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

59. 1857

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Chapter 1857: Zheng Yang's Girlfriend (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It went without saying that a grade-8 pill could only be forged by an 8-star apothecary or above. Every single one of those pills was unbelievably invaluable. Even the king of the Tianxuan Kingdom would willingly abandon his position if he could acquire a grade-8 pill in return!

To actually give such a valuable pill to Mo Xiao without any hesitation...

Feeling the energy coursing through his body and his right leg healing up without a hitch, Mo Xiao felt as if he was dreaming. He hurriedly shook his head and exclaimed, "Zheng Yang, this is simply too expensive. I can't accept this gift from you!"

He had thought that it would just be an ordinary recovery pill. How in the world was he to know that it would actually be a legendary grade-8 pill?

Had he known that it was worth so much, he would never have swallowed it!

"There's no need to stand on ceremony—it's just a pill. Given our relationship, it's nothing at all!" Zheng Yang patted his good friend's shoulder as he spoke with a smile.

Even though their worlds had diverged from one another, their feelings still remained. The nature of their relationship might change, but he would always remember Mo Xiao to be the person who had practiced spearmanship along with him in his younger days.

Realizing that the young man standing before him was actually a fearsome figure, Lu Xun hurriedly walked over with a hint of deference in his eyes. "Mo Xiao, your friend is..."

A person who could afford to take out a grade-8 pill and gift it to another so easily... Without a doubt, the other party was not someone whom a 2-star master teacher like him could compare to.

"Teacher, he is..."

Perplexed to hear that his teacher was unable to recognize his good friend, Mo Xiao frowned in doubt. He was just about to introduce Zheng Yang when he heard a voice in his ears. "I think it will be best if you don't introduce me. Back then, things didn't end too happily between me and Lu Xun laoshi..."

Mo Xiao immediately trailed to a halt.

Indeed. Due to Lu Xun humiliating Zhang shi back then, his good friend, together with Zhao Ya and the others, had challenged Lu Xun to a duel and pummeled him in public, causing their relationship to be rather tense.

"He's a friend whom I met by coincidence. I just didn't think that he would have such a valuable pill in his possession!" Mo Xiao replied.

"I see." Lu Xun could detect that Mo Xiao was not being completely honest, but he chose not to probe any further.

He took a glance at Zhang Xuan and the others before nodding contemplatively.

"While the pill has raised your cultivation, you still have to reinforce it carefully before you are able to utilize it properly. Since that's the case, I won't bother you any longer. Let's meet again in the future!"

Having caused such a huge commotion, Zheng Yang felt that it would be awkward if he remained there. Thus, he bade his farewell to Mo Xiao before leaving with Zhang Xuan and the others.

At this point, there was no one amid the crowd who did not know that they were extraordinary, especially the young lady who had demanded the entrance fee from them earlier. She quickly rushed up to them, hoping to grasp the opportunity that she had missed earlier once more. However, barely after she took a few steps, her vision suddenly blurred. Before she knew it, their silhouettes had vanished, as if they had never appeared in the first place.

It was as if everything had been a dream. Even when she tried to recall the event earlier, she found that she was unable to recall their faces, let alone their unique traits.

"Wahhh!" The young lady collapsed to the ground and began bawling.

How could she have allowed such an opportunity to slip right through her fingers? At that moment, all she wanted to do was bawl her eyes out.

On the other hand, Lu Xun sent a telepathic message to Mo Xiao, remarking, "They are Zhang shi and his direct disciples."

It was hard to tell whether he was asking a question or simply making a statement.

"Teacher..." Mo Xiao's face reddened upon hearing those words.

It was clear to see that his good brother had been unwilling to reveal his identity publicly, but at the same time, he did not wish to lie to his teacher.

"I don't intend to put you in a tough position... The reason I was able to tell is because I can't think of anyone else who would come here and give you a grade-8 pill," Lu Xun said with a bitter smile. "Treasure your friend well. It's the greatest fortune of your life to know him."

Having cleared the 2-star master teacher examination, he was privy to some of the secrets of the world. Through his connections, he had learned that his rival from a year ago, after leaving Tianxuan Kingdom, had lived a brilliant life that shone like the stars in the sky. From time to time, he would hear of the other party performing some sort of spectacular feat that would leave the eyeballs of others popping out.

Many said that he was a genius as well, but compared to the other party... Well, there was probably no merit in making this comparison at all. The more he thought about it, the more he felt like a tadpole in a marsh standing in the face of a divine dragon of the Nine Heavens...

Seeing that his teacher knew the truth, Mo Xiao knew that there was no point hiding it at all. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he asked, "Teacher, you knew? If so, may I know if Zheng Yang is at Zhizun realm... or even higher than that?"

His first thought upon witnessing the other party's strength was that the other party had achieved a breakthrough to Zhizun realm. However, after he swallowed the pill and his cultivation rose to Transcendent Mortal 2-dan Origin Energy realm, he found that he was still unable to accurately perceive Zheng Yang's strength. It was only then that he realized that his good friend had already reached a level that even his teacher could only look up to.

"His current realm is not something that we are qualified to know. You only need to know that if your brother had fought seriously earlier, there's a good chance that the entire Tianxuan Kingdom might have disappeared completely from the map," Lu Xun replied helplessly.

"The entire Tianxuan Kingdom... disappearing from the map?" Mo Xiao's lower jaw fell slack in astonishment.

...

After leaving the auditorium, Zhang Xuan and his students headed to the classroom where they had studied in the past.

There were no changes to the classroom; it looked as small and narrow as it had done before.

After looking around the classroom for a while, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said, "You should go and reunite with your kin!"

"Un!"

Nodding, Wang Ying, Zhao Ya, and the others took their leave.

Wang Ying came from one of the Four Great Clans of Tianxuan Royal City, so her elder brother and father resided in the city. Zhao Ya's father was one of the highest officials of the Tianxuan Kingdom and was currently serving as the lord of Baiyu City, Naturally, she had to meet her father since she had finally returned.

As for Wei Ruyan and Lu Chong, as they had already lost all of their kin, they did not have anyone particular whom they really wanted to meet.

Shortly after Zhao Ya and the others left, Zheng Yang hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "Junior Ruyan... may I trouble you to come along with me?"

"What is it?" Wei Ruyan replied with a frown.

Perhaps it was due to the influence of her background or the Innate Poison Body, but she had a cold demeanor. Other than Zhang Xuan, she would rarely bother with others, even if the other party was her senior or junior.

While she was relatively closer to Zheng Yang, the truth was that they rarely spoke to one another.

"I need your help with something... it's about one of the regrets that I have been harboring thus far!" Zheng Yang spoke hesitantly.

"Oh? Very well then. What is it?" Wei Ruyan replied.

Her teacher had always told her that she should look after her juniors and seniors. Since Zheng Yang needed her help with something, as long as it was not too much trouble, she did not mind helping him.

"I would like to bring you to meet someone..."

"You want me to meet someone?" Wei Ruyan asked in bewilderment.

It was not as if Zheng Yang did not know that she did not take too well to anyone except for their teacher, so why did he still make such a request of her?

Seeing Wei Ruyan's expression, Zheng Yang hurriedly explained in embarrassment, "You don't have to say anything later on. You just have to stand on the spot, and it'll suffice..."

"Just who in the world is it? If the other party is strong, you can report it to our teacher and get his help," Wei Ruyan said.

"No, no! That isn't it. Not only is she not strong, she's extremely weak..."

At this point, Zheng Yang gritted his teeth tightly, as if making up his mind, before explaining, "To tell you the truth... Before I came under our teacher's tutelage, there was a girl whom I loved. I gave her my heart, only to be faced with cold mockery and rejection... Since I have returned here, I wanted to meet her once more. It's not that I still have feelings for her, but I want to put a full stop to this regret of mine..."

"In other words, you want me to act as your girlfriend?" Wei Ruyan scoffed.

Her senior was already the head of the Combat Master Hall, an Ancient Sage expert. Who could have thought that he would be such an amateur when it came to affairs relating to the heart?

So, because he had been rejected by the other party in the past, he wanted to find an even more beautiful person to act as his girlfriend so as to make the other party regret rejecting him?

What a childish act it was!

Had she been in his shoes, there was no way that she would have resorted to something as meaningless as that. If the other party dared reject her, she would have just poisoned the other party to death. It would be an utter waste of breath to thrash things out and speak so much nonsense.

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Chapter 1858: Zheng Yang's Girlfriend (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zheng Yang scratched his head in embarrassment at having his intentions pointed out so directly by Wei Ruyan.

"Fine, fine. I'll agree to your request!" Seeing the look on Zheng Yang's face, Wei Ruyan sighed deeply before relenting. With a glint in her eyes, she asked, "So, what do you need me to do? Shall I poison her? If you want, I can guarantee her a slow and painful death, and you can be assured that there will be no evidence pointing to you. If you are worried about her family getting vengeance on you, I can help you get rid of them as well..."

"A-ah... It's alright. I think I can handle it by myself," Zheng Yang replied with a shudder.

He was getting the feeling that he might have erred in his judgement when he requested his junior's help.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. If you don't want her dead, I can concoct some pills that will eat into her mind and turn her into a puppet. She will become your toy to play with, and you won't need to worry about her turning against you at all..." Wei Ruyan continued throwing out ideas with a nonchalant look on her face.

"Cough cough..." Zheng Yang quickly interrupted Wei Ruyan's train of thought. "Junior, I just remembered that I still have other stuff to attend to! You seem to be rather busy as well, so I guess I won't trouble you for such trivialities. Farewell!"

And so, he immediately turned tail and fled.

As expected of the master of Poison Hall... Wei Ruyan was truly not someone to be trifled with!

However, before Zheng Yang could get far, he heard the sound of wind behind him. Turning around, he saw a frail figure following behind him, and he was nearly scared out of his wits.

"Junior Ruyan..." Zheng Yang said with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"I get it, you don't need to waste your breath explaining. I was only making some casual remarks; it's not as if I am fond of meaningless slaughter! Even if I want to make a move, I'll only make a move on those who are an Ancient Sage and above. Ordinary humans don't really pique my interest anymore!" Wei Ruyan harrumphed.

While she was the master of the Poison Hall, she was not the kind of person who would take away a life for trivial reasons. Her words might not reflect it, but having lost her loved ones before, she was well aware of the value of life.

Besides, if she dared make light of life, her teacher would probably be the first one to whip her to death.

"But..." Zheng Yang protested weakly.

He knew that his junior had just been pulling his leg, but he really did not dare order a person as skilled with poison as Wei Ruyan around!

If she lost her cool and released her poison, he would really be at a loss.

"No buts. Lead the way forward. If you dare say another meaningless word, I'll poison you mute!" Wei Ruyan flung her hands coolly.

"..." Zheng Yang nearly burst into tears.

What the heck was that?

If he had known that would happen earlier, there was no way that he would have turned to her for help. Things really seemed to be getting out of his control. It was as if he had gotten onboard a pirate's ship and could not alight anymore.

The two of them swiftly flitted out of Hongtian Academy, and not too long later, they stopped right before a majestic manor. This manor was truly humongous in size, spanning the width of an entire street.

Looking down at the manor from the sky, Zheng Yang was confused. "Wait a moment, this doesn't seem right..."

"What's wrong?" Wei Ruyan walked up to his side.

"I used to live in this area, and I'm sure that it's a civilian area. Why would there be such a huge manor here?" Zheng Yang remarked in astonishment.

His family was not too well-to-do. Otherwise, if he had gone through systematic training, he would not have had difficulties clearing Wang Chao laoshi's assessment!

Before he left, the place had still been an ordinary civilian housing area. When did such a massive manor appear there?

"Isn't that question a really simple one to answer? You just have to grab a person off the streets and ask him."

Wei Ruyan descended to the ground and walked up to a tea stand. Looking at the owner of the tea stand, she asked, "Friend, may I ask if this manor has recently been constructed?"

The owner of the tea stand initially could not be bothered to answer the question, but when he saw the looks of the young lady, a smile blossomed on his face as he quickly answered, "Young lady, it must be your first time in Tianxuan Royal City! You're right, this manor was recently constructed. The construction began a year ago, and it was completed in less than a month. It's said that all of the top craftsmen in the area worked tirelessly within this period of time in order to complete this project on time! Take a look at the layout of the courtyard. Rumor has it that the owner of the manor hired landscapers, making it a building even grander than the royal palace itself!"

"Even landscapers were brought in?"

Wei Ruyan and Zheng Yang exchanged gazes.

Most civilians in Tianxuan Royal City might have been unaware of the significance of landscapers, but the two of them were fully aware. Even large clans like the Zhang Clan would have to tap into some connections in order to contact a landscaper. If the owner of the manor had the resources to build this manor and connections to hire a landscaper... why would they still choose to live in Tianxuan Royal City?

"Do you know whose manor this is?" Zheng Yang asked out of curiosity.

"It's the Su Clan's manor!" the owner of the tea stand replied.

"Su Clan?" Zheng Yang was perplexed. "Since when has there been a Su Clan in Tianxuan Royal City?"

The Four Great Clans of the Tianxuan Royal City had always been the Wang, Liu, Bai, and Du. There had never been any notable Su Clans in the vicinity before.

"You have never heard of the Su Clan? Do you know of its clan head, Su Maoqing?" the owner of the tea stand asked with a frown.

"Su Maoqing?" Zheng Yang's body jolted as he looked as if he had heard something unbelievable. "Is... Is his daughter Su Feifei?"

"That's right!" The owner of the tea stand nodded in response. "If not for his daughter finding a good son-in-law, there's no way that he, Su Maoqing, would have been able to live in such a luxurious manor! If it was two years ago, he wouldn't have been able to afford the tea from my stand! Even the clothes that he wore were shabby and ugly. However, after finding himself that son-in-law, the one thing that he doesn't lack now is money. I heard that he spent a total of ten gold coins just for his dinner yesterday!"

"Wait a moment! Son-in-law?" Zheng Yang cut into the owner's words. Unknowingly, his hands had already clenched into fists.

"Huh? It looks like you really don't know much, do you? However, you are right to ask me about the matter! I have been working here for more than ten years now, and there's nothing in this area that escapes my notice!"

The owner of the tea stand was becoming more and more passionate in his words, such that it was starting to feel as if he would never stop. "His daughter, Su Feifei, somehow got to know a noble of some empire. The noble is rich and powerful, and he built this massive manor just for the two of them. Otherwise, given the capabilities of that father and daughter, do you think that they would ever have been able to afford something of this scale?"

"I see..." Zheng Yang replied as he nodded in a daze.

"So, this Su Feifei is the young lady whom you fancied in the past? It seems like she doesn't a good eye for people!" Wei Ruyan chuckled softly as she sent a telepathic message to Zheng Yang.

Be it the noble of whichever empire or what, even emperors would pale in comparison to the current Zheng Yang!

To think that Su Feifei had actually forsaken the pearl before her eyes to settle with a mere noble... It sure would be interesting to break open her mind and find out what she was thinking once she found out what she had missed out on.

"I..." Zheng Yang was momentarily unable to find the words to speak.

Back then, he had been rejected by Su Feifei right before the assessment, resulting in his forceful spearmanship being riddled with hesitance. As a result, he had failed to come under Wang Chao's tutelage.

"Look, they are coming out!"

Jiya!

The massive gates of the manor creaked open, and a young lady holding onto the arm of a middle-aged man walked out from within.

The young lady was decent looking, but in terms of appearance, she would hardly be a match for even Shen Bi Ru, let alone Wei Ruyan, Zhao Ya, and the others. The middle-aged man beside her had a plump body and slightly distorted facial features. His size was even more exaggerated than Yuan Tao's.

Despite so, the young lady's chin remained proudly tilted upward, as if she was holding onto the hand of a charming prince.

Seeing this sight, Wei Ruyan scoffed, "The person you liked actually married such an ugly old man?"

It was likely that Su Feifei had married the other party for his money, but how in the world could Su Feifei bear sleeping beside someone like that every night if it was not true love?

Breathing out deeply, Zheng Yang turned around and said, "Let's go!"

This was the first person whom he had liked, and his crush on her had lasted more than five years. All he wanted was to pay her one last visit so as to put down his feelings for her once and for all. Since he had met her, and it seemed like she was living blissfully... that was already enough for him.

"Go? The show hasn't even started yet, so how can we go at such an exciting moment?" Wei Ruyan chuckled softly as her lips crept into a smile.

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Chapter 1859: A Bird in the Jungle

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

No matter what, Zheng Yang was her senior. He had offered his heart to Su Feifei back then, only to be cruelly rejected. If Su Feifei had lived her life properly since then, she would have had nothing to say. However, she had actually found an oversized old man to live with.

Of course, it was Su Feifei's right to choose how she wanted to live, but Wei Ruyan simply could not help but feel pissed at this turn of events.

And given that she was pissed, how could she possibly allow them to continue living happily?

Not expecting Wei Ruyan to refuse to leave, Zheng Yang suddenly had a bad premonition. "Junior, don't mess around. They are just ordinary people..."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on going too far!" Ignoring Zheng Yang's protests, Wei Ruyan took a seat at the tea stand and smiled sweetly at the owner. "Boss, a pot of tea here!"

After the pot of tea arrived, she sipped leisurely on the tea as if she was just idling her afternoon around in the area.

Knowing that it would be impossible for him to forcefully extricate Wei Ruyan from the area, Zheng Yang clutched his forehead before sitting right in front of her with a helpless look on his face.

Su Feifei looked at the middle-aged man beside her and asked, "Xiang -ge 1 , are we really heading to the royal palace?"

"I instructed that Shen Zhui fellow to bring me some death soldiers, but he hasn't gotten it done yet. He probably doesn't want his emperor's seat anymore!" The middle-aged man addressed as Xiang-ge harrumphed coldly as a vicious glint flashed across his eyes.

"To dare disobey Xiang-ge, that Shen Zhui sure is brazen! If we don't teach him a lesson, he might think that he's really something!" Su Feifei covered her mouth with her hand as she scoffed coyly, fully revealing her disdain for the emperor of the Tianxuan Kingdom.

In the eyes of others, Shen Zhui was the respected emperor of the Tianxuan Kingdom, but to her, he meant nothing at all.

"That's right! He's just the emperor of a measly Unranked Kingdom, but he sure thinks highly of himself. If not for my benevolence, he would have already died many times over..." Xiang-ge sneered coldly.

In the midst of his words, his face suddenly twitched, and strength suddenly drained from his legs.

Putong!

He fell over and kneeled onto the ground.

Taken aback, Su Feifei exclaimed in horror, "Xiang-ge!"

She knew full well how powerful the middle-aged man beside her was. In terms of strength, even Shen Zhui was no match for him at all. He was an existence that far surpassed Zhizun realm. Yet, for him to fall down just like that... something had to be up!

"Who assaulted me?"

Not expecting to be humiliated in public, Xiang-ge glared at the surroundings ferociously as he spat with clenched jaws.

"You have been afflicted with my Divine Ghost Heart Beguiling Poison!" A calm voice sounded in the air. "If you wish to live, you need someone to willingly transfuse their fresh blood to you. Otherwise, within an incense's time 2 , you will die from excessive blood loss from your seven apertures 3 , and not even the deities will be able to save you!"

Tracing the voice, Xiang-ge hurriedly lifted her head, only to see a young lady seated gracefully before a tea stand with a cup of piping hot tea in her hands.

"Who are you? We have no grudge against one another, so why do you want to kill me?"

Judging from how the young lady was able to poison him from afar and render him powerless, as well as the fact that he found himself unable to gauge the depths of the young lady's strength at all, Xiang-ge realized that he was not a match for the young lady. Thus, he did not dare move recklessly.

"How could there be so many grudges in the world to deal with? I simply found the sight of you irksome." Wei Ruyan leisurely tucked her hair behind her ears as she placed the teacup back onto the table. With absolute nonchalance, she remarked, "You don't have much time left. I don't think you have the luxury to be dawdling around here if you want to live."

"I..."

Xiang-ge swiftly drove the zhenqi in his body in hopes of neutralizing the poison in his body, but he found that he was unable to flush it out. It was likely just as the young lady had said; he needed someone to transfuse their blood into him in order to be cured.

With a livid expression, he turned to Su Feifei beside him and shouted, "Feifei, come over here!"

"I..." Knowing what Xiang-ge was thinking of, Su Feifei's face paled in horror as she retreated fearfully.

Even true love would falter in the face of life and death, let alone a relationship built on mutual benefits.

Watching as Su Feifei backed away, Xiang-ge narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Are you thinking of disobeying my orders?"

"I..." Su Feifei trembled in fear.

"You are just a countryside bumpkin. It can't be that you actually think of yourself as a noble person? You should have known the price behind the luxury you were given! Hurry up and transfuse your blood to me! If I recover from this poison, I'll dote on you like before. Otherwise, I'll have your life right here, right now!" Xiang-ge roared as killing intent flared from his eyes.

What Su Feifei and Su Maoqing? They were all just convenient tools at his disposal!

"Don't!"

Knowing that she would likely lose her life if the transfusion took place, Su Feifei backed away fearfully. However, barely after taking a few steps back, she suddenly felt a powerful energy sweeping over her. In that instant, she realized that if she continued backing away, there was no doubt that Xiang-ge would have her life.

The light in her eyes immediately vanished, replaced with sorrowful darkness.

There was a person who had loved her wholeheartedly a year ago. He had confessed to her, but she had scorned him for his shabby background and rejected him. Who knew that the young man would actually find himself a good teacher and rise to the top? Even Shen Zhui had to honor him as an esteemed guest!

She had thought that she had lost the only opportunity in her life to break out of poverty, but who could have expected that she would meet Xiang-ge a year ago?

Xiang-ge treated her extremely well, even building her this massive manor. She had thought that he was truly in love with her, but at that moment, she realized that she was nothing more than a toy to the other party.

Paying no heed to the arguments between those two, Wei Ruyan turned to look at Zheng Yang with a smile on her face. "How is it?"

There was no better trial than life and death to test a person's feelings... and clearly, these two people were only making use of one another!

"How she wishes to live her life is her own choice. I don't have the right to interfere in her affairs," Zheng Yang replied, but he felt as if his heart was being sliced into innumerable pieces.

He had liked this young lady from a very young age, and for the longest of time, his greatest wish had been to get together with her. He had never thought that they would end up like that.

"I'll give you an opportunity to play the hero. Don't you want to make her regret her decision? There's no better opportunity than this!" Wei Ruyan incited Zheng Yang.

"There's no need for that. I have already removed her from my heart!" Zheng Yang shook her head.

He realized that it was meaningless even if he made her regret her decision. They were already two people from two different worlds; it was already impossible for them to get together.

Besides, upon knowing Su Feifei's nature, even if they did get together, he knew that there would be a lingering doubt in his mind that the other party was only interested in his fortune and power, not he himself. He would hate to put himself in a position where he would constantly be doubting his partner.

Since that was the case, why even bother?

"It doesn't matter whether you have removed your feelings for her or not. If you don't do anything now, she will really lose her life," Wei Ruyan remarked calmly as she continued sipping on her tea.

Zheng Yang hurriedly raised his head, only to see that Xiang-ge's eyes had gone completely red. Xiang-ge raised his arm and pulled Su Feifei toward him with his zhenqi. Using his finger as a sword, he lightly slit the young lady's pale wrist, causing warm blood to flow out.

Transfusing blood and transferring a bloodline were two different matters. Transfusing blood only needed one to use the blood of another to replace their own poisoned blood. The process was not too complicated, and even a normal 2-star physician would be able to carry out such an operation. Even though Xiang-ge had been poisoned, his cultivation had not been suppressed. As long as he carried it out carefully, he would be able to do it himself.

Seeing that Su Feifei would really lose her life at this rate, Zheng Yang immediately got up and bellowed, "Hold it right there!"

In response, Xiang-ge turned his head around and glared at Zheng Yang coldly.

At the same time, Su Feifei heard that familiar voice, and her body trembled. She quickly turned her gaze to the figure walking toward her, and tears began streaming from her eyes.

"Zheng Yang... y-you are back?"

There was no way she would not recognize that voice. It belonged to the young man who had bucked up the courage to confess to her, only to be rejected.

Watching as he walked over a step at a time, his figure looked incomparably large under the rays of the sun.

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Chapter 1860: Xiang-ge's Identity

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though Zheng Yang did not want to make a move, he knew his junior's temperament too well. She was not so heartless as to allow Xiang-ge to really kill Su Feifei, but she would only step in at the very last moment.

Even though he no longer felt the passion that he once had for the young lady before him, he could not stand to watch her suffering right before his eyes.

Zheng Yang's arrival was like a final ray of hope for Su Feifei. Clutching tightly onto that ray of hope, she desperately cried, "Zheng Yang, save me!"

"Don't worry!"

With a wave of his hand, the energy that Xiang-ge had wrapped around Su Feifei immediately dissipated.

"Who are you?" Xiang-ge asked with narrowed eyes.

He only had an incense's time left. If he did not quickly find someone to transfuse blood to him, he might just lose his life.

This fellow seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and from the looks of it, he seemed to have some ties with Su Feifei. This made him extremely wary.

"It doesn't matter who I am. I just want to ask what your relationship with her is. If you don't like her, why did you get together with her, even building such a huge manor for her?" Zheng Yang asked calmly, as if a judge dictating the life and death of a criminal.

After all that he had been through, he was not the young man whom he had been. If not for the fact that Su Feifei was the final fragment of regret in the depths of his heart, the innocent dream of his youth, he would not have come over in the first place.

Xiang-ge pondered for a moment before replying. "I do have feelings for her. Otherwise, given my identity, why would I lower myself to live in such a trivial Unranked Kingdom?"

He noticed that the young man had been sitting together with the young lady who had poisoned him, and he realized that he was unable to see through the young man's cultivation as well. Furthermore, the fact that the young man was able to make his zhenqi dissipate was enough to show that the young man was no ordinary figure.

All in all, this made him instinctively realize that he could not afford to offend the young man before him.

"You have feelings for her?" Zheng Yang scoffed. "If you have feelings for her, how could you ask her to sacrifice herself for your sake?"

If the two of them truly had feelings for one another, that would probably have been the end of it. After all, he had already let go of his feelings for Su Feifei, so there was no reason for him to interfere in her affairs anymore.

However, the middle-aged man had actually disregarded Su Feifei's life just to ensure his own survival. In fact, there was not the slightest compassion or regret that could be seen in his eyes. This made Zheng Yang enraged.

For a noble from an empire to come over to an Unranked Kingdom to build such a massive manor, if it was not due to love, he had to be up to something.

"I really do love..." Xiang-ge hurriedly tried to explain himself.

"There's no need to lie to me. You aren't strong enough to do that," Zheng Yang interjected coldly as he snapped his fingers.

" Argh! "

With a scream of agony, Xiang-ge collapsed to the ground in pain as sweat drenched his entire body.

It was just an instant, but it made him realize the unbridgeable gap between him and the young man before him. It would take a mere thought for the other party to kill him.

"Who in the world are you? Just what kind of grudge is there between the two of us? If you want her, I can give her to you!" Xiang-ge screamed as he pointed frantically as Su Feifei.

Xiang-ge was a person who could sacrifice his loved ones when his life was at stake, let alone a woman whom he had absolutely no feelings for.

"Give her to me?" Zheng Yang's face turned even colder. "Is she nothing more than a commodity in your eyes, or do you view her as a chip that you can give to others as and when you please so as to guarantee your own survival?"

"I..." Xiang-ge's teeth clattered in fear.

In a moment of rage, Zheng Yang failed to control his own aura, leaving Xiang-ge feeling as if he was facing a ferocious beast. With a thought, the latter would be able to crush him into dust, leaving no trace of him at all.

Prior to getting together with Su Feifei, he had made sure to investigate the latter's background. As someone born and raised in Tianxuan Royal City, there should have been no way that she would be acquainted with such a powerful person!

"He..."

While Xiang-ge was scared out of his wits, Su Feifei found her mind blanking out in confusion.

A year ago, Zheng Yang had been a nobody whom even someone like her could toss to the ground and stomp on. Yet, a year later, it seemed like their positions had completely reversed.

Even Xiang-ge, a figure whom Shen Zhui dared not offend, was nearly scared out of his wits before him...

Just how powerful was the current Zheng Yang?

Seeing that Xiang-ge was on the verge of being crushed to death under Zheng Yang's pressure, Wei Ruyan walked over while stretching her back lazily as she remarked with a smile, "Our teacher will get mad if you go too far. Don't say that I didn't warn you."

"Un!"

Hearing those words, Zheng Yang retracted his aura before gazing down on Xiang-ge once more. With eyes narrowed into slits, he said, "I only want to hear the absolute truth, so don't you dare play games with me. The person who has just poisoned you is my junior. If I notice any falsehood from you, I will have no choice but to get my junior to conduct a Soul Search on you!"

"Junior?"

Xiang-ge's body trembled as he quickly turned his gaze to Wei Ruyan. Meeting with the smile on her face, his body froze on the spot.

If even the junior was so powerful, would it not be even more so for the senior?

"Speak! Who are you, and what is your purpose here?" Zheng Yang eyed Xiang-ge coldly as a blue glint flashed from the tip of his spear.

In truth, even without relying on Soul Search, he had several hundred methods that he could use to force the other party to speak.

He would truly be a failure as the head of the Combat Master Hall if he did not possess some interrogation methods!

Seeing the blue glint on the spear, Xiang-ge felt as if someone had grabbed his zhenqi and rattled it all around, leaving him with a terrible aching feeling throughout.

If even looking at the blue glint could leave him with such a feeling, he could not imagine the suffering that he would be put under if such a thing penetrated his body.

Knowing that there was no escape from this, Xiang-ge gritted his teeth before starting his story. "I am Xiang Yun, a treasure hunter. I have been scouring Unranked Kingdoms over the years, searching for all kinds of treasures... and my efforts eventually led me here!"

"A treasure hunter?"

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan exchanged glances before nodding.

They had heard of such an occupation before, and the most famous treasure hunters in the world were none other than the Sage Yun Clan.

Treasure hunters possessed exceptional means that allowed them to pinpoint the location of hidden artifacts, making them one of the most lucrative occupations on the Master Teacher Continent.

"I detected incredible pulsations of energy coming from the place where Su Feifei lived, so I figured that it was an exceptionally powerful artifact," Yun Xiang explained. "My first thought was to buy the house, but I quickly dispelled the notion as I knew it would appear rather suspicious if an outsider like me abruptly bought a house in an Unranked Kingdom. Furthermore, treasure hunting is a long-term process, so there's a risk that an anomaly in my actions will draw the attention of others and place me in trouble. Thus, I used Su Feifei as a cover for me to conduct my work.

"With the relationship between the two of us serving as cover, I was able to successfully purchase all of the houses in the area without any trouble. After that, in order to ensure that I am able to conduct my operations in privacy, I chose to construct a massive manor right here."

As the saying went, 'danger comes to those who flaunt their wealth'. It was true that Yun Xiang's strength was unrivaled in the Tianxuan Kingdom, but news of the emergence of a superior treasure would indubitably draw in more experts from all around the continent. By then, even with the full force of his clan, it was unlikely that they would be able to claim the treasure for themselves.

Thus, he had used marriage as an excuse to buy all of the houses in the area and built a manor before setting up all kinds of protective formations in the area.

This way, no one would suspect a thing.

"You said that you like me... but everything is just a lie so that you can obtain the treasure hidden beneath my home?" Those words made Su Feifei's face pale as she fell feebly to the ground.

Back then, she had been drawn in by the other party's flowery words and immense wealth. She had thought that she had captured this man with her charms. However, it turned out that what the other party desired had never been her but the treasure hidden beneath her house.

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Chapter 1861: The Fearsome Stone Tablet

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Knowing that it would be best for him to distance himself as far from Su Feifei as possible, Yun Xiang harrumphed coldly. "Given your gold digger personality and your subpar looks, do you really think that you are able to move my heart? If not for the fact that there's a treasure beneath your house, there's no way I would have put up with you till now!"

"Enough!" Zheng Yang said with a fling of his sleeve.

Peng!

Struck in the chest, Yun Xiang was sent flying before crashing heavily onto the ground. His face reddened, and a mouthful of crimson blood spurted from his lips.

"You only have to answer what I want to know," Zheng Yang said coldly. "Everything other than that is just a waste of my time!"

"Y-yes!" Suppressing his injuries, Yun Xiang heaved a sigh of relief upon knowing that he had managed to make it clear that he did not have any relationship with Su Feifei at all. "I don't really know about treasure and the like, but over the past year of work, I have gotten near my goal. However, it's just that the barrier around the treasure is too strong, such that I'm unable to breach it due to my lacking cultivation..."

Zheng Yang pondered with a deep frown for a moment before replying, "Take me there!"

For someone of the Sage Yun Clan to go through so much effort just to acquire some treasure, it was likely that the treasure was truly nothing ordinary. Since that was the case, he really should head over to take a look.

"Alright!" Yun Xiang nodded.

Given that his life was in the other party's hands, there was no way he could turn the other party down.

Thus, Zheng Yang released his pressure on Yun Xiang, and under the latter's lead, they entered the manor. As for Su Feifei, she stood hesitantly on the spot for a moment before choosing to follow them.

As soon as Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan entered the manor, the first thing they noticed were innumerable isolation formations set up all around. It was really no exaggeration to say that the manor was an enclosed fortress by itself, such that nothing inside could get out.

Proceeding ahead, it did not take long for them to stop before a majestic hall. Pushing the door open, they saw a massive pit lying right ahead of them. There was a huge pile of white bones all around, forming a sight of desolation.

"You killed so many people just to acquire the treasure?" Zheng Yang narrowed his eyes as killing intent seeped out of his body.

The responsibility of the Combat Master Hall lay not only in fending off the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe but to maintain the peace and prosperity of mankind as well. To kill so many humans just to acquire a treasure was already an infringement of the Combat Master Hall's moral code.

"N-no, I didn't kill them! They were workers whom I spent a fortune to hire! They are in charge of the excavation job, but not too long ago, when they dug up a stone tablet, an aura was released, and all of them died on the spot. For fear that it would draw suspicion, I reduced their corpses to white bones and left them here!" Yun Xiang explained in a fluster.

"I have already compensated the families of the workers handsomely. Even though I desire the treasure a lot, I dare not kill the innocent for the sake of it..."

"Stone tablet?" Knowing that these workers were already dead and that it would be difficult to continue investigating this matter, Zheng Yang decided to put that matter aside for the time being and inquire about the other suspicion that he had.

"It's located at the bottom of the pit. I dispatched ten death soldiers to inspect it, but all of them died as soon as they reached the vicinity of the stone tablet. So, I'm not too sure about what's going on either," Yun Xiang explained with a bitter look on his face.

He had thought that he had stumbled upon a huge treasure, but who could have known that the death toll would just keep rising higher and higher? He had already sunk in too much to allow himself to back off with nothing in hand.

As there was no one else who was willing to approach the stone tablet, Yun Xiang had no choice but to turn to Shen Zhui in hopes of acquiring some death soldiers from him. It was just that he had never expected to stumble upon those two experts shortly after leaving his manor.

"Let's head down and take a look!" Hearing that a stone tablet had actually taken away so many lives, Zheng Yang was growing more and more intrigued.

"This... I am a little too weak for this, so I'll leave the two of you to be..." Yun Xiang's face paled.

It went without saying that he did not dare enter the pit himself. He was afraid that he would die just like many others that had gone before him.

"Cut the cr*p and get moving!" Wei Ruyan harrumphed. With a wave of her hand, Yun Xiang was thrown into the pit before he could release a scream of agony.

Following which, Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan leaped in.

The pit was roughly several hundred meters deep. There were many Night Illumination Pearls placed all around, making the interior shine as though it was morning.

As soon as they reached the bottom of the pit, Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan immediately began looking around, only to have frowns creep onto their faces shortly after.

"This aura... feels a little weird!" Zheng Yang said after a moment of careful examination.

"It's the aura of an Ancient Sage," Wei Ruyan said. She turned to Yun Xiang beside her and asked, "Where's the stone tablet supposed to be?"

"It's supposed to be down there..." Gulping from fright, Yun Xiang pointed in front of him.

Knowing that there was something sinister about this place, Zheng Yang took a deep breath and whipped out his spear.

Hula!

He flicked his wrist lightly, and a large pile of sand was raked up, revealing a massive stone tablet.

There were mysterious, unreadable inscriptions on the stone tablet, and it emanated an air of killing intent. Just looking at the stone tablet was enough to leave one with a splitting headache.

The aura of an Ancient Sage that the two of them had felt earlier originated from that very stone tablet.

"This is the stone tablet that I talked about. Masters, I am a little too weak for this, so I'll take my leave now..."

With quivering lips, Yun Xiang immediately turned around and darted away fearfully.

However, barely after taking two steps, his body suddenly froze on the spot. No matter how much he struggled, he found himself unable to go a single step further.

"With us around, there's no way you will lose your life. If we die, there won't be anyone to treat your poison, and you'll die," Wei Ruyan remarked calmly.

Yun Xiang was really on the verge of bursting into tears.

The other party was right. He was afflicted with severe poison, so if these two died, he would be the next to follow no matter where he fled.

"I'll head over to take a look!"

Taking a deep breath, Zheng Yang placed his spear in front of him before approaching the stone tablet with wary, controlled steps.

Before even reaching the stone tablet, he suddenly felt concentrated killing intent gushing in his direction, seemingly attempting to tear him in two.

In the face of such might, any Great Sage cultivators would have succumbed to the immense pressure by now. However, Zheng Yang was an Ancient Sage cultivator, as well as the head of the Combat Master Hall. He had tempered his mind before, making him exceptionally resilient to the Otherworldly Demons' Zhenqi of Slaughter.

No matter how concentrated the killing intent was, it would not pose a threat to him.

Walking up to the stone tablet, he noticed that it was emanating a warm glow. As if the tens of thousands of years that it had spent buried underground had not damaged it in the slightest, its inscriptions looked as if they were freshly engraved.

Tracing the inscriptions with his finger, Zheng Yang shook his head. "These are characters from the ancient era. I can't read them at all!"

Due to the limitations of his knowledge, he could not discern the content of the inscription. If their teacher was with them, they might still have been able to do something about it.

Geji! Geji!

Seeing that Zheng Yang actually dared touch the stone tablet, Yun Xiang's teeth clattered together in fright.

All of the workers and death soldiers that he had sent in had passed away even when they were standing a long distance away from the stone tablet. Yet, this young man was able to walk up to it and even touch it directly with his hands. Just how powerful was he?

Why would such a formidable figure suddenly come to a place as minor as Tianxuan Kingdom?

Wait a moment. He recognizes Su Feifei, he uses a spear, and his junior is a master practitioner of poison... Could they possibly be...

All of a sudden, Yun Xiang's body froze on the spot as two names surfaced in his mind.

Even though he had not been in his clan over the past few years, there was probably no one in the world who did not know of the deeds of that legendary man and his many disciples.

Thinking about it... they seemed to have their roots in Tianxuan Kingdom.

Could the young man before him possibly be the most talented individual the Combat Master Hall had ever had, Hall Master Zheng?

He knew that the new hall master of the Combat Master Hall went by the surname of Zheng, but he had not been too sure of the other party's full name. However, now that he was raking his mind, he seemed to have the impression that the other party's full name was Zheng Yang...

An ordinary woman like Su Feifei actually had the fancy of the incumbent head of the Combat Master Hall?

This...

Sweat droplets began filling Yun Xiang's head as he felt a hoarseness at the back of his throat. He felt as if he would pass out at any moment.

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Chapter 1862: A Corpse

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Ignoring Yun Xiang, who was facing the most severe mental breakdown in his entire life, the frown on Zheng Yang's forehead grew deeper and deeper as he walked around the stone tablet to take a closer look. Then, he turned back to look at Wei Ruyan.

Wei Ruyan nodded in response, as if affirming Zheng Yang's judgement.

So, Zheng Yang took a deep breath before taking several steps back. Following which, his spear shot forth with formidable might.

Hula!

Spatial ripples appeared in the air as the spear struck the direct center of the stone tablet.

Kacha!

The sound of the formation being torn apart echoed as the entire stone tablet trembled. A huge crack appeared in the ground, forming a passageway that led further downward.

The smell of decay was absent in the passageway. However, there was the scent of something ancient and sinister, almost like a pathway leading to the netherworld.

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

The brave Zheng Yang was the first one to step into the passageway, and Wei Ruyan followed behind him.

The passageway was dark and slightly damp. The inscriptions on the wall had sealed the passageway tightly, such that those whose cultivation hadn't reached Ancient Sage would never be able to sense its existence.

"This seems to be a pathway constructed back during Kong shi's era..." Wei Ruyan said as she inspected her surroundings carefully.

In truth, the passageway looked as good as new, but the construction method and the inscriptions carried clear indications of the ancient era, thus hinting at its age.

Heading down the passageway, they traveled for several dozen li over the course of an hour before finally arriving before a stone chamber.

Zheng Yang placed his spear before his chest in preparation to meet with any unexpected circumstances. At the same time, Wei Ruyan flicked her wrist and embedded several Night Illumination Pearls to the walls all around, bringing illumination to the area.

The stone chamber was roughly forty meters in diameter, and at the center was a coffin made out of bluestone. It emanated an extremely historic aura.

"There's only a coffin in here?" Wei Ruyan frowned in astonishment.

Which fool would construct an underground passageway that extended several dozen li and seal it with a stone tablet that only Ancient Sages could breach just to store a single coffin?

It was ridiculously extravagant, was it not?

Perplexed, Zheng Yang slowly approached the coffin. Lifting his spear, he was just about to use it to pry open the coffin when a sharp aura suddenly emanated from the coffin. Following which, he suddenly felt a jolt in his hands.

Weng!

Zheng Yang's spear fell right to the ground, as if paying respects to the coffin.

"What happened?" Noticing that something was amiss, Wei Ruyan swiftly gathered her poison aura as she rushed forward, ready to reinforce Zheng Yang at any moment.

"My spear has been intercepted by another's Spear Intent. It seems like the person in the coffin comprehended a higher level of Spear Intent than me!" Zheng Yang replied in astonishment.

Even though his spear was not an Ancient Sage artifact, through prolonged contact with him, it would not pale too much in comparison to one. Despite that, it was still forced to bow in submission to the coffin. It was apparent that whatever was in the coffin commanded a higher level of Spear Intent than him, rendering his spear utterly powerless before it.

"Wait a moment... Are you telling me that the thing in the coffin possesses spearmanship more advanced than you?" Wei Ruyan could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Her senior had learned his spearmanship directly from their teacher, and he had already reached the level of Spear Quintessence. It was no joke to say that he was the second most formidable spear user in their era. Despite that, he was actually saying that the thing inside the coffin was more formidable than him.

How could that be?

"No matter what, we have to open it to take a look. Junior, I need you to coordinate together with me in order to forcefully pry open the coffin!" Zheng Yang said.

Wei Ruyan nodded in agreement.

So, the two of them took their positions on the two ends of the coffin. With an understanding glance, Zheng Yang and Wie Ruyan raised their hands simultaneously and grabbed forth.

They were both Ancient Sage experts who had received Zhang Xuan's personal guidance over the course of a month, causing their fighting prowess to rise to an exceptional level. Even Blood Reincarnation realm experts would be pushed to a corner against their combined might, let alone a mere coffin!

Jiya!

A hideous screeching sound echoed in the air as a crack appeared on the coffin. An overwhelming aura surged into the sky, threatening to collapse the entire underground cavern on them.

Zheng Yang quickly sealed the aura with a wave of his hand, and only after ensuring that it was not leaking at all did he finally proceed forward slowly.

The aura of Ancient Sages was destructive in nature. Even if a sliver of it leaked out, it could cause a huge calamity. Of course, cultivators of their caliber could deal with it easily, but the same could not be said for the civilians of Tianxuan Royal City.

Their carelessness could easily spell countless deaths.

Walking up to the coffin, they peeked inward, only to see a corpse lying still within. Even though years had passed, the corpse had retained its flesh and blood. From its external appearance, it looked as if it was just a person sleeping.

"It's the corpse of an Ancient Sage..."

The eyebrows of the two of them shot up.

Only the corpse of an Ancient Sage could possibly retain such frightening might even after death. Only the corpse of an Ancient Sage was non decayable, allowing it to retain its external appearance even after tens of thousands of years.

"This is..."

Taking a closer look at the corpse, Zheng Yang suddenly thought of something that caused his face to pale, and his body stiffened up in shock.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ruyan asked in intrigue.

Even though they did not interact with one another frequently, she did have a good grasp of Zheng Yang's personality. This senior of hers had a daring and reckless personality, so it was perplexing to see him getting shaken by a mere corpse.

"He is... Ancient Sage Ran Qiu!" Zheng Yang exclaimed as he clenched his fists tightly.

"Ancient Sage Ran Qiu? You mean the disciple of Kong shi who boasted the greatest fighting prowess, the founder of the Combat Master Hall?" Wei Ruyan was taken aback.

"That's right!" Zheng Yang took in a deep breath to calm down the chaos in his mind.

Ancient Sage Ran Qiu had been one of the Ten Apostles under Kong shi's tutelage, and he had been the strongest Ancient Sage aside from Kong shi himself. Just the fact that he was the founder of the Combat Master Hall was testimony to his tremendous strength.

On two different occasions, when he inherited the position of the Progeny of Combat and hall master, he had knelt before Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's sculpture, which looked identical to the corpse before him. This was also why he had identified the other party with a single glance.

To think that one of the greatest disciples of Kong shi, the second strongest Ancient Sage in the world, would actually have his corpse buried there.

This was something that could not be found in any records!

It was no wonder his spear had bowed down as soon as it met with the coffin. Ancient Sage Ran Qiu was a spearmaster, and the Dragonbone Divine Spear was something that he had forged on his own.

The fact that the other party had forged such a powerful artifact showed how deep his understanding of spearmanship was. It was little wonder that the other party's comprehension of spearmanship had even exceeded his own.

After recovering from his shock, Zheng Yang turned around and instructed, "Junior, I'll need you to quickly return and inform our teacher of this matter. Meanwhile, I'll stand guard here!"

The scale of the issue went beyond their initial expectations. Given the severity of the matter, it was best for them to bring their teacher in to help make a judgement.

"Un!"

Understanding the logic behind Zheng Yang's decision, Wei Ruyan immediately turned around and flitted back to the surface.

After Wei Ruyan's departure, Zheng Yang walked slowly around the coffin, wanting to take a closer look at the elder who had founded the Combat Master Hall. But all of a sudden, a series of mechanical clacking noises echoed in the air, and yet another passageway surfaced beneath the coffin.

Zheng Yang hesitated for a moment upon seeing this sight before deciding to venture in.

Bam!

As soon as he stepped into the passageway, the ray of light above him vanished.

The passageway had instantaneously closed on him!

Faced with such a situation, Zheng Yang frowned in bewilderment, but he did not panic. He took out a Night Illumination Pearl before carefully heading deeper into the passageway. A few steps later, he found another massive hall appearing before him. Its layout was very similar to the hall before, and there was also a coffin positioned at the very center of the room.

Zheng Yang pondered for a moment before walking toward the coffin. He raised his hand and pried open the lid, thus revealing a figure before him.

When he got a closer look at the corpse, it was as if a mini explosion had occurred in his mind. He hurriedly retreated several steps, till his back was pressed against the wall. Yet, even so, the disbelief in his mind did not vanish at all.

It was a very long while before a husky voice finally came out of his throat. "K-Kong shi?"

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Chapter 1863: Kong shi Is Dead?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The corpse lying in the coffin was none other than the World's Teacher, Kong shi!

Had he not ascended to a higher dimension? Why was his corpse there?

Zheng Yang's mind blanked out in that instant. No thoughts came to his mind at all, and he did not dare think any deeper into the matter. This was so huge that if he spoke a wrong word, it could lead to a major catastrophe.

Kong shi was the pillar of support within the Master Teacher Pavilion. Even though he had vanished from the world, many still held his teachings dear to them and viewed him as their ultimate aspiration. No one could have ever thought that the great Kong shi would actually be dead there!

Just like the sculptures erected in his form outside, he had a gentle smile on his lips, reminiscent of a kind teacher. It was as if he had been killed in the midst of his lecture.

But given the strength that Kong shi wielded, who could possibly have the ability to kill him?

And who was the one who had buried him there, such that even the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred School of Philosophers were completely oblivious to it?

Zheng Yang's heart beat wildly as he felt his throat turning dry. There were so many words at the back of his mind, but he was unable to voice a single one of them. Eventually, he chose to simply sit on the floor and wait for himself to calm down.

It had been a feeling of shock when he saw Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse, and after finding the second corpse, there was nothing but horror in his mind.

It was perfectly normal for anyone in the world to die, but for such a thing to happen to the revered Kong shi as well... The faith of countless would shatter in an instant!

Zheng Yang was so flustered that he did not know what he should do at all.

"It's fine, it's fine. Everything will be resolved once Teacher is here..." Zheng Yang struggled to his feet as he shook whatever thoughts he had out of his mind.

Having followed his teacher for so long, he knew that there was no difficulty in the world that could bring his teacher down. It was fine that he could not find a solution out of the current quandary he was seeing; all he had to do was wait.

With such a thought, he left the hall, intending to return to where he had come from. However, his feet suddenly froze in place.

A surge of power washed over him, and his consciousness blurred.

Putong!

Silence.

...

Sitting in the room that he had previously lectured in, Zhang Xuan felt his state of mind flowing freely, extending into the distance along with his thoughts.

He had only been an ordinary librarian in his previous life. It was beyond his imagination that the day would come when he would transcend over to another world.

It had been a period of confusion and panic when he first transcended over. He had no idea what he should do, and the only desire that drove him forward was the wish to live on.

It had taken some time for everything to settle down and for him to assimilate into the world.

All of the memories of his life surged into his head, be it his previous life, the period after his transcension, the moment that he first stepped into the Library of Heaven's Path...

Slowly, something seemed to sprout within Zhang Xuan. It was a strength that seemed to exceed even the heavens themselves. It was going to break free of the ground and blossom into something beautiful.

In his moment of enlightenment, flurried footsteps sounded in his ears. He slowly opened his eyes, only to see Wei Ruyan standing before him.

...

Hearing Wei Ruyan's words, Zhang Xuan abruptly rose to his feet. "Did you say that you found Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse?"

Ancient Sage Ran Qiu was the strongest out of Kong shi's many disciples, and he had been a figure whom innumerable combat masters looked up to. Why would his corpse be found there, not to mention that it was even hidden in an underground hall several dozen li deep?

"Bring me over to take a look!"

Unable to bear his curiosity, he hurriedly followed Wei Ruyan into Yun Xiang's manor and into the underground passageway. It was not long before he arrived in a hall with a coffin right at the center.

Upon taking a closer look, a tight frown formed between Zhang Xuan's eyebrows. "Judging from outer appearance and the aura, he does seem to be Ancient Sage Ran Qiu..."

Back when he was at the White Creek Mountain, he had the opportunity to meet Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's fragmented soul. The corpse that was right before him shared the same appearance, and even the auras that they emanated were very similar.

The corpse likely belonged to Ancient Sage Ran Qiu.

"You should come over and take a look as well!" Zhang Xuan said with a flick of his wrist.

The Dragonbone Divine Spear flew forth from Zhang Xuan's waist and transformed into a majestic black dragon in the air. Looking down at the coffin beneath it, it descended to the ground and kneeled down.

"Master!"

The body of the massive dragon trembled intensely as slight whimpers escaped from its mouth.

It was an artifact forged by Ancient Sage Ran Qiu. All along, it had thought that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu would ascend to a higher dimension together with Kong shi after sealing it in the ancient domain at White Creek Mountain, but who could have known that he would die just like that?

"It seems like it's real then," Zhang Xuan remarked. He looked around the hall, and a slight frown appeared on his forehead. He turned to Wei Ruyan and asked, "Where is Zheng Yang?"

"Hmm? I'm not too sure. He should have been here..." Wei Ruyan was taken aback.

Given that Zheng Yang had asked her to get their teacher, it stood to reason that he would be waiting for her there. Why was he nowhere to be seen?

Zhang Xuan scanned the area carefully, but there was no trace of Zheng Yang to be found. Eventually, he placed his palm lightly on Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse.

If he wanted to make sense of this place, the best way was to do it through the Library of Heaven's Path.

"Flaws!"

The Library of Heaven's Path jolted, but no book was formed.

Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

It was hard to tell whether it was because Ancient Sage Ran Qiu was only a corpse at the moment or that the place had the ability to obstruct the view of the heavens.

It should be the latter, Zhang Xuan thought as he continued surveying his surroundings.

He had used the Library of Heaven's Path on corpses before, and the only limitation was that he was unable to gather much information on the individual's life prior to their death. However, as for the other details such as the tier of their corpse and so on, it would still have been compiled and reflected in a book.

This was rather similar to what usually happened when he checked artifacts.

However, the fact that nothing had happened meant that the entire place was likely concealed from the heavens. This also explained why no seers had been able to uncover the fact that the strongest disciple of Kong shi was actually dead there.

"This is an ancient land that hasn't been ravaged by the wars between mankind and the Otherworldly Demons. It offers the hope of recovering a diminished bloodline. Could this be somewhat linked to the reason why Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse is buried here?" Zhang Xuan began trying to put clues together to reason the happenings there.

Aside from the fact that most ancient domains were thin in spiritual energy, making them environments unsuitable for cultivation, there were actually many mystical things about them. For one, he had transcended over to an ancient domain, as well as the fact that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse had been found here. Could there be any link between those two matters?

Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight to do a thorough scan once more.

"There's a passageway down here," Zhang Xuan remarked as he stomped his feet lightly.

Jiyaya!

The coffin began to move to the side, revealing the passageway hidden beneath it.

He exchanged glances with Wei Ruyan for a moment heading down the passageway.

Naturally, Wei Ruyan quickly followed along as well.

The layout of the second hall was an exact replica of the first. Even the locations of the coffins were identical. It really felt as if they were trying to navigate their way through an ancient labyrinth.

Other than the coffin, the entire room was empty; there was not a single person to be seen.

"Teacher, it seems like Senior Zheng Yang was here," Wei Ruyan suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan turned to look at Wei Ruyan.

"There's a slight indentation on the wall over there. Judging from the shape, it seems to have been left behind by him," Wei Ruyan said as she pointed toward the wall.

Turning to look, he found that there was indeed a deep indentation in the wall. The size was a match with Zheng Yang's physique. Chances were that it had been created when Zheng Yang's back was pressed against the wall.

"You're right. He might have seen the corpse in the coffin and backed away out of fear..." Zhang Xuan reasoned out as a spark of curiosity emerged in his eyes.

Just what could be in the coffin that would frighten Zheng Yang even more than Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse?

"Let's open it and take a look!" Zhang Xuan instructed as he walked up to the coffin.

Jiya!

The lid of the coffin was pried open, revealing a figure right before them. He had a calm and peaceful look on his face, as if he had just been put to rest not too long ago.

Seeing this sight, Zhang Xuan felt his blood running cold.

The corpse that was inside the coffin was none other than... Zheng Yang!

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Chapter 1864: A Powerful Barrier

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Lying in the coffin, there was a hint of a smile on Zheng Yang's lips. His body was still warm, and it looked as if he would open his eyes at any moment.

"Senior..."

Concentrated poison aura seeped out from Wei Ruyan's body as strong emotions began building up within her.

Despite her cold exterior, she did care a lot for the others. While she had put Zheng Yang down earlier, just seeing his corpse made it feel as if her heart was going to explode. If she knew who the culprit was, there was no doubt that she would have dashed right in to tear that person into shreds.

"Control your emotions!" Zhang Xuan bellowed.

"Y-yes!" Hearing her teacher's words, Wei Ruyan swiftly snapped out of her condition.

Nevertheless, she could not stop trembling as she looked at the corpse in the coffin.

"This isn't Zheng Yang," Zhang Xuan said.

He had also received the shock of his life when he first saw the face of the corpse. However, as he took a closer look, he had swiftly realized that something was amiss.

The body was simply too lifelike.

There would inevitably be some changes to a person's body after their death, no matter how powerful they might have been in life. Furthermore, he was well aware of Zheng Yang's character; he would never be one to accept death so peacefully. Even at the cost of his life, he would surely rip off a bone from the culprit before breathing his last breath!

More importantly... he had left a surge of his Heaven's Path zhenqi in Zheng Yang's body, so there was no way that anyone would be able to kill Zheng Yang without drawing his notice.

"If it isn't Senior Zheng Yang, then..." Wei Ruyan was taken aback by what Zhang Xuan was saying.

No matter how she looked at or touched the corpse, it was very clear that it belonged to Zheng Yang. She could not imagine anything in the world that could possibly create such a lifelike replica of him.

"It's most likely an illusion, an illusion that blurs the distinction between truth and falsehood. Something that can even deceive the heavens," Zhang Xuan murmured as he walked back and forth in the hall.

If the one to appear had not been Zheng Yang, he might not have considered the possibility that it was an illusion.

This was because the sight before him was too real, and the Library of Heaven's Path just happened to be crippled.

"An illusion?" Wei Ruyan looked around her before eventually pinching her own cheeks... "Ouch!"

"Dragonbone Divine Spear!" Zhang Xuan called out.

Hula!

The Dragonbone Divine Spear flew over from the passageway. With his spear in hand, Zhang Xuan felt boundless strength surging into his body. He raised the tip of his spear and directed it right toward the stone coffin.

Boom!

The coffin was pierced through, and the entire chamber dissipated like bubbles. The next instant, they saw Zheng Yang lying diagonally by the wall, unmoving. From the looks of it, it seemed like he had passed out.

What was right before them was not a coffin but a massive barrier that resembled a mirror.

It seemed like the two of them had walked into the world within the mirror, thus blurring their perception of reality.

"It's actually an illusion," the Dragonbone Divine Spear exclaimed excitedly. "If that's the case, could the old master's corpse be fake as well? So, the old master actually isn't dead yet!"

It had been a huge blow to it seeing the old master's corpse appearing right before its eyes. Since this was all an illusion, could that corpse possibly be an illusion as well?

"I'm sorry, but Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's body was likely real." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It's the sheer power of his corpse that has been sustaining everything here. If his body had been fake, this place wouldn't have been concealed from the heavens."

As much as he hated to shatter the Dragonbone Divine Spear's hopes, the truth was the truth. The moment that the illusion dissipated, he had come to realize the truth as well.

An illusion that he had been unable to discern and was able to deceive even the heavens was bound to require a vast amount of energy in order to sustain it, and the very center of this formation was Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's corpse.

Only the second strongest Ancient Sage in the world could possibly have the ability to beguile him, such that he failed to notice that he was in an illusion for a moment.

"So... the old master is really dead?" The Dragonbone Divine Spear fell to the floor weakly.

If the corpse was real, it meant that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu was truly dead.

"It's still too early to say whether Ancient Sage Ran Qiu is truly dead or not. Just because the corpse is real doesn't mean that he has already passed away. Take the old Sovereign Chen Yong for example. His body has already been buried, and his cultivation has already been passed on to Liu Yang. However, his soul has been taken away by a deity from the Azure, and there's a good chance that he could be revived in the future!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Those who have become as strong as Ancient Sage Ran Qiu are unlikely to die that easily!"

Even Vicious could revive despite being divided into so many pieces, let alone Ancient Sage Ran Qiu.

Even if the corpse was real, as long as his soul remained, he could not be said to be dead in the truest sense.

Hearing that explanation, the Dragonbone Divine Spear's glazed eyes cleared up a little as it heaved a sigh of relief. "This... You're right!"

"First, we have to wake Zheng Yang up," Zhang Xuan said. "Something must have happened for him to be unconscious."

With a tap of his finger, he sent a surge of Heaven's Path zhenqi into his student's body. A few moments later, Zheng Yang slowly opened his eyes.

Zheng Yang had always been an extremely strong-willed individual, and for even someone like him to be knocked out cold, it was likely that he had received some kind of astonishing shock that resulted in an intense fluctuation in his state of mind.

"Teacher!" Zheng Yang's face reddened as he quickly got to his feet.

"You were the one who entered this room first. What happened in here for you to pass out like this?" Wei Ruyan asked.

"I..." Rubbing his head to alleviate the splitting headache in his mind, Zheng Yang took a deep breath before he began his explanation. "I found the passageway leading here, and there was a hall similar to the one above. There was a coffin as well, and when I opened it to take a look, I saw... Kong shi's body."

"Kong shi's body?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

They had seen Zheng Yang's corpse whereas Zheng Yang had seen Kong shi's body.

Was there some kind of link between the two?

"Regardless of what is happening here, it's likely to have something to do with this barrier! I'm certain that this place has something to do with Kong shi!" Unable to make a precise deduction with the limited evidence they had over here, Zhang Xuan decided to put the matter aside for the moment and worked on things that were more certain.

Thus, he turned his gaze toward the massive mirror-like barrier in front of him.

The answers that he sought were likely to be beyond there. The only problem left was to figure out a way to get to the other side.

"Let me give it a try!" Zhang Xuan raised the Dragonbone Divine Spear in his hand and pierced straight ahead.

Hula!

The spear tore through space, ripping a hole right through the world. In a flash, it struck the barrier squarely.

Boom!

A massive energy swept across the area. Zhang Xuan's body stiffened a little before being forcefully knocked back. His back crashed heavily into the wall behind, causing his face to turn pale and his breathing to become a little ragged.

In a brief moment, he had already sustained significant injuries.

"It didn't work?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

His might, paired with the Dragonbone Divine Spear, even granted him the strength to put up a fight against the deity that he had met previously. Considering that he had put his full strength behind the pierce, it was unthinkable that he had failed to inflict the slightest damage on the barrier. On the contrary, he had suffered a backlash so severe that he had almost spurted blood.

It was insane! Just what in the world was the barrier made of to be so terrifying?

"Master, let me give it a try!" Vicious' voice sounded in his mind.

"Go ahead!" Zhang Xuan nodded as he released Vicious from the Book of Heaven's Path.

Vicious had already completed his body, and he had assimilated the straw garment. His current strength could be said to be on par with Dimension Shatterer realm primary stage cultivators. If he made a move, he might just be able to destroy the barrier.

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Chapter 1865: Becoming the World's Teacher

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A massive pair of hands reached out from the book, causing the entire underground hall to tremble non-stop, as if there was an earthquake. The massive hands slammed powerfully upon the barrier.

Boom!

A powerful shockwave gushed out into the surroundings, forcing Zhang Xuan and the others to back away uncontrollably. By the time the storm calmed down, they turned their sights to the barrier once more, only to see it still intact. There was not the slightest damage to be seen. On the other hand, Vicious' fingers had started bleeding.

"Master, let me give it another try..."

With his attack failing to breach the barrier, Vicious lowered his head in embarrassment.

"There's no need for that. If you make another move, it's likely that the entire underground hall will collapse on us!" Zhang Xuan said.

The underground hall was already at its limits after the multiple impacts. If they continued, there was no doubt that it would collapse on them. Of course, given their strength, they would not sustain the slightest damage. What was worrisome was the countless citizens of the Tianxuan Royal City living above.

The might of the Ancient Sages was simply too great. If the strength of a Dimension Shatterer realm cultivator ran amok in the slightest, the city could very well be reduced to a living hell.

"What should we do then?"

"We can't do it the forceful way. There's bound to be another way to bypass this barrier," Zhang Xuan said with a smile. "The fact that even a Dimension Shatterer realm cultivator like you is unable to breach it meant that the barrier was set up by Kong shi. Going down this line of thought, I think I should be able to figure something out!"

The reason Zhang Xuan had Vicious made a move was to test the limits of the barrier. The fact that it could withstand Vicious' attack meant that it likely had something to do with Kong shi.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan walked up to the barrier and infused his Celestial Master Teacher aura within.

Given that they were both Celestial Master Teachers, perhaps this might be the key to resolving the bottleneck before him.

Weng!

As the aura flowed in, the barrier suddenly began wavering. Countless insights regarding education and mentorship flowed into his head, leaving him with a deeper impression of the master teacher occupation.

It was as if all of the ideals that Kong shi embraced had been imparted to him.

"Using the world as an example, one can right their minds to align with nature and encompass everything in the world..."

A voice echoed in Zhang Xuan's head. It could have been a lingering thought from Kong shi, but at the same time, it seemed like it was his own interpretation as well.

A Celestial Master Teacher was a master teacher recognized by the heavens. Using the heavens as an example, Celestial Master Teachers were able to swiftly rise through the ranks. However, if they wished to surpass the heavens, the difficulties they would face were manyfold.

Liu Yang, Zheng Yang, and the others, for example, had learned under him as his direct disciples, allowing their cultivation to rise far beyond the speed of ordinary cultivators. However, if they wished to surpass him... Well, this was something that they would never be able to achieve in their lifetime.

It was not that they were weak, but most of their cultivation techniques that they had practiced came from him, and it had formed the foundation of their cultivation. If they wanted to surpass him, they would have either to have to gain a deeper understanding of his cultivation techniques or overthrow everything that they had learned before.

Kong shi had more than three thousand disciples in the world, but not a single one of them was able to surpass him. From there, it was apparent how difficult it was to surpass one's lineage.

"I think I understand. I am a Celestial Master Teacher, a master teacher acknowledged by the heavens. In other words, my existence is viewed to be beneath the heavens. As such... it's nigh impossible for me to comprehend any rules that surpass the heavens! Since that's the case... why should I remain as a Celestial Master Teacher?"

It was as if enlightenment had suddenly struck Zhang Xuan as his eyes widened in realization. "Since you deny me of my breakthrough, I shall be a Celestial Master Teacher no more. Instead, I'll become... the World's Teacher!"

If he wished to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, he would be able to do it easily through his Spear Quintessence, Saber Quintessence, or even Fist Quintessence and the like. However, once he did so, everything would be settled. It would be nigh impossible for him to find a path unique to him anymore.

As such, he had been searching for something that he could say that was his and his alone. This was also why he had been suppressing his cultivation all along, refusing to achieve a breakthrough over the past two months.

And at that very moment, he seemed to have found a direction.

The fact that he could receive the acknowledgement of the heavens and become a Celestial Master Teacher meant that the world was sentient!

Since that was the case, why did he necessarily have to be the one being acknowledged? Why could he not become its teacher instead?

If one took the world as an example and learned from it, one would never be able to surpass the limits of the world. On the other hand, as the World's Teacher, his position would be above the world right from the start. Naturally, the path leading to Ancient Sage would be much smoother than ever.

However, becoming the World's Teacher is easier said than done. I have to understand the world and grasp its strengths and flaws. Only then will I become worthy of that position. More importantly, I will have to forsake my title as a Celestial Master Teacher!

His mind churned at an incredible speed in order to map out a feasible plan. Once he had confirmed his direction, he closed his eyes and decisively released all of his Celestial Master Teacher aura at once.

All gains were bound to accompany some loss.

If one wanted to fill a sack with gold ingots, one would have to toss away the silver ingots in it first.

While the Celestial Master Teacher might be a position that almost all desired, it had become nothing more than a restriction on him. Thus, there was no pity in casting it away!

His success had always been built on his diligence, tenacity, upright character, and unyielding spirit. As for the role of Celestial Master Teacher? Heh, that was a mere transient title!

As his state of mind settled down, he began expelling the energy that he had absorbed from his five acknowledgements of Celestial Master Teacher. An aura so concentrated gushed out and rose right into the azure sky as if a pillar of light. Reaching the tip of the world, it exploded and transformed into innumerable currents of energy that dissipated into the surroundings.

As the Celestial Master Teacher aura dissipated, Zhang Xuan's will slowly floated into the sky. The will of the heavens crushed down on his will, commencing a battle of willpower.

...

The Baijiang Empire Master Teacher Pavilion.

"The path of teacherhood is centered around three aspects, the impartation of knowledge, the proper conduct of one's character, and the enlightenment of one's heart. The reason Kong shi's teachings were able to reach everyone in the world is due to the lack of discrimination in his impartation. His heart was vast enough to encompass the world. As a master teacher, you should constantly bear your responsibility in mind. The lineages of mankind must be properly passed down from generation to generation in order to ensure our survival through the ages..."

A bunch of newly qualified master teachers were standing before the Teacher Acknowledgement Hall, and an elder was lecturing them with a solemn look on his face.

"Yes!" The master teachers nodded in response.

From the moment that they became master teachers, they came to know of their responsibilities, and they chose to accept the burden.

For tens of thousands of years, the Master Teacher Pavilion had both been respected and humiliated by the population. Nevertheless, the reason it was able to withstand the trial of time and remain at the top of the world was because of the unchanging spirit passed down across the generations.

"Wonderful. Kneel down and pay respects to the ancestors!"

The elder was just about to step aside to allow the newly qualified master teachers to pay respects to the ancestral tablets when the ground suddenly started trembling. The ancestral tablets placed neatly on the altar began to shake nonstop.

Huala!

All of the ancestral tablets fell down simultaneously, and they were all facing the same direction.

"What's going on?"

The elder widened his eyes in shock. He quickly turned toward where the ancestral tablets had fallen, and he caught sight of a silhouette formed out of clouds and rainbows. Dressed in a long robe, that figure seemed to tower over the entire world, making it impossible to see his body fully.

The figure was faced against them, but the aura that he emanated made others dare not look at him directly. Instead, it seemed to compel one to bow down before him.

"That's... a Celestial Master Teacher!" the elder exclaimed as his body stiffened in shock.

In all of history, the only person who was known to have been a Celestial Master Teacher was Kong shi himself.

Many master teachers had sought to emulate his path afterward, but no matter how hard they tried, they had been unable to accomplish that feat. Yet, at that very moment, there was another Celestial Master Teacher among them!

Putong!

Unable to hold back his agitation any longer, the elder kneeled to the ground and bowed.

The elder glared at the newly appointed master teachers, who were still blanked out from the abrupt turn of events, and bellowed, "A new Celestial Master Teacher has descended among us; an era of prosperity lies right ahead! Hurry up and bow down!"

"Y-yes!"

The crowd quickly got to their knees and bowed deeply.

The information regarding a Celestial Master Teacher was only passed down within the Master Teacher Pavilion, but at this very moment, countless people were witnessing this sight together.

The faraway figure had his legs firmly planted on the ground, and his body was shouldering the weight of the heavens. This was a sign of utmost intimacy with the world, but the figure pushed the two away with a look of disdain on his face.

He was actually... scorning the heavens!

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Chapter 1866: The Shocked Master Teacher Pavilion

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Wait a minute..." One of the master teachers bowing the ground noticed that something was amiss. "Aren't Celestial Master Teachers individuals who have earned the recognition of the heavens? Why does it seem like that person... is looking down on the heavens?"

Logically speaking, when a Celestial Master Teacher received the acknowledgement of the heavens, they should accept it with the utmost pride and glory. Yet, the towering person was trying his best to shake it off as if something disgusting had latched onto him.

"Looking down on the heavens?"

Stunned by that remark, the elder raised his head, only to see the towering figure shaking his body wildly. He was desperately trying to prevent any of the aura that had come from the heavens from getting stuck to him.

The elder gulped before muttering with reddened eyes, "He is actually rejecting the acknowledgement of the heavens... Does he not want to be a Celestial Master Teacher anymore?"

The history of Kong shi's acknowledgements as a Celestial Master Teacher had been fully detailed in the records and passed down through the ages. Even though many years had passed since then, the significance of a Celestial Master Teacher had never vanished from the minds of the population. But somehow, events did not seem to be going in the direction that they were expected to go in.

At the same time, when the other master teachers around the elder heard his words, tears began brimming in their eyes.

Bro, if you don't want to be a Celestial Master Teacher, you can pass the position down to us! We would be laughing even in our dreams if such an opportunity were to ever chance upon us!

Really, is it alright for you to reject the heavens so directly? Aren't you pretty much making an enemy of the world?

"Scram!"

While they were feeling deeply stifled by the happenings, the figure in the sky suddenly bellowed before kicking at the heavens, which had latched onto his leg.

Hong long!

A rift appeared in the sky.

"He's indeed abandoning his position as a Celestial Master Teacher..."

If there had still been any doubts previously, they had completely vanished without a trace.

It was obvious that the towering figure no longer wanted to be a Celestial Master Teacher, but the relentless heavens simply refused to back down and continued trying to suffuse the towering figure with their aura.

"Who in the world is that fellow?"

Unable to take it any longer, the elder leaned in to take a closer look. He wanted to know the identity of the man who was so heartlessly shattering their image of a Celestial Master Teacher!

For tens of thousands of years, there had been no master teacher who did not desire the acknowledgement of the heavens. Such a feat meant the resounding of their name through the ages and the continued inheritance of their lineage through thousands of generations.

Yet, that fellow was trying to shake off the heavens as if they were pests on his hands, going to the extent of even stomping on the latter.

Will you die if you don't provoke us like that?

Hula!

It was at this moment that the towering figure in the sky turned around, revealing his appearance. He was a dashing young man in his early twenties with sharp eyebrows.

"Isn't that... Zhang Xuan? B-but... I thought that he was dead!" The elder was taken aback.

The Master Teacher Pavilion had once issued an arrest warrant on the young man across the entire Master Teacher Continent, such that there was no master teacher who did not know this name. Afterward, things had gotten worse, and eventually, the young man had ended his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters.

A person who should have died three months ago... how could he possibly bounce back to life and even be a Celestial Master Teacher at that?

What in the world had happened in between? It was as if the story had jumped from the prologue to the epilogue all of a sudden!

The master teachers in the area were flabbergasted by this unexpected happening.

The same scene was occurring in other Master Teacher Pavilions across the world.

Countless master teachers looked at the towering figure in the air with reddened eyes. Some were even crying miserably, exclaiming that they had lived in vain.

It was way too much.

For someone to reject even being a Celestial Master Teacher...

Could anyone be more arrogant than that?

...

In the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, a group of Ancient Sages and 9-star master teachers were gathered together in a stately room.

"So, that's what happened," Yang shi said. "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has almost been unified, so we can be certain that it no longer poses a threat to us. This means that it's time for our Master Teacher Pavilion to shift its strategic goals and manpower deployment. We should devote more resources into imparting the wisdom of the predecessors and nurturing young talents."

"Yang shi, if I understand your words correctly, you are saying that not only did Zhang shi not betray mankind, he's even a Celestial Master Teacher as well. The reason he ended his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters was to use the incident as a cover to sneak into the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and resolve the threat once and for all?" a 9-star master teacher asked with a deep frown on his forehead, seemingly unwilling to believe this tall tale.

"Indeed." Yang shi nodded. "However, some of what I have shared so far is still conjecture on my part, so we'll need some further verification. Nevertheless, I'm ninety percent certain of the matter!"

"As long as we can't fully verify the matter, there is a chance that your conjecture might fall through. With all due respect, Yang shi, I find it hard to believe your story. If Zhang shi is truly a Celestial Master Teacher, he should have reported it to the Master Teacher Pavilion. Why would he hide his identity?"

"I don't deny that he has a way with imparting knowledge to others, but going to the extent of saying that he's a Celestial Master Teacher seems a little too far-fetched to me!"

"Indeed. All of us here are familiar with Kong shi's compassionate temperament and benevolent heart. I have browsed through Zhang shi's records, and I don't think that he has the character needed to be acknowledged by the heavens."

...

Some master teachers posed their doubts.

It was not that they were intentionally making things hard for Yang shi, but it had been tens of thousands of years since a Celestial Master Teacher last appeared. Furthermore, the person who was said to be a Celestial Master Teacher was someone who had a relationship with the Spirit God.

It was inevitable that there would be some doubtful naysayers.

"I'm afraid that you are mistaking my intention. I'm not opening this matter up for discussion; I am informing you of it! I'll permit you to discuss it among yourselves behind closed doors, but for the time being, we are going to proceed with this meeting under this premise," Yang shi replied sharply.

The reason he had chosen to roam the world was because he did not like that the Master Teacher Pavilion had already strayed from its original intentions. He wanted to make use of this opportunity to correct things, but it was truly frustrating how he was facing obstacles every step of the way. He knew that there was no way to fully convince those master teachers, so he chose to take a more forceful approach.

"I'm willing to go on with the meeting under such a premise if that's what you wish, but I refuse to believe that he's a Celestial Master Teacher. If even he's able to become a Celestial Master Teacher, there's no reason the rest of us can't..." one of the 9-star master teachers replied indignantly, but in the midst of his words, the ground suddenly began to tremble.

Alarmed, the crowd quickly left the room to look outward, and they soon saw a familiar figure towering in the sky. A unique aura originating from the world was surging toward him, attempting to enter through his apertures and fill his body.

Who else could that familiar figure possibly be other than Zhang shi, who had ended his life at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters three months prior?

"That is... the aura bestowed by the predecessors during the acknowledgement ceremony?"

"No, that's not the aura from our predecessors. It's the aura bestowed from the world on a Celestial Master Teacher..."

As 9-star master teachers, they swiftly comprehended what was going on with just a glance. However, just because they were able to comprehend it did not mean that their minds were capable of processing it in a moment's time.

That was a historic moment where an entire group of 9-star master teachers and Ancient Sages stood with slackened jaws and widened eyes.

Just a moment earlier, some had claimed that there was no way that Zhang Xuan could be a Celestial Master Teacher. It was as if the other party was carefully timing his actions in order to bring about the greatest face slap to them!

"Wait a moment. He doesn't seem to be accepting the acknowledgement at all... On the contrary, it seems like he's trying to free himself from that identity!"

It did not take long for someone to notice the anomaly.

"Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case. Zhang shi seems to be trying to expel the celestial aura within his body..."

"A Celestial Master Teacher casting away the aura bestowed from the heavens? Is he out of his mind?"

The sheer preposterousness of what they were seeing had exceeded the limits of what they could rationally process. All they could do was shake their heads endlessly and murmur words of disapproval as they watched Zhang Xuan flinging out the aura from his body with a look of disgust on his face, as if he was purging his body of some repulsive poison.

Even the heavens seemed to be a little taken aback by the situation.

Such a thing had simply never happened before!

"Do you still think that he isn't a Celestial Master Teacher?" Yang shi asked as he gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

His senior was truly an extraordinary individual. Everything he did was able to leave one utterly shocked.

Becoming a Celestial Master Teacher was something that everyone desired, but he was so frantically trying to free himself from it such that it almost looked as if he was a heartless man trying to dump his girlfriend.

The world was really going mad!

"He is a Celestial Master Teacher..."

"We were blind..."

Those 9-star master teachers who had doubted Yang shi's words earlier felt a fiery pain on their cheeks. If there was a pit in the ground, they would have dived right in without a moment's hesitation.

It was truly embarrassing how they had to swallow their words a moment after making such confident declarations!

Sighing deeply at Zhang Xuan's actions, Yang shi turned to the 9-star master teacher who had argued with him a moment ago. "You said earlier that there's no reason why the rest of you can't be Celestial Master Teachers if Zhang shi is one, right? Since he's going to shake away his identity right now, why don't you give it a try?"

Given all the miracles that his senior had produced, this bunch of people still dared to doubt his credentials as a Celestial Master Teacher.

If you think so highly of yourself, why don't you give it a try?

The 9-star master teacher really burst into tears on the spot.

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Chapter 1867: Entering the Barrier

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While Zhang Xuan was relinquishing his title as a Celestial Master Teacher by releasing the aura that he had absorbed in his five previous acknowledgements, a huge uproar erupted across the Master Teacher Continent.

Previously, when Zhang Xuan obtained the acknowledgement from the heavens, the phenomena that occurred had mostly been limited to the regional Master Teacher Pavilions. In view of the severity of the issue, the Master Teacher Pavilions had chosen to suppress the matter, so there were not many people who were aware of it.

However, at that moment, nearly every single living being on the Master Teacher Continent was witnessing the release and dissipation of the heavens' aura back to the world with their own eyes.

They would really have to be fools if they still did not get what was happening.

It was not easy for another Celestial Master Teacher to appear on the continent once more, but who would have thought that the other party would quit just like that?

"As expected of Teacher..."

The reverence reflected in Zhang Jiuxiao's eyes was more than what any words could possibly bring out.

Upon discovering his teacher's identity, he had not hesitated to become the latter's student. Yet, it turned out that his teacher did not even care about that identity at all, throwing it away without the slightest hesitation.

As expected of someone who had already seen past the material world! Things such as glory and honor were not even worth a gold coin to him!

While the whole world was going into a frenzy due to the happenings, Zhang Xuan was still sitting in front of the barrier, forcefully expelling the energy in his body.

Unless he emptied out the aura that he had received from the previous Celestial Master Teacher acknowledgements from his body, there was no way that he would be able to become the World's Teacher!

Geji! Geji!

Even as the heavens exerted a pressure so great that it seemed as if his soul would be crushed to bits, Zhang Xuan maintained a nonchalant look on his face. It was impossible to tell what was going through his mind.

In truth, he harbored some doubts about relinquishing his Celestial Master Teacher title as well. He knew of the significance of the title after all. However, when he came into contact with the barrier and inherited Kong shi's philosophy, he had become certain that this was the path that Kong shi had walked on as well!

Otherwise, no matter how powerful or talented he might be, he would never be able to go any further than being an Ancient Sage in this world. It would be impossible for him to break the dimension barrier and ascend to a higher dimension!

The recognition from the heavens of this world was both a blessing and a curse. It served to shackle one down to this world. If he wanted to free himself from his shackles, he would first have to relinquish his identity!

Kacha!

As the aura dissipated, the pressure coming from the heavens seemed to intensify, as if symbolizing the rage of the heavens at the blasphemous act. Ominous clouds swiftly rolled in together with devastating lightning and flames.

"Here it comes," Zhang Xuan murmured as he rose to his feet.

However, he remained within the underground hall, not leaving at all.

He knew that if he left, the strength of the lightning tribulation would surely ravage the entire Tianxuan Kingdom, destroying every last soul within the perimeter of the tribulation.

As long as he remained in the underground hall, the lightning tribulation would have to have no choice but to concentrate its prowess within the area. It was fortunate that the manor extended far and wide, so it was unlikely that any bystanders would be caught in the conflict.

Huala!

The cataclysmic lightning swiftly gathered in the sky and formed a massive saber with destructive flames and lightning crackling around it. Even the fabric of space seemed to be as feeble as a piece of paper in the face of the powerful saber, and it seemed as if everything would be eradicated in its face.

This was the most fearsome trial of the Ancient Sage Ordeal, the Ordeal of Lightning Armament. Who would have thought that he would face it once more there?

Sou!

The lightning saber surged right down toward the underground hall, appearing right above Zhang Xuan's head in the blink of an eye.

Tz la!

The formations around the manor and the underground hall were decisively sliced in two as if they were mere tattered pieces of cloth.

"Heh. I've been waiting for you!" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan's fist shot right up to strike down the lightning saber.

The previous time he faced the Ordeal of Lightning Armament, he had been far too weak to be able to withstand its might. However, he was no longer as helpless as he used to be. Even without using the Dragonbone Divine Spear, the might that he exerted would allow him to take down any Blood Reincarnation realm expert!

Boom!

As the fist and the lightning saber clashed, Zhang Xuan found himself knocked several steps back. This momentary clash had left his fist marred with slightly charred flesh and boiling blood.

It seemed like despite the massive increase in his cultivation, his strength was still not up to par with the Ordeal of Lightning Armament.

The last time he underwent it, he had needed to summon Little Tribulation and further augment it by summoning hundreds of cultivation ordeals all at once before it was a match for the Ordeal of Lightning Armament. However, in the Tianxuan Royal City, there was no way he would be able to do what he had done previously. Nevertheless, that did not mean that he was going to go down without a fight.

Zhang Xuan flitted over to the side of the barrier before turning to face the massive saber once more.

Driving his zhenqi to the maximum, he punched in the direction of the massive saber, which threatened to scorch every inch of his body with the blazing heat it was emanating.

Once again, the collision ended with Zhang Xuan's defeat as his body was knocked back from the saber, causing a series of energy ripples to traverse across the barrier.

On the other hand, the massive saber continued to descend with formidable might, striking right down upon the barrier.

Weng!

There was a light buzz as the massive saber inflicted its black flames onto the barrier, causing a small hole to corrode on it. However, the black flames only lasted for a brief moment before they were extinguished by the tremendous energy rippling through the barrier.

"It's working!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Part of the reason for him choosing to cultivate and summon the lightning tribulation there was because he wanted to use the power of the lightning tribulation to deal with the barrier.

Considering how the barrier was able to withstand both his and Vicious' strength, it was unfeasible to attempt to break it with their strength. Furthermore, even though the barrier had been left behind by Kong shi, it did not seem like it would open up solely on the merit that he was a Celestial Master Teacher.

Since that was the case, he had no choice but to tap into external forces to breach the barrier!

Opening his fist into a palm, he struck at the massive saber once more.

Kacha! Kacha!

The massive saber retaliated with ferocious slashes time and time again, but most of the energy coming from its attacks was halted by the barrier right behind him. Under the relentless attacks of the saber, cracks began to appear on the surface of the barrier.

However, due to the multiple clashes with the saber, Zhang Xuan's body also sustained significant damage. Just like when he had faced the Ordeal of Lightning Armament before, he was already on the verge of collapse.

"Canvas of Four Seasons!"

With a thought, Zhang Xuan swapped into the appearance of Sovereign Chen Ling with the disguise amulet before taking out the Canvas of Four Seasons to release the energy that he had sealed within it.

He had stolen this energy from the deity whom Sovereign Chen Ling had summoned, and it was exceptionally effective in healing injuries.

It took a few moments before Zhang Xuan fully recovered from his injuries. After he was all healed up, he turned his sights to the massive saber and continued his attacks once more.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The massive saber continued striking down on the barrier, causing the cracks that had appeared to grow larger and larger, seemingly on the verge of being torn apart at any moment.

By this point, the Ordeal of Lightning Armament had already expended a large portion of its energy, making it much weaker than before.

"It seems like it's indeed possible to grind it down..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

The risk had paid off. Even though he was not the World's Teacher yet, it seemed like he would be able to free himself from his position as a Celestial Master Teacher, allowing his cultivation to rise once more.

At the same time, he would probably be able to shatter whatever was left of the barrier. He had no idea what lay on the other side, but considering the secrecy surrounding it, he had a feeling that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers might have something to do with it.

Even if the Hundred Schools of Philosophers was not involved, it was bound to have something to do with Kong shi. As long as he traced Kong shi's footsteps, he would eventually be able to ascend to a higher dimension.

Kacha! Kacha!

As the Ordeal of Lightning Armament struck down another two more times, the cracks grew larger and larger, to the extent that they were already large enough for a person to pass through. At the same time, the ominous clouds in the sky were starting to dissipate.

Another few breaths passed, and it seemed like the Ordeal of Lightning Armament had finally reached its limits.

The multitude of attacks that it had launched had completely sapped its energy. With a light tap of Zhang Xuan's finger, it dissipated into countless strands of energy.

"Let's enter!"

Finally overcoming the lightning tribulation, Zhang Xuan beckoned the others before diving right into the hole in the barrier.

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan nodded. They swiftly sent a message to Zhao Ya before following their teacher to the other side of the barrier.

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Chapter 1868: Greensprout Wheat

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

What appeared before Zhang Xuan was a vast world.

The blue sky, dabbled with traces of white clouds, extended far and wide. Greenery flourished from the earth, creating a peaceful scene that went well with the melodious chirping of birds. The spiritual energy in the air was so concentrated that it was on par with the most blessed land back at the Master Teacher Continent.

Not too far away from where Zhang Xuan was standing, there was a farmland filled with wheat.

"Where are we?" Wei Ruyan asked with a confused frown as she slowly walked out from the darkness. She drove her zhenqi carefully for fear that there would be danger lurking in the area.

"It's probably some sort of ancient domain," Zheng Yang replied.

Zhang Xuan carefully assessed his surroundings as he slowly proceeded over to the farmland. He bent down before one of the wheat plants and plucked it out in order to conduct a closer examination. A moment later, he chuckled softly and asked, "Have you noticed?"

"Noticed?"

The two youths replied in bewilderment to Zhang Xuan's abrupt question.

Zheng Yang walked closer to take a closer look at the wheat stalk in Zhang Xuan's hand before remarking, "The wheat over here seems to be much bulkier than what we can find in the Master Teacher Continent. It seems to retain more spiritual energy from the surroundings too!"

"You're right. The wheat here seems to be infused with much more spiritual energy." Wei Ruyan nodded with a slightly confused look still on her face. She could not understand why her teacher was more interested in a stalk of wheat than figuring out where they were and what they should do.

As Ancient Sages, they could continue living without any problems even if they went without food. As such, agriculture produce and the like no longer caught their attention.

"This is Greensprout Wheat. Due to the high concentration of spiritual energy it contains, an ordinary human will be able to enhance their constitution if they consume it for a long period. Take your Innate Poison Body for example; if you had consumed the Greensprout Wheat from a young age, you wouldn't have had to go through so much pain. Instead, you would have easily awakened your unique constitutions."

It was the potency of Wei Ruyan's Innate Poison Body, to the extent that she was unable to awaken or control it, that caused a huge strain on her body, resulting in her constant feeble condition back when she was younger. If not for her father, Wei Changfeng, going to great lengths to find all sorts of treasures to sustain her life, there was no way she would have survived long enough to meet Zhang Xuan.

If she had eaten this Greensprout Wheat from a young age, her constitution would have been strengthened significantly, allowing her to better cope with her unique constitutions. Perhaps she would have been spared from much suffering, and Wei Changfeng would not have lost his life over a single stalk of a medicinal herb.

"If this Greensprout Wheat is that formidable, wouldn't it be a blessing to mankind if we could bring it back to the Master Teacher Continent and cultivate it?" Zheng Yang's eyes lit up in excitement.

As the head of the Combat Master Hall, he had to constantly push himself to think of issues from a higher perspective. There were also medicinal herbs on the Master Teacher Continent that could enhance one's constitution, but those medicinal herbs could not be cultivated on a large scale due to the stringent conditions required for their survival.

On the other hand, the fact that the Greensprout Wheat was growing in large fields meant that it was possible to cultivate it on a large scale!

If they could enhance the constitution of mankind as a whole, there was no doubt that it would be a huge blessing to mankind!

The reason mankind had been unable to claim the absolute advantage in the battle against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe despite the efforts of countless master teachers was because the starting point of the Otherworldly Demons were simply too far ahead of their human counterparts.

Even the Otherworldly Demons with the weakest bloodlines were bestowed with the strength of a Transcendent Mortal from birth. This difference in the starting points created a gap that was nigh impossible to bridge with effort alone.

In fact, it could already be said to be a miraculous feat that mankind had been able to survive for so many years in the face of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's aggression.

Knowing what Zheng Yang was thinking of, Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head. "It's impossible to cultivate the Greensprout Wheat on the Master Teacher Continent."

The existence of this plant was not detailed in the records of the Master Teacher Pavilion. Instead, he found it amid the knowledge from the mountain of books in the Temple of Confucius. This was a plant that Kong shi had conceptualized in accordance to his vision, and it should have been non-existent in their world.

Zhang Xuan had to verify time and time again before he could be certain that the plant that he was holding was indeed the Greensprout Wheat.

"Why not?" Zheng Yang asked with in incomprehension.

It was true that the spiritual energy there was considerably more concentrated than that on the Master Teacher Continent, but given their capabilities, it should be possible for them to create large enclosed spaces that emulated that environment. Why would it be impossible for them to cultivate it on the Master teacher Continent?

"In the many years of battle with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, the atmosphere of the Master Teacher Continent has already become suffused with their killing intent, albeit in nearly undetectable amounts to us. Unfortunately, the Greensprout Wheat is exceptionally vulnerable to killing intent, such that even the slightest contact with killing intent can lead to its death!"

As Zhang Xuan explained, he tapped his finger lightly and infused the field before him with a surge of zhenqi harnessing a slight hint of killing intent.

Hula!

As if a droplet of ink falling in the midst of clear water, the Greensprout Wheat within an area of ten mu from his fingers turned yellow and fell limp in an instant. It was almost as if someone had set the crops in the entire area ablaze.

"This..."

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan were surprised. Even Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback by how sensitive the Greensprout Wheat was.

While he had known that Greensprout Wheats were exceptionally vulnerable to killing intent, he did not think that they would be so weak to it.

He had controlled the killing intent in that surge of zhenqi to an extremely minute amount, but it had still ended up afflicting such devastation upon the field. As such, there was no way that those plants could possibly survive on the Master Teacher Continent.

"There are quite a few Otherworldly Demons hidden on the Master Teacher Continent, causing there to be a slight concentration of killing intent in the air. While it's negligible and perhaps even imperceptible to most humans, it's more than enough to spell a catastrophe to the Greensprout Wheat," Zhang Xuan remarked.

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan nodded in agreement.

"The lands of the Tianxuan Kingdom aren't plagued with killing intent, right? So, shouldn't it be possible for us to cultivate the Greensprout Wheat there?" Wei Ruyan asked.

She had noticed as soon as she entered the Tianxuan Kingdom that there was a natural barrier in the ancient domain that seemed to prevent the killing intent lingering in the atmosphere from corroding its lands.

In other words, this ancient domain was devoid of killing intent.

"You're right to say that there isn't any killing intent in the Tianxuan Kingdom, but it's a pity that its spiritual energy is simply insufficient. Furthermore, haven't you noticed that there isn't the unique aura that allows one to advance as a master teacher there?" Zhang Xuan replied.

"This..." Wei Ruyan pondered for a moment before nodding slowly in response.

She had not paid particular attention to the matter since it did not affect her as a poison master. However, that did seem to be the case.

There was no killing intent in the Tianxuan Kingdom, but the conditions required for master teachers to advance to higher ranks were also absent.

As such, one who wanted to be a master teacher had no choice but to depart from the Tianxuan Kingdom and head elsewhere.

Even Lu Xun, whom they had met earlier, had become a 2-star master teacher because he had migrated to other kingdoms.

"Ancient domains are barren places, devoid of any auras and poor in spiritual energy. While killing intent is completely absent in this area, its climate is still unsuitable for the growth of the Greensprout Wheat. Even if the Greensprout Wheat is able to survive in the Tianxuan Kingdom, it won't be able to germinate and grow!" Zhang Xuan replied with a sigh.

It was after he forsook his Celestial Master Teacher title that he gained a clearer view of the Tianxuan Kingdom. With just a glance, he was able to see right into the crux.

He was still unable to figure the reason behind the anomalies present in ancient domains, but he was certain that the Greensprout Wheat would be unable to thrive there.

Otherwise, Kong shi would have turned the ancient domains into the core of the Master Teacher Continent!

"Even though the Greensprout Wheat won't grow in ancient domains, it seems to be flourishing well here. Just what kind of place have we entered?" Zheng Yang wondered in curiosity.

For something that wouldn't survive anywhere else to actually thrive in this land... could there be something special here?

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before replying. "If I'm not mistaken, this is probably the Kunxu Domain where the Hundred Schools of Philosophers reside. This area is unlike any of the other folded spaces we have entered. Instead, it has already developed to become a brand-new world!"

"The Hundred Schools of Philosophers?" Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan widened their eyes in astonishment.

Wuuuuu!

Just as they were about to ask further about the matter, the sound of a horn suddenly echoed from afar. Following which, a large group of people suddenly rushed over with wrathful looks on their faces.

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Chapter 1869: Village Belle

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

This group of people were dressed in ordinary-looking shirts with short sleeves. Their hands were equipped with hoes, machetes, spades, and all kinds of farming tools, and they seemed to be ready to wage a war.

"Their cultivation realms..." Zheng Yang muttered with widened eyes.

The group of people before them were ordinary civilians who could not have appeared more normal; their counterparts on the Master Teacher Continent would not even be Fighters. Yet, every single one of them was actually at Zongshi realm!

"They haven't cultivated at all. There's no trace of zhenqi in their bodies..." Wei Ruyan was also taken aback.

From the heavy footsteps of this group of people, she could tell that there was no zhenqi in their dantians. Without a doubt, none of them were cultivators.

Despite never absorbing spiritual energy and refining it into zhenqi, they were already emanating the aura of Zongshi realm cultivators.

"This is likely the effects of consuming Greensprout Wheat for extended periods of time, resulting in some development in their constitution," Zhang Xuan explained. "They are no longer ordinary humans."

Such a situation was probably related to the Greensprout Wheat. Their genes had been refined by the Greensprout Wheat over many generations, causing a fundamental change in their constitution.

As a result of these changes, they had been born with strength superior to other humans at birth, much like the Otherworldly Demons.

"This..." Zheng Yang's eyes lit up in excitement.

He was already moved by the idea when he heard his teacher's words, but seeing the miraculous effects of the Greensprout Wheat in action, he felt as if he saw endless possibilities for the advancement of mankind.

If everyone on the Master Teacher Continent became like this group of people, they would really be able to stand up against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe fearlessly even if something went wrong.

While one's starting point was not everything, there was no denying that it played a significant role in deciding how high one would be able to reach in the future. Without a doubt, being born with strength comparable to Zongshi realm cultivators would be a huge boost.

This was really a step closer in achieving Kong shi's ideal of creating a prosperous and powerful society for mankind.

"Who in the world are you? How dare you destroy our crops!"

The encircling crowd slowly marched up to Zhang Xuan as they bellowed furiously.

The one leading the group of men was an elder who appeared to be eighty years old. Despite his advanced age, he was brimming with energy. His hair and beard were still dyed a youthful black, and his movements were vigorous.

Even though he had not cultivated, his cultivation had reached the highest level beneath Transcendent Mortal, Zhizun realm!

Zhizun realm experts were able to snub even Emperor Shen Zhui from the Tianxuan Kingdom, but those villagers were able to reach that level just by ageing.

This was something that no one would believe possible outside!

"I apologize for my careless action; I didn't mean to ruin your crops. I'm willing to compensate you for them," Zhang Xuan said apologetically as he took out a pile of medicinal herbs and weapons.

While they were already the least expensive goods in his storage ring, they were still commodities that would fetch a relatively high price anywhere else.

Seeing such a sight, the crowd who had marched over here with gusto suddenly halted.

They were unable to accurately identify the value of the artifacts before them, but they were still able to feel the incredible spiritual energy gushing out from them.

The reason they had dashed there was because they had found that intruders had damaged several mu of their farmland, but even the ruined wheat could not begin to compare to the treasures laid out before their eyes.

"You are going to give those to us as compensation?" The elder dared not believe what was happening.

"That's right," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile. "Please feel free to take them. To be honest, I have some questions that I hope you will be able to answer."

The elder quickly instructed the villagers to inspect the treasures, and after confirming that they were invaluable artifacts, he could not help but feel a little giddy.

He hurriedly shook his head to snap out of his state and said, "What is it? Ask anything you like!"

Given that the other party had spoken to them humbly and given them such generous compensation, there was no way that he could stay angry at them.

"It's actually the first time that the three of us have come here, so may I ask where we are?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"You are in our Stone Village, which is located within the territories of the Estate of Edification!" the elder replied.

"Stone Village? Estate of Edification?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Pardon me, but what is the Estate of Edification?"

The villagers were confused by the question, but a middle-aged man suddenly spoke up. "It's one of the areas of jurisdiction under the lineage of Ancient Sage Zi Chi!"

"Ancient Sage Zi Chi?" Zhang Xuan nodded slowly in realization.

Ancient Sage Zi Chi was one of the seventy-two Sages under Kong shi's lineage. While his reputation paled far in comparison to Ran Qiu, Bo Shang, and the others, his name had still appeared frequently back in Kong shi's era.

Ancient Sage Zi Chi was known to be skilled in agriculture. Perhaps, while the idea of the Greensprout Wheat was conceptualized by Kong shi, he was the one who had carefully cultured it.

Since this area was under the jurisdiction of Ancient Sage Zi Chi, it meant to say that they were within the territories of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.

He had still been thinking of conducting a thorough investigation after arriving at the Tianxuan Kingdom, but who could have known that Zheng Yang and the others would stumble upon it so swiftly?

"May I know where I should go in order to reach Ancient Sage Zi Chi's residence?"

Given that tens of thousands of years had passed then, Ancient Sage Zi Chi himself was bound to have already passed away. Nevertheless, he should still have descendants living in the area. If he wished to trace Kong shi's footsteps and uncover what he did and where he went after capturing a deity, he would have to first find the experts of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.

"The residence of the Ancient Sage is located in Fan City. It's quite far away from here though. If you are in no rush, why don't I have Xiu Ru from our village to take you there?" the elder asked. "Xiu Ru is our village belle. She is a cultivator, and she has a spirit beast under her command. If you were to ride her spirit beast, you should be able to get to Fan City faster..."

"Village belle?" Zhang Xuan shook his head politely. "It's fine. That would be imposing too much on you. It'll be fine as long as you point out the direction of Fan City to me."

"No no, you aren't imposing on us at all. It's our pleasure to be of assistance to you! Fan City is a major city, and not just anyone can enter it. If you attempt to go in despite not being a local, it's very likely that you'll be arrested and interrogated. It'll be much safer for you to have Xiu Ru lead you there. She's more familiar with the area, and it'll be more convenient for you to move around with her by your side!" the elder replied affirmatively, not leaving any room for rebuttal at all.

It was true that the group before him had destroyed their farmland, but they had willingly offered generous compensation while maintaining a polite attitude. Naturally, they would welcome them with hospitality.

Seeing that the elder was adamant on the matter, Zhang Xuan could only hesitantly nod in agreement.

The Stone Village was not a large village. All in all, there were only around a hundred households. When they heard that there were guests, they swiftly rushed out of their houses to welcome them warmly.

Soon, the rumored 'village belle' appeared as well. She was not a top-notch beauty, but her looks were decent and pleasing to the eye. In a small village like this, it was understandable that she would be considered the village belle.

As the village belle walked over, Zheng Yang looked at her and murmured beneath his breath, "Transcendent 2-dan."

Just as the elder had said earlier, she was a cultivator. Through the zhenqi flowing through her body, it was not too difficult to see that her cultivation was at Transcendent Mortal 2-dan.

Xiu Ru walked up to Zhang Xuan and the others and spoke haughtily with raised eyebrows. "I can take to Fan City, but I would like to remind you that the residence of Ancient Sage Zi Chi is not a place where anyone can come and go as they please. You'll have to submit your name scrolls in advance if you wish to pay a visit. Know that if you make any trouble such as rudely barging into the residence and offending those living there, I'm not going to save you!"

As the village belle, she had her own pride and dignity.

"Rest assured, we don't intend to stir any trouble," Zhang Xuan replied.

While their cultivation had pretty much reached the pinnacle of this world, the reason for them visiting the Kunxu Domain was not to start a fight but to uncover answers. Naturally, there was no reason for them to intentionally get into conflicts with others.

"That would be for the best. Also, I'll just put this out here in case you misunderstand anything. It's due to the village chief's instruction that I'm leading you to Fan City. If I had a choice, I would never accept something as troublesome with this. So, don't bother thinking that you will get together with me or anything just because we are journeying together; I'll only accept the confessions of someone from the village. I have no plans of marrying into any other villages at the moment!" Xiu Ru said sternly.

Constipated looks appeared on the faces of Zhang Xuan and Zheng Yang.

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Chapter 1870: Bidding Farewell

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The beast that Xiu Ru had tamed was an Eaglebeak Beast. It boasted a massive physique, such that it was not cramped even with so many people sitting on its back.

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan had been thinking of flying over to the destination on their own, which would have made a much faster journey, but recalling their teacher's low-profile personality, they eventually abandoned the thought and sat down quietly on the back of the beast.

Seeing the group of three controlling their breathing, Xiu Ru asked with a doubtful look in her eyes, "You are cultivators too?"

She had thought that the group before her were no different from the villagers, ordinary humans devoid of zhenqi. Who knew that they would be able to absorb spiritual energy?

"You can say so!" Zheng Yang replied with a smile.

Xiu Ru heaved a sigh of relief before continuing on with a prideful smile. "Not bad! Just to let you know, I have also cultivated before. Of everyone in the village, I am the only one who has cleared the examination and inherited the true heritage of the old village chief!"

"Not bad," Zheng Yang remarked nonchalantly.

"You might not be aware of this, but the old village chief is someone who has inherited Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage!" Xiu Ru said.

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan shot a curious glance over.

"The old village chief went to Fan City in his earlier years and received the guidance of the experts there. Even though he has aged since then, he's still the strongest individual in the village. It's a pity that you didn't meet him, or else you would surely be filled with admiration for him, just like me!" Xiu Ru explained.

They had only met the incumbent village chief so far, but the strongest person in their village was actually the old village chief. It was because she had cultivated with the old village chief that she had managed to achieve such accomplishments to date.

"May I know... what cultivation technique you practice? Were you taught by a master teacher?" Zhang Xuan asked out of curiosity.

The heritage left behind by Ancient Sage Zi Chi could not possibly be anything ordinary. Even if Xiu Ru had only come into contact with a small sliver of it, he should still be able to tell something about it.

"Master teacher?" Xiu Ru frowned in confusion.

It seemed to be a foreign term to her.

"It's an occupation that specializes in imparting knowledge and clarifying the doubts of others," Zhang Xuan said.

"I have never heard of it before." Xiu Ru shook her head. "Aren't cultivation techniques all family heirlooms that can't be leaked to outsiders? Why would anyone ever impart it to an outsider? Other than in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, there shouldn't be any place where anyone would impart cultivation techniques to outsiders. In any case, I have never heard of a master teacher before..."

After asking a few more questions, Zhang Xuan finally came to a realization.

There was no Master Teacher Pavilion in the Hundred Schools of Philosophers!

If one wanted to cultivate, one needed to inherit the heritage from their clan or earn the right to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was not too different from the academies on the Master Teacher Continent. However, the requirements to enter were extremely harsh, such that only the most talented of individuals were accepted. Even the village belle before them was unlikely to stand a chance.

The members from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers whom he had met previously, Xue Yan, Nangong Feng, and the others, were all experts from the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

"Are you trying to seek new opportunities in Fan City? Let me tell you, it isn't as simple as that. I've been there a few times, but I still haven't had a chance to meet any experts yet," Xiu Ru said as he looked at Zhang Xuan and the others with a look of pity in her eyes.

Cultivation techniques were the bare necessity required for one to cultivate, but cultivation techniques were exclusive. They were not readily available just because someone wanted one.

The only reason that she had managed to become a cultivator was due to her innate talent and a bunch of coincidences working in her favor.

When she realized that the three of them were just trying their luck, her attitude toward them swiftly became cold. As such, the rest of the journey ended up in silence.

Roughly two hours later, a massive city came into sight.

They had arrived at Fan City!

The village belle had described it as an incredible city of massive proportions, but having witnessed the grandeur of the Master Teacher Continent, Zhang Xuan and the others could not help but shake their heads in disappointment.

In terms of size, Fan City was nothing in comparison to the Zhang Clan's Dracotiger City or the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. At the very most, it could only be said to be at the level of Tianxuan Royal City.

There was an inspection at the entrance, but the group managed to enter the city without any hiccups. They walked down the streets before finally stopping before a massive residence.

Xiu Ru pointed to the residence and said, "This is Ancient Sage Zi Chi's residence. There are plenty of people who knock on the doors in hope of a fortuitous encounter. Look over there, those are the people who wish to learn their arts. However, it's a pity that they are dreaming of the impossible. No matter how long they camp out here, they won't receive anything!"

Looking at the outer perimeters of the residence, there was a large group of people kneeling all around.

From young children to teenage youths, the kneeling group were dressed in different attires, which hinted that they had come from far and wide. However, one thing they had in common was the determined glint in their eyes.

There were some of them who had kneeled for so long that their bodies were shaking nonstop. They were already approaching their limits, but they gritted their teeth and forced themselves to persevere.

Seeing such a sight, a frown crept onto Zhang Xuan's forehead.

There were so many people who desired knowledge and would go to great lengths to it, but the massive gates of the residence still remained unforgivingly sealed. It was as if their prayers would never be answered.

"Kong shi preached the right to education. Considering that the entire Hundred School of Philosophers are his students, why are they so unwilling to pass down their cultivation techniques?" Zhang Xuan could not understand what he was seeing.

It was due to Kong shi's magnanimity that he had eventually become the World's Teacher. Since the lineage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers originated directly from Kong shi, why would they maintain such tight control over their heritage, refusing to share it with others?

Jiya!

While Zhang Xuan was still wondering about this matter, the massive gates to the residence suddenly opened, and several tall, slender figures walked out.

They were three youths and a middle-aged man. The youths seemed to be barely in their twenties whereas the middle-aged man had his brows sternly furrow.

"A Great Sage cultivator," Zheng Yang murmured.

The middle-aged man was actually a Great Sage cultivator whereas the three youths were at Saint 9-dan. Without a doubt, all four of them were highly talented geniuses.

"The examination of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is fraught with difficulties. Take my teachings to heart, and do your best to clear it!" the middle-aged man instructed the three youths in front of him.

"Yes!" The three of them nodded solemnly in response.

"The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up upon hearing that familiar term.

"That's the current head of the Fan Clan and his juniors! Are they going to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism to challenge the trial? That's incredible!"

"Those who are permitted to step through the doorways of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism are the most talented of geniuses. If I could receive even just a single pointer from a person of that caliber, all my effort wouldn't have been in vain!"

"It's a pity that their cultivation techniques aren't imparted to outsiders. Given our standing, there's no way we will ever be able to lay our hands on them!"

...

Such discussions could be heard amid the crowd.

Ancient Sage Zi Chi was an honorary title; his real name was Fan Xu. The Fan Clan whom the crowd were speaking about referred to the clan of his descendants.

"Good. I wish you all the best!" the middle-aged man said with a wave of his hand.

Hu!

The three youths soared into the air and flitted into the distance. All it took was a few moments for them to vanish without a trace.

Watching as the silhouettes of the three youths vanished, Zheng Yang turned to look at Zhang Xuan anxiously. "Teacher..."

"Un, let's follow them. I think the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism holds the key to all of the secrets we have been wondering so far!" Zhang Xuan said.

Previously, the experts who had snuck into the Master Teacher Continent had all been from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. Instead of posing questions to the not-too-beautiful village belle, it would be much better to them to simply follow those three youths.

Hearing their words, the village belle scoffed. "Follow them? Have you eaten the wrong medicine? They are Saint experts! Given the speed that they are traveling at, even if my spirit beast snapped its wings, it would still be unable to catch up with them! You won't be able to even see their silhouettes..."

She also desired to learn from the three youths... but they simply were not even close to being at the same level as those three youths. Putting aside seeking guidance from them, they would not be able to reach them even if they ran with all of their might!

It was not as if she could not understand Zhang Xuan and the others' agitation at seeing the three experts, but they should be realistic! They would never achieve anything great with their heads in the air!

"Thank you for bringing us here. We won't be riding your aerial spirit beast back. Farewell!" Interrupting Xiu Ru's words, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist with a smile before turning around.

Hu!

He rose into the air, and as if teleporting through space, he abruptly disappeared into thin air.

"You..."

The eyes of the village belle nearly popped out of their sockets upon seeing Zhang Xuan's vanishing act. She quickly turned to look at Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan, only to see the two of them smiling at her.

Hu!

They vanished as well.

Putong!

Xiu Ru's bottom fell to the ground as she sat in a daze over what had just happened, dumbstruck.

She had thought that they were weaklings, but contrary to her expectations, they turned out to be experts... top-notch experts who far surpassed her imaginations!

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Chapter 1871: Fan Xiaoxu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Paying no heed to the frenzied village belle, Zhang Xuan and the others hastened their footsteps. It did not take them long to catch up to the three young men.

While those three youths were not able to sever space to travel through dimension rifts, they seemed to have practiced some kind of unique movement art, allowing them to travel at an incredible speed.

"Shall we stop and question them?" Zheng Yang asked.

"There's no need for that. Even if we question them, I reckon it's unlikely that they will be able to answer my doubts. It'll do for us to just follow them for the time being. Everything should come to light at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!" Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head.

The information that Zhang Xuan wanted to know was one of the deepest secrets of the Master Teacher Continent, such that there was no way the youths from the younger generation would know a thing. Furthermore, revealing their goals might not necessarily work to their advantage. As such, it would be best for them to trail the youths for the time being and decide on their next move after they reached the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

Trusting his teacher's judgement, Zheng Yang nodded before falling silent.

The group continued heading forward, and three days later, they finally found themselves standing before a humongous mountain. The area in front of the mountain was filled with huge crowds that numbered in the thousands.

Zheng Yang discreetly landed on the ground and blended into the crowd to gather some information whereas Zhang Xuan and Wei Ruyan took this opportunity to swiftly assess their surroundings.

None of those amid the crowd of several thousand around them were older than thirty. All of their cultivation levels were similar to those the three youths from before, Saint 9-dan. In fact, there were some who had reached Half-Great Sage.

Other than Zheng Yang and the others, there was probably no one else on the Master Teacher Continent who had reached Saint 9-dan before their thirties. Yet, for so many of them to appear there all at once... As expected of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, they were indeed extraordinary!

They possess the bloodlines of Ancient Sages, their constitutions have been refined by the Greensprout Wheat over generations, and they have inherited the entirety of Kong shi's heritage. Given so, it's difficult for the youths of the Master Teacher Continent to compete with them, Zhang Xuan thought.

There were plenty of geniuses on the Master Teacher Continent, but even among the Three Great Clans, most of those who were at Saint 9-dan were already in their two hundreds, and they were already esteemed elders in their own clans.

It was spectacular for one to wield such great strength despite only being in their twenties.

"Teacher, I sense a particularly sharp aura from them." Wei Ruyan sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "It's as if they've been through countless battles. It's something that I rarely sense even from the experts of the Master Teacher Continent."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

This particular quality of those several thousand youths had caught his eye as well.

Most of the experts on the Master Teacher Continent were master teachers. While they boasted remarkable fighting prowess, they were more skilled in imparting knowledge and guiding the later generations. On the other hand, the cultivators who had gathered in front of the mountain emanated the feral aura of the battlefield right from their bones, reminiscent of combat masters.

It was apparent that they had not just focused solely on their cultivation. They had also fought many battles, granting them a deep understanding of fighting techniques.

Some time later, Zheng Yang returned and reported back to Zhang Xuan telepathically.

"Teacher! Based on what I've heard, the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism isn't here. Instead, it's hidden within a folded space. If we wish to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, we'll have to first join their ranks. Apparently, all of the people here are all the descendants of the seventy-two Sages, and they are here to take the examination!"

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

"The examinees have to clear many trials in order to enter the peculiar folded space where the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is located. Otherwise, the barrier will repel them, denying them entry," Zheng Yang explained.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan activated the Eye of Insight to scan the surroundings, hoping to find the whereabouts of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. However, he soon shook his head.

He did find formations in the area around them, but there were no folded spaces or the like to be found. It seemed like he would not be able to sneak into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism that easily.

Do I have to impersonate an examinee to participate in the examination as well? Zhang Xuan thought in exasperation.

He was someone who wielded fighting prowess invincible beneath the Dimension Shatterer realm. Even the powerful Ancient Sage Yan Qing would be no match for the current him! Yet, he was actually going to have to disguise himself as an ordinary examinee and compete with a bunch of Saint 9-dan and Half-Transcendent Mortal cultivators.

Just the notion of it felt extremely embarrassing. It was as if he was an adult marching into a playground to challenge the kids playing there!

However, if he did not do that, it would be difficult for him to get to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. He had no idea about its whereabouts or how powerful the barrier around it was, so forceful methods might not work out too well.

Even with his current cultivation, he dared not make a move recklessly when it came to matters relating to Kong shi's heritage. The barrier that he had to cross in order to enter this dimension was one good example. If the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism had something of the same caliber as well, he could very well find himself cornered even if he had Vicious' aid.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before turning to instruct his two students. "The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is likely to be fraught with dangers, and your disguises aren't perfect. For the time being, you should find a place in the vicinity and stay there till I contact you."

The disguise amulet that Luo Ruoxin had given him would alter even his bloodline, making it impossible to discern any anomalies. With that, he should be able to impersonate one of the examinees without any issue. On the other hand, while Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan were able to alter their appearances, they were not able to disguise their fundamentals. Under the inspection of another Ancient Sage, they would be exposed in an instant.

Since that was the case, it would be wiser for them to stay put.

"Yes, Teacher!" Knowing their teacher's capabilities, the two of them nodded in response.

They swiftly drafted out a plan before Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan walked away with smiles on their faces. Without much trouble, they managed to lure the other two youths of the Fan Clan away before Zhang Xuan approached the last youth with a bright smile on his face.

"Fan Xiaoxu, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

After following these three youths for the past three days, he was already well aware of their backgrounds. The youth standing before him was Fan Xiaoxu, and he was also the one deemed most likely to clear the examination and enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

"You are..."

Even though Fan Xiaoxu was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Chi, there was no way that he could have noticed Zhang Xuan and the others' presence given the difference in their strength. As such, he was perplexed to see that Zhang Xuan actually knew his name.

"I'm aware that you may not know me, but your father is a close friend of mine. He has entrusted me to take care of you, so I would like to have a private talk with you about the upcoming examination!" Zhang Xuan said.

"You are a close friend of my father's?" A hint of doubt surfaced in Fan Xiaoxu's eyes.

His father was the incumbent head of the Fan Clan, the middle-aged man who had sent them off three days ago. If his father had any friends here, his father would have told him about it in advance. There was no way that he would not have been unaware of it.

"Indeed. There are too many people here at the moment, so shall we move to the side?" Zhang Xuan could sense that Fan Xiaoxu was skeptical of his identity, but he maintained a nonchalant look on his face.

"Alright then!" Fan Xiaoxu was filled with doubt, but he eventually gave a nod of approval.

Putting aside the fact that he was a Saint 9-dan pinnacle expert, just the fact that they were surrounded by formidable experts made it highly unlikely for anyone to make a move on him directly even if that person did harbor malicious intentions toward him.

Besides, he was just a humble nobody. There was nothing one could get out of him.

They walked over to the back of a nearby building. Fan Xiaoxu was just about to inquire about the reason behind this talk when he saw the other party's palm expanding right before his eyes.

Struck directly in the face, he fainted in an instant.

Right up to the moment that he fainted, he was astonished that someone actually dared to make a move on him at a place like that!

Zhang Xuan placed Fan Xiaoxu's body into his folded space before using the disguise amulet to alter his appearance in the form of Fan Xiaoxu. He made sure that even their clothes were identical.

While it had not been too long since he had come to this dimension, he had already grasped some rules regarding the culture there.

Only those who belonged to the clans of the seventy-two Sages were allowed to cultivate. Ordinary civilians were not allowed to access any cultivation techniques at all.

He would not be allowed to take the examination if he disguised himself as a normal cultivator, so he could only wrong this fellow.

Then again, this could be an opportunity for the other party.

At the very least, the other party was sure to clear the examination without any hiccups. It was a golden ticket that guaranteed that he would get into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

Zhang Xuan quickly returned to where he had taken Fan Xiaoxu from earlier. Soon, he saw Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan returning with the two youths that they had lured away. The two youths had confused looks on their faces, apparently not understanding why they had been pulled away at all.

Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan made up some excuse about recognizing the wrong people before taking their leave, leaving those two dumbfounded on the spot.

Not too long later, several tall figures flitted over from afar, and a heavy pressure crushed down on them.

The experts from the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism had arrived!

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Chapter 1872: The Topic of the Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan looked at the tall figures floating in the sky with slightly raised eyebrows.

Surprisingly, there were two familiar faces among the group. They were Nangong Yuanfeng and Tantai Zhenqing, who had paid a visit to the Luo Clan and Zhang Clan respectively not too long ago.

In order to preserve their lifespan, the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers likely spent most of their time in hibernation. Thus, most affairs were passed down to the Great Sage cultivators to handle. It was apparent that those two had a rather high position in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

The Sempiternal realm consummation expert standing at the forefront of the group shot a sweeping gaze across the crowd before speaking with a booming voice. "Welcome. You are the most outstanding descendants from the clans of the seventy-two Sages in this generation, and I believe that you must have put in a lot of effort in order to come this far!

"However, the resources we have are limited, and I believe that I need not say anything more about the recruitment criteria of our Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. We only open up a hundred slots every year, and this year won't be an exception!

"This year, we have a total of 2,143 applicants, which means that only one out of twenty of you will be able to join us. You'll have to put your lives on the line in order to be the ones standing at the end of this intense battle. If you are afraid, I'll allow you to step out right now!"

"The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is only accepting a hundred people?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The two thousand applicants who had gone there were all incredibly talented individuals who had reached Saint 9-dan in their twenties. On the Master Teacher Continent, geniuses of this caliber would indubitably become powerhouses in the future. Yet, the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was going to eliminate so many of them at once...

Was this examination not a little too strict?

Noticing Zhang Xuan's bewilderment, one of the two youths beside him spoke up. "Didn't the clan head say it earlier before coming here? The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism has always been this strict. Besides... isn't it the same for our clan?"

His name was Fan Xiaoxing, and while his cultivation was beneath that of Fan Xiaoxu, he was also a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator.

"What's the same?"

"The selections! There is an examination for us every single year, and those who fail will be denied cultivation resources and cultivation techniques, thus losing the privilege to cultivate. Have you forgotten how many battles we had to go through in order to come this far?" Fan Xiaoxing shook his head with a bitter smile.

"How could I possibly have forgotten all of that? I just can't help but feel a little melancholic at this harshness," Zhang Xuan replied with a slight smile to cover up his astonishment.

To hold examinations every year and deprive those who had failed of their cultivation resources... was it not a little cruel to enforce such rules within their own clans?

Was Kong shi's goal not to nurture every human to become powerful, independent experts?

If so, why would the Hundred Schools of Philosophers intentionally deprive their own people of the resources required for them to grow?

"The examination this year is slightly different from the previous years, but it will be much simpler than before. I believe that every single one of you has noticed that the mountain in front of us have been sealed. This mountain will serve as the venue of your examination. Before entering the mountain, we'll have every single one of you wear a teleportation jade token in front of your chest. As soon as you crush it, you will be immediately teleported out, thus losing your right to enter into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!

"You are free to make allies and make a move on others; there will be no restrictions on that. As long as you are one of the hundred survivors remaining at the end, you will have cleared the examination and earned the right to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!" the Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man standing at the forefront of the group above reiterated.

"We'll be immediately teleported out if the teleportation jade token we are holding is crushed?"

"That's unfair! If someone skilled in concealment hides himself as soon as we enter the mountain, such that no one is able to find him, won't he be able to clear the examination without battling at all?"

"That's the same for those who are skilled in formations! If he sets up his defenses well, no one will be able to eliminate him!"

"What if everyone hides and we don't eliminate others?"

Such discussions sounded from the youths beneath.

They had thought that the examinations would take on the same format as previous years, such as a round robin tournament or some sort of trial, but who could have known it would just be a mass elimination battle?

"There's no need to worry. Since we have already set the rules, there's no way we'll allow that sort of problem to occur. The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism will be dispatching an enforcement squad to eliminate those who hide or proactively avoid battles. Furthermore, the duration of the examination is only six hours. If you are unable to reduce your numbers to a hundred people by the end of this duration, we'll deem all of you to have failed the examination!" the Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man said.

"Six hours?"

"Enforcement squad?"

Everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.

There were still some who had been thinking that they would be able to exploit the rules to clear the examination with ease, but they dared not to harbor such thoughts anymore.

To eliminate more than two thousand people within three hours was no easy feat. In order to ensure that the number was reduced to a hundred people by the end of the duration, they would have to actively seek out individuals to eliminate. Furthermore, if they dared hide, they would risk being weeded out by the enforcement squad.

In other words, if they wished to be one of the hundred survivors at the end, they would have to try their best to eliminate others.

The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man looked at the crowd after explaining all of the rules. "Are there any other questions?"

"No!" the crowd replied resoundingly.

The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man waved his hand, and an elevated platform materialized at the center of the crowd. On it were several thousand jade tokens.

"Verify your identities and claim your jade tokens," he instructed.

One of the youths took the lead and walked up to the elevated platform. He bit his finger and squeezed out a droplet of blood on the elevated platform.

Weng!

There was a slight buzz as a line of words appeared above the elevated platform: Ancient Sage Zi Qi.

Hu!

With the acknowledgement of his bloodline, a jade token flew over and pinned itself to his chest.

Following which, the second youth walked up to the elevated platform.

"Their procedures sure are strict..." Seeing this, Zhang Xuan could not help but pat his heart in relief.

It was fortunate that he had knocked out Fan Xiaoxu in advance to disguise himself as the other party. If he had not sent Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan away, their disguises would surely have crumbled in the face of this verification method, thus putting the Hundred Schools of Philosophers on their guard.

The crowd around Zhang Xuan slowly moved toward the elevated platform, and soon enough, it was finally Zhang Xuan's turn to claim his jade token. He squeezed his blood on the elevated platform and successfully obtained a jade token too.

Fan Xiaoxing and the other youth, Fan Xiaofeng, then went up.

In less than an hour, all two thousand examinees had claimed the jade tokens that they would have to lay down their lives to protect during the course of the examination.

"Good! Quickly head over to the mountain. As soon as the last participants steps into the mountain, the six hours will officially start ticking down!" The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man in the air waved his hand grandly.

Huala!

The seal around the mountain opened up, and the crowd swiftly dashed toward the peak.

Those who first headed in would be able to claim the advantageous terrain, thus significantly boosting their chances at clearing the examination.

Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng were intending to rush right in as well, but they felt someone tugging their clothes from behind. It was Fan Xiaoxu.

"It's likely that we'll be forcefully separated after entering the mountain. Find somewhere to hide first. I'll come looking for you!"

Zhang Xuan noticed that there were Teleportation Formations set up along the perimeter of the mountain, so it was likely that examinees would be randomly teleported to various places on the mountain.

Otherwise, if those from the same clan huddled together, it would make an unfair battle.

"Hide?" Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng frowned.

In truth, the three of them would not form too powerful a force even if they did group together. They would just become a larger target for others to attack if they huddled together, so they might very well fare better going off on their own paths.

"Listen to me. I'll make sure that all of us clear the examination!" Zhang Xuan said confidently.

Since he had knocked out the real Fan Xiaoxu and assumed the latter's identity, he should give something back to Ancient Sage Zi Chi's descendants in compensation.

Seeing how adamant Fan Xiaoxu was about this matter, Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "... Alright then!"

Zhang Xuan also did not bother explaining how he would go looking for them after they went into hiding. Instead, with a light smile, he swiftly flitted over to the mountain.

Hula!

Light burst forth from the Teleportation Formation and shrouded his figure, causing him to vanish.

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Chapter 1873: The Law of the Jungle

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

When the light finally faded from view, Zhang Xuan found that he was already standing behind a boulder. As soon as he regained his balance, he felt a chilling intent moving along the ground, dashing right toward the jade token in front of his chest.

If the strike landed, he would be eliminated right away.

This examination was indeed advantageous toward those who entered the mountain early. Those who had arrived earlier were already lying in ambush, waiting to spring upon those who walked into their trap.

"Not bad. You are quite fast!" Zhang Xuan chuckled as his fingers darted forward in retaliation.

Weng!

The weapon that was surging in his direction was held firmly on the spot, unable to advance any further on him.

Even though Zhang Xuan had limited his strength to the level of a Saint 9-dan cultivator, his eye of discernment and reaction speed were more than enough to make him a match for Great Sage cultivators. Considering how his assailant was only an ordinary Macrocosm Ascendancy realm cultivator, there was no way his ambush could possibly succeed!

Having blocked the assault, Zhang Xuan took a good look at his assailant—it was a young man dressed in black. A hint of horror could be seen reflected in the depths of the young man's eyes upon seeing how Zhang Xuan caught his dagger so easily. Knowing that he was outmatched, the young man decisively abandoned his dagger and turned tail.

It was a wise move on the young man's part. Had it been any other competitor, his decisiveness would have ensured his survival.

"I have to say that you are very sharp on your feet. It's only unfortunate that you chose me as your opponent..." Zhang Xuan nodded in approval as he lifted his finger and tapped it lightly in the air. "Freeze!"

Huala!

As if the air had frozen over, the young man found himself standing completely still on the spot, unable to move at all.

"This is... a spatial seal!" the young man cried in fright.

For a Saint 9-dan cultivator to actually comprehend such an ability... this meant that the young man before him was ranked amid the top among the descendants of the seventy-two Sages! How could he have been so unlucky as to meet such a powerful foe at the very start of the examination?

"F-friend, I-I apologize for my brash actions. I was truly foolish to have dared make a move on you. Please be so magnanimous as to spare me..." The young man begged desperately for mercy.

He boasted the greatest fighting prowess among his peers in his clan. He had thought that as long as he prepared himself well, he would be able to hunt down others with ease. However, who could have known that his first target would end up being this ridiculously powerful expert?

If only he had known earlier, he would have surely snuggled up tightly in his hiding position. He wouldn't have courted his own death!

"It's not entirely impossible for me to spare you," Zhang Xuan remarked as he looked at the young man before him purposefully.

"Please speak of any conditions you have for me!" Understanding the intention behind Zhang Xuan's gaze, the young man gritted his teeth. "I am willing to offer up my possessions in exchange for your mercy. However, you should also be aware that the resources that each clan passes down to us are limited, so I don't have too many good items..."

"I don't need your possessions. You have two choices in front of you. You can either have your jade token destroyed and be eliminated, or you can tell me what I want to know," Zhang Xuan said as he gazed deeply at the young man. "Rest assured, I won't probe into the secrets of your clan and put you in a tight spot."

"I'll choose the second!" the young man replied decisively.

Only he knew how much effort he had put in to get so far. If he failed to get into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, all of the resources that he had been entitled to would come to a halt, making it impossible for him to advance any further in the future.

No matter what, he could not allow himself to be eliminated there!

"Wonderful," Zhang Xuan remarked nonchalantly as he placed his hands behind his back. "From the moment you started how cultivating, how did you climb to the current stage you are at? I want you to describe every single thing in detail, be it the trials or examinations you have been through!"

"H-huh?"

The young man had been wondering what Zhang Xuan would ask him, but it turned out to be something that practically everyone knew about. Even though he was bewildered by the question, he still answered it honestly. "I have been through twenty-seven exams so far, roughly one or two every single year. In every single examination, I saw many of my peers getting eliminated, thus having whatever resources they had been entitled to completely cut off. Instead, they are entrusted with the responsibilities of managing the clan's businesses instead..."

It did not take long for the young man to go through his entire story.

As Zhang Xuan listened to the young man, a frown slowly etched its way between his brows.

Just as he had guessed, it seemed like competition was an integral part of the life of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. From the moment they started cultivating, they were put through trial after trial. They would be entitled to more cultivation techniques and resources if they cleared the trial, but if they failed, they would be stripped of their right to cultivate.

This was no longer nurturing the young; it was practically nurturing gu!

It was rumored that those who nurtured gu would toss thousands of poisonous creatures together into a jar and have them kill one another. The one to emerge victorious at the end of it all would be the strongest gu of all.

This seemed to be the same method that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were employing as well. Those who were given the opportunity to participate in the examination of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism had to go through many trials and rise above all of their peers in order to come this far.

It was no wonder all of them emanated such feral auras, reminiscent of the combat masters. Only those who had the most tenacious drive of all could possibly survive under such conditions.

Perhaps this was also why Yan Xue and the others had no qualms about collaborating with the Otherworldly Demons. To them, results were the most important of all. As long as they achieved what they aimed for, the means were not important at all.

It seems like the Hundred Schools of Philosophers have created an environment that promotes the survival of the fittest, Zhang Xuan thought as he looked at the young man once more.

"You said earlier that the resources you are given from your clan is limited. What does that mean?"

"As an offspring of a major clan, do you not know that?" the young man asked incredulously.

However, knowing that his future was in the other party's hand, he could only answer obediently. "Depending on one's level of cultivation and the examinations one has passed, the amount of resources that one is entitled to is fixed. Based on what I know, it's the same for all clans. There is no exception at all!"

Zhang Xuan gasped in shock. It felt like he had suddenly gotten a glimpse into how the Hundred Schools of Philosophers operated.

At the very start, they would choose the offspring that showed some aptitude toward cultivation and groom them. At fixed intervals, those who failed to advance beyond a certain level would be eliminated, thus losing their right to access cultivation resources and cultivation techniques. Other than that, there would also be all kinds of competitions and trials that they would have to overcome.

If they wished to continue cultivating, the only thing they could do was charge ahead as desperately as they could in order to ensure that they would not lag behind.

It could be said that the resources in this world were controlled to a degree so precise that it could make one shudder in fear!

"Can't one venture into ancient domains or the like in order to obtain cultivation resources and cultivation techniques?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Most cultivators on the Master Teacher Continent did not have too many resources either. However, through trading or venturing into ancient domains and finding treasures, they would be able to gather the resources required for them to continue cultivating for quite a while.

So, why could the population here not do the same? There was no way they had not thought of such a thing.

"How could there be any ancient domains around? After a cultivator dies, all of the resources he has been given are taken back by their respective clan. Even if you kill me right now, you won't be able to take my resources because every single item I have brought with me has been logged in my clan's logistics records. If there's anything missing, my clan will make an official visit to your clan and demand the return of the missing resources!" the young man said.

Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

Just what in the world was the Hundred Schools of Philosophers up to? Why in the world would they go to such extreme lengths to control the circulation of resources in the Kunxu Domain?

Was this dimension in such a dire shortage of resources?

After asking a few more questions to clarify the matter, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger lightly at the young man.

Hu!

The young man collapsed to the ground.

"You will regain your consciousness after I leave, but you won't remember meeting me and everything that has happened afterward," Zhang Xuan whispered softly before leaving the area.

Memories were stored in the soul, and given Zhang Xuan's prowess in soul arts, it was not too difficult for him to isolate a specific memory and wipe it away. Even though the questions that he had asked were insignificant in nature, it was likely that it could bring some trouble to Fan Xiaoxu in the future.

Since that was the case, he should stem any potential problems at the roots.

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Chapter 1874: Fan Xiaofeng

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Spiritual Perception!"

After parting from the young man, Zhang Xuan walked a distance away before releasing his Spiritual Perception. In an instant, he gained an overview of the entire mountain.

In truth, there were formations in place that prevented the examinees from using their Spiritual Perception. However, through exploiting the flaws of the formation and his superior strength, he was able to use his Spiritual Perception without catching anyone's notice.

Soon, he found the trails of the two youths that he was looking for.

"Oh? Fan Xiaoxing is quite lucky, isn't he? He was teleported in the midst of a mountain stream, so as long as he hides there, he should be able to avoid the attention of others for quite some time. Ah... did Fan Xiaoxing take up all of the luck?"

The three examinees from Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage were Fan Xiaoxu, Fan Xiaoxing, and Fan Xiaofeng.

Fan Xiaoxing had managed to hide himself well, so no one had noticed him thus far. On the other hand, Fan Xiaofeng was in a precarious position. There were two powerful candidates chasing after him.

It was fortunate that Fan Xiaofeng was extremely nimble, or else his jade token would have already been shattered.

Thus, Zhang Xuan began flitting in the direction of Fan Xiaofeng. He knew that there was an enforcement squad constantly keeping track of his movements, so he made sure to maintain his speed at Saint 9-dan pinnacle.

Wuuuuuu!

While he was traveling, he could sense shockwaves rippling all around him.

The competition among the examinees was really not to be underestimated. It was no exaggeration to say that multiple battles had been ongoing every second since the start of the examination, and the examinees were swiftly being eliminated one after another.

The examination of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was truly cruel.

It was true that the rules permitted the examinees to form alliances, but in the face of limited slots, all alliances were transient. The moment a person lowered their guard, a dagger would be plunged into their back.

From the start of the examination, Zhang Xuan had already caught sight of such occurrences several times. Three examinees were working in coordination with one another to corner a cultivator traveling alone, but in the midst of the battle, one of the three examinees working together let his guard down for a moment and ended up getting injured. At the end of the battle, his teammate suddenly turned against him and eliminated him as well.

In this examination, sustaining injuries was extremely dangerous. Not only did it cause a decline in one's fighting prowess, it was also a sign of weakness for other examinees to exploit. As such, being in an alliance might not necessarily be a good thing for this examination.

While Zhang Xuan was dashing ahead, Fan Xiaofeng was trembling nonstop as cold sweat trickled down his head.

Under the simultaneous assault of three examinees, he had already sustained significant injuries. With half of his energy expended, exhaustion was starting to seep into his body.

"Why struggle so hard? Just obediently accept your elimination, and all of your suffering will be over. You should have known from the start that the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is not a place that someone of your caliber can possibly enter!" one of the youths scoffed with the confidence of a hunter cornering a prey.

The other two youths behind him encircled Fan Xiaofeng in a fan-shaped formation.

"Do your best to eliminate me then! Even if I can't enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, I'll make sure to bring you down together with me!" Knowing that there was no escape for him, Fan Xiaofeng gritted his teeth furiously as he glared at the trio before him.

His luck was really horrible. As soon as he entered the mountain, he had been teleported right into the middle of these three. It had really taken his all to survive for so long.

"Hahaha! You're going to bring us down together with you? That must be the greatest joke of the century!" The youth leading the team of three harrumphed disdainfully. "Get him!"

Huala!

Hearing the signal to attack, the three of them dashed forward and rained blows down upon Fan Xiaofeng. Their attacks covered all directions, making it impossible for the latter to escape.

The youth leading the team had already reached Half-Great Sage whereas the other two were at Saint 9-dan pinnacle. Fan Xiaofeng would have struggled against any one of them, let alone the three of them simultaneously. He flew into a fluster right from the start.

Peng!

A powerful blow sent him crashing heavily into a boulder behind him. Completely sapped, his body slumped to the ground as if a pile of loose mud.

Seeing that Fan Xiaofeng was already powerless to retaliate, the youth leading the team told the other two youths beside him, "Let's not waste any more time. Quickly crush his jade token, and we'll start finding our next prey!"

"Yes!"

The youth on the left chuckled softly as he leaped up to Fan Xiaofeng and darted his finger toward the jade token in front of the latter's chest.

If the attack landed, there was no doubt that Fan Xiaofeng would be eliminated.

"It seems like I'm going to have to let down the expectations of the clan..." With a despaired look on his face, Fan Xiaofeng knew that there was no way he would be able to make a comeback.

Thus, he closed his eyes helplessly and accepted his fate.

However, as time ticked by, the jade token in front of his chest failed to shatter. Opening his eyes once more, he saw a figure sitting on a boulder not too far away. That figure was shaking his right leg casually as he looked in their direction with a trace of a smile on his face.

"Are the three of you proud of yourselves for ganging up on a lad?"

"Xiaoxu..." Fan Xiaofeng's heart jolted upon hearing that voice.

It was none other than the son of the clan head, Fan Xiaoxu!

The other party had arrived at this crucial moment to save him!

"Another person who has come to court his death, eh?" Seeing how the newly arrived young man dared to provoke them, the youth leading the team sneered coldly. He gestured at the other two youths with a tilt of his chin, and they swiftly surrounded Zhang Xuan.

"You should see for yourself how proud we are of ourselves!"

Hula!

Knowing that time was precious, such that every single second that they remained in the open would spell a greater risk for them, the three of them charged right at Zhang Xuan.

Seeing that the three of them had turned their sights to the son of the clan head, Fan Xiaofeng exclaimed in a panic, "Xiaoxu, hurry up and run away! At the very least, one of us has to clear the examination. You don't have to care about me..."

He knew that Xiaoxu was only slightly stronger than him, so there was no chance that the latter could defeat the three standing before him. Rather than getting eliminated just like that, the latter would be better off escaping. At the very least, there would still be a ray of hope for their lineage.

Peng peng peng!

However, before Fan Xiaofeng could finish his words, the sound of fists and kicks plunging into flesh echoed resoundingly in the air. Watching as everything unfolded before his eyes, the words that he had sought to say suddenly caught in his throat, causing his words to come to an abrupt halt.

Contrary to expectations, the trio who had still been standing smugly a moment ago were floored with horror reflected in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Fan Xiaoxu was still sitting on the boulder, not seeming to have moved at all. The other party looked at him with an encouraging smile and said, "You should eliminate them yourself."

"Me?" Fan Xiaofeng was taken aback by those words.

Up till this moment, he had been unable to make sense of how the Xiaoxu that he knew was able to defeat those three so easily. His mind was so caught up in that matter that he was unable to process anything else.

"Weren't they trying to eliminate you a moment ago? Since that's the case, it's only right for you to return the favor to them," Zhang Xuan replied.

It was already an act of bullying for him to make a move on those three. He would feel too ashamed of himself if he really eliminated them on top of that.

No matter what, he still wanted to retain as much of his dignity as possible.

"B-but... I am not a match for them!" Fan Xiaofeng cried with a reddened face.

While the three of them had sustained injuries in the earlier clash with Fan Xiaoxu, his injuries were not light either. As much as he wanted to eliminate the three of them, he knew that the current him did not have the ability to do so.

"Rest assured. These three lads are nothing at all. Follow my instructions, and you will be able to defeat them with ease!" Zhang Xuan replied encouragingly.

"Defeat them with ease? Me?" Fan Xiaofeng was a little hesitant, but it seemed like the idea had struck a chord in his heart. He gritted his teeth and replied, "Alright, I'll give it a try!"

In any case, Fan Xiaoxu was already there, and based on the current situation, it seemed like he was already in a safe position. Thus, there was nothing for him to worry about even if he did lose the battle.

"You aren't going to make a move?" the youth leading the team eyed Zhang Xuan warily with fear in his eyes.

The other party had defeated the three of them in a single move. In terms of strength, there was probably no one who could stand against him among the younger generation. Fighting against such an opponent would surely spell their defeat.

However, if their opponent was just the fellow whom they had chased earlier, it should not be too difficult for them to claim victory.

"I won't make a move, so feel free to use whatever you have at your disposal. If you are able to defeat him, I'll let the three of you go. Otherwise, I guess the three of you will just have to end your cultivation journey here!" Zhang Xuan replied coolly.

Hearing those words, Fan Xiaofeng nearly keeled over. "Xiaoxu, are you out of your mind?"

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Chapter 1875: Yan Yixiao

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Fan Xiaofeng had thought that Fan Xiaoxu was trying to train him, and if he reached his limits, the other party would step in and save him. Yet, contrary to his expectations, Fan Xiaoxu was actually saying that he would not interfere in the fight, and he would even let the three of them off if they could defeat him.

How in the world could he possibly defeat the three of them together in a real fight?

It would already be a blessing if he was not beaten to death!

He had thought that Fan Xiaoxu was here to save him, but it felt like the latter had just dug a humongous pit for him to leap into.

With a conflicted look on his face, Fan Xiaofeng looked as if he was on the verge of tears.

Seeing the 'this is the end' look on Fan Xiaofeng's face, Zhang Xuan could not help but chuckle a little. "Cut your hesitation and do as I say. As long as you follow my instructions, you'll surely be able to win the battle. Otherwise, don't blame me for not helping you if you get eliminated!"

It would take a miracle for Fan Xiaofeng to lose as long as the other party heeded his guidance!

"Alright then..." Seeing that Fan Xiaoxu was not joking around, Fan Xiaofeng cursed the other party countless times in his heart before taking in a deep breath and rising to his feet somberly.

The worst that could happen was his elimination anyway. He would just have to make sure to recount everything that had happened here to the clan head when he returned.

On the other hand, the group of three had realized the disparity between their strength and Zhang Xuan's, and they knew that it would be impossible to escape from the other party. Thus, they exchanged glances before turning to glare at Fan Xiaofeng coldly.

Hu!

The three of them made a move simultaneously, raising powerful gales in the area.

Six arms flashed across the air swiftly in the blink of an eye. Every single one of these arms carried the devastating might of lightning, sealing off every possible path that Feng Xiaoxu could possibly escape to.

"Is this the end?" Fan Xiaofeng felt his blood turning cold.

Previously, he had thought that the worst that could happen was for him to sustain severe injuries, but from the looks of it, even surviving would be a luxury.

Just when he was about to resolve himself to his death, a voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

"Follow my orders. Use the Third Form of the Paced Gait Movement Technique together with the Fifth Move of Enlightenment Palm and the Second Form of Seven Aperture Fist."

Fan Xiaofeng immediately recognized that voice to be from Fan Xiaoxu. While he had no idea why the other party wanted him to execute those moves, he knew that he had no other choice but to follow the other party's instructions at this point in time. Thus, he gritted his teeth as he thought, I'll pit my life against them!

To be able to survive the harsh trials of the Fan Clan and advance so far step by step, the tenacity that drove him was not something that ordinary people could possibly imagine. All it took was the blink of an eye for his heart to settle down. He swiftly went through the three battle techniques through his mind before his body moved fluidly to execute them like flowing water.

Hu!

The Third Form of the Paced Gait Movement Technique brought him into the blind spot of the coordination of the trio, and executing the Enlightenment Palm with his left palm and the Seven Aperture Fist with his right fist, he struck the chest of two of the youths.

Peng! Peng!

The jade tokens in front of their chests shattered, and with looks of disbelief on the faces of the two youths, they were swallowed by an outburst of light and vanished.

"This..." Fan Xiaofeng was taken aback by what he had just done.

He lowered his gaze to look at his hands in bewilderment, almost as if he was staring at a monster.

Following Fan Xiaoxu's orders had actually allowed him to overcome the encirclement with a single move, and he had even managed to eliminate two of them so easily...

When in the world had he become so formidable?

"Y-you..."

Seeing how two of his comrades had vanished in an instant, the youth leading the group backed away with a fearful look on his face.

Be it in terms of the sharpness of the movements, the grasp of timing, or his reaction speed, Fan Xiaofeng's earlier maneuver was so ingenious that it almost felt like an artform. If not, there was no way the other party could have eliminated two of them within such a short period of time. This was a remarkable feat that he knew he would never be able to pull off in his current state!

Just ten breaths ago, Fan Xiaofeng had been in their grasp, but in the blink of an eye, the tables had turned on them. Was this all because he was following that young man's instructions?

The youth could not help but turn to look at the young man sitting on the boulder not too far away as shock crashed down on his mind like a roaring tsunami.

Even a casual pointer from him was able to induce such a massive improvement in Fan Xiaofeng within a short period of time. Just how freaking powerful must that young man be?

"Eliminate him too," Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes!"

If Fan Xiaofeng had still harbored some doubts before, at that very moment, there was nothing but admiration left at the bottom of his heart. He charged forward in agitation and thrust his palm down on the final remaining youth.

Just like that, the two of them started exchanging blows with one another.

This time, Zhang Xuan did not give direct instructions to Fan Xiaofeng. Instead, what he did was decipher the other party's move in detail to the latter, granting the latter the freedom to choose what kind of moves he should use to counterattack.

Initially, Fan Xiaofeng's movements were still a little flustered as his thoughts struggled to keep up with the flow of battle. However, by the twentieth blow, he had already grown accustomed to the tempo, and before long, he was able to fend off the other party's attacks with minimal effort.

The youth who had cornered him earlier was no longer a match for him.

Peng peng peng!

With a powerful thrust of his finger, Fan Xiaofeng shattered the youth's jade token.

He saw an indignant look on the youth's face before the latter's silhouette was completely enveloped within a brilliant outburst of light and vanished from view.

"Xiaoxu..."

Fan Xiaofeng could hardly believe that he had actually managed to defeat a Half-Great Sage cultivator with his own strength. He turned to look at Fan Xiaoxu with awe in his eyes.

No wonder Fan Xiaoxu had told them to wait for him to come look for them. Who could have known that he would have grown so powerful over the course of a few days?

Just as Fan Xiaofeng was about to express his gratitude to the young man sitting on the boulder, the other party suddenly turned to look at the mountain stream not too far away and waved his hand leisurely. "Haven't you watched long enough? Don't you think it's about time for you to come out?"

Pah pah pah!

Resounding applause echoed in the area as seven silhouettes emerged from the shadows from the mountain stream.

Upon seeing this sight, Fan Xiaofeng's heart skipped a beat. He had actually failed to realize that there were so many people hiding in his vicinity!

Furthermore, from the looks of it, they were already allied with one another!

It suddenly dawned on him why Fan Xiaoxu had not made a move all along. It was likely that the other party had noticed that there were others hiding in the area, so he was keeping a close eye on them in case they made a move.

"I have to say, Fan Xiaoxu, you sure have improved quite a lot from back then. You were actually able to allow this ordinary fellow to defeat three men simultaneously with just a couple of pointers. With your current strength, you are qualified to join our team!" the white-robed young man standing at the forefront of the seven youths said.

He was also the one who had applauded earlier.

"He is... a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, Yan Yixiao!" Upon taking a closer look at the white-robed young man's appearance, Fan Xiaofeng suddenly felt as if someone had gripped his heart tightly. "He's the strongest person in this entire examination. There's no one on this mountain who is a match for him."

Most clans would make sure to gather some intelligence about the examinees challenging the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism's examination each year so that their own people would have a clearer idea who their competitors were.

If there was anyone among the two thousand examinees whom everyone hoped to avoid, it was none other than the white-robed young man standing before them, Yan Yixiao!

Ancient Sage Zi Yuan was the First Senior of Kong shi's seventy-two Sages, such that even Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, who boasted the greatest fighting prowess of them all, dared not go against his words.

And the person standing before them, Yan Yixiao, was Ancient Sage Zi Yuan's descendant! Due to the incredible capabilities that he wielded, Yan Yixiao's fame had reached even the ears of the older generations.

It was truly the worst of luck for them to encounter him here.

"You want me to join your team?" Zhang Xuan did not appear to be astonished in the least by this turn of events. He simply looked at Yan Yixiao with casual nonchalance in his eyes, seemingly unfazed by Yan Yixiao's appearance and his offer.

"Indeed. Those behind me are those whom I have acknowledged, and you have also caught my eye. Join my team, and let's eliminate the other examinees together." Yan Yixiao placed his hands in the back and spoke with a light chuckle. His voice carried a domineering edge that left no room for negotiation at all.

"Pardon me, but the notion of me catching your eye sends shudders down my spine, and I am not interested in joining your team," Zhang Xuan declined curtly.

He did not expect the other party to be so narcissistic, so he could not be bothered to put up a front to gently reject the other party.

Seeing the airs that Zhang Xuan was putting on, one of the youths standing behind Yan Yixiao could stand it no longer and furiously bellowed, "It's your honor that Brother Yan invited you to join our group, you arrogant prat. Don't think that you are something huge just because you aren't utterly useless. As long as we wish to, we can eliminate you right now and strip you of your opportunity to continue cultivating!"

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Chapter 1876: The Enforcement Squad

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Qin Xiao was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Pi, and he had already reached Saint 9-dan pinnacle a year ago. With his abilities, he was confident that he would be able to clear the examination of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism with ease, but contrary to his expectations, the format chosen for this year turned out to be a free-for-all elimination round.

If it had been the usual round robin tournament, he was certain that he could have gotten into the top hundred. However, when it came to a free-for-all elimination round, there were simply too many variables involved for him to guarantee his victory.

Nevertheless, he felt that it should not be too difficult to him to get into the final hundred survivors as long as he moved carefully. Unfortunately, it seemed like lady luck was not on his side. Shortly after he entered the examination grounds, he had encountered the strongest competitor in the entire examination, Yan Yixiao. Before he knew it, he had already been eliminated.

At the perimeter of the mountain, one of the middle-aged men who had been standing together with Nangong Yuanfeng earlier walked up to Qin Xiao and said, "Yan Yixiao is the strongest expert in this examination. You need not feel too bad about losing to him!"

He was from the lineage of Ancient Sage Ran Yong, Ran Fei.

All of those who had been eliminated would be teleported right to this location. In order to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly, the Scholastic Masters of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism were able to peer into whatever was happening within the mountain in real time.

"I know that losing to him was inevitable, but... I feel so indignant inside!" Qin Xiao clenched his fists tightly in frustration.

He knew that there was no way that he could have triumphed over Yan Yixiao; the disparity in their strength was simply too great. Nevertheless, it was still an awful feeling to be eliminated as soon as he stepped onto the examination grounds.

"Yan Yixiao is Yan Xue's younger brother, and he has received the latter's guidance. Of the two thousand examinees gathered here, there are some who have reached Great Sage 1-dan Introspective Convalescence realm, but even they would face difficulty dealing with Yan Yixiao, let alone you!" Scholastic Master Ran Fei consoled with a smile. "If nothing goes wrong, it's likely that he'll emerge with the highest results in this examination..."

Ensuring that one was able to squeeze into the ranks of the last hundred survivors was just the prerequisite to entering the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. As for the ranking of the last hundred survivors, it would be determined by how many people they had eliminated over the course of the examination.

Yan Yixiao's fighting prowess could be said to be the unrivaled among the two thousand examinees, and to make matters worse, he had teamed up with six other top-notch experts. Anyone who was unlucky enough to encounter his team was bound to be eliminated; there was no other way around it.

"Ancient Sage Zi Yuan's lineage has always produced generation after generation of experts. I guess this is something that can't be helped..." As much as Qin Xiao was unwilling to face his defeat, he had no choice but to grudgingly accept it.

All of a sudden, there was radiant burst of light in front of Qin Xiao.

Putong!

A silhouette crashed onto the ground not too far away.

Seeing the fellow who had just been teleported here, Qin Xiao widened his eyes in astonishment.

"Isn't that the descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Heng, Shi Yuan? He is in Yan Yixiao's team, right? After all, he was the one who eliminated me earlier..."

As one of the seven people in Yan Yixiao's team, how in the world did he get eliminated?

Who in the world would dare make a move on Yan Yixiao's team, or could it be internal conflict?

Putong!

In his moment of shock, a blur flashed across Qin Xiao's eyes as another silhouette fell to the ground. He was also from Yan Yixiao's team.

Putong! Putong! Putong! Putong!

Following which, another four people fell to the ground with awkward looks on their faces.

"Aren't all of them..." Qin Xiao was stunned by what he was seeing.

They were all familiar faces! They had all been with Yan Yixiao when he was eliminated earlier on. How in the world did all of them get eliminated one after another in quick succession?

Did Yan Yixiao make a move on them, or did they encounter some kind of formidable expert?

Unable to curb his intrigue, Qin Xiao rushed forward and asked, "You lot... what..."

But before he could finish his words, another silhouette fell to the ground.

Putong!

When Qin Xiao got a close look at the other party's appearance, he froze on the spot, petrified. Even Ran Fei staggered weakly and nearly tripped over his own leg.

The person who had just been eliminated was none other than the examinee whom he had just confidently declared would be the champion of this examination... Yan Yixiao!

Yan Yixiao struggled up from the ground as he glared at the mountain peak with inferno burning in his eyes. Unable to suppress the fury burning in his chest, he roared, "Fan Xiaoxu, this isn't over yet!"

This was the worst humiliation that he had ever suffered!

He was an Introspective Convalescence realm expert, and many viewed him as the strongest contender for the champion seat. He had thought that it was finally time for him to showcase his prowess and dominate the examination, but who could have known that Fan Xiaoxu would grab him by his neck and throw him out, as if dealing with a little chick? To make things worse... he had found himself completely unable to retaliate.

This was a stain that he would never be able to wash away in his life!

He quickly looked around him, and upon seeing Scholastic Master Ran Fei, he walked up to the latter, clasped his fist, and reported, "Ran Fei laoshi, I suspect that Fan Xiaoxu from Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage is cheating. I implore the enforcement squad to head over and investigate him!"

"Cheating?"

"That's right. I met Fan Xiaoxu half a year ago, and while he wasn't weak, he was still nowhere close to being a match for me back then. Yet, he actually managed to defeat me with the utmost ease earlier..." Yan Yixiao clenched his jaws and spat.

"I see." Scholastic Master Ran fei nodded. "I'll inform the enforcement squad to investigate the matter."

He had no idea how Fan Xiaoxu could be cheating, but since someone had reported the claim—not to mention that the 'someone' was the strongest contender for the champion seat—it was his responsibility to look into the matter.

Thus, he took out his Communication Jade Token and passed down a series of instructions. Following which, he turned his gaze back to Yan Yixiao and reassured, "Don't worry. If Fan Xiaoxu is truly cheating, we will surely be able to find something. We have eyes all over the mountain, so there's nothing he can do that can escape our notice..."

Given the significance of this examination, cheating was strictly prohibited. Of course, if Fan Xiaoxu had truly defeated Yan Yixiao with his own strength, there was nothing that could be done.

"Un!" Yan Yixiao heaved a sigh of relief.

"You mentioned earlier that you were eliminated by Fan Xiaoxu, right? May I ask how many people he has rallied to his side to be able to defeat so many of you at once?" Scholastic Master Ran Fei asked.

In his view, it was likely that Fan Xiaoxu had managed to gather many experts to his side. After all, such actions were explicitly mentioned to be allowed in the examination.

If that was not the case, it meant that Fan Xiaoxu had singlehandedly overcome the collaboration of all seven of them... which was, of course, a ridiculous notion. Even Great Sage 2-dan experts would be unable to pull something like that off!

"He..." That question jolted Yan Yixiao's memory of what had happened earlier, and his cheeks began twitching intensely. "He was alone... There was another person that was with him, but that person didn't make a move at all!"

"Are you telling me that he singlehandedly defeated all of you?" Scholastic Master Ran Fei was dumbstruck. "Was it a one-on-one?"

"No, that's not it... We attacked him together in order to save time..." Yan Yixiao's face turned even redder.

It was in view of the prowess that Fan Xiaoxu had displayed that he wanted to invite the other party into his team. Yet, the other party had simply snubbed his invitation, and that had really infuriated him. Thus, he had ordered the entire team to attack Fan Xiaoxu together.

Who would have thought that despite the experts that he had rallied to his side, none of them were able to withstand even a single blow from Fan Xiaoxu?

"So, despite challenging him as a team, you still ended up getting eliminated by him alone?" Scholastic Master Ran Fei widened his eyes, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Yan Yixiao was reluctant to say it out loud, so he nodded discreetly in response.

"This..." Scholastic Master Ran Fei was so shocked that he could not even close his mouth anymore. To be able to defeat so many experts singlehandedly... could it be that Fan Xiaoxu's cultivation had already reached Great Sage 2-dan Great Philosopher realm?

But it should not be possible for anyone to reach that cultivation realm prior to entering the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

Shocked, Scholastic Master Ran Fei was about to probe deeper when there was another burst of light, and another group of fellows rained onto the ground.

Putong! Putong!

"It's the enforcement squad..."

"Isn't the enforcement squad supposed to eliminate others? How did they end up... being eliminated themselves?"

Qin Xiao, Yan Yixiao, and the others felt light-headed.

It was just a moment ago that the enforcement squad had been dispatched to investigate Fan Xiaoxu... but who could have predicted that all of them would end up being ejected from the mountain!

"What in the world happened? You don't have any jade tokens, so it shouldn't be possible for you to be 'eliminated'!" Scholastic Master Ran Fei exclaimed.

The head of the enforcement squad struggled to his feet as he explained, "Fan Xiaoxu captured us and set up a Teleportation Formation to send us out..."

"He set up a Teleportation Formation to send you all out?" Everyone was stunned.

...

Meanwhile, on the mountain, Zhang Xuan turned around to look at the dazed Fan Xiaofeng and said, "Let's go and find Fan Xiaoxing!"

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Chapter 1877: Even He Has Got It

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Fan Xiaofeng felt as if he was dreaming.

Fan Xiaoxu had always been stronger than him, but it was only by a small degree. Yet, within just a few moments, not only did he witness the other party defeating Yan Yixiao and his team with ease, he even saw the other party tossing the enforcement squad members, who had approached them to investigate the matter, out of the mountain one after another. This was way too extreme!

"Snap out of it, Xiaofeng. Someone is blocking our way!" Fan Xiaoxu's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

Raising his gaze, he saw two young men standing in their way.

"I won't be making another move. Try doing what I told you earlier," Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes!" Knowing that this was a good opportunity for him to temper himself, Fan Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and dashed forward.

When he was fighting with the head of the three youths earlier, Fan Xiaoxu had given him quite a few pointers regarding his battle style. Putting them into practice now, he found that his movements felt much more natural than before, and he was in a far better position to deal with whatever was thrown his way.

It did not take long before he eliminated those two youths standing in his path.

"The pointers that you gave me have really enhanced my fighting prowess..." Watching as the two youths were teleported away, Fan Xiaofeng could not stop trembling in agitation.

Had it been in the past, he would have struggled to eliminate even one of them. Yet, he found that he was able to deflect every single one of their blows with ease and launch a decisive counterattack to take down the two of them swiftly.

When he turned to look at Fan Xiaoxu once more, what was in his eyes was no longer awe but reverence.

Seeing that the young man from the Fan Clan had acquired some knowledge from the earlier battle, Zhang Xuan added, "Practical battle is the best way for one to improve. It's true that the rules of this free-for-all elimination examination are filled with flaws, but it's able to trigger one's desperation and stimulate the growth of the examinees, making them more confident than before. When faced with a problem, the first reaction you should have isn't how you can get away but how you can deal with it!"

There was no denying that luck played a heavy part in such a free-for-all elimination examination. If one encountered the strongest contender at the start of the examination, one could very well be eliminated there and then. Furthermore, the examinees were allowed to form alliances, which meant that the remaining hundred like would not be the strongest of the hundred.

But so what?

Those who persevered through the examination would surely enjoy a huge boost in confidence, and their cultivation should advance faster and faster from then on.

If two individuals were similar in terms of talent, what would make the difference between them were their state of mind and encounters in life.

After defeating quite a few opponents, Fan Xiaofeng had become much more confident from before, too. "Un!"

Just as the other party had said, his first reaction in the face of meeting an opponent was how he could get away and ensure his survival. However, the thought that was dominating his mind at the moment was instead how he could best eliminate his opponent.

This change in attitude would make all the differences in Fan Xiaofeng's future progress as a cultivator.

Seeing that Fan Xiaofeng received his message, Zhang Xuan nodded with a smile. "Offense is often the best defense!"

As expected of a genius of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, the other party's intelligence was indeed far above that of the master teachers whom he had taught before.

Of course, the other party was still a long way off from matching his direct disciples.

While making their way over to Fan Xiaoxing, Zhang Xuan continued offering pointers to Fan Xiaofeng. He knew that Fan Xiaoxing was not in any danger from the scan of his Spiritual Perception, so he was in no rush at all.

Along the way, the examinees whom they met would be eliminated without fail, and those battles further tempered Fan Xiaofeng's fighting skills. He became more and more confident.

An hour later, they finally arrived in the forest beside the mountain stream, where Fan Xiaoxing had chosen to hide himself.

The current Fan Xiaoxing seemed to have run out of luck. He had been discovered by a group of examinees.

Individually, those examinees were weaker than him, but with their strength combined, they formed a force exceeding what Fan Xiaoxing could deal with.

Cold sweat dripped down his face as he anxiously assessed the group before him.

Just when he was reaching his limits, he caught sight of Fan Xiaoxu and Fan Xiaofeng in his peripheral vision, and his eyes lit up in relief.

"Hey, over here!"

He had thought that the two of them would rush over to help him deal with the lot surrounding him, but contrary to what he thought, the two of them stopped at the edge of the forest.

He saw Fan Xiaoxu pointing at him and saying, "Did you see that? A single move is all it takes for the tide of battle to turn against one."

"You're right. Xiaoxing really should have thought it through before making that move earlier!" Fan Xiaofeng nodded in agreement.

Just a moment ago, he had been equals with Fan Xiaoxing. Who could have known that in a short hour, the other party would end up becoming so weak?

"If you were in his place, what would you have done?" Zhang Xuan asked.

As much as this was an examination, this was also a trial to test Fan Xiaofeng.

"I would use the Third Move of the Shallow Water Fist accompanied with the Spirit Leaf Movement Technique!" Fan Xiaofeng replied without much hesitation.

"Shallow Water Fist emulates the essence of catching a fish in shallow waters. It requires you to have a deep understanding of your opponent in order to ensure its success... However, just as you are able to see your opponent's move, your opponent is able to see your move as well. Furthermore, the complex movements of the Spirit Leaf Movement Technique would just make it harder for you to control your Shallow Water Fist!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Ah, you're right. I was so focused on dealing with the opponent's attack that I forgot about the flaws of Shallow Water Fist. It would indeed be a poor choice to pair it with the Spirit Leaf Movement Technique. Hmm... Coordinating it with the Emerald Ripple Palm should work out much better. If that's the case, I should be able to deal with two of them within seven blows, and the remaining two in five more!" Fan Xiaofeng analyzed contemplatively.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

Through his pointers and a series of practical battles, Fan Xiaofeng had indeed made major improvements in his fighting technique. He was already able to reflect and correct his own mistakes.

While the two of them were engaged in an intense discussion, Fan Xiaoxing was on the verge of wailing.

What Shallow Water Palm and Spirit Leaf Movement Technique... Shallow your head! Can't you two talk later? Don't you see that I'm on the verge of being pummeled to death?

Peng peng!

While moving in a fluster, Fan Xiaoxing sustained two more hits to his eyes, causing them to swell up.

He had thought that this should be enough to convince the two of them to rush right in to help him, but their discussion simply droned on.

"While that strike to the face will induce temporary blindness and vertigo in the opponent, such attacks are rarely able to land squarely, especially given that the head is one of the vitals that a cultivator will protect at all costs. If you were in his place, where would you strike?"

"I think that I would strike the ankles. That fellow harnesses great strength in his body, so if I strike his ankles, I should be able to affect his balance and throw him off guard. Even if my attack failed to land, I would be able to divert his attention away, thus creating an opportunity for me to strike his jade token!

"Indeed. This isn't a life-and-death battle but an elimination round. The jade token should always be the main focus of one's attacks."

Peng peng!

Fan Xiaoxing sustained two more punches on his face, causing fresh blood to trickle down his lips.

"What about this punch?"

"This punch was executed a little awkwardly, but it struck an ideal position. It successfully induced a momentary daze in the opponent. If I were in his place, I would have struck the mouth and sent out a sweeping kick right after. This way, I would be able to overwhelm my enemy, and the jade token would be exposed for an instant!"

"It's not a bad idea on your part to perform a sweeping kick, but you neglected the limitations of your own body. Due to the cultivation technique you practice, your zhenqi wouldn't be able to flow fast enough to your lower body to conduct a powerful lower kick. If you executed a weak or delayed sweeping kick, it would instead leave you open for a moment!"

"Ah... You're right. What should I do then?"

"Think about it!"

"Should I try to attack the jade token with my left hand instead?"

"Of course not! There'd only be a thirty percent chance of success if you struck the jade token with your left hand, and there's a good chance that you might even be counterattacked!" Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

It was just a moment that he had thought that the other party was a quick learner, but all of his expectations fell through the next moment.

What the heck is this?

Isn't the answer very clear?

Having two of the countermeasures that he had proposed refuted, Fan Xiaofeng fell into a state of confusion. "What should I do then?"

"What else can you do?" Zhang Xuan spat lividly. "Of course, it's to continue hitting his face! Since you have claimed the upper hand, as long as you continue your offense, you'll be able to dominate the flow of the battle, thus putting your enemy in a passive position!"

Peng peng peng!

As soon as those words were spoken, Fan Xiaoxing sustained several more punches to his face.

"Look! Even he's got it!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed in exasperation.

"..." Fan Xiaoxing cried.

Chapter 1878: Creating Opportunities

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I see!"

Seeing how Fan Xiaoxing was struck to the point where he was completely astonished, possibly forgetting even his own name, Fan Xiaofeng's eyes lit up as he nodded in agitation.

Xiaoxu was indeed an amazing person! He had seen through the crux in an instant.

If it had been him, not only would his attack have failed, the other party might even have been able to turn the tables on him. However, with just a couple more punches, the other party would be completely incapacitated, thus sealing the outcome of the battle.

While it required more moves, there was no denying that this was a much safer option. Perhaps, it might even be the most efficient way to end the battle!

"Do you think that it's impossible to counterattack just because he has been struck in his face several times consecutively?" Fan Xiaoxu suddenly asked.

"Ah? Is it still possible to make a comeback after that? I'm afraid that I don't really know how to cope with such a situation," Fan Xiaofeng replied in embarrassment.

Had he been in Fan Xiaoxing's place, those few punches would have surely destroyed him. He would have lost his cool and possibly lost the battle too.

Hit a person but not their face; this was a common saying among the populace. It was considered a huge humiliation to have one's face struck.

"Situations where you don't know how to retaliate often contain the greatest opportunity to turn the tables. Since the enemy has been focusing their attack on his face, they're bound to be open elsewhere, like the chest or the crotch," Zhang Xuan said.

"This..." Fan Xiaofeng widened his eyes in realization. "Indeed! In a battle, the head is the most protected area. In order to land consecutive hits on the head, it's inevitable that one will have to get into extremely close quarters with the other party. At a moment like this, striking elsewhere can achieve unexpected results!"

Peng peng!

While they were speaking, Fan Xiaoxing was still getting struck in his head. He could almost see stars spinning around him.

"I can't count on those two b*stards to save me..." Seeing how those two were engrossed in their discussion, showing not a sliver of desire to save him, Fan Xiaoxing wiped the tears from his eyes.

He had thought that he would be saved by the arrival of his comrades, but it felt like things had only gotten worse with their arrival.

That being said, there was some logic to what they were saying. Those fellows were too engrossed in hitting his face, so they had unintentionally dropped their defenses around other places.

"I have no choice but to give it a try!" Suffering another punch, Fan Xiaoxing gritted his teeth and kicked his foot upward.

Peng!

He happened to strike one of the assailants' in the crotch, and the latter immediately fell to the ground like a shrimp.

"I succeeded?" Seeing how he had managed to defeat one of them so easily, Fan Xiaoxing immediately felt a surge of confidence. His heart could not help but beat in exhilaration.

It was true that those two were unreliable as allies, but their analysis of the battle was indeed spot-on.

While barely defending against the onslaught of the remaining three cultivators using his zhenqi, he pricked up his ears and listened intently.

At this point, the other two were still in the midst of their discussion.

"The four of them are coordinating tightly with one another, and the cultivator whom Xiaoxing has just kicked happened to be their leader. His abrupt incapacitation has introduced a moment of fluster among the rest as they struggle to readjust their collaboration formation. If I were in his position, I would use the Qingping Fist together with our clan's Flowing Water Conception to suppress the rest of them!"

"Using the Qingping Fist together with the Flowing Water Conception is indeed a good idea. However, the key right now should be to take down the gray-robed man, who has taken over the role of maintaining the collaboration formation. As long as he is around, the formation will remain a threat. No matter how agile and flexible your movements are, it'll be hard for you to overwhelm the remaining three of them when they are covering one another tightly."

"Ah, you're right! But how should we deal with that gray-robed man?"

"It's pretty simple. You can use the Sunflower Steps to back away before jabbing your finger forth three inches to the left. The gray-robed man will then charge forward in response, and that will present an opportunity to take him down!"

...

"I should give it a try!"

Fan Xiaoxing was not too inclined to believe that such a move would really lure the gray-robed man into dashing forward, but he did not have many options. Thus, clenching his teeth tightly, he activated the Sunflower Steps and retreated two meters back. After which, using his finger as a sword, he jabbed forth with imposing momentum.

Due to the nature of the collaboration formation, Fan Xiaoxing's retreat caused the trio sustaining the formation to be drawn in his direction. The gray-robed man maintaining the formation ended up being pulled over as well, causing him to come into the line of attack of the jab that Fan Xiaoxing had launched.

A burst of sword qi struck the gray-robed man's jade token squarely.

Kacha!

With a look of disbelief on his face, the gray-robed man was embraced by a brilliant burst of light as he vanished.

"It worked?" Fan Xiaoxing was stunned.

He had thought that those two were just prattling on about nonsensical theories, but who could have known that their suggestions would turn out to work in practice? Having gotten rid of two of his opponents so easily, his heart pounded wildly in excitement.

Also, it was only around this moment that he realized that the discussions, which had been spoken openly a moment ago, had switched to zhenqi telepathy, which meant that his opponents were unable to hear those words.

It seemed like it was not that the two of them did not want to save him but that they hoped for him to win this battle with his own strength.

Just that, there was still one last doubt. The two of them should not have been too much stronger than him, so how were they able to come up with such ingenious attacks one after another?

Even casual pointers from them actually allowed him to achieve victory so easily.

Was it about how spectators had a clearer view of what was happening compared to those directly involved in a situation?

Knowing that this was no time for him to be deep in thought, he continued pricking his ears up to pay careful attention to what was being said.

The other party's voices continued.

"Since their collaboration formation has been undone, should we focus the attack on one of them first to take him down quickly before going for the other?"

"Of course not! While the threat of the collaboration formation has been resolved, the fact that they are no longer in a decisive advantage anymore means that the last two remaining opponents will be far more wary of you. If you assault one of them, the other will make use of whatever opening you show to take you down. What you should do at this moment is stand your ground and focus on defense!"

"Focus on defense?"

It was because he thought that the words of those two made perfect sense that he had moved according to their instructions earlier. However, at that very moment, Fan Xiaoxing could not help but frown doubtfully.

Even without the collaboration formation, he would still be unable to cope with the assault of two equally powerful opponents simultaneously. It had not been easy for him to take down the other two opponents, so he should make use of this momentum to take down the remaining two! If he became defensive at such a moment, it would only be a matter of time before his stamina was whittled down!

"I don't necessarily have to do as they say. Those two fellows can't always be right anyway..." Recalling how those two refused to charge in to help him, choosing to stand by the side to watch the commotion instead, Fan Xiaoxing gritted his teeth in anger.

With a cold harrumph, he raised his palm and charged toward one of the opponents.

Pah pah pah!

Focusing all of his zhenqi into his palm strike, just as Fan Xiaoxing felt like he was going to finally overpower the opponent before him, his heart jolted fearfully as his eyes narrowed in shock.

Unknowingly, a foot had appeared right in front of him.

Pah!

He was struck in his vitals, causing him to fly all the way back. The excruciating pain from the kick nearly caused him to blank out.

"You were right, Xiaoxu! He focused his offense on one person, and that allowed the other party to grasp hold of his weakness!" Fan Xiaofeng exclaimed in excitement upon seeing that the theory was indeed true.

"Indeed. If he had chosen to go on the defensive, those two would have swiftly fallen into a state of fluster. After all, they have just witnessed two of their comrades being wiped out in a moment of inattention, and they have lost the safety of the collaboration formation. At such a time, they would surely be more anxious than ever to defeat him. If only he had waited three move moves, the panic that they are feeling would have been magnified manyfold, causing them to make much riskier movements in hopes of ending the battle quick. That would have created an ideal opportunity to strike... It's truly a huge pity," Fan Xiaoxu said.

"A battle is all about grasping timing and seeking opportunities. If there are no opportunities in sight, you just have to create one!"

"Yes, you're right!" Fan Xiaofeng nodded vehemently in agreement.

"Grasping timing and seeking opportunities..." Suppressing the excruciating pain that he was suffering from, Fan Xiaoxing forced himself to his feet and raised his guard once more.

Seeing that Fan Xiaoxing had stood up once more, the two opponents flinched slightly in astonishment. Anxiety and fear could be seen reflected on their faces.

With a ferocious roar, one of the opponents charged forward.

His charge might have seemed reckless, but in truth, he was trying to create an opportunity for his comrade.

Understanding this logic, Fan Xiaoxing knew better than to move recklessly this time around. He immediately scrunched his body together and charged toward the second opponent.

Meanwhile, the second opponent noticed the openings that the first opponent had exposed to Fan Xiaoxing, and he was intending to move in coordination to cover the first opponent. However, not expecting Fan Xiaoxing to not fall for the bait at all and go for him instead, the second opponent was rammed down in an instant, causing a stream of blood to gush down his nose.

"It worked!" Seeing how everything had worked out well, tears of joy began streaming down Fan Xiaoxing's eyes.

Those two unreliable b*stards... they had not forsaken him yet!

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Chapter 1879: Small Fries Should Scram to the Side

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Un!" Seeing that Fan Xiaoxing had understood the intentions behind their conversation, Zhang Xuan nodded his head in approval.

Since he had borrowed Fan Xiaoxu's identity, he had to give something back to those in Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage in compensation... Through the general pointers he offered them and inculcating in them a habit of reflection, they would be able to continue improving themselves even after he left.

Peng peng peng!

After taking down two of the opponents and eliminating one of them, there was only one last person remaining. It didn't take long for Fan Xiaoxing to subdue him too.

After crushing their jade tokens, he stomped up to Fan Xiaoxu and Fan Xiaofeng, wanting to berate them for simply watching the commotion by the side. But after a moment of hesitation, he chose instead to clasp his fist and bow slightly, "Thank you for your pointers earlier!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand calmly in response.

It didn't matter to him whether the other party as grateful to his help or not. He was just doing what he thought was right to him. This was the man he was all along—principled, humble, and low profile.

"Everything happened so quickly earlier... How did you all see through their flaws and come up with a countermeasure with just a look?" Fan Xiaoxing asked doubtfully.

His cultivation was around the same level as the other two of them, but why was he unable to see through anything at all whereas the pointers given out by those words ended up becoming words of gold?

It was as if they could peer right into the hearts of others!

"Xiaoxu was the one who taught me this!" Fan Xiaofeng replied excitedly. "In a battle, one has to observe one's opponent carefully and determine his intentions in order to predict his movements..."

After which, he moved on to throw out several other ways.

Hearing those words, Fan Xiaoxing was rendered completely mystified.

He had never heard of those at all, and it was definitely not part of the lineage within their clan either... How did Fan Xiaoxu know about all this?

"Cultivation is not about blind diligence; it requires one to ruminate and evaluate..." Seeing the doubt in Fan Xiaoxing's eyes, Zhang Xuan explained calmly.

However, before he could finish his words, he suddenly turned his head to the side.

Huala!

There was a gust of wind, and following which, three groups of people arrived from all around the forest.

Each of the groups consisted of four people, and altogether, there were twelve people in total. Coming from three different directions, they sealed off all routes of escape for Zhang Xuan and the other two.

They are the ones... They have eliminated quite a few people along the way. If we don't partner together to get rid of them, it's only a matter of time before they destroy us too!" one of the team leaders harrumphed coldly.

This team leader was a tall and bulky individual. His voice was loud and deep, a little reminiscent of metal clanging against one another.

"Heh, I guess we have to thank them for eliminating so many people for us then!" another team leader spoke up with a smile. He turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "You should have curbed yourselves a little. I don't deny that you are strong, but in battles like this, knowing when to lie low is also of utmost importance!"

"Are you challenging us?"

Before Fan Xiaoxing could make sense of the situation, Fan Xiaofeng had already stepped forward with a confident smile on his face. "Let's not waste any time then. All of you should come at us together!"

Along the way, they had already eliminated at least seventy examinees by now. Most likely, their results had already sprinted all the way to the top. It was inevitable that they would catch the attention of other teams.

After all, it was a common strategy for weaklings to band up together to get rid of the greatest threat in a competition.

Given their spectacular accomplishments, it was just a matter of time before teams began to partner with one another in an attempt to eliminate them.

If they were to succeed, their results would be moved over to them, allowing them to leap to the first place in a single shot.

"Xiaofeng..." Not expecting the other party to be so reckless as to provoke the other three teams, Fan Xiaoxing's face turned green from fright.

That was twelve people before them! Against such a huge force, they would surely be crushed without the slightest sliver of doubt! To provoke them further at a timing like this was no different from courting death!

Come at us together? Come your head!

I have just finished my battle a while ago, and I can hardly open my eyes at all. I'll really die if I were to fight those twelve of them right now!

"You want to fight us together? Lad, you sure are arrogant, aren't you?" the bulky young man sneered coldly. "Since you are asking for it, don't blame us for not showing mercy then! Attack!"

It was apparent that they had already negotiated with one another before coming over to confront them. As the bulky young man spoke, the twelve of them slowly advanced forward, making sure to leave no gap for them to escape at all.

"Xiaoxu..."

Despite facing a numerical disadvantage, Fan Xiaofeng didn't seem nervous in the least. Instead, his eyes were gleaming brighter and brighter in excitement. He turned to look at Fan Xiaoxu, only to see the latter nodding his head in affirmation.

Thus, with a joyful war cry, Fan Xiaofeng dashed right into the crowd of enemies.

"Xiaofeng, don't be reckless!" Fan Xiaoxing felt as if his body had turned completely cold.

That was twelve people in total, and none of their cultivation was any lower than theirs! To dash right in at this moment was as good as seeking death!

"Xiaoxu, we need to devise a plan to save Xiaofeng and escape!" Panicked, Fan Xiaoxing turned to Zhang Xuan and urged anxiously.

"Escape? There's no need for that. Calm down and see what Xiaofeng is capable of," Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head.

It was just a moment ago that he had corrected Fan Xiaofeng's state of mind. If he were to encourage the latter to flee at this moment, wouldn't all of the confidence he had built up be shattered in an instant?

As a teacher, there was no way he would allow such a thing to occur!

"But we'll die at this rate!"

Fan Xiaoxing didn't think that Fan Xiaoxu would be as extreme as Fan Xiaofeng. Just as he was conflicted as to what he should do, he suddenly saw the bulky young man charging right across Fan Xiaofeng.

Hula!

With his fingers spread wide like a fan, he thrust his palm right toward Fan Xiaoxu's head, seemingly wanting to end his life.

Just based on his aura, the bulky young man felt no different from an ordinary Saint 9-dan. However, when he drove his strength to its limits, it turned out that he was actually a Half-Introspective Convalescence realm expert!

"It's over..." Fan Xiaoxing's face paled in fright.

The reason why he was able to defeat the four of them earlier was because their cultivation was beneath his. Even so, he was still badly pummeled in the end.

However, with the frightening might of this bulky young man and many other experts watching menacingly from the surroundings, it seemed like they were really doomed this time around...

With a wail of desolation, he began thinking about where he should have a drink to drown his sorrows after he was eliminated. On the other hand, a slight frown crept onto Fan Xiaoxu's forehead, and instead of dodging, he raised his hand.

Pah!

Before the palm thrust of the bulky young man could land, Fan Xiaoxu's slap had already struck the other party's face squarely.

The slap seemed to be packed with plenty of power as the bulky young man spun two rounds before crashing into the ground.

"You..."

The bulky young man stunned for a moment before his daze warped in rage, and he charged at Zhang Xuan once more.

Pah!

Another slap struck the other side of his face, and he spun two rounds before crashing into the ground once more.

"Small fries like you should scram to the side! Don't come here and cause trouble!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.

"I..."

The bulky young man wanted to say something to at least salvage some of his reputation, but when he thought about the two slaps he had just suffered, his face immediately reddened, and his words choked up in his throat.

Was he really a small fry unworthy of the other party making a move?

He turned to look at Fan Xiaofeng and saw that there were already four men collapsed on the ground. Even though Fan Xiaofeng's cultivation was beneath his, for some reason, his movements were exceptionally difficult to deal with. It was as if he was a wolf who had leaped into a pack of sheep; there was no one here who could withstand more than three blows from him!

"A-alright, I'll go fight with him..."

Without much hesitation, the bulky young man turned around and charged at Fan Xiaofeng instead.

"..." Fan Xiaoxing was so shocked that his eyes nearly plopped to the ground.

Can anyone tell me what is happening here?

Why did Xiaoxu and Xiaofeng become so weird in the hour we have parted from one another? Am I dreaming or something?

Fan Xiaoxing was dazed.

Chapter 1880: What a Coincidence!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

On the square located along the perimeter of the mountain...

Shang Wu suddenly materialized in midair before falling heavily to the ground. He had just been teleported out of the mountain under the effects of a Teleportation Formation. He looked at the sky with a dazed look in his eyes, almost as if he was doubting his own existence.

He was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Xiu's lineage, a genius blessed with great talents. He had to step over thousands of his peers in order to come to where he currently was, but after coming this far... even though he had collaborated with several others to gang up on someone weaker than him, he still ended up being eliminated so easily...

The thought of others mocking him for this failure was more than enough to make his entire body cringe in sheer embarrassment.

Struggling to his feet, he was just about to hide his face and leave silently when he heard a shocked voice exclaiming in the air, "Shang Wu, you have been eliminated too? I didn't think that I would see you here..."

Following which, a figure walked over.

After catching a closer sight of the other party, Shang Wu was stunned for a moment before exclaiming as well, "Xi Yuan, what are you doing here?"

Xi Yuan was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Xi, as well as a good friend of Shang Wu's. In terms of fighting prowess, they were a close match with one another, so they would frequently spar with one another.

It was already incredibly humiliating for him to be eliminated so swiftly into the examination, but who could have thought that his good friend would end up being eliminated even quicker than he did!

"Hai, let's not talk about such depressing matters! I attacked someone weaker than me in hopes of raising his ranking, but who could have thought that the other party would end up sending me here..." Xi Yuan shook his head bitterly.

"You were also eliminated by someone weaker than you?" Shang Wu was stunned as a thought surfaced in his head. "May I know who that person is?"

"It's embarrassing even just to talk about it. The other party is only at Saint 9-dan pinnacle, a huge gap away from matching you and me..." Xi Yuan's face reddened in shame.

"He's also a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator too? Who is it?" Shang Wu asked anxiously.

"He's... a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Chi, Fan Xiaofeng!" Xi Yuan replied awkwardly.

"It really is him! I was eliminated by that fellow as well!" Shang Wu widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Wait a moment... You were eliminated by Fan Xiaofeng too?" Xi Yuan was stunned.

"Indeed! He fought against all twelve of us alone and ended up eliminating all of us..." Shang Wu explained agitatedly.

However, before he could finish his piece, another shocked exclamation sounded in the air.

"You were eliminated by Fan Xiaofeng too? What a coincidence! We were eliminated by him as well! He single-handedly sent the three of us out of the examination..."

Following which, four young ladies walked over.

"It really is a huge coincidence. It was the exact same for us too!"

Two young men and a young lady walked over.

"Oh? All of you were eliminated by Fan Xiaofeng? The same happened to us too. We were eliminated so tragically..."

Yet another five more youths walked over.

"Hey, you aren't the most tragic ones, alright? Do you see Yan Yixiao and his group over there? It seems like he was eliminated by the descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Yuan too..."

A few more people walked over and joined in the conversation.

Watching as a huge crowd of similar ill-fated individuals gathered around him, Shang Wu's lips twitched wildly.

It was just an instant, but the name 'Fan Xiaofeng' had already rallied more than forty people over. Shockingly, they were all eliminated by Fan Xiaofeng single-handedly!

Was there some kind of mistake here?

How could that fellow possibly not sustain any injuries or run out of zhenqi when he had fought with so many opponents already?

"There's no need to feel down. Come, follow me!" a young man walked up to Shang Wu and consoled.

"Un!"

Recognizing the person standing before him to be Bo Xu from the lineage of Ancient Sage Zi Xu, Shang Wu nodded slightly before following behind the young man.

Bo Xu brought Shang Wu out of the crowd to another group of eliminated young men and said, "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. We were eliminated by the descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi. May I know if..."

"Ah, what a coincidence! We were eliminated by the descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi too!"

"Me too!"

"Wow, we are comrades of the same plight... We really should get along well!"

A commotion flared up, and it took only an instant for the group to expand to dozens of people.

After which, Bo Xu brought Shang Wu away to approach yet another group, but before they could begin speaking, the other party had already begun speaking, "You are eliminated by Fan Xiaofeng too, right? It's the same for us too!"

"..." Shang Wu.

At this moment, he really had no idea what to make of this peculiar situation.

"Everything, hear us! We wish to establish a 'Fellowship of Examinees Eliminated by the Descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi'. Is there anyone who wishes to join us?" a voice echoed across the crowd.

"I wish to register!"

"Me too, me too!"

...

The invitation was met with popular response and voices of approval rippled across the crowd.

"..."

It was in this instant that Shang Wu suddenly felt that it wasn't a humiliation that he was eliminated by the weaker Fan Xiaofeng. Instead, it felt like a symbol of honor, a mark that solidarity amongst him and the others!

...

"That's all?"

Fan Xiaoxing stared at the impassive Fan Xiaofeng as he felt as if his notion of what 'being powerful' meant had just been refreshed.

If he had been the one who had fought against these twelve opponents, it was likely that he wouldn't have even gotten a chance to flee. Yet, Fan Xiaofeng, who was at the same cultivation realm as him, actually defeated all of them with ease...

Just what in the world had the other party been through over the past hour for such a massive change to happen to him?

On the other hand, paying no heed to Fan Xiaoxing's incredulity, Fan Xiaofeng walked up to Zhang Xuan and asked, "So... how did I do this time around?"

His eyes reflected deep nervousness reminiscent of a student facing his teacher after forgetting to complete his holiday assignment.

"How did you do?" Zhang Xuan's eyes were filled with boredom as he waved his hands perfunctorily, "It's so-so!"

He couldn't even bother to comment on Fan Xiaofeng's performance anymore.

After all of the pointers he had given and the battles that the other party had been through, this was all the other party could do? It was fortunate that he was adopting a persona at the moment or else he would have really died from embarrassment!

All of the disciples whom he, Zhang Xuan, had taught eventually became powerhouses who possessed extraordinary battle sense. However, the one standing before him was truly...

It was just a moment ago that he thought that the descendants of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers possessed superior intelligence, capable of comprehending and assimilating new knowledge swiftly... Yet, it was as if Fan Xiaofeng's intelligence had turned against him! He was focusing too much of the trivialities that he was losing sight of what was important, causing his movements to lack spirit!

"I... I was wrong! I know that I didn't do well for the earlier battle..." Sensing Zhang Xuan disappointment, Fan Xiaofeng hurriedly lowered his head and apologized with a trembling voice.

His accomplishments were all built upon the other party's pointers. If the other party was no longer willing to teach him anymore, how was he going to climb to greater heights?

At the same time, Fan Xiaoxing clutched his hair as this seemingly ridiculous scene unfolded before his eyes. He found himself unable to catch up with the thought process of the other two at all!

"Can this even be called 'didn't do well'?" Zhang Xuan snapped. "Fine, I guess I'll give you some leeway for your self-awareness! Earlier, for the third move that you executed after charging into the crowd, you could have used the Coupled Arm Fist to eliminate that red-robed young man with the least amount of effort. Why did you switch to the Startling Fronthand to attack that blue-robed young lady at the right instead? Do you know that you have wasted three whole moves due to the choice you have made? Think of the time you have wasted with that! If they had recovered during that period of time, you would have been dead before you even knew it! Also, for the kick earlier, you could have dodged it in advance too. Why did you catch it instead? Are you trying to show off that you are capable of defending yourself, or are you trying to flaunt the resilience of your scrawny body..."

As Zhang Xuan spoke, his fury seemed to build up even more and more, such that he ended up pointing out eight flaws in a single breath. Furthermore, every single one of these flaws pointed out were spot-on in the analysis.

"I..." Fan Xiaofeng was rendered speechless by the questions.

Everything had happened so quickly earlier, such that Fan Xiaofeng didn't think that Fan Xiaoxu would have been able to remember every move and every flaw so clearly.

He was initially proud that he had managed to eliminate twelve people at once, but those words jolted him back to reality. He knew that he still had a long way to go before reaching the top. There was no pride in just being able to defeat weaklings!

Humility and low profile; that was the way to go!

"Xiaofeng was already so formidable in the battle, but Xiaoxu was still able to point out so many flaws in his movements. That eye of discernment is truly..." Fan Xiaoxing gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

It was at this instant that he felt that he had gotten a glimpse into the reason why Fan Xiaofeng was able to make such a huge progress within a short hour...

It turned out that everything was Fan Xiaoxu's credit!

"Xiaoxu, can you teach me as well? I wish to become as powerful as Xiaofeng too..." Unable to stand it any longer, Fan Xiaoxing walked up to Zhang Xuan and clasped his fist earnestly, putting down the pride that he had shown previously.

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Chapter 1881: The Descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Lu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Zhong Qing was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Lu. He was the person-in-charge for conducting this year's entrance examination for the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. He was also the middle-aged man who had read the rules in the sky earlier prior to the commencement of the examination.

Unlike the other teachers, he returned back to his room after activating the formation surrounding the mountain. He didn't wait at the elimination region for the revelation of the results.

It was just a freshman selection examination; it would do for him to just know the final results. Such a trivial event was not worth his constant attention.

He stood before a table, dabbed a brush with ink, and began writing on a sheet of paper. The scent of ink swiftly suffused the room.

His handwriting was neat, and the characters he wrote carried deep conceptions behind them. With just a glance, one could feel the serene state he was in.

Hu!

A figure suddenly appeared in the room. Seeing that the middle-aged man was leisurely writing calligraphy, the figure's eyebrows shot up as he exclaimed, "Brother Zhong, what are you doing here? You need to head over to the examination venue to take a look. There's something weird going on with the examination..."

If Zhang Xuan was here, he would surely be able to recognize the figure who had just appeared in the room... Nangong Yuanfeng!

"Yuanfeng, you are panicking once again. I have always told you that you need to calm your mind, but you just wouldn't listen. It's just an examination amongst the younglings, what's there to panic about? If you don't try to correct that problem of yours, you'll never be able to advance your cultivation any further than it is!"

Even without raising his head, Zhong Qing seemed to still be able to recognize the identity of the person standing before him. As his brush continued moving on the paper elegantly, he replied with a calm voice.

"Brother Zhong, I appreciate your kind advice, but... this isn't the moment to be calm at all! The elimination examination has already descended into a huge mess!" Nangong Yuanfeng exclaimed anxiously.

"A huge mess? What kind of mess is it?" Zhong Qing asked calmly as he continued writing his calligraphy with cadence.

"The examinees are being eliminated too quickly in large numbers! I fear that the examination might end before the six hours are up... Furthermore, a lot of the examinees whom we have thought well of have all been eliminated! It's unlikely that those who remain at the end of the examination would be really the strongest hundred of the examinees..."

Nangong Yuanfeng explained worriedly.

He was on the scene earlier, so he saw everything clearly.

Even a top-notch genius like Yan Yixiao ended up being eliminated too. The other experts whom they had been keeping a special eye of also ended up failing terribly too...

And the reason was solely because they had encountered the descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi!

By this point, it had almost become an unspoken rule of the examination that anyone who encountered Ancient Sage Zi Chi's descendants would be eliminated! At this rate, the examination would no longer be a test of strength but a complete test of luck—it would bank solely on whether one was lucky enough to avoid Ancient Sage Zi Chi's descendants throughout the entire examination!

For a solemn examination to be reduced to such a farce, how could he possibly not panic?

"Oh? Isn't this for the better?" Zhong Qing didn't appear to be surprised to hear the news at all. He dabbed his brush in ink once more and began writing another character before continuing on with a light chuckle, "The talents of the descendants of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers don't vary too much from one another. All we want is to narrow down the numbers to a hundred of them. As for who they are, that's of secondary concern. No matter how powerful they are at the moment, they are bound to achieve great things after undergoing the tutelage of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!"

"Well, I guess that your words make sense too..." Seeing how calm Zhong Qing was, Nangong Yuanfeng's worries seemed to slowly dispel as well.

It was true that they were interested in just narrowing down the numbers to a hundred examinees... As for who the examinees were, that was not of too much importance.

The elimination examination was not completely fair, but ultimately, everything could be traced back to the limitations of their strength. If one had neither the strength nor the means to survive until the end, they only had themselves to blame for.

"While what you say do make sense, the issue is that most of the examinees have been eliminated by the same person, and their numbers are still growing. Furthermore, it seems like they have formed some kind of weird fellowship..." Nangong Yuanfeng said.

"They were eliminated by the same person? Who is it? Yan Yixiao? Or is it Duan Muxiao?" Zhong Qing asked.

"That's not it. They are all eliminated by a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Chi," Nangong Yuanfeng replied.

"A descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Chi?" Not expecting to hear such an answer, Zhong Qing was visibly stunned for a moment. "You are referring to Fan Xiaoxu, Fan Xiaofeng, and Fan Xiaoxing, right?"

He had browsed through the name list submitted by the various clans, and he remembered the names of every single participating examinee.

"That's right," Nangong Yuanfeng replied affirmatively.

"The descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi have never performed spectacularly well in examinations before. The fact that they are able to rise to the top in the examination shows that they must have put in a lot of hard work. It's fine, leave them to do whatever they want. Everyone has their own limits, and just because they are leading at the moment doesn't mean that they will be able to remain at the top until the end. As invigilators, our role is to observe and assess. There's no need for us to get involved!" Zhong Qing replied calmly as he continued writing on the paper.

At this rate, it seemed like he would finish his calligraphy piece soon enough.

"Since you have said so, I guess there's nothing else I can say..." Seeing how calm Zhong Qing was, Nangong Yuanfeng shrugged nonchalantly. He was just about to turn around and leave when he suddenly recalled a matter, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. The chief of the Fellowship of Examinees Eliminated by the Descendants of Ancient Sage Zi Chi seems to your grandson, Zhong Zixun!"

Hula!

The brush gorged out a pitch-black stroke on the white paper as Zhong Qing raised his head in astonishment.

He knew that his grandson had participated in the examination too, and he thought that his grandson would survive till the very end. Yet... he became the chief of some kind of eliminated examinees' fellowship? What the heck did that mean?

"Hold on for a moment. You are telling me that Zixun has been eliminated?" Even though Zhong Qing dared not to believe what he was hearing, he still forcefully maintained his patient and calm attitude.

"Indeed. He was extremely proud that he has been eliminated early, and the fact that he serves as one of the chiefs of the organization means that everyone heeds his words!" Nangong Yuanfeng said.

"That bastard!" Zhong Qing clenched his fists tightly.

How in the world did that wastrel even appear in their lineage?

Not only was he not embarrassed of being eliminated, he even viewed it as an honor...

He really had to teach that fellow a good lesson!

"Forget it, just leave him be!" Taking a deep breath, Zhong Qing calmed down from his rage before shaking his head. "In any case, I have eight of my descendants participating in the examination. It's only because I have spoiled Zhong Zixun ever since he was young that he acted so inappropriately. Such a thing wouldn't happen with the others..."

"The others?" Nangong Yuanfeng fell silent. There was a brief moment of silence before he asked, "Are you referring to Zhong Zifeng, Zhong Ziyu, Zhong Zixuan, and the others?"

Zhong Qing nodded, "They should be far more reliable than Zhong Zixun that wastrel..."

"Ah, they have also been eliminated as well. They are the first group to join the fellowship. If not for their vote, how could Zhong Zixun possibly have become the chief?"

Speaking up to this point, Nangong Yuanfeng couldn't help but remark, "I must say that those from your lineage are truly united as one. While others are still grieving over their defeat, those from your lineage are already trying to form a fellowship. I must say that I'm truly awed by how calmly they are taking their defeat..."

Kacha!

There was a crisp echo as the brush in Zhong Qing's hand was snapped into two. With a face as green as a lush grassfield, Zhong Qing spat, "Those bunch of bastards. I'll massacre them right now!"

Hu!

Zhong Qing's silhouette vanished from the room in an instant.

"Ah..." Seeing how the cool and collected man from a moment ago had erupted in rage, Nangong Yuanfeng scratched his head speechlessly.

In the end, everything that Zhong Qing said about remaining calm was just because the issue didn't concern him. As soon his clan members were involved, he still ended up erupting as if there was no tomorrow...

But that being said, he had to admit that Fan Xiaoxu, Fan Xiaofeng, and Fan Xiaoxing were three really incredible people.

To actually eliminate the eight examinees from Ancient Sage Zi Lu's lineage all at once, they sure were merciless!

And that wasn't just all. It seemed like they didn't care whoever was backing the examinees as all. Anyone who encountered them would be eliminated in an instant—it was as if the word mercy had never crossed their minds at all!

Given how many people they had offended within this short period of time, weren't they afraid that others would make things difficult for them once they enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism?

One must know that while the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was built with the combined efforts of the 72 Sages, and the descendants of the 72 Sages all had a hand in running the organization, it didn't mean that there was an equal distribution of power amongst all of the clans.

Putting everything aside, the lineage of Ancient Sage Zi Lu, which Zhong Qing was a part of, had a lot of say in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism due to the huge number of experts under their command.

To let everything loose without caring about the consequences... It might be exhilarating at that moment, but all of the complications would swiftly come in afterward.

But again, those three didn't seem like they would simply allow themselves to be wronged. Well, it seemed like the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism would become very lively in the near future!

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Chapter 1882: Clearing the Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Peng peng peng peng!

After knocking down and eliminating more than a dozen examinees at once, Fan Xiaoxing's eyes reddened in excitement.

It had been less than two hours since he started learning from Xiaoxu, but he had already single-handedly eliminated at least three hundred examinees!

Such a rate of improvement was something that he would never have dared imagine possible! For the longest time, he had thought of cultivation to be an extremely slow process where one gradually accrued power, but such a conception had been completely shattered in his mind!

Yet, despite his massive improvement, he was still a long way from matching Fan Xiaofeng. The latter had eliminated at least seven hundred people thus far!

As for Xiaoxu, he had been walking along with them, but he did not make a move at all. However, as soon as the two of them made the slightest mistake, they would be treated to a combo of dagger-like glares from behind and frighteningly cold criticisms. It was due to this that they were able to improve so swiftly within such a short period of time.

"That's more like it. Temper yourselves a little more and stabilize your cultivation. You should be able to achieve a breakthrough soon enough..."

After those two defeated the final wave of enemies, Zhang Xuan finally nodded with a slight hint of approval.

While those two were a little dimwitted, through his unyielding perseverance, he still managed to induce a significant rise in their abilities.

Even after this examination, the two of them would still benefit from the elevation in their state of mind and advancement in their fighting prowess. Of course, as for how far they would go in the future, that would not be any of his business.

"There are only a hundred people left on the mountain. I hereby announce that the examination has prematurely ended!"

Along with that resounding voice, the crowd felt a surge of energy wrapping around them, and the next moment, they were teleported to a square in front of the mountain.

Zhang Xuan looked around him and noticed that there was exactly one hundred people in the square. However, other than the three of them, everyone seemed to have been inflicted with some kind of energy and looked rather unkempt.

Even though most of those people looked ordinary, the fact that they could survive to the end among two thousand other competitors meant that they likely possessed extraordinary means. Of course, more importantly, they had also had the fortune of not encountering the three of them!

"First and foremost, I would like to extend my congratulations to all of you for officially being recruited into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism as this year's batch of students!" Zhong Qing announced grandly.

As he spoke, his eyes inconspicuously fell on Zhang Xuan and the others, and his cheeks twitched a little. He felt an urge to rush forward to pummel them, but he eventually held himself back.

The fact that his descendants had been eliminated by them only meant that they were still lacking. He would not abandon his honor just to make things difficult for them.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Qing continued on, "After this, you will each exchange your jade token for a storage ring. Within the storage is the route and method to get to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, an Introspective Convalescence realm cultivation technique, and cultivation resources. You have three days to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism with your own abilities. Only if you succeed will you become full-fledged students of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

"I know that this test won't be too difficult for you, but allow me to give you some words of advice in advance. The earlier you get to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, the higher your chances of picking out a good teacher. Naturally, it goes without saying that it will pave the way for your future cultivation!"

Similar to other academies, mentorship in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was a mutual relationship. While the students were allowed to choose their teachers, the teachers were allowed to choose their students.

The number of students that each teacher could take on was limited, so those who entered earlier would have a better chance of catching the eye of the teachers they wanted. At the same time, the resources that they were entitled to would be different as well.

"Alright! Submit your jade tokens now!"

Shortly after those words were spoken, the jade token pinned on everyone's chest rose into the air, and a hundred storage rings flew into everyone's hands simultaneously.

Zhang Xuan placed his finger lightly on the ring, and the items that were inside swiftly appeared in his mind.

Just as he had been told, there was an Introspective Convalescence realm cultivation technique manual inside. Similar to how there was no common cultivation technique that all cultivators could practice for this realm, the cultivation technique manual that was in the storage ring only pointed out a general direction. Nevertheless, with such a manual in hand, pushing for a breakthrough would be much easier.

Other than the cultivation technique manual, there was a grade-9 Strength Shaping Pill.

It had the effects of refining one's body and zhenqi once more, and the process simulated the effects of a breakthrough to the Introspective Convalescence realm. As such, it could boost one's chances of achieving a breakthrough by around ten percent.

Last but not least, there was a jade token inside.

Zhang Xuan took out the jade token and touched it lightly, but he did not feel anything at all.

Seeing Zhang Xuan's actions, Fan Xiaofeng quickly explained, "There's a formation on the jade token. If we wish to see what is inside, we'll have to first decipher the formation. This is one of the examinations of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!"

"It's also an examination? What about those who don't specialize in formations?" Zhang Xuan asked.

There could be those who were not too familiar with formations among the crowd, and imposing such an examination on them seemed rather unfair.

"The formation on the jade token isn't too complicated, so familiarity with formations won't help too much. The difficulty lies mainly in how intricate it is. It requires one to have precise control of one's zhenqi to decipher it carefully. While it's an examination, it's also a warning to us as well that we mustn't just focus on building up our zhenqi, and that the precision of control is extremely important as well!" Fan Xiaofeng said.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded slightly.

Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing's cultivation had yet to advance ever since they entered the mountain, but their fighting prowess had increased significantly, allowing them to easily defeat opponents after opponents. The main reason for that was that they had learned how to control and maneuver their strength efficiently and effectively.

By not making the slightest useless movement and striking accurately at any openings, it was inevitable that their fighting prowess would advance so much.

Swiftly scanning through the jade token, Zhang Xuan saw numerous inscriptions carved densely on it. It seemed like he would have to control his zhenqi to an extremely fine degree in order to decipher the inscription.

While such a feat might pose a challenge to other examinees, it was a walk in the park for him. He lightly waved his hand over the jade token.

Hula!

The seal immediately opened, and the content within flowed into his mind.

It was the exact location of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism and the method to entering it.

Just as he had expected, the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was not located in the vicinity but amid a desert roughly ten thousand li away. In order to reach the destination, he would have to follow a specific path marked out on the jade token.

"Alright, you may start deciphering the formation on the jade token now!"

Seeing that everyone had begun taking out the jade tokens in the storage ring, Zhong Qing shot a sweeping glance across the surroundings before saying, "In the history of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, the fastest record for deciphering the seal is six hours. In the past hundred years, the only one who has come close to this record is the descendant of Kong shi, Kong Shiyao, with a record of seven hours. After that would be the descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, Yan Xue, with a record of eight hours. For the rest of you, it would be a formidable feat as long as you are able to decipher the seal within a single day!"

While the formation on the jade token seemed simple, it was far more troublesome than it looked. Without a calm mind and sharp control of zhenqi, it would be nigh impossible to pull it off.

Even the top genius of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism had taken a total of seven hours to decipher it!

"Also, allow me to give you some words of advice! Hastiness and impatience will get you nowhere. If you can't complete this task within three days, even if you have cleared the elimination examination, you won't be recognized as an official student of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!" Zhong Qing warned before waving his hand lightly.

Hula!

A mirror-like barrier appeared in front before everyone's eyes.

"This is a unique Teleportation Formation. As long as you have deciphered the seal on the jade token, you will be drawn into it. Following which, you just have to follow the pathway recorded on the jade token to get into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. Alright, you all should get to deciphering the seal now! I would like to see what the fastest record for your batch is..." Zhong Qing said.

But halfway through his words, he saw a ripple appearing on the mirror-like barrier.

A figure slowly rose into the air before diving right into the barrier.

"What? Has he... deciphered the formation already?"

For a long moment, the surroundings were overwhelmed by silence.

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Chapter 1883: Zhong Qing's Suspicions

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head in embarrassment.

It was true that he had deciphered the jade token, but given his low-profile character, he would have waited patiently for Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng to complete the test before heading over to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. Unfortunately, he could not have expected the other party to actually whip out a barrier that would suck in anyone who had deciphered the formation!

In a moment of carelessness, he actually ended up being sucked in!

Turning around to look at the countless berserk faces behind him, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly and said in encouragement, "Well... Everyone, try your best! I'll be going on ahead to see what's on the other side!"

"Going on ahead? More like he has already crossed the finish line before we have even gotten ready at the starting point!"

"Kong Shiyao took a total of seven hours, but he... That probably wasn't even a single breath, right?"

"Is it possible that his jade token is spoiled?"

"You are thinking too much. How could the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism possibly make such a mediocre mistake? That being said, it's really ridiculous for anyone to clear a seal within just a single breath... Is he still human?"

...

A huge uproar erupted in the area.

It was just a moment earlier that Scholastic Master Zhong Qing had said that even the fastest record was six hours, but he had actually finished it in a single breath. If so, did that not mean that even the most talented genius in the entire history of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism could not even match up to a twenty thousandth of that young man?

It was not just the examinees who were causing a huge ruckus. Zhong Qing, Nangong Yuanfeng, and the other invigilators were in a completely flustered state as well.

They had thought that it would already be a huge blessing if any one of the examinees was able to make it to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism within a single day. But who could have known that they would encounter this monster?

"Were Zhong Zixun and the others eliminated by that young man?" Zhong Qing asked.

"Hmm, that isn't entirely it," Nangong Yuanfeng said with a frown. "The ones who eliminated Zhong Zixun and the others were Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing, but he was guiding them by the side too..."

"His guidance actually allowed those two to eliminate all eight examinees from my lineage..." Zhong Qing felt a tightness in his throat as he struggled to come to terms with what he had just seen.

While others might have been oblivious to the prowess of those eight juniors of his, he knew that they were a force that could not be underestimated in the examination. If they had not been eliminated by Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng, there was a good chance that they would have become the dark horse of the examination.

Those eight had specially undergone a rigorous training regimen in order to clear the examination, and even if they had encountered Yan Yixiao, there was a good chance that they would have been able to get away safely. Yet, all of them had ended up being eliminated just like that.

Furthermore, it was one thing if that young man had made a move himself—there was no shortage of monstrously overpowered individuals in the history of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers—but he had actually empowered others to do so through his guidance. Not even Zhong Qing himself would be capable of pulling off something like that!

A middle-aged man walked over and asked, "Shall we apprehend him temporarily to check his jade token?"

"There's no need for that. The fact that he's been absorbed by the barrier means that he truly wields the ability to decipher the formation. Besides, the other teachers are waiting beyond the barrier, and they should have already noticed the pulsations in the barrier. It's too late to stop him now..." Zhong Qing shook his head before turning his gaze to Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng.

It was a gaze filled with intrigue.

Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage had always been lagging behind the others... How did they suddenly become so formidable?

Harboring such doubts, Zhong Qing leaped forth and appeared right before Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng. With a wave of his hand, he said, "In total, the two of you have eliminated more than half of the examinees. I would like to see if you really wield the extraordinary capabilities that you have displayed through your results in the examination."

Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing clasped their fists and replied, "How do you wish to test our strength?"

If they had not gone through Zhang Xuan's rigorous training, they would have already been in utter panic. It was apparent that Zhong Qing was suspicious of them cheating, and the implications could be severe if they were found guilty of it.

However, the elimination examination had caused a huge change in their state of mind. They were much more confident than before, such that they did not feel apprehensive even when standing before Scholastic Masters.

"I have a really simple suggestion. I'll suppress my cultivation down to your level, and the two of you can come at me together. If you are able to defeat me, it'll prove that you do possess capabilities far beyond those of your peers," Zhong Qing explained calmly.

As a Sempiternal realm consummation expert, even if he did suppress his cultivation, his eye of discernment and battle experience far surpassed those of the two youths standing before him. No matter how powerful those two youths were, they would stand no chance against him if they did not possess any extraordinary capabilities.

Hearing those words, Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng looked at one another and nodded resolutely before replying in unison, "Very well, we accept your challenge!"

They swiftly cleared the surroundings before Zhong Qing began suppressing his aura down to Saint 9-dan. Despite his lowered cultivation, he still emanated an unfathomable aura that made others dare not challenge his authority.

"I'll allow the two of you to make the first move!" Zhong Qing beckoned with a single hand, and he stood calmly on the spot.

No matter what, he was still a Great Sage expert who had lived for several centuries. Even though he had challenged Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng to a battle in hopes of clearing up his doubts, he had no intention of taking advantage of them.

"Since you have said so, we won't stand on ceremony!"

Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing drove their zhenqi to the peak and roared.

Of the thousand examinees that they had eliminated, there were some who had been an entire realm stronger than them. Challenging such powerful enemies had refined their sense of danger and grasp over the flow of battle. They could tell that even with his suppressed cultivation, the middle-aged man standing before them would not be an easy opponent.

Thus, they chose to go all out right from the start.

Hula!

So, the two of them bolted forward one after another, and one of them aimed for the chest whereas the other aimed for the back.

Noting the exceptional speed of the two and the decisiveness of their moves, Zhong Qing nodded in approval. "Not too shabby!"

It was no wonder they had been able to eliminate so many people in the examination, such that even his juniors had ended up falling victim to them. Their fighting prowess was indeed not to be underestimated.

Putting everything aside, just the fact that they were able to empty their movements of hesitation was already an incredibly remarkable feat. It was a subconscious reflex to falter before powerful enemies and doubt one's decisions, and this was a problem that even top cultivators faced.

Such hesitation might not appear to be much at first glance, but in an intense battle, granting the opponent an additional split second to react could easily spell the difference between life and death.

However... if that was all they had, they would never be able to defeat him!

This was because their intentions and maneuvers were utterly lacking in complexity. It was as if they were standing naked before him!

He could even foresee what they would do several steps ahead! To defeat such opponents, all it would take him was one good move!

With a deep sigh, he raised his two palms and thrust them downward, intending to knock the two of them back simultaneously so as to let them know the gap between them.

However, before his palms could even strike, the duo bolting in his direction suddenly swerved and flanked his sides. Using the incredible momentum of their movements, they sent out a left punch and a right punch simultaneously to the both sides of his face.

"What?" Zhong Qing narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

In a usual battle, should they not have started with minor movements to test out their opponent before leaping in for a decisive attack to overwhelm him in an instant?

They had already been in an advantageous position earlier, so why would they change their moves all of a sudden?

Furthermore, was it really fine to aim the attacks at the face of an elder like that?

"Humph!" With a cold snort, Zhong Qing swiftly redirected his palms to block the trajectory of the punches from the duo. After which, he was just about to move in to teach those two a good lesson on respecting their elders when he suddenly felt a sharp pain assaulting his chest and crotch.

Lowering his head, he found that Fan Xiaoxing's leg had struck his chest whereas Fan Xiaofeng's foot had shot up his crotch.

"Ahhh!" With a piercing cry of agony, Zhong Qing flew over and collapsed onto the ground. His body scrunched up like a cooked prawn.

Even though he was a Sempiternal realm consummation cultivator, it did not mean that he had cultivated his body equally throughout. As such, he still shared the common weakness that all men faced. To be struck with such a decisive kick, it was a huge blessing that they had not cracked on the spot!

However, as if out of fear that their attack would not work, those two had actually put everything they had into the previous attack, such that the excruciating pain that assaulted him left even someone of Zhong Qing's caliber sweating profusely.

Kacha! Kacha!

He had to swiftly release the seal on his zhenqi and recover to his Sempiternal realm consummation before he was able to alleviate the injuries. Just as he was about to talk, he heard the hushed whisperings of those two not too far away.

"Is it just me, or does he seem really weak?"

"Could he just be going easy on us? That can't be the true strength of a Scholastic Master, right?"

Those words were the earnest thoughts of the confused Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng.

All along, the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism had been the ultimate goal that they had envisioned in their minds, so they could have never imagined that they would actually be able to incapacitate one of the almighty Scholastic Masters with just a simple kick.

It was as if the heroes whom they had worshipped since they were young had turned out to be all talk!

"Weak? Going easy?" Zhong Qing felt a surge of blood gargling within his mouth, and he completely lost his cool.

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Chapter 1884: The Copper Gong

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhong Qing had always valued the cultivation of character and state of mind. Calligraphy was the art of sharpening one's concentration and self-control, so he would often spend his free time with a brush in hand. Due to his devotion to the art, the calligraphy works that he produced were of exceptional quality, such that many experts would specially pay him a visit to request his pieces so as to find inner peace within them.

Given his character and state of mind, an ordinary examination among the younger generation should not have fazed him in the least. But... contrary to his expectations, all eight examinees in his lineage, including his own grandson, had actually been eliminated in the examination! This had shaken him a little, so he wanted to challenge the two youths responsible for it to test their abilities.

However, who could have known that a reputed Scholastic Master like him would end up being looked upon in disdain?

Weak?

Weak your head!

How in the world am I weak?

Zhong Qing was overflowing with rage, but when he thought about the earlier battle, he found himself unable to find the words to refute their claims.

While those two young men did not use a collaborative formation, their coordination was impeccable. Despite being a Sempiternal realm consummation expert, he had been too complacent and ended up falling for their feint, which had eventually led to his downfall.

Zhong Qing swallowed the blood swirling in his mouth and took in a deep breath before turning to the two young men. "Is this what Fan Xiaoxu has taught you?"

He had never seen these two young men in person before, but he had read their records. Given their track record, they should not have been so formidable in battle.

"That's right!" Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing nodded in response.

In truth, they were also a little surprised by the outcome of the battle. They had thought that a Scholastic Master would be an extremely difficult foe to deal with even if his cultivation was suppressed, but as soon as they used Fan Xiaoxu's battle insights, everything ended so quickly that even they were caught off guard.

It was as if the other party was nothing more than a weak little chicklet!

Did that not mean that as long as they continued working hard on their fighting skills, they would really be able to become invincible among their peers?

"Then, do you know who imparted these moves to him?" Zhong Qing asked.

"He comprehended them himself!" Fan Xiaofeng replied.

He had asked Fan Xiaoxu that question during the examination, and the other party had replied that these techniques had come out from sudden bouts of inspiration.

"He comprehended them himself? If that's really the case, his talent is really..." Zhong Qing remarked as his breathing hastened slightly. "Yuanfeng, I need you to help deal with the issues here for the time being. I'll be making a trip back to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism to see who Fan Xiaoxu chooses to be his teacher!"

Unable to endure his curiosity, Zhong Qing quickly turned around and left.

No matter who Fan Xiaoxu chose to be his teacher, he would have to make sure to keep on good terms with that person. As long as Fan Xiaoxu did not die a premature death, it was only a matter of time before he rose to the top echelon of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers!

...

Oblivious to the fact that Zhong Qing had been pummeled by Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing, Zhang Xuan was currently navigating his way through a desert according to the directions given on the jade token.

To be honest, he wanted to maintain a low profile. However, it was as if the entire world was denying him of his efforts!

As the first one to reach the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism in record time, there was no way he would be able to blend in with the crowd anymore.

However, this should not pose too much of a problem. As long as his identity as an outsider was not revealed, he would be able to leave as soon as he obtained what he wanted without stirring up too huge a commotion.

Hu!

After flying for some time, a glimmering ray of light suddenly appeared in the distance. Advancing toward the light, Zhang Xuan soon noticed the presence of a humongous folded space.

Shockingly, this folded space was even more stable than the Kunxu Domain itself, such that it almost felt as if he was returning to the Master Teacher Continent. The concentration of spiritual energy was also extremely high, comparable to that of a typical grade-9 Spirit Gathering Formation.

As soon as he stepped into the folded space, his acupoints swiftly opened and began greedily absorbing the spiritual energy.

There were innumerable majestic buildings towering all around. They were designed in a traditional architectural style, as if they had been built tens of thousands of years ago.

"So, this is my destination..."

Knowing that he had arrived at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, Zhang Xuan lowered himself to the ground. However, before he could land, he suddenly saw a streak of light hurtling in his direction.

However, this streak of light did not harness any aggressive intent. It stopped right before Zhang Xuan, revealing its true form to be a gigantic copper gong. It took its position beneath Zhang Xuan's feet before exerting a powerful force against him, seemingly trying to prevent him from landing on the ground.

"Is this a trial as well?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was right beneath him, but a copper gong was trying to push him away. It was apparent that this was something like a trial he had to undergo in order to officially be inaugurated as a student of the academy.

However, after all that he had been through thus far, what would a mere copper gong count as?

Shaking the excessive thoughts out of his mind, Zhang Xuan stomped his feet on the ground and exerted his might through the soles of his feet.

Hu!

Overpowered by Zhang Xuan's stomp, the copper gong was sent flying back to the ground.

With a satisfied smile, Zhang Xuan swiftly descended to the ground.

...

A group of middle-aged folks were standing in a row next to the entrance of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. They were mixed in gender, but their clothes resembled those worn by Nangong Yuanfeng.

It was clear with a glance that they were the Scholastic Masters of the academy.

"It'll take at least one day for the examinees to reach here after the examination. Don't you think you are being a little too anxious by coming over right now?" a middle-aged lady asked with an unreadable smile.

Another middle-aged man glanced at her and replied, "I do admit that we are a little anxious, but aren't you the same? If you aren't anxious, why have you come so early on?"

"Well, I'm just here to see if there are any exceptional geniuses in this batch..." The middle-aged lady harrumphed slightly before turning her head away. "Mi Xuan, why did you bring the copper gong here?"

The crowd turned around and saw a middle-aged man walking over with a massive copper gong above his head. It was twirling continuously, sheltering the middle-aged man from the sun rays.

The copper gong was likely the artifact that Mi Xuan had just forged. However, instead of staying at home to carefully study its purposes, why in the world was he bringing trouble to them instead?

"Haha, you should also know that my talent lies in strength. I brought this copper gong here to test the new students!" Mi Xuan laughed heartily.

"Test the new students?" The middle-aged woman frowned. "That gong of yours is ridiculously heavy. You aren't thinking of using it to smash our freshmen to death, are you?"

"Of course not!" Mi Xuan refuted as a mysterious smile crept onto his face. "However, I can use the copper gong to push the examinees back. As long as an examinee is able to persevere for ten seconds against my copper gong, they'll be qualified to become my student and inherit my skills..."

"Ten seconds? Have you not awoken from your dreams yet?"

Hearing those words, the crowd took in a sharp intake of breath.

With Mi Xuan's monstrous strength and the copper gong's heavy weight, even they would have trouble coping with the two simultaneously, let alone the Saint 9-dan to Great Sage 1-dan examinees!

Weng!

Before they could finish their words, there was a slight buzz in the air as a glimmer of light flared in the sky.

"An examinee has already arrived at the seal? But... didn't the examination start not too long ago?"

The crowd was stunned.

They had expected to wait up to a day at least, but the wait turned out to be shorter than expected.

"To be able to decipher the formation so quickly, that person must be pretty strong. He will be a good sample for me test the prowess of my copper gong on!" Mi Xuan chuckled softly as he leaped into the sky.

The gigantic copper gong swiftly flew toward the glimmer of light in the sky, blocking off the entire sun in the blink of an eye.

Hong long!

But before it could reach its target, a resounding reverberation echoed in the air, and the copper gong suddenly flew back to the ground.

Not expecting the copper gong to fly back all of a sudden, Mi Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm. He quickly leaped into the sky to support the copper gong with his strength, but to his horror, it felt as if the weight of the world was pushing the copper gong down to the ground. It was a force far exceeding what he could withstand!

"Quick, help me!" Mi Xuan bellowed anxiously as his body was swiftly pushed back to the ground.

Realizing the severity of the matter, the other Scholastic Masters quickly rushed into the air to support the copper gong.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

However, as soon as they came into contact with the copper gong, the crushing might pushing them down immediately jolted their bodies, causing fresh blood to spurt from their mouths.

Putong! Putong!

Just like that, the entire group of Scholastic Masters was forcefully pushed to the ground like a bunch of dumplings.

Boom!

The copper gong finally landed on the ground with a reverberating metallic gong, and the Scholastic Masters were pinned underneath, completely disappearing from view.

Hu!

Barely after all of this happened, a figure descended from the sky and scanned his surroundings with a frown on his face.

"Didn't they tell me that there would be a lot of Scholastic Masters waiting for me here? Why can't I see anyone?" Shaking his head helplessly, Zhang Xuan proceeded deeper into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

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Chapter 1885: The Ferocious Fan Xiaoxu (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It seemed like the rules written on the jade token were not to be taken exactly.

It was detailed on the jade token that one would be welcomed by the teachers upon arriving at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, at which point, one would have a chance to choose among them. However, all that was there to welcome him upon his arrival was a mere copper gong and nothing else.

"Did I come so quickly that no one was able to react in time?" Zhang Xuan muttered under his breath.

In any case, he had no intention of waiting there for them, so he proceeded ahead without any hesitation.

This was his first time entering the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, and he was so overwhelmed by the changes in the spatial laws and the concentration in the spiritual energy that he failed to notice the crowd crushed beneath the copper gong. Besides, he had not exerted too much strength in the earlier stomp, so he did not expect that anyone would end up injured as a result of that.

Thus, he had completely failed to notice the bunch of Scholastic Masters.

It was just like how an elephant would not feel an ant struggling beneath it when stepping on it!

Sou!

Shortly after Zhang Xuan disappeared, Zhong Qing appeared before the copper gong. He scanned the surroundings with a confused look in his eyes for a moment before his eyebrows shot up in horror.

He quickly grabbed the copper gong and tugged, and it took him a while before he was finally able to lug it away.

A bunch of Scholastic Masters were imprinted messily in the ground. Their faces were ghastly pale, and fresh blood was oozing out from the corners of their mouths.

Seeing that everyone was almost on their last breath, Zhong Qing exclaimed, "Mi Xuan, what in the world happened here?"

Those Scholastic Masters were the strongest experts of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. They should have been the ones demonstrating their abilities to attract new students to come under their wing, but why would they end up lying beneath the copper gong like a bunch of dead fish?

"Did someone just decipher the seal and enter the premises?" Mi Xuan asked with a tearful look on his face.

"Yes, Fan Xiaoxu from Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage!" Zhong Qing replied before realization struck him, and he widened his eyes in shock. "Are you saying that... he was the one who caused this? Wait a moment... Tell me what happened here!"

With an awkward look on his face, Mi Xuan began explaining. "I took out my copper gong, hoping to find someone who can survive ten breaths against it and bring him under my wing. So, when I saw that someone was entering the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, I swiftly brought it out to block his way. However, I didn't think that the other party would stomp down on it so forcefully. In order to prevent it from damaging the buildings around, everyone offered their strength to stop it, but... well, you can see the results for yourself!"

"He sent the copper gong flying... Even with so many of you around, none of you were able to stop him?" Zhong Qing shook his head in incredulity. "But how could that be? Fan Xiaoxu is a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator!"

Putting aside the fact that the copper gong was a Great Sage artifact, it appeared that a stomp from Fan Xiaoxu was already more powerful than a dozen Scholastic Masters. A Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator being stronger than so many Great Sage experts? How could that be possible?

"There's no way Saint 9-dan cultivators could wield such strength," Mi Xuan remarked deeply. "In fact, not even Great Sages would be able to pull something like this off. Such strength can only be wielded by an Ancient Sage..."

Ancient Sages were extremely dense in weight, such that their body seemed to harness a world in itself. With how swiftly Fan Xiaoxu had been moving earlier, if his body carried the weight of an Ancient Sage, he would have been able to pull something like that off with a simple stomp. Perhaps, he might not even have been aware of how powerful his stomp was.

In any case, one thing was for sure—there was no way a Saint 9-dan cultivator could draw forth such strength.

Hearing those words, Zhong Qing frowned. "But I checked Fan Xiaoxu earlier, and he is indeed a member from Ancient Sage Zi Chi's lineage. Fan Xiaofeng and the others can testify for him too, so it seems unlikely that he would be an impersonator. Furthermore, if an Ancient Sage barged into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, the great formation would surely activate, and the hibernating Ancient Sages would swiftly regain consciousness. However, nothing is happening at all..."

Similar to the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, the Ancient Sages of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism spent most of their time hibernating. It was only in the presence of those who wielded strength equal to them would they be forcefully woken up from their long sleep.

The fact that the surroundings were completely silent was more than enough to prove that there were no Ancient Sages who had breached the barrier and barged into the area.

But... if that was not the case, how were they to make sense about what had happened?

"No matter who Fan Xiaoxu truly is, let's find him before deciding our next move!" Knowing that they would only be able to resolve the problem with the person in question present, Mi Xuan quickly stowed his copper gong before flying over to the cluster of buildings.

Zhong Qing and the others followed tightly behind.

It did not take long before they saw a silhouette standing in the square, scratching his head in confusion.

It was none other than Fan Xiaoxu.

Huala!

Everyone swiftly descended to the ground and surrounded Fan Xiaoxu tightly.

"You are..." Fan Xiaoxu had a confused look on his face that seemed to say, 'What am I doing here?'

"You are currently at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. You cleared the examination with ease, deciphered the formation within a breath, and overpowered all of us simultaneously shortly after entering the premises..." A Scholastic Master among the crowd could not take it anymore. "Tell me, just who in the world are you?"

"I am at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism? Cleared the examination... I have already cleared the examination?" Fan Xiaoxu was taken aback as the information plunged him deeper into confusion. "Furthermore, I overpowered all of you? What does that mean?"

Seeing how Fan Xiaoxu was acting as if he had lost his memory, another Scholastic Master sneered coldly. "Don't bother playing the fool. We'll know your true strength with a simple look!"

With a tap of his finger, a book materialized in the air. It swiftly flipped open before a ray of light descended from it.

It was one of the treasures of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, the Book of Veracity.

It was able to gauge a person's true cultivation and bloodline, and there was no way to possibly deceive it. It had been created through the principles of Ancient Sage Bo Shang's Eye of Insight, and the book possessed the ability to dispel all falsehood.

Weng!

Shrouded with a ray of light, the flow of Fan Xiaoxu's zhenqi, the strength of his meridians, and everything else about him was clearly displayed. Even the color of his bloodline and his cultivation was visible to the eye.

"He's indeed from the lineage of Ancient Sage Zi Chi, and there's no doubt that he's a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator!"

Hearing those words, the crowd grew even more confused.

Under the inspection of the Book of Veracity, it turned out that there was no mistake about the identity of the young man before them. He was Fan Xiaoxu through and through!

But... could a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator really overpower all of them so thoroughly that they were unable to retaliate? Could a Saint 9-dan cultivator decipher the formation and get in there within a single breath? Could a Saint 9-dan cultivator teach his peers and grant them the power to eliminate over a thousand examinees in an intense examination?

"Allow me to test your strength!"

While everyone was still trying to figure out what was going on, Zhong Qing took a step forward. This time, he suppressed his cultivation down to Great Sage 1-dan Introspective Convalescence realm instead of Saint 9-dan.

Even Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing had been able to defeat him earlier. Considering that Fan Xiaoxu was their mentor, raising his cultivation higher than a realm would instead allow him to better control his strength and thus prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Hong long!

Not giving Fan Xiaoxu any time to react, Zhong Qing smacked his palm down with the might of a falling comet and the raging tides of a river. Even though he had suppressed his cultivation to the Introspective Convalescence realm, the power that he displayed still made everyone's breathing hastened in alarm as they subconsciously backed away.

Fan Xiaoxu's face paled in fright before this tremendous might, such that his body trembled uncontrollably.

His memory only went to the point where he was still at the foot of the mountain, waiting for the examination to begin. Then... when he suddenly came to again, he was already standing in this square. To make matters worse, a Scholastic Master even made a move against him without any hesitation. What the heck was going on?

Knowing that there was no time to think in this situation, he hurriedly backed away.

He could tell in an instant that the strength wielded by the other party was not something that he could possibly stand up against. If he did not dodge, there was a good chance that he would be smashed into a meat biscuit.

Sou!

However, before he could even process what was going on, his body had already flown back. It was just an instant, but his body had already flown back eight hundred meters, almost as if he had teleported away.

Boom!

Zhong Qing's attack landed on the ground, creating a depression in the middle of the square.

Not expecting that he would be able to move with such swiftness, Fan Xiaoxu was stunned. "W-what is going on?"

He staggered weakly on the spot, and a moment of imbalance caused him to fall on his bottom onto the ground.

He had been thinking of simply retreating a single step, and under normal circumstances, it would already have been a formidable feat if he was able to retreat ten meters away. Yet, he had actually covered eight hundred meters in a single step... How in the world did he do it?

Where am I? Who am I?

Fan Xiaoxu fell into confusion once more.

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Chapter 1886: The Ferocious Fan Xiaoxu (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This movement technique..."

Mi Xuan and the others narrowed their eyes in shock.

They could tell that the person standing before them had only used the strength of an ordinary Saint 9-dan, but a slight maneuver from him was already more than enough to outrun a Great Sage 1-dan cultivator. The speed that he was able to travel at was terrifying!

On the other hand, Zhong Qing was not too surprised to see that his attack had failed to land.

He had been unable to defeat Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing when his cultivation was suppressed to the same level as them, so there was nothing surprising about the person who had groomed them being able to dodge his attack easily.

Zhong Qing exhaled deeply before kicking off the ground once more. His movements were flurried and random, like a raging blizzard. No matter how Fan Xiaoxu moved around, he found that he was unable to shake Zhong Qing off his trail, leaving him feeling completely bewildered.

"This is the unique technique of Scholastic Master Zhong Qing, World of Blizzard," Mi Xuan remarked grimly. "Putting aside opponents of the same tier, with his current fighting prowess, he would be able to overpower even Great Sage 2-dan experts with ease!"

Mi Xuan was one of the few cultivators whose abilities were heavily skewed toward his immense might. Playing on his core strength, he capitalized on his superior might to overwhelm everything that stood in his way, so the battle techniques that he practiced tended to be simple in nature.

Forming a stark contrast to him was Zhong Qing, whose expertise lay in pulling off delicate movements to pressure his opponent. The World of Blizzard, which he was executing at the moment, was incredibly confusing, such that it left one's eyes blurring in confusion. Had Mi Xuan been in Fan Xiaoxu's position, he knew that the only possible move that he could have made at that moment was to run away.

The others nodded in agreement upon hearing those words. With deep frowns on their foreheads, they seemed to be deep in thought to figure out a way to overcome the powerful World of Blizzard, but it did not take them long to shake their heads helplessly.

They all came to the same conclusion in the end.

Unless their cultivation was decisively above Zhong Qing's, there was nothing they could do!

With such a thought in mind, they quickly turned their gazes toward the Saint 9-dan young man and saw the bewildered look on his face. It seemed as if the young man was at a complete loss as to what he could do as well.

However, his body suddenly jolted as a thought surfaced in his mind, and with a nimble forward step, he entered into the midst of the other party's area of attack.

Surprisingly, even though he had walked into Zhong Qing's field, none of the attacks seemed to land on him. With a simple wave of his hand, the snow seemed to be pulled along with him, swiftly congregating to form a massive snowball.

Peng!

Zhong Qing was knocked into the distance as crimson blood spurted furiously from his lips.

He actually lost in a single move!

"This..."

The Scholastic Masters in the area widened their eyes in shock. They were all taken aback by what they had just seen.

As experts of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, they were more than capable of defeating multiple students simultaneously even with their cultivation suppressed. But that young man had actually managed to defeat Zhong Qing that easily.

They had witnessed the duel from the start to the end, and the moves that Fan Xiaoxu had executed looked ordinary on the surface. Yet, for some reason, as if they embodied a deeper ingenuity, those moves somehow managed to easily breach Zhong Qing defenses, rendering him completely powerless.

Even if they were in Zhong Qing's place, they did not think that they would have fared any better than him.

To think that it was possible for one's combat techniques to reach such a level. Just who in the world was Fan Xiaoxu's teacher?

While the Scholastic Masters were taken aback by what they had witnessed, Fan Xiaoxu was also staring at his palms with incredulous eyes.

All he remembered was someone calling him away while he was waiting at the foot of the mountain for the examination to start, then everything had gone blank afterward. By the time he came to once more, he was already in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.

He felt that it was unreasonable for Zhong Qing to abruptly have made a move on an ordinary student just like that, and he had already been prepared to be completely destroyed. Yet, a memory had suddenly surfaced in his mind in this moment of distress.

This memory contained some insights regarding combat techniques.

He had simply moved in accordance to the principles stated by those combat techniques, and before he knew it, he had already defeated the seemingly unreachable Zhong Qing.

Just as Fan Xiaoxu was trying to make sense of the ridiculous situation that was happening to him, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

"I am Zhang Xuan. I borrowed your body for a moment to resolve some urgent matters. I have given you a memory fragment containing insights to combat techniques as compensation for my offense, and I hope that you will keep my identity a secret in return!"

He recognized the voice to be from the person who had knocked him out back then.

Zhang Xuan? If his memory could allow me to defeat even a Scholastic Master with ease, does this mean that... he's an Ancient Sage? Fan Xiaoxu's heart jolted in alarm.

To be able to leave a sliver of his memory in his heart without inflicting the slightest harm to him... this was something that only veteran Ancient Sages could pull off!

Even the Ancient Sage of their lineage was unable to pull it off. He could hardly begin to imagine just how powerful this person known as 'Zhang Xuan' was.

If that 'Zhang Xuan' person willed it, he would be able to destroy him with just a mere thought, but he had chosen not to do so. Not only so, the other party had even compensated him. From this, it could be deduced that this 'Zhang Xuan' person was not an evil person at heart. Since that was the case, regardless of why the other party wanted to come to the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, it should be fine for him to keep it a secret.

Besides, matters concerning Ancient Sages could only be resolved by Ancient Sages themselves. As a Saint 9-dan cultivator, no one would believe him even if he really spoke about it.

Thus, he quickly assimilated the piece of memory that the other party had left in his mind before turning to the Scholastic Masters before him with an excited grin on his face. "Do any of you still want to test my cultivation? Make your move! If you feel insecure, I don't mind facing all of you at once!"

He had just tried out the battle technique earlier, and it had been proven to work. This would be a good opportunity for him to test the extent of his improvement.

Seeing how arrogant a mere freshman was, Mi Xuan and the others looked at one another for a moment before taking a step forward.

Thirty breaths later, they were all floored.

Fan Xiaoxu stared at his trembling hands with reddened eyes, unable to believe the miracle that had just befallen him.

His talent and strength could only have been said to be average among the youths of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for him to clear the examination. Who could have known that he would catch the eye of an Ancient Sage and be imparted top-notch combat techniques that allowed him to overpower even the Scholastic Masters?

This was an accomplishment that he would not have dared dream of in the past!

If even a sliver of that Ancient Sage's combat techniques could raise his fighting prowess by such a degree, he shuddered to imagine just how powerful the Ancient Sage himself was.

I wonder who this Ancient Sage Zhang Xuan is... Fan Xiaoxu looked into the distant sky as a towering, heroic figure took form in his mind.

There was no 'Zhang' among the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, so the other party was likely an outsider. Then again, there was no way that he could verify his identity, so there was no use thinking too deeply into it. All in all, the only thing that was important to him was that he had learned the combat techniques from Ancient Sage Zhang Xuan and was now indebted to him.

You shall be the one and only teacher I truly acknowledge from this day onward, and nothing will change that determination of mine... Fan Xiaoxu swore deep in his heart.

...

Hu!

A figure was slowly walking leisurely through the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. There was a huge crowd around him, but not a single person seemed to notice his presence. The surrounding space had been distorted in a manner that prevented the slightest hint of light from falling upon him.

This figure was none other than Zhang Xuan.

His goal was to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism without causing too huge a ruckus, and since he had achieved his goal, there was no longer any need for him to disguise himself.

Thus, he had released Fan Xiaoxu not too long after arriving at the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. Of course, he did not forget to compensate Fan Xiaoxu fairly for the matter.

Having inherited the full heritage of the soul oracles, he was able to pull off a task as difficult as transplanting a sliver of his memories without harming the other party with ease.

As for how much Fan Xiaoxu would benefit from receiving a sliver of his memories, that would not be his problem to worry about anymore. He had already given the other party the opportunity, and whether Fan Xiaoxu himself was able to grasp it or not was up to him.

That being said, while transplanting a sliver of his memories seemed to be the more efficient way to gain power, his foundation would not be as stable as Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing's, who had gained their insights through practical experience and self-discovery.

In other words, even though Fan Xiaoxu's fighting prowess would likely be greater Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing for the time being, as time passed, it was likely that Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing would eventually surpass him.

Of course, he would have likely left the Kunxu Domain by then after uncovering Kong shi's secrets.

Putting aside the miscellaneous thoughts in his mind, Zhang Xuan continued ahead. He strolled around the city-like Great Phrontistery of Confucianism for a moment before finally setting his gaze upon a stately room.

Sage Ancestral Hall... If Kong shi has hidden any secrets in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, they will likely be here, Zhang Xuan thought.

What was standing before him was a unique building that was absent in the Master Teacher Pavilions of the Master Teacher Continent, the Sage Ancestral Hall.

Placed within the Sage Ancestral Hall were a sculpture of Kong shi himself and his individual possessions. It was a room used specifically for paying respects to him.

Of the entire Great Phrontistery of Confucianism, this was the place that had the greatest relevance to Kong shi.

Thus, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before making his way over to the Sage Ancestral Hall.

Weng!

However, before he could reach his destination, a ray of light suddenly descended from the sky. It seemed like a formation had seen through the distortions of space that he had created around himself and discovered his presence.

Hong long!

Following which, a massive palm tore through space to slam down upon him. The surrounding space swiftly collapsed under the tremendous might, and it felt as if the entire Kunxu Domain would burst as a result of the force.

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Chapter 1887: Sage Ancestral Hall

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan did not think that he would be discovered even though he had hidden fairly well. He took a step back before pushing back against the palm with a powerful punch of his own.

Even though he had not achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, his fighting prowess was already on par with Blood Reincarnation realm experts. As zhenqi surged through his meridians, a devastating force was swiftly gathering at the tips of his knuckles.

Hong!

As the fist and palm collided with one another, Zhang Xuan's body jolted a little.

To his surprise, that palm strike was not any weaker than his fist. It also harnessed the might of a Blood Reincarnation realm expert.

I mustn't drag things out...

Zhang Xuan's motive for going to the Kunxu Domain was to uncover Kong shi's trail after capturing a deity from the Azure. His goal had never been to cause trouble, and in order to avoid unnecessary complications, it would be best for him to end this battle as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, once the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers noticed his presence, things could really get troublesome.

With a flick of his wrist, the Dragonbone Divine Spear materialized in Zhang Xuan's grasp. Gathering the full might of his body, he drove it right toward the palm in the sky.

Despite the incredible momentum of the spear, it left nothing more than a slight indentation in the surrounding space, almost reminiscent of a needle piercing into one's skin. The spear had retained all of the energy within it, to the extent that even the crowd not too far away would not imagine that two Ancient Sages were colliding with one another just ten meters away from them.

Peng!

With the powerful drive behind it, the Dragonbone Divine Spear overpowered the palm and pushed it back. As if recognizing that it was not a match for Zhang Xuan, the palm also retreated back into the formation.

Having overcome this obstacle, Zhang Xuan swiftly made his way into the Sage Ancestral Hall.

The first thing that came into his mind upon entering the stately room was the humongous Kong shi sculpture located at the center of the room. Standing in front of him was a warrior dressed in gold from top to bottom. This warrior was glaring at him with killing intent rippling in his eyes.

There was a cut at the center of its palm, which indicated that it was the opponent who had made a move on Zhang Xuan just a moment earlier.

"This is... a Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy?" Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.

He had thought that the person who had attacked him earlier would be an expert from the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism protecting the Sage Ancestral Hall... but it was only a warrior transformed from calligraphy!

This was not the first time that he had encountered a Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy. He had come by them previously at Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's ancient domain.

"To think that it's possible for calligraphy to harness the might of an Ancient Sage 3-dan cultivator... Was this Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy left behind by Kong shi himself?" Zhang Xuan wondered.

There was no doubt that Kong shi was the strongest person who had ever walked on the Master Teacher Continent, but he had not thought that the other party had actually been that powerful!

Even a single calligraphed character from him wielded strength that was comparable to the current him. If Kong shi wrote down a bunch of words, there would practically be nothing in this world that could stop him anymore!

But an instant after this thought formulated in Zhang Xuan's mind, he swiftly shook his head and denied that notion.

It was easier said than done to produce a Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy. Not only was it extremely testing on the skills and state of mind of the painter, it was also highly demanding on one's zhenqi and blood essence for nourishment. Given Zhang Xuan's current capabilities, he would only be able to create Golden Warriors of Mentor's Calligraphy at the level of Sempiternal realm cultivators, and his limit was three of them.

Anything more than that would be pushing it too far.

"But no matter how powerful it is, it is nothing more than a character," Zhang Xuan muttered beneath his breath.

He released his Spiritual Perception to swiftly scan the surroundings, and he heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that the earlier battle had not caught anyone's attention. Turning his gaze back to the Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy, he pushed his right leg against the ground and dashed forward, piercing his spear in the direction of the Golden Warrior.

Through concentrating his zhenqi at the tip of the spear, a swiftly revolving sphere of energy swiftly formed in front of him.

His spearmanship was in harmony with the world. Simple was its form, but versatility was its core. The unpredictable trajectory of his spear made it extremely difficult to defend against it.

In order to end this battle as quickly as possible, Zhang Xuan chose not to hold back at all. Gathering all of the strength at his disposal, he exerted a might that was almost comparable to a Dimension Shatterer realm cultivator. In less than two breaths, the Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy was shattered, reduced to an ink character on the wall behind the sculpture.

Confucianism (儒).

Seeing that the character had not made any move after the earlier offense, Zhang Xuan walked up to the sculpture of Kong shi and bowed deeply as a show of respect before looking around the area.

It was likely that the Golden Warrior of Mentor's Calligraphy from earlier was a trial that those who wanted to enter the Sage Ancestral Hall would have to go through, similar to what had happened in Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's ancient domain. Only those who had defeated it would be qualified to explore the premises.

The room was mainly empty except for the sculpture at the center.

Thus, Zhang Xuan walked up to the side door and saw a corridor beyond it. The corridor was wide and spacious, and there were numerous tablets floating alongside it.

"This is... Kong shi's entire life story?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

The floating tablets were inscribed with the records of Kong shi's life, detailing everything that had happened since his birth.

Laying his eyes on one of the floating tablets, Zhang Xuan felt as if his soul had traveled through space-time to witness the grand life that Kong shi had lived.

...

Unlike the usual depictions of his life, Kong shi was not a Connate Saint. No matter how one looked at it, he was an ordinary individual. The only thing that was noteworthy was his deep interest in books and sharp wits.

But a day suddenly came when he deviated from his ordinary life. It was as if an epiphany had suddenly struck him, causing his cultivation to surge. Within the short span of a year, he achieved a breakthrough beyond Fighter 9-dan, Transcendent Mortal 9-dan, and even Saint 9-dan!

In terms of progress, Kong shi was no slower than him!

It was still the era where the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe ruled over the Master Teacher Continent back then, and the humans lived under oppression. Along his growth, Kong shi's footsteps never halted. He fought country after country, salvaging mankind from the claws of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. At the same time, he spread his teachings and ideals while taking in students.

Before long, the Master Teacher Pavilion that they knew today was established.

Feeling threatened by Kong shi's presence, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe launched an ambush on Kong shi and his disciples, trapping them in Chen-Cai for many months. Many thought that Kong shi was done for, but in that crucial period, he created the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn and successfully achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. That freed him from the danger that he was in, and he even successfully assassinated Vicious.

Soon enough, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was driven back and sealed within the otherworldly battlefield, thus liberating mankind once and for all.

"From the looks of it, it seems like Kong shi's breakthrough to Ancient Sage wasn't just an ordinary comprehension of temporal laws..." Zhang Xuan pondered as he followed Kong shi's journey through his life.

The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn contained the secrets of time. Zhang Xuan himself had been to the Temple of Confucius, and the flow of time in that folded space was indeed different from that of the world outside.

Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's breakthrough was built upon his spearmanship, and Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's breakthrough came from his deep comprehension of spatial laws... All along, he had thought that what Kong shi had grasped in his breakthrough to Ancient Sage were the temporal laws, but it seemed like there was more to it.

The founder of the Zhang Clan was a person who had comprehended the Time Quintessence and successfully achieved a breakthrough to Ancient Sage based on it. There was no doubt that he was a powerful individual, but he still came nowhere close in comparison to the World's Teacher.

Harboring doubts in his heart, Zhang Xuan moved on to the other stone tablets.

After being driven away to the otherworldly battlefield, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was indignant and craved vengeance. Thus, they summoned a deity in hopes of turning the tables, but the deity was instead captured by Kong shi.

Watching up to this point, Zhang Xuan's breathing hastened a little.

His goal here was to uncover the encounter that Kong shi had with the captured deity, and the answer was right before him!

Kong shi took the deity away from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, the safest place on the Master Teacher Continent, and brought him to a rather remote location.

This remote location was a barren land, and the spiritual energy was thin. There were no decent buildings or cities to be seen.

There was a sudden jump in the story. It was hard to tell whether the deity had been killed or something, but he vanished without a trace. At the same time, Kong shi seemed to have sustained some injuries, so he chose to stop by the area temporarily to recuperate.

On the very last tablet, it was detailed that Kong shi entered a mini world. If his deduction was correct, this mini world referred to the Kunxu Domain where the Hundred Schools of Philosophers resided.

"Kunxu Domain... Could it be that..."

Zhang Xuan took a closer look at the remote location where Kong shi had taken the deity to, and his eyebrows suddenly started twitching.

He actually recognized this remote location...

It was none other than the current Tianxuan Kingdom!

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Chapter 1888: Meeting Ancient Sage Yan Qing Once More

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Could it be that the Kunxu Domain wasn't created by Kong shi?" Zhang Xuan pondered.

He had known prior to coming here that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had departed from the Master Teacher Continent to reside in a mini world that Kong shi had created. This was also why he had not been surprised when he saw the Kunxu Domain after breaking the seal. However, the stone tablet right before him was telling him that this was not the case.

This mini world seemed to have existed since time immemorial. It was not one of Kong shi's creations.

The records of Kong shi also stopped here. Could it be that the Kunxu Domain had some links with the Azure?

With a deep frown, Zhang Xuan proceeded ahead.

Beyond the corridor of floating stone tablets was a majestic hall with walls filled with murals. Those murals depicted the contributions made by the generations of experts from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers after entering this mini world.

Just as he had guessed, the Greensprout Wheat had indeed been nurtured by an Ancient Sage, but it was not by Ancient Sage Zi Chi as he had previously guessed. Instead, it had been completed by one of his descendants. It had taken tens of thousands of years of careful modifications before it was refined into a miraculous crop, allowing even non-cultivators to reach the level of Zongshi realm upon maturity.

Of course, its effects did not stop just there. Through the enhancements of their constitution, it also allowed cultivators to advance through the ranks faster than usual.

Browsing through the murals, Zhang Xuan felt even more confused.

There were no more records regarding Kong shi from that point onward. It was as if Kong shi had completely disappeared from the world, such that there was no more news regarding him.

He walked to the very end and circled the area once more, but there was nothing to be seen. He could not help but sigh helplessly.

It seemed like he had reached a bottleneck in his investigations.

Shaking his head, he was just about to leave the Sage Ancestral Hall to investigate the other locations of the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism when he suddenly noticed something and flitted to a corner of the room. At the same time, he swiftly set up over a dozen seals on him, causing all traces of his presence to fade into obscurity.

Huala!

Barely a second after he had hidden himself, the sound of footsteps echoed in the air. Several people were making their way into the Sage Ancestral Hall.

Zhang Xuan secretly peered over from his hiding spot.

The person standing at the forefront of the group was surprisingly a familiar face... Ancient Sage Yan Qing!

The group that was following behind him also struck a chord in his memories. They had participated in the encirclement of Sovereign Chen Yong back at the Temple of Confucius.

With his current strength and grasp of spatial laws, as long as he did not intentionally release his aura or communicate with anyone, he was able to completely conceal his presence even from Ancient Sages.

They don't seem to be doing too well...

When Zhang Xuan first met them back at the Temple of Confucius, they had emanated the inviolable airs of an Ancient Sage, commanding an aura that forced others to bow to their authority. However, at this very moment, they felt like a great tree that was swiftly withering away. Be it their appearance or the aura that they were emanating, it felt as if strength and vitality were swiftly seeping away from them.

This was something that he had felt from Zhang Hongtian back then when his lifespan reached its limits.

I wonder what's wrong... Zhang Xuan looked on contemplatively.

It was true that the battle against Sovereign Chen Yong was intense, and many of them had sustained significant injuries throughout the course of the battle. However, their conditions were nowhere as severe as Zhang Hongtian's, and they should have been able to recover to their peak with sufficient time.

Given so, how did they land themselves in their current state within a short few months?

This was especially so for Ancient Sage Yan Qing. His face reflected infirmity, the vigorous spirit in his eyes had dimmed out, and his movements were slightly stiff. It was almost as if he was about to meet his end.

"Cough cough!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was trying to figure out what was going on, coughs echoed in the air, and fresh blood seeped from the corners of Ancient Sage Yan Qing's lips.

"Yan Qing..." An Ancient Sage behind him looked over worriedly.

"I can still hold on..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing raised his hand and replied feebly. Gathering the last bit of his strength left, he turned around and said, "Let's begin after paying our respects."

"Are you certain that you want to do this?"

"There's no other choice. This is the mission entrusted to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. We can't shirk from our responsibility," Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied with an unreadable look on his face.

Shaking his head, he walked up to Kong shi's sculpture and kneeled down. The other Ancient Sages quickly followed suit.

"To the venerated World's Teacher, I am the 73rd generation of offspring of Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, Yan Qing. I have heeded your teachings and held steadfast in my duties over the years. There has not been a day since when I have slacked. With the appearance of the Temple of Confucius, I know that we are reaching the breaking point that our predecessors warned us about, and it's time for us to do our part for the world. We are willing to offer our lives to the world, so if you are able to hear our prayers from above, I implore you to look after our clans after we are gone!"

The words spoken by Ancient Sage Yan Qing was solemn, as if he was prepared to meet his end.

Kong shi's sculpture simply stood silently on the spot, leaving a deafening silence in the air.

After praying, the group got to their feet. Somehow, Ancient Sage Yan Qing looked a little feebler than before as he said, "Let's go."

"Un."

Helplessness was reflected in the eyes of those high and mighty Ancient Sages, but they chose not to say a word at all as they followed quietly behind Ancient Sage Yan Qing.

Breaking point? Offer their lives?

Shortly after the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers took their leave, Zhang Xuan removed the seals around him as he lowered his head contemplatively.

Under normal circumstances, those Ancient Sages should have returned to hibernation, so why did they suddenly pay a visit to this Sage Ancestral Hall and speak such words? Furthermore, what was with the injuries inflicted on their bodies?

The last thing he heard about them was that they were busy repairing the Temple of Confucius. Were there some dangers involved in the repairs of the Temple of Confucius?

Harboring deep bewilderment in his heart, Zhang Xuan quickly followed them out.

"Dragonbone Divine Spear, I need you to conceal my aura for me."

The Dragonbone Divine Spear swiftly warped into a belt, which wrapped itself around Zhang Xuan's body. In the blink of an eye, it looked as if Zhang Xuan had contracted a fair bit. Not even the slightest hint of aura could be felt from him, such that even Blood Reincarnation realm experts would be unable to sense his presence.

Even though Zhang Xuan's current fighting prowess was comparable to Blood Reincarnation realm experts, he still had not taken the last step to achieving a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. As such, his control over his powers was a little lacking. Without layers and layers of barriers, he was not confident in keeping his aura sufficiently under wraps to track the most powerful experts on the Master Teacher Continent without alarming them.

On the other hand, the Dragonbone Divine Spear had devoured the dragon blood and was only a step away from achieving a full breakthrough to the Dimension Shatterer realm. In terms of prowess, it was even stronger than Ancient Sage Yan Qing. With its help, it was unlikely that those Ancient Sages would be able to notice him.

After leaving the Sage Ancestral Hall, Zhang Xuan saw Ancient Sage Yan Qing leaping into the sky and tearing open space to travel somewhere else. Zhang Xuan quickly followed behind them.

Some time later, they arrived at an elevated platform amid a remote mountain range.

The sky above was completely empty. There were no clouds nor even any hint of blueness to be seen. It was an empty void.

The flow of space in here is extremely fast! Zhang Xuan noted.

To the untrained eye, this place seemed to be extremely peaceful. However, as someone who had grasped the Spatial Quintessence, he could sense that this space was flowing extremely quickly, resulting in massive changes every passing second. It felt as if the entire area would collapse soon under the strain.

That was not all.

Beyond the void, there was a blood-curdling sensation that seemed to faze one's soul directly.

"Let's begin!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing urged after getting into position.

Nodding in agreement, the group of Ancient Sages began to drive their zhenqi. However, they were disrupted by a sudden gale. Two silhouettes were swiftly making their way over.

Noting the presence of the two uninvited guests, the Ancient Sages quickly halted their actions and turned to look. Naturally, Zhang Xuan did the same.

Hu!

The two guests landed on the ground.

The first person was a young lady that appeared to be in her early twenties. She had a slender figure and pitch-black hair that extended down to his waist, and she gave out a delicate impression. Her eyes carried deep anxiety that reflected her trepidation toward what was about to come.

There was a green-robed young man in his early twenties as well standing behind her. Zhang Xuan happened to know him. He was one of the offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers who had fought with him over the Prime Amulet back in Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's ancient domain, Yan Xue!

"What are you two doing here?" Ancient Sage Yang Qing asked with a livid look on his face upon seeing the two of them.

The young lady took a step forward and said with conviction, "As a descendant of Kong shi, how can I possibly remain uninvolved when such a matter has happened?"

A descendant of Kong shi? Zhang Xuan widened his eyes. Is she Kong Shiyao?

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