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

39. 1217

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1217 - Cherry Popping - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1217 - Cherry Popping Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1217: Cherry Popping

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Wasn't the Qingtian Emperor dead?

Why had he suddenly appeared in the Ghost Cavern?

"Dead? If I, the Qingtian Emperor, could be killed that easily, how could I possibly be qualified to rule over the entire Qingtian Lineage?" the Qingtian Emperor sneered coldly as the killing intent he emanated swiftly permeated the entire hall. "What you killed was nothing more than a clone!"

"A clone?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Tian Qing had been the incarnation of his will, so that could have been considered a clone. But to think that the copper-masked figure would actually only be a clone as well... The Qingtian Emperor sure had many cards up his sleeves!

"I spent five hundred years maturing that clone from my severed soul. You sure had fun killing it, didn't you? It's about time to settle the grudges between us!" Deep animosity was reflected in the eyes of the Qingtian Emperor.

There was no such thing as a perfect disguise in the world.

As an Emperor of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, he was well aware of this fact. No matter how well he hid himself, walking amid the humans, it was only a matter of time before he exposed himself. Due to safety concerns, even the copper-masked figure was only a clone he had forged with great difficulty.

On the other hand, he kept his main soul safely hidden within the Ghost Cavern.

Even as a soul oracle who had inherited Vicious' knowledge, it had not been an easy feat for him to create a clone. He had paid an exceptionally heavy price and spent a whole five hundred years nurturing his severed soul before he had managed to create the copper-masked figure, and yet, the young man before him had killed him! On top of that, there was also the matter with Tian Qing and his Ten Kings...

It was no joke to say that the young man had almost sent their Qingtian Lineage into extinction single-handedly!

Naturally, it went without saying how much he wanted to rip the young man into pieces and see him suffer!

"Tell me, how do you want to die? Perhaps, if I'm feeling merciful today, I might just grant your wish!" the Qingtian Emperor mocked coldly.

"How about death by old age?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"You have no choice in this!" The Qingtian Emperor harrumphed angrily as the killing intent he emanated intensified.

Boom!

Suddenly, Zhang Xuan felt a powerful force tugging at his soul, attempting to pull it out.

Knowing that the other party was utilizing the soul nabbing secret art, Zhang Xuan frowned.

While his soul was massive, due to the lack of suitable cultivation techniques, its fighting prowess was still severely limited. Currently, he was relying more on his physical body and zhenqi cultivation in fights.

Given that his opponent was a Saint 5-dan soul oracle, it would be disastrous for him if the fight became a battle between souls instead.

Thus, Zhang Xuan drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to hold his soul firmly in place, preventing it from being taken. At the same time, he pushed his feet against the ground and dashed forward.

Huala!

In that instant, Zhang Xuan seemed to have transformed into a sword himself, as if the sword in his hand was a mere extension of himself.

Man-Sword Union!

He had collected all the books concerning swordsmanship back at the Combat Master Hall's Weapon Division, allowing him to advance his Heaven's Path Sword Art to Saint low-tier. His Man-Sword Union state had become far sharper and stronger than before, and the sword qi that shot forth from his blade formed a perfect arc as it headed toward the Qingtian Emperor.

"Not too bad!" Not expecting the young man to be able to withstand his soul nabbing secret art and even counterattack, the Qingtian Emperor narrowed his eyes menacingly. He immediately gave up his attempt to draw out Zhang Xuan's soul and extended his hand forward instead.

Weng!

In an instant, the air around Zhang Xuan seemed to have frozen, and the sword qi he had shot forward suddenly slowed down significantly.

Zhang Xuan's heart tensed. Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage?

He could easily deduce the Qingtian Emperor's cultivation just from that single move, and the latter was actually far stronger than the copper-masked figure!

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In the Leaving Aperture realm, a cultivator would have to undergo the lightning ordeal for each increment in their cultivation stage, and one who had reached advanced stage would have already undergone the lightning ordeal thrice. Such an opponent was not someone that an Embryonic Soul realm pinnacle cultivator like him could deal with.

"Break!" Zhang Xuan roared as he flicked his wrist forcefully and shot out an incredibly sharp burst of sword qi. The powerful might of the sword qi swiftly shattered the frozen air around him.

But just as he finally felt the force surrounding his body loosen, he suddenly saw the Qingtian Emperor thrusting his palm over.

Without much time to respond, Zhang Xuan hurriedly raised his sword to defend against the other party's attack. As the set of actions was done in a rush, he was not able to gather his full might beforehand.

Peng!

The Glacier Rain Sword was sent flying, lodging itself deeply into the wall not too far away. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was also smacked into the ground, forming a huge depression beneath him.

While he was able to rival opponents superior to him, he could only match Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage opponents at the very maximum. Against advanced stage opponents, he was still severely lacking.

After smacking Zhang Xuan into the ground, the Qingtian Emperor sneered coldly. "If this is all you have, it'll be difficult for you to escape death today!"

Another surge of killing intent burst across the room as his hand reached forth to deal the killing blow to the fallen Zhang Xuan.

"You want to kill me? Let's see if you have the strength and the means to do so!" Zhang Xuan said as he leaped up from the depression, and with a flick of his wrist, he formed a palm print before his hand and thrust it forward.

Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm!

Boom!

As the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm collided with the Qingtian Emperor, Zhang Xuan's face reddened once more, and he swiftly retreated eight steps to ward off the might from the latter's attack.

No matter what, the Qingtian Emperor was still the head of the Qingtian Lineage, a monster who had lived for countless years. His comprehension of combat was nowhere beneath Zhang Xuan's, and he also possessed an advantage in terms of cultivation. Even with his full strength, Zhang Xuan was still unable to match the other party's directly.

Realizing that Zhang Xuan did not stand a chance against him, the Qingtian Emperor hooked his fingers into steel claws and charged forward, sneering, "You talk arrogantly, but you don't have the strength to back it up. Allow me to send you on your way!"

Drawing on his full strength as a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage expert, the Qingtian Emperor sealed the surroundings firmly, halting Zhang Xuan's movements. At the same time, a feeling of helplessness arose in Zhang Xuan's mind, leaving him feeling utterly despaired at the situation, as if he would not be able to make a difference no matter how hard he struggled.

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly. His attacks aren't just normal physical attacks. His assault is also infused with soul energy and a unique conception that can crush the minds of those possessing weaker mental resilience...

On the surface, the Qingtian Emperor's assault appeared to be an ordinary claw, but through his deep comprehension of battle techniques, Zhang Xuan was still able to see through the crux of his maneuver with a glance.

There were two layers of attacks to the Qingtian Emperor's offense. First, the suppression of zhenqi, and second, the erosion of one's mental resilience.

In face of overwhelming might, it was common for one to overestimate the danger one was in and give up hope. For example, standing before the incredible momentum of an avalanche, if one allowed the feeling of helplessness and despair to consume one's mind, there was no way one would be able to escape even if one had the ability to do so.

Realizing this pitfall, Zhang Xuan swiftly drove the Heaven's Path Soul Art, and the feeling of helplessness instantaneously vanished without a trace. Following which, with a swift step, he executed the Unbounded Voyager and successfully escaped the Qingtian Emperor's assault. At the same time, he made use of the opportunity to twist his body and retaliate with a flick of his finger.

Grand Constellation Finger!

Wuuuuuuu!

As if a loosed arrow, the energy concentrated at the tip of Zhang Xuan's finger burst toward the Qingtian Emperor's eye.

The Qingtian Emperor chuckled softly without any hint of anxiety in his voice. Instead, he turned around and counterattacked with a flick of his finger. "As expected of a 7-star pinnacle master teacher, you sure did notice my flaws rather quickly!"

Peng!

A burst of light collided with the Grand Constellation Finger, and the two forces ended up neutralizing one another perfectly. However, possessing inferior strength, Zhang Xuan still ended up being forced to retreat once more.

From the very start of the battle, he had been using his Library of Heaven's Path to peer through the other party's flaws in order to come up with a countermeasure against him. However... the gap in terms of fundamental power between him and the Qingtian Emperor was simply too great, especially given the latter's ability to manipulate the surrounding environment. Even if he knew where the other party's mingmen lay, there was nothing he could do if his attacks could not even come close to the other party.

At higher realms, it becomes harder and harder to exploit the mingmen of others.Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed.

When he was still at the Fighter realm, he could easily defeat opponents many cultivation realms higher than him just by exploiting the latter's mingmen. However, as his cultivation grew, the opponents he faced became stronger and stronger, and the concepts of space became an integral part of battle as well. This limited his ability to abuse others' weaknesses.

However, it was fortunate that this worked both ways. It was true that he would be unable to kill the Qingtian Emperor easily, but the reverse happened to be true as well.

Clenching his hands tightly together into fists, Zhang Xuan began on a barrage of punches toward the Qingtian Emperor.

Kacha! Kacha!

A rift seemed to appear in the space before him as his fists fell relentlessly on the Qingtian Emperor at an unbelievable frequency.

Thousand Punches of the Lightning Sea!

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This was a technique created by a Leaving Aperture realm expert who had suddenly happened upon inspiration in the midst of watching the lightning gathering for his Leaving Aperture Ordeal. It was considered one of the stronger battle techniques in the Qingyuan Empire, and its power was further enhanced in Zhang Xuan's hands.

Before he even fully brought out the full strength of the battle technique, the hall was filled with lightning.

While the might of the Thousand Punches of the Lightning Sea could not be compared with the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, it was harnessed with the Power of Lightning, which made it extremely effective.

It was not exactly true to say that the more profound and powerful a battle technique was, the more effective it would be in battle. To truly maximize one's fighting prowess, the key lay in the effective use of battle techniques according to the situation instead.

It was for this reason that experts would strive to create more battle techniques so that they would have a greater number of cards to play in battle.

"Hmm?"

Not expecting a mere Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm cultivator to be able to withstand his assaults and even launch a counterattack, the Qingtian Emperor's face turned livid. He subconsciously took two steps back before spreading his hands open to claw at the barrage of punches around him.

Huala!

The lightning in the area suddenly dissipated into nothingness, as if some kind of mysterious might had burst them.

"I am a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage cultivator, a person who has been through three lightning ordeals! Even the lightning from the heavens is unable to kill me, did you really naively believe that this lightning attribute battle technique of yours would be able to faze me?" The Qingtian Emperor harrumphed coldly.

A powerful surge of aura burst from the Qingtian Emperor, and for a moment, his presence suddenly seemed to tower, as if an infallible giant who could not be felled no matter what kind of means one used against him.

"I know that just lightning itself won't be sufficient to deal with you... but what if I paired that with my Glacier Rain Sword?" Zhang Xuan replied with a smirk.

The Qingtian Emperor frowned. "Your Glacier Rain Sword?"

He distinctively recalled that he had knocked away the young man's sword at the very start of the battle.

It should be lodged in the wall...

With this thought in mind, he subconsciously turned his gaze toward where he remembered the Glacier Rain Sword to be, and the next moment, his eyes narrowed in shock.

"Where's the sword!"

To his astonishment, the sword had already vanished from sight. At some point in time, the young man had actually managed to retrieve the sword behind his back!

"Why don't you try looking behind you?" Zhang Xuan advised kindly as he gestured to the Qingtian Emperor's back.

The Qingtian Emperor's eyes widened as he quickly turned around fearfully. However, there was nothing behind him at all.

"Damn, I fell for his trap!"

Realizing that he had been tricked, without even bothering to turn around to look at Zhang Xuan, he immediately leaped to the side in hopes to dodging any attack that could soon be landing on him. However, it was already too late. A dull pain pervaded his chest, and glancing downward, he realized that a palm had landed squarely on his body.

Under the impact of the palm, his face paled, and he retreated multiple steps.

As the young man had to move swiftly in order to launch this surprise assault, the palm strike did not wield too much strength, so he actually was not too severely injured by it. However, the very fact that he had been had by such a crude trick left him feeling deeply frenzied within.

He was the Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage, an old monster who had lived for countless years, as well as a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage expert. And yet, he had actually been injured by such a ridiculous maneuver conducted by a mere Embryonic Soul realm lad... Unforgivable!

"I'll kill you!" Roaring furiously, the Qingtian Emperor drove the Slaughter of Zhenqi in his body furiously as he prepared his strongest move.

At that moment, however, the young man's voice sounded once more. "Below you!"

"Humph, once bitten, twice shy! Do you think that I'll fall for your crude ploys twice?"

Seeing that the young man was still taking him for a fool, the Qingtian Emperor clenched his jaws furiously in anger. But before he could make his move, he suddenly heard a 'wuuu' sound beneath him, and his eyebrows shot up in alarm. Lowering his head, he saw the Glacier Rain Sword, which should have been lodged in the wall, surging straight up toward him.

"Do you honestly think that a mere Saint low-tier sword will be able to kill me? Brat, you are really underestimating me far too much..." the Qingtian Emperor sneered coldly as he directed the energy he had just gathered toward the sword. If his attack landed, the sword would surely shatter into innumerable pieces.

But before he could exert his strength, a huge shadow suddenly loomed over him, and it was growing larger at an unbelievable pace.

Glancing upward, he saw a massive cauldron plummeting straight for his head.

Horrified, he instinctively redirected his strength upward to fend against the cauldron.

Boom!

Even though he was a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage expert, he astonishingly realized that the falling cauldron was no weaker than him. The momentum with which the cauldron fell was simply so great that it ended up pushing his body downward.

Puhe!

The sword stabbed right into the opening of his alimentary canal.

Red blood trickled down his thigh, as if signifying the blossoming of a new flower.

A moment later, a piercing scream of agony resounded in the air.

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Chapter 1218: Art of Cloning

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Tsk tsk!" Zhang Xuan clicked his tongue as he covered his eyes with his hands.

It was so gruesome that he could not even bring himself to look at it.

It was true that the Glacier Rain Sword had followed him for many years, but now that it had been sullied by the other party in such a horrendous manner, how was he supposed to bring himself to use it in the future?

Just thinking about the stench on it was enough to make him cringe.

His poor Glacier Rain Sword... Hopefully that poor sword will be able to walk out of its mental trauma from this incident one day!

While Zhang Xuan was pitying his weapon, the Qingtian Emperor felt as if he was going mad.

He was an Emperor of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, an incredibly noble and authoritative existence. In the first place, it was already humiliating that someone like him would have to personally deal with an Embryonic Soul realm brat, but to think that the brat would even pop his cherry at that!

To make things worse, the cauldron above him was still shaking its massive bottom right above his face, as if trying to find a more comfortable position on his face to rest. An indescribable feeling of humiliation consumed his mind, pushing him toward the abyss of madness.

"All of you must die!" Roaring furiously, the Qingtian Emperor drove his Zhenqi of Slaughter at full strength.

Sou!

The sword that was lodged up his bottom was sent flying, and the massive cauldron was knocked off his face as well.

"Master, he's really powerful!" Seeing how the other party was actually able to knock it off and singe its bottom red, the Golden Origin Cauldron eyed the Qingtian Emperor warily.

"He's indeed powerful," Zhang Xuan remarked grimly.

He had already known that it would be hard for him to deal with the Qingtian Emperor with his current strength. The Golden Origin Cauldron was at Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage as well, and while it possessed sufficient strength to fend off the Qingtian Emperor, it was not strong enough to kill the latter. Additionally, he did not want to expose Vicious' existence yet.

As such, he had slowly made preparations to lure the Qingtian Emperor into his trap so as to launch a decisive two-pronged attack against the latter.

He had thought that it would at least be able to incapacitate the Qingtian Emperor even if it was not sufficient to kill the latter, but who would have thought that the latter would actually be able to force the Glacier Rain Sword out with his zhenqi!

As expected of the Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage, even his cherry was made of steel. Admirable indeed.

Huala!

At this moment, the Qingtian Emperor suddenly roared furiously, and all of a sudden, his body began growing bigger and bigger, as if he had eaten some kind of growth stimulant. In the blink of an eye, he had already grown to three-meters tall.

Seeing the sight before him, Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in a daze.

What was the point of growing so big?

With too large a physique, one's flexibility and agility would face a steep decline. Furthermore, there would also be a larger surface area for an enemy to strike. Thus, no cultivator would enlarge their size in battle unless there was a compelling reason to do so.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed as if the Qingtian Emperor was only putting himself in a disadvantageous situation.

"Ah?"

While Zhang Xuan was still confused by what the Qingtian Emperor was up to, the latter suddenly used his right hand to grab his left hand and pulled forcefully.

Si la!

To Zhang Xuan's horror, the Qingtian Emperor split in two!

This... Is he committing suicide because he is unable to face the humiliation of being deflowered? Zhang Xuan widened his eyes.

Zhang Xuan was not the only one bewildered by the current situation. The Golden Origin Cauldron was also flabbergasted.

At the same time, the Glacier Rain Sword stopped its retching as it stared at the Qingtian Emperor as if it had seen a ghost.

If anyone should commit suicide, the sword should have been the first one to do so!

Sullied by the other party, it felt dirty from head to toe. Just the thought of what had happened earlier was enough to send its stomach, if it had one, churning in disgust.

But did it cry?

Did it cause a fuss?

No!

A person should live strong in this world—don't seek the end so easily!

Ahem, this applied to weapons as well, of course.

Even when it was put through such agony, it still gritted its teeth and bore with it, believing that there would be a brighter future ahead. But as the Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage, why was the Qingtian Emperor so weak-minded?

To actually tear himself apart over something like this... He sure was vicious to himself! Was this some kind of custom among the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?

While the human and the two artifacts were staring at the sight dumbstruck, Vicious' voice suddenly sounded in Zhang Xuan's head. "Master, he's not bleeding! I think he has used some kind of secret art, so be careful!"

"Secret art?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Un. My memory is still in tatters, so I can't really remember clearly at this point, but from the looks of it... it seems like resemble a secret art exclusive to the Emperors of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!" Vicious said.

"By bearing with the overwhelming pain from tearing oneself into two, that secret art allows one to divide oneself into two! Once it is successfully executed, it will effectively double one's fighting prowess! However, there is a limited duration to how long the secret art can be sustained for, and once that duration is over, one's cultivation will fall steeply. Most likely, the Qingtian Emperor realized that he couldn't kill you, so he decided to go all out by using this secret art!"

"Divide oneself into two? There's actually such a convenient secret art in the world?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in disbelief.

Just one Qingtian Emperor had nearly cornered him. Once the other party successfully cloned himself, wouldn't he be in deep trouble?

More importantly, the fighting prowess commanded by two Qingtian Emperors was not as easy as one plus one. Both Qingtian Emperors would share the same thoughts, allowing them to collaborate with perfect synergy. Without a doubt, they would be a far more difficult opponent to deal with than the Crimson Emerald Duplet Swordsmanship.

"Golden Origin Cauldron and Glacier Rain Sword, hurry up and stop that fellow!" Zhang Xuan roared as he dashed forward without any hesitation.

If he faced two Qingtian Emperors there simultaneously, he really might lose his life! He had to stop the division of the Qingtian Emperor at all costs!

Huala!

Before Zhang Xuan could arrive, his saber qi was already fast on its way toward the two halves of the Qingtian Emperor.

Using his palm as a saber, he intended to sever the latter's head before he could do anything.

At the same time, the Golden Origin Cauldron and the Glacier Rain Sword had also rushed up to the Qingtian Emperor to launch their most powerful attacks.

But before any of the attacks could reach, the two halves of the Qingtian Emperor suddenly squirmed uncontrollably, and in the blink of an eye, each of the two halves grew their other half, forming two complete, identical individuals.

Peng!

One of the Qingtian Emperors stopped Zhang Xuan saber qi with ease while the other one charged forward to smack him away, flinging him forcefully toward the wall. Zhang Xuan's face reddened, and fresh blood spewed from his mouth.

Peng peng peng!

Zhang Xuan quickly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to alleviate his injuries. When he raised his head once more, he saw that the Golden Origin Cauldron and the Glacier Rain Sword had been sent flying as well. One created a massive depression in the ground whereas the other one ended up being deeply lodged in the wall once more.

As expected, the combined fighting prowess of the two Qingtian Emperors was indeed fearsome. Even though the Golden Origin Cauldron was a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage expert as well, it still ended up being subdued in a single move.

"To have forced me to use this move, you can rest in peace now!"

The simultaneous speaking of the two identical Qingtian Emperors had a bizarrely unnerving feeling to it. The two Qingtian Emperors glared at Zhang Xuan coldly, dying to tear the young man into pieces.

They had guarded their cherry fervently for so many years, and yet, the young man had actually popped it so casually. Just this alone was sufficient to make them lose their rationality.

"You... Which one is the clone, and which one is the main body?" Zhang Xuan asked warily as he prepared himself to dodge the attacks from the Qingtian Emperors.

Even though it might have appeared to be an equal split, considering that one of them would disappear after some time, there was bound to be a main body and a clone among them.

"I'll tell you by your grave!" the two Qingtian Emperors roared as they charged forward.

Huala!

In an instant, it felt as if the air in the hall had been replaced with killing intent, making every move that Zhang Xuan wanted to make incredibly difficult.

"Block him!" Zhang Xuan roared at the Golden Origin Cauldron as he waved his hand to destroy the Spatial Seal hindering his movements.

Upon hearing his instruction, the Golden Origin Cauldron charged toward the Qingtian Emperors furiously, roaring, "You popped-cherry brats! I'll relinquish my name as Ding Ding if I don't kill you today!"

Hearing the Golden Origin Cauldron's taunting, fury immediately blazed like an inferno in the eyes of the two Qingtian Emperors. "You're courting your death!"

That was their greatest injury at the moment, and yet, that damned cauldron actually dared speak of it so easily! There was no way they would let the other party get away with that!

Thus, one of the Qingtian Emperors turned around to deal with the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Boom boom boom!

Before long, the duo began clashing with one another.

Seeing that the Golden Origin Cauldron had managed to lure one of the Qingtian Emperors away, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He swiftly flicked his wrist and drew a spear as he prepared to face the other Qingtian Emperor.

Just like the Glacier Rain Sword, the spear was a Saint low-tier spear as well. However, just like the other weapons in the Qiu Wu Palace, it did not have a spirit.

Huala!

With a swiftly thrust of his hand, the spear pierced forward with frightening momentum.

Tzzzzzzz!

A piercing shrill echoed loudly from the friction between the spear and the surrounding air.

Even though Zhang Xuan rarely practiced his spear arts, the fact that Zheng Yang's spearmanship had originated from him was something that should not be neglected. His Heaven's Path Spear Art was nowhere weaker than his swordsmanship.

Gu gu gu!

In the face of Zhang Xuan's spear, the Qingtian Emperor showed no signs of dodging at all. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and clashed with the incoming spear with a flick of his black fingernail.

Judging from how resilient and sharp the Qingtian Emperor's fingernail was, it seemed to be some kind of powerful artifact as well.

Upon making contact, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt immense strength surging from the tip of his spear toward his arms, and he swiftly retreated several steps.

Had it been anyone else, the multiple clashes with the Qingtian Emperor surely would have left injuries piling up on them, rendering them weaker and weaker. However, as one who possessed the Heaven's Path zhenqi, Zhang Xuan was able to heal any injuries at an astounding speed. Even if he sustained an injury, it would not remain for long. As such, at least for the time being, he was still able to maintain his fighting prowess at its peak.

However, the Golden Origin Cauldron and the Glacier Rain Sword were different. Even with their collaboration, they still were not a match for the powerful Qingtian Emperor without Zhang Xuan's pointers.

The situation really did not look good at all. Putting aside the question whether Zhang Xuan had sufficient zhenqi to drag the battle out or not, once the Golden Origin Cauldron and Glacier Rain Sword were defeated, he would be forced to face the two Qingtian Emperors simultaneously, and there was no way he would stand a chance in that situation.

This secret art is really troublesome to deal with! Zhang Xuan thought grimly as he took a few steps back to heal up his injuries.

"Since you have already forced me to use my Art of Cloning, there's no way I can allow you to walk out of here alive!" The Qingtian Emperor gritted his teeth and roared as he charged toward Zhang Xuan once more.

With a flick of his fingers, he sent five surges of sword qi toward Zhang Xuan, intending to rip him into pieces.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan swiftly activated the Unbounded Voyager to flee several dozen meters back.

Hu hu!

But barely after Zhang Xuan escaped from the area, the Qingtian Emperor arrived before him once more to launch his second wave of assault.

To his surprise, the divided Qingtian Emperor was actually able to move at speed that was in no way inferior to his!

Zhang Xuan repeated the same cycle eight more times, even abruptly changing his directions from time to time to shake off the Qingtian Emperor, but his efforts were to no avail. This left cold sweat trickling down his back.

All of a sudden, another Qingtian Emperor appeared right in front of him.

To Zhang Xuan's astonishment, the Golden Origin Cauldron's massive feet were already twitching on the ground uncontrollably, seemingly pummeled badly by the other Qingtian Emperor. From the looks of it, it did not seem like it would be able to battle for some time.

On the other hand, the Glacier Rain Sword was stabbed deeply into the ground, not moving at all.

"You... As an Emperor of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, don't you think that it's embarrassing for the two of you to gang up on me? This is unfair!" Zhang Xuan spat through gritted teeth as he slowly backed away

"Unfair? Hahahaha!" The two Qingtian Emperors burst into laughter simultaneously. With a cold voice, they sneered, "Feel free to clone yourself too, no one is stopping you!"

"But... I don't know such a secret art!" Zhang Xuan protested.

The two Qingtian Emperors scoffed coldly. "Is that supposed to be any of my business? You only have your own ignorance and powerless to blame!"

After saying those words, the duo exerted their strength simultaneously, and once again, the space around Zhang Xuan seemed to have frozen. As if an insect stuck in a spider's web, he found himself unable to move.

He had to exert his full strength before he was able to struggle free of the Spatial Seal and escape. However, before he could get far, the two Qingtian Emperors had caught up with him.

Peng!

A powerful blow struck Zhang Xuan from behind, sending him crashing forcefully into the wall.

Pu!

Swiftly pushing himself out from the wall, Zhang Xuan turned around to face the Qingtian Emperors warily, as if preparing himself to deal with whatever other attacks they went at him with. However, at this point, his body was already shaking uncontrollably from the severe wounds that he had sustained, and it seemed as if he already had a single foot in the grave.

"At most, we'll just die together!" Despaired, Zhang Xuan bellowed furiously as he gathered his zhenqi furiously, as if intending to explode himself.

"Trying to explode yourself? Do you think we'll give you an opportunity to do so?"

The two Qingtian Emperors immediately rushed forward to stop Zhang Xuan, but before they could make a move, they felt an instantaneous, splitting pain in their heads before their heads exploded simultaneously.

Peng!

Flashy and glamorous, just like the fireworks.

As the crimson rain died down, two fists finally appeared behind the necks of the Qingtian Emperors.

"You..." As if unable to believe that their heads had been destroyed, the souls of the Qingtian Emperors swiftly turned around to see the culprit behind the assault. It was none other than... Zhang Xuan!

Following which, they saw the 'exploding' Zhang Xuan coming up to them with disdain in his eyes.

"What is there to boast about a mere clone? You make it sound as if it's a big deal. These days, no one dares leave home without a clone or two with them!"

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Chapter 1219: The Qingtian Emperor Bursts into Tears

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was already hard enough to deal with a single Qingtian Emperor, and dealing with two of them simultaneously was nearly impossible. As such, Zhang Xuan had slowly made the necessary preparations. First, he had his clone conceal himself in the hall before retreating again and again so as to make the Qingtian Emperors lower their guard, as well as to lure them where he wanted them.

The final explosion served as a distraction for the duo, buying sufficient time for his clone to launch an assault.

It sounded simple on the surface, but it was actually much more complex than it sounded. In order to put up a convincing act to fool the Qingtian Emperors, he had needed to carefully decide which techniques he should use, how far he should escape, where he should stop, and from which angle his clone launch should launch his assault to not be noticed.

It was only due to such careful calculation that the plan worked out in the end.

At the same time, it was also fortunate that his clone had been cultivating hard in recent days, granting it strength far greater than the main body, allowing it to destroy the bodies of the two Qingtian Emperors with ease.

Otherwise, with just him and the Golden Origin Cauldron, the chances of victory would have been extremely slim.

"Damn it!"

The corpses of the Qingtian Emperors fell to the ground with a loud 'plop'. Following which, with a furious roar, two souls oracles rose from the two bodies.

The Primordial Spirits of the Qingtian Emperors!

Astonishingly, the division was not just limited to the Qingtian Emperor's body—even his Primordial Spirit had split in two as well!

Boom!

As soon as the two Primordial Spirits appeared, the surrounding air suddenly seemed to have grown even more viscous, as if one was standing in quicksand. Putting aside making a move, just remaining upright would have been a struggle for any ordinary cultivator!

As soul oracles, the Primordial Spirits of the Qingtian Emperors were far stronger than their bodies, allowing them to exert strength far greater than before.

Hu!

All of a sudden, the two Primordial Spirits suddenly began fusing back together.

It appeared that the Qingtian Emperor's Art of Cloning had become unstable with the destruction of both of the bodies, making it difficult for the Primordial Spirits to maintain their divided form.

The fusion was completed in an instant.

Seeing how his advantage had been lost, the Qingtian Emperor's face turned incredibly livid. With a wrathful bellow, he charged toward Zhang Xuan once more. "You bastard, how dare you destroy my body? I'll make you pay the price for your actions!"

He had thought that he would have been able to kill Zhang Xuan with ease once he activated his trump card, the Art of Cloning. Yet, not only did he fail to kill that brat, his physical body had even ended up being destroyed in the process. At this moment, the sheer frustration and rage in his mind were enough to make him erupt.

If he had only been angry at Zhang Xuan for undoing his many years of efforts and preparations before, at this very moment, there was nothing else in his mind but the overwhelming loathing he had for Zhang Xuan.

Before the other party's threat, Zhang Xuan simply chuckled leisurely. "Is that the only line you know? You have already said it quite a few times, but aren't I still alive and kicking over here? Cut the crap."

Not even bothering to avoid the Qingtian Emperor's attack, he thrust his palm forward instead.

Tzzzzzzzz!

As soon as the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit came into contact with Zhang Xuan's palm, a sizzling reminiscent of metal coming into contact with sulfur filled the hall. In the blink of an eye, a massive hole had been corroded open in the center the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit.

"Ahhh!" The Qingtian Emperor cried in agony as he hurriedly retracted his hand. At the same time, he stared at Zhang Xuan with a disbelieving look. "Y-you..."

Even back when he was in his physical body, he had still managed to overpower Zhang Xuan easily, but he had unfortunately been done in by the young man's schemes in the end. Given that, he should have been able to deal with the young man even more easily now that he was in his Primordial Spirit form. Yet... why would it turn out like that? Why did his Primordial Spirit end up being corroded instead?

"If you were just an ordinary Primordial Spirit, I might not have been able to deal with you so easily. But since you are a soul oracle, I happen to have a hundred ways to end your life..." Paying no heed to the other party's shock, Zhang Xuan smirked haughtily as he swiftly shrouded the entire hall with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, not intending to give the Qingtian Emperor any opportunity to escape at all.

Typically speaking, with his current strength, he should not have been a match for the Primordial Spirit of a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage cultivator. However, the Qingtian Emperor just happened to be a soul oracle, resulting in the yin energy in his Primordial Spirit being far more concentrated compared to ordinary Primordial Spirits... and the Heaven's Path zhenqi happened to be the very nemesis of that!

Just as a metal hammer would eventually be corroded into nothing no matter how hard it pounded on sulfur, as powerful the Qingtian Emperor might have been, there was no way he stood a chance against the Heaven's Path zhenqi!

"Damn you..." The Qingtian Emperor glared at Zhang Xuan coldly.

At this moment, he finally realized how far he had screwed up. With his superior strength, he had wielded the decisive advantage at the very start of the battle, but with the scheming of the young man, his advantage had gradually been lost throughout the course of the battle, and now, he was in the weaker position.

Glancing at the zhenqi shrouding the entire hall, his face turned ghastly pale.

At this point, while he could not understand the reason behind it, he had already come to realize that the zhenqi in the area had the ability to corrode his Primordial Spirit. If he attempted to charge out of the encirclement, he would only wear himself thin and worsen his position.

"Even if I die here, I'll bring you down with me!" Gritting his teeth furiously, the Qingtian Emperor roared furiously as he focused his soul energy together and charged at Zhang Xuan once more.

At this point, it was already a do or die situation. If he could kill the young man before his Primordial Spirit corroded into nothing, he might still stand a chance at survival.

Even if he did die in the end, he would never be able to rest in peace if he did not bring the young man down with him!

Boom!

Exerting his full strength once more, the Qingtian Emperor cast another Spatial Seal around Zhang Xuan, restricting the latter's movements.

"You sure are a resilient insect. I guess the Emperors of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe aren't just for show after all," Zhang Xuan remarked coldly as he released a powerful burst of zhenqi, breaking the Spatial Seal around him. After which, he swiftly raised his palm to face the Qingtian Emperor's assault.

Tzzzzzzzzzz!

That palm strike infused with the Heaven's Path zhenqi swiftly clashed with the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit, producing yet another series of sizzling sound.

"Ahhh!" With a cry of agony, the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit shrunk significantly.

"Damn it! Damn it, damn it!" Gritting his teeth tightly, the Qingtian Emperor cursed furiously.

The greatest trump card of a Leaving Aperture realm expert was their control over the environment, allowing them to limit the movements of their enemies. Yet, for some reason, the young man was able to break his Spatial Seal easily as if it was nothing at all.

With a swift motion, the Qingtian Emperor distanced himself away from Zhang Xuan. After which, he gathered his energy on his fingertip before blasting it toward Zhang Xuan.

He was thinking that as long as he could distance himself from the young man, it would be more difficult for the young man's zhenqi to get to him.

Weng!

The burst of energy from the Qingtian Emperor was incredibly concentrated, and it traveled so quickly that its motion was hardly discernible with the eye.

Peng!

As expected, Zhang Xuan failed to withstand the burst of energy, and it struck him squarely in his chest, sending him flying into the distance.

Using the same method, the Qingtian Emperor also sent Zhang Xuan's clone flying as well.

Without his Heaven's Path zhenqi to suppress the Qingtian Emperor's strength, there was no way Zhang Xuan would be able to face the Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage soul oracle head on.

Seeing how the Qingtian Emperor was able to come up with a countermeasure against him so quickly, Zhang Xuan's face turned grim. As expected of an old monster who has lived for countless years, he sure does react swiftly!

While using his Heaven's Path zhenqi to heal his injuries, he swiftly reanalyzed his current situation.

The further he spread out his Heaven's Path zhenqi, the less concentrated it would be. While it was true that he would be able to defeat the Qingtian Emperor if he just bombard the entire hall with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, the problem with that was that the consumption of zhenqi would be insane as well. He might very well deplete his entire zhenqi reserves for that.

Considering how he had not even met Vicious yet, depleting his zhenqi reserves at this point would likely be an unwise move.

What should I do? Zhang Xuan thought with a frown.

However, the Qingtian Emperor did not intend to grant him any time to think. With a furious roar, he sent another burst of energy toward him.

Wuuuuuuuu!

The sheer accumulation of power burst through the air, seemingly wanting to tear a hole through the world.

Having anticipated the move, Zhang Xuan easily dodged the attack with a swift side step. Just when he was about to counterattack, a thought suddenly came to his mind. A smile slowly crept up his lips, and he flicked his wrist.

Bam!

An altar fell onto the ground.

Zhang Xuan placed his palm on it lightly.

Hu la!

The inscriptions atop the altar swiftly lit up, and a powerful suction force began pulling the Primordial Spirit of the Qingtian Emperor in.

Feeling the powerful suction force pulling him in, the Qingtian Emperor widened his eyes in astonishment. What? Isn't that the altar that I set up in Qingyuan City?

That was the altar that his clone had set up in Qingyuan City to kill master teachers and nab their souls. Who would have thought that the other party would actually bring it with him and even use it against him?

Supposedly, that altar could only be activated with the Slaughter of Zhenqi unique to Otherworldly Demons. Furthermore, the formation for it was extremely complicated. Even he would require much preparation in order to activate the altar once, and the energy consumption was massive. So how in the world did that fellow do it so easily?

Noticing something, the eyebrows of the Qingtian Emperor shot up in astonishment. Wait a moment, he's using his own zhenqi to activate the altar?

The other party was actually using his own zhenqi to fuel the altar! Just how much zhenqi did he possess to squander it like that?

The Qingtian Emperor was convinced that Zhang Xuan would not be able to maintain the activation of the altar for too long, but as time passed, he found the suction power from the altar growing stronger and stronger. Eventually, he was unable to hold on anymore, and his Primordial Spirit was swiftly dragged all the way to the top of the altar.

The altar was crafted using a unique method from Vicious. Those whose soul or Primordial Spirit was still grounded by a physical body might have been able to withstand the suction force of the altar, but with only his Primordial Spirit remaining at the moment, the Qingtian Emperor stood no chance at all.

The Qingtian Emperor struggled furiously as he was helplessly dragged toward the altar, but it was to no avail. At this point, he suddenly saw two Zhang Xuans charging up to him before launching a furious barrage of attacks on him.

Elbow, palm strike, punch, kick... Every single possible attack that could be launched by a human rained down on him relentlessly.

"Damn it!" With a cry of anger, the Qingtian Emperor roared furiously as he released an overwhelming burst of energy with his full might.

That burst of energy had sapped his zhenqi and soul energy significantly, but it did free him from the suction of the altar. As soon as he broke free, he immediately stretched his claws toward Zhang Xuan to snap his neck.

But before his hands could reach, the two Zhang Xuans had already retreated a hundred meters away.

Naturally, the next course of action that the Qingtian Emperor would do was destroy the altar beneath him, but to his horror, the young man had already stowed the altar into his storage ring.

The Qingtian Emperor's face immediately turned livid. He swiftly gathered his energy on his fingertips once more and launched a barrage of attack on the two Zhang Xuans, only to see them whipping out the altar once more to activate it.

Huala!

He was swiftly dragged over, and the two Zhang Xuans charged over to pummel him.

"You bastard! I swear that I'll rip you into pieces!" Feeling so furious that he could have exploded on the spot, the Qingtian Emperor tapped into the reserves of his strength and successfully broke free of the altar once more.

However, again, he found that the two fellows had already fled to somewhere even further away to activate the altar.

Padah!

He was pulled over once more, and yet another barrage of attacks fell on him.

The cycle continued a few more times, and the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit grew smaller and smaller.

Feeling that he would dissipate at any moment, the Qingtian Emperor finally burst into tears.

How can there be someone that shameless in the world?

He had seen plenty of capable and powerful master teachers in his time, but this was the first time he was seeing someone as shameless as that!

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Chapter 1220: Listen to Me

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Golden Origin Cauldron, which had been smashed into the ground previously by the Qingtian Emperor, finally came to and struggled to its feet. Upon seeing the sight above, it could not help but shudder in fear.

"Master... sure is vicious!"

It had thought that after fusing with the Black Goldcrystal Ore and undergoing three lightning ordeals to reach Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, it could finally be considered an expert among experts. Yet, who would have thought that it was still a level beneath its master?

For someone as keen, resourceful, and powerful as the Qingtian Emperor to be reduced to such a state, it really felt like a dream.

The Golden Origin Cauldron made a mental note that no matter what it did in the future, it should never cross its master regardless of the situation.

The cauldron did not even dare imagine what kind of plight it would be put into if it did so.

"Enough!" After a series of pummeling, Zhang Xuan finally waved his hand.

Upon hearing those words, his clone had a look of disappointment on his face.

Spending day after day trapped within the Myriad Anthive Nest, it was not easy for it to have an opportunity to come out and pummel someone. It had not even had its fair share of fun yet when everything suddenly came to a halt.

At this moment, the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit was already as weak as it could get, and it seemed as if it would dissipate at any moment.

It had sustained significant damage from the Art of Cloning, and the relentless pummeling from the two Zhang Xuans had really done nothing to help. Not only had his Primordial Spirit grown incredibly weak, his mind was also on the verge of snapping as well.

"I will... kill... you."

Despite his frailty, the eyes of the Qingtian Emperor were still burning with hatred.

"Yes, yes, I know, I know. There's no need to get anxious now. I'll just do a quick Soul Search on you, so bear with it. It'll be over before you know it!" Zhang Xuan consoled as he tapped his finger on the glabella of the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit.

"No!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan was going to use Soul Search against him, the eyes of the Qingtian Emperor widened in fright. He immediately struggled, wanting to escape, but the suction power of the altar was simply too strong. His Primordial Spirit just would not move an inch no matter what he did.

The struggling of the Qingtian Emperor was interfering with his Soul Search, so Zhang Xuan turned to his clone and instructed, "Clone, come over and help me hold him in place. I'll conduct a Soul Search on him to get the intelligence we need first."

"Sure thing!" Excited, Zhang Xuan's clone immediately hopped over to the Qingtian Emperor and sent a forceful kick to the latter's head.

Paji!

In an instant, the Emperor of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was reduced to a '大' shape on the altar. With an indignant look in his eyes, he continued struggling with all his might, but things simply would not go as he wished.

"Still being disobedient here, eh?" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan's clone raised his hand and yelled, "Sword!"

Hu la!

The Glacier Rain Sword immediately flew into his grasp. "If you dare move once more, I'll pierce my sword right through your throat!"

The Qingtian Emperor immediately froze on the spot, not daring to move at all.

"That's more like it. Good boy!" Nodding in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan's clone turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Alright, it's done. You can conduct a Soul Search on him now!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan placed his finger onto the Qingtian Emperor's glabella before sending a sliver of his consciousness in.

Just as he was about to examine the latter's memories carefully to see where Vicious was, the entire hall suddenly began shaking. Following which, an eerie voice boomed.

"Who would have thought that a Celestial Master Teacher would actually be skilled in the arts of the soul oracles too? If I spread this news, do you think that the humans will continue accepting you as one of their own, or will they send their strongest experts to assassinate you?"

Following that, a cold laughter echoed in the air. The voice seemed to sound right within Zhang Xuan's ears, making it impossible for him to discern the source of it.

"You are finally showing yourself, huh?"

Halting his Soul Search, Zhang Xuan swiftly shoved the altar and Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit into his storage ring before standing back up.

He had known that Vicious was definitely in the area, and the Soul Search was actually just a ploy to lure the latter out.

"Despite being only at Saint 3-dan pinnacle, you were able to defeat the Saint 5-dan advanced stage Qingtian Emperor. I must say, as expected of a Celestial Master Teacher. Just like Kong shi back then, you do have a unique insight into cultivation and combat that far surpasses other geniuses," Vicious remarked meaningfully. "However... you are still too young. In your current state, it's simply too easy for me to kill you!"

Right after saying those words, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt the world spin around him. A powerful might tugged at his soul forcefully, nearly dragging it out of his body.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

It was the same feeling that he had felt from the massive eye he had encountered back when he was in Chen Zhe's residence. It felt as if he had lost control of his soul, and the slightest mistake in his control would result in his soul being devoured whole.

Driving his Heaven's Path zhenqi furiously, Zhang Xuan struggled desperately against the powerful suction force. However, the other party was simply too powerful. In the blink of an eye, it felt as if a black hole had materialized right before him, as if it would not rest until it devoured him whole.

Hu la!

Eventually, Zhang Xuan's soul was dragged out of his body and pulled over to the altar.

"T-this... What a huge soul you have!" Vicious was visibly stunned by what he saw.

Skilled in the arts of the soul oracles, the strength of his soul was extraordinary as well. Yet, who would have thought that the young man before him would have one that was even bigger than his! This had already surpassed a level that he could comprehend!

However, the shock only lasted for a moment. Swiftly regaining his composure, a pair of eyes suddenly appeared from the other end of the black hole, staring at Zhang Xuan silently.

"You should know that I have the ability to kill you easily."

"I don't deny that," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

"Good. I like dealing with candid people," Vicious replied. "Since that's the case, you should also know that the reason I have spared you for so long is because you still have some value to me!"

"You want me to free you?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's indeed easier to speak with the intelligent! As long as you free me, I'll can spare you this once!" Vicious said.

"You will spare me? Do you mean that you will allow me to exist as a Soulless Metal Humanoid or your puppet as soon as you are freed from your restraints?" Zhang Xuan scoffed.

"You don't have any other options," Vicious replied frankly, not denying the matter.

"Since I'll face death regardless of whether I help you or not, tell me, why should I free you?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Vicious harrumphed coldly. "You don't have any choice in this matter. If you want to see all of the master teachers and combat masters who have accompanied you here dying before your eyes... feel free to turn me down!"

Following which, the black hole suddenly stirred, and a screen appeared.

It was Hall Master Xing and the others.

At this moment, they were still surrounded by countless Soulless Metal Humanoids. Those guarding the outer perimeter—Division Head Wei, Division Head Liao, and the others—had already sustained considerably injuries, and they seemed to be drained as well.

They had been chosen to participate in this expedition for the superior strength they possessed compared to their peers, but against so many puppets who felt neither pain nor exhaustion, it was inevitable that they were eventually worn down.

Hu!

At this moment, a mechanism suddenly whirred into action within the room, and a figure slowly walked out, heading toward Hall Master Xing and the others.

The figure was a Soulless Metal Humanoid as well, but it wielded strength far greater than the others in the room. Astonishingly, it was a Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage puppet! Powerful zhenqi burst from its acupoints, seemingly flaunting the superior strength that it wielded.

"Your comrades already have their hands full dealing with the other Soulless Metal Humanoids. If I make a move as well, how many of them do you think will remain alive at the end of this?" The pair of eyes continued staring intently at Zhang Xuan, as if peering right into his thoughts, as it sneered coldly. "You don't have much time left to make your decision."

Following which, the Soulless Metal Humanoid on the screen dashed right into Hall Master Xing's group.

"Everyone, stand your ground..." Alarmed, Division Head Wei bellowed anxiously.

However, before he could finish his words, the Soulless Metal Humanoid had already sunk its palm into his chest.

Peng!

Division Head Wei was immediately sent flying into the wall, coughing up huge mouthfuls of blood.

His abrupt absence resulted in an opening in the formation. Before the others could move to close the opening, that fellow charged toward the second strongest of the group, Division Head Liao, to incapacitate him.

Kacha!

Under normal circumstances, even against a Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage expert, as long as Division Head Liao exerted his full strength, he would at least have been able to withstand a few blows and buy some time. However, after the long battle with the Soulless Metal Humanoids, his zhenqi and stamina were already reaching their limits. As a result, he ended up caving in within a single blow, collapsing weakly to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, two members of their group had been incapacitated.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" Seeing that two of his companions had been severely wounded, Zhang Jiuxiao roared furiously. Whipping out the two Saint intermediate-tier sabers he had, he began launching a barrage of attacks toward the Soulless Metal Humanoid.

However, seemingly expecting Zhang Jiuxiao's move, the Soulless Metal Humanoid raised its hand and tapped his finger forward.

Weng! The swords suddenly froze in midair.

With a flushed face, Zhang Jiuxiao struggled with all his might, but he found that he was not able to move at all. It was as if someone had glued him to the floor.

In the end, he was only a Primordial Spirit realm primary stage cultivator. As powerful as he might have been, the gap between him and a Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage cultivator was simply too great.

After being pinned on the spot, the Soulless Metal Humanoid sneered coldly as it walked forward and struck Zhang Jiuxiao with its palm.

Padah!

Zhang Jiuxiao was immediately sent flying. However, while he was flying in midair, a brilliant light suddenly shimmered from his chest, and his retreating figure abruptly came to a halt. It seemed like some kind of protective amulet or the sort had been activated.

As an offspring of the Zhang Clan, he still had a few protective artifacts on hand in case he met with danger.

"Interesting... However, if you think that the amulet will be able to stop me, I'll have to say that you are being hopelessly optimistic!" Vicious scoffed.

Under his control, the Soulless Metal Humanoid bent its knees before abruptly leaping up. Then, with a series of fluid motions reminiscent of a musician playing a zither, a barrage of attacks was launched toward Zhang Jiuxiao.

Weng weng weng weng!

The activated protective amulet shielded Zhang Jiuxiao well, shielding him from harm. However, as the barrage of attacks continued, the radiance of the protective barrier gradually grew dimmer and dimmer.

No matter how powerful a protective barrier was, it was limited by the energy it harnessed. It might have been able to withstand a powerful blow or two, but too many times, it would eventually reach its limit.

Peng!

The protective barrier finally shattered, and just like the others, Zhang Jiuxiao was struck forcefully into the wall, sustaining severe injuries in the process.

After subduing the three stronger members of the group, the rest was simple. It did not take long for the three elders whom Wu shi brought over to be incapacitated as well. Other than the severely wounded Wu shi and Hall Master Xing, it could be said that their entire group had been wiped out.

With a cold smile on its lips, the Soulless Metal Humanoid slowly walked over to Hall Master Xing with its palm raised, seemingly ready to kill the other party at any moment.

Knowing that the two severely wounded individuals wouldn't be able to withstand the might of his Soulless Metal Humanoid's attacks, Vicious glanced at Zhang Xuan provocatively. "How about it? Submit to me, and I can spare your comrades. As a Celestial Master Teacher, surely you won't watch your comrades die one by one before your eyes, right?"

The principles of the master teachers were not just mere guidelines. Rather, it was a faith that they embraced, and their state of mind was built upon this faith, giving them the strength to stand resiliently in the face of fear and despair.

However, if a master teacher abandoned their principles and watched idly as their comrades die before their eyes, it could potentially lead to a collapse of their faith and their state of mind, making it difficult for them to make any advancement in their cultivation in the future.

"Watch my comrades die before my eyes?" Hearing Vicious' words, Zhang Xuan abruptly burst into laughter. "Of course I won't!"

"You..." Bewildered by Zhang Xuan's bizarre outburst, Vicious was just about to speak when the scene within the screen abruptly changed. The 'severely-wounded' Wu shi and Hall Master Xing abruptly leaped up from their positions to attack simultaneously.

Peng!

Their attack was extremely abrupt, and the Soulless Metal Humanoid was simply too close. As a result, before the Soulless Metal Humanoid could react, a massive hole was plunged through its chest, causing its ribcage to shatter entirely.

Vicious was completely taken aback by the course of events. At that moment, Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke.

"How about it? Submit to me, and I can consider sparing your Soulless Metal Humanoid! As a person who once successfully trapped Kong shi, surely you won't watch your comrades die one by one before your eyes, right?"

"..." Vicious.

Chapter 1221: Brain and Eyes

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It had been hard for them to hold themselves back as they watched their comrades being sent flying by the Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage Soulless Metal Humanoid one after another. However, they knew that the other party wielded strength far greater than them, and they would only have a chance at victory if they bided their time and waited for a suitable opportunity to strike.

Fortunately, their efforts had paid off, and they had succeeded in incapacitating the latter.

Hulala!

Hall Master Xing and Wu shi got to their feet simultaneously and began clearing up all the Soulless Metal Humanoids in the area.

Having undergone the lightning ordeal, the two of them were already True Leaving Aperture realm experts. On the other hand, these Soulless Metal Humanoids were only at the Primordial Spirit realm, so there was no way they could possibly stand a chance against the duo.

After clearing up the Soulless Metal Humanoids, Wu shi hurriedly rushed up Zhang Jiuxiao, Division Head Wei, and the others, and taking out a gourd of fine wine, he gave everyone of them a mouthful of it.

In a few breaths, the wounded crowd had fully recovered from their injuries, and they rose to their feet.

"Hall Master Xing, Wu shi... What's going on? You..."

The crowd could hardly believe what they were seeing.

The two of them had clearly suffered grievous wounds from their Leaving Aperture Ordeal, making them too frail to even stand properly, so... how in the world did they suddenly recover from their injuries?

"Principal Zhang had us pretend to be injured in order to relax the enemies and make them lower their guard. He told us only to make a move at the crucial moment," Hall Master Xing explained.

It was true that the Leaving Aperture Ordeal had nearly cost him his life, and even though he had successfully cleared it in the end, he had sustained severe injuries.

Under normal circumstances, without months of recuperation, it would have been hard for him to return to his peak. However, the gourd of wine that Zhang Xuan had fed them was simply too potent. Not only did their physical wounds recover, more importantly, even their wounded Primordial Spirits had been nursed back to full health!

Wu shi also nodded in agreement.

He did not drink the wine, but Zhang Xuan had infused his zhenqi straight into his body. As a result, he had already recovered from the injuries as soon as he sustained them.

"Principal Zhang headed over there earlier. Let's go over to take a look as well!"

Having just overcome a near-death experience, everyone was filled with many complex emotions within. Nevertheless, knowing that there was an enemy that they needed to overcome ahead, they decided to head on without wasting any time.

After seeing all of that, Vicious' expression turned livid.

He had planned to trigger Hall Master Xing's lightning ordeal in order to make them lose their strongest fighter, but who would have thought that his efforts would end up bolstering the other party's forces instead?

"You knew that I would dispatch some men to deal with them?" Vicious looked at Zhang Xuan with killing intent in his eyes.

"I didn't, but as the old adage goes—better safe than sorry," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

He could not have expected that Vicious would attempt to hold Wu shi and the others hostage in order to threaten him, but there was no doubt that Vicious would have attempted to harm them. Regardless of how he planned to go about doing so, it was always best to prepare some cards in advance. That way, they would not be utterly helpless in face of an unexpected situation.

This was especially so given that they were dealing with an old monster with countless years of experience. They might not have won in a direct battle of wits, but the least they could do was win in terms of preparation.

Seeing the fearless look on Zhang Xuan's face, Vicious lashed out furiously. "Very well. Do you really think that I dare not kill you?"

"Of course you want to kill me, but... are you able of doing it in your current state?" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly as he shot a sideward glance at Vicious. "If you are really able to do it, you would have done it long ago. You wouldn't be wasting words with me here."

Prior to meeting the eyes, he had encountered and fought with two other body parts of Vicious.

The first Vicious he had met was the heart. Without any hesitation, the latter had attempted to kill him. It was truly fortunate that he had possessed a golden page, allowing him to seal Vicious and force the heart to submit to him.

The second Vicious he had met was the finger. Similarly, the finger also made a move on him without wasting any breath. Considering that they had come from the same origin, it was likely that they would have the same personality. So, how could the first two Viciouses be so ferocious whereas this one would be so kind as to negotiate terms with him?

Clearly, the other party was all talk. While the other party kept the matter of killing him by his mouth, the fact was that it was probably easier said than done.

Otherwise, he would have long made his move.

Alternatively, it could also have meant that Vicious was intending to use his hand to be freed from his restraints. With that in mind, Vicious had been forced to play along with him, coming up with this entire show to force him to submit.

But regardless of which reason it was, Zhang Xuan had nothing to fear.

"You..." Vicious was taken aback.

"Alright, let's not waste any more time here. I'll be leaving now then." Since he could not be bothered to deal with Vicious any longer, Zhang Xuan drove his Heaven's Path Soul Art.

The area around him blurred, and he suddenly found that he was still standing on the spot. Everything that he had just encountered seemed to have been nothing more than a figment of his imagination.

Seeing that everything was just as he had deduced, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Previously, back at Chen Zhe's residence, Vicious had made a move on him. From that, it could be seen that Vicious did intend to kill him. Yet, upon arriving at the Ghost Cavern, Vicious had gone to the effort of separating them, triggering Hall Master Xing's Leaving Aperture Ordeal, and putting on this entire act. This had left him rather doubtful.

If Vicious was truly as powerful as he made out to be, surely it would not have mattered how powerful Hall Master Xing was. Interfering with Hall Master Xing's Lightning Aperture Ordeal would truly have been a redundant step.

Furthermore, he had also pummeled the Qingtian Emperor to the point that the latter was on the verge of passing away, and yet, Vicious still did not appear.

Putting all that together, Zhang Xuan had roughly come to a conclusion. However, with many things at stake, he had not dared to act recklessly. Thus, he had sought to verify his conjecture.

After which, when his soul was dragged away by Vicious, he surprisingly found that Vicious did not make a move on him directly. Instead, the latter began negotiating with him, even trying to take Wu shi and the others hostage to force him to submit. This very action affirmed all the conjectures that he had come up with previously.

Vicious really was not as powerful as he had thought. Perhaps, he might even have been weaker than the Qingtian Emperor!

Otherwise, there was no reason for him to keep hiding, controlling the Soulless Metal Humanoid from behind to kill the others.

Without a doubt, this was an attempt to portray himself as an expert, winning the battle by forcing him into submission.

If it had been anyone else, they might have fallen for his ploy. However, Vicious never would have thought that pretending to be an expert... happened to be his field of specialty!

He was one who was able to scare away a real Saint 7-dan expert by acting as Yang shi, so how could he possibly allow others to beguile him with the same tactics?

With a quick step, Zhang Xuan headed to the wall where the Qingtian Emperor had emerged from, and he placed his hand on it.

A moment later, a slight smile surfaced on his lips. Using his finger as a sword, he tapped on the wall seven times.

Kacha!

The whirring of a mechanism echoed loudly, and a passageway leading further down appeared.

It was completely dark within, and just like before, Zhang Xuan found that his Spiritual Perception was unable to penetrate too far ahead.

Zhang Xuan turned around and instructed, "Clone, you take the lead."

His clone was made of the Nine Hearts Lotus, so even if he was ground into meat paste or sliced in two, he would still be able to regenerate to his original form. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was clearly incapable of pulling that off himself.

Even if Vicious' fighting prowess was not as fearsome as what he had imagined, it would still be wise to proceed carefully. After all, he was a person who had succeeded in winning the Qingtian Emperor's loyalty, so the chances were that he had more tricks up his sleeves.

"Follow behind me closely. Don't worry, I'll cover you. When it comes down to it, I'll just act as if I'm the main body, and you can assume the role of the clone!" Zhang Xuan's clone shot Zhang Xuan a disdainful look before raising his head haughtily and venturing into the passageway.

To think that the main body would not only be weak, he would even be so spineless! It really was a wonder how he had managed to come this far!

Ignoring his narcissistic clone, Zhang Xuan stowed the Golden Origin Cauldron and the Glacier Rain Sword back into his storage ring before closely following his clone into the passageway.

Zhang Xuan's clone harrumphed in displeasure as he walked through the passageway. "Let me tell you, as the main body, you should be daring and decisive. If you keep acting so cowardly, not even daring to walk through a mere passageway yourself, as your clone, I'll be deeply embarrassed!"

"Well, it's always good to be careful."

The more he heard his clone speak, the more awkward Zhang Xuan felt.

He really was the most pathetic main body in the world. To think that the clone that he had forged would end up being a bigger poser than he was. There were really no words he could find to describe the feeling in his heart.

"What's there to be careful about? If you're sufficiently strong, there's no need to hesitate before anything!" Zhang Xuan's clone refuted coldly.

However, halfway through his words, a powerful force suddenly charged at him.

Padah!

Before he realized what was happening, his head was already smacked flat like a biscuit.

"What the hell! Who in the world assaulted me?" Roaring furiously, Zhang Xuan's clone immediately charged in the direction that the attack had come from, only to realize that he had arrived at the end of the flight of stairs.

Appearing before him was yet another vast hall.

Huala!

Several figures suddenly rushed out from the corners of the hall to block their path. Without a doubt, one of them was the culprit behind the flattened head of Zhang Xuan's clone.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan stroked his chest in relief. If he had not gotten his clone to help lead the way forward, he might have died there and then. Suppressing his shock, he began examining the figures before him closely.

There were four figures in total, and they were roughly around his height. However, they were neither Otherworldly Demons nor Soulless Metal Humanoids.

"These are... celestial designer puppets?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

Upon careful observation, he realized that those figures were actually exquisitely-crafted celestial designer puppets.

The puppets created by celestial designers were vastly different from those crafted by Wu Yangzi using the Otherworldly Demon bodies. These puppets were crafted solely out of spare parts, and the powerful engine behind them granted them incredible fighting prowess.

From how they had flattened Zhang Xuan's clone head with a single strike, their fighting prowess was probably on par with Zhang Xuan—Saint 3-dan realm intermediate stage at the very least.

"Damn it!" Zhang Xuan's clone was so furious that he could have exploded on the spot.

He had been acting like expert before the main body and mocking him, but the next moment, his head had ended up being smashed in. If he could convert his frustration and rage into energy, it could have destroyed the entire world. With a furious bellow, his head popped back up, reverting to its original form, before rushing forward to tear apart the puppet that dared to lay its hands on him previously.

Peng peng peng peng!

In an instant, Zhang Xuan's clone had already traded dozens of blows with one of the puppets, and the powerful shockwave from their collision caused sonic booms to sound in the air. Countless scars were left on the floor and walls, and broken gravel was swept furiously into the air, creating a sight of devastation. Nevertheless, neither of them was willing to back down.

"Strong..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in alarm.

Astonishingly, despite its lower cultivation realm, the strength that the puppet displayed was almost on par with the Qingtian Emperor!

To make things worse, there were even three more standing by the side.

If they collaborated with one another, even with his clone and the Golden Origin Cauldron, Zhang Xuan still would not stand a chance.

"How about it? Did you really think that I won't be able to kill you?" Vicious' voice sounded once more.

"Through these puppets, you mean?" Zhang Xuan replied coldly.

"As long as it's effective, does it matter what I use?" Vicious sneered in response.

"So, you are admitting that you are no match for me with your current strength?" Zhang Xuan scoffed.

To first send the Qingtian Emperor after him before bringing out these puppets, it seemed like Vicious was really in a weakened state at the moment.

"Master, I can confirm it now. He's my brain and my eyes!" the Vicious within the Book of Heaven's Path informed Zhang Xuan.

"Your brain and your eyes?"

"Un. The brain is where the memory is stored, so that explains why that fellow was able to retain a greater degree of my memories and recall the matter of trapping Kong shi," the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path analyzed.

"The fighting prowess that my brain and my eyes wield is severely limited. Other than casting some basic soul arts, they are effectively useless in battle. As such, they have no choice but to rely on beguiling others to work for them. This is probably why they are resorting to such schemes instead of dealing with you directly!"

"I see!" Hearing Vicious' analysis, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Back then, when he encountered Vicious' finger, the latter had attacked him without any hesitation. On the other hand, this Vicious seemed to be relying on external forces—such as other Otherworldly Demons, Soulless Metal Humanoids, or puppets—to deal with him. This further supported Vicious' conjecture.

"Even so, Master, you still must remain careful! While my brain is lacking in fighting prowess, it's still where most of my memories are kept. It won't be easy to kill and possess it!" the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path remarked worriedly.

Even though he had undergone the lightning ordeal and successfully advanced to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, he still had no confidence that he would be able to deal with the many means that the other Vicious possessed.

The head was bound to retain most of the memories of the former Vicious, granting it a deep understanding of all kinds of techniques. This would allow it to effectively neutralize most offenses and possession attempts. On this aspect, the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path, being just a heart and a finger, was at a critical disadvantage.

"More importantly, the brain is the center of a body, possessing innate authority that grants it near-absolute control over the rest of the body. I fear that... if I get too close to him, I might just unknowingly fall under his control!" the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path revealed worriedly.

Putting aside just him, even if the rest of Vicious' body parts were there, they still would have had to obey the commands of the brain. If they rushed at the other Vicious recklessly, not only would he be unable to devour the other Vicious, he might even end up as the other Vicious' puppet!

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Chapter 1222: Teacher Loves You!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan frowned.

The brain was the command center of a body. Even if Vicious' body was divided into many parts at the moment, the authority that the brain had over the other body parts still remained. In other words, even if the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path was stronger than the other Vicious, it would still have no choice but to submit to it.

Furthermore, while the fighting prowess that the brain wielded was severely limited, the sheer amount of knowledge it retained granted it many other means, which made it a frightening opponent to go against.

For one, it was due to the means that the other Vicious possessed that allowed him to make the Qingtian Emperor his subordinate, control so many Soulless Metal Humanoids and puppets simultaneously, and cast soul arts with superior proficiency that could nab even Zhang Xuan's soul.

Fortunately, while Zhang Xuan had been powerless against the other Vicious' soul nabbing secret art previously, the advancement of his cultivation to Embryonic Soul realm pinnacle had granted him the strength to withstand the technique, making it impossible for the other party to kill him with the soul nabbing secret art anymore. Nevertheless, that did not mean to say that the other Vicious did not have any other means that he could use against him.

After all, how could an old monster who had rivaled Kong shi in his peak possibly only know the soul nabbing secret art?

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before asking the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path, "Let me confirm again, you won't be able to defeat him in a direct encounter?"

"That's right. Even if he's weaker than me, I don't think that I'll be able to disobey the commands of the brain blatantly. In a direct encounter, he'll be able to control me easily. The only time I will stand a chance against him is when he's unconscious. As long as I can erase his consciousness and replace it with mine while he's out, I'll be able to possess him," Vicious replied.

"Unconscious?" A helpless smile surfaced on Zhang Xuan's lips.

How could that be possible?

The other party's soul was so strong that it could even drag his massive soul into a black hole; how could he possibly knock a soul that powerful unconscious?

That was an impossible mission!

Hu!

Since the two of them had conversed directly with their souls, even though it seemed like they had chatted for some time, in truth, only half a breath had passed so far.

Back in the hall, making use of the opportunity while Zhang Xuan's clone was preoccupied, the other three puppets swiftly dashed forward to encircle Zhang Xuan. One of them raised its fist and flung it forcefully toward him.

"Golden Origin Cauldron!" Knowing that there was no way he could defend against three puppets with his current strength, Zhang Xuan bellowed loudly, and the Golden Origin Cauldron immediately appeared before him.

It swiftly charged forward with its bottom facing a puppet.

Peng!

The fist collided with the Golden Origin Cauldron's bottom, and with a deep chime, the puppet was forced to retreat several steps back.

The reason the Golden Origin Cauldron had not been a match for the Qingtian Emperor was due to the superior combat skills that the latter possessed. With his opponent being a puppet that was only capable of relying on its brute strength this time around, the Golden Origin Cauldron's outstanding defense granted it a huge advantage in the battle.

Nevertheless, the puppet was not weak. The both of them fought on equal grounds with one another, but it seemed like the Golden Origin Cauldron currently held the upper hand.

However, before Zhang Xuan could ease up, the remaining two puppets charged at him.

Hualala!

Overwhelming auras gushed out from the two puppets, creating a powerful gale in the area. It felt as if a devastating storm was brewing within the hall, preparing to bring a catastrophe upon those present.

In face of such strength, Zhang Xuan's face paled. He swiftly pointed forward and exclaimed, "That person over there is the real Zhang Xuan, so go for him! I mean, just look at how powerful he is..."

"..." Zhang Xuan's clone.

However, the two puppets seemed to remain unconvinced. They continued charging toward Zhang Xuan furiously, launching attack after attack.

Dodging their attacks in a fluster, Zhang Xuan exclaimed desperately, "I am really just the clone! Have you ever seen a clone more powerful than the main body before?"

Thinking that there was some logic in those words, one of the puppets hesitated for a moment before heading over toward Zhang Xuan's clone, collaborating with the previous puppet to launch a barrage of devastating attacks. It did not take long before the head of the Zhang Xuan's clone was flattened once more.

Zhang Xuan's clone was truly on the verge of tears. The main bodies of the other clones were powerful and selfless, diving unhesitatingly into danger to uphold their beliefs. On the other hand, his main body...

Heavens, just what kind of crime did he commit in his previous life to be born to such a main body?

But thinking back again, it seemed like he had done the same thing to the main body back at the Qiu Wu Palace, so he did not have any right to complain.

With a weary heart, Zhang Xuan's clone could only swallow his frustrations and try his best to deal with the two puppets. Nevertheless, it did not take long for several dents to appear all over his body.

It was fortunate that he was forged out of the Nine Hearts Lotus, or else he would have really lost his life there and then!

Just as Zhang Xuan's clone was about to explode from frustration, the main body suddenly sent a telepathic message to him. "Clone, try to stall those two puppets for the time being. I'll come and help you as soon as I get rid of this one!"

"... Fine!" Hearing that his main body was not intentionally abandoning him, the stifling sensation that Zhang Xuan's clone felt in his chest finally alleviated slightly.

Boom boom boom!

Despite abandoning his defense altogether and devoting his full strength to offense, Zhang Xuan's clone only barely managed to rival the two clones.

"Interesting..." The voice of the other Vicious echoed eerily in the hall. "But regardless of which of you is the main body and the clone, none of you will get out of here today!"

He had not expected Zhang Xuan's clone to wield such strength, fighting on equal terms with two puppets. With a cold harrumph, he was just about to continue speaking when he suddenly froze. "Y-you... What are you doing? Kill him!"

Sensing the anxiety in the other Vicious' voice, Zhang Xuan's clone was bewildered. He quickly forced back the two puppets with two powerful punches before hurriedly turning a glance to his main body. And then... dumbfounded.

At some point in time, the puppet that had been chasing after his main body mercilessly, seeming as if it would not rest until it butchered the latter, was suddenly kneeling before his main body with a look of reverence on its face.

On the other hand, his main body seemed to be saying something that caused the puppet to tremble uncontrollably in excitement.

"The heck..." Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Zhang Xuan's clone widened its eyes in shock.

It had fought so desperately that its head had even been flattened multiple times throughout the course of the battle, and it did not even manage to scratch his enemy. Yet, his main body had made the puppet willingly kneel down to him just by uttering a few words. They originated from the same soul, so how could there be such a huge gap between them?

Overwhelmed by frenzy, Zhang Xuan's clone focused its hearing to find out just what words of sorcery the main body was saying, only to hear some unexpected words. "... Go! Remember, your teacher loves you!"

Right after those words were spoken, the puppet that had been chasing his main body around suddenly rushed straight for him.

"I..." Horrified, Zhang Xuan's clone immediately began to run away, only to see the puppet charging past him to clash with one of the puppets it had been dealing with.

Peng peng peng peng!

The two puppets were equally matched, and it did not seem any one of them would emerge victorious anytime soon.

The mouth of Zhang Xuan's clone twitched upon seeing that sight. Taking a deep breath, it was just about to deal with the other remaining puppet when the main body suddenly appeared before it. With a melodious tone, the main body began speaking. "Born as a puppet, doomed to obey the commands of others for life. What a tragic fate it is, don't you think? Come, listen to me..."

It did not take long before that puppet knelt earnestly before his main body as well.

"Go!"

With a shout from the main body, the puppet immediately charged for the puppet that was currently clashing with the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Ignoring his shocked clone, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. "Phew, it's done!"

Having comprehended the Heart of a Teacher, the effectiveness of his Impartation of Heaven's Will had expanded from just humans to beasts and artifacts as well. In fact, he had even managed to get Zhang Jiuxiao's weapons to acknowledge him as their teacher before. Considering that these puppets had their own spirits as well, naturally, it was also possible for him to win them over with his Impartation of Heaven's Will.

"This move of yours sure is convenient! With this, you will be able to get any puppet to submit to you without even lifting a finger," Zhang Xuan's clone remarked in awe.

Zhang Xuan turned to his clone and said, "Are you interested in it? If you want to learn it, I can teach you."

"..." The face of Zhang Xuan's clone reddened in exasperation. "We are both the same person, is there really a need for you to pose before me? It's just Impartation of Heaven's Will, who doesn't know how to do that?"

After saying those words, Zhang Xuan's clone charged up to one of the 'unconverted' puppets and reached out, as if a holy priest offering a hand to salvation. "Born as a puppet, doomed to obey the commands of others for life. What a tragic fate it is, don't you think? Come, listen to me..."

Peng!

His head was flattened with a forceful punch.

"I..." Zhang Xuan's clone was crazed.

The same person saying the same words—the puppets had kneeled right after hearing them from his main body, but when he spoke them, he ended up being pummeled instead.

Are you all bullying me because I'm a clone? This is discrimination!

Seeing his clone's state, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed deeply. "Jeez..."

Ultimately, his clone had also come from his soul as well. However, when would his clone learn to be as humble and low-profile as he was?

To be thinking of how he could pose before others every single day, did he really have nothing better to do?

Forget it, I should try to find Vicious first!

Ignoring the puppets and his clone, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight and began scanning the hall.

However, other than the four puppets, there did not seem to be anything of note within the hall.

There must be some kind of mechanism in here... Recalling how there were mechanisms in the previous halls he had been through, Zhang Xuan was just about to search for the one within the hall more thoroughly when Vicious' furious voice suddenly erupted.

"Using your Heart of a Teacher and the Impartation of Heaven's Will to beguile my puppets... you really have a sharp tongue, just like Kong shi! However, given how many times I have clashed with Kong shi before, do you think that I would be completely unprepared for this?"

"What?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

He quickly turned around, only to see that the two puppets he had just beguiled earlier abruptly shuddering intensely before their heads burst with a resounding explosion.

Putong!

Their headless bodies fell limply onto the ground.

"You left another trick within them?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

As expected of Vicious, he was indeed prepared for all kinds of situation. Anticipating the possible betrayal of his subordinates, he had left a trick in them so that he could kill them whenever he wanted.

"Do you think that I would have been able to survive so long without at least this much brainpower?" Vicious sneered coldly.

Considering that his enemy was Kong shi, if he did not even have this much wariness in him, he would have been killed by the Master Teacher Pavilion many times over.

In the face of such a situation, Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.

Killing the puppets that he had just beguiled did not just cost him two powerful soldiers, more importantly, it also served as a warning against those who intended to betray Vicious.

As powerful as the Heart of a Teacher paired with the Impartation of Heaven's Will was, it was not exactly brainwashing. It served to win others over by merit, not through force.

The spirits of the puppets had seen how their companions were killed right before their eyes, which caused their wills to instinctively reject Zhang Xuan's teachings out of fear of death. Given so, it would be nigh impossible for Zhang Xuan to win them over.

Boom!

At this moment, the two remaining puppets suddenly charged at Zhang Xuan even more frenziedly than before.

The deaths of their companions had left them feeling as if there was an invisible noose around their necks, and they realized that they could very well be killed by Vicious if they failed to kill the young man before their eyes.

Against the frenzied assault of the duo, even Zhang Xuan's clone and the Golden Origin Cauldron ended up being forced back.

The other Vicious chuckled gleefully. "Let's see how well you will cope this time around!"

"Cope? There's no need for that at all!" Zhang Xuan replied casually.

"No need for that?"

"Indeed. There's really no need to go through so much trouble just to deal with those puppets." Shrugging leisurely, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and Demoneh and Demonbee appeared before his eyes.

He had moved these inner demons into the Myriad Anthive Nest prior to entering the Ghost Cavern.

"Go, possess those two puppets!"

"Yes, Teacher!"

Demoneh and Demonbee morphed into two clouds of black mist and flew over to shroud the puppets.

Hu!

The intangible nature of inner demons made it impossible for physical might to faze them, and soul-wise, considering how even cultivators would easily succumb to their onslaught, how could mere puppets possibly withstand their assault? In the blink of an eye, they had already dived into the glabellae of the puppets.

Gudong! Gudong!

As soon as the inner demons entered the puppets' bodies, the two puppets staggered weakly for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

"You... Inner demons?" Vicious was crazed.

He was the one who had conjured those inner demons back then! Who would have thought that the other party would actually use those inner demons against him at this crucial moment?

"Indeed. While these inner demons are unable to destroy the spirits of the puppets and gain control of their bodies, they are still more than capable of incapacitating them for a short period of time, rendering them powerless!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

Inner demons could confuse an individual's mind, robbing them of their fighting ability. Even though Demoneh and Demonbee were unable to effectively gain control of the puppets, they were still able to keep them busy for some time.

"Excellent. Excellent! I concede that you are indeed a formidable opponent, but while you might be able to stop two of my puppets, will you be able to stop this many of them simultaneously?" With his voice trembling with rage, Vicious roared angrily.

Following which, a mechanism suddenly whirred into action, and a door opened. Following which, more than a hundred puppets dashed into the hall simultaneously.

The face of Zhang Xuan's clone paled as it widened its eyes in disbelief. "There are so many of them?"

On the other hand, the Golden Origin Cauldron cowered backward in fear. If he could have cowered beneath his lid, he definitely would have done so at this very moment.

"Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Vicious' manic laughter echoed resoundingly in the hall. "I have more than a hundred puppets here. Do you have enough inner demons to incapacitate every last one of them?"

But Vicious' glee did not last long.

The young man shook his head and replied calmly, "You are in luck. I happen to have enough."

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Chapter 1223: Celestial Designer Lock

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hu la!

Right after Zhang Xuan said those words, a dark mist abruptly burst forth from him. In the blink of an eye, a massive group of inner demons had rushed into the surroundings.

There was more than a hundred of them.

Back then, in the Combat Master Hall's Heart Division, Cang Xu's fragmented soul hidden within his body had resulted in the generation of a huge army of inner demons in the Trial of Inner Demons, and Cang Xu had attempted to use them to kill him. Eventually, he had managed to tame those inner demons, and he had kept them inside a jade bottle ever since then.

Tzzzzzzzz!

The hundred or so inner demons immediately rushed for the puppets.

"This is mine, don't you dare snatch it from me!"

"Hey, I was the one who saw it first..."

"I am Demonsee, and he's Demondee. We're inner demons who were personally named by our teacher! Nameless small fries like the rest of you should know your own place and go to the back of the queue!"

Upon seeing the huge army of puppets before them, the inner demons immediately charged forward to claim a body for themselves. Before the hundred puppets could even cause a shred of damage, every single one of them was already lying powerlessly on the ground.

"Y-you..." Vicious nearly lost his mind.

Only he knew how much time, effort, and precious materials he had spent on forging each and every one of those puppets. Those puppets were to become the invincible army that he would command upon his return, and he had been confident that they would easily kill the young man before him.

Yet, who could have known that the young man had prepared a hand for this as well!

To actually have more than a hundred inner demons in your possession... Does your family actually deal in inner demons?

"You bastards, get up and kill him!" Vicious bellowed wrathfully.

But plagued by inner demons, the eyes of the puppets were glazed. They remained motionless on the ground, as if lifeless corpses.

Reverting back to its usual, imposing presence, the Golden Origin Cauldron stepped forward and spoke confidently. "Master, let me smash all of them to smithereens! Otherwise, once the puppets struggle free of their inner demons, they will surely pose a threat to us once more!"

At the same time, it glared down on the puppets on the ground, seemingly wanting to suffocate each and every one of them with its massive bottom.

"Smash them to smithereens?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "While they are only puppets, they do have their own consciousness. It would truly be a huge pity to kill all of them."

Just like the Golden Origin Cauldron, these puppets had spirits of their own. It would have been cruel to massacre over a hundred of them just like that.

"But..." the Golden Origin Cauldron frowned.

Even if they were to spare the puppets, it was not as if the puppets would spare them once they struggled free of the inner demons. Faced with more than a hundred Leaving Aperture realm puppets, it would only take moments for them to be pummeled to death!

"Jeez, I guess I have no choice then!" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan waved his hand grandly with a deeply reluctant look on his face.

Huala!

All of the puppets lying on the ground were packed into his storage ring.

Those puppets were currently in a state of confusion, so they could not resist being pulled into the storage ring at all. Furthermore, as artifacts, they would not suffocate to death in the storage ring either.

"..." the Golden Origin Cauldron.

"..." Vicious was so choked up that he could not speak a word at all, and he even nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

Those puppets are mine! Mine!

This is robbery! How can you steal my possession right before my eyes?

You planned for this right from the start, right? Right?

Vicious was livid with rage, but there was nothing he could do in the situation.

All his puppets had been incapacitated, so he no longer had any subordinates who could possibly stop Zhang Xuan.

Ignoring the speechless Golden Origin Cauldron and clone, as if not feeling the slightest guilt for his actions, Zhang Xuan remarked leisurely, "I'll have to preach to them later on and have them renounce evil for good. It seems like I have unwittingly made another huge contribution to the Master Teacher Pavilion!"

With a few steps, he walked over to the door where the puppets had emerged from and walked in.

Once again, there was another flight of stairs leading downward. Just like before, he had his clone lead the way.

This time, they did not encounter any danger on the way. Before long, they reached the end of the passageway.

"This is... a labyrinth?" the Golden Origin Cauldron asked.

This time, instead of a vast hall, they were met with countless smaller rooms densely packed together. There were many possible paths to take, just like in a labyrinth.

More importantly, when Zhang Xuan scanned the area with his Spiritual Perception, he realized that it was not able to reach the end of the labyrinth. It was as if the entire labyrinth stretched across the whole island!

"This... What is this supposed to be used for?" Zhang Xuan's clone was bewildered.

In fact, even Zhang Xuan himself was taken aback.

He scanned the room with his Eye of Insight, and he realized that each of the small rooms was forged out of a unique material, making the walls particularly resilient. He could hardly imagine how much it would have cost to build such a gigantic labyrinth.

To make a comparison, the cost of crafting these rooms was at least a hundred times the price required to forge all the puppets he had encountered earlier.

"Are these residences for those puppets?" the Golden Origin Cauldron asked after a moment of contemplation.

"Residences? Would a hundred puppets require this many residences?"

Scanning the area with his Spiritual Perception, Zhang Xuan could perceive at least ten thousand rooms. Putting aside the question of if the puppets would require a room for themselves, surely there was no need to construct so many of them!

Unable to make sense of the bizarre labyrinth, Zhang Xuan shook his head as he began heading down one of the paths. "Let's not bother with that for the time being. Make sure to keep your guard up; don't give Vicious an opportunity to assault you..."

If it had been anyone else, they would have swiftly lost their way due to the identical rooms everywhere. However, through his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan was able to vaguely perceive an extremely thin strand of thread in the air. After walking for around ten minutes, passing by countless rooms in the meantime, they finally arrived before an open stone door, which revealed another passageway that led further downward.

Since they had already come this far, the two men and one cauldron walked into the passageway without any hesitation, heading downward once more.

As soon as they reached the end of the passageway, they immediately felt a concentrated burst of killing intent gushing their way, threatening to tear their consciousness into shreds.

Having practiced the simplified Heaven's Path Soul Art, Zhang Xuan's clone was still able to withstand the overwhelming killing intent. However, the Golden Origin Cauldron shook feebly in the face of the fearsome killing intent, unable to stand against it.

Despite having reached Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, it was ultimately still a mere spirit and not a soul. Inevitably, its ability to withstand the powerful killing intent of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was lacking.

"You should return for now." Zhang Xuan swiftly stowed the Golden Origin Cauldron back into his storage ring before assessing the room before him together with his clone.

It was a spacious underground chamber. There was a square box hanging in the middle of the chamber, propped up by four thick chains embedded in the wall at the four corners. Zhang Xuan could not tell what kind of material the box was made of, but there was an eerie cold glint reflected off its black exterior.

The powerful burst of killing intent had originated from the box.

"Vicious... is inside?" Zhang Xuan's clone muttered softly.

"Very possibly so," Zhang Xuan replied with a grim frown.

The sheer concentration of the killing intent in that previous burst showed that the purity of the bloodline of whatever was sealed within the box had already exceeded that of the Qingtian Emperor. In the Ghost Cavern, the only one who could possibly possess a purer bloodline than the Qingtian Emperor was Vicious.

Beneath the black box was an altar that bore a striking resemblance to the one he had used to deal with the Qingtian Emperor earlier, just that it was slightly bigger. There were bizarre inscriptions all over it, and for some reason, there seemed to be an air of desolation shrouding those inscriptions. It felt as if one would be torn in two just by approaching it.

Zhang Xuan's clone picked up a stone and tossed it at the altar.

Tz la!

Countless sword qi burst forth from the altar, slicing the stone into powdery remains.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The altar in his possession was used to nab souls whereas the altar right before him seemed to have a Slaughter Formation inscribed into it.

Even if it was him, he had no doubt that he would be reduced into minced meat if he was caught amid the sword qi.

In other words, anyone who tried to approach the black box would be instantaneously killed by the endless sword qi.

"You are here, aren't you?" Unable to see through the box nor the altar through his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan began scanning the surroundings as he called out.

"Humph! Even if you managed to find your way here, it makes no difference at all. As long as you are unable to open the box, your mission is doomed to end in a failure!" Vicious' eerie voice echoed within the chamber.

"You are in the box?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

"Indeed. Even if you know it now, what can you do about it?" Vicious mocked.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation.

Back at Chen Zhe's residence, when the other Vicious had nabbed his soul, he had muttered to himself, saying that as long as he devoured Zhang Xuan, a Celestial Master Teacher, he would be able to escape from his restraints. From the looks of it now, he had been referring to this box back then.

If he opened it and the other Vicious escaped... Considering how even the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path would not be able to make a move, Zhang Xuan was not too confident.

But... if he did not let Vicious out, there would be no way he would be able to kill the latter through the black box.

Let me see what it is!

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan slowly walked toward the black box.

The closer he came to the black box, the more powerful the killing intent became. If it had been Wu shi and the others, or perhaps even an 8-star master teacher, their minds could have very well succumbed by now.

However, Zhang Xuan was different. Driving his Heaven's Path zhenqi, he was able to easily dispel the pressure arising from the killing intent. Before long, he was already standing at the perimeter just outside of the altar's area of attack.

He did not dare proceed any further, but from this distance, he was already able to get a good look at the black box through his Eye of Insight.

The black box was roughly fifty centimeters in length, and there was not the slightest opening in the box, as if it was just a lump of metal.

"What is it?" Zhang Xuan's clone also walked over.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before saying, "If I'm not mistaken, it seems to be... the Celestial Designer Lock!"

"Celestial Designer Lock?" Zhang Xuan's clone asked in confusion.

He had been in the storage ring over the past few days, and Zhang Xuan had not had any time to share his newly-learned knowledge with him yet. As such, his current knowledge was far beneath Zhang Xuan's.

"The Celestial Designer Lock is a unique artifact known to be the most unyielding lock that a celestial designer can create. It's often used to seal away highly dangerous objects, and once the lock is in place, not even the creator of the Celestial Designer Lock will be able to open it! If one forces it open, the content of the box will be utterly destroyed!" Zhang Xuan said.

"It's different from Celestial Designer Mechanical Container in the sense that the Celestial Designer Mechanical Container can be opened whereas the Celestial Designer Lock is intended for permanent sealing!"

Zhang Xuan had once encountered a Celestial Designer Mechanical Container, and while it had been difficult to open, those who managed to find the key would still be able to open it. On the other hand, the Celestial Designer Lock was like a dead knot. What was sealed within was doomed to never see the light of the day again.

If one forcefully pried it open, what was sealed within the box would be destroyed as well.

"Since that's the case, isn't it obvious what we should do? As long as we attempt to pry open the black box forcefully and trigger the self-destruction of the Celestial Designer Lock, we will be able to kill Vicious, right?" Zhang Xuan's clone said.

It was not as if they were here to save Vicious. If they could kill him, that would be for the best.

"This..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I fear that things might not be as simple as that!"

Stroking his lower jaw, he began circling around the altar, deep in thought.

If it was as easy as his clone made it out to be, there was no way Vicious would have allowed them to come this far so easily!

While they might have been unable to get close to the Celestial Designer Lock, if they were to knock the box with their zhenqi, they should be able to trigger its self-destruction without coming under the attack of the altar.

But it was precisely how easy and convenient everything was that left Zhang Xuan deeply apprehensive inside.

Could an expert of Vicious' caliber really be done in that easily?

"Clone, let's take a look around the area and see if we can find anything!" Zhang Xuan said as he swiftly imparted what he had learned recently to his clone.

After which, he began walking around the perimeter of the altar's area of attack to check for any anomalies.

The underground chamber was massive, and its walls were reinforced with the same unique material as the one used to construct the rooms in the labyrinth above.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan placed his finger lightly on the wall.

Hu!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Upon taking a look, Zhang Xuan frowned.

"This..."

Chapter 1224: Releasing Vicious

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After reading through the content of the book, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply.

He pondered for a moment before heading to a corner of the room to sit down cross-legged.

Some time later, his clone came over and asked in bewilderment, "What are you doing?"

Zhang Xuan turned around and replied with a pale face, "Whenever I have a question that I can't find an answer to, I like to sit in a corner of the room to mull over the secrets of the universe and the meaning of life."

"Mull over the secrets of the universe? Meaning of life?" Zhang Xuan's clone was bewildered.

When did the main body gain such an ability?

Why was he unaware of it?

Even though he had no idea what the main body was up to, he felt that the main body had a reason for doing what he was doing. Thus, he decided not to interfere in the latter's business. "I'll just take a look around. Feel free to continue what you are doing."

Leaving those words behind, he turned around and left.

Around two hours later, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply before getting to his feet once more.

At this moment, his eyes were reddened, and he seemed to be drained of energy. His feet wobbled unstably on the ground, and he nearly fell over.

Upon seeing this sight, his clone quickly rushed forward to support him.

"I'm fine." Zhang Xuan waved his hand as he quickly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi three circulations around his body—the weakness and exhaustion he felt were finally alleviated.

Noting that Zhang Xuan had recovered from his weakened state, his clone quickly sent him a telepathic message. "I have just checked the entire area, and other than the black box and the altar, there are not any mechanisms in the area at all. If my deduction is correct, I think we are already at the bottommost layer of the island."

In the two hours that Zhang Xuan had spent contemplating the meaning of life, he had already gone over every nook and cranny of the underground chamber.

With the impartation from the main body, his comprehension of formations and mechanisms had already reached the level of 7-star pinnacle. Given that, if he still could not find anything amiss after a thorough check, the chances were that there were no mechanisms in the room.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"What do we do now?" Zhang Xuan's clone frowned. "Should we just destroy the Celestial Designer Lock and hope that it will kill Vicious?"

Zhang Xuan's clone had a feeling that his main body knew something, just that the latter was unwilling to speak of it.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "That won't do. There might be other conditions to activating the attack of the altar other than distance. If we make a rash move, we will risk triggering the altar. If so, we might very well end up as nourishment for Vicious!"

"Then..."

"It'll be safer for us to destroy the altar first. Once we destroy the altar, we will be able to do whatever we want with the box," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Sounds reasonable." Zhang Xuan's clone nodded.

Thus, the both of them walked closer to the altar to take a closer look at it.

The inscriptions on the altar were even more intricate than those on the altar in his storage ring. There was no way for Zhang Xuan to accurately discern the effects of the formation inscribed onto it.

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a spiritless Saint low-tier sword he had obtained from the Qiu Wu Palace and tossed it over.

Sou sou sou sou!

In the blink of an eye, the Saint low-tier sword was torn into pieces by the onslaught of sword qi from the altar.

Seeing the sight, the mouth of Zhang Xuan's clone twitched.

His physical body was capable of regenerating back to its original form even when it was being sliced into pieces, but his soul still was not strong enough yet. Judging by the might of the sword qi, his soul could very well dissipate if it was subjected to such an assault.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan closed his eyes shortly after the altar came into action. A moment later, he opened his eyes once more and retrieved a bunch of formation flags from his storage ring.

"What are you planning to do with these formation flags?" Zhang Xuan's clone asked in bewilderment.

Shouldn't they have been thinking of a way to break the altar?

Why would he suddenly whip out a couple of formation flags?

"The formation inscribed onto the altar is extremely profound, at least reaching the level of grade-8. A forceful attempt to break the formation could cause it to blow up instead, which would be extremely dangerous. Thus, I intend to deal with the formation by setting another one up myself!" Zhang Xuan explained.

"Deal with the formation by setting another one up yourself?" Zhang Xuan's clone pondered for a moment before nodding in realization.

In essence, what Zhang Xuan intended to do was to use a new formation to interfere with the functions of the altar's formation and destroy its internal structure.

As simple as it sounded theoretically, it was no easy feat to pull off.

In the first place, it was already difficult to construct a formation on top of another one, and a mistake in doing so could potentially result in severe backlash from the existing formation. On top of that, in order to successfully neutralize the altar's formation, Zhang Xuan had to construct a formation that possessed might on par with it. The difficulty in doing so was truly unimaginable.

However, Zhang Xuan's clone knew that his main body would only make a move when the latter was confident of success, so he decided not to say too much about the matter. Instead, he took a few steps back and returned back into the passageway, ready to flee if a mishap occurred.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before leaping into the air. Then, he suddenly flicked his wrist.

Wuwuwuwuwu!

More than a hundred formation flags shot out from his palm, falling accurately into their respective positions.

Boom!

The next moment, the massive formation began whirring into action.

"It's a Starlight Convergence Formation..." Zhang Xuan's clone recognized the activated formation in an instant.

It was neither a Slaughter Formation nor an Illusory Formation but... a Spirit Gathering Formation!

A half grade-8 formation, it tapped into the lingering Power of Stars in the world in order to gather spiritual energy.

To use such a formation to break the altar...

"It's indeed a good idea."

While Zhang Xuan's clone snubbed the main body for being so much weaker than him, he had to admit that he was really impressed by the latter at this moment.

The formation inscribed on the altar was extremely powerful, possibly even a grade-8 formation, and given the current strength of the main body, it would be difficult for him to set up a formation sufficiently powerful to interfere with and destroy it. However, a Spirit Gathering Formation would be a different story.

On the surface, overlapping a Spirit Gathering Formation on top of the already powerful grade-8 formation may seem like a foolish act, but... everything in the world had a tolerance limit.

Even grade-8 formations were no exception to the rule.

It was unknown where the altar received the required spiritual energy to drive the formation from, but the energy that it received was already plenty, and there was no need to supplement it anymore. Thus, if a Spirit Gathering Formation was set up on top of it, it would not be long before the spiritual energy gathered in the altar's formation exceeded its limit.

While Zhang Xuan's clone was still analyzing the situation, Zhang Xuan whipped out ten thousand high-tier spirit stones and placed them into the formation in order to speed up the rate at which the Starlight Convergence Formation was gathering spiritual energy.

Hong long long!

The massive influx of energy swiftly formed a gigantic energy whirlpool, causing the underground chamber to shake intensely.

Under the control of the Starlight Convergence Formation, the massive whirlpool of spiritual energy swiftly dived into the altar.

The altar emanated a brilliant glow, and a moment later, it began to inflate swiftly like a balloon.

Boom!

The altar had finally reached its limit, and a deafening explosion resounded in the underground chamber.

"We have succeeded!" The eyes of Zhang Xuan's clone lit up.

He had thought that even with the prowess of the Starlight Convergence Formation, it would still have taken at least a month in order to destroy the formation. However, the main body's act of tossing ten thousand spirit stones into the formation had hastened the process by innumerable times.

In less than an incense's time 1 , the altar had already exploded.

Upon the altar's destruction, Zhang Xuan swiftly packed all of his formation flags back into the storage ring.

Barely after he did so, the killing intent in the underground chamber suddenly intensified, and a frenzied laughter sounded. "Hahaha! Zhang Xuan, it seems like I really made the right choice in luring you here! I really have to thank you for freeing me from my restraints! I, Vicious, have finally returned to the world!"

As those words were spoken, Zhang Xuan and his clone suddenly realized that their bodies had been frozen by some kind of power, and an incomparably powerful might weighed down on them, threatening to crush their bodies.

Coming to realize what had just happened, the face of Zhang Xuan's clone turned ghastly pale. Sh*t, he wasn't trapped in the Celestial Designer Lock but... the altar?

As they had sensed that the killing intent originated from the Celestial Designer Lock, they had instinctively assumed that Vicious was inside there. They had thought that the destruction of the altar would allow them to deal with Vicious... but it turned out that they were sorely mistaken! The true seal that was restraining Vicious was actually the altar itself!

"Quick, escape!" Seemingly having just realized what had just happened as well, Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed in astonishment. With an anxious bellow, he swiftly executed a powerful palm strike.

Si la!

The powerful might of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm swiftly tore apart the frozen space trapping him. Zhang Xuan stretched his hand forward to return his clone into his storage ring before executing the Unbounded Voyager. His silhouette blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he was already at the other end of the passageway.

Rushing all the way up, it took only ten breaths for him to return to where Hall Master Xing and the others were.

They had been attempting to find another exit to the Ghost Cavern so as to secure an escape route, but their efforts had been futile.

"Principal Zhang!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, the group heaved a sigh of relief.

"Follow me! We need to escape from here as fast as possible!" Zhang Xuan urged.

Vicious had been freed from his restraints, and he was not someone whom they could deal with at the moment. The only thing they could do right now was to get away as fast as they could.

"But the Dragon Severing Lock is still blocking the entrance... How are we to leave the Ghost Cavern?" Wu shi asked.

With the entrance sealed and no alternative exits in sight, they had nowhere to escape to!

"Don't worry about that and follow me!" Paying no heed to the doubts that the others harbored, Zhang Xuan continued charging forward.

The remaining members of the group were perplexed, but they chose to follow him. Passing through a long passageway, they finally arrived before the Dragon Severing Lock once more. It was still firmly blocking the entrance, sealing their escape route.

"What should we do?" Wu shi asked anxiously.

Hall Master Xing gritted his teeth and said, "Since it has already come down to this, why don't we combine the strength of all nine of us together through a collaborative formation to attack the Dragon Severing Lock? We might just be able to force our way out."

"It seems like there's no other choice..." Wu shi nodded.

However, halfway through his words, he realized that Zhang Xuan had already walked up to the Dragon Severing Lock, and stroking the massive rock gently, the latter said, "Open up. We need to leave."

Jiya!

Before everyone's shocked gaze, the Dragon Severing Lock, which even a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert might not have been able to destroy, suddenly began nudging aside.

"This..."

Everyone widened their eyes in shock at the unbelievable sight before them.

It was an established fact that unless one possessed strength greater than the forged Dragon Severing Lock, there would be no way to pass through a path that it sealed. Yet, the young man before him had actually managed to get the Dragon Severing Lock to nudge aside just by touching it gently and saying a few words to it.

This was too exaggerated!

"Let's hurry up and leave!" Zhang Xuan urged as he took the lead forward.

On the other hand, the others also know that this was not the time to be dozing off, so they quickly caught up to Zhang Xuan and escaped from the little island.

Hong long long!

The shaking of the little island swiftly intensified, and by the time the group finally leaped back to where they had been prior to entering the Ghost Cavern, amid a furious flinging of mud, the little island actually began rising into the air.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock.

Geji! Geji!

The little island rose higher and higher, and it did not take long before it was fully freed from the marsh. Following which, the little island did a 180-degrees turn, and as the mud shrouding it swiftly fell back into the marsh, its true face finally unfolded.

Amidst the crowd, Division Head Liao's body trembled as he spoke the words that were in everyone's mind. "Is that... a head?"

Shockingly, the little island was shaped similar to a head. The lake that they had encountered prior to entering the Ghost Cavern was actually one of the two eyes of the head!

A glint flashed across the massive eyes as a powerful voice boomed. "Hahaha! I, Vicious, have finally returned! Tell me, how do you want to die?"

Vicious of the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows was finally back!

Roughly 15 minutes.

Chapter 1225: The Eccentric Teacher and Student

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"How can this be..."

Feeling the immense pressure emanated by the massive head, the group froze in place.

They could feel that the massive head was not just for show. The strength that it wielded was boundless as well, and even though it had not made a move yet, the indomitable aura that it emanated had already sealed the surrounding space, making escape nigh impossible.

"This... Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle?" Wu shi gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

He could vividly sense the other party's strength—Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle! There was no way they could stand against an expert of this caliber!

Zhang Xuan nodded grimly in response.

At Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, Vicious was far stronger than the Qingtian Emperor, and this was without taking into account the powerful means that he possessed.

"What do we do?"

The group swiftly fell into a state of panic.

If the enemy was only at Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, they could still have given it a try, but Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle... there was no way to win no matter how hard they struggled!

"To be able to think of using another formation to break the altar, Zhang Xuan, I have to admit that you are indeed a clever person. But it seems like clever people like you have a tendency to fall prey to their own wits. It's thanks to your help that I managed to escape from my restraints! Won't you tell me how you are feeling at the moment? You have been desperately trying to kill me all along, only to end up freeing me with your own hands. Regretful? Guilt-ridden?"

The floating face in the sky eyed Zhang Xuan with a playful look in his eyes.

He had sealed the surrounding space, so there was no way that the group of humans before him would be able to escape. At this point, victory was already his!

"I do feel quite regretful, but since the situation has already played out this way, there's no point crying over spilt milk. However, I'm just curious to know the origin of the altar. How did you manage to get trapped in it?" Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

This was the only thing that he just could not comprehend at this point.

It was obvious that the altar was an artifact of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, so how did Vicious end up being trapped in it?

"Since you are about to be devoured by me, I'll accede to your request, since it's the last one you are going to be making anyway!" the face in the sky sneered coldly. "That altar was the doing of that Qingtian bastard!"

"The Qingtian Emperor?" Zhang Xuan frowned in astonishment. "But... isn't he your student? Didn't you impart the heritage of the soul oracles to him?"

Why would the Qingtian Emperor seal his own teacher into an altar?

"Humph! Two thousand years ago, when I summoned that Qingtian bastard over, I was only a pair of tattered eyes and a sliver of will..." Vicious harrumphed coldly.

"I taught him the heritage of the soul oracles for one simple reason—I wanted to make use of his strength to find my other body parts so as to return to my peak!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had also deduced this much.

How could a person who was given the nickname 'Vicious' possibly be so kind as to accept a student and pass on the lost heritage of the soul oracles for free?

It went without saying that he had his own motives.

"That fellow wasn't too bad too. He regarded me as his teacher, and he even captured many celestial designers and blacksmiths and gathered countless precious ores to forge this head for me!" Vicious said.

"Forge?" Zhang Xuan suddenly remembered the countless rooms he had seen earlier.

If the entire little island was Vicious' head, those rooms should have been the internal structure of his brain.

To forge such a massive head, not only would an immense amount of materials be required, more importantly, the manpower needed would truly be massive as well. It seemed like in the past two thousand years, on top of master teachers, many celestial designers and blacksmiths had lost their lives, too.

Just that, due to Vicious' means in concealing the 'little island' and the innate treacherous nature of the marshland, no one had suspected that those deaths were part of someone's scheme.

"From the very start, that Qingtian bastard was extremely respectful toward me, carrying out whatever orders I had for him without any hesitation. As such, I never doubted his loyalty, but... he actually dared scheme against me!"

Overflowing rage could be heard within Vicious' voice. "At some point in time, he brought the altar over under the pretext of helping me regain my strength, but in truth, he was using it with the head he had the celestial designers forge to have me sealed! By the time I realized it, I was already imprisoned here."

"Imprisoned?"

"That's right! However, that Qingtian bastard's intention was not just to imprison me. From the very start, he had intended to use the soul arts he had learned from me to steal my memories and replace me!" At this point, Vicious sneered in disdain, as if mocking a mere ant for having such ridiculous thoughts.

Even though the Qingtian Emperor had been Vicious' subordinate, he had still been a proud and lofty Emperor of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, an existence that was born superior to others! Even if the other party was the powerful Vicious, there was no way he would willingly submit to him.

Not to mention, the current Vicious was nothing but a mere shell of his former self.

"Steal your memories and replace you?" Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed in pity. "As a legendary expert who rivaled Kong shi back in your prime, you actually fell for the ploy of a mere Qingtian Emperor?"

Even if Vicious had fallen from grace, he should still have retained countless protective measures and trump cards.

Yet, to still be outplayed by the Qingtian Emperor despite that... this was truly inconceivable.

"Humph! Even though I did not doubt his loyalty, I did guard against him from the start to the end. But two thousand years ago, I had only just awoken from my slumber, and my cultivation was not even at Saint realm then. I needed his strength and the resources he provided, so I had no choice but to go along with him."

At this point, a cruel glint flashed across Vicious' eyes as he said, "But as you have said, how could I possibly be outdone by that Qingtian bastard so easily? I secretly left a sliver of my will in his mind so that if he attempted to act against me, I would be able to crush his soul instantly!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

They sure were a good pair of teacher and student. Beneath the seemingly calm waters, they were actually stabbing daggers into the backs of one another. Both adept at playing the game of treachery!

"After the forging of the head, in order to revive myself and gain some fighting prowess, I would have to extend my consciousness to cover the entire little island. However, if I were to do so, I would temporarily lose my consciousness... and he made use of this opening to used the altar to seal me!"

Recalling the matter, Vicious' rage flared. "Just as he was about to kill me, the will I had left inside his head triggered. He did not want to die, so naturally, he had no choice but to heed my orders. However, it seemed like he had prepared a hand to ensure that I would not be able to kill him, so I did not dare make a move either. As such, we could only maintain the stalemate between us."

"This..." Wu shi and Hall Master Xing glanced at one another.

The word 'teacher' had a very deep significance to those in the Master Teacher Continent, including ordinary cultivators.

If a student was found to have betrayed their own teacher, they would be killed without any hesitation.

Heaven, Earth, Kin, Teacher, Sovereign!

The position of a teacher was even above that of one's country, just beneath that of one's parents!

Given the culture of the Master Teacher Continent, it was very rare to see a student scheming against their own teacher. However, with this pair of Otherworldly Demons, the teacher was thinking about how he could make use of his own student everyday whereas the student was thinking about how he could replace his teacher every day.

How eccentric!

Noting the incomprehension among the others, Zhang Xuan explained, "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe pledges their loyalty to the Spirit God. The word 'teacher' has no significance to them at all."

He had encountered quite a few Otherworldly Demons on his journey and even eliminated the Qingtian Lineage from its Kings up to its Emperor. Due to his frequent encounters with them, he had come to learn a bit about their culture and beliefs.

There was only a single existence they were truly loyal to, and that was the Spirit God. Only the words from the Spirit God would they unconditionally obey. On the other hand, the term 'teacher' really meant nothing to them at all.

Putting aside scheming against their own teacher, there was not any social stigma even toward the killing of one's teacher among them. They did not consider it a reprehensible act.

It was for this reason that the Qingtian Emperor and Vicious had no qualms about clashing with one another in the shadows over the past two thousand years.

In fact, Zhang Xuan suspected that the reason the Vicious in Wu Yangzi's underground chamber had been able to regain consciousness could very well have been the doing of the Qingtian Emperor in order to keep his teacher in check.

Zhang Xuan raised his head and asked, "To make someone like you hesitate to make a move, what is the Qingtian Emperor's hand?"

One must know that the Qingtian Emperor intended Vicious harm, and considering that Vicious was in a good position to exact vengeance, there was no need for him to hesitate.

"It's regarding the news concerning a Celestial Amulet of Legacy," Vicious said.

Perhaps the years of isolation and solitude had really left him deeply stifled. Facing the group of master teachers who would very soon become his prey, he revealed everything without any worry.

"Celestial Amulet of Legacy?" Zhang Xuan had searched the Qingtian Emperor's memory, and he had learned of this matter as well. As such, he was not too surprised by the revelation.

On the other hand, however, the eyes of Wu shi and the others narrowed in astonishment,

Ignoring the shock of the others, Vicious harrumphed before continuing. "It was a puppet loyal to that Qingtian bastard who uncovered this piece of intelligence. As a master teacher, you should also know how valuable a Celestial Amulet of Legacy is."

The crowd nodded in agreement.

The Celestial Amulets of Legacy were artifacts that Kong shi had personally left behind, and they concerned the supreme artifact that Kong shi had forged himself, the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. As such, the value of a Celestial Amulet of Legacy was so great that it would leave even the 9-star master teachers of the Master Teacher Pavilion going into a frenzy over it.

An excited gleam surfaced in Vicious eyes. "If I could obtain a Celestial Amulet of Legacy, I would be able to free myself from this hellish state I am in, quickly find my remaining body parts, and return to my peak! Perhaps, I might even be able to steal the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and surpass Kong shi!"

Ordinary Otherworldly Demons might not have known what they should do with a Celestial Amulet of Legacy even if they did obtain one, but as one who had fought with Kong shi for many times, Vicious knew very where to use one and how to best use one.

"Due to my current condition, I am unable to leave the marshlands. Thus, I could only rely on him to obtain a Celestial Amulet of Legacy. As such, I had no choice but to spare his wretched life! Furthermore, he also knew where a few of my body parts are, and if he had destroyed them before I got to them, my recovery would have been severely impeded!" Vicious continued.

"No wonder..." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

The allure of a Celestial Amulet of Legacy was simply too great, and after a long period of hibernation, Vicious would surely want to regain his strength as soon as possible. As such, it was understandable why he would choose to spare the Qingtian Emperor despite the latter's betrayal.

Noticing a peculiar aspect in Vicious' story, Zhang Xuan tried to sound him out. "You said that the intelligence was procured by a puppet loyal to the Qingtian Emperor? Considering that this is a piece of news that even Tian Qing is unaware of... it seems like the Qingtian Emperor trusts that puppet quite a bit!"

Tian Qing was a sliver of the Qingtian Emperor's will, so he could not be considered a puppet.

As for King Zhongqing, he could only be considered a lackey at most, so the 'puppet' that Vicious spoke about probably did not refer to him either. If that was the case, could it be that there was another close aide of the Qingtian Emperor hiding within the Qingyuan Empire?

But again, assuming that that was true, why didn't he discover anything about that in the Qingtian Emperor's memories?

"There's no need to try sound me out. That fellow has already pledged his loyalty to me," Vicious sneered coldly.

Then, seemingly losing interest in speaking any further, a cold glint flashed across Vicious' eyes as a surge of killing intent burst from him. "Alright, story time is over. You should be happy that you have managed to learn so many confidential secrets. Now, it's about time for me to send you on your way!"

Boom!

A compelling pressure suddenly descended from the heavens, causing a suffocating sensation to crush their chests. Everyone's breathing hastened.

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Chapter 1226: Liu Yang's Crisis (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Principal Zhang, we'll help you stall him. Meanwhile, you try to get away."

Wu shi and Hall Master Xing stepped forward as they frenziedly drove their zhenqi to ward off the pressure on them, protecting the other members of the group.

Whatever the existence before them was, he was simply too powerful. There was no way they would be able to escape unscathed from his clutches. However, if they went all out, perhaps, they just might be able to buy sufficient time for Zhang Xuan to escape.

Zhang Xuan's incredible talents would surely play a critical role in furthering the strength of mankind in the future, and a person like him could not be allowed to die just like that. Thus, saving him would be their final contribution to mankind!

"Get away? If we had tried before that little island floated all the way up, we might still have been to get away, but now..." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed. "Did you really think that he's explaining everything to us just to vent his emotions?"

"This..." Not understanding what Zhang Xuan was getting at, the crowd fell silent.

Indeed. It was perplexing why Vicious would actually reveal all of these valuable secrets to them, such that they even forgot about the predicament they were in for a moment. Thinking about it once more, his actions felt more like... buying time.

"Given that his will has only just escaped from its restraints, it required some time in order to gain absolute control over such a massive island. Thus, he decided to use these information to divert our attention. If I'm not mistaken, he should have already gained full control over the head by now. Even if we start running now, considering how big the marshlands are, there's no way we will get away in time. Furthermore, given the treacherous terrain we are in, our haste might just land us in deeper danger," Zhang Xuan replied.

Wu shi and Hall Master Xing had only just advanced their cultivation to Leaving Aperture realm primary stage whereas Vicious was at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. Even if put their lives on the line to stall Vicious, how long could they possibly stall him for? Not to mention, given Vicious' superior cultivation realm, he would surely catch up soon after.

Most likely, he would be caught before he could even escape ten li away!

"But Zhang shi, if you knew what the other party was up to beforehand, why didn't you flee earlier?" Ji shi 1 couldn't help but ask.

Since you saw through the other party's motive, you should have escaped when you had the time to do so! Why did you still remain here to play along with his games and ask him questions? Now that the other party has gained full control over the little island and returned to his peak state, we are all doomed!

Instead of responding to Ji shi's question, Zhang Xuan walked forward and gazed at the massive face before him.

"There's no way we can escape at this point, and we don't have the strength to rival you either... I hope that you can just answer this final question of mine. Who is the puppet that you were referring to?"

"Hahaha! To still be concerned about this matter despite the situation you are in, your mental resilience sure is incredible, perhaps even on par with Kong shi back then! I'm starting to think that it would be a pity to kill a genius like you just like that." Vicious shook his head as he gazed down at Zhang Xuan with a look of pity.

"I'll offer you one last chance then. As long as you pledge your loyalty and offer your soul up to me, not only will I tell you who the puppet is, I'll even spare your life. When I finally obtain a Celestial Amulet of Legacy, I'll take you along with me to find the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and even aid you in becoming the next World's Teacher!"

"You want me to pledge loyalty to you?" Zhang Xuan's lips curled up in disdain. "I have lived as a master teacher, and I'll die as one too! There's no way I'll side with an Otherworldly Demon like you. However, even if you don't tell me who that puppet is, I already have a good idea who he is!"

"Oh?" Vicious looked down at Zhang Xuan with a playful look in his eyes, as if daring the latter to give him a guess.

"It's the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, Chu Tianxing, right?" Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

"Oh?" Vicious' eyes narrowed.

"Tian Qing was the vice head of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and yet, while he hasn't uncovered any information about the Celestial Amulet of Legacy yet, the puppet you spoke of did. From that, it can be seen that the puppet possesses an exceptionally high standing in the Qingyuan Empire. There's no way Wu shi or Hall Master Xing could be your ally, and Pavilion Master Gou has been killed as well... Thus, that only leaves us with Chu Tianxing!" Zhang Xuan revealed his deduction.

It was not too difficult to guess this.

A person who could uncover news about an elusive Celestial Amulet of Legacy had to have a powerful intelligence network in the Qingyuan Empire, one that was even wider than the one Tian Qing controlled. As powerful as the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion's intelligence network was, there was still a single power in the Qingyuan Empire whose intelligence network surpassed it—the Qingyuan royal family.

And the one who could tap into the intelligence network of the royal family was naturally the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, Chu Tianxing!

Furthermore, Chu Tianxing's actions had truly been very suspicious.

King Zhongqing had been captured time and time again, and yet, Chu Tianxing was willing to pay a heavy price each time to bail him out. Furthermore, now that he thought about it, on the night that the souls of eight master teachers of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion were nabbed, Chu Tianxing had visited the Master Teacher Pavilion under the pretext of paying a visit to King Zhongqing.

He had not been able to connect the dots earlier, but upon hearing Vicious mention a puppet, everything swiftly came together to form a clear picture.

"To be able to see through everything with just a few clues, as expected of a Celestial Master Teacher! You are keener than I expected," Vicious sneered coldly, not intending to deny the matter.

There was no reason for him to deny it at this point. In any case, the people before them were pretty much dead men anyway.

"Celestial Master Teacher?"

"Zhang shi... is a Celestial Master Teacher?"

Hall Master Xing, Ji shi, and the others were astonished.

Of the crowd, the only one who was aware of Zhang Xuan's true identity was Wu shi. Due to safety concerns, Wu shi had not even revealed the matter to Hall Master Xing.

Thus, upon hearing the words of the Otherworldly Demon before them, all of them widened their eyes in shock, unable to believe their ears.

In the long history of the Master Teacher Continent, there had only been a single Celestial Master Teacher, and that was Kong shi. And yet, the young man before them was actually a Celestial Master Teacher as well?

"You didn't even tell your comrades about the matter? Hahaha, you sure are a wary individual! That's right! He's a Celestial Master Teacher, a person whose existence is acknowledged by the heavens themselves! As long as premature death doesn't come to him, it's only a matter of time before he becomes the next World's Teacher!"

Vicious burst into a hearty laughter before abruptly coming to a halt. A cold glint surfaced in his eyes as he continued. "However, it seems like that will never come to be. I have fought with Kong shi on many occasions, and I am very familiar with all his means. You may have a thousand ideas in your mind, but let me tell you that you are just wasting your effort! How about it? Submit to me, and you can continue living in this world. Otherwise, not only will you die, even your kin and friends will have to suffer due to your obstinacy!

"I'll be honest with you here. The very moment you arrived in these marshlands, I instructed Chu Tianxing to capture your student. Chances are that your student is already being held captive at this moment," Vicious sneered.

"You had Chu Tianxing capture my student?" Zhang Xuan's gaze turned incredibly cold.

He could not have imagined that Vicious would actually stoop down to such lowly and underhanded means against him.

"Indeed!"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe your words? My student is currently cultivating in the Combat Master Hall, where he's protected by countless combat masters. Even if Chu Tianxing attempts to make a move against him, can he possibly breach the defenses of the Combat Master Hall?" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.

Currently, he only had a single direct disciple in the Qingyuan Empire, Liu Yang!

Before he left, he instructed Liu Yang to focus his effort on cultivating in the Combat Master Hall. Even though Chu Tianxing wielded great power and influence in the Qingyuan Empire, surely he would not dare barge into the Combat Master Hall and cause a ruckus!

"Of course, I concede that there's no way Chu Tianxing will be able to breach the defenses of the Combat Master Hall... but what if he invites your student out?" Vicious said with twisted smile.

"Invites?" An ominous feeling surfaced in the back of Zhang Xuan's mind as he clenched his fists tightly.

Zhang Xuan had suspected Chu Tianxing of betraying mankind prior to leaving Qingyuan City, but due to the lack of evidence, he had decided against publicizing the matter for the time being. Instead, he had Wu shi dispatch a few master teachers to keep a tight watch over the latter.

If Chu Tianxing invited his student to the royal palace as a guest in his capacity as the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, there would really be no reason for Liu Yang to turn down the invitation.

And once Liu Yang left the secure Combat Master Hall to enter the royal palace...

To make matters worse, Wu shi and Hall Master Xing were currently by his side, so there was no one left in Qingyuan City who wielded sufficient authority and strength to oppose Chu Tianxing head on!

Seeing that he had finally broken Zhang Xuan's calm demeanor, Vicious sneered coldly, "Since you were coming over, wouldn't it have been disrespectful of me if I did not give you my warmest welcome? Humph, if I did not have at least this much in me, how could I have possibly fought on equal grounds against Kong shi back then?"

"I'll give you some time to think it over, but know that there is a limit to my patience. Submit to me, and I'll spare you and your student. I will even impart the complete heritage of the soul oracles to you on top of that and support you in becoming the next World's Teacher! Otherwise, I'm afraid that you will just have to watch helplessly here as your student suffers a tragic death!"

"You..." Zhang Xuan glared at Vicious in rage.

This was the first time that someone dared to threaten him like that.

...

In Qingyuan City's Combat Master Hall...

On the third day after the departure of the group to the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows, the Combat Master Hall ushered in an esteemed guest—the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, Chu Tianxing.

"Division Head Zhou, I'll really have to trouble you for this matter. King Zhongqing is still being locked in the Master Teacher Pavilion, and honestly speaking, he really didn't commit any heinous crimes that warrant such extreme treatment! The biggest mistake he really made was provoking Zhang shi. I don't want to put you on the spot either, so I just hope that you can bring me to him so that we can attempt to reconcile!" Chu Tianxing said with a vexed look on his face.

He had come to the Combat Master Hall with several guards, who were currently standing behind him, in order to meet with the head of the Weapon Division, Division Head Zhou.

In Hall Master Xing, Division Head Liao, and Division Head Wei's absence, the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Combat Master Hall ended up falling on his shoulders.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, but your arrival is truly untimely. Zhang shi has recently gone into seclusion, so I'm afraid that you will have to return another day." Division Head Zhou shook his head as he turned down Chu Tianxing's request with an apologetic look.

Hall Master Xing had instructed that this expedition was a confidential operation, so if anyone sought them in this period of time, he had to turn them down with an appropriate excuse.

As powerful as the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall was, it would still be beneficial for it to maintain amiable relations with the regional royal family. As such, it would not be good for it to turn away Chu Tianxing curtly.

"Zhang shi is in the midst of a seclusion? I see..." A look of disappointment surfaced on Chu Tianxing's face. "If I recall correctly, Zhang shi has a direct disciple named Liu Yang, right? If it isn't too much trouble, may I meet him instead? I heard that he's seventeen this year, and I happen to have a daughter who is around his age. I think that it would be good for youngsters like them to get acquainted with one another."

"This..." Division Head Zhou was put on the spot.

He had already turned down Chu Tianxing's request to meet Zhang Xuan, so if he hindered the latter from meeting Zhang Xuan's student as well, it would seem as if he was intentionally making things hard for Chu Tianxing.

Division Head Zhou pondered for a moment before replying. "Pardon me, but I'm afraid that I can't make a decision on Liu Yang's behalf. Allow me to send my man over to ask him first. If he's preoccupied at the moment, I fear that there's nothing I can do!"

"I'll be troubling you then, Division Head Zhou," Chu Tianxing replied with a smile. "As you know, I came here with the intention of mending relations with Zhang shi. If you could have your men put in a few good words for me, I'll extend my deepest gratitude to you once the matter is done!"

"Un." Division Head Zhou nodded before beckoning a combat master over to issue a few instructions.

The combat master hurriedly rushed over to Liu Yang's residence, but before he could even get close, he could already hear loud 'Peng! Peng! Peng! Peng!' sounds echoing from within.

Knocking on the door and entering, he soon saw a seventeen-year-old young man brandishing his spear powerfully. Perhaps due to his long hours of training, his entire body was drenched with sweat, and his face had turned a little pale even.

"Young Master Liu, you..." The combat master couldn't help but kindly advise, "I think you should take a rest first! It won't do to push yourself too far, or else you might injure yourself! It'll be disastrous if you damage your foundation in the midst of your training."

Their Progeny of Combat had decreed that all combat masters must respect Zhang Xuan as their own teacher, and Liu Yang was Zhang Xuan's direct disciple. However, Liu Yang was neither a master teacher nor a combat master, so eventually, they chose to simply respectfully address him as Young Master Liu or Liu gongzi.

Every single combat master was carefully sieved from countless master teachers, so there was no such thing as a subpar cultivator within the Combat Master Hall. While the combat master who had just entered Liu Yang's residence was just an ordinary member of the Combat Master Hall, he could still easily discern that Liu Yang had overexerted himself in the midst of his training.

It was good for a cultivator to be diligent in their training, but if they were to go overboard and exceed the tolerance limit of their body, they could very well damage the foundation of their cultivation, and such damage was incredibly difficult to repair!

More importantly, excessive desire for swift success could easily result in a disturbance in one's state of mind, especially when the results did not meet up to one's expectations. An impaired state of mind could easily breed inner demons, and it could potentially cause one's cultivation to go berserk as well.

"I know that, too, but time waits for no one!" Liu Yang stopped his training and wiped away his sweat.

His teacher had a total of seven direct disciples.

Zhao Ya, Lu Chong, Yuan Tao, Wei Ruyan, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying... The six of them had already managed to find their own path, and they were bound to ascend to great heights in the near future.

He was the only direct disciple who remained with their teacher, and he had the responsibility to uphold his teacher's reputation. But with the current growth of his cultivation, he would soon be lagging far behind the others... and this had left him feeling greatly pressured.

Watching Zheng Yang become the Progeny of Combat and commanding the combat masters authoritatively had only served to fuel his anxiety further, to the point that he felt as if he would collapse under it.

He was desperate to grow stronger. He wanted to prove that he was not weaker than anyone else!

With nowhere to vent that feeling of anxiety, the only thing he could do was cultivate desperately, gritting his teeth to persevere on even when his body was groaning in pain.

Liu Yang turned to the combat master and asked, "You were looking for me?

"If there's nothing, I'll be continuing on with my cultivation now."

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Chapter 1227: Liu Yang's Crisis (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"It's like this. The emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, Chu Tianxing, wishes to reconcile with Zhang shi, so he has specially paid a visit to the Combat Master Hall in hopes of making amends. However, Zhang shi happens to be in seclusion at the moment, so it is not convenient for him to meet him. Thus, he hopes to meet you instead," the combat master said.

"He wants to meet me? Tell him that I'm not free!" Liu Yang waved his hand impatiently.

What he was lacking the most at the moment was time, and he did not want to waste a single second of it.

"Young Master Liu, you cannot simply spend every single second of your life cultivating. You need to relax and wind down from time to time. Even though His Majesty did have a disagreement with Zhang shi in the past, he seems to be earnestly seeking reconciliation this time around. Why don't you meet him and foster some goodwill with him? No matter what, he's still the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire. If his attempts at reconciliation fall through, he could possibly resort to underhanded tricks to deal with Zhang shi, and that would only cause Zhang shi more trouble!" the combat master advised.

"This... Alright then!" After a moment of hesitation, Liu Yang eventually nodded.

While the other six of his peers were busy bringing glory to his teacher's name, he was the only one who was still leeching off their teacher, using his teacher's cultivation resources.

If he added to his teacher's trouble on top of that, what rights would he have to continue remaining as Zhang Xuan's student?

Thus, he quickly washed up and switched into a fresh set of clothes before following that combat master to the main hall.

Upon seeing Liu Yang, Chu Tianxing quickly walked over to welcome him with a bright smile, completely devoid of the airs of an emperor. "You must be Brother Liu, I have long heard of your name! To be qualified to become Zhang shi's direct disciple, you must be a man of great talent!"

Slightly taken aback by Chu Tianxing's abrupt intimacy, Liu Yang awkwardly replied, "Your Majesty, you're flattering me..."

"Not at all, not at all! There isn't any point beating around the bush before someone as smart as you, so I'll just straight to the point. As you know, I had a conflict with Zhang shi previously over King Zhongqing, so I earnestly wish to make amends and heal the rift between us."

At this point, Chu Tianxing raised his hand, and a guard standing behind him walked over and passed a jade container to him.

"This is a gift that I have specially prepared for Zhang shi as a token of my sincerity. I hope that you won't turn down my goodwill!"

Glancing at the jade container in his hand, Liu Yang frowned. He slowly pried it open, and a gush of concentrated spiritual energy immediately burst forth from the container.

Concentrated high-tier spirit stones, five of them!

Liu Yang widened his eyes in astonishment. "This..."

He knew that his teacher urgently required concentrated high-tier spirit stones, so if he could help his teacher secure these five concentrated high-tier spirit stones, he would be doing his teacher a great favor!

Noticing Liu Yang's expression, Chu Tianxing's smile brightened. "Brother Liu, aside from the gift for Zhang shi, I have also prepared a present for you, too."

He raised his hand once more, and another guard swiftly walked forward and grandly presented another jade container. "I know that Brother Liu possesses exceptional talent in fist arts, so I specially paid a visit to the Blacksmith Guild to have them forge a pair of knuckledusters for you! It's a Saint low-tier weapon, and I believe it should be fitting for you."

As Chu Tianxing spoke, the guard opened the jade container.

Jiya!

A powerful aura emanated from the jade container. Lowering his gaze, Liu Yang saw a pair of beautifully-crafted knuckledusters. A brilliant gleam was reflected off them, and one could feel the powerful aura of a Saint low-tier weapon.

"This..." Liu Yang's voice went hoarse, and his body could not help but stiffen in astonishment.

To be honest, he had wanted a pair of knuckledusters for some time in order to augment his fist arts. However, his teacher had been too busy recently, and he could not bring himself to trouble his teacher at such a moment. As such, he could not hold back his agitation upon seeing Chu Tianxing's gift.

Liu Yang hesitated for a brief moment before replying, "I appreciate your goodwill, but I can't accept these valuable gifts from you."

"Brother Liu, there's no need to hold yourself back. It's my fortune to be acquainted with you, and I hope that these gifts can serve as a token of our friendship for the many years to come. So, I hope that you won't turn down my goodwill!" Chu Tianxing urged with an earnest smile.

"I see... Since that's the case, I'll humbly accept your gifts. I'll also relay your goodwill to my teacher." Liu Yang took the knuckledusters from the jade container and put them on.

They happened to fit him perfectly. The more he looked at them, the more he found himself liking them.

As these knuckledusters had just been forged, they did not have any spirit in them yet. As such, he could use them immediately without having to win the acknowledgement of a weapon spirit.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony," Chu Tianxing replied graciously. "Right, that reminds me. There is going to be a family banquet in the royal palace tonight. My younger daughters have long heard of your name, and they have been pestering me for an opportunity to meet you. If it isn't too much trouble, I would like to invite you to join us in the banquet!"

"This..." A hesitant frown emerged on Liu Yang's forehead. "Since it's a family banquet, it wouldn't be good for an outsider like me to join in the commotion..."

"It's fine, it's fine! It isn't easy for two people to meet in this massive world, and I have already long considered you my brother, so there's no need to be so formal with me! Actually, I intended to invite Zhang shi over as well, but it's a pity that Zhang shi is currently in seclusion. Brother Liu, it'll truly be an honor for our Qingyuan royal family if you would join our family banquet!" Chu Tianxing said.

"I thank you for your high opinion, but I need to cultivate," Liu Yang replied.

"Brother Liu, I know that you are a diligent individual, and I admire your perseverance as well. However, you need to take a rest from time to time and recharge yourself! Also, I actually do have a small request to make of Brother Liu during the banquet. My sons have been getting rather lazy recently, and that has been a huge headache for me. So, I hope that you can teach them a lesson and make them understand that there's a world far greater than the one that they see, and that they shouldn't get complacent with what they have!"

"This..." Liu Yang was conflicted for a moment before eventually nodding. "Alright then."

No matter what, the other party did give him a new pair of knuckledusters, so it was only right for him to return the favor. Furthermore, this was an opportunity for him to further his teacher's reputation. With these thoughts in mind, his hesitation in accepting Chu Tianxing's invitation was alleviated.

All six of his departed seniors and juniors were all outstanding individuals, bound for great heights in the future. Living under their shadows, he had been under extreme pressure in recent days. He strongly craved for a chance to prove himself as well, and this family banquet was the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

Seeing that Liu Yang had made up his mind, Division Head Zhou decided not to say anything else. In any case, he did not think that any harm would come to Liu Yang under Chu Tianxing's care.

Before long, the duo was already well on their way to the royal palace.

By the time they arrived at the royal palace, the family banquet had already started. Countless princes and princesses walked in and out the area, chatting harmoniously with one another.

As expected of the princesses of a Conferred Empire, they were all outstanding beauties. Sitting among them, Liu Yang could not help but feel his heart beating in nervousness.

While their beauty was nowhere on par with Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, and the others, it was still inevitable that a seventeen-year-old young man like him would find it hard to keep his cool before their charming smiles and alluring gestures.

At this moment, a young man walked over and greeted him. "Liu gongzi..."

"You are..." Liu Yang frowned.

From the other party's dress-up, he could tell that the young man was a prince as well. However, his standing within the royal family did not seem to be particularly high, especially considering how Chu Tianxing neglected to introduce him.

"I am Chu Xiang, the 77th Prince of the Qingyuan Empire," the young man replied with a bitter smile. "I have met Zhang shi on two separate occasions, so we can be considered acquaintances of one another."

If Zhang Xuan was there, he would have recognized the other party as none other than the young man he had met at the entrance of the Terpsichore Guild and Blacksmith Guild, Chu gongzi!

Who knew that he was actually a prince of the Qingyuan Empire?

However, this also explained how he could afford to pay a concentrated high-tier spirit stone for an Exclusive Dance from Fairy Zi Yan.

"A friend of my teacher? Pardon my rudeness. It's a pleasure to meet you!" Liu Yang quickly got to his feet and clasped his fist.

"There's no need to be so polite," Chu Xiang replied with a smile.

The duo chatted for a while. In between their conversation, a few princesses dropped by and offered him a drink. Drunk on the atmosphere, Liu Yang delightfully accepted their toast and drunk a fair bit. Before long, he found his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and with a clumsy stagger, he collapsed to the ground.

Chu Xiang hurriedly rushed up to check on Liu Yang, but at this moment, Chu Tianxing suddenly appeared. With a sharp glint in his eyes, he bellowed, "Men, lock him in the underground prison and make sure to seal off all news about this matter!"

"Yes!"

A couple of guards quickly stepped forward to bind the unconscious Liu Yang before dragging him away.

Astonished by the sudden turn of events, Chu Xiang asked, "Father, what is going on?"

"This is none of your business!" Chu Tianxing waved his hand impatiently.

"But... he's Zhang shi's student! Zhang shi is a genius who has succeeded in crashing our Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, and to apprehend his student like this..." Chu Xiang exclaimed anxiously, only to be interjected halfway through his words.

"Enough! Who do you think you are as to lecture me? If you dare speak another word of this matter, don't blame me for being heartless!"

Paying no heed to Chu Xiang's advice, Chu Tianxing walked away with a livid look on his face.

As the 77th Prince who had come from one of the many concubines in the royal palace, Chu Xiang's standing was not high.

In order to gain his father's favor, he had worked diligently, successfully became a 7-star blacksmith, and advanced his cultivation to Embryonic Soul realm despite his young age... He had thought that he could win the respect of others through his hard work, but who knew that he would only end up being poisoned by others as well, resulting in the impairment of his soul?

It was then that he realized that there was no such thing as kinship within the royal family. There were only relationships of convenience.

Thus, he fell into degeneracy, frequenting brothels to comfort himself in the intimate embrace of women. It might have appeared as if he had given up on himself, but it was actually all a ruse.

If he had not put up a useless front, the other princes who were vying for power would have viewed him as a threat and gotten rid of him.

Furthermore, he had realized that his father was not oblivious to the viciousness of his fellow brothers, choosing only to turn a blind eye to them. This had caused the final shred of expectations he had from kinship to freeze over like a winter's river.

He had thought that his acquaintance with Zhang Xuan might be able to change his father's low opinion of him, but who would have thought that his father would actually capture the latter's direct disciple!

Having met Zhang Xuan twice, Chu Xiang knew how protective the young man was of those around him. If something really happened to Liu Yang, that young man could very well turn the entire Qingyuan City into a living hell!

This won't do! I must inform Zhang shi of this matter this instant... If there is any misunderstanding between Father and him, they should hash it out before things get out of control... Chu Xiang clenched his fists tightly and made up his mind.

He had witnessed the incredible prowess that Zhang Xuan possessed with his own eyes, and he instinctively knew that the latter was the type of person that one should never make an enemy of.

He had no idea why his father had chosen to capture Liu Yang, but from the looks of it, it seemed like there was nothing he could say that would change his father's mind. Since that was the case, he could only deal with this matter from Zhang Xuan's side, and hopefully, it still would not be too late to resolve the conflict between them peacefully.

Thus, Chu Xiang discreetly took his leave from the banquet and returned to his accommodation.

He swiftly changed his clothes before sneaking out of the royal palace to rush to the Combat Master Hall.

A combat master stood in Chu Xiang's way and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"I am Zhang shi's acquaintance, and I have some urgent matters for him!" Chu Xiang replied anxiously as he passed a name scroll over.

"You are Zhang shi's acquaintance? Give me a moment." Noting the anxious look on Chu Xiang's face and hearing that this was a matter relating to Zhang Xuan, the combat master did not dare to waste any time. He quickly took the name scroll and headed in.

Not too long later, the combat master returned with a fatty behind him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chu gongzi. I am Sun Qiang, Zhang shi's butler. May I know the reason behind your visit?" Sun Qiang greeted with a warm smile.

Noting that the person who had come out was not Zhang Xuan, Chu Xiang panicked. "Pardon me, Butler Sun, but I really do have an urgent matter that I need to report to Zhang shi about, so I must trouble you to inform him of my visit..."

"Chu gongzi, our young master is currently in seclusion, so I fear that it'll be inconvenient to interrupt him at this crucial juncture," Sun Qiang replied with a conflicted frown. "If you really do have an urgent matter for our young master, you can feel free to inform me. I'll have it relayed to our young master as soon as he's out of his seclusion!"

"This..." Hearing Sun Qiang's words, Chu Xiang hesitated for a moment. From the looks of it, it seemed like he would not be able to meet Zhang Xuan immediately, so he swiftly set up an isolation barrier and said, "To be honest with you, Zhang shi's direct disciple, Liu Yang, has been captured by my father..."

"Young Master Liu Yang has been captured?"

Sun Qiang was taken aback for a moment before his eyes slowly narrowed menacingly.

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Chapter 1228: Castrate That Emperor (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Others might not have been aware of the sentiments that Zhang Xuan had for his students, but having followed him since Tianxuan Kingdom, Sun Qiang could not have understood any clearer.

For Lu Chong, he single-handedly faced an entire Conferred Kingdom. For Zhao Ya and Wang Ying, he was willing to threaten the powers that had taken them away. For Wei Ruyan, he was willing to put himself in danger.

It could be said that for his students, there was nothing that he would not do!

If something really happened to Liu Yang, he could already foresee Zhang Xuan charging straight into the Qingyuan royal palace and wreaking havoc, not resting until he turned the entire place upside down!

"What should I do?" Sun Qiang frowned in anxiety.

Although it was said that Zhang Xuan was in seclusion, Sun Qiang knew that he had gone somewhere very far away, and it would be difficult for him to return any time soon.

If Sun Qiang allowed anything to happen to Liu Yang during this period, there was no way Zhang Xuan would ever forgive him!

After asking for the details of the matter, Sun Qiang clasped his fist and bade farewell. "Chu gongzi, thank you for your notice. I am deeply grateful to you for your tip. I'll report this matter to our Young Master this instant!"

After which, he turned around and left.

Not too long later, he arrived at Division Head Zhou's residence.

"... That is the entire matter." Sun Qiang swiftly filled Division Head Zhou on the happenings before requesting, "Division Head Zhou, I hope that you can dispatch some men to follow me to the royal palace to save Young Master Liu Yang!"

"You want to march to the royal palace to save Liu gongzi?" Division Head Zhou frowned. "This is no light matter. This is a matter that concerns the relationship among the Combat Master Hall, Master Teacher Pavilion, and the regional monarchy. While I can dispatch some combat masters to demand for Liu gongzi's release, such an action could easily escalate the conflict! It'll be safer if we report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and have them mediate for us!"

"Report it to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?" A deep frown emerged between Sun Qiang's brows.

At this point, they did not even know what condition Liu Yang was in. A single day delayed meant an additional day of danger for the latter! If they were to settle this matter through bureaucracy, who could guarantee that Liu Yang would still be alive by the time any concrete action was taken?

At this point, Sun Qiang could not help but recall the torture he had been put through by King Zhongqing, and an involuntary shudder ran through his body.

"Combat masters are effectively the soldiers of the Master Teacher Pavilion, so there's a strict regimentation that we have to follow. In order to mobilize our men, we will need a decree from the hall master himself! I apologize, but there is really nothing I can do about this matter. However, there should be no cause for worry. No matter what, Liu gongzi is Zhang shi's student, so Chu Tianxing should not go too far," Division Head Zhou consoled.

It was not that he did not want to help Sun Qiang, but the potential consequences that could arise from dispatching combat masters to confront the regional monarchy were simply too great. A division head like him was not qualified to bear the responsibility of the outcome.

If Hall Master Xing had been around, he might have been qualified to make such a call. However, as luck would have it, Hall Master Xing was not around either. If matters were to go awry, putting aside his position as a division head, he might even be stripped of his identity as a combat master!

The Combat Master Hall wielded immense power, so it was of paramount importance that the utmost caution was taken in its mobilization.

Otherwise, the Combat Master Hall would only be viewed as a threat by the regional power, and this would cause the leadership of the Master Teacher Pavilion to be questioned.

Seeing that Division Head Zhou was reluctant to make a move, Sun Qiang's face turned livid. "Since you aren't willing to save Young Master Liu Yang, I'll think of a way myself!"

Leaving those words behind, Sun Qiang flung his sleeves furiously and left.

After leaving Division Head Zhou's residence, he headed straight to the accommodation that the Combat Master Hall had prepared for the poison masters.

"Benefactor!" Upon seeing Sun Qiang, Elder Xu and the others from the Poison Hall hurriedly greeted him with grateful smiles on their faces.

If not for the middle-aged man before them, they could have been tortured to death in King Zhongqing's hands. They also would not have been able to become upstanding combat masters, able to walk in the light without being shunned by others either.

The other party had not only given them a second life, he had also changed their fate as well.

"Un. Actually, I have a matter that I require your help with." Without any hesitation, Sun Qiang dove straight to the topic at hand.

With his current strength, there was no way he could barge into the royal palace single-handedly and save Liu Yang. Thus, he had to gather all the power he could tap into.

For some inconceivable reason, these poison masters were extremely respectful to him, even going to the extent of pledging their loyalty to him again and again. As such, they were the first group that he thought of seeking help from.

"Benefactor, feel free to speak! As long as it's within our means, we'll have it accomplished regardless of the cost!" the poison masters replied resoundingly without the slightest hint of hesitation in their voices.

After cultivating the poison art that their founder had left for them, their cultivation had really improved by leaps and bounds. This was especially so for Elder Xu, who had recently made a breakthrough to Saint 3-dan.

The improvement in his cultivation was one thing, but more importantly, his comprehension and grasp over poison had also reached greater heights.

As long as he had a sufficiently potent poison in hand, he would be able to kill even a Primordial Spirit realm expert easily!

"There's no need to agree to my request so quickly. You can make your decision after listening to their story." Sun Qiang was slightly surprised by the poison masters' unhesitating response to his request, but knowing the dangers in this mission, he did not want to force them into it.

"It's like this. Young Master Liu Yang has been captured by the emperor of Qingyuan Empire, so I would like to seek your help in saving him!" Sun Qiang swiftly went through everything that he had heard from Chu Xiang.

"You want us to break into the Qingyuan royal palace to save Liu gongzi?"

"That dog of an emperor! I knew that he is a snake just by seeing how adamantly he protected King Zhongqing!"

"To dare make a move against Liu gongzi, that bastard is clearly disrespecting our great benefactor! Tell us, how do you want us to do it?"

"Shall we have the entire Qingyuan royal palace poisoned to death? I think they at least deserve this much for their insolence!"

Sun Qiang's words induced an impassioned uproar amid the crowd from the Poison Hall.

There was not a single word of refusal from them.

Any matter concerning to their benefactor was more important than their own lives. Besides, they were not master teachers either, so rules and the sort meant very little to them.

"Good!" Seeing the poison masters agreeing heartily to his request, Sun Qiang could not help but feel deeply touched inside.

Ever since his first meeting with these poison masters, they had already treated him with the utmost respect. And now, they were even willing to brave such grave danger just to complete the task he had asked of them.

This was probably what they call personal charisma!

They were not even that respectful to someone as formidable as the Young Master, but they regarded him as if he was their savior. It seemed like his splendor and valiance had not gone unnoticed in the eyes of the world after all!

"Let's quickly discuss a strategy before making our move!" Seeing the authority that he wielded amid the poison masters, Sun Qiang puffed his chest up and waved his hand grandly.

Even though they had many poison masters on their side, one must not forget that they were going up against the royal family of a Conferred Empire!

It would be a gross mistake if they thought that they could achieve victory just by charging over recklessly. If they did so, they could very well be subdued before they even got to Liu Yang.

Thus, there was a need to strategize in advance.

"Back then, when King Zhongqing purged our Poison Hall, he did it in the middle of the night, when everyone was resting..." Elder Xu narrowed his eyes menacingly.

Even though he had already decided to submit to the Combat Master Hall, that did not mean that he could forgive the Qingyuan Empire royal family for destroying his home and purging his kin and friends. While King Zhongqing was the one who had supervised the operation, there was no way that Chu Tianxing, as the emperor of Qingyuan Empire, would have been oblivious to it. In order to mobilize the troops required to destroy their Poison Hall, King Zhongqing had definitely received Chu Tianxing's approval.

As such, the poison masters were also filled with hostility against Chu Tianxing as well.

In consideration of the effort their benefactor had put into giving them a fresh start, they had been planning to put their grudges aside and live their lives in peace. However, seeing how even the bastard emperor dared to make a move against their benefactor, they could not hold themselves back anymore.

A poison master stepped forward and said, "Back then, King Zhongqing gave us a lot of medicinal herbs to concoct the Scattering Breeze Powder. Making a rough calculation, we have enough to concoct ten whole tons of it!

"We refused to comply by King Zhongqing's orders to concoct the Scattering Breeze Powder back then, but we still kept his medicinal herbs in our storage rings. In the past few days, we have been studying the new poison cultivation technique diligently, and we tried our hand at concocting the Scattering Breeze Powder as well. The results were not too bad—we have managed to concoct a fair bit of it, and it all reached Supreme grade! If you intend to break Liu gongzi out of the royal palace, I think that we can use it."

"Scattering Breeze Powder? Supreme grade?" Sun Qiang was confused.

He knew nothing about poison at all, so naturally, that name did not ring a bell with him.

However, as their 'benefactor', how could he possibly appear ignorant before the poison masters?

Thus, he asked with a frown. "How much of it do you have?"

The security of a Conferred Empire royal palace was bound to be extremely tight. In order for their operation to be successful, they would need to have a massive amount of poison on hand.

"Benefactor, you don't have to worry about the quantity. We have almost 500 jin 1 ready," the poison master replied with a chuckle.

After learning the poison cultivation technique their founder had left for them, they had been wanting to find a way to put their newfound understanding of poison to the test. However, due to the lack of other medicinal herbs available, they could only concoct the Scattering Breeze Powder. As a result, they had ended up concocting a large quantity of it.

"500 jin?" Sun Qiang's lips twitched in astonishment.

Even if he did not have much of an understanding of poison, he could still roughly fathom the significance of 500 jin of poison. On average, just a few grams of poison was sufficient to kill a large group of experts, so 500 jin of it... He shuddered just imagining the sheer devastation it could bring.

"The Scattering Breeze Powder is colorless and odorless, and it drifts along with the wind. As long as we scatter it throughout the royal palace in the middle of the night, we should be able to knock out the guards and successfully rescue Liu gongzi!" Elder Xu said.

"Good, it's settled then! We'll move later tonight." Sun Qiang had never been one to fear anything. Since everything was ready, there was no reason to hesitate anymore.

After refining various details of their plans and confirming once more that there were no major issues, they swiftly returned to their rooms to condition themselves for the imminent operation.

Very soon, it was the Zi hour 2 .

Under Sun Qiang's lead, the poison masters left the Combat Master Hall quietly.

As the poison masters had already been taken into the Combat Master Hall, and they were moving under the lead of Zhang Xuan's butler, the sentries of the Combat Master Hall did not think much of their departure.

Flitting through the night, they soon arrived at the side of the royal palace where the wind was blowing from.

The group did encounter a few patrolling guards and sentries of the royal palace along the way, but they were all swiftly knocked out by the poison masters before they could manage to do anything.

Elder Xu took a swift look around the area before confirming the ideal location. "Alright, let's release the poison here. The wind isn't strong tonight, but as long as we release the poison from a high enough altitude, we should be able to cover the entire royal palace."

Their goal was to deal with the Qingyuan royal family, and they had no intention of harming innocent civilians in the midst of their operation. Thus, they had to choose the location where they would release the poison from carefully as well.

"Un."

The other poison masters also nodded in agreement as they swiftly took their positions in the air.

Hu la!

They scattered poison powder from their hands, and it dispersed into the night sky.

The Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder drifted along with the night wind as it slowly descended upon the oblivious royal palace.

While the royal palace was guarded by many formations, those were only activated in the face of an enemy assault. Not even the royal family of a Conferred Empire could afford to keep their defensive formations constantly activated.

Not to mention, the Scattering Breeze Powder could also seep through one's pores, making it nigh impossible to guard against.

It was precisely due to the nature of this poison that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe managed to catch the Master Teacher Pavilion and Combat Master Hall by surprise back then and lay claim to innumerable lives.

A poison that could incapacitate even the wary Combat Master Hall, how could the sleeping royal palace possibly be able to withstand it?

As the poison powder scattered further and further, the group gradually saw the guards of the royal palace losing consciousness and collapsing to the ground one after another.

The Scattering Breeze Powder only robbed a cultivator of their fighting prowess temporarily, it would not cause any significant damage to them. While the Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder boasted a greater potency, it would only increase its effective duration by several hours.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Elder Xu roughly scanned the area with his Spiritual Perception before nodding. "They have all passed out. It's time to strike. Let's go get that dog of an emperor now!"

"That's right. Let's capture and castrate that dog of an emperor first!" Sun Qiang uttered viciously as he gazed coldly upon the royal palace.

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Chapter 1229: Castrate That Emperor (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Inside the royal palace...

Seated behind a table, Chu Tianxing gazed down on a kneeling black-robed man and asked impassively, "How is it? Has that fellow submitted yet?"

The black-robed man clasped his fist and reported, "Your Majesty, even though that brat is young, he has quite the backbone. Our brothers have attempted to use all kinds of torture to pry open his mouth, but as if a mute, he simply won't talk!"

"Backbone? Hah! I have seen plenty of people with backbone in my lifetime, but before me, whatever backbone they have will be shattered into smithereens!" Chu Tianxing sneered coldly.

"That's true... but Your Majesty, what do you want us to get out of him?" the black-robed man asked doubtfully.

Chu Tianxing had only asked them to torture the young man to get him to talk, but he had not said exactly what he wanted to get out of the young man. Faced with such a bizarre order, he was not too sure how he should proceed.

"You don't have to worry about it at the moment. You just have to torture him until whatever spirit he has in him is broken so that he submits unconditionally to me. As for the rest, I'll deal with it personally!" Chu Tianxing waved his hand casually.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The black-robed man nodded before taking his leave.

As soon as the black-robed man departed from the hall, a vicious glint surfaced in Chu Tianxing's eyes.

As long as he could get wear down Liu Yang's spirit, he would be able to use the soul art that Vicious had imparted to him to take the young man's soul hostage. By then, he would be able to do whatever he wanted!

Rising from his throne, he began making his way out of the hall as well. However, soon after walking out of the entrance, he saw the black-robed man whom he had just spoken to a moment ago lying on the ground motionless, seemingly having passed out.

"Hmm?" Chu Tianxing's eyes widened in alarm as he began driving his zhenqi furiously.

He was a Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert, and the strength he wielded was no joke. 'Hula hula!'

Massive surges of zhenqi were pumped through his meridians, ready to bring death upon anyone who dared make a move against him.

To be able to knock out his subordinate at the entrance of the main hall without alarming him, there was no doubt that the one who had made a move was a true expert!

He warily scanned his surroundings as he walked over to his subordinate, intending to check on the wounds on the latter so that he would be able to verify the identity of the assailant through that. At this moment, however, a feeling of weakness abruptly consumed him, causing his body to stagger weakly. His eyes narrowed in alarm as he exclaimed, "This is... Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder!"

This sensation was very familiar to him. It was the poison that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had used for their invasion twenty years ago.

Those who came into contact with the poison would immediately be consumed with a feeling of weakness, and even Half-Leaving Aperture realm experts were not spared from it.

This poison was the reason for his capture back then. He could still remember the excruciating torture that the Qingtian Emperor had put him through, and eventually, he had been left with no choice but to offer his soul to the latter and become the latter's puppet.

Fortunately, I still have the antidote with me, Chu Tianxing thought as he flicked his wrist to whip out a jade bottle. Suppressing the intense dizziness in his head, he popped out a pill and swiftly ate it.

He was not like the combat masters, who could still move and battle on their sheer willpower even in the face of abnormal conditions. It was true that he was at Half-Leaving Aperture realm, but that was actually the result of consuming countless precious medicinal herbs. In terms of true fighting prowess, he might not have been on par with an average Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivator, let alone combat masters.

The pill swiftly dissolved in his mouth before entering his bloodstream to course through his veins. He thought that he would swiftly recover his fighting prowess, but after waiting for some time, the feeling of weakness still did not subside. On the contrary, it seemed to be growing more and more powerful.

It was as if he had consumed a fake antidote.

What's going on? Chu Tianxing's face darkened.

He had received the antidote from the Qingtian Emperor himself. It should have made him impervious to the effects of the Scattering Breeze Powder, so why would he still feel so powerless even after consuming it?

Perplexed, Chu Tianxing was just about to pop out a few more pills to consume when he suddenly heard a cold voice behind him.

"Don't bother. The Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder was concocted using the poison cultivation technique we have learned from the founder. Its potency is at least five times stronger than the original, so the antidote you have won't work at all."

Hearing those words, Chu Tianxing quickly turned his head around, only to see a bunch of bizarre-dressed individuals walking over.

Elder Xu knew that this operation would have great implications, so he had all the poison masters switch into their normal clothing so as to indicate that they had conducted this operation in their capacity as individuals and not combat masters.

Their Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder was concocted using the unique poison cultivation technique that their founder had imparted to them, which had enhanced its potency manyfold. This had rendered ordinary antidotes ineffective against it.

If it was not for this, would they have dared to barge into the royal palace?

"You scoundrels, do you know who you are standing before? How dare you assault me, the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire? Just on the ground of this crime itself, I can have you—as well as all of your kin, friends, and everyone related to you—executed..." Chu Tianxing bellowed furiously.

But before he could finish his words, another furious voice had already interjected. "Execute us? Try it then!"

Following which, Chu Tianxing suddenly saw a massive meatball charging in his direction.

Peng!

A fist struck his eye squarely, send him flying headfirst into a pillar. The impact from the collision caused blood to bleed profusely down his face.

"You..." Struggling weakly to his feet, Chu Tianxing shot a hostile glare at the fatty who had just made a move against him, only to pale upon recognizing the latter. "You are... Zhang shi's butler, Sun Qiang?"

It was due to abducting this fellow that King Zhongqing had nearly been killed. Chu Tianxing had conducted an investigation into Sun Qiang as well, allowing him to recognize the latter with just a look.

"That's right! It's me, your Grandpa Sun!" Sun Qiang sneered coldly before turning to the elder beside him. "Elder Xu, do you have a dagger?"

"Here you go!" Elder Xu obediently took out a dagger and passed it over to Sun Qiang as he asked doubtfully, "Benefactor, what are you planning to do with it?"

"This dog actually dared to capture Liu Yang... I'm going to castrate him to get even with him!" Sun Qiang spat through gritted teeth.

"Castrate?"

The faces of Elder Xu and the others twitched.

Everyone in the royal palace had only been knocked out temporarily—the Supreme Scattering Breeze Powder would not harm their cultivation or life at all. This was also their primary intention in hopes of minimizing the repercussions from the operation. This way, even if the Master Teacher Pavilion investigated the matter, they might at least still be able to justify their actions...

As long as things did not get out of hand, Zhang shi would be able to clean up their mess once he returned.

But if they castrated the emperor... that would really be a huge matter.

That would be equivalent to attempting to assassinate on the emperor, and once news spread, not even Zhang shi would be able to cover them!

Glaring at Chu Tianxing coldly, Sun Qing harrumphed. "Help me hold him tightly. If I don't make this dog pay the price for his actions, my surname won't be Sun!"

Ever since he had begun following the old master, he had never suffered such grievances before!

First, King Zhongqing captured him for no reason, and now, Chu Tianxing even held Liu Yang hostage...

The heck, did you really think that you can climb over our heads so easily?

If I don't teach you a lesson, won't everyone think that they can bully us?

"Yes!" A few poison masters rushed forward to hold down Chu Tianxing's limbs.

Seeing that Sun Qiang was serious about the matter, Chu Tianxing's face turned ghastly pale, and he began screaming at the top of his lungs. "What are you doing? I am the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire! You won't get away scot-free for doing this to me! You will pay with your lives! The Master Teacher Pavilion will never allow such an incident to pass..."

He was the emperor of a Conferred Empire, the man who dictated the fates of countless lives. There was no way he could withstand the humiliation of being castrated by another!

"Master Teacher Pavilion? Humph! If the Master Teacher Pavilion was really interested in interfering in this matter, they would have long rid the world of a poisonous tumor like you!" Sun Qiang harrumphed coldly. "Take off his pants!"

Heeding Sun Qiang's command, a poison master quickly rushed forward to pull down Chu Tianxing's pants. However, Elder Xu suddenly walked over at this moment and said, "Benefactor, let's not dirty our hands with his filthy blood. That would be a great discredit to you!"

Hearing Elder Xu pleading on his behalf, Chu Tianxing heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's indeed a little disgusting..." Sun Qiang nodded as his movements came to a halt. "What do you suggest we do then?"

It was only in the heat of the moment that he wanted to castrate Chu Tianxing. Elder Xu's words had brought rationality back to him, and he swiftly realized the possible implications of the matter. As such, he could only reluctantly drop the idea.

"How about this instead?" Elder Xu hesitated for a moment before flicking out a jade bottle. He took out a pill from it and passed it Chu Tianxing. "Eat it!"

"Eat it?" Staring at the pill in his hand, Chu Tianxing hesitated.

However, the other poison masters were not as good-tempered as Elder Xu as to allow Chu Tianxing to take his time. They held Chu Tianxing's hand firmly and forced the pill into his mouth.

Sun Qiang turned to Elder Xu and asked, "What is it?"

"Benefactor, it's a kind of poison. Its consumption will cause it to drop off by itself without having the need for you to castrate him personally. Furthermore, the poison alters his genes to make it a permanent condition. In other words, even if he consumes the Grand Intermittence Pill, he will still be unable to regrow it. Not only is this method cleaner, it also resolves the problem once and for all! Two birds with one stone, don't you agree?" Elder Xu said.

"Drop off by itself?" Chu Tianxing nearly blacked out upon hearing those words.

He was just thanking the heavens a moment ago for having mercy on him when he was suddenly fed with such a vicious pill.

Choked up with frustration, his face flushed crimson, and he spurted a mouthful of blood.

Amid the uncontrollable shivering of his body, he felt an abrupt coldness in his lower body, as if something had really dropped off.

"My..." Unable to take the trauma, Chu Tianxing's eyes rolled up, and he passed out on the spot.

"Wow... the poison sure is potent!" Watching as Chu Tianxing's pants were dyed crimson by the fresh blood flowing from his crotch area, Sun Qiang could not help but direct a look of admiration toward Elder Xu.

No wonder poison masters were so deeply feared on the Master Teacher Continent! Their means were truly fearsome, a living nightmare for all cultivators!

Sun Qiang waved his hand impassively and instructed, "Wake him up and get Liu Yang's location out of him!"

'Yes!"

Two poison masters stepped forward to deal with Chu Tianxing, and it did not take too long for them to uncover Liu Yang's location from his mouth.

The means of the poison masters were simply too frightening. The myriad of effects that their poisons had could have the most steadfast of minds crumbling in just a few moments, let alone a spoiled emperor.

The group swiftly rushed over to the place where Chu Tianxing had pointed out, only to be find a feeble Liu Yang. He had been severely tortured to the point that it seemed like he was about to breathe his last.

"Young Master Liu Yang!"

Sun Qiang quickly rushed forward to feed him a few recovery pills that Zhang Xuan had given him previously.

Perhaps his previous capture had given Zhang Xuan a shock, but for fear that Sun Qiang and the others would find themselves faced with life-threatening situations in the future, he had decided to leave them with a few pills for in times of need.

Even after consuming the pills, it took some time before Liu Yang regained his consciousness. When he saw the arrested Chu Tianxing held firmly by the poison masters, a burst of rage swiftly ignited within him, blazing into an inferno in an instant.

He had truly thought that the other party had invited him out of goodwill, wanting to reconcile the differences he had with his teacher. Yet, from the start to the end, that fellow had been planning to hold him hostage to threaten his teacher! Unforgivable!

Never in his life had he felt so enraged by anyone's action.

"You bastard, I'll kill you!" Roaring furiously, Liu Yang sent a kick straight toward Chu Tianxing.

Peng!

Chu Tianxing crashed forcefully into the wall, and the powerful impact had him coughing out huge mouthfuls of blood.

"These are the knuckledusters you have given me. Allow me to return them to you right now!"

Putting on the knuckledusters, Liu Yang charged up to Chu Tianxing and smashed his fist into the latter.

Peng!

Chu Tianxing's chest immediately sunk in. His ribcage had been shattered.

Liu Yang raised his fist once more and send another blow toward Chu Tianxing, and at that moment, Elder Xu's eyes suddenly narrowed in horror.

"This is bad. H-h-he... is dead!"

"Dead?" Taken aback, Liu Yang quickly took a closer look, only to see that a horrified look had been permanently plastered onto Chu Tianxing's face. Unknowingly, the latter had breathed his last.

"Things have really gone in the worst direction..."

Gazing at the dead emperor before their eyes, everyone's face paled. Even Sun Qiang could not help but stiffen at that sight.

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Chapter 1230: Flee

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

No matter how much of a dastard Chu Tianxing was, he was still the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire. They could teach him a lesson, they could place him in a state of living hell, but if they killed him, that would be a huge matter.

"This is really bad..." Elder Xu was horrified by the situation as well.

As much as he wanted to exact vengeance for his dead comrades, he knew that the death of an emperor would surely draw the intervention of the Master Teacher Pavilion. None of them would be able to escape unscathed.

Even if he was guilty of a crime, he should be put through an official trial of the Master Teacher Pavilion before being sentenced. To kill an emperor of a Conferred Empire so abruptly was no different from challenging the self-determinism of the country.

"I'll take responsibility for what I have done. I am the one who killed him, so I'll bear the burden for doing so alone!" Liu Yang clenched his fists tightly as he spoke.

"How do you want to take responsibility for it?" Sun Qiang snapped. "You aren't just an individual now! You represent the Young Master as well!"

"I..." Liu Yang fell silent.

Indeed, even if he claimed that he was solely responsible for this matter, his teacher would still be inevitably implicated in this matter.

From the moment he became his teacher's direct disciple, his fate had become intricately linked with his teacher's, not to be severed by anything.

"What do I do then?" Liu Yang asked in panic.

No matter how high his cultivation was, he was still only a seventeen-year-old child. He might have persevered through the pain and bore of cultivation, but he had no idea what he should do in a situation like this.

"I don't know either!" Sun Qiang pinched his glabella in frustration.

If only the Old Master was there, he would be able to use his strength and standing to resolve this issue easily. In fact, even if it was the Young Master, given his sharp wits and incredible means, he might be able to salvage the situation, too.

But none of them were around at the moment... and in the face of such a hopeless situation, he had no idea what he could do either.

There was no way they could suppress the news regarding the death of an emperor of a Conferred Empire.

Unable to find a solution, Sun Qiang eventually sighed deeply and said, "Let's return to the Combat Master Hall first and find a way to contact the Young Master!"

"It seems like there's no other choice at this point," Elder Xu said.

Elder Xu and the others knew that the Young Master of their benefactor was a 7-star master teacher who had successfully crashed the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. At this point, they could only bank on that young man.

Thus, the group quickly departed from the royal palace and returned to the Combat Master Hall.

Shortly after they left, in a corner of the royal palace, a figure struggled for a while in an attempt to rise to his feet, but the overwhelming weakness he felt prevented him from making any large movements.

"This is really a huge matter. I must report this to the Master Teacher Pavilion as soon as possible!" After recuperating for roughly six hours, the figure finally felt the effects of the poison dulling. He quickly rose to his feet and left the royal palace.

It was already daybreak by the time he returned to the Master Teacher Pavilion. At this point, he had already changed his clothes. He was actually a 7-star master teacher!

This was the man whom, under Zhang Xuan's advice, Wu shi had dispatched to follow Chu Tianxing to keep a close eye on the latter's movements!

He had concealed himself in the depths of the royal palace to find evidence of Chu Tianxing's wrongdoings, but who would have thought that he would end up witnessing Liu Yang's assassination of the emperor! To make things worse, he had not been able to move at all due to the poison, so he had been unable to stop them!

"Elder An, you are finally here! Song shi arrived early in the morning, and he's currently fuming..." As soon as the 7-star master teacher walked into the Master Teacher Pavilion, another master teacher quickly rushed up to report the matter to him.

"Song shi?" Elder An frowned.

"He's the quasi 8-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion dispatched by the headquarters when Pavilion Master Gou reported the matter concerning Zhang shi's pavilion crashing back then," the master teacher explained.

"Quasi 8-star master teacher?" Elder An narrowed his eyes in shock.

There were two tiers in between 7-star master teacher and 8-star master teacher, namely half 8-star and quasi 8-star.

Those whose cultivation had reached True Leaving Aperture realm would be qualified to attain the title of half 8-star master teacher, but only those who had reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle could be called a quasi 8-star master teacher!

Since Song shi was a quasi 8-star master teacher, there was no doubt that his cultivation had already reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, just a step away from Saint 6-dan.

Saint 6-dan was known as the Grand Dominion realm. At this cultivation realm, a cultivator would be able to create their own Dominion, wielding absolute control over everything within its area. In other words, they were undefeatable within their own Dominion!

The master teacher nodded. "That's right!"

He came at a timely moment. I should just report the matter to him and allow him to decide how it should be dealt with, Elder An thought with a nod.

The death of the monarch of the Qingyuan Empire was already a matter that had exceeded his jurisdiction. At times like this, it would be best for him to just report the matter and allow a senior master teacher to decide on a course of action.

Following behind the master teacher, it did not take long for Elder An to arrive at the main hall of the Master Teacher Pavilion. Before he could even enter the room, he could already hear a displeased voice sounding from within. "Pavilion Master Gou, Vice Pavilion Master Tian, and so many 7-star master teachers have been killed, but instead of finding the murderer, all of you are idling around here instead! Have you all forgotten your responsibilities as master teachers, or have the years of loftiness made you all indolent fools? You lot are really reprehensible! It's really about time to reorganize your Qingyuan branch! Where's Wu Rufeng? Didn't Pavilion Master Gou put him temporarily in-charge? Where is he?"

Upon walking into the room, Elder An saw an elder pacing around the room, reprimanding a group of elders from the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion.

That elder was probably Song shi.

On the other hand, the group of elders had their heads lowered humbly, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The other party had arrived as an envoy dispatched from the headquarters, and he was a quasi 8-star master teacher at that. Who would dare talk back to him?

Furthermore, his rage was justified. The Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion had ten thousand years of history behind it, but their pavilion master and vice pavilion master had ended up dying abruptly along with seven other 7-star master teachers. On top of that, a twenty-year-old young man even managed to crash their pavilion. This was truly a great discredit to the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"Vice Pavilion Master Wu is currently in seclusion," one of the elders replied.

"In seclusion? After such a huge mishap has occurred, as the person in-charge of this Master Teacher Pavilion, he has the gall to go into seclusion?" Upon hearing those words, Song shi nearly erupted on the spot.

To actually be able to go into seclusion when the branch was facing a huge crisis... was the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion filled with nothing but dimwits?

"Bring him to me right now! Also, get that Zhang Xuan who crashed this Master Teacher Pavilion here as well!" Song shi flung his sleeves furiously and harrumphed.

"You want us... to bring Zhang shi over too?"

"Everything that has happened in your branch recently seems to be related to him. I want to see just what kind of formidable figure he is to be able to make a Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion such a mess!" Song shi harrumphed coldly.

He had specially investigated the matter before coming over, and the conflict seemed to have originated from King Zhongqing capturing a butler named Sun Qiang. After which, the conflict had escalated further and further, eventually resulting in a pavilion crashing.

To cause such a huge ruckus within just a couple of days after entering Qingyuan City, he really wanted to see just what kind of incredible figure that Zhang Xuan was.

"Yes..." An elder nodded before quickly leaving the room.

At this point, Elder An stepped forward and reported, "Song shi, I am Elder An Rufang. I have a matter that I would like to report to you!"

"I have heard of you. You are one of the more senior elders of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. Feel free to speak!" Song shi nodded.

"It's like this... Last night, the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, Chu Tianxing, had one of Zhang shi's direct disciples, Liu Yang, imprisoned. Later in the night, his butler, Sun Qiang, led a group of remnants from the Poison Hall to the royal palace and poisoned all the guards there in order to save Liu Yang. In the midst of doing so, they even had Chu Tianxing... killed!" Elder An swiftly went through everything that he had witnessed.

"You said that they had Chu Tianxing killed? Chu Tianxing is dead?" Song shi widened his eyes in shock.

"That's right!" Elder An nodded grimly.

"Who's the one who made the killing move?" Song shi asked anxiously.

"It's Zhang shi's direct disciple, Liu Yang. He killed Chu Tianxing with a single punch!" Elder An said.

"This... How could he kill the emperor of a Conferred Empire so easily? He's really taking our Master Teacher Pavilion too lightly!" Song shi roared with a livid face.

The Master Teacher Pavilion was in charge of maintaining order within the region so as to ensure peace for the populace.

While that Zhang Xuan was admittedly an incredible genius, the Qingyuan Empire did not seem to have had a single day of peace ever since his arrival. In fact, his student even ended up killing the emperor. How was the Master Teacher Pavilion supposed to account for all of this to the populace?

This was truly unforgivable!

"Bring Zhang Xuan and that direct disciple of his to me this very instant!" Song shi spat through gritted teeth.

"Yes!" Hearing Song shi's instructions, a group of elders immediately left the main hall.

Not too long later, they returned with a fatty behind them.

The fatty clasped his fist and introduced himself with an attitude that was neither too humble nor arrogant. "Paying respects to Song shi. I am Zhang shi's butler, Sun Qiang."

"You are Sun Qiang?" Song shi narrowed his eyes as he assessed the person before him.

To be honest, rather than to pinpoint Zhang Xuan as the root of the entire string of trouble that had happened in Qingyuan City, it would be more accurately to say that it had all started with the fatty before him.

"That's right. Our Young Master happens to be out of Qingyuan City at the moment," Sun Qiang said.

"He isn't in Qingyuan City?" Song shi's complexion turned even more awful.

"Young Master and Wu shi have left to apprehend the culprit behind Pavilion Master Gou's death. In order to prevent the culprit from learning of their movements beforehand, they instructed us to maintain the act before others that they have gone into seclusion!" Sun Qiang explained.

He knew that the Young Master was not truly in seclusion, and considering that the elder standing before him was a master teacher dispatched from the headquarters, he knew that it would be best for him to report the truth.

"They have left to apprehend the culprit?" Hearing those words, Song shi's expression finally alleviated. He then continued asking, "Where's Liu Yang then?"

It was understandable that Zhang shi was not around, but what about the culprit who had killed Emperor Chu Tianxing, Liu Yang?

Why didn't he come here along with Zhang Xuan's butler?

"He..." Sun Qiang hesitated for a moment before continuing. "He has left Qingyuan City. I don't know where he is at the moment."

"You don't know where he is at the moment? What do you mean by that?" As Song shi spoke, a powerful aura suddenly burst forth from him, causing the crowd to shudder involuntarily under the pressure he was emanating.

Song shi glared at the fatty before him intently, seemingly daring him to utter the slightest word of falsehood before him.

Sun Qiang was alarmed by the sudden outburst of power as well, but recalling that he was Yang shi's butler, he forcefully composed himself and replied, "Reporting to Song shi, after accidentally killing Emperor Chu Tianxing, Liu Yang felt extremely guilty at his actions, so he left Qingyuan City overnight discreetly. I honestly have no idea where he has headed off to."

What he was saying was the truth.

After returning to the Combat Master Hall, Sun Qiang had quickly consoled Liu Yang to calm him down before anxiously attempting to contact the Young Master. However, despite a night of trying, he was still unable to establish communications with Zhang Xuan. By the time he realized it, Liu Yang was no longer in the Combat Master Hall.

He had left only a letter in his bedroom.

"He left Qingyuan City overnight? Hah, more like trying to flee from his crimes!" Song shi's eyes narrowed menacingly as he instructed, "Comb through the entire city and have that murderer apprehended... dead or alive!"

"Yes!"

A group of master teachers quickly left to carry out his orders.

"On the other hand, as a mere butler, you disregarded the laws of the country and brought your men into the royal palace to poison the guards. You are as guilty as Liu Yang! Men, throw Sun Qiang into the prison! I'll judge him along with Liu Yang once the latter is captured!" Song shi bellowed.

A group of master teachers swiftly stepped forward to grab hold of Sun Qiang.

"You want to judge me and Young Master Liu Yang?"

Not expecting Song shi to make such a decision, Sun Qiang's eyebrows shot up in displeasure. "How dare you! Do you know who our Old Master is?"

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Chapter 1231: Rise and Shine!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Like I would care who your Old Master is! All are equal before the law. Take this fellow away!" Song shi waved his hand impatiently, not giving Sun Qiang an opportunity to speak at all.

Indignant, Sun Qiang wanted to argue, but a sudden surge of power had his cultivation completely sealed, preventing him from speaking a word. Following which, two master teachers stepped forward to have him taken away.

"Wuuuuu!" Sun Qiang was so angry that he could have exploded, but he was still completely helpless before the situation.

He was the butler of the great Yang shi, so how could a mere quasi 8-star master teacher treat him in such a manner? This was insubordination!

"Have those poison masters captured too. Make sure to keep a tight watch over them so that they don't escape!" Paying no heed to the furious fatty, Song shi continuing issuing a series of instructions.

Very soon, with the entire Master Teacher Pavilion mobilized, it did not take long for Elder Xu and the others to be apprehended and imprisoned.

However, despite combing through the entire Qingyuan City, Liu Yang was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had suddenly vanished from the world; there was not even the slightest trace of him to be found.

...

Several hours earlier, back at the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows, Zhang Xuan was staring at the massive face right before him calmly.

"Well, I have to admit that it's a brilliant idea to have Chu Tianxing invite Liu Yang to the royal palace to hold him hostage so as to threaten me. Just that, I am really curious to know why someone as esteemed as Chu Tianxing would end up pledging loyalty to you?"

In truth, Zhang Xuan was not the only one who was intrigued by this matter. The other master teachers and combat masters were also puzzled by Chu Tianxing's betrayal.

As an emperor of a Conferred Empire, Chu Tianxing was an individual who wielded great authority in his hands. However, the entire basis of his power was built upon humans, so it was counterintuitive for him to betray humanity to side with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

One must know that if the Master Teacher Pavilion uncovered his betrayal, he would be killed on the spot. There would be no mercy whatsoever.

"You want to know why?" Hearing those words, Vicious sneered coldly. "You will have to ask your own Master Teacher Pavilion for that!"

Zhang Xuan frowned but did not say anything.

Vicious harrumphed. "As the monarch of a Conferred Empire, he should have wielded supreme power within his country. No one should have dared disrespect him or question his words. But with the existence of your Master Teacher Pavilion, what has become of his authority as the emperor?

"Thanks to your Master Teacher Pavilion, he has to always consider how the Master Teacher Pavilion would view a matter before making a decision. No matter what he did, he would never be able to break free from your control, doomed to remain subservient to you lot for life. How could a man as prideful and lofty as him possibly accept this?

"Making use this opening in his heart, it was not too difficult for me to place him under my control."

"This..." Hearing that, Zhang Xuan fell silent.

In truth, Vicious' words had some truth in them.

To the common populace, the presence of the Master Teacher Pavilion brought about some degree of equality and order, allowing them to live their lives in peace. It was also a platform where they could have their grievances redressed, allowing standing up against the powerful nobles of the country whom they would have been powerless against otherwise.

On the other hand, to those who wielded great power, especially for those who donned the crown, the existence of the Master Teacher Pavilion was a major threat to their authority. No matter what they wanted to do, they had to take how the Master Teacher Pavilion would react into consideration, or else a swift sword might fall upon their heads.

To have to remain subservient to another despite sitting upon the almighty throne... It was inevitable that dissatisfactions would pile up and eventually reach a point where it was no longer repressible.

At this point, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed.

Chu Tianxing only saw how his power had been curbed, but he failed to see how the Qingyuan Empire could have very well been annexed by other empires or destroyed by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe if not for the Master Teacher Pavilion's protection.

Without a strong foundation, how could an empire possibly survive the test of time?

Despite the various restrictions that the Master Teacher Pavilion would impose on the regional monarchy, there was no doubt that its presence played a crucial role in making the country strong!

Nevertheless, even though Vicious had put it simply, Zhang Xuan knew that the truth was bound to be more complicated than that. Most likely, Chu Tianxing must have gone through some kind of traumatic event that resulted in him steering off the path, eventually causing inner demons to breed within him. Unable to overcome his inner demons, he had no choice but to become the puppet of the Qingtian Emperor and Vicious, heading down a path of no return.

Not wishing to waste his breath any longer, Vicious uttered coldly, "Alright, I have already come to the limit of my patience. I don't want to waste any more time on you. Hurry up and give me your answer, or else I'll ensure that you, your students, and your kin will suffer tragic deaths!"

At the same time, a powerful force suddenly rippled forth from Vicious, leaving Zhang Xuan's group swaying on their feet. It was a threat from Vicious to remind them how powerless they were before him.

"You know, I do care for my students a lot. However, if you think that you can make me betray mankind and submit to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe just by holding them hostage, you are really taking me too lightly!" Zhang Xuan shook his head as his voice resounded clearly amid the powerful wind.

"As their teacher, I have to conduct myself properly so that I can become a good role model to them. If I surrender to you easily, what kind of message would I be sending to my other students? How could I be qualified to preach to them about principles and values if so? I know that I can't keep them under my wing and protect them forever, so I have worked hard to teach them everything that they might need... and if they are still to be unable to discern the situation themselves and end up being done in, I can only say that it isn't meant to be."

As much as Zhang Xuan did not want to see anything happen to his students, as a teacher, he knew that he could not possibly protect them for life. More importantly, he understood the respect and admiration that his students had for him, and he was not oblivious to the immense influence that he had on them.

For this very reason, he could not bend his principles and values even for their sake, or else he would be sending the wrong message to them, possibly leading them down the wrong path.

Often, the consequences of a decision were ambiguous. It was easy to look back retrospectively to say what could have been better done, but it was not as easy when one was put into the same position, looking upon an uncertain future.

Nevertheless, there were still some things that one should do and one should never do.

Principles and values were what set humans apart from beasts, so those were things one should never compromise!

This was what Zhang Xuan deeply believed in, and he felt that it was something that all master teachers should persist in as well.

"Is that your answer? Very well. Since you have made up your mind, you can die now!"

Looking at the resolve in the young man's eyes, Vicious knew that there was nothing he could say or do that would sway the other party. Thus, he decided not to waste his breath anymore.

Boom!

An overwhelming might rippled forth from Vicious, crashing down upon the group like a tsunami. Standing at the very front of the group, Wu shi and Hall Master Xing hurriedly drove their zhenqi furiously to reinforce the barrier they had put up to protect the others. However, under the immense pressure, it did not take long for their faces to redden, and fresh blood spurted from their mouths.

The disparity in strength was simply too great! They did not stand a chance at all.

Gritting his teeth furiously to persist even a second longer, Wu shi bellowed desperately, "Principal Zhang, hurry up and leave!"

"There's no need for that." A soft chuckle escaped from Zhang Xuan's mouth. "I know that he's biding his time, but who's to say that I'm not doing the same?"

Raising his head, he gazed at the massive face before him and asked, "Do you think that you have won?"

"What do you mean?" Realizing that the young man's eyes were calm, devoid of worry or fear, Vicious' eyebrows shot up. An ominous feeling sprouted within him.

He quickly looked back at everything that had happened, but he was certain that he hadn't left any opportunity for the young man to turn the tables on him.

"What do I mean? Isn't the meaning obvious? Just like how you were stalling time to gain control over the little island, I was playing along with you to buy some time as well," Zhang Xuan replied with composure.

Were it not to stall for time, even if he had many questions in his mind, he would not have bothered to talk so much at this critical moment!

"You were buying time, too? Don't bother putting on a front before me; it's meaningless. We both know that there's nothing else you can do in this situation!" Vicious replied coldly.

The Qingtian Emperor had engaged countless celestial designers and blacksmiths and devoted countless precious resources in order to forge this head. While taking control of it had only granted him a cultivation realm of Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, in terms of true fighting prowess, he could match even an average Grand Dominion realm 1 expert easily!

Of the cultivators before him, the two strongest ones were only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage. On the other hand, while Zhang Xuan possessed strength far beyond his current cultivation realm, he was only barely able to match the Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage Qingtian Emperor even when he utilized all the means in his possession.

The disparity in strength was not something that could be breached in a moment no matter how much time Zhang Xuan bought!

The only fate possible for them was death!

"Why would I bother putting up a front before you at this moment? Alright, since it has come to this, it's time for me to show my hand as well. Haven't you rested long enough now? It's time to do your work!" Zhang Xuan's voice echoed in the surroundings with a unique melody to it.

Surprised by Zhang Xuan's words, Hall Master Xing and the others quickly looked around them, but beneath the starry night sky, there was not a figure to be seen.

"I was wondering what kind of formidable ally you could have prepared on your side. It seems like it's just a mere front after all!" Vicious sneered coldly.

Previously, that fellow had used this method once against the Qingtian Emperor, resulting in the impaling of the latter's bottom. If that fellow thought that the same trick could work twice, he was dreaming!

If the other party really had an ally hidden in the shadows, he would have gotten them to appear long ago. There was no reason to have waited so long!

"I have had enough of your farce. Let's end it once and for all!" Harrumphed coldly, a compelling might far stronger than the previous ones rippled from Vicious, swiftly crushing its way down upon the group.

However, before the might could reach them, the massive head in the air suddenly staggered.

Following which, as if the little island had gone out of control, it began trembling non-stop.

"What is going on? How can I possibly lose control over this head?" Vicious widened his eyes in horror. He shot his glance down upon Zhang Xuan and screeched, "You! It can only be you! Speak, what did you do to my head?"

"It's nothing much, really. All I did was to enchant the little island!" Zhang Xuan replied with a casual smile.

Back when he was at the bottommost level of the little island, he had used the Library of Heaven's Path to check on the surrounding walls.

Perhaps it was because he was at the very center of the little island, but he astonishingly found out that the entire island was actually a massive man-made structure, forming a gigantic entity by itself.

Upon realizing that, he swiftly recalled what he had seen upon stepping on the Ghost Cavern and mentally traced the path he had walked. Once a full picture was formed in his mind, he immediately realized what was going on.

Thus, he spent two hours in the underground cavern secretly enchanting the entire little island.

His movements were very discreet, and Vicious' will was still trapped in the altar back then. As such, the latter had failed to realize what he was doing.

After which, he released Vicious and allowed the latter to take control of the little island.

From the start to the end, Zhang Xuan knew that Vicious was intentionally stalling for time, but he was more than happy to grant the latter all the time he wanted. After all, the more deeply fused Vicious was with the little island, the more intricately attached he would be with the dormant spirit that he had enchanted into it.

Before Vicious knew it, there would already be two consciousness within him. Just like the situations with Hall Master Xing and Zhang Jiuxiao back then, he would be forced into a tough battle for supremacy with the spirit.

"Enchant? You are telling me that you enchanted my entire head?" Vicious shrieked in disbelief.

He was aware of the spirit awakener occupation, but even 9-star spirit awakeners were only capable of enchanting spirits into stronger and larger artifacts. Furthermore, each enchantment would exhaust them greatly, and they would have a long downtime after each enchantment session.

On the other hand, the head that was forged for him was roughly six li 2 in diameter. How many times would one have to enchant the head in order to produce enough sparks to bestow it with a spirit?

Was it even humanly possible?

"It seems like the Qingtian Emperor has neglected to tell you about how I managed to enchant the building of the Spirit Awakener Guild," Zhang Xuan scoffed.

Due to the previous incident, he had been afraid that Vicious might have noticed his plan in advance and guarded against the spirit. However, from the looks of it, it seemed like the latter was oblivious to it as well!

While the Qingtian Emperor and Vicious appeared to be close allies on the surface, they had been trading blows with one another beneath calm waters.Information asymmetry 3 could often prove to be a powerful weapon in crucial circumstances, so there was no way the Qingtian Emperor would have told Vicious everything he knew!

This worked to Zhang Xuan's advantage. Completely unguarded against his abnormal capability in spirit enchantment, Vicious could not have anticipated such a move.

Otherwise, Zhang Xuan would not have succeeded so easily.

"Humph, so what if you have managed to enchant my head? It makes no difference to the situation at all! I'll still be able to kill all of you easily!" Roaring furiously, Vicious forcefully wrestled control over the head from the spirit and maneuvered the head to kill the young man before him.

However, the young man simply shook his head with a derisive smile before uttering softly, "Rise and shine, spirits!"

Boom!

Right after those words were spoken, it was as if spring had sprung upon the face-shaped little island. In the blink of an eye, countless plants sprouted out.

Cactus, green foxtail, and flowers of all shapes and sizes... They densely covered every inch of land on the little island.

" Ahhh! "

Under the forceful intervention from the spirit, Vicious' consciousness began descending into chaos. As if two personas struggling for supremacy, he began to lose control over his own strength.

"This..."

Watching the inconceivable drama unfold before their eyes, Wu shi, Hall Master Xing, and the others could not help but gulp in fear.

All along, spirit awakeners had been a synonym for 'weakness', playing nothing more than an auxiliary role to other cultivators. Who would have thought that their aptitude could actually be used in such a way?

Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible for them to defeat this Otherworldly Demon. Yet, just by enchanting a spirit into the other party's head, Zhang Xuan had actually managed to send the other party into a state of disorientation, effectively incapacitating the other party.

While struggling with the spirit within him, Vicious roared furiously, "Do you think that a mere spirit you have enchanted into my head will be able to defeat me? Dream on! Once I get rid of this spirit, it'll be your doomsday next!"

Zhang Xuan's capability in spirit enchantment was unnatural, but Vicious' proficiency in soul arts was no joke either. At the very most, the spirit would only prevent Vicious from controlling the island and place his consciousness into a state of disorientation temporarily. With just some time, there was no doubt that Vicious would be able to eradicate the spirit.

"I have no doubt that you have the ability to kill the spirit I have enchanted into your head. However..." Zhang Xuan shook his head before continuing. "It will be too late then."

Hu!

A book materialized in Zhang Xuan's palm. Vaguely, one could see a finger and a heart imprinted on it.

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Chapter 1232: Possession!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was the Book of Heaven's Path, where he had sealed Vicious within!

Vicious had once told him that the other Vicious was his brain and his eyes, and the innate authority the brain possessed allowed it to exert dominance over the other body parts. As such, it would have been impossible for him to possess the other party under normal circumstances.

The only way he could successfully possess the other Vicious was when the other party's consciousness in a state of confusion, rendering the other party unable to counterattack to his possession!

Considering how the other Vicious was a soul oracle who possessed the intact memories of the original Vicious, it could be said that it would be nigh impossible to place his consciousness into a state of confusion. However, upon learning that the little island was an artifact that the other Vicious was intending to use to house its will, the rest was easy.

As long as he enchanted the little island in advance and put on a convincing act to have the other Vicious willingly fuse his consciousness into it... A single head with two consciousness clashing for supremacy, that was more than enough to disorientate the other Vicious' consciousness!

Admittedly, with the strength that the other Vicious wielded, it would not take too long for him to devour the spirit, but... how could Zhang Xuan give him the opportunity to do so?

With an upward wave of his hand, the book in his palm gradually opened. The heart and finger sealed within the book surged into the sky.

Boom!

A powerful killing intent burst forth from the heart and the finger, shrouding the entire island in an instant.

"Y-you... You actually have my other body parts! How could I have failed to sense them?"

Panic and disbelief could be heard in the voice of the other Vicious. At this point, he could not maintain his composure any longer.

Under normal circumstances, as soon as the body parts came into his vicinity, he should have been able to notice them in an instant due to the connection among them... so how could those two body parts come so close to him without him noticing?

Sense them? Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Vicious' heart and finger were sealed using his Book of Heaven's Path. Concealed by the heavens themselves, if Vicious could still sense their presence, wouldn't that mean that he had already surpassed the heavens?

How could that possibly be?

Hu!

Paying no heed to Vicious' shock, the consciousness within the heart and the finger flew out and dived into the massive head.

Hualala!

The head in the air was no longer able to maintain its steady flight, and it seemed as if it would plummet from the sky at any moment.

Zhang Xuan turned around and told the group behind him, "Let's vacate the area first. It's likely that their battle will cause devastating destruction."

The battle between the two Vicious for dominance was bound to be one that was extremely perilous. Even if they remained in the area, there was nothing they could do. In fact, they might even be placed in danger from the shockwaves of their clash. Since that was the case, they might as well leave the area for the time being and wait somewhere further away.

"Alright!" Wu shi and the others nodded.

Even though they still had not been able to make sense of the situation, considering that the pressure that had been weighing down on them previously had vanished, they were out of danger for the time being.

The group hurriedly dashed away from the area, and after ten minutes of travel, they finally stopped at an area roughly two hundred li 1 away from the Ghost Cavern.

At this moment, the little island appeared to be nothing more than a small bean in everyone's eyes. Nevertheless, from the uncontrollable shaking of the little island, they could imagine the intense battle that was ongoing there.

Unable to hold himself back any longer, Wu shi turned around and asked, "Principal Zhang, what is happening?"

Why would the book that Zhang Xuan had taken out contain the will of an Otherworldly Demon?

What did that Otherworldly Demon have to do with the Qingtian Emperor's teacher?

Everything felt like a perfect enigma to them, leaving them completely befuddled.

"The teacher of Qingtian Emperor is the fragmented will of a powerful Otherworldly Demon who fought on equal grounds with Kong shi many years ago. He had already reached the level where he could revive even through just a single droplet of blood, and his death has resulted in many portions of his body being scattered around the world. I happened to find a few of his body parts and forced him to submit to me..." Zhang Xuan briefly explained the situation.

"An Otherworldly Demon who fought on equal grounds with Kong shi?"

"Doesn't that mean that he's an existence who has survived through the ages?"

"He's able to revive just from a single droplet of blood?"

...

The master teachers stared at one another as they felt their throats turning hoarse.

Despite having encountered plenty of mystical affairs themselves, they dared not believe what Zhang Xuan was saying. It was simply too inconceivable!

An old monster who had survived from the ancient times had actually ended up being tamed by Zhang Xuan?

The group felt as if their minds were going to blow up.

"I'll have to ask all of you not to speak of the matters that have happened here to anyone else," Zhang Xuan requested.

No matter what, Vicious was still of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. It would adversely affect his reputation and credibility as a master teacher if it was made known that he had an Otherworldly Demon under his command.

"Rest assured!" Wu shi and the others hurriedly nodded in agreement.

To be honest, even if they wanted to speak of the matters that had happened that day, it was doubtful if others would be willing to believe their story.

Battling with an expert who had rivaled Kong shi many years ago, as well as that three-kilometer large head...

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed to be something that had come straight out from a fantasy novel, a figment of one's imagination.

At this point, Zhang Jiuxiao suddenly asked hesitantly, "Zhang shi, are you really... a Celestial Master Teacher?"

The others quickly turned their attention back to Zhang Xuan.

They did not have any time to ask about the matter previously because their hands had been full dealing with the Otherworldly Demon. However, now that they were finally out of danger for the time being, they could not hold back their intrigue any longer.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan knew that there was not any point hiding it from them any longer. Without saying a word, he stepped forward.

Hong long long!

A unique aura emanated from his body.

The faces of Zhang Jiuxiao and the others immediately paled.

The aura was not particularly powerful, but there was a compelling pressure to it that rendered them powerless before it. It was as if they were standing before an existence far superior to them, and an urge to bow down to the other party and acknowledge his as their teacher welled up in them.

"You really are..."

The crowd clenched their fists with widened eyes.

There was no doubt about it.

This was a sensation that should only have been felt from Kong shi. It was a pressure that weighed on their soul directly, compelling them into submission. There was no way such an aura could possibly be feigned!

"I never would have thought that I would live to see a Celestial Master Teacher with my own eyes."

"I actually went through so much together with a Celestial Master Teacher."

Other than Wu shi, the other combat masters and master teachers trembled uncontrollably from the sheer agitation they felt.

They had grown up listening to the legends of the only known Celestial Master Teacher in the world, Kong shi, and they had never thought that they would ever meet a real Celestial Master Teacher in their lifetime. Yet, unknowingly, they actually ended up venturing into a legendary expedition with one, braving through danger together.

"No wonder your Impartation of Heaven's Will could win the hearts of several ten thousand master teachers all at once, making them willingly address you as their teacher," one of the Master Teacher Pavilion elders remarked.

He had been wondering how Zhang Xuan wielded such astounding capability as to make so many master teachers submit to him simultaneously, willingly addressing him as their teacher.

However, if the other party was a Celestial Master Teacher like Kong shi, everything would make sense!

Putting aside making several ten thousand master teachers submit to him, he would not even be surprised if the other party made every single being in the world acknowledge him as their teacher!

After all, the previous Celestial Master Teacher eventually grew up to become an existence known as the World's Teacher!

On the other hand, Zhang Jiuxiao felt a stifling sensation in his chest as he lamented internally, How am I supposed to defeat a rival like that?

All along, he had viewed Zhang Xuan as a hurdle that he would have to overcome, and he had deeply believed that with his talents, he would be able to do it as long as he worked diligently. However, from the looks of it now, it seemed like it was only wishful thinking on his part!

It was no wonder he suffered such a tragic defeat!

Considering that his opponent was a Celestial Master Teacher, his defeat was inevitable. In that sense, his loss could not be considered an embarrassment.

If Zhang shi is really a Celestial Master Teacher, it's likely that his talent surpasses even that of the young prodigy of our Zhang Clan. But the young prodigy has the full support of the Zhang Clan behind him, having free access to top-notch cultivation resources from a very young age. I really wonder what will happen if the two of them clash with one another... Zhang Jiuxiao could not help but wonder.

He had never met the young prodigy who boasted the purest bloodline of the Zhang Clan in many years, but he had heard many rumors about the latter's superior talent and strength. He could not help but wonder how the latter would compare to the Celestial Master Teacher standing before him.

Would the young prodigy end up being traumatized to the point where he did not even want to live anymore?

It would be interesting to watch them clash with one another one day... Zhang Jiuxiao pondered.

Paying no heed to everyone's shock, Zhang Xuan looked at them grimly and said, "I also hope that you won't speak a word about the matter concerning me being a Celestial Master Teacher."

The encounters in the Qingyuan Empire had taught him not to take the safety of the Master Teacher Pavilion for granted. There was a good chance that there were more Otherworldly Demons hiding in their midst, and if the news regarding him being a Celestial Master Teacher reached their ears, he might find himself being plunged into grave danger.

Currently, he only possessed fighting prowess on par with a Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage cultivator. Before the true top-notch experts on the Master Teacher Continent, his strength was not even worth a mention.

Before he acquired absolute strength that would allow him to stand indomitable in the world, it would be best for him to maintain a low profile.

"Principal Zhang, don't worry. We understand the graveness of the matter, so please rest assured that we'll keep our mouths sealed!" Hall Master Xing replied.

"I swear on my name as a master teacher that if I speak a word of this matter, may vicious retribution fall upon me!" one of the Master Teacher Pavilion elders swore.

With him taking the lead, the others also swiftly followed suit as well.

"I have troubled all of you." Zhang Xuan waved his hand before turning his gaze back to the fight in the distance.

With the world cloaked in darkness, it would be difficult for even Saint realm cultivators to spectate a sight from two hundred li away. However, with his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan was able to perceive everything with clarity.

The wills of both Vicious were tangled with one another, fighting desperately to devour the other.

While the Vicious he had tamed was far weaker than the other Vicious, the assistance of the enchanted spirit and the other Vicious being spread too thin across the massive head had impaired the other Vicious' fighting prowess. As a result, both sides turned out to be equally matched for the time being.

It seems like I need not worry... Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the sight.

The Vicious he had tamed possessed the heart, the origin of power. As such, the longer the battle dragged on for, the more advantageous his position would be. On the other hand, while the head possessed the ability to control power, its ability to supply power was significantly weaker.

Even though they were equal for the time being, the other Vicious would gradually grow weaker and weaker before eventually being consumed once and for all.

As Zhang Xuan had expected, an hour later, the battle finally began to die down.

The movements of the face-shaped little island were gradually slowing to a halt, too.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll head over to take a look!" Zhang Xuan said before heading forward.

"Zhang shi, I'll go with you! This way, I'll at least be able to cover you if anything happens," Wu shi quickly offered.

"There's no need for that. You'll only be a burden if you tag along." Zhang Xuan waved his hand casually before flying away swiftly

"..." Wu shi.

...

"Master, as you have commanded, I have successfully eradicated him!"

Upon arriving before the face-shaped little island, a voice sounded in Zhang Xuan's mind. It was the Vicious whom he had tamed.

"Good, good!" Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

Vicious continued speaking. "But while I have managed to eradicate his consciousness, I have suffered significant damage in the midst of doing so. I fear that I will need to hibernate for a period of time to recuperate..."

Previously, just by devouring the finger, he had needed to go into a lengthy sleep. Considering how the opponent this time around was far stronger than him, it was not too surprising that Vicious had to rest again.

"I understand... However, given your current size, how am I supposed to take you away?" Zhang Xuan asked as he gestured toward the massive little island before him.

Spanning a length of three kilometers from one end to the other, there was no way Zhang Xuan could fit it into his storage ring or the Myriad Anthive Nest!

"Master, don't worry. I can continue hiding inside the Book of Heaven's Path..." Right after saying those words, the island suddenly blurred from sight before materializing within the Book of Heaven's Path.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The Book of Heaven's Path actually had such an ability? Why didn't he know about it?

Hu!

The Book of Heaven's Path fell back into Zhang Xuan's hands, and he flipped it open casually. In it, he saw a head, a heart, and a finger floating quietly within, reminiscent of a 3D painting.

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Chapter 1233: Returning to Qingyuan City

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

To think that the Book of Heaven's Path would be able to store such a huge island. As expected of a product of the Library of Heaven's Path, there was really no questioning its quality!

Putting the Book of Heaven's Path back, Zhang Xuan returned to where Wu shi and the others were.

Even though the trip to the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows had been fraught with dangers, the returns had also been rather substantial. Putting aside the massive power up that Vicious would receive upon his reawakening, just the hundred or so Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage puppets that he had acquired would become a powerful fighting force for him.

If he released all of them at once, even a Saint 6-dan primary stage expert would be pummeled into the ground.

More importantly, unlike the other Otherworldly Demon puppets that he had acquired previously, these puppets were the purely engineered works by celestial designers, so they did not carry the slightest aura of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe on them. As such, there were no issues with using them in public!

"Principal Zhang, where is that island?" Wu shi and the others turned to look at Zhang Xuan curiously.

"Due to the great implications in this matter, I'm afraid that I can't tell you anything..." Zhang Xuan shook his head apologetically.

At this point, he did not feel like blatantly lying to Wu shi and the others, but it was not safe to speak of the existence of the Library of Heaven's Path to others. Thus, he decided to sidestep the topic instead.

"Alright then, we understand," the crowd replied understandingly.

Even though they were curious, they knew that Zhang Xuan, as a Celestial Master Teacher, was bound to have secrets of his own that would not be convenient for him to reveal to others. Thus, they reined in their curiosity and held themselves back.

As the group headed out of the marshlands, Wu shi asked, "Principal Zhang, should we report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?"

By now, the sun had already begun rising. It was truly a terrifying night filled with twists at every turn, but it was fortunate that they had survived it in the end.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It would be best not to."

Since this matter concerned Vicious, the headquarters was bound to investigate the issue thoroughly. If they were to uncover the Book of Heaven's Path in the midst of doing so, it would cause Zhang Xuan a great deal of trouble.

"This..." Wu shi hesitated for a moment before adding, "But if we don't report this matter to the headquarters, there's no way we can account for Pavilion Master Gou and Tian Qing's death."

Considering the number of casualties in the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion as a result of this issue, there was no way they could simply wrap up the investigation in such a slipshod manner. The headquarters would surely send men over to question them on the incident or even conduct an investigation themselves, and that could lead to more trouble then.

"Is that so?" Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration.

If it was up to him, he would have preferred for this matter to pass quietly. Otherwise, his plan of maintaining a low profile would be shattered.

Knowing Zhang Xuan's considerations, Wu shi advised, "If we take the initiative to report to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, we'll be in a better position to decide the information to be passed on to them."

As young as Zhang Xuan was, he had a very dependable and humble personality. He was able to see through the splendor and glory of being a Celestial Master Teacher to understand the responsibility and risks that he carried before making the rational decision to conceal his identity and maintain a low profile. To be able to avoid getting complacent despite being in such a glorious position, he was truly a role model for all master teachers!

Naturally, stirring a ruckus over this issue was not something that a person as humble as him would wish to see happening!

However, this matter was simply too big, such that it was impossible for them to simply put it aside and disregard it anymore. If they were to take the initiative to report it, they could at least choose what information to filter out before sending it to the headquarters, and naturally, this would be to their advantage.

"Alright then." After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and two corpses appeared before him. "This is the corpse of the Qingtian Emperor. When you report the matter to the headquarters, just pin the blame for the entire incident on him."

"The corpse of the Qingtian Emperor?" Wu shi was bewildered by Zhang Xuan's words.

Wasn't the Qingtian Emperor already dead? Why would another one pop out all of a sudden?

Noticing the look of confusion on Wu shi's face, Zhang Xuan swiftly explained the situation, but that only seemed to deepen the astonishment on Wu shi's face.

As expected of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor who had lived for countless years! To actually have multiple clones under his command, it was really as if he was an indestructible cockroach!

Honestly, just thinking about the opponent they had clashed with would leave Wu shi's back drenched in fear. It was truly fortunate that they had Zhang Xuan with them, or else they might have died on the first encounter!

"I'll report the matter concerning the Qingtian Emperor and the Ten Kings of the Qingtian Lineage to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and have them make a judgement on the matter!" Upon learning the full story, Wu shi could also roughly guess what the young man's bottom line was.

For some reason, it seemed like he was reluctant to have others learn of the matter concerning the little island turning into head, as well as the mastermind behind the Qingtian Emperor.

While he was curious about the matter, he eventually decided against probing any further in.

"Un." Seeing that Wu shi had understood his intention, Zhang Xuan nodded.

The important thing was to not have anyone learn of Vicious' involvement in this affair.

Other than that, everything else would be fine.

It was really fortunate that the Qingtian Emperor had been involved in this matter as well, so they could use him as a cover to explain everything what had happened in the Qingyuan Empire.

"I think it would be better to stop by our Northern Meadows City and report this matter at our Master Teacher Pavilion. We can apply for a holographic communication with the headquarters there and ensure that the appropriate information reaches them!" Ji shi suddenly interjected at this moment.

"That would be great!" Wu shi's eyes lit up as he turned around to seek Zhang Xuan's opinion on the matter.

Through the holographic communication, they would be able to present the corpse of the Qingtian Emperor to them as well. Considering how huge the incident was, their report had to have ample evidence to back up their claims.

"Hmm..." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying. "Wu shi, you should follow Ji shi to the Northern Meadows City Master Teacher Pavilion to explain the matter to the headquarters then. I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll be returning to Qingyuan City first."

Even though Zhang Xuan had put on a composed front when Vicious claimed that he had Liu Yang held hostage, the fact was that he was actually deeply apprehensive and unnerved within. He had long wanted to return to Qingyuan City to check on Liu Yang.

While Liu Yang had no particularly outstanding talent, he was still a student who had followed him from the days when he was still in Tianxuan Kingdom. A step at a time, they had come this far together. The year they had spent together had already forged an inseparable bond between the two of them.

Knowing what Zhang Xuan was worried over, Wu shi nodded. "Principal Zhang, I understand. Go ahead!"

It was roughly noon when they finally got out of the marshlands. Getting onto the aerial saint beast, they first flew over to the Northern Meadows City, where Wu shi and the others alighted, before returning back to Qingyuan City.

As soon as he was alone, Zhang Xuan quickly dived into the Myriad Anthive Nest without any hesitation.

Shortly after his entry, he heard a furious bellow within the Myriad Anthive Nest. "You bastard, I'll kill you!"

Peng peng peng peng!

Following which, the sound of punches and kicks echoed in the air. Walking over to the origin of the sound, Zhang Xuan saw his clone viciously pummeling the Primordial Spirit of the Qingtian Emperor, not giving the latter an opportunity to recover at all.

At this moment, the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit was so faint that it seemed as if it would dissipate at any moment. However, his face remained as ferocious as ever, reflecting his strong desire to rip the duo before him into shreds.

"Alright, stop your ruckus. Hold still and allow me to conduct a Soul Search!" Zhang Xuan uttered coldly as he drew out his soul and placed his palm on the Qingtian Emperor's head.

Tzzzzzz!

Before the Qingtian Emperor's horrified gaze, Zhang Xuan sent a sliver of his will into the other party's consciousness.

Two hours later, Zhang Xuan returned his soul to his body. Rubbing his glabella, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

At this moment, the Qingtian Emperor's consciousness had been completely shattered, leaving a mindless Primordial Spirit behind.

"Vicious has already gone into hibernation, so I'll leave this Primordial Spirit for you to assimilate," Zhang Xuan told his clone.

Vicious' consciousness had already gone into a deep sleep before they could even get out of the marshlands, leaving Zhang Xuan with a pile of unanswered questions.

Since that was the case, it would be better to leave the Qingtian Emperor's Primordial Spirit to his clone. It would be able to raise the latter's fighting prowess significantly.

"Roger that!" Zhang Xuan's clone replied happily as he dragged the mindless Primordial Spirit back into a room. Not too long later, a scream of agony sounded in the air.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan began to organize the memories that he had just obtained through his Soul Search.

Regarding the matters concerning Vicious, it was mostly just as Vicious had described earlier.

The reason the Qingtian Emperor had obediently heeded Vicious' orders was to bide his time until the day he obtained the latter's full heritage and could take over the latter's body. On the other hand, the reason Vicious took in the Qingtian Emperor as his disciple was to make use of the latter's strength to find his remaining body parts and make a full recovery.

Despite working with one another, both had their own private intentions in mind.

Through his Soul Search, Zhang Xuan was able to acquire the soul cultivation techniques that Vicious had imparted to the Qingtian Emperor. However...

It seems like Vicious has only imparted the Saint 1-dan to Saint 5-dan soul cultivation techniques to him.

Zhang Xuan studied the soul cultivation techniques for a while before sighing deeply. I guess it isn't that easy for a soul oracle to convert their soul into a Primordial Spirit.

A Primordial Spirit was basically an evolution of the Embryonic Soul, an existence made up of zhenqi and soul energy. It was also for this reason that it could exist outside the body, and it harnessed the strength to tap into zhenqi independently of the body as well.

On the other hand, the souls of soul oracles were purely made of soul energy. Through utilizing unique soul cultivation techniques to enhance and temper their soul energy, a soul oracle was able to exert overwhelming might.

As ordinary Primordial Spirits contained zhenqi, they had a more upright and orthodox air to them. On the other hand, due to the yin nature of soul energy, the souls of soul oracles emanated a cold and eerie aura, and they feared both sunlight and lightning.

Fundamentally, Primordial Spirits and the souls of soul oracles were two completely different entities.

As a result, it was extremely difficult for soul oracles to convert their souls into Primordial Spirit.

On top of that, the overwhelming yin nature of their souls also made the Leaving Aperture Ordeal an extremely high hurdle for them to overcome.

As a result, despite the overwhelming benefits that soul oracles had earlier on, most of them ended up capping at Quasi Leaving Aperture realm, unable to advance any further.

Out of ten thousand soul oracles, there might not even be one of them who would be able to clear the Leaving Aperture Ordeal.

In a sense, the Qingtian Emperor could be considered an incredible genius for successfully cultivating up to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage.

However, as I have cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art right from the start, my soul doesn't have any attribute. So, I shouldn't face a bottleneck from that.

Aside from that, Zhang Xuan's soul had also been tempered by the Saint Ascension Ordeal as well. As such, even though he was only at the Embryonic Soul realm, his soul already possessed resilience far superior to the Primordial Spirits of ordinary cultivators.

The issue that most soul oracles would encounter was not a problem to him at all.

After compiling the soul cultivation techniques that Vicious has left behind together with the terpsichore, spirit awakener, and demonic tunist books, I have managed to compile the Saint 1-dan to 4-dan Heaven's Path Soul Arts successfully. I can cultivate the first two realms with high-tier spirit stones, but as for the remaining two, it seems like I will have to gather more concentrated high-tier spirit stones before working on them, Zhang Xuan thought.

Thinking back, roughly ten days had passed since the friendly spar with the other Combat Master Halls. The rewards from the Combat Master Hall headquarters should have arrived by now, so the problem concerning the lack of concentrated high-tier spirit stones was not an issue for the time being.

Thus, putting the matter aside for the moment, Zhang Xuan flicked his hand and released the puppets he had confiscated from Vicious back in the Ghost Cavern inside the Myriad Anthive Nest.

He had the inner demons leave them one by one before using his Impartation of Heaven's Will to tame them. In less than three days, those fellows had already become his loyal subordinates.

Leaving the Myriad Anthive Nest, Zhang Xuan realized that he was still a distance away from Qingyuan City. Thus, he began going through the Qingtian Emperor's storage ring to see if he could find any treasures in it.

To his disappointment, while there were quite some treasures in the storage ring, there were no concentrated high-tier spirit stones to be found.

From the looks like it, it seemed like the Qingtian Emperor had most likely used any concentrated high-tier spirit stones he managed to acquire himself.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan decided to use the remaining time he had before arriving at Qingyuan City to browse through his books and cultivate.

...

While Zhang Xuan was rushing back to Qingyuan City, Wu shi and the others entered the Northern Meadows City Master Teacher Pavilion, and after a series of formalities, Ji Tianxiong placed his palm lightly upon a screen. A powerful aura slowly rippled from the screen as the silhouette of an elder gradually came into appearance.

The head of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, 8-star Master Teacher He Xuan!

"What has happened that would require you to establish a holographic communication with me?"

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Chapter 1234: Public Execution

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Reporting to Hall Master He, I am the vice head of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Wu Rufeng!" Wu shi quickly stepped forward to introduce himself.

"I know of you." Pavilion Master He nodded in response.

Even though the Qingyuan Empire was the weakest among the Eight Conferred Empires subordinate to the Empire Alliance, it was considered an individual entity. As the head of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, it was his responsibility to have some understanding of the Master Teacher Pavilions directly subordinated to them.

"It's like this... We have uncovered the truth behind the deaths of Pavilion Master Gou and Vice Pavilion Master Tian, and we have established this holographic communication in order to report the matter to you," Wu shi said.

"Oh? You have already uncovered the truth? Tell me about it!" Hearing those words, Pavilion Master He's expression became grim.

The death of the head of a Master Teacher Pavilion was a huge deal, so he had been keeping a close eye on the matter. However, despite dispatching Song shi, there still had not been any response yet.

Ordinary Communication Jade Tokens were only effective within a range of around a million li. Any further than that would require a large Communication Formation.

Song shi had not activated a Communication Formation ever since arriving in Qingyuan City, so Pavilion Master He had no way of checking the progress of the investigation either.

"In truth, Vice Pavilion Master Tian was the incarnation of the will of the Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage..." Wu shi swiftly told the story that he had prepared with beforehand.

There was not much deviation from the truth, just that the aspects concerning the Qingtian Emperor's teacher had been intentionally left out.

"An Otherworldly Demon Emperor has been hiding on the Master Teacher Continent for nearly two thousand years, even successfully inserting a spy into the Master Teacher Pavilion, and no one noticed a thing?" Pavilion Master He was clearly unable to believe what he had just heard.

If this matter was leaked to the populace, the repercussions would be even greater than the deaths of ten Pavilion Master Gous.

This was a huge breach in the responsibility of the Master Teacher Pavilion!

"That's right. It's fortunate that we have managed to eradicate him under Zhang shi's leadership," Wu shi said as he flicked his wrist, and two corpses fell to the ground. "These are the corpses of the Qingtian Emperor and his clone!"

Pavilion Master He quickly examined the corpses through the holographic image, and a grim expression set upon his face. "That is indeed the corpse of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor. Otherwise, there's no way he would be able to create such a powerful clone of himself."

As the head of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, he had a deep understanding of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and he knew that only those with the pure bloodline of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor would be able to execute such a cloning technique.

This was sufficient evidence to confirm the Qingtian Emperor's identity.

"Not only so," Wu shi continued, "Zhang shi has also managed to slay the Ten Kings of the Qingtian Lineage single-handedly..."

"To eradicate an entire Otherworldly Demonic Tribe lineage single-handedly... Even though the Qingtian Emperor harnesses the weakest bloodline among the Otherworldly Demon Emperors, it's still quite a formidable feat!" Pavilion Master He nodded in approval.

"It's no wonder he was able to successfully crash the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. His talent and eye of discernment are indeed exceptional, perhaps even on par with some of the Sage Clan offspring! Where is Zhang shi at the moment?"

"The emperor of the Qingyuan Empire is a puppet of the Qingtian Emperor, and in order to blackmail Zhang shi, he took one of Zhang shi's direct disciples hostage. Thus, Zhang shi is currently rushing back to rescue his student," Wu shi explained.

"I see. That's a pity..." Hearing that Zhang shi was not around, Pavilion Master He sighed. "To destroy the entire Qingtian Lineage and foil their schemes to infiltrate mankind, sparing countless master teachers and innocent civilians from a tragic fate, Zhang shi has really done mankind a huge merit this time around! In view of his contribution, I hereby grant him the position of honorary elder 1 in our Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion!"

"Yes!" Wu shi clenched his fists in agitation as he nodded.

While the position of honorary elder in the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion might appear to be an empty title, this position was actually associated with immense prestige and honor.

Under normal circumstances, only real 8-star master teachers were qualified to assume the role of an elder in the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, and yet, Zhang shi was actually bestowed with it despite being a 7-star master teacher.

Putting aside himself, even the head of the Qianchong Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion 2 would have to address Zhang Xuan respectfully now.

"I'll have my men prepare the documents for the bestowment as soon as possible. By the time you all return to the Qingyuan Empire, activate the Communication Wall, and it should be ready," Pavilion Master He said with a smile.

"Thank you, Pavilion Master He." Wu shi quickly clasped his fist and bowed.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. Zhang shi's accomplishments in killing the Otherworldly Demons and foiling their plans are a huge merit. In comparison to his deeds, the position of an honorary elder is really nothing at all.

"Wu Rufeng, you have also played a huge part in helping Zhang shi accomplish his mission, so I shall officially appoint you as the head of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion right now. At the same time, I shall grant you an opportunity to come to the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion for an exchange!"

"This... Thank you!" Wu shi could not help trembling in excitement.

To him, becoming the head of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was not a big deal. What was more important was the exchange at the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion.

This exchange consisted of receiving the personal guidance of a real 8-star master teacher, and this would surely be deeply beneficial to his cultivation and eye of discernment. This was an opportunity that countless would die to have!

The reason Pavilion Master Gou was unwilling to tolerate any problems prior to his retirement was in hopes that a clean record in his term of service would grant him such an opportunity as well.

However, it was a pity that in his desire to maintain a clean record, he had neglected his responsibilities as a pavilion master. Thus, there was no way the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion would grant such a precious opportunity to him.

After dealing with Wu shi, Pavilion Master He turned to Hall Master Xing and the others and said, "As for the others, you have all bravely ventured into the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows despite the overwhelming risks in order to eliminate the Qingtian Emperor. All of you have done mankind a huge merit as well, so rest assured that I'll have this matter reported to the Empire Alliance Combat Master Hall and have them reward you all handsomely!"

"Thank you, Pavilion Master He!" Hall Master Xing and the others quickly clasped their fists and bowed.

"Alright! Send the corpse of the Qingtian Emperor over here as soon as possible. If we can examine his corpse carefully, we might be able to develop some countermeasures to deal with the Otherworldly Demon Emperors, and that'll bolster our fighting force significantly," Pavilion Master He said with a wave of his hand.

The Otherworldly Demon Emperors would never venture out of the otherworldly battlefield easily in consideration of the perils they would face on the Master Teacher Continent. On top of that, every single one of them wielded many life preservation means, making it highly difficult to kill any one of them. Even the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion did not have many corpses of Otherworldly Demon Emperors that they could examine.

"Yes, Pavilion Master He!" Wu shi nodded before making arrangements with Ji shi to have the corpse delivered to the Empire Alliance. After which, with a respectful bow, he bade Pavilion Master He farewell.

"Alright, since we are done with our report, it's about time for us to return to Qingyuan City!"

Wu shi and the others borrowed a saint beast from the Northern Meadows City Master Teacher Pavilion before swiftly making their way back to Qingyuan City.

...

After nearly six whole days of flight, the majestic infrastructure of the Qingyuan City was finally within view.

On the way back, Zhang Xuan had received two messages from Sun Qiang.

Firstly, they had headed to the royal palace to save Liu Yang. While they had managed to rescue Liu Yang, the latter had accidentally killed Chu Tianxing in a moment of rage.

Secondly, Liu Yang had abruptly left Qingyuan City, and there was no one who knew where he was.

Judging from the timing, it seems like Chu Tianxing was killed around the time that the will of the other Vicious dissipated. Chu Tianxing was bound to the other Vicious by a soul contract, so the death of the other Vicious' will would have resulted in his death too... Zhang Xuan swiftly deduced as soon as he received the messages.

In a show of loyalty toward Vicious, Chu Tianxing had offered his soul toward the other Vicious to establish a soul contract between them. A soul contract bound the life of the contractor to the contractee, such that the death of the contractee would result in the death of the contractor. Naturally, when the other Vicious died, Chu Tianxing lost his life as well.

Thus, even though it was only a conjecture on Zhang Xuan's part, he had a feeling that Liu Yan did not actually kill Chu Tianxing. Rather, it was a coincidence that Chu Tianxing's soul dissipated at that moment, resulting in the death of his physical body.

After all, even though Chu Tianxing was incapacitated at that moment, he was still a Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert. It did not make sense for Liu Yang to be able to kill him with a single punch.

If that was the case, Liu Yang and the others could only be convicted of unlawfully barging into the royal palace to cause trouble. With Zhang Xuan's influence from the successful pavilion crashing, he should be able to resolve the issue with ease.

Just that... why isn't Sun Qiang replying to my messages? Zhang Xuan frowned in worry.

Even though the matter was not a big deal according to what he had seen so far, the problem was that Sun Qiang had not replied a single time to him despite sending eight messages over the days. This left him worried that a mishap might have occurred.

Furthermore, Liu Yang's disappearance had also left him feeling a little unnerved within. Many days had already passed, so had they found him yet?

With a mind filled with doubts, Zhang Xuan finally arrived in the aerial space above Qingyuan City. He maneuvered the aerial saint beast to land at the accommodation that the Combat Master Hall had prepared for him.

"Principal Zhang, you have finally returned!"

As soon as Zhang Xuan landed, he saw Ruohuan gongzi running over with a mix of anxiety and relief on his face.

Noticing the peculiarity in Ruohuan gongzi's expression, Zhang Xuan asked with a frown, "What's wrong?"

"Something bad has happened!" Ruohuan gongzi exclaimed. "Liu Yang's act of killing Emperor Chu Tianxing has caused an uproar throughout the Qingyuan Empire! In order to appease the crowd, a master teacher named Song shi has ordered the public execution of Butler Sun and the other poison masters who participated in the raiding of the royal palace that day at noon!"

"A public execution of Sun Qiang and the poison masters?" Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed in astonishment as his expression turned livid.

He quickly glanced at the sky and noted that the sun was nearly directly overhead. It was nearing noon!

In other words, Sun Qiang and the others could be executed at any moment!

"Yes! The entire Xuanxuan Faction has headed over to the square, intending to raid the execution platform. The only reason I stayed was to inform you of the matter as soon as you returned!" Ruohuan gongzi said anxiously.

"Raid the execution platform?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

Those fellows sure were gutsy.

The members of the Xuanxuan Faction did wield fighting prowess far surpassing that of their cultivation realm, but the problem was that their cultivation was still too low. Most of them were not even at Half-Saint yet, so how were they intending to stop the execution?

They would be captured by the soldiers guarding the execution platform before they could start anything!

"Bring me to the square right now!" Zhang Xuan bellowed authoritatively.

There was no time to be lost. If those fearless fellows really started something, it would be difficult to resolve this matter peacefully anymore.

Thus, Zhang Xuan grabbed Ruohuan gongzi and swiftly made his way for the royal palace.

While making his way over, he quickly had Ruohuan gongzi fill him in on the details.

"Who is that Song shi master teacher you spoke of earlier? How does he have the authority to order Sun Qiang's execution?"

Pretty much all of the master teachers in the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion were his students, and owing to their gratitude for his enlightenment, they would not execute Sun Qiang and the others recklessly without conducting a proper investigation of Chu Tianxing's death.

"Based on what we have gathered thus far, Song shi is a quasi 8-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire. As he's an envoy dispatched by the headquarters, the other master teachers have no choice but to heed his orders," Ruohuan gongzi explained.

"He's from the Qianchong Empire?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right. After Chu Tianxing's death, the officials, nobles, and even soldiers of the royal court have been crowding outside the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, demanding justice for Chu Tianxing. Unable to withstand the pressure from the populace any longer, Song shi eventually made this judgement," Ruohuan gongzi said.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Indeed. For the emperor of a Conferred Empire to be killed so easily, if the Master Teacher Pavilion was unable to give a proper explanation for the matter, wouldn't everyone start fearing for their own lives?

"Where's Liu Yang?" Zhang Xuan asked grimly.

"After that raid on the royal palace, Liu Yang suddenly vanished. Song shi had all the master teachers comb Qingyuan City and its vicinity, but they were still unable to find him. We have no idea where he went. In fact, we believe that the reason Song shi intends to execute Butler Sun and the other poison masters is to force Liu Yang to appear. If they apprehend the culprit behind Chu Tianxing's death, they will at least be able to explain the matter to the Qingyuan Empire and restore some of the Master Teacher Pavilion's credibility," Ruohuan gongzi explained.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Chu Tianxing's death in the heavily fortified royal palace had most probably scared the nobles and the officials of the Qingyuan Empire, as this meant that Sun Qiang and the other poison masters could effectively bypass any defense and kill anyone they wanted, and there was nearly nothing they could do to prevent it.

If they did not offer them a proper explanation, there was no way the other officials and nobles would let this matter rest. In fact, they might even start swaying public opinion against the Master Teacher Pavilion, and with the influence that they wielded, that could have proved troublesome.

"I can understand the difficult position that the Master Teacher Pavilion is in, but if they think that I will allow them to kill Sun Qiang and the others... over my dead body!" Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

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Chapter 1235: Raiding the Execution Platform

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In the square outside the royal palace, a huge crowd had gathered, numbering at least in the hundred thousands. There was a towering platform at the very middle of the square, where Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and the others were firmly held in a kneeling position. Their cultivation was sealed, preventing them from struggling free and escaping.

Looking at the group atop the platform, Song Chao asked anxiously, "What should we do?"

The members of the Xuanxuan Faction had arrived early in the morning, but the guards protecting the execution platform were all Saint realm experts. In fact, there were even Primordial Spirit realm elders from the Master Teacher Pavilion stationed in the area as well.

Against such fighting power, putting aside saving Sun Qiang and the others, they would be subdued before they could even get close to the execution platform!

"I don't know! For Butler Sun, Principal Zhang didn't even hesitate to cause an uproar in the King Zhongqing Manor! Given how highly Principal Zhang regards Butler Sun, if the latter is killed, I really can't imagine what kind of destruction Principal Zhang will bring upon Qingyuan City," Song Chao said with a deeply worried frown.

He had become acquainted with Zhang Xuan back in the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance, and he knew how protective the latter was of those around him.

No matter what, Sun Qiang was Zhang Xuan's butler, and if he was killed just like that, Zhang Xuan would surely raise a storm!

Perhaps, the entire Qingyuan City might even be wiped off the map!

"Is there any word from the Combat Master Hall? They have received Principal Zhang's enlightenment, so they can be considered half students to him. But why is it that none of them are here at this crucial moment?" a member of the Xuanxuan Faction remarked furiously.

They had been training with the combat masters over the past few days, and they had imparted many of their combat tricks and secret arts to them without any reservation. Yet, in their time of need, none of the combat masters were willing to help them raid the execution platform. Naturally, some members of the Xuanxuan Faction was deeply unhappy at this matter.

"We can't blame them for this either. I heard that a few of the division heads have visited the Master Teacher Pavilion to demand for Sun Qiang's release, only to end up being imprisoned by Song shi. On top of that, Song shi has even made an official order demanding that all combat masters remain within the Combat Master Hall, or else they will be punished for defying military orders..." Song Chao shook his head and sighed deeply.

Combat masters were considered the military of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and for them, there was nothing higher than a military order.

Considering that this was an order coming from a quasi 8-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire, not to mention that he was an envoy dispatched by the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, no matter how indignant the combat masters were, they had no choice but to obey Song shi's orders.

The sole responsibility of a soldier was to obey the orders of his superior, and this was the same for combat masters.

"Without the aid of the combat masters, it'll be nigh impossible for us to save Butler Sun and the others!" The member of the Xuanxuan Faction who had spoken earlier hesitated for a moment before closing his eyes in despair.

With their cultivation realm, there was no way they could breach the defenses around the execution platform. It was truly a hopeless situation.

"I know that, too. Raiding an execution platform is a severe crime. Regardless of whether we succeed or not, there's a good chance that we'll be stripped of our master teacher licenses, and perhaps, we might even be executed on the spot to serve as a warning to the others. It will be unreasonable of us to demand others to put their future on the line for our sake. We only have ourselves to count on," Song shi said grimly.

Even if their raid ended in a failure, just their act of attempting to undermine the orders of a quasi 8-star master teacher was enough to warrant them the death penalty. The members of the Xuanxuan Faction who had dared come to the square had come prepared to die.

How could they expect the combat masters to risk their lives to save someone whom they hardly knew? They had no moral obligation to do so at all.

At this point, a voice suddenly sounded behind the members of the Xuanxuan Faction.

"Who says that you only have yourselves to count on? Do you not consider us your brothers?"

Alarmed, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction hurriedly turned around, and they saw familiar faces appearing before their eyes.

Xiao Qin, Shi Hao, Jiao Tan, Lu Jianling, Dong Rui...

They were all combat masters of the Combat Master Hall. All in all, there were several thousand of them!

"You... How did you all get here? Wasn't there a strict order against any combat master leaving the Combat Master Hall?" Song Chao asked worriedly.

"We did receive the orders, but those orders only apply to combat masters... From this moment on, we are no longer combat masters!" Shi Hao explained with a smile.

"All of you are no longer combat masters?" Song Chao widened his eyes in shock.

At this point, he suddenly realized that none of the combat masters gathered there were dressed in their combat master robe.

"You... are relinquishing your identities as combat masters? B-but..." Song Chao clenched his fists tightly apprehensively. However, despite his worry about the combat masters, he could not help but feel a surge of warmth flowing into his heart.

In the days that he had spent with the combat masters, he had come to learn how much their identity meant to them. It was their pride, their honor, and their calling.

But to save Sun Qiang, they were willing to throw aside what they had worked for over many years.

In a moment, the eyes of the members of the Xuanxuan Faction turned red.

"As combat masters, we can't blatantly go against the orders of a superior. Otherwise, what would become of the credibility of the Combat Master Hall? We cannot allow the name of the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall to be sullied because of us! So, we had no choice but to abandon our identities..." Shi Hao shook his head grimly.

Jiao Tan also sighed deeply.

"Is this really worth going so far?" Song Chao asked hoarsely.

"Zhang shi isn't just your principal—he's our teacher as well! Without him, we would not have been able to attain the current strength we possess. We never would have known that combat and battle techniques could be interpreted in such a manner as well. We were just mere strangers to him, and yet, he taught and guided all of us without any reservation. We are all deeply indebted to him," Qin Xiao said. "So, how can we simply watch idly in his time of need?"

"Indeed! Zhang shi is the most magnanimous person I have ever seen! To have met and learned from him is a true blessing from the heavens. Now that something has happened to his butler, there's no way we can stay out of this!"

"You don't have to talk us out of this." Shi Hao patted Song Chao's shoulder. "Unless you don't view us as your brothers?"

Taking a deep breath, Song Chao suppressed the overwhelming emotions he felt and replied, "Of course not!"

Indeed. Those who conducted themselves upright and properly were bound to find many people willing to stand up for them in times of need, let alone someone of Zhang shi's character!

He could still remember the day when Zhang Xuan duped him of his spirit stones, and he had been so furious that he even wanted to kill the latter. But as he gradually spent more time with the latter, he came to realize that there was a lot more to him. Zhang Xuan might have his flaws, but he knew right from wrong, and he persisted in the principles that he believed in regardless of how dire the situation was.

Unknowingly, he actually found himself becoming Zhang Xuan's loyal subordinate, willing to heed his orders and lay down his life for him.

This was not just a question of personal charisma anymore. What was more important was his magnanimity and his outlook! For the sake of what he perceived to be the greater good, he was willing to put aside his personal interests and impart profound battle techniques to others unreservedly.

Only a true teacher would have so many willing to stand up on his behalf and bleed for him!

"Since you regard us as your brothers, don't turn down our help. Alright, have you all thought about how you intend to raid the execution platform?" Shi Hao asked. "We'll back you up accordingly."

"Un, we have come up with a plan." Knowing that this was no time to chat, Song Chao swiftly got down to business. "Later on, before the execution, there will be a reading of crimes first. I intend to make a move at that moment. We'll be trying to breach the defenses of the execution platform through the 'Grand Formation of Myriad Stars'. We'll be facing Primordial Spirit realm experts later on, but with our sheer numbers, we might just be able to overwhelm them for a moment and buy sufficient time to free Butler Sun and the others!"

"Grand Formation of Myriad Stars... Indeed, that is the best collaborative formation to use in this situation!" Shi Hao nodded in agreement.

The Grand Formation of Myriad Stars was a formation often used by the military of empires. It served to combine the strength of an entire army together to launch a powerful assault toward a single target.

The members of the Xuanxuan Faction were not too powerful individually—most of them were about Transcendent Mortal 7-dan to 8-dan—but when the might of over ten thousand men was combined through the massive formation, they might just be able to put together enough strength to subdue even a Primordial Spirit realm expert!

"But... have you thought about how you will bring Butler Sun and the others out of Qingyuan City after rescuing them?" Shi Hao asked. "If there's no feasible escape route, they will only be captured again shortly after. That will render the rescue operation meaningless."

"This..." Song Chao and the others fell silent.

They knew that with the chances of success were extremely slim with their current strength, and they had already prepared themselves to lose their lives in the raid. As a result, they had not really thought too deeply about the follow-up after rescuing Sun Qiang and the others.

However, now that the combat masters were backing them as well, there was a chance that they might just pull it off successfully. As such, they had to start thinking about a follow up to the rescue operation, or else Sun Qiang and the others would just be recaptured soon after.

"Do you have an idea in mind?" Song Chao asked Shi Hao.

"As a matter of fact, I do. My plan is rather simple. Instead of raiding the execution platform, we should find a way to hold Song shi hostage!" Shi Hao said.

"Hold Song shi hostage?" Song Chao widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Indeed. Song shi is the key to everything that has happened. As long as we subdue him and have him take back his orders to execute Butler Sun and the others, we will be able to have Butler Sun and the others released. After that, we just have to hold him for a sufficient period of time for Butler Sun and the others to get out of Qingyuan City."

Song Chao and the others contemplated for a moment before slowly nodding in agreement. "That does sound like a feasible idea..."

It was solely based on Song shi's command that Sun Qiang and the others were being executed. In other words, as long as Song shi took back his orders, Sun Qiang and the others should be able to leave Qingyuan City safely.

"How do you intend to carry your plan out? We'll follow you!" Seeing that Shi Hao had a better plan in mind, Song Chao and the others quickly turned their attention to Shi Hao.

"It's quite simple. Just move on my command later," Shi Hao said.

However, before he could reveal his plan, a resounding voice suddenly echoed from the execution platform, instantantly silencing the voices of the hundred thousand men in the square.

An elder floating above the execution platform gazed at the crowd beneath before speaking in an authoritative voice. "I am quasi 8-star Master Teacher Song Xuan!"

Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Song shi!

"Sun Qiang, along with his conspirators from the Poison Hall, raided the royal palace overnight, knocking out all of the guards with their poison before murdering Emperor Chu Tianxing. For the heinous crimes they have committed, I hereby decree that they are to be publicly executed!"

"He's Song shi?"

Previously, they had not really thought much about the other party. However, upon feeling the unbelievably powerful aura that the other party emanated, Shi Hao and the others could not help but begin hesitating.

A Leaving Aperture pinnacle expert could not be defeated by numbers alone.

Song shi scanned the surroundings, and unable to find the missing Liu Yang amid the crowd, a disdainful smile crept onto his lips as he harrumphed coldly. "It's noon. Carry out the execution!"

Huala!

As those words were spoken, a huge execution blade rose into the air, preparing to fall upon the necks of Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and the other poison masters.

Seeing that it would be too late if they did not make a move right now, Shi Hao bellowed, "Now!"

Boom!

Right after those words were spoken, countless surges of zhenqi gathered together to form a massive dragon, and it charged with incredible momentum toward Song shi in the air.

This massive dragon had the strength of over ten thousand members of the Xuanxuan Faction and several thousand combat masters. While their cultivation was not too high individually, they still posed a frightening force when their strengths were put together.

The massive dragon seemed to tear right through space, appearing before Song shi in an instant.

"You brazen scoundrels..." Not expecting someone to actually raid the execution platform and even make a move on him, Song shi's eyes immediately narrowed in fury.

He raised his hand and pressed it forcefully downward.

Huala!

The sheer might of his palm strike froze the massive dragon in mid-air!

As a Leaving Aperture realm expert, an existence just a step away from the Grand Dominion realm, Song shi was no longer an opponent who could be defeated just by combining the strength of the masses.

"How dare you scoundrels raid the execution platform and assault a quasi 8-star master teacher? I'll deal with you all personally after executing this bunch here. Execute them!"

After fending off the massive dragon, Song shi sneered coldly as he raised his other hand.

Weng!

Countless execution blades immediately fell for the necks of Sun Qiang and the others.

But... at the very last moment, the execution blades suddenly froze in midair.

Following which, an ice-cold voice swept through the surroundings like a tornado, resounding loudly in everyone's ears.

"You want to execute my men? Let me ask you, how many heads do you have?"

Following which, a figure suddenly appeared in the middle of the square, gazing down on the execution platform as if a deity who had descended from the heavens.

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Chapter 1236: I'll Choke You With My Words

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A tall and slender figure stood imposingly in the air. An ordinary face he had, but in his eyes was a brilliance reminiscent of the stars.

There was nothing exceptionally powerful about his presence, and there were plenty of people possessing a cultivation stronger than him. Yet, there was a suffocating pressure coming from him, leaving the crowd feeling as if they were facing the might of the heavens instead.

To oppose him would be no different from opposing the very world they lived in, and there was only one fate that could come out of such foolishness.

"Zhang shi..."

"Principal Zhang is here!"

"Finally!"

Song Chao and the others clenched their fists tightly in agitation, and their eyes reddened.

The pressure they had been under for the past few days was simply so great that it felt as if they would be crushed beneath it.

It was truly fortunate that their principal had arrived at this timely moment.

With his arrival, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction and the combat masters seemed to have finally found their backbone and their direction.

"You are Zhang Xuan?" Song shi glanced at Zhang Xuan with a displeased frown. "You're finally here. That will at least spare me the trouble of finding you.

"As a master teacher, you failed to keep your student in check, allowing him to act as he pleased and ruin the order that the Master Teacher Pavilion has established with difficulty in this world. Surely you should understand how heavy a crime it is even if I don't explain it to you, right?

"In light of your previous contributions and the fact that you were not around in Qingyuan City when the incident happened, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. As long as you can harden your heart to punish these men personally so as to affirm your values, I'll plead for leniency to the Master Teacher Pavilion on your behalf."

Song shi's initial intention of executing Sun Qiang and the others was to lure out Liu Yang, but who would have thought that he would draw out Zhang Xuan instead? Nevertheless, this still worked.

To raise but not teach is the fault of a father, and to teach but lack sternness is the blunder of a teacher! 1

Even though it was Liu Yang who had killed Chu Tianxing, Zhang Xuan's failure to instill the correct values in his direct disciple despite imparting cultivation techniques and battle techniques to him could also be said to be the root of the problem. As such, he also had to take responsibility for this matter.

Typically speaking, while Zhang Xuan would have to be punished for the matter, it would not be too severe. However, considering that the person Liu Yang had killed was the emperor of a Conferred Empire, the Master Teacher Pavilion had no choice but to be harsher in the matter. In the worst-case scenario, Zhang Xuan might even be stripped of his 7-star master teacher license!

However, this was not something that Song shi wanted to see. No matter what, just Zhang Xuan's feat of successfully crashing the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was more than sufficient to show that he was an outstanding talent, a person who would become a firm pillar of the Master Teacher Pavilion in the days to come. As long as the young man was willing to reflect on his mistake and right his wrong, severing the relationship between him and his troublemaking butler and the poison masters, there was still some ground for reconciliation.

"You want me to kill Sun Qiang and the others to affirm my values? What lofty words you speak!" Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed coldly.

"Are you intending to raid the execution platform like the rest of them?" Hearing the hostility in the young man's tone, Song shi's face darkened. "Have you forgotten that you are a master teacher? As a 7-star master teacher, you are a role model for the rest of the world. Someone like you has no right to act willfully! In view of your talents and past contributions, I'll give you just one last opportunity. Please don't waste this precious chance that I have placed in your hands."

"You can keep that chance for yourself!" Seeing how Song shi was acting as if having him kill Sun Qiang was a great mercy, Zhang Xuan could not even be bothered to waste his breath anymore.

In the next moment, a torrential aura surged forth from Zhang Xuan, piercing right through the clouds.

"Do you think that you can climb over my head just because I have been considerate of you?" Song shi bellowed wrathfully as he raised his hand.

The other party was just a 7-star master teacher who happened to have a bit of talent. He had already gone so far to help the other party, and yet, the other party simply had shrugged his goodwill away as if it was nothing at all. Arrogant! Truly arrogant!

With a face livid with rage, Zhang Xuan slowly walked over to the towering execution platform a step at a time. "Considerate? There's no need for it! I, Zhang Xuan, have never required the consideration of others!"

At this moment, he was incredibly angry.

Not long ago, Pavilion Master Gou, Tian Qing, and seven other 7-star master teachers had passed away, and as a quasi 8-star master teacher, Song shi should have investigated that matter right away!

Yet, he had neglected so many more important issues and chosen to clutch at this matter relentlessly instead. On top of that, there were also plenty of suspicious aspects to the issue even if Song shi did not have any prior knowledge beforehand, such as Chu Tianxing's abrupt kidnapping of Liu Yang, and Wu shi instructing an elder to keep a tight watch on Chu Tianxing.

A more meticulous person would have investigated deeper and waited for Wu shi to return in order to get the full story before passing judgement. Granted, there was pressure from the officials and nobles, but as a quasi 8-star master teacher, Song shi should have been able to suppress their movements for quite some time.

Just why in the world did the headquarters send such an incompetent fellow?

"Audacious! Zhang Xuan, don't think that you can act as you please just because you successfully crashed the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion! I, Song Xuan, am a quasi 8-star master teacher, an envoy dispatched here by the headquarters to deal with the mess here. As a 7-star master teacher of a subordinate Master Teacher Pavilion, how dare you speak and behave so disrespectfully before me? Have you forgotten the formalities that you should follow as a master teacher?" Song shi bellowed angrily.

He had heard about Zhang Xuan crashing the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, and even he had no choice but to admit that the young man was an exceptional genius. This was also why, despite being an austere and inflexible person himself, he had still chosen to make a special exception on this matter to grant leniency to the young man.

It was one thing for the young man to not appreciate his goodwill, but to actually forgo all formalities and treat him with utter disrespect was intolerable!

"Formalities? I am in no mood for those at the moment. All I know is that those men on the execution platform do not deserve to die!" Zhang Xuan uttered coldly as he continued advancing toward the execution platform.

"It's not your place to decide if they deserve to die. Just on the grounds that they have assassinated the emperor of a Conferred Empire and induced panic and chaos within the country is more than enough to have them beheaded numerous times over! As a master teacher, you should be well aware of this!" Harrumphing coldly, Song shi flicked his palm, and the execution blades floating above Sun Qiang and the poison masters' heads rose up once more, and just as they were about to decapitate the helpless bunch beneath them...

Peng! Peng! Peng! Peng!

The hundred or so execution blades shattered into dust before scattering into the surroundings.

"Preposterous! I finally know why the peaceful Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion suddenly found problems cropping up one after another following your arrival! Indeed, a mere droplet of poison ruins an entire pot of porridge. Zhang Xuan, do the laws of the Master Teacher Pavilion mean nothing to you? Just because you have a little bit of talent doesn't mean..." Song shi was so angered that he could have exploded on the spot.

The young man was clearly there to raid the execution platform as well!

"Shut your mouth."

Despite the clear sky overhead, the deep rumbling of thunder reverberated deafeningly in the air. Standing less than ten meters away from Song shi, Zhang Xuan glared at the latter with deadly sharp eyes, carrying a disposition and might that compelled one to defer to him.

"You..." Hearing the young man tell him to shut his mouth, Song shi's body trembled from the sheer rage running through his veins. He was just about to give the young man a tongue-lashing when the latter's deafening voice sounded in the air.

"You want to talk to me about the rules? About the formalities? Very well, let's do just that. While I, Zhang Xuan, was investigating the murders in the Master Teacher Pavilion and foiling the schemes of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, what were you doing?

"While I was venturing deep into the treacherous Marshlands of the Northern Meadows to hunt down the Qingtian Emperor so as to prevent him from claiming any more innocent lives, what were you doing?

"While I was imparting my knowledge to the master teachers and combat masters so as to reduce potential casualties in the fight against the Otherworldly Demons, what were you doing?

"As a quasi 8-star master teacher, instead of properly investigating the truth behind the deaths of the master teachers, you took what you saw for granted and turned a blind eye to everything else, choosing the easiest way out of this matter for yourself. So, tell me, what right do you have to judge me and my men?"

Boom!

Zhang Xuan's voice echoed clearly throughout the entire Qingyuan City along with the deep rumbling of thunder, as if even the heavens were resonating with his rage.

The righteous aura that Zhang Xuan emanated added a majestic authority to his words, allowing no one to refute him.

"You..." Choked speechless, Song shi's face reddened in frustration, and it looked as if he would blow up at any moment.

However, Zhang Xuan was not intending to just stop there, and he interrupted Song shi forcefully.

"Chu Tianxing chose to side with the Otherworldly Demons, why aren't you investigating that?

"Tian Qing was a clone of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor, why aren't you investigating that?

"Pavilion Master Gou neglected his responsibilities and left the affairs of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion fully in Tian Qing's hands, resulting in the Master Teacher Pavilion's decline day after day, why aren't the investigating that?

"Shall I point the answer out for you? It's because you don't give a damn at all! You allowed yourself to remain ignorant, willfully turning a blind eye to all of those important issues and choosing to devote your effort to cornering my butler and a bunch of poison masters instead. Song Xuan, I just want to ask you—is this how you intend to use the authority that the Master Teacher Pavilion has granted you?

"Is this how you conduct yourself as a quasi 8-star master teacher?"

"I..." Song shi immediately wanted to refute Zhang Xuan's argument, but the latter was not intending to give him a chance to speak.

"The reason Kong shi established the Master Teacher Pavilion was to bring knowledge and clarity mankind, thus bringing us to greater heights. He became an embodiment of his beliefs and dedicated his life to teaching others, and that has why he was eventually respected by countless as the World's Teacher!

"The meaning behind the existence of the Master Teacher Pavilion is to emulate Kong shi's greatness and bring wisdom to the minds of mankind. As a quasi 8-star master teacher, why don't you tell me how my direct disciple, Liu Yang, a cultivator who hasn't even reached Saint realm, manage to kill a Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert like Chu Tianxing?

"If Chu Tianxing could really be killed so easily by my direct disciple, is there any significance behind the existence of the Qingyuan Empire?

"Don't bother justifying it by saying that the poison masters have used poison. I have already looked into the matter myself, and it's confirmed that they have only used the Scattering Breeze Powder.

"Twenty years ago, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe used the Scattering Breeze Powder to assault the Qingyuan Empire, nearly resulting in its destruction. Putting aside the fact that Chu Tianxing was a puppet of the Qingtian Emperor and could very well have an antidote prepared for himself, after the failure twenty years ago, do you think that the royal family would not have taken any precautions against it?

"If they did not take any precautions, does that not mean that they have a screw loose in their heads, or... have they chosen to betray mankind to side with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe? If the royal family is really that negligent, do they really have what it takes to protect their people from external threats?" Zhang Xuan's voice grew more and more forbidding.

"This..."

Unknowingly, Song shi rage had turned into bewilderment and horror, and he began trembling uncontrollably at Zhang Xuan's words.

On the other hand, flinging his sleeves furiously, Zhang Xuan pressed on. "Chu Tianxing's death was riddled with discrepancies, but you failed to conduct a thorough investigation of the matter to uncover the truth. This is incompetence!

"You allowed yourself to be swayed by the words of the nobles and officials, choosing to heed their will instead of making a fair judgement. This is foolishness!

"As a quasi 8-star master teacher, you ignored the direct threat that the Master Teacher Pavilion was in, and your negligence could have potentially resulted in the deaths of many more master teachers. This is getting your priorities wrong!

"You had the division heads and combat masters of the Combat Master Hall imprisoned on a whim, using your identity as an envoy of the headquarters in order to suppress their dissension, effectively undermining the command structure that the Master Teacher Pavilion has put in place. This is an abuse of power!

"Incompetence, foolishness, getting your priorities wrong, and abuse of power..." Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back, and his eyebrows shot up. "Song Xuan, how could you possibly have the cheek to call yourself a quasi 8-star master teacher?"

"I... Pu!" Song shi's face was completely scarlet, and blood spurted from his mouth. His body wavered intensely for a moment, and he nearly fell to the ground.

"This..."

"He actually made Song shi spurt blood through mere words?"

Song Chao and the others gulped down a mouthful of saliva as they glanced at one another with pale faces.

In order to conduct a successful raid of the execution platform, they had undergone much discussion and refined their plan time and time again. Yet, when it came to the time for them to make a move, they had helplessly realized that they were no match for Song shi at all. If they had really gone against the latter, there was no doubt that they would all have been wiped out.

They had thought that they were doomed when the massive dragon they had created by putting all of their strength together was subdued so easily, but who knew that Zhang Xuan would suddenly appear at this moment? And without making a single move, he actually managed to make Song shi spurt blood with just his words!

"Young Master's mouth technique is really formidable!" the bound Sun Qiang muttered as he stared at the sight before him.

"Mouth technique? Cough cough!" That peculiar term left Elder Xu choking on his saliva. "Benefactor, what should we do now?"

"Don't worry. Didn't I tell you earlier? Our Young Master will surely make a move to save us. Even if he does not, there's still our Old Master. They won't watch as a mishap befalls me, so there's no need to worry at all," Sun Qiang replied calmly with a yawn.

Over the couple of days that he had been imprisoned, not only had he remained completely uninjured, it even seemed like... he had grown even plumper than before.

It was as if he was exhausted from cultivating, so he took a short vacation over at the prison of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"Our benefactor sure is fearless..." Hearing Sun Qiang's words and actions, Elder Xu was speechless. At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder—why did it seem like the benefactor before him was different from the one he had met before?

The benefactor he knew was valiant, decisive, and incredibly wise. He could remain composed even in the most threatening situation to find the most suitable manner to maneuver his way out of danger. On the other hand, the person before him...

While being locked in the Master Teacher Pavilion, he had eaten portions intended for five people and slept his time away. No matter how he looked at it, the two of them seemed to be completely different people.

Still, there was no doubt that their benefactor was a one-of-a-kind individual.

Despite being indicted in the Master Teacher Pavilion, possibly losing his life at any moment, he was still able to keep his cool, continuing to carry out his usual routine fearlessly. There were not many people in the world who had such nerves of steel. At the very least, Elder Xu knew that he did not.

Perhaps this was why the founder had chosen their benefactor in the first place!

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Chapter 1237: Sever It!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You sure do have a sharp tongue!"

After spurting a mouthful of blood, Song shi finally managed to collect his thoughts. "There's still a need for further investigation to determine whether what you have said is true or not, but it's a fact that Sun Qiang and the group from the Poison Hall snuck into the Qingyuan royal palace, knocked out all of the guards, and assassinated Emperor Chu Tianxing.

"There is clear evidence of their crimes, so there's no refuting this matter. If we do not punish them to make an example, how can we maintain order in the rest of the world? The authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion will be undermined! If everyone acted in the same manner as them, it would be pandemonium!"

It was not that Song shi really wanted Sun Qiang and the others to die, but it was impossible to appease the hearts of the populace without doing so.

If they were to allow the culprits who had assassinated the emperor of a country to get away so easily, wouldn't the entire Master Teacher Continent swiftly fall into chaos?

Song shi gazed at the master teachers on the execution platform and ordered with a majestic wave of his hands, "Continue the sentence!"

Despite what Zhang Xuan had said, there was solid proof of Sun Qiang and the other poison masters' wrongdoings. Regardless of whether they had really killed Emperor Chu Tianxing or not, they had certainly participated in and contributed to the assassination. Since that was the case, it was only right for them to be punished!

"Very well. Since you refuse to listen to reason..." Seeing that Song shi still wanted to execute Sun Qiang and the others, Zhang Xuan waved his hands majestically. "Take him down!"

"Humph! You think that the bunch of brats you have down there will be able to faze me?" Song Xuan laughed in fury and disdainfully gazed down on Song Chao and the others below.

While they had managed to gather quite a number of allies to raid the execution platform, it was a pity that their individual prowess was too weak. Even if they were to gather a hundred thousand Transcendent Mortal 8-dan brats, they would not be able to faze him in the slightest!

Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm was also known as the Realm of Invincibility. Once a cultivator activated their Dominion, numbers would no longer be sufficient to faze them.

While Song shi was still at Saint 5-dan pinnacle, he was only a step away from making a breakthrough. If this bunch of small fries could actually faze him, the time he had spent cultivating would have really been vain!

"It seems like you really don't know how fearsome a quasi 8-star master teacher is!" Sneering coldly, Song shi raised his hand.

An intangible will rippled outward swiftly from Song shi, shrouding Song Chao and the others within it in an instant.

This will weighed down on the group from the Xuanxuan Faction and the Combat Master Hall like a massive mountain. Every single one of them froze on the spot. Putting aside launching an attack, even moving was difficult for them.

"Your strength is indeed formidable..." Seeing that Song shi had only suppressed Song Chao and the others, not intending them any harm, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief as he shot an impassive gaze toward the other party. "But... who told you that I was commanding them?"

"You weren't commanding them?" Song shi was taken aback. "Then..."

Before he could finish his words, he suddenly sensed a searing dragon made of zhenqi surging upward.

"You..." Song shi hurriedly turned around, and his eyes narrowed in horror.

The ones who had made a move were not those who had come to raid the execution platform. They were... the master teachers of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, those who were directly under his command!

In this moment, all of them were channeling their strength together to assault him!

"Break!" Knowing that this was not the moment to be dazed, Song shi gritted his teeth tightly as he gathered his strength to face the searing dragon.

The strength of a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert was incomparably powerful. The palm strike that Song shi launched seemed to carry the weight of the sky in it. But as powerful as his battle technique was, it came nowhere close to comparing to the massive zhenqi dragon below.

Kacha! Kacha!

Song shi's palm strike was swiftly overpowered by the massive dragon, and he ended up being struck in the chest, causing his ribcage to crack. At the same time, the momentum of the dragon's charge also knocked him high into the sky.

"You might be a quasi 8-star master teacher, but all of the master teachers in the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion are my students!" Glancing at the look of disbelief on the face of the swiftly retreating Song shi, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You couldn't have been more foolish to use my own students to deal with me."

Back when he had crashed the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, he had lectured all of the 6-star and 7-star master teachers present in the area, and out of gratitude for his teachings, they had ended up acknowledging him as their teacher. At the same time, the fact that he had successfully crashed the pavilion also meant that the master teachers of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion had to unconditionally obey his orders.

After knocking Song shi flying, Zhang Xuan swiftly flitted over to the execution platform and waved his hand.

Huala!

The chains binding Sun Qiang and the poison masters immediately shattered.

Facing the group before him, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. "You all have suffered..."

While the Master Teacher Pavilion could not resort to vicious torture on their captives, the group must have been under a great deal of mental pressure knowing that they would be executed soon.

Sun Qiang rushed up to Zhang Xuan as soon as he was freed, and he cried with reddened eyes, "Young Master, you must redress my grievances!"

Watching as their benefactor made the transition from extreme composure to extreme indignation in just an instant, Elder Xu's lips twitched wildly.

As expected of their benefactor... he had even mastered the art of changing his face swiftly!

"Un. You should liaise with Song Chao and the others first. There are still some matters that I have to settle here!" While saying those words, Zhang Xuan could not help but notice that Sun Qiang had grown fatter, and a disapproving frown appeared on his face. However, knowing that this was not the time to talk about such a matter, he quickly waved them away.

He might have saved Sun Qiang and the others for the time being, but this matter was not settled yet. The ordinary civilians were still unaware of the truth, and if the incomplete version of events they knew were to spread far and wide, not only would it affect his reputation, it would also bring him great trouble as well.

More importantly, he had made a move on a quasi 8-star master teacher, an envoy dispatched by the headquarters. If he did not resolve this matter properly, he would be charged with insubordinate, and that could lead to dire consequences.

"Yes, Young Master!" Trusting that his Young Master would resolve the matter promptly, Sun Qiang nodded before leaping off the execution platform along with the others.

"You scoundrel! If I don't teach you the consequences of disrespecting a senior master teacher, I shall abandon my surname!"

Boom!

Right after Zhang Xuan was done making arrangements, a furious bellow suddenly sounded below. The next moment, Song shi flew back up with a savage look on his face.

To think that he, a quasi 8-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire, despite coming down to the weaker Qingyuan Empire, would actually end up being smacked flying! The irrepressible anger that he felt left him on the verge of exploding!

If he did not get the other party back for this matter, his reputation would be completely ruined, and he would no longer be able to face anyone else!

As master teachers, reputation was extremely important as well. Without a good reputation, what would become of their dignity, and who would be willing to heed their teachings?

Driving his zhenqi furiously, Song shi forcefully suppressed the injuries in his chest as he flipped upside down and dived downward toward Zhang Xuan, making use of the momentum of his descent to augment his palm strike.

"A palm strike from the heavens?" a master teacher asked with narrowed eyes. He was the same master teacher whom Zhang Jiuxiao had spoken to back when Zhang Xuan executed a similar technique against Pavilion Master Gou during the pavilion crashing.

To this day, he could still remember the astounding prowess harnessed within that palm strike, as well as the feeling of helplessness that rose in his heart as he witnessed its overwhelming might.

"Palm strike from the heavens? What I see is a cauldron from the heavens instead..." another master teacher beside him uttered with a pale face.

"Cauldron?" The first master teacher was taken aback by the abrupt remark. He quickly glanced above Song shi, and his mouth began twitching uncontrollably.

A cauldron had appeared right above that quasi 8-star master teacher at some point, and it was currently descending at a speed far swifter than Song shi was descending.

Peng!

Before Song shi's palm strike could reach Zhang Xuan, the massive cauldron had crashed into the area between his two thighs.

" Ahhh! "

A scream of agony echoed loudly in the air as Song shi's figure crashed heavily into the execution platform as if a cannonball, creating a huge depression in the ground. Following which, his figure swiftly cramped up together as if a shrimp as he trembled uncontrollably with a ghastly pale face.

If it was not for Song shi's superior cultivation, that single blow would have knocked him out on the spot.

"..."

The mouths of the other master teachers twitched wildly upon seeing this sight.

Just watching the sight was enough to induce a tight cringe on their faces and an involuntary shudder through their bodies. They could not even bring themselves to imagine how Song shi was feeling at that moment.

Offend anyone but that cauldron... It was simply too vicious!

"You... I'll kill you!" Struggling weakly to his feet, a furious killing intent was ignited in Song shi's eyes. He glared at the Golden Origin Cauldron with sharp daggers in his eyes.

Zhang Xuan was a genius who had successfully crashed the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, so he dared not kill him. On the other hand, for a mere artifact to dare treat him in such a manner... there was no way he would let it get away scot-free!

Hu!

But right after Song shi spoke those words, he suddenly noticed that the massive bottom of the Golden Origin Cauldron was falling toward him once more.

The cauldron had only landed the attack the previous time because he had been caught off guard. However, prepared this time around, how could he allow the Golden Origin Cauldron to strike him once more? He lifted his finger and tapped in the air.

The air above him suddenly became incredibly viscous, causing the Golden Origin Cauldron's speed of descent to slow sharply before eventually freezing in space.

Despite his injuries, Song shi was still a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle master teacher. While his strength could not compete with the other Vicious, he was still far stronger than the Qingtian Emperor.

The Golden Origin Cauldron was only at Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, and it had not learned any kind of battle technique before. As such, it was only capable of carrying out simple charges, which made it easy for any opponent stronger than it to subdue it.

"Die!" After freezing the Golden Origin Cauldron in midair, Song shi flicked his wrist and whipped out a sword.

With a graceful arc, he pulled his sword down upon the Golden Origin Cauldron.

As expected of a quasi 8-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire, even his sword was a Saint intermediate-tier artifact that was nowhere weaker than the Golden Origin Cauldron.

"Master, save me..." Knowing that it would be fatally injured if it was struck by the sword, the Golden Origin Cauldron cried in fright.

But all of a sudden, the Golden Origin Cauldron suddenly heard an incomparably calm voice within its mind.

"Even though he's already very close to reaching the Grand Dominion realm, he has not made the breakthrough yet, so there are many gaps in his assault that can be exploited. Shift slightly to the left and open your cauldron lid. Following which, sink downward and dive into the execution platform. Attack him when the distance between the both of you has been reduced to three meters. There is an opening in the Bimen acupoint in front of his chest, so conduct your attack in such a manner..."

Those words were communicated via zhenqi telepathy, so it took only a tenth of a breath for the Golden Origin Cauldron to receive the entire message. At this moment, the sword qi executed from Song shi's sword was already right before it.

Knowing that there was no time to be wasted, the Golden Origin Cauldron swiftly obeyed what its master told him and shifted slightly left.

Weng!

The sword struck its lid, and a reverberating boom reminiscent of a gong echoed throughout the area.

While feeling a sharp pain on its spirit, the Golden Origin Cauldron hurriedly opened its lid and sunk its body into the ground.

Boom!

A sound reminiscent of the rumbling of thunder boomed toward Song Xuan, causing his vision to blur for a moment.

It was not a demonic tune, but the abrupt, deafening noise did produce an effect reminiscent of a powerful demonic tune for an instant.

Kacha!

As soon as that was the done, the Golden Origin Cauldron dove straight into the execution platform, leaving a massive hole in its wake.

The execution platform was basically an elevated platform supported by pillars below, so there was empty space right beneath the execution platform. As soon as the Golden Origin Cauldron dove into the execution platform, the viscosity in the air that was limiting its movement previously vanished all of a sudden. With a swift movement, it arrived at the area that Zhang Xuan had mentioned earlier and dived back upward, aiming for the opening in Song shi's Bimen acupoint.

"You..." Song shi's face warped in horror. He quickly raised both of his hands to dodge the attack.

Even though he did not have much time to react, his swift reaction allowed him to defend against the charging cauldron, albeit with some difficulty. Unfortunately, he did not notice a stubby leg of the cauldron furiously kicking upward with frightening momentum behind it.

Kacha!

A crisp sound reminiscent of shattering eggs echoed in the air.

" Ahhh! " Song shi kneeled onto the floor, and this time, his body was scrunched up in an even more extreme angle than before.

"I... will kill you..."

Even speaking was a difficulty for Song shi with the excruciating pain and the intense trembling of his body.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan turned to the Golden Origin Cauldron and lectured furiously, "Look at what you have done! Where are your manners? Can't you at least control your strength properly?"

After which, he turned to look at Song shi apologetically and said, "My apologies, Song shi. I have really spoiled my cauldron too much; it does not even know how to respect its elders anymore. Don't worry, I'll definitely give it a harsh tongue-lashing when I return. As for your injuries..."

At this point, he lowered his head to look at the pitifully trembling Song shi and sighed deeply. Shaking his head, he took out a dagger and passed it over.

"Why don't you just sever it?"

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Chapter 1238: Are You Still Suckling Milk?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Pu!

Song shi spurted a mouthful of blood after hearing Zhang Xuan's words before fainting from sheer rage and indignation.

As a quasi 8-star master teacher coming to the weaker Qingyuan Empire, he should have been in a position of absolute prestige and authority with none daring to oppose him...

But things didn't seem to go as he anticipated. Firstly, all the master teachers that should have been under his command ended up turning against him. As if that was not enough, a cauldron even crippled him. What further intensified his wrath was that Zhang Xuan was even putting on a look of innocence, as if he had nothing to do with it at all.

You might have given pointers to your cauldron very discreetly, but as a quasi 8-star master teacher, did you really think that I wouldn't be able to notice it?

In secret, you gave pointers to your artifact to teach it how to cripple me, but publicly, you put on an innocent front, as if everything that happened had nothing to do with you...

Can you get any more shameless than that?

Furthermore... sever?

Sever your head!

Crippled as it may be, it still beats having nothing at all!

Seeing that Song shi had really fainted, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sheathed his dagger. He placed his finger on the latter's renzhong 1 to help him regain consciousness. After which, he turned to the Golden Origin Cauldron and bellowed furiously, "What are you standing around there for? Come over and apologize!"

"Yes, Master!" The Golden Origin Cauldron walked over awkwardly with its stubby legs, reminiscent of the movements of a duck. Standing before Song shi, it apologized earnestly. "Song shi, I shouldn't have kicked your crotch. To make up for the damage you have incurred... why don't I allow you to kick me twice?"

After saying those words, the Golden Origin Cauldron spread open its legs, as if inviting Song shi over.

Pu!

Song shi spurted yet another mouthful of blood.

The heck! Is you kicking my crotch the same thing as me kicking your crotch? Do you even have anything there for me to kick?

Besides, I am a quasi 8-star master teacher! If I need someone else to spread his legs for me to kick him back... what would become of my honor?

Song shi struggled free out of Zhang Xuan's support as he bellowed, "Zhang Xuan, you forcefully freed the prisoners on death row, disrespected your senior, and ordered your artifact to make a move against me. It's clear that you have no eyes for the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion at all! Have no doubt that I'll have this matter reported to the headquarters!"

"You will report this matter to the headquarters?"

"That's right!" Song shi roared with gritted teeth.

"Very well. Golden Origin Cauldron, I'll leave our Song shi over here in your care. Make sure to give him plenty of love..." Zhang Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Sure thing!" Excited, the Golden Origin Cauldron lifted its short and stubby legs, and it looked as if it would shoot up toward a certain location once more.

"You!" Alarmed, Song shi hurriedly staggered backward weakly. He swiftly drove his zhenqi, thinking that he would at least make Zhang Xuan pay the price for his actions even if he died there. However, at that moment, the sharp call of a saint beast suddenly echoed across the sky.

A moment later, something reminiscent of an inferno appeared by the horizon.

"It's the Saint 6-dan saint beast, Inferno Cloud Phoenix!" Song shi narrowed his eyes in astonishment. Following which, a thought came to his mind, and he began trembling in agitation. "It's... the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion's Yao shi, Yao Mantian!"

"Yao Mantian?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Activating his Eye of Insight, he began examining the inferno closely.

There indeed a figure standing on the back of the Inferno Cloud Phoenix. It was a lady who appeared to be in her forties. Dressed in plain clothes, her external appearance could not be said to be beautiful. However, the graceful disposition that she commanded set her apart from the crowd, giving the impression that she was a noble goddess from the heavens.

Pinned on her chest was a master teacher emblem, and the eight stars on it gleamed conspicuously beneath the brilliant rays of the sun.

8-star master teacher?

To think that the other party was a real 8-star master teacher!

In other words, at the very least, she was a Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm expert!

Amid shocked gazes, the Inferno Cloud Phoenix halted right above the execution platform. Following which, Yao shi slowly took walked down from the back of the aerial saint beast.

Before she reached the platform, a graceful voice filled the area. "I am 8-star low-tier Master Teacher Yao Mantian from the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. I have come under the orders of the headquarters to investigate the death of Pavilion Master Gou. May I know if Vice Pavilion Master Wu of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion is here at the moment?"

"Investigate the death of Pavilion Master Gou?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before coming to a realization.

Back when Zhang Xuan crashed the pavilion and Tian Qing escaped, Pavilion Master Gou had applied for the help of the headquarters in order to track the latter down, so the headquarters had sent Song shi over. After which, Pavilion Master Gou died along with seven other 7-star master teachers, and in view of the massive threat that the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was in at that moment, Wu shi also sent another application for help.

The second matter was too huge for Song shi, whom they had dispatched previously from the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to deal with Tian Qing, so the headquarters had decided to send an 8-star master teacher over as well.

Due to the lag in between the two matters, Song shi and Yao shi had not been informed that the other would be going to the Qingyuan Empire as well.

"Qianchong Empire 7-star Master Teacher Song Xuan pays respect to Yao shi!" Song shi stepped forward and greeted.

Quasi 8-star master teacher was an informal title created by the master teachers themselves in view of the vast disparity in strength inherent among the 7-star master teachers. This title was never officially recognized by the Master Teacher Pavilion, so in front of a higher ranking master teacher, Song shi did not dare to address himself as a quasi 8-star master teacher for fear that he might appear impudent.

"Un. I remember meeting you once when I visited the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to conduct a lecture a few years back." Yao Mantian nodded before a hint of intrigue crept into her voice. "What are you doing here? Also, your injuries..."

With her eye of discernment, she could immediately tell that Song shi's crotch had been injured.

For a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert to be injured in such a location, could he have been facing a formidable opponent prior to her arrival?

"Reporting to Yao shi, I came here at the orders of the headquarters to investigate the matter concerning Zhang shi's pavilion crashing and the disappearance of Vice Pavilion Master Tian.

"However, when I arrived, I learned that Emperor Chu Tianxing had been assassinated. I was unable to find the murderer, but I did manage to uncover his accomplices. By the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion, those criminals should be publicly executed to serve as a strict warning to others against doing the same.

"Yet, who could have known that Zhang shi over here would disregard the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion and willfully rescue those criminals, even going to the extent of disrespecting and assaulting me?" Song shi swiftly explained the matter to Yao shi.

"Yao shi, I ask of you to redress my grievances!"

"You are saying that Zhang shi rescued the criminals and injured you?" Yao Mantian frowned as she turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Are you Zhang Xuan? Is what Song shi said true?"

"It's true that I did free those men who were to be executed, and it was indeed my artifact, the Golden Origin Cauldron, that injured him." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and answered the question, not denying the matter.

With so many people beneath the execution platform witnessing the incident, there was no way he could deny the matter. Since that was the case, he might as well admit to it candidly.

"Song shi has come to Qingyuan Empire as an envoy of the headquarters, so his words represent the very will of the headquarters. Yet, to disregard his judgement, raid the execution platform, and even injure him... Do you understand how heavy a crime that is?" Yao Mantian asked imposingly.

Given how huge an affair a pavilion crashing was, she had also heard of Zhang Xuan.

For a person as young as him to successfully crash an entire Master Teacher Pavilion, the talent that he wielded was truly inconceivable.

As long as he did not die prematurely, he was bound to achieve great things in the future. Since that was the case, why would he suddenly do something so reckless and foolish at this moment, giving up the bright future ahead of him?

"Reporting to Yao shi, there's more to the story than Song shi reported. As a 7-star master teacher, I am aware of the implications of my actions, but I had no choice but to resort to such actions. I did not wish to see the Master Teacher Pavilion being mocked over a foolish course of action!" Zhang Xuan bowed deeply.

"Foolish course of action?" Yao Mantian asked doubtfully.

"Yes." Zhang Xuan nodded before he began explaining. "Vice Pavilion Master Tian was a spy of the Otherworldly Demon. He was an incarnation of the will of the Qingtian Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage, which means that his roots can be traced back to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. He was colluding with King Zhongqing and Emperor Chu Tianxing, and they sought to bring disorder and chaos upon mankind..." Zhang Xuan swiftly explained the matter concerning Tian Qing and the Qingtian Lineage to Yao shi.

Of course, he made sure to neglect the portion concerning Vicious.

"This..." By the time Yao shi had heard the full story, her eyes were already widened in shock. Staring at Zhang Xuan intently, she asked grimly, "This is a huge matter. Do you have any evidence?"

This matter concerned the vice head of a Master Teacher Pavilion and the emperor of a Conferred Empire. If they were to fail to deal with this matter promptly, the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion could possibly be sent into the gutters, and its credibility would take a huge blow.

"Wu shi and the others should have already reported the incident to the headquarters. If Yao shi doubts my word, you can try to establish contact with the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion to ask about the matter. They should have the corpse of the Qingtian Emperor there as evidence," Zhang Xuan said.

It was true that the Qingtian Emperor and Tian Qing were already dead, but their bodies remained. As difficult as it might be, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters should still have its ways to find out whether Tian Qing was truly the incarnation of the Qingtian Emperor or not.

This matter could easily be verified by the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and knowing this, it was not likely for Zhang Xuan to make up such an easily exposable lie. Thus, Yao Mantian nodded. "I'll contact the headquarters later to look into the matter.

"However, even if there was something wrong with Chu Tianxing, Zhang shi, you should also know that there is a set of formal procedures to deal with the matter. The matter should have been reported to the headquarters, and the headquarters would then have placed Chu Tianxing on a trial before sentencing him. The actions of your butler and the poison masters of barging into the royal palace, poisoning all of the guards, and killing Chu Tianxing are inappropriate and unacceptable.

"Since Chu Tianxing was a traitor of humanity, I understand why you might think that it's unjustified for Song shi to sentence them to death. However, you must also consider the huge implications that would arise from the assassination of the emperor of a Conferred Empire.

"In order to calm the hearts of the people, this is a course of action that Song shi has no choice but to take for the sake of the greater good. On the other hand, your act of barging into the execution platform and ordering your artifact to injure him is impudent and unacceptable!"

The goal of the Master Teacher Pavilion was to maintain the order of mankind and lead them to greater heights.

The very act that Sun Qiang and the poison masters had done, poisoning the entire royal palace and killing the emperor, was against the rules, even if Chu Tianxing really was a traitor of mankind.

There were proper avenues to deal with such matters, and it was important for others to utilize these avenues. Otherwise, if self-justified individuals started taking matters into their own hands, it would not have been long before society devolved into chaos.

This was similar to how the law worked in the world where Zhang Xuan had come from. No matter how much a person hated a certain murderer, they could only leave it to the law to judge and punish the murderer instead of taking matters into their own hands, or else they could be charged for the same crime.

This was the same situation that Sun Qiang and the other poison masters were facing.

No matter what, even if Chu Tianxing was a traitor of mankind, he was still the emperor of a Conferred Empire. His abrupt assassination was bound to cause unrest among the populace, and that was why it was even more important to go through the formal procedures and put him through a trial. However, what was done was done, so Song shi could only find a way to appease the populace for the time being, even if the method utilized was disheartening.

Since Song shi's actions were justified, Zhang Xuan's act of forcefully barging into the execution platform and pummeling Song shi were unjustified, and the crime of insubordination was truly not light.

Hearing that Yao shi was speaking on his behalf, Song shi quickly jumped forward to further fuel the flames. "Yao shi, Zhang shi has grown complacent due to the talent he possesses. Not only is he disrespectful to his seniors, he also has no regard for the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion! Such a person must be punished severely, or else we will be setting a bad example for others..."

For his manhood to be crippled like that, there was no way he could take this matter lying down!

But before he could finish his words, Zhang Xuan roared, "Shut up!"

"You..." Song shi nearly exploded on the spot.

"Yao shi didn't give you permission to speak, do you think that it is appropriate for you to be prattling off over there? To casually interject in the words of an 8-star master teacher, are these the formalities you have been speaking about all along?" Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back as he spoke deeply.

"I..." Song shi's face paled.

Considering that Yao shi was currently judging the case, it was indeed disrespectful of him to abruptly interject without permission.

Seeing that Song shi had fallen silent, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and reported, "There's more to this matter than what Yao shi has reported. Song shi mentioned earlier that Sun Qiang was conspiring with the poison masters of the Poison Hall to assault the royal palace, but the truth is that Elder Xu and the others are no longer poison masters of the Poison Hall. They have already become combat masters of the Combat Master Hall!"

"Combat masters?"

"Indeed. It's true that Elder Xu and the others used to be poison masters, but their kindness has touched the hearts of the combat masters, so the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall took them in. This matter has already been reported to the Combat Master Hall headquarters, and the newly-inaugurated Progeny of Combat has given his consent to this matter. If you harbor any doubts to my words, you can investigate the issue!" Zhang Xuan reported righteously.

The matter of Elder Xu and the others joining the Combat Master Hall had already been reported up to the headquarters, and it had received their approval.

Thus, they were effectively no longer poison masters but combat masters of the Combat Master Hall, albeit not full-fledged ones yet.

"Oh?" Yao shi glanced at Song shi and asked, "Song shi, are you aware of this matter?"

"I-I am aware that they have joined the Combat Master Hall, but..." Song shi face reddened as he anxiously replied, "A leopard doesn't change its spots! The fact that they are still concocting poison secretly is more than sufficient evidence to prove that!"

He had heard that the poison masters had been accepted into the Combat Master Hall, but he did not think much about it back then.

"A leopard doesn't change its spots? To think that a day would come where I would hear such words coming out of the mouth of a master teacher!" Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves furiously. "Song shi, you used to suckle milk in the past as an infant. If I apply your own logic, can I say that you are still suckling milk even at your age?"

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Chapter 1239: Save the People!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Audacious!" Song shi roared furiously.

"As master teachers, we seek to enlighten and guide others with our words and actions. On top of imparting knowledge to others, we aim to instill the correct values into them so that they will eventually become upstanding members of our society! If, as you have said, a person's nature cannot be changed, what would be the point in the existence of master teachers? Can I take it that you are you refuting Kong shi's teachings and the purpose of the Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan bellowed authoritatively.

"I... That's not what I mean!" Song shi quickly denied it.

To refute Kong shi's teachings and the purpose of the Master Teacher Pavilion... Even if he inflated his guts tenfold, he would not dare do something like that!

"Then, can I take it that you are refuting the decisions made by the Progeny of Combat and the Combat Master Hall headquarters?" Zhang Xuan continued cornering Song shi with his words.

"T-that's not what I mean either!" Song shi quickly waved his hand.

While the Combat Master Hall was a subsidiary of the Master Teacher Pavilion, the Progeny of Combat was still not a person whom a small figure like him could refute.

"If that is not what you mean, what else do you mean then? In a world of drunkards, you are the only sober one?" Zhang Xuan mocked.

"You..." Choked to the point that his face had turned scarlet, Song shi knew that he would only fall deeper and deeper into the ditch if he allowed Zhang Xuan to continue questioning him. Thus, he turned to Yao shi and clasped his fist. "Yao shi, we are all aware of the rituals that the depraved poison masters practice. Putting aside the vile nature of their cultivation techniques, they use human blood and even human lives to breed their gu... Such is the unspeakable brutality that they carry out!

"I have no idea why those poison masters were accepted into the Combat Master Hall, but in my opinion, it might just be another form of imprisonment so as to prevent them from doing any more evil in the world, rather than an acknowledgement of their noble personality."

"You said that the nature of their cultivation techniques is vile?" Zhang Xuan suddenly interjected with lifted eyebrows. "As a master teacher, you should be well aware of how important it is to verify your facts before speaking. I find it hard to comprehend how you can utter such blatant nonsense before an 8-star master teacher. Do you understand the consequences of lying to a higher ranked master teacher?"

"What kind of rubbish are you talking about?" Song shi roared back.

"Rubbish?" Zhang Xuan stared at Song shi disdainfully for a moment before shaking his head. He turned his gaze to Elder Xu and the others below the execution platform and said, "Elder Xu and the other esteemed poison masters! Pardon me, but I would like to ask you to drive your cultivation technique to show Song shi if your cultivation technique is really of vile nature as he claims!"

"Yes!" Nodding, Elder Xu and the others swiftly drove their zhenqi, and their auras swiftly permeated the surroundings.

Their auras were upright and orthodox. Not only were they devoid of the eerie and bone-chilling sensation that most unorthodox cultivation techniques emanated, they even felt warming and soothing, reminiscent of an embrace.

"This..." Song shi was flabbergasted.

As a quasi 8-star master teacher, he had met plenty of poison masters in his time. Due to their long-term contact with lethal poison, each of them had a deeply unnerving aura to them.

Yet, the poison masters before him did not have such a feeling to their aura; it was even warm and comfortable.

Paying no heed to Song shi's shock, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and asked, "Yao shi, may I ask if the cultivation techniques they practice are vile in nature?"

Hearing those words, Yao shi shook her head and replied, "Their zhenqi is pure and orthodox. I don't see anything vile in their cultivation technique."

Turning his gaze back to Song shi, Zhang Xuan continued. "This should be enough evidence for you to prove that they have already turned for the better, right? They are already members of the Combat Master Hall, but you keep insisting that they are poison masters of the Poison Hall, claiming that they are depraved and practice vile arts. Since that's the case, I would like to ask what the meaning of 'depraved' and 'vile' is in your view. Is it something that you conceptualize in your mind?"

"I..." Song shi's body trembled. He could not find an argument to refute Zhang Xuan's words.

He did not participate in the arrest of Elder Xu and the others, and they did not make any attempt to break out during their captivity either. As such, he was oblivious to the warm and soothing aura of the poison masters, and he could not have imagined that poison masters practiced such an orthodox and upright cultivation technique either.

It took a very long time before Song shi was able to speak once more. "Even if their cultivation techniques are orthodox, it's still a fact that they knocked out everyone in the royal palace! There is nothing you can say that can possibly refute that!"

"Since that's the case, why don't I go through the case with you in details so that you can finally give up struggling?"

Waving his hand grandly, Zhang Xuan turned to the 8-star master teacher and said, "Yao shi, allow me to recount the ins and outs of the matter to you. I hope that you and the rest of the crowd can help me judge this matter!"

"Feel free to speak." Yao shi nodded.

"The truth is like this. The Qingtian Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage did not just possess superior cultivation, he was also a formidable soul oracle! He possessed a particularly sinister secret art that allowed him to nab the souls of anyone for his own use. To put it in more direct terms, as long as your cultivation was beneath his and you are within a set area of him, he would be able to draw your soul out of your body and imprison it, and he would be able to use it to nourish himself afterward!"

"Nab the souls of others? Nourish himself?"

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and an altar fell to the ground. "This is the medium he used to carry out his soul nabbing, and there's a formation inscribed on it. Yao shi, please take a look!"

It was the altar that he had used to corner the real Qingtian Emperor back then.

"These inscriptions..." After examining the altar carefully, Yao shi's expression turned grave. "I have never seen such an altar before, but I am aware of the existence of a soul art that allows one to nourish oneself with the souls of others. This is also one the contributing factors that eventually led to the Master Teacher Pavilion's eradication of the Soul Oracle Guild back then!"

While Yao shi had never seen the altar before, with her eye of discernment as an 8-star master teacher, she could still vaguely tell that the altar seemed to be powerful against souls. If one activated it using a certain method, there was a good chance that it could be used to drag a cultivator's soul out of their body, thus effectively conducting the 'soul nabbing'.

"Indeed! And to be honest with you, this ability isn't just limited to the Qingtian Emperor. As the Qingtian Emperor's lackey, Chu Tianxing also knew this ability from him!" Zhang Xuan revealed.

"You are saying that Chu Tianxing was a soul oracle as well?" Yao shi frowned.

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Do you have any evidence to prove that?" Yao shi asked.

Pledging loyalty to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and practicing soul arts imparted from them, this was a huge crime to pin on Chu Tianxing. Even though Chu Tianxing was already dead, he was still not a person who could be slandered without concrete evidence.

"I have a way to prove that. Elder Bai, please bring the corpses of Chen Zhe, Pavilion Master Gou, and the other 7-star master teachers!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes!"

An elder of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion at the bottom of the execution platform replied affirmatively before turning around and walking away.

This elder had participated in the operation at Chen Zhe's residence to nab Tian Qing as well, so they were both acquainted with one another.

Not too long later, Elder Bai returned. With a flick of his wrist, a row of corpses appeared on the ground.

Due to the sinister nature of their deaths, the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion had used a unique method to preserve their bodies so as to facilitate future investigation. On top of that, the bodies of Saint realm cultivators did not decompose easily either. As such, those corpses remained extremely fresh, as if they had just died not too long ago.

Zhang Xuan beckoned Yao shi over and said, "Yao shi, please take a look and see if you can find something common among all of them."

Yao shi walked over and began examining the corpses intently. Gradually, a frown appeared on her face.

These corpses were perfectly unharmed, be it their exterior or their internal state. However, their souls had disappeared without a trace.

"They have died as a result of the disappearance or dissipation of their souls," Yao shi concluded after taking a look at all of the corpses.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded. "They are all victims of the soul nabbing secret art. Furthermore, according to my investigation, I have found one common point among the death of all these 7-star master teachers—they came into contact with Chu Tianxing prior to their deaths. We should be able to verify this through conducting a formal investigation in the Master Teacher Pavilion."

Chu Tianxing had entered the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion multiple times in order to visit King Zhongqing, and on the night before the deaths of master teachers, Chu Tianxing had paid the Master Teacher Pavilion once again. During his visit, he had come into contact with all of the master teachers who had died. Back then, Zhang Xuan had not made the connection, but after learning from the other Vicious that Chu Tianxing had pledged loyalty to him, it had not been too difficult to deduce the full story.

No matter how formidable the other Vicious was, without a suitable medium, it was impossible for him to kill an individual in Qingyuan City from the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows. The reason he had been able to do so was likely because Chu Tianxing had left or fed them something.

"I can testify that the night before the killings, Chu Tianxing did drop by our Master Teacher Pavilion to pay a visit to King Zhongqing. During his visit, he brought many gourds of fine wine to share with us!"

"I can testify to that as well!"

Right after Zhang Xuan said those words, several master teachers beneath the execution platform swiftly shouted over.

Chu Tianxing had been exceptionally friendly that day, so the encounter with him had left quite the impression on the master teachers.

Seeing that there were so many master teachers standing up to testify on Zhang Xuan's behalf, Yao shi knew that this matter was likely true. She turned to Zhang Xuan doubtfully and asked, "You are saying that... Chu Tianxing used a secret art to kill all of those master teachers?"

"Even if he was not directly responsible for the killings, there's no doubt that he played an integral role in them," Zhang Xuan replied affirmatively.

"Wu shi and I deduced that there was something wrong with Chu Tianxing, but due to several considerations, we dared not move recklessly. Most importantly, if we dealt with Chu Tianxing, the mastermind behind him, the Qingtian Emperor, would surely have fled for fear that he had been exposed. While the Qingtian Emperor remained alive, the threat that he posed to the Qingyuan Empire would never have come to an end.

"As such, under the cover of going into seclusion, we secretly gathered a group of experts to head to the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows to deal with the Qingtian Emperor. The journey was fraught with dangers, but with some luck, we managed to accomplish the mission we set out for. I have spoken of this matter previously, so I'll just skip the details."

Yao shi nodded in response.

"Even though we left discreetly, Chu Tianxing, as the emperor of Qingyuan Empire, still noticed an anomaly. Perhaps realizing that he had been exposed, he became desperate and decided to make one last stand!"

"One last stand?"

"Indeed. According to my deductions, there's a very good chance that Chu Tianxing was planning to use his soul nabbing secret art to gather as many the human souls in Qingyuan City as he could to nourish himself and raise his cultivation. Of course, it would have been impossible for him to kill so many experts at once, but if he limited his targets to those beneath Saint realm, it wouldn't have been much trouble to gather tens of millions of souls with sufficient preparation. If he succeeded, the entire Qingyuan City would have become a living hell!" Zhang Xuan spoke with a fearful edge to his voice, as if he still could not believe that Chu Tianxing would actually resort to such depraved actions.

"Zhang shi, you are saying that... Chu Tianxing was intending to kill every single cultivator beneath Saint realm in Qingyuan City?"

"W-what? How is that possible? That is madness!"

Zhang Xuan had spoken loud enough that the large crowd gathered beneath the execution platform could hear him clearly, and they could hardly believe what they had just heard.

The severity of the matter had far surpassed their imagination!

"Even if I do not speak of them, I'm certain everyone here is aware of the consequences of betraying mankind. Once exposed, that individual will become the enemy of everyone on the continent, living a life worse than death. Considering that, he would have no qualms resorting to extreme actions so long as he had sufficient power to survive!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.

"This..."

The crowd fell silent.

In face of death, even the most rational of people could possibly lose themself. Even the most docile of dogs could bite when forced into a corner, let alone a man as ambitious and prideful as Chu Tianxing.

"It's with such worries in mind that I specially instructed Sun Qiang, Liu Yang, Elder Xu, and the others that if Chu Tianxing took any suspicious actions, even under the risk of being misunderstood by the populace, they were to get rid of Chu Tianxing as soon as possible. This is the responsibility and burden that we, as master teachers, have to bear!

"It's due to those commands that Liu Yang infiltrated the royal palace and pretended to be captured while Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and the other poison masters knocked out all of the guards with their poison. While their actions may have appeared reckless, it was the best they could do in the spur of the moment. It reduced the casualties to the minimum while sparing Qingyuan City from a bloodbath.

"As such, I think that not only should Sun Qiang and the others not be punished, they should even be praised for saving countless lives! Yet, without attempting to investigate and make sense of the matter, Song shi recklessly sentenced all of them to death. So, how could I possibly watch them be killed? I know that there are rules to the Master Teacher Pavilion, but surely there are times when exceptions have to be made!"

The more Zhang Xuan spoke, the more vehement his voice became.

"Ah..." Hearing those words, Elder Xu and the others stared at one another blankly.

Sacrificing ourselves to save the people... When did our actions suddenly become so noble?

Everything Zhang shi has spoken of, why is it that...

... this is the first we are hearing of it?

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Chapter 1240: The Furious Song Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

With poison in their hands, they knocked out the tens of thousands of people in the royal palace, rendering them powerless. While it was to save Liu Yang, and Chu Tianxing also deserved it... the problem was that the news was simply too shocking!

If those men had set forth with the intention not to save but to kill, who would have been able to stand against them?

If news spread, there would be unease among the populace. Everyone would start fearing for their lives. The emperors of the other Conferred Empires would also live in fear and apprehension, afraid that those men would come after them one day as well.

This was also why Song Xuan had sentenced them to death without much hesitation, and even Yao Mantian did not think that there was a mistake in Song Xuan's call.

With his Soul Depth of 25.1, Zhang Xuan was able to see through their thoughts and considerations, and he knew that without a suitable reason, there was no way he could free Sun Qiang and the other poison masters from their execution.

Thus, he first gave Elder Xu and the others a formal identity before pinning a heinous crime on Chu Tianxing's head.

This way, he would be able to claim that the actions of Sun Qiang and the other poison masters were not reckless but a planned operation by the Combat Master Hall and Master Teacher Pavilion to save the populace of Qingyuan City.

This way, even if the other Conferred Empires learned of this matter, they would at least view those men as under the control of the Combat Master Hall and Master Teacher Pavilion, so they would not have to worry about a bunch of madmen coming after their lives.

In other words, it was to alleviate the fears of the officials, nobles, and populace so that they would be able to accept this justified assassination. As long as the populace was appeased, Yao shi and the Master Teacher Pavilion would have no qualms with sparing Sun Qiang and the others.

Elder Xu was only taken aback for a moment before realizing all of this. He turned to look at Zhang Xuan once more with deep admiration in his eyes.

To be able to grasp the thoughts of Song shi, Yao shi, the Master Teacher Pavilion, and the populace and find the most suitable reason to appease all of them simultaneously... that was no easy feat at all!

Zhang Xuan's ability to think on his spot was truly frightening!

Elder Xu alternated his glances at Zhang Xuan and Sun Qiang, and he could not help but mutter beneath his breath, "Why do I feel like that man is our true benefactor instead?"

The benefactor who had saved them had also displayed an exceptional ability to remain composed and think on the spot, coming up with the most rational solution to deal with the problem at hand. This was completely different from that fatty whom they had been locked up with for the past few days!

That fatty Sun Qiang seemed to know nothing but how to eat and sleep. There was really nothing praiseworthy about him at all!

Perplexed, Elder Xu was just about to test Sun Qiang when that fat 'benefactor' he was thinking about suddenly stepped forward.

"Yao shi, I am Sun Qiang, one of the men who was to be executed under Song shi's orders!"

Sun Qiang placed his hands behind his back and lifted his head proudly. With a voice that sounded loudly across the entire square, he spoke.

"I was reluctant to speak too much of this matter for fear that it would cause unease and pandemonium in Qingyuan City, but since our Young Master has already said so much, I'll admit to it. The reason Young Master Liu Yang and I set out to kill Chu Tianxing was due to our uncovering of his depraved ploy to nab the souls of the cultivators in Qingyuan City and nourish himself! I know that we are weak and insignificant, but if our insignificant lives could be traded for the lives of the entire city, we would still do it without any hesitation!"

After saying those words, Sun Qiang walked up to the crowd with a straightened back, assuming the look of an unsung hero who, despite being misunderstood by many, would still stand up valiantly for the sake of mankind.

"I see..."

"They were all willing to sacrifice themselves to save us... It's laughable how we actually thought of them as rebels!"

"I never would have thought that Chu Tianxing would actually kill all of us to nourish himself. This is unforgivable!"

"If not for this matter, I never would have known how noble Sun Qiang and those poison masters—ah no, it should be combat masters—are so noble. We have really wronged them."

...

Hearing Zhang Xuan's explanation and witnessing Sun Qiang's selflessness, choosing to sacrifice himself rather than let the entire city fall into chaos, the crowd could not help but feel deeply moved.

The master teachers of the Master Teacher Pavilion also revealed faces of embarrassment.

Despite being master teachers themselves, they really came nowhere close to those noble men standing before them.

"This..." Elder Xu's lips twitched uncontrollably.

Setting out to kill Chu Tianxing was due to our uncovering of his depraved ploy?

His death was clearly an accident, alright? More important... you even whipped out a knife, wanting to castrate the other party...

Rather than the other party, you are the one who looks more like a villain!

More importantly... in the time of your captivity, you were either eating of sleeping. I have never seen the valiance and selflessness you spoke of in the time I have spent with you...

Then again... this does seem to resemble our benefactor's way of doing things!

Elder Xu rubbed his glabella in frustration, unable to discern the truth.

He had suspected that Zhang Xuan was their true benefactor, but after hearing Sun Qiang's words, which sounded like they could have come from their benefactor as well, he was confused once again.

On the other hand, upon seeing Sun Qiang rush out and behave in such a manner, Zhang Xuan could not help but shake his head. That fellow only knows how to pose!

Zhang Xuan sighed. If only he was half as humble as I am...

No matter what he did, he always strove to avoid trouble and the spotlight wherever possible. On the other hand, his butler seemed to crave to stand under every single spotlight he could find.

Really, from whom did he learn that bad habit from!

However, Sun Qiang's interjection there was also good in a way.

As long as they could generate sufficient buzz over this issue, the conflict would be resolved by itself. Even if Yao shi found several anomalies with the story, in face of the will of the populace, she would have no choice but to agree to it as well.

Most importantly of all, the betrayal of the emperor of a Conferred Empire was a huge blow to the Master Teacher Pavilion's credibility. If they went along with Zhang Xuan's story, that would make it appear that the Master Teacher Pavilion had been on top of things from the start to the end, making preparations in advance to deal with Chu Tianxing. This way, not only would the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion not be impaired, it would even be brought to greater heights!

Under such circumstances, as long as one was no fool, it was clear whom one should stand with.

As expected, Yao shi soon nodded and exclaimed gravely, "I didn't think that Chu Tianxing would be such a depraved individual! Since the truth has been unraveled, I will report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and have them reward you handsomely for your contribution to mankind, as well as to make up for the injustice you have suffered!"

"Yao shi!" Hearing Yao shi's judgement, Song shi's face paled. "I think that there's still some suspicious details concerning the story that requires further investigation..."

If Yao shi made such a ruling, it would effectively mean that he had dealt with this matter incompetently, ordering for the execution of meritorious subjects. Just that crime was sufficient to signal his doom!

"Enough!" Yao shi flung her sleeves lividly. "Don't you think that you have embarrassed yourself enough today? As a quasi 8-star master teacher, instead of investigating the matter properly, you recklessly passed judgement upon others, nearly resulting in the deaths of meritorious subjects. The Master Teacher Pavilion trusted you enough to grant you great authority and power, but you have really been a huge disappointment on this occasion!"

"I..." Song shi's body shook in despair.

Yao shi waved her hand impassively. "There's no need to say anymore! I'll report this matter as it is to the headquarters, so return to the Qianchong Empire and await for the verdict from the headquarters!"

Song shi's face turned ghastly pale as he staggered backward weakly. Then, he suddenly halted. Slowly, he raised his head to glare at Zhang Xuan with the utmost hostility, "You! It's all your fault!"

If not for that young man, things would not have developed in such a manner.

If he had settled this matter properly, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would surely have rewarded him handsomely for his efforts. With the reward, he would have been able to take the final step forward in his cultivation and overcome his bottleneck, successfully making a breakthrough to Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm.

But it was a pity that it was all impossible now!

More importantly, all of this had happened in public, and his manhood had been crippled as well.

No words could begin to describe the sheer hatred he felt for Zhang Xuan at this moment.

Flicking his wrist, he took out his master teacher emblem and dripped a droplet of blood on it.

"Zhang Xuan, you ordered the master teachers to make a move on me and humiliated me. On top of that, you even had your cauldron to cripple me. I, Song Xuan, as a 7-star master teacher, hereby request the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters allow me to challenge Zhang Xuan to a Master Teacher Confrontation! Zhang Xuan, do you dare accept my challenge?"

Following which, a brilliant light burst forth from the emblem, surging toward the sky.

"Song Xuan, how dare you!" Not expecting Song shi to make this move at such a moment, Yao shi's face turned livid.

Whenever there was an irreconcilable conflict between two master teachers, they could choose to resolve it through a Master Teacher Confrontation. In order to initiate a Master Teacher Confrontation, a master teacher would first have to express their intention to the headquarters first, and the headquarters would gauge whether it was appropriate to allow both parties to face one another.

This was the most effective way for two master teachers to resolve the conflict between them. Once both sides accepted the Master Teacher Confrontation, not even an 8-star master teacher like Yao shi would be able to intervene in the matter anymore.

"Why would I not dare to? I agree," Zhang Xuan replied impassively.

He had forcefully snatched Sun Qiang and the poison masters back from Song shi's hands, cornered him verbally to the point that he puked blood, and even crippled his manhood. All of this was done before a huge crowd at that. He would have been surprised if Song shi could take all that lying.

"Zhang shi!" Yao shi anxiously tried to talk Zhang Xuan out of it, but it was too late. Zhang Xuan's agreement had already reached the headquarters.

Boom!

On the Master Teacher Tower not too far away, a surge of light burst forth, forming two massive words in the sky. 'Permission granted!'

While Song Xuan was a quasi 8-star master teacher, he was still officially classified as a 7-star master teacher. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was an outstanding genius who had successfully crashed the Master Teacher Pavilion. Thus, the headquarters deemed it appropriate to have the both of them faced one another.

"It's good that you have agreed!" Seeing Zhang Xuan agree to the Master Teacher Confrontation without any hesitation, Song Xuan was slightly taken aback. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Since I was the one who proposed the Master Teacher Confrontation, I'll allow you to choose the type of duel!"

Since he was the one who had proposed the Master Teacher Confrontation, it would only be fair to have the other party decide on the type of duel.

"I can decide the type of duel? Very well then." Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before replying, "I choose Impartation of Heaven's Will!"

Zhang Xuan's Soul Depth had already reached the level comparable to an 8-star master teacher, and he also possessed an innate advantage as a Celestial Master Teacher. Putting aside a quasi 8-star master teacher like Song shi, it was doubtful whether even real 8-star master teachers would be able to withstand his Impartation of Heaven's Will or not!

Since the other party was the one proposing the Master Teacher Confrontation, there was no need for him hesitate. Just crush the other party and get it over and done with.

"Impartation of Heaven's Will?" Song shi's eyebrows shot up.

He had heard news about how Zhang Xuan had managed to make all the master teachers of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion willingly acknowledge him as their teacher in the midst of his pavilion crashing. Just from that alone, it could be seen that the other party's Soul Depth was certainly not beneath his.

If it was a duel of Impartation of Heaven's Will, there was really a good chance that he would be utterly crushed.

Even so, Song shi did not think that victory was completely impossible. After all, he was a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator who had been through four lightning tribulations whereas the other party was just an Embryonic Soul realm pinnacle cultivator. As long as he set the rules of the duel properly, he would still have a considerable chance at victory.

"Alright then, I'll agree to it. However, I get to decide on the rules of the duel!"

There were many ways to conduct a duel of Impartation of Heaven's Will. For the sake of fairness, it would be more reasonable for one side to decide on the type of duel and the other to decide on the rules of the duel.

"Of course." Zhang Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly.

Regardless of what the rules of the duel were, as long as the type of duel was Impartation of Heaven's Will, he had nothing to fear.

"Good!" Song Xuan replied.

After which, he turned to Yao shi and clasped his fist. "Yao shi, may I borrow your Brush of Heavenly Impartation?"

"Brush of Heavenly Impartation?"

Yao shi was taken aback for a moment before her face darkened. "It can't be that you intend to challenge the most difficult duel of the Impartation of Heaven's Will... Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy?"

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Chapter 1241: Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"That's right!" Song shi said with a cold glint in his eyes.

"Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before slowly nodding.

There were some details about the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy in the books of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, so he did have some understanding of it.

Impartation of Heaven's Will was an ability that could be triggered through one's Soul Depth when one's words were aligned with the essence of the world. It served to place the students into a trance, allowing them to better absorb the knowledge that was being imparted. At the same time, it would also generate certain phenomena in the surroundings, such as drawing in spiritual energy, to further support the learning of the students.

The more profound and aligned the content was to the essence of the world, the more effective the Impartation of Heaven's Will would be.

Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy was similar to Impartation of Heaven's Will in terms of the principles behind them, but the former was achieved through using an artifact known as the Brush of Heavenly Impartation as a medium.

The Brush of Heaven's Impartation was not a Saint-tier artifact. Rather, it was a unique artifact that was infused with the will of master teachers, and it was capable of discerning the authenticity of the words spoken by other master teachers. If the words spoken were aligned with the essence of the world and offered a fresh perspective on the topic, the Brush of Heaven's Impartation would automatically move to pen down the essence of those words in the form of characters.

The observation of those characters penned down could generate an effect reminiscent of the Impartation of Heaven's Will to the individual, thus hastening the latter's cultivation significantly.

Of course, the characters penned down by the Brush of Heavenly Impartation would not exist eternally. After one observation, the characters would disappear.

There were two reasons the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy was considered the most difficult challenge of Impartation of Heaven's Will.

Firstly, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was infused with the ideas and understanding of innumerable master teachers, so it had already seen its fair share of ordinary Impartations of Heaven's Will. In order to prompt it into action, the content lectured had to be innovative compared to the other master teachers.

Secondly, it was extremely taxing on one's Soul Depth, even more exhausting than conducting an entire lecture. On average, the writing of a single character could expend 1.0 Soul Depth of a master teacher.

It was for these two reasons that it had left countless master teachers defeated. There were many 7-star pinnacle master teachers who were unable to invoke the movement of the Brush of Heavenly Impartation even after a long lecture, and even for quasi 8-star master teachers, the most characters anyone had evoked from the Brush of Heavenly Will in a single sitting was ten. Nearly no one had been able to break that record.

"The Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy is extremely damaging to one's Soul Depth. Are you sure you want to choose this for the duel?" Yao shi asked with a darkened complexion.

To make the Brush of Heaven's Impartation write was extremely taxing on one's Soul Depth. If a master teacher accidentally pushed themself too far, it could lead to their state of mind collapsing altogether, and their many years of cultivation would be ruined. As such, this duel would not only be difficult but dangerous as well.

"I am sure!" Song shi replied firmly.

"You..." Yao shi frowned at Song shi for a moment before turning her gaze to Zhang Xuan. "Zhang shi, what's your view on this matter? If you don't wish to proceed with the duel, you can always turn it down."

As she said those words to Zhang Xuan, she also secretly sent him a telepathic message.

"Song Xuan has specially studied Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, and he has achieved the outstanding record of having the Brush of Heavenly Impartation pen down eight characters. You have never used the Brush of Heavenly Impartation, so it'll be extremely difficult for you to defeat him. Why don't you just turn down his proposal and choose another type of duel?"

Without prior experience with the Brush of Heavenly Impartation, it was difficult to ascertain what kind of content excited it, making it nigh impossible for it to move. So far, there had nearly been no master teachers who had managed to get the Brush of Heavenly Impartation to move on their first attempt.

The reason Song shi had proposed this challenge was because he possessed a Brush of Heavenly Impartation, and he had even achieved an outstanding record of eight characters.

Given that ten characters were the very limits of a quasi 8-star master teacher, his record of eight characters would put him among the top in the field even in the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion.

Indubitably, Song Xuan had an overwhelming advantage in this challenge, making this duel unfair for Zhang Xuan.

"It's fine, let's just go along with his rules." Knowing that Yao shi was advising him out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan directed a nod along with a smile toward her to express his gratitude.

It was just Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy. While he had never come into contact with it before, he did not think that it would be too difficult.

"Alright then." Seeing how nonchalantly Zhang Xuan accepted the duel, Yao shi could not help but shake her head. With a flick of her wrist, a floating golden brush appeared before everyone's eyes.

It was roughly a chi 1 long, and there was no ink on its tip. When scanning it with one's Spiritual Perception, one could feel an aura unique to master teachers from it, inducing a slight pressure on one.

With a tap, the brush quietly took its place between the duo. After which, Yao shi looked at the duo and said, "This is the Brush of Heavenly Impartation. Who will be going first?"

"Since Song shi was the one who has proposed the rules of the duel, let's allow him to go first," Zhang Xuan said humbly.

While he had read the records concerning Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, he had never tried it himself before, so he was not too certain of the rules concerning it. By allowing the other party to go first, he would have a chance to examine how the Brush of Heavenly Impartation should be used.

"Very well!" Song shi nodded.

He took two steps toward the brush, and his lips began moving.

There was no sound to be heard—he was communicating with the brush via zhenqi telepathy.

Fearing that Zhang Xuan would not understand, Yao shi secretly informed him via zhenqi telepathy. "Through using zhenqi telepathy, the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will are more directed, and that makes it easier to move the Brush of Heavenly Impartation."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Indeed, there was a vast difference between lecturing an individual and lecturing a group of people.

Naturally, one-to-one guidance from a teacher would be more nurturing and effective as compared to a one-to-many guidance.

Through using zhenqi telepathy, the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will would be more directed, thus reducing unnecessary wastage of energy.

Proceeding with his impartation, Song shi's lips never stopped once, and it did not take long before sweat droplets began appearing on his forehead.

However, the brush before him remained completely motionless, as if it had been fixed in place.

Using his Spiritual Perception to assess the situation, Zhang Xuan could clearly sense that Song shi's Soul Depth was rapidly falling with time.

Hu!

After some time, the silent brush finally began moving. With swift strokes, a massive character soon appeared in the sky.

Suspended Imagery!

The character written by the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was not of a language Zhang Xuan was familiar with; it was not the language of a human, Otherworldly Demon, or the Beast Tribe. It was a character he had never ever seen before. But while he could not recognize the character, he found that he was vaguely able to understand the meaning and conception behind it.

If a normal cultivator studied the character, their zhenqi might have been driven to cultivate according to the method depicted within it.

"By scanning the character with your Spiritual Perception, you will be able to learn the ideas infused within the character. However, the character will disappear after a single scan," Yao shi explained to Zhang Xuan.

Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy could be considered a form of Impartation of Heaven's Will, being able to drive a cultivator's zhenqi through the profound knowledge harnessed within the written characters. As long as a cultivator scanned the characters with their Spiritual Perception, they would find their body cultivating the technique uncontrollably. However, the characters produced through Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy could only be used once. No matter how profound or mystical the cultivation technique infused within the character was, it could only be viewed by one person.

In a sense, it could be said that the characters were storable Impartation of Heaven's Will that master teachers could gift to those whom they viewed to be fated with them.

In view of precious knowledge harnessed within these characters, they were extremely high in demand and valuable. However, due to the difficulty in Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, it was one of those commodities that could not be bought with just money.

With the appearance of the first character, the droplets of sweat on Song shi's head grew more and more numerous. The second character swiftly followed after the first, and then the third and fourth...

As the number of characters increased, Song shi's face grew paler and paler. It seemed like he had expended too much of his Soul Depth, and it was already about to be sapped dry.

Quasi 8-star master teachers had a Soul Depth of 23 and above, but they could not afford to expend all of it in a single breath or else it could lead to the breakdown of their state of mind, and that could potentially introduce countless inner demons in their minds.

Typically speaking, a quasi 8-star master teacher would be in a dangerous position once their Soul Depth fell beneath 15.

Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan observed Song shi intently. As the number of characters written increased, the latter's body trembled with greater and greater intensity, and his Primordial Spirit was starting to show signs of breaking down.

It was fortunate that his Primordial Spirit had been tempered by four lightning tribulations, or else it would have already succumbed.

"Six, seven, eight... Eight characters! That is his record so far..."

By the tenth minute, there were already eight characters floating silently in the sky, emanating a brilliant glow.

Eight words were Song shi's record so far, as well as his limit. His body trembled non-stop, and it looked as if he would collapse to the ground at any moment. His face was also as pale as a sheet of paper, and there was not the slightest trace of color to be seen.

However, it appeared that Song shi still had no intention of stopping as he continued communicating with the Brush of Heavenly Impartation through his zhenqi telepathy.

Seeing this, Zhang Xuan said with a frown, "If you continue pushing yourself, you will inflict irreparable harm to your body."

Be it in cultivation or Impartation of Heaven's Will, a cultivator should always take note of their own limits and strive not to overexert themself. Otherwise, the overwhelming burden they had forced upon their body could very well cause it permanent impairment.

As a 7-star pinnacle physician, he could tell that Song shi had already reached his limits. Perhaps he would be able to achieve unprecedented results if he forced himself on, but he would also be inflicting permanent damage on his body and possibly his state of mind.

It could cause his soul depth to stagnate permanently, and as a master teacher, that would mean that Song shi would be doomed to remain a quasi 8-star master teacher for life, unable to ascend to greater heights.

Hu! Hu! Hu!

Despite his poor condition, Song shi still gritted his teeth and forced himself on. All of a sudden, a spurt of blood escaped from his mouth, and in just a mere instant, it seemed like he had grown much older.

Huala!

The brush in the air moved once more and wrote the ninth character.

Peng!

That single character seemed to have stolen every single last bit of strength Song shi had. He fell weakly to the ground and fainted.

"Jeez, is there any point going this far?" Seeing how Song shi had pushed himself to his limits for the sake of achieving victory, Zhang Xuan could not help but shake his head in disapproval.

To throw away whatever future he had just to get even with him... that fellow sure was tenacious.

Sighing deeply, he walked up to Song shi and placed his finger on the latter's acupoints before sending a surge of zhenqi in. A moment later, Song shi slowly opened his eyes.

"You..." Gritting his teeth furiously, Song shi struggled to his feet, and with a livid face, he spat, "It's too late to show your goodwill. It won't change a thing..."

Zhang Xuan shrugged. "Whatever pleases you."

He had only saved the other party out of his obligation as a master teacher. Whether the other party appreciated his favor or not, it did not matter to him.

After regaining consciousness, Song shi quickly took out a pill and ate it, and only then did his complexion finally improve slightly. Following that, he turned to Yao shi and said, "Yao shi, I have completed my Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy. I hope that you can bear witness to my results!"

"You have written a total of nine characters. While it has not broken the highest record of ten characters among quasi 8-star master teachers, you have indeed performed exceptionally," Yao shi replied with a nod.

The result of nine characters was nothing much among 8-star master teachers, but indubitably, it was an exceptional result among quasi 8-star master teachers. Even the head of the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was unlikely to be able to rival this feat.

"Thank you for your compliment, Yao shi." Seeing that Yao shi had acknowledged his results, Song shi glanced at Zhang Xuan with narrowed eyes. "Zhang shi, it's your turn now."

"Very well." Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had seen how the other party had carried out the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy previously, and that had given him a good idea of how he should go about doing it as well.

He walked up to the floating Brush of Heavenly Impartation, and with his hands behind his back, he began lecturing it telepathically. His mouth opened and closed swiftly, making it hard to discern what he was talking about.

The brush was still fidgeting slightly in the air earlier, but upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, it suddenly froze completely, as if someone had nailed it in place.

"It has been nearly an hour now, so why is there no movement from the brush yet?"

"It can't be that Zhang shi cannot get a single character out of the Brush of Heavenly Impartation, right?"

"If that's really the case, it would really be terrible..."

After waiting for nearly an hour, the brush remained completely motionless in the air. At this point, the crowd had begun looking at one another, a little apprehensive at the current situation.

Within the same period, Song shi had made the Brush of Heavenly Impartation write down seven to eight words.

Why would there be no movement when it came to Zhang shi?

Could this mean that... he had failed?

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Chapter 1242: Why Are You Playing Dead?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang shi has never tried the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy before, so it's inevitable that he's unfamiliar with the nature of the Brush of Heavenly Impartation. No matter how high his Soul Depth is, it'll still be hard to bridge this disparity in experience between them."

"It's precisely in view of this that Song shi intentionally challenged Zhang shi to this duel. It seems like Zhang shi's undefeated record is about to come to an end!"

"Indeed, there are no ordinary quasi 8-star master teachers out there. He must have seen through Zhang shi's flaws, so he intentionally proposed such rules to the duel."

...

After waiting a while longer, the brush remained completely motionless. The crowd beneath the stage was already beginning to feel a little unnerved.

Even though Heavenly Impartation of Mentor Calligraphy was considered another offshoot of Impartation of Heaven's Will, its difficulty was far greater than the latter. There were many talented master teachers who possessed high Soul Depth and exceptional insight in cultivation but failed to cause the Brush of Heavenly Impartation to move on their first attempt as well, and this could have been the situation that Zhang Xuan was facing.

"Benefactor, Zhang shi..." Elder Xu looked at Sun Qiang worriedly.

It was to save them that the Young Master of their benefactor ended up being challenged by Song shi. If the young man came to any harm as a result of this matter, they would never be able to rest in peace.

"Don't worry, our Young Master has never lost in this kind of challenge before!" Sun Qiang waved his hand nonchalantly.

It had been nearly a year since he had met the Young Master, and they had seen innumerable conflicts and battles within this period of time. In comparison, this matter could not have seemed any more trivial, so how could the Young Master possibly lose?

In this moment, the confident Sun Qiang suddenly saw the Young Master on the execution platform stretching his back lazily, seemingly a little exhausted, before taking a few steps back.

"Alright, I'm done."

After which, Zhang Xuan stopped speaking and stood patiently by the side.

Upon seeing this sight, the flabs on Sun Qiang's cheeks began to twitch wildly.

The brush had not even moved, and yet, the Young Master actually said that he was done. Wasn't the Young Master supposed be invincible?

Could it be that he was unable to push on anymore, so he intended to admit defeat?

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan's actions, Yao shi's face also warped in astonishment. "Zhang shi, there's no time limit to the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy. The victor is determined by the number of characters written."

"I know." Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Given how much I have said, it should suffice for me to win."

"Win?" That word made Yao shi's eyes roll up, and she nearly choked on her own saliva.

From the moment you started speaking, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation has not even moved a single inch, as if it was sleeping its way through your lecture. Did you really think that you could win with this?

Song shi was also stunned for a moment before sneering coldly. "You want to defeat me without having a single character written?"

Given how the young man could get all of the higher ranking master teachers in the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to acknowledge him as their teacher, as well as his feat of successfully crashing the Master Teacher Pavilion, there was little doubt that the other party's Soul Depth was at least on par with his. As such, he had been worrying that the young man might just make a miracle here and break his current record. However, from the looks of it now... it seemed like he had been worrying in vain!

If only he had known how weak his opponent was, he would not have forced himself to write the ninth character!

What a waste!

Song shi stepped forward and clasped his fist. "Yao shi, the results should be clear at this point. You were the one who brought the Brush of Heavenly Impartation here, so there's no way I could have cheated in the duel. I beseech you to declare the victor of the duel."

"This..." Yao shi hesitated.

The Master Teacher Confrontation was only conducted when there was a conflict between two master teachers. The victorious individual would be able to do anything to the losing party without incurring any punishment, and this included murder!

However, Zhang Xuan had just killed the Qingtian Emperor and saved the countless civilians from Qingyuan City. The contribution he had made to mankind was truly great, so if Song shi dealt with him too harshly, it would be hard for her to explain this to the headquarters.

"May I know what kind of punishment Song shi intends to issue Zhang shi upon your victory? Putting aside the fact that he's a genius who has succeeded in pavilion crashing, more importantly, he also just made a huge contribution to mankind." Instead of announcing the results, Yao shi hesitated for a moment before turning to Song shi to remind him of who his opponent was.

Song shi harrumphed coldly. "Yao shi, rest assured. I won't kill him. However, he has undermined my dignity and sullied my reputation, and for that, I cannot let him off easily! Firstly, I shall cripple him and make him just like me. After that, I will crush the spirit of the cauldron that injured me. Last but not least, I want him to publicly apologize to me!"

"You want to make him like you?" Yao shi's lips began twitching uncontrollably.

While she did not witness the sight with her own eyes, she could still tell the current state Song shi was in. By saying that he wanted to make Zhang Xuan like him, wasn't the other party effectively saying that he wanted to castrate Zhang Xuan?

But...

Even though Song shi's intention to castrate Zhang Xuan was a little gruesome, it was still possible for Zhang Xuan to fully recover through the Grand Intermittence Pill. The process would be humiliating and excruciating, but at the very least, it would not cause any physical impairment to the young man.

As for destroying the spirit of the cauldron and making a public apology, those were at least acceptable conditions.

"Very well!" After a moment of thought, Yao shi turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, there is no one in the world who can avoid loss their entire life, so you don't have to take this matter to heart. As long as you live to see another day, there will still be a chance for you to turn the tables..."

After saying those words, Yao shi sighed deeply before turning to the crowd. With a resounding voice, she declared, "Alright, I'm going to announce the results of the duel..."

But before Yao shi could finish her words, Zhang Xuan suddenly raised his hand and said, "Yao shi, the duel is still ongoing. Why are you announcing the results now?"

"The duel is still ongoing? The Brush of Heavenly Impartation has not written out a single character under your Impartation of Heaven's Will, so I believe the results should already be clear for everyone to see! Stop stalling for time!" Song shi sneered coldly.

With so many people present to testify for him, not to mention the fact that Yao shi was presiding over the duel herself, it was impossible Zhang Xuan to refute the results.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Isn't there no time limit to the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy? The Brush of Heavenly Impartation might not be moving at the moment, but that doesn't mean that it won't move later on."

"Later on? Are you joking with me? You should know very well that if the Brush of Heavenly Impartation did not move during your lecture, there's no way that it will move after it. Despite being a 7-star master teacher, are you so gutless as to be unwilling to acknowledge your own defeat?" Song shi mocked.

Seeing that Song shi was unwilling to believe his words, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment. Just as he was about to explain himself, Yao shi suddenly sighed and interjected, "Zhang shi, the fact that the Brush of Heavenly Impartation hasn't moved yet is enough to show that you have already lost."

"Lost?" Hearing those words from Yao shi, the look of disappointment in Zhang Xuan's eyes deepened. "Yao shi, you are unable to discern it as well?"

"Discern what?" Yao shi frowned.

"Since none of you can tell, I guess I have no choice..." With a look of helplessness, Zhang Xuan turned to the unmoving brush in the air and bellowed, "Why are you still playing dead over there? Hurry up and write!"

I have already given you sufficient time to ponder over the lecture; it's about time you stop playing dead and get to work!

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to roar at the Brush of Heavenly Impartation like that, everyone was stunned. Yao shi even nearly collapsed to the ground from shock.

"The Brush of Heavenly Impartation has been nourished by the wills of countless master teachers, so it carries the authority of the Way of Teacher. Bellowing at it like that will only make it even more reluctant to write..."

The Brush of Heavenly Impartation was an extremely proud artifact, such that not even Pavilion Master He of their Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion would dare use such a harsh tone toward it. Yet, this fellow actually insulted it straight to its face.

That was as good as completely offending the brush! Putting aside having it write anything for him, it would already be a blessing if it did not scribble on his face as vengeance!

Grabbing her forehead out of frustration from the foolish action from the young man, Yao shi suddenly heard a commotion beneath the execution platform. Countless piercing screams echoed in the air, as if something inconceivable had just happened.

"What's wrong?" Frowning, Yao shi raised her head to look at the Brush of Heavenly Impartation once more, and what she saw left her frozen on the spot.

The unmoving Brush of Heavenly Impartation suddenly began shaking intensely as its golden exterior faded into paleness, and a warm glow emanated from within.

Following that, the spiritual energy in an area of two hundred li swiftly converged toward the brush, sapping the entire area dry within just a few moments.

Geji! Geji!

Under the nourishment of the spiritual energy, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation seemed to be undergoing an evolution, and a crisp sound reminiscent of a being breaking out of its cocoon echoed in the air.

"T-this is..." Clenching her fists in agitation, a hint of disbelief surfaced on Yao shi's elegant face. "The Brush of Heavenly Impartation... is making a breakthrough?"

While the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was not a Saint-tier artifact, there were still differing grades to it. This was similar to how brushes could be of different qualities.

Without a doubt, a Brush of Heavenly Impartation nourished by a 9-star master teacher would be vastly different to one nourished by an 8-star master teacher.

The Brush of Heavenly Impartation that Yao shi owned could be said to be average. It would not have much trouble penning down the quintessence of the teachings of an 8-star low-tier master teacher, but anything more profound than that would prove to be a challenge for it.

Typically speaking, for a Brush of Heavenly Impartation to make a breakthrough, it had to be nourished by the aura of a higher ranked master teacher, so... why would it suddenly achieve a breakthrough after listening to a single lecture from Zhang Xuan?

Not to mention, the huge commotion that was happening at the moment was abnormal as well. Without a doubt, this was no ordinary breakthrough.

Kacha! Kacha!

While everyone was still in a state of shock, the motionless brush finally began to move.

An entire line of words appeared before the crowd in the blink of an eye.

"One, two, three... eighty-seven... It's moving too fast for me to count properly!" shouted someone amid the crowd.

"Look! It's writing so fast that smoke is rising from its brush tip," another person shouted.

"Smoke?" With a look of horror, Song shi quickly turned his gaze to the sky and saw that due to the astounding speed that the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was writing at, a long stream of smoke was rising behind it.

Back when he was conducting the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation wrote every single stroke slowly, as if there was something restraining it. Yet, when it came to Zhang shi, characters seemed to flow out like a flood.

Did there really have to be such a huge disparity between the two of them?

Unlike the flabbergasted crowd, Yao shi gulped as she uttered with a quivering voice, "This is... the Beacon of Heavenly Impartation!"

"Beacon of Heavenly Impartation?" Song shi frowned.

Despite being a quasi 8-star master teacher, he had never heard such a term before.

Yao shi clenched her fists tighty in agitation as she explained, "The Brush of Heavenly Impartation takes every word that it pens down solemnly, rarely making a move unless it hears something that inspires it. However, if it encounters a particularly profound Impartation of Heaven's Will, it will rush to pen whatever it heard down, leaving behind a trail of smoke in its wake. We named this phenomenon 'Beacon of Heavenly Impartation'. When in this state, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation will jot down the profoundness of the lecture down word for word."

"Word for word? This... How can that be possible?" Song shi could hardly believe what he was hearing. "No matter how concise a lecture is, there's bound to be conjunctions and connectors, and even though those words improve the flow of the lecture, they don't add value to the content, so the Brush of Heavenly Impartation never jots them down."

Even the most formidable of teachers could not possibly conduct a lecture where every single word was significant. It was inevitable that some unmeaningful words would be mixed into the lecture.

This was also why the Brush of Heavenly Impartation would only selectively pick out the crux of the Impartation of Heaven's Will to record.

"It's indeed true that there are bound to be many meaningless words in an ordinary lecture, but... have you forgotten about that?" Yao shi replied in a shaky tone.

"That?" Song shi was stunned for a moment when a thought streaked across his mind. His body immediately stiffened as if a wooden stick as he asked weakly, "Is Yao shi referring to the ability that only 9-star master teachers possess... Words of Wisdom?"

"Indeed. Only Words of Wisdom can induce the Beacon of Heavenly Impartation," Yao shi replied.

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Song shi exclaimed, "B-but... he's only a 7-star master teacher!"

He turned his gaze back to the brush in the air and saw the latter writing faster and faster. At this rate, it was already moving so swiftly that afterimages could be seen in its wake. At the same time, the lines of words ferociously swallowed the gathered spiritual energy, seemingly ready to break into the world themselves.

"This is too exaggerated! It can't stop at all!"

Feeling as if he had just received ten thousand points of damage, Song shi nearly burst into tears.

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Chapter 1243: The Noble Zhang shi!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Despite being fellow 7-star master teachers, why was there such a huge gap between the two of them?

He had used all his might to squeeze out a few characters from the Brush of Heavenly Impartation, and yet, when it came to the other party, the brush leaped from place to place swiftly as if a leopard, visibly getting more and more excited as it wrote, to the point where it could not even stop itself anymore...

Was this really the ability that only 9-star master teachers were capable of, Words of Wisdom?

Rumor had it that every single sentence and ever word of a 9-star master teacher carried profound wisdom behind it. Putting aside listening to an entire lecture, even a few words from them could benefit one greatly.

Even though the young man before him was a talented individual, no matter what, he was still only a 7-star master teacher. So, how could he possibly possess the ability of a 9-star master teacher?

But if that wasn't the case, there was no way to explain the Brush of Heavenly Impartation's sudden breakthrough and outburst!

"Let's see what he has lectured on..." Unable to believe his eyes, Song shi immediately began examining the characters written in the air.

With just a single look, his body could not help but begin trembling.

It would be impossible to comprehend the deepest significance harnessed within the lecture without scanning the characters with his Spiritual Perception, but nevertheless, as a quasi 8-star master teacher, he could still roughly fathom the meaning of those written characters.

He could feel that those characters harnessed knowledge that was directed toward the very essence of cultivation itself, and with just a glance, he already found himself gradually growing more and more absorbed in them.

No, I mustn't look... Otherwise, I might really just become his student!

Biting his tongue to bring back his rationality, Song shi quickly closed his eyes.

If he cultivated according to the method imparted by Zhang Xuan, that would mean that he had accepted the other party's guidance, and that would effectively make the young man a half a teacher to him.

He was there to challenge Zhang Xuan to a Master Teacher Confrontation to right his reputation and regain his dignity, not to acknowledge a teacher!

But... considering how profound this cultivation technique is, if I study it carefully, there's a good chance that it could become my impetus for a breakthrough to the Grand Dominion realm.

Gritting his teeth tightly, the angel and the devil within Song shi's heart began clashing with one another.

He did not want to become Zhang Xuan's student, but this was a truly valuable opportunity for him to achieve a breakthrough. Such an opportunity was hard to come by, and he had a feeling that he would regret it for life if he allowed this chance to slip through his fingers!

Deeply conflicted, Song shi fell into an internal struggle.

"There are around... one thousand, two thousand, three thousand... Forget it, it's too much trouble to count. In any case, there are more than nine words here. Brush, you don't have to write anymore."

Not only was the crowd astonished by the sight before them, even Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded. It had taken a while before he finally recovered. Knowing that he had already won the duel, he turned to Yao shi and said, "Yao shi, this duel should be my victory, right?"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Yao shi's eyebrows shot up.

Despite spurting blood and passing out, Song shi only managed to squeeze out nine words. On the other hand, in the blink of an eye, you have already written three thousand words... Ah, no, it has written another two thousand words while I was speaking. Five thousand words...

If this isn't sufficient to be considered a victory, what else can be considered a victory?

Yao shi hurriedly nodded. "Of course, you are the victor!"

"Thanks." Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan raised his head and saw that the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was still writing. At this point, there were already more than eight thousand words in the sky.

"I said that it's enough—didn't you hear me?" Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

What the heck is this!

Since I told you to stop, you should stop obediently. To keep writing and writing, are you boasting about how fast you are able to write?

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had lost his temper, Yao shi quickly explained with a bitter smile, "Zhang shi, under the effects of your Words of Wisdom, the Brush of Heavenly Impartation will have to pen down the content of your entire lecture before it is able to rest."

It was not that the brush did not want to stop, but it could not!

Words of Wisdom was a truly formidable ability. While it was a skill that only 9-star master teachers were capable of, it was not something that all 9-star master teachers were able to pull off.

"Is that so? I guess there's no helping it then." Scratching his head awkwardly, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply before waiting patiently.

Some time later, the brush in the air finally came to a halt. Completely exhausted by the sheer amount of work it had done, its brush tip was split haggardly, and it looked as if it had done enough work for its entire lifetime.

"You are finally done..." Zhang Xuan sighed in exasperation.

But right after he spoke those words, the brush struggled up into the air and wrote down a line of characters. They were the words that he had just spoken.

"You... Are you doing this on purpose?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

The brush continued writing—Are you doing this on purpose?

"..." Zhang Xuan was on the verge of clawing his hair away. "Yao shi, look! It's copying me!"

Brush moved again—Yao shi, look! It's copying me!

"This... It might be because Zhang shi said too much earlier, such that it has developed a habit of penning down your every word. As a result, even when you aren't executing the Impartation of Heaven's Will, it still moves to record your words," Yao shi explained with a twitching mouth.

This was also the first time she had seen a situation like this, so she was not too sure.

"If that's the case, I think it would be good for you to put your Brush of Heavenly Impartation away now. Otherwise, I fear that it might end up scribbling all over Qingyuan City," Zhang Xuan remarked as he looked at the lines of ten thousand words in the air.

Currently, those words had already covered around a half of the massive square. If the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was allowed to continue, it would not be long before the entire sky over Qingyuan City was dyed black!

"You're right!" Seeing how the words that Zhang Xuan had just said were being written down, Yao shi shook her head helplessly. She immediately stepped forward to stow the Brush of Heavenly Impartation back into her storage ring, but the latter suddenly jolted wildly before abruptly plummeting from the sky and falling weakly to the ground.

"This is..." Anxious, Yao shi immediately rushed over to take a look. Upon closer examination, her face darkened. "It has fainted from exhaustion!"

While the Brush of Heavenly Impartation was neither a Saint-tier artifact nor a Spirit-tier artifact, in order to be able to discern the Impartation of Heaven's Will spoken by a master teacher, it had to possess some degree of sentience. The abrupt overload of profound information from Zhang Xuan, along with the physical exhaustion from writing so many words, had sapped its energy dry, resulting in it collapsing.

"Fainted from exhaustion?"

"Such a thing is possible, too?"

Hearing Yao shi's words, a huge commotion broke out beneath the stage. All the master teachers had looks of shock on their faces, as if they had seen a ghost.

Usually, it was the master teachers who fainted during the Brush of Heavenly Impartation out of exhaustion from the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, and yet... Zhang Xuan actually managed to make the Brush of Heavenly Impartation faint from exhaustion instead.

Was this really happening before them?

They could not help but pinch themselves to check if they had imagined everything that had happened before them.

Pu!

In this moment, a spurt of blood showered the sky. Unable to suppress his injuries any longer, Song shi fainted as well.

He had gone to the extent of expending every last bit of his Soul Depth in order to break his previous record, and yet, with just a seemingly leisurely lecture, Zhang Xuan actually managed to break his record by more than a thousandfold!

More importantly, he even made the Brush of Heavenly Impartation faint out of exhaustion?

Could such an existence still be called a human?

Not even real 9-star master teachers would be as outrageous as him!

"Zhang shi, how do you intend to deal with these characters?" Yao shi swiftly packed the Brush of Heavenly Impartation back into her storage ring before turning her gaze to Zhang Xuan.

Given that those characters had been written from Zhang Xuan's Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, naturally, he possessed ownership over them.

"This..." Zhang Xuan looked at the huge accumulation of characters in the sky, and he could not help but feel his head hurt.

Those words were so densely packed together that it caused a huge shadow to loom over the square. They would be an eyesore if he left them there.

Noticing the conflicted look on Zhang Xuan's face, Yao shi stepped forward and clasped her fist. "From how you were able to induce the Beacon of Heavenly Impartation, causing the Brush of Heavenly Impartation to continue writing non-stop, there's no doubt that the knowledge harnessed within those words is deeply aligned with the essence of the world. If Zhang shi doesn't mind, I'm willing to use two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts to purchase the characters from you."

As an 8-star master teacher, she knew that those characters in the sky were incredibly valuable. It was no exaggeration to say that they were worth an entire city or even more!

"You wish to purchase them?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Those characters could actually be sold?

"That's right." Yao shi nodded. "Through a unique method, it's possible to store those characters within a book and study them whenever one wants to."

Despite existing in a tangible form, those characters could be said to be no different from a physical embodiment of the Impartation of Heaven's Will. As long as a cultivator scanned those words with his Spiritual Perception, they would be able to interpret the knowledge harnessed within it and benefit greatly from it.

Despite being an 8-star master teacher herself, Yao shi could sense that the knowledge harnessed within those characters could help her rise to greater heights.

As such, putting aside two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts, she would not hesitate to up the stakes if needed to!

"Yao shi is offering to buy those characters with two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts?"

"Doesn't that mean that those characters are literally words of gold?"

Taking the discussion between the two in, the master teachers beneath the execution platform were utterly stunned.

Saint intermediate-tier artifacts were incredibly valuable. There were no more than a couple of them within the entire Qingyuan Empire.

Converted to high-tier spirit stones, they would be worth several ten thousand!

To actually offer that much money in exchange for those characters... Granted that it was Zhang shi's lecture, but it was still a really huge sum to pay for them!

"Two Saint intermediate-tier artifact?" Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before eventually shaking his head, rejecting Yao shi's offer.

He usually relied on his strength and wits in order to defeat others. In comparison, his weapons seemed to play a smaller role. Not to mention, he already had the Golden Origin Cauldron, so any more Saint intermediate-tier artifacts would be unnecessary.

Seeing Zhang Xuan reject her offer, Yao shi quickly replied, "Zhang shi, I am willing to negotiate the price with you if you find my offer inadequate. If two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts aren't enough... what do you think of three?"

"It's not about your offer." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He swept through the crowd with his gaze before speaking with a resounding voice. "Chu Tianxing has committed many reprehensible deeds in his time, and he deserves the fate that befell him. Even though those deeds were orchestrated by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, there's no doubt that our Master Teacher Pavilion was somewhat responsible for this matter.

"Despite serving as the guardians of mankind, we allowed the Otherworldly Demons to infiltrate our ranks and cause harm to our brethren. It's fortunate that we managed to stop Chu Tianxing in time before he could conduct his depraved ritual, but it's still a fact that our lapse in duty endangered countless innocent lives in Qingyuan City.

"As such, in order to make up for our mistake, I would like to donate this Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy to Qingyuan City as a show of repentance from our Master Teacher Pavilion. We will right where we have erred and reflect on where we have failed!"

"This..."

"He's actually giving such valuable characters to us?"

"That is worth three Saint intermediate-tier artifact! To gift it to us just like that..."

Hearing Zhang Xuan's decision, the eyes of the civilians of Qingyuan City reddened.

To view money as if it was nothing more than dirt, giving them the characters that were easily worth three Saint intermediate-tier artifacts without much hesitation... He was a true master teacher!

"Actually, the matter concerning Vice Pavilion Master Tian and Chu Tianxing has already left me a little doubtful about the competency of the Master Teacher Pavilion. However, after hearing Zhang shi's words, my trust in the Master Teacher Pavilion has been restored!"

"Indeed. Without their protection, there's no way we could have lived in peace for so many years. Perhaps, we might even have fallen under the treacherous schemes of Chu Tianxing and lost our lives."

...

While the crowd of Qingyuan City had not said anything, the problems that had surfaced one after another in recent days had really left them a little disappointed in the competency of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

After all, the betrayal of a vice pavilion master and an emperor of a Conferred Empire was no laughing matter. Yet, the Master Teacher Pavilion had been oblivious to something as huge as this for such a long period of time. Inevitably, they had started to question the Master Teacher Pavilion's leadership internally.

However, the display of magnanimity from Zhang Xuan reassured them that the Master Teacher Pavilion was still devoted to its responsibilities and duties, and this had helped to restore public faith in them.

Hearing the words from the crowd and the agitation on their faces, Yao shi clasped her fist toward Zhang Xuan and bowed. "Zhang shi's magnanimity is truly worthy of praise. I was being too narrow-minded."

She had been thinking of how she should dispel the various adverse consequences of the matter and re-establish the prestige and authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion among the populace. However, from the looks of it now, it seemed like there was no need for her to do so anymore.

As long Zhang Xuan was around, the unrest among the populace of Qingyuan City would be settled easily.

In just two short hours, the young man had already effectively become the number one figure of Qingyuan City, wielding authority incomparable by anyone else there.

With just a few simple moves, he had already managed to reduce the adverse effects from this incident to the bare minimum. It seemed like the young man did not just possess superior talent. More importantly, his outlook toward matters was also far broader and deeper than others. Compared to him, she really had much to learn.

"Alright, I shall announce the results of the Master Teacher Confrontation now. For the duel of Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy between Song shi and Zhang shi, Zhang shi is the victor!" Yao shi declared loudly, her voice sounding across the entire capital.

"Wonderful!"

"Great!"

"I knew that Zhang shi would win!"

Loud cheers broke out throughout the capital.

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to receive the admiration of so many people within such a short period of time, the awoken Song shi's face paled. "You all..."

After announcing the results, Yao shi turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Zhang shi, since you have achieved victory... may I know how you intend to deal with Song shi?"

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Chapter 1244: Zhang shi Is Conducting a Lecture!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Upon hearing Yao shi's questions, the crowd also swiftly sent curious gazes over.

They had heard Song shi's earlier words as well. Not only did he want to cripple Zhang Xuan's manhood, he even wanted to kill the Golden Origin Cauldron and have Zhang Xuan issue a public apology to him.

Considering that the tables had turned, they could not help but want to know how Zhang Xuan would deal with this situation.

Given how callous Song shi had been previously, any punishment that Zhang Xuan enforced on him would not be considered overboard.

At the same time, Song shi also tightened his fists as he nervously awaited Zhang Xuan's verdict.

The losing party of the Master Teacher Confrontation had to comply with whatever request the victor demanded. This was the rule established by the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said, "Song shi attempted to kill Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and the other meritorious subjects, but that was due to the compelling situation forcing him to do so. While I disagree with his actions, I can understand his rationale for doing so. Other than that, I do not have a personal grudge with him either... and if we look to the heart of the issue, my artifact was indeed at fault for going too far and injuring him. Thus, I won't enforce any punishment on him."

In a sense, the assault from the Golden Origin Cauldron was already a sufficient for punishment against Song shi. At this point, he was not interested in pursuing the matter any further. That would only make him appear narrow-minded and unforgiving.

"As expected of Zhang shi, magnanimous and gracious!"

"Indeed! They are both master teachers from the Master Teacher Pavilion, so why is there such a huge disparity in their characters?"

"Huge disparity? More like they aren't even on the same level!"

"From today onward, Zhang shi will be my idol! Anyone who wants to get to him must go through me!"

"Hey, Zhang shi doesn't belong to you alone! He's my idol too."

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, a wave of admiration rippled through the crowd.

Even Yao shi could not help but nod in approval.

It was no wonder Zhang Xuan was able to rise to such heights at his young age. Putting aside his talent, what was more important was his heart.

"Despite Zhang shi's magnanimity, there's no doubt that Song shi has failed to carry out his mission as an envoy from the headquarters properly. He passed judgement upon Sun Qiang and the other poison masters without investigating the issue properly, nearly inflicting grievous injustice upon meritorious subjects," Yao shi said. "No matter what, he still has to take responsibility for his actions. I'll report this matter to the headquarters and have them make a judgement."

Zhang Xuan sparing Song shi of his punishment was only a result of his victory from the Master Teacher Confrontation. Putting that aside, there was still no doubt that Song shi had committed a huge oversight in the handling of this incident, so he still had to be punished for his lapse in responsibility.

This was the rule of the Master Teacher Pavilion, so it had to be upheld.

"Thank you, Zhang shi. Thank you, Yao shi." Hearing the judgement, Song shi heaved a sigh of relief. He could not help but glance at Zhang Xuan with complex emotions in his eyes.

Previously, when the young man crippled him with his artifact, he had been so angry that he could have murdered the other party. But now... seeing how the young man's every action was dedicated to fulfilling his responsibility as a master teacher, not forgetting his role regardless of the situation, he could not help but feel deep respect for the other party.

Perhaps, that was how a real master teacher should act.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony." Seeing that the matter was finally resolved, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief on the inside.

Raising his gaze toward the sky once more, he raised his finger toward the many characters and tapped lightly.

Hong long!

The first character abruptly burst apart, and concentrated spiritual energy diffused into the surroundings, shrouding the entire Qingyuan City.

In the blink of an eye, every lifeform in Qingyuan City heard a word resounding in the depths of their souls. A single word it might have been, but the rich intent infused into it left them falling into a trance.

Pah pah pah pah!

The characters popped one after another, and more and more words sounded.

"In the Way of Cultivation, the body as the world, and the spirit as Yin-Yang..." 1

Hearing those words, Yao shi and Song shi could not help but fall into a daze.

From the moment they saw those characters, they knew that the knowledge they harnessed would be anything but ordinary. However, it was only when they heard it with their own ears that they realized just how profound it truly was.

Compared to the content in those characters, the cultivation techniques that they cultivated were truly inefficient and slow, as if a crawling snail. Hardly worth a mention!

Suppressing her urge to cultivation, Yao shi's eyes widened in bewilderment. "Zhang shi is converting the characters of the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy back to Impartation of Heaven's Will!"

Taking a look at the square beneath her feet, all of the cultivators in her sight had already sat down cross-legged on the ground, driving their zhenqi according to the method depicted through those words.

Pilipala!

Not too long later, as if an endless firecracker had been lit, the crisp echoes symbolizing breakthroughs in cultivation sounded amid the crowd.

This is...

It was understandable that a cultivation technique as profound as the one lectured by Zhang Xuan would cause the cultivators to swiftly achieve breakthroughs... but beyond the crowd, a group of wild chickens, flying birds, and many other animals were also swiftly growing stronger, and they were beginning to make breakthroughs as well.

Am I really not dreaming?

Astonished, Yao shi extended her Spiritual Perception to scan the area, and she swiftly saw countless donkeys, horses, geese, chicks... and as if they had all started cultivating as well, their auras swiftly surged along with Zhang Xuan's words.

It isn't just those flying birds, even the domesticated animals are achieving breakthroughs as well!

Shocked beyond words, she was just about to retract her Spiritual Perception when another sight she saw nearly caused her knees to cave in from sheer astonishment.

Hmm? Weren't those metal pipes bent earlier? Why did they suddenly straighten themselves?

The bent metal pipes just a little in front of the execution platform had, at some point in time, become incredibly straight, as if valiant soldiers standing at attention, exuding a heroic aura.

To actually be able to talk a metal pipe into becoming erect...

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Yao shi took another glance at Zhang Xuan, and she felt as if she was going insane.

This had already far exceeded the ability of a normal Impartation of Heaven's Will!

It's Heart of a Teacher, Yao shi thought as her eyes lit up in excitement.

Only those who possessed the Heart of a Teacher would wield such capabilities!

Who would have thought that the young man before her had actually comprehended this at such a young age?

It was no wonder he would unreservedly gift those valuable characters to the crowd and consider the welfare of the Master Teacher Pavilion and mankind in everything he did.

A thought emerged in Yao shi's mind.

If I could accept such a formidable genius as my student...

There was no denying Zhang Xuan's outstanding talent, but his potential was limited by his environment. The Qingyuan Empire, ranked last among the Conferred Empires, was simply too backward, and it was not big enough for him to fully spread his wings.

If she could accept him as her student, bring him to the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, and accord him the best resources there, he would be able to avoid many detours in his cultivation and improve swiftly.

When he finally displayed his brilliance, as his teacher, her reputation would also spread far and wide.

I should ask him later.

Glancing at the slowly disappearing characters in the sky and the countless cultivators achieving a breakthrough around her, Yao shi suppressed her urge for the moment and waited patiently for the Impartation of Heaven's Will to come to an end.

...

At the same time, in a smithy located at the suburbs of Qingyuan City...

In a compact room, an old metalsmith was forging a metal ingot beneath his hammer.

An elder walked up to the old metalsmith and smiled. "Old Zhou, I am still lacking eighteen metal pots. You must complete them for me by today!"

The old metalsmith was neither a blacksmith nor a celestial designer—he was just an ordinary metalsmith who forged basic necessities for a living.

"There's no need to rush me, don't you have any confidence in me? I'll surely finish your order by today!" the metalsmith replied with a smile.

Like magic, just with a few strikes from the hammer in his hands, the metal ingot swiftly assumed the shape of a pot.

" I have known you for several decades now—of course I have confidence in you!" the elder said.

With several decades of fellowship, they had long become close friends with one another.

The pots, spoons, and other necessities forged by the old metalsmith were exceptionally exquisite and elegant. Whenever he placed the products of the old metalsmith on display, they would be swiftly sold out. Even the nobles of the country had placed orders for the old metalsmith's works with him, offering to pay a premium on them. It was for this reason that he would always frequent the smithy of the old metalsmith and acquire his goods.

The metalsmith gestured to the chair by the side as he said, "Yes, wait there for me. I should be done soon, so let's have a cup of tea together later on..."

However, something happened at this moment that caused the metalsmith's hammer to freeze in place.

Ding ding dang dang!

The various pots and bowls he had hung on the walls suddenly began moving by themselves despite the absence of wind. They delightfully leaped to the ground before marching out of the smithy in a neat line.

"This..." Unable to believe his eyes, the old metalsmith rubbed his eyes.

Those pots and bowls were just ordinary goods, possessing no spirit at all. Why would they suddenly flee by themselves?

Watching as a bunch of spoons make their way out of the room, the elder who had been speaking to the old metalsmith a moment ago was also dumbstruck. He quickly rushed up to the metalsmith and asked, "What's going on?"

"I don't know either..." The metalsmith stared at the fantastical sight before him in a daze.

Slowly, his dazed expression twisted into one of horror.

Those were the goods that he had hammered with great effort! If they ran away, wouldn't his effort all have been in vain?

Thus, he swiftly dashed to the door to block the marching of the various metalworks, but at that moment, he suddenly felt a sharp ache in his palm, which caused his clenched hand to open. The metal hammer he was holding made use of this opportunity to leap to the ground and dash out of the room.

"Don't run!"

That hammer had been with him for several decades now, and he depended on it for a living. The old metalsmith immediately gave chase, but the following moment, the metal door to the smithy abruptly smashed into his head, knocking him back.

Before he could even process what was going on, the entire house began shaking intensely before furiously running after the metal hammer.

"Even my house is running away?" The metalsmith was crazed.

It was one thing for his pots and bowls to run away, but for his house to escape as well... Where was he going to live from now on? Where was he going to smith his goods in the future?

Panicked, the old metalsmith turned to his old friend and pleaded, "Old Liang, don't you have an aerial spirit beast? Help me check what's going on! I can't lose my wares and house just like that!"

"Alright!" The elder who had been speaking to him earlier nodded.

With a loud whistle, an aerial spirit beast immediately flew to the ground. The elder stepped on the back of the aerial spirit beast and flew into the distance.

Not long later, the elder returned with a pale face, as if he had just seen something supernatural happening before him.

"What's wrong, Old Liang? Is this the work of some kind of burglar?" the old metalsmith asked anxiously.

He had heard rumors about formidable burglars being able to steal items even from a distance away.

Could one of these burglars have cast some kind of sorcery over his possessions, causing them to run out of his control and flee?

"It's not the doing of a burglar but..."

The elder swallowed a mouthful of saliva, but his voice still sounded extremely hoarse.

"... Zhang shi is conducting a lecture!"

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Chapter 1245: Honorary Elder

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang shi is conducting a lecture?"

The old metalsmith was taken aback. Pricking up his ears and listening intently, there was indeed a faint voice to be heard a distance away.

As it was too far away, the voice sounded indistinct. Nevertheless, just by catching traces of it, he could already feel the zhenqi in his body leaping into action, moving along with the other party's words.

"Is this... Impartation of Heaven's Will?" the metalsmith asked hoarsely as his eyes lit up in agitation.

Even though he was only an ordinary metalsmith, he had still heard much about the master teachers. It was indeed troublesome that his pots and bowls had run away, but this was also a rare opportunity for him. There was a vast difference in the price of an ordinary pot and one that had been infused with a spirit.

With his exquisite craftsmanship, he could sell his pots for a thousand gold coins easily. However, if his pots were infused with spirit, he would have to think twice about selling them even if the buyer were to offer him a middle-tier spirit stone!

Of course... before considering any of that, he had to capture his escaped pots and metalware back first!

Hu!

Not too long later, the old metalsmith finally managed to catch up to his pots and bowls, and his hammer was finally back in his hands as well. This time though, he could feel a bloodline connection with his hammer, and it felt as if the hammer had no weight at all.

With this, I won't need to rest in between my forging anymore. I can finish the eighteen pots required well before afternoon! As long as I have this hammer in hand, I'll be able to lead a far better life than before, the old metalsmith thought as he clenched his fists in agitation.

Gazing in the direction that the voice had come from, the old metalsmith kneeled onto the floor with reddened eyes.

"Thank you, Zhang shi."

...

The same sight was happening throughout every street and alley of Qingyuan City.

Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will was not only able to raise one's cultivation, it was also highly effective toward one's proficiency in an occupation. There were some apothecaries who found themselves successfully forging pills that they had failed countless times before after listening to Zhang Xuan's lecture. There were also saint beasts who were unable to reproduce due to their strong bloodlines suddenly finding themselves carrying twins in their wombs after listening to the lecture.

...

Padah!

When the final character above the square dissipated, the cultivators in the square gradually roused from the trance they were in, and an ardent heat could be seen in their eyes.

Ordinary Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy was only sufficient for the cultivation of an individual, but Zhang Xuan's had been actually able to release a resounding voice, reminiscent of an Impartation of Heaven's Will. Within just a short period of time, they had found themselves benefiting greatly from his teachings.

Everything felt so mystical that they could not help but feel a little dreamy within.

"Teacher!"

One by one, they kneeled onto the ground and kowtowed in agitation.

Having benefited from the Zhang Xuan's guidance, he could be considered half a teacher to them.

From that day onward, nearly all of the master teachers and cultivators in Qingyuan City would be Zhang Xuan's students, granting him unparalleled authority and prestige in the city.

Seeing the gazes of admiration around him, Yao shi remarked in awe, "To make countless submit to him through just words... this is a true master teacher!"

Despite being an 8-star master teacher, she knew that she was incapable of doing the same.

The talent that the young man before her possessed far surpassed her imagination. Perhaps, he might even be on par with the offspring of the Sage Clans!

Furthermore, despite having so many people acknowledging him as their teacher simultaneously, he showed no signs of excitement or complacency at all. Just by his state of mind alone, there was no doubt that he would eventually achieve great things in the future!

I must accept him as my student! Yao shi clenched her fists tightly in determination.

As talented as Zhang Xuan was, he still was not an 8-star master teacher yet, so she stood a chance in becoming the young man's teacher.

As long as she groomed him well, it would not be long before she became one of the most respected figures in the Master Teacher Continent!

With such thoughts in mind, Yao shi could no longer hold herself back anymore. Turning to Zhang Xuan, she asked, "Zhang shi, are you are interested in cultivating in the Empire Alliance?"

"Empire Alliance?"

"That's right. The cultivation techniques and resources they have there are incomparable to those of the Qingyuan Empire. As long as you agree to become my student, I can take you there and vie for the best resources for you. With my guidance, I guarantee that you will become a real 8-star master teacher within the next fifty years!" Yao shi nodded.

"Fifty years?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "No thank you."

If he needed fifty years to advance to an 8-star master teacher, he would already be lying in the dirt with tall grass above his grave.

To others, to be able to become an 8-star master teacher before seventy was already a formidable achievement, but to him, that was a speed even slower than a snail's crawl. It could not generate the slightest enthusiasm in him.

Despite Zhang Xuan's rejection, Yao shi did not show the slightest hint of anger. Instead, she began patiently explaining, "Zhang shi, this is really a good opportunity. The Empire Alliance is filled with many different factions, and without someone to bring you around, you will face many obstacles there."

"Factions?"

"The Empire Alliance is basically a power consisting of multiple organizations, namely the Eight Conferred Empires and several smaller Sage Clans. Due to the independent nature of these organizations, there are often conflicts of interest, resulting in the rise of several different factions in the Master Teacher Pavilion. Without any understanding of the various factions, it's very easy for one to get on the wrong side of the more powerful factions, which would make it hard for one to survive there," Yao shi replied with a nod.

"I am not taking advantage of you by accepting you as my disciple. By coming under my protection, you will be able to better maneuver your way around the politics there and receive the recognition from the various powers. Otherwise, no matter how talented you are, it will be difficult for you to rise through the ranks. After all, given how big the Empire Alliance is, one thing that they don't lack is talented individuals!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had read books concerning the Empire Alliance, so he had some understanding of how it operated.

Just as Yao shi said, the Eight Conferred Empires were only a portion of the Empire Alliance.

Some of the weaker Sage Clans and sects were under them as well.

As a power consisting of multiple individual organizations, it was inevitable that multiple factions would rise in the Empire Alliance so that these organizations would be able to protect their interests.

"There's no need to give me a response right now. You can give it some thought," Yao shi said.

"Regarding that, I'm curious, why do the headquarters allow the master teachers of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion to engage in factional rivalry?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.

In the previous places he had been to, the master teachers from the same Master Teacher Pavilion would typically get along harmoniously with one another. While there was some rivalry and conflict, it was mostly between individuals rather than factions. So, why would the headquarters turn a blind eye to such chaos in the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion?

"When Kong shi first established the Master Teacher Pavilion, he once said that in order for mankind to grow swiftly, their true nature mustn't be restrained. There should always be some degree of competition and conflict internally, or else peace will slowly result in stagnation and decline," Yao shi explained.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

This was similar to the rules of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

Unless in the face of affairs that threatened the welfare of mankind, the management of the academy would usually stay out of the rivalry among students.

Only with competition would there be a sense of urgency for improvement.

If each independent power felt that their interest would be assured by a higher power, while it was true that this would allow the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion to become united in the short-term, in the long-run, these independent powers could grow complacent and lazy.

It was also for this reason that the regional Master Teacher Pavilion was entrusted with the full responsibility of dealing with whatever conflicts they faced on their land. Unless the problem surpassed their capability, the direct headquarters would not interfere in the matter.

As long as the factional rivalry did not get out of hand, maintaining such a state in the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion was not necessarily a bad decision.

It was through such a system that talents rose one after another in the Master Teacher Pavilion, and despite dozens of millenniums passing, its position as the number one occupation still remained unwavering.

This was survival of the fittest. Only through a cycle of continuous selection would the most capable master teachers be left within the organization.

"I really dislike dealing with such factional rivalries..." Zhang Xuan pinched his glabella in frustration.

It was simply too tiring to engage in politics against others.

"I understand your point of view, but there's no way to avoid it. Unless you become an elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, you will eventually be dragged into the factional rivalry as well!" Yao shi replied with a sigh.

"Elder?"

"Un. The elders of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion have a vote in deciding major affairs, and just for that, every single organization lobbies them. It could be said that they possess a transcendental position in the Empire Alliance, and no one dares offend them!" Yao shi explained.

"How can one become an elder then?" Zhang Xuan was a little moved by that idea.

By becoming an elder, he would be spared from the politics that he hated, and he would also be able to enjoy cultivation resources as a result of that position. Two birds with one stone!

"You want to become an elder?" Yao shi was rendered speechless.

That fellow sure knew how to dream.

Even she, an 8-star low-tier master teacher, was not qualified to become an elder. Yet, a 7-star master teacher like him was actually already thinking about it...

Aren't you being too ambitious?

Suppressing her displeasure at the young man's conceit, Yao shi explained patiently, "In order to become an elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, you first have to become an 8-star master teacher, and your cultivation has to reach Saint 7-dan. More importantly, you must receive Pavilion Master He's recognition and approval. Without any of that, it's impossible to become an elder!"

At this point, Yao shi sighed deeply before continuing. "My teacher is an 8-star high-tier master teacher, and he has been applying for the seat of an elder for thirty years now. Despite that, he still has not been approved!"

If only her teacher was an elder, she would have been in one of those blessed lands for cultivation at this moment instead of being dispatched here to the remote Qingyuan Empire to deal with this trouble.

Since even her teacher was not qualified to be an elder, how could the young man before her possibly stand a chance? Even if he possessed astounding talent, he was still only a 7-star master teacher!

One must know that the number of talented master teachers increased exponentially going up the ranks. Zhang Xuan might have been an incredible genius, but which of the current 8-star master teachers were not astounding talents back in their time?

Besides, one had to get past Pavilion Master He in order to become an elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. If it was that easy to earn Pavilion Master He's approval, there would not only have been twelve elders in the entire Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion over the course of the past few centuries.

"I see... It's indeed not easy to become an elder." Hearing that even Yao shi's teacher, an 8-star high-tier master teacher and Saint 7-dan expert, had not succeeded in becoming an elder yet, Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly, realizing that he might have been a little too impudent.

"Indeed..." Yao shi shook her head and sighed deeply once more. "As such, it's impossible to avoid the factional rivalry in the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. Since that's the case, the only way to protect yourself is by choosing a side to stand with and coming under the faction's protection. Even though my teacher is not an elder, he's still possesses one of the managerial roles there. If you become my student, you will automatically become a member of our faction, and you can be assured that my teacher and I will do our best to protect you..."

While Yao shi was busy analyzing the situation for Zhang Xuan in order to convince him to become her student, a furious gale suddenly sounded in the air. Following which, a massive aerial saint beast came to a halt above the execution platform.

Several figures leaped down from the aerial saint beast.

"Wu shi, Hall Master Xing..." Zhang Xuan greeted the familiar faces with a smile.

Wu shi and the others had taken a short stop at the Northern Meadows City Master Teacher Pavilion in order to report the incident concerning the Qingtian Emperor to the headquarters before rushing back, thus causing them to return to Qingyuan City a few hours later than Zhang Xuan.

After trading some pleasantries, Wu shi said with a smile, "Zhang shi, I have already reported the matter in detail to the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, and Pavilion Master He has also prepared a reward for you!"

Following that, he abruptly raised the token in his hand, and a pillar of light rose from the nearby Master Teacher Pavilion.

Boom!

As if some kind of formation had been activated, a powerful aura began diffusing into the surroundings, shrouding the area.

Realizing that a decree from the headquarters had arrived, all the master teachers and combat masters hurriedly turned their gazes over grimly.

A powerful voice echoed in the surroundings.

"Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion's Zhang Xuan has foiled the schemes of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and annihilated the Qingtian Emperor and his Ten Kings. For the immense contribution he has made to mankind, I hereby declare him an honorary elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion..."

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Chapter 1246: Ji Ruochen

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hong long!

Right after those words were spoken, a peculiar power began shrouding Zhang Xuan, and it gradually converged to form a unique token in his hands.

On the front was an emblem representing the Empire Alliance, and on the back were the words 'Honorary Elder'. The token was golden in color, and it carried an aura of authority.

"Honorary elder? I became an elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan was stupefied.

It was just a moment ago that Yao shi had been filling him in on how difficult it was to become an elder, advising him to drop the hopeless idea. But in the blink of an eye, he was suddenly bestowed with this identity?

Too easy!

Zhang Xuan subconsciously shot a glance toward Yao shi, only to see the latter's face completely red as her body trembled uncontrollably. It seemed like she was already on the verge of tears.

Well, it was no wonder she would react in such a manner.

Her teacher had spent so many years applying for the position of an elder time and time again, only to fail each time around. Yet, he, a 7-star master teacher who had never even been to the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, had actually become its elder so easily.

Not to mention, he had even received the title right after Yao shi explained how difficult it was to obtain it!

"Thank you!" Knowing that this was probably the result of Wu shi and the others passing on the credit of the expedition to him, Zhang Xuan quickly turned around to thank them.

Other than bestowing Zhang Xuan with the position as an honorary elder, Pavilion Master He also announced Wu shi's promotion as the new head of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion.

"Yao shi and Pavilion Master Wu, I'll be counting on you to deal with the affairs here."

As the two clasped their fists, Pavilion Master He's voice gradually faded into silence.

With this, the problem that Sun Qiang and the others had caused had been resolved, so there was no longer any need for Zhang Xuan to remain there. As for dealing with the post-crisis clean up concerning the Qingyuan Empire and the Master Teacher Pavilion, Wu shi and Yao shi were clearly more competent than him in that area, so his interference in those matters would only be excessive.

Thus, Zhang Xuan bade farewell and prepared to take his leave.

At that moment, however, Wu shi suddenly stopped him and asked, "Zhang shi, wait a moment. Chu Tianxing's death has resulted in a power gap in the Qingyuan Empire. Who do you think will be a suitable candidate to become the next emperor?"

The Qingyuan Empire could not go on without an emperor. Since Chu Tianxing was dead, they had to ascertain a successor as soon as possible, or else it would not be long before internal strife broke out for the throne.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before replying. "This... Chu Tianxing has a son named Chu Xiang. I know him personally, and he does have the qualities suited for the crown. I think it's worth considering him."

Sun Qiang had revealed Chu Xiang's identity to him in the message that he had left for him in the Jade Communication Token.

While that young man was indeed a little lustful, he was no profligate scion. Putting aside his superior talent in cultivation, the young man did have a keen eye for assessing the big picture, and in the interactions with him, Zhang Xuan had realized that he harbored compassion for the populace. From those two aspects, he would make a much better emperor than Chu Tianxing.

"I understand. I'll take a look at Chu Xiang," Wu shi replied.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded before leaping down from the execution platform. He walked up to Sun Qiang and asked, "Where is Liu Yang's letter? Let me take a look at it!"

Shortly after Chu Tianxing's death, Liu Yang had gone missing, leaving behind only a letter. Considering how Song shi had mobilized the entire Master Teacher Pavilion to comb Qingyuan City and its surroundings, only to find no trace of him at all, there was a good chance that he had already left Qingyuan City.

Sun Qiang had expressed that he was unaware of the details concerning Liu Yang's departure as well, and the only clue that was left behind was the letter.

Since the crisis was already over, it was time for him to deal with Liu Yang's issue.

"As the letter was addressed to Young Master, I didn't dare open it," Sun Qiang explained as he passed it over to Zhang Xuan.

Taking the letter, Zhang Xuan tore open the envelope, and lines of words immediately appeared before him.

"Teacher, I'm sorry for my abrupt departure. I have really caused you much trouble this time by killing Chu Tianxing, but that's only partly why I have chosen to take my leave. I know that with you will be able to absolve me from blame, but I really do not wish to remain a burden by your side. You have already done too much for me..."

The words were neat with distinctive strokes, and they carried an air of resolve to them.

Soon, Zhang Xuan finished reading through the letter, and he shook his head silently.

In truth, he was able to understand the reason behind Liu Yang's abrupt departure.

Liu Yang was one of the first few students he had accepted, and in that sense, he could be considered the senior of Zheng Yang, Lu Chong, Yuan Tao, and the others. But now, Zheng Yang had become the Progeny of Combat, Lu Chong had headed to the Ancient Domain of the Soul Oracles to inherit the heritage of the soul oracles, and Yuan Tao had returned to the Yuan Clan. It was clear that all of them were destined for greatness!

On the other hand, of Zhang Xuan's three female students, one had gone to the Glacier Plain Court, one had taken root in the Poison Hall, and one had joined the Spirit Awakener Guild.

In contrast, he appeared to be the only unaccomplished one, still silently following behind their teacher's back.

The pressure he had been under was unimaginable.

It was one thing for him to expend their teacher's cultivation resources, but he even fell for the enemy's ploy and was held hostage by them in order to threaten his teacher.

The immense guilt that he felt nearly had suffocated him!

He knew how much his teacher cared for them, and that only served to deepen the pressure on him. He realized that the only way he could stop being a burden to his teacher was to leave. This way, no one would be able to hold him hostage to threaten his teacher, and his teacher would not be put in a spot because of him.

Thus, he hardened his resolve and departed without any hesitation.

"Jeez..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. "You are my precious student; I would never think of you as a burden."

Even though Liu Yang could not be said to be particularly outstanding of the seven direct disciples, he was still a student who had been with Zhang Xuan since Tianxuan Kingdom, and step by step, they had come this far together.

Zhang Xuan had long viewed the young man as his own child, so how could he possibly view the latter as a burden?

"Young Master, what should we do about Young Master Liu Yang?"

At this point, Sun Qiang had also finished reading the letter, and he could not help but ask.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "There's no need to look for him. Given his capability, it'll be impossible to track him down. We can only wait for him to think things through and find me of his own accord."

As his direct disciple, what Zhang Xuan had imparted to Liu Yang were not just cultivation and battle techniques but practical skills such as disguising and anti-tracking. If Liu Yang really wanted to hide himself, unless it was Zhang Xuan himself, not even a 7-star master teacher would be able to identify him!

"I have really neglected his state of mind and sentiments..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

Zheng Yang becoming the Progeny of Combat must have been a huge blow to Liu Yang.

His peer had already become someone who could bring pride and honor to their teacher whereas he was still living off their teacher. It was inevitable that he would feel dispirited.

However, Zhang Xuan had simply had too much on his hands then to pay any heed to Liu Yang's state of mind, or else, he never would have allowed such a thing to happen.

"In grooming a student, a teacher mustn't just focus on developing their cultivation and capabilities." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply once more.

For the past year, he had been too focused on developing the capabilities of his students that he had neglected their feelings.

His students did not just view one another as seniors and juniors, they also thought of the others as rivals whom they compared themselves with.

However, it was already too late to do anything about it. He could only wait for Liu Yang to walk out of this matter by himself now.

...

In the sky far away from Qingyuan City, a beautiful figure was seated on the back of an aerial saint beast with her eyes tightly closed. A surge of pure zhenqi flowed through her veins, resulting in a peculiar deep melody.

Kacha!

Some time later, as if successfully breaking some kind of bottleneck, the young lady slowly opened her eyes.

"I have finally made a breakthrough..."

She had been cultivating diligently during this period of time, and her efforts had finally paid off. Even though she was still some distance away from reaching Saint realm, it was no longer a distant target for her.

"Zhang shi, just you wait! I'll look for you once more I catch up to you," the young lady declared with a determined gleam in her eyes.

She really fancied the talented master teacher who dared treat her as his maid for a period of time, but she knew that blindly following behind the other party would only bring her greater and greater despair.

Since that was the case, she would just have to focus all her effort into her cultivation, and hopefully, she would be able to get him to spare her an additional glance.

She had thought over many matters in the ten days that she had spent on top of the aerial saint beast, and she had come to understand a lot.

Leaving did not mean that she was giving up or admitting defeat. Rather, it was to build the foundation for a sweeter reunion.

Hopefully, when I meet you once more, I will have the courage and strength to speak on equal grounds with you.

Qiu!

While the young lady's eyes were still wandering over the place, the piercing call of a beast sounded in her ears. Following which, she felt the aerial saint beast beneath her trembling non-stop, as if it had encountered an overwhelmingly powerful existence.

She quickly raised her head and saw an emerald-colored saint beast slowly flying over from the horizon.

Roughly ten meters in length, the saint beast before her was indescribably beautiful. It had nine tails that fluttered elegantly behind it, and its movements seemed to manipulate space itself, allowing it to soar freely in the sky.

"That is the... Saint 9-dan Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix?" the young lady gasped in disbelief.

While it was only a short stay in Qingyuan City, she had not spent her time idling away. Through visiting the various guilds and reading the books they had on their shelves, she had managed to deepen her understanding in most of her supporting occupations, including beast tamer!

Based on what she knew, the saint beast that was appearing before her was likely one of the rarest saint beasts in the Master Teacher Continent... the Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix!

It would already be a blessing of a lifetime if an ordinary cultivator was able to catch a glimpse of it, so it felt too much of a coincidence for her to encounter it there in the middle of the vast, endless sky.

As the young lady stiffened her body warily, a figure suddenly emerged on the back of the Empyrean Phoenix.

Her face was covered with a veil, making it impossible to discern her appearance or age. However, from the veiled lady's slender and elegant figure, the young lady could tell that the other party was likely a ravishing beauty.

Just from the fact that the other party was standing upon the Saint 9-dan Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix, there was no doubt that the veiled lady was a formidable expert, an existence who stood at the very peak of the Master Teacher Continent.

Not daring to hesitate in the least, the young lady immediately got to her feet and bowed respectfully.

There was no way she could afford to offend such a powerful expert!

Hu!

The Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix stopped at a distance not too far away from the young lady's aerial saint beast.

With a pair of eyes that twinkled like the brilliant stars in the sky, the veiled lady looked at the young lady and said, "You are Yu Fei-er."

It was a crisp voice reminiscent of the jingle of bells. Rather than a question, it seemed like she was making a statement instead.

Nevertheless, the young lady still hurriedly nodded in response. "Yes!"

She was indeed Yu Fei-er.

"My teacher wishes to accept you as her disciple." Despite her crisp voice, the veiled lady's tone was one of nonchalance.

"This..." Yu Fei-er's body stiffened. She could not believe what she had just heard.

Considering how the veiled lady was riding a Saint 9-dan Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix, she was bound to be an incredible expert herself. So, just how powerful of a person would the teacher she spoke about be?

"May I know who your esteemed teacher is?" Yu Fei-er asked meekly.

"My teacher is a 9-star master teacher of the Master Teacher Pavilion main headquarters, Elder Ji Ruochen!" the veiled lady replied calmly.

"9-star master teacher? An elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion main headquarters?" Yu Fei-er's breathing hastened. In this moment, she found her head insufficient to process the astounding news she had just heard. "But I am just an ordinary person from a Tier-1 Empire, and I have never met Ji shi before. Why would... Ji shi want to accept me as her disciple?"

Everything had happened so abruptly and quickly that she dared not believe that something as good as this could possibly happen to her.

"You will have to ask my teacher personally. My job is just to bring you to my teacher," the veiled lady replied impassively. "So, what's your decision? If you are willing to become the disciple of my teacher, I'll take you with me. Otherwise, I'll convey your refusal to my teacher."

"I-I'm willing... I'm willing!" Yu Fei-er quickly woke up from her daze and nodded vehemently.

If she could become the disciple of a 9-star master teacher, her cultivation would surely grow by leaps and bounds. Perhaps, she might even be able to catch up with Zhang Xuan!

Without a doubt, this was much better than fumbling her way forward.

This was a rare opportunity that countless dreamt of. She would have to have been a fool to let it slip through her fingers!

"Very well, follow me then!"

The veiled lady waved her hand, and Yu Fei-er suddenly found the world blurring before her. Before she could understand what was going on, she realized that she was already standing on the back of the Nine-tailed Empyrean Phoenix.

Boom!

While she was still dazed, the Empyrean Phoenix beneath her roared furiously before abruptly disappearing. As if teleportation, several thousand kilometers disappeared behind them in an instant.

"How fast!" Seeing how fast the world was passing by her, Yu Fei-er's face reddened in astonishment.

Glancing back in the direction of Qingyuan City, she tightened her fists in agitation and made a vow. Zhang shi, I'll definitely stand proudly before you once more and have you make your choice again!

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Chapter 1247: The Guide Arrives

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang shi, here is the gift that the headquarters have given us for the friendly spar with the other Combat Master Halls."

Zhang Xuan brought Sun Qiang and the others back to their accommodation in the Combat Master Hall, and not too long after they returned, Hall Master Xing came over.

There had recently been a friendly spar between the four lower-ranked Combat Master Hall in order to choose twenty combat masters to train at the Qianchong Empire's Sword Lagoon. Thanks to the training regime that Zhang Xuan had specially created for their candidates, the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall had managed to acquire all twenty of the slots, and the Combat Master Hall headquarters had specially relayed their compliments to them.

Just a few days ago, the rewards for their spectacular performance this time around had arrived through a special delivery channel.

"The reward this time around is 120 concentrated high-tier spirit stones, 20 more than we initially expected. However, even as the hall master, I can only freely allocate half of them, so I can only give you 60."

Hall Master Xing flicked his wrist and passed several jade containers over.

"60 concentrated high-tier spirit stone? That is good enough!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. "It seems like the effort I put into training those lads wasn't in vain!"

"The effort you put into training those lads?" Hall Master Xing's eyebrows began twitching, and he nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

You ran off to crash the Master Teacher Pavilion right after coming up with the training regime, and you didn't even return to watch the friendly spar.

If even that can be called effort, what can't be?

"Thanks!" Zhang Xuan was perplexed by Hall Master Xing's twitching eyebrows, but he decided not to pay any heed to it. He opened the jade containers, and upon feeling the dense spiritual energy flowing out of them, he nodded in satisfaction.

With so many concentrated high-tier spirit stones, he would be able to advance his cultivation considerably!

While it was his obligation as a master teacher to raise the fighting prowess of the combat masters, it still did not hurt for him to earn some benefits in the midst of doing so.

"This is what we agreed on previously, so there's no need to stand on ceremony. Alright, if there's nothing else, I won't hold you any longer."

Knowing that Zhang Xuan would surely have to cultivate after obtaining the concentrated high-tier spirit stones, Hall Master Xing bade farewell before taking his leave.

As soon as he left, Zhang Xuan unhesitatingly entered the Myriad Anthive Nest.

He had already compiled the Saint 4-dan Heaven's Path Divine Art, and all he had been lacking was ample concentrated high-tier spirit stones. Since he had finally obtained what he had been waiting for all this while, it was a given that he should quickly raise his cultivation.

After all, it had already been more than ten days since he had been stuck at Saint 3-dan pinnacle. It was about time for him to make a breakthrough.

In this world of cultivation, strength was the foundation to almost everything. Without sufficient strength, one would be too vulnerable.

If he did not obtain strength soon enough, his girlfriend could very well be going into the embrace of another man.

Zhang Xuan swiftly conditioned his state to the peak, and once everything was in place, he took a seat and flicked his finger. A concentrated high-tier spirit stone flew out from the jade container.

Under the effects of the formation, incredibly pure spiritual energy gushed out from the spirit stone and gathered around Zhang Xuan, flowing into his body via his acupoints.

"This isn't enough..." Knowing that he would require far more spiritual energy than an ordinary cultivator to achieve a breakthrough, he continued to draw more spirit stones out from the jade containers.

Sou sou sou sou!

The remaining 59 concentrated high-tier spirit stones flew out one after another, and they took position in a unique formation around Zhang Xuan.

Hong long long!

The Spirit Gathering Formation drew out the spiritual energy from six of the concentrated high-tier spirit stones, and in the blink of an eye, the spiritual energy around Zhang Xuan felt as viscous as water.

If any other ordinary cultivator had been in his place instead, they would have found their breathing becoming erratic. Not only would they be unable to cultivate under such circumstances, it might even pose a threat to them.

The difference in the concentration of spiritual energy in the surroundings and a cultivator's body would result in the spiritual energy relentlessly gushing into his body, and if the cultivator could not assimilate the spiritual energy fast enough, the energy could end up wrecking their body, resulting in an unfortunate death.

However, such a situation would never occur to Zhang Xuan.

Having cultivated the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, his body was already comparable to a Saint intermediate-tier artifact. On top of that, he had also cultivated his soul through the Heaven's Path Soul Art, making it far more resilient that the soul of any ordinary cultivator. As a result, it was nigh impossible that a situation would occur where his body was unable to withstand a massive influx of spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy grew more and more concentrated, and when it finally reached a certain density, Zhang Xuan opened his mouth wide and began absorbing it furiously.

Boom!

The concentrated spiritual energy surged into Zhang Xuan's body through his acupoints and into his body before swiftly gathering in his dantian.

In his dantian, the ten-meter-tall Origin Soul waved its hand excitedly upon seeing the influx of spiritual energy, and it swallowed it delightfully in huge mouthfuls. Slowly, it began to metamorphose.

The key to achieving Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm was to relentlessly feed one's Origin Soul with energy in order to nourish it, granting it sufficient energy to evolve into a Primordial Spirit.

With ample spiritual energy and the Saint 4-dan Heaven's Path Divine Art, Zhang Xuan's Origin Soul grew at a visible pace, and the aura it exuded was swiftly becoming stronger.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

But along with the metamorphosis of the Origin Soul, the concentrated high-tier spirit stones lying all around were also beginning to shatter with crisp echoes as the spiritual energy within them was sapped dry.

The rate at which the concentrated high-tier spirit stones are being consumed is really frightening... Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched wildly.

He had thought that 60 concentrated high-tier spirit stones would be sufficient for him to cultivate from Embryonic Soul realm pinnacle to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle. However, from the looks of it... he had once again underestimated the frightening consumption rate of cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art.

The further he cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art, the greater the requirement for the purity and quantity of spiritual energy he would need. At this point, even the purity of concentrated high-tier spirit stones seemed to be slightly lacking.

Zhang Xuan sighed. Of the four necessary elements to cultivation— wealth, peers, method, and environment 1 —wealth is indeed ranked at the very top. Without sufficient resources, no amount of talent can allow one to climb to the top!

He had been thinking that he would try to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 7-dan as soon as possible so that he would be on equal footing with the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan. But he now realized that the road ahead was truly arduous.

Putting everything else aside, just the lack of spirit stones could already leave him with a splitting headache.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

Finally, when 32 concentrated high-tier spirit stones had been expended, he struck the bottleneck of Embryonic Soul realm pinnacle.

Hong long!

His aura abruptly transformed, granting him a more imposing presence.

Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm reached!

Upon the breakthrough in his cultivation, Zhang Xuan instantaneously felt his thoughts become clearer and faster. At the same time, his physical body and soul had also undergone massive changes, becoming far more resilient and powerful than before.

On top of that, his reflexes had also grown significantly.

In the past, when he clashed with Leaving Aperture realm experts, while he had been able to match them with his sheer strength and speed, his slightly slower reflexes had placed him at a critical disadvantage. He had needed to depend on his Eye of Insight in order to predict the opponent's move in advance in order to stand against them on equal footing. Otherwise, he might not have even been a match for the copper-masked clone of the Qingtian Emperor.

But with his current enhanced reflexes, he would be able to easily carry out maneuvers faster than the copper-masked clone's reflexes, allowing him to subdue the latter in a single blow.

"Continue!"

Seeing that he still had some spirit stones remaining, Zhang Xuan calmed his state of mind before closing his eyes to continue cultivating.

An hour and a half later, all the remaining 28 concentrated high-tier spirit stones had shattered in powdery dust, and his cultivation had also advanced to Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage.

He raised his hand and grasped the area before him lightly. In an instant, the surrounding air turned viscous, making it tangible to one's touch.

"Incredible..."

Feeling that his grasp over space had advanced another notch, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. With my current strength, even if I encountered the real Qingtian Emperor again, I would be able to subdue him easily even without the assistance of my clone!

From the Embryonic Soul realm to Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage, he had only achieved a breakthrough of three cultivation stages, but his fighting prowess had risen by twofold at the very minimum!

With his enhanced strength and grasp over space, even in the Qingtian Emperor's cloned form, without relying on his clone or any ploys, he would be able to overpower the latter with brute force.

In other words, the current Zhang Xuan already wielded strength comparable to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage experts, or perhaps, he might even stand a chance against ordinary Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle experts.

In the Leaving Aperture realm, every single advancement in one's cultivation stage would bring a lightning tribulation, and the tempering from the lightning tribulation resulted in a vast difference in strength between each cultivation stage.

If it were to be known that Zhang Xuan was able to match a Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage cultivator before he had even made a breakthrough to the Leaving Aperture realm, it would surely scare many to death.

Of course, considering that he cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art and Heaven's Path battle techniques, as well as the advantage from the Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path, he would really be useless if he could not do this much.

It's a pity that I only received 60 concentrated high-tier spirit stones from Hall Master Xing. If I had obtained all 120, I might have been able to make a breakthrough to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle directly. Zhang Xuan shook his head.

If only he could have raised his cultivation to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, he was confident that he would have been able to down just about any Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert.

Even without the Golden Origin Cauldron, he would be able to defeat cultivators of Song shi's caliber with ease.

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. I guess it can't be helped. No matter what, Hall Master Xing is the head of the Combat Master Hall. He will surely have to leave some concentrated high-tier spirit stones for himself to groom his own combat masters, so I can't possibly take all of them from him.

To be honest, Hall Master Xing was already being generous by giving him half of the rewards given to them by the Combat Master Hall headquarters. He would only be greedy if he attempted to acquire any more from them.

After taking a while to adapt to his newfound strength, Zhang Xuan left the Myriad Anthive Nest.

As soon as Zhang Xuan walked out of the room, Sun Qiang walked up to him. "Young Master, Pavilion Master Wu has requested that you drop by the Master Teacher Pavilion for a moment after you are done cultivating!"

"Wu shi wants me to drop by the Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It had not been long since he returned. Why would Wu shi suddenly ask him to drop by the Master Teacher Pavilion?

Sun Qiang pondered for a moment before replying. "Un. Pavilion Master Wu said that the guide to the Sanctum of Sages has just arrived, so he wishes to invite you over to participate in the Selection of Sages."

"The guide has arrived?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Previously, Mu shi had told him that it was very likely that Luo Ruoxin was at the Sanctum of Sages, and if he wanted to find her, he would have to enroll into the Sanctum of Sages himself.

However, as the highest academy of the Master Teacher Continent, it was not a place that just anyone could enter. The slots for it were severely limited.

When Zhang Xuan had asked about it back then, the response he had received was that the guide would be arriving around twenty days later. Taking a look at the time, it was around twenty days since he had parted from Mu shi, and it was indeed about time for the guide to arrive.

"I'll head over to take a look..." Since it was a matter concerning Luo Ruoxin, there was no need for Zhang Xuan to hesitate at all. He quickly made his way over to the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Not too long later, he arrived at his destination.

"Zhang shi!"

Now that Zhang Xuan was the teacher of all master teachers, there was no one who did not recognize him. As soon as he entered the Master Teacher Pavilion, all the master teachers who saw him immediately clasped their fists and bowed.

"He is Zhang shi?"

"How dashing!"

"I am his loyal fan! Do you think that he'll allow me to bear his babies?"

"Scram to the side! You are a man; how do you intend to give birth?"

...

A commotion swiftly broke out in the surroundings.

After the incident with the Heavenly Impartation of Mentor's Calligraphy, Zhang Xuan had already taken over Zhang Jiuxiao's position as the idol of all young men in the Qingyuan Empire.

Thus, upon his appearance, all the young men who were currently studying in the Master Teacher Pavilion could not help but fall into a state of agitation, unable to control themselves.

Seeing the crazed crowd around him, a feeling of deep helplessness rose within Zhang Xuan. This is really not the type of life I want! Why do things never go the way I want them to?

All he sought was a humble life, cultivating peacefully, advancing his cultivation peacefully, and remaining the inconspicuous handsome lad he was.

It really was not his wish to have so many people idolize him frenziedly!

Scanning the surroundings, Zhang Xuan saw the millstone-bottom lady who had been deeply infatuated with Zhang Jiuxiao back then standing amid the crowd as well. Upon noticing his gaze, the latter began shrieking in excitement, and from the looks of it, it seemed like she might even dash straight forward to knock him onto the ground.

Alarmed, he hastened his footsteps.

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. Forget it, it's about time for me to leave Qingyuan City anyway...

He had been in Qingyuan City for roughly twenty days now, quite a long time indeed. It was about time for him to move on.

No matter what, I must clinch the slot for the Sanctum of Sages! Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

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Chapter 1248: The Two Listening-In Students

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Led by a master teacher, Zhang Xuan soon arrived at a majestic hall.

Within the hall were Wu shi, Yao shi, and the others. On the guest seat was a silk-robed middle-aged man, and two young men stood behind him.

Taking a quick peek over, Zhang Xuan found that the aura of the middle-aged man was deeply concealed within his body, like lightning shrouded by ominous storm clouds, rendering him incapable of gauging the latter's strength.

On the other hand, the young men had powerful Primordial Spirits lying dormant within their bodies, ready to bring forth devastating damage at any moment—Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage cultivators.

Judging from their physiques, Zhang Xuan gauged them to be beneath thirty this year. To wield such strength at their young age, they were indeed nothing short of the word 'frightening'. They would not pale even in comparison to the highly-talented Zhang Jiuxiao.

"Zhang shi!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Wu shi immediately stood up and introduced with a smile, "Seated over here is the guide to the Sanctum of Sages, Zhao Xingmo! Zhao shi, this is Zhang Xuan, whom I spoke much about earlier. He possesses unparalleled talent not only in our Qingyuan Empire but possibly across all eight Conferred Empires!"

"Un." Zhao Xingmo took a look at Zhang Xuan before giving a slight nonchalant nod.

It was as if he had heard so many of such introductions that they could not faze him anymore.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan began swiftly scanning the room.

Other than the few of them, Zhang Jiuxiao and ten or so of the more outstanding young geniuses from the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion were also in the room.

A moment later, when two more men finally arrived, Zhao Xingmo said with an impatient frown, "Since everyone is already gathered here, let's begin!"

Nodding, Pavilion Master Wu took a sweeping gaze at the surroundings before announcing, "Master teachers, I believe that all of you should know of Zhao shi, so I won't waste your time introducing him to you once more. For the Selection of Sages this time around, the guide shall be conducting the test himself. Without further ado, let us invite him to announce the rules for the test, as well as what you will have to prepare."

The crowd quickly turned their gazes over to Zhao Xingmo.

"There's no need for any preparation. First and foremost, I shall announce the requirements for the selection. Those who fail to meet the requirement need not waste any more of their time here," Zhao Xingmo announced impassively.

"I'll assume those who are gathered here should have some understanding of the Sanctum of Sages. There are several strict requirements for one to enroll into the Sanctum of Sages—one must become a 7-star master teacher and achieve a cultivation of Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm before thirty. I can see that most of you here have already met the requirements, but... in my view, it would be best for one to have as high a cultivation as possible. So far, only two of you have reached Saint 4-dan. Therefore, other than those two, the rest of you can leave right now."

"This..."

"That's all to the selection?"

"Isn't this taking the Selection of Sages a little too lightly?"

Not expecting Zhao Xingmo to reduce the number of candidates to two just on the basis of their cultivation, everyone could not help but look at one another in astonishment.

"The Sanctum of Sages isn't like the Master Teacher Academies that you know of. It won't accept any master teacher just because they have met the prerequisites. You all should know that it's the highest academy in the Master Teacher Continent, and it's a place to nurture future Sages. Those whose strength pales in comparison to their peers really shouldn't be wasting their time," Zhao Xingmo uttered coldly.

"I don't have that much time to waste with the rest of you!"

"Ah..."

Pavilion Master Wu did not think that Zhao Xingmo would actually be so direct. However, considering that the futures of a dozen young, talented master teachers of his Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion were at stake, he interjected. "Zhao shi, isn't it a little too reckless to choose the candidates solely on the grounds of their cultivation? Why don't you take another look at them? Even if their cultivation is lacking, they might be able to make up for it through other aspects."

"There's no need for that. To be honest with you, I am only in charge of the preliminary selections. There will be another round of selections when we arrive at the Qianchong Empire and a final examination when we enter the City of Sages. Those whose cultivation has yet to reach Primordial Spirit realm won't even be able to clear the selections at Qianchong Empire, so it would only be a waste of time to bring them along!" Zhao Xingmo waved his hands casually.

"I see..." Since Zhao Xingmo had already said such words, there was nothing else Pavilion Master Wu could do. Shaking his head helplessly, he turned to the dozen or so eliminated master teachers and said, "There's no need to be too disheartened by this setback. As long as you set your mind to it, you will be able to advance to great heights no matter where you are. The Sanctum of Sages isn't the only place for you to spread your wings and soar."

"Alright then..." Knowing that there was nothing they could do about the situation either, the dozen young geniuses could only shake their heads and leave.

In truth, they also knew that it was unlikely that they would have been chosen. Their cultivation and talent weren't too weak either, but compared to Zhang Xuan and Zhang Jiuxiao, they knew that they were still sorely lacking.

With those two competing for the slot in the Qingyuan Empire as well, there was no way that they would be picked.

Soon, Zhang Xuan and Zhang Jiuxiao were the only candidates left in the room. Zhao Xingmo turned his gaze over and said, "Only the elites of mankind are allowed into the Sanctum of Sages, and these are the people who will eventually lead mankind to greater heights. But in order to have others submit to you, the most important thing one must possess is strength. As such, for this preliminary selection, I shall be taking strength to be the main assessment criterion."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

He could relate deeply to that sentiment. Schemes and disguises could bring others over to one's side in the short-term, but what would compel others submit to one was overwhelming strength.

Take the current Zhang Xuan for example. Possessing unsurpassed might in the Qingyuan Empire, he no longer had to fear anyone or anything there. If he wished to, he would be able to exert his dominance over the populace, and no one would be able to oppose him.

As for disguises, they would ultimately be exposed in a matter of time, so they were not a reliable measure.

It was for this reason that most powerhouses relied not on schemes but the might of their fists to establish their dominance.

Unwilling to submit? He would just have to crush the dissenters until they finally gave in!

The same went for the Master Teacher Pavilion as well. Of course, its values and impartiality did allow it to win the heart of the others, but without sufficient strength at its foundation, it would only have been a matter of time before their leadership was questioned and overthrown.

There were two occupations in history who had challenged the Master Teacher Pavilion's leadership—the soul oracles and the poison masters.

The soul oracles had been completely eradicated, such that their heritage had been completely terminated, and there was barely any trace of them to be found in the current times. As for the poison masters, they had been exiled to the darkest corners of the world, not daring to show their faces in public.

Unquestionably, strength played a crucial role in building one's authority.

Similarly, the reason Sage Clans were so widely feared by others was not because of their ties to disciples of Kong shi but because they had a strong foundation and overwhelming might that left others with no choice but to take them seriously.

Only the strong were qualified to show compassion to others. Without sufficient strength, all words spoken were nothing but empty.

Zhang Jiuxiao also nodded in agreement.

Even though he was only from the side family, if his cultivation had already reached Saint 6-dan or Saint 7-dan, he would have been highly regarded by his clan. He would not have fallen into this position, where he needed to go through so much trouble to vie for a slot to the Sanctum of Sages in a mere Conferred Empire.

Seeing that the duo understood his intention, Zhao Xingmo gestured to the two young men behind him and said, "These two are listening-in students 1 of the Sanctum of Sages. Even though they are not outstanding cultivators, their individual strength is still not too bad. On top of that, they are also able to complement one another through a collaborative formation. If one of you is able to withstand three moves against their collaboration, I'll take it as a pass!"

Huala!

As Zhao Xingmo said those words, the two young men stepped forward and exerted their auras. In an instant, the entire hall suddenly seemed to have turned freezing cold, leaving those present feeling deeply pressured.

"They aren't too bad..."

Just from their disposition alone, Zhang Xuan could tell that even though those two only possessed a cultivation of Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage, they wielded fighting prowess that could match any ordinary Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle expert. If the two of them were to collaborate perfectly with one another, it was likely that they would be able to match even a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage expert!

In other words, even Pavilion Master Wu could be placed in a dangerous position when faced against them!

And yet... they were only listening-in students of the Sanctum of Sages?

If that was the case, just how powerful were the real students of the Sanctum of Sages?

After making introductions, Zhao Xingmo looked at the two examinees and asked, "Who wants to go first?"

Zhang Jiuxiao took a look at the duo before him, and after evaluating them, he shook his head with a bitter smile and sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "Zhang shi, I didn't know that you were intending to head to the Sanctum of Sages as well. Since that's the case, I think I'll just forfeit here."

"Forfeit?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He did not expect a person as proud as Zhang Jiuxiao to admit defeat so easily.

"Indeed. Rather than embarrass myself, I think it would be better if I just forfeit right here," Zhang Jiuxiao said helplessly.

Since he had traveled down to Qingyuan City from his home to vie for the only slot here, there was no doubt that he harbored great hopes for the Sanctum of Sages. He had thought that he would be able to succeed this time around, but who knew that Zhang Xuan would suddenly appear at this moment? Regardless from which aspect he was looking at, he had no confidence that he would be able to match Zhang shi.

Previously, he had thought that given his talent, he might still be able to put up a fight. However, after finding out that Zhang Xuan was a Celestial Master Teacher, he dared not harbor such thoughts anymore.

Figures like Zhang Xuan were destined to make their mark in history. There was no way someone like him could possibly stand against Zhang Xuan.

Furthermore, he had just made a swift calculation, and he realized that with his current strength, it was very unlikely that he would be able to survive three moves against the duo.

"This..." Seeing through Zhang Jiuxiao's thoughts, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before turning to Zhao Xingmo. "Zhao shi, you said earlier that anyone who is able to survive three moves against their collaboration will clear the test, correct?"

"That's right," Zhao Xingmo replied affirmatively.

"Then, if both of us withstand three moves, would this mean that we will both be receive the slots for the Sanctum of Sages?"

"Both of you?" Zhao Xingmo shot a glance at Zhang Xuan before replying nonchalantly, "From the looks of it, it seems more likely that both of you will fail the test."

"That's not necessarily so," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

He had harbored some prejudice toward the Zhang Clan due to the issue between Luo Ruoxin and that young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, but after spending some time with Zhang Jiuxiao, he realized that the latter was just a little too proud. Other than that, Zhang Jiuxiao was not as bad as he had initially thought.

Zhang Jiuxiao had left his home to reside in Qingyuan City for several years, all in the hope of attaining the Qingyuan Empire's slot to the Sanctum of Sages. If Zhang Xuan had not cut in abruptly, it was likely that he would have been the one to have obtained the slot. If the two of them could head to the Sanctum of Sages together, that would really be for the best!

"If both of you can survive three moves from those two, I'll consider the matter. However, just a word of advice—don't overestimate yourself." Seeing the confident smile on Zhang Xuan's face, Zhao Xingmo warned, "Since I set the test in such a manner, you should also know that it won't be easy to survive three moves from those two!"

He earnestly did not believe that the master teachers from a humble Conferred Empire would be able to survive three moves from these two listening-in students from the Sanctum of Sages.

"It'll suffice as long as you are willing to consider the matter. Alright then, I guess we will have to try our best to survive those three moves," Zhang Xuan replied.

"It's good to see that you are confident. Let's hope that it isn't arrogance," Zhao Xingmo replied with a frown. "Alright, who is going first?"

"Allow me!" Zhang Xuan stepped forward.

He released his aura as well—Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage. In contrast to the two young men before him, the might that he released seemed insignificant.

"Those are big words. Let's see what kind of strength you possess!"

The young men sneered coldly as they flitted forward, flanking Zhang Xuan on both sides.

They had positioned themselves perfectly to seal all plausible escape routes that anyone trapped in between them could possibly take, leaving him feeling as if he was locked within a cage.

"To exert psychological pressure ahead of the battle to make their opponent panic, not bad..." Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

As expected of experts from the Sanctum of Sages, they really paid careful attention to every single aspect of battle in order to ascertain their victory. Through their psychological pressure, those who possessed a weaker state of mind would be more prone to falling into a state of panic, especially if they found themselves cornered in the midst of the battle.

Once a seed of doubt was planted in their minds, it could possibly change the tides of the battle entirely.

"Your battle plan isn't too bad, but to compete with me in a battle of wills, the both of you are still lacking."

Raising his chin, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and stepped forward.

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