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

31. 961

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 961: Lu Feng and the Master Teachers Shock - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 961: Lu Feng and the Master Teachers Shock Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 961: Lu Feng and the Master Teachers' Shock

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The storage rings of the two Kings could easily qualify as a treasure vault. Putting aside the many powerful weapons and potent pills, there were more than ten thousand high-tier spirit stones within!

Most likely, these are the resources they were given for the mission, Zhang Xuan guessed.

Given that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had paid a heavy price to allow two Otherworldly Demon Kings to bypass the seal and enter the Subterranean Gallery, there was no doubt that they were on an important mission. Naturally, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would have offered them the best resources so as to ensure that the mission would be successful.

However, it seemed like it had only ended up benefitting him.

Their superiors probably couldn't have imagined that the many subordinates they had dispatched to the Subterranean Gallery would have been wiped out by a mere Nascent Saint lad before they could achieve anything at all.

"Hmm? What is this?" Flicking his wrist, a round platform appeared before his eyes. It was inscribed with innumerable unique runes that bore some resemblance to those he had seen back in the Palace of Runes.

Vicious took a glance at it and said, "This is an altar!"

"Altar? Could this be the artifact the Otherworldly Demons used to transport their tribesmen over?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Given the seal their predecessors had left in the depths of the Subterranean Gallery, it should have been impossible for the Otherworldly Demons to appear in the Subterranean Gallery. Yet, not only did they appear, there were so many of them on top of that.

Could it be the effects of this altar?

Vicious took a look at the runes on the altar and said, "That is unlikely. This altar is used for offering tributes to summon certain special items. It has little to do with spatial transportation."

"Summoning certain special items?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He didn't have much of an understanding of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. After studying the altar for some time, he was still unable to make sense out of it, so he could only return it to his storage ring.

After which, he rummaged through the items in the storage rings once more, and a pile of books appeared before his eyes.

Upon glancing at them, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. Are these... books on the study of souls?

To his delight, the pile of books before his eyes were all related to the cultivation of souls.

Beyond Spiritual Perception realm, the importance of one's soul became more and more important. As Saint realm 4-dan experts, it was normal for these two to have a handful of books on the topic in their possession.

After collecting them into the Library of Heaven's Path with a glance, Zhang Xuan began to browse through the books.

However, a frown soon emerged on his forehead. Something is wrong here. Didn't the soul oracles pledge loyalty to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe back then? It follows that the soul cultivation techniques that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe should be superior to those of mankind... but why are there so many mistakes in here?

Those soul cultivation technique manuals were extremely flawed, each of them having over several thousand mistakes. It was truly a wonder those fellows had managed to cultivate their souls safely.

He had thought that the soul cultivation techniques of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would be far superior to those he could procure from the Master Teacher Continent, allowing him to advance his soul cultivation further through them. However, that clearly wasn't the case.

If he were to cultivate using their soul cultivation techniques, even if his cultivation didn't go berserk, it would also be extremely weak, possibly collapsing at any moment.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. Perhaps it is due to humans and the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe being of two different species, so the soul cultivation techniques do not overlap.

This was the only logical explanation he could come up with at the moment.

During the time he spent studying the items within the storage ring, the puppets slew all fifty of the Otherworldly Demons trapped within the formation and returned with their storage rings in hand.

Searching through them, Zhang Xuan gathered quite a few artifacts, spirit stones, and a handful of books regarding souls as well.

After dealing with that, he calmly retracted the Beguilement Formation and had the puppets clear up the corpses of the Otherworldly Demons. After which, he assumed his disguise as the Goldenleaf King and stood on the spot.

There were more than two hundred Otherworldly Demons, and he had only killed fifty of them thus far. There were still another a hundred and fifty or so combing the area. Since Zhang Xuan had begun making his move, he had to make sure to eliminate all of them to be safe.

Standing on the spot, it didn't take long for the Otherworldly Demons to return one by one.

Ads by Pubfuture

Zhang Xuan had the Saint realm 3-dan puppets lying in wait in the surroundings, and the arriving Otherworldly Demons would be instantly killed and removed from the spot by them. Knowing that these ordinary soldiers couldn't possibly know anything about the secrets concerning the seal, Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered to interrogate them either.

Within just four hours, the Otherworldly Demon scouting party was completely annihilated.

I should take a look at the seal now...

He had already found out where the seal was located from Lu Feng and the others earlier.

After eradicating all of the Otherworldly Demons, he began making his way toward the seal.

...

Hu!

In a small valley within the Subterranean Gallery, a group of master teachers had removed their Concealment Formation with a sharp glint in their eyes.

They were Lu Feng and the others.

After the past few hours of recuperation, they had recovered most of their strength. There were some severe injuries that they couldn't resolve at the moment yet, but that couldn't be helped.

"Since we have recovered considerably from our injuries, we should head over to help!"

"Indeed, Zhang shi won't be able to deal with so many Otherworldly Demons alone. Even if he does possess some life preservation means, his true strength is still a little too weak. I fear that he might meet with danger!"

"He risked so much in order to save us, so how can we simply watch idly as he braves through a dangerous situation alone?"

"No matter what, we should head over to take a look first!"

...

The master teacher stood up with a resolute gaze in their eyes.

Zhang shi had willingly gotten himself in deep trouble in order to save them, not giving up on them despite the trouble they had caused him. How could they simply sit still, knowing that he was in a perilous situation?

Seeing that everyone shared the same opinion, Lu Feng said, "Since that's the case, let's go look for him together."

Even though he wasn't the eldest master teacher amid the group, he had the highest standing and strongest cultivation. On top of that, he was an old acquaintance of Zhang shi, so naturally, he had the greatest say as well.

"Alright!"

The crowd nodded as they took out their weapons and began making their way over to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's base.

The further they flew, the stranger they found the situation to be. Eventually, a master teacher couldn't help but ask, "Weird, why is there no movement at all? Furthermore, did you all notice that the killing intent in the area seems to have thinned?"

Each of them had been in the Subterranean Gallery for at least two months, so they had gained some understanding of its layout. The killing intent within the Subterranean Gallery was known to be particularly concentrated in this area, creating a constant, heavy pressure on them.

However, that pressure seemed to have weakened considerably, to the point where they could hardly feel it anymore.

And more importantly, if Zhang shi had truly gone to eradicate the Otherworldly Demons in the area... how could there be no movement at all? Not a single Otherworldly Demon, who were supposed to be combing the area for them, was in sight.

A slightly older master teacher of the group said, "There is something peculiar with the situation. Everyone, remain on guard!"

The others nodded in response as they group carried on.

Not too long later, they arrived at the base constructed by the Otherworldly Demons.

They had tried to scout it on numerous occasions, but each time, they would either be discovered or fall to its formation. Over the past two years, there were at least ten of their comrades who had died due to it.

But at this very moment... there was not a person to be seen. More importantly, the grand buildings, which had once stood tall, had been reduced to rubble.

"These buildings..."

Ads by Pubfuture

Everyone was dumbstruck.

Scattering to comb the area for clues, a master teacher suddenly shouted, "Come over, look! What is this?"

Hearing his shout, the others hurriedly rushed over as well.

On the ground before that master teacher was a puddle of blood that carried overwhelming killing intent, completely different from the blood of a human.

Lu Feng walked over and sliced the ground beneath the puddle of blood lightly with his finger.

Huala!

A bunch of corpses that were hidden in the ground came into appearance. Stacked on top of one another, there were more than two hundred on them. To the astonishment of the master teachers, even the strongest two Kings were among them.

"T-this... they are all dead?"

"Could it be that... Zhang shi actually killed all of them?"

"How could that be possible? More than two hundred Saint realm 1-dan and two Saint realm 4-dan Otherworldly Demons... Even if all of the elders of the Master Teacher Academy were brought here, there is no guarantee that we could win. For a person to do it all alone..."

...

Everyone was bewildered by the sight before their eyes.

Having fought with the Otherworldly Demons on multiple occasions, they knew full well how powerful they were. Even with the entire force of Hongyuan Empire combined, it would be difficult to achieve a victory against them. Yet, for Zhang shi to have annihilated them singlehandedly... and within such a short period of time at that...

How did he do it?

"I can now confirm that he is indubitably Zhang Xuan; only he is capable of pulling off such inconceivable feats that others dare not even imagine," Lu Feng said with a bitter smile.

If he had still harbored some doubts before, the sight before his eyes had vanquished all of them.

He couldn't imagine anyone else in the world who could pull off such an unbelievable deed other than that unfathomable young man.

With just a Perfect Harmonization to Ethereal Treading realm cultivation back then, he had been able to raise a huge ruckus in the Master Teacher Academy, unimpeded by anyone. Considering that he had already reached Half-Saint pinnacle at this point in time, it went without saying that those Otherworldly Demons couldn't have been a match for him.

"Slaying so many Otherworldly Demons and foiling their ploy... the contribution he has earned from this deed is tremendous! We have to report this matter to the headquarters swiftly so that Zhang shi's deeds will be not be buried," a master teacher said.

"Indeed!" The others nodded in agreement.

Protecting mankind from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe wasn't an individual's responsibility but the collective responsibility of the entire human race.

A person who had killed so many Otherworldly Demons and foiled their plot would surely be generously rewarded by the headquarters. There was no one who could refute that.

It was based on such impartiality that the Master Teacher Pavilion had been able to operate for several ten thousand years without its reputation being sullied.

Lu Feng nodded. "Alright, I will report the matter then."

...

While the master teachers were intending to report Zhang Xuan's contribution to the headquarters, the person in question finally halted his footsteps.

He had arrived at the very end of the Subterranean Gallery, where the barrier that severed the connection between the otherworldly battlefield and the Master Teacher Continent was located.

From a distance away, one could see that it was a vast light barrier that stretched for several hundred kilometers, sealing the entire path, blurring whatever was on the opposite end.

But walking up to the barrier, Zhang Xuan could still feel concentrated killing intent spilling forth from the other side from time to time, seemingly trying to rip apart everything.

The cold aura within the Subterranean Gallery had probably come to be after innumerable years of such killing intent spilling over.

This is the seal? Examining the light barrier before him, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but narrow his eyes in astonishment.

It was even more formidable and sturdier than he had thought. For one of his strength, his attacks wouldn't even leave a mark on it.

Such a powerful seal, how did the Otherworldly Demons and the Greenleaf King bypass it? Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be perplexed.

He could still have understood it if the seal was worn out or damaged, but the seal before him felt powerful and wholesome. In other words, it wasn't damaged at all! How did the Otherworldly Demons manage to bypass it under such circumstances?

Baffled, Zhang Xuan willed in his mind, Flaws!

Ads by Pubfuture

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 962: Second Group from the Combat Master Hall Arrives!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hu!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

The seal had been whirring in action all along to fend off the killing intent from the otherworldly battlefield, so the Library of Heaven's Path was able to peer into its flaws easily.

Flipping open the book, the knowledge contained within swiftly flowed into Zhang Xuan's mind.

The seal had been created by an expert known as Qiu Wu. Possessing an extremely deep understanding of space, Qiu Wu had designed the seal to sever the space between the two worlds, making it impossible for anyone to breach. Even a 9-star master teacher would find it extremely difficult to destroy the seal.

This was also the reason it had been able to fend off the Otherworldly Demons for so many years.

But nothing could last forever. Even a seal as formidable as that would be worn out over tens of thousands of years. On top of that, the Otherworldly Demons had been striking it relentlessly over the years, whittling it down bit by bit. As a result, there were several weakened areas on the seal.

Even so, not just anyone would be able to cross these areas easily. To order to pass, one would have to pay an extremely heavy price.

With the knowledge Zhang Xuan possessed, however, he was unable to tell what that price was.

There is only one way to stop the Otherworldly Demons from coming over and resolve the threat once and for all—repairing the weakened areas and make them whole again.

After studying the content of the book, Zhang Xuan lowered his head in deep thought.

Through the Library of Heaven's Path, he knew that even if he had killed the Otherworldly Demons who had bypassed the barrier for the time being, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would still be able to send more of their kind in by paying the price.

There would be no end to this.

The only way to resolve the problem for good was to repair the weakened areas.

If it had been anyone else, they would have been helpless, even if they knew the root of the problem.

However, Zhang Xuan was different. The flaws of the seal were reflected clearly in the Library of Heaven's Path. As long as he worked backward from the flaws, he could easily deduce the method to repairing the seal. However... the amount of zhenqi required for this operation would be immense.

Even as a Nascent Saint pinnacle expert who had cultivated the Saint Ascension Decipher, the rich zhenqi he harnessed within his body was insufficient to repair the seal within a short period of time.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before making his decision. Forget it. Since Mu shi and the others have made this request of me, I should resolve it once and for all before heading up. This is for the welfare of mankind, too.

After staying at Hongyuan Empire for four months, he had already come to bear deep feelings for it. On top of that, this was the home of the countless members of his Xuanxuan Faction. If he were to leave and the Otherworldly Demons were to breach the seal once again, it would be hard to say if they would be lucky to have this situation resolved so simply as it had been this time around.

Since he was already there, he ought to make sure that he weeded out the problem at its root.

Time to begin!

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan quickly leaped into action. He walked up to the seal and lightly placed his palm on an area where a flaw of the seal was located.

Hu!

In the next moment, with an abrupt jolt, his body entered the seal.

This...

Looking at his surroundings, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

This seal was an extremely skillful manipulation of space. This was also the reason it was able to sever the connection between the Master Teacher Continent and the otherworldly battlefield.

Intending to only repair the flaws, Zhang Xuan hadn't thought that he would get to peer into the internal structure of the entire seal from within.

The structure of the seal was built in a manner that was aligned with the laws of space, reinforcing and stabilizing it further.

It bears a striking resemblance to the Saint Ascension Decipher.

Studying the internal structure with his Eye of Insight for a moment, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement.

To his astonishment, the layout of the seal, when studied carefully, bore an uncanny resemblance to the Saint Ascension Decipher, which he was cultivating at the moment, to the point where it could be said to be nearly identical. However, the structure in the seal was a little more complex, and this enhanced complexity allowed the deciphers to be tied together in an even more compact manner.

A thought emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind. If I cultivate the Saint Ascension Decipher according to this format, will it become stronger?

There was no apparent flaw in his Saint Ascension Decipher, but it wasn't as grand and profound as the structure he was seeing before his eyes. If he were to alter his Saint Ascension Decipher according to this, would it become even stronger?

I should give it a try!

Zhang Xuan began to make some calculations to determine the feasibility of the matter, and after confirming that there was no problem with it, he began to multitask. He used his zhenqi to further reinforce the weakened portions of the seal, while at the same time, sitting quietly on the floor to cultivate.

Under the discerning glint of the Eye of Insight, the intricacies of the seal's internal structure appeared clearly before Zhang Xuan's eyes. Slowly, he turned his attention to his dantian and began rearranging the deciphers that he had constructed before. He didn't make any progress in his cultivation, but his Origin Core did become significantly more stable and stronger.

...

While Zhang Xuan was cultivating in the Subterranean Gallery without any regard for time, the crowd that was guarding outside the Mausoleum of Principals was becoming more and more anxious by the moment.

"It has already been three days, why isn't Principal Zhang out yet?" School Head Mo asked as he paced around the area anxiously.

"Could it be that something has happened inside?" Zhao Bingxu asked.

School Head Mo hesitated for a moment before saying, "The Mausoleum of Principals is the ground where the preceding principals of our academy rest. Considering that Principal Zhang has gained the recognition of all our preceding principals, there shouldn't be a problem."

But despite the words he spoke, he still couldn't help but feel worried and unnerved within.

He had checked through the records, and it was said that the preceding principals would usually only spend a day in the Mausoleum of Principals. For their principal to spend three days inside... could something have gone wrong?

"Cough cough, I am not worried that something will happen to our principal, but that... he might cause something in the Mausoleum of Principals that might cause the many predecessors... to be unable to rest in peace!" Zhao Bingxu replied with the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Ah..." School Head Mo fell into a daze.

Their current principal was a formidable young man, and he would have been perfect if not for his tendency to... be reckless at times. If their principal were to cause a devastating ruckus in the Mausoleum of Principals, how would they answer the many predecessors before them?

School Head Mo rubbed his glabella as he said with uncertainty, "We can't interfere in what Principal Zhang does... In any case, he is the man who has received the approval of the wills of the preceding principals, so... he shouldn't mess around there."

There was nothing they could do about the situation at the moment, especially since they couldn't enter the Mausoleum of Principals in the first place. Even if they knew that something bad could very well happen, the most they could do at the moment was pray for the best.

At this moment, Zhao Bingxu suddenly recalled something and asked, "Oh right, the men from the Combat Master Hall should have arrived by now, right?"

"Combat Master Zhuo did say that the combat masters that will be assessing Zheng Yang and the others would be arriving in three days' time back then, and it should be about time now. Let's head over to take a look!"

"Un."

Thus, the two school heads took one final hesitant glance at the Mausoleum of Principals before heading off to the Elder Hall.

It was one thing if their principal wasn't around to welcome the arrival of the representatives of the Combat Master Hall, but if even they weren't around either, it would be a huge breach of etiquette on the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy's part.

...

Outside the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, an aerial saint beast descended from the sky, and around a dozen cultivators began walking into the academy. They were dressed not in the robes of a master teacher or a combat master but ordinary clothes.

"Liao shi, I heard that Zhuo shi and the others came over to conduct the selection, but they ended up being utterly defeated by Hongyuan's candidates. May I know if that is true?" a Chrysalis realm combat master walking in the middle of the group asked.

"Un, that is indeed the news that we have received. It seems like Hongyuan's candidates this year are exceptionally powerful. There is even one candidate who Combat Master Zhuo was unable to stand against when his cultivation was equal to the other's! This is why he requested that we rush here to assess the candidate," the middle-aged man at the forefront of the group replied with a nod.

That middle-aged man looked like he was in his mid-forties, and he exuded a vague but unfathomable aura, reminiscent of a majestic dragon lying dormant in wait. Just like Combat Master Zhuo, he was a Saint realm 2-dan expert as well.

But while the two possessed equal cultivation, the middle-aged man commanded an aura that felt far more powerful and fearsome than Combat Master Zhuo.

Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall, Liao Song!

The Chrysalis realm combat master harrumphed in disbelief. "I have checked the history of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, and it has always been at the very bottom of the Four Great Master Teacher Academies. There were hardly any talents among them that met the requirement of the Combat Master Hall, so how could their candidates suddenly grow so strong as to defeat our combat masters? Something feels amiss about the situation."

Another young man nodded in agreement. "I also think that there is something weird about the situation."

Of the combat masters behind Liao Song, three of them were at the Ethereal Treading realm, three of them were at the Chrysalis realm, three of them were at Half-Saint, and three of them were at Nascent- Saint; altogether, there were twelve of them.

Each of these men were extremely strong. Their presence in itself carried a sharp edge that few would dare approach.

It felt like each of them would be equal to Combat Master Zhuo were they to fight at the same cultivation realm.

These young men were all Hundred Men Commanders of the Combat Master Hall!

The Combat Master Hall ranked its members not by their cultivation but by their ability to display strength beyond their current cultivation.

Zhuo Qingfeng might have reached Spiritual Perception realm, but he was still only a Hundred Men Commander, possessing equal standing to these young men and a rank lower than Liao Song.

"I also find that hard to believe. Our combat masters are all top-notch geniuses sieved out from countless cultivators, and yet, all one hundred candidates chosen by an academy actually managed to clear the harsh selection? This is something unprecedented in the history of the Combat Master Hall! The reason I came here today is to verify this matter as well!" Liao Song said with a deep frown on his forehead.

Honestly speaking, he also found it hard to believe the news that Combat Master Zhuo had sent to him.

The Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy was a weak institution that only had a candidate or two clearing each Master Teacher Selection. Yet, for a hundred people over the five grades to all clear the selection in this year... This notion in itself was inconceivable!

The others nodded in agreement.

While they were speaking, the group entered the academy. Raising their gazes, they saw innumerable students walking about with a spirited look in their eyes.

"Ruohuan, I am still a little unsure about the maneuver that Principal Zhang lectured us on. Can you explain it to me?"

On the training grounds alongside the pavement, a few students were gathered together in a group, seemingly conversing about their insights and learning from one another.

"It's simple... Watch closely!"

The young man named Ruohuan chuckled softly before raising his palm and abruptly striking forward.

Huala!

A series of sonic booms resounded deafeningly in the air as a gush of hot air currents blasted into the surroundings. Under the immense pressure of the air currents, the bluestone pavement beneath the feet of the student began to crack.

"What a powerful palm strike!"

The combat masters couldn't help but stop and narrow their eyes in astonishment.

The palm strike seemed simple, but it took incredible skill in order to bring forth its strength to such an extent. They would have struggled to execute a palm strike of this caliber back when they were at the young man's cultivation realm.

"Could this be the fellow who intends to participate in the selection?" one of the young men amid the combat masters asked.

Even though the fellow on the stage was only at the Cosmos Bridge realm, the prowess he had exerted in that previous blow was definitely on par with a Hundred Men Commander. Most likely, he was the genius whom Combat Master Zhuo had spoken about.

"That seems very likely. Liao shi, I hope to challenge him to a duel!" one of the combat masters said.

After a moment of hesitation, Liao Song nodded and instructed, "Alright. However, make sure to go easy on him. If the other party is not the person in question and you end up severely injuring him, it will cause a great deal of trouble if Hongyuan report this matter to the headquarters."

Every single combat master was a top-notch combat genius, and naturally, ordinary master teachers were no match for them at all. If they were to go too far and injure the other party, the headquarters could punish them for abusing their strength.

"Don't worry, I will be careful!" The young man smiled before leaped onto the training ground not too far away.

"This friend over here, my name is Zhou Ye. I saw your palm strike earlier, and I am impressed by its might. If it isn't too much, I would like to have a spar with you. Of course, I will suppress my cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm for the spar," the young man, Ye Zhou, said with a smile.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 963: We Are from the Xuanxuan Faction

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Sparring was not uncommon in the Master Teacher Academies. Frequently, there would be master teachers, who after receiving some inspiration or learning a new battle technique, would challenge a master teacher stronger than them so as to test out their skills and see where they stood.

Facing the challenge from Zhou Ye, the young man named Ruohuan was taken aback for a moment before replying with a slight smile, "I am more than willing to."

Nodding, Zhou Ye took a deep breath as he began suppressing his zhenqi. It didn't take long for his cultivation to reach Cosmos Bridge realm, the same as the opponent before him.

Zhou Ye smiled. "It seems like that you are skilled in palm strikes, so I won't use a weapon either. Alright, let's begin!"

After which, he flicked his wrist and charged forward with astounding speed.

Despite having suppressed his cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm, Zhou Ye's movements were incredibly nimble, as if a specter flitting across the battlefield. It was difficult for his enemy to determine exactly where he would strike.

"Not bad!"

Ruohuan's eyes lit up in excitement. He raised his palm and adeptly struck the area right in front of him.

Principal Zhang had once said, if a cultivator panicked before a complex or foreign maneuver, he would be falling into his opponent's trap. He would swiftly be pulled into his opponent's momentum, and it would be extremely hard to turn the tables against his opponent by then.

As such, against moves consisting of many feints, one had to study it closely to peer right into its essence. No matter how complicated the opponent's moves were, there was a limited number of directions in which the opponent could strike from. The best way for one to deal with such a situation was to wait and adapt accordingly.

"Not bad!" Seeing that the other party didn't make a reckless move out of panic, Zhou Ye's eyes lit up in admiration.

Just as the other party had thought, the motive of his move was to lure the other party into action. As soon as the other party moved, he would immediately find the flaw in the other party's movement and strike at it.

Facing Ruohuan's palm strike, Zhou Ye maneuvered nimbly to the other party's side and thrust his palm forward.

He thought that as long as he exerted sufficient strength in this strike, he would be able to force the other party to admit defeat. However, before his palm could land, he suddenly felt a stifling sensation on his chest.

Narrowing his eyes in alarm, it was only in this instant that he realized the other party had already seen through his maneuver and placed a palm right in his path!

In other words, the other party's initial strike had just been a feint to lure him in. As soon as he appeared to make his strike, the other party swiftly launched an assault with the other palm.

Peng!

At this point, it was already too late to dodge. An immense pressure struck his chest and sent him flying from the training ground before crashing onto the street.

"He subdued Zhou Ye in a single strike?"

"Could that man really be the person we are going to assess?"

"That is likely to be the case. Otherwise, how could he wield such great power?"

The group from the Combat Master Hall leaped in shock at that sight.

Liao Song's eyebrows also shot up in astonishment.

He could easily tell from the previous battle that the fellow named Ruohuan was weaker than Zhou Ye in terms of zhenqi strength and reaction speed, but Ruohuan had still managed to easily achieve a victory against Zhou Ye. This showed that he possessed exceptional talent in the field of combat.

Most likely, Ruohuan was the genius that Zhuo Qingfeng had spoken of.

Otherwise, how could he be so powerful?"

At this point, Liao Song pondered for a moment before raising his hand and gesturing. "Hu Chen, go up and test him!"

To confirm the matter, he would have to continue assessing the other party.

"Alright!" Hu Chen nodded before leaping onto the training ground.

"I am awed by your profound moves, so I would like to spar with you as well!"

After saying those words, Hu Chen began suppressing his cultivation.

"Fine by me!"

Nodding, Ruohuan was just about to begin the fight when the young man beside him suddenly stepped forward and said, "Ruohuan, it is rare for us to have such easy opponents to practice with. Will you let me fight him instead? After all, I am the weakest of our group, and even after so long, I am still unable to fully comprehend the essence of Principal Zhang's lecture. This is a good opportunity for me to try my hand!"

Hearing his close friend saying such words, Ruohuan smiled bitterly before nodding in agreement. "Alright then!"

Due to his lacking aptitude for combat, this close friend of his had been lagging behind the others. Due to the power gap between him and the other students, it was hard for him to learn anything in a battle against the others. Perhaps, if he could try his hand against this weakling who had come out of nowhere, he might receive an epiphany that could enhance his comprehension of combat.

Naturally, Ruohuan was the person who had come to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy along with Zhang Xuan from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, Ruohuan gongzi. After training diligently recently, he had managed to advance his cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm.

Having journeyed with Zhang Xuan from back when they were still in Myriad Kingdom Alliance, he had received Zhang Xuan's guidance on multiple occasions, and this had helped to gain a deep comprehension of combat. On top of that, as one of the founders of the Xuanxuan Faction, he felt the dire need to work harder than anyone, or else he could very well be overtaken by others swiftly. Due to the great effort he had put in, he had managed to make tremendous progress in his eye of discernment and fighting prowess within this period of time.

In his view, these opponents who had popped out of nowhere weren't exactly weak, and their maneuvers were innovative and profound as well, but compared to the insights that Principal Zhang had imparted to them, there was nothing to fear from them.

What Principal Zhang had imparted to them was the foundation of combat, and no matter how grand or majestic a battle technique was, they were built on this very foundation. Ultimately, battle techniques were means to attack another, and as long as there was movement, there would surely be flaws that one could exploit!

Ruohuan felt that his close friend had everything he needed to achieve a victory, all he needed was to internalize Principal Zhang's teachings during combat.

"Easy opponents?" Hearing the conversation between the duo, Hu Chen nearly exploded out of sheer rage.

Pal, open your eyes and take a close look! I am a Chrysalis realm combat master! I am suppressing my cultivation to battle with you! Yet, you said that I am an easy opponent...

He wasn't the only who felt that way. The other combat masters also nearly spurted blood after hearing those words. They had always been existences whose fighting prowess far exceeded their opponents. This was their very first time being looked down on by another like that.

A combat master who couldn't hold back his rage anymore sent a telepathic message over. "Hu Chen, don't go easy on him!"

"I understand!" Hu Chen replied as a savage glint flashed across his eyes.

He had been thinking that he would hold back a little if the other party couldn't cope so as to spare his dignity. But since the other party was acting so arrogantly, he didn't mind teaching him a harsh lesson.

"Let's begin!" Hu Chen said as he beckoned his opponent.

"Un." The young man on the opposite side nodded before stepping forward. "Principal Zhang has lectured us on the various combat techniques in dealing with certain situations, but I am a little slow on the uptake, so... if I accidentally injure you later on, I hope that you can forgive me."

"Cut with the nonsense, come!" Unable to take the nonsense his opponent was spouting, Hu Chen pushed his feet against the ground and charged forward as he got into the stance to launch a palm strike.

His movements were large and forceful, giving an impression that he could overwhelm anything in the world.

Seeing Hu Chen's move, the young man didn't flinch in fear. On the contrary, his eyes lit up as he yelled, "Good move!"

After saying those words, under the shocked gazes of the crowd, he charged forward and faced Hu Chen directly with a fist.

Boom!

The fist and the palm collided, and Hu Chen suddenly felt a numbing sensation engulfing his arm before a massive force came crashing down on him with incredible momentum. Unable to withstand the massive force, his face reddened, and he was knocked flying.

Peng!

Just like the previous Zhou Ye, he tumbled across the training ground before his head was planted into the earth.

If Hu Chen hadn't used his full might, the backlash could have been considerably weaker, and he would have suffered less severe injuries. However, with both sides going at full force against one another, Hu Chen's arm ended up being severely injured under the immense pressure from both ends. In his current state, it would be impossible for him to use his arm for the next five days at the very least.

"This..."

"In a direct clash of strength, Hu Chen wasn't a match for him?"

The combat masters were stunned.

Liao Song's mouth began twitching as well.

He had seen with his own eyes how Ruohuan's zhenqi strength was far beneath that of his subordinate. Yet, the person who had sought him for guidance had actually sent Hu Chen flying with a single fist. This was way too incredulous!

Just as the crowd was perplexed by the bewildering sight that had occurred, on the stage, Ruohuan suddenly shook his head in disappointment and began lecturing the young man before him. "Didn't Principal Zhang emphasize that a battle isn't all about brute force? Technique, you need technique! How can you be so dimwitted?"

Ruohuan gongzi was indeed very angry. That fellow had grasped the physical body cultivation technique and zhenqi condensing method imparted by Principal Zhang, but he had failed to comprehend the more important combat techniques. Precisely due to this, he lost every single battle against others. It wasn't easy for them to find a person with a weak understanding of combat techniques for him to practice on, but... that fellow had still resorted to mere brute strength in the end! How could he be so dumb?

"I..." The young man scratched his head awkwardly. "I saw him rushing straight at me, so I couldn't hold myself back, and... this just happened!"

After which, he turned his gaze to the combat masters and asked, "Do any of you want to battle with me? I promise that I won't crush you with brute force this time around."

"You..."

Hearing the young man's words, the combat masters felt so enraged that they could lose their minds.

This was the first time that someone had dared say that he wouldn't crush them with brute force...

Arrogant, he was being way too arrogant!

"Allow me..."

Unable to tolerate this humiliation, another combat master stood forth. It was the last Chrysalis realm cultivator of the group.

The combat master swiftly suppressed his cultivation before beckoning with his hand. "Come!"

"Alright!"

The young man nodded, but just as he was about to make his move, another student by the side suddenly uttered in displeasure, "Zhao Qing, are you planning to hog them all for yourself? This is a rare opportunity to practice, so how can you be so selfish as to keep them all for yourself?"

"I..." The young man scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Enough. These friends over here aren't too weak, and opportunities to spar with others don't come easily. Zhao Qing, you should step down and let Song Ying have a go!" Ruohuan said.

The young man, Zhao Qing, glanced at the combat master in front of him with a look of disappointment before reluctantly nodding. "Alright..."

"You..."

At this point, the combat masters were already nearly on the verge of tears.

What do you mean by not too weak?

We are strong, alright?

Just that... Looking at their two fallen companions, they couldn't help but feel incredibly stifled within.

For them to have been defeated so easily... Could they really still be considered strong?

In the view of such powerful opponents, perhaps they were indeed only worthy of being 'not too weak'!

Clenching his jaws tightly in anger, the combat master said, "Cut the crap, come!"

Walking onto the training ground, Song Ying took a look at his opponent before shaking his head in disappointment. "A perturbed mind, how can you fight in such a state?"

"You..." The combat master was provoked by Song Ying's words, but he also knew that he had indeed allowed rage to cloud his mind, and he wouldn't be able to display the full extent of his fighting prowess in this state. Thus, taking a deep breath, he suppressed the emotions deep in his heart before looking at his opponent once more. "Let's begin!"

On the other hand, seeing his opponent suppressing his emotions so quickly, Song Ying was awed for a moment before nodding. "Alright."

After which, he stepped off forcefully from the ground and charged forward.

Peng peng peng peng!

The duo began their clash.

On the third blow, Song Ying managed to exploit a flaw in the combat master's movements and sent a forceful kick in.

With a reddened face, the combat master was sent flying before crashing onto the ground.

"This..."

Seeing how three of their members were no match for the Hongyuan academy's students, the combat masters couldn't help but glance at one another, flabbergasted.

They had thought that Zhuo Qingfeng had exaggerated the strength of Hongyuan's candidates, making them out to be more fearsome than they were. However, after seeing them with their own eyes, they had no choice but to admit that Hongyuan's students were indeed formidable.

One of the combat masters couldn't resist asking, "Could you be the ones who will be participating in the Combat Master Selection later on, Zheng Yang, Liu Yang, and the others?"

"Zheng Yang? Liu Yang?"

Hearing those words, Ruohuan gongzi shook his head and said, "They are Principal Zhang's direct disciples, and they are at least a hundredfold stronger than the rest of us. How can we possibly be them?"

"You aren't? Then... could you all be among the hundred candidates who have cleared the Combat Master Selection this year?" Liao Song asked.

"Amongst the hundred candidates?" Ruohuan gongzi shook his once more after hearing those words. "We are too weak, so we were unqualified to participate in the Combat Master Selection."

Unqualified to participate in the Combat Master Selection?

Liao Song's body staggered as a stifling sensation struck his chest. "Then, you are..."

"We are from the Xuanxuan Faction!" Ruohuan gongzi replied earnestly, looking straight at the combat masters.

"Our strength is nothing much. There are at least thirty thousand other members within the faction who possess fighting prowess on par with us!"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 964: Progeny of Combat

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Nothing much?"

"There are at least thirty thousand other members who possess fighting prowess on par with you?"

The combat masters stared at one another, and they could each see the mental breakdown the others were suffering through their eyes.

They had arrived proudly as invigilators, thinking that they were the pinnacle of fighting prowess in their respective cultivation realms. Yet, before they could even meet the talent they were supposed to assess, they were defeated by just a few students playing by the roadside!

Must reality come crushing down on them so heavily like a sledgehammer?

More importantly, it was one thing if there were only one or two of such experts throughout the entire academy. However, according to the other party, this Xuanxuan Faction or something had thirty thousand people possessing such strength.

In that moment, Liao Song could only feel his entire mind blanking out, unable to comprehend the meaning of those words.

Despite being a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall, he felt like Granny Liu paying a visit to the Grand View Gardens 1 . He couldn't help but doubt everything that he thought he knew, and even life itself!

"What, you don't believe me?" Seeing the shocked expression on everyone's faces, Ruohuan suddenly chuckled softly, and he gestured behind him. "It happens that the members of our Xuanxuan Faction have gathered over there. Why don't I take you over to have a look?"

"Gathered?"

"Un. Follow me!" Nodding, Ruohuan gongzi beckoned the group to follow him.

Liao Song and the others exchanged glances with one another before hurriedly following behind him.

Not too long later, they saw a huge group of people gathered in a massive square in front of them. They were gathered in groups, seemingly discussing something. From time to time, a couple of people would spar with one another.

"Is that the fundamental fist art, Flood of the Grand River? Isn't it an extremely weak battle technique severely lacking in strength? How did they manage to draw so much power from it?"

"That is the Fallen Gale Sword Art, a Spirit intermediate-tier battle technique! I once attempted to cultivate that technique, but due to the excessive complexity of the move and the limited prowess one can exert through it, I eventually gave up on it. Why does it seem to possess prowess comparable to a Spirit high-tier battle technique in his hands?"

"That fist art and movement art over there might be simple, but they are aligned with the very essence of combat itself, making it extremely hard to guard against it. Even I would find it hard to withstand it if an opponent were to use such a powerful move against me in a battle!"

"What is that move? Wait, aren't those just a few basic maneuvers being chained together? Is it really possible to draw strength comparable to a Spirit high-tier battle technique just like that?"

...

Upon seeing the offense and defense of the various sparring students, the cheeks of the combat masters began twitching uncontrollably.

They hadn't fought any of the students here yet, but through their eyes of discernment, they could tell that they would wield fighting prowess on par with that Ruohuan person in a real battle.

In other words, if their group were to be thrown amid the thirty thousand students gathered here, not only would they not stand out, they would even be among the very bottom of the group!

Just what in the world was going on?

They were combat masters, top-notch combat experts sieved out from countless other master teachers and cultivators!

Unable to hold himself back anymore, Liao Song turned to Ruohuan gongzi and asked, "How did you gain such incredible fighting prowess?"

"At the start, we were also just ordinary students. It was only after going through an entire afternoon of lectures from Principal Zhang that we gained such strength!" Upon speaking of Principal Zhang, Ruohuan gongzi's eyes began gleaming with excitement and respect.

He could still remember the exhilaration he had felt when he listened to Principal Zhang's teachings. During those lectures, he knew that if he could internalize everything that Principal Zhang was imparting to them, his fighting prowess would advance by leaps and bounds.

It was as if the cultivators in the world could be divided into two categories—those who had listened to Principal Zhang's lecture and those who hadn't—and a huge, unbreachable rift stood between the two groups.

This was precisely the reason countless students had knocked on the doors of the Xuanxuan Faction over the past few days, hoping to join the faction. However, so as to not undermine the academy through the faction, the faction had chosen to limit its numbers, and that had left countless extremely regretful that they hadn't joined back when they had been given the chance to do so.

"An entire afternoon of lectures?" Liao Song was stunned.

A mere afternoon of lectures was sufficient to make your fighting prowess rise to such an unbelievable extent? Are you joking with me?

If one's fighting prowess could be raised so easily, doesn't that mean that the unimaginable suffering that we, combat masters, have been put through day after day has been in vain?

"Indeed." Ruohuan gongzi sighed in lamentation. "However, it is a pity that Principal Zhang is an extremely busy man. Otherwise, if he were to just hold a few more lectures, our fighting prowess would surely be much stronger than it is now."

"Much stronger?" Liao Song's mouth began twitching once more.

This group of students was already so powerful that even they, combat masters, were no match for them. If they were to get even stronger... that would be unthinkable!

If so, wouldn't the existence of combat masters become redundant?

While Liao Song was still feeling incredibly stifled within, Ruohuan gongzi suddenly asked, "Right, who are you? Why did you come to the academy?"

"We... we are... We came to find Combat Master Zhuo!"

Liao Song had intended to say that they were combat masters, but in the end, he swallowed those words.

"So, you are Combat Master Zhuo's friends! Give me a moment, I will have someone show you to him." Coming to a realization, Ruohuan gongzi beckoned for a faction member over and instructed him to lead Liao Song and the others to Zhuo Qingfeng's accommodation.

"Thank you!" Liao Song said before hurriedly leaving with his group, fearing that the morale would take another fatal blow if they were to remain there for a moment longer.

Shortly after Liao Song and the others left, a student walked up and asked doubtfully, "Ruohuan, who are these people?"

"I am not too sure either. I thought that they were combat masters initially, but after fighting with them, I am certain that isn't the case. After all, how could combat masters, who devote their time and effort to furthering their combat ability, be so lacking in terms of combat sense? Forget it! As long as they aren't combat masters, we can try to recruit them into the Xuanxuan Faction. I can tell that they are rather talented. If we train them for a few days, they could very well become a powerful addition to our group!" Ruohuan gongzi replied.

"Our Xuanxuan Faction is currently only taking in talents. If they wish to join, we should put them through the examination first before deciding whether to accept them or not. If they can't even clear the examination, they are clearly unqualified to become esteemed members of our faction," the other student sneered.

"That goes without saying. Our Xuanxuan Faction chooses its members very carefully. Their fighting prowess is still decent, but they seem to be a little lacking to clear our examination," Ruohuan gongzi said proudly.

...

As the group of combat masters followed behind the member of the Xuanxuan Faction, one of the combat masters couldn't help but turn to Liao Song and ask, "Liao shi, how are those fellows so powerful?"

"I have no idea," Liao Song replied with a deep frown.

All along, he had thought that combat masters were the representation of the strongest fighting force in their respective cultivation realms. But after meeting the members of the Xuanxuan Faction, this long-established belief that he had held onto for many years had suddenly come crashing down!

After a moment's silence, Liao Song remarked deeply, "It is no wonder Zhuo Qingfeng had us come here. There is truly something peculiar about this Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy."

Even a few passers-by they had met on the street was capable of utterly overpowering them, leaving them incapable of retaliating at all. It was fortunate that they weren't enemies, or else they might just have met their end there.

"Combat Master Liao, you're here."

Before entering the residence, Zhuo Qingfeng, who had heard of the news beforehand, had already come out to welcome the group. Upon seeing Liao Song, a look of agitation immediately appeared on his face. However, a moment later, he realized that something was amiss with the group.

Combat masters tended to carry a proud and might aura before others, but the group before him looked listless, as if eggplants battered by the cold 2 .

"What happened to you all?" Zhuo Qingfeng couldn't hide his curiosity.

"Tell me the situation with the new principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy." Liao Song didn't respond to Zhuo Qingfeng's question.

He couldn't help but remember the young man from before saying that the origin of their strength had come from an afternoon of lecture from their principal, so he requested more information from Zhuo Qingfeng upon seeing the latter.

"You mean Principal Zhang? Alright..." Zhuo Qingfeng pondered for a moment before telling everything that he knew about Principal Zhang to Liao Song.

"Just an hour-long lecture from that Principal Zhang, and our combat masters were no match for Hongyuan's candidates at all? A night of supplementary lesson, and Hongyuan's candidates achieved zhenqi purity and physical strength far beyond our combat masters?"

Liao Song and the combat masters behind him felt as if they were listening to a ghost story. Their goosebumps rose up as horror surfaced on their faces.

"Indeed!" Zhuo Qingfeng nodded with a bitter smile. "Oh right, Principal Zhang's four direct disciples have been waiting for you in the residence for some time now. I will be depending on you to assess them later on!"

"Principal Zhang's four direct disciples? How strong are they?" Liao Song immediately asked.

"I would say that they are invincible in their respective cultivation realms. At the very least, I am no match for them at all!" Zhuo Qingfeng replied.

"Even you are no match for them?" Liao Song was astounded. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "If they are that strong, I think... we should assess them through the Dragon Gate Formation!"

"Dragon Gate Formation? Isn't that our Combat Master Hall's trial for the 'Progeny of Combat'? Liao shi intends to... assess if they are qualified to become the 'Progeny of Combat'?" Zhuo Qingfeng was astonished.

"Indeed. Considering how Principal Zhang is able to raise the fighting prowess of the students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy to such a tremendous extent with just a few hours of lecturing, his direct disciples... might just be able to clear the Dragon Gate Formation. If they succeed, we, as the ones who have found the Progeny of Combat, will gain significant authority and power within the Combat Master Hall!" Liao Song said.

"This..." Zhuo Qingfeng fell silent.

Indeed, if one were to view the Combat Master Hall as a clan, the position of Progeny of Combat would be equivalent to the successor of the clan!

In other words, as long as the Progeny of Combat matured, he would become the new head of the Combat Master Hall!

Countless combat masters drove themselves to the limits, hoping to become the Progeny of Combat, but it was a pity that it was simply too difficult.

For three hundred years, the Combat Master Hall had gone without a Progeny of Combat or a hall master... Would Principal Zhang's direct disciples really be able to clear the trial?

Even Combat Master Zhuo, who had tested Zheng Yang's strength personally, had no confidence whatsoever.

The Dragon Gate Formation was difficult to the point that most would think it impossible to beat!

If Principal Zhang's direct disciples were really able to clear the trial and become the Progeny of Combat, they, as the ones who had discovered the next Progeny of Combat, would have made a great contribution to the Combat Master Hall for finding its next leader. Naturally, their standing would rise, and they would gain access to better resources as well.

"We are unable to set up the complete Dragon Gate Formation, but we can emulate a simplified version. As long as they succeed in clearing this trial, we will be able to bring them back to the headquarters to apply for the real trial... Regardless of whether they succeed or not, this will be something good for us!" Liao Song said.

It would be best if Principal Zhang's direct disciples could become the Progeny of Combat, but even if they were to fail, their great talent ensured that they would rise to a position far higher than them if they entered the Combat Master Hall.

Naturally, it would be wonderful if they could gain such powerful backing.

Without hesitating for long, Zhuo Qingfeng replied, "Alright then. Let's have them challenge the simplified Dragon Gate Formation."

"Un." Liao Song nodded.

Having decided on this matter, the combat masters began making their way into the residence.

Shortly after entering the residence, School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, and a few others stepped forward to welcome them, followed by Wo Tianqiong, Wu Ran, and the others.

So as to spectate the assessment, the other three academies had decided to extend their stay in Hongyuan.

Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, and Wei Ruyan were also in the residence, and they stood by the corner with an upright posture reminiscent of a sharp spear.

"Allow me to make the introductions, this is the Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall, as well as my senior, Liao Song! He will be in charge of Zheng Yang and the others' assessment," Zhuo Qingfeng said.

"Paying respects to Combat Master Liao!"

The crowd clasped their fists and greeted him.

"Un, there is no need to stand on ceremony. If I am not mistaken, these four should be Principal Zhang's direct disciples who are participating in the assessment, right?" Liao Song shot an acknowledging nod to the crowd before turning to Zheng Yang and the others.

"That's right; we are students of Zhang Xuan!" Zheng Yang and the others nodded.

"Indeed, impressive young talents," Combat Master Liao said with a smile. "I have already heard about your affairs from Combat Master Zhuo earlier, and I intend to have you challenge the Dragon Gate Formation trial!"

"Dragon Gate Formation?" Zheng Yang and the others asked with a look of confusion.

Wo Tianqiong and the others also didn't seem to have heard of the term before.

"The name of the Dragon Gate Formation originates from the story about the carps leaping beyond the Dragon Gate 3 . As long as you can clear this trial, you will immediately rise to a position far beyond others and become one of the few powerhouses of the Master Teacher Pavilion or even the entire Master Teacher Continent!" Liao Song said.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 965: Dragon Gate Formation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Rise to a position far beyond the others?"

"One of the few powerhouses?"

The crowd couldn't help but frown upon hearing those words.

The Combat Master Hall was indeed powerful despite being a branch of the Master Teacher Pavilion, but for a single trial to shake the entire Master Teacher Continent, wasn't this too much of an exaggeration?

Seeing the looks of disbelief on the faces of others, Liao Song explained, "I am not exaggerating when I say those words. Clearing the Dragon Gate Formation is no easy feat at all. The Combat Master Hall has innumerable outstanding young combat masters, but in the past three hundred years, not a single person has succeeded in clearing the trial. I believe this is more than enough to show how difficult it is. If any individual succeeds in clearing the Dragon Gate Formation, the main headquarters of the Combat Master Hall will take them away and devote its resources to groom them. It will only be a matter of time before he becomes one of the strongest figures on the continent!"

"Not a single person has cleared the trial in the past three hundred years?"

Everyone was astonished.

The Combat Master Hall was an organization that gathered the greatest combat talents throughout the Master Teacher Continent, and its strength was irrefutable. Yet, for all the talents it had, none of them had actually succeeded in clearing the Dragon Gate Formation? This was unbelievable!

School Head Mo couldn't help but ask, "How does the Dragon Gate Formation work?"

The others also turned their gazes over.

Considering how exaggerated it sounded, the Dragon Gate Formation trial was bound to be something extremely difficult. Otherwise, it couldn't have stopped so many combat masters in their footsteps.

"Simple. The Dragon Gate Formation is divided into three main sections, the Dragon's Tail, the Dragon's Back, and the Dragon's Head. In each section, the challenger will have to face three combat masters! Of the three combat masters the challenger will be facing in the Dragon's Tail, one will possess cultivation equal to the challenger, one a cultivation stage stronger than the challenger, and one two cultivation stages stronger than the challenger," Liao Song said.

"Three combat masters? And their cultivations are getting progressively higher?" The crowd couldn't help but frown.

Combat masters wielded the strength to challenge opponents stronger than them, making them nigh invincible figures within their own cultivation realms. To face three of such opponents at once, and two of them even being stronger than challenger by a cultivation stage and two cultivation stages... This was truly a frightening trial!

"The same applies for the Dragon's Back, just that the three combat masters are three cultivation stages stronger than the combat masters on the Dragon's Tail. In other words, the three opponents which the challenger will be facing opponents will be three, four, and five cultivation stages stronger than him!" Liao Song explained.

"Take Zheng Yang for example, given that his cultivation is current at Chrysalis realm primary stage, the combat masters he will be facing on the Dragon's Back will be at Chrysalis realm pinnacle, Half-Saint primary stage, and Half-Saint intermediate stage!"

"This..."

Everyone's face twitched in astonishment, and even Zheng Yang and the others couldn't help but clench their fists tightly.

"Last but not least, on the Dragon's Head, the challenger will face three combat masters that are six, seven, and eight cultivation stages stronger than them. Using Zheng Yang as an example once more, he will face opponents at Half-Saint advanced stage, Half-Saint pinnacle, and... Nascent Saint primary stage!

"To clear the Dragon Gate Formation, one will have to defeat all nine combat masters. These combat masters will be a Hundred Men Commander at the very least, and what makes the trial even more difficult is that these combat masters are skilled in collaborating with one another. The combined fighting prowess they display will be far beyond what they can do individually. With my strength, I wouldn't be able to clear even the easiest Dragon's Tail..." Liao Song said grimly.

After hearing the rules, everyone fell silent.

Honestly speaking, the trial was truly difficult.

Each Hundred Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall wielded strength far beyond their cultivation realm, and to face three of them simultaneously, especially when their cultivation realms were equal or greater than one... That was impossible to succeed!

It was no wonder no one had cleared this trial in the past three hundred years! This trial was simply too difficult!

Not even the powerful Captains of the Combat Master Hall would be able to clear it!

"How is it? Do you want to give it a try?" After explaining the Dragon Gate Formation, Liao Song turned his gaze to Zheng Yang and the others and asked.

Instead of responding immediately, Zheng Yang and the others lowered their heads contemplatively.

Zhuo Qingfeng was a Hundred Men Commander himself, and having crossed hands with him, Zheng Yang knew how powerful the other party was. To have to defeat nine of such opponents consecutively, each one stronger than the other, and not to mention, having to deal with their collaboration on top of that... The trial was indeed terrifyingly difficult!

"To tell you the truth, the Dragon Gate Formation I am speaking about is only the simplified version. The Dragon Gate Formation at the headquarters requires the challenger to face the Dragon's Pearl as well. At the Dragon's Pearl, an incredibly powerful expert awaits," Liao Song said.

The simplified version of the Dragon Gate Formation was usually used to assess one's qualification to face the complete Dragon Gate Formation. But even so, the number of people who had successfully cleared the simplified version over the past three hundred years could be counted with one's fingers.

In other words, of countless geniuses that had risen in the Combat Master Hall in the past three hundred years, less than ten had managed to clear the simplified version of the Dragon Gate Formation. This went to show how difficult it was.

Soon, Zheng Yang raised his head and looked at Liao Song with a determined glint in his gaze. "I wish to give it a try."

He felt that he had to give it a try.

To be honest, he knew that he could easily grow to become one of the strongest experts on the continent following his teacher, but if he were to do so, he would only remain as excess baggage to his teacher.

Throughout this journey, he had seen what his teacher had done for them.

Advancing his cultivation from Fighter 1-dan to Transcendent Mortal 9-dan, he had used up many resources and innumerable spirit stones, and the amount of resources he would require would only increase exponentially after he reached Saint realm. As a student, it would be extremely unfilial of him to have his teacher continue bearing this burden for him!

But if he were to try to obtain the resources required for his cultivation by himself, he didn't have the means to do so, and his teacher wouldn't allow it either.

Thus, after much consideration, he felt that the best way was for him to enter the Combat Master Hall.

As an organization that nurtured experts boasting the greatest fighting prowess on the continent, it possessed the best resources across the entire Master Teacher Continent. If he could become one of their members, he wouldn't be a burden to his teacher anymore. In fact, he might even be able to shoulder some of the heavy responsibilities that his teacher shouldered.

Thus, despite the immense difficulty and danger of the trial, he felt that he had to do it!

Just like how his teacher was willing to do anything for him, he was willing to do anything for his teacher as well!

"You wish to give it a try? Very well!" Seeing that he had Zheng Yang's approval, Liao Song nodded with a smile. After which, he turned his gaze to Wang Ying and the others. "What about the rest of you?"

Wang Ying and the others also raised their faces and replied, with resolute gazes, "We wish to give it a try as well!"

They shared Zheng Yang's thoughts as well. Their teacher had simply done too much for them over the past few months. As students, they really couldn't bear to see him working so hard for them anymore. As such, they wished to become independent.

As combat masters, they would be able to make a name for themselves in the world. Perhaps, their teacher would be heartened to see this as well.

There was no teacher in the world that didn't wish for their students to spread their wings and soar into the boundless skies.

Seeing that Zheng Yang and the others had agreed to the matter, School Head Mo stepped forward and said, "Let's head to the sparring grounds then."

"Alright!" Knowing that this wasn't the place to fight, the others nodded, and the huge crowd began making their way to the sparring grounds.

The sparring ground was packed to the brim. Hearing that this assessment would be far more difficult than the previous one, innumerable students had arrived earlier in the morning in order to claim better positions to view the battle.

The news had also spread far and wide over the past three days, and many experts from Hongyuan Empire and the neighboring empires had arrived to spectate this grand moment.

They wished to see what kind of harsh assessment one who was not a master teacher would have to undergo in order to join the Combat Master Hall.

As soon as Zheng Yang and the others arrived on the scene, a huge wave of cheers rippled through the crowd.

"They are Principal Zhang's direct disciples? They look rather young."

"Principal Zhang isn't very old either!"

"Is it true that Principal Zhang's direct disciples are guest elders of the Master Teacher Academy?"

"Indeed. Their comprehension of battle techniques has reached an unbelievably profound level."

...

Many discussions could be heard beneath the stage.

When the visiting experts learned that Zheng Yang and the others were actually guest elders in the Master Teacher Academy, they were stunned.

There was no one in a Tier-1 Empire who was unaware of the significance of being a guest elder in the Master Teacher Academy. For young cultivators who weren't twenty yet and weren't even master teachers to become guest elders, just how powerful were they to have been awarded such prestige?

"Principal Zhang and his students are truly legends..."

"We really should keep our eyes wide open today. We could very well be witnessing the birth of a new legend today!"

After listening about the affairs regarding Principal Zhang and his direct disciples, everyone fell silent.

It was one thing for the teacher to be so formidable, but for his students to be so outstanding as well, this was truly amazing!

"Alright, let's begin the Dragon Gate Formation!"

After completing all of the arrangements, Liao Song whistled, and the nine combat masters by his side leaped onto the stage in a winding formation, reminiscent of a massive dragon crouching on the ground, preparing to rise into the boundless sky at any moment.

Pilipala!

With several crisp echoes, the nine combat masters swiftly suppressed their cultivation to the respective levels, ranging from Chrysalis realm primary stage all the way to Nascent Saint primary stage.

"I am Liao Song, a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall. I request for the permission to set up the Dragon Gate Formation to assess candidates for Progeny of Combat!"

After all was ready, Liao Song took out a token and flicked it into the air, following which the token floated above the grounds, and he began to speak grandly.

Boom!

Following which, spiritual energy began to gather in the surroundings as an immense power from very distant lands suddenly permeated the surroundings.

"This aura... the Combat Master Hall headquarters? Just what is this Dragon Gate Formation for it to actually require the permission of the headquarters?"

"I have no idea, but for it to require the headquarters' permission, just like the Master Teacher Confrontation... It seems this is no ordinary assessment!"

"Indeed. If the supervision of the headquarters is required to conduct this assessment, it can only mean that Combat Master Liao doesn't have the authority to conduct or judge this assessment!"

The crowd beneath had no idea what the Dragon Gate Formation represented, but upon seeing Liao Song communicating with the headquarters to request permission, their expressions swiftly changed to ones of astonishment.

For an examination to actually require permission from the headquarters, just how difficult could it be?

Hualala!

While everyone was still in shock, the spiritual energy from the heavens was suddenly reflected onto the ground, seemingly setting up some kind of peculiar formation. Under the effects of the formation, the nine combat masters were divided into three hidden portions, and the only part that was revealed at this moment resembled the powerful trail of a gigantic dragon. It felt as if a single lash of the tail could cause stir up a powerful storm, and its presence felt incredibly pressurizing to those standing before it.

"This is... the prowess of the combat masters has been enhanced by the formation?"

The faces of Wo Tianqiong and the others twitched.

The three combat masters in the Dragon's Tail were already plenty formidable themselves. For them to be augmented by a formation on top of that, how was anyone supposed to defeat that?

Putting aside a Chrysalis realm primary stage cultivator, even a Half-Saint would fall in an instant!

"Zheng Yang... be careful!" Wang Ying said with a frown.

"Don't worry!" Zheng Yang nodded. He took a deep breath before leaping up onto the stage. With a faint smile on his lips, he declared loudly, "I am the direct disciple of Zhang Xuan, Zheng Yang! I will be challenging the Dragon Gate Formation!"

Hong long!

As soon as the declaration was made, a ray of light shot down from the heavens, shrouding Zheng Yang's body, seemingly confirming his identity and strength.

Soon, the verification was complete, and the light faded. A huge word appeared in the sky. "Permitted!"

Similar to the Master Teacher Confrontation, this battle would be supervised by the Combat Master Hall headquarters.

Seeing that the headquarters had agreed to it, Liao Song heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Alright, you can begin now..."

"Un!" Zheng Yang nodded as he flicked his wrist to take out a long spear.

With a spear in his hand, his aura immediately changed. It became ferocious and powerful, reminiscent of a mighty tiger. A powerful surge of zhenqi emanated from his body, causing his hair to float in the air. In that moment, he bore some resemblance to an indomitable god of war.

"How powerful!"

Feeling that incredible aura, the faces of the nonchalant combat masters turned grim.

Even though the cultivation of the young man before them was only at Chrysalis realm primary stage, the sheer might of his aura exceeded even that of a Half-Saint cultivator.

"Come!"

After sharpening his aura to its limit, Zheng Yang released a furious war cry as he dashed forward toward the three combat masters in the Dragon's Tail. In an instant, his spear seemed to converge into a single spot of light as it burst ferociously toward his opponent.

Boom!

Amidst the incredible might of the spear, a huge shockwave rippled into the surroundings, and a deafening blast reminiscent of the roar of thunder silenced the surroundings.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 966: Zhang laoshi's Students (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Hah, do you think we will give you an opportunity to close in on us?"

"Humph!"

Seeing Zheng Yang's spear warping into a bolt of lightning, the three combat masters maintaining the Dragon's Tail harrumphed coldly. They converged their zhenqi together, and in that moment, the spiritual energy within several dozen kilometers felt as if it had been absorbed cleanly by the formation, resulting in the surrounding air becoming extremely dry and stifling. Following which, the gigantic Dragon's Tail lashed at an unbelievable speed toward Zheng Yang.

Knowing that the combat masters would retaliate in such a manner, Zheng Yang stepped forcefully against the ground, creating a three cun 1 depression beneath him, and calmly executed a powerful flick to fend off the Dragon's Tail.

Tzz la!

As the spear and the Dragon's Tail met one another, overwhelmingly powerful gales rippled forth from the collision with incredible momentum, causing the crowd beneath to squint their eyes before the strong winds.

"Scram!"

Widening his eyes, Zheng Yang roared as he pushed his spear forward with even greater force.

Boom!

Under the incomparable might of his spear, the massive Dragon's Tail was forcefully flicked up into the sky.

With a single strike, he had overpowered the three combat masters and fended off the Dragon's Tail!

Pu! Pu! Pu!

With the Dragon's Tail being flicked away, the three combat masters each spurted a mouthful of blood as they hurriedly took a single step back. They raised their gazes to look at the young man before them once more, but this time, with incredulity etched into their faces.

They had guessed that they might not be a match for Zheng Yang when they heard that Combat Master Zhuo wasn't a match for the latter, and the other party accepting the challenge of the Dragon Gate Formation trial despite hearing of its difficulty showed his confidence. But... they never could have imagined that they would be overpowered in a clash of brute force! The other party had actually succeeded in flicking the Dragon's Tail away in a clash of brute force!

And more importantly... this was only the first move, and they were already injured!

How were they supposed to continue the battle?

"The Dragon Gate Formation is supervised by the Combat Master Hall headquarters, so no cheating of any sort is allowed. He might have flicked away the Dragon's Tail, but if he wishes to clear this section, he must defeat us!" one of the combat masters said grimly.

So what if the other party had managed to flick away the Dragon's Tail?

The three of them were only lightly injured in the encounter. With the combined force of three Hundred Men Commanders, it was not entirely impossible for them to stop the other party!

"You're right!" Another combat master nodded in agreement as he prepared his stance.

However, in that split moment, the weakest of the three, the Chrysalis realm primary stage combat master, was abruptly impaled by a spear in his shoulder and collapsed to the ground.

"His spear is so swift?"

The other two combat masters narrowed their eyes in shock.

They might have been talking, but they had been on guard all along, prepared to retaliate should Zheng Yang attempt anything. Yet, the other party had actually managed to breach their defense so easily and defeat one of their comrades.

If they were to just speak a few more words, would their team be completely annihilated?

"Humph!"

But as combat masters who had braved through countless battles, as shock as they were, they didn't allow themselves to panic. Roaring furiously, the remaining two combat masters made their moves simultaneously.

Their teamwork was seamless. One of them took care of the offense while the other one covered them both. Two men with four hands, there were far more maneuvers they could execute than their opponent. If their opponent couldn't deal with their attack promptly, he could very well find himself cornered.

In face of the offense of the two combat masters, Zheng Yang raised his spear and pushed it forward to perform a pierce.

Huala!

Even before the spear reached its target, it had already devoured the spiritual energy in the surroundings to warp into a majestic dragon, threatening to devastate all in its path.

Peng!

The spear tip struck the sword of the combat master responsible for defense, and with a resounding metallic clang, the combat master felt his arm numbing under the immense force, and his purlicue 2 ripped apart glaringly.

The other party's attack was not only focused and powerful, it was also relentless like a river current. As powerful as his defense was, he still failed to fend off the other party's spear.

Zheng Yang successfully knocked away the combat master's sword, but he didn't push his spear on. This was because the attack of the combat master in charge of offense was already right before him.

"Go!" Instead of dodging, Zheng Yang made a sharp swerve in the trajectory of his spear, sweeping it sideward in an arc toward the other combat master.

Peng!

It struck the other combat master's waist squarely. Before the combat master had any time to react, he was already sent flying under the immense might of the slash, spurting blood furiously as he flew through the air, eventually crashing to the bottom of the stage.

Weng!

After sending the combat master flying, Zheng Yang twisted his spear once more and drove it forward furiously, stopping it only right before the throat of the combat master in charge of defense.

"We... have lost!" Feeling the cold killing intent from the tip of the spear, the sole remaining combat master's face turned ashen in despair.

Of the three of them guarding the Dragon's Tail, their opponent first move swiftly incapacitated the weakest of them with a swift pierce before turning the assault toward him. However, the assault turned out to be only a feint to draw in the attack of the other combat master. While the other combat master launched his attack, the opponent swiftly turned his pierce into a sweep, catching the other combat master off guard and knocking him off the stage, thus undoing their teamwork. With that, he was the only one left.

There was no way he could win at this point anymore.

"They lost, just like that?"

"That Zheng Yang only used three moves..."

"Indeed! To defeat the Dragon's Tail in just three moves... that is too fearsome!"

"Even though it was only three moves, did you notice how he was able to transition from a pierce into a sweep without any pause in between? Such an abrupt change in motion will cause the zhenqi in one's body to collide forcefully with one another... How strong is his body to be able to endure the backlash without a problem?"

"You're right. This kind of forceful change in motion can easily result in one's meridians rupturing, but not only was he fine, his sweep was extremely powerful as well. This only goes to show that his body is powerful, his meridians are resilient, and his zhenqi is incomparably pure. Without any of the three, it would be impossible to pull off such a stunt!"

"If it was me, even without an opponent, I would have surely sustained severe internal injuries..."

Upon seeing this sight, everyone's faces paled in astonishment.

Zheng Yang's movements seemed simple, but they were highly demanding on one's body, zhenqi, meridians, and reflexes.

If any of those were to fail to meet the mark, not only would he have failed to achieve victory, he would even have sustained severe internal injuries on the spot.

On top of that, it was apparent that he had grasped the flow of battle precisely to defeat the three combat masters of the Dragon's Tail in the shortest time with the minimal depletion. This went to show that not only did he possess superior strength, his comprehension of combat had also reached an unbelievable level.

"Their loss was inevitable..." Liao Song shook his head.

He had been thinking that it was unlikely for Zheng Yang to successfully clear the Dragon Gate Formation, but after seeing this, he couldn't help but think that perhaps the young man before him might just be able to accomplish this impressive feat that none had accomplished in the past three hundred years.

The three combat masters that Zheng Yang had faced earlier were his subordinates, and he knew very well how formidable their fighting prowess was when they collaborated with one another. Yet, despite the augmentation from the Dragon Gate Formation on top of that, they hadn't been able to withstand three blows from him.

The other party's strength was indeed fearsome. With his cultivation suppressed to be of an equal level to the other party, even three of him were unlikely to be a match for the other party.

Hu!

While the crowd below was still recovering from the shocking scene they had just witnessed, on the stage, Zheng Yang exhaled a mouthful of turbid air before he raised his gaze toward the Dragon's Back and walked with widened strides.

To the others, it might have seemed as if he had achieved an easy victory. However, he knew very well that it hadn't been as easy as he'd made it out to be.

Had he not internalized the essence of his teacher's impartation, it would have been impossible for him to defeat the combat masters so swiftly.

Even so, he still felt a stifling sensation in his chest and a sharp pain in his meridians, as if someone had attempted to rip them apart.

Facing the Dragon's Tail head on and the sharp change in his maneuver had caused him some injuries, but fortunately, they weren't too serious.

While walking forward, he drove his zhenqi in a way that his teacher had taught him to heal his injuries. By the time he was on his tenth step, he felt the stifling sensation in his chest alleviate, and his strength was restored back to its peak.

Even though he had only cultivated a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art, his zhenqi did share some of the miraculous properties that Heaven's Path zhenqi possessed. He could heal his wounds and stamina far swifter and more efficiently as compared to cultivators with other zhenqi.

"Time to challenge the next opponents!"

With his strength restored, Zheng Yang smirked as he drove his spear forward toward the three combat masters of the Dragon's Back.

Even the weakest of the combat masters of the Dragon's Back had a cultivation of Chrysalis realm pinnacle while the other two were Half-Saint experts. Their combined fighting prowess was several times stronger than that of the Dragon's Tail combat masters.

Grasping the initiative, he pushed forcefully against the ground, and as if a bolt of lightning, he was already standing before the three combat masters in the blink of an eye. With immense force, he thrust his spear forward toward them.

Seeing the abrupt burst of speed from Zheng Yang, Liu Yang couldn't help but turn to the young lady beside him and ask, "Wang Ying, you imparted your movement technique to him?"

"Un." Wang Ying nodded.

Their teacher had only imparted the movement art to her, but as fellow disciples, they shared a close relationship and often interacted and learned from one another. In those interactions, she had imparted the movement technique to Zheng Yang, and the latter had also imparted his spear art to her.

However, it was a pity that Zheng Yang's talent in the field of movement arts was beneath hers. Nevertheless, he was still able to move at incredible speeds with it, making it was a powerful tool he could utilize in battle to catch his opponent off guard.

Zheng Yang's spear was directed at the blind spot of two of the combat masters, catching them off guard. However, the remaining combat master was able to react swiftly, and he slashed his sword toward Zheng Yang's back.

At this point, it was already too late to retract his spear. Left with no choice, Zheng Yang twisted his body slightly and sent a punch toward his back.

Peng!

His fist collided with the combat master's sword, and the pale-faced latter was forced to retreat seven steps.

Upon seeing this fight, Wang Ying glanced to Liu Yang and asked with a smile, "You also imparted your fist art to him?"

"That's right." Liu Yang nodded.

He had also imparted his fist art to Zheng Yang. In other words, the latter possessed a strong fist art, movement art, leg art, and spear art, granting him plenty of options to maneuver around in a battle.

"It will be difficult for those three to defeat Zheng Yang," Wang Ying remarked with a meaningful smile.

They knew very well how powerful the battle techniques that their teacher had imparted to them were, especially given that they had cultivated the techniques themselves.

Just by learning a single maneuver in their battle technique, a cultivator could easily go unrivaled by any of their peers in the world. On the other hand, Zheng Yang had learned the full battle technique and achieved deep mastery in each of them.

The three combat masters on the stage each possessed a higher cultivation than him, two of them even reaching Half-Saint, but it would still be difficult for them to defeat Zheng Yang.

While his fellow disciples were conversing, on the stage, Zheng Yang was alternating his usage of fist art, spear art, and movement art, making it difficult for the three combat masters to defend against him.

His fist was forceful, his spear was swift, and his movement art was unfathomable. Facing such powerful battle techniques, cold sweat began to trickle down the foreheads of the three combat masters as the pressure they felt grew progressively greater.

"This won't do. At this rate, we will surely lose," one of the combat masters exclaimed.

As they had suppressed their cultivation to the required levels as demanded by the requirement of the Dragon Gate Formation, their eyes of discernment and combat sense exceeded those that were typical of their current suppressed cultivation realm. Yet, despite utilizing all of their means, they were still unable to clinch the upper hand. On the contrary, if they were to make the slightest mistake, they could very well find themselves pierced by a sharp spear. The pressure they were under was so great that they felt like they were going to collapse from it.

The young man before their eyes was young, but his physical strength, zhenqi, eye of discernment, and comprehension of combat were clearly far above them individually. It was as if their opponent had no weakness that they could exploit at all!

"Use our strongest move!" another combat master yelled as he swung the sword in his hands furiously. The immense zhenqi he exerted in the move formed a huge curtain in the air, looming above Zheng Yang like a huge wave that would soon crash down on him.

Not wanting to be outdone, another combat master grabbed his spear tightly, imbuing it with a brilliant blue light. After which, he tossed his spear forward with astounding momentum, and in that instant, even the heavens seemed to have darkened in fear before its sharp tip, seemingly fearing that the spear would pierce a hole through it.

"Don't forget that there is still me!"

The third combat master leaped into the air and swung his gigantic hammer down furiously. In that moment, it felt like a massive pot lid had appeared above the stage, covering the entire area as it descended with frightening force.

The teamwork of the three combat masters was seamless. Without even communicating with one another, they had each assumed a certain role in the attack, be it offense, defense, or sealing the opponent's movement. In that moment, Zheng Yang fell into a perilous situation.

Upon seeing that sight, the faces of School Head Mo and the others paled. "This is bad. They have devoted the maximum strength that they can draw from their current cultivation in that attack. I fear that Zheng Yang will be unable to survive the attack."

If it had been them challenging the Dragon's Back, it was unlikely that they would have been able to even withstand a single blow. It was truly not easy for a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth to have held on until this point.

But facing such a dire situation, was it still possible for him to turn the tables and achieve victory?

At this point, everyone felt as if their hearts were about to leap out of their throats.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 967: Zhang laoshi's Students (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Humph!"

Facing the devastating attacks all around him, Zheng Yang didn't panic. Instead, a smile crept onto his lips.

"Finally!"

He ignored the attacks and leaped into the sky instead.

"What is he doing? He will only expose more openings in the sky and hasten his loss!"

"If he attempts to escape at this point, he will only be cornering himself further! Is he trying to admit defeat?"

"Even though he will be able to avoid the attacks for the time being through his move, he will only be exposing him to even more danger in a moment. This is truly a failed move."

...

A commotion broke out amid the crowd.

Zheng Yang had displayed incredible battle sense and outstanding maneuvers throughout the course of the battle, aweing everyone, so why would he make such a fatal flaw in this crucial moment?

Chrysalis realm cultivators were incapable of flight, and if he had remained on the ground, he might still have stood a chance against the combat masters. The inability of Chrysalis realm cultivators to maneuver adeptly in the air only meant that he would become an easy target for his opponents to strike.

Before innumerable shocked gazes, Zheng Yang moved horizontally in the air to dodge all of the attacks heading for him before charging downwards with his spear.

"Is he... flying?"

"How can a Chrysalis realm cultivator fly?"

Everyone was stunned.

Only a Half-Saint who had opened their Zhukong acupoint was capable of flying freely in the sky.

The young man before them was just a Chrysalis realm cultivator, so how could he maneuver so freely in the air?

Wang Ying chuckled. "It seems like Teacher has taught him the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps as well."

Their teacher had been able to fly in the air freely despite being at Transcendent Mortal realm because he had cultivated this movement technique. Clearly, Zheng Yang had inherited that technique as well.

"Zheng Yang is indeed rather sharp. He knows that under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be able to stand against their strongest moves. Thus, he chose to intentionally display an opening to focus everyone's attacks on him, but making use of the conventional notion that Chrysalis realm cultivators are incapable of flight, he caught them off guard and easily averted the crisis while turning the situation on them at the same time. Those three are done for," Liu Yang said with a smile.

It was a common notion among cultivators that those beneath Chrysalis realm were weak in the air because they were incapable of flight, and it was making use of this notion that Zheng Yang had been able to earn an opportunity to strike.

Before Liu Yang could finish his words, Zheng Yang's spear transformed into innumerable bursts of light that shot forth from the sky, barraging the three combat masters on the stage.

Peng! Peng! Peng!

Under the relentless assault, the faces of the three combat masters paled as they were knocked back, and two even fell straight off the stage.

"It seems like I have won!" Holding his spear, Zheng Yang stood upright on the stage as he shot a sweeping gaze at his surroundings with an indomitable disposition.

Many had thought that he would fall at the Dragon's Back, but he had managed to clear it successfully.

After clearing this section, Zheng Yang didn't rush ahead. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the ground and swallowed a pill to recover his stamina and depleted zhenqi.

Upon seeing his actions, the surroundings immediately fell silent so as not to disturb his recuperation.

Beneath the stage, Liao Song clenched his fists tightly as his face reddened in agitation.

The fact that Zheng Yang had successfully cleared the Dragon's Back bore testimony to his strength. As long as he trained diligently after entering the Combat Master Hall, he would surely be able to become a Captain at the very least in the future. To have discovered such an expert, he would surely be able to rise through the ranks.

Even if Zheng Yang failed to clear the final Dragon's Head, he would still benefit greatly from this matter.

...

Zheng Yang rested for a whole hour before standing up. At this point, the energy coursing through his body had reached a new peak. As if a powerful storm had been raised within his body, the deep rumbling of thunder could be vaguely heard from within his body.

With every step he took forward, the aura he emanated grew stronger and sharper by a bit. By the eighth step, a loud buzz sounded, and his cultivation advanced from Chrysalis realm primary stage to intermediate stage!

"He is advancing his cultivation right before the battle?" Wo Tianqiong was astonished. He turned his gaze to Liao Song and asked, "Will the combat masters in the Dragon's Head adjust their cultivation accordingly?"

The opponents in the Dragon's Tail, Dragon's Back, and Dragon's Head of the Dragon Gate Formation were scaled according to the cultivation of the challenger. Given that Zheng Yang had achieved a breakthrough, would the opponents behind adjust the difficulty of the challenge according to the present circumstances?

"They won't. There is a time limit of two hours to the trial, and achieving a breakthrough within this limited time can be considered a method of adaptation by the cultivator. It won't cause any difference to the difficulty of the later trials," Liao Song replied.

If a challenger was able to achieve a breakthrough within the duration of the Dragon Gate Formation, it would be attributed to the challenger's own capability as well. As such, no adjustments would be made.

Besides, a breakthrough by a cultivation stage wouldn't make much of a difference to the trial. After all, there was no way one could achieve a breakthrough by an entire cultivation realm within two hours!

While they were speaking, Zheng Yang continued walking. By the eleventh step, he had already managed to reinforce his Chrysalis realm intermediate stage cultivation fully.

Proceeding ahead, the zhenqi in his body began rumbling once more, just like before, and his aura continued to grow stronger.

Boom!

By the nineteenth step, he overcame his bottleneck and successfully reached Chrysalis realm advanced stage!

"This..."

Everyone's eyebrows leaped up. As cultivators, they had seen many breakthroughs throughout their lives, but they had never seen a person making consecutively breakthroughs so quickly!

To make two breakthroughs while walking a little more than a dozen steps, this was inconceivable!

On top of that, Zheng Yang was showing no signs of stopping yet. As he continued walking forward, the energy in his body continued to rumble furiously.

By the time he reached the Dragon's Head, his cultivation had already reached Chrysalis realm pinnacle!

Wang Ying smiled. "Over the past few days, Zheng Yang has accumulated a vast amount of zhenqi, but he chose to suppress his cultivation until this moment. Finally, his hard work has paid off..."

Back when Zheng Yang received news that he was going to take the assessment to become a combat master, he worked harder than ever on his cultivation, but he chose to suppress it despite already being able to achieve a breakthrough. The purpose of it was so as to allow him to swiftly reach higher realms in the middle of a battle and catch his opponent off guard.

Of course, the main reason he was able to do so was also due to the unique nature of the cultivation technique that his teacher had imparted to him. For normal cultivators, it would already have been incredible if they advanced a cultivation stage on the spot. Due to the capacity of their dantian, they were incapable of storing sufficient zhenqi to make multiple breakthroughs on the spot.

"This move of his is not bad; he has lessened the gap between him and the combat masters in the Dragon's Head. Perhaps I should try the same when I challenge the trial later on," Liu Yang remarked with a smile.

Zheng Yang didn't rush to attack the combat masters of the Dragon's Head. Instead, he flicked his wrist and popped a scarlet fruit into his mouth.

"That is... the Scarlet Firefly Fruit?"

Beneath the stage, Wu Xu and Lu Cheng recognized the item that Zheng Yang had just ingested, and their eyes narrowed in alarm.

Back then, they had gone to a valley in order to procure that fruit, only to leave empty-handed. All along, they had suspected that Zhang Xuan had taken it before them, and from the looks of it now, that was indeed the case.

The Scarlet Firefly Fruit was known for its effect of enhancing a cultivator's chances of achieving a breakthrough to Half-Saint. That fellow on the stage had already advanced his cultivation by three stages. It couldn't be that he still wanted to make the breakthrough to Half-Saint on top of that?

There was huge gap between Chrysalis realm and Half-Saint. If one were to succeed, there would be a qualitative leap in one's fighting prowess. By then, given his combat capability, clearing the Dragon's Head would be a walk in the park.

Wu Xu and Lu Cheng weren't the only one who noticed this. Having come to the same conclusion as well, Liao Song bellowed, " Strike the army while it's crossing the river! 1 "

Hong long long!

Upon hearing the bellow, the three combat masters in the Dragon's Head immediately raised their weapons and charged at Zheng Yang.

In any case, the other party was already in their area of battle, so it wasn't against the rules for them to make a move.

"Hehe, it just so happens that I could use some help digesting this surge of energy. I will use you all to practice my spear!" Zheng Yang's eyebrows shot up as he raised his spear to retaliate.

Typically speaking, the Scarlet Firefly Fruit would require at least two to four hours to digest, but if one were to be pressured in battle, the speed could be hastened significantly.

Back then, during the Master Teacher Tournament in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, Zhang Xuan had used the same method to raise his Transcendent Mortal 4-dan Clarifying Turbidity realm's cultivation swiftly.

Under normal circumstances, it would be nigh impossible for Zheng Yang to defeat the Dragon's Head. However, with the Scarlet Firefly Fruit, his chances would be boosted manyfold!

And as expected, the more he clashed with the combat masters, the greater the energy within his body became. In this moment, it was as if he had become a tireless machine of perpetual motion.

Not only so, his cultivation was swiftly progressing to Half-Saint. After trading around a hundred blows, a crisp echo sounded from his body, and his fighting prowess suddenly went through a qualitative change and surged exponentially.

Half-Saint, reached!

Upon reaching Half-Saint, Zheng Yang's fighting prowess had more than doubled. With his newfound strength, the three combat masters of the Dragon's Head whom he had struggled against just a moment ago were no longer a match for him. Within ten blows, he had already knocked them off the stage with his spear.

Dragon Gate Formation, cleared!

"He... really succeeded?" Clenching his fists in agitation, Liao Song could hardly believe what he was seeing.

A feat that countless geniuses in the Combat Master Hall had failed to achieve, and yet, this sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth who wasn't even a master teacher had actually cleared it so easily... This was inconceivable!

"Cleared!"

The will from the headquarters supervising the Dragon Gate Formation from the sky left behind this word before gradually fading. In other words, the result of this trial was recognized by the Combat Master Hall headquarters.

In the future, if Zheng Yang were to head to the Combat Master Hall headquarters, he could challenge the Dragon's Pearl directly without undergoing the previous three sections!

While this wasn't the complete Dragon Gate Formation, over the span of the past three hundred years, there were less than ten combat masters who had successfully cleared this trial. To be even more direct, at this very moment, Zheng Yang had already become a candidate to become the Progeny of Combat.

Clenching his fists tightly, tears began to stream down Zheng Yang's cheeks. "I have succeeded..."

He was only an ordinary youth who had a passion for spearmanship. Had he not met his teacher, he probably would have remained in Tianxuan Kingdom his entire life, unaware of the greater world out there. His cultivation would have been capped at Tongxuan realm 2 , and he might have become a spearmanship teacher for other cultivators. He would have spent the hundred years of his life humbly and idly, achieving nothing significant at all, leaving nothing worthy of note when he was reduced to dust at the end of his life.

It was his teacher who had changed his life, showing him that the world was greater than what he could see.

It was his teacher who had brought him to where he was, reaching a height that he dared not imagine in the past.

It was his teacher who had given him confidence and a goal, teaching him what he should fight for.

Clenching his fists tightly, Zheng Yang made a vow. "Teacher, don't worry. I will surely advance further and further. I will make a name out of myself in the Combat Master Hall so as to not let you down!"

As Zheng Yang walked down the stage, Liao Song turned his gaze to Wang Ying and the others. "Alright. Now that Zheng Yang has cleared the trial... do the rest of you still want to give it a try?"

"Of course!" Wang Ying smiled.

Even if she didn't become a combat master, she wished to show the world her strength and bring glory to her teacher's name!

Wang Ying was just about to leap onto the stage when she heard a slightly soft and gentle voice from the side.

"Senior, why don't you allow me to try first? I am the most junior of us, so if I am able to clear the trial, you will surely be able to do the same!"

Turning around, she saw a pair of eyes looking at her with a brilliant gleam within.

Wei Ruyan.

Chapter 968: Zhang laoshi's Students (3)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You?" Wang Ying frowned.

Even though they were all direct disciples of Zhang laoshi, Wei Ruyan had only joined two months ago, and the guidance she had received from Zhang Xuan was limited.

A normal combat master assessment wouldn't pose much of a problem to her, but the Dragon Gate Formation was likely beyond her means for now.

After all, even Zheng Yang had needed to use some tricks and put in quite a bit of effort before he could succeed.

If he hadn't suppressed his cultivation and pushed for a breakthrough in the midst of his battle, it would have been nearly impossible for him to defeat the Dragon's Head.

"Even though it hasn't been long since I came under Teacher's lineage, I hope to give it a try," Wei Ruyan said resolutely.

This wasn't a decision she had made on the spur of the moment but something she had decided upon long ago.

Seeing that Wei Ruyan was determined, Wang Ying nodded. "Alright then. Be careful. If you find yourself in any danger, surrender immediately!"

"Thank you, senior!" Wei Ruyan replied before leaping onto the stage.

"Is this lady... Principal Zhang's direct disciple as well?" Upon seeing Wei Ruyan going onto the stage, doubtful expressions surfaced on the faces of the students and teachers of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang were guest elders in the academy, so it was natural that the students and teachers had heard of them. On the other hand, Wei Ruyan had never appeared in public before. Furthermore, she had a particularly weak physique, which indicated that she wasn't an active person, so was she really suited to challenge the Dragon Gate Formation?

"I heard that she is a student that Principal Zhang accepted two months ago!"

"Two months ago? So short?"

"That's right..."

Some who were aware of the matter whispered among the crowd, sharing the news around.

Principal Zhang was formidable, but it seemed impossible, even for him, to train a student whom he had accepted only two months early to a standard capable of clearing the trial.

On top of that, Principal Zhang had been outside for most of the past two months due to his 6-star master teacher examination, only returning a few days prior. Even if he had made time for some lessons with Wei Ruyan, the amount of time they would have had together was still severely limited. Was that really sufficient for her to clear such a difficult trial?

After all, the Dragon Gate Formation was at least tenfold more difficult than the Combat Master Selection before!

After checking Wei Ruyan's cultivation, Liao Song said, "Your cultivation is at Chrysalis realm pinnacle, so going by that, the opponents you will be facing will have cultivations ranging from Chrysalis realm pinnacle to Nascent Saint pinnacle!"

Of the group who had assessed Zheng Yang, even though one had been impaled by his spear, there were still others who could substitute for the wounded. As for the others, while they had been wounded in the confrontation, those were just light wounds, and they had mostly recovered. It wasn't a problem for them to go another round.

Thus, they were still able to make up the nine members required for the Dragon Gate Formation.

"Alright." Wei Ruyan nodded.

Had Zheng Yang not achieved the consecutive breakthroughs, she would have been the one with the highest cultivation among Zhang Xuan's direct disciples. At the current moment, she was just a step away from reaching Half-Saint.

An hour later, the preparation for the Dragon Gate Formation was finally done. Liao Song turned to Wei Ruyan and said, "Alright, you can begin!"

Wei Ruyan nodded, and her eyes immediately turned grim. At the same time, her mind became incredibly composed, unperturbed by anything in her surroundings.

Tortured by her affliction for so many years, she had matured far beyond her age. In terms of mental resilience, even Lu Chong couldn't compare with her. In face of difficult situations, she could maintain her composure and not panic.

Huala!

With the start of the trial, the three combat masters began to drive their zhenqi, and a powerful might burst forth from them, creating an immense pressure on their opponent.

Wei Ruyan pushed her feet against the ground and dashed right toward them.

"She isn't going to use any weapons?" Seeing Wei Ruyan rushing toward the Dragon's Tail unarmed, the crowd couldn't help but frown.

Even with a spear in hand, Zheng Yang had found it relatively tough to deal with the Dragon Gate Formation. Considering that Wei Ruyan was a delicate lady, how could she defeat the powerful combat masters bare-handed?

"She... just started cultivating two months ago, so she hasn't learned how to wield any weapons yet," Wang Ying explained with a bitter smile.

"Just started cultivating two months ago?" Wo Tianqiong widened his eyes in shock.

"Un. She has been ill from a young age, and it was only two months ago that our teacher successfully treated her affliction and accepted her as his direct disciple. It was then that she first started cultivating," Wang Ying replied.

"She only started cultivating two months ago and is unable to use any weapon. How is she supposed to win like that?" Wo Tianqiong nearly fainted on the spot.

They had all seen with his own eyes how fearsome the Dragon Gate Formation was. For a cultivator who had just started cultivating two months ago and couldn't even wield a weapon properly to rush right in...

Are you here to play?

Hearing those words, Liao Song's lips also twitched.

The Dragon Gate Formation is a trial that countless combat masters have challenged only to fail. Do you all really think that... it is that simple to clear?

Peng! Peng! Peng!

While the group was speaking, Wei Ruyan had already begun clashing with the three combat masters of the Dragon's Tail.

Upon seeing their fight, Liao Song's cheeks began to twitch.

"She... doesn't know any battle techniques?"

To his astonishment, the young lady's movements were extremely crude, as if she had never learned even the most basic of fist arts before. She was simply flailing her arms around erratically with all the strength she could muster, a clear indication of an amateur.

Anyone who had learned the slightest bit of a battle technique would never utilize such crude movements!

"Battle techniques... In the past two months, she has been busy reinforcing her cultivation, and Teacher also hasn't had any time to teach her a battle technique yet," Wang Ying said awkwardly.

From the moment she woke up, Wei Ruyan had been a Chrysalis realm cultivator. But as strong as she was, her power was built up through the accumulation of medicinal energy, an extremely unstable foundation. As such, their teacher had instructed her to start cultivating from the very bottom to reinforce her cultivation.

Working diligently for the past two months, she had barely managed to reinforce her cultivation up to Chrysalis realm, so how could she have any time to learn battle techniques?

Besides, their teacher had been extremely busy in the past two months, only meeting them on three occasions to guide them in their cultivation.

"She wasn't taught any battle techniques?" Hearing those words, Liao Song nearly spurted a mouthful of blood. "Given her state... you still allowed her to challenge the Dragon Gate Formation?"

Aren't you making light of the Dragon Gate Formation?

Putting aside the fact that she is unable to use any weapon and hasn't learned any battle techniques at all, more importantly, she only started cultivating two months ago! To allow such an amateur to challenge the Dragon Gate Formation, aren't you underestimating our combat masters way too much?

They were impressed by Principal Zhang because of his deep understanding of battle techniques and combat techniques. Those who had listened to his lecture had found their fighting prowess raised by leaps and bounds.

However, even though Wei Ruyan was Principal Zhang's direct disciple, she had barely learned any of the basics! To challenge the Dragon Gate Formation like that... there was no doubt, she was bound to lose!

The same thoughts also surfaced in the minds of Wo Tianqiong, Wu Ran, and the others, and they couldn't help but shake their heads.

"It's fine. Since she wants to challenge the Dragon Gate Formation, so be it. Besides, it is not certain whether she will lose or not..." Contrary to the opinion of most, Wang Ying had a different thought in mind.

The others might not have been aware of how fearsome Wei Ruyan was, but she was. Even if she were to fight against Wei Ruyan, she had no confidence that she would be able to achieve victory. The combat masters on the stage were indeed powerful, but it was not entirely impossible for Wei Ruyan to defeat them.

Her teacher had taught each of them according to their own strengths. Since her teacher hadn't taught Wei Ruyan any battle techniques to date, naturally, that could only mean that there was no need to do so. Otherwise, given how the other students could easily become combat experts after an hour-long lecture, how could Wei Ruyan still be completely ignorant of battle techniques?

Noticing the confidence in Wang Ying's voice, Liao Song shook his head. "I think you are being too optimistic. The strength of our combat masters is no joke... Ah? What the heck!"

He had just been about to advise the other party against the matter when he suddenly caught sight of what was happening on the stage with his peripheral vision and choked on his words.

"What is going on? Why are your combat masters... suddenly moving so slow as if they are drunk?" Not only was Liao Song astonished by what he saw, Wo Tianqiong and the others also widened their eyes in shock.

At this moment, the three combat masters of the Dragon's Tail were swaying weakly on their feet, and their movements were becoming slower and duller by the moment. It was as if they had turned from energetic young men into frail elderly all of a sudden.

"Isn't this cheating? Even if they wished to go easy on her, this is not the way to do so!"

"Even I could clear the Dragon Gate Formation like that!"

The crowd below were also bewildered by the situation on top.

When they were facing Zheng Yang earlier, those combat masters had displayed an indomitable aura that would instill fear into any opponent. Why had they suddenly become so soft all of the sudden, as if there was no strength within their bodies? Was it because their opponent was a beautiful lady?

But this was a formal trial; they shouldn't have been going easy on the other party like that, especially not so openly!

How brazen!

After taking a closer look, Liao Song suddenly noticed something, and his eyes narrowed in astonishment. "They... are not doing this on purpose. It looks more like... they have been poisoned!"

He knew full well that his men wouldn't ever go easy on an opponent just because she was a beautiful lady. There was only one possibility in this scenario, and that was that... they had been poisoned!

But he had been watching the situation closely all along. From the start to the end, Wei Ruyan had been suppressed by their might, and there should have been no opportunity for her to poison them at all.

Furthermore, the rules of the Dragon Gate Formation forbade the usage of poison in the trial. The headquarters had been supervising the duel from above, and if Wei Ruyan had indeed resorted to such underhanded tricks, they would have terminated the trial immediately.

The fact that this hadn't happened only meant that Wei Ruyan's act of poisoning her opponent was considered a part of her strength, and the duel was completely fair and honest!

But how could this possibly be true?

Liao Song felt so frenzied by the absurd situation before him that he nearly tore his hair out.

"We reminded Junior Ruyan to curb it, but it seems like it is futile," Liu Yang remarked with a bitter smile.

They were all aware that Wei Ruyan possessed the Innate Poison Body and Poison Soul Constitution, and this was also why they weren't worried about sending Wei Ruyan up.

Nevertheless, poison was still something typically shunned and feared on the Master Teacher Continent, so they had advised Wei Ruyan to keep her poison in check wherever possible. However, from the looks of it... they might have been underestimating the potency of Wei Ruyan's unique constitution.

Innate Poison Body and Poison Soul Constitution... It could be said that Wei Ruyan's very existence was a lethal poison, be it her body or her zhenqi. Wei Ruyan had been trying to curb her poison consciously, but nevertheless, it was still able to easily render the combat masters, who possessed superior physical resilience, powerless.

"Those three are going to lose..." Wang Ying nodded grimly, and before she could finish her words, 'Putong! Putong! Putong!', the three combat masters collapsed to the ground with white foam trickling from their mouths.

"First section, cleared!"

With the three of them incapacitated, Wei Ruyan proceeded forward to the next section, the Dragon's Back, without any hesitation.

"Demoness, what kind of sorcery did you pull?"

The three combat masters of the Dragon's Back glared at Wei Ruyan warily as if they were facing a powerful enemy, not daring to look down on her in the least.

"Sorcery? I did nothing of the sort." Shaking her head, Wei Ruyan said, "Let's begin!"

After saying those words, she immediately charged forward and shrouded the three combat masters with her zhenqi.

Her attack was extremely crude, devoid of any technique at all, but the sheer potency of the poison contained in her zhenqi could easily fell any opponent that came into contact with it. Not even deities were an exception to the rule.

This was also the reason the Innate Poison Body was such a feared existence in the world.

Putong! Putong! Putong!

Not too long later, the three combat masters of the Dragon's Back fell to the ground with white foam flowing down their chins.

In less than five minutes, a delicate young lady, who had only cultivated for two months and had no knowledge of wielding a weapon or any battle techniques, had already cleared two sections.

After defeating the three combat masters, Wei Ruyan moved on to the Dragon's Head.

Five minutes later, the three combat masters of the Dragon's Head were lying on the floor as well.

They were indeed significantly stronger than Wei Ruyan, but in the face of the potent poison released by her, it didn't take long before they collapsed to the ground, powerless.

"She... really cleared the trial?" Having watched the entire scene, Liao Song was on the verge of tears.

At this point, a certain thought surfaced in his mind, and he couldn't help but tremble.

Could it be that the strength of their combat masters was really a joke?

Author's Note: The seventh arc, Zhang laoshi's Students , has come to an end. The next arc, Kong shi's Warning, is about to begin, so look forward to it!

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 969: Returning to the Surface

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

He had just said that their combat masters were powerful, and the next moment, they had been utterly defeated by two youths.

It was one thing for the young man, considering that he was strong, but the young lady had only started cultivating two months ago, completely ignorant of battle techniques.

The moment they stepped into the academy, they had been subdued by ordinary students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. After which, the incredibly difficult Dragon Gate Formation, which only a handful of their countless combat masters had cleared in the past three hundred years, ended up being overcome by two challengers consecutively.

Honestly speaking, he was starting to doubt life itself.

Principal Zhang, even if you are really formidable and powerful, surely you need not tear us apart so callously!

It is one thing for you to be so powerful, but even students that you have casually taught are so formidable as well! What does that make us combat masters?

Just as Liao Song was still feeling frustrated over the matter, Wang Ying suddenly spoke. "Combat Master Liao, it seems like... your men are unable to carry on with the next trial. What about the both of us?"

It was then that Liao Song suddenly recalled that the nine combat masters on the stage were still unconscious from poison.

In the past trials, it had always been their combat masters knocking others unconscious. Yet, the other party had only sent two students up, and their men were already either knocked unconscious or severely injured.

Liao Song couldn't help but feel his heart turn cold.

He pondered for a moment before replying. "Our men need to rest for time being. We will resume the trial in three days! Just in case, we will bring in some more combat masters from the Combat Master Hall as well."

There was nothing else he could do.

His nine subordinates were clearly under the effects of a very potent poison. Even if he were to treat them right now, they would still need several days to fully recover to their peak.

If their strength was already compromised before the start of the battle, the results of the trial would be inaccurate, and the headquarters might not be willing to recognize it.

Since that was the case, it would be best to first rest for several days and request for more men to be dispatched to serve as back up.

It couldn't be that the great Combat Master Hall couldn't even deal with a couple of students.

"Alright!" After a moment of hesitation, Wang Ying nodded.

Zheng Yang had succeeded due to the preparation he had made beforehand, and Wei Ruyan had her unique constitution to fall back on. On the other hand, she and Liu Yang had neither of the two. If they were to depend solely on their strength, it would be too difficult for them to clear the trial.

If they had three additional days, perhaps their teacher might have returned by then. They would be able to seek guidance from him, and their chances at clearing the trial would be significantly higher.

It was not that their fighting prowess was beneath Zheng Yang's, but many of their moves and maneuvers had been exposed to the combat masters in the earlier fight, and the combat masters were bound to be guarded against them in future fights.

Without the element of surprise, it would be hard for them to succeed.

On the other hand, seeing that Wang Ying had agreed to it, Liao Song heaved a sigh of relief. If the other party were to insist on challenging the trial that instant but they were unable to come up with the required numbers for it, that would be truly humiliating for the Combat Master Hall.

"That was truly exciting!"

"After watching such an incredible battle, I can pass away without any regrets!"

"As expected of Principal Zhang's direct disciple, that Zheng Yang is indeed powerful!"

"Of course! Just think about how formidable Principal Zhang is, how can his student be ordinary?"

Only two trials had been held, and many people were unable to comprehend the happenings in Wei Ruyan's trial, but nevertheless, Zheng Yang's battle had still been incredibly exciting. The many cultivators who had travelled from far and wide to spectate the battle couldn't help but feel that their trip hadn't been wasted. They had managed to witness the birth of a new legend with their own eyes.

"I wonder what the conditions are to becoming Principal Zhang's direct disciple."

"If it is possible, I would love to become his direct disciple, too."

There were also quite a few among the crowd who began to contemplate about how they could become Principal Zhang's direct disciple and ascend to the top in a single step. Even the candidates of the other three academies who had failed to clear the Combat Master Selection couldn't help but harbor such thoughts as they gazed at Zheng Yang with an excited gleam in their eyes.

At this very moment, however, the man whom they wanted to acknowledge as their teacher was currently still within the depths of the Subterranean Gallery, seated within the seal with his eyes closed.

After some time, he finally opened his eyes.

Just a little more!

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan got to his feet.

The previous few days spent recultivating the Saint Ascension Decipher, which had been modified according to the structure of the seal, while repairing the seal had enhanced his strength by leaps and bounds. While his cultivation was still at Nascent Saint pinnacle, the same as before, the fighting prowess he could exert was far greater than before.

At the same time, his Origin Core had also become even stabler and sturdier, revolving slowly within his dantian in the form of a golden sphere. At this point, he was already at the final step of his cultivation, lacking just the final decipher.

According to Zhang Xuan's deduction, he would need to take in vast amounts of spiritual energy as soon as this step was completed, and that could destabilize the seal if he were to do it within. Thus, he decisively halted his cultivation.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan leaped out from the interior of the seal.

The seal didn't pose much of an impediment to humans, but to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, it was no different from a barrier severing space, making it nigh impossible for them to cross through it.

Returning to the Subterranean Gallery, Zhang Xuan quickly found himself a safe location. Taking out his formation flags, he set up a grade-6 Spirit Gathering Formation with a snap of his fingers. After which, he took a seat at the center, tossed a few hundred high-tier spirit stones around him, and began to cultivate.

With the spoils of war from slaying the two hundred Otherworldly Demons and the profits he had obtained from the Shen Clan, he had no lack of high-tier spirit stones at the moment. Besides, as long as he could raise his strength, there was no price too heavy to pay.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan opened his acupoints, and the surrounding spiritual energy immediately gushed into his body with furious momentum, creating a whirlpool of spiritual energy around him.

The vast amount of spiritual energy was swiftly converted into zhenqi before being gathered together to be crafted into a decipher through a unique method, filling up the last remaining gap of the golden sphere.

Hong long!

After some time, with a resounding blast, the spiritual energy in the Spirit Gathering Formation was abruptly dried out in an instant, and the hundreds of high-tier spirit stones were reduced to dust. Following which, Zhang Xuan felt his dantian jolt violently. The golden sphere underwent a metamorphosis as a deep shade of violet crept onto it.

This violet Origin Core carried a weight reminiscent of an entire planet, granting one immense strength as it revolved slowly on the spot.

What a powerful Origin Core... Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up as he clenched his fists tightly in excitement.

He could clearly feel his perception of the surrounding spiritual energy becoming even clearer and more vivid, allowing him to tap into it and refine it into zhenqi far more efficiently.

In other words, with this violet Origin Core, he could cultivate zhenqi far quicker and purer than before.

Could this be... a First Grade Origin Core? Zhang Xuan's eyes trembled in agitation.

He had already achieved a Second Grade Pinnacle Origin Core before. While there was nothing detailed in the Saint Ascension Decipher about an Origin Core metamorphosing into a violet sphere, chances were that it was a First Grade Origin Core!

In the entire history of the Master Teacher Continent, Kong shi was the only one known to have successfully formed a First Grade Origin Core. It wielded strength far beyond the others, and it was the key to becoming a Celestial Saint!

It is a pity that I am still lacking the catalyst artifact, or else I would be able to attempt a breakthrough to Saint realm on the spot.

The more Zhang Xuan studied the violet Origin Core in his body and learned about it, the more impressed he felt.

Currently, his comprehension of the Saint Ascension Decipher still had a few flaws. He needed Scarlet Firefly Fruits for a breakthrough to Half-Saint, a Lightning Resonance Stone for a breakthrough to Nascent Saint, and the Seven-colored Earth Jade Essence for a breakthrough to Saint realm.

This artifact was only found in the depths of an earth vein, and it was even rarer than the Earth Vein Spirit Essence. Even despite the many treasures and huge fortune that he had accumulated, he had never seen the Seven-colored Earth Jade Essence before.

Without this catalyst artifact, he wouldn't be able to reach Saint realm.

Seems like I can only search for it patiently.

While Zhang Xuan did not have it, it didn't mean that Hongyuan Empire didn't have it. After leaving the Subterranean Gallery, he could take his time looking for it.

If worst came to worst, he could always apply for it from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters.

Having guarded mankind for several dozen millenniums, what artifacts would the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters possibly not have in their treasure vault?

As long as one had an ample amount of contribution and wealth, one could exchange for anything existing on the Master Teacher Continent with the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters.

I am done repairing the seal, and the invading Otherworldly Demons have been killed as well. It is about time for me to return.

Getting to his feet, Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily before storing the formation flags. After which, he took one more glance at the seal and heaved a sigh of relief.

Over the past few days of hard work, he had mended the weakened areas of the formation perfectly. With that, it would be difficult for the Otherworldly Demons to breach it again, regardless of whatever means they had on their hands.

It had been several days since he had gone down to the Subterranean Gallery, so it was about time for him to return.

The conditions in the Subterranean Gallery was indeed harsh. Just the concentrated killing intent in itself would make it difficult for any ordinary cultivator to catch their breath. Nevertheless, Zhang Xuan had still managed to make considerable gains in here. He had managed to advance his cultivation to Nascent Saint pinnacle and upgrade his Origin Core to First Grade, and these two gains were sufficient to make this trip worthwhile.

Furthermore, his Saint 1-dan puppets had been upgraded to Saint 3-dan, and this represented more cards he could use to help himself out of dire situations.

Flying back, Zhang Xuan didn't see Lu Feng and the others. He assumed that they had returned in advance after noticing that the threat from the Otherworldly Demons had been resolved, so he decided to head straight back.

Soon, he reached the area that he had arrived at the Subterranean Gallery from and used his spirit to communicate with the wills contained within the Mausoleum Tablet.

Hu!

A powerful suction force drew him in, and in the next moment, he was already standing back in the area within the Mausoleum Tablet.

Mu shi's will was waiting for him. He swiftly informed the other party about the situation in the Subterranean Gallery, and this left the other party astonished.

"This seal was set up by one of Kong shi's followers back then, and it has the laws of space tied into it. It is impossible to damage it without the strength of one who has reached the pinnacle of Saint realm. The other side of the seal links to an otherworldly battlefield known as the Qingtian Battlefield. It is said that the strongest Otherworldly Demon within possesses the strength of Saint 5-dan.

"Even Qingtian Conferred Empire would struggle to face an expert of that caliber. Fortunately, it is impossible for the Otherworldly Demons on the other side to breach the seal. This is also the reason the headquarters didn't station any personnel here. For them to be able to dispatch soldiers over to our side through certain means, that is truly unnerving!"

"There is no need to worry. I have already repaired the damaged seal..." Zhang Xuan began to speak about what he had encountered over the past few days.

Of course, the unique method he had used to repair the seal was conveniently attributed to 'Yang Xuan'. Otherwise, considering his current cultivation, there was no one who would possibly believe that he had been able to repair the seal.

"A person who is qualified to take a Celestial Master Teacher as his student can't possibly be someone simple. It is truly a pity that I am unable to meet your teacher and seek his guidance..." Mu shi lamented.

After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Xuan managed to reassure the wills of the preceding principal that the problem had been resolved. After which, he left the Mausoleum Tablet before making his way out of the Mausoleum of Principals.

As soon as he was out, he saw School Head Zhao and School Head Mo waiting for him outside with worry on their faces.

Seeing their expression, Zhang Xuan frowned. "What is wrong?"

"Principal Zhang... Why did it take you so long to return?" School Head Zhao asked.

"After entering, I suddenly had a moment of inspiration, so I remained inside to make a breakthrough," Zhang Xuan replied with the excuse he had already come up with in advance.

In order to avoid unneeded fear and panic, it was best for as few people as possible to learn about the matter regarding the Subterranean Gallery and the Otherworldly Demons.

"Breakthrough?"

School Head Zhao and School Head Mo traded a glance as their mouth twitched with uncanny harmony. "Is... the Mausoleum of Principals still well? How great is the destruction? Does it need fixing? Sigh, what is done is done. Principal Zhang, you don't need to blame yourself for it."

It seemed that nothing good had ever happened whenever their principal cultivated.

Take the Blacksmith School for example, the Chamber of Earth Flame and Passageway of Records had ended up collapsing due to him cultivating his physical body.

"Destruction? Blame myself?"

It was only at this moment that Zhang Xuan finally comprehended what the two school heads were worried about, and he couldn't help but fall speechless.

For someone as reliable and dependable as him to be misunderstood like that... That was utter nonsense!

Are the both of you fine?

Are you really my subordinates?

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 970: Mu shi Returns

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After explaining for a very long time and emphasizing time and time again that the Mausoleum of Principals was completely unharmed, the duo was still looking at him with a look of doubt. Eventually, Zhang Xuan could only shake his head in frustration and give up on the matter.

It would suffice for him to know that he hadn't done anything wrong. For someone as upright and flawless as him, the world would eventually return him justice.

"Principal Zhang, in the five days you have been gone for, the personnel from the Combat Master Hall arrived, and Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan cleared their trial..." Putting aside the matter regarding the Mausoleum of Principals, School Head Mo quickly filled Zhang Xuan in on the matters that had happened over the past few days.

At the end of which, Zhang Xuan gestured with a slight nod.

As his direct disciple, it was within his expectations that Zheng Yang would be able to clear the trial. However, he hadn't really expected Wei Ruyan to be able to clear it as well. From the looks of it, it seemed like there was really nothing impressive about the combat masters!

After asking about several problems concerning the academy and proposing various measures to deal with them, Zhang Xuan finally returned to his residence under the lead of the two school heads.

As the principal, it would be a breach of etiquette if he didn't pay the guests from the Combat Master Hall and the three Master Teacher Academies a visit at least once in the duration of their stay.

Thus, he had the servants to prepare a bath for him so that he could wash and tidy himself up to greet the combat masters. However, before he could do so, his butler, Sun Qiang, abruptly rushed into the residence with hurried footsteps.

"Young Master!" Sun Qiang quickly ran up to Zhang Xuan upon seeing him.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Having followed him for some time, Sun Qiang was well aware that he hated trouble. As such, Sun Qiang would usually deal with most matters himself, not troubling him except for matters that were particularly important. Thus, for Sun Qiang to suddenly rush over with such an anxious look on his face, it could only mean that something severe had happened.

"Young Mistress Ruyan, she... has fainted again!" Sun Qiang quickly reported.

"Ruyan fainted?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

That shouldn't be!

After being nurtured by the Bodhi Saint Tree, Wei Ruyan's soul should have been no different from that of an ordinary person, significantly stronger and more resilient even.

Her body had also been nourished by the Grade-7 Grand Intermittence Pill, restoring it back to full health. On top of that, she had also cultivated a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art. For one who had the strength to defeat even the combat masters easily, why would she faint so abruptly?

"I am not too sure about the reason behind it either. That day, when we returned to our manor after defeating the combat masters, she said that she felt unwell, and shortly after, she fell ill," Sun Qiang replied.

"Lead me there!" Knowing that it would be impossible for him to determine the cause of Wei Ruyan's illness just by listening to Sun Qiang's words, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist to bid School Head Mo and the others farewell before heading hurriedly back to his manor.

Entering Wei Ruyan's room, Zhang Xuan saw that she was lying on the bed with a tight frown on her forehead, unconscious. Wang Ying was seated by the side of her bed, taking care of her diligently.

There were various plants in the courtyard outside the room, but at this moment, they were all dry and withered, as if heralding the arrival of winter.

"What is going on?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Teacher, you are finally back..." Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Wang Ying hurriedly stood up.

Raising his hand to gesture that it wasn't the time for questions, Zhang Xuan hurriedly walked up to Wei Ruyan and placed his fingers on her pulse.

A moment later, Zhang Xuan's face turned grim, and he lifted his gaze and asked, "I need a detailed recount about the fight Ruyan had with the combat masters that day!"

"Yes! That day, Junior Ruyan went onto the stage to battle, and through exerting her zhenqi, she poisoned all nine of the combat masters in the trial..." Wang Ying went through everything that happened that day without hiding anything.

While School Head Mo and the others knew that Wei Ruyan had defeated the combat masters through using poison, they weren't aware of her Innate Poison Body. As such, their explanation had lacked crucial details.

On the other hand, Wang Ying was able to explain everything that had happened clearly, reconstructing the scene from back then perfectly.

After finishing the recount, Wang Ying looked at Zhang Xuan anxiously and asked, "Teacher, how is she?"

With a deep frown, Zhang Xuan replied, "It isn't anything severe. It seems like the might she exerted through the Innate Poison Body then exceeded her current limits, resulting in her loss of consciousness."

Wei Ruyan possessed not only the Innate Poison Body but also the Poison Soul Constitution. It was so rare that one wouldn't find another like her throughout the entire Master Teacher Continent in the next several dozen millenniums!

As long as she cultivated, the lethal poison contained within her zhenqi would be her strongest weapon against any foe!

Under normal circumstances, once she awakened her unique constitution, her cultivation and fighting prowess would raise swiftly, easily surpassing all of her peers.

However, there was a flaw to it. Every time she utilized the poison aura within her body, it would grow a little. The more she used it, the more poison aura she would accumulate.

If she couldn't find a good method to deal with it, it could lead to a dangerous amount of poison aura accumulating in her body, causing her to lose control of her power. If so, she could very well suffer a backlash and lose consciousness.

This was the current situation she was in. Despite her lacking strength, she had forcefully challenged the Dragon Gate Formation and exerted a strength beyond her physical limits. As a result, she had lost control over the poison aura within her body, causing a backlash from her Innate Poison Body.

Having only woken up two months ago, the only cultivation technique she had cultivated was a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art. She had zero knowledge about the cultivation techniques of poison masters, so she had no way of clearing away the overwhelming quantity of poison aura accumulated in her. Naturally, this led to her discomfort and eventual loss of consciousness.

"It is fortunate that she has very strong self-control. Otherwise, the entire Hongyuan City might be harmed due to the sheer prowess of her Innate Poison Body..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Just the fact that the powerful combat masters were unable to withstand her poison zhenqi went to show how potent her poison was. Had it not been for her determined will, suppressing the poison aura firmly even after losing consciousness, the poison aura could potentially have spread through the entire city via the wind and harmed countless innocent lives.

It was also due to the difficulty in controlling the Innate Poison Body that the world had named it the 'Constitution of Disaster', leaving many fearful to approach.

For one, despite trying her best to suppress her poison aura, the plants in the courtyard still withered during the corrosion of the poison due to their proximity to her, resulting in the sight Zhang Xuan saw before entering the room.

It was fortunate that Wei Ruyan had cultivated the simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art, allowing her to conceal the unique properties of her Innate Poison Body perfectly. Otherwise, it could possibly have brought countless 'agents of righteousness' to their doorstep, and that would have been troublesome to deal with.

"Teacher, what do we do now?" Hearing the explanation, Wang Ying's face paled.

After witnessing the sheer prowess of Wei Ruyan's unique constitution, she had envied the other party for a very long time. However, upon seeing this, she realized that, rather than a blessing, it was a curse.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before replying. "I will try to neutralize of the poison aura within her body to alleviate the pressure on her body for the time being. However, to resolve the problem for good, I think that we might have to make a journey to the Poison Hall."

Despite Zhang Xuan's exceptional mastery in the Way of Medicine, it was still beyond his means to deduce a feasible method for Wei Ruyan to resolve the problem regarding her poison aura once and for all. The only people who could do so were probably the experts in the field of poison—the Poison Hall.

They had the most perfect heritage in the field of poison, as well as records regarding the Innate Poison Body. Perhaps, they might have a way for one to utilize the prowess of the Innate Poison Body without accumulating poison aura as well.

"Poison Hall?" Wang Ying was taken aback for a moment before eventually nodding in realization.

This seemed to be the only solution they had.

Zhang Xuan placed his hand on Wei Ruyan's pulse and slowly infused his Heaven's Path zhenqi in the latter's body. Time passed, but the frown on Zhang Xuan's forehead only seemed to deepen further.

He had thought that he could easily resolve the problem regarding the accumulation of poison aura through neutralizing it with his Heaven's Path zhenqi, but his thoughts had been too naive.

The poison aura accumulated in Wei Ruyan's body was fused together with her Innate Poison Body and Poison Soul Constitution. If he were to attempt to neutralize the poison aura forcefully, it might potentially cause significant harm to Wei Ruyan's body and soul, or in the worst-case scenario, result in her demise!

Another possible solution Zhang Xuan had thought of was to draw her poison aura out with his Heaven's Path zhenqi. The chances of a fatality were lower in that case, but it would deal significant damage to her body as well.

In other words, regardless of whether he chose to neutralize the poison aura or draw it out, it wouldn't be good for the unconscious Wei Ruyan.

It seems like I can only hurry to the Poison Hall!

Zhang Xuan tried to deduce other plausible solutions, but none of them were feasible. Frustrated, he rubbed his glabella forcefully.

Despite the many means as he had, his understanding of poison was still only at 2-star. On top of that, this was the first time he had encountered the Innate Poison Body.

If there was no viable treatment method at the moment, he would have to head to the Poison Hall to collect books and accrue more knowledge to work with.

It just so happens that I was intending to make a trip to the Poison Hall myself soon. I should bring the matter forward then.

Previously, in the Mausoleum of Principals, the old principal had left a message advising Zhang Xuan to pay a visit to the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall, so he had been intending to pay it a visit when he had time to root out the underlying dangers threatening the academy. However, given that Wei Ruyan was in a perilous condition, he would have to bring this plan ahead.

"Sun Qiang, here is a thousand high-tier spirit stones. I need you to obtain as much information about the Poison Hall in Hongyuan Empire as you can, as fast as possible!" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a pile of high-tier spirit stones and passed them over.

Even though the old principal had said that the Poison Hall was likely in the vicinity of Jingyuan City, it would still be safer to verify the information first.

Otherwise, he might end up making a wasted trip.

"Young Master, there is no need to spend spirit stones on this matter. I can just ask the Shen Clan about this. They manage quite a large medicinal herb business, so it is very likely that they may have some news regarding the Poison Hall in Hongyuan Empire," Sun Qiang replied.

As one of the Four Great Clans of Hongyuan City, the Shen Clan had business dealings all over the empire. One of their largest businesses was the sales of medicinal herbs. If the Poison Hall wished to concoct poison, they would surely need some connections with medicinal herb dealers to procure the medicinal herbs they required. Perhaps, the Shen Clan might just have a relationship of some kind with the Poison Hall in Hongyuan Empire.

Had it been anyone else, and this included the old principal as well, it was unlikely that they would have been able to get information regarding the Poison Hall out of the Shen Clan. After all, the Shen Clan had a business to manage, and leaking information about the Poison Hall to others, especially master teachers, could very well sour their relationship with the Poison Hall.

However, Zhang Xuan was different. For one, the Shen Clan had already profited greatly from their dealings with him, and the potential he had shown thus far would make it worthwhile for them to risk getting on the wrong side of the Poison Hall for him. Thus, they were unlikely to hide the information regarding the Poison Hall from him.

"Alright, go and ask them about the matter." Zhang Xuan nodded.

In the field of maintaining interpersonal relationships and business dealings, he was not a match for Sun Qiang. Thus, it was better to leave this matter to the other party.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded before backing out of the room.

After he left, Zhang Xuan was just about to ask Wang Ying about the details regarding Wei Ruyan's condition over the past two days when the ground abruptly trembled. The resounding chime of a bell boomed across every nook and cranny of Hongyuan City, seemingly summoning someone.

"The Assembly Bell?" Standing up, Zhang Xuan frowned.

The Assembly Bell was a bell that was used to gather master teachers together in times of emergency. Once it was tolled, all master teachers who heard it had to rush over regardless of where they were or what they were doing.

Listening closely, Zhang Xuan noted that the sound originated from the Master Teacher Academy, and he couldn't help but be slightly bewildered.

It had only been an hour since he had left the Master Teacher Academy, and the Assembly Bell had suddenly been rung. What could have happened within this short span of time?

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a Communication Token appeared in his hands. School Head Mo had sent him a message.

"Qingyuan Conferred Empire, 7-star high-tier Master Teacher Wu Rufeng and Master Teacher Mu Hong have arrived at the academy. Please return quickly."

Mu shi has returned? Zhang Xuan fell into a moment of thought.

Back then, when he discovered that You Xu had betrayed humanity, he entrusted the latter to Mu Hong to investigate the matter. For Mu Hong to have returned at this moment, it was likely that this meant that the other party had uncovered something regarding the matter.

"I will head over right now!" Zhang Xuan replied through the Communication Token.

After which, he took out a few grade-6 pills and fed them to Wei Ruyan. These pills served to suppress the poison aura within her body so that it wouldn't harm those around her indiscriminately. Following that, he issued some instruction to Wang Ying before finally heading out.

It didn't take long for him to return to the academy. At this point, all of the students, teachers, elders, and even the master teachers of the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion had gathered on the academy's training ground, looking at one another with puzzled expressions on their faces, unsure of what was going on.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 971: Dealing with You Xu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Principal Zhang!"

As soon as Zhang Xuan arrived at the training grounds, School Head Mo and the others immediately walked up to him.

Responding with a nod, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the stage and saw Mu shi and an elder standing on top.

The elder beside Mu shi seemed to be in his fifties, and he possessed a powerful cultivation that felt as vast as the ocean, similar to the sensation he had felt from the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King back in the Subterranean Gallery—Saint 4-dan.

Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm was also known as the Origin Soul realm. At this point, one's Origin Core would metamorphose from a core into the form of an infant. Upon reaching this realm, one's comprehension of the world would deepen, and with each breath, one could take in the energy contained in the world and wield it for one's use.

In Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm, a cultivator's Origin Soul would evolve into a Primordial Spirit 1 .

Any cultivator that had reached the Primordial Spirit realm was extremely difficult to kill due to the unique nature of their existence. This was also the reason Zhang Xuan had chosen to turn the two Kings against one another, inciting them to kill one another. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to eliminate all of the Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery so easily.

Surprisingly, the master teacher beside Mu shi had also reached such a level. Even in view of the entire Qingyuan Conferred Empire, he could be considered one of the strongest experts. Why would a person as powerful as him come down to Hongyuan Empire?

Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message to School Head Mo. "This must be the person you told me about earlier, 7-star high-tier Master Teacher Wu Rufeng."

"Yes." School Head Mo nodded. "He is the vice head of the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. He is an austere person who abhors all evil..."

While School Head Mo was in the midst of introducing the man on the stage to Zhang Xuan, the person in question glanced coldly downward with his hands behind his back. "School Head Mo, is your principal here yet? To keep all of us waiting like this, he sure knows how to put on airs!"

Seeing that Wu shi already had a bad impression of him, a bitter smile crept on Zhang Xuan's lips. Stepping forward, he bowed politely and said, "I believe... I am the principal who knows how to put on airs that you are speaking of."

After receiving the news, he had needed to spend some time feeding Wei Ruyan some pills to stabilize her condition, so he had ended up arriving late. Judging from the state of those in the area, it seemed like they had already been here for some time.

"You are the principal here?" Wu shi took a glance at Zhang Xuan, and his eyebrows shot up. "Nascent Saint pinnacle? It seems like the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy has truly fallen!"

Coming from the headquarters, he had heard that the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy had eventually inaugurated a twenty-year-old young man to serve as their principal, so he was curious to see who the other party was. But he hadn't expected that after arriving in the academy for some time, the other party would still be nowhere in sight.

Even after ringing the Assembly Bell, the other party had only arrived around thirty minutes later... More importantly, his clothes were still completely cloaked with dust...

This was blatant disrespect toward him!

On top of that, the other party was only at Nascent Saint realm pinnacle, not even reaching Saint realm yet. A person with such weak cultivation had actually been inaugurated as the principal of a Master Teacher Academy?

Wasn't this taking this matter way too lightly?

Mu shi had left prior to the inauguration ceremony, so he was unaware that Zhang Xuan had tamed the spirit beasts and saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge. Furthermore, with other more important matters to attend to, Mu shi had neglected to inform Wu shi about the various outstanding accomplishments that Zhang Xuan had accomplished, which could easily dim the radiance of the preceding principals.

"Wu shi..." Upon hearing those words, Mu shi quickly whispered to Wu shi in a hushed voice, "Zhang shi is a very talented individual, and he has the guidance of a very powerful teacher..."

"Humph!"

But before Mu shi could finish his words, Wu shi had already interrupted him with a darkened face. "Regardless of how powerful his teacher may be, he must be strong himself as well!

"Enough, let's not waste our time on this matter any further. Principal Zhang, you are to write a reflective letter regarding your lack of respect and your mistakes, or else I will have you punished for your breach of responsibility."

"Reflective letter?" Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded.

Those two words felt so far away... To think that a day would come when a principal would have to write a reflective letter!

But this fellow... To be going after him when he had barely arrived in the area, it was obvious that the other party was trying to establish his authority through him.

It was one thing if Zhang Xuan had offended the other party in the past, but he hadn't even met the other party before! Why was the other party trying to pick faults with him?

Zhang Xuan scratched his head and sighed deeply. If the other party was truly determined to find faults with him, perhaps he really should consider bringing out his puppets to teach the other party some respect first.

"Wu shi..." While Zhang Xuan was still contemplating the issue, Mu shi hurriedly said, "Principal Zhang was only inaugurated three months ago, and more importantly, he is the one who captured..."

Interrupting Mu shi's explanation, Wu shi waved his hands impatiently. "Enough! For a traitor to emerge from the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, he, as the principal, has a huge responsibility to bear. Hurry up and make the announcement, we still have more important matters to attend to afterwards!"

"... Yes!" Mu shi could only nod in response to that. Sighing deeply, he surveyed the crowd for a moment before speaking. "Everyone, the reason we have gathered you here is to make an important announcement."

"An important announcement?"

The master teachers beneath the stage glanced at one another in bewilderment.

For two 7-star master teachers to specially make the trip down to Hongyuan Empire and assemble them all, the announcement that they had to make was bound to be significant.

"Eliminating the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has always been one of the core responsibilities of our Master Teacher Pavilion, and most master teachers view it as their mission as well. However, just as there are those who embrace this mission, there are also those who attempt to undermine it for the sake of their own petty gains!" At this point, Mu shi's face turned grim and austere.

"If it was an ordinary cultivator who had betrayed mankind, as well as their kin and friends, in face of possible death, it would be abhorrent but understandable. After all, the fear of death is not something that just anyone can overcome. However, as master teachers respected by countless others, if we can't even hold onto our faith in dire situations, that is unforgivable!

"To put it lightly, that is equivalent to losing our pride and dignity. To put it harshly, that is the betrayal of humanity!" Mu shi's voice echoed resoundingly across the training grounds.

"Betrayal of humanity?"

"That's indeed true. The respect that we, master teachers, are accorded comes with a responsibility. We bear the mission of leading mankind through crises and toward prosperity. If we can't persist in our faith in times of trouble, who else will?"

The many master teachers beneath the stage nodded in agreement.

While enjoying the elevated standing and privileges that mankind had bestowed upon them, master teachers had to shoulder a responsibility equivalent to that.

Mankind had to pay a heavy price to groom every single high-ranked master teacher. As such, the betrayal of a master teacher in times of crises was intolerable.

"Silence! Today, I am going to talk about a certain master teacher who has betrayed mankind."

Seeing that he had managed to draw everyone's mood along with him, Mu shi waved his hands grandly and continued. "For his own safety, this man has disregarded the values that we, master teachers, embrace and plunged more than twenty 6-star pinnacle master teachers into a dangerous position. To date, we don't even know whether they are still alive or not! These twenty 6-star master teachers were his comrades and friends, but he abandoned them without the slightest bit of remorse. After the incident, he even dared to shamelessly return to the Master Teacher Academy and preach values to others, enjoying the resources and respect of others... How do you think we should deal with such a person?"

"There is such a person among us? Kill him!"

"His betrayal is an intolerable crime. There are no grounds for negotiation at all!"

"To plunge more than twenty 6-star master teachers into a dangerous position, his crime is so great that even killing him several times over won't cleanse him of his sins!"

"Mu shi, who is the person you are speaking of? Is he a teacher of our Master Teacher Academy?"

...

Upon hearing the question, a huge uproar broke out beneath the stage.

For the two 7-star master teachers to talk about betrayal and preaching morals, it was clear that the person whom they were going to judge was related to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

Instead of answering the crowd's question, Mu shi flung his sleeves and said with his head held high, "Bring him in!"

Shortly after those words were uttered, the cry of a saint beast sounded from the sky, and a Saint realm Tigereagle Beast swooped down. With a shake of its body, a human fell heavily onto the ground.

"That is... Vice School Head You Xu?"

"It is indeed Vice School Head You Xu! Could he be the traitor of humanity?"

"Wasn't he taken away by Principal Zhang after losing to the latter in a Life-and-Death Physician Duel? Why is he here?"

"In the past two years, he has remained cooped up within the Master Teacher Academy, devoting his time to nurturing medicinal herbs in his residence. How could he possibly have the opportunity to collude with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

"I have even attended his lessons before. Back then, when Principal Zhang challenged him to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel, I even felt great animosity toward Principal Zhang for a period of time."

Upon getting a clear glimpse of the person who had appeared on the stage, a huge uproar broke out amid the crowd. Everyone widened their eyes in disbelief.

Three months ago, when Principal Zhang challenged You Xu, there had been quite a few who were sympathetic to You Xu's plight, thinking that it was disrespectful for Principal Zhang to have challenged an esteemed elder regardless of how capable he was. Who could have thought that he would actually be a traitor of humanity?

For the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to dispatch two 7-star master teachers over to announce this before them, they had to have concrete evidence on hand. There was no doubt about it anymore.

"I believe all of you should know this man very well even if I don't say much about it!" Mu shi glanced at the feeble You Xu collapsed on the ground and harrumphed coldly. "Do you want to explain it to them yourself, or shall I have the Teacher Guild's 'Guild Letter' do the job?"

The Master Teacher Pavilion could be considered a subsidiary of the Teacher Guild. A Guild Letter from it was comparable to the imperial edict of an emperor. Any declaration made through the Guild Letter would be automatically recorded into the records of the Teacher Guild and Master Teacher Pavilion, allowing all branches to browse through the information.

To put it simply, if his crimes were to be indicted through the Guild Letter, it would be as good as being judged guilty before the world. There would be no possible redemption for him.

"I..." You Xu's lips quivered.

If he were to admit it himself, only those who were present in the area would learn of the matter. But if a Guild Letter were to be issued, his misdeeds would be recorded in all of the Teacher Guild and Master Teacher Pavilion branches over the Master Teacher Continent, and his name would be spat at for countless years to come.

Without hesitating for too long, You Xu nodded. "I will explain it to them."

Since he had already long admitted to his crimes, there was nothing for him to hide anymore.

"Alright then, go on!" Mu shi waved his hand disdainfully.

"Yes." Gritting his teeth, You Xu began his explanation. "It is my fault. I was the one who placed our old principal into a dangerous position..."

Soon, he swiftly repeated everything that he had confessed to Zhang Xuan back then.

This time, his account was even more detailed. By the time he finished his story, the master teachers assembled in the area already had their fists clenched tightly together, and veins popped from their temples.

"Kill him!"

"I truly didn't expect You Xu to be such a person. He is truly a black sheep of the master teachers!"

"It is laughable that I attended his lecture and thought of him as a respectable elder. This is going to become the greatest stain on my life!"

"Principal Zhang must have noticed that there was something wrong with You Xu, that was why he challenged the latter to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel so as to investigate his case and hand him over to Mu shi!"

"Now that you speak of it, that does seem to be very possible. If not for Principal Zhang, we might still have been kept in the dark by that scoundrel!"

...

All of the master teachers beneath the stage were enraged, and they roared furiously.

Betraying mankind for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, obeying their orders to harm his own comrades, causing the old principal to go missing and the entire Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy to descend into chaos...

Just as Mu shi had said, this was an unforgivable crime!

"Since you have already admitted to your crime, I won't say anything else about it. Now, I shall announce the verdict made by the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion."

Facing the enraged crowd, Mu shi took out a scroll and gently rolled it open.

Huala!

A brilliant flash of light burst in the air, and an emotionless voice reverberated in the air.

"You Xu, for betraying mankind and harming his fellow master teachers, has infringed on the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion and transgressed the bottom line of a master teacher. For his crimes, he shall be stripped of his identity as a master teacher and beheaded to serve as a warning to others!"

"Beheaded?"

Upon hearing the verdict, You Xu's face paled as he collapsed weakly to the ground. As if having lost his soul, the light in his eyes vanished.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 972: Seniority

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Seeing his state, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Since he knew that such fate would befall him, he never should have done what he did back then.

It was only natural for mortals to fear death, but to collude with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was equivalent to giving up on the justice in one's heart.

Justice and life, there was no saying which was more important. But since You Xu had made his choice, he would have to bear the price of failure.

It is a pity that Wei Ruyan is unconscious at the moment and is unable to witness this.

You Xu was the mastermind behind Wei Changfeng's death, and as Wei Changfeng's daughter, it was indeed regretful that Wei Ruyan was unable to witness the death of her enemy with her own eyes.

This public execution served to indicate the Master Teacher Pavilion's attitude toward all traitors. As this was a decision made by the headquarters, Zhang Xuan had no right to intervene.

Besides, You Xu had already lived for long enough; it was about time for him to accept his punishment.

...

After dealing with You Xu, Mu shi turned to the others and said, "The four principals, Combat Master Liao, Combat Master Zhuo, and fellow elders, the two of us have come down here today to discuss something with you. Please follow me!"

"Yes."

Nodding in response, the crowd followed Mu shi to the Elder Hall.

In truth, he had been puzzled as to why the headquarters would dispatch two 7-star master teachers to Hongyuan Empire, not to mention, one of them was even at Saint realm 4-dan. If it was just to deal with You Xu, there was no such need.

There was bound to be some other reason.

Mu shi had stayed in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy from a fairly long period of time before, so he was rather familiar with the area. It didn't take long for the crowd to arrive in the large assembly room.

After everyone got seated, School Head Mo activated the formation to isolate the room. After which, Mu shi shot a sweeping gaze at the crowd before speaking. "The reason I had all of you gather here today is due to a piece of information we have received while interrogating You Xu."

After saying that, Mu shi flicked his wrist, and a token appeared in his hand.

The token was incredibly worn and damaged, and it seemed as if it would break apart at any moment.

"I believe all of you should recognize this!" Mu shi said.

"Is that a Principal's Seal?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

The token might have been worn and damaged, but he could still clearly feel the reinforcement of countless wills within. It was similar to the Principal's Seal in his possession, just that it looked a bit shabbier.

"Indeed. This is a Principal's Seal, the one belonging to the old principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Zhang Yinqiu!" Mu shi explained.

"The Principal's Seal of our old principal? Could it be..."

Upon hearing Mu shi's words, School Head Mo was stunned for a moment before his face flushed in agitation. "He... is still alive?"

School Head Zhao and the others also swiftly turned their gazes at Mu shi anxiously.

While they had already recognized Zhang Xuan as the new principal, they had spent some time with the old principal and viewed him as a close friend. Thus, when they heard the news, they couldn't curb their agitation.

"I can't say for certain whether he is dead or not, but someone forcefully sent this item out from the ancient domain," Mu shi replied grimly.

"Forcefully sent this item out? What does that mean? Mu shi, can you explain it in more detail?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Mu shi nodded as he recalled the matter. "After bringing You Xu back to the headquarters that day, we interrogated him and found the location of the ancient domain that the old principal had gone missing in. Thus, we dispatched some men to take a look.

"However, when we arrived at the area where the ancient domain was located, we realized that it was located at an area with a complicated geographical terrain that seemed to obey some kind of rhythm. Based on our deduction, the ancient domain only opens at certain times, and once the moment passes, one can only wait for the next instance. While our men were calculating the ideal timing to enter the ancient domain, this token abruptly flew out of the ancient domain!"

Hearing those words, School Head Mo's face flushed in agitation. "Mu shi, are you saying that the Principal's Seal flew out from the ancient domain that our old principal disappeared in?"

"That's right." Mu shi nodded.

"Then..." School Head Mo's breathing hastened. "Doesn't that mean that the Principal's Seal was sent out by the old principal?"

It had been only around three months since You Xu was captured, and the Principal's Seal had been found. This meant that there was a good chance that the old principal was still alive at this point!

Perhaps, he might have been trapped in a certain location of the ancient domain, unable to escape. That would explain why he had forcefully sent his Principal's Seal out, hoping that aid would be sent for him.

"I am not sure about the situation within the ancient domain. It could also be that the old principal might have released the Principal's Seal two years ago, and it only appeared once more after sensing the aura of a master teacher in the vicinity!" Mu shi wasn't as optimistic about the situation as School Head Mo.

"This..." Everyone fell silent.

Mu shi's words made sense as well. The Principal's Seal was created by the gathering of innumerable wills, granting it a certain level of sentience. If the old principal had released it after sensing the grave danger he was in, instructing it to remain hidden and only appear in the presence of master teachers... That was a viable explanation as well.

As such, the appearance of the Principal's Seal wasn't sufficient evidence to determine whether the old principal was still alive or not.

After a moment of hesitation, School Head Mo said, "Mu shi, where is the ancient domain that you spoke of? Can you tell us so that we can head over to take a look?"

No matter what, the old principal had been a friend to them for several hundred years. Knowing that there was a possibility that the other party could still be alive, they had to take a look regardless of the situation. Otherwise, their hearts would never be at peace.

"This is precisely the reason I gathered all of you here today." Mu shi looked at the crowd and said, "Based on our prior scouting, it is very likely that the ancient domain will open once more within a month. Thus, I hope to invite all of you to join the expedition. There are two main aims to this expedition. Firstly, we aim to find the old principal, and if he is still alive, we will attempt to save him. Secondly, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has been rather active recently, and we suspect that it might be closely tied to the ancient domain!"

Upon hearing those words, School Head Mo's eyes lit up, and he immediately replied without any hesitation.

"We will join the expedition!"

However, after saying those words, he realized that he was getting ahead of himself, so he hurriedly turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Principal Zhang..."

"School Head Mo is right. We have to go to the ancient domain to express the stand of our Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy," Zhang Xuan replied.

Back at the Mausoleum of Principals, when he heard the message left behind by the old principal, he had already made up his mind to take a look at the ancient domain. The incident with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe at the Subterranean Gallery only served to strengthen his determination.

No matter what, he had to take a look. Otherwise, it would be hard for him to rest at ease.

"Good. What about the others?" Seemingly having known that this would be the outcome, Mu shi wasn't surprised in the least. He turned his gazes to the other three principals.

"Since the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe is involved in this matter, it is only right for us to stand up and offer our help too!"

Wo Tianqiong, Shen Pingchao, and Wu Ran nodded in agreement.

"How can our Combat Master Hall remain idle before such a situation?" Liao Song chuckled.

"Good, we have everyone onboard then. In one month, we will meet up at the ancient domain. Allow me to make things clear first. This expedition to the ancient domain will be very dangerous, or else Zhang Yinqiu and the others wouldn't have fallen in it. Even our headquarters don't have much information about it at the moment. There is a very good chance that we might be unable to return from this expedition," Mu shi said.

"We understand that." The crowd nodded.

"Good. It's settled then..."

Seeing that the crowd had agreed to it without any hesitation, Mu shi was just about to seal the deal when Wu Rufeng, who had been watching the situation by the side, abruptly spoke up. "Due to the dangers regarding the expedition to the ancient domain, the minimum cultivation to join the team is Saint realm. Since Principal Zhang is only at Nascent Saint, it will be best for you to sit out on this one. Otherwise, you will just end up dragging everyone down!"

"Me?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

His cultivation might only be at Nascent Saint, but if he were to exert his full strength, he could easily subdue a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle cultivator. Furthermore... he possessed many life saving means.

To go a step further, even if everyone in this room were to attack him at this instant, he was confident that the side who would emerge victorious in the fight would be him.

Despite knowing nothing at all, this fellow had said that he would drag everyone else down. Wasn't this 7-star high-tier master teacher being too presumptuous?

Noticing the displeased expression on his Senior Uncle's face, Mu shi sent a telepathic message over. "Senior Uncle, Wu shi... is a little supercilious, so do bear with him a little."

"Supercilious?"

"Indeed. Even though You Xu's betrayal has nothing to do with Senior Uncle, you were reflected as the principal during the investigation, so... he felt that you have failed in your responsibilities because of the matter. Furthermore, your age and cultivation are indeed considerably low as compared to the other principals, so it can't be helped that he has a negative opinion of you," Mu shi explained.

Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly with a bitter smile.

It seemed like this fellow had been seated on a high position for far so long that he had become a little detached from common sense.

A subordinate's fault, in a way, could be considered the fault of the leader as well... but You Xu's betrayal had happened two years ago whereas it had only been four months since Zhang Xuan had enrolled into the Master Teacher Academy and met You Xu! It was one thing for him to not be rewarded for capturing You Xu, but to pin the blame on him on top of that...

Zhang Xuan couldn't help recalling a certain prevalent work culture in his previous world. Whenever a problem cropped up, the leader would capture a scapegoat to take the blame so as to display his authority and wisdom.

At this moment, it seemed like he was that very goat!

If it had been anyone else, there was no way they would have dared refute the accusation from a 7-star high-tier master teacher. However, Zhang Xuan wasn't one to let others accuse him like that. He turned his gaze toward Wu shi and said, "You are Wu Rufeng, right?"

"Audacious! How dare a lower ranked master teacher address a higher ranked master teacher by his name! Where are your manners?" Not expecting Principal Zhang to speak to him in such a manner, Wu shi's face darkened.

"Where are my manners?" Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and gazed at Wu shi impassively. "May I ask, what is Wu shi's relationship to Mu shi?"

With eyes narrowed menacingly, Wu shi harrumphed coldly. "Mu shi and I are both 7-star master teachers, so naturally, we are considered peers!"

As fellow 7-star master teachers from the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, they were naturally peers.

"Peers? Good..." Following which, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to Mu shi and asked, " Little Hong 1 , how do you address me?"

"Senior Uncle!" Mu shi replied honestly.

"You heard that. Since you and Mu shi are fellow peers, and he addresses me as his senior uncle, that goes to say that you are a generation younger than me. As so, is there any reason I shouldn't call you Wu Rufeng? Or... could it be that you don't think that it is sufficiently intimate for me to address you by your full name?"

At which, Zhang Xuan pondered for a brief moment before adding, "Since that's the case, what do you think of Little Feng?"

Hearing the two words 'Little Feng', Wu shi nearly spurted blood and fainted on the spot.

"You..."

He hurriedly turned to Mu shi to see if the latter was speaking the truth.

After all, it was illogical for a 7-star master teacher to address a 6-star master teacher as his Senior Uncle!

Knowing what Wu shi intended to ask, Mu shi answered honestly, "Principal Zhang's teacher is my grandteacher, so going by seniority, he is indeed my senior uncle."

"This..." Wu shi's face turned livid.

Etiquette and seniority were very important to master teachers. Principal Zhang might not have been anything much, but if his teacher was very senior, he would share a high standing as well.

Just take Kong shi's students for example, even if they were completely ignorant and powerless, a 9-star master teacher would still have to humbly address them as 'senior'!

This was simply one of the rules.

Wu shi had intended to teach the other party a lesson, but who would have thought that he would become the other party's junior all of the sudden? He couldn't help but feel incredibly stifled within.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 973: Defeating Zhuo shi with a Single Finger

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"So, am I qualified to call you Wu Rufeng?" Zhang Xuan asked calmly.

"I..." Wu shi wanted to refute those words, but unable to find a counterargument to that, his face turned redder and redder. Eventually, he waved his hand and said, "Relying solely on your seniority won't earn you the respect of anyone. What is more important is the contribution that you have made to the Master Teacher Pavilion and mankind. No matter how formidable your teacher may be, if you aren't able to contribute anything to mankind, there is no way you can gain the respect of anyone. You can't possibly expect to rely on your teacher forever!"

"Contribution?"

"Indeed. Only those who work diligently to give back to mankind are truly worthy of respect!" Wu shi said with his head raised up high.

A master teacher wouldn't gain the respect of others just because he was highly ranked or powerful. Take You Xu for example, he was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, as well as an esteemed vice school head of the Master Teacher Academy. But as a traitor of humanity, there was no way anyone would respect him.

Looking at Wu shi's proud demeanor and boastful tone, Zhang Xuan said, "Judging from your tone, you seem to have contributed a lot to mankind."

"Indeed! I killed my first Otherworldly Demon when I was sixteen, and to date, I have slain a total of 47 Otherworldly Demons at Chrysalis realm and beyond! All in all, I have accumulated a total of 22 Contribution Points for mankind!" Wu shi harrumphed proudly with an air of superiority and grandiose.

"22 Contribution Points?"

"That's incredible!"

"As expected of Vice Pavilion Master Wu. With that many Contribution Points, he is definitely ranked among the top in Qingyuan Conferred Kingdom!"

"A 7-star high-tier master teacher sure is fearsome."

...

Upon hearing those words, the eyes of Combat Master Liao, Combat Master Zhuo, Wo Tianqiong, and the others lit up in respect and admiration.

Even School Head Mo couldn't help but be awed by it, and his impression of Wu shi changed as well.

Uncomprehending of the significance of the numbers, Zhang Xuan turned to School Head Zhao Bingxu and asked, "22 Contribution Points? What does that mean?"

Seeing that their principal wasn't too sure what was going on, Zhao Bingxu explained discreetly, "Killing an Otherworldly Demon counts as a contribution; saving mankind also counts as a contribution. Each contribution has its own extent of significance. In order to better measure contributions, the Master Teacher Pavilion has to quantify them."

This was a system that was implemented only within the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and the Master Teacher Academy didn't abide by it. Thus, there weren't any books regarding the topic in the academy's libraries.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

According to what he knew, it was possible to exchange one's contribution for artifacts at the Master Teacher Pavilion. If there was no method to quantify one's contribution, it would be hard to maintain the system efficiently.

For one, it would be hard to determine if one's contribution was sufficient to exchange for an artifact. After all, the Master Teacher Pavilion couldn't simply give out rare artifacts to individuals who had barely done anything at all.

Coming to that realization, Zhang Xuan continued his querying. "How are the Contribution Points derived?"

Zhao Bingxu pondered for a moment before replying. "Regarding the distribution of Contribution Points, the Master Teacher Pavilion has a set of guidelines and regulations to determine how it should be tabulated. I don't really know much about the details either, but... your previous accomplishment of taming all of the saint beasts and spirit beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge, sparing mankind from an impending crisis... After we reported it to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, they tabulated it to be worth around 5 Contribution Points!"

"Only 5 Points?" Zhang Xuan was astounded.

The Nine Kings of the Cloudmist Ridge had a cultivation of Saint 1-dan pinnacle, and there were many other Nascent Saint, Half-Saint, and Chrysalis realm spirit beasts among them as well.

He had tamed so many of them, but to think that they were only worth 5 Contribution Points...

Considering that the other party had 22, that was indeed rather formidable.

"Indeed. Even though the beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge are violent, they stayed cooped up within the mountain most of the time, only raising beast stampedes once in a blue moon. Furthermore, the Master Teacher Academy is stationed there, which minimized the threat they posed. As a result, the contribution from your actions was perceived to be lower," Zhao Bingxu said a little awkwardly.

He was a little surprised when he heard that Principal Zhang had only received this many Contribution Points after taming so many saint beasts and spirit beasts, so he had asked about the matter. That was the exact answer he had received.

The extent of the contribution wasn't determined by how formidable one's feat was, but by how much one had actually contributed to mankind.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

The killings conducted by the beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge was done extremely discreetly, such that even Zhao Bingxu and the others didn't know much about it. They also thought that those beasts had only camped on the mountain, rarely conducting any acts of aggression against humans.

Due to the Bluehorn Dragon Beast and Vicious being involved in this matter, Zhang Xuan had instructed School Head Mo not to speak of this matter to another. Naturally, the headquarters were unaware of this matter, so the Contribution Points awarded to him were less than initially expected.

"Wu shi, Senior Uncle is still young. Given his talent and capability, it is just a matter of time before he makes a great contribution to humanity. Besides, he was the one who captured You Xu and exposed his facade, ridding mankind of a black sheep..." Mu shi tried to ease the tension in the room.

He wasn't aware of the matter regarding the Cloudmist Ridge, but the capture of You Xu, a traitor of humanity, would surely count as Zhang Xuan's contribution as well.

"Capturing You Xu? Humph, does this contribution even add up to a single point?" Wu shi smirked coldly.

"This... It happens to add up to a single point," Mu shi replied awkwardly.

"Hehe!" Wu shi sneered coldly before turning to Zhang Xuan once more. "Principal Zhang, just as you can see, no matter how capable as your teacher is, you still need to depend on yourself to win the respect of others. You should just stay here! The expedition to the ancient domain will be extremely dangerous; we aren't going there to play. There won't be anyone to take care of you; I fear that you might meet with danger if you head there!"

Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Considering that he was only at Nascent Saint pinnacle, it was indeed very dangerous for him to head to an ancient domain where even a 7-star master teacher could possibly lose his life. It wasn't completely unreasonable for the other party to not want to bring him along.

Just that... To just a person's strength solely by their cultivation, wasn't the other party jumping to conclusions a little too fast?

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan looked at Wu shi and chuckled softly. "Since that is the case... may I know if Combat Master Zhuo is qualified to join the expedition?"

"As a Hundred Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall and a Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm expert, Combat Master Zhuo is naturally qualified to join the expedition!" Wu shi replied.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan's lips curled up as he turned to Zhuo Qingfeng with a bright smile. "Combat Master Zhuo, are you free? It happens that I managed to achieve a breakthrough recently, and I would like to find someone to spar with."

"You want to spar with me?" Zhuo Qingfeng was taken aback. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "Since Principal Zhang is in the mood, I am more than willing to accompany you!"

Honestly speaking, after having two parties from the Combat Master Hall decimated by the students of the young man before him, he had been wanting to see the young man's strength for himself.

However, it was a pity that the other party was often not around, so he hadn't been able to find an opportunity to do so. Since this was a rare opportunity for him to test the other party's strength, his interest was immediately piqued.

In any case, no matter how formidable Principal Zhang might have been, he was only at Nascent Saint pinnacle. As a Saint 2-dan expert, he didn't think that he would lose to the other party!

"Alright, let's begin!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile, and he took a nimble step to the center of the room.

"You want to spar here?" Zhuo Qingfeng was taken aback. "If we fight here, won't the shockwaves of our battle cause this assembly room to collapse?"

As spacious as the assembly room seemed, if the might of his Saint realm 2-dan cultivation were to leak out, it could easily devastate the entire area. It would be embarrassing if he collapsed the Elder Hall by accident.

"Don't worry, there is no such risk. The battle will end quickly!" Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

"End quickly?" A frown emerged on Zhuo Qingfeng's face as his complexion turned awful. "Since Principal Zhang insists on it, I won't stand on ceremony!"

Zhuo Qingfeng flicked his wrist and took out a sword before harrumphing coldly. "Draw your weapon!"

"Weapon?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "There is no need to go through that much trouble. Let's begin!"

After his Golden Origin Core's metamorphosis into a Violet Origin Core, the fighting prowess he could display had been enhanced more than twofold. In his current state, even a Saint 2-dan opponent was nothing to him.

"Don't blame me if you get hurt then!" Seeing how the other party was even more arrogant than his student, refusing to even draw his weapon against him, Zhuo Qingfeng's face turned incredibly livid. With a swift flick of his wrist, he charged forward to make the first move.

This time, he didn't suppress his cultivation. Exerting the full might of a Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm cultivator, his zhenqi burst forth from his body and ravaged the surroundings. In an instant, a sound reminiscent of the crazy rumbling of thunder sounded.

"How powerful..." School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, and the others paled in fright.

Even Wo Tianqiong and the others couldn't help but narrow their eyes in alarm.

While they did possess higher cultivation than Zhuo Qingfeng, in a true duel, they had no doubt that they would be the ones to be defeated in the end.

Principal Zhang was only at Nascent Saint pinnacle, two whole cultivation realms weaker than Zhuo Qingfeng, so how could he possibly even stand his ground against the latter?

With such thoughts in mind, everyone hurriedly turned their gazes to Zhang Xuan, only to see the latter standing with a composed smile on his face against Zhuo Qingfeng's powerful swordsmanship, clearly devoid of any intention to dodge at all.

"Humph!" Realizing that he was being looked down upon, rage flickered across Zhuo Qingfeng's eyes as he leaped forward to strike. A cold, sharp glint flashed across the area before a sword whizzed right for Zhang Xuan's chest, as if a venomous snake.

Since this was a spar, Zhuo Qingfeng didn't intend to land a fatal blow.

Nevertheless, if Zhang Xuan were to be caught in the attack, he would surely suffer severe injuries under the onslaught of the sharp sword qi and rampaging zhenqi,

"Hehe!" Watching as the other party's sword swiftly approached him, Zhang Xuan chuckled.

In the moment that the sword was just about to pierce his chest, Zhang Xuan raised two fingers and grabbed lightly.

Weng!

The astounding momentum of Zhuo Qingfeng's sword came to an abrupt halt just like that. As if a snake grabbed at the neck, no matter how Zhuo Qingfeng tugged and pulled, his sword just wouldn't budge.

"This..." Zhuo Qingfeng's eyes narrowed in astonishment.

Grabbing a sword empty-handed was no easy feat. To achieve this feat, one had to possess not only an outstanding eye of discernment and a precise grasp of timing in combat, but most importantly of all, formidable strength!

As a combat master, Zhuo Qingfeng's strength was far greater than other Spiritual Perception realm cultivators. For his strongest sword art to be stopped with a simple pinch of two fingers... How could this possibly happen?

In the midst of Zhuo Qingfeng's shock, the young man opposite to him abruptly released his grip on the sword and flicked the blade of it lightly.

Boom!

An immense might tore through the sword and struck Zhuo Qingfeng, forcing him to retreat eight steps.

Every single step he took left a deep footprint in the ground.

Yet, those eight steps were still insufficient for him to neutralize the relentless might from Zhang Xuan's flick, so he chose to leap up in hopes that it could further thin the might.

Peng!

However, Zhuo Qingfeng was still underestimating the might of the flick. The leap he took sent him crashing straight into a pillar in the assembly room, and with a reddened face, he spurted a mouthful of blood.

It was only then that the might finally dissipated. Swiftly withdrawing his sword, Zhuo Qingfeng walked up to the young man before him and clasped his fist. "Principal Zhang, thank you for going easy on me!"

Had the other party not held back, he might have been smashed into a lump of meat paste earlier.

It was no wonder Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan were so monstrously powerful... It turned out that their teacher was a real monster!

To think that a day would come which he, a Saint 2-dan combat master, would lose to a Nascent Saint.

"You are being too kind."

Zhang Xuan's purpose was only to display his strength. It would suffice to make in his point.

After trading a few pleasantries with Zhuo Qingfeng, he turned to Wu shi and asked, "So, is someone of my strength qualified to join the expedition?"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 974: Wu shi's Embarrassment

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Witnessing that, Wu shi's eyebrows shot up. "This..."

For a Nascent Saint master teacher to defeat a Saint 2-dan combat master barehanded... this was way too fearsome!

On top of that, just a moment ago, he had mocked the other party's strength! Who could have thought that the other party would defeat Combat Master Zhuo the very next moment? This was a direct slap to his face!

"Based on the intelligence we have so far, there are many Otherworldly Demonic Tribe experts in the ancient domain. Even a 6-star pinnacle master teacher like You Xu was unable to stand his ground against them! What makes you so confident that you will be able to stand against them?" Wu shi placed his hands behind his back and gazed at Zhang Xuan coldly. With a challenging tone, he questioned, "Have you fought an Otherworldly Demon before? Do you know how fearsome they are? Have you even seen an Otherworldly Demon before?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was just about to respond, but the 7-star master teacher before them waved his hands again.

"In my lifetime, I have personally fought and killed 52 of them. Not only are they powerful and capable of challenging opponents stronger than them, more importantly, they exude a heavy killing intent that renders it difficult for anyone to stand against them!

"Against such enemies, possessing some combat prowess isn't enough. More importantly, you must have tremendous mental fortitude and determination. If you don't have those, you should just remain here."

While Wu shi was indeed picking on Zhang Xuan, his concerns weren't entirely illogical.

Even if Zhang Xuan possessed strong fighting prowess and had the guidance of a formidable teacher, he was ultimately still a twenty-year-old young man. There were many geniuses who had lost themselves under the overwhelming pressure emanated by the fearsome Otherworldly Demons, resulting in unexpected situations.

A mistake made by one wouldn't just affect the individual but the entire team. The expedition to the ancient domain was already dangerous as it was, and it would be unwise to bring in another unstable factor.

Zhang Xuan could tell that Wu shi wasn't a bad person at heart. The other party had just been in a lofty position for too long, which made him obstinate about his views. Shaking his head, he began to explain, "Regarding the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe..."

Halfway through his explanation, however, an elder abruptly rushed into the room.

"Principal Zhang!" The elder rushed forward and clasped his fist.

Noticing the peculiar expression on the other party's face, Zhang Xuan frowned. "Did something happen?"

That elder hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Principal Zhang, School Head Lu... Lu shi seeks an audience!"

Due to Lu Feng's conflict with Principal Zhang, he had almost had his license revoked. It was only known among a couple of people, but as an elder of the Master Teacher Academy, he had heard a thing or two about it. Without a doubt, there was bound to be some bad blood between the two of them. As such, he felt a little conflicted reporting Lu Feng's arrival to Principal Zhang.

"Lu Feng?" Unaware of the elder's thoughts, Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment he chuckled softly.

After leaving the seal, he had tried to look for them but to no avail. From the looks of it, they had managed to get out of the Subterranean Gallery safely.

"Invite him in!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes..." Seeing that Principal Zhang didn't get displeased over this matter, the elder heaved a sigh of relief before hurriedly leaving.

Not too long later, the elder returned with an old man walking behind him. Who else could it be other than Lu Feng?

The current Lu Feng no longer commanded a sharp disposition about him. There was clarity in his eyes, and he felt more mature and reliable than before.

It seemed like the happenings in the Subterranean Gallery had evoked a significant change in his mental state.

"Principal Zhang, you are fine! That's good..." Seeing the young man sitting safe and sound in the middle of the hall, Lu Feng heaved a sigh of relief.

While he had guessed that the other party would be fine after seeing the many corpses of the Otherworldly Demons, it was still a huge relief to see it with his own eyes.

The other party had put himself in great danger to save them. If not for him, their entire team would have died.

"Of course, I am fine. What about you? Have you all recovered from your wounds yet?" Zhang Xuan replied with a kind smile.

"Thank you for your concern, we have recovered fully from our wounds. Principal Zhang, it was only through your courageous efforts that we were to survive that ordeal and avert a potential calamity. Please accept my gratitude..." After saying those words, Lu Feng prepared to kneel to the ground.

"Lu shi, there is no need to stand on ceremony." Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed forward to help him up.

On the other hand, seeing the two men whom they had thought had great enmity between them speaking so amicably to one another, School Head Mo and School Head Zhao glanced at one another in bewilderment.

Unable to stand it any longer, School Head Jiang Qingqin asked, "What happened?"

"Oh, it is like that!" Upon hearing the question, Lu Feng began to explain.

"Five days ago, Principal Zhang went down to the Subterranean Gallery and saved all forty of us 6-star master teachers who were stationed there. At the same time, he personally slew more than two hundred Saint realm Otherworldly Demons, including two Saint 4-dan Kings. I have already reported this matter to the headquarters, and I just received a response from them. I was intending to report this matter to the Master Teacher Academy so as to not allow Principal Zhang's contribution to go unnoticed, but I didn't expect Principal Zhang to have already returned..."

"Principal Zhang went down to the Subterranean Gallery?"

"Saved forty 6-star master teachers?"

"Slew more than two hundred Saint realm Otherworldly Demons, and this included their Kings as well?"

...

Hearing those words, the surroundings immediately fell silent.

Wu shi, who had just been authoritatively voicing his doubts about Zhang Xuan's capability, widened his eyes and nearly fainted on the spot.

He had just said that the other party hadn't even seen an Otherworldly Demon before, and this Lu Feng arrived a moment later to say that the other party had killed more than two hundred of them. Was this for real?

One must know that even he, a Saint 4-dan expert, hadn't killed that many yet!

And most importantly of all, there were two Kings among them!

It went without saying that each of the Otherworldly Demon Kings possessed fearsome might. Even a Saint 4-dan master teacher like him would be no match for an Otherworldly Demon King. Yet, based on what Lu Feng was saying, it seemed like Principal Zhang had not only survived an encounter with them, but he had even killed two of them.

Just the notion of it left his mind completely blank.

Wu shi turned to Lu Feng and asked grimly, "Is what you are saying true?"

"It is the utmost truth; I can guarantee it with my life!" Lu Feng nodded. "Furthermore, the headquarters have already investigated and confirmed the matter after we reported to them, and they have already converted Principal Zhang's contribution into Contribution Points. The reason I am here today is to hand them over to Principal Zhang."

After saying those words, Lu Feng flicked his wrist, took out a jade token with a faint yellow hue, and presented it to Zhang Xuan.

"Principal Zhang, you faced great danger to slay so many Otherworldly Demons and save us. We can't allow your deeds to go unnoticed. The headquarters made an evaluation based on the situation then and awarded you with 1211 Contribution Points."

"O-one thousand points?" Wu shi's body trembled, and he nearly spurted blood.

He had slain his first Otherworldly Demon when he was sixteen, and it had been several hundred years since then. He had never slacked in his effort of hunting down Otherworldly Demons, but the Contribution Points he had accrued over so many years only added up to 22 points.

This should have been a record that any master teacher would feel proud of, and countless would gasp in wonderment at. So, he had used it to mock Principal Zhang, but who could have known that, in the blink of an eye, the other party would suddenly be awarded more than a thousand points?

Could there be anything more exaggerated than that?

Even if the other party had slain more than two hundred Saint realm Otherworldly Demons and two Kings, it shouldn't have added up to that much!

Wu shi wasn't the only one who harbored such doubts. The others in the room thought the same as well.

As if having seen through their thoughts, Lu Feng explained, "These Otherworldly Demons entered the Subterranean Gallery through paying a heavy price to breach the seal between both worlds. They shouldered an important mission, and had they succeeded, Hongyuan Empire could very well have faced extinction. Principal Zhang's act of slaying them has effectively foiled their ploy, preventing them from carrying out a devastating massacre. This is a huge merit, and even a thousand Contribution Points can hardly match up to what he has done."

"This..." Everyone pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Indeed, slaying a few hundred Otherworldly Demons couldn't exactly be considered a huge merit, but if one had foiled their ploy by doing so and saved countless lives, that would be a different matter.

Paying no heed to the crowd's shock, Lu Feng continued. "There is also one more matter that the headquarters have yet to confirm for the time being. However, they are already checking on it, and once it is confirmed, it could very well earn Principal Zhang tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand Contribution Points."

"Tens of thousands or a hundred thousand Contribution Points? Just what kind of huge merit can earn one so many Contribution Points?" Mu shi asked in agitation.

Even slaying a Saint realm Otherworldly Demon might not even earn one a single point. Through this, it could easily be seen how difficult it was to earn Contribution Points.

To earn a thousand Contribution Points out of the blue was already inconceivable. Just what could it be that could allow Principal Zhang to earn tens of thousands or a hundred thousand Contribution Points after confirmation?

Mu shi wasn't the only one who was shocked by the matter. Wu shi, School Head Mo, and the others also had confused looks on their faces, unable to make heads or tails of the situation.

"It is like this. We entered the Subterranean Gallery earlier and found that the seal severing the space to the otherworldly battlefield had been repaired. If I am not mistaken, that must be Principal Zhang's doing, right?" Lu Feng raised his gaze and looked at Zhang Xuan.

"As long as the seal remained damaged, the Otherworldly Demon would have been able to continue their invasion. Thus, I spent a few days to fix the seal using a secret art that my teacher once imparted to me." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"As I thought." Lu Feng's eyes lit up.

Having stayed in the Subterranean Gallery for three months, he had already learned about the damage suffered by the seal. Knowing that this invasion wasn't an exception and there would be many more to come, he had prepared himself to spend his entire life fighting in the Subterranean Gallery to protect mankind. Yet, who could have known that when he took another look at it, it was already completely repaired.

Their group of master teachers had been together throughout the entire duration, and there was no way the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would shoot themselves in the foot. Thus, the only one who could have done it was Principal Zhang.

Furthermore, the seal had a complex structure that even had the laws of space tied into it. None of them had the ability to repair the seal either. However, if it was the miracle workshop, Principal Zhang, who had done it, then it would all make sense.

That was why he was rather certain about the matter.

Repairing the seal meant eliminating the possibility of an assault by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe through the Subterranean Gallery once and for all. This was an immensely large merit.

Even a hundred thousand Contribution Points seemed meager in comparison.

As for what the outcome would be, the headquarters would come to a decision after they were done surveying the situation.

"Doesn't the seal involve the laws of space as well? Principal Zhang was actually able to fix it?"

"If it is really true, Principal Zhang really has contributed greatly to mankind this time."

"How did he do it?"

Hearing the conversation of the duo, the crowd was stunned.

The haughty and authoritative Wu shi from a moment ago looked as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Right. Principal Zhang, did you just return from the Subterranean Gallery? I have been keeping a close eye on the seal, and it was still damaged the previous time I was there," Lu Feng suddenly asked out of curiosity.

He had gone to the seal to search for Zhang Xuan at one point, and it had still been damaged then. However, when he checked on it just a moment ago, it had already been completely repaired.

"Un. I only left the Subterranean Gallery an hour ago," Zhang Xuan replied with a bitter smile. "Look, I haven't even had a chance to change out of my clothes yet.

"Shortly after I returned from the Subterranean Gallery after braving through danger to slay a few hundred Otherworldly Demons and save Hongyuan Empire, the Assembly Bell chimed, so I had to rush over without any time to clean up or rest. Yet, I was actually accused of showing a lack of respect. Don't you think that is very absurd?"

Hearing those words, Wu shi's face turned completely red, and in that moment, he desperately wished that he could find a hole in the ground to hide in.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 975: Zhang Xuan Wants to Organize an Exchange Visit

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As a 7-star high-tier master teacher, Wu shi was more than glad to see talented fresh blood in the Master Teacher Pavilion.

However, his rage at You Xu's betrayal had given him a bad impression of the new principal, which was also the reason he had snubbed Zhang Xuan right from the start. On top of that, Zhang Xuan was also a little too young to have become the principal of a Master Teacher Academy. Achieving success too early in life tended to result in complacency, and that could be a particularly dangerous trait for a master teacher. He felt that a little bit of suffering to quell the other party's pride and temper his state of mind could go a long way.

He had thought that he would be able to easily make the other party learn that the world was larger than he thought and that there was always a man greater than the other. Yet, he had become the one learning that there was a man greater than the other instead.

Just the thought of it left him feeling stifled within.

Wu shi shook his head with a bitter smile. It is no wonder he was able to become a principal at his age and win Mu shi's praise and respect, inducing the latter to willingly address him as Senior Uncle. He sure isn't an ordinary person!

He had always respected those who had made great contributions to humanity, and the young man before him had personally descended into the Subterranean Gallery despite his esteemed position as the principal and rescued forty 6-star master teachers, slain hundreds of Otherworldly Demons, and repaired the seal.

Any of those three were feats worthy of respect!

Knowing all this, Wu shi decided to put aside his airs and apologized earnestly. "Principal Zhang, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions without trying to understand the situation. I ask you forgive me for my previous offense!"

Master teachers valued etiquette, and a mistake was a mistake. Even if he was a 7-star high-tier master teacher, it was only right for him to admit his mistake wherever he had erred.

"Wu shi is being too polite; we are fellow master teachers working for mankind. Considering how dangerous the expedition will be, it is only right for you to act prudently." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"I am glad you didn't take it to heart." Wu shi also nodded. Putting aside the matter, he continued the discussion regarding the expedition. "Alright, since we have decided that everyone will be joining in the expedition, we shall meet in one month at Firesource City."

"Firesource City?"

"Un. Based on You Xu's account and the scouting done by our Master Teacher Pavilion, the entrance to the ancient domain is located in the vicinity of Firesource City," Wu shi replied.

The map of Hongyuan Empire came into his mind, and Zhang Xuan asked to confirm, "If I recall correctly, Firesource City is located near the boundary of Hongyuan Empire, close to the Saint Ascension Platform, right?"

Due to the close proximity between Firesource City and the Saint Ascension Platform, only a distance of several hundred kilometers, there were many pilgrims who would drop by for a short stay. As such, it had quite a prosperous economy.

"Yes, it is a city close to the Saint Ascension Platform," Wu shi replied. "The Saint Ascension Platform is the ground where Kong shi ascended to Sainthood, and the ancient domain is located close to it. Perhaps, there might be a connection between the two, but it is still too early to make any assumptions! We don't have enough information."

"Un."

The crowd nodded.

Anything relating to Kong shi shouldn't be spoken of easily without any concrete proof.

"Speaking of the Saint Ascension Platform, I must speak about something that happened just a while ago."

Wu shi chuckled softly as he turned his gaze to the crowd. "Kong shi left behind his writings on the Saint Ascension Platform, and three months ago, someone actually uncovered the true meaning behind those words, causing a huge ruckus then! Honestly speaking, I would really love to meet the expert who received Kong shi's acknowledgement. If possible, I would like to acknowledge him as my teacher and learn from him."

As Wu shi spoke, the admiration in his eyes deepened. Halfway through his words, he suddenly noticed that Wu Ran's face had reddened to the point that it seemed like it would blow up at any moment. Displeased with the other party's reaction, he frowned. "Principal Wu, is there something wrong? If I remember correctly, you are the leader of the Saint Ascension Circle, aren't you? After so many years of research, you were unable to figure out the true meaning of Kong shi's writing. Yet, someone else actually succeeded in doing so... Don't you think that it is an incredible feat?"

"Cough cough!" Wu Ran's eyes flew around the place. Unable to take it anymore, he said, "Wu shi, the expert who deciphered Kong shi's writing... is right before you!"

"Right before me?" Taken aback, Wu shi's eyes widened in astonishment. "Who is it?"

"It is... the person you said put on airs, Principal Zhang," Wu Ran said with a complicated expression.

"Principal Zhang?" Wu shi staggered on the spot, and he nearly fainted from the heavy shock.

You must be joking with me?

A Nascent Saint actually managed to find mistakes in Kong shi's writing?

Zhang Xuan also felt a little awkward, not knowing what to make of the situation. "The person you are speaking of... does indeed seem to be me!"

What is this? The man who put me down as if I was nothing a moment ago is actually saying that he wants to acknowledge me as his teacher. Sigh, these must be the problems that a person too outstanding faces all the time. What a dilemma!

"For several dozen thousand years, everyone thought that there couldn't be a single mistake in Kong shi's writing, so they cultivated strictly according to it. You are the man who found the mistake in it and courageously questioned it publicly... T-this..." Wu shi's lips trembled in frenzy.

As a 7-star high-tier master teacher, he had thought that he would be able to easily teach the new principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy a lesson for his lapse of responsibility regarding You Xu's matter so as to send out a stern warning to him. Who could have known that he would be the one who was taught a lesson instead?

For so many years, there had not been a person who dared doubt Kong shi's words. Even thinking about it was blasphemous to them!

This notion had become far too ingrained in their minds to change.

This was precisely why, when they heard that someone actually voiced doubts regarding the Kong shi's writing in the Saint Ascension Platform, they had been extremely shocked. This was equivalent to challenging a prevalent mindset that had dominated the Master Teacher Continent for many, many years, as well as challenging Kong shi's authority.

He had thought a person possessing the courage to do so would at least be a Saint 3-dan or 4-dan expert, a person who had a deep understanding of Sainthood. Who would have thought that it would turn out to be a twenty-year-old man whom he had just lectured a moment ago!

It could be said that the shock the other party had given him today was far more than what he had suffered in his entire life.

At this point, he felt that he should start rethinking life.

Seeing how shocked the other party was, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It's nothing much. Kong shi was ultimately still a mortal. There is no mortal who doesn't make mistakes."

There was no man in the world who was infallible, and Sages weren't any exception to the rule!

"Y-you..."

Upon hearing these words, everyone's face paled. Wu shi even hurriedly closed his palm to seal the surroundings with his zhenqi, fearing that those words would have been overheard by others.

"Principal Zhang, Kong shi is the World's Teacher! His affairs mustn't be spoken of so lightly..." Noticing that their principal was unaware of the convention, School Head Mo hurriedly sent a telepathic message over to advise him.

"Oh." Zhang Xuan scratched his head. He had only just recalled a moment ago that in this world, a lower ranked master teacher was forbidden from speaking about the affairs of a higher ranked master teacher easily.

It was also thanks to this very rule that no other master teacher dared to look into his other persona, Yang Xuan.

As the World's Teacher, the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion, Kong shi was naturally an existence that one shouldn't speak lightly of. If it was found that Zhang Xuan had spoken of him disrespectfully, he would be criticized by many master teachers.

In fact, it was not entirely impossible for him to killed on the spot for his rudeness.

Those of the Master Teacher Continent had been brought up to respect their teachers, and the word 'teacher' held an exceptional position in each of their hearts. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan still retained the modern thinking he had in his previous life, so it was only natural that many would find it hard to accept his different line of thoughts.

It seemed like he really had to pay more attention to such matters in the future. Otherwise, if others were to use such an incident against him, he could be really put into a spot.

"I apologize for my prior faux pas. Please do not take it to heart," Zhang Xuan apologized.

School Head Mo quickly reacted with a soft chuckle. "Principal Zhang, what are you referring to? I didn't hear anything at all."

"Indeed, we didn't hear anything either."

The others nodded in agreement.

Since it was a matter regarding Kong shi, it was best to play a fool and act as if they hadn't heard anything at all.

Firstly, it was to avoid the fire from getting on them as well. Secondly, they could avoid offending the talented Principal Zhang.

In order to alleviate the awkward atmosphere, Liao Song asked, "Principal Zhang, your other two students, Wang Ying and Liu Yang, intend to challenge the trial of our Combat Master Hall as well. When do you think it will be convenient for them? It will be best for them to do it as fast as possible so that we can return soon."

"Let's hold the trial tomorrow then." At this point, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before speaking once more. "Also... there is a faction in our academy known as the Xuanxuan Faction. If it is not too much trouble, I hope to bring them to your Combat Master Hall in the future so as to broaden their horizon. They will be able to interact and learn from one another."

It was impossible to become an expert by cultivating in isolation. The Combat Master Hall was filled with experts, and if the Xuanxuan Faction could interact with them, they would be able to broaden their horizons and learn about many new things. That would be beneficial to their growth in the future.

Zhang Xuan had been contemplating this issue for the past few days, and since Liao Song was there, it was a good opportunity to broach this subject.

"Xuanxuan Faction, interaction..." Recalling what they had undergone two days ago, when they had just entered the academy, Liao Song's face paled and his heart jolted in terror.

Even just hearing the word 'Xuanxuan' could easily send shivers up his spine at this point.

If it had been a normal interaction, it could be beneficial for the members of the Combat Master Hall as well. After all, everyone had their own unique interpretation of combat, and perhaps the insights that the students had could serve as a source of inspiration for their members. However, it was the Xuanxuan Faction they were talking about here.

If that group of tens of thousands of monsters were to visit their Combat Master Hall, would their members lose all faith and confidence?

Looking at the deep frown on Liao Song's face, an expression that looked as if he had eaten two jin 1 of salted vegetables, Zhang Xuan asked worriedly, "What's wrong? Am I putting you on the spot?"

"It's not that..."

Gritting his teeth, Liao Song said, "It's like this. Our Combat Master Hall branch is located in Qingyuan Empire, which is more than a month's journey from here. The reason I was able to arrive quickly is because I was in proximity to Hongyuan City when I received Zhuo Qingfeng's message. The ancient domain will be opening in a month. Why don't we talk about it once more after we survive the expedition?"

Qingyuan Empire was a significant distance away from Hongyuan Empire. Even if one rode on a saint beast, it would still be a journey of many days.

"You're right. Since that's the case, why don't I just show you and your members to them later on so that you can interact with one another? Those fellows really can use some of your men's pointers. Also, this will also be a good opportunity for them to see the true experts in this world so that they don't become complacent!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

The fellows of the Xuanxuan Faction had also listened to his lecture, but they hadn't really internalized his teachings through practical combat yet. If they could spar with the experts of the Combat Master Hall, they would be able to improve by leaps and bounds.

"Pointers? True experts?" Hearing those words, Liao Song's lips twitched, and he nearly blacked out on the spot.

We might be considered experts before others, but to the freaks of the Xuanxuan Faction... Expert your head!

We were completely crushed by the Xuanxuan Faction right after we entered the academy, so what pointers could we possibly offer them?

You must be joking!

"It is an interesting notion, but I think we will pass on it." Liao Song waved his hand and turned it down awkwardly.

"It's just a normal interaction. Or does Combat Master Liao think that the students of our academy are too weak and are unworthy of your guidance?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

He was unaware of the traumatic experience that Combat Master Liao had gone through, and this was a rare opportunity for the Xuanxuan Faction to meet and interact with combat masters too, so he wanted to vie for this opportunity for his students.

Besides, the combat masters specialized in fighting. Shouldn't they be eager to join in, especially since it was a rare chance for them to display their skills?

"That's not it..." Liao Song waved his hands.

"It's settled then! It's just a normal spar to learn from one another; nothing bad will come of it! However, I will have to ask your combat masters to go easy on my students so as to not traumatize them too much," Zhang Xuan said affirmatively with a bright smile on his lips.

"Alright then..." Looking at the sincere and earnest face, Liao Song could tell that the other party wasn't attempting to humiliate him. Left with no choice, he could only nod in agreement with despair reflected in the depths of his eyes.

Well, on the bright side, the interaction could help to raise the fighting prowess of their combat masters too if they could survive the ordeal...

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 976: Arriving at the Xuanxuan Faction

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After confirming the matter with the other party, Zhang Xuan turned to Zhao Bingxu and instructed, "School Head Zhao, make some preparations. We shall construct a flying ship for our academy."

Zhao Bingxu nodded.

The construction of a flying ship was a huge project, but there were tens of thousands of students in the Blacksmith School. With all of them working simultaneously, it wouldn't take too long to finish it. The only reason Hongyuan still didn't have one to date was due to their lack of saint beasts to drive it.

However, having tamed the nine kings of the Cloudmist Ridge, as well as many other Half-Saint and Nascent Saint beasts, they had sufficient beastpower to drive the flying ship.

Since Zhang Xuan intended to take the members of the Xuanxuan Faction to Qingyuan Empire to conduct an exchange with the Combat Master Hall, it was infeasible to fly them over on spirit beasts. Who knew how many trips it would take to fly them there and back? If they could obtain a flying ship, that would make things much easier.

After settling the matter, the crowd chatted for a moment longer.

"Firesource City is around a week's journey away from here. The ancient domain hasn't opened yet, and there is no point in us arriving there too early either. Since that's the case, why don't we make our own preparations within this period of time and meet up at Firesource City when the time comes?" Wu shi proposed.

"That's a good idea!"

Voices of approval sounded among the crowd.

Not only was it pointless for them to arrive at Firesource City earlier, they might also catch the attention of the Otherworldly Demons and prompt them to prepare in advance to deal with them, thus resulting in unneeded trouble.

"Alright then, we will take our leave first."

After saying so, Wu shi and Mu shi left the assembly room.

As the other academies were too far away, Wo Tianqiong and the others decided to remain in Hongyuan for the time being.

After arranging for School Head Mo to take good care of them, Zhang Xuan beckoned for Liao Song, Zhuo Qingfeng, and the other combat masters to gather before bringing them to the Xuanxuan Faction headquarters.

Before even arriving at their destination, they could already see plenty of people cultivating and practicing their battle techniques by the side.

With just a look, rage bubbled within Zhang Xuan, and his face darkened in anger. Unable to take it any longer, he roared furiously, "Stop whatever you are doing and come over! What in the world are you all doing?"

As the leader of the Xuanxuan Faction, he had great expectations for it. This was the reason he had lectured them tirelessly and even brought the combat masters over so that they could train with them.

He had thought that his hard work would bear him some fruits, but when he came over, these fellows... Just what in the world were they practicing?

Their movements were slack and lacking force, and their timing and combat sense were completely lacking. It was as if someone had starved them for days! Were they trying to swat flies?

"What in the world are they doing?"

Hearing the bellow, Liao Song, Zhuo Qingfeng, and the others glanced at one another, their eyebrows leaping up in astonishment.

In their eyes, the battle techniques that this group of students had been practicing were already plenty fearsome.

Why was the other party speaking as if they were making a huge mistake?

Weren't his expectations a little too high?

At this point, Ruohuan gongzi, Song Chao, and the others rushed out to greet Zhang Xuan. "Principal Zhang."

"What happened to what I taught you all before leaving?" Zhang Xuan roared furiously.

What the heck is this?

I put in so much effort into lecturing all of you, but what is it that you all are doing? How disgraceful!

"We are... already practicing very seriously!" The faces of Ruohuan gongzi and the others reddened.

"You call this practicing very seriously?"

With a deeply disappointed look, Zhang Xuan pointed to the few students not too far away and said, "The Autumn Wind Heralding Rain you were practicing previously might look impressive, but it is, in truth, an utter joke! What do you need so many feints for? In the first strike, as long you were to just lower your palm by three inches, you would have already been able to fell your opponent!"

After which, Zhang Xuan pointed to another student and said, "The Emerald Leaf Swordsmanship that you were practicing a moment ago is clearly an offensive move, but you actually practiced it as a defensive move! It would still have been fine if you actually managed to protect yourself well through that move, but as long as your opponent lowers their posture and attacks your lower body, what do you think will happen?

"As for your Chaotic Demon Hammering Art, it might look powerful and grand on the surface, but in truth, you aren't channeling your zhenqi into your strength well. If one were to find the point where your zhenqi intersects, even without making a move, just a sharp gaze in itself can potentially cause your zhenqi to fall into disarray, thus causing you severe injuries from the backlash...

"As for that..."

Zhang Xuan pointed to another eight more students, and every word he spoke left the pointed student lowering his head in shame.

They realized that all of the mistakes pointed out earlier had been covered in Principal Zhang's lecture back then, but they had somehow accidentally neglected it while practicing their battle techniques.

Thus, upon hearing what Principal Zhang said, they could only lower their heads silently in shame.

It was no wonder Zhang Xuan would get so enraged upon seeing them.

He had imparted his knowledge unreservedly, and he had thought that after a few days of hard work, everyone would at least have been able to internalize 60% to 70% of what he had covered back then. However, from the looks of it, they didn't even manage to internalize 20%!

For master teachers, wasn't their intelligence a little too poor?

Of course, one thing that Zhang Xuan had failed to realize was that his breakthroughs and modification of the Saint Ascension Decipher in the Subterranean Gallery had enhanced his eye of discernment, deepening his understanding of combat.

As a result, he was noticing more mistakes in the students' techniques than ever, and naturally, he thought that they hadn't made any improvements at all.

"T-this..." Liao Song and Zhuo Qingfeng's breathing hastened.

Those movements were overwhelmingly powerful and completely flawless in their eyes, and yet, the other party had been able to point out fatal flaws within them so easily. Wasn't his eye of discernment way too powerful?

It was no wonder he was able to defeat a Saint 2-dan combat master easily despite possessing only the cultivation of a Nascent Saint.

Just his eye of discernment in itself was already far beyond what they could compare with.

At this point, one of his subordinates, Zhou Ye, sent a telepathic message to him. "Liao shi, since there are so many flaws in their battle techniques and maneuvers, is it possible for us to exploit them to cleanse ourselves of our previous shame?"

For a Hundred Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall to be defeated by an ordinary student of a Master Teacher Academy so easily, it was natural that he would be frustrated and vexed. Over the days, this feeling only seemed to have deepened.

Upon hearing that there were actually so many flaws in the moves of the Xuanxuan Faction members, his eyes immediately lit up in excitement.

"It is, but... I fear that it won't be as easy as you think to find their flaws." Liao Song shook his head.

As easy as Principal Zhang made it seem, even a person with his eye of discernment couldn't see through the flaws in the maneuvers of those Xuanxuan Faction members, so he didn't believe that his subordinate would be able to do so either.

How could one exploit a flaw they didn't even know of?

"Then... what if we find the weakest of them to challenge? There are thirty thousand of them, so it is impossible for all of them to be powerful!" Zhou Ye exclaimed.

"This..." Liao Song hesitated.

The other party was right. Every person had varying levels of aptitude for combat. Even if they had all listened to the same lecture from Principal Zhang, what they were able to comprehend and learn would inevitably be different from one another.

Just as there were incredibly powerful cultivators among the thirty thousand members of the Xuanxuan Faction, there were bound to be weak ones as well.

Take the few students whom Principal Zhang had berated earlier, this clearly showed that there were still many of them who were lacking in one way or another.

"Enough. What we should be thinking of is not to exploit their weaknesses to defeat them, but to reflect on and improve ourselves through them."

Just after Liao Song had lectured the others, Zhang Xuan began the introduction. "I believe I need not introduce Combat Master Liao, Combat Master Zhuo, and the others. I have invited them here today to offer you some pointers. Make sure to learn diligently later on and don't slack off."

"Yes!" The crowd nodded.

"Combat Master Liao, these are the students I was talking about. I have only lectured them for an afternoon, so their fighting prowess isn't too impressive yet. Just do whatever you can, and it will be best if you can show them how powerful combat masters are so that they could have a goal to pursue!"

After introducing both sides to one another, Zhang Xuan smiled.

"Ah..."

Liao Song was just about to speak when Ruohuan gongzi abruptly walked over and greeted, "Liao shi, we meet once again."

He was feeling a little embarrassed for pummeling the other party without knowing their identity.

"Yes, indeed. We meet again." Liao Song nodded in response.

"Alright, I will leave you all to it. I still have some matters to attend to, so I will be taking my leave first!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

Since there was still a month's time before the ancient domain opened, he was intending to use this period of time to pay a visit to Jingyuan City to find the Poison Hall and resolve Wei Ruyan's condition.

But first, he would have to make sure that everything was in order so that he could leave in peace.

Thus, he had brought these combat masters over in the hope of tempering the members of the Xuanxuan Faction.

If he could give them a glimpse of the strength of the combat masters, they could realize the gap between them and not embarrass them that badly when they went for the exchange later on.

On the other hand, hearing that Zhang Xuan was going to leave, Liao Song heaved a sigh of relief and clasped his fist. "Farewell!"

It would be best if the other party wasn't around. Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing if their combat masters were to be defeated by the other party's students after all that was said!

"Un." Zhang Xuan turned around and flew toward his residence. In the blink of an eye, he had already disappeared from sight.

Turning to the members of the Xuanxuan Faction, Liao Song clasped his fist and smiled. "Pleased to meet you all. While Principal Zhang has asked us to offer pointers to you, what he truly means is for the both of us to learn from one another. We can spar with one another so as to deepen our understanding of battle techniques."

Ruohuan gongzi nodded in agreement.

It wouldn't do to just learn the theories of combat. Only by the accumulation of experience through practical combat would one be able to improve.

Zhou Ye stepped forward. "Leader, I would like to challenge an expert of the Xuanxuan Faction!"

"Brother Zhou!" Ruohuan gongzi recognized the other party, and he greeted him with a smile. "I will help you find an opponent."

While he had managed to defeat Zhou Ye back then, the other party's fighting prowess was still considerable. The members of the Xuanxuan Faction looked formidable on the surface, but just as what Zhou Ye thought, there was a significant gap in the fighting prowess among them. Not every single one of them was a match for the combat masters.

"There is no need to go through that much trouble." Zhou Ye interrupted Ruohuan gongzi and asked with a smile, "Is it possible for me to select my own opponent?"

If he wished to cleanse himself of his shame, he would have to select a weak opponent. Otherwise, if Ruohuan gongzi were to pick an opponent for him, he would only be defeated once more.

"You wish to select an opponent yourself?" Ruohuan gongzi frowned. He could see through the other party's intention clearly, but after a moment of hesitation, he still nodded in agreement. "Feel free!"

The purpose of this sparring session was to enhance their fighting prowess, not to vie for honor. Losing here was not a big deal.

"Thank you." Hearing the other party agree to his request, Zhou Ye heaved a sigh of relief.

He began scanning the crowd to find an opponent.

The Xuanxuan Faction had more members than what one could see with a single glimpse. It wasn't very easy to determine the strength of an individual among the crowd from outside.

A moment later, Zhou Ye's eyes lit up as he pointed toward a certain figure. "I choose that person!"

"You choose her?" Turning to look at the person whom Zhou Ye had pointed at, Ruohuan gongzi's lips twitched. "Are you certain?"

"I am!" Zhou Ye nodded.

He had met a few of the male students of the Xuanxuan Faction, and he hadn't been a match for them. Thus, he decided to challenge a lady this time around.

The lady he had chosen looked like she was in her early twenties, and she was extremely beautiful as well. At first sight, his heart was already moved.

If he could defeat the other party and display tremendous strength in the process, perhaps he might be able to win the other party's favor and capture her heart.

More importantly, the other party's cultivation was equal to his, Chrysalis realm. This way, he wouldn't have to suppress his cultivation, allowing him to exert the full extent of his might.

"If you are really certain, alright then..." Seeing Zhou Ye insisting on it, Ruohuan gongzi could only shake his head.

He walked toward the young lady and explained the situation. The latter frowned for a moment before giving a nod of agreement and then walking to the nearby dueling ring.

Leaping onto the dueling ring as well, Zhou Ye bowed gentlemanly and asked with a smile, "I am Zhou Ye. May I know how to address you?"

"I am..." The young lady looked at Zhou Ye and spoke with a nonchalant voice.

"Yu Fei-er!"

Chapter 977: Combat Masters

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The young lady whom Zhou Ye had chosen was none other than Yu Fei-er.

She had been with Zhang Xuan for two months while he was undergoing the Empire Building test, cultivating diligently under the other party's guidance. To date, her cultivation had already reached Chrysalis realm pinnacle, and her fighting prowess was even more fearsome. The reason she had gone to the Xuanxuan Faction was to have a chat with Zhang Xuan, but who knew that the latter would just turn around and leave? She was already frustrated by this matter, so when she heard that someone was foolish enough to actually challenge her to a duel, she agreed to it.

Having been brought up in a doting environment, Yu Fei-er tended to allow her emotions to dictate her actions. No matter who he was, as long as the other party had provoked her, she would pummel him unhesitatingly!

She wasn't an official member of the Xuanxuan Faction, but given her close relationship with Zhang Xuan, there was no one in the Xuanxuan Faction who considered her an outsider.

"Yu Fei-er? What a beautiful name!" Zhou Ye remarked with a fine smile.

"Let's begin!" Yu Fei-er couldn't be bothered to waste her breath with the other party, so she raised her hand coldly and beckoned for the other party to begin.

"Sure, let's begin!" Zhou Ye nodded excitedly. With a confident glint in his eyes, he said, "Since we are only sparring, I think there is no need to use weapons. It will be bad if we accidentally injure one another. Don't worry, I will try my best not to injure you..."

To be able to reach Chrysalis realm at such a young age, the other party was indubitably a talented individual. However, he, Zhou Ye, was not an easy opponent either!

So what if she was from the Xuanxuan Faction as well?

He might not be a match for Zheng Yang, Wei Ruyan, and the others, but he didn't believe that he would lose twice to opponents who had only sat through an afternoon lecture from Principal Zhang.

Hu!

With such thoughts in mind, Zhou Ye stepped forcefully against the ground and began charging toward the young lady.

Driving his zhenqi furiously to gather his full strength, a loud rumbling reminiscent of thunder boomed from his palm.

Upon seeing that sight, Liao Song nodded in approval. "Sevenstar Thunder Palm! Zhou Ye sure isn't going easy on the other party at all."

Perhaps due to the loss he had suffered the previous time around, he didn't go easy on his opponent just because she was a lady. Instead, he was proceeding more careful than ever. In the very first move, he had already executed his strongest attack.

The Sevenstar Thunder Palm made use of seven acupoints on one's palm in order to construct the Sevenstar Formation to harness one's zhenqi with the might of thunder. It was a Spirit pinnacle battle technique, and even Half-Saint cultivators would have to flee before this technique, needless to say, a delicate young lady like the other party.

On the other hand, the unbelievably beautiful young lady remained completely motionless on the spot, seemingly scared out of her wits by the incredible momentum of Zhou Ye's attack.

Frowning, Zhou Ye exclaimed in alarm, "Be careful..."

But before he could finish his words, the young lady before him suddenly flicked the delicate sleeves of her robe.

"What is she doing..."

Just as Zhou Ye was perplexed as to why the other party would abruptly flick her sleeves in the middle of the battle, his entire body suddenly jolted. An unbelievable force reminiscent of a devastating hurricane was rushing right toward him.

Hu la!

Before he could fully exert the might of the Sevenstar Thunder Palm, it was extinguished like a candle flame amid a storm. Following which, he felt a dull pain in his chest, and with a cry of agony, he was knocked out of the dueling ring.

Putong!

He collapsed on the ground.

"This..." Liao Song and Zhuo Qingfeng glanced at one another, and their bodies stiffened in astonishment.

How could that young lady possess such fearsome strength?

They had once crossed hands with the members of the Xuanxuan Faction on a previous occasion, and the opponents they had faced did possess combat sense far greater than theirs. But in terms of strength, their combat masters had still held the upper hand.

Yet, the sheer might from a casual flick of the young lady's sleeves had actually sent Zhou Ye flying... Just how powerful was she?

This was way too exaggerated!

After knocking Zhou Ye out, Yu Fei-er turned to Liao Song and the others and said, "Suppress your cultivation down to my level and come at me all at once!"

She was already unhappy at having been deprived the opportunity of speaking to Zhang Xuan, and these fellows had actually provoked her at such a sensitive moment. They were simply courting death!

Who of Hongyuan Empire didn't know that she, Yu Fei-er, had an explosive temper? She was never one to hold herself back. A bunch of puny combat masters actually dared to provoke her while she was in a bad mood. If she didn't knock the teeth out of their mouths, her surname wouldn't be Yu!

"What an arrogant woman. Allow me to teach her a lesson!" Hearing Yu Fei-er's words, a Chrysalis realm combat master couldn't stand it any longer and leaped onto the dueling ring.

However, before he could even land on the ground, a figure abruptly materialized before his eyes, and in the next instant, a palm struck his chest.

Peng!

Before he could even get onto the dueling ring, he had already been pounded into the ground, coughing huge spurts of blood.

She had been listening to Zhang Xuan's lessons every single day in the two months she had accompanied him. The result of that was a tremendous surge in her cultivation, as well as a frightening growth in her fighting prowess.

"Damn you!" Seeing how their companion had been knocked down before he could even get on the dueling ring, the other combat masters were enraged.

Roaring furiously, they suppressed their cultivation to Chrysalis realm pinnacle and charged forward.

"Why don't you try speaking with your fists instead of your mouth?" Paying no heed to the furious roaring of the combat masters, Yu Fei-er leaped forward and dashed into the midst of the combat masters.

Pili pala!

Ten minutes later, other than Liao Song and Zhuo Qingfeng, the remaining combat masters were lying on the ground with looks of despair in their eyes.

Many of them possessed strength beyond Chrysalis realm, but with their cultivation suppressed to Chrysalis realm pinnacle, they found themselves being severely outmatched by the young lady. In fact... they couldn't even withstand a single blow from the other party!

The young lady was indeed beautiful, but she felt like a rampaging dinosaur shaped in the form of a human. The overwhelming strength that she wielded was far beyond their means!

Staring at his fallen subordinates, Liao Song clenched his fists tightly. "You aren't an ordinary member of the Xuanxuan Faction, are you?"

He had met the ordinary members of the Xuanxuan Faction, and while they weren't weak either, they were nowhere as fearsome as the rampaging young lady before his eyes. Even compared to Zheng Yang and the others, she didn't pale far in comparison.

There was no way a single lecture or two from Principal Zhang could make her that powerful!

With such thoughts in mind, Liao Song asked, "If I am not mistaken, you... are Principal Zhang's student, aren't you? Otherwise, there is no way you can be that powerful..."

"You are the one who is Principal Zhang's student, your entire family is Principal Zhang's students!" Triggered, Yu Fei-er bellowed furiously as she charged straight toward Liao Song.

At this moment, the words that she dreaded to hear the most were that she was Zhang Xuan's student. If such a relationship between the both of them were to be affirmed, she would have to sever all of those thoughts of hers.

Yet, that fellow just had to pick right at her wounds. Unforgivable!

"You..." Not expecting the other party to fly into such a rage at a casual question from him, Liao Song nearly keeled over. He hurriedly dodged the attack and began suppressing his cultivation down to the other party's level. Shortly after he did so, he saw the young lady's palm raining down on him frenziedly.

"Liao shi..." Upon seeing this sight, Zhuo Qingfeng couldn't help but turn his gaze away.

No doubt about it, his old friend was in for a round of suffering.

And as expected, five minutes later...

Liao Song's entire body was swollen red, and his face was ghastly paled.

Even after suppressing his cultivation to Chrysalis realm, his fighting prowess was still on par with that young lady's. But... it was as if that young lady had completely lost her rationality! Without any care or concern, she threw out blow after blow in quick succession. Even with his strength, it didn't take long for him to succumb.

It was fortunate that he had managed to protect his face right to the very end. Otherwise, he would have no face to face the others for many days to come.

"Humph!" After venting her frustration, Yu Fei-er tilted her face upwards and harrumphed before turning around to leave.

Right after she left, Hu Yaoyao walked into the headquarters with an expectant look. "Is Principal Zhang around?"

"Principal Zhang isn't around, but the members of the Combat Master Hall are. Does Senior Hu want to try fighting them?" Ruohuan gongzi replied respectfully.

"There are combat masters here? Sure..."

A ravishing smile blossomed on Hu Yaoyao's lips.

...

With the combat masters tempering the fighting capabilities of the members of the Xuanxuan Faction, Zhang Xuan could finally put his mind to ease. He returned to the manor to take a look at Wei Ruyan. After confirming that he had managed to suppress the poison aura within her body for the time being, he heaved a sigh of relief.

After which, he had Sun Qiang gather Wang Ying and the others.

"Teacher..."

Wang Ying and the others greeted upon seeing Zhang Xuan.

"I am going to take Wei Ruyan to Jingyuan City to uncover the whereabouts of the Poison Hall. Here are several manuals containing the cultivation techniques and comprehension of battle techniques I have compiled. Read through them quickly and voice whatever doubts you have regarding them now!"

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a few books and passed them over.

On the way back from the academy, he had quickly penned down his newfound comprehension of the Saint Ascension Decipher and several new insights regarding battle techniques.

He had no idea how long he would be gone for, so he decided to leave these items for them so that his departure wouldn't impede their cultivation.

"Yes!" Wang Ying and the others nodded before hurriedly taking the books.

The knowledge contained in the books was very profound, but having learned the Saint Ascension Decipher, it didn't take too long for them to comprehend it. Within less than six hours, they had already gained a deep understanding of the material.

Zhang Xuan also explained the parts that they were uncertain about in detail.

By the time they were done, it was already late at night.

"Alright. Wang Ying and Liu Yang, you will be challenging the Dragon Gate Formation tomorrow, so make sure to internalize what I have taught you today," Zhang Xuan instructed.

One of the reasons he was in such a rush to teach them was to prepare Wang Ying and Liu Yang for the Dragon Gate Formation.

He had never seen it before, but after hearing Zheng Yang's account on clearing the trial, he could tell that it wouldn't be easy.

Wang Ying and Liu Yang had become his students rather early on, and they were diligent in their studies as well, but with their current strength, it would be difficult for them to clear such a difficult trial within two hours without resorting to special means like Zheng Yang.

However, if they could further their cultivation of the Saint Ascension Decipher and deepen their comprehension of combat, they could stand a pretty good chance.

"Yes!" Wang Ying and Liu Yang nodded before turning their attention back to internalizing the knowledge they had just learnt.

Some time later, they finally managed to fully digest the new knowledge that their teacher had imparted to them, and their fighting prowess rose significantly.

Getting to their feet, Wang Ying and Liu Yang turned to their teacher and declared confidently, "Teacher, we will surely clear the Dragon Gate Formation!"

They hadn't been too confident about clearing the trial previously, but after digesting everything their teacher had just taught, they felt that they were ready to face it.

Furthermore, they had also shared the battle techniques they had just learned with one another, thus granting them more cards to play against the combat masters. In their current state, they were confident of victory.

"Good!" Zhang Xuan nodded in approval. Taking a look out of the window, he saw that the sun had already risen; it was daybreak.

"Alright, let's head to the academy now."

Together with his two students, Zhang Xuan headed to the Master Teacher Academy, but barely after stepping through the entrance, School Head Mo suddenly rushed up to him with an anxious look on his face.

"Principal Zhang! I just went to the combat masters' accommodation and... they are all gone! They have left without bidding farewell, leaving just a letter behind."

"They have left?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Weren't they going to assess Wang Ying and Liu Yang? Why would they suddenly leave overnight without bidding farewell?

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan took the letter from School Head Mo's hands and quickly scanned it.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 978: Jingyuan City

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

There were only two lines of words on it, and the message was simple.

It said that they still had something to do at the Combat Master Hall, so they had to take their leave in advance. They would meet them later on when the ancient domain opened. As for the reason for their departure, they hadn't said a word about that.

After reading the message, Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

Weren't they still doing fine yesterday, agreeing to a sparring session with the Xuanxuan Faction and saying that they would work together to improve collectively? Why would they suddenly leave in the blink of an eye?

Why were the elders and master teachers whom he came into contact with always so unreliable?

Despite having lived in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy for some time, they actually left without bidding farewell at all, as if there was some kind of monster chasing them behind their backs. This was really far too disrespectful of them.

How did such a lawful and courteous person like him end up being surrounded by such a bunch of undependable acquaintances? Ah, how distressing...

"Did anything happen in the Combat Master Hall?" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan turned to School Head Mo and asked.

"That doesn't seem likely. I asked them about it through our shared mode of communication, and they said that they just had some private matters to attend to. As for what the private matter was, they weren't willing to speak of it no matter how I asked them about it... Oh, right! Principal Zhang, when I returned yesterday night, I noticed that all of them were injured. Could it be related to that?" School Head Mo pondered for a moment before replying.

Earlier, while returning to his residence after finally having finished the matters at hand, he had happened to see Combat Master Liao and the others returning to their accommodations with bruised faces and swollen cheeks. In order to avoid potential awkwardness, he had chosen not to ask about it. But thinking about it now, there was a very high chance that the two matters were related.

"Injured?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head in bewilderment.

Hadn't they gone to offer pointers to the members of the Xuanxuan Faction? How did they end up getting injured instead?

"Forget it, there's no point thinking too much about the matter. We will know the truth when we ask them a month later."

Since the combat masters had already left, there was no point thinking about it. Besides, he didn't have the time and effort to deal with it either.

After asking a few more questions and discussing the academy's administrative issues with School Head Mo, he returned back to the manor and reminded Wang Ying and the others to work hard on their cultivation. When all this was finally done, he carefully placed Wei Ruyan into the Myriad Anthive Nest, got onto the back of the Byzantium Helios Beast, and began heading for Jingyuan City.

The journey in search of the Poison Hall was going to be incomparably dangerous, so he chose not to bring his other direct disciples along, and he didn't intend to tell anyone else about his whereabouts either. In any case, it would be much more convenient for him to move alone than in a group too.

Jingyuan City was located at the extreme northeast of Hongyuan Empire, located in proximity to Hongyuan Empire's largest inland sea. As compared to Hongyuan City and Firesource City, it was relatively poorer and shabbier due to its remote location and cold climate all year round.

As merchants rarely visited Jingyuan City, there weren't too many people who knew of the situation there. The information that the Master Teacher Academy had on it was also rather lacking.

All that was known about it was that it was a small borderside city with frigid weather all year round. Considering the Poison Hall's nature of building its branches in remote locations, there was indeed a good chance that the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was located here.

Of course, it was still too early to say for sure.

While the old principal had put a lot of work into acquiring that intelligence, there was no guarantee that it would be definitely true.

This was why Zhang Xuan had chosen to make haste. A month might have seemed like a long time, but given the secrecy shrouding the Poison Hall, it might not necessarily be sufficient.

...

"My fame has grown considerably after becoming the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. If I were to suddenly appear in Jingyuan City in my own identity, I could risk alarming the Poison Hall..."

Seated on the back of the Byzantium Helios Beast as he advanced towards the small city marked on the map, Zhang Xuan lowered his head contemplatively.

He was no longer the nobody he was back then. He was currently the esteemed principal of one of the Four Great Master Teacher Academies of Qingyuan Conferred Empire, and his standing was on par with a 7-star master teacher.

The Poison Hall had always been in a tense relationship with the Master Teacher Pavilion. If he were to recklessly barge into Jingyuan City and investigate the whereabouts of the Poison Hall, he could very well face grave danger when his identity was exposed.

Thus, there was a need for him to don a disguise.

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan began to warp his muscles and bones. His facial features began to change from those of a twenty-year-old young man to a forty-year-old middle-aged man's, and his physique also grew much bigger than before.

At the same time, driving his Heaven's Path zhenqi, the aura shrouding him also began to change. It became a little violent and ferocious, unlike the restrained and low profile disposition he usually commanded.

In his current state, if he didn't explicitly state that he was Zhang Xuan, not even Wang Ying or his other direct disciples would be able to recognize him.

The Heaven's Path zhenqi allowed him to conceal his aura, and the Heaven's Path Golden Body allowed him to alter his appearance freely. Considering that he was able to pass off as even an Otherworldly Demon with those two means, how difficult could it be for him to disguise as another human?

The Byzantium Helios Beast flew ahead at full speed, and ten days later, a city covered in snow appeared over the horizon.

Looking at it from afar, it was significantly smaller than Hongyuan City. Nonetheless, as compared to Huanyu City and the Myriad Kingdom City, it was still of a sizeable scale.

Many dull gray buildings were erected amidst a field of clear white snow, and they stretched all the way into the faraway distance. From above, the city resembled a tranquil ink painting.

"It is already nearing the middle of summer, but this land is still covered in snow..." Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be awed by the work of nature.

It was now the season when Hongyuan Empire would normally be covered by a lush layer of greenery. Yet, the city before him was freezing cold, leaving him feeling as if he had stepped into a different world.

"You should get into the Anthive Nest first."

Landing in a remote forest, Zhang Xuan had the Byzantium Helios Beast enter the Myriad Anthive Nest before making his way through the field of snow towards the city.

The Byzantium Helios Beast rarely appeared in public view, but it was still best for him to remain hidden just to be safe.

After paying the entrance fee of ten low-tier spirit stones, Zhang Xuan entered the city.

Walking through the streets, Zhang Xuan thought, It won't do for me to search blindly through the city. I must find a guide to bring me around!

The clues he had received thus far had pointed to Jingyuan City to be the most likely location where the Poison Hall was located, but there was no way he would be able to find its exact whereabouts easily.

Back then, to enter the Red Lotus Ridge Poison Hall, he had to depend on the local Great Herb King to lead the way. Otherwise, there was a good chance he wouldn't have been able to find it even if he were to spend his entire life searching for it.

This was also the main reason why the Poison Hall was able to preserve its lineage for so long despite its betrayal back then.

After taking a look around the city, Zhang Xuan suddenly noticed a bustling tavern not too far away.

"Severing Sorrows Pavilion... Severing one's sorrows through joy and wine, a fine name indeed!" Chuckling softly, he made his way towards it.

A tavern was usually the place of gathering for those from all walks of life, making it an ideal location to scout out intelligence. Besides, after flying for more than ten days, Zhang Xuan's mouth was already craving a bite of good food. It would be a good opportunity for him to let loose for a bit and try out the local delicacies.

"Guest, this way please..." An attendant welcomed Zhang Xuan with a fawning smile.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded as he casually tossed a middle-tier spirit stone over. "Give me the quietest seat inside."

"Sure thing!" The attendant's eyes lit up as he hurriedly led the way, "I will bring you to your seat!"

A middle-tier spirit stone was no longer of much value to Zhang Xuan, but to weaker cultivators or ordinary citizens at the lower end of the social stratum, it was a huge fortune.

After settling down in his seat, Zhang Xuan casually ordered several of the local specialties before gesturing for the attendant to come closer.

"This is my first time in Jingyuan City. If I need to gather some information, who would be the best person for me go to?"

There was no way a humble attendant of a tavern could possibly have any substantial news about the Poison Hall, so Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered to ask directly about it. Thus, he decided to ask for a reliable news source instead.

The sale of information was always a lucrative trade regardless of location. It wasn't rare for cultivators to offer astronomical prices in exchange for vital information, so information brokers could always be found in most cities.

"If you wish to gather information, the best place to go is, without doubt, the [Inkcloud Quarter]! They command the most extensive intelligence network in Jingyuan City, and the information they provide is also the most accurate of all..." the attendant said with a hushed voice.

"Inkcloud Quarter?"

"Un. It's the biggest marketplace of our Jingyuan City. Not only do they sell artifacts, pills, and other common commodities, but they also deal in information as well! Even intelligence on the Hongyuan royal family isn't beyond reach there! Just a while ago, someone had specially purchased intelligence on Princess Yu Fei-er, planning to head to the capital to propose to her..."

Due to the generous tip Zhang Xuan had offered him earlier, the attendant was extremely friendly.

"Propose?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Given Yu Fei-er's explosive temper, anyone who dared to propose to her would probably be pummeled to death on the spot.

However, the fact that the Inkcloud Quarter had intelligence on Princess Yu Fei-er despite their long distance from the capital was a testimony to the capability of the Inkcloud Quarter.

Zhang Xuan proceeded to ask about its location, and after learning that it wasn't too far away, he dismissed the attendant.

Despite how remote Jingyuan City was, the food was excellent, and Zhang Xuan devoured it delightfully. After he finished, he got up and left for Inkcloud Quarter.

Inkcloud Quarter was a massive market dealing in almost everything that one could think of it, be it paintings, ores, formation plates, or anything of the sort.

There were several guards standing imposingly at the entrance, each of them exuding a powerful aura that deterred any potential troublemakers. They were all Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm experts.

Such strength would definitely place them amongst the ranks of the top experts of Huanyu Empire, and yet, they were serving as mere guards here. It seemed like there was indeed something extraordinary about Inkcloud Quarter.

Walking in, Zhang Xuan found himself surrounded by vendors and huge crowds walking to and fro. It was extremely lively.

Intelligence regarding the Poison Hall was definitely classified, so it was impossible for the ordinary vendors around him to be selling such vital information. Thus, Zhang Xuan walked straight up to the front desk, and with a cold face, he commanded, "Get your manager here. I have something to ask him!"

As he said those words, he lifted his forefinger. A surge of incomparably sharp sword qi that sent shivers down one's spine flickered on the tip of his finger, revealing his Nascent Saint pinnacle cultivation.

"Y-yes!"

Seeing that the man before him was far beyond his means to deal with, the front desk receptionist hurriedly got up and left. Not too long later, he returned with a middle-aged man.

"Esteemed guest, I am the manager of Inkcloud Quarter, Zhu Xiao. May I know what request you have of us?"

The middle-aged man was a Half-Saint cultivator. While he was surprised by Zhang Xuan's powerful aura, he was still able to retain his composure as he maintained an attitude that was neither humble nor arrogant before him.

"Arrange a quiet chamber for me. I have something important to talk about!" Zhang Xuan glanced at Zhu Xiao nonchalantly and said.

"This way, please!" Without any hesitation, Zhu Xiao stepped forward and led the way.

They quickly arrived at a private room. Zhang Xuan took a look around the area before nodding in approval.

He really had to say that he was impressed by the extent to which the Inkcloud Quarter had gone in order to maintain the confidentiality of their dealings. There were all kinds of formations set up around the room, such that even if a battle were to occur within, those outside still wouldn't notice a thing. Its security was indubitably top-notch.

"Are you satisfied with this room?" Zhu Xiao asked with a smile.

"Not too bad." Zhang Xuan nodded. After which, he turned a sharp gaze towards Zhu Xiao and spoke, "I want intelligence on the Poison Hall. Offer a price!"

"Poison Hall?" Zhu Xiao frowned. He shook his head and said, "I'm afraid that I will have to disappoint you. We don't have any news on the Poison Hall here, so I will have to ask you to ask something else."

"You don't have any news on the Poison Hall?"

At this point, Zhang Xuan abruptly burst into a hearty laughter. Flicking his wrist, he took out a pile consisting of more than a hundred high-tier spirit stones and asked, "Is this enough?"

Upon seeing the huge pile of high-tier spirit stones, Zhu Xiao's eyebrows visibly shot up in astonishment despite his attempt to retain his composure. Eventually, he clenched his jaws and replied, "My apologies, but this isn't a problem of money. Our Inkcloud Quarter truly doesn't have any news on the Poison Hall!"

Paying no heed to the other party's words, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out another gleaming pile of five hundred high-tier spirit stones. In an instant, the spiritual energy in the air grew considerably more concentrated.

"Is this enough?"

"T-this..."

Zhu Xiao's face paled. "This matter is already beyond my jurisdiction. I have to report it to my boss..."

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 979: Poisoning

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

He was only the manager of the Inkcloud Quarter. A trade which involved a humongous sum of several hundred high-tier spirit stones, there was no way he was qualified to make a judgement on this matter.

"Go ahead!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

If it was that easy to uncover news on the Poison Hall, there was no way the old principal would have been unable to find it back then.

Knowing that it would be a difficult fight, Zhang Xuan decided to throw out huge amounts of money out right from the start so as to force the other party to negotiate with him.

Even if the other party really didn't have any concrete news on the Poison Hall, the Inkcloud Quarter, given its long establishment in Jingyuan City, should still have some clues regarding the matter.

Had it been someone else, there would be no way they could tell whether the clues were true or not, thus making it potentially a futile attempt. However, it was different for Zhang Xuan. He could easily ascertain the authenticity of those clues and dig out the whereabouts of the Poison Hall with certainty, even if it was located beneath the ground.

"Yes!" Zhu Xiao quickly rushed out of the room, headed for a vast room that stood at the heart of the Inkcloud Quarter.

"Boss!" Stepping into the vast room, Zhu Xiao immediately clasped his fist and greeted the middle-aged man before him.

The boss of Inkcloud Quarter, Hu Yunsheng. A Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert!

"What's wrong?" Hu Yunsheng was in the midst of flipping through some documents when Zhu Xiao abruptly entered. Lifting his gaze, he asked calmly.

"Boss, I just met with a guest earlier, and the other party requested to purchase... information regarding the Poison Hall!" Zhu Xiao reported.

"Information regarding the Poison Hall?" Hu Yunsheng frowned. "Just do the usual, tell him that we have no such news and drive him away!"

"I told him that that we don't have any news on the Poison Hall, but the other party immediately took out more than five hundred high-tier spirit stones and insisted on purchasing it! As such, I came over here to report the matter to you!" Zhu Xiao swiftly went through the details of the matter.

"Five hundred high-tier spirit stones?" Hu Yunsheng narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

The fact that even the esteemed school heads of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, be it School Head Mo or School Head Zhao, could only afford to take out a few dozen high-tier spirit stones at any point in time went to show just how huge a fortune it actually was.

Five hundred high-tier spirit stones... Even the annual profits of the entire Inkcloud Quarter didn't amount to that!

"That's right!" Zhu Xiao nodded.

"What kind of person is he?" Hu Yunsheng asked with a deep frown.

Pondering for a moment, Zhu Xiao replied, "He seems to be in his forties. He is slightly stronger than me, possessing a cultivation of Nascent Saint pinnacle. As for his background, I am not too sure about that either..."

"A Nascent Saint pinnacle cultivator was actually able to take out five hundred spirit stones at once?" Hu Yunsheng could hardly believe what he was hearing.

Even he didn't have five hundred high-tier spirit stones in his possession at the moment, so how could a Nascent Saint pinnacle cultivator possess such wealth?

Could it be that the other party had originated from some powerful organization or affluent clan?

"Bring me over to take a look!" Hu Yunsheng stood up and said.

"Yes... But boss, we really don't have much news regarding the Poison Hall at hand. If he were to insist on it, what should we do?" Zhu Xiao asked.

Even within Jingyuan City, the Poison Hall was an existence shrouded in secrecy. As extensive as the intelligence network of Inkcloud Quarter was, they were still unable to uncover anything much about the Poison Hall, let more its whereabouts.

"I will decide depending on the circumstances later on. If he has a powerful backing, I can consider handing over the information we have gathered on the Poison Hall thus far. However, if he is just an ordinary nouveau riche 1 ... there is no way our Inkcloud Quarter is going to let a fat lamb who has wandered into our midst escape!" A cold glint flashed across Hu Yunsheng's eyes.

Inkcloud Quarter wasn't just an ordinary business, it was the dominating power of Jingyuan City's underworld as well. If the other party had a powerful backing behind him, he might still have to think twice before acting. Otherwise, for an ordinary Nascent Saint cultivator to hold so much wealth in his possession... he would really be letting himself down if he were to allow this juicy piece of meat to flee from his mouth!

"This... But if he has so many high-tier spirit stones on him, even if he was a noveau riche, he would have surely recruited experts to protect him..." Zhu Xiao was still worried.

Only with power would one be able to protect one's own wealth, this was common sense to all cultivators.

For the other party to publicly flaunt his wealth without the slightest hint of fear, even if he didn't have any powerful clan or organization backing him, it was almost certain that he must have prepared a hand in case such a situation arose. In other words, if they were to lay their hands on the other party, it could possibly bring trouble upon Inkcloud Quarter.

"Hehe, wasn't he looking into news concerning the Poison Hall? Surely it shouldn't be too surprising for him to be killed by the Poison Hall, right? As long as we were to conceal it well, we will be able to get away with it easily!" Hu Yunsheng sneered coldly.

"This..." Zhu Xiao hesitated for a moment before nodding.

That was indeed true.

The Poison Hall was intent on concealing its whereabouts, so anyone who was seeking them could very well pose a threat to them... As long as they were to carry it out well, there would be no one who would suspect Inkcloud Quarter to be the culprit.

"Alright, prepare the gourd of fine wine in our storage for our guest. Later on, pay careful attention and act on my command!" Hu Yunsheng waved his hand and said.

"Yes!" Zhu Xiao nodded before quickly rushing off.

He returned a moment later, and the both of them made their way for the chamber which Zhang Xuan was currently seated at.

"I heard that you are intending to purchase information regarding the Poison Hall?" Upon arriving in the room, Hu Yunsheng took a seat and began assessing the middle-aged man before his eyes carefully.

The other party commanded a powerful aura, he was indeed a Nascent Saint pinnacle cultivator. However, his appearance was unfamiliar, probably not a local to Jingyuan City.

There were only that many Nascent Saint cultivators in Jingyuan City and the surrounding cities. Inkcloud Quarter had a detailed profile on every single Nascent Saint expert in the vicinity, and there was none that matched the characteristics of the middle-aged man before him.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan replied impassively.

Hu Yunsheng lowered his head contemplatively for a moment before raising his gaze to say, "The Poison Hall is not only shrouded in secrecy, they are also known for being vindictive. If they were to find out that we have leaked their news, we might very well suffer their vengeance... May I know how I can address you, and what your motive for seeking the Poison Hall is? Pardon me for being a little wary over here, but we will have to take that into consideration before coming to a decision."

"I am Sun Qiang." Zhang Xuan replied.

As the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, his real name was extremely well-known throughout Hongyuan Empire, so it would be unsafe for him to use it even when disguised. On the other hand, his butler, Sun Qiang, wasn't too well-known in comparison. Even if the other party was aware of Sun Qiang's existence, the other party would just think that it was a coincidence.

"Sun Qiang? Are you... from Qingyuan City's Sun Clan?" Hu Yunsheng pondered for a moment before asking.

"That's not it." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Then... the descendant of the leader of Lofty Tiger Sect?" Hu Yunsheng continued.

Zhang Xuan shook his head once more.

"Then..."

Hu Yunsheng consecutively asked about more than a dozen famous individuals and clans in Hongyuan Empire going by the surname of Sun, but Zhang Xuan shook his head at all of them.

"Ask no more, I am just a normal, wandering cultivator. I have no particular background that is worthy of note. The reason why I am looking into the Poison Hall is due to some private matters that I have to settle. Don't worry, I won't implicate anyone in this matter, and I won't tell anyone that I have obtained my information from your Inkcloud Quarter!" Seeing that the other party was determined to dig up his background, Zhang Xuan waved his hand impatiently and said.

"A normal, wandering cultivator?" Hu Yunsheng chuckled softly. "I see. Since Brother Sun has already said so, I won't waste your time any further. I have a few pieces of information regarding the Poison Hall, but they aren't too detailed... Zhu Xiao, bring them over for Brother Sun!"

"Yes!" Zhu Xiao nodded and got to his feet.

Before he could walk out of the room, Hu Yunsheng suddenly issued another instruction. "Before you gather the documents, bring some fine wine and delicacies here first!"

After which, Hu Yunsheng turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Brother Sun, it will take some time to compile the information, so I will have to ask you to be patient. Meanwhile, allow me to interest you in some food and drink!"

Not too long later, Zhu Xiao returned with a few plates of side dishes and a gourd of wine before leaving once more.

"Brother Sun, please!" Chuckling softly, Hu Yunsheng poured a cup of wine and handed it over to Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan took the cup of wine and asked with an earnest smile, "May I know how I should address you?"

"Ah, how could I have forgotten to introduce myself... My surname is Hu!" Hu Yunsheng said.

"Hu? I happen to have a friend who goes by the surname of Hu as well, and she is as wily as a fox, making her a really difficult person to deal with. How good it will be if she could be as honest as Brother Hu..." Zhang Xuan spoke meaningfully.

"Hahaha, the foundation of business lies in trust. How can I possibly run a business without being honest?" Without the slightest bit of embarrassment, Hu Yunsheng said.

"Well said! If only there are more honest merchants like you out there in the world, the world will be a better place! Cheers!"

Zhang Xuan lifted his cup and gulped the wine down.

"Cheers!" Hu Yunsheng chuckled softly as he brought the wine cup to his lips before placing it down once more.

Seeing that Hu Yunsheng had only taken a sip, Zhang Xuan eyebrows shot up, " Brother Hu, aren't you looking down on me 2 ?"

"Of course not! I just have a lot of things to attend to, and alcohol doesn't go well with me. So..." Hu Yunsheng's lips twitched for an instant before he hurriedly explained.

"What do you mean by alcohol doesn't go well with you? As a businessman, you should be more decisive when you drink! Come, let me help you!" Grabbing Hu Yunsheng's shoulder with his right hand and the wine cup with his left, Zhang Xuan chuckled as he lifted the cup up to the other party's mouth.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was actually going to force feed him, Hu Yunsheng's face darkened in displeasure. "There is no need to trouble Brother Sun for this. I can do it myself..."

"It is no trouble at all. We are brothers, there is no need to stand on ceremony..." Zhang Xuan said as his lips curled up into a bright smile.

"I.." Seeing that the other party was intent on forcing that cup of wine into his mouth, Hu Yunsheng immediately drove his zhenqi to struggle himself free from the other party's grip and knock the wine cup away. To his horror, he realized that he was unable to move at all, as if someone had bound him tightly.

The other party's zhenqi felt like unbreakable shackles on his body, rendering him completely immobile.

"This..." Hu Yunsheng's eyes narrowed in alarm as cold sweat trickled down his back.

He had let his guard down, thinking that the other party was just a Nascent Saint cultivator. But upon feeling the astounding strength the other party was exerting, he immediately realized... How could a fellow possessing such strength possibly be a Nascent Saint? Even with his Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivation, he would only be utterly crushed in a fight!

The other party had been feigning weakness all along to lure him in!

Just where in the world did this fellow come from?

To make things worse, the other party seemed to have noticed that something was wrong with his wine and was force feeding it to him...

"Come, drink! There is no need to get courteous with me here!" In the midst of his shock, the wine cup was already right before his mouth. Without any time to react, the wine was already poured down his throat.

"Cough cough cough!" Choked by the wine, Hu Yunsheng coughed so violently that tears began streaming down his face.

It took a while before he could recover from it, but in the next moment, he saw the other party grabbing the entire wine gourd, and before he could say a word, the other party stuffed it into his mouth.

Gudong, gudong, gudong!

Wine flowed relentlessly down his throat, nearly taking his final breath away with it.

That was wine laced with lethal poison! Even if he had the antidote, his body would still suffer tremendous damage from drinking so much at once! Who could have known that in his attempt to hunt down a prey, he would be done in by his prey instead?

Gugugugu!

In just a few moments, with his mouth pried open by the other party's fingers, the entire gourd of wine gushed into his body.

After forcing the wine down his throat, the other party finally released his grip and looked at him with a radiant smile, "How was the wine? Good?"

"You..." Hu Yunsheng pointed a finger at Zhang Xuan with a face reddened with rage when a bout of sharp pain suddenly struck him. He hurriedly took out a pill and popped it into his mouth. After which, he glared at the middle-aged man with killing intent flaring from his eyes, "Who in the world are you?"

"I am Sun Qiang. Didn't I tell you that earlier?" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly. At which, he suddenly patted his face, and as if having just recalled something, he said, "Oh, I nearly forgot. I just added some extra ingredients to your wine, so it might be a little more potent than usual. You said that you don't do well with alcohol, so I hope that it isn't too strong for you..."

Right after saying those words, Hu Yunsheng's face paled and his entire body stiffened. 'Eurgh!', a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.

"You poisoned me?" Hu Yunsheng's eyes narrowed in horror.

"You are a poison master?"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 980: Sepulture Flower

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

He had been keeping a close watch over the other party's actions while the poisoned wine was forced down his throat. From the very beginning, the other party had never touched the wine at all, coming into contact with the cup and gourd only. Considering the discreet poisoning method, there was no doubt that the other party was a poison master!

More importantly, the poison was so potent that even a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert like him was rendered powerless. Without a doubt, the other party must be a 6-star poison master at the very minimum.

For a poison master of your caliber to not even know the location of the Poison Hall... Were you intentionally doing this to teach me a lesson?

It was laughable that he even tried to use poison against the other party... In the end, he ended up getting a taste of his own medicine...

"Hah, why would I bother looking for the whereabouts of the Poison Hall if I wasn't a poison master?" Sneering coldly, Zhang Xuan snapped his fingers and commanded, "Come, puke a mouthful out for me!"

Zhang Xuan had known from the very start that the other party had poisoned the wine. Through driving his Heaven's Path zhenqi, he was able to neutralize it easily. After which, he secretly infused two surges of Heaven's Path zhenqi into the wine, thus lacing it with lethal poison.

Due to the incredible purity of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, it was capable of infiltrating any single acupoint and organ of a human body, making it nigh impossible to guard against it. Even with a cultivation of Saint 1-dan pinnacle, the other party was still completely powerless against it.

"AHHH..."

Right after Zhang Xuan said those words, his zhenqi rampaged within Hu Yunsheng's body and induced a scream of agony from him, followed by a spurt of a fresh blood.

"Y-you... I will kill you!" With a pale face, Hu Yunsheng forcefully drove his zhenqi and charged at Zhang Xuan.

As the boss of Inkcloud Quarter, he was an existence that even the city lord of Jingyuan City had to defer to. Yet, for him to actually be poisoned by a Nascent Saint, the immense fury coursing through his veins turned his face was red as lava. He leaped forward vehemently and crushed his palm down upon Zhang Xuan.

"You sure aren't obedient at all. Come down!"

Sitting idly in his seat, Zhang Xuan lifted his eyelid to glance at Hu Yunsheng idly before snapping his fingers once more.

Pah!

Before the palm could even strike, Hu Yunsheng's entire body jolted as if he had been electrified. He crashed back down onto the ground, his body splayed out as if a toad.

"T-this poison... is sentient?" Hu Yunsheng gasped in disbelief. His body trembled uncontrollably upon the realization, and his face suddenly became ghastly pale.

Poisons could be classified into two categories, non-sentient and sentient

Non-sentient poison was dangerous, but more often than not, they could be resolved by finding the correct antidote. On the other hand, sentient poison was capable of averting danger or even obeying commands. It might not be possible for one to resolve the poison even with the antidote in hand.

However, concocting a sentient poison was an extremely complicated process. Just like gu, it had to be reared. Even at the bare minimum, one had to be an 8-star master teacher to be able to concoct it. Could it be that the middle-aged man before him was such a poison master?

(Gu is basically a poisonous insect which can be planted into another's body to create certain effects, such as forcing a person to love another, put one under great suffering, control the other's mind, etc. It is more commonly associated to certain ethnic tribes in ancient China, and can be considered as a combination of black magic and poison.)

But to become an 8-star master teacher, one had to possess a cultivation of Saint 6-dan at the very minimum! Every single person who had reached that level was a famed expert of the Master Teacher Continent, so why would such a person possibly come to such a remote little city in search of the local Poison Hall?

In that instant, Hu Yunsheng's heart trembled in trepidation as fear swiftly overwhelmed him.

"Hehe!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly, not bothering to explain at all.

He could control his Heaven's Path zhenqi with his will remotely. As such, even though his zhenqi wasn't sentient, he could easily produce effects similar to one.

But of course, this only applied at close distances. If he was too far away from the target, Zhang Xuan's psyche would be unable to reach his Heaven's Path zhenqi, thus making it impossible for him to control it anymore.

A true sentient poison would be like his Innate Fetal Poison. It would be impossible to struggle free of it no matter where one went, rendering the afflicted completely helpless before it.

Realizing that there was no way he could stand up against the other party, Hu Yunsheng's face reddened and paled intermittently, and after a long while, he gritted his teeth tightly and uttered, "I... admit defeat!"

What else could he possibly do in this situation? He couldn't defeat the other party, and the poison he had sustained further worsened his position. At this point, his life and death hinged on the other party's whim.

He thought that he had truly struck gold this time round, but in the end, it turned out to just be a bait to lure him in. Just the thought of it left him incredibly stifled within.

"This is more like it..." Receiving Hu Yunsheng's surrender, Zhang Xuan smiled in satisfaction. "I want to know everything you have on the Poison Hall."

Hu Yunsheng gritted his teeth and replied, "Honestly speaking, despite the extensive connections that our Inkcloud Quarter has, it doesn't know much about the Poison Hall. They are an extremely careful bunch..."

"You just have to tell me whether the Poison Hall is located in the vicinity of Jingyuan City." Zhang Xuan said.

"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng nodded. "In the past few years, there have been quite a few people seeking the whereabouts of the Poison Hall as well, so I have been keeping a lookout myself too. Based on the information I have received so far, I am certain that it is in the Viridian Cloud Sea. However, I still don't have enough information to pinpoint the specific location. Furthermore, according to what I have heard, it seems like it is impossible to enter the Poison Hall without a special token, even if one were to find the real location!"

"Viridian Cloud Sea?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The Viridian Cloud Sea was the largest inland sea of Hongyuan Empire, spanning a distance of around several hundred thousand kilometers from one end to another. Vast and boundless, there were countless ferocious spirit beasts and saint beasts in its midst. Even a Saint 5-dan expert would hesitate to enter it.

If the Poison Hall was in the midst of the Viridian Cloud Sea and was concealed by a formation, it was nigh impossible for one to find it without knowing the exact location.

It was no wonder why the old principal was only able to track the Poison Hall down to Jingyuan City. It was indeed really well-hidden.

"Yes. An elder of the Poison Hall unintentionally leaked the news while he was purchasing something at our Inkcloud Quarter a while back... Other than that, I really know nothing else other than that..." Hu Yunsheng said with a reddened face.

Afflicted by the other party's poison, if he didn't receive the antidote soon, he could very well lose his life. However, he really didn't have the crucial information which the other party wanted to know.

In truth, the news that the Poison Hall was located in the Viridian Cloud Sea... could be considered to be completely useless. The Viridian Cloud Sea spanned over such a huge area, and it was teeming with countless saint beasts on top of that. Who could possibly have the strength and time to comb the entire area?

"Purchasing something at your Inkcloud Quarter?" Paying no heed to Hu Yunsheng's worry, Zhang Xuan frowned at the few other words that the other party said instead. "What did the elder of the Poison Hall buy from you here?"

"There was a hundred-year-old Sepulture Flower for sale in a previous auction we conducted. It is an extremely rare medicinal herb which serves as an excellent mediating factor in the concoction of many poisons, so it caught the attention of one of the elders of the Poison Hall... Eventually, he took it away at a very low price..." Hu Yunsheng said with a livid face.

He had spent over a hundred high-tier spirit stones in order to obtain the Sepulture Flower, and he had expected to profit greatly from it... Yet, that Poison Hall elder actually poisoned more than a dozen of his subordinates, and even he himself was nearly afflicted as well. Left with no choice, he could only agree to selling it at a discounted price.

It could be said that he had made a huge loss in that deal, and even a year's worth of profits wasn't sufficient for him to cover that loss.

This was precisely reason why Inkcloud Quarter rarely dealt in medicinal herbs anymore. The risk was simply too great. If poison masters were to willfully steal their medicinal herbs, there was nothing they could do about it.

"Do you have any medicinal herbs that the Poison Hall will require in your Inkcloud Quarter? It will be best for it to have as high a maturity as possible so that it can lure their men over." After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan asked.

Hu Yunsheng might have been unaware of the location of the Poison Hall, but the elders of the Poison Hall themselves were bound to know.

It was entirely possible to use a medicinal ingredient they required to lure them out of their dens. As long as one of them were to appear, he could subdue the other party and force him to lead him to the Poison Hall. This way, the problem would be solved.

While his understanding of poison was still only equivalent to that of a 2-star poison master, he possessed Heaven's Path zhenqi, which could easily neutralize most poison. Even if a 7-star poison master were to appear before him, he had nothing to fear.

But of course, anything beyond that could very well be beyond his means. Take the Innate Fetal Poison for example—its ability to avert danger made it impossible for his Heaven's Path zhenqi to do anything to it.

It was not without reason that the poison masters could instill deep fear in the hearts of the cultivators of the Master Teacher Continent. They did indeed possess capability and strength rivaling their reputation.

Had it not been out of fear of the Master Teacher Pavilion, as well as the high difficulty and risk in pursuing the Way of Poison, there would indubitably have been a seat in the Upper Nine Paths for poison masters.

"Medicinal herbs that the Poison Hall requires?" Understanding the other party's intention, an embarrassed look appeared on Hu Yunsheng's face as he said, "Our Inkcloud Quarter hasn't taken in any medicinal herbs in recent years. Even if we do have a few, they are unlikely to be of much value and won't be sufficient to move the poison masters!"

After the setback that he had suffered, he got a clear glimpse into how fearsome poison masters were. As a result, he had made up his mind to steer clear of the medicinal herb business.

Otherwise, if a few more of such robberies were to occur, wouldn't his Inkcloud Quarter go bankrupt?

"I see... Do you know what kind of medicinal herbs will be able to move the poison masters?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Based on what I know, the 7-star poison master examination requires one to concoct a poison capable of killing a Saint 2-dan expert, and such poisons usually require the Sepulture Flower... If anyone were to have a high maturity Sepulture Flower, it will surely draw many poison masters in! Just that... the Sepulture Flower is an extremely rare medicinal herb. To tell you the truth, it was a huge stroke of luck that we were able to obtain it the last time..." Hu Yunsheng said.

"Sepulture Flower?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before sighing deeply.

Back during his inauguration ceremony, the saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge did give him quite a lot of medicinal herbs. However, there didn't seem to be any Sepulture Flowers amidst the pile. He also didn't recall seeing that medicinal herb amongst the various items he had collected thus far.

It seemed like he would really have to go to some trouble to obtain the Sepulture Flower.

"Since that's the case... I want you to make a public announcement saying that Inkcloud Quarter has recently obtained a 200-year-old Sepulture Flower, and it will be auctioned very soon. It will do as long as we are able to draw the poison masters in." Zhang Xuan said.

His only goal was to lure the poison masters out, not to obtain a Sepulture Flower. The most important thing he had to do at the moment was to draw the other party out. Everything else could be decided later on.

"This... Even so, I fear that things might not go as planned! If a poison master doesn't utilize any poison, there is no distinctive trait to tell him apart from an ordinary cultivator. If they were to realize that the news regarding auctioning the Sepulture Flower is fake, they might not make a move, and there will be no way for us to confirm their identity." Hu Yunsheng said with a bitter smile.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding, "You're right."

Just like the soul oracles, poison masters were one of the most loathed occupations on the Master Teacher Continent. As such, they would rarely display their means publicly unless required, making it nigh impossible to identify them.

He could only assess the information of a cultivator through the Library of Heaven's Path after he had used a battle technique, so it would be futile if the poison master didn't use any battle technique. On top of that, there would surely be many people who would be at the auction. Sieving an individual or two out of a huge crowd was no easy task.

"More importantly, if they were to abide by the rules and purchase the Sepulture Flower through the normal bidding process, that would place us in a very bad position..." Hu Yunsheng continued.

It was true that he was coerced to sell his Sepulture Flower at a loss to a poison master the previous time, but that could have been considered as an exception rather than the norm. After all, it was not like the Poison Hall was a band of heinous villains. If the other party were to purchase the Sepulture Flower honestly but they were unable to produce the medicinal herb... it probably wouldn't take long for the entire Inkcloud Quarter to be destroyed under the poison master's wrath.

"That's right..." Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration.

It seemed like his idea was not feasible.

At that point, a thought came to Hu Yunsheng, and he said hesitantly,"Actually... there might be no need for us to feign it. The Sepulture Flower might be rare, but... I just recalled a person who could very well have it, and the maturity is bound to exceed a hundred years at that!"

"Oh? Who is it?" Hearing that someone had the Sepulture Flower, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"I am not too sure what his name is, but he is a rather strange person. Everyone addresses him as [Eccentric Old Man]. He is quite into herbology, and he has accumulated quite a few precious medicinal herbs. He also has quite a collection of artifacts as well. The Sepulture Flower which I obtained the previous time around came from him... If you were to find him, you might be able to find another Sepulture Flower." Hu Yunsheng said.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 981: Eccentric Old Man

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Eccentric Old Man? Where is he at? Bring me over to meet him!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Since there was someone who had the Sepulture Flower, all he had to do was to purchase it! There was no need for him to hesitate at all!

"This..." Hearing those words, Hu Yunsheng smiled bitterly. "It isn't that easy! The medicinal herbs in his possession are not for sale. It is impossible to purchase them no matter how much money one had. On top of that, the Eccentric Old Man has a very bad temper as well. There was once which the Jingyuan City Lord required a rare medicinal herb urgently, so he prepared a great amount of spirit stones that would suffice to buy three of that medicinal herbs at market price. Yet... he was thrown out the door before he could even speak a word..."

"The city lord was thrown out? Is the Eccentric Old Man very powerful?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The city lord of Jingyuan City had to be at least a Saint 1-dan cultivator at the very minimum. Yet, for the other party to throw him out the door... it seemed like the Eccentric Old Man wasn't going to be an easy person to deal with.

"His cultivation is on the same level as me, Saint 1-dan pinnacle. However, he has a Saint 2-dan tamed beast with him..." Hu Yunsheng replied.

"He is a beast tamer?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even taming a saint beast weaker than one was already arduously difficult, but the Eccentric Old Man was actually able to tame a Saint 2-dan beast despite only possessing a cultivation of Saint 1-dan. That was truly an impressive feat.

One must know that no one, not even School Head Mo, in the Master Teacher Academy had managed to achieve this feat! Thus, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be bewildered as to why a talented figure like the other party would choose to reside at the remote Jingyuan City.

"I am not too sure either, but that tamed beast obeys every single one of his words. If anyone tries to cause trouble, it would kick them out immediately. Even I dare not do anything to it..." Hu Yunsheng said.

After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but shake his head.

Through Hu Yunsheng's words, it could be seen that the Eccentric Old Man was indeed a rather peculiar person.

The Eccentric Old Man was indubitably a huge hoarder of valuable artifacts and medicinal herbs. Typically speaking, hoarders accumulated their goods in wait for a hike in the market price so that they could profit off their collection. However, putting aside selling his collection, the Eccentric Old Man didn't even allow guests to enter his residence!

"Bring me over to take a look!"

Regardless of how eccentric that fellow was, Zhang Xuan knew he would need to meet him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have anything to lure the poison masters in.

In the ten days flight to Jingyuan City, Wei Ruyan remained unconscious throughout the entire duration. This went to say that her condition was steadily declining, and her life would be in grave danger if she wasn't treated soon. Time wasn't on their side, so Zhang Xuan had to grasp onto everything there was.

"You still intend to look for him?" Hu Yunsheng's face turned bitter. "There is no way he will let us through the doors of his residence, and he might even send his tamed beast after us..."

The person before him had just arrived at Jingyuan City, so it was only natural that he knew not of how fearsome the Eccentric Old Man was. On the other hand, he had experienced it with his own body. A person whom even the city lord was helpless before, what could they possibly do?

Due to the many valuable artifacts and medicinal herbs that the Eccentric Old Man possessed, he had tried to visit the other party to negotiate with him many times, but he would be thrown out each time without fail.

"It's fine, I know what I am doing." Zhang Xuan replied.

His current identity was that of a poison master and not a master teacher. He didn't need to abide by the troublesome rules that master teachers had to follow.

When there is a will, there is a way. There was bound to be a way which he could obtain the Sepulture Flower from the other party.

"Alright then." Seeing that the other party had his mind made up, Hu Yunsheng knew that it was impossible for him to convince the other party otherwise. His life was still in the other party's hand, so he could only agree to it.

Just as the both of them walked out of the room, Zhu Xiao also happened to be seen walking towards them. At the moment that Zhu Xiao saw the both of them, he couldn't help but notice that not only was the middle-aged man was still alive, his boss was even walking subserviently behind the middle-aged boss. In that instant, disbelief covered his entire face.

However, there was no way Hu Yunsheng could explain anything to Zhu Xiao at this moment, so he quickly instructed Zhu Xiao to look after Inkcloud Quarter before leading Zhang Xuan to the Eccentric Old Man's residence.

Had he not been poisoned, he could consider hinting Zhu Xiao to gather a few men and hide in the surroundings to prepare an ambush on Zhang Xuan. However, as long as he remained afflicted with the poison, he dared not to do so. Otherwise, he could very well die before making a move.

Furthermore, even if an ambush was carried out, he had a feeling that his subordinates would be the one who would be lying on the ground at the end of it, poisoned.

If poison masters could be killed that easily, the lineage of the Poison Hall wouldn't have persevered for so long.

The residence of the Eccentric Old Man was located not too far from Inkstone Quarter. It took only a brief walk before an average-sized residence came into sight.

The entrance doors were tightly shut, and there was a plaque which stated that no guests were welcomed in the residence. The surroundings were cold and desolate, not a single guard was in sight. There was no way one could tell that it was the home of an esteemed Saint realm expert just by looking at it.

"Knock on the door!" Walking up, Zhang Xuan glanced at Hu Yunsheng and commanded.

"W-we are just going to knock on the door like that? Are you sure there is no need to prepare a visiting scroll?" Hu Yunsheng was taken aback.

It was manners to present a visiting scroll ahead of one's visit to indicate one's identity and reason for the visit... Would they really be able to enter just by knocking like that?

The other party was already a hot-tempered man. If they were to act so discourteously on top of that, wouldn't that just place them in a worse position?

"Just knock on the door." Instead of replying, Zhang Xuan urged Hu Yunsheng on with a smile.

Be it whether the other party was eccentric or not, as long as he was human, he was bound to have desires and goals. As long as that was the case, he was confident that he would be able to persuade the other party to sell the medicinal herb to him.

"Alright then..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan wasn't listening to his advice, Hu Yunsheng shook his head as he walked up to the door and knocked on it.

Dong dong dong dong!

The knocking sounds were particularly resounding in the quiet streets.

Jiyaaa!

Before the doors to the Eccentric Old Man's residence opened, the doors to the residence opposite to it opened instead. Following which, an old man and a servant walked out.

"There is no point knocking. The owner of that residence won't meet with you." Glancing at the duo, the old man advised.

"Won't meet with us?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Are you a subordinate of the Eccentric Old Man?"

"Of course not. I am just an admirer of his..." The old man waved his hands casually.

"I see. Continue knocking!" Hearing that the old man had nothing to do with the Eccentric Old Man, Zhang Xuan turned around and commanded Hu Yunsheng.

"You..." Seeing how that fellow refused to listen to his advice, the old man frowned in displeasure.

The face of the servant beside him also turned livid in anger. He walked up and glared at Zhang Xuan furiously, "How dare you speak to our old master like that! Do you know who he us?"

Zhang Xuan took a brief glance at the servant before turning his gaze away impassively, paying no heed to the other party at all.

Who cares who your old master is! Do you know who I am?

I am just afraid that your heart might not be able to take the blow!

Dong dong dong!

The knocking continued.

Not expecting to be ignored, the servant's complexion turned awful. "Our old master is the head of the Physician Guild, Master Zhou Xuan!"

"Zhou Xuan?" Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "Never heard of him before. Continue knocking!"

"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng's lips twitched.

He didn't have much interaction with Zhou Xuan in the past, so he only felt that the other party looked familiar. However, upon hearing the introduction, it immediately came back to him.

The head of the Physician Guild... Even the city lord would treat him with utmost respect, not daring to offend him in the slightest. Yet, this fellow actually disregarded him altogether... Just the thought of it left him frenzied.

However, with his life in the other party's hand, he could only feign ignorance and continue knocking on the doors.

On the other hand, both the servant and Zhou Xuan were leaping with anger.

As the guild leader of the Jingyuan City Physician Guild, Zhou Xuan's standing was comparable to the city lord... After all, all humans would eventually be wounded or fall ill at some point in their life.

As such, while there were cultivators who dared to offend the leaders of the other guilds, there were none who were willing to get on Zhou Xuan's bad side.

Yet, this fellow actually disregarded Zhou Xuan, treating him as if he was air...

"Didn't you hear my words? Our old master is a 6-star physician!" the servant said through gritted teeth.

"I heard your words loud and clear. But the person I am looking for is the Eccentric Old Man, not your old master!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

So what if the other party was a 6-star physician? Three months ago, a vice school head of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, who was a 6-star pinnacle physician as well, attempted to take advantage of him, only to be nearly played to his death. Given so, why should he have to fear the person before him?

"You..." the servant nearly fainted from anger.

6-star physicians were esteemed individuals who were respected no matter where they went, and yet, this fellow actually... didn't care at all?

Damn it!

Did they not know what price they would have to pay for offending a physician?

Just as the servant was about to say something more, Master Zhou Xuan suddenly raised his hand to stop him before walking forward, "This friend over here, I have no idea who you are, and it doesn't matter you know my identity or not. However, Senior Eccentric Old Man is unwilling to meet any guests, so there is no point for you to continue knocking!"

As the head of the Physician Guild, Master Zhou Xuan had met plenty of people in his time. Considering how the other party was able to remain composed even after learning his identity, it could only mean that the other party came from an exceptional background.

Thus, instead of bellowing at the other party like how his servant did, he chose to take on a persuasive tone.

"Unwilling to meet any guests?"

"That's right. Senior Eccentric Old Man is a hot-tempered person, and he doesn't like to be disturbed. Even our city lord had to send in several visiting scrolls before paying a visit himself. Just a word of advice, you will fare better leaving for the time being and have someone deliver your visiting scroll in first. Otherwise, you will just incur the other party's ire by continue knocking here." Master Zhou Xuan said.

What he said was true.

The Eccentric Old Man was a person who valued peace and didn't like to be disturbed. Even after seeking an audience for so many days, he still wasn't able to meet the Eccentric Old Man. To walk straight up to the doors without even preparing anything, wasn't the other party just asking to be shut out completely?

"I see." Zhang Xuan frowned before shaking his head in frustration. "Since that is the case..."

Zhou Xuan thought that after hearing his piece, the other party would turn around and back down for the moment to prepare his visiting scroll. Yet, the next few words he heard nearly left him keeling over.

"... Hu Yunsheng, knock the door down!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, as if he was just doing something insignificant.

"Knock the door down?" Hu Yunsheng's lips twitched, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan shot a glance at Hu Yunsheng, and seeing the fear in the other party's eyes, he sighed deeply. "Forget it, I will do it myself!"

Knowing that Hu Yunsheng dared not provoke the Eccentric Old Man, Zhang Xuan walked up to the door himself and thrust his fist forcefully against it.

Boom!

How could a wooden door possibly be able to withstand his tremendous might? In just a mere moment, countless wooden fragments and splinters flew into the residence.

The buzz from the previous explosion lingered in the air as a cloud of dust slowly drifted down.

"This..."

Seeing the lack of hesitation in the other party's actions, a shiver ran through Zhou Xuan's body, and he nearly blacked out.

I told you that the Eccentric Old Man doesn't like to be disturbed, and yet, you knocked down the other party's door...

Overwhelmed with anger, Zhou Xuan's breathing hastened to the point that he could hardly catch his breath.

Where in this world did this fool come from?

Initially, he also didn't pay much attention to the Eccentric Old Man, thinking that the other party was just putting on airs. A personal visit from the Physician Guild should have other party rushing out to welcome him. But there was one occasion which he chanced on the other party treating a patient that changed his view of the other party entirely. He realized that the other party possessed a mastery in the Way of Medicine that was far beyond his... In other words, the Eccentric Old Man was likely to be either a 6-star pinnacle or a 7-star physician!

It was also for this reason that he rented the residence opposite to the Old Eccentric Man's and delivered a visiting scroll over every single day. He hoped that he would be able to win the other party's favor and learn a hand or two from him.

This was also why he ran out upon hearing that someone knocking on the doors of the Eccentric Old Man's residence. He was hoping that he could possibly leave a good impression with the other party through this.

But... he had already said all that should be said, so why was this fellow so foolish? To knock down the other party's door with a single fist...

What were they to do now?

No doubt about it, the Eccentric Old Man was bound to be fuming!

"Look, isn't the problem settled now? Alright, let's enter!"

Ignoring the frenzied Zhou Xuan, Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually and walked in.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 982: Green Spittle Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The residence wasn't too big, but an astounding amount of spiritual energy had gathered in the area. With just a glance, Zhang Xuan could tell that there was a Spirit Gathering Formation set up in the area. It was of a fairly high grade, grade-6 pinnacle at the minimum.

Due to the presence of the Spirit Gathering Formation, the spiritual energy in the residence was several times more concentrated than that outside. The entire courtyard was densely filled with rare medicinal herbs, those which one would hardly see on the market.

"Not bad!" Sweeping a glance at the surroundings, Zhang Xuan saw at least ten stalks of Saint herbs, and his eyes lit up in amazement.

Even You Xu didn't have that many saint herbs in his garden back then.

Jiya!

While Zhang Xuan was still looking around, the doors to one of the rooms opened, and a haggard-looking old man appeared. Looking at Zhang Xuan and the others, he bellowed, "Who let you all in? How brazen!"

He was fuming mad.

After all, there wasn't a person in the world who wouldn't be furious when someone knocked down his door and barged into his residence...

Could there be an even more arrogant act than that?

"Senior, he was the one who forcefully charged in here. I didn't think that he..." Seeing that the Eccentric Old Man was shaking with rage, Zhou Xuan hurriedly explained with quivering lips.

He mustn't lose the good impression he had accrued with great difficulty due to this!

"Bluetigris Beast, send our guests out!" Paying no heed to what Zhou Xuan was saying, the Eccentric Old Man commanded forcefully.

Hula!

Right after those words were spoken, a five-meters long saint beast emerged from the room by the side, and every step taken caused the ground to tremor violently.

Blue Tigris Beast, a Saint 2-dan primary stage saint beast! Its fighting prowess was, at the very least, on par with the Byzantium Helios Beast.

The incredible presence it commanded was pressurizing, leaving the faces of those standing before it paling and their bodies trembling.

This was especially so for Hu Yunsheng. In his previous visits to this residence, he had been viciously pummeled by that huge fellow. Meeting the other party once more, he couldn't help but feel an innate fear towards it.

On the other hand, Zhou Xuan subconsciously took several steps back. He knew that there was no way he could match a saint beast of such strength with his current cultivation realm.

"Do you want to leave by yourself, or do you want me to reduce you to a lifeless corpse and toss you out?" The Bluetigris Beast glared at Zhang Xuan with its large, menacing eyes.

In face of the threat, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly and replied, "What if I choose neither of the options?"

"Why are you wasting your breath? Toss him out!" Waving his hands impatiently, the Eccentric Old Man turned around and started walking back into his room.

He had absolute trust in his tamed beast's capability, so he didn't think that there was a need for him to remain on the scene.

Right after he turned his back around, he heard the furious roaring of the Bluetigris Beast. Following which, a powerful shockwave burst into the surroundings, leaving the ground shaking violently.

An instant later, the sound of something being struck up into the sky echoed in the air.

Boom!

That something landed heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust in the courtyard.

"Hmph, know your place!" The Eccentric Old Man nodded in satisfaction as he continued walking away.

The Bluetigris Beast had always been known for its ferocity. Just by hearing the sounds, he could tell that that arrogant fellow had been floored.

"Forget it, there is no need to go too far. It'll suffice to teach him a lesson, don't kill him by acci-... Ah?" Shaking his hands, the Eccentric Old Man turned around.

Even though he didn't really care for the other party, a person who dared to barge into his residence couldn't possibly be of low standing. As a person who valued his peace, he didn't cause more trouble out of this matter than it was worth.

However, before he could finish his words, the sight he saw left him body frozen in shock.

It took a long time before he was able to utter any words at all, "W-what is going?"

The scene before him was completely different from the one he had imagined. The Bluetigris Beast should have been teaching the other party a lesson, but at this moment, it was lying right in front of the middle-aged man, licking the other party's palm fawningly, reminiscent of a loyal dog.

What in the world is with this ridiculous sight before me?

I told you to toss him out, not to please him!

Are you my tamed beast or his?

Uncomprehending of the situation before him, he turned his gaze to Zhou Xuan and the others, only to see the three of them completely dumbfounded as well.

Unable to take it any longer, the Eccentric Old Man roared, "Bluetigris Beast, what are you doing?"

This was truly unacceptable. For his own tamed beast to defy his orders and please another man instead, he would become a huge laughingstock should this matter be known to the public!

This was too humiliating!

"Master, I..." The Bluetigris Beast turned around to face his master, but not knowing how it should explain the situation, it scratched its head with its massive paws in frustration.

"Don't worry, allow me!" Smiling, Zhang Xuan walked up to the Eccentric Old Man.

His cultivation was only at Nascent Saint pinnacle, but his true strength was even beyond that of the Saint 2-dan Combat Master Zhuo Qingfeng. As powerful as the Bluetigris Beast was, there was no way it could be a match for him.

After subduing it with a single strike, he was able to force it to obey his orders. He didn't tame the Bluetigris Beast as the latter already had a master, but it no longer posed a threat to him.

"You are Senior Eccentric Old Man, right?" Zhang Xuan asked. "I have a request to ask of you here. I wish to buy a Sepulture Flower from you. The higher the maturity it has, the better it will be."

"You have a request to ask of me?" Glancing at the shattered fragments of his doors and his fawning tamed beast, the Eccentric Old Man's lips twitched uncontrollably.

Is this how you make a request with others?

To destroy my doors as soon as you arrive and even leave my tamed beast... in such a weird state... You are clearly not making a request with me but coercing me to submit!

"You want to buy a Sepulture Flower from me? Sure, over my dead body!" With clenched jaws, the Eccentric Old Man roared with a face reddened in anger.

"Over your dead body?" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply before shaking his head helplessly. "Since you said so, I guess I have no choice then!"

After saying those words, his eyebrows shot up and a powerful aura burst forth from him. In the next moment, he charged forward and thrust his fist with incredible might.

Boom!

In that moment, the Eccentric Old Man couldn't help but feel as if a hurricane was headed in his way. He could tell that the other party's cultivation was clearly beneath his, but for some reason, the other party's strength and zhenqi purity was way out of his league.

If that palm were to strike, he could very well be reduced to a slab of meat.

"Damn it!" The Eccentric Old Man's face turned livid.

Exerting the full might of his body into his legs, he hurriedly leaped backward, and his silhouette flashed across space as if a streak of lightning.

He was only at Saint 1-dan, but his movement technique was particularly profound. In the blink of an eye, he had already made a clean escape from Zhang Xuan's palm strike.

Fearing that the other party would continue his attack, he took this opportunity to leap backwards two more times to create a safe distance between them. It was only when he was nearly back-to-back with his residence did he finally come to a halt.

"Ah?"

Heaving a sigh of relief, he looked to his front and saw that the other party was still standing on the spot, seemingly not intending to continue his attack. The other party's hands were behind his back, and his head was tilted slightly upward, seemingly gazing deeply into the heaven. A light breeze blew, and the other party's robe fluttered slightly.

In that instant, the Eccentric Old Man couldn't help but have the impression that the middle-aged man before him was an unparalleled expert, and his face twitched slightly.

Wasn't this change a little too fast? It was just a moment ago that the other party had charged at him ferociously, intending to send him into death's embrace. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he had already transformed into a transcendental expert who had seen through the vicissitudes of life... Even a professional actor couldn't possibly leap from role to role that quickly!

He wasn't the only one who felt crazed by the sight before him. Even Zhou Xuan and Hu Yunsheng were dumbstruck as well.

It seemed like the greatest strength of the fellow before them wasn't his strength but his ability to switch faces. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking or what he was going to do.

"If you wish to kill me, so be it! Making fun of me? Don't even think about it!" The Eccentric Old Man roared furiously.

He felt that the other party was intentionally toying with him. The other party clearly had the strength to kill him and take the Sepulture Flower easily, but he wasn't making a move at all.

"Making fun of you? You are misunderstanding me!" Zhang Xuan shook his head before continuing, "I would just like to say that it has indeed been hard on you to persevere for so many years under the agony of the [Green Spittle Poison]

"Ah? Y-you..." Those words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the flames of anger burning within the Eccentric Old Man. He weakly staggered two steps behind, only to find that he was already pressed against the wall of his residence. He opened his mouth to speak, but not a word would come out from his throat. Disbelief could be seen in his eyes.

Just like what the other party had said, he was indeed afflicted with the deadly Green Spittle Poison. It was only due to his extraordinary mastery in the Way of Medicine that he was able to survive for so long, but even so, he was swiftly approaching his limit... He had never told anyone about this matter before, and he was certain he had never met the middle-aged man before his eyes. So how could the other party tell with a single glance?

He couldn't help but be dumbfounded.

"Green Spittle Poison, a lethal poison contained within the saliva of the Saint 4-dan Green Spittle Snake. Even a Saint 4-dan cultivator could die in moments after being afflicted by it. If I am not mistaken, the reason why you are able to survive for so long is because you have consumed a Sevenflower Grass when you were younger, right?" Before he could ask about it, the middle-aged man had continued nonchalantly.

"I..." A shudder ran through the Eccentric Old Man's body.

The other party was right. He had indeed consumed a Sevenflower Grass by accident when he was seven.

The Sevenflower Grass was a kind of slow-acting poison which gradually wore down one's body. But while it wasn't lethal in the short run, it could cause immense pain to the afflicted. It was for this reason that drove him to work frenziedly on the Way of Medicine, in hopes that he could cure himself one day.

It had been many years since then, and very few of his peers knew of it. For the middle-aged man before him to know about it as well... could the other party be his old friend?

Taking a closer look at the middle-aged man, he shook his head.

Be it the other party's appearance or disposition, neither of them sparked anything in his mind.

He was certain that he had never met the other party before.

"Actually, it is not too difficult for me to deduce all of this. Those who have consumed the Green Spittle Poison will have a slight grayish hue over his body, and their iris will also turn grayish with a thin crimson line at the center, deeply resembling the eyes of a snake from afar.

"But of course, those evidences are only sufficient for me to deduce that you are afflicted with the Green Spittle Poison. What that made me certain that you have consumed a Sevenstar Flower when you were younger is the slightly white hue at your fingertips instead of a grayish one. If I am not mistaken, you must have accidentally pricked yourself with the thorns of the Sevenstar Flower while picking it!" Zhang Xuan said.

"This..."

The Eccentric Old Man's body shuddered once more.

He was still too young back then, so there were several matters that he could hardly remember. However, under the other party's reminder, he did vaguely recall that his finger had been pricked by a Sevenstar Flower in the past.

"The thorns of the Sevenstar Flower contains poison, but it happens to have the effect of neutralizing the venom of the Green Spittle Snake as well. Due to the both poisons clashing in your body, you were able to avoid immediate fatality. However, it had also become the cause of your immense suffering as well... If I am not mistaken, every night, at the Zi hour, your body will suddenly swell up, and you will feel an unbearable itch in your bones, right?" Zhang Xuan continued.

(2300 - 0100)

The Eccentric Old Man's body stiffened.

Seeing the other party's expression, Zhang Xuan knew that he had already achieved his goal. With a bright smile, he said, "Alright. Shall we head to your room to discuss the sales of your Sepulture Flower now?"

The Eccentric Old Man hurriedly lowered his posture and invited Zhang Xuan in with a gesture, "Yes, of course! This way please!"

"Senior..." Hearing the conversation between the both of them, Zhou Xuan was completely bewildered. Subconsciously, he took a step forward, wanting to ask what was happening.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and prepare some tea for this venerable gentleman here!"

The Eccentric Old Man berated.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 983: Curing the Poison

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

What the heck!

Such a lack of situational awareness, and you still want to take me as your teacher? Dream on!

The Eccentric Old Man clicked his tongue in displeasure.

"..." Zhou Xuan was on the verge of tears.

It was just a moment ago that you looked as if you were going to kill him. How am I to know that you would invite you into your residence as a venerated guest in the next moment?

"What are you dilly-dallying about for?"

As frustrated as Zhou Xuan was, he still turned to his servant and commanded him.

"..." The servant.

"Forget it, I will do it myself!" After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Xuan waved his hand.

It would seem more sincere for him to do it personally.

Thus, he quickly turned around and rush back to his residence.

Paying no heed to Zhou Xuan, Zhang Xuan walked into the room and sat on the main seat.

On the other hand, the Eccentric Old Man sat by the side as he looked at Zhang Xuan respectfully.

A moment of silence drifted in the room.

Eventually, unable to hold himself back anymore, the Eccentric Old Man, with deep anticipation in his eyes, began speaking with a very careful tone, "Elder, regarding my Green Spittle Poison..."

Considering how the other party was able to see through so much of his affliction in a single glance, it was very possible that the other party just might have the remedy to it.

To a person with such sharp eye of discernment, the other party was definitely worthy of being addressed as an elder!

"Green Spittle Poison is a particularly troublesome grade-7 poison. Even a 7-star poison master will find it very difficult to cure it..." Zhang Xuan said.

Hearing those words, the Eccentric Old Man's face paled in despair.

If even a 7-star poison master was unable to cure it, did it mean that there was no hope for his affliction?

"However... I can cure it!" Zhang Xuan said.

"You can cure it?" The Eccentric Old Man's eyes narrowed. Clenching his fists tightly, many emotions flickered across his face, and eventually, he gritted his teeth tightly together and kneeled to the ground, "Elder, I beg you to save me!"

He had been tortured under the tyranny of the poison for far too long, and his mind and body were already reaching their limits. If the other party could really save him, putting aside kneeling down, he would be willing to even become the other party's slave without any hesitation!

Dang lang!

Just as the Eccentric Old Man kneeled down, Zhou Xuan, who had just prepared the tea, entered the room and saw such an incredulous sight.

Overwhelmed with shock, his grip on the tea tray loosened, and the teapot and teacups fell to the ground and shattered.

He was truly on the verge of losing his mind.

He knew very well how proud a person the Eccentric Old Man was. He, the head of the Physician Guild, had paid respect to the other party for so many days, moving at the other party's beck and call as if a servant, and yet, the other party couldn't even be bothered to spare him a second glance.

On the other party, that fellow had knocked down the Eccentric Old Man's door and made his saint beast weird, but not only was the Eccentric Old Man not angry, he ordered him to prepare tea... and even kneeled down to the fellow!

This was way too mind-blowing!

A person who could very well be a 7-star physician and had not the slightest bit of deference towards the city lord's authority was actually kneeling on the floor to another man...

Zhou Xuan felt as if worldly views had collapsed in that instant, and that his mind was really going to blow up.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony, it is only a small matter!" Not expecting the other party to kneel down, Zhang Xuan shook his head and gestured for the other party to get back up.

"Elder, I do happen to have a Sepulture Flower. It has a maturity of two hundred years. If you have a need for it, feel free to take it away with you..." At this moment, the Eccentric Old Man suddenly recalled the request which Zhang Xuan had come with, so he quickly added.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

With this, his aim for paying a visit to the Eccentric Old Man was achieved.

"It is not difficult to resolve the Green Spittle Poison, but due to the long duration of your affliction, exceeding more than twenty years, the poison has already seeped deep into your bones and organs, making the situation even more tricky. The effectiveness of consuming an ordinary antidote will only be minimal at best. Thus, I am afraid that I might have to resort to some extreme means..." After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan said.

"As long as my poison can be cured, I am willing to do anything at all!" The Eccentric Old Man nodded resolutely.

"Good!" Seeing that the other party was mentally prepared, Zhang Xuan nodded with an approving smile. After which, he flicked his wrist, took out a piece of paper and brush, and began writing out a prescription. "I need these medicinal herbs. The higher their maturity, the better it will be!"

The Eccentric Old Man took the paper and glanced at the ingredient. A moment later, he nodded and passed the prescription to the nearby Zhou Xuan, "Prepare these medicinal herbs for me, and I can consider taking you in as my student!"

"Yes!" Hearing those words, Zhou Xuan's eyes lit up.

Not daring to waste any time, he hurriedly rushed out of the room to prepare the stated medicinal herbs.

"Prepare a huge pot. I will be putting the medicinal herbs and boil them... along with you." Zhang Xuan continued.

"Boil them along with me?" The Eccentric Old Man's eyebrows shot up.

Given his cultivation, he wouldn't suffer any severe injuries from coming into contact with scalding water. Nevertheless, it still wasn't a pleasant sensation to be boiled alive.

"Indeed. You have been afflicted with the poison for far too long, and the huge amounts of medicinal herbs you have consumed over the years only serve to further complicate your condition. It is imperative to first boil out those worthless medicinal substances within your body before going ahead with the treatment!" Zhang Xuan explained.

The Eccentric Old Man nodded in realization.

As physician, he was well aware of his own physical condition. The antidotes he had tried out over the past few years could easily fill several baskets, if not a cart.

With so many medicinal substances accruing within his body, they could easily render even the real antidote ineffective.

The purpose of the boiling process was to clear his body from the remaining medicinal substances, thus returning his body back to its original state.

"After the medicinal substances have been boiled out of your body, consume this gourd of medicinal wine... With that, you should be cured of the Green Spittle Poison in your body!" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a gourd and passed it over to the Eccentric Old Man.

Ordinary antidotes couldn't hope to seep deeply into the Eccentric Old Man's organs and bones to cleanse him of the Green Spittle Poison. Thus, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to resort to his Heaven's Path zhenqi.

But of course, it was still necessary to condition the other party's body to its best state beforehand, or else he would require a colossal amount of zhenqi.

After all, a lethal poison that was capable of killing a Saint 4-dan expert wasn't something that could be easily resolved with just a surge of two of zhenqi.

"Thank you!" With gratitude gleaming in his eyes, the Eccentric Old Man took the gourd.

An antidote that could cure a grade-7 poison was surely worth far more than a Sepulture Flower, and yet, the other party actually gave it to him without any hesitation.

"Elder, wait here for a moment. I will take the Sepulture Flower over right now..." After learning the treatment method, the Eccentric Old Man immediately rushed out of the room, and not too long later, he returned with a jade box in his hands.

Taking the jade box over, Zhang Xuan pried it open lightly and saw a pure white medicinal herb lying inside, reminiscent of a beautiful jade. It exuded a light fragrance which tickled one's nose.

"Un." With a slight nod, Zhang Xuan passed the Sepulture Flower over to Hu Yunsheng and instructed, "Return to Inkcloud Quarter and prepare for its auctioning. I want the news that this medicinal herb was going to be auctioned to be known by the entire city..."

"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng nodded before leaving with the medicinal herb in hand.

After which, Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and waited patiently.

...

Two hours later.

Zhou Xuan finally returned with the medicinal herbs required. Zhang Xuan swiftly arranged for them to be added into a huge pot to be boiled.

When he gauged that the medicinal properties of the medicinal herbs had finally seeped sufficiently into the boiling water, he gestured for the Eccentric Old Man to go into the pot.

Tzzzzzzzzz!

Before long, countless dark substances started emerging from the Eccentric Old Man's pores, dyeing the clear water in the pot ink-black.

Zhang Xuan stepped forward and tapped his finger on several points of the other party's body. After which, he flicked his wrist and took out a bundle of needles. With a swift jerk of his hand, the needles flew out and pierced precise locations over the other party's body.

Some time later, after when the water in the pot had been switched several times, the Eccentric Old Man's skin was finally rid of its grayish hue, returning to the original white complexion it had. Knowing that the first step of the treatment was done, Zhang Xuan indicated for the Eccentric Old Man to drink the wine in the gourd.

Not too long later, the grayish color in his eyes also began to disappear.

Hong long long!

By the time the crimson line disappeared, the Eccentric Old Man's body finally slackened. In that instant, a powerful aura burst into the sky, and his initial Saint 1-dan cultivation abruptly surged at an inconceivable speed.

"This..." Zhou Xuan widened his eyes in disbelief.

Noticing the incomprehension in Zhou Xuan's eyes, Zhang Xuan explained with a smile, "The lethal poison in his body had suppressed his cultivation previously. Now that the poison is cured, naturally, he will be able to revert back to his true strength!"

The reason why he was able to notice the Eccentric Old Man's poison was naturally due to the latter executing a battle technique, thus compiling a corresponding book in the Library of Heaven's Path.

The book had introduced the problems which the Eccentric Old Man was facing, but at the same time, it had also stated the other party's identity... Qingyuan Empire, 7-star pinnacle physician!

How could a 7-star pinnacle physician possibly only possess a cultivation of Saint 1-dan?

Most likely, the Eccentric Old Man must have been poisoned by someone, but by some stroke of luck, he managed to survive the initial attempt on his life. However, with his body severely weakened by the effects of the poison, he was left with no choice but to lie low in a remote location! As years went by, the relentless assault of the poison gradually suppressed his cultivation, resulting in his current state.

With the lethal poison resolved, his cultivation was no longer suppressed, thus reverting back to its original level.

Boom!

Tremendous energy was building within the Eccentric Old Man, and before long, he surpassed his Saint 1-dan bottleneck and reached Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm!

Shortly after, Saint 3-dan Embryonic Soul realm!

Two hours later, with a huge burst of energy, Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm!

With his poison resolved, his cultivation finally returned back to its peak.

"I..." Standing up, the Eccentric Old Man felt the strength coursing through his veins, and his eyes couldn't help but redden.

How many years had it been?

For how long had he wished that he would be able to rid himself of his affliction and return back to his peak? Too much time had gone by, and his initial hopes were extinguished. He had already resigned himself to living his life quietly in this remote land. Who could have thought that a middle-aged man would abruptly enter his life and resolve his affliction for him?

"Thank you for granting me a new life, elder!" The Eccentric Old Man immediately got to his knees and thanked Zhang Xuan earnestly.

He had kneeled earlier as well, but it was out of his overwhelming desire to be treated. This time, however, it was out of earnest respect and gratitude towards his savior.

"You are welcome." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Eccentric Old Man was a physician, a man who had spent his life saving others from their anguish and sufferings. If it was within his means to do so, it was only right for him to save the other party.

"The person who has poisoned you must be a poison master, right?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

The Green Spittle Poison was something which even 7-star poison masters would struggle to concoct. It was unlikely that anyone other than a poison master would wield such poison on him.

"It is indeed the doing of a poison master. However... with my cultivation recovered, I will have him pay the price of his actions..." With a cold glint in his eyes, the Eccentric Old Man clenched his fists tightly.

"Un." Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak any more on the matter, Zhang Xuan chose not to delve deeper into the matter either.

"May I know how I should address elder?" the Eccentric Old Man asked.

A life debt had to be repaid. Yet, he didn't even know the other party's name even at this point in time. It was indeed embarrassing.

"My name is Sun Qiang." Zhang Xuan said.

"I see, so it's Elder Sun..." Nodding, the Eccentric Old Man flicked his wrist, took out a token, and handed it over to Zhang Xuan respectfully. "I happen to have some influence in the Qingyuan Empire Physician Guild, so if you were to face any trouble, do make sure to look for me with this token in hand. As long as it is within my means, I will make sure to accomplish it for you..."

"Alright." Taking the token, Zhang Xuan nodded.

He would eventually have to head to Qingyuan Empire one day, and since the other party was willing to do him this favor, it would be fine to accept it. After all, there was no saying that there could be a day that he might need it.

"Since your poison has been cured, I will take my leave now. Farewell!"

Zhang Xuan felt that there was no reason for him to remain since the other party's poison had been cured, so he made his way out and headed to Inkcloud Quarter.

Not too long later, before he could enter Inkcloud Quarter, he already saw Hu Yunsheng rushing out with a livid face. The latter also saw him and immediately rushed up to him while exclaiming, "Elder, bad news..."

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 984: City Lord

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"What's wrong?" Seeing the anxious look on Hu Yunsheng's face, Zhang Xuan frowned.

As the boss of a powerful organization, as well as a Saint 1-dan expert, there was no way the other party would panic over minor affairs.

"I had my men spread the news regarding the auctioning of the Sepulture Flower across the city as soon as I returned to Inkcloud Quarter... However, an hour later, a group of men came and insisted on purchasing the Sepulture Flower ahead of the auction." Hu Yunsheng explained with a livid look. "Judging from how forceful they were acting, it seems like they are intending to force a trade."

"Force a trade? Is the other party a poison master?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Weren't poison masters the only ones who would be attracted by the Sepulture Flower? Was there some other use to it that he wasn't aware of?

"They aren't." Hu Yunsheng shook his head affirmatively.

"How can you be that certain?" Zhang Xuan was surprised by the other party's firm response.

After all, it should be impossible to identify a poison master when he wasn't using poison. As such, it was possible for anyone to be a poison master.

Given so, on what grounds could Hu Yunsheng be so confident that the group of men who insisted on purchasing the Sepulture Flower weren't poison masters?

"This is because I know those guys who came over!" Hu Yunsheng replied. "They are City Lord Hong Jin of Jingyuan City and his guards!"

"The city lord? What does he need the Sepulture Flower for?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

The Sepulture Flower was needed by the poison masters to concoct poison, but why would a city lord require such an item? Not to mention, to go to the extent of forcing a trade for it...

"I tried to sound him out, but he isn't speaking a word about it, so I am not too sure either. I have already told him that the item belongs not to Inkcloud Quarter but to you, and he is insisting on meeting you to negotiate now..." Hu Yunsheng said.

"Bring me over." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Regardless of why the other party needed the Sepulture Flower, this matter should indeed be resolved. Since the other party had requested to meet him, there was no reason for him to turn him down.

Under Hu Yunsheng's lead, he soon arrived at a relatively spacious room.

An authoritative-looking middle-aged man sat majestically on the main seat in the room, exuding an air of superiority.

Behind him were several armored guards which carried a powerful aura. They were all Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Chrysalis realm cultivators.

"City Lord Hong, this is the owner of the Sepulture Flower, Elder Sun Qiang!" Walking up, Hu Yunsheng clasped his fist and introduced.

The middle-aged man shot a glance at Zhang Xuan, and upon seeing that the other party was a mere Nascent Saint cultivator, he chuckled softly and said, "This friend over here, I wish to buy your Sepulture Flower. Give me a price!"

Zhang Xuan was a little surprised by how direct the other party was. With a wry smile on his face, he asked, "What price can you offer me?"

"A Sepulture Flower with a maturity of a hundred years is usually worth 80 high-tier spirit stones. Since yours has a maturity slightly higher than that, I will give you a hundred and throw in a Spirit high-tier weapon on top of that!" the middle-aged man said.

Hearing the offer, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up, "Don't you think your offer is a little low?"

Putting aside the rarity of the Sepulture Flower, even the price at which Hu Yunsheng purchased his Sepulture Flower at back then was higher than the offer that this city lord was giving. The other party was indeed trying to force a trade here.

"Audacious! It is your honor for our esteemed city lord to be interested in your item, you better know your place!" a guard standing behind the middle-aged man bellowed loudly.

"A hundred high-tier spirit stones and a Spirit high-tier weapon is the best price you will get for your Sepulture Flower. Even if you were to go through the auction, it is unlikely that you will be able to get anything higher. Furthermore, it is unsafe to keep such a valuable artifact with you. Listen to my advice and sell it." the second guard said.

The devil and the angel; a threat and an advice... Ultimately, this was nothing more than a mere ploy for him to hand over his medicinal herbs obediently.

Seeing through what the other party was playing at, Zhang Xuan burst into laughter and shook his head before saying, "Ten thousand high-tier spirit stones, and I will sell it to you straight!"

"What did you say?" The eyebrows of the middle-aged man shot up.

His offer was one hundred, yet the other party's offer was ten thousand. That was a blatant disregard for his standing as the city lord!

"Insolence! How dare you..."

The first guard bellowed once more, but before he could finish his words, Zhang Xuan's voice had already sounded once more.

"Twenty thousand!"

"Are you certain that you want to do this? I am only saying this out of concern for you, but..." the second guard said with a frown.

"Thirty thousand!" Zhang Xuan declared.

"You..." The middle-aged man's face reddened as his eyebrows knitted together tightly. In this moment, it felt as if his rage would burst forth at any moment.

The other party clearly had no intentions of selling the Sepulture Flower to him, and from the looks of it, the other party also didn't care who he was either.

"Friend, allow me to give you a word of advice. You are in Jingyuan City at this very moment. Regardless of who you are, you would do well to carry yourself humbly. Otherwise, you won't know what kind of trouble you will be bringing to yourself!" the middle-aged man harrumphed coldly with narrowed eyes.

"Fifty thousand!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands nonchalantly and continued, unbothered by the threats the other party was making.

Trying to throw your weight before me? Hah, heaven knows which sandpit you were kneading mud in when I was out posturing in the world!

"Hmph, let's go!" Seeing how the owner of the Sepulture Flower wasn't willing to budge at all, the middle-aged man harrumphed coldly before walking out of the room.

The moment he stepped out of the room, his face immediately turned livid with rage.

"City lord, shall we dispatch our men to snatch the Sepulture Flower over?" The first guard glanced at the room behind him coldly as he subtly pulled his thumb horizontally before his throat—a gesture to kill.

"There is no need for that. I do need the Sepulture Flower, but since that fellow is going to auction it, there's no harm in going through the official process." A glint appeared in the middle-aged man's narrowed eyes. "I don't believe that there would be anyone in Jingyuan City who will dare bid against me!"

"Indeed!" The eyes of the two guards lit up.

Living in Jingyuan City, who would be so foolish to offend the city lord over a mere flower?

As long as no one dared to bid against him, he could easily take down the flower at any price he wanted. By then, that fellow would be deeply regretting not selling the Sepulture Flower to him for a hundred high-tier spirit stones!

"Let's go!"

The city lord said before walking away with widened strides.

...

"Elder, aren't you being a little reckless offending the city lord like that?" Hu Yunsheng asked with a conflicted look on his face.

"It's fine. It is one thing if he doesn't pull anything, but if he does, I don't mind replacing him with someone else!" Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

With the influence and power he wielded at the moment, there was no need for him to lie low anymore. If the city lord knew what was good for him, he would do well to drop whatever malicious thought he had in mind. Otherwise, he didn't mind teaching the other party a lesson.

As long as he gave Yu Shenqing a heads up, there was no one who would dare object to him changing a city lord or two. Or if it were to come down to it, he could even dispatch a few master teachers down to investigate this Jingyuan City Lord. A person who would force a trade on others was bound to have committed plenty of atrocious deed during his rule. With those misdeeds the other party had done in the past, he could indict the other party and have him severely punished for his crimes.

"Alright then..." Hu Yunsheng was still a little skeptical, but recalling the incredible prowess that the elder before him had displayed earlier in the Eccentric Old Man's residence, he decided not to think too much into the matter. A short moment later, he continued, "I think there is a chance that the city lord might engage in bid rigging by scaring off the other bidders. If that were to happen, it might prove to be a little troublesome."

"Scaring off other bidders?"

"Un. Given his standing and influence, he could easily demand others not to compete with him in the bidding of the Sepulture Flower. If so, I fear that the poison masters might be dissuaded from participating in the auction as well!" Hu Yunsheng replied.

Inkcloud Quarter conducted auctions regularly, so he was rather familiar with the various ploys that bidders could use to undermine the auction system.

It wasn't rare for those who wielded great authority and power to use their standing to force the other bidders to remain silent, thus obtaining the item at a discounted price.

Despite having met with this situation several times, Hu Yunsheng was still unable to find any good solution to the problem.

"This is simple. Plant a person in the midst of the auction, and as long as that fellow dares to raise the price, have your man double the current price. It's my item anyway, so it doesn't matter even if the price hikes up to a million high-tier spirit stones." Zhang Xuan replied.

"This..." Hu Yunsheng blinked his eyes in shock.

To actually hike up the price of your own item, isn't it a little too shameless to do that...

However, thinking about it, that was indeed a good idea to this situation.

This idea was cheap, but that was precisely what they needed to choke the other party with anger and frustration!

"Alright, go and make preparations. As long as I can uncover the location of the Poison Hall, I will resolve your poison." Zhang Xuan said.

"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng nodded before taking his leave.

Shortly after he left, Zhang Xuan's body jolted slightly before vanishing on the spot. In the next moment, he appeared in the Myriad Anthive Nest.

At this moment, the Anthive Nest had already been fully expanded. It had a length of five hundred meters from one end to the other, an incredibly vast space, and there were all sorts of buildings here and there, reminiscent of a massive village.

"Master!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, the many tamed beasts within the Anthive Nest hurried forward and greeted him.

Living within the Anthive Nest were the Byzantium Helios Beast and the nine kings of the Cloudmist Ridge. With this powerful force, he could easily wipe the remote Jingyuan City off the map without lifting a finger.

"Cultivate hard. If I have time, I will come in to resolve the problems you face in your cultivation." Nodding at the various beasts, Zhang Xuan said.

These saint beasts were a strong fighting force for him. As such, after placing them in the Anthive Nest, he had been lecturing them whenever he had time. Over the past two to three months, they had made significant advancement in their fighting prowess.

Were it not for the inability of saint beasts to practice cultivation techniques, these fellows should have advanced their cultivation to an incredible level by now.

After instructing the saint beasts to work hard in their training, Zhang Xuan headed towards a certain room.

Within the room, Wei Ruyan lay peacefully with her eyes closed on a clean bed.

As the goal of finding the Poison Hall was to resolve the poison aura in her body, naturally, Zhang Xuan had been bringing her around through the Anthive Nest.

He placed his hand on the girl's pulse, and a moment later, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"It seems like she still can hold on for some time..."

He hadn't found any good way to resolve Wei Ruyan's dangerous accumulation of poison aura, but through his means, he was still able to alleviate her situation temporarily and stabilize her condition.

She was unlikely to wake up until her affliction was resolved, but at the very least, there was no threat on her life for the time being.

"This lass sure is pitiful..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply and shook his head.

From her birth, she was tortured by her illness, putting her in great misery. It wasn't easy for her to grow to adulthood, but by the time she realized it, she had lost her closest kin, her father.

It was no wonder why others called the Innate Poison Body Constitution of Disaster. It brought disaster not only to others but even to the person herself as well, depriving her of even a single day that was devoid of pain and suffering.

After confirming that Wei Ruyan's condition was still stable for the moment, Zhang Xuan headed to the specially-built training grounds and sat down there.

It had been more than ten days since he had reached Nascent Saint pinnacle, and while he hadn't obtained the artifact required for his breakthrough to Saint 1-dan, he hadn't been slacking on his training either. Every single day, he would make sure to spend some time on furthering his cultivation without fail.

Under his persistent hard work, his zhenqi was getting more and more purer and condensed.

Ever since reaching Half-Saint, he could feel that it was getting more and more difficult to make breakthroughs as compared to from before. In the past, the breakthrough of a realm only took two hours, but now, it was taking a few minutes more than before!

"As expected, cultivating is not as easy as I thought..." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed

Cultivation was indeed a path fraught with difficulty. Without diligence and mental resilience, it was impossible to persevere on.

Six hours passed in a flash.

Making a quick calculation, Zhang Xuan deduced that it should be night outside, and the auction should be starting soon. Thus, he backed out of the Anthive Nest.

Shortly after he returned to his room, Hu Yunsheng walked in.

"Elder, the auction will be starting soon..."

"Un."

Nodding, Zhang Xuan followed Hu Yunsheng towards the direction of the auction. However, before they could get to the allocated VIP compartment, he suddenly frowned for a moment before his footsteps came to a complete halt.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 985: Pummeling Your Teacher

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Elder?" Noticing that Zhang Xuan had stopped his footsteps, Hu Yunsheng asked in surprise.

"You can head on to the compartment first. Do as I have said earlier, make sure to take note of everyone who has bidded for the Sepulture Flower and record their names down. I have some matters to attend to at the moment. Don't worry, I will return quickly." Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes!" Not daring to say anymore, Hu Yunsheng quickly nodded before proceeding ahead.

Zhang Xuan's frown didn't alleviate with Hu Yunsheng's departure. On the contrary, it deepened. Turning around, he flitted away.

Shortly after, he arrived at the entrance of the vast auction hall.

The surroundings were filled with huge crowds, presumably here to participate in the auction. Scanning the area, Zhang Xuan's eyes soon stopped on an average-looking middle-aged man.

On the surface, that fellow seemed to be a Saint 1-dan primary stage cultivator who harnessed water attribute zhenqi, an unspectacular character in the greater scheme of things. However, for some reason, his presence left Zhang Xuan feeling a little uneasy.

The same uneasy sensation that he had felt back at the Subterranean Gallery...

"He is... an Otherworldly Demon!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Having killed more than two hundred Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery, he could vaguely tell how fearsome the person before him was. Despite the other party not exuding any killing intent at the moment, he felt an incredible pressure weighing down on him.

Furthermore, his Principal's Seal was trembling in agitation, seemingly about to leap out at any moment.

Eye of Insight!

Faint green lines appeared in Zhang Xuan's black iris. Taking a look once more, his intuition was spot-on. The other party was indeed an Otherworldly Demons.

It was unknown what technique the other party used, but he was able to seal his immense killing intent entirely beneath a layer of water ripple, making it impossible for even the Saint realm cultivators around him from seeing through his true identity.

Were it not for Zhang Xuan having clashed with a huge number of Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery, which granted him a deeper insight into the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and his possession of the Eye of Insight, there was no way he would have known that the person before him was an Otherworldly Demon.

"I can't see through that fellow's strength..." Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together.

Due to the other party's unique disguising method, most perception methods were unable to work on him. The powerful Eye of Insight was able to see through the other party's true form, but it was unable to determine the other party's cultivation.

But of course, it might also be because the other party's strength was far beyond him.

However, the pressing question at hand was not how powerful that fellow was, but why would an Otherworldly Demon disguise himself as a human in the remote Jingyuan City and appear at the entrance of this auction hall? Did he intend to participate in the auction as well?

Was the Sepulture Flower of value to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe too?

"I can't allow him to enter the auction hall..." Stroking his lower jaw, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thoughts.

A Saint realm Otherworldly Demon suddenly appearing in a human city, there was bound to be some kind of ploy involved here.

No matter what the other party was up to, he had to foil his plans. For one, he should hinder the other party from participating in the auction and obtaining what he wanted.

"Just that... how should I do it without alarming others?" Zhang Xuan frowned in frustration.

They were right at the entrance of the auction hall at the moment. Regardless of whether he did it himself or dispatched his puppets to do it for him, it would cause a huge uproar. If things were to go badly, the auction hall might even be torn apart.

Furthermore, if he were to corner the other party too far, the other party might be forced to utilize his means as an Otherworldly Demon to retaliate. If so, the realization that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe could be lurking within Jingyuan City would cause a huge pandemonium... An army of master teacher could very well be brought into Jingyuan City to investigate the matter, forcing the poison masters to lie low. By then, it would be nigh impossible for him to find any poison master to lead him to the Poison Hall.

While deep in thought, he saw the disguised Otherworldly Demon following the bustling crowd into the auction hall. If he wanted to act, he would have to do it now. Once the other party was settled in the auction hall, it would be impossible to drag the other party out without causing a pandemonium,

"There is no time to plan anymore. I will just have to deal with whatever that comes my way..." Knowing that he didn't have the luxury of time, Zhang Xuan dashed forward and blocked the disguised Otherworldly Demon's path.

"What are you doing?!"

Seeing that someone had suddenly blocked his path, the disguised Otherworldly Demon frowned in displeasure.

Huala!

Following which, the two guards beside the disguised Otherworldly Demon stepped forward and drew their swords, seemingly ready to make a move should Zhang Xuan try anything funny.

These two guards were Chrysalis realm pinnacle experts, but they weren't Otherworldly Demons, just ordinary cultivators.

"May I know why this friend over here is blocking my way?" Seeing that everyone's gaze was drawn towards him, the disguised Otherworldly Demon waved his hands casually, indicating for the guards to step down before turning to Zhang Xuan.

The disguised Otherworldly Demon knew that it was not to his advantage to draw attention towards himself. After all, it was more likely for his true identity to be exposed should he be placed under the spotlight.

Moreover, disguised as a human in Jingyuan City, he had a mission to accomplish as well. It wouldn't do to draw too many eyes upon himself at this moment.

"The heaven isn't blind after all! After so many years, it has finally brought me to you!" Paying no heed the disguised Otherworldly Demon's words, a look of extreme agitation suddenly surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face as he rushed forward to hug the other party.

Frowning, the Otherworldly Demon raised his palm and pushed Zhang Xuan away.

"I am Sun Qiang! Don't you recognize me?"

Being pushed away, Zhang Xuan looked at the disguised Otherworldly Demon anxiously and quickly introduced himself, as if worried that his old friend didn't recognize him.

"Sun... Qiang?" The disguised Otherworldly Demon frowned. "I'm sorry. You must have gotten the wrong person!"

As an Otherworldly Demon infiltrating the Master Teacher Continent, how could he possibly have any acquaintances here? Just where in this world did this fool pop out from?

"There is no way I could have gotten the wrong person!" Ignoring the other party's cold attitude, Zhang Xuan grabbed the other party arm in agitation and said, "We have grown up together, and I can still remember how arrogant you were when you were younger. Back then, after you managed to achieve a huge breakthrough in your cultivation, you viciously pummeled our teacher because you thought he was too nosey. In order to avenge your pet, you specially concocted a poison and killed a Saint realm expert. On top of that, you also studied the arts of the soul oracle and used your soul to conduct quite a few misdeeds. These memories are still very fresh in my mind, as if they had only happened yesterday. There is no way I can ever mistake you for another person!"

"He pummeled his own teacher because he thought his teacher was too nosey? How can a person treat his teacher like that?"

"Concocting poison to kill a Saint realm expert... He is a poison master?"

"He learned the arts of the soul oracle? Didn't the soul oracles betray humanity for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe back then?"

Hearing those words, the gazes from the crowd started to turn hostile.

Those of the Master Teacher Continent were taught to respect their teacher and lineage from young. A person who betrayed his own teacher and lineage would be scorned by others for his entire life.

More important, poison masters and soul oracles were occupations that were scorned in the continent. It could already be said that it was very patient of them to not rush forward and pummel that person before them.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Seeing how a person he didn't recognize suddenly uttering such nonsense here, the eyebrows of the Otherworldly Demon shot up, and he nearly erupted on the spot, "I don't even know you!"

If the crowd were to turn against him over this matter and his true identity was revealed in the process, how was he going to accomplish his mission?

Thus, he jerked his arm forcefully, knocking away the hand that was grasping him.

'You don't know me? Very well!" As if displeased by the other party's action of feigning ignorance, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up, "Three years ago, when you were being pursued by your enemies and was on the verge of death, I was the one who saved you. If I remember correctly, your enemies managed to impale your left shoulder back then, and the wound should have left a scar. Since you said that you don't know me, do you dare to show your left shoulder to all of us right here to prove that I was lying?"

"You..." The disguised Otherworldly Demon was stunned for a moment before clenching his fists tightly in frustration.

His left shoulder had indeed been impaled by a special weapon three years ago. To this day, he still had yet to recover from it fully, and the wound had also left a permanent scar on his left shoulder. Due to the unique nature of the injury, he wasn't able to conceal it even when disguising as a human...

As his wound had been concealed within his clothes all along, and he had never shown it to anyone before, not even his closest friend was aware of this matter. Where in the world did that fellow learn of this matter?

"Why? You dare not show your shoulder right here? Well, of course you don't! Your injury was caused by a spear imbued with the fire attribute whereas the cultivation technique you practice is of the water attribute. As such, that wound has resulted in a permanent scar which you can't erase! On top of that, the encounter has also left a hidden trauma in your body. A surge of flame zhenqi will relentlessly strike your Hunyin acupoint every full moon, leaving you in great agony... How is it? Is there any mistake in what I have said?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"Y-you..." The disguised Otherworldly Demon was only astonished when the other party spoke about the scar on his left shoulder, but at this moment, he felt so crazed that his eyes were on the verge of popping from their sockets.

The other party's description was spot-on.

The scar on his left shoulder was indeed caused by a spear imbued with the fire attribute, and it was also true that he cultivated a water attribute cultivation technique. The matter about there being a surge of flame zhenqi in his body torturing him every month was also correct... There was no mistake in the other party's account at all!

But he was certain that he didn't know the other party, and even if he did, he had never told anyone of the problems he was facing either...

So how did this fellow find out?

"You still don't remember me? Are you hiding something that makes it inconvenient for you to reveal your identity? Is that the reason why you are hiding from me?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"Cough cough! Brother Sun Qiang, I finally recognize you now!"

As that person spoke on, the gazes directed towards him was becoming more and more peculiar. Fearing that his identity might just be dredged up should the other party continue speaking, the disguised Otherworldly Demon could only concede with a look of awkwardness.

"That's more like it! I knew that I couldn't have possibly mistaken you for anyone else! Here, this is the fine wine that you savor the most. If you still regard me as your brother, drink it!" Seeing the other party bending under the pressure from the surroundings, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a smiling face, he flicked his wrist, took out a gourd, and passed it over.

"You want me to drink? Right here?" The disguised Otherworldly Demon was flabbergasted.

What is with the sudden jump in logic? Even if we are good friends, surely there is a time and place to drink!

We are right outside the auction hall, and there are so many people looking... You want me to drink right here?

He wasn't the only one perplexed by Zhang Xuan's abrupt words. The crowd was also baffled as well.

"Why? You don't trust me? You think that there is a problem with the wine I am giving you? Sigh, you really should work on that skeptical personality of yours. Fine, I will drink first!" Shaking his head with a smile, Zhang Xuan uncorked the wine gourd, and an intoxicating fragrance drifted into the surroundings. Tilting his head upwards, he took a hearty gulp of the wine.

After he was done, he passed it over to the disguised Otherworldly Demon, "Here you go!"

"I think it will be better for us to drink another day. The auction is about to start, and I still have matters to attend to..."

A stranger he didn't know was abruptly offering him wine out of nowhere. He would be lying if he said he wasn't doubtful.

"That skeptical personality like yours sure is like the Otherworldly Demons, especially like that Qingtian something Waterleaf King..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Geji!

As soon as the disguised Otherworldly Demon heard those words, his entire body stiffened. A hint of killing intent flashed across his eyes.

It might seem as if the other party was uttering nonsense, but the other party had managed to identify him accurately!

In other words, all of those that were spoken before was not a coincidence at all. The other party... knew who he was!

Just that... he pondered for a while, but there was no one named Sun Qiang that he knew of.

"You're right! Good friends should indeed have a drink together. However, this isn't the place to do so. Why don't we go to a tavern together and drink our hearts out?" Suppressing his killing intent, the disguised Otherworldly Demon chuckled amiably.

In any case, if his identity was already compromised, there was only one thing that he could do... Find an opportunity to kill the other party!

Otherwise, if he were to be exposed right here, he would be unable to accomplish his mission.

"You want to drink together at a tavern? Sure. However, you have to drink my wine first before I will go with you. If you aren't even willing to reciprocate this kind gesture of mine, who knows whether you will be bringing me to drink or to the netherworld later on? A person who has beat up his teacher surely has no qualms about killing his close friends too, right?" Zhang Xuan said with a wry smile.

"You..."

The disguised Otherworldly Demon's face reddened.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 986: Waterleaf King

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

One thing he could be sure at this moment was that the other party had already uncovered his identity.

But... his disguise should have been flawless! How could someone possibly see through it?

Could it be that the other party possessed a cultivation more fearsome than him?

"Of course not! If a sip of wine can allay your fears, I am more than willing to do so." With a light smile, the disguised Otherworldly Demon swiftly concealed his loss of composure a moment ago.

Taking the gourd from Zhang Xuan's hands, he began assessing the wine carefully with narrowed eyes.

For the other party to offer him a gourd of wine after uncovering his true identity, it was hard to believe that there was nothing wrong with the wine.

Activating his Spiritual Perception, he swiftly swept through the contents of the wine, and the result left a deep frown on his forehead.

The conclusion he received was that the gourd was filled with nothing more than ordinary wine. If there was anything peculiar about it, it was just that it was richly infused with spiritual energy.

The disguised Waterleaf King hesitated for a moment, and eventually, he still felt that it was better to be safe than sorry. Thus, he passed the gourd back to Zhang Xuan, took out a jade bottle, and said, "I'm afraid that I don't fancy the wine you brought too much. Let's drink mine instead."

This bottle of wine was his personal possession, so he could be confident that there was nothing wrong with it.

Lifting up the jade bottle, the disguised Otherworldly Demon was just about to uncork the cap and take a drink when Zhang Xuan suddenly stepped forward to grab the bottle, "You don't like the wine I brought you? Let me take a look at what you have in here then."

After saying those words, Zhang Xuan uncorked the cap.

The rich aroma of alcohol burst forth from the bottle. It was indeed far better than the wine he had in the gourd earlier.

"Fine wine indeed! It is no wonder you aren't interested in the one I have. Here!" Zhang Xuan took a swift glance at it before passing it back, not making any peculiar actions at all.

"Un." Taking everything into sight, the disguised Otherworldly Demon heaved a sigh of relief when he confirmed that the other party hadn't done anything to the wine in the bottle. He took the bottle back from Zhang Xuan's hand and took a sip from it.

"Alright, shall we head to a tavern together and drink our hearts away?" the disguised Otherworldly Demon said with a smile.

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Lord..." Seeing that the esteemed guest which they were supposed to be escorting leaving the area to drink with someone else, the two guards standing beside the disguised Otherworldly Demon glanced at one another in confusion.

Isn't he here to participate in the auction? Why is he leaving before the auction has even started?

"The both of you can head in first. I will return swiftly." The disguised Otherworldly Demon waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Yes!" Seeing that the other party had already made up his mind, the guards hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Even their master had to obey the commands of the man before them, so naturally, they dared not to go against the other party's orders either.

"Let's go!" Seeing that the other party was done, Zhang Xuan took the lead, and before long, they were out of Inkcloud Quarter.

Walking along the streets, they soon arrived at a remote alley.

Seeing that there was no one around, the Otherworldly Demon couldn't hold himself back any longer. Rushing forward to block Zhang Xuan's path, he asked with a cold glint in his eyes, "Who in the world are you?"

"Me? I am just an ordinary human. On the other hand... for an Otherworldly Demon like you to be walking in public disguised as a human, you sure are brazen!"

At which, Zhang Xuan's lips curled up, "Isn't that so, Waterleaf King?"

"Y-you... Just who are you?"

The disguised Otherworldly Demon raised his palm and closed it, and a torrent of zhenqi sealed the space in the surroundings. A powerful surge of killing intent burst into the area, and all a sudden, the entire street seemed to have turned into a living hell.

From the moment he realized that the other party had uncovered his true identity, he had already decided to kill the other party.

"Who am I?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You aren't qualified to know who I am!"

"Unwilling to speak? Fine by me too. I have no interest in learning a dead man's name either!" The Waterleaf King roared furiously as his claws swiped at Zhang Xuan with frightening swiftness.

Huala!

A burst of devastating zhenqi rose up like waves of the ocean. Under the tremendous might of the Waterleaf King, the streets creaked wildly, ready to collapse at any moment.

From the great strength that the Waterleaf King was able to harness, Zhang Xuan could tell that he was not at Saint 1-dan or 2-dan, but... 4-dan!

Primordial Spirit realm!

"You want to kill me?" Zhang Xuan stood calmly in face of the other party's attack, not surprised at all. Instead, he chuckled softly and said, "I am afraid that you don't have the ability to do so... Lie down!"

Just like what he did back at Inkcloud Quarter, he snapped his fingers as he said those words.

Padah!

In the next moment, the powerful Waterleaf King's body abruptly stiffened before crashing forcefully into the ground. The immense might he had commanded a moment ago vanished like the receding tide. Lying on the floor, he coughed huge mouthfuls of blood.

"Y-you... poisoned me?" In the narrowed eyes of the Waterleaf King, his disbelief was apparent.

He had made sure to proceed warily, opting not to consume the other party's wine even after confirming that it hadn't been spiked. Yet, despite all of the preventive measures he had done, he still ended up being poisoned!

"Of course! How can I deal with a powerful King like you without resorting to certain means?" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

Through his Eye of insight, he could only see that the other party was an Otherworldly Demon. He only managed to confirm the other party's identity through his Library of Heaven's Path.

His first gesture to hug the other party had forced the other party to drive his zhenqi to knock him away, and that had allowed him to a compile a book on the other party in the Library of Heaven's Path.

To his astonishment, the disguised Otherworldly Demon was actually an Otherworldly Demon King like the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King whom he killed at the Subterranean Gallery previously... Waterleaf King!

A powerful Saint 4-dan expert!

For a powerful King like the other party to actually be hidden amongst the human populace... If he didn't stop the other party, it could very well end in a disaster!

Even the utter destruction of Jingyuan City was possible!

Even with Zhang Xuan's current strength, it was unlikely that he would be able to fare well against the Waterleaf King. Relying on his Otherworldly Demon puppets was a plausible option, but even if he was able to kill the other party through such a mean, it would still stir up a huge commotion which would hinder his goal of finding a poison master. To be safe, he chose to lure the other party to drinking his wine instead.

Hidden within the wine was his Heaven's Path zhenqi. With just a single thought from him, it could be instantaneously turned into lethal poison.

The Waterleaf King was indeed smart, adamantly choosing not to drink his wine. However, even a person as wary as the other party couldn't have imagined that he would be able to poison the wine just by touching the jade bottle.

Due to the incredible purity of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, it was able to seep through the miniature pores in the jade bottle. In the moment that Zhang Xuan took the jade bottle, he discreetly infused a few surges of Heaven's Path zhenqi into the wine. Furthermore, the Heaven's Path zhenqi would only appear as ordinary spiritual energy when scanned through Spiritual Perception.

But of course, the main reason why he was able to get the Waterleaf King to put his guard down was because it was inconceivable!

Even the most formidable of poison masters would have to use poison powder, gu insects, or something of that sort in order to poison another. For one's zhenqi to actually harness lethal poison... that was unthinkable!

"You... I will bring you down with me!" Seeing the other party admit to it, the Waterleaf King's face turned red. With a furious roar, he smacked his palm against the ground to push his body up and charged right towards Zhang Xuan.

But before he could strike, Zhang Xuan uttered, "Down!"

Boom!

With a snap of the fingers, the Waterleaf King fell vertically from the sky and landed heavily on the ground. Cold sweat trickled from his forehead.

At this point, the Heaven's Path zhenqi had already infiltrated all of the acupoints and organs of the Waterleaf King's body. With just a thought, Zhang Xuan would be able to kill him instantaneously. In terms of lethality, not even grade-7 poison could compare to it. As powerful as the Waterleaf King was, he was also completely helpless before it.

"What kind of poison is this?" Realizing that something was amiss, the Waterleaf King widened his eyes in horror.

In order to ensure the success of his mission, he had made sure to consume many antidotes beforehand so as to render them ineffective against him. Typically speaking, ordinary poisons should be completely ineffective on him.

It was one thing for him to have not noticed when he was poisoned, but to be unable to feel the poison when it was already in his body... that was really a little frightening.

Could it be that he had already been poisoned by a 7-star poison master even before the start of his mission?

But wasn't the most capable poison master in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall only at 6-star?

Not responding to the other party's question, Zhang Xuan stepped forward and tapped on the other party's body several times, sealing his cultivation.

He had already found the other party's weaknesses through the Library of Heaven's Path, and his Heaven's Path zhenqi had curbed the other party's movements. Thus, subduing the other party wasn't particularly difficult.

After sealing the Waterleaf King's cultivation, Zhang Xuan glanced at the other party's mouth and abruptly closed his hand. In the next moment, a small pill flew out from the other party's mouth, and he caught it with a wax paper.

"You..." Seeing the other party retrieving the pill from his mouth, the Waterleaf King's face warped in astonishment.

The pill was a final resort were he to captured by an enemy so as to prevent any secrets from leaking out.

Other than the other Otherworldly Demon Kings who were carrying out similar missions as well, no one was aware of the existence of the pill... Just who was the person before him?!

It was one thing to know his name, but how could the other party be aware of such a confidential secret as well?

"You should know what to do now!" After destroying the poisonous pill in the wax paper, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the Waterleaf King.

The Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King had committed suicide through that pill after he subdued them the previous time around. Unwilling to allow history to repeat itself, he was prepared this time around.

"Speak! What is your purpose at Jingyuan City?" Zhang Xuan questioned grimly.

"You want me to betray my tribesmen? Dream on!" The Waterleaf King gritted his teeth.

"Refusing to budge? I see..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. He placed his finger on the other party's body and began sending a surge of zhenqi into the other party's body.

Tzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

As soon as the zhenqi entered the Waterleaf King's body, he immediately felt as if his entire body had been bitten by thousands and thousands of poisonous bugs, evoking an unbearable sharp pain throughout his body.

If the pain had just been limited to his body, it would still have been tolerable for him. However, that surge of zhenqi which the other party infused into his body seemed to exert an overwhelming pressure on his soul as well, threatening to rip his soul apart.

"You want me to submit to a lower lifeform like you? Impossible!" Clenching his jaws tightly to bear with the pain, the Waterleaf King roared furiously.

In the next moment, his body abruptly bloated up with an inflated balloon.

"What?" Upon seeing the other party's state, Zhang Xuan's face warped in shock.

He quickly hastened the infusion of zhenqi, intending to suppress whatever the other party was about to do. However, in the next second, the other party's body abruptly began withering at a visible pace. Following which, a soul which bore the same form as the Waterleaf King flew out from the other party's glabella.

"Is this a soul?"

Feeling the powerful aura emanating from the soul, Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before his eyes narrowed in alarm. "No, it isn't just a soul. It is... a Primordial Spirit!"

At Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm, a cultivator would have tempered his Embryonic Soul into a Primordial Spirit. Similar to the souls of soul oracles, Primordial Spirits were able to exist independently from the body. They could easily cover great distances within a short period of time, and they wielded the power to decapitate another with just a single thought.

The Waterleaf King's physical body and cultivation had been suppressed by his Heaven's Path zhenqi, and in a moment of panic, he decisively abandoned his physical body and charged out in the form as his Primordial Spirit.

However, a cultivator's Primordial Spirit would still be in an unstable form before reaching Saint 5-dan. A forceful separation from the body before then could potentially cause the body to die, and it would be difficult for the unstable Primordial Spirit to survive for extended periods of time alone as well.

"Even at the expense of my life, I will drag you down to the netherworld with me..." Roaring frenziedly, the Waterleaf King charged at Zhang Xuan savagely.

Under the current circumstances, it was unlikely that he would be getting out of here alive. Since that was the case, he could very well use a companion on his trip to the netherworld!

Despite the other party's mysterious means, he was only a Nascent Saint with a weak soul. As long as his Primordial Spirit were to charge into the other party's body, he would be able to tear the other party's soul into shreds easily!

Hu!

Before Zhang Xuan could react, the Waterleaf King's Primordial Spirit had already slipped into his glabella, causing Zhang Xuan's body to freeze altogether.

After entering Zhang Xuan's body, the Waterleaf King was just about to devour the other party's soul when he abruptly saw a mountain-like silhouette before his eyes.

"Hahaha, I shall devour you whole... The heck, what is this?"

The Waterleaf King's eyes widened in astonishment.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 987: City Lord Manor

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Without a doubt, an attack from a Primordial Spirit was extremely frightening. It could easily crush or even devour a soul. No matter how powerful one's defense was, it was extremely difficult to guard one's soul.

This was precisely the reason why a Primordial Spirit realm expert was extremely frightening, far beyond that of an Embryonic Soul realm cultivator.

When the Waterleaf King found himself poisoned and had his cultivation sealed, he knew that there was no way he would be getting out of here alive. Thus, he used a secret art to forcefully draw his Primordial Spirit out of his physical body, intending to devour the enemy's soul whole as his final act of valor.

But when he dived into the other party's body and saw the soul within, he nearly died of shock.

The other party's soul was more than ten meters tall, and it commanded an aura of inviolable authority, reminiscent of the will of the heavens. Standing before it, he felt so pressured by the presence that it seemed like his mind would break at any moment.

"How... how could this be possible? How could anyone possibly have such a huge soul?"

The Waterleaf King couldn't help but fly into a hysteria.

An ordinary Nascent Saint cultivator would have cultivated his soul, but it would only be at the elementary level of just being able to wield the power of the world. To make a comparison, it should have been nothing more than an infant before his.

But... what the heck was this?

More than ten meters tall, reminiscent of a massive mountain... and more importantly, there wasn't the slightest bit of coldness or yin energy from it. On the contrary, it even carried a radiant tinge of lightning on it. Putting aside devouring that soul, it would be a huge blessing if he could avoid being devoured by it...

Could it be that... the fellow before him wasn't a Nascent Saint but a Saint 5-dan or even 6-dan expert?

Otherwise, how could he have such a powerful soul?

He had thought that by going all out, he would at least be able to force the other party to pay a heavy price for his actions. Yet, who could have thought that the other party's soul was far stronger than his? There was no way he could match that monstrous thing before him!

Why must reality be so cruel...

"Flee!"

Knowing that it was impossible for him to win, the Waterleaf King turned around and ran away without any hesitation.

But before he could get away, his body suddenly froze. Following which, a massive hand wrapped around his waist, and no matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free from it.

"Soul Search!"

Grabbing the Primordial Spirit before him, Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

It would have been extremely difficult for him to kill a Primordial Spirit realm expert using normal means had the other party not attempted to infiltrate his body with his Primordial Spirit. However, since the other party had done so, the rest was simple.

Flowing through his body was the incredibly powerful Heaven's Path zhenqi, and on top of that, there was a Library of Heaven's Path sitting within him. Even Vicious was no match for it, so how well could a mere Primordial Spirit possibly fare before it?

In just an instant, the other party was already screaming in agony, as if he had been dropped in a pot of oil.

"Young master, don't kill that fellow. Leave his Primordial Spirit to me, I have a use for it!" Just as Zhang Xuan was about to conduct a Soul Search, Vicious abruptly spoke up.

"Leave his Primordial Spirit to you?"

"Yes. Consuming the Primordial Spirit of an Otherworldly Demon King can help me recover faster..." At which, Vicious hurriedly added, "Don't worry, young master. I will make sure to squeeze every last bit of information that you want to know from him!"

"Alright then." Since Vicious had guaranteed it, Zhang Xuan nodded and passed the Waterleaf King's Primordial Spirit over to him.

Leaving Vicious to be, he returned his consciousness to his physical body.

Exhaling deeply, it was only then did Zhang Xuan realize that he had broken out in cold sweat.

In truth, he was truly in a perilous situation for a moment there. Had the Waterleaf King decided to clash with him directly instead of foolishly slipping into his body in hopes of killing him faster, there was no saying who would be the ultimate victor.

While Zhang Xuan's soul was indeed extremely large, it was still a little off from comparing up to a Primordial Spirit. After all, the difference between the two lay not just in their sizes but their level of existence as well.

The only reason why Zhang Xuan was able to emerge victorious was due to the overwhelming advantage he wielded in his body.

It seemed like he really had to be a little bit more careful when dealing with Primordial Spirit realm experts in the future.

Glancing at the corpse of the Waterleaf King, Zhang Xuan hooked his finger, and a storage ring flew into his grasp.

Immersing his consciousness within, he saw a huge mountain of treasures within. There must be at least several thousand high-tier spirit stones within the pile.

Most likely, he is on some kind of mission, just like the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King, that's why he has so many high-tier spirit stones on him... Zhang Xuan thought as his eyes lit up.

Regardless of what the other party's aim was, he had definitely made a killing with this sum of high-tier spirit stones.

He continued browsing through the other items in the storage ring, and there were a handful of secret manuals relating to the soul. However, just like those that the other two Kings had, their content was very bizarre and vague.

Casually flipping through those secret manuals, he found himself unable to make sense out of them. At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed across his mind.

Compile!

Compiling the soul cultivation technique manuals he had obtained from the three Otherworldly Demon Kings, a new book was formed.

He flipped open the new book and began browsing through it.

A moment later, his eyes lit up.

"To think that it works..."

He thought that due to the innate differences between humans and the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, their soul cultivation techniques would be useless towards him. However, after compiling many of them together, he realized that it was still possible to form a perfect Heaven's Path Soul Art through it.

"From the looks of it, even though the soul cultivation techniques of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe differs from that of the humans, they are headed towards the same destination and possesses similar effects..." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

The original version of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's soul cultivation techniques was extremely bizarre. Based on his deduction, it was very likely that one could go berserk from cultivating it... However, thinking about it again, it might just be another different school of soul cultivation, one that was vastly different from that of the humans.

There were many different schools to interpreting cultivation, but the ultimate destination was the same.

Compile!

Taking out the Transcendent Mortal 9-dan soul cultivation technique which Mo Hunsheng had given him back then, he compiled it together with the soul cultivation technique which he had just compiled earlier on.

A moment later, a new book appeared before his eyes.

Taking a look at it, Zhang Xuan's lips curled up.

He had finally perfected the Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Heaven's Path Soul Art!

He had only cultivated his soul up to Transcendent Mortal 8-dan to date, and with this newly compiled Heaven's Path Soul Art, he would be able to advance his soul cultivation to Transcendent Mortal 9-dan, thus advancing his strength further.

However, this isn't the time for that!

Suppressing his urge to cultivate, Zhang Xuan cleared the corpse of the Waterleaf King before releasing the restraints in the surroundings and headed towards Inkcloud Quarter.

After wasting so much time, the auction was bound to have already begun.

The important matter at hand was to find the trail of the poison masters first.

Right after stepping into the auction, before Zhang Xuan could make sense out of the situation in there, Hu Yunsheng had already rushed up to him.

"Elder, the city lord has left the auction hall just a few moments ago!"

"He left the auction hall?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.

"Yes! Before the auction for the Sepulture Flower began, he suddenly turned around and left his VIP compartment. I thought that he might have some urgent matters to attend to and would be back very soon, but my men reported that he headed right back to the City Lord Manor. It seems like he has no intentions of participating in the auction anymore, but... I can't help but feel that something is amiss." Hu Yunsheng frowned doubtfully.

That fellow was determined to obtain the Sepulture Flower previously, resorting to even forcing a trade with them. Yet, right before the auctioning of the Sepulture Flower, he suddenly turned around and left...

This had left Hu Yunsheng baffled.

Zhang Xuan was also rather perplexed by the situation as well.

There was something really off about this matter.

He had met the city lord for himself, and he could feel the latter's determination in obtaining the Sepulture Flower... The latter had already come to the auction hall, and it was just moments before the auction of the Sepulture Flower. Why would he suddenly give up at this point?

"Could he be planning on snatching the Sepulture Flower?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It doesn't seem too likely considering that he returned back to his City Lord Manor... My guess is that there might be an abrupt situation that left him no choice but to return!" Hu Yunsheng pondered for a moment before replying.

Zhang Xuan fell into a moment of deep thought before nodding, "I understand. For the time being, you should focus on running the auction and continue keeping a lookout for the poison masters. I will go and see what is going on with the city lord."

The very fact that the city lord wanted the Sepulture Flower, which should have only been useful to the poison masters, had already rung some warning bells in his head. For the other party to suddenly leave so hurriedly at this moment, there was probably something even deeper to the matter. This was something that deserved looking further into.

"Alright!" Hu Yunsheng nodded. "The City Lord Manor is well-guarded, and it will be dangerous to infiltrate it... Elder, do be careful!"

He wasn't worried about Zhang Xuan's safety, but there would be no one to cure his poison should something happen to the latter.

"Rest assured!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

He might not be a match for a Primordial Spirit realm Otherworldly Demon, but those guards of the City Lord Manor could barely be considered a threat to him.

"Un." Recalling that the middle-aged man before him was not only a powerful cultivator but a poison master as well, Hu Yunsheng heaved a sigh of relief and nodded.

After which, he quickly pointed out the direction of the City Lord Manor and explained its layout to the other party.

As an intelligence agency, it was no surprise for Inkcloud Quarter to have detailed information about the blueprint and security of the City Lord Manor.

Very soon, after Zhang Xuan gained a decent level of understanding regarding the City Lord Manor, he began making his way over.

The City Lord Manor stood at the very heart of Jingyuan City, just a few kilometers away from Inkcloud Quarter. Flying under the cover of the night sky, it didn't take long for a vast manor to come into sight.

Recalling the intelligence which Hu Yunsheng had supplied him earlier, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight and easily found the openings in the defensive formations and patrols.

It seems like that fellow's intelligence network is pretty impressive after all!

Zhang Xuan chuckled under his breath before making his way in.

It was only due to the extreme secrecy the Poison Hall maintained that Hu Yunsheng was unable to obtain much news regarding it. As for the other matters, Inkcloud Quarter's intelligence network was still of great use.

With the intelligence Zhang Xuan had obtained beforehand, it didn't take long for Zhang Xuan to bypass the defenses of the City Lord Manor and arrive in the vicinity of the main hall, where the city lord resided.

With a nimble leap, he hid amidst a huge tree in the courtyard and secretly peeked in.

Following which, he saw the city lord pacing around the vast main hall nervously, seemingly waiting for something.

The two guards that were with him were also standing on high alert, scanning their surroundings seriously.

"The both of you are dismissed for the time being." The city lord waved his hand.

"Yes, my lord!"

The two guards left the main hall, and the room fell silent.

The city lord continued pacing around the room nervously, and a moment later, a unique aura suddenly permeated the room.

Following which, a silhouette abruptly appeared in the room.

"Paying respects to the great lord..."

Upon seeing the silhouette, the city lord heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly clasped his fist. It seemed like this was the person he was waiting for all this while.

"Un." The silhouette placed his hands behind his back and nodded nonchalantly.

"Lord, the auction for the Sepulture Flower you tasked me to purchase is about to begin..." The city lord said questioningly with a tinge of doubt in his voice.

It was under the other party's orders that he was going to purchase the Sepulture Flower, but just moments before the auctioning of the Sepulture Flower, the other party abruptly summoned him back. He couldn't help but feel a little bewildered by the situation.

"Something has happened..." Instead of responding to the city lord's query, the silhouette said with a deep frown.

"Something has happened?" The city lord repeated uncomprehendingly.

"Un."

The silhouette waved his hand, and just as he was about to speak, his eyebrows suddenly shot up. Turning his gaze in the direction where Zhang Xuan was hidden, he bellowed coldly, "Who is there?"

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 988: Lifebound Venomous Bug

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Boom!

Following which, a powerful might fell upon the entire courtyard, including the huge tree which Zhang Xuan was hidden in. Under the rampaging zhenqi, Zhang Xuan felt as if his body would be torn apart.

"The other party has discovered me?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm.

He had made sure to conceal his presence entirely, sealing every trace of aura within his body. Even if one were to scan his area, he would only appear to be a non-living being.

It was also out of confidence for his concealment ability that he chose to came here in his body instead of just his soul. Who could have thought that he would be discovered before he could do anything at all?

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, and just as he was about to show himself, he suddenly heard two powerful gust of wind behind him.

Following which, two figures leaped into the courtyard.

Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed like the other party wasn't referring to him after all.

Both of the two figures were dressed in dark gray clothes. One of them had a towering physique and a snowy beard. He exuded a powerful aura which hinted at the incredible strength he harnessed.

The other had a relatively small build, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes which made one instinctively realize that he wouldn't be an easy person to deal with.

They were both Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts. The movement technique they used was rather uncommon, or at the very least, Zhang Xuan had never seen such a movement technique before.

"It's you two?" Upon seeing their appearances, the eyes of the silhouette, which had been talking to the city lord, a moment ago lit up.

"Indeed. And you must be the one who have been using all kinds of means to dig up news on us?" With a hostile gaze, the white-beard elder narrowed his eyes.

They had found that someone had been trying to track them down over the past few days, so they decided to launch a pre-emptive strike first. Following the trails of the culprits, they eventually found themselves at the City Lord Manor. However, they didn't think that they would be discovered shortly after entering the manor.

"Hahaha, I have searched far and wide for you but to no avail, but who could have thought that you will end up knocking on my doorstep instead? Since you are already here, don't even think about leaving anymore!" The silhouette sneered coldly as he spread his palm open and thrust it downward.

Hong long!

In the next moment, the air in the surroundings seemed to be have turned incredibly viscous, and an overwhelming aura crushed down on the entire manor. It seemed like a powerful formation had been activated.

"Shit, it is a trap!" In that instant, the faces of the two men turned livid.

It couldn't be clearer to them at this moment that the other party had intentionally lured them into this manor so as to trap them with the formation.

"Hahaha, you realized it too late!"

With a cold smile, the silhouette lifted his palm and thrust it forward forcefully.

Boom!

A powerful burst of might shot forth towards the taller man, tearing a long gorge of a meter in width along its path.

Jiya, even the formation shook violently before that powerful might, ready to collapse at any moment.

"That silhouette man is a Saint 4-dan expert too?"

On the tree, Zhang Xuan's face turned grim.

To his astonishment, the silhouette man was also a Primordial Spirit realm expert, just like the Waterleaf King.

Even in Qingyuan Conferred Empire, Primordial Spirit realm experts were individuals who stood at the peak of the pyramid. Why would so many of them suddenly appear in a remote location like Jingyuan City?

Flaws!

Seeing that the other party was in the midst of executing his battle technique, Zhang Xuan willed without any hesitation, and a book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Placing his fingers on the book, he swiftly flipped it open.

"Violetleaf King, one of the Qingtian Ten Great Kings..."

There was a short introduction at the front, followed by all kinds of flaws afterwards.

"Violetleaf King? He is one of the Ten Great Kings as well?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He didn't think that the silhouette man would also be an Otherworldly Demon King, just like the three fellows he had dealt with previously.

He had already eliminated three of the Qingtian Ten Great Kings... If their leader were to learn about it, would the other party skin him alive?

"Elder Xu!"

While Zhang Xuan was astonished by what he was reading, the shorter of the two men hurriedly rushed forward with his palm raised, choosing to face the devastating attack in place of the taller man.

Boom!

As the two mights collided, the face of the shorter man paled, and he was sent flying in the next moment. While in the air, blood spurted uncontrollably from his mouth.

The powerful life force he harnessed a moment ago vanished instantaneously as if a popped balloon. By the time he crashed heavily onto the ground, the final breath had already escaped from his body.

"He was actually killed in a single palm?" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly in astonishment.

Upon reaching Saint realm, there would be a qualitative evolution in one's level of existence. One's physical resilience would be enhanced significantly, allowing one to survive a greater extent of damage. The shorter man's cultivation was at Saint 1-dan pinnacle, and yet, he was killed on the spot with just a single palm... Was this the true strength of a Primordial Spirit realm expert?

But thinking about it, that was to be expected!

At Primordial Spirit realm, one's comprehension of the world had already reached an unfathomable level. The reason why Zhang Xuan was able to kill three of them previously was through utilizing various different means to overwhelm them. In truth, not once had he clashed with them at all.

If he were to really engage a Primordial Spirit realm expert in a direct confrontation, not even five of him combined would even be sufficient to faze the other party!

"Elder Xue!"

Seeing that his companion had been killed while trying to save him, the face of the white-bearded elder, Elder Xu, warped in fury. He turned his gaze towards the silhouette before him with killing intent raging in his eyes.

Flicking his hand, he took out a small jade bottle and opened it. A black-colored beetle with a golden hue on its mouth flew out from the bottle.

Weng weng weng!

The beetle was only around the size of a fingernail, but it flew at an incredible speed. Its fluttering wings produced a particularly unnerving sound.

Biting his finger, Elder Xu dripped a droplet of blood on the beetle.

Tzzzzz!

Upon seeing fresh blood, the beetle excitedly opened its mouth and gulped it clean within two mouthfuls. Following which, a brilliant silver glow emanated from its body, as if a certain ability of it had been activated.

"Could that be... a venomous bug?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had read quite a few books relating to poison back on the Red Lotus Mountain Range Poison Hall, and there were some records relating to poison masters nurturing venomous bugs using their own blood. Such bugs were capable to producing frightening poison whenever fed with human blood.

"To possess a venomous bug... Could it be that the both of them are poison masters?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

His purpose for coming to Jingyuan City was to find the Poison Hall, but to do so, he would require the guide of the poison masters. However, to conceal themselves from the Master Teacher Pavilion, the poison masters often moved in secrecy, never appearing in public view. As such, it was nigh impossible to find them. This was also the reason why Zhang Xuan could only resort to the Sepulture Flower to lure them in.

Yet, who could have thought that he would meet them here...

"From the looks of it now, it seems like the reason why the city lord is determined to obtain the Sepulture Flower is to lure the poison masters out as well..." At this point, Zhang Xuan also came to a realization as well.

Judging from the current state of affairs, it seemed like the city lord was under the command of the Otherworldly Demon Kings, and he was acting on their behalf... But why would the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe be interested in finding the Poison Hall?

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan turned to Elder Xu, and a corresponding book on the latter materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

"The Grand Elder of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall, 6-star pinnacle poison master..."

The other party's identity was clearly written in the book. Just like what Zhang Xuan had guessed, the other party was indeed one of the elders of the Poison Hall.

While Zhang Xuan was still analyzing the situation, the venomous bug finally had its fill of blood. With a light silver glow on its body, it flew straight for the Violetleaf King.

"Do you really think that a mere Silverarmor Venomous Beetle will suffice against me? You sure are underestimating me..." Sneering coldly, the Violetleaf King raised his palm and struck at the beetle.

Hula!

An incredible surge of fiery zhenqi burst forth, threatening to burn the beetle down to ashes. However, the latter was simply too nimble. It dodged the Violetleaf King's attack with ease and headed towards the aerial space right above him. With the fluttering of its wings, it scattered a pile of silver powder all around.

"Hmph!" The Violetleaf King flung his sleeves and swept the silver powder away.

At the same, he shot bursts of sword qi from his fingertips towards the beetle.

Tzzzzz!

The sword qi traversed through space at an incredible speed, but the beetle was even quicker. As it treaded around the bursts of sword qi, it continuously released a unique gas. Not too far away, the city lord inadvertently breathed in a mouthful of it. His face immediately paled, and his body began wobbling weakly before falling to the ground.

Just by breathing in a mouthful of the gas, he was already incapacitated by the poison.

"Not too bad, you do have some tricks up your sleeves!" Seeing the city lord falling to the ground, on the verge of dying at any moment, the Violetleaf King's complexion finally turned grim.

With an abrupt twist of its body, it created a thin energy barrier around it, warding off the poisonous powder and gas from the beetle.

"That venomous bug is formidable, but it is still impossible for it to defeat the Violetleaf King!" Looking closely at the battle, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Even though his current strength was far beneath the Violetleaf King, he could still determine the flow of the battle precisely with his sharp eye of discernment.

The venomous bug which Elder Xu had released was indeed formidable, unmatched by cultivators of the same cultivation as him. However, it was still a little too weak to poison a Saint 4-dan expert to death.

Putting everything aside, just the fact that the Violetleaf King hadn't even used the prowess of his Primordial Spirit once ever since the very start of the battle clearly displayed the difference in the differing positions of both sides.

Primordial Spirits were capable of conducting attacks on one's soul directly, and it was the strongest offensive mean of Saint 4-dan experts. On top of that, despite the potency of the beetle's poison, it was unable to breach the latter's defenses. With this, the victor of the battle was already clear.

As expected, after seeing through the moves of the beetle, the Violetleaf King decided to end the battle there and then. With a light chuckle, a powerful force burst forth from his glabella, "Kneel down!"

Boom!

The voice was deafening, reminiscent of thunder. Upon hearing the voice, the flying beetle suddenly began wobbling unstably, as if intoxicated.

Pu!

Not too far away, Elder Xu also spurted a mouthful of blood, as if he had been struck by the soul attack as well.

"Could it be... a Lifebound Venomous Bug?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

A Lifebound Venomous Bug could be considered as the clone of a poison master. By feeding a bug with one's blood essence frequently, one could infuse a portion of his soul into the bug's soul, thus further enhancing the strength of the bug and one's control over it. However, should one's Lifebound Venomous Bug die, one would incur severe damage or even die on the spot.

"I see, no wonder your beetle is so formidable. So it is a Lifebound Venomous Bug..." Naturally, the Violetleaf King also realized the same. With a light chuckle, he swiftly grabbed it with his hand.

Ji ji ji ji ji!

The beetle's movement was already hindered from the soul attack it suffered earlier, so it was unable to dodge from the Violetleaf King's hand at all. Trapped, it struggled desperately, but it was unable to escape at all.

"If you were a little stronger, this thing might still be able to threaten me. But in your current state, dream on!" The Violetleaf King flicked his finger lightly at the beetle, and under the impact, Elder Xu staggered weakly, and his face paled further.

Poison masters may be formidable, and the poison they concocted were extremely difficult to guard against, but ultimately, Elder Xu was only a Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivator. It was too difficult a feat for him to kill a Saint 4-dan Otherworldly Demon King.

"Bring me to the Poison Hall, and I can consider sparing your life. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what will happen to you!"

Grabbing the beetle tightly in his hands, the Violetleaf King looked at Elder Xu coldly, the killing intent in his eyes unconcealed.

"This is a good opportunity for me..." Seeing that the Violetleaf King would make a move any time soon, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

If he could save Elder Xu, he could very well earn the latter's trust. If so, there would be a good chance he would be able to convince the latter to bring him to the Poison Hall.

This was far more reliable than capturing a poison master and interrogating him.

Just that... how could he save the other party from the hands of a Saint 4-dan Otherworldly Demon King?

A deep frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 989: Poison Match

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

His current cultivation was only at Nascent Saint pinnacle. Even though he could subdue even Saint 2-dan cultivators easily due to the various means he possessed, he was still too weak from matching up to a Primordial Spirit realm opponent.

If he were to intervene without a feasible plan, there was a very good chance he could be killed.

At the moment, the best weapon he had against a Primordial Spirit realm opponent was his Heaven's Path zhenqi. If he could sneak his Heaven's Path zhenqi into the other party's body and poison him, there was a good chance that he could emerge victorious in the confrontation.

However, considering the alert state the Violetleaf King was in at the moment, it didn't seem like there was any good way to do so.

"However, my goal is to save Elder Xu, not to kill the Violetleaf King. This will be significantly easier. As long as I can find a way to win the Violetleaf King's trust, I should be able to find an opportunity to approach Elder Xu and take him to safety..." Zhang Xuan thought.

The true difficulty in this mission lay in winning Elder Xu's trust...

In truth, he could have easily stalled the Violetleaf King by sending his Otherworldly Demon puppets at the latter, thus earning him time to save Elder Xu. However, that would effectively dash his hopes of having Elder Xu bring him to the Poison Hall!

Besides, the reason why he was able to defeat the three Otherworldly Demon Kings was because he had managed to catch them off guard. On the other hand, considering the coincidental timing which the city lord had returned, there seemed to be a very good chance that the Violetleaf King had somehow learned of the Waterleaf King's death. If so, the Violetleaf King would surely be on his guard, making it hard for him to deal with the other party.

"Wait a moment. Perhaps, I can try working on him from the Waterleaf King's side..." A thought suddenly flashed across Zhang Xuan's mind.

The Waterleaf King and the Violetleaf King were both members of the Qingtian Ten Great Kings, and it was definitely no coincidence for the both of them to appear at Jingyuan City simultaneously. It was very likely that they were here for the same purpose.

In other words, both of them were tasked with the mission of finding the Poison Hall. This would also explain why the Waterleaf King had headed to the auction hall to obtain the Sepulture Flower before being killed by him.

"Alright, I should just give it a try then!"

Glancing at the situation beneath, Elder Xu was in a perilous situation; he could very well lose his life any moment now. Zhang Xuan knew that there was no time for him to think the matter through, and he had to act swiftly. Thus, he nimbly leaped back down to the ground.

There was a formation around the courtyard which prevented one from entering and leaving. However, with Zhang Xuan's deep understanding of formations, he was capable of treading in and out of the formation without alerting anyone.

Very soon, he managed to sneak out of the formation. He swiftly warped his bones and muscles, transforming his appearance into that of one of the two guards that were by the Waterleaf King's side back then.

After that was done, he clasped his fist and reported loudly, "City lord, bad news! The elder whom you have instructed us to protect has been killed! The culprit is a 7-star master teacher, and he is currently making his way here..."

"The person who killed the Waterleaf King is a 7-star master teacher?"

As those words were spoken, the formation surrounding the courtyard vanished, and a figure appeared before Zhang Xuan's face.

The figure was the Violetleaf King.

He was still firmly holding onto the beetle in his hand, keeping Elder Xu in check. On the other hand, Elder Xu was lying feebly on the ground, severely wounded.

Zhang Xuan was visibly surprised by the sudden appearance of the man before him before hurriedly nodding, "Yes, elder!"

"What happened? Explain everything in detail to me!" the Violetleaf King ordered grimly.

As comrades working on the same mission, he had a jade token which indicated the present condition of the Waterleaf King. Just a moment ago, the jade token shattered, which meant that something must have happened to the Waterleaf King. As such, he hurriedly returned back to the City Lord Manor and summoned the city lord back to have the other party look into the matter.

Upon meeting the guard who had escorted the Waterleaf King to the auction, he couldn't help but question him anxiously.

"Earlier, when the elder was going to enter the auction hall, someone claiming to be his old friend stopped him and offered him a cup of wine. After chatting for a while, the elder proposed for the both of them to head to a tavern to have a drink together, and he ordered us not to follow him. As such, I am not too sure what happened afterwards. However, when I finally saw the elder once more, he was already dead. According to the accounts from eye-witnesses, it was the doing of a 7-star master teacher..."

Zhang Xuan had mixed the truth with falsehood, making it nigh impossible for the other party to ascertain the authenticity of his words in the short-term.

And what Zhang Xuan was banking on was this short-term.

As long as he could convince the other party of his identity, he would be able to slip into the manor and escape with Elder Xu.

"7-star master teacher?" Finding no apparent flaws in the other party's words, the Violetleaf King frowned.

How could any 7-star master teacher appear in a city as remote as Jingyuan City?

And why would the other party make a move against the Waterleaf King too?

He was confident that there was no one who would be able to see through their disguise, not even 7-star master teachers.

However... if the culprit wasn't a 7-star master teacher, considering the Waterleaf King's strength, there was indeed no one in Jingyuan City who would be able to kill him.

"I have no idea too!" Zhang Xuan said. "I only saw the elder's corpse when I arrived, so I brought it over..." After saying those words, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and the withered corpse of the Waterleaf King appeared on the ground.

"This is... Ignition of Primordial Spirit? He attempted to forcefully withdraw his Primordial Spirit?" the Violetleaf King narrowed his eyes in alarm.

As a fellow Otherworldly Demon King, he could tell that the Waterleaf King had died due from using their secret art to withdraw one's Primordial Spirit forcefully. Once it was used, one would die without fail... Just how powerful an enemy did he encounter that he would have to resort to this?

Could he have really met a 7-star master teacher?

If that was the case, they would really be in deep trouble!

It would be difficult for even him to escape from a master teacher of that caliber.

"This won't do. I have to get the location of the Poison Hall out from that fellow right now!" Alarmed, the Violetleaf King dared not to waste any time. He hurriedly turned his gaze back to Elder Xu, but what he saw left a deep frown on his forehead, "What are you doing?"

The guard, who had just reported the matter regarding the Waterleaf King to him earlier, had walked up to Elder Xu at some point in time, seemingly trying to help the latter up.

"Nothing much. I just think that his wounds are a little severe, so I wondered if he needed any help..." Zhang Xuan replied with an awkward smile.

"You are not needed here, back down!" Seeing how a guard dared to overstep his place, the Violetleaf King's face darkened.

"Yes!" Nodding, Zhang Xuan took two steps backward while pulling Elder Xu's body with him before abruptly stomping on the ground. All of a sudden, the paused formation whirred into life once more, bringing the thick layer of mist back around the courtyard.

"What?" Alarmed, the Violetleaf King immediately rushed forward.

However, he soon found himself lost within the formation which he could traverse through easily a few moments ago, as if someone had altered its structure. At this rate, that two fellows would escape before he was able to find them.

In this instant, he realized that he had been tricked. The guard had used the Waterleaf King's corpse to distract him.

"Damn it!" With a savage look on his face, killing intent began spilling forth from the Violetleaf King's body. In the blink of an eye, he reverted back to his Otherworldly Demon form. He thrust his palm forward and struck the formation.

He was intending to break the formation down using brute force.

With his prowess as a Saint 4-dan expert, destroying the formation of a grade-6 pinnacle formation posed no difficulty at all.

...

Zhang Xuan took a glance at the overburdened formation around him before quickly turning to the debilitated elder before him and asked, "Elder Xu, are you fine?"

"Who are you?" Elder Xu asked doubtfully.

"I am a poison master, but this isn't a good time for us to talk about that. We have to escape right now, or else we might very well die here!"

While speaking, the formation shook violently once more, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.

"Poison master?" Elder Xu frowned. However, after a brief moment of hesitation, he eventually nodded and said, "Indeed, this isn't the place for us to talk. We can discuss about the matter once we get out!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded. "I have been in the City Lord Manor for some time now, so I am rather familiar with its layout and formations. Elder Xu, follow me!"

After saying those words, he quickly rushed off in a certain direction.

On the other hand, Elder Xu took out a pill and swallowed it. His ghastly pale complexion finally regained a slight red tinge to it. After which, he got to his feet and quickly followed the other party's footsteps.

He did harbor some doubts towards the other party's identity as a poison master, but given the circumstances they were in, he had little choice but to follow him. The other party was his only hope out at the moment.

Following behind the other party, they swiftly made their way out of the courtyard before skillfully maneuvering around the City Lord Manor.

While making their way out, Elder Xu realized that not only did the other party have a deep understanding of the layout of the City Lord Manor, he had a frightening grasp of the formations in the area as well. With just a light tap or kick, he could easily activate the many unactivated formations throughout the manor, stalling the tightly-pursuing Violetleaf King.

Not too long later, they managed to make their way out of the City Lord Manor. They swiftly flew away while keeping their bodies close to the surface. This would make it harder for the Violetleaf King to find them, thus buying them even more time to get to safety.

After flying for around twenty breaths, they finally stopped before a vast building.

"This is... Inkcloud Quarter?" Elder Xu was taken aback.

He had long heard of the famous Inkcloud Quarter of Jingyuan City, and he had even been here quite a few times himself. They were still being pursued by their enemies, so why would the other party bring him here all of the sudden?

"Our enemies control the City Lord Manor. If we were to escape right now, regardless of where we escape, it won't take long for their men to find and capture us, especially considering the state of injury you are in. Thus, it will be better for us to find a place to hide and recuperate at first!" Noticing the doubts in Elder Xu's eyes, Zhang Xuan explained.

"You're right." Elder Xu nodded in agreement.

The other party was right. Jingyuan City was located amidst a snowy plain, so there was no cover they could make use of beyond the city. If they were to attempt to escape now, it was very likely that they would be spotted by the men of the City Lord Manor. If so, there was a good chance they might find themselves cornered.

On top of possessing a deep understanding of formations, the other party was a particularly intelligent person as well.

With such thoughts in mind, he followed the other party into Inkcloud Quarter. Turning at several bends, he soon found himself standing before a chamber.

The chamber was embedded with a formation that could isolate all auras within.

"This should help us hide from them for a while." Zhang Xuan said as he stepped into the chamber.

This was the same place where he taught Hu Yunsheng a lesson previously. Considering the elaborate security measures implemented on the chamber, it was the most apt for the current situation they were in.

"Un." Elder Xu nodded as he entered the chamber. Instead of going straight into recuperating from his injuries, he turned his gaze towards Zhang Xuan instead, and with a sharp glint in his eyes, he asked, "You said that you are a poison master. Do you have an emblem to ascertain your identity?"

Honestly speaking, it was a little hard for him to believe that the Nascent Saint cultivator before him had managed to save him from the clutches of a Saint 4-dan expert so easily.

There was a chance that the both of them were in cahoots with one another, and they were intentionally putting up this show to convince him to bring them to the Poison Hall.

"I don't have an emblem." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I have been studying poison by myself so far, so I haven't taken any poison master examination yet..."

"You haven't taken any poison master examination yet?" Elder Xu's face darkened. "Do you think that it is possible to study poison by oneself? You might be able to fool amateurs with those words, but do you honestly expect me to believe the words you are speaking?"

To become a master in the Way of Poison, one would have to examine and study the properties of all kinds of poison. The slightest bit of mistake could lead to death, and even under the guidance of a teacher, it wasn't uncommon for poison masters to accidentally poison themselves to death. Yet, the fellow before him was saying that he had been studying poison by himself? He must be joking!

"I knew that you wouldn't believe it..." Seeing the other party's expression, Zhang Xuan shook his head bitterly and said, "Honestly speaking, there is no way I can really explain it to you... Since that's the case, why don't you have a poison match with me? If you were to win, it goes without saying that I will die in your hands. On the other hand, if I win, I hope that you can bring me to the Poison Hall so that I can officially take the poison master examination!"

"You wish to have a poison match with me?" Elder Xu looked at the young man before him with narrowed eyes.

In truth, the possession of an emblem wasn't a clear indicator of one's identity either. After all, the enemy could always kill a poison master and steal his emblem over.

The only reliable method to identify a poison master was through his usage of poison!

If the other party was really capable of wielding poison as a weapon, he had to be a real poison master. There was no way to fake that.

"Alright then!"

Elder Xu nodded.

Chapter 990: Tastes Not Bad

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"How should we conduct the match? You can determine the rules!" Hearing the other party agree to it, Zhang Xuan said.

Considering the other party's temperament, it was very likely that the other party wouldn't spill the location of the Poison Hall under threat, even if he were to have him killed. Besides, there was no way he could guarantee that the other party wouldn't give him a fake location to do him in.

Furthermore, it was likely that he would require the Poison Hall's help for Wei Ruyan's condition. It was best for him not to get on bad terms with them.

As such, the best way to go around doing so was to convince the other party that he was a poison master and have the other party bring him there personally.

"Very well. In my current conditions, I am unable to concoct poison, but I do have a few poisons in my possession. I will allow you to pick from any of them, and if you are able to neutralize the poison contained in it, I will acknowledge that you are a poison master!" Elder Xu contemplated for a moment before flicking his wrist, and eight different ceramic jars appeared before him."

There were no labels on any of the jars, and each of them was thoroughly sealed. It was impossible to tell what was stored within from the outside.

Nevertheless, through his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan was able to clearly sense the tremendous toxicity contained within each of the ceramic jars. It felt as if opening the seal on any of them could bring great bloodshed upon an area.

Just like medicinal herbs, it was possible for potent poison to gain spirit. Once it was released, it could result in a devastating calamity if there was no antidote to curb it.

This was precisely the reason why poison masters were feared by all other occupations.

"These are... grade-6 pinnacle poisons!" Zhang Xuan remarked.

The poisons contained within the ceramic jars were very potent, only paling slightly in comparison to the beetle from before.

"Indeed, these are all grade-6 pinnacle poisons. You can freely choose from any of them. As long as you are able to concoct an antidote to one within two hours, I will acknowledge that you are a poison master!" Elder Xu said.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Without any hesitation, he picked up the first ceramic jar, opened it, and lowered his head to examine what was within.

On the other hand, upon seeing Zhang Xuan's movements, Elder Xu's face darkened.

Poison masters had a unique series of steps in order to assess a poison so as to avoid being poisoned themselves, especially when they were unsure about the nature of the poison. Yet, the fellow before him was clearly ignorant of it. To be smelling the content of the jars as if he was savoring good wine...

Was he really that courageous, or did he have no knowledge of poison at all?

Even a 3-star poison master would know better than to do something so reckless!

Just as Elder Xu thought that the other party would be incapacitated by the poison gas emanating from the ceramic jars, he saw the other party pour out a pile of poison from one of the jars onto his hand and dabbed it with his finger.

"..." Huge veins bulged out on Elder Xu's temples.

The other party was seeking death! Most grade-6 pinnacle poisons were capable of seeping through one's skin. If the poison were to seep into one's meridians and reach the organs, even a Saint 2-dan expert could potentially face fatality, let alone a Nascent Saint cultivator!

Where in the world would one find another poison master assessing poisons in such a manner?

If this was really how poison masters assessed poison, just how many of them would die each time the Poison Hall wanted to examine a new concoction or medicinal herb? Come a few rounds of that, and poison masters would have gone extinct themselves even without the master teachers making a move.

Shaking his head, Elder Xu was wondering whether he should intervene and save the young man before him when the other party suddenly took out a white cloth and placed it neatly before his chest. After which, the other party adjusted his posture upright, reminiscent of a dignified gentleman preparing himself for his meal. Following that, he took out a spoon and scooped the poison powder on his palm before gracefully lifting it up to his mouth.

Upon seeing this sight, Elder Xu nearly keeled over.

He thought that it was already foolish for one to come into contact with poison bare-handed, but... consuming it directly?

Are you tired of living?

More importantly... that white cloth before your chest, the upright posture, and that spoon... What the heck are you doing?

You are here to create an antidote to my poison, not to dine on it...

Elder Xu couldn't help but feel his hair stand on end. He immediately flicked his wrist to take out the antidote so as to treat the other party, but before he could make a move, he saw the other party smack his lips before looking at him in discontentment, "Elder Xu, the poison you concoct is appalling. Its texture is disgusting, and the taste is truly horrendous. There is no one in the world who will be willing to try it a second time! Fail!"

Hearing those words, Elder Xu nearly collapsed to the ground.

Brother, that's a poison over there, not food. You are supposed to die right after eating it... who in the world will be able to give it a second try?

Fail... Fail your head!

Those who have eaten the poison will be too caught up in the fear of imminent death, who would still have the energy to bother about the taste?

Just as he was thinking whether the world had gone mad, the other party moved on to open the second ceramic jar, scooped out a spoonful of the poison within, and placed it in his mouth. "The taste is still acceptable, but if you can stir-fry it for a little longer, the texture will be even better."

After which, the other party moved on to the third jar. "This is a little too sweet. Did you add honey in there? Hai, I happen to really dislike honey. You should consider adding Chinese liquorice in place of honey the next time you concoct it!"

"This one will be better if you dissolve it in water. However, it will still be a little viscous and gooey, so you will have to pay more attention to its presentation to make it more appetizing. As for the taste, if you were to pair it with some barbecued meat and fine wine, I still might try eating one bowl. Anything more, and it might be a little too heavy. Personally, I don't really like to eat such gooey food..."

...

After tasting each poison, Zhang Xuan would appraise it earnestly.

"..." Elder Xu tugged at his hair in a frenzy.

The grade-6 pinnacle poisons which he concocted were capable of killing even Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts easily, so how could the other party be eating them so leisurely, as if they were delicacies?

Could his poisons have lost their effectiveness due to being stored for too long?

"But that shouldn't be possible!"

Perplexed, Elder Xu picked up a jar which the other party had eaten from previously, dabbed his finger in it, and placed it into his mouth.

Pu!

As soon as the poison seeped into his throat, he immediately spurted a mouthful of blood, and his body began trembling uncontrollably. A sharp pain tore through his entire body, and he felt as if all of his meridians had burst simultaneously.

Astonished, he swiftly took out the antidote and swallowed it. It took a moment before the unbearable pain finally receded. With a twitching face, he turned his gaze towards the young man, who was still in the midst of tasting his poisons not too far away, with a look of daze.

Very soon, the other party was done testing all eight jars of poisons. However, he still had a look of reverie on his face, as if he hadn't gotten enough of it yet.

"How is it?" Unable to bear it any longer, Elder Xu asked.

The other party nodded earnestly and replied, "As expected of grade-6 pinnacle poisons, their flavors are indeed not bad. Right, for the last two poison, if you could make them a little crispier, the overall culinary experience for the diner could be elevated."

"..." Elder Xu's body stiffened.

He had spent a lifetime of effort and devotion to concocting these poisons, and he thought that he had become an unrivaled force in Tier-1 Empires with them. Yet, who could have thought that they would end up being savored by a Nascent Saint cultivator as if they were desserts... not to mention, he was even criticized for the lacking taste...

The heck, these are really all lethal poisons that can kill any men easily!

I really am a poison master, a very formidable poison master! I am not a confectioner...

Ignoring the other party's sudden insanity streak, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In truth, he wasn't doing all of those actions intentionally. Due to his Heaven's Path zhenqi, those poisons were completely ineffective against him. It took a taste for him to realize that there were many flaws with them that should be corrected.

For one, since the poison was meant to be consumed, its flavor should at least be good so as to lessen the pain of the victim before his death.

"Cough cough. A-are you really fine? You ate so many poisons..." A while later, seeing how the fellow before him was still relishing in the taste of his poisons, not showing the slightest sign of being poisoned, Elder Xu asked with twitching lips.

"I am fine!" Zhang Xuan finally recovered from his trance. "How is it? Is this sufficient to confirm that I am a poison master?"

"Of course! If this isn't sufficient to confirm that you are a poison master, nothing else can!" Elder Xu shook his head with a bitter smile on his lips.

When he first heard that the other party had learned poison by himself, he thought that the other party was spouting nonsense. However, after seeing the other party devouring his poisons as if they were mere snacks, he immediately realized that he was mistaken.

Possessing a physique that was immune to poison, the other party could test any poison out on himself without any fear. Given so, it was indeed possible for him to have learned poison on his own.

"I'm relieved. Alright, you should hurry up and heal your wounds first. I'm afraid that we won't be able to hide from those fellows for too long here..." Seeing that the other party had finally acknowledged him, Zhang Xuan nodded and said.

While this chamber was capable of isolating aura, it wouldn't keep the Violetleaf King away from them forever. It was just a matter of time before he came knocking.

They had to swiftly flee from Jingyuan City and head to the Poison Hall.

"Un." Understanding that logic, Elder Xu nodded before taking out a couple of medicinal herbs from his storage ring and concocting it into a medicinal fluid. After he was done, he swallowed it.

His means of dealing with his wounds differed significantly from those of physicians and apothecaries. The latter aimed to nourish the deficiencies in one's bodies whereas the former utilized poison to stimulate one's body, forcing one's zhenqi to circulate faster and hasten the recovery.

Two different methods with the same aims.

It was impossible to say which was more effective than the other, but medicine strengthened one's core, allowing one to reach a greater height in the future. On the other hand, while poison might stimulate one's body potential in the short-term, but it could very well hurt one's foundations, limiting one's future achievements.

Seeing that Elder Xu needed some time to recuperate, Zhang Xuan silently left the chamber before reverting back to his form as 'Sun Qiang' to look for Hu Yunsheng.

"Elder, just a moment ago, the city lord has let out news that anyone who dares to compete for the Sepulture Flower will be considered as an enemy of the City Lord Manor. As a result, no one dared to bid for it during the auction. Shall I conduct another round of publicity and hold the auction a few days later?" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Hu Yunsheng immediately reported with an awkward look.

Due to the news released by the city lord, most of the interested buyers dared not make a move for fear of making an enemy out of the City Lord Manor. As a result, despite all of the other goods being successfully auctioned off, the Sepulture Flower remained untouched by any...

"There's no need for that." Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

Since he had already found a poison master, there was no need for him to auction the Sepulture Flower anymore.

"Yes!" Hu Yunsheng nodded before passing the jade box containing the Sepulture Flower over to Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan took the jade box, and just as he was about to speak, a huge group of people suddenly walked over to them. The person leading the group was the person whom Zhang Xuan had just fled from at the City Lord Manor, the Violetleaf King.

At this moment, the Violetleaf King had already reverted back to his human form. Without using the Eye of Insight, it was nigh impossible to see through his disguise.

"Boss Hu, this is an esteemed guest of the City Lord Manor, Elder Violetleaf. Something very important to him has been stolen just a moment ago, and we suspect that the thief is hiding in Inkcloud Quarter. Thus, we hope to conduct a search here. I hope that you can cooperate with our investigation!" A guard walked over and clasped his fist.

"You wish to conduct a search in my Inkcloud Quarter?" Hu Yunsheng's face darkened as a deep frown appeared on his forehead.

In his view, the other party was simply making up a story to forcefully snatch the Sepulture Flower from them after failing to obtain it in the auction.

"Indeed. I hope that you won't hinder our investigation efforts, or else we will have no choice but suspect that Inkcloud Quarter is colluding with the thief!" the guard spoke with a threatening edge in his voice.

Hearing those words, Hu Yunsheng felt so angry that his entire face turned crimson with rage. The guard was blatantly threatening him to his face!

Yet, there was nothing he could do about the situation, so Hu Yunsheng fell silent, not knowing how he should respond. At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded.

"Something very important has been stolen? Indeed, it is understandable why one would be anxious after losing something important to him. May we know what the item is? Perhaps, we might be able to offer some help to you!"

Turning around, Hu Yunsheng saw Elder Sun Qiang speaking with an earnest smile on his lips.

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 991: The Crazed Violetleaf King

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

His sincerity seemed to have come from the depths of his heart. It carried a natural charm that compelled the trust of others, leaving others unable to doubt him.

"The item is not important. What is more important is the two thieves who stole from the City Lord Manor. If they aren't captured, what will become of the authority and dignity of Jingyuan City?" Seemingly infected by the 'earnesty' of the other party, the guard replied.

"Indeed! One who dares to steal from the City Lord Manor must be severely punished for his actions!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed vehemently in agreement. "However, I feel that it won't do for you to continue searching in such an open manner. If the other party is truly hidden here, he would have realized that you are in the vicinity and quickly make his escape. Why don't you allow Boss Hu to activate the formations in the surroundings first so that the enemy has nowhere to escape? This way, we will have all the time to search for the two thieves!"

"This..." The guard dared not make a decision, so he turned his gaze towards the Violetleaf King to seek his approval.

"Un." After a moment of hesitation, the Violetleaf King nodded in approval. "Those two fellows have a deep understanding of formations, so it will be best if you can activate the strongest formation of your Inkcloud Quarter. Otherwise, the both of them will still be able to get away easily!"

That fellow who saved Elder Xu was able to alter and activate the formation in the courtyard within moments after coming into contact with it. This was a feat which even he was incapable of accomplishing. From this in itself, it could be seen that the other party had a deep understanding of the Way of Formations. As such, it was unlikely that ordinary formations would be able to stop him.

"He's so formidable? I see... It is fortunate that I have a powerful formation plate in my possession. I will activate it right now!" With a smile, Zhang Xuan said.

"A formation plate?" The Violetleaf King frowned.

"Yes, I obtained it while I was on an expedition a while ago. It's a grade-7 formation, so I don't really have much of a chance to use it usually. Since the two scoundrels you speak of are so formidable, I feel that it will be safer to use it!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Grade-7?" The Violetleaf King's eyes lit up.

It would be difficult for even an expert of his tier to escape from a formation plate of that grade. Who could have thought that the lowly Inkcloud Quarter would actually have such a treasure amongst them? It was no wonder they had so many treasures to auction!

It really shouldn't be underestimated just because it was located in a remote city.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded as he flicked his wrist.

A formation plate appeared in his palm. Infusing zhenqi into it, a loud buzz sounded in the air as dense mist swiftly filled the surroundings.

"Incredible!" The Violetleaf King nodded in approval.

It was a simple Beguilement Formation, but it was extremely stable. Even if he were to exert his full strength, it would take at least ten minutes or so for him to break free. If it was used against a Saint 2-dan or 3-dan cultivator, there was no way the other party would be able to escape from it.

After I capture those two fellows later on, I should grab this formation plate as well...

A cold glint flashed across the Violetleaf King's eyes.

As an Otherworldly Demon, he harbored a deep-seated hatred for the humans. Once those two fellows were found, there would be no need for him to put up an appearance before the other party anymore. Naturally, the first thing he should do then was to get that formation plate from the other party.

If he had such a formation plate back in the City Lord Manor, those two fellows wouldn't have been able to escape in the first place.

"This formation is not too bad. Alright, bring our men to search for them!" The Violetleaf King waved his hand and said.

Under the effects of the formation, if those two escapees were really at Inkcloud Quarter, there was no way they would be able to escape. However... considering the thickness of the mist, there was no way their men would be able to maneuver around the formation easily. They would require a guide to bring them around.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded before instructing, "Hu Yunsheng, bring our friends from the City Lord Manor to take a look around. Right, bring some fine wine over as well. I will be sitting here with Elder Violetleaf here, awaiting the results of the search!"

"Yes!" Even though Hu Yunsheng had no idea why Elder Sun Qiang was obeying the orders of the City Lord Manor, he could tell that the other party had an idea in mind. Thus, he nodded his head before leading the guards away.

Where they advanced, the mist would automatically part, as if someone was leading them around.

"It will suffice to find the two thieves as soon as possible. There is no need to prepare wine or that sort!" The Violetleaf King waved his hand impatiently.

"That won't do! You are a person whom even our city lord has to address as elder, it is only right for us to offer a grand welcome to someone as esteemed as you..." Zhang Xuan smiled courteously.

As the person controlling the formation plate, he could easily manipulate where the guards were heading to with his thoughts, so he need not fear them finding Elder Xu.

Not too long later, Zhu Xiao carried a tray of alcohol and side dishes in.

"Elder, please!" Zhang Xuan poured a cup of wine out politely and offered it to the Violetleaf King earnestly.

"Un."

The Violetleaf King was initially reluctant to drink, but facing the other party's clear eyes and earnest gesture, he eventually nodded in agreement and took the cup.

Even so, he still extended his Spiritual Perception to the wine to check on it.

A moment later, he heaved a sigh of relief. A hint of embarrassment surfaced in his eyes.

After checking on the content of the wine, he realized that there was no problem with it. The other party was earnestly offering him a cup of wine, but he actually ended up viewing the kind gesture with skepticism...

Raising his gaze, he saw that the middle-aged man opposite to him had already gulped down the cup of fine wine before him.

"Is the wine not to your liking? Men, bring us another bottle of..." Seeing that the other party wasn't drinking, Zhang Xuan asked worriedly.

"There is no need for that!" The Violetleaf King raised his hand to stop the other party before gulping down the cup of wine heartily.

In his view, it was a mere cup of wine, so there was no harm drinking it. Putting aside the fact that he had already ascertained that there was no poison contained within the wine, even if it had been spiked, with his powerful cultivation, he would surely be able to suppress it easily.

"Good!"

Seeing the Violetleaf King gulp down the wine, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "You are indeed straightforward, Violetleaf King, unlike that... what is his name called again? Yes, Waterleaf King! I had to speak until the point that my lips were about to crack before he was willing to take a single sip. He sure was a difficult person to deal with!"

"Waterleaf King?" Hearing those words right after putting his wine cup down, the Violetleaf King's eyes narrowed in astonishment. His face immediately turned grim, "Who are you?"

Previously, the guards had only addressed him as Elder Violetleaf and not Violetleaf King.

And more importantly... the other party actually spoke about the Waterleaf King!

It wasn't too long ago that his companion had been killed, and thinking back, it seemed like the guard that saved Elder Xu from before had said that his companion was offered a cup of wine as well... Could there be some kind of link between the two?

"Sit down, sit down. There's no need to get too anxious over here. Worse come to worse, you will only be killed like the Waterleaf King. There is no need to make a huge fuss over something as small as this." Zhang Xuan waved his hands nonchalantly as he continued pouring two more cups of wine for the both of them.

"You... Are you the one who killed the Waterleaf King? You are that 7-star master teacher?" Upon coming to that realization, the eyes of the Violetleaf King narrowed, and all of a sudden, he realized that his entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

If the other party was capable of killing the Waterleaf King, it went without saying that the other party had the ability to kill him as well. How could he have been so negligent as to allow such a powerful expert to get into proximity to him without him noticing?

"7-star master teacher? You still can't tell at this point? I was the one who saved Elder Xu!" With a look of displeasure, Zhang Xuan began warping his muscles and bones, reverting back to the form of the guard from before.

"Y-you... I will kill you!"

Overwhelmed by fury and craze, the Violetleaf King roared furiously. He abruptly got to his feet and struck his palm at a downward trajectory towards Zhang Xuan, intending to smash the other party into the ground.

To think that they, members of the Ten Great Kings of the Qingtian Lineage, would end up being toyed by a human like that. The Violetleaf King felt so angry that he could explode.

"Hai, youngsters nowadays sure don't know how to rein in their temper..." Seeing that the other party had made a move against him, Zhang Xuan shook his head sighed.

In the next moment, the Violetleaf King's face abruptly paled, and his body began trembling non-stop. Zhang Xuan didn't even move a single finger throughout the entire duration, but the other party's knee had already caved in, leaving him kneeling on the floor as huge mouthfuls of blood spurted from his mouth.

Contained within the cup of fine wine was his Heaven's Path zhenqi. After infiltrating into the Violetleaf King's body, Zhang Xuan could turn it into lethal poison at his whim.

"You poisoned me..." Upon coming to a realization, the Violetleaf King's body trembled non-stop with fear reflected in his eyes.

"Of course. If I don't poison you, do you think that a Nascent Saint like me will be able to defeat you?"

Huala!

While speaking, he filled the two wine cups to the brim without spilling a droplet.

"Nascent Saint? You are... a Nascent Saint?" The Violetleaf King could hardly believe his ears.

He could still resign himself to his defeat had the enemy been a 7-star master teacher, but a Nascent Saint cultivator actually managed to poison him? How could this be?

"Are you really unable to see through my cultivation?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Nascent Saint... Then how can you possibly kill the Waterleaf King? I don't believe you!" The Violetleaf King shook his head vehemently and roared furiously.

Even if the Waterleaf King had been poisoned, he was still a Saint 4-dan expert. Considering that the Waterleaf King had gone to the extent of using their secret art to forcefully draw his Primordial Spirit from his body, it shouldn't have been difficult for him to kill the Nascent Saint fellow before his eyes. Even if that wasn't the case, the Waterleaf King should have been able to flee and alert him of the matter. How could he have been killed without letting out the slightest bit of news?

"There is no need to get anxious here. The Waterleaf King isn't the only one. I have also killed the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King as well, so this is really nothing to make a fuss over. Don't worry, I will have you reunite with the rest of them very soon!" Lifting up a cup of wine, Zhang Xuan sipped on it before saying nonchalantly.

"You... Pu!" The Violetleaf King's body staggered weakly.

It was for certain that the Waterleaf King had been killed; he had seen the corpse personally. Yet, for the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King to be dead as well... the Violetleaf King nearly lost his sanity.

Which of the Qingtian Ten Great Kings weren't famous figures who had made a name for themselves? Putting aside a small Tier-1 Empire like Hongyuan, not even Qingyuan Conferred Empire would dare to underestimate them.

Massacring an entire city might still be beyond him at the moment, but he could definitely cause devastating damage, and there would be no humans that could stop them.

To think that after the heavy price the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe spent to send the four of them over, three of them had ended up dying without accomplishing anything at all... Could this really be true?

The Violetleaf King's eyes flickered with fear. He knew that since the other party was able to name his other comrades, there was a good chance that it was true. Not daring to remain there for a moment longer, the Violetleaf King immediately turned around to flee.

Goldenleaf, Greenleaf, and Waterleaf, none of these three Kings were any weaker than him. Yet, they ended up being killed in that Nascent Saint cultivator's hands. The Violetleaf King didn't feel that he would be an exception.

In any case, it would be best for him to flee and rethink his next move. The current situation was simply not to his advantage.

As for his poison, he should be able to find a way to deal with it eventually...

"Trying to flee? I have already set up a formation for you here. Don't you think it's a little impolite of you to leave like that?" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan snapped his finger.

In the next moment, the Violetleaf King, who had just barely begun flying, felt a sharp pain coursing through his entire body, causing him to convulse uncontrollably. In the next moment, he plummeted from the sky and fell back onto the ground.

"If I can't get away, I will just have to bring you down with me!" Feeling the lethal poison tear his body apart, the Violetleaf King felt death slowly approaching him. Knowing that it was unlikely that he would be able to escape with his life today, he gritted his teeth in resolution and charged towards the middle-aged man before his eyes.

Since he wasn't getting out of here alive, he decided to bring someone down with him!

"Why do all of you like to resort to suicide attacks?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had already dealt with a couple of the Qingtian Ten Great Kings, but all of them ended up resorting to a suicide attack in the end... They really could use some creativity!

"You guys, go and dig out the pill in his mouth. After that, give him a good thrashing!"

With a flick of his wrist, eight Otherworldly Demon puppets immediately appeared before his eyes before charging towards the Violetleaf King.

"Those are Otherworldly Demons? No, they are puppets!" Seeing the eight figures charging towards him, the Violetleaf King's body trembled.

Shouldn't the privilege of being escorted by so many Otherworldly Demon puppets something that only Otherworldly Demon Kings possessed?

Am I the Otherworldly Demon King, or you are?

Why does it feel like... I am completely alone in this world? Not even having a single subordinate or ally, what a cruel life I am living...

Report chapter Comments

Chapter 992: The Violetleaf King Submits

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The Violetleaf King wasn't given much time to brood over his plight. Upon hearing the middle-aged man's command, the Otherworldly Demon puppets had already charged forward.

If it had been before, against these Saint 3-dan puppets, the Violetleaf King would still have been able to stand his ground. However, plagued with lethal poison, he was barely able to fight at all. A few moments later, his entire face was filled with footprints, and his head had swollen up to the size of a ripe watermelon. Lying on the ground feebly, his breathing was weak, and it seemed like he would die at any moment soon.

With the wine cup in his hand, Zhang Xuan walked up gracefully and glanced down at the Violetleaf King, "Become my servant, and I can pardon you."

With the experience from the previous Kings, it was indeed unlikely for any of the Otherworldly Demon Kings to submit to him. Nevertheless, it was still worth a try. Were he to succeed, he would have a Saint 4-dan Otherworldly Demon serving him. If so, he would have more cards to play should he find himself in dire situations.

At the same time, he could also learn of the secret plans that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was up to—Why did they dispatch so many Kings over to the Master Teacher Continent? Why were they looking for the Poison Hall?

"You... dream on!" Hearing that request, the Violetleaf King clenched his teeth furiously.

To think that someone actually wanted to enslave a respected Otherworldly Demon King like him... Intolerable!

"Very well then!" Zhang Xuan turned his head around and commanded, "Continue beating him up!"

He didn't have the slightest shred of goodwill or pity for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. If the other party was unwilling to submit to him, he would just have to kill the other party.

Peng peng peng peng!

The Otherworldly Demon puppets launched yet another tirade of punches and kicks, and it didn't take long before the Violetleaf King's face to turn completely pale. He was pummeled so badly that he couldn't even find the strength in him to talk.

This time, Zhang Xuan had learnt from his previous lesson. He had sealed the other party's acupoint to ensure that he would be unable to draw his Primordial Spirit out. This way, the other party wouldn't be able to pose any threat to him.

After pummeling for a while longer, Zhang Xuan noted that the Violetleaf King was just a step away from death, so he had his puppets pause for a moment before instructing, "Vicious, I will leave this fellow to you. You must uncover the motive behind the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe seeking out the Poison Hall from him..."

Since Vicious seemed to have a way to deal with the Otherworldly Demon Kings, Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered to conduct Soul Search. After all, the other party's strength was far stronger than him, and conducting a Soul Search forcefully could very well wound his soul.

"Don't worry, young master!" Vicious reassured.

In the next moment, a finger abruptly materialized in the air and tapped on the Violetleaf King's glabella.

"This is... the aura of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor?" Sensing the strength exerted by the finger, the Violetleaf King suddenly felt a wave of helplessness.

The finger before him emanated the aura that was exclusive to Otherworldly Demons, and the concentration of the killing intent emanated had most definitely reached the level of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor.

An Otherworldly Demon Emperor actually acknowledged this young man as his master?

"Don't kill me! I... I am willing to acknowledge you as my master..."

The realization that an esteemed Otherworldly Demon Emperor had taken the young man before him as his master seemed to have struck a chord within his mind, becoming the hammer which crushed the final shred of determination that he was firmly holding onto. All of a sudden, the idea of becoming the other party's servant didn't seem to be as big as a deal as death.

He knew that he would be branded as a traitor for acknowledging a human as his master, and he could very well suffer a death worse than death were he to be caught. However, he had no other choice.

If he were to reject it, he knew that he would suffer the same fate which befell the Goldenleaf, Greenleaf, and Waterleaf King.

On the other hand, if he were to submit, he might still have a chance to survive.

"You wish to take me as your master?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback. He didn't think that it was very likely to succeed, so he was surprised when the Violetleaf King gave in. With a light chuckle, he nodded and said, "Offer your soul!"

If he wished to gain absolute control over the other party, he would have to grasp the other party's soul in his hand.

"Yes!" A bitter smile emerged on the Violetleaf King's lips. Nevertheless, as one of the Kings of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, he had gone through many things in the past, allowing him to make crucial choices decisively. Since he had made his decision, he didn't hesitate for long before tearing a portion of his Primordial Spirit out and drew it out through his glabella to offer it to the young man before him.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan took in the portion of the Primordial Spirit and absorbed it into his soul.

In an instant, every single thought in the Violetleaf King's mind became apparent to him. As long as the other party were to even raise the thought of betrayal, he would be able to kill the other party in the blink of an eye.

"What a powerful soul! Could it be that he isn't a poison master but a soul oracle?"

On the other hand, the Violetleaf King was also astonished to sense the astounding strength which Zhang Xuan's soul possessed.

It was impossible for a Nascent Saint to possess such a powerful soul. The only plausible explanation was that he was a soul oracle.

Just that... didn't the soul oracles go extinct long ago? How did his new master obtain their heritage and cultivate his soul to such a frightening level?

And more importantly, wasn't he a poison master? Was he practicing the two occupation simultaneously?

"Master, since I have already submitted to you, can you resolve the poison in my body now?" The Violetleaf King had many doubts in his mind, but he knew that this wasn't the time to ask them. With a bitter look on his face, he kneeled onto the ground and kowtowed deeply as he said.

He had taken a look at the poison in his body earlier, and he realized that he had never seen such a poison before. None of the antidotes he had in his possession seemed like it would work on it.

"Don't worry. Since you have submitted to me, i won't mistreat you!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Hong long!

In the next moment, the Violetleaf King felt the lethal poison in his body working up once more. His face warped in horror, and he immediately started to plead for mercy. However, in the next moment, he realized that his wounds were beginning to recover under the nourishment of the 'lethal poison'.

"T-this..." The Violetleaf King was dumbfounded.

An incredibly potent poison which even he was helpless before had turned into an unparalleled Saint recovery medicine in the blink of an eye!

Poison in a thought, medicine in another, was the person before him an existence transcending a 7-star poison master? If that was really the case, that was really frightening!

One must know that if a poison master of that caliber were to enter the otherworldly battlefield, the entire Qingtian Lineage might very well be wiped off the face of the world!

In the midst of his shock, the Violetleaf King's wounds had already recovered to a fair extent. It wasn't a complete recovery, but at the very least, it wouldn't affect his basic movements.

Nevertheless, to be able to recover that quickly, the Violetleaf King was filled with awe and admiration for the young man before him. He kneeled to the floor and kowtowed once more, but this time, his feelings were earnest.

"Master!"

"Call me young master in the future." Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Since you have already submitted to me, I will tell you my true identity. In truth, I am a... master teacher!"

"M-m-master teacher?" Dumbstruck, the Violetleaf King nearly fainted on the spot.

He had guessed that the other party could be a poison master or a soul oracle, but the other party was actually telling him that... he was a master teacher?

When in the world did master teachers began cultivating their souls and immersing themselves in the study of poison as well?

And more importantly, weren't master teachers supposed to be upright and dignified figures who conducted themselves righteously and morally?

When did they become so despicable and shameless, luring him into a scheme and doing him in so badly?

Even if such a person was a master teacher, there was no way he could win the acknowledgement of his peers and the Master Teacher Pavilion!

Just as such thoughts emerged in his mind, the young man before him continued speaking nonchalantly.

"I am the principal of Hongyuan Empire's Master Teacher Academy."

Pu!

Unable to hold himself back anymore, the Violetleaf King spurted a mouthful of blood.

As the passageway was linked to the Subterranean Gallery located in Hongyuan Empire, naturally, he understood the significance of being the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

He thought that the principal of a Master Teacher Academy should be a respected and austere old man. Yet, who could have thought that it would turn out to be a shameless and despicable young lad instead... More importantly, the other party was even skilled in the utilization of poison and soul arts, the very occupations scorned by the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Was the Master Teacher Academy blind, or did the eras fly too quickly by for him to catch up with the latest trends?

"Alright, you should continue disguising yourself as a human!" Unaware of the other party's thoughts, Zhang Xuan instructed after he introduced himself.

Due to being pummeled by his Otherworldly Demon puppets, the Violetleaf King inadvertently released his disguise due to the severe injuries he suffered, reverting back to his original form as an Otherworldly Demon.

It was fortunate that they were within a grade-7 Beguilement Formation, so no one was able to see what was going on here. However, if the Violetleaf King were to walk out in such a form, it would indubitably cause a huge pandemonium. To be safe, it would be better for him to maintain his human disguise instead.

"Yes!" The Violetleaf King nodded before reaching his hand for his chest. A brilliant flash of light shrouded his entire body, and a moment later, he reverted back to his human form.

"You depend on this to disguise yourself?" Noting the other party's actions, Zhang Xuan was intrigued.

Unlike him, the other party didn't depend on warping his muscles and bones to disguise himself. Instead, he made use of some kind of unique artifact.

"This is a Button of Disguise which we obtained from offering a tribute to our Spirit God. As long as one possesses bloodline on par with an Otherworldly Demon King, he would be able to activate it and disguise himself impeccably as a human, such that even master teachers wouldn't be able to tell the difference!" the Violetleaf King replied.

"Spirit God?" Noting the unfamiliar term, Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

This was his first time hearing of such a being.

"Yes, the Spirit God is a deity which our tribesmen worship. It is under the guidance of the Spirit God that we came here!" the Violetleaf King replied.

"You are saying that... it is under the guidance of your god that you found the Master Teacher Continent?"

All along, Zhang Xuan thought that the reason why the Otherworldly Demon was invading the Master Teacher Continent was due to a racial strife. However, from the looks of it now, the matter seemed to be deeply related with the Spirit God the other party spoke about instead.

"Yes, I also only heard of it from the Qingtian Emperor. However, those are matters which have happened ages ago, so there is no way to assess whether they are true or not. However, it is indeed true that we can earn generous rewards by tributing the souls and corpses of master teachers to the Spirit God, and this Button of Disguise was obtained through that method as well." the Violetleaf King explained.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded. He knew that these matters were still too far away from him, so there was no point brooding over it, especially since the Violetleaf King weren't too sure about them himself either. Thus, he decided to put the matter aside for the moment and continued his interrogation, "Why are you all looking for the Poison Hall?"

If the goal of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was to devastate the human race, they could have just attacked the Hongyuan Empire straight. Why would they bother sending out two Kings and go through so much effort to find the Poison Hall?

"Reporting to young master, we have found an ancient domain which might very well contain an artifact that can help us to break open the seal in the passageway... If we are able to obtain it, our tribesmen will be able to enter the Master Teacher Continent in droves and reclaim the land which we have lost!" the Violetleaf King explained.

"However, that ancient domain is simply too dangerous. A few Kings which we have dispatched previously ended up being trapped within it, unable to escape even to date. After some investigation, we found out that there is a high chance that the Poison Hall may contain a detailed map of the ancient domain... Thus, Qingtian Emperor dispatched the both of us here to infiltrate the Poison Hall and secure the map!"

"Map? Ancient domain?" Zhang Xuan frowned. Looking deeply into the Violetleaf King's eyes, he asked, "Could the ancient domain you spoke of be at Firesource City?"

The old principal had also been trying to uncover the location of the Poison Hall before he entered the ancient domain. Considering the words that the Violetleaf King had just spoken, could the ancient domain in the other party's mouth be the same one as he was thinking about?

"Un, it is indeed in Firesource City!" the Violetleaf King nodded.

The Violetleaf King instinctively wanted to ask how did his young master know about it, but recalling that the other party was the principal of a Master Teacher Academy, he immediately came to a realization.

If the top brass of mankind didn't even have the sources to acquire such crucial news, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would have long breached the defenses of humanity and conquered the Master Teacher Continent. They wouldn't have been trapped in that wretched land to date.

"I see..." Upon hearing the other party's confirmation, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

If it was an artifact that could break the seal in the Subterranean Gallery open, that would explain why the old principal would head into the ancient domain despite knowing that it was very likely he would not be walking out of there alive.

If the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were to successfully acquire that artifact, it would spell a huge calamity to mankind.

Report chapter Comments