Library of Heaven's Path

by Little Merger

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

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Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 865: Crossing Hands - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 865: Crossing Hands Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 865: Crossing Hands

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Soulshock Incense was crafted using several hundred unique medicinal herbs, and its effects were so potent that it was effective even on Chrysalis realm cultivators. However, the Soulshock Incense didn't discriminate between friend and foe. Even if they could blow the smoke away from them now, they would still be affected by it once they entered the cavern.

"Every toxin has a counteracting antidote to it. Most likely, they must have concocted a pairing antidote and consumed it beforehand," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

There was always an antidote to a poison, no matter how potent it was, needless to say a substance that only induced hallucinations.

"Un!" The others nodded in agreement.

"What should we do then? Once the smoke fills the cavern, the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers will surely be knocked out, and they will be free to obtain the fruits!" Dong Xin exclaimed anxiously.

The other party had a Half-Saint expert, so it would be impossible for them to get to the Scarlet Firefly Fruits faster than the other party once the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers were knocked out.

After a moment of deep thought, Zhang Xuan replied, "We will have to be the first to strike then..."

Since they were unable to outrun or outfight the other party, they would just have to be the first one to make a move!

"Be the first to strike?" The others were perplexed, unsure of what Zhang Xuan meant.

The other party was right in front of the cavern, and the cavern was currently filled with the smoke of the Soulshock Incense as well. Even if they were to rush in now, not only would they be unable to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, they might even succumb to hallucinations as well, putting them in a vulnerable position.

"Wait for me here. If anything happens, leave the area immediately. Remember, your safety comes first. I will circle the area to see if I can find an opportunity to sneak into the cavern without them noticing," Zhang Xuan instructed.

"You want to sneak into the cavern?"

The cavern was only that big, and the duo was right before the cavern. How could he possibly sneak in without the other party noticing?

"Don't worry about that, leave it to me..." Zhang Xuan reassured them before diving to the side.

In a few moments, he had already disappeared from their sights.

"This..." After Zhang Xuan's departure, Dong Xin and the others glanced at one another with bewilderment reflected in their eyes, unsure of what to do.

A long moment later, Hu Yaoyao sighed deeply and said, "Let's just follow Zhang shi's instructions. Since he has already said those words, he must have an idea in mind..."

In the current circumstances, there was nothing they could do. Their only option was to follow Zhang Xuan's commands.

Considering the various miracles that the latter had produced before, perhaps he might just be able to exceed their expectations once more and obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruits ahead of the duo.

...

After getting out of the others' sight, Zhang Xuan hid in a discreet location before drawing his soul out.

Under the present circumstances, the only way for him to sneak into the cavern discreetly was through his soul.

As for what he said about circling the area and finding an opportunity, that was only an excuse for him to hide out of view.

Floating in the air, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before whipping out a bottle of Origin Heavy Water. He fed it to his body and drew out several surges of Heaven's Path zhenqi from his dantian before stowing his body into the Myriad Anthive Nest.

His physical body had already achieved the Mind of Void, allowing it to cultivate instinctively without his soul. Since that was the case, it would be a waste not to make full use of the ability to cultivate the Third Incandescence, especially since it wouldn't interfere in his mission anyway.

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Hu!

Holding his storage ring up with his soul energy, Zhang Xuan's soul traveled silently alongside the cliff face toward the cavern.

There were many trees and shrubs growing alongside the cliff face, all the way to the cavern, so it wasn't too difficult for Zhang Xuan to move his small storage ring discreetly among them.

On top of that, Zhang Xuan's soul had reached Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle, granting him greater control over his soul energy. If he were to conceal his aura, there was no way a Half-Saint would be able to notice him.

Hu!

By making use of a temporary lapse in attention of the duo, Zhang Xuan managed to dart into the cavern with his storage ring without alarming anyone.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he began to scan his surroundings.

The interior of the cavern was spacious and deep. From where he stood, he couldn't see the other end.

At this moment, there was already a light layer of smoke drifting in the cavern, and with just the slightest inhalation, one would fall into a deep trance.

If it had been before, even if Zhang Xuan had cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, he would still have needed to proceed warily around such poison. However, after his soul had mixed with Wei Ruyan's and gained the properties of the Poison Soul Constitution, such poison no longer posed a threat to him.

Advancing deeper into the cavern, Zhang Xuan soon encountered a bizarre-looking tree.

It had a twisted tree trunk with a thickness roughly equivalent to an average bowl with vine-like branches stretching from it. Hanging on those vine-like branches were golden leaves and several light-red fruits.

It seems the fruits haven't matured yet... Upon taking a look, Zhang Xuan could tell that the fruits were still several days away from maturity.

The distinctive trait of a mature Scarlet Firefly Fruit was its bright scarlet color and the emanation of a glow reminiscent of a firefly. However, it was currently only light-red in color.

Just as Dong Xin and the others had deduced, it would still take from a week to half a month before they were ready to be harvested.

Standing on guard right before the tree was a massive Sabertooth Spirit Tiger. It had an impressive body, which was two meters tall and five meters long, and it carried an oppressive aura that seemed to stifle one's breath.

The other Sabertooth Spirit Tiger was prowling warily around the tree with its gaze frequently turning to the entrance of the cavern. It seemed to have realized that there were enemies camping outside, and nervousness and apprehension were reflected in its eyes. It seemed to be debating whether or not it should simply devour the unripe Scarlet Firefly Fruits and escape swiftly.

The smoke of the Soulshock Incense had yet to reach this part of the cavern, so the two large tigers still retained their consciousness.

It seems Dong Xin's intelligence is spot on... Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

There were indeed ten fruits on the tree, and the two Sabertooth Spirit Tigers were at Chrysalis realm pinnacle as well.

To be able to gather such detailed intelligence, Dong Xin must have scouted the cavern as well.

While the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers were extremely wary, it was inevitable that they would lower their guards from time to time, especially while they were tending to their fundamental needs. Furthermore, the fruits were still far from maturity then, so they wouldn't have been as wary as they were now.

With Dong Xin's Chrysalis realm pinnacle cultivation, even if she wasn't a match for the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers, she was still capable of sneaking in discreetly to scout the area.

There are two ways I can proceed now. First, I can release the Byzantium Helios Beast, kill these two spirit beasts, and claim possession of the Scarlet Firefly Fruits. This is the easiest and most direct method, but I will risk exposing my means as a soul oracle and the existence of the Myriad Anthive Nest. Second, I can find a way to hasten the maturity of the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, harvest them, and swiftly escape without anyone noticing. If so, I can avoid a confrontation with the two master teachers, thus sparing me a great deal of trouble... Zhang Xuan thought.

Naturally, the easiest solution would be to release the Byzantium Helios Beast and swiftly get rid of the two tigers. However, it would be hard to explain how he had managed to sneak into the cavern without their notice and where the Byzantium Helios Beast had come from.

The second method it is then! After giving the matter some thought, Zhang Xuan still felt that the second method would be safer.

I will have to knock these two fellows out first...

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan's soul retreated slightly behind and drew the smoke of the Soulshock Incense in with his soul energy.

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The Scarlet Firefly Fruit should only be harvested upon maturity, and in order to hasten the maturity of the Scarlet Firefly Fruit, Zhang Xuan would have to bring out his physical body to utilize his Heaven's Path zhenqi. Thus, he would have to incapacitate the two Sabertooth Spirit Tigers first.

Under the control of his soul, the smoke of the Soulshock Incense swiftly gathered around the tree. Too focused on the cultivators loitering outside the cavern, the two spirit beasts didn't expect to be poisoned. Unknowingly, they took a few breaths in, and their bodies began shaking uncontrollably. In the blink of an eye, they were already hallucinating.

After waiting for a few moments to confirm that the two fellows were incapacitated, Zhang Xuan rushed forward to the tree, took out his physical body, and returned his soul to it.

Flicking his wrist, he took out a gourd of Earth Vein Spirit Essence and dripped it on the fruits while pumping his Heaven's Path zhenqi into them.

The reason Zhang Xuan dared to go in there without having to worry about being late for the inauguration ceremony, despite Hu Yaoyao saying that she was unsure when the Scarlet Firefly Fruit would mature, was due to this ability of his.

He had learned of this method when he had tried to hasten the maturity of the Ten-leafed Flower back in You Xu's residence previously. Under the influx of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence and Heaven's Path zhenqi, the light-red fruits swiftly deepened in color, and a glow gradually emerged within them. Before long, a refreshing fragrance began to permeate the surroundings.

The fruits have matured! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

He swiftly harvested the ten Scarlet Firefly Fruits and placed them in a jade box before stowing them into his storage ring. After which, he drew his soul out of his body and placed his body into the Myriad Anthive Nest before storing the nest in his storage ring as well.

After all that was done, he took a glance at the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers once more and saw that they were still shaking on their feet, plagued by hallucinations. Heaving a sigh of relief, he swiftly picked up his ring and rushed out of the cavern.

Shortly after he escaped from the cavern, he saw the two master teachers who had lit the Soulshock Incense earlier walking over, seemingly trying to check if they had successfully knocked out the Sabertooth Spirit Tigers.

With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan quickly left the premises with his storage ring. He hurriedly searched for a discreet area with no one around before letting his body out and returning to it.

In the time he had spent stealing the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, his physical body had successfully cultivated the Third Incandescence of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body.

His physical strength had doubled, rising from the original 8,000,000 ding to 16,000,000 ding.

If exerted in unison with his soul and zhenqi cultivation, he would be able to bring out a combined might of 53,000,000 ding, which was comparable to the strength of a Half-Saint pinnacle cultivator!

(Half-Saint primary stage 40,000,000 ding; intermediate stage 44,000,000 ding; advanced stage 48,000,000 ding; pinnacle 52,000,000 ding)

Feeling the overwhelming power coursing through his body, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but tremble with excitement.

For an Ethereal Treading realm primary stage cultivator to possess strength on par with a Half-Saint pinnacle cultivator, that would terrify the bejesus out of others!

That was a gap that couldn't be justified by just talent; it could only be said to be a miracle!

Alright, I should return now... Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan stood up and returned to the area where he had last seen Hu Yaoyao and the others.

However, just as he was approaching the area, he suddenly felt a violent shockwave rippling in the surroundings.

This is bad...

Narrowing his eyes in alarm, Zhang Xuan picked up his pace and rushed over. A few breaths later, he saw several cultivators battling one another intensely in a clearing.

Xue Zhenyang, Hu Yaoyao, Dong Xin, and Long Cangyue were fighting one of the duo they had encountered earlier. They executed powerful attacks with varying styles, but their opponent, despite fighting the four of them simultaneously, didn't seem to be falling in defeat. On the contrary, he easily neutralized their attacks and even cornered the four of them to the point that they had to execute their strongest techniques just to hold their ground.

It's the Chrysalis realm pinnacle fellow? Zhang Xuan took a look at their opponent and frowned.

If their opponent had been the Half-Saint expert, it would be understandable for the four of them to still be in a disadvantageous position despite putting their strength together. However, their opponent was the Chrysalis realm pinnacle master teacher, possessing cultivation equal to theirs!

The four of them were famed geniuses of the Master Teacher Academy, and there were barely any cultivators of the same cultivation realm who could defeat them.

Yet, for them to be cornered even in a four-on-one battle against a fellow peer, was this really happening?

Their opponent was a little... way too powerful!

Glancing to the side, Zhang Xuan saw the Half-Saint cultivator leaning a boulder as he gazed at the duel impassively, seemingly unworried that his companion would lose at all.

It seemed that the other party had absolute confidence in the strength of his companion.

Knowing that Hu Yaoyao and the others would lose tragically should the duel continue as it was, Zhang Xuan stood forward and bellowed, "Stop!"

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Chapter 866: Zhang Xuan's Prowess

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang shi..."

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, the eyes of Hu Yaoyao and the others immediately lit up. They immediately attempted to retreat from the battle to unite with him, but their opponent harrumphed coldly. "Do you think that you can stop this battle just because you want to?"

Hu hu!

The opponent brandished the sword in his hand, and a powerful might immediately chased after Hu Yaoyao and the others, leaving them no choice but to turn around to counterattack.

However, their counterattack was still a little late, and the opponent's slash left them with a deep cut on their arms.

What swift swordsmanship! Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The opponent's swordsmanship wasn't exceptionally profound, but it made up for its simplicity with speed, preciseness, and exceptional mastery in the comprehension of Sword Intent. Despite collaborating with one another, Hu Yaoyao and the others were still unable to withstand its might, and they were pulled back into the battle once more.

Seeing the opponent attack Hu Yaoyao and the others relentlessly, leaving them no opportunity to escape at all, Zhang Xuan frowned. "That friend over there, we are all master teachers, so surely we can talk things out. There is no need to resort to a life-and-death duel!"

"You want the duel to stop? Sure, if you think that you can save them, you are free to try. Otherwise, I am afraid none of you will be getting out of here unharmed!" the Chrysalis realm pinnacle cultivator fighting Hu Yaoyao and the others taunted with a smirk.

The opponent's voice sounded extremely young, which drew Zhang Xuan's gaze to his facial features. Astonishingly, he realized that the opponent seemed to be even younger than Hu Yaoyao and the others, possibly only in his early twenties.

To reach Chrysalis realm pinnacle at such a young age and subdue Hu Yaoyao and the others simultaneously, the opponent's talent was truly fearsome!

Turning his gaze to the Half-Saint realm cultivator as well, Zhang Xuan noticed that the other party was only in his mid-twenties as well.

"Since that is the case, pardon me!"

Seeing that the opponent had no intention of stopping, if the battle were allowed to continue, Hu Yaoyao and the others would eventually suffer severe injuries. Thus, without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan leaped into the battle as well.

"Ethereal Treading realm?"

Sensing Zhang Xuan's cultivation, the disdainful sneer emerged on the lips of the Half-Saint standing by the side, seemingly anticipating that Zhang Xuan would make a fool out of himself.

Even four Chrysalis realm pinnacle cultivators are no match for my companion. What can an Ethereal Treading realm primary stage like you possibly do? You are merely courting death!

"I was thinking, how formidable must you be to talk so much by the side? But it turns out that you are only at the Ethereal Treading realm. Since that's the case, I will have you collapse first!"

The fighting young man also noticed Zhang Xuan's weak cultivation, and the same disdainful sneer surfaced on his face as well. After pushing back Hu Yaoyao and the others with a powerful slash, he rushed straight toward Zhang Xuan with a stab.

Even before the sword arrived, the powerful aura it emanated would have already pierced deep into one's body, leaving one shivering uncontrollably.

That young man might only have been at Chrysalis realm pinnacle, but the might of his sword surpassed even some Half-Saint experts.

It was no wonder Hu Yaoyao and the others couldn't defeat him even in a four-to-one battle.

Facing such a powerful stab, Zhang Xuan didn't bother to hide at all. Activating his Eye of Insight, he swiftly analyzed the area where the sword would land, and abruptly exhaled deeply.

Hu la!

Zhang Xuan's chest immediately deflated along with the exhalation.

In a battle between experts, the slightest millimeter could make the greatest of difference. The sword was aimed right at his chest, but it seemed that the other party had no intention of killing him with this stab, aiming to only achieve a shallow pierce and stop right before his heart. However, with the deep exhalation Zhang Xuan had made, the rampaging force of the advancing sword stopped right before his chest instead.

Even the sharpest of sword can't pierce the thinnest of cloth once it loses its momentum!

As powerful as the young man's stab was, it had already run out of strength at this point. With a light chuckle, Zhang Xuan lifted his hand and held the other party sword's lightly between his forefinger and middle finger.

Weng!

As if a captured snake, the sharp sword wouldn't budge no matter how the young man tried to pull it away.

What sharp insight and mental fortitude...

The Half-Saint cultivator by the side narrowed his eyes.

This movement might seem simple and lackluster, but it wasn't something that just anyone was capable of pulling off. One's eye of discernment and mental fortitude must reach be on par.

If one's discernment wasn't sufficiently keen and a wrong judgement was made, the sword could end up piercing one's chest instead. On the other hand, if one lacked sufficient mental fortitude, it would be impossible to retain one's composure before a life-and-death situation such as this.

Interesting!

For an Ethereal Treading realm cultivator to dare to face the sword of a Chrysalis realm pinnacle expert head-on, the other party sure had a lot of guts.

However, Wu Xu's sword can't be stopped that easily. He will have to pay a heavy price for it!

His companion might possess a weaker cultivation than him, but his mastery of swordsmanship was astonishing. The other party might have managed to catch his companion's sword out of a stroke of luck previously, but... the true challenge had yet to come.

With his lips curled up, the Half-Saint cultivator turned his sight to the battlefield calmly, expecting to see how his companion would subdue the young lad. However, what he saw instead was his companion exerting all of his strength, such that his face had turned red, but was still unable to pull his sword out of the other party's fingers.

What is going on? the Half-Saint cultivator's eyebrow shot up.

His companion could be said to be invincible among cultivators of the same cultivation realm, but for his sword to be captured by an insignificant fellow who was nearly two realms weaker than him, and be unable to retrieve it from the other party's fingers at that... How could that be possible?

"Y-you..."

While he was shocked, the person who was experiencing the situation personally, Wu Xu, was nearly scared out of his wits.

He had thought that the other party was a small fry who he could defeat in an instant. Yet, the stab that he had put a significant amount of strength into was not only negated by his opponent easily, he even had his sword trapped within the other party's grasp!

"Let go!" Wu Xu roared as he gathered his strength and pulled furiously.

"Here you go!" Zhang Xuan abruptly released his grip.

"Humph!"

As expected of a combat talent, unlike the situation with Ying Qin, Wu Xu immediately did a somersault to neutralize the momentum from his pull, allowing him to recover his balance swiftly. After which, he charged forward and quickly sent another stab toward Zhang Xuan.

Knowing that his opponent wasn't ordinary, Wu Xu's stab was abrupt and much swifter than before. Before one could even process what was happening, the sword would already be right before one.

The Half-Saint nodded in approval upon seeing the stab. "This 'Blithe Sword' is well-executed. It seems he has achieved at least twenty percent of my mastery!"

That stab was swift and agile, carrying the aura of a conqueror!

It might be only twenty percent of his mastery, but that was already a fearsome level. Considering how close the two of them were, even of an average Half-Saint intermediate stage cultivator would be unable to dodge the attack!

There was no doubt about it; the Ethereal Treading realm lad's defeat was certain!

"You really want to have a go at it, don't you?"

If Zhang Xuan had been unable to react, he would have surely suffered severe injuries under the assault. Even if he were to survive this ordeal, he would have to spend at least the next few months in bed.

He had already gone easily on the other party, but the other party still launched such a vicious attack on him. Displeased, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up as he bent his middle finger and flicked it lightly.

Ding!

With a crisp echo, as if a cracked glass, Wu Xu's sword abruptly broke into numerous pieces and fell to the ground.

When Zhang Xuan had held Wu Xu's sword previously, he had already compiled a book regarding it, so he knew where its weakness was. On top of that, he possessed strength comparable to a Half-Saint pinnacle, making it an easy feat for him to destroy the sword with a simple flick of his finger.

"What?"

Seeing his Spirit pinnacle sword destroyed by a single flick of the other party's finger, Wu Xu nearly fainted from shock.

Even if a Half-Saint pinnacle expert were to exert the full extent of his strength, it would still be nigh impossible to destroy a Spirit pinnacle sword. Yet, for it to shatter with a single flick of the other party's finger... Just how could that be possible?

At the same time, the eyeballs of the Half-Saint watching the battle by the side also nearly popped out of their sockets.

He had thought that Zhang Xuan would be surely be severely injured at the very least, but the latter had actually managed to shatter Wu Xu's sword with a simple flick of his finger... How could the other party possibly wield such fearsome strength?

Was the other party really an Ethereal Treading realm cultivator?

They had always prided themselves on being invincible among cultivators of the same cultivation realm, so how could his companion be defeated by someone of a weaker cultivation level than him?

"Damn it!"

Wu Xu shook his head in disbelief, unwilling to believe what had just happened. With a frenzied look on his face, he charged at Zhang Xuan once more.

It was impossible for someone who was nearly two cultivation realms weaker than him to defeat him so easily. Impossible!

On the other hand, seeing that the young man was still unwilling to give up, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a sigh and raised his fist.

Heaven's Path Fist Art!

Peng!

Before Wu Xu could even process what was going on, he had already been struck by a punch to his chest. He collapsed to the ground, coughing an endless stream of blood. It felt as if his internal organs had shifted under the incredible force, and even after a brief respite, he was still unable to catch his breath.

"You..."

It took him a few more moments before he managed to recover sufficiently to return to his feet. With a face completely warped by rage, Wu Xu glared at Zhang Xuan, seemingly preparing to make his next move, when the Half-Saint cultivator by the side abruptly intervened. "Enough! Don't you think that you have embarrassed yourself enough?"

"... Yes!"

Wu Xu glared at Zhang Xuan hesitantly for a moment longer before hesitantly backing down to the side. He took out a pill and swallowed it, and only then did he feel his condition alleviate slightly. Even though he had decided not to make a move, his hostile gaze was still fixated on Zhang Xuan, seemingly tempted to tear him apart.

Ignoring the duo, Zhang Xuan whipped out a wine gourd and infused his zhenqi inside before passing them over to Hu Yaoyao and the others to heal their injuries. After that was done, he turned his gaze back to the duo with a deep frown on his face.

"We are all master teachers here, but you willfully made a move on my companions, and not to mention, you even resorted to such vicious moves. Do the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion mean nothing to you?"

"Vicious moves? You haven't seen what truly vicious is yet! Hand over the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, and I can consider letting you off. Otherwise, none of you will be getting out of here unscathed today!" Wu Xu roared in response.

Hearing those words, the short-tempered Xue Zhenyang bellowed furiously, "Scarlet Firefly Fruits? We have been behind you all this while, how in the world could we possibly have obtained the Scarlet Firefly Fruits ahead of you?"

From the start to the end, they had never found an opportunity to approach the cavern. Yet, the duo actually came over to demand the Scarlet Firefly Fruits from them. Was there something wrong with their minds?

Even if you wish to accuse us, at least find something less illogical than that!

"We confirmed earlier that there were Scarlet Firefly Fruits inside the cavern, but they suddenly disappeared when we entered the cavern just a moment ago. On top of that, we noticed traces suggesting that someone had hastened the maturity of the fruits. There are only the few of us in this valley, so who else could it be if not you?" Wu Xu snapped.

The two Sabertooth Spirit Tigers had lost their consciousness, and there were no signs to say that they had devoured the fruits ahead of them. From this, they deduced that someone must have beaten them to the Scarlet Firefly Fruits.

There weren't too many people in the valley, so the culprit could only be them!

"If we had obtained the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, we would have already long left the valley. Why would we waste our time loitering around this area and talking to you? You are clearly making up nonsense to extort our wealth!" Hu Yaoyao harrumphed.

In her opinion, the duo were the ones who had harvested the fruits, and they were only making use of this opportunity to extort them.

They were truly a disgrace to all master teachers.

"Preposterous, we..." Wu Xu was just about to argue with Hu Yaoyao when the Half-Saint cultivator beside him abruptly waved his hands and bellowed, "Enough!"

Wu Xu immediately fell silent.

"I am sure that we can agree that the Scarlet Firefly Fruits are very important to all of us here. Like you have said, we are all master teachers. If you have harvested the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, we are willing to officially negotiate the distribution of the fruits with you under the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion," the Half-Saint said calmly.

"How do you intend to negotiate?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Simple. If any of you can withstand three blows from me, we will turn around and leave straightaway. Otherwise... pardon me, but you won't be leaving until you hand over five Scarlet Firefly Fruits today!" the Half-Saint replied.

"If we win, you get to leave without any compensation, and if we lose, we have to hand you five Scarlet Firefly Fruits? Hahaha, this is the most hilarious joke I have heard in the longest time. You call this a negotiation? What makes you think that we will agree to such terms?" Zhang Xuan sneered coldly.

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Chapter 867: I Can Use Any Means at My Disposal?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Of course, we aren't expecting to take the Scarlet Firefly Fruits from you for free. If we win, we will buy those fruits from you at a price of 50 high-tier spirit stones!" the Half-Saint cultivator said.

"50 high-tier spirit stones?" Zhang Xuan scoffed. "If you can fork out 5000 high-tier spirit stones, I can sell them to you right now!"

Just the several bottles of Origin Heavy Water and formation plates that Hu Yaoyao and the others had prepared to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruits already exceeded 50 high-tier spirit stones. To offer to buy five of them for such a price... Did he really think that they were fools?

If you want to buy some of the fruits, sure, we are willing to sell them. Five thousand high-tier spirit stones, no more, no less!

"You should learn to watch your words. You might possess exceptional talent, but in my eyes, you mean nothing at all! The Master Teacher Pavilion might forbid killing among fellow master teachers, but teaching you a lesson... I think I have sufficient authority to do so!" the Half-Saint said coldly as he glanced at Zhang Xuan with narrowed eyes.

"Why? Are you going to resort to threatening me now that you don't have enough money?" Zhang Xuan burst into laughter.

"This is not a threat; I am merely stating facts. In the world that we live in, the only thing that truly counts is strength!" The Half-Saint harrumphed as an aura reminiscent of a sharp sword abruptly burst out of him, forcing all flora and fauna in the area to lower themselves subserviently.

Feeling that aura, the faces of Hu Yaoyao and the others paled in astonishment.

They had met plenty of Half-Saints in their time, but the aura of the other party felt like a guillotine above their heads, threatening to decapitate them should they show the slightest resistance. This fearsome aura was something that they had never felt before, even from a Nascent Saint expert.

Seemingly unaffected by the other party's overwhelming aura, Zhang Xuan asked with a wry smile on his lips, "In other words, you are saying that justice lies in the hands of the strong?"

"That's right. The Master Teacher Pavilion might have its own set of rules, but before true strength, those rules are meaningless! I recommend you learn your place and hand over the Scarlet Firefly Fruits obediently; perhaps, we might still be able to settle this matter peacefully. Otherwise, I don't mind challenging you all to a Master Teacher Confrontation. By then, not only will you not receive any spirit stones at all, you will have to call someone to carry you back!" the Half-Saint cultivator sneered coldly as he placed his hands behind his back, glancing at Zhang Xuan with an aura of superiority.

Snatching was forbidden among master teachers, but challenging one another to duels was allowed.

Furthermore, considering that they were in a rural area, there would be no eye-witnesses to say anything if the pair did do something to them.

"Fair enough. Since you have already said that much, there is nothing else I can do."

Seeing that the other party was insistent on settling the matter with force, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a sigh and commanded, "Byzantium Lad, get him!"

Hu!

Before anyone could process what was going on, the Byzantium Helios Beast abruptly flew over from further down the valley and appeared before the Half-Saint.

In order to not reveal his possession of the Myriad Anthive Nest, Zhang Xuan had secretly slipped the nest a distance away before having the Byzantium Helios Beast emerge from it.

"What?"

The Half-Saint cultivator did not expect to see a Saint 2-dan saint beast appear before him abruptly. He immediately leaped in the air to flee, but the next instant, a massive palm smacked him back to the ground.

Peng!

Due to the immense force, the Half-Saint cultivator tumbled eight rounds before knocking heavily into the cliff face, and a large mouthful of blood spewed from his lips.

In the first place, the Byzantium Helios Beast was a saint beast capable of rivaling cultivators who possessed a cultivation beyond it, not to mention, its cultivation was far higher than his at that. He might possess exceptional fighting prowess, but there was no way he could be a match for the other party!

"Damn it!" Knowing that it was impossible for him to flee, the Half-Saint cultivator's face turned so dark that it could bleed ink.

Flicking his wrist, a sword appeared in his hands, and with a swift motion, he charged forward to strike the Byzantium Helios Beast.

Seeing the other party's movements, Zhang Xuan nodded in commendation. "Not bad!"

It was no wonder the other party was so arrogant. He did have the strength to back up his words. Just this single move in itself could easily overwhelm an average Nascent Saint!

Even Zhang Xuan didn't have the confidence to overcome this move head-on.

However... it was a pity that his opponent was the Byzantium Helios Beast!

As one of the elders of the Master Teacher Academy, the Byzantium Helios Beast had fought innumerable battles. How could it possibly be afraid of a mere Half-Saint? With a roar, its massive palm plucked an enormous tree from the side and flung it toward the Half-Saint cultivator.

Peng!

When the sword was still eight meters away from reaching the Byzantium Helios Beast, the wielder of the sword was already struck on his head, and he was smacked flying toward the cliff face once more.

In the first place, this battle served no purpose at all. There was an insurmountable gap between the two of them, so there could only be one outcome.

"You..."

Pushing himself away from cliff, the Half-Saint cultivator popped a pill into his mouth to alleviate his injuries. Gritting his teeth, he spat, "We are all fellow master teachers; don't you think that it is underhanded for you to have a saint beast elder interfere in our duel?"

In his view, the Byzantium Helios Beast was probably an elder accompanying them on this trip to ensure their safety.

It should have been a fight among peers, but you had an elder fight in your stead. Don't you think that it is embarrassing?

"Elder?" Zhang Xuan burst into laughter. "The Byzantium Helios Beast is my tamed beast, why do you think that he is an elder? Surely a beast tamer can use his own tamed beast in a duel, right?"

"Your tamed beast?" The Half-Saint was stunned.

He had seen many beast tamers before, but even the most capable 7-star beast tamer he had seen could only tame a saint beast one realm stronger than him. Yet, this lad, despite being only at the Ethereal Treading realm, actually managed to tame a Spiritual Perception realm saint beast...

How could this be possible?

Ethereal Treading, Chrysalis, Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, Void Pursuit, Spiritual Perception... That was five whole realms!

"That's right," Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly as he beckoned with his hand.

The Byzantium Helios Beast immediately walked over and nudged intimately Zhang Xuan with its head.

"This..." The Half-Saint was rendered speechless.

If he had known that the other party had such a powerful tamed beast, he would have never provoked him!

Beast tamers always fought with their tamed beast. While the other party's tamed beast might be irrationally powerful, that could only be credited to his astounding capability as a beast tamer. There were no bones anyone could pick from this.

How was this duel supposed to proceed?

Even if he were to grit his teeth and fight on, he would only be furthering his suffering!

"What's wrong? Didn't you say that you want to challenge me to a duel? Sure, I accept your challenge. Beast taming is one of my supporting occupations, so my tamed beast can be considered part of my own strength as well. You shouldn't have any problem with that, right? Feel free to make your three moves, I will also have Byzantium lad make three moves as well, there is no need to stand on ceremony!" Zhang Xuan said as he politely gestured for the other party to make his moves.

Weren't you arrogant just now, thinking that we are powerless before you?

Sure, two can play that game. If you can withstand three blows from my Byzantium Lad, I will admit defeat willingly!

"I..." The Half-Saint cultivator nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

If the Saint 2-dan Byzantium Helios Beast were to fight him seriously, he would be destroyed in an instant! Three moves... He wouldn't even survive the first one!

"It's true that beast tamers can bring their tamed beasts into battle, but since we are master teachers, don't you think that you are diverging too much from your origins by relying so much on your tamed beast?"

With a reddened face, the Half-Saint cultivator challenged, "I dare you to have a battle with me without the assistance of your tamed beast. You can use any other means at your disposal, and as long as you can defeat me, we will turn around and leave immediately."

"I can use any other means at my disposal?" Zhang Xuan asked the Half-Saint cultivator with a peculiar smile on his lips.

"That's right!" The Half-Saint cultivator nodded vehemently.

As long as the other party didn't make use of the Byzantium Helios Beast's strength, given his prowess as a Half-Saint, he could achieve victory easily.

He had gained a rough gauge of the other party's strength from his battle with Wu Xu earlier, and he was confident that he could defeat the other party in a normal duel.

"Don't you think that those words sound familiar? I recall that someone said those words just a moment ago... However, if you are willing to compensate me a hundred high-tier spirit stones if you lose, I don't mind having another duel with you!" Zhang Xuan said.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan wouldn't accept a duel if he had nothing to gain from it.

"A hundred high-tier spirit stones? Fine! But if you lose, you have to give me five Scarlet Firefly Fruits!" Seeing Zhang Xuan agree to the duel, the Half-Saint cultivator's eyes lit up in excitement.

Sensing the other party's excitement even before the duel had started, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "I haven't lost yet, you know..."

"Humph, we will see soon enough!"

The Half-Saint cultivator flicked his sword, and a crisp reverberation sounded from his sword. "Come!"

"Wait a moment. Allow me to confirm once more. As long as Byzantium Lad doesn't make a move, I can use any other means at my disposal?" Zhang Xuan confirmed once again.

The Half-Saint cultivator nodded. "That's right!"

"Alright then, sounds fine to me," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Good!"

With a cold sneer, the Half-Saint cultivator stood upright, and in that moment, it felt as if he had become one with his sword.

Despite the arrogance of the Half-Saint cultivator, his comprehension of swordsmanship wasn't beneath Zhang Xuan's at all, achieving Sword Heart realm. Otherwise, his swordsmanship wouldn't harness might that could destroy even a Nascent Saint expert.

"Zhang shi, be careful!" Hu Yaoyao said worriedly.

Even though the Half-Saint cultivator had been struck twice by Senior Byzantium Helios, due to the latter going easy on him, his injuries weren't too severe, and they had mostly recovered with the pill he had swallowed earlier. In his current state, he should be able to exert his full strength.

Hu Yaoyao wasn't too sure how powerful Zhang Xuan was, but the disparity in their cultivation realms was simply too huge. No matter how formidable Zhang Xuan might be, defeating a Half-Saint while at the Ethereal Treading realm seemed to be nigh impossible.

This worry was also shared by Xue Zhenyang and the others.

It was not that they didn't have faith in Zhang Xuan's strength, but that his opponent was simply too powerful. Be it the other party's aura or Sword Intent, those weren't what ordinary cultivators could withstand.

Seeing everyone's expressions, Zhang Xuan chuckled leisurely.

"Don't worry. He said it himself that I can resort to any means as long as Byzantium Lad doesn't interfere in the duel!"

With a flick of his wrist, he said, "Ding Ding, you're up. Teach that fellow a lesson!"

Hu!

In the next instant, a massive weapon cauldron appeared before everyone else. It seemed to harness searing flames within it, causing in the surroundings to become exceptionally torrid.

"This is... the Guardian Saint Artifact of our academy, the Golden Origin Cauldron?" Recognizing the other party, Hu Yaoyao nearly collapsed to the ground.

It was well-known among the student populace that the Master Teacher Academy had a powerful Guardian Saint Artifact that even Senior Byzantium Helios wasn't a match for. Even though Hu Yaoyao had never met the Guardian Saint Beast before, she had seen a painting of it in some books.

She had thought that it was already formidable that Zhang shi had succeeded in taming Senior Byzantium Helios... but he had actually managed to tame the Guardian Saint Artifact as well?

Beside her, Xue Zhenyang and Long Cangyue also saw the world darken before them, and they nearly keeled over.

To tame even the Guardian Saint Artifact...

It was no wonder he was 'forced' to become the principal. There were no viable candidates other than him!

Otherwise, if he were to take both Senior Byzantium Helios and the Guardian Saint Artifact away with him, it would be no different from the Master Teacher Academy's treasury being emptied out...

Hu Yaoyao and the others were only overwhelmed by shock, but at the moment that the Golden Origin Cauldron appeared, the Half-Saint cultivator saw ten thousand divine beasts stampeding through his mind. His mouth widened to the point where one could stuff an egg in, but he was still unable to alleviate the suffocating sensation he felt in his chest.

You tamed a saint beast? Fine, I will accept that. Perhaps, you might just be lucky, encountering an injured saint beast and treating him, thus becoming its benefactor... But to tame a Saint-tier artifact as well, not to mention one as powerful as that cauldron, just how in the world did you do it?

A pity it was that the Half-Saint cultivator wasn't even granted the time to brood over his misery. The Golden Origin Cauldron, upon hearing that that there was someone it could beat up, leaped up in excitement and declared, "Don't worry, Master. I will fulfill the mission you have asked of me perfectly. Watch how I, the Golden Origin Cauldron, reduce him to cinders within moments..."

After which, the Half-Saint cultivator saw the large figure before him turn into a blur, and he instinctively raised his sword in defense.

Kacha!

The sword in his hands broke into smithereens, but before he could even process that, his body was already whizzing through the air before crashing right into the cliff face once more, leaving a huge '大'-shaped depression behind him. More than a dozen of his ribs had shattered, and fresh blood spurted uncontrollably from his mouth.

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Chapter 868: Breakthrough, Chrysalis Realm!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Brother Lu..."

Wu Xu hurriedly rushed forward to pull his companion out of the wall and fed him a recovery pill.

"Y-you..."

After consuming the recovery pill and resting for a moment, the Half-Saint Brother Lu finally regained consciousness. Pointing a shaking finger at Zhang Xuan, he felt as if he was going to burst into tears.

It is one thing for an Ethereal Treading realm lad like you to possess a Spiritual Perception realm saint beast as a tamed beast, but to have a Saint-tier artifact on top of that... Tell me the truth, are you actually Kong shi's illegitimate son?

Otherwise, how can you have so many good items in your possession?

"What's wrong? You were the one who told me that I can resort to any means at my disposal as long as Byzantium Lad doesn't interfere in the battle. You were the one who set the rules, and I simply followed them!" Zhang Xuan shrugged nonchalantly.

Pu!

A strong feeling of frustration welled up in Brother Lu's chest, and he spurted yet another mouthful of blood.

What was this!

He had thought that the other party could only have a Byzantium Helios Beast as his trump card. As long as he restricted that, he would be able to pummel the other party as he pleased. How could he have known that the other party would have a cauldron on top of that?

Screw this!

The person who I want to fight is you, not your Saint-tier artifact... You might not have broken any rules, but how the hell am I supposed to fight with a Saint-tier artifact?

There is no way I can win, right?

Gritting his teeth, Brother Lu exclaimed, "What I mean is a fight without relying on any artifact or saint beast, a proper duel between two cultivators using their own strength!"

Fearing that the other party would whip out some kind of powerful item next, he emphasized 'using their own strength'.

"I see. So, you want to have a proper duel as martial artists?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That's right. Do you dare accept my challenge?" Brother Lu taunted.

He had always been a proud person, but he had ended up being humiliated more than he had ever been in his life today. If he didn't vent it out today, it would become a permanent trauma that would hunt him for life.

While it was unbecoming for a Half-Saint expert like him to challenge an Ethereal Treading realm cultivator, in view of the many means the other party possessed, not even he could say that he had absolute confidence in achieving victory.

"Sure, but the stakes will be doubled!" Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

A duel? As long as there is sufficient money involved, I am open to negotiations.

"Fine by me!" A glint flashed across Brother Lu's eyes as he nodded in agreement.

"Remember, you have already lost once, so you owe me a hundred high-tier spirit stones!" Zhang Xuan reminded.

Brother Lu harrumphed. "You don't need to worry about that; I won't stoop so low as to renege on my promise! But of course, if you lose, I hope that you can fulfill your end of the bet as well!"

"Alright then. I won't take advantage of you; I will give you two hours to recuperate from your injuries before we begin the duel, lest you refuse to admit defeat later on!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

"You..."

It should have been a good thing that the other party was giving him some time to recuperate, but for some reason, Brother Lu felt as if the other party was mocking him, and he felt another warm surge gushing up his throat once more. It took some time before he managed to recover, and after taking a deep breath, he nodded. "Fine!"

It was through countless battles that he had managed to attain his current strength. He knew that it was precisely in crucial periods like this that he shouldn't allow his emotions to cloud his rationality. Two hours might not be sufficient for him to make a full recovery, but he should be able to exert around 95% of his full strength by then.

And to him, that was more than enough!

Brother Lu turned to Wu Xu and said, "Wu Xu, give me two of your Miniature Restorative Pills!"

"Yes!" Wu Xu nodded.

The Miniature Restorative Pill was an extremely valuable grade-6 pill, and he was usually reluctant to use one even when he was injured. However, knowing that Brother Lu had gotten injured for him, he passed them over without any hesitation.

This grade-6 pill was known to be effective on even the injuries of Saint realm experts. Even if the two pills couldn't guarantee a complete recovery, they should improve his condition significantly.

Swallowing the Miniature Restorative Pill, Brother Lu immediately felt the medicinal energy coursing through his body, and his pale complexion swiftly regained its color.

The Golden Origin Cauldron turned to Zhang Xuan and advised, "Master, given that this fellow was able to survive my attack, his strength is extraordinary. It would be best not to make light of him!"

By the side, the Byzantium Helios Beast also nodded in agreement.

The two of them had exchanged blows with Brother Lu, and even though they were able to subdue the other party easily, they could feel that the fellow's strength far surpassed that of ordinary Half-Saint cultivators.

Even though their master wasn't a weakling either, he was still some way off from matching the other party.

"I know." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Through the Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path, he knew that the other party possessed exceptional prowess, which he couldn't match in his current state.

However, the outcome of a battle couldn't be determined by just mere stats. The decisions one chose to make in the midst of a battle played a vital role, too.

Even though Zhang Xuan felt that he wouldn't lose, he still thought that he should make some preparations just in case. This was also why he had proposed taking a two-hour break before the duel.

The enemy needed time to recuperate, but he needed time to prepare his hand as well.

Zhang Xuan turned to Hu Yaoyao and the others and asked, "Do you have any Ethereal Treading realm cultivation technique manuals? I need as many of them as possible!"

The best way for him to stand against that Brother Lu was to raise his cultivation and narrow the gap between them.

Two hours might not be much to anyone else, but to him, as long as he compiled the corresponding Heaven's Path Divine Art manuals, he would be able to raise his cultivation swiftly!

"We do have some!" Hu Yaoyao nodded, and the four of them began taking out all of the Ethereal Treading realm cultivation technique manuals they had.

As the leaders of their respective factions, they tended to keep quite a handful of cultivation technique manuals of lower cultivation realms in their storage rings so that they could refer to them whenever they were guiding their subordinates in their cultivation. For Ethereal Treading realm, they had around several hundred books each.

Zhang Xuan swiftly scanned them with his gaze, collecting them into his Library of Heaven's Path. By compiling all of them together, he successfully formed the Ethereal Treading realm Heaven's Path Divine Art.

Zhang Xuan turned to them and asked once more, "What about Chrysalis realm cultivation technique manuals?"

"I only have twenty Chrysalis realm cultivation technique manuals with me at the moment!"

"Twelve here. Dong Xin is more meticulous, so she might have more with her."

"I do have a few more, but I only have around forty of them in total."

...

Soon, gathering the four's Chrysalis realm cultivation technique manuals together, there was a total of around a hundred books or so.

After collecting them all into the Library of Heaven's Path and compiling them, the result was just as Zhang Xuan had expected. There were still too many flaws to form a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art.

Nevertheless, the portion regarding the breakthrough to Chrysalis realm was still perfected.

In other words, he had the Heaven's Path Divine Art manuals to cultivate from Ethereal Treading realm primary stage all the way to Chrysalis realm primary stage!

"Guard me, I need to cultivate now!" Zhang Xuan said.

Even though he had failed to compile the complete Chrysalis realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, he was still rather satisfied with the result.

"Yes!" The others nodded, but they couldn't help but trade perplexed glances with one another.

To cultivate right before the duel... Isn't that just desperately grasping at straws?

But despite the doubts in their mind, they still made sure to guard him earnestly. They hid him behind them while directing their gazes intently at Wu Xu and Brother Lu, fearing that they might attempt to do something in the meantime.

However, even though the two of them had resorted to some underhanded means out of their desperation to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruits, they still had their pride as martial artists. As such, even though they had noticed that Zhang Xuan was cultivating, they didn't try to disrupt him in any way.

They chose to focus their efforts on recuperating from their injuries instead, so that they would be in their top condition for the duel two hours later.

Seeing that they weren't going to pull anything, Hu Yaoyao heaved a sigh of relief. However, with her attention freed, doubts about the impending duel began sprouting in her mind. Unnerved, she turned to Senior Byzantium Helios to ask her about the chances of Zhang shi achieving victory, hoping to ease her worries, when she suddenly heard Dong Xin gasping in shock.

"What's wrong?" The others immediately turned to her with doubtful gazes.

With a body stiffened with shock, Dong Xin pointed behind her. "Look at Zhang shi!"

"Zhang shi?"

Hu Yaoyao and the others turned around to take a look, and what they saw left them dumbstruck.

"Is it just my imagination, or has Zhang shi's cultivation reached... Ethereal Treading realm intermediate stage?" Xue Zhenyang uttered with quivering lips.

They had gotten a clear glimpse of Zhang Xuan's cultivation when he made a move against Wu Xu earlier—Ethereal Treading realm primary stage. Yet, in just a short moment after he started cultivating, why did it feel as if the latter had achieved a... breakthrough?

"It's not your imagination. He has indeed reached Ethereal Treading realm intermediate stage!" Hu Yaoyao nodded affirmatively. "Most likely, Zhang shi must have been stuck at Ethereal Treading realm primary stage for quite a long while and was already on the verge of a breakthrough!"

Advancing a single stage abruptly wasn't much to be surprised about. To use an analogy, if one was already standing before the goal of a marathon, all it would take was one final push to successfully achieve the breakthrough.

There was no need to make a fuss over it.

"That does seem to be the case. No wonder Zhang shi agreed to have a duel with the other party so readily; it seems he was already on the verge of a breakthrough. However, it doesn't seem like advancing a single stage will make much of a difference to the outcome... Ah?" Xue Zhenyang remarked while he nodded, but then he suddenly exclaimed in the midst of his words.

"What is with you again?" Seeing Xue Zhenyang make a big fuss out of everything, Long Cangyue was rendered speechless.

No matter what, they were the cream of the crop in the Master Teacher Academy, competent and knowledgeable. Why did it seem that after meeting Zhang shi, they had all become countryside bumpkins who were ignorant of the world?

"Why do I feel like... Zhang shi has reached Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage? Could my eyes be playing tricks on me?" Xue Zhenyang's face paled as he rubbed his eyes forcefully.

He was certain that Zhang shi had just reached Ethereal Treading realm intermediate stage a moment ago, so how could he be at the advanced stage right now? Even the greatest genius in the world couldn't advance that fast!

"Advanced stage? You must be joking! All of us clearly saw it just now, and he is definitely at the intermediate stage..." Long Cangyue chuckled softly, and just as he was going to make a joke about how Xue Zhenyang's eyes had been failing him recently, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Zhang Xuan, and his eyes widened in shock. "Holy moly!"

"He... really is at advanced stage!" Long Cangyue exclaimed with tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

On the other hand, watching the frenzied state that the other two were in, Hu Yaoyao and Dong Xin hurriedly turned their gazes over, and their eyes couldn't help but widen in astonishment as well.

It appeared that Zhang shi was truly at Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage!

Could they have made a mistake earlier?

But was it really possible for all four of them to make such an elementary mistake simultaneously?

However... no matter how they looked at it, the other party was indeed at Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage! There was no mistake about that!

Before the few of them could recover from their shock, Dong Xin suddenly exclaimed with a hoarse voice, "Wait a moment... he isn't at Ethereal Treading realm advanced stage but... Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle!"

"Pinnacle?"

The group couldn't help but feel the world spinning around them.

With a tearful expression, Hu Yaoyao gasped, "Why does it seem like he is attempting a breakthrough to Chrysalis realm? No, he is indeed attempting a breakthrough... Wait, that isn't right, he has already reached Chrysalis realm!"

The group couldn't help but be dumbstruck once again. The young man behind them was already a Chrysalis realm primary stage expert at this very moment!

To advance from Ethereal Treading realm primary stage to Chrysalis realm primary stage, one entire realm, in less than an hour... Even though they had witnessed the sight with their very own eyes, they still couldn't help but think that they were in a dream.

Feeling so shocked that her mind was going to explode, Hu Yaoyao asked, "Dong Xin, how long did it take you to advance from Ethereal Treading realm primary stage to Chrysalis realm primary stage?"

"Two years and four months... With this record, I was already considered one of the fastest cultivators in the Master Teacher Academy..." Dong Xin replied hoarsely.

When she'd achieved the feat back then, she had felt a huge surge of confidence, which had made her feel as if she was unrivaled in the world...

But looking at the young man before her, she realized that her record didn't even come close to being associated with the word 'fast'...

It felt as if even a turtle would be faster than her!

It was no wonder that, back at the Elder Hall, that fellow had said that his rate of cultivation had slowed due to him being busy with various matters. Back then, she had thought that he was just bragging, but after witnessing this sight, she realized that not only was he not bragging, he was even being incredibly humble...

At this moment, a random, passing thought raced through her mind.

If she were to run to the Ten Great Master Teachers to tell them that Zhang shi was actually extremely humble and low profile, would they think that she was exaggerating and throw her out?

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Chapter 869: Still a Human?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Having compiled the relevant Heaven's Path Divine Art manual, Zhang Xuan began cultivating with the Earth Vein Spirit Essence without any hesitation.

Due to the easier absorbability of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, his rate of cultivation was much faster than if he had cultivated using a spirit stone instead, so he was able to achieve breakthroughs faster than normal.

However, even though he had managed to achieve breakthroughs swiftly, the amount of spiritual energy he needed had, in fact, increased exponentially instead.

He had procured a huge pool of Earth Vein Spirit Essence from the Cloudmist Ridge, but in just this hour of cultivation, he had already depleted nearly a third of it!

The higher my cultivation is, the harsher the requirement on the spiritual energy I have to absorb. Even though the Earth Vein Spirit Essence is rich in spiritual energy, its purity is still lacking... Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The Earth Vein Spirit Essence was rich in spiritual energy and had a high absorbability, thus making it an invaluable treasure. However, its purity was inferior to high-tier spirit stones. It was sufficient for the usage of saint beasts and other cultivators, but to Zhang Xuan, who cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it was still lacking.

Only a tenth of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence was suitable for his absorption, and the remaining nine-tenths ended up being wasted in the process.

It seems like I shouldn't cultivate using the Earth Vein Spirit Essence anymore. If it comes to it, I should just sell it for high-tier spirit stones... Zhang Xuan thought.

Since the effectiveness of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence for him was declining, he would only be wasting it if he were to continue using it. Rather than to waste such a valuable resource, it would be wiser for him to sell it instead.

It might be useless to him, but it was still an invaluable treasure to others. Otherwise, the saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge wouldn't have been guarding it so desperately back then.

Forget it, I will think about it when I return to Hongyuan City!

Putting the matter to the back of his mind, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to his newfound strength.

Advancing from Ethereal Treading realm primary stage to Chrysalis realm primary stage, the strength that he could draw from his zhenqi cultivation had increased from 17,000,000 ding to 29,000,000 ding!

With just that, he was already on par with a Chrysalis realm advanced stage cultivator!

(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)

If he were to factor in the 20,000,000 ding from his soul cultivation and 16,000,000 ding from his physical body, that would total up to an incredible might of 65,000,000 ding, which was on par with a Nascent Saint intermediate stage cultivator!

(Nascent Saint primary stage 60,000,000 ding; intermediate stage 65,000,000 ding; advanced stage 70,000,000 ding; pinnacle 75,000,000 ding)

In other words, he wielded strength equivalent to a cultivator two realms stronger than him!

With this, that fellow shouldn't be a match for me anymore! Zhang Xuan chuckled confidently.

That Brother Lu was clearly no pushover, but compared to Zhang Xuan, the other party was still slightly lacking.

Zhang Xuan meditated on the spot to reinforce his cultivation, bringing his aura to its strongest state, before opening his eyes and gazing at the duo opposite to him.

Brother Lu seemed to have mostly healed from his wounds as well, and his aura felt sharper and more pressurizing than before.

Most likely, he had used some kind of formidable secret art to bring himself back to his peak state for the duel.

That fellow sure won't be easy to deal with! Zhang Xuan remarked internally.

Under normal circumstances, given how much weaker he was than the other party, the other party should not view him as much of an opponent. Yet, the other party focused his attention fully on conditioning himself to his peak state, not underestimating him in the least...

It was truly rare to see a cultivator not becoming complacent before an opponent weaker than them. Often, geniuses were defeated not due to being overpowered by the strong but due to carelessness against the weak.

A long moment later, Brother Lu exhaled deeply and abruptly stood up.

"I am done recuperating. Are you done yet?"

His complexion was still slightly pale, but he had managed to condition his state to be significantly stronger than he was before.

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan chuckled as he stood up as well.

"Let's begin then. Draw your weapon!" With a flick of his wrist, Brother Lu took out another sword from his storage ring.

As a sword practitioner, it was normal for him to have more than a single sword in his possession.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist as well, and a sword appeared in his grasp.

Glacier Rain Sword!

"That is... a Half-Saint weapon?"

As soon as the sword materialized, a huge gust of frigid air swept into the surroundings, as if heralding the arrival of the king. Brother Lu's lips immediately began twitching.

To think that the fellow's sword would be a Half-Saint artifact as well... Does your family operate a weapons shop?

Otherwise, how could you have so many good items in your possession?

With a reddened face, Brother Lu asked hesitantly, "Ahem. Your sword is a little too sharp, so can you change to another one..."

The weapon in his grasp was only at Spirit pinnacle, which was far weaker the other party's Half-Saint sword. Just the sharpness of the sword would boost the other party's fighting prowess by at least fifty percent. On the other hand, he would have to avoid a direct clash with the other party's sword as far as he could, which meant that his movements would be severely restricted.

"Change to another one?" Zhang Xuan frowned in irritation.

When I sent Byzantium Lad against you, you said that I shouldn't rely too much on my capabilities as a beast tamer. When I sent the Golden Origin Cauldron against you, you said that I shouldn't rely too much on my Saint-tier artifacts. Now, you are even picking on my sword... At this rate, are you going to start picking on my clothes next?

But as displeased as Zhang Xuan was, he eventually nodded.

"Forget it. Since you were injured previously, I will just acquiesce to your request..."

He scanned his surroundings for a moment before reaching forward to grab a certain object. With a smile, he said, "I will fight with you using this then!"

"A blade of foxtail grass?" Hu Yaoyao and the others staggered weakly.

The object that Zhang Xuan had just picked was indeed a narrow blade of foxtail grass.

He was going to fight with that?

But his opponent was a Half-Saint, and an extraordinarily powerful one at that...

Even if you have achieved a breakthrough, is it really fine for you to do that?

Noticing their worry, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly as he placed the foxtail grass in between his forefinger and middle finger. Pumping a surge of zhenqi into it, the bent foxtail grass immediately became taut, as if a real sword.

"The essence of swordsmanship lies not in the sword; to a true sword master, even a blade of grass or pebble from the side of the street can serve as a sword. This might be foxtail grass, but if used well, it can display astonishing power as well!"

As he said those words, Zhang Xuan gently slit the foxtail grass through the thick tree trunk that the Byzantium Helios Beast had tossed to the ground earlier, and it was immediately sliced into two halves.

"What pure zhenqi..." Brother Lu narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

Even though the other party was wielding a blade of foxtail grass, its true edge lay in his zhenqi. But to be able to make one's zhenqi as sharp as a sword's edge... just how pure must his zhenqi be?

At the very least, he knew that he was incapable of doing the same!

"Let's start!"

Knowing that the other party would still be a formidable opponent even when wielding a blade of foxtail grass as a weapon, Brother Lu let out a battle cry and charged forward, taking the initiative.

Weng!

His sword, imbued with sword qi, sliced through the air with incredible momentum. From the very start, he was already using his full strength. He knew better than to underestimate his opponent due to his lower cultivation or his choice of weapon.

"Come!"

With a light chuckle, Zhang Xuan raised his foxtail grass and stabbed it toward the other party's armpit like a rapier.

All sword practitioners shared a common weakness. When they swung their swords, the area around the armpit would be open, even if just for the briefest of moments. This was a weakness commonly exploited against sword practitioners. But naturally, most sword experts would have already trained themselves to guard that area perfectly.

And Brother Lu was no exception to the rule.

Huala!

Even though Brother Lu was perplexed as to why the other party would use such a basic move to deal with him, he dared not to make light of the other party's counterattack. With a powerful flick of his wrist, he pulled his sword back to seal the advancement of the other party's foxtail grass, and at the same time, he sent a powerful blast of sword qi straight toward Zhang Xuan's glabella.

In a single move, he managed to defend himself while launching a counterattack simultaneously, successfully turning the tides of the battle in his favor!

"Not bad, your reflexes are good. However... that's not enough!" Zhang Xuan said with a chuckle.

In the next instant, his foxtail grass abruptly bent like a flexible rope, completely bypassing the other party's sword.

"What?" Caught off guard by the unexpected twist, Brother Lu's face paled in shock.

With the bending of the other party's foxtail grass, not only was his defense rendered ineffective, more importantly, the tip of the foxtail grass was heading straight for a major acupoint on his chest. If he failed to dodge this, he would be severely wounded!

After all, he had witnessed how formidable the might of the other party's foxtail grass was when the tree trunk was easily split in two with a light flick earlier!

Not daring to take any risks, Brother Lu hurriedly retreated a few steps back.

"Hehe!"

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan seemed to have expected Brother Lu to respond in such a way. He leaped forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. At the same time, the foxtail grass in his hand straightened as it lunged forward, this time directed at Brother Lu's throat.

Despite the abrupt change in movements, the maneuver was completed extremely smoothly and elegantly, making it peculiarly pleasing to the eye.

While others were appreciating the gracefulness of the movement, Brother Lu felt as if the grim reaper was pulling him down instead. If he were to stop at this instant, his throat would be impaled.

Thus, with a pale face, he continued retreating hurriedly.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan continued to pursue him relentlessly, and this time, his foxtail grass was aimed for the other party's Shanzhong acupoint, located at the center of the chest.

Helpless, Brother Lu could only continue retreating.

The foxtail grass moved around flexibly in Zhang Xuan's hands, aiming for the gaps in the Half-Saint cultivator's swordsmanship precisely with every move. Frightened, Brother Lu didn't dare retaliate and could only retreat endlessly.

From the start of the battle to this point, the sword had never come into contact with the foxtail grass at all.

"How powerful..."

Hu Yaoyao, Dong Xin, and the others glanced at one another, and they couldn't help but gulp.

They had gotten a glimpse of Brother Lu's strength earlier from the aura he exuded, and even an average Nascent Saint wouldn't be a match for him. But it was only after witnessing Zhang shi's prowess that they realized what true power was.

Using a blade of foxtail grass to face a Spirit pinnacle weapon directly, but not only was the foxtail grass not severed, it was even able to force the other party back continuously. Just how deep of an understanding of swordsmanship did one need to possess to do this?

"It seems... that Brother Lu's defeat is sealed..." Xue Zhenyang muttered with clenched fists.

Before the battle, he had thought that Zhang Xuan still wouldn't be a match for the other party even with a Half-Saint sword in hand. But with this... he realized that he got it all wrong.

It was Brother Lu who was never a match for Zhang Xuan, and the difference between them was as clear as day!

He couldn't help but feel thankful that he had acknowledged Zheng Yang as his teacher then, thus becoming Zhang Xuan's grandstudent. He could hardly imagine what would have happened to him if he had really faced Zhang Xuan.

Too scary!

Peng!

While the others were overwhelmed with shock, Brother Lu continued retreating under Zhang Xuan's relentless assault, and finally, he found his back pressed against the cliff face, left with nowhere to escape anymore.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan's foxtail grass also stopped right before the other party's heart.

"I have lost..."

With a face as pale as a sheet of paper, Brother Lu hated to admit it, but he knew that it was his utter defeat.

"Pardon me."

With a polite smile, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and the foxtail grass finally broke apart into eight pieces, scattering on the floor.

Wu Xu, who had taken the entire battle into sight, muttered with quivering lips, "132 moves, but Brother Lu didn't even manage to nick the other party! Instead, he retreated a total of 77 steps and was eventually forced to cast aside his sword and admit defeat...

"Is this... still the feat of a human?"

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Chapter 870: Selling the Spirit Essence

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As Brother Lu's companion, Wu Xu knew how powerful his swordsmanship was.

Just slightly short of becoming a Hundred Man Commander, Brother Lu's fighting prowess far surpassed that of his peers.

132 moves from such a powerful expert, and yet, not a single one had managed to nick the other party's clothes or even the weapon at that!

Instead, he had been forced back 77 steps before being eventually cornered...

Just how powerful was the other party to be able to accomplish this feat?

Thinking about, it was laughable how confident they had been in their strength to have challenged the other party to a duel; they had simply humiliated themselves!

"Brother Lu..." Wu Xu hurriedly rushed over, only to see the latter's ashen face, seemingly having suffered a heavy shock.

A moment later, Brother Lu sighed in resignation and waved his hands weakly.

"Hand him 300 high-tier spirit stones!"

A hundred high-tier spirit stones had been at stake for the first duel, and the stakes had been doubled for the second. All in all, he owed the other party 300 high-tier spirit stones.

"Yes!" Wu Xu gritted his teeth before wrapping a pile of high-tier spirit stones with his zhenqi and handing them over.

There were three hundred of them, no more, no less.

"I will be accepting them then!" Upon seeing the spirit stones, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he quickly stowed them in his storage ring.

Even though the other party had agreed to the bet, he hadn't really expected the other party to pay him. After all, three hundred high-tier spirit stones wasn't a small sum. It would be difficult for even a figure of School Head Mo's standing to take out so much money on the spur of the moment.

Yet, the other party had handed him the sum so easily. Could it be that these two are not only strong but are actually... tycoons as well?

If that is the case, I should really start thinking about how I could knock some more spirit stones out of them...

Stroking his lower jaws, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

Recovering from the shock of his defeat, Brother Lu clasped his fist and bowed. "My name is Lu Cheng, and since I have lost, I shall not disturb you any further. However, I hope to learn of your name in hopes of challenging you once more in the future!"

A loss was a loss; he could only admit it. Not to mention, there was still a Byzantium Helios Beast and a weapon cauldron glaring at him in hostility by the side.

"I am Zhang Xuan."

Zhang Xuan nodded. "You need not think of it that way; it was just a spar between peers. If I am not mistaken, the reason you are so desperate to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruit is for Wu shi over here to make a breakthrough to Half-Saint?"

"Indeed!" Lu Cheng nodded.

The main reason cultivators sought the Scarlet Firefly Fruit was for the increased chances of achieving a breakthrough to Half-Saint. Since Lu Cheng was already a Half-Saint, the only reason for him to go through the effort of challenging them was for his close companion.

"Actually, I have taken a look at Wu shi condition when I was battling him earlier. The reason he was unable to achieve a breakthrough is not due to his lack of cultivation but..."

At this point, Zhang Xuan paused for a moment.

"But?" Wu Xu asked anxiously.

He had been trapped at Chrysalis realm for too long. Most of his fellow peers had already overcome this bottleneck, racing ahead of him, so he couldn't help but be plagued with anxiety.

It wasn't easy for him to learn about the existence of the Scarlet Firefly Fruit in this valley, and he viewed it as his only chance. That was also the reason he had lost his composure and attacked Hu Yaoyao and the others when he realized that someone had gotten to the fruits ahead of him.

If the man before him could help him achieve a breakthrough, it wouldn't matter anymore whether he obtained the Scarlet Firefly Fruit or not.

"I believe that the reason you are unable to push for a breakthrough is due to your lack of zhenqi!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Lack of zhenqi?" Lu Cheng and Wu Xu frowned.

Due to the special training they underwent, as well as the cultivation techniques and battle techniques they cultivated, their quantity and quality of zhenqi were far above those of ordinary master teachers.

Yet, the young man before them had said that Wu Xu suffered from a lack of zhenqi?

Had it not been for the astounding prowess that the other party had shown them, they would have surely thought that he was spouting nonsense.

"Indeed. Your foundation might be far stronger than an ordinary cultivator, but that also means that the bottleneck you face is far more difficult than the others too. To use an analogy, others might require just a pail of zhenqi to achieve a breakthrough, but what you need is an entire lake!" Zhang Xuan said.

"This..."

Wu Xu knew that the other party was right. He possessed extraordinary strength among his peers, but the hurdle he had to face with each breakthrough was higher as well.

This wasn't much trouble in his earlier cultivation, but Half-Saint happened to be an exceptionally difficult hurdle to overcome.

"This is indeed a common problem that practitioners of our school suffer from!" Lu Cheng sighed deeply. "Zhang shi, is there any way to resolve this problem?"

To possess strength superior to one's peers, one would have to reinforce one's cultivation over and over again, making it sturdier and stronger than the others. However, the more reinforced one's cultivation was, the harder it was to achieve a breakthrough.

This was similar to building a castle. To build a sturdier castle, one would have to build a stronger supporting structure. However, that would also mean that one would have to devote more resources and time for that.

This was the problem Wu Xu was facing at the moment. Due to their strict training, their zhenqi was condensed to be far purer than others', granting them nigh invincible prowess among their peers. However, the bottlenecks they faced were also more difficult to overcome in comparison.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying. "I do have a solution for that... but it will be quite troublesome!"

"You do?"

Lu Cheng had only asked this question casually, not hoping for a positive answer. However, hearing that Zhang Xuan really had a solution, his eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly shot his companion a meaningful gaze.

Grasping the intention behind Lu Cheng's gaze, Wu Xu hurriedly suppressed his agitation and clasped his fist. "As long as Zhang shi can help me achieve a breakthrough, I am willing to pay any price!"

For the young man before him to possess such formidable strength at such a young age, he must have come from a powerful background, so he might just know of some means that could help him successfully achieve a breakthrough.

"The solution is actually really simple. Since you are unable to gather sufficient zhenqi to achieve a breakthrough, you can easily make up for that by increasing the rate you absorb external spiritual energy at to make up for the deficiency," Zhang Xuan said.

"Increase the rate I absorb external spiritual energy at?" Hearing Zhang Xuan's solution, Wu Xu shook his head bitterly. "I have used quite a number of high-tier spirit stones to push for my breakthrough, but I have still been unable to build up sufficient momentum to overcome the Half-Saint bottleneck..."

For a person who could whip out three hundred high-tier spirit stones at a whim, Wu Xu was definitely not a person who lacked spirit stones.

Since he couldn't achieve a breakthrough even with sufficient spirit stones at hand, what else could he do to increase the rate he absorbed spiritual energy at?

"High-tier spirit stones do indeed help to make up for the deficiency, but their effectiveness is limited due to the long duration required to process the spiritual energy contained within them into zhenqi!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In a sense, high-tier spirit stones were like beef. They were effective in staving off hunger, but it wasn't easy to digest them.

"You're right, but what else can I use if not spirit stones?" Wu Xu asked.

"The reason the spiritual energy within spirit stones is harder to process is due to the solid form the spiritual energy is in. If you were to use spirit essence instead, the rate you could absorb spiritual energy at and convert it into zhenqi would be at least three times faster, and that should be sufficient for you to achieve a breakthrough to Half-Saint!" Zhang Xuan said.

If spirit stones were beef, spirit essence was porridge, easily digestible.

Lu Cheng pondered for a moment before frowning. "Spirit essence? Do you mean... Earth Vein Spirit Essence?"

There were many forms of spirit essence, but the one that was most effective for Half-Saints was the Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

The rest would be less effective than high-tier spirit stones.

Zhang Xuan nodded. "That's right. This spirit essence is formed through the accumulation of the spiritual energy contained in the earth veins. Not only is the spiritual energy pure, it is also easily absorbed and converted into zhenqi... If Wu shi absorbs it, he should be able to gather sufficient zhenqi within a short period of time to overcome his bottleneck!"

"But the Earth Vein Spirit Essence is only found in grounds rich in spiritual energy, and those lands are often occupied by dominant powers, so it is even harder to procure it than Scarlet Firefly Fruits. Where are we supposed to find any?" Wu Xu said with a bitter smile.

Everyone knew that the Earth Vein Spirit Essence was good stuff, but obtaining it was easier said than done.

Even if he knew it could help him achieve a breakthrough, he had to find a way to obtain it first!

"This... Out of a stroke of luck, I managed to obtain a bit of it. However, I was planning to use it to overcome my Half-Saint bottleneck..." Zhang Xuan said hesitantly.

"You have Earth Vein Spirit Essence with you?" Wu Xu's eyes immediately lit up in excitement. "Can you sell it to me? I am willing to buy it using high-tier spirit stones!"

"This..." A conflicted expression surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face. "You also know how difficult it is to obtain Earth Vein Spirit Essence, and I don't have too much of it either. I'm afraid that I can't sell it to you..."

After a moment of thought, Wu Xu gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Zhang, I am willing to buy it at two times the market price!"

He had to reach Half-Saint as soon as possible or else he would risk being eliminated. This was a rare opportunity, and he couldn't miss it, no matter the price he had to pay.

"Two times?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a long moment before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Alright, seeing that you need it so much, as a fellow master teacher, I will make an exception and sell it to you!"

After which, he flicked his wrist and took out a massive gourd containing around seven liters of spirit essence.

"This is all of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence that I have collected thus far; I will give it to you then!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

Wu Xu hurriedly took the gourd and uncapped the cork, and he immediately saw that it was filled to the brim with Earth Vein Spirit Essence. The spiritual energy that gushed out of the opening left his cells feeling energized and refreshed.

"This... Thank you, Zhang shi!"

Seeing that the other party was willing to give all of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence he had gathered to him, Wu Xu immediately clasped his fist in agitation and thanked him. After which, he went to Lu Cheng and pooled some stuff together before stowing them away in a storage ring.

"As we left our place in a hurry, we didn't bring too many spirit stones with us. We know the high-tier spirit stones we have won't be enough to make up for the value of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, so we placed some of the valuables we have accumulated over the years in as well. I hope that Zhang shi can accept it," Wu Xu said as he presented the storage ring over.

Even though they knew that the young man before them probably didn't lack money, considering that he had a Saint realm tamed beast and artifact, it would still be improper for them to take something from the other party for free, not to mention that they had agreed on paying double the price earlier.

Taking the ring, Zhang Xuan swept through the contents and saw over 200 high-tier spirit stones, a handful of grade-6 pills, and a bunch of valuable medicinal herbs.

If it was in Hongyuan City, this gourd of Earth Vein Spirit Essence would probably only have been worth fifty high-tier spirit stones at most. Yet, the other party had given him so much money in return. It could be said that he had made a huge killing this time around!

It was not that the other party was foolish, but that the value of an item was determined by the person's perceived necessity of it.

Ordinary cultivators could achieve breakthroughs with high-tier spirit stones just fine, so they didn't require the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. As a result, its perceived value would be lower to them.

"Rest well and condition your body to its peak state. With the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, you should be able to push for a breakthrough in a single try!" Zhang Xuan said after putting away the storage ring.

"Yes!" Wu Xu nodded.

He had suffered a punch form Zhang Xuan earlier, and even up to this point, he hadn't fully recovered from it yet. To maximize his chances of reaching Half-Saint, he should only attempt a breakthrough once he was in his peak state.

"Thank you, Zhang shi. The both of us will take our leave now!" Having obtained what they wanted, the duo clasped their fists, turned around, and left. In just a few moments, they had already disappeared from sight.

With the departure of the duo, Hu Yaoyao and the others finally heaved a sigh of relief. "Zhang shi, thank you for saving our lives!"

Before, they had thought that Zhang Xuan was only terrifying in his supporting occupations. However, with this experience, they learned that his talent for his supporting occupations was nothing compared to his fighting prowess!

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Chapter 871: Breakthroughs

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"If I am not mistaken, the both of them are combat masters, right?"

Exhaling deeply, the tension left Zhang Xuan's body, and the exhaustion accumulated over that whole period finally set in.

Even though he seemed to have won the battle against Lu Cheng easily, he'd had to concentrate deeply as he couldn't afford to make the slightest error. Thus, even though the battle had only lasted for a few minutes, it had sapped Zhang Xuan's energy dry.

Dong Xin nodded in agreement. "To possess such fighting prowess at such a young age, and considering the different master teacher robes that they have, they should indeed be combat masters."

She had read a fair number of books, and she knew how fearsome combat masters were. She hadn't really thought much into it before, but with Zhang Xuan raising the topic, it suddenly dawned on her.

Those two might just really be combat masters!

Otherwise, given that most master teachers cultivated a variety of supporting occupations, rarely would they compete with one another directly in a physical duel.

"Combat masters?" The others also glanced at one another before nodding in agreement.

Indeed. Only the legendary combat masters, who boasted the greatest fighting prowess among the master teachers, could wield such strength!

That would explain why a fellow Chrysalis realm cultivator could subdue the four of them so easily.

"Wait... If Zhang shi can defeat a combat master that easily, doesn't that mean that he is qualified to become a combat master as well?" Hu Yaoyao exclaimed in astonishment.

"Easily?" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "He went easy on me, or else it is questionable whether I would have been able to defeat him or not!"

It might seem as if he had won with ease in the eyes of others, but he knew that wasn't the case!

"Went easy on you?" The others were perplexed.

You used a blade of foxtail grass while the other party used a Spirit pinnacle weapon. On top of that, the other party was unable to even land a single blow on you, so how could he have possibly gone easy on you?

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "If I had wielded a Spirit pinnacle weapon just like him, it is hard to tell which of us would have emerged triumphant. That Lu Cheng is a proud person. He didn't want to take advantage of the disparity in our weapons, so he curbed his own swordsmanship. On top of that, I intentionally sliced the tree trunk in two before the battle to create a vivid impression of the prowess of the weapon in his mind... Those were what caused him to retreat continuously. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for me to win against him!"

It might have seemed like an ordinary fight, but before the duel began, the other party had already fallen for Zhang Xuan's mind games.

"I see..."

It was at this instant that realization struck them.

The foxtail grass was an unimpressive weapon, but in a single move, Zhang Xuan had sliced the tree trunk in two, instilling fear into the minds of those who had seen the sight.

Lu Cheng was probably the same as well, which led to his subconscious unwillingness to face the foxtail grass head-on. As a result, he had found himself unable to take back the initiative and turn the tides of the battle, thus eventually resulting in his loss.

"Forget it, it's already over. Here are the Scarlet Firefly Fruits. Condition yourselves well before consuming them. Try to achieve a breakthrough before we return to the academy!" Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and passed the fruits over.

"Zhang shi... really managed to obtain the fruits?"

"How could they be in your hands?"

None of them could believe it.

They had been watching the cavern intently the whole time, and they had only seen Lu Cheng and Wu Xu entering it... But if Zhang Xuan had never entered the cavern, how could the Scarlet Firefly Fruits be in his hands?

"I found another entrance behind the valley and sneaked in from there," Zhang Xuan replied casually.

Naturally, he couldn't talk about his means as a soul oracle. In any case, the items were already in his hands, so the others probably wouldn't be bothered to check on his story either.

"Incredible..."

Nevertheless, the others were still impressed.

To stumble upon another entrance, it had indeed been the correct decision to invite him over!

"Here is some Earth Vein Spirit Essence, I will give a gourd to each of you. After recuperating, try your best to make a breakthrough to Half-Saint!" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out four gourds of Earth Vein Spirit Essence and passed them over.

These four gourds were significantly smaller than the one given to Wu Xu earlier, but it was still worth quite a sum, considering that it was filled with Earth Vein Spirit Essence. At the very least, it was definitely worth more than the Origin Heavy Water that they had bought earlier.

"This..."

"Thank you, Zhang shi!"

After seeing Zhang Xuan sell a gourd earlier, they knew that the gourd they had just received was at least worth fifty high-tier spirit stones. To give it to them just like that...

How could they ever return the favor?

With reddened eyes, they mustered their determination, knowing that they had to successfully make a breakthrough so as to not let down Zhang Xuan's expectations.

Gugugugu!

With the Byzantium Helios Beast and Golden Origin Cauldron guarding them by the side, they need not worry about anyone disturbing them here. Thus, sitting cross-legged on the ground, they began to cultivate.

Six hours later, once they had managed to reach their peak condition, they devoured a Scarlet Firefly Fruit each.

As expected of the divine medicine that could raise the chances of a breakthrough to Half-Saint, as soon they consumed it, they immediately felt their psyche growing stronger. Hu Yaoyao, under Zhang Xuan's tutelage, was the first one to achieve a breakthrough.

The second person to succeed was Dong Xin.

After the events at the Elder Hall, her mind had grown much more resilient than before. This state of mind would help her achieve greater heights in her cultivation in the future.

Following her was Xue Zhenyang. After listening to Wang Ying and the others' teachings on the basics of cultivation, he had managed to reinforce his cultivation further. Even though he was the third one to achieve a breakthrough, his cultivation was considerably more stable than the other two.

However, the last one, Long Cangyue, wasn't as lucky.

After failing four times consecutively, he felt a sense of fatigue creeping up on him. Knowing that it was impossible for him to succeed that day, he could only sigh in disappointment and stop there.

Initially, there hadn't been much of a difference between the four of them. However, three of them had succeeded in achieving a breakthrough, and he was the only one to have failed. It wasn't too difficult to imagine his current emotions.

The three of them are Zhang shi's apprentice, grandstudent, and great grandstudent, so they have received his guidance. On the other hand, due to my overthinking of matters and my pride, I ended up being the furthest away from him... Long Cangyue shook his head bitterly.

In one way or another, the other three were related to Zhang shi, so they had received his guidance. But he, due to his excessive worries, had chosen to stay out of Zhang shi's way, and the outcome was him eventually lagging behind the others...

If he had known this was the case, regardless of whether he would have become Zhang shi's great great grandstudent or anything else, he would have tried to strike up a connection with the latter somehow.

Seeing through Long Cangyue's thoughts, Zhang Xuan offered a word of advice. "What you are lacking is not strength but confidence! Due to your indecisive character, you are unable to rid yourself of your hesitation and charge forward, which has led to your inability to build up sufficient momentum to achieve a breakthrough to Half-Saint."

If one were to ask whether he had played a part in the successful breakthrough of the other three, the answer would be yes.

The points that he listed in his guidance were often direct and spot-on. If one were to cultivate as he had advised, it would indeed be much easier to achieve a breakthrough.

However, making a breakthrough to Half-Saint wasn't just a problem of strength. One's mind also played a huge part as well.

Hu Yaoyao had a willful and decisive personality, allowing her to make prompt decisions and commit to them. Dong Xin's mind had been tempered to be more resilient after the setback she had suffered back in the Elder Hall. Xue Zhenyang had a straightforward personality, which allowed him to charge forward without any hesitation.

On the other hand, Long Cangyue was an indecisive worrywart, which made it difficult for him to put his mind entirely into something. It was such a personality that made it difficult for him to succeed.

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Long Cangyue suddenly felt enlightened.

"Zhang shi's teaching is right!"

Gathering his remaining strength, he sat down and began cultivating, embracing the determination to lose his life if he were to fail.

Hong long long!

He drove his zhenqi and rammed it furiously into his spiritual sea.

A long moment later, he finally felt the invisible ceiling that had been limiting him loosening before abruptly falling apart.

Half-Saint, reached!

By the side, the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron gasped in awe. "Incredible!"

Their master might be young, but he had a deep insight into cultivation and the human psyche. His analyses were often spot-on, directed at the very root of a problem.

More importantly... he never discriminated in his guidance. Be it to an ally or a rival, he would offer them his pointers unreservedly. Such magnanimity was rare even among master teachers.

Having reached Half-Saint, Long Cangyue shed the haughty attitude he once had and bowed deeply to Zhang Xuan, thanking him earnestly from the bottom of his heart.

"Thank you, Zhang shi!"

"Alright, let's return!"

Having achieved their goal here, there was no longer any need to remain there. Thus, he stepped onto the back of the Byzantium Helios Beast to return to Hongyuan City.

...

Shortly after Lu Cheng and Wu Xu left the valley, they suddenly halted.

"Brother Lu, why didn't you use your full strength against Zhang shi earlier?"

Wu Xu had been overwhelmed by the outcome of the battle earlier, but after giving the matter some thought on the way, he couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.

He knew very well how powerful Brother Lu was, and there were many powerful moves that he hadn't executed in the duel before he fell in defeat... It was clear that the latter had gone easy on Zhang shi earlier!

"I didn't use my full strength?" Lu Cheng shook his head, and the next moment, his body abruptly faltered weakly, and he spurted a mouthful of blood.

"Brother Lu!"

Not expecting Brother Lu's injuries to be so severe, Wu Xu hurriedly helped him to a nearby boulder to rest before feeding him another pill. Seeing the other party's complexion alleviate, he heaved a sigh of relief before asking, "Brother Lu, this..."

After recovering slightly from his injuries, Brother Lu shook his head and said, "There were indeed many powerful moves that I didn't execute in the duel, but it isn't that I was unwilling to use them—I couldn't use them at all!"

"You couldn't use them?"

"Un. Even though it might seem as if he was underestimating me by wielding a blade of foxtail grass against me, in truth, every single move he made was aimed perfectly at my opening, leaving me incapable of driving my zhenqi properly to execute my most powerful moves at all!" Brother Lu said with a bitter smile.

The duel might have already ended, but just at the thought of how he had been cornered by the other party's astounding eye of discernment, he couldn't help but shudder.

He had tried multiple times to execute his strongest sword art, but he had been stopped by the other party's foxtail grass before he could even gather the momentum for it.

It was just like how a river impeded every now and then couldn't possibly build up the momentum to form a devastating flood.

"You were unable to drive your zhenqi properly?" Wu Xu was taken aback.

"That's right. What's fearsome about Zhang shi isn't just his overwhelming strength that allowed him to challenge even those stronger than him but his terrifyingly discerning eyes. It was as if he had studied every single one of my moves in advance, seeing through their flaws and intercepting them the moment I executed them... In truth, from the very first move, I already knew that I had lost. The remaining hundred moves could only be considered the other party's attempt to spare my dignity!" Brother Lu shook his head.

"How can that be?" Wu Xu could hardly believe what he was hearing.

He knew how powerful his companion was. To lose in a single strike, that was impossible! Furthermore, he had been watching the battle all along, and he didn't notice any hint of Zhang shi going easy on Brother Lu at all.

"You don't believe me? Alright, I will tell you the truth then. In truth, the injury from the Byzantium Helios Beast and the cauldron was more severe than I thought. Even though I had two hours to recuperate, I wasn't able to fully recover from my injuries... You should be well aware of this, too!" Brother Lu explained.

"Un." Wu Xu nodded.

He had been beside Brother Lu while he was recuperating, so he had a clear view of the extent of the latter's injuries.

"Thus, I made use of a secret art to suppress my injuries temporarily for the duel. Coming from the same lineage, you should be well aware of what the secret art is," Brother Lu said.

"Are you referring to the Hu Po Recuperation Art left behind by Elder Hu Po?" Wu Xu asked.

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Chapter 872: The Bodhi Saint Tree Is Dying!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Indeed, it's the Hu Po Recuperation Art!" Lu Cheng nodded. "Do you know its effects?"

"According to what I know, this secret art doesn't really treat one's injuries. Instead, it aims to trigger the potential of one's body, suppressing one's injuries so as to draw one's fighting prowess to the peak temporarily. This is an emergency maneuver that we combat masters only use under desperate circumstances on the battlefield," Wu Xu replied.

Just as Zhang Xuan had guessed, they were combat masters. As the warriors of the Master Teacher Pavilion, it was inevitable that they would have to face deadly battles frequently.

On the battlefield, losing the ability to fight meant that one was just moments away from death.

As such, an elder of the Combat Master Hall, Hu Po, created such a secret art aimed not to heal one's injuries, but to trigger the potential harnessed within the body to grant one the ability to disregard one's injuries and continue fighting.

This secret art had managed to save many combat masters from desperate circumstances.

Eager to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruit earlier, he had ended up using this secret art as well.

"You're right. Then, do you know the flaw of this secret art?" Lu Cheng asked.

Wu Xu nodded. "The flaw is... as soon as the effects end, one's injuries will worsen."

"That's right, one's injuries will worsen, and there is a chance that one's cultivation might plummet as well..." Lu Cheng said grimly. "Zhang shi seemed to know the condition I was in, so he went easy on me from the very first move, and he chose to avoid the places where I was injured previously. Otherwise... I wouldn't have survived three moves, let alone a hundred!"

"This..." Wu Xu still found the matter a little inconceivable, thinking that Brother Lu was just overthinking it.

"You don't believe me?" Lu Cheng shook his head. "The Hu Po Recuperation Art suppresses one's injuries by forcing it into a few acupoints. For me, it is the Hongmen and Zhanghui acupoints. If the other party had struck either of these two points, I would have suffered severe backlash from my injuries."

Wu Xu nodded in agreement.

The essence of the secret art lay in manipulating one's zhenqi to seal one's injuries, and the mingmen of these seals would be located on certain acupoints, depending on the cultivator themself.

"Take a look at this..." With a bitter smile, Lu Cheng pointed to his clothes.

Wu Xu hurriedly took a look, and his eyes immediately narrowed in astonishment.

On the area of the clothes corresponding to where Brother Lu's Hongmen and Zhanghui acupoints were located, there were small holes reminiscent of a thin needle; it would have been hard to notice them if one didn't take a closer look.

"These were... left by him?" Wu Xu's voice quavered in fear as he spoke.

"Indeed. From the very first move, he had already noticed my weakness and swept his foxtail grass at those two points. Back then, I hadn't realized it yet, thinking that he might just not have sufficient power to complete the attack. However, the next moment, in order to avoid hurting me, he forcefully diverted his attack to my Shanzhong acupoint on my chest..."

As Lu Cheng spoke, a hint of deference surfaced in his eyes. "In truth, if it had been a life-and-death duel, he could have killed me in the very first blow. However, he chose to go easy on me. It was just that I wasn't aware of it then..."

"T-this..." Wu Xu's face paled as it dawned on him what kind of figure he had just crossed earlier.

To be able to go easy on his opponent in such an intense battle, was he still human?

That was way too fearsome!

"Even I can hardly gauge the true prowess of Zhang shi. He is truly like an unfathomable enigma. By no means should we ever make an enemy out of him again," Lu Cheng said grimly.

"Yes!" Wu Xu nodded.

Since even Brother Lu wasn't a match for Zhang shi, there was no way he would dare to provoke the other party once more.

"Alright, you should hurry up and recuperate from your wounds; then you can attempt a breakthrough to Half-Saint. Once you succeed, you will be able to follow us to the Four Great Academies to participate in the selection of new members and accomplish that mission. Otherwise, it will be an extremely long time before you get another chance!" Lu Cheng said.

"Don't worry, Brother Lu. I will surely succeed this time around!" Wu Xu said with great determination.

...

On the journey back, Hu Yaoyao and the others spent most of their time reinforcing their Half-Saint cultivation, and Zhang Xuan also used this time to reinforce his Chrysalis realm cultivation as well.

It was a silent half-day journey back to the Hongyuan City.

From their departure to their return, they had only taken slightly more than a day. When the sun started rising from the horizon once more, Hongyuan City was already in sight.

A moment later, as Zhang Xuan glanced downward, he was completely stunned.

Is that... my manor?

What had been rubble when he last saw it had transformed into an exquisite manor that didn't pale in comparison even with the royal palace.

On top of that, he could vaguely feel a handful of grade-6 formations that not only gathered spiritual energy in the area but wielded astounding offensive and defensive capabilities as well.

What has happened? Zhang Xuan was unable to understand what had happened during his absence.

School Head Zhao and the others had said that they would send someone to repair his manor for him, but did they really have to make it so extravagant?

Outsiders might just think that this was the royal palace itself!

"Let's head down to take a look!"

After bidding Hu Yaoyao and the others farewell, Zhang Xuan had the Byzantium Helios Beast descend to the courtyard of the manor.

As soon as they landed, Sun Qiang immediately rushed up to greet him.

"What happened?" Zhang Xuan asked in bewilderment.

"It's the Hongyuan royal family! I tried to stop them, but they insisted on fixing the manor. In the end, I could only watch helplessly as they made this," Sun Qiang said indignantly.

In truth, he was also completely dumbfounded by the happenings as well.

He could still understand it if the Master Teacher Academy had dispatched some men to fix their manor, but for the royal palace to get involved as well, and to go such great lengths at that... Just what were they up to?

"The royal palace?" Zhang Xuan blinked blankly.

He had been kicked out of the royal palace by the emperor himself two nights ago. Why would the other party offer to fix his manor all of the sudden?

"That's right. Not only so, Emperor Shen Yuqing has also visited three times in your absence, requesting to meet you..." Sun Qiang said.

"He wants to meet me?" Zhang Xuan's bewilderment deepened.

Were all emperors as unpredictable as that? It was as if they suffered from severe mood swings!

But just as Zhang Xuan was confused by the situation before him, one of the manor servants abruptly rushed in to report that Emperor Yu Shenqing had turned up once again!

"Invite him in." Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

Even though he had no idea what the other party was up to, it happened that he needed the other party's Bodhi Saint Tree. This was a good opportunity to ask about it.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang headed out.

A moment later, Zhang Xuan met Emperor Yu Shenqing in the main hall. The latter clasped his fist upon meeting him and greeted, "Zhang shi!"

Zhang Xuan gestured for him to take a seat before asking, "Your Majesty, I am thankful that you sent your men to fix my manor, but may I know the reason behind it?"

"We had some misunderstanding the other night, so I hope that we can reconcile our differences through this," Yu Shenqing quickly replied.

"Misunderstanding?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Don't worry about it, it's really nothing much."

He hadn't really taken the matter that night to heart.

After all, he was also at fault for destroying the other party's main hall and ruining the banquet.

Seeing that there wasn't any hint of unhappiness on the other party's face, Yu Shenqing heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to see that Zhang shi isn't angry about it."

He had been worrying over this matter for the last two days, fearing that he had offended the other party, but it seemed like the other party hadn't taken the matter to heart.

But that was no wonder as well. A person who could create and gift such a formidable set of cultivation techniques on a whim was likely to be a magnanimous person, unbothered by such trifling matters in the world.

After chatting for a moment longer, Zhang Xuan raised his request. "I heard that the royal family has a Bodhi Saint Tree. If it isn't too much, may I borrow it for something?"

"Bodhi Saint Tree?" A conflicted expression surfaced on Yu Shenqing's face. "This..."

"It isn't convenient?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Since he had promised to save Wei Ruyan, he would keep his word. However, if Yu Shenqing were to refuse to lend him the Bodhi Tree, there would be nothing he could do either!

"It isn't that..."

With a shake of his head, Yu Shenqing sighed deeply, "To be honest with Zhang shi, our Bodhi Saint Tree, for some unknown reason, started to wither some time ago. The situation has worsened particularly in the recent two years... I have tried all kinds of means, but I have been unable to reverse its declining condition. I fear that in its current state, it isn't too far from death anymore!"

"Wither?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"That's right. I have invited over a hundred herbologists over the past two years, but none of them were able to resolve its illness," Yu Shenqing replied despondently.

The condition of the Bodhi Saint Tree was a huge secret of the royal family, so he had been guarding it tightly all along. However, since Zhang shi had asked about it, he could only reply honestly.

"Can you take me over to take a look?" Zhang Xuan asked after a moment of thought.

"Zhang shi wants to take a look?" Yu Shenqing asked in astonishment.

"Indeed. I do know a thing or two about herbology too, so I might just be able to help you on this matter," Zhang Xuan explained.

He had once solved a problem for a herbologist back in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, so he wasn't unfamiliar with the occupation.

Hearing those words, Yu Shenqing's eyes lit up, and he nearly leaped up in excitement. "Zhang shi is knowledgeable in herbology as well? That's great!"

His ears were already on the verge of growing calluses from hearing about the incredible deeds that Zhang shi had accomplished. After two years of effort, he already didn't harbor much hope for the recovery of the Saint Bodhi Tree. However, if Zhang shi were to make a move, there might still be a chance for it to happen!

Without any hesitation, he immediately brought Zhang shi onboard the saint beast he had arrived on and headed back to the royal palace.

Upon landing in the royal palace, Yu Shenqing led the way, and after twisting and turning about numerous roads, they finally arrived at a residence.

"The Bodhi Saint Tree is right inside..." Yu Shenqing said as he gestured toward the building.

"Here?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had never been to this residence before, but he couldn't help but notice that there were no formations set up in the area. Considering how valuable the Bodhi Saint Tree was, was it really fine to leave it lying around without any protection?

Noticing Zhang Xuan's doubts, Yu Shenqing answered, "The Bodhi Saint Tree is only useful for those who practice soul cultivation techniques, so, perhaps in the whole of Hongyuan Empire, it only has value to our Yu Clan. Others wouldn't benefit from it. Besides, having reached Saint realm, it already possesses its own sentience, and it detests being surrounded by formations, so..."

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Formidable saint herbs, just like Saint-tier artifacts, possessed sentience. It was harder to absorb spiritual energy from the surroundings if they were surrounded by formations, so they loathed it.

While speaking, the duo entered the residence, and a few elders within immediately walked over and greeted respectfully, "Your Majesty!"

These elders were all Saint realm experts, and they were probably stationed there to take care of the Bodhi Saint Tree.

"Zhang shi, this is the Bodhi Saint Tree!"

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over and saw a majestic tree in the middle of the courtyard. It had an extremely thick trunk, and it towered at a height of around a dozen meters tall.

However, the leaves on its branches were shriveled and sparse, and traces of white had surfaced on the tree trunk as well. It didn't seem to be in a good condition.

"Indeed, the Bodhi Saint Tree is nearing death..." Zhang Xuan frowned deeply.

It was spring, the season when everything came to life and vitality permeated the air, but the massive tree was showing clear signs of decline. There was no doubt that it was extremely ill.

Had it not been for the royal family pumping in endless resources to sustain its life, it might have already died.

Unable to determine its condition from a distance away, Zhang Xuan asked, "Can I take a closer look?"

"Of course, feel fr..."

Yu Shenqing nodded, but before he could finish his words, one of the elders stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it is not advisable for anyone to approach the Bodhi Saint Tree now!"

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Chapter 873: Burn It (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Elder Zhao, this is Zhang shi. He possesses a deep understanding of herbology, so I invited him to treat the Bodhi Saint Tree as well!" Yu Shenqing quickly introduced.

These elders were herbologists who he had gone to great lengths to invite here. If not for them, the Bodhi Saint Tree might have long died.

"Treat the Bodhi Saint Tree? A young brat like him? Your Majesty, I think you should proceed warily, lest yet another scammer makes things difficult for us once more!" Elder Zhao took a glance at Zhang Xuan and frowned in displeasure.

"Elder Zhao, Zhang shi is different from those before. He is a man of great capability," Yu Shenqing said awkwardly.

"Different? Your Majesty, you say the same words each time, but the results speak for themselves!"

Elder Zhao flung his sleeves and harrumphed. "If you don't trust us, we can leave this instant. There is really no need for you to invite outsiders one after another to render our previous efforts futile!"

"Indeed. Your Majesty, if you don't trust us, we can leave right now!"

The other elders also chirped in agreement, clearly displeased by Zhang Xuan's arrival.

Yu Shenqing hurriedly tried to appease them. "Of course, I trust you all! Otherwise, I wouldn't have entrusted the most important Bodhi Saint Tree of our Yu Clan to you."

Elder Zhao harrumphed. "Your Majesty, if you trust us, we will have to ask you not to invite these kinds of shady figures to interfere with our work. The Bodhi Saint Tree's condition is already very complicated as it is, and we might not be so lucky as to successfully save it the next time someone you invited over who screws it up once more! We will try our best, but whether we succeed or not will depend on fate."

Over the years, Yu Shenqing had invited many herbologists to take a look at the Bodhi Saint Tree's conditions, and there were plenty of them who had given empty promises, hoping that they could succeed by some stroke of luck and make a name for themselves. However, not only did they fail tragically, they even worsened the Bodhi Saint Tree's state. It was these elders who had to work tirelessly for days in order to stabilize its condition.

This was precisely the reason why they felt extremely frustrated whenever Yu Shenqing tried to bring someone new over.

Such an emotion was exacerbated when Yu Shenqing introduced a young lad who was barely in his early twenties as someone who possessed a deep understanding of herbology... Like hell they would believe that!

Even though herbologist wasn't officially recognized as an occupation, it did have its own heritage. Similar to the physicians, it was an occupation containing deep wisdom within it, and the knowledge one learned had to be corroborated with practice as well.

For a young lad who was barely in his early twenties, even if he had start studying from the day he was born, how much could he possibly have learned?

"This..." Yu Shenqing was conflicted.

If it was in the field of pill forging or smithing, he would harbor no doubts about Zhang shi's capability. But herbology... he really couldn't say for sure.

Just as Yu Shenqing was still in a dilemma, not sure who he should side with, the young man beside him ignored everyone and walked straight toward the Bodhi Saint Tree.

There was a formation set up around the tree in order to protect it from further harm, but the young man walked past it as if it were non-existent. In just a short moment, he was already standing before the tree; he then raised his hand and placed his palm on its thick trunk.

"What are you doing?"

Not expecting that young lad to disregard them and head straight for the tree, touching it even, Elder Zhao and the others bellowed furiously. They felt as if their authority had been challenged, and they glared at the young lad in hostility.

"I am not doing anything," Zhang Xuan replied innocently.

After which, he turned to Yu Shenqing and said, "If those fellows want to leave, let them be. It's not like they are doing any good around here..."

The elders immediately lashed out furiously.

"What did you say?!"

"Lad, where are you from? There are just this many herbologist clans in Hongyuan Empire, which one are you from?"

"You sure are haughty for someone your age..."

Yu Shenqing had also brought in plenty of renowned herbologists before, but there were none who had dared disrespect them like that.

After all, they were second to none in the field of herbology in Hongyuan Empire!

It was one thing for that fellow to have disregarded them and overstepped his bounds, but to question their professionalism on top of that...

How dare he!

"What I said is a fact. It's such a simple illness, but none of you managed to see through it, even saying that it would depend on fate... Are you here to treat the Bodhi Saint Tree or to hasten its death?" Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

He had already noticed some problems when he assessed the tree via the Eye of Insight when he first arrived. However, he wasn't too sure whether his analysis was right or not, so he decided to step forward and check via the Library of Heaven's Path as well.

The result was similar to what he had deduced.

The illness was, in truth, not very complicated, but it was extremely difficult to diagnose it accurately by examining just the exterior of the tree.

"You..." Elder Zhao's eyebrows shot up disdainfully as he uttered coldly, "Simple? So, you are saying that you know what illness the Bodhi Saint Tree is suffering from? Speak then, I sure look forward to hearing what comes out of your mouth!"

"Even if I tell you, will you understand?" Zhang Xuan replied impassively.

Given that these fellows had failed to determine the root of the Bodhi Saint Tree's illness despite spending so much time analyzing and treating it, it was doubtful whether or not they would believe him even if he were to tell them.

"You..." Elder Zhao and the others felt as if their veins would rupture from sheer rage.

As the top herbologists of Hongyuan Empire, they had always been the ones to look down on others. This was the first time in a long while that someone had dared underestimate them like that.

Will we understand, you ask?

Lad, does your clan know who you have just provoked? Just wait and see, soon, there won't be a place for you in the circle of herbologists in Hongyuan Empire!

Zhang Xuan turned to Yu Shenqing and urged, "Your Majesty, the Bodhi Saint Tree's condition is dire, and we can't afford to delay it any longer. Otherwise, it might just die in the hands of these men..."

"Audacious! You said that the tree will die in our hands? You'd better explain yourself right now, or else I won't let this matter slide!"

Seeing that the young lad was getting more and more overboard with his words, Elder Zhao stepped forward and glared at the other party menacingly.

A powerful aura burst forth from him, as if saying that he wouldn't hesitate to kill the other party should his words turn out to be nonsense.

As a top-notch herbologist and a Saint realm expert, Elder Zhao had always been respected no matter where he went, and even Emperor Yu Shenqing had to speak to him courteously. Yet, this young lad had actually dared to insult him like that...

This was completely unacceptable!

"The Nine-Nine Soul Consonance Formation, if I am not mistaken, serves to pump spiritual energy into the Bodhi Saint Tree to stimulate its spirit, right?" Zhang Xuan asked calmly.

"You know the Nine-Nine Soul Consonance Formation?" Elder Zhao was slightly taken aback.

Due to the young age and the arrogance of the lad before him, he had already regarded him as one of those incapable fame-seekers. Thus, he hadn't thought that the other party would be able to see through the essence of their treatment so quickly.

The Nine-Nine Soul Consonance Formation was a secret art passed down only among top herbologist clans. It had the ability to stimulate and nurture the spirit within spirit herbs and saint herbs, bringing vitality back to them.

Most herbologists weren't even aware of it.

From their diagnosis, they had determined the cause of the Bodhi Saint Tree's withering to be the dissipation of its spirit. That was why they had spent such a heavy price to set up this expensive formation, hoping to revitalize its spirit and bring it back to life.

But for the young lad to speak in such a manner, could there be a problem with their treatment method?

"Of course! Not only that, you also gathered the spirit of eighteen different saint herbs and tried to forcefully in fuse them into the Bodhi Saint Tree, but it ended in failure," Zhang Xuan said confidently.

"This..." Elder Zhao and the other herbologists traded gazes, stumped by the situation before them.

The other party was right. They had thought that they could swiftly revitalize the tree's spirit by infusing the spirits of other saint herbs into it, but the attempt had ended in a failure.

As the result was unsatisfactory, they hadn't reported this matter to Yu Shenqing, so it was only known among them. How did this fellow learn of it?

Did he deduce it with just a glance?

But that was impossible!

Matters regarding spirits and souls had always been an enigma to most of mankind. It might still be possible to deduce that a successful spirit infusion had occurred by looking at the spirit of the medicinal herb, but if it had been a failure, not even top herbologists like them would be able to discern it. How could the young lad before them deduce it accurately?

"This Bodhi Saint Tree has yet to die, and its spirit is still alive and kicking. Yet, you attempted to infuse another spirit into it to take over its body... It is really a blessing of the heavens that it hasn't died in your hands yet! To still be acting so arrogantly around here despite that, do you have not the slightest bit of shame? I really do wonder where you get your boldness and confidence from!" Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves majestically.

"You... Nonsense! We have checked using various means, and the spirit of the Bodhi Saint Tree has definitely disappeared. How could it still be alive?" Elder Zhao's face reddened in agitation.

Naturally, they understood the implications of a soul infusion, so they had checked over and over again to ensure that their diagnosis was correct. If the Bodhi Saint Tree still retained its spirit, how could they not be aware of it?

Another elder stood forward and said, "Indeed! I checked for its spirit using the Golden Needle Spirit Detection Method thrice, and the results were all negative. Furthermore, if its spirit was still around, how could it allow its body to wither like that?"

Yet another elder nodded in agreement. "I also used the exclusive Green Mist Spirit Detection Method of my lineage, and I can testify that the tree has already lost its spirit!"

It was common knowledge that saint herbs possessed spirit. If one were to forcefully infuse a spirit into a saint herb that still retained its spirit, that would be practically no different from murdering the herb!

If they, who prided themselves on their expertise in the field of herbology, had truly unintentionally killed a herb when they were supposed to save it, they would be too ashamed to continue living.

Another elder waved his hands and harrumphed. "The spirit infusion might have failed, but it sprouted new leaves on the withered tree and alleviated the yellowing of the existent leaves. This is a clear sign of the Bodhi Saint Tree making a recovery. There's really no need for us to listen to the nonsense of an ignorant lad here!"

The others nodded in agreement to his words.

The spirit infusion might have failed, but the fact that it had regained its green glow for even a short moment of time meant that their treatment was effective and they were moving in the correct direction.

"A clear sign that the Bodhi Saint Tree is making a recovery, you say? The leaves might have turned green, but have you checked the roots? Do they show signs of recovering? What about the tree trunk? Does it look healthier, or did the wither worsen?" Zhang Xuan scoffed.

"This..."

The elders immediately fell silent.

They had checked the condition of the tree thoroughly after the spirit infusion, and the condition of the roots and the trunks seemed to have worsened considerably... But there was a period of adjustment, so it should be normal to see such conditions, right?

"The Golden Needle Spirit Detection Method can indeed check for a herb's spirit, but how long is your golden needle? Can it reach the depths of the tree trunk? If the spirit is hidden in the depths, do you think that your detection method will be effective?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"This..."

The elders had no idea how to respond to this either.

The Golden Needle Spirit Detection Method responded only upon direct contact with the spirit. If it had been an ordinary medicinal herb, there wouldn't be any problem.

However, considering the massive size of the Bodhi Saint Tree, there was indeed no guarantee that the needle would reach the spirit.

Zhang Xuan turned to the other elder and stated, "A similar problem applies for the Green Mist Spirit Detection Method as well. It works by triggering a response from a conscious spirit, but what if the spirit of the Bodhi Saint Tree is unconscious? Wouldn't the result you receive wrongly reflect that its spirit is dead?"

"Ahh..." Realization struck the elder, and he fell silent as well.

To the Green Mist Spirit Detection Method, an unconscious spirit was deemed to be no different from a dead spirit.

An elder abruptly interjected, "Enough! After all you have said, you still haven't told us how the Bodhi Saint Tree should be treated? If you can't come up with a solution, you are ultimately still the same as us!"

The others immediately nodded in agreement.

The most important thing at hand was to save the Bodhi Saint Tree; everything else was secondary.

"A solution?" Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly before turning to Yu Shenqing. "Your Majesty, I will have to trouble you to get your men to bring some pails of oil and a paper match 1 over...

"I am going to burn the tree!"

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Chapter 874: Burn It (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Burn it?"

"You have been invited here to save the tree, not to burn it down!"

"Ridiculous, this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! Who doesn't know how to kill a tree, do we still need you for that?"

...

Everyone was stunned for an instant after hearing Zhang Xuan's words before bellowing furiously.

There must be something wrong with your head!

You spoke as if we were completely useless, but when asked for a solution, you proposed to burn the tree instead...

The Bodhi Saint Tree was the very foundation of the Yu Clan, and the herbologists had used every means at their disposal to treat it desperately, fearing that their failure would result in their heads being lopped off. That young lad had spoken as if he had some incredible means up his sleeves, but to think that the solution he proposed would be to burn down the tree... This was utter insanity!

Yu Shenqing's body shook, and he nearly fainted on the spot as well.

Watching Zhang shi render the elders in the room speechless with his words earlier, he had seen a glimmer of hope for the Bodhi Saint Tree. But after hearing his solution, he realized that the other party was just toying with him!

The Bodhi Saint Tree was already on the verge of death. If it were to be burned down, wouldn't it lose its life immediately?

Noticing Yu Shenqing's hesitation, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. "I won't force you if you don't trust me. However, if you wish to save the Bodhi Saint Tree, you'd better make your decision quickly!"

"Save?" Yu Shenqing's lips twitched.

Are you sure that you are really saving the Bodhi Saint Tree and not murdering it?

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded before placing his hands behind his back and waiting patiently.

"This..." Seeing the grim look on Zhang shi's face, it didn't seem like the other party was joking around.

After a moment of hesitation, Yu Shenqing turned around to the old eunuch, Luo Fu, and instructed, "Do as Zhang shi says!"

Even though he still thought that it was ridiculous to burn down the tree, the fact that Zhang Xuan was the principal of the Master Teacher Academy, along with the various incredible feats he had achieved, still convinced him to trust the other party this once.

More importantly, those elders had been here for two years, but there wasn't the slightest improvement in the Bodhi Saint Tree's condition. It would be no exaggeration to say that the tree's death timer had already started ticking.

Since Zhang shi was so confident in the matter, perhaps it was worth giving his method a try, especially since there was no better solution at hand. If the tree still died eventually, it could only be said to be its fate.

"Your Majesty, I beseech you to reconsider your options!"

"Don't listen to the lies of this fellow. The Bodhi Saint Tree is already in a very feeble state; it won't be able to survive being burned!"

Seeing that Yu Shenqing had really instructed his men to bring oil and a paper match over, Elder Zhao and the others immediately panicked, and they rushed forward to advise him otherwise.

"Please calm down. Zhang shi is the pr... a very talented master teacher from the Master Teacher Academy. I believe there is a reason why he made such a decision..."

Yu Shenqing was just about to reveal Zhang Xuan's other identity when he suddenly realized that this matter was supposed to remain a secret until the inauguration ceremony, so he could only quickly change his words.

Seeing that Yu Shenqing was being beguiled by the young lad, Elder Zhao exclaimed in agitation, "I don't deny that master teachers are knowledgeable and discerning, but in the field of herbology, there is no one who can top us in Hongyuan Empire, and none of us here have ever heard of a saint herb being saved by being burned!"

They came from the top herbology clans with long heritages behind them. The wisdom of their predecessors had been passed down from one generation to the next, forming incredible compendiums of knowledge. Yet, despite being the successors of these compendiums of knowledge, none of them had ever heard of a herb being saved through burning.

That was no different from drinking poison to alleviate one's thirst, a concept that completely went against the theories of herbology. It was something that could never happen.

"Indeed! Each occupation has its own experts, and even master teachers can't possibly be knowledgeable about every single occupation in the world. After all, there is only one Kong shi!" another elder added.

Legend had it that on top of being the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion, Kong shi had been skilled in many occupations as well. In fact, the heritage of many existing occupations had been compiled and organized by him.

The young lad before them might be a formidable master teacher, but even master teachers weren't capable of everything. There were times when they, too, would fail!

"This..."

Hearing the words of the elders, Yu Shenqing's determination began to waver. However, thinking about Zhang Xuan's identity, he eventually still gritted his teeth and said, "Say no more, I have already made up my mind. Let's just do as Zhang shi instructs!"

While they were talking, the palace attendants had already brought pails of oil and a paper match into the room.

Zhang Xuan, upon seeing that Yu Shenqing was willing to put his trust in him at a crucial moment like this, nodded in satisfaction. He instructed the palace attendants to spill the pails of oil all over the tree, and when that was done, he blew on the paper match to light it up 1 .

In no haste to ignite the oil, Zhang Xuan turned to the herbologists in the room and said, "There are countless herbologist clans in the world, and they each have their unique ways of cultivating and treating medicinal herbs. While you all might be considered to be the best herbologists in Hongyuan Empire, do you really believe that you have grasped all possible treatment methods in the world?"

Elder Zhao and the others fell silent.

The pursuit of knowledge is an endless race. Every day, new things were being discovered, and new heritages were being formed. Who would dare say that they had already seen it all?

Not even Kong shi would dare to arrogantly declare so!

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been rendered speechless by the words of two young children while passing through a remote country back then.

"The spirit of the Bodhi Saint Tree is not dead but asleep. You rushed into treating it without checking its condition thoroughly, nearly causing its death... Forget it, just watch and see." Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan threw the paper match over.

Hu hu!

As soon as the paper match came into contact with the oil, the entire tree immediately burst into flames.

"He really is burning the tree..." The mouths of Elder Zhao and the others twitched uncontrollably.

After spending two years with the Bodhi Saint Tree, they already possessed some feelings for it. Thus, they couldn't help but feel a stabbing pain in their hearts as they watched the flames gradually devouring the tree.

Yu Shenqing also couldn't help but clench his fists tightly as he watched the flames.

At this point, he really didn't know whether he was right or not to trust Zhang Xuan.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was staring at the flames intently, seemingly waiting for the right moment.

Shortly after, he raised his hand and said, "Extinguish the flames!"

"Yes!"

A few guards immediately rushed forward and stifled the flames around the Bodhi Saint Tree with their zhenqi.

Even the weakest of them was at the Ethereal Treading realm, and with their strength combined, it took barely more than a moment for them to extinguish the flames.

With the flames gone, everyone got a clear glimpse of the current state of the Bodhi Saint Tree. At this point, its exterior was charred black, and there wasn't the slightest hint of life from it.

Without saying a word, Zhang Xuan walked up to the tree and began striking it at certain locations while circling around it.

After striking it consecutively thirty-six times, he finally came to a halt.

Just as everyone was wondering what Zhang Xuan was up to, the latter returned to Yu Shenqing and the others' side and snapped his finger.

Kacha! Kacha!

The charred exterior of the tree abruptly burst apart.

"T-this... How is this possible?"

The sight that unfolded before their eyes left everyone stupefied.

Beneath the charred exterior of the tree was a tree trunk only about an arm thick, but it was overflowing with vitality, like a young sprout blossoming from the old tree. It was just that it had been hidden beneath its withered exterior previously.

But considering how the exterior was already nearing death, how could the insides of the tree still remain so vibrant?

This sight was mystifying, and there was no one who could comprehend what was going on.

Elder Zhao and the others had diagnosed and treated many herbs in their time, but they had never encountered or even heard of such a scenario before.

Seeing the looks of incomprehension on the faces around him, Zhang Xuan explained calmly, "It isn't because this Bodhi Saint Tree is nearing death that it is unconscious. Instead, it was out of self-preservation by the spirit to protect its foundation that it chose to conceal itself in the core of the tree. As a result, the external layer was no longer sustained by the spirit, thus resulting in its death-like state.

"You overlooked this and forcefully infused another spirit into it. Through doing that, you nearly destroyed its remaining foundation. If you had really succeeded then, the Bodhi Saint Tree would have already died by now..."

"This..."

The bodies of Elder Zhao and the others shuddered in astonishment.

The other party was right.

Under the condition that the current spirit hadn't died yet, if a new spirit were to be infused into the body, it would result in a huge fight, and in the worst-case scenario, the two spirits might just end up killing one another.

In other words, it was truly a blessing that they hadn't succeeded then. Otherwise, they would have been the culprits behind the Bodhi Saint Tree's death!

"But Zhang shi, the Bodhi Saint Tree has been perfectly fine for many years. Why would it suddenly need to resort to a self-preservation maneuver?" Yu Shenqing asked, puzzled. The others also turned doubtful gazes to Zhang Xuan as well.

"I am not too sure about that either. Under normal circumstances, a spirit will only do that if it has suffered severe injuries... Try recalling this. In the period of time just before the Bodhi Saint Tree started to wither, did anything happen?" Zhang Xuan said.

The Library of Heaven's Path had reflected the flaws of the Bodhi Saint Tree, but it didn't delve into the reason for its condition, so he wasn't too sure either.

"This... I don't think that anything major happened in that period of time!" Yu Shenqing frowned. "Two years ago... That should be around the time when the old principal of the Master Teacher Academy went missing. Oh right, the vice head of the Physician School, You Xu, visited once in that period of time to procure a seedling from the tree, saying that he wanted to try cultivating it to help locate the old principal's soul. Other than that, I don't think that there are any outsiders who have approached the tree!"

"You Xu?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

That fellow was the culprit behind Wei Changfeng's death, and in order to let Wei Ruyan exact vengeance for her father personally, he had the other party imprisoned in his own manor for the time being.

Was the other party related to this incident as well?

"That's right. Vice School Head You Xu is a talented herbologist himself, so I invited him over to take a look at the Bodhi Saint Tree's condition as well, but he wasn't able to tell what was wrong with it either," Yu Shenqing replied.

"I see... Forget it, let's put that matter aside for now. For the time being, we should find a way to awaken the spirit from its slumber first!" Zhang Xuan said.

It had been two years since the Bodhi Saint Tree was poisoned, so it would be difficult to track down the culprit now. Besides, this had nothing to do with him, so there was no need for him to get involved in the matter.

Understanding this, Yu Shenqing also chose not to talk about it any further.

Stepping forward, Zhang Xuan walked up to the Bodhi Saint Tree once more and placed his palm on it before falling into deep thought.

A moment later, he flicked his wrist and took out a gigantic wine gourd. Uncorking the lid, a concentrated surge of spiritual energy immediately gushed into the surroundings.

"That is... Earth Vein Spirit Essence?" The eyes of Yu Shenqing and the elders lit up.

Earth Vein Spirit Essence contained the energy of the earth, which made it exceptionally nourishing to medicinal herbs. It was an incredible treasure to herbologists.

Pouring the Earth Vein Spirit Essence on the vigorous tree trunk, innumerable buds began growing at a rate visible to the eye on the bald tree, and they gradually sprouted to form lush leaves.

"This... the spirit has been awakened?"

Upon seeing this sight, Yu Shenqing and the other elders couldn't help but tremble in excitement.

For the tree to undergo such rapid growth, it could only mean that the sleeping spirit of the Bodhi Saint Tree had awakened!

However, the Earth Vein Spirit Essence only had the effect of replenishing spiritual energy within saint herbs, it shouldn't have been capable of rousing an unconscious spirit.

Just what kind of mystical means did Zhang shi use?

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Chapter 875: Problem with the Myriad Anthive Nest

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

No, something is wrong...

Contrary to the looks of delight on the faces of the crowd, Zhang Xuan had a deep frown etched on his forehead.

What had awakened the spirit wasn't the Earth Vein Spirit Essence but his Heaven's Path zhenqi!

The Heaven's Path zhenqi was so rich in vitality that it could even easily neutralize lethal poison, so naturally, it had the ability to rouse the unconscious spirit within the Bodhi Saint Tree as well.

However, what had left a deep frown on his face was the realization that the spirit of the Bodhi Saint Tree had been unconscious not just because it was injured but because it was poisoned!

The Heaven's Path zhenqi was incredibly pure, allowing it to travel through the tree unobstructed. As such, he was able to catch a clear glimpse of the state of the Bodhi Saint Tree's unconscious spirit.

The spirit was indeed injured, but it wasn't severe enough to drive it into an unconscious state.

What had truly sapped the spirit was a fight against a lethal poison that was ongoing even now.

And most importantly of all, he actually recognized that lethal poison...

It's the Soul Purging Poison! A peculiar glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Speaking of the Soul Purging Poison, most, including the school heads of the Master Teacher Academy, might be unfamiliar with the name. However, if one were to define it as the lethal poison concocted using the 'Green-leafed Heart Nexus Plant' and the 'Soulless Flower', most should understand what it was in an instant.

It was the lethal poison You Xu had given him during the Life-and-Death Physician Duel!

This poison, once consumed, would immediately corrode one's heart and mind, resulting in a swift death. Not even Saint realm experts would be spared from this tragic outcome.

Even though the Bodhi Saint Tree was a saint herb rich in vitality, it was still difficult for it to stand its ground against the potent Soul Purging Poison. The only reason it was able to survive so long was because Elder Zhao and the others, even though their direction was wrong from the very start, had fed it many nourishing substances, granting it the strength to withstand the onslaught of the poison.

You Xu came here two years ago, and shortly afterward, the Bodhi Saint Tree fell ill... Could You Xu have really been the culprit? Zhang Xuan frowned.

The Soul Purging Poison was extremely hard to concoct, not to mention, the Green-leafed Heart Nexus Plant and the Soulless Flower had gone extinct centuries ago. On top of that, You Xu had an opportunity to strike as well... Following this line of deduction, all of the current evidence seemed to point toward You Xu.

But... if Yu Shenqing was willing to allow You Xu to get close to the Bodhi Saint Tree to procure its seedling, that could mean that there was no conflict between them.

So... what could You Xu stand to gain from poisoning the Bodhi Saint Tree?

Zhang Xuan contemplated over the issue a moment longer, but he was still unable to connect the dots. Shaking his head, he decided to turn his attention away from the matter. Forget it, this should be a matter for Yu Shenqing to worry about...

The only reason he had treated the Bodhi Saint Tree was to borrow it to save Wei Ruyan. As for uncovering the culprit who had poisoned it, that was a job for the others to do.

After emptying out the Earth Vein Spirit Essence in the gourd and pumping a few dozen more surges of zhenqi in, the weak Bodhi Saint Tree began to regain its vitality, and signs of its former glory started to appear.

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan said, "Alright, I'm done."

"Thank you, Zhang shi!" The agitated Yu Shenqing immediately rushed forward and clasped his fist in gratitude.

The Bodhi Saint Tree was the foundation of their Yu Clan. Once it was gone, the Yu Clan would start falling into decline, eventually disappearing in the annals of history.

Yu Shenqing had thought that it was hopeless, and he had already prepared himself for the worst. He really hadn't expected the young man before him to be able to easily identify the cause and resolve the problem within less than half a day.

"Zhang shi..."

The faces of Elder Zhao and the others reddened in embarrassment, and if they could, they would have loved to vanish on the spot.

They had doubted the other party, accusing him of only being there for the fame. Yet, they—the 'knowledgeable' ones—had spent two years achieving nothing, but he—the 'ignorant' one—had solved the problem surrounding the Bodhi Saint Tree in just a few hours.

Just recalling the matter was sufficient to fill them with embarrassment.

An elder stepped forward and said, "Zhang shi, if you are free, do come over and conduct a lecture for us. Our Sun Clan is willing to compensate you with a hundred Spirit pinnacle medicinal herbs in return!"

It was a problem that they couldn't figure out despite coming together, but the other party was able to find a solution for it with a single glance. His mastery in herbology was far beyond their imagination.

If they could invite him to their clan to lecture them, the proficiency of their clan members would surely rise rapidly, and it would just be a matter of time before they surpassed the other herbology clans.

Another elder stepped forward and offered, "Zhang shi, come to our Chen Clan! We are willing to offer you 150 Spirit pinnacle medicinal herbs and five saint herbs!"

Knowing that Zhang shi could possibly herald in an era of prosperity for their clan, the other elders in the room could no longer hold themselves back either.

"Zhang shi, come to our Zhao Clan instead..."

"Our Liu Clan..."

...

"Thank you for your high evaluation for me, but I don't have the intention of conducting any lectures for the time being!"

Seeing the previously haughty elders standing before him politely as if young junior school students before a teacher, Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

In truth, the offers the elders had made were extremely tempting, but the problem was that he had no idea how to lecture them on herbology!

The reason he was able to cure the Bodhi Saint Tree was due to his Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path. It had very little to do with his knowledge concerning herbology.

If he were to really conduct lectures for them, it wouldn't be long before they started pestering him for refunds.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was unwilling to conduct any lectures, Elder Zhao and the others could only back down in disappointment.

Zhang Xuan turned to the crowd and said, "Your Majesty and elders, I need to borrow the Bodhi Saint Tree to resolve some private affairs, so..."

Understanding the meaning behind Zhang Xuan's words, Yu Shenqing turned to the crowd and smiled. "You have all worked hard to treat the Bodhi Saint Tree over the last two years. I will have the royal chefs prepare a feast this instant, so please follow me to the main hall!"

"Your Majesty, thank you!"

"We haven't really done anything much..."

The other elders nodded as they followed Yu Shenqing out.

Soon, Zhang Xuan was the only one left in the residence.

He flew to the air to take a look at the surroundings and saw that Yu Shenqing had deployed the guards in the area away as well, strictly prohibiting anyone from coming close to the residence. Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan took out the sickly Wei Ruyan from the Myriad Anthive Nest.

In recent days, he had been bringing her around in case her condition abruptly worsened and emergency treatment was required.

With a healthy Bodhi Saint Tree before him now, it was time to treat her affliction once and for all!

Zhang Xuan first drew his soul out of his body before summoning Wei Ruyan's soul out as well, and using a secret art, he infused the latter's soul into the Bodhi Saint Tree.

He had taken a close look earlier, and the Bodhi Saint Tree was indeed extremely effective in nurturing souls.

Zhang Xuan followed Wei Ruyan's soul into the Bodhi Saint Tree to assess her condition, and he could sense the latter's feeble soul being nurtured, growing stronger by the moment.

Hmm? She is recovering faster than I thought... Zhang Xuan fell in a moment of thought before the answer struck him.

It is the Soul Purge Poison! To think that the two years of pain the Bodhi Saint Tree suffered under the tyranny of the Soul Purge Poison would become an opportunity for Wei Ruyan instead!

Despite the massive size and greater medicinal potency of the Bodhi Saint Tree, it was just a matter of time before Wei Ruyan's Poison Soul Constitution poisoned it and rendered its effects negligible just like with the Ten-leafed Flower.

However, after two years of fending against the Soul Purge Poison, this Bodhi Saint Tree had already gained a fair degree of immunity to poison. On top of that, the Poison Soul Constitution had the ability to consume lethal poison, and the lingering Soul Purge Poison left in the tree was greatly nourishing to her!

In other words, not only would Wei Ruyan's soul not poison the Bodhi Saint Tree in the short term, it would even help to devour the remaining poison left within it.

At the same time, Wei Ruyan's soul would recover faster as well.

At this rate, it will only take a day for her to regain consciousness... Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

It seemed like it was the correct decision for him to choose to save the Bodhi Saint Tree.

Even though he had used up a fair bit of precious Earth Vein Spirit Essence in the midst of doing so, it would be well worth the cost if he could successfully cure Wei Changfeng's daughter of her affliction with this.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan returned his soul to his body, and he stowed Wei Ruyan's body back into the Myriad Anthive Nest as well.

Shortly after he did so, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind. "Master, I need you to come in here urgently..."

Hearing that voice, Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the Myriad Anthive Queen.

A while ago, it had devoured Kong shi's folded space, and it was currently using it to expand its nest. According to its deductions, it would require at least three months to finish the job. Given that less than five days had passed, it must have met with some kind of issue.

Thus, Zhang Xuan quickly entered the Myriad Anthive Nest without any hesitation.

The Myriad Anthive Nest was considerably larger than before, stretching twenty meters from one end to the other. Even with the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron standing within, there was still plenty of space to move around.

While admiring the incredible ability of the Myriad Anthive Queen, Zhang Xuan walked up to it and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Master... I think I might have underestimated the difficulty of this task. I know that I said that I would be able to succeed in three months, but due to my cultivation being too low... I am already starting to lose control over this space!" the Myriad Anthive Nest explained awkwardly.

It had previously declared confidently that it would be able to assimilate Kong shi's folded space into the Myriad Anthive Nest within three months, but from the looks of it now, it wouldn't happen that easily.

With the Myriad Anthive Queen's current cultivation of Perfect Harmonization realm, it was still within its means to control a space of around ten meters wide. However, when the nest was increased to twenty meters wide, the space became a little too large for it to control properly.

At the current rate, the space might just very well collapse even before the nest could be fully constructed.

"Lose control?" Zhang Xuan said with a grim expression.

Even though the unique constitution of the Myriad Anthive Queen allowed it to utilize spatial manipulation despite only being at the Perfect Harmonization realm, its abilities were still limited by its cultivation. If it were to forcefully expand its nest, it could very well suffer a backlash, and huge trouble would ensue.

"Is there any way to solve the problem?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"There is, but... it will be rather troublesome!" The Myriad Anthive Queen shook her head.

"Speak." Hearing that there was a solution, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

"The problem can be solved by raising my cultivation swiftly. As long as I reach Saint realm, I should be able to retain perfect control of the space and even hasten the assimilation process at that," the Myriad Anthive Nest said.

"Raising your cultivation? That's easy, I can easily do that. However, to reach Saint realm..." Zhang Xuan frowned. "Forget it, I will do what I can first."

If raising the Myriad Anthive Queen's cultivation was all it took, it wasn't really a huge issue. With Zhang Xuan's Heaven's Path zhenqi, he could cleanse the bloodline of a spirit beast and raise its cultivation.

Kacha! Kacha!

Under the nourishment of Zhang Xuan's zhenqi, the Myriad Anthive Nest's body jolted, and its cultivation began rising steadily.

Six hours later, under the nourishment of the Heaven's Path zhenqi and Earth Vein Spirit Essence, the Myriad Anthive Queen's cultivation reached Chrysalis realm primary stage, just like Zhang Xuan's.

Due to the limits of Zhang Xuan's cultivation, he could only raise its cultivation this far.

Even though Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle to Chrysalis realm primary stage was a rise in cultivation by slightly more than a realm, the Myriad Anthive Queen was still a significant way off from reaching Saint realm.

After reinforcing its cultivation, the Myriad Anthive Queen contemplated for a moment before speaking.

"Master, I heard that the Beast Hall has a bottle of the blood essence of a Saint realm Myriad Anthive Queen in its inventory. If I can obtain it, I should be able to raise my cultivation to Saint realm swiftly..."

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Chapter 876: Master Teacher!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Beast Hall?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Un. The Beast Hall keeps an inventory of the blood essence of many saint beasts, and as long as beast tamers have reached a certain rank and are able to afford the price, they are able to trade for these blood essences!" the Myriad Anthive Queen said.

"I see... I will take the 6-star beast tamer examination now and trade for some then."

Knowing that the blood essence of a Saint realm Myriad Anthive Queen had such an effect, Zhang Xuan swiftly left the nest. He took another look at Wei Ruyan to check on her condition once more, and after confirming that she was recovering rapidly and that the Bodhi Saint Tree showed no signs of being poisoned, he heaved a sigh of relief and left the royal palace.

His next destination was the Master Teacher Academy.

To take the beast tamer examination and trade for the blood essence, it would be more convenient to do it via School Head Mo. Besides, he wasn't too sure where Hongyuan Empire's Beast Hall was located.

Entering the Beast Tamer School, he quickly found School Head Mo sitting with a deep frown in his office, seemingly troubled by something.

"Principal Zhang!" Upon noticing Zhang Xuan's presence, School Head Mo quickly got up and clasped his fist politely.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. The reason I came over here today is to take the 6-star beast tamer examination..." Zhang Xuan immediately revealed the reason behind his arrival.

"6-star beast tamer examination?" School Head Mo was visibly stunned for a moment before he shook his head. "Principal Zhang, you are pulling my leg. Since you were able to tame even Senior Byzantium Helios, you are qualified to be a 7-star beast tamer. I have already helped you apply for it from the headquarters, and I have received a positive reply as well. I am just waiting for the emblem to arrive now."

The Byzantium Helios Beast was already at Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm, and under the classification of the Beast Tamer Hall, one who could tame a saint beast of such power was qualified as a 7-star beast tamer. Thus, there was no need for him to go through the effort of taking the examination.

"7-star beast tamer?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.

He had been intending to take the 6-star examination, only to learn that School Head Mo had already applied for a 7-star emblem on his behalf.

This worked fine with him, too; he would be spared from quite a bit of trouble with this.

"I will be thanking you in advance then. Since the headquarters have already agreed to it, it just so happens that there is something I need to request from them... I would like to trade for some Saint realm Myriad Anthive Queen's blood essence!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Saint realm Myriad Anthive Queen's blood essence?" School Head Mo frowned.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

School Head Mo replied, after a moment of hesitation, "Usually, the headquarters will approve the trade for most saint beast's blood essence, and the price won't be too high as well. But the Myriad Anthive Queen's blood essence... I fear that it won't be that easy to make the trade."

"Won't be easy to make the trade?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Since they were all from saint beasts, the difficulty in procuring their blood essence shouldn't be too different from one another. Why would the Myriad Anthive Queen be an exception?

Noticing Zhang Xuan's doubts, School Head Mo explained, "In the very first place, the Myriad Anthive Queen is an extremely rare beast, and on top of that, only a small proportion of them manage to achieve a breakthrough to Saint realm!

"More importantly, the Myriad Anthive Queen possesses the ability to create space, making it an extremely valuable beast... Even if the headquarters do have its blood essence, I fear that the price to obtain it will be exorbitant!"

"Exorbitant? Roughly how much will it cost?"

"Even taking into account your identity as a 7-star beast tamer, it will still cost around several thousand high-tier spirit stones, or even more," School Head Mo said as he shook his head bitterly.

The price to purchase the blood essence of a Saint realm Myriad Anthive Queen was simply too great for them to bear.

"Several thousand high-tier spirit stones?" Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

He had thought that he could finally be considered wealthy after receiving several hundred high-tier spirit stones from Wu Xu and Lu Cheng, but to think that it wouldn't even be sufficient to buy a single item.

Furthermore, this was due to the fact that he was a 7-star beast tamer. If it was an outsider instead, the price could very well be hiked up by twofold.

The occupation guilds like the Beast Tamer Hall would often grant special privileges such as discounts or priority in services to its own members, depending on their rank.

It seemed like what he had wasn't much after all.

At this point, School Head Mo suddenly spoke up. "Actually, there is a way to obtain it even if one can't afford the price, but... it will be much harder!"

"Oh?" Seeing that there was a way to work around it, Zhang Xuan quickly turned his gaze to the other party.

"As long as your contribution to the Beast Tamer Hall is high enough, the headquarters could give it to you for free," School Head Mo said.

"Contribution?" Zhang Xuan frowned at the unfamiliar term.

"That's right. Donating the blood essence of rare spirit beasts or saint beasts, or accomplishing the missions set by the Beast Hall... all of these will be noted by the Beast Hall as contributions from the individual members," School Head Mo explained.

"Donating the blood essence of rare spirit beasts or saint beasts?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It had been innumerable years since the Beast Hall was established, and it possessed influence all around the Master Teacher Continent. There were only a handful spirit beasts and saint beasts that it couldn't get to, so very few of them could be considered rare. Even if Zhang Xuan knew where he could find one, he wouldn't have the time to look for it.

"The first way is indeed rather difficult, most only accomplish it with a stroke of luck. As for the second, the Beast Hall rarely set missions, and even when they do, it wouldn't reach here..." School Head Mo said with a bitter smile.

Contribution to a guild wasn't that easily earned. Otherwise, its treasury would have been depleted long ago.

"School Head Mo, we aren't able to hold on any longer! We need assistance..."

In that moment, flurried footsteps sounded, and an elder abruptly barged into the room.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, the elder clasped his fist and greeted, "Principal Zhang!"

It was the head of the Blacksmith School, Zhao Bingxu.

"School Head Zhao, what do you mean by being unable to hold on any longer?" Zhang Xuan asked in bewilderment.

At this point, he couldn't help but recall the deep frown he had seen on School Head Mo's face when he first entered. He had thought that it might have been some personal problem, but after hearing Zhao Bingxu's words, things probably weren't as simple as they seemed.

"It's actually nothing much. Principal Zhang, we are just a day away from your inauguration ceremony, so you should focus on preparing for it for the time being. You don't have to worry about anything else," Zhao Bingxu quickly replied with a smile.

"Indeed. Principal Zhang, leave the other matters to us," School Head Mo quickly added in agreement.

Noticing that something was amiss, Zhang Xuan frowned. "Tell me, what is it?"

The two elders before him were the heads of the Beast Tamer School and Blacksmith School, as well as Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts. For such powerful figures to have troubled looks on their faces, something major must have happened.

While Zhang Xuan might not have paid much heed to the matters concerning the Master Teacher Academy, he was still ultimately the principal, and he had to bear the responsibilities that came with that role.

"This..."

Hearing Zhang Xuan ask about the matter, the two school heads glance at one another hesitantly, unsure of what they should do.

But seeing the determination in Zhang Xuan's eyes, School Head Mo knew that they wouldn't be able to hide it from him any further, so he sighed deeply and said, "The beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge have launched a beast stampede against us."

"Cloudmist Ridge? Beast stampede?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Un. The beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge have always lived isolated from our Hongyuan Empire, never interfering with the business of the other. However, just a few days ago, they suddenly went on a rampage, hunting down all of the hunters and cultivators roaming the mountains," School Head Mo said.

"Our Master Teacher Academy received a request for assistance, so we sent our men in to warn them against their actions. But instead of backing down, they assaulted our master teachers and even sent their full forces forward, initiating a beast stampede against Hongyuan City. Left with no choice, I sent in all of the students of the Beast Tamer School to fend off their forces at Hongyuan Mountain Range... It has been a day since the battle began, and our line of defense is starting to crumble!"

"Crumble..." Zhang Xuan's face darkened, and he clenched his fists tightly. "Take me there, I want to take a look!"

The reason the beasts of Cloudmist Ridge went on a rampage was probably related to him taking away their Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

Even though the beasts of Cloudmist Ridge had lived separately from Hongyuan Empire, there had always been some tension between them. Nevertheless, an uneasy peace was established between the two due to the deterrence of the Master Teacher Academy.

Part of the reason Zhang Xuan didn't hesitate to take away the Earth Vein Spirit Essence despite knowing how much the beasts of Cloudmist Ridge valued it was because he knew that if the other party continued to accrue more power, this could spell disaster for Hongyuan Empire in the long run.

Even so, he hadn't expected the other party to actually charge out and go head-to-head with the Master Teacher Academy.

Since this matter had started due to him, he couldn't back out at this point.

"Principal Zhang, you can't go! You haven't undergone the inauguration ceremony yet, and your cultivation is still too low. If the others learn of your identity, they will target you!" Zhao Bingxu shook his head firmly.

It was not without reason that they had chosen not to inform the principal of a matter as major as the students being dispatched to battle. At the current moment, Zhang Xuan was simply too weak. If the others were to learn that he was the principal, the beasts of Cloudmist Ridge would surely focus their forces on him.

Should the principal be captured by the enemy at such a crucial period, it would be a devastating blow to the morale of their forces, bringing forth panic and chaos.

Furthermore, they earnestly believed that with Zhang Xuan's capability, the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy could be brought to greater heights. At least, until the latter's capabilities matured, they, as elders, must not let any harm come to him.

Thus, they had chosen to take matters into their own hands instead.

"Take me there, or else I will just have to head there myself!" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The lives of innumerable students were at stake; he couldn't possibly sit idly at such a crucial moment!

"This..." Seeing the determination in Zhang Xuan's eyes, the two school heads glanced at one another and sighed. "Alright, we will take you over there. However, I hope that you won't be hasty, and by no means should you reveal your identity to anyone. This isn't the first beast stampede from Cloudmist Ridge, so we will surely find a way to suppress it in the end."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

School Head Mo summoned his Inferno Dragon Saint Beast over, and the three of them swiftly got on and flew for Hongyuan Mountain Range.

Standing on the back of the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast, Zhang Xuan asked Zhao Bingxu, "What is the current situation?"

"It isn't looking too optimistic... The beast stampede is much more severe than the previous cases. In the first place, most spirit beasts possess the strength to rival cultivators stronger than themselves. To make things worse, the spirit beasts are coordinating with one another like disciplined soldiers, and this places our students in a very dangerous position!" Zhao Bingxu said hesitantly.

"Coordinating with one another like disciplined soldiers?"

Zhao Bingxu nodded. "Un. If I am not mistaken, the saint beasts of Cloudmist Ridge have probably gotten involved as well. Only under their leadership can the spirit beasts display such battle prowess collectively."

"How are the casualties?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It is rather severe. As the fourth largest school in the Master Teacher Academy, there are over twenty thousand students who chose beast tamer as their main supporting occupation. Other than those who are currently out on missions, all of them have participated in the battle. More than half of them are wounded, but the death toll is still relatively low at around a dozen," Zhao Bingxu replied grimly.

"There are already around a dozen dead?" Zhang Xuan's body stiffened.

"That's right." The one who replied this time around wasn't Zhao Bingxu but School Head Mo.

While they were speaking, the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast had already arrived at the air space above Hongyuan Mountain Range. Looking down, Zhang Xuan could see countless spirit beasts charging down from the mountaintop, and innumerable students rushed forth to meet them. The battle was extremely intense.

There were many severely wounded students among the group, but they stood firmly on their ground, not backing out at all. Instead, they seemed to grow more and more courageous by the moment, braving through the hordes of spirit beasts fearlessly.

Zhang Xuan's body couldn't help but tremble.

He saw two familiar faces. They were Feng Wu and Yu Cheng, whom he had a conflict with during the entrance examination on Leiyuan Peak. At this moment, their bodies were completely drenched in blood, and Yu Cheng even had an arm of his snapped off. Yet, they still continued to charge toward the enemies fearlessly with reddened eyes.

This posed a stark contrast to the selfish behavior they had displayed while competing with him back then.

Whether they were once friend or foe, at this very moment, everyone was fighting side-by-side, trusting their allies with their back.

Taking a glance at Zhang Xuan's astonished face, School Head Mo said proudly, "Many of them have grudges with one another, and from time to time, they fought and sometimes even resorted to despicable means against one another, but... in the face of trouble, they will still unite together as one and fight alongside one another fearlessly, even if death is what they will ultimately face!

"This is because this is their mission and responsibility. This is because they bear a common identity..."

"Master teacher!"

Chapter 877: Heart of a Teacher

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Master teacher?" Zhang Xuan's body stiffened.

It had been half a year since his transcension, and he had encountered many different master teachers in his time. Be it a normal 1-star master teacher or a powerful 6-star pinnacle master teacher, be it joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure, all of them possessed emotions like an ordinary human being, and they had their own desires and goals that they pursued as well.

Despite being a master teacher himself, he had never felt how heavy the occupation was. However, upon seeing this sight, he finally understood what being a master teacher meant to these men.

For mankind, they were willing to put aside their differences and lay down their lives when the time came.

All because they were master teachers!

They were only two mere words, but they carried heavy significance behind them—the hope of mankind.

"That's right!" Zhao Bingxu nodded. "Being a master teacher is more than about glory, it is a responsibility. Take Lu Feng for example, he has already applied to head for the Subterranean Gallery! Even if he might meet his end there, he is still determined to protect his dignity as a master teacher!"

"Subterranean Gallery?" Zhang Xuan's body trembled.

He had read about it in the books, so he knew very well what kind of place it was.

The Subterranean Gallery was the passageway connecting the Master Teacher Continent to the world of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, as well as a dangerous battlefield where one could easily lose one's life in a moment of carelessness. Lu Feng... had volunteered to head to the Subterranean Gallery?

Even if Lu Feng was stripped of his master teacher license, he could still live lavishly with his prowess as a Half-Spiritual Perception realm expert. Yet, he had chosen to veer down this difficult path to guard his honor instead!

"The reason School Head Lu spoke on You Xu's behalf was due to their close ties. Such emotions are ingrained in all humans, and it has never been the Master Teacher Pavilion's aim to destroy human nature. In fact, Kong shi even encouraged the development of each person's unique character instead, saying that it was the true way to further the prosperity of mankind! If other master teachers lose their individuality and act as if they were cast from the same mold, that would turn into a disaster for mankind instead!" School Head Mo said.

"This..." Words couldn't express Zhang Xuan's current emotions.

There are no humans who aren't born with emotions, and they served as the key to drive us further, allowing us to exceed our limits.

If one were to destroy the human character in pursuit of perfection, even without the intervention of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, we would have already limited and destroyed ourselves.

Perhaps, this was the reason the Master Teacher Academy condoned conflicts among the students, allowing them to sort things out among themselves.

"Master teachers can be selfish. They may choose to side with their kin and friends against justice, and they may come to blows over a treasure as well, but... in dire times like this, they have to put aside their differences and charge forward bravely. This is the responsibility of all master teachers, as well as the vision Kong shi had in mind when he established the Master Teacher Pavilion!" School Head Mo continued.

"So, this is a master teacher!" Zhang Xuan muttered as he closed his eyes.

He had met many master teachers on his journey. There were those who were kind and upright, but there were also those who were greedy and selfish. He had thought that master teachers were no different from anyone else, but his thoughts had been wrong all along.

Master teachers could be selfish, greedy, and even narrow-minded. But when the survival of mankind was at stake, they would be the first to step forward and shoulder the burden.

This is what a master teacher has to do and must do.

In that instant, Zhang Xuan felt as if his soul had been cleansed and initiated.

He was a transcender, and in the world he had come from, many of the fine cultural traditions had already eroded. Students no longer respected their teacher, and teachers no longer felt pride in their occupation. Some of them even committed unforgivable acts that a teacher should never commit.

After coming to this world, Zhang Xuan had gotten a glimpse of the nobility of the occupation. But nevertheless, his subconscious mind still retained the view he had from his previous life.

It was only in this instant that he realized the responsibilities he shouldered from the moment he had chosen to bear this identity!

Kacha!

A crisp crack sounded from Zhang Xuan's chest, and as if a caterpillar breaking out of its cocoon, a unique and solemn power fell from the sky and onto him. At that moment, it felt as if he was a divine being descending from the heavens.

"Could this be..."

Noticing the changes surrounding Zhang Xuan, Zhao Bingxu and School Head Mo traded glances, and their eyes abruptly narrowed. With a quivering voice, they uttered simultaneously, "Heart of a Teacher!"

Heart of a Teacher, just like the Eye of Insight, was a unique ability that only master teachers could comprehend. Only those who persisted in their path as a true teacher would be able to comprehend this ability and reach greater heights.

Legend had it that only 8-star master teachers could comprehend this ability, but to think that... Zhang shi would comprehend it despite only being a 4-star master teacher!

A person with the Heart of a Teacher was no longer confined by the boundaries of race. His Impartation of Heaven's Will would be effective on even savage beasts and spirit beasts, allowing him to turn them into his students, achieving, in the truest sense, enlightenment devoid of discrimination.

Back then, Kong shi had comprehended the Heart of a Teacher as well, as his students didn't just consist of humans but beasts and even Otherworldly Demons as well.

In a sense, a person who had comprehended the Heart of a Teacher could be considered to be nearly on par with a Celestial Master Teacher!

"Principal Zhang actually managed to comprehend the Heart of a Teacher... It seems like the rise of our Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy is just on the horizon," School Head Mo said as his body trembled in agitation.

Even in the entire history of the Master Teacher Pavilion, only a handful had managed to comprehend the Heart of a Teacher. Yet, their principal had actually succeeded in comprehend it! Just based on this in itself, he would surely accomplish great things in the future.

Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy would also make its mark on the world, becoming a sacred land where all master teachers desired to head to.

School Head Mo swiftly set up a barrier around him with a wave of his hand to conceal what was happening within before turning to Zhao Bingxu.

"School Head Zhao, the matter concerning Principal Zhang comprehending the Heart of a Teacher has great implications. If he were to be targeted by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe due to this matter, we would become sinners of mankind!"

It would only be a matter of time for a master teacher who had comprehended the Heart of a Teacher to advance through the ranks, becoming one of the powerhouses of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Thus, if the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were to learn of such an existence, they would surely hunt that person down with their full force. For Principal Zhang's safety, they must keep this matter a secret.

"Don't worry. I swear on my identity as a master teacher that I will not tell a single soul about this matter," Zhao Bingxu vowed.

"I also swear to do the same on my identity as a master teacher!" School Head Mo nodded.

While they were talking, the unique power finally vanished, and Zhang Xuan slowly opened his eyes. Unlike before, there as a resolute glint in his gaze.

As one who had comprehended Heart of a Teacher, the confusion that had plagued him before had disappeared, and he understood what he should and shouldn't do.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan said calmly, "School Head Mo, propose a ceasefire with the beasts of Cloudmist Ridge. Tell them that the succeeding principal of the Master Teacher Academy wishes to negotiate with them!"

"Negotiate?"

The two school heads were taken aback for an instant before School Head Mo hurriedly exclaimed in astonishment, "You can't do that! The reason we refused to tell you about this matter before is because we feared that you would do this! None of us can bear the consequences if something happens to you!"

"Indeed! It isn't easy for a principal who has the approval of Mu shi and the entirety of the Ten Great Master Teachers to appear. You are the one who will unite the Master Teacher Academy and bring it to greater heights; we can't afford to lose you!" Zhao Bingxu added.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Won't my identity be revealed tomorrow in the inauguration ceremony anyway?"

Since his identity was going to be revealed the following day, what harm would it do if others were to learn of his identity a day before?

"That isn't the same! After the inauguration ceremony, you will be qualified to wield the Principal's Seal, and it will help to ensure your safety... No matter what you say, I won't allow you to reveal your identity now!" School Head Mo exclaimed.

"Principal's Seal?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right. Infused in the Principal's Seal is the will of the students and teachers of the Master Teacher Academy. Even if the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe attempts to harm you, they will be kept at bay by the power of the Principal's Seal. Only with that can your safety be guaranteed!" School Head Mo explained.

"If that's the case... did the missing old principal possess the Principal's Seal?"

"Of course!"

"Then how did he go missing?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This..." School Head Mo was unable to answer that question.

Gesturing at the many master teachers charging forth bravely below, Zhang Xuan said, "Danger is always existent. Since even the students below aren't afraid, what do I have to fear?"

He was a master teacher just like the rest of them. Since they could face death without fear, what did he have to hesitate over?

After a moment of hesitation, School Head Mo eventually relented. "Fine, I will do as you have said. However, I will be proposing a negotiation in the name of School Head Zhao and myself instead. I hope that you can understand our concerns!"

Even if Zhang shi didn't fear death, they couldn't allow the Master Teacher Academy to lose its principal once more.

"Un." Knowing that this was the bottom line of the other party, Zhang Xuan agreed to it.

Retracting the barrier from the surroundings, School Head Mo leaped off the back of the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast and stopped in midair. Taking a deep breath, he roared, "The kings of Cloudmist Ridge. I, Mo Zhu, propose a negotiation with you as the representative of the Master Teacher Academy!"

Hong long!

As if a massive wave, his voice swept across the entire mountain range, reaching the ears of each and every being in the area.

"Negotiate?"

"Why should we negotiate? These beasts have trampled on the dignity of mankind; we can't let them go so easily!"

"Indeed! How can we face the many master teachers who have been wounded or even killed in this conflict if we negotiate with them?"

...

Upon hearing that School Head Mo was proposing a negotiation, a huge uproar immediately broke out amid the master teachers below.

Proposing a negotiation was a sign of weakness!

If the Master Teacher Academy, facing the onslaught of the beasts, were to choose to negotiate instead of returning the favor back to them, what would become of their dignity?

A powerful voice boomed from the back of the spirit beast stampede.

"You want to negotiate? Fine by us. Come to the Cloudmist Ridge, we will give you a chance to negotiate all you want!"

It was likely that the one speaking was one of the most powerful existences among the saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge, their 'king'.

"They want to hold the negotiations on the Cloudmist Ridge? School Head Mo, you mustn't agree to their demands!"

"That has got to be a trap!"

"If even our school head is captured by them, we will never be able to raise our heads before others anymore!"

...

The master teachers panicked.

It was clear that the other party was up to no good.

The Cloudmist Ridge was their den, and if School Head Mo were to head over, he would be encircled by countless Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, and Saint realm beasts. Should negotiations break down, he wouldn't even have the chance to escape!

Moreover, as the side proposing the negotiation, they were already in a disadvantageous position. If they were to negotiate on the other party's territory on top of that, wouldn't they simply be exploited?

The Master Teacher Academy served as a pillar of support for mankind, so how could it bow its head to others like that?

If word were to spread, wouldn't it create a huge uproar among the population?

"Principal Zhang..."

While a huge commotion was going on beneath them, School Head Mo turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan hesitantly.

He also felt that it was too dangerous to negotiate in their territory as well.

"Accept it!" Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Zhao Bingxu hurriedly clasped his fist.

"Principal Zhang, it's too dangerous. We can think of some other solutions..."

"There is no need for that. If we don't enter their den, how can we meet their kings?" Zhang Xuan waved his hands resolutely, signifying that this matter wasn't open for discussion.

"This..." School Head Mo and School Head Zhao traded gazes and sighed.

That was indeed the case.

The saint beasts treasured their lives dearly, or else, they wouldn't have had the spirit beasts charge at the frontlines in their stead either.

If they were to turn down the negotiation, they wouldn't have any other opportunity to meet the other party's kings.

"Fine, we agree," School Head Mo bellowed back.

Knowing that Zhang Xuan's mind was made up, the both of them could only resign themselves to it. They solemnly vowed that they would protect and send Zhang Xuan out of the Cloudmist Ridge safely, even at the cost of their lives.

"What? School Head Mo, you can't!"

"School Head Mo, this won't do. They are lying!"

Hearing those words, the master teachers below yelled in panic.

"Enough! This is the decision made by the Master Teacher Academy. All master teachers, retreat and assemble at Leiyuan Peak!" School Head Mo roared.

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Chapter 878: Returning to Cloudmist Ridge

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Yes!"

Even though the master teachers felt indignant and frustrated, they knew that they had to obey the orders made by the Master Teacher Academy or else there would be chaos. Thus, they withdrew from the battlefield and headed to Leiyuan Peak.

Watching as the students retreated, Zhang Xuan instructed, "School Head Zhao, you should remain behind to command the students. They need a leader to unite them at a moment like this. Try to avoid all confrontations with the spirit beasts for the time being if possible. It will suffice for just School Head Mo and me to head to the negotiations!"

Hearing that Zhang Xuan was sending him away, Zhao Bingxu hurriedly shook his head. "That won't do; I will follow you to the Cloudmist Ridge as well!"

Even though their principal had made huge progress in his cultivation recently, he was still only at Chrysalis realm primary stage. With the other party's current cultivation, heading into the Cloudmist Ridge, which was filled with saint beasts, was no different from courting death. Even at the expense of his life, Zhao Bingxu was determined to follow the other party to ensure his safety.

"Are you going to disobey my orders right after nominating me as your principal?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"If you are unwilling to listen to my commands, the two of you might as well remain here. I will head in myself!"

"Principal Zhang..." Zhao Bingxu frowned in worry.

"School Head Zhao, those students do need you with them, so you should go. Don't worry, I will make sure that no one harms Principal Zhang," School Head Mo said.

In the next moment, he sent a telepathic message to Zhao Bingxu. "After you return, reorganize our forces and find Mu shi and the others. Four hours; if we don't return in four hours, launch an attack against the Cloudmist Ridge. I will remain by Principal Zhang's side to ensure his safety for the next four hours!"

"This..." Zhao Bingxu was taken aback for an instant before he nodded grimly. "Alright then, I will be heading off now!"

Zhang Xuan could tell that the duo had communicated telepathically as well, but he didn't pay it any heed. Standing on top of the Infernal Dragon Saint Beast, he and School Head Zhao began heading for the Cloudmist Ridge.

Zhao Bingxu watched their departing backs with clenched fists for a moment before rushing back to the Master Teacher Academy.

"Principal Zhang, no harm can come to you..."

He knew that their principal was proposing this negotiation for the sake of the students of the Master Teacher Academy. It might seem as if he was undermining the authority and dignity of the academy, but this battle had come too suddenly, and they were largely unprepared. This was the best solution to preserve their fighting power at the moment.

To bear the blame of failure so as to protect his fellow master teachers from harm, such decisiveness and courage...

They had indeed chosen the right candidate for the job!

Zhang shi was indeed a person whom they could count on, a true master teacher who, just like Kong shi, possessed a heart that was large enough to embrace the world.

Perhaps, they might just become witnesses to the birth of a new legend.

...

The Inferno Dragon Saint Beast flew swiftly, and in just a few moments, they had already arrived at the Cloudmist Ridge.

Standing tall on top of the saint beast, School Head Mo bellowed, "I, Mo Zhu of the Master Teacher Academy, have come as agreed. I ask the kings of the Cloudmist Ridge to meet me!"

A composed voice responded.

"Ride on the Eagle Beast, he will bring you to us. As for your saint beast, leave him outside. I fear that we might end up putting him in a difficult position if negotiations fail!"

School Head Mo's Inferno Dragon Saint Beast was a beast as well. If negotiations were to break down, it would be cast in a difficult position. If it were to help its master, that would be equivalent to betraying his kin, but if he were to help the beasts, that would be equivalent to betraying his master. No matter what he did, there was no correct decision.

"Alright!"

After issuing some instructions telepathically to his tamed beast, School Head Mo wrapped Zhang Xuan with his zhenqi before leaping over to the back of the gray-feathered Eagle Beast not too far away.

Qiuu!

The Eagle Beast let out a sharp call before it spread its wings wide and flew forward.

The Eagle Beast bore some resemblance to the Viridescent Eagle that Zhang Xuan had tamed before, but it was much stronger. Having reached Chrysalis realm, it was able to move at incredible speeds.

"Principal Zhang, for the time being, let's just say that you are a student of mine. If they try to make things difficult for us, I will try to find a way to send you out safely," School Head Mo told Zhang Xuan telepathically.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "There is no need to go through so much trouble. If I don't reveal my identity, how can we negotiate with them?"

"That would be too dangerous." School Head Mo shook his head grimly.

"These saint beasts have always been at odds with us humans, and it was just a matter of time before a battle broke out. In truth, our Master Teacher Academy has been looking for a way to eliminate them as well, but those fellows are constantly holed up in their dens, refusing to come out. Both the Master Teacher Academy and the royal family have dispatched many men to scout the depths of the Cloudmist Ridge over the years, but very few have managed to return alive..."

"Dispatched many men?" Zhang Xuan frowned as he recalled the many corpses he had seen around the lake of Earth Vein Spirit Essence back then.

Most likely, those corpses were probably a squadron dispatched by the royal family or the Master Teacher Academy as well.

"The Cloudmist Ridge is consistently covered in mist all year round, and its terrain is extremely complicated as well, making it a stout natural fortress. The saint beasts gathered in the area are like a thorn stuck in our throat, posing a potential threat to us. We have been wanting to eliminate them for some time already, but it's a pity that we have been unable to breach their defenses!"

At this point, School Head Mo suddenly recalled something, and his complexion turned grim. "Furthermore, there seems to be a deeper reason behind why the saint beasts choose to dominate the Cloudmist Ridge. The old principal seemed to have uncovered something about them, but he disappeared before he could tell anyone else about it. Also, according to the investigations over the years, it seems like Elder Wu Yangzi's disappearance also had something to do with the Cloudmist Ridge!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

He had a rough understanding of the mystery concerning Wu Yangzi's disappearance, and he had obtained the latter's treasure as well. If the Cloudmist Ridge was involved in Wu Yangzi's disappearance too, it could mean that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was behind them.

Could... Vicious be involved in this matter as well?

After obtaining Wu Yangzi's treasure, Zhang Xuan had asked Vicious about this matter, but the latter had lost most of his memories, so he wasn't able to say much.

However, it was certain that Wu Yangzi's disappearance was plotted by the Otherworldly Demons... Were these saint beasts involved in the operation as well?

That might really be the case!

For an expert who was nearing Saint 2-dan to be kidnapped discreetly in Hongyuan City, where the Master Teacher Academy was located, it was impossible for the Otherworldly Demons to conduct such an operation by themselves.

"In order to uncover the truth, we have dispatched even Saint realm experts into the Cloudmist Ridge, but none of them succeeded. Seven hundred years ago, I tried to scout this land myself as well, and if not for the old principal, I might have just lost my life here," School Head Mo said with reddened eyes.

When he was still young and hot-blooded, he had secretly crept into the Cloudmist Ridge in hopes of uncovering the secrets surrounding it. However, before he could get far, he had already found himself assaulted by hordes of beasts.

If not for the old principal lending a helping hand, he would have lost his life then.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan hadn't expected for School Head Mo to have had such an experience.

He had ventured into the Cloudmist Ridge once as well, and there was indeed something rather bizarre about it.

Were it not for his means as a soul oracle and his Otherworldly Demon puppets, he would have definitely been unable to sneak into the depths of the Cloudmist Ridge and steal the Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

"Thus, you really mustn't reveal your identity later on. Otherwise, the saint beasts might just attempt to capture you and hold you hostage," School Head Mo said.

"Un, alright then." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Considering the many uncertainties and implications surrounding the matter, it would be very dangerous for him to reveal his true identity.

Even with the Byzantium Helios Beast, the Golden Origin Cauldron, and his many Otherworldly Demon puppets, it would still be difficult for him to escape from the hordes of Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, and Saint realm beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge.

While the duo was speaking, the Eagle Beast flew across the mist and arrived on the mountain peak.

Taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan realized that the surroundings looked familiar to him. It was the place where he had procured the Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

Qiu!

The Eagle Beast called out sharply before descending to the ground. After which, School Head Mo and Zhang Xuan leaped off the back of the Eagle Beast.

"I, Mo Zhu of the Master Teacher Academy, have arrived with my student. I beseech the kings of the Cloudmist Ridge to meet us!"

Stepping forward, School Head Mo exuded the impressive aura of a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle to put up a display of power.

"School Head Mo, come in."

An impassive voice sounded from the cavern ahead of them. Following which, two Half-Saint Black Spirit Panther walked out and made a welcoming gesture. They seemed to be the guards of this cavern.

"Let's go!"

Taking a deep breath, School Head Mo took the lead and walked in, and Zhang Xuan followed behind him.

Scanning his surroundings, Zhang Xuan noticed that there were many Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts guarding the area, similar to how it had been the last time he was there, except for the significant decrease in their numbers.

It seemed like a handful of them had been dispatched for the battle with the Master Teacher Academy.

Advancing deeper into the cavern, they soon arrived at the area where the Earth Vein Spirit Essence had been stored, and there, they met ten seated Saint 1-dan pinnacle saint beasts.

As soon as School Head Mo and Zhang Xuan approached, they immediately turned their eyes to them, and there was chilling killing intent in their gazes.

One of the ten Saint 1-dan pinnacle saint beasts, a Golden Beartiger Beast, uttered coldly, "Mo Zhu, you sure are arrogant to bring a Chrysalis realm student here!"

As the head of the Beast Tamer School, School Head Mo had a rough idea regarding the various saint beasts that lived on the Cloudmist Ridge.

Paying no heed to the Golden Beartiger Beast, School Head Mo said with a wave of his hand, "Since I am here, we can begin talking about how we can resolve the battle between the Master Teacher Academy and Cloudmist Ridge amicably. I believe that we can both agree that if we continue fighting like that, both sides will just suffer severe losses. There will be no winner in this battle."

"Suffer severe losses? So what if we suffer severe losses? You humans stole our Earth Vein Spirit Essence, destroying our very foundation! Let me tell you this straight. If we beasts are going to suffer, I will make sure that you humans feel double the pain!" the Saint 1-dan pinnacle Scarlet Blaze Lion roared.

"We stole your Earth Vein Spirit Essence?" School Head Mo frowned.

"Indeed. This is the ground where we store our Earth Vein Spirit Essence, but it has been completely emptied out now. Only you despicable humans are capable of such underhanded actions!" the Scarlet Blaze Lion bellowed furiously.

School Head Mo took a look at his surroundings, and there was indeed a depression in the cave reminiscent of an empty lake. Even though there was nothing in it, he could still feel the lingering spiritual energy, indicating that something extremely rich in spiritual energy had once been stored in the depression.

But this was the very core of the Cloudmist Ridge! Countless Nascent Saint and Saint realm beasts guarded the area. To be able to steal the spirit essence under such circumstances... which expert could it be?

One must know that School Head Mo had already reached a considerable height in his cultivation when he had attempted to scale the mountain back then, but he had nearly been killed before he could even reach the halfway mark of the mountain.

To be able to successfully sneak in, steal the treasure of the saint beasts, and escape alive... That fellow sure had helped mankind vent the countless years of pent-up frustration at those arrogant saint beasts!

"I am unaware of such a matter."

But even though School Head Mo was full of awe for that anonymous expert, he didn't allow it to show on his face. Instead, he frowned deeply and asked, "You claimed that it is the doing of a human, but do you have any evidence? Have you uncovered the culprit yet?"

"Hah, unaware of the matter? Do you think that you can cover this matter just by saying that you are unaware of it?" The Golden Beartiger Beast harrumphed.

"I am not trying to cover up the matter. It's just that if you don't have any evidence or suspects in mind, there is no way I can help you redress your grievances. I don't think that we will be able to get anywhere by arguing about that, so let's talk about the battle instead," School Head Mo said.

"If it's just a small skirmish between us, the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn't bother getting involved. However, if this matter were to blow up and bring great misery and suffering to the populace, there is no guarantee that the Master Teacher Pavilion won't decide that there is no need for your Cloudmist Ridge to continue existing in the world and wipe it away with a swipe of their hands. Even if I don't point it out, I believe that you should be extremely clear of this as well. Since you have already lain low for so many years, why start something now and let your efforts go in vain?"

Hearing School Head Mo's words, the Golden Beartiger Beast sneered coldly and said, "In the past, we still had the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. It represented hope for us to advance our stagnated cultivation, so we were still willing to lie low back then. But now...

"We won't take reconciliation completely off the table just yet. As long as the Master Teacher Academy is willing to compensate us fifty thousand high-tier spirit stones and help us set up five hundred grade-6 Spirit Gathering Formations all over Cloudmist Ridge, I will order my spirit beasts to retreat immediately!"

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Chapter 879: Zhang Xuan's Means (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Fifty thousand high-tier spirit stones? Five hundred grade-6 Spirit Gathering Formations? Impossible, you must be dreaming! Come up with something else!" School Head Mo's face darkened.

You are clearly trying to take advantage of us!

Fifty thousand high-tier spirit stones? Even if you overturn the entire Master Teacher Academy, you won't be able to find that much money!

Besides, it is not like our Master Teacher Academy is afraid of you. It is only in consideration of the death and suffering that a full-blown war will bring that we are negotiating with you. If it really comes down to it, we can definitely overthrow your Cloudmist Ridge if we mobilize all of our strength.

"Come up with something else? I'm afraid that those are the only things I want. Accept it or not, the decision is in your hands. But of course, if you turn down the offer, the war will immediately resume. I haven't mobilized our aerial spirit beasts yet. Once we do, do you think that your students who are still incapable of flight will be able to stop them? Once they reach Hongyuan City, the death toll won't be just a dozen people or so. I sure would like to see how you will account to your headquarters and the populace once that happens!" the Golden Beartiger Beast sneered coldly.

Master teachers were tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the peace and security of the region. If aerial spirit beasts were to really overrun Hongyuan City and massacre the populace, the credibility of the Master Teacher Academy would surely be destroyed.

At the same time, the trust in the Master Teacher Pavilion's capability would also waver.

"Are you threatening me?" School Head Mo asked with a cold glint in his eyes.

For the Master Teacher Academy to be threatened by a bunch of saint beasts, what a joke!

The dignity of master teachers could not be sullied.

Those weren't just empty words. If anyone were to dare do so, the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn't hesitate to wipe them off the face of the world.

Back then, the soul oracles had been a very powerful faction themselves, but they had still disappeared in the annals of history.

The poison masters were also known for their fearsome capability to defeat opponents stronger than them, but they still dared not build their Poison Hall openly.

No matter what, School Head Mo couldn't let this threat pass. But just as he was about to lash out at them, he suddenly heard Principal Zhang's voice in his mind. "Find a way to uncover the location of their aerial spirit beasts and send me over to take a look!"

School Head Mo was stunned.

Why would Principal Zhang ask this? Furthermore, why would he want to take a look at the aerial spirit beasts?

But since the other party had requested it, he must have had his reasons for doing so. Thus, with a deep frown on his face, School Head Mo turned to the Golden Beartiger Beast and sneered, "So what if there are aerial spirit beasts in the Cloudmist Ridge? We have hundreds of cultivators capable of flight in our Master Teacher Academy, what makes you think that we won't be able to stop your forces? Even if you wish to threaten us, at least find something that can scare us!"

"Hah, hundreds of cultivators capable of flight? Let me tell you this, our Cloudmist Ridge has three thousand aerial spirit beasts, and each of them is capable of flying at incredible speeds. There might be many Saint realm experts in the Master Teacher Academy, but there is no way they will be able to stop every single one of them. As long as several hundred of them bypass your defenses, they will be able to bring forth devastating destruction. Besides, we can choose to launch an attack on the nearby small towns instead. I don't believe that you have enough Saint realm experts to clear off each and every one of them quickly!" the Golden Beartiger Beast sneered coldly, his tone dripping with threat.

"Three thousand?" School Head Mo burst into laughter. "Do you take me for a fool? Are you including those Transcendent Mortal 1-dan and 2-dan aerial spirit beasts in your calculation as well?"

Aerial spirit beasts were capable of causing massive destruction as ordinary cultivators were incapable of flying to hunt them down.

However, the strength of the aerial spirit beasts mattered as well. If they were only at Transcendent Mortal 1-dan or 2-dan, what harm could they cause in Hongyuan Empire, which was filled with Transcendent Mortal cultivators?

The Master Teacher Academy could easily destroy them all just by dispatching a few students here and there.

"Transcendent Mortal 1-dan 2-dan? School Head Mo, it seems like you are lacking intelligence on the prowess of our Cloudmist Ridge. Even the weakest of our three thousand strong aerial spirit beast troop is at Transcendent Mortal 7-dan! Do you still think that your Master Teacher Academy has the ability to stop them in their tracks?" the Golden Beartiger Beast scoffed.

"Transcendent Mortal 7-dan? You sure know how to brag!" School Head Mo shook his head with a look of disbelief.

"You don't believe me?" The Golden Beartiger Beast frowned.

"How can you expect me to believe such blatant lies? Since you are clearly insincere in the negotiations, I think there is no need for us to talk any further!"

At this point, School Head Mo hesitated for an instant before adding, "If you want me to believe your words, there is one way. You can send a saint beast to escort this student of mine to take a look. If you really do have that many powerful aerial spirit beasts, I will immediately send a message to the other school heads and even Emperor Yu Shenqing to ask for permission to negotiate in their stead."

The Golden Beartiger Beast raised his massive paw and harrumphed. "You obstinate old fogey... Fine! Black Spirit Panthers, take the student of School Head Mo to take a look at our army of aerial spirit beasts!"

Even though he had spoken with great bravado, the truth was that he was also fearful about the might of the Master Teacher Academy as well.

As an organization that had groomed many generations of master teachers, it was surely filled with many experts. If it was just the students, he was confident that they would be able to wipe them out easily. However, if the opponent included the teachers and elders as well, even with the geographical advantage they possessed, it would still be a matter of time before they were overrun.

Furthermore, the Master Teacher Academy still had the headquarters behind it. Even if they were to win the battle against the Master Teacher Academy by some incredible stroke of luck, what they would face next would be an impossible enemy.

In light of this, they couldn't give up on the negotiations easily either.

"Roar!"

The two Half-Saint realm Black Spirit Panthers answered with a call before heading toward them.

"School Head Mo, try to stall them for as long as you can, and don't engage them in a battle if possible. Take care of yourself..." Sending a telepathic message to School Head Mo, Zhang Xuan turned around and followed the Black Spirit Panthers out of the cavern.

"Noted!"

Even though School Head Mo was unsure what Zhang Xuan was up to, he still had some trust in Zhang Xuan's capability. He turned to the Golden Beartiger Beast and said, "If the situation is as you have said, I will report the matter as it is to the Master Teacher Academy before making a decision. I can't give you an affirmative answer right now, but if you really do have such a powerful army of aerial spirit beasts, it is not entirely impossible for us to give in to your terms..."

"Oh? I will be looking forward to your reply then!" the Golden Beartiger Beast replied with a smirk.

At the same time, a hint of relief flashed through the eyes of the other saint beasts in the area as well.

If they could avoid battle, that would be for the best.

As powerful as they were, they knew that it was utter foolishness to go head-to-head with the Master Teacher Pavilion.

For that moment, the cavern fell silent. Seeing that he had managed to stall for some time, School Head Mo secretly heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder what Zhang Xuan hoped to achieve by paying the army of aerial spirit beasts a visit.

It would be difficult to deal with such a force even if all of the teachers of the Master Teacher Academy were to be mobilized. What could Zhang Xuan do alone?

...

Following behind the two Black Spirit Panthers, Zhang Xuan walked out of the cavern and saw dozens of Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts patrolling the area, glaring at him viciously whenever they passed him by.

"Esteemed beasts, my cultivation is still very low... I am afraid that these saint beasts will do me harm if they remain in this area... Can you ask them to back down for the moment?" Zhang Xuan said as he cowered back fearfully.

"Roar!"

Seeing a Chrysalis realm master teacher acting so timidly, the lips of the two Black Spirit Panthers curled up into a disdainful smile.

"It was my teacher who insisted on bringing me over and sending me to check on the aerial spirit beasts. If I had a choice, I would have definitely stayed away as far as I could... I beseech you, just do me this one favor. As long as they can stay away, I am willing to give these two spirit stones to you..." At this point, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and threw out two high-tier spirit stones as he scanned his surroundings unwarily.

Grabbing a high-tier spirit stone each, the eyes of the two Black Spirit Panthers immediately lit up.

As Half-Saint beasts, the resources they could access were extremely limited. As such, a high-tier spirit stone was a highly valuable to them.

"Roar!"

Gripping the high-tier spirit stones, the two massive Black Spirit Panthers abruptly roared loudly, seemingly issuing an order.

In an instant, the Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts in the area hurriedly backed off, and it didn't take long for them to disappear from sight.

While the Black Spirit Panthers weren't the strongest of them all, they were the personal attendants of the various kings of the Cloudmist Ridge, so none of them dared to disobey their commands.

"Roar!" After the beasts in the surroundings left, the two Black Spirit Panthers glanced at Zhang Xuan with a look of superiority in their eyes. What they wanted to express was simple—How did someone so timid become a master teacher?

"Hehe!" Facing their ridicule, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly as he flicked his wrist.

Hu!

An identical figure abruptly appeared beside Zhang Xuan's side, and with a step each, they disappeared from the spot and appeared right before the two Black Spirit Panthers in the blink of an eye and simultaneously threw a punch forward!

Peng! Peng!

Everything had happened so fast that the two Black Spirit Panthers had no opportunity to respond before they were sent flying. Crashing into the ground, their bodies convulsed, rendering them unable to move.

"You have two choices before you. Submit, or die!"

The two Zhang Xuans walked up to the two Black Spirit Panthers and stepped on their heads as they glanced down at them coldly.

"Roar..."

They hadn't expected that they, as Half-Saint experts, would be defeated by a Chrysalis realm cultivator all of a sudden, and they were completely stunned.

It didn't take too long for them to make a decision. A few breaths later, a droplet of fresh blood flew out from glabellas of each of the Black Spirit Panthers and flew toward Zhang Xuan.

Black Spirit Panthers... tamed!

"Good. Call those Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts over here one by one. Tell them that the Golden Beartiger Beast is summoning them over!" Zhang Xuan instructed the tamed Black Spirit Panthers.

"Roar!"

Not daring to disobey Zhang Xuan, the two Black Spirit Panthers hurriedly nodded before rushing away.

After they left, Zhang Xuan summoned the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron.

"Byzantium Lad and Ding Ding, I will need you to help me beat those saint beasts into submission later on."

"Yes, Master!" the Byzantium Helios Beast nodded.

"Hehe, this is exactly the kind of thing I like. Master, can I reduce those who refuse to submit to cinders?" the Golden Origin Cauldron said with an excited undertone in its voice.

As the Guardian Saint Artifact of the Master Teacher Academy, it was usually stowed away in the depths of the academy until a major crisis occurred. As such, it rarely had an opportunity to fight.

"You may." Zhang Xuan nodded, acceding to the Golden Origin Cauldron's request.

The reason he had chosen to infiltrate the Cloudmist Ridge was to have everyone here submit to him. As for those who refused... the only fate awaiting them was death!

Roar!

Soon, a Nascent Saint beast was escorted there by the Black Spirit Panther. Two minutes later, it was kneeling before Zhang Xuan, submitted.

A few minutes later, three more Half-Saint beasts submitted.

Ten minutes later, all of the Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts patrolling the area were under Zhang Xuan's control.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan issued several instructions. "Alright. Just like before, scatter yourselves in the surroundings, don't let anyone else notice any anomaly. Black Spirit Panthers, bring me to the aerial spirit beasts!"

These Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts were easier to tame than he had thought. There were only two who had refused to listen to his words, and they had been reduced to cinders on the spot by the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Such an action had a deterrent effect on the other beasts. Knowing that the young man before them wouldn't hesitate to kill them should they choose otherwise, the others hurriedly submitted as well.

The Black Spirit Panthers obediently led the way forward. "Master, the aerial spirit beasts are gathered in the valley over there..."

Zhang Xuan stowed his clone, the Byzantium Helios Beast, and the Golden Origin Cauldron into his Myriad Anthive Nest before leaping onto one of the Black Spirit Panthers and setting forth.

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Chapter 880: Zhang Xuan's Means (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The area where the aerial spirit beasts were located wasn't in close proximity to the cavern. Even with the Black Spirit Panther sprinting at full speed, it still took an entire five minutes before they arrived at their destination.

Beneath their feet was a massive valley with a diameter of around three li 1 .

Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan peered into the valley.

Just as the Golden Beartiger Beast had said, there were indeed three thousand of them, and every single one of them had reached Transcendent Mortal 7-dan at the very least.

If such a huge group of aerial spirit beasts were to launch an assault toward Hongyuan City, it would indeed be difficult for any defending force to stop their charge perfectly.

In the event of an attack, even if they did successfully clear away every single one of them in the end, Hongyuan City would probably suffer devastating damage as well.

I have to set up a formation to ensure that none of them manage to escape! Zhang Xuan thought.

There were simply too many aerial spirit beasts in the area. If any of them noticed that something was amiss and escaped to inform the Golden Beartiger Beast of the matter, School Head Mo would be placed in a very dangerous position.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan began scanning his surroundings to analyze how he should set up his formation. This geographical terrain seems to be suited for the grade-6 Resplendent Helios Illusory Formation! Alright, that shall be it then...

Even though he hadn't taken the formation master examination yet, his comprehension of formations was already on par with a 6-star pinnacle formation master. With his current capability, he could still easily determine the most appropriate formation to use swiftly by looking at the terrain.

Flicking his wrist, he took out a bunch of formation flags.

After which, he stepped forcefully against the ground and leaped down into the midst of the aerial spirit beasts.

Roarrrr!

Upon seeing that a human was amid them, the aerial spirit beasts roared in astonishment. However, just as they were about to launch an assault to kill the intruder, the two Black Spirit Panthers abruptly leaped up as well and roared, "This is the man who has come here to negotiate with our kings, Zhang shi. He is here to take a look at our aerial spirit beast army camp, as well as set a formation around here. There is no need to be alarmed!"

Those Black Spirit Panthers spoke in the beast language, so the aerial spirit beasts could comprehend what they were saying.

As those speaking were the attendants of their kings, the aerial spirit beasts had no objections whatsoever; they scattered and returned to whatever they were doing before.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan drove his zhenqi, and the flags in his hands began scattering into the surroundings.

Hu!

As the Resplendent Helios Illusory Formation came to life, a thick mist began to set into the valley, shrouding all of the aerial spirit beasts within it.

Knowing that the young man was going to set up a formation, the aerial spirit beasts didn't panic, waiting for him quietly to finish instead.

"Time to start!"

With a chuckle, Zhang Xuan brought out his clone, and the both of them dived into the mist.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

In an instant, the cries of the aerial spirit beasts immediately filled the valley.

Even the strongest of these aerial spirit beasts was only at Chrysalis realm pinnacle, so they were no match for Zhang Xuan and his clone at all. As such, there wasn't even a need to bring out the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Every few steps Zhang Xuan took, an aerial spirit beast submitted.

...

While Zhang Xuan was busy taming the aerial spirit beasts, in the cavern, School Head Mo's forehead was covered with sweat.

It had been two hours since Zhang Xuan left, and the saint beasts were beginning to get suspicious.

The Golden Beartiger Beast, who stood at the very center of the room, bellowed with a livid face, "Why aren't they back yet? Mo Zhu, what the hell is your student doing?"

A trip to the valley where the aerial spirit beast army was located and back should only take twenty minutes at most. For them to be gone for two hours, it was clear that there was something really wrong.

"My student is only a Chrysalis realm cultivator while your Cloudmist Ridge is filled with many saint beasts, what are you worrying about?"

Even though School Head Mo was panicking inside, he didn't allow any of it to show on his face. With a composed chuckle, he said, "My student is a very meticulous person, so he is probably checking thoroughly to confirm the strength of your aerial spirit beast army. Or... are you worried that he will escape?"

"Escape? Hah! With you here, what can a mere student like him do?"

The Golden Beartiger Beast harrumphed coldly. "Scarlet Blaze Lion, go and check what that fellow is up to! Humans have always been a cunning race, so don't fall for his lies!"

"Yes!" Nodding, the Scarlet Blaze Lion began to walk out of the cavern.

"Wait a moment..." Astonished, School Head Mo immediately got to his feet. "He is just a student. Are the kings of the Cloudmist Ridge so timid?"

"Timid?" The Golden Beartiger Beast burst into laughter, as if he had just heard a hilarious joke. "Scarlet Blaze Lion, ignore him. Go and take a look!"

Ignoring School Head Mo's attempt to stall for time, the Golden Beartiger Beast gestured for the Scarlet Blaze Lion to move on.

Seeing that the Scarlet Blaze Lion was really going to head out, School Head Mo suddenly chuckled softly and said, "I have long heard that the great Golden Beartiger Beast King of Cloudmist Ridge possesses extraordinary strength. Do you dare to have a match with me? I am interested in experiencing the prowess of the Beast Tribe myself!"

"You are challenging me to a duel?" Not expecting School Head Mo to make such an abrupt request, the Golden Beartiger Beast frowned.

"Pardon me, did I scare you?" School Head Mo said with a wry smile.

"Scare me? You must be joking! If a duel is what you want, a duel is what you'll get!" Harrumphing coldly, the Golden Beartiger Beast got to his feet.

"Good! Scarlet Blaze Lion King, why don't you remain here to watch our battle? You will be next after I am done with Golden Beartiger Beast King!" School Head Mo said haughtily.

Naturally, this was an attempt to stall for time as well. Even though he wasn't sure what Zhang Xuan was up to, he was determined to accomplish what he had promised the latter.

"Sure!" the Scarlet Blaze Lion nodded.

Both School Head Mo and the Golden Beartiger Beast were the strongest existences in Hongyuan Empire. Naturally, watching a battle between the both of them was much more interesting than looking for a Chrysalis realm fellow.

"Let's begin then!" Fearing that the Golden Beartiger Beast would notice that he was stalling once he was given time to think, School Head Mo rushed forward and thrust his palm at the saint beast.

The incredible might of a Saint 1-dan pinnacle abruptly permeated the entire cavern. With just a single palm, the ground of the cavern began creaking in protest, seemingly on the verge of breaking under the immense force.

"Hahaha! If this is all you've got, I have to say that you are a disgrace to the name of 'Ten Great Master Teachers'..."

Against the immense pressure, the Golden Beartiger Beast didn't show the slightest fear. Instead, with a furious bellow, he raised his paw and swiped forward, causing the air to release a painful screech as it was torn in two.

Si la!

Under the powerful might, the strength of School Head Mo's palm thrust was completely neutralized.

In the next instant, the Golden Beartiger Beast furiously flicked its whip-like tail toward School Head Mo. The strength and speed behind it were so great that even with School Head Mo's Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle cultivation, he would surely suffer severe injuries if it were to land on him.

Hu!

Not daring to face the tail directly, School Head Mo swiftly dodged with a side leap.

Sou!

But in that instant, the Golden Beartiger Beast sent yet another swipe toward School Head Mo.

In the midst of a leap, he was unable to change the trajectory of his motion abruptly, so he could only face the swipe head-on with a punch.

As the paw and the fist came into contact, School Head Mo instantaneously felt a crushing pressure on his chest, and he was sent flying away. His back crashed heavily into the wall of the cavern, creating a huge hole behind him.

Beasts had always possessed superior physical resilience and strength compared to humans, and the Golden Beartiger Beast was the most formidable saint beast in the Cloudmist Ridge. School Head Mo was, by no means, weak, but it was still impossible for him to face the other party head-on.

"Haha, is this the strength of a member of the Ten Great Master Teachers? Nothing impressive about it at all!"

With a deafening roar that jolted one's mind silly, the Golden Beartiger Beast charged forward with impressive momentum.

As the saying went, the dragons soared amid the clouds, and the tiger raced against the wind.

Even though the Golden Beartiger Beast wasn't a tiger in the truest sense, it did possess part of its bloodline. Even before the other party had reached him, School Head Mo could already feel a huge gust of wind blowing in his face. Astonished, he quickly freed himself and whipped out a sword to counterattack.

If he was no match for the other party in terms of brute force, he would have to rely on his weapon then.

Sou sou sou!

Moving at an unbelievable speed, the sword left after-shadows in its wake as it charged toward the Golden Beartiger Beast.

In the face of the powerful stab, the Golden Beartiger Beast didn't even bother to dodge. Instead, it took in a deep breath, and its fur immediately turned pitch-black, reminiscent of a scale.

Ding ding ding!

The tip of the sword and the fur collided with astonishing momentum, but the sword was unable to pierce through the fur!

"What?" School Head Mo's face paled.

He had known that it was unlikely that he would be a match for the Golden Beartiger Beast, but he hadn't expected the other party to be so powerful!

To think that his sword wouldn't even be able to penetrate the other party's defense, this was way too fearsome!

It was no wonder that, even though the Ten Indomitable Kings of the Cloudmist Ridge were all at Saint 1-dan pinnacle, they still obeyed his orders without the slightest hesitation. Just this defense itself was sufficient to render most saint beasts and cultivators powerless.

"Thirteen Swords of the Red Leaf!"

However, he couldn't back down now. The slightest hesitation in his movement could spell his defeat. School Head Mo immediately drove his zhenqi through a unique circulation pathway in his body, and a piercing buzz emanated from his sword.

In that instant, astounding might gathered in his sword, and it felt as if it would tear down anything that stood in its path.

The Thirteen Swords of the Red Leaf, his strongest battle technique!

Back then, the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast had fallen under this move of his and willingly became his tamed beast.

Tzzzzzz!

In that instant, the after-shadows of the sword seemed to form a red leaf in midair as it rushed forward with a might that threatened to shatter everything before it.

"Interesting! However, if you hope to defeat me with just this, you must be dreaming!"

The Golden Beartiger Beast was slightly astonished for an instant when he saw School Head Mo execute his sword art, but his astonishment swiftly gave way to a wry smile. Sharp claws emerged from his raised paws, and he launched a devastating swipe toward School Head Mo's sword.

Ding ding ding!

The paw and the red leaf collided. The Golden Beartiger Beast was forced to retreat a single step under the immense force, but School Head Mo was sent flying once more as blood spurted from his mouth. His body smashed heavily onto the ground, and his complexion turned ghastly pale from the severe internal injuries he had suffered.

He hurriedly stood up and swallowed a recovery pill, and after a brief moment of recuperation, he finally felt his injuries alleviating slightly.

"How is it? Does my strength satisfy you?" the Golden Beartiger Beast roared with laughter as its gaze fell on the defeated School Head Mo.

Even though it had sustained some injuries from the previous collision as well, its condition was still much better than that of the other party.

This battle had ended with a complete victory on his part.

"You are indeed powerful," School Head Mo said as he got to his feet.

He truly wasn't a match for the other party.

Even though they were at the same cultivation realm, it was still too difficult for a cultivator like him to overcome the innate advantages that saint beasts possessed.

Otherwise, the Byzantium Helios Beast wouldn't have been known as the strongest expert in the Master Teacher Academy.

The Golden Beartiger Beast returned to his seat and commanded, "Alright, since this duel is over, Scarlet Blaze Lion, you can hurry over to see what that lad is up to now. If he is plotting something against the Cloudmist Ridge, you have permission to kill him on the spot!"

"Yes!" The Scarlet Blaze Lion nodded before heading out of the cavern.

"No... wait..."

Hearing those words, School Head Mo panicked. He was going to step forward to stop the Scarlet Blaze Lion, but the Golden Beartiger Beast's cold words suddenly reverberated through the cavern at this moment. "Why? Does School Head Mo want to have another round with me?"

"I..." School Head Mo's body trembled.

With the injuries he had sustained, he couldn't afford to fight against the Golden Beartiger Beast again. Otherwise, he might just lose his life.

He had no idea whether or not Zhang Xuan was done with whatever he was trying to do, but he was already at his wits' end. He couldn't stall the other party any longer...

At this point, the Golden Beartiger Beast had also noticed School Head Mo's motive, and he bellowed furiously, "What are you waiting for? Go!"

"Yes!" the Scarlet Blaze Lion swiftly rushed out of the cavern, and in a moment, he had already disappeared from sight.

Principal Zhang...

Watching as the other party's back disappeared, School Head Mo's body fell feebly to the ground. I have already done all I can...

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Chapter 881: You, Come out for a Moment!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Scarlet Blaze Lion rushed out of the cavern and flew straight toward the valley where the aerial spirit beasts were garrisoned. It didn't take him too long to arrive at his destination.

The Scarlet Blaze Lion frowned. "Why is there an Illusory Formation here?"

Standing before him was a gigantic formation that shrouded the entire valley. From time to time, the bellowing of spirit beasts could be heard from within. At the entrance of the valley, the two Black Spirit Panthers, who had escorted that fellow to this valley earlier, stood guard, watching the surroundings warily.

The Scarlet Blaze Lion flew toward the two panthers and gazed at them coldly. "Black Spirit Panthers, what is going on?"

"Scarlet Blaze Lion King..."

Upon seeing the other party, the Black Spirit Panthers leaped in shock. They hurriedly explained, "It's like this... That Zhang shi fellow is a skilled formation master, and as soon as we arrived here, he immediately set up a formation, and before we could comprehend what was going on, he... disappeared! We tried looking around for him, but we couldn't find him anywhere!"

"You fools!" The Scarlet Blaze Lion glared at them.

It was clear that the other party was up to no good from the fact that he had set up a formation here, and these two fellows actually didn't attempt to stop him at all... How could they be so dim-witted?

However, as Illusory Formations couldn't isolate auras, the Scarlet Blaze Lion could clearly sense that the spirit beasts within were still alive and kicking.

If the other party wasn't intending to deal with the aerial spirit beasts, what was his reason behind setting up this formation?

As the Scarlet Blaze Lion racked his brain to make sense of the situation, the Illusory Formation before him abruptly dissipated, and a young man flew up from the valley.

It was the young fellow he had met earlier, School Head Mo's student.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan's face was slightly pale, and he felt light-headed from exhaustion.

Even for a person of his stamina, he was still drained after spending the last two hours taming aerial spirit beasts.

However, it was fortunate that his mission was a success. He had managed to have all of the aerial spirit beasts to acknowledge him as their master.

Of course, there were a few thick-headed ones who obstinately refused to submit to him. Zhang Xuan didn't have the time to waste his words on them, so he killed them with a single punch.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan emerge from the valley, the Scarlet Blaze Lion roared furiously, "Lad, what were you doing?"

"It's nothing much. Byzantium Lad and Ding Ding, help me take care of this fellow. I have to rest for a moment..."

Zhang Xuan didn't seem to be too surprised to see the Scarlet Blaze Lion at all. He nonchalantly took out a grade-6 pill and swallowed it while flicking his wrist to release the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Upon seeing that there was a Saint 1-dan pinnacle saint beast to play with, the Golden Origin Cauldron cheered in excitement and charged forward.

Peng!

Before the Scarlet Blaze Lion could even react to the situation, he had already been smacked into the face of the mountain, and large mouthfuls of blood spilled from his mouth.

In the next moment, before he could even catch his breath, the huge fist of the Byzantium Helios Beast had already appeared right before his eyes.

Peng peng peng peng!

A saint beast and a Saint-tier artifact, two experts collaborating with one another, there was no way that the Scarlet Blaze Lion could possibly withstand that. In the blink of an eye, his face was already disfigured with bruises and blood. He tried to escape, but his leg couldn't move; he tried to scream, but his voice wouldn't come out.

Not too long later, that fellow ended up obediently acknowledging Zhang Xuan as his master with tears streaming down his cheeks.

What is with my luck? I only came out to take a look, but I ended up being beaten up like this... Where is the justice in the world?

What has happened to respecting the law?

After offering a fragment of his soul to Zhang Xuan, the Scarlet Blaze Lion greeted him with a bruised face. "Master!"

Having recovered from his fatigue at this point, Zhang Xuan commanded as he stretched his back leisurely, "I want you to return to the cavern right now and lure two kings out!"

"Lure two kings out?" The Scarlet Blaze Lion's blinked blankly in response.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

There was a total of ten kings in the cavern. Even if he were to draw all of them out at once, there was no guarantee that he would be able to defeat all of them even with the Golden Origin Cauldron, the Byzantium Helios Beast, and his Otherworldly Demon puppets, let alone, tame them.

Furthermore, if too many of them were gathered together, they would try to at least put on a show of bravado of some kind before their comrades, or else it would be too embarrassing for them to face one another in the future.

If that was the case, that could complicate the taming process.

Dealing with them one by one was much easier and simpler.

"Alright, but..." With his soul held hostage in Zhang Xuan's hands, the Scarlet Blaze Lion couldn't disobey him. However, he raised his face and said, "... in my current state, I fear that they won't believe my words..."

The Golden Origin Cauldron had gotten too excited earlier, so it had accidentally gone overboard, causing the Scarlet Blaze Lion to look nothing like its originally majestic and dashing self.

"Drink the contents of this gourd!" Zhang Xuan infused a few surges of Heaven's Path zhenqi into a gourd of Earth Vein Spirit Essence before passing it over.

Due to the other party's massive physique and higher cultivation, it would require at least a dozen gourds of wine for the Scarlet Blaze Lion to make a complete recovery.

Even if the other party wasn't drunk by then, the others might still notice that something was amiss from the strong scent of alcohol on him.

On the other hand, by mixing the Earth Vein Spirit Essence with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, the restorative effect of the Heaven's Path zhenqi would be amplified, so a single gourd would suffice.

Taking the gourd, the Scarlet Blaze Lion uncorked the cap, and with a single sniff, it suddenly felt the urge to keel over.

"This is... the Earth Vein Spirit Essence?"

He had finally found the fellow who had stolen their treasure...

But who would have thought that the thief would end up becoming his master?

What was with this turn of events?

It was just that morning that he had been hurling curses at the thief alongside the other kings, swearing to tear the other party into shreds... But a few hours later, here he was, kneeling before the other party respectfully...

Ahhh, the wretched tragedies of a beast life...

But as stifled as he felt within, the Scarlet Blaze Lion drank the spirit essence in the gourd in a single gulp.

As the spiritual energy coursed through his body, the severe injuries he had sustained before swiftly healed.

"T-this..." The Scarlet Blaze Lion blinked in confusion, completely dumbfounded.

He was familiar with the properties of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. Even at the very most, it should only have replenished his strength. When did it gain healing properties as well?

"I have added some medicinal herbs inside to give it the ability to heal injuries swiftly. As long as you serve me well, it isn't too difficult for me to raise your cultivation to Spiritual Perception realm!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Yes!" The Scarlet Blaze Lion nodded in agitation.

It could be said to be a miraculous feat to grant the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, a substance formed solely out of spiritual energy, healing properties.

If his master had such means, perhaps it might really just be able to help raise his cultivation to Spiritual Perception realm!

"Alright, you may go now!" Zhang Xuan said with a wave of his hand.

Having tamed the Scarlet Blaze Lion, he could control the other party's life and death with a single thought, so he wasn't worried about the other party turning against him.

"Master..."

Watching as the Scarlet Blaze Lion returned to the cavern, the Byzantium Helios Beast walked up to Zhang Xuan with admiration gleaming in his eyes.

The Cloudmist Ridge had always been a lurking threat to the Master Teacher Academy. Even the old principal had been helpless before it, but Zhang Xuan... As soon as he arrived, he had already tamed all of the Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts in the area. Now, he had even tamed one of the Ten Indomitable Kings, and it seemed like his streak was still going to continue...

It might not be long before the entire Cloudmist Ridge became a vassal of the Master Teacher Academy...

Zhang Xuan thought that the Byzantium Helios Beast was worried, so he reassured with a smile. "We might not be a match for them now, but with an additional member of the Ten Indomitable Kings tamed, the odds will lean further in our favor. By then, we should be able to achieve an easy victory!"

From the moment he arrived on the battlefield, he had already come up with this plan. Naturally, it was also with such intentions in mind that he had asked School Head Mo to propose a negotiation with the other party.

This was the only way that he would be able to slip into the Cloudmist Ridge to carry out his plan.

The Ten Indomitable Kings were a formidable force when they were gathered together, and not even he was able to do anything about them. However, by luring them out one by one, as long as he could tame four of them, with their force along with the Byzantium Helios Beast, the Golden Origin Cauldron, and the Otherworldly Demon puppets... the remaining members would surely fall to him as well!

...

In the cavern, School Head Mo was still oblivious to Zhang Xuan's intentions. He stared at the entrance of the cavern worriedly with clenched fists, fearing that the next being to enter would deliver bad news.

Hu!

A figure appeared in his sight as the Crimson Blaze Lion rushed into the cavern.

Seeing the Crimson Blaze Lion return to the cavern without anyone with him, the Golden Beartiger Beast frowned in displeasure. "What happened? Where is the Black Spirit Panthers and that lad?"

He had ordered the Crimson Blaze Lion to find that fellow, so why had he returned alone?

The Scarlet Blaze Lion harrumphed in displeasure. "That fellow is more cunning that I thought. He managed to distract the Black Spirit Panthers for a moment and slipped away. I tried to look around the area, but I wasn't able to determine which direction he escaped in. Steelbacked Bear and Emerald Bamboo Earth Dragon, follow me to take a look!"

"That fellow escaped?"

"Hahaha! School Head Mo, so that is your student? Abandoning his teacher in the face of danger to escape?"

"The Master Teacher Academy sure has fallen!"

Hearing that the lad had abandoned his teacher and escaped, the other kings burst into laughter.

It was said that the master teachers valued their lineage. But while the teacher was negotiating here, the student actually escaped as soon as he found the opportunity to do so. Disgraceful!

School Head Mo was dumbstruck as well. Principal Zhang escaped?

He could hardly believe those words, but... the Scarlet Blaze Lion shouldn't have any reason to lie about that!

"Sure, I will go with you to take a look. I sure didn't expect the Master Teacher Academy to have such a student in their ranks!" The Steelbacked Bear stood up as he laughter uproariously.

"Hahaha, count me in as well!" The Emerald Bamboo Earth Dragon rose from its seat as well.

Just like the Scarlet Blaze Lion, these two fellows were Saint 1-dan pinnacle beasts as well. Their presence felt like an endless abyss, leaving one incapable of gauging how powerful they were.

"Find him quickly; we don't have much time to spare!" the Golden Beartiger Beast said with a frown.

"Don't worry!" The Scarlet Blaze Lion chuckled before bringing the two saint beasts out.

After the three saint beasts left, the Golden Beartiger Beast turned to School Head Mo and sneered coldly, "School Head Mo, what else do you have to say? Even your own direct disciple behaves so dishonorably... Tell me, where do you find the confidence to preach about morals and values to others?"

Only a person of upstanding character can win the respect of others. Despite being one of the esteemed Ten Great Master Teachers, his direct disciple turned out to be a reprehensible scoundrel who cared only about his own safety in the face of danger. If others were to learn of this, he could very well die of shame!

"I..." School Head Mo clenched his fists tightly.

Even though he didn't think that Principal Zhang would actually abandon him, he still couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

The other party was the one who had proposed the negotiation, but two hours had passed, and the other party's figure was nowhere to be seen. Even up to this point, he still had no idea what was going on; he felt helpless and frustrated.

"Hehe, there's no doubt about it. That student of School Head Mo must have been scared out of his wits when he saw our great army of aerial spirit beasts, and knowing that their defeat was imminent, he decided to flee in advance!"

"I have always thought that master teachers are people with backbones, but this incident has truly opened my eyes. To think that they could stoop even lower than our Beast Tribe..."

The kings burst into laughter.

"School Head Mo, there is no need to stall for time any longer. Both you and I know that it is futile. Hurry up and contact the other school heads and have them agree to our terms. Otherwise, you won't be getting out of here alive!" the Golden Beartiger Beast said with a menacing edge to his voice.

"I..." Sighing deeply, School Head Mo was just about to speak when footsteps sounded outside the cavern once more. Turning his gaze over, the Steelbacked Bear, who had left just a moment ago, had returned.

"There is something really eerie about that fellow! I have no idea where he found those experts from, but even with the three of us combined, we aren't able to defeat his reinforcements. Tigerhead Beast and Steelfang Wolf, follow me. We shall crush him together!"

"He found experts to reinforce him?"

"What kind of experts did he bring in for the three of you to be unable to defeat them?"

The Tigerhead Beast and Steelfang Wolf both questioned him with a deep frown as they got up from their seats.

"I am not too sure either, but they don't seem like elders from the Master Teacher Academy. Let's talk on the way, I fear that the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the Emerald Bamboo Earth Dragon can't hold on for much longer!" the Steelbacked Bear urged.

"Alright then."

The two kings of the Cloudmist Ridge stood up, and after bowing to the Golden Beartiger Beast, they hurriedly followed the Steelbacked Bear out.

A few moments later, the Steelfang Wolf returned and exclaimed, "He seems to have brought in even more reinforcements! Bluetrunk Elephant, Crimsonflame Ape, Steelscale Beast, and White-eared Beast, follow me!"

Just who did Principal Zhang bring in here? School Head Mo was confused by the situation before him.

"This..."

Looking around him, the Golden Beartiger Beast suddenly realized, to his surprise, that he was the only remaining member of the Ten Indomitable Kings in the cavern.

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Chapter 882: Tribute

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Every single one of the Ten Indomitable Kings of the Cloudmist Ridge had strength rivaling the Ten Great Master Teachers of the Master Teacher Academy!

Just what kind of reinforcements did School Head Mo's student bring in to require the strength of nine of them?

Did he bring the other elders into the Cloudmist Ridge?

But that didn't make sense either! If so many enemies had invaded the heart of their base, the Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts patrolling the area should have already reported the matter to him!

With eyes narrowed threateningly, the Golden Beartiger Beast glared at School Head Mo. "Mo Zhu, just what in the world are you up to?"

"I don't know either. I have been here all along..." School Head Mo was on the verge of bursting into tears.

It was as if he was here to serve as a sidekick to the principal; he had no idea what the other party was up to...

Unsure of whether School Head Mo was putting on an act or not, the Golden Beartiger Beast threatened him once more. "You don't know? You'd better not be trying to pull something. For my Cloudmist Ridge to survive right under the nose of the Master Teacher Academy for so long, it definitely isn't as simple as you might think..."

"You have your men scattered throughout Cloudmist Ridge. Even if we do attempt to pull something, how can you possibly not know?" School Head Mo argued.

Hearing those words, the Golden Beartiger Beast glared at School Head Mo for a moment before eventually nodding slightly in agreement

This was exactly what had left him puzzled.

If something had truly happened, the other kings would have surely informed him. For them to call for the other kings to go with them instead, that meant that the problem was still within their means to deal with.

Forget it. As long as School Head Mo remains my hostage, the Master Teacher Academy won't be able to take any drastic actions. As long as I have this card, I should be able to force them into compromising! The Golden Beartiger Beast reassessed his current situation, and feeling that he was still in a safe position, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Standing up, he was just about to force School Head Mo into accepting his terms once more when the Scarlet Flame Lion, the first king to leave, finally returned to the cavern.

Following behind him was the Steelbacked Bear, Tigerhead Beast, Steelfang Wolf... All nine of the kings had returned together, and sandwiched between them was a young man with a lowered head.

He was School Head Mo's escaped student.

The Scarlet Blaze Lion stepped forward and reported loudly, "Boss, we have managed to bring back this fellow!"

"What happened that required all of you to head out?" the Golden Beartiger Beast asked doubtfully.

"It's like this..."

The Tigerhead Beast stepped forward, pointed its steel claws at Zhang Xuan ferociously, and harrumphed. "I don't know how that fellow did it, but he managed to find a few formidable master teachers to reinforce him, so we ended up fighting against them..."

"Master teachers?" The Golden Beartiger Beast frowned.

The Steelfang Wolf stepped forward and said in agreement, "That's right!"

"Who are those master teachers? Are they the Ten Great Master Teachers of the Master Teacher Academy?" the Golden Beartiger Beast continued asking.

"That doesn't seem to be the case. None of them look familiar to us... Why don't I take out their corpses to show you? Here they..." the Steelbacked Bear said as he walked toward the Golden Beartiger Beast

At this point, the Steelbacked Bear was only three meters away from the Golden Beartiger Beast.

Without finishing his words, he abruptly leaped forward with three other saint beasts to assault the Golden Beartiger Beast.

Hong long!

The Scarlet Blaze Lion, Tigerhead Beast, Steelfang Wolf, and Steelbacked Bear were considered the strongest saint beasts in Cloudmist Ridge after the Golden Beartiger Beast. Their combined might was so great that it felt like it could split mountains and reverse rivers.

Before the Golden Beartiger Beast could react, he was already struck squarely by four paws and claws.

Peng!

"What are you all doing!" the Golden Beartiger bellowed furiously as his figure was sent retreating into the distance. It knocked through a couple of stalactites before eventually crashing into the wall of the cavern, and it spewed large mouthfuls of blood.

The other saint beasts had been together with him for over a thousand years, and he deeply trusted them. He never thought that they would suddenly make such a vicious move against him!

In just a moment, the Golden Beartiger Beast had already sustained severe injuries. His innards were so shaken by the impact that it would be difficult for him to recover in the short term.

Panting heavily, the Golden Beartiger Beast felt most of his strength sapping away from his body. With reddened eyes, he roared frenziedly, "Why? Tell me why!"

"Master!"

Ignoring the roars of the Golden Beartiger Beast, the Scarlet Blaze Lion, Steelbacked Bear, Steelfang Wolf, and Tigerhead Beast, having accomplished their mission, turned around and bowed to Zhang Xuan.

"Un." Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and raised his head, revealing a faint smile on his lips. As he stepped forward with an entourage of saint beasts following behind him, it seemed as if he was a lofty emperor.

"Of the Ten Indomitable Kings of the Cloudmist Ridge, nine have already submitted to me. Golden Beartiger Beast, you have two choices before you; you can either submit to me, or prepare to die!"

"They have submitted to you?" The Golden Beartiger Beast widened its eyes as it glanced at the other nine kings in disbelief.

They were all proud saint beasts, how could they submit to a mere human... and not to mention, an insignificant Chrysalis realm cultivator?

He wasn't the only one who was feeling frenzied by the situation; School Head Mo also felt like he was losing his mind.

He had thought that Principal Zhang was truly here to negotiate, and he had resigned himself to be cursed for this failure for generations to come. Who would have thought that the other party, in just a little more than two hours, would manage to tame nine of the Ten Indomitable Kings?

Furthermore, recalling how there was not a single beast who had come in to report the matter, the chances were that the Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts had become his tamed beasts as well...

He knew that the new principal was extremely skilled at beast taming, having witnessed it back in the entrance examination on Leiyuan Peak, but this... this power level was way off charts, way too overpowered!

If the other party were to continue taming beasts at this rate, would all of the saint beasts in the Master Teacher Continent become his tamed beasts and obey his commands?

While School Head Mo was in a daze, the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the others turned to their former boss, the strongest saint beast of the Cloudmist Ridge, and attempted to persuade him.

"Boss, you should just submit to him. Our master is a person of great capability. We will definitely achieve greater heights pursuing him!"

"Indeed. For many years, we have successfully repelled all enemies, including the forces of the Master Teacher Academy, and maintained a tight grip over the Cloudmist Ridge. But think about it, how different is this from being trapped in a cage? In any case, I have had enough!"

"There is no point resisting it; you will be killed if you hesitate any longer!"

...

"You want me to submit? Dream on!"

Seeing that all of his subordinates had betrayed him, the Golden Beartiger Beast shouted savagely, "Weren't you all curious about why such a huge supply of Earth Vein Spirit Essence has accumulated here, never running out despite so many spirit beasts and saint beasts absorbing it over the years? Let me tell you the reason today!"

With a furious roar, the Golden Beartiger Beast struggled to his feet and leaped into the dried-up lake before speaking in a respectful tone. "My great emperor, please grant me the power to eliminate these traitors of the Beast Tribe..."

This time, he was speaking not in the human language but the Ancient Beast Language.

"Emperor?"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan frowned as an ominous premonition clutched his heart.

From the very start, he had been wondering how something as rare as the Earth Vein Spirit Essence could gather in such great quantity in the Cloudmist Ridge. Even considering the unique geographical terrain, it was near impossible for that to happen.

And more importantly, it was unnatural for there to be so many saint beasts gathered here.

Survival of the fittest. Resources were always in short supply, so the number of experts in a region was limited.

It was truly confounding to see so many powerful beasts gathering on this land.

At the same time, School Head Mo's face also warped in astonishment.

As a 6-star pinnacle beast tamer, even though he wasn't very fluent in the Ancient Beast Language, he was still able to decipher bits and pieces of the Golden Beartiger Beast's words. It was apparent that the other party was trying to initiate some kind of ritual to summon a powerful being.

If the other party succeeded, the tables could very well be turned on them.

"Zhang shi..." Anxious, School Head Mo immediately turned to Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan raised his hand and said, "Calm down, let's just watch for now. This could very well concern the mystery behind the disappearance of Elder Wu Yangzi..."

After taming the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the others, he had questioned them about the matter concerning Wu Yangzi's disappearance two thousand years ago. However, they had only risen to power a thousand years ago, so they weren't too sure about that incident either.

However, based on their description, it seemed like the Golden Beartiger Beast was the key to this mystery.

This was precisely why he possessed unparalleled authority in the Cloudmist Ridge, the number one figure of the innumerable beasts gathered here.

Hong long long!

Extremely high concentrated spiritual energy abruptly burst forth from the depths of the cavern. In that moment, it felt as if the sky was falling, and it left all present incapable of catching their breath.

The lake that had stored the Earth Vein Spirit Essence previously seemed to have become an altar for the Golden Beartiger Beast to make an offering in order to summon an overwhelmingly powerful being here.

"What power..."

Feeling the powerful energy drifting in the air, School Head Mo's face paled. He couldn't help but retreat several steps as he clenched his jaws in pain.

The pressure was simply too great, and it seemed to be crushing his soul directly. Despite being a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert, he still found himself unable to hold on for much longer.

"Zhang shi..."

If even someone of his prowess was unable to withstand this pressure, what would become of their principal?

Alarmed, he quickly turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan, only to see the latter standing upright with his eyes gazing coldly upon the lake, as if he couldn't feel the pressure at all.

School Head Mo's body jolted in astonishment.

Even the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the other kings of the Cloudmist Ridge were lying feebly on the ground under that immense pressure, so how was it possible for their principal to be completely fine?

Hong long long!

Before he could analyze what was going on, the spiritual energy in the air suddenly gathered to form an illusory, mist-like Bluehorn Dragon Beast. Coiling in the air, its very presence seemed to exert immense pressure directly on one's soul.

"My descendant, why have you summoned me?" A majestic voice boomed.

The Bluehorn Dragon Beast spoke in the Ancient Beast Language as well, but its words felt heavy, seemingly carrying a quality that left one feeling as if one had traveled back in time.

This is... the most authentic Ancient Beast Language! School Head Mo's body turned cold.

It was possible for them to emulate the pronunciation of the Ancient Beast Language, but it was impossible to bring out the same deep resonance as the ancient beasts of old.

Just this intonation in itself could bring one the loyalty of many spirit beasts and saint beasts. Without a doubt, this Bluehorn Dragon Beast was a legendary figure from the ancient era.

Turning around, he saw the Scarlet Blaze Lion, Tigerhead Beast, and the others trembling in fear, unable to bring forth the slightest intention to retaliate at all.

This was a result of the inevitable suppression of bloodline among saint beasts

Turning his gaze back to Principal Zhang, he was just thinking about how he could shield the other party and send him out safely, when he saw the latter standing before the Bluehorn Dragon Beast with a frown, seemingly in deep thought.

The Golden Beartiger Beast kneeled to the ground and pleaded using the Ancient Beast Language, "My emperor, I ask of you to grant me the power to eliminate these traitors!"

"What can you offer me?" the illusory figure above asked impassively.

"I can offer you the fresh blood of this 6-star pinnacle master teacher of the Master Teacher Academy, the head of the Beast Tamer School!" the Golden Beartiger Beast replied respectfully.

"A 6-star pinnacle master teacher?" The figure above shook his head and replied, "That is not enough!"

The Golden Beartiger Beast pointed to Zhang Xuan and said, "And his student as well!"

However, thinking that it was unlikely to suffice as well, he added, "With my newfound power, I will immediately dispatch my army to slaughter more master teachers to offer them to you!"

"Granted. You should know the consequences if you renege on your promise."

Hong long!

With the words of the illusory figure above, overwhelming strength abruptly fell and surged into the body of the Golden Beartiger Beast, and its withered aura began to recover.

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Chapter 883: The Powerful Golden Beartiger Beast

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

School Head Mo's face blanched. "Zhang shi, you must leave right now! The Golden Beartiger Beast is having his strength forcefully raised, and he will gain great power in the short term. If you don't leave right now, you will be in danger..."

Despite the severe side effects afterward, such forceful infusion of energy could heal the Golden Beartiger Beast's wounds and even bring his cultivation up another level. Once this infusion was complete, none of those present would be a match for him!

Before School Head Mo could even finish his words, the Golden Beartiger Beast's strength already recovered to Saint realm 1-dan, and with incredible momentum, he achieved a breakthrough and reached Spiritual Perception realm shortly afterward.

Spiritual Perception realm primary stage, intermediate stage, advanced stage...

His cultivation sped forward at an unbelievable pace.

Faced with such a sight, those kings who had pledged loyalty to Zhang Xuan earlier began trembling in fright.

Over the years, they had learned that the Golden Beartiger Beast was hiding some powerful means up his sleeves, but they didn't think that it would be so fearsome!

If they had known that the Golden Beartiger Beast was capable of this, they never would have dared to betray him! Having pledged allegiance to the wrong faction, they were all doomed to die now.

Kacha!

With another loud buzz, the Golden Beartiger Beast's cultivation achieved another breakthrough, reaching Saint realm 3-dan before gradually coming to a halt.

"Remember your promise!" the illusory figure warned sharply before gradually dissipating into nothingness.

"Hahaha, you must not have seen this coming when you betrayed me. Today, you all shall learn the consequence of turning your back on me!"

Feeling the magnificent power coursing through his body, the Golden Beartiger Beast swiped his paw down with a roar, sealing the entrance to the cavern. No one could escape anymore.

He had always been the emperor of the Cloudmist Ridge, and no one had dared to disobey his orders before. Yet, in a single day, not only had he found his subordinates betraying him all at once, he had even been severely injured by them. The rage that he felt within was enough to drive him mad.

Hong long long!

As the might of a Saint realm 3-dan expert permeated the area, the entire cavern began creaking under the pressure, seemingly on the verge of collapse.

"Master..."

In the face of the Golden Beartiger Beast's absolute strength, the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the others trembled in fear, and with pale faces, they turned to Zhang Xuan, hoping to find a chance of survival.

At Saint realm 3-dan, Embryonic Soul realm, one's dantian would be forged into an Origin Soul, amplifying the power one could wield many times over. Even if the nine of them were to gather their strength to fight against him, they still wouldn't be a match at all!

If a battle were to truly occur, it wouldn't be long before they breathed their last.

At this moment, they could only bank their hopes on the master they had acknowledged just a while ago and pray that he would be able to create a miracle once more.

"Mo Zhu, I gave you a chance earlier, but you refused to budge. It's too late now. Not only will you die, Hongyuan City and the Master Teacher Academy will pay the price for your foolishness as well! They shall be devastated by the army of aerial spirit beasts, and history will remember you as the sinner who caused it all!" the Golden Beartiger Beast roared savagely.

Hong long!

With a deafening cry, the Golden Beartiger Beast charged at School Head Mo. The Golden Beartiger Beast raised his paws, and a massive palm print appeared in the air and fell violently upon the latter.

"Thirteen Swords of the Red Leaf!"

Without any hesitation, School Head Mo drew his sword once more and utilized his strongest technique to retaliate.

As soon as the sword came into contact with the red leaf, the red leaf after-shadows immediately dissipated, and with a loud 'kacha!', the sword snapped into innumerable pieces and scattered all over the ground.

Pu!

School Head Mo was sent flying before knocking onto the wall of the cavern. Blood spewed out of his mouth frenziedly, and his face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.

When he'd used that same sword art earlier, he had at least been able to force the Golden Beartiger Beast back by a single step. However, after the other party's surge in strength, he couldn't even stop a casual blow from the beast.

The disparity in their strength was truly despairing.

Even if Senior Byzantium Helios and Senior Golden Origin Cauldron were to collaborate against him, they still wouldn't be a match for him.

"Zhang shi, hurry up and leave," School Head Mo urged anxiously.

It wouldn't matter if he were to die here, but nothing could be allowed to happen to the principal!

Otherwise, the division within the academy would never be breached, and it would fall into chaos once more.

The Golden Beartiger Beast turned to Zhang Xuan and sneered, "Leave? Hahaha, after inducing so many of my subordinates to betray me, do you think that I will allow you to leave?"

Leaping forward, the Golden Beartiger Beast raised his paw and struck down forcefully.

"Be careful!" School Head Mo exclaimed anxiously.

Even he was unable to stand against the assault of the Golden Beartiger Beast, let alone the Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Principal Zhang!

Enduring the severe wounds he was afflicted with, School Head Mo hurriedly got to his feet to rush forward and take the blow for Zhang Xuan, but before he could move, an immense pressure abruptly crushed down on his body, nearly shattering it.

The enemy was simply too powerful. Just his aura was already sufficient to render him nearly powerless.

"No need to get hasty, you will be next! No one will be getting away today!" Sneering coldly, the Golden Beartiger Beast pushed his palm down toward Zhang Xuan, and 'jiya!', the ground creaked loudly under the pressure of the palm.

"Zhang shi!" School Head Mo exclaimed in despair.

He had never thought that it would eventually end like this. If he had known, he never would have agreed to let Zhang Xuan come with him.

"Getting away? Who says that I intend to escape?"

Just when everyone thought that Zhang Xuan would surely die, a nonchalant voice suddenly sounded in the air. Following which, an overwhelming killing intent suddenly burst forth from behind Zhang shi and swept through everything in its path like a hurricane.

Hong long!

Under the burst of killing intent, the offense against Zhang Xuan was neutralized, and before the arrogant Golden Beartiger Beast could realize what was going on, his head suddenly bent backward, and his tongue fell out from his mouth as he plummeted from the sky, crashing head first to the ground. A massive depression appeared in his wake.

"Ding Ding, destroy him!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

The Golden Origin Cauldron immediately charged forward to slam into the Golden Beartiger Beast.

Peng!

As the duo collided, a resounding chime reminiscent of a bell echoed, and a spurt of blood mixed with a few teeth spewed out of the Golden Beartiger Beast's mouth.

The situation he suddenly found himself faced with left him dumbfounded.

He had thought that after reaching Saint 3-dan with the infusion of power from his emperor, he would be able to slaughter everyone present and shake the Master Teacher Academy to the core. Who could have known that, before he could even display the full extent of his prowess, he would be abruptly knocked out of the sky by an aura that jolted his soul?

Furthermore...

What was with the sudden appearance of this Saint-tier artifact?

He might possess greater strength than the other party, but Saint-tier artifacts, especially a cauldron like the one before him, were known to possess nigh invincible defense; how was he supposed to defeat the other party?

Peng!

Just as the Golden Beartiger Beast was overwhelmed by the turn of events, the Golden Origin Cauldron suddenly charged over with a roar and smashed into his head once more.

A deafening blast reminiscent of the heaven and earth collapsing sounded, and the sight before the Golden Beartiger Beast abruptly turned dark. His massive body tumbled backward with astounding momentum, leaving a deep gorge in his path. By the time he knocked into the cavern wall, his body was already cloaked in a layer of dust and bits of granite.

"This..."

"Even the powered up Golden Beartiger Beast... is no match for the Saint-tier artifact?"

The Scarlet Blaze Lion, Tigerhead Beast, and the other kings gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

From the looks of it, it seemed like the Golden Origin Cauldron had truly gone easy on them back when they had fought with it.

Otherwise, with just a body slam, their bodies might have been crushed to bits.

Those saint beasts who had just regretted pledging allegiance to Zhang Xuan couldn't help but shudder in astonishment. It was fortunate that they hadn't said it out loud, or they might just have been the next ones to follow the Golden Beartiger Beast.

"Hahaha, this is truly exhilarating! It has been long since I was last able to fight like that. Little beast, just watch how Grandpa Ding turns into cinders today!" the Golden Origin Cauldron yelled excitedly as it slammed into the dying Golden Beartiger Beast again and again.

The might of the Golden Origin Cauldron was so great that ordinary Saint realm experts couldn't hope to withstand it. Only against this fellow would it be able to use its full strength.

"This..." School Head Mo felt his head spinning as he stared at the sight with slackened jaws.

He had thought that they would all lose their lives, but... this reversal had come far too quickly!

The Golden Origin Cauldron was powerful—there was no doubt about that—but ultimately, it was only a Saint-tier artifact. Without anyone wielding it, it was difficult to bring out the full extent of its power. Thus, School Head Mo didn't think that it would be able to defeat the Golden Beartiger Beast.

What had truly reversed the tides of the battle was the fearsome killing intent that had burst forth from behind Zhang shi earlier!

Where did it come from?

Had the Golden Origin Cauldron charged forth without that killing intent incapacitating the Golden Beartiger Beast beforehand, it would have surely been knocked back, and a one-sided pummeling wouldn't be happening now either.

School Head Mo swiftly turned his gaze to Principal Zhang, only to see the latter with a nonchalant expression on his face. It was as if he knew that this matter would end in such a manner, and there was not the slightest trace of surprise or fear on his face.

And in truth, this matter was truly nothing to Zhang Xuan at all.

The Golden Beartiger Beast had gained massive power from the emperor he spoke of, reaching Saint realm 3-dan, but Zhang Xuan's trump cards didn't consist of just the Byzantium Helios Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron. There was the even more powerful Vicious as well.

After consuming a third of Kong shi's writings on the scroll, he had grown significantly more powerful than before. Putting aside a mere Saint realm 3-dan primary stage cultivator, a surge of zhenqi could easily knock down even a Saint realm 4-dan expert from the sky and incapacitate him.

Before a mere Golden Beartiger Beast, he wouldn't even bat an eyelid!

Peng peng peng peng!

The Golden Origin Cauldron continued to ram itself into the Golden Beartiger Beast, and before long, he was already bruised all over. His breathing was so faint that it seemed as if he would just pass away at any moment.

"Alright, that's enough!" Seeing the Golden Origin Cauldron getting more and more excited from the battle, Zhang Xuan hurriedly stood forward to stop it.

"Master, he tried to kill you earlier! Let me pummel him to death to show him the consequences of baring his fangs at you..." The Golden Origin Cauldron was reluctant to stop in the midst of his fun.

It wasn't easy for it to find someone who was so tolerant to its beating, so it should at least have its fair share of fun with him.

"Leave him alive for now, I have some things to ask him," said Zhang Xuan.

There were still many mysteries surrounding this matter, such as the emperor whom the other party had summoned earlier and the various bizarre happenings on Cloudmist Ridge.

If the Golden Beartiger Beast was killed, they would lose a valuable source of information.

Hearing those words, the Golden Origin Cauldron could only stop with a regretful look on its face.

Zhang Xuan walked up to the Golden Beartiger Beast, and upon taking a closer look at its current state, his lips couldn't help but twitch.

It must be said that the Golden Origin Cauldron really hadn't held back. It had rammed its body at the Golden Beartiger Beast's head forcefully, again and again, knocking away every hint of the other party's former glory as a king of the Cloudmist Ridge.

As a result, the other party's massive head was filled with creases, similar to those of a shriveled meat bun.

If he hadn't stopped the Golden Origin Cauldron in time, the other party would definitely have lost his life!

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a bit of Earth Vein Spirit Essence and fed it to the Golden Beartiger Beast, restoring a little bit of his vitality. Afterward, he gazed down at the other party coldly and said, "Submit to me, or die!"

As long as the other party submitted to him, he should be able to acquire all of the intelligence he needed. Otherwise, even if he were to force the other party to speak, there was no way of telling whether the information acquired was credible or not.

"You want me to submit to you? Dream on! My life belongs to my emperor, and if you dare to kill me, my emperor will surely exact vengeance for me!" the Golden Beartiger Beast roared furiously.

"Your emperor? Hah, you expect an incomplete soul to exact vengeance for you?" Zhang Xuan sneered.

Zhang Xuan had assessed the 'emperor' that the Golden Beartiger Beast spoke of with his Eye of Insight when it was summoned earlier, and he was certain that it was only a soul.

The reason the soul was able to raise the Golden Beartiger Beast's cultivation so swiftly was probably due to some kind of secret art it possessed.

So far, Zhang Xuan only had the cultivation techniques for soul oracles from Transcendent Mortal 1-dan to 9-dan.

On the other hand, considering how the 'emperor' was able to raise the Golden Beartiger Beast's cultivation to Saint realm 3-dan in just a short period of time, it should at least be at Saint realm 4-dan or 5-dan.

Considering its strength, even if it was a mere incomplete soul now, it would still be extremely beneficial to Zhang Xuan if he could capture it.

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Chapter 884: Zhang Xuan's Change

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"An incomplete soul? My emperor is a deity, a saint beast from an ancient era. For you to have plotted against the Cloudmist Ridge, you have already infringed on his authority. There is no doubt that he will extract your soul and tear your body into pieces to exact vengeance for me," the Golden Beartiger Beast howled in rage.

It seemed that he was extremely loyal to the so-called emperor, revering the other party even.

He had already placed the other party on a divine pedestal in his mind, so he couldn't bring himself to believe that the other party would only be a mere soul.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

If the so-called emperor was truly that powerful, it wouldn't have been stuck on the Cloudmist Ridge, dependent on the Golden Beartiger Beast's tributes.

"If the emperor you spoke of is as incredible as you say, don't you think that it would have appeared after seeing the state you are in?" Zhang Xuan replied with a wry smile.

"My emperor will never abandon me. You will be regretting your actions against me very soon," the Golden Beartiger Beast yowled frenziedly.

But despite the words it spoke, uncertainty had already crept into his gaze. His confidence had wavered.

He knew that his relationship with his emperor was one built on mutual profit. He would offer tributes to the latter, and the latter would grant him power or the Earth Vein Spirit Essence.

Even if he was pummeled to death, all his emperor had to do was find another agent to work for him instead. There was no need for the other party to save him, or rather, if the other party had any intentions of saving him, the other party wouldn't have watched as the massive cauldron pummeled him viciously.

Noticing the hint of apprehension in the depths of the Golden Beartiger Beast's eyes, Zhang Xuan knew that his words had worked. Thus, infusing his words with the Impartation of Heaven's Will, he said, "I heard earlier that you were going to offer School Head Mo and me to your emperor. Is this what you have done with the many master teachers before us?"

Earlier, when the Golden Beartiger Beast negotiated with his emperor and offered the lives of School Head Mo, Zhang Xuan, and countless other master teachers as tribute, the latter had agreed immediately. The deal had gone so smoothly that it felt like they had conducted the same trade innumerable times over the years, and they had already come to a mutual understanding of the needs of each other.

Furthermore, recalling the many corpses he had seen in the surroundings, it wasn't too difficult to put the story together.

Considering the huge implications of this matter, the Golden Beartiger Beast couldn't possibly allow the other saint beasts to learn of this matter as well, so he had to get the information out of the beast in question.

Perhaps, the full mystery might be unraveled with this.

"Nonsense..."

The Golden Beartiger Beast immediately shook his head. However, halfway through his words, the figure of the young man before him suddenly seemed to tower above him, reminiscent of an inviolable deity of the heavens. He desired deeply to deny the matter, but his mind wouldn't listen to him. Unable to control himself, he began confessing, "That's right! My emperor would devour the blood and flesh of those master teachers, and in exchange for that, he would bestow us with the Earth Vein Spirit Essence, granting us an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in our cultivation!"

Previously, Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will had only been effective on those who had the blood of a human running through their veins, which resulted in it being ineffective against beasts. However, after comprehending the Heart of a Teacher, the effects of his Impartation of Heaven's Will had been extended to beasts as well, allowing him to beguile even a saint beast like the Golden Beartiger Beast easily.

"Devour the blood and flesh of master teachers?" School Head Mo clenched his trembling fists in agitation.

He had thought that the saint beasts were just an impending threat that the Master Teacher Academy would have to deal with soon, but who would have thought that they had been committing such atrocities over the years?

If he had learned of this earlier, he would surely have convinced the Master Teacher Academy to send an army up to utterly destroy the Cloudmist Ridge long ago.

If this had been going on over a span of more than a thousand years, he could hardly imagine how many master teachers had died brutally due to the other party.

Zhang Xuan's complexion had darkened as well, but he continued to interrogate the other party. "Are those white bones in the cavern the corpses of the deceased master teachers?"

"That's right! They are the master teachers who dared to brazenly barge into my Cloudmist Ridge over the years. I offered their blood and flesh to my emperor, and all that is left of them is the pile of bones here. In exchange, my emperor has used his divine strength to alter the geography of the Cloudmist Ridge, turning it into a natural formation to gather Earth Vein Spirit Essence. It is precisely this that has allowed the beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge to grow rapidly stronger over the years!" the Golden Beartiger Beast explained proudly.

He dared not kill master teachers openly, but each year, there were still a substantial number of master teachers who went missing due to undertaking dangerous missions or various miscellaneous reasons each year. As such, he was still able to tribute dozens or even several hundred master teachers each year without drawing much attention.

Suppressing his fury, Zhang Xuan continued asking, "Since your emperor is consuming the blood and flesh of master teachers, it is surely not an ordinary soul. Where is he now?"

For a soul to live, it had to be nourished by a body. Otherwise, it would be extremely vulnerable by the Five Soul Declines, resulting in it getting weaker and weaker over time.

The main reason Mo Hunsheng was able to survive several ten thousand years was due to the unique nature of the Nine Hearts Lotus. If not for that God artifact, his soul would have long dissipated as well.

To be able to survive the ancient era and feed on the blood and flesh of master teachers, the so-called emperor was definitely not an ordinary soul.

"That... I am not too sure where my emperor is either. I only know that he only appears if I summon him here," the Golden Beartiger Beast replied.

"Summon him here?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Activating the Eye of Insight, he began scanning the surroundings.

The previous time he was here, he had taken a look as well, and he hadn't noticed anything at all.

But if the so-called emperor would only appear when summoned here, the chances were that there was something amiss here...

Even through the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan only saw an ordinary cavern. There didn't seem to be anything out of place in the surroundings.

Wait. That fellow appeared here not long ago, so perhaps I might be able to trace his aura... Suddenly recalling this matter, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Due to the intangible and elusive nature of souls, it was extremely difficult to find the trail of a soul. However, as one who possessed the Eye of Insight, he should still be able to find some traces if he looked closely.

Focusing his sight on the area where the so-called emperor had appeared earlier, lines of insight began gathering in Zhang Xuan's eyes, and finally, an extremely faint trail could be seen leading into the depths of the cavern.

"Ding Ding, I will leave this fellow to you!"

Having finished his interrogation and uncovered the trail to his next target, Zhang Xuan issued his instructions to the Golden Origin Cauldron before taking huge strides into the depths of the cavern.

The Golden Beartiger Tribe had the blood of far too many master teachers on his hands. That was beyond Zhang Xuan's bottom line, and he had no intention of sparing him.

"You are leaving him to me? Great, that's exactly what I like!" Cheering in excitement, the Golden Origin Cauldron immediately leaped toward the Golden Beartiger Beast.

"W-what are you going to do?" Hearing the glee in the Saint artifact's voice, the Golden Beartiger Beast's body immediately stiffened in fear. "Zhang shi, I will acknowledge you as my master. Please, spare me. Spar—AHHHHH..."

Before he could finish his words, a cry of agony had already escaped from his mouth. A certain massive cauldron had descended right onto its face, and raging flames burst from it, producing a sizzling sound in contact with the other party's skin. Soon, a fragrant aroma drifted within the cavern.

Gudong!

The Scarlet Blaze Lion, Steelbacked Bear, and the others gulped before the sight.

The heck.

That monster... It was fortunate that they had submitted, or else they could have been in the Golden Beartiger Beast's position...

This particular emotion was intensified as they stared at the Golden Beartiger Beast's face... The face that they had respected and feared for many years had distorted into a hideous shape indescribable using words...

...

"Zhang shi!"

Paying no heed to the Golden Origin Cauldron, which was having the time of its life, School Head Mo hurriedly rushed forward to catch up with Zhang Xuan.

After walking up to Principal Zhang, he hurriedly advised telepathically, "That 'emperor' seems to be an extremely powerful being. Since we have managed to subdue the forces of the Cloudmist Ridge, I don't think that emperor will do anything for the time being. Why don't we just leave this matter for the headquarters to deal with?"

That so-called emperor was able to heal a severely wounded Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle beast fully and raise his cultivation to 3-dan on top of that. Such prowess was unimaginable to him.

To pursue such an enemy, and not even bringing Senior Golden Origin Cauldron at that... he feared that Principal Zhang would face grave danger.

This matter was already beyond their scope of power, so it was best to leave it to the higher ranked master teachers of the headquarters.

"That 'emperor' will definitely escape after seeing that his loyal subordinate has perished. It will take at least around half a month for the personnel of the headquarters to arrive, and by then, it will already be too late!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

That fellow was an incomplete soul, which was extremely useful to him, so how could he hand such a treasure over to anyone else?

If the personnel from the headquarters were to arrive, it would be impossible for him to take the soul for himself, and all he would receive were a few words of commendation. Since that was the case, he would have to take matters into his own hands.

"This..." School Head Mo hesitated for a moment before replying, "Since that's the case, allow me to call Mu shi and the other elders here too. It should be safer that way..."

"There's no need for that. You should stay here to manage the situation, I will go in to take a look. Don't worry, even if I am no match for the other party, I still do have some means up my sleeves to at least escape safely!" Zhang Xuan reassured.

That 'emperor' was at least a Saint realm 5-dan expert, an extremely dangerous being to go against. One reason that he dared to pursue the other party was because he had Vicious in hand, but more importantly, it was because he still had a golden page in his Library of Heaven's Path!

It was formed when he took School Head Jiang Qingqin in as his student back then.

No matter how powerful that 'emperor' may be, could he be more powerful than the heavens itself?

Even Vicious was forced to kneel before it, let alone an incomplete soul.

Of course, he couldn't mention this matter to anyone else. Even though he could tell that School Head Mo earnestly cared for him, and he trusted the latter as well, this matter was simply too important for him to reveal to anyone.

"Zhang shi..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan insisted on entering, School Head Mo cut into his path to stop him.

"Enough! ... Don't worry, I will be fine. Have the Scarlet Blaze Lion and the other kings issue an order for all of the battling spirit beasts to return to Cloudmist Ridge. After that, inform School Head Zhao that the negotiations were a success, and have him send the students involved in the battle to rest. After such a long battle, they must be exhausted!" Zhang Xuan instructed with a wave of his hand.

School Head Mo was still hesitant, but he eventually relented and nodded. "This... Alright!"

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a pile of high-tier spirit stones. "Here are two hundred high-tier spirit stones. Please compile a list of the students who have lost their lives in this battle and use this money to compensate their families."

There were exactly two hundred of them in there.

As much as he loved money, there were some things that just had to be done.

Ultimately, the trigger to the beast stampede was his theft of the Cloudmist Ridge's Earth Vein Spirit Essence, so it was only right for him to compensate the victims of the conflict.

He didn't have the power to raise the dead, but if his money could aid the family members of the victims and allow them to lead better lives, perhaps it would at least allow the souls of the victims to rest in peace.

Seeing Zhang Xuan take out so many high-tier spirit stones all of the sudden, School Head Mo was shocked. He hurriedly waved his hands to reject it. "This... Zhang shi, our academy will fork out the expenses to compensate the students. How can we allow you to pay out of your own pocket!"

Even if Zhang Xuan wanted to provide some form of aid to the family members of the deceased students, he need not pay out of his pocket. The Master Teacher Academy and the Master Teacher Pavilion had their own measures for that.

Those master teachers had died while protecting the populace of Hongyuan City, so there was no way the Master Teacher Pavilion would allow their sacrifice to go unrecognized.

"Take it!" Zhang Xuan insisted with a displeased frown. "This is from me; it has nothing to do with the academy!"

"... Alright!" Seeing the determination in Zhang Xuan's eyes, School Head Mo could feel the earnest sincerity in his gesture, so he couldn't bring himself to turn the latter down anymore.

At the same time, his admiration for the latter deepened once more.

Only such an upright and selfless person would be qualified to become their principal! They had indeed made the correct decision.

I must learn from Principal Zhang's example and strive to lead an upright and altruistic life, School Head Mo vowed within.

"Alright, you should hurry along now. I will be fine here, so rest assured."

After leaving behind those instructions, Zhang Xuan turned around and followed the barely visible trail he saw with his Eye of Insight into the depths of the cavern.

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Chapter 885: A Single Finger

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Soon, Zhang Xuan arrived at a place filled with white bones and rusty armor. Taking a close look at those bones, there were some faint engravings on them, reminiscent of those that the predecessors in the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall would leave on those whom they had recognized.

In other words, these bones belonged to master teachers.

Every single master teacher was a wealth to humanity. Looking at the sheer number of bones accumulated here, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but tremble in agitation.

Every single bone here reflected the sin of the Golden Beartiger Beast. Even if he were to die a thousand times over, that still would be insufficient to absolve him of what he had done.

You are all heroes who have sacrificed yourself for mankind; I can't allow your bones to be left lying exposed here! Zhang Xuan thought grimly.

Thus, he pushed his hand on empty ground not too far away, and a massive hole immediately emerged. After which, with a surge of his zhenqi, he swept all of the bones in the area into it.

After many years, the bones had already worn down and shattered into innumerable pieces, making it impossible to differentiate one person from another. As such, he could only bury them together. As comrades in arms, it should be acceptable for them to be buried alongside one another in death. At least, this was all he could do at the moment.

After burying them, Zhang Xuan continued to follow the trail with his Eye of Insight.

The trail that the 'emperor' had left behind disappeared beneath a certain area covered by bones earlier.

Is it beneath the ground?

It was a completely flat ground, and touching the area, it didn't seem like there were any mechanisms or formations around.

He had followed the other party's trail using his Eye of Insight, so there shouldn't be any problem with the location. How could the soul have vanished into thin air?

Could it be... All of a sudden, a thought emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind.

He flicked his wrist, and a spirit beast soon appeared before him.

"Myriad Anthive Queen, check if there is a folded space in the area!"

Folded space concerned the laws of space, which Zhang Xuan was unable to comprehend due to the limits of his cultivation. However, the Myriad Anthive Queen possessed exceptional aptitude in spatial manipulation, so it should be able to easily discern the presence of a folded space.

The Myriad Anthive Queen nodded and began sniffing around, and before long, it stood up.

"Master, there is indeed a folded space here. However, it doesn't seem to be too large. Do you want to enter to take a look?"

"As I expected!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Since there were no mechanisms or anything of that sort in the area, the chances were that the soul had hidden itself in a folded space.

"Of course, I have to enter to take a look!" Zhang Xuan replied without any hesitation.

His goal here was to find and capture the 'emperor' that the Golden Beartiger Beast had spoken of. He couldn't give up just because the other party was hidden in a folded space.

However, given that a Saint 5-dan expert was hiding inside, it would be dangerous for the Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Anthive Myriad Queen to enter. Thus, after some consideration, Zhang Xuan raised his gaze and said, "It will be unsafe for you to enter the folded space... Open the entrance for me; I will enter myself."

Without spatial manipulation capability, it was impossible for one to enter a folded space even if one were to discover one.

Take, for example, the folded space back at the Saint Ascension Platform, had Zhang Xuan been unable to find the flaws in the inscriptions and won Kong shi's acknowledgement, he would not have been able to enter it even if he had shattered the cliff face and managed to find it somehow.

It was the same for this as well... However, given the Myriad Anthive Queen's aptitude for spatial manipulation, it was highly likely that it would possessed some kind of method to enter folded spaces.

"Alright, I will open the entrance right now. You should be able to get into the folded space just by stepping in!" the Myriad Anthive Queen replied with a nod.

After which, it began sniffing the area before abruptly grabbing onto something with its hands and ripping it apart.

Si la!

A void around the size of a human appeared before Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a book. After instructing Vicious to guard him well, he stepped into the void.

...

There was no vertigo or anything. As soon as Zhang Xuan stepped through the void, he was able to see everything on the other side clearly. It was indeed not a very large space, consisting of only a diameter of around eight meters, considerably smaller than the one in the Saint Ascension Platform.

Scanning the room, he didn't see the Bluehorn Dragon Beast that had appeared previously, but there was a peculiar round altar, around the height of a human and a diameter of half a meter large. Unlike normal altars though, it had nothing on it.

After taking a thorough look around the room and finding nothing, Zhang Xuan frowned doubtfully.

His Eye of Insight wouldn't lie. The 'emperor' had definitely come into this folded space, but why wasn't there anything here?

Not even a soul could escape the discerning gaze of the Eye of Insight, not to mention, he was also a soul oracle as well. If the Bluehorn Dragon Beast was truly in here, it shouldn't have been able to hide from him.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to conduct another thorough check, a shrill shriek suddenly sounded in the room, as if something was rushing right toward him.

Before he could react, an immense might was already right behind him.

Weng!

The moment that Zhang Xuan was about to be struck, a light barrier suddenly appeared around him. It was the Aerial Strike Amulet, which he had received from Yu Cheng back in the entrance examination.

The Aerial Strike Amulet could deflect an attack with the full power of a Saint realm 1-dan infused into it, and for safety, Zhang Xuan had always kept it on him instead of his storage ring. In the face of grave danger, he immediately activated it.

Kacha!

With a sharp echo, the Aerial Strike Amulet shattered, not even stopping the attack for half a breath. That rampaging might rushed forth and struck Zhang Xuan squarely on his back, and as if hit by a train, his figure was immediately sent flying.

Peng!

He crashed heavily onto the wall behind, creating a huge hole behind him.

Pu!

A large mouthful of blood spurted forth.

Even with the Aerial Strike Amulet protecting him and cushioning the blow, Zhang Xuan still ended up suffering severe injuries.

He quickly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to heal his injuries as he turned around to look at the origin of the assault.

There was no one in sight, and the soul of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast was nowhere to be seen either. There was only a withered finger floating in the air.

The attack he had just suffered probably came from this finger.

A single finger actually managed the crush the Aerial Strike Amulet and injure me severely? Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

He couldn't sense how powerful the finger was, but to be able to injure him so easily, it was definitely a terrifying existence.

Stabilizing his breathing, Zhang Xuan asked, "Are you the emperor that the Golden Beartiger Beast spoke of?"

"To be able to track me down to here, you do possess some capability!"

A thought from the finger reached his mind, and the language used was the Ancient Beast Language.

Judging from the voice, it seemed to be the Bluehorn Dragon Beast from before.

"To think that the soul of a great Bluehorn Dragon Beast would be living off a finger!" Zhang Xuan remarked coldly in response.

Souls wouldn't age, but they couldn't survive by themselves either. Zhang Xuan had been wondering how the Bluehorn Dragon Beast had been able to live through the ages, and looking at it now, it seemed that the other party had only managed to survive for so long by hiding within the finger.

This was similar to how Mo Hunsheng managed to survive in the Nine Hearts Lotus.

As long as a soul could find an excellent container, it could survive for a very long time.

It was for certain that the finger wasn't just an ordinary finger, but ultimately, it still wasn't a living body with complete organs. Thus, in order to sustain its life force, it had to absorb the vitality contained within flesh and blood. Perhaps... this was the reason the Bluehorn Dragon Beast had made the latter offer the bodies of master teachers to him as tributes.

Master teachers tended to possess purer zhenqi, which resulted in the vitality within their flesh and blood being far richer than ordinary cultivators. In a sense, they could be considered the ideal tonic for the finger.

Seeing Zhang Xuan exposing its origin so easily, the finger harrumphed coldly. "You do have a pair of sharp eyes. To have such insight at your age, it seems like you aren't just an ordinary student. You probably aren't the student of that fellow out there either."

"Indeed, I am not School Head Mo's student," Zhang Xuan replied.

"To be able to tame nine of the ten kings of the Cloudmist Ridge, you are indeed a capable man. You know, I am really glad that you came here... I simply love devouring talented master teachers like you. With you, I should be able to fill the vitality of this finger to the brim once more and live for another fifty years!" The finger chuckled eerily. For a moment, Zhang Xuan felt as if a pair of greedy eyes were staring at him.

"Live for another fifty years?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "What is this finger for it to allow you to escape Senescence Decline?"

Of the Five Soul Declines, the one that had left most soul oracles despairing was the Senescence Decline. The Senescence Decline dictated that as time ticked, even if a soul was protected by a powerful body, its soul energy would still continue to dissipate.

As such, not even soul oracles could live on for an eternity.

Trapped in the Nine Hearts Lotus, Mo Hunsheng had been isolated from the world. But even so, his soul energy still continued to dissipate over the years, and by the time he was released, he possessed less than a tenth of his original cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 9-dan pinnacle.

Yet, this fellow had been able to live for so long just by hiding within a finger... There was truly something eerie about the finger.

"You know about Senescence Decline?" the finger asked in astonishment.

There were many who knew about the existence of soul oracles, but very few had ever heard of the Five Soul Declines. The Five Soul Declines contained the weaknesses of the soul oracles, so they had guarded this secret tightly, unwilling to allow any outsider to learn of it. For this fellow to be aware of it as well, could he be a soul oracle too?

"Of course I do! On top of that, I also know that you have not inherited the heritage of the soul oracles. Even though you are able to survive in the form of a soul, you are just a parasite leeching off the finger, not the possessor of it," Zhang Xuan responded.

Had the other party not attacked him, he would have been unable to gather any details on the other party via the Library of Heaven's Path. In a sense, it was fortunate that the other party had assaulted him, allowing him to compile a book and learn more about the enemy he was going to face.

Zhang Xuan's initial thought had been that the Bluehorn Dragon Beast had inherited the soul oracle heritage, thus allowing him to survive through many eras. However, after taking a look at the book, he realized that he had been mistaken.

The other party had only bound his soul to the finger using a special method, and through consuming the vitality of master teachers via the finger, he was able to sustain his existence. This had nothing to do with the soul arts of the soul oracles at all.

However, to be able to sustain a soul for so long, this finger was definitely no ordinary artifact.

However, it was a pity that the Bluehorn Dragon Beast could only be considered to be in coexistence with the finger, meaning that they were still two separate entities, and the one who had attacked earlier was only the soul, so there was no information reflected on the finger in the Library of Heaven's Path at all.

Otherwise, he would have just ended it straight with a smack of his book instead of wasting words on the other party.

The finger was astonished for a moment before bursting into a cold chuckle. "I never expected a young lad like you to be able to see through me so easily. Despite your young age, you are rather knowledgeable. However... the more that this is the case, the more I can't spare you! I might still have thought twice if you hadn't come into my folded space, but since you are here now, don't even dream about leaving here alive!"

Weng!

The next moment, an overwhelming aura burst forth from the finger. The illusory Bluehorn Dragon Beast that Zhang Xuan had seen earlier in the cavern swiftly emerged from the finger. Its eyes were filled with killing intent, seemingly determined to devour the young man before it.

"We were still speaking properly a moment ago, so why do you want to eat me all of a sudden? And... do you think that you will be able to succeed?" Seeing that the Bluehorn Dragon Beast was going to make its move, Zhang Xuan grasped the Book of Heaven's Path in his hands tightly, ready to throw the golden page at any moment.

However, at that moment, Vicious' voice suddenly sounded. "Leave that fellow to me..."

"Leave him to you?"

Based on what he knew of Vicious, the latter was never one to take on a job actively. Why would he suddenly step up to this task?

Zhang Xuan's query was answered very soon.

"It's because... that finger over there is mine!"

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Chapter 886: I Am Also Vicious

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Yours?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

According to what Vicious had told him previously, in the battle against Kong shi back then, he had been completely obliterated except for a droplet of blood, and after several dozen millenniums of rest, the droplet of blood finally grew to become a heart.

In other words, there should be no other parts of Vicious remaining after the battle, so why would its finger suddenly appear out of nowhere?

Aware of the nuances behind Zhang Xuan's words, Vicious replied, "I'm not too sure what is going on either; I am still missing many parts of my memories. However, I am certain that is my finger! That fellow is making use of my body part!"

As a former powerhouse of the Master Teacher Continent who was capable of reviving himself with just a droplet of blood, even though he had lost most of his memories, he could still recognize his body parts easily.

This finger was originally just the phalanges 1 of a finger, but after the Bluehorn Dragon Beast leeched onto it and devoured the vitality of master teachers, it began to recover its blood and flesh.

"You are intending to snatch it back?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

"Of course!"

Vicious' heart began beating rapidly, and an overwhelming killing intent immediately surged forth from it, directed toward the finger floating in the air.

"What?"

The Bluehorn Dragon Beast's soul, who had just left the finger for a moment, immediately felt the killing intent and began trembling in fear. With a piercing scream, it swiftly dived back into the finger while shouting, "Vicious, save me! Save me..."

Hong long!

Another powerful killing intent spilled forth from the finger, clashing with that from the heart.

As the two auras collided, the folded space began shaking intensely, seemingly on the verge of bursting apart under the pressure.

An incredibly powerful voice, which exerted a crushing pressure, sounded from the finger. "Who are you?"

Under the immense pressure, Zhang Xuan was forced to retreat all the way to the corner of the folded space. At this moment, his eyes were widened in astonishment.

He could clearly feel the intent from the finger... and to his shock, it was identical to that of the heart sealed in the Book of Heaven's Path!

"Who am I? I am Vicious!" the heart declared proudly.

"Nonsense, I am Vicious!" the finger refuted coldly.

"Two Viciouses?" Zhang Xuan blinked blankly.

What was going on?

Even someone as knowledgeable as him was finding it hard to process what was going on.

"Bullsh*t, I am the real Vicious! How can a puny finger like you be Vicious?" the heart roared furiously.

The finger harrumphed coldly. "Back then, Vicious stood at the very top of the world, devoid of fear for even Kong shi. How could he possibly submit to an insignificant master teacher like the lad over there and listen to his commands? Stop soiling my reputation any further! You'd better sit obediently as I devour you, or else I will kill you along with your master!"

"You want to devour me? Hah, let me see if you have the capability to do so!" With a furious roar, the heart leaped forward furiously along with the Book of Heaven's Path with unbelievable momentum to strike the finger.

Boom!

The finger retaliated with a tap, and a loud explosion sounded.

Suffering grave injuries from the tap, the heart convulsed intensely as it tumbled furiously backward, returning to Zhang Xuan's hands.

"Zhang shi, hurry up and release the book's seal on me. Otherwise, we might all die here..." the heart implored.

"What is going on?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

"It could be because I was too powerful when I was still alive, so even a droplet of blood or the phalanges of a finger could form an individual entity in itself. During the time when my main body was still alive, these individual entities could still be managed and even combined into one. However, with the death of my main body, the sentience that sprouted in each individual part viewed itself as the real Vicious, resulting in the current circumstances. In order to fully recover, it seems like we will have to devour one another... but the side that is being devoured will stand to lose his consciousness once and for all!" Vicious hurriedly explained.

"There's such a matter?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

To be able to revive oneself from just a droplet of blood... This was way too overpowered!

"Un. That fellow has devoured innumerable master teachers, and the vitality he has absorbed has made him far stronger than me. Unless you dispel the seal on me, I won't be a match for him at all," Vicious hurriedly explained.

"Dispel the seal on you?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He could indeed release the seal from the Book of Heaven's Path on him with a single thought, but it would be a huge risk to do so.

No matter what, the other party was an expert who had stood toe-to-toe against Kong shi at one point in his life. It was only due to the prowess of the Book of Heaven's Path that the other party was obeying his orders, and if he were to release the seal, the other party could very well disobey his orders and even turn against him.

Feeling a burst of confidence after successfully overpowering the heart in the direct clash earlier, the finger sneered coldly, "Hah, with powers like yours, you still dare to vie with me? Die!"

Otherworldly Demons could grow by devouring humans, and master teachers could be considered an ideal tonic to them. Even though the Heart Vicious was able to make a substantial recovery using the spiritual energy in the underground chamber, it couldn't be compared with the Phalanges Vicious, who had recuperated by devouring innumerable master teachers over the years.

More importantly, the finger could be considered one of the more flexible and active portion of a body, so it wielded might superior to the heart.

Hong long!

The finger gathered its might and charged at the heart once more. Overwhelming killing intent gushed over like a sharp sword, threatening to pierce through all that stood in its path.

Feeling the immense power of the finger, the heart panicked and quickly urged Zhang Xuan, "Hurry up and dispel the seal!"

"There is no need for that. It'll suffice as long as I seal that fellow as well," Zhang Xuan said.

Releasing the seal on Vicious simply wasn't an option.

If he were to release the other party, that would be no different from leaving his life in the hands of the other party.

And to leave one's life in the hands of an Otherworldly Demon was sheer foolishness.

Since that wasn't an option, he would just have to seal the finger as well. At the very most, it would just get a little noisier as the two Viciouses wrestled with one another in the book.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan was just about to call upon the golden page when a thought suddenly flashed across his mind.

Since he had the power to release the seal on the heart, was it possible for him to put the finger in as well?

If that was the case, he wouldn't have to waste an additional golden page.

The golden page was his ultimate trump card, so it was best to save as many of them as he could.

"Go!" Zhang Xuan immediately put his theory to the test.

With a thought, the Book of Heaven's Path, in which the heart was sealed, immediately flew straight for the incoming finger.

Hu la!

The finger, which was just on its path to slaughter the heart, suddenly felt an oppressive power shrouding it, which froze the finger on the spot.

"What is this..." the finger exclaimed in shock.

It struggled furiously in an attempt to escape, but as if pinned down by a mountain, it found itself unable to move at all.

The book before it seemed to harness the laws of the world, forming an unbreakable cage.

"Haha, didn't you just mock me a moment ago? Let's see how you are going to escape from this!" Seeing the finger getting suppressed by the book as well, just as he had been back then, the heart couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.

The other party had just claimed that he was a fake and that the Vicious who had dared to fight against Kong shi couldn't possibly submit to a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan student. But with this, the other party should understand that it wasn't only him... Even if the real Vicious was standing before this, he would have to kneel down as well!

This trump card of Zhang shi's was simply that fearsome!

There was nothing higher than the heavens in this world. No matter how much power or authority one held, even if one was unmatched by any other being in the world, it was all futile!

No matter how much power one accrued, could one still be stronger than the heavens?

And as long as one continued to exist beneath the heavens, one would have no choice but to bow before it!

"NO!" Hearing the other party's mocking, the finger was horrified.

Kacha!

Amidst the finger's piercing screams, the book abruptly closed, sealing the finger within it.

That finger had devoured innumerable master teachers, granting him power considerably greater than the heart. Nevertheless, it was still nothing more than a hatchling before the Book of Heaven's Path.

Hu!

Seeing that it had worked, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a slight grab, the Book of Heaven's Path returned to his palm. He flipped it open swiftly and saw the finger and heart sealed alongside one another.

Previously, the heart had only taken up half of the page, and with the addition of the finger, the entire page was filled up.

This likely meant that this page was already full, and it couldn't contain anything else anymore.

"I am the real one; you are the fake!"

"No, I am the real one; you are the fake!"

The heart on the upper half and the finger on the lower half glared at one another viciously as they bellowed in fury.

Until now, the finger still could hardly believe what had just happened to it.

As the phalanges of the great Vicious, who had faced Kong shi head on back then, even if a Saint realm 9-dan expert was here, it would still have some means up its sleeves to escape safely. Yet, in this instant, it was trapped within this ancient book.

It howled angrily and struggled with all its might, but it found itself unable to break free. "Where is this place?"

This book seemed to harness the will of the heavens, a lofty power that gazed coldly on all existences beneath, eradicating all who dared stand in its way.

Putting aside him, any existences that lived beneath the heavens, no matter how powerful, had to bow down to it.

The heart harrumphed. "Don't bother with that futile struggling. Just let me devour you and end it once and for all!"

"Let you devour me? Dream on! It is your fate to be devoured by me... and that lad as well, I will kill him as soon as I find a way to get out! All of you shall die by my hand. There is no one who has dared offend me, Vicious, and ever met a good end..." the finger cried furiously.

But before it could finish its words, a finger suddenly flicked lightly on it, harnessing a surge of pure zhenqi.

Peng!

Before it could even react, it was already tumbling furiously within the page. Struck by the pure surge of zhenqi, it found itself unable to catch its breath.

It was as if that surge of zhenqi was its nemesis, capable of subduing it easily.

"Shut up!" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even if you still carry the consciousness from your previous self and think that you are Vicious, in here, you are nothing more than a simple image. Learn your place and keep your mouth shut!

"You dare to flick me? Do you know who I am..."

The finger was exactly like how the heart had been when it first arrived, indignant and incomparably arrogant.

It thought that it was still the great emperor of the Otherworldly Demons, which even Kong shi himself had feared.

Peng!

But before it could finish speaking, another flick struck it.

There was only one way to make that fellow submit, and it was to pummel him!

Sealed in the Book of Heaven's Path, even if the other party was the peerless monarch of the world, the other party's life and death would still be grasped in his hands.

Peng peng peng!

Under consecutive flicks, the finger in the book nearly lost its life.

"You..." Howling furiously, the finger finally realized its current standing and dared not speak arrogantly anymore.

Finally, after seeing that he had finally managed to stamp out the other party's arrogance, Zhang Xuan began his interrogation.

"Who are you? What is with the Bluehorn Dragon Beast? Why do you have two consciousness within you? Explain yourself well, or else... Vicious, I will make you know what true viciousness is!"

Whether you are Vicious or not, at the moment, you are nothing to me. If you dare cross me again, I will make you regret ever being born in this world!

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Chapter 887: The Wealth of the Golden Beartiger Beast

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I..."

Knowing that it was helpless before the other party as long as it was trapped within this book, the finger finally abandoned its pride and spoke. "I am the phalanges of a finger of Vicious, and it is only after several dozen millenniums of sleep that I finally gained my own consciousness. The Bluehorn Dragon Beast was the emperor of the Cloudmist Ridge, and in order to hasten my awakening, I bound his soul to me and had him work under me..."

Soon, it went through the entire story.

It wasn't too far from what Zhang Xuan had guessed previously.

No one could tell for sure what had happened in the battle between Vicious and Kong shi back then, but one thing for sure was that the phalanges of a finger of his had been left behind somehow.

Vicious had already reached the level of being able to revive from just a droplet of blood, so even though his phalanges had suffered severe damage, resulting in a lengthy sleep of several dozen millenniums, it still managed to regain consciousness.

Afterwards, by some stroke of luck, it was found by the emperor of the Cloudmist Ridge.

In order to quickly recover, it used a unique method it possessed to bind the other party's soul to him and made use of it to lord over the saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge.

In exchange for replenishing the Earth Vein Spirit Essence in the cavern, the saint beasts would capture master teachers to feed it.

Naturally, with its incredible means, it was able to raise the cultivation of the Golden Beartiger Beast easily as well. However, one thing that was not within its calculations was that Zhang Xuan would possess such a powerful artifact, and it was this that resulted in its current plight.

As for the matter regarding Wu Yangzi... around two thousand years ago, a few Otherworldly Demons had visited the Cloudmist Ridge to request their assistance.

At that moment, Vicious had fallen into a short moment of hibernation after consuming several master teachers, which placed the Bluehorn Dragon Beast in charge for that period of time. Learning of the motive of those Otherworldly Demons, it had sent a few saint beasts to assist them in kidnapping Wu Yangzi.

The Bluehorn Dragon Beast was only an incomplete soul, but after spending innumerable years with Vicious' consciousness, it had learned of quite a number of its secrets. While Vicious was unconscious, it had secretly told the Otherworldly Demons about the existence of the droplet of blood... Eventually, those Otherworldly Demons successfully retrieved the heart and brought it back to the underground chamber. It was under their nourishment that the heart eventually regained consciousness.

Thus, it could be said that this finger was the reason the heart was able to regain its consciousness.

After asking everything that should be asked, Zhang Xuan still had some matters that he hadn't figured out. But just as he was thinking about them deeply, a voice suddenly sounded by his ear.

"Zhang shi, allow me to devour this fellow. I should be able to recover a fair bit of my strength with this..."

It was from the heart.

"You want to devour it?"

"That's right. Based on my deduction, it seems that even though Vicious was destroyed in the battle back then, he has left quite a few hands. Most likely, there are quite a few of us out there that possess consciousness as well. Even if I absorb spiritual energy for another hundred thousand years, I still won't be able to return to my peak... The only way to do so quickly is to find my other body parts and devour them!" the heart said.

"As long as I devour a sufficient number of them, even if I can't return to my peak, I wouldn't be too far away from it!"

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

When he saw the finger claiming that it was Vicious as well, he had already deduced this much.

There was a famous, albeit brutal, way to groom an expert within an organization. It was to gather a huge bunch of men and have them face off against one another, and the final one standing would be strongest of them all.

Vicious knew that there was a high chance that he could lose his life fighting against Kong shi, so he had used some secret art to preserve his heart, finger, and perhaps a few more body parts so that he could still survive if a mishap occurred. However, in order to regain his former strength, his body parts would have to devour one another, and the final consciousness standing would become the real Vicious.

"As long as you pledge loyalty to me, not only will I give you this finger to devour, I can even help you find the other parts of Vicious so that you can regain your strength," Zhang Xuan said calmly.

To him, it mattered not who became the final Vicious as long as the other party was loyal to him.

The heart had followed him for quite some time, and they had gone through quite a few ordeals together. Thus, it was the closest to him, so the probability to successfully tame it was the highest at the moment.

As for the finger... considering that it had brutally slaughtered so many master teachers and devoured their flesh and blood, Zhang Xuan was reluctant to have it serve as his subordinate even if he could tame it.

"Pledge loyalty?" The heart fell silent.

Even though it was powerless after getting trapped in the book, its consciousness was still one of the domineering Vicious who had fought head-on against Kong shi. As such, it was difficult for it to lower its pride and pledge loyalty to another.

"That's right." Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan waited patiently for the other party to make his decision.

Possessing the Library of Heaven's Path, it was only a matter of time before he reached the top of the world. In his view, Vicious' loyalty could only be considered icing on the cake. With or without it, he would still be able to forge a path ahead.

After a moment of silence, the heart finally gave the word. "Fine, I agree."

The capabilities and means that the young man had displayed thus far could even leave the legendary 9-star master teachers astounded.

Perhaps, the other party might really be able to bring it to greater heights, and perhaps... surpass even Kong shi!

Agree, and there would be a chance that it could make a full recovery and even reach greater heights. Reject, and it would be trapped in the book forever, never to make a comeback. Which was the correct choice? It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

Seeing that he had the other party's agreement, Zhang Xuan said, "Offer your soul then!"

The other party's betrayal wasn't a risk he could afford to take, and a couple of words and promises held no weight at all.

Only with the other party's soul held hostage in his hands would he be able to put his unconditional trust in the other party.

"Yes."

Without any hesitation, the heart sent a fragment of its soul into Zhang Xuan's glabella, entering his consciousness.

Feeling the soul fragment, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Previously, he was only able to make Vicious obey his commands through the prowess of the Book of Heaven's Path. However, after the soul offering, he now possessed absolute control over the other party, similar to a tamed beast. The other party had no choice but to obey his commands unconditionally.

"Master!"

Offering one's soul was equivalent to acknowledging the other party as one's master; the heart put aside its pride and lowered its posture.

Zhang Xuan waved his hands. "Call me young master instead."

"Yes, Young Master!" the heart responded.

"With your current strength, will you be able to devour him? Do you need my help?"

"Young Master, my strength is currently beneath his, so it will be extremely difficult for me to succeed. However, if you can lend me Kong shi's writing to use, I am confident that I should be able to overpower him!" the heart said.

"You want to borrow Kong shi's writing?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It hadn't been easy for him to obtain Kong shi's personal handwriting, and his heart had nearly bled dry when he realized that Vicious had devoured a third of it the previous time that he helped his clone act as Yang Xuan. To think that he would still dare think of devouring more of it...

"Young Master, Otherworldly Demons grow by consuming humans, and that finger has devoured many master teachers over the years. As such, its strength and spirit are far stronger than mine. Without Kong shi's writing, I fear that I won't be an opponent for it, and I might even end up being the one devoured instead!" the heart said.

"... Alright then. Here is the remaining two-thirds of Kong shi's writing. Tell me, how much do you need to successfully devour that finger?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

"That... I am not too sure either!" the heart said hesitantly.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply and said, "Fine, I will help you weaken that finger first before you make a move. That should save a bit of Kong shi's writing..."

He might not be a match for the finger outside, but within the Book of Heaven's Path, his Heaven's Path zhenqi was a lethal weapon.

Having come to a decision, Zhang Xuan began infusing his zhenqi into the book.

"AHHHHH..."

Under the assault of the zhenqi, the finger began rolling around the place as a shrill scream echoed from its consciousness. It took a while before the voice began to die down.

Watching this sight, the heart couldn't help but convulse slightly. Nevertheless, knowing that this was a chance for it to strike, it rushed forward and sent a surge of killing intent toward the finger, attempting to subdue it.

...

Sometime later, the movements of the finger finally came to a complete halt. Abandoning its previous arrogant attitude, it lay humbly in the book.

...

"Young Master!"

After an inestimable length of time, a voice sounded from the consciousness in the finger.

The heart had successfully devoured the 'Vicious' within the finger and assimilated it into a part of it.

"Young Master, the clash with that fellow's will while devouring it has depleted my spirit. I need to rest for a moment... I have already wiped away the consciousness in the soul of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast, so you should be able to absorb it to nourish your soul," Vicious said.

Following which, he felt a surge of soul energy leaving the book.

Sensing the incredible purity of the soul, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though the emperor of the Cloudmist Ridge was only an incomplete soul, it wielded power comparable to a Saint realm 5-dan. If he could absorb the energy in the soul and assimilate it into his own, his soul cultivation could rise significantly.

However, this wasn't the time to do so yet. The battle against the Cloudmist Ridge had just ended, and there were many other things that he still had to attend to.

Taking Kong shi's scroll back from Vicious, Zhang Xuan took a look at it and saw yet another thousand words had disappeared from it, meaning only a third of the original writing remained. His eyelids began twitching furiously, but a moment later, he sighed deeply and stowed it into his storage ring.

Any other master teacher who obtained Kong shi's writing would worship it as if it was their ancestor. He was probably the only one who trampled on it in such a manner.

After returning to the cavern, Zhang Xuan instructed the Myriad Anthive Queen to devour the folded space.

With the Bluehorn Emperor Beast, the culprit behind the deaths of countless master teachers, destroyed, the Cloudmist Ridge would no longer pose a threat anymore. The deceased master teachers who had died under its tyranny should also be able to rest in peace now.

As the folded space wasn't too large, and the Myriad Anthive Queen's cultivation was also significantly higher than before, it only took an hour this time for it to devour it completely.

After which, he returned the Myriad Anthive Queen to the nest before heading out.

When he finally returned to the area where the Earth Vein Spirit Essence was stored, he saw the Golden Beartiger Beast lying flat like a pancake on the ground, deader than ever.

Upon noticing him, the Golden Origin Cauldron immediately rushed over to greet him.

"Master, I have killed this fellow for you, and he had quite a few good things with him..." With a fawning smile, it took out a storage ring and passed it over to Zhang Xuan.

"Storage ring?" Zhang Xuan frowned for a moment before he suddenly recalled something.

While spirit beasts were unable to access storage rings, saint beasts could. As the oldest king of the Cloudmist Ridge, the Golden Beartiger Beast had at least lived for a thousand year now. Over the years, it had killed many experts and collected their possessions as spoils of war, so it should have considerable wealth in its ring.

Zhang Xuan hadn't really thought of that earlier, but it seemed like his loyal Ding Ding had already helped him settle this matter.

The seal on a storage ring would be erased upon the death of its master, so Zhang Xuan was able to easily claim possession of it using a droplet of blood. Immersing his consciousness into the ring, he took a peek at what was within.

The area inside was far larger than his current storage ring, spanning a diameter of several hundred meters. There were all kinds of treasures stacked up into towering piles all around, and just the number of middle-tier spirit stones in itself numbered in the tens of millions.

There were also around several hundred high-tier spirit stones placed together as well.

Besides that, there were also valuable medicinal herbs, high-grade pills, and rare ores of all sorts scattered all around the place in unimaginable quantities

As for weapons, there were several hundreds of them, of which, around forty were at Spirit pinnacle, and three of them were even at Half-Saint!

"Incredible!" Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless by the grandeur before him.

Ever since his transcension to this world, he had worked diligently to earn money, not willing to spare even a single gold coin in his path. He had thought that with his hard work, he had already accumulated quite a large fortune for himself, but compared to this king of the Cloudmist Ridge, what he had was truly nothing in comparison.

But thinking about it... the Cloudmist Ridge had kidnapped Elder Wu Yangzi back then, so it must have taken quite a bit of treasure from the latter too. Just that in itself was sufficient to make it filthy rich.

It had been two thousand years, so the Golden Beartiger Beast might not have even been born back then, but as the spokesperson of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast, it should have inherited most of the accumulated wealth of the Cloudmist Ridge.

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Chapter 888: Sinned!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

That was only a small portion of the storage ring. What had particularly caught Zhang Xuan's eye was the incredible pile of saint beast inner cores by the side.

Saint beasts might enjoy a longer lifespan than humans, but death ultimately came to all. Accumulated over several millenniums, the number of saint beast inner cores in the storage ring had reached an unbelievable number—there were several hundred of them!

Every single one of these inner cores was incredibly valuable and could be sold at an astronomical price.

After looking through all of the treasures within the storage ring, Zhang Xuan was completely dumbstruck.

Compared to the Golden Beartiger Beast, he felt like a beggar flaunting a coin in his bowl before a tycoon

Delighted, Zhang Xuan turned to the Golden Origin Cauldron and said, "You have done well getting this for me! How do you wish to be rewarded?"

With so many treasures in the storage ring, it was very likely that the Golden Beartiger Beast had hidden it somewhere discreet so that no one else could get to it. If the Golden Origin Cauldron had not gotten it out of the Golden Beartiger Beast, he might have just missed it.

Despite Ding Ding's occasional silly behavior, it seemed like it was still reliable in crucial moments like this!

"Hehe, it will suffice as long as Master doesn't forget to raise my strength," the Golden Origin Cauldron said.

"Don't worry!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Currently, the Golden Origin Cauldron was only a Saint low-tier artifact. As long as Zhang Xuan raised his smithing capability further, he would be able to help raise its tier.

It was also due to this promise that the Golden Origin Cauldron had willingly submitted to Zhang Xuan back then. Otherwise, as the proud Guardian Saint Artifact of the academy, it couldn't possibly have acknowledged anyone as its master so easily!

Threat might force another to submit, but it would only eventually breed acrimony and result in betrayal. It took a combination of both the carrot and the stick in order to instill true loyalty.

After leaving the cavern with the Golden Origin Cauldron, Zhang Xuan was welcomed by the Scarlet Blaze Lion, Tigerhead Beast, and the other kings.

"How is it?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Master, all of the spirit beasts that were fighting have been pulled back, and they are currently waiting for you at the foot of the mountain!" the Scarlet Blaze Beast hurriedly said.

After everything they had gone through, they no longer dared harbor any second thoughts regarding their loyalty to the young man before them.

"Let's head over." Zhang Xuan nodded as he began making his way to the foot of the mountain.

They soon saw thousands of spirit beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge gathered orderly at the foot of the mountain. As Zhang Xuan appeared before their eyes, a commotion broke out amid them; each and every one of them widened their eyes in astonishment.

They were in the midst of fighting against the Master Teacher Academy when they were suddenly brought here. They had no idea what exactly had happened, and why the kings would choose to negotiate with the humans.

Stepping forward, Zhang Xuan began speaking without any hesitation.

"The growth of a beast is reliant not only on absorbing the essence of the world and spiritual energy, but to emulate the behavior of humans and cultivate..."

...

Around the time that Zhang Xuan arrived at the foot of the Cloudmist Ridge, School Head Mo also arrived at Leiyuan Peak.

It had been almost four hours since the duo went to the Cloudmist Ridge to negotiate, and Zhao Bingxu had already gathered all of the students along with Mu shi and the other school heads in preparation to fight a bitter war.

When they saw School Head Mo return alone, without the principal by his side, their complexion turned incredibly awful.

Zhao Bingxu immediately rushed forward, grabbed School Head Mo, and asked him in agitation, "Where is the principal? How is he?"

"Mo Zhu, how can you allow the principal to face such danger alone? If something happens to him, how do you intend to face the teachers and students of the Master Teacher Academy?" Wei Ranxue glared at School Head Mo so coldly that it felt that the latter would freeze on the spot.

When Zhao Bingxu returned and informed them that their principal had gone to the Cloudmist Ridge to negotiate in order to stop the war and reduce their casualties, all of them nearly had died of shock.

What kind of place was the Cloudmist Ridge?

It was a land dominated by spirit beasts and saint beasts, and nearly all cultivators who dared to tread those lands were never heard from again. It wasn't easy for them to find a new principal to lead their academy to greater heights, and if they were to lose their principal over this matter, they would be the sinners of history, and no amount of time would wash away their sin.

"I..." A bitter smile filled with helplessness emerged on School Head Mo's face.

Even if I really had tried to stop the principal, do you think that I would have been able to stop him?

"Enough! This isn't the time to be talking about this. How is Senior Uncle doing, and what is the current situation on the Cloudmist Ridge?" Mu shi interjected sharply. "I heard that the Ten Indomitable Kings of the Cloudmist Ridge are all vicious beings who are filled with hostility for humans. You probably met with a lot of trouble negotiating with them, right?"

The others also quickly turned to School Head Mo, waiting intently for him to respond.

"Trouble? ..." School Head Mo had no idea where he should start from.

There was indeed a lot of trouble, but they weren't the ones who faced trouble.

After spending some time organizing his thoughts, School Head Mo began speaking.

"The Ten Indomitable Kings demanded that the negotiation be conducted in a certain cavern, and we headed over and began discussing how we should resolve the conflict. In the midst of that, our principal... headed out for a moment, and when he finally returned, out of the Ten Indomitable Kings... nine had become his tamed beast! And the three thousand aerial spirit beasts, too, had acknowledged him as their master! In other words, other than the spirit beasts who had battled with the students earlier, all of the Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, and Saint realm beasts on the Cloudmist Ridge have all become our principal's tamed beasts..."

Before School Head Mo could finish his words, he noticed a bizarre silence hanging in the air. Perplexed, he raised his head to take a look, only to see all of the school heads and Mu shi staring at him with slackened jaws and bulging eyes, as if the limits of their rationality had been challenged.

Seeing their expressions, School Head Mo wasn't surprised in the least. There was no one in the world who wouldn't react in this way after hearing such news.

To head to a negotiation and end up taming all of the enemy's forces...

Who could have imagined that?

Negotiation? More like a seizure of property!

Did it really have to be so exaggerated?

"That is everything that happened..." Looking at the looks of disbelief of those around him, School Head Mo could only shrug helplessly.

To be honest, if he hadn't been there to witness it himself, even he would never have believed such a story.

Ever since the establishment of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, the beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge had been a huge threat. Many of the previous principals had attempted to do something about it, but their efforts had been futile.

Yet, the principal of the current generation, despite being yet to be inaugurated, had already completely overturned the other party's nest!

On top of that, not only did he snap the threat from its very roots, he had even tamed all of the saint beasts, which would bolster the forces of the Master Teacher Academy significantly!

With this additional force, perhaps the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy could be pushed up a single ranking among the Four Great Academies of Qingyuan Empire.

With his head still spinning from having heard such an unbelievable epic, Zhao Bingxu asked, "Where is the principal now?"

"He had me return to organize the students while he deals with some miscellaneous affairs. He is probably still at the Cloudmist Ridge at the moment," School Head Mo replied.

"Zhong Dingchun, have your students take the wounded to your Physician School for treatment. Xu Changqing, get the students of your Martial Arts School to remain on guard in case a battle occurs. As for the other school heads, follow me to the Cloudmist Ridge!" Knowing that his Senior Uncle was still in the Cloudmist Ridge, Mu shi swiftly made arrangements.

Naturally, the responsibility for treating the wounded students would fall on the Physician School. And even though School Head Mo had said that the problem was resolved, the situation wasn't entirely clear yet, so the Master Teacher Academy still had to keep its guard up in case an accident occurred. Of the ten schools, the Martial Arts School boasted the greatest fighting power, so they were left to stand on guard.

"Yes!" Zhong Dingchun and Xu Changqing nodded before rushing off to make preparations.

"Let's go!" Mu shi nodded before rushing over to the Cloudmist Ridge with the other school heads.

...

"Look, what is that?"

Before they even reached their destination, they suddenly noticed innumerable spirit beasts gathered at the foot of the mountain with their bodies lying on the floor. Their eyes were gleaming in gratitude and respect, a vast contrast from the savagery and viciousness when they were battling before.

At the very forefront of the army of spirit beasts was a young man standing on the back of one of the Saint realm kings. His nonchalant voice echoed resoundingly, drawing in an overwhelming amount of zhenqi into the surroundings that it created an illusion of lotus flowers falling from the sky. Listening to the words of that young man, the spirit beasts seemed to fall into a trance.

This was the ability that only 5-star master teachers possessed, Spirit Gathering Diction!

"This is... a lecture for the spirit beasts?"

The arriving master teachers were stunned.

They had seen master teachers conducting lectures for their peers, students, and fellow cultivators, but this was the very first time they had seen anyone lecture spirit beasts.

And more importantly, every single one of the countless spirit beasts in the area was listening intently to each word that was spoken, and some of them were even using their snouts or paws to make notes on the ground.

In the midst of their shock, Zhang Xuan's voice suddenly sounded.

"... Alright, I will end the lecture here. You are dismissed!"

Roar!

Roar!

But despite Zhang Xuan's words, the spirit beasts didn't scatter. Instead, they raised their heads and roared in unison, the sheer volume of which shook even the clouds in the sky. After which, they rose from the ground, and a droplet of blood floated out of each of their glabellae and toward Zhang Xuan.

"The heck..."

Watching a wave of fresh blood rushing toward him, threatening to drown him within it, Zhang Xuan's knee weakened, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.

I was just conducting a casual lecture for you all; no one is asking you to acknowledge me as your master...

Besides, even if you all want to acknowledge me as your master, there is no need for you to do it together, right? A droplet of blood from nearly a hundred thousand spirit beasts... That is probably enough to fill even a swimming pool!

Zhang Xuan fell into a frenzy, but Mu shi and the others nearly lost their minds.

It seemed like their principal didn't intend to stop with just taming the Ten Indomitable Kings... His aim was all of the spirit beasts in the Cloudmist Ridge!

A hundred thousand spirit beasts... With such a force, their principal could overrun even a Tier-1 Empire like Hongyuan Empire with a single word!

"To make so many spirit beasts acknowledge him as their master and resolve such a huge threat for Hongyuan Empire... T-this... there is no way to calculate his contribution at all! I must report this to the Beast Hall!" School Head Mo muttered with quivering lips.

To make all of the spirit beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge acknowledge him as their master with a single lecture, there was no one who had achieved such a feat before him, and it was likely that no one else would after him... The contribution from doing so was immeasurable!

On top of that, the other party had also tamed the Ten Indomitable Kings and many Nascent Saint and Half-Saint beasts as well...

If Zhang Xuan was only an ordinary 7-star beast tamer with no contribution to the Beast Hall before, at this very moment, he could be considered a hero of the Beast Hall!

He couldn't help but remember the saying, 'Silent in rest, devastating in action'. This sure was applicable to Zhang Xuan at that moment!

In the midst of his shock, School Head Mo didn't forget to heave a sigh of relief too. It's fortunate that I had the foresight to apply for the 7-star beast tamer emblem for him earlier on so that he need not take the examination. Otherwise, I can hardly imagine what the state of the Beast Tamer School would be in now...

After seeing the tragic states that the Blacksmith School, Physician School, and Apothecary School were in after a visit from their principal, School Head Mo deeply feared that the other party would come to take their beast tamer examination as well, so he took the initiative to apply for it in advance. From the looks of it, it was probably the wisest decision he had ever made in his life.

Otherwise, if all of the spirit beasts and saint beasts in the Beast Tamer School were to take him as their master as well, there would definitely be a huge riot among the students!

"Let's go over..." Suppressing his shock, Mu shi raised his trembling hands and gestured for everyone to head over to Zhang Xuan's side.

But moving over, they found themselves faced with a tearful young man.

The crowd hurriedly clasped their fists and greeted him. "Paying respect to Principal Zhang!"

As if meeting his savior, Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed over and pleaded with reddened eyes. "You are here... Have these spirit beasts gone insane? Why are they so insistent on taking me as their master? School Head Mo, you are the head of the Beast Tamer School... Do you have any idea how one can halt the acknowledgement ceremony?"

He had really only come here to conduct a lecture; he had no intentions of becoming their master! None at all!

"Halt the acknowledgement ceremony? I fear that there is no way to do so..." School Head Mo shook his head.

It was extremely difficult to tame even one of these spirit beasts, and their principal had managed to tame all of them. Yet, he still had such an expression on his face... Principal Zhang, do you know that you are drawing a lot of hostility from beast tamers around the world?

On the other hand, upon hearing that there was no way to undo the acknowledgement ceremony, a look of helplessness and despair surfaced on Zhang Xuan. A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, and he couldn't help but exclaim in agony.

"I have sinned!"

Chapter 889: Wei Ruyan's Awakening

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan had truly dug his own grave this time around. Taming a few saint beasts could give him a few more cards to play in times of crisis, but so many saint beasts... There was truly no need for that.

But these fellows were insistent on taking him as their master, and none were willing to back down at all. If he were to turn them down, it could possibly result in an upheaval. It would be foolish to undo all of the effort that had gone into calming down the Cloudmist Ridge.

In other words... he had no choice but to accept all of the spirit beasts.

Indignant! Very indignant!

What in the world is this?

Putting everything aside, just taking in the souls of so many spirit beasts would put a huge burden on him. If not for Zhang Xuan's unbelievably powerful soul, he would have long lost his sense of self and gone insane!

But even so, he still suffered severe vertigo from having to take in so many souls, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

Tears streamed down his face endlessly, and he found himself choked by agitation.

I only came with the sole intention of conducting a lecture for you; I really had no intention to tame any of you at all...

Please, spare me...

...

After around twelve hours of effort, Zhang Xuan finally managed to take in all of the offered souls from the spirit beasts.

By the end of it, he was feeling so fatigued that he could faint any minute.

But still, he knew that this wasn't the time to rest yet. It had been a day since Wei Ruyan's soul was placed into the Bodhi Saint Tree to be nurtured, and she should be waking up soon. He had to take a look at her condition.

Otherwise, if the Bodhi Saint Tree were to succumb to Wei Ruyan's unique constitution due to extended exposure to it, his efforts could end in futility once again.

The Innate Soul Constitution was simply too powerful. Even Zhang Xuan didn't dare to underestimate its prowess.

Thus, leaving the Cloudmist Ridge, Zhang Xuan rushed all the way to the royal palace.

It was already late at night, but with all of the commotion in the Cloudmist Ridge, Yu Shenqing was in no mood to rest at all. Thus, upon hearing that Zhang Xuan had arrived, he rushed out to welcome him.

"Has anything peculiar happened to the Bodhi Saint Tree?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Nothing that I can think of..." Yu Shenqing was confused by Zhang Xuan's abrupt question.

"Let's head over there to take a look."

Without explaining himself, Zhang Xuan hurried over to the residence where the Bodhi Saint Tree was located under Yu Shenqing's lead.

Soon, in the residence, he finally saw a lush Bodhi Saint Tree that didn't show any signs of being poisoned, and he heaved a long sigh of relief.

"Zhang shi, I will be taking my leave now. If you have anything that you require my help on, feel free to let my men know." Knowing that Zhang Xuan was going to settle a private matter, Yu Shenqing clasped his fist and bade farewell.

After Yu Shenqing's departure, Zhang Xuan double checked that there was no one in the vicinity of the residence before drawing out his soul to take a look at the Bodhi Saint Tree.

Under the nourishment of the Bodhi Saint Tree, Wei Ruyan's soul had already grown significantly stronger. Nodding in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan drew her soul out of the tree before gently placing it back into her body. After which, he used his soul energy to facilitate the fusion process between her body and soul.

It was no easy feat to fuse a separated soul and body together, but it was fortunate that Zhang Xuan cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art. This granted his soul a unique property that allowed him to possess the body of another without suffering any significant rejection... Nevertheless, it still took around an hour before he managed to fuse Wei Ruyan's body and soul together perfectly.

After doing all of that, Zhang Xuan tapped his finger on the other party's glabella and said, "Wake up!"

Weng!

A crisp buzz sounded, and Wei Ruyan began to open her eyes slowly.

It must be said that despite her many years of sickness, Wei Ruyan was still an incredible beauty on par with Wang Ying. What particularly caught Zhang Xuan's attention were her eyes. Perhaps it was because she had never witnessed the evils in the world; her eyes were extremely bright and clear, reflecting the innocence of an infant.

"You are..."

Upon seeing the young man before her, a perplexed look surfaced on Wei Ruyan's face.

She had been asleep all along, so this was the very first time she had met the benefactor who had saved her life.

"I am Zhang Xuan, a master teacher. I have managed to successfully cure the affliction you are suffering from, so you need not live a life filled with pain and suffering anymore." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"My affliction has been cured?" Wei Ruyan could hardly believe what she was hearing.

For as long as she could remember, she had always been plagued by an affliction. Her father had taken her to many physicians and master teachers, and she had tried all kinds of treatments in the world, but nothing seemed to work. In the depths of her heart, she had already given up long ago.

When she fainted the previous time, she had thought that she would never come to again. Yet, she found herself opening her eyes to this world once more, and a man even told her that she was cured of her affliction. This was... She dared not believe what she was hearing to be true.

Seeing through her thoughts, Zhang Xuan smiled gently and said, "Try standing up."

"Stand up?"

Confused, Wei Ruyan pressed her palm softly against the ground to prop herself up, but to her astonishment, her body flew seven meters into the air instead, causing her to nearly crash head-on into a nearby tree.

"Ahhh!"

She screamed in fright as she fell back down, waiting in apprehension for the onset of pain the moment she crashed back onto the ground. However, her flailing arms, in a moment of panic, ended up creating a strong wind beneath her instead, which gently placed her back to the ground.

"T-this..." Wei Ruyan widened her eyes in shock, dumbstruck by the changes in her body.

Due to her affliction, despite her father being a Saint realm expert, she had never cultivated for a single day in her life.

But... to be able to fly into the air with a light push and land softly just by flailing her arms, it was clear that she possessed strength beyond that an ordinary mortal...

What was happening?

Seeing the look of confusion on the other party's face, Zhang Xuan explained with a smile, "You have consumed many precious medicinal herbs over the years, and even though they didn't do your affliction any good, their medicinal properties are starting to work their magic now that your body has recovered. At the moment, you already possess strength comparable to a Chrysalis realm pinnacle cultivator!"

In order to save his daughter, Wei Changfeng had fed her all kinds of precious medicinal herbs, and on top of that, Wei Ruyan had also consumed the nearly grade-8 Grand Intermittence Pill just some time ago. As a result, despite having never cultivated for a single day in her life, her body still harnessed immense power comparable to a Chrysalis realm expert!

If one were to take into consideration her double unique constitutions as well, she was definitely on par with an average Half-Saint!

However, having never cultivated any cultivation technique or battle technique in her life, she didn't know how to utilize her newfound strength.

"Chrysalis realm pinnacle?" Wei Ruyan was stunned.

Suffering from such a severe affliction from a very young age, the greatest wish she had was to be granted an ordinary life. She had never dared hope that she would be able to cultivate and harness such great strength.

But now... everything suddenly came to her at once!

"Zhang shi, thank you for saving my life!" Knowing that it was the young man before her who had granted her this second life, Wei Ruyan kneeled to the floor without any hesitation.

"Please rise!" Zhang Xuan stepped forward to help her up.

"Yes!" Standing up, Wei Ruyan began scanning her surroundings, and noticing the lack of a familiar figure, she asked, "Zhang shi, where is my father? Does he know of my recovery?"

She had seen the extent her father had gone for her, so in her moment of recovery, the very first person she wanted to share the news with was him.

If her father found out that she had recovered and could even cultivate, he would probably immediately leap in joy.

Just by thinking about how her father would react to the news, Wei Ruyan's eyes couldn't help but curl into crescents, and her lips inched up into a sweet smile.

For many years, the both of them had relied on one another for support, creating an exceptional connection between them.

"Wei Changfeng..." Seeing the expectant gleam in the other party's eyes, Zhang Xuan had no idea how he should break the news.

Noticing that something was amiss with Zhang shi's expression, an ominous premonition surfaced in Wei Ruyan's heart, and she asked anxiously, "What about my father?"

"He has departed from this world."

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan sighed. As cruel as it was, this was the truth. Wei Ruyan would have to face it one day.

"Departed...?" Wei Ruyan's face froze before slowly paling. Her body staggered weakly, and she shook her head in disbelief.

For as long as she could remember, her father had always been by her side. He told her bedtime stories and accompanied her during her treatment. No matter what her request was, he would always give in to her so as to make her happy. She had thought that she would leave this world ahead of him, but who would have thought that... this would be the very first thing she would hear after her awakening!

"Ruyan, you must live on. No matter the price, I will definitely save you!"

"Be good and take your medicine, it will help you recover..."

"You are my beloved daughter. I am willing to give you everything in the world, including my life..."

...

Those words still echoed clearly in her ears, but the person who had said them had already disappeared...

Time and time again, he had begged physicians to treat her. Time and time again, he had ventured into dangerous lands to seek rare herbs for her affliction...

There were innumerable memories of her traveling on her father's back, going around to seek others for help. But now that she had finally recovered, her father was no longer around to see it...

Father...

Wei Ruyan's eyes reddened as her vision was blurred by the tears streaming down her cheeks. Amid sobs, she turned to Zhang Xuan and asked hoarsely, "How did my father die?"

"He died while trying to save you..."

Without hiding anything, Zhang Xuan told her everything that had happened.

This included the affair with the Ten-leafed Flower, You Xu's scheme, and Wei Changfeng venturing into the depths of the Cloudmist Ridge alone...

Hearing that her father had trudged on, despite having sustained heavy injuries, in order to obtain the Cloudmist Flower to save her, Wei Ruyan's clenched her fists tightly, and her skinny figure began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Father..." she muttered weakly.

A father's love was greater than a mountain, and no words or actions could possibly repay those sentiments.

She had intended to use her entire life to repay the favor, but it was impossible now...

Taking a deep breath, Wei Ruyan seemed to have come to a decision, and her knees fell to the ground.

"Zhang shi, please accept me as your student!"

Since her father had lost his life in exchange for hers, she would have to live well so that her father's soul would be consoled as he watched her from above.

Zhang Xuan nodded. "Alright, I will accept you. From today on, you will be my student."

From the moment he promised Wei Changfeng to take care of his daughter, he had already decided to take Wei Ruyan in as his student.

"Student Wei Ruyan pays respect to Zhang laoshi!" Kneeling on the ground, Wei Ruyan kowtowed grandly several times in order to complete the acknowledgement ceremony.

Knowing that this was the tradition, Zhang Xuan accepted her kowtows.

After acknowledging Zhang Xuan, Wei Ruyan stood up and asked through clenched teeth, "Teacher, may I know where the culprit behind my father's death, You Xu, is?"

Years of fighting against her affliction had made her mind exceptionally strong despite her young age. Her mental fortitude was at least on par with Lu Chong, if not surpassing him.

Since You Xu was the culprit behind her father's death, she was determined to make him pay the price, regardless of whether he was a master teacher and the vice head of the Physician School or not!

Understanding Wei Ruyan's emotions, Zhang Xuan nodded. "I knew that you would surely want to exact vengeance for your father, so I have already detained him.

"Follow me!"

After saying these words, Zhang Xuan informed one of the guards to bid Yu Shenqing farewell in his stead. After which, he summoned the Byzantium Helios Beast, and the duo got on it and headed back for his manor.

Upon reaching his manor, Zhang Xuan had Sun Qiang bring the imprisoned You Xu over.

At this moment, You Xu had his cultivation sealed, and he no longer bore any resemblance to the majestic vice school head he used to be. In just half a month, he had grown so thin that he was barely even skin and bones, and he looked like he had aged a decade.

"This is the culprit behind your father's death. I will leave him for you to deal with." Knowing that Wei Ruyan would want to vent her anger and frustration, Zhang Xuan waved his hands before heading out, closing the door behind him.

If she wanted to exact vengeance for her father, she should do it with her own hands. He, Zhang Xuan, would never accept a weak-minded person as his disciple!

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Chapter 890: The Reason Behind the Old Principal's Death

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Returning to his room, Zhang Xuan finally felt exhaustion setting into his body.

It had been two days since he returned from the search for the Firefly Fruit, and he hadn't had a single moment of rest. On top of that, becoming the master of the many spirit beasts and saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge had caused him to overexert his spirit as well.

Were it not for his massive soul, he would have never been able to hold on. Nevertheless, as soon as the tension left his body, he felt a splitting headache striking his mind.

Before Vicious fell into a temporary coma, he helped me tamper with the soul of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast to remove its consciousness. I can use that to heal my wounded soul. Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan whipped out the soul of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast before drawing his own soul out as well.

Driving the Heaven's Path Soul Art, he began to devour the soul before his eyes.

Tzzzzz!

The pure soul of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast gushed into Zhang Xuan's soul in the form of a warm surge of energy, healing and tempering it further.

Not too long later, Zhang Xuan's soul was fully recovered. On top of that, it had also become slightly bigger and stronger.

As the Bluehorn Dragon Beast's soul was lacking a portion, it couldn't be said to be complete. Nevertheless, it was still a soul that had reached Saint realm 5-dan, so in terms of the purity of its energy, even a high-tier spirit stone would be no match for it.

It's truly a pity that I don't have the complete Chrysalis realm Heaven's Path Soul Art yet... or else, I would have been able to raise my soul cultivation further!

After consuming a portion of the Bluehorn Dragon Beast's soul and feeling his soul being filled to the brim, Zhang Xuan could only shake his head and put it back.

He only had the Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Heaven's Path Soul Art at the moment, so there was no way for him to advance his cultivation any further.

Of course, he could choose to absorb the soul to enhance the quantity of his soul instead of the quality, but if he were to do so, it was possible that the awkward situation that had befallen him back in the Cleansing Lake might occur once more. If his soul and body were to become incompatible once more, not only would his fighting prowess not increase, it might decline instead.

It's a pity that the Cloudmist Ridge is dominated by saint beasts, so there are no human cultivation techniques here. Otherwise, I could have tried to gather books, compile a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art, and attempt a breakthrough to Half-Saint tonight...

There were all kinds of treasures in the Golden Beartiger Beast's storage ring, but there was simply a certain item lacking—cultivation technique manuals.

Spirit beasts and saint beasts cultivated in a vastly different manner from humans, so the cultivation techniques of humans were useless to the Golden Beartiger Beast, thus he didn't leave any behind.

Otherwise, given that there was still some time before daylight, he could have attempted to break through to Half-Saint realm.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan thought, Forget it. It will be the inauguration ceremony in a few hours' time, and once I become the principal, I will be able to access all of the books in the academy freely. By then, I can easily gather all of the cultivation technique manuals that I am lacking together and form the corresponding Heaven's Path Divine Art...

If it had been before, Zhang Xuan would surely have begun searching around to see if he could find any cultivation techniques. However, considering that he would be able to access all of the books in the academy tomorrow, there was no need for him to go through that trouble anymore.

"Teacher!" Just as Zhang Xuan was about to rest, he suddenly heard Wei Ruyan's voice from beyond the window.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan walked over. "What's wrong?"

Wasn't she going to exact vengeance for her father? Did she get soft-hearted at the last moment?

"Teacher, You Xu revealed some important news regarding the Master Teacher Academy right before I was going to kill him, so I dare not make a decision by myself. Thus, I came over here to report the matter to you!" Wei Ruyan said.

"What is it?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

From the very start, Zhang Xuan had already felt that there was something amiss with You Xu, and this feeling only intensified after the incident regarding the Bodhi Saint Tree's poisoning.

However, since You Xu was Wei Ruyan's enemy, he still decided to leave the other party to her in the end. He really hadn't thought that she would be able to get vital information out of him.

"It seems to be regarding the true reason behind the old principal's death," Wei Ruyan said with a grim expression. "However, he was unwilling to go into details regarding the matter, and he demanded to meet Teacher instead."

"Un, noted." Zhang Xuan nodded. Just as he was about to walk out, he hesitated for a moment before bringing the Byzantium Helios Beast out.

The Byzantium Helios Beast was the tamed beast of the old principal, and he was known to be extremely loyal to the latter as well. Since this matter concerned the death of the old principal, he had the right to listen to it as well.

Thus, the three of them headed for the residence where You Xu was.

When they entered, You Xu's face was extremely pale, and his body was shaking uncontrollably.

"You poisoned him?" Seeing the other party's state, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

As an expert on poison himself, he could instantly tell this reaction wasn't just due to You Xu's fear but the lethal poison coursing through his body as well.

Wei Ruyan possessed the Innate Poison Body and the Poison Soul Constitution. Killing a master teacher who had his cultivation sealed was an extremely easy feat for her.

"That's right," Wei Ruyan admitted.

She wasn't very aware about her unique constitution, but she had known from a young age that her body was capable of producing lethal poison.

Since this fellow was the culprit behind her father's death, she wasn't willing to let him off the hook easily. She wanted him to suffer for his actions first.

Just that, she didn't think that he would succumb so easily and reveal secrets that were beyond her imagination. Thus, she swiftly rushed out to find her teacher to deal with this matter.

Fearing that her teacher would reprimand her, Wei Ruyan said timidly, "Have I done... wrong? I won't do it again!"

"It's fine this time, but you aren't to use such a method on anyone else!" Zhang Xuan said with a frown.

Wei Changfeng was the only kin that Wei Ruyan had, and he had been her mental support for over many years. Fearing that Wei Ruyan might crumble under the loss of her loved one, Zhang Xuan had chosen to leave You Xu to her so as to allow her to vent all of her unpleasant emotions and give her closure for this matter.

Nevertheless, there was still a need to instill the correct values in her, especially since she was still young.

Driving his zhenqi, Zhang Xuan began speaking with the Impartation of Heaven's Will infused in his words. "Vice School Head You Xu, we meet once more. Since I am here, you can start speaking. What happened to the old principal?"

His current Soul Depth was at 21.1, which was on par with 7-star master teachers. On top of that, he also possessed the Heart of a Teacher. With his means, he could easily make the mentally unstable You Xu reveal everything obediently.

With his eyes glazed, You Xu began to speak. "It was truly a moment of foolishness!

"Two years ago, the old principal gathered all of the elders in the academy and revealed that he had discovered an ancient domain, and there was a high chance that a great secret was concealed within it, so it had to be explored. Thus, after some discussion, it was decided that I, along with the old principal and twenty other elders, would set forth for the ancient domain.

"But who knew that we would encounter a spatial storm not too long after entering the ancient domain, scattering our group. Out of sheer misfortune, I fell into a folded space and was captured by the Otherworldly Demons...

"They gave me a bottle of poison and forced me to feed it to the old principal and the other members of the expedition...

"I really had no intention of harming them at all, but they had placed an extremely formidable curse on me, leaving me with no choice but to obey them..." You Xu confessed as he began wailing sorrowfully.

"Is it the same poison that you used against me in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel?" Zhang Xuan asked with an awful complexion.

"That's right!" You Xu nodded.

"You scoundrel!" With his teeth clenched so tightly that a screeching sound echoed clearly in the room, the Byzantium Helios Beast's eyes reddened, and its massive body trembled intensely out of fury.

His old master had treated You Xu so well, but to think that the latter would be so callous as to poison him!

If not for this scoundrel before him, even if the expedition had met with some kind of danger in the ancient domain, they couldn't possibly have been wiped out completely!

"As a master teacher, instead of protecting your own kind, you chose to side with the Otherworldly Demons and aid them in harming your own brethren. How can you find the courage to remain living in this world?" Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed menacingly.

He had tried the poison out himself, and if one had no means to neutralize it, even a Saint realm1-dan expert would be killed in just a few moments.

The old principal possessed exceptional fighting prowess, but to fall under that scoundrel's poison and be surrounded by the Otherworldly Demons shortly after, how could he possibly survive?

It could be said that You Xu was truly the scum of humanity, the shame of the master teachers!

"Are you the one behind the poisoning of the royal family's Bodhi Saint Tree as well?" Zhang Xuan continued the interrogation.

"Yes." You Xu nodded.

"Why?"

The Bodhi Saint Tree was only something used by the royal family to nurture their souls, and it should have had nothing to do with the Otherworldly Demons. Why would he have to go to the effort of poisoning it?

"I am not too sure about the exact reason myself either; I simply did what they ordered me to do. They said that, as long as I accomplished this mission, they would use their secret means to lengthen my lifespan by an additional fifty years," You Xu confessed.

Under the effects of the lethal poison coursing through his body, his mind was already on the verge of collapse. As such, he was unable to put up any resistance against Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will, so he quickly revealed everything he knew.

The closer one's life inched toward the end, the more desperately one would clutch on to life. You Xu was no exception to the rule. With the Otherworldly Demon's promise to lengthen his lifespan, along with all of the threats they had made, he eventually gave in to them.

Deep in his heart, he knew that this was the wrong move to make, but with a precedent made, it wasn't that difficult to take the second step. Before long, he found himself at a distance too far away to turn back.

As for information regarding the ancient domain that they had gone to, as You Xu had been captured by the Otherworldly Demons right after he entered, he couldn't say for sure what the secrets it held were either.

The same went for poisoning the Bodhi Saint Tree. He was only a puppet used by the Otherworldly Demons, so he wasn't qualified to learn of their true plans.

After the interrogation finally came to an end, the Byzantium Helios Beast gritted his teeth and said, "Master, can you leave this scum to me to deal with?"

Zhang Xuan waved his hands and said, "His crimes definitely warrants death, but this matter is too great for us to pass judgement on ourselves. I will have Mu shi take him back to the headquarters to investigate this matter. Don't worry, the Master Teacher Pavilion will never be lenient with traitors. He will suffer a death far more gruesome than we can imagine!"

If You Xu had only caused Wei Changfeng's death, given Zhang Xuan's standing as the succeeding principal of the academy and the victor of the Life-and-Death Physician School, he had the right and the authority to deal with You Xu as he liked. However, given that You Xu was involved in the death of the old principal and the schemes of the Otherworldly Demons, this matter had already exceeded their jurisdiction. They couldn't just kill him that easily anymore.

The headquarters had to be informed of this matter so that they could investigate further.

After a moment of hesitation, the Byzantium Helios Beast nodded reluctantly. "... Alright!"

He wanted to kill that fellow badly, but as the tamed beast of the old principal, he had a rough grasp of the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion as well. In any case, death could be considered a mercy to that traitor.

Delivering him to the headquarters to be tried and punished so that he would permanently bear the shame on his name would be greatest punishment to him.

Zhang Xuan turned to Wei Ruyan. "What about you?"

"I will follow teacher's arrangements." Wei Ruyan nodded.

"Good." Zhang Xuan patted Wei Ruyan's back. "Alright, I will call Mu shi over now."

After which, he called Sun Qiang over and issued some instructions to him.

Less than ten minutes later, Mu shi descended in the courtyard of the manor.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Mu shi clasped his fist and greeted respectfully, "Senior Uncle!"

Zhang Xuan gestured to the feeble-looking old man beside him and said, "Mu shi! After some investigation, I have found that You Xu has betrayed mankind. He colluded with the Otherworldly Demons to bring about the death of the old principal and the entire expedition that went with them to the ancient domain. I hope that you can take him back to the headquarters to be tried!"

"Betrayed humanity?" Mu shi narrowed his eyes in alarm. "Senior Uncle, are you certain?"

This was an extremely grave sin to bear, especially for a master teacher. Once confirmed, it would ruin one's life and make one the scorn of humanity.

"I am certain!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"I see. I will make preparations then!"

Knowing how grave this matter was, Mu shi waved his hand and bound You Xu with his zhenqi. Carrying the latter with his zhenqi, he said, "I will take him back to the headquarters right now. Pardon me, I don't think that I will be able to make it to Senior Uncle's inauguration ceremony anymore..."

Since Zhang Xuan's role as the Master Teacher Academy's principal was already agreed upon by him and the Ten Great Master Teachers, the inauguration ceremony could be considered nothing more than a formality. It didn't matter whether he participated in it or not.

It was more important for him to take the traitor of humanity back to the headquarters to be judged.

"It's fine, go ahead!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

Responding with a nod, Mu shi leaped up, and before long, he disappeared into the night sky.

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Chapter 891: The Four Emperors

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Back in Hongyuan royal palace...

After Zhang Xuan left, Yu Shenqing hurried to the residence where the Bodhi Saint Tree was and checked the surroundings. After confirming that there was no damage whatsoever, he heaved a deep sigh of relief.

The succeeding Principal Zhang was an outstanding man, possessing superior talent in cultivation, exceptional proficiency in his supporting occupations, amazing eye of discernment, and an upright character... But if one had to point out a flaw with that seemingly perfect man, it would be that he simply loved to cause destruction wherever he went.

Every time the other party paid the royal palace a visit, he would feel his heart beating swiftly in apprehension, fearing that the other party would tear the entire place down.

In truth, he was rather surprised when the other party managed to cure the Bodhi Saint Tree without tearing anything down the previous time.

"Your Majesty!" Shortly after Yu Shenqing returned to the imperial study, the old eunuch, Luo Fu, walked in.

"Un. What is the situation at the Cloudmist Ridge?" Yu Shenqing asked.

Considering the huge fuss at the Cloudmist Ridge, he, as the emperor of Hongyuan Empire, had been keeping an eye on it so that he could prepare swift countermeasures should the situation deteriorate. In fact, he had even commanded for all of the soldiers that could be mobilized in Hongyuan City to stand on guard so that they would be ready to move whenever the situation called for it.

Luo Fu clasped his fist and answered, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the battle between the Cloudmist Ridge and the Master Teacher Academy has already ceased!"

"The battle has ceased?" Yu Shenqing frowned.

Both sides had still been engaged in an intense battle earlier in the morning, neither side willing to give in to the other. How did the battle end so abruptly?

"School Head Mo personally went into the Cloudmist Ridge to negotiate with the enemy's kings, and shortly afterward, the battle halted," Luo Fu reported.

On the way to the Cloudmist Ridge, Zhang Xuan had been atop the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast all along, so no one except for the school heads and Mu shi knew that he was there.

"Negotiate?" A deep frown surfaced on Yu Shenqing's face. "Who was the one who proposed it?"

Proposing a negotiation was not any different from admitting defeat, and the side to propose it would be instantly placed in a disadvantageous position in the negotiations.

"The Master Teacher Academy was the one to propose the negotiation!" Luo Fu replied.

"The academy?" Yu Shenqing was taken aback.

The respected Master Teacher Academy admitted defeat to a bunch of beasts?

And School Head Mo had entered enemy grounds personally to conduct the negotiation on top of that?

This was... a little difficult to swallow...

"That's right. As the negotiation was conducted in the Cloudmist Ridge, our sources aren't able to get any concrete news on the outcome of the negotiation. However, earlier in the afternoon, the spirit beasts battling with the Master Teacher Academy withdrew from the battlefront!" Luo Fu said.

Most beasts were hostile toward humans, and the Cloudmist Ridge could be considered an embodiment of that trait. Even the elite scouts from the Hongyuan royal family were unable to obtain any intelligence from there.

After a moment of thought, Yu Shenqing nodded in realization. "They are probably making this compromise for the inauguration ceremony tomorrow."

The inauguration ceremony would begin at dawn, and even though the invitation letters had been delivered in a rush, most of the neighboring powers, especially the many Tier-1 Empires, would still send a representative over to attend the ceremony. If they were to witness a huge war between the Cloudmist Ridge and the humans instead, they might lose confidence in the capability of the succeeding principal.

"That is probably the case. I have already sent our scouts to infiltrate the Cloudmist Ridge to look into the results of the negotiation. The scouts should be able to get back to us before the inauguration ceremony!" Luo Fu said.

"Good!" Yu Shenqing nodded. Just as he was about to continue, a young eunuch abruptly rushed into the room.

The young eunuch swiftly kneeled onto the floor and greeted, "Your Majesty!"

"What happened?" Yu Shenqing frowned.

Given that the young eunuch had barged in so abruptly in the middle of the night, it was very likely that it was a matter of grave importance.

"The emperors of Tier-1 Empires Hongchi, Yuanjiang, Baituo, and Chiyao have arrived, and they are currently waiting in the Harmonious Heaven Hall!" the young eunuch reported.

"They have arrived? They sure are fast!" Yu Shenqing was taken aback for a moment before getting to his feet. "Let's head over to take a look!"

Even though the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy bore the name of Hongyuan Empire, its students encompassed master teachers from the surrounding Tier-1 Empires.

Hongchi, Yuanjiang, Baituo, and Chiyao were the four closest empires to Hongyuan Empire.

Upon hearing that a new principal was going to be inaugurated, their empires' leaders swiftly rushed over as a show of respect to him.

Walking into the Harmonious Heaven Hall, Yu Shenqing saw four middle-aged men sitting on the guest seats. A majestic aura seemed to linger around them, and with just a look, it was clear that each of them possessed exceptional strength.

To be able to become the monarch of a Tier-1 Empire, their cultivation must have at least reached Saint 1-dan pinnacle.

"Brother Zhu, Brother Han, Brother Shen, Brother Nie!" Yu Shenqing greeted them one by one. "It must have been tiring for you to rush over here in just three days!"

Even though their empires were located closest to Hongyuan Empire, it still must have been quite a rush for them to make it in less than three days.

"How can we be absent for the inauguration of the new principal?"

"The Master Teacher Academy is the foundation that ensures peace in the dozen Tier-1 Empires in the region. Given that a new leader is going to be inaugurated, we definitely had to make it on time for the ceremony, even if we did have to travel through the night!"

"It has been two years since the disappearance of the old principal. I am curious to see what the new principal will be like!"

...

The middle-aged men chuckled politely.

Each of these men wielded indisputable power in their own territories, but before the Master Teacher Academy, they still dared not pull their weight.

As soon as they received the invitation letter, they had swiftly put aside all of their work and rushed over.

After trading some pleasantries, one of the middle-aged men asked, "Oh right, I nearly forgot. I rushed here as soon as I received the letter, so even now, I still don't know who the new principal is. May I know who it will be? Is it School Head Zhao Bingxu or School Head Lu Feng?"

It was the emperor of Tier-1 Hongchi Empire, Zhu Yi.

After hearing his words, the others swiftly turned their gazes toward Yu Shenqing as well. In truth, the reason they had headed to the royal palace in the middle of the night, as soon as they arrived in Hongyuan City, was to find out who the succeeding principal would be so that they could prepare suitable gifts in advance.

Otherwise, if they were to end up giving, say, the head of the Blacksmith School some medicinal herbs, they might end up leaving a bad impression instead.

Hearing their guesses, a bitter smile surfaced on Yu Shenqing's lips, and he shook his head. "It is neither of them!"

Just like them, he had thought that the succeeding principal would surely be one of those two. But the outcome sure was unexpected...

"It is neither of them?"

The four emperors were stunned as they traded confused glances with one another. Zhu Yi clasped his fist once more and asked, "Then, may I ask Brother Yu to tell us which elder it will be so that we can make preparations in advance?"

"This..." Yu Shenqing hesitated.

It was not without reason that the identity of the succeeding principal had been kept a secret thus far. It was only through pulling some strings that he had managed to uncover it in advance, so he was unsure whether or not it was appropriate for him to reveal it.

One of the middle-aged men frowned. "What? The identity of the principal will be uncovered in the inauguration ceremony tomorrow; is Brother Yu unwilling to let us know just a few hours in advance?"

Yu Shenqing shook his head. "It's not that, but there is a reason the Master Teacher Academy chose not to reveal the identity of the succeeding principal in advance... It would be disrespectful of me to disregard the Master Teacher Academy and reveal it in advance..."

"It seems like Brother Yu doesn't trust us then! Just like you, the fates of our empires are also tied closely with the Master Teacher Academy. Since we are in the same plight, do you think that we will be so foolish as to leak the news to others easily?" Zhu Yi frowned in displeasure. "We only want to know it so that we can prepare some gifts in advance!"

"This... Alright then!"

Knowing that he would only gain the ire of the others if he were to continue attempting to conceal the identity of the succeeding principal, Yu Shenqing eventually relented with a nod. "This is a confidential secret of the academy, so I hope that you can remain silent about the matter before the inauguration ceremony!"

Since those present were emperors themselves, they should understand the possible implications that could come from the leakage of crucial intelligence. If some mishap were to occur to the succeeding principal, the Master Teacher Pavilion would surely investigate the matter and severely punish the ones responsible for leaking the confidential information.

As unlikely as it was, Yu Shenqing still felt that it was imperative for him to warn them sternly in advance.

"Don't worry about this!"

"How many years have we known each other? We aren't that kind of men!"

The others all replied sincerely.

With a slight wave of his hand, the confidential formation in the hall was activated, and Yu Shenqing informed them through zhenqi telepathy. "Alright. Based on the intelligence I received, the succeeding principal is Zhang Xuan!"

The four emperors glanced at one another in confusion.

"Zhang Xuan?"

They knew the names of the Ten Great Master Teachers, and they had even met most of them before. But Zhang Xuan... this name was extremely unfamiliar to them.

Zhu Yi couldn't help but ask, "Is Zhang shi from the headquarters?"

The others were also thinking the same thing as well.

The Master Teacher Academy shouldered the heavy responsibility of grooming young master teachers, who would eventually become the future of mankind. It was impossible for a nobody without any credentials or outstanding capability to become the leader of such a vital organization.

Since they had never heard of the name 'Zhang Xuan' before, it was highly likely that the other party might have come from the headquarters.

But... didn't the headquarters usually stay out of the affairs of the branches wherever possible?

Why would they suddenly dispatch a master teacher here and even appoint him as the principal?

Seeing the confusion in everyone's eyes, Yu Shenqing hurriedly explained, "This... He isn't from the headquarters, and he isn't an elder of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy either. He is... a freshman who enrolled into the academy just this year!"

"Freshman?"

"You are saying that a freshman who has just enrolled into the academy... is going to become its principal?"

Hearing that revelation, the four emperors froze in place, struck dumb by what they had just heard.

The Master Teacher Academy is a pillar of support of mankind and an inviolable existence in everyone's heart... Yet, a newly-enrolled freshman is going to become its principal?

You must be freaking kidding me!

"I know it's hard for you to accept this news all of the sudden, but this is the truth!" Yu Shenqing said with a conflicted expression.

He had hardly believed it himself when he first heard the news.

But after witnessing the many incredible means that Zhang shi possessed, he couldn't help but feel awed by Mu shi and the others' decisiveness and keen insight.

After a moment of silence, one of the middle-aged men asked, "What is Zhang shi's background?"

"Zhang shi is twenty this year, and he is currently a 4-star master teacher. Despite his young age, he has achieved a proficiency of 6-star for blacksmith, apothecary, physician, demonic tunist, and terpsichore. At the same time, he has shown exceptional prowess in the fields of beast taming, formations, and herbology as well. He is truly an outstanding genius that very few in history can rival!" Yu Shenqing said.

The four monarchs of Tier-1 Empires all exclaimed lividly.

"He has five 6-star supporting occupations? But even if he has that many supporting occupations, he is still a 4-star master teacher. What right does he have to become the principal?"

"Indeed! This world has no lack of talents! As long as he doesn't possess the corresponding capability required, I don't think that he is qualified to become the principal of the Master Teacher Academy!"

"I heard rumors on my way here that, for the inauguration ceremony tomorrow, the Master Teacher Academy went to the extent of lowering itself to negotiate with the beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge! Don't you think that the culture in the Master Teacher Academy has been slowly veering down the wrong path ever since the disappearance of the old principal?"

"I have also heard of the matter as well. How could the respected Master Teacher Academy stoop to the level of negotiating with beasts? This is preposterous! Now, they are even nominating a 4-star master teacher to be their principal... Just how low are they going to fall?"

They had heard about the battle between the Master Teacher Academy and the Cloudmist Ridge, and rumor had it that it was the Master Teacher Academy who had proposed the negotiations.

They had thought that just those rumors were already ridiculous, but to think that something even more ridiculous was awaiting them!

To nominate an immature twenty-year-old brat as the next principal of the Master Teacher Academy...

Just what were they thinking when they made such a decision?

Facing the vehement disapproval of the four emperors, Yu Shenqing had no idea how he should respond.

They had only heard Zhang shi's age and master teacher rank, so it was natural that they reacted in such a manner. One had to meet him in person to realize how incredible he was.

The several emperors stood up and declared their dissatisfaction furiously.

"We must definitely get to the bottom of this matter. Otherwise, our Hongchi Empire will never acknowledge Zhang shi as the next principal of the Master Teacher Academy!"

"Our Yuanjiang Empire also won't acknowledge Zhang shi as the next principal of the Master Teacher Academy!"

"Our Baituo Empire as well..."

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Chapter 892: Requirements for the 6-star Master Teacher Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While these empires didn't have any say in deciding the succeeding principal of the Master Teacher Academy, they did have a vote of confidence. If it was found that there was an overwhelming lack of trust in the succeeding principal, they could launch a formal petition to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters to look into this matter.

After all, the operation of the Master Teacher Academy was largely financed by the surrounding Tier-1 Empires.

The surrounding empires would often donate large sums of money to the Master Teacher Academy each year for their operations, and in exchange, the Master Teacher Academy would nurture their master teachers, thus bringing their national power to greater heights. An incapable principal could render their investment futile, and this was something that they weren't willing to see.

If there was widespread distrust in the capability of the principal, even the headquarters would have no choice but to reconsider the matter.

As the saying goes, 'the higher one stands, the greater the fall'. As powerful as the Master Teacher Pavilion was, they still had to maintain friendly ties with the surrounding nations. Otherwise, if it were to lose the support of the people, it would fall into decline, and the moment it showed a sign of vulnerability, the others would rush to push it over.

...

A similar sight was occurring in the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion as well.

Facing a large group of displeased pavilion masters, Mo Gaoyuan rubbed his glabella in frustration, not knowing how he should deal with the situation.

Since even the emperors of Hongchi, Yuanjiang, Baituo, and Chiyao had arrived, their corresponding Master Teacher Pavilion branches had also dispatched representatives.

Three pavilion masters and one vice pavilion master!

Upon hearing that the Master Teacher Academy would be inaugurating a 4-star master teacher as its principal, a huge commotion broke out amid the crowd.

As representatives of the Master Teacher Pavilions of Tier-1 Empires, their standing was equivalent to Mo Gaoyuan and the Ten Great Master Teachers, so they were qualified to question their judgement.

"Regardless of how capable the newly-appointed principal is, I object to this decision! Just watch how I make things difficult for him in the 'Question Symposium'!"

"How arrogant must a mere 4-star master teacher be to dream of becoming the principal of the Master Teacher Academy? He sure is taking all of us lightly!"

"Hah, if it was so easy to become the principal, the seat wouldn't have been empty for a whole two years!"

...

The several pavilion masters spoke with a cold glint in their eyes.

As esteemed master teachers themselves, they would be lying if they said that they harbored no intentions of becoming the principal themselves. If it had been a respected and capable master teacher who rose to the position, they would be nothing they could say about it. But a mere twenty-year-old 4-star master teacher... How could they possibly not oppose it?

...

In the Master Teacher Academy, many wounded students were gathered together with their faces livid with rage.

Peng!

Amongst them, a Grade-4 student abruptly slammed his palm forcefully on a table.

"How could the Master Teacher Academy actually admit defeat to a bunch of beasts? This is a huge humiliation to us as master teachers!"

"I heard that the elders just want to settle the conflict ahead of the inauguration ceremony, or else it might reflect badly on them."

"Preposterous! Are we going to toss aside the pride of mankind just for the pride of the new principal?"

"This is truly a huge disgrace to all master teachers! I would rather have died on the battlefield than attend this shameful inauguration ceremony!"

"As master teachers, we shoulder the fate of mankind. Yet, for the sake of their own pride, they actually chose to negotiate with those beasts. This is truly reprehensible!"

...

Rage was burning in the hearts of each and every student gathered there.

Busy with the inauguration ceremony, the school heads had chosen to conceal this matter from the students for the time being until everything settled down. As such, most of the students involved in the battle were unaware that the saint beasts and spirit beasts had already submitted to Zhang Xuan. They thought that the school heads had decided to surrender so that the inauguration ceremony could proceed smoothly.

Otherwise, considering how furiously the spirit beasts had bared their fangs at them, seemingly unwilling to rest until they had torn every human in sight into shreds, how could they willingly retreat from the battlefield?

"Right, do you know who the next principal is?" someone amid the crowd asked.

A couple of students shook their heads and replied, "I am not too sure!"

The Master Teacher Academy had kept a tight lid on this information, so not even they, as students, were unaware of the identity of the succeeding principal.

"Who cares who the next principal is? This is very first time that the academy has lowered its head to mere beasts since its establishment. A person like him is unworthy of respect! Why don't we start a protest at the inauguration ceremony tomorrow to force the succeeding principal to confess what kind of humiliating terms he had to agree to?" one person proposed.

"That's a good idea! It's settled then! I also want to know what kind of benefits he has promised those beasts for them to obediently return to the Cloudmist Ridge!"

Even though the students had no idea whom the next principal was, they were devoid of the slightest goodwill toward him due to this incident.

...

Oblivious to the fact that he had just won himself the hostility of countless men, at this very moment, Zhang Xuan was teaching Wei Ruyan suitable cultivation techniques for her constitution. By the time that was done, a new day had already set in.

Stretching lazily, Zhang Xuan was just about to have his breakfast when School Head Mo suddenly arrived at his manor.

"Principal Zhang, this is the flow of events for the inauguration ceremony later on. Take a look at it and familiarize yourself with it," School Head Mo said as he passed Zhang Xuan a jade token filled with words.

Taking a look at it, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The inauguration ceremony was indeed not as easy as he had thought. He would first be challenged by all of the teachers and students in the Question Symposium, and after which, he would have to pay respects to the many predecessors of the academy and seek their acknowledgement, and only then would he be able to gather the will of the teachers and students of the academy to form the Principal's Seal and become the true principal of the academy.

Last but not least, he would have to conduct a public lecture.

Each of these events was extremely troublesome, and the inauguration ceremony would take half a day at the very least.

But of course, considering that he was going to become the principal of the Master Teacher Academy that protected the surrounding dozen Tier-1 Empires, if he didn't go through this much, it would be hard for him to win the support of the masses.

Noting Principal Zhang's silence, School Head Mo feared that he might be unfamiliar with some of the procedures, so he began explaining them. "The Question Symposium is a challenge from the academy's teachers and students to the succeeding principal. As long as you perform well, you should be able to increase your recognition level. Typically speaking, the questions will be posed by a representative of the students, a representative of the teachers, and a representative by the other Master Teacher Pavilions, and they will be concerning cultivation or supporting occupations. Considering the deep knowledge that Zhang shi possesses, it shouldn't pose a problem at all!"

Given how even Principal Zhang's students were able to conduct a lecture that could leave all listeners in a trance, little had to be said about the teacher's capability.

In truth, the Question Symposium served as a platform for the new principal to showcase his capability and win the support of the masses.

"As for paying respects to the predecessors, considering Principal Zhang's astounding talent, even though you aren't a 6-star master teacher yet, you already have six 6-star supporting occupations, so it is only a matter of time before you clear the examination. Thus, it shouldn't be a problem for you to win their acknowledgement.

"Last but not least, gathering the wills of the teachers and students in order to form the Principal's Seal is, on the contrary, the most difficult aspect of the entire ceremony. No matter how formidable a master teacher is, it is impossible to obtain everyone's recognition. It is inevitable that there would be those who object to your inauguration as the principal. Despite the incredible prestige that the old principal wielded prior to his inauguration, he still only managed to form the Golden Principal's Seal."

"Golden Principal's Seal?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

"Un. The more teachers and students who recognize you as their principal, the more wills you will be able to gather, and the higher the tier of the Principal's Seal formed from them will be. Typically speaking, it can be divided into four tiers, Platinum, Golden, Copper, and Iron!" School Head Mo explained.

"To form the Copper Principal's Seal, one will require the earnest recognition from half of the entire academy's populace. As for the Golden Principal's Seal, one will require sixty percent recognition level, and the Platinum Principal's Seal will require seventy percent. Ever since the founding of the Master Teacher Academy more than ten thousand years ago, only two principals have managed to form the Platinum Principal's Seal!

"One of them was the founder of our Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Mu Kai! Mu shi was an earnest man who viewed every student as his own child. Back then, when a devastating war broke out, he charged to the frontlines and led the students bravely, suffering more than 130 deep cuts in that battle. After which, he even emptied out his entire fortune to treat the students wounded in the battle... It was such a sincere heart that won him the recognition of most students in the academy!"

"The other one to achieve that feat was Principal Mo Liuzhen four thousand years ago. Principal Mo was truly an incredible talent who dominated his era, and the accomplishments he had achieved back in his time don't even pale in comparison to yours!" Upon speaking about Principal Mo Liuzhen, a hint of admiration couldn't help but surface in the depths of School Head Mo's eyes.

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan remarked in curiosity.

He had thought that he was one-of-a-kind to get into huge incidents one after another from the moment of he arrived in the Master Teacher Academy... Could Principal Mo be one of his kind too?

"Principal Mo isn't as big of a troublemaker as you..." Seemingly seeing through Zhang Xuan's thoughts, School Head Mo replied reflexively before turning red after realizing what he had said.

As an elder of the academy, it was extremely disrespectful of him to call the principal a troublemaker.

However, seeing that the other party didn't fly into a rage, he heaved a sigh of relief inside. "From the moment Principal Mo arrived in the academy, he broke records all around. To date, the academy's Mountain of Records is still filled with his accomplishments. Even after four thousand years, there has still not been anyone who could surpass his feats..."

"Mountain of Records?" Zhang Xuan was surprised by the foreign term.

Despite having been in the academy for so long, he had never heard of such a place.

"It is normal that Zhang shi is unaware of it. The Mountain of Records is the place where the 6-star master teacher examination is conducted. No one has challenged the 6-star master teacher examination this semester, so it has been closed the whole time," School Head Mo replied.

"The previous time it opened was half a year ago when Hu Yaoyao and the others challenged it!"

"Hu Yaoyao?"

School Head Mo nodded. "Indeed. According to the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion, one has to be a Half-Saint at minimum to qualify as a 6-star master teacher. Otherwise, one can only be considered a half 6-star. However, the couple of them still managed to receive their 6-star emblems, and this is because they have reached the third stage in the Mountain of Records!

"The Mountain of Records serves as a platform to examine a master teacher's cultivation and fighting prowess. To be able to reach the third stage means that their fighting prowess is already nearly on par with a Half-Saint. On top of that, they had also passed all of the preceding examinations, so they were given the 6-star master teacher emblem!"

"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded, and after contemplating for a moment, he asked, "Other than six 6-star supporting occupations, what else is required to take the 6-star master teacher examination?"

Currently, Zhang Xuan had already fulfilled the requirement of six 6-star supporting occupations, and two of them were even at 7-star.

However, there could still be some prerequisites which he might be unaware of.

"Supporting occupations, Soul Depth, and cultivation, these are the three fundamental requirements for one's qualification to take the master teacher examination!" School Head Mo said.

"You have already met the requirement for supporting occupations. As for Soul Depth, the requirement for a 6-star master teacher is 18.0, and considering that you were able to beguile You Xu easily with the Impartation of Heaven's Will, that means that your Soul Depth is not a problem.

"And as for cultivation, the minimal requirement for a 6-star master teacher is Chrysalis realm pinnacle. Considering that you are only at Chrysalis realm primary stage, you are still lacking a little. However, if you can clear the third stage in the Mountain of Records as well, you should be able to earn the qualifications to take the examination!

"After meeting these three fundamental requirements, what remains is the test to evaluate your accomplishments as a master teacher. This test can come in many forms, and the more common ones are through evaluating one's students, conducting a lecture, and offering pointers on the spot to a stranger!"

School Head Mo hesitated for a moment before saying, "However, I fear that the difficulty for you will be higher than others. After all, given your identity, there will be many who will keep an eye on your actions. If you choose the easier routes, I fear that others might doubt your capability... Most likely, you will be pressured into taking on the most difficult test of all—Empire Building!"

"Empire Building?" Zhang Xuan frowned in incomprehension.

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Chapter 893: Teaching Zhang Xuan a Lesson?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

What he was going to take was the master teacher examination, how did 'Empire Building' come into the picture?

Master teacher examinations were centered around nurturing and guiding others, it shouldn't have anything to do with governance or anything of the sort.

Noticing Zhang Xuan's doubts, School Head Mo asked with a smile, "Principal Zhang, based on your journey here from Tianxuan Kingdom, what do you think the greatest difference between a kingdom and an empire is?"

"Difference?" Zhang Xuan frowned. He contemplated for a moment before replying, "The tier of the local Master Teacher Pavilions!"

Conferred Empire, Tier-1 Empire, Tier-2 Empire, Conferred Kingdom, Tier-1 Kingdom, Tier-2 Kingdom... The main difference between nations of differing classifications was their national strength.

And the biggest contributing factor to the difference in national strength was the Master Teacher Pavilion!

Master teachers nurtured the cultivators in the region they resided in, and the more capable a master teacher was, the stronger the students they taught would be. A capable master teacher could easily cause growth in a nation's power through their teachings.

Putting everything aside, if Tianxuan Kingdom had a 6-star master teacher, the entire kingdom would surely undergo overwhelming changes, and it would only be a matter of time before it became a Tier-1 Empire.

The chain effects that could be brought about by a powerful Master Teacher Pavilion were also significant. Not only would the locals grow stronger, it would also draw in experts to join the ranks of the nation.

At the same time, it would also attract the other occupations to establish a branch in the area as well, such as a Beast Hall, Apothecary Guild, Blacksmith Guild... These occupation guilds would provide the resources required for the nurturing of experts. With all of these in place, it would be difficult for a nation to not become strong!

Tianxuan Kingdom was only an Unranked Kingdom, but if it had a Master Teacher Pavilion in it, it could have been easily promoted to a Tier-2 Kingdom.

"Indeed, it's the tier of the local Master Teacher Pavilion!" School Head Mo nodded. "The higher the tier of the local Master Teacher Pavilion, the greater the nation's potential for growth. This can be said to be an unsaid truth in the Master Teacher Continent. Rather than say that Master Teacher Pavilions were built in kingdoms and empires, it would be more accurate to say that kingdoms and empires were built around Master Teacher Pavilions! Just take Hongyuan Empire for example, the main reason it has been able to withstand the trial of time, even though the surrounding empires have gone through numerous dynasties, is because there is a Master Teacher Academy here!"

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Even though a Master Teacher Pavilion didn't necessarily dictate the prosperity and decline of a nation, one thing was for sure—wherever a Master Teacher Pavilion existed, experts would gather, and enemies dared not invade.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had understood what he was driving at, School Head Mo continued.

"Ordinary master teachers taking the 6-star master teacher examination will be evaluated based on their individual actions and accomplishments, but you aren't an ordinary master teacher. You are the principal of the Master Teacher Academy. You are no longer an individual but the symbol of our entire academy.

"For Empire Building, the examinee is to choose a Conferred Kingdom, and through his prowess as an individual, he is to rebuild the local Master Teacher Pavilion and successfully raise the nation to become an empire! This is a test that assesses not only one's capability as an individual but one's grasp of an entire situation as well. It is an extremely difficult test!"

"I see..." Zhang Xuan's lips began twitching uncontrollably. Turning to School Head Mo, he muttered hesitantly, "This... Is it too late for me to turn down the position as the academy's principal?"

"..." School Head Mo.

"If I had known that it would be so troublesome, I never would have agreed to it," Zhang Xuan complained grudgingly.

He only agreed to the position because he was told he would be granted access to all of the books in the academy. On top of that, with School Head Mo and School Head Zhao around, he thought that he wouldn't have to bother with most miscellaneous affairs regarding the academy as well.

Who would have thought that not only would the inauguration ceremony be so troublesome, he would even have a face a higher level of difficulty for his 6-star master teacher examination... If he had known in advance, he never would have accepted such a troublesome role!

He would have chosen to remain an ordinary master teacher, take an ordinary 6-star master teacher, achieve a breakthrough to Saint realm ordinarily, and turn around and leave... But this... he was now trapped on the darned ship known as the Master Teacher Academy!

Truly, a single mistake leads to a regret of a lifetime!

Zhang Xuan could only sigh endlessly.

"Cough cough!" Choking on his saliva, School Head Mo turned to Zhang Xuan with a look of speechlessness. "Even though your 6-star master teacher examination will be harder than anyone else, clearing it will strengthen your foundation more than the others, thus making it easier for you to be promoted subsequently. This is also the reason why most talented master teachers opt to take on the more difficult examinations as well. Not only will it temper them, it will also help pave a way ahead of them."

If anyone else was nominated to become the principal, they would surely be so overwhelmed by delight that they could spend multiple days celebrating. Yet, Principal Zhang was even complaining about it grudgingly...

If Lu Feng were to learn of your response, would he just spurt a mouthful of blood and die on the spot?

Lu Feng put so much into claiming the principal's seat, only for his efforts to end in futility. On the other hand, the position landed in your lap so easily, and yet, you are still so reluctant about it...

"What do you mean by 'it makes it easier for me to be promoted subsequently'?"

"Oh, it means that as long as you clear the Empire Building test, you will be able to apply for the 7-star master teacher emblem just by meeting the three fundamental prerequisites. You won't have to undergo the 7-star master teacher examination!" School Head Mo explained.

"In other words, as long as you clear this test, you will receive a free pass to becoming a 7-star master teacher! All you will have to do then is to raise your cultivation, temper your Soul Depth, and practice your supporting occupations!"

"There's actually such a good thing in the world?" Hearing that, the slightly frustrated Zhang Xuan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Every master teacher examination consisted of extremely troublesome procedures, filled with many rules and restrictions. If he could get a free pass to becoming a 7-star master teacher by clearing this test, it would definitely be worth the additional effort!

"Indeed!" School Head Mo nodded.

But one thing School Head Mo had neglected to tell Zhang Xuan was that even though the Empire Building test allowed one to skip the 7-star master teacher examination, raising a Conferred Kingdom into an empire was no easy task. On top of that, not only did it have a high requirement on one's eye of discernment, ability to impart knowledge, and reputation, more importantly, it required time!

Raising a Conferred Kingdom into an Unranked Empire didn't just take a couple of experts here and there but a steady foundation that could sustain the prosperity of the nation as well!

But building a steady foundation was bound to take a long period of time. Back then, Principal Mo Liuzhen had also opted to take on this test, and despite his incredible capability, he had still spent three whole years on it!

"Alright, I have decided. I will take on the Empire Building test for my 6-star master teacher examination!" Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.

"..." School Head Mo fell silent.

Why did it seem as if their principal seemed to take things too lightly?

This was the most difficult test of the 6-star master teacher examination, and most master teachers would flee as far as they could as soon as they heard of this test. To agree to it without any hesitation, shouldn't he at least consider it for a little longer?

Even if he had made up his mind, he should at least give a troubled frown or something so as to show some respect for the difficulty of the examination!

To agree it without any hesitation, was he truly confident or did he not understand the difficulty of the test?

School Head Mo opened his mouth for a moment before closing it hesitantly and shook his head.

Their principal was always able to accomplish the unbelievable, producing miracles that others thought impossible.

Take the battle against the Cloudmist Ridge for example, he had honestly thought that they were heading there to negotiate with the Ten Indomitable Kings, but who knew that their principal was actually intending to overturn the other party's nest!

Perhaps, the most difficult Empire Building in the eyes of most master teachers could really be nothing at all to him.

Taking a glance at the sky to determine the time, School Head Mo realized that it was about time to begin the final preparations for the inauguration ceremony, so he decided to put the matter aside for the time being. "Principal Zhang, we should head to the academy now. School Head Zhao has worked together with the Celestial Designer School to design a special robe for you. You should head over to see if it fits!"

"There is even a special robe?" Zhang Xuan exclaimed before realization struck him.

As the succeeding principal inaugurating into the Master Teacher Academy, he would surely have to dress up well so as to leave a good impression on the attending crowd. Naturally, an ordinary master teacher robe wouldn't do.

Thus, the duo left the manor and headed for the academy.

The Master Teacher Academy was bustling with people. There were many esteemed guests and powerful experts attending the inauguration ceremony, be it the various clans in Hongyuan City or influential figures from the nearby empires. It sure was a rare festive occasion that one might not even witness once in a century.

In order to avoid unneeded trouble, the duo rode the Inferno Dragon Saint Beast straight to the Elder Hall.

...

Crowds flowed in and out of the Master Teacher Academy, and the entire place was bustling wherever one's gaze fell on.

Walking along a broad street, a young man asked, "Ruohuan, you are the most well-connected of us. Do you know who the succeeding principal is?"

Standing in front of him was a white-robed young man who held a foldable fan in his hands. That white-robed young man had a dashing appearance reminiscent of a young master from a prestigious clan.

He was Ruohuan gongzi, who had come to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy along with Zhang Xuan from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance.

And the one speaking behind him was also an old friend of Zhang Xuan's, one of the founders of the Xuanxuan Faction... Song Chao!

"How would I know?" Ruohuan gongzi shook his head and replied. "The identity of the succeeding principal is a tightly-guarded secret of the academy, so we will probably only learn of it during the inauguration ceremony."

Even though the Xuanxuan Faction had nearly half of the students in the academy as its members, they were still unable to uncover the identity of the succeeding principal.

"Anyone will do as long as it isn't School Head Lu Feng... He has a grudge with our faction leader, and if he becomes the principal, our Xuanxuan Faction won't be too far away from being dissipated!" Song Chao said worriedly.

"Indeed. Let's just hope for the best!" Shaking his head, Ruohuan gongzi sighed deeply.

The next moment, a young man abruptly rushed up to them anxiously and asked, "Ruohuan, do you know where our faction leader is at the moment?"

He was one of the members of the Xuanxuan Faction as well, a Grade-3 student.

"Why are you looking for our faction leader so anxiously?" Ruohuan gongzi asked with a frown.

Honestly speaking, their faction leader sure was irresponsible, leaving the work of managing the faction all to them. In fact, the other party had even disappeared from the academy without any notice a few days ago, and there was no news whatsoever about where the other party was now.

The young man surveyed the surroundings carefully before speaking in a hushed voice. "It's like this. I was on my way to the training grounds to find a seat and await the start of the inauguration ceremony when I suddenly encountered some suspicious-looking fellows. They were asking around for the whereabouts of our faction leader, and it seems like they are up to no good..."

"They are trying to find the whereabouts of our faction leader?" Ruohuan gongzi frowned.

"That's right!" The young man nodded.

Half of the entire academy's populace were members of the Xuanxuan Faction, so it didn't take long for those fellows asking around for Zhang Xuan's whereabouts to catch the attention of its faction members.

"Take me over to take a look!" Ruohuan gongzi instructed before abruptly stopping for a brief moment. "Wait a moment. Call Ying Qin and the others over first!"

"Yes!"

The young man rushed off, and in just a few minutes' time, he returned with Ying Qin, Bai Mian, and the others behind him.

"Alright, let's head over to take a look together!" Seeing that everyone was gathered, Ruohuan gongzi gestured for the young man to lead the way.

Not too long later, under the lead of the young man, they found eight peculiarly-dressed fellows walking around the academy. They were scanning their surroundings warily as they moved, stopping passers-by from time to time to ask if they were aware of Zhang Xuan's whereabouts.

But considering how even Ruohuan gongzi had no idea where Zhang Xuan was at the moment, it was natural that those students were even more oblivious to it.

Approaching slowly with their ears pricked up, they soon heard those peculiarly-dressed fellows whispering discreetly among themselves.

"Why isn't there anyone who knows about the location of that Zhang Xuan? Young Master Liu has ordered us to teach that fellow a lesson, and we will be in a great deal of trouble if we mess this matter up. Could that fellow have learned of our plans in advance somehow, and he chose to hide himself out of fright?" a man with a scar on his face said with a conflicted expression.

He had already asked many passers-by, and while all of them seemed to know who Zhang Xuan was, there was not a single person who knew where he was. This had left him extremely troubled.

"They intend to teach our faction leader a lesson? Hah, so they are enemies after all!"

Hearing those words, Ruohuan gongzi, Song Chao, and the others traded gazes and nodded in unison, seemingly coming to an agreement.

To dare to teach their faction leader a lesson, they were truly courting death!

Since that's the case, allow us to show you the prowess of our Xuanxuan Faction!

You had better pray that your hearts are strong enough to not die of fright once you realize who you have just crossed!

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Chapter 894: He Is the Principal?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Ruohuan gongzi carefully analyzed the cultivation of the eight peculiarly-dressed men before remarking, "Those fellows do possess some strength!"

While they had learned that those fellows were enemies, it would have been unwise to rush in recklessly without gaining an understanding of their strength.

It seemed like the eight of them were all Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ethereal Treading realm experts, and on top of that, they carried an aura of callousness from the battlefield with them, which hinted that they might be veteran fighters who had gone through many battles in their life.

If their deductions were correct, they should be from the military.

After a moment of contemplation, Ruohuan gongzi instructed, "Song Chao, the rest of you should return to the headquarters for now to make preparations, I will find a way to lure them over shortly after!"

"Alright!" Song Chao nodded before leading the others away.

Waiting for a moment longer after the others had disappeared in the distance, Ruohuan gongzi took in a deep breath and walked up to the group of eight with a bright smile on his face.

"Friends, I heard that you were looking for Zhang Xuan?"

"Indeed. You know where he is?"

The group of eight were still troubled over this matter a moment ago, so upon hearing Ruohuan gongzi's words, their eyes immediately lit up, and they hurriedly turned their gazes over.

"Of course I do! In fact, I am his closest friend in the academy! Why don't I take you to him?" Ruohuan gongzi offered with an earnest and amicable smile.

"That would be great!"

Seeing that someone was willing to lead the way to their target, the eight of them nearly leaped up from sheer joy.

As expected of the Master Teacher Academy, the students here were indeed friendly and kind!

It was no wonder everyone hoped to enroll here. Just their manners toward strangers in itself was commendable!

"I will be troubling you then..." A young man, seemingly the leader of the group of eight, stepped forward and clasped his fist.

"There is no need to stand on ceremony. As a master teacher, it is my duty to help those in need!" Ruohuan gongzi spoke righteously as he led the way.

Not too long later, the group finally arrived at the headquarters of the Xuanxuan Faction. At this very moment, gathered in the massive square at the center of the headquarters were over ten thousand students.

"Why are there so many people here? Where is Zhang Xuan?"

Upon seeing that there were so many master teachers in here, the group of eight couldn't help but feel their hair standing on ends as an ominous premonition fell on them.

"Ah, I guess you aren't too familiar with the workings of the Master Teacher Academy. This is the freshman dormitory, and as a student who has only enrolled earlier this year, Zhang Xuan naturally resides here too. The recent batch of freshmen enrolled into the academy is larger than usual, so there are more of us residing here this year. Don't worry, everyone in there is a master teacher, so they won't bite!" Ruohuan gongzi said with a welcoming smile as he gestured the group in.

Even though the group of eight felt a little wary at the situation before them, recalling that they were currently in the Master Teacher Academy, they decided to toss aside their worries and enter.

Before long, they were already standing in the middle of the square, amid the huge crowd.

At this point, Ruohuan gongzi abruptly came to a halt and declared loudly, "Alright, everyone. Here are the men who proclaimed that they would teach our faction leader a lesson!

"Give them the beating of their life, make them spill out the name of the mastermind behind them!"

"Alright!"

"To dare cross our faction leader, you must be tired of living!"

...

Before the group of eight could process what was going on, blows were already raining down on them, striking every inch of their bodies.

Fists, feet, metal pipes, bricks, flower pots, chairs... and even sandals!

Pili pala!

Before they had even met Zhang Xuan, they were already pummeled to the point where they were about to forget their own names...

Their eyes gradually turned moist, and before long, they were bawling sorrowfully...

The hell! Who was the one who said that master teachers were friendly and kind?

Who was the one who said that the Master Teacher Academy was a safe haven, and it was impossible for anything bad to happen there?

Just who in the world did they provoke for them to deserve such treatment?

...

Ten minutes later, the eight Ethereal Treading realm soldiers were lying flat on the ground, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably as if electricity was running through their veins.

Even though most of the members of the Xuanxuan Faction were freshmen, possessing cultivation at only the Consonant Spirit realm or so, there were simply too many of them! Ten thousand men attacking eight men simultaneously... No matter how powerful the group of eight was, it was impossible for their sixteen hands to fend off against twenty thousand hands simultaneously!

At the current moment, their faces were bruised all over, and there was not a single patch of uninjured skin on them.

Seeing that the group of eight was already on the verge of dying, Ruohuan gongzi had the crowd stop before walking forward to begin his interrogation.

Having suffered a vicious beating, both their minds and bodies were already at their limits. As such, they ended up confessing obediently.

"The ones who ordered us to teach Zhang Xuan a lesson are Liu Quan and Shen Jun from the Four Great Clans. They said that as long as we do this well, they will give us ten high-tier spirit stones..." the young man with a scar on his face said.

He could only be considered an acquaintance of Liu Qian's from the military, so there was no need for him to hide the secret for him.

"Where are Shen Jun and Liu Quan now?" Ruohuan gongzi continued asking.

"They should be in the Master Teacher Academy now. We agreed to meet at the gazebo by the lake to make the trade once we accomplished our mission," the young man hurriedly replied.

"Un." Ruohuan gongzi nodded before beckoning the crowd. "Go, let's take a look!"

Thus, the many members of the Xuanxuan Faction began marching together toward the lake located at the center of the Master Teacher Academy.

...

In one of the gazebos by the lake stood Shen Jun and Liu Quan. They had their hands behind their backs as they gazed at the lake glistening under the warm rays of the sun, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

A light breeze blew, bringing forth light ripples on the surface of the lake.

"They should be done teaching Zhang Xuan a lesson by now, right?" Shen Jun asked.

That fellow had put him in a spot during Princess Yu Fei-er's birthday banquet. He wouldn't be able to quell the rage in his heart unless he returned the favor to the other party.

"Young Master Shen, we have known each other for a long time; when have I failed before?" Liu Quan chuckled softly. "The men I have gathered this time are acquaintances from the military. They are capable individuals who possess the cultivation of Ethereal Treading realm; subduing that Zhang Xuan will be a walk in the park for them! On top of that, given the shallow ties we have, no one will be able to trace the matter back to us!"

"That would be for the best! It doesn't matter whether that fellow finds out that it was me or not, the important matter is for Fei-er to never learn of it..." Shen Jun nodded.

"Don't worry!" Liu Quan patted Shen Jun's back and reassured him. However, just as he was about to continue speaking, two master teachers suddenly walked into the gazebo and asked, "Pardon me, may I know if you are Young Master Shen Jun and Young Master Liu Quan?"

"Indeed, we are." Seeing two unfamiliar faces verifying their identities, the duo frowned in confusion, unsure of what was going on. Just as they were about to ask what business the other party had with them, the vision before them abruptly blurred. Two specially created gunny sacks had been placed over their heads.

And following which...

Pili pala!

Sharp pain abruptly assaulted every single part of their body. In that instant, the both of them felt as if over ten thousand men were assaulting them simultaneously, trampling on their bodies viciously.

...

After an unknown period of time, the duo finally awoke.

Attempting to get up, a sharp pain immediately assaulted them, leaving them writhing in pain. Only then did they realize that there was not a single part of their bodies that was still intact. Broken bones, bruised face, shattered teeth... Even if their parents were here at this very moment, it was doubtful they would be able to recognize their own children!

They hadn't done anything since arriving at the Master Teacher Academy, but they suddenly found themselves being pummeled so viciously.

To make things worse, they didn't even know the culprit behind it...

Who can tell me what is going on?

After a long period of time, the duo spat through clenched jaws, "It must be Zhang Xuan!"

No matter how foolish they were, the only one they had a feud with in the Master Teacher Academy was Zhang Xuan.

They had come here to teach Zhang Xuan a lesson, only to be pummeled themselves... They would never believe it if the latter wasn't the one pulling the strings behind this incident!

"Young Master Shen, what should we do?" Liu Quan asked.

"What else can we do? Let's return to our own manors and report the matter to the clan head. We must make sure to teach that fellow a harsh lesson. He shall learn that the members of the Four Great Clans aren't people a pesky fellow like him can afford to cross..." Shen Jun bellowed furiously.

In their current state, it was impossible for them to attend the inauguration ceremony.

Since that was the case, they could only return to their homes to report this matter to their fathers so as to have them get back at Zhang Xuan for them.

Since you dared to raise your fist against us, let us see if your fist will be tough enough to stand against the prowess of two of the Four Great Clans!

...

The enormous training grounds of the Master Teacher Academy was packed with men. There had to be at least a hundred thousand men gathered in the area.

This was where the inauguration ceremony would be held. The emperors and pavilion masters of the neighboring empires, along with the experts of all kinds of powers, had assembled there to witness the grand ceremony welcoming the next principal of the Master Teacher Academy.

"It's about to begin!"

"The new principal must be either School Head Zhao or School Head Lu. Even though they are still lacking slightly compared to the old principal, they are currently the two most capable and respected elders in the academy!"

"Indeed. It's truly a pity that the old principal went missing, and to date, we still don't know whether he is dead or alive! However, based on the information leaked out from the academy, it doesn't look positive!"

"I heard that the succeeding principal was the one who proposed a negotiation with the Cloudmist Ridge. I think that he owes us an explanation for that!"

"You're right! How could he stoop so low to bow to mere beasts? In any case, I will never approve of this. Let's make him spill out what shameful terms he had to promise the Cloudmist Ridge in order to make them retreat!"

...

Such discussions could be heard from the crowds beneath. Everyone's eyes were gathered on the highest pedestal in the center of the square, curious to know who the succeeding principal would be!

Hu!

Amidst the discussions, a few elders abruptly flew across the air.

"Silence!"

The one who spoke was Zhao Bingxu.

Everyone was taken aback.

If Zhao Bingxu had appeared here at this very moment, did it mean that the succeeding principal was... Lu Feng?

Even though they were overwhelmed by curiosity, the crowd still quietened down.

"It has been two years since the old principal went missing, and since then, the Master Teacher Academy has become divided. Even though it is fortunate that nothing severe has come out of it, the Master Teacher Academy cannot continue on in such a state. Thus, three days ago, under Mu shi's leadership, the Ten Great Master Teachers unanimously decided on our next principal!"

Zhao Bingxu's powerful voice echoed throughout the entire square, allowing each and every one of the hundred thousand gathered there to hear his words clearly.

"Today, we shall witness the inauguration ceremony of our next principal. I believe that with the capability of our new principal, our Master Teacher Academy will be brought to greater heights! With this, let's begin the first formality of the inauguration ceremony. First and foremost, let's welcome our new principal to the stage!"

As Zhao Bingxu's voice came to a halt, a figure slowly walked through the crowd, heading toward the stage.

Upon seeing this figure, everyone was stunned, especially the students of the Master Teacher Academy. Their eyes were bulging from their sockets, unable to believe what they were seeing?

"What is our faction leader doing?"

"Is he trying to exact vengeance on School Head Lu by messing up the inauguration ceremony?"

"It's one thing for him to wreak havoc in the Apothecary School and empty it of its students and teachers, that is at least still an internal conflict within the academy, but there are many outsiders watching here today!"

"This is bad. Someone, hurry and stop our faction leader!"

The members of the Xuanxuan Faction were scared out of their wits, and some of faint-hearted ones even nearly blacked out.

They knew that their faction leader was a troublemaker, but this was the inauguration ceremony of the new principal. Countless foreign master teachers, emperors, and influential figures were witnessing the ceremony... To cause trouble at such an important ceremony was no different from seeking death!

If the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters were to learn of this, the consequences were not something that their faction leader could bear!

"Teacher? What is... teacher doing?"

"Teacher..."

Not only were the members of the Xuanxuan Faction aghast, Luo Qiqi, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, and Zheng Yang were also horror-struck.

No one had informed them that Zhang Xuan was the succeeding principal of the Master Teacher Academy, so they were unaware of the matter. As such, they also thought that their teacher was heading up to the stage in order to cause trouble...

Just as nearly everyone was bewildered, unsure of what was going on, Zhao Bingxu's voice sounded once more.

"Alright, allow me to formally introduce the next principal of our Master Teacher Academy to everyone... Zhang shi!"

"The next principal?"

"Our faction leader is our next principal?"

"This... How can this be possible?"

The entire training grounds fell deathly silent for a brief instant before a huge ruckus swept through the crowd like a wave. Every single person, be it student or teacher, widened their eyes in astonishment, and for that instant, they thought that the world had gone insane.

Zhao Bingxu, Lu Feng, Mo Zhu, Zhong Dingchun, Jiang Qingqin, Wei Ranxue...

If it had been any of them, they would only have been surprised at the very most...

But this fellow...

Can anyone freaking tell me what is going on?

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Chapter 895: Challenging the Principal

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Is this Zhang shi whom you spoke about? He is much younger than I expected!"

In the area of the training grounds where the emperors were seated, Zhu Yi frowned in displeasure.

He had already learned that the succeeding principal was only a twenty-year-old 4-star master teacher a few hours ago from Yu Shenqing, but even though he had known this was going to happen, it didn't stop him from doubting his eyes when he saw an incredibly young man heading toward the stage.

Never in the history of the Master Teacher Academy had anyone that young become the principal!

Were the Ten Great Master Teachers out of their minds? How could they nominate such a young brat as the principal?

"Didn't Mu shi nominate Zhang shi as the principal too? Where is he?" one of the emperors asked.

Hearing those words, the others scanned the surroundings as well, but they couldn't find Mu shi anywhere.

"Mu shi has left last night due to some urgent matters cropping up," Yu Shenqing explained.

"Left last night? Urgent matters cropping up?" Zhu Yi sneered coldly. "More like he doesn't wish to watch this farce unfold!"

In Zhu Yi's view, nominating a twenty-year-old brat as the principal of the Master Teacher Academy was, in itself, a huge farce.

"Brother Zhu, don't jump to conclusions so quickly. You might have a different view of Zhang shi once you get to know him better..." Seeing that Zhu Yi was so prejudiced against Zhang Xuan, Yu Shenqing sighed deeply. Knowing that it was impossible to change the other party's view with just words, he could only say those words.

"Let's just hope that is the case," Zhu Yi replied perfunctorily.

...

The same sight was also occurring in the area where the heads of the regional Master Teacher Pavilion were seated. Upon seeing that the succeeding principal was so young, their faces turned livid.

Zhang Xuan had also noticed the commotion below, but he paid it no heed and continued walking calmly onto the stage.

He knew that for someone as young as him to become the principal, it was natural that there were many who doubted his capability.

Ignoring the discussions below, Zhao Bingxu announced, "Zhang shi might be young, but he possesses exceptional talent and capability. He has received the unanimous approval of Mu shi and the Ten Great Master Teachers to take the position of the 104th principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!

"We shall proceed on with the first formality, the Question Symposium! Is there anyone who wishes to pose a question to Principal Zhang?"

An elder immediately stood up as soon as Zhao Bingxu finished speaking. "I have a question for Principal Zhang!"

The head of the Hongchi Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Wu Weitian!

Wu Weitian was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, and he possessed exceptional standing and respect in the surrounding empires. Back then, in the selection of the Ten Great Master Teachers of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, he had lost to Zhao Bingxu by only a single vote. Had that not been the case, he would have been the head of the Blacksmith School at this very moment.

"May I know what kind of question Wu shi has for our principal?" Zhao Bingxu frowned.

The convention was to have several representatives pose the questions.

For Wu Weitian to speak up so abruptly, it was clear that the other party was intent on causing trouble. However, the other party possessed a standing equivalent to his, so Zhao Bingxu didn't have the right to reprimand the other party for his actions.

"The principal of the Master Teacher Academy must possess superior strength, or else how could he command the respect of the masses?" Wu Weitian said as a powerful aura burst forth from him.

"I am Wu Weitian, the pavilion master of Hongchi Empire. While my standing might be beneath that of Principal Zhang, I wish to challenge Principal Zhang to a cultivation duel. I hope that you can accede to my request!"

"A cultivation duel?"

"He is clearly trying to humiliate that young lad there..."

"Indeed! That lad is only twenty years old. Even if he started cultivating from his mother's womb, how strong can he possibly get? On the other hand, Wu Weitian is a pavilion master, so little has to be said about his prowess. To challenge that lad to a cultivation duel... he sure isn't giving that lad any face at all!"

...

Hearing Wu shi's words, a disturbance rippled through the crowd.

A master teacher's capability to impart knowledge and nurture the capability of others was important, but without sufficient power, it would be difficult to command respect from others, and the master teacher's credibility would be called into question as well.

It was just like how a Transcendent Mortal master teacher would never be able to guide a Saint realm cultivator in their cultivation; even if the Transcendent Mortal master teacher did indeed possess deep knowledge of Saint realm cultivation, he would have to find a way to win the trust of the Saint realm cultivator first!

To challenge the new principal to a cultivation duel right from the start, it could be said that Wu shi was intending to humiliate him through and through.

"Wu shi, Principal Zhang is only at Chrysalis realm primary stage at the moment. How can he be a match against a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle expert like you?"

Not expecting Wu shi to make such a request, Zhao Bingxu's face darkened. However, at that moment, Zhang Xuan abruptly raised his hand to stop Zhao Bingxu before turning his gaze to Wu Weitian.

"Pavilion Master Wu, you wish to challenge me to a cultivation duel?"

"Indeed. I hope that Principal Zhang can accede to my request!" Wu Weitian sneered coldly.

It was his intention to make things difficult for Zhang Xuan today, cornering and humiliating him before the crowd that had gathered.

"I can agree to your request, but before that, I would like to ask, what do you define as 'cultivation'?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Cultivation refers to one's fighting prowess!" Wu Weitian replied without any hesitation.

"I see. So, as a beast tamer, if I were to have my tamed beast aid me in my fight, is that considered part of my fighting prowess as well?" Zhang Xuan asked calmly.

"The ability to tame beasts is considered part of one's capability as a beast tamer, so naturally, one's tamed beast is considered part of one's fighting prowess too." Even though he did not understand why Zhang Xuan would ask such a question, Wu Weitian still replied to it nevertheless.

A beast tamer fighting alongside his tamed beast could be considered synonymous to a martial artist fighting using his weapon.

"I see."

Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and said, "Byzantium Lad, I will be leaving this fellow to you then!"

"Yes, Master!"

Along with a furious roar, the crowd saw a massive saint beast descending from the sky, its massive palm aimed straight for Wu Weitian.

"What?" Not expecting a Spiritual Perception realm saint beast to emerge out of nowhere, before Wu Weitian could even process what was going on, he was already smacked into the ground by the might of the palm, and huge spurts of blood spewed from his mouth.

Even when the Byzantium Helios Beast was still at Saint realm 1-dan, none of the Ten Great Master Teachers were a match for it. Even though Wu Weitian was not weak, he stood no chance against the Spiritual Perception realm Byzantium Helios Beast.

After Wu Weitian was smacked into the ground, Zhang Xuan turned to the crowd and said calmly, "Allow me to introduce everyone. This is my tamed beast, Byzantium Helios Beast."

"Isn't the Byzantium Helios Beast the old principal's tamed beast? How did Zhang shi manage to tame it?"

"Wait a moment, doesn't it seem like Senior Byzantium Helios is significantly stronger than before?"

"The strength of a tamed beast is considered part of the strength of the beast tamer as well. Since the Byzantium Helios Beast is Zhang shi's tamed beast, that means that Zhang shi possesses strength beyond Saint realm 1-dan as well!"

...

Zhang Xuan's words caused a huge ruckus to break out beneath the stage.

Beast tamers had always been feared for the frightening strength that their tamed beasts possessed. Given that Zhang Xuan had such a powerful tamed beast, who would dare to underestimate him anymore?

...

Shortly after Wei Weitian's defeat, someone else within the crowd spoke up.

"I admit that you are indeed capable to have been able to tame the Byzantium Helios Beast. However, a man who possesses nothing but power can only be said to be a brute. To become the principal of the Master Teacher Academy, you must have a high Soul Depth as well. Thus, I, Liao Cong, wish to challenge Principal Zhang to a duel of Soul Depth. I hope that you can accede to my request!"

Zhao Bingxu turned his gaze over.

It was the head of the Yuanjiang Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Pavilion Master Liao Cong!

Pavilion Master Liao was slightly lacking in terms of strength as compared to Wu Weitian, but he was known for his incredible composure. It was rumored that he possessed an exceptional Soul Depth of 20.9, just a step short of reaching the level of a 7-star master teacher!

"A duel of Soul Depth?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

"That's right!" Pavilion Master Liao Cong nodded.

Given that the other party had the Byzantium Helios Beast—a Spiritual Perception realm spirit beast—on his side, there was no way he would be a match for the other party in terms of fighting prowess. Thus, he would have to use other means to corner the other party.

In any case, as long as he could defeat the other party in any challenge, the entire inauguration ceremony would be reduced to a farce.

"Fine by me. How should we conduct the duel?" Zhang Xuan asked impassively.

"Simple. We shall use the Impartation of Heaven's Will on one another, and whoever manages to beguile the other will be the victor!" Pavilion Master Liao Cong said with a confident smile.

"Impartation of Heaven's Will?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback for a moment before shaking his head. "Change it to something else, I don't have an interest in bullying others..."

His Impartation of Heaven's Will had grown considerably stronger after comprehending the Heart of a Teacher, allowing him to make the hundred thousand spirit beasts of Cloudmist Ridge submit to him.

A mere 6-star master teacher like you, just where did you find the confidence to challenge me?

"You..." Hearing those words, Pavilion Master Liao Cong nearly burst with rage.

I am a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, a person who possesses a Soul Depth of 20.9! Yet, you said that... you don't want to bully me?

Ridiculous!

"Why? Are you backing out from my challenge?" Pavilion Master Liao Cong spat through clenched jaws.

With a glint in his eyes, Zhang Xuan said, "Since Pavilion Master Liao insists on it, I will accept your challenge then. How about this? Pavilion Master Wu was injured in the previous duel, so why don't you help him out?"

There was a peculiar quality in his voice that seemed to compel others into obedience.

"Yes..." Pavilion Master Liao Cong was stunned for a brief moment before walking up to Pavilion Master Wu and driving his zhenqi to pull the latter out of the ground. However, as soon as he finished doing that, he suddenly froze.

To obey the other party's commands, it was clear that he had just been beguiled!

"You..."

Pavilion Master Liao Cong's face turned livid, and just as he was about to speak, the young man opposite to him continued speaking with a composed look. "It seems like there are some problems with your cultivation. Do you feel a persistent dryness in your throat and an aching pain in your Huyang acupoint? Don't worry, the symptom should be resolved by slapping yourself twice..."

"Slapping himself?"

"This... Pavilion Master Liao can't be so foolish as to listen to that, can he?"

"That is clearly an attempt to humiliate Pavilion Master Liao..."

...

Hearing those words, the hundred thousand people gathered in the training ground were taken aback. Every single eye in the area was gathered on Pavilion Master Liao Cong, waiting intently to see how he would react.

But before countless faces of disbelief, Pavilion Master Liao Cong raised his palm and struck his face forcefully.

Pah! Pah!

After the two powerful slaps, blood began flowing out of the edges of Pavilion Master Liao Cong's mouth.

Paying no heed to the shocked crowd, Zhang Xuan continued. "Do a handstand right now and channel your zhenqi downward!"

Without any hesitation, Pavilion Master Liao Cong immediately flipped over and did a handstand. A few breaths later, his face started swelling up intensely due to the two previous slaps.

"What is going on?"

"Could this be... Impartation of Heaven's Will?"

"But even if he is under the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will, it shouldn't be possible to make a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, the head of a Master Teacher Pavilion, slap himself and do a handstand on a whim, right?"

"I have no idea what is going on either. However, it is clear that Pavilion Master Liao has lost utterly in this duel of Soul Depth!"

...

Seeing Pavilion Master Liao, who had just challenged Zhang Xuan to humiliate the latter, abruptly slapping himself and doing a handstand, everyone felt lightheaded. The situation before them was unbelievable, they couldn't make sense out of what was happening at all!

As master teachers, they were capable of using Impartation of Heaven's Will themselves. However, to make another harm himself and pose in humiliating postures publicly, that was far beyond their capability.

In fact, that was already beyond the capability of the Impartation of Heaven's Will itself!

"Unless... Zhang shi isn't playing with him, and there is no mistake with what he is saying, causing Pavilion Master Liao to obey his words instinctively..." a 6-star master teacher amid the crowd remarked.

It was indeed possible for one to control a master teacher's body through the Impartation of Heaven's Will for a short period of time, but it was only on the basis that the words spoken were flawless and aligned with the essence of the world.

Even though he had no idea why Pavilion Master Liao would have to slap himself and do a handstand, there should be no mistake with the instructions. Otherwise, even if Zhang shi's Soul Depth was far beyond Pavilion Master Liao's, it was still impossible for him to make Pavilion Master Liao obey his commands unconditionally.

Pu!

A moment later, before everyone's astonished gazes, Pavilion Master Liao spurted a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. Following which, he got back to his feet, and facing the young man on the stage once more, he clasped his fist. This time, instead of skepticism, his eyes were filled with admiration and respect.

"Zhang shi, I am truly grateful to you for saving my life..."

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Chapter 896: Fight Among Students

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Saving his life?"

The succeeding principal had used the Impartation of Heaven's Will to make Pavilion Master Liao Cong embarrass himself publicly, but not only was the latter not angry at all, the latter had even thanked him for saving his life...

This sight left the crowd confounded.

They hadn't expected the situation to develop in such an unexpected manner.

Noticing the doubt in everyone's eyes, Pavilion Maser Liao Cong shook his head and explained, "In my hastiness to accomplish, I erred in my cultivation, resulting in my flow of zhenqi becoming disrupted, an aching pain in my Huyang acupoint, and a slight deterioration of my organs. I thought it was nothing much, and I only had to take note of it in the future to prevent any further deterioration!

"But after Principal Zhang's guidance, I realized that the foundation of my cultivation has actually been damaged. The two slaps to my face were actually to open my Longxi and Chiyang acupoints, which allowed my zhenqi to clear the blockage in my meridians. After which, the handstand served to circulate my zhenqi, thus solving the hidden trauma within my body!

"Despite my provocation and attempt to humiliate Principal Zhang, he was still willing to overlook the matter and treat my trauma... This is the magnanimity of a true master teacher! From this day forth, I declare that our Hongchi Empire Master Teacher Pavilion will support him as the principal, and this decision shall stand as long as I live!" Pavilion Master Liao Cong vowed as he raised his hand.

"This is possible too?"

"A hidden trauma is solved with just two slaps and a handstand?"

A commotion broke out beneath the stage. Everyone stared at one another, unable to believe their eyes. Had they not seen how Pavilion Master Liao Cong provoked Zhang Xuan earlier, they might have really thought that those two were just putting on an act!

"This Principal Zhang..."

In the area where the emperors sat, Zhu Yi swallowed a mouthful of saliva and muttered, "It seems like he does possess some capability after all!"

Just like the pavilion masters, he had harbored doubts regarding Zhang Xuan's capability due to his young age, and he had thought that the reason the latter had become the principal was due to pulling some strings behind the curtains. However, after witnessing how the latter dealt with the challenge of two of the pavilion masters decisively and promptly, his opinion of the latter was starting change.

Another emperor beside him shook his head and remarked, "Let's watch on first. I still think that he's a little too young for such an important position."

While age wasn't a determining factor to gauge a master teacher's capability, it wasn't without reason that most were concerned about it. Time often tempered one's character and granted one collectedness, which allowed one to remain rational regardless of the situation. In comparison, the young were more prone to reckless outbursts, and in times of crisis, that could prove to be a fatal flaw. Given the importance of the Master Teacher Academy, this was a risk they couldn't afford to take.

"It seems like Zhang shi's Soul Depth is above Pavilion Master Liao's. I am truly impressed."

While the two emperors were chatting, yet another elder stood up amid the crowd and spoke. "However, to become the principal, one's ability to impart and guide others is still extremely important. Despite my incompetence, I have taken in a few students and taught them, and they happen to be present for the ceremony today. If Principal Zhang doesn't mind, could you allow them to spar with your students so as to gauge your ability to impart?"

"A spar between students?"

"That sure is a vicious move!"

...

The crowd flew into an uproar after hearing those words.

The core responsibility of a teacher was to impart knowledge, and the most direct way to determine one's capability to impart knowledge was through assessing the students one taught. The more capable one's students were, the more capable the teacher would be perceived to be.

If the principal of the Master Teacher Academy was lacking in the ability to impart knowledge, that would mean that he had failed as a teacher!

From this aspect, it could be said that this elder was even more vicious than the previous two.

If Wu Weitian and Liao Cong had only intended to humiliate Zhang Xuan, this fellow was attempting to force Zhang Xuan off a cliff!

Zhang shi was a talented individual, and he possessed astounding capability far beyond his peers, but ultimately, he was only twenty years old, and his cultivation was only at Chrysalis realm... Given such, how powerful could his students be?

Huala!

Shortly after the elder said those words, a middle-aged man stood up, and a powerful aura burst from him.

A Saint realm 1-dan advanced stage expert!

With such strength, he was already on par with the elders of the Master Teacher Academy!"

"Principal Zhang, that man is Pavilion Master Xue Cangyun from Baituo Empire. If I am not mistaken, the middle-aged man is his direct disciple, Hong Lin. The latter has been learning from Pavilion Master Xue for over a hundred years, and 35 years ago, he reached Saint realm 1-dan..." Zhao Bingxu hurriedly filled Zhang Xuan in on the details through zhenqi telepathy.

"That middle-aged man has been his disciple for over a hundred years?" Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

That Pavilion Master Xue Cangyun sure was ruthless. Putting aside the fact his direct disciple's cultivation was at Saint realm 1-dan advanced stage, just the fact that Hong Lin had studied under a pavilion master of a Tier-1 Empire for over a hundred years meant that it was likely that he possessed exceptional capability among his peers, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was invincible among cultivators of the same power level.

If it had been any other challenge, Zhang Xuan might still have been able to turn it down through finding an excuse somehow. However, a duel between students involved his dignity as a teacher and his fundamental capability as a master teacher; turning it down would be a huge blow to his credibility and reputation.

In other words, whether he liked it or not, as a master teacher and the succeeding principal of the Master Teacher Academy, he had no choice but to accept the duel.

As expected of the most powerful figure within a regional Master Teacher Pavilion, he sure wasn't an easy person to deal with.

Just as Zhang Xuan was still busy contemplating over how he should deal with this matter, the middle-aged man Hong Lin turned to him and clasped his fist. "I wish to challenge Principal Zhang's students to a duel. May I know who my opponent is?"

"We are here!" As soon as Hong Lin uttered those words, a few voices sounded clearly across the training grounds.

Everyone turned their gazes over and saw Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang rising from their seats.

They were the guest elders of the Master Teacher Academy, so naturally, they couldn't be absent for the inauguration ceremony either.

At this very moment, the strongest of them, Wang Ying, had achieved a breakthrough recently, reaching the Cosmos Bridge realm.

To reach the Cosmos Bridge realm at sixteen, she would definitely be considered an incredible genius regardless of where she was. However, she was still far from a match for the Saint realm 1-dan advanced stage Hong Lin.

"There's no hope to victory whatsoever..." The head of the Martial Arts School, Xu Changqing, shook his head and sighed deeply.

He was the one who had invited Wang Ying and the others to become guest elders of the Master Teacher Academy, so he had a clear understanding of their capability.

They had an extremely solid foundation, which allowed them to stand toe to toe even against cultivators with a higher cultivation than them. However, there was simply too huge a gap between them and Hong Lin. Even if Hong Lin were to lower his cultivation realm, given the disparity in their experience and reaction speed, he would still be able to defeat them easily!

A gap of six realms wasn't something that could be overcome by just a strong foundation or a deep understanding of battle techniques.

"You are the students of Principal Zhang? Haha, I can suppress my cultivation to be equal to yours when we fight!" Upon seeing that even the strongest among Zhang Xuan's students was only at the Cosmos Bridge realm, Hong Lin couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He could easily kill cultivators of that tier with just a puff of his breath. There was no doubt whatsoever; he would be the victor of this duel!

"Come at me then!" With a furious roar, Wang Ying leaped onto the stage. Hong Lin chuckled softly before following suit as well.

A tense atmosphere drifted between the two as they faced one another squarely. Zhang Xuan was just about to step forward to offer some guidance to Wang Ying ahead of the duel when another voice abruptly sounded.

"Senior Wang Ying, you are teacher's direct disciple. It would be making a mountain out of a molehill to have you face this lad, allow me to fight in your place instead!"

Hu!

Following which, an old man descended onto the stage and bowed deeply to Zhang Xuan with a clasped fist. "Student Jiang Qingqin pays respect to teacher!"

"Un." Upon seeing the other party, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. How could he have forgotten that he still had another student here?

The old man was none other than the head of the Demonic Tunist School, Jiang Qingqin!

The other party had acknowledged him as his teacher through a formal ceremony, so he could totally take Wang Ying's place!

"Isn't that School Head Jiang?"

"One of the Ten Great Master Teachers, School Head Jiang, is actually Zhang shi's student?"

"You must be joking! How could that be possible?"

"But since School Head Jiang has already said it, there is no doubt about its authenticity. All master teachers view lineage with grave importance, let alone a 6-star pinnacle master teacher like School Head Jiang, so how could he simply acknowledge another as his teacher easily? Even if he intended to help Zhang shi, he wouldn't go to such an extent just for that!"

"Even so, I just find this matter hard to believe!"

"Indeed. For Zhang shi to have tamed the old principal's tamed beast and even take School Head Jiang as his student... it really feels like I am in a dream!"

...

The news that Zhang Xuan had accepted Jiang Qingqin as his student had never been made public, so no one other than the Ten Great Master Teachers were aware of the matter. Hearing of this matter for the first time, the crowd beneath the stage widened their eyes in disbelief.

A 6-star pinnacle master teacher had acknowledged a 4-star master teacher as his teacher? Even though School Head Jiang had admitted to it himself, the crowd still found it hard to accept.

"School Head Jiang..."

Beneath the stage, Pavilion Master Xue Cangyun staggered weakly and nearly keeled over.

He had thought that given Zhang Xuan's low cultivation and young age, the other party's student would only, at best, be at the Cosmos Bridge realm. Yet, all of a sudden, a member of the Ten Great Master Teachers who was even stronger than him appeared, how was this battle supposed to go on?

While he was feeling stifled, on the stage, Jiang Qingqin chuckled softly and said, "You are the student of Pavilion Master Yun? Haha, I can suppress my cultivation to be equal to yours when we fight!"

Hearing those words, Hong Lin's eyelids began twitching.

Those were the exact words that he had said to Zhang Xuan's students just a moment ago, and Jiang Qingqin had returned them to him word for word.

"You..."

Knowing that it was too late to back down, Hong Lin gritted his teeth and said, "Come!"

Following which, he swiftly flicked his wrist and whipped out a sword.

Tzz la!

The cold glint of a sword flashed through the air as it shot for Jiang Qingqin.

It must be said that Hong Lin's comprehension of swordsmanship had reached a profound realm, achieving the level of Sword-Man Union. Of course, he was still no match for Zhang Xuan, but he was at least on par with Wang Ying and the others in terms of proficiency of battle techniques.

If Wang Ying and the others were to fight him in a battle, they would stand no chance whatsoever.

Putting aside the other party's superior eye of discernment and reaction speed, just the battle experience he had accumulated over the past hundreds of years of his life would make him more than a match for Wang Ying and the others, who had never faced a life-and-death battle in their life.

However, just this bit of prowess meant nothing to School Head Jiang. With a light chuckle, he took out a zither and stroked it gently, and a crisp note immediately rang out.

Triiiinggg!

A sound reminiscent of a vase breaking echoed resoundingly in the air.

Before Hong Lin could react, his sword had already shattered completely, and, 'hu!', with a huge burst of wind, his figure was sent flying from the stage as if a cockroach. His silhouette swiftly grew smaller and smaller in the distance before eventually disappearing from sight with a twinkle.

Judging from the distance he flew, even if he were to survive this ordeal, he would be bedridden from the next few days.

"7-star demonic tunist?" Pavilion Master Xue Cangyun abruptly stood up from his seat.

Under normal circumstances, even though there was some disparity between School Head Jiang and Hong Lin's strength, it would still have been difficult for the former to defeat the latter in just a single move... unless the former's comprehension of demonic tunes had reached 7-star!

In the face of a demonic tunist of this tier, even he could only flee as far as he could, not daring to face the other party head on.

To acknowledge Zhang Xuan as his teacher despite possessing such strength...

Was there a screw loose in his head?

While Xue Cangyun was baffled by the situation before him, he suddenly heard the displeased mumblings of Wei Ranxue, another member of the Ten Great Master Teachers, not too far away from him.

"Damn it, I let that fellow get ahead of me! Since Zhang Xuan is a half-teacher of mine, I can be considered a partial student of his too... Against such a fellow, sending in a full-fledged student is such a waste. A half-student like me is more than sufficient..."

"School Head Wei is his student as well?" Pavilion Master Xue suddenly felt the sight before him darken.

"..."

The students and teachers of the academy staggered as they turned to look at Zhang Xuan once more, this time with twitching lips.

Brother... We can accept the fact that you have tamed the tamed beast of the old principal, turned half of the student populace into members of your Xuanxuan Faction, becoming the half-teacher of the tens of thousands of Apothecary School students...

But to make at least two of the Ten Great Master Teachers your students... How are we supposed to accept that?

When did the Master Teacher Academy become your possession?

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