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

47. 1473

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1473 - Shes Your Teachers Wife-to-Be! - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1473 - Shes Your Teachers Wife-to-Be! Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1473: She's Your Teacher's Wife-to-Be!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You..." The First Elder would have clawed his hair from the insanity that was happening before his eyes if his hands had not been too preoccupied with dealing with the lightning bolts.

This is your freaking lightning tribulation!

I'm here to kill you, not to help you fend off your tribulation!

The First Elder was seething with so much fury that he was even contemplating the possibility of casting aside his defense just to kill that b*stard young man, but before he could make up his mind, another bolt of lightning was already heading his way.

It was a much larger one this time around, and before he could even come close, the overpowering energy harnessed within it was already threatening to tear him apart.

Thus, he had no choice but to continue focusing his strength into dealing with the lightning bolts.

Swiftly, his body grew more and more charred, and his aura was beginning to wither as well.

This lightning tribulation was even more powerful than the Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal. While the First Elder had already reached a level surpassing the Macrocosm Ascendancy realm, it was still extremely difficult for him to deal with something of this caliber.

It did not take long before he felt his blood beginning to sizzle from the lightning that had bypassed his defense and seeped into his body, and even his internal organs sustained some degree of damage as well.

"First Elder..."

At this point, Zhang Wuchen returned from the command tower as well. He had expected to find a dead Zhang Xuan lying on the ground upon his return, but contrary to his expectations, not only was the young man still alive and jumping, it was the First Elder instead who was struck till he was on the verge of death.

This sight left him frozen on the spot, unsure of what he should do.

"Don't bother with me, hurry up and kill that Zhang Xuan! Once he's dead, the lightning tribulation will dissipate!" the First Elder shrieked anxiously as he defended against yet another bolt of lightning.

"Y-yes, I understand!" Knowing that the situation was urgent, Zhang Wuchen quickly turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan.

At this moment, the latter was already sitting on the ground. As if a drunk man, his body swayed uncontrollably on the spot, and from time to time, a spasm would run through his body in the form of a shudder. It was a truly bizarre sight to behold.

"Quick, kill him!" the First Elder urged.

Upon hearing the command, Zhang Wuchen gritted his teeth and dashed over.

Kacha!

Before Zhang Wuchen could reach Zhang Xuan or even comprehend what was happening at all, he found himself abruptly collapsing powerlessly onto the ground, his body charred from head to toe. A bolt of lightning had fallen on him too.

" Argh! Just what the heck is going on here! " the First Elder howled in frenzy.

Really, why did it feel like the lightning tribulation was protecting that fellow?

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In normal cultivation ordeals, the lightning tribulation would be dying to eradicate the cultivator who had summoned it... so why in the world was the lightning tribulation protecting this young man so desperately? It was obvious that it was striking down on anyone who dared make a move on him!

And this was not all...

While the lightning tribulation tortured us with its unending barrage of lightning bolts, it actually left you to rest leisurely on the ground... what the heck is this?

Zhang Wuchen was caught off guard by the abrupt assault, but he swiftly recovered and continued dashing toward Zhang Xuan. He knew that he had to kill the young man for everything to end. However, before he could get to the latter, yet another bolt of lightning fell on him once more, crushing him back down to the ground.

Not only that, as if it was frightened that he would get back up, the lightning tribulation sent countless bolts of lightning down upon him in rapid succession, such that in the blink of an eye, Zhang Wuchen's body had already scrunched up together, and an aroma was wafting from his barbecued body.

"..."

The First Elder's clawed at his hair.

The lightning tribulation was definitely doing it on purpose—definitely!

"First Elder, Third Elder..."

At this moment, the commotion had already drawn in another dozen Zhang Clan elders, and when they saw the sight before them, their mouths opened in shock.

The First Elder's face paled upon seeing them, and he hurriedly bellowed, "Don't come over..."

Unfortunately, his warning came too late. Before the group of elders could grasp the First Elder's warning, a cluster of lightning had already fallen on them

And just like that, the group of elders fell helplessly from the sky onto the ground, forming a particularly miserable sight.

"Why? Why!"

Looking the collapsed elders around him, and then the utter ruination that extended to the horizon, the First Elder screamed in deep agony.

Twenty years ago, the Meng Sword Saint had gone on a rampage and caused great damage and injured many of the elders, but compared to what was happening at that moment, the destruction back then was nothing at all.

Something of this caliber could no longer be termed as destruction—it was annihilation!

"Zhang Xuan, our Zhang Clan will never forgive you for this! I will never forgive you for this!" the First Elder shrieked furiously as a mouthful of blood spilled out of his mouth.

The spewed blood seemed to have alleviated the stifled sensation in the First Elder's chest significantly, and he immediately pushed against the ground and flitted in Zhang Xuan's direction.

Even if I die from the lightning tribulation today, I swear that I'm going to rip you apart!

Hulala!

In the midst of his movements, lightning continued falling relentlessly on the First Elder's body. In response to that, the First Elder scrunched his body as tightly as possible to protect his vitals and reduce the area of contact with the lightning bolts. He would still sustain severe injuries despite so, but with his cultivation, he would still be able to last for a quite a while.

Regardless of how severe the injuries that he sustained were, he was determined to kill the young man and terminate that madness!

Once the young man was killed, everything would be resolved!

That fellow...

On the ground, the giddy-headed Zhang Xuan watched as the desperate First Elder placed his life on the line in order to get to him, and he could not help but shake his head.

Has that old fellow lost his mind?

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In truth, Zhang Xuan was in a bad state as well. If the First Elder really got to him, he was in no position to retaliate.

In order to curb the lightning tribulation, he had ended up absorbing far too much lightning energy into his Primordial Spirit. While he still did manage to fit his Primordial Spirit back into his body through the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, the imbalanced power between his Primordial Spirit and his body still left him with near-intolerable vertigo, such that even standing up was a difficulty for him.

"Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Inferno Qilin, go and ward him off for me!"

Knowing that he was in no state to escape, Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration as he issued an order to his tamed beasts.

Hu hu!

The two beasts materialized from the Myriad Anthive Nest and swiftly charged toward the First Elder in order to stop him in his tracks.

"Don't block my way, or else I'll show you two no mercy either!" The First Elder glared at the two saint beasts with eyes even colder than the most cold-blooded of beasts.

He tapped his finger forward, and two massive palm prints immediately fell toward each of the two saint beasts.

Geji! Geji!

The Inferno Qilin and Netherworld Azure Dragon beast did not back down from the First Elder's offense. With the strongest attacks they had, they collided head-on with the two palm strikes, and a sea of flames swiftly engulfed the surroundings with an explosion.

Huala! Huala!

With the widespread destruction that was happening, even Zhang Jiuxiao, who was currently recuperating from his wounds, was jolted awake. The room that he was in was one of the very few buildings that were still standing due to the powerful formation protecting it, but when he walked out of the room and saw countless heaps of rubble replacing the majestic buildings that had once towered in their very exact spot, he immediately fell into a daze.

Teacher... A thought suddenly came to Zhang Jiuxiao's mind, and he immediately rushed for the center of the commotion.

Very soon, he saw a pale-faced Zhang Xuan sitting on the ground, wobbling feebly on the spot, and he hurriedly dashed over to support the latter's body.

"T-this... Teacher, are you fine? What happened?" Zhang Jiuxiao asked worriedly.

While he was a member of the Zhang Clan as well, he had always been belittled and neglected as a mere offspring of the side family. The Zhang Clan had never seemed to consider him as one of their own, and in reciprocation to that, Zhang Jiuxiao had never strongly identified as a member of the Zhang Clan. His loyalty toward the Zhang Clan could only be considered shallow at best.

As such, while the magnificent city being reduced to rubble did leave him rather appalled, what he was more concerned about was the feeble state that his teacher was in.

"I'm fine. It's just that I'm a little unaccustomed to this... I'll be alright after some rest." Zhang Xuan waved his hand weakly.

A soul too powerful would have problems fusing back with its body; this was something that he had realized a long time ago. For this reason, he had been careful to avoid taking in excessive spiritual energy into his soul.

Had it not been an emergency, he never would have resorted to such a course of action.

Hearing that his teacher was fine, Zhang Jiuxiao heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Teacher, I'll protect you!"

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan nodded before closing his eyes. He swiftly drove the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel in order to reduce the pressure that his Primordial Spirit was exerting on his body.

But even so, the splitting headache that felt as if his brain was being grated still refused to subside. Realizing that it would be difficult for him to recover in the short run, he shook his head and opened his eyes once more.

He knew that it would not be so easy to resolve this problem. Otherwise, he would not have fainted from this issue back then.

"Zhang Jiuxiao, given everything that has happened, there's unlikely to be any room for reconciliation between me and the Zhang Clan anymore. Thus, there are some matters that I will have to entrust to you in advance," Zhang Xuan said grimly.

"Teacher, please speak!" Zhang Jiuxiao replied.

"Given the purity of your bloodline, I reckon that the Zhang Clan will likely send you to marry the little princess of the Luo Clan. If that happens, you mustn't accept it at any cost," Zhang Xuan said.

"I understand!" Zhang Jiuxiao nodded. After which, he waited for his teacher to continue, but the latter did not continue speaking. Perplexed, he asked, "Teacher, is that all? If I may ask, why can't I marry the little princess of the Luo Clan?"

His teacher had used such a grave tone just to inform him of such a minor matter.

"Why? That's because..." Zhang Xuan looked at Zhang Jiuxiao intently before continuing.

"The little princess of the Luo Clan is your teacher's wife-to-be!"

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Chapter 1474: Zhao Ya's Call For Help

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Wife-to-be?" Zhang Jiuxiao was stunned.

Given the widespread fame of the little princess of the Luo Clan, Zhang Jiuxiao had naturally heard of her. He also knew that the little princess was engaged to the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan... but who would have thought that his teacher was the man who stood between the both of them!

This explained why the little princess would say that there was someone whom she fancied. No wonder his teacher would go around tearing down everything in the Zhang Clan! In fact, thinking back, his teacher had pummeled him the first time that they met.

In the end, this was the actual reason behind everything!

"Teacher, rest assured! Now that I know the little princess of the Luo Clan is your wife-to-be, I won't overstep my boundaries even if I'm beaten to death!" Zhang Jiuxiao hurriedly clasped his fist.

A teacher for a day, a father for life 1 . Since his teacher was equivalent to his father, his teacher's wife-to-be would be his future mother. Even if someone inflated his guts to ten times the size, he would never dare to marry his mother!

"Good. Just keep that in mind!" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Knowing that he could not remain like that, despite the giddiness he felt, Zhang Xuan still wobbled up to his feet. All of a sudden, he sensed something and swiftly flicked his wrist, and a token appeared in his palm.

The Sanctum Head Token.

In this moment, the token was emanating a faint light, as if something had brought it to life.

He had encountered this situation once in the past, and that was when he had successfully become an 8-star master teacher and deciphered the first seal on the token. Could it be that the second seal had been removed?

Zhang Xuan swiftly took a closer look at the Sanctum Head Token, and he could vaguely sense a powerful aura leaking from it.

There are three conditions that have to be met in order to awaken the Sanctum Head Token. Firstly, becoming an 8-star master teacher. Secondly, achieving the cultivation of Saint 8-dan.

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

While I have yet to fully made a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan, in terms of fighting prowess and comprehension of spatial laws, even a true Saint 8-dan expert would be no match for me. Perhaps this has led the Sanctum Head Token to conclude that I have cleared the second condition, thus deciphering the second seal.

While the requirements to unsealing the Sanctum Head Token appeared to be fixed, it still depended on the exact conditions that Sage Kui had imposed on the Sanctum Head Token to gauge if those requirements had been met.

Perhaps, the token gauged whether an individual had reached Saint 8-dan by measuring their zhenqi. If that was the case, it would not be too surprising for the token to decide that Zhang Xuan had reached Saint 8-dan—after all, he was a cultivator of the Heaven's Path Divine Art, which put him far in front of his peers.

Let me see what is beneath the second seal...

The deciphering of the first seal had turned the token into a powerful weapon and granted him greater control over it. Given so, the deciphering of the second seal should have some kind of reward as well.

Thus, Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness into the seal, and a few lines of information swiftly surfaced in his mind.

This...

Zhang Xuan had thought that the deciphering of the second seal would turn the Sanctum Head Token into an even more powerful weapon that would help him out of his current situation, but that was not the case.

What was hidden beneath the second seal was a Teleportation Formation that brought one into a hidden dimension left behind by the founder of the Sanctum of Sages. Contained in it was the heritage of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld and the insights regarding it left behind by the predecessors.

This was indeed great for deciphering the third seal, but to the current him, it was not of much use at all.

What he needed right now was the strength to go against the First Elder.

He had to resolve the issue with the Zhang Clan once and for all, or else given the influence that the Zhang Clan wielded in the Master Teacher Continent, even if he escaped for the moment, he would not be able to escape forever. Furthermore, there was no saying that the Zhang Clan might even use his students as hostages against him.

Not to mention, this Teleportation Formation was an only one-time use. Once he activated it, it would lose its effectiveness. So, he should at least prepare himself before heading over and aim to master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld in a single push!

More importantly, he was in no state to cultivate. The giddiness that he was experiencing from the incompatibility between his Primordial Spirit and his body made even standing up difficult for him, let alone practicing a profound optic art!

Boom boom boom!

While Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, sonic booms in the air abruptly drew his attention back to reality. Lifting his gaze, he saw the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and the Inferno Qilin being forcefully knocked back. In their clashes with the First Elder, the both of them had sustained significant injuries.

As powerful as the two saint beasts were, they still came nowhere close to matching up to the First Elder of the Zhang Clan

If not for the latter being constantly struck by lightning, they would have long fallen in defeat.

Zhang Xuan took a look at the storm clouds above and shook his head. The lightning bolts won't last for too long either...

The continued release of lightning bolts had almost completely depleted the lightning tribulation, and its might was already beginning to wane.

From the looks of it, it would only be able to deal a couple more lightning bolts before dissipating for good.

Xiong xiong!

At this moment, the Inferno Qilin finally released its trump card. Tapping into the very last hue of Qilin Flames that it harnessed, it shot several searing flame dragons toward the First Elder simultaneously. The scorching heat of the attack swiftly charred the ground black and dyed the sky crimson. At the same time, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast made use of this opportunity to sneak behind the First Elder to launch a secret assault.

The collaboration between the two beasts would leave even a real 9-star master teacher in a fluster, but the First Elder did not show a hint of panic. He calmly sealed the space behind him before dispelling the flames before him with several palm strikes, thus neutralizing their assault with ease.

As the lightning tribulation grew smaller and smaller, the strength that the First Elder could exert became greater and greater. Previously, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and the Inferno Qilin had still been able to stand on equal grounds with the First Elder, but it was clear that the tables were swiftly tilting in the First Elder's favor.

"Master, we aren't a match for him. You have to quickly find a way to leave this area!" the Inferno Qilin urged Zhang Xuan anxiously through their telepathic link.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

While this was the first time that he had encountered a battle of this caliber, he was still able to tell that it was only a matter of time before his two tamed beasts fall in defeat, and there was no doubt that the First Elder would reap his life the moment that happened.

"I have to leave right now," Zhang Xuan muttered as he leaped into the sky and flew in the opposite direction. However, before he could get far, he suddenly wobbled in the middle of his flight before crashing back down to the ground.

"Teacher!" Zhang Jiuxiao hurriedly rushed forward to support Zhang Xuan.

"I'm fine," Zhang Xuan said as he rubbed his head.

It seemed like he would not be able to leave until he resolved the problem concerning the incompatibility in his Primordial Spirit and physical body.

Suppressing the giddiness in his head, he looked up and saw that the First Elder was closer to him than before. The storm clouds in the sky had already depleted all their energy and were beginning to dissipate.

"Scram!" Without the lightning tribulation to keep him in check, the First Elder roared furiously as he decisively released two palm strikes with his full force harnessed in them.

Boom! Boom!

The overpowering palm strike struck the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and Inferno Qilin into two separate rubble piles. The impact of the attack caused all of the injuries that they had sustained throughout the battle to relapse all at once, and they swiftly lost their consciousness.

After knocking out the two beasts, the First Elder turned his menacing gaze toward Zhang Xuan. Recalling the humiliation that he had sustained within this short period of time, a cold sneer crept onto his lips as he uttered, "Zhang Xuan, it's time for you to meet your maker!"

The First Elder tapped his finger, and a surge of sword qi tore its way toward Zhang Xuan.

Weng!

Before it could strike Zhang Xuan, a token abruptly appeared in the midst of the sword qi's path, neutralizing it entirely as if a barrier.

Zhang Xuan knew that he would not be able to withstand the First Elder's attack in his current state, so he decisively threw the Sanctum Head Token out.

"First Elder of the Zhang Clan, I, Zhang Xuan, am an 8-star master teacher recognized by the Master Teacher Pavilion. Even if I have erred, you should seek recompense through reporting me to the Master Teacher Pavilion. You should be well aware that only the Master Teacher Pavilion is qualified to pass judgement on master teachers! Are you planning on turning a blind eye to the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan bellowed imposingly.

"Master teacher? You actually have the cheek to call yourself a master teacher?" Those words reignited the First Elder's rage once more.

How could a person who practiced the unorthodox arts of the soul oracle have the cheek to proclaim himself as a master teacher?

Definitely, he would report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion and have them thoroughly investigate the matter, but before that, he would first have this young man killed in order to quell the burning rage in his heart!

"Die!" the First Elder bellowed as he crushed his palm down upon Zhang Xuan.

Hu!

The palm strike first collided with the Sanctum Head Token, and unable to withstand the might of the palm strike, it was knocked right back into Zhang Xuan's hands. Following which, the First Elder firmly pushed on with his palm strike, as if he would not rest until he finally reduced Zhang Xuan into meat paste.

"You..."

Zhang Xuan panicked.

His words had not worked. It was clear that the First Elder would not rest until he was dead. At the same time, the intolerable giddiness consuming his mind rendered him completely incapable of fight and flight.

In this desperate moment, he flicked his finger.

Boom!

A massive head materialized right before him, crushing heavily down on the First Elder.

While the actual fighting prowess of Vicious' head could not even compare to a Saint 8-dan expert, its sudden appearance and its sheer weight, coupled with the exhaustion and injuries that the First Elder had accumulated from dealing with the lightning tribulation and Zhang Xuan's two tamed beasts, actually managed to catch the First Elder off guard and suppress him temporarily.

"Teacher..." Upon seeing the head that his teacher had brought out, Zhang Jiuxiao widened his eyes in absolute horror.

He anxiously turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan, only to see the latter abruptly flicking his wrist to whip out a jade token.

It was a Communication Jade Token with particularly intricate inscriptions on it.

It was shimmering with a light glow, as if some kind of important information was being transmitted.

Zhang Xuan tapped his finger lightly on it.

Weng!

An indistinct face appeared on the surface of Communication Jade Token. Despite the blurriness of the image, one could still tell that the other party was an indescribably beautiful young lady.

Zhang Jiuxiao was captivated by the face for a short moment before coming to a delayed realization that the other party was his First Senior, Zhao Ya!

While he had not seen Zhao Ya in person before, he had heard much about her beauty.

In this very moment, Zhao Ya's face was colored in distress, and with a deeply frightened voice, she exclaimed, "Teacher, save me!"

Poof!

The image abruptly vanished from view, and following right after, the Communication Jade Token shattered with a light explosion.

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Chapter 1475: Pursuing Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhao Ya..."

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly as a violent aura quietly leaked out from his presence.

Under normal circumstances, due to the incredible distance, it should have been impossible for his Communication Jade Token to receive Zhao Ya's message. Most likely, the message had come from Chen Leyao instead. She had probably received Zhao Ya's call for help and used a special method to store her message and forward it to him. However, at the same time, the burden on the Communication Jade Token was likely so great that it ended up shattering.

Just what in the world had happened for her to send such a message to him?

Was she not the celebrated young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court? Could this mean that something had happened to the Glacier Plain Court?

"Teacher..." Zhang Jiuxiao said anxiously.

"Something has happened to your First Senior. I'm going to save her," Zhang Xuan said with narrowed eyes. At that moment, his back suddenly straightened up as if a taut pillar that would shoulder even the weight of the world fearlessly.

He did not know what had happened to Zhao Ya, but as her teacher, he would protect her even if he had to venture up a mountain of blades and descend into a sea of flames to do so!

"But... how are you going to save her?" Zhang Jiuxiao asked worriedly.

He knew that this First Senior of his was the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court, and in terms of fighting prowess, she was likely to above him and his teacher. Given so, would his teacher really be of much help there?

To make matters worse, the other party had only said three words, "Save me, Teacher", so they had no idea what had happened at all, let alone prepare for a rescue operation!

"No matter what, as a teacher, I won't allow the slightest harm to come to my direct disciples. This doesn't just apply to her but you as well. This is my promise to all of you!" Zhang Xuan said.

Following which, he flicked his wrist and took out his Sanctum Head Token.

I thought that this one-time teleportation wouldn't be of much use, but it has really come at a timely moment, Zhang Xuan thought.

When he deciphered the second seal on the Sanctum Sage Token, he had found a Teleportation Token that would transport him to a hidden dimension in the Sanctum of Sages. Initially, he had thought that it was of little use in his current situation, but from the looks of it now, it was just what he needed!

In order to find out the full story, he would have to first return to the Sanctum of Sages to figure out what had happened, but even if he rode on the Inferno Qilin, it would still take him at least half a month to return to the Sanctum of Sages.

Considering the danger that Zhao Ya was in, he could not afford to waste that much time!

However, it would be different with this Teleportation Formation. He would be able to return to the Sanctum of Sages instantaneously without wasting any time!

"Jiuxiao, I'll be leaving first. Tell Jian Qinsheng that I'm sorry that I failed to accomplish what I promised him. If I have a chance in the future, I'll make sure to teach that Xing Sword Saint a lesson in his stead," Zhang Xuan said as he gripped the Sanctum Head Token in his hand tightly.

Jian Qinsheng had brought him here in the hope that he would defeat the Zhang Clan's swordsmanship in his stead and bring honor back to him. While he did manage to defeat Zhang Xu and the others, he did not manage to compete with the head of the Zhang Clan in a duel, so strictly speaking, he had not fully completed the task that he had set out to achieve.

However, the matter with Zhao Ya was much more important than anything else. He had no choice but to abandon everything else.

"Yes, Teacher!" Zhang Jiuxiao hurriedly nodded.

Suppressing the giddiness in his head, Zhang Xuan swiftly infused his zhenqi into the Sanctum Head Token, and in the blink of an eye, the Teleportation Formation on it was activated.

Weng!

A brilliant burst of light swiftly swallowed Zhang Xuan whole.

"Inferno Qilin, Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Vicious, we're leaving!" Zhang Xuan yelled as he waved his hand.

Huala!

The two saint beasts and Vicious immediately disappeared from the spot. Following which, Zhang Xuan's silhouette swiftly turned incorporeal as well before vanishing without a trace.

"An Otherworldly Demon... He's an Otherworldly Demon! Damn it!"

Right after Zhang Xuan disappeared from the spot, the First Elder emerged from the pit that he had been crushed in and howled frenziedly.

Even though he had no idea what exactly the giant head crushing down on him was, he could still clearly feel the aura and bloodline of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor from it!

In other words, not only was Zhang Xuan a soul oracle, he was also allied with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe... or perhaps, he might even be an Otherworldly Demon himself!

For an Otherworldly Demon to disguise as a master teacher... the only ones who were capable of this feat were the Otherworldly Demon Emperors!

The truth could not have been any clearer now—Zhang Xuan was definitely an Otherworldly Demon Emperor in disguise! This would also explain why he was so bent on destroying the Zhang Clan!

Given the grudge between mankind and the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, it was no wonder Zhang Xuan would desire to destroy the number one Sage clan!

As soon as the First Elder rose from the ground, he immediately extended his Spiritual Perception to the surroundings in order to find Zhang Xuan. However, no matter how he looked, there was not the slightest trace of the young man to be found.

"Where is he?" The First Elder turned a hostile gaze toward Zhang Jiuxiao, his voice dripping with killing intent.

He had seen how close Zhang Jiuxiao was with Zhang Xuan with his own eyes.

"Te... Zhang shi has used a Teleportation Formation to leave this area!" Zhang Jiuxiao replied with a slightly dazed look on his face, as if he was still trying to make sense out of what had happened.

"That's impossible!" the First Elder exclaimed with bloodshot eyes. "Teleportation Formations can only be set up by Saint 9-dan cultivators, not to mention that a heavy price has to be paid with each activation. Not even the Zhang Clan has the resources to use it lightly, so how could that fellow possibly be able to teleport away?"

Teleportation Formations involved the warping of space to swiftly transport an individual from one end to the other. While 9-star formation masters were able to set up Teleportation Formations, such extreme warping of space was not easy to pull off and required a heavy price to be paid in order to accomplish it. Even as the number one Sage Clan on the Master Teacher Continent, they could not afford to use it lightly.

Otherwise, their clan head would not have left on a saint beast earlier.

Thus, how could that fellow manage to leave on a Teleportation Formation?

Zhang Wuchen flew over and said, "It was really a Teleportation Formation. I saw the disturbances in space with my own eyes."

He had sustained severe injuries from the lightning bolt earlier, but after some recuperation, he had managed to recover sufficiently to move around.

Nevertheless, given the tattered condition that he was in, it would take at least half a month of recuperation in order for him to return to his peak state.

Hearing Zhang Wuchen's words, the First Elder swiftly scanned the surroundings once more and noted that Zhang Xuan's aura had indeed disappeared without leaving a trail. Gritting his teeth, he spat hoarsely, "To possess such a powerful formation despite his young age and low cultivation realm, there's no doubt that he's an Otherworldly Demon Emperor!"

If he still had not been too sure previously, this was more than sufficient evidence to prove his hypothesis!

Despite being in his early twenties, he possessed strength far superior to those of his peers, wielded the means of soul oracles, was capable of utilizing Otherworldly Demons' means... and now, it had been found that he even had a priceless Teleportation Formation on him! This showed that not only was he an Otherworldly Demon Emperor—he was a rather high-ranked one too!

It was ridiculous that Yang shi would take in an Otherworldly Demon Emperor as his student!

"I, Zhang Wuheng, in my capacity as the First Elder of the Zhang Clan, command all Zhang Clan members and subordinate powers to devote all resources to pursuing Zhang Xuan. Regardless of the means they use, they are to kill him on the spot so as to safeguard the security of the Master Teacher Continent!" the First Elder bellowed.

Weng!

As those words were spoken, a token flew into the air. It emanated a light glow that swiftly shrouded the entire city.

In an instant, every member of the Zhang Clan received the First Elder's orders.

A decree from the First Elder was only second to the clan head's decree. Once issued, all clan members were to obey it without any questions!

"Devote all resources into pursuing Zhang Xuan?"

While everyone was still bewildered by the command, the furious voice of a lady suddenly boomed across the air. "Zhang Wuheng, you brazen skunk!"

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Chapter 1476: Yang shi Is Out of Seclusion!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hong long!

Shortly after those words were spoken, the crowd suddenly felt a heavy pressure from the sky pushing down on them. Following which, a middle-aged lady flew straight over with a sword in hand.

Before she even arrived, the crowd could already feel the sharpness of her sword qi. It felt almost as if their flesh was being torn to shreds.

The First Elder felt his goosebumps rising, and he hurriedly clasped his fist. "Meng Sword Saint..."

But before he could finish speaking, the sharp glint of a sword was already flying straight toward him.

Peng!

The First Elder was immediately sent flying before tumbling along the ground. At the same time, a bloodied wound appeared on his chest.

"You!" Not expecting the Meng Sword Saint to make a move on him without any hesitation right after returning, the First Elder was so furious that he nearly exploded on the spot.

He struggled to his feet agitatedly, and flicking his wrist, he whipped out a sword before charging right at the Meng Sword Saint.

"Zhang Wuheng, are you challenging me to a fight? It has just been a few days since we last met, but it seems like your guts have grown quite a bit!" The Meng Sword Saint harrumphed coldly as she gracefully flicked the sword in her hand.

Tzzzzzz!

The next instant, the First Elder suddenly found himself turning uncontrollably on the spot, as if he was trapped in a vortex. Sword punctures swiftly appeared all over his body, and crimson blood spurted from each of those punctures.

The First Elder was one of the top experts on the Master Teacher Continent, but he was still rendered completely helpless against the Meng Sword Saint's swordsmanship.

Peng!

The next instant, the First Elder found himself crashing into a heap of rubble, and he coughed up large mouthfuls of blood.

After all he had gone through earlier, he was already severely injured. Thus, when the Meng Sword Saint launched an assault on him, he felt his entire body going entirely limp, devoid of the slightest strength.

"Cough cough!" Awkward coughing echoed across the air, and a middle-aged man descended from the sky. "My wife, why don't you listen to the First Elder's words first?"

"Clan head!"

Upon seeing the middle-aged man, the elders in the area hurriedly clasped their fists and bowed deeply.

The head of the Zhang Clan, the father of the famed young prodigy, the Xing Sword Saint.

Upon learning that Zhang Xuan was currently in the Zhang Clan, they had rushed back as fast as they could, so they had been able to return within a relatively short period of time. However, it seemed like they were still too late.

"Listen to his words? What else is there to listen to? Didn't you hear the decree he made earlier?" the Meng Sword Saint bellowed with a dark look on her face.

"It's precisely because I heard it that I didn't stop you from making a move on him earlier! But look at the state he's in... If you continue hitting him, he really might lose his life! Why don't we first calm down and listen to the full story before deciding on what to do?" Xing Sword Saint said as he stroked his wife's back to calm her down.

Meng Sword Saint shot the First Elder a wintry glare before flinging her sleeves furiously. "Humph!"

Seeing that his wife had stopped her attacks for the time being, the Xing Sword Saint secretly heaved a sigh of relief before turning his gaze toward the First Elder. With an authoritative voice, he questioned, "What happened? Why did you issue a decree ordering for Zhang Xuan's death?"

"Clan head!" Zhang Wuchen quickly stepped forward and said, "That Zhang Xuan has been willfully destroying everything that he set his eyes upon after coming to the Zhang Clan. It was only after being left with no choice that the First Elder issued such a decree!"

"Willfully destroying everything?" The Xing Sword Saint raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying that all of this rubble is his doing?"

He had been rather perplexed to see the state that the Zhang Clan was in, but who could have thought that it would actually be Zhang Xuan's doing!

"Indeed, he's the culprit behind this!" Zhang Wuchen spat with gritted teeth. "Look at what he has done to our many millenniums of heritage!"

"This..." The Xing Sword Saint was visibly dazed for a moment. He subconsciously turned to his wife and muttered, "That really resembles you..."

His wife was a walking wrecking ball, often causing destruction wherever she went. Her rampages had not stopped even after marrying into the Zhang Clan, and it was to the point that the elders often kept a close eye on her in order to keep her in check. Who would have thought that Zhang Xuan's prowess in destruction would actually be a level above hers?

"Isn't it just a couple of buildings? To kill a person over a couple of rocks and stones... is this the magnanimity that you should have as elders of the Zhang Clan? If you are that afraid of your buildings being torn down, why don't I just help you demolish your ancestral hall so that you don't have to worry about it anymore?" Meng Sword Saint harrumphed as she wrapped her sword qi around her body, seemingly showing the members of the Zhang Clan that she was not joking around.

What the heck is this?

You are going to kill my son over just a couple of collapsed building?

Very well, just watch as I dig up the tombs of your ancestors then!

"It's not just about the buildings..." The First Elder's deep voice sounded.

At this point, he had finally managed to recuperate enough to talk. He knew that the Meng Sword Saint was a lunatic who would not hesitate to destroy their ancestral hall, so with a flushed face, he hurriedly spoke up to stop her.

"What else is it then?" The Meng Sword Saint glanced down at the First Elder with narrowed eyes.

"I know what you're thinking. You must be suspecting that Zhang Xuan is him... but I can tell you for certain he isn't! I have already tested his bloodline and soul, and it's been proven that he doesn't have the slightest hint of a relationship with the Zhang Clan!" the First Elder quickly said.

"Bloodline? How can you have the cheek to talk about bloodline before me?" The Meng Sword Saint widened her eyes in agitation as she shouted furiously.

"Fine! Putting that aside, I sensed traces of a soul oracle in his Primordial Spirit, and he even brought out an artifact of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe! This should show that there's a very high chance that he isn't a human but an Otherworldly Demon in disguise!" The First Elder quickly changed his words.

"Soul oracle?"

"Artifact of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

The Xing Sword Saint and Meng Sword Saint were taken aback upon hearing those words, and they swiftly exchanged glances with one another.

They had suspected that Zhang Xuan might be their missing child, but if he was a soul oracle...

"Indeed! I believe I need not say more about the depraved arts that soul oracles practice. I'm very certain that his Primordial Spirit is not one of an ordinary cultivator but that of a soul oracle. Even if you doubt me on that, there's no questioning that the artifact he used to attack me is one of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. The pit over there was caused by that artifact, and the killing intent of the Otherworldly Demons is still lingering!" the First Elder said as he pointed in a certain direction.

The Xing Sword Saint and Meng Sword Saint turned their gazes over.

The pit was roughly several dozen meters deep, and while it appeared ordinary at first glance, with their sharp eye of discernment, they were still able to sense the faint aura of an Otherworldly Demon lingering within it.

The artifacts of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe could only be driven using the Zhenqi of Slaughter, which only Otherworldly Demons possessed, so it was impossible for a human to activate it. Could Zhang Xuan really not be their child but an Otherworldly Demon in disguise?

"It's indeed the aura of an Otherworldly Demon." The Xing Sword Saint nodded in confirmation before asking the First Elder. "What happened?"

"It's like this..."

The First Elder quickly explained the swordsmanship duel, the sudden breakthrough, and the cultivation ordeal in detail.

"A Phantasmal Space Ordeal that brought a lightning tribulation even stronger than a Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal?" Upon hearing the full story, the Xing Sword Saint quickly looked at the marks of lightning strikes all around him before falling into deep thought.

There was no doubt that his child would have achieved great things if he was still alive, but to draw in such a powerful lightning tribulation in his Phantasmal Space Ordeal, not to mention successfully clearing it... this was something that he simply could not fathom even with the wildest of imagination.

Could the other party really be an Otherworldly Demon in disguise, just as the First Elder had said?

The Meng Sword Saint harrumphed. "Isn't he Yang shi's student? We should be able to uncover the truth by asking him!"

"Indeed, we will know the truth just by asking him about him." The Xing Sword Saint nodded. "However, Yang shi is currently still in seclusion, so it isn't a good time to disturb him..."

Hong long!

Before he could finish his words, an overpowering aura gushed into the clouds. It emanated such a powerful pressure that it immediately silenced the entire surroundings.

"Yang shi is out..."

Upon feeling this aura, everyone's eyes immediately lit up. The Xing Sword Saint and the others quickly headed off in a certain direction, and the other elders followed suit.

Soon, they saw an old man floating in midair. The energy in his body was fluctuating greatly, making it hard to determine his current level of cultivation.

"Yang shi!"

The crowd quickly clasped their fists upon seeing the old man.

"Un." Yang shi nodded with a faint smile.

After trading some pleasantries, the First Elder got to the matter at hand.

"Yang shi, pardon me, but there's a question that I have to ask you. There's a young man going by the name of Zhang Xuan who claims to be your student. May I know if that's true?"

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Chapter 1477: He Isn't My Student

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I only have one student, Feng Ziyi," Yang shi replied with a frown.

"Zhang Xuan isn't your student?"

Everyone was taken aback, especially the First Elder and Feng Wuchen. They could not help but stare at one another with widened eyes.

They had asked about this matter previously, and from the start to the end, Zhang Xuan had claimed to be Yang Xuan's direct disciple, inheriting the exclusive arts of his lineage. Was this all a lie?

"I have been busy over the years, so I haven't had any time to accept any other students. You should be well aware of this yourselves. What's wrong? Did someone claim to be my student?" Yang shi asked.

"Indeed. This Zhang Xuan person claimed to be your direct disciple, and just a moment ago, he was even wreaking havoc in the Zhang Clan!" the First Elder reported.

"Someone claimed to be my direct disciple?" Yang shi's face immediately darkened. "Where is this Zhang Xuan person you spoke of?"

Lineages were of the utmost importance in the Master Teacher Continent. Naturally, claiming to be another's student was an extremely disrespectful action and considered a taboo.

Furthermore, from the sound of it, that person had been throwing his name around to cause trouble, and this was something that Yang Xuan could not accept.

"He has already left via a Teleportation Formation!" the First Elder replied awkwardly.

"Teleportation Formation? What happened?" Yang shi asked with a frown.

Thus, the First Elder went through the entire story once more.

"You are saying that a young lad who has just achieved a breakthrough to the Phantasmal Space realm was able to withstand a cultivation ordeal that wielded prowess surpassing that of a Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal? Not only so, he was able to triumph over the geniuses of your Zhang Clan, be it in terms of swordsmanship, painting, enchantment, appraising, and so on?" Yang shi was slightly taken aback by what he had heard.

"That is indeed the case!" The First Elder nodded. "It's understandable for him to possess astounding abilities in a field or two, but to show such high expertise in so many fields at his age... I believe that there's a high chance that he's an Otherworldly Demon in disguise!"

"It's indeed possible for an Otherworldly Demon Emperor to disguise as a master teacher, but it's irrational for an Otherworldly Demon Emperor to act so ostentatiously." Yang shi shook his head, disagreeing with the First Elder's point of view.

While Otherworldly Demon Emperors were able to disguise as master teachers, their disguises were not infallible. To prevent being exposed by 9-star master teachers, they would definitely try their best to lie low as much as possible. There was no way that they would drop by the Zhang Clan and cause such a huge commotion.

After all, was that not as good as exposing himself?

If that was the case, what was the point of disguising himself in the first place?

Unconvinced by Yang shi's words, the First Elder argued, "If he isn't an Otherworldly Demon, how could he possibly be able to utilize the means of a soul oracle? How could he possibly be able to activate an artifact of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

"To pretend to be my student and wreak havoc here, and the possession of the knowledge of soul oracle arts too... that young lad seems to be quite an interesting figure. I would very much like to meet him. Do you know where his Teleportation Formation leads to?" Yang shi asked with a soft chuckle.

The First Elder shook his head. "I'm afraid that we aren't able to tell!"

If it was an ordinary Teleportation Formation, they might still have been able to fathom a guess. However, the Teleportation Formation that Zhang Xuan had used was extremely advanced, such that even an expert of the First Elder's caliber was not able to interpret it at all, let alone guess where the young man had teleported to.

"You aren't able to tell?" Yang shi frowned. "Where did he he teleported from? Bring me over. I want to take a look."

The First Elder and the others quickly led the way, and it did not take long for them to reach where Zhang Xuan had teleported away from.

Yang shi lowered his head to study the area, but the more he looked, the deeper the frown of his forehead became. A moment later, he turned to the First Elder and asked, "Did the other party have a token that resembles something like this in hand when he teleported?"

He tapped his finger lightly in front of him, and an illusory image of a token that emanated a light golden glow appeared in midair.

"Indeed, he did have this artifact with him." The First Elder nodded. "He used it to dodge my sword qi, so I believe that it should be a Saint pinnacle artifact at the very minimum!"

The young man had used this token to block his attack earlier, so he had a particularly deep impression of it.

"Is that so..." Hearing the First Elder's confirmation, the frown on Yang shi's forehead seemed to have further deepened.

Realizing that there was something amiss with Yang shi's expression, the First Elder asked, "Yang shi, do you recognize this token?"

"Recognize? If Zhang Xuan really has this token in hand, just as you have said, there's a good chance that he might be..." At this point, Yang shi abruptly halted his words. There was a short moment of silence before he waved his hand. "Never mind, this isn't a good time to speak about it. I'll have to confirm it with my own eyes first!"

The implications regarding the Sanctum Head Token were simply too great, such that even he did not dare speak of it lightly, especially since he was a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Even if he claimed it to be a mere hypothesis on his part, others would likely take his words as the truth due to the lofty position that he was in, and if it turned out that he was wrong, it could possibly lead to dire consequences.

However, speaking of the token, he knew that the Sanctum Head Token was distributed by Sage Kui himself, and there was no way that Sage Kui could have made such a major slip up as to pass down the sanctum head position to an Otherworldly Demon. Even if Sage Kui existed just as a sliver of will now, he had still been a powerful expert back in his era, as well as one of the very few possessors of the Eye of Insight. It was unthinkable that Zhang Xuan would be able to fool him if he truly was an Otherworldly Demon.

While Yang shi was still deep in thought, Hu Yiwei suddenly rushed over and greeted, "Old Master, you are finally out!"

"Un." Yang shi nodded. Through his sharp eye, he was able to tell that Hu Yiwei had something on his mind, so he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Old Master, I was in the Sanctum of Sages a while back, and I found a student named Zhang Xuan. I found the Innate Fetal Poison that I planted back then in his body..." Hu Yiwei quickly relayed what he had found.

"Innate Fetal Poison? He's the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan?" Even Yang shi was taken aback by that revelation. He turned to look at Sword Saint Xing at the others.

At that moment, he could not help but feel a little dazed by the situation.

On top of being the sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, a soul oracle, and an Otherworldly Demon, that Zhang Xuan person was actually the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan too? Just what was wrong with that fellow?

Was he suffering from dissociative personality disorder?

Yang shi pondered for a moment before speaking. "Since his identity as my student has been proven false, I believe that there's a need to look deeper into the matter to verify the authenticity of his other identities. Sword Saint Xing and Sword Saint Meng, the both of you shouldn't get your hopes up too much for the time being. We all know the circumstances surrounding the young prodigy, and the chances of him surviving are extremely slim. Why don't you allow me to meet him first and verify his identity before deciding on anything?"

"I'm going with you!" Sword Saint Meng said firmly. "I feel like I'll regret it for life if I don't at least meet him in this moment!"

This was the best lead that she had found relating to her child in the past two decades. Even though the First Elder and the others had found evidence that suggested the contrary, she was still reluctant to accept it until she verified it with her own eyes.

Understanding Sword Saint Meng's feelings, Yang shi nodded. "That's fine with me. I don't think that it's possible for Hu Yiwei to be wrongly about this—that young lad's surname also happens to be Zhang, and he comes from the ancient lands. Everything seems to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. It will indeed be hard to accept it unless you verify it with your own eyes."

"Yang shi, could it be that... you know where he has teleported to?" Sword Saint Xing suddenly asked at this moment.

"If the First Elder is right about the token, I think I have a good idea where he has teleported to." Yang shi nodded. "If my guess is right, he should have returned to the Sanctum of Sages!"

"Sanctum of Sages?" Sword Saint Xing's lips twitched upon hearing those three words.

He and his wife had rushed to the Sanctum of Sages after hearing Hu Yiwei's news, but halfway through their journey, they had heard that Zhang Xuan was in their Zhang Clan, so they had rushed all the way back. Yet, Yang shi was now telling them that he had gone back to the Sanctum of Sages?

Just how could their luck be so bad, missing him each and every time?

"If I recall correctly, the Zhang Clan doesn't have a Teleportation Formation leading to the Sanctum of Sages or anywhere in its vicinity. Since that's the case, I'll first teleport to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and teleport to the Sanctum of Sages from there. The journey should take one day, thus saving us much time," Yang shi said.

The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters had Teleportation Formations leading all over the Master Teacher Continent, not to mention that the Sanctum of Sages was its subsidiary. As such, it would be faster to take this detour instead.

Considering the severity of this matter, it would be best for them to resolve it as quickly as possible.

"Alright, Yang shi. We'll follow you!" Sword Saint Xing nodded.

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Chapter 1478: Ninth Netherworld Dimension

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The world spun around Zhang Xuan, leaving him in a constant state of vertigo, when all of a sudden, he fell to the ground with a resounding crash.

The teleportation had left him in such a disorientated state that he could not keep track of the flow of time; a second could have passed, but it could have been a year. Everything around him just kept changing, and the surrounding space warped like there was no tomorrow.

Eurgh!

Zhang Xuan found himself retching for a long while.

After meditating for a while, the discomfort alleviated a little. Recalling the experience that he had just undergone, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

No wonder it's impossible to make Teleportation Formations commonplace. There's no way weaker cultivators would be able to survive something like this!

He had been wondering for a long while why the Master Teacher Pavilion had gone to the extent of building branches all over the continent but not built Teleportation Formations along with that. However, this single experience had him completely convinced about the impracticality of the matter.

His physical body was comparable to a Saint pinnacle artifact, but despite that, he still ended up retching at the end of it. Other cultivators, especially those beneath Saint 8-dan, might very well find their own bodies disintegrating into dust from the sheer pressure caused by the Teleportation Formation.

He was still feeling deeply uncomfortable due to the incompatibility between his body and Primordial Spirit, but he knew that there was no time to be wasted. Thus, he slowly got to his feet and scanned his surroundings.

Where is this place?

Based on the information on the Sanctum Head Token, this should have been a hidden dimension left behind by Sage Kui. Only potential sanctum head successors who had fulfilled the first two conditions would be qualified to enter this space.

It's a folded space!

Upon taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan swiftly found that the fabric of space there was much weaker compared to that of the Master Teacher Continent, and the concentration of spiritual energy was rather low.

The ground that he was currently standing on was a round platform with a particularly profound formation inscribed on it.

To be able to teleport him right into a folded space, it was apparent that the Teleportation Formation on the Sanctum Head Token was a rather formidable one.

Walking down from the round platform, Zhang Xuan carefully explored the area, and he soon found a manor with lush greenery growing around it. There was a small stream flowing not too far away from it, giving it the feeling of a tranquil garden away from the secular world.

Walking into the manor, the first thing that Zhang Xuan saw was a hulking stone tablet, and carved on it were the words 'Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld'!

Glancing lower down on the stone tablet, he found smaller words inscribed below, detailing the various circulation pathways required to cultivate the optic art. It was even more detailed than what Sage Kui had imparted to him before.

"Welcome to the Ninth Netherworld Dimension!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was taking in the content on the stone tablet into the Library of Heaven's Path, a light voice suddenly filled the air.

Recognizing the voice, Zhang Xuan asked as he looked around his surroundings, "Sage Kui?"

"There's no need to look for me. All that is left of me here is a slight sliver of my will, and I'm already unable to manifest in a physical form anymore!" the will said with a slight desolate edge to its tone. "The fact that you were able to come to this dimension means that you have already successfully deciphered the first two seals and are qualified to practice the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld!"

"Qualified?"

"Indeed. The optic art manual that I have given to you is correct, but it isn't detailed enough for you to successfully master the optic art. It's not that I'm intentionally making things hard for you, but in order to master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, you will have to cultivate it in a certain environment. Otherwise, it would be nigh impossible to succeed!" Sage Kui said.

"A certain environment?" Zhang Xuan was bewildered by those words.

It was just a mere optic art, why would it still need a certain kind of environment in order to cultivate it?

"There are nine levels to the heavens, and similarly, there are nine levels to the netherworld. In order to master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, you will have to be in an environment that emulates the environment of the netherworld. The environment stimulates your Eye of Insight and draws out the potential into it, and it's for this purpose that this very folded space was created," Sage Kui explained.

"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Having browsed through countless cultivation technique manuals, there were indeed some unique techniques that required cultivation in a specific type of environment in order to master them.

For example, some fire attribute techniques could be mastered much more easily when cultivated in locations in close proximity to the earth flames. Similarly, there were also ice attribute techniques where cultivating them in icy lakes would enhance their prowess significantly.

Since the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was a technique on par with the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, its cultivation was bound to be difficult as well. Otherwise, the generations of sanctum heads would not have failed to fully master the optic art.

"In this folded space are Beguilement Formations, Illusory Formations, Hidden Formations, and the like. There won't be any danger, but without a sharp eye, it's impossible for you to overcome those obstacles and get to the exit! You will have to rely on cultivating your Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld to sharpen your eyes so as to find the flaws in those formations and overcome them," Sage Kui said.

"This is manual that my teacher left behind back then, and the others are the insights left behind by generations of sanctum heads. You can refer to them, but ultimately, you will still have to comprehend it by yourself in order to grasp the technique!"

Hula!

As Sage Kui spoke, a few more stone tablets appeared in the courtyard of the manor.

Zhang Xuan swiftly swept his gaze over the optic art manual and insights in order to collect them into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Compile! Zhang Xuan willed.

Hu la!

A new book materialized before Zhang Xuan's eyes. He swiftly flipped it open to browse through it, and what he saw caused an involuntary sigh to escape from his lips.

As expected of a top-notch optic art... even with the insights from the previous generations of sanctum heads, it was still a long way off from being perfected.

The Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld did improve significantly after several of the flaws were resolved. With this, I should be able to master the optic art faster. Yet, its cultivation is still highly damaging to the eyes, which means that there's a high chance that I'll turn blind if I really master the technique!

The greatest hesitation behind why Zhang Xuan refused to cultivate the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was not just because it was imperfect but because there was a high likelihood of going blind cultivating it.

Even the very creator of the technique, Ancient Sage Bo Shang, was not spared from the eventual tragedy of going blind, and Zhang Xuan had no intention of walking in the same footsteps as his predecessor.

Zhang Xuan continued examining the optic art a little longer, but unable to figure out a feasible method to resolve the underlying issues, he shook his head and said, "I don't have any intention of cultivating the optic art for the time being. Can you allow me to leave this folded space first?"

"You want to leave? There's only one chance for you to get into the Ninth Netherworld Dimension. If you don't cultivate your Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld to the fourth realm now, it will be hard for you to grasp it in the future!"

Not expecting the young man to be thinking of leaving when he had only just entered the area, Sage Kui advised him with a frown.

The position of the sanctum head was at stake here. Was the young man not acting a little too carelessly?

"Elder, a student of mine is currently in great peril. As her teacher, I can't ignore her safety for the sake of my own cultivation. I wish for your understanding on this matter!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.

He did not know what Zhao Ya was facing at the moment, so he could not afford to waste his time there. He had to find Chen Leyao as soon as possible to find out more about the situation before devising a plan to save her. Even if he could cultivate the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld safely, it was likely that he would take quite some time to master it, so he could not afford to do it right now.

"You said that your student is in danger?" Sage Kui looked at Zhang Xuan. "Are you certain that you wish to give up this rare opportunity for the sake of your student?"

"Elder, I can't leave my student in peril!" Zhang Xuan replied resolutely.

If he had to compromise Zhao Ya's safety in order to master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld and become the next sanctum head, he would throw away those opportunities in a heartbeat!

While it was true that becoming the sanctum head would give him an edge when asking for Luo Ruoxin's marriage in hand, he was not willing to sacrifice his student's life for it!

Sage Kui was silent for a long while before nodding slightly. "To be willing to give up on so much for your student, you are really a good teacher!

"However, rules are rules. There's only one chance to enter the Ninth Netherworld Dimension, and I can't change the rules just because of the circumstances you are in, so you won't be able to return here once you leave.

"However, the lengths you are willing to go for your student is truly respectable. Thus, if you are able to comprehend the fourth realm of the optic art outside, I'll grant you an opportunity to comprehend the fifth realm!"

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Chapter 1479: Too Far

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"An opportunity to comprehend the fifth realm?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback.

"Indeed. The fifth realm of the Eye of Insight is known as Phantasmagoric Construct. An illusory world created through the eye, this technique allows one to plunge even experts surpassing Saint 9-dan into living hell, a nightmare that they will never awake from. Back then, with this very technique, my teacher, Ancient Sage Bo Shang, eradicated over a million Otherworldly Demons with just a single glance, creating an undefeatable legend!

"Under normal circumstances, it's impossible for one to comprehend this realm without being in the Ninth Netherworld Dimension, but in view of the fact that you are leaving in order to save your student, I'll make an exception just for you. As long as you can comprehend the fourth realm, Demon Vanquisher, and decipher the final seal on the Sanctum Head Token, I'll grant you an opportunity to comprehend the fifth realm," Sage Kui said.

"Thank you, elder!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and bowed deeply to Sage Kui.

It did not seem likely that he would ever master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, but nevertheless, he was still very appreciative of the kindness and opportunity that Sage Kui had given him.

Lineages were important within the Master Teacher Continent, and those who were willing to go to great lengths for their teacher or students were highly respected.

For his student, Zhang Xuan was willing to give up on this precious opportunity to master the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. To a potential sanctum head, this was really a huge sacrifice. Once he left the Ninth Netherworld Dimension, there was a high chance that he would never comprehend the fourth realm of the Eye of Insight, thus missing the opportunity to become the real sanctum head.

"There's no need to thank me. It's not too difficult to leave this area; you just have to return to the round platform that you were on when you first teleported in and will to leave this area with the Sanctum Head Token in hand. You will automatically be teleported out," Sage Kui said.

"Thank you!" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Without any hesitation, he turned around and walked toward the round platform. He took out his sanctum head token and grasped it tightly.

Weng!

A powerful force tugged at his body, and with a slight jolt, he disappeared from the spot.

Watching as Zhang Xuan left without the slightest hint of hesitation, Sage Kui muttered, "A teacher should have a compassionate heart. To be willing to give up so much for his student, perhaps he might just be able to lead the Sanctum of Sages to unprecedented heights..."

Compassion might seem to be of little importance to those in important positions, playing a secondary role to one's capability. However, it was often the mark of a truly great leader as those with great compassion would find it easier to win others over. Given how the young man before him was able to stick unwaveringly to his beliefs, decisively abandoning all else to protect what he deemed to be the most important to him, he would likely rise to a great height in the future.

He might even surpass the many generations of sanctum heads before him!

Hu!

Unaware of Sage Kui's high evaluation of him, Zhang Xuan found himself crashing onto the floor once more.

This time, perhaps because the distance teleported was shorter, he did not feel as much discomfort as before, and the temporal disorientation that he had experienced previously did not come. He shook his head lightly before slowly getting to his feet. When he saw familiar sights in his surroundings, he subconsciously heaved a sigh of relief.

Just as he had thought, he had returned to the Sanctum of Sages.

He was currently in the Inner Sanctum, not too far from Sage Kui's sculpture, which held Vicious' upper body.

Could it be that... the so-called Ninth Netherworld Dimension is actually within Sage Kui's sculpture? Zhang Xuan frowned.

Since he had appeared there, the folded space that he had been in should not be too far away. Could it be that it was hidden within the sculpture, just like Vicious' upper body?

Forget it! I should first look for Chen Leyao to understand the situation regarding Zhao Ya first!

Knowing that this was no time to allow his mind to wander, he quickly took out the Inner Sanctum token and walked over to the exit before swiping it in the air lightly.

Si la!

A rift appeared in space. Zhang Xuan walked into the rift and left the Inner Sanctum.

The sun had already set outside, and the Sanctum of Sages was particularly quiet. This peace felt peculiarly out of place to Zhang Xuan, especially considering what he had just encountered in the Zhang Clan.

He quickly figured out the direction to Chen Leyao's residence and flew over.

"Zhang shi, you..." Chen Leyao was astounded by Zhang Xuan's sudden arrival.

When she sent the message earlier, the young man had still been several million li away. To arrive before her in just a few minutes... even someone as calm as her could not help but be flabbergasted.

"What happened to Zhao Ya?" Zhang Xuan asked anxiously.

"I don't know." Chen Leyao shook her head grimly. "I was in the midst of my cultivation when I suddenly received that message from the young court chief. I knew that you weren't in the Sanctum of Sages, so I could only send her message to you via the formation. Unfortunately, the transmission stopped after she'd barely said a few words."

From the looks of it, it seemed like Chen Leyao was perplexed by the matter as well.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before asking, "Aside from Zhao Ya's message, is there any news from the Glacier Plain Court?"

"As soon as the transmission from the young court chief was terminated, I immediately sent a message to my sisters in the Glacier Plain Court, but the responses that I received were that everything was fine, and the young court chief hadn't left the Glacier Plain Court," Chen Leyao replied. "Could it be a false alarm?"

"Impossible!" Zhang Xuan immediately refuted Chen Leyao's guess.

He knew Zhao Ya well. She would never call for his help unless she was in a truly dire situation.

Something was definitely amiss.

"Then... what do you plan to do?" Chen Leyao asked with a frown.

To be honest, she was more inclined to believe that the young court chief was still safe. After all, the latter's position was second only to the court chief, so there was no way that the Glacier Plain Court would remain idle if the latter was in danger.

Still, given that a cry for help had been sent, it would be foolish to simply shrug the matter off.

Zhang Xuan pondered in silence for a long while before demanding with narrowed eyes, "Bring me to the Glacier Plain Court!"

"You want to go to the Glacier Plain Court?" Chen Leyao was taken aback. "Right now?"

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded resolutely.

"But the Glacier Plain Court is several million li away from here! It will take at least a month even if you ride on a Saint 9-dan beast. If the young court chief is really in danger, it will be too late by the time we arrive," Chen Leyao said.

The distance from the Sanctum of Sages to the Glacier Plain Court was further than the distance from there to the Zhang Clan. It would take more than a month, and if something had really happened to the young court chief, everything would be over by the time they arrived.

"A month?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.

A month was indeed too long.

Since Zhao Ya had sent such an urgent message over, there was no way that she could hang on for that long! However, there was no way for him to cover several million li swiftly, unless...

"Are there any Teleportation Formations in the Sanctum of Sages that lead straight to the Glacier Plain Court?" Zhang Xuan raised his head and asked.

Having used a Teleportation Formation before, he knew that it was possible for it to cover a journey that would usually take a month in just a few breaths. If there was a Teleportation Formation in the Sanctum of Sages that led to the Glacier Plain Court, he would be able to resolve this conundrum.

"I'm afraid there aren't." Chen Leyao shook her head. "The Glacier Plain Court has only constructed Teleportation Formations to a few powers that it is closer with, and this doesn't include the Sanctum of Sages. In fact, my sisters and I had to take aerial saint beasts over back then."

Considering how a Teleportation Formation would allow a cultivator to instantaneously teleport from one place to another, unless the two powers had close ties with one another, there was no way that they would build a Teleportation Formation between them.

Otherwise, the other party could potentially make use of the Teleportation Formation to cause harm.

"Then, what's the closest teleportation location to the Glacier Plain Court from the Sanctum of Sages?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That would be the Yuan Clan, but still, it would take half a month from the Yuan Clan to get there," Chen Leyao said hesitantly.

She understood how the young man before her felt, but the Glacier Plain Court was located in the frosty lands at the very north of the continent, so there was no way one could get there easily!

"Half a month... That's still too long! Since you know the specific location of the Glacier Plain Court, is it possible for me to just construct a Teleportation Formation to take us there directly?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

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Chapter 1480: Heaven's Path Teleportation Formation Art

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Yuan Tao was in the Yuan Clan, so he would not face any problems teleporting into their clan. However, the half a month that it would take to travel from the Yuan Clan to the Glacier Plain Court was much too long!

Since there was no other more convenient Teleportation Formation for him to take... why not just construct one?

"You wish to construct a Teleportation Formation?" Chen Leyao was startled by the unexpected suggestion.

Following which, she shook her head bitterly and said, "Teleportation Formations can only be constructed by real 9-star formation masters, especially since they require a deep comprehension of space in order to build them properly. On top of that, their structure is incredibly intricate, requiring complex calculations that must be perfectly precise. Even the slightest error in a calculation could cause a vast difference in the end result!

"I have never seen the construction of the Teleportation Formations in the Glacier Plain Court before, but I have had the opportunity to see how they repaired one. Back then, our Glacier Plain Court hired three 9-star formation masters, and despite their collaboration, it still took them three whole months before they completed the calculations required to calibrate the Teleportation Formation! Putting aside our lack of strength and comprehension of formations, even if we do have the ability to set up a Teleportation Formation, there's no way we could build it swiftly!"

Putting aside everything else, just the calibration of the Teleportation Formation to the determined destination was enough to take them several months of calculations. For a distance of several million li, the slightest difference in calibration could lead to a massive deviation in the final destination!

All in all, with all of these factors at play, the construction of a Teleportation Formation was bound to be a highly time-consuming project. It would not help their current situation.

Otherwise, the Master Teacher Pavilion would have already set up Teleportation Formations all over the continent. There would not just be a couple of them located in the major powers in the continent, such that most average cultivators had seen them before.

"Three months?" Zhang Xuan felt yet another headache assaulting his already hurting head.

If it took that long to repair a formation, its construction was bound to take even longer.

Was there really no way for him to reach Zhao Ya quickly?

Zhang Xuan pondered for a long moment before his eyes suddenly lit up. It might take others a long time to complete the calculations required to calibrate the formation, but I should be able to shorten the process significantly!

Regardless of what formation one wanted to set up, one would have to first take the environment into account and assess how the formation should best be set up in order to align it with the surroundings before placing down the formation flags.

For this reason, setting up formations, especially higher-grade ones, often took formation masters a great deal of time. They had to use their compass to make all kinds of measurement, such as the direction, concentration, gradient of spiritual energy in the surroundings, the effects the surrounding geography would have on the formation, and so on. However, Zhang Xuan was different! With his Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to resolve the problems through simple trial and error. There was no need for him to go to great lengths calculating this and that!

Since he could do so for other formations, naturally, he would also be able to do the same for Teleportation Formations!

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan decided to dive straight to action.

"Let's go, we're heading to the Hall of Erudition! I'm going to see if there are any books relating to Teleportation Formations that I can refer to. It would be best if I can set one up, but if that fails, I'll just have to find another solution," he said.

"Study? Right now?" Chen Leyao asked with twitching lips.

Putting aside how difficult it would be to set up a Teleportation Formation, just the manipulation of space required for its construction was more than enough to leave any ordinary formation master utterly helpless. Was it not a little too late to start studying?

Instead of pursuing something futile, would it not have been much wiser to set out that instant?

"We have no time to waste, hurry up!" Without explaining anything, Zhang Xuan took the lead and walked out.

He had been to the Formation Master Guild branch in the Hall of Erudition once and even taken the 8-star formation master examination there, so he knew the route there very well.

While Chen Leyao had no idea what Zhang Xuan was thinking, she knew that everything he did was to save their young court chief, so she eventually chose to follow him as well.

It did not take long before the two of them were standing before Elder Su of the Formation Master Guild.

Elder Su was the person who had supervised his 8-star formation master examination back then, so he was still a more familiar figure to Zhang Xuan.

"Elder Su, I would like to browse through books relating to Teleportation Formations. May I ask if there are such books in the Formation Master Guild?" Zhang Xuan revealed the purpose of his sudden visit.

"Teleportation Formations have always been an important research topic for the Sanctum of Sages. In fact, during Sage Kui's era, the Sanctum of Sages was even reputed to be the number one authority in this field! He has left behind many books regarding the topic, and if you wish to browse through them, I can take you there!" Elder Su nodded.

Zhang Xuan was already an 8-star formation master, so he was qualified to look through those books.

"I'll be troubling Elder Su then!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.

It did not take long before they arrived in the library. Heading in the direction that Elder Su had pointed toward, Zhang Xuan soon saw multiple shelves storing countless books relating to Teleportation Formations.

The Sanctum of Sages had never lacked geniuses, and while the field of Teleportation Formations was particularly profound, there were still plenty of talented individuals studying the subject, hoping to further it. As such, there were many books relating to how a Teleportation Formation could be set up, how the location could be calibrated, how the space should be manipulated, and so on.

Zhang Xuan swiftly swept his gaze through those books and collected them into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Compile!

A new book materialized, and Zhang Xuan quickly flipped it open.

Heaven's Path Teleportation Formation Art... Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Perhaps because there were ample books in there, he managed to compile the Heaven's Path Teleportation Formation Art. Tapping his finger lightly on it, the knowledge immediately flowed into his head, assimilating with his previous understanding of formations.

Previously, he had already finished browsing through all 8-star formation master books, which granted him knowledge of formations that was on par with 9-star primary formation masters. On top of that, his mastery of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel had also reached the third realm. Thus, while Teleportation Formations was a rather difficult subject for most to comprehend, he did not have much trouble understanding its content.

It did not take long before he fully grasped the Heaven's Path Teleportation Formation Art.

Knowing that he was ready, he quickly walked out of the library, and after finding Elder Su, he asked, "Elder Su, do you have any grade-9 formation flags on hand? I would like to borrow them!"

Teleportation Formations were all grade-9 formations, so naturally, they required grade-9 formation flags in order to set up.

"I don't have any grade-9 formation flags on me!" Elder Su shook his head and apologized.

He was only an 8-star formation master, so how could he possibly have any grade-9 formation flags on hand?

"Do you happen to know of anyone who has grade-9 formation flags?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Grade-9 formation flags..." Elder Su pondered for a moment before replying. "If I'm not mistaken, our deputy sanctum head, Zhan shi, should have some. Other than that, I'm afraid I don't really know anyone else who has them!"

"Zhan shi?" Zhang Xuan nodded slowly.

He had met Zhan shi once. Back then, he had just cleared the Master Teacher Tower, and the other party had taken him into the Inner Sanctum and given him his Inner Sanctum token. Considering how he was a Saint 9-dan expert and the deputy sanctum head, it did make sense for all of the grade-9 formation flags of the Sanctum of Sages to be with him.

After all, others did not even possess the strength to control them.

In the past, the Sanctum of Sages had been an extremely powerful organization with plenty of 9-star master teachers in its ranks. However, due to the lack of a powerful sanctum head to lead them for many years, it had declined greatly, such that it could not compete with the more powerful Sage Clans in terms of absolute strength.

Nevertheless, its rich heritage, vast connections, and the very fact that it was a direct subsidiary of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters still gave the Sanctum of Sages a lot of influence and authority in the Master Teacher Continent.

Swiftly making sense of the situation, Zhang Xuan asked, "Elder Su, I'm really grateful for your help today. Do you know where the deputy sanctum head is at the moment?"

"He should be in the Sanctum Head Hall. You can try looking for him there!" Elder Su said with a smile.

"Very well!" Zhang Xuan called for Chen Leyao, and the both of them swiftly headed over to the Sanctum Head Hall. However, barely before he took flight, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation over his entire body.

He quickly sidestepped in midair.

Tz la!

Barely after he did so, the space where he was standing before was suddenly ripped open by a surge of sword qi. The sword qi surged straight for the ground, tearing out a deep gorge.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Following which, an infuriated bellow echoed. Taken aback, Zhang Xuan quickly turned his head over, only to see a young man standing not too far away, glaring at him with infernos blazing in his eyes.

"Luo Xuanqing, are you insane?" Zhang Xuan bellowed furiously.

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Chapter 1481: Luo Xuanqing's Wrath

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The person who had assaulted him was none other than his future brother-in-law, Luo Xuanqing!

Before he went to the Zhang Clan, he had helped Luo Xuanqing deal with his lightning tribulation, and as a show of trust in him, the latter had also confided in him his plans to assassinate him and tried to entrust the task to him. They had been as close as real brothers then! Why would Luo Xuanqing suddenly turn against him now?

If not for his recent breakthrough, which allowed him to dodge swiftly, he might have sustained heavy injuries by now!

"Die!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed.

Boom!

With a deafening roar, Luo Xuanqing flitted forward like a streak of lightning, and in the blink of an eye, his punch was already right before Zhang Xuan.

He had already reinforced his Dimension Sundering realm cultivation completely, allowing him to call forth far greater strength than before. For one, the sheer might of his strength had compressed the space so much that Zhang Xuan felt as if someone had lifted a metal sheet and was hurling it at him.

"Are you out of your mind?" Zhang Xuan did not expect the other party to make a move on him without any hesitation, using such a vicious technique toward him. His hair immediately stood on end.

At this moment, he had not fully fused his Primordial Spirit and physical body together, and if not for his tenacity pushing him on, he would have already fainted.

While he had recovered sufficiently to move about, he could only summon a fifth of his original strength in his current state. Thus, he had no choice but to evade Luo Xuanqing's attack.

Kacha!

Barely after he had dodged, a resounding explosion echoed, and another spatial rift was torn open where he had been standing at previously.

Luo Xuanqing's Saint 8-dan cultivation, paired together with the innate comprehension of space due to his Luo Clan bloodline, granted him tremendous fighting prowess. Even ordinary Saint 8-dan pinnacle experts would not stand a chance against him!

Si la!

Despite his strike missing, Luo Xuanqing continued rushing at Zhang Xuan, launching attack after attack frenziedly.

His silhouette seemed to be weaving through the very fabric of space, shockingly moving at a speed faster than even the Heaven's Path Movement Art. In the blink of an eye, he was already standing right before Zhang Xuan once more, not giving the latter any chance to take a breather.

"I went to the Zhang Clan because I had something up. I really didn't have time to kill your target for you!"

Thinking that Luo Xuanqing was angry at him for not helping him assassinate himself, Zhang Xuan anxiously tried to explain himself as he dodged from side to side.

Unfortunately, the explanation only seemed to have provoked Luo Xuanqing further.

After seducing my younger sister, how dare you act as if nothing is wrong at all?

You shameless cad!

"You b*stard!" Luo Xuanqing roared angrily as he thrust both of his palms toward Zhang Xuan.

Puhe!

In that instant, Zhang Xuan felt the surrounding space collapsing on him, rendering him immobile.

If not for his current condition, he definitely would have been able to break Luo Xuanqing's Spatial Seal even with his Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle cultivation. However, the giddiness plaguing his head was already making it an arduous task for him to remain in the sky. He was in no position to protect himself.

Peng!

A punch sunk into Zhang Xuan's chest, causing his face to turn pale. He was rammed right into the ground, creating a huge pit beneath him.

"Please, I'm begging you all, don't fight here, alright? We have just fixed this place..." Elder Su cried desperately as he watched the battle between the two.

The Formation Master Guild would be destroyed each time the King of Destruction descended upon them. It was one thing if the two of them had gone there to take an examination, but why the heck did they have to choose to fight there?

Just how in the world did our Formation Master Guild offended the two of you for you to do this to us?

Paying no heed to Elder Su's cries, after punching Zhang Xuan into the ground, Luo Xuanqing pushed himself against thin air and whizzed right toward him once more.

Peng peng peng peng!

It was as if Luo Xuanqing's arms had multiplied into eight; countless punches just kept raining down upon Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan was completely incapable of dodging the punches at all. Under the furious barrage of attacks, blood spurted from his lips.

"Stop it, are you insane?" Zhang Xuan hurriedly drove his zhenqi to heal his wounds as he bellowed angrily.

Just how had he hit Luo Xuanqing's nerves this time around?

They had parted on a good note, so why would the other party suddenly assault him as if a madman without saying a single word at all?

"Insane? If I'm insane, you are the one who has driven me so!" With reddened eyes, Luo Xuanqing charged forward and sent a kick toward Zhang Xuan.

"You..." Knowing that he would sustain severe injuries if he was hit, Zhang Xuan suppressed his giddiness and waved his hand.

Boom!

The space before him collapsed slightly, warping Luo Xuanqing's kick away from him.

While he might only be at Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle, as one who had cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art and the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, he was already able to go toe-to-toe with ordinary Dimension Sundering realm pinnacle experts. As powerful as Luo Xuanqing was, if he used his Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path, the other party would not stand a chance at all.

Padah!

Luo Xuanqing's kick ended up striking the ground, sending a massive tremor through the earth as a huge crater was formed on the spot.

After missing his strike, Luo Xuanqing huddled his body together and rammed it right toward Zhang Xuan.

Peng!

Zhang Xuan wanted to dodge, but another sudden bout of dizziness caused his reaction to be delayed, resulting in him being struck squarely in his chest.

Hong long long!

As if a steel plow, he rolled several rounds on the ground, tearing a gorge several dozen meters long.

A sweet sensation welled up at the back of his throat, and yet another mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth.

"Hmm?"

After spurting the blood, Zhang Xuan suddenly froze on the spot, seemingly realizing something.

There was no doubt that Luo Xuanqing's attacks were very powerful, and the words that he had said were also filled with anger toward him, but Zhang Xuan found that the other party's attacks were, in fact, superficial. The impact of his blows did not sink deep into his body to puncture his organs and ruin his physiological functions. In other words, he would only sustain external injuries from the assault, and this was far from sufficient to claim his life!

Furthermore, his attacks also seem to be hastening the fusion between my body and my Primordial Spirit.

On top of that, Zhang Xuan also realized that Luo Xuanqing's attacks were highly beneficial to him. The two heavy blows that he had sustained had alleviated the giddiness in his head significantly, and his body did not feel as heavy and hard to maneuver as before.

It looks like he isn't really trying to kill me... Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief as he no longer tried his best to dodge Luo Xuanqing's attacks.

At the same time, he could not help but become even more bewildered as to what Luo Xuanqing was up to.

Peng peng peng peng!

As Zhang Xuan was not dodging anymore, all of Luo Xuanqing's attacks fell squarely on his body. While the powerful might striking his body caused him excruciating pain, his overpowered Primordial Spirit was also slowly fusing together with his physical body once more, alleviating the discomfort and heaviness he felt.

Every single move that Luo Xuanqing has executed harnesses the energy of space, and it's precisely this energy that is resolving the incompatibility between my body and my Primordial Spirit. Zhang Xuan was able to swiftly make sense of the situation.

It might not have been an intentional action on Luo Xuanqing's part, but perhaps due to his Luo Clan bloodline, every single strike of his caused some spatial energy to seep into his body, which aided in pushing for the fusion.

He had been deliberating over this problem for a very long time, not knowing how to resolve it, but who could have thought that suffering a beating from Luo Xuanqing would actually be the key to it?

All along, he had been the one to pummel others in order to treat them of their ailments...

What goes around does come around after all!

Peng peng peng!

Soon, upon seeing that Zhang Xuan had been completely disfigured from his pummeling, the heavily panting Luo Xuanqing finally came to a halt.

It had to be said that Zhang Xuan was really resilient to beating. He had expended all of his strength punching that fellow, but even at the end of it, that fellow was still standing as if nothing had happened at all. From the looks of it, that fellow's defenses were at least on par with Yuan Xiao's.

Stretching his fatigued body, he lay down on the rubble not too far away from where Zhang Xuan was.

"You must make sure to treat my younger sister well! If I ever learn that you have let her down, I'll make sure to kill you with my own hands!"

"Y-you..." Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

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Chapter 1482: Luo Xuanqing

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was just a moment ago when he had still been wondering which screw was loose in Luo Xuanqing's head to suddenly pummel him relentlessly like that, but those words had cleared all doubts in his mind. It was not that Luo Xuanqing's violent streak was acting up once more, but that... he had found out about the relationship between Luo Ruoxin and him!

He had thought of telling Luo Xuanqing about this matter in the past, but every single time, he would stop at the final moment because he had no idea how he should broach the subject. Yet, to think that the other party would actually find out about it himself... In that moment, he was so shocked that it felt as if his mind would blow up.

Just as he was about to ask how Luo Xuanqing found out about that matter, it suddenly dawned on him that Luo Xuanqing had already stumbled onto the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy lead. It would not be too hard to trace him down from there, especially since he was the principal!

"Xuanqing, I..."

Abruptly placed in such a situation, Zhang Xuan had no idea what he should say.

It was true that he had gotten close with Luo Xuanqing in order to get to Luo Ruoxin, so it was understandable that he would be unhappy to learn of his ulterior motive.

The other party had thought of him as a true friend, but it turned out that he was only getting close to him in order to flirt with his younger sister. Who would be happy about that?

"My younger sister's talents are both a gift and a cursing. Throughout her life, she has never met anyone whom she could truly call a friend. While the entire Luo Clan treats her well and respects her, it's that attitude of theirs that created an invisible boundary between her and the others, effectively isolating her. Every night, I would see her sitting alone on the roof, watching her gaze at the starry night sky. You can't even begin to imagine how forlorn her profile looked.

"Despite being her elder brother, I was unable to assuage the loneliness she felt, so I could only use all of my strength to protect her and offer her the best. I have always thought that her loneliness would dissipate once she found someone whom she loves, and I have always envisioned the person whom she would fancy to be someone stronger than her, possessing astounding capabilities unmatched by anyone else in the world... but who would have thought that she would end up choosing you!"

Paying no heed to Zhang Xuan's shock, Luo Xuanqing gazed deeply at the starry sky above and muttered to himself.

"I..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.

Indeed. When he first got together with Luo Ruoxin, the latter's cultivation had been far above his, such that it would be no exaggeration to say that they were from two entirely different worlds.

To this day, he still could not say that he was worthy of her.

But one's feelings simply did not obey rational logic. The fondness that he felt for Luo Ruoxin would not vanish just because of the gap in their standing.

In fact, from the moment that he first set eyes on her, he had felt an inexplicable feeling of intimacy to her, as if they were meant to be. It took only an instant to realize that she was the missing piece that he had been looking for his entire life, and he would never feel whole without her.

"I have been thinking about this matter over the past few days. My younger sister really likes you, and the notion of you getting together with her doesn't seem as revolting as I thought it would be. At the very least, I'm familiar with you! While you do get into trouble often, you tend to be unreliable at times, your words sound like a pile of dog sh*t, and you are doltish at times, on the whole, I'm still quite satisfied with your capabilities!" Luo Xuanqing continued.

"..." Black lines streaked across Zhang Xuan's face.

Big bro, are you praising or berating me?

Get into trouble often? To think that I would hear such words from the likes of your mouth!

Unreliable? How am I unreliable?

You are the one who is unreliable!

Also, my words sound like a pile of dog sh*t, and I am doltish at times? You are the one who is doltish!

"It's a known fact that my younger sister has successfully assimilated the Dimension Silencer and is the number one genius of the Luo Clan. Even compared to the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, he's lacking in comparison. Not only so, her looks are also top-notch, almost as if she was the favored one of the heavens... but I know that she isn't happy. A heavy responsibility weighs down her shoulders, and no matter how she struggles, she's unable to free herself of the constraints fate has shackled on her," Luo Xuanqing said with a heavy voice.

"If she's unable to struggle free out of the shackles of fate, then at the very least, I hope that she will be granted the joys of a passionate love. I want her to be with someone she loves and not someone she's engaged to!"

Hearing the thoughts of his future brother-in-law, Zhang Xuan said, "I understand. Don't worry about the engagement, I'll deal with it!"

As long as the young prodigy did not appear, the Zhang Clan would be dispatching Zhang Jiuxiao for the engagement. Given the fact that Zhang Jiuxiao was his student, it would be for him to decide whether the engagement went ahead or not.

So, there would not be much of a problem regarding that.

Unless... the shameless young prodigy appeared at that moment!

"You'll deal with it? How do you intend to deal with it?" Luo Xuanqing scoffed. "If the engagement could be resolved that easily, given my younger sister's strength, she would have broken free of it by herself. Would she be placed in such a quandary over it?"

"I don't understand. If your younger sister doesn't will for it, she could always choose not to marry. Why is this such an issue?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He could understand that it was political marriage with much on the line, but if both the groom and the bride refused to marry, surely the marriage would be called off. What was so difficult about this matter?

"It seems like you are really unaware of it. This marriage isn't just a simple political marriage between both clans. More important than that..." At this point, Luo Xuanqing suddenly paused. A moment later, he shook his head and said, "Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. I once promised the elders in my clan that I would kill the man whom my younger sister loves, but you are simply too strong. So, it's not that I didn't try to kill you but that I'm unable to do it. Thus, I have not ignored the order from my clan."

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan was dazed.

In the end, the reason the other party seemed so desperate to kill him was because of the orders from his clan!

It would be best if he could accomplish his mission, but if he could not do it, there was nothing that could be done.

"However, since I was able to uncover your identity, it shouldn't be too difficult for the elders in the clan to find out about it as well. I do not hope to see the person my younger sister likes to die so young." Luo Xuanqing stood up and placed his hands behind his back.

"She told me to take care of you and not allow you to come to harm. Your strength is currently not beneath mine, so it's already beyond my capability to take care of you. However, you have to know that powerful clans possess many means to deal with a person. Be careful!"

"Thank you for your reminder!" Zhang Xuan clasped his hand.

Were it anyone else, he would have long let out the Inferno Qilin and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. There was no way that he would have allowed the other party to beat him up like that.

With these two saint beasts on his side, even the experts of the Luo Clan would have difficulty killing him!

Even in the worst-case scenario, he would still be able to escape.

"Don't die," Luo Xuanqing muttered before dashing ahead, disappearing into the night sky.

"Jeez..." Zhang Xuan shook his head as he used his zhenqi to swiftly heal his injuries before slowly standing up.

He knew just how much Luo Xuanqing doted on his younger sister, so upon hearing that a person whom he had trusted so deeply turned out to be his younger sister's lover, it was no wonder he was so furious.

For someone as hot-tempered as Luo Xuanqing, it must have taken a lot of self-restraint for him to hold himself back so much.

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly and muttered, "Don't worry, I'll definitely treat Ruoxin well. I won't let the slightest harm come to her!"

No matter how much effort he would have to put in, as long as he could be together with Luo Ruoxin in the end, he would not utter a single word of complaint!

This was his promise to Luo Xuanqing, as well as his promise to Luo Ruoxin and himself!

"You are good brother," Zhang Xuan said.

Between his responsibilities to the clan and his younger sister, he eventually chose to side with her younger sister. Such an action could be considered a betrayal to the Luo Clan, and as someone who had grown up as the Young Master of the Luo Clan, this was definitely not an easy decision to make.

"Alright, I should get to looking for Zhan shi now!"

After resting for a moment, Zhang Xuan finally recovered fully from his injuries. Without any hesitation, he flew straight for the Sanctum Head Hall.

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Chapter 1483: You Should Stay Here For a While!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In the Sanctum Head Hall, Zhan shi was pacing around with a tight frown on his forehead.

"Elder Ge, how do you view this matter?"

In the main hall, an elder was seated in one of the chairs, holding a Communication Jade Token in his hands with an unreadable expression on his face.

The head of the Hall of Integrity, Elder Ge.

"Zhang Wuheng has led the Zhang Clan for many years, and he's very particular about the Zhang Clan's reputation on the Master Teacher Continent. Since he passed a decree in his capacity as the First Elder, Zhang Xuan must have really done something unforgivable to the Zhang Clan," Elder Ge said severely.

They had some formal ties with the First Elder of the Zhang Clan, and they knew the latter to be a rational and dignified individual. For him to fly into such a rage and send a message to them overnight, even requesting for their help to apprehend Zhang Xuan, it seemed like that fellow had raised quite a storm in the Zhang Clan this time around.

"I am of the same view as you, but no matter what, he's still Yang shi's student," Zhan shi said with a frown.

"So what if he's Yang shi's student? All are equal in the eyes of the law! Back then, when Kong shi's direct disciple made a grave mistake, he was also punished before the crowd. As talented as Zhang Xuan may be, I think his arrogance is clear for us all to see. Just look at what he has done in his time here. I'm not in the least surprised that he would wreak havoc in the Zhang Clan! Since Elder Wuheng has already made this request of us, why don't we help him apprehend Zhang Xuan? This way, not only will we be able to win the Zhang Clan's favor, it'll also show the impartiality of our Sanctum of Sages in not blindly siding with our students," Elder Ge said.

"What you have said does make some sense. While I'm still not too sure what Zhang Xuan has done in the Zhang Clan, we can't just one-sidedly cover up for him. For the time being, you should dispatch some men to investigate what happened at the Zhang Clan, as well as whether Zhang Xuan has really utilized some means of teleportation that allowed him to secretly return to the Sanctum of Sages. Also, if you catch sight of Zhang Xuan, apprehend him right away. No matter what, we have to offer an explanation to the Zhang Clan, so we can't let him slip away at this point in time," Zhan shi instructed.

Previously, he had thought that Zhang Xuan might be a potential candidate to becoming the Sanctum Head, but the investigation over the past month had left him more and more convinced that it would be Feng Ziyi instead. Given so, there was no point offending the powerful Zhang Clan over a mere Zhang Xuan, especially given the weakened state that the Sanctum of Sages was in.

"Alright, I'll have it done!" Elder Ge nodded as he got to his feet, preparing to head out.

However, at this moment, knocking suddenly sounded on the door.

"Is Zhan shi inside? I am Zhang Xuan, and I have something that I need your help with!"

"Zhang Xuan? He actually came knocking of his own accord?"

The two elders glanced at one another in astonishment.

That fellow was way too gutsy!

It was just a moment ago that they had been discussing how they should go about apprehending that lad when he suddenly came rushing over in the next moment.

"Given how he was able to escape from right beneath Elder Wuheng's nose, he must possess some kind of extraordinary technique. Later on, I'll try to sound him out to see if things are really as Elder Wuheng made them out to be. If it's proven true, I want you to quickly control the formation in this room so as to prevent him from getting away, alright?" Zhan shi sent a telepathic message to Elder Ge.

Elder Ge quickly nodded in response.

After swiftly sorting out their plans, Zhan shi spoke up with a slightly louder voice. "Please enter!"

Jiya!

The door open, and Zhang Xuan walked in.

"Zhang shi, Elder Ge!" Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised to see that Elder Ge was around as well, but he did not neglect to greet the latter.

After trading some pleasantries, Zhan shi looked at Zhang Xuan intently and asked, "May I know the reason behind your late-night visit?"

"I am currently studying 9-star formations, and I am having some trouble procuring grade-9 formation flags to test out a formation. I heard that Zhan shi is adept in formations, so I came over hoping to get some from you. If it's required, I don't mind paying any price to purchase them," Zhang Xuan said.

"Grade-9 formations flags? I do have some with me, and if Zhang shi really needs them, it's not a problem for me to give them to you either. Just that..." Zhan shi directed a doubtful look toward Zhang Xuan before continuing. "Grade-9 formations require some degree of spatial manipulation in order to set up, so they are exceptionally difficult to construct. Considering Zhang shi's current cultivation realm, you should still be unable to utilize them, right?"

Grade-9 formations exploited the secrets of space, allowing the formation master to create spaces that were entirely isolated from the environment, thus granting a larger variety of effects.

In order to be able to set up even the simplest grade-9 formation, one's cultivation had to be at Saint 9-dan at the very minimum. Zhan shi had studied grade-9 formations for over a hundred years now, but even so, it was highly difficult for him to set up the most basic of grade-9 formations. Considering how the young man before him had only recently cleared his 8-star formation master examination, as well as the fact that his cultivation was still far from reaching Saint 9-dan, it seemed a little too early for him to start trying to set up grade-9 formations.

"I just want to try out some of my theories that I thought of in a moment of inspiration. I'm not expecting immediate success," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

While he did learn Heaven's Path Teleportation Formation Art, due to the limitations of his cultivation and a complete lack of experience in the field of Teleportation Formations, he was not so naive as to think that he would be able to succeed on the first attempt. At the very least, he felt that it would take two or three tries before he succeeded.

"It's always good to explore new things!" Thinking that Zhang Xuan was serious about learning and researching, Zhan shi nodded in approval as he picked up his teacup and sipped on it. "There are roughly a hundred basic grade-9 formations. May I know which one Zhang shi is studying at the moment? As you know, the effects of formation flags can differ greatly due to their properties, and it would be a disaster if the formation flags rebounded on you while you were constructing the formation!"

Due to the immense power that grade-9 formations wielded, it was important to pay careful attention while treading around it. The slightest mistake could lead to the massive power it harnessed running amok, so at the very least, the preparatory work should be as perfect as it could get so as to avoid a disaster.

"Regarding that... I intend to set up a Teleportation Formation," Zhang Xuan said.

"Teleportation Formation?" Taken aback, Zhan shi nearly spurted tea out of his mouth. Looking at Zhang Xuan as if he was looking at a monster, he exclaimed in shock, "Teleportation Formations are difficult to learn, even by the standards of grade-9 formations. Are you sure that you're going to start with that?"

Teleportation Formations could be further divided into various other levels, such as the transmission of information, long-distance projection of images, teleportation of non-living beings, and last but not least, the teleportation of living beings.

Transmission of information was at the most basic level; those 3-star to 4-star formation masters who specialized in this field would be able to construct them. As for projection of images, that would require a 6-star or 7-star formation master at the minimum. The teleportation of non-living beings was slightly harder, but 8-star formation masters who specialized in that field should be able to pull it off with sufficient effort.

And as for the teleportation of living beings... there were simply too many factors that one had to pay attention to, especially since the teleportation conditions had to be carefully controlled so that the person teleporting would not be injured. Even 9-star formation masters would have trouble coping with the many issues that could arise from the construction of a Teleportation Formation, let alone a Phantasmal Space realm 8-star formation master like the young man before him.

It was just like a person who had not even learned to walk yet was attempting to spread his wings and soar into the sky.

Noticing the incredulous look on Zhan shi's face, Zhang Xuan swiftly explained, "I actually possess exceptional sensitivity toward spatial laws, and I have spent quite some time studying the topic. It's because I've met a bottleneck in my studies that I would like to try setting it up so as to verify some of my hypotheses!"

He could not reveal the existence of the Heaven's Path Formation Art, so he could only use such vague terms to pass it off.

"Exceptional sensitivity toward spatial laws?" Zhan shi and Elder Ge traded glances before nodding inconspicuously.

They had still been harboring some doubts toward the message that they had received from Zhang Wuheng earlier, but considering the conversation about Teleportation Formations... it might just be true that the young man had teleported back into the Sanctum of Sages to flee from the Zhang Clan!

This was especially so given Zhang Xuan's abrupt arrival. Based on what they knew, the young man should have been in the Zhang Clan at that moment, and that was at least a month's journey away from the Sanctum of Sages.

Thus, Zhan shi paused for a brief moment before asking, "Right, didn't you head to the Zhang Clan a while back? Did Jian Qinsheng not return with you?"

"I had some urgent matters to attend to, so I came back in advance. Elder Jian should be coming back very soon," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Urgent matters? Is this relating to the Zhang Clan?" Zhan shi asked with a frown.

Knowing that it would be impossible for him to conceal the conflict with the Zhang Clan, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I did get into a conflict with the Zhang Clan, but I'll resolve it once I manage to clear the urgent matters I have at hand!"

"It's good that you intend to resolve the conflict with the Zhang Clan..." Seeing that the matter had been verified, Zhan shi did not hesitate to take action. "... but my apologies, Zhang shi. I'll need you to remain here for the time being!"

As he said those words, he waved his hand and swiftly sealed the space in the room.

Zhang Xuan found his body being locked in place, unable to move in the slightest.

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Chapter 1484: I Am Really Not Free

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What do you mean by this?" Feeling his entire body being bound in place, as if shackled with heavy chains, Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

He would have understood it if Zhan shi had refused to lend him any grade-9 formation flags, but what did the latter mean by making a move on him?

"The First Elder of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Wuheng, has sent a message over, requesting for the Sanctum of Sages to hand you over for wreaking havoc in their territory. I thought that there might be some misunderstandings, but since you have admitted to it, I'm afraid that it's our responsibility to hand you over to the Zhang Clan to face the consequences for your actions," Zhan shi said.

"Rest assured though, since you are a student of the Sanctum of Sages, we'll definitely try our best to protect you. It's also with you in mind that we chose such a course of action. The Zhang Clan is a behemoth on the Master Teacher Continent, and the longer you drag this matter on, the more unlikely it'll be for you to reconcile with them. You should take this opportunity to resolve the conflict with them once and for all; Elder Ge and I will be helping you by the sidelines."

"The First Elder of the Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Pardon me, but I still have some matters that I need to attend to, so I don't have time to wait for them to come over!"

Zhao Ya's life was at stake, so there was no time to be lost. Otherwise, he would not have teleported back using the Sanctum Head Token.

All in all, he had already wasted more than ten minutes there. A second wasted meant a second longer Zhao Ya would be danger. If he did not rush, he would regret it for life if something were to really happen to Zhao Ya!

Besides, the conflict between him and the Zhang Clan was not something that could be resolved with just a couple of words. Zhan shi might have been the deputy head of the Sanctum of Sages, but even his words would not be strong enough to resolve the situation.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's obstinate words, Elder Ge harrumphed. "That isn't up to you! Whether you like it or not, you will be waiting here obediently till the Zhang Clan arrives!"

As he spoke, he flicked out his wrist and whipped out a rope, which tied Zhang Xuan up real tight.

"I assure you two that I won't implicate the Sanctum of Sages in the conflict between the Zhang Clan and me, and I'll pay a visit to the Zhang Clan in the near future to resolve the conflict. For the time being, I really have urgent matters to attend to, so I ask of you two to let me off," Zhang Xuan said anxiously.

"No matter what kind of urgent matters you have at hand, you won't be going anywhere till the problem with the Zhang Clan is resolved," Zhan shi replied sternly. "Elder Ge, take him down for the moment. I'll inform Elder Wuheng right now to send his men over!"

"Yes!" Elder Ge nodded. With a pull, the rope tied around Zhang Xuan immediately tightened, sinking into his flesh.

"Since you aren't going to let me off, I'll have to beg your pardon for what I'm about to do..."

Seeing that the other party had their minds set on sending him over to the Zhang Clan, not leaving any room for discussion at all, Zhang Xuan knew that it was meaningless for him to say anything else.

Shaking his head, he said, "Inferno Qilin, I'll be leaving them to you!"

Hong long!

The next moment, an Inferno Qilin appeared before everyone's eyes. The moment that it appeared, a powerful burst of flames gushed outward, leaving the room feeling as if it was a furnace.

With just a light flick of its hoof, the rope binding Zhang Xuan fell to the floor.

Hu la!

After cutting the rope, the Inferno Qilin's powerful hoof thrust forward once more.

Peng! Peng!

Before Zhan shi and Elder Ge could even react to the situation, they were smashed right into the wall, plastered to it as if a lizard. A powerful impact reverberated through their bodies as fresh blood trickled down their lips.

The Inferno Qilin was a Saint 9-dan pinnacle beast possessing the Ancient Qilin Bloodline, and it possessed strength far beyond that of ordinary cultivators. While it had sustained considerable damage in its fight with the First Elder earlier, even in its wounded state, it was still an adversary far beyond the means of Zhan shi and Elder Ge to deal with.

Not expecting the young man to bring out such a powerful tamed beast, Zhan shi's face immediately turned livid. He swiftly tapped on the space ahead of him as he bellowed, "Activate!"

Weng!

The formation in the room swiftly whirled into action. A powerful pressure crushed down from the surroundings, suppressing the Inferno Qilin tightly.

They had planned to use this formation to trap Zhang Xuan, but it seemed like they would have to deal with this massive fellow before deciding anything.

If they allowed the beast to run rampage, it would not be long before the Sanctum of Sages was reduced to dust.

Roar!

Trapped in the formation, the Inferno Qilin released a furious bellow. It swept its tail forth with formidable force, but its tail was swiftly impeded with spatial ripples in the air.

The formation in the Sanctum Head Hall was something left behind by their ancestors, and its might was not to be underestimated. As powerful as the Inferno Qilin was, it was still unable to struggle free of its restraints in the short-term.

"Capture Zhang Xuan first! Once we subdue him, his tamed beast won't dare to do anything!" Zhan shi bellowed furiously.

Knowing that they would not stand a chance once the Inferno Qilin struggled free from the formation, he immediately rushed forward to grab Zhang Xuan and hold him hostage.

As the saying went, 'To take down a den of bandits, subdue the chief first!'

No matter how powerful the Inferno Qilin was, it was still nothing more than a tamed beast. Once its master was taken hostage, there would be nothing that it could do.

"Humph!"

It was already enough for him to come under attack from the elders of the Zhang Clan, but to think that even the elders of the Sanctum of Sages would be so eager to apprehend him... With an ireful wave of his hand, he commanded coldly, "Take down those two fellows!"

Hu!

The next moment, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast materialized and grabbed forward.

Peng! Peng!

Zhan shi and Elder Ge were swiftly sent flying once more.

"Saint 9-dan? Wasn't it at Saint 8-dan pinnacle just a month ago?" Elder Ge widened his eyes in horror.

He had experienced the frightening strength of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast once before, but back then, it had only been at Saint 8-dan pinnacle. How did it manage to make a breakthrough in just a single month?

There was a nearly unbridgeable rift between Saint 8-dan and Saint 9-dan. This final step was one that was exceptionally difficult to make, but once a cultivator managed to pass the threshold, their fighting prowess would be at a whole new level.

Elder Ge was not the only one shocked. Zhan shi also felt as if his head was exploding, as if he was going mad.

It was already a shocker to see that Zhang Xuan had a Saint 9-dan beast with him, but to bring out two at once... just how in the world did he tame those beasts?

It was no wonder he could wreak havoc in the Zhang Clan and still manage to get away scot-free. With just these two saint beasts, it would be difficult for the ordinary guards of the Zhang Clan to stop him!

"Hold it right there!" However, knowing that this was not the time to be shocked. Zhan shi flicked his wrist and wielded his sword.

With just a simple slash, a barrage of sword qi had already burst forth, sealing the movements of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. It was initially planning on charging forth to continue the pummeling, but under the onslaught of sword qi heading its way, it could only stop and defend against it for the time being.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had only reached Saint 9-dan recently whereas Zhan shi had already been in this realm for many years. Not to mention, he even wielded his sword and used a battle technique, so the fight ended in a stalemate for the time being.

"Don't bother too much with them, help the Inferno Qilin break free of the formation first. Strike there!" Knowing that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was at a disadvantage strength wise, Zhang Xuan quickly issued an instruction while pointing to a certain location in the room.

Knowing the severity of the situation, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast also hurriedly rammed its way toward the area that Zhang Xuan had pointed out, and with a powerful whip of its tail, it struck the spot with absolute precision.

Kacha!

A crisp echo sounded in the air, followed by intense tremors. The trapped Inferno Qilin swiftly tore free of the formation, and at the same time, the Sanctum Head Hall succumbed to the pressure and began collapsing.

As soon as it was free from its restraints, the Inferno Qilin immediately launched a vicious counterattack, as if to cleanse itself of the humiliation that it had just suffered. With a ferocious roar, it rammed right through Zhan shi's defensive swordsmanship, and raising its hoof, it thrust it down forcefully on the two elders.

Padah! Padah!

Zhan shi and Elder Ge hurriedly raised their arms to cushion the blow, but the colossal strength behind the hoof was too much for them to bear. Their backs gradually bent under the astounding might as the creaking of bones sounded in the air, ready to snap at any moment.

Saint beasts had always possessed an advantage in terms of strength over cultivators of the same tier. This included even the powerful combat masters, let alone them.

Sensing that he was swiftly reaching his limit, Elder Ge bellowed, "Zhang Xuan, do you know what you are doing? This is the Sanctum of Sages, the root of countless powerful experts! Do you understand the consequences of laying your hands on a deputy sanctum head and an elder? Don't let your own recklessness compel you to make a decision that you'll regret for life!"

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Chapter 1485: Surrender or Die!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hearing that Elder Ge wanted to pin such a heinous crime on him, Zhang Xuan could not help but scoff on the inside. Nevertheless, he still waved his hand and ordered, "Inferno Qilin, stop."

As awful as Elder Ge's words sounded, they also made sense.

The Sanctum of Sages was the highest academy on the Master Teacher Continent. Even though its standing was not on par with the Master Teacher Pavilion, and its strength had declined over time, its prestige and rallying power were still not to be underestimated.

In the first place, making a move on the incumbent deputy sanctum head and an elder could already be considered an extremely contemptible action. If it were to be known that he had severely wounded or even killed them, he could be making himself an enemy of the entire upper echelon of the Master Teacher Continent!

Roar!

Upon hearing the command, as infuriated as the Inferno Qilin was, it did not dare go against Zhang Xuan's order. Thus, it reluctantly retracted its hoof and backed off.

Zhan shi and Elder Ge heaved a deep sigh of relief. It was only at this moment that they suddenly realized that their robes were completely soaked in sweat.

Had the Inferno Qilin continued its attack, even if they walked out of there alive, they could have ended up being crippled for life.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan suppressed his emotions before stepping forward and clasping his fist. "It's not my intention to make a move on the two of you. However, I really do have urgent matters to attend to, and I can't afford to waste any time. I beg your pardon for this."

He was deeply displeased by Zhan shi and Elder Ge's actions, but this was not the time for him to fall out completely with them. The Zhang Clan was already on his back; he did not need to add the Sanctum of Sages into his list of pursuers.

Zhan shi shot a slightly apprehensive glance at the Inferno Qilin before harrumphing coldly. "Humph!"

He felt infuriated inside, but there was no way he could vent his rage. All along, he had viewed Zhang Xuan as someone who was within his control, but who would have thought that in a month of absence, the other party had already become a dragon soaring in the sky, far beyond his reach?

"Allow me to reassure you that I'll personally resolve the unhappiness with the Zhang Clan in the near future, so there's no need to worry about that. The reason I'm here today is to borrow the 9-star formation flags, and I hope that Zhan shi can grant my request!" Zhang Xuan said.

Zhan shi looked at Zhang Xuan deeply for a long moment before sighing deeply and saying, "Very well then, I'll take your word for it. I hope that you won't let me down."

Following which, he flicked his wrist and took out over a hundred formation flags. Every single one of them was made of a particularly resilient material. It was clear that they were all high-tier.

Grade-9 formation flags!

With the Inferno Qilin and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast watching from the side, Zhan shi felt that Zhang Xuan would order his tamed beast to snatch the formation flags from him by force if he refused. Rather than suffer for nothing, he thought that it would be wiser to hand them over first.

"Thank you, Zhan shi."

Zhang Xuan took the formation flags and examined them closely. After verifying that these formation flags were indeed suited for the construction of Teleportation Formations, he heaved a sigh of relief before turning his head toward the collapsed doorway. "Come in!"

It was only upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words that Zhan shi and Elder Ge realized that there was someone standing by the doorway. She was the genius from the Glacier Plain Court who had just enrolled earlier in the year, Chen Leyao!

At that moment, the young lady was staring at the rubble lying around the place with widened eyes. When she caught sight of the trail of blood trickling down from Zhan shi and Elder Ge's lips, she could not help but clasp her agape mouth in shock.

They were only there to borrow formation flags, not to raid the place. Was it really necessary to go so far?

How were they supposed to resolve the situation peacefully now that such a situation had happened?

However, she also knew that it was meaningless to think too much about it now—what was done was done. Thus, she quickly walked over to Zhang Xuan.

Paying no heed to Chen Leyao's shock, Zhang Xuan hurriedly sent a telepathic message over. "Tell me the exact location of the Glacier Plain Court."

Without any hesitation, Chen Leyao quickly informed Zhang Xuan of the exact location of the Glacier Plain Court telepathically. "It's located in the extreme north..."

"Got it!" After hearing the location from Chen Leyao, a map swiftly surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind as he quickly gauged the distance and direction of the destination from the Sanctum of Sages.

When setting up a Teleportation Formation, especially for ones with intended destinations as far as the one that Zhang Xuan was going to set up, there could be no mistake in the direction at all. Otherwise, even the slightest degree of deviation in the calibration could possibly result in the result being off by countless li.

After calculating for roughly five minutes, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply in relief before flicking his fingers.

Hu!

The formation flags that he was holding with his other hand immediately flew all over the place.

Weng!

As soon as they took their places, energy ripples began diffusing into the surroundings, forging a rather stable folded space. However, before it could fully take shape, it abruptly exploded.

First attempt, fail!

My strength is still insufficient.

Sensing that single attempt had taken away half of his total zhenqi, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

There was no mistake in his setting up of the formation flags and manipulation of energy earlier. In fact, the reason behind his failure was not because he had made any mistake but because he was not able to supply sufficient energy for the creation of the formation!

With his Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle cultivation, Heaven's Path zhenqi, and deep comprehension of space, his fighting prowess was at least on par with Dimension Sundering realm pinnacle experts. However, it was still insufficient for him to construct a Teleportation Formation.

"Now!"

While Zhang Xuan was still deliberating over what alternatives he could use in order to resolve the lack of energy, he suddenly heard a bellow from behind him. The next moment, Zhan shi and Elder Ge charged forward simultaneously.

The cold shimmer of a sword flashed across the room, freeing the two of them of the Inferno Qilin's control. Following which, the two of them swiftly fled into the air.

The Inferno Qilin and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had been so focused on their master that they were caught off guard by the duo's abrupt movements. They had to block their attacks in a fluster, so they failed to keep them from getting away.

In the sky, Zhan shi flicked his wrist and whipped out a token. Following which, with a resounding voice that echoed clearly to the corners of the Sanctum of Sages, he declared, "All elders of the Sanctum of Sages, hear my words! Zhang Xuan and his tamed beasts have audaciously made a move against me and Elder Ge, so I hereby declare him to be an enemy of the Sanctum of Sages. All of you are to immediately move out and apprehend him, and should he try to retaliate, you are permitted to take extreme actions... even at the cost of his life!"

As the deputy sanctum head, he could be considered the face of the Sanctum of Sages. Even if his pride could take it lying, he could not allow the long history of the Sanctum of Sages to be besmirched in his hands!

Hong long!

As soon as the decree was passed, a huge commotion broke out within the Sanctum of Sages. Countless figures emerged in the air, easily numbering in the tens of thousands.

Earlier, during the battle with the Inferno Qilin, Zhang Xuan had known that things could turn out bad if people started gathering there, so he had discreetly set up an isolation formation in the room in order to prevent any sound from getting out. As a result of that, despite the entire room collapsing, it had not caught anyone's attention.

However, the decree that had just been passed had reached the ears of every single elder and student in the Sanctum of Sages, so they swiftly flew up in order to see what was happening.

"This is bad... Inferno Qilin, hurry up and knock him down!"

Not expecting Zhan shi to suddenly act in such a way, Zhang Xuan's face darkened. He hurriedly ordered the Inferno Qilin to make a move.

"Roar!"

With a furious roar, the Inferno Qilin dashed into the sky and raised its hoof, preparing to knock Zhan shi down back onto the ground.

"Guardian Formation!"

Grasping the Deputy Sanctum Head Token in his hands tightly, Zhan shi swiftly activated the power in it, and a blinding burst of light suddenly flashed into the surroundings, seemingly communicating with a dormant ancient power in the Sanctum of Sages.

The surrounding space suddenly seemed to have been frozen solid, such that even the Inferno Qilin ended up freezing in place, unable to move in the slightest.

"Guardian Formation?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

The Sanctum of Sages had declined considerably over the years. The lack of a legitimate sanctum head had resulted in its inability to draw in and retain talents, resulting in an endless spiral of weakness. As a result, even the strongest expert within its ranks at the moment was only at Saint 9-dan primary stage.

However, this had not always been the case. There was a period of time when the Sanctum of Sages had stood at the very peak of the Master Teacher Continent, second only to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters!

After all, every single true sanctum head had possessed the Eye of Insight and was an expert that had exceeded Saint 9-dan, reaching a realm unthinkable to most. Even the First Elder would amount to nothing much before their eyes!

The Guardian Formation that they had left behind was the ultimate trump card of the Sanctum of Sages. Even if the Zhang Clan dispatched all of its forces over, it was questionable whether they would be able to breach it or not, let alone a mere Inferno Qilin!

It was also for this reason that the Sanctum of Sages had been able to remain standing even after all these years, retaining its prestige. Otherwise, given the weakness of the current deputy sanctum head, they would have been destroyed by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe long ago!

Sensing the despairing power of the formation, the Inferno Qilin anxiously sent a telepathic message over to Zhang Xuan. "Master, I'm unable to breach this formation! At this rate, we might all lose our lives here!"

Tzzzzzzz!

While the formation was trapping the Inferno Qilin, the other elders of the Sanctum of Sages also made their way over, and they swiftly took their positions behind Zhan shi.

"Zhang Xuan, surrender now or die," Zhan shi said impassively as he gazed down upon the young man below him with utterly cold eyes.

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Chapter 1486: Grand Formation of the Sages

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Ever since the founding of the Sanctum of Sages many millenniums ago, this was the very first time that a student had laid their hands on the deputy sanctum head, as well as the first time that someone had utterly destroyed the Sanctum Head Hall.

If something like that could be pardoned easily, how would the deputy sanctum head and the elders keep students in line in the future?

"Zhang shi, what do we do now?" Seeing the huge array of elders and students floating above them and the Guardian Formation sealing the space around them, Chen Leyao's face paled in fright as she trembled uncontrollably.

Even though she had been through many battles as a genius of the Glacier Plain Court, this was her first time facing something as huge as this!

To stand singlehandedly against the entire Sanctum of Sages, this was unprecedented in history!

"What else can we do? Once we are caught, it will be impossible for us to save Zhao Ya!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The situation with Zhao Ya was far more urgent, so he could not afford to waste any time there. Not to mention, just by looking at the faces of Zhan shi and the others, it was apparent that he would be done in for good if he was captured.

Thus, he could not surrender. Otherwise, there would be no second chance for him!

Until he had met all three conditions, he could not show the Sanctum Head Token to the others, or else it would be considered forfeiting his right to succession. This was the rule that Sage Kui had imposed to ensure that each generation of sanctum head truly possessed the capability to lead the Sanctum of Sages to greater heights.

As such, it seemed like he had no choice but to fight it out.

Understanding this, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the already activated Guardian Formation and uttered softly, "Flaws!"

Following which, a book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path. Tapping on it lightly, the knowledge within it swiftly flowed into his mind.

"Heaven Weaving Formation, grade-9 pinnacle formation... Truly formidable!"

The Guardian Formation of the Sanctum of Sages had been left behind by Sage Kui, and it had been enhanced by many sanctum heads over the years.

Every single generation of true sanctum head possessed the Eye of Insight, which allowed them to easily pick out flaws and resolve them. After many millenniums of improvement, the formation could already be considered as the crystallization of the wisdom of the top experts of the Master Teacher Continent. Of course, it still could not be considered flawless in the eyes of the absolute Library of Heaven's Path yet, but it was very close to that.

Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. Only seven flaws. This must be the fewest flaws I've seen among higher grade formations...

But no matter how few flaws were in the Guardian Formation, that did not make the slightest difference to what Zhang Xuan was about to do.

"Inferno Qilin and Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, I'll be counting on the two of you to defend against the lot of them and break this formation. I need to continue studying the Teleportation Formation!" Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan sent the information regarding the flaws of the Heaven Weaving Formation over to the two saint beasts via their telepathic link.

"Roar!"

Upon receiving the message, the two saint beasts roared furiously.

They had already known that that their master possessed extraordinary eyes at seeing things despite his young age, but who would have thought that he would actually be able to find so many flaws in a formation that was completely unfathomable to them?

Alone, these flaws might not amount to much, but when put together, they were confident that they would be able to shake its foundations.

On the other hand, seeing that Zhang Xuan was still busy examining the formation flags despite the warning that he had issued, Zhan shi narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Zhang Xuan, I acknowledge the strength of your tamed beasts, but before the Guardian Formation, they are nothing at all. I advise you take a good look at your current circumstances before making a decision..."

"Roar!"

But before he could finish his words, the Inferno Qilin abruptly broke free of its restraints, and with a deafening bellow, it thrust its massive hoof in a certain direction.

At the same time, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast glided along the ground as it dashed right into a certain building not too far away.

The core reason behind the strength of the Guardian Formation lay in the fortuitous aura that the Sanctum of Sages had accumulated over the many years, as well as the spiritual energy that had gathered in the area through the earth veins below.

The Inferno Qilin struck at one of the center points of the formation whereas the Netherworld Azure Dagon Beast crashed right into a spot where the spiritual energy drawn in through the earth veins accumulated, causing the spiritual energy to dissipate into the surroundings immediately.

With two critical strikes on its vitals, the incredibly powerful Heaven Weaving Formation swiftly deflated as if a balloon leaking air, losing the imposing might that it had commanded just a moment ago.

Hong long!

The energy that had frozen the surroundings earlier spurted out, falling right upon Zhan shi and the others.

"This... this is impossible!" Zhan shi uttered with his eyes widened in disbelief.

In the past several millenniums, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had attempted to attack the Sanctum of Sages thirteen times, but each and every single time, they had ended up fleeing without achieving anything. While it would be too much of an exaggeration to say that the Heaven Weaving Formation was unbreachable, still, there were few experts in the world who were capable of overcoming it!

And yet, those two saint beasts actually deciphered it so easily. How in the world did they manage to do it?

"Stop them!" Knowing that there was no use getting nervous, the person in the air flicked his wrist and thrust his palm downward.

Saint pinnacle battle technique, River Flipping Palm!

This was a move created by the Fourth Sanctum Head. It was a strike that descended from the heavens, wielding strength far beyond one's imagination. Augmented by the fortuitous energy that was billowing out from the ground, this technique could strike down even a Saint 9-dan intermediate stage cultivator in a single blow.

Unfortunately, his opponent was no Saint 9-dan intermediate stage cultivator but the Inferno Qilin.

Paying completely no heed to the palm, the inferno Qilin simply charged right into it, as if it was no threat at all.

Hong long!

The palm fell on the Inferno Qilin's head, but as if striking a Saint pinnacle artifact, it simply jolted Zhan shi's palm numb. The next moment, its head crashed right into Zhan shi's chest, forcefully pushing him away.

Sou!

Zhan shi's figure was sent flying, surging into the distance as if a shooting star.

"Zhan shi!"

Not expecting the Inferno Qilin to be so powerful, Elder Ge and the others hurriedly put their might together and charged forward to suppress it.

In response to their aggression, the Inferno Qilin roared furiously, and in the blink of an eye, its figure had already expanded to roughly forty meters tall. With this towering physique, it rammed right toward the group of elders.

Huala!

Tzzzzzz!

Elder Ge and the other elders were simultaneously knocked flying, and their brows and hair were charred black.

What was truly fearsome about the Inferno Qilin was not its hooves or tail but its body!

Tempered day and night by the Qilin Flames, its body had grown to become as strong as a Saint pinnacle artifact. Its ram would render even a Saint 9-dan cultivator powerless, let alone those elders.

"Is that really Zhang shi's tamed beast?"

"How could it be so powerful?"

"To outright defy and even utilize violence against the deputy sanctum head and the elders, does Zhang shi intend to betray the Master Teacher Pavilion?"

The students that had gathered around to spectate the sight were all flabbergasted by what they were seeing.

In their eyes, the deputy sanctum head, Elder Ge, and the others were figures far out of their league, perhaps invincible even! Seeing these figures standing completely helpless before a saint beast was something that they never could have dreamed off, and it seemed to shatter all of their previous notions of greatness of these elders.

But more important than that, to make a move against the elders of the Sanctum of Sages could already be considered an act of defiance against the authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion. No matter what, the Sanctum of Sages was still a subsidiary of the Master Teacher Pavilion and was protected by it. Did Zhang Xuan no longer want to remain as a master teacher?

"Damn it, damn it!"

While spurting large mouthfuls of blood, Zhan shi flew back to the Sanctum of Sages from the distance, and before reaching the area, he bellowed furiously, "Elders of the Sanctum of Sages, heed my command! Form the Formations of the Sages and subdue the Inferno Qilin together!"

Seeing how the Guardian Formation had been destroyed and the elders were falling from the sky one after another, Zhan shi could not take it any longer.

If he did not punish Zhang Xuan, the entire Sanctum of Sages would become a joke! As the deputy sanctum head, he could not allow the legacy of the organization to be destroyed under his leadership!

"Yes!" the elders replied resoundingly.

Following which, they swiftly scattered around to get into their positions. Putting their strength together, they formed something that resembled a fish net in the air.

"It's the Formation of the Sages..."

Chen Leyao's face paled in fright as she hurriedly turned to the young man before her, who was still busy trying to figure out how to make the Teleportation Formation work.

"Zhang shi, this isn't good. Run!"

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Chapter 1487: We're Leaving

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Other than the Guardian Formation, the next strongest trump card of the Sanctum of Sages was the Formation of the Sages formed by the elders.

This formation allowed all of the elders to channel their powers together to launch a devastating attack, thus making it a highly fearsome weapon.

Putting aside Zhang Xuan, even the Saint 9-dan beast might not necessarily be a match against the Formation of the Sages.

Huala!

Before Chen Leyao could finish her words, the net in the sky had already finished forming, sealing the entire area.

"Roar!"

Sensing danger from the newly formed net, the Inferno Qilin roared ferociously and charged right for it, intending to ram it down before it stabilized.

Huala!

The net that extended across the entire sky formed a massive network of zhenqi. It gathered together under Zhan shi's manipulation, instantaneously forming a pulse of energy that raced right for the charging Inferno Qilin.

Boom!

As if a forlorn boat drifting in the stormy oceans, the Inferno Qilin swiftly found itself overwhelmed by the tremendous might in the pulse. The pulse shoved it right into to the ground, raising a huge cloud of dust above it.

Roar!

The Inferno Qilin bellowed angrily as it struggled desperately against the raging pulse battering on it, but it was unable to break free of it at all.

While most of the elders hadn't reached Saint 9-dan, their combined prowess, which was further augmented by the unique energy seeping out of the Sanctum of Sages, still formed a force which even the Saint 9-dan pinnacle Inferno Qilin was unable to match.

It was only after a massive pit had been blasted in the ground did the pulse finally slow to a halt. The Inferno Qilin spurted a mouthful of golden blood as it attempted to return to its feet, only to find itself too wounded to stand.

"Hmph!" Seeing that they had finally managed to down the Inferno Qilin, Zhan shi swiiftly turned his gaze coldly toward another direction as he prepared the formation for another attack.

Huala!

Another white pulse of energy burst forth, headed in the direction where Zhang Xuan was standing.

In terms of might, it was far stronger than the one which had struck the Inferno Qilin earlier. If it were to really strike Zhang Xuan, he would die without any doubt!

"Master!"

The alarmed Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast immediately dashed back, but it was still a step too late. Before it could reach its master, the white pulse of energy had already swallowed the young man whole.

"Zhang Xuan..." Not too far away, Chen Leyao watched the sight in utter shock. A sudden feeling of weakness consumed her legs as she fell onto the ground, paralyzed.

From where she stood, she could clearly feel the energy pulsating from the attack. It was a force which even her teacher, a Saint 8-dan pinnacle expert, wouldn't be able to withstand.

Would the young man really die like that?

"He actually didn't dodge?" Up in the sky, Zhan shi couldn't help but freeze in astonishment as well.

While the attacks launched by the Formation of the Sages were incredibly powerful, they needed considerable time to charge up. He had expected Zhang Xuan to flee before the attack fell, and he was banking on the shockwaves of the pulse to incapacitate that fellow instead.

But who could have thought that that fellow would remain rooted to the spot, allowing the pulse to strike directly on him!

"Hmph, he deserves it! Given the heinous deeds he has committed, destroying the Guardian Formation and tearing down the Sanctum Head Hall, not even Yang shi would be able to speak on his behalf!" Elder Ge harrumphed as he discreetly shot a glance toward Zhan shi.

He knew that the latter was still harboring some reservations toward this matter. After all, Zhang Xuan was Yang Xuan's direct disciple, and it was hard to tell what that legendary man would do once he heard of this matter.

However, they couldn't be blamed for this matter either. There are many students here who could testify that the actions that they had made were out of self-defense. To actually dare to run rampant just because he had tamed a strong beast, that fellow deserved to meet with such an outcome!

"I'm not worried about that. It's just that it's saddening to see someone as talented as him passing away just like that..." Zhan shi shook his head.

As high as Yang shi's standing was on the Master Teacher Continent, he was still a person who respected the rules. Considering the actions that Zhang Xuan had done, there was no way Yang shi could still side with his direct disciple!

But... that young man was truly extraordinarily talented. It was a huge loss for mankind to lose such a talent.

"Given that fellow's character, his talents would only eventually become a huge scourge to humanity!" Elder Ge harrumphed.

What was the use of being talented?

If he were to devote his capabilities to doing evil, his talent would only turn out to be a bane for mankind.

In the history of the Master Teacher Continent, there was no lack of talented geniuses who ended up straying from the right path due to their difficult temperament.

"I guess you're right..." Zhan shi shook his head, deciding not to think too much into it anymore. "Clear up the place. We have to report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters as soon as possible."

"Yes!" Elder Ge replied.

He lowered his head to look at the rubble below when he suddenly caught sight of something that made his eyes narrow in shock. He nearly lost control of himself and plummeted to the ground.

"What's wrong?" Zhan shi frowned.

"Zhan shi... look!" Not knowing how he should explain the matter, Elder Ge anxiously exclaimed as he pointed to the ground.

In a huge pit in the ground where the energy pulse had struck previously, Zhang Xuan stood completely unharmed. There were dozens of formation flags planted in front of him, and light was shimmering off their surface. The space around the pit was rippling a little, emanating warm energy.

"That's... Teleportation Formation? He managed to construct it?"

There was no mistaking it—the formation constructed by those formation flags was definitely a Teleportation Formation! Not only so, the space around the formation was considerably stable, which meant that there wasn't the slightest mistake in the construction!

It was one thing for a mere Phantasmal Space realm cultivator to emerge completely unharmed under the attack of the Formation of the Sages, but to successfully construct a Teleportation Formation in the meantime as well...

Was this for real?

"Inferno Qilin, Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and Chen Leyao, come over. We're leaving!"

The young man in the pit chuckled softly before turning his gaze to the sky, "Zhan shi and fellow elders of the Sanctum of Sages, I really have to thank you all for your energy. Otherwise, god knows how long it would take for me to finish this formation... Alright, I still have things to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave first. Let's meet again in the future!"

After saying those words, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and kept his two saint beasts into the Myriad Anthive Nest. At the same time, he quickly grabbed Chen Leyao and wrapped her in his zhenqi before activating the Teleportation Formation. A brilliant light shrouded the both of them, and they immediately vanished from the spot.

"Don't let him get away!" Dumbfounded by the sight before him, it took some time before Zhan shi could think once more. He shouted angrily as he dashed right for the Teleportation Formation, intending to head into it as well so as to chase Zhang Xuan.

However, just as he was getting close, he suddenly noticed a surge of energy swiftly swelling up in the formation, reminiscent of a full dam that was on the verge of collapsing. Following which...

Boom!

In the next moment, the formation abruptly collapsed. Dozens of formation flags were rooted off the ground and swept into the surroundings, causing the Teleportation Formation to vanish altogether. Everything happened so swiftly that it was almost as if the formation hadn't appeared in the first place at all.

"The Teleportation Formation he created has a self-destruction sequence too?" Zhan shi felt as if his sanity was on the verge of crumbling.

Naturally, he was a skilled formation master himself, or else he wouldn't have grade-9 formation flags in his possession.

For the young man to be able to create a Teleportation Formation under their attack and even embed a self-destruction sequence with it... Wasn't he able to do a little too much within too short a period of time?

With the destruction of the Teleportation Formation, there was no way they would be able to figure out where he had been teleported to and chase after him anymore.

They had lost their only lead to the young man.

Glancing at the rubble all around him, Zhan shi's eyes turned wintry.

"That fellow's escape will eventually culminate into a catastrophe for mankind. Elders and students of the Sanctum of Sages, hear my command! From this day onward, if anyone were to catch sight of Zhang Xuan, report upward without any delay! If there's a chance to strike, kill him without any hesitation!"

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Chapter 1488: City of Glacier

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hula!

Amid intense wobbling, Zhang Xuan crashed down onto the floor and spurted a mouthful of blood.

Just like the previous time around, he felt his entire body aching as if it had been ripped apart many times over. Multiple lacerations could be seen all over his body.

In truth, with his current strength, it should have been impossible for him to construct a Teleportation Formation. However, knowing that the matter with Zhao Ya could not be delayed, he could only take a gamble and face Zhan shi and the other elders' attack face on, hoping to successfully redirect the force into the formation to activate it.

Fortunately, things did work out as planned.

The combined might of the elders of the Sanctum of Sages formed a surge of energy that even the Saint 9-dan pinnacle Inferno Qilin was unable to withstand. With such immense power being infused into the formation, the formation immediately received sufficient energy to be activated.

It was with this that Zhang Xuan managed to flee from that dire situation.

But while the activation of the Teleportation Formation was a success, he also sustained unprecedentedly severe injuries in the midst of carrying out his plan.

Putting aside the severe vertigo caused by the long-distance teleportation, just the redirection of the elders' attack was more than sufficient to make his innards churn around, inflicting grievous internal injuries on him.

Furthermore, while he did redirect the attack away from him, lingering shockwaves from it still managed to slip into his body, gnawing at him from within. Even with the Heaven's Path zhenqi, it would be hard for him to recover quickly.

Peng!

Zhang Xuan tried to struggle to his feet when he heard another dull thud beside him. Turning his head over, he saw that Chen Leyao had fallen beside him. Her injuries were astonishingly more severe than his.

Her body was covered with cuts, and her breathing was very weak. It seemed as if she might stop breathing at any moment.

No matter what, she was only at the Leaving Aperture realm. While the Teleportation Formation that Zhang Xuan had created was far more stable than that of other Teleportation Formation, it still was not something that she was able to endure.

In view of this, Zhang Xuan had tried his best to cover her with a thick layer of his zhenqi so as to protect her during the teleportation, but it seemed like he had still underestimated the strain of the teleportation.

He quickly looked at Chen Leyao's condition, and after confirming that her injuries were treatable and would not leave behind any permanent issues, he heaved a sigh of relief.

What a relief...

He slowly stood up, but as soon as he began moving, his injuries relapsed, causing him to spurt two mouthfuls of blood.

This was probably the worst injury that he had sustained ever since he started cultivating.

He struggled his way up to Chen Leyao, and with a few flicks of his fingers, he sent several surges of zhenqi into her meridians, mending her wounds.

Watching as her complexion gradually improved and her wounds closed up, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief before quickly treating himself.

He spent ten minutes driving his zhenqi three circulations around his body before the excruciating strain that he felt in his body finally alleviated considerably.

While he had not fully recovered yet, he could already move around without much problem.

I should stop taking such risks in the future, or else I really might lose my life like that one day, Zhang Xuan thought.

Just thinking of what he had gone through was enough to leave his heart beating in trepidation. Everything turned out well in the end, but had he made the slightest mistake, he could have lost it all then.

It was reassuring to see that Lady Luck was still shining down on him.

He turned his gaze to look at Chen Leyao once more and saw that the latter was still unconscious. Nevertheless, her breathing had steadied considerably, and those glaring wounds from before had already vanished.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out a pack of silver needles, and after infusing his zhenqi into them, he inserted them all over her body.

Having read all of the 8-star physician manuals in the Sanctum of Sages, even without using the Library of Heaven's Path, he possessed abilities on par with a 9-star physician. Chen Leyao had only fainted due to the trauma from the jolt in the spatial disturbance. With her injuries out of the way, it was not too difficult to rouse her consciousness.

As expected, the moment that the silver needles were inserted, Chen Leyao's eyebrows fluttered for a moment before she slowly opened her eyes.

She was dazed for a moment before she slowly sat up and gazed at her surroundings with a wondrous look on her face, muttering, "I'm still alive..."

The severe pressure that had pressed down on her during the teleportation had left her feeling as if death was swiftly encroaching on her, and she had never thought that she would survive the ordeal.

Hearing Chen Leyao's response, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly. "I'm around. How could I possibly allow you to depart to the other world under my watch?"

Then, his tone turned slightly more serious before continuing. "Alright, I need you to help me see where we currently are and how far we are from the Glacier Plain Court!"

"Un." Chen Leyao nodded as she got to her feet. With a leap, she headed into the sky and scanned her surroundings. A look of disbelief crept onto her face as she exclaimed, "This... is the suburbs of the City of Glacier? We managed to get here so quickly?"

The first experience at teleportation would often leave one with a feeling of spatial and temporal disorientation. Even Zhang Xuan was no exception to this rule, let alone her.

"City of Glacier?" Hearing that this foreign term, Zhang Xuan frowned. "How far is that from the Glacier Plain Court headquarters?"

He had strictly followed the directions given by Chen Leyao during the construction of the Teleportation Formation. Could something have gone wrong?

Noticing the frown between Zhang Xuan's brows, Chen Leyao quickly clarified, "The Glacier Plain Court headquarters is right within the City of Glacier. There's a Sect Formation that prevents any outsiders from teleporting right into the city, so the coordinates that I gave you were the suburbs instead. I really didn't think that you would be able to teleport here so accurately!"

As one of the top powers on the Master Teacher Continent, there was no way it would allow unidentified personnel to teleport straight into their sect. If they had really attempted that, they might have lost their lives before they could even get to the young court chief.

However, Teleportation Formations were known to be highly unstable. Often, the destination tended to diverge from the location set by quite a bit, especially for long-distance Teleportation Formations. Yet, in the first try, the young man was actually able to calibrate the Teleportation Formation to the exact spot that she had given!

That was something that even 9-star pinnacle formation masters would find it hard to achieve!

In fact, 9-star formation masters would usually leave a portal artifact at the destination of their Teleportation Formation in advance so that they would be able to lock onto the destination with greater certainty.

To be able to achieve such precision with nothing but coordinates and mental calculation... that young man's capability was truly inconceivable!

Did he really know nothing about Teleportation Formations before this and spent just a couple of minutes learning it?

Hearing that they were in the vicinity of the Glacier Plain Court headquarters, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright! Since we're here, let's quickly enter the city. We need to find a way to figure out what's happened to Zhao Ya!"

"Un."

Just by how the young man was willing to turn against the entire Sanctum of Sages to save his student, his determination to rescue his student was clear to see. Without wasting any time, Chen Leyao immediately flew over to a city wall not too far away.

Due to the City of Glacier being occupied by the powerful Glacier Plain Court, despite its eternal frost, it was still one of the largest cities in the Master Teacher Continent. There were towering walls surrounding the massive city, and perhaps because the night setting in, the city gates were tightly shut, turning away all visitors.

However, with her token as one of the inner disciples of the Glacier Plain Court, Chen Leyao was still able to gain entry with ease.

Snowflakes drifted quietly into the city, adding on to the knee-high piles of snow shoved to the sides of the street. Despite the piercing cold, the streets were still vibrant and lively. Huge crowds milled about the area, and from time to time, there would be a carriage passing by.

Chen Leyao glanced at Zhang Xuan and asked, "Zhang shi, shall we head straight into the Glacier Plain Court?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head in response.

"Why not?" Chen Leyao asked in incomprehension.

Was the reason they had gone through so much trouble rushing there not to get to the young court chief as quickly as possible? Why was the other party suddenly backing out after reaching their destination?

"The important matter at hand is not to enter the Glacier Plain Court but to find out what has happened so as to make preparations in advance. Otherwise, if we slip in carelessly and something goes wrong, not only will we be unable to save her, we might even lose our lives," Zhang Xuan said with a deep frown on his forehead.

"What could go wrong in the Glacier Plain Court? Or could it be... Zhang shi, do you mean to say that..."

Chen Leyao was stunned for a moment as realization fell on her like a bucket of ice-cold water.

"... something bad has happened within the Glacier Plain Court?"

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Chapter 1489: My Name Is...

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

She had asked close sisters of hers within the Glacier Plain Court about the young court chief, but the replies that she had received all said that nothing had happened. But thinking about it, that did not make sense at all! How could something possibly happen to the young court chief, a person whose standing was only beneath that of the First Elder, without anyone noticing?

There were only two possibilities to explain this peculiar situation.

One, the young court chief was lying.

Two, the crisis happened from within the sect, and someone was intentionally suppressing the news.

Thinking about it now, the young court chief should have informed the elders and the experts within the Glacier Plain Court directly in order to deal with the crisis instead struggling to send a message to trouble her relatively much weaker teacher. After all, that would have been the most rational thing to do!

Clearly, it appeared that there was no one she could trust within the Glacier Plain Court!

This realization made goosebumps rise all over Chen Leyao's body as she shook her head in disbelief.

She had only known that the young court chief was facing some kind of danger, but she had not really thought that deeply into the matter before. This also explained why Zhang shi was against having her recklessly contact the Glacier Plain Court!

"I understand that you are a member of the Glacier Plain Court. If this matter puts you in a spot, I can deal with it myself. However, I still have to ask of you not to reveal my whereabouts to anyone!" Zhang Xuan turned to Chen Leyao and clasped his fist.

If something had really happened within the Glacier Plain Court, it would indeed be too much to ask of her to choose between him and the Glacier Plain Court. Instead of putting her in a spot, it might be better for her to stay out of this matter altogether. That way, she could at least feign ignorance and steer clear of trouble.

"This..." Chen Leyao was stumped.

Her previous realization had also led her to a certain deduction. If it was true that the Glacier Plain Court had turned hostile toward the young court chief, there was only one person who wielded the ability to pull it of... the First Elder!

For as long as she could remember, the First Elder had been responsible for managing everything in the Glacier Plain Court. Be it internal or external affairs, everything was decided upon her words. For this reason, even though she was not the court chief, her position was as good as that.

If her previous guesses were correct and someone inside had indeed tried to make a move on the young court chief, the culprit was most likely the First Elder herself! No one had the ability to conceal anything happening within the Glacier Plain Court from the First Elder, and if the matter truly had nothing to do with the First Elder, she definitely would have stepped in and saved the young court chief by now!

But if the First Elder was truly the culprit... as a disciple of the Glacier Plain Court, could she really disobey her commands?

"Don't worry, I understand. Farewell!" Not wanting to put Chen Leyao in a spot, Zhang Xuan turned around and walked away.

However, barely after he took a couple of steps, Chen Leyao suddenly rushed over from behind and stopped him. With a resolute look on her face, she said, "Wait a moment! The young court chief is an amiable person, and I am also indebted to Zhang shi. I wish to lend you my aid in rescuing the young court chief... even if this means going against the First Elder!"

Zhang Xuan looked at Chen Leyao deeply and asked, "Have you thought it through it? This matter could have severe implications. You do understand that there's no turning back from this, right?"

Chen Leyao sighed before nodding grimly. "I understand!"

She had grown up in the Glacier Plain Court, and naturally, she was greatly attached to it. However, the young man before her was the person who had modified the Glacier Plain Court's cultivation technique and saved many of her sisters from meeting a premature death, and the young court chief seemed to be a kind person as well. More than that, she was also deeply in awe at how the young man was willing to stand against the Sanctum of Sages for the sake of his student. She earnestly hoped to lend him her strength.

"Very well, allow me to thank you on Zhao Ya's behalf then!" Seeing that the other party had made up her mind, Zhang Xuan nodded. "Is there anyone in the Glacier Plain Court whom you are closer with that has a high standing? I think we should start tackling the matter from there. Perhaps, we might be able to find some clues."

First and foremost, he would have to uncover what had happened to Zhao Ya before he could start designing some countermeasures.

But to hear about matters in the Glacier Plain Court, it went without saying that they would need someone on the inside.

Chen Leyao pondered for a long while before saying, "Those who are closer to me are of the younger generation, so I doubt that they will know much about the plight of the young court chief. However, there's a certain elder whom I happen to be closer with. She has always been very caring to me, so I think I could try asking her."

"Elder? What's her cultivation realm?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Saint 8-dan advanced stage. She isn't too strong among the elders, but she's in charge of managing the basic necessities in the Glacier Plain Court. If something has happened to the young court chief, I think she would know," Chen Leyao said.

"I see. Very well, bring me to meet her!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Even though the elder whom Chen Leyao spoke of did not have too high a position, being in charge of the basic necessities, she should have a good grasp over the happenings in there.

If something had happened to Zhao Ya, she definitely would have heard of it.

"Considering how night has set in, I think she should be resting in her accommodation at the moment. However, her accommodation is located in the depths of the Glacier Plain Court, so it might not be easy to slip in at the moment," Chen Leyao said with a deep frown.

Judging from the time, the Glacier Plain Court would have already closed its gates. As such, it would not be easy for them to get in.

"Can you invite her out for a meeting?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Chen Leyao shook her head and replied, "It won't be easy. The rules of the Glacier Plain Court are enforced quite strictly. Even though she's an elder, she still won't leave the Glacier Plain Court easily. However, she will head out at dawn to procure fruits, vegetables, and the sort, so we should be able to get to her then!"

"Dawn?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "There's still six more hours before dawn. Too many things can happen within six hours; I can't wait that long. Is there any other way to get to her?"

Time was of the utmost importance. Until they finally uncovered what had happened to Zhao Ya, they could not waste a single second.

"This..." Chen Leyao fell silent.

She had always been one of the more obedient ones in the Glacier Plain Court, so she had no experience of sneaking out at night before. As a result, she found herself completely stumped by Zhang Xuan's question.

"The elder you spoke of should have a certain supplier whom she works with in order to procure rations for the Glacier Plain Court, right?"

"As one of the top powers on the Master Teacher Continent, the Glacier Plain Court only takes in high-quality rations that are cultivated by professionals and contain minimal impurities," Chen Leyao said. "To be honest, I'm not too sure whom the supplier is, but from what I know, the only supplier in the City of Glacier that has the ability to meet the Glacier Plain Court's needs is the Han Clan! They are also the largest clan here."

The larger a power was, the more stringent their demand on rations would be. In order to cultivate their younger generation, it was important to pay careful attention to their diet, so they would not simply purchase any food from roadside vendors.

Besides, this was also a security issue. Otherwise, if someone laced their vegetables with poison, would the entire organization not be done in?

As such, it was certain that they would have a specific supplier.

"The Han Clan? Do you know where they live?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Understanding Zhang Xuan's intention, Chen Leyao nodded. "Yes, I know where they are."

It might be difficult for her to invite the elder out, but if the supplier was the one to do the inviting instead, it should be much easier.

"Lead the way!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

The two of them swiftly strode through several streets, and roughly ten minutes later, a resplendent manor appeared before their eyes.

"Zhang shi, this is the Han Clan!" Chen Leyao introduced.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded as he examined the massive manor before him.

To be qualified to supply rations to one of the top powers of the Master Teacher Continent, the Han Clan was certainly quite a powerful clan.

"Send in a name scroll!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

It was clearly not viable to barge into the clan. Besides, if he caused a huge commotion, it could cause more trouble than it would be worth. For the time being, it would be best to get the person-in-charge to meet him willingly.

"Name scroll? Do I put down my name?" Chen Leyao was taken aback.

While she was indeed one of the more talented disciples in the Glacier Plain Court, the other party was a figure who was able to talk on equal terms with an elder of the Glacier Plain Court. Considering the ungodly hour that they had come knocking, it was not too likely that they would be able to meet the master of the manor.

"Use my name instead!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Yours?" Chen Leyao widened her eyes in astonishment.

While Zhang Xuan was the young court chief's teacher, this was something that was only known by very few members of the Glacier Plain Court, so he did not have much fame. And more importantly, he had just gotten into a conflict with the Sanctum of Sages, so was it not too dangerous to use that name?

"Pardon me for saying this, Zhang shi, but I don't think your name will work either..."

However, before she could finish her words, Zhang shi suddenly turned around, and a foreign face came into her sight—the other party had morphed his appearance into that of a middle-aged man with yellowish skin tone. With a perfectly nonchalant expression, he said, "From now on, my name is...

"Yang Xuan!"

Chapter 1490: Han Shuiliu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Yang Xuan?" It took a moment before Chen Leyao processed what Zhang Xuan was saying, and she was nearly scared out of her wits. "Y-you... are going to use Yang shi's name?"

Yang Xuan—there was no way she could not have heard of this name before.

The number one grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters that carried the reputation of being the number one expert of the Master Teacher Continent, he was a figure that most could only look up to... but Zhang Xuan was going to use his name?

Even if he's your teacher, you can't just borrow his name like that, right?

"This is the only way we can get the head of the Han Clan to meet us," Zhang Xuan said. "Given that Zhao Ya is his grandstudent, he should be fine with it... I guess."

Chen Leyao was still a little uncertain about this matter.

The young man before her was simply too daring.

It was one thing to make a move on the elders of the Sanctum of Sages, but to act as his own teacher as well... It would still be fine if he did not get exposed, but if others found out about it, this was a matter that would bring even the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters into the picture!

All of a sudden, Chen Leyao found herself regretting having agreed to help him.

At this rate, there was no telling what kind of mess this brazen man would stir up.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine!" Seeing Chen Leyao's expression, Zhang Xuan could tell what she was worried about, so he waved his hands reassuringly.

He was already accustomed to impersonating Yang Xuan, and he was confident that he would be able to deal with whatever the other party threw his way.

Given the current circumstances, his name would not be of much use. However, if he brought the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Yang Xuan into the picture, he would be able to swiftly get people to do his bidding, and that should allow him to quickly uncover Zhao Ya's whereabouts.

In any case, the real Yang Xuan should still be in seclusion in the Zhang Clan. Considering how the other party still had not emerged when he left, it was unlikely that the other party would be out anytime soon. Given so, there was nothing for him to worry about.

"Very well then..." Knowing that she was already onboard this darned ship and was unable to back down anymore, Chen Leyao resignedly took out a scroll and began writing on it.

"There's no need to write Master Teacher Pavilion. Just the two words, 'Yang Xuan' will do!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Very well!" Chen Leyao was not sure why Zhang Xuan would make such a request, but she felt that the other party would have his own motive for making such a request, so she took out a new scroll and began writing on it once more.

After she was done, she walked up to the door and knocked on it.

Jiya!

A guard opened the door and shot Chen Leyao a questioning gaze.

"Our old master wishes to pay a visit to your master! I ask of you to pass this name scroll to him," Chen Leyao said as she passed the scroll over.

"Look at the time! Our old master is already resting in his room, so if you have any business, please return tomorrow!" The guard shook his head, refusing to take the name scroll.

At the guard's rejection, Chen Leyao flicked her wrist and flashed a token to the guard. "I advise you take the name scroll and have your master take a look at it. Should there be any delay in this matter, a mere guard like you won't be able to take responsibility!"

"You are an inner disciple of the Glacier Plain Court?"

The guard might not know who Yang Xuan was, but he could at least recognize the token. Alarmed, he hurriedly accepted the name scroll and said, "Please wait here in our main hall for a moment. I'll relay your name scroll to the master!"

A person whom even an inner disciple of the Glacier Plain Court had to address as 'old master' must at least be the equivalent of an elder at the very least. A guard like him could not afford to offend such a figure.

"Un."

Chen Leyao put away her token before walking back to Zhang Xuan and taking her position behind him. Under the lead of the guard, the two of them slowly made their way into the courtyard and took a seat in the main hall.

After preparing some tea for the two guests, the guard quickly rushed over to the clan head's room.

Despite the late hour, the clan head had yet to turn in for the night, still busy discussing something with the clan elders. The guard quickly walked into the room and clasped his fist. "Master, someone requests your presence!"

"At this hour? Who is it?" the head of the Han Clan, Han Shuiliu, asked with a frown.

"This is his name scroll." Not daring to say too much, the guard quickly passed the name scroll over.

Han Shuiliu took the name scroll and opened it slowly. There were only two words written on it—Yang Xuan.

"Yang Xuan?" Han Shuiliu was bewildered to see such an uninformative name scroll. "What kind of background does that person have?"

The purpose of a name scroll was to express one's identity to the other party, so he had never seen such a name scroll consisting of just a single name before.

The guard pondered for a moment. "He's a middle-aged man dressed in a master teacher robe. He doesn't have an emblem on, so I'm not too sure what his master teacher rank is..."

"A master teacher without an emblem?" Han Shuiliu was even more perplexed.

Master teachers would usually pin their emblem on their chest to allow others to recognize them. To hand over a name scroll consisting of just a name and not pin his emblem on his chest, and more importantly, to come knocking at such an ungodly hour... just who could that fellow be?

"He's probably some arrogant brat who came to try his luck." Unable to make sense of the situation, Han Shuiliu placed the name scroll on the table and instructed, "Tell him to come again tomorrow morning and send him away!"

"But Master, that Yang shi's subordinate is an inner member of the Glacier Plain court!" the guard quickly said.

"His subordinate is an inner member of the Glacier Plain Court?" Han Shuiliu's expression froze in place. "A master teacher, Yang Xuan... Could it be... could it be..."

As he muttered beneath his breath, his face gradually warped into one of utter shock.

"... him?"

"Clan head, who are you talking about?" one of the elders asked.

The other elders who had been conferencing with Han Shuiliu earlier also shot doubtful gazes over.

Han Shuiliu turned to the elders and said, "If I recall correctly, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters has a legendary grand elder whom few have ever met, and his name happens to be Yang Xuan. Could that person be him?"

"Grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters? That's a figure who lives in the clouds—there's no way he would pay a visit to mere mortals like us." The elder shook his head.

While their Han Clan was of considerable standing in the City of Glacier and wielded considerable influence in the Glacier Plain Court, still, in comparison to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, it was not even worth mentioning.

There was no way a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would pay them a visit, let alone hand over a name scroll. The very notion of this was simply too ridiculous to be true!

"I also don't think that it's likely, but that person is a master teacher and is named Yang Xuan. I can't think of another person who fits..." Han Shuiliu shook his head. "I think you should all come out to greet him with me. It's one thing if he isn't that man, but if he really is and we fail to welcome him properly, our Han Clan would be in jeopardy."

It was relatively common to see two people with the same name on the Master Teacher Continent, but Yang Xuan was a rather rare name, and he did not know of another master teacher who went by that name.

While he felt that the matter was very unlikely, he did not want to take chances. As a small clan, it was best for them to tread carefully.

"Un!"

The other elders nodded as they swiftly followed Han Shuiliu out of the room. Soon, they arrived in the main hall and saw a middle-aged man with slightly yellowish skin sitting by the side, nonchalantly sipping on his tea.

As soon as he entered the room, Han Liushui immediately clasped his fist and asked, "May I know if you are Yang shi?"

His cultivation had already reached Saint 8-dan pinnacle, but to his astonishment, he was unable to gauge the depths of the other party's cultivation. His aura felt ordinary, but hidden amid the ordinary was a certain vibe that sent shudders running through his heart.

It was hard to describe that feeling, but it was like facing a dormant volcano. One might not even pay it a second glance usually, but once it began erupting, it would definitely end with a catastrophe.

Even with the combined might of the entire Han Clan, Han Shuiliu was not sure if he would be able to stand against him.

"I happened to pass by this area, and there were some things that I would like to enquire about. Pardon me for imposing on you at this hour, "Zhang Xuan said as he slowly rose to his feet.

It was the same gesture that Han Liushui had done, clasping of fist, but there was a natural air of loftiness in his actions. It was not an intentional action, but it seemed to emanate the air of a lonesome expert.

Expert! He must definitely be an expert! Han Liushui narrowed his eyes in shock.

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Chapter 1491: Three Birds with One Stone

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While the other party had not revealed his exact strength so far, much could be said just by the natural majesty that he commanded. It was clear that he had experienced the vicissitudes of life and braved through countless storms.

Even if the other party was not the legendary Yang shi, it was likely that he was of considerable standing, someone a small clan like them could not offend.

Understanding this, Han Shuiliu immediately humbled himself and said, "Yang shi, there's no need to stand on ceremony! It's the honor of our Han Clan to have you here. May I know what you need to ask of us? As long as it's within the means of our Han Clan, we will definitely try our utmost to accomplish it!"

"It's nothing much. I happened to be passing by the area when a saint beast attempted to attack me, so I swiftly subdued it. But in light of the fact that it wasn't an intentional act on its part and that it expressed willingness to submit to me, I decided to treat its injuries. However, I never bring medicine on me during my travels, and I happened to hear that the Han Clan has an inventory of medicinal herbs, so I came over hoping to request some!" Zhang Xuan said with a slight smile.

"Medicinal herbs?" Han Shuiliu nodded. "May I know what saint beast it is, and what kind of medicinal herbs does it require?"

As each saint beast had its own constitution, the medicinal herbs they required to treat the same injury could be different. For one, fire attribute medicinal herbs would be more effective for the Inferno Qilin whereas the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would do better with cold attribute medicinal herbs.

Only by learning what kind of saint beast they were dealing with would they be able to retrieve the medicinal herb that it required.

"It's them..." Zhang Xuan said as he flicked his wrist, and two saint beasts immediately appeared right in the middle of the main hall.

As soon as they appeared, a fearsome aura immediately filled the room, leaving one feeling as if the entire main hall would be flipped upside down.

"Saint 9-dan Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?"

"Saint 9-dan pinnacle Inferno Qilin?"

"He was actually able to injure those two saint beasts without sustaining any injuries?"

...

Seeing the two massive fellows appearing all of a sudden, the room suddenly plunged into silence. The elders of the Han Clan began shivering involuntarily out of fear.

It was just a moment ago that some of them had felt that the clan head was making a big fuss by coming over to greet the guest personally, but after seeing the two gigantic saint beasts, such thoughts were utterly vanquished from their minds.

To be able to wound Saint 9-dan beasts so easily, not to mention the utter nonchalance he had when speaking of the matter, as if it was nothing at all... just how powerful was he?

Just imagining it was enough to make their guts churn in horror!

"I'll require a Rubysun Grass, Amityfire Flower, Green-leafed Violet Stem, Pristine Vine..."

"... That should be all." After stating roughly a dozen medicinal herbs, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed, "Their injuries are truly regrettable. I failed to control my strength well and accidentally exerted a tenth more, resulting in this unfortunate outcome. It seems like I really should pay careful attention to this in the future!"

Just by exerting a tenth more strength, he was able to cause this much damage to the two Saint 9-dan beasts?

Han Shuiliu gulped unconsciously. He swiftly went through the herbs that the other party had stated, and a moment later, his complexion suddenly turned a little awful. With a slightly hesitant voice, he clasped his fist and said, "Yang shi, regarding those medicinal herbs..."

"Rest assured. Since I'm asking for them, I'll compensate you according to the market rate," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

"That's not what I mean," Han Shuiliu quickly clarified. "Of the medicinal herbs that you have listed, I'm afraid that we can only procure seven of them. It might be beyond our means to procure the other eight..."

"You can only procure seven of them?" A frown slowly etched its way onto Zhang Xuan's brows. It was a subtle gesture, but it fully displayed his displeasure.

In an instant, the surrounding air turned viscous, stifling the breath of everyone in the room.

A powerful aura that seemed as if it would tear even the world apart abruptly burst forth from the middle-aged man.

Geji! Geji!

Under this suffocating aura, Han Shuiliu and other elders could not stop trembling. It was as if a mountain was sitting on their shoulders, pushing them down onto the ground.

"Ah. Pardon me, my thoughts wandered..." Just as they were about to reach their limits, the frown on the middle-aged man suddenly cleared, turning back into a slight smile.

And just like that, the tempest that they were in vanished altogether, as if the pressure they had felt earlier was just a figment of their imagination.

"I-it's fine..."

As the pressure vanished, Han Shuiliu and the other elders swiftly noticed that their robes were firmly clinging onto their sweat-soaked backs, and they could hardly suppress their shock.

"I didn't mean to alarm you. I was just thinking of how inconvenient it would be for these two pitiful fellows to recover without the required medicinal herb that I lost control of myself for a moment." Zhang Xuan shook his head apologetically. "As the saying goes, 'worry provokes mayhem'."

After experiencing the fearsome might of the middle-aged man, how could Han Shuiliu dare to say no anymore? Gritting his teeth, he said, "Actually, Yang shi, there might be a way to procure those herbs. Our Han Clan might not have them, but the Glacier Plain Court might have them. If you really need them, Yang shi, I'm willing to enquire on your behalf. Given our Han Clan's relationship with the Glacier Plain Court, this shouldn't be too difficult!"

"Is that so?" Zhang Xuan shot a glance at Han Shuiliu.

"Yes, Yang shi!" Han Shuiliu nodded. "Our Han Clan has always been responsible for procuring the rations of the Glacier Plain Court, so we have a close working relationship with Elder Bai. Given our ties, it shouldn't be too difficult to engage her help for this matter!"

"I'll be counting on you, Clan Head Han! I don't mean to urge you, but I require the medicinal herbs as soon as possible. Is it possible for you to contact Elder Bai and have her send the medicinal herbs over right now? While the injuries sustained by these two saint beasts might not be too severe, it might leave behind some trauma if their treatment is delayed for too long!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Of course, of course! That won't be a problem at all! Yang shi, please give me a moment as I contact Elder Bai right now to have her deliver the medicinal herbs!" Han Shuiliu swiftly nodded.

"Also, I don't like to cause a huge fuss over nothing, so..."

"I understand! I'll make sure to keep your identity a secret!" Han Shuiliu replied before swiftly taking his leave.

At the same time, the other elders swiftly got into action as well. They arranged for the other party to take a seat in the most resplendent room in the Han Clan and readied their finest tea.

How impressive...

Watching as everything unfold before her eyes, Chen Leyao was shocked beyond words. Her red lips remained agape for a very long time.

What incredible slyness this was!

Through showcasing the Inferno Qilin and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, not only was he able to fully convince the Han Clan of his standing, he was also able to make use of this to utilize the Han Clan's connections to gather the medicinal herbs required for their recovery... and more importantly, he even managed to use it as an excuse that was not too abrupt to have them invite Elder Bai over!

In comparison, her initial thought of Zhang Xuan requesting the Han Clan to help them contact Elder Bai was truly crude and possibly infeasible.

After all, for an unfathomably powerful master teacher to name an elder of the Glacier Plain Court and request to meet her... such an action would surely draw suspicion.

And once the news reached the ears of the Glacier Plain Court, it would surely alarm them.

By using his tamed beasts as an excuse, he was able to conceal his true intention and achieve his goal without drawing any suspicion. This was truly cunning!

Had she not seen Zhang Xuan altering his appearance, she would have thought that Yang shi had come in person!

While sipping leisurely on the fine tea prepared, roughly ten minutes later, Han Shuiliu suddenly walked in with a middle-aged lady wearing a hat.

"Yang shi, Elder Bai is here!" Han Shuiliu swiftly walked forward and clasped his fist.

Zhang Xuan nodded, but just as he was about to speak, the middle-aged lady suddenly frowned as she caught sight of the young lady standing beside him and asked, "Leyao, what are you doing here?"

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Chapter 1492: Earth Vein Lotus

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Chen Leyao had gone to the Sanctum of Sages; this was something that the entire Glacier Plain Court knew. Why would she suddenly appear here when barely three months had passed since then?

"Elder Bai, I have followed Yang shi here in order to... deal with some matters!" Chen Leyao swiftly got up and greeted Elder Bai.

This was the elder whom she was closest with in the Glacier Plain Court. She didn't wish to lie to her.

"Yang shi?"

At this moment, Elder Bai finally turned her gaze toward Zhang Xuan.

The middle-aged man before her didn't seem to be too old, but his cultivation was like an abyss. She found that she was unable to gauge the depth of his strength.

"I have heard of many Yang shis, may I know who you are?" Elder Bai frowned in hostility.

Chen Leyao was one of the disciples which the Glacier Plain Court had devoted its resources to grooming, and yet, instead of cultivating diligently in the Sanctum of Sages, this fellow actually brought her back here. This had made her a little displeased.

"I am Yang Xuan," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

"Yang Xuan? Which Yang Xuan?" Elder Bai replied instinctively when a moment later, her eyebrows shot up as she uttered in astonishment, "Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Yang Xuan?"

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Xuan didn't respond to Elder Bai's question, choosing to chuckle softly instead. He stood up and said, "Elder Bai, you have a glowing complexion, but it seems like you have an energy clot in your Tuihai acupoint, resulting in a clash in the searing and cold energies in your body. If I'm not mistaken... the hair beneath your hat has already on the color of snow, am I right?"

"You..." Elder Bai widened her eyes in shock.

She had always appeared before others with a hat on her head in order to conceal her snowy hair, and even the disciple whom she favored the most, Chen Leyao, was unaware of this matter. Yet, the middle-aged man before her was able to see through it with a simple glance?

"There's no need to geet nervous. Execute a punching routine." Paying no heed to Elder Bai's shock, Zhang Xuan took two steps forward as he spoke with a calming voice.

Upon hearing those words. Elder Bai's expression suddenly turned dazed for a moment, and before she realized it, she had already executed a punch.

Upon realization of what had just happened, her face turned livid in anger and embarrassment, but just as she was about to berate the other party, the other party had already begun speaking once more, "You have practiced your Arctic Arcane Art since young, and as you have never come into contact with the opposite gender, guarding the purity of your yin through such, you were able to bring out the full prowess of the cultivation technique. However... have you noticed that you are unable to advance your cultivation by even the slightest bit anymore? No matter how many pills you consume or how many master teachers you consult, you just aren't able to make the breakthrough to Macrocosm Ascendancy realm!"

"You... How did you know?" Horrified by having her secrets exposed by a stranger, Elder Bai couldn't help but take a step back.

It had been a long while since she had reached Saint 8-dan pinnacle, but for some reason, she was simply unable to make a breakthrough to the next realm. She had tried many methods, but all of them turned out to be futile in the end. By now, she had already completely given up hope.

Just that, she had only mentioned this matter to the elders whom she was closest with in the Glacier Plain Court, and yet, for a stranger to know of all this as well... Did he really analyze all of this from her punch?

Surely there would be no one in the world with such penetrating eyes!

"Macrocosm in Macrocosm Ascendancy realm refers to the spatial world we perceive that is formed by the three dimensions. In order to grasp the concept of the macrocosm, one must possess a deep understanding of the spatial laws. While the Arctic Arcane Art is indeed a fairly powerful cultivation technique, it would require one to use frost as a catalyst to induce an impetus for a breakthrough to the Macrocosm Ascendancy realm, but such a method of breakthrough happens to be incompatible with your disposition. As a result, it caused an uneven distribution of the hot and cold energies in your body, and the strain your body is under has resulted in the premature whitening of your hair..."

At this point, Zhang Xuan raised his eyelids and asked, "Do you experience feelings of irritation when you cultivate at night, resulting in your inability to calm down? Does your body experience inner heat seizures from time to time?"

"This... Yes, that's true..." Elder Bai was intending to refute his words, but after a slight moment of hesitation, she eventually nodded in admittance. With a doubtful look, she asked, "Yang shi, may I know what do you mean by disposition? I have practiced the Arctic Arcane Art for more than a century now, but nothing has happened in the past. Why would the issue of incompatibility suddenly crop up at this moment?"

Since the other party was able to see through the root of her problem, she felt that this could be a good opportunity to resolve this long-term ailment that had put her through great suffering. Thus, she decided to not to conceal it anymore.

Just that, what the other party had said left her feeling slightly perplexed.

She had cultivated the Arctic Arcane Art for many years now, and never had she faced any problem with it. Why would there be an incompatibility all of a sudden?

And also, what did the other party mean by the word, 'disposition'?

"By disposition, I'm referring to the force field that you generate around you. It's something that's affected by the cultivation technique you practice, your personal habits, and even your surroundings!" Zhang Xuan explained. "Your constitution harnesses the yin attribute, so it's indeed suited to cultivate the Arctic Arcane Art."

"Then..." Elder Bai frowned in confusion.

Even Chen Leyao had no idea what Zhang Xuan was driving at too.

It was just a moment ago that he said that her disposition wasn't compatible with the cultivation technique, so why would he say that her constitution was compatible now?

"Calm down and allow me to explain. There's indeed no problem with your constitution; the problem lays in the change in your disposition!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Change in my disposition?"

"Indeed. If I'm not mistaken, after your cultivation reached Saint 8-dan, did you start cultivating a Earth Vein Lotus in your own residence?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That... Yes, that's right!" Elder Bai nodded.

"The seeds of the Earth Vein Lotus does have the effect of eternalizing one's youthful appearance, so it's a popular plant to cultivate amongst the ladies. I can understand why you would want to cultivate one as well, but do you know that the Earth Vein Lotus doesn't just survive by taking in the energy from the earth veins? More than that, it requires the nourishment of earth flames in order to mature! While it only takes in a small flicker, that's already more than sufficient to change the environment you live in, causing the surrounding force field to take on a fire attribute. A day or two wouldn't cause too much harm, but with your Arctic Arcane Art and cold attribute constitution, a huge problem would arise when you are exposed to such an environment in the long run!

"The fire attribute will slowly accumulate within your body. If you are married, you might still be able to expel it out, but the act of guarding the purity of your yin has also caused the fire poison to be trapped in your body as well. As a result, when you cultivate the Arctic Arcane Art, your cold energy would collide with the fire poison accumulated in your body, resulting in your hair taking on a snowy color. At the same time, the clots resulted from the clash causes your zhenqi to be trapped as well. As a result, no matter how you cultivate, you aren't able to achieve a breakthrough..." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed deeply.

"This..." Elder Bai's eyes widened in shock as she staggered weakly backward.

She couldn't say for sure whether the other party was right or not, but it was indeed true that there was an Earth Vein Lotus planted in her courtyard, and there were also several clots in her meridians that impeded her flow of zhenqi. Thinking back, her condition also seemed to have started after she began cultivating the lotus...

Could the other party be right?

"What should I do then? Yang shi, please enlighten me!" At this point, Elder Bai already harbored no doubts about the capabilities of the middle-aged man before her.

Previously, she still thought that it was impossible for that legendary man to come to a place like this, but the very feat that the middle-aged man standing before her had achieved, discerning the root of her ailment with absolute ease, showed that his eye of discernment far surpassed that of common 9-star master teachers... She couldn't fathom anyone else other than that legendary man who would possess such incredible capabilities!

"Simple. Destroy the Earth Vein Lotus you have planted in your courtyard and soak yourself in the Glacier Lake for a whole month. Not only will your afflictions be resolved, you'll also have no trouble reaching Macrocosm Ascendancy realm afterward!"

At this point, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly before continuing on, "Alternatively, if you aren't able to endure a month in the Glacier Lake, you can also find a man to reconcile your yin and yang. You should be able to resolve the problem within three days!"

"This..." Elder Bai's face reddened upon hearing those words, and she hurriedly shook her head. "I'll endure a month in the Glacier Lake!"

Having lived a life of purity up to this day, she wouldn't break something she had insisted on just because of her affliction, especially when there was an alternative solution.

There was a brief moment of silence before Elder Bai spoke up once more, "Yang shi, given your standing and strength, even if your saint beasts are injured, you should be more than capable of treating them without medicinal herbs, right? Besides, even if you require medicinal herbs, you also don't need me to deliver it personally either, right? May I know the reason why you have invited me over in such a roundabout manner?"

While everything seemed to fit rationally, as an elder of one of the powerful Glacier Plain Court, Elder Bai was highly experienced and worldly. On top of that, the fact that Chen Leyao was together with him was a huge anomaly too. Putting all of the clues together, she was able to keenly notice that something was amiss.

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Chapter 1493: Threat

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

She was not considered to be too powerful among the elders of the Glacier Plain Court, and under normal circumstances, even till the day of her death, it was highly unlikely for her to come into contact with someone of Yang shi's level.

However, with the fact that Chen Leyao was with him and the message that Clan Head Han Shuiliu had sent over, everything seemed to be pointing toward that direction.

"Elder Bai is indeed a candid person!" Knowing that it was impossible to conceal it anymore, Zhang Xuan chose to admit to the matter frankly. With a smile, he shot a glance at Han Shuiliu and the other elders of the Han Clan and said, "Clan Head Han, you have my gratitude for relaying the message."

"Yang shi, there's no need to stand on ceremony. It's the Han Clan's honor to be able to work on your behalf!" Han Shuiliu quickly clasped his fist respectfully.

The middle-aged man standing before him was a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters! Given that even Elder Bai had acknowledged it, his identity could not possibly be fake. If it were to be known that the Han Clan had some ties with Yang Xuan, even if it was just a brief contact, its standing could be elevated to a whole new level!

For one, its enemies would hesitate to challenge them for fear of retribution from Yang Xuan.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded before he retracted his smile, looked away, and fell silent.

Seeing the look on his face, Han Liushui swiftly understood what was going on and quickly clasped his fist. "There are still a couple of matters that we have to attend to, so we'll be taking our leave now."

After saying those words, he left together with the elders.

Clearly, the words of thanks that Yang shi had said earlier were an indirect way of dismissing them. If they did not leave soon, they could very well incur his rage.

Soon, only Elder Bai and Chen Leyao were left in the room.

Turning away, Zhang Xuan walked over to the main seat and sat down before turning his gaze back to Elder Bai. "Since Elder Bai has already guessed it, I shan't beat around the bush anymore. Zhao Ya is my grandstudent!"

There was still no discernible change in his expression, but for some reason, the air around him suddenly grew pressurizing.

"The young court chief... is Yang shi's grandstudent?" Elder Bai was alarmed.

Clearly, this was the first time that she had heard of this matter.

"Indeed. How has she been doing? I wish to hear nothing but the truth," Zhang Xuan said.

"This..."

Elder Bai's face paled. She was at a loss as to how she should respond to Zhang Xuan's question.

"I received a message saying that she's in danger. Since she's the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court, I believe you should know the truth very well!" As Zhang Xuan spoke, one could hear his voice growing more and more wintry. He tapped his finger on the table periodically, but as time went by, this seemingly simple gesture seemed to carry a tinge of impatience and even fury to it. "You know my identity. Every move I make represents the will of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. I don't want to cause too much trouble, which is why I chose to come to the Han Clan to invite you over. Otherwise, if I were to go straight to your First Elder and question her on the matter, I believe there is anyone in this world who would dare snub me!"

"I..." Elder Bai quivered in fear.

The very fact that the other party had not taken out his identity token nor marched straight into the Glacier Plain Court was a sign that he intended to resolve this matter discreetly without alarming too many master teachers.

Otherwise, given his identity, a single command would be all it took for the Glacier Plain Court to cease to exist.

"I'll give you some time to think it over, but know that my patience has its limits. If you can't give me the answer I want, the Glacier Plain Court will be my next destination. Someone as intelligent as you should understand what kind of implications will arise from that without having me to explain it."

"I understand..." Elder Bai felt a cold shudder running through her spine upon hearing those words. She hesitated for a brief moment before gritting her teeth in determination. "Something did happen to the young court chief. Earlier in the afternoon, the First Elder passed a decree commanding the Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, and Seventh Elder to make a move together in order to suppress and imprison her in the Chanting Serenity Hall 1 , not allowing her to leave the area or even communicate with anyone. This matter is the highest secret of our Glacier Plain Court, and not even elders are allowed to speak of the matter, or else... they will be killed without fail!"

"Chanting Serenity Hall? But that's a place where prisoners are locked in! Just what kind of mistake did the young court chief make to deserve such treatment?" Chen Leyao exclaimed in astonishment.

While she had guessed that something might have happened within the Glacier Plain Court, she could still hardly believe her ears when hearing of it from Elder Bai.

The Chanting Serenity Hall was a place used by the Glacier Plain Court to imprison sinners, and most of those who were placed in there were those who had committed unpardonable crimes. Before she left the place, the young court chief had still been the hope and future of the Glacier Plain Court. So, why would she be imprisoned all of a sudden?

"Leyao, you also know that my identity is rather awkward in the Glacier Plain Court, so I don't really know much about what's happening among the upper echelon within the court. I don't know what kind of mistake the young court chief has made, but it's a fact that the three elders have apprehended the young court chief and bound her in the Heaven Sealing Lock," Elder Bai replied.

"Heaven Sealing Lock?" Zhang Xuan's body tensed up upon hearing those three words.

He had read a brief introduction about the artifact in a book back in the Sanctum of Sages. The Heaven Sealing Lock was a kind of torture tool used only on the most contemptible of sinners. Not only would the individual's meridians be sealed, preventing them from exerting any strength, they would also have to suffer grievous pain each and every day.

Never had he imagined that Zhao Ya would one day be subjected to such a vile torture tool!

This was truly intolerable!

Feeling the icy-cold aura that the middle-aged man before her was emanating, Elder Bai instinctively cowered backward in fear before quickly adding, "Yang shi, despite what has happened, I ask you to rest assured that there's no threat to the young court chief's life. Just earlier on, the First Elder instructed me to prepare some fine dishes to deliver them to the young court chief periodically so as to ensure that she doesn't starve."

She had no idea why the First Elder would make such a move on the young court chief, but judging from the First Elder's attitude, it did not seem like she truly intended to harm the young court chief. Thus, there should not be any threat to the young court chief's life at all. Most likely, it was just some kind of punishment.

"Bring me to meet her!" Zhang Xuan ordered with a wintry voice.

"Meet her? This..." A look of hesitation surfaced on Elder Bai's face. "The First Elder is supervising her imprisonment personally at the moment, and only during mealtimes am I able to get close to her. Otherwise, not even I'll be able to get past the security the First Elder has set up..."

"I understand. You just have to bring me to the Glacier Plain Court and direct me to the Chanting Serenity Hall, that's all. You don't have to bother about what happens afterward." Zhang Xuan waved his hand impatiently.

As long as he could uncover where Zhao Ya was, with his ability, he should be able to figure out a way to save her.

Of course, he would have to clarify what had happened with Zhao Ya in person first before proceeding with any further action.

If it turned out to be some kind of training to temper Zhao Ya's mind and body, no matter how much he doted on her, he would not get in the way.

A look of deliberation appeared on Elder Bai's face as she lowered her gaze in uncertainty.

Knowing that Elder Bai was worried of the consequences of her action, Zhang Xuan coldly added, "If you are reluctant to do it, it's fine by me as well. I'll just have to walk into the Glacier Plain Court through the main gates and demand Zhao Ya's release. However, I'm sure you understand the differences between the two courses of action!"

"I..." Elder Bai had truly been put in a tough position.

If she brought the other party in, that would be equivalent to betraying the First Elder. But if she refused, the other party was a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters! If he blew his top, it could bring endless calamity to the Glacier Plain Court.

The Glacier Plain Court might even be destroyed!

The other party was simply too strong. Even as a lone individual, it was questionable whether the entire Glacier Plain Court would be a match for him!

"Rest assured, I only want to pay a visit to my grandstudent so as to clarify the situation. If she has indeed erred, I have no intentions of covering up for her. However, if I find out that the fault lies in the Glacier Plain Court, I might have to pay that so-called First Elder of yours a visit and have a good talk with her about revising the rules!" Zhang Xuan said with narrowed eyes.

It was still the same nonchalant voice that he was speaking in, but amid the nonchalance was an unconcealable air of dominance.

It felt like the other party would teach the Glacier Plain Court an unforgettable lesson if they had wronged Zhao Ya in the slightest.

"This..." Hearing those words, Elder Bai could tell that the other party had already made up his mind. "Very well. Yang shi, I'll bring you in!"

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Chapter 1494: Glacier Plain Court

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You have my gratitude, Elder Bai."

Seeing that the other party had agreed to it, Zhang Xuan stood up calmly as he discreetly sent a telepathic message to the young lady behind him. "Chen Leyao, you are an inner member of the Glacier Plain Court, so it's best for you not to follow me anymore. Also, after I leave, don't linger around in the Han Clan. Leave the city first and wait for my notice."

Due to Chen Leyao's identity, she would be put in a tough position if something happened between him and the Glacier Plain Court afterward.

As for getting her to leave the city for the time being, that was on the off chance that his identity was exposed. This way, she would be in a much safer position.

"I understand." Chen Leyao nodded.

After issuing those instructions, Zhang Xuan had the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and the Inferno Qilin move back into the Myriad Anthive Nest before following Elder Bai out of the Han Clan, heading straight toward the Glacier Plain Court.

He had already fed the two saint beasts the medicinal herbs that the Han Clan and Elder Bai had prepared, and using his Heaven's Path zhenqi in unison with the treatment, they were recovering fast. Nevertheless, it seemed like they would still need two to three days before they were able to make a full recovery.

I should avoid bringing them out unless when I'm truly cornered.

In the fight with the First Elder of the Zhang Clan, the two saint beasts had already sustained considerable injuries. After which, they had clashed with Zhan shi and the others, and the Inferno Qilin had even suffered the might of the Formation of the Sages directly. If not for their formidable physical resilience, they would have lost their lives by now!

While the Heaven's Path zhenqi could heal all injuries, it was a pity that his cultivation was only at Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle, so the effectiveness of his zhenqi on the wounds of Saint 9-dan cultivators was severely limited. Not to mention, the two saint beasts also possessed hulking physiques, so even if he expended all of his zhenqi on them, he still would not be able to nurse them back to full health.

This meant that he should avoid bringing the two of them out unless the situation was truly dire.

After flying for a moment, the two for them arrived before a huge cluster of buildings. At this point, Elder Bai turned her gaze over and said, "Yang shi, we have arrived at the Glacier Plain Court. It has limited access to outsiders, so I'll have to beg for your pardon in advance."

"It's fine." Zhang Xuan waved his hand as he examined his surroundings quietly.

Most of the buildings ahead of him seemed to be made of a crystalline material, and they emanated a faint, forlorn light beneath the starry night sky. White snow drifted amid these crystal buildings, and there were some beautiful ice sculptures that could be seen here and there. It felt as if one had stepped into a world created of snow and ice.

"That's a relief!" Hearing that the middle-aged man did not mind, Elder Bai heaved a sigh of relief.

She walked over to the gates, where two disciples of the Glacier Plain Court were stationed.

"Greetings, Elder Bai. May I know who the person beside you is?" Recognizing Elder Bai, the two disciples quickly greeted her before directing doubtful gazes at the unfamiliar face beside.

"He is Han Chu of the Han Clan. He's here to deliver resources, and we happen to have some important matters to discuss too," Elder Bai replied.

"I see!" Hearing that the other party was from the Han Clan, the two disciples swiftly opened up the pathway for the both of them to enter.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind Elder Bai while advancing forward.

An air of serene silence drifted within the Glacier Plain Court. There were not too many people around. After walking for some time, they finally arrived at an independent residence.

"This is where I live. Given my current authorization, I'm afraid that I can only bring Yang shi up to this point. Even I don't have access to places beyond here," Elder Bai said as she pushed open the door and headed in.

"It's fine." Zhang Xuan nodded. "You just have to tell me where the Chanting Serenity Hall is. As for the rest, I'll deal with it myself."

He had never intended to have Elder Bai lead him straight in. Firstly, that would be putting the latter on the spot, and secondly, the more people there were, the easier they would be spotted.

"The Chanting Serenity Hall is southwest from here, roughly ten li away..." Elder Bai quickly explained the rough location and the appearance of the building.

Carefully remembering everything that Elder Bai had said, he headed into a room in the residence and set up a formation around him so as to prevent any outsiders from getting in before drawing his Primordial Spirit out.

The Glacier Plain Court was filled with experts. With his current strength, it was impossible for him to get to Zhao Ya discreetly without alarming anyone, so he could only depend on his Primordial Spirit.

His Primordial Spirit was formless and intangible, which would allow him to bypass most formations and sentries, thus giving him a better chance of reaching the Chanting Serenity Hall safely.

However, his Primordial Spirit was still a little too big at the moment, so he would have to be careful.

After leaving the formation that he had constructed, Zhang Xuan made sure to stick close to the surface as he discreetly left the residence.

Through his deep understanding of formations and the utilization of his Eye of Insight, he was able to bypass the surrounding formations without much problem. He advanced roughly ten li before a tall building came into his sight.

This should be the Chanting Serenity Hall!

The building before him fitted the description that Elder Bai had given him, so it should be where Zhao Ya was imprisoned.

What a formidable formation!

Examining the building closely, Zhang Xuan swiftly realized that there was an active formation shrouding the building, and if he just looked at it in terms of prowess, it was only slightly beneath that of the Sanctum of Sages' Guardian Formation.

As formidable as it is, it has far more flaws than the Sanctum of Sages' Guardian Formation. It won't be difficult for me to slip past it...

In the eyes of others, the powerful formation cast over the Chanting Serenity Hall might appear to be unbreachable, but in Zhang Xuan's eyes, it was riddled with loopholes. As powerful as it was, there were simply too many ways he could use to circumvent it.

He began making his way toward the formation, preparing to slip in, but just as he was about to make a move, he heard footsteps crunching on snow from afar. He quickly dove into the pile of snow not too far away to hide himself.

Just a moment after he was fully concealed, he immediately saw two figures appearing before him.

They were both female, and from their backs, it was difficult to gauge their age. Nevertheless, from their revealed skin, it was apparent that that they were not too young.

They are strong!

Even though the two of them were not intentionally showcasing their strength, Zhang Xuan could still feel imposing might harnessed within their bodies. This was especially so for the lady standing on the left. Her strength could not compete directly with the First Elder of the Zhang Clan, but at the very least, she was around Zhang Wuchen's level, which meant that she was an expert who had surpassed Saint 9-dan.

Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. Could she be the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court?

He had intended to find Zhao Ya discreetly without anyone noticing, but he had ended up meeting this fellow first.

If she truly was the First Elder, he would be in deep trouble if he was noticed by her.

At the very least, he did not wield the power to oppose her yet.

"How is it? What did she say?"

While Zhang Xuan's mind was still wandering, he suddenly heard the 'First Elder' speaking in a hushed voice.

"She isn't giving in yet!" the other figure replied.

The 'First Elder' harrumphed coldly. "Humph, she has no choice in this matter. It is because I was too lenient the previous time around that her mother managed to get away. It won't happen again!"

"But... if she doesn't cave in, we can't just continue keeping her imprisoned like this either!" the other figure said.

"Don't worry, I have my own ways. For the time being, we should first lock her up for two days and make her suffer a bit!" The 'First Elder' waved her hand and said, "Right, doesn't she have a teacher? It seems like she does respect him quite a bit. Try to find a way to capture him here and use him as a hostage to force her to comply!"

"Her teacher? You mean Zhang Xuan? But he's the benefactor of our Glacier Plain Court!"

"What about that? You also know how important this matter is. As long as we succeed, the Glacier Plain Court will be able to be brought to a whole new level. I won't allow anyone to stand in the way at this point in time!" The 'First Elder' flung her hand backward majestically.

Hidden in the snow, Zhang Xuan's face darkened upon hearing those words.They intend to capture me?

The fluctuations in Zhang Xuan's emotions swiftly caught the 'First Elder's' attention. She immediately turned her head around and stared intently at the pile of snow where Zhang Xuan was hiding in.

"Who is it?"

Chapter 1495: Teacher, I Miss You

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What?"

Under the 'First Elder's' gaze, Zhang Xuan's Primordial Spirit stiffened. He quickly curled up and drove his Soul Depth to enter the state of Heart of Tranquil Water, concealing every last hint of emotion and aura he was emanating.

Despite the massive size of his Primordial Spirit, after cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art and undergoing the tempering of multiple lightning ordeals, it had already grown as wholesome as a crystal. As long as he did not intentionally release any trace of himself, it would be difficult for Saint 9-dan cultivators or even experts stronger than that to notice his presence.

"What's wrong, First Elder?" Surprised by the abrupt actions of the First Elder, the other figure quickly turned her head around to examine the surroundings as well.

With her keen eyes, the First Elder examined the pile of snow closely and even scanned the area using her Spiritual Perception, but in the end, she could not find anything at all. Thus, she could only rub her glabella and say, "It's nothing much. It might be due to my lack of sleep recently that I've gotten a little too sensitive."

She was certain that she had felt some fluctuations in the surroundings earlier, but when she tried to check it, the presence had vanished altogether. However, she did not think that there was anyone in this world who was capable of escaping her detection, so since she was unable to find anything, it could very well just have been her imagination.

Seeing that the First Elder had not found anything, the other party replied with a chuckle, "While the security of the Glacier Plain Court can't be compared to that of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, it still isn't a place that just anyone can enter. First Elder, you need not think too much about it!"

"Un." The First Elder nodded slowly before continuing to advance toward the Chanting Serenity Hall.

She really is the First Elder!

When the duo was finally some distance away, Zhang Xuan rose from the pile of snow and gazed at the two distant figures with narrowed eyes.

From their conversation, it seemed like they were trying to force Zhao Ya to do something, but she was unwilling to carry it out, thus resulting in a conflict.

Given Zhao Ya's personality, if she's willing to go so far as to oppose the First Elder, the matter that they want her to carry out is probably nothing good.

To thi nk that the Glacier Plain Court, one of the top powers of the Master Teacher Continent, would actually stoop so low as to coerce its own young court chief into doing something that she was unwilling to do. Not only so, they actually had no qualms about holding him hostage so as to threaten her. Were they not being a little too despicable?

Let me head over and take a look, Zhang Xuan thought as he proceeded forward silently.

Very soon, the gates of the Chanting Serenity Hall came into Zhang Xuan's sight. He saw the First Elder and the other figure walk up to the gates, and the First Elder tapped her finger lightly in the air. A token materialized right in front of her, and following which, a rift swiftly opened up in the formation, creating a passageway for them to pass through.

The duo made their way through the rift, and as soon as they stepped in, it started closing.

Alarmed, Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed forward, and fortunately, before the rift could fully close, he managed to slip in. As soon as he entered, he abruptly felt his connection with the external world being severed, as if he had entered a folded space.

It was actually a decoy? Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

He had thought that the Chanting Serenity Hall was just a building with a powerful defensive formation around it, but who could have thought that the formation was actually just a distraction. Even if he had breached the defensive formation, he still would not have found anything in it at all.

Rather, the true Chanting Serenity Hall was located in a folded space!

Furthermore, this folded space was extremely stable, similar to the place where he had discovered the Dongxu Gourd back then. Even if he used his Eye of Insight, if he did not know the exact location of the folded space beforehand, it would have been nigh impossible for him to find it!

Calming his astonishment, Zhang Xuan swiftly assessed his surroundings.

The folded space that he had entered was not too big. In essence, it was actually not much different from entering a larger room. Were it not for the fact that he had comprehended the 3-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, he would have thought that he had walked through a doorway into a building instead of being transported into another dimension.

While scanning his surroundings, he slowly advanced forward.

As he was within a folded space, he dared not make any big movements for fear that it would cause a spatial disturbance. Otherwise, once the First Elder noticed his presence, he would not be able to escape.

As such, it took him five whole minutes just to advance ten meters. As soon as he arrived by the doorway to the main hall, he could hear the infuriated voice of the First Elder.

"I have told you many times, this is the only way to fully awaken the Pure Yin Body! Why are you so obstinate about this?"

A bell-like voice yelled back, "There's no way I'll do it! Even if I'll never awaken my Pure Yin Body, I still won't do it!"

Hearing the bell-like voice, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. I'm really at the right place...

He could tell that the owner of the voice was none other than Zhao Ya.

Even though it had been half a year since they had last met, her voice was still fresh in his mind. There was no way that he would recognize it incorrectly.

Zhang Xuan sneaked in the main hall and carefully moved behind a particularly thick pillar before warily taking a glance forward. He saw Zhao Ya sitting on the ground. Unlike what he had expected, there were no shackles on her body.

It seems like Elder Bai isn't aware of the exact situation either...

Previously, Elder Bai had said that she was bound by the Heaven Sealing Lock, but that was nowhere to be seen at all. Perhaps, there might be some error in the information that she had received.

"I'll give you some time to think it through. However, you should know that I have already failed once, and I'll never allow it to occur again. You may refuse if you want to, but I have plenty of ways to change your mind. I would prefer it to not come to that, but if you push me, I will have no choice!" the First Elder said as she flung her sleeve.

"There's no need for that. Give me all the time you want, and I'll still make the same choice!" Zhao Ya replied obstinately.

"Very well! Let me see how long you can hold out for then!" Harrumphing coldly in anger, the First Elder turned around and stomped away.

The other elder in the main hall glanced at the departing First Elder and shook her head. "You are also well aware of the First Elder's temperament, so why do you still choose to go head on against her?"

"Second Elder, you need not say anything else. There's no way I'll compromise on this matter!" Zhao Ya said resolutely.

"Since she's able to awaken your unique constitution, naturally, she wields the ability to destroy it too. That person is an example of that. Are you really going to walk down the same path as her?" the Second Elder exclaimed anxiously.

"Even if I am crippled, I will have no regrets at all!" Zhao Ya replied with an air of valiance.

This was simply how she was. Once she had set her mind on something, no amount of persuasion would make her change her decision.

In fact, thinking back on it, it was precisely due to that attitude of hers that initiated the series of events that eventually led to her becoming Zhang Xuan's student.

"Jeez, you... Forget it! Just give the matter some good thought, alright?" Seeing how adamant the young lady was on her stance, the Second Elder shook her head before heading out.

Seeing that the two elders were walking over, Zhang Xuan quickly went into the wall and remained completely motionless, not even daring to look at all.

Experts of the First Elder's caliber possessed a keen sensitivity that allowed them to perceive the presence of others just by sheer instinct. Even if he remained perfectly calm, the First Elder might still be able to sense his gaze.

"Hmm?"

Just as Zhang Xuan had managed to seal his aura completely, the First Elder arrived before the pillar, which he was hidden in, and shot a perplexed look at it.

"First Elder?" the Second Elder called out from behind.

The First Elder shook her head and said, "It's nothing. It's just that I have been getting a rather weird vibe today, as if someone is following me!"

"Following you? How could that be? Even that Zhang Wuheng wouldn't be able to follow you without getting noticed!" The Second Elder chuckled away the First Elder's concerns.

"That's true..." The First Elder nodded. Still feeling a little uneasy from the feeling that she had been getting, she instructed, "Just to be safe, I want you to help me conduct a quick survey of the surrounding area. If you were to notice anything, report to me immediately!"

The intuition of an expert of her caliber was rarely wrong. Since she had felt something, something had to be going on.

Perhaps, someone might really be observing every single one of their actions.

"Very well." Understanding her concern, the Second Elder nodded lightly before the two of them left together. Returning to the entrance, they took out their tokens and swiped them lightly. The next moment, they vanished from the spot.

Seeing that the two of them had left, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. As he slipped out from the pillar that he was hidden in, he saw Zhao Ya staring dazedly at a book in front of her. Soft whispers escaped from her mouth.

"Teacher... I really miss you..."

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Chapter 1496: Art of Harvesting

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

This lass!

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan flew over and glanced at the book Zhao Ya was staring at.

To his surprise, it was actually his handwritten manual.

That was the cultivation technique that he had prepared for her while they were still in the Tianxuan Kingdom in order to resolve the afflictions that she was suffering from as a result of her unique constitution. To the current her, this book was of no use anymore.

Nevertheless, the book was still in pristine condition. There was not the slightest hint of a crumple on its pages. Clearly, it had been stored and treated with the utmost care.

Back then, when he gave this manual to her, he had requested that she destroy it after she had memorized the content, but who would have thought that she would have kept it to this day!

As the saying went, 'a young lady metamorphoses at eighteen'.

Over the past half a year, the young lady had grown taller, and her disposition had become more refined and graceful. The awakening for her Pure Yin Body had also made her much more beautiful than before.

In terms of looks, the only person whom Zhang Xuan knew that could triumph over her was Luo Ruoxin.

It seems like the Glacier Plain Court had indeed treated her fairly well in the past half a year, or else there was no way that she would have been able to awaken her unique constitution to such an extent.

Zhang Xuan proceeded on to assess the young lady with his keen eyes.

But a moment later, a deep frown emerged between his brows.

Even though the young lady was not physically bound, her cultivation seemed to have been restricted by some kind of power. The current her was no different from an ordinary mortal, possessing not the slightest hint of zhenqi.

"Teacher, are you... still doing fine?"

While Zhang Xuan was trying to figure out what was going on with her, he suddenly heard the young lady's voice once more.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan replied, "I'm doing perfectly fine!"

"Who is it?" Hearing a response to her words, Zhao Ya was alarmed. She quickly leaped to her feet and crossed her arms before her chest, taking up a defensive posture.

"Who else can it be other than me?" Zhang Xuan replied as he gradually revealed his figure.

After being tempered by lightning, his Primordial Spirit had grown so consolidated that he could materialize it if he wanted to let his presence be known. The only issue with it was that he was more than twenty meters tall, reminiscent of a giant.

"Teacher..." Seeing the familiar face and aura of the young man before her, Zhao Ya's eyes reddened in agitation.

Day after day, the young man had never left her mind. There were countless words that she had bottled up in her mind, vowing to say to the young man when they were finally reunited. Yet, when the moment came, she found her mind going completely blank, rendering her incapable of constructing her sentences.

"Un, it's me. Tell me, what's going on over here." Knowing that this was not the time to be catching up on times, Zhang Xuan asked grimly, "Aren't you the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court? Why would you be imprisoned here?"

He first had to make sense of what was going on before he could concoct a plan to save her.

"Teacher... is it really you? Wait... d-did you hear what I just said then?" Instead of answering Zhang Xuan's question, Zhao Ya's face reddened in embarrassment.

"What?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's... it's nothing!" Zhao Ya swiftly waved her hand as she sneaked a peek at her teacher's face. Seeing that the other party did not take the matter to heart, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Falling to her knees, she kowtowed deeply and said, "I know that it's unfilial to place you in such grave danger, but I really am unable to think of another way to resolve this problem. So, I could only ask of you to save me!"

"Since I'm here, I'll definitely help you. Tell me, what's going on?" Zhang Xuan asked.

The reason he was willing to go to the extent of offending the Zhang Clan and the Sanctum of Sages was to save her, but still, he would first have to understand the situation before making his move.

"I... accidentally discovered a secret of the Glacier Plain Court." Zhao Ya bit on her lips tightly. "My mother is actually the previous court chief of the Glacier Plain Court!"

"Your mother?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback by the abrupt revelation.

How did Zhao Ya's mother come into the picture?

Zhao Ya was the daughter of the City Lord Zhao Feng of Baiyu City, and she had a butler called Yao Han—Zhang Xuan knew that. But thinking about it, it did seem like he had never heard anything about Zhao Ya's mother before.

To think that her mother would actually be the court chief of the Glacier Plain Court, a power on par with Tier-1 Sage Clans! How did the court chief of the Glacier Plain Court end up getting together with a minor city lord in somewhere as remote as the Tianxuan Kingdom and even have a daughter together?

"In the Glacier Plain Court, every single generation of court chief must possess the Pure Yin Body, and my mother happens to have it!" Looking at her teacher, Zhao Ya revealed everything that she knew without any hesitation.

"Back then, due to some incident, my mother departed from the Glacier Plain court and sealed her own cultivation, fleeing to an ancient ground where no master teacher exists, Tianxuan Kingdom. It was there that she met my father, and the both of them happened to have many common interests. Love eventually blossomed from their relationship, and they married one another.

"However, while giving birth to me, she failed to rein in her power properly, resulting in a leak in her powers. The Glacier Plain Court swiftly found her, and in order to prevent any harm from coming to me and my father, she willingly surrendered and returned with them."

"You said that your mother was brought back to the Glacier Plain Court?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Yes. Just like me, she's imprisoned somewhere in the Glacier Plain Court as well. To this day, I have been unable to find her!" Zhao Ya clenched her fists in indignation.

From a very young age, her father had shared many stories about her mother with her, and the bits and pieces of those stories formed an image of a loving and doting mother in her mind. The very idea that her mother was suffering in the Glacier Plain Court left her feeling distressed, but despite her efforts, she had been unable to locate her whereabouts.

"Is it because of that that you were captured here?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even if the previous court chief was Zhao Ya's mother, that should not have been a reason to imprison Zhao Ya as well.

After all, the Glacier Plain Court was banking on the rise of a court chief to bring them to greater heights. It had not been easy for them to find a person with the Pure Yin Body, so surely, they would not be so foolish as to sever their own hopes!

"That's not it. The reason I was captured is because I found out about the final step to awakening the Pure Yin Body!" As Zhao Ya spoke, her face turned livid, and her clenched fists began trembling by her sides.

"What is it?" Zhang Xuan asked, slightly bewildered by Zhao Ya's response.

Considering how Zhao Ya would eventually have to fully awaken the Pure Yin Body before taking over as the court chief, there should not have been any reason for the First Elder and the others to imprison her just because she had found out about it prematurely.

"The Pure Yin Body is a manifestation of the purest yin in the world within the body of a female," Zhao Ya said. "Even across the entire Master Teacher Continent, it's rarely seen. As of this moment, the only ones who possess such a constitution are most likely my mother and me. Once fully awakened, the Pure Yin Body will allow one's cultivation to surge straight up. Regardless of whether it's battle techniques or cultivation techniques, one will be able to grasp them swiftly with minimal effort.

"However, there's always an equalizing power in the world. The world will never allow an individual power to grow beyond a certain point, similar to the saying, 'A lonesome yin never grows; an individual yang never flourishes'!

"The yin and yang in this world don't exist as separate entities. They are complementary powers, born and destroyed in pairs. Despite the opposing nature of the two forces, they are necessary for the existence of the other..."

Recalling what she had read, Zhao Ya trembled slightly. "So, the final step to awakening the Pure Yin Body is the amalgamation of yin and yang to reconcile the two together!"

"Amalgamation of yin and yang?"

"Un. Other than female disciples practicing yin attribute cultivation techniques, there are also a small handful of male disciples practicing yang cultivation technique," Zhao Ya replied. "In order to achieve the full awakening of the Pure Yin Body, I'll have to regard them as mere cauldrons and harvest the yang energy in their bodies!"

"Regarding humans as cauldrons? The Glacier Plain Court actually has such vicious practices?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Regarding a human as a cauldron meant treating them as a tool to harvest energy. Once the victims had been sapped dry, they would wither and pass away. This was exactly the kind of practice that the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters abhorred and forbade. In fact, the reason the soul oracles had been vanquished back then was due to their malevolent arts that allowed for the possession of other cultivators and the forging of cultivators as Soulless Metal Humanoids!

To think that the Glacier Plain Court's final step to awakening the Pure Yin Body would actually be something like that.

It was really too frightening!

"Indeed. I rejected that course of action, and as a result of that, the First Elder ordered for my imprisonment, hoping to force me to change my mind through this!" Zhao Ya aid.

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Chapter 1497: Heaven Sealing Lock

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I see!"

Putting together what he had just heard with the conversation between the First Elder and Zhao Ya, Zhang Xuan came to a realization.

Such an art of harvesting would mean treating living humans as mere tools to further one's cultivation, and it would lead to the deaths of many innocent individuals.

For someone as prideful and righteous as Zhao Ya, there was no way she could accept such a course of action.

"My mother was also reluctant back then, which was why she eventually chose to seal her cultivation and flee from the Glacier Plain Court," Zhao Ya said.

Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

As one of the strongest powers in the Master Teacher Continent, the Glacier Plain Court was bound to possess some means to track down their disciples, not to mention that Zhao Ya's mother possessed the Pure Yin Body. Once she exerted her strength, the Glacier Plain Court would be able to swiftly pick it up and find her. The only way she would be able to really get away was to seal her own cultivation!

This was similar to how Luo Ruoxin had to seal her own cultivation in order to get away from the Luo Clan.

However, due to the dire situation that he had been in back at the Qiu Wu Palace, she had chosen to release her seal so as to subdue the Skyleaf King and save him. This had led to the Luo Clan finding her whereabouts, and she had been left with no choice but to leave his side.

And shortly after, he had met with Luo Chengxin in the Qingyuan Empire.

"I also think that such a practice is abhorrent. Don't worry, if you are reluctant to do it, no one will be able to force you into it. I'll bring you away right now!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand with unquestionable dominance.

So what if this is the Glacier Plain Court?

If my student is reluctant to learn your damned arts, no one will be able to force her into it!

Not even the heavens will be able to make her to do something against her will!

"Teacher..." Feeling the deep concern that her teacher had for her, Zhao Ya's eyes reddened.

Her teacher had been several million li away, but as soon as he received her message, he had immediately rushed over and appeared before her within less than two hours. Such actions spoke much louder than any words ever could.

"Alright, let's leave the folded space first before deciding on the next course of action!" Zhang Xuan said.

He reached out to grab Zhao Ya, intending to pull her up and take her away, but contrary to his expectations, he found his Primordial Spirit being dragged down to the ground instead.

"What's going on?"

Considering how Zhao Ya did not possess any cultivation at the moment, he should have been able to lift her up easily with just a finger. But for some reason, no matter how he tugged and pulled, the young lady remained firmly rooted to the spot, as if she was one with the room.

"Teacher, my zhenqi has been sealed by the Heaven Sealing Lock," Zhao Ya uttered weakly as her face abruptly paled and her breathing hastened.

As if some kind of excruciating pain was assaulting her, her body collapsed weakly to the ground and scrunched up together.

"Your zhenqi has been sealed by the Heaven Sealing Lock?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in utter horror, and in that instant, he nearly exploded from rage. "You are telling that the First Elder fused the Heaven Sealing Lock with your body in order to seal your meridians?"

He had already heard from Elder Bai previously that it was very likely that the First Elder had used the Heaven Sealing Lock on Zhao Ya, but when he saw that there was nothing binding her body, he had heaved a sigh of relief. He had thought that the First Elder was unwilling to go to that extent in view of their relationship, but who would have thought that the latter would be worse than he thought? That wretched hag actually fused the Heaven Sealing Lock into Zhao Ya's body!

The Heaven Sealing Lock was a torture tool that even Saint 9-dan experts were apprehensive of. It could inflict great pain on a cultivator just by using it to bind their limbs, but to go to the extent of fusing it into the body to seal the meridians... the slightest mistake could have led to the utter destruction of her meridians. Her cultivation would have been completely destroyed, turning her into a cripple!

"Yes, that's right," Zhao Ya replied feebly.

Her body twitched uncontrollably on the ground, and her breathing was growing weaker and weaker. It seemed as if the excruciating pain was going to rob her of her consciousness very soon.

"Damn it! I'll take that seal off you right now!" With an awful look on his face, Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed forward to touch Zhao Ya's body, intending to use the Library of Heaven's Path in order to uncover the flaws of the Heaven Sealing Lock.

However, when there was no jolt in his head, he realized that he was currently only in his soul form!

While he could collect books into the Library of Heaven's Path through his Primordial Spirit's gaze, due to his incorporeal form, he was unable to truly touch an object, so he was unable to compile a book to analyze Zhao Ya's current condition.

Unless... Zhao Ya could stand up and execute a battle technique!

However, given her current circumstances, that was off the table.

As infuriated as Zhang Xuan was, he knew that rage would be of no use to him at the moment. He quickly released his grip and instructed, "Don't try to drive your zhenqi, and if possible, don't exert any strength derived from your cultivation at all!"

Nodding slightly, Zhao Ya quickly halted her flow of energy. Five minutes later, the pain finally receded. By then, her clothes were already soaked with her own sweat.

"I'm fine..." Zhao Ya struggled to her feet weakly.

"The Heaven Seal Lock is fused into your body, sealing your meridians. Not only will you be unable to use your strength, there mustn't be another external force acting on you either, or else it will immediately trigger the punishment, plunging you into excruciating pain!" Zhang Xuan said.

The First Elder sure was callous.

To disallow her from exerting any energy and preventing anyone from saving her... this was really a dead end. Until the Heaven Seal Lock was removed, there would be nothing he could do.

Knowing that the thing he had to do first was to remove the Heaven Seal Lock, Zhang Xuan said, "Try to execute a punching routine for me!"

"Yes!" Zhao Ya nodded as she executed a light punch.

While she did not use much strength in that punch, it still left cold sweat pouring down from her head, and her face turned pale from exhaustion.

Weng!

Fortunately, the effort was not wasted. A book materialized in Zhang Xuan's head.

He quickly flipped it open.

"Zhao Ya, the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court... Flaws: 1, the Pure Yin Body has only been awakened to the seventh level. 2, her meridians have been sealed by the Heaven Sealing Lock, preventing her from exerting any strength. 3..."

After browsing through the content of the book, Zhang Xuan's face turned even darker.

The book did mention the Heaven Sealing Lock, but it only depicted Zhao Ya's current condition, not the flaws of the lock.

In other words, the book compiled on Zhao Ya only showed him the flaws regarding her cultivation. Even though the Heaven Sealing Lock was mentioned, it was more of a passing remark, containing no useful information as to how it could be removed at all.

It seemed like even the Library of Heaven's Path did not possess the ability to fathom something beyond direct contact with him!

Unless I'm able to find the exact location of the Heaven Sealing Lock in her body and come into contact with it or... get the First Elder to remove it personally, I won't be able to do anything about it! Zhang Xuan thought as his complexion turned more and more awful.

What the First Elder did was no different from planting a bomb in Zhao Ya's body. She was the only one who could resolve it, and if anyone else touched it, it would immediately blow up!

"Teacher..." Zhao Ya turned her gaze over.

"Don't worry. Since I've said that I'll save you, I'll definitely do it. Follow me," Zhang Xuan said before heading forward, and Zhao Ya quickly followed along.

As long as she did not utilize the strength derived from her cultivation, she would not come under the punishment of the Heaven Sealing Lock. In other words, while she did not possess any cultivation at the moment, she was at least able to walk around like an ordinary mortal.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance, where the First Elder had left from. Zhang Xuan gazed at the formation before him and lightly muttered, "Flaws!".

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

While it was difficult to find the folded space from the outside, finding a way out from the inside was much easier.

After swiftly browsing through the book, Zhang Xuan found a flaw in the formation and focused his soul energy on that single point.

Kacha!

A crack swiftly appeared in the previously stable space, and it swiftly grew larger and larger before forming a huge crevice.

"It'll mend itself very soon, so we need to leave quickly!" Zhang Xuan instructed before leaving the folded space.

Zhao Ya also quickly followed him.

As soon as the two of them walked out of the folded space, they saw the spatial crevice behind them swiftly closing up and vanishing without a trace.

Seeing that they were finally out of the Chanting Serenity Hall, Zhang Xuan scanned his surroundings, and seeing that no one was around, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"We'll be heading toward Elder Bai's residence..." Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message over.

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Chapter 1498: Confront the First Elder!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It appeared that the First Elder was extremely confident in her defensive measures, so she did not station too many sentries in the vicinity of the Chanting Serenity Hall—or perhaps, she was afraid that planting sentries in the area would give it away. As such, there were only a couple of normal disciples patrolling the area.

With his exceptionally large Spiritual Perception, Zhang Xuan was able to detect the presence of the few sentries stationed in the area and avoid them in advance.

Without taking too long, they arrived at Elder Bai's residence very soon.

"Is teacher's physical body in here?"

Entering the residence, Zhao Ya scanned her surroundings curiously. Following which, she heard one of the doors creak open, and a middle-aged man with yellowish skin walked out.

"Grandteacher!" Astonished, Zhao Ya quickly bowed deeply to pay her respects.

The other party was none other than her teacher's teacher, Yang Xuan!

"Un!" 'Yang shi' nodded.

"Grandteacher, why... are you here? Where's teacher?" Zhao Ya asked in bewilderment.

She had clearly seen her teacher's Primordial Spirit entering the room, but why would it be her grandteacher walking out instead?

"After receiving your message, your teacher came to request for my help," 'Yang shi' explained with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, your teacher is in a folded space that I have created, so he'll be fine. He's still a little too weak at the moment, so he won't be able to deal with the current situation."

"Thank you, grandteacher!" Seeing that her even her grandteacher had chosen to make a move, Zhao Ya heaved a sigh of relief.

What she was the most afraid of was something happening to her teacher while he was trying to save her. With her grandteacher's strength, they should be safe now.

After becoming the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court, she had swiftly learned about the true identity of her grandteacher. He was one of the three grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, as well as one of the strongest experts on the Master Teacher Continent. Even the First Elder would have to bow down to him if she was there.

"Zhang Xuan has already told me about your situation. Follow me, I want to take a look at the Heaven Sealing Lock on you," Yang shi said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes!" Zhao Ya hurriedly nodded before entering a room.

The two of them sat down, and 'Yang shi' placed a finger on Zhao Ya's wrist.

As time passed, the frown on her forehead grew deeper and deeper.

Naturally, this 'Yang shi' was none other than Zhang Xuan. The reason he had chosen to conceal his true identity from Zhao Ya was out of fear that she would panic after learning the truth.

Given Zhao Ya's current standing, she likely knew of the true identity of her 'grandteacher' already. If she learned that her teacher was actually her grandteacher as well, her state of mind could be rattled. This could become an unstable variable that would potentially expose him when he made use of Yang shi's identity as a chip against the Glacier Plain Court later on.

Even if he wanted to tell the truth to Zhao Ya, it should only be done after they had escaped from the Glacier Plain Court. Otherwise, the slightest mistake on their part could lead to their descent into the abyss.

After all, the man whom he was attempting to impersonate was one of the strongest experts in the world, Yang Xuan! He could not afford to make a single mistake!

In order to use the Library of Heaven's Path through touch, he would have to knock Zhao Ya out first. However, from the looks of it, even if he did so, he would likely get the same results as before. If he truly wanted to find the flaws of the Heaven Sealing Lock and resolve it, he would have to slice apart the Zhao Ya's flesh and touch the lock directly!

Zhang Xuan retracted his hand and asked, "How did the Heaven Sealing Lock get into your body?"

Zhao Ya pondered for a moment before speaking. "The Heaven Sealing Lock is slightly different from the one created by the Blacksmith Guild. It's forged out of the threads produced by the Icy Silkworm. After the elders subdued me, the First Elder had the Icy Silkworm bite my finger and dive into my body. Before I knew it, I was already in my current condition."

After suppressing her, the elders had sealed her powers entirely, rendering her completely helpless. Thus, she could only helplessly watch as the Icy Silkworm crawled its way into her body.

"Icy Silkworm?" A deep frown appeared on Zhang Xuan's glabella. He contemplated for a moment, but he was still unable to fully make sense of the situation, so he said, "Let's try this then. I'll send a surge of zhenqi through your body, and if I am able to locate the Icy Silkworm, I'll try to eliminate it."

He had never heard of the Icy Silkworm in his life before, so he could not say for sure what would work. In any case, he had to give it a try.

"Alright!" Knowing that her grandteacher would not hurt her, Zhao Ya extended her wrist out once more.

With a flick of his finger, Zhang Xuan sent a surge of zhenqi into her meridians.

"Hmm?" Feeling the meridian that had entered her body, Zhao Ya could not help but raise her eyebrows in astonishment.

The quality of the zhenqi that had just entered her body was extremely familiar to her. It was almost identical to that her teacher's, the only differences being that it was even purer, more soothing, and stronger.

Well, Teacher did come from grandteacher's lineage, so it shouldn't be surprising that the nature of their zhenqi is similar to one another...

Zhao Ya rationalized with a nod of her head.

Those of the same lineage would likely possess similar constitutions, and if they practiced the same cultivation techniques, the nature of their zhenqi would also be similar.

Soon, after driving his zhenqi through Zhao Ya's body once, Zhang Xuan's face turned even more grim.

The Heaven Sealing Lock created by the Icy Silkworm had turned all of Zhao Ya's meridians and even her dantian into ice! If she attempted to drive her zhenqi, she would be putting herself at risk of shattering her meridians, and the injuries that she would sustain as a result of that could very well claim her life!

Even though he had only sent in a small surge of zhenqi in, and he had made sure to move extremely carefully, he still nearly caused her meridians to rupture. If he attempted to remove the Heaven Sealing Lock forcefully, chances were that Zhao Ya would lose her life before the problem could be resolved.

What a vicious tool... Zhang Xuan could not help but curse the First Elder with all of the expletives that he could think of in his mind.

Who would have thought that the person in charge of a major power would actually use such ruthless means on her fellow people? This was unforgivable!

Suppressing his raging fury, Zhang Xuan asked, "Has the First Elder ever said how the Heaven Sealing Lock can be resolved?"

With his current means, there was nothing he could do to resolve the Heaven Sealing Lock. Even with the Heaven's Path zhenqi, there was nothing he could do.

If the Icy Silkworm had still been alive, he could have tried to poison it to death. However, based on what he had found, it had already fused into her meridians and was shrouded with thick ice. If he attempted to break the ice to get to it, that could potentially cause Zhao Ya's already fragile meridians to collapse entirely.

In other words, he was completely helpless.

"I don't think so. All she said was that she would help me resolve the problem once I took the final step to awaken my Pure Yin Body," Zhao Ya said with a shake of her head.

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan was still unable find a feasible solution. Shaking his head, he said, "It seems like we'll have to ask her in person then!"

The longer the Heaven Sealing Lock remained in Zhao Ya's body, the greater the damage it would cause to her body. They would have to get rid of it as soon as possible.

From the current looks of it, the only one who wielded the ability to resolve Zhao Ya's condition was the First Elder. So, the most direct and effective solution would be to question her and have her reveal the cure to her condition.

Just that...

After what had happened to Zhao Ya's mother, the First Elder must have hardened her heart to take such extreme means. It would not be easy to get her to reveal the cure.

There's no way she will reveal it if I ask her and Zhang Xuan; if things go badly, we might even come to blows. However, it will be different if I confront her as Yang Xuan! Zhang Xuan thought with narrowed eyes.

He was currently assuming the identity of Yang Xuan from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Even if the other party was the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court, she would still have to show some respect!

"Zhao Ya, you should wait in my folded space for the time being. I'll be heading over to meet the First Elder of your Glacier Plain Court!" Zhang Xuan stood up with a fling of his sleeves.

Since he was there to save Zhao Ya, naturally, he would have to resolve her affliction too before taking her away. Since he could not think of any other solution, he could only take a gamble.

If he pulled it off, he might just be able to fool the First Elder and obtain the solution to Zhao Ya's problem.

But if he was discovered... Well, he had no qualms with reducing the Glacier Plain Court to ruins!

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Chapter 1499: Elder Qu of the Master Teacher Pavilion Headquarters

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In the conference room of the Glacier Plain Court, on the main seat, the First Elder was looking at a jade token in her palm. There was another elder who was sitting quietly by her side, seemingly patiently waiting for the First Elder to be done.

Hu!

Placing down the jade token, the First Elder turned her gaze toward the elder sitting beside her.

The elder also turned his gaze over and said, "You should understand now, right?"

"Yes, I do!" The First Elder nodded grimly.

"Good. The reason I was sent here was to explain this matter to you in detail. It should be obvious even without me saying it, but nothing can go wrong this time around. This matter concerns the survival of mankind, so no mistakes will be tolerated. Otherwise, not just your Glacier Plain Court, none of us will be able to bear the consequences!" The elder stood up and placed his hands behind his back.

With a slightly uneasy expression on his face, he gazed upward and said, "Success or failure, everything banks on this. I don't wish to see everything falling apart due to the inability of your Glacier Plain Court!"

"Don't worry, I have already locked her up in the Chanting Serenity Hall and planted the Heaven Sealing Lock in her body. Most likely, we should be able to make her give in within three days. As long as she awakens her unique constitution, the plan should be able to move on without any problems!" The First Elder stood up and clasped her fist.

"That would best be the case!" The elder nodded. "Alright, I'll be taking my leave now. I hope to hear good news from you!"

The elder turned around and headed to the door. However, barely after taking two steps, a soft voice suddenly sounded from the doorway. It was not too loud, but it seemed to dive right into one's eardrums, making it impossible not to hear what was being said.

"Master Teacher Yang Xuan seeks an audience with the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court!"

"Yang Xuan?" The First Elder narrowed her eyes in astonishment.

Not too far away, the elder also halted his footsteps upon hearing that voice from astonishment. With a voice carrying a hint of disbelief, he muttered, "Why would Grand Elder Yang appear here?"

"Elder Qu, this..." The First Elder hurriedly looked at the elder before her with a look of apprehension.

"Grand Elder Yang has always roamed the lands freely, such that even our deputy pavilion master is unaware of his whereabouts. I'm also not too sure why he would suddenly appear here either. Hurry up and invite him in!" Elder Qu urged.

"Alright!" Knowing the other party's standing in the Master Teacher Continent, the First Elder dared not keep him waiting. She quickly walked over to the doorway to the conference room and clasped her fist. "First Elder of the Glacier Plain court, You Ruoxin, pays respect to Yang shi!"

Hu!

A moment after those words were spoken, a figure slowly descended from the sky. The speed of his flight was not too fast, but his movements exquisitely avoided all of the dangers from the defensive formations cast around the area. It was as if his eyes could see all imminent dangers, allowing him to avoid them in advance.

You Ruoxin anxiously lowered her head subserviently.

As the person-in-charge of the Glacier Plain Court, she knew full well how formidable the formation that was set up around the conference room was. Yet, it seemed as if it was nothing more than child's play to the other party. He could simply walk straight through it without sounding any warning alarms, making it impossible to guard against him. Without a doubt, the man before her had reached a level far beyond her imagination.

The figure in the sky landed gently on the ground.

The First Elder You Ruoxin carefully raised her head to assess the person standing before her. He had slightly yellowish skin, and his outward appearance was similar to that of a person in his late thirties or early forties. He had exceptionally deep eyes that seemed to conceal all of his emotions and thoughts. It was impossible to gauge the extent of his strength just from the aura he emanated, and even when she attempted to weigh him up through discreetly extending her Spiritual Perception to him, she shockingly found that she could not even perceive his presence at all.

Despite so, You Ruoxin narrowed her eyes and asked, "You aren't Yang shi... Who in the world are you?"

She had never met Yang Xuan in person before, but she had heard some rumors about him and his appearance. From what she knew, Yang Xuan should have been in his fifties with a flowing white beard, and that was completely at odds with the person standing before her.

"I take on many identities as I roam around the world. Do I have to inform you of every single one of them in advance?" 'Yang shi's' face darkened as a powerful aura burst forth from his body.

In this moment, it felt as if the entire conference room would collapse under the pressure of his aura.

"I dare not!" You Ruoxin hurriedly lowered her head fearfully.

She quickly turned her gaze toward Elder Qu, only to see the latter slowly walking toward her.

"Grand Elder Yang does assume many different identities as he roams the world, but when he pays a visit to another in his capacity as a master teacher, he would appear with his real face. You aren't Yang shi, who in the world are you? Do you know the crime of impersonating a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?" Elder Qu uttered sharply as he looked straight at 'Yang shi'.

You Ruoxin might not have met Yang Xuan before, but he had!

But the middle-aged man before him, be it in terms of appearance or aura, was completely different from the Yang shi whom he knew, so how could they be the same person?

If they were really the same person, he would relinquish his eyes!

"Hmm?" Hearing the words spoken by Elder Qu, 'Yang shi's' heart skipped a beat.

The person before him was dressed in a master teacher robe, and pinned on his chest was a master teacher emblem with nine stars glistening on it. The word 'headquarters' could be seen at the bottom of his emblem, indicating his identity as a member of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters.

Why would there be a 9-star master teacher from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters in the Glacier Plain Court?

Of course, this 'Yang shi' was still Zhang Xuan. After moving Zhao Ya into the Myriad Anthive Nest, he quickly asked Elder Bai for the First Elder's location, and without bothering to hide his tracks, he had flown right over.

He had thought that with the unique properties of his Heaven's Path zhenqi and his deep experience in disguising, he would be able to scare the First Elder right from the get go and convince her that he was Yang Xuan. Who could have thought that there would actually be a master teacher from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters around?

Just what kind of bad luck was this?

He had barely started his act, but the tables had already turned against him.

Coming from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, the person before him was bound to have met the real Yang Xuan before. How was he supposed to continue acting?

While Zhang Xuan's heart was beating in trepidation, he did not allow his emotions to show on his face. With a slight flick of his finger, he sent a surge of sword qi right toward Elder Qu.

This surge of sword qi was infused with the essence of the Speed Sword Quintessence. As if slicing right through the fabrics of time, as soon as it escaped the tip of Zhang Xuan's finger, it immediately appeared right before the other party's face,

"Hmm?"

Not expecting the imposter to make a move on him right after having his identity exposed, Elder Qu's face darkened. With a swift flick of his hand, a light barrier appeared on the surface of his skin.

Hu!

Elder Qu thought that the sword qi would collide with his light barrier, but contrary to his expectation, it dissipated upon contact with the light barrier, as if it had never been there in the first place.

The sword qi carried no offensive power at all—the other party was testing him!

Everything had happened so quickly that he had failed to tell that it was just a mere test.

Narrowing his eyes, Elder Qu was about to berate the other party when the fake Yang Xuan before him suddenly frowned. Gazing down on him coldly, the other party sent a telepathic message to him. "Qu Buping, have you resolved the problem of meridian distortion in your Streaming River Art, or have you recovered from the trauma you sustained in the battle against Emperor Baiyu? Otherwise, what gives you the guts to doubt my identity?"

"Ah?"

The words that Elder Qu was just about to speak fell back down his throat, and he froze on the spot.

The Streaming River Art was a cultivation technique that he had created. It allowed a cultivator to drive their zhenqi forth relentlessly, as if a flowing river, granting them immense might. Unfortunately, it had a fatal flaw. The Streaming River Art placed great strain on one's meridians, and if one used it for too long, it could cause one's meridians to become distorted.

This was similar to how if a river current was too strong, it would cause its meanders to distort out of shape.

The cultivation and physical condition of 9-star master teachers were top-notch secrets, and they would never reveal a word about the cultivation problems they were facing to others. Otherwise, should the Otherworldly Demons catch wind of it, it could potentially pose a security threat. Yet, the middle-aged man before him actually knew of his past afflictions and even the trauma that he had sustained in his fight against Emperor Baiyu.

If that was the case, could he really be Yang shi?

But what about his completely different disposition and appearance then? This did not make sense!

While Elder Qu was still trying to make sense of the situation, someone spoke.

"I have recently made a breakthrough in my cultivation, which resulted in my appearance and disposition being vastly different from what it used to be. I don't blame you for failing to recognize me!"

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Chapter 1500: I Have Brought Her Away

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You managed to achieve a breakthrough?" Elder Qu was stunned for a moment before widening his eyes in disbelief.

Ever since Kong shi and his direct disciples disappeared, something seemed to have vanished from the face of the Master Teacher Continent. In fact, in the past ten millenniums, there had not been a single known case of anyone successfully achieving a breakthrough to that realm.

It was for that reason that Yang shi had to roam the world, in search of a fortuitous encounter to take the final step forward.

Could it be that his effort had paid off?

If that was really the case, it would really be a huge blessing to the Master Teacher Pavilion and mankind!

A master teacher of that caliber was bound to have a far deeper understanding of cultivation than the rest of them, and just a simple pointer from him could benefit one immensely. Under his guidance, the prowess of mankind would be brought to a whole new level!

Just that... even if Yang shi had reached the level, he should not have changed to the extent where even he could not recognize him anymore!

"Indeed. I was unable to solve your distorted meridian and trauma in the past, but those no longer pose a problem to me anymore!" Seeing the hesitation in the other party's eyes, Zhang Xuan decisively pressed on.

At the current moment, what was truly important was not whether the other party believed in his identity or not but to scare him into not daring to make a move first. After all, his goal was just to obtain the key to resolving the Heaven Sealing Lock from the First Elder. Once that was done, he would be able to make his escape right away.

And once he was gone, it would not make any difference whether the other party realized that he was a fake or not.

After all, once he reverted to his original appearance, the other party would not be able to find him anymore.

"They don't pose a problem to you anymore?" Those words caused a jolt in Elder Qu's heart. "Do you mean to say that... you have found a way to resolve the issues I am facing?"

"That's right. The Streaming River Art allows a cultivator to pump their zhenqi through their meridians swiftly, but if a cultivator drives their zhenqi through his meridians with too much force for a prolonged period of time, the impact will injure their foundations and distort their meridians. Once the problem sets in, it is difficult for normal herbs to resolve it. However, if there is a purer surge of zhenqi flowing through one's body to continuously nourish the meridians, the problem will be resolved once and for all," Zhang Xuan said lightly.

Due to the limitations in his cultivation and experience, it would be difficult for him to resolve the usual cultivation problems that Elder Qu was facing. However, if it was just regarding the recovery of meridians... that was simply too easy for him!

The Heaven's Path zhenqi was capable of recovering all damage sustained by the meridians and reverting them back to their initial condition. The problem that Elder Qu was facing was just a mere distortion of the meridians. With a sufficient infusion of Heaven's Path zhenqi, it should not be too difficult to heal the other party.

Hearing 'Yang shi's' proposed solution to the matter, Elder Qu shook his head helplessly. "I understand that, but where am I to find purer zhenqi?"

He had sought out many 9-star physicians for the condition he was in, and there were a couple of them who had proposed such a solution. However, he was already a 9-star master teacher himself, and in terms of the purity of zhenqi, there was barely anyone in the world who could surpass him. Where was he to find someone whose zhenqi was far purer than his?

"Try this..." Zhang Xuan had been waiting for those words.

With a flick of his finger, a surge of zhenqi shot over.

Perplexed, Elder Qu raised his hand and gathered the surge of zhenqi that Zhang Xuan had shot over on his fingertip. Taking a closer look at the surge of zhenqi, he could not help but narrow his eyes in astonishment.

That surge of zhenqi was rather weak—in terms of prowess, it was only comparable to that of a Phantasmal Space realm cultivator. However, the purity of the surge of zhenqi was spectacular. Just being in contact with it left Elder Qu feeling as if his cells were pulsating in exhilaration. His instincts told him that if he fused this surge of zhenqi into his cells, he would be able to easily resolve his injuries.

Under the nourishment of zhenqi of such purity, his distorted meridians would swiftly revert to normal, and his fighting prowess would soar by leaps and bounds.

Elder Qu could not help but ask, "Where did this surge of zhenqi come from?"

"I refined it. However, I have only figured it out up to Phantasmal Space realm so far. With time, I should be able to further raise its realm, but for the time being, you will just have to make do with it. I still have a few more surges here. You should test the effects first to see if it works on your injuries," Zhang Xuan said as he flicked a few more surges of zhenqi over.

"Much thanks!" Elder Qu swiftly caught the surges of zhenqi that Zhang Xuan had shot over. Extending his Spiritual Perception to study the surges of zhenqi closely, he was astounded to realize that he could not find the slightest impurity in the zhenqi.

Taking in a deep breath, he tapped his finger on the surges of zhenqi gathered on his fingertip and allowed them to flow freely into his body.

Tzzzzzzz!

As soon as those surges of zhenqi entered Elder Qu's body and fused together with his distorted meridians, those dried up meridians swiftly puffed back up as if a sponge taking in water. In just a few moments, the distortions were straightened back up, allowing zhenqi to flow through his meridians unhindered once more.

"This..." Elder Qu's body trembled in agitation.

If the appearance of the surges of zhenqi had reignited the hope of the recovery of his distorted zhenqi, the confirmation that the surges of zhenqi were indeed able to repair the damage sustained by his body brought him indescribable ecstasy.

While the distortions of the meridians would not affect his strength too much at the start, if the condition persisted, it would gradually cause his cultivation to decline. However, if he could resolve the problem, he would be able to remain in his peak state at all times. Perhaps, he might even have a chance to make a breakthrough in the future!

Clenching his fists tightly, he could not help but reassess the middle-aged man before him once more warily.

In the depths of his heart, he still did not think that the other party was Yang shi. However, given how the other party was able to see through the underlying traumas that he was suffering from and even resolve them, there was little doubt that the other party was one of the top powerhouses of the Master Teacher Continent!

Even at the very least, the other party had to be an expert of the same caliber as him, if not higher!

Watching as Elder Qu took his zhenqi into his body, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly and said, "Elder Qu, you should be able to trust my words now, right?"

Everything that he had said with Elder Qu earlier was through zhenqi telepathy—even if You Ruoxin was the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court, she still was not qualified to learn of the condition of a 9-star master teacher from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters.

After seeing that he had managed to deal with Elder Qu for the time being, he turned his gaze to You Ruoxin and said, "The reason I have paid your Glacier Plain Court a visit this time around is to ask you for a favor. I ask of you to let my grandstudent off the hook!"

"Grandstudent? Yang shi, please feel to speak of any request that you have!" Seeing that Elder Qu had fallen silent after trading some telepathic messages with the middle-aged man standing before her, You Ruoxin could not help but feel a little nervous on the inside.

She had never met Yang shi before, but as an elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, there was no way Elder Qu could not possibly fail to recognize Yang shi. So, for the latter to fall silent after trading a few telepathic messages, it was likely that they had touched on some confidential secrets concerning the Master Teacher Pavilion that she was not privy to.

In other words... there was a very good chance that the middle-aged man standing before her was truly Yang shi!

A grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters... Even if someone were to inflate her guts ten times over, she would not dare offend someone of that standing!

Seeing that Elder Qu was not interfering anymore, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a nonchalant but imposing voice, he said, "My grandstudent, Zhao Ya, was once recognized as the young court chief of your Glacier Plain Court. But earlier today, I received a message saying that you have imprisoned her and used the Heaven Sealing Lock to seal her meridians. Thus, I came over intending to plead on her behalf. I ask of the First Elder to free her shackles and return her freedom!"

"Zhao Ya? She's... Yang shi's grandstudent?" You Ruoxin nearly leaped up in fright.

Was Zhao Ya not the student of the unaffiliated cultivator 'Zhang Xuan'? If Zhao Ya was Yang shi's grandstudent, did that not mean that Zhang Xuan was Yang shi's direct disciple?

"First Elder!"

In You Ruoxin's moment of astonishment, a panicked cry sounded. The Second Elder rushed over, and upon seeing that there were two foreign faces in the conference room, a hint of hesitation flickered across her face. Nevertheless, she still quickly rushed over to the First Elder's side.

"What's wrong?" Seeing the fluster that the Second Elder was in, You Ruoxin could not help but frown deeply.

"Bad news! The Chanting Serenity Hall's formation is still completely intact, but Young Court Chief Zhao Ya... has gone missing!" the Second Elder exclaimed with a pale face.

"You said that Zhao Ya has gone missing?" You Ruoxin narrowed her eyes in horror. Her first thought was to rush over to check on the formation at the Chanting Serenity Hall when a thought came to her mind, and she slowly turned her head toward the middle-aged man in the conference room. "Yang shi..."

Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves back and said impassively, "Indeed. I have brought her away."

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Chapter 1501: Let the Glacier Plain Court Vanish Hereafter!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hearing the words from the middle-aged man before her, the Second Elder was astounded.

"You said that you brought her away? That's impossible! The Chanting Serenity Hall is shrouded by a 9-star pinnacle formation set up painstakingly by the ancestors of the Glacier Plain Court. Without the token, it's impossible to enter its premises. Not even the guild leader of the Formation Master Guild headquarters would be able to take her away discreetly!"

She did not believe something like this could be true nor even possible.

The Chanting Serenity Hall was the place where criminals were housed, and its security was so tight that it was impossible for anyone to sneak in discreetly without alarming them!

Putting aside the head of the Formation Master Guild headquarters, even the head of the Luo Clan, who could be considered the leading expert in the field of spatial manipulation, was not capable of achieving this feat.

But... the impossible had indeed happened. Zhao Ya had disappeared, and the middle-aged man before her claimed that he had taken her away. If so, just who could this middle-aged man be?

And how powerful could he be?

"This..."

While You Ruoxin could not help but hold some skepticism toward this matter, she still swiftly composed herself and clasped her fist. "Yang shi, I was unaware that Zhao Ya is your grandstudent, so I ask of you to forgive me if I have offended you in any way. However, I would like to clarify that it wasn't my intention to make things hard for her by placing the Heaven Sealing Lock on her!"

While Zhao Ya was a member of their Glacier Plain Court, now that Yang shi was involved, the entire nature of the matter had changed.

Lineage was of the utmost importance on the Master Teacher Continent. If a student was humiliated, it was normal for the teacher to step forward and stand up on their behalf. In fact, as long as the teacher did not go too overboard, the Master Teacher Pavilion would not restrict such behavior.

"Humph! You used the Heaven Sealing Lock to seal her meridians, placing her through great suffering... Do you honestly believe that I'll let this matter go just because it wasn't your intention to do so?" Zhang Xuan spat as his voice gradually turned wintry.

"This..." You Ruoxin bit her lips nervously. "To tell you the truth, Yang shi, Zhao Ya's Pure Yin Body must be awakened as soon as possible because it involves the major affair of the Master Teacher Pavilion, so I had no other choice!"

"The major affair of the Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan repeated questioningly.

"Indeed." Hearing Zhang Xuan's doubtful voice, Elder Qu asked with a hint of wariness in his voice, "Yang shi, are you not aware of the matter? Aren't you from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?"

While he still did not think that the other party was Grand Elder Yang Xuan, considering that the other party had been able to point out the root of his ailment and treat it swiftly, he felt that it was still very likely that the other party was someone from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Perhaps, he might be one of the more senior elders who had long gone into seclusion.

Harboring such doubts in his mind, he had decided to take a step back and simply watch things progress by the side so as to figure out the intentions of the middle-aged man before him, especially since the other party had not really shown any breach of respect or caused any trouble so far.

Furthermore, he had come in order to save his grandstudent, which was a perfectly valid reason.

Just that... that matter was something that had resulted in the mobilization of the entire Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, yet the person before him actually knew nothing about it at all. Could he be not from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters after all?

If he was not a master teacher and yet possessed the ability to cure his affliction and save his grandstudent from the Glacier Plain Court silently... this matter might not be as simple as it seemed!

"Of course I am. I am just not too sure about some matters!" Zhang Xuan's heart jolted in alarm, but he did not allow it to surface on his face. Maintaining his ever-nonchalant face, he waved his hands casually.

What did Zhao Ya's unique constitution being awakened have to do with the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters? What was going on?

Serving as the role model for the whole of mankind, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters had its reputation to uphold and would not do or allow anything that was too immoral. It was hard to believe that they would condone the First Elder's act of forcing Zhao Ya to use the art of harvesting to awaken her unique constitution.

"You aren't too sure? That's impossible. That matter was decided by Yang shi himself, and he entrusted it to the deputy pavilion master to carry out. There's no 9-star master teacher in the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters who doesn't know of this matter, so how could you be unsure of it? You... who in the world are you?" Elder Qu said as he took a step toward Zhang Xuan.

Even if the other party had treated his injuries and was his benefactor, as long as the other party was not from the Master Teacher Pavilion, he would have to take the other party down.

That matter was simply too important to allow anything to go wrong. He could not afford to compromise on it, and he could not take responsibility for the consequences if anything went wrong.

"You aren't Yang shi? Then who are you? What do you mean by coming over to the Glacier Plain Court and kidnapping our young court chief?" Seeing that Elder Qu had turned on the middle-aged man, You Ruoxin's heart jolted in astonishment as she began assessing the middle-aged man before her with narrowed eyes.

The auras of the two experts pressed down on Zhang Xuan heavily, leaving him short on breath.

"Elder Qu, I'll explain this matter to you when we return. I need you to remain silent for the time being."

Not expecting to give himself away in such a manner, Zhang Xuan snapped his fingers.

Padah!

Elder Qu suddenly felt the zhenqi that he had just assimilated coming to life. It dived into the most remote corners of his body and began tearing apart everything.

" Ahhh! "

The sudden assault of pain nearly left his knees crumbling to the floor. Cold sweat rained down his cheeks. He tried to open his mouth, but he found himself unable to say a word at all. Even his zhenqi telepathy was being interrupted.

In an instant, he understood that he had fallen for the other party's scheme.

Could he be... the newly-appointed hall master of the Poison Hall? Elder Qu thought in alarm.

He tried to move, but as if he was trapped within quicksand, his stiffened body simply would not budge.

Not too long ago, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters had received news that the Poison Hall headquarters hidden in the deep mountains had ushered in a new hall master. It was said that she was the reincarnation of their founder, and despite her young age, she possessed unparalleled affinity with poison, making her a force to behold.

The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters had sent a 9-star master teacher skilled in the art of concealment to sneak into the heart of their base and scout the matter. But before he could even reach the hall master's residence, he had already been afflicted with lethal poison and nearly lost his life.

Unexpectedly, not only did the hall master cure the 9-star master teacher of his poison, she even told him that her teacher was a master teacher, and she had no intention of going against the Master Teacher Pavilion, so there was no need for them to be so tense.

Further investigations on the matter had shown that the Poison Hall had truly toned down significantly after the inauguration of the new hall master, and only then did the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' heart finally rest easy.

Could all of that actually have been a facade? They had toned down on the surface, but in truth, they were moving in the shadows, preparing to launch a devastating blow on the Master Teacher Pavilion, starting with the Glacier Plain Court—was that it?

Otherwise, who else in the world could be capable of planting poison into a 9-star master teacher like him without incurring his notice?

Possessing such formidable means, if that fellow truly intended the Glacier Plain Court harm, he could easily start a massacre!

Alarmed, Elder Qu drove his zhenqi anxiously in hopes of gathering the strength required to move his body. However, the more he tried to drive his zhenqi, the stiffer his body became. The pain engulfing his body intensified, and he felt as if he would be torn to pieces.

How can this be? How did he manage to get the poison into me?

The poison had originated from the surges of zhenqi that the middle-aged man had given him previously. However, he had checked on the surges of zhenqi beforehand and ensured that there was nothing wrong with them. Had the Poison Hall really grown so powerful?

Damn it!

Knowing that it was futile to get anxious, Elder Qu took a deep breath and forcefully calmed himself. He began driving his zhenqi with greater intensity, hoping to suppress those surges of zhenqi that he had just taken in.

While that would not resolve the poison, with his strength, it should not be too much of a problem for him to suppress it temporarily.

"Elder Qu!"

On the other hand, seeing that her pillar of support had fallen silent, You Ruoxin's heart leaped in trepidation.

She knew just how powerful Elder Qu was, and yet, by some kind of sorcery, he had really fallen silent with just a few words from the middle-aged man before her.

Was the middle-aged man before her really that powerful?

"There's no need to turn to him for support. Qu Buping has been suppressed by my will, and he can't even fend for himself anymore. Since it has already come to the point, I don't think there's any need for me to maintain my act. Indeed, I'm not Yang shi. However, not even the Yang shi whom all of you look up to so much will be able to hold a candle to me!"

Raising his eyelids to look at You Ruoxin directly, Zhang Xuan took a step forward, and an indomitable aura flowed forth from his body. It was almost as if he was a deity from the heavens. Every single move that he made represented the will of the heavens, and at that very moment, the will of the heavens bore malevolent intent, seeking to bring divine retribution to the world.

"Just because I haven't made a move yet doesn't mean that I won't. Tell me how the Heaven Sealing Lock can be resolved, and I'll spare you and your Glacier Plain Court. Otherwise, I don't mind...

"... letting the Glacier Plain Court vanish hereafter!"

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Chapter 1502: Severely Wounded

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Vanish?"

The First Elder's face paled as she staggered backward fearfully.

Given how the other party was able to render Elder Qu completely silent and immobile with a word, as well as enter the depths of the Glacier Plain Court without drawing anyone's attention and take Zhao Ya away... In terms of strength, there was indeed no one in the world whom she could think of that would stand a chance against the middle-aged man before her. If a fight broke out, would the Glacier Plain Court stand a chance against him?

As this notion came into the First Elder's mind, she felt as if her heart had been plunged into icy water.

This was meaningless postulation. There was no way that they stood a chance.

In terms of strength, she was beneath that of Elder Qu. Given how the other party was able to subdue Elder Qu with ease, killing her would pose even less of a problem!

"Indeed." Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan took another step forward. "Doubt my strength if you want to, but just be prepared to face the consequences if so. The only reason I haven't made a move yet is to avoid meaningless bloodshed. My motive here is to save, not to kill."

Even though it was impossible to see the depths of his cultivation, the pressure he exerted was more than enough to sink anyone into the abyss of despair.

He flicked his wrist, and Zhao Ya appeared beside him.

Gazing intently at You Ruoxin, Zhang Xuan said, "All you have to do is free her from the Heaven Sealing Lock. As for the final awakening of her unique constitution, I'll handle it myself. You don't need to interfere in this matter anymore!"

Zhao Ya's unique constitution would definitely have to be awakened, but there was plenty of time in the future to figure out a solution. The important matter at hand was to remove the Heaven Sealing Lock and free her from pain.

"You are able to help her accomplish a full awakening?" You Ruoxin was stunned.

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan tilted his head upward confidently. "If there's something in this world I can't accomplish, no one else will be able to!"

It was a bold claim, but Zhang Xuan meant every last word he said.

With the Library of Heaven's Path in his possession, his existence embodied the possibilities of the world.

If there was something in this world that he was incapable of, no one else would be able to accomplish it, and this was including the legendary Yang shi!

"But..." You Ruoxin's face paled further upon hearing those words, and her body began trembling slightly. "The Heaven Sealing Lock of the Glacier Plain Court is created by the Icy Silkworm. Once it enters a host's body, it will swiftly freeze all of its host's meridians. There's only one known way to resolve the issue... and that is to absorb the pure yang energy. Other than that, there's no other solution."

"What did you say?" A furious bellow escaped from Zhang Xuan's lips.

At the same time, cracks swiftly crawled through the surrounding ground, covering the entire conference room in an instant.

Zhao Ya's body also stiffened upon hearing those words.

She had thought that with her grandteacher making a move on her behalf, the problem that she was facing would be resolved easily. Yet, after all was said and done, they were still back to square one.

"After what happened with her mother, I had no other choice but to make this move. I thought that after undergoing a few days of suffering, she would give in and cultivate in accordance to our cultivation technique. The past generations of court chiefs have all undergone this process, so I didn't think much about it," You Ruoxin explained fearfully.

"In fact, the very reason our Glacier Plain Court bred the Icy Silkworm as the Heaven Sealing Lock is to force the court chiefs to cultivate the final level of the cultivation technique and fully awaken their Pure Yin Body. It's not meant to be curable..."

"You..." Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly as he glared at You Ruoxin with an inferno burning in his eyes.

As someone who possessed the Eye of Insight, he could tell that You Ruoxin was not lying to him.

In other words, other than harvesting the pure yang energy of young men, there was no other way to resolve he the Heaven Sealing Lock!

This was really the worst-case scenario!

Pu!

All of a sudden, Elder Qu's face reddened, and he spurted a mouthful of blood.

Due to the massive fluctuations in Zhang Xuan's emotions, he was unable to control his zhenqi as finely as he usually could. Making use of this opening, Elder Qu used a secret art to fuse the other party's zhenqi into his blood and forced it out of his body!

"How dare you try to poison me! Even if I'm not a match for you, I'm going to drag you down to hell with me!" With a furious bellow, Elder Qu flicked his palm up and thrust it toward the middle-aged man before him.

A furious tempest whipped up in the area, and in that moment, it felt as if the world was spinning around them.

The full might of a 9-star master teacher was more than enough to rip apart the spatial fabric of the Master Teacher Continent. Under Elder Qu's raging might, the formations in the conference hall groaned in protest before being torn apart, raising up a massive dust storm.

"Elder Qu, don't..." Not expecting Elder Qu to suddenly go on a rampage when she had barely placated the supreme expert before her, You Ruoxin cried in horror.

If they provoked the other party and the other party decided to start a massacre, would the Glacier Plain Court not vanish from the face of the world?

Hong long!

However, there was already no stopping Elder Qu. His poisoning and the other party's impersonation of Yang Xuan had already gone beyond what he could tolerate.

"Who do you think you are making a move on..."

Despite the bravado that he was putting on, Zhang Xuan really had not expected Elder Qu to be so hot-tempered as to make a move all of a sudden. Knowing that he would not stand a chance in a direct encounter, he hurriedly flicked his wrist and placed the Sanctum Head Token before him as a shield.

Peng!

The might of Elder Qu's palm strike rippled through the Sanctum Head Token and gushed right toward Zhang Xuan like an unstoppable storm.

Pu!

Blood spewed frenziedly from Zhang Xuan's mouth as he felt the bones throughout his body shattering. The sheer might of the force nearly struck the final breath out of his body.

Elder Qu had thought that Zhang Xuan was an unparalleled expert, so when he made his move, he had been prepared to meet his end. As such, he drew all the strength that he could muster in his attack, and the might behind his offense far surpassed what Zhang Xuan could withstand in his current state.

If not for the Sanctum Head Token cushioning most of the blow, he would have turned into meat paste.

Nevertheless, just the shockwave from the palm strike was enough to incapacitate him.

Following which, Elder Qu's shocked exclamation sounded in the air. "How could he be so weak?"

He had already resolved himself for death when he made the move. He had thought that even if he lost his life, the least he could do was inflict an irrecoverable wound on the other party. But never in his wildest dreams had he expected the middle-aged man before him to be so weak!

"Preposterous... Preposterous! How dare a weakling like you threaten me! Disciples of the Glacier Plain Court, take him down!"

You Ruoxin clearly had not expected the middle-aged man before her to be so weak. He had appeared before her as a formidable expert wielding peerless strength, but his true strength turned out to be so meager that it was not even worth her batting an eyelid over. Her face flushed crimson as she bellowed furiously for the disciples of the Glacier Plain Court to apprehend him.

As the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court, she could also be considered a distinguished figure of the Master Teacher Continent. Yet, a Phantasmal Space realm cultivator actually managed to scare her into submission. If others learnt of this matter, how was she to uphold the Glacier Plain Court's dignity before the world?

While the First Elder was barking out orders, Zhao Ya was staring in horror at the helpless young man twirling in the air from the shockwave of Elder Qu's attack. Her body trembled in shock as tears trickled down her pale cheeks.

He... isn't grandteacher but... teacher!

Elder Qu's attack had only been directed toward Zhang Xuan, so despite Zhao Ya being so close to Zhang Xuan, she was not affected by the shockwave at all. Otherwise, given the frail state that she was in, she would have lost her life in a breath. However, watching as the retreating middle-aged man's disguise faded due to his severe injuries, she swiftly understood what was going on.

The abrupt appearance of her grandteacher and the striking similarity between their zhenqi... All of a sudden, the miniscule doubts that had surfaced at the back of her mind were answered.

So, it had really been her teacher all along.

Of course, it could not have been anyone else. Only her teacher would rush over regardless of the cost after receiving her message. Only her teacher would risk his life regardless of how hopeless the situation seemed just to clutch onto the faint ray of hope for her.

Only her teacher would dote her so much as to put his life on the line just so that she would not have to do something against her will!

Teacher, you have done far too much for me.

How can I let anything happen to you?

Feeling an irrepressible pain tearing her heart apart, Zhao Ya clenched her teeth tightly together and drove her zhenqi furiously.

You Ruoxin narrowed her eyes at the sight and bellowed anxiously, "Don't move your zhenqi, you'll really die!"

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Chapter 1503: A Master Teacher I Shan't Be Anymore!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Heaven Sealing Lock formed out of the Icy Silkworm had already frozen her meridians into ice. Just the very attempt to move her zhenqi would cause unbearable pain to engulf her body, causing strength to swiftly recede from her body. If she forcefully continued after that, her meridians would swiftly collapse, and the damage that she sustained would really be irrecoverable. In the worst-case scenario, she might even lose her life.

The reason You Ruoxin had planted something so vile in Zhao Ya in the first place was to strip her of her choices. As long as she refused to succumb and awaken her unique constitution, she would be constantly placed in a state of suffering. On the other hand, as long as she chose to submit, she would be able to become a top expert in an instant!

Which the better option was, surely any rational person would be able to tell.

But... this lass would rather take the suffering than choose what would have been better for her and the entire Glacier Plain Court! This had left her feeling extremely enraged. She had intended to lock her up for just a few days to make her change her mind, but she never would have thought that someone would actually break her out.

Who in the world is that person?

Is he so important to you that you would even give up even your life for him?

At this point, You Ruoxin did not pay any attention to the person impersonating Yang shi. She quickly rushed forward to strike down on Zhao Ya with her palm.

"Stop it!"

A powerful surge of energy swiftly covered Zhao Ya's body, suppressing her flow of zhenqi entirely.

Hong long!

However, Zhao Ya had already resolved herself for death, such that even You Ruoxin found herself unable to suppress her zhenqi. The latter swiftly suffered a rebound, causing blood to trickle down the corner of her lips.

"Are you insane!" You Ruoxin's head nearly exploded.

She had known this young lady for half a year now, and the latter had always treated her earnestly and respectfully. No matter what she demanded of the young lady, the young lady would always follow her instructions without any hesitation. Just what in the world happened for the young lady to defy her even at the expense of her life?

She raised her head to the sky, and when she saw Zhang Xuan's true face, she could not help but jolt in astonishment.

"He's actually this young! Could he be..." You Ruoxin narrowed her eyes as something clutched her heart tightly. "Could he be... Zhang Xuan?"

Over the past half a year, she had managed to understand Zhao Ya's character, and she knew that the young lady's teacher was her breaking point. She would allow no harm to come to her teacher, and she would make anyone who dared touch him pay dearly!

Considering the current situation, there was no doubt that the young man was indeed her teacher!

"Scram!"

While You Ruoxin's mind was wandering, she heard the young lady's furious shriek exploding in her ears. The next moment, her chest caved in, and a powerful might sent her flying.

She tumbled in the air as fresh blood spurted forth from her lips.

Suppressing the jolted zhenqi, You Ruoxin forcefully stabilized her body as she howled at the young lady from a distance away. "Your meridians will shatter, don't!"

To use her strength in her current state was no different from suicide!

Pu!

As expected, as soon as the First Elder was sent flying, Zhao Ya seemed to have reached the limits of her body as well. Her face reddened, and blood spewed out from her mouth. Her body trembled weakly, and it seemed as if she would collapse to the ground at any moment.

Yet, she remained firmly standing. She walked over toward Zhang Xuan's body, placed her palm on his body, and sent her zhenqi into his body to help him recover. Gazing at the young man lying in front of her with gentle eyes, she muttered with a voice filled with worry, "Teacher, nothing can happen to you. I'll protect you, so you have to be fine..."

"Y-y-you... Do you want to die!" You Ruoxin roared as she rushed forward to stop her, only to be impeded by the powerful bursts of energy that the young lady was emanating.

Finding that she was unable to get close, she could not help but feel even more anxious.

In the first place, the young lady's act of forcefully using her zhenqi had already caused her meridians to collapse, but despite that, she was still expending her zhenqi to help another. This was tantamount to suicide!

"She's planning on burning herself dry to save her teacher..." Elder Qu walked to You Ruoxin's side as he looked at the sight with clenched fists.

He had thought that the other party was the head of the Poison Hall or perhaps even an Otherworldly Demon pretending to be a human. However, contrary to his expectations, the other party was only a weak cultivator putting on a disguise!

If he had known that the other party was that weak, he never would have launched such a powerful attack.

...

In his semi-conscious state, Zhang Xuan could vaguely feel Zhao Ya pumping her strength into his body. Shocked, he was jolted awake. He opened his eyes and saw the pale-faced Zhao Ya looking down on him with a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Teacher, you have finally awakened. I'm... relieved..." After saying those words, her drooping eyelids finally shut as she fell to the ground.

She had always stood tall and valiant, but at that moment, she appeared so frail and helpless.

"Zhao Ya!" Understanding what was going on, Zhang Xuan screamed in horror.

He hurriedly got up and placed his palm on her hands.

Hong long!

Without any reservation, he furiously drove all of the Heaven's Path zhenqi that he could muster into her body.

But the moment his zhenqi entered her body, his body stiffened as if someone had poured a pail of cold water over him.

The young lady's previously frozen meridians had all shattered into nothingness. In other words, even if she could be treated, she would remain a cripple for life!

She would no longer be a cultivator anymore.

" Nooo! " Zhang Xuan roared.

She had spent her entire life cultivating, taking a step at a time toward the top. If she really became a cripple, her reason for living would be completely destroyed. There was no way that she would be able to accept such an outcome.

Without Zhao Ya's zhenqi forcing them back anymore, You Ruoxin stepped forward, and upon seeing the state Zhao Ya was in, she shouted furiously, "Let go of Zhao Ya!"

"You... You are the culprit... The entire Glacier Plain Court is the culprit!"

Hugging the young lady's body tightly in his embrace, Zhang Xuan slowly got to his feet as he stared at You Ruoxin and Elder Qu with crimson eyes filled with hatred.

The reason he had sent Zhao Ya to the Glacier Plain Court was so that she could awaken her unique bloodline swiftly and come to be independent. If he had known that the Glacier Plain Court would treat his beloved student in such a manner, resorting to such callous means to force her to do something against her will, he never would have agreed to it, even at the expense of his life!

When he first saw Zhao Ya's frozen meridians and the suffering that she was in, he should have just toughened his heart and taught the Glacier Plain Court a lesson. It was his hesitation that had led to this tragedy.

"I have always said that if anything happened to my student, I would eradicate the Glacier Plain Court," Zhang Xuan said with an utterly cold voice, almost as if a demon that had walked out of the depths of hell.

Back then, when Liu Xuan took Zhao Ya away, he had said that if he ever found that Zhao Ya had suffered any grievances due to them, he would eradicate the entire Glacier Plain Court.

Since you view Zhao Ya as nothing more than a tool to further your Glacier Plain Court, not hesitating in the least to put her through great suffering so as to achieve your own goals, what else do I have to hesitate over?

Seeing the deranged state that the young man before him was in, Elder Qu howled out a threat. "You are Zhang Xuan, right? As a talented master teacher who has successfully overcome the Tower of Master Teachers, you have a bright future ahead of you. You'd better not act recklessly. Since the Master Teacher Pavilion is able to bestow you with prestige and honor, it's also able to take it away and turn you into a sinner wanted throughout the Master Teacher Continent..."

He had a rough idea about the situation concerning Zhao Ya, and since You Ruoxin was able to figure out the identity of the young man, there was no reason he would not be able to do so.

Zhang Xuan was indeed tremendously talented; master teachers of his caliber were rarely seen even in the entire history of the Sanctum of Sages. Was he really going to give up on the bright future ahead of him just like that?

"Master teacher? Hah! Hahaha! Well said, Qu Buping! A master teacher should follow rules, isn't that so? Very well then! Today, I am not a master teacher but her teacher! I'm going to redress her grievances and avenge her!"

Zhang Xuan grabbed the master teacher robe on him and ripped it apart as he sneered maniacally.

All along, he had tried his best to remain in line due to the many rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion, but from that day... that would not be the case anymore!

Regardless of what happened, he would avenge Zhao Ya!

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Chapter 1504: Let Lightning Strike on the Glacier Plain Court!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You... Audacious!"

Seeing the young man before him ripping his master teacher robe apart and saying that he was not a master teacher, Elder Qu nearly exploded on the spot.

Do you think that you are able to choose when you want to be a master teacher, as if it is just a robe you wear?

If everyone took it so lightly, what would become of the dignity of the Master Teacher Pavilion?

How could the number one occupation of the world possibly be so ruleless?

"Me, audacious? My audacity can't even begin to compare to the likes of yours! The Master Teacher Pavilion should be the most concerned about the rules, but just to fulfill your own interests, you turned a blind eye to the Glacier Plain Court using depraved means to awaken a unique constitution.

"Why? Do the lives of those young men mean nothing to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters? Not only so, the First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court even shackled a disciple of the Glacier Plain Court with the Heaven Sealing Lock in order to force her to commit atrocities... I must have been blind to have handed my student over to you!"

Hugging the young lady tightly in his embrace, Zhang Xuan slowly flew into the air as his voice grew louder and louder.

"Such a filthy organization... I don't think there's any reason the Glacier Plain Court should exist in this world!"

Hearing how the young man was getting more and more overboard with his words, You Ruoxin sneered coldly as she raised her palm, prepared to make a move. "A mere Phantasmal Space realm brat like you doesn't have any right to determine whether or not the Glacier Plain Court has the right to exist in the world!"

The next moment, however, her face suddenly distorted in horror. "What is going on?"

The clear sky, filled with innumerable stars a moment ago, was suddenly filled with ominous clouds. Lightning crackled furiously within them, seemingly ready to bring devastation down upon the world at any moment.

"This is... the Dimension Sundering Ordeal? That fellow is going to push for a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm now?" Elder Qu was taken aback.

The fellow in the sky claimed that he wanted to exact vengeance for Zhao Ya by reducing the Glacier Plain Court to ruins, but why would he end up summoning his Dimension Sundering Ordeal instead?

During an ordeal, he would not even be able to guarantee his own safety, let alone deal with them.

Seeing how that fellow was not showing the slightest hint of remorse, even attempting to push for a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm in order to deal with them, You Ruoxin sneered coldly.

"It's too late to be sharpening your edge at this moment. So what if you achieve a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm right now? As one of the top powers on the Master Teacher Continent, the Glacier Plain Court won't stand for a brat like you besmirching our reputation!"

Raising her palm, she bellowed with a voice that jolted even the storm clouds, "Disciples of the Glacier Plain Court, heed my words! Someone dared humiliate the Glacier Plain Court; it's time for you to stand up for your home!"

"Yes, First Elder!"

Huala!

Shortly after those words were spoken, the disciples and elders of the Glacier Plain Court flew into the sky, swiftly filling the area. They positioned themselves in a certain pattern, seemingly forming a massive formation.

As a Tier-1 organization on the Master Teacher Continent, second only to Premier Clans like the Zhang Clan and Luo Clan, the sheer number of experts they had among their ranks would leave any ordinary powers trembling in fear. Just the number of Saint 8-dan experts that they had numbered a few thousand!

"To spout arrogant words when you haven't even reached the Dimension Sundering realm, it seems like you are really oblivious to the strength that the Glacier Plain Court wields!" You Ruoxin scoffed as she stood above the massive formation formed by the army of elders and disciples.

So what if Zhang Xuan wielded strength far beyond his realm?

Before absolute strength, he was nothing at all!

Just as You Ruoxin was just about to issue the command for the elders and disciples to apprehend that audacious young man, Elder Qu's anxious voice suddenly sounded in her ears.

"No, something is wrong. First Elder, there's something abnormal about that Dimension Sundering Ordeal!"

"Hmm?" You Ruoxin glanced at Elder Qu doubtfully.

An event that would be able to make even a 9-star master teacher panic was bound to be something major.

Thus, she quickly looked upward to uncover what was wrong with the summoned Dimension Sundering Ordeal, and with just a glance, her eyes had already widened in horror.

The congregation of storm clouds above had reached a density that she had never seen before, and not only so, it was still swelling up at a frightening rate. In just a few moments, it had already covered tens of thousands of mu 1 , and it still was not showing any signs of calming down. It was almost as if it would only rest when it had brought down the entire City of Glacier.

"A lightning tribulation that's tens of thousands of mu large? Not even the Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal can begin to compare to this..." You Ruoxin shuddered in fear.

Even the strongest Macrocosm Ascendancy realm that she had seen was several thousand mu large, yet the young man's Dimension Sundering realm actually formed a lightning tribulation at least ten times larger! Just what was going on?

To draw in such a powerful lightning tribulation, surely even Zhang Xuan would lose his life!

Holding Zhao Ya tightly in his embrace, Zhang Xuan coldly bellowed, "Lightning tribulation, heed my order! Lay waste to everything beneath!"

A deafening roar sounded from the storm clouds, as if responding to his command. The next moment, countless lightning bolts descended from the storm clouds, ravaging the surroundings.

Hong long! Hong long hong long!

It was an absolute cataclysm. Wherever the eyes could see, buildings were being torn down, collapsing onto the ground as rubble. A massive storm of dust swirled around the area.

"Protect the Glacier Plain Court! Protect the Glacier Plain Court!"

You Ruoxin never could have imagined that the Dimension Sundering Ordeal summoned by that fellow would actually follow his orders. Completely thrown off guard by the abrupt situation, her face paled in fright as she desperately barked out orders.

Sou sou sou sou!

The elders and disciples quickly flew to the key buildings of the Glacier Plain Court, intending to use their strength to protect its long lineage and history.

Kacha! Kacha!

However, the lightning tribulation was the very manifestation of the rage of the heavens—how could mere mortals like them possibly be able to withstand it?

Perhaps it was due to Zhang Xuan's command, but the lightning strikes did not land a fatal blow on any of the disciples or elders. Nevertheless, the lightning strikes still paralyzed their bodies, incapacitating them for the time being.

"No... No..." You Ruoxin shook her head in disbelief as she staggered backward weakly. She could not accept what she was seeing.

Standing beside her, Elder Qu was looking at the sight of absolute devastation with narrowed eyes.

The sheer scale of the lightning tribulation was already more than enough to leave their eyes widened in shock, and yet, to actually follow the young man's orders to attack the Glacier Plain Court... how in the world did he do it?

It was no wonder he dared to make the bold claim of eradicating the Glacier Plain Court... who could possibly stand against the wrath of the heavens?

Watching as the majestic buildings that had once towered being reduced to rubble and the formations that had protected the Glacier Plain Court dissipating, leaving nothing behind at all, You Ruoxin fell into a state of frenzy.

"I'll kill you!"

Roaring furiously, she charged right toward Zhang Xuan.

This was her sect, her home! How could she accept its destruction? There was no way she could!

"Return to the dirt. That's where you belong!" Zhang Xuan sneered as he waved his hand.

Hong long!

A thick bolt of lightning streaked down toward You Ruoxin, and before she could do anything, she had already been struck. Just like the disciples and elders of the Glacier Plain Court, her charred body plummeted back to the dust-covered ground.

Hong long! Hong long! Hong long!

A hundred more lightning bolts fell down one after another, striking down on You Ruoxin's body. Before long, the awe-inspiring First Elder of the Glacier Plain Court was convulsing helplessly on the ground. With each strike of lightning, a spurt of blood would escape from her mouth.

Even at the end of the lightning strikes, her body was still twitching non-stop, making it impossible to tell whether she was still alive or not.

Even the Phantasmal Space Ordeal that he had summoned was enough to render the Zhang Clan's First Elder, Zhang Wuheng, completely helpless. Naturally, the Dimension Sundering Ordeal that he summoned was bound to be far beyond what even someone of You Ruoxin's caliber was able to deal with.

"As a 9-star master teacher, you condoned the evil deed committed by the Glacier Plain Court for your own interests. You should be punished as well..." After striking You Ruoxin, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to Elder Qu and waved his hand.

Kacha! Kacha!

The next moment, countless bolts of lightning descended from the storm clouds, drowning Elder Qu in devastating lightning energy.

Soon, there was no one left standing in the Glacier Plain Court. Zhang Xuan took a look at the storm clouds and noted that the lightning energy harnessed within them was about to run dry as well.

He gazed down at the young lady in his embrace, and a pained look appeared on his face. He muttered softly beneath his breath, "Zhao Ya, don't worry. I'll heal you back to how you were and return your strength to you. I'll awaken your Pure Yin Body and make you one of the strongest experts on the Master Teacher Continent so that you'll never have to suffer such injustice ever again!"

Holding Zhao Ya tightly, he headed into the distance, and in the blink of an eye, their silhouettes vanished into the darkness of the night.

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