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

25. 769

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 769: Night at the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 769: Night at the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 769: Night at the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion was large and majestic, standing tall and conspicuous even amidst the deep darkness of the night.

In several breaths, Zhang Xuan landed on the branch of a large tree just outside the building.

The libraries of the academy require a student token and Academic Credits to enter... Zhang Xuan scratched his head in distress.

He'd thought that he would be able to access the library freely as a student of the academy, but based on what he saw at the entrance of the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, that didn't seem to be the case.

Just like the Ocean of Weapons in the Blacksmith School, the doors to the libraries could only open by scanning one's student token and paying the required amount of Academic Credits. Unfortunately, Zhang Xuan had neither of the two, so it was impossible for him to enter.

If he were to attempt to barge in and trigger some kind of protective formation due to it, he might even attract the attention of the school's elders, bringing himself trouble.

But I am already here... Am I to return empty-handed? Zhang Xuan muttered in frustration.

The matter regarding his Innate Fetal Poison could not wait. His goal was just standing before him, and if he were to return just like that, he might possibly regret it for life.

Wait... The mechanisms and formations protecting the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion are indeed useful against cultivators, but can it block off souls? After all, souls are intangible existences, rendering most mechanisms and formations ineffective against them. Perhaps, I might be able to enter the premises this way... Zhang Xuan thought.

Based on Zhang Xuan's analysis, it seemed like the formations and mechanisms around the library could only sense tangible beings. As such, it might be possible for him to sneak in as a soul.

Furthermore, while he could only duplicate books in the Library of Heaven's Path by touching them in the past, with the new upgrades it had just undergone, he could replicate them just by laying his eyes on them... In other words, even with just his soul, he could gather every single book in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion into the Library of Heaven's Path easily!

Let me give it a try!

The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more excited he became by the idea. Thus, he hid his body well amidst dense shrubs before drawing his soul out.

As if an apparition of the night, his soul gradually approached the tightly shut doors of the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion silently. At its entrance, he saw several students standing guard to keep away intruders.

Despite the intangible nature of souls, they were still bound by the laws of the world. One of the manifestations of such a phenomenon was their inability to pass through concrete walls, and unfortunately for Zhang Xuan, the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion was made of an airtight material which prevented even souls from slipping through.

Just as he was contemplating about how he could enter, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him as a figure approached the doors of the library.

The figure walked up to the doors and bowed deeply to the several students at the entrance.

"Seniors, I would like to access the library to check some information."

She was a lady in her thirties, and the master teacher emblem pinned on her chest had five stars on it.

5-star low-tier master teacher, she was a Grade-2 student.

One of the seniors glanced at her and said, "Your student token and Academic Credits token!"

Most likely, the seniors standing guard at the entrance were taking this job as a way to earn additional Academic Credits to finance their expenditure.

"Yes!" The student quickly passed her student token and Academic Credits Token over.

A moment later, the senior nodded and said, "You are a Grade-2 student, so you can only browse through the books of Grade-3 and below. If you attempt to look at any book beyond that tier, you will be expelled from the library immediately. On top of that, you are only given twenty hours of reading time for each Academic Credit you spend, and you are not allowed to take out any books from the library."

"Yes!" The student nodded in response.

As a Grade-2 student of the Master Teacher Academy, she was accustomed to the rules of the library.

"Ok, you may enter now!"

After emphasizing on the rules, the senior waved her hand to gesture that the student may pass. Carrying her student token and Academic Credits token, the student walked up to a stone pedestal in front of the doors and placed them on it. Jiya! The doors to the library opened.

This is a good opportunity for me to enter as well!

Upon seeing a chance to slip into the building, Zhang Xuan immediately got to action and dived in behind the student as well.

After entering the doors, a vast hall immediately appeared before his eyes. The walls were embedded with Night Illumination Pearls of all sizes, making its interiors as bright as day.

Ads by Pubfuture

Shelves of books were positioned orderly in the hall, and the books on them were innumerable.

As expected of the Master Teacher Academy! Their collection of books is indeed astounding... Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Terpsichore was one of the more remote occupations, so the number of books on them was severely limited. However, the members of the Master Teacher Academy were all master teachers who had unique insights and had their own understanding of the occupation. Over time, more and more books had been added to the collection, resulting in the impressive compendium that lay before him at this very instant.

"I should collect them all first and look at them later..."

Considering the number of books that were in the library, it would take a considerable amount of time if he had to go through them one by one.

Zhang Xuan's soul moved to the very first bookshelf at the corner and began scanning through them.

Flaws!

Muttering in his head, he could feel that book after book was being replicated in the Library of Heaven's Path.

It was as if his eyes were scanners, allowing him to replicate the content within books entirely just by laying his eyes on them. This allowed him to copy books at a rate far quicker than he did by running.

This is really great! Zhang Xuan thought excitedly.

Hualala!

Books were filling up the shelves in the Library of Heaven's Path at an unprecedented rate.

Four hours later, Zhang Xuan was finally done taking in all of the books in the hall, and he compiled them into a Heaven's Path manual.

On to the second floor...

After Zhang Xuan was done with the first floor, he proceeded on to the second floor.

There were significantly fewer books here than on the first floor, but the content covered within them was more profound.

Just like apothecaries and blacksmiths, terpsichores were also ranked from 1-star to 9-star. Contained on the first floor was the basic knowledge regarding dancing from apprentice to 4-star pinnacle whereas the second floor contained the dancing art and cultivation technique manuals corresponding to 5-star primary terpsichores.

Zhang Xuan took all of the books on the shelves into the Library of Heaven's Path without any hesitation.

Two hours later, he was done collecting the books on the second level.

Continuing on...

It wasn't easy for him to come to get into the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, so it would be a huge shame if he didn't make use of this opportunity to take in as many books as he could. Thus, he hurried off to the third floor.

Technically speaking, a Grade-1 student was only allowed to browse through the books on the first and second floor. This rule was set by the academy in order to discourage ambitious students from attempting what was far beyond their capability, and various measures were implemented to enforce it.

However, while these measures could stop students, they couldn't do the same to souls. With a thought, Zhang Xuan's soul turned into a stream that flowed right through the formation blockading the stairs and arrived at the next floor.

There were even fewer books on the third floor, and Zhang Xuan finished them in just an hour.

After which, he did the same for the fourth, fifth, and sixth floor.

It only took him another two hours to collect the books on the remaining three floors.

In other words, in less than ten hours, he had made duplicates of the innumerable books in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion in his head!

With a slight smile on his face, Zhang Xuan thought in satisfaction, I will examine them carefully when I return to my residence!

He had been thinking that he would have to pay a visit to the Terpsichore School someday to browse through the books, but who could have known that he would accomplish this while following behind Hu Yaoyao?

Furthermore, now that he had learned that he could easily access the libraries in the Master Teacher Academy through his soul, wouldn't he be able to do so for the other schools as well?

If that is the case, I should be able to cover all of the books in the ten schools within ten days. By then, I would have sufficient books to push my cultivation to higher realms as well, perhaps even reaching Saint realm. With that, my work at the Master Teacher Academy will be done! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in agitation.

As long as he had sufficient books to compile the Heaven's Path Divine Art, advancing his cultivation would be as easy as eating and drinking.

The main reason he had chosen to enroll in the Master Teacher Academy was so that he could access their trove of books.

The upgrade of his Library of Heaven's Path had truly come at an ideal time.

Ads by Pubfuture

With this, he would be able to access the knowledge from the various schools as he pleased, and his lack of Academic Credits wouldn't be an issue anymore.

Ten days should be enough for him to cover everything in the Master Teacher Academy. After compiling them into the respective Heaven's Path manuals, he would be able to make a breakthrough both in his cultivation and master teacher ranking.

Just the thought of advancing six realms— the Perfect Harmonization realm, Void Treading realm, Chrysalis realm, Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, and Saint realm—and bringing the ten supporting occupations to 6-star pinnacle left his heart trembling in excitement...

I should go through the terpsichore books first...

However, Zhang Xuan knew that it wouldn't be as simple as that. Thus, shrugging the thought off with a smile, he turned his consciousness back to the Library of Heaven's Path.

Hu!

New Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art manuals appeared before his eyes.

There was a total of six of them, consisting of books from 1-star to 6-star.

Let me see if the portions regarding souls...

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze outside swiftly and noticed that the sun was already setting. It didn't seem like there would be sufficient time for him to learn the entire Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art, so he chose to focus his attention on those regarding souls instead.

Huala!

On Zhang Xuan's will, the books regarding soul cultivation flew from the shelves and gathered in front of him.

Compile! he commanded silently, and yet another book appeared before him.

This was the book that could potentially suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul. Unable to suppress his agitation, Zhang Xuan immediately started browsing through it.

It didn't take long for him to finish reading it all.

By then, his face was already looking incredibly awful.

These are only methods to strengthen one's soul, and they aren't even complete. They won't be much help in dealing with the Innate Fetal Poison...

The books he had collected were sufficient to form a Heaven's Path manual, but it was only effective in strengthening one's soul. Against the Innate Fetal Poison, it was nearly completely useless.

In other words, after all the effort he had put in that night, he didn't have a way counter the Innate Fetal Poison to alleviate the threat he was under yet.

What do I do now... Zhang Xuan thought frustratedly.

To him, the most urgent matter at hand was to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul. Otherwise, if the Innate Fetal Poison was triggered on a whim, that might very well be the day he would breathe his last breath.

He'd thought that, given the nature of the terpsichore occupation, the terpsichores would possess a deep understanding of souls, and he might be able to find a solution to his problems here.

But it seemed like he was being too naive.

If the Innate Fetal Poison could be dealt with that easily, Empyrean Kong shi wouldn't have to rush all the way to become a 9-star master teacher to resolve it properly. He would have long found a solution before then.

Nevertheless, these methods are still effective in building up the resilience of one's soul. I should try to compile them with the soul oracle techniques and see if I can perfect them!

The soul cultivation techniques he had obtained from Mo Hunsheng ranged from Transcendent Mortal 1-dan to 9-dan, but he didn't have enough books to complete them then. Perhaps, if he were to fuse these books together with them, he might be able to compile new Heaven's Path Soul Art manuals.

Currently, the strongest Heaven's Path Soul Art manual he had was still at Consonant Spirit realm, so his soul cultivation was still capped there as well. With the new books he had gathered, it was worth giving it a shot.

Compile!

Zhang Xuan tried putting the books together with his soul cultivation technique manuals.

Hula!

Two new books appeared before Zhang Xuan's gaze. He swiftly grabbed them and flipped them open.

"These are the Cosmos Bridge realm and Perfect Harmonization realm soul cultivation techniques. There are... no flaws at all! They have reached the level of Heaven's Path!" Looking at the content of the books, Zhang Xuan nearly burst out laughing out of sheer delight.

He'd thought that his trip had been a wasted one, but who would have thought that he'd be able to compile the 6-dan and 7-dan Heaven's Path Soul Art manuals using the books he had gathered from the library?

With these two books, he would be able to advance his soul cultivation to Perfect Harmonization realm, thus enhancing his fighting prowess significantly.

Even though the advancement of his soul cultivation wouldn't be able to resolve the threat concerning the Innate Fetal Poison, it would at least help to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison a bit.

It seems like it's already morning. Time for me to return...

By the time Zhang Xuan was done, the brilliant radiance of the sun rays was already spilling in from the eastern horizon of the skyline. It was dawn.

Ads by Pubfuture

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 770: 6-star Terpsichore

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

One of the reasons Zhang Xuan was able to slip into the Terpsichore School in the first place was due to the concealment of the night. Even with his aura hidden by utilizing the unique nature of his Heaven's Path zhenqi, there was a huge chance that someone might spot him if he were to attempt to sneak off in the day.

If he didn't leave right now, he would be stuck in the library once the crowd start spilling into the school.

Thus, without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan's soul rushed to the first floor of the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, heading for the doors.

The student whom he entered with was still busily looking through the shelves. However, judging from the deep frown on her forehead, it seemed she hadn't found the book she was seeking yet.

Zhang Xuan didn't know what she needed, so he couldn't help her even if he wanted to. Thus, he headed straight for the main door.

Hmm?

Zhang Xuan walked up to the door and tried to open it, but to his alarm, it wouldn't budge.

In order to prevent any unauthorized personnel from entering the premises, a special mechanism was installed to ensure that the doors wouldn't open to without the presence of a student token and Academic Credit token. Unless one possessed strength beyond the level of a Half-Saint, it would be impossible to open!

Zhang Xuan was only able to get in earlier by following the student in front of him. As long as no one tried to enter or leave the library, he would be trapped within!

What do I do now? Zhang Xuan thought frustratedly.

It was still dawn, so there were still very few people in the Terpsichore School at the moment. If he were to delay it any longer, he might very well be found!

For an unaffiliated individual to be snooping around the Terpsichore School in the early morning, there was no way he could explain that!

But if it wasn't opened, the formations and mechanisms constructed around the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion were more than sufficient to prevent a soul like him from leaving even if they weren't able to perceive him.

Zhang Xuan turned to look at the student in the library worriedly, but the latter didn't seem like she was about to leave anytime soon. Sighing deeply, he could only continue to wait patiently.

Forget it, there's no use worrying over this. I should just make use of this time to study the Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art...

Since there was nothing he could do in this situation, he decided to find a quiet spot in the library and immerse his consciousness in the Library of Heaven's Path to read through the terpsichorean books he had just compiled.

He had a full compilation of Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art from 1-star to 6-star, and detailed within them were the cultivation techniques for the various terpsichorean arts.

Since he couldn't do anything else at the moment, he flipped open the 1-star Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art and began browsing through it seriously.

With the new upgrade of his Library of Heaven's Path, he could take in the content of a book just by flipping open the book, thus allowing him to understand and assimilate the essence of it even faster than before.

To become a terpsichore, one must have a powerful soul and a dance that is nearly aligned with nature in order to draw it out... The purpose of dancing is to enhance the strength of the soul to the utmost limit, thus drawing out its full might...

The knowledge regarding terpsichores flowed through his head.

Before long, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

He had fully assimilated the knowledge regarding the 1-star Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art.

In other words, even if he were to take the examination at this very instant, he would be able to clear the 1-star terpsichore examination easily.

The prowess of a terpsichore was highly dependent on their soul, and Zhang Xuan had cultivated his soul to be beyond ten meters large. The level that others could hardly reach in their life, he could achieve it as easily as merely eating or drinking.

Drawing his consciousness out of the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan noted that the student was still busy looking for her book and had no intentions of leaving yet. Thus, he moved on to study the 2-star Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art.

While martial artists wield their battle techniques, and terpsichores wield their terpsichorean arts. Terpsichores essentially aim to utilize their art form as a weapon for murder. The world trembles beneath a dance, and in the next moment, a soul perishes. The dance serves as a medium for terpsichores to engage in soul attacks...

Reading the content in the book, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Terpsichorean arts, just like the soul techniques of soul oracles and the Impartation of Heaven's Will, were offensive techniques for dealing with souls. But different from the others, terpsichores utilized their dance as a medium to amplify the effectiveness of their offense.

... Since it serves as a medium, does it mean that, once one reaches the very peak, one will be able to engage in powerful soul attacks even without using the dance as a medium?

As Zhang Xuan continued to read on, a certain line appeared before him.

Engage in powerful soul attacks even without using the dance as a medium? Does that mean... the Swordless Realm? Zhang Xuan thought in agitation.

He might not know much about terpsichorean arts yet, but he did have some mastery in the field of swordsmanship. Based on what he knew, if one were to cultivate their swordsmanship to the peak, they would be able to utilize even a blade of grass or a pebble by the roadside as a sword. Going further, they might even be able to execute the full prowess of a sword art without a weapon in hand.

That was to say, the sword only served as a medium in order to execute the techniques. Even without a sword in hand, one could still execute a sword art, perhaps even more fluidly, completely, and agilely.

What Zhang Xuan was reading was very unlike the knowledge imparted in the conventional books that terpsichores read. His road of cultivation was directed toward the ultimate endpoint—for the swordless to surpass any sword, for the formless to surpass any form.

Reading on...

"...Terpsichorean arts aim to utilize movements as a medium to engage in soul attacks. In essence, even walking and the slightest gestures could be considered as movements, so they could, as well, be considered as terpsichorean arts..."

"A true terpsichore dances not with a routine set of movements but with even the most casual of gestures..."

...

Before long, Zhang Xuan was done browsing through the book.

He closed eyes to slowly savor and comprehend the knowledge he had just taken in.

Geji! Geji!

Crisp echoes sounded from his soul as a new world unfolded around him.

2-star terpsichore, reached!

Continue!

The more Zhang Xuan studied, the more excited he became. Thus, he went on to finish the remaining books as well.

Four hours later, he was done browsing through all of the books and assimilating their knowledge.

As if his massive soul had been tempered, it looked much more transparent and purer.

Terpsichores utilize their dance as a means to beguile, enchant, attack, or even kill the soul of another... Even though Zhang Xuan had never learnt terpsichorean arts before, he had comprehended the most profound and innate essence of the occupation. Currently, his knowledge regarding the occupation was unmatched by anyone beneath 7-star.

If he were to take the examination at this very moment, he would definitely qualify for 6-star pinnacle.

I finished the books much faster than I would have before! Zhang Xuan thought.

In the past, it would have taken him at least twelve hours in order to learn another occupation from scratched to 6-star pinnacle.

However, he did it with terpsichore using only six hours.

Where is that student? Standing up, Zhang Xuan glanced around the room to search for the female student who was in the library with him, and he suddenly froze.

The vast Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion was empty, and not a single person was in sight.

The heck! When did she leave? Widening his eyes in shock, Zhang Xuan nearly fainted.

He had been too immersed in his cultivation that he hadn't noticed that the student whom he had followed in had already left!

As the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion required Academic Credits to enter, there was rarely anyone in it. From his arrival last night until now, this student was the only one who had entered the premises. Now that she was gone, how was he supposed to leave the area?

Was he going to be locked in there for several days straight?

Zhang Xuan felt a tinge of helplessness.

What the heck was this! If only he'd known, he wouldn't have immersed himself so deeply into his cultivation.

It's nothing much for me to be confined here, but my body is still in the vicinity. If someone were to find it, I will be in deep trouble...

As a soul, he was highly indiscernible and was unaffected by the mechanisms and formations governing the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, so being trapped here wasn't too much of an issue for him.

The problem was his body.

Even though he had hidden it in the best spot he could find, it would be a stretch to say that it would be able to hide from the discerning eyes of the many master teachers of the Terpsichore School for extended periods of time, especially in the day.

It would be a calamity if he were to be found by anyone.

Seeing that it was already nearing noon, Zhang Xuan could no longer hold himself back any longer. He rushed up to the door, hoping to find a gap or any other openings which he could escape through.

However, after circling around the entire Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, he could only sigh deeply in frustration.

Looks like there really is no way for me to escape...

The mechanisms and formations set up in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion were extremely powerful, and it was impossible for anyone to force them open.

If Zhang Xuan's physical body was there, he could've compiled a book on them just by touching them, and exploiting its flaws, he would have been able to escape easily.

Incapable of touch, however, his soul was unable to do so.

His Eye of Insight was currently too weak to see through the formation and mechanisms as well... Was he doomed to continue waiting helplessly here until someone arrived?

Zhang Xuan's eyes twitched as helplessness washed over him.

Forget it, I will just continue to wait. Surely there will be someone who will visit the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion by the end of the day...

Since Zhang Xuan was unable to find a better solution to his dilemma, he could only resign himself to fate. Just as he was about to find a place to bide his time, 'jiya!', the doors suddenly creaked open.

Hmm? Someone is here?

Not expecting that someone would arrive that quickly, Zhang Xuan leaped up in excitement. He hurriedly rushed behind the doors to hide as he waited for an opportunity to rush out of the library.

Hu!

A resplendently dressed lady carrying a graceful disposition walked into the room.

After stepping across the threshold, she was just about to walk toward the shelves when her eyebrows suddenly knitted together. She glanced at the direction where Zhang Xuan was hidden and howled, "Who is it? Come out!"

Sensing her gaze on him, Zhang Xuan's body stiffened in tension.

It should have been hard for anyone to notice him in his soul form, especially since he was lying dormant in the corner. Yet, the other party had actually noticed him instantly. How could that be?

A Saint realm expert? Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed warily.

There was only one possibility for this—the other party was a Saint realm expert!

With the breakthrough to Saint realm, one would gain a certain level of comprehension regarding the nature of space. Even though Zhang Xuan had concealed his presence well, his disguise was not perfect due to the limitations of his cultivation. For one, the flow of spiritual energy where he was standing would be slightly disturbed due to the presence of his soul, thus betraying his presence.

"What? You aren't going to come out?" Frowning deeply, the lady harrumphed coldly as she raised her palm and grabbed toward the space where Zhang Xuan was situated.

Hong long!

A sudden burst of zhenqi abruptly froze everything in place. Zhang Xuan felt an immense pressure strangling him, threatening to dissipate his soul.

As big as his soul was, it only possessed the cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan pinnacle. That was far from matching up to a Saint realm expert!

They were two completely different levels!

Escape!

Knowing that he would die if he were to allow the other party to do as he pleased, he immediately drove his cultivation, and with a powerful burst of strength, he managed to barely break free of the other party's restraint. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he rushed right for the doors.

Hong long!

The movement of his immense soul disturbed the spiritual energy in the surroundings, stirring up a burst of wind in the surroundings

"This is... a soul?" The lady's face turned grim.

While she did sense a presence in the room, she'd only thought that it was someone who had used some kind of technique or ability to conceal their presence. She'd never even considered the possibility that it would be a soul.

Soul oracles had already vanished several dozen millenniums ago. For one to suddenly appear in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion... where could he have come from? And what was he up to?

"Where do you think you are going..." With a sharp shout, the lady darted forward to grab the escaping soul.

Hong long!

With a Saint realm expert exerting her full might, the space within several thousand meters was immediately sealed in place.

This is truly bad...

After barely darting out of the library, Zhang Xuan was just about to escape into the air when the area around him suddenly turned incredibly viscous. It was as if he had fallen in a marsh. As much as he tried, he just wouldn't move.

Is this the ability of Saint realm experts, 'Zhenqi Spatial Lock'?

Zhang Xuan stiffened tensely.

Chapter 771: The Foolish Deeds of the Body

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Saint realm experts possessed the ability to seal space, leaving those who were within the area of its effect feeling as if they had fallen into an ocean of mud. Limited by the spatial lockdown, they would only be able to utilize a tenth of their original movement speed and strength.

This ability was known as Zhenqi Spatial Lock, and only Saint realm experts were able to overcome it.

With an awful look on his face, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and continued trudging forth.

However, with his speed being reduced to a tenth under the effects of the Zhenqi Spatial Lock, his speed was barely any different from that of a snail.

"Trying to escape me? Dream on!" With a light harrumph, the lady flicked her fingers thrice toward Zhang Xuan.

Peng peng peng!

A powerful shockwave engulfed the area around Zhang Xuan, and he immediately felt a stifling sensation in his chest. His massive soul trembled uncontrollably as a splitting headache assaulted his consciousness. It felt as if he was going to lose control of his body at any moment.

A soul attack... Zhang Xuan thought with a grave expression.

With three simple flicks, the lady was able to inflict grievous injuries upon Zhang Xuan's soul. Considering her skillful use of the soul attack, she must be one of the upper echelons governing the Terpsichore School, perhaps an elder or even higher.

I must return to my body this very instant or else I might really end up being killed by her... A chilling sensation swept over Zhang Xuan as he realized the dire situation he was in.

If it had been any other Saint realm expert he was dealing with, and this was inclusive of the Ten Great Master Teachers such as School Head Mo and School Head Zhao, it would have been difficult for the other party to wound his soul.

Due to the soul's intangibility, it couldn't be hurt by physical means. Only those who wielded soul offense techniques could possibly inflict damage upon a soul.

To Zhang Xuan's misfortune, the person he was facing was an upper echelon of the Terpsichore School, which meant that she had a thorough understanding of souls. To such a person, erasing his soul from existence was no difficult feat.

If his soul were to dissipate, that would be complete and utter death. There would be zero possibility that he could come back to life.

There was no way he could survive the attacks of a Saint realm terpsichore as a soul, so the only chance he had at surviving this ordeal was to return back to his physical body.

This would reveal the location of his body, but he had no other option at the moment.

After all, this was a much better alternative than having his soul dissipated on the spot.

Bearing the excruciating pain his soul was in, he rushed right for the tree at the courtyard, where his body was located. However, before he could get far, he heard yet another harrumph beneath him. "You still wish to continue on?"

Huala!

The lady raised her palm and thrusted it at the air several times.

An overwhelming force tore through space and struck Zhang Xuan. For an instant, Zhang Xuan felt as if he had been struck by a comet, and his soul flipped several times in the air, nearly ripped apart by the sheer force of the attack.

It was fortunate that his large soul had allowed him to distribute the immense force across his soul body, thus reducing the severity of the damage he sustained. At the same time, as a cultivator of the Heaven's Path Soul Art, his soul energy was particularly pure, granting exceptional resilience to his soul. Otherwise, he would surely have been killed under the blow.

But even though he had managed to survive the attack, he still felt as if someone had attempted to tear his soul into two, and the wounds on his soul had worsened as well.

Knowing that he would surely die without fail if the other party were to continue attacking, Zhang Xuan intended to make another charge for his body behind the tree when an idea popped into his mind, and he held himself still.

The might of the other party's attack was more than sufficient to kill any ordinary soul oracle. It was only due to the immense size and exceptional resilience of his soul that he was able to remain intact.

If he were to attempt another charge for his body, the other party would surely sense his presence and be astounded by the durability of his soul. In response to that, she would execute an even stronger attack against him. If this were to happen, regardless of how big or resilient his soul was, the only fate awaiting him was death.

But... if he could make the other party think that she had managed to kill him, he just might be able to escape with his life...

As expected, when he paused in the air and manipulated his soul to emulate a dissipated soul, the lady looked visibly relieved.

Sensing the lack of movement in the air, the lady suddenly recalled something, and her face darkened.

"Soul oracles betrayed humanity back then, opting to become a weapon for the Otherworldly Demons. For one of them to appear here at this moment... could it be related to that incident? If that's the case, I shouldn't have killed it immediately..."

Countless years ago, the soul oracles and their heritage were wiped clean from the face of the earth by the Master Teacher Pavilion. If anything related to them was still existent in the world, the chances were that the Otherworldly Demons were involved in the matter as well.

For a soul oracle to appear right after the incident at Leiyuan Peak, no matter how she looked at the matter, it was impossible for the two incidents to be unrelated!

Realizing that she had allowed a potential clue leading her to Byzantium Helios Beast slip through her fingers, she couldn't help but regret her impulsive actions.

At this instant, the lady suddenly recalled something.

"Wait... if that person is a soul oracle, why would he try to escape from the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion at this time? But if he isn't a soul oracle, what else can he be?"

Soul oracles were of the yin attribute, which made them highly vulnerable to yang energy. As a result, they dared not appear in broad daylight, or else they would be putting themselves at risk of being seared by the sun rays.

Even if they managed to survive the exposure to the sun rays, they would be in for a round of excruciating pain and a sharp decline in their cultivation afterwards due to the Searing Yang Decline.

Considering how that the other party had rushed out as soon as he found an opportunity to do so, he clearly did not fear the sun... Could that mean that he wasn't a soul oracle?

But if that was the case, what else could he be?

As a Saint realm expert, she knew that the world was far larger than she could ever imagine. There were many unique occupations with mystical means that ordinary cultivators could hardly fathom. Even with her broad knowledge base, she dared not outright refute the possibility of anything.

For example, she had heard of a species of saint beast known as the Weakscaled Beast. It was a massive beast with an exterior as dark as ink, making it a conspicuous existence no matter where it went. However, as soon as it stepped into water, its body would immediately turn completely transparent, as if it was invisible.

Could the fellow she had just encountered be such a lifeform as well?

This was a plausible hypothesis as well.

Otherwise, no matter how powerful a soul oracle was, a human's soul couldn't possibly expand to be beyond ten meters large, right?

That would be sheer insanity!

Upon that realization, the lady's eyes suddenly widened in astonishment. "Damn it, that would mean that fellow is feigning death!"

If her enemy was truly a soul oracle, there was little doubt that her soul attack would have ripped the other party apart. However, if her enemy was a saint beast instead, it would be likely that it would possess thick and tough skin that granted it superior defenses. If so, it was unlikely that her soul attack would have been able to kill the other party.

In other words... there was a good chance that the other party was feigning death!

"Trying to fool me? Don't even think about it!"

With a livid expression, the lady raised her leg and stomped forcefully on the ground.

Hong long!

The earth immediately shook intensely as waves of zhenqi surged into the surroundings as if searing heat waves.

She noticed it?

For a moment, Zhang Xuan had thought that he'd managed to fool the other party. However, upon hearing those words, he realized that his deception had failed. Left with no choice, he was just about to attempt another dash for his physical body when one of the branches of a certain tree abruptly shook...

Putong!

A corpse-like figure suddenly fell face-down from the tree, creating a huge depression on the ground.

Upon seeing the sight, Zhang Xuan nearly fainted from utter horror.

Who else could that figure be if not his body!

He'd thought it would be safe to hide his body amidst the trees, but that lady's attack had caused the trees to sway, resulting in his body falling from its hiding spot.

It was just a few moments ago that he was still thinking that even though his soul had been discovered, as long as his body remained hidden, he would still be safe. After all, considering the fact that souls were intangible, it was impossible to see their true form without the Eye of Insight. Thus, as long as his soul could flee for the time being, returning only after the storm had cleared to fetch his body, he would be able to get away scot-free.

However, with his body faceplanted in the ground right before the other party, his identity was already compromised. There was no way he would be able to remain in the Master Teacher Academy anymore!

"Who are you?"

While Zhang Xuan was feeling so frustrated that he could spew blood, the lady howled in astonishment and immediately raised her palm to strike the fallen body.

Hong long!

A violent torrent of zhenqi that harnessing destructive might fell upon Zhang Xuan.

Now that her attention is away from me, I should make use of this opportunity to return back to my body...

Knowing that this was the only chance he was going to get, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and immediately rushed for his body. But at that moment, his faceplanted body abruptly placed its palms against the ground to push itself up before flitting away swiftly.

Its speed was so fast that its movements were a blur.

Heaven's Path Movement Art!

This is... Mind of Void...

Upon seeing the sight before him, Zhang Xuan's soul swayed weakly. If souls could faint, he would probably have fainted there and then.

Having comprehended Mind of Void, his body could move instinctively in times of danger even if its soul was not in it.

Realizing the immense might behind the other party's palm, his body gauged that it wasn't the other party's match, so it immediately fled so as to avert the danger.

Looking at the distant back of his body, Zhang Xuan nearly burst into tears.

The heck!

If you had just waited a split second longer, I would have already freaking returned back to my body! Think of what an awkward situation you have left me in...

Furthermore, with the speed you are fleeing at via the Heaven's Path Movement Art, how am I to catch up with you?

Zhang Xuan's soul was only at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle whereas his body possessed the cultivation of Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle. Pair that with the Heaven's Path Movement Art and Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps... If his body were to flee with all its might, the distance between them would only grow further and further!

Screw this!

"You scoundrel, where do you think you are running off to?"

Seeing the young man who had fallen from the tree running away, the lady nearly exploded from fury. Pushing against the ground, she soared into the sky and pursued the fleeing figure.

With the incredible speed Zhang Xuan's body was traveling at via the Heaven's Path Movement Art, even the lady had to dash with all her might in order to keep up with him.

Hurry up and catch him!

Seeing the lady rushing for his body, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. The next moment, however, a bizarre expression appeared on its face as what he had just asked for dawned on him.

The hell!

To be cheering when another was attempting to capture his body... There was just some kind of inexplicable peculiarity to the situation.

This was all that foolish body's fault! If not for it, why would he be in such a dilemma now?

Wait a moment... If my body is caught, it will be even more difficult for me to slip back into it...

After a moment of depression, Zhang Xuan suddenly realized that even if his body were to be caught, the lady would never allow his soul to slip into his body. Thus, he immediately rushed off to chase his body as well.

However, the next sight he saw left him dumbfounded. His body was crashing through wall after wall as it fled with all its might.

Calm down, stop doing that! Zhang Xuan bellowed within as he watched the sight before him with an aching heart.

All actions conducted under the effects of Mind of Void was instinctive, so it was impossible for it to conduct precise movements like a living human. Even so, to be crashing straight through walls, that was a little over the top!

You are supposed to save me from danger, not to leave my body bruised all over!

Even if you get out of this situation alive, if you leave my body mortally wounded in exchange, what good will you have done?

"You better stop right there!" Just as Zhang Xuan was wallowing in self-pity at his unfortunate plight, the lady ahead of him caught up to his body. With a flick of her hand, several surges of zhenqi gathered and sealed the space around his body, forming an invisible cage around it.

Peng! Peng! Peng!

Sensing the immense threat looming over it, his body executed the Heaven's Path Fist Art in an attempt to break open the cage. However, with just a total might of 16,000,000 ding from his zhenqi cultivation and physical body, it was impossible for him to break the zhenqi cage constructed by a Saint realm expert.

Knowing that the other party wouldn't be able to break free of her Zhenqi Spatial Lock, the lady turned to the figure before her and asked with a sharp glint in her eyes, "Who are you? Why were you snooping around the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion?"

Peng peng peng peng!

Naturally, Zhang Xuan's body, driven only by its instincts, was unable to answer the question. It continued striking the cage frenziedly, creating loud sonic booms.

"You are courting death!"

Seeing that the other party actually dared to snub her, the lady's face flushed crimson in rage. She raised her hand, and a destructive force swiftly gathered on her palm.

From the looks of it, if the figure before her continued to remain silent, she would simply kill him.

Mind of Void was an ability that only the most powerful soul oracles possessed. However, with the disappearance of the soul oracles and their heritage, the knowledge regarding Mind of Void had vanished as well. This was the reason—despite being a Saint and a 6-star pinnacle master teacher—the lady was unable to tell that the figure standing before her was just a soulless body incapable of speech.

If my body is smashed into minced meat, it will be of no use even if I do get it back...

At this moment, Zhang Xuan finally arrived at the scene. Seeing that the lady preparing her hand to smash his body into pieces, his soul nearly dissipated from fright. Not daring to waste a single second, he immediately dived straight through the cage and into the glabella of his body.

Unlike the Zhenqi Spatial Lock, the zhenqi cage didn't harness the spatial laws of the world and could only block physical beings. It couldn't interfere in the passageway of a soul at all.

As soon as his soul entered his body, he immediately saw immense energy gathered on the lady's palm that was on the verge of landing on him, so he hurriedly had his body stop whatever he was doing. Clasping his fist, he spoke resoundingly, "Elder, thank you for helping me suppress my inner demons, sparing me from the fate of going berserk..."

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 772: Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The reactions his body made was simply too unnatural that he could only attempt to pass it off as his inner demons acting up. Otherwise, there was no other way he could explain his unnatural actions.

Naturally, he couldn't talk about Mind of Void either as it was intricately linked with the soul oracles.

As for the soul the other party noticed earlier, as long as he adamantly denied it, there was no way the other party could investigate the matter and trace it back to him.

"Inner demons?"

As expected, upon hearing those words, the lady in the sky dissipated the violent energy in her hand. However, given that she didn't dispel the zhenqi cage, it seemed that she still carried some doubts towards Zhang Xuan's words.

From the looks of it, it seemed that she was intending to hear Zhang Xuan's story out, but if she were to detect any falsehood in his words, she wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"Indeed. I am a freshman of this academy, and I was intending to enter the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion to read up on some books so as to prepare myself for the terpsichore examination. However, on my way here, an inspiration suddenly struck me, and in order to prevent others from interrupting me, I can only hide on a tree for the time being..." Zhang Xuan explained.

"Sudden inspiration?" The lady frowned.

Cultivators did have moments of sudden enlightenment from time to time, and they disappeared as abruptly as they appeared. Thus, it was important for one to muse over it as soon as possible so as to not allow it to slip their minds. For this purpose, the academy had built innumerable gazebos all over the academy so as to allow students to rush in and focus their attention on developing their sudden inspiration.

If that fellow really had a sudden stroke of inspiration, it wouldn't be too far-fetched for him to hide in the midst of the trees for fear of being interrupted.

"What is the relationship between you and the thing hiding in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion then?"

But of course, just because it was logical didn't mean that it was necessarily true. Ultimately, this was just a one-sided story from the other party. She wasn't ready to believe it so easily.

It was just a moment ago that she spotted an uninvited guest within the library, and the next moment, this fellow fell from the tree. It was difficult to believe that the both of them weren't related!

"Pardon me, but I am not very sure what elder is asking me. I was in the midst of pondering about the details regarding the [Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe] 1 when a stroke of inspiration hit me, but due to a slight mistake I made, my cultivation almost went berserk. I have only recovered from my berserk state just a moment ago, so I'm not too sure what has happened in between..." Zhang Xuan replied sheepishly.

It was best for him to feign ignorance and deny his involvement vehemently right from the start. Once it was established that he was involved in the incident, the matter could potentially spiral out of his control.

"Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe? That is a grade-6 terpsichorean art that only 6-star terpsichores are able to comprehend. What is a freshman like you pondering over it for? Are you taking me for a fool?" The lady harrumphed in displeasure.

The fellow before her was seemed to be only in his early twenties, and he had also just said for himself that he was a freshman of the academy. Yet, he also said that he was musing over a grade-6 terpsichorean art. It was obvious that there was a clear contradiction in his words, so it was inevitable that she would get even more suspicious of him.

Thus, she began gathering power in her palm once again, ready to make a move should the other party fail to come up with a good explanation for his words.

But on the other hand, seeing that he had managed to divert the other party's attention away from the appearance of his soul in the library, he heaved a sigh of relief within. After which, he flicked his wrist and took out an emblem, "Even though I am a freshman, I am a 6-star blacksmith as well. Thus, it shouldn't be too bizarre for me to be musing over a grade-6 terpsichorean art, right?"

"6-star blacksmith?" Seeing the six shining stars on the emblem, the lady frowned.

The emblems were made out of a special material, making it impossible to falsify them. In other words, the other party was truly a 6-star blacksmith.

Blacksmith was one of the Upper Nine Paths occupations. Considering that he was even able to achieve such heights as a blacksmith, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise for him to be musing over a grade-6 terpsichorean art.

"Yes. The Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe is one of the stronger grade-6 terpsichorean arts, and if executed well, it can even beguile a Saint realm expert, leaving him deep in a trance. However, after analyzing it for some time, I realized that despite the impressive prowess of the technique, it has several conspicuous flaws that need to be corrected."

Seeing that he had managed to capture the other party's attention, a faint smile crept onto Zhang Xuan's lips as he continued, "Firstly, just as the name 'Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe' suggests, the technique requires resplendent clothes and accessories in order to maximize its effectiveness. However, if you were to find yourself placed in a dangerous position abruptly and a battle was imminent, would your opponent give you time to change your clothes and accessories to prepare for battle? This is the greatest flaw in the technique I have found so far. Next, even though the terpsichorean art is indeed enchanting, it hasn't reached the level where one is unable to guard against it. On top of that, the soul energy consumption for the dance is enormous, making it extremely exhausting for the terpsichore executing the technique as well. In other words, if the technique were to fail to work on your enemy, there is a good chance that you might already be too drained to fight any longer, thus making it a double-edged sword. This is the second flaw..."

"... This is the third flaw!"

"... This is the fourth flaw!"

...

"... This is the seventeenth flaw!"

Word shot out from Zhang Xuan's mouth like a machine gun, leaving the other party no chance to interject at all. In a mouthful, he pointed out seventeen flaws in the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe.

There was a detailed introduction to this terpsichorean art in many of the books in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion. He had glanced through them momentarily, so he had a clear idea regarding their content. Thus, it wasn't too difficult for him to dig up those flaws.

If he wanted to pull the other party's attention away from the matter regarding the soul entirely, he would have to dominate the conversation so as to dictate the flow of the conversation.

The Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe was one of the more common terpsichorean arts used by 6-star terpsichores, so Zhang Xuan knew that he would be able to shock the other party by pointing out their flaws. Judging from the shocked look on the other party's face, he knew that he had succeeded.

"You managed to analyze... so many flaws in the terpsichorean art?" The lady could hardly believe her ears.

She had often used this terpsichorean art herself, but even she hadn't noticed these flaws at all. Yet, the young man before her actually pointed all of them in a single breath, so it was inevitable that she would be shocked.

As a 6-star terpsichore, she was sufficiently proficient in the occupation to conclude swiftly that there was no mistake with the other party's analysis regarding the flaws of the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe at all!

To be able to see what even she had neglected... Just what kind of eyes did the fellow before her possess? Could he really be here to take the terpsichore examination?

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Do you have any proposed solutions for the flaws you have listed?" Hearing the confidence in Zhang Xuan's voice, the lady couldn't help but ask.

"I wasn't too sure before, but my sudden inspiration has given me some insight into the problems. I might be able to solve some of them now." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"The first problem I have raised is that the clothes worn must be resplendent. However, I believe that it is a misinterpretation of the technique. The main focus of the terpsichorean art lies in the 'Rippling' and not the 'Cloud Robe'. What that truly draws people in is not the beautiful clothes but the ripples flowing through them with each movement. Take me for example, even if I were to execute the technique in my plain clothes, its offensive ability is still not one to sneeze at..."

As Zhang Xuan spoke, he raised his arm and lightly shook it.

Weng!

Zhenqi flowed across his sleeves, creating layer after layer of ripples on it. In an instant, it was as if a stone was thrown into a lake, bringing life and harmony to the once stagnant water.

Despite the young man's ordinary wear, under the effects of the harmonious ripples, she was still put under the illusion as if he was dressed like a majestic deity of the heavens. In an instant, the beautiful aesthetics permeated deep into her soul, bringing her inexplicable pleasure.

His disposition and exterior changed in just a split instant, as if the dirty beggar from a moment ago had turned into the charming prince in a night banquet.

Unwittingly, she found herself delving deeper and deeper into a trance.

She quickly shook her head to regain her senses, and it was only then that she realized that the other party's motion had already stopped. The other party was still wearing the same old clothes, as if nothing had happened at all.

"Impressive!" The lady's heart jolted in astonishment.

As a 6-star terpsichore, she had always been the one to charm others. Yet, the other party managed to make her lose herself momentarily despite his humble clothes. Most likely, his understanding of terpsichorean arts had already far surpassed her, reaching a level she had always dreamed of.

Seeing the shock on the other party's face, Zhang Xuan knew that he had already succeeded in convincing the other party about his identity, and he heaved a breath of relief. With a light chuckle, he continued, "As for the second flaw regarding the high soul energy consumption of the technique, as long as one were to drive his soul energy in such a manner, one will be able to avoid..."

Given his current proficiency as a terpsichore, it wasn't too difficult for him to resolve the flaws in the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe.

That terpsichorean art was highly demanding on the soul energy consumption, making it extremely damaging to the terpsichore executing the technique as well. However, if the terpsichore were to drive her soul energy using his circulation method, she would be able to lower the soul cultivation expended to less than a third while enhancing the might of the technique by a significant amount as well.

"Th-this..." Hearing the formula, the lady swiftly did some calculations, and her eyes slowly widened in disbelief.

She had just given the soul energy circulation formula a brief try just a moment ago, and she realized that the other party was right!

Not only did the fellow before her revolutionize their understanding of the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe, he even enhanced the efficiency of the technique immensely as well!

"As for the third flaw..."

Amidst her shock, the other party continued on proposing the solutions to the problems he had listed.

The fourth flaw, the fifth flaw, the sixth flaw...

In a few moments, he had proposed unique solutions to resolving all seventeen flaws he had listed!

"If we were to implement the changes you have proposed to the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe, its prowess will be boosted by more than twofold. If I were to execute it, I would be able to even beguile a Saint 2-dan expert, rendering him helpless in battle..." The lady felt her throat dry up, and her body stiffened from the sheer agitation she was feeling.

How could someone with her eye of discernment possibly not notice how valuable and fearsome the revised Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe was?

To be able to list out seventeen flaws and resolve them impeccably... Despite his young age, the fellow before her possessed an understanding of terpsichorean art that was far beyond her imagination!

"This is all I have just gotten from my inspiration regarding the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe. I hope that this will be useful in perfecting the technique. If there is anything else that you are unsure of, feel free to ask me. I will try to answer everything within my means!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

Forced to a corner, he had to apply the knowledge he had just learned on the spot. Otherwise, considering how even ten of him wouldn't be a match for a Saint realm expert, it wasn't too difficult to imagine how tragic his outcome would be.

Fortunately, everything seemed to have turned out well.

"It just happens that I do have some problems I wish to consult you on. It is regarding the Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art. Every time I attempt to cultivate it, I will feel a heavy and stifling sensation in my heart. May I know if there is any way I can resolve the issue?" The lady hesitated for a short moment before asking.

There were indeed some issues regarding the cultivation of her terpsichorean art that had confounded her for some time. Considering how the fellow before her was able to further refine the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe, perhaps he might be able to resolve the problems she was facing?

"Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art... Are you referring to the technique created by 6-star Terpsichore Zui Linglong three thousand years ago?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Indeed!" The lady nodded.

"The Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art can stir one's soul and produce a fragrance that reaches up to ten li away, inviting birds and bees to dance in joy to it. It is one of the most advanced grade-6 terpsichorean art, possessing immense power. If you feel a heavy and stifling sensation in your heart upon its execution, if my deduction fails me not..."

Frowning deeply, Zhang Xuan paused for a brief instant as he assessed the lady before him before asking, "You haven't been in love before, have you?"

"I... That's right." The lady shook her head.

She had dedicated her life to the terpsichore, spending her time doing nothing but cultivate. Never had she met a man who had caught her eyes, so naturally, she hadn't had the opportunity to fall in love as well.

"That's indeed the problem! Zui Linglong created the Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art in the days when she first came to know love. Innocent and pure, she and her lover and vowed to spend their days together until their hair loses its color and their lives come to an end. This terpsichorean art consisted only of a few simple movements, but it reflected her expectations for the blissful life ahead of her. You have never been in love before, so it will be hard for you grasp this kind of emotions. As a result, your intent is not aligned with your dance, and forcefully executing it will only cause you to suffer injuries instead!" Zhang Xuan explained.

"Alright, why don't I modify this terpsichorean art for you to remove this flaw. If you wish to learn it..."

With a light chuckle, Zhang Xuan turned to the other party and said:

"I can teach you!"

Chapter 773: Poor

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Teach me?" The lady's eyes lit up.

The Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art was currently the strongest technique she possessed, but she had never been able to successfully cultivate it. If she could master the technique after its modification, it would surely augment her fighting prowess significantly.

Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment before saying, "That's right. The core of this terpsichorean art lies in its intent. Even though you have never experienced the deep anticipation in wanting to spend your life together with a person you deeply love, you have experienced the loneliness and determination in striving for excellence in your cultivation. Even though that is a different emotion from the former, it doesn't pale in its intensity. If you can tap on it, you will still be able to draw out immense power from the terpsichorean art."

"I ask of you to enlighten me!" The lady clasped her fist and bowed.

From their previous conversation, she could already tell that the other party's understanding of terpsichorean arts far surpassed hers.

Master teachers believed in taking the proficient as their teacher. Even though she was a Saint realm expert, it wouldn't be a humiliation for her to humbly seek guidance for the doubts she was facing from someone weaker than her.

"Okay!" Seeing the other party's polite attitude, Zhang Xuan nodded in commendation.

A true master teacher should always remain humble and prepared to learn from the strengths of others, regardless of how young or weak they might be.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan reshaped the Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art to fit the intent the other party was capable of drawing out. He reconfirmed the feasibility and effectiveness of the technique before imparting it to the other party.

Hearing the details of the revised Fleeting Fragrance Terpsichorean Art, the lady slowly went through every part of it so as to better comprehend the technique, and the astonishment on her face gradually increased. Realizing that the technique imparted to her was tailored to her needs, she turned to the other party with eyes filled with awe.

The lady hurriedly dispelled the zhenqi cage around Zhang Xuan, clasped her fist, and earnestly apologized, "Pardon me, I was reckless..."

If she had been thinking that the other party intended to steal something from the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion earlier, such a thought had already vanished from her mind by this moment.

While the collection of books in the library was beneficial to most students and teachers, it was already no longer useful in advancing her proficiency as a terpsichore.

Since it was useless to her, considering the fact that the other party's comprehension of the terpsichorean art was even deeper than hers, what could possibly interest him in there?

It seemed like the young man before her really had nothing to do with that fellow she had found hiding in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion earlier. The entire matter was just a coincidence.

"May I know how I can address you?" Having thought this matter through, the lady's attitude became much politer than before.

"Elder, you are too polite. I am Zhang Xuan, a freshman who has just enrolled at the academy!" Zhang Xuan quickly replied.

"Zhang Xuan? You are Zhang Xuan?" Taken aback, the lady's eyes slowly widened into huge circles.

"You know me?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Of course, you are the student whom School Head Mo proactively wanted to take under his wing and School Head Zhao wanted to acknowledge as his junior... These two matters have spread like wildfire amongst the teachers in the academy! I would have to be living under a rock to not have heard of it..." the lady said with a bitter smile.

This freshman had broken far too many records right after his arrival. While he might still be little known amongst the student populace, he had already caused a massive stir amongst the teachers.

Never in the history of the Master Teacher Academy had there been a student who had earned the favor of two school heads, only to reject the both of them flatly.

"I thought that Zhang shi only possesses outstanding talent in beast taming and smithing, to think that your understanding of terpsichorean arts has reached such astounding depths as well..." the lady said with eyes gleaming in admiration.

She had tried looking into Zhang Xuan's background at one time, and according to the rumors, he had a teacher who was sufficiently capable to even offer pointers to Pavilion Master Mo.

How could such an outstanding figure possibly intend the Terpsichore School harm? There was no benefit that the Terpsichore School could offer him.

Thus, it could only mean that she had wronged him.

"Elder, you are too courteous. The study of terpsichorean arts is deep and expansive, I have barely scraped the surface!" Zhang Xuan quickly replied.

Each occupation that had withstood the test of time was powerful and profound in its own right. Even though Zhang Xuan had gained a deep understanding of terpsichores over the past few hours, it was just the tip of the iceberg of the entire occupation. As such, his words were not just humility.

The lady nodded. "To be able to remain humble despite your achievements, it is no wonder School Head Mo and School Head Zhao have such a high opinion of you!

"My name is Wei Ranxue, and I am an elder of the Terpsichore School. Honestly speaking, your mastery as a terpsichore is far above mine, so you need not address me as elder; just 'Little Wei' will do. I might have more problems regarding terpsichorean arts that I will require your advice on in the future, so I will be in your care." Since the other party had offered her valuable guidance, he could be considered as half a teacher to her.

As such, despite her older age and higher cultivation, she couldn't accept Zhang Xuan addressing her as 'elder'.

"Alright then." Seeing the other party's earnest expression, Zhang Xuan could only nod in agreement.

In truth, such a situation was nothing much.

This was somewhat similar to the relationship between him and Luo Qiqi. Despite the latter's higher cultivation and older age, she still addressed him as teacher nonetheless.

This was one of the master teacher traditions, taking the proficient as one's teacher, as well as an acknowledgement of a master teacher's desire for knowledge.

Recalling the matter beforehand, Wei Ranxue turned to look at Zhang Xuan thoughtfully.

"Zhang shi, I seem to recall you saying that you are here to take the terpsichore examination... Does that mean that you don't have an emblem yet?"

"I have been learning my terpsichorean arts from my teacher all along, so I haven't had a chance to take the terpsichore examination yet," Zhang Xuan said.

"You have never taken the terpsichore examination? This is no problem at all. Unlike those Upper Nine Paths occupations, where one has to go through all kinds of examinations in order to obtain their emblem, with my testimony that your comprehension of terpsichorean arts is beyond mine, I will apply for a 6-star terpsichore emblem for you right now and deliver it to you later!" Wei Ranxue chuckled.

The ranking system amongst the Upper Nine Paths was much stricter, and one had to go through all kinds of examinations in order to advance a rank. At the same time, there was a rigid prerequisite on one's cultivation realm as well.

Even though terpsichores were one of the ten supporting occupations taught in the Master Teacher Academy, it was a Lower Nine Paths occupation. As such, it didn't have requirements as strict as the others. As long as Wei Ranxue served as a guarantor of his abilities, she would be able to apply for a 6-star pinnacle terpsichore emblem for him straightaway, thus sparing him the trouble.

"Thank you for this..." Not expecting the other party to volunteer to help him apply for the 6-star terpsichore emblem, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately clasped his fist in gratitude.

Once the application passed, he would have two 6-star supporting occupations. Four more and he would be able to take the 6-star master teacher examination.

"You're too polite!" Wei Ranxue replied. With a smile on her lips, she invited, "If Zhang shi doesn't mind, do you want to take a seat in the Terpsichore Hall? I wish to learn more about your insights regarding terpsichorean art!"

"That... With my current state, I think I shall not impose on you. Furthermore, I have only just recovered from my berserk state, so I will need to rest for a moment..." Zhang Xuan said as he glanced at his muddied clothes.

His body was first face-planted into the ground before bashing through innumerable walls in an attempt to escape. He had also been injured by the other party's soul attack, thus leaving him with both internal and external injuries. Therefore, he needed to return to his residence to recuperate from his wounds.

"Ah, pardon me for my discourtesy..." It was only at this moment that Wei Ranxue recalled that the other party had just gone berserk a moment ago, so she immediately apologized in embarrassment.

"I'll be bidding farewell now then!" Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan turned around and walked away.

The Terpsichore School was severely lacking in male students, and considering that it was already noon, it was inevitable that Zhang Xuan would catch the gazes of many as he walked amidst the crowd. However, he couldn't care less at the moment.

Rushing forward, he soon returned back to his residence in the Elite Sector.

"Teacher, you are injured?"

As soon as Zhang Xuan walked into the room, Luo Qiqi immediately walked up to welcome him. However, upon seeing his unkempt look, she froze in shock.

"Don't worry about it, it's not a problem at all. I'll go take a rest first." Too exhausted to explain, Zhang Xuan pushed open the doors to his room and walked in.

His physical wounds weren't a problem. By circulating his Heaven's Path zhenqi, he would be able to recover from the swiftly. The main problem lay with his soul.

He had taken several heavy blows from a Saint realm expert, leaving his soul with a feeling as if it had been ripped apart. If not for the extraordinary resilience of his soul, it might have already dissipated by now.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan took out a high-tier spirit stone from his storage ring.

Without any hesitation, he began driving his cultivation technique, and pure spiritual energy began flowing from the high-tier spirit stone into his body, mending his injuries.

The wounds on his soul were more difficult to treat than his physical injuries. Even with the Heaven's Path Soul Art and a high-tier spirit stone, it still took him some time.

Only after relentless effort over four hours did his soul finally regain the glow and power it had before.

Recalling the various matters that had happened today, a feeling of helplessness couldn't help but wash over Zhang Xuan. I really should be more careful the next time I wish to browse through books!

He had been thinking of taking all of the books in the Master Teacher Academy into his Library of Heaven's Path and leave the empire, but it seemed like this thought was far too naive.

For one, there were many restrictions imposed on the libraries throughout the academy. Even as a soul, it wouldn't be easy for him to enter or leave those areas.

It was fortunate that he had read the Heaven's Path Terpsichorean Art up to 6-star beforehand, allowing him to convince the other party that he wasn't there to cause any harm. But there was no guarantee that he wouldn't be caught before he was done reading through the books the next time, or that the person he encountered would be as patient and rational as Wei Ranxue.

"Forget it, I should focus on cultivating my soul first!"

In the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, Zhang Xuan had managed to compile two Heaven's Path Soul Arts. Now that his soul energy had recovered, it was about time for him to start cultivating.

The higher his soul cultivation was, the faster he could browse through the books, and the better he would be able to conceal himself from others.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan took his clone out and imparted the simplified versions of the Heaven's Path Soul Art to him as well.

Constructed out of a God artifact, his clone possessed an incredibly resilient body. His core weaknesses came mainly from his low zhenqi and soul cultivation realm.

Due to the lack of a suitable soul cultivation technique, his soul cultivation realm had been stuck at Consonant Spirit realm for quite a long time.

Since Zhang Xuan had managed to obtain the next two dans of the Heaven's Path Soul Art, it was best for them to cultivate together. After all, his clone was also a part of his fighting prowess as well.

Zhang Xuan and his clone drew their souls out of their bodies simultaneously, and holding a high-tier spirit stone each, they began to drive their zhenqi according to the cultivation technique they had.

Pure spiritual energy flowed into their souls, and the aura they exuded swiftly grew stronger and stronger.

After an unknown period of time...

Hong long!

With a sudden jolt, both of their souls achieved a breakthrough, reaching Cosmos Bridge realm.

However, they didn't stop cultivating there.

Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage!

Cosmos Bridge realm intermediate stage!

Cosmos Bridge realm advanced stage...

An hour later, both Zhang Xuan and his clone's souls reached Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle simultaneously.

Even though his clone was cultivating the simplified version of Heaven's Path Soul Art, his rate of cultivation was able to remain on par with the main body due to it being nourished by the Nine Hearts Lotus over an extended period of time.

Kacha!

Just as they were about to strive for a higher realm, with a 'kacha', the high-tier spirit stones in their hands abruptly shattered into dust.

Both the souls of the main body and the clone were ten-meters tall, so the spiritual energy required for them to achieve a breakthrough was significantly higher than normal souls as well. As a result, one high-tier spirit stone was only barely enough for them to advance from Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle.

"Continue!" Zhang Xuan said through gritted teeth.

If advancing to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle would take him a high-tier spirit stone, it was hard to imagine how many more he would require in order to reach Perfect Harmonization realm or even higher.

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan took out the remaining eight high-tier spirit stones he had and split them equally between him and his clone.

"Let's start!"

Drawing his soul out once more, Zhang Xuan resumed his cultivation.

Spending one high-tier spirit stone, he managed to make the breakthrough to Perfect Harmonization realm.

Spending yet another one, he reached Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage.

Before long, he was done consuming all four high-tier spirit stones, and his cultivation stopped at Perfect Harmonization realm advanced stage. To think that even four high-tier spirit stones wouldn't be sufficient for him to reach pinnacle!

Isn't this rate of consumption a little... way too high?

Looking at the powdery remains of the ten high-tier spirit stones which he had gathered with great difficulty, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel incredibly frustrated.

He was only at Perfect Harmonization realm, but the rate of consumption of spirit stones was already astounding. Without a doubt, the number of spirit stones he would require would only increase exponentially. Where in the world was he supposed to gather that much money?

He'd thought that he had already become a little tycoon with ten high-tier spirit stones in his possession, but in the blink of an eye... he was poor once again!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 774: Hu Yaoyao's Invitation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Origin Heavy Water costs ten high-tier spirit stones per bottle. I need ten bottles to cultivate the Third Incandescence of Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, so in other words, I require a hundred high-tier spirit stones!

Considering that I have expended four spirit stones cultivating from Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle to Perfect Harmonization realm advanced stage, in order to reach pinnacle, I will need two high-tier spirit stones or perhaps even more. Beyond that, Ethereal Treading realm, Chrysalis realm, Half-Saint... The number of high-tier spirit stones will only increase exponentially. Without at least a hundred high-tier spirit stones, I won't be able to go far...

Zhang Xuan's head began aching.

It seemed like his wish of reaching Saint realm within ten days was nothing more than a pipe dream at this point.

Putting everything aside, just the lack of spirit stones was already a huge problem in itself.

I really should start finding a way to earn more money... Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in distress.

It was clear that he would need to find a stable source of income, but several hundred high-tier spirit stones was no small sum.

It would be hard to find a viable solution at a whim.

I should take a look at how much I have progressed for the time being...

He could slowly contemplate the issue regarding earning money in the future. For the time being, he looked inward in order to assess his current strength as a result of the recent breakthroughs.

With his soul reaching Perfect Harmonization realm, his strength had soared once more, leaping from 3,200,000 ding to 10,000,000 ding!

Factoring in the 8,000,000 ding he could harness from both his physical body and zhenqi cultivation, he had a maximum of 26,000,000 ding at his disposal, putting him on par with a Chrysalis realm primary stage expert!

(Chrysalis realm primary stage 25,000,000 ding, intermediate stage 28,000,000 ding, advanced stage 31,000,000 ding, pinnacle 34,000,000 ding!)

It must be said that the rate at which he was growing was truly frightening.

Zhang Xuan turned to his clone and noted that the latter had also stopped at Perfect Harmonization realm advanced stage.

Noticing Zhang Xuan's gaze on him, his clone's eyes gleamed in excitement. "Shall we have a duel?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head awkwardly. "Ah... I'll pass..."

Even though his clone's cultivation was mainly derived from his soul, his physical body was simply too powerful; it would be a grave mistake to gauge his strength just by his soul cultivation alone. Furthermore, it seemed his physical body was gradually growing stronger as he advanced his soul cultivation.

With Zhang Xuan's current strength, he could easily defeat opponents with higher cultivation realm than him. But even so, he was still a far way off from matching with that fellow.

If he were to challenge the other party to a duel, there was not a shadow of a doubt that he would be utterly crushed.

It was already extremely embarrassing that he, as the main body, was unable to defeat his clone. Why would he intentionally ask for a beating one top of that?

Returning his clone to his storage ring, Zhang Xuan pushed open his door and walked out.

As he made his way to the main hall, Luo Qiqi suddenly walked up to him and greeted him.

Zhang Xuan had already changed into a fresh set of clothes. With the advancement of his soul cultivation, his eyes seemed to have grown a little profounder, and his aura had become more indiscernible, creating an unfathomable aura around him.

"Teacher, Senior Hu Yaoyao has just sent a letter over inviting you to a night banquet," Luo Qiqi said as she assessed Zhang Xuan with doubtful eyes.

Yesterday, when her teacher had returned injured in the afternoon, she'd thought that it was a result of a confrontation with Hu Yaoyao while trying to get the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence out of her... But considering the fact that Hu Yaoyao had sent an invitation letter to them just a moment ago, that possibility could be eliminated.

The chances were that her teacher hadn't met Hu Yaoyao outside of the first meeting.

But if that was the case... where did he go the previous night?

And who was it that injured him?

"Night banquet? What night banquet?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback by those words.

Was Hu Yaoyao already going to make her move against him?

"Here, take a look at this!" Luo Qiqi raised her hands to pass an envelope over.

Zhang Xuan took the envelope from her hands and opened it.

Contained within the envelope was an invitation letter, and putting aside the pleasantries written, the content was mainly speaking about how she'd felt a strong affinity with them when they'd met the previous night. Therefore, she'd decided to extend an invitation to them for her night banquet, and she hoped that they wouldn't turn down her goodwill.

The address was the Terpsichore School, Cloud Sparrow Lodge.

"Cloud Sparrow Lodge?" Zhang Xuan asked questioningly.

"That is Senior Hu Yaoyao's private residence. It is located within the Terpsichore School!" Luo Qiqi explained.

Fearing that her teacher wouldn't understand, she further elaborated, "The Elite Sector is divided into four subsectors, namely D, C, B, and A, which correspond to Grade-1, Grade-2, Grade-3, and Grade-4 students respectively. Grade-5 students don't reside in the Elite Sector. Instead, outstanding Grade-5 students can have private residences constructed for them in the school of their main supporting occupation. Naturally, the location and facilities of those private residences are far better than those in the Elite Sector!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had heard it from Huang Xing and the others when he first arrived at the Elite Sector.

Of the four subsectors, he was currently living in Sector D.

Sensing the scent of a scheme from this matter, Luo Qiqi said with a frown, "Teacher, the other party refused our request yesterday, but she still chose to send us this abrupt invitation letter today. I fear that she is up to no good..."

"There is no doubt that she is up to no good. However, if we don't go, it will be impossible for us to locate Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence," Zhang Xuan analyzed calmly.

Hearing those words, Luo Qiqi could only nod in agreement with a bitter smile on her face.

If there was another way around this matter, they would have already made a move. However, with the other party holding the vital information they required, they could only play along with her games.

"Since that's the case, what is there for us to hesitate about? Since she has invited us to a night banquet, we will just have to head over to take a look!" Zhang Xuan said.

He had headed over to the Hu Yaoyao's residence in the hope of sounding her out, but in the end, due to the other party abruptly stripping, he could only abandon his original intention.

It was just a matter of time before they would have to confront one another. This night banquet might be a trap prepared for him, but it was also an opportunity to get the location of Wu Yangzi's old residence out of her.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan wouldn't give this chance up so easily.

He was severely lacking money at the moment. If he could find Wu Yangzi's treasure, he might be able to free himself from the troubles he was facing.

Hearing her teacher's decision, Luo Qiqi made up her mind as well and asked, "Then... should we head off now?"

"Now?" Zhang Xuan glanced at the sky, and only then did he realize that the sun had already set.

It was already afternoon by the time he returned from the Terpsichore School, and his recuperation and cultivation had taken him around five hours or so. As a result, by the time he was done, the sky was already pitch black.

"Let's head off then!"

It was already about time for the night banquet to start, so they had to make haste.

Leaving the residence, the duo headed straight for the Terpsichore School.

While the Terpsichore School wasn't as large as the Blacksmith School, its size was still nevertheless impressive. It took some time before the duo arrived at the courtyard where Zhang Xuan had seen Hu Yaoyao stripping last night.

"So, this is the Cloud Sparrow Lodge..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Based on what he had seen yesterday while following Hu Yaoyao, the residence was much more majestic and larger than the surrounding residences and those in the Elite Sector as well.

"This residence wasn't called the Cloud Sparrow Lodge initially. According to the rumors, back when Senior Yaoyao was taking the 6-star terpsichore examination, she wore a magnificent dress and performed the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe. Her dance was so alluring that it attracted the excited chirping of the visiting Cloud Sparrows, and their calls resounded for a very long time even after the dance had ended... In commemoration of that event, this residence was renamed the Cloud Sparrow Lodge," explained Luo Qiqi via zhenqi telepathy, knowing the story behind the name.

Zhang Xuan nodded in respond.

The Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe did possess such astonishing capability when paired with resplendent clothes. It could easily beguile humans and beasts alike, sending them into a feverish state.

Cloud Sparrow was a small savage beast that possessed minimal fighting prowess. However, it was a connoisseur of art, and its excited chirping could be considered the greatest applause and recognition to a dancer.

"That matter solidified Senior Hu Yaoyao's standing in the Terpsichore School, and even the head of the Terpsichore School accepted her as her direct disciple!" Luo Qiqi continued.

The head of the Terpsichore School was naturally one of the Ten Great Master Teachers as well. Being the direct disciple of such an incredible figure, little had to be said about Hu Yaoyao's standing in the Master Teacher Academy.

This was also one of the reasons the Bewitching Devil Faction had grown to become one of the largest factions in the academy with innumerable followers.

At that moment, 'jiya!', the doors to the Cloud Sparrow Lodge creaked open, and the lady whom Hu Yaoyao had addressed as Xinru yesterday night walked out and clasped her fist respectfully.

"The two of you must be Zhang shi and Luo shi, right?"

As Zhang Xuan had been too focused on Hu Yaoyao the previous night, he'd neglected the lady before him. However, standing at such proximity to one another, he realized that her cultivation had reached a fair level as well.

Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle expert.

With this, she could probably be considered as one of the top experts amongst the Grade-4 students.

Yet, she was still ordered around as a subordinate in Hu Yaoyao's residence. It seemed Hu Yaoyao's influence was greater than he had initially thought.

"We are!" Luo Qiqi replied.

"Faction Leader Yaoyao has instructed me to escort you in, please follow me!" With a graceful smile, Xinru turned around and led the way.

Following behind her, Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi stepped into the Cloud Sparrow Lodge.

As Zhang Xuan had been too engrossed in following Hu Yaoyao's trail and avoiding the eyes of others last night, he hadn't thought much about the residence. Strolling through it leisurely now, however, he realized that the residence was enormous! It was at least seven times larger than his residence in the Elite Sector.

In the courtyard, there was a pond in which many koi fishes were swimming to and fro. Beautiful flowers were cultivated in the area, and they exuded a light but refreshing fragrance.

Furthermore, there seemed to be a Spirit Gathering Formation constructed beneath the residence. The spiritual energy in the area was even more concentrated than that in the Elite Sector. Even if an ordinary human incapable of cultivating were to live in this residence, their body would be nourished by the concentrated spiritual energy, leaving them energized and invulnerable to most common illnesses.

"This way!" Xinru gestured with her hands.

After walking through a long corridor, walking across two small bridges in between, they finally arrived at the main hall.

The interior of the main hall was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

"There is no one inside?"

Stepping into the main hall, Zhang Xuan scanned the room, and he was surprised to see that it was devoid of people.

There were small wooden tables laid out for both the host and the guests in the vast room, and they were filled with fine wine and food. However, the person who had invited them, Hu Yaoyao, was nowhere in sight.

"Faction Leader Yaoyao has some urgent matters to deal with, so she had to leave for a moment. She will be back very soon, so she instructed me to lead you to the main hall to take a seat first," Xinru explained with a smile.

"I see!"

Based on the conversation he had overheard yesterday, Zhang Xuan knew that Hu Yaoyao intended to deal with him. Most probably, her absence was also a part of her plan as well. Knowing that it would be futile for him to probe deeper, he shrugged the matter off with a smile.

After which, he and Luo Qiqi walked over to the two empty guest seats and sat down.

Zhang Xuan had to admit that the other party did make ample preparations for this night banquet. The dishes on the table were all top-grade delicacies made of the meat of valuable spirit beasts. With just a sniff, one would immediately start salivating.

Just this table in itself is probably already worth several hundred middle-tier spirit stones. As expected of the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction, she sure is rich... If I really find myself in need of money, perhaps I could find some way to shake some out of her... Zhang Xuan thought as he stroked his lower jaw.

It was just a moment ago that he had gone bankrupt, so such extravagance felt exceptionally stinging on his eyes.

Since that fellow could spend several hundred middle-tier spirit stones just on a meal itself, she should surely have some money to spare for a poor man like him?

"Enjoy your meal, I will take a look at how our faction leader is doing..." Xinru walked up to their table and poured them a cup of wine before backing out of the main hall with a courteous smile.

"Teacher, what do you think she's trying to do?" Looking at the lavish spread before her, Luo Qiqi was bewildered.

"Regardless of what she is up to, I will make her reveal the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence today. Don't worry!" Zhang Xuan replied confidently.

If it had been a day ago, he would have been hesitant to speak such words.

However, after a night of studying at the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, he was now a 6-star terpsichore whom even Wei Ranxue was in awe for. No matter what Hu Yaoyao was up to, he was confident that he would be able to deal with whatever she was going to throw at him.

If it came down to it, he could even utilize his terpsichorean art and beguile her to resolve the situation.

"Alright." Luo Qiqi was still a little apprehensive inside, but she still nodded in response.

She had no idea where her teacher's confidence came from, but since he dared to utter such words, he must have an idea in mind!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 775: Luo Qiqi Faints

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After chatting casually for a moment, silence gradually returned to the room. As Zhang Xuan raised his wine cup, he activated his Eye of Insight and scanned the room discreetly.

A moment later, a slightly perplexed expression flickered momentarily across his face.

Other than the Spirit Gathering Formation, there was no other formation or mechanism that he could see through his Eye of Insight.

Didn't Hu Yaoyao intend to deal with him?

Why hadn't she prepared anything then?

Did she really think that she could subdue him without any preparation?

Just as Zhang Xuan was in deep thought, Luo Qiqi suddenly called out. "Teacher, look over there!"

Turning his sights to the direction her finger was pointing toward, Zhang Xuan saw a two-meter tall weapon rack with a slightly yellowish shield hanging on it. There were slight traces of patina 1 , which hinted at the long history behind it.

"It is probably just a decorative artifact," Zhang Xuan replied

Judging from the design of the weapon, it was probably smithed as an ornament. It wasn't uncommon for large clans to hang such items in their main hall in a display of power.

"I have read many books regarding Elder Wu Yangzi, and according to the records, he smithed a total of 124 weapons in his life, and 17 of them are shields. One of them, the 'Blazing Moon Copper Shield', has a bizarre fiery moon design, and it resembles that of this shield," Luo Qiqi said with a frown.

"Blazing Moon Copper Shield?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan began examining the shield more carefully.

Even though it was quite a distance away from them, with their keen eyes, they could still easily see the fiery moon reminiscent of the sun inscribed onto it. Unlike ordinary shields, it also had an irregular hexagonal shape. On the whole, the shield seemed exceedingly queer.

Realizing the significance of Luo Qiqi's words, Zhang Xuan asked agitatedly, "You mean that... this is a shield smithed by Elder Wu Yangzi?"

"Yes!" Luo Qiqi stood up and walked toward the corner of the main hall and began examining the shield carefully.

The more she studied the shield, the grimmer her expression became.

Still in his seat, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the shield as well. While the shield was ancient, it had an extremely complex workmanship that, based on Zhang Xuan's comprehension of smithing, bore a striking resemblance to that of the Zither Forging Technique.

Eye of Insight!

Lines of insight rippled in Zhang Xuan's eyes as the information regarding the shield appeared before him.

This was indeed left behind by Elder Wu Yangzi... Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He'd thought that it was only an imitation, but the evidence was pointing to it being authentic.

"It is said that Elder Wu Yangzi smithed the Blazing Sun Copper Shield in remembrance of his late wife, so he never put this artifact up on sale before. Many thought that it had disappeared along with him, but to think that it would actually be here," Luo Qiqi exclaimed in shock.

Clenching her fists tightly, she continued, "It seems Senior Yaoyao really does know where the old residence is. There is a high chance that she might have unearthed it from there!"

Zhang Xuan also shared the same thoughts as Luo Qiqi.

Since this shield had never been put on sale before, there was a high chance that it had been hidden in Wu Yangzi's old residence, and Hu Yaoyao had managed to find it by some stroke of luck.

After examining the shield, Luo Qiqi was just about to return to her seat when she abruptly froze again.

"There's also a sword here!"

On the wall not too far away from them hung a sword in its scabbard. A weapon rack had hindered her view of it from her seat, so Luo Qiqi hadn't noticed it previously. It was only after walking up to the shield that she managed to get a clear view of the sword.

Just like the shield, the sword hilt and scabbard also carried traces of age on it. With just a single glance, one could tell that it was an ancient artifact. Walking up to the sword to assess it, Luo Qiqi's frown deepened.

Eventually, she took it down from the wall.

Luo Qiqi wasn't the type to take the possession of another easily. For her to take the initiative to step forward to take down the sword, it could only mean that she had noticed something peculiar about it. Knowing this, Zhang Xuan asked, "What? Was this sword smithed by Wu Yangzi as well?"

"Yes. If I'm not mistaken, this should be the 'Blazing Moon Blade' that Elder Wu Yangzi left for his daughter. This sword has also never been sold on the market before. If there is a fiery sun inscription on the blade, that would mean that my deduction is correct," Luo Qiqi explained as she placed her hands on the scabbard and the hilt each and pulled.

Huala!

A chilling glint flashed from the body of the sword, sending a shiver down the spines of those in its vicinity.

"A good sword that is!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed.

Even though this sword wasn't on par with his Glacier Rain Sword, it was still an incredible creation that had managed to reach Spirit pinnacle.

"There's indeed a fiery sun!" With her eyes fixated on the sword, delight surfaced on Luo Qiqi's face.

But before her delight could bloom into a smile, a light buzz sounded from the sword.

Weng!

The sword trembled violently, as if the spirit within it was protesting in fury.

"This is bad!" Hearing that sound, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes. He hurriedly stood up and rushed up to her, but despite his swift reaction, he was still a step too late.

As if sapped of her strength, Luo Qiqi's figure abruptly staggered and fell weakly to the side.

Zhang Xuan immediately caught Luo Qiqi's falling figure and placed his forefinger and middle finger on her wrist to feel her pulse. A moment later, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness there isn't anything wrong with her. It seems she has only lost her consciousness...

Fearing that Hu Yaoyao would suddenly spring something on them, Zhang Xuan had chosen to remain in his seat and wait patiently for whatever was to come and deal with them. He'd thought that the other party would resort to using formations and mechanisms against him, but who could have known that she would spike the sword instead?

Knowing that Luo Qiqi was fine, Zhang Xuan tapped on a few points of the sword first before grabbing the Blazing Moon Sword to examine it.

There is no poison on it. It seems Luo Qiqi was indeed attacked by the spirit within the sword instead. Still, to think that this sword would have the ability to jolt one's soul!

Most formidable artifacts would possess some kind of unique ability. Take the Bronze Gong that Zhang Xuan had seen in the Spirit Emporium previously for example, it had the ability to destroy one's soul.

With a strike of the gong, one's physical body and soul would suffer immense damage.

From the looks of it, the Blazing Moon Blade did possess the ability to jolt one's soul. It was out of a moment of carelessness while touching it that Luo Qiqi was attacked by the spirit within, resulting in her loss of consciousness.

Realizing what was going on, Zhang Xuan gently placed Luo Qiqi down on the table by the side before harrumphing coldly.

"Come out!"

While artifacts did possess offensive capability of their own, their fighting prowess was severely limited without someone driving them. It was just like how he'd managed tame almost all of the treasures of the Spirit Emporium, but he was still unable to rival Wei Changfeng.

Even though the Blazing Moon Blade had reached Spirit pinnacle, making it difficult for even a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert to tame the spirit within, it was still impossible for it to render Luo Qiqi unconscious so easily.

Without a doubt, Hu Yaoyao had tampered with the weapon.

The other party knew that they were anxious to seek out Wu Yangzi's old residence, so she intentionally placed the shield there in order to draw their attention to it first. After confirming that the shield was safe, and due to the shock from the discovery of another product of Wu Yangzi's hands, their guards would be down when they approached the sword, thus allowing it to successfully knock them out.

Hu Yaoyao's intended target was probably Zhang Xuan, but Luo Qiqi had ended up falling for it instead.

Given that such a trap had been prepared for them, the other party must have been hiding in the surroundings, observing them quietly from the shadows.

There was a brief moment of silence before a soft chuckle echoed in the room.

"No wonder you were able to deal a heavy blow to nearly all of the student factions, you are indeed a smart person!"

The door opened, and Hu Yaoyao's slender figure stepped into the room. She was dressed in a burgundy dress which emphasized her curvaceous figure beautifully.

It seemed she had devoted more effort to dressing up for this occasion. She looked much more charming and seductive than the previous day.

"For a Grade-5 student to pick on a freshman, don't you think that this will reflect badly on your reputation?" Zhang Xuan glanced at her figure impassively.

"My reputation? I invited you to my night banquet out of goodwill, but in my moment of absence, you took my sword without permission. Don't you think that the one whose reputation will be reflected badly is you?" Hu Yaoyao stepped forward leisurely and chuckled.

A slight and refreshing fragrance drifted from her body, tingling one's senses.

It was no wonder her faction was known as the Bewitching Devil Faction. As if a mischievous fox spirit, her gestures and movements carried a kind of seductive charm and pulled at one's heartstrings.

It wasn't too difficult to imagine that there would be an army of master teachers in the academy who would be willing to throw themselves into flames without batting an eyelid for her.

But while this kind of deadly charm might be effective on others, Zhang Xuan remained completely unfazed by it. Shaking his head, he gazed at Hu Yaoyao nonchalantly, as if merely looking at yet another human being.

"It is out of curiosity that we stepped forward to admire the artifacts you have put on public display; why should that reflect badly on us? On the other hand, despite inviting us over, you chose to hide and observe us from the shadows. I don't think that it can be any more apparent who is the one who is up to no good.

"But since we won't be able to come to a consensus on the matter, let's not waste our breath and get straight to the business at hand. Where is Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence?"

"Hmm?" Hu Yaoyao was slightly taken aback.

On top of being a 6-star terpsichore, Hu Yaoyao was a 6-star demonic tunist as well. At her current level of expertise, she was already capable of utilizing her voice as a medium to unleash her prowess as a demonic tunist.

Right from the start, she had been using a terpsichorean art and a demonic tunist art simultaneously to bewitch Zhang Xuan. Under such an assault, even a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert would find it difficult to retain their rationality!

Given that the other party was only a Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator, even if he wasn't bewitched by her, his soul should have at least been rendered feeble by the attack. How could he possibly remain completely unfazed and even rationally question her back?

"Regarding the matter of the old residence, I will speak as long as you agree to my conditions!" Despite Hu Yaoyao's doubt, she didn't allow it to appear on her face.

With a seductive smile that scratched at one's soul, she said, "Join my Bewitching Devil Faction and obey my commands obediently, and not only will I tell you the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence, I will even lead you there myself!"

"Obey your commands obediently?" Zhang Xuan glanced at her somewhat mockingly. "Aren't you already trying?"

"To be able to tame several hundred spirit beasts in a breath and win School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's favor, there is no doubt that Zhang shi possesses an exceptionally powerful soul. Even if I were to use all of my means, it is questionable they will be effective on you... It won't be feasible for me to make you submit through my terpsichorean arts, I admit at least this much."

At this point, Hu Yaoyao's crimson lips curled up playfully. "But... what about Luo Qiqi?"

"Qiqi? What do you mean?" Zhang Xuan frowned upon hearing those words.

"Luo Qiqi has been attacked by the spirit of the Blazing Moon Blade. If you don't treat her soon, it's very possible that the damage to her foundation might become permanent, making it nigh impossible for her to make any progress in the future," Hu Yaoyao replied with a taunting smile.

Damage to her foundation? Permanent? Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

A jolt on one's soul could only render one unconscious at most. Damaging one's foundation and rendering it nigh impossible for one to make any progress... Where in the world did she find the confidence to spout such bullshit?

Zhang Xuan was perplexed for a moment before it suddenly dawned on him.

The other party must have thought that he was lacking in the study of souls, and on top of that, his worry for Luo Qiqi could have sent his mind into disarray, making it impossible for him to think rationally. She thought that, by exaggerating things, she could force Zhang Xuan to submit to her terms.

On the off chance that Zhang Xuan refused, she could have prepared a Record Crystal somewhere in advance to take down this scene. When Luo Qiqi finally roused from her sleep, she would show it to her and sow discord between them. With such a precedent between them, there would be a permanent rift between their relationship as a teacher and a student.

This was indeed checkmate. Zhang Xuan would have been trapped no matter what he chose.

To save Luo Qiqi, he would have to agree to her conditions. Disagree, and he would potentially lose Luo Qiqi's trust forever.

Regardless of the choice, she would be the final victor!

As expected of the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction, she was indeed a fearsome adversary!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 776: Bewitching Devil!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

That's a good plan, but it's a pity that she found the wrong opponent! With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It must be said that Hu Yaoyao had indeed planned this well. Anyone who was ignorant of souls would be in a state of panic at this moment, forced to choose one of the two options. However... this problem was nothing for Zhang Xuan at all.

As a soul oracle, the true master in the study of souls, he could think of at least a dozen ways off the top of his head to wake Luo Qiqi from her sleep instantaneously.

The only reason he hadn't done so yet was to see what Hu Yaoyao had prepared for him. It would be truly disappointing if this was all she'd got.

With this much, how could she possibly declare that she would take him down so confidently last night?

Zhang Xuan shook his head and said with a tinge of disappointment in his voice, "Save petty ploys like that for others. Are you actually so naive to think that you can ruin our teacher-student relationship through this?"

He and Luo Qiqi were comrades who had survived a life-and-death situation together. How could such a cheap ploy possibly foil their relationship?

"You are smarter than I thought. However..." Realizing that Zhang Xuan had seen through her thoughts, a hint of astonishment flashed across Hu Yaoyao's eyes. However, the smile on her face only deepened.

In the next moment, she abruptly reached out her hand and flicked lightly.

Si la!

A surge of sword qi shot forth from her fingertips, and severed the cloth concealing the unconscious Luo Qiqi's shoulder, revealing her smooth shoulder and neck bone.

"If Luo Qiqi were to wake up to this and realize that her teacher actually harbors some lustful thoughts toward her, do you think that she will still be able to remain as trusting of you as before?" Hu Yaoyao chuckled.

"Even if she doesn't doubt your character, I can just take the recording of this scene and spread it amongst the students of the academy, saying that you intend to make sexual advances toward Luo Qiqi... I wonder if the students will be more inclined to believe my words or yours. Honestly speaking, I am curious to see how many fans of Luo Qiqi will stand up in her stead!"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

If Hu Yaoyao were to really take a snippet of the recording and frame it in a suggestive manner, considering the Bewitching Devil Faction's influence in the academy, it wouldn't be too difficult for her to turn the student populace against him.

While Zhang Xuan had no qualms about being misunderstood, such rumors could ruin Luo Qiqi's reputation as well.

Naturally, this was a situation Zhang Xuan wanted to avoid.

"I intended to give you a chance, but you just had to keep pushing your luck..." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sigh.

The next moment, he raised his hand, lifting it to his forehead.

It was a simple action, reminiscent of the gesture one would make when adjusting one's fringe. But for some reason, the movement felt extremely natural and graceful, as if a dance performance.

Hu Yaoyao thought that the young man before her would start to panic helplessly before her, but upon seeing this gesture, she froze.

Hong long!

The next moment, an overwhelming pressure gathered and rushed for her soul, inducing tremendous dizziness in her head.

Damn it, this is a terpsichorean art! How can he possibly know any terpsichorean arts? Hu Yaoyao's face paled under the pressure, and she nearly lost consciousness.

As one of the top students of the Terpsichore School, she had intended to make use of her terpsichorean art to pressure the other party into submitting to her. However, before she could succeed, she was already struck squarely by the other party using the same method she was going to use against him! The immense frustration she felt from being outdone in her field of specialty left her on the verge of spewing blood.

However, considering the limitations of the other party's cultivation, no matter how strong his soul might be, it would be impossible for him to leave her dizzy for too long. As soon as she recovered, she would make him regret his actions!

Vowing angrily, Hu Yaoyao was just about to focus her soul energy to dispel the dizziness in her mind when she suddenly felt a searing energy gushing right for her.

"To dare assault me, you are courting death!"

Realizing that the other party was attempting to launch an attack on her in her weakened state, Hu Yaoyao strenuously lifted her palm to retaliate.

Based on the intelligence she had received, Zhang Xuan was only a Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator. Even in her moment of weakness, it was impossible for him to subdue a Chrysalis realm pinnacle expert like her!

At Chrysalis realm, one's power would have crystallized into the form of a golden core, granting them strength almost reaching up to that of a Saint. How could she possibly be defeated by a Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator in a fight?

Hu la!

Just as her palm was about to clash with Zhang Xuan's attack, she suddenly felt the assault before her vanish with a slight gust of wind. The next moment, she suddenly felt yet another immense might gathering behind her.

How did he withdraw his attack so quickly? Narrowing her eyes, Hu Yaoyao's heart leaped in shock.

In her moment of weakness, it had already taken all she had to focus all of her might to protect her front.

She could clearly feel a violent strength reminiscent of the raging torrents of a river rushing for her, but with her reaction dulled by vertigo, it was impossible for her to retaliate on time.

Peng!

Struck squarely on her back, Hu Yaoyao's face paled as her entire figure catapulted forward before crashing heavily onto the ground.

Pu!

Blood spewed from her mouth. In this short encounter, she had already sustained grievous wounds.

Feeling her internal organs being jolted from their original position, Hu Yaoyao was overwhelmed with shock. "The strength he commands is on par with a Chrysalis realm primary stage cultivator? How is that possible?!"

There was no doubt that the other party's palm carried a might exceeding 25,000,000 ding. Otherwise, given the resilience of her body as a Chrysalis realm expert, even if she was caught off guard, it was impossible for her to be wounded so heavily.

Wasn't the other party a Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator?

Yet, not only did he manage to successfully assail her soul, he was even able to command a might of 25,000,000 ding... Just how in the world did he do it?

Another mouthful of fresh blood spurted by Hu Yaoyao's mouth. The next moment, she felt someone lifting her body up, and her body immediately tensed in alarm.

Soon, as the dizziness she felt began to dispel, she got a clear sight of the situation before her.

At this moment, she was being held up by Zhang Xuan, who was looking at her with a frustrated expression.

His expression seemed to be saying that he didn't intend to make a move at all, and she was the one who forced him into resorting to physical violence.

Seeing this, Hu Yaoyao's slender figure trembled once more, and yet another mouthful of fresh blood spewed from her mouth.

She was a Grade-5 student, a Chrysalis realm expert... She should have been the one teaching the other party a lesson...

Yet, at this very moment, it seemed as if she was a mischievous student who was taught a lesson after being caught pranking someone instead...

Can anyone tell me how in the world everything suddenly came down to this?

To think that she, one of the top Grade-5 students in the academy, would end up being utterly subdued by a freshman in the academy. The immense frustration she was feeling at this moment from the stark contrast between expectations and reality left her on the verge of going insane.

"Spew out the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence, and I can drop everything that has happened today!" Zhang Xuan said impassively.

With Zhang Xuan's mastery of terpsichorean arts, which was on par or even higher than most 6-star pinnacle terpsichores, and his extraordinarily powerful soul, it wasn't impossible for him to assail Hu Yaoyao's soul while she was unguarded.

After which, by exerting the incredible might of 26,000,000 ding he commanded from his body, soul, and zhenqi, it wasn't too difficult for him to overpower the weakened Grade-5 genius.

If Zhang Xuan wanted to, he could even have killed the other party easily!

"Humph!" Hearing the threat in the young man's words, Hu Yaoyao sneered coldly.

At this point, she had already recovered from her shock, and she taunted with a provocative smile, "So what if I don't spew out the location of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence? What can you do about it? Are you going to kill me for it?"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan frowned.

Despite all that Hu Yaoyao had done, her actions didn't warrant death.

On top of that, putting aside the fact that she was a master teacher and that they were in the Master Teacher Academy which prohibited killing amongst fellow students, just the fact that it might be possible that what Hu Yaoyao had claimed was true—that she was the only one who knew where Wu Yangzi's old residence was—made it an unwise decision to kill her.

If they were to really kill her, it was possible that they might never be able to find Wu Yangzi's treasure anymore.

"Of course, I won't kill you for something as trivial as this. However... I can seal your acupoints and hang you on a flagpole so that everyone passing by can admire the embarrassing state of the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction!"

Throwing Hu Yaoyao on the ground, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and glanced down at her coldly.

Are you trying to compete with me who can be more shameless?

Hah, you must be joking with me!

When I was at the peak of my shamelessness, you were still playing in the mud!

"You dare..." As expected, upon hearing those words, Hu Yaoyao's smile vanished, and her face turned livid.

To be honest, she'd thought that she was already quite a brazen person herself, but to think that this fellow would be even more brazen than her!

One must know that she was one of the top beauties in the academy, and a slight smile or a small gesture could send butterflies fluttering in the stomach of another.

There were many men who would be more than willing to do anything to please her, but not only did this fellow beat her up mercilessly, he even wanted to hang her on a flagpole...

Screw you!

"You can try me if you want to," Zhang Xuan replied coldly.

"You..." Hu Yaoyao glared at Zhang Xuan furiously with gritted teeth.

Considering how the fellow before her had caused such a huge uproar in the academy as soon as he had arrived—destroying the Passageway of Records in the Blacksmith Guild and provoking the four biggest school factions in the academy...

She might still harbor some doubts if it was anyone else, but this fellow... she could totally see him doing it!

Putting everything else aside, she could still feel a stabbing pain in her organs from the heavy blow on her back.

Considering how he was able to strike her so heavily without any hesitation, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he would hang her on a flagpole.

But to submit to a freshman... Impossible!

Ever since entering the academy, she, Hu Yaoyao, had always been the one to get the better of others. When had she been bullied like that before?

If she were to give in, what pride would she have to remain in the academy?

Not to mention, what would the members of her Bewitching Devil Faction think of her as well?

But if she adamantly refused to submit... what if that lunatic were to really do it?

Frustrated, Hu Yaoyao clenched her teeth so tightly together that it felt as if they would chip soon. In that moment of dilemma, her gaze suddenly fell on Luo Qiqi, and a thought flashed through her mind.

Si la!

She extended her right hand to her left shoulder and tore off the cloth of her dress, revealing her smooth shoulder.

"If you wish to hang me on a flagpole, so be it! However... be prepared to face the consequences then. If I were to say that you tried to take advantage of me, I wonder what will happen to you. For a master teacher to engage in such despicable acts... will you even be able to retain your master teacher license?" Hu Yaoyao chuckled cunningly.

Challenge me?

Try again a century later!

"..." Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless by the other party's antics.

He finally understood why the other party was called the Bewitching Devil.

If it had been Luo Qiqi who'd met with such a situation, she would have been overwhelmed with embarrassment and humiliation. Yet, Hu Yaoyao actually went to the extent of ripping her clothes apart!

If she were to run out in such a state and scream that Zhang Xuan had taken advantage of her, there would really be quite a few people who would believe her.

Ultimately, ladies were often viewed as the weaker gender, making it easier for them to win the sympathy of others, especially for those as beautiful as Hu Yaoyao.

Even though Zhang Xuan had nothing to fear as he hadn't done anything at all—the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn't act without concrete evidence on hand, and it was illogical to think that a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan cultivator could actually take advantage of a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan cultivator—but considering the large fan-base that Hu Yaoyao had, he would definitely face a fair bit of trouble following such rumors.

That would truly be annoying for him.

All Zhang Xuan wanted to do was to spend his time in the Master Teacher Pavilion peacefully, reading his books and making some breakthroughs in his cultivation before leaving quietly. Why was this simple wish of his so difficult to achieve?

Seeing the young man before her fall speechless, Hu Yaoyao's eyes curled into crescents, and she chuckled softly. Enduring the severe pain her body was suffering from, she stood up and walked up to Zhang Xuan. Standing half a chi 1 away from him, she taunted, "What? Are you scared now?"

With their bodies nearly pressed against one another, Zhang Xuan could clearly smell the unique fragrance that she exuded. Troubled by her actions, however, Zhang Xuan frowned and subconsciously took a step backward.

Just as he was considering whether he should send another fist at the other party to make her behave, an astonished voice abruptly sounded.

"Teacher... and Senior Yaoyao... What are you two doing?"

Unknowingly, Luo Qiqi had woken up amidst their confrontation, and looking at the two who were just slightly more than a chi away from one another, exclaimed in alarm.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 777: She Was the One Taking Advantage of Me!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Blazing Moon Blade had only jolted Luo Qiqi's soul. While she had fainted from the impact, there was actually no significant damage done, and she would awaken once her soul calmed down.

The moment she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was her teacher and Hu Yaoyao's bodies pressed closely together, as if lovers rendezvousing in the night.

This was especially so with the clothes of the latter ripped by the shoulder, revealing her silky skin. If one were to look from the side, one could even see hints of her voluptuous figure... Bewildered by the scene before her, she couldn't help but exclaim in shock.

"Wuuuu! Qiqi, you are finally awake..."

Hearing that voice, Hu Yaoyao anxiously covered her body as she backed away from Zhang Xuan with fear and anguish reflected in her eyes. Pointing at Zhang Xuan with a trembling finger, she cried, "It is out of kindness that I invited the both of you for dinner, but... your teacher actually tried to take advantage of me! With this, how can I possibly face others in the future?"

The more Hu Yaoyao spoke, the more miserable she looked. With her face still pale from the injury she had incurred previously, she seemed like a damsel in distress, bullied by a hoodlum but had no way to redress her grievance.

"Stop fooling around!" Unexpectedly, Luo Qiqi shook her head in response to Hu Yaoyao's words. "Teacher tried to take advantage of you? Senior, you must be mistaken somewhere!"

"..."

Hearing those words, Hu Yaoyao's body staggered weakly, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

Big sister, can't you take a look at the situation before you?

Look at the wretched state I am in, as well as the fear in my eyes. Surely any rational person could tell that I have been taken advantage of?

Fool around? Which eye of yours saw that I am fooling around? I have been taken advantage of, alright!

"Putting aside the fact that my teacher isn't your opponent, even if he was, there's no way he would be interested in you. So, you can rest assured that he would not lay a single hand on you!" Luo Qiqi replied earnestly.

Back then, after surviving the ordeal in the underground chamber in which Wu Yangzi had been imprisoned, she, Yu Fei-er, and Zhang Xuan had been together for more than half a month. Both she and Yu Fei-er possessed beauty on par with Hu Yaoyao, but Zhang Xuan didn't even spare them an additional glance throughout their journey. Given such, why would he take advantage of Hu Yaoyao whom he had only met twice?

Even if you wish to put on an act, at least show some professionalism in crafting your story!

Pu!

With Luo Qiqi's merciless words adding salt to her injury, the severe wound she had incurred before aggravated, and fresh blood spewed from her mouth once more.

What the heck is this!

Who am I?

A famed beauty of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, an existence whom no man can remain unmoved before, Hu Yaoyao! Yet, when I said that I have been taken advantage of, not only did you toss aside my words as if they were nothing, you even said that... he was completely uninterested in me!

"What right does he have to be uninterested in me? Why won't he lay a hand on me?" Hu Yaoyao spat through gritted teeth.

The more she thought about the matter, the angrier she felt. At this moment, she could almost explode from sheer fury.

"Calm down. My teacher is an unparalleled talent, so his standards are extremely high. It's only natural that he's not interested in you!" Luo Qiqi consoled.

"..." Hu Yaoyao's body trembled in frenzy, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Are you sure you are consoling me?

Why does it feel like you are pricking my heart with a needle instead?

I am Hu Yaoyao!

To think that a day would come where I would actually be snubbed by a man...

The outcome of this matter had Hu Yaoyao nearly going insane from the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

However, she didn't remain frenzied for too long. No matter what, she was still a Grade-5 student, the leader of one of the largest student factions in the academy. Despite her raging fury, she still managed to forcefully calm herself down. Harrumphing coldly, she said, "Fine! Even if he is uninterested in me, it's a fact that he bears lustful intentions toward you! If you don't believe me, look at your clothes!"

Luo Qiqi might have been able to remain confident of her teacher's morals when looking at the matter as a third party, but when she was involved in it as well, surely her confidence would waver!

"Me?" It was only then that Luo Qiqi realized that her clothes had been ripped apart by a surge of sword qi as well, baring her smooth shoulder.

"Really?" Luo Qiqi's eyes lit up as she hurriedly turned her gaze to her teacher, only to meet with his clear and pure eyes. Thus, she could only shake her head with a bitter smile and say, "Teacher isn't interested in me either..."

"..." Hu Yaoyao's body trembled uncontrollably yet again.

What in the world was this!

She had made meticulous preparations to drag Zhang Xuan's reputation into the gutter, leaving him incapable of raising his head before others. But who could have known that... Luo Qiqi would actually be so trusting of him!

If he is uninterested in both you and me, who in the freaking world can catch his eye then?

Hu Yaoyao had always used her appearance and figure to deal with men, and never once had she failed before. Yet, on this day, she'd suffered a crushing setback.

Not only so, even at this point, she could still feel her organs churning within, leaving her face paler and paler.

When had she, Hu Yaoyao, suffered such a crushing blow before?

If others were to learn of this, how could she continue to keep her head high before them?

It was just the previous day that she'd declared confidently to Dong Xin, Xue Zhenyang, and the others that she would definitely subdue Zhang Xuan, and she had even invited them over to watch the show she had prepared...

But if there was still any show to be seen at this point, it would only be her humiliating herself!

As fury swiftly grew and clouded her mind, she furiously roared, "I will kill you..."

She could no longer care less about anything else at this moment. Gathering immense might in her hand, she thrust her palm forward to strike Zhang Xuan.

Dong dong dong!

But before her palm could reach Zhang Xuan, a series of knocking suddenly sounded from the door. Following which, the calm voice of a lady called out, "Yaoyao, are you in there?"

"Teacher..." Hearing the voice, Hu Yaoyao immediately leaped in shock.

"Teacher? Could that person be... School Head Wei?" Luo Qiqi exclaimed in astonishment.

It was common knowledge in the academy that Hu Yaoyao's teacher was the head of the Terpsichore School. Since Hu Yaoyao was addressing the person at the door as her teacher, it could only mean the latter was School Head Wei.

"School Head Wei? Teacher?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for an instant as well.

However, in the next moment, his eyes lit up. He hurriedly rushed up to Hu Yaoyao, grabbed her hands, and placed it on his chest.

"What are you doing?" Not expecting Zhang Xuan to suddenly rush forward to grab her hands, Hu Yaoyao was flabbergasted for a moment before hurriedly retracting her hands.

Si la!

But unbeknownst to her, her finger had been hooked onto Zhang Xuan's clothes. As a result, when she retracted her hands, she ended up tearing a portion of his clothes as well. In the next moment, the zhenqi of the young man before her abruptly flew into disarray, and his face reddened. With a spurt of fresh blood, he suddenly flew backward.

Peng!

His back crashed into the doors of the main hall, and even though he managed to land on his feet eventually, his ghastly pale face and trembling limbs seemed to indicate that he could collapse at any moment.

"What are you doing?" Seeing the other party grab her hands at one moment and spurting blood and flying backward in the next, Hu Yaoyao was completely bewildered. She couldn't understand what he was up to, but an ominous premonition grasped her heart, telling her that she was going to be in for a round of misfortune.

"Yaoyao?"

However, the situation left her no time to think the matter through.

After hearing the commotion in the room, School Head Wei immediately rushed forward to strike open the door with her palm.

Pah!

In the next moment, a lady who seemed to be in her thirties flitted into the room with a gust of wind.

"Teacher!"

"School Head Wei!" Upon seeing the figure who entered, Hu Yaoyao and Luo Qiqi immediately bowed deeply without any hesitation.

The lady was none other than the head of the Terpsichore School, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers!

"What happened?" School Head Wei asked with a frown.

She had barged in after hearing the fighting sounds in the room. After entering, she saw Hu Yaoyao standing unharmed at the center of the room. On the other hand, however, a severely injured young man was lying feebly against the wall not too far away.

"Zhang shi?" Taking a closer look at the severely injured young man, School Head Wei couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was also stunned by what he saw.

The lady was none other than the Saint realm expert whom he had met earlier this afternoon, Wei Ranxue!

When did she become the head of the Terpsichore School? Wasn't she just an elder?

But considering that the Ten Great Master Teachers were also known as the Ten Great Elders, it wasn't really a mistake to say that she was an elder of the academy either...

Seeing Zhang shi, who was half a teacher to her, lying by the side of the room severely injured, Wei Ranxue immediately asked anxiously, "Zhang shi, what's wrong?"

With a pale face, Zhang Xuan said weakly, "Thank goodness you came at a timely moment. Otherwise, Hu Yaoyao might have really violated me!"

Violate you? Upon hearing those words, Hu Yaoyao nearly fainted from anger.

Brother, that's my line!

You are the one who is going to be cursed at by others for years to come for attempting to take advantage of me...

How did I become the one who attempted to violate you?

If things had gone according to her plan, she would have made everyone think that he had malicious intentions at heart, and through exerting pressure on him via the student populace afterward, she would force him into submission!

But how did the tables end up turning on her?

At this moment, she finally understood why the other party had grabbed her hands previously. After all that had happened just now, Zhang Xuan's clothes were ripped, and his body was severely wounded. No matter which angle one looked at him from, he seemed like a pitiful person who had been humiliated and was powerless to retaliate.

"Teacher..." On the other hand, Luo Qiqi clutched her forehead with her hand.

She knew that her teacher wasn't a person who would allow himself to be bullied, and as she had expected, the tides ended up turning on Hu Yaoyao instead.

Trying to frame my teacher? You'd better prepare to have the favor returned to you!

"Violate you?" Wei Ranxue was taken aback as well.

With grave indignation on his face, Zhang Xuan spoke through gritted teeth. "That's right. She invited me over, hoping to learn terpsichorean arts from me, but I rejected her. Who could have known that sword over there would assault Luo Qiqi and me? If not for the fact that I haven't recovered from my internal injuries yet, how could I possibly be humiliated like that?"

"Y-you! How dare you slander me!" Hu Yaoyao was on the verge of going insane.

Learning terpsichorean arts from you? I did invite you over, but how in the world was I to know that you are capable of terpsichorean arts as well!

Furthermore, internal injuries? What internal injuries do you have? I am the one who has internal injuries, not you!

Hu Yaoyao had thought that she was already scheming enough, but who could have known that she would actually be outwitted by an even more shameless fellow!

"I slandered you? Since you are still denying it, do you dare to swear that you didn't attempt to assault Luo Qiqi using that sword?" Zhang Xuan said aggrievedly as he stared at Hu Yaoyao in indignation.

"I..." Hu Yaoyao wanted to refute Zhang Xuan's claim, but she had no idea how she could explain the situation.

She did prepare something in the sword which ended up knocking Luo Qiqi out.

"Can't do it, right? Since that's the case, do you dare vow that you didn't declare that you were going to kill me and attempt an attack on me?" Zhang Xuan pressed on.

"That's because you... Shameless!" Agitated, Hu Yaoyao's breathing hastened, and her chest leaped up and down along with her breathing. At this point, she was on the verge of exploding from rage.

She did declare that she was going to kill Zhang Xuan, but that was just a figure of speech in a moment of anger after being provoked by him...

Interjecting the other party's words, Zhang Xuan declared in a feeble voice, "I am only a weak Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator whereas you are a Chrysalis Bridge realm pinnacle expert. With three whole cultivation realms between us, I am powerless before you. But even if I were to be killed, I won't allow myself to be humiliated!"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Hu Yaoyao seemed to have suffered yet another heavy blow, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

You call that powerless? Doesn't that mean that if you were to possess power, I would die with even just at a glance from you?

You were the one who nearly killed me, and yet you still dare to say such words... How can your skin be so thick?

However, the urgent matter at hand was to placate her teacher first. Hu Yaoyao immediately turned to her teacher in order to explain the matter, only to see that the extreme lividness on the other party's face.

"Hu Yaoyao, how dare you!"

"Teacher..." Hu Yaoyao had never seen her teacher flying into such a rage before, and her face immediately paled in fright.

"Don't you even think that I am oblivious to the trouble you usually cause! I only choose to turn a blind eye to it all as long as it doesn't affect your studies. Yet, you took my kindness for granted and attempted to make a move on Zhang shi. Tell me, who gave you the guts to do something like that?" Wei Ranxue roared furiously.

Zhang shi was half a teacher to her; she was indebted to him for his guidance. It was one thing for Hu Yaoyao to trouble others, but to dare lay her hands on her benefactor... This was going over the top!

"I..." Hu Yaoyao's body froze.

"Kneel down!" Wei Ranxue ordered sternly with a tight frown on her forehead.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 778: Apprentice Hu Yaoyao

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Teacher..." Hu Yaoyao's eyes reddened in indignation as she bit on her scarlet lips. After a moment of hesitation, her knees fell to the ground.

She was filled with hatred for Zhang Xuan, but she dared not to defy her teacher's orders.

"Little Wei, it's fine... I believe that she only did it out of a moment of folly." At this point, Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke up.

"Little Wei?" Hu Yaoyao almost failed to resist the urge to claw at her hair.

Her teacher, Wei Ranxue, was one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, as well as the head of the Terpsichore School. Yet, a twenty-year-old freshman actually dared to address her as Little Wei...

"This student of mine has always been mischievous. I usually leave her to do as she pleases as long as she doesn't go overboard, but I didn't expect her to go for you as well. If I don't punish her strictly today, she will never learn her lesson!" Wei Ranxue replied.

With her eye of discernment, she could tell that something was amiss with the situation. It was unlikely that things were as what Zhang shi had put it out to be. However, considering Hu Yaoyao's character and her past deeds, she could roughly fathom the happenings.

Her student had always been mischievous, but too busy with her work as a school head, she never really had a chance to discipline her student over such matters. Thus, she decided to make full use of this opportunity to teach her student a harsh lesson so that she wouldn't cause even greater trouble in the future.

Putting everything aside, given the deep understanding of terpsichorean arts that Zhang shi possessed, she had been thinking about how she could convince the latter to conduct a lecture in the Terpsichore School for the students, but by the time she knew it, Hu Yaoyao had already provoked him.

Are you intentionally working against me? How do you expect me to convince him to conduct a lecture in our school after such a matter?

"Teacher..." Not expecting her teacher to trust Zhang Xuan's words over hers, Hu Yaoyao panicked.

"Enough! I am speaking to Zhang shi, there's no place for a junior like you to butt in. Reflect on your actions silently!" Wei Ranxue flung her sleeves and harrumphed.

"Junior..." Hu Yaoyao's body trembled.

Those words... Did that mean that the other party was her senior too? But wasn't he just a freshman in the academy?

"Zhang shi, allow me to apologize to you in the stead of my troublemaking disciple. Here is a Miniature Restorative Pill, it should be of some help in the recovery of your wounds!" Flicking her wrist, Wei Ranxue took out a jade bottle and passed it over.

"Miniature Restorative Pill? The grade-6 pill?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Miniature Restorative Pill was a well-known grade-6 pill that was effective even on injured Saint realm experts. Just a single one of them was easily worth several high-tier spirit stones in the market!

To give it away so casually... The other party was so generous that he was already starting to feel a little embarrassed.

"How do you want me to deal with this troublemaking disciple of mine? Zhang shi, feel free to speak your mind, I'll surely do as you request!" Seeing Zhang Xuan take the pill, Wei Ranxue heaved a sigh of relief before continuing.

Since the other party had taken her Miniature Restorative Pill, it was unlikely that he would ask for something extreme in exchange.

"How to deal with her?" Zhang Xuan fell into a moment of contemplation.

In truth, had Hu Yaoyao not tried to sow discord in the relationship between him and Luo Qiqi, he wouldn't have flown into a rage either.

It was due to her lack of respect for the sacred relationship between a teacher and a student that he was determined to teach her a stern lesson so as to let her know that there were some boundaries that one simply shouldn't exceed. Step beyond the boundary, and an action would be nothing but despicable.

"I am lacking an apprentice recently, so why don't you have her follow me for three months, and we will call this matter off?" Afer a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan proposed.

Hu Yaoyao had yet to reveal the location of Wu Yangzi's old residence, so it was best to keep her around for the time being so that he would have plenty of opportunities to try to get it out of her.

"Apprentice?" Hearing the request, Hu Yaoyao nearly fainted on the spot.

She, a 6-star terpsichore, was going to serve as an apprentice to this fellow?

What kind of joke is this?

There is no way my teacher will agree to this!

Otherwise, what will become of my teacher's dignity?

Just as Hu Yaoyao was certain that School Head Wei would reject the other party's request, she saw the latter's eyes lit up in agitation, "That will be for the best! Allow me to thank you in place of Yaoyao then!"

Zhang shi's comprehension of terpsichorean arts had reached an astounding level. If Hu Yaoyao could become his apprentice and learn from him, she would definitely progress leaps and bounds as a terpsichore!

Honestly speaking, even Wei Ranxue was feeling a little envious of the opportunity presented to Hu Yaoyao, so how could she possibly turn it down?

"Teacher!" Hearing those words, Hu Yaoyao exclaimed in a panic.

"Enough! It's only due to the good karma you have accrued over the past few lifetimes that you are given the opportunity to become Zhang shi's apprentice. From today on, you shall leave this residence and follow Zhang shi. Study well and return accomplished!" Interrupting the other party's words, Wei Ranxue said.

As the other party's teacher, she did have the right to make such a decision in the stead of her student.

"Apprentice..." Hu Yaoyao muttered sorrowfully through gritted teeth. At this point, she felt as if tears would spill from her eyes at any moment now.

Her teacher actually agreed to that fellow's request? Why?

She had invited that fellow over to teach him a lesson and take him in as her subordinate. Yet... in a bizarre twist of events, she became the other party's apprentice instead!

What the heck was this!

"Thank you, Little Wei!" Seeing the other party agreeing to it, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

"Zhang shi, here is your terpsichore emblem. Also, do take my personal token with you as well. There are many rules in the academy, so you might find yourself inconvenienced on many aspects. However, with this in hand, you should be spared lots of trouble!"

Wei Ranxue had made the application with the Terpsichore Guild headquarter right after she returned earlier in the afternoon, and it didn't take too long for her to receive the approval from them. After obtaining the 6-star emblem for Zhang Xuan, she immediately went to look for Hu Yaoyao to have her pass it on to the latter, but who knew that she would see such a sight as soon as she arrived?

"Thank you!" Zhang Xuan said as he took the emblem and token from Wei Ranxue's hands.

Honestly speaking, he hadn't expected the other party to be so efficient.

"I won't impose on you any longer then, farewell!" After chatting for a moment longer and deciding that Hu Yaoyao would report to his residence tomorrow, Zhang Xuan left the Cloud Sparrow Lodge with Luo Qiqi.

After the duo left, Hu Yaoyao turned to her teacher and asked anxiously, "Teacher... why?"

She couldn't understand why her teacher, one of the Ten Great Master Teachers, would actually make her serve as an apprentice to that fellow.

"Zhang Xuan's understanding of terpsichorean arts has reached an extremely profound level such that he could even be my teacher! The Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe which you have danced for your 6-star terpsichorean examination previously, he has identified seventeen flaws in them and corrected them impeccably! Here is the manual which I have edited based on his guidance. Just take a look at it, and you will know how incredible a figure he is!" Flicking her wrist, Wei Ranxue whipped out a book.

After hearing Zhang shi's explanation regarding the flaws and the solutions to them, she immediately returned back to her residence to compile them into a book, and in the midst of doing so, she had gained a deeper insight of terpsichorean arts as well.

At the same time, she couldn't help but be awed time and time again by the ingenious modifications the other party made to the Dance of the Fleeting Cloud Robe. If Hu Yaoyao had danced the version modified by Zhang Xuan in her 6-star terpsichorean examination, perhaps what she would have attracted wouldn't just be a few Cloud Sparrows but a mighty dragon of the heavens.

Realizing this, she immediately rushed to the Cloud Sparrow Lodge to instruct Hu Yaoyao deliver Zhang Xuan's emblem in her stead. The purpose of this was to allow the duo to interact with one another and foster a close relationship, as well as to teach her student to remain humble as there was always a mountain taller than the other.

But who could have known that she would end up seeing the both of them crossing blows instead as soon as she arrived at the Cloud Sparrow Lodge? Since it was impossible to reverse what that had happened, she decided to just go along with Zhang Xuan's wish and send Hu Yaoyao over to serve as his apprentice.

While Hu Yaoyao might suffer a little under the other party, as long as she were to work hard and learn well from him, she could possibly surpass her very soon and become a 7-star terpsichore, or perhaps even go beyond that.

"He corrected the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe? There is a flaw in it?" Hu Yaoyao replied subconsciously in disbelief.

This dance had been passed down for innumerable years, and despite having cultivated it for a very long time, she had never found anything amiss with it. Yet, her teacher said that that fellow had identified seventeen flaws in it?

Perplexed, Hu Yaoyao flipped open the book and began browsing through it. Just a split moment later, she was already drawn in by the content of the book.

Her leisurely gaze slowly turned grim, and her face turned a shade paler with each page she flipped.

As a talented 6-star terpsichore, even though her understanding of terpsichorean art still wasn't able to match School Head Wei Ranxue's, it was still something she could take pride in.

In the book, her teacher had marked the flaws out clearly along with their implications, and the modification to resolve the respective issues were written beneath them. As a veteran practitioner of the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe, she could swiftly tell that there wasn't any mistake with the analysis.

"Teacher... Are these modifications really made by him?" After a long moment of silence, Hu Yaoyao gulped down a mouthful of saliva before slowly turning her gaze to her teacher.

"Un." Wei Ranxue nodded affirmatively.

If she hadn't witnessed it personally, she would have also found this hard to believe.

It was only due to the exchange she had with Zhang Xuan that had her convinced of the latter's deep understanding of terpsichorean arts.

"This..." Hearing the confirmation by her teacher, Hu Yaoyao suddenly recalled how her soul was assaulted by Zhang Xuan previously, leaving her in a state of dizziness.

Back then, the other party didn't even dance at all... In other words, he had turned a casual gesture into a terpsichorean art!

Even her teacher was incapable of such a feat!

"Alright, study hard and serve Zhang shi well. This is a precious opportunity, don't waste it!" Knowing that it would take some time for her student to accept this, Wei Ranxue left her with a piece of advice before leaving the residence to give her some space to think things through.

Hu Yaoyao was a rare genius with an astounding talent for terpsichorean arts, but it was exactly due to that which gave rise to her excessive pride. Perhaps this setback might help her to mature both as a terpsichore and a master teacher!

After her teacher left, Hu Yaoyao turned her gaze to the modified manual once more, and a short moment later, she started to dance.

She wanted to try for herself to see if the modified manual was feasible in practice or not.

As her beautiful figure moved gracefully around the room, it was as if flowers had instantaneously bloomed in the area. A bewitching scent gradually drifted from the main hall.

As the koi fishes in the courtyard caught the scent, they fell into a trance and, 'putong! putong!', they sunk to the bottom of the pond. The flowers in the residence, captivated by the scent, began swaying along in harmony, and their petals fluttered in a calm breeze.

If there had been a human in the residence, he would have been fallen into a stupor as well. Not even a Half-Saint expert would have been able to remain unfazed before it.

A moment later, the dance finally stopped.

As Hu Yaoyao's body came to a halt, everything settled down and returned back to normal. However, she continued standing in a daze, as if she had been overwhelmed by her own dance as well. At this moment, a single thought dominated her mind—this was what a true terpsichorean art should be!

Everything she had learned before couldn't even come close to this!

Hu!

Unknowingly, tears began streaming down her cheeks in her moment of agitation.

"I am... crying?" Hu Yaoyao muttered blankly as she placed her hands on her cheeks and felt the moisture on it.

Even though she was able to draw out significant prowess from her Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe in the past as well, she had been missing the very quintessence of the terpsichorean art, leaving her far from truly mastering it.

However, at this very moment, she felt as if the terpsichorean art had fused with her soul, becoming a part of her.

What she had done before could only be considered as an emulation of the terpsichorean art's form, missing out on its intentions entirely.

It was only in this instant that she was finally able to grasp the true essence of the dance!

"Just... how deep of an understanding does he have of terpsichorean arts to refine the Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe to this extent?" Exhaling deeply, Hu Yaoyao couldn't help but mutter beneath her breath.

"Faction leader, Dong Xin, Xue Zhenyang, and Long Cangyue seeks an audience!"

Just as Hu Yaoyao was immersed in her thoughts, Xinru suddenly walked into the room and reported.

"Bring them in!" Hu Yaoyao said.

She thought that she would definitely be able to take down Zhang Xuan tonight, so she had gone ahead to invite the others over to show off her work.

Who could have thought that someone was indeed taken down... but the person ended up being her instead.

"How did it go? Where is Zhang Xuan? How did you deal with him?" As soon as the group walked into the main hall, Xue Zhenyang immediately asked.

"Indeed, tell us how you taught him a lesson! Did you force him to listen to you through brute force, or did you convince him by bewitching him?" Long Cangyue added.

In their perspective, since Hu Yaoyao had declared that she would be able to do it, she would surely succeed. After all, her ability in this field was truly no joke.

To be honest, even they would be a little apprehensive at the notion of going up against her, especially after hearing about the vicious methods she had used to deal with her opponents.

"How I taught him a lesson?"

Hu Yaoyao turned around and bowed slightly towards the group, "Zhang Xuan's private apprentice, Hu Yaoyao, greets you all!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 779: Establishing a Faction

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"A-a-apprentice?"

"Zhang Xuan's apprentice?'

For a short moment, Xue Zhenyang and the others were stupefied by what they had heard.

What is going on?

Didn't you say that you would teach Zhang Xuan a lesson? How did you end up becoming his apprentice instead?

There were two types of apprentices. One type was those who were new to the occupation, having yet to receive even their 1-star emblem. They would follow an official member of the occupation and learn under them.

The other would be a lower ranked member of the occupation serving as a private apprentice to a higher ranked member.

To distinguish between the two types of apprenticeships, the latter was often known as a private apprentice.

While the goal for a private apprentice was to learn from their master, the truth was that their standing was beneath that of even a student, and they were expected to deal with all sorts of miscellaneous issues for their master.

As the top students of the academy, each of the four of them had private apprentices under them. For example, Xinru was Hu Yaoyao's private apprentice.

But weren't you going to make Zhang shi submit to you?

Why did you become his private apprentice instead?

"I failed. I wasn't Zhang shi's match... You all can leave now." After reintroducing herself, Hu Yaoyao waved her hand to gesture for the rest of them to leave, unwilling to speak any more.

"This..."

They had come to celebrate the victory, but after hearing those words, Dong Xin, Xue Zhenyang, and Long Cangyue could only leave with bewildered looks.

"What is going on?"

After leaving the residence, the trio stared at one another in confusion.

"From the looks of it... it seems her plan has failed, and she even ended up being taught a lesson by Zhang Xuan instead!" Dong Xin said.

Based on her understanding of Hu Yaoyao, this was the only possibility she could think of.

"That seems to be the case..." Xue Zhenyang scratched his head. "But that's Hu Yaoyao! I have exchanged blows with her several times, and I have suffered quite a bit due to her unconventional means. To think that she would actually suffer such a crushing defeat to a freshman..."

"There seems to be something uncanny about that freshman... but the more uncanny he is, the more interested I become in him!" Long Cangyue said as a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

They were all the top geniuses of the Master Teacher Academy, so when had they feared a challenge from another before?

For a freshman to foil their businesses so brazenly as soon as he arrived, they had to retaliate in order to uphold their authority.

"Honestly, I am also rather interested in him as a person as well." Dong Xin chuckled.

At this point, she remembered something and turned to Xue Zhenyang. "Didn't you dispatch some men to deal with those freshmen who assisted him?"

"I thought that Hu Yaoyao would be able to succeed, so I dispatched my men to put those troublemaking freshmen in order before coming here... Judging by the time, it should already be done by now!" Xue Zhenyang replied.

Dong Xin pondered for a moment before shaking her head. "Given the strength of your subordinates, they shouldn't face any problems dealing with those freshmen. However... those freshmen have Zhang Xuan backing them, and we have yet to take the latter down. You were too rash; you should have waited for news of Hu Yaoyao's success first. As the saying goes, a cornered dog bites. If we push him too far, we might end up getting burnt ourselves too."

"So what? From the moment he foiled our business, we were already destined to be enemies. Even if you are willing to be compassionate to your enemy, do you think that your enemy will do the same for you? You must be joking! Besides, my men challenged them in a manner which is in accordance to the school rules. Even if Zhang Xuan wishes to get even with me over that, what can he do? As long as my men didn't breach the rules, not even School Head Mo or School Head Zhao will be able to say a thing about the matter!" Xue Zhenyang spoke confidently with a light chuckle.

"Unless... he is able to surpass my subordinates in terms of battle techniques, he will just have to accept it as it is!"

"Your men challenged him in the field of battle techniques?" Long Cangyue burst into laughter. "Indeed, you are the big senior of the Martial Arts School, the pride of the school head. Your understanding of the spear has already reached an unfathomable level. Having received your impartations, your subordinates' comprehension of martial arts should also be top-notch. Battle techniques require years of training in order to refine one's form and intention to perfection and achieve a harmony between them. No matter how talented Zhang shi is, he's still far too inexperienced. It is unlikely for him to have achieved great accomplishment in the field of martial arts as well."

Unlike most supporting occupations where it was possible for one to make swift progress, one could only take a step at a time for battle techniques. Only through persistent effort over a long period of time could one accomplish anything.

Xue Zhenyang had a fiery and reckless personality, but his understanding of battle techniques, especially in the field of spearmanship, was unmatched amongst the students of the Master Teacher Academy.

Rumor had it that he had already comprehended the Heart of Weapons, achieving perfect harmony with his spear.

"Indeed. Even though we are master teachers, we are cultivators as well. If we don't show them what we seniors are capable of, they might just think that we have spent our years in the Master Teacher Academy achieving nothing!" With his back as straight as a spear, Xue Zhenyang spoke with absolute confidence.

He was no match for Hu Yaoyao in terms of scheming—in fact, he had been outwitted each and every time—but in terms of fighting prowess, the latter wasn't a match for him.

His spear possessed might reminiscent of a mighty dragon. Even amongst all of the Grade-5 students in the academy, there was only a handful who could match him in a battle.

"You're right. Supporting occupations are important, but the most important aspect of a cultivator is ultimately still strength. Let's head over and see your subordinates teach those freshmen a lesson!" Long Cangyue chuckled softly.

"Alright!" Xue Zhenyang nodded.

With this, the trio began walking toward the freshmen living quarters.

...

Shortly after leaving Hu Yaoyao's old residence with Luo Qiqi, as Zhang Xuan reached his residence in the Elite Sector, he saw Ruohuan gongzi standing anxiously outside his door.

"Zhang shi, Senior Qiqi!" Upon seeing the both of them, Ruohuan gongzi's eyes immediately lit up, and he rushed up to them.

"I was just about to find you!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.

"Find me?" Ruohuan gongzi was taken aback.

"You were the one who distributed the Teacher Information Document to the other freshmen for free, right?" Zhang Xuan questioned coldly.

That fellow had distributed the book that he had compiled for them to the other freshmen without his knowledge, and he had even used his name in doing so. Due to that incident, he had become an eyesore for all of the student factions.

He had done nothing at all, but this grudge just suddenly fell on him, bringing him so much trouble... He hadn't even confronted Ruohuan gongzi to settle this score with him, but the latter had already come knocking on his door.

He sure was brazen!

"That was the least I could do; Zhang shi need not thank me for it!" Upon hearing those words, Ruohuan gongzi waved his hands magnanimously, as if saying that he only did what he had to.

The least that you could do?

No need to thank me for it?

Zhang Xuan nearly choked on his saliva.

The other party had screwed him over so badly, but why did he act as if he had done an anonymous good deed instead?

As frustrated as Zhang Xuan was feeling at this very instant, seeing the grim expression on Ruohuan gongzi's face, it seemed that the latter had something urgent that required his help. Thus, he decided to put the matter aside for the moment and asked, "Did something happen?"

"Due to the matter with the Teacher Information Documentation, there were quite a few seniors who have come to challenged us over the past few days. Today, three experts arrived at the freshmen living quarters, and the words they spoke were truly infuriating. Out of fury, we accepted their challenge to a duel, but in the end... we were defeated tragically, and quite a few of us were severely injured," Ruohuan gongzi said.

Most of the freshmen were at Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle, and only a small handful had reached Transcendent Mortal 5-dan and 6-dan. On the other hand, even the weakest of the seniors were at the Cosmos Bridge realm. How could they possibly be a match for them?

Seemingly noticing the doubts running through Zhang Xuan's mind, Ruohuan gongzi replied, "They suppressed their cultivation realm to our level and challenged us to a battle of pure martial arts..."

"Martial arts?" Zhang Xuan was stunned for an instant before nodding in realization.

If the seniors had suppressed their cultivation realm to be of the same level as the freshmen, the battle would be decided mainly by the expertise and skillful utilization of their martial arts. In that case, it would at least be a fairer match between the two.

"Indeed. They have been standing outside the living quarters, saying that they will only back down if someone is able to defeat them. Otherwise, they will make sure to beat us until we dare not take a single step out of our rooms!"

After saying those words, Ruohuan gongzi lifted his gaze, and with a conflicted expression, he continued, "On top of that... they said that if no one is able to defeat them by today, they want Zhang shi to make a public apology to them, and all of the freshmen will have to purchase a copy of the Teacher Information Documentation!"

"Public apology? Me? What does this matter have to do with me?" Zhang Xuan was speechless.

So what if the seniors challenged the freshmen? What did this have to do with him?

For him to make a public apology... just how in the world did he cross them this time?

"This..." Ruohuan gongzi scratched his head in embarrassment as he said, "You also know that joining the factions established by the seniors will require quite a substantial membership fee each year. However, as freshmen, how could we possibly have the money to pay for the membership fee? Thus... all of us decided to join the student faction you established..."

"The student faction I established? When did I establish a student faction?" The more Zhang Xuan listened to the other party's words, the more bewildered he became.

Was it really still him they were talking about? Just when in the world did he establish a student faction?

"Well... I thought that Zhang shi's act of giving away your points in the entrance examination for free to the other students was an attempt to rally them together under you, so I assumed that you were going to establish a faction yourself. On top of that, the only person who all of us freshmen are awed by is you, and all of us are willing to listen to your commands as well. Thus, after some discussion, we decided to start a student faction with you as the leader," Ruohuan gongzi said.

"I am the leader?" Zhang Xuan felt as if the world had gone mad.

Unknowingly, he actually became the leader of a faction... It was as if they were pushing him into a sea of flames!

"Indeed. Zhang shi, we hope that you won't turn this position down. Without an affiliation to any student faction, it is too difficult for a freshman to thrive in the academy. In fact, one might even be hindered at every step taken. Of the thirty thousand freshmen, you are the only one who commands the respect and admiration of everyone. If you don't step up to the position as the leader, who else can?" Ruohuan gongzi said anxiously.

"Besides, the seniors have been doing whatever pleases them, oppressing the freshmen as and when they like just because they have been in the academy for a longer period of time than we have. If we don't unite together to fight back against them, we will never be able to stop their tyranny."

"This..." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan hesitated.

He was displeased at being pushed to the forefront of the conflict despite having done nothing at all, but Ruohuan gongzi's words did carry some truth in them.

Without being affiliated with any student faction, it would be hard for a freshman to survive in the academy.

Due to the matter with the free Teacher Information Documentation, there were already a fair number of seniors who carried hostility toward the current batch of freshmen. If they didn't unite together to fight back, their life could be made extremely difficult.

"Didn't you guess that such a situation would happen when you gave the Teacher Information Documentation out for free?" Zhang Xuan glanced at Ruohuan gongzi coldly.

As knowledgeable master teachers, how could Song Chao, Luo Xuan, and the others be unaware that their actions would offend the seniors?

"Back then, we only did that out of indignation. The seniors had intentionally raised the price of the Teacher Information Documentation, knowing that we would have no choice but to purchase it. On top of that, they conducted forceful deals, pummeling the students who refused to purchase it to serve as a warning to the others against rejecting them...

"Furthermore, even if we were to buy from one of the student factions, we might end up offending another student faction instead, thus resulting in us getting bullied regardless of the choices we make...

"Therefore, after some discussion with the others, we agreed that instead of living pathetically under their oppression, we might as well stand up and return the favor. As a result, we decided to distribute the book which you'd given us to the other freshmen."

Ruohuan gongzi's face reddened as he added, "For this matter, I ask of Zhang shi's forgiveness. We only did it because we were forced into a corner as well!"

"Jeez..." Zhang Xuan sighed.

Having attended the public lecture event, he had a rough idea of the situation there as well.

He had stopped by a member of the True Helios Faction, and the latter took a particularly arrogant attitude with them, threatening that 'If you don't buy my Teacher Information Documentation, you will be making an enemy out of the entire True Helios Faction'.

Considering that the freshmen who had just enrolled into the academy were the weakest amongst the student populace and that they had no connections to tap into either, they couldn't afford to offend any of the student factions.

Zhang Xuan was fortunate in the sense that he had won Elder Mo's favor during the entrance examination. As a result, most seniors wouldn't dare to provoke Zhang Xuan in fear of bringing Elder Mo's ire upon themselves.

Realizing this, Zhang Xuan sighed in resignation and asked, "Fine. Since you have initiated a student faction in my stead, what is it called? I should at least know this much, right?"

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had accepted the matter, Ruohuan gongzi heaved a sigh of relief and replied, "The student factions are often named after their leader. For example, the True Helios Faction's name is derived from Xue Zhenyang 1 , and the Ashen Moon Faction's name is derived from Long Cangyue 2 ... Thus, we also took your name into consideration in naming our faction so as to make it apparent who our leader is!"

"My name? So, our faction is called the Zhang Xuan Faction?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"No, it's called..."

At this point, a look of excitement appeared on Ruohuan gongzi's face as he said, "Xuanxuan Faction!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 780: Why Don't You Stay as Our Gatekeeper?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Xuanxuan Faction..." Upon hearing the name, Zhang Xuan nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

I understand that the names of most student factions have two syllables, so you wanted to do the same as well. I know that unlike Xue Zhenyang and Long Cangyue, my name only has one syllable, but surely you can just add my surname in as well! Xuanxuan Faction... Xuan your head!

Look at the names of the other student factions! True Helios Faction, Ashen Moon Faction... Each of them sounds majestic and impressive, but as for mine... Don't you think it sounds a little too cute for the name of a faction?

"Yes. Our initial intention was to go with Xuan Faction, but there were quite a few people who opposed to it, saying that it is an inauspicious name, as if casting doubt on the future of our faction. They proposed for it to be named Xuanxuan Faction instead. This way, it gives an unfathomable and profound feeling to those hearing its name!" Ruohuan gongzi explained 1 .

"..." Zhang Xuan's body swayed weakly.

To think that even his name would be scorned...

"Those seniors have come to challenge our faction, and as you are the leader of our faction... it's only natural that they've demand an apology from you. However, none of us are a match for them, so I can only ask for Zhang shi's help with this issue..." After explaining the matter, Ruohuan gongzi revealed the purpose behind his visit.

His initial thought was to first build up Xuanxuan Faction and only bring Zhang Xuan in once everything was in place. But who could have known that the other party would go to the extent of blockading their entrance? Left with no choice, he could only head here to ask Zhang Xuan for help.

"Alright, since it's my student faction, it won't do for me to just watch by the side while someone is hindering and beating up my members. Let's head over to take a look," Zhang Xuan said as he rubbed his glabella in frustration.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan felt like he was Zhao Kuangyin 2 , being forced to don the yellow robe 3 after the coup at Chen Bridge.

Even when idle, disaster would still somehow find its way to him as if he was a magnet attracting trouble. Without any prior warning, he suddenly found himself as the leader of a faction.

Just what in the world was this?!

It would be too late even if he were to turn down the position now. The seniors and the other student factions had already decided that he was the ringleader behind the mess, and they would do everything they could to bring him down. Rather than standing against them alone, he might stand up as the leader of the Xuanxuan Faction and organize its members to stand against the seniors together.

Honestly, his only goal here was to read books and live his life in peace, but somehow... he found himself becoming the nemesis of the seniors and the messiah of the freshmen...

Just the thought of it left him feeling a little stifled.

Unlike Zhang Xuan, who had been given the highest of privileges right after his enrollment in the academy, freshmen usually lived in shared dormitories in a corner of the academy.

With Ruohuan gongzi leading the way, it didn't take long for the trio to arrive at the dormitories.

The area was filled with many high-rise buildings, and a vast square stood at the very center of the buildings.

There were several dueling platforms on the square with chairs and tables scattered around them. Looking at the sides of the square, there were quite a few cleaning tools lying in the corner. It seemed this was the area where duels were often conducted, and it was frequently cleaned to maintain the area.

At this moment, the square was packed with countless freshmen.

Even though it was already in the middle of the night, there were several torches lit around the square, and quite a number of Night Illumination Pearls were floating above as well, bringing light to the area.

On the dueling platform at the very center of the square, three men stood proudly as they gazed down at the crowd beneath them with an air of superiority.

"Those three are the seniors who came to challenge us," Ruohuan gongzi said.

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the trio.

Instead of the usual master teacher robe that students wear, they were dressed in tight training clothes.

The first one seemed to be in his late twenties, and he was slightly taller in stature than the other two. There was a well-groomed beard on his face, and what was particularly striking about him was the aggressive glint in his black eyes.

Held in his hand was a majestic Nine-ringed Saber which was nearly half of his height in length. Bulky and heavy, it was a weapon that demanded immense strength from its wielder.

The second one had long arms and legs, but his figure was slightly slimmer than the others'. He held no weapon in his hands, but his figure was reminiscent of an agile ape.

The third wielded a long spear that extended over two meters long. His very presence felt sharp like a sword, as if he would slice apart even the air itself.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan offered a rare compliment to the trio.

As expected of veteran martial artists, he could already feel the aura they were exuding even from a distance away. It was no wonder they dared to challenge all of the freshmen; they did possess the strength to act so arrogantly.

Recognizing the trio, Luo Qiqi sent him a telepathic message. "They are from the True Helios Faction!"

"True Helios Faction?"

"Yes. I recognize the three of them, they are Grade-4 students. Their cultivation levels have already reached Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle.

"The one who is wielding the Nine-ringed Saber is called Bai Shuang 4 . Due to the stark contrast with his dark complexion, he was mockingly addressed as White Face in the beginning. However, as he comprehended the Saber Heart and began making his name as a skilled saber user, others began calling him the White-faced Frenzied Saber. As time went by, this name stuck with him, so he decisively chose to change his name to Bai Mian 5 . Even within the Martial Arts School, he can be considered as a famed genius!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"The second is known as Yuan Gang. Due to his long arms and his exceptional proficiency in close-quarters combat, he was given the nickname Supreme Ape. After hearing that name, instead of flying into a rage, he even took delight in it, thinking that it was particularly suited to him. As a result, others also began addressing him as such.

"As for the last one, he is called Ying Qin, and he is the strongest of the group. He learned his spearmanship straight from Xue Zhenyang, and he once severed a river several dozen meters wide. This feat bore testimony to his immense strength and aptitude with the spear, so came his reputation as the 'River Severing Steel Spear'!

"The three of them are experts of the Martial Arts School, possessing exceptional talent for battle techniques. Considering that they are the ones challenging the freshmen... it will indeed be difficult for the freshmen to defeat them!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

Of the entire Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, the students of the Martial Arts School possessed the greatest fighting prowess. Skilled in battle techniques, they were capable of utilizing profound maneuvers in battle to turn the tables on their opponents.

Even among the powerful students of the Martial Arts School, these three men stood amidst the top. For a bunch of freshmen who had never undergone the advanced training of the academy, it was nigh impossible for them to defeat such opponents.

Even with their cultivation suppressed, their sharp insight into the flow of battle and reaction speed weren't things that Clarifying Turbidity realm or Consonant Spirit realm cultivators could match.

"They are from the Martial Arts School? I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Back then, when he was traveling to Hongyuan City, Luo Qiqi had touched on the Martial Arts School while introducing the basic system of the Master Teacher Academy to him.

Unlike the other schools, the Martial Arts School wasn't affiliated with any supporting occupation. It was constructed for the sole purpose of raising the fighting prowess of the master teachers.

Most of the students of this school had achieved a profound understanding in the study of martial arts, making them unmatched in a duel against their peers.

Taking the trio on the dueling platform for example, even amongst Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle experts, they could be considered as the cream of the crop. Considering the skills that they possessed, it was no wonder they dared to provoke all of the freshmen at once. They indeed had nothing to fear.

"Is there anyone else?"

While they were speaking, another freshman was defeated by Supreme Ape Yuan Gang. The latter sneered coldly as his gaze swept across the crowd. "Is this all this batch's freshmen has? I thought that you were still alright, but it seems like I overestimated all of you. With capability like yours, you all still dared to create a faction? How laughable!"

"You... I'll fight you!" Hearing the other party mocking them, a freshman couldn't suppress his rage and stepped forward.

This freshman was at Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage, so Yuan Gang suppressed his cultivation to equal his. As soon as the battle started, Yuan Gang's figure immediately disappeared. Before the freshman could even process what was happening, he was already struck in his chest, and the impact sent him flying from the dueling platform.

"They aren't a match for them at all..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The freshmen consisted of the top geniuses from the various areas, but there was simply too huge a gap between them and the top students of the Martial Arts School. It was no wonder Ruohuan gongzi had rushed to his residence to bring him over. It was indeed impossible for the freshmen to defeat them on their own.

They were simply on two completely different levels.

With several millenniums of history behind it, the Martial Art Schools possessed the most valuable of insights from countless preceding master teachers. On top of that, there were formidable master teachers who were experts in combat themselves guiding the students personally. Perhaps if the freshmen were given a few more years to refine their skills in the academy, they might still be a match for the trio. But at this very moment... it was impossible for them to stand against the trio.

"Let's head over!" Knowing that none of the freshmen would be a match for the trio, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply before making his way forward.

"Zhang shi is here!"

"Our faction leader has come!"

"This is great, we are saved..."

"Faction leader, these old students are too much. You must teach them a lesson in our stead!"

"Indeed! We can't simply let them step over us like that..."

Before Zhang Xuan could reach the dueling platform, there were already several freshmen who had recognized him, and they shouted in agitation. Following which, the other freshmen in the surroundings immediately turned their gazes over, their eyes glowing with relief and hope.

This young man before their eyes had done a lot for them. He had given out his points in the entrance examination, allowing more than twenty thousand students to successfully enroll into the academy as well. After which, he had given out the Teacher Information Documentation for free, sparing them from the extortion ploy of the seniors.

Furthermore, at this very moment, he was the head of Xuanxuan Faction, their leader. His arrival was like an injection of confidence to them, as if they had finally found their pillar of support.

The crowd swiftly opened up a pathway for them, allowing Zhang Xuan, Luo Qiqi, and Ruohuan gongzi to walk right up to the dueling platform.

Beneath the dueling platform lay several dozen injured students. Even though their injuries weren't too severe, they were left in quite an unsightly manner.

"Zhang shi..."

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Song Chao, Luo Xuan, and the others rushed up to him agitatedly.

Ever since they had known Zhang Xuan, there had not been a single occasion they could recall in which the latter had been incapable of something. The trio on the dueling platform might be impressive, but they had absolute confidence in Zhang Xuan. In their view, it was already a certain victory for them from the moment Zhang Xuan arrived on the scene.

While a wave of excitement washed across the crowd beneath, the trio on the dueling platform also glanced down to look at Zhang Xuan.

"So, he is the legendary Zhang Xuan? He looks so-so!" the dark-faced Bai Mian sneered.

"Regardless of whether he is so-so or not, we must make him learn the price of offending our True Helios Faction!" Supreme Ape Yuan Gang harrumphed.

"Be careful when you strike later on. Our faction leader has already warned us about his incredible background. It'll suffice for him to learn of our prowess; there's no need to go too far. It won't be in our favor if this matter reaches the elders," Ying Qin instructed.

"Don't worry. We know what to do. He's just a freshman; I'll leave him on his knees, begging for mercy, within three blows!" Bai Mian declared confidently with a sneer.

With a flick of his wrist, his immense saber flew in an arc, creating a deep resounding whir in the air. Stabbing his saber into the platform, he glanced at Zhang Xuan coldly and asked, "You are Zhang Xuan?"

His voice was overflowing with aggression toward Zhang Xuan.

Looking at the hostility the other party was exuding, as if he had wronged the other party grievously somehow, Zhang Xuan could only nod helplessly. "Others do address me as such."

"Good. Do you dare duel against me?" With a provocative smile on his lips, Bai Mian issued his challenge. "Don't worry, I'll suppress my cultivation to your level. I won't take advantage of you."

"A duel?"

Seeing the other party challenging him to a duel right away, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply before replying, "That's fine by me, but if I am not mistaken, you seem to have said that you want me to apologize to the True Helios Faction and have all of the freshmen purchase the Teacher Information Documentation if the freshmen lose this confrontation. Is there such a matter?"

"That's indeed the case!" Bai Mian nodded smugly.

"Since you have imposed a bet on the duel, what do you have to offer if you lose then?" Zhang Xuan questioned.

"Us?" Bai Mian was slightly thrown off his momentum by the question. However, he recovered swiftly and answered, "There's no way we will lose!"

A higher-grade student challenging a lower-grade student—while it was a challenge in name, it couldn't be clearer to everyone that this was just a means to teach the other party a lesson and impose hierarchical order upon them! Given such, how could they possibly lose?

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "There's no way you will lose? Don't be so certain about it. There's no such thing as a sure victory in a duel.

"If you aren't willing to put anything on the line, why should I waste my time fighting with you?"

You wish to bet with me without putting anything at stake? You must be joking with me!

If there's nothing to earn, why should I tire myself out?

"This..." Not expecting the other party to raise the issue about the stakes as soon as he arrived, Bai Mian turned to the other two to seek their opinions.

Ying Qin had a frown on his face as well. After a moment of contemplation, he stepped forward and said, "Zhang shi is right. Since we have imposed conditions on you, it's only right for us to put something on the line as well. How about this? If we lose, I'll take back everything I have said and apologize to all of you."

"Apologize?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "How about this instead? It hasn't been long since our Xuanxuan Faction was established, and it just so happens that we are lacking some servants to guard our doors. If you lose, you shall back out of the True Helios Faction to watch our doors. What do you think of that?"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 781: Imparting a Saber Art Maneuver

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Watch your gates?" Ying Qin, Bai Mian, and Yuan Gang clenched their fists tightly after hearing those words, nearly exploding on the spot.

They were Grade-4 students, Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle experts. Yet, a freshman actually wanted them to watch their gates?

Was this even a bet anymore?

This was clearly an attempt to humiliate them!

"Weren't you confident that you wouldn't lose just a moment ago? If you won't lose, surely the content of the bet won't matter to you, right? What, has your confidence wavered?" Zhang Xuan gazed at the trio with a slight smile on his lips.

"Change the conditions!" With a livid expression, Ying Qin flung his sleeves and harrumphed.

Even though they wouldn't lose, they couldn't bring themselves to accept such a bet. The other party was clearly belittling them!

"It seems you aren't as confident as you seem. Well, there's no need to be embarrassed about losing. Everyone loses sometimes; there's no shame in it," Zhang Xuan consoled.

"You!"

Hearing those words, Ying Qin, Bai Mian, and Yuan Gang nearly spewed blood.

What do you mean by embarrassed? What do you mean by saying everyone loses sometime and there's no shame in it?

We aren't afraid of losing; we just find your conditions humiliating!

Just as they were about to refute the other party's words, the other party suddenly lowered his head, seemingly falling into contemplation. "If you are really that afraid of losing, why don't I offer some guidance to some of the freshmen and send them up to fight against you? If that's still too much for you to accept... how about those you have just defeated? Surely you should be a little more confident with that? I don't think I can go any lower than this..."

"You..."

Seeing how the other party was going further and further, Ying Qin's fury peaked. "Fine! We will accept your conditions! You'd better pray that you are as capable as your mouth, or else just wait and see!"

Upon receiving the other party's agreement, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction before issuing a set of instructions. "Good! Ruohuan and Song Chao, send a few men to construct a gate at the entrance. Otherwise, there will be nothing for them to watch later on."

The living quarters of the freshmen were enclosed, and there was an entrance for students to enter and leave the premises. However, there was no gate at the entrance. It would be awkward if those fellows had nothing to watch over when they lost.

"Alright!" Ruohuan gongzi and Song Chao nodded before leaving to settle the matter.

"You are courting death!"

Seeing how the other party was acting as if victory was assured for him, Bai Mian finally reached the limit of his tolerance. His dark face warped in savagery, and the enormous saber in his hands also buzzed in resonance to his emotions. Turning to Ying Qin, he said, "Allow me to teach this fellow a lesson!"

After saying those words, he immediately walked to the center of the dueling platform, and with eyes as sharp as lightning, he bellowed, "Zhang Xuan, I shall be your opponent for the first match. Come!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Calm down, there's no hurry. Youngsters nowadays sure don't know the virtue of patience."

"You..." Suffering yet another blow, Bai Mian's face turned even darker than before.

We might look young, but we are all in our fifties, you know? You are only a brat in your early twenties, and yet you dare to call us youngsters? How shameless can you get?

"Is your mouth the only thing you have? If you are a man, you'd better come up here this instant!" Knowing that it was impossible for him to win a verbal war with the other party, Bai Mian gritted his teeth in anger.

"I won't take advantage of you; you will surely lose if I head up there. Like I said before, I will find a few freshmen to fight against you. Since I have already given my word, I'll honor it!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

Ignoring the frenzied Bai Mian above, he turned to the freshmen and asked, "Is there anyone here who was defeated by this fellow and wields a saber?"

Upon hearing the question, the crowd stared at one another bewilderedly.

They'd thought that Zhang shi had only said those words to provoke the seniors into agreeing to his conditions, was he really serious about it?

But they had already lost, and it had been a crushing defeat at that! Even if the wounds they had suffered weren't substantial, there was no way they could defeat them!

"I... lost just now!"

After a short moment of silence, a freshman suddenly waved his hand and walked out from the crowd.

It was a young man in his mid-twenties with a cultivation of Consonant Spirit realm primary stage. There was a glaring and hideous saber cut on his body, which even though it wasn't a serious wound, it seemed as though he would have been sliced into two if his opponent had put slightly more strength into the attack. It was only due to his opponent's mercy that he was still living at this very moment.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan assessed him carefully from head to toe before nodding in approval. "You shall go up to the dueling platform and defeat that fellow later on!"

"I..." The young man leaped in shock. With a conflicted expression, he said, "I am not a match for him. I wasn't even able to withstand a single blow of his previously!"

When he faced Bai Mian just a few moments ago, as soon as the duel started, before he could even raise his saber, he was sliced through by the other party's weapon. Given the huge disparity in strength, he would lose no matter how many times he challenged Bai Mian!

"It's fine. I'll impart a saber art maneuver to you right now, and if you execute it well on the stage later on, you should be able to defeat him within a single blow," Zhang Xuan said.

"A saber art maneuver?" the young man repeated in disbelief.

What use was a single maneuver?

Given the other party's deep comprehension of saber arts, even if he were to learn a hundred saber art maneuvers, there was still no way he could match up to the other party!

"That's right. Pass me your saber!" Paying no heed to the other party's shock, Zhang Xuan nodded nonchalantly.

"Alright..." Even though the freshman had no idea what his faction leader was up to, he still passed his saber over obediently.

"Damn it!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan was really going to impart a saber art to an opponent he had defeated and make him go up against him once more, Bai Mian nearly exploded from fury.

It was already challenging the limits of his tolerance for the other party to act as if victory was already in his grasp... But the other party then went on to choose an opponent he had utterly defeated just a moment ago to teach him a saber art, hoping that he could defeat him...

What kind of game are you playing over here?

I wouldn't be a genius of the Martial Arts School if I could be defeated that easily!

You are too smug!

Arrogant and conceited!

Even the head of the Martial Arts School wouldn't dare to make such claims!

"Bai Mian, since Zhang shi is going impart a freshman a saber art to challenge you, we shouldn't take advantage of them either. Inhibit your senses to avoid learning anything about the saber art ahead of the battle!"

Ying Qin's complexion looked awful as well. However, as a master teacher, he still had a reputation to uphold.

Given their deep comprehension in battle techniques as geniuses of the Martial Arts School, if Zhang Xuan were to teach the freshman before them, it was likely that they might have already mastered the technique before the freshman could even make sense of it. If that happened, would there even be a need to carry on with the duel? The outcome would have already been decided!

Even if they were to win, it would reflect poorly on them.

At the very least, if they were to inhibit their senses to avoid learning anything about the saber art ahead of the battle, there would be nothing the other party could say upon the conclusion.

"Alright!" Bai Mian nodded.

However, just as he was about to inhibit his senses, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to them and said, "There's no need to go through so much trouble. Since you are students of the Martial Arts School, I believe you should have a deep understanding of battle techniques. Since that's the case, I ask of you to take a look at it during my impartation and correct any mistakes in it!"

Bai Mian and Ying Qin stared at one another blankly with blinking eyes.

That fellow... Was his head stuck in between a gate or did a donkey kick him foolish? You want your faction member to challenge me in the field of saber arts, and yet you still want me to take a look at it in advance?

What kind of logic is that?

Just as Bai Mian was at a loss about what he should do, he suddenly received a telepathic message from Ying Qin. "Since he wants us to take a look, let's just do as he says. He is the one telling us to take a look anyway, so surely he can't complain about it when he loses!"

Ying Qin was the leader of the group, so Bai Mian could only agree to it. Thus, he focused his gaze on the young man imparting a saber art below.

"It will only be a single move, so watch closely!"

Ignoring the dumbfounded crowd, Zhang Xuan chuckled, and with a slight flick of his wrist, he performed a diagonal slash.

The saber moved at an extremely slow speed, as if the slow stroke of a brush on paper.

You call this a saber art? Bai Mian was completely flabbergasted.

Even when he had only just started learning saber arts when he was five, he had never executed such an ugly move before. In no way was this a saber art! Even the technique used to split lumber in two was much more elegant than this!

He was still wondering what kind of formidable saber art the other party was going to teach the freshman that was capable of defeating him in a single move, but who would have thought that the other party would execute such crap instead?

Are you fooling around with me?

At this moment, Bai Mian wasn't the only one whose mind was in turmoil. The young man whom Zhang Xuan was imparting the saber art to was also nearly on the verge of tears.

He'd thought that, given how confident the faction leader was, he must have had some powerful move to teach him. Never had he thought that it would be something like that...

Given his eye of discernment, he could tell that there was absolutely no skill or anything deeper lying beneath that slash. Such a haphazard, slow, and powerless attack wouldn't even kill an ant, could he really defeat a Grade-4 senior whom he wasn't even able to withstand a single blow from previously with something like this?

In an instant, all of the confidence he had before escaped from his mind.

Just as the young man was overwhelmed by helplessness, not knowing what Zhang shi was up to, he suddenly heard a faint voice sounding by his ear. Following which, a thought suddenly emerged within his mind, and his body jolted in response. "The crux of my saber art lies not in the form but the intent. This is the essence of my saber art, comprehend it well!"

"This is... Soul Impartation?" Sensing the new battle technique in his mind, the young man's eyes widened in shock.

Soul Impartation was said to be an ability that only 7-star master teachers were capable of utilizing. Why was their faction leader able to use it as well?

Seeing the young man fall into a daze, Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message over to chide him. "Don't let your thoughts wander, make good use of the time you have to comprehend the cultivation technique. Take note of the Saber Intent which I have imparted you as well. Use it along with the saber art later in the duel as well!"

"Yes!" Recovering from his astonishment, the young man quickly turned his focus to the saber art in his mind. In there, he felt a concentration of Saber Intent which carried an aura so sharp that it left one feeling powerless before it.

"This..." The young man narrowed his eyes.

He might not be as experienced and knowledgeable as Bai Mian in the field of saber arts, but as a practitioner of the saber as well, he was still able to tell at a single glance how powerful the concentration of Saber Intent was.

As long as he imitated it, his comprehension of the saber would definitely advance by leaps and bounds, reaching a level beyond imagination.

He drove his zhenqi through his body according to the imparted saber art while tapping into the concentration of Saber Intent, and for an instant, it was as if sharp blades had flickered across his eyes. After grasping the rough flow of the technique, the young man took a deep breath and bowed all the way down to his waist level. "Thank you, faction leader!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually. "It's alright. Now, go and defeat that fellow!"

Not only did Bai Mian possess an exceptional aptitude for saber arts, he had also immersed himself in its training for several decades now. Even if Zhang Xuan were to impart the simplified Heaven's Path Saber Art to the young man, it would still be difficult for him to defeat Bai Mian right now. Thus, Zhang Xuan could only impart a portion of his Saber Intent as well.

Weapon Intent was something fleeting and intangible. Just like a sensation or a certain state of mind, it was impossible to describe it entirely through words. Even if one had comprehended it, it was nigh impossible to transfer Saber Intent to another party.

However, Zhang Xuan cultivated the Heaven's Path Saber Art, which was the most direct interpretation of the quintessence of the world, making his Saber Intent wholesome and flawless. By tapping into his capabilities as a soul oracle as well, it was still possible for him to transfer a portion of his Saber Intent over without it dissipating for the other party to use.

"Yes!" Taking a deep breath, the young man nodded.

With a leap, he stepped onto the dueling platform.

If he had still been a bit apprehensive at the thought of facing Senior Bai Mian earlier, thinking that there was no chance he could defeat the other party, at this very moment, having learned a move from the simplified version of the Heaven's Path Saber Art and harnessing Zhang Xuan's Saber Intent within him, all fear had vanished from his mind.

"You really think you can win against me like that?" Seeing the fellow really leaping up to the dueling platform to challenge him after learning a completely useless saber art which couldn't even be used to chop lumber, Bai Mian felt as if he was about to explode with anger.

"Pardon me!" The young man nodded before raising his saber. In an instant, an aura that felt as if it could split the heavens burst into the air, and in the next moment, the saber was already falling on Bai Mian.

Huala!

Despite the young man's Consonant Spirit realm primary stage cultivation, the cold glint of his saber extended across several zhang instantaneously as if a streak of lightning, tearing through space to crush Bai Mian.

"Lightning Flash of Saber... T-this is an ability that only those who have comprehended Saber Heart can use! How is it possible that you..."

Bai Mian's body trembled in shock. His eyes were bulging as if they would drop off at any moment. He could hear a deafening rumble swiftly crescendoing next to him, as if it was going to cast him into oblivion.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 782: Wretched Competition

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Just like any other weapon, if one's saber art was aligned with nature, one would be able to comprehend Saber Intent, and only after that would it be possible for one to comprehend Saber Heart.

This was similar to how, in swordsmanship, one had to first comprehend Sword Intent before they could comprehend Lower Sword Heart, Middle Sword Heart, and Higher Sword Heart.

Even as a genius of the Martial Arts School, specializing in the study of saber art, Bai Mian was only at Saber Intent pinnacle, a considerable distance away from comprehending Saber Heart.

Yet, the incredibly sharp aura his opponent exuded along with the Lightning Flash of Saber... The other party was actually utilizing a technique that only one who had comprehended Saber Intent could use!

How was that possible?

When he fought with the freshman earlier, he could clearly sense that the latter had only comprehended the bare basics of Saber Intent, a long distance away from matching him. Yet, with just that single saber art maneuver Zhang shi had imparted to him, his comprehension of the saber had actually advanced by so much?

Damn it... Bai Mian's body trembled in shock.

In the midst of a battle, however, he swiftly responded to the freshman's attack, raising his saber to defend against the move.

While he was shocked by the freshman's feat of comprehending Saber Heart in just a short moment, he still didn't think that he would lose.

After all, he had seen the technique Zhang shi had imparted to the freshman, and it was littered with hundreds of flaws. On top of that, it was incredibly slow. As long as he moved swiftly and curbed the other party with speed, he would still be able to overwhelm him and achieve an easy victory.

Hu!

In that split moment when Bai Mian's enormous Nine-ringed Saber was about to meet the freshman's saber, the freshman's saber abruptly twisted in an elegant arc, bypassing Bai Mian's weapon to cut down on him.

It was as if Bai Mian's defense meant nothing to him at all.

This is... Distillation of the Profound, Surpassing Technique Through Ability? Bai Mian's body stiffened.

While he was studying the saber, a master teacher whom he deeply respected had once told him that upon reaching a certain level of mastery in the saber, one could reduce complex saber arts into simpler and more concise techniques.

But this simplification of the saber art didn't mean that it had become weaker. On the contrary, the lack of extraneous movements meant that there were fewer flaws that one could exploit against the technique, making it even more difficult to oppose.

Bai Mian had thought that such a realm existed in a world far beyond his, and he could possibly never encounter it in his entire life. But... he was seeing it from the freshman at this very moment!

The saber art which the freshmen was executing was not complex at all. It was just a simple slash without anything fancy to it, but it carried a might capable of slicing through anything.

Bai Mian felt as if his entirety had been overwhelmed by the might of the slash. Regardless of what technique he utilized, there was no way he could stand against the slash.

Flee! In that instant, fear took over Bai Mian's instincts. Not daring to take the slash face-on, he immediately retreated hurriedly.

Retracting one's saber art abruptly in the midst of its execution would lead to a backlash in one's zhenqi, but given that Bai Mian was an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert utilizing the might of a Consonant Spirit realm primary stage expert at the moment, he could easily suppress it. Thus, despite the seeming distressed state he was in, he hadn't suffered much damage from this move.

Huala!

Taking two steps back, Bai Mian was just about to raise his saber art to counterattack when the freshmen before him swung his saber furiously once more at him.

This time, the attack felt even sharper and more powerful than before.

The slash had harnessed the remaining force from the previous slash to amplify its might more than twofold. At that moment, it seemed as if a tempest had struck the dueling platform.

This is... Accretion of Saber Might? Bai Mian was on the verge of spurting blood.

He had thought that after the freshman had put his might into the first blow, his strength would surely decline considerably. Who knew that not only would that not be the case, he would even amplify his second slash significantly through accruing the might from the first!

Even the first slash was already beyond his capability, so how could he possibly withstand the might of two slashes at once?

Thus, he retreated once again.

Hu hu!

Seeing Bai Mian retreating once again, the freshman felt a burst of confidence, and he launched his third slash decisively.

As if tributaries gathering into an ocean, the might of the three slashes converged with one another to produce an unopposable force.

The young man was only at Consonant Spirit realm primary stage, but through harnessing the capability of Saber Heart to converge the might of three slashes together, he could easily overwhelm a Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage or even an advanced stage cultivator!

No, this won't do... If I allow him to continue building up strength, I'll surely lose without doubt! Realizing the crux of the problem, Bai Mian's face turned grim.

His initial thought had been to dodge the attack, and at the moment the other party's strength died down, he would be able to do as he pleased. But who could have known that the other party's saber art would only grow stronger with time, its might amplifying with each slash?

From the very first dodge he had made, he had already lost the initiative. If he were to continue avoiding the attacks, the odds would only continue stacking against him, and eventually, he would be overwhelmed.

It's do or die... Gritting his teeth, Bai Mian's strength surged frenziedly from his arm as he swung his saber to face the freshman's slash.

Spirit high-tier battle technique, River Severing Furious Saber!

This technique was said to have been created by a Saint realm expert. Out of vengeance for the grievances his lover had suffered, he drew his saber and slashed down furiously, dividing a river several ten thousand meters long in two permanently.

This was the strongest saber art he had after cultivating for so many years.

Even though he was lacking zhenqi to execute it perfectly after suppressing his cultivation to Consonant Spirit realm primary stage, through his deep understanding of saber arts, he still managed to pull it off.

Saber qi immediately gushed forth from his saber to collide with the freshman's ferocious slash.

Hong long!

With a deafening reverberation, the two sabers collided with one another. In an instant, Bai Mian's face reddened as the might from his River Severing Frenzied Saber was overwhelmed instantaneously. Following which, the amplified slash continued falling furiously toward him, seemingly about to rip his meridians apart.

This is bad... Bai Mian's face turned livid.

While the thought of being unable to withstand the slash had crossed his mind, he didn't think that it would be to such an extent. Despite his retaliation, the slash still continued flying toward him with unabated might.

In that desperate moment, Bai Mian roared furiously, and his cultivation, which he had suppressed initially, began rising rapidly.

Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage!

Consonant Spirit realm advanced stage!

Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle!

Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage!

His cultivation had to rise by an entire realm before he was able to dispel the overwhelming saber qi before him.

Peng!

Due to Bai Mian's forceful counterattack, the freshman was knocked back, and a mouthful of fresh blood spewed from his mouth.

Even though he had sustained some damage from the last attack, his eyes were glowing with excitement.

"You have lost!"

The other party had been forced to unseal his cultivation in order to withstand his blow, which meant that he had broken the rules, and thus, he had lost!

Upon hearing those words, Bai Mian's face turned as pale as a sheet of paper, and he muttered feebly, "I... I have lost..."

There was no other choice for him but to admit it. So many eyes had seen him being forced into a corner, unable to retaliate at all. This was his utter defeat!

It was just a moment ago that this freshman had been defeated by him in a single blow, but in the next moment, he was defeated by the latter instead... Despite being the person in question here, the situation before him felt so mystical that he could hardly believe what had just happened.

That Zhang shi had only imparted a single move to the freshman... and the latter had gained sufficient strength to defeat him? Just how in the world was that possible?

Bai Mian wasn't the only one who couldn't get to grips with the situation. All of the freshmen beneath also felt as if their eyeballs were going to pop out of their sockets.

They had witnessed the prowess of the freshman before and after he had learned Zhang shi's saber art... To allow the freshman to gain the power to defeat a genius of the Martial Arts School just by imparting a single move to him, this was just way too exaggerated!

Was their faction leader in truth a deity in disguise?

"Faction leader, I-I succeeded! I managed to defeat a Grade-4 student! I..."

Upon hearing Bai Mian's confirmation, the young man immediately leaped down from the dueling platform excitedly and rushed up to Zhang Xuan with clenched fists.

Having executed the saber art, he understood just how powerful the move which the faction leader had imparted to him was. As long as he studied it thoroughly and practiced diligently, his understanding of the saber would surely soar, allowing him to become a saber master!

As such, it was inevitable that he would be so excited.

Pah!

However, before he could finish his words, Zhang shi abruptly slapped him on his head with a livid expression, as if a senior chastising a disappointing junior.

"Faction leader..."

The freshman was stunned, not knowing what was going on.

Why was the faction leader angry? He had defeated his opponent!

"After that disappointing performance of yours, you are still in the mood to celebrate? Honestly, can you even call what you have just did saber art? In the very first move, if only you had utilized the full extent of your strength, your opponent couldn't have dodged at all. It was a duel you could have won in a single move, and yet you dragged it on for three moves. Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?"

The more Zhang Xuan spoke, the angrier and more disappointed he felt. If he could, he would truly have wanted to knock some sense into the fellow.

No matter what, the other party was a half 5-star master teacher. How could he be so slow on the uptake?

He had personally imparted a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Saber Art to the other party and even transferred a portion of his Saber Intent to him. And yet, that fellow still required three blows to defeat his opponent. That was a disgrace!

Win in a single move... Bai Mian nearly spurted blood upon hearing those words.

I am a Grade-4 student, a genius of the Martial Arts School... It's already incredible that you were able to grant a freshman the strength to defeat me within three blows just by imparting a saber art to him, and yet you are still disappointed by it...

"Yes..." Hearing the chastising from the faction leader, the young man could only hang his head in shame.

The faction leader was right. If he put his full strength into the very first blow, Bai Mian would have surrendered immediately. Things wouldn't have dragged on to the third blow, Bai Mian wouldn't have resorted to a desperate struggle, and he wouldn't have been injured either.

"Alright, at least you are repenting. However, take note of this in the future. No matter who your opponent is, you have to strike decisively. The slightest bit of hesitation could cost your life!" Seeing the other party's regretful expression, Zhang Xuan's rage finally alleviated slightly.

Sighing deeply, he waved his hands and turned to the dueling platform once more. "Which one of you is next?"

"I shall be your opponent!" Yuan Gang stepped forward.

Bai Mian's defeat had shocked him deeply as well. At this point, he knew better than to underestimate the young man standing before him.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan nodded. "Who was defeated by him earlier?"

"Me!"

"Faction leader, I lost as well!"

"You didn't lose as badly as I did. Allow me to do it!"

"The hell you lost badly, you only fell from the stage! Look at me, I was even slapped by him. I am in the most wretched state of all. Let me challenge him!"

"Look, I even spewed blood! Let me do it..."

...

Upon Zhang Xuan's call, a huge commotion broke out beneath the stage. All of those who had been injured previously immediately rushed up indignantly, howling in agitation.

They had witnessed how the freshman who had been defeated in a single blow earlier turning the tables on Bai Mian after Zhang shi's guidance. If they could learn a thing or two from Zhang shi as well, their fighting prowess might be able to soar like his.

With such a good opportunity lying before them, only a fool would give it up!

"To think a day would come that I would see such a sight before me..."

On the stage, Yuan Gang and Ying Qin's mouths twitched.

The heck!

The freshmen had always gone out of their way to avoid any confrontations with their seniors—after all, the disparity in strength was as clear as day. Never had they seen any freshman volunteering to challenge the seniors so energetically before.

Moreover, it was one thing for them to fight over the opportunity, but screw their competition over who was in a more wretched state!

The more wretched one's state was, the weaker they were in the previous confrontation.

To still be vying for the opportunity after being defeated so tragically, what do you take us seniors for?

Aren't you all being too arrogant!

Watching as the crowd below argued over who was in a worse state, Ying Qin's face turned more and more livid. There were even a few of the freshmen who had regretful expressions on their faces, as if lamenting how they hadn't allowed Yuan Gang to get a few more punches on them.

Eventually, Ying Qin came to the limit of his tolerance, and he sent a telepathic message to Yuan Gang. "Make sure to subdue them decisively. You mustn't show them any mercy at all! It'll be a grave humiliation on us and the True Helios Faction if we lose again!"

In truth, Bai Mian's loss had already introduced some doubts into their minds. They realized that they had grossly underestimated Zhang shi's capability. However, the arrow was already nocked, and it was too late for them to back down.

No matter what, they had to win the next round. Otherwise, they just might end up becoming the gatekeepers of the Xuanxuan Faction.

"Don't worry, I'll give it my all!" Yuan Gang nodded grimly.

While the duo was speaking, Zhang Xuan was done picking out his next competitor as well. It was a young fellow whose face was bruised to the point that there was not the slightest uninjured area to be seen. His nose and teeth were slightly crooked, and a stream of blood flowed uncontrollably from the edge of his mouth.

I remember that fellow! But... I don't recall beating him up so heavily? Could it be that, just so he would appear more wretched than the others, he chose to beat himself up?

Upon seeing the appearance of the other party, Yuan Gang's eyelids began twitching uncontrollably, and he nearly keeled over.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 783: Challenging Zhang shi

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As a 5-star high-tier master teacher, he had an eidetic memory. When he was fighting with the other party, he had only used the Light Breezy Hands to knock him off the dueling platform.

Yet, at this very moment, the other party's facial features were warped hideously, and blood was dripping down from his mouth... Just how freaking severe was his injuries?

If he had suffered such severe injuries earlier in the battle with him, he couldn't possibly still be standing here. Someone would have already sent him to a physician!

Most likely, he had beaten himself up intentionally just so he could receive Zhang shi's guidance... Or else, the situation simply didn't make sense!

Just as Yuan Gang was feeling extremely frustrated within, Zhang Xuan begun imparting a battle technique to the other party.

In his view, it was highly likely that Bai Mian had only been defeated by the freshman due to his carelessness. Thus, this time, he widened his eyes to pay attention to every single detail regarding the fist art which Zhang shi was imparting to the severely injured young man.

However, just like the previous saber art, no matter how he looked at it, he just couldn't see any deeper technique or intention behind it.

After a while, he was completely bewildered.

He could easily execute a fist art like that back when he was only three... Did Zhang shi really think that he could be defeated with that?

Nevertheless, there is something peculiar about Zhang shi. I should remain on my guard. Later, I shall attack my opponent as soon as we get on the stage!

Unable to comprehend the essence hidden within Zhang Xuan's fist art, Yuan Gang decided to just achieve a swift victory.

Given his deeper insight into battle techniques and the control of his strength, as long as he could gain the initiative, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to defeat a freshman swiftly.

Right after he had decided his plan for the battle, the bruised young man finally stepped onto the dueling platform.

"Senior!" the young man greeted.

"Let's hurry up and get it over with," Yuan Gang said.

Crrk crrk crrk!

With a series of creaking sounds, Yuan Gang's slender body abruptly grew taller, and his limbs grew longer as well.

Spirit high-tier battle technique, Supreme Ape Transformation!

Having spent more than a decade cultivating this battle technique, he had already fully grasped the essence of it, allowing him to bring out the full might of the technique.

"Here I come!"

Without giving the other party an opportunity to even respond, Yuan Gang immediately charged forward as soon as the duel began.

His movement was as swift as the silhouette of an eagle swooping down for its prey. In the blink of an eye, his figure was already standing right before the bruised young man, and with his fingers bent into hooks, he clawed ferociously at him.

The crux of the Supreme Art Transformation lay in its speed, and the attacks were mainly hacking, clawing, and grabbing.

This was a technique that an elder of the academy had come up with after studying the fighting technique of apes.

Sharp glints reminiscent of daggers flashed from the edges of Yuan Gang's fingers as they headed right for the bruised young man's body.

Not bad!

Looking at how Yuan Gang went for his opponent decisively without holding back, Yin Qing heaved a sigh of relief.

They had already lost a match. If they were to lose another, they would have lost the bet.

It was fortunate that Yuan Gang wasn't an inflexible person who allowed his pride to get over his head. Knowing that there was something peculiar about his opponent, he opted to go with his strongest move right from the start.

"Yuan Gang's claw harnesses great power. If I were his opponent, I would first take a step back and wait for the momentum of his attack to die down before retaliating," Ying Qin muttered contemplatively.

As peers from the same student faction, Ying Qin often sparred with Yuan Gang, so he had a clear idea of how fearsome the Supreme Ape Transformation was. Due to the formidable speed of the technique, it was nearly impossible to dodge at close quarters.

Curious to see how Yuan Gang's opponent would respond to his attack, Ying Qin turned his gaze back to the stage, only to see the other party standing still on the spot, retaliating to Yuan Gang's attack with a punch of his own.

"This..." Ying Qin blinked in shock.

Was the opponent intending to trade blow for blow?

But Yuan Gang's claw was far swifter than his fist! If he were to remain in the same position, he would surely be struck by Yuan Gang's claw first!

Hu la!

Before the doubt in Ying Qin's mind could vanish, he suddenly saw the speed of the opponent's fist abruptly accelerate. At the current speed, it was likely that both of their attacks would land on each other at the same time.

In other words... the opponent was aiming for a mutually assured destruction!

Peng!

As Ying Qin had predicted, the duo struck one another squarely.

Deng deng deng! Deng deng deng!

Yuan Gang was knocked eight steps backward from the impact of his opponent's fist while his opponent was left with deep claw marks on his chest.

"Good!"

Despite being injured in the first encounter, the bruised young man didn't seem to have lost his courage in the least. On the contrary, he grew more and more excited. Without any hesitation, he charged right toward Yuan Gang once again.

Regardless of how profound Yuan Gang's move was and how much damage he would sustain from them, his focus was only on one thing—landing his punch on Yuan Gang.

Peng!

They traded another blow. Even though the bruised young man was injured, Yuan Gang didn't fare any better either. Suffering two consecutive heavy blows, his face paled, and with a sweet sensation at the back of his throat, he spurted a mouthful of blood.

I finally understand... Ying Qin narrowed his eyes as he tightened his fists in agitation. It is indeed a good plan. Zhang shi sure is a formidable opponent...

At this moment, he finally understood the reasoning behind the bruised young man's fighting style.

Ultimately, one couldn't become a master at close quarter combat just by learning a single move. It required the accumulation of experience and refinement through practice over countless years. Understanding this, Zhang shi decisively imparted a fist art with overwhelming offensive ability.

Since it is impossible for us to win in a battle of skill, we might as well abandon the very notion of it. We shall go head to head with you instead! Even if we suffer grievous wounds in the midst of doing so, we won't let you get off the hook easily either!

If you land a blow on me, I will make sure to return the favor twofold to you! As long as I possess sufficient strength and speed in my attacks, the one who will fall ultimately will be you!

How vicious!

It seems like Zhang shi didn't select his candidates randomly. This fellow was willing to even punch himself in order to earn the opportunity, and that reflects how tenacious he is... Ying Qin thought with a livid expression.

Honestly speaking, he did wonder why Zhang Xuan had chosen the person who had beaten himself up. Given the latter's sharp eye of discernment, surely he should have been able to tell that those wounds were self-inflicted?

But at this moment, he realized that it was an intentional action on the other party's part.

If a person was willing to hurt himself for an opportunity, how could he possibly back down in a crucial moment?

A person with such a personality was the most suited for a battle of trading blows!

It seems like... Yuan Gang is going to lose! Ying Qin shook his head.

They were all currently of the same cultivation realm, but considering the incredible might behind the bruised young man's fist art, as well as his determination to win the duel, it was just a matter of time before Yuan Gang fell in defeat.

It was not that Yuan Gang was weak, but such a battle simply wasn't his forte. The Supreme Ape Transformation which he cultivated was built on the natural instincts of apes, and this included their natural aversion toward danger as well. As such, Yuan Gang's instinctual response toward harm was not to fight but to flee.

Naturally, Yuan Gang also understood the bruised young man's intentions, and he knew that if he wanted to win, he had to attack decisively and persevere to the very end. However, the contradiction between his instincts and actions resulted in an inevitable hesitation in his movements, which hindered him from fighting decisively.

Peng peng peng!

As expected, after trading five blows, Yuan Gang finally reached the limit of his perseverance, and after a stagger, his body collapsed to the ground weakly. He had been defeated by a freshman.

That ape guy is not bad! Zhang Xuan nodded in commendation.

The Heaven's Path Fist Art harnessed immense strength behind each of its blows. Even though Zhang Xuan had only imparted a move from its simplified version to the bruised young man, it was still an incredible feat for Yuan Gang to endure five punches before collapsing.

"Faction leader, I won..." The bruised young man leaped down the dueling platform excitedly and bowed deeply to his faction leader with respect gleaming in his eyes.

Previously, when he fought against Yuan Gang, he was unable to even take a single blow from him. Yet, after receiving his faction leader's guidance, he was able to overwhelm Yuan Gang and defeat him. Regardless of whether it was his faction leader's grasp over battle strategy or his comprehension of battle techniques, they had reached a level beyond his imagination.

"Good, you have done well. Drink this!" Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and passed a gourd over.

"Yes!" Taking the gourd, the bruised young man gulped down the fine wine within, leaving not a single drop behind. The next moment, he suddenly felt a tingling feeling throughout his body, and the injuries he had sustained swiftly healed.

"That is Saint recovery medicine..." The bruised young man widened his eyes in shock.

In order to treat his injuries, his faction leader was willing to even take out a gourd of Saint recovery medicine for his consumption. To go this far for him...

Faction leader, from this day onward, I shall remain a member of your faction until the moment of my death!

There's nothing in this world that can change my decision...

...

"Zhang shi's means are indeed incredible!" Seeing the freshman who was pummeled recovering entirely from his wounds in the blink of an eye while Yuan Gang was still convulsing on the ground, on the brink of death, Ying Qin shook his head and sighed deeply before turning to look at Zhang Xuan with a profound gaze.

Regardless of whether it was his ability to impart techniques, his grasp over battle techniques, or his charisma around his subordinates, he was indeed worthy of respect.

Taking a deep breath, Ying Qin grasped his spear tightly and said, "Having lost two consecutive rounds, we have already lost the bet. However... I find it hard to come to terms with my defeat without witnessing Zhang shi's prowess with my own eyes. Thus, I hope that Zhang shi will agree to a fight against me!"

As Zhang Xuan's side had already achieved two out of three wins, the trio had already lost the bet. However, having yet to force Zhang Xuan into action, he couldn't help but feel a little indignant inside. Thus, he wanted to challenge him so as to see how powerful the young man, who could give the other freshmen the strength to defeat his peers through just a moment of guidance, was.

If he lost, so be it. He would have no regrets whatsoever at the very least.

"You wish to challenge me?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright then."

This fellow with the spear was likely to be the strongest of the three. He should be a fine opponent for him to test out his newfound strength with the advancement in his cultivation he had made recently.

Thus, Zhang Xuan leaped up to the dueling platform as well.

While being able to guide others to victory was indeed a testimony to his prowess, it wasn't as impactful as witnessing it in a battle. Only in a real battle could the full extent of one's skills be seen.

"Since Zhang shi possesses the cultivation of Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, I shall suppress my cultivation to that of your level too..." Seeing the other party agree to it, Ying Qin nodded before forcefully suppressing his cultivation of Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle down two realms.

"Suppress your cultivation?" Seeing Ying Qin's action, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You will die like that..."

He had cultivated his soul, physical body, and zhenqi, along with his Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path, that fellow wouldn't even be much of a match even if he were to fight him at Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle.

Yet, he was still thinking of suppressing his cultivation. How bold!

"Zhang shi, don't worry. Even though you have a deep understanding of battle techniques, I am not that bad either, especially in the field of spearmanship. I can proudly say that there are none at my level who can rival me!" Ying Qin replied confidently.

He had seen what Zhang shi had done, and that was indeed impressive. However, he had confidence in his ability as well.

This was the trust he had in himself after countless years of sweat, tears, and blood honing his spearmanship.

As long as he had a spear in hand, he would be able to face any enemy.

"Alright then..." Seeing how confident the other party was, there was nothing else Zhang Xuan could say.

Seeing Zhang Xuan standing barehanded on the dueling platform, Ying Qin asked doubtfully, "Zhang shi, where's your weapon?"

"My weapon? You have already suppressed your cultivation; if I were to use a weapon on top of that, I would truly be bullying you... How about this then?"

Zhang Xuan turned to Ruohuan gongzi and said, "Ruohuan, I recall that there is a feather duster beneath the stool over there. Bring it over to me!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 784: Zhang shi, Isn't Yours Too Short?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Feather duster? Ying Qin's body swayed weakly from side to side.

The spear in my hand is a Spirit high-tier weapon crafted using the finest Xuan Jade of the Eastern Sea. It has a length of 2.3 meters, and the tip is specially made out of Gelid Jadeite Essence, possessing incomparable sharpness capable of slicing through metal and carrying the effect to slow down the thoughts of one's enemy...

I have such a powerful weapon in my hands, and yet you wish to fight against me using a feather duster?

That item is only made out of ordinary bamboo! It would be sliced into two with even the slightest touch, how in the world do you expect to fight against me?

Not only him, Ruohuan gongzi was completely stunned as well.

Using a feather duster to deal with a Spirit high-tier weapon? Zhang shi... don't you think you are going too far humiliating the other party?

But... what is with the inexplicable joy I am feeling at the sight of this?

"Great, I'll be right back!" With his lips curling up uncontrollably out of excitement, Ruohuan gongzi immediately ran off.

"You..." Seeing the gleeful look on Ruohuan gongzi's face, Ying Qin felt his innards boiling with fury. "Zhang shi, I am earnestly challenging to a duel, and since you have agreed to it, I hope that you can take it seriously. As fellow master teachers, don't you think it's improper for you to humiliate me like that?"

"Humiliate?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I am truly not trying to humiliate you, and you aren't qualified for me to go that far either. The reason I am not using a spear against you is due to the excessive power of my spear art. I fear that I might accidentally kill you if I fail to control my strength well, and that would be very troublesome. While a feather duster is indeed a little weaker, it's much easier to control it, so I will be able to avoid injuring you!"

He really didn't have any intention of humiliating Ying Qin.

He could see why the latter would think so, but if he wanted to humiliate him, he could have easily defeated him in a single blow without any weapon at hand as well.

Honestly speaking, it was out of respect for the other party that he chose to even use a feather duster as a weapon.

"You..." Ying Qin was so furious that he started laughing uproariously instead. His eyes narrowed into menacing slits as he bellowed, "Fine! Let me see how powerful your spear art is then!"

For a top Grade-4 student to be told by a freshman that he was fearful that he might accidentally kill him... Ying Qin felt so much fury boiling within him that he could've charged forward to tear the other party apart then and there.

In the midst of their conversation, Ruohuan gongzi had already gathered more than a dozen feather dusters from the surroundings and threw them onto the stage for Zhang Xuan to choose.

Zhang Xuan casually picked up one of them before turning to Ying Qin. "We can start now."

"You're seeking death!"

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was truly intending to use a feather duster to fight against him, Ying Qin roared in fury as the spear in his hand pierced forward with might reminiscent of a massive dragon.

A gale so powerful that it felt as if it could tear one into shreds whipped up in the surroundings.

Infused with zhenqi, the Spirit high-tier spear pierced through the air, producing a deafening sonic boom as it headed straight for Zhang Xuan.

"Strong..."

Upon seeing the move, Luo Xuan, Ruohuan gongzi, and the others couldn't help but narrow their eyes.

Even though Ying Qin had already suppressed his cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, the power that he displayed in his attack was still far beyond what they could withstand.

Perhaps it might be an exaggeration to say that this move was unrivaled by all Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator, but it was no joke to say that less than a handful of Cosmos Bridge realm cultivators in the academy would be able to take this blow.

In fact, most Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage cultivators would be forced to retreat in the face of this move, not daring to confront it head-on.

Could Zhang shi really be able to stand against such a powerful attack with a feather duster in hand?

Everyone subconsciously turned their gazes to Zhang Xuan, only to see him standing nonchalantly before the other party's might. A slight smile emerged on his face as he stretched his hand forward and snapped his forefinger and middle finger together.

Kacha!

Just like that, the incomparably powerful spear was held lightly in Zhang Xuan's fingertips.

As if fallen deep into a marsh, the ferocious dragon of a spear from a moment ago found itself incapable of moving no matter how hard it struggled.

Pah pah pah pah!

While holding onto the spear, Zhang Xuan raised his feather duster and struck Ying Qin's face relentlessly.

In just the blink of an eye, crimson streaks had already filled the latter's face.

"The heck... it is actually possible for such a situation to happen in a battle?"

"Why does it feel like an adult caning a child?"

"Indeed... This is supposed to be a serious battle, but this..."

...

The crowd beneath the stage was stunned.

When they saw Ying Qin's spear art earlier, they had nearly been scared out of their wits, thinking that Zhang shi would be defeated by it. Who could have known that Zhang shi would end up stopping the spear with just two mere fingers instead!

No matter how hard Ying Qin tugged or pushed, the spear was firmly trapped between Zhang Xuan's fingers, refusing to budge at all. This had left him open to the lashing of Zhang Xuan's feather duster.

Everyone had thought that this would be an intense battle between two experts, but in the end... it turned out to be a one-sided slaughter instead!

"Ah!" Ying Qin hadn't expected the other party to be skillful enough to even grab a spear harnessing such immense might so easily. Panicked, he struggled with all his might, but he was unable to pull the spear out of Zhang Xuan's fingers at all. Flustered, he howled, "Let go!"

At the same time, he gathered all of the zhenqi in his body to pull the spear back to him with his full might.

As long as the spear remained in the other party's grasp, he would be powerless against him.

"You want it back? Here you go!"

Feeling the force pulling the spear away from his fingers growing stronger and stronger, Zhang Xuan abruptly let go with a smile.

Deng deng deng deng!

The sudden disappearance of the force from Zhang Xuan's side caused Ying Qin to fall backward abruptly. In an attempt to stop himself from tumbling back, he ended up leaving a series of heavy footprints in the dueling platform.

"You! Die!"

Even though Ying Qin was left in quite an awkward position, having succeeded in pulling his spear out, he felt another burst of confidence returning to him. With a roaring whiz from his spear, he swept it toward the Zhang Xuan.

Since the pierce failed to work, surely a sweep would be fine!

In the next moment, however, the figure before him suddenly blurred, and a pair of fingers abruptly materialized from nowhere and easily halted the movement of his spear.

What is going on... Ying Qin's body shook wildly.

In order to prevent the other party from grabbing his spear, he had put his full might into the sweep. How did the other party still manage to grab his spear?

That should have been impossible!

Before he could give it much thought, the feather duster began raining blows down on him once more.

Even though it was only a stick made out of bamboo, it had zhenqi infused into it. As such, a lashing from it felt even more painful than being whipped by a leather belt. With just a few strikes, Ying Qin's face was already covered in lacerations, and blood was dripping down his face profusely.

"Damn it!"

Despite facing an opponent with the same cultivation level as him at the moment, he still ended up being struck bloody by a feather duster. Ying Qin felt as if he was going to go mad.

With an abrupt pounce, he leaped upward while tugging the spear forcefully out of Zhang Xuan's grip.

Exerting his full might until the point which his zhenqi was about to explode from overexertion, the other party's force on his spear abruptly disappeared once again.

Huala!

As a result, Ying Qin's figure fell back yet again. However, this time, before he could steady his figure, Zhang Xuan had rushed forward to grab his spear once more, and the feather duster began lashing him again.

The heck... Ying Qin was on the verge of tears.

He had fought many battles ever since he had started cultivating, but never had he had a duel like that before.

The moment his spear shot forth, the other party rushed to grab his spear and lash him viciously. While he was trying to pull his spear out of the other party's grip, the other party would abruptly let go, resulting in his loss of balance. But yet again, making use of his state of vulnerability as a result of his loss of balance, the other party would charge forward to grab his spear again...

That's cheating!

Can't we have a proper duel?

"AHHHH!"

The more he thought about it, the more furious Ying Qin felt. Fury raged furiously in his chest like blazing flames.

Hong long!

In his state of rage, he finally let go of the suppression of his zhenqi, resulting in his cultivation swiftly surging back to normal.

Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage... Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage... Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle!

In the blink of an eye, he had reached the peak of his strength once again.

Upon the recovery of his strength, he immediately turned his attention back to Zhang shi once more, seemingly about to charge at him again, only to see the latter had already retreated several meters away.

Holding a feather duster in his hand, the other party questioned him nonchalantly, "Are you admitting defeat?"

"Admitting defeat? Impossible! Through the battle we had, I realized that you aren't merely a Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator... Do you dare fight against me at my full strength?" Ying Qin gritted his teeth.

After being struck so viciously on his face, how could he possibly admit defeat and let the other party get away just like that?

Besides, considering how the other party could grab his spear so easily and firmly such that even he was unable to extract it from his fingers, that showed that his strength far exceeded any Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator. Since that was the case... even if he were to use his full strength against the other party, that couldn't be considered bullying.

"Fine by me," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

In the first place, he had intended for Ying Qin to use his full strength, but the latter obstinately insisted on suppressing his cultivation for the sake of fairness. This situation worked better with him; he would finally be able to try out his strength like that.

"Let's start then." Zhang Xuan raised his feather duster to gesture for the other party to come at him.

"Wait a moment!" Seeing Zhang Xuan's movement, Ying Qin couldn't help but recall how badly he had been thrashed just a moment ago, and he shuddered in fear. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I wish to compete with you in terms of spear art, but your feather duster is too short, turning the duel into a close quarter battle instead. May I ask of you to use a spear to fight with me?"

What Zhang Xuan had done earlier—grabbing his spear and lashing him viciously—couldn't be considered as a spear art but close quarter offense.

A spear's length granted it a long reach, but at the same time, it also limited its utility in a narrow space.

He couldn't allow the other party to turn the battle into a close quarter combat like before, or else even with his restored cultivation, it was extremely likely that he would end up badly thrashed like before.

"Close quarter combat? Spear?"

How could Zhang Xuan possibly not understand the other party's intention? Letting out a soft chuckle, he said, "You mean that... my feather duster is too short for you, so you want me to fight you with a longer weapon?"

"That's right!" Ying Qin nodded.

"Fine by me as well!" Zhang Xuan nodded before turning to Ruohuan gongzi. "Help me tie these feather dusters together, end-to-end."

"Yes!" Ruohuan gongzi nodded as he leaped onto the dueling platform and tied the feather dusters together using some string from his storage ring.

With more than a dozen feather dusters connected end to end, the ultimate product was more than ten-meters long, and it resembled a long wooden branch.

It was truly a novel sight to watch as the bunch of feather dusters rose up like a flagpole, and countless feathers swayed amidst the wind.

"This should be long enough, right?" Zhang Xuan asked as he took the long rod over.

"Of course!" Ying Qin's eyes lit up.

Due to his spear being too long, he had been unable to display his prowess in close quarters, which resulted in the eventual lashing he'd received. However, now that Zhang Xuan had made his weapon ten meters long, the tables would be turned on him.

He had no doubt that the other party would be completely crushed, and he would be able to exact vengeance for the humiliation he'd received.

Hearing the other party's approval, Zhang Xuan flicked his 'long spear' made out of more than a dozen feather dusters to the side, preparing himself for the battle. He then said nonchalantly, "I hope that you won't complain anymore when you lose this time."

"Of course, I won't. However, you are the one who should be careful!" Ying Qin replied confidently.

The feather duster spear was more than ten meters long. Provided he could get within a distance of ten meters of Zhang Xuan, the other party would be helpless before him.

Excited, Ying Qin swung his spear casually and said, "Let's begin!"

Seeing the other party's confidence, Zhang Xuan raised his spear vertically upright, as if a lightning rod connecting to the heavens. At the same time, he beckoned with his left hand and chuckled lightly. "Come, I'll give you a 39 meters head start!" 1

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 785: The True Spear Art

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In his previous life, Zhang Xuan had once seen a picture of a small person holding a forty-meter-long saber taunting his opponent, saying that he would first allow him to get a 39 meters head start.

At this moment, this was exactly the kind of feeling Zhang Xuan got.

With more than a dozen feather dusters connected together, his weapon seemed just like a flagpole. In comparison, his enemy's spear felt no different from a short twig.

With such a long weapon in hand, he felt as if he had nothing to fear.

"Let's begin then!" With a roar, Ying Qin stepped off with his right foot and charged straight at Zhang Xuan, aiming to close the distance as soon as possible.

Considering the length of Zhang Xuan's weapon, as long as he could get within a ten-meter radius of him, he should be safe from the other party's offense.

The other party had previously used a feather duster to lash him. With this opportunity, he would return the favor to him!

"Do you really think it'll be that easy for you to close in on me?"

How could Zhang Xuan possibly not understand Ying Qin's intentions? With a slight smile, he executed the Heaven's Path Movement Art and drew an additional ten-meter distance away from Ying Qin in an instant before stabbing his feather duster spear toward Ying Qin.

Hu!

A feather duster spear ten-meter long couldn't possibly be as agile as a spear or as swift as a sword. Yet, for some reason, it still managed to block Ying Qin's advancement.

Or to be exact, the spear was precisely positioned such that there was no way for Ying Qin to avoid it if he were to continue charging forward with his current momentum.

Damn it! Ying Qin's complexion turned awful upon realizing that his advancement had been impeded.

He immediately twisted his body to dodge the other party's attack before rushing to another location to charge forward once more. However, just as he was about to do so, the feather duster spear appeared right before him once again.

The speed this time around was far swifter than previously. Moreover, it was directed at one of his mingmen, leaving him no choice but to avoid it as well.

"Humph!"

He immediately leaped backward to dodge the attack before rushing at another direction.

With a burst of his zhenqi as an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert, his speed was as swift as a soaring dragon.

But... despite his speed, the Zhang Xuan's feather duster spear seemed to be even faster than him. Every time he attempted to approach the other party, a spear would abruptly emerge to block his path. It was as if the Zhang Xuan knew where he would attack from.

As such, despite the bulky and burdensome weapon the opponent was wielding, Ying Qin felt as if he was facing an impregnable fortress. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't breach the other party's defenses.

"This..."

Ruohuan gongzi and the others swallowed a mouthful of saliva as they widened their eyes in shock.

They had thought that it would be hard for Zhang shi to deal with Ying Qin when the latter released the suppression on his cultivation. After all, two realms was indeed a huge gap to overcome. But who would have thought that with just a feather duster spear, Zhang shi would be able to ward off the other party perfectly, leaving him prowling helplessly at a ten-meter distance away?

While this couldn't be consisted a victory, considering that Zhang shi was facing an opponent with a far higher cultivation than him, it was indubitably an impressive feat.

It was at that moment that someone amidst the crowd suddenly shouted, "Do you all feel that there's something weird about this battle? I can't really put my finger on it, but... it doesn't feel like a duel at all!"

"Indeed!" Luo Xuan frowned as he felt that there was something amiss with the situation as well. After a moment of contemplation, he muttered, "It is like... toying like a monkey?"

"Now that you say it, it does seem like that..." Ruohuan gongzi nodded in agreement.

Words of agreement rippled through the crowd as well.

At this moment, it seemed as if the awe-inspiring Ying Qin from a moment ago was being played by Zhang shi like a monkey. Zhang shi would stand, unmoving, on the spot and flick his feather duster spear slightly, and Ying Qin would suddenly leap backward and rush off in another direction before attempting to charge toward Zhang Xuan again.

But before he could charge in, the bamboo spear would arrive before him, and he would leap backward once more...

Such a cycle had been ongoing since the start of the battle.

Honestly, it truly resembled those street performers played with their monkeys.

To play a Grade-4 student like a monkey...

Zhang shi sure was incredible!

Luo Xuan, Ruohuan gongzi, and the others had once viewed Zhang shi as a target for comparison, but upon seeing this sight, they could only swallow a mouthful of saliva and watch silently.

Even if they were to cultivate for another ten years, it was doubtful they would be able to wield the strength he had at this very moment!

...

"Damn it!"

As the crowd below realized that, Ying Qin had also noticed this detail as well. Furious, he gritted his teeth so tightly that they were on the verge of chipping off.

He had thought that with the opponent wielding such a long weapon, as long as he could get into close quarters, he would be able to subdue him easily. Who could have known that the other party would be so skilled with a spear? Every single move that the other party made casually came at trajectory that was difficult for him to defend, and they were all aimed at his mingmen as well.

In other words... there was no way for him to get close at all!

At this moment, the short reach of his spear became his weakness instead. The other party's spear was more than ten meters long whereas his was only two meters. With his spear being unable to reach the other party, how could the duel go on?

Shouldn't the one with the shorter weapon be at an advantage?

Why does it feel as if I am the one being disadvantaged instead?

If this goes on, not only will I lose, I will even become a laughingstock! Ying Qin thought with a livid expression as he heard the comments from the crowd below.

If word were to spread that he had been toyed with like a monkey by a freshman, there would be no way he could keep his head up before his peers and his juniors.

That spear of his is crafted by connecting feather dusters together, so its quality is subpar. If I directly clash with it, even if I'm injured in the encounter, I should be able to snap it! Ying Qin pondered as he flitted across the battlefield.

There was no way he could achieve victory under the current circumstances. The urgent matter at hand was to find a way to close in on his opponent, and the only way to do so was to snap the feather duster spear...

Considering that those feather dusters were only made of ordinary materials, with his strength as an Ethereal Treading realm expert, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to reduce them to dust with his zhenqi.

Alright, I'll do just that then! Gritting his teeth, Ying Qin pumped his zhenqi furiously, and with his arms covering his chest, he charged forward furiously, paying no heed to the movement of the feather duster spear at all.

Kacha! Kacha!

As he had predicted, the feather duster spear was unable to withstand his might at all.

Due to the long length of the feather duster and the low quality of the materials used to craft it, it was impossible for Zhang Xuan to pump zhenqi into it efficiently to reinforce its resilience. Thus, upon contact with Ying Qin's rampaging zhenqi, it was swiftly reduced to dust.

"This is bad..."

"That's cheating!"

Anxiety swept through the crowd as they watched the sight.

Zhang shi had already given him a huge advantage by wielding a feather duster spear, and yet he shamelessly destroyed it. That was cheating!

"Let's see how you stop me now that I am already right before you!" With a roar, Ying Qin raised his spear and pierced right at Zhang Xuan.

At his current proximity from the other party, his spear wielded the absolute advantage in the collision. With this blow, he would win the duel!

"Do you think that you can win with just this?" Seeing the other party's excited look, Zhang Xuan shook his head. He abruptly released his grip, and the feather duster spear fell to the ground.

He let go of his weapon? Ying Qin was taken aback by the abrupt turn of events.

A weapon was a cultivator's most prized possession. It was an unspoken rule to never release one's weapon in battle—what would a spear master be without his spear? How could Zhang Xuan simply throw his weapon aside like that?

At that moment, the young man before Ying Qin chuckled lightly as he spoke. "A weapon is just an extension of one's limbs. A spear art doesn't require a spear to be executed!"

The next moment, Zhang Xuan leaped into the sky and his aura abruptly changed.

Boundless Spear Intent gathered around him, and in that instant, it felt as if he was the personification of the spear itself. He was the spear, and the spear was him; there was no distinction between the two.

"T-this... This is the realm of Spear-Man Union?" Ying Qin's body stiffened as his eyes narrowed in astonishment.

Legend had it that if one were to reach a certain level in the comprehension of Spear Heart, they would be able to become the spear themself.

Even without a spear in hand, they could wield their body like a spear through the manifestation of their Spear Intent and challenge anyone who stood in their way!

But even Senior Xue Zhenyang had yet to reach such a realm. How did the man before him achieve such heights?

However, in the midst of a duel, he didn't have the luxury of entertaining any miscellaneous thoughts. Zhang Xuan's manifestation of a spear was already right before him. The other party's fingertip had manifested into the edge of the spear, and with a sharp glint, it clashed with the tip of his spear.

Hong long!

An immense force crushed down on Ying Qin as he felt an overpowering Spear Intent rushing through his body, shattering his defense in an instant.

Pu!

Fresh blood spurted frenziedly from his mouth as his figure was sent flying into the air, retreating at a rapid pace.

Padah!

After flying several dozen meters, he crashed heavily onto the ground. A moment later, the tip of his spear was plunged into the ground some distance away from him.

Pu!

Yet another mouthful of crimson blood spewed from his mouth.

"I've lost..."

Looking at the nonchalant Zhang Xuan on the dueling platform, he clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

He had never thought that even when he had exerted the full extent of his strength, he would still be defeated by a single finger from the other party.

Such strength was already comparable to Senior Xue Zhenyang, the leader of the True Helios Faction.

Just as Ying Qin was wallowing in the sorrow of his defeat, Zhang Xuan's calm voice was suddenly heard.

"Do you know the reason for your loss?"

Ying Qin struggled his feet and said, "I know that I have lost. I will back out of the True Helios Faction to become Xuanxuan Faction's gatekeeper. You need not mock me any further about this matter..."

A person who lived with the spear had a backbone just like the spear.

Since they had agreed on it beforehand, he would keep his end of bet and become the gatekeeper of Xuanxuan Faction. However, he wouldn't allow himself to be humiliated any further.

"Mock?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"I am only telling you to set your priorities straight. What you should be pursuing is the Way of the Spear, not the spear in your hand!"

"What do you mean?" Ying Qin was slightly taken aback by Zhang Xuan's words.

"Spearmanship is both an artform and a capability. It shouldn't just be what you do with a spear but what you feel with your heart as well."

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan turned to Ying Qin with a profound gaze in his eyes and said, "Just like when you were struck by my feather duster in close quarters, if only you had let go of the spear in your hand, what you could have gained would have been a brand-new world. But... it's a pity that you weren't able to do so.

"That's the reason you lost."

"I..." Ying Qin was stunned.

Indeed. When the other party was holding onto his spear and lashing him with a feather duster, he could have let go of his spear. Even if he was barehanded, he would still be able to fight. Even if he couldn't win, he would still be able to flee. At the very least, he wouldn't have been struck so horrendously as he had been back then.

"Afterwards, when I fought you with the feather duster spear, it was indeed a wise move on your part to close the distance between us. However, you neglected the fact that spearmanship doesn't simply lie in the spear. In a true spear art, the man is in the spear, and the spear is in the man as well! That's the reason you were caught off guard when I let go of my spear and attacked you directly," Zhang Xuan continued.

"I..." Ying Qin's body froze in shock.

The other party was right.

Training with the spear, he had already viewed the spear as a part of him. This was the reason he couldn't bring himself to let it go earlier in the battle.

Instinctively, he thought that he would be unable to fight once he released his spear.

"If you aren't able to let go, how can you comprehend the quintessence of the spear and grasp profound spear arts?" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

"Let go? Quintessence?" Ying Qin muttered these words in a daze.

Ever since he had started learning the spear, he had thought of his weapon as a part of him, just like his limbs and eyes.

How could a human simply let go of their limbs and eyes so easily?

But in the previous battle, Zhang Xuan had given him an impactful lesson. Sometimes, one had to let go.

Letting go could open up a whole world before one, bringing one release and freedom. Perhaps, one might even notice something one had never noticed before.

Seeing that Ying Qin was starting to understand what he was saying, Zhang Xuan continued, "Spear in the heart, and heart in the spear—that's what spearmanship truly is. The thing you hold in your hand is nothing more than a tool!"

"The heart in the spear is the true spear?" Ying Qin ruminated over those words with his eyes closed. A moment later, exhaling a mouthful of turbid gas, he opened his eyes once more, and the confusion in his eyes had given way to clarity.

Putong!

Kneeling on the floor, Ying Qin lowered his head in respect.

"Thank you for your guidance! I beseech Zhang shi to take me as your student and impart your spearmanship to me!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 786: Xue Zhenyang's Determination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Stand up! As long as you work diligently for the Xuanxuan Faction, I will guide you in your spearmanship!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Xuanxuan Faction had just been established, and considering it was a faction consisting solely of freshmen, it was in dire need of credible fighting power. However, Zhang Xuan didn't have the time to protect its members every time something happened, so he needed to bring in sufficiently powerful cultivators to ward off troublemakers.

Considering that these three were geniuses of the Grade-4 students, they were indeed the most suitable candidates.

This was also the reason Zhang Xuan had provoked them into agreeing to the bet of becoming the gatekeepers of Xuanxuan Faction.

He wasn't intentionally trying to humiliate them. He was hoping that through their presence, the troublemakers would have to stop and think for themselves whether they could really afford to provoke the Xuanxuan Faction or not.

Ying Qin stood up and said, "Alright. The three of us will back out of the True Helios Faction to join Xuanxuan Faction!"

At this moment, he wasn't just awed by the other party's fighting prowess but his character as well.

Even in a duel, the latter intentionally used a feather duster against him just to teach him that the foundation of spearmanship didn't lay in the weapon itself.

This comprehension hadn't led to an increase in his fighting prowess yet, but it did open up a brand-new world before him. Now that he knew the general direction in which he should advance, as long as he built on it, he would surely be able to climb to great heights.

"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded before turning his gaze back to the crowd.

"Faction leader, faction leader!"

"Faction leader, faction leader!"

...

Suddenly, someone amidst the crowd began shouting 'faction leader!', and before long, more and more people joined in the chant, and it grew louder and louder. Eventually, everyone was shouting vehemently as they stared at the young man on the dueling platform with deep excitement and admiration gleaming from their eyes.

If they had still harbored doubts as to whether it was truly the correct decision for them to follow Zhang shi previously, at this very moment, they knew that they had made the right decision.

He was able to easily defeat the geniuses of the Martial Arts School, the top fighters of the True Helios Faction. As long as he was around, what else did they have to fear?

This is our faction leader!

The pillar of support for us freshmen. As long as he is around, we have nothing to fear!

Feeling the earnest emotions from the crowd, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel a little moved as well. At this moment, Ruohuan gongzi stepped onto the stage and raised his hand.

The chanting immediately quietened down.

"In the Master Teacher Academy, every batch of freshmen faces the oppression of the seniors. This is to beat the arrogance and conceit out of them, teaching them that there is always a higher mountain, a world beyond what they see! This should have been a good tradition to uphold within the academy, but... as time passed, this tradition nurtured a sense of superiority within them, and they got more and more overboard in their actions, turning the culture of humility into a toxic cesspool!" Ruohuan gongzi's voice was heard clearly throughout the crowd.

"They forced us into purchasing their products at excessively inflated pricing. They forced us to join their factions and become tools for them to earn their fortunes and Academic Credits. And if we refused, they would use their connections to deprive us of crucial resources needed to survive in the academy! Are we freshmen supposed to sit idly and allow them to oppress us like that?

"We can't!

"We can't, and we won't! We won't allow them to oppress us like that! We won't allow them to turn us into their money-earning slaves! We won't allow our dignity to be trampled beneath their feet! We are master teachers. We are the leaders who will guide humanity to higher grounds, not pitiful beings who can be bullied by anyone!

"We might be weak individually, but even oceans are made of tiny droplets of water. If we can gather our strength together, we will find the might to stand against them! Thus, we must unite together as one!

"On this note, I nominate Zhang shi to be our leader! In order to allow many of us to enroll in the academy, he willingly gave away his own points in the entrance examination. So that we wouldn't be taken advantage of by the seniors, he compiled his own version of the Teacher Information Documentation and distributed it for free. To uphold the dignity of us freshmen, he stood up and defeated the Grade-4 students who came to oppress us, convincing them to lend a hand to our cause!

"His selfless character is a role model for all of us! If such a man is going to be our leader, I am willing to join the Xuanxuan Faction and listen to his commands!

"What about the rest of you?"

Ruohuan gongzi's gaze fell on the crowd as his voice echoed resoundingly, "Are you willing to stand up as well?"

"We are willing to join the cause!"

"We will join the Xuanxuan Faction!"

...

With thirty thousand freshmen shouting simultaneously, it seemed as if the buildings in the area would collapse due to the sheer volume.

"Good! Since everyone is agreeable, our Xuanxuan Faction shall be officially established today, and Zhang shi will be our leader!" Ruohuan gongzi roared.

Even though most knew of the existence of the Xuanxuan Faction due to Ruohuan gongzi's attempt to gather members, its formation had yet to be officially announced. As such, making use of this opportunity when everyone was gathered together, he decided to announce its establishment. From this moment onward, the largest student faction in the academy was no longer the True Helios Faction nor the Bewitching Devil Faction but the Xuanxuan Faction!

The faction established by Zhang Xuan, a freshman who had barely arrived in the academy for less than five days.

"Xuanxuan Faction! Xuanxuan Faction!"

"Xuanxuan Faction! Xuanxuan Faction!"

...

Deafening chanting sounded from the excited crowd.

Even if a student were to join a senior's faction, while they would be protected from the oppression from other student factions, they would still face oppression from the seniors in the same faction. The only way for them to escape that altogether was to establish their faction!

Furthermore, given Zhang shi's noble character, they were more than willing to obey his commands as well!

Thus, the crowd agreed to join the Xuanxuan Faction without any hesitation.

"Since everyone is agreeable, allow me to invite our faction leader up to say a word or two!" Interjecting in the chanting, Ruohuan gongzi turned to Zhang Xuan and gestured him forward.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was caught off guard by that remark. But facing the expectant gazes of thirty thousand freshmen, he had no choice but to step forward. "There's only one thing I have to say. We might be freshmen, but we aren't inferior to the seniors. What the seniors can do, we can accomplish as well! Only through standing on our own two feet will others acknowledge our strength. If we don't even respect ourselves, who will respect us? Thus, I will warn the members of the Xuanxuan Faction against provoking others, but if anyone comes to provoke us, we shall not back down!"

"Well said!"

"We will let them know our prowess!"

A wave of cheering swept across the crowd.

It had only been five days since they'd enrolled at the academy, but many of those present had already suffered great grievances from the oppression of the seniors. Thus, those words touched the depths of their hearts, leaving them deeply moved.

Seeing this, Ying Qin and the others also felt their blood running wild in passion. It was at this very moment that they couldn't help but think that perhaps... it wasn't a bad decision to join the Xuanxuan Faction.

Most other student factions operated by forcing others to join their ranks, so their members were united on the surface but divided internally. However, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction were all united in their wills. Perhaps, they might achieve greatness that no other student factions had before!

...

As the student faction was being established, Xue Zhenyang, Long Cangyue, and Dong Xin were also about to arrive at the dormitories of the freshmen.

They had been rushing there ever since leaving Hu Yaoyao's residence, but due to the significant distance between both places, it had taken them quite a while.

"Faction leader!"

Before long, row after row of towering buildings appeared in their sights. They were just about to sneak in under the cover of the night to see how Ying Qin was doing teaching the freshmen a lesson when they suddenly saw a figure rushing toward them before stopping right before them.

"How is Ying Qin doing?" Xue Zhenyang asked.

The other party was the subordinate whom he sent to scout the situation.

"This..." The figure hesitated for a moment before replying, "Ying Qin, Yuan Gang, and Bai Mian... have been defeated by Zhang shi, and as per their bet, they have left the True Helios Faction to join the Xuanxuan Faction!"

"Defeated? Left the... True Helios Faction?" Xue Zhenyang was flabbergasted.

Before coming over, he had declared confidently that there would be no problems given that he had sent Ying Qin over. Never had he imagined that such a situation would happen instead!

"Yes!" The figure nodded.

"What happened? Putting aside Yuan Gang and Bai Mian, Ying Qin received my personal guidance! How could he have lost?" Xue Zhenyang was unable to believe his ears.

Yuan Gang and Bai Mian might have still been a little lacking, but Ying Qin was one of the top fighters among the Grade-4 students! The other party had followed him for many years, and he had imparted his spear art to him unreservedly... How could he have lost to the freshmen who had just enrolled into the academy?

Dong Xin and Long Cangyue were also dumbfounded by the situation before them.

Ying Qin might not have been a member of their factions, but as one of the most capable members of the True Helios Faction, they were acquainted with him as well. An Ethereal Treading realm expert, 5-star high-tier master teacher, challenged the freshmen to a duel of battle techniques... but lost?

Were their ears playing tricks on them?

"I recorded the scene of the duel. You will understand once you take a look..." Knowing that it was hard to convince them of the matter, the figure flicked his wrist, took out a Record Crystal, and passed it over.

Xue Zhenyang hurriedly took it and infused his zhenqi into it. A few moments later, the scene of the duel appeared before everyone's eyes.

"The freshmen actually managed to defeat Bai Mian and Yuan Gang easily after receiving his guidance?"

"With a feather duster, he was able to beat Ying Qin into submission?"

...

Upon seeing the content of the Record Crystal, the trio was stunned.

To allow to a freshman to defeat a Grade-4 student after a short moment of guidance... Such a feat was way beyond them!

"Even though he was only using a feather duster, he still managed to subdue Ying Qin by exploiting the flaws in his spear art. This eye of discernment... just how deep an understanding of spearmanship must one possess to be able to do so?" Xue Zhenyang muttered hoarsely as his body trembled uncontrollably.

As a master of the spear, he could tell the prowess of Ying Qin's attacks. Even he would be forced to dodge when facing them!

Yet, not only did Ying Qin's opponent manage to overcome his spear art, he even did so casually by catching hold of his spear using his fingers, as if it was as simple as picking up a rock at the side of the road...

To be able to do this so leisurely, this could only mean that he had seen through the main flaws of Ying Qin's spear art and used them against him.

How frightening must his eye of discernment be?

"It is no wonder Hu Yaoyao ended up becoming his apprentice. His understanding of the spear has reached an unfathomable level... Zhenyang, if you were to fight with him, would you be able to defeat him?" asked Dong Xin, turning to Xue Zhenyang.

"I..." Xue Zhenyang clenched his fists tightly as hesitation flashed across his eyes for a moment. However, his eyes swiftly grew steadfast once more as he said, "I might be unable to defeat him now, but... as long as I am able to reach the tenth dan of the Fallen Leaf Spear, it won't be hard for me to defeat him!"

As the leader of the True Helios Faction, a celebrated genius of the Martial Arts School, how could he falter that easily before an opponent?

"If I recall correctly, you reached 9-dan three years ago. If it was that easy to reach 10-dan, you wouldn't have been stuck for so long!" Dong Xin shook her head, thinking that it was unlikely for Xue Zhenyang to succeed.

"Don't worry, I have already comprehended the essence of the tenth dan. All I am lacking now is an impetus for me to make the breakthrough!"

Back then, in order to overcome his bottleneck, Spear Emperor Lu Xinqing had wandered through the streets to experience the world of the ordinary mortals, and from there, he created the 10 Dans of the Fallen Leaf Spear.

After a moment of hesitation, an unwavering determination appeared in Xue Zhenyang's eyes as he declared, "Tomorrow, I shall leave the academy and wander the world to comprehend the various intricacies of life in order to find the inspiration to achieve the breakthrough to 10-dan. I will not return to the academy until I manage to achieve the breakthrough!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 787: Wei Changfeng's Daughter

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The establishment of a student faction was not an easy task. There were all kinds of administrative tasks to be done, such as deciding the organization structure, the rules of the faction, and the registration of the members. By the time they were done, it was already nearing dawn.

As a faction established by freshmen, the Xuanxuan Faction had no membership fee. However, it did have a strict organizational system that all members had to adhere to. This was necessary to bring sufficient resources into the faction for its operations.

Of course, such important decisions couldn't be decided overnight, and they were still under discussion.

Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered with such matters, so he left it up to Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Xuan, and the others, and returned straight to his residence in the Elite Sector.

However, before he could even take a rest, he suddenly heard knockings on his door. One of the seniors in charge of managing the Elite Sector stood at the door.

"Zhang shi, you have a visitor!"

Zhang Xuan glanced behind the senior and saw a fatty, who stepped forward and greeted, "Young Master!"

"Thank you, senior." Seeing that it was Sun Qiang, Zhang Xuan first thanked the senior before pulling Sun Qiang into the residence.

"What happened?"

It had just been a few days ago that he had visited Sun Qiang and the others at the residence. For Sun Qiang to come looking for him so suddenly, could it be that something bad had happened?

"It's Wei Changfeng. After making arrangements for the Spirit Emporium, he visited the residence seeking Young Master," Sun Qiang replied.

"He is looking for me? Didn't I tell him to follow your instructions? Is he acting defiant?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Wei Changfeng had become his subordinate after he had wreaked havoc in the Spirit Emporium. However, as he had to return to the Master Teacher Academy, he had instructed Wei Changfeng to obey Sun Qiang's commands instead. Could it be that he was refusing to listen to Sun Qiang?

"That's not it. He... insisted on meeting young master. Left with no choice, I could only come over to find you," Sun Qiang replied.

It wasn't easy to gain access to the Master Teacher Academy. Even he had to go through quite a bit of effort before he could reach Zhang Xuan's residence.

"He insisted on meeting me?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Yes. I asked him what's wrong, but he refused to speak a word. He said that he would only speak before you, so I had no other choice but to come here," Sun Qiang said with a bitter smile.

"This... Alright then, I'll meet him."

It was unlikely for a Saint realm expert like Wei Changfeng to go all the way to seek him for some minor issue. Since he had made such a request, it must be an urgent matter. Thus, Zhang Xuan swiftly left the academy with Sun Qiang.

Soon, they arrived at the residence where Sun Qiang and the others were currently living.

"Young Master!" Wei Changfeng immediately rushed up upon seeing Zhang Xuan's figure.

It had only been a few days since they'd parted, but Wei Changfeng looked as if he had aged several years. His eyes were bloodshot, and it seemed as if he had undergone some kind of turmoil.

"This... what happened?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

As a Saint realm expert, Wei Changfeng could easily live for a thousand years. As long as he didn't do anything that would sap his life force, it was impossible for him to age so quickly!

Furthermore, taking his lifespan into consideration, the ageing of several years in his appearance would translate to a loss of several decades of his lifespan.

Putong!

Wei Changfeng's knees fell to the ground, and he pleaded, "Young Master, please save my daughter. She's... reaching her limit!"

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Through the Library of Heaven's Path, he had learned that the reason Wei Changfeng had established the Spirit Emporium was to gather as many as artifacts as possible to feed their spirit to his daughter to sustain her life.

Considering the number of artifacts that Wei Changfeng had gathered, it should have been sufficient for his daughter to hold on for several decades as long as nothing severe occurred. It was also due to this that Zhang Xuan was in no hurry to save his daughter.

Given all that, why did his daughter suddenly fall into a critical state after just a few days?

"I have no idea either. She was still fine initially, but two days ago, her state suddenly worsened. I tried feeding her the spirit of the artifacts, but it was completely ineffective. Young Master, please save my daughter!" Wei Changfeng pleaded desperately with reddened eyes.

For so many years, he had done everything he could to sustain his daughter's life. If the latter were to really succumb to her illness, he wouldn't have the will to live on either.

His young master had been able to see through his situation with a glance, and considering the extraordinary means he had displayed back in the Spirit Emporium as well, perhaps... he might really be able to save his daughter.

This was the last hope that he had.

"Bring me to her!"

The only way for Zhang Xuan to ascertain his daughter's current condition was by meeting her personally.

"I have brought her over. She's currently in my room..." Wei Changfeng hurriedly pointed.

Fearing that his daughter might not last that long, he decided to bring his daughter over as well.

"Good!" Zhang Xuan nodded as he hurried into the room.

The residence which Sun Qiang had found only had eight rooms in total, and all of them were only around ten square meters large. Furthermore, due to the bad positioning of the residence, the rooms were rather dark even in the day.

By the corner of the room was a wooden bed, and lying on it was an extremely thin young lady who seemed to be around fifteen years old or so. Her face was peculiarly pale, and her black hair had a slight yellowish tinge to it. In a coma, her eyes were tightly shut.

"Her illness is really severe!" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even breathing seemed to be difficult for the young lady before him. Through his Eye of Insight, he could see that the other party's bodily function had already declined fatally, and there was not a single healthy meridian in her body. It felt as if she could just breathe her last at any moment.

It was no wonder Wei Changfeng was panicking. His daughter was indeed already on the verge of death. If she wasn't treated soon, it was doubtful whether she could even last until nightfall.

"Until two days ago, she was still able to maintain her consciousness and converse with me. Even though there were times when her illness would act up, she would be fine once she consumed the spirit of the artifacts... But two days ago, the spirit of the artifacts became completely ineffective in curbing her illness. As a result, she fell into a coma and hasn't woken up since then," Wei Changfeng swiftly explained the symptoms anxiously.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded as he assessed the young lady carefully, but eventually, he could only shake his head helplessly.

His current understanding of the Way of Medicine was still only at 4-star. Due to his limited knowledge, even with the Eye of Insight, he was still unable to precisely identify the root of the problem plaguing the young lady.

Thus, without any hesitation, his hand reached forward to read the young lady's pulse.

The young lady's skin felt chilling to the touch, as if an ice cube.

After which, Zhang Xuan muttered inaudibly, "Flaws!"

Weng!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Just like artifacts, Zhang Xuan could compile a book on an unconscious living being in the Library of Heaven's Path by coming into contact with them as well.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly flipped the book open.

Wei Ruyan, a citizen of Qingyuan City, possessing the Innate Poison Body...

The content of the book immediately surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind as though it was imprinted on it.

Innate Poison Body? This lass possesses the Innate Poison Body? Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Unique constitutions were extremely rare on the Master Teacher Continent. In his entire journey, the only people he had met with unique constitutions were Yuan Tao and Zhao Ya. To think that this unconscious young lady would possess a unique constitution as well!

Innate Poison Body is an ideal constitution for cultivating the ways of the poison master. However, in her current state... it is questionable whether she will be able to live or not! Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Unique constitutions were formidable, but until they were awakened, the possessor of the unique constitution would be nothing more than an ordinary human.

Clearly, this young lady hadn't awakened her unique constitution.

Back when Zhang Xuan was in the Red Lotus Ridge Poison Hall, he once read several books regarding the Innate Poison Body, but the details were extremely vague. As a result, he had no idea how the Innate Poison Body could be activated, and what would happen once it was activated.

In any case, the urgent matter was the illness she was suffering from, so Zhang Xuan continued reading.

... She has once suffered an attack from a Saint realm expert while she was still in her mother's womb, resulting in the Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood. Flaws: ...

Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood?

Just as the name suggested, the Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood meant that one's spirit, soul, and blood were impaired compared to those of an ordinary human. Often, this was a result of a problem in the development of the fetus, especially the lack of nutrients.

It would be difficult for a person suffering from such an illness to survive due to their spirit, soul, and blood being too weak to sustain their core bodily functions. In fact, more often than not, a fetus suffering from such an illness wouldn't even survive until childbirth.

Yet, not only did the young lady succeeded in coming to this world alive, she even managed to live to such an age... This was truly a miracle in itself.

"Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for Ruyan to be born given her condition. However, my wife expended all of her vitality to protect Ruyan, giving her the strength to be born into this world. In the process, however, my wife... lost her life," Wei Changfeng explained, seemingly noticing Zhang Xuan's thoughts.

His face was nonchalant, and his voice was steady, but the sorrow deep within his eyes couldn't be concealed.

"Ruyan has inherited my wife's life and will. Even at the cost of my life, I can't allow anything to happen to her!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded earnestly to reassure him that he would try his best.

He could understand where Wei Changfeng was coming from.

His wife had given her life to protect their daughter and bring her into this world. If he couldn't even protect their daughter after all that, how could he face his wife in the netherworld?

Over the years, regardless of how heavy a price he had to pay, as long as there was a ray of hope for his daughter, he would clutch at it desperately.

"Young Master, is there still hope for Ruyan?" Wei Changfeng asked with worry reflected in his eyes.

"Her bodily functions have nearly come to a complete halt. I'm afraid that it will be extremely difficult to save her." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

After reading Wei Ruyan's book, he realized that this matter was extremely problematic.

Over the years, this matter had evolved beyond a simple Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood problem. In order to sustain Wei Ruyan's life, she had been consuming a lot of nourishing items, but her body was simply too weak to take all that nourishment. As a result, her bodily functions ended up being destroyed by the excessive energy in her body instead.

On top of that, with her soul slowly growing weaker with time, she could be said to already have one foot in the grave.

It was no wonder even 6-star pinnacle physicians were helpless before her problem. Even for Zhang Xuan, despite having traced down the very source of her affliction, he was still at a complete loss, having no idea where he was supposed to start.

Hearing that the young master didn't say that it was entirely impossible, Wei Ruyan immediately pleaded. "Young Master, I ask of you to save Ruyan. As long as Ruyan recovers, I am willing to serve you for my entire life!"

"Since you have sworn loyalty to me, I will definitely do whatever I can for your daughter. However, the affliction plaguing your daughter is a tricky one to deal with. Not only is your daughter's body in a weakened state, her soul is also far too feeble at the moment. To treat her, we must first find a way to allow her to regain her consciousness. However, to do so, we must strengthen her body first..." Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration.

The reason Wei Ruyan was in a coma was due to her body being too weak to harness her soul. To make an analogy, her body was like a gunny sack while her soul was like water, resulting in her soul gradually weakening over time. If her soul weakened beyond a certain point, her consciousness would eventually fade altogether.

But... it was impossible to treat her physical body without rousing her consciousness.

It was possible to nourish her body through medicinal herbs, but its effectiveness would be severely limited without her will tenaciously driving her body to complement the treatment.

This resulted in a paradox. To regain consciousness, she would require a sufficiently strong body to harness her soul. But to nourish her body to become sufficiently strong, she had to regain consciousness first... Such was the difficult situation Wei Ruyan was facing.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel his head aching at the situation before him.

"What do we do?" Wei Changfeng asked anxiously.

Having come into contact with medicinal herbs and treatment methods on a daily basis in order to treat his daughter, even though he had never taken the physician examination, his comprehension of the Way of Medicine in this specific field could be said to be on par with most 5-star or even 6-star physicians.

Even without the young master saying anything, he knew very well the condition his daughter was in.

Could it be that the young master was helpless before this situation as well?

Was he doomed to watch as his daughter withered before his eyes?

Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment before replying, "Calm down, I have a way to stabilize her condition for the time being. However, it is unlikely to work for long. In order to treat her once and for all, we have to first find a medicinal herb capable of nurturing the soul. As long as I can find a way to peg her soul to such a medicinal herb to nurture it, I should be able to rouse her consciousness, and the rest will be easier to deal with!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 788: Metastasis of the Innate Fetal Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even 7-star physicians would have been helpless in such a situation, but Zhang Xuan was different.

Possessing the capability of a soul oracle, if it were to come down to it, he could even draw the other party's soul out to nourish it directly before placing it back into her body.

However, given Wei Ruyan's current feeble body, if he were to draw her soul out, there was a chance that she might succumb to her frailty and die. Thus, that could only serve as his final resort.

"Medicinal herb? What medicinal herb do you need?" Wei Changfeng asked anxiously. "Give me the name, and I'll definitely find it no matter how much it takes!"

"I don't have a specific name to give you, but the medicinal herb must at least reach Saint tier and possess the ability to nurture souls. Furthermore, the herb must be alive... On top of that, I will need a Grand Intermittence Pill!" Zhang Xuan said.

"A living Saint herb? And a Grand Intermittence Pill, the g-grade-7 pill?" Wei Changfeng's face paled.

If it had been anything else, given his strength as a Saint realm expert and his influence as the head of the Spirit Emporium, it wouldn't have been too difficult for him to find them as long as he were to devote his resources into it. But those two items... that would be difficult.

This was no longer a problem of whether he had the connections to obtain them or not, but that it was very possible that these items might not even exist in the entire Hongyuan City!

If it was on some other occasion, he might still have been able to head to a higher tier empire to search for those items. However, Wei Ruyan's current condition didn't permit him the luxury of time!

"Only a living Saint herb possesses sufficient vitality to nurture her feeble soul. As for the Grand Intermittent Pill, I believe that you should have heard of it as well. As long as one hasn't hurt one's foundation, one will be able to recover from even the most severe of injuries easily by consuming this pill, and this includes severed limbs as well! This pill is also extremely effective in tackling physical frailty," Zhang Xuan explained.

The Grand Intermittent Pill harnessed the ability to stimulate the vitality within a human body, allowing even one's severed limbs to regrow.

Considering that Wei Ruyan's bodily functions had nearly come to a complete halt, only a pill of such a level could alleviate her condition.

Any pill weaker than that was likely to be completely ineffective on her.

"I understand... It might still be able to find a living Saint herb in Hongyuan City, but where am I to search for a grade-7 pill?" Wei Changfeng clenched his fists tightly in distress.

As rare as Saint herbs were, there were still some who cultivated them in Hongyuan City. As long as one could offer them a satisfying price, it wasn't too difficult to obtain it.

But... it was nearly impossible to find a grade-7 pill here.

"Hmm." Zhang Xuan also frowned.

Even the most capable of apothecaries in Hongyuan City were at 6-star pinnacle, and it was impossible for them to forge grade-7 pills. Not to mention, the Grand Intermittent Pill was one of the more advanced pills amongst grade-7 pills.

"For the time being, let me see if I can find some other way to strengthen her body." Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan turned his sight back to Wei Ruyan.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan was considering trying the Heaven's Path zhenqi to nourish Wei Ruyan's body.

The Heaven's Path zhenqi possessed the ability to allow one to recover from one's injuries swiftly. While Zhang Xuan had never tried to see if it was capable of stimulating the regrowth of severed limbs, there was no doubt regarding its ability to heal most wounds.

If it could be used as a substitution for the Grand Intermittence Pill, they could be spared from the effort of having to find a grade-7 pill.

Thus, placing his wrist on Wei Ruyan's wrist, he sent a surge of Heaven's Path zhenqi into her body.

Her meridians are completely blocked?

Zhang Xuan had thought that he would be able to send his Heaven's Path zhenqi throughout Wei Ruyan's body to trigger her vitality, but who could have known that he would meet with a blockade shortly after entry?

To his astonishment, the meridians in her body were like sealed tunnels, unconnected to one another.

Helpless, Zhang Xuan retracted his finger.

This is probably a result of the attack from the Saint realm expert she suffered back when she was still a fetus. As a self-protective mechanism, her body automatically sealed her meridians to limit the damage. Furthermore, as she has been in this condition for too long, it would be dangerous to attempt to force her meridians open, especially while she's unconscious...

Zhang Xuan swiftly got a rough grasp regarding the situation.

Maybe I should try this!

Despite his initial failure, Zhang Xuan didn't despair. He flicked his wrist and took out a box of silver needles.

Hu!

With a light shake of his hand, the silver needles fell on the various acupoints throughout Wei Ruyan's body, and using them as a medium, Zhang Xuan sent surges of his Heaven's Path zhenqi into her body.

"Good, it worked!"

As the Heaven's Path zhenqi seeped into Wei Ruyan's body, her ghastly pale face finally began to regain a red glow.

"It worked..." Wei Changfeng's body trembled in agitation.

Seeing that it was effective, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He continued to infuse his zhenqi into the other party's body through the silver needles.

However, just as Zhang Xuan was about to circulate his Heaven's Path zhenqi throughout Wei Ruyan's body to nourish it, he suddenly noticed something, and his eyebrows shot up in alarm.

"No, something's wrong!"

He immediately rushed to retract the silver needles, but before he could do so, the face of the young lady before him suddenly turned pale once more, and her body abruptly convulsed intensely.

"Damn it!"

Zhang Xuan swiftly retracted all of the silver needles from Wei Ruyan's body as fast as he could.

However, it was already too late. As if struck by lethal poison, white foam seeped out from the edges of the young lady's mouth, and after a slight moment of trembling, her body fell deadly still.

"D-dead?" Wei Changfeng quickly rushed forward to check the condition of his daughter, and upon realizing that there was no pulse, his eyes immediately turned crimson in fury.

He had thought that the young master might be able to save his daughter, and clutching this final straw of hope, he had rushed over to seek his help. Who could have known that the latter would actually treat his daughter to her death!

In that instant, the final spark of hope in his heart faded, and madness overtook his rationality.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was also in a frenzy by the situation before him.

The Heaven's Path zhenqi had never failed him before. Why would something crop up this time around, causing Wei Ruyan to lose her life?

"It must be the effects of her Innate Poison Body..." Zhang Xuan's face turned livid as realization struck him.

The other party's Innate Poison Body seemed to have clashed with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, resulting in a backlash.

Considering the incredibly feeble state that Wei Ruyan was already in, how could she possibly withstand the impact of the backlash? Due to the heavy toll on her body, she breathed her last.

I promised Wei Changfeng that I'll treat his daughter, but such an unfortunate mishap happened instead... Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

Even though Wei Changfeng wouldn't be able to do anything to Zhang Xuan with his soul being held hostage, it was a fact that Zhang Xuan had promised to treat his daughter.

Just a moment ago his daughter had still been breathing, albeit on the verge of death. Yet, in the midst of his treatment, his daughter ended up losing her life.

It might have been an unfortunate accident, but there was no way anyone could accept this easily, especially not Wei Changfeng, who had devoted his life to saving his daughter.

I must save her!

Whether it was for Wei Changfeng, his own reputation, or Wei Ruyan herself, Zhang Xuan couldn't allow the young lady to die just like that. Thus, he placed his fingers on the other party's pulse once more and compiled a new book on her condition.

In the blink of an eye, he browsed through the entire book.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan instructed, "Little Feng, leave the room for a moment!"

"Leave the room?" Wei Changfeng asked with an awful look on his face.

"That's right. She isn't completely dead yet. She has just fallen into a deeper coma due to the backlash from the collision of energies. I need to use my secret art to save her, so I need you to leave for a moment." Zhang Xuan waved his hands, urging him to leave quickly.

"This..." Wei Changfeng's face turned incredibly ugly after hearing those words.

Her heart has stopped, and her body was beginning to stiffen. Yet, you are calling this a coma?

Who do you think you are fooling?

"Hurry up! If you don't want to see her dead, get out of the room this very instant!" Zhang Xuan roared furiously.

"Alright then." Seeing the young master fly into a rage, even though Wei Changfeng was still feeling deeply displeased on the inside, he still walked out of the room and closed the doors.

In the end, this was the final sliver of hope he had left. He could only pray that what Zhang Xuan was saying was true.

After he left, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply and sat on the ground.

He had used the Library of Heaven's Path to check on Wei Ruyan's condition just a moment ago, and detailed on it was not that Wei Ruyan had fallen into a deeper coma but that... she was really dead!

However, even though she had breathed her last, her soul had yet to leave the confines of her body entirely yet.

While it wasn't incorrect to define a person in such a state as dead, considering how not even a 7-star physician would be able to treat such a condition, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled one of the techniques that Mo Hunsheng had imparted to him had the effect of guiding a soul back to its body.

Thus... since there was no better solution at hand, he decided to give it a try!

Otherwise, Wei Ruyan truly would be doomed!

This technique is damaging to my soul, but at this moment... I have no other choice!

Since he had decided to save Wei Ruyan, he wouldn't allow anyone or anything, not even the grim reapers, to take her away, even if he had to pay a heavy price for it.

Thus, Zhang Xuan drew his soul out from his glabella.

Floating in the air, he saw Wei Ruyan's soul gradually separating from her body, as if attracted by some inexplicable force of nature.

Seal!

Knowing that it would be impossible to save her once her soul was taken away, Zhang Xuan immediately formed a few hand seals before pushing his palm down on her soul.

Soul Art, Soul Summoning!

This capability had the mystical ability of summoning a soul through a suitable medium.

Huala!

With the suppression from his palm, the soul immediately returned back to her body.

However, just this wasn't enough to reverse her death.

Even though Wei Ruyan's soul had been temporarily secured by Soul Summoning, her death had already created a considerable rift between her body and her soul, making it difficult to fuse them together again.

I have to enter her consciousness!

It was impossible to mend the rift from the outside. Zhang Xuan would have to enter her consciousness, just like how he had saved Lu Chong previously. Thus, without any hesitation, his massive soul seeped right into her consciousness.

In a vast sea of consciousness, a thin and frail-looking young lady was floating in the air a short distance away with her eyes tightly shut, seemingly in a deep sleep.

It was Wei Ruyan's soul.

I will have to strengthen her soul first... There's only one feasible way to do it at the moment, and that is to nurture her soul through mine! Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together.

Due to the other party's soul being too weak at the moment, it was impossible to fuse it together with her body. Thus, there was a need to strengthen her soul first.

And the best method to do so was to nurture her soul through his!

In essence, this method meant feeding a portion of his soul to the other party.

Even though it was an effective method, it would also severely weaken oneself as well. As such, unless it was for the closest kin, there was no soul oracle who would be willing to resort to this.

To be honest, Zhang Xuan was also a little hesitant to go so far for a person whom he had only met a moment ago.

But ultimately, even though Wei Ruyan had already been in an extremely feeble condition back then and could possibly have died at any moment, it was a fact that his treatment had led to her death.

Since he had wronged her, it was only right for him to correct it.

Besides, the lengths to which Wei Changfeng had gone for his daughter had also touched him. It would be an unfortunate tragedy if the father and daughter were to be separated by the boundary of life and death.

Tzzzz!

Zhang Xuan's soul reached for Wei Ruyan's finger, and using her arm as a medium, he injected concentrated soul essence into the latter's body so as to nourish her soul.

As his soul essence depleted at a rapid pace, it didn't take too long for Zhang Xuan to feel deep fatigue.

Soul essence to a soul was just like blood to a body. Giving it away to another was extremely damaging to his soul. The fatigue he was feeling at the moment was only a minor side effect; in the very worst-case scenario, his soul could even lose its stability and dissipate.

However, since he had already begun this, it was already too late to back down. Suppressing his fatigue, he continued to pump his soul essence into the other party's soul.

Under the massive influx of soul essence, Wei Ruyan's feeble soul finally began to grow denser.

It is effective...

Upon seeing that his method was working, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. However, just as he was about to continue pumping more soul essence into the other party, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and his eyes widened in shock. He immediately activated his Eye of Insight, and his soul began trembling in agitation.

Sh*t, the Innate Fetal Poison... is spreading!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 789: Poison Soul Constitution

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Initially, the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul was wrapped together in a bundle by the corner, making it an inconspicuous existence.

However, with his soul weakening swiftly due to the transfusion of his soul essence, the Innate Fetal Poison began its assault. At this moment, it had already spread to more than half of his entire soul, and its march was still showing no signs of stopping.

I'm done for... Zhang Xuan's face paled in fright.

The Innate Fetal Poison was something even Empyrean Kong shi had been helpless before in his time! If he were to allow it to consume his soul, there was no doubt that he would be immediately poisoned to death. No one would be able to save him!

Even though Zhang Xuan had failed to find what he was looking for at the Terpsichore School, he hadn't panicked too much. He had thought that as long as he were to proceed carefully, he would be fine for the time being.

Yet, in his moment of anxiety, he'd neglected the presence of the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul and transfused his soul essence to another, granting the Innate Fetal Poison an opportunity to strike!

What in the world is this!

I must be the first one in the world to die due to an attempt to save another's life!

On the verge of tears, just as Zhang Xuan was contemplating drawing back the soul essence he had pumped into the other party, he suddenly felt a warm surge of energy flowing back from the young lady's body.

Upon contact with this surge of energy, the Innate Fetal Poison immediate fled in fright, as if having met its nemesis.

This... Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

The Innate Fetal Poison was a high-grade poison which was extremely difficult to deal with. So far, the only thing that Zhang Xuan had found to be effective in suppressing it was the Heaven's Path zhenqi. In order to save his soul, he had tried many methods in hopes of being able to keep the Innate Fetal Poison in check, but none of them worked.

Yet, why was it suddenly retreating so fearfully all of the sudden?

A thought flashed through Zhang Xuan's mind, and he muttered beneath his breath, "Could it be... the Innate Poison Body?"

Through the Library of Heaven's Path, he'd learned that Wei Ruyan possessed the Innate Poison Body, just that she hadn't activated it yet.

Could the Innate Poison Body possess the ability to curb the Innate Fetal Poison as well?

"No, it doesn't seem to be the Innate Poison Body. Could it be the... Poison Soul Constitution?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in agitation.

The Innate Poison Body granted one an innate resistance to all poison. In fact, the consumption of lethal poison would only further temper one's physical body.

However, such an effect didn't extend to one's soul. If afflicted by a soul poison, it was still possible for a person possessing the Innate Poison Body to be poisoned to death.

Unless... that person possessed the Poison Soul Constitution as well.

The Poison Soul Constitution worked in a manner similar to the Innate Poison Body. It granted one's soul perfect immunity to all poison.

Considering that Wei Ruyan's soul was able to help him suppress the Innate Fetal Poison plaguing his soul, there was a high chance that she possessed such a constitution.

It's no wonder she's still so feeble despite absorbing the spirit of so many artifacts! Her body has already been extremely frail since birth, and yet she still had to bear the burden from the sheer might of two unique constitutions within her. It is truly a miracle that she has survived to such an age! It sure is hard to say whether she has been blessed or cursed by the heavens... Zhang Xuan exclaimed internally as realization struck him.

Unique constitutions were extremely powerful, but their sheer power created a heavy burden on one's body as well. It sure wasn't easy for Wei Ruyan to come this far with two unique constitutions within her.

I should try it out to see if my deduction is right!

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan began to draw back the soul essence he had pumped into the other party's soul.

Gu gu gu!

As soon as the soul essence he had drawn back came into contact with the Innate Fetal Poison, the latter immediately retreated in horror as if electrified.

Hahaha, this is great! Zhang Xuan laughed joyously to himself.

He had been agonizing over how he could curb the Innate Fetal Poison when the solution to his problem simply fell from the heavens. Excited, Zhang Xuan quickly hastened the flow of his soul essence.

Tzzzz!

As he circulated his soul essence with Wei Ruyan, the Innate Fetal Poison was slowly driven back to the corner where it came from, not daring to make a move at all.

Even though he couldn't get rid of it yet, he was at least able to suppress it for the time being.

This sure is a blessing in disguise! Only after suppressing the Innate Fetal Poison entirely did Zhang Xuan finally heave a sigh of relief, and excitement gleamed in his eyes.

Nurturing the soul of another was never an easy feat. To allow Wei Ruyan's soul to recover from its feeble state, he would have to expend a significant portion of his soul essence, leaving him in a severely weakened state.

Nevertheless, at this very moment, Zhang Xuan was truly glad that he had made the decision he did. Who could have known that the sacrifice he made for Wei Ruyan would end up saving his life as well?

When his soul essence fused with the latter's soul, it also gained a certain degree of the properties of the Poison Soul Constitution as well. At this current moment, even if someone were to feed him lethal poison capable of dissipating one's soul, he would be completely unaffected by it. On the contrary, his soul might even grow stronger as a result of it.

I'll have to stop here today.

Along with the transfusion of his soul essence, the fatigue Zhang Xuan felt gradually weighed heavier and heavier on him. Eventually, reaching his limit, he had no choice but to extract his soul from the other party's consciousness.

Honestly speaking, Wei Ruyan's soul was simply way too feeble. Even with the nourishment of his soul, he was still unable to awaken her fully in a single try.

Hu!

As Zhang Xuan's soul returned to his physical body, he immediately turned his gaze to assess Wei Ruyan's condition once more.

Even though the latter had yet to awaken, she had regained her breathing and heartbeat, and there was a healthy red glow on her face as well. At this moment, it felt as if she was only asleep.

For the time being, she shouldn't be in danger.

However, if she wasn't treated soon, it was unlikely that she would be able to survive for too long. Her physical body was simply far too weak.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan shouted, "Alright, come in!"

Jiya!

The anxious Wei Changfeng immediately rushed into the room in a fluster, and after taking a look at his daughter, he heaved a sigh of relief. Following which, he turned to his young master, and upon seeing the latter's pale face, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Seeing the young master's treatment causing his daughter's death had left him so infuriated that he almost wanted to kill him. However, at this very instant, he realized that everything the young master had done was to save his daughter!

For the young master to be severely weakened after the treatment, it was clear how far he had gone for her...

Despite the other party devoting his efforts to saving his daughter, he actually misunderstood his intentions...

"I'm sorry, Young Master..." Wei Changfeng lowered his head apologetically.

"I've said that as long as you remain loyal to me, I will definitely do everything I can to save your daughter!" Zhang Xuan shook his head as he spoke with a powerless voice. "Guard me, I need to recuperate."

Leaving those words behind, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a jade bottle. Opening it, a round pill fell into his palm, and he consumed it whole.

It was the Miniature Restorative Pill that Wei Ranxue had given him.

Gugugugu!

The pill dissolved as soon as it came into contact with his mouth, turning into a warm gush of medicinal energy that surged through his body. His soul, which had been severely depleted while trying to nurture Wen Ruyan's, slowly began to heal.

A moment later, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas before standing up.

Through the medicinal energy of the pill and his meditation, his soul was able to recover to its original state.

"Young Master!" Wei Changfeng clasped his fist to greet Zhang Xuan.

"Un."

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the young lady on the bed once more, and after confirming once more that her status had stabilized, he heaved a sigh of relief. "We will still need the two items which I listed previously. Don't waste your time waiting here, hurry up and find them!"

"Yes!" Wei Changfeng nodded. However, a moment later, he frowned. "I have given it some thought, and I think that there just might be a living saint herb in Hongyuan City. However... I might require Young Master to lead the way!"

"Where is it?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Wei Changfeng was a Saint realm expert, and yet there was still a place in Hongyuan City which he couldn't access?

"It's in the Master Teacher Academy," Wei Changfeng replied.

"The Master Teacher Academy?" Zhang Xuan was stunned for an instant before realization struck him.

Indeed. Having been able to enter its premises freely as a student, Zhang Xuan had overlooked its tight security. The entire academy was filled with many experts, and there was no lack of Saint realm cultivators amidst them. Even a person of Wei Changfeng's strength would dare not charge in recklessly.

Thus, he required a student such as Zhang Xuan to bring him in.

"Yes. The vice head of the Physician School, You Xu, is not only a physician but a herbologist as well. He cultivates quite a few precious medicinal herbs in his garden, so if there is anywhere we can procure living saint herb in Hongyuan City, it is from him!" Wei Changfeng said.

Zhang Xuan nodded. "That's good, let's make a move then! The longer we drag it out, the harder it'll be to treat your daughter!"

"Yes!" Wei Changfeng replied.

After the discussion, just as the duo made their way out of the room, they saw Sun Qiang, Wang Ying, and the others standing before them.

They turned to Zhang Xuan as soon as they saw him walking out of the room and greeted him.

"Teacher!"

"Young Master!"

Over the past few days of absence, Wang Ying and the others had made significant progress in their cultivation once again. The aura they exuded felt much more condensed than before.

With everyone gathered in the same area, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but to notice how cramped the residence was once again. Shaking his head, he turned to Sun Qiang and asked, "Have you found a larger residence yet?"

"Reporting to Young Master, I have searched the area, but there are simply no larger residences in the vicinity," Sun Qiang said embarrassedly.

It wasn't that he had been lazing about, but all of the better residences near the Master Teacher Academy he found had already been purchased by the other students. Up until this point, the best residence that was available that he had found so far was still the one they were living in.

Knowing that Sun Qiang wasn't intentionally slacking off, Zhang Xuan didn't blame him. Instead, he turned to Wang Ying and the others and instructed, "I see. Alright, Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang, you should help Sun Qiang look around as well. The sooner we find a suitable residence, the sooner we can move. This place is simply far too cramped..."

With another three people on the job, they should be able to find a suitable residence sooner.

In any case, spending all of their time cooped up indoors cultivating wasn't ideal for them either. There should be a balance between work and leisure. It would do them some good to take a stroll outside and enjoy the city.

"Yes!" Wang Ying and the others nodded.

"Let's go!" After delegating several other matters, Zhang Xuan left for the Master Teacher Academy with Wei Changfeng beside him.

Even though he still hadn't received his student token yet, he had the tokens of three of the Ten Great Master Teachers in his possession, so bringing another person into the academy wasn't a problem for him.

After traveling for another hour, they finally arrived at the Physician School.

The Physician School was ranked fifth out of the ten schools of the academy. Nevertheless, due to the nature of their occupation, there was no master teacher in the academy who was willing to offend them.

After all, there was no way anyone could guarantee that they could remain healthy for their entire life. As cultivators, there was a much higher chance that a day would come when they would require the help of the Physician School than any of the other schools in the academy.

Even before reaching the Tower of Physicians, the building located at the very center of the Physician School, Zhang Xuan could already see a large crowd walking in and out of the area. Astonishingly, it seemed to be even more bustling than the Blacksmith School.

As they were heading over, Zhang Xuan suddenly asked, "The price of saint herbs aren't cheap. Have you prepared the money yet?"

He had no high-tier spirit stones with him at the moment, so there was no way he could afford a saint herb. Besides, Wei Ruyan was Wei Changfeng's daughter, so it was only right for the latter to pay.

"I have prepared some money. It should be enough to afford a saint herb," Wei Changfeng replied.

As the head of the Spirit Emporium, even though most of his artifacts had been swept away by Zhang Xuan, he still had quite a bit of savings left with him.

While saint herbs were expensive, the savings which he had accrued over many years should be sufficient to afford it.

"That's good!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Advancing ahead, an imposing tower soon came into their sight.

Tower of Physicians!

This was the grandest building within the entire Physician School, and the Vice School Head You Xu whom Wei Changfeng spoke of resided here.

Following behind the crowd, Zhang Xuan stepped through the entrance of the tower.

The first floor was a vast hall with countless master teachers walking around the area.

Shelves of precious herbs filled the room, and by the corner stood several physicians to attend to those who required a diagnosis. Most master teachers would choose to pay this place a visit to resolve any existing conditions they had or to purchase recovery herbs before embarking on their mission.

Zhang Xuan scanned the surroundings, but he wasn't sure where Vice School Head You Xu's living quarters were. Thus, he could only head to the reception with Wei Changfeng beside him.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 790: Ten-leafed Flower

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What do the both of you need?" the receptionist asked with a smile upon seeing Zhang Xuan and Wei Changfeng.

The receptionist was a lady in her early thirties. She wore a tight-fitting physician robe which accentuated her beautiful figure.

Like Luo Qiqi, she was also a 5-star low-tier master teacher, a Grade-2 student. Most likely, she had taken this job in order to earn Academic Credits as well.

"We wish to meet Vice School Head You Xu." Zhang Xuan dived right into the matter at hand.

"You wish to meet Vice School Head You?" The receptionist was slightly taken aback. With a doubtful voice, she asked, "Do you have an appointment with him?"

"We don't!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The receptionist also shook her head. "I will have to apologize then. Vice School Head You is a busy man, so I can't take you to meet him if you don't have an appointment."

As a vice head of the Physician School, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, even the nobility of the country would have to make an appointment in advance to meet him. How could a mere student be allowed to meet him as he pleased?

Judging from the other party's young age, he was likely to only be a Grade-1 student. A minor figure like this wouldn't even be qualified to meet the manager of the Tower of Physicians, needless to say a vice school head! Indeed, the ignorant were brazen!

"Then... how can we make an appointment with him?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"I have no idea," the receptionist replied snappishly.

She had already made it clear through her words, but the other party still continued to pester her. A hint of displeasure flashed across the receptionist's eyes.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan scratched his head, troubled.

He'd thought that the matter could be easily settled—he would meet with Vice School Head You Xu, ask him about the medicinal herb, negotiate the price, and they would be done. But who would have thought that he would be hindered at the very first step?

However, considering the other party's standing as the vice head of the Physician School, this should have been expected. Otherwise, if he were to meet anyone who sought an audience with him, he wouldn't have any time left for himself anymore.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan said, "Since that's the case, I have something in my possession that I hope you can pass to Vice School Head You in my stead. Perhaps, he might be willing to meet me after see it."

"I apologize, but I am not your courier. If you really wish to meet Vice School Head You, please return only after you have the qualification to speak with him. Now if you will excuse me, I have things to attend to..."

Seeing that the other party was still refusing to give up, the receptionist shook her head in displeasure and rejected him flatly. However, just as she was about to chase him away, he suddenly flicked his wrist, and a token appeared in his hand.

On the surface of the token was a majestic image with rows after rows of buildings inscribed on it. It was a picture of the Master Teacher Academy.

The token of the elders?

Gedeng! The receptionist's words suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

As a Grade-2 student, she was naturally able to recognize the personal tokens of the elders of the academy. How could a freshman possess such an important item?

In the midst of her shock, the young man flicked his wrist and took out two other identical tokens.

Placing the personal tokens on the receptionist table, Zhang Xuan requested, "I have three tokens here. Can you take a look to see which of them is closer with Vice School Head You and deliver it to him?"

"This..." Astonished, the receptionist flipped over one of the tokens, only to see the words 'Mo Zhu' written on it.

"Mo Zhu? The head of the Beast Tamer School, School Head Mo?" The receptionist shuddered in shock.

With trembling lips, she flipped over the second token, and she nearly blacked out.

Written on the second token was a name as well—Zhao Bingxu.

It was the head of the Blacksmith School, School Head Zhao!

"He possesses both School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's personal tokens?" the young lady uttered in shock as her trembling hand reached for the third token and flipped it.

Wei Ranxue!

It was the head of the Terpsichore School!

The Ten Great Master Teachers were figures who stood at the very top of the academy, existences far beyond her. Despite being a Grade-2 student, she had hardly seen them around in the academy. It was only during the Academy's Annual Celebration and the Annual Tournament that she would get an opportunity to see them from afar.

Yet, the young man before her actually took out three of their personal tokens at once...

The receptionist felt as if she was going to burst into tears.

She had thought that the other party was only a mere freshman, but who could have known that he would have such powerful backing?

If you are so formidable, you should have just headed up to meet Vice School Head You directly. Why did you even bother wasting your breath on me?

While her face had gone pale in shock, the young man before her asked with a doubtful voice, "How is it? Are these tokens useless as well? I knew it, those fellows were indeed bragging... If the tokens won't work, will it be better if I call them over?"

"Cough cough!" The attendant nearly died from shock.

To say that three of the school heads were bragging, and even propose to call them over...

Just who was the young man standing before her?

To think that she had snapped at him just a moment ago...

Her face paled as her body shook uncontrollably. "There's no need for that! The tokens work perfectly fine!"

Fearing that she would earn the ire of the school heads, the receptionist hurriedly pushed the tokens back to Zhang Xuan before walking out from the receptionist desk. "Follow me!"

Regardless of whether the other party meant those words or not, the fact that he could whip out the personal tokens of three of the Ten Great Master Teachers was more than enough to say that he was a figure whom she couldn't afford to offend.

"Thanks." Seeing that the personal tokens had really worked, Zhang Xuan nodded before following behind the receptionist with Wei Changfeng.

Not too long later, they arrived at the entrance of a vast courtyard.

"This is the residence of Vice School Head You!" the receptionist gestured and said.

Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the residence.

As expected of the residence of the vice head of the Physician School, it was indeed much larger than Hu Yaoyao's residence. Even though he couldn't get a clear view of the formation surrounding the residence, he could still feel the dense spiritual energy drifting in the surroundings.

Dong dong dong!

Stepping forward, the receptionist knocked on the gates.

Jiya!

A middle-aged man opened the gates from the inside.

"Sun laoshi, these two men seek an audience with Vice School Head You," the receptionist hurriedly said.

"Seek an audience with Vice School Head You?" The middle-aged Sun laoshi frowned.

He turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan, and after confirming that he had no idea who he was, he turned his gaze onto Wei Changfeng. The next moment, his eyes lit up. "So, it's the Boss Wei from the Spirit Emporium! I'll report your presence to my teacher this instant!"

As a Saint realm expert and one of the top figures in Hongyuan City, Wei Changfeng was rather well-known in Hongyuan City as well.

Hearing those words, Wei Changfeng nodded.

As Sun laoshi turned around and returned back into the residence, the receptionist nearly fell limply to the ground from horror.

As Wei Changfeng had been standing silently behind Zhang Xuan without saying a word like a subordinate, she had assumed him to be a person unworthy of notice. Never could she have imagined that he would be the boss of the Spirit Emporium!

To take a Saint realm expert as a subordinate... Just who in the world was the young man before her?

It didn't take long for Sun laoshi to return. He bowed deeply and gestured for them to head into the residence. "This way please!"

"Thank you."

Ignoring the receptionist, who seemed to be on the verge of going bonkers, Zhang Xuan stepped into the residence.

The next moment, the refreshing scent of medicinal herbs filled his nose. Concentrated spiritual energy seemed to linger by his ear like a mini whirlwind, producing a soft whimpering sound.

Consonance of the Spiritual Energy? Zhang Xuan was stunned.

This phenomenon was a result of a consonance produced by accumulating an overwhelming amount of treasures in an area.

Scanning through the courtyard, Zhang Xuan swiftly caught sight of a small medicinal herb garden. That was where the Consonance of the Spiritual Energy was coming from. All kinds of herbs were being cultivated in the garden, creating a beautiful harmony of vibrant colors. It was a pleasure just to look at them.

Broken Yin Grass, Smile Embodiment Flower, Seven Hearts Spearmint... There are so many saint herbs here? Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

The garden was considerably small, containing only several hundred medicinal herbs. However, every single one of them was a top-grade herb, and one could even see quite a number of saint herbs with just a swift glance.

Hmm? That is... a Ten-leafed Flower? As Zhang Xuan carefully observed them while walking along the garden, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The Ten-leafed Flower was a saint herb as well.

Upon reaching maturity, ten different colored flowers will bloom on the ten leaves of the medicinal herb, and the flowers corresponded to the three hun and seven po of a human's soul. If they could procure this saint herb to nourish Wei Ruyan's soul, Zhang Xuan was confident that he would be able to awaken her within a single week.

At that moment, Wei Changfeng asked him via zhenqi telepathy, "Young Master, will that Ten-leafed Flower do?"

Clearly, he had also caught sight of the same medicinal herb as him.

In order to save his daughter, he had studied a great deal on medicine, granting him in-depth knowledge regarding medicinal herbs.

"Yes, the Ten-leafed Flower can save your daughter's life. However, it'll be preferable to procure one whose flowers have already bloomed so as to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment," Zhang Xuan replied affirmatively.

The Ten-leafed Flower being cultivated in the medicinal herb garden was still quite some time away from blooming. However, it was unlikely that Wei Ruyan would be able to wait so long. Even though the effectiveness of the treatment would be lowered using an immature Ten-leafed Flower, it should still be sufficient to save her life.

Hearing the young master's confirmation, Wei Changfeng heaved a sigh of relief. With his goal lying right before him, he couldn't help but feel agitated within.

At that moment, Sun laoshi suddenly reported with a resounding voice, "Teacher, Boss Wei is here!"

Shifting their gazes, they soon saw an old man applying fertilizer to one of the medicinal herbs with a bent back not too far away.

The old man seemed to be in his sixties or seventies, and he had a long grayish beard.

The medicinal herb which he was tending to was a crimson flower with clear vein lines on it. The old man carefully dug the soil around the crimson flower and poured a scarlet fluid in before placing the soil back.

Demonic Blood Flower? Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had read this flower on a book before. Even though it was a saint herb, there were very few people who chose to cultivate it.

It wasn't because the flower was inauspicious but that it was simply too difficult to provide for it.

This was because the Demonic Blood Flower required the nourishment of blood to survive!

Just cultivating a single Demonic Blood Flower would potentially require the blood of more than a dozen spirit beasts.

It seems Vice School Head You isn't young anymore...

But even though it was hard to provide for, it had an incredible effect as well. Once matured, consuming it could boost a person's vitality, extending their lifespan.

This was probably the reason Vice School Head You was taking care for it so diligently.

Otherwise, why would a master teacher spend so much effort on cultivating such a medicinal herb?

"Un." Without turning his head over, the old man waved his hands to gesture that he had heard Sun laoshi.

The old man first flattened the ground around the Demonic Blood Flower and washed his hands in a basin in front of him before turning his attention to them.

"I have long heard of Boss Wei's reputation, pleased to meet you," Vice School Head Wei said with a smile.

"I have also long heard of Vice School Head Wei's aptitude in cultivating medicinal herbs, and I must say that I am truly impressed by your medicinal herb garden!" Wei Changfeng clasped his fist.

"I dare not claim any aptitude in it, it is just a hobby of mine. May I know the reason for Boss Wei's sudden visit?" asked Vice School Head You.

As fellow Saint realm experts, even though they had never met before, they had at least heard of each other's name on other occasions.

Considering that they had spoken to one another before, it was likely that Wei Changfeng's visit meant business.

"Vice School Head You sure is a candid man. I do have a request to ask of you..." Wei Changfeng bowed. "I hope to purchase Vice School Head You's Ten-leafed Flower!"

"Ten-leafed Flower?"

Glancing at the saint herb which was pulsating with spiritual energy in the courtyard, Vice School Head You shook his head and replied, "Pardon me, but that medicinal herb is not for sale!"

Wei Changfeng immediately panicked. "I require the medicinal herb to save my kin, I hope that Vice School Head You can do me this favor..."

"I have already said that the medicinal herb is not for sale. Sun Yuan, send our guests out!" Vice School Head You waved his hands.

"Yes!"

Sun laoshi stepped forward and bowed. "This way please."

"This..." Wei Changfeng looked at Vice School Head You with an anxious frown.

"I know that it is somewhat rude of me to suddenly arrive at your residence and ask for your medicinal herb, but I truly need it to save someone. Vice School Head You, I am willing to pay any price for your Ten-leafed Flower as long as it is within my means!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 791: Price

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"It's not a problem of the price, but my teacher simply has no intention of selling any of these medicinal herbs. I ask for your understanding!" Sun Yuan bowed.

Hearing those words, Wei Changfeng clenched his jaws anxiously.

As long as the other party was willing to sell it, even if he had to risk bankruptcy, he would surely purchase it. But... if the other party wasn't willing to sell it, he couldn't possibly go to the extent of stealing it, right?

Putting aside whether he was a match for Vice School Head You or not, just the fact that they were in the Master Teacher Academy quickly dispelled such thoughts.

"I truly require this saint herb to nourish my daughter's soul in order to save her. I beseech Vice School Head You to just do me this favor..." Taking a deep breath, Wei Changfeng kneeled onto the floor.

"Haa..." Seeing Wei Changfeng's actions, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

For his daughter's sake, he had already kneeled twice.

For a Saint realm expert to put down his dignity and everything he had for another... this is a parent!

Their love for their children is simple and innocent, noble and powerful. For their children, they are willing to do anything.

"I said that I won't sell it! Even if you kneel to your death here, my decision will not change. You should leave!" Vice School Head You waved Wei Changfeng away impassively, unmoved by Wei Changfeng's actions.

"Vice School Head You..." Wei Changfeng's fingernails dug deep into his flesh.

They were all Saint realm experts, existences that stood at the top of Hongyuan City. Yet, despite kneeling down and pleading with Vice School Head You, the latter still remained unmoved.

Seeing that Vice School Head You was unwilling to relent at all, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Just as he was about to step forward to speak in Wei Changfeng's stead, a series of knocking suddenly sounded from the gates.

Dong dong dong dong!

Sun Yuan left to get the door, and before long, he returned with a middle-aged man behind him.

The middle-aged man clasped his fist. "Vice School Head You, my teacher requires a Saint-tier Origin Harnessing Grass for his pill forging!"

"Origin Harnessing Grass?" Vice School Head Xu nodded. "Sun Yuan, go and get it for Zhuo shi!"

"Yes!" Sun Yuan nodded. He walked into the herb garden, dug out a light green-colored medicinal herb, and passed it over to the middle-aged man.

"Thank you!" The middle-aged man nodded as he flicked his wrist, taking out ten high-tier spirit stones. "Here is the payment for the medicine!"

Vice School Head You took the spirit stones, and the middle-aged man placed the Origin Harnessing Grass in his storage ring before leaving.

In just a few minutes, this deal was completed.

"Vice School Head You, didn't you say that you aren't going to sell any medicinal herbs? Why did you sell it to that Zhuo shi then?" Seeing how the middle-aged man was able to obtain a medicinal herb so easily from You Xu and yet he had been rejected even though he had already gotten onto his knees, Wei Changfeng clenched his fists in fury, and veins popped out from his temples.

Watching the scene, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows also knitted together into a frown.

If it was You Xu's principle not to sell medicinal herbs to anyone, there would be nothing that they could say... But the other party had rejected Wei Changfeng's desperate request only to sell a medicinal herb to that Zhuo shi so easily the next moment...

This preferential treatment was way too much!

Vice School Head You harrumphed in response. "Zhuo shi's teacher is the head of the Apothecary School, School Head Lu Feng. I have a close relationship with him, so naturally I am willing to sell my medicinal herbs to him. But on the other hand... I don't think that you and I are so close that I need to sell my medicinal herbs to you, right?"

"I..." Wei Changfeng clenched his jaws in indignation, but there wasn't anything he could refute about Vice School Head You's words.

The other party was right. Considering that there was no relationship between them, there was no reason the other party had to sell the medicinal herb to him. If the other party was willing to sell it, it would be goodwill on his part. But if he wasn't, it would be his freedom of choice to do so as well.

Unable to watch on any further, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and clasped his fist. "Vice School Head You is right, but the main use of a medicinal herb should be to save lives. Physicians should have compassion in their hearts; they shouldn't disregard a life just because they aren't close with the other party! The life of Boss Wei's daughter is currently hinging on your Ten-leafed Flower, so I ask of Vice School Head You to have mercy on her!"

"Who are you to butt into our conversation?" Vice School Head You frowned in displeasure.

He was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, a vice head of the Physician School. When had he been preached to by another before, not to mention, by a twenty-year-old brat at that?

"I am Zhang Xuan, a freshman of the academy," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Oh, so you are that Zhang Xuan?" Vice School Head You sneered. "I've heard of you. You might have won School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's favor, but before me, you are nothing more than a junior. Know your place!

"Despite being a student of this academy, you chose not to focus your efforts on your study and instead went around stirring trouble, sullying the reputation of master teachers. If you were my student, I would have long expelled you from my lineage!"

At this point, he glanced at Zhang Xuan disdainfully and said, "Before you incur my ire, you'd better leave this instant. Otherwise, don't blame me for getting nasty with you."

"Getting nasty with me?"

"Indeed. Since you are a freshman, you'd better act like one and obey the rules. Yet, here you are, brazen, conceited, and disrespectful... If you continue acting like this, I don't mind teaching you a lesson in your teacher's stead!" With his hands behind his back, Vice School Head You flung his sleeves.

"Teach me a lesson in my teacher's stead? You?"

Sensing the other party's hostility toward him, Zhang Xuan didn't bother holding back either. "Who are you to talk about the reputation of the master teachers? That is something for the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Master Teacher Academy to decide! Besides, even though we are in your residence now, this is the property of the academy. Chase me away... Are you sure you are qualified to do so? If I recall correctly..."

At this point, Zhang Xuan's lips curled up in a smirk. "You aren't the school head yet, right?"

If others were to treat him with respect, Zhang Xuan would regard them with respect as well.

But the other party had spoken about how he'd sullied the reputation of the master teachers and that he would expel him from his lineage right from the get-go... No matter how good Zhang Xuan's temper was, how could he tolerate this?

Reputation was extremely important to a master teacher.

Without a clear reputation, how could they earn the respect of others?

This was also one of the reasons Zhang Xuan eventually chose to transfuse his soul essence to Wei Ruyan despite the risks.

Yet, the other party had insulted him as soon as he began to speak. That was a clear provocation, and it had already crossed his bottom line.

"Audacious! Do you know who you are speaking to?" Not expecting a freshman to talk back to him, Vice School Head You's face turned livid with rage.

"Who am I speaking to? Of course I know, 6-star master teacher You Xu, the vice school head of the Physician School! But do you know who you are speaking to?"

With an upright back, Zhang Xuan emanated an overwhelming aura of confidence.

"I am the honored guest of Pavilion Master Mo, School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, and School Head Wei, and they have entrusted their personal tokens to me as a symbol of that. On top of that, I am a 6-star blacksmith and a 6-star terpsichore. Yet, you dare to insult and threaten me... Isn't it clear who is the one who is being audacious here?"

A master teacher couldn't allow their dignity to be trampled upon.

That was all the more true for a Celestial Master Teacher like him!

"You..." Vice School Head You narrowed his eyes in fury.

He had heard of Zhang Xuan's affairs as well. The latter had raised a huge storm as soon as he'd arrived in the academy, and at this point, there was probably no one in the academy, be it the freshmen, seniors, or even teachers, who didn't know of his name.

Vice School Head You harbored a deep dislike for those who showed no regard for the rules, so he had intended to teach Zhang Xuan a lesson so as to suppress his arrogance. Who would have thought that the tables would turn on him instead?

The other party was right. The personal tokens of the three school heads represented their very presence. To chase three school heads away from his residence was a huge act of disrespect toward them, so it was indeed a faux pas on his part.

Even though he was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher as well, his standing was nowhere on par with the Ten Great Master Teachers.

"I brought my subordinate here to purchase a saint herb from you, and if you have any request for us, we are more than willing to listen. However, despite being a 6-star master teacher, you made a verbal assault on me as a person, insulting me as you pleased. If I report this matter to the academy, I wonder if they will be willing to redress my grievances!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.

"You... Good, good!" Not expecting that the words he had uttered in a moment of fury would actually be used against him, Vice School Head You's complexion turned incredibly awful.

A master teacher should have a bearing worthy of one.

As a 6-star master teacher, it was truly unbecoming of him to insult and humiliate a 6-star blacksmith.

If this matter were to be reported to the Master Teacher Academy, while it was unlikely that he would suffer any severe punishment, it would indubitably leave a stain on his records. Furthermore, if the students were to learn of his matter, he would be unable to keep his head held high in the Physician School.

He had long heard of Zhang Xuan's astounding deeds, but he didn't think that his words would be so sharp as well.

Knowing that he would only corner himself further if he were to continue bickering with the other party, Vice School Head You chose to change the topic decisively. "It took me a lot of effort to cultivate the Ten-leafed Flower. However, seeing that you really need it, I can consider selling it to you."

Vice School Head You's abrupt change in his words left Zhang Xuan and Wei Changfeng bewildered. The duo exchanged doubtful glances.

"However, the price might be a little steep!" Vice School Head You said.

"Please speak!" Wei Changfeng clasped his fist.

Even though he had no idea what the other party was up to, it was still good news for him that the other party was willing to sell the Ten-leafed Flower to him.

"I need a stalk of Cloudmist Flower. If you can bring me a Cloudmist Flower within two days, I will trade my Ten-leafed Flower for it!" Vice School Head You said.

"Cloudmist Flower?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Despite being a 4-star physician, he had never heard of this medicinal herb before.

Just as Zhang Xuan was going to ask what it was, he suddenly saw Wei Changfeng's face turning pale, and his body began trembling lightly.

"You know what it is?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"The Cloudmist Flower is a unique plant that appears only in the Cloudmist Ridge of Hongyuan Mountain Range. However, it isn't a medicinal herb... If one dries it first before boiling it in water, it will produce a stream of billowing steam reminiscent of the clouds. The Cloudmist Flower is an extremely precious tea leaf!" Wei Changfeng explained.

"Tea leaf? Exchanging a tea leaf for the Ten-leafed Flower?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The Ten-leafed Flower was a Saint-tier medicinal herb. Even in the market, it would easily fetch at least ten high-tier spirit stones. To exchange it for a tea leaf... Wasn't this too good a deal?

"Yes!" Wei Changfeng nodded. He opened his mouth once again to continue speaking, but at the very last moment, he changed his mind and turned to Vice School Head You instead. "Alright, I'll agree to it!"

"Good. I'll be waiting for your good news then." Chuckling lightly, Vice School Head You waved his hands.

"Rest assured! As long as you keep the end of your promise, I'll definitely succeed!" Wei Changfeng said with his fists clenched tightly behind his back. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Young Master, let's go!"

Since the negotiation was over, Zhang Xuan nodded, and the duo left the residence.

Shortly after they left, Sun Yuan turned to his teacher and asked, "Teacher, the Cloudmist Ridge is filled with saint beasts. Even if a master of beast taming like School Head Mo were to venture in there, it would be hard for him to return alive... To ask Boss Wei to pick a Cloudmist Flower from there, isn't that task a little... too dangerous?"

"Too dangerous? Of course I know! But you should have heard about Wei Changfeng's deeds in Hongyuan City as well... Vermin like him is much better off dead! As for that conceited and disrespectful Zhang Xuan, it would be best if he went along as well. But even if not, he shall learn that a 6-star master teacher... isn't a person whom he can offend that easily!" Vice School Head You sneered.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 792: It's Yours!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After leaving the residence, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask Wei Changfeng, "Is there something wrong with the Cloudmist Flower?"

No matter how he thought about the matter, it was bizarre that You Xu would suddenly change his mind and sell the Ten-leafed Flower at such an inexpensive price.

"That's not it. It's just that it isn't too easy to procure the Cloudmist Flower. Young Master, don't worry about this. I'll surely get it by hook or by crook to save my daughter!" Wei Changfeng replied with a determined glint in his eyes.

"Is that really it?" Zhang Xuan was still a little doubtful about the matter.

His impression of Vice School Head You wasn't too good, and he didn't think that the latter would be so kind as to let go of his Ten-leafed Flower for a stalk of tea leaf.

"Young Master, don't worry. This issue might be a little problematic, but I'll surely get it done!" Wei Changfeng assured.

Even to save his daughter, he couldn't allow the young master to bear the risk along with him.

Although he wasn't able to see how the treatment went, the fact that the young master had needed to consume a whole Miniature Restorative Pill to recuperate reflected how far he had exerted himself in order to save his daughter.

The young master had already gone this far to save his daughter, so he couldn't allow him to worry over this matter as well.

"Alright then... If you truly need help, feel free to tell me. Even though my cultivation might be beneath yours, I do have quite a few aces up my sleeves!" Seeing that Wei Changfeng was unwilling to speak about it, Zhang Xuan decided not to probe any further.

"Thank you, Young Master!" Wei Changfeng nodded.

"The Cloudmist Ridge is quite a distance away, so I'll have to rush a bit to make it back in two days. I will have to make some preparations as well, so I'll be taking my leave first!"

"Okay, go on." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Even though he still couldn't help but feel that something was amiss, considering that Wei Changfeng was a Saint realm expert and the boss of the Spirit Emporium, he decided to put his worries aside.

Hu!

After bidding Zhang Xuan farewell, Wei Changfeng immediately leaped into the sky, and in just a few moments, he had already disappeared from sight.

Saint realm experts were capable of flight, and even without aerial spirit beasts to carry them, they could travel tens of thousands of kilometers each day.

I should return to my residence as well!

After Wei Changfeng's departure, Zhang Xuan sighed a breath of relief. He was finally done settling the matters he had at hand, and fatigue began to set in once again.

Meeting Hu Yaoyao, browsing through the books in the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, cultivating, establishing a student faction, saving Wei Ruyan... Due to this whole string of events coming up one after another, he had already been awake for two days.

Fatigued, he headed right for his residence in the Elite Sector right after leaving the Physician School.

As soon as he pushed open the door to his residence, he saw Luo Qiqi walking up to him excitedly. "Teacher!"

In the time of Zhang Xuan's coma, in order to better take care of him, Luo Qiqi had created a spare key so that she could access the residence easier.

"You're here." Zhang Xuan nodded.

After the establishment of the Xuanxuan Faction, while the others were discussing the various administrative and logistical matters, he had Luo Qiqi return to take a good rest.

"Teacher, Senior Hu Yaoyao has been here since this morning..." Luo Qiqi told him via zhenqi telepathy.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The previous night, after teaching that conceited lass a lesson, he instructed her to report at his residence in the morning. It seemed like she was at least still punctual.

Walking into the main hall, Zhang Xuan saw Hu Yaoyao waiting inside. The air of superiority she'd held before had disappeared, and instead, Zhang Xuan could see a hint of respect and deference in her eyes.

The matter yesterday had left her slightly fearful.

She had utilized all her means against Zhang Xuan, but not only were they ineffective, she even had the favor reversed on her, resulting in her being berated by her teacher... On top of that, after practicing the revised Dance of the Rippling Cloud Robe and realizing how exceptional it was, she dared not pull her weight before the other party anymore.

Walking up to Zhang Xuan, Hu Yaoyao clenched her fists tightly and bowed slightly.

"Zhang shi."

As expected of one of the top beauties of the academy. Despite being dressed in the standard master teacher robe, the disposition she commanded, along with her movements and gestures, naturally left one's heart fluttering.

Her barely visible curvaceous figure under the loose robe seemed to spark one's imagination.

However, Zhang Xuan was completely impervious to all of that. He glanced at her nonchalantly and asked, "Do you know why I chose to take you in as my apprentice?"

Hu Yaoyao nodded. "You want me to tell you where Wu Yangzi's old residence is."

Saying those words, she couldn't help but feel slightly frustrated.

She was the leader of the Bewitching Devil Faction, a famed beauty and genius in the academy... Yet, he seemed so reluctant to have her become his apprentice... Just the thought of it left her feeling frenzied within.

Just how could there be such an oddball in the world?

She had thought that with her charms, she would be able to make any men obey her commands. But before Zhang Xuan, she felt as if her charm was worth less than a high-tier spirit stone.

"That's right. You can speak now." Seeing Hu Yaoyao understand her current position, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Indeed. That was the sole reason he had decided for her to become his apprentice. Otherwise, why in the world would he bother getting involved with such an eccentric and problematic person? It was not as if he had a lack of subordinates.

"Even if I were to point out the location, you will probably find it hard to believe. Instead, why don't I take you there instead?" Hu Yaoyao offered.

"Fine by me. Lead the way then." Zhang Xuan gestured toward the door.

Even though he was extremely exhausted at the moment, there was still some time before nightfall. Besides, it would be better to get this over and done with as soon as possible too.

"Alright then."

Hu Yaoyao nodded and made her way out of the residence.

Zhang Xuan beckoned for Luo Qiqi, and the two of them followed closely behind her.

Leaving the Master Teacher Academy, they walked through several streets and alleys, and soon, a magnificent manor appeared before their eyes.

Its incredible size and spectacular architecture gave the manor an air of majesty around it. With just a glance, one could tell that it belonged to someone extraordinary.

"This is the place!" Hu Yaoyao came to a stop before the magnificent manor and gestured.

"Here?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The courtyard, walls, bricks, and even the architecture style were all new! There was no sign of age whatsoever. This was Wu Yangzi's old residence?

Was this for real?

As one of the greatest blacksmith in his time, even if Wu Yangzi had gone missing, there would surely have been someone to maintain his residence to serve as a historical monument for future generations to honor him.

But this residence was completely brand new. There was no sign of wear and tear at all!

It was no wonder Hu Yaoyao had declared confidently that no one other than her knew the location of Wu Yangzi's old residence.

Even if someone managed to trace down the location to this magnificent manor, there was no way they would believe that this was it!

"This was the place where Elder Wu Yangzi lived two thousand years ago!" Hu Yaoyao nodded.

"But this entire manor is brand new; there isn't any sign of it being Wu Yangzi's old residence at all. How can you be certain that this is it?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Luo Qiqi was also curious about this.

This matter concerned the treasures that Wu Yangzi had left behind. If they couldn't even find his old residence, it would be impossible for them to obtain his treasure.

"I can't tell you how I know, but I can tell you for sure that this is it. Of the entire Hongyuan City, I am the only one who knows this!" Hu Yaoyao replied with a mysterious smile.

"Alright then." Seeing that Hu Yaoyao was unwilling to speak, Zhang Xuan knew that it would be useless even if he probed on.

In any case, the important thing was that they had found Wu Yangzi's old residence. Anything else was of little concern.

Thus, he turned his attention back to the manor.

The entrance had crimson doors made out of teak. Reeking of paint, it seemed like it had just been refurbished not too long ago.

The doors were tightly shut, but one could hear the sound of builders at work inside.

However, what was peculiar was even though the manor was in the midst of refurbishment, there was not a single person outside, not even a guard.

Typically speaking, manors of such a size would have guards standing at the doorway to ward off intruders and uninvited guests. However, there was nothing of that sort here. It was as if no one lived here.

"Shall I knock on the door?" Luo Qiqi asked.

"Let's hold that off for now..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Let's find a place to take a seat first."

For the time being, it was good enough for them to have confirmed that this manor was where Wu Yangzi's old residence was situated.

In order to find the treasure, it was likely that they would have to search throughout the manor, but if they were to do it recklessly, they might just make the owner suspicious, and that could complicate the matter. Thus, it was imperative that they planned this through.

For starters, it would be best for them to look into who the owner was before deciding on the next course of action.

After looking around, Zhang Xuan found a teahouse not too far away which had a clear view of the manor. Thus, beckoning the other two, the trio headed there.

Even though the teahouse was near the main street, as it was already approaching evening, there weren't many people in there, and it was relatively tranquil.

Heading straight to the second floor, they ordered a pot of tea. Afterward, as a waiter filled their cups, Zhang Xuan tossed him a middle-tier spirit stone and asked, "Lad, I have a question to ask you!"

The waiter's eyes lit up upon seeing the spirit stone, and he hurriedly clasped his fist. "Gongzi, feel free to speak. As long as it's not beyond me, I will answer any question you have!"

"To whom does the manor over there belong to? It doesn't look bad!" Zhang Xuan pointed to the manor opposite to the teahouse as he spoke.

"That manor? I'm not too sure of that either. It has been switching hands quite often recently. In the two years that I have been here, its owner has already changed thrice... no, with this, it should be the fourth time!" the waiter replied with a smile.

"It is already at its fourth owner? Why? Isn't it situated in a prime location?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.

"It is! That manor is close to the Master Teacher Academy, and it is facing the main street too. There is truly nothing to complain about its location! I'm not too sure about the details as well, but two years ago, when I first started working at this teahouse, it was a merchant who was living in there. However, I heard that two months after he bought down the manor, it seemed like an internal conflict broke out within his clan, and his business was adversely affected. Facing financial problems, the merchant had no choice but to sell the manor.

"The one whom the merchant sold the manor to was a high-ranking official of Hongyuan City. However, not too long after he got the residence, he was dispatched to another city to serve as its governor.

"Thus, the manor was then passed on to a gentleman whose surname is Zhao. He's a friendly person, and he often comes here for tea as well. He stayed in the manor for almost a year, but just a few days ago, he sold the manor to another person. The new owner seems to be an extremely affluent person. I heard that in order to have Zhao move away as soon as possible, he even paid him an additional sum. Currently, he's still in the midst of refurbishing the manor, so I don't think he has moved in yet. So far, I haven't had the chance to meet the new owner, so I'm not too sure who he is either," the waiter said.

"It was just sold a few days ago?" Zhang Xuan fell into thought.

He couldn't help but recall how Sun Qiang had said that he'd found a residence with an ideal location a few days ago, but another person had taken it before he could. Could it be that this manor was the residence which Sun Qiang had been talking about?

"Thank you, you may go now." After asking a few more questions and confirming that the waiter knew nothing about the new owner, Zhang Xuan gestured for the waiter to leave.

He sent a telepathic message to the Great Violetwing Beast to have it bring Sun Qiang over before returning back to sipping on his tea.

Not too long later, the Great Violetwing Beast appeared in the vicinity of the teahouse, and Sun Qiang leaped off its back and hurried toward Zhang Xuan.

"Young Master, you were looking for me?" Sun Qiang bowed.

"Yes. Is the manor over there the one that you were talking about previously?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Sun Qiang took a look at the manor before nodding. "Indeed. That's the residence which I wanted to purchase, but an affluent man clinched the deal instead..."

Both the size of the manor and the location which it was situated in fitted the young master's request perfectly. However, it was a pity that they didn't have sufficient money to outbid the other party, or else there was no way he would have given up on it.

"Do you know the details of that affluent man?" Zhang Xuan asked.

After a moment of contemplation, Sun Qiang replied, "That... I'm not too sure either. However, I think it should be possible to get his details by visiting the realtor agency where the trade was made!"

To officialize the sales of a residence, the documents regarding the exchange of deed had to be filed at a realtor agency. As such, it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover the identity of the new owner of the manor.

"Find out who the new owner of that manor is. I want the answer within two hours!" As Sun Qiang used to be in the realtor industry as well, he was more familiar with the various proceedings in the field, so it shouldn't take him too long.

"Yes!" Nodding affirmatively, Sun Qiang left the teahouse.

Around an hour later, he returned with a peculiar look on his face. His eyes were widened in disbelief, as if he had just seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" Seeing Sun Qiang's expression, Zhang Xuan was slightly puzzled.

"Young Master, is there any other freshman in the Master Teacher Academy who goes by the name of... Zhang Xuan too?" Sun Qiang asked with a bizarre look on his face.

"I should be the only one." Zhang Xuan frowned. "Didn't I ask you to look into who the new owner of the manor is? Why are you asking that instead?"

Considering Zhang Xuan's fame in the Master Teacher Academy, he should have at least heard about it if there was anyone of the thirty thousand students who shared the same name as him.

"If there is no one who shares the same name, then..."

At which, Sun Qiang took in a deep breath and said, "I think the manor belongs to you!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 793: Zheng Yang Accepts a Disciple

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Mine?" Zhang Xuan was stunned. His hands trembled, and tea spilled from the cup he held in his hands. "What do you mean by it belongs to me?"

"I just went to the realtor agency to look into the matter, and according to the document filed there, the new owner goes by the name of Zhang Xuan!" Sun Qiang seemed to be in a state of disbelief as well as he spoke.

"I found it weird as well, so I asked them about that Zhang Xuan's occupation and identity. The answer I received was that he is a Grade-1 freshman of the Master Teacher Academy. This is also why I asked Young Master if there is anyone who shares the same name as you among the freshmen. If there isn't... the only possibility left is that the owner of the manor is you!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan blinked in a daze, nearly fainting from shock.

He had never seen this manor before, and he didn't have the money to buy such a large manor either. How could it possibly be his?

If it had been a day before, he would have been certain that it must be a freshman who just coincidentally shared the same name as him. However, Zhang Xuan had replicated a copy of the registry with the names of all of the Xuanxuan Faction's members in it yesterday, and checking it, there was no one with the same name or even a similar sounding name to his.

What was going on?

"What about the buyer? Did you get any information on the person who bought the manor?" Zhang Xuan asked.

If he was registered in the deed, someone must have made the deal in his stead.

But... what was the motive behind doing this?

"I tried looking into it as well, but it seems like even the realtor agency has no idea who the buyer is. They left no information whatsoever with the realtor agency, only saying that the new owner will take over the house once the refurbishment is done," Sun Qiang replied.

The more he tried to dig deeper into the matter, the more bewildered he became.

He had attempted to buy the manor, but he couldn't outbid the other buyer. Yet, mysteriously, the manor was suddenly put under the young master's name?

"This..." Zhang Xuan also found the situation bizarre as well.

He had heard of people giving the wrong amount of money when purchasing items, but he had never heard of people putting down the wrong name on a deed when buying a home.

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but turn to the lady before him and ask, "Luo Qiqi, was this you?"

Of the entire Hongyuan City, the one who was most likely to do such a thing was this student of his.

Luo Qiqi shook her head. "How could it be me? Even if I wished to buy it, I don't have the money to afford such a grand manor..."

"That's true..." Zhang Xuan frowned.

Considering the location and size of the manor, its price could possibly reach up to a hundred high-tier spirit stones... Even with Luo Qiqi's mysterious background, it didn't seem likely that she would have so much money on hand with her.

"Then... could it be Yu Fei-er and the others?"

If it wasn't Luo Qiqi, the only few he could think of were Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others. Coming from prestigious clans, not to mention that Yu Fei-er was the Sixth Princess of Hongyuan Empire at that, it wasn't implausible for them to be able to afford such a manor.

"Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others went into seclusion to cultivate after undergoing the Meridian and Bone Cleansing to attempt to make a breakthrough to the Perfect Harmonization realm. I don't think that they have the time to bother about this matter..." Luo Qiqi shook her head.

If they had the time to do something like that, they would have long come to pay a visit to Zhang Xuan, especially since that they had parted abruptly at the underground chamber.

Since they didn't even have the time to do so, how could they possibly have the time to buy a manor for him?

Besides, Yu Fei-er was her close friend. If she had done something like that, there was no reason she would have hidden it from her.

"Then... who could it be?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Mo Gaoyuan, School Head Mo, and the others were plausible candidates, but Zhang Xuan didn't think that it was likely to be them.

Even though they were interested in getting on good terms with him, there were many ways for them to do it. Purchasing a manor and refurbishing it to give it as a gift to him was going overboard, especially in view of their identities as 6-star master teachers. Such actions could easily make them the laughingstock of the city.

"Forget it. Since the other party has written my name on the deed, it should be a matter of time before they appear before me. Otherwise, won't their money have been spent in vain?" After a moment longer of pondering, Zhang Xuan was unable to figure out who it was, so he decided to just put it aside for the time being.

Considering the amount of money invested into purchasing and renovating the manor, it would be foolish for the person in question not to claim credit for their actions.

"Teacher, are we going to move into the manor then?" Luo Qiqi asked.

"Not yet. Since the deed is registered under my name, the person behind this should come to look for me once the refurbishment is done. At that moment, we shall move into the manor openly!" Zhang Xuan gestured.

Since it was already his manor, there was no need for him to worry about the matter anymore. But just to be safe, it would be best for him to meet the person behind it first to confirm their intentions before doing anything.

"Alright!" Luo Qiqi nodded.

"Sun Qiang, tell Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang that they can stop looking for a residence," Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes, Young Master!" Sun Qiang replied.

"Alright, let's return to the academy then!"

Since the owner of the manor was confirmed to be him, his job here was done. After issuing several instructions to Sun Qiang, he returned back to the academy with Luo Qiqi and Hu Yaoyao.

As soon as he returned back to his residence in the Elite Sector, he went to his room and began meditating.

After conditioning his body for around four hours, his fatigue finally vanished.

Turning his sight outside, he realized that it was already the middle of the night. The sky felt a little heavy and gloomy that night. As if someone had pulled a black veil across the sky, there was not a single star or moon to be seen.

Since I am free at the moment, I should pay the Physician School a visit to read their books! Zhang Xuan thought.

Ever since the previous treatment for Wei Ruyan, he realized that his knowledge regarding the Way of Medicine was still lacking, so he had been thinking about paying a visit to the library of the Physician School.

The more knowledge he accrued, the better chance he stood at saving Wei Ruyan.

Thus, without any hesitation, he drew out his soul, and he began making his way to the Physician School.

From the incident with Wei Ranxue, he had learned that even in his form as a soul, he still had to operate carefully due to the presence of Saint realm experts in the academy. Thus, he advanced slowly, and it took him an hour before he was able to get into the vicinity of the Tower of Physicians.

The library is over there...

While Zhang Xuan was in the Physician School earlier, he had made sure to take a look around to confirm the location of the library. Thus, it didn't take long before he reached his destination

The gigantic building he was currently floating before emanated a solemn and academic aura.

Just like the Terpsichore Compendium Pavilion, entry into its premises required a student token and Academic Credits. Thus, Zhang Xuan waited patiently outside.

Unlike the Terpsichore School, the Physician School was ranked fifth in the academy, and it had several ten thousand students under it. As such, there were many students who visited the library each day, so the wait shouldn't take too long.

As expected, a few minutes later, a student walked out from the entrance. Making use of this opportunity, Zhang Xuan's soul slipped in.

Upon entering the library, an incredible collection of books immediately appeared before his eyes.

"Alright, I should begin!" Chuckling lightly, Zhang Xuan started scanning through the books with his eyes, and books began materializing in the Library of Heaven's Path at an incredible speed.

...

When Zhang Xuan went back to the Master Teacher Academy, Sun Qiang also returned to their residence.

When night fell, he saw Wang Ying and the others returning with their heads hanging in disappointment.

It was a difficult feat, searching for a suitable residence in the vicinity of the Master Teacher Academy. Otherwise, Sun Qiang would have already found something by now.

"Where is Young Master Zheng Yang? He didn't return with you all?"

Just as Sun Qiang was about to tell them that there was no need to search any longer, he suddenly realized that Zheng Yang was missing, and he frowned.

"We don't know either. We separated in the morning to scour the area for a suitable residence, and I only met Wang Ying on the way back. However, there should be no need to worry. He is probably on his way back," Liu Yang replied.

"Zheng Yang is a wary person, and he has inherited teacher's heritage. He should be fine!" Wang Ying nodded.

Of Zhang Xuan's direct disciples, the one who had the strongest adaptability was Yuan Tao, followed by Zheng Yang. It would already be a blessing to the world if he didn't attempt to do anyone in; how could anything possibly happen to him?

While they were speaking, a figure walked into the courtyard.

Who else could it be if not Zheng Yang?

"Uncle Qiang!" Zheng Yang rushed up with excitement gleaming in his eyes.

Seeing Zheng Yang's expression, Sun Qiang asked doubtfully, "Did you find a residence?"

"That's not it... It's just that I encountered something today, and I wish to discuss it with you!" Zheng Yang scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Discuss with me? What is it?" Sun Qiang asked.

Zhang Xuan had left his students in Sun Qiang's care, so they would often turn to Sun Qiang for most decisions.

"It's like this... While I was outside, I met a person who is interested in learning spearmanship from me. I wish to take him in as my disciple and allow him to stay here for a few days. Is that fine?" Zheng Yang asked embarrassedly.

"You wish to take in a student?" Sun Qiang widened his eyes in shock.

You are still a student yourself, but you wish to accept a student?

"That's right. I saw that that fellow possessed quite a high aptitude in spearmanship, so I gave him some pointers casually. Who would have thought that he would insist on acknowledging me as his teacher afterward? He even gave him quite a sum as a school fee... Seeing how sincere he was, I couldn't bear to turn him down," Zheng Yang said hesitantly.

When he was out looking for a residence earlier in the day, he coincidentally stumbled upon a bullying incident, and out of rage, he drew his spear and taught the bullies a lesson. A young man happened to catch sight of him in action, and impressed by what he saw, the other party insisted on learning spearmanship from him.

After studying diligently under Zhang shi over the past half a year, Zheng Yang's spearmanship had already reached an unfathomable level. Upon hearing that someone was interested in learning from him, he couldn't help but offer him a few words of guidance. To his surprise, that young man was extremely intelligent, comprehending what he imparted in an instant.

Even though his spearmanship was still a little weak, it was fortunate that his foundations were still considerably solid. As a result, Zheng Yang's interest in taking the other party as his disciple was piqued.

However... considering that he was still a student himself, he felt that he should discuss this with his teacher first.

But since this teacher wasn't around, the second-best option would be Uncle Qiang.

"He paid you a school fee? How much?" Sun Qiang asked.

"It is all in here!" Zheng Yang passed a storage ring over.

Perplexed, Sun Qiang took the storage ring and had a look inside. The next instant, his eyes widened in shock. "Twenty thousand middle-tier spirit stones? And so many pills as well... Is this the school fee he paid to acknowledge you as his teacher?"

Other than the twenty thousand middle-tier spirit stones, there were various herbs and other miscellaneous stuff inside as well.

Totaling the entire value of the items in the ring, there were definitely at least fifty thousand middle-tier spirit stones...

The other party had paid so much money to learn spearmanship from Zheng Yang?

Just where in the world did Zheng Yang find such a wealthy lad?

"That's right. I wish to take him in as my student... but I fear that Teacher will disagree with it. Uncle Qiang, please help me convince my teacher about this..."

"Don't worry! Given the school fee... Ahem! As a master teacher, the young master surely wishes to spread his teachings far and wide, so you don't have to worry about it!" Sun Qiang smiled.

After the time he had spent with the young master, how could he possibly not know the latter's character?

As long as one was willing to fork out sufficient money... Putting aside a single disciple, he would even accept an army of them without any hesitation!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 794: The Excited Xue Zhenyang

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"That's great!" Hearing that there was no problem about it, Zheng Yang heaved a sigh of relief. He hurriedly turned to the entrance excitedly and said, "Come in!"

"Yes!"

Hearing those words, a young man wielding a spear walked into the residence. His aura felt condensed and sharp, reminiscent of a blade piercing into the heavens.

In his early thirties, the young man had sharp facial features which gave him a masculine appearance.

"Uncle Qiang, Wang Ying, and Liu Yang, this is the student I have accepted!" Zheng Yang introduced.

"Student Xue Zhenyang pays respect to seniors!" the young man greeted with a clasped fist.

"Xue Zhenyang? Your cultivation... seems to be considerably higher than Zhenyang, isn't it? Why did you choose to acknowledge him as your teacher?" Sun Qiang frowned.

While he wasn't able to gauge the exact level of the other party's cultivation, he could tell that it was definitely far above Zheng Yang's.

Why would an expert of his strength acknowledge a young child as his teacher?

"Even though my cultivation is higher than Zheng laoshi, my comprehension of spearmanship is far beneath him. It's my honor to be able to learn from someone as capable as him!" Xue Zhenyang said respectfully.

Naturally, this was the same Xue Zhenyang from the Master Teacher Academy, the leader of the True Helios Faction, as well as the fellow who was determined to challenge Zhang Xuan.

Having decided to devote his heart to master the 10-dan of the Fallen Leaf Spear, he left the Master Teacher Academy to embark on a training expedition, and in the midst of doing so, he unintentionally caught sight of Zheng Yang's spearmanship.

While the latter's cultivation was far beneath his, his understanding of spearmanship had already achieved the level of Spear-Man Union, harnessing immense might.

In a brief conversation with the other party, he realized that the latter's comprehension of spearmanship had already achieved the level of Distillation of the Profound, a direct interpretation of the peak of spear art. As a result, he couldn't help but want to learn from him.

He could see that if he were to learn diligently under the other party's tutelage, he would be able to grasp the 10-dan of the Fallen Leaf Spear perfectly very soon. By then, he would be able to destroy Zhang Xuan and restore the honor of the True Helios Faction!

It was never a humiliation for a master teacher to learn from someone weaker or younger. On the contrary, there had been many of such cases in history.

In the philosophy of master teachers, students are not necessarily inferior to their teacher, and teachers are not necessarily greater than their students. Each and every person has their own strengths, and it is the one proficient in the field that becomes the teacher.

Even Kong shi had studied under those weaker than him, needless to say, other master teachers.

"I see!" Sun Qiang nodded.

As the butler of the old master and the young master, he had a rough understanding of the various doctrines of the master teachers too.

Considering that Zheng Yang was a direct disciple of the young master, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to teach a nobody.

"For the time being, you don't have to look for our residence anymore, so just focus your effort on your cultivation. Zheng Yang, it's fine if you want to impart him spearmanship. I'll report this matter to the young master for you!" Seeing that the other fellow was sincere in wanting to acknowledge Zheng Yang as his teacher, Sun Qiang decided to let them be.

"Un!" Zheng Yang nodded before turning to Xue Zhenyang, "Study diligently for the next few days. Once you reach a satisfactory level, I will bring you to meet my teacher. His comprehension of spearmanship is at least ten times more formidable than me, so don't you embarrass me!"

As he spoke those words, admiration gleamed in his eyes.

"Teacher, rest assured! I will study diligently so as to not disappoint grandteacher!" Xue Zhenyang nodded his head in agitation.

It was no wonder why people say that the true experts live in the streets. Just a random person he met in the streets already possessed such formidable spearmanship, and he even had a teacher who was ten times more formidable than him...

As long as he were to pursue this teacher of his, he had no doubt that he would be able to achieve the 10-dan of Fallen Spear Art soon, and perhaps... he might even find himself reaching a level he had never thought to be possible!

"Un. I will be sparring with your Senior Aunt Wang Ying now, so do watch closely to see how I utilize my spear in the battle!" Zheng Yang said as he drew his spear.

Battle techniques weren't just about comprehending its form and intent. More importantly, one must learn how to incorporate it into battle as well.

As such, sparring was the best way to deepen one's understanding of battle techniques.

"Roger!" Xue Zhenyang nodded excitedly.

"Wang Ying, I'll be troubling you..."

With a swift movement, Zheng Yang's spear suddenly pierced right for Wang Ying with a sharp whiz.

As fellow students, they often sparred with one another, and they were extremely familiar with each other's strength and battle techniques. Upon seeing the pierce, Wang Ying smiled lightly, and with a swift step, her figure vanished like an apparition, dodging the spear.

Hu!

Following which, as swift as lightning, Wang Ying sent a kick right for Zheng Yang's spear. Even though she was executing a battle technique, her movements carried a peculiar elegance to them, reminiscent of a butterfly threading amongst flowers.

"What a formidable movement art and leg art..." Xue Zhenyang widened his eyes in astonishment.

His Senior Aunt Wang Ying's cultivation might be far beneath him, but her mastery of leg art and movement art were far above those teachers of the Martial Arts School.

In fact... he even doubted whether his teacher, the head of the Martial Arts School, School Head Xu Changqing, would be able to execute such a move as well. Her movements were simple, but every single aspect of it, be it the timing, trajectory, or force, was flawless. He had never seen anything like this before!

Hu hu hu hu!

The duo soon completed their sparring. In the process, Xue Zhenyang stared at every single action they made carefully, not daring to even blink for fear of missing the slightest detail.

In this battle, both sides were incredible. The spearmanship, movement art, and leg art utilized in the battle had left his heart thumping with excitement and awe, as if a new world had opened before him.

"Zheng Yang, why don't we give it a go too?" Liu Yang stepped in and asked with a smile.

This was the first time any of them had accepted a student, and for someone as young as they were, it was inevitable that they would be tempted to show off before the other party's student.

"Sure!" Zheng Yang agreed to it heartily. Raising his spear once more, he charged at Liu Yang.

Xue Zhenyang hurriedly turned his attention to the duel, curious to see what his Senior Uncle Liu Yang was capable of.

Unlike Senior Aunt Wang Ying, Senior Uncle Liu Yang couldn't move at unbelievable speed, and he didn't seem to specialize in leg art either. However, what was incredible about him was the sheer might of his fist. Before the attack of Zheng Yang laoshi could strike him, he had already sent out a powerful punch aimed precisely to jolt away Zheng Yang's spear.

Zhenqi burst from his acupoints, and his fist hustled forward with the roar of a tiger.

"What a formidable fist art... Given the same cultivation realm, even Yuan Gang, who specializes in fist art, wouldn't survive a single strike from him..." Xue Zhenyang was overwhelmed by agitation.

He thought that it would take him some time before he could gain a greater insight into spearmanship and comprehend higher tier battle techniques. Who could have thought that in the very first day of his journey, he had already met so many formidable people.

Even though the teacher, Senior Uncle, and Senior Aunt whom he had just acknowledged weren't as strong as him, their understanding of battle techniques had far surpassed most master teachers in the academy.

Perhaps, even surpassing some of the elders as well!

Unbelievable!

Soon, after his teacher and Senior Uncle Liu Yang was done sparring, the duo smiled at one another before turning to Xue Zhenyang, "How is it?"

"Teacher, Senior Uncle, and Senior Aunt, if it isn't too much, I... have a request to ask of you." Taking a deep breath, Xue Zhenyang suppressed his agitation and bowed with clasp fist.

"Oh?" Seeing Xue Zhenyang's grim expression, everyone immediately pricked their ears in curiosity.

"It's like that... I have established a faction, and most of my followers are interested in battle techniques, spending most of their life devoted to the study martial arts. If it isn't too much, may I invite teacher, Senior Aunt, and Senior Uncle to conduct a few lectures for them to impart them the essence of battle techniques?" Xue Zhenyang asked nervously.

"Lecture?" Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang glanced at one another with a distressed look on their faces. "We are not master teachers, how can we lecture?"

In the Master Teacher Continent, 'lecture' was a word that was usually associated with only master teachers. They might possess a deep understanding of battle techniques, but to lecture others despite not being a master teacher... Wouldn't they be overstepping their boundaries if so?

"Even though you aren't master teachers, you have reached a level of mastery in your field of battle techniques which most master teachers would never achieve in their lifetime. Even though it might not be much, I'll have my followers pay a school fee for the lecture as a token of our sincerity..." After a moment of hesitation, Xue Zhenyang said.

If he could invite the three of them to his faction to lecture his followers, the fighting prowess of his followers would surely soar. If so, it would be a matter of time before the True Helios Faction became the number one faction in the academy!

With that, he would be able to cleanse the humiliation he had suffered from Zhang Xuan.

"School fee? How much?"

Before Wang Ying and the others could respond, Sun Qiang, who had been listening to the conversation by the side, asked with an excited gleam in his eyes.

As the butler of the group, he was in charge of in charge of the finances and logistics of the group. Naturally, he understood the importance of money as well.

Currently, the spirit stones earned by the young master wasn't even enough to sustain his cultivation. It was about time for them to step up and provide for themselves.

If Wang Ying and the others could make use of this opportunity to earn a bit of money, they would be able to overcome the current financial crisis they were suffering from. The young master would surely be more than delighted to see this.

"This... I will have each of them pay a hundred middle-tier spirit stones to you. I have a total of 500 followers, so it should add up to fifty thousand middle-tier spirit stones..." Xue Zhenyang said.

The True Helios Faction was a famous faction in the academy, with over two thousand members under their command. However, the only ones whose field of specialty collided with these three probably only numbered five hundred.

"Five hundred? A hundred from each person?" Sun Qiang's eyes lit up.

Through a single event, they could earn more than fifty thousand middle-tier spirit stones!

"I see... Why don't we set the price a two hundred, and not only will they impart the essence of battle techniques, they will also decipher the foundation of cultivation. Don't worry, I can guarantee you that this is a deal you won't regret it!" After a moment of contemplation, Sun Qiang said.

"Foundation of cultivation?" Xue Zhenyang was taken aback.

"That's right. Wang Ying, tell him a bit about the cultivation method of Prolonged Longevity realm!" Sun Qiang nodded.

"Yes!" Wang Ying nodded, and after organizing her thoughts for a moment, she began to speak.

Prolonged Longevity realm was the first dan of Transcendent Mortal, and it laid the foundation for all of the realms to come. If cultivated improperly, not only would one's further progress slow, it might even create an invisible cap on the person's eventual accomplishment!

Wang Ying hadn't read many books on the topic before, but as a cultivator of a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art and having learned directly from Zhang Xuan, her understanding of the subject had reached an astonishing level.

With just a few words from her, Xue Zhenyang's body was already convulsing with excitement.

The proposed cultivation method allowed the cultivator to first built a strong foundation before delving deeper into the cultivation realm, creating an extremely stable base... Not even the greatest teacher in the academy could come up with something as ingenious as that!

It could be said that this cultivation method close to perfection. Just by hearing a small portion of it, Xue Zhenyang had already benefitted greatly from the impartation.

"This is wonderful! If my followers can listen to this as well, they would be able to reinforce their foundation and cultivate even faster!"

The more Xue Zhenyang thought about it, the more agitated he became. He immediately turned to look at Wang Ying and the others in agitation, as if he was looking at a mountain of gold.

Even though he had no idea what master teacher could groom such talented students, there was one thing he did know... The rise of the True Helios Faction was on the horizon!

If his followers could listen to their lecture as well, not only would the members of the True Helios Faction enjoy tremendous progress in their cultivation and understanding of battle techniques, the True Helios Faction would also be able to attract a steady stream of students applying for it!

With this, he would be able to rise over the others and reach the top!

"Hahaha, Zhang Xuan! Let's see how you can compete with this!"

Xue Zhenyang's eyes lit up with excitement, and for a brief moment, he could almost see the radiant future of the True Helios Faction before him.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 795: Nothing Must Happen To You!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"How is it? This decipher of the foundations of cultivation is worth two hundred middle-tier spirit stones, right?" Seeing Xue Zhenyang's expression, Sun Qiang could immediately tell that he was drawn to the content of Wang Ying's words, so he pushed on with a smile.

He had absolute confidence with the old master and the young master's interpretation of cultivation.

Since the old master was able to make so many formidable master teachers submit him, surely winning over a nobody like the other party should be a walk in the park for his grandstudent?

"Worth, it is definitely worth two hundred middle-tier spirit stones!" Xue Zhenyang nodded vehemently.

"Good. So as we have agreed, each lecture conducted by Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang will cost two hundred middle-tier spirit stones for each person. I will have to ask you to first prepare the spirit stones in advance before the lecture, or else... I'm afraid that we'll have to drop the matter!"

As a true merchant, Sun Qiang was determined to wring the greatest benefit out of any deal he made.

"Two hundred middle-tier spirit stones per lecture?" Xue Zhenyang's lips twitched violently. Nevertheless, he still nodded swiftly, "Alright!"

Master teachers did conduct public lectures from time to time, and the price they charged tended to be on the pricey side. Considering the deep comprehension of cultivation and battle techniques that the three of them possessed, charging two hundred middle-tier spirit stones could already be considered as cheap.

When Kong shi first established the Master Teacher Pavilion, while his ideology was to enlighten the masses and bring humanity to greater heights, his intent wasn't to impart everything unreservedly to everyone.

Otherwise, he wouldn't pass down his heritage to only the 72 Sages.

It was said that Kong shi's initial intent regarding the Master Teacher Pavilion was indeed accessible knowledge without discrimination. However, there was an event where a student had misinterpreted his cultivation technique and imparted his flawed interpretation on to many talented geniuses, resulting in their eventual downfall.

Considering the profoundness of battle techniques, it was extremely easy for one to veer down the wrong path without proper guidance from a teacher.

Knowledge is as destructive as it is beneficial. This was also the intent behind the saying 'knowledge is not to be divulged indiscriminately, and skills are not to be passed down easily'.

Master teachers were humans as well, they had limited time and energy on their hands. Thus, they could only focus their efforts on a few students at a time to pass their true heritage down to.

This was also the reason why there was the eventual classification of direct disciple, normal student, listening in, and half-teacher.

From that perspective, conducting public lectures could be considered as an additional service performed by master teachers, and master teachers did require money as well. Thus, it became a convention to charge a fee for such public lectures.

"Good! We'll leave the arrangements to you then! When will the lecture be?" Seeing Xue Zhenyang agree to it, Sun Qiang nodded in satisfaction.

Just as they were frustrating over the lack of money, the other party came and delivered a carriage of it to them. He sure was a good man!

However, this was indeed a viable source of income. If they were to find themselves tight on their finances at any moment, they could just conduct public lectures, and money would start rolling in...

"It would be best for it to be done as soon as possible! Is tomorrow morning fine?" Xue Zhenyang asked.

Since this was an opportunity for the True Helios Faction to soar, it would be best for it to be done as soon as possible!

"Morning?" Not expecting the other party to be so anxious, Sun Qiang hesitated for a moment before nodding, "That's fine as well!"

This wasn't a serious matter anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem. He could just report it to the young master once it was over.

"Great! I will bring you all to the Master Teacher Academy with me tomorrow morning then!" Hearing the other party agree to it, Xue Zhenyang nodded in excitement.

"Master Teacher Academy?" Hearing those words, everyone leaped in shock. Sun Qiang asked in astonishment, "You are... a master teacher?"

"Indeed!" Xue Zhenyang nodded.

"This..." Everyone glanced at one another with a troubled look on their faces.

They had thought the other party was a nobody, but to think that he would be a student from the Master Teacher Academy...

Young master was currently in the academy as well. Wouldn't it be bad for them to conduct a lesson there without asking for his permission?

"Uncle Qiang, what do we do?" Everyone's gaze gathered on Sun Qiang, and Zheng Yang sent a telepathic message over.

"This... It shouldn't be anything much, I think... So what if the ones you are going to lecture to are master teachers? There are plenty of master teachers out there who have submitted to the old master. Isn't even Pavilion Master Mo filled with admiration for him as well? As the grandstudent of such a figure, there's nothing for you to be afraid of! As long as you explain the concepts the young master has imparted you carefully, there shouldn't be any problem!" After a moment of hesitation, Sun Qiang replied with gritted teeth.

What about the Master Teacher Academy? He had never feared anything before, so why should he fear it?

It was the other party who was inviting them over to conduct a lecture, not that they were forcing the other party into it.

Moreover, to allow money that was nearly in their pockets to slip away...

"Then... on teacher's side..." Wang Ying asked worriedly.

"Leave the young master to me, you just have to focus your effort on conducting the lecture... As long as you do a good job, the young master shouldn't have any objections to the matter!" Sun Qiang replied.

Given the dire state of their finances, surely beggars couldn't be choosers?

It wasn't easy for them to meet a God of Fortune. It would be a huge shame if they were to let this opportunity slip past their fingers.

The young master should be able to understand the rationale of their action.

"Alright... Teacher has been taking care of us all along, it's time for us to do something for him!"

Wang Ying and the others clenched their fists tightly.

The resources for their cultivation had always come from their teacher. Since this was a rare opportunity to give back to him, it was natural that they would be excited to do so.

"It's decided then. Xue Zhenyang, you should rest here tonight. Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang will follow you to the Master Teacher Academy tomorrow!" Having come to a decision, Sun Qiang turned to Xue Zhenyang and said.

"Roger!" Xue Zhenyang nodded excitedly.

...

Hu!

After several hours, Zhang Xuan finally finished taking in all of the books in the library of the Physician School into the Library of Heaven's Path, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

After which, making use of the opportunity of another student's entrance, he slipped out of the library and returned back to his residence.

"Compile!"

With a thought, the books came together and formed six books, ranging from 1-star to 6-star.

Since he was already a 4-star physician, there was no purpose in reading the earlier books. Thus, he picked up the fifth book straight.

Huala!

The content of the book flowed into Zhang Xuan's head, and he swiftly began assimilating the knowledge.

It took a while before he was able to fully comprehend the wisdom contained within the book.

Following which, he turned to the sixth book.

An hour later, he was done assimilating the knowledge within it as well.

After that, he went back to browse through the earlier four books, and as he had expected, their crux was similar to what he had compiled earlier.

"Right now, my knowledge in the Way of Medicine should be on par with 6-star pinnacle physicians..."

After he was finally done studying the six Heaven's Path Physician Art manuals, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply.

Zhang Xuan's current knowledge in the Way of Medicine ranked at the very peak of 6-star pinnacle. Even the head of the Physician School would be no match for him, and he might even be able to rival some of the less proficient 7-star physicians too.

"Wei Ruyan's illness..."

With the advancement in his understanding of the Way of Medicine, Zhang Xuan began pondering over Wei Ruyan's illness once more. But after some time, he eventually shook his head.

The young lady was struck a heavy blow while she was still in the womb, resulting in her suffering from a Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood. Her condition was simply too weak that there was nothing he could do other than to nourish her soul and physical body.

"As long as I obtain the Ten-leafed Flower and pair it with some additional medicinal herb to complement its effects, I should be able to hasten the recovery of her soul."

Vice School Head You Xu's Ten-leafed Flower hadn't matured yet, so its effects wouldn't reach ideality. However, with Zhang Xuan's newfound knowledge, he would be able to complement the Ten-leafed Flower with several other medicinal herbs to boost its effectiveness.

"Yet another night has passed!"

Putting aside those thoughts from his mind, Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily as he walked out of his room, only to realize that the sky had already lit up.

The rays of the sun fell upon the courtyard, reflecting a brilliant gold on the ground.

"Teacher!"

After eating breakfast, Zhang Xuan was just about to head out when Luo Qiqi walked into the residence.

"You came at a good timing. There's something that I forgot to ask you yesterday!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile as he suddenly recalled something that he had neglected yesterday.

He had been too shocked upon learning that the manor where Wu Yangzi's old residence was situated at belonged to him that he forgot to ask Luo Qiqi about that matter.

"Teacher, please speak!" Luo Qiqi said with a perplexed expression.

"Have you heard of the Cloudmist Flower before?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He had noticed some peculiarities in Wei Changfeng yesterday, but he had shrugged it off thinking that it shouldn't be a problem for him as a Saint realm expert. However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that things weren't that simple.

"Cloudmist Flower? Is teacher referring to the flowers that grow on the Cloudmist Ridge which can be processed into tea leaves?" Luo Qiqi pondered for a moment before replying.

"Yes, that's it!"

He hadn't heard of the Cloudmist Ridge before, but Wei Changfeng did say that the Cloudmist Flower could be dried to serve as tea leaf, and the tea brewed from it produced billowing clouds and had a refreshing fragrance, making it a sought-after product.

"According to what I have heard from Yu Fei-er, the Cloudmist Flower is a very precious commodity. Not only is it rare, it is very difficult to harvest it as well. Even if one were to take the entire Hongyuan Empire into account, there is barely a few stalks of it. Even the royal family will only use it to welcome esteemed guests of the empire!" Luo Qiqi replied after a moment of contemplation.

"It's so rare?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. A moment later, a frown emerged on his face as he asked, "You mentioned that it's very difficult to harvest earlier, what does that mean?"

"The Cloudmist Ridge is located in the midst of Hongyuan Mountain Range, and it is home to countless spirit beasts and saint beasts. Any human that steps into the Cloudmist Ridge will suffer their ferocious assaults, making it a dangerous territory to tread. Even a master of beast taming such as School Head Mo wouldn't dare to venture too deep into it!" Luo Qiqi said.

"This is also the reason why the Cloudmist Ridge is classified as a Forbidden Land!"

"Forbidden Land?" Gedeng, Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat as his complexion turned awful.

"Indeed!" Seeing Zhang Xuan's expression, Luo Qiqi asked doubtfully, "What's wrong, teacher?"

"If a Saint realm expert were to enter the Cloudmist Ridge to harvest a Cloudmist Flower, what will happen?" Zhang Xuan asked anxiously with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"A Saint realm expert? The odds are that he won't be able to return alive. Even the stock of Cloudmist Flowers that the Hongyuan Empire royal family possesses comes from occasional expeditions with over a dozen Saint realm experts in the team. Even so, they dare not to venture too deep to harvest more for fear of their life. How could a single Saint realm expert survive in such lands alone? He would surely be killed!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

"Surely be killed? Damn it!" Zhang Xuan's fists shook uncontrollably.

He finally understood why Wei Changfeng's complexion would look so awful after hearing about the Cloudmist Flower.

It seemed like he knew the dangers associated with it!

"That explains why that darned You Xu changed his mind... So that's what he's going for!" Zhang Xuan said with a livid face.

An aura reminiscent of the brewing of a tempest gathered around him, ready to burst at any moment.

"Teacher..." Luo Qiqi's body stiffened upon seeing his state.

Ever since she first met her teacher, the latter had been able to keep his calm regardless of how bad the situation before him was. Back then, in the underground chamber, when the both of them were in dire straits, he was still able to deal with it with composure. Yet, seeing him in such a state... Just what could have happened?

"I'm fine!" Seeing the worried gaze of the young lady before him, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before asking, "Where is the Cloudmist Ridge?"

"The Cloudmist Ridge is around a thousand li 1 east from here. Its name is derived from the clouds that shroud it all year round, making it a conspicuous landmark!" Luo Qiqi said.

"I'll be going out for a moment!"

Upon learning the location, Zhang Xuan immediately rushed out of his residence and began running.

At the same time, he sent a telepathic message out, and not too long later, the Great Violetwing Beast appeared before him. Leaping onto its back, they headed eastward.

Wei Changfeng, since you have pledged your allegiance to me, I won't allow anything to happen to you!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 796: For What?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The Great Violetwing Beast was capable of flying at an incredible speed. The distance of a thousand li was covered swiftly.

In the meandering Hongyuan Mountain Range, a towering mountain was shrouded amidst clouds. The sun rays falling on it refracted to form a brilliant myriad of colors. Accompanied with the rich spiritual energy on the grounds and the occasional calls of beasts and fowls, it felt like a heavenly realm.

"So this is the Cloudmist Ridge!" Recalling Luo Qiqi's introduction, Zhang Xuan stared at it with a grave expression.

Even before reaching, he could already feel the concentrated spiritual energy spilling from it, as if a natural Spirit Gathering Formation had been erected on the mountain. Without a doubt, such a blessed land would have countless powerful spirit beasts and saint beasts on it.

"I need to speed up!"

Knowing that Wei Changfeng might be in danger at this very moment, Zhang Xuan urged the Great Violetwing Beast forward. However, as they reached the foot of the mountain, the Great Violetwing Beast seemed to have felt some kind of fearsome aura which rendered it unwilling to advance forward regardless of what he said. Thus, he could only have it wait at the bottom of the mountain while he ventured up alone.

"Eye of Insight!"

Activating the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, Zhang Xuan scanned his surroundings carefully as he advanced forward to search for Wei Changfeng's trail.

The Cloudmist Ridge might only be a portion of Hongyuan Mountain Range, but nevertheless, it still extended over several hundred kilometers. On top of that, visibility here was also impaired by the clouds drifting in the area. If Zhang Xuan were to search randomly, it would be unlikely for him to find the other party even if he were given a year.

By then, the other party would have been long dead.

"Hm? I can't find his trail?"

After scanning the region, Zhang Xuan was unable to find anything at all, and his eyebrows shot up.

Logically speaking, considering that Wei Changfeng had only set off a day earlier than him, he should be able to pick up his trail through the Eye of Insight easily. Yet, to be unable to find anything at all... what was happening?

"Wei Changfeng must have intentionally erased his trail..." After a moment of thought, the truth dawned on Zhang Xuan.

Considering that he was venturing into a land filled with saint beasts, if he were to leave behind any trail, the enemy could use it to track him, and he would be placed in an extremely dangerous position.

Realizing this, Wei Changfeng must have intentionally erased his trail so as to avoid the attention of the saint beasts.

"How do I find him now?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He thought that he would be able to find the other party's trail easily with the Eye of Insight, but given the current circumstances, how was he to save Wei Changfeng?

If he were to search aimlessly, it was more likely that he would get lost before he could even find Wei Changfeng.

"Right!" Just as Zhang Xuan was conflicted, a thought suddenly appeared in his mind, and he took out the football-sized object from his storage ring.

Myriad Anthive Nest!

In terms of finding something, there was nothing more efficient than this fellow!

Hu!

The Myriad Anthive Queen appeared before Zhang Xuan. Over the past few days, it seemed to have become much thinner, and its body was distorted like a fried dough biscuit.

"What happened to you?" Seeing its state, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

On the other hand, the Myriad Anthive Queen's eyes flew around the place in fury.

Don't you know very well what happened to me?

You forcefully stuffed the Byzantium Helios Beast into my nest, leaving me to squeeze with that huge fellow. If it wasn't for the blessing of the heavens, I might have already been squeezed to death!

But as frustrated as the Myriad Anthive Queen was, she didn't dare to complain to Zhang Xuan.

"Alright, the reason why I brought you out is to have you scout the Cloudmist Ridge for me. I want to find a person!" Knowing that this wasn't the time to be concerned with the state of the Myriad Anthive Queen, Zhang Xuan instructed.

The Myriad Anthive Queen nodded, and opening its mouth, it breathed out a round ball.

Weng weng weng!

The ball grew larger and larger before abruptly bursting, and countless Myriad Anthive Ants burst forth from it, infiltrating the surroundings inconspicuously.

"Master, there is no sign of any humans in the area!"

A few minutes later, the Myriad Anthive Queen reported.

"No sign?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Search the area further up the mountain. At the same time, keep a lookout for the saint beasts as well. The moment you find any, report it to me immediately!"

There might be many saint beasts in the area, but it was highly likely that they had segmented the mountain amongst them. As long as they could find the saint beast in charge of the territory they were treading through and avoid it, they should be able to avoid danger.

"Yes!" the Myriad Anthive Queen nodded.

Using its unique ability, it relayed the orders to the Myriad Anthive Ants.

"Let's advance up the mountain!"

Soon, after the Myriad Anthive Queen was done analyzing the beasts in the area, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

The strongest beast at the foot of the mountain was only at Ethereal Treading realm. There was no saint beast yet.

With this intelligence, Zhang Xuan advanced up the mountain with the Myriad Anthive Queen using the safe path found by the Myriad Anthive Ants.

"Master, there seem to be some traces of a fight ahead..."

After advancing some distance, the Myriad Anthive Queen suddenly sent a telepathic message over.

"Are there any corpses?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"There is no human corpse there!" Knowing what Zhang Xuan was worried about, the Myriad Anthive Queen replied.

"Bring me over," Zhang Xuan said grimly.

"Alright!"

The Myriad Anthive Queen pointed the direction where the battle had occurred, and Zhang Xuan flew over discreetly. Soon, he arrived in an area where marks of battle could be seen.

Activating the Eye of Insight, he scanned the surroundings carefully.

The battle happened around ten to twelve hours ago...

On top of those three Virescent Sound Beasts, I can also see traces of a human from the battle marks in the surroundings, Even though these Virescent Sound Beasts aren't too strong, possessing only the cultivation of Perfect Harmonization realm, they possess exceptionally sharp noses. Most likely, they must have caught the scent of the human and followed it here, resulting in the eventual fight.

"Two of them were struck dead in a single blow, but the final one managed to let out a howl in his moment of death. Alarmed, the human smashed its head swiftly in order to silence it. However, even though the Virescent Beast had only managed to let out a momentary shout, its sharp voice should have attracted the attention of plenty of spirit beasts.

Soon, Zhang Xuan finished analyzing the details of the battle swiftly. Most likely, the human was Wei Changfeng.

Even though the battle had ended swiftly, it had still ended up leaving a disturbance in the spiritual energy in the area. This was no different from having one's location exposed.

Having alarmed the saint beasts and spirit beasts in the area, the danger faced from venturing further in was greater than ever.

He went in that direction!

As Zhang Xuan analyzed the scene carefully, a gleam flashed across his eyes as he found a trail left behind by Wei Changfeng while he was escaping, and he hurriedly followed it.

Most likely, Wei Changfeng must have known that it was no longer of any use to hide his trail with his general location revealed. He would be easily uncovered if the beasts were to comb the area. Under such circumstances, rather than wasting his time on clearing his trail, he decided that it would be better for him to escape as far as he could.

However, it must be said that Wei Changfeng was truly an intelligent person. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before the beasts caught up with him, he chose to take the narrow path up the mountain.

Treading on the narrow path, the spirit beasts and saint beasts would be unable to exploit their numerical advantage against him. On top of that, the massive bodies of the beasts would hinder them on this narrow path, limiting the prowess they could exert.

But naturally, there was a huge flaw in this course of action too. He might still be able to hold his ground at the start, but as his strength depletes battle after battle, he would find himself with nowhere to escape to, as though a noose was slowly tightening on his neck.

Proceeding onward, Zhang Xuan saw quite a few dead spirit beasts along the path.

Perfect Harmonization realm, Ethereal Treading realm, Chrysalis realm...

As the strength of the spirit beasts rose, the battles grew more and more intense. A distance later, Zhang Xuan finally stumbled upon a Half-Saint beast's carcass.

It was a Darkface Steel Bear, and it was killed by a saber slashing through its head.

A Half-Saint has already appeared even though I haven't reached the middle point of the ridge yet... and the beasts will only grow stronger the further up the mountain we proceed... , Zhang Xuan thought grimly.

The more kills Wei Changfeng made, the more beasts he would attract. Even though he was a Saint realm expert, he would eventually reach the limit of his stamina.

I should make haste!

With an ominous feeling weighing on his heart, Zhang Xuan hurried forward. Perhaps all of the spirit beasts and saint beasts had been attracted by Wei Changfeng, or maybe the Myriad Anthive Queen's information network was truly that effective, he had managed to steer clear of any beasts in his way forward.

However, the deeper he ventured, the more intense his eyelid twitched.

Soon, Zhang Xuan stopped at a battlefield.

The surrounding fauna and flora had been completely tramped by the shockwave of battle. There was a massive depression that extended for over several hundred meters. In the depression, one could see a dense concentration of narrow slash marks and huge smash marks.

All in all, it was a complete upheaval.

There are three Nascent Saint realm Blacktail Fox!

With the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan swiftly analyzed the surroundings, and his face darkened.

Even though Nascent Saint realm Blacktail Foxes were no match for Wei Changfeng, they were known to be cunning and their expertise at conducting surprise assault. Based on the marks of battle, it seemed like Wei Changfeng had suffered considerable injuries in the fight as well.

Zhang Xuan casually bent down and picked up a tattered piece of cloth on the ground. It was stained crimson with blood.

This happened two hours ago... , Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.

Knowing that he was getting closer and closer to Wei Changfeng, he continued rushing ahead.

Not too long later, he stumbled upon another battlefield.

It was an even more intense battle this time. Two Saint realm beasts were lying on the floor, devoid of life. One of them had an arm hanging from the tip of its mouth, and until this point, fresh blood was still spilling from the end of the arm.

It's Wei Changfeng's arm! , Zhang Xuan widened his eyes as he recognized the arm before him.

Assaulted by Saint realm beasts and having an arm torn off him, even if Wei Changfeng managed to slaughter his opponent, it was unlikely for him to be able to proceed much further with all the injuries he had suffered in the battle.

With a brief glance at the surroundings, he also realized that the ground was deeply stained with a human's blood. With such injuries, Wei Changfeng would die very soon if he wasn't treated.

That fellow... Does he really need to go that far? Even if we fail to obtain the Cloudmist Flower, we can always find another alternative together... , Zhang Xuan sighed deeply in lamentation.

Encountering saint beasts with strength comparable to his, Wei Changfeng must have known that it was nigh impossible for him to pass them. Even if he did, it wasn't a guarantee that he would find the Cloudmist Flower, and it was impossible for him to return with the Cloudmist Flower in hand either.

A person as smart as him should have known it was futile and suicidal for him to proceed on!

Hurrying ahead, he advanced yet another several hundred meters and saw a saber stabbed deeply onto the cliff face along the path. The saber was dripping with blood, probably from the deceased saint beast encountered earlier.

Through the various marks of battle, Zhang Xuan could tell that Wei Changfeng's weapon was a Spirit pinnacle saber. Astonished, he hurried forward to pull the saber out.

It's broken?

Upon pulling it out, Zhang Xuan realized that the saber was already snapped into two. It seemed to have been cleanly sliced apart by some kind of unbelievably sharp weapon, and the entire patch in the surroundings was dyed red as well.

For a Saint realm expert to have its Spirit pinnacle weapon snapped in battle, just what did Wei Changfeng encounter?

Taking a swift scan of the surroundings, Zhang Xuan suddenly rushed forward, bent down, and picked up a clump of thick hair from the ground.

This is the hair of a... Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle Ancient Ape? , Zhang Xuan's face darkened as if the underside of a pot.

Wei Changfeng's cultivation was only at Saint realm 1-dan intermediate stage. Given his current fighting prowess, it would be difficult for him to match even a Saint realm 1-dan intermediate stage saint beast, not to mention a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle Ancient Ape...

He is in true danger this time around. It'll be difficult for him to survive... , Zhang Xuan thought worriedly as he rushed ahead.

As long as Wei Changfeng gave up at this point, he might still stand a chance at escaping. Just what was it that made him push on despite sustaining such severe injuries?

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 797: This is a Father's Love

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Deep in the Cloudmist Ridge.

Peng peng peng peng!

A figure was knocked back and crashed heavily into the cliff face. His face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and blood was spilling from his mouth.

He had lost a hand, and most of his bones had snapped from the many intense battles he had fought. Breathing raggedly, it felt as if he was just clutching to the final flicker of his life.

The enemy he was facing was a massive ape-like saint beast. It had a pitch-black body and enormous fists, and it possessed fearsome strength to fit its stature.

"I have not taken the Cloudmist Flower, I can't die just yet!"

Clenching his teeth, he pulled himself out from the cliff face through sheer resolution, and with his gaze fixated in the distance, he immediately charged over.

"Damn it!" Seeing how that fellow was still persisting on, the ape snorted heavily and charged at the man once more.

Upon reaching the level of a saint beast, the ape was already capable of speaking human speech.

It had encountered the human an hour ago, and considering that the other party was a Saint realm 1-dan intermediate stage cultivation, he thought that he should be able to easily send the other party fleeing with fear with a strike of its fist.

Who could have thought that the other party would disregard his injuries entirely and charge on resolutely, as if he was in a trance?

Pursuing the human, it had already landed over twenty clean punches on him.

With the incredible might of its fists, even a fellow Saint realm pinnacle beast would have succumbed by now. But no matter how many blows it landed on him, he just couldn't be stopped.

Hong long!

With a swift leap, the ape smashed that human into the ground, shattering innumerable bones in his body further.

Pu pu pu!

The human spewed yet another mouthful of fresh blood with so much force that it felt as if he would spew his innards out as well. The ape thought that he had finally defeated the human with this blow, but the other party abruptly leaped out from the ground in the next moment and trudged on.

"Just what is that fellow up to?" The ape couldn't comprehend the human's persistence.

All lifeforms, be it human or beast, carried a natural deference for life. They were driven by a natural tendency for survival, and they would do anything they could to clutch on to life. Yet, that fellow rushed forward adamantly with no regard for his life.

"Soon... I will reach the area where the Cloudmist Flowers grow soon..." Paying no heed to the Ancient Ape, Wei Changfeng glanced at the surroundings as a spark of hope lit in his black eyes.

He was thinking that he would sneak onto the mountain, harvest a stalk of Cloudmist Flower, and leave quietly, but who could have thought that he would be so unlucky as to be spotted by the Virescent Voice Beast so early in, drawing in powerful beasts to him.

To be honest, as the boss of the Spirit Emporium, Wei Changfeng possessed many unique artifacts that would have allowed him to escape even from the Saint 1-dan pinnacle Ancient Ape. But... if he were to do that, it would be impossible for him to make it within the two day deadline that You Xu set.

He needed the Cloudmist Flower to trade for the Ten-leafed Flower in order to save his daughter's life. For that goal, even if death was at the very end of the path, he would tread on it without any hesitation!

Peng!

Struck yet again, Wei Changfeng was sent tumbling on the ground. With each blow, Wei Changfeng could feel his strength and consciousness being driven out from his body.

In a moment of daze, he could vaguely see a figure beckoning him over...

...

"I haven't met him yet, and I don't even know his gender, but he's our child. Even at the risk of my life, I can't allow anything to happen to him!"

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, a stream of tears flowed down her face as she faced him, "I know that you love me, and you will respect my decision..."

"No..." He wanted to reach out to stop her, but at this very moment, his strength was sealed. No matter how hard he struggled, his body just wouldn't move.

"With the severe injuries I carry on me, my life is already limited. I want to give my life to him and allow him to live on in my stead..."

With a dull moan, she transferred the remaining strength she had in her towards her womb, granting her child the strength to come to this world. A resounding cry of an infant echoed in the cavern...

Finally, he managed to break the seal that bound him, but by this point, she was already lying on the ground, devoid of strength. In his embrace, she smiled, "Changfeng, I'm sorry. Take care of our child and bring her up well..."

Before she could finish her words, her body had already slumped lifelessly.

...

"Your daughter has suffered considerable damage in the womb. I fear that she won't live more than three months!" An old man shook his head.

He gritted his teeth as he heard those words.

This life was one she had exchanged her life for. If his daughter were to die, how could he face the woman he deeply loved?

Thus, he traveled the world, searching for renowned physicians to treat his daughter.

"The spirit of artifacts can grant her soul the power to support her body, allowing her to live on... but this is only a temporary a measure. Its effectiveness will eventually wear out..." a 6-star physician told him.

"As long as she can live on, I am willing to pay any price..." he replied with clenched fists.

Thus, he built the Spirit Emporium and went around scouring for as many artifacts as he could, resorting to even underhanded means to obtain them...

Finally...

His daughter's condition improved.

"Papa..."

A young voice sounded. His eyes reddened, and at that moment, he felt as if everything he had done had paid off.

This was because... she was his daughter!

As well as her daughter!

...

"Where is mama?"

An eight-year-old child asked him. The gleam in her eyes and the slight frown on her forehead seemed like an exact replica of hers.

"She... has gone to a faraway place..."

Holding his daughter dearly, his eyes couldn't help but redden.

...

"Father, am I reaching my end? I feel so tired and exhausted..."

"You will be fine. Father will save you..." he spoke with a lump in his throat.

"The Ten-leafed Flower can save your daughter's life..." the young master told him.

"I need a stalk of Cloudmist Flower. If you can bring me a Cloudmist Flower within two days, I will trade my Ten-leafed Flower for it!" Vice School Head You Xu said with a nod.

...

"I can't die yet. If I were to die, there will be no hope for Ruyan as well!"

Many scenes flashed across Wei Changfeng's eyes as he struggled to his feet once more.

If he didn't require the Cloudmist Flower to save her daughter, he would never have been able to push on so far. The Ancient Ape behind him might not be able to comprehend his actions, and Zhang Xuan might not be able to understand his tenacity, but only he knew that he would do anything for his daughter.

In this world, there was nothing more important than his daughter!

"Almost..."

He rushed across the hill, and all of the sudden, the clouds before him parted, and a beautiful white flower appeared in his sight.

"Cloudmist Flower..." Wei Changfeng's body trembled in agitation.

The only reason why he had trudged on this far was for this. Finally, his goal was right before his eyes!

Peng!

Just as he wanted to rush forward to pick the flower, he was suddenly kicked by the Ancient Ape from the back.

Tumbling on the ground furious once more, Wei Changfeng felt his consciousness blurring. He felt lethargic and powerless, and an urge to rest welled up within him.

"I must obtain it..."

But he still climbed to his feet once more. Rushing forward, he swiftly grabbed the flower and kept it in a jade box.

Hu!

In that instant, he heaved a sigh of relief, and the edges of his lips curled up.

In that instant, he felt that all of the injuries he had sustained was worth it.

With this, the young master would be able to save his daughter. Even if he were to die, he would be able to stand before her proudly and say that he had protected their daughter!

"All this... for a stalk of Cloudmist Flower?"

Seeing the contented smile on that human, the Ancient Ape had an unbelievable look on its face.

It was still wondering what it was that would drive a human to persevere on even at the expense of its life, but to think that this would be all...

A Saint realm expert losing his life over a mere tea leaf... Was this really worth it?

Taking its reactions into sight, Wei Changfeng simply smiled.

How could a beast understand human emotions?

With the item he came for in hand, he took in a deep breath and began trudging down the mountain.

"Hmph! Regardless of what you are here for, the Cloudmist Ridge isn't a place where you can come and leave as you please!"

With a furious roar, the Ancient Ape charged forward and clawed at Wei Changfeng.

Pu he!

How could the severely injured Wei Changfeng stand against the Ancient Ape? His chest was immediately pierced through, and fresh blood spewed from the wounds.

"I..." Wei Changfeng staggered backward weakly. He tried to draw on all of his strength to retaliate, only to realize that he was completely depleted.

His body had already reached its very limit!

He could feel an immense force tugging at his soul, seemingly trying to draw his soul somewhere.

"Is this death? I should be able to meet her now... right?"

His consciousness gradually blurred as his soul began departing from his body to enter an unknown dimension.

"Wei Changfeng!"

In that final moment, he vaguely saw a figure rushing towards him in his blurred vision, and an anxious voice called his name.

"Young master?"

Feebly, he muttered, "Why did you come? It's dangerous here..."

The reason why he dared not tell the young master about the condition of the Cloudmist Ridge was due to his fear that the young master would insist on tagging along with him. If something were to happen to the young master, there would be no one who could save his daughter!

"Dangerous? If you knew it was dangerous, why didn't you tell me?" Zhang Xuan roared furiously.

He had rushed all the way here, but from the looks of it, he was still too late.

He could feel that the other party's life force had already withered. Not even a 7-star physician would be able to save him now.

Placing his fingers on the other party's acupoint, Zhang Xuan furiously pumped his Heaven's Path zhenqi into Wei Changfeng's body in hope for a miracle. However, as if a bag filled with holes, his zhenqi simply leaked out of the other party's body, unable to do any good at all.

"Young master, don't bother. I know that I... won't make it..."

Flicking his wrist, Wei Changfeng passed a jade box over with trembling hands, "This is the Cloudmist Flower..."

"You..."

Zhang Xuan's face was livid. He really didn't expect that fellow to go so far just for a stalk of Cloudmist Flower.

"You must save her..." Wei Changfeng's voice slowly grew fainter and fainter.

"Don't worry, I will save her. I will let her live an ordinary, no, a life far better than an ordinary one..." Zhang Xuan said hoarsely.

"Thank you, young master..."

Wei Changfeng nodded, but in the next moment, his soul finally succumbed to the force and disappeared into the unknown dimension, and his body slumped back powerlessly.

"Changfeng..."

Sensing the final flicker of life within his subordinate fade, Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened and he roared furiously.

At this moment, how could he still not comprehend the reason behind Wei Changfeng's actions?

Everything he did was for his daughter!

This is.. a father's love!

The simplest and most selfless love in the world!

...

"Human, this isn't a place where you can enter as you please..."

Upon seeing yet another person rushing in and disregarding its presence even, the Ancient Ape roared in fury.

"This isn't a place where I can enter as I please?" Zhang Xuan raised his head and gazed at the Ancient Ape. "You are the one who killed Wei Changfeng?"

His eyes were filled with coldness and savagery.

Huala!

In the next moment, more than twenty Saint realm puppets appeared abruptly and rushed for the Ancient Ape.

"Make it suffer a fate worse than death!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 798: Earth Vein Spirit Essence

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"What?"

Not expecting a weak human whom he could easily squeeze to death with a finger of his to have so many Saint realm puppets in his possession, the Ancient Ape's body stiffened. It immediately turned around to flee.

But with so many Saint realm puppets going after him simultaneously, how could it possibly stand any chance at escaping?

Pi li pa la!

The sound of fists and kicks sinking into the flesh echoed resoundingly.

With the experience the puppet had from dealing with the Byzantium Helios Beast, they were able to deal with the Ancient Ape efficiently.

In just a few moments, there was not a single unharmed spot on the Ancient Ape, and it was teetering on the verge of death.

"Don't kill me! I am willing to be your tamed beast!" the Ancient Ape pleaded. At this point, with its life at stake, it couldn't care less about its dignity as a saint beast anymore.

"I don't need it!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands coldly.

It would indeed be convenient for him if he had a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle tamed beast serving him. But for killing Wei Changfeng... Zhang Xuan wanted it to pay with its life!

Otherwise, how could he face Wei Changfeng's daughter?

"Kill it!"

Turning his gaze away from the Ancient Ape, Zhang Xuan drew out his soul.

If his Heaven's Path zhenqi couldn't save Wei Changfeng, perhaps his means as a soul oracle might still stand a chance.

But after taking a look, he could only shake his head helplessly.

Wei Changfeng was simply far too severely wounded. If not for his sheer determination to obtain the Cloudmist Flower, he would have already died hours ago.

As soon as the tension in his mind was released, his soul was immediately absorbed into an unknown dimension, disappearing from the face of the world.

Putting aside him, not even Kong shi would be able to save Wei Changfeng.

"Don't worry, I will take good care of your daughter!" Zhang Xuan said solemnly as his soul returned to his body.

Even though it hadn't been long since he met Wei Changfeng, and there were even some unpleasant memories between them, Zhang Xuan was still filled with respect for him. Wei Changfeng wasn't a good man, but he was a good father. He was willing to lay down everything he had for his daughter, and that was truly admirable.

Knowing that it was impossible to save Wei Changfeng, Zhang Xuan kept his corpse in his storage ring before turning to the Ancient Ape once more. At this point, it had only a few breaths left in it.

Even though it was a Saint 1-dan pinnacle beast, it was still no match against twenty powerful puppets who knew not of exhaustion or pain.

"Human, as long as you don't kill me, I will let you in on a secret..." Noticing Zhang Xuan's gaze on it, the Ancient Ape anxiously made an offer.

It knew that it would surely die if it didn't do anything, so it could only make a gamble.

"A secret? What secret can you offer me?" Zhang Xuan asked disdainfully.

"It's the location of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence! As long as you spare me, I can bring you to it..." the Ancient Ape hurriedly spoke.

"Earth Vein Spirit Essence?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback.

"Indeed! That is the condensation of spiritual energy that accumulates only within major earth veins. The spiritual energy contained within Earth Vein Spirit Essence is far easier to absorb than those within spirit stones, making it highly useful for cultivators beneath Saint realm!" the Ancient Ape explained hurriedly, fearing that Zhang Xuan wouldn't know what it was.

Zhang Xuan was moved by the offer.

At the current moment, what he was lacking direly at the moment was spirit stones to provide ample spiritual energy for his cultivation. If he could obtain the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, he could be spared a great deal of effort.

Even though he had never heard of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence before, considering that it was the condensation of spiritual energy within major earth veins, it must be incredibly valuable.

"The reason why saint beasts of Cloudmist Ridge disallow humans from entering the mountain is to protect the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. As long as you don't kill me, I can bring you over..." the Ancient Ape offered.

"I will be able to find it even without you!" Zhang Xuan uttered coldly as he raised his hand, and the puppets immediately continued raining blows on the Ancient Ape.

At the same time, Zhang Xuan drew his soul out of his body and formed a series of hand seals.

Soul Art, Soul Search!

As the culprit who killed Wei Changfeng, the Ancient Ape had to die. There was no room for negotiation at all.

Under normal circumstances, given Zhang Xuan's current soul cultivation, it should have been impossible for him to conduct a Soul Search on a Saint realm expert. However, a saint beast's soul was typically weaker than a human Saint realm expert's, and that fellow has also been beaten to the point that it was on the verge of dying.

On top of that, Vicious was also helping him by the side.

As a result, the Ancient Ape succumbed swiftly to the Soul Search.

Tzzzzzzz!

Dragging out the Ancient Ape's soul, its memories and knowledge began flowing in Zhang Xuan's mind.

"There's indeed a lake of Earth Vein Spirit Essence here!"

Browsing through the Ancient Ape's memory, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

The other party didn't lie to him, there was indeed Earth Vein Spirit Essence on the Cloudmist Ridge. It was for fear that humans would discover its existence that they guarded the area faithfully.

To be honest, the Ancient Ape hadn't expected to luck out as well. If it had been anyone else, the other party might have chosen to spare it in consideration of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. But never in its dreams would it have expected the young man before it would be a soul oracle possessing the ability of Soul Search!

While I do know the location of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence now, it won't be easy for me to get to it. There are four saint beasts of the Ancient Ape's level guarding it... If I had really followed this fellow there, even with my puppets, it would have been unlikely for me to have escaped with my life!

The existence of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence might be true, but the Ancient Ape wasn't speaking the entire truth.

If Zhang Xuan had really listened to it and followed behind it, he would have found himself encircled by four Saint 1-dan pinnacle saint beasts and countless Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts. Even with the Otherworldly Demon puppets he had in his possession, it would be extremely difficult for him to break free.

After all, even though the puppets feel no pain and could fight fearlessly, they were still limited by the spiritual energy within them.

After the previous few uses, their energy reserves were already half depleted. Unlike in the underground chamber, where there was a river filled with spiritual energy that could be used to recharge the Otherworldly Demon puppets, it wouldn't be so easy to do it here.

Once the puppets ran out of energy, given Zhang Xuan's current strength, the only fate before him would be death.

Even at the expense of its death, the Ancient Ape intended to drag him down from it.

Under the forceful impact of the Soul Search, the Ancient Ape's soul dissipated into nothingness. After procuring its inner core and other useful parts and storing them in his storage ring, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation,

Based on what it said, the Earth Vein Spirit Essence is made out of spiritual energy. Even though its purity isn't on par with high-tier spirit stones, it is far easier to absorb it, such that even plants could absorb spiritual energy from the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. If I were to give it to the Ten-leafed Flower, I could make it bloom within a single day!

After studying the effects of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence according to the Ancient Ape's understanding of it, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

While spirit stones had an incredible reserves of spiritual energy within them, its solid form made it less efficient and effective in terms of absorption rate as compared to the Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

If spirit stones was coal, the Earth Vein Spirit Essence would be fuel.

While coal was capable of producing greater heat over a longer period of time, in terms of ignition speed and utility, fuel was still inherently superior.

If Zhang Xuan could obtain that, he would be spared from finding hundreds of high-tier spirit stones he would require to reach Saint realm!

The Earth Vein Spirit Essence is located at the direct center of the Cloudmist Ridge. It isn't too far from here, but... four Saint realm 1-dan beasts are guarding it. On top of that, there are also many Nascent Saint and Half-Saints in the area... It won't be easy for me to bypass them!

Having learned the existence of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, it was natural that Zhang Xuan would want to obtain it. However, with his current strength, he would only die if he were to attempt to charge in forcefully.

Vicious could suppress a Saint realm 1-dan beast easily, but there was nothing he could do about it when there were too many of them.

After all, he had only just awakened, and he was merely a little more than a heart at the moment. Naturally, his strength was still far from his peak.

Besides, it wouldn't be safe to rely solely on Vicious. If Vicious were to attempt a mutually assured destruction and refuse to help him, he might very well end up losing his life.

Thus, it would be best to depend on himself wherever possible.

"Looks like I should still rely on my soul!" After a moment of contemplation, a thought emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind.

It would be impossible for him to infiltrate the center of the Cloudmist Ridge in his physical body. No matter how well he hid his trail, considering the dense concentration of spirit beasts and saint beasts in the area, he would definitely be found easily. However, it would be a different case if he was just a soul.

Unlike saint realm cultivators, saint beasts had far weaker souls. It would be harder for them to sense the presence of souls.

If Zhang Xuan were to play his cards well, he might be able to creep in silently and smuggle the Earth Vein Spirit Essence out.

"Alright, it's decided then!"

Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan sat on the floor and drew his soul out.

With a slight flick, he kept his physical body within the storage ring.

The Myriad Anthive Nest was extremely squeezy with the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Myriad Anthive Queen packed inside. Despite the harsh conditions in the storage ring for a living body, considering Zhang Xuan's current cultivation realm and the resilience of his physical body, it should be fine if it was just for a few hours.

"What should I do about the ring..."

Since he had stored his physical body and his clone within the storage ring, it would be safer for him to bring it along with him wherever he went. Otherwise, if spirit beast were to find his storage ring and take it away, it would be too late for tears.

But if he were to carry something tangible with his soul, that would be going against the very purpose of infiltrating into the center of the Cloudmist Ridge as an intangible soul. He would be giving away his location to his enemies!

"Wait... what about the Myriad Ants?" A thought suddenly struck Zhang Xuan.

He might be unable to bring the storage ring with him, but he could leave it with the Myriad Ants!

Despite their small size, those ants were still savage beasts. It wasn't too difficult for them to fly with a ring.

Furthermore, the intelligence network they shared allowed them to avoid spirit beasts and saint beasts in advance as well. They could follow his soul silently and bring the storage ring to where he wanted it to be.

Even if some beast really managed to obtain the storage ring from them, as long as there were Myriad Ants keeping tabs on its location, he would still be able to find some way to retrieve the ring.

"It's decided then!"

Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message to the Myriad Anthive Queen to inform it of his plan, and a Myriad Ant immediately flew over to carry the storage ring. As he had expected, it had no problem flying while bearing the weight of the ring.

"Good. Fly close to the ground, near the shrubs..."

Seeing that his plan was feasible, Zhang Xuan issued it several instructions before advancing to the center of the Cloudmist Ridge.

After the Soul Search he had conducted on the Ancient Ape, he had gained an insight into how the beasts were distributed on the Cloudmist Ridge. With the Myriad Ants scouting the area as well, Zhang Xuan's soul managed to avoid the detection of the spirit beast and saint beast.

An hour later, he arrived before a towering cliff.

Before the cliff was a gigantic waterfall that produced a deafening rumble reminiscent of thunder as it cascaded from the peak. The water eventually led to a river which meandered into the horizon.

"It should be here..."

Zhang Xuan raised his gaze and stared at the waterfall. It was completely concealed behind the cascading water, but if staring at it intently, he could still barely see the outlines of a cavern behind the waterfall. If one hadn't known in advance, it would have been impossible to notice it.

Based on the Ancient Ape's memory, the Earth Vein Spirit Essence was inside the cavern.

Instead of rushing into the cavern, Zhang Xuan first scanned the surroundings, and expected, he found a couple of saint beasts who possessed strength on par with the Ancient Ape camping in the area. Slightly further away, he sensed the presence of at least a dozen Saint realm primary stage, intermediate stage, and advanced stage beasts.

"It's fortunate that I didn't come here in my physical body..."

Upon seeing this sight, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Had he brought his physical body over, he would have definitely been surrounded and killed.

On the other hand, a soul was intangible and nearly indiscernible. As long as he didn't exert any power, it would be difficult for the enemies to notice his presence.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 799: Breakthrough to Perfect Harmonization Realm

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You head in first!"

Zhang Xuan first issued elaborate instructions to the Myriad Ant carrying his storage ring for it to proceed into the cavern without drawing anyone's attention first before slowly flying over himself.

"It has been some time since Ancient Ape headed out. Why isn't he back yet?"

Before he could reach the cavern, he heard a voice from the surroundings.

Two saint beasts not too far away from the cavern were currently chatting.

The other saint beast harrumphed. "Who knows? But in any case, I heard the enemy is a Saint realm intermediate stage human, so he should be more than enough to subdue the other party. He's probably just toying with him at this point. After all, it has been some time since any humans came to the Cloudmist Ridge!"

They were conversing in the Ancient Beast Language, but Zhang Xuan could still understand their words without any problem.

"Indeed... At least the humans know their place. Knowing that we are around, they dare not come over at all!" the first saint beast said.

Seeing that the two saint beasts were too engrossed in their conversation to notice him, Zhang Xuan dived straight into the cavern.

If it had been any other soul oracle, even if the saint beasts were ignorant in the study of souls, they would still have noticed the yin aura it exuded. However, having cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, his soul was complete, leaving it with no distinct aura. As if a light breeze, it would be extremely difficult for any unskilled personnel to notice it.

Making use of the massive torrent of water from the waterfall, Zhang Xuan was able to conceal his movement and slip into the cavern without any issue as well.

The cavern was vast, and it was filled with slightly damp air. Zhang Xuan met up with the Myriad Ant and took the ring from it before advancing forward.

The further he advanced, the more humid the surroundings seemed to become. At the same time, the spiritual energy also grew more and more concentrated. At his current location, the spiritual energy concentration was already far above even that of Vice School Head You Xu's residence.

It was indeed a blessed land for cultivation. One would be able to easily achieve what would have taken others several days elsewhere in a single day.

It's no wonder the saint beasts maintain such a tight defense around the Cloudmist Ridge. There is no way anyone would be willing to give up on such a blessed land... Zhang Xuan thought.

Not only was the spiritual energy in the surroundings concentrated, it was incredibly pure as well. Its level of purity was sufficient to even satisfy Zhang Xuan's demands easily.

Advancing forward, Zhang Xuan soon reached the end of the cavern.

There, he saw a round lake of around eight meters in diameter. Within it was an emerald fluid which carried a refreshing air to it. It felt like one would be able to progress greatly in one's cultivation just by absorbing a small portion of it.

This is the Earth Vein Spirit Essence? It's indeed impressive! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though he had learnt of its mystical effects from the Ancient Ape, it was still very difficult for him to believe that such an incredible item could exist in the world until he finally laid his eyes on it himself.

While its purity was still slightly lacking compared to a high-tier spirit stone, it made up for it with its overwhelming quantity. Even a thousand high-tier spirit stones together might not match the sheer amount of spiritual energy contained within the lake.

The mountains in the Hongyuan Mountain Range are a naturally occurring Spirit Gathering Formation, and the Cloudmist Ridge stood at the very center of the formation. As a result, vast amounts of spiritual energy accumulated in the area. However, the clouds in the surroundings hinder the diffusion of the spiritual energy, and as time went by, the spiritual energy eventually condense into spirit essence... Zhang Xuan deduced as he recalled the geographical terrain in the surroundings and the various sights he had seen so far.

Nevertheless, to form a lake as big as the one before Zhang Xuan, it should have taken at least ten thousand years.

If I can take all of this away, not only will I have no problem advancing to Saint realm, there will even be spare for Zheng Yang and the others' use as well... Zhang Xuan thought in delight.

With this treasure, they would no longer have to frustrate over the lack of spirit stones anymore!

But... how am I supposed to store an entire spirit essence lake?

While Zhang Xuan's storage ring was indeed large enough to put in a lake as big as this, he didn't have any container to store it!

He did have a few wine gourds on him, but those were insignificant compared to the entire lake.

What could he do?

There was nothing that felt worse than stumbling upon a mound of treasure only to realize that one only had the inventory to store an insignificant portion of it.

Even in his form as a soul, it took a fair bit of luck for him to sneak in here without drawing the attention of the saint beasts. There was no guarantee that it would be the same the next time he came here.

As a result, he had to take away as much as he could this time around. Otherwise, he would be allowing such an ideal opportunity slip through his fingers.

After a moment of contemplation, a thought popped into Zhang Xuan's head.

Perhaps I can use beastskin!

There were quite a few sheets of beastskin in his storage ring. Perhaps, he could tie them together to make a container.

Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan accessed his storage ring and pulled out several large sheets of beastskin.

He skillfully manipulated his soul energy to form threads to weave them together, forming a gigantic container. Afterward, he plunged it into the lake to store as much spirit essence in it as possible.

Gugugugugu!

Soon, the beastskin container was full with over twenty tonnes of liquid in it.

Zhang Xuan swiftly stored the beastskin container into his storage ring.

There is still more than half left... Seeing that there was still a lot of spirit essence left in the lake, Zhang Xuan stroked his lower jaw.

Since he was already there, if he didn't clean out the place, he would have a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he had missed something important.

Sigh, obsessive-compulsive disorder sure is frustrating!

Besides, the saint beasts on the Cloudmist Ridge had a hostile relations with humans, and they had slain countless humans over the years. Every droplet of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence left meant an additional droplet to nourish the enemy.

However, having used up even his beastskin, there was nothing else he could use as a container in his storage ring anymore.

It was impossible for him to store any more than that!

I wonder if there are any objects that could be used to store spirit essence around here...

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment, but after he found that he was still unable to come up with any feasible solution, he decided to take a look around the cavern to see if there was anything he could use.

Hmm? What's this?

Drifting alongside the lake, a pile of items suddenly appeared before Zhang Xuan's eyes, and his eyebrows shot up.

These are... human bones?

Taking a closer look, the pile was astonishingly human bones! Scanning the surroundings, there were several hundred other similar skeletal piles all around the cavern!

Aren't humans forbidden from entering this area? How can there be human skeletons here?

Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

With the tight defenses the saint beasts and spirit beasts had organized on the Cloudmist Ridge, it should have been impossible for any humans to get in here. Thus, the presence of so many skeletons was unnatural.

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan drifted down to take an even closer look.

Most of the skeletal piles were male, and not too far from the pile, he found several weapons. These weapons weren't too high tiered, averaging at around Spirit intermediate-tier.

Zhang Xuan picked one up using his soul energy, but upon attempting a slash, the weapon immediately snapped in two.

It seemed the weapon had suffered severe damage in the midst of an intense battle, resulting in the loss of its durability.

It appeared that an army had barged into the cavern in hopes of securing the grounds, only to eventually fall in defeat.

Hmm?

As Zhang Xuan was casually looking around, he suddenly caught sight of a storage ring.

Interested, he immediately immersed his consciousness into the ring.

There's nothing inside. Seems like someone has already emptied it out... Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Even though spirit beasts were unable to access storage rings, saint beasts could. Considering the sheer number of saint beasts in the area, if there had been anything good in those storage rings, they would have already long emptied them out. How could they possibly leave anything behind for him?

These are... books?

Just as Zhang Xuan was going to back out of the storage ring, he suddenly caught sight of an insignificant pile of items in the very corner of the storage ring. Proceeding closer, he realized that they were all books!

Saint beasts had their own heritage, and the innate differences between a human and a beast also made it impossible for them to take up human cultivation techniques and battle techniques as well. As such, these books were completely useless to them.

Zhang Xuan's eyes swiftly scanned through them and replicated them in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Indeed, they really are cultivation technique and battle technique manuals! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

Most human cultivators had the habit of carrying dozens of books with them in their storage rings for reference or studying purposes.

It was the same here as well. The storage ring had over a hundred books in it.

They spanned over Cosmos Bridge realm, Perfect Harmonization realm, and Ethereal Treading realm. However, due to the lacking quantity, Zhang Xuan was still unable to form a Heaven's Path Divine Art out of them.

Perhaps there might be other storage rings in the area. If I can find more books, I just might be able to compile a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art...

Since Zhang Xuan was in no hurry either, he scanned through the area carefully, and before long, he had unearthed more than twenty storage rings.

For several hundred corpses to only have so many rings, the rest must have been claimed by the other saints beasts.

Just like the ring Zhang Xuan had looked into before, the valuable items had also been emptied out of them, leaving behind only a couple of books.

Zhang Xuan swiftly replicated the books in his Library of Heaven's Path.

There are over a thousand Perfect Harmonization realm cultivation technique manuals, five hundred for Ethereal Treading realm, and two hundred for Chrysalis realm...

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

He still didn't have sufficient books to compile a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art for Ethereal Treading realm and Chrysalis realm, but with over a thousand for Perfect Harmonization realm, he should be able to do so for that one.

Compile!

Before long, a Perfect Harmonization realm Heaven's Path Divine Art appeared before his eyes. Flipping through it casually, its contents appeared in Zhang Xuan's mind.

Since I am unable to take away the remaining Earth Vein Spirit Essence, I might as well cultivate here and save as much as I can...

Since there was nothing that could be used as a container in the surroundings, Zhang Xuan decided to take this chance to raise his cultivation realm as well.

Thriftiness is a virtue. What can be saved should be saved.

Zhang Xuan took out his physical body and returned his soul into it. After which, with a flick of his wrist, his clone also appeared before him.

Just like his main body, his clone had also only cultivated up to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle. Given the sheer amount of Earth Vein Spirit Essence remaining in the lake, it should be more than enough to share between him and his clone.

Thus, after informing his clone about the situation, Zhang Xuan stepped into the lake first.

Tzzzzz!

Driving the Perfect Harmonization realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, the spirit essence around him began flowing into his body through his acupoints.

Hong long!

With a crisp echo, he successfully achieved a breakthrough from Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle to Perfect Harmonization realm.

With the rise in his cultivation, the rate at which he could absorb spiritual energy increased as well. Due to the overwhelming speed he was absorbing the spirit essence at, a vortex formed within the lake.

Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage!

Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage!

Perfect Harmonization realm advanced stage!

...

In just an hour, Zhang Xuan's cultivation had reached Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle.

Now for my soul...

After he was done raising his zhenqi cultivation, Zhang Xuan immediately drew out his soul and continued cultivating.

His soul had already reached Perfect Harmonization realm advanced stage, so it only took him ten minutes to reach pinnacle.

With his zhenqi cultivation and soul cultivation reaching new heights, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Feeling the immense power he wielded within, his eyes glowed in excitement.

Typically speaking, it would have taken him at least several dozen high-tier spirit stones in order to raise his soul cultivation and zhenqi cultivation to Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle. However, to be able to do this for free, he couldn't help but feel extremely comforted within.

Alright...

Standing up, Zhang Xuan glanced at the spirit essence to see how much of it was left when he suddenly froze.

At this very moment, he could see the floor of the spirit essence lake, which had a diameter of eight meters. In a little more than an hour, the Earth Vein Spirit Essence had been almost completely depleted.

How is this possible?

Zhang Xuan had only advanced his cultivation to Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle, so how could he use have possibly used so much of it?

He subconsciously turned his gaze to his clone, and his eyes narrowed in shock. Unable to hold himself back, he cursed, "Screw you, you damned wastrel!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 800: Zheng Yang Lectures!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

At this moment, he saw that his clone's soul had also left his body, and it was currently absorbing the spiritual energy in the lake frenziedly.

With all the absorption he had done, his soul had doubled in size, reaching around twenty meters tall and nearly filling the entire cavern.

Most of the remaining spirit essence had been absorbed by that fellow before him.

Even though his clone's soul cultivation was still at Perfect Harmonization realm, the sheer size and power surrounding the soul felt reminiscent of a deity, as if it wielded boundless power in its hands.

After breaking the twenty-meter bottleneck, the soul seemed to have undergone some kind of mysterious metamorphosis yet again. It became considerably more resilient, and the strength it wielded seemed to have grown far more fearsome as well.

Against such a huge soul, even Lu Chong's soul, which he had seen in the latter's consciousness back then, paled in comparison.

Zhang Xuan had barely used a hundredth of the spirit essence to raise his zhenqi cultivation and soul cultivation to Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle, but that fellow actually sapped the entire lake dry... Just the thought of it left him so frenzied that he could tear his hair out.

Even though it was indeed true that he had no way of taking away the remaining Earth Vein Spirit Essence, he still couldn't help but feel his heart bleed upon seeing that huge lake being reduced to nothing.

Hu!

Hearing Zhang Xuan's roar, his clone's soul immediately slipped back into his body, and an incredible aura burst from its body, leaving Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitching uncontrollably.

Zhang Xuan wasn't a match for it before, and he was even less so now.

Despite coming from the same origin, his clone's soul had been nourished by the Nine Hearts Lotus, granting it strength far greater than the main body.

For the main body to be inferior to the clone... How humiliating!

Nevertheless, considering that they shared the same consciousness, they could be considered as one entity. His clone's growth was also good news for him.

"You should return to the storage ring for now!"

Knowing that it was impossible to make his clone spit out the spirit essence that it had absorbed, Zhang Xuan could only sigh helplessly and have his clone return to the storage ring.

He, on the other hand, leaped out of the lake and began assessing himself internally.

Having reached Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle, the current strength that he could draw from his zhenqi cultivation was 14,000,000 ding, which was comparable to an Ethereal Treading realm primary stage expert.

Additionally, the maximum power he could draw from his soul cultivation had also reached 11,000,000 ding. Adding in the 8,000,000 ding from his physical body, his overall maximum strength currently stood at 33,000,000 ding, which was nearly on par with a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm pinnacle expert.

(Chrysalis realm pinnacle—34,000,000 ding)

With this kind of strength, he could definitely be ranked amongst the top of the student populace. Nonetheless, it was still far from matching up to the saint beasts camping outside.

I should leave now!

With his work done, Zhang Xuan immediately drew out his soul and placed his physical body in the storage ring. Holding it himself, he carefully sneaked out of the cavern.

"Wait a moment, why does it feel like the spiritual energy concentration inside has fallen?"

"Let's take a look!"

But before he could reach the cavern entrance, he suddenly heard the bellows of the saint beasts outside.

In that split moment, Zhang Xuan swiftly hid the storage ring behind a boulder before lying motionlessly with his soul pressed against the wall.

Hu!

Right after he did that, two saint beasts abruptly appeared at the entrance of the cavern and rushed in at a speed so fast that it nearly stirred up a hurricane.

It was due to the Earth Vein Spirit Essence that the cavern was unbelievably rich in spiritual energy. However, along with its depletion, the concentration of spiritual energy in the area began falling at a perceptible rate. No matter how slow the saint beasts were, it was impossible for them to not notice it.

Now is my chance, I should quickly leave!

Knowing that the saint beasts would comb through every nook and cranny once they noticed that the lake of spirit essence had been completely depleted, Zhang Xuan dared not waste a single moment. He quickly picked up his storage ring and darted out of the cavern.

"AHHHHHH!!! SOMEONE STOLE THE SPIRIT ESSENCE!"

"Damn it, who was the one who did it!"

Right after Zhang Xuan left the cavern, he heard a deafening roar from within. Not daring to waste even a split second, he immediately dived into the waterfall.

In the next instant, a pressure so great that it felt as if even the earth would be reduced to dust burst out from the cavern, enveloping the area.

"Someone has sneaked into our Cloudmist Ridge. All beasts, listen to my command. Comb through the entire mountain and eliminate any suspicious people you see!"

Hong long!

Countless spirit beasts and saint beasts roared resoundingly in response, shaking the entire mountain.

Looks like I won't be able to escape for the time being...

With all of the spirit beasts and saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge combing the area to search for him, it would be difficult for Zhang Xuan to escape even in his state as a soul. Thus, he decided to advance under the concealment of the river for the time being.

However, a short moment later, a dozen spirit beasts suddenly dived in to search the river.

It was truly fortunate that Zhang Xuan was currently in his soul state. With his storage ring hidden amidst the gravel of the seabed, there was nothing that could betray his presence to those spirit beasts. As such, after scouring the seabed for a moment, they were still unable to find anything at all, so they could only back out.

After swimming for an unknown period of time, Zhang Xuan finally reached the end of the river. By the time his soul finally left the river, the sky was already dark.

Zhang Xuan scanned his surroundings, and there were still quite a number of spirit beasts around. However, it would be nigh impossible for any beast beneath Saint realm to notice his presence.

Even so, Zhang Xuan still decided to proceed carefully. Sometimes, the sensitivity of a spirit beast to its surroundings far surpassed what humans could even imagine. It would truly be unfortunate if he were to be caught and encircled at this point.

Thus, he slowly proceeded down the mountain, stopping from time to time whenever he felt that a spirit beast's attention was focused nearby. As a result, it was already dawn by the time he reached the foot of the mountain.

Finally, when he was a safe distance away from the Cloudmist Ridge, he found a discreet location and took out his physical body. After returning his soul to his physical body, he summoned the Great Violetwing Beast and swiftly returned to the academy.

He might have failed to save Wei Changfeng, but he was determined to save his daughter!

So far, it had been an entire day since he had left the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

...

While Zhang Xuan was preoccupied with his business at the Cloudmist Ridge, a huge commotion had broken out in the Master Teacher Academy.

Sun Qiang had rushed to Zhang Xuan's Elite Sector residence in order to report the matter of someone being interested in learning battle techniques from Zheng Yang and the others to him, but of course, the latter was nowhere to be found.

At the same time, Zheng Yang and the others had also entered the headquarters of the True Helios Faction, following behind Xue Zhenyang.

In a vast courtyard...

"Gather everyone!" Xue Zhenyang issued a command as soon as he returned.

Not long later, everyone in the True Helios Faction was standing before him.

As expected of one of the top few factions in the academy. The entire True Helios Faction consisted of more than two thousand people, and its members spanned from Grade-1 to Grade-4.

Seeing that all of the members were gathered there, Xue Zhenyang's gaze scanned through the crowd before he began speaking. "The reason I have gathered you all here today is to announce to you all that I have found an expert to impart the essence of battle techniques to the faction members!"

"An expert?"

"Hasn't the faction leader been the one who has been giving us lessons on battle techniques? Did he manage to find someone more formidable than he is?"

Everyone looked at one another doubtfully.

All along, other than the teachers they were under, the one who had been guiding them in their battle techniques had been Xue Zhenyang.

Xue Zhenyang was one of the greatest talents in the Martial Arts School, so they had benefited greatly from his teachings as well. In truth, this was also the very reason most of them had chosen to join the True Helios Faction.

Yet, he had gathered all of them to tell them that there was another expert who would be guiding them on their battle techniques... Was he for real?

"Allow me to introduce you to my new spearmanship teacher, Zheng Yang. The lecture today will be conducted by him. He possesses transcendental skills in spear arts, so I believe that you will benefit greatly from his lecture!" Xue Zhenyang introduced with a wave of his hand.

"Zheng Yang?"

"Spearmanship teacher?"

"But this fellow seems to be only sixteen or seventeen years old!"

"A lad as young as him is going to explain spearmanship to us?"

Seeing a young man walk up to the podium, the crowd was completely dumbfounded.

They were the cream of the crop amongst master teachers, the geniuses of the geniuses. Yet, to have a teenage child lecture them... Wasn't this taking them too lightly?

"Today, what I will be talking to you about is the fundamentals of spearmanship..."

Standing before such a huge crowd, Zheng Yang couldn't help but feel a little anxious. However, as he began speaking about spearmanship, the confidence and pride in his heart dispelled the doubts in his mind, and his words gradually grew smoother and more fluent.

"It's possible to interpret spearmanship in such a manner?"

"Formidable! Just by listening to his lecture, I feel like my understanding of spearmanship has been brought up several notches!"

"The concepts that he's teaching are profound, but he is able to bring them across directly through simple words. On top of that, the concepts that he's explained are applicable not only to the spear but other weapons as well!"

"His lecture has deepened my understanding of swordsmanship as well..."

...

The crowd initially had their reservations about having a teenage child lecture them, and they were prepared to see the other party make a fool out of himself. However, just by listening for a moment, they were completely awed.

As young as the person before them might be, the concepts that he spoke of were a direct interpretation of the crux of spearmanship. It was very likely that even the elders in the academy might not have as deep an understanding of spearmanship as he did.

It was no wonder the faction leader went all out to invite him there and gathered all of them together to listen to his lecture. He was indeed more than qualified for this.

...

"What did you say? Xue Zhenyang invited a spearmanship expert from the streets to conduct a lecture for his members?"

In the Ashen Moon Faction, Long Cangyue stared at the reporting student with eyes filled with disbelief.

"Yes! The person he invited has an extremely deep understanding of spearmanship. Two hours into the lecture, almost half of the spear practitioners of the True Helios Faction had already achieved a breakthrough!" the reporting student replied.

"Almost half of them made a breakthrough?" Long Cangyue was shocked.

Making an advancement in one's mastery of a weapon was far more difficult than making an advancement in one's cultivation. The latter could be achieved through diligence and good resources, but the former was highly dependent on one's aptitude. It was easy to learn theories, but comprehending the core of the concept was another different matter.

Yet, to make half of the spear practitioners achieve a breakthrough in just two hours...

Just how did that fellow do it?

Where in the world did Xue Zhenyang find such a monstrous figure?

"If this matter is true, the True Helios Faction will only grow stronger and stronger... I will have to look for Dong Xin to discuss this matter!"

Realizing the significance of this matter, Long Cangyue immediately made his way to Dong Xin's residence anxiously.

...

"Preposterous!"

In the school head's office, the head of the Martial Arts School, Xu Changqing, flung his sleeves furiously after hearing a teacher's report.

Xue Zhenyang was his direct disciple. He could condone him causing trouble from time to time, but to invite a teenage child over to the Martial Arts School to lecture their students... Wasn't that making a mockery out of their school?

If word were to spread, how could their Martial Arts School hold its head high before the other schools?

"I'll go and take a look!"

Harrumphing coldly, Xu Changqing left his room and walked swiftly to the True Helios Faction's headquarters.

Before long, he had arrived before the courtyard.

There are so many people here? Xu Changqing's eyebrows shot up in astonishment at the sight before him.

The courtyard, from the podium to the very entrance, was completely packed with people. There was literally a sea of people before him!

Even though the True Helios Faction was a student organization, Xu Changqing still knew a thing or two about it. Based on what he knew, the True Helios Faction should only have had two thousand people or so.

But the crowd before him... no matter how he looked at it, there should at least be five thousand people here!

Five thousand people had gathered there to listen to the lecture of a teenage child?

Ridiculous! This was utterly ridiculous!

Just as Xu Changqing was about to step into the courtyard, a plump man holding a basket in his hand abruptly stepped over and blocked his way. "It will cost you two hundred middle-tier spirit stones to enter."

"I have to pay to enter?" Hearing those words, Xu Changqing's face turned livid.

It was already bad enough that Xue Zhenyang found a person of doubtful background to conduct a lecture in the Martial Arts School, but to think that he would have to pay two hundred middle-tier spirit stones to enter... This was even costlier than the lecture of normal 6-star master teachers!

Furthermore, the more students there were in a lecture, the cheaper it should have been.

There were nearly five thousand people in there, and yet they were still charging two hundred spirit stones per person... Didn't that mean that they would earn a million middle-tier spirit stones in just a single lecture?

Please, not even a 7-star master teacher charged others in such a manner!

"Why? You can't afford it? Why even bother coming here when you can't even afford it? No wonder you still can't graduate despite being so old!"

Seeing that the old man before him was trying to barge in without paying, the plump man harrumphed in disdain. "So, you're broke!"

Report chapter Comments