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

44. 1377

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1377 - Luo Xuanqings Dimension Sundering Ordeal - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1377 - Luo Xuanqings Dimension Sundering Ordeal Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1377: Luo Xuanqing's Dimension Sundering Ordeal

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Dancing?"

Astonished, the other two elders quickly took a closer look, and indeed, the movements of the golem had a unique rhythm to it, as if it was doing some kind of exercise.

They quickly turned their sights to the young man and saw that he had stood up at some point in time as well. His hands were placed behind his back, and he seemed to be muttering something beneath his breath.

"Chest expansion exercise. One two three four, five six seven eight; two two three four, five six seven eight; three two three four, five six seven eight; four two three four, five six seven eight. Hip twisting exercise. One two three four... Side stretch exercise... Toe touch exercise..."

The three elders looked at one another as they felt their mouths dry up.

It took a long while before one of them managed to find his voice. "Rather than dancing, it seems like the golem is... doing warm-ups?"

"That does seem to be the case."

The other two elders nodded stiffly. They could not help but wonder if their eyes were playing tricks on them.

It was simply too difficult to enchant the guardian golems, such that even those who succeeded would only be able to get it to move a few steps. Yet, after enchanting the golem, the young man actually made it do warm-ups instead of moving forward?

Are you messing with us?

Not only were the three elders frenzied by what they saw, even Zhang Feng was so dumbfounded that he forgot to return his Primordial Spirit back to his body. Instead, his Primordial Spirit trembled so intensely that it seemed like it would succumb to shock very soon and dissipate.

He had nearly died from exhaustion just by having his golem move seven steps, but that fellow was actually making the golem do warm-ups.

Aren't you way too arrogant?

Seeing the frenzied crowd clutching their hair in the air, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disapproval. Just one look, and I know all of you lack basic understanding about exercising. These golems have been stationary for far too long. If they get up without doing a short warm-up, they could be easily injured!

Did your physical education teachers not teach you to first warm-up your body first before exercising? That's elementary knowledge, you know!

Even little children know that they have to warm-up prior to exercising, and yet, these elders and geniuses actually still made the golem proceed without warming up. Honestly, where did their common sense go?

As he criticized the crowd internally, Zhang Xuan continued instructing the golem. "Alright, warm-up is over. Now, two sets of high knees. Go!"

Peng peng peng peng peng!

The golem raised its knees up to chest height one at a time, causing endless tremors to ripple through the ground as a result of its movement. It felt as if it would soon create a massive basin in the area.

Seeing that the golem's form was perfect, Zhang Xuan nodded in approval before issuing another instruction.

"Good! Two sets of frog leaps, go!"

Peng peng peng peng peng!

This time, the tremors on the ground was even worse. Under the relentless shaking, those buildings that had barely managed to survive the previous calamity eventually caved in and collapsed to the ground, raising a dust storm.

Even the library, which had been completely intact a moment ago, also collapsed under the intense shaking of the ground.

"Alright, warm-up is over. We shall start running around the Spirit Awakener Hall. You are only allowed to stop when I tell you to, got it?" Zhang Xuan said in an imposing voice reminiscent of a strict instructor.

Puhe! Puhe! Puhe!

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The golem nodded excitedly as it began running. Every step it took felt as if a new comet had just crashed down onto the world, causing the earth to cave in and mountains to shake. More and more buildings fell victim to this bizarre sports meet.

"..."

The minds of the three elders and Zhang Feng had completely turned blank from shock. They could hardly process what was going on at all.

Ever since the founding of this Spirit Awakener Hall, even the most talented of spirit awakeners had only been able to allow the golem to move a few steps. Yet, not only did this fellow make it complete an entire set of warm-up exercises, he even made it sprint laps around the Spirit Awakener Hall.

"Is this considered my victory?"

While the crowd was still at a loss as to what to make of the situation, the young man's calm voice suddenly rang out.

"O-of course!" Swallowing their saliva, the three elders nodded with uncanny harmony, almost a little like little chicks pecking on rice.

The golem had already completed quite a few laps, and the buildings of the Spirit Awakener Hall had already collapsed to the point where there was nothing left to collapse. If this still could not be considered his victory, what else could?

"So, am I the new Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall now?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Yes, of course!"

The elders nodded once more.

"Good. I hope that you don't have any qualms about me settling my own private grudges then," Zhang Xuan said.

Then, he turned his gaze away from the three elders over toward Zhang Feng and said, "Since you have a foul mouth, let's start with hundred slaps for your mouth. Make sure to use your full strength for that."

Hearing the order from Zhang Xuan, Zhang Feng was appalled. He quickly turned his sights over to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and to his relief, the latter was not moving at all. Just when he was about to retort, he suddenly heard a series of 'pah pah pah' noises.

Lowering his head, he saw that his physical body had stood up at some point in time, and his hands were striking his face forcefully one after another at a certain tempo.

In just a few moments, there was already a long stream of blood flowing down his chin, and a couple of his teeth had been knocked out as well.

"You..." Zhang Feng widened his eyes in shock, and he bellowed with a hint of fear in his voice, "What kind of sorcery did you use on me? Why is my body obeying your orders?"

Considering that his Primordial Spirit was still up in the sky, his body should have been completely unconscious, reminiscent of a corpse. Why would his hands suddenly start slapping his face?

"Well, I had some free time after enchanting the golem, so I enchanted your body while I was at it," Zhang Xuan said leisurely before turning his gaze back toward Zhang Feng's body to instruct, "Yes, that's good. That posture is perfect. Don't stop, harder, harder!"

Pah pah pah pah!

The slaps grew even sharper.

"You enchanted my body?" Zhang Feng's Primordial Spirit jolted upon hearing those words, and he nearly lost his sanity in that instant.

He was not even dead yet, and that fellow actually successfully enchanted his body... Just how did he manage to do it?

"My body..." Unable to watch on any longer, Zhang Feng rushed back toward his body and began wrestling control over his body from the spirit Zhang Xuan had enchanted into it.

However, the spirit that Zhang Xuan had enchanted was simply too powerful. While he was still in the midst of fighting for control over his body, the spirit finished the hundred slaps, and after that was done, it maneuvered his body to lie on the floor, allowing the sprinting guardian golem to step on it every now and then.

An hour later...

Zhang Feng had finally wrestled back control over his body, but for some reason, cactuses and flowers had started sprouting on his head. At the same time, his body was also in a tattered state after all of the horrors it had been through—most of the bones in his ribcage were shattered, and his face was swollen to twice of its previous size. Even his own brother would have to stare intently at his face before finding any traces of the previous him at all!

"Alright, I am done settling my grudge. Farewell!" After teaching Zhang Feng a lesson, Zhang Xuan placed the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast back into the Myriad Anthive Nest with a wave of his hand before leaping into the sky, heading off in the direction in which Luo Xuanqing had left.

Most likely, Luo Xuanqing must have headed back to his clan in order to check on Luo Ruoxin. However, with how long he had been gone for, Zhang Xuan could not help but worry that something might have happened to Luo Ruoxin.

"Zhang shi..." Upon seeing that Zhang Xuan was going to leave, the three elders hurriedly rushed forward to stop him.

While young man before them was busy settling his grudge with Zhang Feng, they had managed to gather some information on his background.

It had only been six hours or so since he had cleared the 8-star spirit awakener examination, and he already wielded the ability to make the guardian golem run laps around the Spirit Awakener Hall. His talent in spirit enchantment had really reached a level far beyond their imagination. It was not easy for them to stumble by such a talented spirit awakener, so how could they allow him to leave so easily?

Seeing that the crowd was blocking his path, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure. "What? Are you all planning on exacting vengeance for Zhang Feng?"

"Of course not, of course not! It is Zhang Feng's own fault for having such a foul mouth. He deserves to be punished for that," an elder hurriedly said with a smile.

Spirit awakeners were not as particular about rules and conventions as master teachers. While Zhang Feng was a formidable genius as well, he was lacking compared to the young man standing before them. Naturally, they knew full well whom they should side with.

"Then?" Hearing that they did not stop him for Zhang Feng, Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion.

"It's like this. In three months, there will be a selection in the Spirit Awakener Guild headquarters for the selection of our next hall master. Our Sanctum of Sages initially intended to dispatch Zhang Feng, but since you possess such astounding mastery in enchantment, we would like to send you there instead," one of the elders said.

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"Selection for the next hall master?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right."

The three elders hurriedly nodded in unison.

The Spirit Awakener Hall in the Sanctum of Sages could be considered a branch of the Spirit Awakener Guild as well. If the person they dispatched became the next hall master, they would stand to benefit greatly as well.

Not only would there be a massive boost to their reputations, they would stand to earn handsome rewards.

It was for this reason that they had been determined to protect Zhang Feng regardless of the cost.

However, after witnessing Zhang Xuan's unbelievable mastery in spirit enchantment, they swiftly redirected their high expectations from Zhang Feng to him.

"Three months? I'll give it some thought," Zhang Xuan replied, neither accepting nor rejecting the offer.

It was the tenth month at the moment, and three months from now would be the first month. There was still some time before the agreed marriage date between Luo Ruoxin and the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan. If he could pay a visit to the Spirit Awakener Guild headquarters, he would be able to meet Wang Ying.

He hadn't heard anything from that lass ever since she left with the envoy from the Spirit Awakener Guild headquarters, so he had no idea how she was doing at the moment.

Hopefully, the Spirit Awakener Guild was treating her well. Otherwise, he did not mind enchanting everything there was in the headquarters and tearing everything down.

"Do give the matter serious consideration; this is a very good opportunity for you. Speaking of which, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Han Fu, and this is my Communication Jade Token. I'll check up with you some time later to hear your decision," one of the elders said as he passed a jade token over.

Zhang Xuan took it and threw it into his storage ring before hurrying away.

Luo Xuanqing had left roughly an hour ago, and his trail had mostly vanished. On top of that, he had intentionally concealed his trail, making it difficult to track him down.

Even when using his Eye of Insight, his trail was extremely faint, abruptly vanishing at some points. It took Zhang Xuan some fumbling around before he was able to find where the trail reappeared.

The Sanctum of Sages covered an area far greater than the Qingyuan Conferred Empire. Even with the considerable rise in his cultivation over the past few months, it still took him quite a white before he was finally out of its perimeters.

Ten minutes later, he arrived before a mountain range.

It was a true sight of devastation before him. As if someone had torched the area with flames, black patches of charred land and billowing white smoke could be seen here and there.

A battle broke out here not too long ago, Zhang Xuan thought grimly as he scanned the wreckage around him.

Judging from the various marks, it should not have been more than fifteen minutes since the battle ended. Considering how Luo Xuanqing had been heading in this direction, could the damage have been left behind by him?

But Luo Xuanqing had left in order to find Ruoxin and his own clan, so who could he have been fighting against?

Eye of Insight!

Zhang Xuan examined the marks carefully, and a moment later, a grim look appeared on his face.

These marks are indeed from Luo Xuanqing!

Through analyzing the various marks around in detail, he could tell that some of the marks had been caused by Luo Xuanqing's abilities. The opponent he had crossed blows with seemed to be rather powerful as well, a Saint 8-dan expert at the very least.

It can't be that something has happened to Ruoxin, right?

Such a thought surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind, and it immediately sent him into a state of anxiety.

Just as he was about to quickly follow the trail ahead, he suddenly noticed a huge ominous cloud looming over a valley not too far away. Countless streaks of lightning crackled frighteningly, ready to unleash their devastating might on the world.

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm.

That's... a lightning tribulation!

Having just cleared one himself not too long ago, he was extremely familiar with it.

Turning his gaze to the storm clouds, Zhang Xuan swiftly saw a familiar figure.

Is that... Luo Xuanqing? But he hasn't finished reinforcing his cultivation yet! Could it be that he has encountered something that left him with no choice but to call forth his Dimension Sundering Ordeal prematurely? In any case, this doesn't seem good.

The other party was currently standing at the very center of the storm, and countless streaks of lightning raged around him, threatening to reduce him to ashes.

Luo Xuanqing was going to face his Dimension Sundering Ordeal!

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Chapter 1378: The Shameless Gourd

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Dimension Sundering Ordeal was incomparably dangerous. Luo Xuanqing had intended to challenge it in the Sanctum of Sages, where he would be protected by Kong shi's will, thus making him less susceptible to inner demons.

However, he had ended up calling the lightning tribulation in the middle of this mountain range instead. Without a doubt, something unexpected must have happened, leaving him with no choice but to face his Dimension Sundering Ordeal prematurely.

After making sense of the situation, Zhang Xuan did not rush forward to assist Luo Xuanqing. Instead, he activated his Eye of Insight and assessed the surrounding area, and a moment later, a frown surfaced on his forehead.

There was no one in the surroundings at all.

Was he mistaken? Or did the person Luo Xuanqing was fighting with previously flee in fear upon seeing the arrival of the lightning tribulation?

Seeing that there was no one in the area, Zhang Xuan quickly turned his sight back to the young man standing amid the sea of lightning. Forget it, there's no time to think about that now. Luo Xuanqing has a rather irritable temper, which makes him very prone to the assault of inner demons. Facing the Dimension Sundering Ordeal without ample preparation could be extremely dangerous to him.

The Dimension Sundering Ordeal was dangerous not just because of the lightning tribulation but also because of the transformations in the surrounding space and the inner demons. Even he would have some trouble clearing it. At this moment, Luo Xuanqing's eyes were already crimson, and it was apparent to anyone looking at him that he was not in the right state of mind. Forcefully challenging the Dimension Sundering Ordeal in his current condition could very well spell failure and even death!

I have to save him!

Without any time to hesitate, Zhang Xuan rushed straight toward the lightning.

Shortly after he flew into the area of the lightning tribulation, just three hundred meters away from where he had been standing before, two figures slowly materialized into existence.

It felt as if they were non-existent beings that were squeezed out of the void. Not even sweeping across them with one's Spiritual Perception would allow one to perceive their presence.

One of them was an elder dressed in a golden robe. Looking at Zhang Xuan's disappearing back with a tight frown, he asked, "Who is he?"

The other elder standing behind him clasped his fist and explained, "Elder, that young man is Zhang Xuan, a friend whom Young Master Xuanqing recently got acquainted with. The both of them have set out to find the Dongxu Gourd together, and that's what allowed Young Master Xuanqing to successfully make a breakthrough to Half-Dimension Sundering realm!"

"Zhang Xuan? The Zhang Clan?" the golden-robed elder asked.

"According to our investigations, he isn't from the Zhang Clan but an orphan from an Unranked Kingdom. It's said that he's Yang shi's direct disciple!" the second elder replied.

"Yang Xuan? That fellow has started taking in disciples too?" The golden-robed elder was slightly surprised to hear those words.

A moment later, he shook his head in incomprehension and said, "Since that young man is Yang Xuan's disciple, he should know better than to charge right into the lightning tribulation. Did he think that he would be of any help to Xuanqing with his Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivation?"

A cultivator had to clear their ordeals with their own strength.

Help from others would only cause the lightning tribulation to grow larger and larger, possibly causing the situation to run out of control.

While it was true that the young man would not make much difference to the might of the Dimension Sundering Ordeal considering how weak he was, charging in recklessly was just plain suicidal.

Just what in the world was he thinking?

"Based on the rumors, this Zhang Xuan is a rather hot-tempered person who causes destruction wherever he goes. It might be due to their similar personalities that they forged a tight bond. Thus, when he saw that Young Master Xuanqing was facing the lightning tribulation, he couldn't help but leap in to offer his help," the second elder explained.

"Couldn't help but leap in?" The golden-robed elder harrumphed coldly. "Courageous but lacks wit. Tell Xuanqing to steer clear from such reckless individuals after he clears his Dimension Sundering Ordeal."

In the first place, he was already extremely displeased by how Luo Xuanqing was causing destruction everywhere he went. Naturally, hearing that he was friends with someone of a similar nature, his anger only intensified further.

"Yes." The second elder nodded.

Oblivious to the two figures who had escaped the detection of his Eye of Insight and materialized behind him, Zhang Xuan had already arrived at a location not too far away from Luo Xuanqing.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Luo Xuanqing anxiously bellowed, "What are you doing here?"

"You won't be able to clear the Dimension Sundering Ordeal in the current state you are in. I'm here to help you," Zhang Xuan explained.

"Help me? This is my lightning tribulation, what can you possibly do to help me?" Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "Get out of here fast. I'm not even certain if I can withstand the lightning that is gathering above, much less protect you..."

Before Luo Xuanqing could finish his words, the lightning bolt in the sky had finally finished charging up its power, and it abruptly bolted down with imposing momentum.

Kacha! Kacha!

A ten-meter-wide streak of lightning tore open a black gorge through space as it fell straight for Luo Xuanqing.

"Don't even think about it!" Luo Xuanqing hurriedly gathered immense might in his palms and thrust them upward to fend off the lightning strike.

The overwhelming might he wielded as a Half-Dimension Sundering realm expert collided head-on with the lightning, causing the surrounding space to crumble layer by layer.

Kacha!

Even though he managed to ward off most of the energy harnessed within the lightning bolt, there were still some remnants that breached his defense and struck his head, causing his hair to stand up and his body to be charred black.

The Dimension Sundering Ordeal was many times stronger than the Leaving Aperture Ordeal that Zhang Xuan had summoned previously. Even with his recent breakthrough to Half-Dimension Sundering realm, he still felt a numbing sensation rippling through his body, and the zhenqi within his body nearly dissipated under the zap.

"Hurry up and leave the area. I really won't be able to withstand this lightning tribulation!" Luo Xuanqing panted rapidly as he howled with reddened eyes.

He had spent nearly half of his entire capacity of zhenqi just to fend off that single streak of lightning, and the zap of lightning that struck him caused a feeling of weakness to spread throughout his body, making him feel as if there was lead in his arms and legs.

There was a total of six lightning streaks that one had to face in the Dimension Sundering Ordeal, and every single streak was more formidable than the last. Even the first one had left him nearly incapacitated, so he did not know if how he could persevere through the remaining five.

"You don't need to worry about me. I'll just head up to take a swift look." Paying no heed to Luo Xuanqing's words, Zhang Xuan suddenly leaped up, diving straight toward the storm clouds.

"You..." Not expecting the other party to leap into the most dangerous region of the lightning tribulation just to save him, Luo Xuanqing could not help but feel a little touched inside.

Really, it was only in a life-and-death situation that a person would be able to tell their true friends apart from their fair-weather friends.

In fact, putting aside friends, most cultivator couples would also choose to abandon their companion in times of danger. The fact that the other party was willing to dive deep into danger in order to save him at this crucial moment truly meant a lot to him. Zhang Xuan was a person who was truly loyal to his friends!

Wait a moment...

A thought suddenly came into Luo Xuanqing's mind, and he shuddered.

Could it be that he likes me?

Looking back, it really felt like Zhang Xuan had treated him exceptionally well, to a point that was already beyond the normal relationship between friends.

Could it be that he harbors lustful thoughts toward me?

Regardless of what he's thinking of, there's no way I'll submit to him, not even at the cost of my life. Humph!

Luo Xuanqing quickly shook away the thoughts in his mind as he swallowed a pill and quickly replenished the zhenqi that he had lost. He had to prepare himself to face the second streak of lightning.

...

"Is that fellow insane?"

Not only was Luo Xuanqing taken aback by Zhang Xuan's actions, the two elders spectating outside were dumbfounded as well.

They had seen cultivators dashing into their lover's lightning tribulation to shoulder the suffering together, and they had also seen those who stood resiliently in the face of the lightning, determined to protect their loved one even if it meant death. But not once had they seen anyone charging straight into the storm clouds to seek death!

How in the world did a master teacher as formidable as Yang Xuan end up with such a crackbrained disciple?

"Not even Saint 8-dan experts would dare dive into the midst of the storm clouds of a Dimension Sundering Ordeal. For a mere Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator to dive right in, that's practically suicide." The golden-robed elder shook his head. "Forget it, let's collect his corpse later on and bury him well."

This was the first time he had seen such an irrational individual. This was no longer saving others but leaping to one's death!

Tzzzzzzz!

Unaware of the frenzy he had induced among the crowd, an excited gleam surfaced in Zhang Xuan's eyes as soon as he dived into the clouds.

"Little Tribulation, Big Brother Zhang Xuan is here." Zhang Xuan's voice quivered in excitement as he opened all of his acupoints and began taking everything around him in.

It had taken them five to six days to find the Dongxu Gourd, but the return trip had taken them ten days in total.

It had taken him only a couple of hours to help Bi Hongyin and the others achieve a breakthrough, and he did not waste the remaining time either. He had been using the Dongxu Gourd to expand his dantian, creating a looped space.

Hard work never fails.

He did manage to succeed with the construction of the looped space prior to returning to the Sanctum of Sages... but a new problem had swiftly arisen.

The creation of the looped space increased the capacity of his dantian more than tenfold, and all in all, his zhenqi was only sufficient to fill a tenth of it. Just as he was racking his brain to find a way to fill it up, this lightning tribulation came his way. How could he possibly not be excited?

With this, he would be able to fill his zhenqi right to the brim!

Tzzzzzz!

The lightning that seeped into his body was swiftly converted into lightning zhenqi before being deposited into his dantian. Sensing the sudden influx of power, the lazily lying Dongxu Gourd jolted upward, and it swiftly leaped out of his body.

"What are you going to do?"

The sudden appearance of the Dongxu Gourd immediately left Zhang Xuan feeling wary. Nothing good seemed to happen whenever it appeared.

Paying no heed to Zhang Xuan's question, the gourd let loose a joyful exclamation as it began to circle around the area.

Along with its circular motion, the surrounding lightning was swiftly drawn toward it, and as if falling into a black hole, the lightning disappeared from the world.

"The heck... Slow down! You are just a mere gourd; do you really need that much energy?"

It was his clone the last around, and now, even a mere gourd was stealing the lightning tribulation from him!

What the heck is this?

It wasn't easy for me to bump into Luo Xuanqing's lightning tribulation, you know?

There's still a huge vacuum within my dantian that I haven't filled up. Don't you feel ashamed profiting off my hard work?

As an artifact, shouldn't you learn to respect your master's will?

Zhang Xuan soon realized that there was no way he would be able to stop the Dongxu Gourd, so he eventually gave up on talking to it and focused back on absorbing as much lightning energy as he could.

But soon, he suddenly felt a rapid decline in the concentration of lightning around him. Turning his head, he saw another vortex forming within the storm cloud. At some point in time, the vine that he had stored inside his storage ring had flown out, and it was gobbling down the lightning energy at an insane rate as well.

"Screw this... All this lightning is mine, mine!" Zhang Xuan was on the verge of going insane.

All of you are really too shameless! How can you snatch my stuff publicly?

While Zhang Xuan's face was still twitching from rage, his clone suddenly popped out beside him, and after directing a cold harrumph toward Zhang Xuan, as if blaming him for not inviting him to the party, he dashed to the center of the lightning tribulation and began absorbing the lightning energy too.

"You..."

Seeing how each of these fellows was absorbing at a rate far quicker than him, Zhang Xuan knew that it would be foolish to waste his time getting angry. He could always berate them afterward. Thus, gritting his teeth, he drew out his Primordial Spirit and began absorbing the surrounding lightning energy furiously in unison with his body.

Zhenqi was swiftly deposited into his dantian, filling up the void in his body.

But barely after he had filled up a third of his capacity, he sensed that the surrounding lightning had already grown pathetically thin. Taking a swift look around him, he saw that the rate at which the gourd, the vine, and his clone were devouring the surrounding lightning was increasing, causing the initially concentrated sea of lightning to turn so thin that it looked like a thin layer of mist instead.

"You bastards..."

The more he thought about it, the more furious Zhang Xuan felt. Gritting his teeth, he hastened his rate of absorption as well.

And while he was on the verge of exploding of anger, Luo Xuanqing, who had spent his time desperately replenishing his energy, finally heralded the arrival of the second lightning streak.

Piii!

A sound reminiscent of flatulence echoed in the air, and a finger-thick streak of lightning weakly fell upon his head.

Puhe!

With a might that was probably insufficient to snap a branch, it dissipated after finishing its job.

"..." Luo Xuanqing.

"..." The two elders.

Chapter 1379: No One Is Worthy Of Her!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"What happened?"

It took a while before the two elders finally recovered from their shocked states. Nevertheless, the disbelief in their eyes remained apparent for all to see.

Having lived for several centuries, they had witnessed plenty of lightning tribulations, and they had undergone quite a few themselves too. Each time it appeared, they still couldn't help but tremble slightly in trepidation before its overwhelming might... But what the heck was the fart-like thing they had just seen?

"Could it be that the lightning tribulation has a problem releasing the energy it has charged up?" the second elder couldn't help but ask.

"Are you trying to tell me that the lightning tribulation is constipating?" the golden-robed elder glanced at the second elder sharply.

Lightning tribulation was the retribution that the heavens brought upon those who stepped beyond their own boundary. The purpose was to establish its authority and instill fear into all lifeforms.

The immense energy it had charged up would eventually be channeled into a devastating streak of lightning to strike down the offender who dared to overstep his boundaries, and Luo Xuanqing's lightning tribulation had been charging up for quite some time already. Yet, the eventual lightning streak released ended up being so unimpressive...

"Most likely, the earlier streak of lightning is just a starter. It should be releasing a much stronger streak very soon... Ah? W-what's going on?" In the midst of analyzing the situation, the golden-robed elder suddenly widened his eyes, as if he had just seen the impossible being realized.

The second elder hurriedly turned his gaze toward the sky too, and he saw the storm clouds covering several dozen li of the surrounding sky billowing furiously all of a sudden, as if an ill patient coughing violently.

This coughing continued for quite a while before it abruptly jolted forward, and a figure was puked out of the clouds.

It was the same young man who had dived into its midst earlier.

Seemingly enraged at being coughed out, the young man bellowed furiously as he wagged his finger threateningly at the storm clouds.

"You rascal, you sure have grown arrogant. How dare you puke me out?"

While saying those words, the young man dashed back toward the storm clouds. But before he could even come close to it, the fear-inducing storm cloud suddenly trembled intensely, as if falling into a state of panic. Following which...

Tz la!

It whizzed off into the distance, vanishing from view in the blink of an eye.

"He actually made the lightning tribulation flee in fear?"

The two elders glanced at one another, and the overwhelming shock coursing through their minds nearly caused them to lose control of their strength and appear from their invisible state.

All this while, they had thought that the young man was doomed to die after diving into the midst of the storm clouds.

Yet, when the young man placed his hand on his hip and berated with lightning tribulation with a wagging finger, not only did the latter dare not to retaliate, it even fled frantically as if a terrified ostrich... This sight made them realize that it wasn't that there was a problem with Luo Xuanqing's lightning tribulation, but that this seemingly ordinary young man wasn't as ordinary as they thought him out to be.

"That fellow is a true talent. No matter what, we must pull him over to our Luo Clan's side!" the golden-robed elder said resolutely.

As unbelievable as the matter may seem to him, the Sanctum of Sages was still a place where geniuses all over the Master Teacher Continent gathered. It wasn't completely impossible for a person who possessed the unique ability to deal with heavenly tribulations to appear here.

No matter the cost, they had to bring this talent over to their Luo Clan so that they could study the secrets behind his means.

"But he's Yang Xuan's disciple. It won't be easy for us to pull him over to our side..." the second elder shook his head.

Yang Xuan was one of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and naturally, his student was bound to enter the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. There was no reason for the young man to join their Luo Clan at all!

"That's true..." the golden-robed elder sighed in pity.

As much as they wanted the young man to join their clan, they dared not to vie with the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and they didn't have the ability to do so either.

After some thought, the golden-robed elder was still unable to think of any viable solution to the matter at the moment, so he waved his hand and said, "It'll do to just report this matter to the clan head. Yuxin should have been escorted back at the clan by now, so we should be hurrying back too so as to not hold up the Elders' Conference."

"Un." the second elder nodded.

With a slight wave of his hand, something similar to a massive Teleportation Formation appeared before the duo, and stepping into it, they vanished from the spot, as if they had never been there before.

...

Zhang Xuan cursed and cursed, but the rage in his heart couldn't be quelled. However, there was nothing he could do about it either.

With the size of the lightning tribulation, it should have been more than enough to fill up his dantian fully. However, due to the Dongxu Gourd, the vine, and his clone messing around, he only managed to fill up half of it...

The more he thought, the more stifled he felt.

It seemed like he would just have to rely on Luo Xuanqing and Zhang Chun's yet-to-arrive pinnacle spirit stones for that then.

It was only the filling up of his dantian for the first time that would require the purest of energies. For subsequent times, there was no need to go through so much trouble anymore.

To make an analogy, this was similar to expanding one's territory and developing new grounds. It was only the first time that would require an immense inflow of resources; subsequently, once the foundation was laid, one would only have to put in minimal resources in order to maintain it.

It was for this reason that he had to use resources harnessing spiritual energy far more concentrated than concentrated spiritual energy for the first charge up, and subsequently, even absorbing the spiritual energy from ordinary spirit veins would suffice to replenish his zhenqi.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan lowered his head and saw the Dongxu Gourd lying gleefully in his dantian, shaking its bottom from time to time, as if challenging him.

At the same time, his clone had also returned back to the folded space, lying contentedly on the ground and letting loose a majestic burp.

As for the vine, its reaction was a little more normal. It lay motionlessly in his storage ring, seemingly still trying to assimilate the energy it had just taken in.

"These bastards..." Zhang Xuan couldn't help but curse beneath his breath as he shook his head helplessly.

If any cultivator wielded the power to absorb the energy harnessed within lightning tribulations, they would surely be the envy of others... And yet, even just the artifacts he carried was capable of doing that, and on top of that, it turned out that he was the weakest of them all in contrast...

Deep indignance filled Zhang Xuan's mind.

Just when could he be more awe-inspiring?

"Hai, it seems like I'm too ordinary after all..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

It was one for thing for him to lose out to his clone, girlfriend, and clone... but now, even a clone and vine that he had picked up on a whim turned out to be so formidable too! If not for his resilient mental fortitude, he would have killed himself out of embarrassment by now!

"Zhang shi..."

Just as Zhang Xuan was feeling deeply stifled inside, a voice suddenly sounded not too far away. Turning his head over, he saw Luo Xuanqing staring at him with his mouth agape.

All this while, Luo Xuanqing thought that Zhang Xuan only wielded the ability to scare away his own lightning tribulation, but to think that he had the ability to do the same to others' too...

Didn't this mean that if he were to look for Zhang Xuan each time he was to face a lightning tribulation, he would be able to clear it without any danger?

"Brother Luo..." Seeing through Luo Xuanqing's thoughts, Zhang Xuan's reddened face quickly turned slightly pale, and his legs trembled feebly beneath him. "I hope that you won't speak of this matter to others. I had to use a secret art earlier, and similar to the side effects from the activation of your unique bloodline, this secret art carries severe side effects too, so it would be unsafe for me to use it recklessly..."

"..." Luo Xuanqing's cheeks twitched wildly.

Do you think that I'm blind? Putting aside how superficial your acting is, the very least you could do is to put up the act right from the start, not when I approached you!

However, seeing how the young man before him was unwilling to talk about the matter, Luo Xuanqing inwardly gave the latter a thumbs up for being as humble as him before dropping the matter from his mind.

"Zhang shi, you have my deepest gratitude. If not for your help, I could have very well lost my life to the lightning tribulation." Luo Xuanqing clasped his fist and said.

At the same time, a shudder ran through his heart and he imagined what would have happened if the young man hadn't been here.

It was out of a moment of anxiety that he triggered the Dimension Sundering Ordeal, paying no heeds to the consequences at all then. It was only when the lightning tribulation appeared did he realize what kind of frightening force he was going against.

If the young man had been any later, he could have very well been electrocuted to death. Not even his bloodline ability would have been able to save him.

"Brother Luo, weren't you intending to challenge your Dimension Sundering Ordeal back at the Sanctum of Sages? Why would you... What happened?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

"I came here to look for my younger sister, wanting to ask her if what Zhang Feng said was true..." Halfway through his words, Luo Xuanqing couldn't help but shake his head glumly. "Forget it, there's no point talking about it..."

"The little princess, is she..." Seeing how Luo Xuanqing stopped halfway through his words, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but panic a little. "Is she injured? Where is she?"

"Injured?" Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "How can that be? My younger sister has assimilated the Dimension Silencer. If she were to tap into its full prowess, not even our father will be able to do anything to her! It's no exaggeration to say that no one in the Luo Clan is able to hurt her even in the slightest..."

Then, a thought suddenly came to Luo Xuanqing's mind, and he raised his head and glared at the young man before him warily, "Why are you asking me this?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was caught off guard by Luo Xuanqing's sudden question.

"I'm warning you right now. Even though I think of you as a brother, you better not dream of touching my younger sister..."

"This... May I ask the reason for that?" Unable to take it anymore, Zhang Xuan asked with a frown. "You know that she's unwilling to marry the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, so why would you still go along with that?"

"I know that she's unwilling to do that too, but being born in the Luo Clan means that there are responsibilities that she cannot shirk off. There's simply no other way around it..." Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "Let's drop this matter here. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"But..." Zhang Xuan exclaimed anxiously.

"There are no buts. Speaking of which, I happen to have a matter which I have to trouble you for." Luo Xuanqing raised his head and said.

Zhang Xuan was still a little reluctant to drop the matter with the answer he had been searching for dangling just ahead of him, but seeing the stern look on Luo Xuanqing's face, he could only give up on it.

"Brother Luo, feel free to speak. As long as it's within my means, I'll definitely accomplish it."

"I want you to help me find the person whom my younger sister insists to be with even at the defiance of the entire clan." Luo Xuanqing said with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's lips twitched. He hesitated for a brief moment before probing carefully, "What do you intend to do after finding him?"

"What do I intend to do?" Luo Xuanqing gnashed his teeth together as he spat, "If I don't break his third leg, my surname won't be Luo!"

"..." Veins popped up all over Zhang Xuan's temples.

"What's wrong?" Noticing the bizarre expression on Zhang Xuan's face, Luo Xuanqing asked doubtfully.

"Ah, it's nothing much. I'm just a little curious. Considering how much you dote on your younger sister, why would you want to beat up the person whom your younger sister loves?" Zhang Xuan asked.

As a legitimate siscon, Luo Xuanqing should wish for his younger sister's happiness... so why would he make a move on his younger sister's boyfriend then?

"Isn't the reason obvious? It's because he's unworthy of my younger sister!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed.

"Unworthy? You haven't even met him before, how would you know that he's worthy of your younger sister?" Zhang Xuan replied indignantly.

It was understandable how the likes of Zhang Chun and the others were unworthy of his younger sister... but surely he should be able to meet the mark!

He might still be a little weak at the moment, but with sufficient time, he would become the next sanctum head and rise to the very top of the Master Teacher Continent!

"Hmph, the man who is worthy of my younger sister hasn't been born in this world yet!" Luo Xuanqing replied adamantly.

"But... surely your younger sister has to marry someone eventually? You can't possibly stay by her side for life, right?" Zhang Xuan questioned on.

"That's for the future. In any case, I just don't think that there's anyone in this world who is worthy of her. Not to mention, according to what I heard, the person whom she likes isn't too strong either..." Luo Xuanqing said.

"Isn't too strong?" Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat as he asked carefully, "Did she say who the person she likes is?"

"Of course she did!" Luo Xuanqing suddenly turned his head to Zhang Xuan as killing intent flared from his body.

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Chapter 1380: Only the Blind Would Be Interested in You!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"She said it?" Zhang Xuan cowered his neck back as a prickling sensation broke out all over his scalp.

He hurriedly drove his zhenqi furiously, ready to escape immediately should the other party charge at him.

This future brother-in-law of his could be rather unreasonable at times, and Zhang Xuan had no intention of getting pummeled for no good reason either. Naturally, the wisest course of action was to flee first and return to communicate only after the latter had calmed down.

"Indeed!" Luo Xuanqing waved his hand in irritation.

Seeing that Luo Xuanqing didn't make a move on him, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a brief moment before asking warily, "Then... who is he?"

"I don't exactly know who it is, but it's a person that she met in the period that she left home. According to her, he's a master teacher who has a heart vast enough to embrace the entire world, never hesitating to help those who are in need. Despite his low cultivation, his character is nothing short of perfection. On top of that, his mastery in pill forging is unrivaled in the world, unprecedented even in history..."

The more he spoke, the more furious Luo Xuanqing became. In the end, he swung his sleeves backward angrily as he exclaimed, "But she refused to reveal his name! So, I have no idea who he is either."

"She didn't reveal his name?" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel deeply touched inside. He would have never thought that he would appear to be so perfect in Luo Ruoxin's heart. As expected of his soulmate, she was able to discover the goodness in him.

Harboring such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan turned to look at Luo Xuanqing once more and said, "Since the little princess has described that person to be so perfect, what else do you have to worry about?"

It was incomprehensible to him why this future brother-in-law would reject such a perfect man. It would be impossible to find another person as outstanding as that out there in the world!

If Luo Xuanqing was going to reject such a guy, just who in the world could catch his eye then?

"Perfect? Hmph! The more she says such words, the more apparent that she has been scammed by that fellow... How can there be any perfect man in the world other than me?" Luo Xuanqing waved his hand indignantly.

"Cough cough!" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched upon hearing those words, and he nearly choked to death on his saliva.

He didn't think that this future brother-in-law of his would be so narcissistic...

Perfect?

A person who wreaked havoc across all halls in the Sanctum of Sages, becoming a figure whom the entire school has picked up their pitchforks against... Is that your definition of perfect? Do you really have no idea what other people think of you?

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but shake his head and say, "When it comes to perfection, I'm afraid that you still have much to work on. Perhaps only I have come the closest to it..."

"You?" Those words immediately induced Luo Xuanqing to send a disdainful glance over. "Stop daydreaming over here! I admit, you do possess incredible means, commanding formidable capability in formation, beast taming, and dealing with lightning tribulations. However, with your eccentricity and lack of common sense dealing with situations, your lack of thought before speaking, and your pathetically weak social awareness, I really have no idea how you can the cheek to call yourself perfect! In fact, I doubt whether there would ever be a girl in the world who would be interested in you. Even if there is one, she must most definitely be blind!"

Even though he had only known this young man for roughly twenty days, he had already gained a deep understanding of the other party from the time they had spent together. Poor social awareness, lack of sensitivity to his surroundings, often choking others with his words, and not to mention, a complete lack of response that an ordinary man should have when facing the ladies!

This had led Luo Xuanqing to deeply suspect if the young man had some kind of weird interests. If anyone could fall in love with such a person, she must be blind!

"You..." Black lines streaked across Zhang Xuan's face. "Speak for yourself! Aren't you very much single? Given your hot-tempered personality, it would take a miracle for any girl to be interested in you!"

I only speak to you politely out of respect for you as my future brother-in-law, but how can you say that there's no one in the world who would like me and even claim that your own younger sister is blind...

The one who is blind is you!

The same bloodline, the same clan, and the same parents; how could there be such a huge difference between the both of them?

It is no wonder why you are still single despite already treading into your thirties!

"You... Bullshit! It's not that I can't find a girlfriend but that those who get close to me are usually due to my identity as the Young Master of the Luo Clan!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed with eyes bulging in agitation.

"Stop finding excuses for yourself! There's just no one who is interested in you as a person, that's all there is to it!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed.

"You..." So furious that his lips were quivering non-stop, Luo Xuanqing was on the verge of erupting.

Just like that, the two men glared at one another angrily with a fiery inferno blazing in their eyes, seemingly wanting to tear the other party apart.

Some time later, Zhang Xuan waved his hands and harrumphed coldly, "To tell you the truth, I have a girlfriend, and my girlfriend loves me a lot."

"Hah hah." Luo Xuanqing.

"What I'm saying is true! My girlfriend is really pretty, and she's strong at that." Zhang Xuan continued.

"Hah hah." Luo Xuanqing.

"Are you doubting me? Just think about it, how can someone as outstanding as me possibly not have a girlfriend?" Black lines were starting to emerge on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

"Hah hah." Luo Xuanqing.

"..." Zhang Xuan.

A while later...

"To tell you the truth, I have a girlfriend too." Luo Xuanqing said.

"Hah hah." Zhang Xuan.

"She's extremely pretty, and she possesses great strength on top of that." Luo Xuanqing said.

"Hah hah." Zhang Xuan.

"You..." Luo Xuanqing gritted his teeth furiously.

Just like that, the duo glared at one another furiously once more.

The standstill continued for quite a while before Luo Xuanqing finally waved his hand and said, "I won't waste my breath with you anymore. Anyway, help me look into the person whom my younger sister likes."

This was the matter which he wanted to entrust to Zhang Xuan.

"You want me to help you look into the matter?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "As the Young Master of the Luo Clan, you possess a much wider information network than I do. Why would you want to go through me instead?"

Even though Luo Xuanqing appeared to be extremely reckless, often acting without much thought, through the matter with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Zhang Xuan knew that that was only how he appeared on the exterior. In truth, he was a rather meticulous person on the inside.

"I have already promised my younger sister not to investigate that man. However, it can't really be helped if you were to investigate the matter and unwittingly speak of it before me, and I accidentally overhear that man's background, right?" Luo Xuanqing said.

It was not that he didn't want to look into this matter himself but that his younger sister had pleaded with him not to disturb the man whom she loved. He was unwilling to accept her request initially, but looking into her sorrowful eyes, he still eventually succumbed to her request.

But still, he couldn't let this matter go just like that. If he were to go through another person instead, that wouldn't be considered as breaking his promise, right?

"This..." Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation.

Most likely, Ruoxin knew that it would be impossible for him to stand against Luo Xuanqing and the entire Luo Clan with his current strength, so she chose to keep his identity hidden so as to prevent him from being harassed and hurt.

"Hai!" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

He felt like he really owed the other party far too much.

"Alright, I'll help you find the other party. However, do you have any clues?" Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before nodding.

By agreeing to the other party, he would be able to forge a long-term connection with Luo Xuanqing, possibly allowing him to enquire into Luo Ruoxin's current situation at any moment. At the same time, he would also be able to control the flow of information that got to Luo Xuanqing, thus placing him in a safer position.

"The clues are as I have told you before. The person she likes is a master teacher, and it seems like he's of good personality and his looks are fairly decent too... As for where she has been to during that period of time, I'm not too sure yet. I'll get to you if I manage to hear anything about that." Luo Xuanqing paused for a moment before saying.

His younger sister had concealed herself so well that there was completely no news about her during the period of time she left home. As such, not even he was aware of her whereabouts then.

Perhaps, there might someone in the clan who was aware of the matter, but he would have to ask around.

"Alright. I'll be waiting for your news then." Seeing that Luo Xuanqing didn't know much about the matter, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

This meant that there was still some time for him to bring up his cultivation before his relationship with Ruoxin got out.

He wasn't ready to appear before the Luo Clan as Ruoxin's boyfriend yet. At the very least, he would have to clear the 8-star master teacher examination and officially become the sanctum head before then.

Only then would he be qualified to stand beside Luo Ruoxin and stand against the will of the two Sage Clans.

"I have just achieved a breakthrough, so I need some time to reinforce my cultivation. Here is the pinnacle spirit stone I have promised you a while back." Luo Xuanqing flicked his hand and passed a jade container over.

It seemed like he had met his clan members earlier and received the pinnacle spirit stone form them.

"Thank you." As this was what they had agreed on earlier, Zhang Xuan didn't hesitate to take it.

As soon as he placed his hand on the jade container, he immediately felt a pure surge of spiritual energy flowing into his meridians, and the Heaven's Path zhenqi in his body began to tremble in excitement.

As expected of a pinnacle spirit stone! It could induce such a reaction in him even without opening the jade container. There was truly a vast difference between it and concentrated high-tier spirit stones.

"I'll find you after reinforcing my cultivation..." After saying those words, Luo Xuanqing activated a formation plate before sitting down to cultivate.

Since he had survived his lightning tribulation, it meant that he had already successfully achieved a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm.

"Un."

Seeing that Luo Xuanqing had already made preparation measures, Zhang Xuan decisively left the area and returned in the direction where he came from.

Returning back to his living quarters, he was just about to use his pinnacle spirit stones to replenish his zhenqi when he saw Sun Qiang rushing over.

"Young Master, someone has been waiting for you here for quite a few days."

"Waiting for me?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had been too busy ever since he enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages such that he hadn't even returned to his residence for quite some day already, let alone getting to know others here... Just in the world was looking for him?

Not to mention, to be so determined as to wait day after day for him?

"That's right." Sun Qiang nodded.

"Who is it? From what power?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"He's a young man in his twenties. I'm not too sure what power he's from, but he did mention his name." At this point, Sun Qiang pondered for a moment. "I think his name... Feng Ziyi!"

Feng Ziyi? Isn't that Yang shi's real student?

'Gedeng!', Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

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Chapter 1381: Crossing Hands with Feng Ziyi

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Feng Ziyi was the top ranker of the Mountain Gate examination, outdoing even Zhang Yu of the Zhang Clan. Zhang Xuan had met him once during the gathering of their Elite Division class prior to being abruptly taken away by Luo Xuanqing.

Previously, he had only known Feng Ziyi to be the direct disciple of a grand elder from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, but during the journey to obtain the Dongxu Gourd, he learned from Yuan Xiao and the others that he was actually the real Yang Xuan's direct disciple... In other words, the real counterpart to the fake persona he had come up with!

And for the other party to have waited for him here for several days...

It couldn't be that the other party had found out about him faking his identity and came over here to apprehend him?

"Did... he mention the reason why he's looking for me?" Zhang Xuan asked anxiously.

It would still be fine if it was just Feng Ziyi, but if Yang Xuan were to find out as well, he would have no choice but to flee.

As the most enigmatic and strongest grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, there was little doubt that Yang Xuan had already achieved a level far beyond Saint 9-dan. There was no way he would be able to stand against a figure like that.

"Well, he didn't say anything at all, but he's oddly patient. Despite being well aware that you aren't around, he still refuses to leave, insistently waiting here for a few days straight..." Sun Qiang said with a deep frown.

"That's clearly an attempt to corner me..." Zhang Xuan's lips twitched upon hearing those words.

There had been completely no interaction between him and Feng Ziyi in the past, so other than the matter of him being 'Yang Xuan's direct disciple', he couldn't think of another reason why the latter would willingly wait here for a few days straight.

"Right, Zhang Jiuxiao is here as well. Just like Feng Ziyi, he has been here waiting for you for quite a few days now too." Sun Qiang suddenly recalled another matter and said.

"Jiuxiao? What's he doing here? Is he acquainted with Feng Ziyi?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback.

Considering how Zhang Jiuxiao was a student of the Ordinary Division, barely meeting the mark to qualify as a student of the Sanctum of Sages, it didn't seem too likely for him to be acquainted with the number one expert of their Elite Division class.

"Young Master, are you intending to meet them? Otherwise, I can just relay a message to them that you are currently in seclusion." Noticing a hint of dilemma on Zhang Xuan's forehead, Sun Qiang proposed.

"It's fine, I'll meet them." Zhang Xuan replied.

What that would come would eventually come. There was no point evading the matter. He might as well meet the other party to see what the other party was intending to do.

Besides, considering how the Shrine of Seers and Spirit Awakener Hall were reduced to rubble, the other party should have already received the news of his return by now... There was no way he could continue hiding from the other party anymore.

Having made up his mind, he didn't hesitate to make his way over to the main hall of his residence.

Walking in, he saw two young men seated patiently on the guest seats. One of them stood up in agitation upon seeing him and exclaimed, "Zhang shi, you are finally back! You sure have kept up waiting for long. I believe you should be familiar with Senior Feng over here too. I didn't expect that he's actually Yang shi's direct disciple too, coming from the same roots as you, so I specially brought him over to meet you..."

Naturally, the young man who had stood up was Zhang Jiuxiao.

"Yang shi's direct disciple?" Zhang Xuan asked as he directed a long, meaningful look at Zhang Jiuxiao.

If thoughts could kill, Zhang Jiuxiao might have died a thousand times over in that short moment.

All this while, he had been wondering who was the culprit that revealed the news of him being Yang Xuan's student, but who could have thought that it would actually be an insider leak...

Zhang Jiuxiao had been in Qingyuan City during the same period of time as him, and he was rather close with Wu shi and the others too. All it would take was a simple ask for him to find out Zhang Xuan's lineage...

So, it wasn't too surprising for him to know about his relationship with 'Yang Xuan'.

But... it's one thing for you to know, but why do you have to boast about it in front of Feng Ziyi?

If, touchwood, this news were to get to the ears of the real Yang shi, won't I be a goner?

Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration. Rage bubbled furiously within him, but there was no outlet for him to vent it at all. In the end, he could only suppress his overflowing fury and chuckle awkwardly, "You... are from Yang shi's lineage too?"

Feng Ziyi stood up, and instead of answering the question, he raised his palm and gestured to the center of the hall, "I would like to request to have a duel with you."

"A duel?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

"That's right." Not bothering to explain his intention, Feng Ziyi drove his zhenqi, and an intense aura rippled forth from him, threatening to crush the surrounding air into fragments.

"This is... Phantasm Space realm primary stage?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

The previous time he met Feng Ziyi, the latter was only at Grand Dominion realm advanced stage. Yet, in just a short twenty or so days, he actually managed to raise his cultivation by two stages, reaching Phantasm Space realm primary stage... This was truly fearsome!

While the bottleneck that one had to overcome in order to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 7-dan Phantasm Space realm was significantly lower as compared to that of Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm, it was still inconceivable for any cultivator to do so within a short span of twenty days.

What was even more astounding was that the other party was only in his mid-twenties, roughly twenty-four or twenty-five this year... With such talent, it was just a matter of time before he became one of the powerhouses of the Master Teacher Continent!

Noticing Zhang Xuan's hesitation, Feng Ziyi chuckled coldly and said, "I did manage to make some advancements during this period of time, but it seems like you have achieved quite a few breakthroughs yourself too. The previous time we met, you were only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, but in just a short twenty days, you have already managed to reach Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. You were able to defeat Zhang Zhuo and the others as a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator, so you should be far stronger now, right? You didn't hesitate to challenge those of the Zhang Clan, so why would you hesitate at the notion of fighting against me?"

While Zhang Xuan was astounded by the rate at which Feng Ziyi was advancing his cultivation, the vice-versa was true as well.

Feng Ziyi remembered that Zhang Xuan was only at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle when he challenged the Mountain Gate examination, but in less than a month, his cultivation had actually risen by an entire realm, reaching Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. This rate of cultivation was one which even he would pale far in comparison against!

Furthermore, the other party also wielded superior fighting prowess that allowed him to challenge cultivators far beyond his tier, as shown by how he managed to defeat Zhang Zhuo and the others back then.

In truth, Feng Ziyi's initial intention was to confront Zhang Xuan on the rumors of him being Yang Xuan's direct disciple too, but upon recalling the peculiarities surrounding the latter, his blood suddenly raced in excitement, and an urge to challenge the latter to a battle struck him.

"Since you are so earnest in your request, it would be impolite for me to turn you down." Knowing that there was no way to shun the matter, Zhang Xuan walked to the center of the room and gestured, "Feel free."

As long as Yang Xuan didn't appear in the picture, there was nothing for him to fear.

A blade was already above his neck, regardless of whether he pushed ahead or retreated. Since that was the case, he might as well retaliate.

If Feng Ziyi wanted to make a move on him, he would have to first defeat him!

Hu la!

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had accepted his battle, Feng Ziyi stepped forward as well and flicked his hand softly.

Huala!

A Dominion swiftly engulfed the main hall. Any Spiritual Perception that attempted to perceive within the barrier would abruptly vanish, as if falling into another dimension. At the same time, Feng Ziyi also pushed his palm downward, and an oppressive might froze the surrounding space, leaving one feeling as if one was standing in the midst of a vacuum, making even breathing nigh impossible.

"He's indeed rather strong." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Even though Feng Ziyi was only at Phantasm Space realm primary stage, the strength he had displayed so far was already on par with the Phantasm Space advanced stage Bi Hongyin!

True, Bi Hongyin was still slightly lacking as compared to Luo Xuanqing and the others, but with her caliber, she could already be considered as one of the top geniuses of the Sanctum of Sages, far surpassing most of the other students... And yet, to wield strength comparable to her despite being two cultivation stages weaker, Feng Ziyi was truly a frightening individual!

A feeling of tightness swiftly constricted Zhang Xuan's chest. He knew that he would only be plunged in a worse position if he were to retreat at this point, so he roared furiously, "Break!"

His voice seemed to be tinged with a powerful force that hammered down on one's soul like a wreaking ball. In just an instant, cracks swiftly spread across the Dominion before it shattered with a resounding explosion.

Through studying the books Bi Hongyin had relating to demonic tunes, he managed to raise his comprehension and mastery of demonic tunes to the caliber of an 8-star demonic tunist. He was still unable to exert the full prowess of an 8-star demonic tunist due to the limitations of his cultivation, but nevertheless, his attacks were still plenty fearsome. Without a transcendental state of mind, it would be impossible to withstand it.

After breaking the Dominion with a roar, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger and sent a surge of sword qi in Feng Ziyi's direction.

Considering that his cultivation was far beneath the other party, it would be extremely dangerous for him to hold back. Thus, he infused the full prowess of his offensive Sword Quintessence into the attack.

Tzzzzzzzz!

In the midst of its trajectory, the surge of sword qi suddenly burst open to engulf the entire area, creating something reminiscent to the sea. It wasn't the Sea Severing Sword of the Three Swords of Lingxu, but the combined prowess of the countless sword qi within this 'sea' was plenty terrifying. They converged like a vortex and crushed down on Feng Ziyi with devastating might.

"Formidable!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up upon seeing this move. "Under normal circumstances, it should be impossible for any cultivator beneath Saint 7-dan realm to withstand the Dominion of a Phantasm Space realm cultivator. Yet, with just a roar, he was able to sever my control over my Dominion before creating his own Dominion using his sword qi to suppress me..."

The reason why Grand Dominion realm experts were so powerful was because they commanded absolute authority within the territory of their Dominion.

Considering that the other party was only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, having yet to comprehend Dominion, the other party would inevitably be in a disadvantageous position facing him straight-on. In view of that, the other party actually chose to craft out his own Dominion using his sword qi in order to accrue sufficient power to fight on equal grounds with him...

This was something he had never thought of before. It was truly a brilliant move!

Peng!

As soon as the other party's sword qi collided with his palm, Feng Ziyi was forced to retreat two steps.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was forced to retreat eight steps.

In this short encounter, it was apparent who wielded the absolute advantage in terms of sheer strength.

"For someone who is two cultivation realms weaker than me to be able to withstand my attack, I must admit that you are indeed a person of great capability. However... let's see if you'll be able to do the same for this too!" With eyes gleaming in excitement, Feng Ziyi charged forward once more.

Hu!

His silhouette swiftly turned illusory, as if he had warped into a phantasm. In just the blink of an eye, he had already covered ten meters to stand right before Zhang Xuan.

"His speed is incredible too..." Zhang Xuan was alarmed.

In terms of instantaneous burst speed, the other party was actually no slower than his Heaven's Path Movement Art!

The reason why Luo Xuanqing was capable of moving faster than him was due to his high cultivation realm and superior grasp of spatial laws, but to think that Feng Ziyi would be so fast as well... As expected of Yang shi's direct disciple, a genius from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters! His abilities were truly off the charts!

From the previous encounter, it was apparent that it would be unwise for Zhang Xuan to face Feng Ziyi's attacks head-on, considering the disparity in their strength. Thus, in response to the latter's sudden approach, he quickly activated his Heaven's Path Movement Art to retreat.

Tzzzzzzz!

But as fast as he retreated, Feng Ziyi's advancement was even faster. The latter's outstretched finger seemed to be ready to pierce a hole open in his throat at any moment.

Hu hu hu!

Zhang Xuan quickly switched between various movements arts in hopes of shaking Feng Ziyi off, but as if his shadow, the latter remained tight on his tail. Slowly, he began to panic a little.

"At this rate, I just might lose..."

Even though Zhang Xuan was still able to keep the other party's finger off his throat for the time being, he would risk losing control over the momentum of the battle at this rate. Once that were to happen, it would only a matter of time before his loss.

"I'll just have to take a risk!" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan made up his mind, and his eyes turned solemn.

He abruptly halted his footsteps as he forcefully compressed the muscles before his neck.

Hu!

As a result of his sudden stop, Feng Ziyi's finger struck Zhang Xuan's neck. However, the anticipated piercing didn't occur. On the contrary, a sound reminiscent to the metallic reverberation of two weapons clashing with one another sounded instead.

Heaven's Path Golden Body!

After learning the newest version of Heaven's Path Golden Body compiled from Yuan Xiao's physical body cultivation technique manuals, the resilience of his physical body had become comparable to half-Saint high-tier artifacts.

To put it in other words, as long as Feng Ziyi didn't wield a Saint high-tier weapon in his hands, it would be nigh impossible for him to impale him!

"It should be my turn now!"

Feng Ziyi was visibly stunned by the failure of his finger to impale Zhang Xuan's throat. Knowing that this was a good opportunity for him to strike, Zhang Xuan clenched his fist tightly and thrust it forward.

This punch harnessed not only the strength derived from his zhenqi but from his physical body and soul as well. Even before landing on its target, the other party's Phantasm Space realm Dominion had already begun shattering inch after inch, reminiscent of a popped bubble.

"You... How is this possible?" Feng Ziyi was aghast.

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Chapter 1382: A Sixth

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

It was one thing for a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator to be able to call forth strength that was on par with a Phantasmal Space realm primary stage expert like him, but more importantly than that, the timing and positioning of the other party's fist was indescribably ingenious. It was timed right in the lapse between the dissipation of his previous surge of might and the regathering of his strength.

In other words, the other party's had managed to see through the flaws in his fighting style despite only having exchanged a single blow!

One must know that the cultivation technique and battle techniques he practiced were no weaker than the top-notch techniques that the core members of the Zhang Clan and Luo Clan practiced!

It would be impossible for even Fei shi to see through such profound battle techniques and cultivation techniques in such a short period of time, and yet, the young man before him was already able to find their flaws and exploit them even.

"But if you think that you can defeat me just like that, you are being far too optimistic!"

Feng Ziyi's shock only remained for less than a tenth of a breath before a sharp glint surfaced in his eyes. He tilted his body slightly sideways in order to bring forth sufficient power to return a fist of his own toward Zhang Xuan.

His fist was directed straight toward the other party's chest, and the latter's punch was directed toward his chest too. He was aiming for a direct showdown!

"Let's see how formidable your defense is!" A hint of callousness flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes when he saw Feng Ziyi's response.

Without bothering to even change his positions, he drove the Heaven's Path Golden Body, and a slight golden shimmer flowed across the surface of his body.

Peng!

Zhang Xuan's fist smashed into the other party's chest, and in that instant, he felt as if he was punching a boulder. A numbing sensation swiftly crawled from his fingers up his arm. At the same time, Feng Ziyi's fist also smashed into his body, and a stifled feeling welled up in his chest, forcing him to retreat several steps.

"Your physical body..." Zhang Xuan was astonished.

It was due to cultivating the Heaven's Path Golden Body that the resilience of his physical body was on par with half-Saint high-tier artifacts, but to his astonishment, the resilience of the other party's physical body was actually on par with him!

Even though it seemed like their direct confrontation had ended in a draw, the truth was that he had lost out a little due to his limited cultivation.

"Hahaha, wonderful!" Feng Ziyi roared in laughter.

Even in a clash of brute strength, the young man before him was actually able to stand toe-to-toe with him. He flexed his arms a little, and as if someone had blown air into his muscles, his body began bulging out, filling his loose robe.

It seemed as if he had just eaten some kind of incredible tonic that transformed his slender body into that of a bulked up, brawny man in an instant.

Peng!

Taking a step forward, he immediately felt immense pressure weighing down on him.

In just a short instant, Feng Ziyi's aura and strength had actually surged to twofold.

"What kind of secret art is that?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fist tightly in astonishment.

In his past year of journey through the Master Teacher Continent, he had seen plenty of secret arts that gave one an explosive boost of strength, but he had never seen one which allowed an individual to enhance his muscle mass without any side effects at all.

However, he knew that he didn't have the luxury of allowing his thoughts to wander in this moment either. Driving his Heaven's Path Golden Body to its limits, he sent another punch over.

Peng peng peng peng!

In just the blink of an eye, the two of them had already traded more than ten blows. A deafening gale raged within the hall, threatening to tear the entire building down. At this point, Sun Qiang and Zhang Jiuxiao had already backed out of the hall.

Nevertheless, even the lingering air current that escaped from the hall was sufficient to leave them with a stinging sensation all over their body, as if a fearsome inferno was blazing on them.

"It wasn't too long ago that my strength was still on par with Zhang shi... But in just a few months, such a huge gap has been pulled between us!" Zhang Jiuxiao was shocked.

张九霄骇然.

He could still clearly remember the days back in Qingyuan City when they were still an equal match for one another, and there was hardly any disparity in their strength at all. It was in remembrance of those days that he worked exceptionally hard during this period of time, hoping that he would be able to catch up with the other party. Yet, who could have thought that despite all the effort he had put in... the gap between the both of them only grew larger!

With the other party's current strength, even a punch from afar was sufficient to smash him into a lump of meat.

The difference between the both of them was already immeasurable at this point.

Hula!

At this point, Feng Ziyi suddenly flicked his wrist and drew a sword. He slashed it lightly in the air, and the air in the room seemed to flow naturally along with the movements of his sword.

"Why don't we move on to a weaponry battle instead?"

"Sure, why not?"

Zhang Xuan casually tapped his finger forward, and in the next moment, more than a hundred swords suddenly materialized floating around him.

"What are you doing..." Feng Ziyi narrowed his eyes in astonishment, and before he could finish his words, what that could only be described as an entire sea of sword qi suddenly crushed down on him.

Peng! Peng!

He was immediately sent flying by the immense force, and his back crashed right through a wall of the residence. An instant later, the wall was reduced into dust under the furious assault of the sword qi too.

Feng Ziyi flew back for roughly seven to eight hundred meters before the force pushing him back finally alleviated enough for him to regain his balance. At this point, his face was completely pale, and his hands were shaking non-stop. The web in between his thumb and forefinger felt as if it would tear apart at any moment.

He had to take quite a few huge mouthfuls of air before he finally managed to catch a breather and calm down his billowing zhenqi. He turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan with a look of disbelief and said, "You... J-just what kind of move is that?"

He was a Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm primary stage expert whereas the other party was merely a Saint 5-dan pinnacle expert. Yet, despite their vast disparity in cultivation, the other party was still able to render him helpless with just this single move... Just what technique was it for it to be so formidable?

"It's the Old Sword Maestro's Sea Severing Sword." Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

There was no reason for him to hide this matter. Considering how famous the Old Sword Maestro was, as long as Feng Ziyi were to do some digging up, he should be able to uncover this easily.

"Impossible!" Feng Ziyi immediately exclaimed. "Putting aside Sea Severing Sword, not even the Heaven Desecration Sword wields that much strength!"

The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters possessed a vast collection of battle techniques manuals from all over the continent. While the Old Sword Maestro's Three Swords of Lingxu wasn't passed down, there was still some brief information regarding it in the library. Through analyzing the Old Sword Maestro's history and sword style, it wasn't too difficult for those who had comprehended an offensive-type Sword Quintessence to make a rough deduction of the prowess of the Three Swords of Lingxu.

Putting aside Sea Severing Sword, not even the strongest sword move of the Three Swords of Lingxu, Heaven Desecration Sword, was able to command such explosive power.

"It's true that the Old Sword Maestro's original sword art didn't wield such power. However, I did some modification to it." Zhang Xuan explained.

To be fair, the Old Sword Maestro's version of Sea Severing Sword wasn't weak, but without a doubt, it paled far in comparison to the current version of it he was using.

The main reason why his Sea Severing Sword was so powerful, allowing him to even sent Jian Qinsheng flying back then, was because he had managed to resolve the hulking number of flaws it was plagued with, thus forming a perfect Heaven's Path Sword Art.

"You did some modification to it?" Feng Ziyi widened his eyes in utter shock.

He could believe it if it was his teacher who had modified the Old Sword Maestro's sword art to such an extent, but the young man before him was only a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator! Was it really possible for him to alter the Sea Severing Sword to this level?

"Indeed. Without altering it, how could I possibly send you flying using just a third of its strength?" Zhang Xuan explained with a smile.

"A third of its strength?" Feng Ziyi's cheeks twitched uncontrollably upon hearing those words.

He had to use his strongest means just to fend against the sword art the other party had executed earlier, but even so, he was still sent flying several hundred meters away. He thought that this was already very exaggerated, but this turned out to just be a third of its strength?

Suppressing the urge to spurt blood, Feng Ziyi turned his gaze over to Zhang Xuan and said, "Considering the imposing might that your sword art harnesses, there's no way it could only be a third of its original strength..."

Considering what a close match they were earlier—to be more exact, he was even slightly in the upper hand then—how could the other party possibly be able to suppress him using just a third of his strength just after wielding a sword?

Could this be psychological warfare from the other party in order to crush his confidence?

"This... How embarrassing! I didn't think that you would be able to see through it. Well, I am actually quite a humble person, so I thought that it wouldn't be good for me to brag too much. But since you have seen through my lie, I guess it would be rude for me to continue deceiving you. Actually, I have only used a sixth of my true strength in the earlier attack..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head as he revealed awkwardly.

After all, Feng Ziyi was 'Yang shi's' direct disciple, so he had made sure to hold back a little while making his move. Thus, he only used a sixth of his original strength in the earlier attack.

He was hoping not to shatter the other party's confidence by being a little humbler, but he ended up being exposed instead.

Since that was the case, as embarrassing as it was, he could only admit to it.

On the other hand, upon hearing those words, Feng Ziyi nearly fainted on the spot.

What he meant was that the other party had used his full strength but attempted to pass it off as just a third of his full prowess so as to strike a blow to his morale... but who could have thought that the other party would claim that the inaccuracy was a result of his humility instead!

"Since that's the case, I want you to launch an attack of full might against me. I want to see just how powerful that sword art of yours is in its most powerful form!" Feng Ziyi harrumphed with gritted teeth.

He didn't believe that it was possible for the young man before him to actually be so powerful.

"You want me to launch an attack of full might against you?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "I'm afraid that a lapse in control might result in your death instead."

Part of the reasons why he didn't dare to use his full strength was because the other party was Yang shi's direct disciple, but more importantly than that, if he were to devote his full strength to executing the Sea Severing Sword, he would have to expend all of his zhenqi before the sword art could be stopped... It was one thing when his zhenqi capacity was still lower, but after the alteration he had made to his dantian through the Dongxu Gourd, the amount of zhenqi he had in his dantian rose to fivefold of what it previously had. If he were to lose control of the sword art once more, a huge problem could very well occur.

"Lose control?" Hearing those words, Feng Ziyi gritted his teeth and said. "Don't worry, I am a Phantasmal Space realm expert. I possess many means, such that even if you were to lose control of your attack, it won't be that easy for you to hurt me!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan was still a little hesitant. "I do acknowledge your strength, but we are currently surrounded by the freshmen residences. If I were to let loose here, I fear that I would accidentally destroy the buildings in the area..."

It had barely been half a day since he returned from outside, but he had already brought down the Spirit Awakener Hall and the Shrine of Seers. If he were to destroy the freshmen residences as well, he might very well end up giving away the pinnacle spirit stone in his hand as compensation.

"This..." Feng Ziyi took a look at his surroundings.

Zhang Xuan's residence had become rather tattered due to the battle they had earlier. Considering how the defense formation cast over each residence wasn't too strong, they really just might cause huge destruction if they were to continue fighting like that.

"Since that's the case, let's head to the Hall of Propriety then. It happens that Fei shi has brought the students from the Elite Division there to conduct mock battles today. Do you dare to have a duel with me there?" Feng Ziyi pondered for a moment before proposing.

"Hall of Propriety? Very well then." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Hall of Propriety was the place where students would fight against one another. There were top-notch defensive formations there in order to minimize the destruction resulting from any battle, and there were even spectator stands and mechanisms to analyze one's stats. Not only was there no need to fear causing unnecessary damage, more important, one would be able to gain an insight into one's current strength and flaws and grow stronger through working on them.

"Let's go." Seeing that other party had agreed to it too, Feng Ziyi turned around and headed straight for the Hall of Propriety.

Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan quickly followed along too.

So far, of the five halls, Zhang Xuan had been to the Hall of Erudition, Hall of Attainment, and Hall of Solidarity, but he hadn't been to the Hall of Propriety yet. If the place was really as sturdy as the rumors put it out to be, he would be able to head there often to try out his skills.

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Chapter 1383: You Aren't

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

In contrast to the bleak emptiness of the other halls, there was a huge flow of crowd in and out of the Hall of Propriety. Cultivators were everywhere the eye could see.

Even though there were many esteemed occupations in the Master Teacher Continent, it still didn't change the fact that fighting prowess was still the most vital foundation to a cultivator.

For this reason, battling was an integral part of any cultivator's life, and the Hall of Propriety served as a location for that purpose. Each day, it would attract countless students who sought to raise their fighting prowess and cultivation through practical battles.

Following behind Feng Ziyi, it didn't take long for them to arrive at an independent hall. The vast hall was divided into countless dueling rings, each of which was covered in a transparent barrier a little reminiscent of a glass enclosure.

"Fei shi and the others are over there." Feng Ziyi pointed forward.

Turning his gaze over, Zhang Xuan saw Fei shi, Zhang Yu, and the other students of the Elite Division standing before a dueling ring.

Walking closer, he noted that there were two figures battling in a nearby dueling ring, and upon a closer look, a smile crept onto his lips. The two fighting individuals happened to be familiar faces.

Chen Leyao and Zhang Zhuo!

The previous time Zhang Zhuo fought with Chen Leyao, he suffered a humiliating defeat, being slapped publicly and even knocked out shortly after. He had been resting over the past few days, and not only did he manage to recover fully from the injuries he had sustained, his strength had also risen to greater heights. Unable to hold himself back anymore, he immediately challenged Chen Leyao to a duel, hoping to avenge himself.

Powerful surges of zhenqi flew here and there within the dueling ring as the two fighters utilized their means one after another, but surprisingly, they were actually equally matched with one another for the time being.

"Not bad!" Upon seeing the sight, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Chen Leyao had achieved a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm under his guidance twenty days ago, so he thought that her cultivation would still be a little shaky. Contrary to his expectations, she had already successfully reinforced it, allowing her to stand against Zhang Zhuo on equal grounds.

It seemed like she hadn't been slacking off for the past twenty days. She had already managed to assimilate everything he had taught her.

"Zhang shi, who do you think will be able to achieve victory?"

All of a sudden, a voice sounded by the side. Turning his head over, Zhang Xuan saw the second ranker of the Elite Division looking his way—Zhang Yu.

Previously, Zhang Yu didn't think much of Zhang Xuan, feeling that a person who had barely met the mark to enrolling into the Elite Division wasn't worthy of his attention. However, after seeing how the latter was able to guide Chen Leyao into making a breakthrough, he swiftly realized that the latter actually possessed extraordinary strength and eye of discernment, so thoughts of winning the latter over to his side began formulating in his mind.

"They..." Zhang Xuan was just about to answer the question when his eyebrows shot up slightly in surprise. He turned to Zhang Yu once more and asked, "You offered some pointers to Zhang Zhuo?"

He had seen the extent of Zhang Zhuo's prowess with his eyes in the battle twenty years ago. While his cultivation was not too bad, his combat skills were still sorely lacking. It was due to that that Chen Leyao was able to easily defeat him under his guidance.

Had he been as skilled as Feng Ziyi instead, things would have never proceeded so smoothly then.

Yet, in this very moment, Zhang Zhuo was managing to fend off most of Chen Leyao's move, a huge contrast from the incompetent fighter he was before. Most likely, this matter had a lot to do with Zhang Yu.

"I gave him five minutes of my time." Zhang Yu placed his hands behind his back and said in composure. However, the glee and pride in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

The young man before him managed to induce Chen Leyao to achieve a breakthrough within five minutes and defeat Zhang Zhuo, so he decided to offer five minutes worth of pointers to Zhang Zhuo and have him defeat Chen Leyao.

His purpose was simple. He just wanted to prove that he was stronger than the young man before him, and his eye of discernment was far superior as well.

"It's indeed rather impressive that you can induce such improvement in Zhang Zhuo in just five minutes." Zhang Xuan nodded.

As expected of the man who was second only to Feng Ziyi in the Mountain Gate examination. It seemed like Zhang Yu was no simple character either.

The talent and eye of discernment he had shown were already on par with Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng; he only lost out to those two in terms of time and accumulation.

It was no wonder why the Zhang Clan was publicly recognized to be the number one Sage Clan in the Master Teacher Continent. As much as Zhang Xuan was unwilling to recognize it, there was no denying that they had many talents amongst their ranks.

"What do you think of the situation? Who do you think will emerge victorious?" Zhang Yu glanced at Zhang Xuan and asked once more.

"Zhang Zhuo did improve by quite a bit within this period of time, but Chen Leyao hasn't been slacking off either. I'd say that since Chen Leyao has won the battle twenty dates ago, she should be able to do so this time around too." Zhang Xuan replied with a light chuckle.

Back then, when he was offering pointers to Chen Leyao in order to deal with Zhang Zhuo, he had brought up many of the latter's flaws. While the latter did make substantial advancement in his combat skills within this period of time, it was still impossible for him to shake off all of those bad fighting habits that had already been lodged deep into his bones within such a short period of time. As long Chen Leyao was no fool, she should be able to uncover quite a few of them easily, exploit them, and achieve the final victory.

"It was luck the previous time around, and luck won't favor you every single time..." Zhang Yu remarked casually with a slight smirk and he watched the duel with his hands behind his back.

In his view, the reason why Chen Leyao was able to achieve victory the last time around was because the young man before him had made a thorough investigation into Zhang Zhuo's profile, thus winning the battle of preparations. So, he made sure to look into Chen Leyao carefully and offered Zhang Zhuo very specific pointers in dealing with her.

With this, there was just no way on earth that Chen Leyao would stand a chance against Zhang Zhuo.

On the other hand, noting Zhang Yu's response, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In truth, it mattered not to him whether who won or lost the duel. Sometimes, the loser could stand to earn much more out of a duel as compared to the winner. Just take him for an example, he had won so many battles everything was starting to feel meaningless. In the deepest region of his heart, he deeply craved a defeat from a cultivator of the same cultivation realm...

But it was a pity that this simple request of him was never meant to be. No one in this world could give him what he wanted, so this wish was doomed to remain unfulfilled for the rest of his entire life.

Kacha! Kacha!

While Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, in the dueling ring, Zhang Zhuo seemed to have suddenly activated some kind of secret art, causing his aura to intensify all of a sudden. This abrupt change caught Chen Leyao off guard. She was still able to stand toe-to-toe with Zhang Zhuo straight on previously, but in this moment, even dodging was starting to get real difficult for her.

She was forced to retreat time and time again, and it didn't take long before she was forced to the corner of the dueling ring. For the looks of it, it seemed her loss was sealed.

"There's no need to watch any longer. The conclusion is clear!" Seeing how Chen Leyao was trapped, completely losing control of the momentum of battle, Zhang Yu's lips curled up in delight.

"Indeed. The conclusion is clear." Zhang Xuan nodded.

What he saw was a completely different image from Zhang Yu.

Even though Chen Leyao was indeed forced to the corner of the dueling ring, every single step that she moved was very steady, seemingly intentional actions to lure the opponent in. On the other hand, even though Zhang Zhuo appeared to hold the upper hand, being in the offensive position, the truth was that he had already lost all composure due to the time limit resulting from the activation of his secret art.

Looking at the situation from this perspective, it was clear that who was the one that truly wielded the upper hand in this battle.

It must be said that Chen Leyao had really been working hard during this period of time. She had managed to internalize all of his teachings to heart and even achieved an even deeper level of comprehension to them.

It was heartening to see that his efforts were not wasted.

Just as the conclusion of the duel was just around the corner, a voice suddenly sounded, "Zhang shi, there's no need to worry about causing any accidental damage here. This way please."

Feng Ziyi had already gotten up to another dueling ring with a sword in his hand, and he was looking at Zhang Xuan with fighting will burning in his eyes.

"Feng Ziyi wants to challenge Zhang Xuan?"

"But Zhang shi is ranked at the very bottom of the Elite Division! Even though he possesses an exceptional eye of discernment and outstanding ability to guide others, his cultivation is only at Leaving Aperture realm. There's no way he could be a match for Feng Ziyi! Isn't Feng Ziyi going a little too far by challenging him?"

"Indeed. What's going on?"

A huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

Without a doubt, Feng Ziyi was the most prominent figure in their batch, and most viewed him as their goal. They hoped that they would be able to surpass him one day, but naturally, they also understood how slim the possibility was...

Considering how powerful Feng Ziyi was, if he was going to challenge anyone, it should be Zhang Yu or the others who were ranked in the top few in the Mountain Gate examination. Why was he challenging the last person in the Elite Division instead?

Even if he won the battle, his victory would only be frowned upon by others. After all, what kind of glory could one earn from defeating the weak?

"Brother Feng, I can be your opponent instead if you need a sparring partner." Zhang Yu stepped forward and said with a frown.

However, Feng Ziyi simply waved his hands and said, "You aren't a match for me."

Those words immediately caused Zhang Yu's eyes to turn cold. He leaped onto the dueling ring and harrumphed frostily, "How would you know without a fight?"

In the first place, he was already displeased at being outdone by Feng Ziyi back at the Mountain Gate examination. He was willing to concede that Feng Ziyi was a formidable adversary, but he couldn't accept been told by the latter to his face that he wasn't a match for him.

Instead of challenging me, the second ranker of the Mountain Gate examination, you chose to challenge the fiftieth place candidate instead...

Since you dare to snub me, I'll just have to show you what I'm worth then!

Hong long!

While Zhang Yu was still in the midst of his leap toward the dueling ring, he had already gathered strength in his palm and forcefully pushed it down upon the figure who stood at the middle of the dueling ring beneath him.

He was afraid that Feng Ziyi would reject his battle, so he used the most powerful capability he had at his disposal right from the start, not holding back at all.

"Not bad." Zhang Xuan nodded upon seeing the might of Zhang Yu's move.

It seemed not Feng Ziyi wasn't the only one who had grown substantially during his absence; clearly, Zhang Yu hadn't been slacking off either. He had already reached Grand Dominion realm pinnacle, just a step away from reaching Phantasmal Space realm.

As expected of the most talented genius of the Zhang Clan in this intake. Regardless of which aspect one assessed him from, he was indubitably a formidable figure.

"Like I have said, you aren't a match for me."

Standing in the face of Zhang Yu's attack, Feng Ziyi didn't even lift his eyelid. Instead, he tilted his body and thrust his palm up in a leisurely motion.

"Stop being so full of yourself. You might be a talented individual, but I'm also a one-in-a-million genius as well. You never know who will be the one standing at the very end of this battle!" Hearing the haughty words coming out of Feng Ziyi's mouth, Zhang Yu felt so furious that it almost seemed as if he would erupt like a volcano.

As he roared furiously, he drove the zhenqi in his body to its limits and channeled it all toward his palm, as if he wouldn't be content unless he reduced the entire dueling ring into dust.

However, before this surge of strength could even strike Feng Ziyi, Zhang Yu suddenly felt the might of the other party's palm piercing right through his attack and striking his chest squarely.

Peng!

With a look of disbelief on his face, Zhang Yu was sent flying into the sky before being planted into the ground not too far away.

In the view of others, he was sent flying as if he was a mere pesky fly before he could even leap onto the dueling ring. There was probably no better way to highlight the huge disparity in strength between the both of them.

"A one-in-a-million genius?" Feng Ziyi shook his head with a trace of mockery on his lips. He gazed down derisively at Zhang Yu as he said, "Perhaps it's about time for you to wake up from your delusions!"

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Chapter 1384: Too Low Profile!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"You..."

Not expecting that he would be knocked down by a single slap from Feng Ziyi despite using his full strength, Zhang Yu forcefully pulled his head out from the ground and glared at Feng Ziyi with frenzied eyes.

He was a person blessed by the heavens. Even within the powerful Zhang Clan, he was known as an invincible existence to those around his age. He thought that even if he wasn't a match for Feng Ziyi, he would at least be able to put up a good fight. Yet, who could have thought that he would be knocked down before he could even get onto the dueling ring?!

And most importantly of all... he was even viewed in such disdain!

The sheer humiliation he felt from Feng Ziyi's actions left him feeling a crazed inside.

But as angry as he was, he also swiftly realized that Feng Ziyi had managed to enter Phantasmal Space realm a step earlier than him... It might only be a small step of difference between the two of them, but this small rift simply unbreachable.

Forcing himself to calm down, several doubts began surfacing in Zhang Yu's mind, "If he has already reached Phantasmal Space realm, why does he still want to challenge Zhang shi?"

If Zhang Xuan's strength was around their level, it could still be understandable that Feng Ziyi could feel threatened by his existence and wanted to challenge him in order to establish his dominance. However, with his breakthrough to Phantasmal Space realm, the latter would be considered to have reached the higher echelons of the Sanctum of Sages, such that even some of the senior students wouldn't be a match for him at all. It simply didn't seem logical that Feng Ziyi would still be so caught up with a mere freshman despite his immense strength.

Peng!

While Zhang Yu was still in a state of confusion, a dull thud suddenly echoed, and a figure suddenly flew over in his direction and landed right beside him.

It was Zhang Zhuo, whom he had thought would win without any trouble earlier.

In this moment, Zhang Zhuo's face was swollen like a pig's head, an indescribably wretched sight. The ferocious aura that he commanded previously had vanished without a trace, and he was lying with a rather bizarre posture on the ground.

Zhang Yu's eyebrows immediately shot up in disbelief. He hurriedly turned to the stage and saw Chen Leyao walking down the dueling ring with a slightly pale face, but there was an exhilarated gleam in her eyes. She headed straight toward Zhang Xuan's direction before clasping her fist and bowing deeply.

"Impossible... This is impossible! How can she win against Zhang Zhuo?"

It was understandable why he would be sent flying by Feng Ziyi in a single slap—after all, the latter had already reached Phantasmal Space realm—but Zhang Zhuo wielded the absolute advantage in the earlier battle! It was irrational for it to end in such an outcome!

It could be said that Zhang Zhuo's loss was even more inconceivable than his own loss.

"Impossible?" Hearing those words, Chen Leyao puffed up her chest angrily and harrumphed, "If I can't even defeat Zhang Zhuo after Zhang shi's guidance, wouldn't that mean that I am regressing as time passes by? Zhang shi's guidance isn't something that just anyone can learn!"

Zhang Xuan was their young court chief's teacher, and it was a huge insult to compare the guidance from such an esteemed elder to that of an insignificant figure like Zhang Yu!

"But..." Zhang Yu clenched his fists tightly in indignation.

It was one thing for him to lose to the Phantasmal Space realm Feng Ziyi, but to lose to a mere Leaving Aperture realm fellow as well... He couldn't accept this! He just couldn't accept this!

This won't do. Others will eventually find out that I have offered pointers to Zhang Zhuo... What will become of my honor if I were to be found losing to someone as weak as Zhang Xuan? Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes menacingly.

Should I just challenge him to a battle? If I subdue him with absolute strength, I should be able to suppress with those rumors...

At this moment, Feng Ziyi's voice suddenly sounded from the dueling ring once more, "Zhang shi, show me if your full strength is really as formidable as you have put it out to be!"

"As you wish." Seeing that the other party was determined to try him out, Zhang Xuan unhesitatingly leaped up to the dueling ring and tapped his finger forward.

Wu wu wu wu!

Over a hundred swords immediately materialized all around Zhang Xuan. Every single one of them was pointed toward Feng Ziyi, each of them carrying a solemn aura.

"Good!" Having tasted how powerful the sword art was earlier, Feng Ziyi dared not to take it lightly.

He immediately drew out a semicircle with the sword in his hand and used it as a medium to channel his sword qi together, thus forming something reminiscent of a light barrier.

"Is that... the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Descending Cotton Sword Art?" Zhang Yu exclaimed grimly.

"Descending Cotton Sword Art?" a bewildered individual amidst the crowd asked.

"It's a Saint high-tier battle technique created by a master teacher in the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters while observing the drifting cotton in the air. In terms of defensive ability, it's only second to the Flowing Water Swordsmanship of the Third Sanctum Head. Once executed, a world full of flying cotton would drift around reminiscent of falling flowers, creating an effect similar to that of the ultimate technique of the Yinyang Court, the Fallen Snow Sword..." Zhang Yu explained.

At this moment, he finally realized just how powerful Feng Ziyi was. Even without using his prowess as a Phantasmal Space realm expert, it would be nigh impossible for him to defeat the latter once the Descending Cotton Sword Art was activated.

Unless... he activated the ability of his unique bloodline!

But unless in a life and death situation, it would be best for him not to tap into that power, or else he would only be depleting himself needlessly. Even though he commanded quite a high standing in the Zhang Clan, which granted him access to a lot of resources, recovering from the side effects of activating his bloodline would still be extremely troublesome.

Despite his deep understanding of swordsmanship, he still chose to take a defensive stance right at the start of the battle... Does this mean that Zhang Xuan really wields the strength to stand against Feng Ziyi?

Amidst his shock, Zhang Yu also seemed to have dawned upon something as he turned his gaze to the young man standing opposite to Feng Ziyi with a look of intrigue.

If even someone as powerful as Feng Ziyi opted to take a defensive stance right at the start of the battle... wouldn't that mean that Zhang Xuan was even more powerful than him?

But no matter how powerful Zhang Xuan could be, he's only a mere Leaving Aperture realm cultivator. There's bound to be a limit to how powerful he is. Zhang Yu shook his head as he turned his gaze back to the dueling ring, not wanting to miss anything of the duel.

He saw Feng Ziyi tapping his left hand forward, and 'weng!'. Along with a surge of zhenqi, another layer of light barrier was formed in front of him.

"That's the Big Dipper Origin Aegis!" Zhang Yu's lips twitched in disbelief.

If Feng Ziyi execution of the Descending Cotton Sword Art had already left him deeply bewildered, the activation of this light barrier had left him disconcerted.

The Big Dipper Origin Aegis was a secret art which a 9-star master teacher from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters came up with while observing the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper. This technique was known for its impenetrable defense to those of the same cultivation realm.

But to execute this technique on top of the defensive Descending Cotton Sword Art... just what in the world was Feng Ziyi trying to guard against?

Hula!

However, that wasn't the end of his shock yet. Feng Ziyi flicked his finger and crushed a jade token which materialized from his storage ring.

Weng!

A layer of light purple shimmer swiftly covered him.

"That's a protective amulet forged by a Phantasmal Space realm expert! Even though it's not as powerful as the Grand Cosmos Protective Amulet, it's still more than enough to guard against the attack of any Saint 7-dan expert..." Zhang Yu's lips twitched once more.

Aren't the two of you going to fight with one another?

Why is Feng Ziyi throwing out so many defensive measures then, even activating an invaluable protective amulet for it? Just what in the world is Zhang Xuan capable of that is able to instill such deep fear in him?

Kacha! Kacha!

While Zhang Yu still in a state of absolute bafflement, Feng Ziyi's body began bulging once more, and in the blink of an eye, he made the transformation into a muscular, brawny man.

"Wait a moment... isn't that the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Golden Toad Metamorphosis? It's said to be created by a master teacher while observing the cultivation method of the Golden Toad. This technique will cloak one in a thick layer of scales, granting one unparalleled defense and strength!" Zhang Yu tore his hair in frenzy.

"Just what the hell is he guarding against?!"

The first thing every cultivator would learn was how to defend. Only when one was capable of protecting himself would he be able to slay his opponent. Understanding this logic, Zhang Yu often spent his time studying the various defensive techniques out there in the world, so he was extremely knowledgeable about the subject.

But... to activate so many formidable defensive means at once, had Feng Ziyi gone insane or was Zhang Xuan really worthy of him setting up so many defensive measures for?

"Are you ready?" Paying no heed to the completely flabbergasted crowd below, Zhang Xuan asked with a smile.

"I'm ready. You can start now." Feng Ziyi took in a deep breath before nodding.

While he thought that it was very likely that Zhang Xuan was bragging, just to be safe, he still chose to utilize every single defensive mean at his disposal.

"Very well. Brace yourself!" Saying these words, Zhang Xuan tapped his finger ahead.

The zhenqi in his body was immediately infused into the swords in the sky, and in the blink of an eye, the swords had already whizzed forward, forming a massive sea of sword qi, drowning Feng Ziyi within it.

"This..." Zhang Yu's face turned aghast at the sight, and he subconsciously retreated eight steps as cold sweat rained down his head.

He had just made a quick calculation and found that even if he were to devote his full strength into defense, he would still stand no chance at withstanding that attack!

Wasn't Zhang Xuan just a Leaving Aperture realm cultivator?

How could he possess such astounding offensive prowess?

Zhang Yu felt his throat turning hoarse from sheer fear. In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of Fei shi staring into the dueling ring with his mouth agape, and as if someone was gripping onto his throat, his body trembled uncontrollably.

Astonished by Fei shi's reaction, Zhang Yu turned his gaze over and asked, "Fei shi, you aren't able to withstand that sword art either?"

Fei shi slowly closed his eyes before shaking his head. Suppressing the horror he felt within, he replied with a bitter smile, "I'm afraid so. If he were to execute it against me in a real battle, there's a fair chance that I might lose my life!"

"It's that powerful?" Zhang Yu's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

It was fortunate that he didn't challenge Zhang Xuan earlier on, or else he could have very well landed himself in a far worse state than Zhang Zhuo was in.

"No wonder why he's able to make Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng submit to him... I didn't think that I would fail to see through him as well. Without a doubt, he's the most terrifying individual in your batch!" Fei shi exclaimed.

"What? Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng submitted to him?" Zhang Yu felt as if a lightning bolt had just fallen upon him.

He had been too busy cultivating over the past few days that he wasn't aware of the most recent happenings in the Sanctum of Sages.

"Indeed. Zhang Chun came to look for me yesterday to obtain Zhang Xuan's profile, saying that he has been beaten up by the latter and wanted to exact vengeance... And from the looks of it, it seems like he hasn't fully recovered from his injuries yet!" Fei shi said with a nod.

Zhang Xuan was a freshman, and Fei shi was the person-in-charge of this new batch of students. Naturally, if Zhang Chun wanted to uncover anything concerning Zhang Xuan, the best way was to go through him. It was due to this that he found out about the matter of Zhang Xuan beating up Zhang Chun.

Even though Zhang Chun refused to elaborate on the matter, the tragic state he was in was more than sufficient for Fei shi to fathom a good guess about what had happened.

"As for Zhang Feng... I just heard news that Zhang shi had just challenged the Spirit Awakener Hall and became its Inceptive Sage. The first thing he did after becoming the Inceptive Sage was to enchant Zhang Feng's body and commanded it to hit itself hard..."

Fei shi flicked his wrist and threw a Communication Jade Token over.

Considering the huge ruckus that his student had caused, naturally, as the person-in-charge, he had already received the relevant news.

"He became the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall... and he enchanted the physical body of a living human?" Zhang Yu's lips twitched, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

All along, he thought that the only one who was worthy of his attention in this batch of freshmen was Feng Ziyi, but who could have thought that there would be a true monster lurking in their midst...

Others might not be familiar with them, but he knew the Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng brothers very well. They were top geniuses in the Zhang Clan, his idol for a period of time. And yet, they actually were defeated by a freshman...

If these words hadn't come directly from Fei shi, he wouldn't have dared believe such a thing to be true!

"Given his strength and capability, why is he only ranked in the fiftieth place in the entrance examination?" A question suddenly surfaced in Zhang Yu's mind, and he asked.

Since even he was able to clinch the second place, Zhang Xuan should be able to take the first place easily with just the swordsmanship he was executing.

"It's probably because he has a humble personality and wishes to maintain a low profile... Otherwise, isn't it too much of a coincidence for him to be exactly in the fiftieth place, no more no less..." Recalling what had happened back then during the entrance examination, Fei shi said.

It was only in the last three minutes that Zhang Xuan shot up to the fiftieth place, not showing any hints of his astounding talent prior to that. Very clearly, he had been holding himself back throughout the examination.

"You're right..." Having heard of that incident as well, Zhang Yu nodded in realization as admiration seeped into his eyes.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "He really is too low profile!"

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Chapter 1385: Call Me Senior!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

In order to increase their chances of eventually becoming Inceptive Sages in the Sanctum of Sages, every single one of them pushed themselves to perform to the best of their abilities during the entrance examination. Just take him for example, he didn't sleep a wink for the three days of the examination, fearing that a moment of slack could mean a loss in opportunity for him.

On the other hand, the young man was content with just enrolling into the Elite Division. Ranking and the sort didn't mean a thing to him at all!

In fact... even when he was doubted by so many people, he didn't even bother to speak up against them.

As tranquil as a still lake, achieving a state of perfect inner peace; this must be what true experts, true talent, and true humility truly were.

"Indeed. If not for Feng Ziyi's challenge, I would have never known that there would be such a formidable figure in this batch of freshmen." Fei shi remarked as well.

He was just about to continue showering praises on Zhang Xuan when a student suddenly rushed over to him and whispered a few words in his ears. His eyebrows suddenly shot up, and he quickly turned around.

"Elder Han Fu, what brings you here today?" Fei shi asked with utmost politeness.

Zhang Yu also quickly turned around, and he saw an old man with snowy white hair and beard standing before him. This old man seemed to exude a transcendental aura, similar to a deity from the heavens.

"Elder Han Fu?" Zhang Yu quickly recounted everything relating to the Sanctum of Sages he had seen in the Zhang Clan, and his face swiftly turned grim.

"The first elder of the Sanctum of Sages' Spirit Awakener Guild, a Saint 8-dan pinnacle expert..." Zhang Yu noted in shock.

He hurriedly clasped his fist and bowed, "Zhang Clan's Zhang Yu pays respects to Elder Han!"

"There's no need to stand on ceremony." Elder Han casually waved his hand before turning his gaze to the dueling ring anxiously. "When will Zhang shi be done with his battles?"

"May I know the reason why Elder Han is looking for Zhang shi? If it's an urgent matter, I can help you stop the duel." Fei shi said.

The other party was the strongest expert of the Sanctum of Sages' Spirit Awakener Hall. Even if Zhang shi had become the Inceptive Sage, it still shouldn't warrant the other party coming down here personally to look for him.

"I don't know how I should speak of this..." Hearing Fei shi's question, Elder Han's face turned scarlet in embarrassment. "Actually, I just want to ask him when the guardian golem he has enchanted earlier will finish its run. Due to its increasing speed, it has already knocked down the halls of four other guilds in the vicinity of the Spirit Awakener Hall. If it doesn't stop soon, I'm afraid that our Spirit Awakener Hall will become a public enemy in the Sanctum of Sages..."

Just by having the guardian golem walk seven steps, one would have already broken the record for the Spirit Awakener Hall for the past three thousand years. Yet, not only did the young man make the guardian golem do warm-ups, he even made it run non-stop... It had already been a few hours now, but it was still sprinting relentlessly, refusing to stop. He had tried to stop it, only to be knocked over every single time. He was completely helpless against it.

And honestly speaking, it would still be fine if the guardian golem were to obediently run its lap. Due to the unique nature of the material used to craft the golems, it was only a matter of time before it came to a halt... but the golem just had to do frog leaps, push-ups, squats, leg raises, sprints, fast sprints, front rows, back flips, and somersaults on top of that...

And that wasn't the worst of it yet. The lap it was running was growing bigger and bigger, such that it was beginning to expand its running course through the various guilds situated in vicinity to the Spirit Awakener Hall, crashing down everything that stood in the way of its run...

If it didn't stop soon, the other guilds might just destroy their guardian golem out of rage, and that would be truly problematic.

"The guardian golem of the Spirit Awakener Hall is running non-stop?"

"It has knocked down quite a few guilds already?"

Fei shi and Zhang Yu staggered on the spot.

"Also, when I came over, I saw that the Shrine of Seers had been reduced to rubble. According to what I have heard, it seems to be related to him too. So, I was a little worried that they might attempt to cause him trouble." Elder Han said.

"The Shrine of Seers has been reduced to rubble?" Fei shi and Zhang Yu looked at one another with twitching lips...

What happened to being low profile?

These were matters that no low profile individual could possibly pull off!

Unable to take it any longer, they raised their gazes toward the dueling ring.

And what they saw was Feng Ziyi being pressed against the transparent glass-like barrier around the dueling ring, his face warped like a fried dough twist. Sword qi continued assaulting him relentlessly from behind, and his eyes seemed to have lost all light, as if he had lost all hope for life.

"Too powerful..."

The four barriers which Feng Ziyi had prepared in advance had all shattered, and his entire body was filled with sword slashes. At this moment, he appeared no different from a miserable beggar.

Seeing this sight, the two of them couldn't help but gulp down a mouthful of saliva.

For the might of the sword qi to remain so powerful even after tearing down so many defensive barriers... This level of offensive power was something which not even Fei shi was capable of.

"Zhang shi, I would like to ask when will..." Seeing that the barrage of sword qi was still pushing forward relentlessly, showing no signs no stopping at all, Fei shi shouted.

However, before he could finish his words, Feng Ziyi's furious bellows echoed in the air, "You liar! Liar! You said that you only used a sixth of your full strength, but you only used a tenth earlier!"

The direct disciple of Yang shi was already on the verge of going insane.

When the other party first said that he had only used a third of his strength, he immediately thought that it was a lie. Then, when the other party said that it was actually a sixth instead, he became even more convinced of his prior assumption, which was also the reason why he proposed coming over here to see for himself whether the other party's words were true...

But in the end, a sixth did turn out to be a lie as well...

Because it wasn't a sixth but a tenth!

If it's a tenth, just say that it is a tenth! Why in the world would you say that it's a sixth? Because of that, I didn't put up sufficient defensive measures, and I nearly got beaten to death!

Do you know that your humility nearly cost my life?

Hong long long! Hong long long!

It was only when the zhenqi in Zhang Xuan's body was drained of its final drop did the Sea Severing Sword finally came to an end. While gasping for air, a look of helplessness could be seen on his face.

Even if the massive increment in his zhenqi capacity to fivefold of its original amount and the recent breakthrough of his cultivation from Leaving Aperture realm primary stage to pinnacle, he was still unable to fully control the Sea Severing Sword yet. Once executed, he would have to deplete his zhenqi dry before he could stop.

In the past, due to his lacking zhenqi, the Sea Severing Sword would stop after a few breaths. This time around, however, the barrage of sword qi lasted for a whole ten minutes before finally fading to an end.

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan retracted his swords from the dueling ring before raising his head. The first thing he saw was Feng Ziyi being pressed against the transparent barrier of the dueling ring in a very weird position. Nearly all of his clothes had been ripped at this point, and while he still had breath remaining in him, he had sustained severe injuries.

"I didn't lie to you. While I was executing my sword art, new inspiration suddenly came to me, allowing me to raise its prowess by a little bit more..." Zhang Xuan quickly rushed over to help Feng Ziyi down from the protective barrier while explaining in a slightly awkward tone.

This time around, it really wasn't his fault. He hadn't lied to the other party at all. It was simply because he had never executed the Sea Severing Sword with such might before, so there was plenty of time for him to experiment with new things in the midst of its execution. Through trial and error, he managed to gradually refine the might of the Sea Severing Sword, thus resulting in its offensive might growing stronger and stronger.

While there were already no flaws in the Sea Severing Sword at this point, the might of his attack was still affected by how well he could coordinate his spirit and his movements together. Naturally, the more in harmony he was with his swordplay, the stronger his swordsmanship would be.

"You are able to raise the might of your sword art by such a huge proportion in the midst of its execution?" Feng Ziyi spurted blood.

It is already such a powerful sword art, and you were still able to enhance its prowess in matters of minutes... All those who called themselves swordmasters would really have to lower their heads in embarrassment before you!

It took a long while before Feng Ziyi finally recovered from his distraught state. He glared at Zhang Xuan furiously and said, "You are indeed formidable, but as master teachers, our core responsibility lies not in combat but teaching. So, I would like to challenge you to a duel of impartation!"

At this moment, Zhang Xuan had already finished instructing Elder Han Fu how he could control the guardian golem. Hearing that Feng Ziyi still wanted to continue on with the duel, he couldn't help but say, "Why don't we just forget it? I'm afraid that you'll be traumatized by it."

He had no idea why the other party was so insistent on challenging him, but if they were to really compete in the duel of impartation... there was really a good chance that the other party might just succumb to his mental trauma and go insane.

"There's nothing for me to be traumatized over! My teacher has told me that I'll be his only direct disciple, but all of a sudden, you appeared as well. I would like to see just how formidable of a person you are that he would make an exception and take you in as well!" Feng Ziyi harrumphed.

Make an exception? Those three words made Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Judging from those words, it seemed like the other party still hadn't realized that he was a fake yet. The other party thought that Yang shi had secretly accepted another student behind his back, so he came over to confront him out of jealousy.

And of course, the other party hadn't expected to suffer such a tragic defeat as well.

There are some formidable master teachers in the world who would leave their acceptance of students up to fate. As a result, other than he himself, not even his own students might necessarily know of each other's existence. Having read quite a few books, Zhang Xuan was aware of some of the eccentric quirks of master teachers.

Take him for example, if he were to take in another student right now, Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, Yuan Tao, and the others would definitely be unaware of the existence of their new junior.

"It's only out of sheer luck that I managed to win teacher's favor." Seeing that Feng Ziyi really wasn't intending to expose his fake identity, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He looked at the other party with an expectant look and asked, "I haven't met teacher for quite a long time now. May I know where he is at the moment?"

"I have lost contact with teacher two years ago, so I'm not too sure of his whereabouts at the moment either. I have tried to reach him through a Communication Jade Token, but it doesn't seem like he's able to receive my message." Feng Ziyi shook his head.

"That's a relief!" Zhang Xuan nearly leaped up in joy upon hearing those words.

All this while, his heart had been leaping in trepidation, fearing that the other party would tell on him. However, since the other party was unable to contact Yang shi, that would mean that he was at least safe for the moment.

As long as he became the sanctum head before Yang shi returned, with his newfound esteemed standing, no one would dare to challenge him even if his lie were to be exposed then.

In other words, time was vital to him at the moment. He would really have to make haste, or else everything could just blow up on him.

"That's a relief?" Feng Ziyi's eyebrows shot up.

Shouldn't you be disappointed that I am unable to contact our teacher? Why are you getting so excited instead?

"Ah, I misspoke. What I meant to say is 'That's a bummer'..." Realizing that he had accidentally spoken his thoughts out loud, Zhang Xuan quickly changed his words.

"Your words don't seem to match your attitude..." Feng Ziyi eyed Zhang Xuan in skepticism for a moment before asking, "So, how is it? Will you accept my challenge?"

"Junior Ziyi, you aren't a match for me, so why don't we just drop the matter? Since we are both Yang shi's students, I don't want to traumatize you unnecessarily." Zhang Xuan waved his hand casually.

"Junior Ziyi?" Feng Ziyi nearly exploded on the spot. "I have been with teacher since I was seven, and I'm older than you too. You should be addressing me as senior instead!"

"Isn't there the saying that it's the proficient one who should be viewed in esteem? I'm stronger than you, so it should go without saying that I'm your senior. If you can defeat me any day, I'll be more than happy to call you senior." Zhang Xuan replied leisurely.

Since Feng Ziyi was unaware of his lies, he could make use of him as a shield in order to verify his identity as Yang shi's student.

"You..." Feng Ziyi's face turned scarlet as words choked up his throat.

Despite possessing cultivation far beneath his, it was a fact that the other party's fighting prowess was way greater than him. Just on the sword art executed earlier, had the other party not redirected the might of the sword art elsewhere to reduce the impact on him, there was no way he would have still been alive right now.

Considering that they were both direct disciples and that their teacher hadn't explicitly stated their seniority, the convention was to view the stronger disciple as the senior. And given that he was unable to defeat the other party, there was indeed no convincing reason why he should be the senior.

"We'll decide that after the duel of impartation. If you can defeat me once more, I'll willingly acknowledge you as my senior." Feng Ziyi flung his sleeves and harrumphed coldly.

Seeing that Feng Ziyi was reluctant to give up on the idea, Zhang Xuan frowned. Just as he was about to speak up, a young man suddenly rushed into the hall with a peculiar look on his face.

"Fei shi, Elder Liao of the Corridor of Puppets is waiting outside. He says that he wishes to acknowledge Zhang Xuan as his teacher..."

"Elder Liao wishes to acknowledge... Zhang Xuan as his teacher?"

Whoosh!

Deathly silence devoured the entire hall.

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Chapter 1386: Boreal Fire Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though Elder Liao was just a bottom-level managerial elder, his cultivation had already reached Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm. For such an expert to run over and acknowledge a Leaving Aperture realm cultivator as his teacher...

Was there not something really wrong?

The group of Elite Division students shot horrified glances at one another.

Feng Ziyi felt a stinging sensation on his face, and he felt so stifled that he could have spurted blood.

It was just a moment ago that he had insisted on challenging the other party to a duel of impartation when an elder possessing far higher cultivation than him came over to acknowledge the other party as his teacher. It was as if he had lost the battle even before it was even fought!

That face slap had simply come too quickly!

On the other hand, Zhang Yu felt completely crazed.

For even an elder to acknowledge him as a teacher, how was that low profile!

"Elder Liao from the Corridor of Puppets?" Zhang Xuan was also taken aback for quite a moment before realization struck him.

More than twenty days ago, while he was challenging the Corridor of Puppets, he had failed to rein in his strength and accidentally destroyed the entire corridor. Feeling deeply guilty of his actions, he had decided to offer some pointers to Elder Liao, advising him against practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula.

Back then, the other party did not seem to have paid much mind to his advice. However, the fact that he had rushed over to acknowledge him as his teacher meant that something must have gone wrong.

Upon making sense of the situation, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said, "Let him in."

"Yes!"

The student shot a glance at Fei shi, and upon receiving the latter's approval, he quickly backed out of the room.

Not too long later, two students walked into the hall with a stretcher. There was a frail-looking old man lying on the stretcher, and he looked as if he would lose consciousness at any moment.

Standing by the side of a stretcher was an elder with a flowing white beard. His eyebrows were tightly knitted, reflecting a grim expression.

Feng Ziyi's eyebrows shot up upon seeing the elder, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "Divine Healer Bai Yu!"

"Bai Yu?" Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over to the elder as well.

Even though it had been more than twenty days since he enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages, he had spent a huge portion of his time outside, so he was unfamiliar with most of the elders and experts there.

"He's the person-in-charge of the Physician Guild in our Sanctum of Sages. His medicinal skills are said to have reached an unfathomable level, to the point that he's said to be able to breathe life back into any dying patient. Due to that, others respectfully address him as the Divine Healer!" Feng Ziyi explained.

In terms of fighting prowess, Divine Healer Bai Yu was nowhere near the top, but without a doubt, he was one of the most esteemed figures in the Sanctum of Sages.

Countless experts were indebted to him, and they would rally upon his call.

As such, he commanded great prestige and fame.

Zhang Xuan nodded in response to Feng Ziyi's words.

To have to be brought in on a stretcher with the Divine Healer following beside him... did Elder Liao ignore my advice and continued practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula? Zhang Xuan frowned in disapproval.

He had specially warned the other party against cultivating the technique, but the other party still landed himself in such a state. It was almost as if the other party was toying with his own life!

Physician Bai Yu stepped forward and asked, "Are you Zhang Xuan?"

On the stretcher, Elder Liao exclaimed, "Yes, he's Zhang shi... Zhang shi, please save me!"

In this moment, his face was completely pale, and it seemed as if there was a layer of frost atop his skin. His body was trembling non-stop, and before Zhang Xuan could even respond, he was already struggling to push himself upright.

"What happened?" Zhang Xuan asked Elder Liao with a grim voice.

To be honest, the reason he did not deal with the problem regarding Elder Liao on the spot back then was not only because the latter had a lack of trust in him. Even if the elder continued practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula, it should not have caused too much of a problem in the short-run. His warning should have led to the latter taking preventive measures as soon as he realized that something was amiss, so how did the latter end up in such a state still?

"Quiet down, or else no one will be able to save you!" Divine Healer Bai Yu tapped Elder Liao back onto the stretcher before turning to look at Zhang Xuan. "Are you the one who told him to stop practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula a while ago?"

"I did," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Utter nonsense!" Divine Healer Bai Yu waved his hand angrily as he glared at Zhang Xuan coldly. "Have you tried to fully understand the complexity of his physical condition before offering such advice? Do you know how severe a consequence you have caused by running your ignorant mouth?"

"What do you mean by that?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown, not expecting to be bellowed at by the other party.

In order to compensate Elder Liao for the damage he had caused, he had used the Library of Heaven's Path to check on the other party's condition. The other party was suffering from some kind of trauma, which would only be further aggravated by the cultivation of the Hiemal Yin Formula. The continued cultivation of the technique would bring greater strain to his body, so he had decided to offer a word of advice to the other party.

Yet, why was this Divine Healer Bai Yu making it seem as if Elder Liao's current condition was caused by the advice he had offered?

Taking a step back, even if he was wrong, surely a Saint 7-dan elder would not be so obedient as to stop cultivating the Hiemal Yin Formula altogether, especially if it would cause huge problems to his body!

"What do I mean by that?" Placing his hands behind his back, Divine Healer Bai Yu sneered coldly. "Liao Xin was afflicted with fire poison while fighting with others a long time ago, so he requires the Hiemal Yin Formula in order to suppress it. Yet, you advised him against cultivating it, resulting in the fire poison to relapse. Are you going to deny that this is your fault?

"If you don't know the slightest thing about medicine, you should never diagnose others on a whim. If you are a physician, that makes it even worse. Did your teacher not teach you never to jump to a conclusion without analyzing the patient's physical condition carefully? A misdiagnosis can easily cost a person's life!" Divine Healer roared vehemently in anger.

He had a close relationship with Elder Liao, and he did not think that he would find the latter on the verge of death just after a few days of absence. How could he possibly not be angry?

If not for the latter listening to the atrocious advice of this young man, such a thing would never have happened.

"Are you trying to tell me that his condition is a result of the fire poison acting up?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

A body coated with a layer of frost, and you are telling me that it's the working of a fire poison... Are you messing with me?

"Indeed. What he's afflicted with is the Boreal Fire Poison. Once it acts up, the surface of his body will become as cold as ice, but his innards will burn as if the magma underground. Before long, his zhenqi will be burned dry, and his dantian could very well be crippled. That's the reason he has to practice the Hiemal Yin Formula in order to keep the fire poison under control!" Physician Bai Yu harrumphed coldly.

"Boreal Fire Poison?" While Zhang Xuan did not think much of the term, Fei shi trembled in horror upon hearing those words, and his face paled conspicuously. "Physician Bai, are you referring to the Boreal Fire Poison that is found in Hanqi Subterranean Gallery?"

"Hanqi Subterranean Gallery?"

"Of the many Subterranean Galleries that link the Master Teacher Continent to the otherworldly battlefields, there are seven that are known to be extraordinarily dangerous, and the seventh on the list is the Hanqi Subterranean Gallery!"

"I have heard of it, too! The most frightening aspect of the Hanqi Subterranean Gallery is this Boreal Fire Poison. Despite being a flame, it harnesses all of the attributes of frost as well, commanding both the powers of heat and cold. Even a Saint high-tier artifact would find itself melting instantaneously into liquid in its face!"

Such hushed discussion could be heard from the crowd in the surroundings.

Most of the students in the Sanctum of Sages were top geniuses coming from all kinds of major powers and clans, so they had some knowledge of the various Subterranean Galleries even though it was classified information.

"Indeed, it's the Boreal Fire Poison. Back then, in order to prevent the Otherworldly Demons from reaching the Master Teacher Continent, he bravely dived into the midst of flames to fend them off. While he managed to survive the ordeal by sheer luck, he was unfortunately afflicted with fire poison as a result." Physician Bai Yu sighed with a shake of his head.

"I have tried all kinds of means in order to treat him, even blood and bone switching, but none of them worked. In the end, I could only make him practice the Hiemal Yin Formula in order to suppress it temporarily. The reason I left a while ago was to seek the Nymphaea Tetragona, hoping that it could resolve his problems once and for all. Yet, who would have thought that a freshman like you would actually convince him against cultivating the Hiemal Yin Formula, causing the fire poison to relapse and even assault the depths of his soul? Even I am completely helpless before such a situation!"

"This..." Hearing Divine Healer Bai Yu's words, everyone subconsciously turned their gazes to Zhang Xuan.

Even Fei shi had a deep frown on his face.

Physicians carried a heavy responsibility on their shoulders. As the saying went, 'an incompetent doctor kills'. As such, if a physician was uncertain about a patient's condition, it would be best for him not to treat the patient. Otherwise, he would only be harming himself and others.

"Physician Bai, I know that you are worried about me, but that isn't entirely the case. The reason I stopped practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula is because I could feel problems cropping up in my cultivation. Zhang shi really doesn't have any blame in this matter," Elder Liao said feebly.

"Even after what he has done to you, you are still speaking up for him?" Divine Healer Bai Yu harrumphed coldly in response to Elder Liao's words.

"He was able to tell that I practice the Hiemal Yin Formula with just a look, so I found his words credible," Elder Liao said weakly.

The Hiemal Yin Formula was one of the rare cultivation techniques that would not manifest its properties in one's zhenqi, making it extremely hard to discern. Yet, the young man was still able to recognize it with just a single glance. He had been overwhelmed by shock at that moment, and after returning back to his residence, he had given the matter much thought and felt that the young man's words made perfect sense. Thus, he had eventually decided to reduce his cultivation of the technique.

Initially, he could feel himself getting better and better, but who knew that the fire poison would suddenly act up three days ago, placing him in the current condition he was in?

Even Divine Healer Bai Yu found himself completely helpless before his condition.

With no other choice, he had suddenly recalled the words of this young man, so he had decided to seek him out.

Considering how the young man was able to see through his Hiemal Yin Formula and wield such astounding strength despite his young age, achieving feats that even the little princess of the Luo Clan failed to achieve, he thought that the other party just might have a way to resolve his current condition.

And that was what led to the previous declaration that he wanted to acknowledge the young man as his teacher.

As long as his affliction could be resolved, what qualms did he have with taking the young man as his teacher?

Not to mention, if the young man was really able to cure the Boreal Fire Poison, it would mean that his medicinal skills had reached a level that even the higher elders of the Sanctum of Sages would be deeply impressed by!

"Credible? If he's really credible, do you think that you'd be reduced to such a state?" Divine Healer Bai Yu was so angry that he could have exploded on the spot.

He really could not understand the mindset of this old friend of his.

He was the Divine Healer of the Sanctum of Sages, but instead of believing him, his old friend chose to trust a mere student who had cleared the entrance examination just a couple of days ago.

"Enough! Let me take a look at his condition!" Seeing how the duo was still arguing with one another at this point, Zhang Xuan walked toward Elder Liao.

He had checked on Elder Liao's condition using the Library of Heaven's Path, and given the state he was in then, there would be no problem with him stopping the Hiemal Yin Formula altogether. So, why would the fire poison suddenly relapse?

"You want to take a look at his condition? Do you even know medicine?" Divine Healer Bai Yu sneered coldly.

In response to that, Zhang Xuan casually flicked his wrist and threw an emblem over.

Catching it, Divine Healer Bai Yu lowered his head to take a look, and a slight hint of astonishment flickered across his eyes.

It was a physician emblem with seven glistening stars on it.

As a 7-star physician, even if the young man's medicinal skill was far beneath his, he should not be someone who would take a patient's condition lightly and spout nonsense.

Knowing that the young man was not just fooling around, Divine Healer Bai Yu's hostility alleviated slightly, and he said with a wave of his hand, "Fine, take a look then. I hope that you can give me a satisfactory answer today!"

Fei shi and the others also looked on the situation intently, curious about what the young man would do.

Zhang Xuan had displayed amazing prowess in swordsmanship earlier, and his ability to guide others on their cultivation was also extraordinary. Not to mention, he had also managed to become the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall. If he was proficient in the Way of Medicine too, that would truly be incredible.

Paying no heed to the crowd, Zhang Xuan walked up to Elder Liao and placed his fingers lightly on the latter's pulse.

A moment later, he shook his head.

Seeing that there was something wrong with the young man's expression, Elder Liao asked with a deeply apprehensive tone, "What's wrong?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan was silent for quite a while before saying hesitantly, "Elder Liao, I would like to discuss something important with you."

"Zhang shi, feel free to speak. As long as I can be freed from my pain, I won't turn down any request that you have," Elder Liao replied in a feeble tone, reminiscent of an old man on his deathbed.

"That's good." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With an earnest look, he said, "I would like to knock you out for a moment."

"Knock me out?"

"That's right. If it's not convenient for me to do it, you can also faint by yourself. In any case, as long as you're out, I'll be able to discern the root of your illness and treat you." Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.

"..." Elder Liao.

"..." Physician Bai Yu.

Chapter 1387: You Are an Incompetent Physician!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Given Elder Liao's current condition, it was clearly infeasible to have him stand up and execute a punching routine. The fastest way was to knock the other party and analyze him through the Library of Heaven's Path as an artifact.

Previously, he could still rely on medicinal herbs to knock others out, but that would not work on a Saint 7-dan expert like Elder Liao.

"Utter nonsense!"

Before Elder Liao could say a word, Divine Healer Bai Yu had already lashed out furiously.

As the head of the Sanctum of Sages' Physician Guild, he had a deep understanding of the various diagnosis methods out there, and this was inclusive of those eccentric and unorthodox ones. But one that required the patient to be knocked out... Pardon his ignorance but he had really never heard of something like that!

Once a person was knocked out, there would be some deviation in their metabolism and other internal functions. While it was still possible to examine external injuries, it would be hard to analyze the internal traumas that the patient was afflicted with in such a state. So, for the young man to ask to knock Elder Liao out right from the start, just what the heck was he up to?

"How about it? Will you knock yourself out, or should I do it instead?" Paying completely no heed to the raging Divine Healer Bai Yu, Zhang Xuan looked at Elder Liao with a compassionate smile.

"I..." Elder Liao also doubted the existence of such a diagnosis method in the world, so he instinctively turned to Divine Healer Bai Yu with a confused gaze to seek confirmation.

"Forget it, I'll just do it myself then." Noticing Elder Liao's hesitation, Zhang Xuan decisively raised his hand and chopped down toward the top of Elder Liao's head.

Hu la!

The surrounding air swiftly compressed together, making breathing highly difficult. Just as Zhang Xuan's chop was about to reach the other party's forehead, he abruptly pulled his hand back.

Poof!

A short but resounding sonic boom echoed, and Elder Liao immediately fainted.

"That is... the Air Compression Spirit Clearing Art? The secret art that not even 8-star physicians are capable of pulling off?" Divine Healer Bai Yu's eyes narrowed in shock.

"Air Compression Spirit Clearing Art?" Fei shi asked in incomprehension.

"There are some injuries and illnesses that the treatment process is simply too difficult for those lacking in mental fortitude to bear. Thus, in order to prevent any unnecessary complications during the treatment, it would be best for the patient to be knocked out. However, regardless of whether it's the use of anesthesia or any other means, it would leave a certain degree of damage to the patient's body. This Air Compression Spirit Clearing Art makes use of a sonic boom resulting from the movement of one's palm to stimulate one's Primordial Spirit, forcing one to lose consciousness temporarily.

"It goes without saying that the ability to knock out a patient without causing any damage to his physical state can make a huge difference to patients who are already in a critical state and cannot take any more trauma. For this reason, most physicians would seek to learn it even though it's a demonic tune in the strictest of sense, but unfortunately, it's an extremely difficult skill to master. Even I am still unable of performing it, but who would have thought that that fellow over there would be able to pull it off?"

At this point, a hint of doubtfulness surfaced in the eyes of Divine Healer Bai Yu as he asked, "Could it be that... he's a highly-skilled demonic tunist too?"

On the other hand, seeing that Elder Liao has been knocked out, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He placed his fingers on the other party's pulse once more.

Weng!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path, and he quickly flipped it open.

With just a look, his eyebrows immediately began twitching wildly. He turned to the elder behind him and lashed out furiously. "You incompetent physician, will you only be happy after you treat Elder Liao to his death?"

"What did you say?" Divine Healer Bai Yu's face darkened upon hearing those words.

Hailed as the Divine Healer in the Sanctum of Sages, putting aside managerial elders, even the top elders would have to address him respectfully. Yet, this fellow actually dared call him an incompetent physician? The burning rage within him nearly caused him to blow up on the spot.

Hong long!

Unable to control his temper, a terrifying aura immediately gushed forth from him, plunging the surroundings into the midst of winter. Everyone's body immediately stiffened.

Saint 8-dan pinnacle!

An expert of this caliber could already be considered one of the top figures in the Master Teacher Continent!

Unfazed by the pressure from Bai Yu's aura, Zhang Xuan bellowed, "Are you really unaware of what I am saying? If you don't know how to treat Elder Liao, just keep your hands off him! To think that you would call yourself Divine Healer... More like Goodbye Healer!"

"You..." Seeing the deep disdain in the young man's eyes, Divine Healer Bai Yu felt a feeling so suffocating in his chest that it felt as if he would explode.

He had never been humiliated in such a way.

He glared coldly at Zhang Xuan before forcefully reigning his power back in. Flinging his sleeves coldly, he said, "No matter what your background is, if you can't give me an explanation that I am happy with today, don't blame me for getting physical on you!"

Those who were qualified to enroll in the Sanctum of Sages usually came from illustrious backgrounds. As angry as Divine Healer Bai Yu was, he still did not dare make a move recklessly.

"You still want me to explain to you?" Zhang Xuan shook his head and snorted.

He turned his gaze to the fainted Elder Liao and abruptly raised his leg and kicked the latter's head.

"What are you doing!" Divine Healer Bai Yu roared in shock.

Given how the strength and speed behind Zhang Xuan's kick, if it were to hit, Elder Liao's face would explode on the spot!

Are you insane?

You are here to treat, but first, you knocked out your patient, then you went ahead to berate me, and now, you are even attempting to murder your patient.

You really need to get your head treated!

Hu la!

Divine Healer Bai Yu rushed forward and flicked his hand, creating a ripple through space with his power of Dimension Sundering, thus successfully deflecting Zhang Xuan's attack.

"Get this hindrance out of the way." In the face of Divine Healer Bai Yu's impediment, Zhang Xuan raised his eyebrows and flicked his wrist.

Divine Healer Bai Yu was slightly startled by Zhang Xuan's words, and before he could even process what was being said, his heart suddenly jolted in fear.

Hu la!

A Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast suddenly materialized right before everyone's eyes, and a thick tail swept right in Divine Healer Bai Yu's direction.

"You..." Before Divine Healer Bai Yu could even react, he was struck squarely in his shoulder. An intense pain assaulted him as he was sent flying backward.

He was in the same cultivation realm as the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, but the latter was still more powerful than him due to its innate Dragon Bloodline. On top of that, its appearance was too sudden, so he was caught off guard, causing him to suffer a setback right from the start.

"You bastard!" Divine Healer Bai Yu snarled with a livid expression.

He immediately prepared himself to dash forward once more, but before he could make a move, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was already before him.

Despite its massive physique, the movement of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was as swift as a bolt of lightning. Its enormous claws tore sharply through space, falling down upon him.

Given the speed at which the claws were moving, Divine Healer Bai Yu knew that he would not be able to evade on time, so he clenched his fists tightly to face the attack.

Hong long long!

The collision between the two experts caused a turbulent shockwave to ripple into the surroundings. The transparent barriers that shielded the individual dueling rings from the surroundings wavered non-stop, flickering in and out of existence, as if they would succumb to the pressure and shatter.

At the same time, conspicuous spatial ripples could be seen spreading outward, forcefully pushing the crowd back.

"What is happening?"

"Why did that saint beast suddenly appear out of nowhere?"

Fei shi, Feng Ziyi, and the others were dumbstruck.

Were they not in the midst of treating Elder Liao?

Why would they suddenly start fighting one another?

Furthermore, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was obeying Zhang Xuan's command, so it should be his tamed beast, right? But how in the world did he manage to tame a Saint 8-dan beast in the first place?

A tamed beast can be considered a beast tamer's strength as well. If I had really challenged Zhang Xuan earlier, I would have been tragically defeated. Zhang Yu felt cold sweat pouring down his back.

At this moment, he felt deeply thankful that Feng Ziyi had spoken up before he did. Otherwise, just a claw from the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would have been sufficient to spell his death.

The Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall, pummeling Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng, subduing Feng Ziyi with a single sword art, berating Divine Healer Bai Yu without any hesitation, and bringing out such a powerful saint beast in public...

Previously, Zhang Yu had thought that Zhang Xuan was an extremely low-profile person, but from the looks of it now... it seemed that he just did not know the latter well enough!

There was probably no one as high profile as him!

In fact, even most high-profile individuals would only cause a commotion every now and then, but this fellow was inciting incidents one after another, as if he would not be content until he was constantly at the forefront of everyone's mind!

To think that he had even thought that that fellow was unworthy of his notice at one point in time... Even if he had viewed that fellow as his rival, that fellow might not even think that he was worthy of his attention!

The gap between the both of them was simply too great!

Shaking his head helplessly, he turned his gaze to the young man not too far away once more, only to see that the latter was not paying any attention to the battle in the sky. Instead, he was looking at Elder Liao with a hint of viciousness in his deep, black eyes.

"Time to begin!" the young man muttered.

Hu la!

He raised his leg once more and aimed it right toward Elder Liao's head.

Peng!

It landed on the latter's head, and in an unconscious state, the latter did not have the slightest ability to retaliate at all. He was sent flying right off the stretcher, smashing right through one of the walls of the dueling rings.

"This..." Zhang Yu's lips twitched.

Just what kind of grudge did he have with Elder Liao?

Or rather, what in the world was Zhang Xuan up to?

He should have known that he would never get out of the Sanctum of Sages alive if he killed Elder Liao!

While overwhelmed with shock, Zhang Yu saw Zhang Xuan rushing over in Elder Liao's direction, and before the latter could even land on the floor from the previous kick, his leg whipped forth once more.

Peng!

As if a football, Elder Liao flew into the air once more.

It was hard to tell whether it was an intentional action or not, but the direction that Elder Liao was flying toward happened to be where Physician Bai and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was clashing.

Both parties were pitting their full might against one another, causing an insane amount of power to ripple into the surroundings. Even ordinary half-Saint 9-dan experts would not dare get close, let alone the unconscious, Saint 7-dan Elder Liao. Before he could even come close, the might was already beginning to ravage his body, threatening to tear him to shreds.

"It's over..." Fei shi nearly collapsed to the ground from the sheer horror of what he was seeing.

Given how intensely the two experts were clashing with one another, unless a Saint 9-dan expert were to intervene in the battle, it would be impossible to stop them. Fei shi knew that even he would lose his life if he got involved at this point, much less the unconscious Elder Liao!

"Liao Xin!" Not expecting Zhang Xuan to make such a move either, Divine Healer Bai Yu was appalled.

However, he had already released his full might, and it was too late to retract it now. No matter how he shouted, it would not make a difference.

Weng!

Just as everyone thought that Elder Liao was doomed to die, a light buzz suddenly sounded from his body, and the frost shrouding his body abruptly expanded outward, forming a sphere of mist that extended for a radius of three meters.

After which, the sphere began to surge upward, forming something that was reminiscent of a giant lotus flower.

The overwhelming power between the clash of might of Divine Healer Bai Yu and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast struck the lotus squarely, and astonishingly, even though it wavered slightly, it was not destroyed at all! As such, the unconscious Elder Liao did not sustain any damage.

It seemed like the lotus had saved his life in this desperate moment.

"This..."

Upon seeing that, Divine Healer Bai Yu and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast were startled for an instant.

The clash of their strengths was strong enough to cause even the massive protective formation cast over the Hall of Propriety to waver, and yet, a mere lotus that sprouted from Elder Liao was actually able to neutralize their attack entirely... Just what in the world was it?

"Now!"

As if having expected this situation, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out the pinnacle spirit stone that Luo Xuanqing had given him previously. Holding it tightly in his left hand, he began furiously absorbing its energy.

Hong long long!

Concentrated spiritual energy surged into his body, swiftly filling up the depletion he had sustained previously. Then, he lifted his right hand and tapped forward.

Si la!

The Lingxu Sword abruptly burst forth to strike down upon Elder Liao.

In the midst of its movement, the sword qi imbued within the Lingxu Sword extended to over several dozen meters, as if attempting to sever the world into two.

Puhe!

The sword cut down on the lotus shrouding Elder Liao, and shockingly, the seemingly invincible lotus actually began shattering like a mirror.

"How is this possible?" Divine Healer Bai Yu was stunned.

Even the combined might between him and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was insufficient to destroy the lotus, and yet, the other party managed to cut it apart with just a surge of sword qi. Could it be that the young man was even stronger than him?

Perhaps even reaching Saint 9-dan?

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Chapter 1388: Treating Elder Liao

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After a moment of shock, Divine Healer Bai Yu swiftly came to a realization.

It was not that the young man was far stronger than him or anything else. Rather, the lotus was already left on the verge of shattering after the combined attack between him and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and the young man had aimed his attack at the very opening of the lotus.

Because of that, he was able to destroy the lotus with a single strike.

Nevertheless, it was still an extremely formidable feat.

Even he had not managed to find the opening of the lotus that had appeared out of nowhere yet, but the young man was able to see right through it, even accurately striking down on it from afar with his sword qi to destroy the lotus, not harming Elder Liao in the slightest. It had to be said that his eye of discernment and control over his strength had reached an astonishing level.

While Divine Healer Bai Yu was feeling deeply impressed by the young man's feat, he lowered his head to look at the young man, only to see that the latter did not show the slightest hint of joy at having sliced apart the lotus. Instead, there was a tight knot between his eyebrows, and his face was slightly pale.

"Hmm? What's going on?"

"There's something bizarre about the lotus..."

Just as Divine Healer Bai Yu was just about to ask what was wrong, he suddenly heard shocked voices from the crowd below. He immediately turned to look in Elder Liao's direction and saw that the scattered mist of the shattered lotus had attempted to dive into Elder Liao's body once more, as if it had a life of its own.

"Humph, don't you dare!" With a cold harrumph, Zhang Xuan flicked out several dozen silver needles and flung them in Elder Liao's direction.

Wuwuwuwu!

The silver needles fell right on the various acupoints all over Elder Liao's body, impeding the mist from delving back into his body. As if meeting its nemesis, the mist released a sizzling sound upon contact with the silver needles before dissipating.

Hu!

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and pulled Elder Liao back from the sky, gently placing his back onto the stretcher. Then, he tapped his finger lightly on the latter's glabella.

"Cough cough!"

While violently coughing, Elder Liao opened his eyes once more and spurted out black blood. After which, he sat up from the stretcher.

Pipa!

A resounding cracking sound reminiscent of snapping bamboo shoots sounded from within his body.

"This is..." Divine Healer Bai Yu widened his eyes in shock. "He's making a breakthrough in his cultivation!"

He was well-aware of the circumstances surrounding his old friend. Under the assault of the fire poison, his friend's vitality had been waning constantly, putting him on the verge of death. Even with his superior medicinal skill as the Divine Healer, he was still unable to treat him. Who would have thought that with just a few needles and a simple tap on the forehead, the young man would actually be able to induce a breakthrough in his old friend?

Could he be seeing things?

Hong long long!

Before he could recover from his shock, more and more cracking sounds echoed from Elder Liao's body. Following which, his cultivation swiftly surged, rising from Saint 7-dan intermediate stage to pinnacle within moments.

Even so, the momentum in his surge of strength showed no sign of calming down. Elder Liao shattered his Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle bottleneck within ten breaths, and a Dominion tinged with the power of Dimension Sundering suddenly extended from his body.

It was only then that the rise in his cultivation gradually slowed to a halt.

Half-Dimension Sundering realm!

To rise from Phantasmal Space realm intermediate stage to Half-Dimension Sundering realm in a single shot, this rate of cultivation could be said to be unprecedented!

Divine Healer Bai Yu's lips twitched uncontrollably.

The cultivation of his old friend had never risen ever since he was afflicted with the fire poison. For several centuries now, he had remained stagnant at Phantasmal Space realm intermediate stage. Who would have thought that he would suddenly experience such a tremendous surge in his cultivation, shattering all of the bottlenecks that lay in his path?

"I..." Elder Liao was also shocked beyond words. Feeling the overflowing power harnessed within his body, he sat in a daze on the stretcher, wondering if he was in a dream.

Before he was knocked out, his vitality had been swiftly dissipating, putting him on the verge of death. But when he opened his eyes, not only did he fully recover from his illness, his cultivation had also risen by leaps and bounds. At this point, he was deeply frightened that he would simply wake up and find that it was all a lie.

Pah!

He slapped his face, and to his relief, stinging pain assaulted his cheeks.

"I am still alive?"

The sudden realization of this fact made Elder Liao tremble in agitation, and even to his own surprise, tears began streaming down his cheeks.

For how many years, he had teetered on the edge of death. He had thought that his time had finally come, and death had descended upon him to claim his dues. Yet, at the very last moment, a savior appeared, and not only was his affliction cured, he even achieved a breakthrough in his cultivation.

He pushed himself up from the stretcher and walked up to Zhang Xuan. Standing before the young man who had brought him out of his anguish, his knees fell to the ground.

"Zhang shi, thank you for saving my life."

Even though he had been unconscious and was oblivious to what had happened, he could tell that Zhang Xuan had paid a heavy price for him just by looking at the latter's pale face and trembling body.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. To be honest, I didn't have much confidence either, considering the critical state you were in. It's a huge relief that everything turned out fine," Zhang Xuan replied with a forced smile.

Puhe!

He suddenly collapsed to the ground.

This time, his injuries were not faked.

He had just depleted himself from executing the Sea Severing Sword when he had to deal with Elder Liao's fire poison. Even if he had a pinnacle spirit stone in hand to replenish his spiritual energy, the immense mental toll he had been put under still left him on the edge of fainting at any moment.

"Zhang shi!" Elder Liao hurriedly stood up to support Zhang Xuan.

Hu!

Divine Healer Bai Yu also quickly descended from the sky to examine Zhang Xuan. "Don't worry, he's just suffering from overexertion. With sufficient spiritual energy and time, he should be able to fully recover from his condition without any lingering trauma."

The reason he wanted to make a move on Zhang Xuan earlier was because he thought that the young man bore malicious intentions toward Elder Liao. But with all that had happened, it was apparent that he had misunderstood the young man's intentions, so all hostility he bore toward the young man had disappeared without a trace.

More importantly, he had been looking into his old friend's condition for several centuries now, only to remain deeply helpless before it. Yet, in less than three minutes, not only did the young man manage to resolve his old friend's affliction, he even induced a breakthrough in the latter. On top of that, there was no medicine or any complex procedure to the treatment process at all.

This left him feeling deeply perplexed.

"That's good. That's good." Hearing that Zhang Xuan was fine, Elder Liao heaved a sigh of relief.

"Zhang shi, just... what is going on?" Divine Healer Bai Yu asked.

He had been a physician for many centuries now, but he had never seen any treatment method like this. And what was even more confounding was that it was actually extremely effective, vanquishing the affliction in just a few moments.

"Pardon me for my earlier insult. I had to provoke you in order to treat Elder Liao, so I hope that you won't take it to heart." Struggling up for a moment, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist apologetically.

"Don't worry about that, I won't take it to heart." Divine Healer Bai Yu waved his hand.

Putting aside being berated, even if he had been beaten up, he felt that it would have been well worth the price for his old friend to be treated.

Not to mention, he had been able to witness such miraculous medical skills on top of that. This had deeply incited his curiosity as a physician.

Divine Healer Bai Yu clasped his fist and requested with an earnest look in his eyes, "Zhang shi, I ask of you to answer my doubts."

Hearing those words, Fei shi, Feng Ziyi, Zhang Yu, and the others also quickly turned curious gazes over in their direction.

If Elder Liao had ingested a pill and driven his zhenqi in certain circulation pathways in order to resolve the fire poison, it would have been understandable that he achieved a breakthrough. But what had happened earlier... knocking out the patient, criticizing the principal physician, and pummeling the patient to the ground... how the heck did it turn out to be another treatment method? It was completely inconceivable to the crowd.

If it was that easy to treat an affliction, there would not be so many patients who died of illnesses every single day in the world.

"This..." Seeing Divine Healer Bai Yu's intent gaze, Zhang Xuan said with a bitter smile, "My apologies, but will you allow me to heal up a little before answering your doubts?"

He was feeling so feeble that he could faint at any moment now, let alone explain the situation to the other party.

"Of course, of course. Please pardon my lack of consideration," Divine Healer Bai Yu quickly replied in embarrassment.

He had been too focused on learning that he had forgotten the young man's current state.

"I have an Energy Repository Pill here that can help you recover from your depletion!" Divine Healer Bai Yu flicked his wrist and passed a jade bottle over.

As the top physician of the Sanctum of Sages, there were countless patients who sought his treatment each year. As a result, he had plenty of good items on him.

Zhang Xuan took out the Energy Repository Pill from the jade bottle, and after taking a look at it, he shook his head helplessly.

The pill was of good quality, but to him, it was not of much use anymore.

Due to his Heaven's Path zhenqi, there was a strict requirement on the concentration of the spiritual energy he could absorb. The higher his cultivation became, the higher the requirement was. While the Energy Repository Pill would be effective to even the average Dimension Sundering realm expert, it was no different from popping a sweet to him.

"Thank you, but I'm afraid that this pill is completely ineffective to me." Zhang Xuan shook his head as he passed the pill back into Bai Yu's hands.

"It's ineffective?" Bai Yu was taken aback. "I still have a couple of them here if you need more."

"Physician Bai, I appreciate your goodwill, but I think I'll find a way myself." At which point, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a brief moment, but he still could not bring himself to use his pinnacle spirit stone. So, he turned to the elder by the other side and said, "Elder Liao, may I trouble you a little?"

"Zhang shi, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Feel free to say whatever you require. As long as it's within my means, consider it done!" Elder Liao nodded.

"That's a relief." Zhang Xuan nodded as a hint of excitement flashed across his eyes. "Then, Elder Liao, I'd need to trouble you to achieve a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm!"

"Achieve a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm?" Elder Liao was stunned.

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Chapter 1389: Frenzied Hu Qing

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Should the first instinct of a drained cultivator not be to look for spirit stones and pills to recover his vitality?

Why was the young man asking Elder Liao to push for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm?

It did not make sense at all!

Furthermore, pushing for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm meant that Elder Liao would have to face a lightning tribulation. After years of turmoil from the fire poison, his body had already been emptied out. If he attempted to push for a breakthrough right now, it was likely that he would be zapped to death.

Surely you aren't intending to send him to death's embrace shortly after pulling him back from the gates of hell?

Elder Liao was completely dumbstruck as well.

"I'll need you push for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm in order for me to recover. The reason you were able to make a breakthrough so quickly is due to the energy you have accumulated over several centuries. If I'm not mistaken, you should have enough drive in you to push for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm, right?" Zhang Xuan asked feebly.

The reason Elder Liao was able to achieve so many breakthroughs at once was not because of his exceptional talent or Zhang Xuan's miraculous treatment but because of the hard work he had put into cultivating over the past several centuries. Previously, his cultivation had stagnated mainly due to the fire poison, but once that had been resolved, the energy he had accumulated over this long period of time immediately burst forth, allowing his cultivation to soar.

Considering how much he had accumulated over the years, Elder Liao should not have just stopped at Half-Dimension Sundering realm. It would be sufficient for him to push to higher realms, just that he chose to suppress it forcefully out of fear for the Dimension Sundering Ordeal.

"But..." Elder Liao was conflicted.

"Don't worry, you will succeed," Zhang Xuan told him with a resolute gaze.

"Alright then." Seeing the deep desire in Zhang Xuan's eyes, Elder Liao gritted his teeth and removed the limitation he had placed on his cultivation.

Boom!

As soon as the energy was released, the surrounding air began growing viscous. Following which, through their Spiritual Perception, the crowd realized that storm clouds were beginning to congregate above them.

"Don't challenge your Dimension Sundering Ordeal here, or else the formations could cause the lightning tribulation to run amok. Let's head out instead..." Halfway through his words, Zhang Xuan suddenly widened his eyes in realization and halted.

On top of the defensive formations cast over the individual dueling rings, there were also aura isolating formations that served to prevent anything within from getting out. As such, it was likely that the lightning tribulation would not be able to find its target and strike the area in frenzy instead, similar to what had happened when he challenged his Leaving Aperture Ordeal.

But while this might end in a tragedy to others, this was exactly what he was wishing for!

The storm clouds would grow bigger as a result of being unable to find its target, thus providing a greater source of energy to him.

Just thinking of how it would be bigger than Luo Xuanqing's, Zhang Xuan could not help but tremble in agitation as he looked at Elder Liao with eyes filled with desire.

"You're right, I'll go out..." Elder Liao nodded, but just as he wanted to leave the main hall, the young man suddenly shook once more, and his body seemed to have become even feebler.

"It's fine. You don't have to head out anymore. Doing it here is fine."

Elder Liao blinked blankly.

It's just a moment ago that you told me to head out so that I don't destroy the Hall of Propriety accidentally, but all of a sudden, you are asking me to stay?

Zhang Xuan turned around and instructed, "Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, you head out to attack the lightning tribulation first."

"You want me to attack... the lightning tribulation?" The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast cowered backward, and it nearly plummeted from the sky.

It had been through the Dimension Sundering Ordeal before, and it had nearly died from that darned lightning tribulation. Its fear toward the lightning tribulation was so great that it would be paralyzed in the face of it, and yet, to attack it straight on...

It was still young, and it did not want to die yet!

"Master, can I... not go?" the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast looked at Zhang Xuan with large, pleading eyes, which might have possibly looked like puppy eyes had its eyes not been as big as lanterns. "If you feel that I haven't done a good job beating up that Bai Yu guy earlier, I can continue hitting him till you are happy. Just... don't make me face that lightning tribulation!"

Divine Healer Bai Yu's mouth quivered upon hearing those words.

"Stop with your nonsense and hurry up and do it!" Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

"Alright..." Grumbling beneath its breath, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast headed out with a despaired look on its face.

Hong long long!

A moment later, the ominous clouds grew even bigger. What had only covered the Hall of Propriety earlier expanded to encompass an area of over several hundred mu 1 .

Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction before turning to Bai Yu. "Physician Bai, I'll need you to attack the lightning tribulation too."

"Me too?" Divine Healer Bai Yu's lips twitched upon hearing those words.

"I'll be troubling you. Don't worry, there won't be any problem." Knowing what the other party was worried about, Zhang Xuan replied earnestly. "I know what I'm doing."

"You know what you're doing?" Bai Yu's body trembled upon hearing those words.

Is this what you mean by you know what you are doing?

Your head!

Isn't this obviously an attempt to murder Elder Liao?

Noting the other party's hesitation, Zhang Xuan said, "Since I have a way to drag him back from the gates of hell, I hope that you can believe me when I say that I have a way to him help tide through the lightning tribulation too."

"Alright then." After a long moment of hesitation, Divine Healer Bai Yu looked at Zhang Xuan's confident look and recalled the miracle that the young man had pulled off earlier.

Thus, he gritted his teeth and dashed out.

"..."

Seeing how Zhang Xuan had instructed the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Divine Healer Bai Yu to intercept Elder Liao's lightning tribulation, Fei shi, Feng Ziyi, and the others were completely flabbergasted.

They had never seen anyone committing suicide in such a manner.

Just what in the world was the young man up to?

...

In a certain room of the Hall of Propriety, several elders were seated in an oval.

The green-robed old man sitting at the end of the oval was the person-in-charge of the Hall of Propriety, Elder Hu Qing.

"For those matters, they can be resolved in such a manner..." Elder Hu Qing was in the midst of instructing the other elders when his eyebrows suddenly shot up, and he sprung to his feet.

"What happened?"

"Someone is undergoing their lightning tribulation?"

"Who in the world is so inconsiderate as to face their Dimension Sundering Ordeal here? This is really bad. The entire Hall of Propriety could very well be destroyed!"

Sensing the congregating storm clouds and ferocious crackling of lightning in the sky, the other elders also swiftly noticed that something was amiss.

If such powerful bolts of lightning really fell upon the Hall of Propriety, the entire place could very well be reduced to rubble!

"Assemble all of the elders. We'll protect the Hall of Propriety!" Hu Qing roared decisively before leaping up into the sky.

Hu! Hu! Hu!

In the blink of an eye, another dozen managerial elders leaped up as well, and floating in the midst of the sky, they looked at the accumulation of lightning with awful looks on their faces.

They had looked over the Hall of Propriety faithfully for many years, so how could they allow anything to undo their hard work?

After seeing that all of the elders had gathered around, Hu Qing bellowed an instruction with gritted teeth.

"Elder Zhao, I need you to check who is undergoing the lightning tribulation here."

Of all places that person could undergo their lightning tribulation, why did they have to choose there?

In fact, there was a facility in the Hall of Integrity built solely for the purpose of assisting cultivators in facing their lightning tribulation through alleviating the effects of the inner demons. Yet, to choose to do it here instead, was he intending to bring the entire Hall of Propriety down with him?

"Yes!" Elder Zhao quickly nodded.

But just as he was about to head into the main hall, he suddenly saw a Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast rushing out with a sonic boom, and with a golden hue infused into its claws, it dashed straight toward the storm clouds.

Kacha! Kacha!

Having come under the assault of another party outside of the cultivator supposed to face the ordeal, the area of the storm clouds immediately expanded.

"What is that fellow trying to do? Is it attempting suicide?"

All of the elders were frenzied by what they saw.

It isn't even your lightning tribulation, so why are you trying to attack it so desperately? Do you have a grudge with the person undergoing the ordeal?

"Hurry up and stop that fellow!" Hu Qing immediately barked out an order.

However, before any of the elders could move, the highly-esteemed Divine Healer Bai Yu suddenly flew out of the main hall as well.

With a flick of his wrist, he channeled imposing might in his palm, and with a forceful thrust, he struck it out toward the storm clouds in the sky.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

The storm clouds immediately expanded to over a thousand mu wide, covering the vast expanse of the entire Hall of Propriety.

"Bai Yu, what are you doing!" Hu Qing nearly went insane on the spot.

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Chapter 1390: Bon Appétit

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Divine Healer Bai Yu had a rather close relationship with the other elders in the Hall of Propriety, and they often went out for expeditions in seek of treasures and medicinal herbs together. Yet, in this crucial moment, despite seeing that someone was undergoing a lightning tribulation, not only was he refusing to help, he was even attacking it. This was no different from seeing a burning house and quickly grabbing a bottle of gasoline to pour on it!

Are you trying to seal off all chances of the individual undergoing the Dimension Sundering Ordeal from surviving the lightning tribulation, or are you uncertain whether the lightning tribulation was large enough to devastate the entire Hall of Propriety, so you chose to head out here to ensure it?

Hong long!

Paying no heed to Hu Qing, Bai Yu channeled might into his palm once more and sent another strike toward the storm clouds.

Kacha!

Provoked by those who dared challenge its rules, the lightning tribulation sent down two thick streaks of lightning down upon the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Bai Yu. In just an instant, the bodies of the duo stiffened as their hair and dragon scales stood on end before plummeting from the sky.

"The authority of the heavens isn't to be challenged," Hu Qing remarked with a shake of his head.

After which, he raised his hand and roared, "Activate the Grand Defensive Formation of our Hall of Propriety to fend off the lightning tribulation. At the same time, dig out that fellow who is undergoing his Dimension Sundering Ordeal and have him sent off to the Hall of Integrity immediately!"

"Yes!" Two elders quickly nodded, but just as they were about to dash into the main hall to grab the cultivator undergoing the Dimension Sundering Ordeal, the charred Bai Yu and Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast suddenly flew up once more and sent a furious surge of power toward the storm clouds.

Kacha! Kacha!

The lightning grew even larger. Lightning sparks crackled imposingly amid the storm clouds, as if heralding an impending catastrophe.

Divine Healer Bai Yu and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast were both Saint 8-dan pinnacle experts, so their provocation easily caused a massive intensification of the lightning tribulation. At this point, what was above them could no longer be considered a Dimension Sundering Ordeal anymore. Even a Saint 9-dan expert would have a layer of skin torn off facing something of that caliber.

"This... How am I supposed to survive such a lightning tribulation?" Elder Liao collapsed weakly to the ground, paralyzed on the spot.

Just who in the world did he offend to warrant such a treatment?

It was just a moment ago that he was dragged back from the gates of hell, rekindling hope more in him. However, in the blink of an eye, he was shoved down into the abyss of despair once more!

Even though he had built up an extremely powerful foundation over the years, he knew very well that he would never survive even the first bolt of lightning from the billowing storm clouds above him!

"Calm down, everything will be fine. Just let those two make it a bit larger, and we'll be done." Noticing Elder Liao's panic, Zhang Xuan patted his shoulder and reassured him.

"..." Elder Liao felt even more stifled on the inside.

"Alright, I think it should be about time. Let's head out now." Seeing that the lightning tribulation had already congregated to its limit under the combined assault from the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Bai Yu, seemingly about to lose control at any moment, Zhang Xuan shook his head slightly in pity before beckoning Elder Liao to follow.

Theoretically speaking, it was possible for a lightning tribulation to grow stronger endlessly as long as it were to come under continual assault, but limited by its foundations, it would start crumbling apart once it grew beyond a certain size.

It was just like an engineer trying to modify a simple bucket and a spade into a massive excavator. It was simply an impossible act because of how poor the foundations they were working on were.

"We'll die if we head out at this point!" Elder Liao exclaimed with a pale face, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

Even though he had been through many life and death situations, he still could not help but feel natural apprehension and fear toward the might of the heavens.

"Die? Don't worry, that won't happen under my watch." Knowing what Elder Liao was frightened of, Zhang Xuan assured him with a radiant smile. "I'll help you deal with your lightning tribulation later on. What you have to do is release your strength whenever you see that the lightning tribulation is getting smaller or on the verge of escaping. Got that?"

"Lightning tribulation getting smaller? On the verge of escaping?" Elder Liao was dumbstruck by those terms. He could understand those words individually, but it became incomprehensible to him when strung together in a sentence. "Zhang shi, can you phrase it clearer? I don't understand what you are saying... I really don't..."

The lightning tribulation was a natural force sworn to never rest until the individual facing it finally succumbed, but why did it somehow become an adorable entity when filtered through your mouth?

What getting smaller and escaping... Do you take the lightning tribulation to be a pet in your house?

"It's fine that you don't get what I'm saying at this point. Just keep my instructions in mind and act accordingly later on." Knowing that it would be hard for him to explain this matter in a way that sounded convincing to Elder Liao, Zhang Xuan did not bother to elaborate further on the matter.

Instead, he flicked his wrist and took out various items to prepare as he began making his way out of the main hall.

"This..." Seeing how confident Zhang Xuan was, Elder Liao was a little lost for a moment. He briefly hesitated before he finally bucked up his courage and followed Zhang Xuan with a severe look on his face, reminiscent of a soldier marching to his death.

Zhang Yu gulped nervously before asking, "Fei shi, shall we head out to take a look too?"

"Un." Fei shi nodded.

Even though they were indoors, they could still somewhat sense the sheer size of the storm clouds through their Spiritual Perception. From how densely the lightning tribulation was gathered around them, they roughly estimated that it spanned over an area of a thousand mu. If it were to descend on them, it was likely that none of them would be able to escape.

But since Zhang Xuan was so confident about the matter, it would be worth heading out to see how he intended to deal with this crisis they were in.

Feng Ziyi quickly headed out as well, but barely after taking a few steps, he saw Zhang Yu stumbling over his own feet, nearly falling to the ground. He immediately frowned. "What's wrong?"

As a genius of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Yu should have been through plenty of huge affairs before. Surely, he need not be so frightened as to stumble over his own feet when they were not even completely out of the main hall yet, right?

Completely oblivious to Feng Ziyi's question, Zhang Yu stared at the sky with widened eyes as he muttered in a daze beneath his breath, "What the heck... is Zhang shi doing?"

Frowning, Feng Ziyi turned his gaze to the sky as well, and the sight that he saw left him frozen silly on the spot.

In this very instant, Zhang Xuan had whipped out a white cloth from somewhere and folded it neatly before his chest. He elegantly took out a cup of water and gargled his mouth, as if he was about to enjoy a sumptuous course in a top restaurant.

"Is he... going to eat?" Feng Ziyi scratched his head frenziedly at that sight.

He had been with his teacher for many years, but he had never heard of anyone getting so excited before the deeply feared lightning tribulation before!

Was that fellow here to challenge the lightning tribulation or dine on delicacies?

Kacha! Kacha!

In his moment of shock, he saw Zhang Xuan and Elder Liao walking out of the main hall. As soon as the star of the show appeared, the storm clouds in the sky immediately began rumbling intensely, seemingly ready to fall at any moment.

"Zhang shi, regardless of whether I am able to tide across this lightning tribulation or not, I would still like to thank you for saving my life." Elder Liao was still a little afraid prior to this, but upon seeing the vast expanse of storm clouds that plunged the entire world into darkness, he realized that there was no way he would be able to escape anymore.

It was either do or die. Perhaps it was the realization that he was completely helpless in this situation that made him accept the position he was in instead.

As someone who had bravely charged into the midst of the Boreal Fire Poison in order to fend off the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, Elder Liao was definitely no wimp, or else he would not have been promoted to become a managerial elder in the Sanctum of Sages in the first place.

"There's no need to waste your breath on such emotional words; nothing will happen to you. Just stay right here and wait for me. I'll be right back!" Zhang Xuan interjected with a wave of his hand before decisively leaping into the midst of the sea of lightning above.

"He's dashing right into the storm clouds?"

"But he'll die like that!"

Everyone was stunned. Even Hu Qing nearly fell from the sky upon seeing this sight.

They had seen cultivators who turned around as fast as they could upon meeting lightning, and they had also seen those who would bury themselves as deep underground as they could to hide from the lightning, but this was the first time they had seen someone dashing right into the lightning tribulation.

"Zhang shi..." Not expecting Zhang Xuan to make such a move, Elder Liao's eyes reddened in agitation.

The other party was dashing into the lightning tribulation all for him.

Just as he was about to dash in as well to assist the young man in fending off the lightning tribulation, the storm clouds suddenly billowed, and oddly enough, just as the young man had told him earlier, the storm clouds seemed to have contracted considerably.

"Hmm?" Perplexed, Elder Liao was just wondering whether he should release his energy as the young man had instructed him to do earlier, but then the lightning tribulation suddenly turned around and fled as if it had met its own nemesis.

Its speed was so fast that not even the fastest cultivator could possibly catch up with it.

Hu!

With the escape of the storm clouds, the sky swiftly cleared up, revealing Zhang Xuan's profile in the sky. In this moment, the young man was looking at the escaped storm cloud with a helpless look on his face. Just as he was about to speak up, his chest suddenly puffed up.

"Urrrrrpp!"

A resounding burp similar to the beating of a drum echoed crisp and clear.

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Chapter 1391: The Way to Resolve the Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Did he really dive into the storm clouds to eat?"

"But what's edible inside the storm clouds?"

Feng Ziyi, Zhang Yu, and the others looked at one another with utterly horrified expressions.

That was a lightning tribulation, something that even the most powerful of cultivator would have a headache facing! Yet, that fellow actually rushed right in to have a meal, even releasing a resounding burp right afterward.

Do you need to be so arrogant?

More importantly, you even scared the lightning tribulation away! It fled away so quickly that it almost felt as if a vicious dog was chasing after it.

Unable to hold it back anymore, Fei shi asked in agitation, "Elder Liao, that's your Dimension Sundering Ordeal, right? What's going on?"

"How am I supposed to know what's going on?" Elder Liao was on the verge of insanity as well.

True, that was indeed his lightning tribulation... but from the start to the end, it was as if it had nothing to do with him at all!

While others had to struggle desperately to survive their lightning ordeal, he simply took a look at his lightning ordeal, and a few moments later, it fled.

To be honest, he was completely dumbfounded by the matter as well, and he did not know what to make of the situation.

"Try your cultivation. If you are able to tap into the power of Dimension Sundering, that means that you have successfully cleared the lightning tribulation," Feng Ziyi suddenly suggested.

"Un." Elder Liao nodded as he took a look into his current condition with his Spiritual Perception. A moment later, his eyes widened, and his mouth opened. "I made a breakthrough..."

Without even lifting a finger, he had already gone through his lightning tribulation. This had to have been the easiest breakthrough anyone had made in the entire history of the Master Teacher Continent!

"As expected!" Hearing Elder Liao's acknowledgement, Feng Ziyi's mouth twitched. He lifted his head once more to take a look and saw the young man who had dived into the storm clouds a moment earlier slowly descending with a look of pity and bitter regret on his face.

Seeing the young man's state, Elder Liao hurried forward and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing much..." Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

He had thought that with how much the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Divine Healer Bai Yu had expanded the storm clouds, he would be able to make a full recovery. Yet, who could have known that the lightning tribulation had grown cunning after being absorbed twice, fleeing exceptionally decisively this time around.

As soon as he dived into the storm cloud, he immediately began absorbing the lightning energy around him frenziedly, but barely after he recovered the zhenqi in the looped space of his dantian by 70%, the lightning tribulation had already noticed that something was amiss, and it unhesitatingly turned around and escaped.

From the looks of it, I really should frequent the Hall of Integrity... Since that's the place where students and elders of the Sanctum of Sages visit in order to aid them in achieving breakthroughs, there should be plenty of lightning tribulations there.Zhang Xuan stroked his chin as he made up his mind.

Attainment, Solidarity, Propriety, Erudition, and Integrity; each of the five halls served their own purpose. Of them, the Hall of Integrity served to reinforce one's mental resilience, thus reducing one's vulnerability to inner demons when pushing for a breakthrough. For this reason, countless students would visit it each day.

If there was really no way around it, he could consider camping at the Hall of Integrity to absorb the lightning tribulations that arrived there. He should be able to make substantial progress in his cultivation that way.

"Liao Xin, you managed to achieve a breakthrough?"

While Zhang Xuan was in the midst of contemplating over his future plans, Divine Healer Bai Yu descended from the sky, and upon seeing the Dominion Sundering realm Dominion extending from his old friend, a deep hint of astonishment surfaced on his face.

He had thought that this breakthrough would surely be fraught with danger, but who would have thought that it would pass by so calmly, as if all of the build-up before was nothing but empty threats?

In the midst of his shock, he directed a look of admiration toward the young man before him as well.

"Just... what's going on?" Divine Healer Bai Yu could not help but ask once more.

"The matter concerning the lightning tribulation is a secret art imparted to me by my teacher, so I'm afraid that it'll be inconvenient for me to speak too much of it before others," Zhang Xuan said with a wave of his hand.

In any case, he already had a 'junior', Feng Ziyi, to validate his identity, so he could still push everything that was inconceivable about him to his teacher.

In any case, the current 'Yang shi' was uncontactable anyway, so no one would be any the wiser.

"Then... what about the fire poison that Liao Xin was suffering from before?" Seeing that the young man was unwilling to speak about the lightning tribulation, Divine Healer Bai Yu turned the topic to the fire poison, which he had been deeply intrigued about all this while.

"It's true that the Boreal Fire Poison that Elder Liao was afflicted with could be suppressed using the Hiemal Yin Formula, but as time went by, it started to develop its own consciousness," Zhang Xuan explained.

"Consciousness? You mean that a spirit developed within the Boreal Fire Poison?" Divine Healer Bai Yu pondered for a moment before nodding.

There were indeed poisons in this world that possessed consciousness, granting them the ability to avoid danger. These were the poisons that usually left both patients and physicians helpless.

"Since it had developed its own consciousness, the Boreal Fire Poison began to consciously avert the suppression of the Hiemal Yin Formula. As a result, the cultivation of the technique would not only be ineffective in suppressing the poison, it would cause his physical condition to further deteriorate as well. It's for that reason that I persuaded him to stop cultivating the Hiemal Yin Formula," Zhang Xuan continued.

He had gathered this through the Library of Heaven's Path earlier, which was also the reason he had offered Elder Liao the advice to stop practicing the Hiemal Yin Formula.

"Under normal circumstances, as long as Elder Liao stopped cultivating the technique, considering that the fire poison was under the control of a conscious spirit, it shouldn't have acted up in the short-term. With ample preparation, it should have been possible to get rid of it once and for all in a single go. But you just had to bring in the Nymphaea Tetragona at this moment!"

Recalling what he had just seen after knocking Elder Liao out a moment ago, he couldn't help but shake his head.

"The Nymphaea Tetragona is indeed one of the nemeses of the Boreal Fire Poison, and it would have worked had the fire poison not awoken its consciousness yet. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. When Elder Liao ingested the Nymphaea Tetragona, it swiftly induced a violent response from the Boreal Fire Poison. Under the conscious control of the Boreal Fire Poison's spirit, it managed to assimilate the power of the Nymphaea Tetragona and further its prowess.

"In the first place, Elder Liao's vitality was already waning, and the strengthening of the fire poison further worsened his physical state. As a result, he rapidly succumbed to the onslaught of the poison, thus resulting in his frail state a while ago."

Upon coming to realize what had happened, Divine Healer Bai Yu's face reddened in embarrassment.

It was just a moment ago that he had felt indignant at the other party saying that he was an incompetent physician, but after hearing everything that Zhang Xuan had said, what was he if not an incompetent physician?

It was because of his careless prescription of the Nymphaea Tetragona that his old friend had nearly lost his life!

There was a slight moment of silence from Divine Healer Bai Yu before he asked once more, "Then... how did you manage to resolve the fire poison?"

Even though the other party had resolved the poison right before his eyes, he was still unable to make sense of how it had been done.

"It's actually rather simple. The birth of a spirit in the Boreal Fire Poison does make it a far more fearsome adversary, but at the same time, its possession of consciousness meant that the Boreal Fire Poison would have a goal and thus could be manipulated. The goal of the fire poison was actually rather simple—it simply wanted to absorb more energy and grow as fast as possible.

"In a sense, the Boreal Fire Poison could be viewed as a parasite, and it had a somewhat symbiotic relationship with its host. Or to put it in simpler terms, it was against its interests to allow its host to die quickly or else it would lose its source of nutrients. That's also why I intentionally provoked you and had you clash with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

"By having the both of you execute your strongest moves and placing Elder Liao in the midst of your clash, the Boreal Fire Poison would feel deeply threatened. In order to sustain Elder Liao's life, it would have to morph into a lotus and protect him from your attacks.

"While it did succeed in protecting Elder Liao, your attacks were so powerful that it suffered tremendous damage, placing it on the verge of dissipation. In this timely moment, I used my sword to strike down on its opening, causing it to be unable to hold its form anymore and dissipate. However, this didn't mean that the threat of the fire poison was over.

"In its severely injured state, the remnants of the Boreal Fire Poison sought to delve back into Elder Liao's body, where it would slowly bide its time and recover, but it ended up being halted by my silver needles, thus eventually resulting in its complete dissipation.

"And without the fire poison suppressing his cultivation, the energy that Elder Liao had accumulated over many years swiftly burst forth, allowing him to achieve successive breakthroughs. And as for the happenings afterward, it's exactly as you have seen, so I'll just stop here," Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

Actually, the entire matter was not that complex at all. The main issue only lay in the Boreal Fire Poison within Elder Liao's body developing a spirit.

"To think that the consciousness of a poison could actually be used against it in such a manner," Divine Healer Bai Yu remarked in awe as he nodded in realization.

It was a well-known fact among high-rank physicians that lethal poisons that had developed their own spirits were the most difficult to deal with, but who knew that it was possible to resolve the complicated issue with such a simple solution?

"Indeed," Zhang Xuan said with a nod. He was just about to continue on when his eyes suddenly lit up in excitement.

The Innate Fetal Poison within me is also a poison that possesses a spirit. Is it possible for me to use the same method to deal with it?

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Chapter 1392: Yang shi's Strength

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan took a look into his body, and eventually, he shook his head helplessly.

All it took was one glance to tell that the Innate Fetal Poison was not as 'compassionate' as the Boreal Fire Poison. Putting aside saving its life, it would already be a great blessing if it did not backstab him when he was in serious danger!

It would be better for him not to take the risk. It was one thing if he failed to resolve the Innate Fetal Poison, but if he were to lose his life a result of it as well, it would really be a huge tragedy.

After all, he did not possess Vicious' ability to revive from scraps.

"Young Master..."

Speak of the devil. As soon as he thought of Vicious, the latter's voice immediately sounded in his ears.

"Yes?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

As the Sanctum of Sages was filled with innumerable experts, Vicious would usually avoid communicating him unless there was something truly important.

"Under the onslaught of the lightning earlier, Kong shi's will that permeates the entire Sanctum of Sages dulled slightly, and for a moment, I felt the presence of my skeletal frame!" Vicious' voice was filled with agitation and excitement, and the entire Book of Heaven's Path seemed to be trembling in resonance to his emotions.

"Skeletal frame? Which part?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Vicious was simply too fragmented. If it was just a small bone or finger, it would make not much of a difference to his current fighting prowess.

"It's the skeletal frame of my entire upper body. I'm certain of it—it is definitely in the Sanctum of Sages!" Vicious exclaimed excitedly.

"The skeletal frame of your entire upper body?" Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in astonishment.

Just by fusing with a few bones, he already wielded strength on par with Saint 7-dan experts. If he were to fuse together with his entire upper body, would he not be able to defeat even Saint 9-dan experts easily?

If Vicious were to really wield such power, he would have more cards to deal with the Zhang Clan if the situation fell through.

"That's right!" Vicious replied.

It seemed like even he did not expect that a part of him would actually be sealed within the esteemed Sanctum of Sages.

"Can you sense the general direction of where it is?" Zhang Xuan asked.

As long as Vicious could identify the exact location of it, he would be able to make some preparations to retrieve it.

Of course, that would also depend on whether the skeletal frame had its own consciousness or not. If it did, the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path might just end up being assimilated into that Vicious instead.

"Kong shi's will is simply too strong, so I can't sense its exact location anymore. Unless..."

At which point, Vicious hesitated for a moment before continuing. "If a lightning tribulation as large as the previous one occurs, it should be able to suppress the aura temporarily, granting me sufficient time to determine the exact location of my skeletal frame."

Due to the presence of Kong shi's writing all over the place and the several dozen millenniums of respect and adulation from the student populace and elders, the entire Sanctum of Sages was permeated with his will and spirit, hindering Vicious' perception.

Only during a lightning tribulation, when the will was busy vying with the inner demons contained within the ordeal, would it thin a little.

"Another lightning tribulation as large as the previous one?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The only reason the previous Dimension Sundering Ordeal had been so powerful was due to Elder Liao's massive accumulation and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Divine Healer Bai Yu striking the ordeal simultaneously. Otherwise, there was no way the lightning from a Dimension Sundering Ordeal could possibly cover over a thousand mu.

"I'll find a way for that. Just make sure to find your skeletal frame when the time comes," Zhang Xuan instructed.

It happened that he required lightning tribulations to replenish his strength and raise his cultivation too. Since he could achieve both goals at once, he was more than willing to do it.

"Alright," Vicious replied before falling silent.

As the both of them had communicated telepathically, the entire conversation only lasted roughly two breaths before Zhang Xuan returned his attention to reality. In the next moment, he saw Divine Healer Bai Yu staring him in excitement, saying, "Zhang shi, since you know so much about medicine, are you interested in coming over to our Physician Guild to conduct a lecture?"

"Conduct a lecture?"

"That's right. It happens that our guild is currently studying a rather bizarre type of poison that we are still unable to remove even after twenty years of trying. We have invited many physicians over on many occasions to discuss the issue, but we still remain completely helpless before it. Since you were able to resolve the Boreal Fire Poison in Elder Liao's body, it's apparent that you are a person of great ability. If you could just conduct a lecture in our Physician Guild, I believe that you would be able to provide many fresh perspectives that might just allow us to resolve the poison!" Divine Healer Bai Yu exclaimed in agitation.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was slightly hesitant. "I am just an ordinary 7-star physician, not even reaching 8-star yet. If I conduct a lecture, there's bound to be many who would doubt my words."

The fastest way to gain respect in an occupation was to show sufficient strength and proficiency in it. While Zhang Xuan had managed to resolve the Boreal Fire Poison, he had relied heavily on the Library of Heaven's Path. He had not read any 8-star physician books yet, so his knowledge was still a little lacking to lecture in the Physician Guild.

"Considering how you were able to see through Liao Xin's affliction with a single glance and resolve it so easily, I'll report this matter to the headquarters and have an 8-star physician emblem applied for you this instant!" Divine Healer Bai Yu said with a smile.

Their Physician Guild branch had studied the condition of his old friend for many years now, but they had all been completely helpless before it. Just the fact that the young man was able to resolve it so easily bore testimony to his abilities.

"Alright then. However, I'll have to take a trip to your library in order to brush up on my knowledge first," Zhang Xuan said with a nod.

It would be good if Divine Healer Bai Yu could apply for his emblem. He would be spared from taking the examination.

"That's simple. Follow me..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan had agreed to his request, Divine Healer Bai Yu heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly walked in front and led the way forward.

Before leaving, Zhang Xuan turned around to look at Feng Ziyi and said, "Junior Feng, is there anything else you wish to challenge me in? If there is, you can feel free to look for me anytime you want."

Feng Ziyi's lips twitched uncontrollably, unable to say a word at all.

When he challenged the other party to a duel of fighting prowess, he ended up being pummeled pitifully despite possessing superior cultivation. When he challenged the other party to a duel of impartation, Elder Liao suddenly rushed, crying for Zhang Xuan to take him in as his student.

Somehow, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt like a towering mountain before him, one that he could not overcome or circumvent.

...

While Zhang Xuan was following Divine Healer Bai Yu to the Physician Guild, back in his residence, Sun Qiang was looking at the nearby Zhang Jiuxiao with a look of bewilderment.

They had not tagged along to watch Feng Ziyi and Zhang Xuan's duel but instead found some craftsmen to repair the collapsed main hall.

"Young Master Jiuxiao, you said earlier that Feng Ziyi and our Young Master are from the same lineage." Sun Qiang could not help but ask, "Could Feng Ziyi be our old master's student too?"

He had heard the other party saying those words as soon as Young Master walked in, but he simply found the matter a little unbelievable.

No matter how he looked at Feng Ziyi, the latter just looked weak and dim-witted. Why would his old master take in a person of that caliber as his student?

"Indeed, Feng Ziyi is Yang shi's student as well." Zhang Jiuxiao nodded in admiration.

If he could take Yang shi as his teacher as well, he would surely be regarded with the highest of esteem when he returned to the Zhang Clan. He would not be just an ordinary member of the side family without the slightest standing at all.

Hearing Zhang Jiuxiao's confirmation, Sun Qiang hesitantly asked, "Do you know... what our Old Master's master teacher rank is?"

All along, the Old Master's strength seemed to be growing along with the Young Master's cultivation, which made him suspect that the Old Master was actually not as powerful as he initially thought. Since Zhang Jiuxiao was aware of the Old Master's true identity, this would be a good opportunity to ask about it.

If the Old Master was really that powerful, he would not have to lie low and hold himself humbly anymore. At the very least, he would not have to suffer the bad attitude from others when gathering intelligence in the Sanctum of Sages.

"I wasn't too aware of Yang shi's affairs previously, but after coming to know of Feng Ziyi, I heard some of my clan members speaking of him." At this point, Zhang Jiuxiao's eyes suddenly lit up.

He had first heard of Yang shi when he was in the Qingyuan Empire, but due to the latter being too high ranking, he had no idea what the significance of the name was. It was only upon arriving in the Sanctum of Sages and hearing others speak of Feng Ziyi that he finally realized just how high a standing and how great a power that that man possessed.

"He's one of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, the man who wields the greatest power in the entire Master Teacher Pavilion aside from the pavilion master himself. On top of that, he's a true 9-star master teacher, wielding unfathomable strength in his hands that's on par with even the old ancestor of our Zhang Clan!

"In fact, he's renowned to be one of the strongest experts in the world!"

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Chapter 1393: Sun Qiang's Rage (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The man who wields the greatest power in the entire Master Teacher Pavilion other than the pavilion master himself? One of the strongest experts in the world?" Sun Qiang's body trembled in agitation.

In the past, he had thought that it would have been great if their Old Master was an 8-star master teacher. However, in the Sanctum of Sages, master teachers of such a rank were aplenty. As such, he had been forced to lie low and remain humble at all times.

But who would have thought that the Old Master was actually such a formidable figure?

One of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, a 9-star master teacher, and one of the strongest experts in the world; just any one of those titles was sufficient to leave the entire Master Teacher Continent trembling at its core!

To think that a mere realtor of second-hand houses in Tianxuan Kingdom like him would actually catch the eye of such an incredible figure. In that moment, a feeling of pride sprouted in Sun Qiang's heart.

Considering the unfathomable eye of discernment that 9-star master teachers possess, the fact that I was able to catch the eye of the Old Master might mean that I possess great talent that even I am unaware of. Sun Qiang widened his eyes in realization.

All along, he had thought that he was an ordinary person, far lacking compared to the many geniuses in the world. However, after learning that the Old Master was such a formidable expert, he came to realize that he had to be a one in a million expert as well.

Otherwise, why would a 9-star master teacher treat him so well and even entrust him with the heavy responsibility of taking care of his direct disciple?

"It's Zhang shi's fortune to have caught the eye of such a figure. But of course, I believe that Yang shi must be delighted to have taken in a student like Zhang shi as well," Zhang Jiuxiao remarked.

While others might think that Zhang Xuan had to accrue several incarnations of luck in order to find a teacher like Yang Xuan, he knew very well that as long as the young man revealed his identity as a Celestial Master Teacher, there would be no master teacher in the world who would not be willing to take him in as their student.

A moment later, Zhang Jiuxiao suddenly recalled the other party's previous question and frowned in doubt. "You aren't aware of Yang shi's true identity even though you are his butler?"

It was one thing for him to not know of Yang shi's true identity, but Sun Qiang was someone who had seen Yang shi on multiple occasions, so how could he possibly not know of the matter?

"Our Old Master is a humble and low-profile person, and he dislikes being in the public eye or talking about himself. As such, I'm not too sure about his affairs either," Sun Qiang replied.

"I see. I guess that's the attitude that master teachers should have," Zhang Jiuxiao said with a meaningful nod.

True master teachers should never allow their reputation to weigh down upon them, and clearly, Yang shi was such a person.

"Alright, the reparations for the residence are done. I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave first. Farewell."

After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Jiuxiao bade farewell before leaving.

Watching as Zhang Jiuxiao's figure disappeared into the distance, Sun Qiang thought about what they had discussed earlier, and a brilliant gleam twinkled into his eyes as he clenched his plump fists tightly together.

Previously, when the Young Master tasked me with gathering some intelligence on the acquirement of pinnacle spirit stones, I wasn't able to get the job done properly due to the hesitation and fear from facing those experts. However, now that I know of the Old Master's identity, why should I have any fear? If anything, they should be the ones fearing me!

Laughing heartily, Sun Qiang stood up from the chair, flung his sleeves, and began walking out of the room with widened strides.

As the butler of the number one expert in the world and a 9-star master teacher, his standing should at least be on par with the sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages. Surely it would be nothing much for him to enquire some information?

Thus, he swiftly made his way over to the Hall of Integrity.

On top of reinforcing one's mental fortitude and tempering one's character, the Hall of Integrity served as an information hub for important news. Most of the missions for the students of the Sanctum of Sages were allocated here.

After taking a swift look around, Sun Qiang was soon standing in front of a vast hall, and with deep confidence, he strutted in.

Seated in a corner of the room was a young man in his early twenties dressed in a black robe. He turned his gaze lazily toward Sun Qiang and said, "Please take out your identity token."

Sun Qiang flicked his wrist and hand over the token that Zhang Xuan had given him.

"A butler of a freshman?" Upon taking a look at the token, the young man scoffed disdainfully before tossing the identity token back. "Speak, what kind of information are you looking for? Is your Young Master looking for missions to participate in?"

From time to time, there would be young students who would purchase news concerning missions from him to complete.

"My Young Master isn't looking for missions to participate in." Sun Qiang shook his head. "I'm here to ask where I can exchange for pinnacle spirit stones or equivalent spirit essences and pills here in the Sanctum of Sages."

"Pinnacle spirit stones?" A frown surfaced on the forehead of the young man, and he waved his hand perfunctorily. "I don't have such news here. You should return."

"You don't have such news here?" Sun Qiang frowned in doubt. "I have visited the other places in the Hall of Integrity, and all of them said that this is the only place with such news. How can you possibly not have such news?"

The reason he had headed there directly was because he had already gathered some news on the mater the previous time he was there.

According to what the others said, this hall was the only place where one could exchange for pinnacle spirit stones.

"I told you that there's no such news here. Send our guest off..." Just as the impatient young man was about to order the servants to drag this fatty out, an old man suddenly walked into the room.

"I need a pinnacle spirit stone to reinforce my cultivation. I'll have to trouble you to help me process the exchange." As he said those words, the old man took out a couple of rare ores and the hair of saint beasts and passed them over.

With just a look, Sun Qiang could tell that these were all good items.

The hair and claws of powerful saint beasts could be used to make weapons or armor that were far stronger than the typical ones forged by blacksmiths, thus making them exceptionally valuable.

"Elder, please wait for a moment!" Seemingly recognizing the identity of the elder, the young man hurriedly turned around and rushed into another room.

Some time later, he returned with a jade container in hand.

Prying it open lightly, overwhelming spiritual energy immediately poured into the surroundings. A spirit stone emanating a blinding radiance came into sight.

"You have my thanks." After confirming that it was a pinnacle spirit stone, the old man took the jade container and placed it into his storage ring before leaving the room.

At the other party's departure, a look of displeasure surfaced on Sun Qiang's face. "Didn't you say that you have no news concerning pinnacle spirit stones? Why did you process the old man's exchange straight away then?"

"That old man that you are speaking of is the Sanctum of Sages' Elder Qian, an 8-star master teacher! Do you think that a mere freshman butler like you can be compared with him? Scram to the side!" the young man scoffed as he waved his hand impatiently.

"What do you mean by that?" Sun Qiang's face turned cold. "I might be a freshman butler, but it's not as if I'm asking you to give the pinnacle spirit stone to me for free. As valuable as a pinnacle spirit stone may be, I am still able to afford it at the very least!"

"Afford it?" the young man sneered coldly. "Are you even qualified to buy it? Pinnacle spirit stones are an extremely rare and limited resource in the Master Teacher Continent! Every single one of them expended means that there's one less to go around. How in the world did a freshman butler gain the notion that you are qualified to command such a valuable resource? How ludicrous!"

Due to the limited quantity of pinnacle spirit stones, the Sanctum of Sages had a strict restriction on who was qualified to procure them. Those whose standing was beneath the necessary requirement would not be able to exchange for one.

This was also the reason it was not used as a currency even in the Sanctum of Sages.

"You are saying that I'm unqualified to purchase the pinnacle spirit stones from you?" Sun Qiang's face darkened, and his eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Weren't my words clear enough? Hurry up and scram, or else I'll just have to find someone to toss you out!" the young man bellowed impatiently.

"Toss me out?" Sun Qiang flung his sleeves furiously, and the air of an inviolable existence drifted off him.

"Audacious! Do you know who I am?"

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Chapter 1394: Sun Qiang's Rage (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Like I give a damn who you are!" the young man snapped.

A freshman butler like you should already be glad that you are allowed to walk around the Sanctum of Sages without obstruction. How dare you attempt to pull your weight here!

Were this not a place where master teachers gathered, you would have been long thrown out for daring to speak so haughtily!

"Get out of here right now, otherwise I'll have no choice but to pass a Restriction Order on you, banning you from entering the Hall of Integrity for the rest of your life!" the young man bellowed in irritation.

Even the weakest of the butlers of top-notch powers would be at Saint 6-dan or 7-dan at the minimum. On top of dealing with miscellaneous affairs, they would be able to protect their master too. On the other hand, the fellow before him was not even at Saint realm. What the heck was he talking big for?

To use such a weak butler, it could only mean that the so-called Young Master was from a humble background too. Yet, instead of feeling honored that he was willing to waste so many words on him, that fatty actually dared to speak to him so arrogantly. He really did not know what was the best for him!

"You are saying that you want to pass a Restriction Order on me?" Hearing those words, Sun Qiang was so furious that he started laughing instead.

With a grand wave of his hand, he walked straight toward the main seat in the room and sat down. "I'll sit down right here and wait for you to pass your Restriction Order. What are you waiting for? Go on. I really will look down on you if you don't pass it today!"

"You..." Not expecting the fatty to be so arrogant as to sit right down on his teacher's seat, the young man nearly erupted on the spot.

Nevertheless, he still reigned in his rage at the very last moment, and with narrowed eyes, he asked sharply, "Do you know what you are doing right now?"

For a fellow who hasn't even reached Saint realm like you to act so arrogantly, not even putting a Saint 5-dan expert like me in your eyes, aren't you being a little too brazen?

"Of course I do!" Sun Qiang sneered coldly with a voice filled with confidence. "Rather, do you know whom you are facing, speaking to me in such a manner?"

With a deep frown, the young man took in a deep breath and asked lividly, "Who in the world are you?"

Given how the other party dared to act so arrogantly before him, there could be a chance that the other party might really have strong backing.

Having been in the Sanctum of Sages for so long, he never would have survived through the years if he was not discerning enough to differentiate the real from the fake.

"You aren't worthy of knowing who I am. Get the elder managing your Hall of Integrity or the deputy sanctum head over here!" Seated calmly on the spot, Sun Qiang waved his hand imposingly with the air of a person in authority, reminiscent of a conqueror grasping innumerable lives in his hands.

Had he known that the Old Master was so formidable, he would not have had to lie so low. This was the kind of attitude that someone of his standing should be taking, otherwise he would only be an embarrassment to the Old Master.

"You want to speak to our elder or the deputy sanctum head directly?" The young man's lips twitched upon hearing those words.

There were various differing tiers to the teachers and elders in the Sanctum of Sages.

Those at the bottommost level of the staff were the managerial elders. They were usually positions taken up by Saint 7-dan experts, such as Elder Liao, and they were in charge of resolving most miscellaneous affairs and overlooking the various examinations and trials in the Sanctum of Sages.

Above that were the people in charge of the individual occupation branches in the Sanctum of Sages, such as Physician Bai Yu. This group of people were usually Saint 8-dan experts.

And on top of them were the five elders who governed the Hall of Attainment, Hall of Solidarity, Hall of Propriety, Hall of Erudition, and Hall of Integrity, such as Elder Hu Qing from the Hall of Propriety. Even the weakest of them possessed the might of half-Saint 9-dan.

As for the deputy sanctum head, he was even stronger than that, possessing a cultivation of Saint 9-dan.

These figures were top-notch experts whom he would not even dare to breathe loudly before in their face, and yet, a butler who had not even reached the Saint realm was demanding that they go to him, as if commanding a subordinate.

Was it just empty confidence, or did he really have something to back up his words?

"Indeed. My initial intention was to lie low and maintain a low profile, but since this is the attitude you wish to take with me, I demand to meet them here today. No matter what, they have to offer me an explanation as to why a mere subordinate like you dares to speak to me in such a manner," Sun Qiang uttered coldly.

The more he spoke of the matter, the more furious he felt.

What the heck is this?

Who am I?

The butler of one of the strongest experts in the world. Putting aside you, even the deputy pavilion master of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would have to talk to me amicably, not daring to offend me. Yet, a mere Saint 5-dan ant like you actually dared to snub me in such a manner.

You must be out of your mind!

"This..." In the face of the other party's imposing disposition, the young man was starting to doubt if the fatty seated before him really had an esteemed identity or not.

Just as he was at a loss as to what he should do, an old man suddenly walked in, and his eyes immediately lit up.

He quickly rushed forward and greeted, "Teacher!"

The old man was his teacher, as well as the person-in-charge of the entire Hall of Integrity, Elder Ge Xiong!

Since this matter was already beyond his jurisdiction, it would be best for him to leave it in the hands of his teacher instead. Perhaps, his teacher might recognize his fatty and know of the latter's background. If so, they would not have to take such a passive stance anymore.

Seeing that someone was sitting on his seat, Elder Ge asked with a frown, "What's going on?"

"You are Ge Xiong?" Before the young man could even respond, Sun Qiang had already spoken up with a face as cold as a winter's night. "You sure have taught your student well. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and offer your apologies to me!"

He had long heard of the person-in-charge of the Hall of Integrity, and he had seen the other party from afar once before. As such, he was able to recognize the other party with a single glance.

"Offer my apologies?" Elder Ge frowned.

A weak cultivator who had not even reached the Saint realm was taking up his seat and even demanding that a half-Saint 9-dan expert like him apologized? Was he hearing things?

Where did this imbecile pop out from?

"Indeed. Your student said that he would chase me out from the Hall of Integrity and even issue a Restriction Order against me. I never thought that I would hear something so insolent from the mouth of a junior. Apologizing is already the laxest punishment I can think of. Otherwise, I'm afraid that I'll have to find someone to replace you as the head of the Hall of Integrity!"

Sun Qiang narrowed his eyes menacingly as he harrumphed coldly. "There are plenty of candidates in line to take over your position. Don't think that you're safe just because of the position you are in!"

"Replace me?" Completely speechless by what he was hearing, Elder Ge turned to the young man beside him and asked, "Who in the world in this imbecile?"

Just who did that fatty think he was?

Not even the deputy sanctum head had the right to remove him on a whim!

To speak such arrogant words before him, was he tired of living?

"Teacher, you don't know him either?" the young man asked in surprise.

He had thought that his teacher would surely know this person given how knowledgeable he was, but who would have thought that his teacher would be at a complete loss as to what was happening as well?

"I took a look at his identity token earlier, and he's the butler of a freshman who has just enrolled this year!" the young man informed his teacher through zhenqi telepathy.

"He's the butler of a freshman?" Dark streaks immediately filled Elder Ge's forehead.

Were the butlers of the freshmen now all so arrogant?

Demanding for him to apologize and even threatening to find someone to replace him...

"If there's a problem with how I teach my student, the Sanctum of Sages will step in and correct me accordingly, so there's no need for you to worry about it. Rather, I would just like to ask, what right do you have to make a half-Saint 9-dan expert like me apologize to you?" Elder Ge asked with a hint of displeasure in his voice.

As a high ranked master teacher, even though he was deeply infuriated by Sun Qiang's insolence, he was still able to suppress his emotions and maintain his composure.

Otherwise, he surely would have sent a slap right over to the other party. How could he possibly allow such a weak fellow to spout this bunch of nonsense before him?

"What rights do I have?" Sun Qiang stood up and placed his hands before his back. He slowly took a step at a time toward Elder Ge with a lofty air surrounding him. "Since you have asked such a question, fine, I'll fulfill your curiosity. My Young Master is a student from the latest batch of freshmen, Zhang Xuan!"

"Zhang Xuan?" Elder Ge frowned.

Even though Zhang Xuan had caused a huge commotion in the other halls, his reputation had not reached the Hall of Integrity yet.

"That's right. Well, you might not have heard much about my Young Master, but I believe that the name of my Old Master should strike a chord in your mind!"

Harrumphing coldly, Sun Qiang tilted his chin upward with a proud look on his face. "The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Yang Xuan!"

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Chapter 1395: You Imposter!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Yang Xuan? You are... Yang shi's butler?" Elder Ge was stunned for an instant before his face abruptly warped in shock.

As the number one grand elder in the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, it went without saying that he had heard rumors about the other party. But who would have thought that this fatty standing before him would actually be that legendary man's butler?

It was no wonder the other party was so arrogant and haughty! If he was truly the butler of the man who stood at the very peak of the Master Teacher Continent, then he definitely had the right to speak in such a manner to him!

"Indeed!" A hint of majesty could be seen on Sun Qiang's plump face as he took another step forward.

After the initial shock, Elder Ge grimly questioned, "Yang shi's whereabouts have been a mystery to even the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. You claim that you are his butler, but do you have any evidence to prove that?"

Even if he was willing to believe the fatty's words, it simply did not make sense for Yang Xuan to take in such a weak butler!

A powerful general had no feeble soldiers under his command. For a person who was not even at Saint realm to claim that he was Yang Xuan's butler, this was simply too much of a stretch to be true!

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was Kong shi's servant as well, but he still managed to reach an unparalleled level of strength in the world!

To take in such a person as his butler... it would be like a smudge on Yang shi's name!

After all, if Yang shi really wanted a butler, not even 9-star master teachers would turn him down. Why would he choose a weakling who had not even reached Saint realm yet?

Not to mention, just by what he had seen so far, the other party was a dim-witted and crude individual!

However, he could sense that the other party meant the words that he said. All of his vitals showed that he was not lying, and this was exactly what left Elder Ge feeling rather perplexed.

"Audacious!" With a livid face, Sun Qiang bellowed furiously. "Are you doubting my words, or are you doubting my Old Master's judgement?"

"I wouldn't dare to doubt Yang shi's judgement." Elder Ge shook his head. "However, as the butler of a 9-star master teacher, he should have imprinted his blessing within you. If it's convenient for you, I hope that you would allow me a look. Once I verify your blessing, I'll have my student apologize to you immediately.

"Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to hold you liable for impersonating the butler of a 9-star master teacher and publicly humiliating the head of the Hall of Integrity, and the severity of these two sentences warrants the death penalty."

Considering that the Sanctum of Sages was a subsidiary power to the Master Teacher Pavilion, naturally, Elder Ge dared not doubt the judgement of a grand elder from the headquarters. But so far, they had only heard empty claims from the fatty before him, so naturally, he held some reservations toward the matter.

For a fellow whom even he would snub to be taken in as Yang shi's butler... this simply sounded too ridiculous to be true!

"Blessing?" Sun Qiang was slightly startled to hear that word.

He had met the Old Master on many occasions, but he had never heard of such a thing before!

"Just a surge of zhenqi from someone of Yang shi's prowess can bring unimaginable benefits and strength to an individual. If you are truly his butler, he will have left a will or something similar within you. Otherwise, you could be killed very easily by enemies given your cultivation realm, and that would make it extremely difficult for you to work for him, don't you agree?" Elder Ge explained.

Since the butler was working for the master teacher, it was only natural for the master teacher to offer some degree of protection to the butler. Under normal circumstances, the subordinates of high-ranking master teachers would have some kind of blessing infused into them so as to ensure that their lives would not be threatened when facing an enemy. If the fatty before him was truly Yang shi's butler, he was bound to have a blessing or something similar within him.

Otherwise, it would reflect poorly on Yang shi if his butler was killed.

"I... Of course my Old Master has bestowed upon me his blessing!" Sun Qiang was trembling fearfully on the inside, but on the surface, he continued putting up a brave front and harrumphed furiously. "Just that, how can I possibly show his blessing to anyone else so easily? What if I scare you out of your wits?"

As far as he knew, the Old Master had not imprinted a blessing on him before, but... it was already too late for him to back down at this point. Thus, he could only thicken his skin and push his way forward.

In any case, as long as he refused to take out the blessing, the other party should not be able to do anything about it.

"Don't worry, it'll be all good as long as you have Yang shi's blessing. There's no need for you to take it out," Elder Ge replied with a smile. "A master teacher of Yang shi's caliber is able to instill instinctive deference from other ordinary master teachers. As long as you follow me to the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall, we'll be able to discern if your words are true via the reflection of a unique formation."

"Teacher Acknowledgement Hall?" Sun Qiang's face twitched slightly upon hearing those words.

Even though he was not a master teacher, he had been to all kinds of Master Teacher Pavilions in his time with Zhang Xuan. He knew the significance of the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall to master teachers and that the will of countless predecessors resided in there. There was no trickery nor falsehood that would be able to escape their eyes.

The fact that he did not have the Old Master's blessing would be exposed in an instant if they headed there.

"Don't you think it's deeply disrespectful to trouble the wills of the predecessors over something as trivial as this? My Old Master has always preached that a person should always rely on himself as far as possible so as to not trouble others unnecessarily!" Sun Qiang replied haughtily without the slightest tinge of redness in his face.

The days he had spent as a realtor back in the Tianxuan Kingdom had allowed him to refine his art of lying.

"It's not a trivial matter at all. This matter concerns the honor of a 9-star master teacher, so it's imperative that we take it with utmost seriousness. Otherwise, I will have to report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and have them send an envoy to verify the matter. That truly would be troubling others," Elder Ge replied earnestly.

The other party's firm confidence had left him a little doubtful earlier, but with the other party insistently refusing to verify his identity, he was starting to be more and more convinced that the other party was a fake.

Without bothering to give Sun Qiang any opportunity to argue, Elder Ge turned around and instructed, "Escort Yang shi's butler to the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall!"

"Yes!" the young man replied.

He stepped forward, and a burst of energy surged from his palm and wrapped around Sun Qiang like iron chains, rendering the latter completely immobile.

As one who had not even reached the Saint realm yet, his strength was nothing compared to the Saint 5-dan young man.

"Butler Sun, this way please!" the young man gestured forward with a smile.

"I..." Not expecting to be treated in such a manner, Sun Qiang's face reddened in rage. "How dare you bind the butler of a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters? Will any of you be able to bear the consequences once my Old Master learns of the matter?"

"Bind? We would not dare bind a person as esteemed as you. All we are doing is inviting you over to the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall to verify your identity. As Yang shi's butler, you should be well aware of how important lineages are to master teachers, so even if Yang shi does learn of this matter, he will agree with our actions," Elder Ge said as he walked out of the room.

The young man quickly followed behind while dragging Sun Qiang along with him. Not too long later, they arrived before a vast hall.

Within the hall was a massive altar filled with innumerable tablets. These had been left behind by the generations of outstanding predecessors of the Sanctum of Sages. Erected at the very center of the room was Kong shi's sculpture, and he was looking at the sky with eyes filled with compassion for the entire world.

By the side of the hall, there was a row of smaller sculptures. The sculpture at the very forefront of the row was an old man whose eyes were tightly shut. He was the founder of the Sanctum of Sages, Ancient Sage Bo Shang. To the right of him was Sage Kui.

After which was the Second Sanctum Head, the Third Sanctum Head, and so on.

The sculptures of these sanctum heads were significantly shorter than Kong shi, and it seemed as if they were listening to his teaching, comprehending the true nature of the world.

"We have arrived at the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall. If you really do possess the blessing of Yang shi, we should be able to tell easily here," Elder Ge said with a smile before waving his hand grandly.

Huala!

Many rays of light shot forth from the tablets and the sculptures and fell upon Sun Qiang, embracing his body. It seemed like they were trying to detect the presence of any blessing within him.

Hu!

A moment later, the light shrouding Sun Qiang dissipated into the surroundings.

"You have no blessing imprinted on you at all! As expected, you have been lying all this time!" the young man bellowed in agitation.

"Preposterous! How can you even think of impersonating Yang shi's butler? You must really be tired of..." Elder Ge glanced at Sun Qiang with eyes that looked ready to kill.

Kacha!

But before Elder Ge could finish his words, a resounding explosion suddenly echoed in the hall—one of the tablets had exploded. Following which, the other tablets swiftly followed suit, as if fearing that it would be considered an act of disrespect if they were to detonate themselves late.

In just the blink of an eye, the room was filled with wooden shavings all around.

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Chapter 1396: The Deputy Sanctum Head Appears

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This..."

The lower jaw of both Elder Ge and the young man fell to the ground, completely flabbergasted by what they were seeing.

The situation had far exceeded their imagination.

If Yang shi's blessing was imprinted within Sun Qiang's body, all of the predecessors whose strength was beneath Yang shi's when they left behind their will would fall down as a sign of respect to him.

And based off what they knew of Yang shi's strength, there were definitely not too many predecessors in the Sanctum of Sages who would be a match for him. If Sun Qiang was truly Yang shi's butler, they estimated that roughly half of tablets would fall, leaving behind just a few incredible experts and the sanctum heads.

But instead of falling, they ended up exploding. What the heck was going on?

Elder Ge anxiously looked at the altar of tablets before him, but as if meeting with some kind of supernatural occurrence, they were exploding one after another with increasing frequency. In just a few breaths, they had all already been reduced to wooden shavings with none surviving the ordeal.

"It's fortunate that the sculptures of the sanctum heads are still intact..." Elder Ge heaved a sigh of relief.

It was already bad enough for the tablets to be destroyed under his watch, so if anything had happened to Sage Kui and other sculpture as well, he really would have been in deep trouble.

But before he could finish his words, cracks began creeping across the sculpture of the Ninth Sanctum Head, growing more and more numerous.

Kacha! Kacha!

A second later, it was nothing more than a pile of rubble on the ground.

And as if a contagious disease, the same symptoms struck the Eighth Sanctum Head, followed by the Seventh Sanctum Head, then the Sixth...

Even Ancient Sage Bo Shang was not spared from this mysterious malady and split in two, leaving behind Kong shi standing silently on the spot.

At this point, Elder Ge and the young man's minds had gone completely blank.

The sanctum head of each generation was an astounding genius, be it in terms of their fighting prowess or eye of discernment. They would not pale in comparison even against the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion!

This was even more so for Ancient Sage Bo Shang. As one of Kong shi's direct disciple, he had achieved a level of cultivation that not a single generation of deputy pavilion masters of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters were able to match up to. So why would they shatter all of a sudden while in the midst of recognizing Yang shi?

Just when in the world did Yang shi reach such a level of power?

If that was the case, as an elder of the Sanctum of Sages, Elder Ge should have heard of the joyous news by now!

Those two were not the only ones who were taken aback by the happenings. Even the perpetrator of the entire affair, Sun Qiang, was completely dumbstruck as well.

He had thought that he would be exposed this time around, but who could have known that this would happen instead?

While the Old Master had never imprinted a blessing on him, the Young Master did infuse several surges of zhenqi into his body before, saying that it would protect him in times of danger. It was out of a moment of desperation that he tried driving them earlier, but who would have thought that it would lead to the tablets exploding instead?

It was as if they had met a being whom they dared not oppose. The whole debacle was too bizarre!

"You..." Just as Sun Qiang was deep in thought, he saw Elder Ge looking at him with a speechless expression on his face.

"Do you believe that I am Yang shi's butler now?" Seeing that he was finally out of danger, Sun Qiang heaved a sigh of relief on the inside while glancing down on Elder Ge imposingly, as if everything had been under his control all this while.

"This..." Elder Ge was just about to nod when a resounding creak filled the room, and the next instant, Kong shi's sculpture placed his hands together and bowed deeply, seemingly greeting a peer.

Huala!

Following which, cracks began surfaced on Kong shi's sculpture as well, and it took just a few moments for it to explode into smithereens. And just as everyone thought that the worst was over, the entire Teacher Acknowledgement Hall suddenly began shaking non-stop, and the roof began plummeting down on them one chunk at a time.

Hong long long!

In less than two breaths, the majestic building collapsed inward, becoming nothing more than a pile of rubble.

"Just what in the world is going on?" Elder Ge and the young man looked at one another with frenzied expressions on their faces.

They had been planning to bring that fellow over to verify if that fellow really had Yang shi's blessing imprinted on him or not, but who could have known that the entire Teacher Acknowledgement Hall would end up collapsing instead?

The Teacher Acknowledgement Hall was a place where the wills of the predecessors were stored. Even if the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe managed to destroy every single hall of the Sanctum of Sages, it would still be nigh impossible for them to tear down the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall. Yet, the impregnable fortress was actually reduced to such a state.

Are you an envoy sent by the God of Destruction to bring ruination upon us!

"What happened?"

Barely after diving out of the rubble, they swiftly heard a voice in the sky. Looking up, they saw various silhouettes rushing over in their direction. The one taking the lead was an old man, and upon seeing the current state of the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall, his lips began twitching uncontrollably, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

He was the incumbent deputy sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, Zhan Tiancheng.

"Zhan shi..." Seeing that the deputy sanctum head had come down personally, Elder Ge hurriedly clasped his fist and explained everything that had happened in detail.

"While verifying for the presence of a blessing, the tablets all shattered, and Kong shi placed his hands together and bowed deeply?"

Upon hearing the story from Elder Ge, Zhan shi and the other elders in the sky looked at one another with unbelievable expressions on their faces.

For Kong shi to actually bow to another man as his peer... What a joke!

Who in the world could possibly be worthy of having the World's Teacher bow down to them as a peer?

"What I'm saying is the absolute truth! If you don't believe me, you can have him try it again once the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall is fixed!" Elder Ge exclaimed in agitation, seeing the doubt in the others' eyes.

"The Teacher Acknowledgement Hall harnesses the will of many predecessors. It'll take at least half a year in order to restore it to its previous state." Zhan shi shook his head and frowned. "Why don't we do this instead? We shall temporarily seal our cultivation and use our own perceiving methods to examine Butler Sun's condition so as to determine what's going on."

Their strength was already no weaker than the predecessors, so they could use the same means to determine if there was truly a blessing in Sun Qiang or not. At the same time, they would be able to find out what had happened earlier as well.

"Sounds good." Elder Ge nodded.

"Let's begin then!" Zhan shi instructed.

The various elders quickly surrounded Sun Qiang, and with a flick of their wrist, a ray of light burst forth from their hands.

Hong long!

Just like before, the light congregated on Sun Qiang, forming a sphere of light around him.

They really won't learn, will they? Seeing that the crowd was still insisting on examining him, Sun Qiang shook his head helplessly.

He drove the zhenqi that the Young Master had infused into his body before turning to look at one of the elders.

Padah!

A slight jolt sounded, and the elder abruptly plummeted from the sky before lying in a daze on the ground, as if having encountered something terrifying.

Then, Sun Qiang turned his gaze to another one of the elders.

Paji!

That elder plummeted from the sky, too.

This... Scratching his head, Sun Qiang turned to the third elder.

Hu hu hu!

Wherever Sun Qiang's eyes fell, the elders in that direction would suddenly lose control of their strength and plummet to the ground. In just the blink of an eye, only Zhan shi was left in the sky.

"You..." Watching as Sun Qiang slowly turned his head around, Zhan shi could not help but shudder in fear.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a towering figure appearing right before his eyes. That figure was so big that he seemed to cover the entire world, or perhaps, he was the world itself, a manifestation of the authority of the heavens.

Padah!

A jolt struck Zhan shi's heart, and he suddenly found his zhenqi slowing to a halt. Just like that, he plummeted from the sky as well and struck the ground headfirst, dyeing his hair with dirt.

Watching as the deputy sanctum head and other elders fell from the sky, Elder Ge's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. His teeth clattered together in fear as he looked at the fat silhouette before him with a hint of apprehension in his eyes.

"The Young Master's zhenqi is actually so useful?"

While the crowd was overwhelmed by shock and fear, Sun Qiang was reveling in his newfound ability. He excitedly drove the zhenqi that the Young Master had infused into his body and swept his gaze across the crowd once more.

In response to that, Zhan shi and the others convulsed on the spot. Another sweeping gaze, and they convulsed on the spot once more. Sun Qiang could not help but find the situation deeply interesting.

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Chapter 1397: The Real Butler (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was some time later before Sun Qiang reluctantly came to a halt.

It was not that he did not want to continue playing with the various master teachers, but the zhenqi that the Young Master had left in his body was limited in the first place. He could not just waste it all on trivial playing; he had to keep some for times of danger as well.

Hu hu!

With Sun Qiang ceasing to abuse the Heaven's Path zhenqi, Zhan shi and the others finally managed to rise back up into the sky. They instinctively turned their gazes toward the fatty beneath them—fear and shock could be seen reflected in the depths of their eyes.

The detection method required them to seal their cultivation so that they could better sense the presence of a master teacher's aura with their senses. Under normal circumstances, as long as the person who had left behind the blessing was not too much stronger than them, they would only feel a surge of respect and admiration for the individual.

What that had happened earlier—the loss of ability to move their bodies—should have been impossible! There had never been such an incidence of something like that happening before.

But the impossible had really come true this time around.

One of the elders cowered back fearfully before turning his gaze over to the others and asking, "What did you all see?"

"I saw a silhouette that towered even against the sky, an existence that seemed to encompass the entire world... it was almost as if that figure was the heavens themselves!" an elder said.

"That's exactly what I saw too!"

"Could it be that Yang shi has already achieved that level of strength?"

The crowd gulped before they gasped in shock.

Just what kind of realm had Yang shi reached in order for the blessing he imprinted to harness such astounding power?

"Yang shi has close ties with the old ancestors of the Three Sage Clans, especially with the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan. In fact, he was the witness to the betrothal of the young prodigy and the little princess! He surpassed Saint 9-dan many years ago, reaching an unfathomable level in his cultivation. Furthermore, he possesses exceptional sensitivity toward souls and bloodlines, such that it would be no exaggeration to say that he's the number one expert in that field in the world!" Zhan shi said.

"Other than him, I can think of no one else who wields the power to reduce the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall to such a state and render every single one of us completely powerless!"

While most elders in the Sanctum of Sages might not know much about the elusive grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, as the deputy sanctum head, Zhan shi still knew a thing or two.

And honestly, other than that legendary man, he could not think of anyone else who could make them plummet completely helplessly from the sky with just his aura.

"Does this mean that... he's really Yang shi's butler?" Elder Ge's body stiffened.

"That's most likely the case." Zhan shi nodded. Then, he turned to Elder Ge and berated him in displeasure. "As Yang shi's butler, it's natural for Butler Sun to put on airs, or else what would become of the strict hierarchy of order among the master teachers? Yet, you doubted him and forcefully dragged him over to the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall to verify his identity. It's no wonder he was unhappy and reduced the entire place to such a state. Elder Ge, this is a mess that you caused, so you'd better put some thought into how you intend to resolve it!"

Would anyone in their right mind dare impersonate Yang shi's butler?

Considering the heavy price that one would have to pay once caught, no sane person would attempt to impersonate as Yang shi's butler! Yet, he just had to doubt Butler Sun.

Look at the good work you have done! The Teacher Acknowledgement Hall has collapsed, and the several dozen millenniums of pride and honor of the Sanctum of Sages has been completely ruined!

"Yes..." Elder Ge nodded with a bitter smile on his face.

Gritting his teeth, he slowly walked toward to Sun Qiang, but before he could say a word, the latter had already put his hands behind his back once more and questioned with a haughty look on his face, "How is it? Have you verified my identity?"

"Of course, of course!" Elder Ge quickly nodded.

"Humph! Your student tried to throw me out of the Hall of Integrity and pass a Restraint Order on me, and you forcefully brought me to the Hall of Acknowledgement in order to verify my identity. How do you think we should resolve this matter?" Sun Qiang asked with an authoritative tone.

It was really fortunate that the Young Master had left a surge of zhenqi in his body, or else things would have gotten really awkward!

Of course, it was impossible for the Young Master's zhenqi to be so formidable by itself. In his view, the Old Master must have left behind some kind of means within him that even he was oblivious to.

But thinking over the matter once more, despite being a butler of the number one figure in the Master Teacher Continent, he had actually been messed around by a minor figure like that. The more he thought about it, the more infuriated he became.

"Butler Sun, Elder Ge was just ignorant of your identity, so if you could be so kind as to..." Zhan shi quickly stepped in and intervened.

"I told him whom my Old Master is, but he chose to doubt my words instead. I, Sun Qiang, have traveled here step by step from the Tianxuan Kingdom, and I have braved countless storms. But this is the first time I have seen someone that conceited!" Sun Qiang sneered coldly. "If everyone were to behave in such a manner, what would become of Yang shi's authority? What would become of the Master Teacher Pavilion's authority?"

"This..." Zhan shi frowned in a dilemma.

While humility was celebrated among the master teachers, there was still a need to regard the leaders of mankind with respect so as to not undermine their authority.

If everyone disregarded the authority of those in power, it would be hard for the leaders of mankind to rally the populace together to fight against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

Knowing that he was at fault for this incident, Elder Ge clenched his fists tightly and stepped forward. "Butler Sun, feel free to say what you want me to do. As long as it's within my means, consider it done."

"You are a master teacher whereas I am just a butler; I don't have the right to issue any punishment to you." Sun Qiang shot a glance at Elder Ge. There was a short pause before he waved his hand and continued. "However, if you wish to make reparations, it just happens that our Young Master is in dire need for pinnacle spirit stones. If you can bring some over, I think we can let this matter rest. Don't worry, I'll pay an equivalent price for the exchange. It's not my habit to blackmail or coerce others into things."

Having followed Zhang Xuan for quite some time, as he came into contact with higher ranked master teachers, he began to gain a deeper understanding of the rules concerning master teachers.

It was true that even 8-star master teachers would have to show him respect out of deference to the Old Master, but ultimately, he still was not a master teacher, so he was not qualified to pass judgement upon them. It would be a breach of etiquette.

"That's simple, consider it done!" Hearing that the other party just wanted to exchange for pinnacle spirit stones, Elder Ge immediately heaved a sigh of relief. He flicked his wrist, and a jade container materialized in his hand. "Here are five pinnacle spirit stones. Please consider them an apology for my undeserving disciple's insolent actions. If you wish to make any further exchange for pinnacle spirit stones, feel free to look for me. As long as it's not beyond fifty pinnacle spirit stones, I should be able to sort it for you!"

"You are a wise man." Sun Qiang nodded with a pleased smile on his face as he accepted the jade container.

The very purpose of his visit was to acquire the pinnacle spirit stones, and not only did he gain five of them for free, he was even given the right to exchange for them whenever. This outcome was one that he was extremely content with.

At the same time, he could not help but think how convenient it was when there was someone above that he could rely on.

Had these master teachers not found the Old Master's blessing in him, putting aside earning these pinnacle spirit stones, he might not even have been allowed to walk out of there alive!

Seeing that the conflict was resolved, Zhan shi stepped forward and asked with a smile, "Butler Sun, if I may, what level of cultivation has Yang shi reached, and where is he at the moment?"

The imposing figure that he had seen earlier was simply too frightening, such that his heart was still beating in trepidation. Could Yang shi have really crossed that bottleneck and achieved that unfathomable realm?

"Our Old Master has always been a rather elusive figure, and even I don't have any means of contacting him. Usually, he's the one who looks for me instead. I'm also not too sure on the specifics regarding how powerful he is either, but I do know that the strength he wields has reached a level far beyond anyone's gauge... such that it's no exaggeration to say that he's unrivalled in this world!"

When speaking of Yang Xuan, a brilliant gleam lit up in Sun Qiang's eyes, and his voice grew conspicuously agitated.

Despite his overwhelming strength, the Old Master still remained amiable and compassionate, and this left him deeply in awe.

"Yang shi is truly a person worthy of respect." Zhan shi nodded. Just as he was about to continue speaking, an elder beside him suddenly rushed up to him with a bizarre look on his face.

"Zhan shi, there's someone looking for you outside."

"Looking for me?" Zhan shi frowned. "Who is it?"

As the deputy sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, a Saint 9-dan expert, he was not a figure whom just anyone could meet.

The elder shot a glance at Sun Qiang, and his lips twitched slightly. Then, with a slightly awkward tone, he said, "That person claims that he is... Yang shi's butler!"

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Chapter 1398: The Real Butler (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Ya-Yang shi's butler? Which Yang shi?" Zhan shi was stunned by the elder's report.

"It's Yang Xuan!" the elder replied.

Zhan shi froze on the spot.

They had finally recognized the plump man standing before them as Yang shi's butler when another one popped up all of a sudden. Was this some kind of elaborate prank working against them?

When did the position of Yang shi's butler become so worthless that one could be found at every turn?

"What's going on?" Zhan shi sent a telepathic message privately to the elder.

What the heck was this?

This was the Sanctum of Sages, not some 'Guess Who Yang shi's Real Butler Is' event venue. For Yang shi's butlers to pop up one after another... were they trying to stress him to death?

"I have no idea. My student just sent me the message." At which, the elder suddenly paused for a brief moment before continuing on. "Furthermore, it seems like the person is someone whom you are acquainted with."

"Someone whom I am acquainted with?" Zhan shi was bewildered by those words.

While he had heard of many affairs surrounding Yang shi, most of them were concerning official matters instead of the latter's private life. On top of that, he had not had the honor of meeting the latter in person. Thus, he was not familiar with the latter's personal relations. For example, he had not even heard of such Butler Sun prior to this matter. So, it was really perplexing to him that another one of Yang shi's butlers would pop up and all of a sudden claim that he was acquainted with him.

"That's right. Do you still remember Hu Yiwei?" the elder replied telepathically.

"You are speaking of... the Thousand Hands Poison Monarch Hu Yiwei?" Zhan shi subconsciously tightened his fists upon hearing that name.

"That's right, it's him!" the elder nodded grimly.

"The top echelon of the Poison Hall headquarters is classified by the Two Guardians, Four Eminences, Twelve Poison Kings, and seventy-two Tier-1 Hall Masters. As the Left Guardian of the Poison Hall, Hu Yiwei's name is often raised alongside Right Guardian Shen Jue, and he's known for his exceptional mastery of poison!"

Recalling the history surrounding Hu Yiwei, an involuntary shudder ran through Zhan shi's body. "It's said that his mastery of poison has already reached a level so high that he could even plant poison within an embryo through the mother's body without harming either of the two, cursing the child to a life of suffering. The poisons that he concocts are so potent and powerful that even 9-star physicians would find themselves completely helpless before them!"

"Indeed. There was a period of time when he wreaked havoc in the Master Teacher Continent, poisoning every single person that he came by. Eventually, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters were forced to dispatch their forces to surround and take him down. If I recall correctly, Zhan shi, you were involved in that operation back then, right?" the elder asked.

"That's right, I did participate in that operation. Combining the forces dispatched by the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, Sanctum of Sages, and Combat Master Hall, there was a total of nine Saint 9-dan experts in total. We managed to corner him at an ancient city, and we set up an unbreachable trap in order to force him to surrender. Yet, who could have thought that the fellow would actually manage to forcefully break out of our defenses through the sheer potency of his poison? Six of the Saint 9-dan experts died on the spot, and it's only by a stroke of luck that I managed to survive the ordeal."

As Zhan shi recalled the affairs that had happened back then, hostility rippled in his eyes, and he seemed to grow slightly agitated. "It is due to that lethal poison that my cultivation hasn't progressed at all for the past twenty years, stagnating at Saint 9-dan primary stage."

"After that matter, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters organized a couple more operations, but the cunning Hu Yiwei managed to get away each time. However, all news surrounding him abruptly stopped two months afterward, and he has not been seen since then. There are rumors saying that he encountered Yang shi, and the latter subdued him and made him his subordinate!" the elder said.

Due to the vast implications of the matter, the operations conducted over the past two decades had been kept confidential among the top brass of the Master Teacher Pavilion. As such, those who had not participated in those operations would never know of these matters.

"Un, I have heard of that rumor, too. No matter how powerful Hu Yiwei is, there's no way he would stand a chance against the powerful Yang shi. If that man who is requesting to meet me is really Hu Yiwei, then there might just be some credibility to the rumors!" Zhan shi said.

While he harbored deep anger toward the Hu Yiwei, if it was true that the latter had become Yang shi's subordinate, he would have no choice but to forsake all thoughts of exacting vengeance.

It was true that the Thousand Hands Poison Monarch had erred greatly in the past, but if Yang shi could guarantee that the other party would use his powers to contribute to mankind in the future, that would surely be preferable to killing the other party. After all, Saint 9-dan experts were not easy to come by, and mankind was in need of all the strength it could get in order to deal with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

The rumors that Yang shi had subdued Hu Yiwei had spread like wildfire at one point in time, but there had been no concrete evidence then to determine the authenticity of the rumor. As such, they could only take the matter with a pinch of salt.

But... who would have thought that it would actually be real!

"You're right..." The elder hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "Should we invite him in?"

"Since he's Yang shi's butler, he should be acquainted with Butler Sun over here. It would be good to allow them to interact with one another, and perhaps, we just might be able to determine the cause of the peculiar situation earlier," Zhan shi said.

Only someone as powerful as Yang shi could have the strength to possibly make the vicious Hu Yiwei bow in submission. If the person requesting an audience with him was truly Hu Yiwei, there should be little doubt that he was really Yang shi's butler. After all, why else would someone as esteemed as the Left Guardian of the Poison Hall claim that he was the butler of a master teacher? That would only be lowering his standing!

Considering how the plump man before him was Yang shi's butler as well, there was a good chance that the both of them knew one another.

"Alright." The elder nodded before leaving the room.

Some time later, he returned with a gray-robed elder behind him.

This elder had particularly thick eyebrows, and there was a gloomy tone to his eyes, making it hard for one to read his emotions.

His true cultivation was buried deep within his body, making it impossible for one to accurately gauge his strength. However, based on what Zhan shi had said, he was likely to be a Saint 9-dan expert at the very minimum.

Hu Yiwei walked right up to Zhan shi and said with a slight smile, "Zhan Tiancheng, we meet once more."

"Indeed, we meet once more," Zhan shi said with narrowed eyes as he tried his best to suppress his fury.

"You need not get angry. I was the Left Guardian of the Poison Hall back then, so it's a given that we would attempt to kill one another. But since I have become Yang shi's butler, we can be considered allies standing on the same front now. There's no reason for you to view me hostilely," Hu Yiwei said.

"Indeed, there's no reason for that anymore." Zhan shi shook his head. "May I know the reason behind your visit? If there's nothing much, why don't I show you the way out?"

"Don't be so quick to send me off. Why don't you take a look at this first? Perhaps, it might change your mind!" Hu Yiwei flicked his finger, and a jade bottle flew over.

Zhan shi casually grabbed the jade bottle and pried it open. A moment later, his eyes narrowed, "Is this... the antidote to the poison in my body?"

Ever since becoming afflicted with the poison from the other party twenty years ago, he had sought out countless physicians, but none of them had been able to do anything about it. As a result of that, he had been unable to advance his cultivation. It was exactly for this reason that he was filled with rage for the other party. Yet, who would have thought that the other party would deliver the antidote right to him?

"Indeed. My master wishes me to cure all those patients whom I have poisoned over the years. Even though the poison you were afflicted with wasn't too severe, it still must have caused you quite some suffering over the years. Thus, I hope to make it up to you one way or another," Hu Yiwei explained.

"Help me relay my thanks to Yang shi." With Zhan shi's eye of discernment, he was able to tell whether the antidote was real or not with just a single glance, and he could hardly control his excitement with the cure to his long-term affliction right in his hands.

He hurriedly placed it into his storage ring before recalling the other matter he had in mind, so he gestured to Sun Qiang and said, "Right, why don't I introduce the both of you to one another? This gentleman over here is also Yang shi's butler, Sun Qiang."

"Butler Sun, this elder over here is Hu Yiwei, Yang shi's butler. Well, I guess the both of you should be acquainted with one another, right?"

"Yang shi's butler?" Hu Yiwei frowned in doubt. "I am the only butler that Yang shi has. How could there be another butler?"

On the other hand, Sun Qiang's eyebrows shot up upon hearing those words, and displeasure surfaced on his face. "Little Zhan, you said that he's the Old Master's butler too? You must be joking with me!"

After which, he turned his sights to Hu Yiwei and bellowed, "Preposterous! How dare you impersonate the Old Master's butler? Men, take him down!"

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Chapter 1399: Sun Qiang's Wrath

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A wave of silence swept across the room.

The teeth of every single elder in the room were clattering non-stop, and they looked at Sun Qiang as if they were looking at a monster.

The gray-robed elder wielded strength that even Zhan shi could not match, and yet, that plump man actually said that the other party was preposterous and even commanded for others to take him down.

Even if we want to take him down, we need the strength to do so first!

If we really attempt to do so, every single one of us will probably be poisoned to the ground by the end of today!

On the other hand, Hu Yiwei was taken aback for an instant before his eyes narrowed into thin slits. "What did you say?"

He had been following Yang shi for more than twenty years now, and he knew very well whether the latter had more butlers and subordinates or not. In fact, he was the one who dealt with almost all of the miscellaneous matters. It was one thing for him to have never met the plump man standing before him, but to think that the other party would dare speak to him in such a manner!

"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear what I said?" Sun Qiang waved his hand in impatience. "Speak! What's your motive for pretending to be the Old Master's butler? You might have been able to get away with it if you did it elsewhere, but it seems that you have lucked out. You never thought that you would meet me, Yang shi's real butler, hmm?"

"Real butler?" Sensing the complete lack of nervousness within Sun Qiang while saying those words, Hu Yiwei could not help but turn his gaze to Zhan shi. "Zhan Tiancheng, who is this fellow?"

"You don't know one another?" Zhan shi's lips twitched.

He had thought that as fellow butlers of Yang shi, the both of them should have been acquainted with one another. Yet, who could have thought that a meeting between the both of them would end up so tense instead? It was not only the case that the both of them hadn't met one another, it was more like they did not even know of each other's existence!

This almost felt like a wife meeting the mistress for the first time!

"Am I supposed to know every insignificant person out there in the world?" Hu Yiwei flung his sleeves coldly.

His master was one of the strongest experts in the Master Teacher Continent, and even the weakest cultivator in his social circle was at Saint 9-dan at minimum. Given so, how could his master possibly take a fellow who was not even at the Saint realm yet as his butler?

"He... claims to be Yang shi's butler, and we validated his identity through the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall earlier. Yang shi has indeed imprinted his blessing on him," Zhan shi explained.

The person who had imprinted a blessing onto Sun Qiang was an expert far stronger than their imaginations. Other than Yang shi, they could think of no other person who was powerful enough for that.

"He possesses my master's blessing?" Hu Yiwei was taken aback by those words. He turned his gaze toward the plump man by the side once more, and deep creases slowly etched themselves onto his forehead. "My master is a person who values peace and quietness, such that he has only taken in a single student to date. Given that, how could he possibly take you in as his butler? Fatty, explain yourself!"

Even if Yang shi wanted to take in a butler, he would at least take in someone who was much more qualified! There was simply no reason he would take in a person as weak as the fatty before him as his butler!

"Audacious! How dare you question our Old Master's judgement! Naturally, he has his own considerations for making his decisions. Or could it be that you feel that our Old Master is accountable to you for every decision that he makes?" Sun Qiang waved his hand and harrumphed coldly.

He turned around and sat back down on the main seat in the room before continuing. "There's no point wasting any more time here. Hurry up and confess your identity and the reason you are impersonating as our Old Master's butler?"

What the heck was this?

People nowadays sure were getting more and more arrogant!

How in the world could a fake like the other party possibly have the cheek and the courage to stand before him without the slightest hint of fear? Not to mention, to even be putting on such an act in the Sanctum of Sages...

His audacity was truly incredible!

"Impersonating?" Hu Yiwei nearly exploded on the spot. "Do you know who I am?"

Had it been in the past, he definitely would have poisoned the other party to death for daring to conduct himself so arrogantly before him.

As the Left Guardian of the Poison Hall, possibly the top poison practitioner in the world, how could he allow another man to insult him in such a manner?

"Do I look like I give a damn as to who you are?" Sun Qiang replied with a deeply annoyed tone. "Rather, do you know who I am? Our Old Master is one of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and very possibly the strongest expert in the world! As his butler, I have the responsibility to uphold his dignity and standing. Yet, a mere impersonator like you actually dares to question me in such a manner. I hate to say this, but are you tired of living?"

To think that even a mere impersonator would speak to him so arrogantly! It seemed like even the world was not a big enough place to house the other party's ego anymore!

Even though Hu Yiwei was on the verge of erupting, he still suppressed his rage and harrumphed. "You claim that Yang shi is your master, but do you have any evidence of it?"

After years of listening to Yang shi's teachings, his temper had cooled down significantly. Had anyone dared to speak to him in such a manner in the past, he would have flipped the entire Sanctum of Sages upside down.

"Evidence? Little Zhan has already verified it earlier—the Old Master's blessing is right within me! Instead of speaking of me, why don't you take a look at yourself instead? Do you have any evidence to prove your identity? Who doesn't know how to make empty claims? Why don't you show some evidence first before pointing your finger at others?" Sun Qiang sneered coldly.

He had used the Young Master's zhenqi in order to clear the identity examination, but given that the Young Master was the Old Master's direct disciple, that could also be considered a method of the Old Master, so it was not entirely inaccurate to say that he possessed Yang shi's blessing.

"You..." Unwilling to waste his breath on futile explanations, Hu Yiwei flicked his wrist and whipped out a token. "This is the token that my master has given to me!"

"Token?" Zhan shi and the others quickly turned their gazes over, and very soon, they nodded in approval.

"That's a token specially crafted by the Master Teacher Pavilion!"

"Indeed, it belongs to Yang shi. There's no way to fake that."

As elders of the Sanctum of Sages, they would never make a mistake with something as important as this.

"It's real?" Sun Qiang was stunned for an instant before hurriedly snatching the token to take a look.

The token was roughly the size of one's palm. The majestic insignia of the Master Teacher Pavilion was imprinted on the front, and the back was a '杨 (Yang)' character written in seal script.

It was difficult to determine what material it was made of, but just from the solemn and heavy air that it exuded, it was apparent that the token was no weaker than any Saint high-tier artifact!

Putting aside whether the token was real or not, just the very material and craftsmanship of the token made it a highly valuable commodity, and not to mention, one could still vaguely feel the unique aura of the Master Teacher Pavilion within it.

"To think that the Old Master didn't give one to me..."

The more Sun Qiang stared at the token, the more indignant he felt.

This is too much! Isn't the Old Master too biased?

It's one thing that he dumped the Young Master on me to take care of, but he actually didn't leave anything for me either. This is really unfair!

As your student, I understand why you might want to cultivate independence in the Young Master and thus didn't want to interfere in his growth too much... but I'm your butler! Not only did you not give me any money or a blessing, you even gave someone else such a good token instead of me.

We're both your butlers, but why does it seem like I'm your step-butler instead?

This won't do. The next time I meet the Old Master, I must really talk sense into him. At the very least, I should receive at least one or two tokens from him. Otherwise, how am I supposed to uphold my pride, my dignity, if everyone doubts my identity?

As the butler of the man who stands at the top of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, I need to at least maintain a front that's worthy of my standing so that I don't bring shame to the Old Master's name!

Seeing the look on Sun Qiang's face, Hu Yiwei harrumphed coldly. "How is it? Can this token prove my identity?"

Even though Sun Qiang felt deeply indignant inside, he still swiftly regained his poise and calmly replied, "Well... since Little Zhan and the others have already verified the token to be real, I guess you are indeed a butler of the Old Master as well."

Considering how powerful an expert the Old Master was, it was understandable that he would have other butlers behind his back. As the main butler, he needed to be understanding and magnanimous to the Old Master's needs.

"Ever since I became the Old Master's subordinate, I have followed closely in his footsteps, never leaving his side. Tell me, why am I unaware of your existence?" Hu Yiwei flicked his token back into his storage ring before gazing at Sun Qiang coldly.

"Do you think that you are truly capable of following every single one of the Old Master's moves with your current capabilities?" Sun Qiang sneered coldly before slowly raising his head to look into the distance, seemingly reminiscing the old days.

"The Old Master picked me out from the market, saying that he was in awe of my character and temperament. He tasked me with taking care of the Young Master and protecting him till he matures. It was then that I made the decision to serve as his butler for life!

"But those are matters back from very long ago, so there's no point bringing them back up now. Right, you mentioned earlier that you are the Old Master's butler? Since that's the case, you should just listen to my commands from now on. It's fine, you don't have to feel touched. It's my responsibility to share the burden of the Old Master in taking care of the other subordinates..."

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Chapter 1400: Can't Be Poisoned to Death

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Back when he was still in the Tianxuan Kingdom, Sun Qiang had been with the Old Master for quite some time, but he had never heard that the Old Master had another butler

Had he known this earlier, he would not have tired himself out like this. He could simply have ordered this fellow around to get things done!

After all, he was the butler whom the Old Master had entrusted the Young Master to, so it went without saying that his standing had to be higher.

"You want me to listen to your commands?" Hearing those words, Hu Yiwei's cheeks twitched wildly, and he nearly rushed forward to strangle the other party to death.

Could you be any more shameless?

Even if I have concealed my cultivation, you should be able to tell how powerful I am from Zhan shi and the others' attitude, right?

I am a figure whom others would faint in the face of, and yet, you actually dare to say such words to me. Are you really that brave, or are your eyes that bad?

"Indeed! You are only a subordinate in charge of handling the Old Master's miscellaneous affairs whereas I am butler whom the Old Master has recognized and entrusted great responsibility to. Shouldn't it be your honor to listen to my commands?" Sun Qiang nodded matter-of-factly.

After all, it was clear that the other party was a mere subordinate in charge of handling miscellaneous affairs. On the other hand, he was a butler who had been entrusted with a direct disciple!

Given so, was it not obvious which of the two of them was of higher standing?

A subordinate might still require a token for others to validate their identity, but as the real butler, it went without saying that he did not need such a thing! With such a thought in mind, Sun Qiang suddenly felt his indignation subsiding significantly, and his pride swelled once more.

"You want me to listen to your commands?"

Luo luo!

Hu Yiwei clenched his teeth tightly together as a hint of killing intent flashed across his eyes. With a flick of his finger, he inconspicuously sent a surge of poison into the plump man's body as he thought callously, Sure, as long as you can survive this!

After which, he decisively turned his gaze toward the elder, not wanting to waste any more of his breath on a dead man.

"Zhan shi, I have accompanied the Young Master here this time. He has already successfully enrolled in the Sanctum of Sages, so my mission is already complete, and there's no reason for me to stay here anymore. The reason I'm paying a visit right now is to request for you to take good care of him. My master has very high expectations of the Young Master."

But before Zhan shi could respond, a loud voice suddenly interjected. "There's no need for you to worry. I'll take care of the Young Master well."

Hu Yiwei's eyes widened in astonishment upon hearing that voice. He quickly turned his gaze over and saw Sun Qiang waving his hand calmly.

"H-how is this... possible?" Hu Yiwei's heart jolted in shock.

The poison he had used was so potent that even an expert of Zhan shi's caliber would bleed from his seven apertures once afflicted with it. Considering the dose that he had injected into the plump man's body, how could he possibly remain completely fine and even speak so energetically? Was this for real?

"What do you mean by that?" Not knowing the peril that he had just been through, Sun Qiang waved his hand derisively and harrumphed. "If not for me taking care of the Young Master along the way, how could he have become a student of the Sanctum of Sages so easily? You needn't worry about anything; the Young Master is in good hands!"

"..."

Hearing how the plump man was speaking with increasing fervor, completely devoid of the weakened state that a poisoned man should be in, Hu Yiwei narrowed his eyes grimly. Unable to believe what was happening before him, he discreetly flicked his finger a few more times, sending more surges of poison into the other party's body.

Even though his temperament had calmed down over the years under Yang shi's teachings, the plump man before him had simply gone too far, stomping right across his bottom line. As a Saint 9-dan expert, there was no way he could allow a weakling to humiliate him like that!

Wu wu wu!

In an instant, the few most lethal poisons that Hu Yiwei had with him were injected right into Sun Qiang's body.

"Enough! Is there any point in you flicking your fingers again and again? Are you hearing what I'm saying, or are you playing deaf with me? As a subordinate, you should know your place! It's no wonder the Old Master is unwilling to entrust greater responsibilities to you!" Sun Qiang flung his sleeves in disapproval.

He had been speaking nicely to the other party all this while, but that fellow just had to flick things at him again and again, provoking the zhenqi that the Young Master had left within his body to surge all around the place.

Don't you know about respecting your seniors? Or do you think that I have mellowed out so much over the year that you feel that you can climb over my head?

Otherwise, would you dare to act so brazenly before me?

It seems like you are really mistaking my kindness for weakness.

"You..." Seeing that there was really no sign of the other party being poisoned, Hu Yiwei's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

The poisons that he had flicked into the plump man's body earlier were the most potent that he possessed. Even Yang shi had to struggle a bit to deal with them, and yet, the other party was actually completely fine before them. Could it be that the plump man really was not as weak as he seemed? Was he actually a formidable expert in disguise?

Just a while ago, he had met with a lady, whom despite her young age, was able to subdue him with ease!

Furthermore, he had heard that the founder of the Poison Hall had returned recently, and she seemed to be a young lass, too!

All of this taught him to never judge a person by their appearance.

Not to mention, his master's eye of discernment had always been exceptional. Most likely, there was a deeper reason as to why he chose this crude plump man as his butler. After all, there was no reason for his master to recruit a useless man into his service!

In an instant, the silhouette of the plump man whom he had been looking down at all this while suddenly grew towering.

Zhan shi had noticed Hu Yiwei's actions, but seeing that Sun Qiang remained completely unharmed, he thought that Hu Yiwei had decided against it in the end. Heaving a sigh of relief on the inside, he hurriedly asked, "I'll definitely take good care of Yang shi's student... He's a freshman who cleared this examination just earlier this year, right? May I know his name?"

"Zhang Xuan!"

"Feng Ziyi!"

Sun Qiang and Hu Yiwei spoke simultaneously.

"Zhang Xuan?" Before Zhan shi could respond, Hu Yiwei had already turned to look at Sun Qiang with a deep frown. "My master only has a single student, and his name is Feng Ziyi. Who in the world is the Zhang Xuan you speak of?"

All those who were close with Yang shi would know that he had only officially accepted a single student in his lifetime, and that person was Feng Ziyi. That was the Young Master whom he had been speaking of, and he had been following the other party all this while in order to protect him from the shadows, ensuring that he arrived at the Sanctum of Sages safely. As for that Zhang Xuan... he had never heard of this person before!

It was one thing for him to have never heard of his master taking in another butler, but would it not be truly ridiculous if he remained oblivious to his master taking in another student as well?

"Feng Ziyi and our Young Master are from the same lineage. They have already met one another, and they even had a friendly spar." Sun Qiang waved his hand as he explained with a smile.

"From the looks of it, it seems like he has already become our Young Master's junior!"

So, that fellow was in charge of taking care of Feng Ziyi. That would explain everything!

He had thought that it was weird when that fellow talked about how he had accompanied the Young Master here. It turned out that the Young Masters they were talking about were referring to different individuals!

Based on what he knew of Zhang Xuan, the latter would surely have Feng Ziyi pummeled till Feng Ziyi willingly addressed him as 'senior'.

"Junior?" Hu Yiwei froze on the spot.

"We could have been spared from all that trouble if you had just mentioned Feng Ziyi's name earlier! I wouldn't have doubted you if that was the case. Since we are all working for the Old Master, we should at least try to get along with one another."

Seeing that Hu Yiwei still had an uncomprehending frown on his forehead, Sun Qiang continued explaining with a smile. "For an expert as powerful as the Old Master, it's perfectly normal for him to take in a couple of students and butlers outside without informing you. After all, as subordinates, it's not our place to inquire too much into our master's affairs."

He knew full well how low profile the Old Master was. For one, despite knowing the Old Master for more than a year now, he would still have been oblivious to how incredible of a figure the Old Master was if not for Zhang Jiuxiao's explanation a while ago!

"..." Hu Yiwei was stifled into silence.

With how confidently the plump man was speaking, and given that the other party had cleared Zhan shi and the others' verification and even his most potent of poisons could not kill the other party, he suddenly felt deeply uncertain on the inside.

He might have been accompanying Yang shi for the past few years, but in the end, he was just a subordinate. There were still some matters that he was not privy to.

Could it be that his master had really taken in another student and butler behind his back?

His initial intention had just been to request Zhan shi to take care of Feng Ziyi, but in a weird twist of fate, it somehow turned into a reunion event.

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Chapter 1401: His Name Is Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

To share the same position as an insignificant figure who had not even reached the Saint realm yet... Hu Yiwei suddenly felt deeply stifled on the inside.

Forget it, I'll just ask my master when I return later on!

Hu Yiwei knew that he would only be lowering his status if he were to argue with a nobody. Furthermore, there was just a chance that what the other party said was true. If that was the case, his actions would only lead to others mocking Yang shi for being unable to keep his subordinates in check, thus bringing shame to his master.

Thus, he remained silent. However, as the indignation suffocating his chest continued to grow, he was eventually unable to keep his poise and harrumphed. "Young Master Feng Ziyi is an extraordinarily talented individual. Even if the Zhang Xuan person you spoke of is a direct disciple of my master, too, there is little doubt that Young Master Feng Ziyi is the senior."

Feng Ziyi was an extremely talented individual, such that even the core members of top Sage Clans would struggle to remain on par with him. On top of that, he was a hardworking person as well, knowing that he had to work hard to achieve what he wanted in life. It was due to the combination of his unyielding diligence and his superior talent that he was able to achieve the cultivation of Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm despite only being in his twenties.

Even if that Zhang Xuan fellow was Yang shi's student as well, there was no way he could possibly best Feng Ziyi's accomplishment!

"Our Young Master has never been defeated by his peers!" Sun Qiang waved his hand confidently.

He had been with the Young Master for so long, but when had the latter ever allowed himself to suffer the slightest grievance?

Those who dared stand against the Young Master eventually ended up becoming his student or grandstudent, or else they would find their reputation completely shattered, stripped of their master teacher identity even. No matter how powerful that Feng Ziyi fellow was, there was no way he could hold a candle to the Young Master!

Hearing the plump man's boasting, Hu Yiwei could not help but frown in displeasure. "Your Young Master has never been defeated by his peers? Humph! That's only because he hasn't met our Young Master yet!"

In the younger generation, the most talented offspring of the Sage Clans was indubitably Zhang Yu, but even he was nothing compared to Feng Ziyi. Even if that Zhang Xuan fellow the other party spoke of was truly powerful, there was no way he would be a match for Feng Ziyi!

Not wanting to waste his breath with the obstinate old man, Sun Qiang harrumphed. "It's pointless for you to quibble about it here. You'll know the answer very soon..."

In the midst of his words, however, an anxious voice suddenly interrupted them. "Elder Ge, a disaster has occurred!"

Following which, an elder rushed into the room in a fluster.

Seeing that the person who had rushed into the room was a managerial elder of the Hall of Integrity, Elder Ge asked with a frown, "What's wrong?"

For an elder to fly into such a fluster, something huge must have occurred.

"I-it's the bunch from the Physician Guild! All of them suddenly came to the Hall of Integrity as a group under Divine Healer Bai Yu's lead, and for some reason, they actually managed to make breakthroughs in their cultivation simultaneously! Now, we have more than a dozen elders undergoing the Dimension Sundering Ordeal. Due to the close proximity of their locations, the lightning tribulations began fusing together with one another, and they are showing signs of running amok!" the elder reported with a pale face.

"They managed to make breakthroughs in their cultivation simultaneously?"

"You said that the lightning tribulations began fusing together with one another?"

Everyone jolted on the spot upon hearing that news. Even Zhan shi's eyes were widening in utter horror, unable to believe what he had just heard.

The might of a lightning tribulation was, by no means, constant. If two people were to make a breakthrough simultaneously in close proximity to one another, the might of the lightning tribulation that they would draw in would not be as simple as just 'one plus one equals to two'. Rather, the resonance between the lightning tribulations could cause the might of the lightning tribulation to compound to four or even more.

For this reason, cultivators would always avoid making a breakthrough at the same time as others, especially when the breakthrough would bring about a cultivation ordeal. Even if two cultivators had to make a breakthrough simultaneously, they would attempt to distance themselves from one another as much as possible so as to reduce the chances of the lightning tribulation fusing with one another.

Once any fusion occurred, the possibility of success would be near zero.

Yet, the Physician Guild actually had more than a dozen of their elders achieve breakthroughs simultaneously. As if that was not bad enough, they just had to make their breakthrough in the Hall of Integrity!

Just what did the Hall of Integrity do to you all to treat us like that?

Will you only be content after reducing us to rubble?

"I know most of the managerial elders in the Physician Guild. While most of them are indeed at Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm, a huge proportion of them have been stuck at the realm for many years, such that any chances of a breakthrough would have been bleak at most. Why would they suddenly achieve a breakthrough together?" Zhan shi frowned in incomprehension.

Due to the poison that he had been afflicted with by Hu Yiwei, he often frequented the Physician Guild, and the elders had been collaborating together to study the poison in his body as well. Thus, over time, they had grown rather close to one another.

Most of the managerial elders had been too reliant on medicinal herbs and pills to push up their cultivation in their earlier years, which resulted in a lot of medicinal dregs being left behind in their meridians and veins. On top of that, too many years had gone by, and their vitality had already withered, thus making it nigh impossible for them to make a breakthrough anymore.

Why would they suddenly achieve a breakthrough all at once?

It was completely illogical!

The elder pondered for a moment as he reminisced on the sight that he had seen earlier before replying. "I have no idea. According to the rumors, it seems Divine Healer Bai Yu invited a freshman who is exceptionally skilled in medicine to conduct a lecture for them, but instead of conducting a lecture, the freshman offered them pointers on the various flaws they had in their cultivation, and this insight seems to have helped them to overcome their bottlenecks."

"Freshman?"

"Offered them pointers?"

"Helped over a dozen Saint 7-dan cultivators overcome their bottlenecks simultaneously?"

The crowd froze upon hearing those words.

Even Hu Yiwei was completely flabbergasted by what he had just heard.

Even his master, Yang shi, would have great difficulty making more than a dozen Saint 7-dan pinnacle cultivators achieve a breakthrough simultaneously!

"That is second-hand news that I have heard from the personnel in the Physician Guild, so I'm not too sure about the exact situation myself. However, with more than a dozen on them achieving a breakthrough simultaneously, the lightning tribulation has already grown to a scale that spans over five thousandmu 1 ! Not even the formation in the Hall of Integrity can withstand something of this scale!" the elder exclaimed anxiously.

"Let's go take a look!" Knowing that there was no time to waste for this matter, Elder Ge hurriedly got up and rushed toward the Hall of Integrity.

Zhan shi and the others quickly followed behind him.

Sun Qiang hesitated for a brief moment before tagging along as well.

With how huge the matter was, the very first thought that came to his mind actually turned out to be the Young Master! It could not be that this was really the doing of the Young Master, could it?

...

It did not take long for the crowd to arrive at the Hall of Integrity. Looking at the ominous storm clouds looming over them in sky, covering the sun completely, everyone could not help but feel a little crazed inside.

It was true that the Hall of Integrity was the ideal place for any cultivator to face their cultivation ordeal in, but this... this was way out of proportion!

If it really fell, the entire Hall of Integrity could very well be zapped into ashes!

Elder Ge shuddered involuntarily in the face of the hulking lightning tribulation before him. In this instant, he could not help but marvel and, at the same time, fear the sheer prowess of the natural world. He turned his gaze to Zhan shi anxiously and asked, "Zhan shi, what should we do?"

It was just a moment ago that the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall had been reduced to rubble. If something happened to the Hall of Integrity as well, he might as well retire from being an elder right now!

"I have no idea." Zhan shi shook his head grimly.

If the lightning tribulation had been any smaller, he might still have been able to forcefully dissipate it with his strength as a Saint 9-dan primary stage expert. However, what was before him had already grown to a scale of five thousand mu. Its might was so great that it could wipe him off the face of this world easily, so how was he supposed to dissipate it!

"If it really comes down to it, we might have to activate the Sanctum Custodian Formation of the Sanctum of Sages!" Elder Ge said grimly.

"Sanctum Custodian Formation? That won't do." As anxious Zhan shi was, he still rejected Elder Ge's proposition. "The formation should only be used in the worst-case scenario, when the survival of the Sanctum of Sages is at stake. As powerful as the lightning tribulation is, it hasn't reached that point yet."

The Sanctum Custodian Formation of the Sanctum of Sages had been built painstakingly by generations of predecessors. Unless the Sanctum of Sages was on the verge of destruction, they were not to activate it.

As despairing as the massive congregation of ominous clouds was, it had not reached the level where the Sanctum Custodian Formation could be activated.

"If we don't activate it, the Hall of Integrity will be a goner!" Elder Ge exclaimed in panic.

"This..." Zhan shi's complexion turned awful. He pondered for a moment, but he was still unable to come up with a viable alternative solution. However, another thought came to his mind instead, and he hurriedly turned his gaze toward the elder who had reported the incident to them previously. "What is the name of the freshman who offered pointers to the dozen elders from the Physician Guild earlier, and where is he?"

Considering the freshman's ability to make more than a dozen Saint 7-dan pinnacle cultivators achieve a breakthrough simultaneously through his teachings, there was a chance that he just might have a way to deal with this stupendously massive lightning tribulation.

"I have no idea where he is at the moment, but I think I heard someone mentioning his name earlier."

The elder contemplated deeply for a moment before finally continuing.

"His name should be... Zhang Xuan!"

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Chapter 1402: Zhang Xuan Is Electrocuted

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan?" Zhan shi was taken aback by that name.

He had just heard that name earlier. Was that not the name of the plump butler's Young Master, Yang shi's direct disciple?

The rest of the crowd were visibly startled as well. They turned to look at the plump butler standing not too far away, and to their surprise, not only was the latter not astounded by what he was seeing, he even seemed to be... heaving a sigh of relief?

To Sun Qiang, relief was indeed the emotion that he was feeling. He knew that there was no one other than the Young Master who would dare toy with such a thing!

In fact, he only would have been shocked if the culprit behind this had not been the Young Master!

Some days in his life, he could not help but feel really helpless at the plight he was in. All he wanted was to quietly fulfill his responsibilities as a butler, living a humble and peaceful life. But as if fate had played a trick on him, he just had to be paired with such a troublemaking Young Master!

Given how much the matter had blown up this time around, even he would have trouble resolving this dispute!

With such thoughts in mind, Sun Qiang slowly closed his eyes as resignation crept onto his face.

Low profile—these were the two words that the Young Master chanted every single day, but honestly speaking, everything that the latter did was simply contrary to those two words. In a way, it felt as if he was trying to humblebrag about his abilities!

It had really been hard on him over the past few months having to support such a person! Hai! But again, if it was an easy task, the Old Master would have entrusted the Young Master to Hu Yiwei instead of him.

Upon learning the culprit behind the matter, Elder Ge was unable to hold back his rage any longer and roared furiously at Sun Qiang. "Just what the heck is your Young Master trying to do by making dozens of people achieve a breakthrough simultaneously?"

"This..." Sun Qiang scratched his head awkwardly.

To be honest, even after the many months that he had spent with the Young Master, he was still unable to fathom the latter's thoughts.

"This isn't the time to be pursuing responsibility for this matter," Zhan shi instructed severely. "We need to hurry up and find the elders who are making a breakthrough this instant and convince them to suppress their cultivation and relocate before facing their cultivation orde..."

It would be impossible to make a cultivation ordeal disappear once it had been summoned, but it was still possible to delay the falling of the lightning tribulation by suppressing one's cultivation temporarily. As long as they could buy sufficient time to get all of them to relocate, there was a chance they could undo the fusion of the lightning tribulations.

Boom!

But before Zhan shi could finish his words, a powerful shockwave suddenly rippled into the surroundings, and at the same time, a powerful burst of energy shot forth toward the storm clouds.

Huala!

The powerful burst of energy seemed to have successfully provoked the storm clouds. In the blink of an eye, the congregation of the storm clouds grew even denser and vaster.

"This..."

Seeing such a sight, everyone anxiously turned their gazes toward where the powerful burst of energy had originated, and their complexions immediately darkened.

It was from a Saint 8-dan pinnacle Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast! With a crazed look on its face, it was furiously sending more and more bursts of energy toward the storm clouds, almost as if it would not rest until the entire world was reduced to ash!

"The hell! Where in the world did that fellow pop out from? What the heck are the rest of you idling around for? Hurry up and stop it!" Elder Ge bellowed with a tone intermixed with fury and panic.

At the same time, he swiftly dashed forward to stop the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast from worsening the situation, but before he could come close to the latter, an elder who had been standing on top of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast suddenly leaped up and sent a devastating surge of sword qi toward the storm clouds.

Kacha! Kacha!

That attack brought about an immediate response from the lightning tribulation. In an instant, the five thousand mu of storm clouds expanded to over six thousand mu.

Upon getting a closer look of the elder's face, Elder Ge shrieked in horror. "Bai Yu, are you insane!"

The elder who had just launched the devastating surge of sword qi was none other than Divine Healer Bai Yu!

As a physician, Bai Yu was a man who had great compassion for all living beings in the world, such that he would hesitate to even crush an ant. Why would someone like that proactively seek to strengthen the lightning tribulation?

If my Hall of Integrity has wronged you in any way, we can always talk things out! There's no need for you to go this far!

At this moment, Divine Healer Bai Yu, in the midst of his furious assault toward the storm clouds, suddenly caught sight of Elder Ge and the others, and his eyes immediately lit up. "Ge Xiong, you are here. Great! Hurry up, come and help me attack the lightning tribulation. Zhan shi, you're here as well? Wonderful! Quick, we need help attacking the lightning tribulation. We need to act fast; it will be too late once the lightning bolt falls!"

"Attack the lightning tribulation?" Elder Ge and Zhan shi widened their eyes upon hearing those words. They exchanged glances with one another, and they could see confusion in the depths of each other's eyes.

Had that fellow gone mad from treating too many patients?

The more the lightning tribulation was attacked, the stronger the lightning bolt falling would be. At this rate, everyone would be electrocuted to death!

Hu hu hu!

Just as the crowd was completely bewildered by what Divine Healer Bai Yu was up to, the furious whistling of the wind suddenly sounded. Several figures were flying over from afar, and they were the elder in charge of the Hall of Propriety, Elder Hu Qing, Fei shi, and the entire Elite Division class.

Catching sight of a person amid the incoming group, Hu Yiwei immediately rushed forward to a young man's side and clasped his fist. "Young Master."

"Elder Hu? I thought that you'd left the Sanctum of Sages." Feng Ziyi was slightly surprised to see the other party here.

"Ah, I still had some other matters to attend to. Have you heard that the Old Master has taken in a new direct disciple named Zhang Xuan?" Hu Yiwei asked.

"You are talking about Senior Zhang?" Feng Ziyi nodded. "I have heard of the matter. Senior Zhang is a man of great capability. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, he's probably the one who is behind this lightning tribulation."

As much as Feng Ziyi hated to admit it, deep down, he knew that Zhang Xuan was indeed stronger than him.

"Senior?" Hu Yiwei's lips twitched.

That meant that what the fatty had said was true! His Young Master had really fallen to the position of a junior!

"But isn't that fellow being way too negligent? He knew that those elders were going to achieve a breakthrough, so how could he still make all of them gather in the same location? How in the world does he plan to deal with such a huge lightning tribulation?" Hu Yiwei harrumphed angrily.

The more he thought about the matter, the more unreasonable he felt that Zhang Xuan fellow was.

Had it been just a moment ago, he might still have been able to forcefully dissipate the lightning tribulation with his cultivation. However, with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Divine Healer Bai Yu messing around with the storm clouds, that small hint of a possibility had been completely extinguished.

Even if he succeeded by some stroke of luck, he would be severely injured to the point where he could potentially be crippled for life.

He was not a master teacher, and he did not possess any compassion for the masses or that sort of value. Naturally, there was no way he was going to sacrifice himself for others.

"Negligent? Senior Zhang isn't being negligent here. He's intentionally strengthening the lightning tribulation!" Feng Ziyi replied with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Back at the Hall of Propriety, he had nearly fainted from fear after seeing how huge Elder Liao's lightning tribulation had become, too. However, after witnessing how it was so easily resolved, the fear of lightning tribulations had completely disappeared from his mind.

"He's intentionally strengthening the lightning tribulation?" Hu Yiwei widened his eyes in incomprehension upon hearing those words. He could not understand what his Young Master was getting at.

"It might sound ridiculous to you, but Senior Zhang is capable of devouring lightning tribulations. Only when the lightning tribulation is large enough for him will he be able to have his fill," Feng Ziyi explained calmly.

"Devouring... lightning tribulations?" Zhan shi and the others overheard Feng Ziyi's words, and they nearly lost their balance and plummeted from the sky.

A lightning tribulation was a form of punishment from heavens! Standing against it was no different from standing against the heavens! Could such a thing really be eaten?

You must be pulling our legs!

Seeing the looks of disbelief amongst the crowd. Elder Hu Qing spoke up. "Feng Ziyi isn't joking. Zhang shi really wields such a capability!"

"I also saw it with my own eyes, too," Fei shi added. "Even though the lightning tribulation back at the Hall of Propriety wasn't as large as the one before us, it was still immensely powerful. Nevertheless, Zhang shi was able to devour it with ease... and more importantly, he even scared the lightning tribulation off!"

"Scared the lightning tribulation off? Is it even possible for a lightning tribulation to be scared?"

The consecutive shocks that had been dealt to their minds left the crowd in a state of utter stupefaction.

The more they listened to the account of events from the group of eye-witnesses, the more they felt like they were listening to those exaggerated heroic tales that were spoken of in taverns. Rationally speaking, such a thing could not possibly be true, could it? But it did not make sense for so many esteemed figures to lie about such a matter.

After a brief moment of silence, Zhan shi stepped forward and said, "Where is Zhang shi at the moment? Bring us to him."

After all that had been said, they still had not met that legendary freshman. Just what kind of person could that man who was already on everyone's lips barely a month after enrollment possibly be?

"He's currently with those elders who are facing their cultivation ordeal," Feng Ziyi said as he pointed in a direction.

Everyone quickly turned their gazes over and saw a young man sitting cross-legged in front of several elders. His lips were opening and closing non-stop, seemingly lecturing the elders before him.

On the other hand, the managerial elders of the Physician Guild seemed to be almost intoxicated on the young man's lecturing. They were releasing their strength non-stop, as if fearing that their lightning tribulation would not be strong enough.

"He's Zhang shi?" Zhan shi asked with a hint of admiration in his voice.

Honestly, considering how the entire sky was crackling fearfully with lightning, and given the fearsome flashes of light every now and then, it was truly incredible how the young man was still able to continue conducting a lecture so composedly.

Even Hu Yiwei could not help but nod in awe.

Over the years, the only person that he knew who had the mental fortitude to remain calm even in the face of a cataclysm was his master!

It was no wonder that Zhang Xuan fellow had been able to win the Young Master's admiration. Just this deed alone was one that no ordinary man would be capable of pulling off. At the very least, he knew that he would not have been able to do the same.

"Look, look! Zhang shi is going to devour the lightning tribulation!"

Just as everyone was in a state of complete shock, the young man suddenly halted his lecture and stood up. With a light leap, he swiftly rose to an altitude just beneath the disquieting storm clouds.

From the position the young man was in, there was no doubt that he would catch the attention of the lightning tribulation and come under its attack.

"He will be zapped to death like that!" Zhan shi could not help but exclaim in trepidation.

"Heh, there's no need to worry about that! I saw this sight earlier, and I can tell you for certain that Zhang shi will dash into the midst of the storm clouds next. Before long, the storm clouds will swiftly contract and..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan had gone into motion, Zhang Yu turned to the crowd and began explaining confidently.

But the next moment, a bizarre expression surfaced on everyone's faces. Perplexed by the odd response, Zhang Yu quickly turned his head toward the sky, and the sight that he saw made him freeze on the spot. "T-this..."

Before the young man in the sky could make a move, a powerful bolt of lightning had already zapped down on him.

Kacha!

The lightning bolt roasted the young man well, and a fragrant smell wafted through the area. All that might have been lacking at that moment was a pinch of cumin

"Is this... what you all mean by devouring the lightning tribulation?"

Zhan shi and the others looked at those who had been full of compliments for Zhang Xuan earlier, speechless.

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Chapter 1403: Hu Yiwei's Doubt

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Before the lightning bolt fell, they were almost convinced by the others that Zhang Xuan was a living deity and that there was nothing in this world that he was incapable of. After all, even lightning tribulations were frightened of him! But the sight before them was clearly telling them that they had been deceived.

Was the young man not supposed to dive right into the storm clouds and make the lightning tribulation tremble in fear?

So, why would he end up being struck by lightning instead? From the looks of it, it seemed like he had no strength to go against the lightning tribulation at all.

"Maybe... he might still be in a period of adaptation? He should get better in a moment..." Zhang Yu proposed meekly.

Even though the situation had gone completely differently to what he had expected, he still had deep trust in Zhang Xuan's capability.

After all, what he had witnessed earlier was completely beyond reason.

But once more, before he could finish his words, Zhang Xuan was struck by another bolt of lightning. This time, the sheer might of the lightning was so great that it crushed him right back down to the ground, and his body convulsed uncontrollably as the lightning coursed through him.

Boom! Boom!

More and more lightning bolts zapped down on Zhang Xuan, and his convulsions grew more and more intense.

Elder Ge could not help but ask, "Should we... leap in to save him?"

Even he could not stand looking at the situation any longer. After all the praise that everyone had heaped on the young man, the latter turned out to be an utter disappointment.

"How do you want to save him?" Zhan shi asked with a bitter smile.

The lightning tribulation was already extremely powerful as it was, and their interference would only cause it to grow even stronger. They would only be worsening the situation if they leapt in recklessly!

"Then... are we to look as that lad gets electrocuted to death?" Elder Ge asked with a frown.

"This... I don't know either..." Zhan shi shook his head with a conflicted look on his face.

It was his duty to protect the students of the Sanctum of Sages as the deputy sanctum head, but this was the first time he had encountered such a powerful lightning tribulation. He had no idea how he could possibly stand against it.

While the crowd was looking on the situation helplessly, the one who was being ravaged by the violent lightning bolts, Zhang Xuan, was busy urging Vicious telepathically, "Are you done finding it yet? Hurry up!"

It was not that he did not want to dash right into the storm clouds to absorb the lightning energy, but it had not been easy for him to create such a massive congregation of storm clouds, and it was unlikely that he would be allowed to do so once more. Naturally, he had to make full use of this opportunity for Vicious to locate his upper body.

It was hard to tell when the lightning tribulation would flee once he started absorbing its energy, so Zhang Xuan had no choice but to allow the lightning tribulation to strike him.

It was fortunate that his physical body and Primordial Spirit had been tempered by lightning on many occasions, thus granting him an exceptional resistance against lightning. Even with the storm clouds relentlessly sending bolts of lightning his way, it would still be a while before his life was truly at risk.

"Master, I can sense my body distinctly—it's definitely here! But for some reason, I can't zone in on its exact location. It's almost as if it's hidden within some folded space," Vicious replied in distress.

He was also feeling rather anxious, seeing his master being zapped by lightning in order to buy some time for him to locate his upper body, but despite searching far and wide, he was simply unable to locate it.

He was certain that his body was there, but for him to be unable to zone in on its location... most likely, it was located in a different dimension from that of the Sanctum of Sages.

"Folded space?" Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment before his heart suddenly skipped a beat. "I recall hearing that the Inner Sanctum is located in a folded space. Could it be that your upper body is located there?"

Zhang Xuan had never fully explored the massive Sanctum of Sages, but he did get an overview of it from the sky. One thing that he had found rather peculiar was that he could not find any traces of the Inner Sanctum, and after asking around, he learned that it was actually located in a folded space. This was somewhat similar to the ancient domain that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had left behind.

Vicious could clearly sense the presence of his body but was unable to find it. This would mean that there was a chance that it was hidden within a folded space, which would hinder Vicious from accurately pinpointing its location.

"There is such a possibility," Vicious replied.

"Alright. I'll absorb the lightning tribulation now, and we'll continue our search once I get to the Inner Sanctum."

Knowing that he might really be electrocuted to death if he allowed the lightning tribulation to continue striking him, Zhang Xuan pushed himself up from the depression he was in and dashed up into the sky, heading right toward the congregation of storm clouds.

Earlier, he had headed to the Physician Guild at Divine Healer Bai Yu's invitation in order to conduct a lecture concerning poison. However, when he saw that those attending the lectures were all Saint 7-dan pinnacle cultivators who were just a step away from achieving a breakthrough, he could not resist making use of the opportunity to help them achieve a breakthrough.

He did not possess any manuals concerning the breakthrough from Saint 7-dan to Saint 8-dan, but through pointing out and resolving the main flaws in their cultivation, along with some assistance from the vine, it was not too difficult for him to help all of them to achieve a breakthrough.

All of that eventually culminated into the scene that nearly left Elder Ge fainting from shock earlier.

As expected of a lightning tribulation formed by more than a dozen cultivators undergoing their Dimension Sundering Ordeal simultaneously, the energy that it harnessed was indeed incredible. By diving right into the storm clouds and devouring the surrounding lightning energy furiously, it did not take him too long to fill the loop within his dantian. At the same time, he managed to raise his cultivation to the point where he was just a step away from making a breakthrough.

Very soon, the lightning tribulation came to realize that someone was stealing its energy and quickly fled in fright.

I managed to reach Half-Grand Dominion realm,

Zhang Xuan thought.

Even though the lightning tribulation had fled very quickly, Zhang Xuan had still managed to make the final step forward and shatter his bottleneck, reaching Half-Grand Dominion realm.

From the looks of it, it was about time for him to really start looking for Grand Dominion realm cultivation techniques so that he could push for higher realms.

After entering the lightning tribulation, Zhang Xuan quickly changed his clothes and tidied himself, such that when the lightning tribulation left, he was no longer in the unkempt state that he had been in before when he descended from the sky. It was only then that he noticed that the crowd below were all dumbstruck.

To his surprise, Sun Qiang was among the crowd, too.

"Young Master!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan was fine, remaining as awe-inspiring as he usually was, Sun Qiang heaved a sigh of relief.

He quickly rushed forward, and with a flick of his hand, he took out a jade container and handed it over. "These are the pinnacle spirit stones that Elder Ge has prepared in order to compensate you!"

"Compensation? Pinnacle spirit stones?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

It had taken him so much effort just to earn one pinnacle spirit stones—while thinking of this, he suddenly recalled that Zhang Chun still owed him five—whereas a butler who had not even reached the Saint realm yet actually managed to find five so easily.

But the terms that Sun Qiang used, 'compensation'... why would an elder feel compelled to compensate him?

"You are Yang shi's direct disciple?" Just as Zhang Xuan was going to clarify the matter, a doubtful voice suddenly sounded.

Zhang Xuan turned his head and saw an old man walking up to him with a deep frown on his forehead.

"He's Feng Ziyi's butler, Yang shi's subordinate." Noting the hint of confusion in Zhang Xuan's eyes, Sun Qiang stepped forward and introduced the man with a smile. "He's currently under my command."

"Yang shi's subordinate? Under your command?" Zhang Xuan felt his head spinning wildly upon hearing those words.

The 'Yang shi' that had been coming from his mouth was a fake. It was already a huge blessing that he had been able to convince Feng Ziyi to trust him, but why would Yang shi's subordinate be here too, and not to mention, be under Sun Qiang's command?

Knowing that his butler was not a reliable person, Zhang Xuan turned to the old man and asked, "You are..."

"I am Hu Yiwei, Yang shi's butler." Hu Yiwei introduced himself before assessing the young man before him intently.

A moment later, he could not help but pose the doubt in his heart. "Zhang shi, pardon me for asking, but are you from the Zhang Clan?"

"I'm not." Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

"You aren't?" Hu Yiwei seemed to be a little surprised by the answer. "Zhang shi, if it's not too much for me to ask, could I take a look at your hand? There's a thought I have in mind that I would like to verify."

"You want to borrow my hand?" Zhang Xuan was bewildered by Hu Yiwei's bizarre actions, but after a slight pause, he still extended his hand.

The old man placed his fingers on his pulse lightly, seemingly trying to scan his vitals for certain signs. As time went by, the frown on the old man's forehead grew deeper and deeper. "This is weird. Are you really not from the Zhang Clan?"

"Are you referring to my bloodline? I am really not from the Zhang Clan, so I don't have the bloodline of the Zhang Clan either," Zhang Xuan explained as he retracted his hand.

Previously, he had already borrowed Zhang Jiuxiao's blood essence to check this matter, and from the fact that there was no resonance between their bloodlines, it was clear that he was not an offspring of the Zhang Clan.

"Then, has Zhang Clan been afflicted with..." Hu Yiwei was just about to ask something when his words abruptly halted. A moment later, he shook his head and said, "Never mind, it's not an important issue. I still have things to attend to, so I'll take my leave for now!"

After saying those words, Hu Yiwei turned around, and with a slight flicker of his silhouette, he vanished from the spot.

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Chapter 1404: Tower of Master Teachers

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

His words sure were incoherent, Zhang Xuan remarked internally with a shake of his head.

He had thought that Hu Yiwei, as Yang shi's butler, would surely be an imposing and formidable figure, but who would have thought that he was such an unreliable figure?

But speaking of which, it was a little coincidental that the Innate Fetal Poison suddenly worked up just as Hu Yiwei placed his fingers on his pulse earlier. It was fortunate that he managed to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison from thrashing around via his Heaven's Path zhenqi and the lightning energy that he had absorbed earlier, or else it truly would have been awkward if he was labeled a poison master as a result of that.

In any case, since Hu Yiwei had already left at a speed even faster than Luo Xuanqing's, Zhang Xuan could not be bothered to dawdle any longer on his affairs anymore. Thus, he turned his gaze to Sun Qiang and asked telepathically, "You said that these pinnacle spirit stones are Elder Ge's compensation. What happened?"

"It's like this..." Sun Qiang quickly filled Zhang Xuan in on what had happened earlier.

"Y-you gave away your identity... and even cleared the assessment of the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall?" Zhang Xuan nearly keeled over after hearing the entire account of events.

This butler of his sure was courageous!

Despite being a fake, he actually brazenly pointed his finger at the real one and accused the latter of being a fake instead. He really should have been counting his blessing that he was still alive!

"I'll let this matter slide, but you'll really have to rein yourself in more in the future. As you know, my teacher is a low-profile person and likes his peace, so it wouldn't do for his butler to be so high profile. Understood?"

This had to be the reason the predecessors warned individuals against lying. Whether one liked it or not, it would always spiral out of control in one way or another.

While he was deeply frustrated by Sun Qiang's actions, to be fair, the latter was only working within the web of lies that he had crafted, so it was not fair to pin the blame entirely on him. With all that had been said and done, it was already impossible for him to back out of this matter. All he could do at this point was quickly meet the requirements for unsealing the Sanctum Head Token before Yang shi found out about his existence.

"Zhang shi, regarding the lightning tribulation earlier..." Zhan shi walked over and began speaking.

To be honest, he was still a little overwhelmed by what he had seen earlier.

Considering the sheer scale of the lightning tribulation, it would not have been surprising if it had torn down the Hall of Integrity, but who could have known that the fellow would actually scare it away!

"It's a technique that my teacher has imparted to me. It allows me to curb the might of a lightning tribulation, but at the same time, it deals grievous wounds to me. It'll take me quite some time to recover from the wounds that I have sustained this time around," Zhang Xuan explained.

At the same time, his face abruptly turned pale, and his body wobbled on the spot, seemingly ready to fall at any moment.

The keen-eyed Sun Qiang immediately caught the signal and rushed forward to support him.

"It's a technique that our teacher imparted to you? Why didn't he impart it to me too?" By the side, Feng Ziyi brooded unhappily over the unfair treatment between him and his senior.

He nearly died from the overwhelming might of a lightning tribulation back when he was facing his Leaving Aperture Ordeal. Yet, it turned out that his teacher actually possessed a technique to curb the might of a lightning tribulation... and his teacher had only taught it to his senior!

That would not do. He really needed to get in contact with his teacher soon to inquire about this matter.

Otherwise, he would just have to ask his senior to teach him!

They were from the same lineage anyway, so if his senior could grasp it, he would surely be able to do so, too!

"This..." Hearing those words, Zhan shi felt so stifled that his cheeks began twitching uncontrollably.

"Sanctum Head Zhan, this might not be the best occasion to ask about this matter, but I wish to enter the Inner Sanctum. May I know what conditions are required for that?" Knowing that the other party could tell that he was faking weakness, Zhang Xuan decisively changed the topic.

Through Sun Qiang's introduction, he had come to learn that Zhan shi was the incumbent deputy sanctum head, so he made sure to put on a respectful attitude.

Even though he was the only candidate in line for the sanctum head position, he was still lacking in strength and capability to inherit the position, so it would not be convenient for him to flaunt his identity yet. Thus, he could only assume the identity as an ordinary student before the other party for the time being.

"You wish to enter the Inner Sanctum?" Not expecting to hear such a question, Zhan shi pondered for a moment before replying. "There are two conditions that you have to meet in order to enter the Inner Sanctum. Firstly, your age must not be over forty, and secondly, you have to achieve proficiency of 8-star in your primary occupation. Zhang shi is registered at our Sanctum of Sages as a master teacher, so in order to enter the Inner Sanctum, you have to clear your 8-star master teacher examination!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Judging from Zhan shi's words, primary occupation clearly referred to one's main occupation, which was likely determined by which avenue one had enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages from. Bi Hongyin, for example, should have been nominated by the Demonic Tunist Guild, so she would have to achieve 8-star proficiency as a demonic tunist in order to enter the Inner Sanctum.

As Zhang Xuan had been nominated by the Master Teacher Pavilion, so his primary occupation was master teacher. In other words, having just his supporting occupation reach the proficiency of 8-star would not be sufficient. He would have to become an 8-star master teacher in order to be qualified to enter the Inner Sanctum.

In order to take the 8-star master teacher examination, I will require eight 8-star supporting occupations. Currently, the only 8-star occupations that I have are spirit awakener, physician, and formation master. As for beast tamer and demonic tunist, I should be able to acquire their emblems pretty easily as well... but even with that, I will still be lacking three supporting occupations!

Zhang Xuan swiftly made a mental calculation and sighed.

He turned to Zhan shi and asked, "Sanctum Head Zhan, I am still lacking a couple of supporting occupations to clear the 8-star master teacher examination. May I know if there's a more efficient way for me to clear the examinations as quick as possible?"

At the current rate the news was spreading, not to mention that even Hu Yiwei was alerted of the matter, most likely, it would not take long for the real Yang shi to catch wind of the news.

And if he was not even an 8-star master teacher by the time Yang shi arrived, he would be in very deep trouble.

Well, considering his own talent, he was rather confident that even the real Yang shi would be more than glad to have him as his direct disciple, so the matter might not really as bad as he feared... but that would only be his final resort. After all, it would be unwise to leave one's fate to chance.

Furthermore, Luo Ruoxin had been punished by her own clan for revealing her reluctance to marry the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, so he had to quickly gain sufficient strength in order to save her. As such, it was of the utmost importance for him to find Vicious' upper body so that he would at least have a powerful trump card to play should the situation truly turn awry.

Most importantly of all, there was a chance that he might be able to meet Luo Ruoxin if he entered the Inner Sanctum.

"You want to clear the examinations as quickly as possible?" Zhan shi frowned upon hearing those words.

"Due to the unique nature of the master teacher occupation, one must first meet a certain prerequisite in one's supporting occupations before one is allowed to take the promotion examination. Under normal circumstances, you would have to go around it systematically, clearing each of the supporting occupations individually before challenging the 8-star master teacher examination. However, the Sanctum of Sages happens to have a more efficient system to go around that, and that is... challenging the Tower of Master Teachers!"

"The Tower of Master Teachers?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Despite having read plenty of books in the Sanctum of Sages, he had never heard of the Tower of Master Teachers before.

"In essence, the Tower of Master Teachers is a trial. There are nine floors to it in total, the first eight of which are for the various supporting occupations you have studied before. Each of floor is guarded by the Inceptive Sage of the occupation, and as long as you can earn the other party's recognition, you will have cleared the floor, and the passageway to the next floor will open up. As for the ninth floor, it will be guarded by a young 8-star master teacher of the Sanctum of Sages. If you are able to clear his trial too, you will be granted the 8-star master teacher emblem," Zhan shi explained.

"However, I can tell you that the trial that you will face on every single floor will be of unimaginable difficulty. After all, the Inceptive Sages are representatives of the best of the younger generation in an occupation, so winning their recognition and getting past them won't be an easy feat. In fact, in the several dozen millenniums since the founding to the Sanctum of Sages, there have only been three people who have cleared the Tower of Master Teachers!"

"Three people?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

To be able to receive the recognition of eight Inceptive Sages was, without a doubt, an incredibly arduous task. It was rather surprising to hear that there were a handful of people who had cleared this trial before.

"That's right. The first one to clear the Tower of Master Teachers was our Seventh Sanctum Head. Back then, he was still in his early thirties when he challenged it, and it took him three days to clear the entire tower and successfully become an 8-star master teacher. That incident eventually became a legend that students still speak of in admiration!"

"The second one was the current head of the Zhang Clan, Sword Saint Xingmeng. Like our Seventh Sanctum Head, he took just three days to clear the Tower of Master Teachers, and he was only in his early thirties, too."

"As for the last one..." At this point, Zhan shi could not help but shake his head bitterly before continuing. "Her record is far more frightening than her two predecessors!"

"Frightening?"

"Yes. In just four hours, she managed to dash up from the first floor to the ninth by forcing all of the Inceptive Sages to submit to her!"

Even though the incident had happened a few years ago, astonishment and wonderment still flickered across Zhan shi's eyes as he recalled the event. "More importantly, when that person cleared the Tower of Master Teachers, she was only seventeen years old!"

"Seventeen years old?" Zhang Xuan was astonished. "A seventeen-year-old 8-star master teacher? Could it be..."

He was already in his twenties, but he still was not an 8-star master teacher. On the other hand, the other party had already been an 8-star master teacher when she was seventeen years old. At this moment, a figure could not help but float into his mind.

"You should have heard of her as well!" Zhan shi chuckled. "She's none other than the little princess of the Luo Clan!"

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Chapter 1405: Kill Him!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It's indeed Ruoxin! Zhang Xuan exclaimed inwardly.

Who else other than his girlfriend could have the ability to create a record that even Zhan shi was still shocked by and become an 8-star master teacher at seventeen years old?

However, as proud of Luo Ruoxin as he was, this matter also increased the pressure on him. His girlfriend had already been an 8-star master teacher for a couple of years, but he was only taking the examination now.

It seemed like he was really lagging behind. He would have to work much harder to make up for it.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had fallen into contemplation after hearing of the various records concerning the Tower of Master Teacher, Zhan shi could not help but ask, "Does Zhang shi want to challenge the Tower of Master Teacher, too?"

"I do intend to." Zhang Xuan nodded. "But before that, I would like to browse through some books first so as to refresh my knowledge and prepare myself for the trial."

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to raise such a simple request, Zhan shi replied with a smile. "You wish to browse through some books? What books do you want to browse through?"

Putting aside the fact that the young man before him was Yang shi's direct disciple, just his ability to neutralize the lightning tribulation made him a person worth befriending.

Be it his friends or family, there were bound to be important people in his life who would have to face cultivation ordeals in the future. If he could just engage the help of this young man, he would be able to guarantee their safety, and there was nothing more valuable than that!

Knowing that Zhan shi was trying to express his goodwill toward him, Zhang Xuan requested, "Apothecary, painter, celestial designer, terpsichore, beast tamer, and appraiser; if it isn't too much trouble, I would like to visit the respective libraries of these occupations!"

He did not like to be indebted to others, but he could not afford to waste time anymore.

"Oh? You wish to look through the books concerning your supporting occupations?" Zhan shi was slightly surprised for a moment before nodding. He had expected Zhang Xuan to request for permission to access part of the confidential book collection in the Sanctum of Sages. "That isn't a problem. If you simply wish to access the books of those supporting occupations, I can lend you my token for a while. This way, even if you haven't achieved an 8-star proficiency in those supporting occupations, you'll still be able to access the 8-star books. However, there will be a time limit on how long you can access those books for. For each supporting occupation, you will only have half a day, and I fear that even I cannot grant you any more time than that!"

Even as the deputy sanctum head, Zhan shi's authority in the Sanctum of Sages was still rather limited. It was already the limit of his authority to grant Zhang Xuan half a day of unrestricted access in each of the supporting occupations' libraries.

"Half a day? That's more than enough!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

To others, half a day was only barely enough to grant one an extremely rough overview of the entire occupation, but to him, that was plenty of time!

With so much time, he would definitely be able to transfer all of the books within a library into the Library of Heaven's Path

"That's a relief. Alright, here is my token!" With a smile, Zhan shi passed his token over.

"Thank you, Sanctum Head Zhan!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and uttered his words of gratitude.

Due to Zhan shi's help, he would be able to master the various supporting occupations in the shortest time possible and push for a breakthrough to 8-star master teacher!

"If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave." With the token in his possession, Zhang Xuan hurriedly headed in the direction of the Hall of Erudition.

The first place he headed to after reaching the Hall of Erudition was the Apothecary Guild.

The token that Zhan shi had provided him truly worked wonders. It did not take too long for him to successfully access the library.

Four hours later, he was done browsing through all of the 8-star books. After spending roughly two hours more reinforcing his knowledge, he stood up and set forth for the Painter Guild.

Just like that, Zhang Xuan spent an entire day traveling between the various guilds. He would only spend a maximum of six hours in each guild, and just like that, in little more than a day, he managed to raise his proficiency in all of his supporting occupations, with the exception of poison master and soul oracle, to 8-star.

...

While Zhang Xuan was busy mastering his supporting occupations, Luo Xuanqing was finally done reinforcing his cultivation. In the depths of his eyes, one could vaguely see the intricacies of space twinkling brightly, reminiscent of a starry sky.

As a member of the Luo Clan, his comprehension of spatial laws was far deeper and more profound than that of other Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm cultivators.

He closed his eyes slowly and focused his senses on perceiving the spatial energy coursing through his body. Some time later, a deep frown suddenly formed between his eyebrows, and he turned in a certain direction and roared, "Who is it?"

The space where his gaze fell was completely empty; there was not a single person to be seen. Even when scanning the area with one's Spiritual Perception, there was nothing to be found.

But the next moment, bizarre folds began rippling from that empty space, and an elder slowly materialized.

"It seems like the Young Master's bloodline has been completely awakened upon reaching the Dimension Sundering realm... Congratulations!" The elder clasped his fist while giving his congratulations.

Upon getting a closer sight of the elder's figure, Luo Xuanqing heaved a sigh of relief before asking, "Elder Qi, what are you doing here?"

"The First Elder wishes to meet you!" Elder Qi reported.

"First Elder?" Luo Xuanqing subconsciously clenched his fists tightly as he asked, "Where's my younger sister?"

"Young Master, you can rest assured that the little princess is doing perfectly fine. It's just that she is under temporary confinement and is unable to communicate with the outside world at the moment. However, you can be certain that she isn't injured at all. Besides, given her strength, not even the First Elder would be able to hurt her," Elder Qi replied.

"Humph, that had better be the case!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly as the apprehension he felt within alleviated slightly.

In terms of cultivation, his younger sister was far from the very peak of the Master Teacher Continent, but when equipped with the Dimension Silencer, it was doubtful if even Zhang Xuan's teacher, Yang Xuan, would be a match for her!

Naturally, the First Elder of the Luo Clan stood even less of a chance.

Knowing that his younger sister was safe, Luo Xuanqing turned to Elder Qi and instructed, "Bring me to the First Elder!"

With a nod of his head, Elder Qi flicked his hand lightly.

Tz la!

A unique energy began shrouding the space between the both of them, isolating them from the rest of the world. Following which, Elder Qi tapped his finger forward, and a light barrier appeared right before them. A ripple diffused across the light barrier, and the silhouette of an elder gradually grew more and more clear.

It was the golden-robed elder who had witnessed Zhang Xuan standing against the lightning tribulation back then!

"Not bad, not bad!" Upon seeing Luo Xuanqing, the First Elder nodded in approval. "Your improvement is faster than I anticipated!"

"First Elder..." Luo Xuanqing spoke up anxiously, but before he could finish his words, the other party interjected.

"Alright, I know what you are going to ask, but now isn't the time. I have two missions for you that you will have to accomplish as soon as possible!" The First Elder looked at Luo Xuanqing with such intent eyes that it almost seemed as if he would materialize through the light barrier and arrive right before them.

"First Elder, feel free to ask anything of me!" Luo Xuanqing took a deep breath before clasping his fist.

As an offspring of the Luo Clan, he was indebted to the Luo Clan for grooming him. Naturally, he was duty-bound to accomplish the missions that the Luo Clan assigned to him.

"Firstly, I want you to get on close terms with that young man who had helped you pass your cultivation ordeal," the First Elder instructed.

"The young man who had helped me tide across my cultivation ordeal? Are you referring to Zhang Xuan? I can do that." Luo Xuanqing nodded.

After everything Zhang Xuan had done for him, he already considered him a friend. Even without the First Elder's instruction, he definitely would have gotten on close terms with him.

"Secondly... in the Qingyuan Empire, there's a place known as the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. I want you to head there to conduct an investigation as soon as you get time. Based on what we have found, your younger sister went under a pseudonym during the period she was gone."

At this point, a sharp glint flashed through the First Elder's eyes as he continued. "If my intuition is right, the person she likes is there as well. I want you to root that man out and kill him silently!"

"You want me to kill him?" Luo Xuanqing's body froze upon hearing those words. He hurriedly lifted his gaze and anxiously said, "But my younger sister has feelings for him! She will be devastated if we kill him!"

He knew his younger sister's temperament very well. She was an extremely obstinate person, and once she had decided upon something, she would never change her mind even till death. If that man whom his younger sister loved were to die, she would definitely go berserk!

"There's nothing that time cannot heal. I have seen plenty of cultivators who thought that their feelings for one another would last an eternity, but time makes everything fade. She'll eventually get over it. Furthermore, even if she doesn't understand, you should know how important the engagement with the Zhang Clan is!"

The First Elder paused for a brief moment before continuing. "The Zhang Clan was enraged to hear of the matter, and we anticipate that they will attempt to bring the marriage ceremony forward. There's a good chance that the ceremony will be held before the end of the year, so we need to make sure to kill that man before then to sever any thought of her getting together with him.

"Otherwise, neither you nor I will be able to shoulder the consequences! Even if your younger sister manages to get together with that man, she will still have to pay the price for her actions and live an entire life of misery! I trust that you don't wish to see your younger sister becoming an outcast of the Luo Clan and a sinner to all mankind!"

"I..." Luo Xuanqing clenched his fists tightly.

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Chapter 1406: Challenging the Tower of Master Teachers

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Luo Xuanqing resented the idea of his younger sister becoming a sacrificial pawn in a political marriage with the Zhang Clan, but at the same time, he understood how important it was for this marriage to go through. Anyone who attempted to halt this marriage would be as good as the sinner of humanity.

If there was any other alternative, there was no way he would allow such a fate to befall his younger sister.

Luo Xuanqing was silent for a moment before saying, "I have already promised my younger sister not to investigate that man's affairs, and I have no intention of breaking my promise to her. However, rest assured that I'll get someone to look into it and make a move against that man in my stead!"

"You'll get someone to do it in your place? Who is it? You should know how important it is to keep this matter confidential, or else we will be in deep trouble!" the First Elder said with a frown.

If it was found that the Luo Clan had attempted to kill the man whom the little princess loved, the Luo Clan would surely be condemned for its actions. Thus, it was imperative that they found someone trustworthy to carry out the job.

"The person I'll be entrusting this matter to is a close brother of mine, so there's no need to worry about him turning against us!" Luo Xuanqing replied. "He's none other than the person whom you told me to get close to earlier, Zhang Xuan!"

"Him?" The First Elder was startled for a moment before he nodded slowly. "It's indeed admirable how he dived fearlessly into the storm clouds in order to save you. Such relationships are hard-to-come-by, so treasure it well. However, you must make sure that the brother of yours doesn't give anything away, or else the little princess' rage will be hard for any of us to withstand!"

"Don't worry!" Luo Xuanqing nodded. "My brother, Zhang Xuan, has no ties with my younger sister at all. The both of them don't even know one another, so there's no way on earth he would possibly leak the information to her!"

"That would be for the best. This matter is of grave importance, so make sure to handle it promptly. I'll be waiting for your report."

Following which, the light barrier began flickering.

Hu!

The First Elder disappeared from both of their views.

Luo Xuanqing closed his eyes as unnerving tranquility floated in the air, reminiscent of the calm before a storm. Slowly, his body began to tremble uncontrollably, and a quivering voice came from his lips. "Elder Qi... there are so many experts in the clan, why is he entrusting this mission to me?"

If his younger sister ever learned that he had sent someone to kill the person she loved, that would probably spell the end of their kinship. They would never be able to return to the good old days.

"Sigh." Knowing what Luo Xuanqing was thinking, Elder Qi shook his head and said, "I know that it's hard on you, but the First Elder has his considerations for making such a choice, too."

"Considerations? Are my feelings part of his considerations? Or am I nothing more than a mere tool to the Luo Clan?" Luo Xuanqing's voice was suppressed, but the deep emotions behind his words seemed to be on the verge of bursting forth.

Elder Qi shook his head for a moment before quietly replying, "She's your younger sister. If you are the one to make the move, she will only consider it a personal conflict between the both of you. The rest of us can feign ignorance, and there will still be some ground for reconciliation between her and the rest of the clan. However, if she learns that that man was killed by the experts of our clan, this matter will be blown out of proportion. She will become completely estranged from our Luo Clan! As one of the core members of our Luo Clan, you should be able to understand this logic."

Geji! Geji!

The sound of Luo Xuanqing clenching his fists was not loud, but it echoed conspicuously amid the still air.

As a core member of the Luo Clan, how could he possibly be unaware of all this?

As a doting brother, this was not the first time that he had made a move against those foolish men who dared approach his younger sister. That's why, if he made a move against that man, he would be able to take the full blame for doing so.

The Luo Clan would not be implicated, and its reputation would not be besmirched.

"Also, you should know what happened to the five elder brothers that came before you. Our Luo Clan owes you. Treat this as a trial. As long as you can accomplish what's asked of you, no one will dare speak another word when you rise to the position of the clan head in the future. Otherwise, there's no saying that dissidents will not start to act up..." Elder Qi continued.

"Enough!" Hearing about his five elder brothers, Luo Xuanqing's eyes could not help but redden slightly.

A heavy silence drifted in the air for a while before it was broken by a sigh from Elder Qi. "Even if not for anyone else, you should think in their stead as well. I believe you know better than me what the right decision to make is."

Once again, there was a long moment of silence before Luo Xuanqing finally muttered, "I'll do it."

"That would be for the best. Don't drag it out for too long. It will only prolong your misery. And make sure that no one else hears of the matter," Elder Qi said with a wave of his hand.

Following which, his silhouette suddenly faded before vanishing from the spot.

With his departure, the sealed space around them broke open, and the callings of the cicadas and beasts around him immediately gushed in.

Hu!

However, Luo Xuanqing remained completely motionless on the spot, seemingly deep in thought. A long time later, all of his emotions eventually converged into a long sigh.

"Younger sister, I'm sorry."

Luo Xuanqing hated the notion of putting his younger sister through an arranged marriage, but admittedly, only the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan was worthy of her. On the other hand, the person she liked was a nobody from a Tier-1 Empire. Before behemoths like the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan, that man was nothing at all.

"Even if I don't make a move, the Zhang Clan will make a move, too! And once they do so, things could very well spiral out of control." Luo Xuanqing shook his head.

There was no way he could miss that implied meaning behind the First Elder's words.

The young prodigy of the Zhang Clan was as important to the Zhang Clan as his younger sister was to the Luo Clan. For the young prodigy's fiancée to be stolen by another man was, no doubt, a slap to the Zhang Clan's face. There was no way they would let that man get away scot-free!

If the Luo Clan were to make a move first, at least the Zhang Clan's rage would be placated, and his younger sister would not be snubbed after marrying over.

Even though the Luo Clan and the Zhang Clan were both top Sage Clans whose names were echoed in unison, those who were in the upper society of the Master Teacher Continent were all deeply aware that the Zhang Clan commanded far greater influence and power than the Luo Clan.

"I guess there's no choice but for me to play the villain." Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "I'll have to entrust this mission to someone reliable."

After regaining composure, a glint flashed across Luo Xuanqing's eyes.

Given that Zhang Xuan already knew bits and pieces of this matter, there was no one more suited than him to carry this task out.

It was just that... this mission could be as good as throwing the other party into the abyss. Once his younger sister learned of the matter, there was no way she would let the other party go.

But in return, he would fully acknowledge the other party and protect him for life. As he rose in standing, he would make sure to compensate the other party for that.

This could both be an opportunity or a crisis for the other party.

Dashing straight ahead, it did not take long for him to arrive at Zhang Xuan's residence. After realizing that the latter had headed out, he quickly asked around for his whereabouts before heading off to the Hall of Erudition.

"Zhang shi isn't around anymore. He's headed off to the Tower of Master Teachers!"

"Tower of Master Teachers? Is he planning to clear his 8-star master teacher examination?" Luo Xuanqing was surprised to hear that.

As his younger sister had challenged the Tower of Master Teachers in her time as well, it went without saying that he was aware of this trial in the Sanctum of Sages. However, he did not think that Zhang Xuan would want to challenge it too.

Due to the massive uproar that happened as a result of the terrifyingly large lightning tribulation at the Hall of Integrity, it was no longer a secret that the culprit behind the incident, Zhang Xuan, was planning on challenging the Tower of Master Teachers.

Rather, it had already become public knowledge.

"It won't be easy to clear the Tower of Master Teachers. That fellow sure is daring!" Luo Xuanqing remarked with a shake of his head before rushing in the direction of the Tower of Master Teachers.

The Tower of Master Teachers was indeed the most efficient way for one to be promoted to an 8-star master teacher, but if it was easy to clear, there would not only be a handful of successful challengers in the several dozen millenniums since the founding of the Sanctum of Sages.

In fact, he had thought about challenging the Tower of Master Teachers in the past, but eventually, he had decided against it because he knew that it would be impossible for him to accomplish with his current level of strength.

That trial not only required one to possess superior fighting prowess and talent. More than that, one's comprehension of the various supporting occupations had to have achieved an extremely high mastery as well... and this was exactly what had stopped many in their footsteps.

After all, not everyone was a true genius like his younger sister, capable of grasping anything in an instant.

Flitting forward, it did not take long for him to arrive before the Tower of Master Teachers. By the time he arrived, a huge crowd had already gathered around the area. Even the deputy sanctum head, Zhan Tiancheng, was standing close by with eyes filled with expectations.

At around this moment, someone amid the crowd shouted, "It's starting!"

Following which, the first floor of the Tower of Master Teachers lit up.

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Chapter 1407: Xingyun Puppet

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The first floor..." Luo Xuanqing turned to one of the managerial elders watching the commotion by the side and asked, "What will Zhang shi be challenging in the first floor?"

He knew that Zhang Xuan's strengths mainly lay in formations, beast taming, and spirit enchantment. As long as one of these three was the challenge for the first floor, the other party would be able to clear it with ease.

Turning his head, the managerial elder's eyes immediately twitched upon seeing Luo Xuanqing, and he hurriedly replied, "He's challenging celestial designer first!"

"Celestial designer... So, the one guarding the floor should be... Jiang Feifei?" Luo Xuanqing's face paled.

"The Inceptive Sage of the Celestial Designer Hall in the Sanctum of Sages is Jiang Feifei, so Zhang shi should be facing her," the managerial elder replied nervously.

"That's not good," Luo Xuanqing muttered anxiously.

A freshman like Zhang Xuan might not have heard of Jiang Feifei, but there was no one in the Inner Sanctum who did not know who she was.

In fact, the Soulbinding Golden Bead that he had intended to use against the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast back then had been forged by her.

As one of the top three Sage Clans, the geniuses of the Jiang Clan were in no way inferior to him, and Jiang Feifei's talent in the field of designing and creating artifacts was unmatched by any of her peers. The elders of the Sanctum of Sages' Celestial Designer Hall were full of praise for her, and they believed that there was a good chance that she could become a 9-star celestial designer in the next few decades!

Even though it might seem as if it would not make much of a difference, the sequencing of opponents in the Tower of Master Teachers mattered hugely. The challenger should always start with the easiest supporting occupation in order to boost their confidence before slowly moving on to the harder ones.

But with Jiang Feifei on the very first floor... it could be said that Zhang Xuan was facing hell mode right from the very start. There was no hope of victory at all!

It was doubtful whether his younger sister would be able to clear Jiang Feifei's trial or not, let alone Zhang Xuan!

And to face such an opponent on the very first floor was not confidence—it was blind recklessness!

In the midst of Luo Xuanqing's anxiety, he heard someone say, "Jiang Feifei has always been very strict on herself and those around her; she would never go easy on anyone. It seems like that fellow is going to be defeated right from the get-go."

Turning his head over, he saw an elder standing right next to Zhan shi, stroking his beard leisurely as he looked at the Tower of Master Teachers.

He was the managerial elder of the Celestial Designer Hall!

Clearly, he did not think that Zhang Xuan stood much of a match against Jiang Feifei.

Hearing those words, Luo Xuanqing's gaze slowly turned grim as he clenched his fists tightly. He could not help but sigh deeply as he thought, I don't know why that fellow is so eager to become an 8-star master teacher, but admittedly, he does possess both capability and wits. It's just a pity that my younger sister has an engagement with the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, or else he would have been a good choice as well. It's truly a pity.

...

Entering the first floor of the Tower of Master Teachers, Zhang Xuan swiftly scanned his surroundings, and soon, he caught sight a young lady seated by the corner with a peculiar-looking artifact in her hands.

Her eyes were completely focused on the artifact, and with a small knife in her other hand, she seemed to be carving the artifact. The movements of her hands were so fluid that it almost felt like she was painting a beautiful picture.

Without raising her head, the young lady quietly said, "Wait there for a moment. I'll assess you after I'm done carving this."

"Very well." Zhang Xuan nodded as he waited patiently on the spot.

Even though the young lady had not looked up, it was not too hard to tell that she was likely a stunning beauty just by looking at her profile.

More importantly, she was actually a Saint 7-dan pinnacle expert, just like Zhang Chun!

Despite that, she still sat unreservedly on the ground, completely absorbed into her carving. Even Zhang Xuan was slightly impressed by the sheer intensity of her focus.

He lowered his head to take look at the object which she was carving, and while it was still too early to tell for sure, it seemed to be a small part of a celestial designer artifact.

The artifacts created by celestial designers were known for their exquisiteness. Every stroke of the knife from the young lady would cause a thin slice of metal to fall to the ground, and in just a few breaths, it had already formed a uniquely-shaped spare part. It connected perfectly with a larger artifact that she had before her, such that even the crevice between the two artifacts could not even be seen.

"What exquisite carving skills!" Zhang Xuan remarked in amazement.

Even though he did not have much experience with the work of a celestial designer, through the description of the books, he could tell that the carving skills of the young lady before him were top-notch, even among 8-star celestial designers!

To possess such skills at her age, it seemed like her title as the Inceptive Sage of the Celestial Designer Hall was not for show.

"I'm done!" After fixing the various spare parts together, the young lady heaved a sigh of relief before placing the item by the side. Following which, she stood up and said, "For the trial of the Tower of Master Teachers, you don't have to best me. All you need to do is display capability worthy of my recognition!"

This was not a celestial designer examination but a master teacher trial. As such, the requirement was not so demanding as to require the challenger to display skills surpassing that of the Inceptive Sage.

"However, I have very high expectations, so know that it won't be that easy to win my recognition!"

"Of course," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile. "There's no way it could be easy to win the recognition of someone who is capable of carving impeccably without drafting a blueprint beforehand."

Usually, celestial designers would first draft a blueprint before carving the various parts of their artifact so that they would have a rough idea of the dimensions. However, the young lady was actually able to carve a spare part impeccably without any hesitation in her movement or referring to any blueprints.

Putting aside the young lady's mastery as a celestial designer, just this feat in itself was sufficient to tell that she was a highly demanding person, possibly even a perfectionist.

So, how could it possibly be easy to clear the trial of a person like that?

"It's good that you understand that. As you can see, I'm a very busy person, and I still have a lot of things to do, so let's not waste any more time. I have a pile of materials over here, and we will both carve a puppet based on this blueprint I have over here. As long as the puppet you have created is able to withstand three hits from mine, it will be your victory."

As the young lady spoke, she flicked her hand, and a pile of materials, carving knives, and a blueprint materialized on the ground.

The blueprint was filled with many intricate details and words. Without scanning it with one's Spiritual Perception, it would be impossible to interpret the microscopic words and details on the blueprint.

Putting aside the drawings of the spare parts and their joints, just the sheer number of words on the blueprint totaled over several ten thousand!

How complex... Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had seen plenty of grade-8 blueprints, but this was the first time that he had seen one that was this intricate.

"This is the blueprint of the Xingyun Puppet," the young lady said with a nod. "It's a grade-8 puppet, wielding strength comparable to a Grand Dominion realm master teacher.

"The foundation of its design lies in the stellar sky. Every single one of its parts represents a star in the sky, and since there are countless stars in the sky, the number of parts it includes is innumerable as well. As such, even with the blueprint to refer to, it harnesses countless possibilities. The slightest difference in the carving of the part could result in a vast disparity in its final fighting prowess!"

At which point, the young lady lowered her head to glance at the blueprint before continuing on. "I should take roughly a day to finish carving this puppet. I'll give you three days after I'm done, and if you still haven't finished it by then, you will have failed my test.

"You should also know that time is one of the primary assessment criteria of a celestial designer's mastery, so three days is already the longest I can offer you."

After the young lady was done with her explanation, she grabbed one of the materials on the ground and raised her head, preparing to begin her crafting. However, the next moment, she suddenly froze on the spot.

Unbeknownst to her, the young man before her had conjured over a hundred swords at some point in time, and every single one of them was busy carving a material with its sword qi. In less than two breaths, a large heap of parts of varying sizes had piled up before the young man.

Then, the young man waved his hand.

Huala!

The freshly carved parts swiftly came together to form a puppet.

"Alright, I'm done!" Zhang Xuan said with a clap of his hand before raising his head to look at Jiang Feifei.

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Chapter 1408: I Did Go Easy On Her

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You..."

Seeing the neatly assembled puppet standing right in front of her, Jiang Feifei was visibly stunned.

Even with her fastest carving speed, she would still require an entire day at least, but how long did the other party take?

Ten breaths?

Eight breaths?

How could he carve such delicate parts precisely while manipulating so many swords at once?

"That's not right." After a moment of shock, Jiang Feifei swiftly noticed something was amiss, and she asked in a deeply perplexed tone, "My puppet doesn't have any clothes, so how could yours be perfectly dressed?"

Under normal circumstances, the Xingyun Puppet should have been completely nude. Yet, the one carved by the young man before her was impeccably dressed—in fact, there was an ornament on its chest, and the ripples on its clothes flowed beautifully like real silk. This was completely at odds with the blueprint!

"Ah... I happened to have some additional time, and I thought that it would be inappropriate to display the body of a nude male puppet to a young lady like you, so I thought I would make a set of clothes for it. It doesn't look too bad, right?" Zhang Xuan replied with a gentlemanly smile.

A puppet it might be, but it would have been severe breach of etiquette if he had allowed it to appear nude before a young lady. As a civilized gentleman, it went without saying that he could not allow something as indecent as that to happen!

"You even had time to make a set of clothes for it?" Jiang Feifei's body froze in sheer astonishment. She slowly proceeded forward to take a closer look at the puppet that Zhang Xuan had crafted.

The puppet's clothes were in perfect harmony with its body. Every single stitch was done so impeccable that it was impossible to tell that it had been made with spare parts with one's eyes. In fact, even when she scanned the puppet's clothes with her Spiritual Perception, she could hardly tell the difference between them and real silk at all!

"H-how did you do it?" Jiang Feifei asked with eyes widened with shock. Her mind could hardly process what was going on.

In terms of carving speed, she could be said to be at the forefront of 8-star celestial designers, but even so, it would still take her at least an entire day to finish carving the Xingyun Puppet. On the other hand, the other party managed to complete it in just a few breaths... and to add insult to injury, its finish was actually far better than hers!

What was with this monstrous ability?

"After looking at the blueprint, I thought that it would be too troublesome and time-consuming to use a carving knife, so I decided to use my swords instead. Fortunately, it seems to have worked out fine," Zhang Xuan explained with a nod.

For a celestial designer to carve swiftly, there were only three requirements that they would have to meet. First and foremost, they needed to have a sharp memory that would allow them to remember every single detail on the blueprint impeccably on command.

Given that Zhang Xuan possessed the Library of Heaven's Path, he could retrieve the details of the blueprints on command, so that was not a problem for him at all.

Secondly, the celestial designer had to possess precise control over their movements and exertion of strength.

The Flowing Water Swordsmanship was known for its unparalleled defense, capable of even keeping the thinnest strand of Spiritual Perception at bay. As its practitioner, it went without saying that Zhang Xuan possessed near absolute control over his swords.

Thirdly, due to how precise and exhausting the job would be, one had to possess an exceptionally powerful soul and a sharp eye of discernment.

As a soul oracle, there was no way the resilience of Zhang Xuan's soul could possibly be lacking. As for eye of discernment, there was probably nothing in the world that could compete with the Eye of Insight.

Since Zhang Xuan had met all the criteria, it was a given that he would be able to carve swiftly.

"It's too early for you to celebrate. Just because you were able to carve your puppet so fast doesn't mean that it'll necessarily be strong!" Jiang Feifei harrumphed after hearing the explanation.

Being capable of crafting a puppet fast was indeed a formidable skill, but more important than that was for the various parts to be aligned in a manner that did not differ too much from the blueprint. Otherwise, it would be nothing more than random parts connected together to form a figurine; there was no way it could exert the exceptional strength that the Xingyun Puppet wielded.

"You don't have to worry about that. It would be a little troublesome and time-consuming to wait for you to craft a puppet, so why don't you suppress your cultivation to Grand Dominion realm pinnacle and test its strength yourself?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"You are asking me to fight with your puppet personally?" Jiang Feifei was taken aback by Zhang Xuan's proposal.

Had the other party gone mad?

She was a Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm expert! Even if she suppressed her cultivation to Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm, the strength that she wielded would still be unmatched by any other Saint 6-dan cultivators. Did the other party really think that a puppet he had crafted in just a few seconds would be able to match her?

Just what in the world was he thinking?

Noting the hesitation in Jiang Feifei's eyes, Zhang Xuan quickly added with a smile, "Indeed. There's no need to worry. I'll make sure that it holds itself back properly so that it doesn't injure you by accident."

"You..." Jiang Feifei nearly blew up on the spot.

What she meant was that the puppet could not possibly be a match for her, but this fellow actually thought that she was worried about being injured by the puppet.

His head was really in the clouds!

Initially, she had still had a good impression of the other party for his courtesy of clothing his puppet, but in that instant, every shred of goodwill that she harbored for the other party had vanished without a trace.

"Very well! I'll suppress my cultivation and test your puppet out personally. I won't make things difficult for you either. As long as it's able to withstand three blows from me, you will have cleared my trial!" Jiang Feifei harrumphed coldly.

She had no idea what the fighting prowess of the puppet that Zhang Xuan had crafted would be, but it would have to be extremely resilient to be able to withstand three blows from her.

If the other party's puppet was really that powerful, it would not be too much of a deal for her to acknowledge the other party.

"Great!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

After which, he walked over to his puppet and whispered a few words into its ears in a hushed tone. Then, he nodded, and the puppet took a step forward and assessed the young lady before it sharply.

"Humph!" Seeing that the other party was really so conceited as to have his puppet challenge her, Jiang Feifei harrumphed coldly.

She swiftly drove her zhenqi, and in the blink of an eye, her cultivation had already been suppressed down to Grand Dominion realm pinnacle.

Hu!

Right after she had suppressed her cultivation, she immediately saw a fist flying straight for her face.

The puppet had made its move!

"What?"

Jiang Feifei initially did not think that the puppet that had been crafted in a matter of seconds would be anything much, but the sheer might and speed of its punch left her face swiftly warping in astonishment. Despite being a Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle expert, she actually felt threatened by the puppet's offense!

She hurriedly raised both of her hands to fend off the puppet's punch.

Peng!

The palm and the fist collided, and a crushing shockwave rippled into the surroundings. Before Jiang Feifei could even react, she was flying backward at a furious speed as if a kicked ball.

Pu!

Her back crashed heavily into the wall, and crimson blood spewed from her mouth.

It was fortunate that she had released the seal that she had placed on her cultivation at the very last moment, or else the entire wall could have been knocked down.

"You have lost."

Before Jiang Feifei could say a word, the puppet before her waved its hands with a forlorn expression, as if deeply regretting the fact that it had been born with such great strength that it would never find be able to find a proper opponent.

"You... are able to speak?" Jiang Feifei widened her eyes in disbelief.

Without a doubt, the Xingyun Puppet was indeed very powerful, but it should not have been capable of speech! Yet, the one that the other party had crafted had actually begun speaking human speech. What the heck was going on?

There was a huge difference in a puppet that was unable to speak and one that was able to speak!

"Ah. I had some time after assembling it, so I enchanted it while I was at it," Zhang Xuan explained.

"..." Jiang Feifei.

It took her some time before she was able to steady her breathing once more. "In less than ten seconds, not only did you manage to carve the puppet, you were even able to make some clothes for it and enchant it?"

Even with speed like hers, ten breaths would only be sufficient for her to carve two parts, and the puppet standing before her had to have tens of thousands of parts.

Was this not a little too exaggerated?

"Yes. I am the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Guild, so I'm able to conduct spirit enchantment quite quickly," Zhang Xuan explained. "So, have I cleared your assessment yet?"

"Of course," Jiang Feifei replied with a bitter look on her face.

She had thought that it would take a miracle for the puppet to be able to withstand three blows from her, but contrary to her expectations, she did not even manage to withstand a single strike from the puppet.

There were no words that could describe how stifled she felt at that very moment.

But unbeknownst to her, the worst was yet to come.

Just as the other party was about to make his way up to the next floor, he suddenly halted his footsteps and glanced at the puppet that he had crafted with a disapproving look. "Didn't I tell you to go easy on her? Why didn't you heed my instruction?"

"I did go easy on her, I really did! How was I to know that she would be so weak as to be unable to withstand even a single punch of mine?" the puppet cried in indignation.

"..." Jiang Feifei nearly clawed her hair out.

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