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

56. 1761

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1761 - Cruxes - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1761 - Cruxes Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1761: Cruxes

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Previously, he had been wondering why Ancient Sage Yan Qing, despite being the strongest Ancient Sage in the area and in possession of the Prime Amulet, would offer to distribute the slots, thus giving other powers the opportunity to lay their hands on the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

However, he swiftly understood why after hearing those words.

Even with the Prime Amulet in hand, it would be futile if the Hundred Schools of Philosophers was unable to open the entrance to the Prime Hall.

And the key to opening the Prime Hall were the cruxes of the six outer dimensions!

As far as he knew, it seemed like... he had obtained four of the cruxes all by himself.

"It seems like Little Amulet isn't completely useless after all!" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in realization.

He had been rather perplexed when he heard that his parents had been teleported right to the vicinity of the Prime Hall due to the Celestial Amulet of Legacy in their possession. He had thought that Little Amulet was not working properly—there should not have been any reason for him to be teleported into the outer dimensions. However, when he looked back, there was indeed no mistake at all!

He had to enter the outer dimensions in order to obtain the cruxes because they were crucial to opening the Prime Hall. Otherwise, even with the Prime Amulet, he would only have been able to stand helplessly outside the Prime Hall, unable to do a thing at all.

"The Ancient Sages are restricted from entering any of the six outer dimensions, so I can't verify where the cruxes are at the moment. However, the fact that the Prime Hall has surfaced shows that the cruxes of the six outer dimensions have been taken away. I have no doubt that the cruxes are among us now. As long as you are willing to take it out, you'll be able to exchange it for a slot for your own power!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing announced.

Due to the restrictions on Ancient Sages, he was unable to travel freely within the Temple of Confucius, so he could not be certain who was in possession of the cruxes.

If Ancient Sage Yan Qing had been able to ascertain the whereabouts of the cruxes, he would have been able to approach the owners privately and strike deals with them. It was precisely because they could not ascertain the whereabouts that they had been left with no choice but to gather everyone in the square and propose an open distribution of the slots.

"Why don't I start first?"

Seeing that there was no movement from the crowd, Ancient Sage Yan Qing smiled lightly as he tapped his finger in front of him. A book materialized before him, and he flicked it lightly.

Wuuuuuuuu!

The book immediately flew for the Prime Hall. It fitted perfectly in one of the apertures by the side of the entrance before emanating a light glow, seemingly indicating that it was a correct fit.

Taking a closer look at the entrance, Zhang Xuan realized that there were three apertures on both sides of the entrance. All in all, they corresponded to the cruxes of the six outer dimensions.

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"That is the crux of the book ocean dimension, which corresponds to the Great Kui Hall of Literature. Our Hundred Schools of Philosophers managed to obtain it, so we are entitled to another slot!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said.

The Hundred Schools of Philosophers had five slots due to their possession of the Prime Amulet, and they had just obtained an additional one. With this, they had taken nearly half of all fifteen slots. In other words, no matter how the remaining slots were distributed, they would still be the greatest winner there, so there was no need for them to worry.

After slotting the book into one of the six apertures, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to the crowd and said, "Those who have obtained any of the other cruxes, I'll have to ask you to please take them out. Don't worry. With the Ancient Sages from the four major powers standing here, no one will dare rob you of your slot and possession. If you feel that your cultivation is lacking and would like to relinquish your slot, you can trade it for other resources. As long as it's within our means to do so, the Hundred Schools of Philosophers will fulfill your demands!"

"This..."

"Where are the remaining cruxes?"

"Argh! If I'd known in advance, I would have tried my best to search for the cruxes. At the very least, I would have been able to obtain at least a single slot for my power..."

"Who would have thought that the six outer dimensions would play such a crucial role?"

...

Intense discussions could be heard amid the crowd.

The cultivators present were glancing at one another, hoping to know where the cruxes were and who had taken them away.

Seeing that no one was stepping out from the crowd, an inconspicuous frown appeared on Ancient Sage Yan Qing's forehead, and he continued his persuasion. "Are you worried that we won't keep our promises? With so many Ancient Sages here, we can put our honor on the line to promise you that whatever artifact the crux is, we'll only use it to open the Prime Hall. Once the entrance to the Prime Hall opens, we'll return your possession to you!"

If only he had the cruxes in his possession, he would have activated the Prime Hall immediately. There would have been no need for him to waste his breath on this.

At this moment, an eerie voice suddenly sounded from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"I know where the cruxes of the forest dimension and desert dimension are..."

The person who had just spoken was none other than Old Geezer Yu.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing immediately shifted his gaze over and anxiously asked, "Where are they?"

If even a single crux was missing, they would never be able to open the Prime Hall and enter its midst. In other words, the expedition would come to a standstill.

"It's in the hands of the lad who tamed the White Overlord's descendants!" Old Geezer Yu harrumphed coldly.

"Him?"

Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the other Ancient Sages swiftly turned to Zhang Xuan.

"This..."

Seeing that everyone's eyes were upon him, he could not help but scratch his head awkwardly. He was still in the midst of assessing the current situation when Old Geezer Yu suddenly rooted him out.

"My young friend, may I ask if the cruxes of the forest dimension and desert dimension are really in your hands?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked.

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Knowing that there was no way that he could hide it anymore, he honestly replied, "I believe so. However, the cruxes of the two dimensions are living beings, so I'm a little skeptical as to whether they can fit into the apertures there."

The crux of the forest dimension was the Five Monarchs, and the crux to the desert dimension was the tree root. Considering that both of them were living beings, how could they be stuffed into the aperture by the door?

"It doesn't matter whether they are living beings or not. As long as you take them out, they'll automatically fit into the aperture once they come into proximity with the Prime Hall," Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded contemplatively.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out the Five Monarchs and gestured them forward.

Hu!

As if attracted by some kind of mysterious force, the bodies of the Five Monarchs were drawn uncontrollably toward the entrance of the Prime Hall. At the same time, their figures kept contracting until they became something similar to the round plate of a Yin-Yang compass.

Kacha!

The round plate fixed itself onto the aperture and emanated a light glow.

"This..."

Surprised by the happenings, Zhang Xuan could not help being taken aback for a moment.

Seeing that it was working, Ancient Sage Yan Qing heaved a sigh of relief. "Since you are in possession of the crux of the forest dimension, you have just won an additional slot for the Master Teacher Pavilion. If the crux of the desert dimension is still with you at the moment, you should quickly take it out as well."

Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

With a flick of his wrist, a tree root appeared on his palm.

Similar to the Five Monarchs, it was swiftly drawn to the entrance of the Prime Hall before finally being embedded into one of the apertures. The light shrouding the entrance suddenly intensified, as if heralding the impending opening of the Prime Hall.

"Great!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing nodded in agitation. "We are still lacking the cruxes of the poison dimension, stone forest dimension, and four seasons dimension. May I invite those who are in possession of those cruxes to step forward and help us open the Prime Hall?"

His voice echoed across the square, but no one amid the crowd stepped forward. It was as if the cruxes of the three remaining outer dimensions had vanished without a trace.

"Could it be that the cultivators who have obtained the cruxes of those three dimensions didn't come to this square? Or perhaps, have the three cruxes not yet been obtained?"

"That's impossible. Without retrieving the cruxes, the gates of the six outer dimensions wouldn't have connected with one another!"

...

Seeing that no one was stepping forward, all of the Ancient Sages could not help but frown.

Taking a deep breath, Ancient Sage Yan Qing declared once more, "Allow me to reassure whoever's in possession of the cruxes that no one will make a move on you. I, Yan Qing, promise with the honor of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers that I'll ensure your safety, and anyone who dares to make a move on you will have to suffer my wrath!"

By then, a seed of worry had sprouted in the depths of his mind. Things were not going well. As long as those in possession of the cruxes refused to step forward, the Prime Hall would never be opened. At this rate, they might have to resort to other means.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing was just about to make one last reassurance when Zhang Xuan timidly raised his hand and said, "I think that the cruxes of the poison dimension and four seasons dimension might be with me as well!"

"They are with you? In other words, you have single handedly obtained the cruxes of four outer dimensions?"

Utter silence filled the surroundings.

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Chapter 1762: Entering the Prime Hall

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Most of those in the square had been in the six outer dimensions, but without any clear directions and the limitations on their flight and Spiritual Perception, obtaining even a single crux would have been a huge stroke of luck. Yet, the young man before them had actually obtained four of them.

This was way too exaggerated!

In the sky, the lower jaws of Zhang Hongtian and Yang shi fell slack, nearly falling to the ground.

This was a situation that they had never dreamed of.

"They are all with you?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing's cheeks twitched in disbelief.

Their Hundred Schools of Philosophers had gone to great lengths in order to obtain just a single crux. On the other hand, this fellow had singlehandedly obtained four of them.

Was he even human?

However, this worked in their favor as well. At the very least, they would be able to open the Prime Hall much faster.

"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded, not hiding anything at all.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out the ice crystal and the koi fish. The two of them swiftly flew into the apertures beside the entrance of the Prime Hall, and the light radiating from the gates brightened even further.

"You have single-handedly won four slots for the Master Teacher Pavilion," Ancient Sage Yan Qing murmured with a slightly bitter look on his face. Sighing deeply, he turned to look at the crowd once more and said, "All that is left is the crux of the stone forest dimension. May I know who is in possession of the crux?"

No one stepped forward, so the situation fell into a standstill once more.

"That stone forest dimension is filled with boulders recording cultivation techniques and battle techniques. There isn't a crux in it, is there?"

"Indeed. I have been in the dimension for several hours, and I didn't find anything that resembles the crux of the dimension!"

"Can you tell us what the crux of the stone forest dimension is supposed to be?"

...

There was a bout of commotion as the crowd turned to Ancient Sage Yan Qing in seek of answers.

Zhang Xuan was as perplexed as the rest of the crowd.

He had been to the stone forest dimension himself, and anyone who found the correct sequence to any one of the secret arts would be granted access to the Subordinate Hall. Judging from that, it did not seem like there was any crux to the dimension. So, what were they supposed to be placing in the aperture?

"The stone forest dimension has no tangible crux. Its crux is the secret art that allows one to enter the Hall of Divine Crusade and claim the Stone of Divine Crusade!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing revealed.

He seemed to be rather knowledgeable about the affairs concerning the various outer dimensions and Subordinate Halls.

"The secret art is the very crux of the dimension?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He had been feeling a little embarrassed about taking the cruxes of four outer dimensions for himself... but all of a sudden, he realized that he had not obtained four but five cruxes!

It sure was really difficult to be low profile! How embarrassing!

"That's right. As long as one imprints the correct sequence of the secret art into the last aperture, the Prime Hall will open. So, for the person who entered the stone forest dimension and comprehended its crux, I'll have to invite you to step forward," Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied.

Halfway through his words, he suddenly noticed a raised hand amid the crowd—Zhang Xuan.

Turning his gaze over, Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked, "What's wrong?"

At the same time, a bad premonition seemed to creep into his heart. He had an inkling what the young man was going to say and do, but the notion of it was so ludicrous that he instinctively rejected it.

"Cough cough... It's hard for me to say this, but it seems like the crux of the stone forest dimension is with me as well!" Zhang Xuan said with an awkward chuckle.

"..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing.

"..." Zhang Hongtian.

"..." The others.

Why the heck are you getting embarrassed?

If anything, we are the ones who should be feeling embarrassed, alright?

Of the four major powers and several thousand experts, we only managed to obtain one crux in total whereas you obtained a total of five of them...

All of a sudden, the crowd sudden felt an urge to simply drop dead.

Zhang Xuan chuckled awkwardly for a moment longer to soothe the atmosphere before walking up to the entrance of the Prime Hall. With a tap of his finger, he imprinted the formula of the secret art into the aperture.

Weng!

Light burst forth from the entrance of the Prime Hall as the entire place began to shake nonstop. With a deafening creak, the massive gates began to open.

Following which, a primordial aura drifted out from the interior of the Prime Hall, commanding an imposing, ancient air.

Seeing that the Prime Hall had finally been opened, Ancient Sage Yan Qing suppressed the stifled sensation in his chest and swiftly took command of the situation. "Since the slots have already been confirmed, I'd like to ask the four major powers to select their cultivators to enter the Prime Hall!"

The final distribution of the slots were seven for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, six for the Master Teacher Pavilion and major powers of the Master Teacher Continent, one for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and one for the Beast Tribe.

This was based on the rules that they had agreed on earlier, so the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe had no way of refuting the distribution of slots.

Besides, whether one was able to obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn or not was based heavily on luck. Numbers might not necessarily be an advantage in the Prime Hall.

It did not take long for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and Beast Tribe to select the men to enter the Prime Hall.

On top of the restriction that prevented any Ancient Sages from entering the premises, the Prime Hall appeared to also have an age limit of fifty years old. Anyone beyond fifty would be barred by the invisible seal around the Prime Hall.

Naturally, each major power chose the strongest members in their ranks who met those two restrictions in order to enter the Prime Hall.

"How do we determine the distribution of slots here?" one of the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters asked.

Pretty much all of the slots had been won single-handedly by Zhang Xuan, so his opinion weighed a lot in determining the distribution of the slots among them.

"Me, Ruoxin, Zhao Ya, Ruyan, Yuan Tao, and... Qiqi as well. That makes up six!" Zhang Xuan said contemplatively.

The Ancient Sage nearly fainted on the spot upon hearing those words. "No matter what, shouldn't you at least reserve two slots for the Master Teacher Pavilion?"

It was true that he had played a huge role in securing the slots for them, but it would not do for him to take them all away!

"Rest assured, I'll reserve two slots for you. Right, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and Lu Chong are here too, aren't they? Where are they at the moment? I'll have to reserve three slots for them as well," Zhang Xuan added.

Considering how huge an affair the opening of the Temple of Confucius was, it was certain that Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, Lu Chong, and the others would be there. It was just that there were too many people there, and the place was simply too large, resulting in them not meeting one another.

Hearing the calculation that Zhang Xuan was making, Yang shi could not help but politely remind him, "We only have a total of six slots."

That was eleven slots, far beyond what they had at the moment!

"Six slots? Don't worry, it won't be six in a moment's time," Zhang Xuan said with a mysterious smile on his lips. He turned to Zhao Ya and the others and instructed, "Look for Zheng Yang and the others. Get them here as soon as possible!"

"Yes!" Zhao Ya and the others replied as they hurriedly took out their Jade Communication Tokens to send messages.

With the six outer dimensions connected with one another, it was already possible to communicate remotely.

"Alright! Since the members have already been decided, let's enter the Prime Hall!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing commanded imposingly.

With a wave of his hand, the 'Prime Amulet' surfaced before him once more. A surge of energy poured forth from his Prime Amulet, enveloping the various experts chosen by the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.

Yan Xue was also one of those enveloped within the surge of energy.

"Let's head over as well!"

There was only one slot for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and the Beast Tribe respectively. It went without saying that they were displeased with the situation, but they knew that it would be hard for them to renegotiate this matter.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan and the others were still dawdling, having yet to finalize the candidates that they would send into the Prime Hall, Yan Xue harrumphed coldly. "Stop wasting our time and hurry up!"

"It's fine, you don't have to wait for us. Feel free to go on ahead. We'll follow soon!" Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

"You are telling us to enter ahead of you? Do you even understand what you are saying?" Taken aback by the words Zhang Xuan had spoken, Yan Xue was visibly stunned for a moment before his eyebrows knitted together.

Was there something wrong with their heads?

The Prime Amulet could only take fifteen people into the Prime Hall in a single go. Did those fellows naively think that they would come back for them after they entered the premises?

"Feel free to go ahead. We'll quickly follow along once we have chosen our candidates!" Zhang Xuan replied affirmatively.

"Very well then!" Scoffing deeply in his heart, Yan Xue could not be bothered to waste his breath on a fool who could not even make sense of something as simple as this. Thus, he turned around and led the group toward the towering entrance of the Prime Hall.

Hula!

It took an instant for them to arrive right before the seal.

The 'Prime Amulet' emanated another burst of light, shrouding the group chosen by the four major powers.

"We won't be waiting for them any longer. Let's enter!" Unwilling to waste any more time, Yan Xue rushed in.

Padah! Padah! Padah!

An overwhelming surge of energy swept across the area. Before the group could get in, the defensive mechanism of the seal activated. In a single blast, they were sent flying into the distance, falling to the ground helplessly, and blood spurted into the air.

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Chapter 1763: Actually... the Prime Amulet Is Also with Me

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"What's going on?"

Everyone was stunned.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing's eyebrows shot up as he rushed forward anxiously to check on what had gone wrong.

Why were they rejected by the seal, suffering a major backlash even before entering the Prime Hall?

Those were the top geniuses of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers! Nothing bad could be allowed to happen to them!

The Prime Hall had already opened, and they had the Prime Amulet in hand. All of the criteria had been met!

While he was completely baffled by the situation, Ancient Sage Yan Qing flicked his finger and sent several pills into the mouths of the injured youths.

It was only after consuming those pills that those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers finally felt themselves recovering a little.

The fact that the seal in front of the Temple of Confucius was able to fend off an Ancient Sage was enough to show how powerful it was. If not for Kong shi's benevolence, they could have died!

Even Ancient Sages were no exception to the rule!

Of course, if the seal did not boast such prowess, the Ancient Sages could simply have banded together to forcefully destroy the seal. They would not have had to waste their breath.

Perhaps the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers might still be a little hesitant due to their deference toward Kong shi, but those from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe would not have been so reserved.

Looking at the recovering crowd, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to Yan Xue and asked with a deep frown, "Why did they suffer a backlash from the seal?"

As one of the people in question, he thought that Yan Xue should know what was going on.

"Old ancestor..." Yan Xue hesitated for a moment before saying, "It seems like the Prime Amulet is insufficient for us to pass through the seal!"

Previously, he had been able to enter the Apricot Pavilion by utilizing Yuan Tao's bloodline. At the very least, he had been able to pass through the seal without suffering any backlash. However, when he tried to enter the Prime Hall, he had vaguely gotten the feeling that the Prime Amulet was nothing more than a flimsy piece of paper, providing no protection from the seal at all.

"It's insufficient for us to pass through the seal?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing frowned.

With a clasp of his fist, the Prime Amulet swiftly flew between his fingertips. He pinched the Prime Amulet in his grasp lightly.

Huala!

Under the influx of his energy, the seemingly powerful amulet dissipated into countless sparks. As if a piece of paper thrown into flames, it disintegrated into countless pieces before vanishing completely from sight.

"The Prime Amulet... is a fake!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing's eyebrows shot up in horror.

By that point, it was apparent to anyone present that the Prime Amulet in their grasp was a fake! Otherwise, how could a treasure specially forged by Kong shi possibly be reduced to dust so easily with just a light pinch?

After all of the commotion that he had stirred up, who could have thought that the Prime Amulet in his possession would actually be a fake?

At that instant, he felt as if someone had bestowed him with several crisp slaps, leaving him with a burning sensation on his cheeks.

To think that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers would actually make such a huge mistake... Everyone fell completely silent.

Unable to suppress his rage anymore, Ancient Sage Yan Qing spat at Yan Xue with a hint of coldness in his voice, "Are you sure that you acquired this amulet from the Master Teacher Continent's White Creek Mountain?"

If the Prime Amulet was truly acquired from the ancient domain left behind by Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, there should have been no way that it was false!

"There's no doubt about it. I definitely acquired it from there!" Yan Xue nodded as he explained himself agitatedly. All of a sudden, he froze for a moment before exclaiming, "Wait a moment... Back then, Zhang Xuan competed with us over the Prime Amulet! It was out of fear that he would snatch the Prime Amulet from us that we left in a hurry..."

"He competed with you over the Prime Amulet?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to look at Zhang Xuan.

The young man had already shocked everyone present by taking out five cruxes required to unlock the Prime Hall. Could it be that he had, by any chance, acquired the Prime Amulet as well?

It was through the records of their predecessors that they had found out that the Prime Amulet was located in the White Creek Mountain, so there was no way that there was any mistake with the information. Since they had acquired the fake one, could the real one be in the hands of the young man?

It would really be damned if that was the case.

Taking a deep breath, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Zhang shi, do you know what's going on?"

"This... Yan Xue is right. Back then, we were all on the White Creek Mountain, and Brother Yan Xue took the fake Prime Amulet and fled away right after. I tried to stop him to warn him, but it was to no avail. As a result, I had no choice but to take the real Prime Amulet away with me..." Zhang Xuan sighed with a look of pity.

He would eventually have to enter the Prime Hall, so there was no point denying it.

"You... Pu!"

Hearing those words, Yan Xue nearly choked on his rage. The injuries he had sustained immediately flared up, and blood spurted from his mouth.

Are you really saying that I fled after taking the fake amulet?

You were even more determined to grab the Prime Amulet than me back then, alright?

If not for the fact that I fled fast enough, you might have ended up snatching the fake amulet from my hands!

So, why are you making it sound like I was acting like a retard?

To say such words after grabbing the real amulet... is it really fine for you to be so despicable as a master teacher?

"Are you saying that the real amulet is in your hands?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked with a deeply stifled sensation in his chest.

"Indeed, it's with me!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Going by the previous rules, the one who possesses the Prime Amulet is able to claim a third of the total slots, five of them. A slot will be distributed to each of the major powers, and each crux entitles one to an additional slot... So, all in all, I trust that you have no complaints with me taking eleven slots, right?"

Ancient Sage Yan Qing's body staggered as he felt fresh blood coursing up his throat.

He had set such terms because he had thought that he would be able to grab at least half of the slots for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. Yet, they were telling him that the Prime Amulet was a fake. This turnaround meant that they only had two slots in total.

All of a sudden, he felt that all of his arguing previously had benefited a stranger...

The intense feeling of indignation made him feel as if his heart was going to explode on the spot!

Moreover, the fact that the young man knew that the Prime Amulet in their hands was a fake all along but chose not to point it out... he had obviously intended to watch them make a fool of themselves!

Then again, even if the young man had said it earlier, he might not have believed it.

After all, the fake Prime Amulet had been forged so exquisitely that despite having examined it closely with his eyes and Spiritual Perception, he had been unable to find any flaws with it at all!

Only when attempting to challenge the might of the Prime Amulet would one realize that it was completely fragile!

Even though Ancient Sage Yan Qing felt as if he had been made to look a fool, he still nodded in agreement. "Since we already agreed on it previously, we won't change our minds now!"

It was too late for them to change their minds, and two slots could still work for them.

In terms of understanding the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, there was no one on the Master Teacher Continent—be it humans, Otherworldly Demons, or beasts—who came close to competing with the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. As long as they were able to enter the Prime Hall, the ones who bore the most hope in obtaining the Great Codex of Spring of Autumn was indubitably them!

It was precisely with such confidence that they had chosen to readily distribute the slots to others. Otherwise, holding the Prime Amulet as hostage, they would have been able to fight for much better terms for themselves!

"That's good to hear," Zhang Xuan said. "Wait here for a moment. I'll bring everyone in once I'm done organizing my group."

"This..."

The Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion were shocked by the turn of events as well. They never would have thought that things would suddenly turn so favorable for them. They could not help but direct curious gazes toward the young man who had made all of that happen.

It was one thing for that young master teacher to single-handedly obtain the cruxes of five outer dimensions, but to think that he would actually be resourceful enough to acquire even the Prime Amulet itself, thus outdoing even the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. When did such an incredible figure appear in the Master Teacher Pavilion?

"We have to proceed carefully," Yang shi advised Zhang Xuan worriedly. "The others might attempt to pull something off after seeing that the situation is so skewed in our favor."

As descendants of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, it was unlikely that Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others would go against their principles within the sacred Temple of Confucius. However, nothing was certain given that the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was at stake.

Not to mention, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe were waiting patiently for a chance to strike. There was no doubt that they would attempt to pull something off if a window of opportunity surfaced.

Knowing what Yang shi was worried about, Zhang Hongtian harrumphed coldly. "They won't make a move for the time being. Only those beneath the Sempiternal realm are able to enter the Prime Hall and Subordinate Halls. No matter who acquires the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, he won't have the strength to assimilate it!

"They will have no choice but to bring the Great Codex of Spring of Autumn out. Once the artifact is brought out of the Prime Hall, that will be when the true fight starts! As important as the slots seem to be, all it does is lend credibility to one's possession of it. In the end, it still boils down to the prowess of the Ancient Sages to determine the final allocation of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn!"

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Chapter 1764: Auctioning Slots

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"That's true..."

The other Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion fell silent.

What Zhang Hongtian had said was the simple truth.

Rules and promises might still carry their weight in small skirmishes, but when the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was at stake, who would care about such intangible things?

It went without saying that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe had not given up on the codex. The reason that they had not complained despite only being allocated a single slot was because there was no need for them to do so.

As long as one of their personnel got in, they would have an eye within the Prime Hall. With that, they would be able to uncover who had successfully obtained the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and attempt to snatch it once that person left the premises!

Once the Ancient Sages got involved, all of the Sempiternal realm candidates would be rendered utterly powerless. As such, everything eventually boiled down to the prowess of their Ancient Sages!

"Forget it, let's just settle it when the time comes. For now, let's distribute the slots!"

In order to avoid panic, the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion had communicated through telepathic zhenqi.

"Since these slots were earned through Zhang Xuan's hard work, I think that we should respect his decision no matter what he decides on!"

"Un!"

The crowd nodded in agreement.

As Ancient Sages, given that they had contributed nothing toward acquiring those slots, they felt too embarrassed to impose any demands on Zhang Xuan.

...

Zhao Ya walked over to Zhang Xuan and informed him telepathically, "Teacher, I am unable to contact Zheng Yang and the others. However, based on the accounts of those who have met them, it seems like they have encountered their own fortuitous encounters. They are currently in those minor dimensions and are unable to leave at the moment, so I don't think they'll be able to make it here any time soon!"

She had tried to contact Zheng Yang and the others, but there had been no response. So, she had tapped into her information network as the court chief of the Glacier Plain Court, and fortunately, she had managed to uncover some intelligence regarding them.

After all, those juniors of hers were no longer nobodies whom one could simply overlook. They had already become renowned powerhouses of the Master Teacher Continent!

"They won't be able to make it here anytime soon?" Zhang Xuan repeated with a frown. Waving his hand lightly, he said, "Forget it. I'll ensure that they don't miss out on anything even if they don't enter the Prime Hall, so it doesn't matter whether they enter the premises or not."

It went without saying that Zhang Xuan would distribute whatever he obtained from the Prime Hall among his students, regardless of whether they were with him at the time or not. This was similar to how he had given one of the Bodhi Fruits to Yuan Tao even though he did not enter the Hall of Lull.

As long as he was around, he would make sure that his students got a share of everything good within the Prime Hall!

"Teacher, I don't think that I'll be able to enter either. My body has already reached the level of an Ancient Sage, and I can feel a powerful repulsion from the seal of the Prime Hall. Even with the Prime Amulet, it doesn't seem likely that I'll be able to bypass the seal..." said Yuan Tao, walking over.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded contemplatively.

Even though Yuan Tao had not successfully achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, there was no doubt that his physical body had reached a level comparable to Ancient Sages. At the very minimum, he could already be considered as a Half-Ancient Sage. Due to this, it was little surprise that he was being repelled by Kong shi's seal.

"So, there's only me, Ruoxin, Zhao Ya, Ruyan, and Qiqi at the moment... Adding up the other two from the Master Teacher Pavilion, there will only be seven of us..." Zhang Xuan quickly calculated in his heart. "That means that we still have four additional slots..."

Zhang Xuan took a look at the crowd among the Master Teacher Pavilion, and he swiftly shook his head.

It was not that he looked down on those geniuses, but it was likely that they would not be able to do much even if he gave those slots to them. In the end, the slots would only go to waste.

"How is it? Have you chosen your personnel yet?" Seeing that Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought after such a long time, Ancient Sage Yan Qing urged him with a slight hint of impatience in his tone.

"I have already chosen the people whom I want to bring with me. However, I think there's no particular reason for us to use so many slots, so I have decided that I'll auction the four of the slots that we have. Feel free to bid for them, and the slot will go to the one who bids the highest. How does that sound?" Zhang Xuan announced as he shot a sweeping gaze at the other three major powers.

"He's intending to auction the slots?"

"Is that fellow off his rockers? Everyone is trying to claim those slots for themself, but he's actually intending to sell them off just like that?"

"Is this for real? We might be able to get a chance to enter the Prime Hall!"

A huge commotion broke out amid the crowd.

The announcement that they had just heard was simply too flabbergasting.

Not only were the Ancient Sages of the other three powers stunned, even the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion also felt a little light-headed from the abrupt declaration.

It had not been to claim so many slots, and this was an extremely advantageous situation for them. Yet, that young man was actually thinking of auctioning them off.

Was it really good for him to do this?

"This is a little..."

One of the Ancient Sages could not take it any longer, so he opened his mouth in hopes of dissuading Zhang Xuan from his reckless move.

"There's no doubt that my senior has his own reasons for making such a decision." Yang shi swiftly spoke up in Zhang Xuan's defense. "Let's just believe in him. That's also what we decided on just a moment ago, isn't it?"

"Senior?"

Catching that peculiar words in Yang shi's response, the remaining Ancient Sages shot bewildered glances at him.

They had met Yang Xuan shortly after their awakening, and there was no doubt that the other party was the most talented master teacher in recent millennia. The fact that he had advanced to Ancient Sage shortly after entering the Temple of Confucius spoke volumes about his potential. Yet, he was actually addressing an Aureate Body realm lad as his senior.

"Indeed," Yang Xuan said with a nod.

He swiftly erected a barrier around him with his will in order to keep away any eavesdroppers before sending a telepathic message to the other Ancient Sages. "To be honest with you, his identity is a little unique. Even as an Ancient Sage, I'm deeply honored to be given the privilege of addressing him as my senior. Pardon me as I say this, but it isn't convenient for me to reveal his identity to you at the moment. However, rest assured that I'll fill you in on the details once we return after dealing with everything here!"

"His identity is a little unique?"

The Ancient Sages looked at one another with intrigued gazes.

Just what kind of identity could it be that even an Ancient Sages would view it as the greatest honor to address that young man as his senior?

Even though they were curious at those words, they could tell that Yang Xuan was unwilling to speak, so they could only suppress their inquisitive minds. They chose to trust Yang Xuan's judgement and fell silent.

It was also at around this moment that Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others finally recovered from the shocking news.

"You are going to auction your slots?"

"That's right. We have simply too many slots with us at the moment, and this isn't a good thing for us. For one, being the dominant party will easily draw the envy and fury of others. Thus, I'm intending to take out four slots to auction as a show of goodwill, as well as to balance the scales," Zhang Xuan said with a chuckle. "As long as you are able to fork out a greatest sum of money here, you can be certain that the slots will be yours!"

"Let's begin bidding then!"

"We must claim at least one of the slots by hook or by crook for the Beast Tribe!"

Hearing that it was possible to obtain the slots through an auction, the Ancient Sages of the three powers glanced at one another before nodding.

Even though the final allocation of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn mainly depended on the Ancient Sages, it would be advantageous to them if more of their descendants could enter the Prime Hall.

For one, if their descendants just so happened to obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, they would be able to simply turn tail and run.

The life force of Ancient Sages was frighteningly resilient. Even if they were unable to defeat their enemies, escaping alive was still something that they would be able to pull off.

As such, this was an opportunity that they did not want to miss out on.

"Alright, I'll determine the starting bid of the first slot. It'll be... twenty, thirty, no... fifty droplets of Ancient Sage bloo..." said Zhang Xuan, raising his fingers.

Great Sage artifacts were not of much use to him anymore, and it was unlikely that those present had too many Ancient Sage artifacts. Even if they did have a couple, it was unlikely that they would be willing to take them out. More importantly, given the current limitations of his cultivation, it was also questionable whether he would be able to assimilate it.

The reason that he had succeeded with the Infernal Blacksaber was because it had been at Half-Ancient Sage when he tamed it.

As for Ancient Sage Zi Yu's inkstone, it was because the artifact had dulled over the long course of its existence, causing it to become much weaker than most Ancient Sage artifacts. On top of that, as a non-aggressive weapon, it was much easier to control.

Any sentient being that had successfully made a breakthrough to Ancient Sage was bound to be haughty and egoistical, and this included artifacts. Even with Zhang Xuan's means, the chances of him taming a fully-fledged Ancient Sage artifact was slim.

Rather than to obtain something that was impractical for him to use at the moment, it would be much more beneficial for him to acquire Ancient Sage blood.

After all, it would become an invaluable resource to fuel his breakthroughs!

Before Zhang Xuan could finish his words, a telepathic voice suddenly arrived by his ears.

"Zhang Xuan, Ancient Sage blood is a very broad term. Similar to spirit stones, it's also divided into various tiers, depending on the strength of the Ancient Sage. Naturally, the higher the tier of the Ancient Sage blood, the more precious it is."

It was from the old ancestor, Zhang Hongtian.

"Tiers of Ancient Sage blood?" Zhang Xuan was silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.

He had not really thought of it before, but it did make sense for there to be varying tiers to Ancient Sage blood. After all, the blood of a veteran Ancient Sage was bound to harness much more energy than the blood of a nascent Ancient Sage.

"Just like Great Sage, Ancient Sage is also divided into four different realms. The higher the realm of the cultivator, the more valuable their blood is. In fact, the difference can easily differ by a hundredfold! You have to ascertain the quality of the Ancient Sage blood, or else you could make a huge loss!" Zhang Hongtian advised.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded in response. "May I ask what the four realms of Ancient Sage are?"

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Chapter 1765: The Four Realms of Ancient Sage

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The realms have never been officially fixed, but there's a standardized way of classifying the strength of an Ancient Sage through their difference in strength and special characteristics. I think you should be able to use it as a reference," Zhang Hongtian said.

"After achieving a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, a cultivator will be able to pass down the unique traits of their bloodline to their descendants, similar to our Zhang Clan. The reason that our clan members wield the power of the Time Quintessence is because we had an ancestor who had once reached such a realm. As such, the term used for the first realm is 'Bloodline Continuance'. This serves as an indicative sign as to whether one has achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage yet or not."

"Bloodline Continuance..." Zhang Xuan repeated the term as he nodded in response.

That did make sense.

Most likely, Yuan Tao, the Infernal Blacksaber, and Vicious were at this realm. The Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage that he had crushed with the Book of Heaven's Path back at the Seer Guild was likely at this realm as well.

They formed the bottommost layer of the Ancient Sages.

"The second realm is the highest level that the seventy-two Sages, with the exception of the Ten Apostles, reached in their lifetime. As such, it eventually came to be known as the Great Philosopher realm," Zhang Hongtian explained.

"Great Philosophers? That's the name of a realm as well?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"It's just a term that we use, so there's no need to be too fixated on the name," Zhang Hongtian remarked. "As for the third realm, it's known as Blood Reincarnation. As long as those who have reached this realm haven't come to the end of their lifespan yet, even if one severs their head and minces their body, they will still be able to come back to life with a single droplet of blood. It's because I have reached this realm as well that I was able to survive much longer than the other Ancient Sages and am able to stand my ground against them."

Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in surprise.

Until that moment, he had thought that all Ancient Sages were capable of Blood Reincarnation, but it seemed like that had been a misunderstanding on his part.

Those who were able to pull off Blood Reincarnation were the top existences even among the Ancient Sages.

"What about the final realm?"

"The final realm is a level that no one on the Master Teacher Continent or Hundred Schools of Philosophers, other than Kong shi, has been able to reach. It's said that a person who has reached the final realm will be able to shatter the void, similar to how an envoy of the immortals tears through space to descend to the mortal world. As such, the final realm is known as 'Dimension Shatterer' or 'Immortal's Envoy'! I'm still a long way off from reaching that realm, so I'm also not too sure what the realm encompasses," Zhang Hongtian said.

"Immortal's Envoy?" Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in astonishment.

He had heard this term before!

The first time that he met Vicious in an underground cavern, the latter had told him that he had reached the level of an Immortal's Envoy. Back then, he had not understood the different levels of cultivation, so he had not paid much attention to it. Who would have thought that Vicious had actually reached the very pinnacle of Ancient Sage!

In other words, even though Vicious did not seem to be anything much, the truth was that he had been one of the strongest people on the Master Teacher Continent during his lifetime!

It was no wonder that even Kong shi had ended up being cornered by him at one point in time back at Chen-Cai.

"Then... what realm has Ancient Sage Yan Qing reached?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He could not help but recall Old Geezer Yu saying that Ancient Sage Yan Qing possessed the highest cultivation among all those gathered there. If so, just what level had he reached?

"He's at Blood Reincarnation realm as well, just like me. It's just that he's a single cultivation stage stronger than me!" Zhang Hongtian replied. "However, he hasn't reached the pinnacle of Blood Reincarnation either. Without the sustenance of the Aeon of Ancient Sage, it is hard for one to advance any further in this realm!"

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization as he understood the crux behind Zhang Hongtian's words. "In other words, I should ask for the blood of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages?"

"That's right. The blood of Ancient Sages who have reached such a realm will be the most valuable!" Zhang Hongtian replied.

"Got it!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Their conversation was through telepathic communication, so their exchanges were swift. All in all, it barely took up a few seconds. Shortly after they ended their conversation, the White Overlord spoke up. "Fifty droplets of Ancient Sage blood? Very well, our Beast Tribe will be taking it!"

Its voice had a ferocious edge to it, reminiscent of an imposing conqueror gazing down upon the world.

"White Overlord, please hold it for a moment. I haven't finished yet. The fifty droplets of blood that I want have to come from Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages!" Zhang Xuan added with a composed smile.

"You want fifty droplets of blood from Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages? You greedy little swine..." Hearing those words, the White Overlord nearly exploded from rage.

A heavy silence also swiftly settled upon the crowd.

Ordinarily speaking, fifty droplets of ordinary Ancient Sage blood could be considered an astronomical sum. Yet, that fellow actually wanted all fifty droplets to be from Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages.

"You're dreaming!"

"Who would be so foolish to fork out such a ridiculous price?"

"Even for an entrance slot into the Prime Hall, this isn't worth it at all..."

...

The quiet mutterings of the Ancient Sages could vaguely be heard.

It was true that an additional slot would put a power in a more advantageous position, but even so, fifty droplets of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage blood seemed too hefty a price to pay. It did not seem to be worth paying the price for it.

Seeing the hesitation among the crowd, Zhang Xuan interjected quietly with a confident smile, as if everything was in his grasp. "I'll leave it to you to ponder over whether it's worth the price or not. The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn is the greatest artifact that Kong shi left behind. If you obtain it, what will Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages count for?

"This opportunity will only come once. If you miss it, it will be gone for good. Of course, if none of you want the slots, that's perfectly fine with me. I am only proposing this auction as a show of goodwill to the other three major powers. If none of you are interested in it, I will just arrange more personnel on my side!"

Since he had already set the price of the auction, he would have to make sure to stand his ground. Otherwise, once he started lowering the price, the others would push him to go further.

"This..."

The crowd fell silent after hearing Zhang Xuan's words.

It was true that the blood droplets of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages were invaluable, but the value of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was immeasurable. Whether the price was worth an additional sliver of hope or not, that was a decision that they would have to make.

Breaking the contemplative silence, Ancient Sage Yan Qing said, "Our Hundred Schools of Philosophers will be buying the first slot!"

"He's buying the slot?"

The crowd quickly turned their shocked gazes over.

On the other hand, Ancient Sage Yan Qing flicked a jade bottle toward Zhang Xuan without any hesitation.

Catching the jade bottle, Zhang Xuan pried open the lid, and a gush of energy immediately flowed out from within. All in all, there were fifty droplets of Ancient Sage blood.

He shot a glance at Zhang Hongtian and saw a slight nod from the latter. That was verification that the blood droplets were indeed from Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages. Smiling in delight, he stowed the jade bottle into his storage ring before turning to address the crowd. "Alright, the first slot goes to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers! Moving on, the second slot costs sixty droplets of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage blood!"

"Sixty droplets? Why did the price suddenly increase so steeply?"

"Wasn't it fifty droplets a moment ago?"

"It's the exact same slot, so how could he increase the price just like that?"

As if water poured upon burning oil, a huge uproar broke out amid the crowd.

They had thought that the second slot would be the same price, which was also why they had taken their time to make their decision. Who could have known that the fellow would hike up the price by twenty percent in a heartbeat?

"You can choose not to buy it; I'm not forcing you into anything. However, I would just like to say that our Master Teacher Continent has seven slots at the moment and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers have three. In contrast, both the Beast Tribe and Otherworldly Demonic Tribe only have one slot each," Zhang Xuan said with a confident smile. "Ultimately, it's just a question of how much you want the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

"Besides... the two remaining slots will be even more expensive. The more limited a commodity is, the pricier it'll be, don't you agree?"

"Sixty droplets? So be it then! I'll be taking it..." the White Overlord spat through tightly clenched teeth.

No one could have known that the prodigy who had managed to obtain the Prime Amulet and five cruxes would actually be a crooked businessman.

This was exactly the type of person whom no one would ever want to deal with!

Before the White Overlord could finish his words, Old Geezer Yu had interjected. "If it's sixty droplets, we want it as well!"

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Chapter 1766: Entering the Prime Hall

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Old Geezer Yu, are you intending to fight with me over the slots?"

Enraged by Old Geezer Yu's actions, the White Overlord's hair stood on end, as if preparing to pounce on the other party.

Sixty droplets of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage blood far exceeded the price it was willing to pay. It was with great difficulty that it had chosen to pay this price, and yet, someone actually wanted to fight with it over the slot!

Intolerable!

"Like the young man has said, it's an auction. It's a fair competition, isn't it?" Old Geezer Yu scoffed coldly. "If you are willing to fork out a higher price, go on then. In any case, I'll just have you know that I'll be taking down this slot!"

"There are still two more slots remaining, aren't there? Why don't you go for those two instead?" the White Overlord roared in fury.

"Do you take me for a fool? While we of the Spirit Tribe have plenty of experts in our ranks, we aren't fools who will allow ourselves to be taken advantage of!" Old Geezer Yu harrumphed coldly. "Besides, Zhang shi has already said that the highest bidder will be able to obtain the slot. Since you have bid sixty, I'll bid sixty-five then!"

"You!"

The White Overlord's body trembled in rage, but there was nothing that it could do.

Since it was an auction, it went without saying that the artifact would go to the highest bidder. It couldn't possibly be so domineering as to stop others from even bidding!

"I'll offer sixty-six droplets then!" the White Overlord spat coldly.

"Sixty-seven droplets!"

"Sixty-eight droplets!" The White Overlord really wanted to tear the other party apart.

"Seventy droplets!" Old Geezer Yu continued raising the bid nonchalantly.

"You... Very well! I'll bid seventy-five droplets!" Unable to take it any longer, the White Overlord roared in utmost fury. "Old Geezer Yu, try pushing your luck any further, and I swear I'll get you right here and right now!"

"Heh, is that so? Alright then. Since you have already put it out like this, I'll let you for this one then!" Seeing that he had successfully raised the price to seventy-five droplets, Old Geezer Yu chuckled softly before falling silent.

He could already tell that the White Overlord was already at the limits of its patience. If he continued provoking the latter any further, the latter might really make a move on him.

Of course, given his strength, he did not fear the White Overlord. However, the destructive prowess of a berserk beast was not to be underestimated. Furthermore, the experts of the Master Teacher Pavilion and Hundred Schools of Philosophers were also in the vicinity, so it went without saying that it would be a terrible idea to come to blows with the Beast Tribe.

"Here!"

Seeing that Old Geezer Yu was not competing with him any further, the White Overlord harrumphed coldly before tossing a jade bottle over to Zhang Xuan.

There were exactly seventy-five droplets of Ancient Blood within the bottle, and they were all from Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages.

Due to the larger physique of those in the Beast Tribe, they were able to offer up more of their blood than the smaller human and Otherworldly Demon cultivators. However, as their breakthroughs were highly reliant on their bloodline and talents, it was much harder for them to advance their cultivation. As a result, the number of Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages that they had was significantly lower than that of the humans and the Otherworldly Demons.

It had been difficult for them to save up those seventy-five droplets of blood, and giving them away like that pained them greatly.

"Alright, the second slot goes to the Beast Tribe. As for the third slot, the starting bid will be one hundred droplets of Ancient Sage blood!" Zhang Xuan announced with a smile.

"One hundred droplets?" Old Geezer Yu's face stiffened upon hearing the price. Blood rushed up into his head as he cussed at the young man furiously. "Why don't you go screw yourself instead!"

Just a moment earlier, the price had only been sixty droplets, but all of a sudden, it was nearly doubled...

You are doing it intentionally, aren't you?

He had thought that the third slot would only cost seventy droplets of Ancient Sage blood at the very most, which was also why he had chosen not to compete with the White Overlord over it. Yet, who could have known that this fellow would actually be so immoral!

"The Hundred Schools of Philosophers have three slots at the moment, and the Beast Tribe has two. You are the only one with only one slot. Do you want the slot or not? I don't mind keeping it for myself!" Zhang Xuan replied coolly. "Also, I can give you a heads up that I am indeed screwing with you, but what are you going to do about that? Take it or leave it!"

It was such a good opportunity to mess with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, so there was no way that he would let it slip through his fingers.

In any case, he had already gotten what he wanted. It did not matter to him whether Old Geezer Yu took the deal or not.

"You..." Old Geezer Yu felt as if his blood vessels were going to explode from sheer rage.

"Let's agree to his request for the time being." Another Ancient Sage of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe sent a telepathic message to Old Geezer Yu. "In any case, a human master teacher won't be able to use the Ancient Sage blood of our Spirit Tribe. At the very most, we'll just have to find an opportunity to assassinate him and get our Ancient Sage blood back after he leaves the Prime Hall!"

The Ancient Sage blood of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was permeated with killing intent. It would be difficult for even Sempiternal realm cultivators to come close, let alone assimilate it into their bodies!

Since the humans had no way of using their Ancient Sage blood, it would not hurt them to give it away for the time being. With the prowess of their Spirit Tribe, they would eventually be able to assassinate that darned fellow and get their blood back!

Hearing those words, Old Geezer Yu's livid expression finally alleviated a little. "Fine, one hundred droplets for a slot, is it? I'll give you two hundred droplets for the third slot and fourth slot!"

"You want to buy the third and fourth slot?"

"That's right. Given the price you have set, you need not dream about others buying any more slots. Since that's the case, you might as well sell them to me for the same price!" Old Geezer Yu said.

Since they would eventually get the Ancient Sage blood back, it did not matter how many droplets he gave the young man.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a brief moment before nodding in agreement. "Sure!"

Just as Old Geezer Yu had said, it was unlikely for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Beast Tribe to take out any more blood droplets to purchase the slots. Since that was the case, he might as well sell the last two slots to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

Since any Otherworldly Demons who entered the Prime Hall would eventually end up being taken down by him, he did not mind selling them a few more slots.

"Here!"

With a flick of his wrist, Old Geezer Yu sent two jade bottles into Zhang Xuan's grasp.

Catching the two bottles, he inspected their contents and confirmed that there were a hundred droplets in each of the bottles. Thus, he nodded in contentment.

"You must be wary." Seeing through Old Geezer Yu's malicious intentions, Zhang Hongtian sent a telepathic message over to warn Zhang Xuan. "If the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sages have left a sliver of their will in their blood, they would be able to attempt a Blood Reincarnation and attempt to destroy your soul!"

Upon reaching the Blood Reincarnation realm, every single droplet of blood that the Ancient Sage possessed represented the potential to sprout a new life. Even though it would be a lot of trouble for the droplet of blood to return to its peak, it was still well within its means to slay an Aureate Body realm cultivator.

"I understand!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

Earlier, when he pried open the bottle, he had already infused his Heaven's Path zhenqi in to destroy whatever will the other party had left inside. As powerful as Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sages were, it was still impossible for them to stand against the Heaven's Path zhenqi with just a sliver of their will.

In an instant, he had already eradicated whatever threats were within the blood droplets.

Without any will to drive a reincarnation, no matter how much vitality the blood harnessed, it was unlikely that it would be able to sprout into a new life. At the very least, it would take tens of thousands of years before a new spirit sprouted within the droplets of blood.

By then, he would have already used up the two hundred droplets of blood.

"If you face any difficulty dealing with the blood droplets, I'll be able to help you!" Zhang Hongtian said.

"Thank you, old ancestor, but I'm able to handle this," Zhang Xuan replied.

Seeing that all of the slots had been distributed, Ancient Sage Yan Qing stood forward and announced, "Since all of the slots have been distributed, let's prepare to set off!"

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Just as they had agreed on, he gathered the candidates chosen by each power before taking Little Amulet out. Little Amulet flew into the air and shrouded all of the candidates with its power. Following which, the group swiftly made their way into the Prime Hall.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan swiftly scanned the candidates chosen by the other powers. The two slots of the Beast Tribe had gone to a white fox and a red leopard. They seemed to be related to the White Overlord in one way or another.

As for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, they had dispatched three Sempiternal realm consummation experts. They wore impassive expressions, and they were reserved with their words. It was difficult to gauge exactly how powerful they were.

The Hundred Schools of Philosophers had brought in another expert who seemed to command a fighting prowess comparable to Yan Xue.

All in all, except for Zhang Xuan, all of the candidates who had been chosen to enter the Prime Hall were at Sempiternal realm consummation. They were all the strongest existences beneath Ancient Sage.

"Let's go in!"

Weng!

As soon as Little Amulet came into contact with the seal of the Prime Hall, it immediately fused in, and the crowd vanished from sight.

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Chapter 1767: The Final Assessment

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Seeing that the crowd had vanished, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to the master teachers behind him and telepathically ordered, "Prepare for battle!"

"Un."

The master teachers nodded in response to his words. All of them had grim expressions on their faces.

As soon as their descendants left the Prime Hall, the battlefield would be passed on to them.

Seeing that the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were huddled tightly together, seemingly ready to battle at any moment, the Ancient Sages of the other three powers also quickly got into formation, ready to make a move at any moment.

"Yang shi, I'll need you to arrange for those who haven't reached Ancient Sage to leave this area," Zhang Hongtian instructed.

"Yes!" Knowing that any Great Sage cultivators who remained in this area would only become meaningless sacrifices in this battle, he quickly made his way over to Ren Qingyuan's side and issued some instructions.

From that point onward, it would be the battlefield of the Ancient Sages.

Thus, the cultivators of the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers began making their retreat. Similarly, the Great Sage cultivators of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe also began making their retreat.

Soon enough, only the twenty or so Ancient Sages were left within the massive square, staring at one another tensely.

It was a very fragile moment of peace that they were maintaining. Once the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn emerged, this peace would shatter into countless fragments, and a battle of unbelievable proportions would break out.

It might seem like there were a lot of Ancient Sages in the square, but they were already the final powerhouses in the world. Who knew how many of them would be able to remain alive at the end of this conflict?

"Zhang shi, this is something that my senior entrusted to me earlier. He told him to relay it to you."

While the Ancient Sages were eyeing one another tensely, Yang shi walked over to Zhang Hongtian's side and passed him a jade token.

"Zhang Xuan told you to give this to me?" Knowing that the 'senior' whom Yang shi was talking about referred to the descendant known as Zhang Xuan, Zhang Hongtian was stunned for a moment. He reached out to take the token and lightly tapped his finger on it.

Following which, he felt information surging into his consciousness.

"This is... the flaws in Old Geezer Yu's cultivation?" Zhang Hongtian narrowed his eyes in shock.

The information that he had just received detailed the various weaknesses and loopholes in the battle techniques that Old Geezer Yu practiced. All in all, there were over thirty of them. As long as he exploited even a single one of them properly, he would be able to slay Old Geezer Yu once and for all!

"H-how did he manage to gather such crucial information?"

Zhang Hongtian's first thought was that the information was nonsensical. After all, if it was that easy to uncover the flaws in an Ancient Sage's battle techniques, they would not have been such difficult opponents to deal with.

However, as he simulated those flaws in his mind based on his hundred or so clashes with Old Geezer Yu in the past, he swiftly realized that they were indeed true!

There was no stronger weapon that he could hope for to deal with Old Geezer Yu other than this!

It was a well-known fact that it was nigh impossible to slay a Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage unless another Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage laid out an all-encompassing trap to corner them. Of course, that was easier said than done.

However, with so many flaws, he was confident that he would be able to corner and kill Old Geezer Yu. From that, it could be seen just how valuable the information was!

"That lad really never fails to surprise me," Zhang Hongtian remarked.

His curiosity regarding that descendant of his only seemed to deepen with time.

The lad had single-handedly obtained the cruxes of five outer dimensions and even the Prime Amulet. He had placed the slots that the four major powers were dying to lay their hands on up for auction. More importantly, he had been completely devoid of fear in the face of an expert of Old Geezer Yu's caliber, and he had even collected the flaws relating to him...

Yang shi hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually, when you were severely injured twenty years ago and needed a purer Zhang Clan bloodline to recover, my senior was the one who offered his bloodline up to you so that you would be able to survive!"

Back then, Old Ancestor Zhang Hongtian had been so severely injured that he had fallen straight into a coma. As he had swiftly gone into hibernation after his condition stabilized, he had not heard the full details of his treatment.

As Yang shi was the one who had arranged the treatment, he was extremely clear about the details.

"What you are saying is that... his blood is flowing through my veins?" Zhang Hongtian was taken aback.

"That's right." Yang shi nodded in response.

"No wonder I felt a close sense of intimacy toward him..." Zhang Hongtian widened his eyes in realization.

Previously, he had thought that it was weird how he had felt an inexplicable feeling of affinity with that descendant of his. This perfectly explained it.

His bloodline was pure enough to save me. Yet, despite having his bloodline stripped from him, he was not only able to survive but still possesses talent that ordinary men are unable to compare to. It seems like there's no need to worry about the future of our Zhang Clan anymore! Zhang Hongtian thought.

Having lived for so many years, it had been a long time since anything was able to pique his curiosity. However, at that moment, he felt like he wanted to know the person known as Zhang Xuan a little better.

...

Hu!

Having entered the Prime Hall, Zhang Xuan was oblivious to the happenings outside, and he did not know the thoughts that were running through Zhang Hongtian's mind as a result of the jade token that he had given the other party. Instead, with an intense jolt, he suddenly found himself standing in the midst of a spacious hall.

This hall was obviously much grander than the other Subordinate Halls, and the spiritual energy that suffused the area was much more concentrated. The paintings on the wall had an extremely high level of artistic conception, and it felt like the figures depicted in them would come to life at any moment.

These paintings are still at a lower level than the Canvas of Four Seasons. It doesn't seem like there's any Aeon of Ancient Sage in there! Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

While the paintings were exceptional works, they did not have a sliver of the world sealed within them, so they did not have any Aeon of Ancient Sage in them. As valuable as they were, they did not appeal to him anymore.

The three Otherworldly Demons were just about to reach out to collect those paintings when a spear suddenly shot ahead of them, blocking their way.

"Gentlemen, hold your footsteps. I have something important that I would like to discuss with you..." Zhang Xuan looked over with a smile.

He had only dared to sell the slots to them because he was planning to get rid of them as soon as they entered the Prime Hall. Otherwise, they would remain an eyesore.

While the three of them were plenty formidable, it would not be too difficult for him, Zhao Ya, Luo Ruoxin, and the others to eradicate them.

"You..." Not expecting Zhang Xuan to turn against them as soon as they got into the Prime Hall, the faces of the three Otherworldly Demons darkened. They glanced at one another and uttered, "Flee!"

One of them took out a jade token and crushed it.

Hula!

A brilliant outburst of light enveloped the three of them before swiftly darting into the distance.

"Freeze!"

Seeing that the Otherworldly Demons were planning to escape, he raised his finger and sealed the space all around him.

Kacha!

However, the burst of light tore apart the frozen space with ease. In an instant, the three Otherworldly Demons had already vanished from sight.

"It's an artifact left behind by the Ancient Sages!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

It seemed like Old Geezer Yu knew that he would make a move on the Otherworldly Demons, so he bestowed upon them a powerful life preservation artifact so that they would be able to protect themselves.

If he had brought out the Infernal Blacksaber, he might have been able to slay them easily. However, even though he had managed to bring the Infernal Blacksaber into the Prime Hall, he was worried that he might trigger the restriction if he attempted to use it in the premises. As such, he was intending to keep it as a trump card for the most desperate of moments.

"Forget it! There's no need to rush into getting rid of them now!"

With everyone on their guard, it would not be as easy for Zhang Xuan to eradicate them. However, he did not think that this would pose much of a problem. With the Little Amulet in hand, there was no way that the others would have a chance of obtaining the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

While harboring such thoughts, Zhang Xuan turned to Yan Xue and said, "Since they have escaped, do you want to have a talk with me instead?"

Hu!

Before he could finish his words, the same burst of light erupted around Yan Xue and the others, and they vanished from the spot.

Zhang Xuan was silent for a second before he turned his gaze to the two remaining beasts. Before his eyes could even meet those of the two remaining beasts, they had already growled in a fluster. "Don't look at us! We'll leave, alright?"

Hula!

Similarly, the two beasts disappeared from the spot.

"..." Zhang Xuan.

"..." The remaining crowd.

Chapter 1768: Kong shi's Last Trial

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Forget it!"

Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless by their reactions. He did not think that those fellows would flee so quickly as if he was some kind of frightening monster.

It was true that he had intended to get rid of the Otherworldly Demons; it could possibly spell the end of mankind if they, by any chance, managed to acquire the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. However, for Yan Xue and the beasts, he had really intended to just have a chat with them!

On the other hand, seeing the stifled look on Zhang Xuan's face, Zhao Ya and the others could roughly guess what he was thinking, and slight smiles crept onto their faces.

"It's not that they are afraid; they simply want to avoid any unnecessary complications. As candidates chosen to enter the Prime Hall, they have only one mission—obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn," Luo Ruoxin explained.

Understanding this point as well, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. He turned to the crowd behind him and said, "Zhao Ya and Ruyan, these paintings are valuable treasures. Grab them."

"Yes!" Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan nodded before swiftly going around the room to keep the paintings.

"Cough cough... Zhang shi, these are treasures left behind by Kong shi. Isn't it a little disrespectful to simply take them away like that?"

The two master teachers who had followed along looked at him with speechless looks on their faces.

To actually strip the Prime Hall bare shortly after their arrival... was it not a huge act of disrespect toward Kong shi?

"So, your intention is for us to..." Zhang Xuan looked at the two master teachers and questioned.

"Shouldn't we at least pay our respects to Kong shi first before taking those paintings?" one of the master teachers remarked with a reddened face.

It was Zhang Xuan's turn to be rendered speechless.

In the end, what the master teacher was picking fault at was that they had not paid respects to Kong shi before taking the painting.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan instructed, "Forget it, let's continue!"

Zhao Ya and the others moved swiftly, and it did not take long for them to clear all of the paintings in the room.

"Let's proceed ahead!" After stowing all of the paintings, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out the Prime Amulet. "Little Amulet, where is the location of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn?"

"It's located at the very center of the Inner Hall," Little Amulet replied.

"Lead the way!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

Little Amulet nodded before swiftly flying ahead.

The Prime Hall was almost like a labyrinth; there were many split roads that confused one's sense of direction. Nevertheless, under the lead of Little Amulet, Zhang Xuan's group swiftly flitted ahead.

They encountered quite a number of treasures along the way, and Zhang Xuan did not hesitate to throw them into his storage ring. As a result, it was almost as if the Prime Hall had suffered a locust infestation. Not even ordinary sculptures were spared from Zhang Xuan's plundering!

The two master teachers could not help but shake their heads helplessly. They had not expected the young prodigy to be so greedy, and they found themselves wondering if it was the correct decision to be coming together with him.

If Kong shi knew that he had such a junior, he would probably die of rage!

"Why are there no decent treasures here? Is Kong shi that poor?"

In contrast to the others who were awed by the Prime Hall, Zhang Xuan was collecting the treasures all around with a grumpy look on his face.

It was not that the items he had collected was devoid of value—any of the paintings, zithers, brushes, and so on that he had collected could definitely be sold for an astronomical sum on the Master Teacher Continent. However, there was nothing that came close to comparing to the treasures that he had collected in the Subordinate Halls.

The two master teachers clutched their stifled chests, as if trying to resuscitate their halted heart.

Those words were simply much too heretical, such that they could only act as if they had not heard them at all.

Proceeding ahead, they swiftly arrived at a particularly vast atrium.

"This is the place," Little Amulet said as it fell onto one of the stone tablets by the entrance.

Weng!

It was as if something had been awakened by that action. The towering sculpture that stood at the very center of the atrium began to slowly turn its body around.

As the face of the sculpture came into sight, gasps of disbelief sounded all over the room.

It was Kong shi!

"Those who have cleared the preliminary trials, I welcome you to the Prime Hall. However, if you wish to acquire the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, there's one last trial that you'll have to overcome."

The voice of the sculpture was light, but it seemed to soak right into one's soul as if the nourishing breeze of spring.

Obtaining the Prime Amulet and cruxes of the outer dimensions and entering the Prime Hall were all trials for the candidates. Those who were able to get that far were indubitably the most talented geniuses of the world. However, they would still have to prove their qualification to inherit Kong shi's inheritance through one last trial.

"Right ahead of me is a walkway filled with Illusory Formations, Slaughter Formations, and all kinds of inner demons. If you are able to overcome it and walk to the end of the walkway, you'll find the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn within your reach, and you'll gain a chance to assimilate it. Even if you are unable to succeed, rest assured that you won't face any danger. However, you'll be teleported out of the Prime Hall, and you won't have another chance to gain my heritage."

As the sculpture spoke, it raised its finger and pointed in front of it.

Zhang Xuan turned to look and saw that there was a walkway at the center of the atrium. It seemed to extend into the distant horizon, almost as if there was no end to it.

"Each person only has one attempt. You can choose to head there alone or together; there's no restriction on how many people can challenge the walkway at once," the sculpture explained.

Zhang Xuan turned to Little Amulet and asked, "How does the walkway work?"

In the brief look that he had taken at the walkway, everything appeared completely normal to him. He could not find any traces of formations or the like in it. If so, it was likely that the trial was on an entirely different level than what he had encountered previously.

"This was specially left behind by Kong shi to test later generations. I'm not too sure about the details," Little Amulet replied awkwardly.

"... Alright then." Knowing that it was within Little Amulet's blood to become utterly useless during crucial moments, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed deeply.

Activating his Eye of Insight, he took another look at the walkway.

However, he was still unable to discover anything. There were no energy disturbances within the walkway at all.

"Teacher, I'll give it a try first," Zhao Ya said as she stepped forward.

"Be careful!" Even though the Kong shi sculpture had said that there would be no danger, Zhang Xuan still could not help but worry a little.

"Un!" Zhao Ya nodded.

She walked up to the walkway, and without any hesitation, she took a step into it.

Weng!

A white ray of light descended upon Zhao Ya, causing her to freeze on the spot. It seemed like she had been cast under some kind of illusion, rendering her immobile.

Some time later, a cold aura burst forth from her body. In an instant, she suddenly seemed to have become the monarch of the ice, and powerful energy raged around her, threatening to tear down the entire walkway.

Unfortunately, even though Zhao Ya was powerful, the walkway was even more so. No matter how powerful the attacks that she threw toward the walkway were, they did not faze it in the least.

After looking for a moment, Luo Ruoxin suddenly remarked, "It seems like Zhao Ya's Pure Yin Body has been activated once more..."

Zhang Xuan quickly took a closer look at Zhao Ya, and he found that the latter was indeed growing stronger by the moment. By that point, she was just a single step away from reaching Ancient Sage, and it seemed like she was ready to achieve a breakthrough at any moment.

Shrouded by the icy aura of the Pure Yin Body, she looked like a proud goddess commanding an imposing presence, graceful and eye-catching.

Every move that she made seemed to be in harmony with the world, bringing out indescribable elegance in her actions.

As time ticked by, her unique constitution was gradually being awakened further, becoming even more wholesome than before.

Hu!

Just as Zhang Xuan was just about to take a closer examination to determine the source behind Zhao Ya's sudden awakening, another ray of light suddenly shrouded the latter. Following which, she vanished from the spot, as if someone had teleported her away.

"Failed!" Kong shi's voice filled the atrium.

"She failed?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before nodding in realization.

The sculpture had said earlier that those who failed the trial would be teleported right out of the Prime Hall. From the looks of it, it seemed like Zhao Ya had been teleported away.

"Teacher, allow me to go next!"

Seeing that her senior had been teleported away, Wei Ruyan stepped forward and volunteered herself.

Just like Zhao Ya, she swiftly plunged into the midst of an illusion. As time went by, her unique constitution began to further awaken, and concentrated poison aura drifted around her. At the same time, her cultivation surged furiously as well.

While she did not manage to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, there was a transformative advancement in the quality of her zhenqi. It seemed like she was only a single step away from overcoming her bottleneck.

However, before she could do so, she was teleported out of the Prime Hall as well.

Following which, Luo Qiqi and the other two master teachers also volunteered to head over.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before saying, "Let's go together!"

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Chapter 1769: The Final 0.01!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Since it had been shown that the trial posed no danger, there was no need for them to waste any more time. Their priority at the moment should be to clear the trial as quickly as possible and find the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

The others nodded in agreement, and the group of five began making their way toward the walkway together.

Hula!

Walking up to the walkway, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a warm flow of energy embracing him. Following which, the sight before him was swallowed up by a flash of light, turning everything completely white.

By the time his sense of sight returned, he was standing before a lofty mountain.

Or to be more precise, it was a mountain formed of countless books piled up on top of one another.

The mountain pierced right through a dense layer of clouds, obscuring the mountain peak from view. At the same time, there was not a clear path in sight that seemed to lead one to the peak.

Other than the enormous mountain of books, the other thing that caught Zhang Xuan's attention was the line of characters flickering in and out of existence in the air.

"Reach the top and clear the trial. Surrender, and you shall be gifted a reward based on your progress." Kong shi's voice sounded quietly in the area.

"I see!" Zhang Xuan mumbled under his breath as he took a deep breath.

Even though everything before him appeared to be incredibly lifelike, judging from what had happened to Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan earlier, it was likely that they were in an illusion.

In other words, his physical body was still in the walkway; it was only his consciousness that had been transported to this humongous mountain of books.

Focusing his attention, Zhang Xuan began driving his zhenqi through his body before leaping up.

Hu!

Contrary to his expectations, instead of soaring into the air, he plummeted back to the ground.

It seems like I won't be able to rely on flight to get to the top. Then again, it would be too easy if I could simply fly to the top, Zhang Xuan thought.

Zhang Xuan took a look at the mountain of books once more, only to see that there was no paved path that he could walk on. Staring at the steep incline ahead of him, he reached out in an attempt to climb his way up, but to his surprise, he found an immense pressure crushing him.

As if struck by lightning, he found his entire body turning numb. At the same time, his hand was injured by thorns of some sort, and it was bleeding profusely.

"This..." Looking at his injuries, Zhang Xuan's face turned livid.

He had been thinking that it would be relatively simple for him to climb his way up even though there was no paved path for him to walk on. Who could have known that there would be such an obstacle as well?

It was as if a Sempiternal realm consummation expert was continuously assaulting him! Under such circumstances, how could he possibly get to the mountain peak?

Zhang Xuan circled around the mountain and tried climbing from various different points, but it was the same outcome every single time. Barely after climbing half a meter up, he was pushed back down by a crushing pressure. Bewildered, he paused contemplatively on the spot.

"Is the crux of the trial not climbing up forcefully?"

If he was not supposed to climb up, how could he get to the peak?

No wonder Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan had ended up failing the trial. It was indeed not as easy as he had thought.

"Since it's a mountain of book, I should study and find out what they are first. Perhaps, they might contain some clues in them..."

Zhang Xuan turned his sights toward the books, and with a thought, hundreds of books were immediately collected into the Library of Heaven's Path. With a tap of his finger, invaluable knowledge gushed into his mind.

These books covered a diverse range of topics, be it cultivation techniques, battle techniques, culture, geography, astronomy, divination... It seemed as if the mountain of books before him encompassed the knowledge of all of the occupations on the Master Teacher Continent.

Hulala!

Barely after assimilating the knowledge into his mind, Zhang Xuan suddenly noticed several steps appearing on the mountain of books, and he was stunned.

He had walked around the area for quite a while earlier, and he was certain that he had not seen the steps there previously. Why would they appear after he had browsed through hundreds of books?

Could it be that... he could pave a way to the top through reading the books there?

"Let me give it a try!"

With such a thought in mind, Zhang Xuan immediately swept his gaze across the mountain of books.

Hualalalalalala!

Countless books materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path. In less than five minutes, Zhang Xuan had already collected tens of thousands of books.

With a light tap of his finger, knowledge surged furiously into his head. Barely a moment after he digested the knowledge, the mountain before him suddenly tremored, and another flight of stairs warped into appearance. They gradually stretched toward the top of the mountain peak.

"It's indeed the case..."

Realizing that the crux of the trial was actually to read, a glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Had it been any other cultivator, even if he could use his Spiritual Perception to read multiple books at once, his consciousness would probably be muddled as a result of the sudden influx of knowledge into his head. However, that was not the case for Zhang Xuan.

All it took was a glance for Zhang Xuan to collect the books and one touch for him to imprint the wisdom harnessed within them into his memories.

The current Zhang Xuan was like a supercomputer. While other cultivators were struggling to memorize and comprehend the content of the books lying amid the massive mountain of books, all he had to do was conduct a simple copy and paste.

Hulala!

Walking onto the stairs, Zhang Xuan continued collecting more books around him, and knowledge flowed ceaselessly into his mind.

As the number of books that he had read stacked up, the flight of stairs gradually rose higher and higher. He slowly walked up the stairs step by step.

With time, he soon realized that an additional step would appear for every hundred books that he read.

To be honest, Zhang Xuan was probably the only one who could read in such a manner. If anyone else attempted to read and assimilate the content of the books like him... even an Ancient Sage would have already been driven mad by that point!

Walking on, Zhang Xuan soon found himself completely shrouded in the clouds. All he could see was the flight of stairs. It was as if the entire vast world had vanished, leaving behind his lonesome silhouette.

"I have already read so many books, but I haven't reached the mountain peak yet... Any other cultivator who attempted to read so many books would probably have suffered a mental breakdown by now!" Zhang Xuan muttered in complaint.

Based on his deduction, it was likely that the flow of time in here was different from the external world.

Even with the cheat code known as the Library of Heaven's Path, it had still taken him nearly half a day to get so far. Had it been anyone else, they would have taken several centuries or even a millennium in order to get that far!

To spend several centuries reading books and doing nothing else... the monotony was surely enough to erode anyone's sanity, including that of an Ancient Sage!

Hu!

Reaching this point, Zhang Xuan realized that the rate at which newer steps were being conjured had slowed down. It had roughly been a hundred books to a step previously, but the ratio had changed to a thousand books to a step now.

The trial was already tough enough as it was. To have the difficulty suddenly raised tenfold partway through would probably deal a crushing blow to any cultivator who had managed to get that far.

Of course, this change in difficulty did not make much of a difference to Zhang Xuan. To him, it was only a difference of reaching the peak faster or slower.

Carrying on, Zhang Xuan continued reading for another half a day. By the time the day came to an end, the trial had already reached the point where he had to read over ten thousand books in order to conjure a single step.

Zhang Xuan knew that he was nearing the end, so he gritted his teeth and persisted.

Sure enough, the mountain peak eventually came into sight.

"A path through a mountain of books with perseverance as the key... It seems like Kong shi's trial is one on mental resilience and diligence," Zhang Xuan remarked as he heaved a sigh of relief. "Knowledge is the key to greatness. The more one reads, the higher one will climb."

As much as this was a trial, it was also advice that Kong shi was leaving to the future generations.

He wanted to tell his successor that what would lead to the peak of cultivation was not just talent but knowledge and culture!

Only a knowledgeable person would be able to attain a deeper understanding of cultivation and the world. Only a cultured person would have a mind vast enough to accept changes. These were the keys that were required for one to climb to greater heights.

The seventy-two Sages, for example, were highly talented individuals who were personally groomed by Kong shi, having been imparted with the most powerful of cultivation techniques and battle techniques right from the start. In terms of starting points, there was no question that they were far ahead of Kong shi.

Yet, despite being granted such favorable conditions, none of them came close to matching Kong shi's accomplishments or strength.

There was only one possibility for this. In terms of knowledge, they were far beneath Kong shi. It was the scope of their mind that had limited their advancement.

Back when Kong shi established the system of Lower, Middle, and Upper Nine Paths, it might seem as if it had contributed little to his personal development. Yet, it was such challenges that had opened his eyes to the world, allowing him to accept new changes and adapt accordingly. Such were the soft skills that a cultivator needed to rise to greater heights.

Kacha!

As such thoughts flowed through Zhang Xuan's mind, all of a sudden, a sound reminiscent of an egg cracking apart or a seedling breaking out of the soil echoed in his head.

"My Soul Depth has exceeded 29.99?"

Zhang Xuan clenched his fist tightly as a brilliant light shone from his eyes.

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Chapter 1770: The Ultimate Treasure

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Previously, Zhang Xuan's Soul Depth had already reached 29.99, a mere nudge away from making the final breakthrough to Ancient Sage.

He had been planning to diligently cultivate beneath the Bodhi Tree so that he could make a breakthrough soon. Yet, who could have known that his Soul Depth would leap up right to 30.0 while he was reading all those books?

30.1!

30.2!

30.3!

...

Zhang Xuan's Soul Depth leaped all the way up to 31.9 before slowly coming to a halt.

In a very short period of time, his Soul Depth had been raised by 2.0.

Boom!

With the sudden increment of his Soul Depth, Zhang Xuan felt as if a storm had been whipped up in his head. All of his senses suddenly grew incredibly sensitive, and he felt like a countryside bumpkin entering a vibrant city for the first time in his life, witnessing the vibrant reds and greens, the delightful dances and cheerful songs. It was as if he was seeing a side to the world that he had not known existed.

The cultivation techniques and battle techniques that he had never been able to make sense of before filled his mind and clicked together logically. It was as if the puzzles that had bewildered him for a long time had suddenly become no different from child's play.

Not only so, he could also vaguely sense the existence of the Aeon of Ancient Sage in the surroundings. If he wanted to, he could even tap on it and utilize it to temper his body, raising his level of existence.

With such an ability, his chances of achieving a breakthrough to Ancient Sage were tremendously enhanced!

"It's no wonder they say that only those who have reached 30.0 in their Soul Depth will have a chance to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage..." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Previously, his parents had told him the various conditions required for one to make a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, and one point that they had been particularly focused on was Soul Depth. From the looks of it, that was indeed the case.

If one compared the bottleneck to Ancient Sage to tightly sealed gates, the breakthrough of one's Soul Depth to 30.0 would be equivalent to opening a crack in the tightly sealed gates. As long as one accumulated sufficient energy, one would be able to force the gates open and enjoy the beautiful scenery on the other side.

In other words, if he reached Sempiternal realm consummation, with the Ancient Sage blood droplets that he had gathered so far, he could push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage in one shot.

With this, the pressure that Ancient Sages exert won't be able to faze me anymore! On top of that, I'll be able to disguise myself convincingly as an Ancient Sage as well! Zhang Xuan thought with a smile.

His thoughts had grown much more lucid than before, and his mind felt invigorated. All of the negative emotions that he carried with him seemed to have been swept clean.

"Continue!"

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan continued collecting the books all around the mountain into the Library of Heaven's Path and converted them into his knowledge.

It did not take him too long to arrive on the mountain peak.

There was nothing unique on the mountain peak except for a stone altar. He walked up to it and placed his palm on it.

Hong long!

Once again, he was devoured by a brilliant burst of light and vanished on the spot.

By the time he came to, the mountain of books had already disappeared without a trace. Instead, he found himself lying on top of a leaf, floating in the middle of an ocean.

Amid the rocking of the ocean currents, he sat up and scanned his surroundings. The blue sky seemed to meld right into the ocean water, leaving the horizon a little blurred. No matter which direction he looked in, there did not seem to be any end to the vast ocean.

This rendered Zhang Xuan completely confused. He had no idea where he was, and he did not know where he should head to.

"A path through a mountain of books with diligence as the key, sail through the ocean of learning with a paddle of hardship," Zhang Xuan murmured.

Rather than getting flustered, he seemed to experience an epiphany. "This seems to be the so-called ocean of learning..."

It was a mountain of books earlier, and only when one studied would the steps leading to the endpoint appear. It was likely that the same principles applied to the ocean of learning as well. If he did not learn, the leaf would not move, and he would never get to shore.

A light ocean breeze blew across the ocean, producing a crisp sound reminiscent of an orchestra ensemble.

The surface of the water rippled, as if a beautiful, blue painting.

Beneath the water, one could see countless fish moving around in a certain pattern. They seemed to be simulating some kind of formation.

Gazing upon them, Zhang Xuan found his attention slowly immersing deeper into them.

With a pair of sharp eyes, everything in the world could enhance one's wisdom. Observing the vastness of the world, scrutinizing the free movements of the fish—the entire ocean encompassed great knowledge that seemed to fuse together with whatever he had studied previously on the mountain of books.

With the slight bobbing of the leaf, Zhang Xuan's heart gradually grew quieter and quieter.

All kinds of knowledge flowed into his mind, and as if a dry sponge, he greedily devoured the wisdom.

Some time later, Zhang Xuan's body jolted, and he stood up.

Painter, demonic tunist, blacksmith, beast tamer, spirit awakener, physician, formation master... All of the knowledge that he had learned from those occupations assimilated together impeccably, reaching the level of 9-star.

At that moment, even without any special exceptions, he would easily be able to meet the nine 9-star supporting occupations prerequisites, thus making him a true 9-star master teacher.

In fact, in terms of comprehension in these occupations, he might have even reached a level comparable to Kong shi, far exceeding the typical geniuses of those guilds.

Despite the massive influx of information, his mind did not grow befuddled. Instead, it was growing clearer and clearer as everything that he had learned formed links with one another, bringing greater clarity to his web of knowledge.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan went on to learn many other occupations, and just as a feeling of omniscience was starting to set upon him, there was another burst of light that filled his vision with utter whiteness.

When he finally regained his sight once more, he found that he had returned to the walkway. He felt as if he had been gone for at least ten days, but his consciousness told him that he had only been gone for a minute or two!

The disparity in time between his consciousness and experience left him feeling a little dazed for a moment as his mind struggled to make sense of this anomaly.

It felt like he had just woken up from a transient dream.

He turned around to scan his surroundings once more, only to see Luo Qiqi and the other two master teachers standing on the spot. Their bodies were trembling intensely, as if placed under immense pressure. Even though their eyes were wide open, it was apparent that they were not conscious.

"Where is Ruoxin?" Zhang Xuan pondered doubtfully.

Of the other six people whom he had come in with, Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan had failed the trial and had been teleported out. Luo Qiqi and the remaining two master teachers were still facing the trial, but for some reason, Luo Ruoxin was nowhere to be seen.

Could it be that... she had failed the trial and had been teleported out?

Just as Zhang Xuan was still trying to make sense of what was happening, Kong shi's voice sounded in the air once more. "You have cleared the trial. Proceed to the end of the walkway, and you'll reach the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. If you are able to assimilate it, you'll be qualified to inherit my heritage."

Hearing that voice, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a brief moment before heading to the end of the walkway. "For the time being, I should obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn before deciding on my next move..."

Having been tempered by the mountain of books and ocean of learning, his Soul Depth had already reached a level comparable to the Ancient Sages. The pressure exerted on him by the walkway could no longer faze him.

Soon enough, he reached the end of the walkway.

Similar to the entrances of the Prime Hall and Subordinate Halls, there was an invisible seal that prevented any unauthorized cultivators from heading any further in.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out Little Amulet and placed the latter against the seal. The seal slowly crumbled, and he swiftly made his way through.

A majestic hall came into sight, at the very center of which was a marble stand with a book placed flat above it. A radiant glow was shining from it.

There were two massive characters written in ancient script on the cover of the book—Spring Autumn. Time seemed to be flowing through the book, making it feel as if it was an artifact that existed in the past or the future. It felt like an artifact that existed in the crevices of time.

"So, this is the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up as he clenched his fists.

He was just about to make his way over to the book when a human silhouette suddenly entered his field of view. A hand reached out for the book on the marble stand and picked it up.

Upon getting a closer look at the human silhouette, Zhang Xuan froze. "Ruoxin..."

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Chapter 1771: Luo Ruoxin

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The person standing before the marble stand and taking away the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was none other than Luo Ruoxin, who had vanished without a trace earlier!

Zhang Xuan did not think that she would have already made her way there!

Should it not have been impossible to get there without the Prime Amulet?

How did she manage to get in there earlier than him?

More importantly... it was due to his possession of the Library of Heaven's Path that he had been able to browse through so many books quickly. Was Ruoxin capable of such a feat as well?

Hong long long!

Before Zhang Xuan could make sense of those doubts, along with the picking up of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn from the marble platform, the entire Temple of Confucius began trembling intensely. It was as if the cornerstone holding the entire place together had been removed, such that the entire dimension was beginning to tear apart.

Huala!

The first to bear the brunt of the blow was the Prime Hall. A flood of devastating energy gushed into the room, tearing down everything in its path.

However, standing by the marble platform, Luo Ruoxin seemed to be completely unfazed by the flood of energy.

A brilliant burst of light shone out from the book. The book attempted to flee from her grasp, but no matter how it struggled, it was unable to break free.

Amid the intense trembling, the surrounding space distorted, causing the seal on the Prime Hall to break apart.

"The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn is finally out!"

"Quick! Someone must be trying to assimilate it!"

"Who obtained it? Is it that Zhang Xuan or my descendants?"

Roars echoed all around the area as many silhouettes charged into the Prime Hall.

They were the Ancient Sages who had been camping outside the Prime Hall.

Previously, they had been kept out due to the seal that Kong shi had placed around the Prime Hall, so they had no choice but to wait patiently outside. However, the fact that the Prime Hall was on the verge of collapse meant that someone had already gotten to the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

This was a clear sign that it was their time to make a move, and the ultimate outcome of this battle was banking on them.

"It's that young lady!"

"She is... Luo Ruoxin?"

Seeing the figure holding the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, the crowd was stunned.

They had thought that it would be the master teacher named Zhang Xuan who obtained the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. Yet, contrary to their expectations, the one who eventually obtained it was actually the seemingly inconspicuous young lady following behind him, Luo Ruoxin!

"Little lass, you won't be able to assimilate it. Why don't you hand it to me instead?"

Seeing the tremendous power pulsating from the book, the eyes of the White Overlord reddened in excitement. Unable to curb its desire any longer, it raised its claws to strike Luo Ruoxin.

"Be careful!"

Zhang Xuan was completely caught off guard by the happenings. He had not expected the seal to break down to the extent that even Ancient Sages would make an appearance.

In an instant, his face turned incredibly livid.

His first reaction was to dash forward to save Luo Ruoxin, but as he did so, he saw the eyebrows of the young lady coldly shooting up.

Hong long!

Devastating torrent of energy burst forth and surged into the heavens. Shockwaves rippled into the surroundings, forming a protective barrier around her.

Peng!

The claws of the White Overlord fell upon the protective barrier, but they did not even leave a mark on it.

"This is... the strength of an Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in shock.

The strength that Luo Ruoxin was displaying was something that only Ancient Sages were capable of pulling forth. Not only so, she was even stronger than the White Overlord!

Tzzzzzz!

As soon as Luo Ruoxin brought out the strength of an Ancient Sage, it became clear that the struggling Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was gradually being stripped of its strength to oppose her.

"This is bad. She's on the verge of assimilating it. We can't let her succeed!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing roared in horror.

The next moment, a massive halberd darted through the air to strike down Luo Ruoxin.

Its strength pierced right through the fabric of spacetime, causing everything to seemingly slow to a halt. A gigantic dimension rift was forcefully torn open, and it swiftly expanded to over ten thousand li.

That was an attack from a Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage, one of the strongest experts in the world. With just a wave of his hand, he could easily summon devastating destruction.

Before this might could even come close, Zhang Xuan, who was in close proximity to Luo Ruoxin, felt as if the bones within his body were on the verge of being crushed. His body, which had been tempered by the Empyrean Heavenly Flame, seemed to be as brittle as a child's toy.

He felt his life slowly creeping to an end when Luo Ruoxin suddenly raised her hand.

A warm glow swiftly shrouded him and escorted him out of the battlefield.

Tzzz!

Following which, the halberd crashed right down upon Luo Ruoxin.

Without the slightest change in her expression, the young lady grasped the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn tightly in one hand while raising her other hand toward the halberd.

Pointing her finger toward the immensely destructive weapon, she tapped lightly.

Weng!

The halberd was halted on the spot. Ancient Sage Yan Qing's face reddened as the halberd flew out of his hand. Fresh blood spurted frenziedly from his mouth as he was furiously knocked backward.

"This..." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

All along, he had thought that Luo Ruoxin's cultivation was around the same level as his. He did not think that she would actually be an Ancient Sage, and an incredibly powerful one at that!

With a single tap of her finger, she was actually able to send Ancient Sage Yan Qing, who was known to be the strongest Ancient Sage of the current era, flying. Could it be that she had already transcended the level of Blood Reincarnation, achieving the little-known Void Shattering realm?

If that was the case... what was her true background?

Hula!

While Zhang Xuan was still figuring out what was going on, the space behind the young lady tore open like a ripped sheet of paper, causing a humongous dark abyss to appear.

"She's going to escape! If we don't stop her right now, the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn could very well become hers!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing cried anxiously.

There were still a couple of Ancient Sages in the area who were hesitating after seeing how Luo Ruoxin easily halted the White Overlord's attacks. However, knowing that they would really lose the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn if they did not make a move, they immediately charged forth to join the fray.

Huala!

Old Geezer Yu concentrated his zhenqi and created a pair of phantasmagoric hands in the air. Those pair of sinister hands swiped viciously toward Luo Ruoxin.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing took up his halberd once more, and with a powerful spin, he tossed it forward with astounding momentum.

A cold glint flashed across the White Overlord's eyes as it channeled all of its strength and swiped down. In that moment, it felt as though even time had stopped.

All of the Ancient Sages from those three major powers made a move simultaneously in an attempt to stop Luo Ruoxin. In an instant, it felt as if the world had regressed back to the state of chaos before creation. The surrounding light distorted from the sheer concentration of energy that had gathered in the area, plunging the entire Temple of Confucius into darkness.

Ancient Sages were already the most powerful existence in the world, and more than a dozen of them were making a move simultaneously. This was a force that could even knock down the entire Master Teacher Continent!

"Have you asked my permission before doing this?" a furious shout echoed by the side.

Following which, a barrage of sword qi flooded forward, hindering the movements of the Ancient Sages.

"Zhang Hongtian, don't be a fool! She isn't from the Master Teacher Pavilion!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing bellowed in rage as he twisted the halberd to fend off the barrage of sword qi.

The halberd collided with the tip of Zhang Hongtian's sword, and Zhang Hongtian was forced to retreat several steps as his face turned ghastly pale.

It was unfortunate, but he was still slightly lacking against the strongest expert of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.

"She's the person whom one of my descendants loves, and that makes her a part of our Zhang Clan as well!" Zhang Hongtian replied coolly as he raised his sword once more, indicating his determination to protect Luo Ruoxin.

However, no matter how strong he was as an individual, there was no way that he stood a chance against the collaboration of so many Ancient Sages, especially since Ancient Sage Yan Qing alone was much stronger than him.

Si la!

The combined prowess of the Ancient Sages continued steadily advancing toward Luo Ruoxin. All Zhang Hongtian succeeded in doing was stalling for a little more time.

At this moment, Luo Ruoxin was still holding the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn tightly, seemingly attempting to assimilate it. The situation was truly not in her favor. No matter how powerful she was, there was no way that she could survive the simultaneous assault of so many Ancient Sages.

"Ruoxin..."

Realizing the grave danger that the young lady was in, Zhang Xuan roared in fury. He immediately summoned the Ancient Sage corpse, Infernal Blacksaber, and Vicious to help, but before he could make a move, a burst of saber qi suddenly shot over from the distance.

This saber qi reflected the brilliance of the sun and the moon, and it was the final straw that resulted in the utter collapse of the surrounding space.

"Milady, I have completed the arrangements as requested. I'll help you keep them at bay for the time being!"

Hu!

The missing Wu Chen appeared before everyone.

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Chapter 1772: Wu Chen's True Identity

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Help fend them off for a while; I'll assimilate the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn in the meantime." Luo Ruoxin nodded as she channeled her energy frenziedly into the book in her hand.

Wu Chen nodded, and without any hesitation, he continued striking out saber qi in order to stop the advancing Ancient Sages.

Boom boom boom!

As the attacks of the Ancient Sages fell on Wu Chen's saber, one could see his face visibly turning paler and paler. The saber qi that he dealt out gushed forth like the rapid tides of a river. Even though he was forced back again and again, astonishingly, he actually managed to fend off all of their attacks single-handedly.

There was not the slightest shockwave that harmed or interrupted Luo Ruoxin.

"Strong..." Zhang Xuan was struck dumb by Wu Chen's outburst of strength.

A battle of this level was not something that he could interfere in anymore.

Just that... Wu Chen had only just achieved a breakthrough, had he not?

Why was he able to easily obstruct the attacks of so many powerful Ancient Sages, a feat that even Old Ancestor Zhang Hongtian had failed in?

Furthermore, throughout the entire collision, his face had only turned slightly pale. It did not seem like he had sustained any significant injuries.

If so, just how powerful was Wu Chen actually?

Was he a Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage as well?

It was already amazing that Luo Ruoxin was able to defend against Ancient Sage Yan Qing's attack with just a wave of her hand, but to think that Wu Chen was able to do so as well...

In an instant, he felt as if he was seeing a completely different side to them.

He knew that the two of them had been keeping secrets, but this was not what he had expected at all.

"He's finally appeared. Set up the formation!"

Ancient Sage Yan Qing did not seem to be surprised by Wu Chen's feat at all. Instead, his eyebrows shot up as he swiftly issued several commands.

Weng!

In an instant, blue light poured into the surroundings, forming innumerable stars that surrounded the entire Temple of Confucius.

Wu Chen's face immediately darkened upon seeing that formation. "This is the ultimate treasure forged by the seventy-two Sages, the Heavenly Palace Constellation Blueprint! You actually brought it here?"

"We brought the Heavenly Palace Constellation Blueprint here today to prevent you from getting away. You can be certain that today will be your death date!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing sneered coldly.

Huala!

Under the cover of the light from the constellation, the ripped space behind Luo Ruoxin slowly began to mend. It did not take too long before it reverted back to normal.

Zhang Xuan also sensed that the surrounding space was swiftly freezing up, so he quickly whipped out the Dragonbone Divine Spear and pierced the surrounding space. However, he found that the space had turned incredibly hard. Even with his current strength, he was unable to break it open.

Within the sealed space, it felt like Ancient Sage Yan Qing was a giant who wielded the ability to control anything that happened. He raised his finger and tapped it lightly.

Huala!

A star descended from the sky and smashed right for Wu Chen.

The star did not appear to be too large, but it descended with devastating momentum. Shockingly, it was even stronger than the attack that Ancient Sage Yan Qing had executed with his halberd. Even before reaching its target, one could already feel the star's intent to annihilate everything in its path.

"Break!"

Facing the ridiculous might of the descending star, Wu Chen's complexion turned incredibly awful. He cut his finger lightly with the saber in his hand and fed his blood to his weapon.

The saber immediately emanated an eerie glow as its prowess heightened significantly. It was just a simple pierce, but the surrounding space collapsed along with its movements.

The saber struck the descending star and sliced it in two without any hesitation.

Deng deng deng deng!

At the same time, the impact of the collision caused Wu Chen to retreat eight steps, and blood trickled down the corners of his lips. His face also turned ghastly white.

It was apparent that even though he had managed to stop the star, he had overexerted himself in the midst of doing so.

Seeing that Wu Chen was able to withstand the might of the descending star, a hint of astonishment flashed across Ancient Sage Yan Qing's eyes. However, he soon sneered coldly and raised his finger once more. "Let's see how many you can defend against!"

Huala!

Yet another star descended from the sky.

Knowing that Luo Ruoxin was in a crucial moment in assimilating the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, Wu Chen did not dare back down. Taking a deep breath, he retracted his saber and fled.

"I can't afford to hold back at a time like this..."

This time, Wu Chen did not use the saber. Instead, he flicked his wrist and whipped out two skeletal arms drenched in his blood before charging right toward the star above him.

As soon as the skeletal arms appeared, a powerful aura exploded into the surroundings. The higher Wu Chen flew, the larger the skeletal arms seemed to become. In the blink of an eye, they had already become so large that they seemed to cover the entire sky. It seemed like as long as he was given sufficient time, those two hands could easily cover the entire world.

Kacha!

The skeletal arms tore right through the descending star, smashing it into dust.

Furthermore, the skeletal arms did not stop at just crushing the star. They continued surging into the sky, and the tremendous might that they harnessed caused the entire starry sky to shudder. It seemed like even the artifact was unable to withstand the pressure coming from the skeletal arms!

"Incredible..."

"If even the skeletal arms are so powerful, I can't imagine how powerful that person was when he was still alive!"

Zhang Hongtian and the others were bewildered by the impressive prowess that Wu Chen had brought forth.

As Ancient Sages, they could feel the overwhelming strength of the blueprint very clearly. Even if they used their full prowess, they would still be unable to break apart the spacetime restraints imposed by the blueprint, let alone destroy the descending stars!

Yet, a single grasp of those two skeletal arms could make the entire blueprint shudder. Did that not mean that their prowess had exceeded the Blood Reincarnation realm?

"This aura..."

Contrary to everyone's bewilderment, Zhang Xuan's body jolted as soon as he sensed the aura coming from the skeletal arms.

He felt a familiar sensation from those two skeletal arms.

"It belongs to Vicious..." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

The right skeletal arm in the air was lacking a phalange, and the familiar aura that he was feeling confirmed his deduction. There was no doubt... it was Vicious!

Why would Vicious' arms be in Wu Chen's possession?

Furthermore, the strength that they possessed was peculiarly great. Even after recovering the upper body, the Vicious in the Book of Heaven's Path did not wield such great power.

All of a sudden, many doubts flooded into Zhang Xuan's mind. He was unable to make sense of the situation.

Spurting a mouthful of blood, Ancient Sage Yan Qing bellowed, "What are you waiting for? Are you intending to back out at this crucial moment?"

He had been sustaining the blueprint with his own energy, so the attempt to break the blueprint had caused his zhenqi to suffer a major backlash.

"Of course not!"

Old Geezer Yu, who had been watching the commotion from the side, swiftly made his way over with the Ancient Sages of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"This..." Zhang Xuan staggered in shock.

He dared not believe what he was seeing.

From their conversation, it was obvious that Ancient Sage Yan Qing of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers was in a partnership with Old Geezer Yu!

In other words, the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had defected to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!

What the heck was going on here?

Other than Zhang Xuan, Zhang Hongtian and the others were also looking at one another in a daze.

In terms of resentment, the hatred that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers harbored for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was definitely nowhere beneath that of Master Teacher Pavilion's cultivators. Why would they actually collaborate with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?

Hula!

Old Geezer Yu flicked his wrist, and a straw garment materialized in the air. The skeletal arms that were tearing apart the blueprint suddenly halted, as if their strength had been neutralized by the straw garment.

"Quick, kill him!" Old Geezer Yu bellowed.

On the other hand, Wu Chen's face darkened. He bit his finger, and fresh blood spurted onto the skeletal arms. However, the skeletal arms remained completely motionless, as if they were hibernating.

Wu Chen attempted to control the skeletal arms, but they refused to budge at all. He clasped his fists tightly and roared at Old Geezer Yu in the air. "Bo Yu, you traitor! How can you collaborate with the Hundred Schools of Philosophers? Aren't you afraid that I'll decapitate you?"

"Heh! You'll have to escape from here alive in order to kill me..." Without the slightest fear, Old Geezer Yu chuckled softly. "Besides, you should also know that the person who wants to claim your life isn't me but Sovereign Chen Ling! Isn't that so, Sovereign Chen Yong?"

"Sovereign Chen Yong? Could it be..." Zhang Xuan's body stiffened upon hearing those words. His eyes were marred with disbelief as he muttered, "Wu Chen is actually... Sovereign Chen Yong from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

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Chapter 1773: The Number One Expert of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Sovereign Chen Yong was one of the Three Sovereigns of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and he was the most authoritative and powerful of them. Most of the major decisions regarding the tribe were made by him, thus building his reputation as the number one expert of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. How could he be the youth who had been addressing him as 'Young Master' all this while?

If they really were the same person, then... what was the identity of Luo Ruoxin, whom he addressed as Milady?

In that instant, Zhang Xuan's body turned ice cold. He did not dare consider that possibility.

He had heard from Yang shi in the past that the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor had come to the Master Teacher Continent, but his whereabouts had been a mystery to all. Who would have thought that the other party had actually been by his side, serving as Luo Ruoxin's subordinate?

"Sovereign Chen Ling..."

Even though Wu Chen already knew the answer in his mind, his face still warped upon hearing those words. He clenched his fists with burning rage.

The Three Sovereigns had known each other for many years, and it was indeed true that there had been many internal conflicts in the past. However, to collude with outsiders to deal with him, that could pretty much be considered a betrayal!

With such thoughts in mind, Wu Chen raised his head to look at Ancient Sage Yan Qing and spat, "It seems like the proud Hundred Schools of Philosophers has decided to lower itself to collaborate with Sovereign Chen Ling!"

"Accepting Sovereign Chen Ling's request will not only allow us to eliminate the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor, it will also bring us three hundred years of peace. What do we have to hesitate over?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied calmly, unfazed by Wu Chen's questioning.

"Three hundred years of peace?"

"Sovereign Chen Ling has already promised our Hundred Schools of Philosophers that as long as we are able to get rid of you, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe will not launch an attack on mankind within the next three hundred years," Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied.

"I see." Wu Chen nodded silently

That explained why the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Hundred Schools of Philosophers were collaborating with one another despite the deep-seated hatred between them.

As the strongest and most influential Sovereign, his death would inevitably cause a significant loss in power and chaos among the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. It would take at least three hundred years for Sovereign Chen Ling to calm down the chaos and assume supreme control over the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

In other words, Sovereign Chen Ling needed those three hundred years as well.

However, just because the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had agreed to three hundred years of peace did not mean that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Pavilion would not make use of the opportunity to eliminate the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"So, back at the Harvest Valley City Seer Guild, you were already prepared to ambush me, weren't you?" Sovereign Chen Yong asked once more.

"The Seer Guild's barrier would have concealed the auras of the Ancient Sages, and there's no doubt that you would have been prompted to make a move when Vicious' upper body was on the line. We were certain that we would be able to kill you easily, but who could have known that someone would foil our plans?" Bo Yu harrumphed coldly as he shot a glance at Zhang Xuan.

The reason that there had been multiple Ancient Sages in the Harvest Valley City Seer Guild back then was because they had been biding their time for the chance to destroy Sovereign Chen Yong. Yet, who could have known that it would end up drawing Zhang Xuan in as well?

Not only so, the latter had even successfully killed an Ancient Sage expert as soon as he made a move, thus scaring the others off.

"This..." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in realization.

That explained why the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had chosen to steal Vicious' upper body so openly. In the end, it was part of their ploy to draw Wu Chen to them!

Given that Wu Chen had Vicious' arms, he would have sensed the presence of the upper body as well once it was released from Sage Kui's sculpture. That was no doubt that he would have been compelled to make a move.

If not for Luo Ruoxin, Wu Chen would have made a move on him when he attempted to seal Vicious' upper body in the Book of Heaven's Path.

Otherwise, as the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor, there was no way that he would have lowered himself to the extent of addressing an insignificant character like him as 'Young Master'!

"In other words, you had already reached a deal before you headed to the White Creek Mountain in search of the Prime Amulet," Wu Chen remarked.

Back then, he had realized that there was an Otherworldly Demon among the group of four who had entered the ancient domain on White Creek Mountain. Sensing that something was amiss, he had bid farewell to Luo Ruoxin in order to investigate the matter. Soon, he had found out that the other two Sovereigns had launched an invasion against mankind, so he had quickly passed an order commanding the Otherworldly Demons to halt their assault.

Before he could uncover anything substantial, the Temple of Confucius had emerged, so he had been left with no choice but to put aside his investigation and rush over.

"Indeed." Ancient Sage Yan Qing nodded in response.

"Very well!" Having asked everything that he wanted to know, Wu Chen closed his eyes. A moment later, his eyes suddenly shot open, and a massive vortex could be seen spinning in his irises, reminiscent of a deep abyss. "I commend you for having the guts to scheme behind my back. However, if you think that you'll be able to kill me that easily, you're too naive!"

Boom!

As those words reverberated in the surroundings, the youth slowly began to grow taller, and the killing intent that he emanated became more and more concentrated. In just a few breaths, he had assumed the form of an Otherworldly Demon. He wore a regal crown on his head, and he was dressed in a flowing robe embedded with soaring dragons. His every single movement exuded the aura and authority of a true monarch.

"He truly is Sovereign Chen Yong..." Zhang Hongtian remarked as the sword in his hand twitched uncontrollably.

He had never met the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor before, but he had heard many rumors about him. Just from the sheer intensity of the aura emanated by the Otherworldly Demon before him, there was already little doubt that he was truly Sovereign Chen Yong.

Zhang Hongtian was far from the only one who was surprised by such a development. The faces of the other Ancient Sages also tensed up as they eyed the situation warily.

It had been many years since Sovereign Chen Yong last made an appearance, but his reputation still struck fear deep into the hearts of those who had heard of him.

In the upper echelon of the Master Teacher Continent, there was no one who had not heard of the devastating prowess that the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor commanded. Even though they had reached the zenith of the world as proud and lofty Ancient Sages, they instinctively understood that the Otherworldly Demon standing before them was not someone that they could defeat with just a simple numerical advantage.

On the other hand, watching as Wu Chen reverted to his original form, Zhang Xuan fell eerily silent.

He was confident in his Eye of Insight. Even though he was unable to use the Library of Heaven's Path on Wu Chen, he was certain that he would have been able to see through his disguise if he was an Otherworldly Demon. However, he forgot one thing—Luo Ruoxin's disguise amulet.

Having used the disguise amulet personally, he knew of its incredible prowess. It served not only to disguise one's appearance and aura but even one's bloodline!

If Wu Chen had used it to disguise himself as Yang shi, it was likely that not even the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion would have been able to see through his disguise.

This explained why no one had been able to find the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor despite the extensive search that had occurred after receiving reports that he had infiltrated the Master Teacher Continent!

As for why the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were aware that Sovereign Chen Yong had gone over to the Master Teacher Continent, it was likely due to the tipoff from the soul oracles who were serving the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

In just a few moments, Zhang Xuan had already managed to make sense out of the entire situation.

Most likely, one of the soul oracles serving Sovereign Chen Yong had sensed the latter's departure, so he had discreetly sent the message over to the Jiang Clan. The Jiang Clan had then forwarded the news to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, which prompted them to swiftly set up an ambush.

All that remained a mystery to him and continued frustrating him was Luo Ruoxin's identity. Just who in the world was she, and what role did she play in the greater scheme of things?

"We have never thought that it would be easy to eliminate you. However, regardless of the price we have to pay, we're determined to put you to rest today!"

Seeing that Sovereign Chen Yong had reverted to his true form, Ancient Sage Yan Qing knew that a huge battle was about to break out. He quickly swallowed two pills and recovered from the internal injuries that he had sustained earlier before raising the halberd in his hand, his eyes glazed with killing intent.

The Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers quickly raised their weapons and let loose a war cry.

After all their planning, this was the very moment that they had been waiting for. This decisive battle would eventually decide the fate of the world.

"The Hundred Schools of Philosophers want to kill me, and even my own tribesmen wish for my death... Hahaha!" Sovereign Chen Yong glanced at the crowd before bursting into hearty laughter.

He turned to Zhang Hongtian and the other Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion and asked imposingly, "What about the rest of you?"

"My father and brothers have been killed by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and I have already sworn to devote my life to getting rid of each and every one of you. Sovereign Chen Yong, since you are the highest leader of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, you have to pay for the sins your tribesmen have committed!"

"Hahaha! It seems like the heavens aren't blind after all! To think that the great Sovereign Chen Yong would fall into our hands. Even if I lose my life here, I'll make sure to drag you down with me today so as to console the spirits of my dead brothers!"

"You were the one who killed my spouse many years back. If I can exact vengeance for her today, my life won't have been in vain!"

...

The Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion stepped forward as killing intent bubbled from their bodies.

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Chapter 1774: The Prowess of the Strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The grudges between the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and mankind had continued for tens of thousands of years.

Be it the Otherworldly Demons or humans, most of them knew of kin and friends who had been slaughtered in cold blood by the other party. It was a grudge that ran so deep that there was no way that it could be resolved with simple words or sheer compassion.

It had not been easy for them to corner the highest leader of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, so there was no way that they could let go of this opportunity to bring him down!

Sovereign Chen Yong understood this as well, so he was not surprised by the reaction of the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Continent. Instead, he lowered his gaze specifically to Zhang Hongtian and asked, "What about you?"

"Our Zhang Clan has fought with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe for countless years. My father, grandfather, and many generations of ancestors have lost their lives under the blades of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. The hands of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe are drenched in the blood of our Zhang Clan. In my lifetime, I have always looked down on dishonorable scum who gang up on others. However, this is no fair duel but a battle for vengeance! I believe that not even Kong shi would disagree with our actions!" Zhang Hongtian roared as he drew his sword and gazed at the towering silhouette above him.

Hearing that even Zhang Hongtian was going to join in the battle, Zhang Xuan could not help but exclaim, "Old Ancestor Hongtian!"

Completely surrounded by enemies and the blueprint, it would be impossible for even the almighty Sovereign Chen Yong to escape from such a situation.

He did not harbor any goodwill toward the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, but Wu Chen had been with him for a very long time. He had felt betrayed when he found out who Wu Chen was, but he could not accept seeing the other party lynched by the crowd.

Knowing what Zhang Xuan was going to say, Zhang Hongtian waved his hand decisively. "Don't waste your compassion on the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. This is a luxury that we cannot afford!"

It was not to say that the Otherworldly Demons were absolutely evil, but the difference in their stances made it impossible for them to co-exist. More than a fight for supremacy, this was a fight for survival.

Without Sovereign Chen Yong, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would be like a pile of scattered sand. Their prowess would be significantly lowered, and they would be powerless against mankind.

This was the perfect moment to get rid of the threat that had loomed over them for many years!

It was precisely due to this that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had willingly mobilized so many Ancient Sages, such that even the fight for the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was a secondary concern to them.

"Very well. What about the rest of you?"

Seeing that the three powers had chosen to collaborate against him, Sovereign Chen Yong finally laid his gaze upon the Beast Tribe.

"We don't intend to get involved in this conflict. Our aim lies only with the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn!" the White Overlord replied coldly.

"Back away if you don't intend to get involved in this conflict. My saber has no eyes to care for you lot. Remain in the sphere of battle and risk losing your life!" Sovereign Chen Yong sneered coldly.

He flicked the saber in his hand, and a choking sound echoed in the air. Following which, a powerful aura burst forth from him, leaving the crowd feeling as if an endless abyss was standing before them.

Disguised as Wu Chen, he had only been able to tap into the strength that master teachers were able to utilize. However, having reverted back to his original form, he was finally able to use the Slaughter of Zhenqi of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, drastically raising his fighting prowess.

"Kill him!"

Sensing that Wu Chen's aura was about to reach its peak, Ancient Sage Yan Qing knew that it would be even more difficult to kill him if they continued dawdling. Thus, he raised the halberd in the hand and charged forward.

"Go!"

Bo Yu's phantasmagoric claws sliced apart space to tear everything before him.

The offense of the two powerful experts warped into two black and white streaks, darting through the air as if a comet racing across the sky.

"Show me what you're capable of!" Sovereign Chen Yong roared as he raised his saber and sliced across the air.

Si la!

A black rift appeared in the space sealed by the blueprint and collided with the two incoming attacks. As if struck by a powerful swing of a bat, both the halberd and the claws were sent flying into the distance.

Sovereign Chen Yong made use of this opportunity to press on. With another swing of his saber, he successfully kept the attacks of the other Ancient Sages at bay before swiftly flitting forward in an attempt to decapitate Ancient Sage Yan Qing.

This attack wielded such compelling strength that not even the Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sage Yan Qing was able to avoid it.

Weng!

Just as death was about to fall upon the strongest expert of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, a sword flashed through the air, surpassing the limitations of time and space and appearing in an instant.

If Sovereign Chen Yong continued his attack, even if he succeeded in killing Ancient Sage Yan Qing, he would also sustain severe injuries in the process of doing so. Thus, he changed the trajectory of his saber to defend against the incoming attack.

Ding ding ding ding!

The sound of metallic reverberations echoed loudly in the air. Zhang Hongtian's movements were sharp but fluid. As if a complex dance, his movements appeared to be unintentional and changed swiftly, making it hard for one to read the trajectory of his attacks. At that moment, he felt like a Sword Immortal.

This was the first time that Zhang Xuan had witnessed a battle of such caliber, and he could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

As expected of the strongest experts of the Master Teacher Continent, every single of their attacks seemed to sway the very laws of the world. It was fortunate that he was a safe distance away, or else he could have very well been torn to shreds.

Sovereign Chen Yong's strength had far surpassed his imagination. Despite being severely outnumbered, his movements remained calm and calculated. There was not the slightest hint of panic in his actions.

Peng!

The battle grew more and more intense, and finally, with a deep moan, a silhouette plummeted from the air.

An Ancient Sage had fallen!

"It's a Great Philosopher realm Otherworldly Demon..."

Zhang Xuan recognized the corpse. He was one of Old Geezer Yu's subordinates, an Ancient Sage 2-dan Otherworldly Demon.

"This is good..."

Knowing that a corpse of that level was hard to come by, Zhang Xuan stepped forward to flick it up using the Dragonbone Divine Spear.

Hula!

Into his storage ring the corpse went!

Boom!

Barely after collecting the corpse, an Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers met his end and plummeted to the ground.

Shortly after, an expert of the Master Teacher Pavilion fell as well.

Zhang Xuan had no hesitation collecting the corpses of Otherworldly Demons, but he was unwilling to touch the corpses of those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Continent.

After all, he was a master teacher himself, so the least he could do was respect his peers.

That being said, while he did not collect their corpses, he did manage to collect the Ancient Sage blood that poured down throughout the course of the battle.

As the battle grew more and more intense, the rate at which the Ancient Sages were dying grew faster and faster.

In less than ten minutes, less than half of the Ancient Sages who had joined the fray remained standing.

However, Sovereign Chen Yong had also sustained severe injuries. Blood was dripping down his arm, and his face had turned rather pale.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing and Zhang Hongtian also had glaring wounds on them, and they were panting heavily. They were not in a good condition at all.

On the contrary, it was Old Geezer Yu who had sustained the lightest injuries.

It was not that he was the strongest of the three, but being the most cunning one, he had hidden from all of the frontal attacks coming from Sovereign Chen Yong, using the other two as a shield.

"As expected of the number one expert from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. You were able to bring so many of us down despite facing all of us simultaneously," Zhang Hongtian remarked with a hint of awe in his voice.

He had thought that he could already be considered one of the strongest experts in the world, but who could have known that there would be someone who was so much stronger than him existent in the world?

"You aren't weak either. But if that's all you have, your wish to claim my life today is nothing more than wishful thinking!" Sovereign Chen Yong replied imposingly with his saber in hand.

"Humph! Even at the cost of my life, I'll drag you into the grave!" Zhang Hongtian spat coldly.

"Give it a try then!" Sovereign Chen Yong scoffed.

He raised his saber to continue the battle, but all of a sudden, the entire blueprint around them start shaking intensely.

Hong long long!

The world seemed to be slowly unraveling as a ray of white light pierced through the blueprint. Gradually, a gigantic alter flickered into appearance.

The light was surging toward Luo Ruoxin, who was in the midst of assimilating the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn.

"It's a success!" Sovereign Chen Yong's eyes lit up in agitation.

The reason that he had chosen to stay behind and fight was to prepare this artifact in order to help Luo Ruoxin. Seeing that the plan had finally succeeded, he could not curb his excitement any longer.

Si la!

As the light from the altar shone upon Luo Ruoxin, it seemed like the bottleneck on her Ancient Sage cultivation had been released once more. Tremendous energy coursed through her body like rapid tides as she grew stronger and stronger.

Under the assault of such imposing strength, the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was finally tamed.

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Chapter 1775: Farewell

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hu!

As soon as the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was tamed, it disappeared from the young lady's palm, as if having been stowed away.

Tzzzzzzz!

With the furious surge in Luo Ruoxin's strength, the blueprint that had sealed the surrounding space was placed under great strain, such that huge cracks were starting to surface all around.

Those cracks crept all around the place, revealing pitch black rifts that resembled the doors to the netherworld.

As those cracks began appearing, an overwhelming suction force poured forth from them to tug at the young lady, seemingly trying to drag her away.

The young lady frowned. With a wave of her hand, the alter in the sky flew over and landed beneath her feet. Standing atop the altar, the suction force that was pulling her away finally alleviated slightly, allowing her to stand her ground for the time being.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Steadying her figure, the young lady looked around the room before finally halting her gaze on Zhang Xuan.

Looking at the silhouette on the altar, Zhang Xuan's body suddenly froze. Her silhouette slowly fused together with another one in his memories, and he suddenly felt a splitting headache assaulting his mind.

"You are... You are the Spirit God of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

The silhouette that he had seen back in the Qiu Wu Palace and the dimension of four seasons had seemed strikingly familiar for some reason, but he had not been able to figure out why. To think that it would actually be Luo Ruoxin!

She was neither an expert of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers nor the transmogrification of an expert of the Beast Tribe. Rather... she was the highest god of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!

How could that be?

At that instant, Zhang Xuan felt a crushing pressure on his heart, seemingly squeezing the life out of his breath.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he asked, "Didn't you tell me that you aren't an Otherworldly Demon?"

He could not understand Luo Ruoxin's fervent desire to hide her identity, but he was willing to wait for the day that she could come clean. Nevertheless, he had been afraid that they would be standing on opposite ends eventually, so he had asked her if she was an Otherworldly Demon and if she intended any harm toward mankind.

Back then, she had said that she was not an Otherworldly Demon and that she did not intend any harm toward mankind.

Was that all a lie?

He would not have minded no matter who Luo Ruoxin was and which power she was affiliated to, but he could not stand being deceived and made use of by the one he loved.

Seeing Zhang Xuan's frenzied state, Luo Ruoxin's eyes reddened.

A rare hint of panic could be heard in her voice as she anxiously tried to explain herself. "I am not an Otherworldly Demon, and there's a reason why I am the Spirit God of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe..."

However, before she could finish her explanation, the dimension rifts all around suddenly widened, and the suction force dragging her away intensified. She was beginning to lose control of her body.

As the energy from the darkness roared furiously, the entire Temple of Confucius began shaking nonstop. Even the Master Teacher Continent had begun tremoring.

It was as if the end of the world had just begun.

"My current strength has exceeded what this world is able to endure, so I can't stay here any longer. Otherwise, the entire Master Teacher Continent will come to ruin..." Watching the gradual devastation happening all around, Luo Ruoxin shook her head. Lowering her head slightly, she murmured, "Goodbye, Zhang Xuan. I was happy to meet you... Really, really happy..."

Hula!

The darkness descended upon the altar and began devouring the young lady's silhouette.

As if falling into a pool of ink, Luo Ruoxin looked as if she would disappear at any moment.

"Ruoxin... Why? You haven't explained anything to me yet. What is going on?"

Seeing that the darkness was going to pull her away very soon, Zhang Xuan quickly whipped out the Infernal Blacksaber, and stepping atop it, he dashed right to her side.

He reached out and grabbed her hand, intending to pull her out from the darkness. Alas, no matter how he tugged, she would not budge at all.

The darkness before him seemed like an endless abyss. Those who fell into it, even if they were Ancient Sages, would not be able to escape.

"Zhang Xuan, it's fine. Don't waste your strength. Each world has its own rules. If I forcefully remain here, I'll only bring calamity to this world," Luo Ruoxin said as she grabbed Zhang Xuan's hand tightly. "Please, trust me. I have never said a single lie to you..."

Her gentle touch and soothing voice filled Zhang Xuan's cold body with warmth. There were many doubts in his mind, but he wanted to trust the young lady before him. All their experiences and the time that they had spent together, he did not believe that they were all lies.

With a slightly choked voice, he asked, "How do I find you in the future?"

He knew that this phenomenon signified her departure, and the very notion of parting with her eternally was one that was too painful for him to bear.

If she left one day, he would devote his entire life to searching for her!

"We'll meet again when fate allows us to. Otherwise, my presence will only harm you..." With slightly moist eyes, Luo Ruoxin looked at the young man standing before her and muttered, "Farewell... the man I love!"

Hu!

The next instant, the young lady was devoured by the darkness and disappeared from sight.

"No!" Zhang Xuan howled desperately as he dashed forward furiously.

He was intending to barge into the crack in space as well, but to his horror, he felt as if he had rushed into a wall and was pushed back.

"This can't be! I can't allow this to happen!" Zhang Xuan roared as he flicked the Infernal Blacksaber furiously at the cracks.

Ding ding ding ding!

Sparks flew all around.

Even though Luo Ruoxin had been dragged into the black cracks so easily, he found them even more resilient than Ancient Sage artifacts. No matter how he exerted himself, he was unable to faze it in the least.

It was as if the Infernal Blacksaber was a blob of cotton candy knocking against a metal wall; it did not leave the slightest mark.

Hu!

Shortly after Luo Ruoxin entered, the crack grew smaller and smaller before vanishing eventually.

"No!"

It was as if Zhang Xuan had lost himself. He flung his sword frantically, but no matter how powerful the Infernal Blacksaber was, it could not open the crack once more. It was as if everything that had just happened was just a mere illusion.

"Master, there's no point slashing anymore." A voice sounded in Zhang Xuan's mind. "Your girlfriend must have come from a higher world. Unless your strength reaches the mark, you won't be able to overcome the dimension barrier!"

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan drove his soul energy and calmed himself from his irate state. Clenching his fists tightly, he asked, "You said that Ruoxin came from a higher world?"

The one who had just spoken was none other than Vicious.

In terms of understanding of the Master Teacher Continent, Vicious was definitely more knowledgeable than him.

"Indeed. While I was still alive, I noticed that there's a dimension that's even more stable than the Master Teacher Continent, and the lifeforms that exist there are even stronger than us. It's likely that our Spirit Tribe originates from one of those worlds but was exiled to the Master Teacher Continent," Vicious replied.

It seemed like he had regained some of his memories.

"However, the barrier between the two worlds is extremely powerful, requiring one to wield tremendous strength in order to break it apart. Back then, even with my strength as a Void Shattering realm Ancient Sage, I was still unable to tear the barrier down."

"Not even a Void Shattering realm Ancient Sage is able to tear the barrier down? Doesn't that effectively mean that no one is able to do it?" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth in astonishment.

Void Shattering was the highest realm that an Ancient Sage could reach. If even experts of that caliber were unable to achieve this feat, who else would be able to do it?

"Even though I was unable to do it, it doesn't mean that no one else is able to! If I'm not mistaken, it's likely that Kong shi succeeded in doing it in the past!" Vicious said.

"Kong shi?"

"Indeed. Based on the history of the Master Teacher Pavilion, Kong shi disappeared before his lifespan was up. Given his strength, there's no one who could have posed a threat to him. If he needed to, he could have gone into hibernation or used any external means to extend his lifespan. How could he have just disappeared without a trace?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan fell silent.

He had never thought too deeply about Kong shi disappearance before. However, the emergence of the black dimension rifts that swallowed Luo Ruoxin and the knowledge that there were higher worlds above the Master Teacher Continent sprouted some thoughts in his mind.

Perhaps, just like Luo Ruoxin, Kong shi's strength had surpassed the limits of the world, and left with no choice, he had been forced to depart from the Master Teacher Continent.

Due to that, his disappearance had been quiet and abrupt, such that it was not even recorded in history.

"If Kong shi reached such heights, I will surely be able to as well," Zhang Xuan muttered through tightly gritted teeth.

No matter what, he was determined to find Luo Ruoxin once more. Since Kong shi had been able to shatter the dimension barrier and reach a higher world, he would surely be able to do the same!

"Since Milady has left, I'll take my leave!"

The silence in the air was suddenly shattered by the hearty laughter of the number one Otherworldly Demon Emperor.

Luo Ruoxin's previous outburst of strength had completely destroyed the blueprint, thus creating an opening for Sovereign Chen Yong to escape.

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Chapter 1776: The Arrival of the Two Sovereigns

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Where do you think you're going?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing bellowed as his halberd warped into a flowing ray of light, darting in Sovereign Chen Yong's direction.

At the same time, Zhang Hongtian charged forth, piercing toward Sovereign Chen Yong like a sharp sword.

There was no denying Sovereign Chen Yong's strength, but his might had severely diminished after the intense battle with the others. In his current weakened state, he knew that he could not afford to simply disregard Ancient Sage Yan Qing and Zhang Hongtian's attacks anymore, or else he might really meet his end. Thus, he turned around and protected himself with a powerful swing of his saber.

The two sides collided with one another, and all three experts spurted out fresh blood as they were sent flying.

At that moment, they were running on fumes. What was fueling them was just a streak of resolute determination.

Enduring his injuries, Sovereign Chen Yong stood up and coldly spat, "Have no doubt that I'll exact vengeance for what you have done today..."

It seemed like he suddenly sensed something else, and he quickly turned his sights away from Ancient Sage Yan Qing and Zhang Hongtian. He flicked his saber, and a pitch-black spatial passageway appeared before him. With a leap, he attempted to dash right in.

If he was allowed to slip through the spatial passageway, it would be as good as allowing a fish back into the ocean. It would be nigh impossible find him once more.

Gritting his teeth furiously, Ancient Sage Yan Qing raised the halberd in an attempt to seal the spatial passageway, only to see the escaping Sovereign Chen Yong coming to an abrupt halt. As if a fish being thrown ashore, no matter how he struggled, he was unable to move.

"Sovereign Chen Yong, why are you in such a rush to leave?" A voice echoed through the air. "As old friends, don't you think that it's rude for you to snub us?"

Following which, two towering silhouettes walked over from the depths of the void.

Those two men wore clothes with a similar design to Sovereign Chen Yong's, just in a different color. They each wore a crown on their head, and the killing intent that they emanated was as black as ink. It was as if they were the manifestation of the netherworld itself.

"Could they be the other two Sovereigns?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes on astonishment.

From their clothes and the strength that they emanated, it was apparent that they were the other two Sovereigns plotting to kill Sovereign Chen Yong—Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing!

They had also left the otherworldly battlefield to participate in the operation to eliminate Sovereign Chen Yong!

From the looks of it, it seemed like they had been hiding in the vicinity all along. It was just that they did not dare appear until the Spirit God finally departed.

Seeing the other two standing before him, Sovereign Chen Yong spat, "The Spirit God is aware of our actions. If you kill me, there's no way that she'll let you get away scot-free!"

He gathered all of his strength and forcefully broke free of his restraints. Raising his saber, he hacked it down with all his might.

Huala!

The might of the saber was tremendous, easily tearing apart the fabric of space. However, it was clear that the severely injured Sovereign Chen Yong was insufficient to put up a fight against the other two Sovereigns.

With a simple flick of his finger, Sovereign Chen Yong blocked the saber and flicked it away.

"Sovereign Chen Yong, there's no need to be agitated. We only want to have a talk with you. How crude would it be to come to blows over everything? Moreover, isn't it clear that you would be utterly powerless even if we wanted to kill you? The Spirit God might oppose our action of claiming your life, but having returned to her Spirit God Palace, there is nothing she can do! Besides... the gods have no emotions. You can't possibly be so naïve as to think that a god would actually stick her neck out for you." Sovereign Chen Ling's lips crept up as he gazed down on Sovereign Chen Yong in pity.

"She's just making use of you to acquire the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. Do you honestly believe that she actually values you?"

"You..."

Knowing that he would not be able to escape with the other two Sovereigns around, Sovereign Chen Yong calmed himself down and straightened his back. Carrying himself with an inviolable disposition, he coldly said, "I have never mistreated either of you. Why do you want to betray me?"

"Why do we want to betray you?" Hearing those words, Sovereign Chen Ling laughed coldly. "You should ask yourself the same question! Why are you so obedient to the orders of the newly-appointed Spirit God? The past Spirit Gods only required us to tribute master teachers to bestow upon us endless treasures. On the other hand, what has the current Spirit God given us? Furthermore, who are you to stop us from launching an attack on mankind? Do you know what that means? Do you really want our tribesmen to die guarding that godforsaken land?"

Sovereign Chen Yong was taken aback. He did not expect that to be the reason behind the betrayal. With a cold harrumph, he spat, "You dare to question the commands of the Spirit God?"

He had thought that Sovereign Chen Ling's betrayal was because of the latter being forced to assume a secondary position in the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. Who would have thought that the dissatisfactions actually originated from the Spirit God!

The reason that the Spirit God had stopped them from launching an attack was because she did not wish to see harm come to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe or mankind. The tables were gradually turning, especially with Zhang Xuan's appearance. Yet, Sovereign Chen Ling actually thought of her actions as a limitation?

"Of course not. Who am I to question the judgement of the Spirit God? However, if you meet your end, I will be the strongest Otherworldly Demon Emperor of the Spirit Tribe. I will become the very oracle of the Spirit God, and my words will become her decree! The Spirit God might be powerful, but traversing across the dimension barrier is no easy feat. Even the gods suffer a tremendous backlash trying to do so. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been forced to recuperate in the Master Teacher Continent for half a year!" Sovereign Chen Ling sneered coldly.

"Rest assured! After you meet your end, I'll report to the Spirit God that you were killed by the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and Master Teacher Pavilion. I rushed over as quickly as I could, but it was already too late by then. Before your death, you passed your position as the highest leader of the Spirit Tribe over to me, instructing me to lead the entire Spirit Tribe. I'll use your life to fuel the Spirit Tribe's motivation and unite them against mankind!"

"You..." Sovereign Chen Yong glared at Sovereign Chen Ling coldly.

That fellow had already planned out everything!

He had been thinking that his subordinates would exact vengeance for him if Sovereign Chen Ling and the others killed him, but from the looks of it, all along, Sovereign Chen Ling had been planning to pin everything on the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Pavilion. Not only would he be spared from the backlash, he would also be able to provoke the resentment of the Spirit Tribe and use them to further his ambitions!

Hearing those words, Ancient Sage Yan Qing's face warped in horror. "Sovereign Chen Ling, have you forgotten the promise you made me?"

He had thought that killing Sovereign Chen Yong would inflict severe damage upon the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, causing them to scatter apart and possibly descend into anarchy. Yet, contrary to his expectations, the belligerent faction was not that of Sovereign Chen Yong but Sovereign Chen Ling!

If Sovereign Chen Yong died, it was likely that the situation would run out of control!

"Don't worry, I'll surely abide by my promise. However, whether you'll really get three hundred years or not, that is something that we will have to discuss further..." Sovereign Chen Ling laughed heartily.

If it was mankind that had obtained the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would probably have had to lie low for some time. However, since the ultimate treasure had been obtained by the Spirit God, and the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and Master Teacher Pavilion had sustained severe injuries...

Was it not the ideal chance for their Spirit Tribe to launch a counterattack?

"What do you mean by that?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing roared furiously as he raised his halberd menacingly.

The other Ancient Sages also swiftly grouped together, fearing that the two Sovereigns would make a move on them.

Just a single Sovereign Chen Yong was enough to wreck their forces. If the other Sovereigns made a move on them, they would truly be in a perilous situation.

Seeing the wary look on Ancient Sage Yan Qing's face, Sovereign Chen Ling knew that if he said the wrong things at this moment, there was a good chance that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers would go all out to drag him down with them even at the cost of their lives. "I don't mean anything by that. Since we are allies, there's no way I'd make a move on you. If I did, I would suffer a backlash from the vow I made. Rest assured, we'll discuss the future plans between our races once I'm done getting rid of him!"

He knew that the most important thing at hand was not to fall out with mankind but to kill Sovereign Chen Yong and consolidate his power.

Only when he had the entire Otherworldly Demonic Tribe under his control would he be qualified to consider whether they should battle or respect the agreement.

With an eerie smile, he turned toward Sovereign Chen Yong and said, "Farewell. You have been a difficult opponent to deal with, but it's time for you to meet your end!"

With a cold harrumph, he raised his palm and thrust it forward.

It was as if someone had flipped the world upside down. A strength powerful to the extremities crushed the surrounding space, compressing everything in its way to Sovereign Chen Yong.

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Chapter 1777: The Final Card

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Humph! If you thought that I would go down without a fight, you thought wrong!"

Seeing that the other party had decided to sever their ties once and for all and make a move on him, Sovereign Chen Yong raised his saber, and a pitch-black flame engulfed his entire weapon. It was as if he had summoned the Heavenly Flame Ordeal.

The strongest battle technique of Sovereign Chen Yong, Herald of the Celestial Flame!

A flash of a saber carrying unparalleled sharpness and the destructive might of a Heavenly Flame; there was nothing in this world that could withstand its might!

"Heh!"

As if knowing that Sovereign Chen Yong would make this move, Sovereign Chen Ling sneered coldly. Raising his palm, he exerted immense pressure upon Sovereign Chen Yong, compressing the surrounding air to the point that it almost felt tangible to the touch.

Respected as the number one Otherworldly Demon Emperor, Sovereign Chen Yong wielded strength that far surpassed the others, such that a collaboration between Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing would not even faze him.

However, at that moment, due to his severe injuries, his strength was not even close to a tenth of his peak. As powerful as Herald of the Celestial Flame was, its might was severely diminished due to his weakened prowess.

As Sovereign Chen Ling's palm strike collided with his saber, the flames were extinguished, and his saber flew away to somewhere beyond his reach.

Peng!

As if a cannonball, Sovereign Chen Yong was slammed forcefully to the ground. His face paled, and fresh blood spurted out of his body.

To be honest, it was a miracle that he was still alive given the injuries that he had sustained after the fight with the twenty Ancient Sages. There was no way that he could possibly stand up against an expert whose strength was near his level in his current state.

"Hahahaha!" Seeing that his attack had worked, Sovereign Chen Ling's eyes glowed in exhilaration. "Sovereign Chen Yong, you have been in a position of dominance for so long. Did you ever think that you would land in such a state?"

As he spoke, he walked toward Sovereign Chen Yong a step at a time. Placing his feet triumphantly upon the chest of the defeated Sovereign Chen Yong, he burst into hearty laughter.

This was a man who was renowned for being peerless. He commanded might far surpassing anyone around him, and there was no one who did not fear him. Yet, he had still ended up beneath Sovereign Chen Ling's feet, suffering a fate worse than death!

Suppressed under Sovereign Chen Ling's feet, Sovereign Chen Yong was unable to move at all. With a livid expression on his face, he turned to the other Sovereign and said, "Sovereign Chen Xing, I have treated you with kindness. Are you certain you want to collude with him against me? If he's able to turn his back against me, the same fate could very well befall you another day. As long as you help me tide through the difficulties today, I can overlook what has happened today, and everything will go back to what it was..."

"I..." Hearing those words, Sovereign Chen Xing fell into deep contemplation.

He had always played a neutral role in the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. To be honest, he would never have chosen to betray Sovereign Chen Yong if he had any other choice.

Seeing that Sovereign Chen Xing was actually hesitating, Sovereign Chen Ling exclaimed in fury. "Sovereign Chen Xing, from the moment that we decided to ally with one another, you stepped onto a path of no retreat. If he recovers to his peak, both you and I will be goners!"

Sovereign Chen Xing was a person of astounding strength and wits. However, if there was one flaw to be picked about him, it would be that he was too indecisive.

They had already gone so far, so how could they possibly turn back? It was far too late for that!

"I'm sorry, Sovereign Chen Yong! The terms that Sovereign Chen Ling has offered me are simply too great for me to reject..."

Recalling the means of Sovereign Chen Ling and the terms that the other party had offered him, Sovereign Chen Xing hesitated for a brief moment before raising his palm to deal the killing blow against the floored Sovereign Chen Yong.

It was a strike that harnessed incredible prowess. If Sovereign Chen Yong failed to dodge it, his head would be burst into bits, and he would die on the spot.

As Sovereign Chen Xing's palm swiftly approached Sovereign Chen Yong's head, the latter did not seem to panic in the least. On the contrary, with a look of resignation on his face, he shook his head in disappointment.

"As much as I don't want to acknowledge your betrayal, do you really think that I would get so careless, especially after the Spirit God went to the extent of warning me about my circumstances?"

"What?"

Seeing the look on his face, the two Sovereigns immediately felt a bad premonition. Sovereign Chen Ling bellowed, "Quick, kill him!"

They had no idea what Sovereign Chen Yong was up to, but they knew that it would be foolish to grant him the time that he needed to turn the tables on them.

However, before the palm could even strike its target, both Sovereign Chen Xing and Sovereign Chen Ling suddenly felt a stabbing pain assaulting their chests. Lowering their heads, they saw two skeletal arms piercing through their chests from their backs.

Vicious' arms!

Those two skeletal arms should have been restrained by the straw garment! The two Sovereigns knew that Vicious' arms were the greatest trump card of Sovereign Chen Yong, so they had specially prepared the straw garment to block them. Yet, who could have known that the skeletal arms would still be able to break free of the restraints to impale their hearts!

"You..."

Feeling their hearts being crushed by the skeletal arm, the two Sovereigns felt their strength receding by the ebbing tide. Their bodies jolted from the impact before their knees fell to the ground.

As Blood Reincarnation realm Ancient Sages, they were capable of reviving as long as a droplet of blood remained. However, that would require an immense amount of time and a huge accumulation of energy. Given how the two arms had crushed the source of their vitality in an instant, even if they were to survive the ordeal, their strength and lifespan would surely be severely compromised.

"The straw garment is an artifact left behind by Vicious himself, and it should be able to control his body. How could it..." Feeling his life force swiftly draining from his body, Sovereign Chen Ling was still unable to believe what was going on.

The straw garment that Bo Yu had brought out should have been able to control the consciousness sprouted in Vicious' body parts. It was something that Vicious had left behind in order to ensure that his body would eventually fuse together as one, thus allowing for his revival.

They had tested the artifact before and verified its effectiveness. It should have been able to keep the two skeletal arms under control, so why was Sovereign Chen Yong still able to move them?

Struggling to his feet, Sovereign Chen Yong spat coldly as he panted heavily. "The consciousness sprouted within the skeletal arms has already been cleaned by the Spirit God and replaced with mine... I knew that the two of you were biding your time around the area, and I was waiting for this opportunity to deal with you two..."

By default, the various body parts of Vicious would eventually sprout their own consciousness, but through the means of the Spirit God, the consciousness in the skeletal arms had been wiped away and replaced with his own.

As such, not even the straw garment was able to bring the arms under its control.

When he heard earlier from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers that they had conspired together with the other two Sovereigns to kill him, he knew that the two Sovereigns would surely make their way over personally in order to ensure his death. Otherwise, there was no way that they would have been able to rest in peace.

As such, he had intentionally acted as if the skeletal arms were placed under the control of the straw garment in order to lower the two's wariness and unleash this unexpected blow on them!

When he asked Sovereign Chen Xing for his help earlier, he had, in truth, been giving the latter one last chance to make his choice. However, since the latter had chosen to betray him, there was no need for him to stand on ceremony.

"You b*stard, I'll kill you!"

Sovereign Chen Ling did not think that his plan would be foiled like that after all of the schemes that he had concocted. Overwhelmed with rage, he gritted his teeth and gathered all of the strength in his body.

Boom!

He forcefully jolted the skeletal arm out of his body before raising his palm to strike Sovereign Chen Yong.

Alas, before his palm could land on the other party, his figure suddenly vanished. It seemed as if he had leaped into a spatial passageway.

"Sovereign Chen Yong, I have underestimated you. I might have failed to kill you this time around, but I'll have plenty of opportunities to do so in the future. Just wait and see..." His voice gradually grew fainter and fainter before turning completely silent.

Everyone had thought that Sovereign Chen Ling was going to make a move, but who could have known that he would flee instead?

"I... Wait for me..."

Seeing how his comrade had fled without him, there was no way that Sovereign Chen Xing would dare remain in the area. He quickly turned around and fled as well.

With the departure of the duo, Sovereign Chen Yong's body wobbled weakly before falling back to the ground.

At the same time, the two skeletal arms that he had driven to assault the two Sovereigns seemed to have lost all strength and plummeted to the ground as well. At that moment, he looked incredibly frail.

Despite the imposing airs that he had put on earlier, the truth was that he had already completely depleted himself. Had those two Sovereigns been any more courageous, he would have lost his life there and then!

There was absolute silence for a moment before Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others flew over to Sovereign Chen Yong's side.

"Sovereign Chen Yong, you don't stand a chance against us in your current state. End your own life and preserve your dignity!"

The two Sovereigns might have escaped, but they were still around.

"You want me to end my own life?" Surrounded by so many Ancient Sages, Sovereign Chen Yong knew that there was no way that he would be able to leave alive. A look of resignation flickered across his face as he sighed deeply. "Who could have known that I would lose my life like this?"

Raising his palm, Sovereign Chen Yong prepared to strike his hand on his forehead.

At this crucial moment, Zhang Xuan rushed over and bellowed, "Hold it!"

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Chapter 1778: Sovereign Chen Yong Mustn't Die!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan clasped his fist respectfully and asked, "Will you allow me to speak first?"

One of the Ancient Sages harrumphed coldly. "This is a matter among the Ancient Sages! Who do you think you are to interfere in our discussions?"

He was already growing impatient with this impertinent young man.

Putting aside how he had exploited them earlier by selling them the slots at exorbitant prices, just the fact that he had personally brought the Spirit God of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe into the Prime Hall to steal the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was enough for him to be branded as an unpardonable criminal of mankind!

The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was a treasure left behind by Kong shi, and the fate of mankind banked on it. Yet, it had fallen into the hands of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, thus placing the fate of mankind in jeopardy.

After sinning so terribly, he still had the cheek to interfere in their affairs and save Sovereign Chen Yong. Filled with rage, he turned to the young man and hollered at him.

Huala!

Barely after those words were spoken, a saber flashed across the air. Alarmed, the Ancient Sage hurriedly backed away, but even so, he was still cut by the edge of the blade. Fresh blood trickled down from his arm.

Turning back to look, he saw the young man wielding a saber that emanated a sinister light from its blade.

"Am I qualified now?" Zhang Xuan remarked coldly.

"You are courting death!"

As a proud Ancient Sage, there was no way that he could stand being assaulted by a junior many generations younger than him, not to mention that the junior was a mere Great Sage!

Were it not for the fact that he had sustained severe injuries from the fight with Sovereign Chen Yong earlier, there was no way that an artifact that had barely reached Ancient Sage could possibly have harmed him!

Ancient Sage Yan Qing raised his hand to calm down the raging Ancient Sage before turning to Zhang Xuan with a deep frown. "What do you intend to say?"

He did not expect the young man to be so extreme as to harm one of his comrades over something as minor as this.

"Sovereign Chen Yong mustn't be killed just yet!" Zhang Xuan said.

"He mustn't be killed?" The Ancient Sage who had just been injured by the Infernal Blacksaber flew into a rage after hearing those words. Flinging his sleeves, he roared, "Do you know how many experts of mankind he has killed over the years? As a master teacher, how can you plead for mercy for him instead of avenging your comrades? Zhang Hongtian, is these the kind of principles that your Zhang Clan and the Master Teacher Pavilion pass down to juniors?"

Zhang Hongtian was not so shallow as to be provoked by the Ancient Sage's words so easily, but the slight frown between his brows showed his incomprehension toward the actions of his descendant.

As long as Sovereign Chen Yong was around, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would only grow stronger and stronger. He was the figure who held the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe together, and it was under his leadership that countless humans had been killed across many battlefields over the years. It had not been easy for them to acquire this opportunity to get rid of Sovereign Chen Yong, and there was no way that they were going to allow this opportunity to slip through their fingers so easily.

If they allowed this tiger to return to his mountain, there was no telling how many more humans would be killed once he recovered from his injuries.

This descendant of his had displayed keen discernment in his judgement thus far, so why would he suddenly become so foolish when it came to this matter?

"Please don't drag the Zhang Clan and the Master Teacher Pavilion into this matter. This is my individual decision, and it has nothing to do with them!" Zhang Xuan replied sharply.

There were several major reasons that he was determined to save Sovereign Chen Yong, and the greatest one was Luo Ruoxin. The latter had been serving as Luo Ruoxin's subordinate for a period of time, so if anyone in this world had a clue as to how he could get to her, it would definitely be Sovereign Chen Yong!

If Sovereign Chen Yong died there, his final clue would effectively be severed. This was something that he could not allow to happen.

"Individual decision? As a mere Great Sage, do you think that the decisions you make can sway the minds of us Ancient Sages?" another human Ancient Sage scoffed in response to Zhang Xuan's words. "Do you think that you are worthy of standing in our midst just because you have an Ancient Sage weapon? You really think too highly of yourself!"

"You're right. There's no way I would be qualified to speak to you all just because I have an Ancient Sage artifact..." Zhang Xuan swept his gaze across the Ancient Sages around him before raising the Infernal Blacksaber once more.

Si la!

The saber sliced through space and time, arriving right before Old Geezer Yu in an instant.

"The heck!" Old Geezer Yu cursed indignantly.

Screw you! Even if you wish to establish your strength and make others value your opinion, you don't have to use me as a punching bag. There are so many other people that you can hack, so why me?

How the heck did I offend you?

Feeling deeply stifled, Old Geezer Yu swiftly darted to the side.

While he was the least wounded, he had still sustained a fair amount of damage, causing his strength to be lowered to around thirty percent of his peak. Nevertheless, he was not an opponent that the Infernal Blacksaber, which had achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage not too long ago, could compare to.

Dodging the attack, Old Geezer Yu was just about to counterattack when his body suddenly froze. He felt himself being overwhelmed by a powerful aura.

"Sovereign Vicious?" Old Geezer Yu narrowed his eyes in horror.

Even though the aura was devoid of killing intent, as an Otherworldly Demon, he could instantaneously recognize it as his ancestor, Vicious, who had fought on equal grounds with Kong shi.

Due to the Zhenqi of Slaughter that the Otherworldly Demons practiced, the suppression exerted through bloodline was exceptionally powerful. This was also why the hierarchy was extremely rigid in the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

Puhe!

In the blink of an eye, the Infernal Blacksaber had already struck one of the flaws in his cultivation. His face turned pale, and fresh blood spewed out of his mouth. His body swiftly retreated into the distance before smashing heavily into the ground.

"Is such strength enough to qualify me to speak to you all?" Zhang Xuan asked coolly.

Old Geezer Yu was an Ancient Sage 3-dan Blood Reincarnation realm expert whereas the Infernal Blacksaber was an artifact that had just barely reached Ancient Sage. Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible for the latter to injure Old Geezer Yu.

However, through Vicious' suppression and exploiting the flaws in Old Geezer Yu's cultivation, not to mention that the latter had sustained severe injuries in the fight with Sovereign Chen Yong, Zhang Xuan managed to pull the assault off.

"... Fine, we'll acknowledge your strength. You are indeed qualified to speak with us. However, I expect you to come up with a sufficiently convincing reason that can persuade us!"

Even though Zhang Xuan's movements were swift, the Ancient Sages were still able to notice that something was amiss. It was clear that the young man had some trump card other than the Infernal Blacksaber, and the two of them put together were enough to wound even Bo Yu. On that basis, it was clear that he was qualified to speak on equal terms with them.

Zhang Xuan looked over and said, "I don't know about the matter of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers collaborating with Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing to deal with Sovereign Chen Yong. However, I believe that you should have felt Sovereign Chen Ling's belligerence earlier. Do you really expect him to hold up to the end of his promise? Just think about it. Had Sovereign Chen Yong not injured him, do you think that you could trust him not to have made a move on the rest of us?"

The crowd fell silent upon hearing those words.

To be honest, if not for Sovereign Chen Yong's trump card, it was very likely that Sovereign Chen Ling would have broken his promise and made a move on the rest of them.

Perhaps... that fellow might even have planned that from the very start. He had been biding his time till both they and Sovereign Chen Yong were severely injured so that he could kill two birds with one stone.

If they had lost their lives there, the Master Teacher Continent would have effectively lost its final layer of protection. There were still Ancient Sages who did not go to the Temple of Confucius for both the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Continent, but they were insufficient to pose a threat to the other two Sovereigns.

"Sovereign Chen Ling is someone who could betray even his own tribesmen. Do you think that he would have any qualms breaking his agreement with you? I know that you have probably taken some precautions to prevent him from reneging on his deal, and you might also see this as an ideal opportunity to assassinate Sovereign Chen Yong and unravel the unity of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe...

"If you had succeeded earlier without sustaining any wounds, it would indeed have been a good thing. You would have been able to exploit the temporary chaos amidst the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe from the loss of their highest leader to deal a decisive blow. However, that might not necessarily be so given the current state of affairs. Just imagine what will happen if Sovereign Chen Yong dies, and Sovereign Chen Ling returns to tell the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe that he was ambushed and killed by us, and that he was nearly killed too while trying to save him... If he were to do so, he will be able to swiftly build solidarity among the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and unite them. I believe that you should be able to see the consequences of that even if I don't elaborate further!" Zhang Xuan said.

"This..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing fell into deep contemplation.

Indeed. If Sovereign Chen Yong really died there, Sovereign Chen Ling could make use of that impetus to unite the entire Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. That would effectively place mankind into even deeper danger.

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Chapter 1779: You Owe the Master Teacher Pavilion an Explanation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After a long moment of contemplation, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned around and asked, "What do you suggest then?"

"It's very simple. Not only must we not allow Sovereign Chen Yong to die, we should also help him recover from his injuries. After that, we should take him back to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and help him exact vengeance! Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing might be weaker than him, but as two of the Three Sovereigns, it would be naive to assume that we would be able to deal with them easily... If we can turn this into an internal strife among the Otherworldly Demons, mankind will be granted some breathing space, and perhaps, an opportunity that we can exploit will arise!" Zhang Xuan said.

They were speaking through telepathic communication, and Ancient Sage Yan Qing had also isolated space in advance. As such, Sovereign Chen Yong was unable to listen to the contents of their conversation.

"Sovereign Chen Yong is currently filled with hatred for the other two Sovereigns who have betrayed him. He will probably think of murdering them even in his dreams. If we can make use of this opportunity to get him to sign a non-aggression agreement with us, it will be to our benefit to have him re-establish control over the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!" Zhang Xuan continued.

"There's some sense to what he's saying!" Zhang Hongtian nodded in agreement.

Since it was possible for them to sign an agreement with Sovereign Chen Ling, there was no reason that they could not sign an agreement with Sovereign Chen Yong.

Given Sovereign Chen Yong's influence in the clan, if he agreed to work with them, it was likely that the effects would be far better.

"You are right. It's true that we should indeed spare Sovereign Chen Yong for the time being. However, there are some matters that I think you have failed to consider in your plans!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said.

"Firstly, once Sovereign Chen Yong recovers, his strength will far surpass ours. If he turns against us, the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers will barely be able to defend ourselves. Secondly, he's extremely skilled in warfare. Furthermore, he has fought with the forces of mankind for many years and has even snuck into the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters before, so he has a very clear idea of our military might. If we spare him, he could potentially become the greatest threat to mankind!

"Last but not least, the injuries that we have sustained are simply too great. We don't have sufficient Aeon of Ancient Sage to support us, and our lifespans are reaching their limit. We won't be able to protect mankind for much longer..."

In truth, the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had also considered such a possibility. They knew that ambushing Sovereign Chen Yong would not solve the matter once and for all, and greater trouble could arise due to it.

However, they did not see any other path.

Ten thousand years ago, when the Aeon of Ancient Sage vanished from the world, the human Ancient Sage cultivators could only go into hibernation in order to protect whatever they had for as long as possible.

In other words, of their group, even the youngest Zhang Hongtian was already 10,500 years old. If they did not sustain injuries that were too severe, they might still be able to live for a while longer. However, given the current states that they were in, it was likely that they would only be able to fight two more good battles before finally meeting their end.

To make matters worse, they had failed to obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. It could be said that mankind was in its weakest state in the past tens of thousands of years.

There was no doubt that Sovereign Chen Yong was far more capable than the other two Sovereigns, both in terms of fighting prowess and military warfare. Mankind might be in its weakened state, but it would at least stand a chance with those two as its opponents. If they let Sovereign Chen Yong off, it could very well spell their doom.

The expressions of the Ancient Sages in the area turned livid as they lowered their heads.

It could not be helped that the lifespan of mankind could not come close to matching that of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. These were the cards that mankind had been dealt, and they could only try to make the best out of it.

With the limitations of their lifespans and the absence of Aeon of Ancient Sage... so long as they were unable to produce newer Ancient Sages steadily, it would only be a matter of time before they were slowly ground to death.

"This is a very simple problem," Zhang Xuan said. "I can just plant an irresolvable lethal poison in his body. If he dares to renege the promise that we have made and attacks mankind, that poison will ensure his death. The other two Sovereigns will already be dead by then, so mankind won't be in so much danger even if mankind doesn't have any Ancient Sages remaining then. Furthermore, Yang shi has just made a breakthrough, and it was likely that more Ancient Sages will emerge in time. There's no need to worry too much about security!"

Even though the Canvas of Four Seasons contained the Aeon of Ancient Sage, there was a limit to how much was in there. It might not even be enough for his parents, himself, and his disciples to achieve breakthroughs, so it was not convenient for him to share it with others.

"What kind of poison could still be effective on Blood Reincarnation realm cultivators?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing was stunned.

Blood Reincarnation realm cultivators were able to create a new life through even just a droplet of blood. Be it their physical body or soul, they were already completely free of impurities, thus making it nigh impossible to afflict them with poison.

Were there still poisons in the world which could affect experts of such caliber?

"You need not worry about that. Since I've made such a claim, it goes without saying that I am confident!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

Ordinary poison would indeed be ineffective against experts of Sovereign Chen Yong's caliber, but the Heaven's Path zhenqi was extremely fine and could dive into any single part of the body. If needed, it could even divide itself and hide in every single droplet of blood in a cultivator's body, thus making it extremely difficult to guard against it.

With zhenqi that could destroy their vitality within their body, even Blood Reincarnation realm cultivators would have a huge headache trying to cope with it.

As long as they were unable to rid themselves of it, they would forever be controlled by it.

There was a moment of silence before Ancient Sage Yan Qing finally relented with a nod. "We are willing to believe in you, and we can deal with Ancient Sage Yan Qing as you have suggested. However, don't you think that you owe mankind an explanation as well?"

"Me?"

"You brought the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Spirit God into the Prime Hall, allowing her to successfully assimilate the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, thus causing this opportunity to slip through the fingers of mankind. It'll be impossible for you to keep this matter under wraps, and the escaped Sovereign Chen Ling and the others have already started spreading the news around. If you don't offer an explanation, all of the master teachers and humans in the world would view you as an outsider. You will find no place for yourself within the Master Teacher Pavilion anymore!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said.

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

He had been unaware that Luo Ruoxin's true identity was the Spirit God. However, there was no one in the world who would believe or accept such an explanation.

The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was the ultimate treasure that Kong shi had left behind for the later generations, but it had ended up being obtained by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. Just because of that, it would be impossible for others to forgive him.

Once the news spread, it could be foreseen that the master teachers and humans all over the world would begin viewing him in hostility. No matter how he tried to explain himself, he would be an outcast.

To have the Spirit God as one's girlfriend... there was no one who would believe that he was completely unaffiliated with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!

Even if he could explain everything perfectly to them, they would only question him on the things he had not done. He had grabbed Luo Ruoxin's hand back then, so why did he not snatch the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn back from her?

No matter how great a contribution he had made in the past, this was an error fatal, bad enough to turn him into the sworn enemy of the whole of mankind. He was already cornered, and it was unlikely that he would be able to make a comeback.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan spoke resolutely. "I'll give the Master Teacher Pavilion and the world a satisfactory explanation!"

"That would be for the best..." Seeing that the young man had caught his drift, Ancient Sage Yan Qing nodded before falling silent.

He could not be bothered to make a move on a mere Aureate Body realm cultivator.

Zhang Xuan drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi into Sovereign Chen Yong's body and concealed it all around. At the same time, he took out some pills to help him recover from his injuries.

However, the injuries that Sovereign Chen Yong had incurred were simply too heavy, such that it had shaken his very foundation and longevity. Ordinary pills were not of much use to him.

"Thank you for saving my life, Young Master... Death is no longer something that scares me, but before I meet my end, I must drag those two down with me!"

Sovereign Chen Yong did not know the content of their conversation, but he knew that it was Zhang Xuan who had pleaded on his behalf. Thus, he stood up and clasped his fist in gratitude.

He had not paid too much heed to Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing in the past, but who could have known that it would be his greatest ever blunder?

Since he was able to return alive, he was determined to make them suffer his wrath and pay the price for their actions.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony!" Zhang Xuan replied.

Following which, he looked at Sovereign Chen Yong questioningly and asked, "What's your relationship with Vicious?"

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Chapter 1780: Zhang Hongtian vs. Bo Yu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Sovereign Chen Yong was able to use his blood to drive Vicious' skeletal arms, and that only pointed at a single possibility. He shared the same blood origin as Vicious.

"He's my grandfather!" Sovereign Chen Yong replied without hiding anything.

"Grandfather?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He did not think that their relationship would actually be so close. He had thought that they would be many generations apart.

Vicious was an expert who had lived tens of thousands of years ago, yet Sovereign Chen Yong was still alive despite being his grandson. The longevity of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was truly frightening.

"The Spirit God told me that you have already gathered much of my grandfather's body parts, Young Master, and she instructed me to coordinate with you on this matter. Since that's the case, I'll give this pair of arms to you. Even though it's insufficient to allow my grandfather to return to his peak, it should be sufficient for him to recover to the Blood Reincarnation realm!"

With a flick of his wrist, the two arms on the ground flew over to Zhang Xuan's side.

"Thanks!"

It was true that he was collecting Vicious' body parts. Since Sovereign Chen Yong was willing to give the arms to him, he had no intention of standing on ceremony.

He took out a Book of Heaven's Path, and before long, the arms had already fully fused with the Vicious sealed within the book.

Sensing the perfect fusion of the arms with the body, which meant that Vicious did not go into hibernation as a result of the conflicting wills among the body parts, Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully, "You have removed the consciousness inside the arms?"

"The Spirit God helped me to remove the consciousness within the skeletal arms and replaced it with my own will. Since I'm giving them to you, Young Master, I dare not to leave my own consciousness within," Sovereign Chen Yong explained.

Having witnessed the young man's unbelievable talent and his relationship with the Spirit God, Sovereign Chen Yong dared not to disrespect him.

As Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing had not had much contact with the Spirit God, they were not clear of just how powerful the Spirit God was. However, there was no way that Sovereign Chen Yong could be unaware of it.

If the Spirit God truly released her powers, the entire Master Teacher Continent would be destroyed!

How could a person who could catch the eye of the Spirit God possibly be average?

In view of that, Sovereign Chen Yong would not give up on any opportunity to establish goodwill with the young man. Besides, the young man had also just saved his life.

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Vicious was one of his greatest trump cards at the moment, and it would be a pity if Vicious fell into a coma as a result of conflicting wills. As long as Vicious obtained sufficient energy, he would be able to recover to his peak soon enough!

With a tap of his finger, a jade bottle was brought into the Library of Heaven's Path. It was filled with the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage blood that he had gathered thus far.

Vicious swiftly took in the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage blood, and the next instant, incredible energy was surging through his body.

"Reinforce your cultivation," Zhang Xuan instructed before closing the Book of Heaven's Path and stowing it back into the Library of Heaven's Path.

"Right, Young Master! This is the straw garment that my grandfather left behind. If you assimilate it and fuse it together with his body, it'll quicken the process which my grandfather is able to develop his flesh and blood at!" Sovereign Chen Yong said as he pointed at the artifact above.

"It'll help Vicious develop flesh and blood?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up upon hearing those words.

According to Vicious, the fastest way to quicken his revival was to devour the flesh and blood of master teachers. As such, while some parts of Vicious' body had already developed flesh and blood, others like the upper body remained as skeleton.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan would not resort to such means, so he had put off the matter so far.

If the straw garment was really able to help Vicious develop blood and flesh, that would enhance Vicious' fighting prowess significantly.

Zhang Xuan leaped up and reached out for the straw garment.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan's actions, the face of Old Geezer Yu, who was in the midst of recuperating from his injuries, darkened. "What are you doing? That's a property of Sovereign Chen Ling!"

However, before he could finish his words, a burst of sword qi suddenly surged in his direction.

Puhe! Puhe!

Two bloodied holes were torn through his body as fresh blood spurted frenziedly from his mouth.

"Zhang Hongtian, what the heck are you trying to pull?" Old Geezer Yu roared in fury.

The person who had just made a move was none other than Zhang Xuan's predecessor, Zhang Hongtian!

It was just a moment ago that they had put aside their differences to deal with Sovereign Chen Yong together. Why would the other party suddenly make a move on him?

"What am I trying to pull here? Nothing much, really. It was with no other options that I collaborated with you to deal with Sovereign Chen Yong, but don't you think that it's about time for us to resolve our personal grudges?" Zhang Hongtian scoffed coldly as he raised the sword in his hand imposingly.

He did not want to hinder the plans of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers earlier, so he had no choice but to temporarily work together with the Ancient Sages of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. However, with the matter regarding Sovereign Chen Yong resolved, it was about time for them to resolve their grudges.

"You want to kill me? Do you think that I'm afraid of you?" Old Geezer Yu stood up and roared. "However, let's make things clear first. If you lose, you'd better obediently step aside and allow us to leave!"

It was not that he chose to foolishly linger around the area after the end of the battle, but with the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Pavilion eyeing them warily, they dared not to make a move recklessly.

Since Zhang Hongtian was intending to resolve their personal differences, it would be good if they could settle the both of them together.

Old Geezer Yu knew that the humans would attempt to make a move on them after dealing with Sovereign Chen Yong, so he had intentionally held back a little during the battle earlier. As such, the injuries that he had sustained were significantly lighter than Zhang Hongtian's. If they faced one another in a battle, it was hard to tell who the ultimate victor would be.

"I'll agree to your request!" Zhang Hongtian nodded. He turned to the crowd and said, "Today, I'll be settling the personal grudges between me and Old Geezer Yu. If I lose by any chance, it will be due to my own weakness. I'll have to ask you not to exact vengeance for me and allow him to leave!"

"Brother Hongtian..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing frowned.

He did not think that the other party would abruptly make such a decision, and he did not think that it was a good idea either given the state that Zhang Hongtian was in.

"My mind is made up!" Zhang Hongtian waved his hand resolutely.

This was not a spontaneous decision from his side. He had been thinking about the matter for quite a while.

With the severe injuries that he had sustained in the battle with Sovereign Chen Yong, he had realized that he would not be able to look over the Zhang Clan for much longer. It was long overdue for him to entrust the responsibility to the newer generations to shoulder.

He had a very favorable view of the current head of the Zhang Clan, and he believed that the Zhang Clan would prosper under his leadership. As someone whose time was nearly up, the last gift that he could offer the Zhang Clan was to remove one of the threats lurking around it.

With this, he would be able to face his predecessors and brothers who had died protecting the Zhang Clan and mankind. This would be the final sacrifice that he made for mankind.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Hongtian slashed out a deluge of sword qi toward Old Geezer Yu, engulfing the latter in devastating attacks.

"Humph!"

Seeing that Zhang Hongtian's might had dwindled significantly due to his injuries, Old Geezer Yu heaved a sigh of relief. Concentrating his zhenqi on his arms, a pair of phantasmagoric claws overlapped with his hands.

Ding ding ding ding!

The two Ancient Sage experts began clashing with one another.

As Blood Reincarnation realm experts, they had many tricks up their sleeves. For the moment, they seemed to be equally matched with one another.

"Brother Hongtian overexerted himself in the battle against Sovereign Chen Yong earlier, and he has sustained significant injuries in the battle as well. I fear that he won't be an opponent for Old Geezer Yu," one of the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion remarked worriedly.

"Old Geezer Yu is incredibly cunning. By going on the defensive, it's apparent that he's trying to stall for time till Brother Hongtian runs out of stamina before launching a counterattack. Should we step in and help him?" an Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers asked.

The movements of the two Ancient Sages were sharp and ingenious, and it seemed as if they were equally matched with one another. However, the Ancient Sages could easily tell that Zhang Hongtian's strength was far beneath what he was usually capable of, and he would only continue growing weaker throughout the course of the battle. If it continued, even his life would be threatened!

In comparison, Old Geezer Yu was much more energetic. He had been flitting around the area, finding opportunities to slip blows in.

"Rest assured! Brother Hongtian will not lose!" Yang shi chuckled softly.

"He won't lose?"

The other two Ancient Sages who had been speaking a moment earlier were slightly perplexed by those words.

As veteran Ancient Sages, it was apparent to them that Zhang Hongtian was in a disadvantageous position. Yet, as an Ancient Sage who had made a breakthrough not too long ago, how could Yang shi be so certain that Zhang Hongtian would win?

Yang shi noticed the doubt in their voices, but he did not explain himself. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the young man in the sky, who was in the midst of assimilating the straw garment.

Earlier, that young man had given Zhang Hongtian a jade token filled with the flaws of Old Geezer Yu's cultivation. With such knowledge, Zhang Hongtian's victory was practically guaranteed!

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Chapter 1781: Zhang Hongtian's Death

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Just as Yang shi had guessed, the reason that Zhang Hongtian dared to challenge Old Geezer Yu and even agreed to his conditions was because he knew the flaws in the latter's moves.

It might seem as if he was in a disadvantageous position, but in truth, he was also looking for an opportunity to inflict a critical hit and kill Old Geezer Yu in a single strike.

Endless sword qi warped into many dragons that swept across the sky, forcing Old Geezer Yu to swipe his phantasmagoric claws upward.

"This is the moment!"

Seeing that there was an opening in Old Geezer Yu's movements just as Zhang Xuan had said, Zhang Hongtian immediately concealed his sword in the midst of the soaring dragons to direct a jab toward Old Geezer Yu's blind spot.

Flowing Water Hidden Sword!

This was said to be a technique that had been created by a hopeless romantic sword genius in the Zhang Clan. After his spouse was killed by his enemies, he had spent many years perfecting this move in order to exact vengeance. He had known that his strength lay in maneuvering and concealing himself amid water, making it nigh impossible for his enemies to grasp hold of him, so he had waited patiently for the moment to pierce through his enemies' throats with a swift stab.

The technique that Zhang Hongtian was using to conceal his sword amid the dragons was similar.

"Break!"

As expected, Old Geezer Yu did not notice the sword. His phantasmagoric claws continued clawing fervently at the incoming sword qi, warding them off.

Weng!

From the midst of one of the dragons, a long sword bolted forth, growing larger and larger in Old Geezer Yu's eyes.

But it happened that he had just pushed his speed to the limit, thus maximizing his momentum, rendering him powerless to dodge or protect himself.

Puhe!

The sword pierced right through Old Geezer Yu's throat, and devastating might poured forth to destroy the vitality within his body.

"Y-y-you... How could you have known that there's a hundredth of a second intermission at the end of this technique of mine?" Old Geezer Yu's eyes were widened in disbelief.

He dared not believe that he was going to lose his life just like that!

For the past ten thousand years, the two of them had fought on multiple battlefields, and they were already familiar with one another's techniques. It was true that Zhang Hongtian had always been slightly stronger than him, but even though Old Geezer Yu was unable to win against the other party, he had never faced any problem protecting himself.

But at that very moment...

The battle technique that he had just executed consisted of him launching swipes in quick succession with his phantasmagoric claws. On the seventeenth swipe, due to a trauma that he had sustained in the past, there would be a hundredth of a second opening in his movements. However, as the technique was simply too swift, the peers that he had cultivated with and even Sovereign Chen Ling were unaware of this opening.

How did Zhang Hongtian know about this opening of his and even sharply grasp the timing to breach his defenses?

"You have lost!" Zhang Hongtian uttered coldly as he raised his eyebrows imposingly.

Boom!

Endless sword qi exploded within Old Geezer Yu, causing his body to burst apart.

Tzzzzz!

A book swiftly flew over to devour the splattered flesh and blood of Old Geezer Yu.

Zhang Hongtian raised his head, only to see that Zhang Xuan had successfully tamed the straw garment and was looking over, clasping his fist. "Congratulations, old ancestor!"

"It's due to your credit that I was able to kill him!" Zhang Hongtian chuckled heartily.

However, as soon as the tension left his body, his body collapsed weakly to the ground.

He had managed to kill Old Geezer Yu, but he had completely depleted himself in the midst of doing so.

"Old ancestor!"

Alarmed, Zhang Xuan rushed over and desperately infused his Heaven's Path zhenqi into the body of the other party. However, as if a sack filled with holes, Zhang Hongtian's body was no longer able to retain energy.

"How could this be?" Zhang Xuan panicked.

He quickly took out a couple of grade-9 pills and fed them into Zhang Hongtian's mouth.

His Heaven's Path zhenqi had rarely failed him, and there were many times when he had brought others back from the gates of hell. This was the first time that it was proving to be completely useless.

Zhang Hongtian was the final Ancient Sage of the Zhang Clan, and Zhang Xuan was extremely fond of his personality and temperament. He could not allow anything to happen to him!

"Allow me to take a look!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing flew over and helped Zhang Hongtian up. Placing his finger on the latter's pulse, he lowered his gaze contemplatively for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm afraid that he has already reached the limit of his lifespan. There's nothing that you can do that will help him anymore."

"How can this be? He's the youngest of you lot! How could he have reached the end of his lifespan first?" Zhang Xuan refused to believe what he was hearing.

Zhang Hongtian was known as the most talented expert of his era, having reached Ancient Sage in his five hundreds. Even though ten thousand years had passed since then, he had spent most of his time in hibernation. In terms of lifespan, he should be able to outlive all of the other Ancient Sages!

How could he possibly have reached the end of his lifespan ahead of the others?

"He expended most of his blood essence in the battle with Sovereign Chen Yong earlier. In order to ensure that Old Geezer Yu is dead through and through, he went all out and overexerted himself. At this very moment, he's already completely dried out. There's nothing that you can do to save him."

The Ancient Sages gathered there knew that they did not have too long to live, but Ancient Sage Yan Qing still could not help but sigh in desolation upon seeing that another person of his era was going to meet his end.

Ancient Sages were able to reattach severed limbs and revive themselves from a mere droplet of blood, but they were unable to break free from their destiny and outlive the limits of their lifespan.

No matter how powerful a cultivator was, once they reached the limits of their lifespan, they would be reduced to a pile of dirt. No matter how nobly or humbly they had lived, this was the ultimate fate that awaited all life.

Even though Zhang Hongtian was comparatively younger than the Ancient Sages gathered there, he had gone all out in every battle that he had been in, causing a severe deficiency in his body's vitality. In fact, if not for the blood transfusion twenty years prior, he would have already met his end.

In a way, it was a miracle that he had lasted so long and even fought two good battles.

Zhang Xuan turned to Yang Xuan and exclaimed anxiously, "Yang shi, aren't you able to transfuse bloodlines? Move my blood to the old ancestor. Perhaps, it might save his life..."

Looking at the flustered Zhang Xuan, Yang Xuan shook his head with bitter helplessness and said, "Senior... you have already transfused your blood to him once. Your blood won't be effective on him anymore..."

"But..." Zhang Xuan wanted to argue the matter, but he was interrupted by Yang shi.

"Birth, ageing, affliction, and death; this is the natural cycle of life. Not even Ancient Sages are able to break out of this cycle. Back in its prime, the Zhang Clan was famed for its Nine Great Ancient Sages, and there was no one who didn't look up to it. But as time went by, each of them turned into a tablet on top of an altar, becoming legends of the past that others recall now and then!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan fell silent.

"There's no need to grieve over me!" Zhang Hongtian looked at his descendant with a faint smile on his face. "The reason I held on for so long is because I'm the only Ancient Sage left in the Zhang Clan. If I had died, the entire clan would have fallen into decline... I'm really glad that you have appeared. With your ability, you would even be able to stand your ground against me. I have no more worries!"

"But..." Zhang Xuan's eyes reddened.

"Life and death are part of the world's natural cycle. From the moment that the Aeon of Ancient Sage vanished from the world and I decided to go into hibernation, Zhang Hongtian was already dead. The only reason I've been clinging on to life was to prolong the survival of the Zhang Clan and mankind!" Zhang Hongtian said deeply.

"Your appearance has liberated me of the responsibilities I shouldered. I can finally rest without any worries. This is not a sorrowful occasion but a happy one. The only remaining concern I have is you. You are only an Aureate Body realm cultivator at the moment, but you will have to carry the entire Zhang Clan and perhaps even mankind as a whole. The path ahead of you will be fraught with even more difficulties than mine."

As Zhang Hongtian spoke, he took a look at his surroundings and chuckled weakly.

"Alright, my friends. May we meet again in our next lives and fight together as brothers in arms! I'm feeling a little tired right now, so I'll take my leave..."

And so, Zhang Hongtian closed his eyes one last time.

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Chapter 1782: Zhang Xuan Falls Into a Coma

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Brother Hongtian..."

Looking at the corpse before them, everyone was rendered silent. Grim looks could be seen all around the room.

This was especially for those from the Master Teacher Pavilion. They were incredibly silent.

They had fought together for almost ten thousand years, and they had known that such a parting would come from the very start. However, when the time eventually came, they still felt a little empty inside.

"Even those as powerful as Ancient Sages aren't able to escape the laws of time!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing shook his head and sighed.

"Aren't Ancient Sages existences who have exceeded the heavens? Why are they still controlled by the laws of the world?" Zhang Xuan asked.

As beings who were reputed to have exceeded the heavens, he found it incomprehensible that they were still limited by the laws of the world, incapable of controlling even their own life and death.

"Ancient Sages have exceeded the heavens, but only in the own laws they have comprehended," Ancient Sage Yan Qing explained. "Brother Hongtian comprehended the law of swordsmanship, and his level of mastery even exceeded the heavens themselves. However, in other aspects, such as his own lifespan, he did not overcome the limitations of the world."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment. "Swordsmanship? You are saying that... as long as one is able to surpass the heavens in single field, one will be qualified to become an Ancient Sage?"

He had heard bits and pieces about the prerequisites to pushing for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage from his father, Sword Saint Xing. However, Sword Saint Xing was only at Great Sage 4-dan Sempiternal realm, and the things that he knew were based on rumors passed down through the generations. It was inevitable that what he knew was limited compared to the top expert of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.

"That's right. Only those who have comprehended a law that surpasses the heavens will be able to ascend as Ancient Sages," Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied.

"Isn't time the field of specialty of the Zhang Clan? Why didn't the old ancestor use his comprehension of time to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan asked once more.

The bloodline of the Zhang Clan harnessed the Time Quintessence.

Since that was the case, if Zhang Hongtian had pushed for a breakthrough using the Time Quintessence, would he not have been able to lengthen his lifespan and overcome the limitations of time?

"The temporal laws across various dimensions are all connected to one another in one way or another. This includes not just the Master Teacher Continent and the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's otherworldly battlefield but also higher worlds such as the one the Spirit God resides in. Even those who have grasped Time Quintessence would not have understood the temporal laws of the Master Teacher Continent. To truly overcome the heavens in this field is nigh impossible! Even Kong shi failed back then, let alone those who came after him!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said with a bitter smile.

Time was one of the most fundamental laws of the universe. Even if the world collapsed, the Five Elements were extinguished, and space ceased to exist, time would still continue ticking by.

How could such a powerful rule possibly be mastered and controlled that easily?

If Kong shi had truly been able to comprehend temporal laws, he would not have vanished into the annals of history.

"You're right..." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

He was able to make use of the powers of his bloodline to influence the flow of time and hasten his movements, but he was unable to change the very essence of time.

"The essence of time is simply too difficult to comprehend. If I was able to comprehend it, perhaps I might still have been able to do something to save Old Ancestor Hongtian!" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

All of a sudden, his mind jolted. As if an earthquake had happened, the Library of Heaven's Path in his mind began shaking intensely.

"This is bad..." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in horror.

Before he could do anything, his vision turned dark.

Putong!

He collapsed to the ground.

"Senior!" Yang shi rushed forward.

Ancient Sage Yan Qing swiftly stepped forward to examine Zhang Xuan's condition before frowning in bewilderment. "It seems to be some kind of deficiency in his soul?"

As a Great Sage cultivator, considering how Zhang Xuan had not been assaulted or attacked, how could an injury just appear in his soul all of a sudden? What in the world had happened?

"I specialize in the field of souls. Allow me to take a look!" The Ancient Sage of the Jiang Clan stepped forward.

He quickly extended his soul energy toward Zhang Xuan, but before he could probe into Zhang Xuan's body, his own body began to tremble. He hurriedly retreated a few steps backward as his face turned ghastly pale

"What happened?"

Seeing the state that the Ancient Sage of the Jiang Clan was in, everyone became perplexed.

"There's some kind of peculiar energy protecting his soul. I'm unable to probe any deeper into his body!" the Ancient Sage of the Jiang Clan said.

"Some kind of peculiar energy is protecting his soul? Just what kind of energy is able to keep even you out?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing frowned in incomprehension.

As an Ancient Sage who specialized in the field of souls, it would be impossible for Ancient Sages of the same cultivation realm to ward off his probing. Considering how Zhang Xuan was unconscious, it was unimaginable for him to be able to be able to ward off the Jiang Clan Ancient Sage's probing and even injure him.

"It seems to be..." The body of the Ancient Sage of the Jiang Clan stiffened as he spoke. "It seems to be the power of the heavens!"

"He's protected by the heavens?"

Hearing those words, the crowd widened their eyes in astonishment as they turned their gazes toward Zhang Xuan once more.

To think that a Great Sage cultivator would actually be protected by the heavens.

What the heck was going on?

"Yang shi, I'll leave you to protect him. If anything happens, liaise with me right away. Meanwhile, I'll lead the others to reinforce the surrounding space. Without the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and Kong shi's seal keeping the place intact, the entire Temple of Confucius has already fallen into the void of spacetime. If we don't drag it back soon, we'll all be goners!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said worriedly.

The stars had already vanished from the sky, indicating that they were no longer on Master Teacher Continent.

"Yes!" Yang shi nodded.

"Alright, let's get to action!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing said as he swiftly led the Ancient Sages away.

While the emergence of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and the major battles that had consequently broken out had damaged the Temple of Confucius significantly, it was still a sacred land left behind by Kong shi himself. As descendants of Kong shi's lineage, they could not allow anything to happen to it.

As the crowd left, Yang shi lowered his gaze to the unconscious Zhang Xuan and frowned in concern. "Senior, just what has happened to you?"

...

Completely unaware of the happenings outside, at that very moment, Zhang Xuan was in a semiconscious state. It felt as if his consciousness had been stripped from his body.

Vaguely, he seemed to see a familiar silhouette ahead of him. She was looking at him with worry in her eyes.

"Ruoxin..." he muttered weakly.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," the young lady said. "You have to take care of yourself. Remember to keep my gift with you at all times. You mustn't separate from it even for an instant."

"You mean... the pendant? I have been keeping it close to me..." Zhang Xuan replied weakly. He tried to stand up, but his body felt heavy as though someone had filled it with lead.

Prior to entering the Temple of Confucius, Luo Ruoxin had given him a pendant. She had said that it was something given to her by her father, and it would save him during a crucial moment.

While he found her words inexplicable, he had made sure to keep it close to him at all times.

"That's good... Zhang Xuan, I have to leave now. The artifact in the library is my final gift to you. Make use of it well... I'll be waiting for you..."

Gradually, Luo Ruoxin's voice and silhouette seemed to grow fainter and fainter, as if she would vanish at any moment.

"Library...? You... You know of the existence of the library?" Zhang Xuan's body stiffened upon hearing those words.

The Library of Heaven's Path had always been his greatest secret, and he had never told anyone about it. All along, he had thought that Luo Ruoxin was oblivious to its existence, but who would have thought that she actually knew about it?

"Farewell, Zhang Xuan!"

With a bitter smile and longing in her eyes, Luo Ruoxin's silhouette dissipated.

...

"No... don't go!"

With a shout, Zhang Xuan's body shot upright. It was only then that he noticed that it was all a dream.

"Teacher, you're awake!"

Turning toward the voice, he saw Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others standing not too far away with concern rippling in their eyes.

His parents, the Xingmeng Sword Saints, were in the room as well.

Swiftly scanning his surroundings, Zhang Xuan asked, "Are we... out of the Temple of Confucius?"

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Chapter 1783: Finale at the Master Teacher Pavilion

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhao Ya, Wei Ruyan, and Luo Qiqi had entered the Prime Hall with him, but due to them failing the trial, they had been teleported outside. Even though Zhang Xuan had not known where they went, he had been confident that they would not face any danger, so he did not worry too much about them.

As for Zheng Yang, he had not seen the young man ever since he entered the Temple of Confucius. However, based on what Zhao Ya had said, it seemed like he had stumbled upon some kind of fortuitous encounter.

The foreign surroundings around him and the fact that they were all gathered together likely meant that they had already left the Temple of Confucius and were currently somewhere else.

Wang Ying stepped forward and worriedly explained, "Un. We returned to the Master Teacher Pavilion with the other master teachers. Teacher, you have been unconscious for three days now..."

"Three days?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He suddenly recalled his hazy conversation with Luo Ruoxin during this long sleep, and he quickly brought his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path. To his surprise, however, he found that its massive doors had closed upon him. He tried pushing on the doors, but they would not budge at all.

It's probably in the midst of an upgrade... Zhang Xuan thought calmly.

He had also been knocked out the previous time that the Library of Heaven's Path underwent an upgrade, so he was not too worried.

The previous time, the upgrade had finished before he awoke, so he had been able to access it as soon as he was up. However, it seemed like he had roused from his sleep prematurely, so he probably would not be able to access it till the upgrades were finally complete.

Knowing that it would likely take a while longer, Zhang Xuan decided not to bother with it for the time being. Instead, he began to assess the crowd before him.

"Not bad. It seems like all of you have grown quite a bit in the journey through the Temple of Confucius," Zhang Xuan complimented.

All of his students had reached Great Sage 4-dan Sempiternal realm consummation. Overwhelming energy surged through their bodies, and it seemed like they were ready to achieve a breakthrough at any moment.

So, in the very end, Zhang Xuan was back to being the weakest among them all.

Just thinking about the matter left him feeling rather stifled.

Sighing deeply, he turned his gaze toward his parents, and soon, his eyes lit up.

He had reserved two Bodhi Fruits for their consumption so that they would be able to push for a breakthrough in their Soul Depth, but it seemed like the two of them had encountered some kind of fortuitous encounter yet again and successfully made a breakthrough in their Soul Depth!

At their current level, it did not seem that they were far away from reaching Ancient Sage.

"I have a collaborative sword art here that the two of you should try practicing. I believe that it will be of some help to you in overcoming your current bottleneck!" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before tapping his finger lightly.

A cultivation technique manual was imprinted right into the minds of the Xingmeng Sword Saints.

He had browsed through innumerable books back on the mountain of books, thus granting him the knowledge required to further improve the Xingmeng Sword Saints' collaborative swordsmanship. While it was still a distance away from surpassing the heavens, it would indubitably bring the Xingmeng Sword Saint a step closer toward a breakthrough.

As long as they cultivated it diligently, they would gradually become stronger and stronger. Eventually, a day would come when they finally stepped across the boundary to become full-fledged Ancient Sages, granting them the strength to imposingly lord over the entire world.

"Zheng Yang and Wang Ying, I'll give these two Bodhi Fruits to you together with this heart tempering cultivation technique. Cultivate it well!" Zhang Xuan turned to his students and entrusted the last two Bodhi Fruits to them.

His Soul Depth had already surpassed the threshold required for an Ancient Sage, so the Bodhi Fruits were no longer of any use to him. Rather than hoarding them, they would be put to better use with his students.

"This tree root is one of the cruxes of the six outer dimensions of the Temple of Confucius, and it possesses incredible spirit enchantment capabilities. Wang Ying, I want you to try to tame it. It'll be of immense use to you in furthering your abilities as a spirit awakener.

"Zheng Yang, I acquired this spear from one of the experts of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. While it's inferior to my Dragonbone Divine Spear, it's still a Great Sage pinnacle artifact. It should boost your fighting prowess significantly..."

As Zhang Xuan had already tamed the cruxes of the six outer dimensions, it would be impossible for any other cultivators to claim possession of them. As soon as he left the Prime Hall, all of them had quickly left the area in pursuit of him and entered his storage ring.

"Lu Chong, I don't want you to think that I'm biased. Due to your powerful soul, you are able to raise your Soul Depth quickly, so the Bodhi Fruit isn't of much use to you. Instead, I'll give you the Seal of Souls. It's able to devour the souls of others and transform them into concentrated soul energy to nourish your body. I trust that you won't exploit its abilities for malicious purposes. While Yuan Tao was the first one to undergo the Ancient Sage Ordeal, I believe that you are still the one most likely to first reach Ancient Sage!"

Zhang Xuan passed the Seal of Souls, which served as the mark of authority for the leader of the Soul Oracle Guild, over to Lu Chong.

If used well, the Seal of Souls could provide Lu Chong with an endless supply of concentrated soul energy. There was definitely no treasure better than this to a soul oracle.

As for the icy crystal, while it no longer harnessed any ice energy, it was still compatible with Zhao Ya's Pure Yin Body, so Zhang Xuan gave it to her.

Similarly, the koi fish was given to Wei Ruyan, and the Five Monarchs were given to Yuan Tao.

...

After distributing his loot from the Temple of Confucius, Zhang Xuan entered the Canvas of Four Seasons. Not too long later, he returned with a slightly pale face.

"I have just sealed a portion Aeon of Ancient Sage into each of these paintings using my spatial art. Take one each," he said as he distributed his paintings among the crowd.

Kong shi had been able to sever a portion of the world and seal it within a painting, sustaining it for tens of thousands of years without the slightest wear and tear. After reading countless books regarding painting back on the mountain of books, his comprehension of painting had also reached a similar level to Kong shi. With his current mastery, it was not too difficult for him to further sever the space within the Canvas of Four Seasons and distribute it.

With those paintings, even if he was not by their side, his parents and students would still be able to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage.

"Xuan-er, is there something wrong? I don't know if I'm thinking too much, but it feels like something is weighing on your mind."

Seeing her son unhesitatingly giving out the treasures that he had acquired with great difficulty back in the Temple of Confucius, Sword Saint Meng could not help but voice her concern.

It might just have been her imagination, but she vaguely felt that there was something amiss. Yet, she was unable to clearly put a finger on the matter.

It was true that the Zhang Clan had lost their final Ancient Sage, but Yang shi had already put the word out that anyone who dared to trouble the Zhang Clan would have to face his wrath.

Furthermore, her son's weapon had also achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. At the same time, Yuan Tao wielded strength comparable to nascent Ancient Sages.

In terms of fighting prowess, the Zhang Clan could be said to be even stronger than it had been before.

Of course, the loss of Zhang Hongtian, an Ancient Sage 3-dan Blood Reincarnation realm, was a huge blow to the Zhang Clan, but Yang shi and the Infernal Blacksaber were Ancient Sages who did not have to go into hibernation and could move freely. Naturally, they were much more powerful deterrents than Zhang Hongtian despite their lower cultivation realms.

Without a doubt, the Zhang Clan was the greatest winner in the Temple of Confucius expedition, and it was pretty much guaranteed a bright future. Despite that, it felt like her son was in a rush to give out his possessions, as if he was running out of time...

"It's nothing," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile. He stood up and stretched his back lazily as he asked, "Did anyone from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters come over in the last three days?"

"Pavilion Master Ren from the Master Teacher Pavilion said for you to look for him after you awoke from your slumber," Sword Saint Xing said.

"I see... I'll leave the rest of you to cultivate. Work hard and try to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I'll head over to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters," Zhang Xuan said with a casual wave of his hand as he walked out of his room.

"Teacher, we'll go with you," Zhao Ya said.

For some reason, she felt a little unnerved as well, as if something bad was going to happen.

"None of you are to follow me!" Zhang Xuan instructed sternly. "No matter what happens, I want you to follow the directives of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Under no circumstances are you allowed to cause any trouble!"

"What's going on?"

The crowd stared at one another in bewilderment, unable to comprehend what was going on. They could only watch in a daze as the young man's silhouette vanished into a spatial passageway.

When Luo Ruoxin snatched the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and was revealed to be the Spirit God, they had already left the premises of the Prime Hall. After that, they had been so worried about Zhang Xuan that they had hardly heard anything that was happening outside.

Just as they were wondering what was going on, a resounding voice echoed in the air, reverberating across the entire Master Teacher Continent.

"The head of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Xuan, has been found guilty of leading the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Spirit God into the Prime Hall to steal the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. While it was an unintentional lapse in judgement on his part, his actions have indubitably placed mankind in a perilous position. Out of sheer guilt, he chose to end his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. May all master teachers and humans take this as a lesson to never be blinded by complacency. All it takes it a single error to plunge the whole of mankind into peril..."

"Teacher!"

"Xuan-er!"

Only at that instant did the crowd realize what was going on. Unable to believe what they were hearing, they dashed out of the room.

—

Whew, that's finally another arc done. I'm thinking of having an AMA this weekend since we are already so many chapters in but haven't really gotten to know one another yet. Anyway, I'll post the details later on!

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Chapter 1784: Whisperings of the Night Clock Tower

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Snow drifted quietly at the northernmost border of the Master Teacher Continent.

A decrepit clock tower stood in desolation in those snowy lands. Countless adventurers were gathered beneath that decrepit clock tower.

It was where one of the Six Major Subterranean Galleries, the Icysea Subterranean Gallery, was located. There would rarely be anyone around there, but after the Otherworldly Demons retreated from the Subterranean Gallery, the area had swiftly turned into a major trading post. Many experts would pass by the area on a daily basis.

Just like the other Subterranean Galleries, the Icysea Subterranean Gallery was suffused with concentrated killing intent due to the crimson moon that hung high in the sky, corroding all lifeforms that loitered in the area. However, many resilient plants that did not exist on the Master Teacher Continent still took root and germinated on that land despite the extreme conditions. Those plants served as valuable medicine, and they were also ideal catalysts for smithing top-tier weapons, making them incredibly valuable.

In order to find those plants, many adventurers were willing to risk their lives to venture into the Icysea Subterranean Gallery.

Due to the frequent skirmishes with the Otherworldly Demons in the past, the Master Teacher Pavilion had locked down the Subterranean Galleries, allowing only master teachers to enter the area.

However, with the retreat of the Otherworldly Demons, some of the stronger cultivators had begun venturing into those treacherous lands, hoping to scout the lands for rare resources. It did not take long for them to realize that the Subterranean Galleries were practically treasure troves. As valuable commodities were brought out one after another, more and more adventurers began descending into the Subterranean Galleries in search of great fortune.

At that very moment, those who were standing beneath the decrepit clock tower were the cultivators who wanted to try their luck.

"The snowstorm is getting heavier and heavier. It's times like this that the Icysea Subterranean Gallery automatically closes itself, making it impossible to enter the area. All we can do at a time like this is wait here till the sky clears!"

"It can't be helped. The Icysea Subterranean Gallery is located in the midst of a snowy mountain, and it happens to be the coldest time of year. It's simply too dangerous to travel around at a time like this."

"Isn't it boring to be sitting around here doing nothing? Why don't we share interesting things that have happened recently so that we can open our eyes?"

"Brother Wu, you've just come here from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, right? Is there any fascinating news?"

Upon hearing the name 'Brother Wu', the gazes of the crowd swiftly gathered on the middle-aged man seated at the very center.

That middle-aged man was dressed in the long robe of a master teacher, and the seven stars on his emblem gleamed conspicuously. His cultivation had reached Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, putting him at the forefront of 7-star master teachers.

Noticing the gazes on him, Brother Wu allowed his gaze to wander across the crowd in a suspenseful manner before asking, "Do you know who the most talented master teacher of the current era is?"

"The most talented master teacher of the current era? It should be Feng Ziyi, right? I heard that his teacher recently achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, and his cultivation has been surging ahead. He's already a figure whom we can only look up to!"

"I think it should be Zhao Moxuan. I met him once, and he's truly a prodigious individual. He's able to comprehend and master anything swiftly, such that it doesn't seem like there's anything in this world that could possibly stump him!"

"I'll put my vote on Jiang Feifei. Not only is she beautiful, her mastery as a celestial designer has also reached an unbelievable level..."

"What I heard is that..."

The question immediately provoked an intense debate among the crowd.

Those were figures whose names resounded far and wide on the Master Teacher Continent, and there were countless cultivators who looked up to them and viewed them as their goal.

Suddenly, someone amid the crowd added, "Have you forgotten... Zhang Xuan?"

"Zhang Xuan?"

That name caused the fervent discussion to wither into silence.

"I don't deny that he's the most talented master teacher in the past tens of thousands of years. Perhaps, the only person who could match him is Kong shi... However, he conspired with the Spirit God of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe to steal the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, thus placing mankind in a dangerous position. That in itself is enough to disqualify him as a master teacher!"

"We can't allow such a black sheep to sully the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion!"

"The story that I heard is rather different though. He didn't conspire with the Spirit God. Instead, he was unaware of the other party's identity and was duped into doing her bidding!"

"A teacher has to be held to the highest standards in terms of values, principles, and behaviors. Even if he didn't know the true identity of the Spirit God before, he should have severed his feelings for her and stopped her after learning the truth. Yet, he remained completely idle, not even attempting to snatch the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn back. That's more than enough to deem him as a traitor of mankind!"

"There's no point talking about that unworthy fellow!"

...

An uproar broke out amid the crowd, and the discussions were getting more and more heated by the moment.

"Hahaha!"

At this moment, a cold sneer suddenly echoed across the crowd, causing the decrepit clock tower to tremble intensely. It almost seemed as if the clock tower was about to collapse upon the crowd.

This abrupt occurrence swiftly caught everyone's attention as eyes darted toward the source of the sneer.

Surprisingly, the person who had just sneered was none other than the 7-star master teacher amid the crowd, Brother Wu!

At this moment, Brother Wu's eyes were filled with ice, and the smile on his lips had vanished without a trace. He rose to his feet and gazed down upon the crowd imposingly as he said, "Did you just say that Zhang shi isn't qualified to be a master teacher? Who gave you the guts to utter such nonsense?"

A middle-aged man with a glaring scar on his face harrumphed in response. "A man who has let down the whole of mankind and ended his life before the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters to repay his sins—do you really think that such a person is qualified to bear the name of a master teacher?"

It had been ten days since Zhang Xuan had ended his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and news had already spread all over the Master Teacher Continent.

"You're asking if he's qualified?" Brother Wu narrowed his eyes. "Let me ask you, do you know why we are able to enter the Icysea Subterranean Gallery at this very moment?"

"Isn't it because the forces of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe retreated from the Subterranean Galleries?" the scar-faced middle-aged man asked.

The others nodded in agreement as well.

It was due to the Otherworldly Demons retreating that they dared to enter the area. Otherwise, they would probably lose their lives within moments after entering the premises. Even with treasures scattered all over the Subterranean Galleries, no one would be so foolish as to place themselves in a certain-death situation.

"Retreat? Hah!" Brother Wu sneered coldly. "In the past tens of thousands of years, the Otherworldly Demons have been driven back several hundred times, but the ordinary populace has never been allowed to approach this area before. What makes this time so different?"

"This..." The scar-faced middle-aged man was rendered speechless by that question.

In the battle over the years, due to supply issues and heavy death toll, both sides had retreated from the Subterranean Galleries at some point in time. However, the Master Teacher Pavilion had never allowed people into the premises. Could there be something different about the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's retreat this time?

"Brother Wu, do you know something about this matter?" one of the cultivators amid the crowd asked.

"A month ago, I happened to receive an order to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters to handle some matters, and I overheard this rumor!" Brother Wu seemed to descend into memory lane. "It's true that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has retreated, but they were gathering their soldiers together in preparation to launch a decisive attack. All in all, there were more than a hundred thousand soldiers!"

"A decisive attack consisting of over a hundred thousand soldiers?" The crowd was astonished.

They were all aware of the tremendous might that the Otherworldly Demons wielded. If they were to face so many enemies at once, it was very likely that they would face unimaginable damage. It was questionable whether the Master Teacher Continent would be able to sustain such damage or not.

"Wait... That's not right. If they have truly gathered that much military power, why is there no movement from their side at all?"

Finding those words logical, the crowd quickly turned their gazes back to Brother Wu, wanting to see what he had to say.

Considering how treacherous the situation had been back then, it was unthinkable for them not to have heard of it at all.

"Of course, there are no movements! That's because a master teacher single-handedly charged into the group of a hundred thousand and killed them all!" Brother Wu spoke with a respectful gleam in eyes.

"That person is the one who foiled the ploys of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, forcing them to lie low and dare not invade. He's the one who fixed the seals and turned the Subterranean Gallery from the netherworld into new lands that we can explore!"

"A person single-handedly killed over a hundred thousand Otherworldly Demons?"

"I heard that even the weakest of the Otherworldly Demons was at Saint 3-dan..."

Unable to take it any longer, someone in the crowd asked, "How did he manage to do it? Brother Wu, who in the world is that fellow?"

"It's the person whom you said is unqualified to become a master teacher..." Brother Wu clenched his fists tightly together. "Zhang Xuan!"

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Chapter 1785: The Truth of His Identity

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang Xuan?"

"It's actually him..."

Silence filled the area, and countless lips trembled in disbelief.

Due to someone working in the background to spread the matter between Zhang Xuan and the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Spirit God in the Temple of Confucius, within three days, everyone on the Master Teacher Continent knew of the matter.

There was no one on the Master Teacher Continent who did not scorn him. In their eyes, he was a master teacher who had failed to shoulder his responsibilities, thus opening a window of opportunity for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

As such, most thought that the judgement of the Master Teacher Pavilion was fair, and they had celebrated upon hearing the verdict.

However, no one knew that the current peace and prosperity enjoyed by mankind, such that even ordinary cultivators could descend into the Subterranean Galleries, was due to the work of the individual whom they loathed.

He had given his all for mankind, only to be forced by the very mankind that he had chosen to protect to commit suicide.

Just how despaired must he have been feeling when he ended his life?

"When Zhang Xuan committed suicide, his students barged into the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and pummeled every single 9-star master teacher present. Yet, not a single person dared to retaliate. Do you know why that's the case?" Brother Wu questioned.

The crowd shook their heads.

"That's because they knew that they wouldn't enjoy the current peace without Zhang shi. If not for Zhang shi's sacrifice, the Master Teacher Continent might already have been torn apart by war!"

"I don't understand!" a middle-aged man amid the crowd suddenly said up. "Since the Master Teacher Pavilion knows of his contribution, why doesn't it try to explain the matter and resolve the misunderstandings? Why did it go to the extent of forcing him to end his life?"

Hearing those words, the crowd quickly nodded in agreement.

Zhang Xuan's immense contribution to mankind should have been enough to strike off any mistakes that he had made. Why did the Master Teacher Pavilion still go to the extent of pushing him over the edge?

"If I'm not mistaken, it's likely due to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe pulling some strings behind the scenes. It's said that Sovereign Chen Xing and Sovereign Chen Ling were in the Temple of Confucius back then, and they ended up escaping. Most likely, they are the ones who have been spreading the rumors!"

At that point, Brother Wu sighed deeply before continuing. "Due to the news spreading like wildfire, many master teachers were rallied to gather outside the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and they demanded the headquarters to hand Zhang Xuan over. While Zhang Xuan had made great contributions to mankind, it's also a fact that he had allowed the Spirit God to escape with the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn in hand. Had the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters chosen to side with Zhang Xuan, it would have caused the world to lose confidence in their judgement, and it might have sown internal discord among mankind. In order to placate the riled master teachers, Zhang Xuan chose to end his life so as to offer a satisfactory explanation to the world."

"If that's truly the case, he's a true master teacher!"

"To hold onto his faith and sacrifice himself bravely, that's the mark of a true hero..."

"By ending his life, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe will no longer be able to exploit the matter to rally the populace against the Master Teacher Pavilion. At the same time, the Master Teacher Pavilion will be granted some breathing space to reorganize their members and weed out spies hiding on the Master Teacher Continent. There's no doubt that his choice has helped to avert a major crisis for mankind, but... this is simply too unfair for him! He has done so much for mankind, only to be met with such a bitter end eventually!"

"We are truly indebted to him..."

...

The crowd widened their eyes in realization.

This was simply human nature. On the very grounds that Zhang Xuan was a master teacher, everyone imposed higher moral standards on him. As soon as he made a mistake, regardless of whether it was unintentional or not, it was magnified manyfold and used as a weapon to crack a hole in his reputation.

Look, even a person of such character can be a master teacher! Don't you think that the Master Teacher Pavilion has fallen over the years?

How can someone of such character be qualified to be a master teacher?

Yet, they failed to realize that master teachers were not puppets; they were fallible humans. They could not possibly be right all of the time, and they had their selfish whims as well.

The lofty reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion had become both its greatest asset and its greatest weakness.

It was within their expectations for a master teacher to do good deeds, so their accomplishments were often left unnoticed. However, as soon as they erred, word would spread that 'this master teacher has finally revealed the hideous personality that he has been hiding all along'.

This was similar to how if an absolute villain were occasionally carried out some good deeds, people would think that the villain's personality was actually not as bad as it seemed.

This was the same situation that Zhang shi had faced.

To be in a relationship with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Spirit God and allow the latter to take away the Great Codex and Spring and Autumn was an unforgivable failure for an esteemed master teacher. There was nothing that Zhang Xuan could have done that would absolve him of this crime. Had the Master Teacher Pavilion tried to protect him, they would have come under fire as well.

Cornered and left with no choice, Zhang shi could only end his life out of despair.

It might have seemed as if everything had been resolved, but this was actually a huge loss for mankind. The brightest star of mankind had truly fallen.

"Indeed. Zhang shi might have been young, but he accomplished what countless master teachers failed to achieve in their lifetime. He's the man I respect the most in the world, and I'm willing to devote my life to pursuing him!" Brother Wu nodded in determination.

"I didn't know about this. I thought that he betrayed mankind. Now that I know the truth, I'll do the same as well. I won't allow someone who sacrificed so much for mankind to have his reputation besmirched!"

"Count me in as well!"

The crowd beneath the clock tower nodded in determination.

Since he was a good person, they could not allow him to be insulted even after his death!

...

In the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, Ren Qingyuan was troubled. "Yang shi, I don't understand. Why did Zhang shi choose this course of action? Why didn't he at least try to explain himself?"

He was truly unable to make sense of the situation.

This was a matter that could possibly be resolved by Zhang Xuan explaining himself, so why did he have to go to the extent of committing suicide?

"I asked the Xingmeng Sword Saints about this matter as well, and they told me that Senior had assimilated the blood of Ancient Sage Hongtian!" Yang shi said.

Hearing an unexpected response, Ren Qingyuan frowned in confusion. "He'd assimilated the blood of Ancient Sage Hongtian?"

"Ancient Sage Hongtian was a Blood Reincarnation realm cultivator!" Yang shi explained.

"Blood Reincarnation realm cultivator... Assimilating Ancient Sage Hongtian's blood... Wait a moment. Could it be that..." Ren Qingyuan narrowed his mind as a thought came to his mind.

"That's right!" Yang shi nodded. "The reason that my senior chose to end his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters is likely more than an explanation to mankind. He probably has some other motives in mind. As for the specifics, I'm afraid that I'm incapable of guessing his thoughts..."

"In other words... Zhang shi isn't dead yet?" Ren Qingyuan clenched his fists in agitation.

He had thought that the young man had truly passed away, and he had grieved for so long. However, if the young man had truly assimilated the blood of a Blood Reincarnation realm cultivator, it was unlikely that he would die so easily.

"I'll have to ask you to regard this matter with utmost secrecy. Do not speak of it before anyone else!" Seeing the agitated look on Ren Qingyuan's face, Yang shi strictly warned him.

"Rest assured, I understand!" Ren Qingyuan hurriedly nodded.

"Good." Yang shi nodded before falling silent.

Shortly after Ren Qingyuan left the room, Yang shi waved his hand, and he teleported into a unique folded space.

The flow of time in that folded space was noticeably different from that of the Master Teacher Continent. It was much slower, such that ten days in the outside world could translate into the passing of a single day within the folded space.

"You're here..."

Upon seeing Yang shi, an Ancient Sage of the Master Teacher Pavilion awoke from his slumber and rose up.

Before long, a few other Ancient Sages flew over and gathered around him.

They were the few Ancient Sages who had survived the battle against Sovereign Chen Yong back in the Temple of Confucius. Ancient Sage Yan Qing was also among the crowd.

"You said that you had some matters you wish to inform us of. What is it?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked.

Back when they were in the Temple of Confucius, Yang shi had said that he had something to inform them of, but it had not been convenient for them to speak back there due to the confidentiality of the matter.

"What I want to tell you is Zhang shi's true identity!" Yang shi bowed deeply before slowly raising his head.

"His true identity?"

The crowd frowned in bewilderment, unsure what Yang shi was driving at.

Was Zhang Xuan not a master teacher? What other identity could he possibly possess?

"That's right!" Yang shi nodded. "To be honest with all of you, he's not just a master teacher but also a... Celestial Master Teacher!"

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Chapter 1786: Descending into the Subterranean Gallery with Sovereign Chen Yong

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Celestial Master Teacher?"

Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others felt hoarseness at the back of their throats as they widened their eyes in incredulity.

"Are you saying that young man is a Celestial Master Teacher... just like Kong shi?"

It was no wonder that they were skeptical after hearing Yang shi's words. For tens of thousands of years after Kong shi's passing, there had been no Celestial Master Teacher in the world. Yet, Yang shi was actually telling them that Zhang Xuan was a Celestial Master Teacher!

"That's right!" Yang shi nodded. "He's a master teacher who is acknowledged by even the heavens themselves!"

"But he..."

The lips of Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others tremored nonstop. The shock that zapped their minds rendered them incapable of speech.

In terms of importance, it went without saying that a Celestial Master Teacher was far more important than the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn! It had not been easy for a new Celestial Master Teacher to appear among them, but they had actually cornered the other party to the point where he had to end his life.

If they had a choice, they would have rather died in his place!

"He single-handedly destroyed 110,000 Otherworldly Demons back in the Subterranean Gallery, and every single student that he has taught grew to be an incredible expert as well... I should have guessed it right from the start... Putong!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing fell weakly to the ground as he stared blankly ahead of him.

Had he known that the other party was a Celestial Master Teacher, he never would have forced the other party to offer an explanation to the Master Teacher Pavilion. However... there was nothing that he could say that would have changed anything anymore.

"It's fortunate that he isn't dead yet... but where did he go?" Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked doubtfully.

The Ancient Sages present were aware that Zhang Xuan had assimilated Zhang Hongtian's bloodline, so it was unlikely that whatever had happened at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would have been able to kill him.

"I don't know either..." Yang shi shook his head worriedly.

As soon as he heard that Zhang Xuan had committed suicide, he had rushed over in hopes of saving him. However, he had found that the other party's corpse had vanished into thin air instead, and there was no trace of him around.

As such, the other party's whereabouts had become a mystery.

"We have to dispatch our men to find him as soon as possible. Make sure not to reveal his identity as the Celestial Master Teacher for the time being. Unless he becomes an Ancient Sage, he will be in grave danger once the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe learn of his true identity!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing instructed.

Only an Ancient Sage would stand a chance against other Ancient Sages. To the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, the emergence of a Celestial Master Teacher was something that was much more horrifying than the notion of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn falling into the hands of mankind.

It was very likely that they might even send Ancient Sages to assassinate Zhang Xuan so as to eliminate the problem before it got any worse.

"Un!" Yang shi nodded.

He knew the importance of maintaining confidentiality over this matter, or else he would not have kept it to himself for so long.

"As long as he becomes an Ancient Sage and reveals his identity as the Celestial Master Teacher, whatever misunderstandings there are out there will swiftly unravel themselves," one of the Ancient Sages remarked.

Due to Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing working behind the scenes, most of the populace had a terrible impression of Zhang Xuan. However, if he could reveal his identity, whatever doubts the others had of him would swiftly dissipate.

After all, who would dare question a master teacher who was acknowledged by even the heavens themselves?

"I guess that's the only thing that we can hope for at the moment!" Yang shi sighed.

...

The crowd gathered beneath the clock tower spoke with ardor, vowing to become spokespersons to cleanse Zhang Xuan's reputation. Too caught up in the moment, they failed to notice two figures leaning in the shadows in the corner of the room.

They were a young man and an adolescent boy.

The adolescent boy's face was slightly pale, and it seemed like he had sustained significant injuries.

The young man heard the words of the crowd, but he simply shook his head with a faint smile, not joining in at all. Instead, he turned his gaze to the adolescent boy beside him and asked, "How are you feeling at the moment?"

"Young Master, I'm fine. I won't die just yet!" The adolescent boy shook his head as a glint flashed through his eyes. "I should be able to survive till the moment I catch those two traitors!"

The adolescent boy was none other than Wu Chen, as well as Sovereign Chen Yong!

Due to the schemes of Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing, he had ended up coming to blows with Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others. Afterward, those two fellows had also arrived in person and attempted to end his life with their own hands.

Even though he had managed to survive the ordeal, he had also drained himself in the midst of doing so.

Were it not for hatred fueling his willpower, he might have succumbed already.

Hearing that Wu Chen was still able to hold on for the time being, the young man nodded. "Un, that's good."

"Young Master, what about you?" Wu Chen's gaze was filled with worry. "Even though you managed to survive due to the Ancient Sage blood within your body, there's no denying that your body has taken a huge blow due to that matter. It'll probably take quite some time for you to recover from your injuries..."

The Young Master whom Wu Chen spoke of was none other than Zhang Xuan.

Even Blood Reincarnation realm experts would require a certain period of time and sufficient energy in order to heal up after they were killed. Considering that Zhang Xuan was only an Aureate Body realm cultivator who had assimilated some Ancient Sage blood, it was inevitable that his regenerative ability would be far inferior to that of true Blood Reincarnation realm cultivators. As such, the damage that he had incurred was much greater.

"I'm still feeling a little weak even after resting for ten days. In my current state, I won't even be a match for Saint 1-dan cultivators. However, I think my injuries are almost healed up now. As long as my body recovers, it shouldn't be too difficult for me to regain my cultivation," Zhang Xuan replied with a bitter smile.

He had not thought that the side effects of blood reincarnation would actually be so heavy.

However, with his Heaven's Path Divine Art and Heaven's Path zhenqi, he should be able to recover his strength swiftly once his injuries healed up.

Sovereign Chen Yong nodded before falling silent.

The 110,000 soldiers that Zhang Xuan had killed were all Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing's soldiers—all of Wu Chen's subordinates had obeyed his orders and retreated at his command. As such, while Wu Chen lamented the death of his tribesmen, he did not bear too much of a grudge against Zhang Xuan.

At the same time, he also knew that the young man was the one whom the Spirit God had chosen, and the young man was also the one who had stood up for him and saved his life at that crucial moment. Thus, he had a rather high opinion of the young man and was willing to follow his orders.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before asking once more, "Are you certain that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Celestial Azure Altar is able to reach the Spirit God?"

The reason that he had chosen to end his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters was not because he wanted to escape trouble. Instead, he wanted to take this opportunity to infiltrate the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and resolve the threat once and for all. At the same time, this was also a chance for him to uncover Luo Ruoxin's whereabouts.

Thus, as soon as his body recovered a little, he altered his appearances and had Wu Chen take him there.

"Un. That's how I communicated with the Spirit God previously!" Wu Chen nodded.

The Spirit God had already returned to her world, so the only way to communicate with her was through certain altars. However, the altars that could reach her required a much larger altar and a unique ritual, conditions that could only be realized back at the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"That's a relief," Zhang Xuan said.

He wanted to confirm where Luo Ruoxin was before heading over to look for her. Since that was the case, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had become a place that he needed to visit.

"But Young Master, such a large-scale ritual will require the cooperation of many humans and even Ancient Sages. I fear that Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing have already proclaimed my death and prepared a death trap for if we dare approach," Sovereign Chen Yong said.

If he had been at his peak, there would have been nothing for him to fear. However, in his current state...

If he was encircled by the forces of Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing, the only fate that awaited him was death.

"We'll just have to take a step at a time and see." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was meaningless to think too deeply into the matter. They would just have to count every step that they took and try their best to adapt to whatever came their way.

In any case, with their disguise ability, as long as they did not reveal their true identities, it should not be too difficult for them to infiltrate the royal palace!

While Zhang Xuan was chatting with Wu Chen, 'Brother Wu' suddenly stepped out of the crowd and said, "Comrades, the snowstorm has ended. We'll be entering the Icysea Subterranean Gallery now. Is there anyone who wishes to travel together with us? My name is Wu Kuang, and I am a Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivator. I'll be able to guarantee your safety if you travel together with me..."

He was the strongest individual among the crowd. Considering that the threat of the Otherworldly Demons had vanished from the Icysea Subterranean Gallery, a Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivator was indeed enough to guarantee the safety of them all.

Zhang Xuan took a look around and noticed that the snowstorm had indeed died down. Chilly air gushed into the decrepit clock tower, causing robes to flutter noisily.

"I wish to travel together with you!"

"Me too, me too..."

More than a dozen cultivators stepped forward with their eyes gleaming in excitement.

It went without saying that Brother Wu's offer was invaluable. At the very least, they should be able to overcome most dangers under his protection.

"We also wish to travel with you..." Zhang Xuan and Wu Chen stepped forward as well.

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Chapter 1787: Mapleleaf Wolf

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The two of you as well?" Wu Kuang frowned.

While the armies of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had retreated from the Subterranean Galleries, there were still quite a few Otherworldly Demons lingering in the area. Since this was called an expedition, it went without saying that they would face a fair amount of danger. A teammate that was too weak could potentially drag down the entire group.

Of the two men standing before him, the adolescent boy had a pale face, which indicated that he was severely injured, and the young man had a sickly look on his face. Judging from their strength, it seemed like they had not even reached Saint 1-dan yet. Without a doubt, they would be a huge burden!

"I don't know why you wish to enter the Subterranean Gallery, but I would still like to offer you a word of advice. Don't treat your life as a joke!" Wu Kuang advised.

"I am thankful for your kind advice, Wu shi, but the two of us have a compelling reason to enter the Subterranean Gallery. Don't worry, we'll just follow at the back of your group. As for the dangers that may come, we'll bear them on our own so as to not drag you down!" Zhang Xuan replied with a kind smile.

To think that the day would come when an Aureate Body realm consummation cultivator like him would be looked down on by a Saint 4-dan cultivator... How stifling the situation was!

"If you are insistent on entering the Subterranean Gallery, then come along, but let me make this clear. Just as you said, I won't be able to guarantee your safety!" Wu Kuang said before falling silent.

In the end, everyone had their own lives to live. He had already done his part by offering the two men his advice, but they had still opted to tag along. Thus, if they really faced any danger, they could not blame them for not offering their help.

After all, no one there owed the duo anything. If they saved the two of them from danger, it would be out of the kindness of their hearts and not a duty.

"They are really courting death..."

"They must never have suffered any setbacks in their life, so they don't understand what danger means!"

Seeing the two of them insisting on joining them on the expedition to the Subterranean Gallery, looks of disdain appeared on the faces of the crowd.

As cultivators who had not even reached Saint 1-dan, they were incapable of flight. If danger came knocking, they would not even be able to escape. It was utter foolishness to enter the Subterranean Gallery in their current state!

Shaking their heads in disapproval, the crowd walked out of the decrepit clock tower and began making their way toward a building in front. Barely after walking for a couple of minutes, several combat masters appeared and stopped them.

"I am 7-star Master Teacher Wu Kuang. This is my travel permit!" Wu Kuang said.

One of the combat masters took the travel permit and examined it thoroughly before nodding in approval. "Alright, you may enter. You only have three days inside. You must make sure to leave the premises within three days, understood?"

"Rest assured, I understand!" Wu Kuang replied with a smile before leading the crowd in.

While the entrance of the Subterranean Gallery had been opened to allow ordinary master teachers and cultivators to enter, they still had to present travel permits in advance. Otherwise, if anyone was allowed to enter the Subterranean Gallery, it could lead to chaos. No matter what, it was still a sensitive area, so the Master Teacher Pavilion still had to establish some level of access control.

The entrance to the Icysea Subterranean Gallery was within the building.

As soon as the crowd entered the Subterranean Gallery, the first thing that they noticed was the disconcerting killing intent that drifted all around them.

Wu Kuang led the group to a clearing before instructing them to rest. "This is your first time in here, so your body will require some time to adapt to the conditions here. Otherwise, if the killing intent corrodes your consciousness, it might lead to inner demons breeding within you!"

Killing intent was not a force that should be underestimated. Cultivators with weaker mental resilience were extremely vulnerable to it, and the slightest lapse in one's guard could easily lead to irreparable trauma.

Even though most of the cultivators who had entered had reached Sainthood, they would still need some time for them to get used to the killing intent before it would be safe for them to walk around the area.

"Should we..." Seeing that the crowd was going to rest, Wu Chen turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan to ask if they should proceed alone.

Even though they were injured and had not recovered their cultivation yet, killing intent of such a level could not pose a threat to them anymore. There was no need for them to waste precious time there.

"I understand what you are concerned about, but we can't rush this matter. Even if we hurry there in our current state, there will be nothing that we can do. It'll be better for us to slowly recover our strength while traveling; at the very least, it will be much safer this way!" Zhang Xuan said.

Even though the surrounding killing intent was disconcerting to humans, this was the kind of environment that Wu Chen had grown up in. He could recover far faster there than on the Master Teacher Continent.

Hearing those words, Wu Chen nodded in agreement.

It was indeed not advisable for them to rush over to confront Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing in their current states. Most likely, those two had already prepared some kind of trap for their return, so the least they could do was recover their cultivation before making a move.

Furthermore, remaining hidden was actually advantageous to the two of them. They would be able to keep track of Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing's movements and prepare countermeasures from the shadows.

The crowd sat down silently around the clearing as they struggled to get used to the uncomfortable killing intent around them. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness into his folded space and took out an artifact that stored spiritual energy. He discreetly absorbed the spiritual energy through his acupoints and refined it into Heaven's Path zhenqi.

The blood of Blood Reincarnation realm cultivators granted one the incredible regenerative capability to recover from any near-death state, but that did not mean that there were no side effects. For one, it would consume one's vitality significantly, thus reducing one's lifespan. This was also probably the reason that Zhang Hongtian had reached the end of his lifespan swifter than the other Ancient Sages despite his younger age and higher cultivation.

Despite the heavy price that he had to pay, Zhang Xuan still thought that it was necessary for him to make such a move. Firstly, it was the most effective method to calm the unrest caused by the loss of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. Secondly, it created a good opportunity for him to sneak into the land of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, especially since they would lower their guard after hearing of his death.

Gugugu!

As spiritual energy gushed into his body, zhenqi swiftly accumulated within him, causing his cultivation to surge.

It did not take long for him to reach Sainthood, followed by 1-dan, 2-dan...

In less than an hour, he had already recovered to Saint 3-dan.

Sha sha sha!

While Zhang Xuan was still trying his best to recover his cultivation, he suddenly heard a series of scratching sounds from his surroundings. He immediately opened his eyes and gazed into the distance.

A frown emerged on Wu Chen's forehead as well.

"What is it?"

As Zhang Xuan was unfamiliar with the environment in the Subterranean Gallery, he could only ask Wu Chen about the matter.

"It's a Mapleleaf Wolf. It's able to grow stronger through taking in the energy of the crimson moon. A typical Mapleleaf Wolf King can reach Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm," Wu Chen explained.

"Mapleleaf Wolf?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding.

Even though the environment in the Subterranean Gallery was extremely harsh, there were still plants and animals that thrived in such conditions. Zhang Xuan had never heard of a Mapleleaf Wolf before, but it did not seem like an opponent that they could easily deal with in their current state.

While Zhang Xuan was communicating with Wu Chen, Wu Kuang also seemed to have noticed something. With a loud exclamation, he rose to his feet. "Everyone, be careful. I can feel something coming in our direction!"

Huala!

Shortly after he said those words, a pack of eight wolves arrived at the clearing. They swiftly encircled the crowd, sealing off the escape routes.

The wolves were gray in color, but there was a clump of white hair on their forehead, reminiscent of a maple leaf.

Even though there were not too many of them, the ferocious auras that each of the wolves emanated still caused the faces of the crowd to pale in fright.

"Don't bother struggling." That cold bellow seemed to freeze the air. "Obediently become our fodder, and we can consider granting you a painless death!"

Following which, a wolf cloaked in snowy fur walked out from the pack. It had a pair of crimson eyes that seemed to reflect the savage acts that it had committed in its lifetime.

"A Leaving Aperture realm beast?" Wu Kuang's body stiffened in horror.

The faces of the cultivators in the area paled as well.

They had never thought that their luck would be so horrid.

Their plan had been to swiftly gather a couple of valuable herbs growing within the Subterranean Gallery before leaving the area to sell their loot and earn their fortune. Yet, who could have known that barely after entering the Subterranean Gallery, before they could even adapt to the surrounding killing intent, they would actually be confronted by such powerful beasts?

Growing in an environment suffused with killing intent, the Mapleleaf Wolves were far more aggressive and tenacious than their master teacher counterparts, making them difficult adversaries to deal with. To make matters worse, there was also a Wolf King amid the pack!

Were they going to lose their lives when they had entered the Subterranean Gallery barely a moment prior?

"Prepare yourselves for battle!" Wu Kuang took a deep breath as he eyed the Mapleleaf Wolves around him warily.

With a flick of his wrist, he whipped out a sword and dashed right for the Wolf King!

Their only chance at survival was to kill the Wolf King as quickly as possible. As long as they took down the Wolf King, dealing with the other Mapleleaf Wolves would be within their means.

Seeing that a human dared to challenge it right from the get go, the Wolf King sneered coldly. "Wu!"

Disdain surfaced in its crimson eyes as it swiped its claws forward.

Bam!

Killing intent poured forth, filling the area with the stench of blood. Before Wu Kuang could even process what was going on, he had already been sent flying into the distance.

To think that even a 7-star pinnacle master teacher would be unable to withstand a single strike from the Mapleleaf Wolf King!

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Chapter 1788: A Shout to Drive Them All Away

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The other members of the group shuddered in fear as regret covered their faces.

They had heard many rumors about how the Subterranean Galleries were littered with treasures, and that as long as their luck was not too bad, they would be able to make a killing just by entering the premises. With the fortune earned, they would be able to purchase sufficient resources to advance their cultivation. Never in their wildest dreams could they have expected to encounter such a powerful pack of wolves within an hour of entering the Subterranean Gallery, such that even the strongest among them, Wu shi, was defeated in a single blow!

If even Wu shi was no match for them, what in the world could they do about the Mapleleaf Wolves?

"We have to coordinate with one another to deal with those wolves. Otherwise, we might all lose our lives here..." one of the elders uttered through tightly gritted teeth as he took out his spear.

Infusing his spear with his zhenqi, he drove his spear forward as if a viper leaping forth for a kill.

His cultivation was only at Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm primary stage, but he was able to bring out the imposing might of a spearmaster. Had it been any other occasion, he might have won himself the admiration of others.

However, in the eyes of the pack of wolves, the strength that he could summon was nothing.

Hula!

One of the Mapleleaf Wolves leaped forward. With a simple bite, the gray wolf stopped the spear in its track. At the same time, it swiped its claw forward toward the elder, and gruesome lacerations immediately appeared on the chest of the elder.

"Luo Gong!"

Seeing that the elder had been injured, the middle-aged man beside him immediately whipped out his weapon and charged forth as well. At the same time, the remaining members of the crowd also realized what treacherous circumstances they were in, so they followed suit and executed their strongest moves without the slightest hesitation.

Peng peng peng peng!

The sound of popping rucksacks filled the air. The crowd that had charged forward were sent flying backward with even greater momentum, and they collapsed onto the floor cloaked in dust. Crimson blood oozed from the corners of their lips.

There was simply too great a disparity in their fighting prowess, and the fact that they were in an unfamiliar environment worsened the situation. As a result, the battle ended before it could even start.

Seeing how his group had been defeated with such ease, Wu Kuang despaired.

Had he known that this would happen, he would have ventured into the Subterranean Gallery alone. If so, he would have had no qualms turning tail and fleeing.

But in their current situation... it seemed like they were doomed to lose their lives.

Just as Wu Kuang gave up all hope, he caught sight of the duo whom he had been unwilling to bring along seated calmly by the side, not moving at all despite the onslaught of the Mapleleaf Wolves.

It was as if they were oblivious to the battle.

"They..." He wanted to rage at them for their nonchalance, but he eventually sighed instead and muttered, "Forget it. Given their strength, it would be futile even if they came over to help us..."

A severely wounded adolescent boy and a young man who had not even reached Saint 1-dan... Considering how even a 7-star pinnacle master teacher like him was unable to match the Mapleleaf Wolves, it would not have made any difference even if those two fellows had helped them.

"The energy harnessed within the body of a master teacher is much purer than ordinary human cultivators. I want this one. As for the rest, I'll leave it to you to distribute them as you deem fit!" Seeing that their prey had finally given up on struggling, the Wolf King coldly issued its orders before making its way toward Wu Kuang.

Regardless of whether it was for the Otherworldly Demons or those of the Beast Tribe, the pure zhenqi that coursed through the meridians of master teachers was an invaluable tonic to further their cultivation.

Watching as the Wolf King slowly approached him, Wu Kuang knew that his fate was sealed, and he lowered his gaze melancholically. "I never thought that I, Wu Kuang, would die here in such a manner..."

He had thought that he would be able to achieve something big by coming down to the Subterranean Gallery, but before he could accomplish anything, everything had already come to an end.

He discreetly channeled all of his strength, intending to end his life together with the Wolf King, but before he could make a move, the ground abruptly shuddered. A deep voice sounded from beneath the ground, jolting everyone's soul.

"Scram!"

Hong long!

The voice was extremely cold, reminiscent of a sharp gale in the midst of the winter solstice. The shout was filled with a menacing threat that caused the hair of the Mapleleaf Wolf King and its pack to stand in alarm. They subconsciously retreated from the area, their massive bodies shuddering fearfully as blood trickled down their lips.

A mere bellow actually inflicted internal injuries on all of them simultaneously!

The Wolf King eyed the surroundings apprehensively, trying to find the expert who had just made a move on them.

However, the surroundings were completely empty. There was no one to be seen. A light breeze blew across the darkness as the Mapleleaf Wolves felt their blood slowly freezing.

The voice earlier had been deep, but it had seemed to stab right into their souls. It had felt as if they would be slaughtered right away if they dared make a move on those humans.

"Let's go!"

Fearing that the expert would really make a move on them, the Wolf King anxiously ordered their retreat with trembling lips. Squeezing their tails between their legs, they turned around and fled as quickly as they could.

Those were just a bunch of human master teachers. As delectable their flesh might be, it could not possibly be more valuable than their lives.

Seeing the pack of wolves fleeing, Wu Kuang and the crowd glanced at one another with a mixture of apprehensive and relief on their faces before swiftly kneeling onto the floor and kowtowing profusely.

"Elder, thank you for saving our lives!"

Even though they did not know where the elder was, the fact that the other party had saved them likely meant that the other party could see their actions from where he was.

They continued kowtowing to express their gratitude for a very long time, but no one stepped forth in response to their actions. It was as if the elder was just a figment of their imagination, and they were simply thinking too much.

Seeing that there was no response at all, Luo Gong turned to Wu Kuang and asked, "Wu shi, what do we do now?"

Wu Kuang pondered for a moment before saying, "It's impossible for us to fathom the thoughts of those true experts. Since he doesn't wish to meet us, we should quickly take our leave!"

They had gone to such an extent to thank the elder, but the elder simply refused to appear. This showed that the elder was unwilling to reveal himself, and there was no point forcing the matter.

"Un!"

With the previous incident with the Mapleleaf Wolves, the crowd realized how treacherous the Subterranean Gallery could be even without any Otherworldly Demons in the area. They were unwilling to remain there for too long, so they swiftly got to their feet and began trudging forward.

They traveled for roughly an hour, and fortunately, they did not encounter any more danger. Sighs of relief subconsciously escaped from their lips.

"I know a place in here where we can find medicinal herbs," Wu Kuang said. "We should hurry there, harvest the medicinal herbs, and leave this area. Otherwise, danger might come knocking on our doors once more!"

Since they had already gone down to the dangerous Subterranean Gallery, they could not possibly back away without obtaining anything.

The others nodded in agreement.

A middle-aged man suddenly stood out from the crowd and said, "Before moving ahead, I would like to say something!"

The crowd quickly turned their gazes over.

"During the encounter with the Mapleleaf Wolves earlier, those two over there remained completely still, not contributing anything at all. I suggest that we don't take them to where the medicinal herbs are!" The middle-aged man harrumphed as he pointed his finger at Zhang Xuan and Wu Chen.

Earlier when the Mapleleaf Wolves attacked, they had remained seated on the floor as if they were sculptures. Despite that, they still had the cheek to follow them to harvest the invaluable medicinal herbs. Just how thick could their skin be?

"Indeed! We shouldn't bring them along!"

"They are of no use at all. They will only be a burden if we bring them along!"

A couple of others nodded in agreement.

Since they were going to venture into perilous lands, it would be best for their group to be as powerful as possible. Those two fellows could not contribute anything at all, but they wanted to tag along with the group. Were they really going to split the medicinal herbs with those two useless buffoons?

Hearing the words of the crowd, a slight frown appeared on Wu Kuang's forehead as he turned to the duo and asked, "Do you two have anything to say for yourselves?"

It was not that he wanted to abandon the two of them, but the way that those two had reacted in the face of the Mapleleaf Wolves was simply too disheartening. It would be unfair for the entire group to split the medicinal herbs with them, considering that they had done nothing of merit for the group.

Wu Chen was just about to speak up when Zhang Xuan interjected with a wave of his hand. "I don't have anything to say..."

"What are you waiting for then? Scram!" the middle-aged man spat coldly.

"Well, take care of yourselves..."

Seeing that they were not welcome in the group, Zhang Xuan shook his head and walked away. At that moment, however, a powerful aura suddenly crushed down on the crowd. Right after, a massive bald eagle could be seen gliding swiftly in their direction.

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Chapter 1789: He Is the Hidden Elder!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Similar to the Mapleleaf Wolf King, the massive bald eagle was a Saint 5-dan beast. Its eyes were an eerie crimson, and its feathers were as tough as steel. They hung onto its body like Saint intermediate-tier artifacts. It would be difficult to even breach its defenses, let alone kill it.

"It's a Bloodeye Bald Eagle!"

"Sh*t! We're really doomed now!"

The crowd had never thought that they would be so unlucky as to encounter such a powerful enemy shortly after escaping from the Wolf King. With such a turn of events, they no longer waste any of their time making things difficult for Zhang and Wu Chen. Instead, they turned to the new foe with livid expressions on their faces.

The Bloodeye Bald Eagle enjoyed an even greater reputation than the Mapleleaf Wolf King. It was not that it was stronger than the latter, but it had the vicious reputation of torturing its victims before killing them.

In other words, even if it could kill its prey in a single move, it would choose to inflict minor wounds all over its prey to gradually weaken it until it finally died of blood loss. Without a doubt, this was an extremely vicious way of hunting, aiming to prolong the agony of the victim for as long as possible.

Furthermore, it was extremely agile and skilled at maneuvering in the air, making it difficult to avoid its attacks or escape from it. As such, most cultivators would rather encounter ten Mapleleaf Wolf Kings than be faced with this fellow.

Even if ten Wolf Kings encircled them, with sufficient luck, they might still be able to get away. However, against the Bloodeye Bald Eagle, their fates were pretty much sealed!

"We'll just have to fight for our lives!" Wu Kuang said grimly as he clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails sunk into his palms.

It was as if they had brought the God of Misfortune along with them. Most adventurers were able to travel through the Subterranean Gallery relatively safely and return to the surface with many treasures in hand. Yet, who could have known that within less than two hours of entering the area, they would have already met with two waves of powerful beasts?

"We can only hope for the best..."

The crowd muttered as they whipped out their weapons and got into defensive positions.

The Bloodeye Bald Eagle could sense the anxiety among the crowd, and a hint of derision surfaced in its crimson eyes. With a flap of its massive wings, a furious tempest immediately whipped up in the surroundings. Countless rocks, both large and small, were swept into the air, and they shot toward the crowd like cannonballs.

Ding ding ding ding!

The crowd was caught off guard by the attack. They hurriedly brandished their weapons to deflect the incoming rocks, but they were only just able to stand their ground. Their hands were bleeding from the powerful impact against the rocks, and their arms had gone slightly numb.

Retreating a few steps back, despair could be seen reflected in the eyes of the crowd.

If the Bloodeye Bald Eagle was able to harness so much power with just a casual flap of its wings, it was likely that they would be completely helpless if they confronted it directly. They could not see any way that they could possibly make it out of the situation alive.

"It looks like we are really cornered now. We should have backed out when we had the chance," Wu Kuang muttered in desolation.

They had been lucky enough to have a wandering elder save their lives the first time around, but they would be naively hopeful if they thought that it would happen again. After all, experts of that caliber could not possibly be so bored as to follow their group around.

"At the very most, I'll just implode myself. There's no way I'll allow a darned bald eagle to humiliate me..." Knowing the cruel tendencies of the Bloodeye Bald Eagle, Wu Kuang took a deep breath as he channeled all of his energy to his dantian, intending to kill himself together with the enemy. At the very least, he would be able to preserve his dignity that way.

However, before he could do it, the duo whom they had just accused of not contributing anything to the group suddenly walked out from the crowd.

Seeing that there were still two humans who dared oppose it, the ruthless eagle flapped its wings once more, intending to crush the wills of the two challengers. However, the silhouette of the young man of the duo suddenly flickered. In the next instant, the young man was already standing right before the Bloodeye Bald Eagle, directing a powerful kick right toward its face.

Peng!

The Bloodeye Bald Eagle shot right into the ground, tearing a long and narrow gorge along the hard floor.

Pilipala!

Even though the Bloodeye Bald Eagle was already grounded, the young man did not seem to have any intention of letting it off easily. He darted toward the Bloodeye Bald Eagle and launched a barrage of punches and kicks against it.

A short moment later, when the Bloodeye Bald Eagle finally recovered from the pummeling and stood up once more... it could have just been the crowd thinking too much about it, but they could have sworn that they saw deep tenderness in the crimson eyes of the beast that was known for its savagery.

Back when Zhang Xuan was dealing with the Mapleleaf Wolf King, his cultivation had only recovered up to Saint 3-dan, so it would have been difficult for him to match it in a proper fight. Thus, he could only scare it away with his soul energy. However, in the past hour of traveling, he had managed to recover up to Saint 4-dan, which meant that Saint 5-dan opponents no longer posed any threat to him.

"Let's go!" Zhang Xuan said nonchalantly before climbing onto the Bloodeye Bald Eagle together with Wu Chen.

After which, he turned to the crowd one last time and bade farewell. "We still have some matters to attend to, so we'll be taking our leave now. If fate allows it, we'll meet once more!"

The Bloodeye Bald Eagle began flapping its wings to rise into the air before gliding swiftly into the distance. It did not take long before the trio disappeared into the horizon.

"..."

"He's actually that powerful?"

"I tried driving him away earlier..."

Everyone's throat went dry as slightly dumbstruck looks surfaced on their faces.

All along, they had felt that the two of them had been dragging them down, but who could have known that they were actually powerful experts in disguise!

To be able to pummel a Saint 5-dan beast and tame it right away... what in the world was with that mystifying capability?

"If that's the case, they're likely the ones who drove the Wolf King away earlier!" Wu Kuang suddenly spoke up.

Hearing those words, the crowd was rendered speechless.

In truth, the very moment that they saw the young man make his move, they had already made sense of the situation.

Who else could the 'elder' who had saved them possibly be other than him?

Despite having saved their lives, they were actually so brazen as to demand that the other party leave their group. They were ingrates for treating their benefactors in such a manner.

All of a sudden, they felt deep regret for their actions.

...

Oblivious of the thoughts of others, Zhang Xuan sat down on the back of the Bloodeye Bald Eagle and told Wu Chen, "I'll leave it to you to navigate the way. I need to cultivate a bit more in order to recover my strength."

The urgent matter at hand was for him to recover his strength as quickly as possible.

Wu Chen nodded in agreement before relaying some instructions to the Bloodeye Bald Eagle.

Ten days later, the Bloodeye Bald Eagle lay weakly on the ground, too exhausted to even take a single step further. Thus, Zhang Xuan tamed a Saint 9-dan beast before moving on.

Five days passed, and Zhang Xuan tamed a Great Sage 2-dan beast to ferry them around.

Another five days later, Zhang Xuan relished in the immense might pulsating in his body and heaved a sigh of relief.

"My cultivation has finally recovered..."

A month had passed since he had ended his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion. Due to his humongous collection of treasures and the ingenious Heaven's Path Divine Art, he had managed to cultivate back to his peak. Not only so, perhaps because his foundations were much more secure this time around, it seemed like his strength had been considerably enhanced.

The Library of Heaven's Path still hasn't opened yet? What's going on in there? Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path, only to see its massive gates still tightly shut. A deep frown appeared in between his eyebrows.

The Library of Heaven's Path had been upgraded in the past, but the longest downtime that he had experienced was only three days. He did not think that it would remain closed even after the passing of a month. This left him feeling deeply bewildered and worried.

Zhang Xuan continued studying the Library of Heaven's Path for a moment, but he was unable to make sense of this anomaly. Heaving a deep sigh, he decided to put this matter aside for the moment.

Forget it! Since the Library of Heaven's Path is closed at the moment, this is a good opportunity for me to push to Great Sage 3-dan Intuitive Impulse realm! he thought.

He had already accumulated enough to push for a breakthrough at any moment, but the very nature of the Library of Heaven's Path prevented him from attempting a breakthrough to the Intuitive Impulse realm. Since its doors were tightly shut, this might be best moment for him to attempt a breakthrough.

Closing his eyes, he flicked his wrist and took out a droplet of Ancient Sage blood.

Due to his massive accumulation, ordinary herbs and pills were of limited effectiveness to his cultivation. Ancient Sage blood seemed to be the only thing that he had at the moment that could allow him to swiftly raise his cultivation.

The Ancient Sage blood that he had taken out this time around came from an Ancient Sage 1-dan Bloodline Continuance realm cultivator. Tapping on it lightly, the energy harnessed within the droplet of blood swiftly gushed into his body through his acupoints. He channeled the energy around his body and turned it into his own zhenqi.

Hong long!

Without any hesitation, he began driving his zhenqi to its maximum capacity as he tried to tear down the bottleneck that limited him from reaching higher realms.

There were no specific cultivation techniques for one to follow to reach higher grounds for Great Sage, but having been through the mountain of books and ocean of learning, he had already gained a thorough understanding of the cultivation realms of Great Sage. He had simulated his future breakthroughs so many times that he could not have been any more familiar with them than he already was.

With everything required in place, in less than ten minutes, Zhang Xuan could already feel a mini explosion going on in his dantian as it expanded once more. He had successfully surpassed the bottleneck of the Aureate Body realm to reach the Intuitive Impulse realm!

The first thing that he felt upon reaching that realm was a heightened sensitivity to his surroundings. It was hard to describe it, but it felt like if he focused his attention, he could simulate in his mind what would happen around him in the near future.

Knowing that the act of attempting to peer into the secrets of the heavens would cause a backlash from the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan did not dare test the ability too much. Instead, he took out another droplet of Ancient Sage blood and swallowed it.

Intuitive Impulse realm primary stage!

Intuitive Impulse realm intermediate stage!

Intuitive Impulse realm advanced stage!

...

By the fourth hour, he had already reached Intuitive Impulse realm consummation!

Alright! After I reinforce my cultivation a little, I should be able to push for a breakthrough to Great Sage 4-dan Sempiternal realm! Zhang Xuan thought with gleaming eyes.

He was just about to take out another droplet of Ancient Sage blood and continue cultivating when he felt a jolt in his head. Alarmed, Zhang Xuan hurriedly immersed his consciousness into his mind in order to see what was happening. Standing before the Library of Heaven's Path, he saw a crack opening in between the tightly-shut massive doors.

After a month of rest, the Library of Heaven's Path had actually finished upgrading shortly after he achieved a breakthrough to Intuitive Impulse realm!

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Chapter 1790: Is This Book the...

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Jiyaya!

Slowly, the crack between the two massive doors opened wider and wider. With a thought, Zhang Xuan's consciousness slipped right into the library.

He was extremely curious to see how the Library of Heaven's Path had changed after an entire month of downtime for the upgrade.

What was before his eyes were countless shelves and books that filled the entire area, extending all the way into the horizon—the same sight as always.

When he first went into the Library of Heaven's Path, most of these books were illusory in nature, similar to placeholders so as to prevent the shelves from appearing empty. However, at that moment, the shelves had been filled with countless real books that could probably fill a massive lake if thrown together.

In the year that he had spent traveling across the Master Teacher Continent, the number of books that he had read was probably far greater than what anyone else had read in their lifetime. In terms of scope and depth of knowledge, there was probably no one who could compete with him anymore.

This was especially so after he had been through the mountain of books. He had not spent too long there, but the books that he had read encompassed the various changes from the primordial era till now, thus enhancing his state of mind and wisdom.

"Hmm? There's an additional flight of stairs over here..." Walking around the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan noticed a certain change that sent his eyebrows shooting upward.

Even though the Library of Heaven's Path had a terribly high ceiling, it had appeared to be a single-story building to him so far. Who would have thought that a flight of stairs would suddenly appear in the middle of the library? Could it be that there was something valuable above?

Zhang Xuan swiftly made his way to the staircase and began walking upward, but barely after taking a step, he staggered and nearly fell flat to the ground.

"The heck? This staircase is a fake?" Zhang Xuan's complexion did not look too good.

The staircase before him was actually an illusion as well, just like the books that he had seen at the very start! Putting aside climbing to the next story, he could not even touch it!

To make a new staircase but not allow him to go up at all, what the heck was the Library of Heaven's Path up to?

"Do I have to come across the real staircase in real life in order for this staircase to become tangible?" Zhang Xuan wondered.

Back when he first obtained the Library of Heaven's Path, the books that were in there had been intangible, unable to be grabbed or read. It was only after reading innumerable books that he had managed to fill the shelves with tangible books. Could it be the same for the staircase?

Just that... he could understand the idea of reading books to fill the shelves, but how in the world was he going to find the relevant staircases to make it tangible?

"Forget it!" Unable to make sense of the situation, Zhang Xuan shook his head before moving ahead.

A moment later, he stopped again.

Other than the staircase, he noticed some changes in the internal structure of the Library of Heaven's Path. Unknowingly, in the depths of the library, a new silent chamber had appeared.

From the exterior, the chamber seemed to resemble the shape of a massive book.

"Reading Chamber?" Zhang Xuan read the words on the plaque hanging by the entrance of the chamber.

It was indeed true that most libraries had areas reserved for visitors to read their books quietly, but the Library of Heaven's Path never had such a thing before. Was this a new function that had come with the recent upgrade?

Would he be able to read books faster within the Reading Chamber or something?

Harboring such doubts in mind, Zhang Xuan pushed open the door and entered the premises.

Unlike the staircase, the door was tangible enough for him to open it easily with a push. As soon as he stepped in, he noticed something that made his face warp in astonishment.

"The flow of time in here is actually different from that outside?"

With his comprehension of the Time Quintessence, he could easily sense the difference in the flow of time within the Reading Chamber.

"The difference in the flow of time should be around one to ten!" Zhang Xuan analyzed.

A flow of time of one to ten meant that even if he cultivated within the Reading Chamber for ten days, only a day would have passed in the external world!

"However, since only my consciousness is able to get into the Library of Heaven's Path, I'll only be able to sharpen my battle techniques here. It won't benefit my cultivation!"

After relishing in the discovery for a moment, the downsides to the effects of the Reading Chambers slowly became apparent to him as well.

It was similar to the Blood Reservoir of the Zhang Clan in the sense that only his consciousness was able to access the Reading Chamber. As such, he could only temper his will, enhance his knowledge, and refine his battle techniques there. As for advancing his cultivation and such, as his body was unable to access this area, he would not be able to enjoy the benefits of the difference in the flow of time.

But again, it would not make much of a difference to him. In the first place, the Heaven's Path Divine Art did not take him too long to cultivate, so it was not too significant whether he was able to cultivate ten times faster or not.

Given the long lifespan of cultivators, whether one took six minutes to raise one's cultivation by a single stage or an hour to do so, it really did not matter.

At the very least, that was how Zhang Xuan consoled himself to assuage his disappointment at that revelation.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan was just thinking about how useless this ability was when he suddenly felt a surge of zhenqi flowing through his real body in accordance to his thoughts.

Wait a moment... Even though I'm unable to bring my body into this space, if I can still drive the zhenqi in my body from here, I should still be able to enjoy the benefits from a tenfold increase in my cultivation rate! Zhang Xuan thought in agitation.

It turned out that the Reading Chamber was not as useless as he had thought!

All in all, he had spent an entire month in order to recover from the damage that he had sustained from ending his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. If the Reading Chamber had been open to him from the very start, there was a very good chance that he could have fully recovered within three days!

In fact, if he was able to use this ability in battle as well, even if his arm was severed, he should be able to regrow his arm swiftly within a second or two through the effects of the Reading Chamber.

"This isn't just an increase in my rate of cultivation... With this, I'll be able to fight more fearlessly in battle!"

Even someone who valued efficiency as much as Zhang Xuan could hardly complain about the speed of his breakthroughs through cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art. However, the same could not be said about injuries. While the Heaven's Path zhenqi was able to heal most basic injuries, it was ineffective against internal traumas that shook his foundation. Such injuries tended to take many days to heal even for him.

For example, he had spent an entire month before he could make a full recovery this time. If someone had made use of this opportunity to assassinate him, there was no guarantee that he would have been able to protect himself.

But the very existence of this room significantly alleviated the threat.

The next time that he suffered any severe injuries, he would be able to swiftly recover and launch a counterattack!

Not only so, it seems like my thoughts are much clearer while cultivating in here. Somehow, the atmosphere is rather similar to that of the Temple of Confucius, Zhang Xuan thought with a satisfied smile.

Even though he had only been in there for a short while, he could already feel a vast amount of academic aura surging into his mind, allowing him to sort out his thoughts faster than before. He felt more refreshed than ever.

Closing his eyes, he focused his attention on reinforcing his Intuitive Impulse realm cultivation. Soon enough, he felt himself hitting a bottleneck, signifying that he was not too far away from pushing for a breakthrough to the Sempiternal realm.

It was no wonder that the Library of Heaven's Path had taken so much longer to upgrade this time around. The new functions that it had come with were indeed splendid.

He had no doubt that the new capabilities of the Library of Heaven's Path would serve him well in his future journey.

Pushing the door of the Reading Chamber open and leaving the premises, Zhang Xuan was just about to return to his body when a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, causing him to freeze on the spot.

"Wait a moment... Isn't the Reading Chamber shaped like a book? Is it possible that... it's the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn?"

The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn had indeed been tamed by Luo Ruoxin; this was something he had seen with his own eyes. However, shortly after Luo Ruoxin left, he had fallen into a coma, and the Library of Heaven's Path had begun upgrading.

It was common knowledge among the upper echelons of the Master Teacher Continent that the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn possessed the ability to sway temporal laws. Considering that the Library of Heaven's Path had suddenly been bestowed with such an ability, his thoughts could not help but wander in such a direction.

Thus, he quickly turned his gaze over to take a closer look at the newly-created Reading Chamber.

He had not noticed it before, but now that he was paying attention to the specifics, it did bear a resemblance to the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn that he had seen from afar back then.

Furthermore, the similarities did not just stop at the appearance but the aura that it emanated as well. However, the aura of the Reading Chamber felt significantly weaker than the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn that he had seen before, which was also why he did not make the connection right away.

Of course, he had not gotten into close proximity with the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn before, so he could not say for sure.

Could it be that... Ruoxin placed the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn into the Library of Heaven's Path, which triggered its upgrade? Zhang Xuan thought incredulously.

It was only at the very last moment that he had found out that Luo Ruoxin knew about the existence of the Library of Heaven's Path, and the realization filled him with bewilderment. Was it possible that she had intentionally placed the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn into the Library of Heaven's Path and allowed the two of them to fuse together in order to form that room?

Such a thing seemed too unbelievable to be true.

But if it was true by any chance... just what in the world was her real identity?

To know about the existence of the Library of Heaven's Path and even be capable enough to trigger an upgrade in it... just what kind of secrets was she concealing from him?

Zhang Xuan stared blankly ahead with a dazed look in his eyes.

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Chapter 1791: A Long Awaited Reunion

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan could not help but recall the very first time that he had met Luo Ruoxin.

The moment that he had laid eyes on her, his heart had started beating swiftly. It was a feeling of inexplicable intimacy, as if he had known her for a lifetime. He had found himself descending into a spiral of fondness for her that he could not extricate himself from.

Holding her hand tightly, they had escaped from a horde of beasts and entered a cavern. However, due to an incompatibility between his body and soul, he had fallen into a coma shortly after...

Not much later, he had reunited with her at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. He had attempted to use his Library of Heaven's Path on her, only to fall into a coma shortly after. When he woke up, he had found that his Library of Heaven's Path had been upgraded.

When he realized that he was unable to peer into Luo Ruoxin's identity through the Library of Heaven's Path, he had thought that it was because she possessed the Discarnate Constitution of Divination, so he had never bothered to ponder too deeply into it.

However, at that moment, he felt that things were not as simple as they seemed.

A thought surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind. When she left, I grabbed her palm and felt a surge of warmth flowing through my body. I didn't think too much into it, but could it be that she placed the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn into my Library of Heaven's Path back then?

Luo Ruoxin had vanished into a dimension rift right before his eyes. In order to stop her from leaving, he had attempted to hold onto her, but it was to no avail. Shortly after she disappeared, he had also fallen into a coma as a result of a jolt from the Library of Heaven's Path...

Could she have used that opportunity to gift the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn to him?

"Wasn't the reason that she descended onto the Master Teacher Continent to obtain the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn? Why did she pass it over to me?"

Luo Ruoxin's identity as the Spirit God had already been confirmed, and her motive for descending to the Master Teacher Continent was likely to procure the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn. Since that was the case... why would she place the codex with him after all the effort that she had put into obtaining it?

From the looks of it, it seemed like the prowess of the codex had diminished significantly from the first time that he had seen it. What did she do with the codex in the short period of time between taming it and passing it on to him?

Many doubts filled Zhang Xuan's mind, leaving him feeling deeply uncertain.

In the time that he had known Luo Ruoxin, the latter had refused to reveal her identity under the pretext that it was for his own good. He had indeed felt a little resentful toward Luo Ruoxin after realizing that she was the Spirit God, but at that moment, he felt that the secrets that she had been bottling up ran deeper than that. He had a strong feeling that she was not lying to him at all.

A secret that concerned the Library of Heaven's Path and the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn... Perhaps, it could be a matter that would even rattle the heavens themselves. As the saying went, the secrets of the heavens must not be spoken aloud. Perhaps, she actually had legitimate reasons for hiding her identity from him.

Regardless what her true identity is, I'll definitely find her and uncover the truth... Zhang Xuan thought determinedly before burying everything at the bottom of his heart.

He would require an immense amount of power if he wanted to come close to the truth, and the current him was simply way too weak.

At the very least, he would have to become an Ancient Sage and obtain the powers of a Dimension Shatterer realm expert. Otherwise, he would forever remain restricted by the dimension barrier around the Master Teacher Continent, unable to leave its confines.

Returning his consciousness to his body, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and brought himself back to the present.

With his state of mind reaching a level comparable to Ancient Sages, he was able to control his thoughts and emotions precisely, which allowed him to remain rational at all times.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was done with his cultivation, Wu Chen looked over and reported, "Young Master, we are about to come into the vicinity of the capital of the Spirit Tribe. It would be dangerous for us to fly over openly without understanding the current circumstances, so I suggest that we land for the time being!"

"Let's land a little further ahead then." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The beast that they were riding on at the moment was a Great Sage 2-dan beast, and to enter the capital atop such a powerful beast would surely draw attention to them. To be safe, it would be best for them to lie low and land in the vicinity.

With their disguise capabilities, they should be able to sneak in without any trouble.

So, they flew on for a little longer. Just as the capital appeared by the horizon, they had the aerial beast land on the ground. They swiftly altered their appearance before journeying over to the capital.

In the midst of their journey, a thought suddenly popped into Zhang Xuan's mind, and he asked, "Right, Wu Chen. Can you show me a punch?"

"You want me to show you a punch?" Wu Chen was slightly taken aback by the request.

Nevertheless, he still executed a punch without much hesitation.

Due to the injuries that he had sustained, he was unable to draw upon his full strength. Nevertheless, a resounding sonic boom still rippled through the air, and a pitch-black rift appeared in the space ahead.

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment, but it was not in response to the incredible strength that Wu Chen had exerted.

It was not without reason that he had asked Wu Chen to execute a punch. Rather, he had wanted to examine the capabilities of the Library of Heaven's Path after the most upgrade.

As he had hoped, the inspection capabilities of the Library of Heaven's Path had been enhanced as well.

During his time in the Temple of Confucius, he had realized that he was unable to see through an Ancient Sage's flaws just by looking at the other party's battle technique. Instead, he had to come into direct contact with the other party's blood essence in order to compile a book. However, as soon as Wu Chen executed his move, several books had immediately been compiled. Each of them detailed his flaws elaborately, and even more surprisingly... there were solutions for some of the simpler flaws!

The effects of this upgrade sure were incredible!

To be able to peer even into the flaws of Ancient Sages... this effectively meant that Ancient Sages were unable to conceal secrets from him anymore. With this, he would be in a better position to deal with them.

This very notion made Zhang Xuan's face redden in agitation.

He had thought that it was already amazing for the Library of Heaven's Path to conjure a room where time moved ten times faster, but to think that its inspection abilities would be enhanced immensely as well!

As long as he could use Vicious and the Infernal Blacksaber carefully, even with the limitations of his cultivation, he should be able to kill ordinary Ancient Sages with ease.

"Young Master..." Seeing Zhang Xuan staring at him with gleaming eyes, Wu Chen could not help but frown in confusion.

Pulling himself back from his thoughts, Zhang Xuan quickly shook his head and replied, "Ah, it's nothing much!"

Naturally, the matter concerning the Library of Heaven's Path could not be spoken of too lightly. Looking at Wu Chen, he asked, "Since the circumstances in the capital is uncertain at the moment, do you have any ideas as to what we should do? Should we head straight in and attempt to investigate the situation personally, or do you have any subordinates stationed in the area whom we could liaise with?"

Despite Wu Chen's childish appearance, he was, in fact, the highest leader of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, Sovereign Chen Yong. There was no way that he could have led the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe for so many years without wits. Since he dared to venture back to the capital, he was bound to already have a plan in mind.

"Young Master, I found myself a successor while I was journeying around the Master Teacher Continent. His character and aptitude are excellent, and he's extremely loyal to me. I have already contacted him and informed him of our arrival, so we should see him very soon. Through him, we will be able to find out about the happenings within the capital and come up with a countermeasure to deal with those two b*stards," Wu Chen replied.

"That's good." Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

Since the person whom Wu Chen was liaising with was his successor, he should be someone whom they could trust.

It would be meaningless for them to plan anything before they received concrete news about what was truly happening within the capital.

The two of them traveled forward a little longer before finally arriving at the meeting location that Wu Chen had agreed on with his successor. They waited for around an hour before they saw a towering Otherworldly Demon walking over from the direction of the capital.

This Otherworldly Demon had a dark body. As soon as he caught sight of Zhang Xuan and Wu Chen, he immediately made his way over and kneeled on the floor.

"Paying respects to Your Majesty!"

"Rise!" Wu Chen replied nonchalantly. With a wave of his hand, he constructed an isolation barrier around them before asking, "Did anyone see you?"

"I made sure that no one was following me before sneaking here," the Otherworldly Demon reported.

Hearing that he had not been followed, Wu Chen heaved a sigh of relief before gesturing toward Zhang Xuan. "Good. Allow me to introduce to you. This young man here is my Young Master. If I meet with any mishap, you are to listen to him..."

"Yes!" Hearing that the great Sovereign Chen Yong, the highest leader of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, was actually addressing another man as 'Young Master', the Otherworldly Demon was visibly taken aback for a moment before hurriedly turning his sights toward the young man.

When he saw the other party, his body subconsciously jolted a little.

Despite the unfamiliar appearance, the disposition and aura that the young man emanated left him with a feeling of déjà vu, as if he had met him somewhere before.

Just as he was trying to make sense of this feeling, he heard an astonished voice in his mind. "Liu Yang? What are you doing here?"

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Chapter 1792: The Capital of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Upon hearing that voice, the expression on the Otherworldly Demon's face froze. His body trembled a little as he hurriedly lifted his head.

"Teacher?"

That voice was simply too familiar! He had heard this voice in his dreams, day and night, so there was no way that he could possibly not recognize who it belonged to!

"It's me. Are you still doing well? How did you end up joining the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe? What are you doing here?"

There were countless questions running through Zhang Xuan's mind.

Even though the Otherworldly Demon before him had disguised himself very well, such that even the Zhenqi of Slaughter coursing through his body seemed authentic, the truth still revealed itself through his Eye of Insight. With a single glance, he could tell that the other party was the student who had left him in the Qingyuan Empire without bidding farewell, Liu Yang!

Due to the outstanding accomplishments of his other students, Liu Yang had been put into a position of immense pressure, such that he eventually left his side to seek his own fortune. Zhang Xuan had tapped into the connections of the Master Teacher Pavilion and those of his students to seek Liu Yang, but there had been no news whatsoever.

Who could have known that his student would actually end up being accepted into Wu Chen's lineage and be brought to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe!

"Teacher, I'll fill you in on this matter later. At the moment, Sovereign Chen Yong still doesn't know of my true identity, so I ask you to help me keep it a secret," Liu Yang replied through zhenqi telepathy.

"Un!" Zhang Xuan replied with a slight nod.

He could tell as much via the interactions between Liu Yang and Wu Chen, which was why he had chosen to communicate with Liu Yang through zhenqi telepathy.

Even though the two of them had only communicated with one another for a brief moment, the sharp Wu Chen still noticed some anomalies in their behavior. Swiftly directing gazes between the two, he asked, "Do the two of you know each other?"

"That's not it. I was just impressed by the talent of your student, so I secretly asked him about some matters regarding cultivation," Zhang Xuan said with a light smile.

"Matters regarding cultivation?" Wu Chen repeated with a slight hint of skepticism in his voice. Seeing that the young man was unwilling to talk too much about this matter, he shook his head before turning to Liu Yang to ask, "What's the current situation within the capital?"

This was the matter that he was the most concerned about.

"Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing returned a month ago, and they announced that you had already been killed by the Ancient Sages of mankind. While trying to protect you, they sustained some injuries as well... By claiming that you had passed down your position to them, they took control of your armies and replaced many of the higher-ranking commanders with their own men. I fear that even if you return to the capital, you won't be able to mobilize the armies and make them do your bidding!" Liu Yang said grimly.

Hearing those words, Sovereign Chen Yong's face turned livid. Just as he had thought, those two b*stards had indeed attempted to devour his sphere of influence.

"What about those who have been replaced? Where are they at the moment?"

Those Otherworldly Demons were experts who were loyal to him. If he could find them, he might still be able to make a comeback.

"After they were relieved from their positions, they were all assassinated within a month's time. I'm afraid that none of them are around anymore!" Liu Yang replied.

"They have been assassinated?" Wu Chen staggered a little upon hearing those words.

He had known that Sovereign Chen Ling was vicious, but he did not think that the other party would go so far!

He was truly callously weeding out everything that could potentially pose a problem to him in the future, not leaving any room for deviation at all.

Suppressing the rage boiling in his chest, Wu Chen asked, "How are the physical conditions of the both of them at the moment?"

He had managed to land a critical hit on the both of them when they attempted to kill him, thus causing them to be grievously injured. While their injuries were not as severe as his own, it was likely that their foundations had been rattled, so it would not be too easy for them to make a recovery!

As long as they did not return to their peak, he would still have a chance to turn the tables on them!

To put it bluntly, for cultivators at their level, what was more important was their individual strength rather than amassing armies and authority. As long as they could kill those two traitors and announce their return, those subordinates would have no choice but to obediently follow his orders whether they liked it or not!

"I wasn't really able to uncover anything specific. It seems like their current physical condition is classified information..." Liu Yang shook his head.

Wu Chen was not surprised to hear those words. Both Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing were extremely scheming individuals, and locking down vital information regarding their weaknesses was the bare basics. If they were not capable of that much, they would not have come so close to killing him back at the Temple of Confucius.

"How many Ancient Sages have they managed to bring over to their side so far? You should at least have some idea of that, right?"

In fear of him returning to exact vengeance for their betrayal, the two of them would surely try their best to rally as many Ancient Sages over to their side as possible.

At the very least, that was what he would have done if he was in their position.

"Based on what I have heard so far, Lord Ji, Lord Huai, Lord Mang, and five other lords have joined their faction and come under their command!" Liu Yang replied.

"Lord Ji, Lord Huai, and Lord Mang? Humph!" Wu Chen flung his sleeves furiously.

Serving directly under the Three Sovereigns of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were the Fourteen Lords, and Lord Ji, Long Huai, and Lord Mang were the strongest among them. They were all powerful Ancient Sages who had reached the level of Blood Reincarnation realm!

As they were feudal lords, they were usually stationed in their fiefdom and were rarely mobilized by the Three Sovereigns. Yet, who could have known that they would collude together with Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing!

"Eight Lords along with two Sovereigns, that means that they have ten Ancient Sages on their side... Your Majesty, you mustn't move recklessly. Otherwise, you will expose yourself to grave danger!" Liu Yang said anxiously.

Had Sovereign Chen Yong been at his peak, ten Ancient Sages would not have posed a threat to him at all. However, if he challenged them in his current state, the one who would be standing at the very end would not be him.

"I know!" Wu Chen said with his brow deeply furrowed.

He had returned for vengeance, but he knew better than to allow his emotions to get the better of him. With the enemy gathering so many Ancient Sages, barging over in his current condition would be no different from suicide!

Wu Chen was silent for a very long while before he abruptly remarked, "I'll be making a trip over to the Primal Lodestone Mountain!"

"Primal Lodestone Mountain?" Liu Yang was perplexed.

Since they had traveled so far to get to the capital, why were they leaving all of a sudden instead of vying for authority with the other two Sovereigns?

The Primal Lodestone Mountain was one of the perilous zones of the otherworldly battlefield. Even at his peak, Sovereign Chen Yong would have hesitated before entering the grounds. Thus, his sudden decision to enter that area was incomprehensible to Liu Yang.

"Great perils lie in the Primal Lodestone Mountain, but it's also where Ancient Sage Hao Xun is cultivating. Right now, I can only hope that he's willing to help me. His strength is only slightly beneath mine when I was at my peak. Only with his help will we stand a chance at victory!" Wu Chen replied hesitantly.

There was no way he could defeat ten Ancient Sages with his current strength, so he could only seek other helpers to aid him.

"Ancient Sage Hao Xun? I've heard of him before, but I thought that he passed away three thousand years ago." Liu Yang widened his eyes in astonishment.

"He didn't pass away. It's just that he chose to seclude himself in the depths of the Primal Lodestone Mountain and refuses to leave the area. Back then, his strength was nearly on par with mine, and given how many years have passed since then... he might even have surpassed the bottleneck of the Blood Reincarnation realm!" Wu Chen said.

"If he refuses to leave the area, I suppose that it won't be easy to gain his support, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Given that Ancient Sage Hao Xun had chosen to seclude himself for three thousand years, it likely meant that he had already chosen to steer clear from secular affairs. Thus, no matter how powerful he was, it did not seem too likely that they would be able to obtain his assistance.

"We have to do it no matter how difficult it is. Otherwise, we'll be bound for death!" Wu Chen shook his head.

There was no question that everyone in his lineage would be slaughtered without any mercy if he died. Thus, there was no other route for them to take. They had to grasp at any possible straws of hope that were within reach.

"Wu Chen is right. Where is the Primal Lodestone Mountain, and do you have any plans in mind that might allow us to convince him to help us?" Zhang Xuan asked.

The deaths of Sovereign Chen Ling and Sovereign Chen Xing were necessary if he wanted to bring long-term peace to mankind and find Luo Ruoxin. The fact that he had ended his life back at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters in order to sneak over to the otherworldly battlefield was more than enough to prove his resolve in making this happen.

"The Primal Lodestone Mountain isn't too far away, located roughly a hundred thousand li away from here. Given so, it shouldn't take us too long to go there and back. It's just that Ancient Sage Hao Xun has an eccentric personality, so it won't be too easy for us to bring him over to our side!" Wu Chen rubbed his glabella.

Having made up their minds, Zhang Xuan and Wu Chen swiftly bade farewell to Liu Yang before flying off in a certain direction.

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