him a celebrated genius within the clan.

He'd thought that with such talent, even at the very worst, he would become one of the core elders of the clan and leave his mark in history. Who could have known that... in one of the experiential training sessions, he would meet with a fair maiden whom, after going through a life-and-death situation with, he would deeply fall in love with.

He'd thought that even if nothing else in this world was constant, their love would be perpetual. He devoted his entire life to her, even going to the extent of imparting his clan's exclusive cultivation technique to her.

But eventually, he found out that the other party was making use of him to exact vengeance on his clan.

His clan soon learned of this issue, and with the crime of leaking out the clan's confidential secrets and bringing an enemy into their midst, he was expelled from the clan!

After leaving the clan, he learned that the woman had planted a metal attribute energy deep inside his body at some point, suppressing his cultivation.

As a result, despite five hundred years of effort, he had only managed to progress from 6-star to 7-star high-tier, unable to advance any further than that.

Ashamed, he had always hidden this wound in the depths of his heart, unwilling to reveal it to anyone else. But the other party was able to see through it just by looking at his acupoints and zhenqi... Even 7-star master teachers didn't possess such an eye of discernment!

Could he be... an 8-star master teacher?

But how could that be?

Beyond 6-star, every single rank progression would become exponentially more difficult, as if trying to surmount a mountain that became increasingly steeper with every step taken. Take him for example, it had been three hundred years since he had become a 7-star high-tier master teacher, but he was still unable to take the next step forward.

As such, 8-star master teachers were extremely rare, and each and every one of them was a well-known figure whose reputation resounded throughout the Master Teacher Continent.

If the other party was an 8-star master teacher, he should have at least heard of him... But the other party didn't seem to fit any of the profiles of the 8-star master teachers he knew.

Furthermore, why would an 8-star master teacher appear in Hongyuan Empire?

"With your cultivation suppressed by the metal attribute energy within you, you know that it is impossible for you to progress any further in your cultivation. Thus, you decided to stop cultivating altogether and spend your time with nature instead... So many years have already passed, don't you want to return back to your Mu Clan and visit your family?" the man in front asked.

"I... Even if I wish to return, how can I?" Mu shi's face flushed in agitation.

His clan was where his family and friends were, how could he possibly not want to return?

But... How could he return?

Putting aside how his cultivation was beginning to decline under the backlash of the metal attribute energy within his body, just the deed he had done five hundred years ago left him too ashamed to return.

"It was fate that I met that lad Mu Tian many years ago, and it's also fate that we met one another. Since that's the case, allow me to offer a pointer then. Perhaps, you might be able to break out of the chains you are trapped in." The man in front waved his hands.

"Pointer?" Mu shi was surprised by those words.

"That's right. While it's hard for you to expel the metal attribute energy in your body due to your cultivation being suppressed by it, it isn't entirely impossible to do it. I'll impart a zhenqi circulation method to you, and as long as you practice it diligently, recovery won't be an issue!" the man in front said.

"You will... impart a zhenqi circulation method to me? Who are you?" Mu shi narrowed his eyes.

In fear of crossing the laws of the world, high-ranked master teachers wouldn't offer their guidance to anyone easily, unless there was a karmic debt involved.

Take Empyrean Kong shi for example, even though he was known to have more than three thousand students, only 72 of them had received his true heritage.

It was the first time that the both of them had met, so why should the other party offer him a pointer?

He might have been a genius when he was younger, but with his bodily function deteriorating and his cultivation declining, the potential he once wielded had already been sapped dry. What was the other party's goal for helping him?

The ploy he had fallen into when he was younger had already cost him dearly; he wouldn't allow himself to fall into another scheme easily.

"Who am I?" The figure in front burst into laughter.

"Are you doubting my identity?"

Hong long!

As soon as those words were spoken, an overwhelming aura abruptly burst from that man's body.

Upon feeling the oppressive aura that the other party was exerting, Mu shi's body tensed up, and his blood ran cold.

Before the compelling might of the other party, the strength which he had always taken pride in seemed as weak as a measly ant's. It was as though, if the other party willed it so, he could be torn to shreds the very next moment.

Hong long long!

Just as he was being suffocated by the immense power crushing down on him, the other party's aura abruptly changed. This time, it felt as if it harnessed the might of the world around him, creating an inviolable authority to his presence.

It was as if the man before him was acknowledged by the heavens, his presence carrying the weight of the world itself. There was no being that was worthy of standing as an equal with him.

"Celestial Master Teacher? You are... a Celestial Master Teacher?"

A thought flashed across Mu shi's mind, and his body began shaking uncontrollably.

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Chapter 751: Grandteacher?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Celestial Master Teachers possessed the recognition of the heavens. Their aura carried the might of the world, forcing all beings to submit to them.

In the long history of the Master Teacher Continent, the only man who was known to have become a Celestial Master Teacher was only Kong shi himself. Even his direct disciples, the 72 Sages, hadn't reached such a level, and yet the man before him was actually a Celestial Master Teacher...

A freezing chill ran through Mu shi's body, and the immense fear he felt left him incapable of speaking.

A Celestial Master Teacher was an existence whom even the heavens recognized, and yet he actually doubted such a person...

At this moment, he was really dying to give himself two sharp slaps for the foolishness he had spouted!

Hu!

Amidst his trembling, the figure ahead of him casually waved his hands, and that terrifying aura vanished instantaneously, returning an unnerving calm to the night.

At the same time, the figure turned around as well.

He was a middle-aged man somewhere between his thirties and forties. He had a pair of sharp eyes that were gleaming with wisdom, and vaguely, one could see several thin strings floating within.

"Eye of Insight..." Mu shi's body trembled in shock yet again.

Even though it was said that a master teacher could comprehend Eye of Insight upon reaching 6-star, the truth was that only the greatest of geniuses were able to do so. Even within the Sage Clans, it was extremely rare to see anyone comprehending the Eye of Insight.

Putting everything aside, even him, a famed genius of the Mu Clan back in his days, didn't succeed in comprehending the Eye of Insight.

If only he had comprehended it, he wouldn't have been toyed with by another back then, resulting in his current plight.

Of the Ten Great Master Teachers in Hongyuan Empire, not a single one of them had comprehended the Eye of Insight... Through this, it could be seen how difficult the feat was.

This explained why the other party was able to see through his problems with just a glance and deduce that he was expelled from the Mu Clan...

Probably only someone who possessed the Eye of Insight would be able to do so!

At this instant, the final sliver of doubt that Mu shi harbored finally vanished, leaving nothing but respect for the man before him.

Not daring to pull his weight before the other party, he bowed deeply and said, "I apologize for my insolence. I beseech elder to enlighten me..."

"Alright." The middle-aged man nodded. "That's more like it. You should be glad that I don't have the interest of squabbling with a junior. Stand still and don't resist it!"

The middle-aged man raised his hand and flicked his finger.

Suddenly, Mu shi felt a jolt run through his body as a zhenqi circulation method suddenly came into his mind. Every single word was extremely vivid, as though they were imprinted right onto his consciousness.

"Soul Impartation?" Mu shi's face paled.

As a 7-star master teacher, his soul was already sufficiently powerful to conduct Soul Impartation as well. However, to do it from such a far distance away, and for the content to be so clearly imprinted into his mind at that... Not even an 8-star low-tier master teacher could do that!

Fearsome!

As expected of a Celestial Master Teacher!

"The Huaihai and Longzhen acupoints represent water and dragon respectively; those are the acupoints where water attribute spiritual energy usually gathers in the human body. Due to the unique cultivation technique of the Mu Clan, it's inevitable that you avoided channeling spiritual energy into those two acupoints.

"However, with your wood attribute zhenqi suppressed by the metal attribute energy, you could use these two acupoints to your advantage and resolve your problem. In the elemental cycle, water gives rise to wood. It can empower your wood attribute zhenqi, giving you the strength to overwhelm the metal attribute energy rampaging within your body!"

After imparting the relevant knowledge, the middle-aged man explained it impassively with his hands behind his back.

At this point, Mu shi had also just finished looking through the zhenqi circulation method which the other party had imparted him. Even though the middle-aged man only touched on the very foundation of cultivation, it was directed toward the root of Mu shi's problem. It was as if the clouds which had veiled his eyes had parted all of the sudden, and before him lay a brand-new world.

If he were to practice the zhenqi circulation method, he was confident that he would be able to suppress the metal attribute energy in his body easily. Perhaps... after a three-hundred-year stagnation, he might finally be able to take another step forward once more!

To be able to see through the problems in his cultivation and offer a solution to it... The man before him was truly fearsome!

Bowing politely, Mu shi asked, "Teacher, I am deeply grateful to you for your enlightenment. If it's not beyond me, may I ask for your esteemed name?"

As simple as the other party's teachings might have been, it had resolved the issues which had plagued him for several centuries. Considering what the other party had done for him, it wouldn't be too much to address him as 'teacher'.

Besides, if he could acknowledge such a formidable man as his teacher and receive his guidance, he might just be able to return to his clan one day.

"Teacher?" the middle-aged man opposite to him frowned.

It seemed as if he was displeased with that address.

"I apologize, I seem to have been getting ahead of myself. Given that you are a peer of my old ancestor, I should be calling you grandteacher..." Mu shi suddenly realized the other party's ties with his old ancestor, so he swiftly changed his words with a fearful shudder.

"Ah?" Hearing Mu shi's words, the middle-aged man seemed to become even more astonished.

Naturally, the 'middle-aged man' was Zhang Xuan. The reason he'd assumed Yang Xuan's identity was in hopes that he could strike fear into the heart of the other party and resolve the current crisis he was in. He'd thought that with the zhenqi circulation method he had imparted, the other party would consider him as a half-teacher, and that would make him abandon all malicious thoughts against him and his students. Who would have thought that under his hoodwinking, the other party would actually end up acknowledging him as his teacher!

No matter what, the other party was a 7-star master teacher! With such prowess, he could be considered a top-tier power in Conferred Empires!

For such a figure to acknowledge him as his teacher, it was no wonder that he would be shocked, so he ended up hesitating for an instant. Who could have thought that the moment of hesitation would cause a misunderstanding that resulted in the other party addressing him as grandteacher instead...

The heck!

This change was a way too fast!

But since the other party had already addressed him as grandteacher, it would be awkward to get him to address him as teacher instead. Thus, Zhang Xuan nodded and said, "I am Yang Xuan!"

"Yang Xuan..." Mu shi nodded as he jotted down the name in his head. "May I know where I can find grandteacher if I have any questions for you in the future?"

"It is the work of fate that we met, and it has come to an end with my impartation. If fate wills it, we will meet once more. Otherwise, it can only mean that our paths aren't meant to intersect." Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

It was too tiring for him to put on an act before a 7-star master teacher. He was already exhausted with just a few minutes of disguise, how could he possibly do it in the long run?

Thus, it would be best if they never meet again anymore...

"This..." Seeing that the other party was unwilling to get too involved with him, Mu shi could only clasp his fist and bow to bid the other party farewell in disappointment.

By the time he raised his head once more, the elder before him had already vanished amidst the night sky.

"Yang Xuan, Yang shi..."

Reciting the other party's name in his heart, Mu shi sighed deeply.

With this matter dealt with, he returned to searching the area for the Byzantium Helios Beast, but with no results whatsoever, he could only return to the academy helplessly.

...

'That was close!'

After getting out of Mu shi's range, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

He'd never thought that Mu shi would actually be a member of a Sage Clan, as well as a 7-star master teacher.

Why would a person of such strength and standing work for the Spirit Emporium?

'It seems like he was indeed looking for someone when he met me...' Zhang Xuan thought woefully.

Just what kind of luck did he have?

To think that even just a casual trip out of the city would end with him meeting such a formidable expert! It was fortunate that he had reacted swiftly to hoodwink the other party, otherwise who knew that would remain of him now.

"Forget it. Since my luck isn't too good today, I should return to my residence and rest for the day. I'll think about it after I tear down the Spirit Emporium tomorrow!"

Zhang Xuan was still considering whether he should vent his anger on the Byzantium Helios Beast, but considering the string of misfortunes he'd experienced today, he decided to drop the idea.

Reverting back to his original appearance, Zhang Xuan returned to his residence. When he walked in, he saw that the Great Violetwing Beast had already managed to make the four men bow to it in submission.

Paying it no heed, Zhang Xuan returned straight to his room and cultivated for a short moment. By the time he opened his eyes once more, the sun had already risen.

Even though he hadn't slept the entire night, he still felt refreshed and energized.

Stretching his back lazily, he walked out of his room.

After eating breakfast, he called Zheng Yang and the others over to decipher some of the intricacies in their cultivation technique before finally heading to the Spirit Emporium with the Great Violetwing Beast, Sun Qiang, and the four masked men.

The Spirit Emporium was the place where most valuable artifacts in Hongyuan City were traded. Even before reaching it, there was already a huge crowd in the area.

"This is a black market, so there is no prohibition on the sales of stolen items as well. On top of that, due to the shady background of these items, their price tends to be lower than the average market price, so it's quite popular among cultivators," Sun Qiang explained.

There were laws in Hongyuan Empire prohibiting robbery and related crimes, so it was impossible to sell stolen artifacts openly. As such, they could only be sold at a lower price in black markets, and the Spirit Emporium was the largest one in Hongyuan Empire.

However, the low prices of its goods did attract a fair number of cultivators.

After all, cultivating was an extremely money-burning activity. Just like Zhang Xuan, most cultivators had no financial backing, so they had to find some way to earn their own spirit stones and resources to advance their cultivation. As such, they were more than glad to scrimp wherever they could.

Soon, Zhang Xuan arrived at a majestic building several dozen meters high.

"To think that the building is a complete system in itself. If I'm not mistaken, it seems to be a massive, engineered product by celestial designers!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Despite the immense size of the Spirit Emporium, it felt like a single entity rather parts placed together. If his deduction wasn't off, there should be many mechanisms installed within the building to turn it into a massive system of mechanisms.

As expected of the center of Hongyuan City's artifact market, even the venue was an incredible artifact in itself.

If this building were to be put on sale, there was little doubt that it would fetch an astronomical price. Putting everything aside, it would probably take dozens of 5-star celestial engineers at least a year of hard work even if they were to work day and night without rest.

Zhang Xuan walked up to the wall and placed his hand against it. After looking through the details in the Library of Heaven's Path, he nodded in commendation before following the crowd into the building.

The interior of the building was nothing short of magnificent.

All kinds of artifacts were laid around the main hall, and each of them was of decent grade. Even though there was no price labeled on them, considering how so many people were rushing to obtain them, they should be at an affordable range.

"Young Master, look!" At that moment, Sun Qiang's tense voice sounded as he pointed at a certain direction.

Zhang Xuan traced his finger and saw a patrol team walking around the area.

There were six members in the team, and each of them possessed a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 8-dan at minimum. The one standing at the very front, presumably the leader of the group, was a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm expert.

"The patrol team is in charge of maintaining order within the Spirit Emporium. If anyone were to cause trouble in the area, they would be kicked out in an instant," Sun Qiang explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded slightly in response.

With so many artifacts lying around the room, and not to mention the vile deeds the Spirit Emporium did in the shadows, if they didn't possess some backing and power, their business would have long been overturned by rivals and enemies.

"This..." Doubtful, Sun Qiang opened his mouth to say something, but he eventually closed it hesitantly.

Wasn't the young master here to wreak havoc in their place?

But considering how even the patrol team possessed such astounding strength, how were they supposed to cause any trouble?

Most likely, they would be thrown out as soon as they tried to start something.

Knowing what Sun Qiang was thinking about, a chilling smile surfaced on Zhang Xuan's lips.

"Violence is not the only way to wreak havoc..."

Since the Spirit Emporium dared to lay its hands on his students and his butler, it must be taught a lesson.

But was violence the only way to teach someone a lesson?

They were in Hongyuan City, the capital of a Tier-1 Empire, not some shady underworld city. On top of that, Zhang Xuan was a master teacher himself, the role model of the populace. How could someone as noble as him possibly go around using his fists to beat others up?

On the other hand, Sun Qiang blinked in confusion, uncomprehending of what Zhang Xuan was driving at.

"Just follow me!" Zhang Xuan chuckled as his eyes scanned through the various artifacts placed on the shelves.

There was a wide assortment of items—ores, pills, armor, weapon, formation plates... Anything that a cultivator needed, it seemed as if one would surely be able to find it here.

The cultivators in the area were also busy roaming the area, looking around for items suitable for their use.

After a casual walk around the main hall, Zhang Xuan abruptly came to a halt. With a faint smile, he instructed, "Get an attendant over!"

"Yes!"

Sun Qiang had no idea what the young master was up to, but since the latter had issued an instruction, he dared not hesitate. Thus, he immediately made his way to the front reception.

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Chapter 752: Zhang Xuan Buys an Artifact

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Not too long later, Sun Qiang returned with an attendant. As soon as he caught sight of the young master, he couldn't help but freeze in shock.

At this moment, the young master was wearing an extravagant robe that screamed exorbitance. In his hand was a foldable fan, which he was using to fan himself leisurely. An arrogant smirk sat on his lips. From afar, it looked as if he was a profligate scion.

'What is the young master up to?' Sun Qiang thought in bewilderment.

However, not wanting to foil the young master's ploy, he suppressed his astonishment and walked up to the latter, clasped his fist, and greeted obediently, "Young master!"

Back in Tianxuan Kingdom, the old master had also brought him to Tianyu Trading Firm once and behaved bizarrely. In the end, Ling Tianyu made a personal visit to their residence and even willingly gave up large sums of money to them. Could it be that the young master was trying the same tactic as well?

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded before shooting a sideward glance at the attendant behind Sun Qiang. "You are the manager here?"

The attendant smiled.

"I am not a manager, but I should be able to answer most of your queries..."

The attendant was a young man who seemed to be in his early thirties, possessing the cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan. As an attendant here, he was in charge of introducing and selling the products on display, so he did possess some authority here.

"That's good. I wish to buy a few items, recommend me some of the more expensive artifacts here!" Zhang Xuan said proudly as he waved his fan leisurely.

'Expensive artifacts?' Sun Qiang's eyelids twitched.

He had conducted business at one point in his life, so he understood the various conventions in the market. For fear of being taken advantage of, most buyers would choose to maintain a low profile, feigning a lack of money just to push down the prices. Yet, the young master had actually asked for the attendant to recommend the expensive artifacts... Wasn't this practically screaming 'I have too much money on hand, please take advantage of me!'?

Such a customer was a dream come true for any store attendant; they would be mistreating themselves if they didn't attempt to make a killing out of him!

Wasn't the young master here to exact vengeance?

Why did it seem as if he was trying to give money to the Spirit Emporium instead?

As expected, upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, the eyes of the attendant immediately lit up. He immediately walked up to a nearby shelf and gestured toward an item. "Young Master, this Bronze Gong is an excellent artifact smithed by a 6-star blacksmith. It has reached Spirit intermediate-tier..."

On the shelf was a bronze gong with several inscriptions on it. A cold gleam reflected off its surface.

"Let me take a look!" Zhang Xuan gestured for the attendant to bring the Bronze Gong to him.

"Sure!" A gleam flickered across the attendant's eyes as he hurriedly took down the gong and passed it over respectfully with both hands.

Zhang Xuan casually took it and slapped it lightly with his palm.

Weng!

A resounding metallic call echoed from the gong, and a powerful gale swept into the surroundings, creating an immense pressure on the crowd in the area.

"This is good stuff..." Nodding in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan casually tossed the gong to Sun Qiang before glancing leisurely at the attendant. "How much does it cost?"

After a moment of hesitation, the attendant said, "Young Master, this Bronze Gong was smithed personally by 6-star Blacksmith Zhu Quan more than a hundred years ago. Not only is it a powerful weapon, it can also be considered as a valuable antique with significant history behind it. To be honest, it's one of the top treasures of our Spirit Emporium, so the price... might be a little steep!"

"Here it comes..." Sun Qiang shook his head as he heard the words and the tone of the attendant.

This fellow was indeed scheming. Seeing that the young master was a 'public gold mine', he intentionally phrased his words in a provocative manner, suggesting that the Bronze Gong was beyond the financial ability of the young master.

It was a cliché trick, but somehow, it was peculiarly effective on those prideful profligate scions...

Just as Sun Qiang was thinking that the attendant would be sorely disappointed, the calm young master of his suddenly harrumphed coldly. "A little steep? Are you trying to say that I won't be able to afford it?"

Sun Qiang clutched his forehead and nearly burst into tears.

'Young Master... Are you sure that you are here for vengeance?

'Why does it seem like you are a new rich scion in town asking for others to scam you of your wealth?'

"Of course not, there is no doubt that a man as noble as you will be able to afford it..."

As if embarrassed by his previous doubts, the attendant smiled awkwardly. After which, he gritted his teeth in hesitation, as if he was going to make a huge loss from this deal, before mustering up his determination and said, "This Bronze Gong is worth five thousand middle-tier spirit stones, but your straightforward and candid personality has won my respect. Thus, if you really wish to buy it, I will negotiate with my manager to sell it to you at three thousand spirit stones!"

'Three thousand?' Sun Qiang spewed a mouthful of blood.

What else could this be if not daylight robbery?!

An attendant was marketing this Bronze Gong to another customer when he came yesterday, and the offered price was only one thousand middle-tier spirit stone. But in the end, the customer turned down the deal. Yet, this attendant actually dared to say that it was worth five thousand, and even acted as if he was making a huge loss by selling it at three thousand...

Did he take them to be fools?

Just as Sun Qiang was about to offer a word of advice to the young master, the latter nodded in satisfaction and said, "The work of a 6-star blacksmith is indeed worth such a price. Sun Qiang, wrap it up. I will be taking it!"

"You will be taking it?" Unable to believe his ears, Sun Qiang's body swayed weakly.

Did the young master eat something wrong this morning?

Putting aside the fact that they didn't even have three thousand middle-tier spirit stones with them at the moment, even if they did, they shouldn't waste it on something as useless as this!

What 6-star blacksmith or Zhu Quan whatsoever, it was clear that was all bullshit!

With that much money, one could easily afford a Spirit high-tier weapon! Why would one spend it on this?

But since the young master had said that he would be taking him, it would be inappropriate for him, as a servant, to refute his decision. Thus, he could only go along with it.

The attendant also widened his eyes in surprise at the sight. He didn't think that Zhang Xuan would take down the gong so swiftly.

That useless object had already been sitting on their shelves for several months, and despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to sell it out. Yet, the other party actually bought it without hesitation. It seemed like he had really happened upon an easy gold mine this time around!

With a hand behind his back and the other fanning him leisurely, Zhang Xuan said impatiently, "Is there anything more expensive and better in the store? Don't tell me that the best product your Spirit Emporium has is only this Spirit intermediate-tier Bronze Gong?"

It was as if the item he had bought was too cheap, unworthy of someone of his standing.

"We do! Of course, we have far better products than the Bronze Gong!" The attendant's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to lead the way to the other shelves, he suddenly paused for an instant before asking, "Young master, regarding the money for the Bronze Gong..."

It wasn't that he didn't trust the young man before him, but it was difficult to tell what could happen in the next moment. To be safe, it would be better for him to collect the money first.

"Are you suggesting that I'll renege on my payment? How dare you!"

As if his dignity had been sullied, Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly. Just as he was about to fly to a temper, he suddenly fell into a momentary contemplation before saying, "Fine, take this. With this, you should work harder on finding items for me!"

With those words, he flicked his wrist and threw a spirit stone over casually.

The attendant caught it and subconsciously glanced at the item in his hand. The next moment, he froze. "High-tier spirit stone..."

The item that the other party had thrown over casually contained spiritual energy so pure that he could feel a tingling sensation in his skin.

It was actually a high-tier spirit stone!

High-tier spirit stones were only useful to Chrysalis realm experts and above. However, due to its rarity, often, only Saint realm experts would have it in their possession. Yet, the other party threw it to him so easily just to purchase the Bronze Gong...

He couldn't help but feel his throat run dry.

"That's right. A high-tier spirit stone is worth ten thousand middle-tier spirit stone, so that should be enough to cover the Bronze Gong, right?" Zhang Xuan sneered coldly.

"Enough, it's more than enough..." The attendant hurriedly nodded.

All the doubts he harbored regarding the customer before him vanished in an instant.

How could a person who would fork out a high-tier spirit stone easily possibly renege on his payment? Most likely, the other party was a young master from some wealthy clan, and having lived in luxury from young, he was accustomed to spending such large sums of money.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and lead the way!" Zhang Xuan snapped.

"Yes!" After seeing the high-tier spirit stone, the attitude of the attendant became even more respectful than before.

He hurriedly led them through the crowd, and soon, they arrived in the depths of the Spirit Emporium.

There were significantly fewer people here, but those who were present here were notable personages in the capital. The items that were placed on the shelves in the room were also clearly much more valuable than those in the main hall.

Zhang Xuan swiftly scanned through the items.

"Spirit high-tier weapon, rare ores, a spirit fruit which can extend one's longevity..."

Under the discerning gaze of his Eye of Insight, he swiftly identified the various items in the room.

As expected of the Spirit Emporium! Even to someone as picky as Zhang Xuan, he couldn't help but feel a little moved by some of the items in the room.

Suddenly, his gaze stopped on a certain artifact, and the edges of his lips crept up. Following which, he began walking toward a jade box on the shelf.

Gesturing to the jade box, Zhang Xuan asked, "What is this?"

"This is a grade-6 Bottleneck Surmounting Pill! A Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert can advance one's cultivation stage by consuming it, and there are no prerequisites to it. On top of that, it was forged by Vice School Head Luo of the Apothecary School personally, making it extremely valuable!" the attendant said.

"Grade-6 Bottleneck Surmounting Pill?"

The higher one's cultivation, the more difficult it would be to advance it. It was truly incredible for a pill to be able to raise a Chrysalis realm expert's cultivation by a single stage without any prerequisites to it. It was difficult to imagine the value of the pill.

"Let me take a look," Zhang Xuan said.

"Ordinarily, we wouldn't allow anyone to touch it, but since you are the one who wishes to look at it, I'll bring it to you..." Knowing that the man standing before him was a big fish, the attendant agreed with a smile.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The attendant stepped forward, opened the protective casing, took the jade box from the shelves, and opened it gently.

Hong long!

A surge of pure spiritual energy gushed from the box, leaving one feeling refreshed throughout. It felt like, if one consumed the pill, one would surely make immense progress in one's cultivation.

Green mist drifted above the pill, and it felt as if it would morph into a dragon at any moment and escape.

Despite only being Formation-grade, perhaps due to the valuable medicinal herbs involved in the forging process, it was still pulsating with energy. Most likely, its price would be exorbitant as well.

"It's a good pill..."

"A grade-6 pill! Even if I wanted to buy it, I couldn't afford it at all!"

"Indeed, it's too expensive..."

The surge of spiritual energy from the opening of the jade box had caught the eyes of many in the area.

The guests who were browsing through the other artifacts shifted their attention to the source.

Seeing that the pill was catching many gazes, Zhang Xuan waved his hands and said, "Close the lid. This pill is not bad. How much does it cost? I'll take it!"

Hearing that the other party would take it, the attendant closed the lid swiftly and replied excitedly, "As this is a grade-6 pill forged by the vice head of the Apothecary School, using 81 different valuable herbs, it's inevitable that its price is higher than other pills. If you want it, you can have it at a discounted price of two high-tier spirit stone!"

"Two high-tier spirit stone?"

"What kind of lousy price is that?"

"Wasn't it five thousand middle-tier spirit stones just a few days ago? When did the price inflate to two high-tier spirit stones?"

...

A huge commotion broke out in the area.

Most of those gathered were frequent guests of the Spirit Emporium, so they had a rough gauge of the prices of the items displayed here.

Even though the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill had reached grade-6, it was only at a low-tier. On top of that, the pill had barely achieved Formation. As such, it was only worth five thousand middle-tier spirit stones at most. To actually attempt to sell it for two high-tier spirit stones... That attendant must be out of his mind!

Just as everyone thought that Zhang Xuan would turn it down due to its exorbitant price, the other party glanced at the pill and said, "A grade-6 pill for two high-tier spirit stones, that isn't too expensive. I'll take it!"

"He's going buy it?"

Everyone was stunned. They had seen plenty of foolish men in their time, but never had they seen such a dimwit before!

Did price not matter to him when it came to buying items?

"That's great. I'll have it wrapped up for you right now..." Upon hearing that Zhang Xuan would buy it, the attendant leaped in joy. He hurriedly passed the jade box into Sun Qiang's hands.

However, at that moment, Zhang Xuan abruptly frowned in worry and asked, "Could the items you sell possibly be fakes?"

"Fakes? You sure are good at jesting!" the attendant swiftly replied.

"The items sold in our Spirit Emporium have undergone the appraisal of master appraisers, so it's impossible for there to be any fakes in here. If you were to find any fakes amidst our goods, our Spirit Emporium will refund you tenfold of the selling price!"

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Chapter 753: These Are All Fakes!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Tenfold the selling price? Is that for real?" Zhang Xuan asked worriedly, seemingly unconvinced by the attendant's words.

"Of course! Our Spirit Emporium prides itself on its credibility!" the attendant replied.

"I see... Since you are willing to go so far to guarantee your credibility, I'll trust you for now. I'll pick out a few more items first before paying for them together later on!" Hearing the other party's words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Credibility? Sun Qiang's mouth twitched.

An organization that murders others to steal their possessions, what kind of credibility can it possibly have?

You've got to be kidding me!

The young master actually believes this kind of nonsense?

More importantly, regardless of whether the young master believes that or not, we don't have the money to pay for the items!

The high-tier spirit stone given to the attendant previously was the prize which the young master obtained back in the Master Teacher Tournament. With even that gone, they were completely broke. How could they possibly afford the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill now?

Hearing that Zhang Xuan was going to pick a few more items, the attendant nodded in excitement.

"That's fine, feel free to!"

Since the other party was willing to toss a high-tier spirit stone out so casually, it could only mean that he had no lack of money. Besides, even if he couldn't afford it then, with the security around the Spirit Emporium, he couldn't possibly take the items away with him as well.

The attendants in the Spirit Emporium were paid on commission depending on the amount of spirit stones they earned for the store.

As long as he could seal this deal, he could easily earn a sum greater than the sales commissions he had received over the last few years.

"Un." Nodding, Zhang Xuan walked around the shelves before him, and raising his fan, he pointed to one item after another. "This, this, this..."

Soon, he had already pointed out eight of the items.

Seeing Zhang Xuan pointing out so many items at once, the attendant's face slowly grew redder and redder.

The items placed on display here were the more valuable artifacts in the store, and every single one of them was worth a fortune. Perhaps, he might just be able to earn enough money for his entire life through this deal!

The attendant wasn't the only one who was reacting so intensely to Zhang Xuan's actions, the crowd in the surroundings had frozen in shock as well.

Buying a grade-6 low-tier pill with two high-tier spirit stones had already blown their minds, and yet that fellow was still going on a shopping spree. When did such an extravagant, rich man come to Hongyuan City?

"I'll immediately take those items down for you!" The attendant hurriedly took down the items pointed in agitation and began calculating the price.

"Leave those eight items aside, wrap the remaining items up for me!" Zhang Xuan waved his fan casually.

Putong!

The attendant's knees suddenly caved in at those words, and he nearly collapsed to the ground in astonishment.

The lower jaws of the crowd fell to the ground.

Even Sun Qiang nearly keeled over from those words.

He knew that he had often behaved brazenly due to the old master backing, but from the looks of it now, he couldn't even hold a candle to the young master!

To put aside the eight of the items and take everything else...

There were at least a hundred items on display here, and a large portion of them were weapons and armor, which were valued at several high-tier spirit stones at the very least! To take all of them at once...

That would at least cost a hundred high-tier spirit stones!

Could he definitely afford such a sum?

He did know that he'd be pummeled to death if he failed to fork out the money later on, right?

After a long moment, the attendant finally recovered sufficiently to ask hoarsely, "You want... everything else?"

He was still thinking a while ago that, with the commission from those eight items, he could easily live extravagantly for the rest of his life, but the other party was actually intending to take everything else except for those eight! He had truly stumbled upon the God of Fortune this time around! As long as he sealed this deal, he would have sufficient money to feed ten generations of his descendants!

"That's right. Wrap them up for me!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands arrogantly.

"Yes!"

The attendant pinched himself hard, and it was only upon feeling the sharp pain that he finally believed he wasn't dreaming. He hurriedly gathered all of the items together and began calculating the price.

"All in all, there are 93 items, and the total sum is... 237 high-tier spirit stones!" the attendant said with a quivering voice.

"237 high-tier spirit stones? That isn't too expensive!" Zhang Xuan nodded before gesturing to Sun Qiang, "Butler, pay him!"

Pay him? Sun Qiang froze.

You are asking me to pay him? But I don't even have a single high-tier spirit stone on me, what am I supposed to pay him with?

Just as Sun Qiang was at a loss for what to do, Zhang Xuan abruptly raised his hand, seemingly stopping Sun Qiang from making a move, before gazing at the pile of items warily. "Wait a moment! Are you certain that every single item here is authentic, and if I find any fakes, you will refund me tenfold?"

"Of course! All of the items here were personally verified by a 6-star appraiser, Master Mo Fei! There is definitely no problem with their quality!" The attendant swiftly reassured Zhang Xuan.

"I trust you, but I want to be absolutely sure that they are all authentic. How about you invite Master Mo Fei here to appraise them right before me? Only then can I dispel my doubts and buy these items!" Zhang Xuan said.

"This..."

The attendant hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright then. Please wait here for a moment, I will invite Master Mo Fei over this instant!"

After which, he swiftly rushed off.

"Well, given the sheer volume of items he is buying, it's natural that he would want them reappraised to ensure that they are authentic!"

"That's true. However, I do know of that Master Mo Fei, and while he's a 6-star appraiser, he is living off the Spirit Emporium's payroll. Are his words really trustworthy?"

"Even if he were to spout nonsense, outsiders like us would be none the wiser!"

"In any case, it seems like that fellow has no lack of money. He is just probably asking for a reappraisal to calm his mind..."

...

Taking the scene in sight, the crowd muttered among themselves.

Typically speaking, most artifact dealers would seek a third party to appraise their works so as to ensure reliability. However, Appraiser Mo Fei was an employee of the Spirit Emporium, and that cast doubt on his reliability.

As such, that young man was probably going to be hoodwinked.

Amidst the muttering, the attendant finally returned with a potbellied old man behind him.

The old man harrumphed with his chin tilted up proudly.

"Who wants their item appraised?"

Appraisers were the most sought-after occupation in the market. Even the head of the Spirit Emporium had to treat him with respect.

"Me!" Zhang Xuan folded his fan and pointed it at the stack of items on the table. "I want to buy these items, so I need you to appraise them for me!"

Mo Fei glanced at the items on the table, and his eyebrows shot up.

"I have already appraised every single one of these items, and there is no doubt about their authenticity. Why? Are you doubting my judgement as a 6-star appraiser?"

"You have appraised everything here?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That's right. What are you waiting for? Bring the appraisal certificates over!" Mo Fei waved his hands impatiently.

The attendant hurried off to the counter, and after some fumbling, he returned with a pile of papers on hand.

These were the appraisal certificates of every single item on the table, and they were all signed off by Mo Fei.

"I see that there are appraisal certificates for them, good..."

Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief as he took the appraisal certificates from the attendant and began browsing through them carefully. With a peculiar smile, he asked, "I heard that the Spirit Emporium refunds tenfold of the selling price should any items be proven to be a fake, may I confirm if that's true?"

"Of course!" Mo Fei nodded proudly.

As a 6-star appraiser, he was confident in his appraisals.

"Alright then, I would like to turn your attention to this pill first then..." With a light wave of his hand, the jade box containing the grade-6 pill flew into his hand.

"Why? Are you saying that there's a problem with the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill?" Mo Fei frowned.

"It is written on the appraisal certificate that the vice head of the Apothecary School used 81 different types of medicinal herbs to create this pill which can allow any Chrysalis realm expert to raise their cultivation by a stage. Is that true?"

"Of course!" Mo Fei flung his sleeves proudly.

"While this is indeed a grade-6 pill, it wasn't forged by the vice head of the Apothecary School. Furthermore, it was forged using on 72 different types of medicinal herbs. Judging by the slight yellow hue of the pill, it seems like the blood essence of a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Golden Grassland Antelope. The slightly incongruous fragrance it exudes hints at the addition of a Sicklepod Flower..."

Opening the box, Zhang Xuan slowly analyzed it bit by bit.

In a single breath, he pointed out the various key anomalies regarding the pill.

With every single point that he mentioned, Mo Fei's face turned a shade paler.

As a 6-star appraiser, he could tell that the other party's judgement was spot-on.

It was as if the other party was present at the forging process! To be able to deduce all of this in just a short moment, it could only mean to say that the other party's appraising ability was above his!

"So what if you can list all of the ingredients used in its forging? There are many variations to the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill in the market. As long as it can advance one's cultivation, it can't be considered a fake!" Seeing the young man before him go on and on, Mo Fei finally snapped.

"Advance one's cultivation?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "After all I have said, you still don't understand? The blood essence of the Golden Grassland Antelope is indeed extremely beneficial to a cultivator, but that is only if it hasn't been mixed with Sicklepod Flower!

"Sicklepod Flower, otherwise known as the Flower of Eternal Rest, has to be mediated using the Heptad Verdant Grass. However, the apothecary who forged this pill has failed to do so... In other words, not only will this pill not advance one's cultivation, the one who consumes it will even die of poisoning!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Die of poisoning?"

"Is that true?"

"If that's the case, that would mean that not only is this pill a fake, it is even a weapon of murder..."

Hearing those words, everyone leaped in shock.

The reason a cultivator would spend their fortune on purchasing a pill was so they could achieve a breakthrough in their cultivation.

Yet, not only would they not be able to achieve a breakthrough with this pill, it would even poison them to death! To part with their life savings just to be poisoned, that would be a true tragedy!

"Nonsense! This pill is rich in spiritual energy, how could it be poisonous?" Mo Fei's eyebrows shot up.

"You don't believe me? Since that's case... bring a Pill Sample Beast over then! We will know the answer with a quick test!" Zhang Xuan replied impassively.

"Fine!" Mo Fei harrumphed.

Soon, a Pill Sample Beast was brought over.

Pill Sample Beasts possessed a constitution similar to humans, making them an ideal subject to test for the effect a pill would have on humans.

"You should do it yourself lest you say that I tampered with the Pill Sample Beast or the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill!" Zhang Xuan passed the jade box over.

"Humph!"

With a cold harrumph, Mo Fei rubbed a bit of medicinal powder off the pill and fed it to the Pill Sample Beast.

Pill Sample Beasts were extremely sensitive to poison; thus, a small portion was more than enough for the test. Besides, if he were to take too much, the Pill Sample Beast might end up dying from the excessive influx of spiritual energy from the pill.

Gugugugu!

As soon as the Pill Sample Beast ate the powder, its aura suddenly intensified, growing stronger swiftly.

"Its cultivation is rising; this is clearly the effect of a normal Bottleneck Surmounting Pill. What else do you have to say for yourself?" Mo Fei turned around and sneered at Zhang Xuan for his ignorance.

However, at that moment, the Pill Sample Beast's surging aura abruptly came to a halt, and its body began to convulse.

Pu!

A mouthful of pitch-black blood spurted from its mouth, and the small white beast abruptly froze before collapsing to the ground.

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Chapter 754: These Are All Fakes! (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What?"

"It's dead?"

"Could it be that... the pill isn't a Bottleneck Surmounting Pill but poison?"

"That is way too scary! Imagine spending two high-tier spirit stones just to buy lethal poison home!"

"The Spirit Emporium has truly gone too far this time around! Is this how it conducts business?"

...

Seeing the Pill Sample Beast breathing its last, a huge uproar broke out amidst the crowd.

They couldn't help but imagine what would have happened if they'd purchased the pill. They would have been filled with expectations for the future when they purchased the pill, only to end up dead due to it. The huge contrast between their expectations and reality was something that made the situation even more unacceptable.

That Mo Fei had just confidently declared that the Bottleneck Surmounting Pill was authentic a moment ago, but a minute later, a Pill Sample Beast was poisoned to death by it... With such a precedent, how could they possibly ever dare to buy any pills from the Spirit Emporium in the future?

"This..." Mo Fei also froze on the spot.

In truth, he had carefully calculated the amount of powder to feed the Pill Sample Beast. He was certain that it shouldn't have been sufficient to kill it with the dose he had rubbed off.

Yet, it still ended up collapsing in the end... Could the other party be speaking the truth? This pill was not a Bottleneck Surmounting Pill but a failed product turned into poison?

"So, is this considered to be a fake?" Zhang Xuan asked with a cold smile.

"This... Fine! I admit that my judgement was off for this pill!" With the Pill Sample Beast poisoned to death, there was no way he could deny this anymore.

"Hah, you are saying that your judgement was off for only this pill? Let me tell you, this pill isn't the only thing you are wrong about!" Zhang Xuan casually waved his hand, and the Bronze Gong which he had picked out first flew into his hand.

"According to what you have written in the appraisal certificate, this item was forged by a 6-star blacksmith, and it possesses the ability to wipe out a soul. Even a soul oracle would be utterly destroyed by a single knock on the gong!"

"Indeed. Even though the Bronze Gong is only a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, it has a long history behind it. The lightning energy that has gathered within it over time grants it sufficient power to destroy even a soul oracle!" Mo Fei declared proudly.

He had studied the Bronze Gong carefully over a long period of time, so he was confident that there wasn't any mistake in its appraisal.

"Since you are so confident, why don't we give it a try?" Zhang Xuan turned to the attendant standing by the side and said, "You are a Consonant Spirit realm cultivator, so you should have already started cultivating your soul as well. If this weapon has the ability to destroy a soul, you should feel a sharp pain in your soul when used against you."

At which, he turned to Mo Fei and asked, "Do you have any disagreements with this test?"

While the effects of the Bronze Gong were discounted against most cultivators as their souls would be protected by their physical body, they would still be more or less affected by it.

Furthermore, Consonant Spirit realm experts had barely started cultivating their soul, making them even more prone to any attacks on their soul.

"I have no objections to it!" Mo Fei replied.

The crowd who were watching the commotion also nodded in agreement.

Soul oracles had already disappeared in the annals of history, so it was impossible to test the Bronze Gong on them anymore. However, it should work fine against a Consonant Spirit realm expert as well.

"I will let you do it..." With the edges of his lips curled up, Zhang Xuan passed the Bronze Gong to Mo Fei.

Mo Fei took the Bronze Gong over impatiently, and gathering his zhenqi, he struck it powerfully toward the attendant.

However, the attendant remained completely unfazed by the attack. In other words, the Bronze Gong didn't have any effect on the soul!

"H-how is this possible?" Mo Fei's face turned ghastly pale.

Back then, he had even experimented with the Bronze Gong. The lightning energy it harnessed was extremely effective on souls, capable of even annihilating a soul oracle!

Why did its effects vanish all of a sudden?

Without that, this would only be an ordinary Bronze Gong, worth nothing at all!

"The Bronze Gong's effect of dealing with souls can only be dispelled by a soul oracle, but the heritage of the soul oracles has already vanished countless years ago. Thus, it is impossible for anyone to have tampered with it... Have I really appraised it wrongly?" Mo Fei muttered as cold sweat trickled down his back.

Souls were an extremely complex subject, and the only occupation to have truly uncovered their secrets were the soul oracles. They were the only ones who could dispel the effects on the Bronze Gong. No one else, not even a Saint realm cultivator, could do the same.

However, the soul oracles had already been eradicated by the Master Teacher Pavilion, so it was impossible for anyone to dispel the effects of the Bronze Gong. Since the effect clearly wasn't there, could his appraisal have been wrong from the very start?

It was one thing for him to have made a mistake, but to make two of them consecutively... He was already beginning to doubt his life.

Appraisers could only make three errors throughout their entire career, and beyond that, they would be stripped of their license. Was his career going to end here?

Ignoring Mo Fei's slump, Zhang Xuan waved his hands, and a pill cauldron flew in front of him.

"Moving on, let's talk about this copper cauldron. You have identified it to be a Nine Symphony Cauldron created by a 6-star blacksmith on the appraisal certificate. It is capable of producing Nine Symphony Flames which allows the heat to be distributed more equally throughout the cauldron, thus making it easier to fuse the medicinal herbs together. However, you also stated that it is extremely difficult to tame its spirit and make it acknowledge one as its master... May I confirm that what I have just said is true?"

This was also another artifact in the Spirit Emporium, and it had an appraisal certificate as well.

"Yes..." Mo Fei nodded.

This time, however, his tone wasn't as confident as before.

"Even though the Nine Symphony Cauldron increases the chances of successfully forging a pill, it is extremely difficult to make its spirit submit. This is a fact that all appraisers know, so there can't be any mistake on that." Mo Fei gritted his teeth.

"This isn't the Nine Symphony Cauldron, and it doesn't have such a troublesome spirit as well. It won't even take me a minute to make it submit to me!" Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"You will make it submit in less than a minute? How can that be? If you can do so, I will admit that I am mistaken, and that it is a fake!" Mo Fei sneered coldly.

You must be joking! It is a well-known fact that it is difficult to make the spirit of a Nine Symphony Cauldron submit to one. To make it submit to you in less than a minute?

You're dreaming!

Not even a Saint realm expert could do that!

"You are the one who said those words!"

With a chuckle, Zhang Xuan walked up to the cauldron and slapped it casually. "Acknowledge me as your master!"

Weng!

The next moment, a resounding buzz sounded from the cauldron, as if it was shaking in excitement from meeting its master.

"What?" Mo Fei's body trembled uncontrollably, and he nearly spurted blood.

That was clearly the sound of the cauldron acknowledging its master, of that there was no mistake!

Due to the unique method in forging a Nine Symphony Cauldron, its spirit was disjointed, making it extremely difficult to win its loyalty. There were many who had spent decades on it, only to fail eventually. Yet, this cauldron actually acknowledged that young man in less than half a minute... Was he truly mistaken once more?

The cauldron was a fake as well?

Just what was going on?

"These Lilac Sandalwood Beads can indeed keep one's mind composed when worn, but unfortunately, it is cursed. As a result, not only will it not keep one calm, it might even cause one to go berserk!"

"In your analysis, you said that this bottle of medicinal solution is made using dozens of different poisons, and it is extremely useful for tempering one's body. However, I have just taken a look, and the poison within hasn't been neutralized yet. Anyone who consumes it will die without fail!"

"You claimed that this ore can raise the grade of a weapon up a notch by fusing it in. However, it is impossible to melt this ore in the first place, so how could one possibly combine it within a weapon?"

"This..."

"..."

After proving the issues in the appraisal of the first three items, Zhang Xuan moved on to point out the problems of the other items the attendant had taken out. He would pick up every single item and pat off the dust on them before explaining what was wrong with them.

With every problem he explained, Mo Fei's face would turn a shade darker.

By the time Zhang Xuan was done pointing out the errors in everything, Mo Fei seemed as if he was already standing on the threshold of insanity.

He had the attendants test the other items as well, and some of them he even did it himself, but the conclusions were still the same.

He was certain that the items here weren't like that when he was appraising them, why did all of them change all of a sudden?

This was exceptionally so for the weapons he had checked. Not only were the spirits within them difficult to tame, they were aggressive even! If a cultivator were to buy one of them, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't be killed by his sword in his sleep!

"There are actually so many fakes here?"

"I have always trusted the products of the Spirit Emporium, but to think that they were actually such a dishonest business!"

"How can I still trust them not to lie to me in the future?"

"It seems like I can't buy anything from here anymore. The items may be cheap, but if saving that bit of money could cost my life, I would rather not take that risk..."

...

Watching the events unfold, the crowd in the area felt their hearts turning cold.

The two main reasons they frequented the Spirit Emporium despite the unlawful means they use to obtain their items were due to the relatively lower prices of their goods and the guarantee on its quality.

But even with the relatively lower price, if all they were going to receive was a fake, what was the point?

Putting everything aside, if they had bought that Bottleneck Surmounting Pill, not only would they be cheated of their money, they might even lose their life... Who in their right minds would pay just to have themselves killed?

"... So, this is a fake as well. All in all, everything here is a fake!"

Zhang Xuan glanced at the attendants and Mo Fei calmly and said, "All in all, you charged me 237 high-tier spirit stones for these items. Given your refund policy... I believe that you owe me 2370 high-tier spirit stones!"

"2370 high-tier spirit stones?"

"They said earlier that they would pay tenfold the selling price should an item be deemed to be a fake. Now that everything has been proven to be fakes, it is only right for the Spirit Emporium to compensate him!"

"This is insane... Even if the Spirit Emporium were to sell of its assets, it couldn't possibly afford that!"

"Well, who asked them to brag about their refund policy? Not to mention, they even dared to put up so many fake goods on top of that. They had it coming..."

...

Hearing the young man's words, everyone leaped in shock.

Putting aside the Spirit Emporium, it was questionable whether even the royal family had 2370 high-tier spirit stones in its treasury!

But considering how it was exposed before so many people, if it were to default on its payment, its reputation would be completely ruined. If so, they need not dream of operating in Hongyuan City anymore.

"Amazing..." Sun Qiang's eyes were glowing in respect.

He had been wondering how the young master would exact his vengeance, but upon seeing this sight, he finally realized how fearsome the young master was!

If they had walked into the store and threatened the Spirit Emporium with violence, the Spirit Emporium would have held the moral high ground, and no one could have said anything no matter how the Spirit Emporium dealt with them. However, the young master challenged them through legitimate means, cornering them with the rules they had set for themselves...

Let's see how you will deal with that!

Even if you go to the Master Teacher Pavilion to mediate in this matter, it is clear that you are in the wrong!

It was impossible for the Spirit Emporium to pay the 2370 high-tier spirit stones compensation. Even if it could, it would be severely crippled financially. With its reputation in shambles, it would never recover from this blow.

With so many fakes in the store, who would dare to buy from them in the future?

"W-who in the world are you? What do you intend to do?"

It wasn't too difficult to see through all of this. At this point, the attendant was already on the verge of tears.

He'd thought that he had finally met his God of Fortune, and he was looking forward to a life of extravagance. Who could have known that it was a God of Misfortune instead? He might very well lose his job due to this!

"Who am I? I am just a customer in your store. Don't you think that it's only right for you to pay after trying to sell me so many fakes?"

Zhang Xuan smiled.

Chapter 755: Where Are My Artifacts?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I..."

The attendant's body trembled.

In the many years the Spirit Emporium had existed, there had never been a single person who had reported it for selling fake goods. In just a single day, this man actually dug up so many fake goods from their shelves...

He'd thought that the other party was just a profligate scion who had too much money to spare, but he would be a fool if he still couldn't tell that it was an act at this point. That fellow was clearly here to cause trouble!

"Call the boss here, fast! He's the only one who can resolve this matter at this point..." Mo Fei urged. It seemed as if he had aged decades over the last few minutes.

As an appraiser, he could tell that there was no mistake in the other party's appraisals.

At this point, it was already an established fact at this point that they did attempt to defraud their buyers.

In other words, as long as the other party demanded compensation, there was nothing they could do about it. The problem was already beyond their scope!

"Yes!" The attendant nodded and quickly rushed off.

Soon, a cold-faced middle-aged man strode into the room.

He was extremely tall with a slightly plump stature. The sharp glint in his eyes seemed to suggest that he was a person who would resort to unscrupulous means to get what he wanted.

His aura was obscure, but it felt transcendent. Most likely, he was at least a Nascent Saint!

Indeed, if not for the backing of such an expert, considering the vile deeds that the Spirit Emporium committed in the shadows, it would have long been rooted from Hongyuan City.

The middle-aged man walked up to Zhang Xuan and asked with narrowed eyes, "Are you the one who said that these items are fakes?"

On the way here, he had already heard the full story from the attendant.

Ignoring the other party's words, Zhang Xuan waved his hands and said, "Hurry up and decide on how you will compensate me. Otherwise, trust me when I say that it won't take long for the entire Hongyuan City to learn about this!"

"You!"

Clenching his fists tightly, the hint of killing intent flashed across the dark eyes of the Spirit Emporium's boss.

All along, they had been the ones preying on others. To think that a day would come when someone would be so arrogant as to try to prey on them!

The boss of the Spirit Emporium harrumphed.

"This friend over here, I don't know who you are or where you come from, but allow me give you a word of advice: don't burn your bridges. Otherwise, who knows when it might come back to bite you!"

"Are you threatening me?" Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly in response. "A refund tenfold of the selling price, that is the policy your Spirit Emporium came up by yourself. Are you going to silence me now that a fake has really appeared in your store?"

"This isn't a threat, just a friendly reminder to you. The path of a cultivator isn't an easy one; I fear for your safety!" Seeing the other party's fearless attitude, the boss of the Spirit Emporium was on the verge of exploding, but there was nothing he could do.

If he were to make a move on the other party here, the reputation of their Spirit Emporium which he had built painstakingly over the years would be truly ruined.

The boss glanced at Mo Fei and sent a telepathic message to him.

"Are those items really fakes?"

"I am not too sure either, but... when I reappraised the items he picked out, they were completely different from before... Even if I say that they aren't fakes, no one will believe me..." Mo Fei said.

Even if they weren't fakes, the other party had already pointed out the various flaws in them clearly. As such, who would still want to buy them?

Take for example the valuable Spirit high-tier armor which allowed its wearer to withstand attacks from a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert amidst the stack of items the other party had picked out. Its effects were incredible, but that fellow had already revealed its flaws and how one could overcome it... If so, what was the point of purchasing the armor?

In other words, even if the items were authentic, they were already useless at this point. That would make them as good as fakes.

"Damn it!" Hearing Mo Fei admit to the matter, the face of the boss turned scarily livid.

"Are you done with the negotiations yet? If you are, pay up. These items are worth 237 high-tier spirit stones, and with your tenfold refund policy, you owe me a total of 2370 high-tier spirit stones. Alright, I will give you a little bit of a discount out of the kindness of my heart. 2000 high-tier spirit stones, and I will drop this matter. Otherwise... for defrauding your customers and attempting to scam a master teacher, I will report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion to have them to judge this case!" Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"You are a master teacher?" The boss narrowed his eyes.

Typically speaking, as long one didn't commit any atrocities against humanity, the Master Teacher Pavilion would not interfere in most matters. However, if a master teacher was involved in the case, there was a good chance that it would intervene.

This was a privilege the Master Teacher Pavilion granted its members.

Once the Master Teacher Pavilion intervened in the matter, the various shady things they had done might be pulled to the surface as well, and the entire Spirit Emporium could very well be destroyed due to that.

Even though there were quite a few people who knew of the Spirit Emporium's doings in the shadows, they had no evidence, and the Spirit Emporium had made sure to deal with them accordingly, be it bribery or silencing them.

However, considering the means of the Master Teacher Pavilion, it wouldn't be too difficult for them to get to the bottom of the matter.

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan replied.

After recovering from the shock, a thought flashed across the boss's mind, and he harrumphed.

"Even if you are a master teacher, considering your young age, you should be a student of the Master Teacher Academy, right?

"Considering how many students there are in the Master Teacher Academy, I doubt that anyone will know if one or two of them go missing!"

The Master Teacher Academy was a place to nurture budding master teachers, and it was impossible to do so while keeping the students in a safe environment. Thus, it wasn't rare for the academy to dispatch its students on dangerous missions, and deaths weren't infrequent.

"It's indeed nothing much for a student or two of the academy to disappear, but I'm afraid that School Head Mo of the Beast Tamer School and School Head Zhao of the Blacksmith School will disagree with your words!"

Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out the two tokens given to him.

Since they were already in his possession, it should be fine for him to make use of their authority.

Mo Fei's body shuddered upon seeing the tokens, and he hurriedly sent a telepathic message to the boss.

"Those are indeed the personal tokens of School Head Mo and School Head Zhao... They are real!"

School Head Zhao and School Head Mo were part of the Ten Great Master Teachers, and they were famous figures even amongst the many Tier-1 Empires. Considering that they had given their personal tokens to the young man standing before them... their relationship was anything but ordinary.

"They are real?"

The boss had thought that he was only dealing with an ordinary student, so the matter shouldn't have been too difficult to resolve. But who could have thought that the fellow would carry two of the school heads' personal tokens on him?

"Alright, I will give you a tea's time to think over your options. If you refuse to pay, I will head to the Master Teacher Pavilion. It just happens that I have quite a close relationship with Pavilion Master Mo, so I believe that he will happily seek justice for me!" Zhang Xuan said as he stretched his back lazily.

Since the Spirit Emporium dared to threaten those around him, it should be prepared to face his wrath.

You want to be domineering?

Sure, let me crush you with my identity as a master teacher then! Let's see which of us is more domineering!

The face of the boss reddened in rage, but he dared not to vent his anger.

A tea's time...

On the other hand, the attendant rushed forward and reported something to him via telepathy.

Hearing the attendant's words, the boss heaved a sigh of relief before turning to Zhang Xuan. "There's no need to wait a tea's time, we will pay!"

"For real?"

"The Spirit Emporium is going to pay?"

"But that is 2000 high-tier spirit stones! Putting aside the Spirit Emporium, is there even so much money in Hongyuan Empire?"

...

Seeing the boss of the Spirit Emporium abruptly changing his mind, choosing to pay the sum, everyone was taken aback.

Even Zhang Xuan himself was a little taken aback by the turn of events.

He had prepared a hand in case the other party refused to pay, but never had he imagined that the other party would agree to it instead.

"You paid a high-tier spirit stone to purchase the Bronze Gong earlier. Even though you did say that you intended to buy the other items, you haven't paid for them yet... In other words, we have only sold you a single item so far. With our refund policy, we will repay you ten high-tier spirit stones!"

The boss waved his hands and instructed, "Hurry up and bring ten high-tier spirit stones over!"

"Yes!" The attendant hurriedly nodded before leaving the room. Soon, he returned with ten gleaming high-tier spirit stones in hand and passed them over to Sun Qiang.

"This..." Sun Qiang was a little dazed, unable to catch up with the happenings. He wasn't certain whether he should accept it or not.

While the young master had pointed out many items that he wanted to buy, he hadn't paid for them. All along, he had only passed a high-tier spirit stone to the attendant.

Using this loophole, the Spirit Emporium regarded that as the only transaction conducted and refunded him ten high-tier spirit stones. While that was a substantial sum as well, it was at least a cost the Spirit Emporium could afford to bear.

Regardless from which angle one looked at this matter from, the other party's response was also in line with the rules.

"Young Master..."

Unsure of what to do, Sun Qiang turned to Zhang Xuan, only to see latter smiling calmly. "Are you sure that's how you want to play the game?"

"This master teacher over here, I am not sure what you are trying to say. Our Spirit Emporium prides itself on its honor. Since you paid us a high-tier spirit stone, going by our refund policy, we have already compensated you with ten. Even if you were to bring this up in the Master Teacher Pavilion, I believe that there is nothing Pavilion Master Mo could say about this." The boss of the Spirit Emporium smiled, but his eyes remained as cold as ever.

"On the other hand, you, as a master teacher, despite not buying anything at all, attempted to hoodwink us out of 2000 high-tier spirit stones. Surely this would be bad for your reputation if word were to spread?"

After hearing from the attendant that the fellow had only paid a single high-tier spirit stone, he immediately thought of a countermeasure.

A transaction can only be considered to have occurred when the goods and money have been exchanged. Even if the items we have here are fakes, you haven't paid yet, so they still belong to the Spirit Emporium. Naturally, we don't have to refund you for them.

"I see. Since that is the case..." Zhang Xuan glanced at the boss of the Spirit Emporium impassively and said, "You have taken my artifacts and placed them on sale for so long, but you still haven't sold them yet. It shouldn't be too much for me to take them away with me now, right?"

"Artifacts? When did we take your artifacts and place them on sale?" The boss of the Spirit Emporium was momentarily stunned by the ridiculous words spouted by the young man before him.

This is the first time I've met you, when did I take your artifacts?

Even if you want to frame me, surely you can do better than that?

"You are denying it?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "All artifacts have their own spirit, and it is impossible to win the loyalty of the spirit without spending substantial time with them. This is common knowledge amongst all cultivators, so I believe that you, the boss of the Spirit Emporium, shouldn't be unfamiliar with it either."

The boss couldn't understand what the young man was driving at, but he nodded in response.

It wasn't easy to make the spirit of an artifact submit to one. There were even a few who were unable to get the spirit of their artifact to acknowledge them as its master even after years of effort.

"That makes things simple then... Alright, I think I don't have to explain that only my own artifacts will listen to my command, that should be more than obvious to all of us here."

With an upright posture reminiscent of a taut spear piercing through the heavens, Zhang Xuan abruptly bellowed with a resounding voice, "What are you all waiting for? Pay respect to your master!"

Huala!

As soon as those words were uttered, all of the artifacts in the room flew into the sky and gathered around Zhang Xuan.

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Chapter 756: All Mine!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This is the response of artifacts who have acknowledged a cultivator as their master!"

"In the end, all of these artifacts actually belong to him? No wonder he knows them so well..."

"Is he the true owner of the Spirit Emporium? These are the most valuable artifacts here! If all of these are his, this would mean that the Spirit Emporium is pretty much emptied out!"

...

Seeing the artifacts flying from their places, everyone was stunned.

All of the artifacts which the young man had appraised before, be they swords, chains, armors, cauldrons... each and every one of them was floating around him, humming in excitement. It was as if they had finally met with their master after great difficulty, and they were unwilling to part with him!

All of the most valuable artifacts in the Spirit Emporium were in there. If all of those artifacts belonged to the young man before them... this renowned 'treasure vault' of Hongyuan City would be emptied out!

Those artifacts made up seventy to eighty percent of the total asset of the Spirit Emporium.

Surely the young man, and not the middle-aged man over there, was the true boss of the Spirit Emporium...

Sun Qiang's lips twitched.

The young master... sure is vicious!

He knew of the young master's ability to make artifacts acknowledge him swiftly. Back when he was appraising the artifacts, he'd touched every single one of them while explaining their properties. It was probably then that he'd made them submit to him.

From the very start, there were only two options for the Spirit Emporium. They could either obediently pay up or have their assets emptied out!

With all the weapons acknowledging the young master, even if he were to claim that everything was stolen from him, there would be no one who would doubt his words!

"Y-you..." As expected, upon seeing all of the weapons obeying the words of the young man, the boss of the Spirit Emporium nearly fainted.

He'd paid a hefty price in order to procure those weapons, and he was certain that they were unowned when he obtained them. Why did all of them acknowledge that fellow as their master?

Gaining the acknowledgement of an artifact was an extremely troublesome matter. Without sufficient time, it was impossible to succeed. For all of them to acknowledge him as their master, it could only mean one thing...

In the very first place, all of these weapons belonged to him!

He felt fresh blood welling up in his throat, threatening to spill forth at any moment.

In order to buy these weapons, the Spirit Emporium had even incurred a heavy debt. If everything were to be taken away by the other party, the business empire which he had built painstakingly over the course of many years would collapse in an instant.

Not only so, he would even fall into heavy debt as well.

"As everyone can see, these artifacts belong to me. However, the Spirit Emporium stole them from me, and left with no choice, I could only resort to such a course of action. All I want now is to bring my artifacts away with me," Zhang Xuan said righteously.

"Those artifacts belong to you, and you want to take them away? Pu!" Reaching the limit of his tolerance, the head of the Spirit Emporium spurted a mouthful of blood.

Like heck they are yours, I bought them with a huge sum of money... They are mine!

You are clearly a troublemaker wreaking havoc in my territory. I have already given you ten high-tier spirit stones, what else do you want?

Do you really intend to take my entire fortune away with you?

How the hell have I offended you that you must push me over the cliff?

"Since these artifacts are mine, I will be taking them back now. Sun Qiang, let's go!"

Just as the boss of the Spirit Emporium was overwhelmed with indignation, the young man before him swiftly stored all of the flying artifacts in his storage ring and turned around to leave.

"You... Hold it right there!"

Knowing that everything would be over if he allowed the young man to leave, the head of the Spirit Emporium roared furiously. The aura of a Saint surged from his body, ready to unleash a fatal strike on the young man before him at any moment.

Zhang Xuan turned around and faced the boss fearlessly.

"Why? Are you going to resort to violence now? You should know the consequences of snatching a master teacher's possession!"

If the Master Teacher Pavilion were to learn that the boss of the Spirit Emporium had stolen a master teacher's possession before so many people, he would be severely dealt with.

Even if he was a Saint, he could potentially stand to have his cultivation crippled or even face death!

"I..." A savage expression surfaced on the boss of the Spirit Emporium. "I won't snatch the artifacts through violence, but unless you hand them over, don't even dream about stepping out of this building! Men!"

Huala!

The patrol squads swiftly rushed forward and block all of the exits. Wielding a weapon each in their hands, they glared at Zhang Xuan ferociously, as if they would tear him apart if he dared approach them.

On the other hand, the crowd in the area who were dragged into this matter turned pale in fright, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

If they had known this would happen, they would never have stayed on to watch the commotion. Now, they were doomed...

"To think that the boss of the Spirit Emporium would be so underhanded as to bully a junior..."

Despite the impending battle that was about to fall upon him, Zhang Xuan didn't seem panicked in the least. Instead, he sighed deeply. "To tell you the truth, I was still contemplating whether I should give you a chance and leave some of the artifacts behind. However, since you are so shameless, don't blame me for getting nasty then!"

Disappointment was reflected in Zhang Xuan's eyes. Shaking his head, he walked calmly over to the shelves, opened the casing, and tapped on the metal hammer within it twice.

"This is mine!"

Following which, he walked over to another artifact and tapped on it as well. "This is mine too!"

"Mine as well..."

"Still mine..."

"All mine..."

Soon, he tapped the eight remaining items in the room.

The boss of the Spirit Emporium was still wondering what that fellow was up to when all of the artifacts suddenly hummed excitedly, acknowledging Zhang Xuan as their master. Every single one of them flew into the air and floated right by the young man's side.

"The heck..." The boss was on the verge of insanity.

That fellow was not planning to take away most of the Spirit Emporium's asset; he was planning on taking away all of its assets!

If the other party was allowed to do as he pleased, everything in the Spirit Emporium would be his in less than five minutes!

Screw him!

"Stop him!" the boss bellowed.

Hong long!

Hearing the boss's command, the guards rushed at Zhang Xuan to stop him, but the next instant, countless artifacts abruptly appeared and struck them.

The artifacts were protecting their master!

If those guards wanted to get to Zhang Xuan, they would have to get past the artifacts first.

Even though the offensive capabilities of the artifacts weren't too strong as there was no one driving them, they still managed to stall the guards. These artifacts were the possessions of the Spirit Emporium, so they didn't dare to strike too hard for fear of damaging any of them.

"Boss..." the head of the guards called out.

"All of you, scram!" Reaching the limits of his tolerance, the boss roared.

The power of a Saint burst from his body, and under the suppression of the violent aura, the floating artifacts fell to the ground powerless with a jolt.

Clang clang clang clang clang!

"What are you doing? You know that you have to pay for damaging my artifacts, right?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Pay? Pay your head!"

Bursting with fury, the boss could maintain his composure no longer and began hurling curses.

All of those items were my precious artifacts, but you used some kind of sorcery to make them submit to you... You were the one who stole my treasures, and you still want me to pay you? How can there be such a shameless person in the world?

"Today, you need not try to leave!"

The more he thought about it, the more furious he felt. Thus, he stomped his feet.

Hong long!

The Spirit Emporium began to tremor, and all of the doors slammed shut. Two towering walls rose from the ground, covering all of the shelves where the artifacts were supposed to be placed.

"It's a mechanism!"

"I have long heard that the boss of the Spirit Emporium paid a heavy price in order to build this building, inviting forty students of the Celestial Designer School to work day and night for half a year to rush this out... I thought that those were just rumors, but it was actually true!"

"Now that the Spirit Emporium has been locked down, how are we supposed to leave?"

"I have no idea either... Let's just hope that we won't be implicated in this matter!"

"I doubt so... That young man is a master teacher, so if the boss were to kill him, we would be eyewitnesses to the deed..."

...

Seeing the boss fly into a rage and activate the mechanism of the Spirit Emporium to shut all of the exits, preventing anyone from entering or leaving, the crowd that was trapped inside stared at one another with faces pale with fright.

If the boss were to really kill that master teacher, they, as eyewitnesses, surely wouldn't fare any better either!

After all, if the matter were to be leaked to the Master Teacher Pavilion, the boss would be pursued by them to the ends of the world.

Standing beside Zhang Xuan, Sun Qiang's face paled as well.

The young master's cultivation was only at the Cosmos Bridge realm, but the enemy he was facing was a Saint... This time, they were really in deep trouble...

Zhang Xuan had never told anyone about the Otherworldly Demon puppets or Vicious, so Sun Qiang was unaware of their existence as well.

"So, are you intending on killing a master teacher?" Seeing the other party activating the lockdown function of the Spirit Emporium, Zhang Xuan turned to the boss and frowned.

Gritting his teeth in rage, the boss sneered.

"Kill a master teacher? How could I dare to do so? However, if you don't hand over my possessions this instant, I fear that I might not be able to hold myself back!"

"Your possessions? These artifacts addressed me as their master and protected me, are your eyes too blind to see that? On the contrary, my possessions have brought your store prestige and class, so the least you can do is pay me the rental fee, right?" Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

The boss staggered upon hearing those words.

He felt as if he might just die of anger if he were to continue speaking if that fellow.

Pay you the rental fee? You stole my possessions, and you still want me to pay you? Do you take me for a fool?

Hong long long!

An immense accumulation of zhenqi gathered in the boss's palm, as if of the materialization of his rage.

"I will give you one last warning. Return those items to me, and I can consider sparing you. I won't say this again," he threatened menacingly.

Were it not for his fear of School Head Mo and School Head Zhao, he would have long made a move.

Even so, his overwhelming rage was threatening to remove all reason from him, compelling him to make a move.

Seeing the mass of zhenqi in the other party's hands threatening to rip him to pieces any moment now, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Warning? I have seen plenty of bandits in my life, but I have never seen one who steals as brazenly as you do. You are truly incredible! Since that is the case, allow me to let you in on a secret then!"

He abruptly leaped several dozen meters forward and stepped heavily on the ground before leaping in another direction.

He continued another seven times before returning back to his original position.

"A secret? What are you up to?" Seeing that the fellow was up to something once more, the boss glared at him warily.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan smiled brightly and said, "The fact is... this Spirit Emporium is mine as well!"

Kacha! Kacha!

A series of mechanisms abruptly spun into action, and the entire Spirit Emporium began to shake in euphoria.

"What? The Spirit Emporium... has acknowledged him as its master as well?"

The boss felt as if the entire world had gone mad.

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Chapter 757: Taming the Boss

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Spirit Euphoria? The Spirit Emporium has acknowledged him as its master?"

"What in the world happened?"

"How did that fellow do it?"

...

The crowd trapped in the room were shocked speechless.

At this moment, they finally realized the queerness of the young man before them. With just a few pats here and there, all of the artifacts acknowledged him as their master. With just a few steps, even the Spirit Emporium submitted to him...

Was there anything in the world he couldn't tame?

It was no wonder the boss of the Spirit Emporium was so furious! If they were to see their own possessions being claimed by others in such a manner, they would have gone on a rampage as well!

"Young Master..." Sun Qiang's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

He'd thought that when the young master said that he would cause trouble, he would only force the other party to compensate for the assault. But from the looks of it, that wasn't just it.

He was planning to overturn the other party's entirety!

This was too vicious!

Even though the old master was also rather extreme as well, he would at least hold back considering his position as a master teacher. On the other hand, it was as if the young master was completely out of control!

However... no matter what, the other party was a Saint! He might be able to hold back for a moment in consideration of the young master's standing as a master teacher, but under such relentless provocation, his tolerance would swiftly wear thin...

By then, there would be no one but the old master who could save them.

"I want you dead!"

As if Sun Qiang's worst fears had come to be, the boss of the Spirit Emporium roared furiously, and raising his palm, the formidable might of a Saint realm expert came crashing toward his young master.

"Young Master..."

Alarmed, Sun Qiang was just about to rush up to take the blow for the young master when the latter abruptly raised his palm.

"Barrier!"

With those words, dozens of artifacts flew up and stood in front of Zhang Xuan, protecting him from the blow. At the same time, the ground rumbled as the whirring of mechanisms echoed in the air. Several towering walls rose from the ground, sealing both Zhang Xuan and the boss within it.

"Young Master..."

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was locked together with a rampaging Saint realm expert in a narrow space, Sun Qiang immediately rushed forward anxiously. To his shock, however, he realized that the walls blocking him were made of an incredibly resilient material which he couldn't break with his current strength.

"How could I have allowed this happen? If a mishap befalls the young master, how can I ever face the old master?" Sun Qiang cried as he punched the walls desperately.

Before meeting the old master, he had been nothing more than a humble merchant, destined to spend his entire life in a daze in Tianxuan Kingdom, never venturing out to see the wider world beyond.

It was the old master who brought him out from the well he was in, granting his great responsibility despite his humble birth, and helped to raise his cultivation...

The old master had entrusted the young master to his care. If something were to happen to the young master, he would be a sinner!

"Young Master, nothing can happen to you..."

With a trembling body, Sun Qiang fumbled around the wall, attempting to find any point of weaknesses on the wall which he could exploit. However, the wall was built of materials far beyond his current strength. No matter how hard he tried, he was powerless before it.

Peng peng peng peng!

At that moment, the sound of fists and legs sinking into flesh echoed from within the walls.

"The young master is getting beaten up..." Those sounds sent Sun Qiang into utter panic.

His eyes reddened in anxiety, and his heart pounded in apprehension.

"No, I must save the young master, even at the cost of my life..."

He didn't know what else he could at the moment, so he could only try ramming at the wall with his body. However, at that moment, a scream of agony sounded.

"AHHHH! Stop hitting me!

"I admit that I'm at fault; I beg you to let me off!"

Hearing that voice, the fidgety Sun Qiang suddenly froze on the spot.

That voice didn't come from the young master but... the boss of the Spirit Emporium!

The boss was begging for mercy?

Could it be that... the young master was pummeling the Saint realm boss within the walls?

Flabbergasted, Sun Qiang stared at the walls before him with his mouth agape.

...

Returning back to the time when the boss of the Spirit Emporium made a move on Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan knew that even with the artifacts protecting him, he wouldn't last long against the boss. Thus, he immediately activated the mechanism of the Spirit Emporium and summoned the walls beneath the ground to seclude themselves from the world outside.

This way, he would be able to do anything he wished without worrying about prying eyes.

Hu hu hu!

As soon as those walls were in place, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and whipped out a book and twenty Otherworldly Demon puppets.

"Get him!" Zhang Xuan ordered.

With the experience from pummeling the Byzantium Helios Beast, those puppets rushed at the boss and began beating him viciously from head to toe.

All along, the boss had thought that he was only dealing with a Cosmos Bridge realm lad, so there was nothing for him to worry about. Who would have thought the other party would suddenly summon so many Saint realm experts?

Before he could even process what was going on, heavy blows were raining down him, leaving him with heavy bruises and swelling everywhere.

After enduring the heavy beatings for a few moments, he finally found an opening for him to escape. But just as he was about to move, an overwhelming killing intent crushed down on him, rendering him immobile. As such, he could only continue to suffer the beating.

His current cultivation was only at Saint realm primary stage, a far way off from matching up to the Byzantium Helios Beast. Given how even the latter was done in, how could he possibly withstand the onslaught of the Otherworldly Demon puppets? In just a few moments, he was already utterly subdued.

While the Spirit Emporium was important, how could it compare to his life?

Considering that the other party could retain his composure before his wrath, it was likely that he wasn't some kind soul either. If he didn't beg for mercy, chances were that the other party might just watch nonchalantly as he was beaten to death.

Left with no choice, he could only plead for his life.

"You want me to spare you? Offer your soul to me and acknowledge me as your master!" Zhang Xuan replied indifferently to his pleading.

Zhang Xuan did consider whether he should just kill the boss of the Spirit Emporium, but the death of a Saint would likely result in a huge storm in the city. That could mean a great deal of trouble for him. However, he couldn't simply let the other party off either, especially after all that had happened. Thus, after some contemplation, he'd decided to force the other party into submission instead.

As long as he could hold the other party's soul captive, he wouldn't need to worry about the other party divulging his secret. At the same time, he would gain a Saint realm lackey as well, which would give him more room to deal with matters without resorting to the Otherworldly Demon puppets.

The Otherworldly Demon puppets were his trump card, but they were a double-edged sword as well.

Anything related to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was sensitive, and he might be branded as a traitor of humanity if he were to be spotted with the puppets. Thus, it would be best for him to limit his usage of them.

"You want me to offer my soul to you?" The boss was taken aback.

In a sense, this was similar to the contract between a beast tamer and their tamed beast.

However, establishing a contract between humans wasn't as simple a procedure. One had to have a profound understanding of souls in order to do so. Of all the occupations, the only one known to be capable of such a feat was the soul oracle.

If that fellow was asking this of him, did it mean that he was a soul oracle?

But hadn't that occupation gone extinct yet?

Seeing the hesitation in the boss's eyes, Zhang Xuan impatiently commanded, "Continue beating him, do not stop until he's dead..."

"Wait a moment!" The boss of the Spirit Emporium waved his hands in a fluster as the puppets in the area marched ferociously toward him once more.

As long as he could continue living, he wouldn't hesitate to acknowledge another man as his master.

He had once committed banditry, and ironically, the experience ended up teaching him how valuable life was. Before it, dignity and pride were mere transient qualities.

"I'll... acknowledge you as my master!" the boss said, knowing that it was either this or death.

He severed a portion of his soul, and a powerful force abruptly pulled it into the glabella of the young man before him.

As a Saint realm expert, he had already gained a certain degree of control over his soul, allowing him to sever a portion of it easily.

"Formidable..." As soon as that fragment of his soul seeped into the other party's glabella, he saw an immense soul reminiscent of a giant towering before it.

The boss's face paled in fright.

He was a Saint realm expert, but the other party's soul was innumerable times larger and stronger than his.

In terms of the strength of their souls, he was no match for the young man before him at all. It was as if pitting an undeveloped child against a behemoth!

Could it be that... he is really a soul oracle? But even soul oracles wouldn't have such a powerful soul...

The boss's body trembled in astonishment.

Even though he had never met a soul oracle before, he had once read a few records on them. While soul oracles did specialize in soul cultivation, it wasn't to such an exaggerated extent. The soul he was seeing before him shattered what he had thought to be possible for a soul... Just how in the world did the other party cultivate his soul?

And where did this freak come from?

Hu!

While the boss was immersed in his shock, the fragment of his soul was fused into the other party's soul. With this, as long as the young man before him willed it, he would die instantaneously. Not daring to show the slightest disrespect for the young man, he hurriedly clasped his fist and bowed respectfully. "Master!"

"Good, call me Young Master!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

After the affair with Mo Hunsheng, Zhang Xuan had some experience with establishing a contract with other humans, so it went much smoother this time.

"Yes, Young Master!" the boss replied politely.

Knowing that the other party was no longer able to stand against him, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He returned Vicious and the other Otherworldly Demon puppets into his ring before turning to the boss and asking, "What is your name?"

Since the other party was his subordinate now, he should at least know the other party's name. After all, he couldn't possibly keep addressing the other party as 'boss'!

"I am Wei Changfeng 1 !" the boss replied.

"Braving through the wind and waves... You have a good name. Alright, I'll call you Little Feng 2 then!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Yes!" Wei Changfeng nodded hurriedly.

"Keep everything that has happened in here a secret. Not a soul is to learn of it!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Don't worry, Young Master. I won't speak a word of it to anyone!" Wei Changfeng replied.

For a Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator to command twenty Saint realm puppets... No one would believe his words even if he were to divulge it!

After ensuring that the other party wouldn't divulge the matter, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Following which, he asked, "Do you know why I came to your Spirit Emporium to cause trouble?"

"Forgive me for my ignorance, but I am unaware of the reason!" Wei Changfeng replied with a sliver of doubt in his tone.

"The reason is simple, your Spirit Emporium, out of greed, attempted to lay its hands on my students and butler. These men are your subordinates, right?"

With a casual grasp, the roof of the Spirit Emporium opened up, and the Great Violetwing Beast flew in and tossed four semi-dead fellows in.

Upon seeing the faces of the four men, Wei Changfeng's face twitched as he replied, "Yes!"

"I'll leave it to you to deal with them!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

"Also, I want you to clear whatever work you have the Spirit Emporium as soon as possible and come work for me. Don't worry, as long as you do well, I will guide you in your cultivation and bring you to greater heights!"

"Yes!" Wei Changfeng nodded in response.

As a servant, he could only take whatever his master said at face value. He didn't have the right to refuse the other party.

In truth, he didn't really believe that Zhang Xuan would be able to raise his cultivation.

After all, as a Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator, how could the other party have the knowledge and experience to guide him, a Saint realm cultivator, in his cultivation? That was a huge joke!

"You don't believe me?" Seeing through Wei Changfeng's thoughts, Zhang Xuan smiled.

"I dare not to!" Wei Changfeng swiftly replied.

"If I am not mistaken, the reason you started the Spirit Emporium and stole the artifacts of others is all to save a person, right?" Zhang Xuan asked impassively.

"H-how did you know?"

Wei Changfeng's eyes widened in astonishment.

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Chapter 758: Returning to the Academy

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

When Wei Changfeng had executed a battle technique against him, Zhang Xuan had already compiled a book on him via the Library of Heaven's Path.

Initially, he harbored great disdain for the other party for the vile deeds he had done, but after learning of the reason behind his actions, he couldn't help but feel a little pity for him.

It wasn't that Wei Changfeng was a person with insatiable greed, but that he needed those to save a life.

"Regardless of how I know, I can tell you this. As long as you serve me well, I will help you save her. Even if it is beyond my means, I will do my best to find someone who possesses the ability to do so!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Y-you..." Wei Changfeng's body trembled.

The other party was right. The reason he had opened the Spirit Emporium and gathered all kinds of artifacts in it despite risking making a lot of enemies was all so to treat his severely ill daughter.

His daughter's vitals had been wounded when she was still a fetus, resulting in her innate frailty from birth. He had sought many famous physicians, but there were none who could offer him a solution. In the end, it was a 6-star pinnacle physician who had given him a prescription and told him that he could lengthen the lifespan of his daughter by feeding her the spirit contained within artifacts.

It was through this matter that his daughter had lasted the past few years.

However, this only alleviated her condition temporary, and its effectiveness was wearing thin. If a cure couldn't be found soon, she wouldn't have long to live.

However, this issue was only known amongst the Saints in Hongyuan City. How did he learn of it?

"If the young master can really save my daughter, I will do anything to repay the favor, even if it means braving through hell!" Recalling the various incredible means of the young man before him, Wei Changfeng couldn't help but have his hopes lifted. He immediately kneeled to the floor and bowed.

"I don't need you to brave through hell for me. As long as you serve me well, you will be well rewarded!" Zhang Xuan said as he took out a wine gourd and passed it over. "Drink it!"

"Yes!" Even though Wei Changfeng was surprised by the abrupt gesture, he didn't dare to disobey the other party's words. Thus, he pried open the lid and gulped down the wine.

Gugugugu!

As the fine wine entered his body, he immediately felt a warm surge of energy flowing through his veins. At a pace visible to the eye, the injuries he had sustained from the puppets healed, and before long, he had already made a full recovery.

"This is... Saint recovery medicine?" Wei Changfeng narrowed his eyes.

Despite being a Saint realm expert and the head of the Spirit Emporium, he had never seen a Saint recovery medicine with effects as pronounced as this.

For his wounds to heal immediately after drinking it... Perhaps, the young master might just be able to save his daughter's life!

"Let's clear up this mess first!" Zhang Xuan said.

If he wanted to win the absolute loyalty of his subordinates, he would have to strike a balance between the carrot and stick. After forcing the other party in submission, it was only right to give him some benefits so as to give him some expectations for the future.

Otherwise, even if Zhang Xuan held his soul hostage, if the other party's heart wasn't with him, that would be no different from carrying a ticking time bomb around with him.

"Yes!" Knowing that it was impossible for the young master to save his daughter considering that he had yet to achieve anything for the other party, Wei Changfeng didn't pursue the matter.

Jiya!

The mechanisms rumbled, the wall isolating the duo slowly vanished, and Sun Qiang and the others came into sight.

"Boss!"

The guards rushed forward anxiously, but upon seeing that Zhang Xuan was still alive and kicking, the guards encircled him and drew their weapons.

"Insolent!" Wei Changfeng leaped in fright upon seeing that sight. "From today onward, he shall be my young master, so you must address him as young master as well. You must treat him with even more respect with me, and anyone who defies this order will be killed. There will be no chances given!"

"Young master?" The guards were taken aback.

Did the boss hit his head somewhere?

The other party had just wreaked havoc in his territory, and he was ordering them to address the culprit as 'young master'?

But despite their bewilderment, they knew that the boss wasn't kidding given the grim expression on his face. Thus, they lowered their heads and clasped their fists. "Paying respect to the young master!"

"This..."

The cultivators watching the spectacle from the side were stunned speechless.

They'd thought that it was incredible of that young man to make all of those artifacts and even the Spirit Emporium acknowledge him as their master... But to think that he would even tame the Saint realm boss of the Spirit Emporium!

Could there be anything more exaggerated than this?

"Young Master..." Sun Qiang's lips twitched.

He was still worried that some mishap would befall on the young master... But from the looks of it now, his worries were unfounded.

To tame a Saint realm cultivator despite being at Cosmos Bridge realm, the young master was just a step away from shattering the atmosphere!

"As expected of the old master's student, he does have the old master's flair in him!" Sun Qiang remarked in awe.

After organizing the guards, Wei Changfeng turned to the crowd and clasped his fist.

"Everyone, I ask of you not to speak a word of what happened here today outside. You will have my gratitude for that."

Even though these men hadn't seen the battle for themselves, it did seem that the young master intended to keep a low profile, so it would be ideal for him to limit any rumors as far as he could.

In any case, the young master hadn't revealed his name at any point, so these men would be unlikely to point him out anyway.

"Don't worry, Boss. Our lips are sealed!"

"Confidentiality has always been my strong suit..."

The cultivators hurriedly nodded.

Considering that a master teacher and the boss of the Spirit Emporium were involved in this conflict, they would not dare gossip about it for fear of losing their heads.

And more importantly... even if they were to talk about the affairs that had happened today, others would simply take them as lunatics!

After all, they wouldn't have believed such a thing to be possible either if they hadn't witnessed it themselves.

Hearing the voices of agreement, Wei Changfeng turned to the attendants and instructed, "Men, give these guests a gift package each as compensation for the trauma they have suffered from this incident!"

To be able to build a business empire from scratch and sustain it for so many years in Hongyuan Empire wasn't an easy feat. Wei Changfeng was also quite a capable person himself.

With a suitable use of threat and reward, those men should understand that it wouldn't be to their advantage to talk.

"Good!" Seeing how Xiao Feng dealt with the incident promptly, Zhang Xuan nodded in commendation.

In truth, the Spirit Emporium didn't have as many fakes as he'd claimed. Most of it was due to his framing.

Even though the appraiser did exaggerate about the grade-6 pill, it wasn't so extreme that it could be considered poison. In truth, the so-called poison was a surge of zhenqi which he slipped into the pill while holding the jade box.

After learning the Heaven's Path Poison Art, he could turn his Heaven's Path zhenqi into lethal poison on a whim.

With that, poisoning a Sample Pill Beast to death was not a difficult feat at all.

If someone had realized what was going on and waited for a moment longer with the pill, the zhenqi he had hidden inside would have dissipated and lost its effect.

As for the Bronze Gong, as a soul oracle, it was exceedingly easy for him to nullify its soul attack.

Most of the subsequent fakes that he had pointed out were also tampered by him one way in another. He had identified their flaws via the Library of Heaven's Path and framed his cases accordingly. As easy as that, everything in the room had soon turned into a fake.

As for the acknowledgement by the artifacts, just as Sun Qiang had thought, Zhang Xuan had already made them submit to him while introducing the various 'fakes' to the crowd. If the other party had chosen to compensate him, he would have left without doing anything. Otherwise, he'd planned to tear apart the other party's nest with their own artifacts.

"Let's return!"

Since Wei Changfeng had sent his men after Sun Qiang, it was natural that he would know where their residence was. With his soul shackled, he would surely come to them after finishing up whatever he had to do at the Spirit Emporium.

With his goal achieved, there was no need for Zhang Xuan to remain in the Spirit Emporium any longer. Thus, he and Sun Qiang leaped onto the back of the Great Violetwing Beast and soared into the sky, disappearing from everyone's sight.

Back at the residence...

"Young master, these are the high-tier spirit stones that the boss of the Spirit Emporium gave us earlier on!"

Sun Qiang passed over the ten high-tier spirit stones which he had taken from Wei Changfeng earlier on.

"Alright!"

Grabbing hold of them, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. After which, he instructed, "You need not worry about money any longer. Go ahead and find a larger residence for us."

With the boss of the Spirit Emporium as his subordinate, money was no longer an issue to them. Naturally, it was about time for them to find a more fitting residence. Honestly speaking, this place was a little too small for his liking. There wasn't even enough space for him to interrogate the Byzantium Helios Beast.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded.

"For the time being, you all won't require high-tier spirit stones for your cultivation. Here are some artifacts and pills, deal with them as you deem fit. If it is of any use to your cultivation, go ahead and use it!"

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out the various items which he had taken from the Spirit Emporium earlier.

Sun Qiang stored the items in his storage ring and nodded.

With these items, Zheng Yang and the others would be able to advance their cultivation by leaps and bounds.

Sun Qiang suddenly recalled a matter and reported, "Young Master, when I was out earlier today, I saw a residence that fits our criteria. Not only is it in close proximity to the Master Teacher Academy, it also has all of the amenities we require. However... it seemed like someone has just purchased it!"

"It can't be helped if someone has already taken it. Hongyuan City is very big; it shouldn't be too difficult for us to find another larger residence,' Zhang Xuan replied.

Since the residence was only purchased recently, it was unlikely that the owner would be willing to sell it for the time being. Since that was the case, they might have better luck searching for another residence in the city. Besides, they weren't in a rush either.

"Alright. I will be in the Master Teacher Academy the next few days. If there is anything urgent, contact me through the Great Violetwing Beast. If that fails, go ahead and liaise with Xiao Feng!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

After Zhang Xuan was done with the arrangements, he leaped onto the back of the Great Violetwing Beast and flew for the academy.

With this matter resolved, it was about time for him to head to the Terpsichore School and Demonic Tunist School to browse through their books.

He had to deal with the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul as soon as possible so as to avoid any unexpected circumstances.

Zhang Xuan had the Great Violetwing Beast land at the Elite Sector before sending it back to Sun Qiang's side. Just as he was about to ask around where the Demonic Tunist School and Terpsichore School were, he suddenly heard knocking on his door.

Opening his door, he saw Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Xuan, Song Chao, and a few others standing at the doorway.

After the entrance examination, they had been settled into their dormitories by Bai shi and the other seniors. Upon hearing that Zhang shi had taken up a residence in the Elite Sector, they came over to pay their greetings.

After trading a few pleasantries, Ruohuan gongzi dived into the main topic at hand and asked, "Brother Zhang, there is an event for students to find their teachers today. Are you going to participate in it?"

"I will pass." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had no intentions of finding a teacher. With the Library of Heaven's Path, all he needed was an ample number of books.

"Actually, the reason we came to look for you today is to seek Brother Zhang opinion on which teacher we should acknowledge in the academy!" Ruohuan gongzi said sheepishly.

In terms of age, he and Luo Xuan could be considered as Zhang Xuan's senior. However, in the Master Teacher Continent, seniority was determined by one's capability. In a sense, addressing Zhang Xuan as a fellow peer could be considered as a sign of respect to him.

"This... I am not too familiar with the teachers of the academy." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

How could he know which teacher would be the best in the academy? He wasn't going to seek a teacher in the first place!

"You aren't familiar with the teachers of the academy? How can that be! We have already heard the rumors, and it seemed like you even rejected School Head Mo's offer to become his direct disciple..." Luo Xuan exclaimed in disbelief.

Zhang shi had performed outstandingly in the entrance examination, winning over School Head Mo's admiration. As such, the latter had offered to take the other in as his direct disciple, only to be flatly rejected.

This matter had already spread like wildfire across the entire academy.

Since you rejected even School Head Mo's offer, doesn't that mean that you have a better candidate in mind?

"I haven't thought that far yet. Speaking of which, since you are here, does it mean that you already have a person in mind? Why don't you tell me? I will help you ask around!" Zhang Xuan smiled.

Since they were asking for his opinion, they must have already taken a look around and had a candidate in mind, just that they were still feeling a little uncertain about their choices.

Most freshmen lacked connections with the seniors to enquire about the various teachers in the academy. However, Zhang Xuan was acquainted with Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er, as well as several school heads in the academy.

If those didn't work, he could also ask the students in the Elite Sector; surely at least one of them would be willing to share some insights.

Even though it had only been two days since Zhang Xuan had cleared the entrance examination, he had already forged several connections which allowed him to maneuver around the academy easily.

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Chapter 759: Ashen Moon Faction

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The teachers of the ten schools will be conducting a public lecture each on the 'Impartation Podium' later today. We hope that Brother Zhang can attend it with us. Your eyes are far more discerning than ours, so we trust your judgement more," Ruohuan gongzi said awkwardly.

After suffering multiple blows while competing with the man before him, he knew better than anyone else that the other party was a man of incredible capability.

If the other party could help him find a teacher, it would definitely be far better than him fumbling around and trying his luck.

There were only three days for students to find a teacher. Their future was at stake here. They could soar to great heights with a good teacher, but if they were to make a mistake with this, they could potentially end up capping their future accomplishments instead.

Eventually, they'd decided that it would be best for them to consult Zhang Xuan on this matter. They had all come from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, so they were familiar with one another.

Even when compared to Hong shi and the others, Zhang shi's judgement was still far more precise and accurate.

"Impartation Podium? Public lecture?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Too overwhelmed by challenging the blacksmith examination, he hadn't had the time to learn what was going on in the academy yet.

The Impartation Podium stood at the very center of the academy, and it was usually the venue for most major events. At the same time, it also served as a dueling platform for students to resolve their differences.

As for public lectures, he had heard of them back when he was still a teacher in Hongtian Academy.

To put it simply, it was a lesson which anyone could attend if they wanted.

The public lectures served as a platform for students to assess a teacher's capability so that they could better choose their teachers.

At the same time, it also introduced a fair degree of rivalry among the teaching staff, encouraging them to work harder and strive for excellence in their teaching.

"Yes, does Zhang shi want to head over as well?" Everyone turned to look at Zhang Xuan.

Seeing the determined expressions on their faces, it was clear that they wouldn't give up easily on this matter. After all, it was extremely easy for one to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of master teachers conducting public lectures there.

This choice could potentially determine how far they would rise as a master teacher, so they weren't willing to take it lightly.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Alright, I will go with you all then. This will be a good opportunity to see the standard of the teachers in the academy..."

Since most of the teachers were participating in this event, it was unlikely that there would be any people at the Terpsichore School or Demonic Tunist School, making it difficult for him to find the books he sought. Thus, he might as well make use of the time to take a peek at the quality of lessons in Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy so that he could have a rough gauge of where he stood.

With Zhang Xuan having made up his mind, the group headed left for the Impartation Podium. It was some distance away from the Elite Sector, but with their current cultivation, it didn't take too long for them to arrive at their destination.

There was only one word that could be used to describe the venue—congested.

All thirty thousand freshmen were currently standing atop the Impartation Podium, in search of a suitable teacher for them. There were also a couple of seniors who had decided to join in the bustle as well. Despite the immense size of the podium, it was completely packed with men. One would have easily gotten lost if it had been their first time here.

Ruohuan gongzi had looked into the event beforehand, so he began introducing the various technicalities regarding it.

"In order to better facilitate the freshmen around the various public lectures held by the teachers, they have divided the Impartation Podium in a manner such that there's a narrow passageway for movement, and as long as one walks along the passageway, they will be able to listen to the lectures held by all of the teachers."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan glanced at the crowd ahead of him, and indeed, he could see that most people were heading in the same direction, which was likely where the passageway Ruohuan gongzi mentioned was.

Standing on elevated platforms on both sides of the passageway were teachers who were busy lecturing the crowd gathered around them. Being too far away, the group wasn't able to hear the content of the lectures. Nevertheless, they could see the intoxicated looks of the students listening to the lectures, seemingly fully-immersed in the lecturers' words.

Nearly all of the teachers in the Master Teacher Academy were 6-star master teachers, and at such a level, how could their ability to impart knowledge possibly be lacking? No matter how boring their lessons might be, their deep understanding of cultivation easily made up for it. Their words carried a kind of strength that drew people in, leaving the listeners deeply entranced by the brand-new world opened to them.

"Juniors, may I interest you in the 'Teacher Information Documentation'?"

Just as the group was about to follow the crowd into the passageway, a smiling young man suddenly walked up to them and blocked their way.

The young man seemed to be in his thirties, possessing a lanky figure reminiscent of a bamboo. A 5-star emblem stood on his chest, which showed that he was at least a Grade-2 student in the academy.

"Teacher Information Documentation?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The young man glanced in the surroundings, and after ensuring that no one was looking, he whipped out a book and passed it over while whispering in a hushed voice, "Yes. Our Ashen Moon Faction has specially compiled all of the information regarding the teachers in the academy, as well as their various unique characteristics, interests, and the results of their students. Using this as a reference as you listen to the various public lectures, you will be able to make a better choice..."

"There is such a thing?"

Bewildered, Zhang Xuan took the book, and just as he was about to flip it open, the young man before abruptly stopped him.

"Every single one of us in the Master Teacher Academy possesses a photographic memory. If I allow you to browse through the book, how am I supposed to sell it? If you wish to look at it, you will have to buy it..."

Anyone with a Soul Depth beyond 10 would possess a photographic memory. Considering that the minimum requirement to enter the academy was for one to be a 4-star master teacher, it meant that every single student had a photographic memory.

The Teacher Information Documentation contained extremely precious information, and the other party was clearly intending on using it to earn some additional money. If he were to allow his customers to browse through it and memorize its contents, who would bother buying the book?

"How much does it cost?" Ruohuan gongzi asked.

Since this document had been prepared by the seniors, it should be accurate. If they could buy a copy, it would help facilitate them in choosing which teacher to acknowledge.

"Our Ashen Moon Faction spent great effort to gather and compile the information, so we have to charge a higher price in order to recoup our losses. Each copy costs a hundred middle-tier spirit stones, and the price isn't up for negotiation!" the young man said.

"A hundred middle-tier spirit stones?" Everyone was shocked.

Coming from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, Ruohuan gongzi had barely seen any middle-tier spirit stones in his life. Luo Xuan, who had come from the strongest sect in the region, fared slightly better in his financial position, but forking out a hundred middle-tier spirit stones was still far beyond his means.

As for Song Chao, he could hardly take out a middle-tier spirit stone under Zhang Xuan's beguilement back then, so asking him to take out a hundred at once was clearly asking too much.

In other words, of all of them, Zhang Xuan was the only one who could afford the document!

The price sure was steep!

Taking the distressed expressions before him into sight, the young man hurriedly said, "You all find the documentation expensive? You do know that there is detailed information on each and every teacher in here, right? Once you find a suitable teacher, it's just a matter of time before you make the breakthrough to become a 5-star master teacher. By then, you won't need to worry about having insufficient middle-tier spirit stones anymore!"

There was a huge gap between each rank of a master teacher. While there were limited opportunities for a 4-star master teacher to earn middle-tier spirit stones, 5-star master teachers didn't have such a worry.

"Thank you for your concern, but we don't need it!" Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

A hundred middle-tier spirit stones for a document... That was daylight robbery!

Besides, Zhang Xuan didn't need such a thing either.

For one, he had just touched the book earlier, and a replica had appeared in his mind... On top of that, his version was more detailed with indications to mark which information was inaccurate.

"You don't need it? How could you not need it? Finding a suitable teacher in the academy is of utmost importance! If you take this lightly, you might just find yourself unable to progress a single step forward as a master teacher, and eventually, you might even end up being expelled by the academy..." Not expecting the freshmen to turn down his offer, the young man froze for a moment before hurriedly trying to persuade them.

Rejecting a teacher that one had acknowledged was an extremely troublesome process that could result in dire consequences, so it was extremely important for the freshmen to choose their teacher wisely.

If they were to make the wrong decision, their future would be bleak.

"We really don't need it. We bought a copy earlier, so we don't need another one!" Zhang Xuan said.

"You have already bought one?"

The young man froze for a moment before a thought struck him, and he said, "Did you buy from the True Helios Faction instead? I can tell you safely that the documentation they have is incomplete and inaccurate, so you will be far safer buying from me..."

"If I may ask, what are the True Helios Faction and Ashen Moon Faction that you speak of?" Zhang Xuan asked in confusion.

"You don't know?"

The young man was shocked for an instant before nodding in realization. "I forgot, you have just arrived in the academy, so it's natural for you to be unaware of it. Our academy has many student organizations, and every single one of them was established by the strongest students in the academy. Our Ashen Moon Faction is led by Senior Long Cangyue while the True Helios Faction is headed by Senior Xue Zhenyang!"

"Long Cangyue? Xue Zhenyang?"

"Un, both of them are esteemed Grade-5 seniors, and they possess formidable strength. As long as you join any organization, you will be given the opportunity to receive pointers from the seniors!" the young man said proudly.

"Receive pointers?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before he understood what was going on.

To become a Grade-5 student, one had to be a 6-star low-tier master teacher.

(Grade-1 students are at 4-star pinnacle and half 5-star; Grade-2 students are at 5-star low-tier, Grade-3 students are at 5-star high-tier; Grade-4 students are at 5-star pinnacle; Grade-5 students are at 6-star low-tier.)

Often, a teacher would be paired with many students, and this left them little time to care for all of them. Thus, it would be highly beneficial if they could receive the pointers of a 6-star low-tier master teacher outside of lessons as well.

"Indeed. The academy is filled with many geniuses, and if you can't keep up, you will only lag behind. This means that you might lose the opportunity to go on experiential training and obtain valuable cultivation resources... If you wish to keep up, the only way before you is to join one of these factions!" the young man said.

Hearing those words, Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Xuan, and the others couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Unlike Zhang shi, they didn't possess extraordinary talent or capability. Unless they received all of the resources they could get, it was impossible for them to stand out amidst all of the geniuses in the Master Teacher Academy.

If they couldn't stand out, they might lose out on many valuable opportunities offered by the academy, thus limiting their future achievements.

Thus, it was inevitable that they would have to join one of these student factions.

"Alright, you will get to know more of it in the future, so there is no need to worry about it at this point. For now, what is important is for you to find a teacher who fits your criteria, and the documentation offered by the True Helios Faction won't be enough for it. I am only saying this out of worry, but you really should buy the one from our Ashen Moon Faction. Not to brag, but our Senior Long Cangyue received a much higher placing than Senior Xue Zhenyang in the Annual Tournament..."

The young man continued to advertise the book in his hand.

"I appreciate your gesture, but we really don't need it..."

If the book only cost one or two middle-tier spirit stone, Zhang Xuan could still consider buying it. But a hundred? That was clearly exploitation! How could he agree to it?

Thus, he decided to turn down the offer.

Seeing that the few freshmen before him were still unwilling to buy the document after all he had said, the young man's face darkened.

"You refuse? That won't do! Since you bought the documentation from True Helios Faction, you must buy the one from our Ashen Moon Faction as well. Otherwise, I can tell you that you will face a lot of trouble in the future for offending us!"

The smile had disappeared from his face, and his tone was menacing.

"Face a lot of trouble? Are you threatening us?" Zhang Xuan asked impassively.

The young man harrumphed.

"Threatening? Of course not, this is just a warning from me in my capacity as your senior. Even though all of the students in the Master Teacher Academy are master teachers, the water here isn't as calm as it seems!"

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Chapter 760: Meeting the White-robed Lady Once More

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Oh? Why is that so?" Zhang Xuan asked with a smile, unfazed by the other party's threat.

"There is a limit to the cultivation resources, training fields, and opportunities that the academy can offer to the students each year. Even slots for working as the receptionists or attendants of the various schools don't come easily! If you offend our Ashen Moon Faction, I can guarantee you that we possess more than sufficient power to ensure that you won't be able to land yourself any missions or tasks year after year, making it impossible for you to earn even a single Academic Credit!" the young man said.

As a powerful student faction in the academy, it wasn't too difficult for them to make the life of a freshman a living hell.

"Unless..."

The young man paused. "Unless you join our Ashen Moon Faction! Only if you join us will we extend our umbrella of protection to you. No other faction will dare to seek trouble with you, and there are also many faction-based missions and tasks that you will be able to participate in to earn Academic Credits. More importantly... if you join now, we can give you a copy of our Teacher Information Documentation for free, sparing you from the additional expense!"

"There are so many benefits from joining the Ashen Moon Faction? But there is no such thing as a free lunch in the world... What will we have to give in return?" Ruohuan gongzi asked.

Since the faction was willing to offer its members so many benefits, surely it had to receive something in return. Otherwise, who would be so kind-hearted as to open a charity in the competitive academy?

"Simple. Once you become a member, you must obey the leadership of the Ashen Moon Sect. On top of that, you must pay an Academic Credit to the faction each year and help manage the businesses of the faction," the young man replied.

"Pay an Academic Credit to the faction? Help manage the businesses of the faction?" Everyone fell into deep thought.

As they had expected, such a sweet deal couldn't possibly be without its shortcomings.

Putting aside how they didn't have a single Academic Credit with them at the moment, even if they did, there was no Academic Credit that came easily. One Academic Credit each year was definitely a huge sum for them as Grade-1 students.

At the same time, they couldn't help but be shocked by how lucrative factions were. If the faction were to have a hundred men, wouldn't that mean that they would receive a hundred Academic Credits annually?

It was no wonder the Grade-5 seniors would devote their time to establishing student factions and offering pointers to the members of their factions! With such benefits, they would do it if they were in the other party's position as well!

As for the businesses, their primary function was probably to finance the expenses of the faction. After all, be it to build connections, conduct activities, or to reward the contributions of its members, they would surely need a source of income for its operations.

As master teachers, the students all had supporting occupations, so they could contribute to the finances of the faction through offering pills they had forged or weapons they had smithed.

For one, the young man before them who was marketing the Teacher Information Documentation to them would probably have to hand the profits earned over to the faction eventually.

The young man harrumphed.

"That's right. You only have two options now. You can either buy the document or join our faction, or else you can look forward to endless trouble in the academy!"

"Zhang shi..." Ruohuan gongzi, Song Chao, and the others quickly turned their sights over to Zhang Xuan.

The latter had already become their pillar of support, so in times of difficulty, they couldn't help but subconsciously look toward him for help.

"My apologies, but we will be taking neither of the options!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He wasn't interested in the book nor the benefits the faction had to offer.

No matter how powerful the student factions were, could they be any greater than becoming the junior of one of the Ten Great Master Teachers? Since he'd already turned down the latter, how could he possibly be, in the least, interested in the former?

"You have guts! You'd better pray that you manage to find a strong backer in this event, or else be prepared to be put through living hell in the academy!" Seeing that the group before him rejecting his offer, the young man glared at them ferociously before flinging his sleeves and leaving.

"Zhang shi, what should we do if they really come knocking on our doors?" Song Chao and the others asked worriedly.

They didn't have Zhang Xuan's capability or backing, so unlike him, they couldn't afford to offend a powerful organization in the academy.

Zhang Xuan waved his hands. "We are in the Master Teacher Academy, so they dare not go too far. If they really try to pull something, I will look for School Head Mo and School Head Zhao to intervene in the matter, so you don't have to worry. For the time being, let us focus on finding a teacher for you first."

Since they were master teachers, even if they wished to provoke another student, they would have to play within the rules... And in a game of rules, Zhang Xuan was confident that he could leave them on the verge of a breakdown.

Putting aside a mere student faction, even all of the Ten Great Master Teachers might not be a match for him in that regard!

Hearing Zhang Xuan's promise, the others felt a little reassured.

"Alright, we will be depending on you then..."

As the group made their way to the passageway, they encountered a few other factions such as the Descending Lunar Faction and Demon Assembly Faction. They attempted to persuade them to either join their faction or purchase their intelligence as well.

Zhang Xuan casually took hold of their documents, and after noting that they were all around the same as the one offered by the Ashen Moon Faction, he turned them down politely.

Seeing the freshmen refusing all of their offers and rushing straight to the public lecture, the seniors in charge of selling the documents and promoting their factions shot them looks of sympathy.

If one wanted to soar in the academy, there were two conventions they would have to go through. One, they had to find themselves a suitable teacher. Two, they had to join a faction. Otherwise, if they were to go independent, they would be vulnerable to any trouble, and every single step they took would be fraught with difficulties. Academic Credits would fall beyond their reach, causing their progress to stagnate.

Not bothered by those arrogant seniors, Zhang Xuan led the group straight toward the passageway.

A long queue had formed at the entrance of the passageway.

On the very first stage, a forty-year-old teacher was currently in the midst of his lecture. Despite the loud bustle in the surroundings, the crowd beneath could still hear his voice resounding by their ears clearly, as if he was speaking to them personally.

"The core of cultivation lies in the heart. In the Consonant Spirit realm, one seeks to achieve a harmony between the body and soul, and in order to temper one's soul, one has to temper one's heart first..."

According to a plaque hanging on the stage, he was a 6-star high-tier master teacher from the Apothecary School named Li Yuan, and the content of his lecture was regarding cultivation in the Consonant Spirit realm.

After listening to it for a short moment, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Even though the middle-aged teacher's lecture was still miles away from matching up to him and there were several mistakes in his understanding, Zhang Xuan still had to admit that the content he delivered was novel. If it was anyone else who was listening to this lecture, he might just receive a stroke of inspiration and advance even further in the Consonant Spirit realm.

However, it was useless to Zhang Xuan.

"This Li shi from the Apothecary School is very detailed in his explanations, and he is very generous as well. If you were to become his student, you should be able to get a huge discount off his pills, sparing you a lot of money..." With a hushed voice, Zhang Xuan swiftly introduced the profile of the middle-aged teacher on the stage.

They had participated in the Master Teacher Tournament alongside Zhang Xuan, and they knew that he possessed the ability to view the content of a book without even flipping its pages. Thus, they weren't too surprised by his revelation, and they took a mental note of his words.

Students were given three days to select their teacher after this event, so there was no hurry. Most students would use this time to sort out their choices before making their decision.

"Let's continue on!" After gaining a clear assessment of the unique traits and capability of the middle-aged teacher, Zhang Xuan gestured for the group to proceed on.

The next teacher in the line was from the Physician School. His lecture was regarding the fusion of the Way of Medicine into cultivation, allowing one to remain resilient in the face of severe illnesses.

"If you were to learn from this teacher, you might not improve as fast as you would under the teacher from the Apothecary School, but he will help you build a strong foundation which will beneficial to you in the future!" Zhang Xuan introduced.

In the Master Teacher Academy, students could choose to join one of the ten schools, and once they did so, they would have to put the corresponding supporting occupation as their second priority after master teacher.

Naturally, joining a school would grant the students certain privileges as well. For example, if one were to join the Apothecary School, they would be able to purchase pills at a discounted price.

If one were to join the Physician School, they would gain access to documents regarding the study of the human body, allowing them to build up a strong foundation in their cultivation.

The Blacksmith School had valuable physical body cultivation technique manuals; the Beast Tamer School had private mountains filled with rare beasts; the Painter School had high-tier paintings that allowed one to calm their mind, enhancing their rate of cultivation...

All in all, each school had their own strengths. Most students would usually choose based on their interest and proficiency in the occupation.

After walking around for a while longer, Zhang Xuan slowly lost interest. Thus, he eventually searched for a less crowded area to stop at and took out an empty book. Taking out a brush and an ink slab, he swiftly copied down the accurate details which he had gathered from the documents compiled by the various factions, as well as what he had observed through the public lectures.

"I have written down the details regarding the teachers in this book, feel free to browse through it. It should be enough for you to find a suitable teacher!"

This book, which had been verified using the Library of Heaven's Path, had no errors whatsoever. With it, Ruohuan gongzi and the others should have no trouble finding a suitable teacher for themselves.

"Un!" Ruohuan gongzi and the others nodded.

By corroborating the content of the book Zhang Xuan compiled with the public lectures they had just listened to, they would have more than enough information to make a judgement themselves. There was no need for them to bother Zhang shi over the issue anymore.

"While you all are looking at the book, I will go take a walk around." Passing the book to them, Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily. Just as he was contemplating whether he should make his way to the Terpsichore School or Demonic Tunist School, he suddenly caught sight of a silhouette which sent a jolt through his body.

Is that... her?

It was an elegant white-robed figure walking amidst the bustling crowd. Despite the clamor around her, her presence seemed to bring about a soothing aura to the surroundings, as if a calm painting.

This was the exact same sensation that he had felt from the white-robed lady whom he had met at the Verdant Mountain back in Huanyu Empire.

The world was big, so Zhang Xuan had thought that he would never see the other party ever again after their abrupt parting. But that familiar disposition and silhouette... Could it be her?

Fearing that it was just an illusion and he might lose sight of her the next moment, he dared not turn his eyes away from her.

Despite the congestion ahead, the crowd seemed to open up before the white-robed figure through some mysterious force, creating ample space for her to walk through. Yet, despite this bizarre phenomenon, there didn't seem to be a single person amidst the crowd who had realized it yet, as if it was a perfectly ordinary occurrence.

What an incredible ability! Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

This phenomenon could only be produced by the comprehension of spatial laws.

Those students had clearly moved from their original positions, but it seemed to them as if they were still standing on the same spot.

Even Zhang Xuan didn't possess the means to do the same.

"Is it really her?" Zhang Xuan muttered in a daze.

Back when he'd first met the white-robed lady in the Verdant Mountain, he had sensed that the other party's cultivation wasn't too high. That was why he'd rushed forward to save her upon seeing that she had been encircled. Yet, when he was suffering a backlash due to the incompatibility between his soul and body, she was the one who'd intervened and facilitated an impeccable fusion between his soul and body.

Such an ability was far beyond Zhang Xuan's current means.

From this, it could be seen that she had concealed her true strength. Even at this time, he was still unable to gain a clear grasp of her strength.

"Flaws!" Zhang Xuan muttered, but the next moment, he froze.

She isn't using a battle technique?

He'd thought that such manipulation of space could be considered as the usage of a battle technique, so he'd tried to check it through the Library of Heaven's Path. However, the Library of Heaven's Path remained completely silent.

In other words, the young lady before him wasn't using a battle technique.

Otherwise, the Library of Heaven's Path would surely have been able to compile a book on her!

So far, he had yet to encounter anything which the Library of Heaven's Path was unable to discern.

Hu!

Bewildered, Zhang Xuan was just about to walk forward to take a closer look when the white-robed figure, as if sensing his gaze, stopped and turned around.

A beautiful face came into sight.

It was indeed the white-robed lady he had met back then!

Even though there were certain differences to her facial features due to some kind of disguise she was donning, those were incapable of fooling his Eye of Insight. With just a glance, he could tell that it was the young lady whom he had met back in the mountains.

Unable to suppress his agitation, he rushed up to her and said nervously, "Y-you are here as well?"

The young lady was scanning her surroundings, as if trying to determine the source of the gaze when she suddenly caught sight of him. Her eyes lit up, and a light smile surfaced on her lips. For an instant, it was as if a hundred flowers had bloomed.

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Chapter 761: You Are a Teacher?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

That lady carried a unique poise which emanated an explicable beauty when she smiled. Even Zhao Ya's disposition and beauty seemed to pale before her.

Forcing himself to remain calm so as to not lose his bearings before the other party, Zhang Xuan asked, "Are you… a student of this academy?"

For some reason, he couldn't help but feel anxious and even a little lost before this lady. This was a feeling he had never felt from anyone before.

He was in the Master Teacher Academy due to clearing the entrance examination and becoming a student here. Since the other party was here as well, could it mean that she was a student too?

It would be great if that was the case. The thought of being able to spend many of the future days with the other party left him with a tinge of anticipation inside.

However, the young lady shook her head.

"No?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "Then… are you the kin of one of the elders here?"

There were strict rules in the Master Teacher Academy, and other than the students and the staff, no one else was allowed to step onto its premises.

If she wasn't a student of the academy, could it mean that she was the daughter or relative of one of the elders here? Otherwise, how could she possibly appear within the academy?

However, the young lady shook her head once more.

"Then…" Zhang Xuan scratched his head, and just as he was about to continue guessing, a faint but graceful voice sounded by his ears.

"Follow me."

After which, the young lady before him began walking in a certain direction.

"You can speak…" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He hadn't heard a word from the other party back when they were on the Verdant Mountain, so he'd thought that she was incapable of speech. Who would have thought that not only could she speak, her voice would be so moving as well?

"Of course I can!" The young lady rolled her eyes with a smile.

This fellow was truly a fool.

Back on Verdant Mountain, she had killed a ferocious spirit beast who had tyrannized the region, thus winning her the gratitude of countless other spirit beasts who resided in the area.

Therefore, those spirit beasts paid her a visit to express their gratitude, but in fear of disturbing her rest, they ended up gathering and lingering in her surroundings instead. Yet, that fellow had thought that she was under attack and forcefully pulled her down into the lake.

They ended up swimming underwater for a long period of time in an attempt to escape from the pursuit of the other spirit beasts.

Even at the very end, he thought that he had saved her life. He was truly a funny person.

But despite the misunderstanding, she knew that he had done it out of the goodwill of his heart. Considering his bravery in charging into an army of spirit beasts to 'save' her, she eventually chose not to point out the misunderstanding.

He had saved her once, and she had returned the favor by resolving the issue regarding his soul. With that, she'd thought that their fate had come to an end, and they would never meet again. Who could have known that a day would come when they would meet once more?

"Are you a student here?" the young lady asked as they walked side by side.

"Yes, I am a freshman who have just arrived a few days ago. The last time we met at Huanyu Empire, I was actually just about to head here," Zhang Xuan replied.

"I see." The young lady nodded in realization.

So, he was a student here, no wonder she would see him here.

After a moment of silence as they walked amidst the crowd, the young lady suddenly asked, "Have you chosen your teacher yet?"

"Not yet… Actually, I have no intention of finding one at all." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"You don't intend to find a teacher?" The young lady was surprised. "Why?"

Master teachers who had enrolled here sought to further their capabilities and reach greater heights. The insights of a high-ranked master teacher were highly beneficial to one's progress as a master teacher, so why wouldn't one find a teacher?

"It's nothing much… I just haven't found a suitable teacher yet," Zhang Xuan replied with an awkward smile.

It was not that he intended to lie to the other party, but he dared not speak the truth. How could he say that the standard of teachers here was too low, such that their lessons were completely useless to him… If he were to really utter those words, he would be pummeled to death by both teachers and students alike in the next instant.

"What kind of teacher are you looking for? I might be able to help you on this matter," the young lady said.

Even though she didn't have much of an understanding of the teachers in the academy, given her eye of discernment, she should be able to easily find a suitable teacher for him.

"This…" Zhang Xuan scratched his head in distress.

He had no intentions of acknowledging a teacher at all, so he wasn't too sure how he should respond to the other party's kind gesture.

After all, he had rejected even School Head Zhao and School Head Mo… How could any of the other teachers compare to them?

"I think that this teacher is not bad. His explanation of cultivation techniques is quite detailed, and he analyzes them in a systematic manner, starting from the basics before diving into the intricacies, making it easier for the students to comprehend the knowledge he is trying to impart."

There was yet another moment of silence between the duo before the young lady suddenly stopped before one of the platforms and gestured to an old man who was in the midst of lecturing a crowd.

Zhang Xuan glanced at the plaque hanging beside the old man and noted that he was from the Celestial Designer School.

Having to deal with complicated mechanisms every day, celestial designers tended to have logical and systematic minds. Such a trait seemed to be particularly useful in the impartation of knowledge too, as such lecturers would slowly build up their reasoning based on sound logic, as if cogs slowly placed into position to form a whole system. This made their lectures far easier to understand and much more memorable.

There were many freshmen gathered around him with agitated looks on their faces, seemingly intent on acknowledging him as their teacher.

However, while students had the right to choose their teacher, teachers were allowed to choose their students as well.

The more capable a teacher was, the more popular they would be amongst the students.

Considering the old man's outstanding ability in imparting knowledge, there should be a significant number of freshmen who would apply to his tutelage. However, it remained to be seen how many he would accept.

"He is indeed a good teacher, but he isn't suitable for me…" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Actually, you don't have to find a teacher for me. I don't intend to acknowledge a teacher for the time being. Let's talk about you instead. What's your name?"

"My name?"

The young lady was just about to reply when agitated exclamations suddenly sounded from the students around.

"I heard that a beautiful teacher has arrived in the academy, and she is going to hold her public lecture soon. Let's go and take a look!"

"What is there to look at? We are searching for a teacher, not a partner!"

"I heard that she is a master teacher dispatched here from the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to engage in experiential learning. Despite not even reaching twenty yet, she is already a 6-star master teacher, and even the Ten Great Master Teachers have to regard her with respect!"

"Is that true?"

"My uncle is a teacher here, and I heard this news straight from him! If we can acknowledge her as our teacher, we will surely be able to rise to great heights in the future!"

"If she truly is a teacher from the headquarters, her view must be much broader than ours. Right, what is her name? I don't think there is anyone who fits her profile from the Teacher Information Documentation I purchased earlier…"

"She is a new teacher in the academy, and not even the Ashen Moon Faction or the True Helios Faction has seen her yet, so naturally, they don't have any information on her. However, I did manage to get her name from my uncle. If I recall correctly, I think it is… Luo Ruoxin!"

"That is a beautiful name! Alright, I have decided! I shall go and listen to her public lecture…"

…

Amidst the bustle, many freshmen and seniors rushed forward excitedly, seemingly fearing that they wouldn't get a good spot if they were to be late.

"Beautiful teacher?" Seeing the excited crowd, Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

Just because a person was pretty didn't mean that they would be good at teaching.

"Let's head over as well!" Hearing the mutters from his surroundings, the young lady shook her head and made her way over as well.

"You wish to see the beautiful teacher as well?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

She was a lady herself, why would she be interested in the beautiful teacher too?

The young lady simply flashed Zhang Xuan a mysterious smile before proceeding ahead.

Zhang Xuan was bewildered, but he could only continue following behind the other party's back.

Soon, they arrived before a stage. By this point, a huge crowd had already gathered in the area.

An old man was currently standing on the stage, tidying it up.

This stage seemed to have been erected just a moment ago, and unlike the other stages, it was completely empty except for a plaque that read "Luo Ruoxin".

"Where is the beautiful teacher? Why isn't she here? Are you sure there is no mistake in your information?"

"Mistake in my information? You must be joking! Do you see that elder on the stage? He is Elder Zhou from the Apothecary School!"

"Elder Zhou? Which Elder Zhou?"

"Which other elder has the surname of Zhou in the Apothecary School? Of course, it is Vice School Head Zhou!"

"Vice School Zhou is actually tidying up the stage personally for the new teacher?"

"It seems like the academy has a really high view of that Luo shi…"

…

Such discussions could be heard amidst the students.

"Vice School Head Zhou?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Of the ten schools, the Apothecary School ranked at the top. Due to the standing of the Apothecary School, the various leaders of the school also held incredible prestige as well. For a vice school head of the Apothecary School to clean up the stage personally, it seemed that Luo shi was no ordinary master teacher.

Seeing Zhang Xuan's expression, the young lady beside him asked, "How is it? Are you interested in taking Luo shi as your teacher?"

"Not really." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Why? There are so many people here who seem to be interested in her, why aren't you?" the young lady asked.

Even among two master teachers of the same rank, most would choose to acknowledge the one who had come from the headquarters instead of the branch.

This was due to the difference in terms of worldly view.

Master teachers from the headquarters were likely to have come into contact with higher ranked master teachers themselves, and their understanding of cultivation tended to be much deeper than master teachers from the branches.

Take Luo Qiqi for example, even though she was only a 5-star apothecary as well, she was able to conduct a lesson for the other 5-star apothecaries in Huanyu Empire.

"Even if she is a good teacher, she can't possibly be better than me. Why should I acknowledge a person who can't even match up to me as my teacher?" Zhang Xuan said confidently.

So what if the other party had come from the headquarters?

Could the cultivation techniques she had learned be more detailed and aligned with nature than the Heaven's Path cultivation techniques?

That was impossible!

"Besides, even though the other students are calling her a beauty, I highly doubt that is the case. If she is truly as beautiful as the others claim her to be, why is she not here yet? Perhaps, she might even be hideous!" Zhang Xuan continued with a smile.

Even though he had never dated before, he knew better than to compliment another woman before the lady he fancied. Otherwise, he could very well incur her ire.

Besides, he thought that beauty was just a marketing means for that Luo shi.

To master teachers, one's appearance was nothing more than a facade. What was truly important was their capability.

Most likely, the issue regarding Luo shi's beauty might just be an attempt by the academy to draw more students to her public lecture so as to win her goodwill.

It wasn't like such a matter hadn't happened before.

"Hideous?" The eyes of the young lady narrowed into slits.

"That's right. Don't worry, you will see once she appears…" Zhang Xuan nodded confidently.

Just as he was about to continue, Elder Zhou on the stage suddenly caught sight of something and his eyes lit up. He hurriedly flew over and clasped his fist toward the young lady standing beside Zhang Xuan.

"Luo shi, you are here! We have already prepared the stage for you…"

"Alright." The young lady nodded before turning to Zhang Xuan with an unreadable smile. "You said that I am hideous, right?"

"Y-you are… Luo Ruoxin, Luo shi?"

Zhang Xuan's body stiffened as his eyes bulged from their sockets. "You aren't a student… but a teacher?"

This is the final chapter of the arc 【You Are A Teacher?】~

This first half of the year really has been a difficult one for me. As some might know, I am working on another novel known as The Records of the Human Emperor on RNF, and along with Library of Heaven's Path, I had to post three chapters on a daily basis, which is quite tough for me while having to juggle my other work.

I ended up burning through every last one of my stockpile, and even after leaving the other novel on hiatus, I am still barely scraping through the days. Hopefully I will be able to build a sizeable stockpile for me to last the next semester.

Anyway, back to the story, I saw many saying that there isn't much story progression recently. I have to admit that the earlier parts of the story are more of like the 【Daily Life of Zhang Xuan】, which I honestly believe is pretty interesting in itself too, but there will be more progression later on, especially as he gradually approaches the top of the Master Teacher Continent.

It kind of feels like the crux of this arc is 【Zhang Xuan found his first love】, which is kind of sad (he did live two lives) and happy at the same time. He is pretty much invincible in everything else, so I wonder if he will be invincible in love too hmmm. Anyway, I think this is the first time Zhang Xuan has been face-slapped

Anyway, the next arc will be 【Zhang laoshi's Students】, or Teacher Zhang's Students.

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Chapter 762: Library of Heaven's Path Upgraded (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan was flabbergasted.

He'd thought that the young lady who seemed to be of the same age as him would be a student of this academy, but who would have thought that she was a teacher dispatched from the headquarter!

It was just a moment ago that he'd said that the teacher dispatched from the headquarters would be hideous when it turned out to be the young lady he was interested in... He couldn't help but fidget awkwardly.

If the young lady before him could be considered hideous, there would be no one in the world who was deserving of the word "pretty".

Even though her disguise had dulled her ravishing features, her ethereal disposition and elegant bearing still shone through, making it impossible from anyone to avert his gaze from her.

Looking at the silly fellow before her panicking, Luo Ruoxin chuckled before turning around and leaping onto the stage.

"How beautiful!"

"With such appearance, she must be the top beauty of our academy!"

"Top beauty? That student over there, you must be joking. I am from the Bewitching Devil Faction, and I can tell you that Sister Yaoyao is the most beautiful of them all!"

"That's just your own opinion. In my view, Senior Dongxin is the prettiest!"

"I still think that Princess Fei-er is the best. The other seniors are way out of our league, at least I might still stand a chance with Princess Fei-er..."

"You wish to woo Princess Fei-er? Dream on! Haven't you heard how long Xing Yuan has courted her for? Honestly speaking, I am still the most entranced by Luo Qiqi's charms, but it's a pity that she isn't interested in me at all..."

...

Upon seeing Luo Ruoxin, a huge commotion broke out beneath.

The rumors regarding the appearance of a new beautiful teacher had drawn many seniors here as well. In an instant, excited discussions sounded amidst the huge crowd.

There were plenty of beauties in the academy as well, and there was even an unofficial ranking list made on them.

However, every individual had their own fancy, so the seat regarding the top still remained contentious.

"I am Luo Ruoxin, a new teacher of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!"

Paying no heed to the discussions below, Luo Ruoxin began introducing herself. Her voice carried some kind of entrancing property that immediately silenced the bustle below.

"The topic of my lecture will be how a cultivator can establish harmony between his body and soul in the Consonant Spirit realm.

"It is at the Consonant Spirit realm that a cultivator will start cultivating their soul, and any mistake made in one's cultivation at this point can potentially create a rift between one's soul and one's body, limiting one's strength..."

After listening for a moment, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be impressed.

As expected of a master teacher from the headquarters! The content was simple, but accurate and concise. Even he could not find any problem with it.

No wonder the other party could easily resolve the issue regarding the incompatibility between his body and soul. Her understanding regarding the soul and body could be said to be on par with his.

And that was an incredible feat.

Zhang Xuan possessed the Library of Heaven's Path, and he had gathered innumerable books so as to compile the perfected Heaven's Path Divine Art. Yet, the other party's level of understanding was actually equal to his... It seemed that Luo Ruoxin wasn't just an ordinary 6-star master teacher. Most probably, she was under the guidance of a high-rank master teacher as well.

Otherwise, it was impossible for her to have analyzed the Consonant Spirit realm so thoroughly.

Soon, the lecture came to an end.

"I'll be stopping the lecture here. Last but not least, if you wish to become my student, you just have to clear my test. If you fail it, I won't accept you!" Luo Ruoxin waved her hand.

"Test? What kind of test?"

"We beseech Luo shi to elaborate more on the matter..."

It was only at this point that everyone finally awoke from the entranced stupor they were in. They understood that if they could take the other party as their teacher, they would be able to advance their cultivation, and their eyes were gleaming with anticipation.

"Simple, it's memorizing books! If anyone can memorize 10,000 books within two hours, I will accept them as my student!" Luo Ruoxin replied.

"10,000 books?" Hearing those words, everyone nearly fainted on the spot.

Even with their photographic memory, memorizing two thousand books or so was already the limit. Ten thousand books... They wouldn't even have the time to flip through all of the books, so how could they memorize all of them?

They might still be able to give it a try if the test had been on something else, but this... it was clearly impossible!

"With such a test... will she be able to get even a single student?" Zhang Xuan also fell into a daze.

He could easily memorize ten thousand books through the Library of Heaven's Path, but it would be a difficult feat even for him if he had to do it manually.

For one, he could be spared the additional time spent on flipping through the books in the Library of Heaven's Path, allowing him to go through the content swiftly. On top of that, his mind could process information far faster in the Library of Heaven's Path as well, allowing him to memorize ten thousand books within two hours easily. But without it... it was doubtful if even the Ten Great Master Teachers were capable of such a feat.

Thus, to bring up such conditions... that could only mean that Luo Ruoxin had no interest in accepting any students whatsoever.

"Elder Zhou, I will be troubling you to deal with this matter..."

Leaving behind those words, Luo Ruoxin leaped off the stage with a light smile and headed toward Zhang Xuan. "Let's go."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded, and the duo walked away.

"Who is that fellow?"

"It seems like he is a freshman!"

"A freshman? How did that freshmen get to know Luo shi? Furthermore, from the looks of it, it seems like they have quite a close relationship?"

"What is going on..."

"Why can't it be me in his place? In what way am I inferior to him?"

"That person is... Zhang shi? As expected of the most outstanding man amongst us freshman, he is able to even seduce that beautiful teacher..."

"What do you mean by seduce? You are speaking as if Zhang shi has gotten together with her through unscrupulous means! That's called flirting, alright!"

...

Seeing Luo shi leaving with a freshman, there were many seniors who clenched their fists in anger, furious that they weren't in that freshman's place. On the other hand, the remaining freshmen looked upon the sight with eyes gleaming in excitement, as if someone had done them proud.

But regardless of their reactions, Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxin walked straight out of the crowd without paying them any heed. Soon, they were strolling along the lakeside of the academy.

The scent of spring filled the air. A slight breeze blew, and the verdant greenery along the lake danced lightly to it.

The brilliant rays of the sun struck the surface of the lake, evoking a beautiful gleam on it.

Zhang Xuan slowly walked alongside Luo Ruoxin. Even though there was nothing but silence between them, he felt the utmost tranquility in his heart.

The various happenings over the past half a year replayed in his head...

The time he had spent as a teacher in Tianxuan Kingdom, when he accepted his first few students and imparted knowledge to them...

The time when he challenged the master teacher examination in Tianwu Kingdom and met Lu Chong in the midst of it...

The time when he stomped into Xuanyuan Kingdom and challenged the entire kingdom by himself...

The time when he resided in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance and clinched the champion seat in the Master Teacher Tournament...

The time when he accidentally caused some trouble at the Cleansing Lake in Huanyu Empire, venturing into the underground chamber where they believed Wu Yangzi resided in, and meeting the young lady beside him...

In his long journey, his cultivation had advanced from Zhenqi realm all the way to Cosmos Bridge realm.

His Soul Depth had also been raised from the initial 0.1 to the current 19.1, putting him on par with even 6-star master teachers.

The various figures he had met in his journey flashed across his mind as well.

Liu shi, Zhuang shi, Kang shi, Mo shi...

Zhao Ya, Lu Xun, Lu Chong, Shen Bi Ru, Mo Yu...

Be they acquaintances, students, or friends, they were all a part of his life, and they had all played a role in making him who he was.

The various knowledge he had acquired in his time also flashed through his mind... Apothecary, painter, beast tamer, poison master...

Hong long!

Just as these memories were floating in his head, he suddenly felt an intense rumbling in the Library of Heaven's Path in his mind, and it was growing more and more intense as time passed.

What is happening? Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in fluster.

The Library of Heaven's Path was his greatest weapon that he could fall back on in dire times. Did something go wrong with it?

However, there wasn't even time for him to think the matter through. With his mind on the verge of exploding, the sight before him grew blurrier and blurrier. Eventually, his body swayed weakly and 'putong!', he collapsed to the ground.

Before losing consciousness altogether, he seemed to see Luo Ruoxin rushing over toward him and remarking, "Why is he fainting again? Is his body that weak..."

Weak?

Zhang Xuan felt like crying at this very moment.

The previous time he'd fainted was primarily due to the incompatibility between his soul and body, and this time, his Library of Heaven's Path was suddenly acting up for no apparent reason...

I am really not weak, it is just a coincidence!

Not only am I not weak, I am very fit as well. Trust me!

However, before Zhang Xuan could utter those words, his consciousness had already faded to an endless abyss of darkness...

...

An unknown period of time later, Zhang Xuan finally roused from his temporary coma.

Opening his eyes abruptly, he realized that he was lying on the bed in his Elite Sector residence.

Following which, Zhang Xuan suddenly heard an excited voice, and a beautiful lady with a flawless complexion came into sight.

"Teacher, you are finally awake..."

"Little Qi, why are you here?" Zhang Xuan asked in surprise.

The person before him was no other than the student whom he had accepted back at Huanyu Empire, Luo Qiqi!

After leaving the underground chamber, they had left for Hongyuan City together. However, after reaching the city, they had separated as Zhang Xuan headed for the Academic Sea to liaise with Hong shi and the others while Luo Qiqi returned back to the academy to report on the progress of their mission.

"I heard from School Head Zhao that you are currently residing in the Elite Sector, so I came over to look for you. However, on my way there, I saw you fainted by the lake, so I carried you here," Luo Qiqi answered.

"I fainted by the lake? Then..." Zhang Xuan frowned.

"You wish to ask about Luo shi, is that right? She was beside you when I arrived, and she took a look at your condition and said that you were fine before entrusting you to me," Luo Qiqi replied.

"Entrusted me to you? So, she has already left?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel a little disappointed within upon hearing that news.

But giving it some thought, they were nothing more than acquaintances who had a prior encounter before enrolling in the academy. The other party had no obligation to send him back to his residence.

Besides, she was currently a teacher, and he was currently a student. Regardless of the reason, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to get too intimate with one another. Otherwise, it would reflect badly on both him and her if malicious rumors regarding them were to start spreading.

"That's right. I heard that Luo shi only arrived in the academy yesterday, how does teacher know her?" Luo Qiqi asked out of curiosity.

Based on what she had heard thus far, Luo shi was a master teacher dispatched here from the headquarters. It was only yesterday that Mu shi arrived in the Master Teacher Academy together with her, and before that, Zhang shi had been together with them at Huanyu Empire. Thus, it seemed unlikely for them to know one another!

"How do I know her? It's just a coincidence... Right, the both of you share the same surname. Is there any chance that you knew one another before this?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Luo Ruoxin and Luo Qiqi shared the same character in their surname—Luo.

At the same time, they were also extraordinarily beautiful ladies as well. Could they be related with one another?

"There are many people out there who possess the Luo surname; you are thinking too much into it!" Luo Qiqi couldn't help but chuckle at that deduction as she shook her head.

Her teacher had always been a rather intelligent person, why would he suddenly ask such a silly question?

Considering the immense size of the Master Teacher Continent, there should at least be a few hundred million people in the world who possessed the surname 'Luo'. What were the odds of two people possessing the 'Luo' surname being related?

"That's true." Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

It was only in the spur of the moment that he'd asked the question, and he hadn't thought too much into it.

"How long have I been out for?" Zhang Xuan asked as he sat up from his bed.

"Around three days!" Luo Qiqi replied.

"Three days?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

He was also out for three days the previous time. Why did it seem as if he was fainting more and more regularly recently, and for three whole days at that?

"That's right. The three-day period for students to acknowledge their teacher is already over." Luo Qiqi shook her head with a bitter smile on her face.

Her teacher had truly fainted at an untimely moment. These three days should have been crucial to the future of the freshmen, but he ended up sleeping through it.

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Chapter 763: Library of Heaven's Path Upgraded (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

However, based on what she knew about her teacher, it shouldn't be a huge issue.

Since he had rejected even Elder Mo and Elder Zhao, there should be no other person in the academy who would worthy of becoming his teacher.

"I see."

As expected, after hearing her words, the young man before her shook his head, but it didn't seem like he was too affected by the issue. Instead, he seemed to be more worried about his acquaintance instead. "So... how many students did Luo shi eventually take in?"

"If I recall correctly, Luo shi didn't take in a single student at all. The requirement she set was simply too strict. Memorizing ten thousand books within two hours is an impossible feat!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

"She didn't take in a single student?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

Since she was a teacher of the academy, why didn't she take in a single student?

"Yes. I am not too sure what is going on, but this matter had everyone baffled," Luo Qiqi replied.

According to the rumors, Luo Ruoxin had been dispatched to Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy by the headquarters for experiential training, so she should have accepted a few students in order to complete her training. But if that was the case, why did she set such strict requirements?

It was as if she was uninterested in accepting any students at all!

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan eventually shook his head and said, "I will ask her about it when I get the chance to."

Putting Luo Ruoxin's issue aside, Zhang Xuan's attention finally fell on Qiqi, and with just a single glance, he was startled. "You have made a breakthrough?"

The previous time he met her, Luo Qiqi was at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, the cream of the crop of the Grade-2 students. Yet, in just a few days, she had made the breakthrough to Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm!

"Yes, it is all teacher's credit. As a reward for the mission, I received School Head Zhao's Meridian and Bone Cleansing, allowing me to overcome my previous bottleneck!" Luo Qiqi smiled.

If not for the Meridian and Bone Cleansing from School Head Zhao, even though she was already at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, it would have still taken her several months or even an entire year in order to take the next step forward.

Beyond Consonant Spirit realm, one had to not only accumulate sufficient zhenqi but nourish one's soul as well in order to make a breakthrough. It was often the latter that was more troublesome, requiring long periods of time just to increase it the tiniest bit.

As a result, there were many Grade-2 students who were stuck at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, unable to make the final step forward.

However, in the Meridian and Bone Cleansing, not only had School Head Zhao purified her zhenqi, he had also tempered her soul, thus allowing her to make the breakthrough instantaneously.

Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian had also benefitted greatly from the Meridian and Bone Cleansing as well.

"My credit?" Zhang Xuan blinked.

Why was this his credit? And what did this have to do with School Head Zhao?

"Did Teacher forget about the mission at the underground chamber? You saved us and helped us retrieve Elder Wu Yangzi's body. That's a huge contribution to the Blacksmith School!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"Ahh..."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan suddenly understood why Yuan Hong's attitude toward him abruptly changed after paying a visit to the school head's office.

At this point, Luo Qiqi suddenly bowed deeply and said, "Teacher, I apologize for handing the Zither Forging Technique to the Blacksmith School without your approval, I ask of you to punish me..."

She had only managed to obtain the Zither Forging Technique manual with her teacher's assistance, but without the latter's approval, she had handed it over to the school.

"You are the one who inherited Wu Yangzi's heritage; you can do whatever you want with it. Besides, the best way for the Zither Forging Technique to shine is through handing it over to School Head Zhao, so I believe that your decision was the right one as well," Zhang Xuan said.

Luo Qiqi was the one who had become Wu Yangzi's student, so it was only right for the technique to belong to her. In this respect, it wouldn't be right for Zhang Xuan to dictate what she could do with it.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Even though Luo Qiqi knew that her teacher would agree to it, she didn't expect him to approve of her actions immediately. After all, the Zither Forging Technique was an incredibly valuable smithing technique which many were dying to lay their hands on. His magnanimity was indeed worthy of respect.

After chatting for a moment longer, Luo Qiqi suddenly recalled something and said, "Teacher, regarding the matter of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence, I tried looking into it and there was someone who claimed that she knew where it was. I made an appointment with her tonight, and it is going to be time soon. I will have to head over to meet her."

"Tonight?" Zhang Xuan glanced at the window outside, and only then did he realize that the sun was beginning to set beyond the western horizon, and the sky was beginning to dim.

"I see. Let me grab some food first, and I will accompany you to the meeting," Zhang Xuan said after some contemplation.

The three days of sleeping had already emptied out whatever that was in his stomach.

"I knew that Teacher would be hungry, so I prepared some food!" Luo Qiqi chuckled as she flicked her wrist, and a huge spread materialized before her.

"Thank you!"

Looking at the delicacies before him, Zhang Xuan's appetite was whetted, and he immediately dived into action.

While stuffing his mouth, he made use of this opportunity to immerse his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path.

The reason he'd fainted three days ago was due to the rumbling in the Library of Heaven's Path. Since he had woken up, it was imperative that he should check what had happened to it.

As soon as his consciousness entered the Library of Heaven's Path, he froze.

This... Something is different about it...

Previously, the Library of Heaven's Path had been a large hall with towering shelves filled with books, expanding all the way to the horizon. The basic layout was still the same, but somehow, it felt larger, as if the ceiling and shelves were taller than before, and the area had become more spacious.

It seemed like the rumbling had caused several changes in the Library of Heaven's Path. Not only had it grown larger, it had also become much more majestic and grander.

Looking at it from afar, one couldn't help but feel intense pressure on one's soul.

The Library of Heaven's Path felt like a moon reflected in the water before, ethereal and transient. At this very moment, however, it felt palpable, as if it was a real library standing before him.

"The Library of Heaven's Path seems to have materialized further, but... what is the use of it?" Zhang Xuan muttered doubtfully.

He stepped forward and attempted to grab one of the books on the shelves, but just like before, his hand simply slipped through it.

In other words, even though the books seemed much more tangible than before, they were still illusory. They could be seen but not touched.

"Where are the books I have gathered before?" Zhang Xuan mumbled as he walked around the library.

Fortunately, he soon arrived at a section where the books he had gathered previously were. It seemed like they hadn't disappeared due to the changes in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Walking up to them, he casually grabbed one and began flipping through it.

Huala!

With the flipping of the books, the sight before Zhang Xuan blurred as the content of the book dove straight into his mind, etching itself onto it.

This... Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

Even when reading in the Library of Heaven's Path previously, he'd needed to read the words one by one in order to memorize them. But at this instant, he was able to memorize the content of the book just by flipping through the pages!

After several tries, he had verified the matter. As long as he picked up a book with the intention to read it, the content would automatically imprint itself onto his mind, sparing him from the additional effort of reading it.

This is great... I will be able to pick up my reading pace in the future! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in agitation.

It seemed like along with the renovation in the Library of Heaven's Path, he had also gained an additional ability!

With his newfound ability, he could easily cover several hundred thousand books in the Library of Heaven's Path within two hours!

In the future, he wouldn't need to waste the hard-earned golden pages on assimilating the knowledge within the books anymore.

My pace of reading has quickened... Is it possible that my other abilities might have been enhanced as well? Zhang Xuan thought.

He swiftly extracted his consciousness from his mind and glanced at the chicken drumstick he was currently tearing the flesh out of.

"Flaws!" he muttered.

A book appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path, and he swiftly rushed to flip through it.

The thigh of Spirit Beast Boneless Chicken. Cooked by Master Gourmet Wu Bushui of Drunken Heart Tavern using 47 different spices and herbs...

It took him just an instant to read through the entire book.

Nothing has changed at all! Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Just like before, the flaws regarding the dish were compiled in the book. There didn't seem to be any additional ability regarding this.

Hmm, I should try it on some other objects to verify the matter. Perplexed, Zhang Xuan turned his sight to the bookshelf before him.

The residences in the Elite Sector were filled with all kinds of amenities that one might require. There were bookshelves filled with books in the residence as well. However, they weren't cultivation technique manuals but books on the geography and culture of Hongyuan City.

Zhang Xuan was just about to stand up and make his way to the bookshelf when a thought suddenly came to his mind. Thus, he sat down back down and muttered, "Flaws!"

Hu!

A book appeared in his mind.

This...

He was only giving it a try out of curiosity, not holding much hope that it would work, but it actually did! A book had really appeared! He swiftly dived into the Library of Heaven's Path to flip through the book.

It was a replica of the book which he had intended to take in earlier.

He experimented a few more times, and the excited gleam in his eyes intensified.

It seems like I can gather books in the Library of Heaven's Path without touching them...

Previously, the only way for him to gather a book was to touch it with his hands. However, with his newfound ability, he could compile books just by laying his eyes on them and willing it.

In other words, gone were the days where he had to run frenziedly in libraries to gather books!

Recalling those embarrassing days where he had been caught running about in the various libraries, he couldn't help but feel a little moved within.

And more importantly, his efficiency to gather books had also been boosted immensely!

Does this ability apply to other objects as well? Zhang Xuan wondered.

He had only experimented with books so far, and he was curious to see if this ability was extended to other items as well. To his disappointment, however, it didn't work on other items.

It seemed like his newfound ability only worked on books at the moment. He could gather books just by laying his eyes on them, but as for artifacts and other items, he still had to lay his hands on them in order to find their flaws.

Frustrated, he shook his head.

He had gotten excited over nothing.

If he could discover the flaws of other objects without touching them, he would be spared a lot of trouble, and his ability would be far more versatile as well.

Perhaps it was due to the Library of Heaven's Path having yet to reach the required level or an innate flaw in the heavens itself, but he simply couldn't realize the ability at the moment.

Or maybe I am just lacking practice, I should give it a few more tries just to be sure...

The indignation Zhang Xuan felt made him unwilling to give up, and he began experimenting once again.

And while he was busy experimenting with his abilities, Luo Qiqi, who was sitting beside him, was stunned.

She had bought a table full of delicacies for her teacher to enjoy, but the latter... One moment, he would pick up a chicken thigh, stare deeply into it, and shake his head in disappointment. The next moment, he would look around the room, stare intensely at another object he'd laid his eyes upon, and clench his fists in excitement.

It was as if those items were his friends. Countless different expressions flickered across his face as he lay their eyes on them, be it melancholy, graveness, relaxed, excitement, delight, frustration...

Could he have gone bonkers due to the coma? Or did he lose a part of his soul somewhere?

Surely a normal person would express so many emotions not toward a chicken thigh but her, right?

No matter what, she was one of the most beautiful ladies in the academy. Yet, she couldn't even hold a candle to the charm of a chicken thigh?

Just as she was sighing deeply, she saw her teacher stretching his other hand forward to tear another chicken thigh before staring at both thighs even more intently.

It was as if he was responding to her doubts. If one chicken thigh wasn't enough, how about two?

"..." Luo Qiqi.

Chapter 764: Hu Yaoyao

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It took a while before Zhang Xuan was finally done 'inspecting' the chicken thighs and put them down.

It seemed like, for objects other than a book, laying his sight on them wasn't enough. He still had to come into physical contact with them in order to collect their information in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Nevertheless, it is good enough that I am able to gather and read books faster than before! Zhang Xuan thought in satisfaction.

It was embarrassing that a noble master teacher like him had been forced to run around in the library in order to collect books in the past. With the newly upgraded Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to remain graceful while taking in new knowledge.

Soon, he completed his meal and stood up. "I'm done. Let's go!"

Back at the underground chamber where Wu Yangzi had been imprisoned before his demise, he had said that he had left his most important heritage and treasure at the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon. However, it had been two thousand years since his passing, and putting aside whatever the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon was, even finding his old residence was a huge trouble in itself.

Luo Qiqi had been looking into the matter ever since her return, and in the past two days, while she was taking care of the unconscious Zhang Xuan, she'd happened to receive some clues to the matter.

"Alright." Luo Qiqi nodded.

As they were walking out of the residence, they suddenly saw a young lady standing before the door, seemingly intending to knock on it. Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, she quickly clasped her fist and bowed. "Zhang shi!"

"Ran Xiaoxiao?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

It was the person who had challenged him back when he'd first received the keys to the residence, as well as the second runner-up in the Grade-1 Annual Tournament.

She had challenged him to a duel of Impartation of Heaven's Will, only to end up falling under his control and defeating the first runner-up Wu Chan and third runner-up Xiao Nan in his stead.

"Yes, I came here to thank Zhang shi for your guidance..." Ran Xiaoxiao smiled.

Initially, she was extremely displeased to hear that a freshman was going to take up the first residence available to Grade-1, which was also the reason why she'd marched up to his residence upon hearing the news and challenged him to a duel. Yet, the other party had been able to point out the various flaws in her cultivation directly, and it was then that she'd realized the gap between her and the other party.

Under the other party's guidance, she'd been able to overcome her bottleneck, achieving a long-awaited breakthrough in her cultivation. Out of excitement, she'd rushed to his residence in order to express her gratitude. At the same time, she had also heard some worrying news, so she came over to enquire about it as well.

"There is no need to stand on ceremony. We are fellow students, so it's only right for us to help one another." Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

"If not for Zhang shi's guidance, I would still be stuck at my previous bottleneck, unable to take a step forward in my cultivation..." Ran Xiaoxiao was just about to bow deeply to express her gratitude once more when she suddenly caught sight of the figure beside Zhang Xuan and widened her eyes. "Senior Qiqi?"

She had been too excited to see Zhang Xuan earlier on that she'd neglected the person who was standing behind him. To her astonishment, it was the most famous Grade-2 senior of the academy, Luo Qiqi!

Luo Qiqi nodded in response to her.

Ran Xiaoxiao was one of the top five geniuses of the Grade-1 students, so it was natural that Luo Qiqi had heard of her as well.

"You two..." Ran Xiaoxiao blinked rapidly in shock.

Luo Qiqi was extremely famous in the Master Teacher Academy, not just because of her incredible talent or her beautiful features, but more importantly, it was said that she had an extraordinary background as well.

She was known to be very diligent, spending most of her time studying and cultivating. Thus, she rarely had any interactions with the opposite sex. Why would she be in Zhang shi's residence?

On top of that, the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, and darkness had set into the sky. For two people of the opposite gender to meet under the same roof in the middle of the night... What could they be up to?

"I am learning pill forging from Zhang shi. He is my teacher!" Luo Qiqi replied.

"Teacher?" Ran Xiaoxiao widened her eyes in disbelief upon hearing those words.

Zhang shi is just a Grade-1 student in the academy, and on top of that, he only arrived a few days ago. For a Grade-2 genius like you to acknowledge him as your teacher...

Not to mention, you are also one of the school belles! If word spreads, won't a riot occur amongst the men of the academy?

"If you are here to thank me, there is really no need for it. As fellow master teachers, we should help each other wherever we can." Not wanting to be delayed here, Zhang Xuan waved his hand as he prepared to leave with Luo Qiqi.

"AH!" Hearing those words, Ran Xiaoxiao suddenly recalled the other reason she was there, and she quickly spoke up. "Actually, there is another matter I need to talk to Zhang shi about."

"Oh?"

"Over the last few days, as I was walking around the academy, I heard some news... The student populace is saying that you have offended quite a few student factions, and it seems they are going to coordinate with one another to deal with you!" Ran Xiaoxiao said worriedly.

"I offended the student factions? When did I?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He did refuse to purchase the Teacher Information Documentation from the factions back then... but surely, they wouldn't be that offended over such a small matter?

Besides, it should be his freedom to decide whether he would buy something or not. For student factions consisting of master teachers to band together against him over such a small matter, that was plain ridiculous.

"You didn't offend them?" Seeing the confusion on the other party's face, Ran Xiaoxiao shook her head. "These student factions spend the entire year gathering information on each teacher in order to compile them into a book so as to sell them to the freshmen... However, their business ended up being foiled by Zhang shi, and their morals were even questioned for their doings. How could they possibly not be angry?"

"I foiled their business?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion. "But I didn't do anything at all!"

What the heck did I foil?

I have been unconscious the past three days, so what could I have possibly done? Or are you saying that I actually sleepwalked and did something that even I am unaware of?

"You didn't do anything?" Ran Xiaoxiao sighed deeply in frustration. "Does Zhang shi know the freshmen Jun Ruohuan, Song Chao, and Luo Xuan?"

"I do," Zhang Xuan replied.

"The three of them have distributed their own version of the Teacher Information Documentation in your name for free, and the content of the book has been shown to be even more detailed and accurate than those sold by the other student factions... This has caused a huge uproar amongst both the freshmen and seniors alike," Ran Xiaoxiao said.

"They distributed the Teacher Information Documentation for free?" Zhang Xuan's eyelids began twitching uncontrollably.

That explained everything!

It was out of goodwill for the trio that he'd compiled a version of the Teacher Information Documentation based on the information he had gathered from the others so that they could better choose their teacher, but those fellows actually distributed them freely to the other freshmen! Not to mention, they even used his name!

While the other factions were selling theirs at a hundred middle-tier spirit stones each, they were giving them away for free, and their version was even more accurate at that... That was practically spoiling the market. Of course they would incur the ire of others!

However, it was unlikely that Jun Ruohuan and the others were intentionally trying to screw him over. Most likely, they were just intending to build up a good reputation for him amidst the student populace, just that they failed to think the matter through. As a result, they ended up offending most of the student factions.

"Once a freshman offends the student factions, he will find himself hindered throughout the academy. Zhang shi, you must be careful... If things really come down to it, it might be necessary for you to consider joining a powerful student faction so as to come under their protection," Ran Xiaoxiao advised.

She was a member of a student faction as well, so she was conflicted for a moment after hearing the news. But eventually, she still decided to inform Zhang Xuan of this issue.

Zhang Xuan might be powerless against the student factions as an individual, but if he could come under the umbrella of one of the more formidable factions, it would be harder for the other factions to do anything to him.

"Thank you!" Knowing that the other party had chosen to inform him of this matter at the risk of falling out with her faction, Zhang Xuan thanked her earnestly.

To be honest, while it might be troublesome, he didn't really fear the student factions.

After all, from the start of his journey from Tianxuan Kingdom until now, there was no lack of people he had offended.

If they knew what was good for them, they would learn to stay out of his way. Otherwise, he didn't mind showing them his true prowess.

Even the boss of the Spirit Emporium was nearly driven insane by him, let alone a couple of students.

"I will be taking my leave then." After saying all that needed to be said, Ran Xiaoxiao clasped her fist and left.

"Those student factions are troublesome to deal with. Teacher, you must be careful!" Luo Qiqi said with a frown as she watched Ran Xiaoxiao's departing back.

Having spent several years in the Master Teacher Academy, she had seen plenty of the filthy doings of those student factions. If they were to really put their mind to it, they could even force a student to retire voluntarily in just a single day.

This was the reason those without backing or power had to join a student faction. Otherwise, they would be too vulnerable to survive in the academy.

"I understand." Knowing that the other party was saying those words for his sake, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Luo Qiqi was worried, but considering how Zhang Xuan had School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's protection, those student factions shouldn't dare to act too brazenly. Thus, she decided not to think too much into it.

The duo walked along the streets, and soon, they arrived at a gazebo beside the lake.

"This is the location I have agreed on with the other party," Luo Qiqi said as she came to a halt.

"Who is it? Are they a student of the academy?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"I am not too sure either. I sent the request at the Succor Tower, and someone responded to me. We made an appointment to meet here. Unfortunately, there are no additional details regarding the other party's profile," Luo Qiqi replied.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The academy's Succor Tower was a place where the students or even teachers could post requests such as to seek assistance on certain subjects they were unsure of or to help them with a certain problem in exchange of certain rewards. Often, the reward tended to be Academic Credits.

In a sense, it worked in a similar fashion to the Wall of Dilemma in the Physician Guilds.

It had been two thousand years since Wu Yangzi had disappeared, and the map of Hongyuan City had also changed significantly over the years. Without any additional assistance, it would take forever for them to track down the location of his old residence. Thus, Luo Qiqi decided to post a request at the Succor Tower, promising Academic Credits in exchange.

She'd thought that it would take quite a long period of time before she could receive an answer, but who would have thought that she would receive a response on the third day?

However, as the identities of respondents and responders were kept anonymous by the Succor Tower, it was impossible for her to know who the other party was. Nevertheless, considering that they were in the academy, the other party should either be a student or a teacher.

"Let's wait a little longer then," Zhang Xuan said.

At that moment, a breeze suddenly blew, and a figure abruptly emerged from the darkness of the night.

Under the dim illumination of the stars, one could barely make out the silhouette of a lady. She was tall, but what particularly stood out was her slender waist, which one could easily wrap around with a single hand.

But despite her slender waist, she had a curvaceous figure which would send the hearts of males running in agitation.

Hu!

Soon, the figure landed in the gazebo.

Finally, Luo Qiqi managed to catch sight of the other party's appearance.

She was a young lady in her late twenties. Just like Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi, she had a beautiful face with distinctive features, but unlike the duo, she commanded a bewitching air around her.

"Senior Yaoyao?" Taken aback, Luo Qiqi quickly clasped her fist and greeted her.

"Oh, so it's you!" Recognizing Luo Qiqi and well, Hu Yaoyao asked curiously, "Are you the one who is seeking out Wu Yangzi's old residence?"

"That's right." Luo Qiqi nodded. "Do you have any news regarding that?"

"I do know something about it!" Hu Yaoyao nodded.

Hearing the other party's confirmation, Luo Qiqi clenched her fists tightly in agitation. However, at that moment, she suddenly caught sight of the look of confusion on her teacher's face, so she quickly filled him in. "Teacher, she is a Grade-5 student from our academy, Senior Hu Yaoyao!"

"Hu Yaoyao?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Hu Yaoyao, Luo Qiqi, Ran Xiaoxiao...

Was this a trend in the academy? Why did all of the ladies he had met had such names?

"You don't know me?" Seeing the confused look of the young man before her, Hu Yaoyao was perplexed. She walked up to him, and with an entrancing smile, she asked, "What's your name?"

"Me?" For some reason, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying earnestly, "I am Xuanxuan!"

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Chapter 765: Negotiations

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Pu!" Luo Qiqi nearly fainted on the spot.

However, with her sharp wits, she swiftly understood what kind of bizarre thoughts were in her teacher's mind, and a helpless smile appeared on her face.

Her teacher was a person of great capability, but sometimes, his thoughts tended to be eccentric.

"Xuanxuan?" Hu Yaoyao asked, bewildered by the bizarre name she was hearing.

Fearing that the other party might misunderstand his intentions, Luo Qiqi quickly replied, "He is my apothecary teacher, Zhang Xuan!"

"Zhang Xuan? So, you are the freshman who wrecked the business of our student factions?" Hearing that familiar name, Hu Yaoyao suddenly recalled something, and a glint flashed across her eyes.

A chilling smile emerged on her flawless face as she examined the young man before her, determined to see what it was about him that dealt such a heavy blow to the finances of so many student factions at once.

Ever since the establishment of the Master Teacher Academy, there had never been a freshman who had caused such a huge uproar in the academy before, resulting in nearly all of the student factions incurring huge losses.

However, no matter how she looked at the young man before him, he had an honest face and an earnest gaze, completely unlike how the rumors made him out to be. She couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

Hu Yaoyao turned to Luo Qiqi and asked, "You just said that... he is your apothecary teacher? What is going on?"

Just like her, Luo Qiqi was a reputable figure in the academy, famed for both her talent and beauty. In terms of prestige, the other party might be beneath her at the moment, but that was only due to her young age.

She had no doubt that with sufficient time, Luo Qiqi would be able to surpass her.

Thus, she had been keeping tabs on this young lady since shortly after she enrolled at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

Yet, such an outstanding person actually said that Zhang Xuan was her apothecary teacher. This was particularly astonishing.

"Just like I have said, Zhang shi has been guiding me on pill forging," Luo Qiqi replied shortly, choosing not to go into detail. "Since you know where the old residence of Elder Wu Yangzi is, can you tell us where it is? Once we confirm the location, I will compensate you with two Academic Credits."

"I don't want the two Academic Credits!" Since Luo Qiqi was unwilling to explain, Hu Yaoyao also chose not to probe into the relationship between her and Zhang Xuan.

"You don't want them?" Luo Qiqi frowned.

The Succor Tower was basically like a market, a platform for students to liaise with one another and conduct trades. Since the other party had accepted the request, it could only mean that she had acknowledged the reward as well. If so, what did the other party mean by rejecting the reward?

Fiddling with her hair, Hu Yaoyao replied with a smile, "I can tell you where Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence is, but... you have to tell me the reason why you are willing to spend such a heavy price for the information."

It had been two thousand years since Wu Yangzi had disappeared from the face of the world. There had been many people who had inherited his old residence in this period of time, so any treasure left there should have already been swiped clean by others.

Yet, Luo Qiqi was offering two Academic Credits to purchase information about his old residence. It was clear that she was up to something.

"Pardon me, but I can't tell you that!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

Wu Yangzi was the most famous blacksmith in the history of Hongyuan Empire, so there was no doubt that the treasures he had in his possession would surely be of exceptional value as well.

There might be a few who would attempt to do them harm out of greed if news regarding Wu Yangzi's treasure was to be made known.

"Oh?"

Seeing that Luo Qiqi was unwilling to talk about it, Hu Yaoyao said, "If you refuse to say it... it only means to say that our deal is through, and I won't be able to tell you where Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence is located. Let me just tell you this, I am the only one who knows where it is. Even if you were to search through all of the books in the academy, you won't be able to find his old residence without my help!"

Luo Qiqi turned to Zhang Xuan, and upon seeing him shake his head, she said, "I see, but we will still have to turn down your offer if that is the case. We will manage it one way or another."

Following which, she clasped her fist and bowed. "I apologize for wasting your time. We will be taking our leave now!"

After which, she left the gazebo together with Zhang Xuan.

They were determined to find Wu Yangzi's treasure, but even so, they knew that they mustn't let anyone else learn of it. Otherwise, not only would they be unable to obtain the treasure, their lives might even be threatened as well.

"Wait a moment..." Seeing that the other party would rather abandon the deal than speak of their goal, Hu Yaoyao's lips curled up as she said, "Since you are unwilling to speak of it, allow me to change the conditions then!"

Luo Qiqi halted in her footsteps and turned around.

"You should have heard the news by now, right? Zhang Xuan has offended nearly all of the student factions in the academy, including mine. As long as you hand him over to me, I will show you to Wu Yangzi's old residence!" Hu Yaoyao said.

"Hand him over to you?" Luo Qiqi frowned as her face darkened. "Hu Yaoyao, I respect you as a senior, but this is a grave humiliation. You want me to hand my teacher over to you?"

She had already introduced Zhang Xuan as her teacher, but the other party still demanded that she hand him over. This was no different from a direct slap to her face!

As the saying goes, 'A day as one's teacher, a life as one's father!' 1

If she couldn't even protect her own teacher's dignity, what remaining pride would she have?

Realizing the problem in her words, Hu Yaoyao swiftly apologized. "Ah... I apologize for my inappropriate remark. Even though Zhang Xuan is your teacher, he is a Grade-1 student of the academy as well... I ask of you to pardon my discourtesy."

Teachers were highly respected in the Master Teacher Continent.

Heaven, Earth, Kin, Teacher, Sovereign. 2

Beneath the heaven and earth, the position of one's teacher was even above that of one's country.

It had been ingrained so deeply into her that Zhang Xuan was a Grade-1 student that she'd accidentally neglected the fact that he was Luo Qiqi's teacher as well. To insult one's teacher before one's face was grossly disrespectful.

To display such blatant discourtesy for another's teacher despite being a master teacher, her reputation would be sullied if this were to be made known to others.

After apologizing, she turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, since you have come here with Luo Qiqi, you must be interested in locating where Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence is as well... As long as you agree to my conditions, I will tell you where it is. What do you think of it?"

Seeing that the other party had decided to turn her efforts to him instead, Zhang Xuan asked with an earnest smile, "What are your conditions?"

"It's simple. You ruined our Bewitching Devil Faction's opportunity to earn money, so it's only right that you make up for it. As long as you join us and help us earn a hundred thousand middle-tier spirit stones within a year, I will tell you what you want," Hu Yaoyao said with a smile.

"Bewitching Devil Faction?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "Is that your faction?"

There were many benefits to having a faction, so most of the top Grade-5 students would choose to create and manage their own factions. Zhang Xuan seemed to recall hearing something about the Bewitching Devil Faction before, and from the looks of it, it seemed to be related to the young lady before him.

Seeing the look of confusion on her teacher's face, Luo Qiqi sent a telepathic message over to fill him in.

"Hu Yaoyao, her name carries the character 'Yao'. At the same time, she possesses bewitching charm... As a result, her faction is also known as the Bewitching Devil Faction 3 !"

"That's right, I am the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction." Seeing that the other party was ignorant of this, Hu Yaoyao was a little speechless.

To offend so many student factions despite not knowing who their leaders were, this fellow sure was impudent.

"I see."

Coming a realization, Zhang Xuan nodded. Gazing at the seductive young lady whose voluptuous figure could easily hasten a man's breathing, he said calmly, "I am not interested in joining any faction... As for earning a hundred thousand middle-tier spirit stones, I don't even have that sum myself, so how could I possibly earn that for you? Choose another condition!"

He was the type of person who would never allow himself to be placed in a disadvantageous position, and yet the other party wanted him to pay? That was a good joke!

"Change another condition? Sure!" Hu Yaoyao stretched her back lazily, accentuating the beautiful curves on her body. "Serve as my servant for a year, and I will forgive you for crossing my Bewitching Devil Faction. At the same time, I can tell you where Wu Yangzi's old residence is as well."

"Servant?" Zhang Xuan was speechless. That lady was truly going further and further.

Shaking his head, he replied, "I wouldn't even accept you as my maid, and you want me to be your servant? You sure have a vivid imagination..."

Zhang Xuan meant those words. In his opinion, the only thing that was commendable about the other party was her beauty, but even that paled far in the face of Luo Ruoxin.

He wouldn't even be interested to have her serve as his servant, and yet she wanted him as her servant? Dream on!

Hearing the arrogant words from the young man before her, Hu Yaoyao's face reddened in fury, and she snapped, "Then there's no way our negotiation can go on... I wish you luck in your endeavor then!"

Born with both talent and beauty, she was a prideful person. She had always been respected and admired by others, and she'd thought that she was already doing the other party a favor by offering to take him in as her servant. Yet, that fellow turned her down so haughtily.

He would regret his decision.

After saying that piece, she turned around, and with a step, she soared into the distance.

Exerting her strength as a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm expert, she swiftly disappeared from the view of the duo.

In truth, the Bewitching Devil Faction was one of the larger student factions in the Master Teacher Academy. As its leader, she had no lack of Academic Credits or spirit stones.

The reason she wanted Zhang Xuan to join them or to serve as her servant was because he had embarrassed all of the seniors with his previous deed. If she could make him submit to her, her reputation would surely soar amidst the student populace.

However, that fellow didn't know what was good for him.

Since the other party had already rejected her so bluntly, there was no room for negotiation.

After Hu Yaoyao left, Luo Qiqi turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "She is the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction, and I heard that she spent a great deal of effort compiling the information in the Teacher Information Documentation. Yet, her effort ended up in vain, so it's inevitable that she carries some hostility toward you... She was intentionally trying to humiliate you, so there is no need to take it to heart..."

"Don't worry, I won't." Zhang Xuan smiled. "But with this, we have reached an impasse. Alright, leave this to me. I will find a way to make her spit out the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence obediently!"

"Leave it to you?" Luo Qiqi frowned. "Hu Yaoyao is an extremely prideful and cunning person. It won't be easy to make her speak..."

In the past, there had been a handful of people who had attempted to do in Hu Yaoyao, and all of them had ended up paying a heavy price for their actions.

Even with her teacher's capability, it wouldn't be easy for him to make Hu Yaoyao reveal the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence.

"Don't worry, wait for me at my residence in the Elite Sector. I will be back very soon!" Zhang Xuan instructed with a smile before he activated the Eye of Insight and followed Hu Yaoyao's trail.

In any case, he was already in a hostile relationship with the Bewitching Devil Faction. There was no way he could mend the relationship anymore, so perhaps he could attempt another method instead.

"Teacher..." Seeing Zhang Xuan pursue Hu Yaoyao, Luo Qiqi froze for a moment before yelling, "Senior Yaoyao is a student of the Terpsichore School... She specializes in soul attacks, so you must be careful!"

However, Zhang Xuan's figure had already disappeared amidst the night sky. Perhaps, he hadn't heard her words at all.

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Chapter 766: The Price of the Origin Heavy Water

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan didn't hear Luo Qiqi's voice. Executing the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step, he flew silently at an altitude close to the ground.

His Eye of Insight had grown extremely sharp after undergoing the third acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher. Even though Hu Yaoyao's trail was extremely faint, he could still see it as clear as day.

Hmm? Where is she heading to? Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

The trail first lingered around the lake before abruptly heading for a hill.

The hill looked extremely remote, and it seemed unlikely that there would be anyone staying on it. Why would the other party visit this hill at this ungodly hour?

Under the concealment of the night, Zhang Xuan advanced ahead.

The hill was filled with many short shrubs, and at its very peak was an octagonal gazebo.

There were many of such gazebos throughout the academy. The purpose of it was so that the students could stop by them any time they wished in case they suddenly stumbled upon an enlightenment in their cultivation.

Often, inspiration came suddenly and left as abruptly. If one were to miss that moment, one might miss it forever.

Sticking close to the greenery, Zhang Xuan slowly advanced toward the gazebo. Before long, he saw a bewitching figure standing within. Starlight fell upon her blurred silhouette, creating a beautiful painting.

From afar, that entrancing profile was reminiscent of a beautiful goddess of the night, rendering it impossible for one to pull his gaze off her.

Other than Luo Ruoxin, Zhang Xuan had never felt anything toward any women before. Nevertheless, he still had to admit that Hu Yaoyao did possess fatal charm.

"Isn't it about time for you to come out?" At that instant, the entrancing figure abruptly spoke up, breaking the silence of the night.

Did she notice me? Zhang Xuan jolted in astonishment, but soon, he shook his head.

In order to not leave a trail behind him, he had executed the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step to remain floating in the air. On top of that, he had been keeping a safe distance from Hu Yaoyao, following her only by her faint trails through the Eye of Insight.

With all of the safety precautions he had taken, it would be difficult for even a Saint realm expert to notice his presence!

The next moment, resounding laughter suddenly erupted.

"Haha, Yaoyao sure is sharp. I only arrived just a moment ago, but you have already noticed me..."

With the sound of the wind, a tall figure suddenly emerged from the other end of the hill and leaped into the gazebo.

Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be in his early thirties. His aura felt powerful, reminiscent of a torrential river. Just like Hu Yaoyao, he was a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert as well.

Upon reaching such a realm, it was already impossible to discern the other party's age through their outer appearance.

He might look like he was in his thirties on the outside, but chances were that he was already in his fifties or sixties.

Even so, given the lifespan of two hundred years for a Transcendent Mortal, he could be considered to be young.

Before Hu Yaoyao could speak, another faint voice sounded by the side, and yet another figure walked into the gazebo.

"As a cultivator of the True Helios Art, your presence feels like the searing sun in the sky. How can anyone possibly miss that?"

It was a lady as well. She seemed to be of the same age as Hu Yaoyao, and she possessed a beauty not paling to the latter. However, the dispositions they commanded were the complete opposite of one another.

As if a succubus, every single movement and gesture from Hu Yaoyao would tug at one's heartstrings, leaving one tempted to make her their own. On the other hand, the other lady had an aura of poise and indifference. Despite her beauty, the coldness she exuded left others standing a distance away, not daring to get close.

True Helios Art... Could that man be the leader of the True Helios Faction, Xue Zhenyang? Zhang Xuan thought as he looked at the two new figures in the gazebo.

He had heard by chance that the leader of the True Helios Faction was a Grade-5 student named Xue Zhenyang, so he immediately thought of the other party.

Just as Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, another figure stepped into the gazebo. "Indeed, that fellow sure doesn't know how to conceal himself. Otherwise, Yaoyao wouldn't have noticed him so easily."

It was as if that figure was a specter of the darkness. If he hadn't talked, not even Zhang Xuan would have noticed him. It seemed as if he had just materialized out of nowhere.

"Long Cangyue, you might be able to tread silently in the night due to your Frigid Moon Art, but you ended up making yourself neither a man nor a woman. Don't even compare yourself with me!" Xue Zhenyang harrumphed.

"You are the one who is neither a man nor a woman! Are you asking for a beating?" The young man named Long Cangyue flew into a rage.

"Do you think I will be afraid of you? Come! It has been too long since I have been able to work those joints of mine!" Xue Zhenyang drove the zhenqi in his body, and the next moment, an aura reminiscent of flames gathered around him as he prepared to make an attack.

"Hah, a defeated loser dares to speak so haughtily to me? Since a fight is what you want, a fight is what you'll get!" Long Cangyue sneered coldly.

In an instant, a tense atmosphere weighed down between the duo.

"Enough! To fight right after meeting one another, can't the both of you tone down a little? Don't you know we have some important matters to discuss tonight?" Hu Yaoyao harrumphed in displeasure.

Along with her words, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipated. The duo harrumphed coldly and said, "Humph, I guess we can fight on another occasion. For now, we should discuss about the matter we have at hand."

"Since everyone is gathered... Dong Xin, you can start now." With the duo toning it down, Hu Yaoyao turned her gaze to the other lady of the group and gestured for her to begin.

The cold-faced lady, Dong Xin, paused for a brief moment before reporting, "Okay. I went to that place and observed it for two days. Just as Zhenyang has said, I am certain that the item exists... However, the difficulty in obtaining it seems to be greater than our initial estimates. I fear that it will be hard to succeed with just the four of us."

"Indeed, it won't be easy for us to succeed. Putting aside the difficult geographical terrain where the place is located, those two fellows guarding it are also beyond our capability," Xue Zhenyang said with a frown.

"We will have to ensure that our plan is foolproof, or else we might potentially end up losing our lives there," Long Cangyue added.

"Ensure that our plan is foolproof? Do we have the time to do so? If I recall correctly, that item is going to be ripe in just a month's time, and the moment it happens, those two fellows will surely consume it to refine their bones and meridians. By then, we will have lost our opportunity to get it!" Xue Zhenyang flung his sleeves and harrumphed.

"Zhenyang is right, we won't have a chance if we don't act decisively. We have to get to it before it ripens and obtain it as soon as it happens. Otherwise, if we lose this opportunity, it will take us at least several dozen years of hard work in order to reach Half-Saint!" Hu Yaoyao nodded with a frown.

"We all understand that logic, but the problem lies with how we can breach the defense of those two huge fellows!" Xue Zhenyang shook his head before turning the cold-faced young lady. "Dong Xin, you are famed genius of the Beast Tamer School. Do you have any idea how we can deal with those two fellows?"

"Those two fellows possess the Ancient Bloodline, so it will be hard to distract them with ordinary items. Didn't I tell you all to purchase some Origin Heavy Water before I went to scout? That item has the effect of purifying the Ancient Bloodline, so it might work as a bait against them. As long as we can distract them momentarily, we might be able to get to the fruit!" Dong Xin said before turning the group to ask, "So, have you bought it yet?"

"How can we possibly have the money to buy it? A single bottle of it costs more than a hundred thousand middle-tier spirit stones! It is not like you don't know how much money we have at hand." Xue Zhenyang replied with a bitter smile.

Even as Grade-5 students, it was still hard for them to fork out a hundred thousand middle-tier spirit stones at once.

Origin Heavy Water? Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's heart suddenly leaped in agitation.

In total, there were five dans to the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body. Even though he'd fused many physical body cultivation techniques with it, he still needed four items to serve as a catalyst to cultivate the last four dans.

The Third Incandescence happened to require the Origin Heavy Water.

However, Zhang Xuan had known its name before. Regarding its appearance or where he could find it, he had no idea whatsoever. He'd never thought that he would receive news about it from the mouths of these people.

It seemed like they were intending to purchase the Origin Heavy Water!

A hundred thousand middle-tier spirit stones... That is equivalent to ten high-tier spirit stones! My, how expensive it is! Zhang Xuan exclaimed in frustration within.

Based on his understanding of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, if he wanted to fully cultivate the Third Incandescence, he would at least require ten bottles of the Origin Heavy Water. However, he only had ten high-tier spirit stones at the moment, which was far from sufficient for him to obtain enough of it!

Hearing Xue Zhenyang's complaint, Dong Xin asked, "Didn't a new batch of freshmen arrive just a few days ago? I thought you all would have made a killing there?"

The student factions of the academy would usually be able to earn substantial wealth for themselves whenever new students arrived in the academy. On top of that, this was the once-in-a-decade massive intake of the academy, and according to the rumors she had heard, there should be thirty thousand freshmen this year. With so many of them, even if they were to earn just three middle-tier spirit stones from each of them, they would still easily scrape together a hundred thousand!

"Make a killing? We even made a loss, you know! Haven't you heard of that matter two days ago?" Long Cangyue shook his head in frustration.

"Heard of what? I came here as soon as I could to deliver this news to you all, so I haven't heard anything yet. What happened? Did the academy interfere in the matter?" Dong Xin asked bewilderedly.

She had spent the past few days in that area in order to gather intelligence for their operation. As a result, she had only returned earlier that night, so she wasn't too sure about the happenings in the academy.

However, it was a convention for the senior to exploit the freshmen, and the academy had never interfered with it in previous years. There shouldn't have been any reason for them to do it that year.

Besides, the practice had its merits as well. Firstly, it could dampen the conceit that most freshmen came in with, teaching them that there was always a mountain higher than the other. Secondly, participating in a faction also served as a social platform for master teachers to interact and coordinate with one another, which helped them to build camaraderie to deal with the Otherworldly Demons if the time ever came.

Since the academy didn't interfere in this matter and the freshmen had no choice but to step right into their scam, the various factions should have been able to earn a substantial sum. But if that was the case, why did the others look as if they had made a loss instead?

"A freak amidst the freshmen wrecked our entire business. The entrance examination this year was conducted by your Beast Tamer School, so you should know some details regarding it, right?" Long Cangyue said.

"Yes." Dong Xin nodded. "It was conducted by Elder Mo, and he started preparing for it since several months ago."

As a genius of the Beast Tamer School, she had a close relationship with most of the teachers and elders there. As such, she had been let in on the matter regarding the entrance examination even before it had been announced.

In preparation for the examination, Elder Mo had been going around capturing malicious spirit beasts, and Dong Xin had helped capture a few of them herself as well.

"The rules of the entrance examination this time around are rather simple. Obtain the inner core of a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle spirit beast, and you will obtain one point... Do you know how many points that freak of a freshman earned?" Long Cangyue asked.

It had been several days since the freshman examination had finished. As the leader of the Ashen Moon Faction, it wasn't too difficult for him to gather some intelligence regarding the happenings there.

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Chapter 767: I Saw Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"How many?"

Looking at the look of disbelief on the other party's face, Dong Xin couldn't help but feel a little curious at how well the freshmen did. "Since he is a freshman, his cultivation should probably be at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle. Even if he were to make the breakthrough to Cosmos Bridge realm, it would already be an incredible feat for him to kill three Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle spirit beasts within a single day. Three of them would give him 120 points... Could his score have exceeded a thousand?"

A Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle spirit beast was worth 40 points. It was already rather formidable for one to slay three spirit beasts of the same cultivation realm as one in a single day. Even if one were to multiply that by ten, that would only be 1200 points.

Scoring 1200 points was indeed an incredible feat for a freshman, but surely it wouldn't produce such a look of disbelief on the face of the leader of the Ashen Moon Faction?

Hearing those words, Long Cangyue scoffed. "A thousand points? If it was only that much, would I need to be so shocked?"

"Let me tell you this straight, he obtained a grand total of 43,724 points..."

"H-how many did you say? 43,000 points?" Hearing those words, Dong Xin nearly fainted on the spot.

She had participated in the capture of those spirit beasts, so she knew how difficult it was to locate and hunt them down.

On top of that, they had targeted the aggressive spirit beasts who had a record of hurting others, and they were far more difficult to deal with than the spirit beasts enclosed in a cage. Every single of them was incredibly cunning, and a lapse in one's concentration could easily lead to one's death. Yet, a freshman had actually obtained more than 40,000 points in such an examination... Wasn't this joke a little too much?

How many spirit beasts must he have killed to obtain such a result?

Could he have single-handedly slaughtered every last spirit beast in the mountain?

"That's not all. The points he obtained weren't from killing the spirit beasts, but by... taming them!" Long Cangyue added.

"Taming them?" Dong Xin exclaimed sharply.

Taming a spirit beast was far more difficult than killing one. Even her, a renowned genius of the Beast Tamer School, would have to spend several months or even years in order to achieve the required intimacy to tame one. Yet, to tame multiple spirit beasts in a day... Not to mention, enough of them to obtain 40,000 points... Just how many spirit beasts in the world did he tame!

Seeing Dong Xin's expression, Long Cangyue could tell what she was thinking, so he said, "He tamed more than four hundred spirit beasts... Furthermore, according to the accounts from the dozens of eye-witnesses in the area, he did it within just two hours!"

"Two hours..." Dong Xin couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Even she didn't have the ability to do the same.

"It's this incredible feat that won him School Head Mo's favor, and School Head Mo offered to take him in as his disciple!" Long Cangyue said.

"Take him in as his disciple? School Head Mo?" Dong Xin was stunned.

All along, she had been working hard in the hope that her effort could catch School Head Mo's eye. However, School Head Mo never seemed to notice her.

As a result, she'd thought that School Head Mo had no intention of accepting any disciple at all. Who knew that he would end up favoring a freshman over her?

"That's right. However, what is the most unbelievable thing about this matter is that... the fellow actually rejected the offer!" Long Cangyue's eyes flew around the place.

The first time he heard of that news, he had also been rendered dumbfounded.

To actually reject School Head Mo, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers... He sure was gutsy!

At this moment, Dong Xin felt as though she had been struck by lightning.

Countless students in the academy were vying to become School Head Mo's student, and yet that fellow actually rejected the offer? Did he have a screw loose somewhere?

"That's not all, there is still more to come. After that fellow heard many people had failed the examination, he gave away his points away to them so that they could all clear the examination!" Long Cangyue said.

"Gave away his points?"

Dong Xin widened her eyes in astonishment as her body swayed weakly from side to side. "The points one obtains in the entrance examination can be used to trade for Academic Credits... Given his accomplishment in the examination, he could easily have received ten Academic Credits! Even if he has no interest in Academic Credits, he could easily apply for twenty high-tier spirit stones from the academy with his score... And yet, he gave them away?"

The points could be traded for Academic Credits and high-tier spirit stone? Upon hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nearly spewed blood from his mouth.

If he'd known that those points could be traded for Academic Credits and high-tier spirit stones, he would have never idled around in the entrance examination! He would have surely rushed around the mountain, taming, and killing as many spirit beasts as he could!

At the very least, he would have strived for a million points!

Or if it came down to it, he could even have handed the Byzantium Helios Beast over...

Consonant Spirit realm spirit beasts were worth 10 points, Cosmos Bridge realm spirit beasts were worth 100 points, Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beasts were worth 1,000 points, Ethereal Treading realm spirit beasts were worth 10,000 points, Chrysalis realm spirit beasts were worth 100,000 points, Half-Saint beasts were worth 1,000,000 points, Nascent Saint beasts were worth 10,000,000 points... Then a Saint beast should be worth at least 100,000,000 points, right?

Furthermore, that fellow was at Saint 1-dan pinnacle, which meant... 400,000,000 points!

Calculating by proportion, wouldn't that mean that he could receive 100,000 Academic Credits or 200,000 high-tier spirit stones from the academy?

Regret dyed Zhang Xuan's guts green. 1

If he had that many Academic Credits and high-tier spirit stones, would there be anywhere that he couldn't go?

He would be able to make his round through all of the libraries in the academy, and perhaps, he might already be on his way to a Conferred Empire now!

I will look for Elder Mo later... Perhaps, I might still be able to exchange the Byzantium Helios Beast for some Academic Credits...

Zhang Xuan thought about the matter for an instant before eventually shaking his head. But putting aside the fact that the entrance examination is already over, which means that the academy has the right to refuse to give me the corresponding Academic Credits and high-tier spirit stones, even if I am able to do so, I won't be able to explain to them how I managed to capture the Byzantium Helios Beast. On top of that, it would reveal my possession of the Otherworldly Demon puppets...

It would be impossible for him to explain the presence of the Otherworldly Demon puppets at the moment, and even if he could, they were currently his greatest trump card, so it would be unwise for him to reveal their existence as well. Thus, even though it was a huge shame, Zhang Xuan still decided to drop the matter in the end.

"To be honest, even I can't help but be in awe of how generous that fellow is!" Long Cangyue continued.

"But that still isn't all. When you hear what he did afterward, you will surely go mad!"

"Oh?" Suppressing her shock, Dong Xin turned to look at Long Cangyue.

On the other hand, Hu Yaoyao and Xue Zhenyang were listening to the conversation between the duo silently. Judging from the looks of helplessness on their faces, it was likely that they had long heard of it.

"Shortly after clearing the entrance examination, that fellow headed to the Blacksmith School, and god knows what he did, but he destroyed the entire Passageway of Records along with half of the Blacksmith Guild..." Long Cangyue revealed.

"Passageway of Records?" Blacksmith Guild?" Dong Xin gasped in shock. "Vice School Head Yuan didn't kill him for that?"

As one of the senior students of the academy, she was aware of Vice School Head's austere and fiery temper. He expected students to abide by the rules strictly, and he tolerated zero nonsense from others.

To destroy the Passageway of Records along with half of the entire Blacksmith Guild... He should be glad that Vice School Head Yuan didn't strangle him to death on the spot!

"Kill him? I also thought that would be the case as well when I heard about it... But not only did Vice School Head spare Zhang Xuan, he even treated him with the utmost politeness and led him to the Ocean of Weapons personally to take the blacksmith examination! And that fellow, within four hours within the Ocean of Weapons, progressed from a mere apprentice to become... a 6-star blacksmith!" Long Cangyue said.

"W-what did you say? Within four hours... he took the 1-star examination all the way to the 6-star examination?" Dong Xin's mouth slowly widened in shock.

No words could explain what she was feeling at the moment.

That fellow's previous deeds were incredible, but it was at least remotely possible. The world was huge, and there were all kinds of incredible geniuses out there. They weren't so arrogant as to think that they would be the top of the world. But what the heck was with clearing the 1-star to 6-star examination within 4 hours?

More importantly, the prerequisite to taking the 6-star examination was for one's cultivation to reach Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm. This wasn't just a condition imposed by the Blacksmith Guild, but that it was fundamentally impossible for a cultivator beneath that cultivation realm to clear the examination.

For one, the purity and quantity of their zhenqi would be insufficient to evoke the heat in the flames, making it impossible for them to melt most ores that 6-star blacksmiths were expected to process.

Are you sure you aren't messing with me?

"That matter alarmed School Head Zhao, and he insisted on taking that fellow in as his teacher's student, or in other words, his junior... But that fellow rejected it yet again!"

Long Cangyue could clearly perceive the disbelief in Dong Xin's eyes, but it was all the truth.

Many had witnessed Zhang Xuan's deeds in the Blacksmith School, and as the leaders of the largest student factions in the academy, it wouldn't be too difficult for them to verify the authenticity of the news.

"School Head Mo offered to take him in as his disciple, and School Head Zhao offered to acknowledge him as his junior... but they were rejected?"

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Dong Xin fell into deep thought for a few moments before lifting her gaze to ask, "That freshman is indeed a formidable figure, but... what does he have to do with the issue regarding the finances of the student factions?"

Thinking about it now, they had been talking about the lack of money in their student factions just a moment ago when the topic had suddenly shifted to that fellow. Could that freshman be responsible for the student faction's business failure?

"As you know, the main source of income of student factions during the start of the term is from the sales of the 'Teacher Information Documentation' to the incoming freshmen, but somehow, that fellow managed to obtain an even more accurate and detailed version of it and gave it away for free... With that, who else would buy ours? Not only so, our reputations were even dragged down into the gutters. Quite a few freshmen who were intending to join our factions ended up backing out due to that scandal!" Long Cangyue explained with a hint of fury in his voice.

That matter had caused significant losses to his Ashen Moon Faction, so he'd ordered an investigation into the culprit of the affair, Zhang Xuan. Who could have known that the results of the investigation would be so baffling?

If it had been any other freshmen, he would have stomped right up to them and given them a good pummeling so as to beat the rules into their bones. But this fellow... how could he dare to touch a person whom School Head Mo and School Head Zhao favored?

"..." Not expecting such a situation, Dong Xin was at a loss for words.

But indeed, if there was a free and better version, who would want to waste a hundred middle-tier spirit stones on their document?

"Then... don't any of you have a way to deal with him?"

"What can we possibly do against that fellow? His cultivation might not be too high, but he has the backing of two of the Ten Great Master Teachers. Unless you wish to offend those two, there is hardly anything we can do about him... Since all of us are gathered here today, let's discuss that matter as well." Long Cangyue sighed deeply as he turned his gaze to the group.

"Not only did he spoil our market, his actions also sullied our reputations as well. We have to punish him or else we might risk losing our authority amongst the student populace!"

"Indeed, we can't let him go that easily!" Xue Zhenyang narrowed his eyes and harrumphed.

"So, do you two have any ideas yet?" Dong Xin asked.

"This..." Long Cangyue and Xue Zhenyang glanced at one another and smiled bitterly.

School Head Mo and School Head Zhao were two gigantic barriers standing in the way of their vengeance, and there was hardly any way they could circumvent them. If they really had an idea in mind, they would have long carried it out. Would they still allow Zhang Xuan to get off scot-free even to this day?

At this moment, Hu Yaoyao suddenly spoke up with a soft chuckle. "Speaking of that fellow, I met him today!"

"You met him?" The others immediately turned their sights to Hu Yaoyao.

Even though they had nearly died from shock due to the many rumors they had heard regarding Zhang Xuan, none of them had been fortunate enough to meet him yet.

The other party had caused a huge storm right from the moment he'd enrolled at the academy, so they hadn't had the chance to see his appearance for themselves yet.

"Yes. I believe you all should know the genius of the Grade-2 students, Luo Qiqi, right?" asked Hu Yaoyao as she glanced at them.

"Of course!" Dong Xin replied.

Luo Qiqi had been enrolled at the academy for barely a year, but she had already advanced from 4-star pinnacle to 5-star low-tier. Such speed was astounding even when taking into consideration the innumerable geniuses that had come before her in the academy.

Possessing both looks and talent, it was inevitable that they would be aware of her.

"I saw her together with Zhang Xuan earlier, and she had addressed him as her teacher!" Hu Yaoyao said.

"Teacher?"

"Luo Qiqi addressed him as her teacher? You... Are you sure you aren't pulling our legs?"

"Luo Qiqi has a mysterious background, and it is rumored that she is the princess from some empire. I have tried looking into her background myself, but I wasn't able to uncover anything substantial about her either... A person like that actually acknowledged a freshman as her teacher?"

Long Cangyue, Xue Zhenyang, and the others could hardly believe their ears.

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Chapter 768: Terpsichore School

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"It is not the aged but the skilled who becomes the teacher, this has always been how we master teachers work. Considering how Luo Qiqi was willing to address him as her teacher without the slightest indignation in her voice, it can only mean that he possesses ability surpassing her significantly in certain aspects," Hu Yaoyao said.

There was no human who could possibly be skilled in all aspects. Even the most formidable of cultivators had their own weaknesses.

As a result, there were cases where a higher ranked master teacher acknowledged a lower ranked master teacher as their teacher.

Even Empyrean Kong shi had sought guidance from Tan shi, an inconspicuous 5-star master teacher from the remote Tan Kingdom.

Understanding this fact, the others nodded in agreement. After which, Dong Xin asked, "Since you have met him, what is your evaluation of him? Are there any flaws he has that we can exploit against him?"

"We barely traded a few words, so I am unable to make a complete evaluation of his character. Nevertheless, based on what I have seen so far, he seems to be an honest and upright person. It doesn't seem like he will do anything against his principles. However, if there is one flaw I have to name about him... it will be that his words are infuriating!" Hu Yaoyao said.

Even though she was a 6-star low-tier master teacher, she was still unable to discern anything significant about Zhang Xuan. The only thing that she came out of the encounter with was her raging fury from the other party's words.

"His words are infuriating?" The others blinked in surprise.

To make a person like Hu Yaoyao, who could take most things in her stride, angry, that fellow was indeed a genius in some ways.

After a moment of contemplation, Hu Yaoyao added, "Oh, right! That fellow seems to be interested in the old residence of Wu Yangzi. I feel that we can use this as a leverage against him to teach him a lesson!"

Even though the competition among the four of their factions was rather rife, perhaps due to mutual respect for one another, the four of them were surprisingly on relatively good terms.

"Wu Yangzi's old residence? It's good that he has something that he desires; we should be able to use it against him. Why don't we give him a false location and set up a trap there so as to teach him a lesson? This way, we might be able pull him out of School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's notice to teach him a lesson!" Xue Zhenyang's eyes glowed in excitement.

The years of cultivating the True Helios Art had slowly shaped his personality to be more forceful and decisive. If it was something he could resolve easily with brute force, he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"That isn't safe. If he were to report the matter to School Head Mo and the others afterward, we will surely be punished for it! We have to find a way to make him suffer without having him speaking about it. In order to do so, it will be best if we can find something to threaten him with so that he won't dare speak of it," Long Cangyue said.

Unlike Xue Zhenyang's straightforward personality, Long Cangyue tended to be more thorough and scheming in his actions.

Since Zhang Xuan was favored by School Head Mo and School Head Zhao, it would be safe to assume that they would be inclined to protect him if something happened. Thus, they had to be careful when dealing with him, or else they would suffer two of the Ten Great Master Teachers' wrath, and that wasn't a joking matter at all.

Thus... the only way it would be safe for them to strike was to obtain some kind of material they could blackmail him with, so that even if they were to make him to suffer, he wouldn't dare speak up about it.

A thought came to Dong Xin's mind, and her eyes lit up.

"Something to threaten him with... That is indeed a good idea! Yaoyao, you are better than us with such matters. I recall there are quite a few students who have crossed the Bewitching Devil Faction over the past few years, and while they ended up suffering immensely for their actions, none of them dared to speak up about it."

Hu Yaoyao's reputation in the academy was resounding. This wasn't just due to her incredible talent in cultivation and her beauty, but for her unconventional means in dealing with problems as well. There were many master teachers who had challenged her authority in the past, but she had managed to resolve them beautifully while giving the other party the humiliation of their life.

"Now that you speak of it, I do have an idea in mind. Doesn't that fellow like to sell others his favor? Since that's the case, why don't I drag his reputation down to his gutters and let him understand the price of offending me, Hu Yaoyao!"

A sharp glint flashed across Hu Yaoyao's dark eyes as a chilling smile crept onto her face. "And that Luo Qiqi as well. It seems like she cares for her teacher quite a fair bit... If she were to learn how shameless and immoral her teacher is... Let's see if she will still be able to respect him as before!"

Knowing that Hu Yaoyao would never say anything she was unconfident of, the eyes of the others lit up in excitement.

"Leave this matter to me. However, I want an additional share of that item for dealing with that fellow. This request of mine isn't too much, isn't it?" Hu Yaoyao said.

"An additional share?"

"... Fine. As long as you can deal with that fellow, we will give you an additional share!"

The others nodded in agreement.

"That's good. For the time being, you should focus your efforts on acquiring the Origin Heavy Water. We'll set off once the preparations are ready. As for Zhang Xuan, just wait for the good news! As long as he wants to know the location of Wu Yangzi's old residence, he will have no choice but to obey my commands obediently," Hu Yaoyao said as her lips curled up.

Obey her commands obediently? It seems like she has some plan up her sleeves... Zhang Xuan thought.

Considering how confident Hu Yaoyao sounded, it seemed she had already found a sure-kill way to deal with him.

Zhang Xuan mused over the various possibilities for a moment, but without anything else for him to work with, it was impossible for him to determine the other party's next course of action. Thus, he could only give up in the end.

If the other party was going to go after him, he would just have to deal with it accordingly when the time came.

At the very least, he did know of the other party's intentions, so he wouldn't be caught completely off-guard when something happened.

After Hu Yaoyao and the others were done negotiating, they swiftly left the gazebo and flitted down the hill.

Only after ensuring that everyone was gone did Zhang Xuan finally stand up.

Even though I know that she means me harm, I still have to get the location of Wu Yangzi's old residence out of her... After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan eventually decided to follow Hu Yaoyao. He activated the Eye of Insight and hurried off in the direction the latter had departed in.

As for the treasure which Hu Yaoyao and the others seemed to be targeting, that had nothing to do with him, so he had no intentions in getting involved either. As for the Heavy Origin Water, since he knew that it was possible to procure it with high-tier spirit stones in Hongyuan City, he would just have to earn sufficient money to purchase it in the future.

Thus, the only thing left for him to do was to find Wu Yangzi's old residence.

Considering Wu Yangzi's prestige and standing in Hongyuan City back then, it was likely that his treasure would hold great wealth. Thus, as long as Zhang Xuan could lay his hands on it, he would not need to worry about having insufficient funds for his cultivation anymore.

Following Hu Yaoyao's trail, he soon arrived at a vast courtyard.

There are so many ladies here...

As Zhang Xuan slowly crept within manor, he soon realized that something was amiss.

For some reason, the number of female students in this manor was disproportionately higher than the male students. Furthermore, each and everyone one of them had an elegant figure and beautiful face.

While they were unable to compete with top beauties in the academy such as Hu Yaoyao and Luo Qiqi, the charm that they exuded would still be irresistible for most men.

The number of male master teachers had always been higher than the number of female master teachers, yet the number of female master teachers here far exceeded the male master teachers. Zhang Xuan found the situation before him completely bizarre.

The density of people increased the further Zhang Xuan progressed, so he had no choice but to slow down in order to avoid detection. It was fortunate that he possessed the Eye of Insight, allowing him to clearly discern the actions of others and take precautions in advance. On top of that, he possessed the Heaven's Path zhenqi and Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step, allowing him to move discreetly without alarming others.

An hour later...

Following the trail, Zhang Xuan soon found himself penetrating into the depths of the manor.

"Xinru, keep watch for me outside. I will be preparing some things, and I don't want to be interrupted."

After advancing a moment longer, Zhang Xuan suddenly a crisp voice ahead of him. It was Hu Yaoyao's voice. He swiftly rushed to hide behind a huge tree in the vicinity.

Following the source of the voice, he saw Hu Yaoyao standing right before a room.

"Yes!" the lady named Xinru replied with a nod.

Xinru was a young lady in her twenties, and she possessed an exceptional figure and beauty as well.

Is Hu Yaoyao intending to prepare her hand to deal with me? Having eavesdropped on the conversation among Hu Yaoyao, Xue Zhenyang, Long Cangyue, and Dong Xin, he knew that Hu Yaoyao was intending to deal with him.

This might be a good opportunity to see what the other party was up to so that he could come up with a suitable countermeasure for it.

With such a thought in mind, Zhang Xuan slowly flew to the top of the room which Hu Yaoyao was standing before.

His movements were as light as a feather, leaving no sound whatsoever.

Hu!

After landing on the roof, he gently pried open one of the brick tiles above and peeked down.

Just as his gaze fell into the room, Hu Yaoyao stepped into the room as well.

Under the warm glow of the many Night Illumination Pearls embedded in the room, Hu Yaoyao could be seen dressed in a crimson silk robe, which further accentuated her perfect figure.

Her smooth white skin, long and slender neck, exquisitely-shaped earlobes, silky pitch-black hair... No matter how one looked at her, Hu Yaoyao was like a bewitching devil that one couldn't avert one's gaze from.

Huala!

Just as Zhang Xuan was staring intently to see what Hu Yaoyao was up to, the other party abruptly walked up to her bedframe and gently pulled at the knot by her waist.

The crimson robe she was wearing immediately slipped down her body, revealing her pristine skin.

From top to bottom, there was not a single piece of cloth on her. Her beautiful figure lay bare in the room.

"..." Zhang Xuan was speechless.

He'd thought that the other party would prepare some kind of artifact or trap to deal with him, so he'd climbed onto the roof to peek on the other party, hoping that he could perhaps use this to blackmail her into revealing Wu Yangzi's old residence.

Who knew that the other party would strip off her clothes as soon as she returned to the room... This was way too weird!

The sky had darkened just a moment ago, so she couldn't possibly be intending to go to sleep. But if that was the case, why was she taking off her clothes?

He truly couldn't understand what was going on in that woman's head.

Never mind, I shouldn't look any further! Knowing that his actions would be nothing but despicable if he were to continue peeking, he decisively placed the roof tile back.

If he were to be branded as a perverted peeping Tom because of this matter, that would be truly unfortunate... Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine.

Hu Yaoyao's room was situated at the highest point in the area, and it was the largest one as well. Sitting on its roof, he could easily see everything in the other courtyards. In a few of them, he saw a few ladies dressed in resplendent outfits moving about.

Their elegant garments and their bewitching movements left him in an entranced state with just a single glance.

It was only after driving his zhenqi that Zhang Xuan finally recovered, and he immediately fell into deep contemplation.

Could this be... the Terpsichore School?

The fact that they were able to make him momentarily lose his senses through their dancing meant that their gestures carried the ability to beguile souls, and the only occupation in the academy that was capable of such a feat was terpsichore.

This also explained why this manor consisted mainly of women as well.

It will be awkward for me to remain here considering that Hu Yaoyao is naked inside... But since I am already at the Terpsichore School, I might as well pay their library a visit so that I don't make this trip a waste!

Knowing that it would be suspicious for him to remain here, Zhang Xuan decided to postpone the matter for the moment and visit the library so as to deal with his Innate Fetal Poison.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight and began scanning his surroundings. Soon, his gaze fell on a towering building in the distance.

Three elegantly calligraphed words, carrying both elegance and an historic aura, came into sight—Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion.

I should go over to take a look!

With eyes gleaming with excitement, Zhang Xuan flitted off into the darkness.

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