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

22. 673

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 673: As Good as Dead - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 673: As Good as Dead Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 673: As Good as Dead

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was just a moment ago that she offered this secret manual to Zhang shi, but the other party turned it down, saying that it would be inappropriate for him to take a look at it. But right after, as she was completely impressed by such noble behavior, the other party actually exerted the might of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body...

'So, did you look at the book or not?

'Wasn't it written that even geniuses would require at least two years to master?

'But how long has it been since we started cultivating?

'To have remembered the content and finished cultivating within such a short period of time...

'Teacher, are you Zhang shi or a reincarnation of Wu Yangzi?'

Luo Qiqi was completely dumbfounded by the sight before her.

It felt as though her understanding of the world was being overturned entirely.

Leaping by the Dragon Severing Lock, Zhang Xuan realized that the young lady was still dazing off within the passageway, so he turned around and beckoned her.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Walking out of the passageway, Luo Qiqi couldn't hold back her curiosity anymore, so she asked, "Teacher... did you just use the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body?"

"I guess it could be considered that way too."

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan explained with a displeased expression, "I didn't intend to learn it, but due to the urgency of the matter, I had no choice but to do so. This physical body cultivation technique is rather troublesome to cultivate so I modified it a little. Even so, significant flaws still remain in it, so I've only cultivated to the First Incandescence!"

Zhang Xuan was truly frustrated. Initially, he was still delighted that there were only four flaws... but it turned out that he was sorely mistaken.

The four flaws just happened to be that he would require various rare materials in order to cultivate the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Incandescence.

For example, he would require the Earth Flame Heart to reach the Second Incandescence, and for the Third Incandescence, he would require Origin Heavy Water...

When cultivating the Heaven's Path Golden Body, he only required Heaven's Path zhenqi. When had he needed the support of external materials before?

To still require so many items even after compiling a few hundred physical body cultivation techniques with it, this was truly damned.

It was fortunate that he could master the First Incandescence through just using his Heaven's Path zhenqi, or else he would surely have died of frustration.

While he was displeased by his situation, Luo Qiqi was about to go insane.

'Modified it slightly?

'Significant flaws still remain in it?

'This is a Spirit pinnacle cultivation technique... or perhaps, it might even be beyond it! I have just barely finished reading through the First Incandescence, and you are already done understanding, modifying, and cultivating it...

'To even pick on the flaws in the technique on top of that!

'Are you teasing me?

'I have seen many incredible geniuses and experts, but never have I seen one as absurd as you!'

Luo Qiqi's mouth twitched violently as vertigo struck her.

She felt that there was nothing that Zhang shi was incapable of. It seemed as though doing the impossible was the norm for him.

"Hmm? They aren't out yet? Have they left already?"

Just as Luo Qiqi was shocked speechless, she heard the voice of the young man. Shifting her gaze, she saw that Zhang shi had already walked ahead and was currently standing before the other stone door. A deep frown was etched on his forehead.

Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others had passed through this stone door to enter another passageway. Considering how they spent almost sixteen hours inside their passageway, they thought that the others would be out by now. But contrary to their expectations, there was not a single face to be seen amidst the dim radiance from the Night Illumination Pearl in the vast underground chamber.

Had they left already, or were they still stuck inside?

Luo Qiqi's heart skipped a beat. Tossing away all other thoughts, she hurriedly rushed up to Zhang Xuan.

After examining the area, her expression turned grim. "It seems like they aren't out yet. Otherwise, they would have surely come to look for us. Furthermore, the locations where the Night Illumination Pearls are scattered are still the same... This means that it is highly likely they are still inside there!"

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Given her understanding of Yu Fei-er, the other party would have surely have come to look for them as soon as she left the passageway, or at the very least, she would have notified them through the Night Illumination Pearls. However, given that there was no trace of them in this vast underground chamber, it could only mean that the four of them were still trapped beyond the stone door, unable to leave.

"Un!"

Since she was able to deduce this much, Zhang Xuan, who possessed the Eye of Insight, was naturally able to do the same as well. At this moment, he was staring at the stone door with a perplexed expression. "But this door isn't locked with the Dragon Severing Lock. Why aren't they out yet?"

"It's not?"

Luo Qiqi walked forward to push open the door, and it opened up easily, revealing a flight of stone steps downward. Unlike their passageway, this one wasn't sealed with a Severing Dragon Lock.

In other words... Luo Qiqi and the others could have left whenever they wanted!

But if that was the case, why weren't they out yet?

A thought suddenly struck Luo Qiqi, and her eyes widened in fear.

"Grandmaster Wu Yangzi said that the stone chamber, where we were previously, was a cell used to incarcerate him, and this side was the living quarters of the Otherworldly Demon... Considering how a group of Otherworldly Demons were forged into puppets under his hands, could it be..."

Wu Yangzi had converted more than twenty Otherworldly Demons into puppets, but there was only a single one in the stone chamber previously. Assuming that all of them were still functional...

Zhang Xuan's face twisted in shock as well.

"Let's go and take a look!"

Even though he didn't possess much goodwill toward Yu Fei-er and the others, he didn't bear them any hostility either. He couldn't just stand idly when they were at risk of being ripped into pieces by the Otherworldly Demon puppets.

"Un."

Knowing that her close friend was in danger, Luo Qiqi dared not hesitate. She quickly followed behind Zhang Xuan and headed down the steps.

Just like in the other, this passageway was cold and damp as well.

The recording from the stone bridge earlier on said that one could only enter one door.

While this door wasn't sealed by the Dragon Severing Lock, if one were to venture this path, one would be lynched by many Otherworldly Demon puppets simultaneously, making it impossible for them to return.

On the other hand, if one were to go through the other door and fail to obtain the heritage, one would be doomed as well. And if one managed to obtain the heritage, one would learn that the other passageway led to the Otherworldly Demon's nest, and no sane man would possibly venture down this path after learning that.

In retrospect, the previous decision was actually a choice between life and death!

"I can only hope that they are fine."

Grasping his Glacier Rain Sword tightly, Zhang Xuan slowly proceeded down the passageway.

Had he known that it was so dangerous, he would have surely stopped them no matter the means. If the four of them were to really die here, he would feel guilty his entire life.

After advancing a moment longer, they finally approached the end of the steps, and another huge underground chamber unfolded before them. Zhang Xuan turned to Luo Qiqi and said, "It'll be too conspicuous if we were to enter together. You should wait for me up there, I will enter alone."

"Teacher..."

Luo Qiqi was taken aback.

"You're currently still too weak, and you don't have any escape means either. If something really has happened to them, we will only be leaping to our doom pointlessly if the both of us enter together. But if they are fine... Trust me, I'll surely bring them out!" Zhang Xuan said.

If someone were to follow him, he would be unable to utilize a lot of his secret means. Thus, it would be better if Luo Qiqi were to head up first.

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Qiqi clenched her jaws and nodded.

"This... Alright!"

She was indeed too weak to be of help at the moment. Considering how she couldn't even wound the Otherworldly Demon puppet, all she could do was run for her life if she were to encounter one.

Not to mention, it was likely that they were going to face more than one this time around. If they were to get entangled with them, they might very well lose their lives here.

Even though Zhang shi managed to kill the previous Otherworldly Demon puppet, a huge part of the reason was due to the other party being immobilized by the Crimson Flame Cauldron. Otherwise, in a direct battle, there was no way that it would expose its neck to him!

"Teacher, you must be careful... No matter how the others are, you must first ensure your own safety!" Luo Qiqi said worriedly.

"Don't worry, I can fly. Even if I can't defeat them, fleeing isn't a problem at all," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Un. I'll wait for you outside then."

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Hearing those words, Luo Qiqi suddenly recalled the various astonishing feats that Zhang Xuan had achieved, and her worry alleviated slightly. She nodded before turning around to leave. A moment later, she disappeared amidst the darkness.

After Luo Qiqi left, Zhang Xuan didn't enter the underground chamber straight away. Instead, he sat down and took in a deep breath.

Hu!

His soul tore away from his body.

If there were really twenty or so of the Otherworldly Demons he met previously, it would be difficult for him to escape even if he was capable of flying.

After all, his flying altitude was severely limited by the ceiling. If all of them were to rush for him simultaneously, it would be nigh impossible for him to avoid them.

Thus, he decided to utilize his soul to scout the area instead.

Due to the intangible and invisible nature of a soul, it would be hard for even the Otherworldly Demons to notice it.

Hu!

As soon as Zhang Xuan's soul left his body, he immediately rushed into the underground chamber.

There were a few Night Illumination Pearls in the underground chamber that Xing Yuan and the others had scattered. Despite the dimness, Zhang Xuan could still clearly see the situation around him.

Looking around, this underground chamber was much larger than the stone chamber Wu Yangzi had been locked in. Even when gazing across the horizon, the end couldn't be seen.

As it was meant to serve as the living quarters of the Otherworldly Demon, infrastructures were positioned neatly alongside one another. If not for the gloomy darkness, one might have even thought that one had stepped into a city.

'No wonder the Otherworldly Demons were able to survive for more than ten thousand years here...'

Zhang Xuan nodded.

In the end, the Otherworldly Demons did spend dozens of millenniums here. It would be hard to believe that it would be designed shabbily.

Thinking so, Zhang Xuan followed along the trail of light.

There was no doubt the Night Illumination Pearls were left behind by Yu Fei-er and her group. As long as he followed the source of light, it would surely lead him to them.

'There are signs of battle...'

Proceeding a little further, Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

Under the light of the Night Illumination Pearls, he could see many collapsed buildings and a slight trace of blood on the ground. Clearly, a fight had just occurred here recently.

'Eye of Insight!'

Lines of insight flowed in Zhang Xuan's eyes as he studied the battle traces.

'Fourteen hours ago... It must have been left behind by them!'

The Eye of Insight was a technique triggered by driving his Soul Depth, so he was able to activate it even as a soul. Through studying the traces left behind here, he was able to deduce when it was left behind.

Most likely, Yu Fei-er and the others encountered something not too long after entering the underground chamber and fought against it.

'But if that is the case, why is it so silent here? Are they already... dead?' Zhang Xuan thought.

Since a battle had occurred, Yu Fei-er and the others should have encountered the Otherworldly Demons. If they were still alive, they should still be in the midst of a battle. Yet, the underground chamber was completely silent. Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

He immediately examined the surroundings and saw a few sets of flurried footprints on the ground.

These footprints weren't too big, revealing that they were left behind by a human.

'These are their footprints!'

Having gone through the Third Celestial Master Teacher acknowledgement, Zhang Xuan's Eye of Insight was stronger than ever, allowing him to easily notice the slight footsteps above the layer of dust on the ground. Zhang Xuan quickly traced the footsteps, but not too long later, he abruptly halted.

Geji! Geji!

The sound of someone's footsteps sounded not too far away. Under the light of the Night Illumination Pearls, Zhang Xuan saw a massive Otherworldly Demon puppet walking over with large strides.

This fellow was around the same size as the puppet whom he slew not too long ago. Its skin was also gray, as if it was coated with a layer of metal alloy.

Zhang Xuan's soul cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, so unlike other souls, his body didn't emanate yin energy. As such, the Otherworldly Demon puppet didn't notice him. It simply rushed by him. Following which, a few other Otherworldly Demon puppets also soon followed behind it.

'There are so many Otherworldly Demon puppets here...'

To actually meet with eight Otherworldly Demon puppets before he could find Yu Fei-er and the others, Zhang Xuan's heart pounded nervously.

Given how many Otherworldly Demon puppets were here, Yu Fei-er and the others were... as good as dead!

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Chapter 674: Finding Yu Fei-er

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

These puppets were pulsating with immense energy that was equivalent to the one he had met in the stone room. Judging from the looks of it, even a Saint realm expert would be killed even if he came here.

Luo Qiqi and Zhang Xuan had nearly died dealing with just one. It took them careful planning and much effort just to get rid of it. To encounter eight at once...

With an awful complexion, Zhang Xuan proceeded forward.

Boom boom boom boom!

A while later, the ground suddenly started shaking relentlessly with a peculiar rhythm.

'Hmm?'

Zhang Xuan frowned.

The shaking was forceful, reminiscent of shock waves emanated in a clash between experts. However, what was bizarre was the constant short interval between each tremor. Nevertheless, this trace of battle raised Zhang Xuan's hopes.

'Could it be that they are still holding on?'

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though the Otherworldly Demons had been forged into puppets under Wu Yangzi's hands, they possessed no emotions or irrationality that would make them fight one another... The only possibility was that Yu Fei-er and the others were still alive, and they were still fending them off!

But... those were Saint realm puppets. How did Yu Fei-er and the others manage to survive for so long?

Speeding up, Zhang Xuan flew to where the tremors were originating from. In the midst of his journey, he saw yet another three puppets walking in a straight line, similar to the ones he had seen previously.

'This is already the seventeenth one...'

Making a quick count of the puppets he had encountered, Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

It was fortunate that he hadn't come here in his physical body, or else it would have been no joke if he had been surrounded by these guys!

While his cultivation had advanced greatly in recent times, and he had the Library of Heaven's Path behind him, he knew his own limits. He might have gotten past a Saint realm expert by hoodwinking the other party with his words before, but against lifeless puppets who only followed instructions... he knew that death would be the only outcome from an encounter with them.

'Something is wrong! If Yu Fei-er and the others are still alive, why are these puppets walking away instead of encircling them?'

As Zhang Xuan encountered more and more puppets, a seed of doubt slowly sprouted in his mind.

After noticing that Yu Fei-er was still alive, those puppets should have been rallying one another to deal with them. Why would they be walking away instead in such an orderly fashion?

Even though Zhang Xuan was confused by the situation before him, he continued to advance at top speed.

Zhang Xuan didn't dare to fly too fast for fear of inducing any significant reverberations in the air from his movement. After advancing for around another eight minutes, he finally arrived at the source of the tremors.

Along the way, he had seen many scars of battle as well, but they were of a relatively smaller scale compared to the first ones he encountered. Most likely, they were trying to fend off the Otherworldly Demon puppets as they retreated.

The fact that he had yet to see their corpses yet meant that there was a good chance that they were still breathing.

To be able to survive so long against so many Saint realm Otherworldly Demon puppets... they were indeed formidable.

'Hmm? They are over there!'

After taking a detour around a high-rise building, Zhang Xuan noticed that the source of the tremors was right before him. Quickly raising his gaze to take a look, a vast square appeared before his eyes.

It covered an area of several dozen mu, and stationed at the very center was an altar. Most probably, it was a tool they used to pay respect to their ancestors or the heavens back when they were still alive.

(15 mu a hectare)

Bizarre symbols were inscribed on the altar, leaving one with overwhelming dizziness just by looking at it.

There were various peculiar statues erected around the altar. They resembled a fusion of various beasts, forming an extremely sinister sight.

A powerful killing intent emanated from the statues, inducing a cold shiver down one's spine.

'They are still alive...'

As Zhang Xuan's gaze fell on the center of the altar, his eyes lit up.

Over there, a barrier of light was erected, and two Otherworldly Demon puppets were striking it ceaselessly. This was where the tremors were coming from.

In the barrier of light, Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others were seated cross-legged at the very center. Their faces were pale, and their bodies were drenched in fresh blood.

It seemed like they had suffered grievous wounds while attempting to escape from the Otherworldly Demon puppets.

'What an incredible trump card!'

Looking at the barrier of light, Zhang Xuan was impressed.

To be able to fend off the relentless attacks from two Saint realm puppets, the resilience of the barrier was indeed incredible!

'It probably belongs to Yu Fei-er or Xing Yuan... Considering the standing of those two, it wouldn't be surprising for them to possess such means up their sleeves.'

Realizing what was going on, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

As the princess of Hongyuan Empire, it was natural that she would carry a lot of defensive artifacts so that she could protect herself in face of danger. Otherwise, due to her exceptional identity, it was unlikely that her family would be willing to let her venture out alone.

On the other hand, given how Xing Yuan could pursue the princess so openly, his family background was likely to be exceptional as well.

While their artifacts might not be sufficient for them to fight against the Otherworldly Demon puppets, it was sufficient for them to stand their ground temporarily.

'But this barrier of light seems to be on the verge of crumbling...'

Zhang Xuan frowned.

No matter how powerful an artifact may be, it was limited by the amount of energy stored within it. Taking his Dragon Scale Protective Amulet for example, while it was able to withstand an attack with the full might of a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan, it was only limited to three uses.

While the barrier of light that the four were in was able to withstand the relentless attacks from the two puppets, its light was dim, and it seemed like it was going to break apart soon.

And once it did, it would spell the moment of their doom.

'I must find a way to save them...'

The current situation placed him in a dilemma. If he were to instruct them to dispel the barrier of light, the two Otherworldly Demon puppets would surely rush straight at them, and Zhang Xuan had no confidence in bringing all of them out alive with them on their trail. But if the barrier of light wasn't dispelled, they would be trapped here...

What could be done at this moment?

Furthermore, what puzzled Zhang Xuan the most was that, judging from where the other Otherworldly Demon puppets which he'd encountered on the way here were heading from, they were probably at this altar before. Why did the rest march away, leaving only two of them here?

If all of them were to strike the barrier of the light together, it would have surely shattered by now!

Assessing the situation a while longer, Zhang Xuan was still unable to make sense out of the situation. Thus, he decided to drift a little closer to the barrier of light to get a better look.

'Why is there a corpse in there?'

Moving forward, he saw Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian were seated shoulder to shoulder in a circle at the center of the barrier of light, and seated at the center of the four of them was an old man.

Even though there was no visible damage to the body of the old man, his withered and emaciated body revealed that he was long dead.

A thought suddenly emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind.

'Could this be... Grandmaster Wu Yangzi?'

For a human corpse to appear here... Putting the clues together, the old man should be Wu Yangzi.

When Zhang Xuan couldn't find Wu Yangzi's corpse in the stone chamber previously, he had already been a little perplexed as to where it could be. From the looks of it now, the corpse had been here all along, and somehow, Yu Fei-er and the others had managed to find it, and they were currently guarding it.

Of course, it was also possible that the corpse was guarding them. It was impossible for Zhang Xuan to determine whether the barrier of light came from Yu Fei-er's group or Wu Yangzi.

While Zhang Xuan was assessing the situation carefully, cold sweat was dripping down the faces of Yu Fei-er and the others.

Panting deeply, Xing Yuan said with a pale face, "Sixth Princess, it seems like we won't be able to get out this time."

There was a glaring wound on his chest. Even though he had already applied some recovery medicine, fresh blood still kept oozing from it, forming a rather frightening scene.

"We'll probably die here..."

Wu Zhen's face also darkened.

They had all thought that it would be a simple mission—all they needed to do was to confirm the existence of the underground chamber where Wu Yangzi once stayed in. Who knew that this seemingly simple mission would actually lead them to so many formidable puppets!

Chased all the way here, if not for Yu Fei-er's ample supply of defensive artifacts, they would have already died a few hours ago.

"At the very least, we chose the correct passageway. This is indeed where Grandmaster Wu Yangzi lived previously, and we even found his corpse!"

Yu Fei-er harrumphed.

Amidst this despair, this was the only consolation she received. At the very least, she managed to best that smug Zhang Xuan once!

Since Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's corpse was here, it could only mean that they had found the right place. Her greatest regret now was that she wasn't able to see the smugness wiped out of that fellow's face.

"You're right." Xing Yuan nodded weakly. Then, turning around to Yu Fei-er, he asked, "Sixth Princess, since we're already on death's door, can you tell if... you have ever liked me?"

Seeing as the barrier of light continued to grow thinner and thinner, Xing Yuan knew that it was a matter of time before it shattered. Thus, he was unable to suppress the greatest question in his mind anymore.

He had been pursuing this lady for a very long time already, but the other party had never reciprocated his feelings. Now that they were on the verge of death, he wanted to at least know the truth so that he could rest in peace.

Hearing those words, Ye Qian and Wu Zhen immediately turned their heads away awkwardly.

Not expecting Xing Yuan to ask such a question, Yu Fei-er opened her mouth, but she soon bit her lips. After a long moment of hesitation, she shook her head.

"I have already told you that before I become a 6-star master teacher, I'm not interested in engaging in any romantic relationship..."

She had an extremely competitive nature, and she had always wanted to prove herself to others. As such, romantic relationships were something at the back of her mind.

Even though Xing Yuan had been pursuing her for some time now, her heart had never skipped a beat for him.

"I knew it. I didn't stand a chance from the start..."

Hearing such direct words from the other party, Xing Yuan shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Then, are you interested in Zhang Xuan?"

Recalling that shameless face on that detestable young man, Yu Fei-er clenched her jaws in anger.

"Zhang Xuan? How could I possibly be interested in that despicable and shameless fellow? I must be mad before I can possibly fall in love with such a guy!"

She was a princess, a member of nobility, and yet the other party dared to force her to become his maid and serve him tea...

If only that was all... When she went to reason it out with him, he even kicked her bottom twice!

She had never seen someone as ungentlemanly as him!

If not for the fact that she wasn't able to defeat him, she would have long rushed over to crush that man with her hands.

'I...'

Zhang Xuan, who was loitering around the barrier of light to find an opportunity to save the group, heard Yu Fei-er's evaluation of him, and he staggered...

'I am such an upright, kind, and magnanimous person. How in the world did I become a despicable and shameless man?

'Just like the wise sages of the past once said, woman and hypocrite are the two most difficult species to please!

'Such is indeed the case!'

Hearing her furious howls, Xing Yuan wasn't delighted in the least. Instead, he shook his head in disappointment.

"The more ferociously you berate him, the greater the place he has in your heart. I have known you since we were little, and it has been more than twenty years since then, but have I ever occupied a space as big as him in your heart? When I said we weren't able to leave earlier, the first thing that came to your mind wasn't fear but that you have won a bet against him..."

Even in this desperate situation, all she could think of was Zhang Xuan...

From this fact, he knew that despite his years of pursuing her, his standing in the other party's heart couldn't even compare to that fellow she had just met.

"I..."

Yu Fei-er froze upon hearing those words.

Was she really in love with that fellow? But how could it be possible!

All she wanted was to rid herself of her identity as a maid and teach that shameless fellow a lesson!

Affirming her intentions inside once more, just as she was about to verbalize them to Xing Yuan, a voice suddenly drifted into their ears.

"Cough cough. This isn't the time to be flirting with one another. You should be discussing how you can get away instead!"

Hearing that voice, Yu Fei-er eyes widened. "Zhang Xuan?"

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Chapter 675: Beating Heart

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Right after calling out that man's name, Yu Fei-er's face turned crimson, and she quickly shook her head in denial.

'How can he possibly be here...'

Considering the duration they had been fleeing for, they were at least several kilometers into the depths of the underground chamber. On top of that, there were many Otherworldly Demon puppets patrolling the area, ready to take out any intruder. Most important of all, that fellow had clearly entered the other passageway, so how could he possibly appear here?

There was no doubt about it, she must be hallucinating!

Right after she reaffirming that she would never fall in love with that despicable fellow, she actually hallucinated his voice and thought that he would come to her rescue... How embarrassing!

"It was just a passing remark, none of you heard a thing at all... Got it?"

Yu Fei-er harrumphed furiously with a threatening edge in her tone.

"Cough cough..."

Wu Zhen and the others glanced at one another before replying, "Princess... it seems like we heard those words as well."

"You all heard those words too?"

Taken aback, Yu Fei-er quickly scanned her surroundings anxiously. But other than the two puppets which were still striking the barrier of light relentlessly, there wasn't anyone aside from them.

"Since all of us distinctly heard his voice, it is unlikely to be an imagination on our part..."

Xing Yuan nodded.

While he did detest Zhang Xuan, it was still consoling to hear the other party's voice at this crucial moment.

Seeing that the other party actually doubted his existence after he had spoken, he shook his head helplessly and continued transmitting his voice to them.

"Alright, none of you are hallucinating. I'm indeed Zhang Xuan, and I am here to save you all. My physical body is still outside, and I am currently using a secret art to transmit my voice over..."

As he couldn't reveal that he was a floating soul at this moment—this would expose his identity as a soul oracle—he could only explain it by this.

"If you're outside, could this be... Transmission Over a Thousand Li?"

Xing Yuan and the others widened their eyes in shock.

One must know that not even a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan could possibly transmit his voice so clearly over several kilometers.

Could it be that... Zhang Xuan already possessed such immense strength?

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was aware of their situation and intended to save them, Yu Fei-er heaved a sigh of relied and asked, "How do you intend to save us? Do you have an idea in mind?"

This fellow might be hateful, but he did possess incredible capabilities.

Otherwise, how could she possibly have been bullied so many times and yet still be helpless against him?

"It's precisely because I don't have any ideas that I'm here to discuss this matter with you..." Zhang Xuan said.

He really had no idea in mind.

His soul might have been able to sneak in without catching anyone's notice, but if he were to attempt to bring the others out, they would surely be surrounded and killed before they could get far.

"Discuss? If we had an idea in mind, we would have already escaped from this darned place long ago..." Xing Yuan said with a darkened face.

His spirits had lifted after hearing Zhang Xuan's voice, but who would have thought that the other party was as lost as them?

"Alright, why don't you all tell me the situation here in-depth? This will help me find a viable solution to your current plight. For one, I saw quite a few puppets walking away from your direction when I was scouting around just now. Under normal circumstances, they should have all gathered here to get rid of you together. Why did they walk away, leaving only these two here?"

Zhang Xuan raised the doubt that had been plaguing him all along.

If all of them were to attack at once, the barrier of light would have shattered long ago, and this group would be cold corpses by now.

While the puppets didn't possess intelligence, it was reasonable to think that they were programmed to encircle and defeat any intruders into the underground chamber. After all, the puppet he had met in the stone room before had pursued him frenziedly, threatening to grind him into meat paste. As such, how could they possibly let such a huge group off?

Perhaps, there might be some fundamental logic to it. If he were to exploit this, he might be able to find a way to save the group.

"Not too long after we entered this underground chamber, we encountered those Otherworldly Demon puppets. We were immediately overpowered by them, and they deliberately blocked the way back to the passageway. Thus, we could only retreat deeper into the underground chamber while fending them off..."

Ye Qian swiftly explained everything that happened.

Right after walking down the flight of stairs, they immediately saw this underground town, so they quickly rushed to it excitedly, thinking that they had found a vital clue. Who could have thought that they would meet with the Otherworldly Demon puppets not too long later?

That was also the region where Zhang Xuan first found the traces of battle.

Surrounded by a group of Saint realm puppets, they were naturally not a match at all.

It was fortunate that Xing Yuan and Princess Fei-er possessed many valuable artifacts on them. Hurling them out while retreating, they managed to fend the enemies off. Even so, they were still severely injured through the many encounters.

Fleeing all the way to the altar, they happened to find Wu Yangzi's corpse and triggered the mechanism he had left behind. It was then that the barrier of light emerged, and they got a moment of breather.

Meaning, this barrier of light was indeed an artifact left behind by Wu Yangzi. It was probably a means to prevent his corpse from being defaced by the Otherworldly Demons after his death, but who could have known that it would unintentionally save the juniors who came searching for him two thousand years later?

However, judging from the current state of the barrier, it was unlikely to last too much longer.

After hearing Ye Qian's works, Yu Fei-er harrumphed.

"Who said that those fellows didn't gather here in an attempt to get rid of us? All twenty of them were here a moment ago, or else the barrier of light couldn't possibly wane so quickly. Just that... for some reason unknown to us, they left abruptly!"

It wasn't that those fellows didn't come to encircle them, but that they were unable to break the barrier and left. Who knows when they will return?

All of the defensive artifacts they possessed were depleted. Once the barrier of light shattered, they would lose their only protection. Even if Zhang Xuan was here to support them, it was still highly unlikely that they would be able to escape.

"You said that they left after attacking the barrier for a moment?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

That didn't make sense at all. If those fellows had continued, the barrier of light would have shattered by now. Why would those puppets march off during such a crucial moment, leaving only two of them to continue?

The group nodded.

"When did they leave?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Around ten minutes ago or so!" Ye Qian said.

"Ten minutes ago? That's around the time that Little Qi and I left the underground chamber..."

Frowning, a thought suddenly surfaced, and Zhang Xuan's face darkened. "Could it be..."

Could it be that... these fellows found out that he had breached the other passageway, and were heading over to support their ally?

If that was the case, he would be in great danger!

His physical body was still hidden in the passageway near the entrance of the underground chamber. If he were to be noticed by them, wouldn't his body be smashed into pieces?

"Give me a moment, I'll look around and figure something out..."

His physical body was of the greatest importance to him now, he couldn't allow anything to go wrong with it. Not to mention, if his physical body were to be ruined, there was no way he could help Yu Fei-er and the others out of their current plight.

Thus, leaving behind these words, he immediately rushed off.

"Hey! ...Hey!"

As his voice slowly faded, the surroundings grew silent once more. Yu Fei-er shouted in panic a few times, but she didn't receive any response. Infuriated, she smacked the ground with her fist.

What the heck was that?

He was here to save them, and yet he disappeared without doing anything at all. What was he up to?

...

Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered with the resentment that was piling up on him at the moment. His soul rushed all the back to the passageway at the quickest speed possible.

It was due to his fear of being noticed that he moved slowly previously, but given that it was likely that his physical danger was in danger now, he couldn't bother about that anymore. Soon, he arrived back at the flight of stairs.

'There are no puppets here...'

On the stone steps, his physical body was still meditating quietly by the corner, untouched by anyone.

'Was I wrong?'

He thought that the other puppets were rushing to aid their ally in the other underground chamber after learning that it had been breached by intruders, but that didn't seem to be the case. Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion.

"Clone!"

Hu!

Releasing his clone, Zhang Xuan placed his physical body into his storage ring.

While his physical body couldn't survive for too long in the storage ring, this should be the safer course of action for the moment.

Naturally, the ring was left with his clone.

Even though his clone had proven to be unreliable on many occasions, the might of the Nine Hearts Lotus wasn't for show. Those Otherworldly Demon puppets might be formidable, but it would still be extremely difficult for them to kill his clone.

At the very least, his clone should be able to ensure the safety of his main body.

"Wait here for me, I'll take a look to see what the puppets are up to. At the very least, I'll be able to prepare for whatever they are up to..."

After instructing his clone, Zhang Xuan's soul flew into the depths of the underground chamber once more.

Given that those puppets weren't going to the other underground chamber, they must be up to something. Otherwise, they couldn't possibly let Yu Fei-er and the others go.

Thus, Zhang Xuan felt that there was an imperative need for him to uncover what those fellows were up to!

After flying for a moment, Zhang Xuan saw the first wave of puppets once more. They were currently moving to the corner of the 'city'.

'What are they doing there?'

The corner of the city wasn't lit up by Night Illumination Pearls, so it was pitch-black. Nevertheless, the puppets marched on tirelessly, disappearing into the darkness swiftly.

'Eye of Insight!'

With the Eye of Insight activated, the pitch-black area suddenly became visible to his sight.

The Eye of Insight wasn't just capable of seeing through facade, even darkness couldn't conceal its vision.

Examining the surroundings closely, Zhang Xuan continued following the puppets forward.

Very soon, the puppets left the city and arrived before a stream.

'It's probably connected to the stream I saw above...'

Zhang Xuan's eyes shot up.

To think that the stream above would actually flow through this area as well!

However, what were they planning to do here instead of attacking Yu Fei-er and the others?

Huala!

In the midst of Zhang Xuan's confusion, one of the puppets stepped into the river.

Geji! Geji!

As soon as the puppet stepped in, a series of gears clicked, and a round pedestal appeared in the middle of the stream.

As soon as the round pedestal surfaced, an overwhelming killing intent immediately filled the surroundings.

The blast of overpowering killing intent induced an immense pressure weighing down on Zhang Xuan's soul.

'To think that the killing intent even affects souls?'

Zhang Xuan quickly drove the Heaven's Path Soul Art, and only then did he finally recover from the impact. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

He was currently a soul, possessing no shape and no form. Who knew that the killing intent emanated from the surfaced round pedestal would be so powerful that it nearly caused his soul to plummet to the ground?

The scale was completely incomparable to the living Otherworldly Demon that Hong shi caught.

'What in the world is that?'

Gathering more lines of insights in his energy, Zhang Xuan focused his gaze on the round pedestal. Even without thinking, it was clear that there was something wrong with the current situation.

On the round pedestal, there was an object around the size of the watermelon. It contracted and expanded at a constant frequency, creating a loud rumbling noise reminiscent of thunder along with its movements.

'A heart?'

Zhang Xuan's body froze.

He was doubtful at first, but the more he looked at it, the more apparent it became to him that the object placed at the center pedestal was a crimson heart!

Why was there a heart here? And more importantly... how was it still beating?

Just as Zhang Xuan was perplexed by the situation before him, he saw the puppet which leaped into the water kneeling before the round pedestal.

Hu hu hu hu!

Along with the beating of the heart, spiritual energy was drawn from the stream by the heart and infused into the puppet. The worn-out puppet immediately became energized once more.

'The puppets are... recharging their energy?'

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists in agitation.

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Chapter 676: Reduced to a Lump of Meat

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even a cultivator would eventually find himself drained and exhausted after fighting for a long period of time, needless to say, a puppet!

These puppets were installed with a Spirit Gathering Formation in their bodies, and they relied on absorbing the spiritual energy from the surroundings or from spirit stones to move. Thus, if they were to overexert themselves, it was possible for them to stop functioning due to lack of power.

This explained why the twenty or so puppets left shortly after attacking the barrier of light. It seemed that they had overexerted themselves by striking the barrier of light with their full might relentlessly, and thus needed to recharge themselves.

"This underground stream is actually a spirit vein, and it gathers the spiritual energy from the meandering mountain range that spans a thousand kilometers. There is indeed sufficient spiritual energy contained in the stream to replenish the energy in those puppets... but even so, it shouldn't be easy for the puppet to absorb the spiritual energy in the stream so easily and quickly! There's something very weird about the heart!"

Just as a cultivator couldn't possibly restore their zhenqi to their full capacity in an instant, a puppet also needed some time to recharge itself.

To recover completely within a few breaths was downright absurd.

Most probably, this ridiculous situation must have something to do with the heart.

In the first place, it was already bizarre that a heart overflowing with killing intent would actually be placed within a stream of spiritual energy. Furthermore, there was something very sinister about this heart that seemed to send endless chills down Zhang Xuan's spine as he looked at it.

This eerie sight was triggering all of his alarms!

Gugugugu!

While Zhang Xuan was still examining the beating heart in bewilderment, another Otherworldly Demon puppet stepped forward. Along with the beating of the heart, it recovered its strength.

"It'll be disastrous if this goes on..."

Seeing the Otherworldly Demon puppets regaining their strength one by one, Zhang Xuan's heart beat in anxiety.

If he didn't do anything, it wouldn't be long before all of the puppets recovered and returned to attack Yu Fei-er and the others. Should that happen, the latter would definitely die here!

"I must bring Yu Fei-er and the others out of here before all of these puppets regain their strength!"

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists together grimly.

In truth, this could be considered as an opportunity as well. Most of the puppets were currently busy recharging here, and it would take some time before they would return. This was probably the only chance he was going to get to save them. Once the other puppets returned, there would be nothing more Zhang Xuan could do.

"But even if that is the case... I am still unable to defeat the two remaining puppets to save Yu Fei-er..."

While Zhang Xuan knew that he had to firmly grasp this opportunity, the might of the two remaining Otherworldly Demon puppets was simply beyond him. Not to mention, if a fight were to occur, it was likely that the disturbance in the spiritual energy in the air, as well as the shock wave from the trading of blows, would catch the attention of the other puppets as well. Chances were the puppets would encircle them before they could get away from this underground chamber.

The main reason why Zhang Xuan was able to kill the previous Otherworldly Demon puppet in the stone chamber was due to assistance from Luo Qiqi's side, and the apt usage of a valuable artifact, the Crimson Blaze Cauldron. Given that neither Luo Qiqi nor that artifact were here... it was nigh impossible for Zhang Xuan to slay two Otherworldly Demon puppets!

In the end, his options were restricted due to his low cultivation realm.

"Right, I could do that..."

Just as Zhang Xuan was rubbing his glabella in frustration, an idea suddenly streaked across his mind.

Carefully analyzing and fixing the various aspects of his plan, his eyes slowly grew brighter and brighter. After confirming that it was feasible, his soul immediately flew off.

He didn't head off to the altar where Yu Fei-er and the others were waiting. Instead, he quickly returned to the passageway to return his clone to his storage ring before wrapping his soul energy around the ring and carrying it to a remote, narrow alley within the city.

Then, he summoned his clone and a humongous corpse out from his storage ring.

The humongous corpse consisted of two parts—a head and a body. It was the Otherworldly Demon which he had decapitated back in the stone chamber.

"Possession!"

Zhang Xuan took in a deep breath before his soul dived into the puppet's body.

Hu la!

Similar to the Soulless Metal Humanoid, these puppets were forged out of real bodies as well. Thus, it wasn't too difficult for his soul to enter the body.

Just that, due to the overwhelming killing intent infused within the body, only a person who cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art like Zhang Xuan would be able to enter such a body.

Any other soul oracle would have had their soul dissipated before they could even come into contact with it.

Geji!

As soon as Zhang Xuan's soul seeped into the body, the puppet on the ground twitched, and it began to struggle to its feet.

"It's indeed possible..."

Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Just as Zhang Xuan was considering how he should save Yu Fei-er and the others, he'd suddenly recalled the existence of this corpse in his storage ring.

Even though the puppet's head was lopped off, that wouldn't hinder its ability to house a soul. As long as Zhang Xuan could possess it, he should be able to move it. Perhaps, he might be able to fool the other Otherworldly Demon puppets through this and save Yu Fei-er and the others.

The possessed puppet bent down to grab his head and place it on his neck. Then, it began to shake its limbs to adapt to the new body before running off to the altar excitedly.

But barely after taking a few steps, 'peng!', the puppet crashed into a pillar, and its head rolled far into the distance.

The puppet immediately fumbled its way to its head, picked it up, and installed it on its neck once more.

Typically speaking, it would be impossible for anyone to tell that the puppet was currently possessed. However, due to the puppet's head having been severed before, it could fall off very easily, and that would be a dead giveaway.

"I'll have to support it then..."

If the puppet's head were to shake on top of its neck while moving around, Zhang Xuan would surely be exposed. Thus, he could only helplessly raise his palm to support his head while making his way to the altar.

The place he was hiding at previously wasn't too far from the altar, so it didn't take him too long to arrive there.

"We're doomed..."

Yu Fei-er and the others were waiting expectantly for Zhang Xuan to arrive and save them, but who knew that an Otherworldly Demon puppet would appear instead. Their faces immediately sunk.

The barrier of light was already on the verge of shattering under the combined offense of the two puppets. With one more here, their fates were sealed.

Just that, there was something very peculiar about this puppet. Its head was tilting unnaturally to one side, and it seemed as though it would fall if not for a hand placed by its head to support it. It was an extremely eerie sight.

The unnaturally bent-head puppet soon arrived before the barrier of light, and it tapped on the shoulders of the two puppets who were still striking the barrier.

The two puppets ceased their attacks and turned to look at the two.

Roar!

The bent-head puppet pointed to his back, and tracing his finger, Yu Fei-er and the others saw a human figure sneaking toward them under the dim light granted by the Night Illumination Pearls.

"Zhang shi!"

After taking a close look at the other party's appearance, Yu Fei-er and the others began to panic.

'What the heck is that foolish man trying to do!

'If you want to save us, you should at least try learning how to hide your presence first!

'To actually stand right before a Night Illumination Pearl like that, aren't you just waiting to be discovered?

'More importantly, after being noticed by the puppet with the bent head, not only did you not flee immediately, you even continued to advance forward. Does hell really interest you so much that you are bent on charging right into it?

'You aren't trying to save us, you are trying to court death!'

Roar!

Naturally, the other two puppets also noticed Zhang Xuan. Roaring furiously, one stepped forcefully against the ground and charged toward him.

Against that fearsome charge, Zhang Xuan's face immediately paled in shock. He immediately tried to escape, but there was no way he could possibly outrun a Saint realm puppet. Thus, he was struck squarely in his head.

Peng!

His face caved in as if a donut, and his body went flying through numerous buildings.

"Zhang shi..."

"Zhang Xuan..."

Not expecting that their 'savior' would have his head crushed before he could even reach them, the bodies of Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and the others trembled, and they nearly fainted from shock.

It wasn't too long ago that the other party proudly declared that he would save them, and yet, he was killed as soon as he made an appearance...

This was probably the most anticlimactic rescue operation of all time!

Yu Fei-er's eyes turned red upon that sight, and with quivering lips, she bellowed anxiously, "Aren't you... supposed to be formidable? I haven't won against you in a bet yet, you can't die like that..."

'What the heck is this!

'Weren't you quite formidable when you were bullying me?

'Why did you become so weak before these puppets? How could you allow your head to be smashed in just like that?

'Shouldn't you have at least learned your lesson after accidentally reducing your body to a mere corpse while cultivating in the Cleansing Lake?'

The others also shook their heads in disappointment. They weren't in the position to grieve over Zhang Xuan—after all, they were next.

On the other hand, the puppet who smashed Zhang Xuan's head in turned around and returned to the barrier of light after eliminating the intruder.

However, before it could get far, the bent-head puppet pointed to its back once more.

Frowning, the puppet turned around, only to see the fellow from before standing before it in an upright position. While his face was caved in and his legs were shaking, he was standing firmly on the spot.

"Ah?"

"This..."

Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and the others who had just given up all hope widened their mouths in shock.

To be able to stand up after his head was caved in to such an extent... Are you serious?

The dumbfounded Yu Fei-er mumbled in a daze, "He... isn't dead?"

Recalling something, through her quivering red lips, she muttered, "Did he... get possessed by some spirit again?"

A similar situation had occurred back at the Cleansing Lake. Back when their attention had been captured by something else, his lifeless body had secretly crept back into the lake. Could it be that history was repeating itself? After all, how could a person whose face was caved in like that possibly stand up once more?

Being possessed in itself was completely inconceivable already, and yet for it to happen twice to the same person within such a short period of time...

Just how many vengeful spirits have you offended?

Roar!

The ridiculous scene left even the emotionless puppet stunned for a moment. But after which, it immediately dashed forward and kicked Zhang Xuan.

Peng!

Under the might of the powerful kick, Zhang Xuan's ribcage broke, and his chest sunk inward. Once again, he crashed through many buildings, disappearing amidst a cloud of dust.

Confident that it had managed to slay Zhang Xuan this time around, the puppet nodded in satisfaction. However, right after turning around, it saw the puppet with the crooked head pointing behind it with a look of fright yet again.

Turning its head around anxiously, the puppet saw an upright silhouette with a sunk-in chest amidst the cloud of dust. Its hands were placed against its waist, as if nothing had happened at all.

"AHHHHHHH..."

Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others were already completely stupefied by the sight before them. All of them slapped their cheeks tightly to confirm whether they were in a dream or not.

What the heck was going on?

His face was caved in, and his chest was sunk in, and yet he was still standing... What kind of sorcery was this!

Hu!

Not expecting the fellow to still be alive after two consecutive strikes, the puppet roared furiously and dashed forward, striking Zhang Xuan relentlessly with its fists and kicks.

After a short moment, Zhang Xuan was completely disfigured.

Half of his head was blasted off, his body was crushed and had become almost as thin as a slice of a paper, and his bones had been reduced to dust.

Only after that fellow was reduced to just a lump of meat did the puppet finally end its attacks. Satisfied, it turned around and walked back.

But yet once again, the puppet with the bent head pointed behind it.

Roaring furiously, it turned its head around and saw that figure which had been crushed into something without the slightest resemblance of a human standing up once more. His crushed arms were placed weakly against his waist, and his eyes were filled with mockery.

"The heck..."

"Is that really Zhang shi?"

"How in the freaking world can he still be alive after all that?"

"I must be dreaming!"

Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian were completely overwhelmed by this madness.

Considering how a part of his head had been blasted away and the tragic state his body was in, it should be physically impossible for Zhang Xuan to stand up at all. This was probably not as simple as a mere possession.

Not even a spirit could possibly make this lump of meat stand up once more!

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Chapter 677: Thank You, Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Sixth Princess, you are the most knowledgeable of us here. Do you know what is going on?"

Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Xing Yuan asked.

"I-I..."

At this point, Yu Fei-er was on the verge of tears.

As a princess, she had access to many secret manuals exclusive to the royal family, and she was also exposed to many unique techniques in the world. But even so, she couldn't imagine a single technique in the world that could allow a person to stand up after being reduced to a lump of meat.

"What about you?"

Xing Yuan turned to Wu Zhen and asked.

Given how the latter specialized in mechanisms, he might be able to see the secret behind this peculiarity.

"I..."

Wu Zhen's lips quivered as his face twitched violently.

He specialized in mechanisms, not cryptozoology! How could he possibly know what was going on?

While the few of them were rendered completely insane by the turn of events, the two puppets were also frenzied by the scene before them.

To still be able to stand up after all of that, are you still a human?

Huhuhu!

The bent-head puppet seemed to be frightened by the sight before it. He immediately patted the shoulder of the second puppet by the barrier of light and pointed to that monstrous fellow, gesturing it to head over there to support the first puppet.

The puppet hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. Following which, it immediately dashed for Zhang Xuan.

The overpowering killing intent of the two puppets overlapped with one another, thus exerting a formidable pressure on those before their presence.

However, as soon as the second puppet came heading for him, Zhang Xuan immediately turned around to flee.

Hu!

With a swift leap, he disappeared into the darkness.

Roar! Roar!

Not expecting the other party to still be able to flee so quickly despite being reduced to such a state, the two puppets were astonished. They immediately rushed forward to pursue him, and before long, they disappeared into the depths of the darkness as well.

On the other hand, staring at the escaping Zhang Xuan, Yu Fei-er and the others were dumbstruck.

Since you are able to flee, what the hell were you doing just now?

To leave only after you are reduced to such a state, what is going through your mind?

"Hurry up! Lift the barrier of light and leave!"

Just as the few of them were bewildered by the situation, Zhang Xuan voice sounded.

Stunned, they immediately looked in the direction where the voice came from. To their shock, it actually came from the bent-head puppet.

"Zhang shi?"

The group stared at the puppet before them with perfectly widened eyes.

"Yes, it's me. I managed to lure the both of them away with a special art. Hurry up and leave with me. Otherwise, it'll be too late once the other puppets return!"

The bent-head puppet urged anxiously.

"Are you... really Zhang shi?"

Even though the voice was definitely Zhang shi's, the savage expression on the puppet made it hard to put the both of them together.

Not to mention, they had just seen him getting smashed into a lump of meat... how did he become a puppet in the blink of an eye?

Even the most proficient disguiser wouldn't be that exaggerated!

"I really am him. You lost a bet to me, and you are currently still serving as my maid..."

There was no time for them to waste. Knowing that it was normal for the other party to suspect him given his current appearance, Zhang Xuan immediately tried to validate his credibility. He turned Xing Yuan and said, "Back at the Cleansing Lake, you came to look for me, asking me to admit my defeat..."

"Fine, I believe you..."

"You are Zhang Xuan!"

Yu Fei-er's face reddened whereas black lines streaked Xing Yuan's face.

There weren't many people who knew of Yu Fei-er becoming a maid, and the matter regarding Xing Yuan asking Zhang Xuan to admit defeat on the bet was known only by the two of them. Thus, these served as sufficient evidence to prove that the puppet was indeed Zhang shi.

Hu!

After affirming the other party's identity, Yu Fei-er raised her hand and grabbed onto something, and the barrier of light vanished.

"Let's go!"

Knowing that there was a limit to how long his clone could distract the two puppets, Zhang Xuan immediately led the way while holding onto his head.

But after taking two steps, he realized that no one was following him, Thus, he turned around, only to see the four of them still seated on the ground with pale faces.

"What's wrong?"

He asked with a frown.

"Our wounds are more severe than we thought... We aren't able to move at all..."

Xing Yuan said awkwardly.

The other party had spent so much effort planning this operation to save them, and yet they were unable to run away due to their severe injuries. The entire group felt that they had let Zhang Xuan down.

"I don't think we'll be able to get away, so please bring Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's body back with you. Tell the academy that we have accomplished our mission, and that we didn't let the academy down..."

Xing Yuan said with clenched jaws.

It was at least seven to eight kilometers to the passageway. Given their severe injuries, they would surely be caught before they could reach it.

Since it was impossible for them to get away, they would rather Zhang Xuan bring back the corpse. At least, this would bring some value to their deaths.

"What is the use bringing a corpse back?"

Not expecting that fellow to utter such words at such a timing, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Of course, this action caused his head to fall down yet again.

Hurriedly picking it up and implanting it on his neck, he turned to look at Wu Zhen and asked, "Do you have any wine?"

"Wine?"

Wu Zhen was taken aback for a moment before nodding. Flicking his wrist, he took out a gourd.

He enjoyed wine, so he often carried such wine gourds along with him.

Zhang Xuan caught the wine and kept it in his storage ring. Following which, he established a connection with his main body he was currently storing inside the storage ring.

His Heaven's Path zhenqi was contained only within his main body, so he couldn't infuse it in through just his soul.

If it was before, he would have to bring his main body out and have his soul enter it first before he would be able to infuse Heaven's Path zhenqi into the wine. However, having achieved Mind of Void, his physical body was able to move even without a soul in it.

Gugugugu!

After infusing seven to eight surges of zhenqi into the wine gourd, Zhang Xuan took it out from the storage ring and passed it to Yu Fei-er.

"Drink a few sips."

"Un!"

Even though she didn't know what he was up to, she knew that this wasn't the time for questions. Thus, she immediately uncorked the gourd and drank it without any hesitation.

As the rich wine went down her throat, she felt a warm flow surging through her body. In less than two breaths, the excruciating pain she was suffering from turned into a mere numbing sensation, and the gaping wounds from before had healed completely.

"This..."

Looking at her recovered body, Yu Fei-er was stunned.

Could this be the... Saint recovery medicine that Wu Zhen talked about?

It was actually so formidable?

She quickly passed the wine gourd for the other three to drink, and soon, they were all fully-recovered.

"Xing Yuan, keep Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's corpse. Let's go!"

Seeing that everyone had recovered, Yu Fei-er quickly instructed before the group hurriedly followed behind Zhang Xuan.

Having recovered their strength, they moved at a swift pace. The only problem they met was that Zhang Xuan would have to support his head carefully so that it wouldn't accidentally fall off his neck.

"We need to speed up..."

Left with no choice, Zhang Xuan decided to just grab his head in front of his chest and charge forward.

Even though his soul wasn't perfectly compatible with the puppet, he was still able to bring out a significant degree of the puppet's Saint realm strength. With just a single leap, he would be able to cover a long distance.

Yu Fei-er and the others had to push themselves to the limit just to be able to catch up.

In a short moment, the four of them had already covered three kilometers. The passageway was slowly getting closer and closer to them.

"Everyone, hurry up! We'll be safe once we escape from the passageway..." Zhang Xuan urged.

The narrow entrance of the passageway would be perfect for Zhang Xuan to set up his 6-star formation and block the Otherworldly Demon puppets, thus allowing everyone to escape safely.

Roar!

Just as they were fleeing with all their might, they suddenly heard a furious roar in the air. It seemed like the puppets had finally noticed that they were missing.

Along with that roar, shadows suddenly flashed across their surroundings, and the puppets who were recharging at the stream earlier appeared before them, blocking their path of advance.

"Damn it..."

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

He had been rushing all along in fear that these fellows would return after they were done replenishing their energy. Who knew that despite his efforts, he would still be dozens of breaths late.

"What do we do now?"

Not expecting that they would be surrounded by so many puppets after escaping this far, Yu Fei-er and the others turned ghastly pale.

They were only able to escape previously due to their numerous defensive artifacts hindering the attacks of the puppets. Now that they were all consumed, how could they escape from this encirclement?

Roar!

Zhang Xuan stepped forward to explain, but a puppet rushed forward to kick him instead.

Peng!

His head and body immediately separated, both crashing heavily onto the ground.

"These puppets... are actually able to discern friend from foe even among themselves?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Zhang Xuan was currently in the body of an Otherworldly Demon puppet. Even though his head could fall off anytime, his outer appearance was no different from the others.

Under normal circumstances, the other puppets shouldn't be able to recognize Zhang Xuan, and he would be able to blend in as their peer. Who knew that he would be struck without any hesitation... Without a doubt, the puppets were able to determine their enemy!

Weren't puppets a type of mechanism which didn't possess self-intelligence?

How could it differentiate between an enemy and an ally?

"Damn it!"

Pushing itself up from the ground, the headless puppet charged toward the one which attacked it.

A strong gust of wind whooshed, and immense might poured forth from his fist.

Peng!

The opposing puppet met the fist of the headless puppet with a fist of his own, and the headless puppet was immediately knocked flying once more.

Even though the puppet was strong, Zhang Xuan's current soul cultivation realm was only at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, thus preventing him from drawing upon the full strength of a Saint realm. Naturally, he wasn't a match for the other party.

Geji geji!

While Zhang Xuan was clashing with one of the Otherworldly Demon puppets, the others were slowly closing in on Yu Fei-er and the others.

It seemed as if they would charge forward to kill the latter at any moment now.

"If this continues, they will surely die..."

With his current form as a soul, it was still possible for Zhang Xuan to escape. However, if he were to do so, Yu Fei-er and the others would be killed the next moment.

What should he do?

Was he supposed to give up after going through all that effort?

"Forget it, I'll gamble everything on this then!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was at a complete loss, he suddenly recalled that large beating heart he saw previously, as well as the respect the puppets showed it. An idea suddenly popped into his head.

"Since you all want to kill us, let's go down together then! I'll crush the heart right now..."

Bellowing furiously, the puppet which Zhang Xuan was controlling immediately leaped up and dashed straight for the stream.

Roar?

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Hearing Zhang Xuan's bellow and his direction of movement, the puppets were stunned for a brief instant before a streak of insanity infected every last one of them. Their attention were immediately torn away from Yu Fei-er and the others, and they hurriedly pursued Zhang Xuan.

"You all should leave right now, there's no need to worry about me..."

Seeing those fellows pursue him, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He turned to Yu Fei-er and the others and howled.

"Zhang shi..."

"Zhang Xuan..."

Not expecting Zhang shi to draw away all of the puppets singlehandedly just so that they could get away, Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, and the others felt their hearts tightened, and their eyes reddened in agitation.

If they were harboring some grudges or even envy toward him previously, all that was left now was gratitude!

In order to save them, the other party willingly put himself in a position of grave danger...

It was no wonder why Zhang shi was so deeply respected by his students and deeply trusted by the group from Hongfeng Empire...

His character was indeed worthy of respect.

Zhang shi, thank you!

"We mustn't waste this opportunity Zhang shi created by putting his life on the line. Let's go!"

Gritting his teeth, Xing Yuan and the others quickly fled to the passageway.

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Chapter 678: Zhang Xuan Is Dead Again?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

For them, Zhang shi willingly lured away the puppets away into the depths of the underground chamber, using himself as bait. If they were to remain here and allow themselves to be killed, they would truly be letting everyone down.

With eyes filled with indescribable, intense emotions, they exerted strength beyond their limits, and in just a few dozen breaths, they arrived at the passageway once more.

Looking into the distance, the underground city seemed to have been blanketed by a cloak of darkness. The dim light from the Night Illumination Pearls could no longer be clearly seen from their current location.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Vaguely, the shouts of the Otherworldly Demon puppets and the sound of objects shattering could be heard.

Knowing that the passageway wasn't safe either—just a single puppet here would be able to clear away all of them—Xing Yuan said, "This place isn't safe, let's go up first. Zhang shi... should have an escape plan in mind."

"Un."

Knowing that they would be of no help even if they were to wait here, the crowd headed up, and before long, they were standing at the entrance of the passageway.

Luo Qiqi, who was waiting on top, immediately rushed up to welcome the group excitedly upon seeing them.

"You've all finally returned! Are you all fine?"

"We're fine!"

There wasn't the slightest bit of relief or joy one should have after escaping from danger on Yu Fei-er and the others faces. Instead, they kept subconsciously sending worried gazes into the passageway.

"What's wrong?" Noticing their peculiarity, Luo Qiqi frowned. Then, she suddenly realized something, and her body froze. "Where is teacher?"

"He..."

Xing Yuan clenched his fists tightly in agitation, and with a lump in his throat, he said hoarsely, "In order to save us, he used himself as bait to lure all of the Otherworldly Demon puppets away..."

"Bait?"

Luo Qiqi's face immediately drained of all color. "How many puppets are there? If there is only one or two, teacher... should still be able to escape..."

Her teacher possessed incredible means. If it was only one or two puppets, he shouldn't be in too much danger.

With an ashen face, Xing Yuan said, "There are... more than twenty of them in there."

"More than twenty?"

Luo Qiqi felt as if her heart had been plunged into an ice chamber.

She trusted her teacher's capability, but it was still impossible for him to stand against so many puppets singlehandedly!

It took the both of them a great deal of effort to deal with a single puppet from the previous stone chamber. In the process of doing so, the two of them nearly died as well. To face more than twenty simultaneously... this was no different from suicide!

"No! I must go and save teacher..."

Gritting her teeth in determination, Luo Qiqi rushed into the passageway. However, before she could get far, Yu Fei-er stopped her.

"Qiqi, calm down! Zhang shi had put himself into such a predicament just to save us. If you were to go in now, won't all his effort have been for nothing?"

Even though Yu Fei-er was panicking inside as well, she understood Zhang shi's intentions, and that was why she was holding herself back.

They were simply too weak at the moment. Even if they were to rush in, they would be of no help at all.

"I..."

Luo Qiqi trembled in agitation, and beady teardrops slowly flowed down her white cheeks.

Even back at the stone room, in order to let her get away first, her teacher chose to fight against the puppet singlehandedly, despite the risk of death!

And now, to save Yu Fei-er and the others, despite knowing that it was a lair of Otherworldly Demon puppets below, he still rushed in without any hesitation!

And now, he even allowed himself to serve as bait so that the others could get away...

'Teacher, how can we ever repay this debt to you?'

"Luo Qiqi, we understand your feelings, but do you think that you are the only one who wants to rush in and save him? But if we were to do so, we would only be letting down the expectations and feelings Zhang shi has entrusted to us!"

Xing Yuan stepped forward and said, "There's only one thing we can do now, that is to wait here patiently for his return! Let's pray that... he can create a miracle once more!"

As a talented student of the Master Teacher Academy, he was able to see the crux of the matter easily.

As 5-star master teachers, they were by no means weak. But against those puppets, their strength would be no different to throwing an egg against a rock. With their current cultivation realms, there was only one outcome that would arise from rushing in—death!

"Indeed. Zhang shi will have a higher chance of survival alone. If we rush in, not only will we not be of any help, we might even become a burden to him..." Ye Qian added.

A trail of tears flowed down Luo Qiqi's cheeks as she replied with quivering lips, "I understand..."

She did understand all of this in the depths of her heart.

After all the time she had spent with her teacher, she was well-aware of what of person her teacher was!

Her teacher was a person who would choose his morals over his life!

It was exactly this quality that made him respected and admired by so many people!

She knew deep down that the others were right. If she were to barge in now, she would only become a burden to the other party.

"The best we can do for Zhang shi now is to wait here..." Seeing that Luo Qiqi had finally given up the thought, Xing Yuan nodded. But at that moment, his body suddenly shook.

Hong long long!

Cracks started appearing on the bridge, and the river beneath abruptly raged.

"What is happening?"

The group was taken aback.

Why would there be such an intense tremor all of the sudden?

Huala!

Just as they were perplexed, fragments of rock suddenly began falling from the ceiling. The bridge and the passageway leading down into the underground chambers collapsed instantaneously.

"This is bad, the entire underground chamber is going to collapse..."

Xing Yuan narrowed his eyes as he yelled, "Quick, go out!"

If the underground chamber were to collapse on them, they would be buried alive. No one would be able to save them. Thus, without any hesitation, they immediately dashed for the passageway out of the underground chamber.

Moving at their top speed, they were able to return to the mountain valley within seven to eight breaths. As soon as they were out, they suddenly felt another huge tremor, and a huge part of the valley's ground suddenly caved in, forming a large depression.

It was as if everything that had happened was a dream. The underground chamber had disappeared entirely without a trace.

"Teacher..."

Luo Qiqi's legs finally caved in, and she fell weakly to the ground.

If there had still been a chance that her teacher would be able to get out previously... how could there still be any hope now?

Yu Fei-er's face also paled, and she sat down feebly beside her close friend.

She had been competing with Zhang Xuan all along, wanting to beat him in a bet. But never had she wanted him to die!

Not to mention, all of this only happened because the other party was trying to save them.

Recalling bits and pieces about that fellow, she suddenly felt that she was very immature. In the end, all the prejudice she had against the other party was due to her indignation at being ignored.

In truth, after witnessing the other party's formidable strength and vast knowledge, even the haughty her couldn't help but admire him as well.

After a short moment of silence, Ye Qian clenched his fists tightly and declared, "I'll return to the royal palace and get my father to send troops over here... Even if we have to overturn the entire area, we must save Zhang shi..."

After hearing those words, Yu Fei-er also stood up resolutely, prepared to leave with Ye Qian.

"That's right! I'll accompany you. If Ye Wentian doesn't dispatch any troops, I'll report this matter to my father!"

At this moment, her mind was only filled with a single thought... He mustn't die!

"The both of you can't go!"

Just as the two were about to leave, Xing Yuan dashed forward to blocked them.

"What are you doing?"

Narrowing her eyes, an aura of hostility began rising from Yu Fei-er.

The full might of a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator burst forth instantaneously, carrying fearsome power that caused even the air to moan in fear.

The reason she lost to Zhang Xuan previously was due to the latter's attacks being aimed at her vitals, thus preventing her from utilizing her full strength. But against Xing Yuan, she wouldn't face such a problem.

"I don't intend to stop you, but... have you thought the matter through?"

Not expecting the Sixth Princess to actually intend to fight him, Xing Yuan's face turned ghastly white. Gritting his teeth, he said, "This underground chamber involves both Wu Yangzi and the Otherworldly Demons. Do you know what consequences will arise if this news were to spread?"

"Screw the consequences! Get out of my way!" Yu Fei-er roared.

"Xing Yuan is right."

At this moment, a soft but affirmative voice sounded. Luo Qiqi stood up and walked over, her body still trembling slightly. "If even a single one of the Otherworldly Demon puppets in the underground chamber were to be unearthed, it could potentially eradicate the entire Huanyu Empire... Many lives would be lost... I believe that this isn't what teacher would hope to see either!"

"I..." Yu Fei-er tightened her fists in frustration.

"Teacher is a compassionate person. Since he is willing to give up his life for you all, how could he possibly bear to see millions of lives being lost like that?" Luo Qiqi said with reddened eyes.

A Saint realm puppet was already a formidable existence, and an army of twenty of them was nothing short of destructive!

No Tier-2 Empire could possibly stand against such a force. Even if Emperor Ye Wentian were to send every last soldier in Huanyu Empire over, they would still be unable to save her teacher. Only a real Saint could do so.

If they were to let the puppets loose while attempting to save her teacher, he would never forgive them, not even in death.

This was because...

He was simply such a noble person.

"Then... what should we do?" Yu Fei-er asked anxiously.

"What we must do now is to quickly return to the Master Teacher Academy and report this matter to the elders so that they will come here to handle the matter!" Luo Qiqi said.

Xing Yuan nodded in agreement.

"That's right! If we wish to save Zhang shi, it'll be best for us to quickly return to the academy and report this matter to the superiors and have them send men here. This is the best we can do at the moment."

Yu Fei-er also nodded before issuing some instructions.

"Alright then. Xing Yuan, since Grandmaster Wu Yangzi's corpse is in your storage ring, you and Ye Qian shall return to the academy right now. On the other hand, Luo Qiqi and I will wait here... for him to come out."

"This..."

Xing Yuan was stunned. He didn't think that Yu Fei-er would insist on remaining here.

"Fei-er is right, we'll wait for him here. The both of you should hurry on. This matter is of grave importance, so you must report it to the elders face-to-face. Otherwise, there is no way the academy will dispatch Saint realm experts!"

Luo Qiqi nodded.

Even though she did have a Communication Token that allowed her to communicate with the academy, every single Saint realm expert was a valuable asset to the academy. Without sufficient evidence to back their story up, it was impossible for a Saint to be dispatched here. To do so, they would have to present Wu Yangzi's corpse in person.

"Alright!"

Understanding the rationale behind it, Xing Yuan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "But if we take the aerial spirit beast away, how do you intend to return?"

The four of them came on a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan aerial spirit beast. If the both of them were to take it to the Master Teacher Academy, how would the other two leave the Verdant Mountain?

"There's no need to worry about us. If it really comes to it, we'll just head to the nearby Huanyu Beast Hall. With our identities as master teachers, it'll surely be easy for us to loan an aerial spirit beast!"

Luo Qiqi shook her hand before turning her gaze back to the depression. Even at this moment, she was still praying for the dirt to overturn, and for her young teacher to climb out from the depression.

If that were to happen, no matter how dirty the other party was, she would definitely rush forward to hug him without any hesitation...

"Alright then. We'll get going!"

Knowing that there was no time to waste, Xing Yuan immediately beckoned to the sky, and a loud screech sounded. Following which, an aerial spirit beast descended to the ground.

"Let's go!"

Along with Ye Qian, he leaped onto the back of the spirit beast. The spirit beast took off, and before long, they had already disappeared amidst clouds.

After their departure, Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er stared at the depression before them, unblinking, waiting intently for Zhang Xuan to return.

With his formidable means... he couldn't possibly be dead!

Even though they kept repeating this within their minds, they had no confidence whatsoever. With the ticking of time, their hope was slowly diminishing.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed, but there wasn't the slightest movement at all.

The flame of hope they had held dearly onto had already withered into despair.

Could it be that... Zhang shi had really died this time?

Even if he was really dead, if he could be possessed just once more and appear before them, it would still be a huge consolation to them...

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Chapter 679: My Name Is Vicious

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Rewinding time back to when Zhang Xuan parted with Xing Yuan.

In the underground chamber, a bizarre Otherworldly Demon puppet holding its head in its hand ran frenziedly as more than twenty Otherworldly Demon puppets pursued it relentlessly. They were howling furiously, threatening to rip the other party to shreds should they lay their hands on it.

Seeing how the idea he'd thought of on a whim had sent all of these puppets into such a frenzy, Zhang Xuan's curiosity intensified.

In truth, this puppet body was disposable to him. As souls were intangible, it would be difficult for these puppets to stop him if he were to make a serious attempt at escaping. Not to mention, he had a golden page in the Library of Heaven's Path as well. Even if he were to be cornered, he still had a trump card up his sleeves, so there was nothing for him to fear.

This was also the reason why he had the others flee first while he drew the puppets away.

He thought that it would be great if he could draw some of the puppets away through his taunting. Who knew that he would actually successfully draw the aggression from all of the puppets, making them chase him rabidly as if he had murdered their parents?

To actually make these unintelligent puppets get so agitated, what in the world was that heart?

'No matter what, as long as I touch it, I should know the answer...'

The only way to let everyone escape successfully was for him to continue drawing the attention of the puppets. Thus, without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan continued dashing forward with his head in his hand. Seven breaths later, he was standing before the stream.

The small stone pedestal and the heart were still there.

'Let's see what it is!'

With the puppets right behind his tail, there was no room for other thoughts in Zhang Xuan's mind. He immediately leaped forward and stepped into the stream.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan leap into the stream, all of the puppets were worried, but none of them dared rush forward. They glared at him angrily, seemingly wanting to grind him to dust.

"This..."

Seeing that the puppets didn't even rush over as he had expected, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

In truth, back when he saw the puppets stepping into the stream one by one to accept a transfusion of energy from the heart, he was a little perplexed by the sight. And now, it seemed like his conjecture was right.

There was some kind of rule binding the puppets that only allowed one of them to step into the stream at any given time.

"Let's see what this heart is..."

Zhang Xuan began walking to the stone pedestal that the heart was placed on.

Huala!

As soon his gaze fell upon the heart, he immediately felt an overwhelming killing intent piercing his mind just like a dagger.

Knowing that this would happen, Zhang Xuan immediately activated his Heaven's Path Soul Art and drove his soul energy.

In an instant, that sharp pain weakened significantly, but even so, Zhang Xuan still felt as if his head was splitting apart.

Zhang Xuan stopped in his tracks.

'It's hard for me to stand against the killing intent without Heaven's Path zhenqi...'

The killing intent emanated from the heart was far stronger than the Otherworldly Demon which Hong shi took out back at the Master Teacher Tournament. Even though his soul had been tempered by the Heaven's Path Soul Art, it was still difficult for him to withstand that overwhelming killing intent without the protection of his Heaven's Path zhenqi. Even standing at this point was sufficiently difficult for him. If he were to proceed forward any further, it was highly possible that his mind would be corroded by the killing intent, thus suffering immense damage.

Zhang Xuan turned around to take a look at the other puppets behind him. While they were infuriated by his actions, they dared not get too close. In fact, they didn't dare to launch any attack at all. For the time being, there was no need for him to worry about his safety.

Huala!

He took out the body which he had placed inside his storage ring previously.

Then, he withdrew his soul from the puppet and returned back into his main body.

After entering his main body, he finally felt more comfortable, and he heaved a long sigh of relief.

Even though the Otherworldly Demon puppet's body was much stronger than his current body, he wasn't able to control it adeptly, and there was a strong feeling of incongruity when he was moving it.

'Heaven's Path zhenqi!'

As his soul fused perfectly with his physical body, he immediately drove his zhenqi. In an instant, the killing intent which had still been assaulting him a moment ago was immediately warded off entirely, as if it didn't exist at all.

Heaven's Path zhenqi seemed to possess the ability to curb the mysterious aura that Otherworldly Demons emanated; he had verified this back then during the Master Teacher Tournament.

Roar!

Seeing a human appear in the stream all of the sudden, the puppets' anger crescendoed. They bellowed angrily at him, but in fear of something, they dared not step forward.

As long as the puppets didn't dare to step into the stream, there was nothing for Zhang Xuan to worry about. Thus, he continued advancing to the heart slowly.

In order to trigger the Library of Heaven's Path, he would have to come into contact with it.

With a few steps, he was already standing before the stone pedestal. His hand slowly reached forward to touch the heart.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Upon contact, Zhang Xuan barely had the time to mutter 'flaws' when a deranged laughter suddenly echoed in the surroundings. Following which, a huge shadow suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"This body... Great! Great! Even the heavens are on my side!" That massive shadow before Zhang Xuan roared in delight. The heart also began to beat faster and faster, as if it had encountered some precious, nourishing medicinal herb.

"With this body, I can finally revive myself after many millenniums of hibernation!"

The massive figure was shaking with agitation. With a loud bellow, its eyes suddenly opened, and a sharp glint flashed in its eyes. "Kong shi, it's too bad you failed to kill me entirely! When I return, I'll crush your heritage and reduce your Master Teacher Pavilion to ruins..."

While roaring furiously, that massive figure stretched its hand forward to grab Zhang Xuan up.

That heart on the pedestal also suddenly rose up and flew to the left side of his chest. With immense force, it rammed itself against him, seemingly trying to penetrate his body to replace his heart.

If it were to succeed, Zhang Xuan's consciousness would be consumed, and he would lose his sense of identity.

'What?!'

Zhang Xuan's expression immediately froze.

Before that massive figure, he felt like an ant standing before a mountain. Helplessness clutched his heart.

'It's too powerful...'

The strongest person he had encountered in his journey was Pavilion Master Mo from Hongyuan Empire. But somehow, Zhang Xuan's instincts told him that even a person as strong as Pavilion Master Mo would be no different from a worm before this fearsome heart.

The sensation he was feeling at this moment was similar to back when he first met Kong shi. His mind and body were no longer under his own control, and his life and death were held in the hands of the other party.

Zhang Xuan panicked.

'Am I going to be possessed by this fellow?'

He was only interested in seeing what the heart was. Never had he dreamed that the heart would actually be alive, and he would even be possessed at that!

If the other party were to succeed in its possession, Zhang Xuan's consciousness would be wiped clean. By then, he would be no different from a puppet.

'Heaven's Path zhenqi!'

Zhang Xuan immediately willed for his body to drive his Heaven's Path zhenqi, but he realized that the mental connection between his mind and body had been snapped, preventing him from making any movements.

He felt as if he was trapped in a dream. He could perceive what was going on around him, but no matter how much he struggled, his body just wouldn't move at all.

"Don't even bother struggling!"

The massive figure before the heart seemed to have noticed what Zhang Xuan was trying to do, and it sneered coldly, "Even Kong shi had suffered a great deal before my prowess. You might be a Celestial Master Teacher, but you're still too weak to stand against me! I suggest you obediently allow me to take over your body. In your body, I'll dominate the world and make the entire world tremor beneath my might!"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask, "Even Kong shi has suffered before your prowess? Who are you?"

Kong shi was the most powerful figure in the world several dozen millenniums ago. He singlehandedly created the Master Teacher Pavilion to fend off the Otherworldly Demons and expel them from the Master Teacher Continent. His contribution to humanity was so great that none could compare to him, and his cultivation was so high that he had no peers.

And yet, this fellow actually said he was able to injure Kong shi? Who in the world was he?

"It has been too long for me to remember my name."

The heartbeat and an ancient aura slowly exuded from the massive figure. "But back then, everyone seemed to address me as 'Vicious'!"

"Vicious?"

"That's right! Are you afraid now?" Vicious asked.

"I never heard of you before," Zhang Xuan replied.

"..." The heart.

Most of the details regarding the ancient history with the Otherworldly Demons were stored in the higher tier Master Teacher Pavilions. As a 4-star master teacher, Zhang Xuan wasn't qualified to browse through those documents.

And thus, he had truly never heard of what 'Vicious' or 'Victim', whatever the other party was called.

"Humph, it matters not. Today, you shall witness my greatness!" Not expecting for a Celestial Master Teacher to not recognize him, the heart began beating intensely in anger, and with a loud roar, the huge hands of the shadowy figure grabbed Zhang Xuan's neck.

Ji ya!

The crushing pressure on Zhang Xuan's neck made him gasp desperately for air, and his sight began to darken.

In the other party's hands, he was no different from an infant. He was unable to retaliate at all.

Under this desperate situation, Zhang Xuan forcefully uttered, "You intend to... possess... me?"

"Indeed. A Celestial Master Teacher is a person whose body has been recognized by even the heavens themselves. Even though I am a member of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, I am still able to possess their body without incurring any side effects. In fact, I am even able to disguise as you humans without anyone noticing anything..."

The heart harrumphed.

"You are able to... tell that I am... a Celestial... Master Teacher?" Zhang Xuan stuttered with difficulty.

So far, there had been not a single master teacher who had been able to discern that he was a Celestial Master Teacher. Thus, he didn't expect this heart would be able to recognize this identity of his.

Could this heart really be an incredible expert on par with Kong shi?

To be able to stand against Kong shi... how powerful must one be?

And not to mention, if the other party had lived in the same era as Kong shi, how could he still be alive now?

The heart harrumphed coldly.

"That fellow Kong shi is one as well. Having fought with him my entire life, how could I possibly not recognize a Celestial Master Teacher?"

Back in that ancient era, he was Kong shi's greatest nemesis, and he had fought with the latter his entire life. Naturally, this had allowed him to grow accustomed to the various abilities and distinctive traits of a Celestial Master Teacher.

"Since you are from... the same generation... as Kong shi... I must be... nothing more than an ant... before you. Why don't you... let me down first... I won't be able to... retaliate against you... anyway..." Zhang Xuan said anxiously.

"Do you think that your tricks will work on me?" the heart sneered.

"Given how powerful... you are... I won't be... able to do... anything, even... if I wanted to!"

Due to the immense pressure crushing down on his throat, Zhang Xuan was finding it harder and harder to speak. "I am about to be... possessed by you soon. Before my death... I wish to know some things... so that I can... rest in peace!"

"Humph, there's no use playing such tricks before me!" the heart replied.

"Why? You don't... believe me? You spoke as if... you were a... formidable figure... and yet you are worried... about someone... as weak as me?" Zhang Xuan replied.

"Audacious! When I was roaming the world, even Kong shi was fearful of me. Even 9-star master teachers would be crushed easily under my hands. Why would I fear someone as weak as you?"

Hearing Zhang Xuan doubt his strength, the heart flew into a rage.

"If that's the case... why don't you... let me go? Anyway... someone like me... can't possibly hurt you..." Zhang Xuan continued.

The heart pondered for a moment, and seemingly agreeing with Zhang Xuan's words, he finally let go of his grasp.

Even though Vicious had been one of the strongest existences in the world in the past, his fight with Kong shi had left him severely injured. Even the many millennia of hibernation were insufficient for him to recover fully. With his current strength, possessing a Celestial Master Teacher would be no easy feat. If he could convince the other party to willingly give up his body, he could be spared a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Feeling the strength restraining him disappearing, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ask whatever you want to, I'll grant your dying wish at the very least!" the heart said.

"Alright..."

Zhang Xuan nodded. Feeling the connection between his mind and his body returning, he suddenly smiled. "I would like to ask if you recognize this object."

After which, a golden book suddenly appeared before him.

"This? What is this?"

The heart was taken aback. While he was still pondering over this bizarre question, that book suddenly crushed down on him.

Following which, a frenzied howling reverberated across the entire underground chamber.

"Shit! What the hell! Who in the world are you?!"

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Chapter 680: Please Trust Me!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan intention was to examine what the heart was, but right after coming into contact with it, his body immediately came under the control of the other party. Left with no choice, he could only try to convince the other party to let go of him.

It was a desperate attempt, but who knew that it would really work?

As soon as he was released, he rushed right into the Library of Heaven's Path to check the book that was just compiled on the heart, and after taking a look, he immediately realized what was going on.

Even though Vicious had described himself to be a powerful figure, he was nothing more than a fragment of his previous self. He had barely awoken from his long hibernation not too long ago, and he was still in a severely weakened state. Even if he could possess Zhang Xuan, he would have to pay a heavy price for it.

However, if Zhang Xuan were to relinquish control over his body, Vicious would be spared a lot of trouble.

In any case, this was the only opportunity Zhang Xuan was going to get to deal with Vicious. He immediately whipped out the Book of Heaven's Path and activated the golden page.

This was the strongest weapon he currently had in his arsenal. Even if Vicious had really come from the same era as Kong shi, it was impossible for him to withstand the wrath of heaven!

As expected, with the materialization of the book, the energy from the heart that was wrapped around Zhang Xuan to prevent him from escaping vanished, and he regained control over his body.

"Who am I? I am your grandfather!" Zhang Xuan roared furiously as the book smashed down on the heart.

However, before the book could crush the heart, the pedestal beneath the heart shattered instead.

Hong long!

With the destruction of the pedestal, the formation sustaining the entire underground chamber began collapsing. Spiritual energy from the stream began diffusing into the surroundings, and the underground chamber started to shake violently.

"This is bad, I forgot that this is the core of the formation..."

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

He was too intent on dealing with Vicious and freeing himself from danger that he forgot that he was standing before the core of the formation sustaining the underground chamber.

This underground chamber was relying on a huge formation to regulate the spiritual energy and reinforce the structures here, and the center of the formation just happened to be the location where the heart was placed—the pedestal.

With the collapse of the pedestal, the reinforcement from the formation to prevent the underground chamber from collapsing vanished, and the ceiling began caving in on them.

From his current location, it would take at least two to three minutes for him to escape from the underground chamber. Given the rate at which the underground chamber was collapsing at, it was impossible for him to escape. He would be buried alive!

But at this moment, the anxious yelling of the heart crushed under the golden book sounded, "Don't kill me! I can bring you to safety..."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan stared at the heart hesitantly for a moment before replying, "Fine, I'll trust you this once!"

Vicious was by no means a trustworthy person, but the dire situation Zhang Xuan was in didn't grant him the luxury of choice. The underground chamber was going to collapse on him at any moment now, and it was already too late for him to escape. His only hope lay with Vicious.

Given the millenniums that the other party had lived for, he might be aware of certain secrets hidden in the underground chamber. Perhaps, the other party might just know of something that could save him.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan was about to withdraw the book when a thought suddenly struck him.

'I might be unable to kill him now, but I wonder if it's possible for me to seal him with the golden page...'

Once Zhang Xuan withdraws the golden page, it would vanish. Without this weapon to keep Vicious in check, there was no saying that the latter might just renege on his promise.

Since the golden page could assimilate the content of the books in the Library of Heaven's Path for his own, raise his Soul Depth, and slay enemies, then perhaps... it might be able to turn into something that could seal this heart too?

If he could seal Vicious into the golden page somehow, he would not need to worry about the other party's retaliation.

Hu la!

As soon as the thought emerged in his mind, the book suddenly opened up, and a brilliant pillar of light rose from the book.

Wham!

In an instant, the book clamped down on the heart, and the pillar of light vanished as well. It floated in the air for a few seconds before abruptly falling to the ground.

"Hmm?"

Rushing forward to grab the book, Zhang Xuan opened it up and saw a heart beating ceaselessly inside. Realizing that it was trapped within the book, it struggled with all its might, but it wasn't able to escape from the confine of the page.

It was a mystical sight to see a beating heart within a book.

"Let me go!" the heart roared savagely.

Delighted to see that the Book of Heaven's Path possessed the ability to seal as well, Zhang Xuan chuckled and said, "Bring me to a safe location first!"

"I am Vicious, a person whom even Kong shi fears. How dare an impertinent ant like you treat me like that..."

The heart bellowed ferociously, but before he could finish his words, he was suddenly flicked by a finger.

Peng!

As if struck by a bolt of lightning, the heart was sent tumbling into the depths of the page.

"Your name is Vicious, isn't it? Why don't you give me a bright smile? Let me see how vicious you can get!" Zhang Xuan smirked.

"..." The heart twitched violently, as tears of blood threatened to flow from its atriums.

To think that a day would come which he would find himself in such a position... Back then, he was the infamous Vicious who domineered the world. Even though he was still in a weakened state, having yet to recover his strength after his demise back then, the strength that he wielded was still more than sufficient for him to toy with Saint realm experts easily...

And yet, here he was, sealed by a twenty-year-old brat in a book, flicked around as if he was a mere toy...

To hell with this!

Where did my dignity as the Immortal's Envoy go?

Even though he had no idea what kind of artifact he was trapped in, the imposing authority of heaven harnessed by the artifact induced a deep and instinctive fear within him, rendering him helpless before it.

Honestly speaking, in face of such overwhelming power, he knew that it was a blessing that he was still alive at this point.

"Why? You aren't going to smile?"

Just as he was bubbling with rage, he saw the other party bending his forefinger, ready to send another flick at him...

The heart immediately cowered in fear.

"I'll smile, I'll smile..."

The heart formed a human face and smiled.

What choice did he have but to submit? He was already sealed in this book, and his fate was firmly held in the other party's hands. He might have been a formidable figure in the past, but that was all history. It couldn't possibly help him now.

As bright as the smile on his face was, his heart was bleeding profusely.

Back then, I stood toe-to-toe with Kong shi and crushed many 9-star master teachers.

And yet, here I am, forced to smile under the commands of a mere brat...'

"This is more like it. Now, lead me to somewhere safe!"

Having affirmed that the other party was under his control, Zhang Xuan heaved a long sigh of relief. However, this wasn't the time for him to rest yet. At this point, the ground was shaking more vehemently than ever, and the ceiling was still moments from caving in on them.

"Yes!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan withdraw his finger, the heart heaved a sigh of relief before turning to the Otherworldly Demons and yelled, "Hurry up and lead the way!"

Roar!

Upon receiving those orders, the Otherworldly Demon puppets standing by the edge of the stream immediately rushed forward.

Grabbing the book with Vicious in it in his hand, Zhang Xuan followed closely behind those puppets. At the same time, he also established communication with his clone and urged him over.

Not too long after, his clone came rushing over, and Zhang Xuan hid him in his storage ring.

Forged using the Nine Hearts Lotus, his clone could be said to be nearing the point of being indestructible. Even the combined might of two Saint realm puppets couldn't threaten its existence.

Just that, due to the severe injuries it had incurred, it would require a long rest to recuperate from its wounds.

With the heart held hostage in Zhang Xuan's hands, those puppets didn't dare to show the slightest disrespect to Zhang Xuan. In fact, two of the puppets even stepped forward to carry Zhang Xuan.

When Saint realm puppets sprinted as fast as they could, the speed was truly nothing to scoff at. In less than two breaths, they were already standing in a vast room.

At this point, the underground chamber finally gave into the massive pressure and caved in.

With its collapse, the room was abruptly plunged into darkness.

Thus, Zhang Xuan whipped out a Night Illumination Pearl to light up the surroundings.

Following which, he opened the book, and the heart immediately began explaining, "This is a sanctuary we built to escape from the humans were they to enter this underground chamber. It is specially reinforced such that it will remain standing even if the underground chamber collapses... Just that, there's no exit from here..."

Back then, after the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe lost the war, their army was expelled from the Master Teacher Continent while the remnants were hunted down. As one of the top leaders of the Otherworldly Demons, Vicious had prepared a sanctuary in advance for such a situation.

Even if humans were to find his hiding location, he would be able to kill them all by collapsing the underground chamber while he hid in this sanctuary.

However, to prevent anyone from finding this underground chamber, there was only one entrance and exit. While they were still safe for now, it was hard to say whether they would be able to get out of here or not.

"There's no exit?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

If there was no exit here, wouldn't it be a matter of time before he suffocated to death?

"That's right..." the heart replied.

"Is that the case... Since I can't get out, I might as well absorb you to raise my cultivation!"

Zhang Xuan raised his palm and pressed it down against the page.

The Book of Heaven's Path had sealed Vicious' abilities, thus rendering him completely helpless before Zhang Xuan.

"Wait a moment, wait a moment..."

The heart was on the verge of tears.

Back then, there was no one who didn't fear him, not even the most ferocious demon in hell nor Kong shi. And yet, this fellow actually threatened to beat him up and absorb him. The sudden reversal in his position left him so frustrated that he found himself losing his mind.

But throwing a tantrum would be useless now. Judging from the other party's attitude, he might really just end up being absorbed by the other party!

What the hell was this...

It wasn't easy for him to wake up from his hibernation, and he thought that he could finally slowly recover his strength and rule the world. And yet, before he could even leave the underground chamber, he just had to meet with this kind of pervert possessing such a monstrous artifact...

Even the 'Great Codex of Spring and Autumn' that Kong shi went to great lengths to craft, which was said to harness the ability to reverse yin-yang and alter the flow of time, didn't seem to be this powerful!

Just who was this fellow? Where in the world did he pop up from?

"There's indeed no exit, but it's possible to dig a way out. However, it might take a few days!"

The heart quickly placated Zhang Xuan's worries for fear of being absorbed.

"Dig a way out? True. You should hurry up and get those puppets of yours to work then!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

Considering how they were able to excavate such a huge underground chamber in the first place, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they would be able to dig a passageway out either.

And since there were so many puppets here, there was no need for Zhang Xuan to work personally, either.

"Alright," the heart replied.

He used an unknown means to communicate with the puppets, and they started to dig upward.

These puppets were commanded might equivalent to a Saint realm expert, so digging a tunnel for a human to pass through wasn't too difficult. However, the tricky part was that the underground chamber had just collapsed, so the surrounding ground was a little unstable at the moment. If they weren't careful, the sanctuary could collapse as well.

While the puppets were busy digging a path out, Zhang Xuan waited patiently below.

He turned his attention to the book once more.

"Alright, I have some questions I would like to ask you. Answer me honestly."

"Yes..." the heart replied.

"Since you came from the same era as Kong shi and even exchanged blows with him, have you ever heard of his Innate Fetal Poison?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Through the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan could tell that Vicious was telling the truth. He did belong to the same era as Kong shi, so there was a chance that he might know about the Innate Fetal Poison.

"Innate Fetal Poison? I'm not too sure either... Kong shi and I were enemies, and he was already considerably strong in the first time we met..." the heart replied.

In that era, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe dominated the humans and all other races. It was during that period of time that Kong shi suddenly rose to power. Even from a very young age, he wielded exceptional strength surpassing that of most Otherworldly Demons. Under his leadership, the armies of humanity were rallied in a campaign against the Otherworldly Demons, and eventually, humanity emerged victorious in that war.

"Are you certain that you don't know anything about that? Are you lying to me?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

"I dare not..." the heart hurriedly explained, but before he could finish his words, he was flicked by the other party's finger once more.

"AHH!"

Peng peng peng peng!

As if struck by a bolt of lightning, he was sent spinning in the Book of Heaven's Path, and his body convulsed violently from the impact. White foam began leaking out from the heart.

"This is nothing. If I ever find out that you are hiding something from me, I'll kill you!" Zhang Xuan said.

"Yes..."

Red tears streamed down the heart as it trembled in agitation.

'I really am Vicious, the Vicious who dominated the ancient era, the Vicious whom even Kong shi feared...

'Please trust me!'

Chapter 681: Qin Zhong

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After asking a few more questions, Zhang Xuan finally closed the book.

The fellow was indeed unaware of the matters surrounding Kong shi's Innate Fetal Poison, so it was impossible for Zhang Xuan to get anything out of him.

Being poisoned was a sign of weakness. One would hide it even from one's allies, not to mention one's enemies.

This was similar to how Zhang Xuan had never told anyone that he was poisoned. Most likely, Kong shi back then was the same as well.

But in any case, through the questioning session, Zhang Xuan did manage to understand the true reason for that fellow being reduced to a mere heart, and the real purpose behind this underground chamber.

The previous host of the heart did wield destructive power, and he did dominate the world at one time. Countless humans had died by his hand.

Kong shi had fought him several times, but the other party always managed to successfully get away. It was only at the very last battle that after several days of combat, Kong shi finally managed to tear apart his flesh and bones and dissipate his soul.

He had indeed died, but as one of the strongest experts of that era, one of the leaders of the Otherworldly Demon, how could he possibly have no aces up his sleeves? Before fighting with Kong shi, he had already left behind a drop of blood in this underground chamber in case anything happened.

And to protect that drop of blood, he dispatched an entire army of Otherworldly Demons to guard it.

After the passing of many millenniums, the drop of blood finally developed and metamorphosed into a heart. Slowly, he roused from his sleep, regaining consciousness.

He'd thought that he would very soon be able to rule the world, but before he could even get out from his hiding spot, he just had to meet with Zhang Xuan and end up being sealed in that book, becoming an existence that was little more than a picture.

As for those puppets, even though they had lost sentience, they were still his descendants. Their Otherworldly Demon instincts allowed him to easily control them and have them work for his resurrection.

At this point, a thought suddenly emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind.

Wu Yangzi thought that he had succeeded in his ploy by turning these Otherworldly Demons into puppets... but could it be possible that the Otherworldly Demons had already noticed what he was up to, but still chose to go along with it anyway?

There were only twenty Otherworldly Demon puppets here, and they were all male. Clearly, it was impossible for them to reproduce anymore. Could they have intentionally allowed Wu Yangzi to turn them into puppets so that they could guard 'Vicious'?

If so, they would be able to retain their cultivation while further tempering their defenses. More importantly, they would be able to continue carrying out Vicious' order and protect him. Perhaps, they might even be revived once Vicious regained his strength...

After all, as a race who had once dominated the entire Master Teacher Continent, how could none of them have noticed something at all?

But, of course, this was just a theory on Zhang Xuan's part, and it was impossible to verify his conjecture anymore.

Wu Yangzi died before the heart regained consciousness, and the Otherworldly Demons involved in the incident back then were either dead or turned into puppets.

From his answers, Zhang Xuan realized that even though Vicious had regained consciousness, his memory hadn't completely returned yet. Many of his memories were fragmented, making it impossible for him to go into detail regarding certain matters.

This was especially so for cultivation techniques. After having sealed Vicious in the book, this was one of the first few thoughts that came to mind. However, it was a pity, but the other party only knew cultivation techniques that were exclusive to Otherworldly Demons.

This made Zhang Xuan extremely frustrated.

He thought that he would be able to obtain quite a few cultivation techniques after capturing an ancient monster and level up swiftly. Who knew that the other party would turn out to be so useless?

Zhang Xuan had to punch the other party a few more times before he was able to quell his frustration.

After asking all of the relevant questions, Zhang Xuan noted that it would still take some time before the puppets would finish digging a passageway. Thus, he sat down on the floor and began to cultivate.

Even though he had only cultivated the First Incandescence of the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, the might of his physical body had increased from 2,000,000 ding to 4,000,000 ding!

Adding in the 4,000,000 ding from his zhenqi and 3,200,000 ding from his soul cultivation, his overall strength added up to 11,200,000 ding. That was comparable to a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm pinnacle expert!

(Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage 8,000,000 ding, intermediate stage 9,000,000 ding, advanced stage 10,000,000 ding, and pinnacle 11,000,000 ding.)

Despite being only at Transcendent Mortal 5-dan Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, Zhang Xuan actually wielded strength two realms beyond him. Even the most talented geniuses of the Master Teacher Academy were incapable of such a feat.

As the remaining Four Incandescence were flawed and required some kind of artifact to cultivate, Zhang Xuan could only put the thought of cultivating his physical body away from the moment. He continued to refine his zhenqi and accumulate more zhenqi in his dantian.

...

"It has been five days!"

Looking at the huge depression below her, Luo Qiqi shook her head with irrepressible gloom.

Five days had passed, and she had yet to sleep at all. She had been waiting here intently, hoping that Zhang shi would produce another miracle and emerge from the ground, but... it seemed like miracles wouldn't be miracles if they happened as and when one willed it.

"Even a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan wouldn't be able to survive so long being buried underground."

Yu Fei-er also looked a little dazed.

When the other party was right by her side, she dearly wanted to charge forward to bite off the other party's flesh. And yet, at this moment, the very thought of the other party being dead felt like a sharp knife pressed against her heart.

Even though the body of a Transcendent Mortal was far stronger than ordinary humans, buried several hundred meters underground, crushed by rocks and suffocated, three to four hours was likely the limit. To remain alive after several days... was completely impossible!

In other words... Zhang shi was really dead this time!

There was no doubt about it.

Gritting her teeth, Yu Fei-er stood up slowly and said quietly, "I'll go to the Beast Hall to borrow an aerial spirit beast and return to Hongyuan City as soon as possible. I'll report this matter to my father and have him send some men over! Even though Xing Yuan and the others might be able to mobilize the experts of the academy, I fear that they won't put their all in to finding Zhang shi."

It wasn't a solution for them to continue waiting here. The only course of action they could take now was to find a Saint realm expert to help them dig up the underground chamber. Regardless of whether Zhang shi was dead or alive, they were determined to find him.

The experts from the academy might come for the Otherworldly Demons and Wu Yangzi, but it would be nigh impossible to convince them to help look around for Zhang Xuan.

While Zhang Xuan was a member of the academy in name, he hadn't passed the entrance examination nor reported to the academy yet. Thus, there was no reason for a busy Saint realm expert to waste his time finding a nobody.

Not to mention, the other party was very likely dead already.

"Alright."

Luo Qiqi nodded slowly.

After waiting for five days, she also understood that it was unlikely for Zhang shi to emerge alive anymore. As his student, the least she could do was unearth his body and bury him properly so that he could rest in peace.

Yu Fei-er did a rough calculation before saying, "The Huanyu Empire Beast Hall is located not too far away from here. As long as we sprint with all our might, we should be able to reach it in around half a day..."

"Half a day? There's no need for it. We are standing at a point where those traveling between the Beast Hall and Huanyu Capital have to pass through. We can try to hitch a ride here," Luo Qiqi said as she glanced at the sky.

Even though they weren't too far away from the Beast Hall, they had to traverse across treacherous terrain, and it was highly likely they would meet spirit beasts lurking in the area as well. If they were to accidentally catch the attention of the spirit beasts while passing through the area, the half a day journey could easily drag on for three days.

Since that was the case, it would be wiser for them to pay a passer-by and hitch a convenient ride to the Beast Hall.

Since they were standing at a point between the Beast Hall and Huanyu Capital, there were often many aerial spirit beasts flying through the area. Perhaps very soon, they might be able to find one to ride. If so, they would be able to reach their destination within half an hour, thus sparing them a lot of trouble.

"Un." Yu Fei-er nodded. Very coincidentally, the sound of something whizzing through the sky and the flapping of wings suddenly echoed in the sky. Raising her gaze, she saw a massive Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast flying toward them.

"Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast? This is a Consonant Spirit realm spirit beast that possesses the Dragon Bloodline. It is one of the better spirit beasts even when comparing the entire Beast Hall. Let's take this then..."

After taking a closer look at the appearance of the spirit beast, Luo Qiqi immediately gathered her zhenqi in a dantian before shouting.

"I am Master Teacher Luo Qiqi. My friend and I wish to hitch a ride on your spirit beast!"

The identity of a master teacher was prestigious, and it was more likely that the other party would be willing to help after she reported it.

As expected, after hearing her words, the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast circled the sky for a moment before descending to the ground, right before the duo.

Instead of a usual lodging room on the back of the spirit beast, there was only a shabby rope. As soon as the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast landed on the ground, a young man immediately leaped off its back.

The young man looked to be in his thirties, and he was dressed extravagantly. His eyes had a sharpness within them that felt a little uncomfortable to look at. Just like Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er, he was a Cosmos Bridge realm expert as well!

"Beast Hall's Qin Zhong pays respect to Luo shi!"

Not expecting that the ones who wished to hitch a ride would be such beautiful ladies, Qin Zhong's eyes immediately lit up in agitation.

Despite his identity, he had never met ladies as beautiful as this.

"The both of us wish to hitch a ride on your spirit beast to visit the Beast Hall. May I know if you're willing to do us this favor?" Luo Qiqi asked.

"It's my pleasure to take the both of you with me!" Qin Zhong said excitedly. "Just that... there is no lodging room on my spirit beast, so this ride might be a little uncomfortable for you two..."

"That isn't a problem." Luo Qiqi shook her head.

Their current aim was to reach return to Hongyuan Empire as soon as possible so as to rally help to find Zhang Xuan. Comfort was the least of their worries now.

"May I know what an acceptable price for you is?" Yu Fei-er asked.

It was customary for one to pay after hitching a ride. Usually, the price would be agreed on by both sides beforehand so as to avoid complications after the ride.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. It's my pleasure to have such beautiful ladies onboard my spirit beast, how can I accept your money?"

Qin Zhong placed his hands behind his back and put on his most dashing face in hopes of attracting the other party's attention. However, the other party didn't seem to have noticed it at all.

"We'll feel more at ease if you accept our payment."

Seeing the flirtatious looks from the other party, Luo Qiqi could tell that he had other thoughts in mind, and she frowned in displeasure.

If not for the urgent situation at hand, she would never have bothered herself with such an arrogant fellow.

"This..."

Upon Luo Qiqi's insistence, Qin Zhong hesitated for a moment before replying, "How about this? You two seem to have spent quite some time in the mountains already. If you two accompany me for a meal at the Beast Hall, that'll suffice as the payment!"

"Accompany you for a meal?"

How could Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er possibly not know what the other party was thinking about? It was already as clear as day! Their faces immediately darkened.

How dare this fellow from the Huanyu Empire Beast Hall attempt to philander with two 5-star master teachers? How brazen!

"That's right. Don't worry, I don't have any other thoughts in mind. Besides, considering how the both of you are in such a hurry to the Beast Hall, you must be trying to find a formidable aerial spirit beast to ride on. As a 4-star beast tamer and the son of the incumbent hall master, I'm sure I will be able to help the both of you!"

Qin Zhong smiled proudly.

As long as he made his identity as the young master of the Beast Hall known, most people would immediately show some respect to him. Even if the young ladies were master teachers, judging from their age, they couldn't possibly be ranked above 3-star. After learning his identity, he was confident that the duo would surely think differently of him.

And before long, there would be two ladies in his embrace.

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Chapter 682: Zhang Xuan Appears

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Pick another condition!"

Seeing that the other party was actually interested in them, Luo Qiqi frowned and waved her hands in disapproval.

If not for the other party being the young master of the Beast Hall, she would surely have slapped that thought out of him by now.

They were both 5-star master teachers, not to mention Yu Fei-er was the princess of Hongyuan Empire, so how dare a mere 4-star beast tamer try to take advantage of them?

But regardless, the two of them didn't know much about beast taming, and the other party seemed to be the vindictive type who would get back at them if they were to offend him. Thus, Luo Qiqi chose to hold herself back.

"Pick another condition?"

Not expecting the two ladies to reject even a meal, Qin Zhong frowned.

He took pride in his looks and identity, and very few had ever rejected his invitation before. They were the ones who had requested something of him, and yet, not only did they reject his invitation, they even had such displeased looks on their faces. What did they mean by this?

They were thinking too highly of themselves!

Qin Zhong harrumphed coldly.

"It's just a casual meal, surely there's no need for you to turn me down like this, right? If you were to continue acting so coldly and distant, I fear that it'll be difficult for you to get a good aerial spirit beast when you arrive at the Beast Hall..."

Luo Qiqi narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by that? Are you trying to threaten us? Do you know the consequences of threatening a master teacher?"

"Threaten? How could I possibly dare to threaten a master teacher! I'm just giving you a word of advice out of goodwill on my part. Besides, you are the ones who asked to hitch a ride. Is this the kind of attitude one should put on when asking for a favor?"

Qin Zhong chuckled playfully as he gazed at the duo. "I have already stated my price, it's your choice to accept it or not. In any case, I am in no hurry. As long as I am here, I doubt anyone in the entire Beast Hall will be willing to offer you a ride!"

Seeing the other party acting so despicably, how could a person with an explosive temper like Yu Fei-er possibly hold herself back? Sneering coldly, she stepped forward so as to teach that shameless man a lesson and pummel into him the fact that there were some people in the world he should never offend. But at that moment, the sound of dirt being overturned sounded from the huge depression below.

Gugugugugu!

Dirt was hurled continuously into the air, as if a gigantic bubble was trying to break out from the earth.

"Could it be..."

Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi's bodies immediately stiffened. At this moment, they couldn't be bothered with that arrogant fellow anymore. Their eyes stared intently at the depression, willing for the person they were hoping for to appear.

Could he really be alive?

Was he going to create another miracle as he always did and climb out from the ground alive?

The duo's eyes turned crimson at that thought. They had spent five entire days here, and in this duration, the spark of hope they once held onto slowly withered into despair... And right when they were about to let go of the final sliver of hope, such an incident occurred.

Gulong!

Just as their hearts were hanging with anxiety, the dirt on the surface of the ground finally broke open, and a massive head emerged.

"Puppet!"

The bodies of the two ladies became tense, and their faces immediately flushed ghastly pale.

They'd thought that it would be Zhang shi, but who knew that it would be this puppet instead!

Hu!

The puppet climbed out from the hole and stood up. Then, it scanned the surroundings warily, as though waiting for someone.

Seeing that there wasn't the slightest injury on this puppet, Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er felt as if a knife had torn through their hearts.

Zhang shi had sacrificed his own life so that the puppets would remain buried for all eternity to come, but it seemed like his sacrifice had ended in futility.

On the other hand, Qin Zhong, who was waiting for the two beauties before him to submit, saw that the duo had ignored him and turned their attention to the depression instead. Frowning, he turned his gaze over as well, and his eyebrows shot up.

What the heck was that fellow? Why would he suddenly appear from the ground?

Even though Qin Zhong was a 4-star beast tamer, the matter regarding the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was one of the greatest secrets of the continent, so he didn't know too much about them. Not to mention, the Otherworldly Demon puppets did resemble humans in some respects, albeit being slightly larger.

A normal Otherworldly Demon was only two meters tall. The only reason the Otherworldly Demon which Zhang Xuan met in Myriad Kingdom City reached three meters and was less 'humanly' was because it was a hybrid between the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and a spirit beast.

Even though it was rare to meet someone two meters tall, it wasn't something to make a fuss over.

'Isn't he just a little taller than average? He looks rather weak. Do these two ladies prefer this type of man?'

Seeing how the two beautiful ladies before him had ignored him and were getting 'excited' before that tall man, Qin Zhong's face reddened, and a glint flashed across his eyes.

'That fellow is just a little taller than average! Let me show you that height is nothing at all!'

With such thoughts in mind, Qin Zhong stepped forward, and with a proud gaze, he said, "I am Qin Zhong, a 4-star beast tamer from the Beast Hall. My friend over there, may I know how to address you? Is it convenient for you to come up to have a chat?"

"Hmm?"

Just as Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er were overwhelmed by grief and shock, they suddenly heard those words and froze.

Was there something wrong with this fellow's head?

Chat with an Otherworldly Demon? How could Qin Zhong be sure that he knew how to speak human language?

Seeing the dumbfounded expression on the duo, Qin Zhong thought that he was on the right track, and his eyes lit up. Turning his gaze back to the tall fellow below, he realized that the latter wasn't even looking at him. Furious, he howled, "What? Are you looking down on me? Fine, I'm interested to see what you are capable of anyway!"

After saying this, the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast roared and flew into the sky.

Qin Zhong leaped onto the back of his tamed beast, and the duo swooped downward to the tall fellow below.

'You chose that tall fellow over me? Fine, I'll beat him up right now and let you know how bad your eyes are!'

Halfway through the arc, Qin Zhong leaped off from the spirit beast. His robe fluttered along with the tug of the wind as he charged toward that tall fellow.

He had used his strongest movement technique in this leap. At this moment, he looked like he was gliding through the air, creating a dashing scene. Through this movement technique, he had incited the excited screams of innumerable beautiful ladies.

Halfway through his movement, he raised his gaze to peek at the two beautiful ladies, hoping to see eyes gleaming with excitement and admiration. But who knew that those two ladies would actually shake their heads in pity and close their eyes?

'Closing your eyes?

'Is my performance insufficient to awe you?'

Just as Qin Zhong was perplexed by the bizarre situation, he had already arrived before the puppet. Before he could do anything, he suddenly saw a huge fist rapidly expanding before his eyes.

Peng!

A powerful force struck his body, and he suddenly felt a stifling sensation in his chest. Blood spurted profusely from his mouth, and his figure rapidly retreated through the air.

'Strength that exceeds Transcendent Mortal 8-dan...'

Qin Zhong's vision turned dark, and he nearly went insane.

The strength of the Otherworldly Demon puppets was derived from their physical bodies, making it nearly impossible for Qin Zhong to accurately gauge the other party's true strength and capability. Nevertheless, taking pride in his ability, he'd thought that it would be a piece of cake for him to take down the other party.

Never had he expected for the other party to be so powerful. It felt like he was standing against the raging storms of a boundless ocean. Even his father, the hall master of the Beast Hall, a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle expert, didn't wield such prowess!

But if that was the case, wouldn't that mean that the other party's strength had already exceeded Transcendent Mortal 8-dan?

How could that be?

He had met all of the Transcendent Mortal 8-dan experts of Huanyu Empire, but he didn't recall one of them being of such tall stature...

Only after spurting several large mouthfuls of blood did he finally feel the stifling sensation in his chest alleviate slightly. His back crashed heavily against the edge of the depression, and the bones throughout his entire body rattled.

Just a single fist and he was already severely injured. If not for the several life preservation artifacts that he had activated in the midst of his trajectory, he just might have died from that single fist.

But even so, the injuries he had sustained would take at least a month or two to heal.

Struggling to open his eyes, Qin Zhong was just about to summon his Winged Dragon Beast to take him away when he saw yet another tall fellow climbing out from the hole, and the both of them stood respectfully beside the hole.

'Are they... trying to welcome someone?'

Seeing the attitude of the two tall fellows, Qin Zhong was taken aback.

However, the bizarreness didn't stop here. After which, more tall fellows emerged from the hole, and they stood on the both sides of the hole. With their heads lowered, it seemed like they were waiting patiently for the arrival of some important person.

Finally, after the appearance of the eighteenth tall man, a sedan chair slowly emerged from the hole.

Seated on top of the sedan chair was a young man, and upon seeing the sunlight outside, he stretched his back lazily. It seemed like he had been deprived of sunlight for many days and was delighted to see it once more.

To be carried by four Transcendent Mortal 8-dan experts while another eighteen stood at attention to welcome him... Who in the world was this fellow?

And why did he appear from the ground?

Qin Zhong widened his eyes in bewilderment. For an instant, he forgot about the overwhelming pain he was suffering.

At that moment, an excited call suddenly came from above, and two figures immediately leaped into the depression.

"Zhang shi..."

Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er had thought that they would never meet this young man ever again. Who could have thought that he would actually appear before them in such a fashion?

Unable to hold back their agitation, they rushed forward without any hesitation.

The depression was around forty meters deep, but this height was nothing to a Cosmos Bridge realm expert.

"Little Qi and Princess Fei-er, what are you two doing here?"

Naturally, the man seated on the sedan was Zhang Xuan.

After five days of effort, the puppets had finally unearthed a passageway for him to leave the underground chamber.

In any case, since their leader was in his hands, these fellows had no choice but to obey his words. Thus, he had them prepare a sedan chair to carry him up.

Zhang Xuan thought that after so many days, the two ladies would have already left. As such, he was surprised to see them here.

"You are fine..."

After confirming that the other party was indeed Zhang shi, Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er were finally able to release the huge burden that had been weighing down on their hearts over the past few days. But after recovering from their agitation, many doubts started to emerge in their minds.

Wasn't he chased by the puppets when they left?

Why would the puppets be carrying him out now?

More importantly, with the collapse of the underground chamber, the supply of oxygen inside was cut off entirely. How did he manage to survive for so long?

"I'm fine. It's a long story."

Zhang Xuan waved his hands. "I thought that I would surely die back then, but I happened to activate an artifact that my teacher left for me then. Through the effects of the artifact, not only did I survive the collapse, these puppets were also put under my control. Honestly speaking, I was truly lucky to have survived this!"

There was no way he could talk about the heart. Otherwise, he would have to explain how he managed to seal the heart in his Book of Heaven's Path too.

Thus, he chose to push everything onto that imaginary teacher of his.

In any case, the duo had seen his teacher's astounding performance back at the Cleansing Lake too, so it wouldn't be too difficult for them to believe this either.

"Yang shi?"

Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er glanced at one another before heaving a sigh of relief simultaneously.

The image of Yang shi descending for the sky and resolving the huge catastrophe with the single throw of a shoe was still inscribed deeply in their minds. Not even Mo shi would have been capable of doing the same. It wasn't entirely inconceivable for that legendary figure to tame all of the puppets given his means.

"It's enough that you are fine..."

Since a high ranked master teacher was involved in this matter, they knew that it wouldn't be appropriate for them to pry into this matter. Thus, they decided to put this topic away.

"Un."

Seeing the duo putting aside the matter, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. At that moment, he suddenly noticed Qin Zhong, whose face was swollen red from the punch earlier, and he frowned in confusion.

"Who is this fellow?"

Chapter 683: Can You Fly?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"He is..."

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Qiqi began recounting the matters earlier.

"You wish to get an aerial spirit beast to travel back to Hongyuan Empire?"

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. "Indeed, five days have passed. I really should hurry to Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!"

After leaving the Cleansing Lake, Zhang Xuan had spent three days in a coma, one day in the underground chamber, and five days digging a path out of it. All in all, it had been nine days since then.

If he didn't hurry now, he might miss the entrance examination to the academy.

While he didn't think that it was truly necessary for him to enroll at the Master Teacher Academy, considering the history behind it, the latter must have a huge collection of books. If he could gain access to them, he could potentially raise his cultivation quickly.

Luo Qiqi nodded. "Since teacher is fine, let's return together."

The reason why they wanted to rush back earlier was to save Zhang shi. But while the latter was fine now, it was indeed about time for them to return too.

"Alright!"

Getting up from the sedan chair, Zhang Xuan had the puppets march back down the hole before burying it entirely.

On the surface, it seemed like Zhang Xuan was ordering them to return to the underground chamber, but in truth, Zhang Xuan's soul was waiting below to place them into his storage ring.

As these fellows were lifeless puppets, he could carry them along with him in his storage ring.

Since he could control these fellows through the heart, it would be waste for him not to keep them around.

With this huge army of Saint realm puppets, he could easily destroy even a real Saint realm cultivator.

With this, his safety in Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy would be assured, and he wouldn't have to keep relying on 'Yang shi' either.

But of course, any matter regarding Otherworldly Demons was of grave importance, and it was best to keep Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er in the dark regarding this matter as well. Not to mention, there was an outsider lying not too far away.

This was the reason why he decided to go through so much trouble to keep his action of storing them in his storage ring a secret. This way, he could avoid unnecessary trouble in the future.

As for whether the experts of the academy would be able to find the puppets after they arrived, that was none of his business.

After all, the puppets were capable of moving. The experts couldn't possibly expect for the puppets to wait patiently at the same spot.

Having made up his mind to leave, Zhang Xuan immediately turned to the battered Qin Zhong and said, "Your name is Qin Zhong, right? We wish to hitch a ride on your spirit beast, so I ask of your cooperation."

"Alright."

Struggling to his feet, Qin Zhong looked at Zhang Xuan as a hint of envy and rage flashed across his eyes.

The reason why he was beaten up like that was due to this fellow.

He had no idea who those tall fellows were, but considering the respect they had shown to this young man, it was likely that he was the mastermind behind his current pathetic plight!

'Humph, I may be no match for you here, but let's see how well you'll fare when we are in the air!'

Qin Zhong swallowed his pill and drove his cultivation. A moment later, he felt that his injuries had alleviated slightly.

Looking at the trio before him now, even though they hadn't utilized their zhenqi, so he was unable to determine their exact cultivation, considering their age, it was impossible for them to have reached Sainthood.

And as long as one hadn't reached Sainthood, one would be incapable of flight!

"There is no lodging room on top of my spirit beast, and the wind has been strong lately!"

Qin Zhong stood up and leaped onto the back of his tamed beast while he 'kindheartedly' warned them to be careful. On the inside, he was snickering gleefully.

"That's no problem!" Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

Hu!

The Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast flapped its wings and rose up into the air.

Even though there was no lodging room on top of the aerial spirit beast, its back was rather spacious. It wasn't cramped even with all four of them standing on top.

The spirit beast flew higher and higher, and soon, they were soaring through the clouds. Due to the incredible speed of their flight, a cold gale pressed tightly against their skin.

The group had to gather their zhenqi to form a protective layer to ward off the strong wind.

Seeing the look of nonchalance on the young man, Yu Fei-er couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Zhang Xuan, that fellow obviously harbors malicious intentions. Why did you still ask to hitch a ride?"

Even she could tell that the beast tamer was up to no good! If it was her, she would have ignored the other party and left immediately!

Besides, they had nothing urgent on at the moment. At the very most, they could just walk to the Beast Hall. There was no need for them to take this risk in the first place. After all, they would be helpless if the other party were to try something in midair.

'Aren't you normally extremely intelligent?

'So, why did you make such an elementary mistake?'

Luo Qiqi chuckled.

"Fei-er, just watch on. Teacher knows what he is doing!"

Yu Fei-er was unaware of it, but Luo Qiqi had once witnessed Zhang Xuan flying in the sky. Since Zhang Xuan chose to hitch a ride, he must have a plan in mind.

Zhang shi getting done in by someone else? You must be kidding! In the times accompanying him, Luo Qiqi had only seen him doing others in. Not once had she witnessed him being done in before!

"Damn it!"

Seeing the two cold-faced ladies who were unwilling to even spout a single word to him getting friendly with that average-looking fellow, Qin Zhong's face twisted in anger.

As the young master of the Beast Hall, he grew up with a golden spoon in his mouth. Not to mention, he was also blessed with good looks and considerable talent, so he had always been admired and respected by others. When had he ever allowed another to hitch a ride even after he was pummeled?

This was a huge humiliation!

"Little Brother, were those tall fellows from before your subordinates?"

But even so, Qin Zhong knew that making a move without knowing the background of his enemy was nothing short of recklessness.

The tall fellow whom he faced possessed might exceeding that of a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert. While he understood that the wiser decision was to stay out of the other party's way, he was reluctant to simply let this matter go, especially after the humiliation he had suffered. Thus, he decided to first attempt to understand the other party's background before deciding on what he should do.

"No, he's just a friend who was sending me out," Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

"A friend?" Qin Zhong frowned. "Then may I know how to address you, and where do you come from?"

This question was a little more direct.

"I'm not anything much, so I don't think Qin gongzi will have heard of me..." Zhang Xuan replied.

"Not anything much?"

Qin Zhong sneered coldly.

That was true as well. He had met nearly all of the renowned young geniuses of Huanyu Empire, but he had never met the young man before him. Thus, it was unlikely for him to be a formidable figure.

Nevertheless, he should still tread carefully.

"Then... may I know if you have studied the Way of Master Teachers?" he continued asking.

"Yes, I have. It has been around half a year since I started learning the Way of Master Teachers..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head in embarrassment.

He was speaking the truth. Less than a half a year had passed since he first took the master teacher examination in Tianwu Kingdom.

"Half a year? Considering how vast and profound the Way of Master Teachers is, it is indeed difficult for you to learn anything substantial in half a year. Even so, you need not feel bad about yourself!" Considering how the two beautiful ladies were master teachers, he thought that this young man would be a master teacher as well. However, after hearing that the latter had only been in the occupation for half a year, he couldn't help but sneer in derision inside.

Every single occupation of the Nine Paths had a whole heritage of knowledge that one had to devote one's entire life to studying before they could master it. This was especially so for master teachers, as the number one occupation in the world. Half a year... Even at best, he could only be an apprentice now!

Since the other party wasn't a master teacher, there would be no need for Qin Zhong to hold himself back then.

"Judging from how valiant Little Brother looks, could the reason you studied the Way of Master Teachers so late is because you went to study other occupations? What about pill forging? Are you well-versed in it?" Qin Zhong continued asking.

"I have studied it for a few days," Zhang Xuan replied.

"A few days? That's such a pity! Learning pill forging can to temper one's mind, allowing one to focus their concentration and cultivate better. You lost an opportunity to cultivate a good habit..."

Qin Zhong sighed before continuing. "What about... beast taming?"

"I have dabbled in it a bit," Zhang Xuan answered.

"Beast taming can allow one to come into contact with nature. Dabbling in it a bit won't be sufficient for you to learn anything significant. You lost an opportunity to become closer to nature..."

Qin Zhong shook his head. "What about medicine, smithing, and formation?"

Soon, Qin Zhong went through all of the Upper Nine Paths, but it seemed like the other party wasn't well-versed in any of them. Eventually, after confirming that the other party hadn't achieved anything substantial in any occupation, his confidence immediately burst through the roof.

Most formidable experts would choose to take on several occupations and persevere in them. Yet, this fellow only learned each of them for a few days. Considering his lack of patience, it was certain that he wouldn't be able to achieve anything great.

Since that was the case, what did he have to worry about?

Chuckling lightly, Qin Zhong instructed, "Hahaha. Everyone, make sure you have a stable footing. I'm going to speed up now!"

Following which, the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast flapped its powerful wings and surged across the sky.

Huala!

The abrupt increase in speed along with the intense movements of the spirit beast caused Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi immediately lose their balance, and they nearly fell from the back of the spirit beast.

To a beast tamer, dealing with the passengers riding on his aerial spirit beast was a walk in the park.

"You..."

Realizing what the other party was up to, Yu Fei-er's face turned scarlet, and she nearly exploded in rage.

Just as she was about to bellow angrily, she suddenly felt a surge of zhenqi behind her that stabilized her footing.

Turning around, she saw Zhang Xuan's outstretched hand supporting her back.

It seemed like the sudden vigorous movements of the Winged Dragon Beast didn't have much of an effect on this young man.

"Hmm?"

Qin Zhong thought that he could make that wastrel beg for forgiveness through shaking up the ride, but the other party maintained a nonchalant expression, seemingly not afraid at all.

Qin Zhong's face immediately darkened once more.

If he couldn't even make the other party scared, how could he exact his vengeance?

Just as he was about to order the Winged Dragon Beast to perform two 360 degree turns, he suddenly heard the young man asking calmly, "Brother Qin, there is a question I have been wanting to ask you all along. Do you know how to fly?"

"Fly?"

Not expecting the other party to ask such a question, Qin Zhong was taken aback. "Flight is an ability that only Saints are capable of. How can I possibly be able to fly?"

Following which, the apologetic voice of the young man was heard once more.

"I see. I have neglected to tell you this, but I am able to fly."

"You are?"

Qin Zhong had no idea where the other party was going with this. However, at this very moment, a thunder-like boom sounded.

"Moo!"

Hu!

As soon as the sound reverberated in the air, Qin Zhong immediately felt the Winged Dragon Beast beneath him stiffening, and it began to fall to the ground.

"AHHHH..."

Scared out of his wits, Qin Zhong screamed in fear.

The aerial spirit beast beneath him was suddenly paralyzed, and he was incapable of flight. If he were to descend from an altitude of a thousand meters, he would be immediately brought to death's door!

Amidst his screams, he suddenly heard the young man's calm voice speaking by his ear. "I don't know what kind of opportunities I have lost, but I do know that being incapable of flight has cost you your opportunity to live!"

Lifting his gaze, he saw the young man looking at him impassively. The other party was floating in the air with the two ladies from before standing quietly by his side, supported by his zhenqi.

"... Flight?"

Never could he have expected for the young man who had only studied a few days in every single occupation to actually be capable of flight!

What the heck was this? If he knew that the other party was capable of flight, he wouldn't have gone through all of that!

Qin Zhong cried.

Chapter 684: Reunion with Hall Master Han

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You... can fly?"

Seeing as the man and the beast fell through the sky, creating large mushroom-shaped clouds upon impact, Yu Fei-er turned to look at the young man beside her with widened eyes as if she had seen a ghost.

Wasn't flight an ability exclusive to Saints?

As a Consonant Spirit realm cultivator, how was he doing this?

Recalling Luo Qiqi's fearless demeanor previously, Yu Fei-er suddenly realized something and asked, "Qiqi, you knew of this in advance?"

"Back in the underground chamber, Zhang laoshi used this technique to save me once," Luo Qiqi said. With a curious gaze, she turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Speaking of which, teacher, why are you able to fly?"

Actually, she had been wanting to ask this question all along, but there wasn't a suitable opportunity before.

If it were to be known that someone beneath Sainthood was capable of flight, it would surely leave the blood of many running wild in agitation. But at the same time, it could possibly spell trouble for Zhang Xuan.

"It is an artifact that my teacher gave me. Actually, rather than flight, calling it a temporary tool for gliding would be more exact. Furthermore, it has its flaws as well. For one, it has a high zhenqi consumption, so I can't sustain it for too long!"

Since there was no way Zhang Xuan could explain this well either, he decided to dump everything on to 'Yang Xuan', as per usual.

"Artifact? Yang shi is indeed amazing!"

Hearing that it was another one of Yang shi's doing, the duo's eyes immediately lit up in excitement.

Considering how many valuable artifacts Yang shi had given Zhang Xuan, it seemed like he truly valued the latter a lot.

Seeing that he had managed to get the duo off his hook after bringing his 'teacher' into the picture, Zhang Xuan smiled in relief.

"This artifact is rather rare, so I ask you two not to tell others about it so as to avoid unnecessary trouble!"

Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er nodded in response.

"Don't worry!"

It was an unspoken rule for one to not speak of the affairs of a high ranked master teacher unless a compelling situation warranted it.

Besides, they also didn't wish to bring trouble to Zhang shi either.

As the trio spoke, they gradually landed on the ground.

Zhang Xuan exhaled a large mouthful of turbid air.

With his current cultivation, he could easily maintain flight for over an hour. However, holding onto two people with his zhenqi in the midst of his flight was still rather tough on him.

It was fortunate that he only had to bring them down and not proceed forward, or else he might just end up plummeting to the ground just like Qin Zhong.

"Is that fellow... dead?" Luo Qiqi asked.

Not too far away from the trio, there was a huge pit with a man and a spirit beast lying inside. The beast was still able to retain its consciousness, but the man, as he was already inflicted with grievous wounds even before the fall, was unable to endure the impact and fainted immediately.

"No matter what, Qin Zhong is a Cosmos Bridge realm expert. It's just a distance of a thousand meters; he won't die that easily!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Back then, Feng shi and his team also fell from an altitude of a thousand meters but they still survived the fall. Even if this fellow was severely injured by one of the puppets earlier on, considering the defensive artifacts he had in his possession as the young master of the Beast Hall, it was impossible for him to die from this.

At worst, he would only be bed bound for a few months.

After explaining the matter to the others, Zhang Xuan turned to the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast and commanded, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and bring us to the Beast Hall!"

Even though this huge fellow was wounded as well, it was still conscious. Upon meeting Zhang Xuan's gaze, it began to tremble in fear.

Roar!

Hearing those words, it immediately struggled to its feet and stepped forward.

Possessing the Dragon Bloodline, it possessed an innate fear toward those capable of uttering the Dragon Language. Naturally, it could only obey Zhang Xuan's commands obediently.

Hu hu hu!

The trio leaped onto the back of the aerial spirit beast, and leaving the unconscious Qin Zhong behind, they advanced toward the Beast Hall.

This lesson should serve well to teach that arrogant Qin Zhong to remain humble for the rest of his life.

After flying for some time, the group finally arrived at the Beast Hall.

The Huanyu Beast Hall was larger and more majestic than the Beast Halls Zhang Xuan had seen in the past. Countless spirit beasts filled both the sky and the land, creating an extremely boisterous atmosphere that could be felt even from a distance away.

Several hundred meters away from Beast Hall, Zhang Xuan and Luo Qiqi alighted from the back of the spirit beast.

This fellow was the tamed beast of the young master of the Beast Hall. If they were to arrive there on it, it could potentially cause a lot of trouble, and it would be troublesome to explain the matter.

As for why they chose to ride the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast to the Beast Hall instead of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy directly, the answer was simple.

Hongyuan Empire was more than a million kilometers away from Huanyu Empire, and while the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast was at the Consonant Spirit realm, it would take at least one and a half months for it to cover that distance.

It was less than a month until the start of the school term, so Zhang Xuan would be late for the entrance examination if he were to ride on its back.

On the other hand, there should be higher ranked spirit beasts in the Huanyu Empire Beast Hall for them to ride on. Thus, they decided to stop by here first.

Upon stepping into the lounge of the Beast Hall, the trio was immediately stunned by the huge crowd.

The territory of Huanyu Empire stretched across the horizon, and there were countless who visited the Beast Hall every day to travel around on the spirit beasts.

There were around a dozen queues, and every queue had several hundred people lining up. Judging from the sight, some of them might have even been lining up since a month or two ago!

"The number of aerial spirit beasts, savage beasts, and beast tamers in the Beast Hall is limited. As such, it is normal to have to queue for days before getting a ride."

Looking at the huge queue before her, Luo Qiqi smiled bitterly.

Due to the limited number of beast tamers, aerial spirit beasts, and savage beasts, it was impossible to fulfill everyone's demands. As such, the Beast Hall would allocate queue numbers each day, and those whose numbers weren't called would have to wait till the second day, the third day, or even beyond that.

"In the Hongyuan Beast Hall, there are even a few who fail to get a ride after queuing for two months straight. Even though there are fewer people here, I fear that it will still take around ten days or so before we can get a ride."

Yu Fei-er nodded.

The number of experts and esteemed personnel far exceeded the number of spirit beasts and beast tamers available in the Beast Halls. Traveling had always been and was likely to remain a huge problem on the Master Teacher Continent.

"If only Ye Qian were here. He is well-acquainted with the people here, so he may have been able to allow us to bypass the queue," Luo Qiqi said bitterly.

"If he were here, there would be no need for us to come all the way here. The royal family should have some spirit beasts as well, so we could have just asked him to bring some over," replied Yu Fei-er.

While most of the aerial spirit beasts were centered in the Beast Hall, the royal family of most empires and kingdoms would rear a few themselves. Back then, the flying ship that Hong shi and the others left on was powered by the aerial spirit beasts of the empire.

If Ye Qian was here, given his identity as a crown prince, he could easily have brought a few aerial spirit beasts out for them. They wouldn't have had to come all the way here to the Beast Hall just to find a ride.

Given the huge number of people here, it would be difficult for them to find a suitable aerial spirit beast.

"Forget it, borrowing a spirit beast from the empire is an extremely troublesome procedure, and one will also incur a debt to the empire. It will be much better to use the spirit beasts from the Beast Hall instead!" Luo Qiqi said.

Logically speaking, given Yu Fei-er's identity, even if Ye Qian wasn't around, it wouldn't be too difficult for her to borrow a few spirit beasts from Ye Wentian.

But her unique identity complicated the matter. As the princess of Hongyuan Empire and a master teacher, if she were to ask for a favor, she would incur a debt which she would have to repay in the future. Since that was the case, it would be better for them to rent a ride from the Beast Hall instead.

Not to mention, master teachers possessed a privilege on this aspect—they had a priority queue just for them!

On top of that, Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er were 5-star master teachers. They were qualified to find the hall master or the elders of the Beast Hall straight to request for a better spirit beast and beast tamer.

"Let's go!"

Thus, the group proceeded forward. At that moment, Luo Qiqi suddenly thought of something, and she turned to the young man beside her and asked, "Zhang shi, since you are a beast tamer, do you have any acquaintances here?"

"This is my first time here, so how could I possibly have any acquaintances here?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was his first time in Huanyu Capital, so how could he know anyone here?

"That's true..."

Recalling how Zhang shi had arrived later them, it was indeed unlikely for him to have any acquaintances here.

"Alright then."

Nodding, Luo Qiqi surveyed the surroundings to find a member of the Beast Hall whom she could ask to show them to an elder or the hall master when a delighted voice suddenly called out.

"Zhang shi... why are you here?"

Turning around, Zhang Xuan saw an elder walking to him with an excited smile on his face.

"Hall Master Han?"

Upon seeing the elder, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The person was none other than the hall master whom he met at Coax Ridge when he tamed the Demon Cinque Beast back then, Han Chong!

Why was he here?

"Thanks to Zhang shi's help, I managed to triumph over Luo Ming in the competition and gained the opportunity to study at Huanyu Empire...'

Han Chong smiled.

He had once suffered a trauma which resulted in a sharp fall in his fighting prowess. Thus, he turned his attention to the Demon Cinque in the hope of taming it to defeat Luo Ming. However, while he was doing so, he met Zhang Xuan. Not only did Zhang Xuan save him when Demon Cinque Beast went on a rampage, the latter even treated his trauma, allowing him to regain his former strength. Due to that, he gained the opportunity to enter a higher ranked Beast Hall to further his knowledge of beast taming.

It could be said that Zhang Xuan was his benefactor!

If not for Zhang shi, he would already be dead by now!

He'd thought that it would be hard for him to meet this incredible genius again, but who knew that he would actually reunite with him here?

Hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan immediately understood what was going on.

"It is through your own capability that you obtained this opportunity; I only did what I should."

He recalled how much Han Chong valued this opportunity. For it, he spent three entire years trying to tame Demon Cinque Beast.

"Zhang shi is too polite!"

After trading a few pleasantries, Han Chong asked, "Is Zhang shi here to take the 5-star beast tamer examination or..."

"Actually, we are intending to head to Hongyuan Empire, so we would like to rent a fast spirit beast with good stamina."

Zhang Xuan chuckled. "May I ask for Hall Master Han's help with this matter?"

"This isn't a problem at all. I'll show you to the Beast Lodge!"

Hearing that it was just a small matter, Han Chong hurriedly nodded.

Even though he came from the branch in Myriad Kingdom Alliance, as an ex-hall master, his standing was still higher than ordinary beast tamers. It wasn't a problem for him to find a spirit beast for Zhang Xuan.

"I'll be thanking you then, Hall Master Han!"

Zhang Xuan smiled in delight.

Han Chong shook his head.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. Also, there's no need to call me Hall Master Han. I am only an ordinary 4-star beast tamer here, so you can just address me as Beast Tamer Han."

While he was a hall master in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance branch, he was nothing more than an ordinary beast tamer here except for his slightly higher standing.

It would be inappropriate for him to be addressed as 'hall master' here, and it could even be taken as insubordination.

"Alright."

Zhang Xuan nodded. Following behind Han Chong, the group headed for the Beast Lodge.

On the other hand, seeing how Zhang Xuan walked away with a 4-star beast tamer right after claiming that he knew no one in the Beast Hall, Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi glanced at one another, and their eyelids twitched frenziedly.

'You call this knowing no one here?

'Who are you trying to fool?'

Why did this Zhang shi feel so upright and dependable at times, and yet so unreliable and eccentric at others?

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Chapter 685: You Know the Beast Language?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Huanyu Empire Beast Hall's Beast Lodge was established in the midst of the mountain forest. Countless spirit beasts lived leisurely in the area. Even though many of them were natural enemies of one another, they were still able to live harmoniously with one another after being tamed.

While walking to their destination, Han Chong asked, "Hongyuan Empire is more than a million kilometers away from here. How much time do you have for your journey?"

Zhang Xuan calculated for a moment before replying.

"Of course, the faster the better. It would be best if we can arrive within twenty days."

It had been nine days since Hong shi and the others had departed. If they wanted to catch up, they would have to shorten the month's journey to about twenty days.

"Twenty days?" Han Chong suddenly stopped and frowned. "If you wish to arrive at Hongyuan Empire within twenty days, you will require a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beast at the very least!"

Long journeys were very different from short journeys. Even if a spirit beast could cover a hundred thousand kilometers in a day at maximum, the journey could still easily stretch on for a month. After all, it would be impossible for the spirit beast to maintain its full speed throughout the entire journey, and it would also need to rest and recuperate as well.

Also, cultivation realm didn't necessary translate to speed either. Different aerial spirit beasts had different strengths, and there were plenty of powerful spirit beasts who had a slow flight speed.

Nevertheless, the minimum requirement for any aerial spirit beast to reach Hongyuan Empire in twenty days was for it to be a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beast.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

He was a beast tamer as well, and he had a deep understanding of spirit beasts. He could also roughly gauge the traveling times of different aerial spirit beasts.

"Only 5-star pinnacle beast tamers are able to tame such a spirit beast. Alright, I'll bring you to the Elder Hall to take a look then..."

Han Chong frowned.

If it was just a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan spirit beast, Han Chong would surely be able to rent it for Zhang Xuan easily. However, as Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beasts were extremely hard to tame, even for a 5-star beast tamer, their quantity was severely limited. As such, this matter would necessitate the approval of the Elder Hall.

"The Elder Hall? Will this be too troublesome?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's fine. My teacher happens to be a 5-star pinnacle beast tamer... If he learns that you are a 4-star beast tamer and a grandmaster physician at such a young age, he will surely be delighted to help you!"

Han Chong smiled.

While they were speaking, they circled around the mountain forest and arrived at a log house.

The entire residence was extremely simplistic in design, constructed using only wood and mud. It contrasted starkly to the extravagant infrastructures around the Beast Hall.

Pushing open the door of the log house, they saw cages of all sizes placed all around the vast living room. Savages beast and spirit beasts were housed in those cages, and they varied in terms of size and species. Making a quick estimation, there were around eighty cages in here.

"These are..."

Upon seeing all of these cages, Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

This should be the living quarters of the teacher whom Han Chong spoke of. However, most of the beasts in the cages possessed low cultivation, and there were even a few beneath Zongshi realm.

A 5-star pinnacle beast tamer, a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert, could easily flick a savage beast of that tier to death, so there should be no reason for him to rear them.

"Oh, my teacher is..."

Realizing the doubts Zhang Xuan was harboring, Han Chong was just about to explain when 'jiya!', a spirited old man suddenly walked into the room.

The old man's hair and beard were both white, and he carried a book in his hands. Seemingly oblivious to the crowd in his log house, he continued walking forward while muttering something under his breath. His face slowly lit up with excitement along with his mutterings, as if he had deciphered a mystery.

"Teacher..."

Han Chong stepped forward and addressed him.

"Don't interrupt me. We'll talk after I'm done!"

Not even sparing a glance to Han Chong, the old man waved his hands and walked up to a cage.

Inside the cage were eight Zhizun realm Scarlet Coated Hamsters.

These hamsters were small in size, but their ability to burrow was astonishing. There were even some who specially groomed them to have them dig out some space underground to construct an underground chamber.

But of course, considering how the old man had them locked in a cage, that probably wasn't his motive.

Seeing his teacher pay little regard to him, Han Chong turned to the trio in embarrassment.

"Teacher has always been like this. As long as he is in the midst of his research, he will ignore everything in his surroundings..."

"No worries!"

Zhang Xuan smiled.

Even though he had to get to Hongyuan Empire as soon as possible, he had this bit of time to spare. On top of that, he was also curious about what the old man was up to.

Ignoring the crowd, the old man flipped a few pages on the book, and on a certain page, he suddenly stopped. As though he had finally found what he was looking for, his eyes lit up in agitation. He immediately turned his sight to the Scarlet Coated Hamsters, took in a deep breath, and shouted, "Boreohu lomesen..."

Along with the chanting of the old man, the Scarlet Coated Hamsters widened their eyes and began to puke, as if they had heard something extremely disgusting.

"They are vomiting? This isn't right!"

The old man scratched his head as he flipped the pages of the book once more. "My pronunciation must be off. I should try again!

"Boreohu lomesen..."

Hu hu hu!

The eyes of the Scarlet Coated Hamsters suddenly rolled upward, and their legs began to spasm. Two of them tried to get away, but they ended up knocking against the bars of the cage and fainted.

"This..."

Everyone widened their eyes in shock.

Even Zhang Xuan was astonished by the sight.

What did the old man say to disgust the Scarlet Coated Hamsters so much that they would rather knock themselves out than to listen to it for a moment longer?

Suddenly realizing something, Luo Qiqi turned to Han Chong and asked, "Is this... Beast Language?"

Even though she wasn't a beast tamer, her occupation as a master teacher required her to have a degree of understanding of all occupations, and she did once read about the Ancient Beast Language before.

It was said to have been compiled by Kong shi himself, but with the passing of time, it gradually disappeared from the world. Even though the heritage was still existent, it was grasped in the hands of a small minority, and it was never passed down to outsiders.

Could it be that Han Chong's teacher had already learned the language, and was currently experimenting with it?

Just that, why would his words cause such an extreme reaction in the Scarlet Coated Hamsters to make them vomit like that?

"My teacher is in the midst of studying the Beast Language, and there has been some success in his research already..."

Han Chong nodded.

"Success?" Zhang Xuan and the others were speechless.

Making a savage beast puke, and you call that success?

One punch can easily do the same!

"Cough cough!" Hearing the conversation and seeing the reaction of the crowd, the old man was a little embarrassed. Closing his book and tidying his appearance, he turned around and said, "Han Chong, didn't I instruct you to study yourself? Do you have something for me?"

"Reporting to teacher, Zhang shi over here is my benefactor, and he wishes to rent a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast to travel to Hongyuan Empire!" Han Chong quickly replied.

"Transcendent Mortal 8-dan?"

The old man frowned. "There are only three aerial spirit beasts of this caliber in the entire Beast Hall. Two of them were rented by the Huanyu royal family while the last one has just returned from a long journey and is exhausted. I'm afraid that there aren't any available at the moment! Besides, even though I am an elder, I don't have the absolute say in such matters. Dispatching a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan aerial spirit beast requires the approval of the Elder Conference and the hall master!"

"This..."

Han Chong's face reddened in embarrassment.

The management of the Huanyu Empire Beast Hall was much stricter than the Myriad Kingdom Alliance branch. Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beasts were the strongest beings throughout the entire empire, so they wouldn't be given any work unless truly required. Furthermore, the approval of the Elder Conference was required to dispatch them.

Back then, when Han Chong was the hall master of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance Beast Hall, he could move any spirit beasts with just a single word. He thought that his teacher, as one of the top leaders of the Beast Hall, would possess such authority here, but from the looks of it, the matter wasn't as simple as it seemed.

"Then... are there any Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beasts available?"

Even though Transcendent Mortal 7-dan aerial spirit beasts were slightly slower, it was still within an acceptable range for Zhang Xuan.

"There is a total of fourteen Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beasts in our guild, but they are all the tamed beasts of elders, and only five of them are capable of flight. If you wish to rent one, you will need an elder to drive it personally, so it won't be easy either."

The old man shook his head. "Furthermore, most of the Transcendent Mortal 7-dan aerial spirit beasts aren't suited for traveling long distances, so I fear that they won't be much faster than most of the Transcendent Mortal 6-dan spirit beasts!"

Most of the spirit beasts in the Beast Hall were tamed by the beast tamers collectively or groomed by an apprentice of a low ranked beast tamer. These spirit beasts were often up for rent to the public.

On the other hand, there were also private spirit beasts, which were the tamed beasts that accompanied their tamers' side. Most of them were more suited than battle, so while they could cover short distances swiftly, it was difficult for them to persevere for long distances.

On top of that, most of the Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beasts in the Beast Hall were land-bound, and those capable of flight could only do it in short spurts. There were simply too few aerial spirit beasts who were capable of covering long distances such as that between Huanyu Empire and Hongyuan Empire.

"Is there no other solution?" Han Chong asked anxiously.

Zhang shi had helped him a lot, and it wasn't easy for him to obtain a chance to repay the debt. He felt embarrassed that he had boasted earlier that it wouldn't be a problem only to let the other party down a few moments later.

"There is no other way around it..."

The old man shook his head firmly. At that moment, he suddenly recalled something and said, "Unless... you manage to convince that spirit beast to help! If you can do it, you can probably reach Hongyuan Empire in less than ten days!"

"That spirit beast?"

Han Chong seemed to understand which spirit beast the old man was referring to, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. But at this moment, he suddenly recalled the various miraculous feats the young man had achieved with the Demon Cinque Beast, and his eyes suddenly lit up. "That's right! Teacher, even though we might have been unable to persuade it, perhaps Zhang shi... might be able to succeed!"

Seeing his student getting so agitated, the old man frowned. He glanced at Zhang Xuan doubtfully and asked, "Him?"

He didn't mean to look down on Zhang Xuan, but the latter seemed to only be in his early twenties. At this age, even if he was talented, he could only be a 2-star beast tamer at best. With such limited capability, what could he possibly achieve?

After all, not even the hall master had been able to deal with that fellow.

"Even though Zhang shi is young, he is a true 4-star beast tamer. He was the one who tamed the Demon Cinque Beast, which I failed to do even after three years of effort!" Han Chong quickly explained. "Furthermore... it seems that Zhang shi knows a bit of Beast Language as well, and... it seems to be more effective than teacher's..."

"Beast Language? You are well-versed in the Ancient Beast Language?"

The old man was taken aback, and the doubt in his eyes deepened.

The heritage of the Ancient Beast Language had disappeared many millenniums before, and those who managed to lay their hands on it were all the top beast tamers on the continent. However, all of them viewed what they knew as their greatest treasure and were unwilling to share it with the public, so how could such a young fellow possibly know the Ancient Beast Language?"

"I... studied it for a while." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Studied it for a while? I have been researching it for more than fifty years, and I barely managed to scratch the surface. What is the use in studying it for a while?"

Hearing the other party's words, disappointment flashed across the old man's face. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he suddenly saw the young man before him inhale deeply before opening his mouth.

"Moo!"

Huala!

All of the spirit beasts and savage beasts in the room immediately crouched on the floor, trembling in fear. On the other hand, the old man also felt his entire body jolt upon hearing that sound. His vision went dark, and he fell onto the floor, convulsing ceaselessly.

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Chapter 686: Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragons

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though Zhang Xuan's Dragon Language was the most effective on those possessing the Dragon Bloodline, due to the low cultivation realm of the savage beasts and spirit beasts in the room, it was able to instill fear into them as well.

Against the abrupt roar, it was already amazing that some of them were still able to retain their consciousness.

Zhang Xuan could understand why the spirit beasts and savage beasts would react like that to his roar, but...

Turning to the old man, he asked with a perplexed expression, "Elder, are you... fine?"

The reason why the spirit beasts and savage beasts lay down was due to their inborn instincts which instilled the fear of dragons into them.

'Why is a human like you behaving the same way as them?

'Not to mention, to be convulsing as if you have lost your soul, and that white foam flowing out from your mouth...

'Did my Dragon Language somehow disgust you?'

"Teacher..." Han Chong was also astonished. He hurriedly rushed forward to grab the other party's renzhong acupoint and infused zhenqi into his body. Only then did the old man finally regain his consciousness.

"The language you just spoke... Could it be the True Voice of Dragons?"

As soon as the old man came to, he hurriedly stood up and turned to look at Zhang Xuan in agitation and disbelief.

"I'm not too sure either. Those are just a few notes that I learned on a whim," Zhang Xuan replied.

In truth, he was not too sure what this language was, and all along, he'd thought that it was a part of the Ancient Beast Language as well. Of the three notes he had learned back at the Xuanyuan Kingdom Beast Hall, this one was the most useful. Thus, he always utilized this note whenever he needed to deal with spirit beasts.

Somehow, it seemed to have a restraining effect on all those that possessed traces of the Dragon Bloodline.

"Learned on a whim? A human... actually learned the True Voice of Dragons as well?" The old man stared at Zhang Xuan in disbelief. At that moment, he suddenly exclaimed, "Wait here for a moment!"

Following which, he ran out of the room. A moment later, he returned with an ancient book in his hands, and he flipped it open. "Take a look!"

Lowering his head, Zhang Xuan realized that the note which he had just vocalized was written in the book as well.

Grabbing the book, Zhang Xuan casually flipped through a few pages and took a look at the cover as well. Noticing some similarities in the content of the ancient book he found in the Library of Heaven's Path back then, he couldn't help but ask, "This is called the True Voice of Dragons?"

"Un. An ancient beast tamer compiled the knowledge known of the subject and wrote this book. According to it, the language you have just spoken is known as the 'True Voice of Dragons'!"

"True Voice of Dragons?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The old man nodded. "Legend has it that due to the overwhelming strength of the Dragon Tribe, they were bound by the natural laws of heaven, preventing them from vocalizing most tones. As such, they were limited to utilizing only eight tones to express their joy, anger, sorrow, reminiscence, and frustration. Nevertheless, you mustn't underestimate these eight tones! Even with just eight tones, the content of the Dragon Language is still far richer than human speech."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

As a beast tamer, he had read innumerable records regarding beasts, and it was theorized that the heavens would take something away from beings that were too strong to maintain equity. Voice was one of them.

Nevertheless, even with just eight tones, the Dragon Tribe could easily express many different terms through a unique combination of tones. Under the long heritage of the dragons, their language had grown to be far richer than even the humans'.

The simplest things can sometimes prove to be the most powerful tools.

"There are simply too many combinations to the Dragon Language, so without interacting with a real dragon, it's impossible for anyone to fully understand the language! More importantly..."

At which, the old man's eyes widened in disbelief and he uttered, "The Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons require one to possess a Pureblooded Dragon Bloodline to vocalize. The body of a human can't possibly endure the pressure of such notes. So... h-how did you do it? Do you... possess the Pureblooded Dragon Body?"

"Pureblooded Dragon Body?" Zhang Xuan questioned in bewilderment.

"Yes. The Pureblooded Dragon Body is a unique constitution that is even more powerful than the Pure Yang Body and Pure Yin Body. Once the constitution is awakened, the Dragon Bloodline in one's body will become incomparably close to a Pureblooded Dragon, and one's cultivation and fighting prowess will be boosted significantly... and the concept of cultivation bottlenecks will become non-existent..."

The more the old man spoke, the more his face flushed in agitation.

Pureblooded Dragon Body, this was one of the strongest unique constitution in the world. Given that the man before him was able to vocalize the Dragon Language that all humans should be incapable of, could he really possess such a constitution?

If that was true, then it would truly be fearsome!

"Teacher, do you really possess the Pureblooded Dragon Body?"

Hearing the words of the old man, Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er glanced at one another momentarily before turning their curious gazes to Zhang Xuan.

Based on Zhang shi's legendary record, his cultivation did improve at a monstrous pace.

All along, they had attributed it to Yang shi, but could the Pureblooded Dragon Body have played an important part as well?

If that was the case, many things that had bewildered them previously could be explained.

"I..."

Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

How could he possibly possess the Pureblooded Dragon Body? The only reason he was able to vocalize the Dragon Language was due to the Heaven's Path zhenqi and Heaven's Path Golden Body.

But of course, he couldn't explain any of this either, so he could only change the subject. "Does this book record all eight of the tones?"

"Record all eight tones? Of course not!"

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to divulge much, the old man also chose to put the matter aside. Shaking his head, he continued, "The Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons is the language of the Dragon Tribe, humans aren't qualified to learn and utilize it. In truth, this book only records the deductions on how those sounds came to be. The meaning of those words and the method to vocalizing them are unclear in it!"

"I see." Zhang Xuan casually flipped through the book while he immersed his consciousness in into the Library of Heaven's Path.

He could read much faster in the Library of Heaven's Path, and its innate function also allowed him to discern the truth from the false.

Hu!

Soon, Zhang Xuan swept through the entire book, and came to a realization.

Just as the other party had said, the book mainly recorded the origin of the Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons and its relationship to the Dragon Tribe. As for the rest, it was extremely unclear.

Of the eight tones, the 'Moo' which he often used was also recorded in it. However, even though there were more than thirty pages depicting its vocalization, none of them were correct.

As for the other two tones that he had learned previously, they weren't among the eight tones, so they were probably not a part of the Dragon Language.

This explained why those two notes were ineffective against the spirit beasts when he tried them out.

It was also stated in the book that due to physiological differences, even if humans were to learn the proper way of vocalizing the sound, they would still be unable to imitate the dragons.

As such, the thirty-page depiction of its vocalization were just deductions on the author's part, and there was no evidence to back up his findings.

"Hmm? One of the tones seems to be correct?"

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to finish reading the book, his eyes suddenly lit up.

Nearing the end, there was actually a correct depiction of one of the eight tones.

The second tone of the Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons, 'Mou!'

Memorizing the way to vocalize it, Zhang Xuan made a mental note to try it when he got the chance. At this moment, he suddenly recalled the peculiarity that happened just a while ago, and his eyes fell upon the old man before him.

"It's written in the book that the Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons only has the effect of restraining lifeforms possessing the Dragon Bloodline, and this is known as the Majesty of the Pureblooded Dragon... But if that is the case, why did you fall to the ground previously as well?"

Zhang Xuan wasn't the only one curious about this matter. Luo Qiqi, Han Chong, and Yu Fei-er also turned their gazes over as well.

Even though Zhang shi's voice was loud, that was all it was to them. They weren't influenced by the Eight Tones of Heavenly Dragons, and they didn't feel any pressure from it either. So why would a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle elder fall to the ground? Not to mention, the latter even convulsed ceaselessly and leak white foam...

"This..."

The old man didn't seem to be surprised by the question at all. After a long moment of silence, he finally sighed and said, "Follow me."

After which, he walked to the backyard of the log house.

"Teacher..."

Seeing his teacher beckoning them to the backyard, Han Chong was bewildered.

It had been some time since he had come under his teacher's tutelage, but the latter had strictly warned him never to go to the backyard. There was one time that he sneaked in out of curiosity, but before he could get a good look, he was caught. He ended up being reprimanded and was given a stern warning against it.

However, all of that only heightened his curiosity. Nevertheless, for fear of angering his teacher, he didn't dare to sneak in anymore. He didn't expect his teacher to actually bring them in of his own accord.

Not knowing the history behind the backyard, Zhang Xuan and the others followed the old man casually around the log house and to the backyard.

There was a small mound in the backyard, and a tombstone was erected in front of the mound.

Glancing at the tombstone, six words were written on it: 'The Grave of Draconic Granite Beast!'

"The Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast that rules over all land-bound lifeforms... Draconic Granite Beast?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right!" The old man nodded. Gazing at the tombstone with complex emotions, he said, "He... is my tamed beast!"

"Teacher's tamed beast?" Han Chong was stunned. His eyes slowly widened as he asked, "Teacher's tamed beast... is dead?"

In truth, in the days he had been in the Huanyu Empire Beast Hall, he had never seen his teacher's tamed beast before. He thought that it might have been dispatched on a mission or something, but never had he imagined that it would actually be dead.

Beast tamers could have more than one tamed beast, but they would have to do a lot to win their trust.

Most beast tamers would choose to view their tamed beast as their closest friend or even their kin.

As such, the death of a tamed beast could be a heavy blow to a beast tamer. There were quite a few who never recovered from the emotional trauma.

Was the death of his tamed beast the reason why his teacher chose to live in such a remote location?

"Un. My tamed beast is dead. Because of me."

The old man shook his head.

"Because of you?"

"I tamed this Draconic Granite Beast when I was in the midst of my 5-star beast tamer examination..." The old man sighed as he recounted the story.

After taming the Draconic Granite Beast and successfully advancing to become a 5-star beast tamer, he grew complacent and fearless. Eventually, when he was fighting against an enemy one day, he sustained a fatal injury.

Back then, his severe injuries were threatening to claim his life at any moment. It was the Draconic Granite Beast who infused its blood essence into him to save him. Not too long later, it died.

He had always felt guilty about this matter, so he buried the other party here, erected a tombstone, and swore to accompany the other party until his death.

"Due to the presence of the blood essence of the Draconic Granite Beast in me, I am also subjected to the pressure from the Voice of True Dragons," the elder said.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

It was no wonder.

Even though the Draconic Granite Beast had a huge stature, its blood essence was limited. Furthermore, in order to save him, the blood essence had to be of a certain purity. As such, even though the old man didn't exactly possess the Dragon Bloodline, it was still affected by it.

"Is this related to the reason why you studied the Ancient Beast Language and the Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragons?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Considering how the other party had put everything aside to immerse himself in the research of the Ancient Beast Language, it was likely related to the experiences he had.

"Yes... Back then, when I was severely injured, it was Draconic Granite Beast who saved me. However, there was another spirit beast present there then... It was the spirit beast which I said that could reach Hongyuan Empire within just ten days—Great Violetwing Beast!"

The old man clenched his fists tightly together. "Before the Draconic Granite Beast passed away, it said many words to me. However, as it was extremely weak then, it was unable to communicate telepathically to me, so I was unable to understand what it had said. All these years, I have been trying my best to study the Ancient Beast Language so as to learn what it said with its dying breath... and what kind of regrets it had that it wanted me to fulfill..."

At this point, the old man's eyes turned red.

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Chapter 687: I Am Done Studying It

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A typical beast tamer would have to spend several years of selfless giving and intimate conversations to win the trust and loyalty of a savage beast. Not everyone was like Zhang Xuan, where a single beating would suffice.

As such, the relationships between beast tamers and their tamed beasts tended to be extremely strong. Furthermore, this tie was further strengthened when they engaged in collaborative cultivation and fused their bloodlines together.

This Draconic Granite Beast had spent many years accompanying this elder, and in the latter's heart, it had already become his closest kin. On top of that, it had even given up its life for him. Thus, no matter how much trouble it would take, he wanted to fulfill the latter's dying will.

"Has the Beast Hall tried taming the Great Violetwing Beast yet?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even if a beast tamer couldn't comprehend the Ancient Beast Language, they were still able to communicate with one another telepathically. The only reason the elder wasn't able to interpret the Draconic Granite Beast's last words and ended up immersing himself in the research of the Ancient Beast Language was because the latter was too weak to communicate telepathically then.

However, considering how the Great Violentwing Beast was present at that moment, it should have heard the words of the Draconic Granite Beast. If someone tamed it, they would be able to learn of the Draconic Granite Beast's dying message, and the elder wouldn't have to go through so much trouble.

The elder shook his head.

"Even though a mature Great Violetwing Beast tends to be at Transcendent Mortal 8-dan, this one has reached the level of half 9-dan. There's no one in the Beast Hall who is sufficiently capable to tame it..."

"Half 9-dan?"

"Yes. Even though it hasn't exactly reached 9-dan yet, the advantages it derives from its superior physique and bloodline allows it to defeat most 9-dan cultivators. Furthermore, the death of the Draconic Granite Beast has made it hostile to humans, thus making it impossible to tame it..." the elder said.

"The Great Violetwing Beast was a good friend of the Draconic Granite Beast?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

The elder hesitated for a moment before replying.

"They were... lovers!"

"Lovers?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

There were plenty of powerful spirit beast species that were extremely limited in terms of their numbers. As such, it would be difficult for them to find a companion from the same species. Under such circumstances, they would choose to find another powerful spirit beast to mate with. But of course, it was uncertain whether they would be able to procreate together or not.

More often than not, they would regard the latter as their spiritual partner, a companion to fight and spend their days with.

In fact, there were some human couples who had such platonic relationships as well.

Upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, cultivators would begin to crave for spiritual intimacy rather than physical relationships. Procreation and physical pleasure would take the backseat instead.

Since the Great Violetwing Beast and Draconic Granite Beast were a couple, it was natural that they shared an intimate relationship.

As such, it viewed the elder, who took the Draconic Granite Beast away from it, in hostility. As such, how could it possibly be willing to inform the latter of the Draconic Granite Beast's dying will?

Thus, the elder was determined to study the Ancient Beast Language so as to communicate and make peace with it.

Upon hearing his teacher's words, Han Chong couldn't help but ask, "But teacher, since the Great Violetwing Beast was the companion of teacher's tamed beast, why does it still wreak havoc in the Beast Hall once every few days?"

"Wreak havoc?" Luo Qiqi turned her gaze over curiously.

"Indeed. That fellow comes over several times a month to attack the Beast Hall and devour a few spirit beasts, resulting in immense fury among the beast tamers. The Beast Hall has gone to great lengths to capture it, but it was simply too strong and too fast, thus resulting in a failure each time..." Han Chong explained.

Even though he hadn't been in Huanyu Empire for too long, he was still able to learn of quite a few things.

In the past month, the Great Violetwing Beast had already attacked the Beast Hall several times and devoured several spirit beasts. This had left many people furious, but due to the Great Violetwing Beast's overwhelming strength, there was nothing that they could do.

All along, he had thought that the Great Violetwing Beast was just provoked by the spirit beasts becoming subservient to humans—there were plenty of spirit beasts who felt that humans weren't qualified to tame them—but from the looks of it now, it seemed like it was exacting vengeance for its companion.

"It is intentionally wreaking havoc in the Beast Hall because it is furious at the Draconic Granite Beast's death. The other reason I have been studying the Ancient Beast Language over the past few decades is to ask it exactly it wants!"

The elder shook his head in disappointment. After which, it turned its eyes to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Since you are able to vocalize even the True Voice of Dragons, are you by any chance knowledgeable in the Ancient Beast Language as well?"

Even if he possessed the Pureblooded Dragon Body, there was no way he could learn the True Voice of Dragons by himself. Thus, someone must have tutored him. Given that the certain someone was able to impart even the True Voice of Dragons, there was a chance that the person might just have imparted the Ancient Beast Language along with it.

While the other party said that he had only learned it for a while, he could just be saying so out of humility.

Scratching his head, Zhang Xuan said, "I am not too knowledgeable about the Ancient Beast Language."

He did learn a few words back then, but it had only managed to enrage the spirit beasts he had attempted to speak with. Given how he didn't even know the meaning of those words, it was no different from not knowing the language at all.

"Not too knowledgeable?" Hearing those words, the elder's expectant eyes sank. "Then... what about the Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragons?"

Even though the Great Violetwing Beast didn't possess the Dragon Bloodline, if the other party could talk to it via the Dragon Language, he might just be able to convince it to reveal the truth regarding the matter back then.

While verbal communication would be impossible, there were still various other ways for a human to communicate with a spirit beast.

"I... only know a single note!" Zhang Xuan felt even more embarrassed.

The other party thought that he was well-versed in the Dragon Language, but in truth, Zhang Xuan only knew a single note.

He could still scare a few spirit beasts possessing Dragon Bloodline with it, but communicating with just that single note was clearly impossible.

"A single note?" The elder staggered speechlessly.

When the young man used the Dragon Language, he thought that he had found a solution to this problem. But in the end, nothing had changed at all!

"Forget it then..."

The elder shook his head helplessly.

He had gather many books on the Ancient Beast Language in the past few hopes in the hope that he could piece it together slowly. However, this language was simply far too difficult. Without anyone to guide him along, he couldn't even differentiate the true words from the false, so he wasn't able to make much progress in his research.

Considering how highly Han Chong thought of the young man, he thought that he could learn a thing or two from the latter. Who knew that the latter would be as ignorant as him?

Zhang Xuan gazed at the elder and asked, "It's still too early to give up. Given that you have been studying the Ancient Beast Language for decades, you must have gathered quite a number of books. May I borrow them to read? Perhaps I might be able to make a breakthrough in your research."

"Borrow? Breakthrough?" The elder smiled bitterly. "You mean that you want to start studying now?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Do you know how difficult the Ancient Beast Language is?"

Seeing that the other party had such an intention, the elder couldn't help but shake his head. "The Ancient Beast Language has lost most of its heritage, and the records that remain are all unclear and mixed with falsehood. Putting aside whether the vocalization method for the words in them are true or not, even if they are, are the meanings listed in the book even accurate? I have already spent fifty years studying the topic, but I haven't been able to make any advancement at all, so..."

The elder didn't finish his words, but his meaning couldn't have been clearer. He thought that Zhang Xuan was treating the entire matter too lightly.

He had spent his entire life studying the topic, only to find himself as ignorant as he was at the very start. If the Ancient Beast Language could be grasped that easily, it wouldn't have lost most of its heritage in the first place, and innumerable beast tamers wouldn't have failed in their attempts to restore it either.

"I am just very interested in the Ancient Beast Language, so I wish to take a look at those books. If I can comprehend something from them, that would of course be for the best. But if I can't, there's no harm in it either..." said Zhang Xuan, knowing the thoughts going through the other party's mind.

"Alright then. All of the books I have on the Ancient Beast Language are in my log house. Over the years, I have collected everything related to the Ancient Beast Language that has appeared in Huanyu Empire..."

The elder waved his hands in disinterest.

Even though it did take him a lot of trouble to gather his collection of books, it wasn't of particular importance to him. It mattered not to him whether the other party read them or not.

"You have my gratitude."

Zhang Xuan clasped his fist before walking out.

As his figure disappeared into the log house, the elder couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. "Even with someone imparting the Ancient Beast Language, it's impossible to learn it without several years of practice. If it could be learned that easily, wouldn't I have wasted the past fifty years of my life for nothing?"

He thought that the other party should possess incredible composure given that he was able to utter the True Voice of Dragons. In the end, the other party was still so impetuous.

The Ancient Beast Language was tied to a huge secret of the Beast Hall. If it could be learned that easily, beast tamers like them wouldn't face so much difficulty trying to tame beasts.

Hearing the doubt in the elder's voice, Luo Qiqi couldn't help but speak up for Zhang Xuan.

"Teacher... has always been a reliable person. Since he's going to read the books, he must have an idea in mind. Perhaps, he really might just succeed."

Hearing the young lady's address for the young man, the elder was stunned. He immediately turned his gaze over to her.

"Teacher? You are his student?"

The young lady's cultivation and disposition were both exceptional among her peers. Why would she acknowledge a person who was even younger than her as her teacher?

"That's right." Luo Qiqi nodded.

"If I recall correctly, you addressed him as Zhang shi previously. Could the young man be a master teacher?" Hearing Luo Qiqi's reply, the elder suddenly recalled how Han Chong addressed the young man as well.

Han Chong pondered for a moment before replying. "Zhang shi is a 4-star master teacher, as well as the champion of the Master Teacher Tournament. The reason he's heading for Hongyuan Empire is probably to study at the Master Teacher Academy!"

Han Chong had left the Myriad Kingdom Alliance even before the Master Teacher Tournament had begun, so there were many things that he was oblivious of. Nevertheless, he did hear some news regarding the matter.

"The champion of the Master Teacher Tournament?"

The elder was taken aback.

"Not only so, Zhang shi is also a 4-star beast tamer and 4-star physician!" Han Chong quickly mentioned.

"4-star beast tamer?" The elder frowned. "Since he's a 4-star beast tamer, he should understand how difficult it is to learn the Ancient Beast Language. It is unlikely for him to act so impulsively on the matter..."

If the young man was only a master teacher and was ignorant of beast taming, the elder could still understand the other party's actions.

But a 4-star beast tamer should have already accrued considerable knowledge of the field, so how could he possibly not understand the difficulty involved in learning the Ancient Beast Language?

On the other hand, if he knew, how could he possibly utter such amateurish words?

Shaking his head, the elder decided to put this matter behind him for now.

"Inform me when he's done reading the books. I'll take you to meet the hall master!"

"Meet the hall master? Is teacher going to help them find an aerial spirit beast?" Han Chong's eyes lit up.

"Un. Since he's a 4-star master teacher and a beast tamer, there's no reason for us not to help him. I recall that the hall master has a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beast. Even though he never lends it anyone, he might be willing to compromise if I request it of him personally," the elder said.

"Thank you, teacher..."

Hearing that his teacher was willing to help, Han Chong hurriedly bowed in gratitude. At that moment, 'jiya!', the door opened, and the young man walked out.

"Ah?"

Everyone was taken aback. Even the elder couldn't help but frown at the sight before him.

'I thought you were going in to read the books in order to learn the Ancient Beast Language? Why are you out when it has barely been ten minutes?'

The elder couldn't help but ask, "Is the Ancient Beast Language too hard to comprehend so you lost your interest?"

There was no doubt about it, this fellow must have faltered at the sight of the immense collection before him. Otherwise, how could he possibly finish in such a short period of time?

"It's indeed very difficult, but the reason I am out is not because I have lost my interest. It's because..."

At this point, Zhang Xuan looked a little hesitant, but eventually, he still spoke decisively.

"... I am done studying it!"

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Chapter 688: Hall Master Qin

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You're done studying?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

This was especially so for the elder. His face turned livid in rage.

He had gone to great lengths to collect the books inside the log house, and he knew how huge his collection was.

Over the past fifty years, through tapping into the connections of the guild, he had gathered as many ancient texts and scrolls regarding the Ancient Beast Language as he could, and they numbered at least in the hundred thousand. Even he had to spend an entire ten years to go through the whole collection. Yet, in just ten minutes, the other party actually claimed that... he was done!

'Even if you want to lie, you should come up with something better than that!'

"What do you mean by you are done?" The elder couldn't hold himself back anymore and harrumphed.

"Oh, it means that... I have roughly grasped the language, and basic communication shouldn't be a problem..." Zhang Xuan said.

He had immediately started sprinting around to collect the books as soon as he'd entered the room. In just a few minutes, the massive collection of a hundred thousand works was duplicated in the Library of Heaven's Path. Then, through the Library of Heaven's Path, he'd sieved out the truth from the falsehood.

Astonishingly, he'd managed to find quite a few correct words.

Even though many of these records were just speculation, and some of them were even utter rubbish that the authors had made up, there were simply too many of them in terms of numbers. As the saying goes, pile up a bed of sand and you will build a castle. By compiling all of them together, Zhang Xuan was still able to derive quite a few correct words.

The book which he had compiled contained the common phrases of the Ancient Beast Language, as well as their vocalization methods. While it would still be difficult to hold a proper conversation, basic communication shouldn't be a problem.

"Basic communication... shouldn't be a problem?" Hearing the other party's words, the elder's face darkened. "What arrogance!"

Even after fifty years of diligence, he hadn't even managed to grasp the tail of the language. Just take the experiment he did just a moment for example, his words had caused the Scarlet Coated Hamsters to puke in disgust. And yet, the young man before him actually claimed that he had mastered the basics of the language just moments after beginning to study?

'If that is the case, I must be worse than a pig for achieving nothing at all after so many years of research!

'Even if you wish to lie, at least say something more credible than this!'

"I..."

Knowing that he would be doubted if he spoke the truth, Zhang Xuan was just about to find another logical explanation for this matter when a young man suddenly barged into the room.

"Elder, something bad has happened! The Great Violetwing Beast is back again!"

"It's back again?"

The elder's face darkened. "Take me there!"

"Yes!" The young man hurriedly rushed in the direction where the destruction was ongoing, and the elder followed him closely.

"Let's go take a look as well." Seeing the elder leave hurriedly, Zhang Xuan glanced at Luo Qiqi and the others and followed behind.

Their primary intention here was to find an aerial spirit beast. Given that the Great Violetwing Beast was at half 9-dan, if Zhang Xuan were to tame it, it would save them a lot of trouble.

"Okay." Knowing the severity of the matter, Han Chong nodded and followed the group.

Along the way, Zhang Xuan learned from Han Chong that the latter's teacher went by the surname of Qian, and he was one of the more qualified and respected elders in the Beast Hall.

As the harassment of the Great Violetwing Beast was linked to Elder Qian, he would rush over to deal with the matter each time. While it hadn't been long since Han Chong arrived at the Beast Hall, he had already encountered this situation numerous times already.

As such, he had a deep impression of that huge fellow.

"Every time that fellow arrives, it will either cause devastating destruction or kill the other spirit beasts, causing many complaints from the customers!"

Speaking of the Great Violetwing Beast, even Han Chong couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.

It was one thing for it to hurt the beast tamers in anger, but the main problem was that it also bared it fangs against the spirit beasts as well. There were a few customers who, after queuing for numerous days, finally got to the end of the line, but due to the spirit beasts getting injured, their ride was delayed significantly. This had caused the credibility of the Beast Hall to plummet.

The Beast Hall did attempt to set several traps for the Great Violetwing Beast, but the latter seemed to always know of them in advance. Furthermore, its overwhelming strength also allowed it to break out of any encirclement easily and exact its wrathful vengeance once it returned.

The Beast Hall even reported this matter to the headquarters, and the Hongyuan Empire Beast Hall specially sent a 6-star beast tamer over to deal with it. However, seemingly having realized the lurking danger, it kept clear of the Beast Hall for several months straight. And as soon as the 6-star beast tamer left, it immediately rushed back to wreak havoc once more.

After so many tries, the personnel of the Beast Hall found themselves incapable of dealing with it at all. Helpless, they could only invite Elder Qian over each time to deal with it.

However, there was indeed something very bizarre about the matter. Every time Elder Qian arrived on the scene, no matter how ferocious the Great Violetwing Beast had been a moment before, it would immediately turn away and leave, unwilling to harm him at all.

All along, Han Chong had been perplexed about this matter. He thought that it was due to his teacher's formidable beast taming capability that made the Great Violetwing Beast hesitant to face the latter. But from the looks of it now, it was probably related to the Draconic Granite Beast.

Chances were that the Great Violetwing Beast had made a promise to the Draconic Granite Beast. Thus, no matter how displeased the Great Violetwing Beast was with Elder Qian, it was unwilling to do anything that would hurt him.

"It's right in front!"

At that moment, Han Chong's eyebrow suddenly shot up, and he abruptly rushed forward. Zhang Xuan and the others also swiftly followed suit. Soon, a massive, violet spirit beast appeared before their eyes. With a Transcendent Mortal 3-dan spirit beast in its talons, it circled the sky majestically.

On the other hand, Elder Qian was standing beneath it with an anxious look.

Not too far away from Elder Qian stood eight white-bearded elders. Of them, the one standing in the middle bore striking resemblance with Qin Zhong. Most likely, he was the famed Hall Master Qin.

"To think that fellow would be back so soon..."

Behind those white-bearded elders, Zhang Xuan saw a familiar face.

It was that fellow 'incapable of flight', Qin Zhong.

Zhang Xuan thought that he would take some time to return to the Beast Hall considering how his spirit beast had left him.

"It seems the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast returned to fetch him..." Luo Qiqi whispered to Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

They had let the Greenleaf Winged Dragon Beast go right after they had arrived at the Beast Hall. Knowing that its master was still lying unconscious in a ditch, it immediately rushed off to save him as soon as it was released.

The Beast Hall wasn't too far away from where they fell earlier, so it didn't take too long for it to return with Qin Zhong.

At this moment, Qin Zhong's body was completely wrapped up like a mummy. Even though he was severely injured, he wasn't in a critical condition.

His eyes were fixated on the Great Violetwing Beast above, unaware that his nemesis was nearby...

...

Gazing at the Great Violetwing Beast above, Elder Qian clenched his fists tightly and said, "Let the spirit beast go! I hope you won't involve the Beast Hall in our grudge. Otherwise, our Draconic Granite Beast would surely be unable to rest in peace if he were to see this sight..."

Roar!

Upon hearing Elder Qian mention the Draconic Granite Beast, the fellow above gritted its teeth in anger. Not only did it not release the spirit beast, it even tightened its grip. Under the humongous pressure, the spirit beast in its claws seemed to be on the verge of being crushed to death.

"Elder Qian and Hall Master Qin, please save my spirit beast..."

Looking at the sight in the sky, a 4-star beast tamer pleaded anxiously.

Clearly, the spirit beast held hostage in the Great Violetwing Beast's claws was his tamed beast.

It had taken him a lot of effort to tame the spirit beast, and throughout the long taming process, he had also come to bear feelings for the latter.

"Beast Tamer Li, don't worry. I'll surely save your tamed beast..." Elder Qian assured.

He understood very well the pain of having one's tamed beast killed. He didn't want anyone to go through the same pain he did.

After consoling Beast Tamer Li, Elder Qian turned to the sky and bellowed, "Great Violetwing Beast! As long as you free it, I'll give you anything as long as it is within my means, be it blood essence or spirit stones!"

Hearing those words, Hall Master Qin frowned.

"Elder Qian, you mustn't promise it that. Throughout the years, you have already given away nearly your entire wealth. Your cultivation will really stagnate if you continue giving in to the Great Violetwing Beast like that..."

Considering Elder Qian's talent, he should have already long reached Transcendent Mortal 9-dan. However, as he gave away nearly the entirety of his savings to the Great Violetwing Beast, he was deprived of his cultivation resources, resulting in a significant reduction in his cultivation speed.

On the contrary, through frequent blackmailing, the Great Violetwing Beast had managed to use those resources to reach half 9-dan first.

If this were to continue on, the Great Violetwing Beast would only grow stronger and stronger, thus making it a greater threat to the Beast Hall.

"This is what I owe to Draconic Granite Beast..."

Elder Qian shook his head.

"But..." Hall Master Qin's face turned livid.

"There are no buts. If not for the Draconic Granite Beast, I would have long been dead. It is already a huge mercy from the heavens that I've been able to live for so long. Putting aside my savings, if my death can bring Great Violetwing Beast solace, I'm willing to give my life up!"

With a resolute gaze, Elder Qian flicked his wrist and whipped out an entire bunch of beast essence, middle-tier spirit stones, and a few precious medicinal herbs.

However, the amount wasn't large. It seemed like Elder Qian's wealth had really been swiped clean over the years.

Just as Elder Qian was about to throw his remaining wealth over to the huge fellow in the sky, a nonchalant voice suddenly echoed through the surroundings.

"You owe a debt to your Draconic Granite Beast, not to Great Violetwing Beast. Elder Qian, you really don't have to do so!"

Upon hearing the voice, everyone immediately turned their attention to the source, and they saw a young man walking over toward him.

"Father, he's the one who left me in such a tragic state! You mustn't let him off easily!"

Not expecting the fellow to actually stride up to them without fear, Qin Zhong's eyes immediately reddened in wrath.

"Him?" Hall Master Qin's face darkened. Turning to Elder Qian, he asked, "Elder Qian, do you recognize this young man?"

"He's Han Chong's benefactor, a 4-star master teacher and beast tamer..."

Following which, he turned to the young man with a frown and waved his hands. "This is none of your business, don't get involved in it. If you wish to borrow a spirit beast from the Beast Hall, I'll have to ask you to step aside!"

Of course, the young man who was walking over was none other than Zhang Xuan.

Unable to tolerate how Elder Qian kept giving in to the Great Violetwing Beast, he decided to step forward and intervene.

However, the other party didn't seem to welcome his interference at all.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to reply to the other party's words, a young lady behind him abruptly spoke up.

"What if we refuse?"

"Refuse? Then don't even dream about renting a spirit beast from the Beast Hall..."

Elder Qian flung his sleeves angrily and harrumphed. However, at that moment, he suddenly noticed Hall Master Qin's face turning pale, and his lips were quivering uncontrollably as well.

At the same time, the latter also kept shooting him some looks, seemingly trying to hint something to him, "Cough cough, Elder Qian. Calm down, that's not how we should treat our guests..."

"What's wrong?"

Seeing the bizarre attitude from the hall master, Elder Qian was perplexed. However, before he received a respond, the young lady standing behind Zhang shi suddenly stepped forward. She glanced at Hall Master Qin and smiled with a face devoid of any warmth.

"If my memory doesn't fail me, you're Qin Zhao, right? You're the hall master here?"

With a pale face, Hall Master Qin hurriedly clasped his fist.

"Qin Zhao pays respect to Princess Fei-er!"

"So, you recognize me?" With her hands behind her back, Yu Fei-er exuded a powerful, authoritative aura befitting that of a princess from a Tier-1 Empire.

"I once accompanied my teacher to the royal palace, and I had the pleasure of meeting Your Highness..."

Qin Zhao quickly bowed deeply. However, before he could finish his words, his severely wounded son suddenly howled furiously.

"Father, that woman is an accomplice as well! Together with that fellow over there, those scum manipulated my spirit beast and made it plummet from the sky. You must redress my grievances..."

With his vision blocked by the crowd, Qin Zhong didn't notice his father's peculiar attitude. Thinking that his father was going to get even for him, his eyes reddened with excitement.

On the other hand, upon hearing those words, Hall Master Qin staggered weakly, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

'Don't you call me...

'I'll let you be my father, but please don't call me Father...

'Other people's sons practice filial piety, but why does mine seem so intent on dragging me down to the depths of hell?'

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Chapter 689: Still Alive?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Princess?"

Seeing the hall master's face twisting in frustration, Elder Qian couldn't help but assess the young lady before him.

Ye Wentian did have a few daughters, but none of their appearances or ages seemed to coincide with this young lady here.

Besides, so what if the other party was a princess? As the esteemed hall master of the Beast Hall, a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan pinnacle expert, not even Ye Wentian would dare to do anything to him. Was there really a need for him to be so fearful of a mere princess?

"She's not Ye Wentian's daughter; she's the Sixth Princess of Hongyuan Empire, Princess Yu Fei-er!"

Noticing Elder Qian's confusion, Hall Master Qin immediately sent a telepathic message over for fear that he might say something rude.

"Hongyuan Empire?" Hearing those words, Elder Qian's body suddenly trembled intensely, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

The reticent lady who followed behind Zhang shi like a maid was actually the princess of Hongyuan Empire?

Hongyuan Empire was a Tier-1 Empire, and it had many experts in its ranks. Furthermore, the great Master Teacher Academy was located there as well. As a result, the royal family which ruled over the region wielded great prestige and authority.

Not even Ye Wentian would dare to utter a word of complaint when berated by a princess from such an empire...

'Are you sure you are not mistaken?

'If this young lady over here is really a princess, then considering how she was following behind Zhang shi subserviently, what in the world is Zhang shi's background?'

Seeing Yu Fei-er bringing out her identity as a princess, Luo Qiqi stepped forward and asked, "Fei-er, you know him?"

"On my birthday a few years ago, Elder Bai from the Beast School gave me a White-tailed Green Wolf, and this Hall Master Qin happened to be behind him then," Yu Fei-er replied nonchalantly.

"Oh." Luo Qiqi nodded. "Now that you mention it, I seem to recall it as well... I thought that the person then was just an ordinary disciple under Elder Bai. To think that he would be the hall master of the Huanyu Empire Beast Hall!"

As a close friend of Yu Fei-er, there was no way Luo Qiqi would miss Yu Fei-er's birthday. She could still remember how envious she was when she saw Elder Bai gifting Yu Fei-er a White-tailed Green Wolf as a present back then. Taking a closer look now, she also realized that Hall Master Qin looked extremely familiar.

"You are... Luo shi?"

Recognizing the close friend of Yu Fei-er, Hall Master Qin's lips twitched.

"Yes, you are indeed sharp. I am 5-star Master Teacher Luo Qiqi!" Luo Qiqi nodded.

"5-star master teacher?" Elder Qian's body shook.

'If you are a 5-star master teacher, you should have said so earlier! If I knew earlier, I wouldn't have put on such airs and immediately rushed off to find the best spirit beast in the Beast Hall for you...'

Thus, Elder Qian turned to stare at Han Chong in anger... 'Didn't you say that Zhang shi is a 4-star master teacher from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance? If that is really true, how can a 5-star master teacher possibly be his student...'

Han Chong also stared at Zhang Xuan indignantly.

'Didn't you just pass your 4-star master teacher examination a few months ago?

'When in the world did you turn the princess of the Hongyuan Empire royal family and a 5-star master teacher into your follower and your student?'

They weren't the only ones who were feeling frenzied by the turn of events. At this moment, Qin Zhong also realized what was wrong, and he nearly burst into tears.

He actually... teased the princess from Hongyuan Empire and a 5-star master teacher... In fact, he even tried to get his father to teach the other party a lesson!

It was fortunate that the other party didn't follow up on the matter. Otherwise, not even his father would be able to save him if the other party were to behead him on the spot out of anger...

Seeing how they were getting sidetracked, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "Alright, now is not the time to be talking about such unimportant matters. We should deal with the Great Violetwing Beast first."

The Transcendent Mortal 3-dan spirit beast was already on the verge of being crushed to death, and yet they were still chatting at this moment.

"Deal? How do we deal with it? Does Zhang shi have any idea in mind?" Judging by how Princess Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi seemed to hold the young man as the de facto leader of their group, Hall Master Qin could tell that the young man was not as simple as he seemed.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan replied with a frown, "I'll negotiate with it to see what it wants!"

If the other party possessed the Dragon Bloodline, he could easily stop it with a 'Moo' or the newly-learned 'Mou'. However, that didn't seem to be the case, and it was likely that he was just going to waste his efforts. Since that was the case, he might as well ask the other party what its goal was.

"Negotiate?"

Hall Master Qin and Elder Qian frowned.

It was precisely due to the communication barrier before them that made it difficult to negotiate with the vengeful Great Violetwing Beast. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so helpless before it either.

Just as they were wondering what the young man was up to, the young man stepped forward and spoke.

"$*%@#3..."

The Great Violetwing Beast in the sky was visibly stunned for a moment, but a moment later, it began roaring.

"Roaroaroaroar!"

The young man, "#%...%"

The Great Violetwing Beast, "Roaroaroaroar!"

...

"This is... the Ancient Beast Language?"

Seeing the man and the beast conversing with one another, Hall Master Qin's eyes nearly popped out from their sockets.

Any beast tamer, regardless of their capability, would be able to qualify as a 6-star beast tamer at the very least just by knowing how to speak the Ancient Beast Language once their cultivation reached the required level... Thus, it was unimaginable for him that this young man was actually able to speak the Ancient Beast Language.

"Elder Qian, aren't you trying to learn the Ancient Beast Language? You can study under Zhang shi..."

The excited Hall Master Qin turned to look at Elder Qian, only to freeze in astonishment at the very next moment.

The composed Elder Qian was currently clawing at his hair frenziedly, as though he was going insane.

But it was no wonder he was reacting like that! It was just a moment ago that the young man was completely ignorant of the Ancient Beast Language. Yet, ten minutes after entering his log house to browse through his collection of records, Zhang shi returned and claimed that he had learned the basics of the language... All this while, Elder Qian thought that the latter was just boasting, but to think that it was actually true!

When did the Ancient Beast Language... become so easy to learn?

Could he have really wasted the last fifty years of his life for nothing?

Otherwise, how could the results from his fifty years be unable to match up to ten minutes of the other party's efforts?

Just as he was on the verge of a breakdown, he saw the young man and the Great Violetwing Beast in the sky wrapping up their negotiation. Following which, the young man returned with a peculiar expression on his face.

"How did it go?"

Putting everything aside, Elder Qian quickly turned to look at Zhang Xuan and asked anxiously, "What did it say to you?"

Throughout these years, he had been dying to know what the Draconic Granite Beast had said before his death, as well as to understand why the Great Violetwing Beast had kept pestering the Beast Hall over the years.

This was the reason why he was able to persevere in his study of the Ancient Beast Language for fifty years.

"The Great Violetwing Beast says that..."

At which, Zhang Xuan scratched his head. "... it wants you to die!"

"I knew it. After all, I was the one who caused the death of our Draconic Granite Beast. As the culprit who resulted in the death of its lover, it is natural that it would harbor such deep hatred for me..."

Elder Qian suddenly looked as though he had aged ten years.

If not for his obstinacy and complacency back then, he wouldn't have been severely injured, and the Draconic Granite Beast wouldn't have sacrificed itself for him either. As the Draconic Granite Beast's companion, it was no wonder the Great Violetwing Beast wanted him dead!

"Cough cough! That's not it..."

Seeing Elder Qian falling into an endless spiral of self-reproach, Zhang Xuan hurriedly pulled him back.

"That's not it? Then what is the reason?" Elder Qian was taken aback.

"It's because of what the Draconic Granite Beast said before his death!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"What the Draconic Granite Beast said before his death? The Great Violetwing Beast... told you his dying message?"

Elder Qian was so agitated that his entire body began trembling.

Over the past few decades, he had been dying to know the dying will of the Draconic Granite Beast, but it was a pity that the Great Violetwing Beast refused to say anything at all. Or perhaps, he was simply unable to comprehend the latter's words, and that only amplified his guilt.

Seeing how Zhang shi uttered these words after conversing with the Great Violetwing Beast... could it be that the Great Violetwing Beast had revealed the Draconic Granite Beast's dying message?

"That's right..."

The peculiar expression on Zhang Xuan's face intensified.

"What did he say? Did he tell me to live well in his stead?"

Recalling the bits and pieces that he and his loyal tamed beast had gone through together, Elder Qian's eyes turned red. Tears began flowing uncontrollably from his eyes.

"The Draconic Granite Beast said..." Conflicted, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a long moment before finally spitting it out. "He said that... 'I am not dead!'"

"Not dead?"

Elder Qian's body swayed weakly, and he spurted a mouthful of fresh blood. "B-b-but I buried him!"

Elder Qian had always thought the last words of the Draconic Granite Beast were entrusting its hopes and wishes to him. Who would have thought that its words would be... 'I am not dead'?

'The heck!

'I have even felt his body! Stiff and frigid, how could he possibly still be alive?'

Furthermore, even if he wasn't dead then, having been buried underground for fifty years, he couldn't still be alive now!

Not only was Elder Qian frenzied, even Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er also widened their eyes, and they nearly fainted from shock.

They had shed a tear earlier on after hearing the touching story of how the loyal Draconic Granite Beast died for its master. Who could have known that... it would actually be a horror story instead!

To be buried alive...

After fifty years, it should have long suffocated to death!

Hall Master Qin and the elders also found their bodies trembling in shock at the revelation.

'For you, your tamed beast went to the extent of even offering its own blood essence, and yet you buried it alive... Given your doings, it would be a wonder if its companion was willing to let you off!'

Honestly speaking, it was already being very magnanimous by only wreaking havoc in the Beast Hall all these years!

Zhang Xuan and the others also shared the same thoughts as well.

But in the end, Elder Qian was also an innocent party too. How could he have known that the Draconic Granite Beast was still alive then? Furthermore, he had also been tortured with guilt throughout these years as well.

Thus, Zhang Xuan turned to him and asked, "Did you... cremate the Draconic Granite Beast?"

"That... I didn't!" Elder Qian shook his head.

In truth, he did intend to cremate it back then, but the Great Violetwing Beast came to wreak havoc. Thinking that the Great Violetwing Beast was unwilling to see its companion being reduced to ash, he decided to simply bury it in the mountain forest and accompany it for life.

"It's good that you didn't. Based on what the Great Violetwing Beast said, the Draconic Granite Beast is just in a state of pseudo-death. After a period of rest and nourishment, he should be able to be revived. Even though you've buried him, it's fortunate that you didn't cremate him... There might still be a chance!" Zhang Xuan said.

The Great Violetwing Beast had explained the matter thoroughly to him just now. The Draconic Granite Beast possessed the Dragon Bloodline and a tough exterior reminiscent of granite, thus the origin of the name.

After losing its blood essence, its body would become cold and rigid like a rock, similar to a corpse. Its breathing and heartbeat would also come to a temporary halt. However, this wasn't death in the truest sense. As long as it was well-nourished in the time to come, it should be possible to awaken it very quickly.

As the Draconic Granite Beasts had always been a rare species, and there had never been a case where one voluntarily gave away a huge amount of its blood essence, such a phenomenon wasn't recorded in the books. As such, not even a 5-star beast tamer like Elder Qian was aware of this ability of the Draconic Granite Beast.

Considering how the Draconic Granite Beast had stopped its breathing and heartbeat, even if it was buried... as long as it wasn't cremated and hadn't decomposed yet, there should still be a chance of survival.

No matter what, that was a powerful Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast harnessing the Dragon Bloodline within it! There was no way it could die that easily.

"There is still a chance?"

Elder Qian's eyes lit up for a moment before dimming again in sorrow. "But... he has been buried for fifty years already..."

If it had just been a few months or even a year, there might still be a chance. But fifty years had passed, and there wasn't the slightest sign of recovery for the Draconic Granite Beast. This period of time was more than sufficient for a pseudo-death to become real!

"Calm down, let's go over and take a look first. It'll be best if we can save him, but otherwise... it is still worth a shot."

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

'Who asked you to bury your tamed beast alive? The only thing we can do now is to quickly bring him out and diagnose his condition. Even if it were to end up futile in the end, at least this matter can be put to an end.'

"Un!" Elder Qian quickly nodded and led the group to the backyard of the log house. At that moment, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled something and turned to the Great Violetwing Beast with a frown on his face. "What are you waiting for? Put that spirit beast down!"

Roar!

The Great Violetwing Beast released its claws indignantly.

Boom!

Falling onto the ground, the spirit beast fainted.

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Chapter 690: Saving the Draconic Granite Beast

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After saving that innocent spirit beast, everyone rushed over to the log house.

Soon, they saw a tombstone with a mound behind it.

Knowing that this matter was extremely urgent, Zhang Xuan firmly instructed, "Open it!"

Nodding, Elder Qian gathered his strength and grabbed at the soil.

Hong long long!

A dense layer of zhenqi surged from his hands, and a powerful might swept through the mound, pushing away the soil. Soon, a massive tomb came into appearance.

"You built a tomb? It seems like there's still hope..."

Seeing that Elder Qian didn't simply bury the Draconic Granite Beast in the ground, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Even in a state of pseudo-death, the organs of the Draconic Granite Beast were still functioning, albeit very slowly, to keep it away from death's door. As such, it would still require oxygen to survive.

At the very least, with this massive tomb, the Draconic Granite Beast could be spared from the fate of asphyxiation.

In a sense, this was a blessing amidst a field of misfortune.

Opening the gates to the tomb, the crowd immediately rushed in. Soon, they arrived at a vast hall where the massive Draconic Granite Beast laid.

That huge fellow seemed to be made entirely of stones. Despite the passing of fifty years, there was no signs of decomposition on it.

"As expected of the Draconic Granite Beast..."

After taking a glance, Zhang Xuan nodded in awe.

Fifty years was more than enough time to decompose the entirety of an average spirit beast's body.

And yet, perhaps it was due to the possession the Dragon Bloodline and a tough granite exterior, the Draconic Granite Beast's physical body still seemed to be in a good condition.

Seeing that the 'corpse' was still completely intact, Elder Qian's hands immediately started trembling in agitation. He hurriedly turned to Han Chong and instructed, "Hurry up and call a physician..."

"Teacher, Zhang shi is a very formidable physician himself!" Han Chong quickly replied.

Hearing Han Chong's words, Elder Qian immediately kneeled down before Zhang Xuan and pleaded.

"Zhang shi, I beg you, save my Draconic Granite Beast..."

The Draconic Granite Beast was his closest companion, and ever since its passing, he had spent every single day living in self-reproach. He thought that he would never get a chance to see it again, but to think that the other party was still alive!

Even if he had to give up his life to resuscitate the Draconic Granite Beast, he would definitely offer it without any hesitation.

On top of that, he also felt deep guilt.

The other party had put himself in a state of pseudo-death to save him, and yet due to his inability to comprehend the other party's words, he actually buried his tamed beast alive for fifty long years...

If the Draconic Granite Beast couldn't be saved, then he would have no face to continue living in this world. Most likely, he would commit suicide out of guilt.

"Elder Qian, there's no need to stand on ceremony. If there's still a chance, I'll surely try my best to save your Draconic Granite Beast."

Understanding Elder Qian's sentiments, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and touched the Draconic Granite Beast.

After which, he circled around the latter and fell into deep thought.

A few moments later, he walked back with a stern face. Seeing the look on Zhang Xuan's face, Elder Qian's body stiffened in anxiety. "Can he... still be saved?"

"He is indeed still alive, but..." At which, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before continuing. "After being buried for fifty years, the vitality in his body has been completely depleted. To resuscitate him, I will require pills that can stimulate one's vitality, as well as spirit stones!"

"Pills to stimulate vitality? I have three 'Void Treading Creation Pills' over here. It's highly effective even on Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Void Treading realm experts!"

Hall Master Qin stepped forward and passed jade bottle over.

"I also have two 'Spirit Nurturing Pills' here. It's the ideal medicine to stimulate one's vitality!" another elder offered.

"I don't have any pills, but I do have quite a few spirit stones. Here are 500 middle-tier spirit stones..."

They were all old friends with Elder Qian, and they knew that the revival of the Draconic Granite Beast would surely be a huge relief to him. On top of that, this was also beneficial to the Beast Hall as a whole.

"Good!"

Seeing the huge collection of items before him, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

"I still need a Five Elements Formation Flag, Purpleink Bamboo, three big buckets of beast blood—for that, the Great Violetwing Beast outside will suffice—as well as Faint Verdant Incense, Purplecrystal Smoke..."

After seeing the pills and spirit stones that Hall Master Qin and the other elders had contributed, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be impressed by the wealth of the Beast Hall. Following which, Zhang Xuan also named a few dozen more items.

"These..."

Hearing the names of the items Zhang Xuan listed, everyone frowned in confusion.

They could understand why the treatment of the Draconic Granite Beast would require vitality pills and spirit stones. After all, those could help nourish one's body. But what use would the Faint Verdant Incense and Purplecrystal Smoke be to the treatment?

An elder suddenly recalled something and spoke.

"I've heard of Faint Verdant Incense, it has the ability of stabilizing one's soul. It is said that it was often used by the soul oracles in the past..."

Everyone was taken aback.

"Soul oracles?"

The occupation had already disappeared in the river of history several dozen millenniums ago... but could the young man before them be a soul oracle?

"It is just some unique method I know of, it doesn't have much of a relation to the soul oracles." Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually. "Right, prepare 108 three chi long silver needles and a cup of the Emerald-tailed Viper's saliva!"

Despite their extinction, soul oracles were still viewed in revile by the populace due to their betrayal back then. Thus, there was no way Zhang Xuan could reveal that he was adept in the arts of the soul oracles.

"The saliva of the Emerald-tailed Viper? But that's lethal venom..." Hall Master Qin exclaimed.

He might not have known the uses of the Faint Verdant Incense and Purplecrystal Smoke, but he knew of the properties of the Emerald-tailed Viper well.

Just a single drop was sufficient to kill a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert. Why would Zhang Xuan want such a dangerous thing?

"Poison doesn't just kill, it can heal as well," replied Zhang Xuan.

"Healing another through poison? But... that's an ability only poison masters are capable of..."

Everyone's lips twitched in frenzy.

Even though poison was indeed capable of healing, poison was still poison in the end. Use it incorrectly and it could cost someone's life. Thus, only poison masters would dare to use poison to concoct remedies to heal someone.

Wasn't the young man before them a physician? Why was he able to utilize the means of a soul oracle? Why was he able to concoct poison like a poison master?

Not to mention, he was also a master teacher and a beast tamer capable of speaking the Ancient Beast Language...

Was he incapable of anything?

"Alright, I'll need this stuff. Hurry up and prepare it all!" After listing down the items he required, Zhang Xuan gestured for them to hurry.

"Alright, I'll have my men prepare it now!"

Elder Qian nodded and hurriedly left.

The Beast Hall's financial power and connections were truly astonishing. Not only were the items which Zhang Xuan listed extremely rare, they were also diverse in terms of type and properties. If it had been an average occupational guild, it would have surely taken a long time for them to gather those items together. However, in less than six hours, the Beast Hall actually managed to obtain all of the required items.

In fact, they even prepared spares in case of emergencies.

"Now that all of the items are here, I'll have to ask everyone to leave. I need absolute silence during my treatment, so I hope that you can help me by standing guard outside so as to prevent anyone from interrupting the treatment!"

Zhang Xuan had thought that even with the Beast Hall's connections, it would still take three to four days to gather all of the items. Yet, within a mere six hours, they had already succeeded. He couldn't help but be impressed by the Beast Hall's logistical ability.

The reason he asked them to leave was due to the nature of his treatment. He would need to utilize various means that could possibly sully his name as a master teacher, and on top of that, he would also have to continuously employ the Library of Heaven's Path. If outsiders were to be around, that could probably spell trouble.

"Alright!"

Hall Master Qian, Elder Qin, and the others nodded before backing out of the tomb. Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er exchanged momentary glances before leaving as well. Soon, Zhang Xuan was the only one remaining inside the tomb.

Looking at the pile of valuable items before him, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and placed them all inside his storage ring.

Then, with another flick of his wrist, he threw the formation plate of the Spirit Gathering Formation out.

He didn't ask for these items for his own use—he truly needed them to treat the Draconic Granite Beast.

Back then, when the Draconic Granite Beast depleted his blood essence to save Elder Qian, as long as Elder Qian had replenished the other party's blood essence, fed it nourishing herbs to stimulate its recovery, or nurtured it using spiritual energy, it would have been able to make a full recovery within a few years.

However, not only did Elder Qian fail to do any of the three above, he even buried it...

On top of that, the spiritual energy contained within the tomb was extremely limited, making it difficult for the Draconic Granite Beast to sustain its life. Placed in such conditions for fifty years, even though it still managed to hold on to its last breath, its life was hanging by a thread as though a candle flame before a raging wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

Even if an 8-star or even 9-star physician were here, there would surely be nothing they could have done under such circumstances. However, Zhang Xuan was different.

He possessed the absolutely pure Heaven's Path zhenqi. As long as there was still a breath left in his patient, he would be able to sustain the latter's life.

However, just Heaven's Path zhenqi wouldn't suffice. The Draconic Granite Beast had suffered a severe loss of blood essence, and it was buried for several decades in such a weak state. It desperately needed an overwhelming amount of spiritual energy to nourish its feeble body, as well as medicinal herbs to boost its vitality.

And more importantly... its soul had to be summoned back to its body!

Just like what the elder before had said, the Faint Verdant Incense and Purplecrystal Smoke were mainly items that only soul oracles would use. Given that the Draconic Granite Beast had been unconscious for more than fifty years, it wasn't too far off from Lu Chong's situation back then.

Thus, such items were required to summon back its soul before it could be resuscitated.

As for the saliva of the Emerald-tailed Viper, Hall Master Qin was right in the sense that it was indeed a lethal venom. However, Zhang Xuan intended on using it to stimulate the other party's acupoint so as to trigger the other party's awakening.

It could be said that this treatment involved the means of a beast tamer, soul oracle, physician, poison master, and master teacher.

It would truly be difficult for anyone else to accomplish this feat. Only a monster like Zhang Xuan could possibly do so.

As soon as the formation plate landed, Zhang Xuan immediately threw in the spirit stones which the elders had just contributed, and a thick layer of spiritual energy immediately filled the area, shrouding the 'corpse' of the Draconic Granite Beast.

With a snap of his fingers, the silver needles which he had prepared beforehand appeared in his hands, and he dabbed them in the cup of Emerald-tailed Viper's saliva. With movements as swift as lightning, the 108 needles flew out and sealed the 108 acupoints throughout the Draconic Granite Beast's body in the blink of an eye.

The Draconic Granite Beast was an extremely rare spirit beast. For the past several dozen millenniums, the beast tamers who had managed to tame it didn't even number more than ten. As such, no one knew about the matter of its pseudo-death, and the knowledge concerning it wasn't passed down either.

Since even its abilities were unrecorded, naturally, the same applied to its physical structure as well. It was only through the book formed by the Library of Heaven's Path that Zhang Xuan knew where its various acupoints were.

After sealing the acupoints, Zhang Xuan took out the Faint Verdant Incense and Purplecrystal Smoke and positioned them in a unique formation before lighting them. Following which, he sat down on the floor and closed his eyes.

Hong long!

His soul was drawn out from his body.

Activating the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan surveyed the surroundings before beckoning in a specific direction.

His movements were light and gentle, as though a gesture to call upon one's lover.

Weng!

Seemingly sensing his beckoning, the silver needle at the specific location began ringing like a wind chime.

The unique ability of a soul oracle—Soul Beckoning!

Zhang Xuan had inherited the complete heritage of the soul oracles from Mo Hunsheng, and Soul Beckoning was one of the techniques included in it. Once executed, it could draw even the most deeply hidden souls out.

In fact, it could even draw out the souls of living beings.

Considering how the Draconic Granite Beast had been in a coma for fifty years, it would be exceedingly difficult to wake it using normal means. Thus, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to resort to such extreme methods.

He had to move very carefully or else this could end in a catastrophe!

Gugugugu!

The silver needle shook for an instant, and the Draconic Granite Beast suddenly began shaking. It slowly lifted its body up, seemingly coming to life.

"No, this shouldn't be..." But upon seeing this sight, Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

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Chapter 691: Great Violetwing Beast Submits!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Under normal circumstances, Soul Beckoning should only draw out one's soul. The movement of the 'corpse' could only mean one thing—the soul was glued to the physical body.

Under such circumstances, it would be even more difficult to wake the Draconic Granite Beast up!

"Humph!"

With a light harrumph, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and the Five Elements Formation Flags which he'd had the others prepare beforehand were immediately lodged into the ground.

The gathering of the Five Elements to complement Yin-Yang!

This was yet another technique of the soul oracles, Soul Cleave!

A human soul comprises three hun and seven po, and the same applies to beasts as well. Due to the long dormant state of the Draconic Granite Beast, a portion of his hun and po had been fully integrated into his body over time, making it difficult to extract his soul.

Zhang Xuan was intending to use Soul Cleave to tear off the integrated hun and po from the entire soul so as to augment the extraction process.

But of course, altering the course of nature was no easy feat. Thus, he required assistance from the might of the Five Elements.

As the Five Elements amalgamate into one, Yin-Yang would be formed, creating a clear demarcation between clarity and turbidity.

Hong long long!

As the Five Element Formation Flags began to whir into action, the flora and fauna around the tomb started to turn yellow as the Energy of Wood was been sapped from them; the soil gradually turned white as the Energy of Earth was been drained from it; metallic objects began to rust as the Energy of Metal was robbed from them... The same applied to the Energy of Water and Energy of Flame as well.

The retrieved energy was gathered and fused into the glabella of the Draconic Granite Beast.

Along with the infusion of the Five Element energies, the yin and yang aura within the other party grew significantly stronger, and a tinge of redness began surfacing on the cold and rigid rock-like corpse.

Hu!

Knowing that his primary preparations were effective, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Zi la!

The soul of the massive Draconic Granite Beast was drawn from the massive Draconic Granite Beast, and it floated silently in the air.

However, its eyes were tightly shut, a sign that it was still deeply asleep.

Usually, when a soul was torn off from its body, it would swiftly weaken and eventually dissipate in the surroundings. However, the lit Faint Verdant Incense stabilized the Draconic Granite Beast's soul, allowing it to remain impervious before the chaotic energies lingering in the tomb.

"Go!"

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and the vitality pills which the other elders had given him were converted into a thick layer of mist that gathered within the concentrated spiritual energy in the region. The overwhelming vitality in the air made Zhang Xuan feel revitalized and comfortable.

Since these pills were highly useful even for Transcendent Mortal 8-dan experts, naturally, it would be effective on him as well.

Just that, as his body had been nourished by the Heaven's Path zhenqi, vitality wasn't something that he would lack. Thus, using these valuable pills on him would be a huge waste.

"Now, the final step!"

Holding his breath, Zhang Xuan stepped against the ground and soared into the air.

"Withdraw!"

108 faint surges of zhenqi shot out from Zhang Xuan's hands, each grabbing hold of the end of a silver needle and pulling on them simultaneously!

Tzz la!

The silver needles immediately flew out. The acupoints, which had been sealed by the venom a moment ago, immediately opened up as though a humongous flood gate. With a rumbling reminiscent of thunder, the spiritual energy and the mist were swiftly pulled into the Draconic Granite Beast's body as though a whirlpool had been formed on the spot.

Due to the overwhelming strength of the absorption, even the soul which had stabilized itself in the air was dragged in as well.

Hu la!

As the vitality medicine, spiritual energy, and soul were dragged into the Draconic Granite Beast's body, Zhang Xuan flicked his hand, and three pails of beast blood immediately appeared above the Draconic Granite Beast. It flowed down in a steady stream, seeping into the latter's body.

Slowly, the rock-like body of the Draconic Granite Beast began to turn crimson, and several mystical inscriptions abruptly appeared on it.

Eventually, the sounds of breathing and a heart beating gradually returned; it seemed the unconscious fellow would wake up at any moment.

"I have succeeded..."

Zhang Xuan's body suddenly staggered, and he fell from the sky, crashing onto the ground. Fortunately, the altitude wasn't too high, so he was unharmed. But even so, his face was pale with exhaustion.

Even though the duration of the treatment wasn't too long, Zhang Xuan had utilized nearly all of the ability at his disposal during it. This had resulted in significant depletion in his zhenqi, psyche, soul energy, and stamina.

Sitting on the ground, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a spirit stone.

It was only after absorbing around twenty middle-tier spirit stones did Zhang Xuan finally recover fully from his depletion.

"I have made a loss..."

Looking at the powdery fragments of the middle-tier spirit stones before him, Zhang Xuan frowned in frustration.

He thought that it wouldn't be too difficult to save the Draconic Granite Beast, and he might even have some leftovers remaining that he could claim for his own use. But contrary to his expectations, not only were there no leftovers, he even had to use more than twenty of his own middle-tier spirit stones to recuperate from his exhaustion.

But at the very least, he didn't let down the expectations of those standing outside and soil his own name.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan pushed open the gates of the tomb and stepped out. As soon as he walked out, the anxious gazes of Elder Qian and the others immediately gathered on him.

"How is the Draconic Granite Beast?"

Perhaps due to excessive worry and anxiety, Elder Qian's face was extremely pale.

"The operation was a success. However, due to the prolonged period of its coma, he has yet to wake up yet. It might take a few days before he can regain consciousness," Zhang Xuan said calmly. The other party's soul had been dormant for more than fifty years. Even with Zhang Xuan's means, it would still take a while for the latter to regain its strength and awaken.

"Great... I'll go in and take a look!"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Elder Qian's eyes immediately lit up, and he immediately rushed toward the tomb. However, before he could enter it, he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his body. A huge talon had grabbed him and threw him to the side.

The Great Violetwing Beast!

This fellow had just lost three huge pails of blood, and its body was still a little weak at the moment. Nevertheless, its eyes were brimming with spirit, and the aggressive aura it emanated earlier on had disappeared without a trace. Scrunching its body together, it entered the tomb.

Seeing how the Great Violetwing Beast seemed to be even more excited than him, a bitter smile flashed across Elder Qian's face before hurriedly following behind it. When he finally came out a moment later, he immediately walked up to Zhang Xuan and kneeled down in agitation.

"Elder Qian, this..."

Not expecting that Han Chong's teacher, an esteemed 5-star pinnacle beast tamer, would actually kneel before him so abruptly, Zhang Xuan was astonished. He hurriedly stepped forward to help the other party up.

Kowtowing heavily several times, Elder Qian raised his palm and made a vow.

"Zhang shi, please do not stop me. You have saved his life, and I am extremely grateful to you. I owe you a debt of life. Regardless of whatever request you have of me in the future, feel free to speak, and I'll surely accomplish it for you no matter the cost!"

Ever since the death of the Draconic Granite Beast, he had become nothing more than a living corpse. For the past fifty years, the only faith that was keeping him alive was his determination to learn the Ancient Beast Language so as to learn of the dying will of his closest companion.

Who could have known that not only would the young man be able to decipher the words of the Great Violetwing Beast, he would even undo the mistake he had made and bring his tamed beast back? The gratitude he was feeling at the moment was indescribable through words.

Even if Zhang Xuan were to order him to march off to his death now, he would do so without any hesitation.

"This..."

Seeing the determination in the Elder Qian's eyes, Zhang Xuan knew that there was nothing he could do that could sway his decision. Thus, he shook his head and said, "Alright, I don't need your life. It'll suffice as long as you find me a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan aerial spirit beast so that I can get to Hongyuan Empire..."

The main reason he came to the Beast Hall was so that he could find an aerial spirit beast to ride on. With Elder Qian's help, he should have no trouble finding one.

"Leave this to me..." Elder Qian nodded. But halfway through his words, 'jiya!', the gates to the tomb opened once more, and the Great Violetwing Beast walked out. Just like Elder Qian, it immediately walked up to Zhang Xuan and bowed down, and it began nudging Zhang Xuan with its head.

"This is... a gesture of submission?"

Seeing the Great Violetwing Beast's response, everyone was astonished. Even Hall Master Qin was dumbfounded.

The Beast Hall had suffered greatly under the tyranny of the Great Violetwing Beast. Nothing they did and no one they sought help from could stop it, and they were completely helpless before it. They thought that considering its obstinate and domineering personality, it would be impossible for anyone to tame it. But who could have guessed that it would actually voluntarily submit to Zhang shi, whom it had only met eight hours ago?

"This fellow is even more sentimental than humans. It is out of gratitude to Zhang shi saving Draconic Granite Beast that it chose to voluntarily submit to him!" Luo Qiqi exclaimed.

Yu Fei-er nodded. "Indeed. Sometimes, beasts can turn out to be even more sentimental than humans."

Despite the fact that it had been fifty years since the Draconic Granite Beast had been buried, the Great Violetwing Beast had still been unable to let the matter go. The only way it could alleviate its raging emotions was to 'exact vengeance' for its companion. Through this, it could be shown how deep its feelings for the latter were.

Upon seeing its lover come to life, an overwhelming feeling of indebtedness compelled it to acknowledge Zhang Xuan as its master and serve as his tamed beast. Such deep sentiments weren't necessarily seen in all humans.

Zhang Xuan also came to realize what was going on. He turned to face the Great Violetwing Beast and asked the latter seriously, "Do you wish to become my tamed beast?"

It just happened that he needed a spirit beast to travel to Hongyuan Empire, and it would be for the best if the Great Violetwing Beast was willing to become his tamed beast.

"Roar!" The Great Violetwing Beast nodded its massive head.

"Good!"

With a flick of Zhang Xuan's finger, a droplet of his blood flew to the Great Violetwing Beast, thus sealing the contract.

"Alright. You should get some rest and recover. Once the Draconic Granite Beast comes to, we'll immediately set off for Hongyuan Empire!" Zhang Xuan said.

To save the Draconic Granite Beast, the Great Violetwing Beast had lost three huge pails of fresh blood, and it was currently in an extremely weak state. Even if it was still capable of flight in its current condition, it would surely be unable to maintain it for too long. Since that was the case, it would be much better for it to get a good rest and recover from its frailty first.

Furthermore, there were many nourishing medicines in the Beast Hall that could hasten the Great Violetwing Beast's recovery. With Elder Qian taking care of it, it wouldn't take too long for it to recover.

And most importantly of all, the Great Violetwing Beast had been waiting for the Draconic Granite Beast for an entire fifty years now. It would be cruel to separate them before the Draconic Granite Beast awakened.

In any case, the Great Violetwing Beast was a half 9-dan spirit beast, so Zhang Xuan had a few days to spare.

Learning that Zhang Xuan and the others would be staying there for some time, Elder Qian immediately had someone prepare some rooms for them.

In the first three days of his stay, Zhang Xuan traveled all around the Beast Hall and collected all of the books contained within it.

After which, he spent another day thoroughly mastering the Heaven's Path Beast Taming Art compiled from those books.

In just four days, Zhang Xuan's understanding of beast taming had already surpassed Elder Qian and even Hall Master Qin, reaching 5-star pinnacle or even beyond that.

Even though Zhang Xuan had successfully tamed the Great Violetwing Beast, due to his limited cultivation as a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, he only received a half 5-star beast tamer emblem.

Nevertheless, as long as he could achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation, he would be able to immediately apply for a 5-star beast tamer emblem.

On the eighth day, the Draconic Granite Beast woke up, and the Great Violetwing Beast and Elder Qian were delighted. At the same time, their awe for Zhang Xuan's capability also deepened.

Even Hall Master Qin and the others were also impressed by Zhang Xuan's skill.

To save a spirit beast who had been in a state of pseudo-death for fifty years... this was already on the level of a miracle!

On the tenth day, the Great Violetwing Beast finally made a full recovery. Thus, Zhang Xuan, Luo Qiqi, and Yu Fei-er bade the Beast Hall goodbye and set off toward Hongyuan Empire.

"Zhang shi will surely become the brightest star of the Master Teacher Academy!"

Watching the trio leave, Elder Qian recalled the various incredible feats the young man had achieved and sighed.

Han Chong's lips couldn't help but twitch upon hearing those words.

"Brightest star? I only fear that... the Master Teacher Academy will find itself in the abyss of misfortune..."

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Chapter 692: Rules of the Master Teacher Academy

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Han Chong had heard a little of the various trouble Zhang Xuan had stirred up in Myriad Kingdom City and Huanyu Empire. Like a tornado, he left nothing but ruination in his wake...

It was hard to tell whether it would be a fortune or misfortune for the Master Teacher Academy to have a student like him!

Han Chong couldn't help but solemnly pray for the long-established institution in his mind...

...

High above the clouds, Great Violetwing Beast glided across the sky.

It was dragging something that resembled a seven to eight meters ship behind it. The ship consisted of three rooms, and Zhang Xuan, Luo Qiqi, and Yu Fei-er took one each.

A flying ship!

The Beast Hall had crafted this for Zhang Xuan in gratitude to him for freeing them from the tyranny of Great Violetwing Beast. This magnificent flying ship had an elegant design, and all kinds of amenities were present on it.

It was said that this flying ship had cost the Beast Hall several thousand middle-tier spirit stones, and only after hearing this piece of news did Zhang Xuan feel a little more balanced inside.

After all, in order to save Draconic Granite Beast, he even had to use his own middle-tier spirit stones. At the very least, he should obtain something in return...

If those from the Beast Hall were to learn of his thoughts, they would surely spurt blood. Zhang Xuan had tamed the strongest spirit beast in their region and was gifted such a valuable flying ship, and yet he only felt that it was a fair exchange at this point...

Wasn't he being a little too greedy!

Would he only be happy after he robbed the Beast Hall of its entire wealth?

While Zhang Xuan didn't have any intention of cleaning out the Beast Hall, he did secretly wish to receive one or two high-tier spirit stones in exchange for his effort. However, it was a pity that all of Elder Qian's wealth had gone to the Great Violetwing Beast throughout the years, so even producing a hundred middle-tier spirit stones was impossible for him.

On the deck of the flying ship, Luo Qiqi walked up to Zhang Xuan.

"Teacher!"

Zhang Xuan turned to her and asked, "You came at a good time. I recall you saying that there is the Apothecary School and Blacksmith School in the Master Teacher Academy. Can you tell me more about it?"

Since he was about to enroll in the Master Teacher Academy, he should at least gather some basic knowledge regarding it.

"It is a fundamental prerequisite for a master teacher to have sufficient supporting occupations before they can be promoted to a higher rank. As such, on top of imparting the various ways of a master teacher, the Master Teacher Academy also provides supporting occupation classes for its students to take on," Luo Qiqi explained.

"After many years of development, the Master Teacher Academy has grown to consist of ten schools! They are namely the Apothecary School, Blacksmith School, Celestial Designer School, Formation Master School, Painter School, Martial Arts School, Beast Tamer School, Physician School, Demonic Tunist School, and Terpsichorean School.

"The Apothecary School is a place where one studies the art of pill forging, and it is from there that I learned my pill forging skills. On the other hand, the Blacksmith School is a place where one learns how to smith weapons. Given my previous mastery of smithing, I wasn't able to rank amidst the top hundred there. However, after receiving teacher's guidance, I'll surely be able to make a name for myself there!

"The same applies for the Celestial Designer School, Formation Master School, Painter School, and Physician School as well, so I won't explain them. I'll talk about the Martial Arts School, Demonic Tunist School, and Terpsichorean School instead!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Celestial Designer School was definitely a place where celestial designers learned about the complex engineering designs and mechanisms, he could tell so much from Wu Zhen. It was probably the same for the Formation Master School, Physician School, and Painter School as well.

Zhang Xuan had once studied these occupations, so he had a considerable understanding of them.

It was only the remaining three which he had an incomplete knowledge of.

"The Martial Arts School isn't a support occupation school. Rather, it is a place to temper the fighting prowess of the master teachers. It conducts tournaments every now and then, and those who perform well will be allowed to study the top-notch battle techniques of the academy, thus further enhancing their fighting prowess. As for the Demonic Tunist School, it is a place where demonic tunists are groomed. Has teacher heard of demonic tunists before?" Luo Qiqi asked.

"Un. I have heard bits and pieces of it before. It is a Lower Nine Paths occupation, but its members are able to beguile hearts and crush souls through the utilization of melody. Even true experts find it hard to guard against such attacks!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Not only had Zhang Xuan heard of demonic tunists, he had even met two of them before. However, neither one of them seemed to have fared well from the encounter with him. One was nearly driven mad by him while the other party plummeted straight from the sky.

"Yes, you're right. As for the Terpsichorean School, it is a place where terpsichores are groomed!" Luo Qiqi smiled.

"Terpsichores? You mean dancers?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"That's right, dancers!" Luo Qiqi nodded. "Dancers are actually similar to demonic tunists in many ways. Through aligning their dance with nature, they can enthrall their target with their elegant movements, drawing in spellbound birds and bewitching even experts."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Since there were dancers in the world, it was only natural that there would be an occupation regarding it. The founder of the occupation went by the surname of Gongsun, and legend has it that her dances could even rivet Saints.

It was said that when Gongsun was younger, her entire clan was purged by the hands of its enemies. Having survived the calamity, this huge grudge was heaped onto her shoulders. One day, while she was in the midst of studying the freely flying birds in the air, enlightenment suddenly struck her, and she created the terpsichore occupation. After training for thirty years, she emerged from her seclusion and awed the world with her enthralling dances. Before long, she caught the attention of a certain Conferred Empire, and she was invited over to perform for the royal family.

The emperor of this Conferred Empire happened to be Gongsun's enemy, and he was a Saint expert at that time.

However, as soon as Gongsun began dancing, it was as if the entire world was revolving around her. No eyes could tear away from her, and no mind could remain rational before her. In his riveted state, even the Saint realm emperor was killed easily.

Just as she was escaping from the capital, she was surrounded by a million guards. However, through her dance, she persuaded all of them to put down their weapons and allow her to leave, and eventually, the entire matter became a legend that spread far and wide across the entire Master Teacher Continent.

After learning of this matter, Kong shi once visited Gongsun to witness her dance. After the performance, he was filled with compliments for the latter and left behind the following words: 'Sighing at the fleeting moment, pursuing the terpsichore for one more gaze'. It was then that the occupation was put amidst the ranks of the Nine Paths, and the name 'Terpsichore' became known throughout the world.

This occupation was also among the Lower Nine Paths, and it was mainly pursued by women. As those who studied this art were even rarer than demonic tunists, not many knew of this occupation.

By some stroke of luck, Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy managed to receive the heritage for this occupation and established the Terpsichorean School. However, due to its limited members, it was considered as the weakest of the ten schools.

Luo Qiqi chuckled.

"Yu Fei-er has been studying the art ever since she was young, and just recently, she passed the 5-star terpsichore examination."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Master Teacher Academy was very similar to the universities in his previous life, where the academy was divided into many faculties as well.

The master teachers studying in the Master Teacher Academy could choose to undertake any supporting occupation that interested them and advance in that path.

Honestly speaking, it was indeed an excellent place to groom master teachers. It was no wonder why it was an esteemed organization even within a Tier-1 Empire.

"Even though many master teachers view the Master Teacher Academy as their goal, it is no paradise inside there. The Master Teacher Academy is extremely competitive, and regardless of what one intends to do, be it to study or to listen in a lecture, one must have sufficient academic credits. Otherwise, it'll be hard for one to make any progress in there! And to earn academic credits, one will have to accomplish all kinds of missions or clear the difficult tests set by the academy... There are some master teachers who choose to withdraw from the academy due to their inability to withstand the stressful environment, and there are also a few who are expelled due to their poor results!"

At which, Luo Qiqi's face turned grim.

"Withdraw? Expelled?"

All along, Zhang Xuan had thought that entering the academy in itself was a gateway to success. However, that didn't seem to be the case.

"That's right. Back then, when Kong shi first established the Master Teacher Academy, he once said that the master teachers are the crux to the advancement of mankind. Only with strong teachers can humanity be strong! As such, the Master Teacher Academy didn't need any unmotivated students. The only choices before them are to push forward or to leave, it's that simple."

Saying those words, Luo Qiqi smiled bitterly.

"Only with strong teachers can humanity be strong?" Zhang Xuan's body trembled at those words.

Luo Qiqi was right. If mankind wished to advance further, the role of teachers was of utmost importance.

If students didn't have the right values in life, their accomplishments would be severely limited.

If even the teachers had stagnated in their studies, how could they possibly groom motivated, driven students and bring humanity to greater heights?

Zhang Xuan found himself relating deeply to these words.

The strong emerges victorious whereas the weak are eliminated.

Such was the way of the world. Not even the number one occupation of the world could be spared from this competition.

"Actually teacher, you need not worry too much. Given your abilities, it will be extremely difficult for you to be expelled from the academy..."

Recalling the monstrous proficiency her teacher had shown in numerous occupations, Luo Qiqi smiled bitterly. Then, she suddenly recalled something and added, "However, there is an esteemed Master Teacher Elite Board that teacher can strive for. It'll be difficult, but I think teacher should be able to get a place on it with a few years of effort!"

"Master Teacher Elite Board?"

"Un. It is a ranking board in the Master Teacher Academy that automatically reflects the top hundred most outstanding students in the academy. Those who are listed in the ranks of the board are all formidable geniuses who are highly respected in the academy!" Luo Qiqi said.

Zhang Xuan asked, "The top hundred students of the academy? How many people are there in the academy?"

"The Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy doesn't only accept students within Hongyuan Empire. It also recruits students from other Tier-1 Empire, so there are at least several hundred thousand people throughout the entire academy, and all of them are top-notch geniuses!" explained Luo Qiqi.

Those who were able to enroll in the academy were all top geniuses in their own region. To be able to rank amidst the top of such a group was as difficult as ascending the heavens.

Zhang shi might be formidable, but Luo Qiqi still thought that it would be difficult for him to get on the board without several years of hard work.

"You aren't on the board?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Over the time Zhang Xuan had spent with Luo Qiqi, he could tell that the latter was an extraordinary genius. Just by her cultivation, pill forging, and smithing skills, there would be very few of her peers who could match up to her. But even so... she still wasn't on the board?

"Me? How could I possibly be on the board? That board is tied to one's academic credits, cultivation, and eye of discernment. As such, it is mainly dominated by the upper grade students, so how could a Grade 2 student like me possibly get on it..." Luo Qiqi shook her head.

Naturally, the upper grade students had a higher chance of getting on the Master Teacher Elite Board as compared to the lower grade students.

They had been in the academy for many years now, and they had accomplished innumerable missions, thus granting them a huge wealth of academic credits. On top of that, the grades in the academy were determined by the student's master teacher ranking, which was inadvertently related to one's cultivation. Naturally, a Grade 2 student who had just joined the academy not too long ago wouldn't be able to surpass them so easily.

"I see."

Hearing the other party's explanation, Zhang Xuan gained a substantial understanding of the Master Teacher Academy.

He'd thought that it was just a place for one to learn and study, but things were far more complex than he had expected.

It was no wonder even a princess like Yu Fei-er would have to participate in missions and face dangers for academic credits. It seemed like the academy doesn't compromise its policies for nobility.

Such a competitive landscape was just to Zhang Xuan's liking.

At the very least, he wouldn't be so bored.

In an instant, endless fighting spirit suddenly sprouted within Zhang Xuan, and he began looking forward to entering the renowned Master Teacher Academy.

In the next few days, whenever the both of them were free, Luo Qiqi would explain the various rules of the Master Teacher Academy to Zhang Xuan, and in exchange, Zhang Xuan would guide her on her pill forging and smithing. Thus, in just ten days, Luo Qiqi's pill forging and smithing proficiency had risen significantly.

"Teacher, we have arrived at Hongyuan City!"

On a certain day, just as Zhang Xuan was explaining the essence of pill forging to Luo Qiqi, he suddenly heard the latter's exclamation and lowered his gaze to take a look. He saw a massive city that was far larger than Huanyu Empire below him.

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Chapter 693: Salvage the Situation?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even with the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan could hardly see the outskirts of the city.

"A capital of a Tier-1 Empire is indeed... grand!"

Zhang Xuan gazed across the lands.

As expected of a Tier-1 capital, it was grand and domineering. In comparison to this, Tianxuan Kingdom felt like a countryside village whose buildings were made of mud.

In fact, just this city itself could match up to the entire area of Tianxuan Kingdom.

It seemed there was a massive formation that was controlling the weather and various other conditions of the city, thus bringing convenience and comfort to the population in the city. On top of that, the formation also seemed to draw in spiritual energy, thus making it easier for cultivators in the city to advance their cultivation.

"The ability to go against nature and alter the conditions of the land is an ability that only Saints possess!"

Yu Fei-er walked over proudly.

In this period of time, before the other party's formidable prowess, she felt nothing more like a countryside bumpkin. Thus, seeing the other party's astonishment upon seeing Hongyuan City, she immediately grasped this opportunity to boast.

"Un."

Even though Zhang Xuan was able to set up formations as well, and his capability was on par with most 5-star formation masters, it would still be difficult for him to create a massive environment-manipulating formation spanning over several thousand li.

To set up such a formation, precise control was of absolute importance. Otherwise, a slight inaccuracy in the formation could easily result in devastating destruction.

Recovering from the astonishment, Zhang Xuan said, "It is still a few days before the start of the school term. Hong shi and the others should have just arrived as well, let's meet up with them first."

Three days were spent on the fusion of his body and his soul, and another four days was spent in the Otherworldly Demon's underground chamber. Following which, the time in the Beast Hall and the flight to Hongyuan City took up a total of twenty days, so there was still around three days before the start of the school term. Making a rough estimation, Hong shi and the others should have arrived here already as well.

"The freshmen from Huanyu Empire usually reside in the Academic Sea. I'll take you over there first to settle in. After which, we'll have to return to the academy to report on our mission," Yu Fei-er said.

They had uncovered such a huge secret in the midst of their mission, so it was necessary for them to make a formal report on the matter.

Even though Xing Yuan and Wu Zhen had returned in advance, Wu Yangzi's handwritten book and the Crimson Blaze Cauldron were still in Luo Qiqi's hand. On top of that, Zhang Xuan's return was also an important matter as well. Thus, they would have to explain everything face-to-face.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Teacher, there are many other freshmen who reside in the Academic Sea as well. Most of them are geniuses in Tier-2 Empires, and there is a possibility that some of them might even be from Hongyuan Empire. Thus, you must be careful not to get into a conflict with them!" Luo Qiqi advised grimly.

Those who were termed as geniuses tended to be proud individuals. As the residence that the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy used to receive its freshmen, there were many geniuses amongst them. Some of them might even be from the royal family such as Ye Qian. Thus, if a conflict were to occur, not even a princess like Yu Fei-er would be in a good position to interfere.

"Don't worry, how could I possibly get into trouble that easily?" Zhang Xuan chuckled.

Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er glanced at one another and shook their heads.

'With that natural disposition for trouble of yours, how can you say those words without blinking?

'On the very day of your arrival at Huanyu Empire, you sent Feng shi and his group plummeting to the ground from a high altitude. Afterward, you pummeled up the top three rankers of the other Vessel States. Following which, you turned into a corpse in the Cleansing Lake...

'In any case, calamity seemed to follow your footsteps, and you actually said that you won't get into trouble easily?'

The Academic Sea named as such due to the large number of freshmen coming from all directions. It was also commonly known as Academic Manor and Freshmen Lodge.

From the direction Zhang Xuan and the others were coming from, they weren't too far from the Master Teacher Academy. On top of that, the speed at which the Great Violetwing Beast traveled was also incredible. Thus, they arrived at their destination very quickly.

Stepping out of the flying ship, Zhang Xuan stowed it within this storage ring before bidding Luo Qiqi and Yu Fei-er farewell.

After which, he stepped through the gates of the Academic Sea, and numerous towering infrastructures immediately appeared before his eyes. Many young master teachers walked to and fro the compound with grace.

Most of them looked like they were in their twenties, but the four stars pinned on their chest reflected their 4-star master teacher rank. Most of their cultivation levels had reached Consonant Spirit realm.

As expected of the geniuses of the various sects, kingdoms, and empires. They were indeed exceptional.

Walking in the direction Luo Qiqi and the others had mentioned previously, Zhang Xuan soon arrived at a courtyard.

"Hmm? Why is there no one guarding the door?"

After ascertaining that this was the location where the freshmen of Huanyu Empire lived, Zhang Xuan was perplexed by the lack of security.

The other residences of the freshmen of other empires were either locked or heavily guarded. However, the door to Huanyu Empire's residence was wide open, but there wasn't a single figure in sight. Could it be that Hong shi and the others hadn't arrived yet?

Bewildered, Zhang Xuan stepped into the residence.

The courtyard was clean, signifying that the residence was often cleaned. Along the empty corridors and gazebo, there were signs that there had been people living here recently.

"It seems they have arrived. But why aren't they here then?"

Possessing the Eye of Insight, it wasn't difficult for Zhang Xuan to determine whether someone had been living in the residence or not. Just as he was perplexed by the lack of people in the area, he suddenly heard a loud crashing sound reminiscent of something knocking heavily onto the wall.

"There is a fight ahead!"

Zhang Xuan's face darkened, and he hurried forward. Turning around a corridor, he soon arrived at a vast main hall. Not too far away from the entrance was an average-sized dueling stage, and on it, two people were facing off with one another.

A large group of people were gathered beneath the stage, and Hong shi and Feng shi were amongst the crowd.

Ruohuan gongzi, Bi Jianghai, Luo Xuan, and the others were seated below as well. However, their faces were swollen and bruised, as if someone had beaten them up just a moment ago.

Zhang Xuan also recognized one of the fighters on the stage. It was one of the geniuses under Feng shi's lead, and his name was Han Ling. His cultivation was at the Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage the last time Zhang Xuan saw him, but in less than a month, he had already broken through to Consonant Spirit realm advanced stage.

Facing him was a gray-robed young man. The other party's cultivation was at the Consonant Spirit realm advanced stage as well, but his fighting prowess seemed to be far above Han Ling. In just a few blows, Han Ling was already forced to the corner of the stage.

"Go, Han shi!"

"We mustn't lose anymore..."

"That's right! If we were to lose, we'll be at their disposal..."

...

Luo Xuan and the others clenched their fists tightly in indignation.

"What are they up to?"

As everyone was too engrossed in the battle, no one noticed Zhang Xuan's presence. Perplexed, Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Why would there be a duel going on here?

"Haha, stop struggling pointlessly and just admit defeat. Considering how none of you are able to defeat me, how can you possibly rival Senior Feng, whom I can barely withstand three blows from? Given such, you still wish to win? Dream on!"

As the gray-robed young man slowly forced Han Ling to a corner, a gleeful smile surfaced on his lips, and he laughed heartily. "Don't worry, we'll surely take care of you well if you follow us. If you continue to act so obstinately, don't blame me for getting nasty!"

As the gray-robed young man spoke those words, his powerful blows continued raining down on Han Ling. Han Ling was using all of his might to withstand those attacks, but his face turned a shade paler with each strike.

With just a momentary glance, Zhang Xuan could tell that Han Ling would fall in just a few more blows. Thus, he walked over to Hong shi and asked, "Hong shi, what is going on?"

"Ah... Zhang shi, you're fine? This is wonderful!"

Upon seeing Zhang shi, Hong shi nearly leaped from his seat in excitement. The others beneath the stage, including Luo Xuan and the others, also noticed Zhang Xuan's presence, and their faces immediately flushed red in excitement.

Even Xiulian gongzi, who had been beaten to pulp by him at Huanyu Empire earlier, gazed at him with eyes reddened in agitation, as though Zhang Xuan was his long-lost kin.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing everyone's responses, Zhang Xuan was bewildered. They'd only been apart for a month, was there any need for them to react so intensely to his presence?

"It's the Freshman Examination!" Seeing the confused look on Zhang Xuan's face, Hong shi hurriedly explained, "The examination topic has been decided—it will be hunting in the Hongyuan Mountain Range..."

Soon, Hong shi explained the entire matter to Zhang Xuan.

After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan finally got a grasp of the situation.

In truth, getting into the top ten of the Master Teacher Tournament didn't signify a straight pass into the Master Teacher Academy. Rather, it would be more apt to consider it as an opportunity to take on the entrance examinations, and if they were to clear it, they would be allowed to enter the academy. The topic of the entrance examination would change each year; it had been an obstacle course in some years, formation deciphering in others, and even an academic examination was within the list of possibilities as well... And for this year, it was hunting.

The location of the hunt would be at the Leiyuan Peak of Hongyuan Mountain Range.

The Leiyuan Peak was a huge mountain in proximity to the Master Teacher Academy. Its exceptionally steep terrain made it extremely difficult to scale it. Even Consonant Spirit realm experts would find it laborious to travel to the top, let alone, hunt.

The duration was one day, and depending on the number of spirit beasts hunted, one would be allocated a set number of points, and this would be reflected as one's result at the end of the examination. To pass, one would have to hunt at least one Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle spirit beast.

Even though the powerful physique of spirit beasts allowed them to challenge cultivators possessing higher cultivation realms, the examination shouldn't be too difficult considering the formidable might that the master teacher elites from the various region possess. Not to mention, most of the examinees were at the Consonant Spirit realm as well, so defeating a Clarifying Turbidity realm advanced stage spirit beast shouldn't be a problem at all.

However, the problem was that... the number of spirit beasts across the entire mountain was limited! Furthermore, once the spirit beasts realized that they were being hunted, they would surely flee and hide.

On top of that, there was no limit to the number of spirit beasts one could hunt, and if one were to exceed the passing criteria, they could exchange the excess points for academic credits... Thus, the competition among examinees would be extremely intense!

To make things worse, Clarifying Turbidity realm spirit beasts weren't the only ones roaming the mountain. There were also Consonant Spirit realm spirit beasts, Cosmos Bridge realm spirit beasts, and even some beyond that! Thus, on top of hunting, they had to prevent themselves from being hunted as well.

Casualties were anticipated in this examination, and this was the norm for the entrance examination for the Master Teacher Academy.

This examination served to test the examinee's resilience, strength, adaptability, eye of discernment, and various other aspects.

Only the strongest of experts would be able to emerge victorious amidst the group. Those who were weaker physically or mentally would surely find themselves breaking down in the midst of the examination and eventually return in tragic defeat.

This examination would eliminate the weak and frail from the group. Those who failed to meet the mark would be disqualified and forced to leave!

So as to increase the success rate and avoid danger, some of the examinees from various regions had decided to form an alliance.

With more people in their alliance, they would be able to vie for spirit beasts from other students and stand their ground against stronger spirit beasts.

However, an alliance also had its downfall as well. While it was definitely safer to remain in a group, more people operating together also meant that the group would be easily detected by the spirit beasts. As such, spirit beasts would choose to stay out of their way, making their hunting highly inefficient. On top of that, distribution was a problem as well.

After all, it was questionable whether the alliance would be able to hunt sufficient spirit beasts to go around the group. Thus, it was very possible that there would be some who would be tragically disqualified in the alliance.

As such, the priority in the distribution of spirit beasts became an extremely important problem in the formation of alliance. All factions in an alliance would be hoping to gain this priority in distribution.

The group from Huanyu Empire was the same as well. In order to stand their ground against other competitors, they decided to ally themselves with the master teachers from a Tier-2 empire, Jinhai Empire, and both sides had agreed on determining the priority of distribution based on the results of their strength.

After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan immediately understood the situation, and he hurriedly asked, "How many more duels are there?"

If they were only halfway through the battle, he might still be able to salvage the situation.

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Chapter 694: A Single Finger

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The number of duels we have decided on is ten, and the victor of six rounds will be given the priority of distribution," Hong shi said. "Han Ling is currently fighting the tenth round..."

"Since it has reached the tenth round, it means that the wins and losses are equal on both sides..." Hearing that it was the tenth round, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

After all, there would be no point continuing the competition after the sixth round as the victor had already been decided. Given that they had reached the tenth round, it could only mean that both sides were equal.

"That isn't the case..."

Hong shi's face reddened in embarrassment. "We have fought ten rounds, but we have lost in every single one of them... and to the same person at that!"

"Lost to the same person? You mean that the person on stage has already fought ten rounds, but he hasn't been defeated yet?"

Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in shock.

"That's right..."

Hong shi covered his face in embarrassment, and the others were too ashamed to raise their heads.

They had gone up one by one to challenge the man on the stage, and yet all of them suffered tragic defeats. And more importantly... the man on the stage wasn't their strongest fighter!

Speechless, Zhang Xuan was just about to speak when a dull thud sounded from the stage.

Peng!

Han Ling was sent flying out of the ring and crashed into the courtyard.

'All ten matches have concluded... How in the world do I salvage this situation?'

Looking at the fellow moaning in pain on the ground, Zhang Xuan's eyelids twitched.

He thought that he might still be able to reverse the situation, but with all ten matches finished, what else could he do at this point?

Was he supposed to challenge the master teachers from Jinhai Empire once more? But the other party had no reason to accept!

"Alright, the ten matches have already concluded, and you didn't win a single match at all. What else do you have to say?"

After sending Han Ling flying, the man on the stage gazed down at the group below with a smirk on his face.

"We..."

The faces of Hong shi and the others turned red.

If they had at least won two to three matches, they wouldn't be so ashamed. They could have explained it as due to their strongest fighter being absent. But all of them actually lost to the same person! How were they supposed to explain this?

Furthermore, if Zhang shi wasn't an opponent for the other party as well, wouldn't they be embarrassed further?

Zhang shi might possess incredible talent, but in the end, his cultivation realm was only at Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle. Winning against this fellow who was able to singlehandedly win against ten of them without the slightest loss of breath seemed unlikely to them. Not to mention, this fellow wasn't their strongest fighter.

(Zhang Xuan's breakthrough to Consonant Spirit realm only occurred after the 'corpse' incident, so none of them are aware of it.)

"You don't have anything else to say, right? Since that's the case, then as per our agreement, we will be going by Senior Feng's arrangements!" The gray-robed young man chuckled before turning around and clasping his fist. "Senior Feng!"

A white-robed young man then walked forward.

His aura felt significantly stronger than the gray-robed young man. At closer examination, Zhang Xuan realized that the white-robed man had already reached Half-Cosmos Bridge realm, and he could possibly make the full breakthrough at any moment.

The gray-robed young man who defeated ten of them was already extremely powerful in the eyes of Ruohuan gongzi and the others, but even so, he was still far from matching up to this white-robed young man.

In a sense, Huanyu Empire's loss was inevitable. Even if they had been able to defeat the gray-robed young man, they would have never been able to win against the white-robed young man.

"Since we are allies, let's clarify the terms of our agreement first!"

Standing on the stage, Senior Feng gazed at the Huanyu Empire group and declared forcefully, "Three days from now, at the start of the hunt, all of you will listen to my arrangements, and priority will be given to our Jinhai Empire regarding the hunted beasts! However, you need not worry. As long as we stand united as one, it is not a problem for all of us to pass the entrance examination!"

"They will be given priority over all if the hunted beasts?"

"What if we don't hunt sufficient spirit beasts? Wouldn't all of us be disqualified then?"

...

Even though they understood that the leader of the alliance would be given additional privileges, they still couldn't help but feel frustrated upon hearing those words.

The benefit of an alliance was that they would be able to steer clear of danger before formidable spirit beasts, as well as vie for prey against other alliances. However, there was also a clear disadvantage to it as well. Take this case for example, the group from Huanyu Empire had no say in the distribution of the hunted beasts at all. Should the number of beasts hunted within the duration prove to be insufficient, they would all stand to be eliminated.

"Why? Are you reluctant to accept this arrangement? Given the strength of our Senior Feng, it's your blessing to be able to ally with us!" Seeing the indignant looks of the group below, the gray-robed young man harrumphed coldly.

In truth, given their strength, they could easily pass the examination even without allying with Huanyu Empire. However, what they were aiming for was beyond that.

The teachers and elders of the academy would be paying attention to this entrance examination, and if they were to show an outstanding performance in this examination, they could win their favor and possibly become their disciples. This would make their lives in the academy smooth-sailing.

"You..."

Hearing the other party's words, everyone's faces flushed in anger. They wanted to retort, but there wasn't a single word they could say.

After all, it was the truth that they were weaker than the other party!

"I am indeed reluctant to accept this agreement..."

Just as everyone was placed in a difficult position, Zhang Xuan's nonchalant voice suddenly resonated through the air.

"Huh? What do you mean by that? Does Huanyu Empire intend to renege on its promise?" Seeing someone speaking up at this moment, the gray-robed young man frowned.

They were all master teachers, respectable figures of society. Given that they had agreed on everything beforehand, it would be shameful for the group from Huanyu Empire to back out just because it had lost.

If that were to really happen, they would become a huge laughingstock.

"We won't renege on our promise, but I do have a suggestion..." Zhang Xuan said.

"A suggestion?"

Zhang Xuan replied, "That's right. I am also a master teacher from Huanyu Empire, and I am unaware of your previous duel. However, since the results are already out, there's nothing much that I can say. However, I would like an equal distribution of spirit beasts!"

"Equal distribution? We have won the position of the alliance leader fair and square, why should we agree to an equal distribution!" the gray-robed young man sneered.

"I understand. Since we have lost the duel, it is indeed difficult for you to accept an equal distribution. How about this then?"

Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and smiled. "If your Senior Feng can withstand three strikes from me, I won't speak about the matter regarding fair distribution anymore. You will have free reign over the distribution. In fact, we won't even ask for you to give a single spirit beast to us!"

"What did you say?"

The gray-robed young man narrowed his eyes.

This fellow actually challenged Senior Feng to a fight?

He had seen plenty of arrogant people, but never had he seen such blind arrogance before!

'Do you know how strong our Senior Feng is? Do you think that you are qualified to challenge him?

'Three moves? I doubt you could defeat him in a million moves!'

"Why? You don't have the confidence to accept the challenge? I understand. Since that's the case, what about one move? If your Senior Feng can withstand a single blow from me, our group will not take a single hunted spirit beast from you!"

Noticing the other party's hesitation, Zhang Xuan thought that the other party found his terms unfair, so he changed his offer.

"The heck!"

Upon seeing the fellow's earnest expression, the gray-robed young man nearly exploded in rage!

Senior Feng's vision also darkened, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

His cultivation had already reached Half-Cosmos Bridge, allowing him to fight on par with even some of the Grade 2 students. And yet, this fellow from Huanyu Empire was actually claiming that he could defeat him in a single blow?

What kind of a joke was this?

Just as the duo was about to die from anger, Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Xuan, and the others nearly spurted blood.

They knew that Zhang shi would surely stir some trouble here, but who could have known that he would actually utter such words?

They couldn't even defeat the gray-robed young man, and Zhang shi was actually betting that he would defeat Senior Feng in a single strike... How could that be possible?

If they were to lose, wouldn't they be working for nothing for Jinhai Empire in the entrance examination?

All of them would be disqualified then...

"Is a single blow still too much for you all? Sigh, since that's the case, I'll just use a single finger then... Surely that should be fine with you! I don't think I can go any further than that. If you still don't dare to accept the challenge with this, there's nothing more I can do..."

'After all, I couldn't possibly defeat you without moving, right?

'Alright, actually that's not impossible, but it'll reveal my means as a soul oracle or poison master. Un, I should maintain a low profile.'

Since it was his first time being in Hongyuan Empire, Zhang Xuan thought that it would be best for him to proceed warily and not reveal too many trump cards. Thus, if the other party were to reject this offer as well, he would be really put at a spot.

Pu!

The gray-robed young man and Senior Feng nearly puked blood.

'Too much your head!

'Besides, what is with that troubled expression on your face?

'Am I that weak in your eyes that you will feel troubled over it?'

"Fine! I would like to see how you can defeat me with a single finger..." Senior Feng roared in anger, unable to hold back his rage anymore.

"Senior... Allow me to teach this arrogant fellow a lesson..." Seeing his senior flying into a rage, the gray-robed man hurriedly stepped forward.

"There's no need for that. I want to see how strong the person who dares to utter such arrogant words is!" Senior Feng spoke coldly as his sharp gaze fell on the arrogant young man before him.

Perhaps, the arrogant young man might have something up his sleeves that allowed him to speak such arrogant words. Thus, Senior Feng was interested to see whether the other party was simply uttering rubbish or really possessed the capability to do so.

With narrowed eyes, Senior Feng flung his sleeves furiously and said, "This friend over here, come up onto the stage! If you can win against me, we'll drop the matter regarding the alliance. However, if you lose, you'd better remember your words. Every single hunted beast in the entrance examination shall go to us!"

"Fine!"

Hearing the other party agree to his challenge, Zhang Xuan walked up onto the stage.

"This..."

"Can Zhang shi win?"

"I don't know either..."

Seeing Zhang shi settling on such a disadvantageous bet with the other party, everyone glanced at one another doubtfully.

Defeating Senior Feng with a single finger?

Was Zhang shi serious?

Their loss might have sent him into a panic, but even so... this bet was way too extreme!

"Senior Feng, allow me to teach this fellow a lesson in your stead..."

Seeing Senior Feng flying into such a huge rage, the gray-robed young man quickly stepped forward and said, "It won't be too late for senior to face him after my loss!"

Given the arrogant words that the other party had uttered, there was a possibility that he might really possess the strength to back up his words. To be safe, the gray-robed young man thought that he should test the waters first. If the other party turned out to be weak, he would simply pummel the other party to get even for his provocations. On the other hand, if the other party turned out to be strong, Senior Feng could at least prepare himself.

"This..." Senior Feng hesitated upon hearing those words. However, at that moment, the young man impatiently declared, "If you are still scared, why don't the both of you face me together? I'll just use two fingers!"

Hearing those words, Senior Feng and the gray-robed young man nearly fainted.

"There's no need for that. Let me see how strong you are!"

With a cold harrumph, Senior Feng charged forward.

The other party's words were simply too infuriating. He was afraid that he might just die from fury if he were to allow the other party to talk any more.

Stepping forcefully against the ground, he dashed forward as though a charging ferocious beast.

Releasing his full might as a Half-Cosmos Bridge realm expert, the wind raged furiously, and in that instant, his charge felt reminiscent of a massive stampede, inducing helplessness in those facing it.

"How powerful!"

The eyebrows of Hong shi and the others twitched.

Even they would find it hard to withstand such a powerful attack with their cultivation of Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage.

They hurriedly turned their gazes to the young man, curious to see how he would deal with it. Before their astonished gazes, the young man shook his head before raising a single finger and pointing it forward leisurely.

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Chapter 695: Defeated with a Single Finger

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"He's really going to fight with a single finger?"

Feng shi, Luo shi, and Hong shi pulled their hair in frenzy.

'Given the other party's strength, even Cosmos Bridge primary realm experts like us will find it hard to withstand that attack. It has been only a month since you reached Clarifying Turbidity realm, and yet you intend to face such an attack with just a single finger? You must be mad!

'Furthermore, even if you are just using a single finger, surely you can move faster than that!

'Your leisurely and unsteady movements are reminiscent of a dying granny, are you sure you are fighting?

'This Senior Feng's movements are as swift as a leopard's. Even if your cultivation has advanced significantly in the past month, and you could defeat the other party with a single finger, surely you need to gather some force and move way faster than that!

'It is one thing for your finger to be completely devoid of skill, but to move so slowly on top of that... Even the weakest cultivator could dodge it easily!'

Not only were Hong shi and the others on the verge of fainting, the mouths of Luo Xuan and the others were also twitching violently.

They had heard the content of bet clearly just now. Given the stakes on the line, shouldn't Zhang shi act more seriously?

With such speed, one couldn't even kill a fly!

Seeing Zhang Xuan's slow movement, the gray-robed young man harrumphed coldly.

"To think that I thought that you might be a formidable foe. In the end, you are just a braggart!"

It was just a moment ago that the other party arrogantly boasted about defeating Senior Feng with a single finger. Who knew that he would turn out to be so weak?

'Do you think that you can stop Senior Feng's charge with such a weak finger?

'Senior Feng could probably smash you to your grave with a single slap...'

Just as he was sneering within, he suddenly heard a commotion in the surroundings.

"Something is wrong, look!"

Hearing everyone's anxious exclamations, the gray-robed man frowned. He hurriedly turned his gaze to the stage, and his eyes immediately widened in shock.

He thought that the other party's slow finger would be easily crushed by Senior Feng's charge. But who knew that Senior Feng would actually slow his charge instead. There was a grim expression on his face at this moment, as if he was facing some formidable foe. He tried swerving to the side, seemingly trying to avoid the finger.

However, right after taking half a step, the trembling finger turned toward him, and his eyebrows immediately shot up in alarm. Thus, he tried leaping to the left.

But before he could make the movement, the finger pointed straight toward the direction of his intended movement.

Upon seeing the direction of the finger, Senior Feng's face paled as if he had seen a ghost. Cold sweat flowed from his forehead, and he hurriedly tried to dodge to another direction.

However, the same sight only happened again. It felt like Senior Feng was leaping to the commands of the finger, as though he was being controlled remotely. The sight of the scene was extraordinarily bizarre.

"D-did that Senior Feng suffer a stroke?"

"That seems to be the case..."

Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Zhao, and the others were completely bewildered by the sight before them.

Zhang shi's finger seemed to be completely devoid of strength whatsoever. Why would Senior Feng leap around the spot just because that finger was pointing toward him? Not to mention, to be even sweating profusely before it...

Did he take the wrong medicine today, or did he see a ghost somewhere?

Even couples who had danced for many years didn't share such harmony!

Coming to a realization, Hong shi's body stiffened.

"No, he isn't suffering from a stroke. Rather... it seems like Zhang shi has found the other party's flaws. His movements might be slow, but it accurately points toward the flaws of the other party. Zhang shi has not struck yet, but if he were to shoot a surge of zhenqi from the tip of his finger, that Senior Feng would surely be defeated immediately... or perhaps, he might even die from the attack!"

"That's right!"

Feng shi and Luo shi nodded in agreement as well.

As 5-star master teachers, their eyes of discernment were far above Luo Xuan and the others, thus allowing them to see through the situation.

Clearly, Zhang shi seemed to have seen through the other party's flaws and was pointing straight at them. Fearful that he might be struck, his opponent could only leap around to dodge.

In a battle among experts, the most feared situation was for one's weakness or mingmen to be discovered by one's opponents. Senior Feng might be strong, but he still had to think twice before rushing in under such circumstances.

"Senior..."

Realizing something was amiss in this situation as well, the gray-robed young man clenched his fists tightly in worry.

He knew how powerful Senior Feng was. Even the average Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage experts might not necessarily be a match for him. Yet, at this moment, he was actually leaping around under the 'control' of the other party's finger. This clearly reflected the other party's strength!

To be able to see through his senior's flaws in an instant and force him into defense, how powerful must one's eye of discernment be?

"Damn it!"

While everyone was astonished by this situation, Senior Feng was grinding his teeth together in anger.

Just as Hong shi had guessed, even though Zhang Xuan's finger moved extremely slowly, it pointed straight toward Senior Feng's mingmen.

As long as Senior Feng dared to advance forward, the other party could easily curb him just by shooting out a surge of zhenqi.

Senior Feng had a strong foundation, and in the course of the battle, he had already changed his movement technique five times and battle technique eight times. But even so, the other party's finger was still accurately aimed at the mingmen of his techniques. Even his teacher, a 5-star pinnacle master teacher, was incapable of such a feat!

When did such a formidable figure appear in Huanyu Empire?

"Forget it, I'll go all out!"

After leaping several more times, Senior Feng knew that going on like this wasn't a solution—it was just a matter of time before he lost at this rate. Thus, clenching his jaws, he gathered his strength and leaped forward.

This movement of his was reminiscent of a tiger pouncing on its prey. An elder of his sect had once examined the movements of a hunting tiger and leopard, and using that as a reference, he created this killing technique. In close-range combat, it was a nigh-invincible skill that could easily catch one's opponent off-guard. Through this technique, that elder was able to defeat all of his peers easily.

Spirit intermediate-tier pinnacle battle technique, Howling Tiger!

Roar!

The roar of a tiger resounded in the air along with his movements.

"Good!"

Seeing his senior bringing out his ultimate technique, the gray-robed young man heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he thought that they would win this round, the young man whom Senior Feng was facing suddenly sighed, and he complained, "What are you roaring for? You nearly gave me a heart attack..."

Padah!

With a dull thud, Senior Feng was abruptly struck in his mingmen, and he immediately fell to the ground. His face swiftly turned pale, and white foam leaked from the corner of his mouth.

"Senior..."

The gray-robed young man's eyes narrowed in shock, and he hurriedly rushed forward to help his senior up.

Howling Tiger could already be considered one of the strongest techniques in their sect, and only a genius of Senior Feng's caliber could bring out its full might. This was a howl sounded through suppressing one's zhenqi and circulating it to build up power before an abrupt release. Before it, even a Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage cultivator would find their spirit and fighting will shattered.

He thought that this technique would surely defeat the opponent, but who could have known that the one who fell would actually be his senior instead?

With just a light blow from his finger, the other party actually broke through his senior's defense and struck the region where his zhenqi was circulating.

How in the world did he do it?

This move might have looked simple, but the gray-robed young man could tell how fearsome it was.

Putting aside how it was difficult to find and strike at a flaw before such a swift movement, more importantly, Senior Feng had specially trained himself to neutralize the flaw. Even swords and sabers wouldn't even be able to get past his defense, and yet a shaking finger actually pierced through it...

How powerful must the other party's strength be?

"His strength probably exceeds 5,000,000 ding. With such might, if he were to really harbor killing intent toward Senior Feng, he could easily send senior flying with just his brute might!"

Making a swift estimation, the gray-robed young man's body stiffened in disbelief.

He had once done the calculation—even if a Cosmos Bridge realm intermediate stage expert were to launch a frontal strike on his mingmen, his senior would still be able to withstand the blow and stand his ground. Yet, with just a single finger, not only did the young man manage to break through his senior's defense, he even managed to severely wound his senior. Just by this itself, it could be deduced that the young man's strength was beyond a Cosmos Bridge realm intermediate stage cultivator!

At Cosmos Bridge realm intermediate stage, one could harness a might of 4,800,000 ding.

Beyond that, one would wield a might of 5,000,000 ding at the minimum.

With such strength, there was no need for the young man to search for flaws at all. There was no one here who could withstand a single slap from him!

It seemed the other party was going easy on them when he said that he would only use a single finger!

Otherwise, if the other party were to utilize his fist, Senior Feng could very possibly have died on the spot.

"Thank you for your magnanimity..."

Just as the gray-robed young man was overwhelmed with astonishment, a feeble voice suddenly sounded. Lowering his head, he saw Senior Feng opening his eyes painfully.

Even though the other party had struck Senior Feng's mingmen, it seemed that he had held back. As such, Senior Feng's injuries weren't as severe as expected.

"It is just a spar, so there's no need to go all out!" Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

As fellow master teachers, there was no need for them to fight each other to the death. It would suffice to just defeat the other party.

Actually, just as the gray-robed young man was thinking, if Zhang Xuan truly had intended to deal with Senior Feng, given his immense might of 10,000,000 ding, he could easily slay the other party with just a flick of his finger. There was no need for him to go through so much trouble at all.

"Since I have lost, we'll call off the alliance!"

Gritting his teeth, Senior Feng struggled to his feet and walked out of the main hall.

To think that he, the number one genius of Jinhai Empire, would be unable to match a single finger of the other party! He would only embarrass himself by staying here. Since that was the case, he decided to leave that instant.

"We won?"

"That formidable-looking Senior Feng was actually unable to match a single finger from Zhang shi?"

Seeing the group from Jinhai Empire depart, a huge commotion broke out amidst the group from Huanyu Empire.

Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai glanced at one another, and bitter smiles surfaced on their lips.

It seemed like... their gap with the other party had grown much larger than before.

Back in Myriad Kingdom City, while they might not be a match for Zhang shi, they were still able to cross some blows with him. But now, if they were to rush at Zhang Xuan with all their might, they would probably meet the same fate as Senior Feng—defeated by a mere finger.

"Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle? Zhang shi... you have reached Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle?"

Hong shi's eyes lit up in agitation.

Even though Zhang shi's attack ended in an instant, he still received a clear glimpse of the other party's strength—Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle!

Back in Myriad Kingdom Alliance, Zhang shi had made a breakthrough to Consonant Spirit realm. It had only been around two months since then, and not only had Zhang Xuan successfully made the breakthrough to Consonant Spirit realm, he had even reached the pinnacle of the realm.

His rate of improvement was too astonishing!

The hurdle to Consonant Spirit realm had trapped innumerable cultivators, but not only did Zhang shi manage to cross the hurdle in just two months, he even raised his cultivation by one entire realm... How in the world did he cultivate to achieve such an astounding growth rate?

"Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle?"

In truth, most of them had intended to get even with Zhang Xuan once he returned to the party. After all, back at Huanyu Empire, many of them had suffered greatly under Zhang Xuan's hands. However, upon hearing those words, a strong feeling of helplessness loomed over them.

How could they possibly rival this monster? Even if they were to guzzle down pills, they still couldn't keep up with the other party's pace.

Most likely, the gap between them would only grow greater and greater in the future, and one day, the other party's back would disappear completely from their sight.

"It's just a stroke of good luck!"

Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Hong shi, didn't my students come here along with you? Where are they?"

Since the group from Huanyu Empire have arrived here, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others were meant to be there as well.

"They..."

Hearing those words, Hong shi subconsciously glanced at Feng shi and the others and hesitated.

Seeing Hong shi's response, Zhang Xuan frowned, and his face darkened.

"What happened to them?"

Chapter 696: King Huai Manor

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zheng Yang and the others were his direct disciples, and they had accompanied him all the way here from Tianxuan Kingdom. They had braved many life-threatening situations together, and Zhang Xuan already viewed them as his closest kin. If anything were to happen to them, he didn't mind wiping the entire Hongyuan Empire off the face of the world!

If he needed to, he would even punch a gaping hole through the heavens!

Anyone who meant them harm would have to suffer his wrath.

"Zhang shi, don't worry. They are safe!"

Seeing the latter's awful expression, Hong shi immediately realized that his hesitation had caused a huge misunderstanding. Thus, he hurriedly explained, "However, they were taken away by the men of the King Huai Manor yesterday, and we dare not stop them..."

Zhang shi had entrusted his direct disciples to his care, only to find them missing upon his return. Anyone would be angry when faced with such a situation.

It was already incredible that Zhang shi could still retain his rationality in this situation.

"King Huai Manor?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had never heard of this name before. Why would the other party take his direct disciples away?

"I am not too sure about what's going on either!" Hong shi said and then hesitated for a brief moment before further explaining.

"King Huai, Yu Longxuan, is the blood-related uncle of the incumbent emperor of Hongyuan Empire, thus making him the Imperial Uncle of the current era. Given his esteemed position, there's only a single man throughout the entire Hongyuan Empire who stands above him—the emperor himself. Even Princess Yu Fei-er whom we met before would have to address him as Grandpa Xuan!

"The men from the King Huai Manor came over yesterday, and they insisted on taking them over to their manor to stay for a few days. Considering their respectful attitude and their esteemed standing in Hongyuan Empire, it didn't seem like they were harboring any malicious intentions, so I didn't stop them..."

"Stay for a few days?"

Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

He was certain that he had no ties with King Huai Yu Longxuan. As for his students, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, Yuan Tao, and Liu Yang, only Wang Ying came from a distinguished background. However, it could only be considered as a distinguished clan in Tianxuan Kingdom.

Yuan Tao was an orphan, and he had been roaming the streets ever since he was young. Unable to find a proper cultivation technique manual, he could only fumble his way through his cultivation. As a result, even though he managed to pass the Hongyuan Academy's entrance examination back then, his examination results were the very lowest of the entire cohort. The same went for Zheng Yang and Liu Yang as well.

Since none of them could possibly be related to a king of a Tier-1 Empire, why would the latter take them to his manor?

This was way too bizarre!

A thought suddenly surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind, and he immediately asked worriedly, "When did you all arrive? Did they cause any trouble?"

His students and his butler were true troublemakers, and this was especially so for the latter. With 'Yang shi' serving as his backing, he put on a brazen attitude regardless of whom he was standing before. Could they have offended the King Huai Manor somehow, thus resulting in the latter finding an excuse to take them to the manor?

"We only arrived yesterday afternoon. As soon as we arrived, we immediately headed toward this residence, so there is no way they could've caused any trouble..."

Hong shi frowned as he went through his memory to see if he might have missed out something.

"But they did! Did you forget what the plump student of Zhang shi did before arriving at this residence?" Feng shi suddenly interjected.

Under Feng shi's prompt, Hong shi also recalled the matter and quickly explained it.

"Plump student? Oh! Yuan Tao did fight with someone yesterday, but that was a small matter. Besides, the other party was an ordinary person who had no ties with the King Huai Manor!"

Hearing that Yuan Tao had caused some kind of trouble, Zhang Xuan immediately asked with a livid expression, "What happened?"

"Actually, Yuan Tao is not to be blamed for this matter. Right after we arrived, an itinerant cultivator came to provoke us into dueling with him. Thus, Yuan Tao stood forward to teach that person a lesson. Due to this matter, Yuan Tao sustained some injuries and shed some blood. However, after Yuan Tao defeated the itinerant cultivator, the latter gave him some recovery pills in compensation for the matter. Judging from that person's dress-up, it seemed like he is a merchant. Could the both matters be related?"

Hong shi frowned as he recalled the happenings yesterday.

The person who fought against Yuan Tao was an ordinary merchant, and his cultivation was also so-so. It was unlikely for him to be related to King Huai Manor, so Hong shi didn't think too much into the matter.

However, the frown on Zhang Xuan's forehead deepened after hearing of the matter.

"Duel? And Yuan Tao was injured at that?"

Yuan Tao, Zheng Yang, and the others might be brazen, but they still knew better than to get into conflict with someone in a foreign land, especially when their teacher was not around. Furthermore, with the awakening of Yuan Tao's unique constitution, his defense had reached an absurd level. Making him bleed was no easy task at all.

Could this matter really be related to King Huai Manor?

Otherwise, there was no other plausible explanation as to why the other party would take his students away.

Unable to come to a conclusion, the frown on Zhang Xuan's forehead tightened. Eventually, he turned to Hong shi and asked, "Where is King Huai Manor?"

"Zhang shi intends to head to King Huai Manor to find your students?" Hong shi was taken aback.

Given that King Huai was the Imperial Uncle of Hongyuan Empire, his manor would surely be well-protected by top-notch formations and Saint realm experts. It would be extremely dangerous for Zhang Xuan to head there alone without any preparation.

"Just tell me where it is!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed.

While his cultivation realm was lower than Hong shi's, the legendary feats he had accomplished, his extraordinary disposition, as well as the powerful aura he carried made it difficult for anyone to stand against him.

"Yes..."

Knowing that Zhang Xuan's mind was made up and that nothing he said could change the other party's mind, Hong shi could only relent. "King Huai Manor is not too far away from here. After leaving the Academic Sea, turn left and walk several dozen kilometers down the streets. You should see it then..."

Saying so, Hong shi pointed in a direction.

But before he could finish his words, a shrill call suddenly resounded in the air, and the massive Great Violetwing Beast landed on the courtyard. Zhang Xuan leaped onto its back, and the duo immediately flew in the direction in which Hong shi was pointing toward.

"Zhang shi...:

Not expecting Zhang shi to actually dive straight into action, Hong shi's face paled in fright.

Who was King Huai?

The uncle of the incumbent emperor, the highest standing official in the Hongyuan royal court. Even the emperor would have to show him some respect. And yet, Zhang shi actually rode an aerial spirit beast over to his manor. It wouldn't be a joke if he were to offend a person of such standing...

"Ruohuan, accompany me to find Princess Yu Fei-er now. She is probably the only one who can salvage the situation now..."

Gritting his teeth, Hong shi beckoned for Ruohuan gongzi to go along with him.

The only royalty they were acquainted with at the moment was Yu Fei-er. The most they could hope for at this moment was for the latter to help Zhang shi on account of the time they had spent together in Huanyu Empire...

...

The Great Violetwing Beast was extremely swift. From the back of the beast, Zhang Xuan scanned the buildings below, and before long, a massive manor came into sight.

The manor was resplendently designed, and many of the guards on the compound were all dressed in golden armor. Even before getting into proximity, Zhang Xuan could already feel an aura of invulnerability from it.

"This should be it..."

After circling around the area to further assess the situation, Zhang Xuan instructed the Great Violetwing Beast to land on the ground.

He didn't dash right into the other party's manor—after all, the other party was an Imperial Uncle of the state. Without ascertaining the situation of Wang Ying and the others, it was best not to offend the other party first.

Landing on an empty street several hundred meters away, Zhang Xuan changed into a brand-new master teacher robe before walking to the gates of the manor.

At the entrance, he saw a huge plaque with three grand words, 'King Huai Manor', written in gold. The words seemed to be dancing around, as though they would break free of the surface of the plaque and soar into the greater world any moment now.

"This is probably the work of a 6-star painter!" Zhang Xuan assessed.

Considering the incredible skill and astounding disposition behind those words, the painter of it had to be at least at 6-star.

There were four guards standing at the entrance. Each of them was dressed in steel armor, and their presence exuded a strong pressure on one's soul.

"Transcendent Mortal 6-dan Cosmos Bridge realm experts?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

He didn't expect even the guards to be Cosmos Bridge realm experts as well. That would mean that their cultivation realms were even higher than his!

An expert of this caliber would at least be an esteemed official or a commander of an army of several thousand in Huanyu Empire. Yet, in Hongyuan Empire, they were only an ordinary entrance guard. Huaiwang Manor was indeed powerful!

It was no wonder Hong shi was worried. Entering this place was no different from venturing into a lion's den.

But so what if that was the case?

If the other party had malicious intentions toward Yuan Tao, Zheng Yang, and the others, even if he was a member of the royal family, Zhang Xuan was determined to cause a huge uproar.

If it came down to it, he could also bring out his Otherworldly Demon puppets to wreak havoc. With twenty Saint realm experts with nigh-invincible defense and no lack of stamina along with the unfathomable Vicious, he was confident that he could easily destroy the entire King Huai Manor!

Taking in a deep breath, Zhang Xuan walked up to the gate.

Seeing Zhang Xuan walk over, a guard raised his spear and harrumphed.

"Our King Huai Manor forbids the approach of any unrelated personnel!"

"I am Master Teacher Zhang Xuan, and I am here to pay respect to King Huai. I hope that you can relay the message."

Zhang Xuan took out an identity scroll and passed it over.

Before confirming the other party's intentions, it was best not to offend them first.

"Master teacher?"

The guard assessed Zhang Xuan doubtfully before grabbing the identity scroll.

There were only four words written on the identity scroll—Master Teacher Zhang Xuan. There was nothing on his rank at all.

4-star master teacher might be the strongest existence in Myriad Kingdom Alliance, but in a Tier-1 Empire, it would be insufficient for him to meet someone of King Huai's caliber.

If Zhang Xuan were to write it down, it was highly likely that he would be denied entry immediately.

The guards wouldn't even bother showing his identity scroll to their boss.

"This..."

The guard passed the identity scroll to the other guards to see as well, and they were all perplexed when they saw the content as well. One of them spoke up hesitantly. "May I know what Zhang shi's master teacher rank is? Are you an acquaintance of our old master? Have you made an appointment with him?"

Since there was nothing written on it, they could only ask the person in question.

Naturally, a person of their master's standing wouldn't meet a person just because the other party had provided an identity scroll.

"I have never met King Huai before, but I am a close buddy of Princess Yu Fei-er. Oh, Pavilion Master Mo Gaoyuan is also an old friend of mine!" Zhang Xuan chuckled.

If he were to say that he was a 4-star master teacher, he would immediately be chased away. Thus, he could respond to the other party's questions in a roundabout manner, hoping that the other party wouldn't pursue the matter.

But in any case, what he was saying was the truth as well. He had gone through a life-and-death situation with Yu Fei-er, so it wouldn't be going too far to address her as a close buddy. On the other hand, he had met Mo Gaoyuan, and the latter had expressed goodwill toward him. Thus, it wasn't exactly wrong to call them old friends as well.

"Mo shi's friend?"

As expected, upon hearing those words, the faces of the guards immediately turned grim.

Mo Gaoyuan was the pavilion master of the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher. Only another 6-star master teacher would dare to address him as a friend!

Just that... was it even possible for a 6-star master teacher to be so young?

"Zhang shi, this way please. We will report your arrival to our old master!"

Even though the guards were doubtful, they didn't dare take any chances. Thus, they quickly invited Zhang Xuan into the residence.

The means of a master teacher should never be underestimated. While the fellow before them might look young, it might not necessarily an accurate indicator of his age. Furthermore, regardless of whether the other party was truly a 6-star master teacher or not, just the fact that he was a master teacher would have to make them think twice before offending him.

"Thank you."

Seeing that the guards were going to report his presence to their old master, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a nod, he followed the guards into the manor.

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Chapter 697: Scram!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

King Huai Manor was so huge that it was impossible to see the end of it with a single glance. Many powerful guards dressed in golden armor patrolled the soundings of the majestic buildings rising throughout the entire estate. It felt like even an army wouldn't be able to take down this manor easily.

It was no wonder Hong shi was so worried when Zhang Xuan said that he would come here. This was indeed the den of a ferocious tiger.

'The movements of these guards seem to be aligned with some kind of formation. They will be difficult opponents!'

As a formation master, Zhang Xuan could easily tell that despite the seemingly random movement of the guards, their movements were actually aligned with something to form a powerful offensive formation.

If anyone were to attempt to intrude into the manor, they would be able to immediately bring forth a destructive assault upon him.

'Wang Ying and the others should be fine. If the men from King Huai Manor really intended to mean them harm, no one from the Huanyu Empire party would be able to stop them. There is no reason for them to go through so much trouble...'

Upon seeing the astounding might of the manor, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief instead.

Considering how the other party could easily overcome the entire group from Huanyu Empire just by dispatching a few guards, there was absolutely no need to go through the trouble of inviting Wang Ying and the others to the manor.

Possessing absolute power, there was no need for the other party to hide his actions at all.

"Zhang shi, please wait here. We'll report your arrival to our old master!"

Soon, they arrived at an elegant gazebo. The guard invited Zhang Xuan to take a seat before taking his leave.

Understanding the rules around here, Zhang Xuan sipped on the fragrant tea that a maid served while waiting patiently.

It must be said that the etiquette of King Huai Manor toward guests was truly impeccable. Even the tea leaves used were freshly picked, and the fragrance drifting from it left one feeling deeply revitalized.

While sipping on the tea, Zhang Xuan took this opportunity to activate his Eye of Insight to examine the area.

After taking a brief look, he couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment.

Even though the security in the manor seemed tight, he could still see many openings under the scrutiny of the Eye of Insight.

Zhang Xuan was confident that with his current cultivation, he could easily enter and leave the residence without being discovered.

"Zhang shi!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was scanning his surroundings, the guard from before suddenly rushed back and announced, "The old master invites you to the main hall!"

"Un."

Retracting his curious gaze, impassiveness returned to Zhang Xuan's face. Standing up, he followed the lead of the guard.

After strolling through a maze of corridors, they soon arrived at a vast main hall with a high ceiling.

"Old master, Zhang shi has arrived!"

Upon reaching the main hall, the guard immediately rushed forward and reported their arrival with clasped fists before backing out of the room. Following which, Zhang Xuan stepped into the main hall.

At the center of the massive room sat an austere middle-aged man who exuded a strong authoritative disposition. On the guest seat by the side was a white-haired elder, and a young man was standing behind him.

These were the three people in the room.

The middle-aged man carried a demeanor which reflected the many years in which he'd held his position of power. The chances were that he was King Huai. As for the white hair elder, his very presence felt unfathomable, making it extremely difficult to assess him. On the other hand, the young man behind him unreservedly exerted his aura, revealing his cultivation as a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan primary stage expert!

A Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert in his twenties!

Even among the geniuses in Hongyuan Empire, he could be considered as the cream of the crop!

Walking to the center of the room, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and greeted, "Master Teacher Zhang Xuan pays respect to Your Highness!"

"You are Zhang Xuan?"

Before the middle-aged man could even speak, the young man turned his sharp gaze on Zhang Xuan and questioned him coldly.

Seeing how that young man was devoid of the slightest respect, Zhang Xuan ignored him and walked to the guest seat on the opposite side.

"Didn't you hear my words?" Realizing he had just been snubbed, the young man's face darkened.

While he was standing subserviently behind the elder, his cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 8-dan at his age made him a respected figure no matter where he went. How dare the other party act so arrogantly as to ignore his words?

Zhang Xuan glanced at the young man and replied, "I heard them."

"Then why aren't you answering me?" The young man harrumphed furiously.

Ignoring the young man once more, Zhang Xuan turned to the middle-aged man and clasped his fist.

"Your Highness, I believe you should know the reason for my visit!"

"You..."

Seeing how the other party disregarded him yet again, the young man staggered.

'Stop ignoring me, I am talking to you!'

Gritting his teeth, the young man bellowed furiously, "If you want His Highness to answer your question, you'd better answer mine first!"

"Fine."

Zhang Xuan finally turned his gaze back to the young man, "Speak."

"Answer me, are you Zhang Xuan?" the young man asked rudely.

Zhang Xuan turned his face back to King Huai once more and said, "I heard that my students have been invited to your manor as guests. I hope that you will allow me to take them away with me."

"..."

Fury gushed to the head of the young man, and his body swayed weakly from side to side.

At this point, how could he possibly not tell that the other party was making a fool of him? The other party had no intention of answering his question in the first place!

"How dare you make a fool out of me! Do you know who I am?" With a furious roar, a powerful aura reminiscent of the expansive ocean burst forth from the young man.

Even though his cultivation wasn't on par with Ye Wentian, the strength he wielded seemed to be far mightier. Especially now that he was enraged, his muscles began bulged out furiously, creating a formidable sight. With just a glance, one could easily tell that he possessed an exceptionally strong body.

"You?"

Despite the other party's rage, Zhang Xuan remained completely impassive. "Do you think it matters to me who you are? I am a noble master teacher who stood against the Otherworldly Demons for humanity, a respected figure of all mankind. How dare a mere cultivator like you act so haughtily before me? Who gave you the guts to act this way?"

Driving his Soul Depth, Zhang Xuan's words were imbued with the Impartation of Heaven's Will. Paired with the inviolable aura he possessed as a Celestial Master Teacher, Zhang Xuan's presence suddenly towered before the young man as though a giant before an ant.

It was as if desecrating him was an act of blasphemy.

"I..."

The young man froze in fear.

As the number one occupation in the world, the prestige of the master teachers wasn't just for show. All cultivators had to respect them.

Dishonoring them was equivalent to provoking the Master Teacher Pavilion, as well as the entire human race!

This was simply the prestige that master teachers commanded!

If anyone could shout and order a master teacher around, how was the Master Teacher Pavilion supposed to establish order on this continent?

The young man tried to take advantage of Zhang Xuan's weakness to instill fear into him, but he forgot about this unspoken rule. Thus, upon being questioned under the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will, he was immediately rendered speechless. His face swiftly paled.

Seeing that the young man was suppressed entirely by him, Zhang Xuan continued, "No matter what, I am a guest in King Huai Manor. His Highness hasn't even spoken yet, and a subordinate like you actually dares to overstep your bounds and cause such a fuss. Do you have no respect for His Highness and the elder before you?"

"I..." The young man's body trembled weakly. The ferocious aura he had exuded on earlier vanished completely at this moment.

He had been too engrossed with forcing some humble pie onto Zhang Xuan that he forgot that he was in the presence of King Huai and the elder before him. He had gotten ahead of himself, and his actions could be easily interpreted as insubordination.

"To forget your own place and act so conceitedly before your elders... You aren't welcomed here. Scram!"

Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves.

"I-I..."

The young man couldn't find a single word to say. His complexion swiftly turned awful, and after a moment of hesitation, he turned around and walked out.

Zhang Xuan's current Soul Depth was 19.1, making him comparable to even a 6-star master teacher. Even though the young man was a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert, he was far too weak to withstand Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will.

With just a few words, Zhang Xuan had made him lose himself.

"This..."

The middle-aged man and the elder were stunned. They didn't expect Zhang Xuan to be able to beguile the young man into leaving just like that, and they glanced at one another in astonishment.

Wasn't Zhang shi supposed to be a 4-star master teacher?

How could his words be effective even on a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert?

In the end, the elder shook his head and uttered, "Enough."

Boom!

That voice wasn't loud, but it resounded clearly in one's ears as though a clap of thunder.

The departing young man suddenly froze. The elder's words had shaken him out of the effects of Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will, and he immediately turned around to glare at Zhang Xuan in animosity.

He was on the verge of going insane.

To think that he, a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert, would actually be beguiled into leaving the room while trying to teach the other party a lesson. The immense humiliation induced a furious blaze within him.

"I will kill you!"

Howling angrily, the young man stepped against the ground and charged forward.

However, at that very moment, the elder's voice rang in his ears. "Enough! Don't you think you have embarrassed yourself enough today?"

"Yes!"

Hearing the displeasure in the elder's tone, the young man shuddered and hurriedly retracted his aura. He swiftly returned back to his place behind the elder and fell quiet. Even so, his vengeful eyes were still fixated on Zhang Xuan, seemingly trying to tear him apart.

However, Zhang Xuan couldn't care less.

While he wasn't a match for the other party, there was no need for him to fear the other party either.

After all, the Saint realm puppets he had on him weren't just for show.

Ignoring the young man, Zhang Xuan turned to look at the elder instead.

Zhang Xuan knew how strong his Impartation of Heaven's Will was. Those whom he had beguiled couldn't be awakened that easily by external force. Yet, with just a single word, the elder actually managed to return the young man's rationality. Without a doubt, the elder was a formidable expert!

In fact, even Mo Gaoyuan didn't seem to wield such capability either.

"Zhang shi's students are indeed guests in my manor. I'll have my men invite them over."

Noticing the peculiar atmosphere drifting in the air, the middle-aged man chuckled awkwardly and hurriedly issued some instructions to a servant.

The servant swiftly left the room.

"I'll be thanking His Highness in advance then!"

Hearing that his students were indeed just guests of the manor, the heavy stone weighing down Zhang Xuan's heart was finally released. But even so, he still had some doubts in mind and said, "My students are mischievous, so I beg Your Highness's pardon if they have troubled you in any way!"

"Troubled me? How can that be? Zhang shi's students possess astonishing talent. If anything, I am impressed by them..."

Knowing that it would be impossible for him to hide the truth from the master teacher before him, King Huai shook his head and explained, "To tell you the truth, it was by Elder Yuan's request that I invited Zhang shi's students to the manor!"

"Elder Yuan?"

Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

Elder Yuan? He didn't recall ever meeting such a figure. Why would the other party invite his students to King Huai's manor?

The elder before the young man stroked his beard and said, "I am Yuan Cheng, the elder of Boundless Empire's Yuan Clan!"

"Boundless Empire? Yuan Clan?"

Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

On the way here, Yu Fei-er had told him about the various Tier-1 Empires and Tier-2 Empires around Hongyuan Empire, but he didn't recall any of them going by the name of Boundless Empire.

Could it be... a Conferred Empire?

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Chapter 698: Yuan Tao's Heritage

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Conferred Empires were a rank higher than Tier-1 Empires. 7-star master teachers stood at the core of the empire, ensuring the prosperity of the nation.

Considering how King Huai didn't fly into a rage despite the rudeness of the young man, intervening to mediate the situation even, it was likely that the elder and the young man possessed extraordinary standing.

If they were truly from a Conferred Empire, everything would make sense.

After all, when Yu Fei-er and Xing Yuan visited Huanyu Empire, Ye Wentian had to act prudently around them, not daring to offend them at all.

"That's right!"

The elder chuckled. "Zhang shi sure is incredible. To think that you would possess a Soul Depth superior to most 6-star master teachers at such a young age. Your talent is incredible even among the multitude of geniuses I have seen. You will surely achieve great things in the future!"

"Soul Depth superior to most 6-star master teachers?"

King Huai was astonished to hear that.

He had sent his men to investigate the background of Zhang Xuan, and the other party was only a 4-star master teacher of Huanyu Empire. He'd thought that it would still take many years before the other party could achieve anything sizeable, but who could have known that his Soul Depth would actually be so high?

It was extremely difficult to raise one's Soul Depth.

There were many master teachers whose cultivation had reached the mark but were unable to be promoted due to their Soul Depth not reaching the prerequisite.

And yet, the fellow before him, despite his low cultivation, possessed an extraordinarily high Soul Depth. This meant that it was just a matter of time before the other party became a 6-star master teacher!

If he were to be given some time to grow, he would surely make a name for himself... It seemed like there was a need to establish close ties with the other party.

Hearing the other party's evaluation, Zhang Xuan frowned.

Without using a Stone of Insight, not even a 6-star master teacher was able to gauge his Soul Depth accurately. And yet, the other party was actually able to evaluate it accurately. Clearly, the other party's eye of discernment and cultivation had truly reached a fearsome level.

With a grim expression, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and said, "Elder Yuan is being too generous!"

"Given your cultivation and talent, there's nothing generous about my praise. Since Zhang shi's surname is Zhang, may I know if you are related to the Sage Ancestry Zhang Clan?" Elder Yuan asked doubtfully.

"Sage Ancestry? Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I have never heard of them before, and I am unrelated to them."

He was an orphan as well as a transcender, so how could he have known of this Zhang Clan and Sage Ancestry?

"Unrelated?"

Elder Yuan was taken back for an instant before saying, "It doesn't matter whether you are related to them or not. It is admirable in itself that you were able to advance so far in your Soul Depth cultivation given your age, as well as your composure and steadiness in dealing with matters, and your lack of complacency and impatience. It is no wonder Young Master Tao views you so highly, refusing to acknowledge anyone else as his teacher except for you!"

"Young Master Tao?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Do you mean... Yuan Tao?"

Zhang Xuan only had a few students, and the elder also went by the surname of Yuan. It wasn't too difficult to figure out who the other party was referring to.

Just that... wasn't Yuan Tao an orphan? On top of that, he grew up in Tianxuan Royal City as well. How could he be the young master of the Boundless Empire's Yuan Clan?

"That's right. We found Young Master Tao through the resonance in our bloodline. I have heard stories about his travels with you, and I would like to thank you for the care you have shown him!"

Elder Yuan nodded.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

Bloodline resonance... Could Yuan Tao really be a missing young master from the Yuan Clan? But... this was way too inconceivable!

If this was really true, considering how the Yuan Clan was likely to be a powerful clan in a Conferred Empire, how could their young master possibly be left behind in a place as remote as Tianxuan Kingdom?

Seemingly noticing Zhang Xuan's doubts, Elder Yuan asked with a smile, "As Young Master Tao's teacher, are you aware of his ancient bloodline?"

"He possesses the Emperor's Bloodline!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Zhang Xuan had noticed Yuan Tao's Emperor's Bloodline from the very start through the Library of Heaven's Path. It was due to his bloodline that he accepted Yuan Tao as his student.

Just like unique constitutions, there were many differing types of bloodlines too. Ancient Bloodlines, New Bloodlines, inheritances, and mutations...

The Emperor's Bloodline was an extremely powerful bloodline from the ancient era which boasted invincible defense.

Zhang Xuan had met so many talented people, but not even a 6-star master teacher like Mo Gaoyuan was able to discern Yuan Tao's Ancient Bloodline. As such, it was unlikely that the elder was lying.

"Zhang shi indeed has keen eyes!" Elder Yuan nodded. "That's right, Young Master Yuan possesses the purest Emperor's Bloodline of our clan, and to our surprise, Zhang shi has managed to awaken it."

"... Clan?"

"Our Yuan Clan is built on the Ancient Emperor's Bloodline, and every single one of our members possesses it. However, with each passing generation, our bloodline grows thinner and thinner."

Elder Yuan sighed. "However, the heavens have taken pity on us! They have given us Young Master Tao, who possesses the perfect Ancient Emperor's Bloodline. With his return, it'll only be a matter of time before our clan rises to power once more!"

"This..."

Zhang Xuan was taken aback. He suddenly recalled the young man who tried to act arrogantly before him earlier.

Judging from the other party's bulging muscles, it was clear that he specialized in physical body cultivation. Thinking about it, the Emperor's Bloodline probably ran through his blood as well.

The Emperor's Bloodline boasted invincible defense, and if one were to fully awaken it, the might of one's physical body would reach unimaginable levels.

In truth, Zhang Xuan had been wondering how the rare Emperor's Bloodline could possibly appear in Yuan Tao—it turned out that he had such a huge clan behind him after all!

"But if he is from your clan, how did he end up in Tianxuan Kingdom?"

Zhang Xuan voiced his doubts.

Considering how Yuan Tao was born with the complete Emperor's Bloodline, how could the Yuan Clan possibly leave him alone in a remote kingdom?

"It was out of helplessness that we chose this course of action. As time passes, the bloodline running through our veins only continues to grow thinner. In order to revive the Ancient Bloodline, we could only send our offspring to ancient ruins via Teleportation Formations and allow them to grow by themselves! Only in places like that could the recovery of the bloodline be triggered," Elder Yuan explained.

An Ancient Bloodline could only retain its complete form in ancient ruins. If they were to stay cooped up in their clan, the bloodline would only grow thinner and thinner, and eventually disappear entirely.

"Ancient ruins? You mean... Tianxuan Kingdom is considered as ancient ruins as well?"

Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Tianxuan was an Unranked Kingdom located in the most remote part of the continent, but there was actually more to it?

"That's right. The war between the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and the human race was spread across the entire continent, and we term the regions unaffected by the conflict as ancient ruins! Such places tend to be more backward, and there are no Teleportation Formations in the vicinity. Even the Master Teacher Pavilions wouldn't dispatch any personnel to such a region, thus isolating it from the entire world," Elder Yuan explained.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan widened his eyes.

It seemed like... Tianxuan Kingdom fit that description aptly!

Devoid of a Master Teacher Pavilion or Teleportation Formation... Remote and thin in spiritual energy...

"Such lands tend to be located by the borders of the continent, and they spread across a wide area. We send our offspring to these ancient ruins via Teleportation Formations shortly after their birth, but we are unable to clearly locate their specific coordinates, so we could only slowly look for them... and throughout the years, many have failed to survive there as well!"

Elder Yuan shook his head.

They couldn't choose where their offspring were teleported to nor whether they would be able to survive there or not. If they had another choice, they wouldn't have sent their offspring to such places either.

Many of their offspring ended up dead, and those who lived on to restore the Ancient Bloodline numbered even more in the minority.

It was truly fortunate that they had managed to find Yuan Tao, who had recovered the Ancient Bloodline. How could they not be agitated?

After conversing for a moment longer, Zhang Xuan finally gained a good grasp on the situation.

Back then, the war between the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and the human race had spread far and wide across the entire Master Teacher Continent. The regions that were unaffected by the conflict were known as ancient ruins. But while such places were closer to the ancient era, they were extremely backward, especially in terms of cultivation techniques and battle techniques.

Without anyone to care for the Yuan Clan offspring who were sent there, there was a lot of doubt about whether they could survive or not, let alone, restore the Ancient Bloodline.

But this was the only course of action they could take.

Otherwise, if they were to allow their bloodline to continue thinning, it would only be a matter of time before they were consumed by other powers and disappeared in the annals of history.

'But still, to possess Teleportation Formations, the Yuan Clan is far stronger than I had thought!'

After hearing the other party's words, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

Rumor had it that an 8-star formation master possessed the ability to construct a formation capable of teleporting lifeforms. Considering how the Yuan Clan sent their offspring to the ancient ruins through such formations, how could they be an ordinary clan?

Elder Yuan then revealed his true intentions.

"Since we have found the young master, we intend to bring him back to our clan to inherit our heritage... However, Young Master Tao insists on meeting you, and he wants to receive your approval before deciding anything. I hope that Zhang shi can express your support for this matter."

It wasn't easy for the Yuan Clan to find an offspring that possessed the complete Emperor's Bloodline, so Elder Yuan was determined to bring Yuan Tao back to inherit the heritage regardless of the situation. However, Yuan Tao insisted on meeting his teacher before making a decision, thus resulting in the present situation.

On the other hand, the young man behind Elder Yuan felt that it was humiliating that the actions of the Yuan Clan had to be dictated by a mere 4-star master teacher. On top of that, he didn't think that Zhang Xuan was qualified to serve as Yuan Tao's teacher either, and that was the reason he provoked Zhang Xuan earlier.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan was hesitant to respond.

First Zhao Ya, and now Yuan Tao was standing before a crossroad as well.

Considering how the Yuan Clan had a complete heritage of the Ancient Emperor's Bloodline, the best course of action was clearly for Yuan Tao to return with them... But after the days they had spent together, Zhang Xuan was reluctant to part with the other party, especially since Zhao Ya had left. Who knew when they would be able to meet, or whether they would even meet again at all?

"I have heard of the methods Zhang shi used to awaken Young Master Tao's bloodline, and they are indeed novel... However, our Yuan Clan possesses the complete heritage regarding the Emperor's Bloodline, so Young Master Tao will surely be able to awaken his bloodline much faster, allowing his cultivation to soar. Thus, I hope that Zhang shi can agree to this matter. After all, this is for Young Master Tao's welfare!" Elder Yuan urged.

He had already discussed the matter with Young Master Tao, and he could see the deep relationship they had for one another. If Zhang Xuan were to say no, Young Master Tao would surely refuse to leave with them.

However... the fate of their clan lay on their shoulders. A prospective successor was standing before them, so how could they possibly allow him to continue roaming instead of bringing him back?

"I understand."

Zhang Xuan sighed gloomily.

Life is a cycle of reunion and separation. There is no teacher who can stay by his student's side for life. Sometimes, letting go is the best way to unleash a student's potential.

Take Zhao Ya for example, after heading to the Glacier Plain Court and receiving the best heritage and resources, her cultivation was probably on par or even beyond Zhang Xuan's right now.

The same applied for Lu Chong as well. He and Mo Hunsheng had gone on a journey to search for the Ancient Domain of Soul Oracles. They might not have reached their destination yet, but once they did, Lu Chong's cultivation would surely soar.

Seeing the look of hesitation on Zhang Xuan's face, the young man by the side said coldly, "Our elder has already said so much, and yet you are still reluctant? Young Master Tao possesses the complete Emperor's Bloodline, and it is a matter of time before he grows to become a mighty dragon.

"You might be a master teacher, and your talent is not bad, but in terms of physical body cultivation... you are far from a match for us. You aren't qualified to be the young master's teacher at all. You'd better learn your place, it is only out of politeness that we are discussing this matter with you!"

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

"Did you just say that I am unqualified to be Yuan Tao's teacher?"

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Chapter 699: Zhang Xuan's Physical Body

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"That's right!" the young man sneered in disdain. "If you think that I am speaking nonsense, why don't we verify it through a physical fight? If you lose, you'd better hand Young Master Tao obediently to us and admit that you are unqualified to be his teacher! On the other hand, if you win, I can even acknowledge you as my teacher..."

The young man roared, "How is it? Do you dare to take on the challenge?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

The other party was a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert. Even without the use of the Library of Heaven's Path or Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan could still easily tell that the other party possessed tremendous physical strength and resilience. Even if Zhang Xuan were to gather the entirety of his 10,000,000-ding strength, he couldn't be sure whether he could break the other party's defenses or not!

Not to mention, his physical strength only amounted to 4,000,000 ding!

But if Zhang Xuan couldn't defeat the other party, what right did he have to be 'Young Master Tao's' teacher?

While it might look as if the other party was acting recklessly by challenging Zhang Xuan to a battle all of the sudden, the truth was that he had grasped Zhang Xuan's weakness accurately and placed him in check.

Furthermore, if it was just a battle involving only their physical strength, the other party would be able to avoid Zhang Xuan's Impartation of Heaven's Will too... His move was indeed ingenious.

Placing his hands behind his back, the young man taunted derisively, "That's right! Do you dare to accept the challenge?"

"Humph!" Seeing how the other party arrogantly attempted to push him to a corner, Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves and harrumphed. But at that moment, an excited voice suddenly sounded, "Teacher..."

Turning around, Zhang Xuan saw Yuan Tao, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others walking over with eyes brimming with agitation.

Over the past month, his students seemed to have made significant advancements in their cultivation.

From this, it could be seen that they had been working diligently over this period of time.

"Young Master!"

Sun Qiang was also amidst the group.

At this moment, he had already reached Transcendent Mortal 3-dan Yin-Yang realm intermediate stage.

Even though his cultivation was slightly beneath Wang Ying and the others, considering Sun Qiang's usual indolent nature, it could be considered rather impressive.

Seeing that each and every one of them was spirited, Zhang Xuan felt heartened, and a slight smile crept onto his face. All of the sudden, a majestic aura flowed out of Zhang Xuan as he turned around toward the young man and replied nonchalantly, "Fine, we'll have a duel using just our physical bodies!"

"Duel? Teacher..."

Hearing those words, Yuan Tao and the others immediately panicked.

Even though their teacher's cultivation had improved swiftly, it was still much too difficult for him to defeat a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan expert who specialized in physical body cultivation in a physical duel.

"Don't worry, he's nothing more than a little pebble in the way. Just watch how I crush him!"

Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back grandly.

Since the other party had already gone this far, how could Zhang Xuan possibly back down now, especially before his students?

"It's good that you agreed to the duel. Come!"

Hearing the other party agreeing to the duel, the young man immediately burst into laughter. He proceeded to the center of the room, and just by flexing his muscles, he seemed to have grown a few inches taller. His bulky and powerful frame gave him a sharp appearance reminiscent of a ferocious tiger.

"There's no need to rush into it."

Even though the young man was already preparing himself for the duel, Zhang Xuan still remained on his seat. With a smile, he turned to King Huai and asked, "Your Highness, there's a matter I need to trouble you with. Is there a secret chamber here that I can use here? There are some matters that I need to attend to!"

"Secret chamber? Of course there is!"

King Huai was still busy finding a way to form a close relationship with Zhang Xuan when the latter delivered an opportunity for him to express his goodwill. Thus, he immediately waved his hand, and 'jiya!', the wall by the side of the room suddenly split apart, revealing a hidden chamber.

As a member of the royal family of a Tier-1 Empire, it wasn't too surprising for him to install have several secret chambers in his main hall so as to discuss confidential matters.

A special formation was set up here in order to prevent anyone, regardless of strength, from peering into the room or eavesdropping into the conversation.

"Thank you."

With a smile, Zhang Xuan entered the chamber and closed the doors. After which, he flicked his wrist, and his clone appeared before him.

With the measly 4,000,000 ding of strength that Zhang Xuan could harness in his physical body, it was surely impossible for him to teach the other party a lesson. However... his clone was different.

His clone had been forged of the Nine Hearts Lotus, thus making its physical body far stronger than his. Zhang Xuan had little doubt that the young man wouldn't be an opponent for his clone as well.

Zhang Xuan swiftly filled his clone up on the details through their mental connection.

"That's how it is. So, go there and smash his teeth out!"

"Don't worry!"

His clone nodded, put on Zhang Xuan's previous clothes, and walked out of the secret chamber.

Considering how the clone had the same form as the main body, and the main body was hidden within the secret chamber, there was no need to worry about the trick being exposed.

"You're finally out!"

Upon seeing 'Zhang Xuan' coming out from the chamber, the young man sneered coldly.

'Geji! Geji!'

Cracking sounds echoed from his body, and the aura shrouding him rapidly grew stronger. He flicked his wrist, and a deafening sound boomed in the air, seemingly threatening to shatter everything in the area to pieces.

When one's physical body reached a certain realm, the prowess it could exert would be on par with zhenqi.

No matter how thin it was, the young man still possessed the powerful Emperor's Bloodline. On top of that, the long heritage of his clan meant that he had access to the best physical body cultivation techniques, thus resulting in the might of his physical body to exceed even his zhenqi cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 8-dan.

'Zhang Xuan' chuckled lightly as he walked to the center of the room as well.

"Humph!"

Seeing how a Consonant Spirit realm brat actually dared to pit his physical body against him, the young man's face twisted in savageness. Kicking against the ground, he dashed forward.

Boom!

Due to the absurd speed he was traveling at, a deep rumbling reminiscent of thunder boomed along with his movements.

Even before he reached Zhang Xuan, the air in the surroundings had already been torn apart, forming a huge vacuum around Zhang Xuan.

"Teacher..."

Seeing how the young man executed his strongest technique from the very start, Yuan Tao clenched his fists tightly.

Even though the young man could be considered his fellow clan member, the relationship between him and his teacher ran far deeper than that.

Wang Ying and the others were anxious as well.

They were well aware of the strength their teacher wielded. Just a month ago, their teacher was only at the Clarifying Turbidity realm, so even if he had made a breakthrough in the past month, he would only be at Consonant Spirit realm at the moment. A Consonant Spirit realm against a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan... The gap was simply too huge!

It could be said that both parties weren't even on the same level, how could Zhang Xuan triumph against him?

"Don't worry, since the young master agreed to the duel, he won't lose!" Sun Qiang said by the side.

Before his students, the young master always put on an austere face to uphold his prestige. It was not that Wang Ying and the others didn't believe in Zhang Xuan, but the gap between the two was simply too huge.

At the same time, considering the upright personality of their teacher, he wouldn't do anything despicable just to achieve victory.

However... Sun Qiang had a differing opinion.

After living with the young master for a period of time, he had gained a good grasp of the latter's personality. Had the young master ever done anything he was unconfident at?

Since the young master agreed to the other party's challenge, there was no doubt that he must have found a way to pummel the other party. Besides, it was suspicious how the young master asked to use the secret chamber before the duel.

"Won't lose?"

Wang Ying and the others were a little doubtful upon hearing Sun Qiang's words.

Hu!

Before the young man's ferocious attack, their teacher didn't bother to dodge. Instead, he raised his right arm and sent a fist over.

"A frontal attack?"

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan's reaction, everyone's eyebrows shot up. Even Elder Yuan also frowned in confusion.

Elder Yuan knew very well how strong the young man was. Even Transcendent Mortal 8-dan intermediate stage experts would find it hard to breach his defenses.

'A Consonant Spirit realm small fry like you actually dares to face him head on... Aren't you courting death?'

Peng!

In just the blink of an eye, the two fists clashed with one another, and a frenzied wind burst into the surroundings. The ground beneath the duo's feet immediately cracked from the tremendous impact of the clash.

Upon the collision of fists, the young man's excited face slowly turned in astonishment. He felt as if he had struck a steel plate, and an intense pain assaulted his knuckle.

Kacha! Kacha!

In just a brief moment, the bones in his fist were shattered. Following which, an immense force traveled through his arm, seemingly trying to suppress him altogether.

Hu!

The young man was sent flying backward.

Due to the limitations of his cultivation, it was impossible for the clone's strength to match up to the other party. However, a unique property of a physical body crafted by the Nine Hearts Lotus was its incredible toughness that was on par with any other God artifact...

To make an analogy, it was equivalent to an ordinary man striking a wall with his full strength, not to mention that the young man's strength was beyond ordinary. When the immense force of his attack rebounded back on him, how could he possibly withstand the impact?

On top of that, the qualitative difference in the bodies of the duo was also way too great. If the young man's body was iron, the clone's body would be diamond. No matter how compact the iron was, it could still be easily torn apart by diamond.

"How can you have such a powerful physical body..."

The young man widened his eyes in astonishment. At this moment, he felt as if he was going crazy.

He possessed the Emperor's Bloodline, and he cultivated one of the strongest physical body cultivation technique in the clan. It was no joke to say that he was almost invincible in his power class. Even Spirit high-tier weapons might not necessarily be able to pierce his skin...

And yet, the other party's fist actually crushed his bones...

'Are you sure that I am the one possessing the Emperor's Bloodline, not you?'

How could such a powerful physical body possibly exist in the world?

Howling furiously, the young man tried to steady his flying figure. But at that moment, a blur abruptly flashed across his eyes, and unknowingly, his opponent had appeared behind him.

Peng!

Once again, the two bodies clashed with one another.

Kacha! Kacha!

Two cracks resounded clearly in the air. The prided bones that the young man had devoted a very long period of time to cultivating had broken yet again.

"I..."

The intense pain he was experiencing left him frenzied. He immediately twisted his body and elbowed the other party with his intact left arm.

It must be said that the young man was indeed a skilled fighter. His reaction was swift and deadly. With this blow, the other party would surely have to dodge, thus giving him time to take a breather and regain his momentum in the battle.

But Zhang Xuan didn't move at all. He simply stood idly, allowing the young man's elbow to strike him.

Peng!

The elbow struck Zhang Xuan's head.

"Great..."

The head was the weakest spot of a human body. Upon striking it squarely, the young man's eyes immediately lit up in excitement. However, before he could celebrate, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm once again.

His bones had been shattered to pieces.

"What is going on?"

The young man finally cried.

The Emperor's Bloodline was known for its invincible defense, thus making him far stronger than any cultivator of his power tier. He thought that he would be able to crush Zhang Xuan as easily as tearing a cabbage into pieces, but the other party remained completely unfazed by his attacks. On the contrary, it was his bones that had been shattered in the collisions...

It was as if he was fighting against a Saint artifact.

What the heck was with this?

"This..."

By the side, Elder Yuan's eyes were widened as much as humanly possible.

Zhang shi was the one being beaten up, and yet he was able to rebound the might back onto his opponent and crush the other party's bones... And this was taking into account that his opponent specialized in physical body cultivation!

How powerful must Zhang shi's physical body be?

Even Elder Yuan, despite the long years of cultivating his body, had to admit that he was incapable of such a feat!

Could it be that... he had identified the wrong young master? Was Zhang shi the true possessor of the Emperor's Bloodline instead of Young Master Tao?

"Teacher... is actually so strong?"

Wang Ying, Yuan Tao, and the others stared at one another in astonishment.

They'd thought that their growth rate in the past month was already incredible, but it seemed their teacher had improved far more than them!

To actually crush the other party's bones by being pummeled, who else in the world was capable of such a feat?

Kacha! Kacha!

The same astonishment also surfaced on King Huai's face. Amidst gazes of disbelief, Zhang Xuan went on to shatter the bones in the legs of the young man before standing quietly at the main hall.

With a nonchalant gaze, he gazed down at the young man lying on the ground and asked calmly, "So, with the strength of my physical body...

"... am I qualified to be Yuan Tao's teacher?"

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Chapter 700: Repaying Malice with Benevolence

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The entire room was silent.

Everyone stared at one another, unable to utter a single word.

'You said that the other party's physical body was too weak for him to be qualified to teach a person possessing the Emperor's Bloodline. Yet, you ended up shattering nearly all of your bones while trying to pummel the other party. What else do you have to say?'

Many gazes turned toward the young man, only to see him lying on the ground in a mess. His body was contorted in awkward angles. With his bones shattered to such a degree, he was unable to stand up.

"You... are qualified to be Young Master Tao's teacher..."

Tears were threatening to spill from the young man's eyes.

Never had such an incident occurred to him ever since he'd started cultivating his physical body.

He used his full might to pummel the other party, and yet, the other party remained completely unharmed whereas his bones were shattered instead. Not even the elders of the Yuan Clan possessed such astounding defensive ability!

Was the other party still mortal?

'If I knew that your physical body was this strong, I would have never provoked you!

'If this was going to be the case, I should have just left obediently just now when you asked me to. At the very least, I would still be unharmed. And now... With my bones shattered to such a degree, how am I going to fare in the future?'

"Cultivation is an endless journey. We might possess the Emperor's Bloodline, but that doesn't mean that we are invincible. Zhang shi has only taught you that there's always a mountain higher than the other."

Sighing, Elder Yuan flicked his finger, and a pill was shot into the young man's mouth.

The reason he didn't stop the young man from challenging Zhang shi earlier was because he intended to see the depths of the latter's prowess as well. Who would have thought that he would be so powerful?

The pill immediately dissolved as soon as it entered the young man's mouth. A moment later, the young man finally recovered slightly, and he struggled to his feet strenuously.

Seeing the young man's state, Elder Yuan sighed in lamentation.

"Given the degree of damage to your bones, it'll be hard for you to recover to how you were. You won't be able to cultivate your physical body anymore in the future."

The greatest taboo for physical body cultivators was the breaking of their bones. If it was just a bone or two, it could still be healed via consuming pills. However, considering how the young man's bones were shattered into near smithereens, there was no way he could get back to how he was before.

In other words, the young man's cultivation had been crippled through this fight, and his future achievements had been capped.

While there were Saint recovery pills within the clan which was capable of healing even such grievous injuries... given that the young man didn't belong to the main family and that his bloodline wasn't pure either, he wasn't qualified to use such precious resources.

"Yes!" The young man nodded with a desolate expression.

His cultivation wasn't outstanding in the clan in the first place, and he had been despised due to that. Now that he had lost his cultivation, it wasn't hard to imagine how his tragic his plight would be in the future.

"Alright, only with setbacks will one grow wiser, so don't be too harsh on yourself."

After which, Elder Yuan turned to Zhang Xuan, and awe gleamed in his eyes. "To be able to cultivate your physical body to such an astounding degree despite your young age, Zhang shi is indeed worthy of awe. May I know... if you're interested in coming to our Yuan Clan? Given your age and your physical body prowess, as long as you persevere, it is just a matter of time before you become an honorary elder there!"

"An invitation to the Yuan Clan?" On the main seat, King Huai widened his eyes upon hearing those words, and his breathing hastened.

Zhang shi might not have heard of the Boundless Empire's Yuan Clan, but he knew very well what that power represented.

Even if it was just an offer to become a guard of the Yuan Clan, he would surely grasp the opportunity without any hesitation.

But just as he thought that Zhang shi would immediately agree to the request in delight, the latter shook his head in disdain and said, "I don't have any interest in that."

Hearing those words, King Huai's body jolted in astonishment. "Zhang shi, do you understand the significance of becoming an honorary elder in the Boundless Empire's Yuan Clan?"

"Who cares what kind of significance it has, I don't have any interest in it!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands nonchalantly.

No matter how impressive becoming an 'honorary elder' might be, in the end, he would be nothing more than a subordinate. He was a person who would become a 9-star master teacher one day. Before that, all powers were nothing more than fleeting clouds.

Besides, how could he possibly lower himself to serve as an honorary elder for his student's clan?

"That's a huge pity..."

Seeing Zhang Xuan rejecting the offer without any hesitation, Elder Yuan shook his head in disappointment. Sighing, he raised his head once more and asked, "Zhang shi, about our young master..."

Zhang shi hadn't given his opinion regarding Yuan Tao's matter yet. Even though Elder Yuan possessed incredible power, he dared not offend a person who could possibly become the next head of his clan.

"Sigh!"

With a deep sigh, Zhang Xuan turned to the young man not too far away and said, "Yuan Tao, come over here!"

"Teacher!"

Yuan Tao responded and hurriedly rushed forward.

Zhang Xuan rubbed the plump boy's head with his hand as complex emotions surfaced in his eyes. Memories flashed across his head as reminisced about the time they had spent together. The sorrow of parting jabbed at his heart, but as a teacher, he knew that he couldn't limit his own students.

"Cultivate well after you return to your clan. Don't let me down!"

"Teacher..."

With reddened eyes, Yuan Tao kneeled on the floor. "I won't go! I want to stay by your side..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head slowly. "Since the Yuan Clan possesses the complete heritage of the Emperor's Bloodline, you should leave with Elder Yuan. This is the route you should take if you aspire to reach for greater heights! Following behind me will only limit your accomplishments."

Yuan Tao's body stiffened upon hearing those words.

"Alright, as my student, you should decisively grasp any opportunity that comes your way. Work hard, awaken your bloodline, and make me proud!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

No matter how reluctant he was, he knew that he had to let go.

Students are just like birdlings. No matter how well one taught them, if they don't try to venture beyond their nest, they will never learn to fly.

A greater world lies out there for them! That is the place where they belong!

Only by experiencing the various elements of the world will they fly higher and higher, and eventually reach the peak.

"Alright!" Seeing that his teacher had made up his mind, Yuan Tao clenched his jaws and nodded.

After convincing Yuan Tao, Zhang Xuan turned to Elder Yuan and said, "Elder Yuan, my student is a troublemaker, so I'll be depending on you to take care of him in the future!"

"Of course, you can count on me for that..." Elder Yuan froze for a moment upon seeing that sight, and admiration slowly gleamed through his face.

He could tell the deep concern Zhang Xuan harbored for Yuan Tao, and it would surely be difficult for him to part with the latter. Nevertheless, upon realizing that his student had a much better path before him, he still decisively chose to send the latter there. There were very few master teachers who could do the same!

As long as he could survive amidst the harsh world, Zhang shi would surely achieve great things in the future!

"Yuan Tao is my direct disciple. If I hear that he has been subjected to some grievances or unfair treatment, have no doubt that I will come knocking on the gates of the Yuan Clan!" Zhang Xuan warned with a grim expression.

He might be weak at the moment, but he was growing stronger rapidly. If the Yuan Clan dared to torment Yuan Tao, he wouldn't mind trampling them into the ground!

"Don't worry. Young Master Tao possesses the complete Emperor's Bloodline, making him the future hope of our clan. How could he possibly subject him to grievances or unfair treatment?" Elder Yuan hurriedly reassured.

It had been more than a dozen millenniums since a complete Emperor's Bloodline had appeared in the Yuan Clan. Yuan Tao played a pivotal role to the revival of the Yuan Clan, so how could the Yuan Clan possibly treat him unfairly?

"That would be for the best!"

Zhang Xuan nodded. Following which, he grabbed a wine cup from a table a distance away and smiled. "Allow me to propose a toast to Elder Yuan!"

"This..."

Zhang Xuan's action of grabbing the wine cup may seem normal, but Elder Yuan's eyes narrowed upon seeing that sight.

Zhang Xuan was around one and a half meter away from the table, and yet, he was still able to grab the wine cup without the utilization of zhenqi... In other words, Zhang Xuan's arm had instantaneously extended by a length of half a meter!

To extend one's arm abruptly without the use of zhenqi...

Elder Yuan's body stiffened as the thought flashed across his mind.

'Could he have cultivated his bones and muscles to the Undying realm?'

Legend had it that upon reaching a certain level of cultivation in one's physical body, not only would one's physical body become extremely tough, their body would also become incredibly flexible.

Upon reaching that realm, their bones and muscles would be able to extend in a way that defied common sense. At the same time, the enhanced elasticity also allowed their bodies to revert back to its original form even when squashed like a pancake!

As such, this was known as the Undying realm.

Even though it wasn't invulnerability in the strictest sense, the ability to extend one's limbs freely and recover from lethal force were already exceptionally valuable capabilities, especially in battle.

Even in their clan, only the legendary old ancestor had achieved such a feat!

Considering how the young man before him was able to extend his arm half a mater without tapping into his zhenqi, even if he hadn't truly reached the Undying realm, he was surely not too far from it!

To actually train one's physical body to the limits and reach Undying realm at twenty...

Was this even possible?

Was the fellow before him some kind of monster in human skin?

It was no wonder his junior lost so tragically. Even he himself hadn't advanced this far in his physical body cultivation!

If it was before, he would have taken the other party's threat to be a joke. However, such thoughts had vanished completely from his mind.

No matter how weak the other party's cultivation was at the moment, given how his physical body had already reached or was extremely near to the Undying realm, his future achievements would surely be immeasurable. Even despite the dozens of millenniums of history behind the Yuan Clan, a day might come when the entire Yuan Clan would have to bow before him.

Caught up in his astonishment, when Elder Yuan finally recovered, he realized that the young man had already gulped down the wine in his cup and returned back to the secret chamber. A moment later, he returned with an impassive expression.

"Let's leave!"

Zhang Xuan beckoned for his students before striding out of the main hall.

"We'll be leaving now!"

Zheng Yang and the others bade Yuan Tao farewell before hurriedly leaving behind Zhang Xuan.

Having accompanied one another on this long journey, a strong relationship had already been forged among them. Thus, they couldn't help but feel dejected by this parting.

"Zhang shi..."

Seeing Zhang Xuan leaving decisively, Elder Yuan was just about to say something when the other party suddenly flicked his hand and tossed a wine gourd over.

Catching it instinctively, he heard the other party's voice sounding in the air.

"Connect the fractured bones carefully before drinking this medicinal wine. He will be able to make a full recovery."

"This..."

Elder Yuan was stunned for a moment after hearing those words. Following which, he swiftly passed the medicinal wine to his junior to drink.

The young man had already reconnected his bones using his zhenqi earlier on. Upon learning that the medicinal wine could possibly heal his injuries, he gulped it down without any hesitation.

Gugugugu!

As the medicinal wine rushed down his throat, a warm surge of energy abruptly burst from his stomach and gushed through his entire body. He felt a numbing sensation in the broken bones throughout his body as the warm surge washed over them. In just a few breaths, he could already stand up even without relying on zhenqi to balance himself. All of the injuries he had sustained vanished into thin air, as if he hadn't been injured in the first place.

"This..."

The young man narrowed his eyes, and his body began trembling in agitation. He thought that he was doomed for life, but this turnaround came so abruptly.

Elder Yuan's body stiffened as well.

"Saint... recovery medicine?"

This kind of medicine was invaluable even in their clan. Yet, the other party actually tossed it to them as though it were nothing at all. This was truly a huge favor to them!

"Zhang shi... thank you!"

Understanding the value of the medicine, the young man immediately dropped to the floor and kowtowed in gratitude.

He had provoked the other party intentionally with a sharp tone earlier on, intending to harm him even. Yet, not only did the other party not harbor a grudge against him for that, he even gave him such a valuable medicine...

How magnanimous he must be to repay malice with such great benevolence!

'So this is a master teacher!'

It was no wonder Young Master Tao would be willing to turn down even the heritage from the Yuan Clan to pursue him. The other party's character was indeed worthy of respect.

While the young man was kowtowing in gratitude, Yuan Tao's clenched fists were trembling with overwhelming emotions. Looking at his teacher's departing back, tears streamed freely down his face.

It was Zhang laoshi who didn't scorn him for being the last place in Hongtian Academy and accepted him as his student!

It was Zhang laoshi who turned him from an ignorant and reckless weakling into a Transcendent Mortal ream expert!

It was Zhang laoshi who went to great lengths to search for medicinal herbs to awaken his unique constitution!

It was Zhang laoshi who stayed up at night to modify his cultivation technique for him...

'Teacher... rest assured. I will surely work hard after returning to my clan so as to not let down your expectations!' Yuan Tao vowed with great determination.

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Chapter 701: Bazaar

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After leaving King Huai Manor, Zhang Xuan turned to Sun Qiang and instructed, "Sun Qiang, find suitable living quarters with a good atmosphere in proximity to the academy within the next two days!"

As a student of the Master Teacher Academy, he was allowed to stay at the Academic Sea. However, going by the rules, Zheng Yang and the others weren't qualified to live there. This was also part of the reason Hong shi and the others allowed them to leave with King Huai without much protest.

While it wasn't a problem for them to stay in the Academic Sea for a few days, complaints from the other students would arise soon enough if their stay stretched on. Rather than having to deal with the mess then, they might as well find suitable lodgings now. This way, it would be more convenient for Zhang Xuan to conduct lessons for them, and Zheng Yang and the others need not be so restrained as well.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded.

As the butler, he was in charge of the miscellaneous affairs of the group. The others only needed to focus on their cultivation.

"Teacher, I think I am on the verge of a breakthrough!"

After relaying some instructions, Zhang Xuan was just about to return to the Academic Sea when he heard Wang Ying's voice. Turning around, he saw a powerful aura flowing around the latter's body. Her zhenqi was trembling in her acupoints, and it seemed that she would make a breakthrough at any moment!

She was currently at Yin-Yang realm pinnacle, so with this breakthrough, she would reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan Clarifying Turbidity realm.

She had been working hard over the past month, and she had long reached the peak of Yin-Yang realm, but the impetus for a breakthrough just didn't seem to come somehow. However, the intense emotion from the parting with Yuan Tao had resonated with her cultivation, thus allowing her to take this final step forward.

"Great Violetwing Beast!"

Knowing that opportunities for achieving a breakthrough didn't come easily, Zhang Xuan immediately beckoned his tamed beast telepathically. Then, with a sweep of his zhenqi, the group soared into the air and landed on the back of the Great Violetwing Beast.

Several dozen breaths later, they finally returned back to the Academic Sea. After arranging for Zheng Yang and the others to stay at his room for the time being, Zhang Xuan took Wang Ying to a silent chamber and stood guard for her as she attempted the breakthrough.

In Clarifying Turbidity realm, one's soul and physical body would be clearly divided into two. Even though Wang Ying possessed a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art so making the breakthrough shouldn't be a problem at all, it would still be difficult for her to maintain the consonance between her body and soul while preventing their merging.

Nevertheless, she would only benefit the greatest from this breakthrough if she were to achieve a breakthrough while enduring this pressure. Thus, Zhang Xuan didn't intend to interfere at all.

Gugugugu!

Her acupoints furiously devoured spiritual energy from the surroundings as zhenqi rushed through her body. With a harrumph, a surge of zhenqi rushed up her Baihui acupoint and gushed out.

Boom!

The division of clarity and turbidity—Transcendent Mortal 4-dan Clarifying Turbidity realm reached!

At this moment, Wang Ying exuded an overwhelmingly powerful aura reminiscent of a sword.

'This is... a breakthrough in her Will of Mind?'

Zhang Xuan's eyelids twitched furiously.

Just like master teachers, cultivators could also achieve breakthroughs in their Will of Mind as well. The only difference was that the former was more sided toward the analytical aspect whereas the latter was more sided toward practicality in combat.

Even though a breakthrough to Clarifying Turbidity realm would boost one's cultivation significantly, it still wasn't possible for one to exude such a sharp aura. Clearly, Wang Ying had reached a higher realm in her Will of Mind!

Scarlet Heart realm!

'This is truly a fortuitous encounter!'

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

In the Fighter realm, the cultivation of one's physical body and zhenqi took priority, but beyond Clarifying Turbidity realm, the importance of Will of Mind would start to shine through.

After all, this was intricately tied to the purity of one's soul. If one could temper their Will of Mind, their cultivation would be much smoother and faster in the future.

Humans are beings possessing sentience, and thus they are vulnerable to the disturbances around them. This made it nigh impossible for them to focus all of their attention to the task they had at hand.

However, the Crimson Heart realm allowed one to toss aside their miscellaneous thoughts to focus their efforts on cultivating. In such a state, one's cultivation would be several times more effective than usual!

It could be said that upon reaching the realm, Wang Ying's cultivation would only grow faster and faster, and she would eventually far surpass Zheng Yang and the others.

'Even though this lass is reticent, it seems like she possesses great determination...'

Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile.

Wang Ying's talent was not on par with Zhao Ya, her resilience was not on par with Lu Chong, her flexibility was not on par with Zheng Yang, her cunningness was not on par with Yuan Tao, and her worldliness was not on par with Liu Yang... But even so, she still managed to stand her own ground and shine among them. And now, she had even comprehended the Crimson Heart realm!

It seemed like meticulousness and composure were the strongest factors influencing the advancement of one's cultivation!

"Given her rate of cultivation, it won't be long before she requires a Consonant Spirit realm cultivation technique. However, I don't have one at the moment..."

Since Wang Ying was already past the crucial period, there was no need for Zhang Xuan to stand guard anymore. While he was heartened by Wang Ying's breakthrough, another new problem cropped up, and he pinched his glabella.

While Zhang Xuan had reached Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle, he had only managed to do so due to the assistance of the white-robed lady and the means of a soul oracle. He still didn't have a Consonant Spirit realm Heaven's Path Divine Art manual in the Library of Heaven's Path yet.

He had to quickly search for it, or else Wang Ying might find her cultivation stagnating very soon.

Thus, after leaving the secret chamber, he immediately headed toward Hong shi's room.

Upon finding the other party, Zhang Xuan asked, "Hong shi, do you know where I can find Consonant Spirit realm and Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals?"

"Cultivation technique manuals? I can find a few for you, but... how many do you need?" Hong shi was slightly startled by Hong shi's request.

"The more the better," Zhang Xuan replied.

"Give me a moment, I'll take a look..."

Saying so, Hong shi walked out of the room. Not too long later, he returned with several dozen books.

"I was able to find forty Consonant Spirit realm cultivation technique manuals, but I could only find three for Cosmos Bridge realm!" Not knowing what the other party intended to use the secret manuals for, Hong shi tried to gather as many books as he could.

The fifty geniuses from Huanyu Empire were all Consonant Spirit realm cultivators. Thus, it wasn't too difficult to gather some cultivation technique manuals from them. However, gathering Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals would be tricky.

Only Feng shi and Luo shi had some in their possession.

"Forty..." Zhang Xuan brushed his fingers through them and shook his head.

Forty books might already be an impressive collection to others, but to Zhang Xuan, it was far from sufficient from meeting his goal.

Passing the books back to Hong shi, Zhang Xuan asked, "Where can I find more cultivation technique manuals? The quality doesn't matter, I am only interested in the quantity."

"Then... how many books do you need?"

Hong shi was stunned to hear that even forty books were less than sufficient.

Even he would have to take several months before he could finish reading and comprehending those books. Yet, Zhang shi actually said that it wasn't enough. How many did he need then?

"At least a thousand!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"A thousand?"

Hong shi staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

Even though all kinds of cultivation techniques appeared in the world after the establishment of the Master Teacher Pavilion as though flowers blooming with the onset of summer, finding a thousand different cultivation technique manuals was still an extremely difficult feat!

After all, there wasn't a single cultivation technique that came to the world just because one willed it to. Each of these cultivation techniques contained the crystallization of an expert's comprehension of the cultivation realm and their relentless effort to refine it.

"That's right. Do you know where I can find them?" asked Zhang Xuan, oblivious to the shock going through the other party's mind.

"This..."

Seeing that the other party didn't seem to be joking, Hong shi rubbed his glabella and said, "The Master Teacher Academy will surely have plenty of books there. I think you will be able to easily find tens of thousands of the books you want there..."

The Master Teacher Academy was a place which gathered the talented master teachers all over the world. Over many millennia of heritage, many cultivation techniques and secret arts had been left behind by generations of geniuses, thus forming an impressive collection. However, as Zhang Xuan had yet to become an official student of the academy, not to mention that he didn't have any academic credits either, he would be unable to access the books there.

"Right!"

Suddenly, a thought came to Hong shi, and his eyes lit up. "There will be a bazaar for the freshmen over the next few days, and there will surely be some who are selling cultivation technique manuals too. You can go over to take a look. Given how many freshmen there are in the Academic Sea, it shouldn't be a problem for you to find a thousand books!"

"Bazaar?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Un! The freshmen from the various empires have brought along the local specialties from their own empires, as well as their own unique cultivation techniques. By conducting this bazaar, the freshmen will be able to get acquainted with another, trade resources, and share their own views and experiences on cultivation. This way, everyone will be able to raise their fighting prowess to some extent, thus increasing the overall chances of clearing the entrance examination!" Hong shi said.

"Alright. Where is this bazaar conducted? I'll go and take a look!"

Upon hearing that there was such a gathering, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"It is conducted on the center ship in the middle of the Academic Sea!"

Hong shi pointed.

At the center of the Academic Sea was a gigantic lake. Zhang Xuan had thought that it was just for scenery purposes, but who knew that the bazaar would actually be conducted there?

Zhang Xuan left the residence and walked toward the lake. It didn't take him too long to arrive at his destination. Even though spring had already set in, the frigidity of winter had yet to dispel entirely. The slight breeze sweeping across the surface of the lake carried bone-chilling intent with it.

Gazing toward the center of the lake, Zhang Xuan saw a gigantic vessel floating at a distance of several thousand meters away. A bustling crowd was gathered on it.

"There are small boats over there to row participants of the bazaar over..."

The vessel floated in the middle of the lake, and there was no path leading to it. After scanning the surroundings, Hong shi noticed a small rowing boat not too far away, and the duo immediately walked over.

Hong shi walked up and asked, "How much does it cost to get to the Great Bazaar?"

The elderly rower raised his droopy eyes and replied, "A middle-tier spirit stone!"

"A middle-tier spirit stone? This is daylight robbery!" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

Even a low-tier spirit stone felt extravagant for a journey this short, and yet, this old man wanted a middle-tier spirit stone. Wasn't he taking advantage of their situation!

"Daylight robbery? If you find it expensive, you can traverse across the lake yourself! But let me warn you, there are plenty of Transcendent Mortal 7-dan and 8-dan spirit beasts in the Academic Lake, so do try not to get eaten!"

Seemingly used to this scene, the old man shrugged off Zhang Xuan's words with a smirk.

Since there were land-bound and aerial spirit beasts, naturally there were aquatic spirit beasts as well. In fact, they were even more numerous than land-bound spirit beasts.

Considering the size of the lake, it shouldn't come as a surprise that there were plenty of powerful spirit beasts in it.

Having reached Consonant Spirit realm, even though one was still unable of flight, stepping across a body of water wouldn't pose a problem. Just that... if there were spirit beasts in the water, one would have to think twice before doing so. Who knew if an aquatic spirit beast would be waiting with widened jaws under the next step one took?

On the other hand, the boat seemed to be imbued with some kind of formation that deterred the aquatic spirit beasts.

"This..." Hong shi hesitated. Just as he was still considering whether to take the ride or not, a middle-tier spirit stone was thrown into the hands of the old man, and with a blur, two silhouettes landed on the boat.

"Set off!"

Taking a closer look at the two figures who had just appeared on the boat, they were the young man and Senior Feng, whom Zhang Xuan defeated with just a single finger before.

Upon receiving the middle-tier spirit stone, the elder grabbed his oars and dipped them into the lake. Slowly, the boat began to advance toward the vessel at the center of the lake. The young man glanced at Zhang Xuan derisively and said, "Why bother going to the bazaar when you can't even fork out a single middle-tier spirit stone..."

Even though Senior Feng didn't say anything, contempt could be seen in his eyes as well. Zhang shi had defeated him with a single finger before a huge crowd. While the other party had gone easy on him, it was still inevitable that he felt humiliated by the matter. As such, he still felt some degree of hostility to the other party.

Therefore, he couldn't help but feel a little gleeful when he saw that the 'great' Zhang shi was unable to fork out even a single middle-tier spirit stone.

But at that moment, the two men standing by the shore abruptly leaped into the sky.

Hu!

They landed on the back of a giant Great Violetwing Beast.

The massive spirit beast flapped its violet wings, creating a powerful gale that created huge waves on the surface of the water. Even the boat also began to rock violently before the powerful gale. In the blink of an eye, the Great Violetwing Beast was already halfway through the journey to the vessel in the middle of the lake.

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Chapter 702: Exchange!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"A Half Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Great Violetwing Beast?"

Senior Feng and the young man were stunned, and their eyelids began twitching uncontrollably.

As Transcendent Mortal 5-dan cultivators, even if they were to own an aerial spirit beast, it would only be at Cosmos Bridge realm at most. Considering the limited height they could fly at due to the ceiling above them, chances were that they could be struck down by a sudden assault from the Transcendent Mortal 7-dan or 8-dan spirit beasts in the lake.

On the other hand, the Great Violetwing Beast was different. Standing at Half 9-dan, any spirit beasts which dared to challenge it would be slaughtered in an instant.

And as expected, just as this thought was lingering in their mind, a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan fish abruptly leaped from the surface of the water with a gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth, wanting to swallow Zhang Xuan and Hong shi whole. But before it could even reach them, a swift strike from a talon crushed it to death. The Great Violetwing Beast dug out its inner core adeptly before throwing the carcass back into the lake.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Senior Feng's voice uttered with a hoarse voice, "How can he have such a powerful tamed beast?"

Wasn't he a Consonant Spirit realm cultivator just like them?

To actually have tamed a half 9-dan spirit beast to be his tamed beast... How in the world did he manage to do it?

He thought that the other party was just a miser who wasn't even willing to spend a single middle-tier spirit stone on a boat ride, and he had felt gleeful and a sense of superiority at having successfully stole the other party's ride. However, upon seeing this sight, he suddenly realized... how laughable his actions were!

With such a formidable spirit beast, one wouldn't even spare a second glance at this shabby boat...

Putting aside paying for the ride, they wouldn't be willing even if they were to be paid for the ride!

"Senior Feng... why did they suddenly stop in the middle of the lake?"

Amidst his shock, the perplexed voice from the young man beside him suddenly sounded. Lifting his gaze, he saw the Great Violetwing Beast pausing in midair, not in a hurry to head to the bazaar at all.

Didn't he ride on his aerial spirit beast so that he could arrive at the bazaar faster? Why would he be stopping in the middle of the lake then?

While he was still bewildered by the issue, the Great Violetwing Beast suddenly flapped its wings once more and glided down to the surface of the water. Its talons reached deep into the water and clamped down on something.

Hu la!

Another Transcendent Mortal 8-dan aquatic spirit beast resembling a prawn was crushed to death by its talons, and its inner core was swiftly retrieved from its body.

After this, the Great Violetwing Beast returned to the air. A moment later, it swooped down to another part of the lake once more...

"They are... hunting?"

The duo along with the rower glanced at one another in astonishment.

To others, this lake was no different from a dangerous landmine. They would never traverse through it without sufficient preparation. Yet, that fellow actually regarded this place as a treasure trove and began fishing for prey...

"How can the Great Violetwing Beast capture the spirit beasts in the water?"

What came along with their astonishment was disbelief.

The Great Violetwing Beast was indeed formidable, there was little to argue about that, but no matter how strong it was, its field of expertise lay in the air. The aquatic spirit beasts should have been able to avoid it easily in their own home ground even if they were no match for it... so how could the Great Violetwing Beast hunt them down so accurately?

It was as if it could predict where the aquatic spirit beasts would swim to. Every strike it made was bound to end in a kill...

But how was this possible?

"Indeed... More importantly, no matter how powerful the Great Violetwing Beast is, it shouldn't be that easy for it to kill a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast either..."

Even if a half 9-dan was stronger than an 8-dan, the gap wasn't so huge as for the Great Violetwing Beast to kill them in a single strike. This was particularly so for spirit beasts, which possessed superior defense to human cultivators. But... the Great Violetwing Beast seemed to be able to discern the weaknesses of the spirit beasts in the water accurately and strike them down precisely...

This was way too formidable...

While those on the boat were completely dumbstruck by the sight before them, Zhang Xuan was currently staring at the inner cores with his hand with a satisfied smile.

To trade at the bazaar, he would require some capital, but he didn't have a penny to his name at the moment. Since there were so many spirit beasts that were rushing forward to fill his pockets, it was only right for him to accept their offerings gratuitously.

The inner core of a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast could serve as a medicinal herb, the foundation of a formation, or even be complemented with one's cultivation technique to enhance one's cultivation. As such, it was an invaluable cultivation resource that could easily fetch a hefty price.

As for how the Great Violetwing Beast managed to grasp the aquatic spirit beast accurately, as long as the aquatic spirit beasts attempted to launch an attack, it wasn't too difficult to discern their flaws and track down their locations through the Library of Heaven's Path.

Just like that, in less than an hour, they had managed to kill 19 Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beasts and 25 Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beasts, and a bucket of inner cores was gleaming in Zhang Xuan's storage ring.

"There don't seem to be too many Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beasts left in the lake. Let's head to the bazaar."

Eventually, the group circled the lake for a few rounds but were unable to find any prey. Thus, they could only end the hunt regretfully.

While there were many aquatic spirit beasts in the lake, those that had reached Transcendent Mortal 7-dan and 8-dan were still in the minority.

Besides, considering the huge massacre that had just happened, those remaining would surely be laying low so as to avoid the Great Violetwing Beast now.

Knowing that there was little point continuing on with the hunt, Zhang Xuan issued some instructions to the Great Violetwing Beast, and the latter flapped its massive wings and flew toward the vessel in the lake.

Not too long later, Zhang Xuan and Hong shi landed on the vessel.

The vessel was extremely big, possessing a diameter of several hundred meters. A huge, bustling crowd traversed to and fro the innumerable stalls laid out throughout the vessel. There were all kinds of resources available here, and customers could be seen haggling with the vendors everywhere.

"Those two are the ones who were hunting in the lake using the Great Violetwing Beast!"

"To regard the feared lake as his personal hunting ground... is that fellow really a freshman?"

"If he isn't a freshman, how could he possibly get in here?"

"Considering their flawless coordination, the Great Violetwing Beast is definitely his tamed beast. But that is exactly what that is confounding! Even though one's elders could assist with the taming process as well, it would still require both the beast tamer and tamed beast to interact with one another from young to achieve this level of intimacy... However, the Great Violetwing Beast is already beyond two hundred whereas that fellow has barely reached his twenties. This means that it is highly likely that he tamed the Great Violetwing Beast personally..."

"For a person who has yet to reach Transcendent Mortal 6-dan to actually tame a half 9-dan spirit beast... When did beast taming become so easy?"

...

News of the Great Violetwing Beast hunting in the lake had spread like wildfire across the bazaar. Thus, upon seeing Zhang Xuan and Hong shi, the crowd couldn't help but assess them in bewilderment.

Those who came to the bazaar were the most talented of master teachers from the various regions, and they possessed keen eyes. As such, they could tell that the Great Violetwing Beast was Zhang Xuan's tamed beast.

But... for a Consonant Spirit lad to tame a half 9-dan spirit beast, this was contrary to common sense in itself! They were unable to make sense of the situation despite wracking their brains frenziedly.

There was simply too huge of a gap between them, and they found it too difficult to accept it.

This was as if an ant had tamed a divine dragon. It was simply inconceivable!

After a moment of chatter, an explanation suddenly emerged.

"Most probably, the Great Violetwing Beast might have gotten injured, and he managed to win the other party's goodwill by saving it..."

"That's possible!"

It wasn't entirely impossible for a weaker beast tamer to tame a stronger spirit beast, but luck played a vital role in such situations.

"Humph! So he has just lucked out!"

Upon realizing this, their astonishment slowly vanished.

In the end, luck was nothing more than an external and uncontrollable factor. The winds of fortune couldn't possibly blow one's way all the time. In the end, one would still have to rely on one's own capability in the academy.

"Zhang shi, what should we do..."

Not expecting to stir up such a huge commotion, Hong shi couldn't help but feel a little nervous with so many eyes centered on them.

"Don't worry!"

With a chuckle, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out an inner core. Sweeping his gaze through the crowd, he shouted, "I am trading this Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beast inner core for a suitable Consonant Spirit realm cultivation technique. As long as it is suitable, I'll exchange it for the book!"

"A book for an inner core? Zhang shi..."

Hong shi's body swayed weakly from side to side, and he nearly fainted.

Wasn't this way too cheap?

They had only obtained a few dozen inner cores from the hunting earlier on, and if they were to exchange a single inner core for one book... putting aside how they would make a huge loss, they would only be able to gather a few of books like that!

"Are you serious?"

"As long as it is a Consonant Spirit realm cultivation technique manual, you are willing to exchange the inner core for it?"

Hearing those words, the eyes of the crowd immediately lit up even though they were still a little skeptical about the situation.

Ever since the establishment of the Master Teacher Pavilion, many cultivation techniques had surfaced in the world. Throughout the years, there had been many noble experts and master teachers who had contributed their own cultivation techniques to the public for the advancement of humanity. While these manuals weren't accessible to everyone, it wasn't too difficult for them, as master teachers, to access these books

In fact, many of the master teachers had studied these cultivation techniques and extracted their strengths to create their own unique skills.

Thus, even though these cultivation techniques might be valuable to the populace, they didn't mean much to master teachers. It was definitely in their favor if they could trade a single cultivation technique manual for a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan inner core.

"I vow on my honor as a master teacher that I mean my words. As for Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals, I am willing to trade for them with a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"However, the prerequisite is that it has to be suitable for me. If it is not suitable, I won't make the trade. However, you need not worry. I can tell whether the manual suitable for me just by touching it, and I definitely will not open the book if it is not suited for me. Thus, you need not worry about exposing your cultivation techniques for free. In fact, even if it is suitable, I will return the manual right after flipping through it. I won't need the original copy, and I won't make any copies either!"

"If it is unsuitable, you will not open the book to look at it?"

"Even if it is suitable, you won't take the manual? You will give away a Transcendent Mortal 7-dan or 8-dan inner core just to flip through it?"

"This is truly a wonderful deal!"

...

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, everyone's eyes immediately gleamed in agitation.

Initially, there were many who were hesitant because they were fearful of exposing their cultivation techniques to the world. However, the promises that Zhang Xuan made had alleviated their fears.

"I have a total of 22 Consonant Spirit realm cultivation techniques over here. You can take a look to see if there's anything suited in there!"

At that moment, a master teacher suddenly walked up, flicked his wrist, and passed a pile of books over to Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan brushed his finger over the books before eventually shaking his head. "My apologies, but none of your books are suited for me..."

"None of them are suited?"

Hearing those words, the master teacher couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Shaking his head, he retreated back into the crowd.

After that person retreated, the crowd became even more agitated.

The other party wasn't lying! He had only touched the books, he didn't attempt to flip them open at all.

Surely there was no one so formidable as to determine the content of a book just by touching its exterior, right?

Since their cultivation techniques wouldn't be exposed to the public... what else was there for them to worry about?

"Allow me..."

The allure of the Transcendent Mortal 7-dan and 8-dan inner cores was simply irresistible. The crowd hurriedly whipped out their secret manuals and rushed forward.

Soon, a mountain of cultivation technique manuals was stacked before Zhang Xuan.

However, after brushing his finger across them... it turned out that only two of the entire stack were suitable...

Of course, Zhang Xuan had picked these two books out randomly to pass. Otherwise, if he were to refuse all trades, it wouldn't take too long for the crowd to lose their interest, and he wouldn't be able to continue his business.

Two hours later, Zhang Xuan stopped his business and declared, "My apologies, but I'll be stopping here today. Why don't you all return to search for whatever cultivation technique manuals you have? From tomorrow onward, I'll trade any Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique for two Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner cores!"

He had gathered quite a few Consonant Spirit realm cultivation technique manuals in the Library of Heaven's Path, but the number of Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals was still terribly limited. Thus, he could only up his stakes to see if he could attract more people.

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Chapter 703: The Complete Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Trading a cultivation technique manual for two Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner cores?"

"If we really make that trade, we will be rich!"

"Indeed! Furthermore, he is only taking a look. I'll copy some of my sect's Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals tonight and bring them over tomorrow!"

"I'll go as well!"

...

After hearing Zhang Xuan's promise, everyone's eyes immediately lit up with zeal. Some of the more excited ones even approached the two fortunate winners to study the type of cultivation techniques that Zhang shi had chosen.

"Let's go!"

Ignoring the excited crowd, Zhang Xuan glanced at Hong shi, and the both of them leaped up onto the back of the Great Violetwing Beast once more and flew back to their residence.

Seeing how Zhang Xuan departed on a mighty beast whereas they could only humbly return on a boat, they couldn't help but feel a little envious inside.

There was indeed a huge difference between people!

On the other hand, Senior Feng and the young man were on the verge of tears.

They had come to the bazaar in hopes of selling some of their possession. However, everyone's attention ended up being attracted by Zhang shi, resulting in no one sparing even a glance at the items they had laid out.

They felt so frustrated that they could spurt blood.

But there was nothing they could do. After Zhang Xuan and Hong shi left, they gloomily returned back to their residence as well and shut themselves in, not daring to head out anymore.

The heck! They had suffered so many traumas in just the past few hours... If this were to continue, they might just end up banging their heads on a pillar to end it once and for all...

...

Returning back to his room, Zhang Xuan compiled the Consonant Spirit realm's Heaven's Path Divine Art and cultivated it. With this, his zhenqi became even purer and more stable. After which, he organized the cultivation techniques so as to prepare a suitable simplified version to impart to his students.

Just as Zhang Xuan was done, Wang Ying also finally woke up from her breakthrough. With a clear demarcation between the clarity and the turbidity in her body now, she was overflowing with strength.

Seeing that Wang Ying was taking the lead yet again, Zheng Yang and Liu Yang immediately dove back into their cultivation, anxious to catch up with her.

Their teacher had a total of six direct disciples. Of the six, Zhao Ya had gone to the Glacier Plain Court whereas Lu Chong was currently seeking out the Ancient Domain of Soul Oracles. Now, even Yuan Tao was heading to the powerful Yuan Clan to inherit its heritage. If they didn't work hard now, they would end up lagging far behind the others!

Understanding the emotions they felt, Zhang Xuan patiently pointed out their flaws and how they could further improve.

By the time he was done, it was already late at night.

After a good night's rest, Zhang Xuan headed back to the bazaar the next day. There was already a huge crowd by the time he arrived, and they had collected an ample amount of Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation techniques to trade with him.

Just like yesterday, Zhang Xuan randomly picked out a book and gave away two Transcendent Mortal 8-dan inner cores while rejecting the rest. Of course, he didn't forget to collect all of those books in his Library of Heaven's Path either.

In less than two days, he had already collected around seven hundred books. Even though it was still insufficient to form a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art, he wasn't too far from it.

After busying himself for the entire day, he left behind another promise to exchange the cultivation technique manual for three Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner cores before departing, thus hyping up the crowd once more.

But even though the reward Zhang Xuan had offered was alluring, the amount of Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals offered to him was decreasing swiftly.

As most of the freshmen were still at the Consonant Spirit realm, they didn't have too many Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals on them. Not to mention, most of those at the bazaar had come from Tier-2 Empires, where Cosmos Bridge realm experts and cultivation technique manuals were relatively rare.

Thus, in the third day, Zhang Xuan only managed to gather two hundred books.

Nevertheless, with around nine hundred books at the moment, he wasn't too far away from his goal of one thousand.

In truth, one thousand was a just rough estimation. If the cultivation technique manuals he gathered were sufficiently advanced to cover all of the flaws present, he could still compile the Heaven's Path Divine Art regardless of whether he had a thousand books or not. Just as Zhang Xuan was about to give it a try, he suddenly heard an expectant voice.

"I don't have any cultivation technique manual, but I do have a battle technique manual... Can you take a look to see if it'll do or not?"

Raising his gaze, Zhang Xuan saw a young man looking at him expectantly. "I am truly in need of a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core, so I would be grateful to you if you can make this exception..."

"Battle technique?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "What kind of battle technique is it? Allow me take a look!"

"Alright!"

The young man flicked his wrist, and an ancient bamboo scroll appeared in his hands.

"This is a movement technique, but it is... incomplete..." the young man said embarrassedly.

He had received this ancient bamboo scroll coincidentally while he was undergoing a training session in the past. Initially, he'd thought that he had stumbled upon an invaluable treasure, but he swiftly realized that a huge chunk of the movement technique recorded in the scroll had been torn away or was illegible due to substantial damage, thus making it impossible to cultivate the technique.

Since he urgently required a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core to concoct a medicine at the moment, he decided to take it out in hopes that he might be able to interest the other party in the trade.

"A movement technique?"

Hearing that it was an incomplete battle technique, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before reaching his fingers out toward it.

Weng!

An equivalent ancient bamboo scroll immediately appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path.

After looking through the contents swiftly, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but shake his head.

This battle technique recorded was extremely high tiered, making it an invaluable battle technique. However, just as the other party had said, the battle technique was terribly incomplete. Not even the Library of Heaven's Path was able to fill up the holes to restore it, thus making it impossible to learn.

In other words... it was a useless scroll!

'You want to trade a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core with this? Surely you must be dreaming!'

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan was just about to turn down the other party's offer when a thought came to mind.

'It seems that this Cloud Treading Movement Technique bears quite some resemblance to the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps. I wonder if I can compile the both of them together...'

The Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps was a secret manual that he had obtained coincidentally from an elder in the Appraiser Hall back then. After compiling it with numerous movement technique manuals, he had gained the ability of flight despite not having reached Saint realm yet. However, there was a huge flaw in the technique—it consumed way too much zhenqi. If not for Zhang Xuan's incredibly pure Heaven's Path zhenqi, he might not have been able to even last for a short moment in the sky.

All along, Zhang Xuan had been trying to find a suitable battle technique to complement the final three flaws of the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, but the manuals he had access to were simply far too low tiered. Maybe... this incomplete manual just might be the key to it!

The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more convinced he became. Thus, he summoned the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps manual over as well.

'Compile!'

With a silent mutter, light burst into the surroundings, and a new book appeared—the enhanced version of Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps.

"There are no more flaws?"

After checking the content, Zhang Xuan's eyes glowed in agitation.

After compiling the incomplete Cloud Treading Movement Technique along with the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, the three remaining flaws of the latter technique had finally vanished!

With the enhanced Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps, he would be able to remain afloat for several hours without worrying about falling down!

In other words, his flight ability was already comparable to a Saint's. At the very least, he would be able to avoid the awkward situation of abruptly plummeting from the sky like many times before.

'This is wonderful!'

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists in elation.

This was a huge trump card. It would allow him to easily escape from anyone who hadn't reached Saint realm.

'It seems that even the incomplete manuals that others don't need can become useful to me as well. I can use them to complement the flaws of my compiled techniques. I should try to collect such items in the future too,' Zhang Xuan thought excitedly.

These ancient manuals were incomplete, making it unfeasible to cultivate them. However, through the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan could extract the correct verses from these manuals to complement the missing gaps in his techniques, thus perfecting them.

"As fellow master teachers, it is only right for us to help one another. Your book might be useless to me, but since you urgently require a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core, I will give one to you!"

In a good mood, Zhang Xuan placed the ancient bamboo scroll in his storage ring and passed a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan spirit beast inner core over in exchange.

Just the fact that this ancient bamboo scroll could make up the flaws of the Parallel Heaven Scroll of the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps meant that it was well worth an inner core!

"Thank you..."

In truth, the young man didn't harbor great expectation in this matter, and he was just trying his luck. After all, he knew that the ancient bamboo scroll was incomplete and useless. Thus, upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, his face immediately flushed agitatedly.

"Incomplete manuals work as well? I have two of them here..."

"I have an incomplete cultivation technique manual here..."

...

Seeing that Zhang shi was accepting even incomplete scrolls at a hefty price, a wave of enthusiasm washed through the crowd once more.

With many years of heritage, every single power possessed numerous incomplete cultivation technique and battle technique manuals. As these items were of no use to normal cultivators, they were often left untouched. To think that this fellow would actually trade inner cores for them... wasn't he a little too dumb?

In an instant, a mountain of incomplete manuals was stacked up before Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan swiftly brushed his fingers through them, and a moment later, he shook his head.

While incomplete scrolls could indeed complement the missing gaps in the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it had to have some substance to it first. If the manual only contained superficial content, then it would be useless no matter how many of such manuals he collected.

A moment later, after gathering a few more cultivation technique manuals, Zhang Xuan realized that he wasn't much progress, so he decided to call it a day.

Heading toward a private chamber prepared in the residence, he instructed for others not to interrupt him before going into seclusion.

'I wonder if I can form the Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art...' Zhang Xuan thought as he sat down in the chamber.

He had gathered nearly a thousand Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation technique manuals already, and he had obtained quite a few incomplete manuals on top of that. Perhaps, he might be able to form a complete Transcendent Mortal 6-dan Heaven's Path Divine Art.

Thus, diving into the Library of Heaven's Path, he muttered "Compile!", and a moment later, a book was floating in front of him.

"The Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art... is flawless!"

Swiftly flipping through the book, Zhang Xuan burst out laughing from joy.

He'd thought that he would have to spend some time earning academic credits in the academy before he could compile a complete version of the Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, but the bazaar allowed him to accomplish this in advance.

With this, he would be able to successfully cultivate to Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator and boost his fighting prowess significantly!

'I should cultivate the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps first!'

Putting the Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art aside for the moment, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the flawless Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps.

Having cultivated this technique once, it wasn't too difficult for him to master the complete version.

As Zhang Xuan circulated his zhenqi through his meridians, he felt his body grow significantly lighter and freer.

Boom!

After a period of time, as if a shackle tying down his body previously had been blasted open, Zhang Xuan felt his body becoming as light as a feather.

Hu!

The cross-legged Zhang Xuan slowly floated in the air, and he began drifting all around the room.

"As expected of the flawless Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps. The zhenqi consumption is indeed much lower than before..."

Sensing the zhenqi consumption from the utilization of the technique, Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed in excitement.

In the past, zhenqi would gush out of Zhang Xuan's body as if a burst dam as soon as he utilized this technique. Despite possessing the incredibly pure Heaven's Path zhenqi, the zhenqi consumption from the execution of this technique was still extremely frightening to him. But at this moment, Zhang Xuan's zhenqi was flowing slowly as though a small stream by a village. At the current rate of consumption, he could easily maintain his flight for several hours.

Not only so, the speed of his flight had increased considerably as well. Even though he was still far from a match for the Great Violetwing Beast, he had the confidence to catch up to Transcendent Mortal 6-dan aerial spirit beasts.

And more importantly, the flight speed would continue to increase along with the rise in his cultivation!

Just as Zhang Xuan was slowly returning to the ground to rest, an idea abruptly surfaced in his mind.

'I wonder if I can fuse the Heaven's Path Movement Art together with the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps...'

Since both the Heaven's Path Movement Art and Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps were both movement techniques, could they be fused together?

And if they could, what would be the result of it?

Curious, Zhang Xuan decided to give it a try!

Immersing his concentration in the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan placed the two books side by side.

"Compile!"

A new book appeared before Zhang Xuan's eyes.

"This..."

Taking a look at the contents, Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in astonishment.

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Chapter 704: The Start of the Entrance Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

However, the content of the book was completely nonsensical. Each line didn't follow from the previous line, making it impossible to comprehend at all. Just the sight of it left Zhang Xuan's eyes spinning.

"It seems like... I am underestimating the difficulty of this matter..."

Swiftly flipping through the book, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly and tossed it to the ground.

These two books were perfect on their own, and while it was possible to combine the books together, it only ended up introducing many flaws into the technique, making it impossible to cultivate at all.

To make an analogy, it was like mashing abalone, durian, loquat, watermelon, milk, chicken, salmon, and many other ingredients together... They were delicacies on their own, but when mixed together, the only logical decision one could make was to toss the entire pot away.

'It seems that while the Library of Heaven's Path can compile battle techniques to form a perfected manual, it is incapable of fusing perfected manuals together...'

Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment. A moment later, a thought suddenly appeared in his mind, and determination surfaced in his gaze. 'But while the Library of Heaven's Path isn't able to fuse the two manuals together, it should be possible for me to attempt it manually.'

The Library of Heaven's Path could sieve out the correct portion of a manual and combine them with many others to form a perfect manual, similar to how a cook sieves a bucket of flour to whip up the best noodles. Putting two perfected manuals together would be no different from mixing two different types of flour together. Given the differing nature of the flours, if one didn't have anything to bridge the differences, it was inevitable that the quality of the noodles would drop.

It was the same in the case of Heaven's Path Movement Art and Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps. One was a flight movement technique whereas the other one was a land movement technique. With a fundamental difference between them, the result of the compilation of the two was bound to be plagued with problems.

But... while the Library of Heaven's Path was incapable of bridging the difference, it didn't mean that Zhang Xuan was unable to do so!

Despite the differences, they were still movement techniques. If Zhang Xuan were to succeed in compiling the two together, he would be able to enhance his flight speed significantly.

With such a thought in mind, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

'I should give try executing the Heaven's Path Movement Art in midair...'

A surge of hot blood gushed to Zhang Xuan's head, and without any hesitation, he took in a deep breath and leaped to the sky. While floating in the sky, he attempted to execute the Heaven's Path Movement Art to advance forward.

Putong!

But before he could execute the Heaven's Path Movement Art, the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Step which was holding him up in midair suddenly stopped operating, and his body suddenly plummeted down. With a dull thud, he crashed back onto to earth, creating a huge depression in the ground upon impact.

'This isn't right...'

With a face cloaked with dust, Zhang Xuan's complexion darkened.

He'd thought that this should be a simple feat, but reality couldn't be any further from his expectations.

Given the might of his soul, multitasking wasn't a problem for him anymore. However, both techniques required one's zhenqi to pass through the same meridians, and attempting to execute both simultaneously would result in a clash of zhenqi, thus canceling one another out.

And the result? A tragic fall from the sky.

It seemed like fusing battle techniques together was not as easy as he'd thought.

But thinking about it, if it was that easy to fuse battle techniques together, there wouldn't be a need for such thorough classifications within every class of battle technique.

'Or maybe I should try executing the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps in the midst of Heaven's Path Movement Art instead...'

Zhang Xuan didn't give up right after that failure. Instead, he contemplated for a moment before trying it once more.

Previously, he had executed the Heaven's Path Movement Art in the midst of his Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps. Perhaps, if he were to swap the order... he might be able to succeed.

While Zhang Xuan was busy trying to put both his battle techniques together, outside the room, Sun Qiang walked up to Zheng Yang, who was in the midst of practicing his spear art, and asked, "Where is the young master?"

"Teacher is currently in the midst of cultivating in seclusion, and he doesn't want anyone to interrupt him!" Retracting spear, Zheng Yang exhaled deeply, and a breath of white air drifted from his mouth.

In this period of time, while he had been trying to advance his cultivation, he hadn't slacked off on his battle technique training either. Under Zhang shi's guidance, his comprehension of spearmanship had deepened significantly, and the might of his spear art had also become much more formidable.

In terms of cultivation, he might not be a match for Wang Ying. However, in a true fight, he would surely be able to stand his ground against the latter.

"Seclusion?"

Sun Qiang scratched his head. "Alright. If Young Master comes out of seclusion, tell him that I have already found appropriate living quarters, and we can move in anytime!"

"You have already found new living quarters?" Retracting his spear, Zheng Yang's eyes lit up.

The Academic Sea was filled with master teachers, and even though Hong shi and the others hadn't said anything, they didn't feel comfortable living here.

"Yes, but it's not easy to find available residences in the vicinity of the Master Teacher Academy. I have found one with a small courtyard and a few rooms for the time being... I'm afraid that it'll be hard to find anything bigger than that. Even if we manage to find one, it is likely to cost an astronomical sum!" Sun Qiang said.

Countless young experts had gathered here to enroll in the Master Teacher Academy, and a significant proportion of them came from a wealthy background. Naturally, they would also attempt to find a lodging in the vicinity of the academy as well.

As a result, most of the residences in the area had been bought by them. As such, it was impossible to buy any even if they had the money. And even if that one happened to be free by chance, the prices would be driven to an astronomical sum by the great demand, thus making it impossible for them to acquire it.

After all... they were indeed rather poor at the moment.

"It's sufficient that we find a living quarter for the time being..."

Zheng Yang nodded.

"However, this isn't feasible in the long-term. We might be fine with living in such humble quarters, but what if the old master were to come and visit? How can we allow a noble 8-star master teacher live in such a small residence?"

Sun Qiang shook his head. "I think it will be better if I discuss with the young master to decide on what we should do about this matter..."

Sighing, Sun Qiang was just about to speak when a loud crashing sound echoed from the room ahead of them. It seemed like something had fallen heavily to the ground.

"Didn't you say that the young master is currently cultivating in seclusion? What is that sound then?"

Taken aback, Sun Qiang was just about to push the door open to find out what was going on when another dull thud sounded. The wall before them shook, and a head popped out from the wall.

"Teacher!"

"Young Master..."

Upon recognizing the face on said head, the duo was taken aback. However, before they could comprehend what was going on, 'sou!', the figure disappeared from their sight. Their respected young master and teacher suddenly flew backward abruptly and crashed into the opposite wall, creating a huge hole.

Peng peng peng peng!

Zhang Xuan went crashing all around like a rubber ball. Under the massive impact of his rapid movements, the fortified room suddenly collapsed inward.

Upon seeing this sight, Sun Qiang and Zheng Yang glanced at one another, and their lips twitched violently.

'Didn't you say that you were cultivating?

'Then what are you doing crashing into those walls?

'What kind of cultivation requires you to knock yourself into a wall? Look at your face, it is already immensely swollen...'

Hu!

Just as they were staring at the sight before them with their mouths agape, Zhang Xuan suddenly shot out from the room and crashed into a huge tree in the courtyard head first, leaving his legs twitching uncontrollably outside.

"Teacher..."

Finally recovering from the shock, Zheng Yang hurried over to pull Zhang Xuan out from the tree, only to see the latter's face livid with frustration. "Teacher..."

"Young Master, we are just poor! There's no need to lose hope in life over a money issue..."

Sun Qiang also ran up to talk some sense into Zhang Xuan out of goodwill.

"Cough cough!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's face darkened further. He hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I'll be going out for a moment! Sun Qiang, go and look for Hong shi to pay for the damaged properties..."

Ignoring the bewildered duo, Zhang Xuan leaped into the sky, and the Great Violetwing Beast immediately flew over. Soaring through the night sky, they headed to the city walls.

Given the size of his room in the Academic Sea, if he were to continue training there, the entire place could possibly be destroyed before he could successfully put the two techniques together. Thus, he decided to venture out to find a larger area where he could train.

Not too long later, they arrived at a hill some distance away from Hongyuan City.

A bright moon hung in the sky, and a night breeze blew lightly. Birds and insects warbled harmoniously in the surroundings, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

'This is it!'

Crossing his legs, Zhang Xuan first recovered the zhenqi he had expended before turning his attention back to compiling his movement techniques.

Peng peng peng peng!

Very quickly, a loud thud, reminiscent of someone's head crashing into trees or boulders, accompanied with pained moans, echoed throughout the entire hill.

The incident would eventually grow to become a horror legend among the populace, as well as a tool for parents to warn children against venturing in the wilderness at night.

...

The next day...

"Is Zhang shi back yet?"

Hong shi paced around the room nervously.

When he'd heard the room collapse the previous night, he'd immediately rushed over. However, he'd only appeared in time to see Zhang shi disappearing in the horizon. He'd thought that the latter was only going out to cultivate for a moment, and he would be back very soon. Who could have known that he would be gone until now?

Today was the day of the Master Teacher Academy's entrance examination. If he were to miss it, he wouldn't be able to get into the academy!

"The young master left yesterday, and he isn't back yet..." Sun Qiang shook his head in confusion as well.

The young master had always been normal, so why did he suddenly go knocking his head on concrete yesterday as if suffering from a stroke?

Not only that, to actually stay out late after that... it couldn't be that he had given up on living!

Unable to stand it any longer, he turned to Zheng Yang and the others and asked, "Did any of you agitate Young Master last night?"

"We didn't..."

Zheng Yang and the others shook their heads, baffled by the situation before them as well. "Teacher only told us that he was going to cultivate in seclusion. We know nothing else other than that!"

They'd also been astonished when they'd heard that their teacher had gone around bashing his head into walls and trees last night, and this had left them deeply worried as well.

"What is going on..."

If he hadn't been provoked by anyone, why would the young master suddenly display such abnormal behavior? Sun Qiang fell into deep thought.

Just as he was wondering where he should go looking for the young master, the person-in-question suddenly returned cloaked in dust.

Judging from his appearance, it seemed like he had been rolling on the ground all night long instead of cultivating. If they didn't know better, they would probably have thrown him a few gold coins if they met him on the streets.

"Young master, you..."

Sun Qiang hurriedly rushed up in a ditz.

"I am fine!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. Turning to the elder standing behind him, he said, "Hong shi, let's go..."

"You are going to participate in the examination... in such a state?"

Seeing Zhang Xuan's state, Hong shi's lips twitched in shock.

'Other examinees would wash themselves thoroughly and don fresh clothes so as to leave a good impression with the invigilating teachers and elders.

'Yet, with an appearance that seems to suggest that you went out begging for alms last night, and your crimson eyes, a result of extreme fatigue... Are you sure you are ready for the examination?'

"It matters not!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands nonchalantly.

He had spent the entire night experimenting, and his zhenqi had been fully depleted five times. He had also crashed so much that he'd ended up a state of near death last night, and the result... was still a failure.

Putting two battle techniques together simply involved too many intricate details that made it impossible to refine swiftly.

Nevertheless, even though Zhang Xuan had yet to succeed, his control over the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps had grown significantly, allowing him to move at faster speeds. At the same time, his comprehension of battle techniques had also deepened from his trial and error, and this would serve him well in true battles.

However, it was a pity that his obstinacy in figuring out how to put the two battle techniques together last night had deprived him of the opportunity to cultivate the newly compiled Cosmos Bridge realm Heaven's Path Divine Art. As a result, he was still at Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle.

"Alright then, let's go..."

Hearing Zhang Xuan say that he was fine, and understanding how important the examination was, Hong shi immediately brought Zhang Xuan onto the aerial spirit beast prepared by the academy, and the duo quickly flew for Hongyuan Mountain Range's Leiyuan Peak.

Leiyuan Peak was only around two hundred kilometers away from the Academic Sea, so it didn't take them too long to arrive at their destination.

Nearly all of the freshmen had already arrived. From afar, the moving crowd resembled the waves of an ocean. It was truly an incredible sight.

"There is a higher number of freshmen taking the entrance examination this year, with the number at around thirty thousand. However, the academy is only accepting twenty thousand this year, so a third of the examinees will be eliminated!" Hong shi said with a suppressed voice.

"Eliminating a third of the freshmen?"

Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

Considering that each of those present were the top elites of their respective regions, eliminating a third of them was truly fearsome. As expected of the Master Teacher Academy of a Tier 1 Empire!

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