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

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Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 993: Heading to the Poison Hall - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 993: Heading to the Poison Hall Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 993: Heading to the Poison Hall

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

After asking for a while longer, it seemed like the Violetleaf King didn't know anything much about the ancient domain in the Firesource City either. Seeing that it was impossible to obtain any more useful information from him, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

At this point, Vicious had also managed to procure information out of the Waterleaf King's Primordial Spirit, and the result was similar to what he had received from the Violetleaf King as well. They were only aware of the existence of the map, and everything other than them was vague.

It was said that when the ancient domain first appeared two thousand years ago, many powers had attempted to vie over the possession of the map. Eventually, it fell into the hands of the Poison Hall.

However, for some reason, the Poison Hall didn't dispatch anyone to search for it. On top of that, the Poison Hall had always been secluded from the rest of the world, so it didn't take long before the news regarding the map to fade from the minds of the world.

It was only through a very thorough investigation did the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe learned of its existence. After much preparation, they finally found a perfect opportunity to dispatch two of their Kings out to search for the map. However, who could have thought that the two powerful Kings they sent would end up being done in by Zhang Xuan before they could even catch a glimpse of the Poison Hall.

"What about the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King? What is their motive?"

The motive of the Waterleaf King and Violetleaf King for coming to Jingyuan City was to procure to map, so naturally, the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King had to be up to something as well. It was just that they were already killed before they could achieve anything, so up to this point, Zhang Xuan still had no idea what they were planning to do.

"Their motive is to... kill the principal of the Master Teacher Academy, that is to say... you, young master. They hope to create chaos that can divert the attention of the Master Teacher Pavilion away from everything else..." The face of the Violetleaf King reddened as he spoke.

"Kill me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He never expected that the goal of the Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King was to deal with him. It was fortunate that he found them early, or else, if he were to find himself challenged by two Saint 4-dan experts out of the blue, there was a good chance that he might have just died then.

He could already imagine what would happen if the two Kings and the two hundred or so Saint realm Otherworldly Demons were to appear at Hongyuan City. It would definitely stir up a huge mess, and even the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion would be embroiled into the conflict. By then, there would be no one paying attention to the ancient domain, allowing the Otherworldly Demon to sneak the artifact away easily.

"This..." Looking at the surprised on his young master's face, the Violetleaf King couldn't help but shake his head lamentably.

The Goldenleaf King and Greenleaf King sure had died pitifully.

They were dispatched to kill the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, only to end up being killed by their own target. On top of that, it turned out that their target didn't know anything about it at all. How indignant they would be if they were to learn of it in the afterlife!

"It seems like their deaths aren't unwarranted..." Zhang Xuan remarked meaningfully.

What goes around comes around. Those Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery were planning to kill him, only to end up being killed by him instead.

"I have a folded space. You should enter it for the time being!" After asking all of the questions plaguing his mind, Zhang Xuan ushered the Violetleaf King into the Myriad Anthive Nest.

It took him a lot of effort before he could convince Elder Xu that he was a poison master. If the other party were to see him together with the Violetleaf King at this moment, the trust which he had cultivated painstakingly would shatter immediately, rendering his previous efforts futile.

Thus, it was best for the Violetleaf King to remain hidden for the time being.

Hu!

After keeping the Violetleaf King into the Myriad Anthive Nest, Zhang Xuan tore away the grade-7 Beguilement Formation. At that point, Hu Yunsheng and the others hadn't gone far yet. He instructed for Hu Yunsheng to mobilize the troops of Inkcloud Quarter to take down the guards before writing a letter and arranging for it to be sent to Hongyuan City and its Master Teacher Pavilion.

The collusion between the city lord of Jingyuan City with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was a matter for Yu Shenqing to frustrate over. It was the other party's call how he would deal with the traitor.

Nevertheless, one thing was for sure. As long as this letter was sent into Yu Shenqing's hands, that arrogant city lord would become a thing of history.

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Returning back to the chamber, Zhang Xuan noted that Elder Xu's wounds had mostly recuperated. His condition was much better than before, but his face was still ghastly pale due to the immense damage his soul had sustained earlier.

A thought surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind, and he swiftly took out a beetle before passing it over, "I went to the City Lord Manor just a moment ago and retrieved this for you."

The beetle was Elder Xu's Lifebound Venomous Bug, and he had been feeding it with his blood essence for many years. It would be a huge loss to Elder Xu if he were to lose it, so Zhang Xuan had the Violetleaf King hand it over after the latter submitted to him.

Thinking back, it seemed like the beetle was also the reason why the Violetleaf King was able to trace them down to Inkcloud Quarter so quickly. Otherwise, considering the huge size of Jingyuan City, there was no reason why they should conduct a search on Inkcloud Quarter first.

"This..." Upon seeing the beetle, a look of agitation surfaced on Elder Xu's face. He hurriedly took the beetle and replied, "Thank you!"

This was his Lifebound Venomous Bug. If it were to die, he would definitely sustain heavy damage. He thought that it would be impossible for him to retrieve it after it fell into the hands of the Saint 4-dan expert. Yet, who could have thought that the man before him would actually risk his life to retrieve it for him!

He couldn't help but feel touched by this gesture.

"Are you injured anywhere?" Keeping the beetle, Elder Xu asked with a concerned tone.

He had witnessed with his own eyes how fearsome that Saint 4-dan expert was. To steal something from the other party's grasp was a deed so difficult that he could hardly fathom it.

"Rest assured, I am fine..." Zhang Xuan said with a gentle smile when his face abruptly paled, and his body staggered.

Spurting a mouthful of fresh blood, Zhang Xuan's body suddenly slumped weakly to the ground, as if having succumbed to the severe injuries it had sustained.

"Ah! Are you fine?" Alarmed, Elder Xu hurriedly rushed forward to help Zhang Xuan. Deep worry could be seen arched in his brows.

To actually put himself in danger to retrieve his beetle, how could he ever thank the other party for this?

More importantly, the other party even claimed that he was uninjured despite having sustained severe injuries for fear that he would worry... This was exactly the type of person which one should befriend and entrust one's back to!

Elder Xu quickly took out a few recovery poison pills and fed it to Zhang Xuan. Seeing the latter's complexion gradually recovering, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"It isn't safe to remain here. We should leave quickly!" After recuperating for a moment, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply and said.

Elder Xu nodded in agreement.

Had the other party not gone to retrieve his beetle, that Saint 4-dan expert might have thought that the both of them had already escaped far and thin his forces to comb the surroundings.

But now... the other party definitely knew that they were still at Jingyuan City. With their search area reduced, there was a good chance that they could be found very soon.

"How do you feel at the moment? Do you still need to rest for a while longer?" Elder Xu asked worriedly.

While escaping was important, he couldn't allow the other party's injuries to worsen because of it. Otherwise, he would feel guilty for his entire life.

"It's fine, my injuries are still within a tolerable range. Let's quickly leave this area first. I can slowly recuperate once we reach the Poison Hall!" Clutching his chest, Zhang Xuan spoke strenuously.

"Alright then. Let's prepare to set forth!"

The both of them swiftly planned their route before discreetly making their way out of the chamber. They proceeded stealthily towards the city walls, and not too long later, they managed to make their way out of the city gates.

They stepped into the forest just beyond the city wall and descended into a mountainous valley. Soon after, a massive saint beast appeared before their eyes.

"This is the saint beast of our Poison Hall. Elder Xue and I rode this when we came here earlier..." Speaking up to this point, Elder Xu fell silent for a brief moment as sorrow surfaced in his eyes.

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The Elder Xue whom he spoke of was the shorter fellow who was with him back in the City Lord Manor. In order to save him, the other party had stepped forward to face the Violetleaf King's palm strike, resulting in his immediate death.

"Elder Xue gave his life to save you. The best way you can repay his sentiments is to return to the Poison Hall safely." Zhang Xuan consoled.

"Un." Understanding that Zhang Xuan was trying to console him, Elder Xu nodded and fell silent.

The duo got on the saint beast and began making their way towards the Viridian Cloud Sea.

The Viridian Cloud Sea was the largest inland sea of Hongyuan Empire, spanning a diameter exceeding a hundred thousand kilometers. There were many powerful saint beasts whose cultivation reached Saint 3-dan or 4-dan within the sea, making it an extremely dangerous area to explore. As a result, it had always been considered as one of the restricted lands to the cultivators.

The saint beast they were riding on was a Saint 1-dan intermediate stage Steelarmored Winged Dragon. It wasn't particularly adept at speedy maneuvers, but its stamina was top-notch.

After flying for half a day, they finally caught sight of the boundless sea. Staring into the distance, the beautiful blue sky and the emerald seawater seemed to close in on one another, creating a breathtaking painting which harmonized the beauty of heaven and earth as one.

Gazing upon it at extended periods of time would widen one's mind, granting one greater composure and a stronger disposition.

"There are a total of 27 poison formations on the pathway to the Poison Hall. Even a Saint 3-dan cultivator could be easily poisoned to death if he were to attempt to infiltrate the Poison Hall recklessly." Within the wooden hut on top of the aerial saint beast, Elder Xu gazed down at the emerald seawater beneath and remarked.

"27 poison formations?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

"Indeed. Furthermore, the poisonous formations are located around the dens of the Saint 3-dan saint beasts. Thus, if one were to attempt to avoid the poison formation, one would come under their attack instead. As such, most of the cultivators who sought the Poison Hall ended up dying on the journey there. Even by conservative estimates, there are at least several hundred casualties each year."

At this point, Elder Xu shook his head.

"Several hundred casualties... each year?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Those who dared to venture into the Viridian Cloud Sea to search for the Poison Hall were bound to be not too weak themselves, reaching Saint realm at the minimum. Yet, there were actually a few hundred deaths of experts of such calibers each year... While this wasn't the direct doing of the poison masters, it was intricately tied to them.

It was no wonder the occupation was feared throughout the continent, it was indeed a powerful force that one should be careful around.

"But considering how deeply hidden the Poison Hall is, how does it sustain its heritage?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

Every occupation needed influxes of new blood to pass down its heritage, but considering how deeply hidden the Poison Hall was, most people wouldn't even be able to find it. Given so, how could they pass down their wisdom to the next generation?"

"Poison masters would usually venture into the world in search of talented individuals to take under their wing. There are also some who would adopt a lot of orphans and expose them to lethal poison from young, and only those who survive at the end of it are qualified to acknowledge the poison master as their teacher." Elder Xu explained.

Zhang Xuan frowned.

That was a method similar to raising gu—placing all of the venomous insects together, allowing them to fight it out. Eventually, the final survivor was the victor.

As orphans, they were bound to have no experience with poison whatsoever. Exposing them to it abruptly was bound to give rise to casualties. How many lives would have to be lost in order to nurture just a handful of poison masters?

"Given that you didn't come from any particular lineage, how did you become a poison master?" After explaining the matter, Elder Xu turned to look at Zhang Xuan and asked doubtfully.

Even those who had inherited the lineage of a poison master was unable to achieve such high resistance to poison. On the other hand, the man before him had never been to the Poison Hall, and yet, he had achieved a feat which most poison masters were unable to accomplish. Just how did he do so?

"Actually... I have been to a Poison Hall before, but it isn't this one. It is a branch located in a remote location under Xuanyuan Kingdom called the Red Lotus Mountain Ridge... After I left the area, I began exploring the world, and by a stroke of coincidence, I happened to obtain a secret manual regarding the Way of Poison. Studying it carefully, I eventually became who I am today..." Zhang Xuan casually replied.

If he were to say that he had never come into contact with poison masters and yet achieved such mastery in the Way of Poison, the story would be too inconceivable for anyone to believe. Thus, he mixed truth and falsehood within the words, making it difficult for the other party to discern the authenticity of it.

"A secret manual regarding the Way of Poison? To be able to grant you such astounding capability, it must be a rather powerful secret manual!" Elder Xu complimented before turning his gaze towards Zhang Xuan. "Will it be convenient for you to allow me to look at the secret manual you spoke of? Rest assured, I won't open it. I am just curious to see which master did the book come from!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

He was just making things up on the spot, so how could he have any secret manual of that sort?

But for the other party to be asking such a question... could it be that the other party still harbored doubts regarding his identity?

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Chapter 994: The Poison Master Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"It's fine if it isn't convenient for you..." Noticing the look of distress on the other party's face, Elder Xu shook his head.

"It is not that it is inconvenient, but that it isn't my place to be spreading the heritage around... How about this? Why don't I detail the 1-star and 2-star fundamental knowledge to you instead so that you can fathom the origin of the secret manual through it?" Seeing that the other party was just posing it as a casual question and not to investigate his origins, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

He didn't have the secret manual, and his knowledge of poison was still capped at 2-star. The only reason why he seemed fearsome in the eyes of the other party was due to his Heaven's Path zhenqi, which granted him a near complete immunity to poisons.

As such, he could be considered to be an amateur to poison. Nevertheless, if it was just fundamental knowledge of 2-star and below, he was confident that there was no one who could rival him.

"That would be great!" Elder Xu's eyes lit up.

Lineage was extremely important in the Master Teacher Continent, so it was indeed inconvenient for the other party to expose his heritage to an outsider.

It was understandable why the other party was unwilling to speak any more about that. As for knowledge of 2-star and below, as it involved only the fundamental knowledge of poison, there was no harm to sharing them.

"Based on the explanation of the book, poison can be viewed as a medicine of one kind as well. To put it simply, it is used to complement the Yin-yang and Five Elements of the human body. As long as one achieves a balance in the Five Elements, one will be able to develop an immunity to all poisons..."

Recalling the 1-star and 2-star Heaven's Path Poison Art, Zhang Xuan began to speak.

"T-this..."

Elder Xu initially thought that there couldn't possibly be anything new to the fundamentals, but as he listened on, his face gradually warped in astonishment. Gripped by agitation, his entire body began trembling, and his breathing hastened.

The other party had reshaped the understanding of poison through the concept of Yin-yang and the Five Elements, and through it, he was able to theorize the concept of poison immunity.

It was possible to poison a person to death, but was it possible to poison the heavens to death?

The fundamental knowledge that the other party spoke of was directed towards the very essence of poison itself. As long as one were to cultivate according to it, it was almost certain that one would be able to forge the Poison Body.

Even though it was already too late for him to switch his cultivation technique, he could already foresee the huge uproar it would cause in the Poison Hall should this piece of knowledge ever be made public.

"Poison can be a tonic as well. It can save and can treat. As long as one were to use it well, it can definitely become a valuable tool to the world..." Zhang Xuan continued speaking.

The more he listened, the deeper a trance Elder Xu found himself falling into.

The main reason why poison masters were so widely feared was due to their ability to plant poison discreetly, making it extremely difficult for an average cultivator to guard against them. However, if their poison really could make a positive contribution to the world, just like what the other party had said, it might be possible for the Poison Hall to walk out of its isolation and stand openly on the Master Teacher Continent once more. They could come under the protection of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and they wouldn't be shunned and snubbed by the world as they were now.

With such thoughts in mind, Elder Xu subconsciously turned to look at Sun Qiang with a look of agitation on his face.

"Alright, this is all I have understood from it..."

After casually sharing some of the knowledge of poison that he possessed, Zhang Xuan finally came to a halt. Lifting his gaze, he noticed that Elder Xu was looking at him with a fiery gaze. Alarmed, he quickly glanced downward at his clothes, but... nothing was open!

If nothing is open, what are you getting agitated over?

It can't be that your sexual orientation has changed from listening to a lecture?

It doesn't seem like there is any master teacher in the world who possesses such an ability!

"Cough cough!" Noticing Zhang Xuan's actions, Elder Xu knew that he had acted inappropriately for a moment there. He adjusted his expression before continuing with a grim look, "Poison Master Sun, the secret manual that you have is simply too astounding. It will be best for you to keep its existence hidden from the others, or else, I fear that... you might meet with danger!"

Which poison master didn't dream of a body that boasted a high resistance to poison? Which poison master didn't hope to concoct an even more potent poison?

If the other poison masters were to learn that the man before him had such a formidable secret manual in his possession, they surely wouldn't hesitate to resort to all kinds of underhanded means to obtain it, thus putting the other party in grave danger.

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Unlike master teachers, poison masters had no regards for rules and morals. If they were to learn of the existence of the secret manual, they might even attempt to snatch it in broad daylight.

Nevertheless, Zhang Xuan had no fear.

The main reason why he wanted to head to the Poison Hall was to collect books regarding poison and save Wei Ruyan. If the poison masters knew that was best for them, he could still consider getting along with them.

Otherwise, he didn't mind teaching the other party the meaning of fear.

After a moment of hesitation, Elder Xu added, "You should conceal your poison-resistant constitution as well. Make sure not to show it to anyone easily. Otherwise, you might be stoking their greed!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

While he didn't possess the Innate Poison Body, his ability to neutralize most poisons was indeed something that would interest most poison masters, if not all. Others could very well go after him in hopes of uncovering his secrets and cultivating the same poison-resistant constitution for themselves. For this reason, it would be best for him to maintain a low profile at the Poison Hall.

In any case, this happened to work in his favor. He was a humble person at heart, and he never liked to boast to others anyway.

"I intend to take the poison master examination later on at the Poison Hall, but I'm not too sure how it is conducted there. Can you shed some light on the matter for me? Also, will I be able to access all of the books in the Poison Hall if I were to clear the examination?" After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Xuan asked.

His main goal at the Poison Hall was to collect all of the books on poison there, so naturally, that was also the matter that he was the most concerned about.

"The poison master examination at our branch is slightly different from that of the others. Rather than the typical concoction of poison, the crux of our examination lies in... poisoning!" Elder Xu said.

"Poisoning?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

"Indeed. The ability to concoct potent poison is formidable, but what that makes a truly great poison master is his ability to poison a person whose cultivation realm is equal or even greater than him discreetly!" Elder Xu explained.

"Are you saying that the poison master examination will come in the form of a poisoning match?"

"That's right. For the 6-star poison master examination, the examinee will be challenging a 6-star poison master. The examiner would be fighting with his full strength as well, and if the examinee is able to wound the examiner through his poison, he would be considered to have cleared the examination!" Elder Xu explained.

"But poison... it shouldn't be easy to control it in combat, right? What will happen if one side accidentally poisons the other to death?" Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.

Precise control was required to wound an opponent without dealing lethal damage, and this was something extremely difficult to control in combat. Use too little poison, and it might end up being ineffective. Use too much, and one could accidentally kill one's opponent. Given so... wasn't it a little too risky to conduct such an examination?

"If one were to be poisoned to death in the midst of the examination, it can only mean that he hasn't worked hard enough in his studies. He has no one but himself to blame!" Elder Xu shook his head and sighed. "This is simply how things work here!"

Not expecting that the poison master examination would be so risky, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly. A moment later, he asked, "May I trouble Elder Xu to fill me in on the situation in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall?"

At the current moment, he knew nothing about the Poison Hall at all. If he could learn a thing or two about it, he would be more well-prepared for whatever he would face there.

"Of course, that's nothing much to ask of!" Elder Xu chuckled.

"The Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall branch is, in fact, a grade-7 branch. We have a 7-star poison master as our hall master, and this means that it is possible to take the 7-star poison master examination at our branch. If one can defeat the hall master in a poison match, one will be qualified to become a 7-star poison master immediately.

"Other than the hall master, the Poison Hall also has three 7-star vice hall master, as well as twenty-two 6-star pinnacle elders. Elder Xue and I are amongst the twenty-two 6-star pinnacle elders.

"As for poison masters below 6-star, there should be at least several dozen thousand of them."

'Several dozen thousand?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

The utilization of poison could be considered to be an unorthodox art, so he thought that there wouldn't be too many poison masters in the world. Yet, who could have thought that just this single branch would have numbers nearly on par with the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!

It was fortunate that they had chosen to isolate themselves at Jingyuan City. Otherwise, their presence could easily bring unease or even chaos upon the entire Hongyuan Empire!

"The Poison Hall is known for its Three Great Halls. The first hall is the Compendium Hall, which boasts a huge collection of books accumulated over the past ten thousand years. Most who wished to advance as a poison master would devote most of their time to studying the books in there.

"The second hall is the Poison Experimentation Hall. Researching and practicing the concoction of poison requires a vast amount of medicinal herbs. If one were to work with real herbs each time, even a mountain of medicinal herbs could be easily depleted within days. Within the Poison Experimentation Hall is a unique formation which could accurately simulate the unique properties of each medicinal herb. Through experimenting with the herbs here, one could lessen the wastage of herbs!

"The last one is the Sparring Hall! Just like with most other occupations, poison masters who have an irreconcilable conflict with one another would head there and settle it through a life-and-death duel. While it was named the Sparring Hall, it was also the location where many poison masters had died!" Elder Xu shook his head.

"Other than the Three Great Halls, there is also the Two Forbidden Grounds. One of them is the Mausoleum of Hall Masters. It is the location where the hall masters of every generation rested. Only the incumbent hall master was allowed to enter the grounds, and anyone else who tried to circumvent the rule would find themselves being poisoned to death! The other forbidden ground is the herb fields. Planted in the fields are the medicinal herbs used in the Poison Hall, and they are strictly controlled. Anyone who needs any medicinal herb must apply for it beforehand. No one was allowed to enter it casually, or else death would be what they would face!

"Other than that, there is nothing else. Given your strength and your immunity to poison, there should be nothing for you to worry about..."

'Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

7-star poison master, Three Great Halls, and the Two Forbidden Grounds...

Since he was intending to only go through the books of the Poison Hall, he would probably only pay a visit to the Compendium Hall and go nowhere else.

"Actually, the Poison Hall isn't as frightening as others put it out to be. As fellow poison masters, everyone actually treats one another rather amiably... Not to mention, you are my savior on top of that!" Elder Xu said with a kind smile.

The Poison Hall might seem like an incomparably frightening existence in the eyes of others, but internally, they still got along with one another harmoniously.

While fellow friends might occasionally spike each other's drinks or something, they would usually prepare the antidote beforehand, so no permanent harm would be done.

Zhang Xuan continued asking on several matters concerning the Poison Hall, and Elder Xu, seemingly convinced that he was a real poison master, didn't hide anything from him at all.

Half a day later, Zhang Xuan finally gained a deep insight into the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall.

While it was located within the territory of Hongyuan Empire, it was in truth the largest and most formidable Poison Hall in Qingyuan Conferred Empire. This was also the reason why there were multiple 7-star poison masters holding the fort there.

The Poison Hall was also a really dangerous place for the average cultivator. Not only were there poison masters and poisonous herbs, there were even poisonous worms, poisonous plants, and even the drinking water itself was poisoned... Had it been anyone else, Elder Xu would have surely made sure to warn them sternly beforehand. However, the man before him was no average cultivator. He was an existence who could munch on grade-6 pinnacle poisons as if they were mere snacks.

In any case, he was certain that the other party couldn't possibly be poisoned to death, so there was nothing to warn him about.

"Alright, we are arriving at the Poison Hall..."

After flying for two days straight, Elder Xu abruptly stood up and pointed forward. Turning his gaze over as well, Zhang Xuan saw the boundless blue ocean with a brilliant sun hanging at the horizon.

In the next moment, the saint beast twisted its body slightly, and the sight before him cleared up. A massive island abruptly came into sight.

To Zhang Xuan's astonishment, the island was actually concealed by a massive Hidden Formation. Had it not been for Elder Xu leading him here, it was very likely that he might have never found the Poison Hall.

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Chapter 995: Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The island had a diameter of around a hundred kilometers. From afar, Zhang Xuan could see that it was filled with all kinds of towering plants, granting it a lush appearance. Surrounded by a massive formation, the spiritual energy within was particularly concentrated, and from time to time, one could see formidable saint beasts dancing in the air above.

"To be able to conceal an island with a diameter of hundred kilometers, the man who set up the formation must be at least a 7-star formation master!" Zhang Xuan noted in astonishment.

He was currently a 6-star pinnacle formation master, but even so, a formation of such scale was still far beyond his means. Just how powerful must the senior who had built the Poison Hall here be?

"The founder of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall wasn't only a 7-star poison master, he was a 7-star pinnacle formation master as well. Even so, he had still spent an entire fifty years to construct this massive Hidden Formation!" Noticing Zhang Xuan's shock, Elder Xu explained with a smile.

"Fifty years?" Zhang Xuan's lips twitched in astonishment.

Not even a single year had passed since his transcension until now. To spend an entire fifty years just to construct a formation... this was something that Zhang Xuan would never do.

"That's right. This formation taps on the volcano beneath it as its energy source, concealing the entire island amidst the vast sea. If one couldn't locate the proper entrance, all one would see was just yet another plot of empty sea while flying over it." Elder Xu said proudly.

"Over the years, many 7-star master teachers and formation masters had flew across this land, but none of them had noticed the Poison Hall here. It is due to this that the Poison Hall was able to retain its complete heritage even after ten thousand years, never having suffered an attack before."

"Incredible!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Activating his Eye of Insight, he assessed the formation before him.

He had to admit that the design of the formation was indeed exquisite. The Hidden Formation was constructed through making use of the unique geographical advantage of the island, making it perfectly harmonized with its surroundings. Even via his Eye of Insight, he could barely make out the existence of the formation. It would be hard for him to decipher the formation within a short period of time.

If he really wanted to break the formation, it would take him around... ten minutes!

A formation that would take him so long to decipher could already be considered to be extremely powerful.

"Let's head down!" Noticing the stunned look in Zhang Xuan's eyes, Elder Xu chuckled as he drove the aerial saint beast down upon the island.

Around ten minutes later, they landed on a massive elevated platform.

"Elder Xu!" A few youngsters rushed up to welcome the returning Elder Xu. However, when they saw that it was a middle-aged man whom they had never seen before instead of Elder Xue who walked out of the wooden hut, they were bewildered for a moment.

"Poison Master Sun here is my savior. Prepare an accommodation for him." Elder Xu instructed. "I will be seeking an audience with the hall master now!"

"Yes!" Hearing that the other party was Elder Xu's savior, a gleam of admiration surfaced in the eyes of the youngsters as they nodded hurriedly.

"Poison Master Sun, they will lead you to your accommodation to rest. I need to meet the hall master first to report the happenings earlier at Jingyuan City to him."

After which, Elder Xu took two steps forward before halting once more. Without turning his head around, he sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan, "The members of the Poison Hall could have a rather bad temper. However, they do admire the strong, so there is no need for you to hold back should anyone attempt to provoke you."

"Got it." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Considering that one of the elders of the Poison Hall was killed, this matter should indeed be reported to the hall master as soon as possible.

And it went without saying that he had no intentions to be a samaritan should anyone try to step over his head too.

"I will report your matter to the hall master as well and apply a slot in the poison master examination for you." Elder Xu added before hurriedly heading off.

A moment later, he had already disappeared in the distance.

"Poison Master Sun, this way please!" Seeing that Elder Xu had left, the youngsters stepped forward and gestured to Zhang Xuan.

Without wasting a word, Zhang Xuan followed behind them.

Shortly after leaving the elevated platform, a massive town unfolded before his eyes. Innumerable buildings of differing heights could be seen here and there. However, the architecture was rather ancient, seemingly having thousands of years to them.

A bustling crowd moved to and fro the streets, doing everything that one could think of. In a sense, it was truly no different from a huge city.

Walking amongst the crowd, Zhang Xuan could occasionally see a light mist drifting out from the cracks in the windows and doors of several houses. It had a pleasant smell to it, but it seemed to fill one with lethargy, inducing one to a deep sleep.

There was no doubt about it, the mist definitely contained poison.

That wasn't the only peculiarity that Zhang Xuan noticed. From time to time, he would see poisonous bugs and snakes with bright, glistening colors glaring at the passers-by with a menacing gaze, seemingly ready to strike at any moment. The faint-hearted would probably be frightened unconscious on the spot upon seeing this sight.

"Don't worry, these poisonous snakes don't bite easily..." As if noting the apprehension on Zhang Xuan's face, one of the young men explained with a smile. At that moment, however, a scream of agony suddenly sounded in front. A middle-aged man was running forward frenziedly, and taking a closer look, there was a poisonous snake hanging off his bottom. Its sharp fangs were sunk deep into the middle-aged man's flesh, refusing to let go no matter how forcefully the other party struggled.

"Screw this shit, whose snake is this? If no one dares to own up, I will skin this bastard alive today!"

Soon after, another bellow sounded from the crowd, "Try to eat my snake, and I will have you poisoned to death right here right now!"

A figure flitted out from the crowd and began crossing hands with the middle-aged man who was bitten by the snake.

"T-this... It's just a coincidence. These poisonous snakes and bugs are usually rather friendly..." Meeting with this sight right after saying that the poisonous snakes wouldn't bite, the young man scratched his head in embarrassment.

He hurriedly tried to reassure the guest who he was escorting, "Even though these bugs might attack one another from time to time, there is no need to worry. We, poison masters, are a harmonious community. We respect one another and promote neighborliness, so rarely will there be any fights breaking out!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

However, before they could take another step forward, an even louder scream sounded.

"Which screwed up bugger poisoned my pillow? You better pray that I don't find out who you are because you can be heck sure that I will skin you alive when I do!"

Right afterward, a young lady with a round face darted out from one of the doors.

The young lady had a beautiful figure, but her face was swollen as though a watermelon. There were even quite a few parts which had pus flowing out. Her appearance was truly as hideous as a zombie who had climbed out from its grave.

"Which idiot spiked my porridge?"

"To dare to plant a poisonous bug in my shoes, you must be tired of living!"

"Stuffing medicine in my nostrils? You must be asking me to chop off your hands!"

...

Such voices sounded relentlessly in the surroundings. Following which, one by one, victims whose appearances were disfigured in all kinds of ways rushed out from their rooms.

The face of the young man who had just said that the poison masters promoted neighborliness reddened in awkwardness.

"Cough cough. They are just jesting with one another, so you don't have to worry about that! They are just testing out the poisons that they have just concocted, so you can think of it more like a prank. It's really harmless actually..."

"Harmless? Then, that is..." With a perplexed look, Zhang Xuan pointed in a certain direction. There, two poison masters who were fighting intensely with one another, seemingly unwilling to rest until one side had fallen dead.

"..." The young man.

After walking through the streets for a moment longer, Zhang Xuan gained an understanding of the prevalent culture in the Poison Hall.

Unlike the Master Teacher Pavilion, the Poison Hall didn't have many rules. Whenever a poison master succeeded in formulating a new poison, they would usually try it on those around them. Appearances were something that commonly changed within this city. A person could look this way yesterday but assume a vastly different appearance tomorrow. In fact, there had even been cases where one's gender had changed due to the side effect of some poison...

In other words, your neighbor could very well be an elderly man today, a middle-aged man tomorrow, a ravishing young lady the day after tomorrow, and perhaps even a monstrous behemoth the day after the day after tomorrow...

But of course, if you were to ask the other party's name, you would find out that 'they' were all the same person all along. It was just due to the consumption of bizarre poisons that resulted in the continuous warping of his form.

"It's fortunate that they are all on this island. If the poison masters were to do the same in Hongyuan City, it will only be a matter of time before they are pummeled to death..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was probably only on this land could they do something as ridiculous as this. Hongyuan City had a Master Teacher Pavilion and Master Teacher Academy to uphold order, and willfully poisoning another in such a manner was against the rules. Should one be caught doing so, even ten lives wouldn't be sufficient to amend for one's sin.

How could Elder Xu bring himself to say with a straight face that the poison masters were an amiable bunch when such was the chaos here... To live in fear, not knowing who would poison one or who one would turn into the next day... This sure wasn't his definition of amiable!

"Alright, Poison Master Sun. This is your accommodation!" After walking a while further and seeing bizarre acts of all kinds, the young man finally came to a halt.

Taking a look at his accommodation, it was decently clean residence. While the building looked a little old, the surroundings were rather tranquil and peaceful.

"Alright!" Knowing that he wouldn't stay here for too long, there was no need for him to get picky about it.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to push open the door to enter, a few young men suddenly walked over.

"Li Yuan, this person looks very unfamiliar. I don't think I have seen him around before."

"He is a guest whom Elder Xu just brought in from outside." Li Yuan, the young man who had brought Zhang Xuan over, replied.

"Elder Xu brought him here? Could it be that he intends to take that person as his disciple? To be able to move that obstinate old fogey's heart, his talent must be spectacular. Let me see how capable he is..." the other young man chuckled.

He snapped his fingers, and a surge of smoke suddenly gushed in Zhang Xuan's direction.

"Liu Xu, don't mess around. Poison Master Sun isn't Elder Xu's disciple." Li Yuan explained. However, before he could finish his words, the smoke had already reached Zhang Xuan, giving him no time to stop the latter at all.

Just as he was about to exclaim for the middle-aged man before him to be careful, he suddenly noticed a hint of a smile from the corners of the latter's cheek. The next moment, his silhouette vanished like a phantom and materialized right before Liu Xu.

Peng!

The crisp sound of bones shattering echoed resoundingly in the air. Before Liu Xu could even cry in agony, he was already sent flying before eventually ending up being hung on the branch of a nearby tree, passed out.

"Ah..." Everyone was dumbstruck.

As fellow poison masters, if an individual were to be attacked by poison, he should retaliate in the same manner. Yet, this fellow actually sent the other party flying with a single punch... How violent!

"You... As a poison master, how can you resolve matters with violence? Just how crass can you get?" A young man behind Liu Xu stepped forward and waved his hands righteously, "I shall challenge you to a poison duel right now. Do you dare to acce..."

But before he could finish his words, a foot was already planted in his face.

Peng!

Just like Liu Xu, before the young man could utter a word, he was sent flying and eventually ended up being hung on a nearby tree branch as well.

"You..." The faces of the remaining young men warped in fury. Their companion had already challenged the other party to a poison duel, but the other party still continued to attack them with brute force.

"Let's make a move together!" One of the young men exclaimed.

Peng peng peng peng!

...

A few breaths later, the energetic young men from a moment ago were lying unconscious on the tree not too far away.

"This..."

Li Yuan and the others who had escorted Zhang Xuan over were flabbergasted.

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Chapter 996: Sneaking In (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

One's ability to utilize poison had always been used to determine one's standing in the Poison Hall, so naturally, the duels conducted were usually centered around the utilization of poison as well. Yet, the fellow before them actually sent them flying with his fists and kicks without any hesitation... How could there be a person as violent as him?

"Poison Master Sun, you... you are really too reckless!"

Upon recovering from his daze, Li Yuan suddenly recalled a matter, and his complexion darkened. "They are the subordinates of Senior Duan Ren, so if you were to injure them, the latter will surely be displeased..."

"Indeed! Senior Duan has always been biased towards those whom he was close with, and he had an explosive temper as well. Those who had offended him never ended well..." Another young men added with an awful look on his face.

Had Poison Master Sun held himself back, the most that could have happened was for him to be poisoned for a brief moment, and the matter could have passed just like that. Yet, Poison Master Sun actually beat the other party up to such a state... Senior Duan was bound to be displeased. If Senior Duan were to exact vengeance for his brothers, who could possibly stop him?

"Senior Duan?" Seeing how frightened the young men were, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Senior Duan Ren is Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's direct disciple, and he is a 6-star poison master possessing the cultivation of Saint 1-dan advanced stage... He is considered the strongest poison master in his generation, and all of us have to address him respectfully as our senior. Liu Xu, whom you have just beat up, is his most loyal subordinate!" Li Yuan hurriedly explained.

The hall master and the elders were the most senior generation in the Poison Hall at the moment, and their disciples and students were all considered to be in the second generation.

But despite being in the same generation, Duan Ren was leading far in front of the others, to a point where the others could only look on in admiration.

"A Saint 1-dan advanced stage 6-star poison master? Is he going to take it out on me just because of a subordinate?" Seeing how frightened the others were, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

No matter how unreasonable the other party may be, surely he had to at least give some respect to Elder Xu!

Elder Xu was amongst the most senior generation in the Poison Hall, and he was Elder Xu's savior. Duan Ren might be arrogant, but as a junior, surely he wouldn't risk getting on Elder Xu's bad side just over a mere subordinate?

"Poison Master Sun, I am really not exaggerating the matter. There was one incident in the past where Liu Xu had acted disrespectfully to Senior Wu Haiyuan, so Senior Wu Haiyuan taught him a lesson. Upon learning of the matter, Senior Duan flew into a rage and poisoned him mute. Even to this day, Senior Wu Haiyuan is still unable to utter a single word..." With a tearful face, Li Yuan hurriedly explained.

"Senior Wu Haiyuan is a 6-star poison master, and his cultivation has reached a staggering Saint 1-dan..."

"There's such a matter?" Zhang Xuan was bewildered. With a doubtful look, he asked, "To offend a fellow 6-star poison master over a mere subordinate, isn't that very reckless of him?"

It was no wonder why Zhang Xuan found it hard to believe this matter.

He had taken a look a Liu Xu earlier, and the latter was only a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan Ethereal Treading realm cultivator. Most likely, he was only a 5-star poison master as well. There were plenty of those who could rival him easily in the Poison Hall, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find another person to replace Liu Xu as his subordinate. To offend a fellow 6-star poison master over this fellow... Wasn't Senior Duan needlessly bringing himself enemies for no good reason?

"This..." Hearing those words, Li Yuan hesitated for a moment, and eventually, gritting his teeth tightly, he said, "As a newcomer, it is not surprising that you are unaware of it, but... Liu Xu isn't just Senior Duan's subordinate. He is also Senior Duan... gigolo!"

"Gigolo?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed. "Senior Duan... is a lady?"

Gigolo referred to men who were financially supported by a woman to become her escort. Could it be that the Duan Ren person they had been talking about all along was a lady?

The other party had been addressing Duan Ren with 'he' all along, so he had assumed that Duan Ren was a male. Perhaps he might have just misheard him.

Nevertheless, considering how ugly Liu Xu was, just how bad could that Duan Ren's eyesight be?

"Senior Duan Ren... is a male!" Li Yuan said with an incredibly awkward expression on his face. "Due to consuming too much poison, his sexual orientation has changed as well..."

"Cough cough!" Zhang Xuan choked on his saliva.

He could have never thought that Duan Ren was a homosexual!

However, thinking about it once more, it wasn't really too surprising.

Poison masters spent their days alongside poison, and to concoct potent poisons, they might sometimes opt to try the poisons out of themselves... Putting aside changing one's sexual orientation, it wouldn't be impossible for one to fall in love with spirit beasts, saint beasts, trees, or even rocks and plants.

Also, there were poisons which could induce hallucinations. Even though Liu Xu looked incredibly ugly to him, there was no saying that the other partymight be a huge beauty in Senior Duan's eyes.

"That's right. Such situations aren't too uncommon here. Senior Duan will surely fly into a rage if he were to learn that you have beat his gigolo up. If he were to come and get even with you... that will be a huge disaster!" Li Yuan said worriedly.

There was no one in the Poison Hall who was unaware of how fearsome Senior Duan was. This was precisely the reason why no one dared to offend him. Yet, this fellow actually beat Liu Xu up to such a state without any warning... There was no way to resolve the conflict peacefully anymore.

Even though Elder Xu could be considered to be a senior to Senior Duan, he was also only a 6-star poison master, so there wasn't too huge of a gap between their standings. Furthermore, the latter could very well become an elder if he could advance his capability a step further, thus putting the both of them on equal standings.

"If he wishes to come for me, so be it!" Stretching his back lazily, Zhang Xuan replied leisurely.

What Senior Duan or something, he couldn't care less about it.

If the other party intended to cause him trouble, he didn't mind releasing the Violetleaf King and stir up a huge mess within the Poison Hall.

In any case, he had already found the Poison Hall, and the Compendium Hall was located just a walk away. There was no need for him to pretend to be a samaritan to a bunch of fellows who only thought about poisoning others every single day.

"But..." Seeing how laidback Zhang Xuan was, Li Yuan and the others glanced at one another and smiled bitterly. They were at a complete loss as to what to do.

At that moment, a young man with an incredibly awful look on his face walked over with widened strides.

Upon seeing the young man, the faces of Li Yuan and the others immediately warped in fear, "Senior Duan..."

Speak of the devil!

The accommodation prepared for Zhang Xuan might be peaceful, but there were still quite a handful of men in the vicinity when Poison Master Sun sent Liu Xu flying with a punch. News spread swiftly, and it didn't take long for Senior Duan Ren to learn of it and rush over.

Doomed... It was already too late to escape at this point.

Hu!

Swiftly walking forward, Senior Duan Ren leaped up and carried Liu Xu down from the tree branch. He carefully fed the latter some pills with an frighteningly chilling look on his face.

"Senior Duan, I challenged that fellow to a poison duel, but he assaulted me instead... I beg of you to redress my grievance!" Upon coming to, Liu Xu raised his finger and pointed it at Zhang Xuan with gritted teeth.

"Don't worry!" With narrowed eyes, Duan Ren stood up and glared at Zhang Xuan coldly, the killing intent in his eyes flaring furiously, "I will make him pay the price!"

"Senior Duan, Poison Master Sun over here is Elder Xu's savior..." Seeing that the situation was heading down a very dangerous path, Li Yuan clenched his jaws in determination before hurrying forward to explain.

Elder Xu had entrusted the other party to them, so they had to take care of him well. If the other party were to be poisoned to death right after arriving at the accommodation, they would have to take responsibility for his mishap as well.

"Scram!" Duan Ren roared furiously.

Deng deng deng deng!

A powerful shock wave surged forth from Duan Ren. Li Yuan's face paled, and he was knocked back eight steps before spurting a mouthful of blood.

Possessing only the cultivation of Ethereal Treading realm, he was completely no match for a Saint realm expert like the other party.

I don't care how you are related to Elder Xu or anyone else. Anyone who dares to hurt my man has to pay the price!" Duan Ren stomped forward and glared at Zhang Xuan with wintry eyes. "I will give you two choices now. You can either kneel down and apologize to Liu Xu right now, and allow him to do whatever he wants to do to you, or I will make a move personally and show you what a living hell looks like..."

There was no one who didn't know that Liu Xu was his gigolo, and yet, this fellow still dared to lay his hands on his man. This was a blatant disregard for him. If he didn't teach the other party a lesson, how was he going to establish his authority within the Poison Hall?

"Interesting. What if I choose neither of them?" Zhang Xuan said with a wry smile.

It was no wonder why Elder Xu said that the Poison Hall wasn't peaceful and told him to be careful. From the looks of it now, that was indeed the case.

There were simply far too many fools who overestimated themselves here...

He was planning to keep a low profile here, but looking at the other party's punch-seeking face... It seemed like he would be letting himself down if he didn't give it a good one!

"Choose neither of them? You are seeking death!" With a fearsome roar, Duan Ren leaped forward, and with swiftness reminiscent of a streak of lightning, he appeared before Zhang Xuan at the very next instant. Clenching his fingers into claws, Duan Ren swiped at the middle-aged man before him.

A powerful surge of zhenqi burst from his fingertips. At the same time, a unique powder cloaked the air before him.

This powder was a lethal poison which he had spent great effort developing and concocting. Even a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert would succumb just by coming into contact with a tinge of it.

"Hah!" Facing the other party's surge of zhenqi and poison powder, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a pitying look in his eyes.

Hu!

He raised his palm and sent a direct slap towards the other party, not even bothering to utilize any battle technique at all.

Facing Zhang Xuan's attack, Duan Ren sneered in disdain. However, in the next moment, his eyes abruptly narrowed in astonishment, and he hurriedly gathered the full strength in his body into his hands to block the seemingly simple slap.

However, he was too late. Just like Liu Xu, before he could even let out a scream of agony, he fell atop one of the tree branches and fainted.

Zhang Xuan's current cultivation might only be Nascent Saint pinnacle, but not even the Saint 2-dan Liao Song was a match for him. For this Duan Ren guy, a mere Saint 1-dan advanced stage, to challenge him, the other party was truly seeking death. It would take nothing more than a mere snap of fingers for hm to destroy the other party.

"This..." The faces of Li Yuan and the others paled, and their bodies began shivering.

This was way too frightening!

They were well-aware of Senior Duan Ren's strength, having witnessed it themselves. Paired with his poison, not even a Saint 2-dan primary stage cultivator would dare to fight him face-on. Yet, this Poison Master Sun actually knocked Senior Duan Ren out with a single slap...

Just how powerful could he be?

"Alright, I will be heading in to rest now!" Couldn't be bothered to explain the matter to the others, Zhang Xuan waved his hand before shooting a glance at Li Yuan. "If anyone still wants to provoke me, make sure to report it to me beforehand!"

Leaving those words behind, he stepped into the residence.

"Yes..." With twitching lips, Li Yuan and the others quickly nodded.

...

After entering the residence, Zhang Xuan closed the door and swiftly located the area where spiritual energy seemed to converge towards before taking a seat.

"Since I am already at the Poison Hall, I should quickly finish reading the books and find a way to save Wei Ruyan. This matter mustn't be stalled for any longer!"

Even though he had stabilized Wei Ruyan's condition for the time being, every second wasted meant an additional second of danger for her. Since it was the Poison Hall that he was in, there was no need for him to bother about the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion. The important matter at hand was to swiftly finish reading those books and analyze a plausible solution to treating Wei Ruyan.

Hu!

With a thought, Zhang Xuan's soul slipped out from his body.

He wouldn't be allowed to access the books in the Compendium Hall until he took the poison master examination, so there was no way he could march there in his body openly. In any case, it was equally efficient for him to read in his soul form as well, so there was no need to delay this matter any further.

With a slight movement, Zhang Xuan flew into the air.

It was still the day, but as a practitioner of the Heaven's Path Soul Art, he was unaffected by the yang energy of the sun rays. On top of that, after sharing soul essence with Wei Ruyan's soul, his soul had gained a certain immunity to poison. As such, the poisonous gas shrouding around the island was completely ineffective towards him.

After flying a decent altitude high, Zhang Xuan lowered his head to get a bird's eye view of the entire city.

"Elder Xu said that the Compendium Hall is one of the Three Great Halls of the Poison Hall. Naturally, it should be the highest and grandest building here..."

Sweeping his surroundings with the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan soon caught sight of three particularly towering halls in the area.

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Chapter 997: Sneaking In (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The three halls were around seventy meters tall each, and they towered above the other buildings in the area, making them particularly conspicuous.

"Poison Experimentation Hall, Sparring Hall, and Compendium Hall... The first two are areas where poisons are frequently utilized, so no matter how they are cleaned, there are bound to be traces left behind... As for the Compendium Hall, considering that it is a location where books are stored, the usage of poisons should be restricted there..."

The Poison Experimentation Hall was a ground for poison masters to practice the concoction of poison. It was inevitable that there would be lingering traces of poison even if one were to attempt to neutralize it with the corresponding antidotes. The same applied for the Sparring Hall as well. As poison masters clashed with one another, it was inevitable that poison would be spilled in the surroundings, leaving behind many unerasable scars on the building. Using this as a gauge, it shouldn't be too difficult to determine which was the Compendium Pavilion.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan began to examine the Three Great Halls carefully.

Under the sharp glint of his Eye of Insight, the interiors of the three halls appeared clearly before his eyes. Indeed, two of the halls felt incredibly turbid, as if they were plagued with poison.

"That should be the Compendium Hall then!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. Without any hesitation, he immediately began heading to the cleanest hall of the three.

The building was even taller than the other two, and the old scent of books seemed to linger around the building. There was a particularly powerful formation set up around it, making it difficult for anyone to enter without the possession of an artifact to bypass it.

Upon seeing the formation, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

His current proficiency of formations was already on par with 7-star formation masters, and he possessed the Eye of Insight on top of that, Finding a flaw in the formation around the Compendium Hall to slip through it was an extremely easy task for him.

With sharp eyes, Zhang Xuan examined the formation, and a moment later, he found a small gap in the formation. He swiftly slipped through it.

While a soul was formless and intangible, making it impossible to perceive it with one's eyes or touch, it could disrupt the flow of spiritual energy in the air, thus betraying its presence. The interior of the formation happened to be rich in spiritual energy, which meant that Zhang Xuan would still have to proceed carefully within the formation.

Advancing forward through exploiting the flaws of the formation, it didn't take long for Zhang Xuan to arrive right before the entrance of the Compendium Hall.

There were two Saint 1-dan poison masters keeping guard. Zhang Xuan quickly calculated an ideal route to take before sneaking past the both of them discreetly and slipping into the Compendium Hall through the gaps in the door.

The first floor of the Compendium Hall was filled with many bookshelves with innumerable books shelved on top of them. Taking a swift glance, they were all regarding poison.

"Deciphering the Way of Poison", "Qing Yuanzi's 36 Art of Poison", "Neutralizing Poison Walkthrough", "Fundamental Theories to Poison Cultivation"... All kinds of books relating to poison could be seen placed all around the area, creating an amazing collection.

These were the blood and sweat of innumerable poison masters ever since the establishment of this Poison Hall branch ten thousand years ago. They were intermixed with both the correct and wrong interpretation of poison. To others, they would dare not read all of them recklessly for fear that they might end up confusing themselves. However, such a problem didn't exist for Zhang Xuan.

Sweeping his gaze across the room, Zhang Xuan swiftly found himself a comfortable position.

Alright, time to begin!

With such a thought in mind, Zhang Xuan began sweeping through rows of books with his sharp eyes.

Hualala!

Book after book was collected into the Library of Heaven's Path. Through compiling them together, a flawless Heaven's Path Poison Art was gradually being formed.

Two hours later, all of the books on the first level had been swiped clean.

"This is the 1-star Heaven's Path Poison Art..." Zhang Xuan took a glance at the compiled book in the Library of Heaven's Path before withdrawing his consciousness out and headed towards the second floor.

The layout of the Compendium Hall was similar to the libraries in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. Each floor corresponded to a star each, and if one's rank hadn't reached the required level, one would be forbidden from accessing the floor.

While Zhang Xuan had already compiled the 1-star and 2-star Heaven's Path Poison Art back at the Red Lotus Mountain Ridge Poison Hall, the collection of books here was clearly much greater and more varied. Since he was already at the Poison Hall, it would be best to collect all of them. He wasn't in a rush for time anyway.

Besides, there was no saying that the method to saving Wei Ruyan would be contained in these seemingly unimportant books. As such, he dared not to get careless.

Soon, he finished taking in everything in the second floor.

After which, he moved on to the third floor.

...

While Zhang Xuan's soul slipped into the Compendium Library to browse through its books, a huge ruckus had broken out in the residence where his physical body was seated.

Staring at the tree where Senior Duan hung, many poison masters trembled in fear.

They had thought that the newly-arrived guest would end up being silently oppressed, but who could have thought that he was actually a rampaging dragon that devastated any who dared to provoke it!

With just a single move, he had knocked out the strongest Senior Duan Ren amongst them!

"Hurry up and report this to Vice Hall Master Ming..." Someone amongst the crowd shouted.

"Alright!" A poison master replied before heading anxiously in a certain direction.

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen was a 7-star poison master, as well as Senior Duan Ren's teacher. The reason why Senior Duan Ren was able to get away with acting so arrogantly in the Poison Hall was due to his backing. For Senior Duan Ren to be pummeled by a newly-arrived fellow... without a doubt, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen would surely fly into a terrible rage.

Rushing over, it didn't take long for the poison master to arrive at Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's residence. He tried to enter it, but someone blocked him at the entrance.

"Vice Hall Master Ming is currently in a conference with the other elders. If you have something important to report, tell me and I will relay it to him instead." the guard spoke nonchalantly.

"Vice Hall Master Ming is in a conference?" Frowning, the poison master hesitated for a moment before he eventually made up his mind and reported, "Someone has pummeled and knocked out Senior Duan Ren!"

"Someone has pummeled and knocked out Senior Duan Ren?" the guard was taken aback by the abrupt news.

"Yes! The assailant goes by the name of Sun Qiang, and he is a guest whom Elder Xu has brought in." The poison master revealed everything he knew, not daring to hide anything.

"Alright, I got it. I will report it to Vice Hall Master Ming right now." The guard knew that Senior Duan Ren was a disciple which Hall Master Ming Zhen valued greatly and had high expectations of. In fact, the latter had been considering the matter of promoting Senior Duan Ren to become an elder of the Poison Hall as well, and it was likely that the motion would be proposed in the near future.

Not daring to hesitate in the least, the guard hurriedly rushed in.

A moment later, he returned and beckoned the poison master in, "Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen invites you in."

Nodding, the poison master headed in.

Not too long later, he arrived at the main hall. Upon seeing the impressive line up within, he couldn't help but cower in fear.

Within the room wasn't just Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen but the other two vice hall masters too, as well as all of the 6-star pinnacle elders of the Poison Hall, with the exception of Elder Xu and Elder Xue.

"What happened?" Upon seeing the poison master enter the room, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen turned his authoritative gaze upon him and asked.

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen was a white-bearded old man who looked like he was in his sixties. His black robe, paired with his sharp and chilling face, granted him a powerful presence which induced others to cower before him.

"The matter is like this..." The poison master swiftly explained everything that he had seen earlier.

"You are saying that the guest whom Xu You brought in has willfully injured Duan Ren?" Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's eyes narrowed in suppressed fury.

"Yes..." The poison master nodded fearfully.

"Very well! I have no idea where that lad came from, but how dare he cause trouble in the Poison Hall!" With a chilling glint in his eyes, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen laughed coldly. "Bring me over. I want to meet the audacious man who dared to make a move against my student!"

"Yes!" Not daring to hesitate, the poison master hurriedly led the way.

"Vice Hall Master MIng, since we are free at the moment, why don't we accompany you there as well?"

"Indeed. Normally, guests at our Poison Hall would be so nervous as to dare not utter a single word at all, yet, this fellow actually dared to make a move on our men. I sure would like to meet the amazing figure he is."

The remaining two vice hall masters stood up simultaneously as well.

"We are also interested to meet the person whom Xu You has brought back from his trip!"

"How can I miss a matter as interesting as this?"

...

The remaining twenty elders smiled with an interested gleam in their eyes.

After spending so many years on this island, rarely were there any matter that could interest the poison masters. Thus, upon hearing that an arrogant guest had visited their Poison Hall, they were eager to catch the drama that would unfold very soon.

"Fine by me." Seeing that the two vice hall masters and the other elders wanted to tag along as well, Vice Hall Master Ming waved his hand casually before following the poison master, heading for Zhang Xuan's residence.

It didn't take him long to arrive at his destination. There, he saw his student and a few subordinates being hung pitifully atop a tree. Seemingly having suffered a heavy blow, his student had quite a few bones shattered, and his injuries were extremely severe.

"Damn it!" With a livid face, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen clenched his fists tightly together.

The other party clearly knew that Duan Ren was his student, and yet, the other party still chose to deal Duan Ren such a vicious strike. This was a huge insult towards him as well.

"Open the doors!" Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen beckoned for one of the elders to take care of Duan Ren before heading over to the residence door and harrumphed coldly.

"V-vice Hall Master Ming... P-poison Master Sun said that..."

Upon seeing the sudden arrival of so many vice hall masters and elders, Li Yuan and the others were scared speechless. With quivering lips, Li Yuan tried to explain the matter to them.

"Do my words mean nothing to you?" Vice Hall Master Ming's eyebrows shot up as he bellowed furiously.

"No! Of course not..." Knowing that it would be unwise to challenge the authority of a vice hall master, Li Yuan could only obediently open the doors for him.

He was intending to head in to inform Poison Master Sun Qiang of the matter in advance, but from the looks of it now, it seemed like he wouldn't get an opportunity to do so.

"Hmph!"

With a cold gaze, Vice Hall Master Min stepped into the residence, and the two vice hall masters and the other elders hurriedly followed him.

They were interested to meet the person who dared to beat Duan Ren into the pitiful state he was in.

After entering the residence, they soon saw a figure seated in the area which boasted the highest concentration of spiritual energy in the residence. His eyes were tightly shut, seemingly in the midst of his cultivation.

"You are Sun Qiang?" Seeing how the other party was still in the mood to cultivate despite their arrival, Vice Hall Master Ming's turned so dark that it seemed like ink would seep out from it.

After saying those words, he waited for a while, but the fellow in front him still refused to open his eyes, as if they were non-existent.

"Audacious! Do you know who I am?" Not expecting that a vice hall master like him would be snubbed so blatantly, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen felt so furious that he could explode.

No matter, he was an esteemed 7-star poison master. It was one thing for the other party to not rise to his feets to welcome him, but to be unwilling to even open his eyes, the other party was inconceivably arrogant!

With so many people entering his residence and all the shouting that had gone on, he didn't believe that the other party would be oblivious to his presence!

If this was the level of awareness he had, he would have long died in this world. There was no way he could have survived this long!

Hu!

Despite bellowing furiously, there was still no response from the other party. It was as if the person in front of him couldn't hear him at all.

"You..." Raging with fury, Vice Hall Master Ming's face flushed crimson.

He had seen plenty of arrogant individuals in his life, but he had never one who dared to put on airs like that. Three vice hall masters and twenty elders, that was a line up that consisted of nearly the entire top echelon of the Poison Hall! Yet, despite calling repeatedly, the other party continued to sit nonchalantly on the floor, not bothering to respond at all...

"Audacious! Do you think that you can do as you please just because you have Xu You's backing? Very well, I would like to see how Xu You can help you out of this situation today!"

Unable to tolerate this blatant disrespect any longer, Vice School Head Ming roared furiously as his zhenqi burst forth from him, ready to make a move.

"Hahaha, Vice Hall Master Ming. How can you dirty your own hands teaching a person of this caliber a lesson? Allow me."

At this moment, a chuckle sounded in the room, and an elder stepped forward.

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Chapter 998: The Invincible Zhang Xuan (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Elder Huang?" Upon seeing who the one speaking was, Vice Hall Master Ming hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

It was indeed beneath his standing as a 7-star poison master, an esteemed vice hall master, to make a move against the guest of an elder. It would cast him under the suspicion of oppressing his juniors. As such, it would be best if Elder Huang was willing to make the move for him.

Elder Huang's strength was not beneath Xu You's, reaching Saint 1-dan pinnacle as well. At the same time, his comprehension of poison had also reached 6-star pinnacle. With such strength, it should be more than sufficient for him to teach this fellow a lesson.

Upon receiving Vice Hall Master Ming's permission, Elder Huang stepped forward and glared at Sun Qiang with narrowed eyes, "Your name is Sun Qiang, isn't it? To keep your eyes shut even in all of our presence, you are truly presumptuous. However, it is presumptuous individuals like you who tend to have early deaths. I will give you three seconds to kneel down and apologize to Vice Hall Master Ming, and I can consider sparing your life. Otherwise, don't blame me for getting nasty..."

Three breaths later, the other party's eyes were still tightly shut, as if he was dead.

"I have already given you a chance, but you are the one who refused to grasp it. Very well, let's whether you boast strength comparable to the arrogance you are putting up!" With the other party ignoring him entirely, he seemed as if a clown speaking to himself in a mirror. Enraged, he raised his palm and struck it towards Zhang Xuan.

Boom!

An overwhelming surge of zhenqi burst forth from his fingers, and innumerable poison bits immediately shrouded the middle-aged man before him as if falling flower petals.

Tzzzzzzz!

Before the poison bits could even come into contact with the middle-aged man, the flowers and plants in the courtyard had already begun to wither, turning as black as charcoal.

"That is... A Smile of Liberation Powder?" An elder exclaimed in astonishment.

A Smile of Liberation Powder was a poison specially concocted by Elder Huang. Just by a whiff, even a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert would die within a smile. Due to the frightening potency of the poison, it was deeply feared even amongst the upper echelons of the Poison Hall.

"Not bad." Seeing that someone recognized the poison, Elder Huang nodded in glee.

These poison bits were indeed his greatest masterpiece. Since the other party didn't know his place, he would just have to ingrain it deeply into him!

Hualala!

In just a few moments, the poison powder fell upon 'Sun Qiang's' body, creating a layer of white flakes reminiscent of snow.

"A Smile of Liberation Powder can seep into one's body through the skin, so it is futile to hold one's breath. With so much of it on him, that fellow is a goner. Not even the deities will be able to save him at this point..." Upon seeing the sight, one of the elders shook his head and remarked.

Putting aside breathing in such a potent poison, even just a single flake falling on one could easily lead to fatality. Considering that Elder Huang had thrown so many of it at once and even infused it with his zhenqi, the poison should have already seeped into the middle-aged man's skin. At this point, it was already too late to save the other party.

"Wait a moment, something is wrong. Look!" Just as the crowd was lamenting over the imminent tragic death of the middle-aged man before them, another elder suddenly pointed forward and exclaimed. "Why does it seem like... nothing is happening to that fellow at all?"

Hearing that question, everyone quickly turned their sights over.

The person, who was seated cross-legged before them, was still in the same position as before, not moving in the least. His eyes were tightly shut, as if he was asleep. It was as if the A Smile of Liberation poison powder cast by Elder Huang was completely ineffective against the person before his eyes.

"Typically speaking, right after being poisoned by A Smile of Liberation, a person's body will start to convulse, his lips will uncontrollably curl upwards... Yet, this fellow is still showing the same nonchalant expression as before, as if his face has stiffened up... Elder Huang, could it be that your poison has lost its effectiveness?" Another elder couldn't help but ask.

"This..." Hearing those words, Elder Huang hurriedly took a closer look at the other party.

Even though the other party was completely motionless, as a 6-star pinnacle poison master, he could still easily discern whether the other party was poisoned or not.

A radiant complexion paired with smooth and supple skin... Not only did the other party show no signs of being poisoned, it seemed as if the other party had consumed some kind of incredible tonic, nourishing his body further...

The heck! Can't you at least squeeze out the slightest hint of being poisoned for me? At the very least, make your face redden a little...

Otherwise, how am I to face my fellow peers in the room?

"It is no wonder why that fellow is so arrogant. He must have consumed the antidote beforehand!

The more Elder Huang thought about it, the more furious he felt. "Since he doesn't fear poison, let's see if a mere Nascent Saint like him will be able to fend against my rampaging might!"

Right after saying those words, he sent a powerful punch right towards Zhang Xuan!

Elder Huang had no idea what kind of antidote the other party had consumed that actually rendered his A Smile of Liberation futile, but it was likely that he would only embarrass himself further if he were to continue using poison. Since that was the case, he felt that it would be safer for him to use brute force instead.

He had to let the other party learn the price of acting arrogant!

Hong long!

The strength of a Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivator rampaged, and in an instant, a huge gust of wind was whipped up within the courtyard. The bluestone pavements on the ground creaked under the immense strain of the might, seemingly ready to shatter in innumerable pieces at any moment.

"That fellow... still isn't going to open his eyes?" an elder exclaimed.

Elder Huang was preparing his strongest technique, and the overwhelming zhenqi he exerted was so great that even his breathing had hastened... and yet, the target facing the attack, 'Sun Qiang', still refused to open his eyes. He remained motionless on the spot, not bothering to dodge or retaliate...

Wasn't this going a little too far?

Peng!

The fist which commanded incomparable might fell upon 'Sun Qiang's' face!

Kacha!

The sound of bones breaking echoed clearly within the room. Following which, everyone saw Elder Huang leaping backward furiously with his left arm clutching tightly onto his right arm. The unbearable pain in his arm left his face twitching uncontrollably, and tears glistened in his eyes.

"This..." Everyone blinked their eyes in a daze, dumbfounded.

Elder Huang had utilized his full strength to strike on the other party's face, and yet, without even scraping the other party's skin, his arm was broken instead...

Was this for real? Was that fellow that thick-skinned?

"Damn it, I will rip you into pieces!" Noticing everyone's bizarre gazes on him, Elder Huang felt so embarrassed that he could die. Roaring furiously, he drew out a sword and charged at the fellow before him.

"Elder Huang, you mustn't get reckless!"

Upon seeing Elder Huang's actions, everyone was astonished.

If that 'Sun Qiang' fellow were to die under Elder Huang's poison, he could still justify it as having failed to control his poison properly. On the other hand, the drawing of his sword could be interpreted as an attempt to kill in the Poison Hall. If the deed was really done, there would be no backing out.

Si la!

Blinded by his rage, Elder Huang couldn't hear anyone's voice anymore. He hacked his sharp sword down upon the fellow seated before him furiously, intending to split the fellow before him into two. However, just as the sword was about to land, the other party suddenly raised his palm and struck upwards.

Hong long long!

The loud rumbling of a thunder resounded deafeningly in the courtyard. Elder Huang's sword qi dissipated entirely under the immense momentum of the palm strike, and in the next moment, his head was forcefully struck into his chest.

Putong!

Elder Huang's body fell lifelessly onto the ground, never to move again.

"What?"

"Elder Huang was killed in a single palm strike?"

"That strike didn't just neutralize Elder Huang's attack, it rebounded Elder Huang's strength back upon him! Is that fellow really just at Nascent Saint?"

...

Looking at the dead Elder Huang, everyone's body stiffened.

That was an elder, a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert! The other party was an existence who boasted equivalent strength to them, and yet... he was actually killed in a single palm strike...

Just how powerful could that palm be?

"He didn't even move the rest of his body at all, and his eyes had never opened at any point in time either..." A quivering voice sounded amidst the group.

Hearing those words, everyone suddenly recalled the situation back then, and it seemed like 'Sun Qiang' had been seated on the floor all along, moving only his palms. And more importantly... his eyes had never opened at any point in time!

In other words... the other party hadn't even got serious yet! It was a casual palm strike to the other party, and yet, it was sufficient to claim Elder Huang's life!

"There is something really uncanny about this fellow. Nevertheless, we can't allow him to get away scot-free for killing Elder Huang. Let's attack him together, don't let him escape!" A person roared.

In the next moment, the remaining nineteen elders swiftly flitted through the courtyard, surrounding Zhang Xuan tightly.

The reason why they held themselves back a moment ago was because it would be unseemly for elders like them to make a move on the juniors, and there would be no way they could account this matter to Elder Xu either. However, now that the other party had killed Elder Huang, there were no grounds for reconciliation anymore. Not even Elder Xu would be in a position to stop them anymore.

"Indeed, let's attack him together!"

"I sure do want to see if he is able to withstand by Yama Incapacitation Powder!"

...

Huala!

The nineteen elders struck simultaneously, and in an instant, the courtyard was suddenly filled with all kinds of poisonous mist. Several poisonous bugs and snakes leaped furiously towards Zhang Xuan, eager to sink their teeth into his flesh.

With so many lethal poisons compounded together, even a Saint 2-dan primary stage expert would find himself succumbing to the poison within seconds. Yet, when the mist finally scattered slightly, everyone was shocked to realize that... the other party was still completely motionless, as if he couldn't even feel the poison around him.

"The antidote that fellow took is too potent, our poisons are completely useless against him... Let's just make a move on him straight. I don't believe that he will be able to withstand the attacks from all nineteen of us simultaneously!" Someone amidst the group bellowed, and the others nodded in agreement.

Despite having utilized all of their strongest poisons simultaneously, that fellow wasn't wounded in the slightest. There wasn't even the slightest hint of anomaly on his face. This went to show that something was amiss.

They had no idea how the other party managed to do it, but it seemed like poison was completely ineffective against him. Since that was the case... they had no choice but to settle it with violence!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Right after hearing that bellow, the nineteen elders charged straight for the middle-aged man seated at the middle.

Feeling the overwhelming force that had gathered around him, the seated 'Sun Qiang' seemed to have finally sensed that his life was in danger. Standing up, his figure flitted as if a streak of lightning, swiftly diving amongst the group.

Rather than Nascent Saint, the agility of his movements was more like that of a Saint 2-dan expert. While threading nimbly amongst the many attacks headed for him, he retaliated with fists of his own as well. His punches seemed to be direct and straightforward, but for some reason, it seemed to be infused with some compelling force that prevented them from evading them.

Peng peng peng peng!

Every single punch launched would accurately strike upon an elder, sending the latter flying away. The overwhelming strength that the other party exerted was far beyond what all of them combined could handle.

On top of that, it wasn't just the other party's punch that they had to guard against. The other party's leg arts were formidable as well. His kicks were abrupt, swift, and precise, making it nigh difficult to guard against it.

"H-h-his eyes... His eyes are still closed!"

The longer the fight went on for, the more stifled the elders felt. Nineteen Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts had encircled a Nascent Saint cultivator and attacked him simultaneously, and yet, not only did the other party manage to remain unharmed before their assault, they even realized that they were gradually being suppressed... And most importantly of all, the other party's eyes were still shut!

It was as if the other party was sleepwalking! All of his actions and movements seemed to be instinctive, derived solely from his combat instincts!

To be able to overwhelm the simultaneous assault of all nineteen of them just by his combat instincts in itself...

The elders felt as if they were going insane.

The vice hall masters watching the situation also couldn't help but gape at the inconceivable situation.

"We need to help them! The elders won't be able to hold on for much longer..." One of the three vice hall masters exclaimed.

It was in consideration of their standing that they were unwilling to make a move earlier. After all, for 7-star poison masters like them to lower themselves to deal with a measly Nascent Saint cultivator was truly unseemly... However, at this point, they realized that if they didn't make a move soon, the nineteen elders could very well end up in the same state as Elder Huang. That would be a devastating blow to the Poison Hall.

"Alright, let's go together..."

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's eyebrows shot up as he raised his palm and charged forward.

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Chapter 999: The Invincible Zhang Xuan (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen was a 7-star primary poison master, and he possessed a cultivation of Saint 2-dan primary stage. Exerting his full might, an immense pressure fell from the heavens, crumbling the walls of the courtyard into dust.

Seeing that Ming Zhen had made a move, the other two also stepped forward without any hesitation.

Just like Ming Zhen, they were also Saint 2-dan primary stage cultivators which possessed astounding fighting prowess.

With the three experts collaborating with one another, an overwhelming force swept into the surroundings like a calamitous tide, destroying everything in its path.

"What is going on?"

Seeing the collapse of the courtyard walls and sensing the fearsome shockwave that lingered in the air as a result of the fighting, Li Yuan and the others, who were still guarding outside at the moment, turned their eyes over, and upon taking a look, their faces began twitching uncontrollably.

Wasn't Vice Hall Master Ming going to just get even with Poison Master Sun over this matter? Why would they suddenly start fighting like that?

Not to mention... for the three vice hall masters and all of the elders to gang up against a mere Nascent Saint cultivator... Weren't they being a little too shameless?

"It seems like... Elder Huang has died..." A quivering voice sounded in the air.

It was after hearing the voice did Li Yuan notice that an old man was lying on the ground with his head sunk into his neck, as if someone had smacked it in with his palm. It was an extremely eerie and bone-chilling sight.

Without a doubt, that was definitely a fatal blow!

"Most likely, they must have provoked Poison Master Sun, and out of anger, the latter ended up doing this..." Li Yuan's heart jolted in fear as he continued staring intently at the situation.

With the three Saint 2-dan vice hall masters joining the fray, the tables seemed to have been turned. Having to fend off more than 22 experts simultaneously, Poison Master Sun was placed under great pressure. With a forceful strike, Poison Master Sun knocked two of the elders who were engaging him at the moment before swiftly flicking both of his wrists.

A spear appeared in his right hand and a sword appeared in his left.

Hu la!

With a simple pierce, the spear whizzed across spear and appeared right before an elder. In the blink of an eye, the spear had already impaled the other party's throat. Under the immense force of the pierce, the lifeless body of the elder was sent flying out.

Moving simultaneously along with the piercing spear, the sword in Zhang Xuan's left hand moved in an elegant arc, and a sword qi harnessing the inviolable authority of the heavens abruptly burst forth.

The elder who was standing to the left of Zhang Xuan hadn't expected that he would be able to effectively utilize both weapons simultaneously... Before he could react, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation strike his neck. In the next moment, as his head rolled off its base, a fountain of blood spurted forth from the neck of the decapitated body.

"He is killing the elders..." A chilling sensation abruptly assaulted Li Yuan and the others, and they began shivering involuntarily.

Each of these elders was reminiscent of transcendental existences to them, mighty figures whom they could never hope to equal... Yet, at this moment, it was as if someone had torn the veil of mystery and grandeur shrouding them. Like any other mortals, they were bleeding and dying...

That powerful impact from the sight left their throat tensing up, rendering it difficult for them to breathe.

"Doesn't it seem like... throughout the course of the entire battle, Poison Master Sun hasn't even opened his eyes once?" Someone amongst the group suddenly exclaimed in astonishment.

After hearing those words, it suddenly dawned on Li Yuan and the others that that was indeed the case. From the start of the battle until now, Poison Master Sun Qiang had his eyes tightly shut, seemingly only retaliating instinctively to whoever who was attacking him.

Every spear that whizzed forth would have the throat of an elder in its path. Every single sword slash would send an elder into death's embrace...

It was as if the other party was Yama 1 himself, an unstoppable force which they couldn't hope to stop no matter how they struggled.

in just a few moments, another ten more elders were killed.

"This won't do. If this goes on, all of the elders will be killed by that fellow..." Seeing the number of elders of the Poison Hall swiftly diminishing, Vice Hall Master Ming panicked.

If this were to go on, in less than ten breaths, every single elder in the Poison Hall could very well lose their lives here!

To think that a Nascent Saint cultivator would be able to claim the upper hand while rivaling 22 Saint realm experts simultaneously and even kill ten of them consecutively... Just what kind of monster was he?

"All elders, listen to my command! Retreat to the backline, I, Vice Hall Master Ming, and Vice Hall Master Qian will deal with that fellow ourselves!" Realizing the same, another vice hall master commanded with an authoritative voice.

As there were too many people involved in the fight earlier, and most of them were their close friends on top of that, they were unable to exert their full might as Saint 2-dan cultivators for fear of harming them accidentally. What they had to do now was to have the other elders back out of the battle first so that the three of them could better collaborate with one another to kill the fellow before them!

"Yes!" Upon hearing the command, the remaining elders heaved a sigh of relief. They hurriedly leaped out of the battle with fear reflected in their eyes.

Honestly speaking, there was really something unsettling about that fellow. It was one thing for the other party to be impervious to their poisons, their greatest weapon, but how could the other party wield such frightening physical and zhenqi strength as well?

It was as if he was a gargantuan monster packed in the form of a human, wielding inhuman might in every single one of his strikes.

Despite so many of them teaming up against him, he was still able to emerge unscathed and even kill more than ten of them so easily... Not to mention, from the start to the end, he had never opened his eyes at all!

If he was already so powerful without his eyes, how frightening would he become when he opened them?

If only they had known earlier, they would have never gotten involved in this matter... From the very start, this was a matter caused by the student of Vice Hall Master Ming. It had nothing to do with them, and they were supposed to be there as mere spectators...

...

Right after the elders left, the three vice hall masters swiftly surrounded 'Sun Qiang'. Driving zhenqi in their body to the limits, they launched powerful blows one after another towards the other party.

Hualala!

With the combined strength of three Saint 2-dan acting against him, a powerful force sealed the space around Zhang Xuan tightly, effectively caging him in.

Despite being trapped, Zhang Xuan showed no signs of faltering at all. On the contrary, he seemed to be getting more and more powerful as the fight went on.

All of a sudden, with a piercing shrill, the spear in Zhang Xuan's right hand burst forth.

Ding ding ding ding!

The spear tip struck the walls of the cage forcefully. In the blink of an eye, cracks began appearing on the stable wall of zhenqi. Following right after, a sword sliced through the cracks in the wall.

Huala!

Just like that, the powerful Zhenqi Spatial Lock was sliced into two.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen and the others spurted fresh blood simultaneously as horror surfaced in their eyes.

For a Nascent Saint cultivator to tear apart the Zhenqi Spatial Lock set up by three Saint 2-dan experts so easily... the other party's strength had far exceeded their expectations! Furthermore, what was even more frightening was that the zhenqi harnessed by the other party seemed to have no bounds!

Despite executing such powerful attacks multiple times within a short frame of time, the other party was still as vigorous as ever, as if those attacks hadn't depleted him in the least!

Just how in the world did he do it?

"Trinity of Heaven and Earth Formation!" Bellowing anxiously, Vice Hall Master swiftly flitted to the side and assumed a specific position.

Hearing his words, the other two vice hall masters nodded and swiftly got into their positions as well.

Trinity of Heaven and Earth Formation!

This was a formation that could amplify their combined fighting prowess. As long as they were to use it well, even a Saint 2-dan pinnacle expert would be no match for them!

Hu!

As soon as they got into position, their raging zhenqi began connecting with one another, forming something reminiscent of a metal chain.

Seemingly sensing a threat from their movements, 'Sun Qiang' took a step back and kept the spear in his hand with a flick of his wrist. Even so, his eyes still didn't open.

"Go!"

Tzzzzzz!

With the formation augmenting them, the aura of the three vice hall masters surged. Drawing their swords, they flicked their wrists and sent innumerable surges of sword qi towards Zhang Xuan as they charged forward.

However, before any of the sword qi could strike 'Sun Qiang', the latter abruptly leaped up and kicked thrice consecutively in the air.

The three kicks didn't seem to have any particular rhythm to them, but yet, they landed accurately in their path of movement. With just this simple move, their collaborative offense was sent into disarray.

"He... broke the Trinity of Heaven and Earth Formation?"

Upon seeing this sight, the surviving elders narrowed their eyes in astonishment.

The three kicks might seem to be random and illogical, but it had destroyed the tempo of the Trinity of Heaven and Earth Formation, thus effectively nullifying it!

To be able to overcome such a formidable formation with just a couple of kicks, could it be that the other party possessed deep understanding in formations as well?

It was one thing for the other party to be so powerful, but to have such a deep understanding of formations on top of that... how were they supposed to win against this freak?

Not only would their formations be completely ineffective against the other party, the other party could even utilize formations against them as well. The situation was very disadvantageous to them.

Puhe!

While the elders were still overwhelmed with shock, 'Sun Qiang', who was still surrounded by the three vice hall masters, abruptly swept his sword forth, severing Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's arm along with his entire shoulder. Blood immediately spurted frenziedly in the air.

"AHHHHH!!!!" With a cry of agony, Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen hurriedly retreated backward with a pale face. At this point, he could no longer find the strength to fight on any longer.

No matter how he thought about it, the situation was just inconceivable to him. How could the collaboration of three Saint 2-dan experts fail to subdue a mere Nascent Saint cultivator?

...

WIth the formation broken, there was no longer anything to fear from the trio anymore. 'Sun Qiang' advanced towards the other two remaining vice hall masters. With the sword in his hand, he rendered them completely incapable of retaliating, leaving them no choice but to retreat continuously.

"Wait a moment... is it just me, or is Sun Qiang's offense always targeted towards the person who is attacking him at the present moment? As long as one were to stop his attack, he wouldn't pursue the other party any further..." All of the sudden, an elder suddenly exclaimed.

"Now that you speak of it... that does seem to be the case!" Another elder nodded in agreement.

Thinking back, as powerful as Sun Qiang's fighting prowess was, he didn't just attack any of them randomly. Instead... it seemed like his attacks were only focused on whoever that was attacking him!

It was almost as if... he was moving on reflex...

"Vice Hall Master Qian and Vice Hall Master Sun, stop attacking him! There is a very good chance that he will cool down once you stop your offense!" Upon realizing this point, one of the elders hurriedly shouted over.

"Stop attacking him?" Hearing that shout, the two vice hall masters suddenly recalled the details of the battle and realized the same anomaly as well. With a frown, they leaped out from the area of battle.

Hula!

As soon as they leaped away, the other party, which was sending out innumerable lethal sword qi at them a moment ago, abruptly lowered his sword before keeping it with a flick of his wrist.

Hu!

Following which, he sat down cross-legged on the floor once more, paying no heed to the huge crowd around him at all.

"This..." Seeing that the other party had finally stopped his offense, the duo heaved a sigh of relief. As the tension finally left their body, they realized that they were completely soaked with cold sweat.

Had it not been for that elder realizing the anomaly regarding the other party's attack, it would just be a matter of time before they were killed.

For a Nascent Saint to kill a dozen Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts and corner three Saint 2-dan experts to the point where they could hardly catch a breath...

Where did Elder Xu find this monster from?

"It seems like... he was in some kind of trance due to his cultivation. Rather than attacking us consciously, it is a reflex action from his body in response to danger..." Vice Hall Master Qian remarked.

"This..."

Hearing the other party's explanation, everyone contemplated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

There was some sense in what the other party had said. From the start to the end, 'Sun Qiang' had been sitting there silently. It was only upon their offense that he was forced to retaliate...

Furthermore, throughout the course of the battle, he only retaliated against those who were attacking him at that moment. Those who had attempted to claim his life ended up having their lives claimed by him instead. Thinking about it now, it seemed they had only survived the ordeal because they had held back in their attacks...

"If even his reflexes are so powerful... just how formidable will he be in a conscious state?" An elder trembled in fear as he spoke.

Everyone fell silent.

Reflexes were the instinctive reactions of a body in face of a certain stimulus. Actions made under such circumstances were devoid of consideration, so naturally, one's fighting prowess would be limited.

Yet, under such a state, the other party was actually able to corner nearly all of the elders and vice hall masters of the Poison Hall... If that Sun Qiang fellow were to recover from his state of cultivation, wouldn't he become a huge threat to all of them?

Who in the Poison Hall would be able to stop him?

"Quick, call Elder Xu over!" Unable to stand it any longer, Vice Hall Master Qian commanded anxiously.

"It seems like Elder Xu has gone to meet the hall master..." One of the elders replied.

"Call the hall master here as well then!" Vice Hall Master Qian snapped.

Gritting his teeth, he turned his gaze towards the dead elders by the side, and tears began streaming down his eyes.

What the heck was this?

When had their Poison Hall suffered such great grievances?

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Chapter 1000: My Precious

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

In the residence where the hall master resided, Elder Xu was seated by the side with a slight smile on his face.

"You are saying that it is due to a righteous poison master named Sun Qiang who saved you despite the dangers that you are able to return to the Poison Hall?" An old man seated opposite to Elder Xu asked.

With an appearance reminiscent of a person in his sixties or seventies, the old man had an amiable smile on his face. Had one not known better, it would have been impossible to imagine that this old man was actually the head of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall, a 7-star poison master!

"That's right. That Poison Master Sun is a very righteous person, and he possesses both courage and wits. If not for him, I would have died just like Elder Xue..." Elder Xu's eyes gleamed in admiration and respect as he spoke about Sun Qiang.

To be able to save him from the hands of a Saint 4-dan expert, the courage and wits that were required to do so was something that too few in the world possessed.

"For a Nascent Saint to be able to face an expert of that caliber straight without faltering, he is indeed a rare talent. Alright, I shall approve of the matter. He will be given an opportunity to take the poison master examination to join our Poison Hall!" The old man stroked his beard as he said with a smile.

"Thank you, hall master!" Elder Xu hurriedly stood up and clasped his fist. With a look of confidence, he continued, "Rest assured, you won't regret the decision you made today. Poison Master Sun is definitely a trustworthy person whom we can leave our backs to!"

"It is rare for you to offer such high compliments to someone. I will be looking forward to meeting Poison Master Sun then..." The hall master nodded.

Halfway through his words, a person suddenly rushed into the room while exclaiming, "Hall master!"

"Elder Feng, what's wrong?" Turning around, Elder Xu recognized the person to be a fellow elder of the Poison Hall, Feng Ping.

However, the current Elder Feng was vastly different from how he was usually. His nose was crooked, his face was swollen, and his body was filled with many bloodstains. It was as if he had just undergone some kind of life-and-death situation.

"What's wrong? You still dare to ask me what's wrong?" Upon seeing Elder Xu, Feng Ping suddenly felt immense rage coursing through his body. Roaring furiously, he charged at Elder Xu, seemingly wanting to tear the other party apart.

Were it not for Xu You bringing that fellow here, would their Poison Hall suffer such tragic casualties today?

"Elder Feng, it is unseemly for an elder like you to make a move on your peers without any warning! Speak, what happened?" the hall master bellowed with a frown.

"Hall master..." Upon hearing the bellow, Elder Feng hesitated for a moment before stopping. Clenching his jaws tightly together, he spoke indignantly, "Fourteen elders of our Poison Hall have just been killed! The only ones surviving are me, Elder Du, and four others. Even Hall Master Ming had his entire arm severed at the shoulder, and he is still in a precarious state at the moment..."

"What? Fourteen elders have just been killed? Hurry up and explain yourself!" Shocked by the news, the hall master abruptly got to his feet and stared at Elder Feng with narrowed eyes.

There were only a total of 22 elders in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall. It was just a moment ago which he had just received news of Elder Xue's death... and in the blink of an eye, another fourteen elders were killed?

These elders should have been in the Poison Hall, and for them to be killed... could it be that they have been invaded by enemies?"

"The culprit is... the guest whom Elder Xu brought in, Sun Qiang!" Elder Feng spat through gritted teeth.

"Sun Qiang? What happened?" Astonished, Elder Xu staggered.

"This is what happened..."

Elder Feng swiftly explained everything that had happened, including how Duan Ren had challenged Sun Qiang, Vice Hall Master Ming flying into a rage, as well as... how they encircled Sun Qiang, only to be killed themselves.

"How could this be..." After hearing the explanation, Elder Xu suddenly felt the vision before him blacking out.

I know that I said that those within the Poison Hall respect the strong, and you don't have to show any mercy to them. But... you really don't have to go to the extent of killing fourteen elders of the Poison Hall!

It was just a moment ago that I said that you are a righteous and trustworthy person, and in the next moment, you caused me such a trouble... How do you expect me to face the other party like that?

"Let's go over and take a look!" Shooting a cold glance at Elder Xu, the hall master flung his sleeves before hurriedly following Elder Feng out.

Naturally, Elder Xu had no choice but to tag along.

Not too long later, they arrived at the accommodation Elder Xu had prepared for Zhang Xuan, and it didn't take long for them to notice that the ground was filled with corpses.

These men were Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts, masters of poison. Outside, they could easily rival three to four ordinary Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivators easily, and yet, within just a few moments... they had turned into cold corpses lying on the ground.

Scanning the area, he soon caught sight of the culprit, Sun Qiang. The latter was still seated cross-legged on the ground, cultivating with his eyes tightly shut, as if he had nothing to do with the horror that had just occurred a moment ago.

"Elder Huang, Elder Li, Elder Liu..." Looking at the corpses on the ground, the hall master felt a lump in his throat. Subconsciously, he clenched his trembling hands tightly into fists.

These were the men who had accompanied him for several centuries of his life, and yet, within just a few moments, they were slaughtered clean by that fellow!

More importantly, the culprit was still dared to cultivate fearlessly on the spot... Wasn't he snubbing their Poison Hall way too much!

"Hall master, you must kill that fellow and avenge our brothers!" Vice Hall Master Ming rushed forward and pleaded desperately.

He had already had his arm bandaged, and he had consumed some recovery medicine to alleviate his condition as well. However, the injury he had sustained was simply too severe that it was impossible for him to make a full recovery. To put it in harsh words, he had been crippled.

"Hall master, that fellow is simply too arrogant. He doesn't even bother to open his eyes when he fights us. It will be a calamity to the Poison Hall if we were to leave such an imperious fellow lurking amongst us..."

"We must kill him. Otherwise, how can we face our dead brothers? This is a matter regarding the dignity of our Poison Hall!"

...

The other two vice hall masters and elders roared in agreement.

As one of the most feared occupations on the Master Teacher Continent, others would flee in fright whenever they appeared. When had they suffered such grievance such as to have fourteen of their elders killed by a fellow with his eyes closed?

"Don't worry. No one has ever gotten away scot-free after causing trouble in the Poison Hall!" Waving his hand grandly, the hall master turned to Vice Hall Master Qian and instructed, "Apprehend Xu You and have him imprisoned. After I deal with this fellow, I will interrogate him personally!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing the order, the elders hurriedly encircled Elder Xu to prevent him from escaping.

"Hall master!" Not expecting the situation to unfold in such a manner, Elder Xu exclaimed in panic. Yet, there was nothing he could do in this situation.

There was no way he could explain himself.

Back when Poison Master Sun accompanied him to the Poison Hall, the other party still seemed perfectly normal. Thinking back, the other party even promised him to keep a low profile... Yet, within the short span of time which he went to report something to the hall master, the other party actually killed fourteen elders...

Is this your definition of low profile?

You are clearly not here to take the poison master examination but to wipe our Poison Hall off the face of the world!

But as stifled as he was, Elder Xu knew that he owed his life to Poison Master Sun. After a moment of hesitation, he still couldn't help but speak up, "Hall master, Poison Master Sun isn't the type of person to kill the innocent. There might be some kind of misunderstanding here..."

"Seal his mouth!" the hall master roared furiously.

Fourteen elders of the Poison Hall had been killed, and Elder Xu still dared to play this matter off as a misunderstanding. If a misunderstanding could justify this matter, what else in the world couldn't be justified?

"Yes!" Vice Hall Master Qian nodded before walking up to Elder Xu. With a tap of his finger, he sealed Elder Xu's ability to speak.

Seeing that Elder Xu had been dealt with, the hall master finally turned his gaze back to the middle-aged man seated before him and spoke menacingly, "Sun Qiang, is it? To dare to venture alone to the Poison Hall to cause trouble, I have to admit that you do have guts. However... regardless of who you are or what you are here for, since you are already here, you need not think about stepping out of here alive!"

Walking up to Zhang Xuan, the hall master tapped his finger lightly, and a row of beetles, roughly around the size of a fingernail each, flew forth. There were exactly nine of them.

An old gold color shell on their back and wings that reflected sunlight off its body, they had a particularly disconcerting appearance.

"Those are our hall master's Darkgold Venom Beetles!"

"These beetles contain a lethal poison which can kill even a Saint 3-dan expert easily!"

"Indeed. Our hall master had to pay a heavy price in order to nurture these Darkgold Venom Beetles. Just counting the saint herbs by itself, those beetles had already eaten more than a hundred of them... But fortunately, his investment paid off. It was arduous and expensive, but he managed to nurture nine of them!"

"Each of these nine bugs is able to poison a Saint 3-dan expert to death individually. With the nine of them gathered, even a Saint 4-dan expert would have to flee in fear. To release all of them simultaneously... it seems like our hall master is truly enraged!"

"That fellow is done for. Although I don't know what kind of antidotes he consumed to render all of our poisons ineffective, there is no way that it will be able to neutralize the Darkgold Venom Beetles of our hall master!"

...

Upon seeing the hall master release his Darkgold Venom Beetle, everyone's eyes lit up.

Every single one of them had nurtured their own poisonous bug or snake at some point in time, but in terms of deadliness, there was none that could come close to comparing up to the hall master's Darkgold Venom Beetle.

Just a single one was sufficient to poison a Saint 3-dan expert. It was no wonder why it would be an object of fear for many!

Should the hall master intend to start a massacre, these nine Darkgold Venom Beetles could easily bring extinction upon the entire Hongyuan City.

This was the frightening might of a 7-star poison master!

In everyone's view, regardless of how potent the antidote Sun Qiang had consumed was, the most he could do was to neutralize their poison powder. In face of a poisonous bug as formidable as the Darkgold Venom Beetle, there could only be one outcome—death!

"Wuuuuuuuu!!!"

Forming a stark contrast to everyone look of anticipation, however, was Elder Xu's panicked muffled shouting. However, with his ability to speak sealed, he wasn't able to say anything at all, so he could only cry anxiously by the side.

Ignoring the looks of amazement from the crowd, the hall master flicked his finger grimly, and nine droplets of blood flew forth. The nine Darkgold Venom Beetles swallowed a droplet each, and their colors grew even brighter.

"Go!" With a furious bellow, the hall master pointed his finger towards Sun Qiang on the floor with killing intent seething in his eyes.

Weng weng weng!

Upon hearing the command, the nine beetles flew forward, and in the blink of an eye, they were already right before Zhang Xuan.

Seemingly unaware of the dangers lurking around him, Zhang Xuan remained seated in the ground with his eyes tightly shut, not moving in the least.

Hu!

Seeing that the other party had no intentions of dodging, the hall master sneered coldly. He controlled the beetles remotely and had them land all over Zhang Xuan's body, be it his arm, neck, or legs, anywhere his skin was exposed.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

The beetles bit down firmly, and venomous fluid flowed from the beetle's mouth into Zhang Xuan's body.

"They have bitten him!"

"As soon as the Darkgold Venom Beetle bites down on its target, venomous fluid will immediately flow from its mouth into the target's bloodstream, and within just three breaths, the target will meet his demise!"

"To be bitten by all nine beetles simultaneously, it will be a miracle if he can even survive a single breath..."

...

Everyone thought that the fellow would flee in fright after seeing the Darkgold Venom Beetles, but who would have thought that he would remain seated on the floor, allowing the nine beetles act as they pleased. With all nine of the beetles biting him simultaneously, not even the deities could possibly be able to save him anymore!

Hu! Hu!

RIght after biting Zhang Xuan, the nine Darkgold Venom Beetles flew up once more. However, before they could get far, their heads suddenly slanted to the side, as if intoxicated.

Padah! Padah! Padah!

Following which, they abruptly fell to the grounds. Their legs twitched for a few moments before falling still altogether.

Pu!

The hall master's face paled, and blood spewed from his mouth. He staggered eight steps back before falling weakly to the ground. Raising his gaze, he looked at his fallen beetles with a look of horror.

"My precious..."

Chapter 1001: How Noisy!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

He had spent several centuries cultivating these nine Darkgold Venom Beetles, and he had spent an unimaginable wealth and fed it a vast amount of fresh blood before he could nurture them to maturity. In a sense, it was no joke to say that they were even more precious to him than his own son. And yet, in the blink of an eye, they had collapsed to the ground, not moving at all. It took all of the mental resilience he had to not go insane in that moment.

Seeing the hall master and the Darkgold Venomous Beetles' state, the surrounding crowd glanced at one another in bewilderment.

"Are those Darkgold Venomous Beetles... poisoned to death by Sun Qiang?"

"That fellow actually carries an even more formidable poison than that of the beetles?"

"While attempting to poison that fellow to death, they ended up being poisoned to death instead..."

...

After realizing what was going on, their faces warped in frenzy.

Given their deep comprehension of poison, it didn't take too long for them to uncover the true reason behind the beetles' death—they were killed by an even formidable poison than the one they carried!

From the start to the end, the beetles had only landed on Sun Qiang's body for a brief moment. Given so, no matter how inconceivable it was, there was only one possibility to the situation... The other party carried an even more fearsome poison in him!

The other party had stood still for the beetles to bite him, but it ended up being the beetles who were the ones who died instead...

The spectators couldn't help but feel frenzied by the sight.

This was the Poison Hall, the ground where all of the top poison users of Hongyuan Empire, or even the entire Qingyuan Conferred Empire, were at. And yet, the precious poisonous beetles of the hall masters ended up being poisoned to death? It was truly a huge irony!

"I will kill you!" the hall master bellowed with utmost rage.

At this moment, the hall master bore no semblance to the elegant and dignified old man he was before. His eyes had turned red in delirium, and it seemed like he would not rest until he ripped the fellow before his eyes apart.

However, that was to be expected.

The Darkgold Venom Beetles were his Lifebound Venomous Bugs, and their deaths didn't just signify that the staggering amount of resources he had devoted to cultivating them had gone to waste. More importantly, it had caused a huge trauma to his soul, causing his cultivation to plummet. He was a powerful Saint 3-dan pinnacle cultivator before, but at this moment... it would already be a huge blessing if he could exert the might of a Saint 2-dan pinnacle cultivator.

Boom!

Since even the Darkgold Venom Beetles were unable to poison the other party to death, the hall master knew that the other poisons he had in his possession were unlikely to work as well. Roaring furiously, his zhenqi flurried, forming a massive palm in the sky that struck down with imposing momentum.

But before the palm could strike 'Sun Qiang', the latter abruptly stood up, and with his eyes still closed, he flicked his wrist and whipped out a spear.

In an instant, his aura changed. It was even more fearsome than Zheng Yang back then. With a spear in his hand, his presence felt as if a majestic dragon amongst the clouds, dominating the world with its fearsome might.

Huala!

He tossed the spear upwards with incredible might, and the two forces clashed with one another in the sky.

A huge shockwave burst forth from the collision, forcing Zhang Xuan to take two steps backward. After which, with a forceful step, he leaped upwards to grab his spear before directing it down towards the enemy.

In this instant, it felt as if the line between spear and man had been thinned. The spear was part of the man, and the man was part of the spear as well—Spear-Man Union. Immense zhenqi was channeled into the spear, and it was further augmented with the incomparably powerful physical strength which Zhang Xuan possessed. Even before his spear could reach the other party, the bluestone pavement on the ground had already burst open. The ground where the hall master stood abruptly collapsed inward, creating a huge depression.

"Damn you!" Bellowing furiously, the hall master charged up furiously to face Zhang Xuan.

Had it been under normal circumstances, as powerful as the other party was, he was confident that he would have been able to subdue of even kill the other party easily with his Saint 3-dan pinnacle cultivation.

However, all nine of his Lifebound Venomous Bugs had just been killed. Both his body and his soul had sustained severe damage, preventing him from even exerting a tenth of his original strength. Clashing directly with the other party, he gradually felt that he was being overwhelmed.

But... the enemy was only a Nascent Saint!

"I don't believe that I can't kill you!"

Bellowing furiously once more, the hall master drove his zhenqi to the limits, such that it was beginning to release 'gulu gulu' noises, reminiscent of boiling water.

Boom!

As the spear tip and the palm collided with one another, a loud explosion sounded. The sheer force emanated from the collision reduced all building in an area of several hundred meters into dust. The poison masters who had been hanging around the corner to watch the show suddenly felt an immense threat on their life, and they hurriedly retreated in fear, not daring to stand close.

Pu!

The closed eyes 'Sun Qiang' seemed to be unable to withstand the full might of the hall master. Spurting a mouthful of blood, he was sent flying before crashing heavily onto the ground.

The cultivation of the Saint Ascension Decipher did granted Zhang Xuan the strength to challenge opponents beyond him, but there was a limit to it... the strength harnessed by the hall master was simply too great. He was no match for it at all.

But of course, if his soul was in his body at this moment, he would have been able to use the Library of Heaven's Path to peer through the other party's flaws and design a combat strategy to corner the other party. However... having only his reflexes to rely on at the moment, he could only clash face to face with the other party, and that clearly placed him in a very disadvantageous position.

"Die!" After knocking 'Sun Qiang' flying, the hall master rushed forward to pursue him.

From the previous collision, he had gained a rough gauge of the other party's strength, The other party was indeed formidable for a Nascent Saint, but compared to him, the other party was still lacking a little. As long as he were to push on forcefully, not giving other party an opportunity to catch a breather, he would surely be able to corner the other party and kill him!

Hu!

Sensing danger from the man before him, 'Sun Qiang' seemed to have gotten apprehensive. Tossing the spear in his hand out towards the hall master, he hurriedly turned around and fled.

In the blink of an eye, he was already a few hundred meters away.

"Where do you think you are escaping to!" Not expecting the other party to have no principles at all, fighting arrogantly with his eyes closed a moment ago only to be fleeing shamelessly a moment later, the hall master bellowed angrily. He quickly charged forward and sent another palm strike at the other party.

Hong long!

The overwhelming might of the palm smashed a huge depression into the ground. However, the other party was simply too nimble, evading his attack with ease.

"Stop him!" Seeing the other party getting faster and faster, the hall master knew that he wouldn't be able to keep up with the other party given the severe injuries his body had sustained. Thus, he turned around and commanded.

"Yes!"

Not daring to hesitate, the elders and the vice hall masters hurriedly rushed forward to pursue 'Sun Qiang'.

With great speed they pursued the other party, but the other party was even faster. On top of that, he was darting around randomly with his eyes closed. As a result of that, he was crashing forcefully into everything in his way, knocking down buildings of all sorts.

In just a few moments, the entire island was cloaked in a massive cloud of dust. Even the ancient buildings which had stood proudly for innumerable years as the heritage of the Poison Hall hadn't been spared from the destruction.

Looking at how the heritage which the predecessors had entrusted to his hands been devastated by the fellow before him, the hall master felt as if his head was going to split apart. Flicking his wrist, he whipped out a token and infused zhenqi into it. The token gradually rose to the air, and seemingly communicating with some kind of unique power, it emanated a blinding radiance.

"I am the 30th Hall Master of the Poison Hall. I command for the activation of the Great Guardian Formation..."

Hong long long!

As the voice sounded, the light radiated by the token grew brighter and brighter. The massive formation which hid the entire island seemed to have been awakened by some kind of unique power, and it gradually whirred into action.

The formation of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall's founding ancestor was not only able to hide the island, it could also corner and poison to death any invaders of the island easily!

The fellow was willfully causing destruction as he escaped. If he was left to be, the innumerable years of Poison Hall's heritage could very well be destroyed.

Weng!

As the formation came to live, a powerful might burst towards the escaping Zhang Xuan not too far away.

Hula!

The power of the formation was omnipresent on the island, and it fell at a speed too fast for Zhang Xuan to dodge. In an instant, his movement had been completely sealed, as if a cage had been constructed around him.

"Hmph, let's see how you can escape from this!"

Noting the tremendous strength of the formation, the eyes of the hall master lit up as he hurriedly made his way over. However, before he could rush up to the other party, the trapped middle-aged man seemed to have suddenly received an epiphany as a look of realization crept onto his face. After which, he took a few steps back within the seal and stomped his feet forcefully.

Kacha!

The seal immediately broke.

After which, the middle-aged man raised his right hand and grasped the air abruptly.

Hu!

Following which, the token before the hall master suddenly seemed to run amok, and it flew straight into the other party's hand.

"What?" Widened his eyes in shock, the hall master was horrified.

To break the seal and snatch the token from his hands so easily, there could only be one possibility... The other party had a thorough comprehension of the massive formation around the island and was aware of the flaws regarding it. By exploiting its flaws, the other party had stolen the controlling rights over the formation from him!

But... how could this be possible?

Back then, the founding ancestor had spent many years studying the blueprint and the geographical terrain of the island, reworking it again and again, each time bringing it a step closer towards perfection, before he finally set up the formation. There were quite a number of predecessors who were proficient in the Way of Formations as well, but even they were unable to grasp the entirety of the formation... The fellow had been here for less than a day, and he had already made sense of it and found its flaws?

Just how in the world could such a thing happen?

As astonished as the hall master was, he moved swiftly to wrestle control over the token, which served as the key to controlling the formation. However, in the next moment, the middle-aged man, with his eyes still closed, abruptly flicked his wrist.

Huala!

An incredible force assaulted the hall master, causing his body to stiffen all of the sudden...

With the control of the formation in the middle-aged man's hand, the other party had called upon the power of the formation to seal his movements, returning the favor to him.

"Damn it!" With eyes blazing with fury, the hall master exerted his full strength to struggle free of the formation.

But before he could do so, a foot suddenly arrived right before his face.

Peng!

Cling cling cling!

Under the impact of the kick, several of the hall master's teeth fell to the ground, and blood trickled down his nose and mouth.

"Sun Qiang, how dare you strike me? I will tear you apart..." the hall master roared furiously.

Yet, before he could finish his words, the other party's punches and kicks fell in rapid succession on him, effectively silencing him.

Pilipala!

Within just ten breaths, the hall master had already sustained at least forty fists and sixty kicks, leaving his dignified face distorted in an almost comical manner. If thrown out onto the streets, there was no one who would dare believe that he was the amicable hall master.

Under normal circumstances, even if he was unable to kill the other party, the other party wouldn't be able to harm him easily either.

Who could have known that his decision to draw upon the formation to corner the other party would backfire on him instead? He ended up handing power over to the other party's hand, giving the other party an opportunity to pummel him viciously. At that moment, the hall master felt so frustrated that he felt like his mind was going to explode.

He was the head of the Poison Hall, the most powerful and authoritative man of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall!

Yet, for his formation to be used against him like that, what the heck was this...

Why did it feel like the other party was the hall master instead whereas he was the invader?

"Hall master..."

The elders and vice hall masters who had rushed over to help arrived at this moment. Upon the hall master being on the verge of death from being pummeled by 'Sun Qiang', they scratched their heads in bewilderment, not knowing what they should do.

They thought that with the hall master making a move himself, victory would be theirs to clinch. They would be able to get even the other party and vie back their dignity. Yet, who could have thought that their hall master would first have his Lifebound Venomous Bugs being poisoned to death first before being pummeled so pitifully...

"Retract your killing intent towards Sun Qiang! Otherwise, he will kill you..." Noting that the hall master was on the verge of death, an elder suddenly recalled the situation earlier and shouted.

"Retract my killing intent?"

The swollen-faced hall master had no idea how that would aid him in his current plight, but there must be a rationale for that elder to utter such words. Thus, suppressing his rage, he attempted to quench the killing intent he had for the other party.

Right after doing so, 'Sun Qiang' indeed came to a halt. He sat down on the ground not too far away and continued to cultivate.

From the start to the end, he had never opened his eyes, not even for an instant. It was as if everything he had done thus far was a product of his sleepwalking.

"This... What is going on? I was actually pummeled by a sleepwalking person?"

The eyes of the hall master reddened in indignance.

As the head of the Poison Hall, it would be one thing for him to be pummeled by an expert, but the other party was just a Nascent Saint, a sleepwalking one at that!

What a farce this was!

...

At this moment, Zhang Xuan's soul had just finished collecting the books on the third floor of the Compendium Hall.

Sensing a torrent of spiritual energy gathering outside, as if a formation coming into life, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure. After which, the deafening ruckus of innumerable buildings being collapsed reverberated relentlessly in the air.

Eventually, Zhang Xuan snapped in annoyance, "How noisy! Can't they quieten down a little? I am trying to read here!"

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Chapter 1002: Irreconcilable

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Zhang Xuan was seething with anger.

Where was he? The Poison Hall!

A place isolated from the world, filled with countless formidable poison masters... Shouldn't it be an extremely peaceful place where everyone diligent strove to create the best poison they could?

'Dang lang!', 'hong long!', 'boom!'... Just what the heck were those? It was not as if they were some kind of demolition company...

All he wanted was some peace so that he could finish reading all of the books in a single go... But with such noise, how was he supposed to do so?

Seriously, did the poison masters know no civility at all?

That was really too much!

He would really need to talk to Elder Xu about this matter so that he could enforce some order around here.

"Forget it, I will just have to tolerate it for this period of time!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In any case, he was just a guest. He would have to leave very soon, so all he had to do was to tolerate the incivility of those poison masters for the time being.

Having collected the books in the first three floors into the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan's comprehension of poison had reached 3-star pinnacle.

Even though the books were rich in content, there was nothing much regarding the cure for the Innate Poison Body. Most of the books that touched on it only introduced it as an extremely fearsome constitution. It rarely appeared in the world, perhaps not even once in ten thousand years, but the moment it did, a devastating calamity could possibly befall on the world.

According to the records, the founder of the Poison Hall possessed the Innate Poison Body as well. There was an incident where the founder of the Poison Hall had clashed with Kong shi, and even the latter had to tread carefully around it, fearful of its might.

"There is nothing at the moment, but I might be able to find a solution once I go through the books in the higher floors..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply as he consoled himself.

However, considering how noisy it was, it was unlikely that he would be able to make much progress. Thus, he decided to leave for the moment and return later on.

Thus, he returned back to the first floor and slipped past the two guards at the entrance, leaving the Compendium Hall. However, just as he was about to return back to his residence, he couldn't help but freeze at the sight before him.

The dignified and stately buildings four hours ago had been reduced to rubble. Within an area of several dozen kilometers, there was not a person to be seen at all.

"T-this..." Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

Through his eyes, he could tell that this was caused by a battle between experts.

But shouldn't the battles be limited to the Sparring Hall? Why would they start fighting in the midst of the city instead?

Look at what they had done to the beautiful city...

"They are indeed uncivil, these buildings have been around for several thousand years! To fight in the middle of the city, don't they know that these are important heritages that we have to protect?" Zhang Xuan muttered as he shook his head.

The poison masters sure are lacking decorum.

Just look at the master teachers; even to hold a life-and-death duel, they would apply for permission with the headquarter first before deciding on the format of the duel. Yet, this... to start fighting in the middle of the city, reducing so many beautiful buildings into rubble... It is really hard to fathom how a human could be so inconsiderate.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan began flying back to his residence. However, before he could get far, he suddenly realized something.

He hadn't really noticed it due to the formation around the Compendium Hall earlier, but now that he was finally out, he suddenly found that his physical body... had changed locations. It wasn't in the accommodation which Elder Xu had provided for him anymore.

"What is going on?" A look of wariness slipped into Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Typically speaking, his physical body should remain in the residence, not moving at all. For it to be somewhere else instead... Did someone make a move on him?

If so, that would be really bad.

His physical body had already acquired the ability of Mind of Void, granting it the ability to act reflexively to avert danger, but... if the enemy was an expert, such as the hall master or vice hall master of the Poison Hall, he would still be in grave danger.

After all, they were 7-star poison masters. In comparison, his Nascent Saint cultivation body was truly too weak.

If he were to return late and find his physical body completely crippled, it would be too late for tears.

Anxious, he immediately charged in the direction where his physical body was. Before long, he saw his physical body seated on the floor, not moving in the least. Opposite to it stood a disfigured old man, who was currently looking at his physical body with malicious intents in his eyes.

"It's fortunate that I returned in time..." Seeing that his physical body was safe, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

As he quickly slipped back into his body, he couldn't help but realize something.

The area where his physical body was sitting at... wasn't it the center of the destruction? Could it be that all of the destruction throughout the city was caused by him?

But that shouldn't be!

His physical body did have the ability to retaliate and flee in face of danger, but it had always been rather reliable. At the very least, he trusted it more than his clone and Vicious, and it had never caused him any trouble before... If he was truly the culprit behind the damage, how was he going to explain this to Elder Xu?

With such thoughts in mind, his soul swiftly harmonized with his body, and his eyes slowly opened.

"He is awake!"

"Un, he really is awake..."

"He is already plenty formidable with his eyes closed. With his eyes open now, there would surely be no one who will be able to stop him... Are we going to meet our doom here?"

...

Seeing the other party open his eyes, a commotion broke out in the surroundings. Many faces paled in fright.

Even with his eyes closed, the other party was able to kill fourteen of their elders and pummel the hell out of their hall master... Now that his eyes were opened, would he massacre their Poison Hall clean?

"Y-you..."

Upon seeing 'Sun Qiang' open his eyes, the hall master cowered in fear.

Everything that had happened had dealt a deep trauma to him, causing him to feel innate fear towards the middle-aged man before him.

"Cough cough, where am I? What... what is going on?" Looking at everyone's frightened look, as if he was a lunatic that had come out from a horror movie, Zhang Xuan felt a little stifled within. With a bewildered look, he gazed at the crowd around him.

All I have done is to leave for a short moment to read some books... What in the world happened in between? For so many of you to be surrounding me, and not to mention, the frightened look on your faces...

"Where am I? What is going on?" Hearing those words, the hall master spurted yet another mouthful of blood.

The heck! The other party really was sleepwalking!

While other Saint 3-dan cultivators were being overwhelmed by Saint 4-dan and 5-dan experts, he was being done in by a sleepwalking Nascent Saint cultivator... Just the thought of him left him feeling suffocated within.

To end up in such a plight despite being the head of the Poison Hall, it sure was embarrassing.

"Calm down, don't get agitated. I just woke up from my cultivation, so I am not too sure what is going on here. Why don't you fill me in on the details?" Seeing the disfigured fellow before him spurting blood out of agitation after seeing him waking up, Zhang Xuan hurriedly consoled.

"You... Puu!"

Agitated? Agitated your head!

Not too sure what is going on?

Can you get any more shameless than that?

All of this had been done by you! The reason why I have spurted blood is due to your pummeling!

After taking advantage of us like that, you are going to shirk responsibility just by saying you don't know what is going on?

Due to the intense fluctuations in his emotion, the hall master spurted yet another mouthful of blood. He felt so furious that it felt like flames could burst forth from his eyes.

"You aren't too sure what is going on? You have fought with the hall master and came all the way here, destroying countless buildings on the way... You are unaware of all of that?" Seeing that the other party didn't seem to be feigning ignorance, an elder bucked up his courage and asked carefully.

"I fought with the hall master?" Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in confusion. "Who is your hall master? I have never met him before, so how could I have fought with him? Could there be a misunderstanding somewhere..."

On the way here, he had heard from Elder Xu that the head of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was a 7-star poison master, a Saint 3-dan pinnacle expert who boasted incredible fighting prowess.

Against ordinary Saint 2-dan experts, his physical body, driven by the Mind of Void, might still be able to achieve victory. However, against a Saint 3-dan expert... his physical body would be crushed instantly!

A completely one-sided fight couldn't possibly be called a battle, and it couldn't have lasted so long as to cause such devastating damage to the city.

Before Zhang Xuan could finish his words, the disfigured fellow before him abruptly stood up furiously and hollered, "I am the hall master!"

"You?" Zhang Xuan leaped in horror.

When he saw that disfigured fellow, he thought that the other party was just a random passer-by watching the commotion... Never once had he considered the possibility that the other party might be the strongest expert in the Poison Hall!

"I was the one... who injured you?" Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

He actually reduced a Saint 3-dan pinnacle expert to such a tragic state?

Could it be that... the strength of his Mind of Void had been enhanced somehow?

"You..." The hall master was on the verge of erupting.

"I am truly apologetic. I was in a unique cultivation state earlier, and everything I did is only out of my reflexes... I truly have no idea what is going on!" Knowing that it was likely that he would only worsen the conflict if he were to dwell on the matter, Zhang Xuan hurriedly apologized.

He was here to learn, not to make enemies. What he had to do at this moment was to find out what had happened so as to find out if there was anything he could do to salvage the situation.

After all, he had promised Elder Xu that he would keep a low profile, and such was his intention as well. As far as it was possible, he hoped to resolve this matter peacefully.

"You... really don't know?" Seeing the other party emphasize again and again that he was unaware of the happenings, the elders and vice hall masters glanced at one another with a hint of doubt in their eyes.

Thinking back, the other party had never opened his eyes throughout the entire incident. It was as if he was sleepwalking, his body moving on reflex only to retaliate against those who were making a move against him...

Could it be that this really wasn't an intentional act on his part, but just his reflexive action?

But if that was really the case, it would portray the Poison Hall out to be a clown instead.

The other party hadn't used his full strength throughout the entire course of the matter, relying solely on his reflexes, and yet, by the end of it, the Poison Hall was already on the verge of collapse... If others were to learn of the matter, their Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall would become a huge laughingstock!

"I really have no idea!" Zhang Xuan shook his head affirmatively.

He was indeed confused by everything that was around him at the moment.

His physical body possessed no consciousness whatsoever while his soul was out, so he was dumbstruck by the abrupt situation he found himself in as well.

"It's like that. You were in your courtyard cultivating, and Vice Hall Master Ming... who is the teacher of Duan Ren whom you have beaten up earlier, barged into your residence to exact vengeance for his disciple. Yet, who knew that you would disregard his existence entirely... As such, he began making a move on you..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan didn't seem to be lying, the elder began to fill him in on the matters that had occurred.

"S-so... I was the one who caused all of this?" Zhang Xuan widened his mouth in shock, and his eyeballs nearly bulged out to the ground.

He was only off for a moment to collect some books for Wei Ruyan... Who could have known that his physical body would kill fourteen elders of the Poison Hall, cripple a vice hall master, pummel the hall master, and destroy large swathes of the Poison Hall within that short timeframe...

It seemed like... he was really in deep trouble this time around!

"Indeed, you were the one who did it!" The elder nodded.

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

His original intention was indeed to collect all of the books in the Poison Hall quietly and leave as soon as possible. Who could have thought that his physical body would place him in such deep trouble in a crucial moment like this...

Doomed!

If he had only pummeled the hall master, he could still find an excuse to put a lid on the matter and resolve the matter peacefully with a shake of the hands and a compensation of a couple of high-tier spirit stones... But he had killed fourteen elders and destroyed innumerable precious heritage buildings of the Poison Hall... Not to mention, he had even 'poisoned' the other party's precious to death...

Even if he were to take out everything he had, there was no way he could compensate for that!

At this point, this could already be deemed as an irreconcilable grudge...

"This won't do. If I were to leave this matter be, there is no way they will allow me any chance to browse through the books in the remaining four floors... Furthermore, there is no saying that I might require the help of the poison masters to resolve Wei Ruyan's Innate Poison Body, so I can't fall out with them now..."

A deep frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

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Chapter 1003: I Am Your Founder

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

His goal of coming to the Poison Hall wasn't to make a name for himself or to battle with the poison masters.

It was to save Wei Ruyan, who was plagued by the Innate Poison Body.

Yet, before he could finish reading their books, his body had already killed fourteen of the other party's elders and left the hall master in such a state... If Wei Ruyan's treatment were to be delayed due to this, how could he face her deceased father?

It was not that he didn't consider letting his clone out to replace his physical body, but his clone was even more unreliable than it. If he were to let it out, there was a good chance that all of the elders, vice hall masters, and even the hall master himself might have been dead by now.

As for letting out the Violetleaf King and the Byzantium Helios Beast... considering that Zhang Xuan had come alone, it would be difficult for him to explain the additional guests. Since the Poison Hall had isolated itself on and island in the midst of the Viridian Cloud Sea, even going to the extent of casting a huge Hidden Formation over the island, it was natural that they didn't welcome guests.

If it was found that he had brought others in on his own accord, it might strain his ties with those of the Poison Hall.

He had thought that since he was only out to study for a brief moment, considering his identity as Elder Xu's guest, no one should dare to cause him trouble. That was also the reason why he had chosen to left his body in the room, or else his sudden disappearance would be hard to explain as well.

Who could have thought that his 'careful considerations' would end up resulting in this huge conflict?

Looking at the raging poison masters before his eyes, Zhang Xuan felt his hair stand on ends.

If everything were to fail, perhaps he could release the Violetleaf King and the Byzantium Helios Beast to help rid society of this poisonous tumor?

As soon as this dangerous thought popped into Zhang Xuan's head, he hurriedly shook it off.

He was a master teacher, not a butcher. Even though poison masters were generally snubbed in society, they hadn't caused any significant damage or harm to others. Not to mention, it would be utterly wrong to stereotype poison masters just by their occupation. Putting aside morals, he wouldn't be able to even get past his own conscience.

After contemplating for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked, "May I know where Elder Xu is?"

Under such circumstances, he could only rely on a familiar face to speak up on his stead and mediate this situation.

"Elder Xu has brought a threat amongst us, resulting in the death of our elders. For his betrayal of the Poison Hall, I ordered my men to apprehend him. He shall be dealt with shortly later!" Hearing Zhang Xuan's question, the hall master replied through gritted teeth.

Had it not been for Elder Xu bringing this man of unknown background here, their Poison Hall wouldn't have suffered such staggering losses. Regardless of how they dealt with 'Sun Qiang' eventually, Elder Xu must be punished for his actions!

"Betrayal of the Poison Hall? T-this... Elder Xu's loyalty to the Poison Hall is clear for all to see! Don't you think that it's a little too extreme to make such a decision?" Zhang Xuan stood up in agitation and hurriedly spoke up for Elder Xu's behalf.

It was one thing for the other party to hold him accountable for this matter; after all, it was a fact that his physical body did cause devastating damage to the Poison Hall. But... Elder Xu had nothing to do with it!

The other party deeply trusted him and even offered him advice out of concern, fearing that he might meet with danger in the Poison Hall. If the other party were to be implicated by his actions, he would be guilt-ridden.

"You are indeed strong, but we can't the deaths of so many of our elders to go unavenged. Even if our Poison Hall has to fight down to the very last man, we won't back down!" the hall master roared furiously.

At this point, it didn't matter whether the other party had done it unintentionally due to his sleepwalk or not anymore. The deaths of the elders had already created an irreconcilable grudge between them, and this was not something that could be resolved without spilling blood!

There was no way the Poison Hall could let the murderer of fourteen of their elders get away scot-free. The other party might be a powerful adversary, but the Poison Hall's dignity was at stake!

They couldn't let the reputation of the Poison Hall collapse in their generation, or else they wouldn't be able to face their predecessors!

"Men, bring Xu You up here. We will first execute him before dealing with this fellow!" Waving his hand, the hall master bellowed.

"Yes!"

The elders hesitated for a moment before two of them flew away. A short moment later, they arrived with Elder Xu locked between them.

Looking at the destruction around the Poison Hall, Elder Xu's lips quivered as self-reproach crept into his eyes.

In his view, if he hadn't brought Sun Qiang over, such a matter wouldn't have happened. At this point, he couldn't help but wish that the man who had died back then was him and not Elder Xue!

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" the hall master asked coldly..

"I..." Elder Xu's body stiffened. A moment later, he sighed deeply and said, "For causing such deep trouble, I am willing to accept any punishment..."

It was due to his inability to discern people properly that resulted in such a situation. Even a thousand deaths wouldn't absolve him of his sins.

"It's good that you admit to your crimes!" Turning his face away from Elder Xu, the hall master commanded, "Execute him!"

In truth, he also didn't want to execute Elder Xu. After all, they had spent centuries together with one another. However, if he didn't do anything after all that had happened, he could very well lose the hearts of the poison masters.

As the head of the Poison Hall, this was a painful decision that he had no choice but to make.

"Yes!" The other elders nodded before turning their gazes to Elder Xu with a complicated expression on their faces.

"There's no need for you all to make a move. I will do it myself..." As old friends, Elder Xu couldn't bear to allow his friends to bear the burden of killing him. Thus, gritting his teeth, he began channeling his zhenqi, intending to direct them towards his heart to crush it.

However, before he could do so, 'Sun Qiang's' voice sounded.

"Wait a moment."

Lifting his gaze, he realized that, at some point, the anxiety on 'Sun Qiang's' face had been replaced with absolute composure. His head was slightly tilted upwards, and his hands were placed behind his back. With an air of majesty around him, he gazed deeply into the sky.

"Since it has gotten down to this, there is no need for me to conceal my identity as further..."

"Identity?"

Everyone frowned in bewilderment...

The hall master also couldn't help but turn his gaze over, curious to see what that fellow was up to.

"Indeed!" Nodding, Zhang Xuan continued with a calm but powerful voice. "Do you know what kind of constitution the founder of the Poison Hall has?"

"Our founder possesses the Innate Poison Body, fearing no poison in the world. It is due to this that our founder was able to create the Poison Hall and bring it to glory..."

Not knowing what the other party was up to, the hall master replied. He strongly desired to kill the fellow before him, but considering the latter's strength, he knew that there was no way he could win without careful preparation. Thus, he could only rein in his rage for the time being.

As a poison master, he wasn't foreign to the matters surrounding their founder.

"Indeed. It is the Innate Poison Body!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Then, do you know why the poisons you have used against me is completely ineffective?"

"This..."

The crowd fell silent.

In truth, this was also something which they were perplexed about.

To be able to neutralize all of their poisons and even the hall master's beetles, could there really be such a powerful antidote in the world?

"Could it be... Could it be that you also possess the Innate Poison Body?" The hall master's body stiffened as he turned his gaze over.

The other party first spoke about the founder of the Poison Hall before pointing out how he didn't fear poison... Clearly, he was trying to drive at something!

"No, I don't." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"You don't?" The crowd glanced at one another, speechless.

If you don't possess the Innate Poison Body... what the hell are you spouting all of those crap for?

"To be more exact, I am not too sure either. It's just that whenever I start cultivating, I will fall into a peculiar state. It would be as if another soul has taken over my body, leaving me unable to control my actions. In that state, I will be completely immune to all poisons, similar to that of the Innate Poison Body..." Zhang Xuan said.

"Another soul has taken over your body?"

"Completely immune to all poisons?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Are you trying to tell us a horror story here?

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "I know that what I am saying might sound ridiculous, and I don't blame you for not trusting you. However, this is the truth... Previously, when I fought with you all, despite the dangerous situation I as in, I didn't open my eyes at all, right?"

Hearing those words, the crowd nodded.

Indeed. The other party hadn't opened his eyes once in the duration of the entire battle, as if he was sleepwalking.

"In truth, it is not that I didn't want to open my eyes, but that my body was being controlled by another will... And if I am not mistaken, the will is the founder of the Poison Hall!" Zhang Xuan said.

"There is another will inside your body... the founder of the Poison Hall?"

"You must be joking!"

Everyone frowned.

The founder of the Poison Hall was a figure who shared the same era with Kong shi, and it had been several dozen thousand years since then. There was no way the other party could still be alive at this point, so how could the other party possibly possess this fellow here?

"I know what I am saying might sound ridiculous, but such is the truth. Since that is the case, why don't I continue cultivating and allow him to control my body? Perhaps, he could answer the doubts you have!" Shaking his head, a look of difficulty surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face. After a moment of hesitation, he clenched his jaws in determination and sat cross-legged down on the floor.

Hong long!

As soon as he sat down, everyone immediately felt the formation surrounding the entire island buzzing into life, seemingly driven by someone.

Following which, 'Sun Qiang's' eyes slowly opened, and a heavy and ancient voice came out of his mouth, "Why? Are you doubting my identity?"

The voice was very different from the tone which 'Sun Qiang' took earlier. It harnessed domineering authority which exerted immense pressure on one's soul. While it wasn't as intense as the killing intent of the Otherworldly Demons, there was no doubt that one's soul could shatter if placed under such pressure for extended periods of time.

Upon hearing the voice, everyone's eyes narrowed in astonishment.

Be it the voice or the aura, it was vastly different from the 'Sun Qiang' from a moment ago. Without a doubt, they were two completely different people!

Furthermore, the aura emanated felt ancient, reminiscent of someone who had lived through many eras.

"Elder, you said that you are our founder... but do you have any evidence to prove so?" With cold sweat trickling down his forehead, the hall master gritted his teeth and asked respectfully.

"Are you saying that I need to prove myself to you? Who do you think you are?" the seated 'Sun Qiang' uttered coldly.

"It's not that we are doubting elder's identity, but... our founder has disappeared from the world for more than several dozen years, so it's really difficult for us to comprehend how you can be sharing a body with this person over here..." the hall master replied hurriedly.

"Hmph, I shall give you the benefit of the doubt and pardon you this once!"'Sun Qiang' harrumphed coldly. At this point, he paused for a moment, seemingly reminiscing the sorrows of the past before continuing, "In truth, I am only a remaining soul fragment of my former self. It is out of sheer coincidence that I managed to latch myself onto a Seven Hearts Lotus and survived. It is Sun Qiang over here who found the Seven Hearts Lotus and brought me out of the ancient domain I was in.

"Eventually, I latched myself to his body, but I am only able to appear while he's cultivating... Otherwise, do you think that a mere Nascent Saint lad will be able to see through this formation, remain impervious to all poison, and defeat you all easily?"'Sun Qiang' harrumphed.

The hall master was stunned.

To be honest, even at this point, he still could hardly believe that he had lost to 'Sun Qiang'.

He could tell that the other party was indeed only as Nascent Saint, so how could a Saint 3-dan pinnacle expert like him lose to the other party?

Even if his Lifebound Venomous Bugs had been killed, resulting in a significant decline in his strength, he was still able to draw forth might comparable to a Saint 2-dan pinnacle!

For a Nascent Saint to be able to stand toe-to-toe with him... Not once in his long life had he ever met such a formidable genius before!

But what was the most frightening of all was that the other party's zhenqi seemed to be endless. After killing fourteen elders, wounding a vice hall master, and fighting with him for so long, the other party didn't seem to be weakened in the least... That was completely inconceivable!

And on top of that, the other party was completely immune to poison!

Not only was the other party fine after being bitten by his Darkgold Venom Beetles, the other party even managed to poison his beetles to death instead... There was something clearly very peculiar about this situation.

Not to mention, there was still the matter concerning the formation...

To be able to comprehend and even wrestle control over the formation from him, that was definitely not a feat a Nascent Saint cultivator was capable of.

"Elder, is there any concrete evidence you can provide to prove that you are indeed the soul fragment of our founder?" the hall masters asked doubtfully.

This was a matter concerning their founder, and as the hall master of this Poison Hall branch, he had to deal with this matter prudently.

"Hmph, if it was just me, I would have killed all of you without any hesitation for doubting my words... You are fortunate that Sun Qiang is unwilling to see any more bloodshed and advised against it, so I will overlook this matter!"

'Sun Qiang' harrumphed coldly. "The founder of the Poison Hall possesses not only the Innate Poison Body but the Poison Soul Constitution as well... As poison masters yourselves, surely I need not say anything more on how one can verify the Poison Soul Constitution?"

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Chapter 1004: Paying Respects to the Founder

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Poison Soul Constitution?" The hall master paused for a moment before nodding.

The Poison Soul Constitution, as the name suggested, meant that one's soul was completely immune to poisons of all kinds. For several dozen millenniums, ever since the passing of the founder of the Poison Hall, there had never been another person in the world with such a constitution. If they could confirm that the fragmented soul did possess such a constitution, they could confirm that the other party was indeed the founder!

Even if that wasn't the case, an individual who possessed such constitution would surely be bound to advance to unprecedented heights in the future. It was just a matter of time before the other party became a 9-star poison master and made a mark for himself in the world.

With such thoughts in mind, the hall master didn't hesitate for too long before flicking his wrist to whip out a jade bottle.

This jade bottle was slightly different from the other bottles which he used to store his poisons. It was roughly the size of his palm, and there were bizarre inscriptions carved on its exterior.

The body of the closed eyes 'Sun Qiang' stiffened for a brief moment upon seeing the bottle, seemingly noticing something unbelievable. However, this anomaly only surfaced only for an instant. Before anyone could notice it, he had already reverted back to his impassive state.

"This is a poison which can easily exterminate a soul, the [Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison]! It is concocted out of the killing intent of Otherworldly Demons and many precious herbs. It was left behind by one of the predecessors of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall, and it is powerful enough to even eradicate a Saint 4-dan expert's soul easily. Even with my current proficiency, I am unable to concoct such a medicine." the hall master explained.

"If you truly possess the Innate Poison Body, you will surely be able to consume the poison without suffering the slightest damage."

There was only one way to ascertain whether an individual possessed the Poison Soul Constitution or not—the consumption of poison.

As long as the other party was fine after the consuming the lethal poison, it would mean that the other party wasn't lying.

On the other hand, if the other were to die after consuming the poison, it would mean that they have successfully avenged the deceased elders of the Poison Hall. In a sense, the hall master and the others had nothing to lose from this.

"Very well."'Sun Qiang' nodded. With a hook of his finger, the jade bottle flew into his hands.

Without any hesitation, he uncorked the bottle, and a gush of malicious intent burst forth from it. It pierced right into one's mind, raising a violent storm in one's head.

The hall master and the others hurriedly turned their gazes over and noted that 'Sun Qiang' didn't show the slightest hint of weakness under the assault of the poison aura. Not only so, his face was gradually growing redder and redder, as if he had just consumed some extremely nourishing substance.

It was as if what he had been exposed to wasn't poison but a heavenly tonic instead.

"Legend has it that those who possesses the Innate Poison Body are able to advance their cultivation by consuming poison. As long as there is a sufficient supply of poison, one's cultivation and fighting prowess can be raised by leaps and bounds within a short period of time... Could the rumors be true?" an elder mumbled in astonishment.

The Innate Poison Body was extremely rare in this world, such that it was considered to be something that only existed in the legends. However, there were some rumors and records regarding it within the books. It was said that those who possessed the Innate Poison Body were able to derive power from coming into contact with lethal poison that could kill others easily, and as such, they were the most suited to become poison masters.

That was also the reason why many poison masters hoped to obtain such a constitution as well.

However, the Innate Poison Body was only effective on one's body whereas the Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison was something that assaulted the soul. For the other party's soul to not be wounded but instead nourished by it, that reflected a lot...

There was little doubt about it at this point, the other party did possess the Poison Soul Constitution!

A person who possessed such a constitution and was capable of peering through the secrets regarding the great protective formation of the Poison Hall with a glance and challenging experts far stronger than him... Even if the fellow before him wasn't the founder, it was almost certain that there were intricate ties between the both of them.

"Is this enough evidence for you?" Just as the hall master was deep in thoughts, 'Sun Qiang's' voice sounded once more.

"I..." The hall master was still slightly hesitant.

It was certain that the other party possessed the Poison Soul Constitution, but to say that he was the founder of the Poison Hall... this entire matter was still a little too ridiculous for him to believe.

"Why? You still don't believe me? If not for Sun Qiang begging me earnestly for me to spare you, I would have all of you killed right here and now for your insolence!"

Hong long!

With a furious bellow, an incomparably powerful aura burst forth from 'Sun Qiang's' body. In that instant, the man before them suddenly felt like a divine being, an existence that was inviolable by any mortal.

The divine aura emanated by the other party erased all lingering doubt in the hall master's mind.

Without any hesitation, he kneeled to the floor and kowtowed, "Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall's hall master, Ruo Qingyuan, pays respect to the founder!"

In the fight earlier, it was apparent that none of them was a match for the other party... Wielding such overwhelming advantage over them, the other party could have just slaughtered them clean. There was no need for the other party to waste words explaining to them at all...

Perhaps, the founder might have really managed to survive through the ages by hiding a fragment of soul within a Seven Hearts Lotus! Perhaps, the person before them was really their founder!

Having reasoned all of this out, the hall master couldn't help but tremble in agitation.

For the founder to actually appear here... if the other party were to just offer them a bit of pointers, their fighting prowess would surely be able to soar by leaps and bounds! It wouldn't be long before the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was brought to greatness!

Without a doubt, this was a great opportunity to him.

"Hmph, it seems like there is some hope for you after all!" Seeing that the other party finally admitted his identity, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Without opening his eyes, he lifted a finger and pointed at himself. With a grim face, he continued, "Sun Qiang over here is my savior. If not for him, my soul could have perished long ago. Thus, all of you here shall obey his words in the future. Take his commands to be those of my own as well. Anyone who dares to disobey him... don't blame me for not having mercy on you!"

"Yes!" Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan and the other elders hurriedly nodded.

Who would dare to disobey a direct order from the founder?

"Also, I was the one who killed those elders and wounded Vice Hall Master Ming. If you wish to exact vengeance, you are free to come at me!" Zhang Xuan continued.

"I dare not to..." Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan quickly shook his head fearfully. "Vice Hall Master Ming and the others are at fault for offending you, they only have themselves to blame for their own fate. We dare not to exact vengeance for them!"

"Hmph, I doubt you would dare!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly as his voice gradually echoed into silence. A moment later, his eyes slowly opened once more, and his confusion was reflected clearly in his eyes. It was as if he was completely unaware in everything that had happened before, "What just happened? Hall master, I plead with you not to make things difficult for Elder Xu. He is really not to blame for this matter, all he did was to bring me here..."

Noting the look of bewilderment on Zhang Xuan's faces, everyone immediately realized that the founder's soul had gone dormant once more. Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan hurriedly clasped his fist and said, "Poison Master Sun, please don't worry. Our founder has already explained the situation to us. Elder Huang and the others have shown blatant disrespect to our founder, and they deserve the fate that fell upon them. On the other hand, for bringing our founder back to us, not only has Elder Xu not sinned, he is even a meritorious subject of our Poison Hall. Naturally, we will reward him generously! From today onward, he shall replace Ming Zhen as the vice hall master of the Poison Hall..."

"Vice hall master?" Elder Xu was stunned to hear the abrupt news. He hurriedly shook his hand and said in a fluster, "Hall master, I am unqualified to assume such a position!"

He was only a 6-star pinnacle poison master, and the minimum rank one needed to have to become the vice hall master was 7-star. If he were to be promoted haphazardly like that, the others would surely voice their complaints,

"Don't worry, they won't dare to do anything with me here. You are more than qualified to assume this role, so don't turn it down anymore!" Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan waved his hand.

The merit for escorting their founder back to the Poison Hall was immeasurable. Besides, they were still hoping to depend on Elder Xu to speak well of them before the founder on their behalf. Perhaps, their founder might just offer them some pointers on the Way of Poison under Elder Xu's coaxing...

"Alright then..." Seeing the other party insisting on it, Elder Xu eventually nodded in agreement.

He turned his gaze towards Sun Qiang once more, and this time, his eyes were filled with admiration.

This explained the other party's inconceivable immunity to and incredibly profound knowledge regarding poison! With just a short lecture, the other party was able to show a veteran poison master like him a whole new perspective towards the interpretation of the Way of Poison... The other party was indeed lucky to have the founder's fragmented soul in his body. Very few in the world would meet with such fortuitous encounter in their life.

"It seems like I managed to get past them for the time being..." Seeing that he had managed to convince everyone of his new identity, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He turned his gaze towards the words on the bottle in his hand once more, and his eyebrows shot up once more.

Gesturing for the Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan to come over, he asked, "Hall master, do you know what language are these words in?"

The inscriptions on the jade bottle of the Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison was extremely familiar. He had seen words identical to them before—the map which Wu Yangzi had left behind!

This was precisely the reason why Zhang Xuan was shocked when he scanned the bottle with his soul earlier. Unable to hold his intrigue back any longer, he asked about it.

"These inscriptions? I have no idea as well... Two thousand years, a hall master of our Poison Hall found an ancient booklet from an ancient domain, and the content of the booklet happens to be written in this very language. Due to our inability to interpret it, we were unable to figure out what it means... However, by a stroke of coincidence, we found that these words are exceptionally effective in sealing malicious intents and that sort. Thus, we began using it as a seal in the Poison Hall..." Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan replied.

"Ancient booklet? Sealing malicious intent?" Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion.

He had seen the same words on the map Wu Yangzi left for him... Were the purpose of those words to seal malicious intents as well?

"Is that ancient booklet still around? Is it possible for you... to allow me a look?"

After pondering for a while, Zhang Xuan was still unable to make sense of the situation. Thus, he decided to ask for the ancient booklet to take a look at it.

As there was no error in the coordinates and labels on the map, there was no particularly useful flaw reflected in the Library of Heaven's Path. However, if he could obtain the booklet with the other party spoke about, he just might be do a cross reference between the two and decipher bits of the language.

Furthermore, two thousand years ago... That coincided with the timing which the map of the ancient domain first appeared, according to what the Violetleaf King said. Could there be a connection between the two?

"Ancient booklet... Back then, many elites of the Poison Hall lost their lives to acquire that booklet. The hall master back then felt that the booklet was inauspicious, so he ordered for it to be buried with him upon his death..." Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan shook his head.

"The ancient booklet is buried?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "May I know where it is at the moment?"

"It is in the Mausoleum of Hall Masters..." Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan replied.

"I see." Hearing that it was located in one of the forbidden grounds of the Poison Hall, Zhang Xuan decided to ask no further.

If he were to ask too much about the matter, he just might incur the other party's suspicions.

After questioning everything there was to questioned, Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan ordered his men to swiftly prepare a new accommodation for 'Sun Qiang'.

As for the matter regarding the poison master examination, considering that the other party was able to even poison his Lifebound Venomous Bug to death, there was no longer any purpose to the examination. Thus, he helped the other party apply for the 7-star poison master emblem straight.

"I will be heading to the Compendium Hall to study for a while..."

Considering Zhang Xuan had received his 7-star poison master emblem and his identity as the founder, there was no longer for him to sneak into the Compendium Hall anymore. With the current esteemed standing he had, he could just walk in openly.

"Yes!" Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan and the others didn't dare to voice any word of objection. They escorted the other party to the entrance of the Compendium Hall, and after seeing the other party entering the premises, they glanced at one another meaningfully.

"Vice Hall Master Xu and the others, follow me to my residence for a while."

"Un!" The others nodded.

Not too long later, they arrived at a courtyard. Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan activated a formation to isolate their auras before looking deeply at the crowd.

"Everyone, what are your views on the matter today?"

"Since we can confirm that the soul in Sun Qiang's body does indeed possess the Poison Soul Constitution, we can be certain that there is an intricate link between him and our founder."

"Indeed, that is the Poison Soul Constitution we are talking about! Other than our founder, there has never been another person in the one known to possess such a constitution!"

The other elders nodded in agreement.

They had a deep trust in 'Sun Qiang's' identity as the founder of the Poison Hall.

"Vice Hall Master Xu, what are your views on this matter? Can you share the details of how you met Poison Master Sun with us so that we can analyze the matter?" Hall Master Ruo Qingyun asked.

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Chapter 1005: Envoy From The Poison Hall Headquarters

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Vice Hall Master Xu You nodded as he went through what he had gone through with Zhang Xuan in detail.

"You are saying that... a Saint 4-dan Otherworldly Demon has appeared in Jingyuan City? He tried to kill you, but it was Poison Master Sun who got you out?"

Everyone was astonished to hear the news.

Otherworldly Demons possessed exceptionally strong fighting prowess, and this was even more so for a Saint 4-dan one. For Sun Qiang to put himself in grave danger to save Xu You... Just this courage itself was something they couldn't compare with.

"Not only so, Poison Master Sun has also imparted me some foundation to utilizing poison on our way here, but due to its profoundness, I was unable to remember too much of it. However, if I could just internalize the small portion which I have remembered, I would surely be able to make huge progress in the Way of Poison..." Xu You couldn't help but say.

"Share it with us..." Hearing that their founder had actually imparted some of his teachings to Xu You, looks of envy surfaced on everyone's faces.

Without hiding a thing, Xu You began reciting everything that he remembered.

By the time he was done reciting, everyone around him had their faces reddened in agitation, their clenched fists trembling uncontrollably beside them.

Just like what Xu You had said, even though the content only touched on the foundation, it was directed straight towards the essence of the Way of Poison. Listening to it had left them with a feeling of enlightenment.

"There's no doubt about it anymore. That soul is definitely our founder... Other than him, there is no one else can possesses such a deep understanding of poison..." After a moment of discussion, Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan nodded affirmatively.

Even though Zhang Xuan's argument was convincing, and he had believed most of it, he still couldn't help but hold some reservations regarding the issue due to the sheer incredulity of it. However, after hearing Vice Hall Master Xu You's explanation, the final reservations he held were vanquished.

Only the real founder of the Poison Hall could possibly command such deep understanding of the Way of Poison, interpreting the most basic cultivation technique in such a profound yet direct manner.

"Alright, have our men quickly repair the demolished buildings. As for Duan Ren and Ming Zhen, have them executed for daring to provoke our founder!" Having confirmed his doubts, Ruo Qingyuan issued several orders.

"Yes!" The crowd nodded in agreement.

It was one thing for Ming Zhen and Duan Ren to embarrass themselves, but to implicate so many of them into it as well, unforgivable!

"Alright, we will stop right here today. Vice Hall Master Xu, you should wait outside the Compendium Hall. Once Poison Master Sun is done reading, call me over immediately..." Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan instructed.

"Alright!" Xu You replied.

Just as he was about to stand up and get moving, a frown suddenly appeared on Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan's face. The latter flicked his wrist, and a Communication Jade Token appeared in his hands.

The jade token was emanating a warm glow—someone had just transmitted a message over.

Taking a glance at it, Ruo Qingyuan's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly got to his feet, "An envoy has arrived from the headquarters!"

"The headquarters have sent an envoy over?"

Everyone was astonished.

"Indeed. According to the information I have just received, they are two 7-star pinnacle poison masters, and they are about to arrive. Let's head over to welcome them."

After saying those words, Ruo Qingyuan quickly left his residence. Not daring to hesitate in the least, the others also swiftly followed suit.

Not too long later, at the elevated platform where Vice Hall Master Xu and Zhang Xuan had landed from their aerial saint beast earlier, the crowd saw a gap appearing in the formation momentarily, and a massive saint beast flew over steadily.

Standing proudly on the saint beast were two elders. Even before coming close, they were already emanating a formidable pressure that forced others to lower their heads before them.

7-star pinnacle poison masters, Saint 4-dan experts!

"Poison Master Bai, Poison Master Hai..." Upon seeing the appearance of the duo before him, Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan's eyebrows shot up, and he hurriedly clasped his fist and greeted.

The Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was well hidden from the rest of the world, but it still maintained intimate relations with the headquarters above it. Poison Master Bai Ting and Poison Master Hai Mingjin were extremely formidable figures in the headquarters, and considering their fame, it was only natural for Ruo Qingyuan to have heard of them as well.

Poison Master Bai waved his hands as he landed from the saint beast, and after scanning through the crowd, he frowned, "Where is Hall Master Ruo? He isn't here to welcome us?"

"Cough cough... I am Ruo Jingyuan!" Ruo Jingyuan said awkwardly.

Disfigured from Zhang Xuan's pummeling, even his wife and parents might not recognize him, let more these two!

"You..." Poison Master Bai glanced at Poison Master Hai, only to see the latter's mouth twitching uncontrollably as well. With a frown, he asked, "Hall Master Ruo, what happened to you?"

One must know that Ruo Jingyuan was a 7-star poison master like them! Even though the other party's fighting prowess was slightly below theirs, there would still be very few in Qingyuan Conferred Empire who could match him. For an expert like him to be pummeled to such a state in his own base, just what in the world could have happened?

Astonished, they subconsciously turned their gazes to the elders, and what they saw caused their eyelids to twitched as well.

They had only made a sweeping glance earlier, but taking a closer look, they realized that every single one of them was injured. There was only one amongst them who could be considered to be fine.

"This... It is a long story. Anyway, for the both of you to arrive personally, could it be that the headquarter has orders for us?" Shaking his head with a bitter smile, Ruo Qingyuan turned to the duo and asked.

It was not that he was intended to hide it from the other party, but it was simply too embarrassing!

"Two thousand years ago, did your branch obtain a booklet from the ancient domain in Firesource City?" Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak too much about it, Poison Master Bai also decided not to pursue the matter, considering that it was likely to be a private matter amongst them. Thus, he got straight to the matter at hand.

"Indeed!" Ruo Qingyuan nodded.

Poison Master Sun had just asked him about the booklet, so naturally, he still remembered it clearly at the moment.

"That's good. The headquarter has sent us here to retrieve this booklet." Hearing that the booklet was indeed here, Poison Master Bai heaved a sigh of relief and said.

"Retrieve?" Not expecting the headquarter to go to the extent of dispatching two 7-star pinnacle poison masters over just to obtain a single booklet, Ruo Qingyuan was stunned for a brief moment before he could reply. "The booklet is currently placed in the Mausoleum of Hall Masters. If the both of you aren't in a hurry, allow me to invite you to take a seat at the main hall first..."

The booklet served no particular purpose here. If the headquarters wanted it, he had no qualms about giving it to them too.

However, right after Ruo Jingyuan said those words, he noticed unnatural looks on the faces of Vice Hall Master Xu and the others. One of the elders hesitated for a moment before sending a zhenqi telepathy over, "Hall master, our main hall has been destroyed..."

The main hall was one of the unfortunate casualties of the devastating destruction earlier as well.

Honestly speaking, the two envoys had really arrived at a bad timing. It was embarrassing that they had nothing seemly to show them after what that had happened.

"Ah..." Upon the elder's reminder, Ruo Qingyuan suddenly recalled the matter and said, "Allow me to bring the both of you to my residence to rest then..."

"Your residence?" Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai frowned.

If they had come here as visiting guests, there would be no problem for them to head to be hosted in Ruo Qingyuan's residence. However, they had come in the capacity as envoys of the headquarters this time around, and it was only right for them to be treated as esteemed guests. What was the other party thinking to invite them to his residence instead of the main hall?"

"Allow me to apologize for our discourtesy, but there has been some unforeseen circumstances in the Poison Hall that will make it inconvenient for me to invite you to the main hall... " Noticing the displeased looks on their faces, Ruo Qingyuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "You will understand very soon..."

To be honest, he really had no idea how he should approach the subject.

Flying the way back to the city, it didn't take long for the two poison masters from the headquarters to notice the heap and heap of rubble laid all around the half-collapsed city. They couldn't help but exchange dazed glances.

"This..." Poison Master Hai pointed at the devastation before him, not knowing what he could say.

They were in the Poison Hall, and everyone in here should be their own men. How did such a tragic fate befall it?

"Hai, this matter is really the humiliation of our Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall..." Ruo Qingyuan said.

As the hall master of the Poison Hall, it was indeed embarrassing for him to have allowed it to have fallen to such a state.

Had he not been so reckless then and waited for the other party to explain the situation, such a sight wouldn't have occurred, and he wouldn't be making a fool of himself before the envoys of the headquarters at this moment.

"What happened?"

Glancing at the bruised elders and hall masters, and turning his gaze to the rubble all around him, Poison Master Bai couldn't help but ask.

"It's like that..." Knowing that it was impossible to hide such a huge matter, Ruo Qingyuan hesitated for a moment before revealing everything that had just happened.

"What did you say? Our founder's soul is deposited on the body of someone named Sun Qiang?"

Upon hearing the question, Poison Master Bai frowned, "That's impossible! The founder of our Poison Hall, otherwise known as the [Poison Supremacy, was actually a woman. Back in that era, people used to call her the Fairy of Poison, so how could she possibly have a male voice? Besides, her entire soul had dissipated in that tragic battle back then, so it is impossible for her to have left a fragment of her soul in a Seven Hearts Lotus. No doubt about it, he is definitely a fake!"

"Our founder... is a woman?" Ruo Qingyuan was taken aback.

There were indeed many stories regarding the founder of the Poison Hall going around, but honestly speaking... he was indeed unsure whether the other party was a male or a female!

"Indeed. I haven't really read any books regarding our founder, but I heard it from an 8-star poison master before. It is said that there is also sculpture of her created by her disciple in the headquarters... To possess a male body and speak in a male voice at that, there is no doubt about it. He is definitely a fake!" Poison Master Hai said grimly.

"But... the Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison was indeed ineffective against him! Furthermore, his body possesses inconceivable immunity towards poison as well..." An elder couldn't help but exclaim.

"As formidable as the Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison is, there are still many ways that one can neutralize it! For example, I have a Heavenly Aroma Detoxification Pill here left behind by an 8-star poison master. Once consumed, one will gain perfect immunity to any grade-7 poison and below..." Poison Master Bai replied.

"Besides, there are also many medicinal herbs and plants in nature that possesses the ability to neutralize poison. Putting everything aside, the Bodhi Saint Tree of the Hongyuan Empire royal family can bear a Bodhi Fruit, which when consumed, grants one near perfect immunity to poison of grade-7 and below, and this is including poisons directed to the soul too!"

"This..." Ruo Qingyuan was taken aback.

They were both 7-star poison masters, but the other party were from the headquarters, and their eye of discernment and knowledge were beyond him.

"So... you are saying that he is very likely to be a fraud?" the elder from before asked with a deep frown.

"That is not necessarily so... there are some parts to the story which I am still unable to make sense of. Despite being at Nascent Saint, that fellow already possesses strength which none of you are able to rival. On top of that, for him to be completely fine after being bitten from your Darkgold Venom Beetle and even poison them to death at that... that is a feat beyond my means as well. Most likely... the other party is on par with an 8-star poison master at minimum! But if that is truly the case, there would be no need for the other party to make up such lies..." Poison Master Bai shook his head.

He felt that there was something amiss with that Sun Qiang fellow saying that the founder had possessed his body, but there were still various aspects to the matter which he couldn't make sense of it to refute the other party's claim entirely.

What was the most bewildering was that the other party actually had no request whatsoever! If the other party was intending to pull off something, he would have already attempted to use his standing to force the Poison Hall to comply with his commands. It was impossible that he would feign that he was the founder of the Poison Hall just to read some books!

"You said that the Sun Qiang person is still in the Compendium Hall at the moment?" After some contemplation, Poison Master Bai was still unable to make sense of the situation. Thus, after some contemplation, a glint flickered across his eyes, and he said, "Why don't I help you test his mastery of poison? If he's truly the founder, he should be fine after it. Otherwise, for feigning the founder, he deserves death!"

"This..." Ruo Qingyuan hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Alright!"

Chapter 1006: Poison Master Bai Visits

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Walking into the Compendium Hall, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

It was not that he wanted to disguise himself as the founder of the Poison Hall, but the situation back then had left him with no other choice.

If he hadn't said that, Elder Xu might very well have lost his life. At the same time, he would have also fallen out completely with the Poison Hall, never to reconcile with one another. While it was wrong for him to have fooled the other party like that, at the very least, he did manage to resolve the problem perfectly. Not only so, he had even been given access to the Compendium Hall as well.

Speaking of disguising as the founder of the Poison Hall, it was really fortunate he had the Violetleaf King's Button of Disguise with him.

It was due to such an artifact that he had been able to disguise Vicious' powerful killing intent as the aura of a powerful human, making Ruo Qingyuan and the others not dare to doubt him. Otherwise, everyone would immediately have realized that Vicious was an Otherworldly Demon, and instead of instilling deference into them, he would only have further worsened the conflict.

However, the effects of the Button of Disguise were still rather lacking as compared to that of Kong shi's writing. It was sufficient to fool a poison master, but it would have been hard to do the same before the discerning eyes of a master teacher.

But still, they will probably figure it out soon enough. I should quickly finish reading through my books first!

While Zhang Xuan did manage to scare the others for the time being, there were many parts of his story that didn't make sense if one were to think deeper into it. The urgent matter at hand was for him to quickly finish reading the books. As soon as he found a way to resolve Wei Ruyan's condition, he would be able to leave the Poison Hall. This way, the matter could be resolved entirely.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan proceeded on to the fourth floor without any hesitation.

The books on this floor was clearly fewer than that in the third floor. However, the content harnessed within them was far more profound, reaching the level of a 4-star poison master and beyond.

Scanning his gaze over the rows of bookshelves, Zhang Xuan collected the books into his Library of Heaven's Path and converted them into his own knowledge. The more books he collected, the deeper his understanding of poison became.

Within less than two hours, he finished reading through everything on that floor. Thus, he moved on to the fifth floor.

The books on the fifth floor was targeted toward 5-star poison masters, and the number of books was significantly smaller than that of the previous floor once more. Within less than an hour, Zhang Xuan had already managed to collect everything in the room.

Still nothing at all?

After scanning through the books on the fifth floor but still finding no useful news regarding the Innate Poison Body, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but panic.

There were only seven floors to the Compendium Hall, and being at the fifth, he had already covered more than half of the knowledge harnessed in there. Yet, there was still no clue whatsoever. Could it be that the solution to the Innate Poison Body couldn't be found here either?

If that was the case, it would truly be a calamity!

While Wei Ruyan's condition was still stable at the moment, there was no knowing if she could hold on long enough for Zhang Xuan to take her to a higher ranked Poison Hall.

Knowing that it was pointless to panic, Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in distress before moving on. Forget it, I should just continue for now. If there is still nothing after I go through the last two floors, I will just have to think of another solution.

The books on the sixth floor numbered less than ten thousand. Zhang Xuan walked slowly along the bookshelves, taking in everything in sight. Just as he had finally finished taking everything in and was just about to head to the next floor, 'jiya!', the door to the room abruptly opened, and a figure walked in.

The other party was an old man who seemed to be in his sixties. He had a snowy white beard and wrinkly face, but his eyes had a sharp glint, reminiscent of an eagle. His clothes were plain and unimpressive, and he didn't don a poison master emblem on his chest, making it impossible to determine his rank.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan paid the other party no heed and headed straight for the stairs toward the seventh floor. At that moment, however, Zhang Xuan abruptly heard Vicious' voice in his mind.

"Master, that person is even stronger than Ruo Qingyuan. His cultivation has most likely reached Saint 4-dan..."

"Saint 4-dan? A 7-star poison master?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Wasn't the strongest man in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall Ruo Qingyuan? Considering that Ruo Qingyuan was only at Saint 3-dan himself, where in the world did this Saint 4-dan pop out from?

At Saint 4-dan, the other party possessed might that was comparable to the Violetleaf King!

"That's right. He might have concealed his cultivation well, but there is no way he can fool my eyes!" Vicious said discreetly.

After swallowing the Primordial Spirit of the Waterleaf King, Vicious had recovered yet another portion of his cultivation, allowing him to see through the old man without the other party noticing his presence.

Frowning deeply, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt extremely wary of the old man before him. For a Saint 4-dan to walk in here abruptly... What is he up to?

Zhang Xuan was considering whether or not he should toss the Violetleaf King and Otherworldly Demon puppets out to take the initiative and preemptively subdue the other party when he suddenly thought of something, and he came to a halt.

For an expert of the other party's caliber to appear here, there was no way the other party was here to read books or to roam around. No doubt about it, the other party was here to find him.

The reason the other party walked around the area instead of making a move on him directly showed that the other party wasn't intending on provoking him. Instead, the other party was trying to sound him out, possibly out of doubt of what he had just said!

If the other party was only attempting to sound him out, there would be no need for him to bring the Violetleaf King out. Otherwise, if he created a huge ruckus, he would only undo all the effort he had just put into appeasing the Poison Hall. On top of that, if the books on the seventh floor were to be destroyed in the midst of the fight, he would only be making things even more difficult for himself.

A Saint 4-dan expert has already forged his Primordial Spirit, so it won't be that easy for me to fool him...

Naturally, it would be best if Zhang Xuan could resolve this issue silently. However, there was no way fooling an expert as powerful as the other party could be an easy task.

His claim that he possessed the Poison Soul Constitution was backed by the fact that he had been able to survive the Emerald Serenity Jaundice Poison, making Ruo Qingyuan and the others unable to doubt him. However, such a trick wouldn't work on a Primordial Spirit realm expert.

One who possessed a Primordial Spirit could peer into the soul of another directly to assess it. Zhang Xuan had only gained considerable immunity to poison due to the exchange of soul essence with Wei Ruyan; he didn't possess the real Poison Soul Constitution. Thus, if the other party were to check his soul, it was very possible that he could be exposed!

Thus, the most important matter at hand was for him to prevent the other party from checking his Primordial Soul!

But how could this be done?

...

While Zhang Xuan was in deep thought, the old man was also assessing him with a deep gaze.

The middle-aged man in front of him was indeed only a Nascent Saint cultivator. There was nothing particularly special about him, and his appearance was also so-so, perhaps looking a little repulsive even.

It was truly a wonder to him how Ruo Qingyuan and the others had been fooled so easily, entirely convinced that the other party carried the soul of the founder within him.

Just as the old man was just about to speak, the fellow before him abruptly rushed forward, heading toward a shelf of books.

"Hmm?" The old man frowned.

Could it be that the other party had noticed that he was concealing his cultivation, and feeling threatened, he was trying to escape as far as he could?

If that was the case, it would truly be a disaster!

Furthermore, judging from the speed, if the other party were to really crash into the shelf, the books might just be utterly destroyed under the impact!

Those books were the crystallization of the knowledge of countless preceding poison masters in the Poison Hall, so how could he allow them to be destroyed before his eyes?

With a grim look, the old man drove his cultivation as he rushed forward, preparing to grab the other party to stop him. However, the other party abruptly came to a halt right before the bookshelf. The next moment, he sat down on the floor and began meditating, seemingly going into a state of cultivation.

Cultivation?

The old man was bewildered.

It was just a moment ago that the other party had rushed forward as if a lunatic, seemingly intent on destroying the books before him. Yet, the next moment, he had abruptly sat down to cultivate? How could a person be so fickle-minded?

The old man was Poison Master Bai Ting from the headquarters. After learning that the person who had impersonated the founder was currently in the Compendium Hall, he had ordered Ruo Qingyuan and the others to guard outside while he made his way in alone.

Just as he was thinking about how he should sound the fellow sitting on the floor out, a calm voice suddenly came from the other party.

"What do you see?"

Bewildered by the sudden words, Poison Master Bai glanced either side of him, and after confirming that there was no one else around, he confusedly pointed a finger at himself and asked, "Are you talking to me?"

The middle-aged man before him nodded.

Uncomprehending of what the other party was driving at, Poison Master Bai hesitated for a moment before replying. "Other than books, I don't think that there is anything else here?"

They were in the Compendium Hall, so naturally, there were only books and bookshelves around them. What other answer was the other party expecting to hear?

The middle-aged man before him sighed woefully, seemingly disappointed by the answer he had received. "I thought that a 7-star pinnacle poison master, a Saint 4-dan cultivator, might have a different view than the others. But from the looks of it... you are no different from them."

"Y-y-you... You can see through my cultivation?" Poison Master Bai narrowed his eyes in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing.

He had concealed his cultivation, and he hadn't brought his emblem with him either. On the surface, he was no different from an ordinary 6-star poison master. Yet, the other party was able to see through him despite having his back against him... This was truly a little hard for him to believe.

"Merely Saint 4-dan, what is there not to see through?" Harrumphing coldly, the middle-aged man 'looked' at the bookshelves before him with his eyes closed and said meaningfully, "These aren't books but knowledge. However, it is a pity that the writers have twisted my heritage into something so unseemly."

"Your heritage?" Poison Master Bai frowned.

"Un." The middle-aged man nodded lightly before sighing deeply once more. "Do you know why you are unable to achieve a breakthrough despite having remained at 7-star pinnacle for so long? The Starweaving Art is indeed a powerful cultivation technique, but it is a pity that an accident you made in the midst of concocting poison has resulted in the complete sealing of one of the Yuanshen acupoints. As a result, you aren't able to knock it open no matter how you try. Truly, a pity."

"Y-you... know that I cultivate the Starweaving Art?" Poison Master Bai's body stiffened in astonishment.

He had come here to sound the other party out, but, before he could say a word, the other party had already uncovered his secrets. It was no wonder he was horrified.

The Starweaving Art that he cultivated had been created by an 8-star poison master. Back when he was younger, he had obtained it coincidentally during a mission. He had thought that with such a powerful cultivation technique in hand, he would surely be able to advance to become an 8-star poison master very soon; he had never thought that he would end up being trapped at 7-star pinnacle for several centuries.

As for the reason he was unable to make an advancement even after such a long time, it was exactly as the other party had said. A mistake he had made in the midst of concocting poison had ended up harming his foundation, resulting in his Yuanshen acupoint being sealed. No matter how hard he tried to break it open, it simply wouldn't budge.

It didn't work even when he was younger, and to date, he was only a hundred years or so away from the end of his lifespan. Most likely, a breakthrough in his lifetime was impossible!

This was something that he had hidden deep within his heart, never sharing it with anyone. Even Poison Master Hai, the other envoy who had accompanied him here, wasn't aware of it. Yet, the middle-aged man before him was actually able to see through it in an instant.

Such an eye of discernment... Could the other party really be the founder?

After all, not even an 8-star poison master possessed such sharp eyes!

"The core of the Starweaving Art lies in its breathing technique. Breathing reminiscent of weaving, guided by the stars. With the poison serving as the nourishment and the stars as the medium, the intent is to weave one's zhenqi through one's body like a thread. Yet, you chose to scatter the thread across your entire body, eventually resulting in the sealing of your Yuanshen acupoint... It will truly be a miracle if you successfully achieve a breakthrough!" Shaking his head in disappointment, the middle-aged man sighed deeply, seemingly lamenting over the mistakes made by a junior who had gone astray.

"I..." With cold sweat trickling down his head, Poison Master Bai was at a loss for words.

To be able to tell the problems in his cultivation with a glance and point out the core of the Starweaving Technique...

This was no longer something that could be explained with just eye of discernment! One had to have an inconceivably deep understanding of the Way of Poison in order to achieve this!

Even the hall master of the branch he was in was incapable of achieving this feat!

Paying no heed to the other party's shock, the middle-aged man continued. "There is no need to get anxious. Truthfully, despite the failure in the concoction of your poison and your mistaken interpretation of your cultivation technique, your Yuanshen acupoint still shouldn't have been sealed so tightly. If I am not mistaken, the reason your cultivation has stagnated entirely is due to a betrayal from someone, am I right?"

"You..." In that instant, Poison Master Bai's eyes nearly plopped onto the ground. Unable to retain his composure and bearings as a 7-star poison master any longer, he stuttered, "H-how did you know?"

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Chapter 1007: Beguiling Poison Master Bai

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Back when Poison Master Bai was younger, he had indeed suffered the betrayal from another.

It was a brother whom he had trusted deeply. Plagued with envy after learning about the existence of the Starweaving Art, the other party had discreetly switched a medicinal herb that he had prepared for the concoction of an extremely difficult pill, resulting in him being severely wounded in the affair. Not only so, the other party had even assaulted him while he was at a crucial stage in his cultivation, and that incident had nearly left him dead!

Even though he had exacted vengeance after he recovered, poisoning that wretched scoundrel to death with his own hands... the damage caused to his body was already irreparable.

It was due to such a wound that he had been trapped at the Primordial Spirit realm for so long, unable to achieve a breakthrough. This matter had become a huge regret in his life.

It was also due to this incident that he had remained guarded toward everyone before him, never daring to let loose before anyone for fear of being betrayed once more... So how did the middle-aged man before him learn of the matter?

"When you made a move against me earlier, your zhenqi stopped right before your Yunmen 1 acupoint. This shows that there is a blockage there that you are unable to pass through. That acupoint isn't a particularly difficult one to break open, and for a condition like yours to occur, it typically means that one has been injured in the past or that... he is suffering from a mental trauma!"

Without opening his eyes, the middle-aged man continued speaking calmly.

"As for your inability to achieve a breakthrough... While you did conceal your Primordial Spirit well, I can still see it as clear as day. It is extremely powerful, and under normal circumstances, you should have been able to draw it out from your body long ago to soar into the skies. Yet, there isn't the slightest hint of zhenqi in your Yuanshen acupoint. This suggests that your Yuanshen acupoint is tightly sealed. At the same time, the zhenqi flowing through your body is very distinctive, possessing a thread-like form. Given all that, it wasn't too difficult for me to deduce the entire story!"

"Just by driving my zhenqi a bit... you were able to tell so much?" Poison Master Bai felt his throat running dry.

As a Saint 4-dan pinnacle expert, he had seen plenty of people who possessed astounding eye of discernment and powerful means that weren't beneath those of a 7-star master teacher at all.

But... to be able to see through so much in just an instant, that was completely unbelievable. He had never seen something like this before!

More importantly, the other party had never opened his eyes throughout the entire process, keeping his back toward him.

This wasn't something that could be described as frightening anymore; it was horrifying.

"It doesn't matter how I see through it; the issue is you. The reason you are unable to achieve a breakthrough is due to your lack of confidence. Without confidence, nothing else will fall in place! How about this? Since you are a 7-star pinnacle poison master, your ability to utilize and discern poison shouldn't be too bad... Let me give you a test."

At this point, the middle-aged man chuckled softly, and 'hu!', a gourd slowly floated over toward the Poison Master Bai. "Look and see if there is poison in here."

"In here?"

Perplexed, Poison Master Bai uncorked the gourd, and an aromatic fragrance gushed toward him. He extended his Spiritual Perception into the gourd, and a moment later, he shook his head and said, "It doesn't have any poison..."

Through checking with his Spiritual Perception, he could tell that even though the wine did contain a higher concentration of spiritual energy, it didn't contain any poison.

"Do you dare have a sip?" the middle-aged man asked.

"This..." Hearing those words, Poison Master Bai froze.

He could confirm that the wine in the gourd wasn't poisoned, but he was still fearful to drink it.

"To doubt even your own judgement, how far can you reach with such a state of mind? It seems like... that is all there is to a 7-star pinnacle poison master!" The middle-aged man shook his head in disappointment.

On the other hand, Poison Master Bai's face reddened in shame.

"You might think that your greatest problem came from your friend's betrayal, but that isn't really so. What that is truly limiting you is your inability to trust even yourself! Whenever you saw your Yuanshen acupoint firmly shut even after several attempts to knock it open, you decided for yourself that it is impossible to succeed and chose to give up. Without the confidence to persevere and take the final step, how can you achieve greater heights?" the middle-aged man asked.

"I..." Poison Master Bai was rendered speechless.

The other party was right. Due to that matter, he had become deeply suspicious of others. As time passed, his suspicions deepened, and eventually, he even began to doubt himself.

"Since you have already confirmed that there is no poison, why won't you drink it? Do you fear that your judgement isn't accurate, or do you fear death?" the middle-aged man said deeply.

Facing the other party's questions, Poison Master Bai's face paled as his body trembled uncontrollably. A moment later, he raised his head and looked at the other party earnestly. "Elder, what should I do?"

Regardless of whether it was the other party's eye of discernment or understanding of poison, they were far superior to his. Even if the other party wasn't the founder, there was no doubt that the other party was his senior in the Way of Poison.

Thus, there was nothing wrong with calling the other party 'elder'.

"You need to break the shackles of doubt in you." With a high and mighty attitude, the middle-aged man spoke affirmatively. "You need to trust your own judgement and drink this gourd of wine. This is the only way for you to vanquish the doubt you have in yourself!"

Hearing those words, Poison Master Bai hesitated. But a moment later, he clenched his jaws tightly and nodded. "Indeed. If I have deemed the wine in the gourd to be devoid of poison, what do I have to fear?"

Since he had already affirmed it himself, why shouldn't he drink it?

Even if he were to be poisoned, he still had the Heavenly Aroma Detoxification Pill with him. That should suffice to deal with everything.

With such thoughts in mind, he uncorked the gourd without any hesitation, and 'Gudong! Gudong!', he drank several large mouthfuls of wine. In that instant, he felt everything he had suppressed deep in his heart being liberated all of a sudden, and a look of delight surfaced on his face. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Excellent wine!"

Due to be betrayal he had suffered once, he didn't trust any outsiders or even himself at that. Such a problem had plagued him for the longest of time, but at this instant... he felt like he had been saved by the other party's gourd of fine wine.

"Elder, thank you for your advice!" Poison Master Bai bowed deeply.

Regardless of whom the other party was, he was still thankful to the other party for dispelling his inner demons.

"Do you believe that I am your founder now?" the middle-aged man asked.

"I..." Poison Master Bai was immediately sank into an awkward position.

The reason for his arrival there was to investigate the other party's identity. Yet, he had been exposed from the moment that he stepped through the door, rendering everything he had planned futile.

"Elder, both your eye of discernment and understanding of poisons are things that I am unable to match. However, it is still very difficult for me to believe that the soul of the founder is in you. On top of that, this matter has huge implications as well... If it is convenient for you, can you allow me to use my Primordial Spirit to peer into your soul? Once I confirm that you possess the Poison Soul Constitution, I will kowtow and ask for your forgiveness!" Poison Master Bai hesitated for a moment before saying.

He was already eighty percent convinced that the other party was the founder, but he still needed to verify it directly in order to dispel his doubts.

After all, he knew for a fact that the founder was a lady, and the person before him was indubitably a male.

Instead of responding to his question, the middle-aged man waved his hand and said, "The Innate Poison Body is also known as the Constitution of Disaster. Wherever one went, lethal poison followed. You should have heard of this matter before."

"Yes!" Poison Master Bai nodded.

As a 7-star pinnacle poison master, he was naturally aware of the various details concerning the Innate Poison Body. The Constitution of Disaster did grant one perfect immunity to poison, but if it wasn't suppressed properly, lethal poison will leak from one's body, bringing great disaster upon one's surroundings.

"I might just be a fragmented soul, but the essence of my constitution remains. Even though Sun Qiang, whom I have deposited my soul in, does possess a strong aptitude toward poison, he is still unable to contain the prowess of my soul. As a result, the moment I entered this room, it became permeated with lethal poison. Naturally, you were also poisoned the moment you stepped in as well," the middle-aged man said.

Poison Master Bai was taken aback. "Poisoned?"

When he assessed the wine in the gourd using his Spiritual Perception earlier, he had also caught a glimpse of the surroundings. There was clearly no poisonous air or powder in the area!

Besides, if he had really been poisoned, how could he possibly be unaware of the matter? He didn't feel anything at all, so how could he have been poisoned just like that?

"You don't believe me?" The middle-aged man chuckled softly.

"It is not that I don't trust elder, but... I have spent my entire life around poisons, and I don't think that there is poison in here!" Poison Master Bai assessed the surroundings once more and shook his head.

"You don't think that there is poison here?" The middle-aged man burst into laughter before eventually sighing. "If the poison aura emanated by the Innate Poison Body could be discovered by another that easily, how could I have become the founder of the Poison Hall, initiating an occupation that even Kong shi was fearful of?"

After saying those words, the middle-aged man snapped his fingers.

Padah!

Right after the sound echoed around the room, Poison Master Bai suddenly felt his entire body stiffening up. It felt as if a lethal poison that had lain dormant in his body all along was coming to life under the other party's control. His face paled, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. Horror and fear were reflected in his eyes.

He had been proceeding carefully ever since he entered the room, so how could he have been poisoned?

Could it be that... just as the other party said, those who possessed the Innate Poison Body would cause a calamity wherever they went, and even poison masters were no exception to the rule as well?

After retracting his poison, the middle-aged man asked nonchalantly, "Do you believe me now?"

"I... I believe you!" Poison Master Bai nodded vehemently.

If he'd still had his reservations a moment ago, at this point, he no longer had any doubts.

As a 7-star pinnacle poison master, he actually didn't even realize it when he was already fatally poisoned. Without a doubt, the other party's ability to utilize poison was far above his!

More importantly, he could sense that the poison had seeped into even the narrowest of acupoints in his body. Therefore, there was no way he could dispel it, not even with the Heavenly Aroma Detoxification Pill he had in his possession!

To remain unaware despite being fatally poisoned and completely helpless before it after learning of the matter... This was the fearsome power that one of those possessing the Innate Poison Body harnessed!

"7-star Poison Master Bai Ting pays respect to the founder!"

Having confirmed the matter, there was no longer any need for Bai Ting to ascertain the other party's identity through his Primordial Spirit anymore, and he dared not do so either. He hurriedly kneeled on the ground and paid his respect to the other party.

"Rise." The middle-aged man waved his hand.

Naturally, the middle-aged man was Zhang Xuan, who was disguised as Sun Qiang at the moment.

Knowing that the fellow before him was a Saint 4-dan pinnacle expert, he knew that it was impossible for him to make the other party submit with just a few words.

Furthermore, if the other party were to still doubt him after he had explained himself and attempt to assault him while he was unguarded, there was a good chance that he might have been killed before he could even bring the Violetleaf King out.

For his own safety, he felt that he had to poison the other party first.

Thus, he intentionally feigned that he was knocking into the bookshelves so as to lure the other party to driving his zhenqi. Through doing so, he could use the Library of Heaven's Path to determine the other party's flaws and use his sharp tongue to scare the other party.

In a shocked state, it was inevitable that one would be unable to make the most rational of decisions. Through exploiting the weakness in the other party's heart, he was able to convince the other party to drink the wine.

As for everything else about the Innate Poison Body he had mentioned earlier, they were all lies.

Even though Wei Ruyan possessed the Innate Poison Body, due to the limitations of her cultivation, it was difficult for her to even kill a Saint realm expert, let alone a Saint 4-dan expert like the other party.

Needless to say, Zhang Xuan didn't possess such a mystical ability either. The reason the other party had been poisoned was due to the gourd of wine that the other party had drunk earlier.

Of course, until Poison Master Bai had an opportunity to think this matter over, it wasn't too difficult for Zhang Xuan to mislead the other party into believing that he had been poisoned due to prolonged contact with the Innate Poison Body. As a result of that, the other party would fear him and not dare to pull anything before him.

Seeing that he had managed to win the other party over, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. After a short moment of contemplation, he said, "As a result of the fragmentation of my soul, my strength is far from what it used to be, and I have lost most of my memory as well. I am unable to contain the poison aura within me any longer, and there is a good chance that it might act up very soon. Are you aware of any solutions to resolving this problem?"

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Chapter 1008: Wei Ruyan's Treatment Method

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Even after reading to the sixth floor, Zhang Xuan was still unable to find a solution for Wei Ruyan's Innate Poison Body. According to the introduction on Poison Master Bai in the Library of Heaven's Path, it was reflected that the other party was a 7-star pinnacle poison master from the headquarters. Given so, the other party had access to knowledge greater than what was contained in this Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall, so he might know some secrets regarding the matter.

Besides, it was normal for a soul to suffer from memory loss if it were to be fragmented or exist for too long. Putting aside everything else, Vicious was in the same state as well.

This point would serve to bring greater credibility to his argument, making it easier for him to win the trust of the other party.

And as expected, upon hearing those words, Poison Master Bai suddenly had an epiphany. Nodding, he contemplated for a brief moment before saying, "I have heard of those possessing the Innate Poison Body losing control of their strength and bringing calamity on the world before... However, I am not too sure how it can be suppressed either. However, Poison Master Hai has read some related materials, so he might know a thing or two about the matter."

"Poison Master Hai?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

Could it be that the other party wasn't the only envoy from the headquarters?

The Library of Heaven's Path could only reflect the flaws of the individual which it came into contact with. As Poison Master Hai had never entered the Compendium Hall, Zhang Xuan had no chance to learn of the other party's existence either.

"Poison Master Hai is my companion who has accompanied here. He is a 7-star pinnacle poison master as well, and he has read many books regarding you. Perhaps, he might have a solution towards this problem!" Poison Master Bai explained.

"How many people from the headquarters have come here with you?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"It's just the both of us!" Poison Master Bai dared not lie to the founder of the Poison Hall.

"Just the both of you?" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief internally.

If it was only the both of them, this matter would still be under his control. He had already beguiled one over, so as long as he were to push a little harder, he should be able to win the trust of the other easily too.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan whipped out a gourd of fine wine and passed it over, "Invite him here. Tell him that this gourd of wine is a treat from me!"

"You are treating Poison Master Hai to a drink?" Poison Master Bai was perplexed.

"Indeed. There are some medicinal herbs contained within the medicine which might prove to useful to you all in furthering your cultivation." Zhang Xuan nodded with an empathetic look, seemingly showing earnest concern for his junior.

"It is useful in furthering one's cultivation? Then why would I..." Poison Master Bia was taken aback.

"Are you wondering why the wine is ineffective on you even though you have drunk it?" Seemingly seeing through the other party thoughts, Zhang Xuan said.

"This..." Having his thoughts pointed out, Poison Master Bai's face flushed in embarrassment.

He had already drunk the wine, but he hadn't felt any boost in his cultivation at all. However, as a junior, he wasn't in a position to question the other party's decisions.

"All medicinal herbs only work upon reaching a certain dosage. You have only drunk two mouthfuls, so naturally, the effects on you are minimal. As long as you drink a few more mouthfuls, the effects will become apparent to you."

Smiling, Zhang Xuan adopted an unfathomable image.

"Drink a few more mouthfuls?" Poison Master Bai was taken aback for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Indeed. Most medicinal herbs only worked their wonders after reaching a certain dosage. Considering that Zhang Xuan had only drunk two mouthfuls, it was inevitable that the effects would be not apparent.

With such thoughts in mind, he raised the wine gourd, which the other party had passed him a moment ago, and lifted it up. 'Gudong! Gudong!', the other party drank more than a dozen mouthfuls.

For one of their cultivation realm, as long as they didn't intend to get drunk, ordinary alcohol were ineffective on them.

After drinking, Poison Master Bai closed his eyes. As expected, a surge of warm energy began flowing out from his abdomen, headed towards his Yuanshen acupoint.

For several centuries, he had used all kinds of methods to attempt to break open his Yuanshen acupoint, only for his efforts to end in futility eventually. At this moment, when he felt the surge of warm energy flowing over, he began drawing the strength within his body towards the Yuanshen acupoint too. With a light knock, 'jiya', the seal on his Yuanshen acupoint actually shook.

"This..." Poison Master Bai's breathing hastened, and he nearly leaped up in agitation.

For someone of his level of cultivation, it was apparent what the shaking meant.

The seal of his Yuanshen acupoint was loosening! In other words, as long as he were to persevere on in the future, there might be a chance that he would be able to knock it open!

To think that a gourd of fine wine would actually achieve what his centuries of effort was unable to do, wasn't this wine a little too formidable?

"Is it effective?" Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan spoke in a leisurely yet unfathomable voice.

"Thank you, founder!" Poison Master Bai replied in agitation, awed by what he had just experienced.

After feeling the benefits the fine wine had towards him personally, he harbored no longer any doubts towards the gourd of wine anymore.

"Alright, you can leave now. I will be heading to the seventh floor now. Have Poison Master Hai drink the wine and look for me later on." Seeing that he had won the other party's trust, Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually and dismissed the other party.

"Yes!" Hurriedly nodding, Poison Master Bai left excitedly.

To him, this journey had brought him great rewards. Not only was he able to ascertain Sun Qiang's real identity, he was even able to reignite his confidence and obtain a mystical gourd of wine from the founder which could very well become the key for him to achieve a breakthrough in the future.

After sensing that the other party had left, Zhang Xuan waited for a moment longer before opening his eyes and standing up.

Beguiling a 7-star pinnacle poison master was no easy task, but it was fortunate that everything had gone smoothly.

The reason why he was able to fool the other party wasn't because the other party was too foolish, but that the effects of the Library of Heaven's Path and Heaven's Path zhenqi were simply too inconceivable, and Zhang Xuan had utilized them perfectly to catch the other party off guard.

On top of that, disguise had always been his forte. If he wished to, not even a 7-star master teacher could see through his disguise. Fooling a 7-star poison master wasn't anything much in comparison!

"Alright, hurry in..."

Knowing that it would take some time before Poison Master Hai arrived, Zhang Xuan decided to head straight for the seventh floor to gather the books first.

The books on the seventh floor were clearly much fewer, consisting of around a few thousand books. With a quick sweep of his gaze through the room, he collected all of them into his head.

After which, he sat onto the floor and began scanning through all of the books he had just collected. Not too long later, he shook his head with disappointment on his face.

There were at least a dozen books which had records on the Innate Poison Body, but they were extremely vague. Most of them only elaborated on how powerful the constitution was, but there was nothing about how one could control the poison aura and prevent it from leaking into the surroundings.

In other words, even after reading all of the books, he still hadn't found a solution to resolving Wei Ruyan's present condition.

"It seems like it will be impossible for me to find a solution directly through the records. I will just have to research it on my own..." Even though Zhang Xuan was disappointed, the didn't despair.

With all of the books regarding poison in the Library of Heaven's Path, there was no doubt that his comprehension of poison could reach at least 7-star pinnacle after he studied all of them, putting him on par or even beyond Poison Master Bai.

With such deep mastery in the Way of Poisons, he would be able to deduce plausible treatment methods for Wei Ruyan's condition.

But of course, to internalize all of the knowledge he had learnt and raise his understanding of poison from 3-star to 7-star, it would take several hours. Before then, he should listen to whatever Poison Master Hai had to say first.

Thus, Zhang Xuan sat down and began to wait. Not too long later, Poison Master Bai returned with an old man following behind him.

The old man was even taller than Poison Master Bai, and the aura around him was overwhelming. He was a powerful Saint 4-dan pinnacle expert as well.

At this moment, the other party was looking at him deferentially, without much of a doubt in his eyes. Most likely, he must have already heard about the matter from Poison Master Bai.

It seemed like the other party had deep trust in Poison Master Bai's judgement. This was definitely for the best. He would be spared from the effort of putting on another act to convince the other party to submit to him.

Walking up to Zhang Xuan, Poison Master Hai bowed deeply and said, "I have indeed read on a book that those possessing the Innate Poison Body can bring disaster to those around them, and vaguely, I recall seeing the treatment method for the issue on the same book as well!

"The treatment will require the cooperation of many poison masters. A unique formation will be set up to convert the poison aura accumulated within the host's body into energy which one could utilize to achieve a breakthrough... If the treatment were to succeed, not only would the host be able to resolve the threats of the Innate Poison Body, one would also be able to advance one's cultivation by leaps and bounds!"

"Unique formation?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Do you know what kind of formation it is?"

"I am not too sure about it myself either. However, those of the headquarters are bound to have heard of it. Also, if I were to recall correctly, the collaboration of 8-star and even 9-star poison masters would be required in driving the formation!" Poison Master Hai said with a frown on his forehead.

"The collaboration of 8-star and 9-star poison masters..." Zhang Xuan's complexion darkened as a dark shadow gloomed over his eyes.

Putting aside the fact that he had nowhere to find such powerful poison masters, even if he were to find one, there was no way he would be able to beguile the other party into helping him given his current strength!

What founder or that sort, those were all nonsense! It was only through using the information detailed in the Library of Heaven's Path that he was able to induce Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai to believe in him. Such a method wouldn't work on true experts, no matter how well his acting was!

"Yes!" Poison Master Hai nodded. "Only a poison master of that caliber would be able to gather the poison aura emanated by the Innate Poison Body and complement it with various poisons so as to concoct it into something that could raise the host's cultivation swiftly. Once the process succeeds, breakthroughs will become as easy as drinking water, and the day that you return to your peak state won't be too far away as well."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Even though he hadn't internalized all of the books in the Library of Heaven's Path yet, he had already browsed through all of the books regarding the Innate Poison Body amongst them, granting him a deeper understanding of the matter.

With the steady consumption of poison, those possessing the Innate Poison Body would find it harder and harder to suppress the poison aura within their body. However, if there were poison masters in the area who could gather all of her poison aura together and refine it with various medicinal herbs, it could indeed become a powerful force that would allow one to achieve breakthroughs at an astounding pace.

At this point, Poison Master Hai suddenly looked at Zhang Xuan hesitantly and asked, "Founder... Are you intending on using this body to regain your strength?"

"What's wrong?" Noticing the peculiar edge in the other party's tone, Zhang Xuan frowned.

"It's nothing much, but... founder, aren't you a female? Why are you using a male body instead..." Poison Master Hai said awkwardly.

"Female?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He knew that the founder of the Poison Hall did possess the Innate Poison Body, but thinking back, he had indeed never heard whether the other party was a male or a female... No wonder Poison Master Bai would doubt his identity!

"Wait, if the founder of the Poison Hall is truly a female, this will make things even more convenient for me..." A thought flashed across Zhang Xuan's mind, and his body began trembling in agitation.

Previously, he had been thinking about how he could bring Wei Ruyan into the picture without incurring the other party's doubts. However, if the founder was a female, this would make things convenient for him.

With a light chuckle, Zhang Xuan glanced at the duo. Even though his eyes were closed, Poison Master Hai still felt as if there were a sharp pair of eyes gazing on him. "I am indeed a female. It is out of no choice that I ended up depositing my soul on Sun Qiang's body. However... I have already found a body that complements my soul perfectly. However, due to certain circumstances, I will lose consciousness once I enter the body, thus losing control of the power in my body as well... This is the reason why I came to the Poison Hall in seek of help!"

"You have found a body that complements your soul?" Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai glanced at one another, surprised by what they had just heard.

"Indeed. Not only so, my soul is currently very weak. Once I were to possess the body, it is very likely that I will lose all memories. Unless I were to return back to my peak state, otherwise the other party will still be the leading consciousness. As such, I have been hesitating, not daring to make a move easily!" Zhang Xuan sighed.

"This..." The two poison masters frowned deeply.

They had never thought that there would be such extenuating circumstances surrounding this matter.

However, considering how their founder's soul had suffered the batter of time for several dozen millenniums, it wouldn't come as a surprise regardless whatever state it was in.

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Chapter 1009: Making Arrangements for Wei Ruyan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Actually, it does not matter whether you are able to return to the body of a female or not," Poison Master Bai persuaded.

As long as one was able to continue living, what did gender matter?

Besides, there were plenty of poison masters in the Poison Hall who had their gender mixed up.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "That's what I thought at the start as well. However, this body is not compatible with my Poison Soul Constitution. At this rate, I will gradually grow weaker, and it won't take long before I am completely dead. Thus, regardless of whether I will lose my memory because of the possession or not, this is something that I will have to do. This is... my only opportunity!"

Based on what Poison Master Hai had said, it was apparent that he would require the help of the Poison Hall headquarters to help resolve Wei Ruyan's condition.

However, the Poison Hall was ultimately different from the Master Teacher Pavilion. If he were to send her there without any arrangements beforehand, there was a good chance that things could go awry.

After all, the Innate Poison Body was simply too fearsome. It was only a matter of time for a person of such a constitution to rise to the position of the head of the Poison Hall. However, how could the incumbent hall master be willing to relinquish his power so easily?

In order to prevent any accidents from happening, Zhang Xuan felt that it would be safer to give her a formidable identity first... the founder of the Poison Hall!

With such an identity protecting her, even the incumbent hall master would not dare touch her!

But of course, it was likely that Wei Ruyan would be unable to follow up with his lie once she woke up, so there was a good chance that she might inadvertently leak the truth. As such, he had made sure to tell them in advance that she would lose her memory. As for the founder's memory returning after returning to her peak state...

Once Wei Ruyan achieved such strength, whether she had really recovered her memory or not... who would dare to utter a word against her?

Knowing that the founder was bound to have a mission for them, considering how the other party had gone through the effort of explaining this matter to them, Poison Master Bai looked at her and asked with a determined glint in his eyes, "Founder, is there anything that you need us to do? As long as it is within our means, the both of us will even brave the fires of Hell to accomplish it for you!"

Poison Master Hai also nodded grimly in agreement.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan's standing in the hearts of the two was comparable to what Kong shi was in the hearts of the master teachers. To be able to work for her was their greatest pride, and they wouldn't back down even in the face of death.

"I don't need you to brave the fires of Hell for me. However, I do have something that I need you to help me with." At this point, Zhang Xuan paused for a moment as he gazed at the duo before continuing. "I will be moving my soul into the body of a girl I have already prepared beforehand, but as soon as I do that, I will fall into an unconscious state. If... it is possible for the both of you, I hope that you can take me back to the Poison Hall headquarters and help me regain my strength as soon as possible!"

"This... Founder, rest assured. We will definitely accomplish it for you!"

They had been wondering what she would ask for, but upon hearing that this was the other party's request, the two poison masters nodded.

If the headquarters were to learn that they had found the founder and brought her back, they would surely be handsomely rewarded for their immense contribution to the Poison Hall. Thus, it could be said that this job was not only not a hassle, it could even be considered a huge opportunity for them.

"Don't be fooled into thinking that this will be an easy task!" But seemingly having seen through their thoughts, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "After I successfully possess the other party's body, my soul will fall into a coma. This means that I will continuously emit a poisonous aura around me. If you remain in close proximity to me, there is no doubt that you will be heavily poisoned as well!"

With grim looks on their faces, the duo straightened their posture and swore solemnly, "As long as it is a command from you, we will definitely accomplish it even if death is what we will face!"

While poison masters were not as concerned with rules and principles as master teachers, they would go to any lengths to protect their lineage and dignity.

"Don't worry, you won't face death. I will forge some pills tonight for you to ward off the poisonous aura. Once you feel like you are going to succumb to the poisonous aura, swallow one, and it should be able to neutralize the poisonous aura accumulated in your body thus far." After which, Zhang Xuan paused for a brief moment before adding, "Also, I will be imparting an even more profound poison cultivation technique and poison art to you. At the same time, I will think of a way to help the both of you achieve a breakthrough to Saint 5-dan."

"Thank you, Founder!" With their eyes widening and breathing hastening in agitation, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai hurriedly clasped their fists and bowed deeply in gratitude.

Who was the person before them?

The founder of the Poison Hall!

The other party was the person who had founded the Poison Hall, leaving behind the heritage of the poison masters. For them to actually be so privileged as to receive the guidance from a figure like the other party directly... this was something they could never have dreamed of!

"There is no need to get happy too early. To obtain my heritage, you will have to acknowledge me as your teacher. Also, in order to ensure that no accidents occur, I will have Sun Qiang control your souls. If you intend me any harm, death will fall swiftly upon you!" Zhang Xuan continued gravely.

This was not a matter of whether he trusted the other party or not. He had to ensure that not the slightest harm came to Wei Ruyan!

As the saying goes, a layer of skin conceals a human's heart.

Furthermore, a constitution as rare as the Innate Poison Body was surely desired by many.

Thus, Zhang Xuan felt that while it was imperative to offer them some benefits to them to win their loyalty, he had to also prepare some measures to ensure that the other party didn't betray him.

Knowing what the founder was worrying over, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai clasped their fists and declared affirmatively, "Founder, rest assured. Our loyalty toward you is unwavering!"

Becoming the disciple of the founder was, for a poison master, similar to becoming the disciple of Kong shi. They would possess a standing above countless poison masters, such that even if they were to encounter 9-star poison masters, the other party would have to behave obediently before them, not daring to offend or disrespect them in the least.

"There is no need for you to give me your answer that quickly. I will give you some time to consider the matter. You can give me your response at midnight today," said Zhang Xuan with a casual wave of his hands.

"This... Yes!" The duo glanced at one another before nodding.

"Alright. For the time being, I don't wish for anyone to learn of my matter, so make sure you keep your lips sealed. Otherwise, if the poison on the both of you isn't neutralized in time, I can promise you that you won't live past tomorrow!" Zhang Xuan said with a cold harrumph, his voice laced with threat.

The two poison masters clasped their fists and replied hurriedly. "Founder, rest assured. Not a word of this matter will come from our mouths!"

"Un. You are dismissed!" After saying his piece, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and fell silent.

Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai turned around and left.

After the both of them left, Zhang Xuan slowly opened his eyes once more.

If the both of them could achieve breakthroughs and become 8-star poison masters, Wei Ruyan would be in a much safer position in their care.

After sorting out the books in his head and compiling them into the respective Heaven's Path Poison Art manuals, Zhang Xuan slowly made his way out of the Compendium Hall.

At this moment, Elder Xu, Ruo Qingyuan, and the others were waiting outside. Upon seeing that Zhang Xuan had left the Compendium Hall, they hurriedly relayed orders to their men to prepare a banquet to host him.

After feasting at the banquet, Zhang Xuan was shown to a new, grander accommodation. As soon as he was left alone, he entered the Myriad Anthive Nest and began reading through the Heaven's Path Poison Art.

The reason he had told the other party to return at midnight was because he hadn't internalized these books yet. There was no way he could offer guidance to the both of them in his current state.

Starting from the 3-star Heaven's Path Poison Art, he gradually moved on to the 4-star, 5-star...

Cultivating as he read, his understanding of poison widened and deepened significantly.

After some time, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas. A sharp but sinister shimmer flickered across Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Immense knowledge regarding poisons ranging from 3-star to 7-star was now imprinted deeply in his brain, becoming his own capability.

At this moment, in terms of comprehension of poison, even Poison Master Bai would be no match for him. He might even be a match for some 8-star poison masters!

Of course, due to his lacking cultivation, it would be impossible for him to take the 8-star poison master examination at the moment. In fact, even the 7-star emblem, which Ruo Qingyuan had applied for on his behalf, was only at 'quasi 7-star'.

While poison master was considered a Lower Nine Paths occupation, there was still a strict cultivation requirement on rank promotion, just like most Upper Nine Paths occupations such as master teacher and beast tamer.

To become a real 7-star poison master, one's cultivation had to be at Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm at the very minimum. To become an 8-star poison master, the requirement was for one to possess the cultivation of Saint 5-dan. This was a fixed requirement, and there was no one who had the authority to alter the rules.

However, Zhang Xuan wasn't bothered by his poison master ranking.

The main reason the Poison Hall was so strict on the cultivation requirement on rank promotion was due to the risks in concocting higher-grade poisons. Without a sufficiently high cultivation, a poison master could very well injure themself or die as a result of attempting to concoct something beyond their current strength.

However, possessing the Heaven's Path zhenqi, Zhang Xuan was impervious to all poison, so such a problem didn't apply to him.

Of course, this didn't mean that cultivation wasn't important to a poison master who was impervious to poison. Even if a poison master could concoct the most potent poison in the world, if they weren't strong enough to plant the poison on their opponent, it would be futile too.

Taking the current Zhang Xuan for example, the Heaven's Path zhenqi was indubitably an extremely frightening poison. However, to poison a Saint 4-dan expert to death, he still had to rely on disguising himself and tricking the other party to consume it of their own accord. With his current strength, it was impossible for him to beat his zhenqi into his opponent's body directly.

This was also why it was still very dangerous for him to confront a Saint 4-dan directly.

Just the ability to concoct poison wasn't enough. Being able to utilize it against one's opponent to subdue him was what made a true expert!

Despite everything I have learnt, I still cannot come up with a treatment method to resolve Wei Ruyan's condition. However, with my current means, I should still be able to stabilize her condition for around half a year to a year. With this period of time, it should suffice for her to make the journey to the Poison Hall headquarters! Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Even though the Heaven's Path Poison Art he had compiled from the books in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall contained incomparably deep and profound knowledge, greatly benefiting him, it still didn't grant him the capability to solve the complications regarding the Innate Poison Body.

However, while he was unable to cure the root of the problem, he was more than capable of delaying the worsening of the condition.

Standing up, Zhang Xuan walked up to Wei Ruyan. He began driving the Heaven's Path zhenqi in his body, turning it into lethal poison.

It was futile to deal with the Innate Poison Body using nourishment medicinal herbs that reinforced one's foundation. The only thing that worked was poison!

Back then, Wei Changfeng had been aware of the details regarding the matter, and Wei Ruyan's unique constitution hadn't awakened entirely either, so no one was any wiser about her condition. Out of concern for his daughter's condition, Wei Changfeng had been feeding her all kinds of medicinal herbs ever since she was young, but this had only served to worsen her affliction. Had Wei Ruyan not met him, she would have long succumbed to her affliction.

Taking a deep breath, a grim look surfaced in Zhang Xuan's eyes. Maneuvering his fingers adeptly as if he was playing the pipa 1 , he nimbly shot surges of his lethal Heaven's Path zhenqi into each and every acupoints all over Wei Ruyan's body.

Shortly after these surges of zhenqi seeped into Wei Ruyan's body, her pale face began to gradually regain a slightly red glow.

Even though she was still unable to regain her consciousness, she was finally in a safe and stable condition, at least in the short-term.

Knowing that the other party would be fine for around a year, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a thought, he drew his soul out of his glabella.

"Soul Guiding Art!"

After which, his massive soul began forming several hand seals, and before long, he succeeded in severing a fragment of his soul. That fragmented soul dove straight into Wei Ruyan's glabella.

This student of his had been ill as long as she could remember. Living under the protection of her father's wings, she had an innocent personality that was incapable of scheming against others. If she were to head into the Poison Hall headquarters, a place where even master teachers would tremble in fear before, without any protection, she would surely have a layer of her skin shed at minimum.

Thus, after much consideration, Zhang Xuan decided to leave a fragment of his soul with the other party to assist her in times of need.

After that was done, he fell into deep contemplation once more. He hesitated for a brief moment before eventually taking out the only golden page that he had left. With a tap of his finger, he sent it into the other party's glabella.

This was the golden page that had formed when School Head Jiang Qingqin acknowledged him as his teacher. All along, he couldn't bring himself to use it. However, if it could be exchanged for the safety of his student, he was more than willing to do so.

After doing so, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief before moving his soul back into his physical body.

What Zhang Xuan had left was just a mindless soul fragment made up purely of intent, on top of which, there had been an exchange of soul essence between the both of them before. As such, Wei Ruyan's body didn't instinctively reject Zhang Xuan's soul fragment. It dove into the other party's mind, hiding itself in the depths of the other party's consciousness. Even the strongest of person wouldn't be able to sense the presence of his soul. In fact, as long as Zhang Xuan willed it so, this student of his wouldn't be aware of the matter either.

The concern that a teacher had for their students need not be made known to the student. The only thing that teachers expected from their students was for them to better themselves, and that was why they could push on despite being misunderstood or unappreciated by their students. As long as their efforts could help the latter and help them achieve greatness, they would feel relieved and gladdened from the bottom of their hearts.

This was not foolishness. This was because there was a single belief that was even heavier than the greatest of mountains in the world driving them...

They are teachers!

Chapter 1010: Death of the Hall Master

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Being a teacher was a responsibility, as well as a set of principles that one had sworn to abide by.

From the moment he comprehended the Heart of the Teacher, the true meaning of being a teacher had been imprinted deep in Zhang Xuan's mind, and he had never forgotten about it, not even for the briefest moment.

And at this point, he had indeed displayed it through his own actions.

To his direct disciples, he would impart whatever he felt would benefit them without any reservations 1 , achieving the true essence of 'selflessness in teachings'.

After settling Wei Ruyan, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out two bottles of foundation reinforcing nourishment pills. With a tap of his finger, he infused several surges of Heaven's Path zhenqi into it.

Typically speaking, the consumption of these pills shouldn't have any effects on a Saint 4-dan expert. However, with his Heaven's Path zhenqi infused into it, it was no longer an ordinary pill; it had become a divine medicine that could cure any injury and neutralize all poisons.

Furthermore, as the zhenqi was deposited into a nourishment pill, it would be nurtured by it, thus allowing to exist for extended periods of time outside of Zhang Xuan's body without dissipating.

This was dissimilar to when he infused his Heaven's Path zhenqi into a wine gourd.

Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Each jade bottle has ten pills. It should be enough for the duo to make the journey to the Poison Hall and overcome whatever challenges come their way!

These pills were prepared for Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai. Since Zhang Xuan had decided to have them protect Wei Ruyan, he had to ensure that they wouldn't be poisoned to their deaths.

After doing all of that, Zhang Xuan took out an empty book and brush, and wrote out a manual on a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Poison Art. After which, he contemplated over Poison Master Bai's condition for a moment and tailored a unique formula to resolve the issues the other party was facing. Only then did he finally back out from his Anthive Nest and return to the courtyard of his accommodation.

With everything he had been up to, it was already night by the time he returned. Despite the immense quantity of zhenqi he wielded, he still couldn't help but feel exhausted.

Sitting on the ground, he drove the Heaven's Path Divine Art for several cycles before he finally recuperated from his weakness. Shortly after he was done, he heard knocking at his door.

It was midnight!

"Come in."

Right after those words were spoken, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai pushed the door open and walked in.

Kneeling on the ground, they began speaking with unwavering resolution in their eyes. "Founder, we have made up our minds. We are willing to undertake this mission!"

"Un. Since you have decided to aid me, I won't treat you poorly!" Zhang Xuan nodded, having known already that the other party would make such a choice. He accepted the parts of their souls they had offered before flicking his wrist to whip out the pills and cultivation technique manuals that he had prepared beforehand.

As soon as they laid their eyes upon the manuals, the breathing of the duo hastened.

As Saint 4-dan pinnacle experts who had been cultivating poison cultivation techniques ever since they were young, they could tell that despite the simplicity of the secret manual before their eyes, it was directed toward the very essence of the Way of Poison. If they were to follow the manual, it would be a walk in the park for them to successfully concoct and control a grade-8 poison!

Of course... the prerequisite was that he had to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation first!

"Bai Ting, this is the cultivation technique I have specially prepared for you beforehand. It can help you resolve the problem of your blocked Yuanshen acupoint. Cultivate strictly to it, and you will be able to achieve a breakthrough very soon!"

After saying those words, Zhang Xuan passed a secret manual over.

Without a Saint 4-dan Heaven's Path Divine Art, he couldn't impart a cultivation technique to the other party and allow him to achieve a breakthrough immediately. However, through the Library of Heaven's Path, he could still analyze the other party's flaws and design a solution to resolving the issue.

In simple terms, the secret manual that he had just passed to Poison Master Bai didn't contain a cultivation technique but a treatment method tailored to the other party's condition.

As long as the other party cultivated according to the manual, the issue of his sealed Yuanshen acupoint would be resolved. Once that impediment was gone, considering the massive accumulation from cultivating diligently over many years, the other party would be able to achieve an instantaneous breakthrough.

After instructing Bai Ting to cultivate it properly, Zhang Xuan turned to Poison Master Hai and said, "Hai Jinming, execute a fist art!"

Knowing that the other party was going to offer him personal guidance too, Hai Jinming hurriedly executed a battle technique.

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path. After studying it carefully, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation to deduce a feasible solution before imparting it to the other party verbally.

As he was facing the duo with his eyes closed, it would be troublesome for him to write it down on paper. Thus, he decided to impart it verbally instead.

On the other hand, after hearing the content that Zhang Xuan was speaking of, Hai Jinming couldn't help but be astonished and impressed at the same time.

Just a single fist, and the other party was already able to see through the flaws and problems in his cultivation. In less than an incense's time 2 , the other party had already tailored a cultivation technique. Most probably, only the founder of the Poison Hall, who had been able to stand toe-to-toe with Kong shi in battle, would be capable of such an incredible feat!

Boom!

Before the sky even lit up, a resounding buzz echoed in the air. Bai Ting's body jolted, and an immense Primordial Spirit floated out from his body, bringing radiance to the surroundings. Its presence carried a domineering pressure on those standing before it.

Saint 5-dan, Leaving Aperture realm!

Leaving Aperture realm was the cultivation realm where a cultivator would be able to draw their Primordial Spirit out through an aperture in their body and roam the world freely. Even if their body were to meet with demise, they would still be able to exist as a Primordial Spirit. While the cultivator's lifespan would be significantly reduced existing in such a form, it was nevertheless an extremely incredible ability.

More importantly, one's Primordial Spirit would be further aligned with nature and the world, allowing it to draw even greater fighting prowess.

Every single cultivator who had reached this level wielded destructive fighting prowess that instilled deference and horror in others. It was also the fundamental requirement to reaching 8-star in most occupations, thus standing among the ranks of the top of the continent.

Not too long after Poison Master Bai made a breakthrough, the surrounding spiritual suddenly flurried once more, and Poison Master Hai's Primordial Spirit broke out from his body as well.

After cultivating the method that Zhang Xuan had tailored specifically for them, they were able to achieve breakthroughs back to back.

Retracting their Primordial Spirits back into their bodies, they walked up to Zhang Xuan and bowed deeply. At this moment, they were left with nothing but deep respect for the other party.

Even 9-star poison masters would be unable to resolve their conditions so easily and allow them to achieve a breakthrough so quickly, but the person before them had actually managed to achieve such a feat. Who else could the other party be other than the founder?

"Alright, stand guard for me outside. Don't allow anyone to interrupt me, and you aren't to peek either!" Ignoring the looks of admiration of the duo, Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

"Yes!" The two poison masters quickly backed out of the room. After which, Zhang Xuan swiftly set up an isolation barrier to prevent anyone who peering in before putting Wei Ruyan out.

After which, he waited patiently for daybreak before removing the formation and indicating for Bai Ting and Hai Jinming to enter.

"Poison masters!"

At this moment, even though Zhang Xuan still looked the same as ever, his cultivation and aura were only at the level of a Nascent Saint. At the same time, his eyes were also filled with innocence and purity, devoid of the domineering air of a conqueror from before.

Knowing that the soul of the founder had already left his body, the duo sighed internally as they clasped their fists to greet the man before them.

"Un. This is her... new body. You must make sure to accomplish the mission she has assigned to you!" Zhang Xuan said as he gestured toward Wei Ruyan.

"Rest assured, we will definitely have it done!" Nodding, the duo turned their gazes to Wei Ruyan, and a moment later, their faces reddened in agitation. "C-could it be... this young lady possesses the Innate Poison Body?"

"There is no doubt about it! Otherwise, there is no way she would be able to contain the poisonous soul of our ancestor!"

At this moment, Wei Ruyan's constitution had already been awakened, and she was continuously emanating a poisonous aura. As 7-star pinnacle poison masters, it was natural that they were able to recognize it.

They had been thinking that their founder had been forced to choose a random body to contain her soul, but who would have thought that the latter would have actually managed to find an Innate Poison Body! They could already imagine the great heights the Poison Hall could very well be brought to under the leadership of the powerful founder. Gone would be the days where they were forced to hide in the shadows of the world, as if rats scampering on the streets.

"Founder has said that you should leave this area and head to the Poison Hall headquarters as soon as possible. While her possession was successful, she has fallen into a deep coma as a result of that. She must be treated as soon as possible, and not even the slightest delay is acceptable!" Zhang Xuan instructed grimly.

Poison Master Bai nodded. "Our purpose here is to obtain a booklet from two thousand years ago. We have already instructed Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan to fetch it yesterday, so it should be arriving very soon. As soon as we obtain that item, we will leave immediately!"

Fetching the booklet from the Mausoleum of Hall Masters shouldn't take too much effort, so it was unlikely that it would take too long.

"Booklet?" Zhang Xuan asked with a doubtful look.

"Un. It is a booklet regarding an ancient domain in Firesource City. There are rumors going around saying that it will open very soon. Thus, the headquarters sent us here to procure it in the hope that we might find something from it!" Poison Master Bai said.

Even though the founder's soul was no longer in the other party, their souls were still under the other party's control, so they dared not conceal anything from the other party.

The booklet is concerning an ancient domain in Firesource City? Could it be... the map? Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

A while ago, he had heard from a message left behind by the old principal in the Mausoleum of Principals that there was a map of the ancient domain that was in the hands of the Poison Hall. It seemed like these two poison masters were here for it as well.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan asked, "Regarding the booklet you are speaking of, can you allow me to take a look at it after you obtain it? I won't even touch the booklet open, if that bothers you!"

As long as it was a book, the Library of Heaven's Path could replicate it perfectly just by laying his eyes on it. Even touch wasn't required anymore.

"Of course..." Poison Master Bai nodded.

The other party was a poison master as well, not to mention, he was also the first body that the founder had possessed. Besides, his life was held in the other party's hands. Putting aside taking a look at the booklet, even if the other party wanted to take it away, he wouldn't dare object to it.

"You have my gratitude." Smiling, Zhang Xuan was in the midst of his words when the ground abruptly shook violently. A dull rumbling echoed in the distance, as if something had collapsed.

"What is happening?" Alarmed, the trio hurriedly flew out of the room and turned their gazes in the direction that the uproar had come from. Taking a closer look, they noticed that a powerful shockwave had emanated from a mountain not too far away. It seemed like there were two powerful experts clashing with one another.

"That is the might of a Saint 4-dan expert," Poison Master Bai remarked with a deep frown.

"That is... where the Mausoleum of Hall Masters is! Quick, let's head over to take a look!"

The strongest expert in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was Ruo Qingyuan, who only possessed the cultivation of Saint 3-dan pinnacle. For the might of a Saint 4-dan to burst forth in the Poison Hall, it was apparent that something must have happened!

And most important of all, the ruckus originated from the Mausoleum of Hall Masters!

That was where the booklet was stored!

Sou! Sou! Sou!

With incomparably fast speed, it took merely the blink of an eye for them to arrive at the Mausoleum of Hall Masters. At this moment, the entire building had already collapsed. Vice Hall Master Xu and the others were standing not too far away with anxious looks on their faces.

"What happened?" Poison Master Bai asked.

"Reporting to Poison Master Bai, I am not too sure either. Last night, our hall master said that he was going to the Mausoleum of Hall Masters to retrieve something, and he instructed us to wait here. But despite waiting for so long, he still hasn't returned yet," Vice Hall Master Xu said with dread.

"He still hasn't returned yet? There is no doubt about it, something must have happened to him. Let's hurry in to take a look!" Frowning, Poison Master Bai rushed into the Mausoleum of Hall Masters without any hesitation.

Poison Master Hai and Zhang Xuan followed closely behind.

Upon seeing them enter, Vice Hall Master Xu and the others hesitated for a moment before clenching their jaws and following them in as well.

According to the rules, the Mausoleum of Hall Masters could only be accessed by the incumbent hall master of the branch. Despite being esteemed elders, they were unqualified to enter the premises. However, in the face of such a major crisis, they could only forgo conventions for the time being.

Upon entering, the elders noted that the entire mountain slope was filled with towering and majestic tombs, and the hall masters of each generation were buried in each of them. Inscribed on the tombstones in front of the tombs were the outstanding contributions they had made to the Poison Hall.

Not too long later, they caught up with Poison Master Bai, Poison Master Hai, and 'Sun Qiang'. At this point, they had already come to a halt. Standing right before a huge depression, the trio had an awful complexion on their faces.

Following the gazes of the trio, Vice Hall Master Xu's eyes narrowed in astonishment as his face turned ghastly pale. "Hall Master..."

At the very center of the depression lay Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan, his body crimson with fresh blood.

Quickly flying over to help the Ruo Qingyuan up, Vice Hall Master Xu realized that the other party had already stopped breathing. Judging from the other party's injuries, it seemed like he had been killed with a single palm strike. In fact, it seemed like the huge depression in the ground had been caused by the same palm strike.

"Our hall master... is dead?"

The faces of the many elders paled in horror.

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Chapter 1011: Earthleaf King

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

At this very moment, Ruo Qingyuan's heart had already stopped. His already wounded body was withered, creating the impression that his skin was just clinging off his bones. His eyes were bulging from their sockets, as if he had witnessed something horrifying. His right fist was tightly clenched around a bottle of poison, but it seemed like he hadn't had a chance to use it before he was killed.

"Is that it?"

Gazing at the scene from above, Poison Master Bai seemed to have noticed something from examining the corpse, so he turned to Poison Master Hai to seek his opinion on the matter.

"Yes, it seems so..." The latter nodded his head grimly.

"Exactly what I thought!" Poison Master Bai narrowed his eyes, and with a tone that felt as sharp as a knife, dripping with bone-chilling killing intent, he spat, "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe..."

Upon hearing those words, Zhang Xuan frowned. "You are saying that... Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan was killed by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?"

While the reputation of poison masters wasn't good, they hadn't sided with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe entirely back during the war, and they hadn't been in contact with them ever since. Otherwise, no matter how deep the Poison Hall had hidden, the Master Teacher Pavilion would surely have found and eradicated them completely.

Considering that they hadn't been in contact, it was bizarre that an Otherworldly Demon would suddenly appear here and even kill a hall master. What was going on?

Furthermore, hearing the other party's tone, it seemed as if they had already confirmed the matter.

Poison Master Bai nodded as he explained, "Hall Master Ruo's corpse is withered; this shows that his blood essence has been sapped dry. That is an ability that only the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe possesses."

"His blood essence was sapped dry?" Activating his Eye of Insight, he turned his gaze toward Hall Master Ruo's corpse once more to examine it, and his complexion turned incredibly awful.

Just as the other party had said, the hall master's blood essence had indeed been devoured by something. It was extremely horrifying.

Blood essence was the foundation of a human's vitality. For it to have been forcefully sapped dry, the excruciating pain that Hall Master Ruo had suffered in the process was unimaginable. This was an extremely vicious method of murdering another!

"This is the offensive means of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

While he had faced quite a number of Otherworldly Demons to date, more often than not, he had been able to kill his opponent before the other party had been able to make a move against him. As such, he didn't really have much of an understanding regarding the callous means utilized by the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. However, in the moment that he saw the corpse of Hall Master Ruo, he finally understood why the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was so deeply feared by all of the races, including the humans.

To sap all of a person's blood essence was no different from eradicating one's existence. No proficiency in the Way of Medicine could bring back a man who had lost his blood essence.

A thought flashed across Poison Master Bai's mind, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "The Otherworldly Demons must be here to snatch the booklet!"

For an Otherworldly Demon to have struck the moment Ruo Qingyuan entered the Mausoleum of Hall Masters to retrieve the booklet... it couldn't possibly have been a coincidence.

Hearing Poison Master Bai's analysis, Poison Master Hai nodded grimly in agreement as a sharp glint flashed across his eyes. "Considering that we heard Ruo Qingyuan's voice not too long ago, it is apparent that it hasn't been long since he was killed. Most likely, the murderer should still be in the vicinity. If we give chase right now, we might still be able to catch up with that scoundrel."

Right after saying those words, Poison Master Hai immediately scanned his surroundings with an intent gaze, seemingly trying to make out the location of the fleeing Otherworldly Demon. A moment later, he shook his head helplessly.

The Otherworldly Demon might have fled hurriedly right after killing Hall Master Ruo in a single strike, but he had also made sure to erase his trail so that no one would be able to follow him easily. Considering how big the island was and how powerful the Otherworldly Demon seemed to be, it would be impossible for them to catch up with the other party if they were to get the direction wrong at first.

"Let me take a look!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes as he began scanning the surroundings.

They had rushed over at top speed right after hearing the commotion, but typically speaking, there shouldn't have been time for the Otherworldly Demon to get too far away.

As long as the Otherworldly Demon hadn't left the island yet, it would be possible to catch up with and subdue the other party with the strength that Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai's possessed, allowing them to exact vengeance for Hall Master Ruo.

Studying the depression carefully with the Eye of Insight, it didn't take long for a faint trail to appear in Zhang Xuan's sight.

"The Otherworldly Demon went that way!" Zhang Xuan pointed.

"That way?"

Upon seeing the direction that Zhang Xuan was pointing at, Poison Master Bai and the others couldn't help but be perplexed.

The direction pointed was the very direction they had come from.

On their way to the Mausoleum of Hall Masters, they hadn't seen anyone escaping. Furthermore, considering that they were in the base of the Poison Hall, shouldn't the assassin have been trying everything in his means to escape at this very moment? To be heading to the heart of their base at this very moment instead of fleeing, wasn't the other party courting death?

It was not that they were unwilling to trust this 'Sun Qiang' person, but without the will of the founder, the other party was a mere Nascent Saint cultivator. It was indeed a little difficult to believe that he was capable of tracking down the trail of a Saint 4-dan expert when even a Saint 5-dan expert like Poison Master Hai was helpless before the matter.

"Follow me!"

The booklet could very well disappear forever should they allow the murderer to escape with it. Knowing that there was no time for an explanation, he hurriedly beckoned the others to follow him before flying in the direction of the trail.

Seeing how affirmative the other party was, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai decided to toss aside their doubts for the moment and hurriedly pursued 'Sun Qiang'.

Not too long after leaving the Mausoleum of Hall Masters, Zhang Xuan suddenly came to a halt. He scanned his surroundings carefully, and a deep frown emerged on his forehead.

The Otherworldly Demon was extremely cunning. There had still been a trail a moment ago, but it had abruptly disappeared at this point. Even through his Eye of Insight, there was no sign of the other party anywhere.

However, this sufficed to show that the Otherworldly Demon didn't have any time to get away yet and could very well be hiding in the area.

"Where is he?"

The surroundings were mainly flat. There were a couple of low-lying buildings and miscellaneous plants scattered around the area, but from the sky, it was possible to catch a bird's eye view of everything easily. If the other party was truly in the area, there was nowhere he could hide himself.

"Unless..." Zhang Xuan lowered his head as his eyes narrowed.

Since the other party was neither in the sky nor on the ground, that only left a single possibility... the other party was underground!

However, there was not a hole to be found on the ground. There didn't seem to be any way they could get into the ground to pursue the other party.

Noticing Zhang Xuan directing a doubtful gaze on the ground, Poison Master Bai walked up to him and asked, "What? Are you suspecting that the Otherworldly Demon is hiding underground?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded. "The trail ends right here. Other than underground, I cannot think of anywhere else."

"This isn't a difficult problem to resolve. To know whether the other party is underground or not, we just have to check it a little," Poison Master Bai replied.

In the next moment, a brilliant glow emanated from his Yuanshen acupoint as a figure that shared the same facial features as Poison Master Bai slipped out from it.

Separation of the Primordial Spirit from the physical body!

With a light movement, Poison Master Bai's Primordial Spirit slipped into the ground and disappeared from sight.

Primordial Spirits were similar to souls in many ways. Unlike physical bodies, they were capable of warping their form freely, allowing them to pass through most impediments easily. As tough as the ground was, there were still small pores in between that allowed a Primordial Spirit to slip in easily.

Hong long!

Not too long after Poison Master Bai's Primordial Spirit descended into the ground, the crowd suddenly felt the earth beneath their feet shaking violently. Following which, a figure abruptly burst out with a resounding explosion.

"Where do you think you are escaping to?"

As soon as that figure appeared, Poison Master Hai responded swiftly and charged up with a deafening bellow. Gathering immense strength in his hands, he formed a massive palm, which tore down the buildings and trees in the surroundings before it could even strike the ground.

At this moment, Poison Master Hai was already a Saint 5-dan expert. Even the most casual of actions from him wielded the strength to move mountains and split oceans, making it hard for anyone to stand against him.

Hu!

Upon seeing the devastating attack launched by Poison Master Hai, the figure knew that he would surely die if he were to be struck by the attack. Thus, he curled himself into a bundle in the sky and descended like a streak of lightning back to the ground.

The speed he was moving at was even faster than when he had leaped out from the ground earlier.

Hula!

Falling toward the ground at such unbelievable speed, everyone thought that the figure would surely incur severe injuries upon impact. Yet, contrary to all expectations, the figure disappeared into the ground as if a water droplet falling into a pile of sand, disappearing within the soil in the blink of an eye.

"This is... the Art of Earth Traversing!" Poison Master Hai exclaimed in shock.

His strike had created a huge hole in the ground, but the enemy was nowhere to be seen. Alarmed, his eyes narrowed warily.

"Art of Earth Traversing?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully, having never heard of the name before.

"It is an ability that runs through a unique bloodline that grants one's body the ability to travel freely underground just like a Primordial Spirit, never hindered by anything in one's path." After swiftly explaining the matter to Zhang Xuan, Poison Master Hall bellowed loudly, "Bai Ting, you chase him beneath. I will wait above and strike him as soon as he surfaces. No matter what, we can't allow that fellow to escape!"

"Alright!" Beneath the ground, Poison Master Bai's voice sounded.

Moving in the form of his Primordial Spirit, he could travel freely through the pores of the earth. With two Saint 5-dan experts collaborating with one another, one working on the surface and the other one beneath the ground, it would be impossible for the enemy to escape even if he possessed the ability to traverse through earth freely!

Boom boom boom!

A series of intense tremors struck the area, and various buildings in the area fell easily as if they were simply piles of hay. Examining the situation from the sky, Zhang Xuan and the others couldn't help but feel as if there were two mighty dragons clashing with one another beneath the ground, creating huge shockwaves through the ground with each blow they traded.

Huge cracks emerged on the surface, and they swiftly crept along the surface, covering more and more ground. A turbid gush of smoke burst forth from a couple of these cracks, and the temperature in the area rose. Soon, the smoke dissipated to reveal flurrying lava within the cracks.

Poison Master Bai had barely made the breakthrough to Saint 5-dan just a moment ago, so he was still unable to control his strength perfectly. It was one thing to battle in the sky, but to clash beneath the ground... This was indubitably bringing a catastrophe upon the Poison Hall!

If the battle between Zhang Xuan's physical body and Hall Master Ruo had resulted in the loss of precious historical architecture of the Poison Hall, the battle between Poison Master Bai and the Otherworldly Demon would be no different from bringing utter ruination upon the Poison Hall!

The trembling earth felt as if a massive beast had come to life, reducing innumerable exquisitely designed buildings to rubble.

Sou!

After a long period of time, a figure finally darted out of the earth once more. This time, his movement wasn't as nimble as before. As soon as he appeared, he spurted a mouthful of blood, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

Poison Master Hai, who had been waiting patiently outside for the prey to be driven over to his side, swiftly spread open his fingers and grabbed forward. Numerous surges of zhenqi crossed with one another to form a firm cage around the figure, sealing the other party's movements.

"As expected, it really is an Otherworldly Demon!" At this point, Zhang Xuan finally got a clear look at the other party's appearance, and a deep frown surfaced on his forehead.

The other party bore some semblance to the Goldenleaf King and the other Otherworldly Demon Kings he had killed before. On top of that, the other party emanated a sharp aura, which clearly revealed his Saint 4-dan cultivation.

The Violetleaf King discreetly sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan discreetly from the Myriad Anthive Nest. "Young Master, that person is the Earthleaf King! He is also one of the Ten Great Kings of our Qingtian Lineage. His fighting prowess might be beneath mine, but he possesses the ability of earth traversing, allowing him to easily escape from any crises. He is our most capable scout!"

The Violetleaf King was a Saint 4-dan expert, so as long as Zhang Xuan permitted him to, the other party could easily extend his Spiritual Perception beyond the Myriad Anthive Nest to detect what was happening in the area.

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask, "Earthleaf King? Another one of the Ten Great Kings? Why would he be here?"

He seemed to be meeting the Ten Great Kings of the Qingtian Lineage everywhere he went. So far, he had already encountered half of them, and he had successfully killed or forced them to submit to him thus far.

Honestly speaking, had Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai not made a breakthrough to Saint 5-dan, there was no way they would have been able to capture the other party, considering the other party's ability to travel freely underground.

After a moment of contemplation, the Violetleaf King revealed his deduction. "My guess is that the Qingtian Emperor didn't feel secure entrusting the vital mission of acquiring the map to me and the Waterleaf King, so just to be safe, he secretly sent the Earthleaf King over to carry out the mission should the both of us fail. Most likely, the fellow must have followed you and Elder Xu here!"

The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was unaware of the location of the Poison Hall, or else he and the Waterleaf King wouldn't have resorted to ordering the city lord to search for the Sepulture Flower all around the city to lure an elder of the Poison Hall to them.

Thus, for the Earthleaf King to suddenly appear in the Poison Hall, chances were that he had been trailing them all along.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "That's not necessarily so. I think that it is more likely that he might have gotten into the Poison Hall by following Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai."

Knowing that the Otherworldly Demons were after the map as well, Zhang Xuan had made sure to proceed very carefully when he left Jingyuan City. If there had been someone following him, he would have surely noticed it.

On the other hand, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai probably didn't think that there would be anyone following them, thus creating an opening for the Earthleaf King to exploit.

Had it been anyone else, the powerful formation of the Poison Hall would have surely kept them at bay. However, considering that it was the Earthleaf King who was skilled in the Art of Earth Traversing they were talking about, the other party just might have been able to burrow his way through the formation with relative ease.

After making his way into the Poison Hall, the Earthleaf King had been camping underground, not daring to make a reckless move in fear of the retaliation of the Poison Hall. It was only when he heard that Hall Master Ruo was going to acquire the booklet alone that he secretly followed the other party, striking the moment that the other party took out the booklet.

Based on what he had planned earlier, he had thought that he would surely be able to get away easily with his ability to traverse through earth. Yet, who could have thought that Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai would suddenly make breakthroughs overnight, thus granting them the strength to corner him, rendering him incapable of escaping.

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Chapter 1012: Hu Yunsheng's Horror

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It might sound complicated, but it wasn't too difficult to deduce the series of events after learning of the other party's identity.

While Zhang Xuan was in the midst of conversing with the Violetleaf King, Poison Master Bai's Primordial Spirit returned to his body before walking up to the Earthleaf King. With a tap of his finger, a unique poison seeped into the other party's body.

After which, with a wintry face that was devoid of the slightest warmth, he bellowed, "Who sent you here?"

"This is bad!"

Seeing Poison Master Bai forcefully interrogating the Earthleaf King, Zhang Xuan's face immediately warped in horror, and he hurriedly rushed forward to stop the other party. However, it was already too late. The trapped Earthleaf King forcefully clamped his jaws together, and his face immediately turned extremely red.

"Hahaha, you have fallen for our ploy..." Right after saying those words, the Earthleaf King's head fell powerlessly to the side. Fresh blood spurted from his every orifice as his breathing came to a halt.

Just like the Goldenleaf King and the Greenleaf King, the Earthleaf King also had a pill that contained lethal poison in his mouth. So that they wouldn't find themselves in a position where they had no choice but to spill the secrets of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, they would bite down on the pill and commit suicide were they to be captured.

Right after learning of the assailant's identity, Zhang Xuan had busied himself trying to deduce how the other party had managed to sneak into the Poison Hall, hoping to make sense of the story. However, he didn't think that Bai Ting would use poison against the other party while his attention was away, and that became the final push that forced the Earthleaf King to commit suicide. By the time he realized, it was already too late to intervene.

The poison was extremely potent, and it brought about near immediate death to the Otherworldly Demons. Even with Zhang Xuan's 7-star proficiency in the Way of Medicine, there was no way he could bring the already deceased Earthleaf King back to life.

"He said that we have fallen for his ploy?" Poison Master Bai scoffed coldly, thinking nothing of the other party's words.

It mattered not to him whether the other party had died here or not as long as the booklet he needed to procure for his mission was still around.

Walking up, he took the other party's storage ring and searched its interior, but soon, his complexion became incredibly awful.

Noticing Poison Master Bai's expression, Poison Master Hai asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"The booklet isn't in here!" Poison Master exclaimed anxiously.

"It isn't in there?" Poison Master Hai was astonished.

It was just a moment ago that the Otherworldly Demon had killed Hall Master Ruo and stolen the map, and the both of them had swiftly collaborated with one another to capture him shortly after. Given the short span of time between both events, there shouldn't have been any chance for the booklet to have left the other party's possession.

"Damn it, we have really fallen for their ploy! This fellow's goal was to lure us away!" Clenching his teeth tightly together, regret could be seen in the depths of Poison Master Bai's eyes.

Poison Master Hai and the others weren't fools either. They immediately realized what was going on after hearing those words.

It seemed like the one in charge of stealing the booklet was someone else. This fellow was probably intending on giving himself away from the very start even if Zhang Xuan hadn't found his trail so as to draw all attention to him, thus creating an opportunity for his companion to escape.

It had been ten minutes since the incident occurred, and if it was exactly as Poison Master Bai thought, the Earthleaf King's companion should have already gotten away from the Poison Hall by now. Once he entered the surrounding sea, it would be impossible to track him down anymore.

Naturally, it didn't take long for Zhang Xuan to come to the same conclusion as well. Just as his complexion turned awful, the Violetleaf King suddenly exclaimed with a trembling voice, "The culprit is probably... the Skyleaf King!"

"Skyleaf King?"

"Yes, he is the strongest of the Ten Great Kings of the Qingtian Lineage, as well as the one who boasts of the most brilliant mind of us all! His cultivation has reached Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm primary stage. He is the only one of us all who possesses the ability to enter and flee discreetly from the Poison Hall," the Violetleaf King explained.

"Leaving Aperture realm primary stage?" Zhang Xuan's face turned livid.

If that truly was the case, there was a really good chance that their deduction was true!

An expert of the Leaving Aperture realm could easily hide his physical body outside the island and sneak in with only his Primordial Spirit. Right after obtaining the map, the other party could swiftly flee without anyone noticing. Furthermore, in the form of a Primordial Spirit, the other party could move at an incredible speed, such that even a Saint 4-dan aerial saint beast would find it hard to catch up.

Not expecting for there to be such an expert among the Ten Great Kings of the Qingtian Lineage, Zhang Xuan hadn't thought of the possibility that his Eye of Insight might currently be too weak to uncover the enemy's trail. This had resulted in an opening for the enemy to exploit.

It seemed he would have to be more careful in the future.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan asked, "Who else is among the Ten Great Kings, and how powerful are they?"

Even though he had already taken down half of the Ten Great Kings, he still didn't have a concrete idea of who or how powerful they were so far. It sure was stifling for him to still know next to nothing about the opponents he was facing.

Of course, if the Qingtian Emperor were to learn of Zhang Xuan's current thoughts, he might just very well spurt a mouthful of blood on the spot.

Of his ten most capable subordinates, four of them had been killed through a scheme of some kind and one had ended up submitting to the enemy... and yet, the culprit behind all of it actually knew nothing about them at all.

If the culprit could already do this much despite knowing nothing about them, just what kind of calamity would befall them once the other party knew everything about them?

"The Goldenleaf, Greenleaf, Waterleaf, and Earthleaf are already dead. Other than me, the Skyleaf, Jadeleaf, Windleaf, Stoneleaf, and Fireleaf are still remaining. Of them, the Skyleaf King is the strongest of us all, and he is the head of the Ten Great Kings as well. The Jadeleaf King holds the title of being the second strongest of us all, possessing a cultivation of Half-Leaving Aperture realm. Following on are the Windleaf King, Stoneleaf King, and Fireleaf King. Each of them wields incredible might that is far beyond the rest of us. As such, they are known as the Upper Five Kings whereas the rest of us are known as the Lower Five Kings." Without any hesitation, the Violetleaf King spilled everything he knew about the Ten Great Kings.

After hearing the news, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Just dealing with the Lower Five Kings had already exposed him to grave danger on multiple occasions, but who could have thought that there would still be an Upper Five Kings above them. From the looks of it, they were determined to obtain the item in the ancient domain. Considering that they had even successfully obtained the map, there was a good chance that the humans would be placed in grave danger once the ancient domain opened once more.

Forget it, I will just have to deal with whatever comes my way!

There was no way Zhang Xuan could have predicted such a twist in the situation. At this point, there was nothing he could do anymore. The Skyleaf King had more than sufficient time to make his escape, making it nigh impossible for them to locate the other party. Taking a step back, even if they were able to find the Skyleaf King by some stroke of luck, there was no way that Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai, who had just made a breakthrough and hadn't had the opportunity to reinforce their cultivation yet, could be a match for the other party.

Less had to be said about Zhang Xuan himself.

With the Violetleaf King and the Otherworldly Demon puppets, he might still be able to subdue a Saint 4-dan expert. But against a Saint 5-dan expert... the wisest decision he could possibly make in such a situation was to flee as far as he could.

Leaving Aperture realm experts were capable of fighting with their Primordial Spirits, which made them very difficult opponents. Not only were Primordial Spirits capable of flitting through space at incredible speeds, they also wielded immense strength that made it impossible for normal cultivators to match them. Without reaching Saint 5-dan himself, it was impossible for any cultivator to face an expert of that caliber!

Master teachers prided themselves on their ability to match opponents stronger than them due to their discerning eyes, but the Leaving Aperture realm was too huge of a rift to bridge. The differences between a physical body and a Primordial Spirit were reminiscent of that between a mortal and a deity, a gap that could never be bridged.

Take Zhang Xuan's current situation for example, despite having yet to reach Saint realm, he was able to defeat Saint 2-dan Spiritual Perception realm experts, cultivators of two whole cultivation realms higher than him.

The capability to rival opponents stronger than himself wasn't too uncommon for those beneath Saint 5-dan, albeit it was often not as exaggerated as in Zhang Xuan's case. However, even if a genius of such caliber were to reach Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, it was unlikely that he would be able to match an ordinary Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator.

Not to mention, a Leaving Aperture realm expert could flee with their Primordial Spirit even if they were no match for their opponent. Those whose cultivation had yet to reach Saint 5-dan had no way of catching up at all. Putting everything aside, just the ability to travel through the ground, those who hadn't reached Leaving Aperture realm, with the exception of those who possessed unique bloodlines like the Earthleaf King, were incapable of doing such a thing.

On top of that, Primordial Spirits need not breathe. This meant that they could enter places with harsh conditions without fear, such as venturing into the depths of the ocean, a feat that those bound by their bodies would never be able to achieve.

While Zhang Xuan was conversing with the Violetleaf King, Poison Master Bai turned a grim look toward him and said, "The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has stolen the booklet and killed Hall Master Ruo on top of that. This matter must be reported to the headquarters immediately. Poison Master Sun, the both of us will be taking our leave first!"

Clearly, they also knew that it was unlikely that they would be able to find the other party. It would only be a waste of time if they continued searching the area. Thus, they felt that it would be much better for them to send the founder, who was in a dangerous position at the moment, back to the headquarters first.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

The hall master of the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall had been killed; such a huge organization couldn't go without a head for too long. Thus, the crowd unanimously voted Vice Hal Master Xu as the new hall master.

Zhang Xuan handed the Sepulture Flower over to Vice Hall Master Xu and offered him guidance on the concoction of grade-7 poisons so that the latter could make a breakthrough to become a 7-star poison master. After all was done, he heaved a sigh of relief.

With his aim at the Poison Hall accomplished, there was no longer any need for him to remain in the area. Thus, he stood up and bade everyone farewell before leaving with Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai.

The aerial saint beast that Poison Master Bai travelled on was extremely swift. In less than a day, Zhang Xuan had already returned to Jingyuan City.

After alighting from the saint beast, Zhang Xuan made the two poison masters promise him once more that they would put everything they had into protecting Wei Ruyan before he was willing to let them leave.

Students would eventually leave their teachers; Wei Ruyan was no exception to the rule.

Even the most ferocious of eagles would never be able to mature if it were to live under the protection of another its entire life, deprived of the opportunity to fly independently in the azure sky.

It was the same for students.

This was precisely the reason Zhang Xuan had allowed his students to leave him one after another despite his reluctance.

First Zhao Ya and Lu Chong, followed by Yuan Tao, and now, it was Wei Ruyan's turn.

Zheng Yang would also likely head to the Combat Master Hall eventually, which meant that five out of his seven direct disciples had already left him.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan made his way back into Inkcloud Quarter once more.

It didn't take him long before he met Hu Yunsheng, and the latter informed him that the Master Teacher Pavilion and Hongyuan royal family had already dispatched some men the previous day to seal the City Lord Manor for investigation purposes.

It turned out that the city lord's only son was held hostage by the Otherworldly Demons, leaving the city lord no choice but to obey their commands.

Nevertheless, it was unpardonable for a human to serve an Otherworldly Demon to deal with his own kind regardless of the reason. As such, the guards had apprehended the city lord, and they were currently in the midst of transporting him back to the capital, where he would be judged by Yu Shenqing personally.

Upon hearing this news, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but sigh again.

A human really shouldn't commit evil, no matter how small a sin it was. Often, it was a single wrong step that eventually led to an endless downward spiral into the abyss.

After settling the Heaven's Path zhenqi lying dormant in Hu Yunsheng's body, Zhang Xuan stood up and bade farewell. Upon finding a rural area, he summoned the Byzantium Helios Beast from the Anthive Nest and adeptly leaped onto its back. With a light stomp of his feet, the Byzantium Helios Beast soared into the sky, making its way straight toward the Master Teacher Academy was.

"Byzantium Helios Beast... A Saint realm Byzantium Helios Beast?" Watching as Zhang Xuan depart from the distance, Hu Yunsheng's body abruptly froze. In that moment, a multitude of information flashed through his mind, nearly exploding it.

Having never seen his boss acting with such indecorum before, Zhu Xiao asked doubtfully, "Boss, what's wrong?"

While Byzantium Helios Beasts were indeed rarely seen in the world, there were still a couple of them in Hongyuan Empire.

Noticing Zhu Xiao's doubts, Hu Yunsheng replied with a bitter smile, "It's true that a Byzantium Helios Beast is an extremely rare tamed beast, but... there is only one Saint realm Byzantium Helios Beast in the whole of Hongyuan Empire!"

"Only one?" Zhu Xiao was taken aback. "Boss, could it be that you have already deduced Elder Sun's real identity?"

"If my guess isn't wrong, the current form he is assuming is a disguise. His real name is... Zhang Xuan!" Hu Yunsheng replied.

"Zhang Xuan?" Zhu Xiao's body stiffened as his face turned completely pale. "You are talking about the newly-appointed principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Principal Zhang?"

As an intelligence agency, Inkcloud Quarter had a lot of information regarding Zhang Xuan. Even Zhu Xiao had heard of the legends of that Principal Zhang and viewed the latter as a role model whom he would strive towards.

"Un, that's him." Hu Yunsheng nodded. "I just recalled that Principal Zhang has a butler called Sun Qiang. Furthermore, for the Master Teacher Pavilion and the royal family to come so swiftly to deal with the city lord... According to internal news, it seems like the order to do so has come directly from Principal Zhang. Putting together all of this, I would really have to be a fool to still not figure out the other party's identity!"

"This..." At this point, Zhu Xiao finally realized as well.

It truly felt like a dream. To think that Principal Zhang would personally come to Jingyuan City and even visit their Inkcloud Quarter...

"Wait a moment, Boss. If I recall correctly, you attempted to kill the other party to steal his wealth back then..."

Recalling that matter, Zhu Xiao hurriedly turned his gaze toward Hu Yunsheng, only to see the latter's face turning completely pale as veins popped out by his temples. "If you dare speak of this matter to another soul, I will definitely hunt you down and kill you!"

Thinking about the matter again, Hu Yunsheng couldn't help but feel fearful.

Who would have thought that he would actually end up trying to rob the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy? Wasn't this no different from courting death? It was fortunate that the other party was a master teacher, a reasonable person. Otherwise, he might very well have become a corpse already.

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Chapter 1013: Luo Ruoxin's Request

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A brilliant sun hung brightly above, and a warm breeze caressed the world.

After flying for roughly ten days on the Byzantium Helios Beast, the massive outline of Hongyuan City gradually came into view.

Within the ten days, Zhang Xuan had managed to internalized all of the knowledge he had learned from the Poison Hall and fused it with his current fighting style. At the same time, he had also cultivated the Saint Ascension Decipher to its very peak, just a step away from breaking through to the Saint realm.

However, it was a pity that the Seven-colored Earth Jade Essence was nowhere to be found at the moment, or else he would have long made a breakthrough.

I should get Sun Qiang to look into the matter...

In terms of logistical efficiency and intelligence gathering, he was nowhere on par with Sun Qiang. Thus, it was reassuring to leave it in the hands of the latter.

As long as he could find the Seven-colored Earth Jade Essence, he would be able to push for a perfect breakthrough to Saint realm, thus inducing a huge leap in his fighting prowess once more.

By then, regardless of the dangers that lurked in the ancient domain, he would surely be able to deal with them easily.

Not too long later, right after the Byzantium Helios Beast landed in his manor, Sun Qiang rushed up to Zhang Xuan and reported, "Young Master, Young Master Zheng Yang has been taken away..."

"Taken away? By whom?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

"It's Combat Master Liao from the Combat Master Hall. He says that he will take Young Master Zheng Yang to participate in the Progeny of Combat Selection, or else this matter might end up being pushed a year back," Sun Qiang replied.

"Progeny of Combat Selection?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"Yes. This is the letter that Young Master Zheng Yang left for you..." After saying those words, Sun Qiang passed a letter over.

With a complicated look on his face, Zhang Xuan opened the envelope and saw a note filled with words within.

It didn't take long for him read through the entire note, and at the end of which, he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Combat Master Liao had reported the matter concerning Zheng Yang to the headquarters, and the headquarters had instructed him to bring Zheng Yang to them at any cost to participate in the Progeny of Combat Selection. If Zheng Yang cleared the selection, he could very well inherit the heritage of the Combat God and become the next head of the Combat Master Hall!

The founder of the Combat Master Hall had been a direct disciple of Kong shi, and out of respect for the overwhelming strength he possessed, those of the Master Teacher Continent had given him a nickname—Combat God!

As long as one cleared the Progeny of Combat Selection, one would be qualified to inherit his heritage and become one of the strongest experts of the Master Teacher Pavilion or even the entire Master Teacher Continent.

It looks like he has found his own path...

To have sent two of his students away within just a short period of ten days, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but feel a little lonely within. Nevertheless, he still felt gladdened for them.

After all, they couldn't possibly remain his students for their entire lives. They would eventually have to find their paths to tread on.

If Zheng Yang could become the Combat God of this generation, the head of the Combat Master Hall... at the very least, this would mean that his teachings hadn't been in vain. As Zheng Yang's teacher, Zhang Xuan would be more than delighted to see that.

Forget it. After I am done dealing with the matters concerning the ancient domain, I should bring the members of the Xuanxuan Faction to Qingyuan Conferred Empire's Combat Master Hall for the both to interact and learn from one another. I should be able to receive updates about Zheng Yang there. With a smile, Zhang Xuan tossed aside the loneliness he felt within.

He had already promised Combat Master Liao and the others that he would take the members of the Xuanxuan Faction for a visit to the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall once they settled the affairs regarding the ancient domain at Firesource City. While the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall was only a branch, it was still possible to gather some news regarding Zheng Yang from there.

"Is there anything else other than that?"

"Young Master, the head of the Formation Master School and Blacksmith School took 10,000 students from their respective schools each to Firesource City for a mission. They set forth roughly five days ago!" Sun Qiang reported.

"Firesource City? Mission?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

It wasn't anything much for the other school heads to head to Firesource City in advance, but... due to the great implications tied in with the ancient domain, there was a need to keep the matter confidential. To mobilize twenty thousand students from the Master Teacher Academy there despite so... could it be that there had been some kind of compelling situation in Firesource City that warranted aid?

Due the grave importance of the matter, even Sun Qiang wasn't qualified to learn more about the matter. In fact, it was likely that even the students who had set forth to Firesource City were unaware of what they were going to do either.

"Is there anything else?" Zhang Xuan continued asking.

"Also... Luo Ruoxin has visited here twice in your absence. It seems like she has an important matter to ask of you," Sun Qiang reported with a peculiar look on his face.

Having followed the young master from the start of their journey at Tianxuan Kingdom, they had encountered plenty of beautiful ladies, each possessing their own unique charm. Yet, not once had the young master granted them any preferential treatment or behaved differently around them, except for this Luo shi!

Speaking of which, there was also something bizarre about Luo shi as well. No cultivator was uninterested in his young master's teachings, but this Luo shi was really the first. The way she acted around the young master showed that she only regarded the latter as another ordinary cultivator.

This in itself was truly perplexing.

"She came over to find me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Luo Ruoxin was the only woman who had ever touched his heart, be it in his previous life or his current one. There had been many problems cropping up one after another, and he had been busy trying to deal with them, resulting in the both of them not meeting one another for a considerable period of time, but his heart still couldn't help but thump in anticipation upon hearing her name.

This was completely different from how he felt around Yu Fei-er and the others.

"Yes. As she is young master's good friend, I dared not probe further into it." Sun Qiang nodded.

"It's fine. I will pay her a visit to ask her about it later on," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

After confirming that there was nothing else to tend to, Zhang Xuan got up and made his way right toward the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. Not too long later, he landed at Luo Ruoxin's residence.

Standing before the entrance of Luo Ruoxin's residence, he quickly tidied his clothes. After which, he took out a mirror and saw a handsome face staring back at him. Nodding in satisfaction, he knocked on the door.

"Luo shi, I am Zhang Xuan!" Zhang Xuan said, transmitting his voice into the residence through his zhenqi.

The pleasant voice of a female replied, "Come in!"

Walking into the residence, Zhang Xuan saw Luo Ruoxin standing not too far away. Just like always, her presence felt calm and serene, reminiscent of a still painting. Surprisingly, there was another man standing not too far away from her—Mu Yuan.

After agreeing to meet at Firesource City back then, Mu shi had left together with Wu shi to return to Qingyuan Conferred Empire. Zhang Xuan didn't think that he would meet the other party here.

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Mu shi exclaimed anxiously, "Senior Uncle, you came at the perfect time. Help me talk some sense into Luo shi; she is insisting on following us to Firesource City as well!"

"You wish to go to Firesource City as well?" Taken aback, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze toward the young lady before him.

"Un." Luo Ruoxin nodded with a slight smile on her lips. "With all of the mysteries surrounding the ancient domain, as a master teacher, I should also go and check it out as well."

"But... we know next to nothing about the ancient domain! Even Wu shi won't be able to guarantee your safety," Mu shi said worriedly.

Back then, the old principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy had ventured into the ancient domain together with a team he had assembled, only to disappear from the face of the world. On top of that, the Qingyuan Master Teacher Pavilion had no records about the interior of the ancient domain at all, so there was no saying what dangers were lurking in the depths of the ancient domain

Not to mention, they had recently received news that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe was involved with the ancient domain as well.

It could be said that this expedition into the ancient domain would likely result in great casualties. Given Luo shi's noble standing, there was no way he could take responsibility should anything happen to the other party.

While speaking, Mu shi was blinking frantically at Zhang Xuan, attempting to signal to the latter that he wanted help persuading Luo shi against it. With such obvious gesturing, he thought that his senior uncle would surely receive his signal. Yet...

"That's great, let's head there together then!" Zhang Xuan eyes gleamed in excitement.

It just so happened that he had been searching for an opportunity to spend some time with Luo shi when such a news came his way. It was as if even the heavens were on his side!

"Senior Uncle..." Mu shi's vision darkened, and he nearly fell to the ground.

To say such words after I have gestured so clearly for you to help me persuade her against it, don't you think that you are a little too shameless?

Even if you like Luo shi, at least be a little more reserved about it! To make it so obvious for everyone to see... don't you think that it is unbefitting of your standing as the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?

"It's fine! How can a master teacher grow if they attempt to avoid every single danger that comes their way?" Zhang Xuan waved his hands leisurely. "Besides, I will be around to protect her, so there is no way anything bad can happen!"

"..." Dark lines streaked across Mu shi's face.

You are the very reason that I am feeling very unsettled about this expedition! Look at all of those ridiculous things you have done in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy; it is as if trouble chases you wherever you go.

If only I knew that you were so unreliable, I would have never asked for your help!

Just as Mu shi was about to argue back, Luo Ruoxin waved her hands and said, "Zhang shi is right. Mu shi, there's no need to persuade me anymore; my mind is set."

"... Alright then." Seeing that there was no way he could convince the young lady before him otherwise, Mu shi shook his head helplessly.

Seeing that Mu shi had given up on the matter, Luo Ruoxin turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Since you are back, let's set forth as soon as possible."

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's set forth now."

There wasn't anything major in the Master Teacher Academy at the moment, and even if there was, School Head Mo and the others were more than capable of dealing with it themselves. Besides, there were only around eight days to the date on which they had agreed to meet at Firesource City. If they didn't set forth soon, it was likely that they would be unable to make it in time.

As Zhang Xuan often journeyed around, his necessities were neatly packed in his storage ring at all times, so there was no need for him to make any preparations. Mu shi swiftly called for his aerial spirit beast, and before long, the trio was on their way toward Firesource City.

Sitting in the wooden hut atop the saint beast's back, Zhang Xuan turned to Mu shi and asked, "I heard that Zhao Bingxu and the others have brought quite a number of our students over to Firesource City. Did something happen?"

Sun Qiang might not have been qualified to learn about the details of the matter, but as one of the leaders of the expedition team, Mu shi definitely knew something about it.

"Something did happen," Mu shi said grimly. "Not too long ago, the seal leading to the ancient domain suddenly grew unstable, and it seems like it could collapse at any moment. As such, School Head Zhao lead the students over in the hope that they could stabilize the formation and buy some time until the seal finally opens once more."

"How did such a matter occur?" Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

When the ancient domain appeared two years ago, the Master Teacher Pavilion did send some men to investigate it, and there hadn't been a problem then. Why would the seal be destabilized all of a sudden?

"I am not too sure about the details either, but my guess is that the Otherworldly Demons are involved in this matter!" With a deep frown on his forehead, Mu shi hesitated for a moment before continuing. "According to reports from the local master teachers, there have been Otherworldly Demons sighted in the vicinity of the seal. Eyewitnesses claimed that they were carrying some kind of artifact with them, and they loitered around the area for a brief moment before hurriedly leaving. Shortly after they left, the seal suddenly destabilized."

"Artifact? Could it be a booklet?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The booklet that the Skyleaf King had stolen from the Poison Hall was said to have come from the ancient domain within the seal. For Otherworldly Demons to appear around the seal and destabilize it at this moment, could both matters possibly be related to one another?

The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more convinced he was of the matter.

As a Saint 5-dan expert, the Skyleaf King was capable of flying at speeds far greater than he could. While it had taken Zhang Xuan roughly ten days to travel from Jingyuan City to Hongyuan City, it was likely that the Skyleaf King wouldn't even require five days to travel from the Poison Hall to Firesource City.

Furthermore, in his communications with the Violetleaf King, he had learned that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe possessed exceptional spatial means. Just take the altar that Zhang Xuan had found from the Greenleaf King and Goldenleaf King for example, it was capable of transporting and receiving items remotely.

"Booklet?" Not expecting to hear such a question, Mu shi was stunned for a moment before replying with a light chuckle. "That is impossible. How can a booklet possibly wield the power to destabilize the seal?"

In his view, books were only meant to store and impart knowledge. An artifact that could destabilize a powerful seal, which even they were helpless before, was bound to be an incredibly powerful one.

So how could it possibly be a mere booklet?

Seeing that the other party didn't believe him, Zhang Xuan shook his head and fell silent.

At this point, that was only a hypothesis on his part. It would still require confirming after they arrived at Firesource City.

Recalling the order received from the headquarters not too long ago, Mu shi said, "Oh, right! Senior Uncle, Wu shi won't be taking charge of the expedition into the ancient domain. Instead, the Master Teacher Pavilion has appointed a 7-star pinnacle Formation Master, Han Xu, as the expedition leader. The Master Teacher Pavilion has ordered for everyone involved in the expedition to follow his commands after entering the ancient domain, and no one is to move around recklessly so as to avoid undue trouble!"

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Chapter 1014: Firesource City

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The expedition to the ancient domain had implications that could very well affect the entire human race, so the Qingyuan Master Teacher Pavilion took the matter very seriously. Not only did they dispatch Wu shi, they had also engaged the help of 7-star pinnacle Formation Master Han Xu to aid the team in breaking the seal and leading them through the ancient domain.

Mu shi knew that even though his senior uncle was a very capable man, the other party was also a very gutsy and decisive person, never hesitating to do whatever that he thought was right. Fearing that some unneeded trouble might arise due to his senior uncle's obstinate personality, he felt that he should warn the other party in advance.

"Don't worry." Zhang Xuan nodded reassuringly.

Seeing the confident smile on Zhang Xuan's face, Mu shi wasn't too sure how he should respond. He subconsciously shot a glance at Luo Ruoxin and saw a slight smile of helplessness on the latter's face, seemingly untrusting of Zhang Xuan's words as well.

But thinking about it, it was no wonder Luo Ruoxin felt that way.

Back then, when she brought Zhang Xuan to the Saint Ascension Platform, she had warned him to remain respectful. But in the end, he had still collapsed the other party's cliff face, and if not for Kong shi speaking up in that crucial moment, he might very well have been pummeled to death on the spot.

Sometimes, that fellow possessed astounding talent and wits, such that one couldn't help but be impressed with him. At other times, he behaved so doltishly that it was nearly adorable.

The trio began chatting casually. In the midst of their conversation, Zhang Xuan asked a few more questions about the ancient domain, and upon learning that it likely had ties with Kong shi, he couldn't help but feel a surge of agitation.

Back at the Saint Ascension Platform, Zhang Xuan had asked Kong shi personally about the Innate Fetal Poison and confirmed that the latter had suffered from the same affliction back then as well. If this ancient domain had ties with Kong shi, perhaps he might be able to uncover something more about the Innate Fetal Poison.

Amidst the conversation of the trio, the aerial saint beast traversed swiftly through the sky. Five days later, Firesource City finally came into sight.

Looking at the city, which emanated a reddish hue beneath the radiant rays of the sun, Mu shi said, "Due to the geographical location of Firesource City, its weather is exceptionally hot. To make things worse, it is currently summer here as well. It would probably be unbearable for anyone who isn't a cultivator to live here."

"It is indeed really hot here!" Feeling the incredible heat in the surroundings, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The place he had visited just a few days ago, Jingyuan City, was completely filled with snow, battering passers-by with its bone-chilling frost.

"Even though the Saint Ascension Platform isn't too far away from here, there sure is a vast difference in the temperature," Zhang Xuan remarked.

The Saint Ascension Platform, which he had visited with Luo Ruoxin back then, wasn't located too far away from Firesource City, just a few hundred kilometers away. Yet, the weather there was perfectly normal, devoid of the blistering heat here.

"The Saint Ascension Platform is where Kong shi became a Celestial Saint. It is a place blessed by the heavens, so naturally, the weather there is mild. On the other hand, Firesource City has quite a few active volcanoes around it, so it is inevitably plagued by such a hot weather," Mu shi explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had a map of Hongyuan Empire in the Library of Heaven's Path, so he was very familiar with the geography of the area.

To be named Firesource, the source of flames... It wasn't any surprise that the city would be plagued with unbearable heat.

Luo Ruoxin couldn't help but ask, "Given the unbearable heat plaguing the area, why was a city constructed here? Why do so many people still continue to live in the area?"

A place filled with many active volcanoes that could erupt at any moment, as well as the sweltering weather, why would people still live in the area?

Before Mu shi could speak, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly and replied, "As hot as the local weather is, it happens to be a suitable climate for growing plants that thrive in a torrid climate. Take the Witherleaf Grass for example, it is known for the withered look of its leaves throughout its growth, and it is able to mature even without water. A single stalk of Witherleaf Grass can easily fetch the price of a high-tier spirit stone in the market."

"It's so expensive?" Luo Ruoxin was taken aback.

A single high-tier spirit stone was more than sufficient for a normal person to live in luxury for their entire life.

For a single stalk of a medicinal herb to be worth such a price, it was no wonder so many people were willing to endure the unbearable weather and live here.

Zhang Xuan had not finished his explanation. "Not only so, there are also quite a few rare spirit beasts and saint beasts living in the area. They can fetch a high price when sold. Besides that, there are also several deposits of valuable ores in the area!"

Having read all of the books in the Master Teacher Academy, he boasted an even greater understanding of Hongyuan Empire than most master teachers who had grown up here.

"I see..." Luo Ruoxin nodded in realization.

There was bound to be a reason for a community to gather and a huge city to be constructed in the area.

Hearing the other party's introduction, Mu shi nodded in approval. "Senior Uncle sure is knowledgeable!"

While his senior uncle might be unreliable at times, the vast knowledge he possessed was truly praiseworthy. Be it information regarding culture, geography, or occupations, everything seemed to come to him at a single thought, leaving others with nothing but admiration for him.

It was due to this that the school heads had elected him to become the leader of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, which boasted a heritage of ten thousand years.

"It's nothing much!" Zhang Xuan smiled.

"There is still some time before the seal opens, so why don't we meet up with the others at the local Master Teacher Pavilion first?"

While the trio had been speaking, the saint beast had arrived in the airspace above the city. It gradually descended, and before long, it landed right before a towering building.

The Master Teacher Pavilion!

This city was significantly larger than Jingyuan City, and its population density was also greater than the latter. As such, the Master Teacher Pavilion had constructed a branch in the area. However, it was significantly weaker than the Master Teacher Pavilion in Hongyuan City, and the pavilion master only possessed a cultivation of Saint 1-dan intermediate stage.

Shortly after walking in, a middle-aged man walked over to welcome them. "Paying respect to Mu shi!"

"Un. Where are Formation Master Han Xu, Wu shi, and the others? Bring us to them," Mu shi replied with a smile.

"Wu shi and the others have already left for the Swallow Embracing Mountain. They departed two days ago!" the middle-aged man hurriedly replied.

"They have already left for the Swallow Embracing Mountain?" Mu shi was taken aback. "Shouldn't there be a few more days before the seal opens? Why did they head over so early?"

"I am not too sure. They only instructed me to remain here to urge the arriving master teachers to head toward the Swallow Embracing Mountain as fast as possible!" the middle-aged man replied.

"Understood." Mu shi nodded before turning his gaze toward Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxin. "If even Wu shi and Formation Master Han Xu have made their way over, it is very likely that the situation with the seal might have worsened. Let's quickly head over to take a look and see how we can help them!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxin nodded before getting atop the aerial saint beast once more.

"The seal to the ancient domain is not located within the city but in the depths of the Swallow Embracing Mountain, which is around three hundred kilometers away, on top of a massive active volcano. Due to the searing temperature, barely anyone goes there..." Seated within the room on the back of the aerial saint beast, Mu shi filled the duo in on the situation regarding the seal.

Similar to the island on which the Poison Hall was located, the seal to the ancient domain was also constructed on top of an active volcano. The massive formation that made up the seal was driven by the ravaging energy contained within the volcano. If those who didn't have a comprehensive grasp of the formation were to attempt to break open the seal forcefully, there was a high chance that the entire mountain might collapse instead, causing the entrance to the ancient domain to disappear for good.

As such, not even the experts from the Master Teacher Pavilion dared to tamper with it. Until the seal opened of its own accord, they could only wait patiently.

It didn't take too long for Zhang Xuan and the others to cover the three-hundred-kilometer journey to the seal. In less than ten minutes, a towering mountain peak, several thousand meters high, appeared majestically before their eyes.

However, the entire mountain seemed to be absent of life; all they could really see on it were crimson stones. Even before coming close to the mountain, they could feel a searing sensation licking their skin.

Flicking his wrist, Mu shi took out two pills and passed them over. "This is the Heat Cleansing Pill. Swallowing it will grant you some immunity against fire poison 1 , sparing you from harm!"

While it wouldn't be too difficult for them to withstand such searing heat given their current cultivation, if they were to stay in such conditions for an extended period of time, the fire poison would still assault their bodies, causing them great suffering.

In order to prevent such a situation from occurring, half a month ago, the newly-appointed School Head Zhou of the Apothecary School had tasked his students with mass producing Heat Cleansing Pills for the expedition members.

The production method for the Heat Cleansing Pill wasn't too complicated; most 4-star apothecaries were able to forge it. Its ingredients were mainly cooling in nature, thus granting it exceptional effectiveness in relieving heat-related afflictions.

"Thank you!"

Possessing the Heaven's Path zhenqi, Zhang Xuan didn't even fear lethal poison, so naturally, heat poison couldn't possibly faze him in the least. Nevertheless, this was a token of goodwill from the other party, so he couldn't bring himself to reject it. Taking the pill, he opened his mouth and swallowed it.

As soon as the pill slid down his throat, a cooling sensation permeated his entire body, leaving him feeling as if he was standing before a refreshing spring breeze. The heat around him seemed to have vanished altogether.

"This... This isn't an ordinary Heat Cleansing Pill?" Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in astonishment.

While it seemed no different from a typical Heat Cleansing Pill on the surface, the effectiveness of it was clearly far greater than an average pill.

"I forged it personally out of the various medicinal herbs I picked a while ago," Mu shi replied with a smile.

"No wonder!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Mu shi was a 7-star master teacher, and apothecary was one of his supporting occupations. It was only natural that a grade-4 pill forged by a 7-star apothecary would have outstanding effectiveness.

The aerial saint beast advanced swiftly, and not too long later, the group arrived at the peak of the Swallow Embracing Mountain. Gazing downwards, they saw a humongous hemispherical depression beneath them. Countless students were seated cross-legged along its perimeter, infusing zhenqi relentlessly toward a specific location. Their bodies were completely drenched in sweat, but that didn't prevent more from trickling down their faces.

"They are trying to stabilize the seal," Mu shi remarked grimly.

From the looks of it, the situation with the seal was far more precarious than they had thought. Otherwise, they wouldn't have mobilized so many people simultaneously to stabilize it.

Zhang Xuan nodded. "Those are the ten thousand students from the Formation Master School."

The students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy were dressed in a unique robe, so it wasn't too difficult to recognize them.

Hu hu hu!

Just as the students stabilizing the seal were about to reach their limits, another group of students suddenly rushed forward and swiftly placed formation flags that they had just smithed a moment ago on specific locations.

These new flags couldn't alter the structure of the seal in any way, but it could stabilize it temporarily.

They were the students from the Blacksmith School.

The students from both schools worked together with excellent teamwork, their movements both swift and fluid. It was apparent that they had repeated this set of movements multiple times over the past few days.

However, despite the combined efforts of the twenty thousand students, a powerful energy still continued to rage within the hemispherical depression below, seemingly ready to explode at any moment. Frowning, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight and took a look.

After examining it for a moment, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. What a complicated formation this is.

His comprehension of formations was on par with most 7-star formation masters, and yet, he still found it rather difficult to comprehend the entire structure of the formation. The sheer complexity of the formation was enough to leave him slightly light-headed.

No, it doesn't really look like it...

The more Zhang Xuan looked at it, the more perplexed he felt.

The structure he was looking at seemed like a formation, but there was something rather different about it at the same time.

Even though the seal was unstable, it was still dormant, not yet activated. As such, Zhang Xuan couldn't use the Library of Heaven's Path to assess the situation concerning the formation. With his current understanding of formations, even with the Eye of Insight, it would likely take at least several months for him to make sense of it.

If it was truly a formation, there was no doubt that it was beyond grade-7!

A formation that was beyond grade-7... No wonder no master teacher from the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Master Teacher Pavilion dared tamper with it!

It was already far beyond their scope of understanding.

Hu hu hu!

While Zhang Xuan was busy assessing the depression, Mu shi carefully controlled his aerial spirit beast to land gently on the ground.

After landing safely, before the trio could walk up to the hemispherical depression, Wu shi walked over and said, "Zhang shi, Luo shi, and Mu shi, you are here!"

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Chapter 1015: I Can Give It a Try

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Wu shi!"

The three of them clasped their fists to greet the other party.

"What is the current situation here?" Zhang Xuan got straight to the point.

"Half a month ago, the seal suddenly became unstable. Even so, with the forces that we have, we were still able to stabilize it easily. But two days ago, the seal suddenly began shaking intensely, threatening to collapse at any moment. Despite devoting all of our men to stabilizing the seal, we are barely hanging on at the moment. At this rate, it won't be long before the situation exceeds our control!" Wu shi glanced at the hemispherical depression with a worried frown.

"Exceeds our control?"

"Indeed." Wu shi nodded. Just as he was about to explain the matter, a deep rumbling reminiscent of thunder suddenly reverberated from the ground below. Like the cry of a behemoth or the roar of a massive dragon prowling beneath the mountain range, it seemed like a fearsome being would suddenly come to life and massacre everyone present.

"What is that?" The faces of Zhang Xuan and the others warped in astonishment.

That deep rumbling sounded like the source of a devastating calamity of some kind. Before such overwhelming force, the strength of humans felt pitifully insignificant in comparison. It felt like no amount of effort would stop the destruction from crashing down on them, devouring them all.

"We've looked into the matter, and it seems like that sound originates from the other side of the seal. There is no way for us to find out for sure what is going on within at the moment, but at this rate, it won't be long before the entire seal collapses. Once that happens, be it the ancient domain or Firesource City, they will be reduced to ashes!" Wu shi said worriedly.

If the seal was destroyed, it could very well result in the rampaging energies within the volcano running amok, thus inducing a massive explosion. The Swallow Embracing Mountain was only three hundred kilometers away from Firesource City. At such a short distance away, there was no doubt that Firesource City would be devastated by the massive explosion as well, killing even Saint realm experts that stood in its path.

Far too much energy had gathered beneath the volcano over the years, to the point where no human could withstand it!

Hong long long!

While they were speaking, the rumbling grew louder and louder. The ground began shaking violently, and a scorching burst of air gushed up from the depths of the seal. In an instant, over half of the formation flags that had just been planted a moment ago were jolted out of the ground.

The students of the Formation Master School, who were sitting before the hemispherical depression to stabilize the seal, instantly looked weakened, and a few hundred of them were abruptly sent flying from the spot. Huge mouthfuls of blood spewed from their mouths.

A new group of students hurried forward to fill the gaps left behind by the casualties. Exerting the full extent of their cultivation, they tried their best to stabilize the seal, preventing it from collapsing.

"What an incredible force..." Upon seeing this sight, Zhang Xuan's face paled.

The might gushing out from beneath was far beyond his expectations. Even the collaboration of multiple Saint 5-dan experts might not be able to suppress it.

Even with so many students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy infusing their power into it, they were still barely holding on.

Before such immense power, putting aside entering the ancient domain, he would be reduced to dust by the powerful force before he could even get close to the seal!

Before, he had been thinking that no matter how dangerous the ancient domain was, as long as he were to rely on his Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path to assess the situation ahead of him, he would be able to avert danger with relative ease. But from the looks of it now, his thoughts had been too naive!

Even the dangers lurking outside the ancient domain were far greater than he had expected. The slightest mistake could easily result in death!

At this moment, a loud bellow was heard throughout the area.

" Team A, guard the Gen. Team B, guard the Xun. Team C, guard the Qian. 1 As for the other teams, remain where you are and continue infusing your zhenqi into the seal!"

Following that, an elder flew into the sky and stood above everyone else. A massive compass floated before him, which he used to make calculations as he continued issuing orders here and there.

Hearing his instructions, the students beneath hurriedly moved in the teams they had formed before and carried out the instructions demanded of them. Following which, innumerable surges of zhenqi poured forth, converging at the very center of the depression. In that moment, it looked as if someone had set off a massive firework.

Under the influx of zhenqi, the fortified seal slowly calmed down. At the same time, the rumbling beneath the ground also gradually quietened down, as if being forcefully suppressed.

After studying the situation for a moment longer, Zhang Xuan suddenly noticed something, and a deep frown arched between his brows. "Wait a moment... If the seal is fortified in such a manner, how can it be opened later?"

This method of reinforcing the formation was indeed effective in coping with the assault of the fearsome force from below, bringing safety back to the area. However... there was a major problem with this solution!

The fortification of the seal meant that it would become harder for them to open the seal and enter the ancient domain. In fact, if this continued, it might become entirely impossible to do so!

According to their previous estimates, the seal was likely to open within two to three days. However, if they were to continue reinforcing the seal in such a manner, putting aside three days, the seal might not even open within the next three years!

"Indeed, but there's nothing we can do about this situation. If we leave the seal be, the volcano will explode without a shred of doubt. Not only will the ancient domain be destroyed, the entire area, including Firesource City, will be devastated as well."

If they had a choice, they obviously wouldn't fortify the seal. But if they didn't do so, the ancient domain would be completely destroyed, making it impossible for them to enter!

Besides, considering how volatile the immense energies that had accumulated beneath the volcano were, who would dare enter even if it was possible to do so? After all, there was no one who could guarantee that the volcano wouldn't act up while they were within! Once that happened, they could very well be torn to shreds by that overwhelming force!

"Is there really no alternative solution other than to fortify the formation?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"There is, but... it simply isn't feasible!" Wu shi shook his head.

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to Wu shi and said, "Tell me about it."

The situation was already as bad as it could get. At this point, they had to try everything that they could.

"The seal is similar to a cover that suppresses the violent energies raging beneath the volcano. Using a metaphor, the current situation is similar to that of a balloon. Initially, when the energies attempting to burst out from beneath weren't too great, the seal was still able to keep them in through its elasticity," Wu shi explained.

"However, as more and more energies accumulated, the seal rapidly found itself coming to its limit, putting it under threat of exploding altogether! Through reinforcing the seal, we are effectively bringing the breaking point of the seal higher, allowing the seal to withstand the rampaging energies by a greater degree.

"However, no matter how much we fortify the seal, as long as the energies beneath the ground continue to accumulate, the seal will eventually reach its limit. In a sense, we are only pushing back the inevitable. Unless we resolve the root of the problem, the accumulation of energies below, there will come a day when the seal exceeds its breaking point and bursts!"

Hearing the other party's explanation, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The metaphor the other party used was a fitting description of the current situation they were in.

The root of the problem was still the accumulation of energies beneath the ground. The fortification of the formation only served to rein the rampaging energies in for the time being; it wasn't a long-term measure. In fact, the longer the energies were suppressed, the greater the accumulation of energies, resulting in the eventual explosion being more devastating than it already was.

To make an analogy, it was similar to constructing a dam to prevent a flood.

The more water it kept at bay, the higher the water level would be, and the greater the pressure the dam would be put under. When the dam eventually collapsed, the flood would come crashing down with far greater momentum than it originally would.

If something similar were to happen here as well, it would spell a great calamity.

"The other solution we have thought of is to dispel the energies accumulated below directly. It would solve the root of the problem, but... before the seal is opened, there is no way we can venture below to identify the cause of the accumulation of energies and resolve the issue. On the other hand, the moment the seal is opened, the accumulated energies will surely burst forth, resulting in a catastrophic explosion." Wu shi shook his head with a bitter smile.

This was a paradox. To dispel the energies, they would have to break open the seal and enter the other side. But the moment this was done, an explosion would burst forth, annihilating everything in the area.

"This..." Zhang Xuan and Mu shi glanced at one another and shook their heads helplessly.

Wu shi was right; this was indeed an irresolvable problem. Despite knowing the dangers of fortifying the seal continuously, they had no choice but to do it.

At this point, Zhang Xuan suddenly thought of something and asked, "I heard from a master teacher stationed in the Master Teacher Pavilion that just before this problem occurred, Otherworldly Demons were spotted to be lurking around the vicinity. Is this true?"

"That's right!" Wu shi nodded. "The Otherworldly Demons didn't remain in the area for long before fleeing. We have no idea what they did in the short period of time that they were here, but the seal suddenly grew unstable. It was still rather manageable at the start, and we were able to easily suppress it with just a couple of us in the area. However, as time ticked by, the instability worsened, and eventually... as you can see, even with the combined might of twenty thousand students, we are barely holding on!"

"They didn't remain in the area for long before fleeing?" Zhang Xuan repeated Wu shi's words contemplatively and fell into a moment of thought. A moment later, he asked, "Who was the one who spotted the Otherworldly Demons?"

"It was an ordinary 4-star master teacher. He was stationed as a sentry in the area when it happened," Wu shi replied.

"An ordinary 4-star master teacher would only possess a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 4-dan, and yet... he noticed the movements of the Otherworldly Demons?" Zhang Xuan remarked with a tinge of bewilderment in his tone.

He had encountered many Otherworldly Demons who had passed through the seal for the ancient domain, and even the weakest of them was a Saint 1-dan.

How could an ordinary 4-star master teacher, a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan cultivator, notice them but still remain alive at this point?

Given the vast disparity in cultivation, it was inconceivable to think that the Otherworldly Demons hadn't noticed the presence of the 4-star master teacher.

"Don't worry, that master teacher is definitely trustworthy. There is no way he could have betrayed mankind," Wu shi hurriedly added.

"I am not suspecting that 4-star master teacher of colluding with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. Halfway through his words, the ground suddenly began to rumble once more.

"Initially, the energies would only act up once every four to six hours. However, the intervals between each surge has been decreasing swiftly, and at this point, it is less than ten minutes," Wu shi said.

Two days ago, due to the lower frequency of the rampaging energies acting up, their forces were still able handle it with relative ease. However, with an assault coming once every ten minutes, everyone was already on the brink of collapse!

"My students won't be able to hold on for too long at this rate," Zhang Xuan said with a livid face.

Twenty thousand of his students were currently standing atop the Swallow Embracing Mountain, and a significant proportion of them were from the Xuanxuan Faction as well. An assault once every few hours was still within their means, but one that occurred every ten minutes... They would be pushing themselves to the limits! At this rate, they might very well end up pushing themselves too far and incur permanent damage to their foundations, resulting in a steep decline in their cultivation.

"I know, but there is no better solution at the moment." Wu shi sighed in frustration.

At this point, Luo Ruoxin suddenly spoke up. "Since it is just a matter of time before the energies burst forth, why don't you just create an opening to guide the rampaging energies out instead? This way, you should be able to resolve the root of the problem as well."

"Create an opening? It is not that we haven't considered such a solution before, but given the overwhelming energies that have accumulated at the moment, if we create an opening at the wrong location, it could end up becoming a trigger for an explosion instead. The seal would be torn apart, and in the worst-case scenario... we could all die!" Wu shi said.

Using the same balloon analogy, a balloon that expanded continuously would burst eventually. To prevent such a situation from happening, one could poke an opening in it to release the accumulated air gradually. However, this was easier said than done. If one were to create an opening at the wrong location, it could very well become a trigger that would cause the balloon to explode instantaneously.

All of the master teachers that were currently standing atop the Swallow Embracing Mountain would be reduced to ashes.

As such, how many openings to create and where the openings should be made were very important questions to consider. A mistake made in either of the two could spell their demise. Even with 7-star master teachers and 7-star formation masters among them, they weren't confident enough to take such a risky action.

"So, we just have to find the most suitable locations to release the built-up energies?"

Hearing the conversation between the two, Zhang Xuan's eyes suddenly lit up. With a look of excitement, he said, "Regarding that matter... perhaps I can give it a try!"

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Chapter 1016: Zhang Xuan Breaks the Seal (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As long as he could activate the formation, he would be able to find the flaws in it through the Library of Heaven's Path. That would be even more accurate than any compass that one could find.

It was nigh impossible for others to find the precise location of where the openings should be made, how big the openings should be, and how much strength one should exert in opening it. However, that happened to be the easiest thing in the world for Zhang Xuan.

"Give it a try?" Wu shi shook his head. "I know that Principal Zhang possesses extraordinary talent in the field of formations, but the implications are simply too great. Failure is not an option for us, so you mustn't act recklessly!"

Failure would spell the instantaneous explosion of the volcano, and that would reduce all of them to ash. This was no laughing matter, and it was definitely not something that one should 'give a try'.

"I know." Nodding in agreement, Zhang Xuan was just about to explain himself when a voice from the sky harrumphed coldly.

"Give it a try? Humph, can you bear the responsibility if something goes wrong? For a person as young as you to speak such big words, what is the world becoming?"

Hong long!

An elder bellowed coldly as he descended from the sky, heading toward the group. He was the 7-star pinnacle formation master who had been busy taking control of the situation to fortify the formation, Han Xu!

His face looked withered from the fatigue he had accumulated over the days, but at this moment, not even his exhaustion could conceal the sharp coldness and displeasure he was directing toward Zhang Xuan.

"Guild Leader Han... Allow me to introduce you!" Wu shi hurriedly stepped forward to resolve the air of awkwardness drifting between them. "This is the newly-appointed principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Zhang Xuan. This young lady over here is Luo shi. As for Mu shi over here, I don't think that I will have to introduce him since you are old friends with him. Principal Zhang and Luo shi, this is the head of our Qingyuan Empire Formation Master Guild, Han Xu!"

"You are Zhang Xuan?" Hearing the introduction, Han Xu turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "I have heard of you. To be able to become a 6-star formation master at such a young age, you are indeed an outstanding talent.

"However... as a master teacher, you must speak with prudence. Recklessness is the most common cause of the downfall of young talents. Everyone here knows that releasing the built-up energies within is a far better solution that forcefully stopping it, but do you know what the consequences of failure are? Not only will we die, everything within a radius of a thousand kilometers from here will be eradicated. Countless lives will vanish in an instant... Are you certain that you can shoulder such responsibility?"

Knowing that the other party was only berating him because the other party thought that he was taking such a grave matter lightly, Zhang Xuan quickly explained himself with a smile. "Guild Leader Han, you have misunderstood what I am saying. When I said that I would give it a try, I meant that I will do so only after I am entirely confident of success. Naturally, I dare not fool around with so many lives at stake!"

"How arrogant!" Yet another middle-aged man walked over with a disdainful look on his face. "This seal before us may very well be a grade-8 formation or even higher than that. My teacher and I have analyzed it for more than two days now, but we are still unable to find a foolproof way to release the energies within the seal without triggering an explosion. Yet, without even taking a look at the formation, you are saying that you are confident of success? As the principal of a Master Teacher Academy, don't you think that you are being a little too arrogant here?"

The middle-aged man harnessed immense strength within him, such that even his very presence could exert great pressure on those looking at him.

Saint 3-dan, Embryonic Soul realm!

The Embryonic Soul realm was also known as the Origin Soul realm. In this cultivation realm, one's Origin Core would metamorphose into the form of a human, pushing one a step further toward the Primordial Spirit realm. Cultivators at the Embryonic Soul realm possessed incredibly powerful souls, allowing them to subdue cultivators far weaker than them with just the pressure exerted through their presence itself.

"Cough cough. Zhang shi, this gentleman over here is Guild Leader Han's student, 7-star Formation Master Liu Mo!" Not expecting the casual words from Zhang shi to cause such a fallout, Wu shi awkwardly attempted to remedy the situation.

For the past two days, Guild Leader Han and his student had put in a lot of effort to find a suitable node where they could release the energies. For this, they hadn't rested for even a single moment, but they were still unable to find a node that they were entirely confident was safe to open.

They were already cranky from the frustrating situation before them, but a fellow actually came by at such a moment and arrogantly said that he would give it a try, as if it was something that could be resolved very easily. In that instant, the frustration that had accumulated in them over the past two days was ignited into blazing rage.

"Liu Mo?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Never heard of you before."

He had never been to Qingyuan Empire before, so naturally, he knew nothing about the guild leader or formation masters in the Formation Master Guild there. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have pointed it out in view of the other party's pride. However, since the other party was behaving in such a manner, he couldn't be bothered to act courteously with the other party anymore either.

"You..." Not expecting the other party to retort to his words, Liu Mo flung his sleeves furiously and harrumphed. "It doesn't matter whether you heard of me or not. I am an ordinary formation master in the Qingyuan Empire Formation Master Guild anyway."

"You are misunderstanding my words, I am not just referring to you!" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan looked at the other party earnestly and added, "I am saying that I have never heard of Guild Leader Han as well!"

"You..." Nearly exploding with fury, Liu Mo's face turned crimson.

Guild Leader Han also nearly spurted blood on the spot.

Even though he, Han Xu, couldn't say that his name was known throughout the entire Qingyuan Conferred Empire, he had at least been relatively well-known for several centuries now. Each year, there were countless master teachers who wished come under his lineage in hopes of studying the Way of Formations from him. Yet, this fellow before him had actually shot him down along with his student.

Yet, he simply couldn't flare up over this matter, or he would risk appearing petty. He felt so stifled that he could tear his hair out in frenzy.

Hearing the conversation between the two, Luo Ruoxin couldn't help but chuckle.

To bicker with this fellow... You will be the one spurting blood in the end!

This fellow is one who doesn't care about conventions or rules, a person who dares to even insult Kong shi!

To think that you can win against someone like that is indubitably a gross overestimation of yourself!

Waving his hands leisurely, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back before taking a step forward. "Alright, there is no need to get so agitated just because I don't know about you. As the principal of a Master Teacher Academy, I have many things on my agenda. I don't have time to find out the names of every single lad who comes my way!"

He gazed deeply into the massive depression before him for a moment before saying, "Wu shi, prepare a formation flag for me. It will best if it's a grade-7 pinnacle formation flag!"

"This..." Wu shi was conflicted.

Seeing that the other party was intent on creating an opening to let out the energies, Liu Mo immediately stood up and roared furiously, "Hold it right there! Do you really intend to bring so many people down with you?"

Did that fellow know what kind of risk he was putting everyone under?

He and his teacher had spent two days assessing the formation, but even they couldn't be entirely certain of their conclusion. Out of fear of the devastating explosion that could occur were they to fail, they dared not to even test it out. Yet, the other party had been here for only ten minutes, and he was already eagerly trying to create an opening in the seal.

There are more than twenty thousand master teachers up here! Even if you are tired of living, you need not bring everyone down with you!

While the other principals were doing their best to ensure the safety of their students, this lunatic was trying to have his students buried with him. To act so recklessly without getting a clear view of the situation, just how in the world did such a fool get nominated as Hongyuan's principal?

"You are thinking too much... The reason the both of you aren't able to find the correct node to open the formation at, even after two days of effort, isn't because you aren't working hard enough but because you are fools! Naturally, I won't be the same as you two!" Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan ignored the two and walked up to the depression.

"Principal Zhang!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, the many students guarding the depression hurriedly stood up and looked at him with gazes of admiration.

"Un. You have all worked hard." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"It is our responsibility to work for the welfare of mankind," the students hurriedly replied.

Seeing the other party walking up to the seal, Liu Mo turned to look at his teacher anxiously. "Teacher, we mustn't allow that fellow to fool around!"

"Don't worry, it is not that easy to find a node. Even after two days of effort, we were only able to deduce five plausible nodes. There is no way that he will be able to find one that easily!" Guild Leader Han shook his head.

Honestly speaking, he didn't think that Zhang Xuan would be able to even deduce a plausible node that the energies could possibly be released from.

After all, even a 7-star pinnacle formation master like him was unable to find it even after two days of effort, so how could a 6-star formation master possibly succeed?

"But... I fear that he would recklessly create an opening in the seal despite his ignorance! If he gets it wrong, a calamity could very well befall us," Liu Mo said anxiously.

"Don't worry, even after he finds a node, he will need some time to create an opening to draw the energies out. We will have more than sufficient time to stop him." Guild Leader Han waved his hands confidently.

"Ah... I was too rash!" Hearing those words, Liu Mo heaved a sigh of relief.

Indeed, finding a node required time, and creating an opening to channel the energies out required time as well. As esteemed figures, there was no need for them to fall out at this point yet.

If the other party really intended to create an opening in the seal, it wouldn't be too late for them to stop it then.

"Un. I have heard a lot about this Principal Zhang, and it seems like he possesses extraordinary talent in the Way of Formations. It is a pity that he is still too young and reckless. However, this will be a good experience for him. Youngsters like him have to meet with a few failures before they learn that the world is far greater than what they can see. The Way of Formations is an extremely profound art. It is not something that someone who has just barely gotten a glimpse of it should speak lightly about!" Guild Leader Han chuckled.

"Let him give it a try first. Once he fails to find a node, he will realize his own ignorance."

"Yes!" Hearing those words, Liu Mo couldn't help but direct a gaze of admiration toward his teacher.

Do you see this? This is what a true master is like! Despite having been insulted by another, he is still thinking in the other party's stead.

Ignoring the conversing duo, Zhang Xuan began assessing the seal before him carefully.

Green lines gathered within his black eyes—Eye of Insight.

This isn't working. This formation is too profound for my current eye of discernment and knowledge; I can't make sense out of it at all. Zhang Xuan shook his head.

If it had been any other formation, even if it was a grade-7 pinnacle formation, with his Eye of Insight and his comprehension of formations, he would surely have been able to find its flaws and decipher it with sufficient time.

But the one before him left him completely clueless.

I will have to use the Library of Heaven's Path for this one. Sighing deeply, a frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead. But to use the Library of Heaven's Path, I will have to find a way to activate the formation. I won't be able to find its flaws in its current dormant state.

Frustrated, he pinched his glabella with his fingers.

The Library of Heaven's Path could only compile a book on a formation when it was active.

Even though the seal covering the ancient domain was suppressing the rampaging energies beneath it, it was actually still dormant. With the formation in such a state, Zhang Xuan wouldn't be able to compile a book on it even if he were to scream 'Flaws!'.

He would have to activate the formation, but... how could he do so?

Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.

...

"He isn't using a compass at all? To be neither assessing the geographical terrain nor the flow of spiritual energy in the air... Does this fellow even know the first thing about formations?"

Liu Mo had been keeping a close eye on the arrogant Principal Zhang, wanting to see how the other party would find a node after bragging so much. However, he only saw the latter standing in a daze before the depression, pinching his glabella in frustration.

For the other party to not take out his compass or even take a sweeping glance to assess his surroundings...

How in the world would one assess a formation like that?

"Perhaps this might be a unique method he has learned somewhere." Guild Leader Han was also bewildered by the sight before him.

"Let's hope that is the case... W-wait a moment. What is he doing?"

Just as Liu Mo nodded in agreement, he suddenly caught sight of Principal Zhang's actions, and he nearly fainted from sheer shock.

The other party had hesitated in front of the depression for a brief moment before abruptly lifting a massive boulder and tossing it into the depression.

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Chapter 1017: Zhang Xuan Breaks the Seal (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

All kinds of defensive formations had been set up in the depression. Tossing a boulder over could be considered an attack, and it could very well incur the seal's retaliation.

While the other formation masters were relying on their compasses to search for the crux of formidable formations to decipher them, this fellow had actually tossed a boulder in. This was no longer an attempt to decipher the formation but one to activate it!

Even while the seal was dormant, the twenty thousand of them here coupled with two powerful formation masters were already finding it hard to stabilize the seal. If it were to be activated, wouldn't it cause a huge calamity?

Just what was in the mind of that fellow? Was there a loose screw in there or something?

Otherwise, how could he make such a foolish decision? He was a 6-star pinnacle formation master, but he was making an error that even an apprentice formation master would know better than to do!

Stifled, Han Xu and Liu Mo hurriedly rushed forward to stop the other party, but it was already too late. The boulder plummeted into the formation and came into contact with the seal.

However, it didn't induce a change in the seal.

Seeing that nothing had happened, Liu Mo heaved a sigh of relief. "That was a close one! It seems like the seal only reacts to living beings, so it wasn't activated after coming into contact with the boulder. Otherwise, I can't even begin to imagine what would have happened."

The seal was intricately linked to the rampaging energies that had accumulated beneath it. Once activated, there was a good chance that it could cause a disturbance in the energies below and cause them to act up once more, thus bringing more work to the already exhausted students. In the worst-case scenario, it might even induce an explosion on the spot.

After the fellow tossed the boulder in, he had suddenly fallen still. As a 6-star pinnacle formation master, he must have realized how risky his previous action was and was trembling fearfully at the thought of what could have happened.

Just as Liu Mo thought the other party would give up, the other party abruptly beckoned with his hand, and one of the students of the Hongyuan Master teacher Academy rushed over. The other party leaned forward and whispered a few words into the other party's ears.

A grim expression immediately surfaced on the student's face. Without any hesitation, he bellowed loudly and jumped straight into the depression, heading toward the seal.

Pu!

Not expecting that the other party would disregard his own student's welfare and send him to his death, Liu Mo felt so stifled that he nearly fainted on the spot.

That fellow was a fool, but to think that his student would be even more foolish! To charge in like that... It was possible to activate the formation in such a manner, but the instant the formation came to life, that student would die!

"Preposterous!" While Liu Mo was shocked by the sight before him, his teacher was completely enraged by the scene.

While others regarded their own students as their own children, protecting and caring for them, this fellow actually sent his student into the depression to test out the seal. To recklessly place his student in such danger, just how much more ridiculous could he get?

"Stop right there!" Bellowing furiously, Han Xu was just about to rush up to stop them when Zhang Xuan abruptly stretched his hand forward and grasped tightly. His zhenqi shot forth like a rope, swiftly wrapping around the student who had just jumped into the depression.

Just as he was about to come into contact with the seal, the zhenqi rope wrapped around the student abruptly pulled him back, dragging him out of the depression at an incredible speed.

At the same time, the seal seemed to have sensed the presence of life, and brilliant radiance flickered from it. However, contrary to Han Xu's previous worry, the activation of the seal didn't cause the explosion of the energies below. Instead, the formation whirred into action for a short moment before slowing to a stop, as if its activation wasn't complete.

"What precise control..." Guild Leader Han Xu's face warped in astonishment.

To be able to pull his student back in the very instant that the other party came into contact with the seal required an extremely deep understanding of the seal and very precise calculations of the positioning and velocity of his student!

Even the slightest centimeter of difference could either cause the formation to completely activate and devour the student or the formation to not sense the student altogether and result in nothing happening at all.

Of course, after the past two days of studying the formation, he was also capable of achieving the same feat. What truly left him astonished was the impressive teamwork and deep trust between the student and Principal Zhang!

Had there been the slightest difference in the action just a moment ago, the outcome could very well have been vastly difference. For the student to remain completely still while falling into the depression, not struggling in the slightest, it could only mean that he had complete trust in Principal Zhang.

Furthermore, for the student to jump without any hesitation just because Principal Zhang told him to... If Han Xu were to issue the same command to Liu Mo, the latter was unlikely to do the same.

It was not that Liu Mo didn't trust him, but there was a clear line of difference between trust and blind faith.

After the student was retrieved, Principal Zhang froze on the spot once more, seemingly falling into a daze. A moment later, he turned around.

"Wu shi, are you done preparing the grade-7 pinnacle formation flag yet?"

After a moment of hesitation, Wu shi flicked his wrist and passed a formation flag over. "Here it is."

On top of being a 7-star pinnacle master teacher, he was a 7-star formation master as well. While his proficiency as a formation master was beneath that of Guild Leader Han, he still had a couple of grade-7 pinnacle formation flags in his possession.

"Un." Taking the formation flag, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Without any hesitation, he stomped on the ground and flew into the air, heading toward the airspace right above the depression.

Driving his zhenqi, he grasped his formation flag tightly, seemingly searching for a node to plant it into.

"That fellow has gone bonkers! Liu Mo, hurry up and stop him!" Seeing that Principal Zhang was going to try creating an opening without even discussing the matter with them, Guild Leader Han nearly died of shock.

He had seen reckless people in his lifetime, but never had he seen someone as reckless as that!

Even if you have confirmed a node to plant your formation flag into, you should at least discuss the matter with us! To rush right over without saying a word at all... Are you really that confident that your judgement is correct?

You must know that if you err, it won't just be the twenty thousand master teachers on the Swallow Embracing Mountain who will pay for your mistake. It will be all living beings within a radius of a thousand kilometers!

This is truly making light of the matter!

"Yes!" Hearing his teacher's command, Liu Mo immediately flitted right toward Zhang Xuan.

At this moment, he was also extremely enraged by the impetuous actions of the other party. If he could, he really would tear the self-important fellow before him into pieces!

Hu!

Liu Mo thrust his palm forward, and a powerful burst of zhenqi shot forth from his hands.

In that instant, it seemed as if even the world had dulled before his powerful might as a Saint 3-dan cultivator.

"Hmm?"

Zhang Xuan was in the midst of searching for a node to stabilize the formation, but before he could make a move, he suddenly found that Liu Mo had launched an attack against him. His eyebrows immediately shot up in displeasure.

This fellow... just what kind of insanity streak was he on?

They had only had a small verbal conflict earlier. As a 7-star formation master, surely he didn't need to be so narrow-minded!

But since the other party had already made his move, he couldn't possibly sit idly and allow the other party to do as he pleased. With a deep frown, Zhang Xuan retaliated with a palm on his own.

Hong long!

Zhang Xuan's palm carried immense strength as well. Clashing squarely with the other party's palm strike, a deafening explosion resounded in the air. Surprisingly, they were actually equally-matched.

"What powerful strength!" Liu Mo narrowed his eyes in alarm.

Even though he had used less than a tenth of his strength to stop the other party, the fact that the other party had been able to parry his blow so easily went to show that the other party wasn't just an ordinary Nascent Saint!

With such strength, the other party was already on par with most Saint 2-dan cultivators!

Geji! Geji!

Liu Mo began gathering his strength once more to launch yet another attack at Zhang Xuan so as to force him to back down, but at that moment, a shrill sound abruptly echoed in the air.

Following which, the deep rumbling of thunder suddenly boomed beneath the ground, threatening to burst forth at any moment.

"This is bad, the rampaging energies are going to strike again..." Liu Mo's eyes widened in fear.

The rampaging energies struck once every ten minutes. Clearly, ten minutes had just passed, and it was ready to strike once more.

Liu Mo clenched his teeth tightly and roared furiously, "Stop what you're doing right there! If you don't wish to kill everyone here, you'd better stop moving right now!"

He knew full well that the rumbling heralded another burst of rampaging energies. It was already difficult for their group to withstand the burst as it was; if anything were to happen at this moment, their entire group might just be decimated!

Knowing that he had to stop Zhang Xuan at all costs, his hand darted swiftly toward the other party.

This was the most powerful attack he had. As soon as his hand clawed forward, the air surrounding the Swallow Embracing Mountain suddenly seemed to gather together, causing the flow of spiritual energy to halt.

Seeing that Liu Mo was making a move against him once more, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure. What is that fool trying to do?

Once the current wave of rampaging energies burst forth, the entire seal would be jolted, resulting in a slight deviation in the calculations he had made with great difficulty.

Due to the precarious situation of the seal, even the slightest deviation in the force and positioning when creating the opening could result in a vastly different outcome. As such, there was no room for error at all. He had just managed to find the correct node, and all he had to do at the moment was plant the flag, then the crisis would be averted. Yet, this fellow had caused trouble at this crucial moment.

Truly, there was nothing worse than a pig-like teammate!

No, this won't do. The energies below are about to burst forth, and once it does, I will have to redo my calculations right from the start once more, Zhang Xuan thought anxiously.

But this fellow is far stronger than me. I was only able to withstand his assault earlier because he underestimated me and didn't use his full strength. Now that he is putting his entirety into attacking me. He won't be able to kill me, but to dodge his attacks while successfully planting the formation flag into the node will be practically impossible.

The planting of the formation flag should have been something that only took an instant, but the matter had been complicated with that fellow causing trouble.

The other party was a Saint 3-dan cultivator. Even with Zhang Xuan's superior fighting prowess that allowed him to rival opponents stronger than him, he was still hardly a match for the other party.

"Since that's the case... pardon me!"

Knowing that he couldn't afford to be tied down by the other party at this crucial moment, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes and bellowed loudly, "The students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, listen to my command. Beat the living hell out of that fellow!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing their principal's command, the twenty thousand students simultaneously released a war cry as they raised their palms together.

Hong long!

Individually, these students weren't too powerful; a huge proportion of them were only at the Cosmos Bridge realm and Perfect Harmonization realm. However, when their strength was put together, they were a sight to behold. Twenty thousand surges of zhenqi gathered together as one, forming a massive dragon that charged furiously toward Liu Mo. Under the overwhelming might produced by the collaborative strength of the students, even the surrounding space began to distort under the pressure.

"This is bad..." Not expecting the other party to order all of his students to launch an attack against him, Liu Mo's face turned ashen.

He could already hardly fend for himself at this point, let alone persist in his attack against Zhang Xuan. Thus, he hurriedly retracted his palm and redirected his might toward the massive dragon headed toward him.

The next instant, the moment the two forces collided, Liu Mo's figure was rocketed backward as if a cannonball, spewing out huge mouthfuls of blood in the midst of his flight.

Even a Saint 5-dan expert would have no choice but flee in the face of the combined might of the twenty thousand students, let alone him!

"Good!" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

He could tell that his students had held back in their attack so that the other party wouldn't suffer any life-threatening damage. With the hindrance resolved, Zhang Xuan hurriedly aimed the formation flag in his grasp toward a certain location, preparing to throw it in.

"Hold it right there!"

But before the formation flag could leave his grasp, he heard another bellow. Glancing over, Zhang Xuan saw Guild Leader Han charging toward him as well.

Hong long long!

While Guild Leader Han made his move, the rumbling beneath the ground grew more and pronounced, heralding the imminent arrival of a devastating force.

Knowing that it would be too late if he didn't make a move soon, Zhang Xuan bellowed furiously once more. "Beat him down as well!"

"Yes!"

All of the students nodded simultaneously as they gathered their strength together once more, ready to strike down the lone figure in the air.

"You all dare..." Guild Leader Han's face turned livid.

He might have been a Saint 4-dan pinnacle expert, but he was still unable to withstand the simultaneous attack from twenty thousand students.

Clenching his jaws tightly, he roared indignantly, "I am trying to save you all! If your principal's flag lands, all of you will be goners..."

Hong long!

But before he could finish his words, a powerful burst of radiance struck him.

The vision before him darkened before he was rocketed into the distance, similar to Liu Mo. His body crashed heavily into a cliff face some distance away, and the impact cloaked his entire body with a layer of dust.

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Chapter 1018: There's No Need to Tense Up; It Will Be Over Once I Put It in a Little!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Guild Leader Han was on the brink of madness.

He just couldn't understand why these students had so much trust in that unreliable principal of theirs.

No matter what, he had spent the past two days working closely alongside them as comrades, and a bond of camaraderie had been forged between them. Under normal circumstances, even if it was at the command of their principal, shouldn't they have at least hesitated before attacking him?

Yet, without even bothering to spend time thinking the matter through, they had gathered their strength together and sent him flying.

This was no longer obedience; it was more like they were Principal Zhang's devout followers!

He had even informed them that they might very well lose their lives should their principal identify the wrong node, and yet, their attack hadn't even wavered in the slightest.

What did this signify? It meant that they were all willing to stake their entirety on the twenty-year-old youth before him without any hesitation. Even if the other party was their principal, surely they didn't need to trust him so much that they even abandoned their common sense!

This was truly one of the most eccentric bunch of students he had ever met!

Struggling up from a pile of fragmented rocks, he turned his gaze toward the sky once more and saw that the formation flag had already left Zhang Xuan's hand, headed toward a node.

"We're doomed." Guild Leader Han's eyes were glazed with hopelessness.

It happened that he had done the calculations for the node that the other party was throwing at as well, and it was a point where the energies were the most volatile. If a formation flag was thrown into that point, not only would it not alleviate the situation, it would even induce an explosion with utmost certainty.

Who could have thought that he, Han Xu, despite the great fame and achievements he had accrued in his lifetime, would end up dying in such a manner, dragged down by an impertinent fellow who obstinately drove them down the path of demise? Just the thought of it left him feeling incredibly stifled, and he couldn't help but wallow in self-pity.

Boom!

The next moment, the rampaging energies beneath the ground finally gathered sufficient momentum to burst forth.

Weng!

The ground began to tremor with astonishing intensity. Caught off guard by the sudden shaking, a couple of students standing by the edge of the depression lost their balance and fell to the ground.

Upon seeing such a sight, fear surfaced in the eyes of Wu shi and the others.

"It seems like this burst is far stronger than the ones before." Guild Leader Han's complexion turned incredibly awful as he shook his face in disbelief.

This burst of energies was clearly many times stronger than the ones before. The seal suppressing the burst of energies distorted menacingly under the immense pressure, as if it would be torn to shreds at any moment.

Even if every single person present were to devote their full strength to reinforcing the seal, it was still utterly impossible for them to suppress this burst of energies.

Just what in the world happened? Why would there suddenly be such a powerful burst of energies?

"It's over..." Guild Leader Han despaired.

They had barely hung on even when dealing with the weaker bursts of energies previously, so against such devastating force... Without a doubt, there was no way the seal could withstand this. The immense might would tear through the seal, inducing a massive explosion that would reduce everything within several thousand kilometers to dust!

Just when he thought that all hope was lost, Principal Zhang's voice suddenly sounded from above.

"Here, here. There's no need to tense up; it will be over once I put it in a little!"

Right after those words were spoken, the formation flag flew forward at an even greater speed, stabbing right into the node the other party had identified beforehand.

Hu!

As soon as the flag came into contact with the node, the imminently-exploding seal suddenly lost its ferocity, as if a wolfhound whose tail had been stepped on. With a pop, it abruptly calmed down, becoming as gentle as the placid waters of a roadside puddle.

Following which, a deafening blast sounded from the node, and an immense blast of energies burst toward the heavens. It was as if a hole had been pricked into a balloon, and the vast amount of gas trapped within, upon finally finding an escape route, hurriedly charged out of it. Due to the powerful blast, it felt as if the sky was going to be severed into two.

"This... the crisis has been resolved?" Guild Leader Han's body stiffened from shock. Unable to believe what he was seeing, he rubbed his eyes forcefully.

Wasn't that node the area where the energies were the most volatile? How could the energies be released so smoothly right after the formation flag was planted into it?

Guild Leader Han wasn't the only one who was perplexed by the situation before him. Liu Mo, who had only just returned from his long flight, was dumbfounded by what he saw right after his return as well.

Without using a compass or studying the terrain, the other party had simply picked up a formation flag and thrown it randomly... and the rampaging energies had been released just like that?

Is there really such a maneuver in the Way of Formations? Why am I unaware of it even after studying formations for so many years?

Liu Mo couldn't help but turn his eyes toward the students below, only to see them gazing at the sight before them with perfect nonchalance, as if knowing that their principal would be able resolve the rampaging energies easily.

He and his teacher had spent two whole days working on the formation, only to remain nearly as clueless as they had been at the start. On the other hand, the other party had casually planted a flag a few minutes after he arrived, and the crisis was resolved.

Could it be that when the other party said that they were dumb earlier... it wasn't intended as an insult toward them but a simple fact?

Just as Han Xu and Liu Mo were feeling deeply stifled within, they saw Zhang Xuan slowly descending from the sky before eventually stopping before his students.

"You have worked hard for the past two days. The problem here has been resolved, so quickly return and have a good rest!"

"Thank you, Principal Zhang!"

"I knew it; there is nothing in the world that Principal Zhang can't possibly resolve!"

"Guild Leader Han was prattling on about being a 7-star pinnacle formation master or something a while ago, but from the looks of it now, it doesn't seem like he is anything much."

"Well, it is usually the incapable who find a need to boast about their own abilities. Look at our Principal Zhang, despite the great capabilities he possesses, has he even bragged about them even once?"

"Indeed! Principal Zhang is simply too humble. I must learn from his example..."

...

Hearing the confirmation from their principal that the crisis had been resolved, a huge commotion broke out amid the crowd. Many faces reddened in agitation, and a huge number of students hurriedly sat onto the ground and began driving their cultivation technique to recuperate from their weakness and fatigue.

Two days of intense work had depleted them greatly, and quite a number of them had sustained significant internal injuries as a result.

However, it was fortunate that there was nothing too severe. With sufficient time, they would all be able to make a full recovery.

While the students were recuperating from their exertion, Zhang Xuan carefully assessed the condition of each individual student. Upon seeing any student whose injuries were too severe, he would step forward and treat them personally.

"No wonder... This explains why the students have unconditional trust in him, entrusting themselves to him without any hesitation at all. They don't just regard him as their principal, but their teacher, friend, and comrade as well..."

Witnessing this scene, Guild Leader Han and Liu Mo smiled bitterly. At this moment, they finally understood why the students had chosen to trust Zhang Xuan over them in the crucial moment.

As a principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, the other party's standing could be said to be even above theirs. Yet, such a figure was taking care of 4-star and 5-star master teachers meticulously without the slightest hint of impatience. Just this in itself was something that most weren't able to do.

"Alright..."

After confirming that his students were fine, Zhang Xuan returned to where Wu shi and the others were standing. He turned his gaze toward Guild Leader Han and Liu Mo and clasped his fist hurriedly. "Please do pardon my previous insolence. It was a critical situation then, and I feared that any delay could result in a disastrous outcome."

"Principal Zhang, there is no need to apologize to us. We are the ones who have acted rashly." Guild Leader Han and Liu Mo's faces flushed crimson. If there was a hole in the ground at this moment, they would have surely leaped in without any hesitation.

Their intentions had been out of goodwill; a mistake in that situation could have easily resulted in a disastrous outcome. Yet, they had nearly caused everyone's death due to their incompetence. The guilt that they were feeling at this moment weighed down on them heavily.

It was fortunate that Principal Zhang had decisively commanded his students to knock them down in that moment, not bothering with etiquette. Otherwise... they would have gone down in history as sinners.

"It will take some more time for the energies to be released, and the seal isn't going to open anytime soon. Since that's the case, why don't we return to Firesource City for the time being and await the arrival of those from the Combat Master Hall?" Zhang Xuan proposed.

While the situation with the seal had been resolved, it would still take some time before they would be able to enter it. For one, it would take at least two to three days for the immense buildup of rampaging energies beneath the seal to disperse completely.

Furthermore, the members from the Combat Master Hall and the other three Master Teacher Academies hadn't arrived yet. To maximize the expedition's chances of success, it would be best for them to venture in only after the full team had arrived.

"Alright." Nodding, the crowd got onto an aerial saint beast and flew back to Firesource City.

Zhang Xuan and the others were settled into a huge manor that the regional Master Teacher Pavilion owned. As for the twenty thousand students, Zhang Xuan arranged for School Head Zhao and the others to take them back to the academy.

Threats were bound to be lurking throughout the ancient domain, and it would be too dangerous for the students to join the expedition as well.

A day later, the principals and elders of the other three Master Teacher Academies, as well as those from the Combat Master Hall, finally arrived.

Liao Song had escorted Zheng Yang to the Combat Master Hall headquarters and hadn't returned yet. However, two Saint 3-dan pinnacle Thousand Men Commanders had been dispatched instead.

"You are Principal Zhang?"

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, one of the two Thousand Men Commander immediately emanated a deep aura of hostility.

He had heard about the Combat Master Hall's tragic defeat in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, and he also knew that even though the cultivation of the young man before him was at Nascent Saint, his true fighting prowess was far greater than even combat masters like them.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Do you dare have a match with me?" the Thousand Men Commander challenged.

"A match?" A troubled look surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face.

All he wanted to do was keep a low profile and peacefully remain as the dashing young man he was in the background, was that really that much to ask for?

Being too outstanding sure was tiring!

"Indeed! Do you dare accept my challenge or not?" The Thousand Men Commander eyed Zhang Xuan provocatively.

"It is the first time we are meeting, and it won't do for us to sour our relationship with a match like that. Why don't you allow me to treat you to a drink instead?" Zhang Xuan took out a wine gourd and offered it to the other party earnestly.

However, the Thousand Men Commander shook his head and harrumphed coldly. "You don't want to accept my challenge? Very well. I will find a way to show you that the Combat Master Hall isn't an organization that anyone can humiliate!"

After which, he turned around and left.

Through asking around, Zhang Xuan learned that the name of the Thousand Men Commander was Feng Xun, and he was one of the more pro-combat members of the Combat Master Hall. When he heard that the combat masters who had gone to Hongyuan to assess the potential candidates had been thrashed instead, he couldn't help but feel great hostility toward the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. Ever since then, he had been wanting to spar with Zhang Xuan to regain the Combat Master Hall's dignity.

The other Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall went by the name of Jiang Yuan, and while he looked amicable on the surface, his eyes were filled with fighting will as well.

Combat masters had always been synonymous with the word 'invincible', and yet, they had actually suffered multiple setbacks when facing the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. As Thousand Men Commanders, they viewed it as their responsibility to recover the dignity of the Combat Master Hall.

Mu shi walked up to Zhang Xuan and explained, "Senior Uncle, our Qingyuan Conferred Empire has dispatched four men for this mission; me, Wu shi, Guild Leader Han, and Liu Mo. As for the Combat Master Hall, other than Feng Xun, Jiang Yuan, and Zhuo Qingfeng, there are another twelve more combat masters. Last but not least, for the three Master Teacher Academies, the three principals have come with two elders each, making up nine people in total. All in all, our expedition team has a strength of around thirty or so."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Initially, Zhao Bingxu and the others had wanted to join the expedition team as well, but Zhang Xuan hadn't agreed to it.

The ancient domain was lurking with danger. Should something bad befall him, the Ten Great Master Teachers should at least be around to take care of the academy, or else it would fall into chaos.

"According to my calculations, the ancient domain will open tomorrow. We will be setting forth tomorrow morning," Mu shi said.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan nodded.

After bidding Mu shi farewell, Zhang Xuan returned to his residence, and just as he was about to rest, he noticed Luo Ruoxin sitting on one of the stone seats in his courtyard. Her right elbow was pressed against the stone table, her right fist supporting her head. A contemplative look was on her face, but it was impossible to tell what she was thinking of.

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Chapter 1019: Holding Hands

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

She seemed to be a little out of it, such that she didn't even notice when Zhang Xuan walked over. The brilliant moon cast a pale glow upon her body, making her appearance reminiscent of an ethereal fairy who could fly away in the next moment.

"To daze off like that, what are you thinking of?" Zhang Xuan asked with a smile.

"Nothing much..." Recovering from her daze, Luo Ruoxin shook her head. Standing up, she glanced at the brilliant moon and asked, "Will you accompany for a walk outside?"

Zhang Xuan was taken aback by the request for a moment before delight captured his entire face. Without a second's delay, he replied excitedly, "Of course, it will be my pleasure too!"

Seeing the other party's excited expression, Luo Ruoxin shook her head with a helpless smile. "Do you display your emotions explicitly in everything else you do as well?"

Most people would usually try their best to conceal their delight before her, wanting to appear dignified and cultured. Yet, this fellow was the complete opposite. He was candid and straightforward, doing whatever was on his mind without any worry at all. His carefree personality sure was enviable.

"I..." The abrupt question left Zhang Xuan a little nervous. "Actually, I have been concealing something all this while..."

"Oh?" Hearing those words, Luo Ruoxin's interest was piqued. Turning her beautiful eyes to him, she said, "Tell me about it!"

"To be honest, I am a peaceful person who prefers to maintain a low profile, but things somehow never go the way I want them to..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Low profile?" Seeing how earnestly the other party was saying those words, Luo Ruoxin burst into laughter. The forlorn expression on her face from a moment ago vanished from sight, and she couldn't help but remark, "You sure have concealed it well; I couldn't tell at all!"

No matter where that fellow went, he was always the brightest star in everyone's sight. There couldn't be anyone that was even more high profile than him... and yet, at this moment, he was actually saying that he was a peaceful person who preferred to maintain a low profile?

Where was his face?

She would usually be repulsed by such shamelessness, but for some reason, she didn't have such a reaction toward the young man beside her. On the contrary, being alongside the other party left her feeling very relaxed, bringing her tranquility.

At the other party's reaction, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I knew that you wouldn't believe me!"

He was truly a low-profile person in the depths of his heart, but fate just loved to play tricks on others. Too outstanding, he shone brightly like a firefly in the dark no matter where he went, unable to conceal his glow no matter what he did.

"Hahahaha!" Seeing the other party's serious response, Luo Ruoxin couldn't help but chuckle once more.

Beneath the night sky, amid chatter, the duo walked out of the manor they were staying in.

The onset of the night had brought the scorching temperatures down considerably. Tempted by the cooling weather, those who had been hiding in their homes before stepped out of their doors, filling the streets with a huge crowd.

Zhang Xuan had no idea what kind of method Luo Ruoxin used to disguise herself, but despite her beautiful appearance, she didn't seem to stand out from the crowd. As such, while there were exclamations of marvel from time to time, they didn't catch too many eyes.

After walking a distance, Zhang Xuan suddenly came to a halt and pointed forward. "Due to the peculiar climate of Firesource City, it has many unique delicacies that can't be found anywhere else. There is a tavern just ahead, so why don't we rest there for a moment and try out their local cuisine?"

Luo Ruoxin glanced ahead and saw a grand building. Above the entrance of the building hung a plaque with three words on it: 'Dream Reminiscence Tavern'.

"Life, a reminiscence of a dream. A lifetime of haste and worries, perchance better spent merrymaking with wine... What a poetic name!" Luo Ruoxin remarked meaningfully.

The interior of the tavern was extravagantly designed, but it had a warm atmosphere as well. The attendants that were moving around the place possessed a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan at the very least. With just a look, it was apparent that the tavern was anything but simple.

"Guests, this way please..." An attendant welcomed them before settling them into a table for two by the window.

Zhang Xuan shot Luo Ruoxin a glance, and only after confirming that the latter wasn't unhappy with this arrangement did he heave a sigh of relief and sit down.

"Bring us a plate of all of your specialties please."

"Sure thing!"

The attendant hurriedly left, and before long, a huge array of delicacies and a bottle of fine wine were spread out grandly on the table before them.

Zhang Xuan had to admit that the food and wine in this tavern were indeed excellent. The earth flames that Firesource City was rich in didn't just bring about superior weapons, it was also the key to the exceptionally fragrant wine they produced in the region. Just a single sip could make one addicted to it, craving more.

"This Golden Lake Carp is a unique species found only in the Golden Lake on the Swallow Embracing Mountain. It only reproduces once every ten years, making it very short in supply. It has no scales, and its flesh is particularly fresh too. It is best when steamed with yellow wine..."

"This is the liver of the Blue Sparrow. Just steam it with a slight touch of sesame oil, and it will be ready to be feasted upon. This dish is not only rich in spiritual energy, its taste is also top-notch..."

"This is the famous Greentip Bamboo Meat of Firesource City. Its main ingredient is Greentip Bamboo, a plant that only grows in Firesource City. Once heated up, it will gain a texture reminiscent of bacon, giving a nice crisp to it..."

Zhang Xuan introduced the various dishes as they feasted on the food before them.

With just a taste, he could compile a book on each of them in the Library of Heaven's Path. Putting aside introducing the dishes, he could easily point out dozens of flaws in the cooking without repeating any points.

"You are a gourmet?" Luo Ruoxin was surprised to hear the other party's detailed introduction of the dishes.

Despite the young age of the man seated before her, he possessed strength far beyond his age, and his mastery of his supporting occupations was also formidable. It was almost as if there was nothing in the world that he was incapable of.

This was especially so for gourmet. It was one of the most inconspicuous occupations of the Lower Nine Paths, and they would usually only be responsible in trying out new dishes and introducing them to noble personages. As such, they didn't have much standing.

Thus, she couldn't help but be perplexed that the principal of a Master Teacher Academy would actually spend his time on studying it as well.

"I happen to have read some books on them in the past, so I do know a little bit here and there," Zhang Xuan explained.

"Impressive, you sure are well read," Luo Ruoxin complimented.

A stark contrast to Zhang Xuan wolfing down the food without the slightest bit of elegance, Luo Ruoxin ate gracefully in small mouthfuls. Her subtle mannerisms hinted at the fine upbringing she had.

...

After having their fill of good, Zhang Xuan turned to Luo Ruoxin and said, "If you have anything on your mind, perhaps speaking of it will make you feel better. My cultivation might be low, but I am still capable of resolving most problems."

He could tell that the other party had some troubles on her mind, and that was also why he had been jesting around, hoping to put the other party in a better mood. However... it seemed like his efforts weren't really paying off.

"It's nothing much..." Luo Ruoxin paused for a brief moment before shaking her head. "It's just that I have met with some matters recently that made me a little homesick."

"Homesick? You... Are you really from one of the Sage Clans, the Luo Clan?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

There had been many rumors regarding Luo Ruoxin's true identity going around the Master Teacher Academy, the notable ones being that she was from the esteemed Luo Clan.

Otherwise, it didn't make sense for even a 7-star master teacher like Mu shi to treat her so respectfully.

"Sage Clan?" The young lady shook her head with a smile, neither admitting nor denying it. Instead, she looked at Zhang Xuan and asked, "What about your family? Where are they? I haven't really heard you talking about them before."

Seeing that Luo Ruoxin was unwilling to speak of the matter, Zhang Xuan decided not to ask too much about it either. "I don't have any family members. I am an orphan."

"An orphan?" Luo Ruoxin was slightly stunned by the response.

"Un, I did not have any kin while growing up," Zhang Xuan said.

He had never met any of his kin after transcending from Earth. Not only so, his previous self also had no recollection of the sort.

It was through great hard work that his previous self had managed to become a teacher of Hongtian Academy, but even so... he had ended up causing his student's cultivation to go berserk and nearly had his license revoked!

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," Luo Ruoxin hurriedly apologized.

"It's fine; I am already used to it. I'm quite happy with my situation. I am able to travel wherever I want to freely without any care in the world!" Zhang Xuan chucked.

In a sense, he also liked his current lifestyle as well. Journeying through the world freely, there was nothing to tie him down other than the couple of direct disciples he had.

"You sure are optimistic..." Luo Ruoxin could see in the other party's eyes that he was indeed enjoying the current life he had, and she nodded in approval.

Without any backing or connections, he had been able to rise to the position of the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy by the time he was twenty through his own hard work. While other party might seem unreliable at times, there was no doubt that he was a person worthy of respect.

Just by the unconditional trust the students had in him and the unwavering loyalty the academy elders showed him... all of this was testimony to his outstanding capability.

As long as he was around, even the most impossible of tasks could be resolved easily.

There were plenty of outstanding figures around her, and most of them were far stronger than the young man before her when they were at his age. However... that was due to their high starting point. Were they to start from the same origin, there would probably be less than a handful who could catch up to him!

To reach Nascent Saint pinnacle at such a young age and become the principal of a Master Teacher Academy, winning the unwavering loyalty of the students and acknowledgement of the world... his charisma was something that very few could match.

What particularly stood out was the other party's mental resilience. Even in the face of a crisis, he could retain his composure and resolve it perfectly. As long as he was given time to grow, there was no doubt that he would achieve great things in the future.

Unknowingly, Luo Ruoxin's view of the young man before her had changed tremendously.

In the past, she had only felt a peculiar intimacy toward him. However, as time passed, she had gradually realized that he possessed a radiance unmatched by anyone else in the world, leaving the others paling in comparison. Her eyes couldn't help but be drawn to him.

Unknowingly, the young man had stoked a peculiar sentiment within her.

It was just a sliver at the moment, but it was something that had never happened before.

"Let's return."

After chatting for a while longer, they began making their way back to the manor.

The brilliant moon hanging high in the night sky drew out long, slender shadows behind the both of them. A light breeze blew, and the faint fragrance of the young lady drifted in the air. It was a comfortable scent.

Zhang Xuan had never felt so tranquil before in his life. His hand stretched forward and touched the back of the young lady's hand. It felt soft and smooth, reminiscent of cotton.

Luo Ruoxin's body stiffened slightly as she instinctively retracted her hand and hugged it before her chest. With a reddened face, she exclaimed, "I will be going on ahead first!"

After saying those words, she rushed off. In an instant, she had already disappeared from view.

"She's gone," Zhang Xuan remarked lamentably. Slapping his forehead, he shook his head in utmost regret. "Why did I have to do that?"

If he hadn't reached out for her hand, he could still have been walking with her. Perhaps, they could have chatted a little longer. If the other party were to blame him for this matter, would they be unable to remain friends?

How could he have been so foolish!

Vexed, Zhang Xuan decided to just assess the other party's attitude tomorrow morning before deciding what he could do. Hopefully, if the other party wasn't too angry, he could just feign ignorance and get along with her as if nothing had happened.

Shaking his head, he was just about to make his way back to the manor when a sound suddenly echoed from the depths of the alley.

"Farewell, my kin and my friends. I have truly brought all of you great shame!"

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan walked over and saw a man in his early thirties kneeling before the entrance of a residence, grieving sorrowfully.

His body was covered with fresh blood, and his face was cloaked with a layer of dust, giving him an unkempt appearance. It was likely that he had just survived some kind of dangerous situation.

"Farewell!"

After kowtowing a few more times, the middle-aged man stood up. He flicked his wrist, and a sword appeared in his hands. He placed it against his neck as he prepared to slit his throat.

He is committing suicide? Not expecting to meet with a person trying to end his life while walking along the streets, Zhang Xuan hurriedly flicked his finger.

Weng!

A burst of light shot forth, and the sword was struck out of the man's grip. It pierced deeply into a nearby wall, vibrating endlessly.

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Chapter 1020: Violetgilt Metal

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Having his sword abruptly knocked flying, the middle-aged man was taken aback. He hurriedly turned his head around and saw a young man walking over.

"Even ants struggle to continue living, so why do you seek the end?" Zhang Xuan said.

Walking closer, he noted that the middle-aged man possessed a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 9-dan primary stage. With such strength, he could definitely be considered as an expert in Firesource City.

"I appreciate elder's concern, but I desire nothing more than death..." Knowing that a person who could flick his sword off his hand from a distance away was bound to be far stronger than him, the middle-aged man replied respectfully, not underestimating the other party just because of his young age.

Nevertheless, there was still a forlorn gaze in his eyes.

"To be able to cultivate to a level likes yours before thirty, you are quite an outstanding genius. What is it that left you in such deep despair, such that even living has become a chore to you?" Zhang Xuan asked, intrigued.

Even with the rich resources in Firesource City, a person who could reach Transcendent Mortal 9-dan before thirty could be considered to be an outstanding genius.

A person as talented as the other party had a bright future ahead of him, so why was he attempting to end his life?

"I really can't bring myself to continue living any longer..." The middle-aged man shook his head. "In Firesource City, a land rich in earth flames, the most respected occupation is blacksmith. From seven, I have been studying under Grandmaster Blacksmith Sun Jin as an apprentice. I thought that I would eventually be accepted as his student and rise to great heights... but who knew that I would fail the blacksmith examination for ten years consecutively! For twenty-four whole years, I have remained as a mere apprentice... A person as dull-witted and incapable as me doesn't deserve to live. I have truly brought shame to my family members and the occupation..."

"You have been an apprentice for twenty-four years?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "So... you aren't even a 1-star blacksmith at the moment?"

Going by the ranking standard, a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert should have been a 5-star pinnacle blacksmith at the minimum. Yet, to still remain as an apprentice... Was this for real?

Could there really be such an untalented person in the world?

"Un. Every time I attempt to forge a weapon, I will find myself being unable to control the temperature of the earth flames well, resulting in the metal ingot going to ruins... After the previous examination I had, my teacher finally couldn't stand in incompetence any longer and evicted me from his lineage. My family members are still anticipating the day which I become a blacksmith and bring glory to our family name, and yet, I ended up letting all of them down instead. What rights do I have to face the world..." The more the middle-aged man spoke about his matter, the more depressed he became.

Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised.

A Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert had been studying smithing ever since he was seven, and yet hadn't cleared the 1-star blacksmith examination even after twenty-four years of effort? No matter how untalented the other party was, surely it couldn't possibly be to such an extent?

If that was true, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine the despair the other party was feeling.

"But just what could have happened for him to be unable to clear even the 1-star blacksmith examination?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

It might be challenging for a Tongxuan realm 1 cultivator to clear the 1-star blacksmith examination, but as a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert, a person who had cultivated his soul and was capable of precise movements, how could the other party be incapable of smithing a Mortal-tier weapon and qualify as a 1-star blacksmith?

"I have no idea as well. Somehow, I am just unable to successfully smith a weapon." the middle-aged man shook his head.

His multiple failures in the examination had sapped him of his confidence.

"Unable to smith a weapon?" Perplexed, Zhang Xuan looked at the middle-aged man before him with a frown and asked, "Can you smith the most basic weapon you know of for me?"

To think that a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert would be incapable of clearing even a mere 1-star blacksmith examination, this was something that was completely inconceivable to Zhang Xuan. It was simply ridiculous, there was no one out in the world who would dare believe this to be true.

"Elder, thank you for saving my life, but I have already made up my mind. Even if I were to smith that weapon, it won't change my mind. A person as useless as me will be better off dead!" the middle-aged man bowed deeply and said.

"There is plenty of time for you to seek the end, there is no need to rush into it now. I happen to be a rather experienced blacksmith myself, and I am intrigued by the problem you are afflicted by. Perhaps, if you show me your smithing process, I might just be able to identify the root of your problem and help you resolve it." Zhang Xuan said.

If the other party was determined on attempting suicide, there was nothing he could do about it. However, the fact that a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan was unable to qualify as a 1-star blacksmith after so many years of effort was bewildering to him, and he felt that there was a need to get to the bottom of it.

"This..." The middle-aged man hesitated.

"Since you are going to end your life anyway, it shouldn't matter, right? It won't be too late for you to do whatever you want to after I fail." Zhang Xuan smiled.

"... Very well then." The middle-aged man nodded.

Indeed. Since he was going to end his life, what did he have to lose?

"There is a chamber which I use for smithing weapons not too far away. All of the required items for smithing are there, so let's head over."

After saying these words, the middle-aged man led the way ahead. Not too long later, they arrived at a rather small chamber.

The chamber had everything that a blacksmith would need, be it earth flames or cauldron. There was a rack placed alongside one of the walls which was filled with a lot of ores. There were a couple of them that were extremely rare, such that it would be difficult to find them in the market. Despite the middle-aged man's low proficiency in smithing, it seemed like he was quite a collector of ores.

Assessing the area, Zhang Xuan's gaze suddenly fell on one of the ores, and his eyelids began twitching in shock.

"Is that... Violetgilt Metal?"

Violetgilt Metal was an extremely rare ore which could be infused into certain types of weapons to boost its might.

"Using this ore and a smithing technique that complements it, I will be able to induce a breakthrough in the Golden Origin Cauldron!" Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed in agitation.

Having made a promise to the Golden Origin Cauldron back when the latter first submitted to him, he had been looking into the various methods of raising its strength. However, due to the lack of required ores, he had no choice but to put off the matter aside again and again.

Who could have thought that he would find the required ore here?

"I am going to start." Oblivious to Zhang Xuan's astonishment, the middle-aged man said nonchalantly before walking up to his weapon cauldron.

Driving his zhenqi, his hand grasped forward to draw the earth flames from the ground.

A searing blaze surged into the chamber, and under the overwhelming heat, the chamber walls glowed crimson. The middle-aged man flicked his wrist and took out a metal hammer. After which, he grabbed a piece of iron and placed it into the cauldron.

A few moments later, after the iron had softened under the intense heat, he began to hammer it.

Ding ding dang dang!

Under the powerful hammering, it didn't take long for the iron ingot to be shaped into a sharp sword.

Zhang Xuan had to acknowledge that the middle-aged man had reached an incredible mastery in his forging skills, superior to even a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith like him.

Soon, after the shaping of the weapon was finally forged, the middle-aged man extended his hand forward once more, intending to draw earth flames to temper the weapon. Yet, at this moment, the earth flames suddenly ran out of control. It rushed forward with astonishing ferocity, reducing the freshly forged weapon back into a pile of metallic fluid, thus rendering his previous efforts futile.

"Failure again... I knew that I couldn't possibly succeed..." Sighing deeply, despondency surfaced in the middle-aged man's eyes.

He couldn't help but wish for a miracle to happen each time he forged. Perhaps, he might just succeed this time. Yet, like many times before, his prayers hadn't come true.

"This..."

In contrast to the middle-aged man despondency, Zhang Xuan frowned after seeing the other party's smithing process.

With his eye of discernment, even without the Library of Heaven's Path, he was still able to easily see through the issues in the other party's smithing.

There wasn't any significant mistake in the other party's forging, but as for the tempering... It appeared that there was a conflict between the other party's zhenqi and the earth flames, resulting in the other party's inability to control the earth flames. As a result, the earth flames ended up running out of control, devouring the forged weapon clean...

To put it in other words, the issue lay in not what the other party had done but the internal condition of his body. The zhenqi in the other party's body happened to have an attribute that was at odds with the earth flames, causing the earth flames to run amok. This was also the reason why the forged weapon ended up becoming a pile of metallic liquid when he attempted to temper it, rendering his efforts futile.

"Surely a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith should be able to tell that there is a conflict between his zhenqi and the earth flames?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

What that had left Zhang Xuan baffled wasn't how difficult it was to discern the middle-aged man's problem but how easy it was to do so. It was understandable that the middle-aged man wasn't aware of it as he wasn't even a 1-star blacksmith yet, thus he wasn't qualified to access books beyond that of an apprentice. However, there was no way a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith could be oblivious to it.

It was fundamental knowledge for them!

But if so, why didn't the Sun Jin person whom the other party spoke about inform the other party of the matter? Why didn't he try to correct the other party's flaw?

"Wait a moment..." As Zhang Xuan contemplated over the matter, his eyebrows suddenly leaped up.

The reason why a conflict would occur was due to one's cultivation technique being incompatible with the earth flames, but if the middle-aged man had started learning smithing from that Sun Jin person ever since he was seven, how could he still suffer from such a fundamental issue?

"Unless it was done on purpose..." Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed into slits.

Given the circumstances surrounding the middle-aged man, the only possible reasoning for such a situation was that someone had intentionally taught him the wrong cultivation technique from the start.

But... what did that person have to gain from teaching him the wrong cultivation technique?

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan scanned the room to see if he could find any clues when a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Turning to the middle-aged man, he asked, "Are you the one who found these ores?"

"That's right." The middle-aged man nodded, slightly baffled by Zhang Xuan's abrupt question. "Due to the high concentration of earth flames around Firesource City, there are plenty of ores in the area... Through the natural affinity between the ores and my zhenqi, I am able to locate them quite easily."

"Natural affinity between the ores and your zhenqi?"

"That's right. Our cultivation techniques are imparted by Sun Jin laoshi. As long as we cultivate hard, we will gain a keen sensitivity towards ores, allowing us to find them easily..." The middle-aged man nodded.

"We? Are there many who cultivate the same cultivation technique as you?" Zhang Xuan asked.

The middle-aged man contemplated for a brief moment before replying, "There are. There are around thirty apprentices who had studied alongside me back then. However, most of them were devoured by the earth flames while searching for ores, so there are only me and another one left."

"Is the other surviving person unable to become a blacksmith as well?" As if having come to a realization, Zhang Xuan asked grimly.

"That's right. He's a year older than me, and unable to stand the shame from consecutive failure, he eventually succumbed to the pressure and ended his life last year..." Recalling the fate of his companion, the middle-aged man shook his head and sighed.

To be unable to qualify as a blacksmith even after studying for so many years, it wasn't too difficult to imagine how despondent the other party must have felt.

"Committed suicide?" Zhang Xuan was astonished. He took a sweeping gaze around the room before asking, "Then... where do the ores you collect go to? Surely there should be more than this?"

Since the middle-aged man had an uncanny ability to locate ores, he must have found many of them in the past twenty-four years of his life. He should have collected far more ores than those present in the room.

"I did collect quite a lot, but most of them have gone to Sun Jin laoshi as tuition fee. He has taught me ever since I was young, imparting me much valuable knowledge. Even though I was still unable to become a blacksmith in the end, I am still deeply indebted to him. It is only right that I pay tuition fee to him." the middle-aged man replied.

"Tuition fee?" I see, I finally get it!" Having finally made sense of the entire story, a chilling glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes. In that instant, his face turned terrifyingly cold.

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Chapter 1021: The Despicable Sun Jin

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

After hearing those words, Zhang Xuan confirmed that that Blacksmith Sun Jin whom the other party spoke of had never intended to take the middle-aged man as his disciple in the first place. From the start to the end, that Sun Jin fellow had only regarded the other party as a mere tool for procuring ores!

In the gaps between the tectonic plates, valuable ores were usually produced alongside earth flames. As such, in places where earth flames could be found, there were bound to be plenty of valuable ores as well.

That Sun Jin fellow had intentionally made the middle-aged man cultivate a zhenqi that was at odds with the earth flames, thus making it easier for the other party to sense areas rich in earth flames. But cultivating such a cultivation technique meant that the latter would be unable to control the earth flames, making it impossible to smith!

In other words, Sun Jin had never intended to allow the middle-aged man to become a blacksmith!

Working as a blacksmith might have been lucrative, but selling those ores was even more so!

For a teacher to commit such an atrocity... Zhang Xuan was enraged.

It was one thing if he had never encountered it, but now that he had, there was no way he could let the other party off!

Black sheep like this had to be weeded from society!

Even though the other party wasn't a master teacher, he had assumed the name of a teacher to intentionally misguide others. This was completely unacceptable!

The thirty apprentices who had come under Sun Jin's tutelage alongside the middle-aged man had thought that they could rise to glory with a great 6-star blacksmith teaching them personally. Yet, due to Sun Jin's misguidance, their dreams had been shattered. Most of them had ended up dying while searching for ores for him, and even the fortunate survivor had ended up ending his life from the sheer despair of being unable to become a blacksmith.

To Sun Jin, they were probably just disposable pawns. As mere apprentices, they weren't qualified to learn his true teachings. Thus, their inability to become blacksmiths didn't harm his reputation by too much. On the contrary, the others might even think that it was those apprentices who were lazy and incapable, being unable to achieve anything despite coming under the tutelage of an esteemed 6-star pinnacle blacksmith.

Most likely, it was such overwhelming criticism that eventually pushed the middle-aged man to take the final step.

Had Zhang Xuan not heard of it himself, he would never have dared believe that there could be such a contemptible individual in the Firesource City Blacksmith Guild.

Those who imparted their teachings and dispelled the doubts of others were granted the noble title 'teacher'.

As an esteemed blacksmith, an Upper Nine Paths occupation, if Sun Jin had attempted to search for mercenaries to gather ores for him, he would surely have been able to do so easily. Just that, being found doing so could possibly sully his reputation, and the profits he stood to earn would be significantly lower as well. Whereas, by accepting a few apprentices and pretending to be a teacher to them, their act of gathering ores for him could be justified as filial piety, allowing him to take them for free without suffering the condemnation of others. On top of that, he could also conveniently toss them aside once he was done with them, and this was indeed what he had done.

"Despite studying under a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith for so many years, I am still unable to smith even the most basic Mortal weapon. No matter where I go, I am viewed with disdain by others, such that even my family members were mocked due to my incompetence. If all my existence does is bring shame to others, I might as well end my life right here, right now!" Seeing the elder before him fall into deep contemplation, the middle-aged man thought that the other party wasn't able to find a solution to his problem as well, and disappointment crept into his eyes.

It was one thing if he was the only one being mocked, but for his family members to have to face mockery from the public due to him... this was something that he couldn't accept!

Seeing that the middle-aged man had lost all fighting will within him, Zhang Xuan shook his head and consoled him. "There's no need to get so downhearted. I have already identified the root problem as to why you are unable to smith. As long as you trust me, I will help you resolve your problem. Not only so, I will help you advance to become a 5-star or even a 6-star blacksmith!"

But as much as those words were consolation, they weren't lies. He did possess the ability to do so.

It might have been difficult for others to alter a cultivation technique, but with the sharp eye of discernment and vast knowledge that Zhang Xuan possessed, creating a new cultivation technique to resolve the flaws of the current one that the other party was cultivating wasn't entirely impossible.

Of course, Zhang Xuan had to first find out what kind of cultivation technique the middle-aged man was cultivating first.

Zhang Xuan had used his Eye of Insight to carefully assess the middle-aged man when he smithed earlier, and it seemed like the cultivation technique that the other party had been taught was incomplete. As the information he received he wasn't complete, he had to obtain the full copy so as to ensure that nothing would go wrong.

"Become a 5-star or 6-star blacksmith?" The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment after hearing those words before shaking his head, and the disappointment in his eyes deepened further.

He had thought that, considering the immense capability that the elder before him had displayed, the other party might have had a way to resolve his problem. Yet, who could have known that the other party would end up spouting such nonsense?

A person who was incapable of even smithing the most basic Mortal-tier weapon, how could he possibly ever become a 5-star or even 6-star blacksmith?

Wasn't this a mere daydream?

The middle-aged man turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan and spoke with an immensely weak and bitter voice. "Do you find my plight very hilarious? Are you here to make a mockery of me before I end my life?"

"Make a mockery of you?"

Zhang Xuan hadn't expected to hear such words from the other party's mouth, and he was dumbfounded for a moment. However, it didn't take him long to understand the rationale behind the other party's words.

To tell a man who had failed the 1-star blacksmith examination for twenty-four years straight that he could become a 5-star or 6-star blacksmith, it was no wonder the other party would think that he was mocking him.

Without explaining anything, Zhang Xuan spoke with a confident smile on his face. "Don't worry, I don't have the habit of making empty promises. I mean what I say."

If it still didn't work out at the end, he could always just destroy the other party's cultivation and impart a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art to him. Even though the middle-aged man was at Transcendent Mortal 9-dan, even if he started cultivating from scratch, it wouldn't take too long.

"You mean what you say? A feat that even Sun Jin laoshi is unable to achieve, how do you expect me to believe you? Are you really a blacksmith?" A hint of doubt surfaced in the middle-aged man's eyes.

Any blacksmith would understand the difficulties in advancing through the ranks, and yet, the other party spoke of reaching 5-star and 6-star as if it was a mere walk in the park. Wasn't that clearly boasting?

"Of course!" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out his blacksmith emblem, and six brilliant stars shone brightly on it.

"You are a... 6-star blacksmith?"

The middle-aged man was stunned to see the emblem, but a moment later, he shook his head and said, "I don't believe you. There is a chance that the emblem might belong to someone else, or it might even be a fake altogether. Unless you smith... a Spirit pinnacle weapon before my eyes, you won't be able to convince me that you are a 6-star blacksmith!"

It was inevitable that the middle-aged man would be skeptical of Zhang Xuan. All of the 6-star blacksmiths he had encountered were at least in their fifties, so it was hard for him to even fathom that a young man in his twenties could possibly reach such a height.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was slightly stunned by the other party's sudden request.

He had received his blacksmith emblem fair and square through an examination at the Master Teacher Academy. Naturally, it was nothing much for him to show his ability to the other party.

What he had to do now was to win the other party's trust first. Otherwise, if the other party were to insist on ending his life, there would be nothing he could do.

"Why? You aren't able to smith anything at all? So, the words you have said are all lies to console me?" Noting Zhang Xuan's hesitation, the eyes of the middle-aged man turned despondent.

"Of course not, smithing a weapon means nothing to me!" Seeing that he could very well lose the other party's trust if he didn't show his ability, Zhang Xuan replied with a slight smile and stepped forward.

"Allow me to use your ores!"

Saying that, Zhang Xuan walked up to the rack by the wall and casually selected four different ores before tossing them into the cauldron not too far away.

After which, he drove his zhenqi, and the earth flames immediately surged up, scorching the four ores crimson. In just a moment, they began melting. The impurities contained within the ore were burned away, leaving behind the refined metal glowing brilliantly within the cauldron.

The four ores were extremely rare commodities in the world, each of them worth a fortune. Probably, only in a place like Firesource City could one take out all four of them so easily.

Through skillfully maneuvering his zhenqi, Zhang Xuan slowly pushed the four ores together, fusing them. As he did so, he turned to the middle-aged man with a slight smile on his face and said, "The easiest segment in smithing a weapon is the forging 1 phase. This phase happens to be the most time-consuming as well, so I will just skip that."

As he spoke, Zhang Xuan gathered zhenqi at the tips of his finger and abruptly shot it into the searing earth flames. The freshly fused alloy flew out of the cauldron and into a quench 2 bath not too far away.

Tzzzzzzz!

Smoke puffed into the air.

Shortly after, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and grasped; a huge lump of metal appeared before his eyes.

"This is... a weapon?" Looking at the metal lump, the middle-aged man's lips twitched uncontrollably.

Putting aside mere apprentices, even a pig could probably forge something way better than that.

With a bizarre look on his face, the middle-aged man casually took the weapon, intrigued by the monstrosity that the other party had smithed. The next moment, however, his eyes narrowed in astonishment.

His proficiency in smithing wasn't too high, but having pursued a 6-star blacksmith for more than twenty years, he still possessed a decent eye for weapons.

As ugly and revolting as the metal lump looked, there was no doubt that it was a Spirit pinnacle weapon.

To casually pick up a few ores and forge a Spirit pinnacle weapon within less than a minute... What kind of frightening ability was this?

If he could smith such a powerful weapon without paying any heed to the meticulous details, once he got serious... what kind of formidable weapons would he be able to smith?

"I apologize for doubting you!" The middle-aged man hurried forward and kneeled onto the floor.

At this moment, he felt nothing but awe and respect for the other party!

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Even though he was a real 6-star pinnacle blacksmith through and through, his ability was limited to only refining the ores and quenching. As for the most basic forging... it was regrettable, but he knew nothing about it at all.

As a result, all he could forge at the moment were metal lumps. Anything more complicated than that was beyond his capability.

Nevertheless, that was more than sufficient for him to gain the other party's trust.

Seeing that he had won the other party's unreserved trust, Zhang Xuan said, "Alright. Now that I have verified my identity to you, you should be willing to listen to my instructions now, right? If it works out, not only will you become a full-fledged blacksmith, the facade of a certain hypocrite will be unmasked as well!"

"The facade of a certain hypocrite will be unmasked?" The middle-aged man couldn't comprehend the nuance of these words.

"Indeed." Zhang Xuan nodded. "May I know where the Blacksmith Sun Jin you spoke of is the moment?"

"He... He should be at the Blacksmith Guild," the middle-aged man replied.

"Bring me to him. Later on, regardless of what I say or do, I want you to remain silent by the side. Don't interject, and act only on my command," Zhang Xuan instructed.

As the principal of a Master Teacher Academy, he couldn't allow poisonous tumors like Sun Jin to continue their tyranny. He had to expose the other party's misdeeds publicly, or else who knew how many more people would end up in the same pitiful plight as the middle-aged man before him?

On top of protecting humanity, master teachers had the duty to protect the sanctity of teaching. The solemnity of lineages mustn't be undermined by a couple of black sheep in society!

"Yes!" The middle-aged man nodded.

Just as the other party had said, as a person who was already prepared to die, what else did he have to fear? Perhaps, just perhaps... if the young man before him really could bring a miracle to him and resolve his problem, he could finally be freed from the abyss of despair that he had been gradually sinking deeper and deeper into over the years.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to walk out of the room, he suddenly halted and pointed toward the Violetgilt Metal on the rack.

"Bring this ore with us. We will use it later!"

The middle-aged man nodded and stowed it in his storage ring before leading the way to the Blacksmith Guild.

With the Blacksmith Guild located just three streets away, it didn't take the duo too long to arrive at their destination.

Darkness had already set upon the sky of Firesource City, but as the base of operations for the most popular occupation in the city, the Blacksmith Guild was still brightly-lit, and huge crowds walked in and out of its entrance.

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Chapter 1022: Causing Trouble

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

When they reached the guild's entrance, the middle-aged man fell silent for a brief moment before saying, "Sun Jin laoshi is one of the most capable blacksmiths in the guild, and he has many disciples and followers. As a mere apprentice, an evicted one at that, I have no right to bring you to him."

Due to the rich earth flames around Firesource City, blacksmiths and apothecaries were particularly respected in the region. In a sense, they could be considered nobles there, existences whom the average civilians could never hope to make an appointment with. This was especially so for a blacksmith of Sun Jin's caliber.

"You have no right? Don't worry, I will bring you right to him!" Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Xuan swiftly uncovered Sun Jin's location before leading the way over.

The Firesource City Blacksmith Guild was bustling. The main hall was packed with sellers and buyers of weapons alike. 1-star and 2-star blacksmiths were serving as attendants in the area, attending to the customers and bringing about order to the crowd.

After walking for a while, they soon arrived before a relatively vast room. Just as they were about to make their way in, two 4-star blacksmiths walked up to them, and upon recognizing the middle-aged man following behind Zhang Xuan, they sneered coldly.

"I was just wondering who this is. Isn't this our great Song Zhen, who still remains as an apprentice even after twenty long years? What? Are you unwilling to give up, so you wish to give it another try?"

"It doesn't matter. No matter how many times you take the examination, trash is trash; you can't change your nature regardless of how much you try!"

Disdainful smiles were plastered on the faces of the duo. Clearly, they were well aware of the affairs surrounding the middle-aged man.

"I..." Hearing the sneers, the face of the middle-aged man, Song Zhen, paled. He opened his mouth to speak, but eventually, he closed it without saying a word.

"Alright, you should stop making a fool out of yourself here and scram. Our teacher has no intention of meeting you, so it doesn't matter how many times you come here!" One of the two 4-star blacksmiths waved his hands impatiently.

Song Zhen was about to explain the situation when Zhang Xuan suddenly raised his hand, stopping him. After which, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze toward the duo and said, "He isn't the one who wants to meet your teacher; it's me. Get Sun Jin out here to receive me!"

"You want our teacher to receive you? Who do you think you are?" Hearing the arrogant words spoken by the young man before him, one of the 4-star blacksmiths guarding the door harrumphed coldly, the disdain in his eyes reflected clearly for all to see.

Given his teacher's standing, even the city lord of Firesource City had to submit a visiting scroll in advance before paying a visit. Yet, this twenty-year-old fellow actually dared to speak such haughty words, wanting his teacher to receive him. The ignorant sure were fearless!

"I will give you three counts to get out of my way, or else I will toss you out myself!" The other blacksmith threatened menacingly.

Seeing that the duo wasn't planning on letting him enter, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "Since he has no intentions on receiving me, it seems like I will just have to go in by myself."

Right after saying those words, Zhang Xuan turned his eyes away from the duo and began making his way into the room.

As the principal of the Master Teacher Academy, not even a 7-star master teacher would dare to keep him waiting outside.

Seeing that the young man was trying to barge in forcefully, the faces of the two 4-star blacksmiths warped in astonishment.

"Audacious! What are you trying to do?"

They hurried forward to block the young man's path as they raised their palm, prepared to make a move.

However, before they could launch their strike, an overwhelming might crashed down upon them.

Peng peng!

The duo was knocked flying simultaneously before crashing heavily into the wall. Their faces reddened, and fresh blood spewed from their mouths.

With just a look, Zhang Xuan could tell that this wasn't the first time that the two 4-star blacksmiths had oppressed others. Toward such people, he had no intention on holding back at all. With a simple exertion of his zhenqi, the duo was already severely wounded.

The two of them were only at Cosmos Bridge realm, so it was only natural that they wouldn't even be able to withstand a simple exertion of zhenqi from Zhang Xuan.

Struggling to his feet, one of the 4-star blacksmiths exclaimed, "Someone is trying to barge in forcefully!"

His voice was very loud, and it swiftly resounded through the main hall of the Blacksmith Guild.

"Someone is trying to barge in? What is going on?"

Countless pairs of eyes turned toward them.

However, Zhang Xuan paid those curious gazes no heed at all, proceeding in with an impassive look on his face.

Song Zhen had thought that the other party was paying a visit to the Blacksmith Guild to find a solution to his problem, but who could have known that the other party would forcefully barge in in such a manner? Horrified, he couldn't help but cower in fear. However, after a moment of hesitation, he clenched his jaws in determination and decided to follow behind the other party.

No matter what, it was apparent that the other party was doing it for him, so how could he back away at this moment?

On the other hand, noting that Song Zhen had decided to follow behind him, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Even though he was determined on bringing judgement upon Sun Jin today, it could pose some trouble to him should Song Zhen choose to back down at this crucial moment.

"Trying to barge into our Blacksmith Guild? You are seeking death!"

"Quick, stop that fellow!"

Hearing the shouting from the 4-star blacksmith, seven middle-aged men within the room hurried forward to surround Zhang Xuan.

Dressed in their blacksmith robes, there were either four or five gleaming stars on the emblems pinned in front of their chests, indicating their ranks. Without any hesitation, they drew their weapons and launched an assault at the two intruders.

As the occupation that was second only to master teachers in Firesource City, blacksmiths had their pride and dignity to uphold. Any action that undermined the prestige of the Blacksmith Guild had to be dealt with sternly to show others that blacksmiths weren't to be trifled with. Thus, upon hearing that someone was forcefully barging into the Blacksmith Guild, their first thought was to apprehend the other party before anything else.

Seeing the seven middle-aged man assaulting him without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan sneered coldly, "Noisy!"

Without even shooting them a glance, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and continued walking forward.

Peng peng peng peng!

The crowd who had rushed forward to attack him were all knocked back. The stronger the attack was, the more forceful the counterattack against them was. Under the immense impact, their faces paled, and blood spurted from their mouths.

As 5-star blacksmiths, their cultivation had already reached Transcendent Mortal 8-dan or 9-dan. Yet, despite their strength, they had still been sent flying just like that, as if saying that they weren't even qualified to be considered an opponent to Zhang Xuan.

Seeing the entire sight from behind, Song Zhen's face paled in astonishment, and his body began trembling.

Back when the other party flicked away the sword in his hand, he had already known that the other party was a powerful expert. However, he didn't think that the other party would be so fearsome!

The strongest expert he had met ever since he was young was the guild leader of the Blacksmith Guild. Yet, to his shock, he realized that the young man before him seemed to be even stronger than the guild leader of the Blacksmith Guild!

"Quick, someone is trying to barge in..."

Hualala!

Right after the seven of them fell to the ground, another group of men rushed in. They were all 5-star blacksmiths as well, and as soon as they entered the room, they immediately launched a torrent of attacks toward Zhang Xuan. However, just like before, the attacks were completely ineffective. A moment later, they were left lying on the ground as well.

After striking down three waves of guards, the duo finally arrived at the lounge.

"Song Zhen, what do you mean by this?" Right after stepping into the lounge, they saw an old man glancing over in their direction with fury blazing in his eyes.

There were two 6-star blacksmiths standing beside the old man.

"I..." Upon seeing the old man, Song Zhen's face paled. As if the other party's authority had been marked deep into his bones, he found himself unable to speak a word at all.

"We don't mean anything much; we are just here to ask if you manage to sleep well at night. You filled your apprentices with hope, only to usher them toward despair. Don't you feel the slightest guilt within you?" Zhang Xuan walked straight toward the main seat in the lounge before turning a heavy gaze toward the old man.

The old man's cheeks twitched slightly, and with a face livid with rage, he bellowed, "Who are you? This is the Blacksmith Guild, not a place where you can fool around!"

"Fool around?" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a wry smile before turning a sharp gaze toward the old man. "I am here to return justice to Song Zhen!"

One of the 6-star blacksmiths standing beside the old man stepped forward and sneered coldly. "Return justice to Song Zhen? What justice does he need? Despite studying under Sun Jin laoshi for more than twenty years, he hasn't even managed to clear his 1-star blacksmith examination yet. What justice does that trash need? It's only because of Sun Jin laoshi's magnanimity that he was allowed to remain here for so long. Otherwise, the Blacksmith Guild would have long chased scum like him out of its doors!"

The 6-star blacksmith seemed to be in his early forties, and he possessed a cultivation of Nascent Saint as well. The gaze that he directed toward Song Zhen was filled with mockery and disgust.

"I am talking to Sun Jin, who do you think you are to interject in our conversation?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened. "Kneel down!"

Kacha!

All of a sudden, the 6-star blacksmith felt an immense might crushing down on him. Without any time to react at all, his knees caved him, leaving him kneeling helplessly on the ground.

"How dare you cause trouble here? Who in the world gave you the guts to do so?" Seeing his companion being forced to kneel on the ground, the other 6-star blacksmith flew into a rage. Bellowing furiously, he whipped out a sword and charged right toward Zhang Xuan.

As the sword pierced through the air, a freezing gust of wind seemed to permeate the entire room. Even though the 6-star blacksmith only possessed a cultivation of Saint 1-dan primary stage, the sword in his hand had reached the level of Spirit pinnacle!

Through the augmentation of his sword, even a Saint 1-dan intermediate cultivator would find it hard to stand against him.

Facing the other party's ferocious assault, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger casually, and the sword immediately flew out of the other party's hand. In the next moment, the sword flew into his hands, and with a resounding 'ding!', the sword had acknowledged its new master.

Pu!

Seeing his personal weapon taking another man as its master, the face of the 6-star blacksmith turned ghastly pale, as if he had seen a ghost. Stifled by the sight he had just seen, a huge mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.

"Who in the world are you?" Seeing how the young man was able to incapacitate one of his students with a word and have a Spirit pinnacle weapon acknowledge him as its master with a flick of his finger, Sun Jin's face finally turned grave.

"Like I said, I am here to return justice for Song Zhen." Zhang Xuan turned his cold gaze toward Sun Jin. "Do I really need to point it out explicitly to you?"

"I have taught Song Zhen for more than twenty years, and yet, he still wasn't able to become a 1-star blacksmith. What business is it of mine that his talent is mediocre?" Sun Jin spat through gritted teeth.

"You are saying that it has nothing to do with you?" Picking his ear leisurely, a look of disappointment surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face. "I don't like to hear those words. Tell me the truth."

"You..." Seeing that the other party wasn't about to let the matter rest easily, veins began popping out of Sun Jin's temper. With a frown of displeasure, he harrumphed. "What I said is the truth. There is nothing I can do about his lack of talent. If you don't believe me, you can ask Song Zhen about the matter yourself. A person who can't even smith a Mortal-tier weapon, what can I possibly do to help him?"

"It seems like speaking the truth is something very difficult for you. Since that's the case, why don't I share something with you? Perhaps it might help you jot your memory..."

Gazing deeply at Sun Jin, Zhang Xuan said calmly, "The cultivation technique he practices is suited for finding ores, but it happens to be in conflict with earth flames, thus making it impossible for him to smith. Can you tell me what is going on here?"

"This..." Sun Jin was astonished to hear those words, but he didn't allow it to show on his face. Nevertheless, his fists couldn't help but clench tightly behind his back. "He is just an ordinary apprentice; how would I know what kind of cultivation technique he practices? Do you expect a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith like me to bother myself with even the cultivation technique of a mere apprentice?"

"You..." Those words seemed to have triggered an explosion in Song Zhen's face. With a face scarlet with agitation, he exclaimed, "But you were the one who imparted my cultivation technique to me! You even offered me many pointers so as to ensure that I wouldn't err... How can you possibly be unaware of it!"

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Chapter 1023: Twisted

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The cultivation technique that he practiced had been personally taught to him by Sun Jin. Every time he met with a problem in his cultivation, Sun Jin would always step in personally to guide him. This was also the reason he was extremely grateful to the other party, and he felt deeply guilty that he had brought shame to the other party's name. That was also one of the major contributing reasons he had eventually decided to end his life.

Yet, why was the other party denying it now?

"Nonsense!" Sun Jin flung his sleeves and harrumphed coldly. "You aren't my direct disciple or even my student, you are just a mere apprentice. Who do you think you are for me to impart a cultivation technique to you and even personally guide you along?"

"I..." Song Zhen's body shook in disbelief.

He wanted to scream that what he had said was the truth and that he wasn't lying. Yet, he wasn't able to find any way to refute the other party's words at all.

Back then, when he first learnt that cultivation technique, the other party had told him that it was a very formidable technique and that others might attempt to lay their hands on it should they learn of its existence. As such, he had hidden the nature of his cultivation technique very well for the past twenty-four years. Who could have known that it was a trap laid by the other party from the very start? At this point, there was no way he could explain it anymore.

After all, given his identity, it was indeed irrational to think that a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith would devote time to guiding him personally.

"I have taught you for more than twenty years, and this is how you return my kindness? To actually bring someone over to injure my disciples... Song Zhen, I must have been blind to have taken you in back then!" Sun Jin bellowed furiously.

"You are going overboard with your acting." Seeing how the other party's disposition was growing stronger and stronger with each word spoken, as if he was the one who had the moral high ground, Zhang Xuan tapped his finger on the table beside him impatiently. "Since you are unwilling to speak the truth, I guess I'll just have to find some other way to get it out of you."

After saying that, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger.

Peng!

As if struck by a sudden streak of lightning, Sun Jin's figure retreated swiftly into the distance before coughing violently on the ground, and fresh blood spouted from his mouth.

"You..." Not expecting the other party to make a move against him, overpowering him with a mere strike of his finger, Sun Jin's body trembled in disbelief.

Arrogant! The other party was too arrogant!

This was the Blacksmith Guild they were in!

To barge in and attack him fearlessly, did the other party think that the Blacksmith Guild was just for show?

Wiping his finger on his sleeve, as if disgusted by how dirty it was, Zhang Xuan gazed down coldly upon the fallen Sun Jin. "How about it now? Do you recall anything yet?"

"You..." Sun Jin clenched his jaws tightly as his face flushed crimson. Knowing that he couldn't admit to the matter at any cost, he bellowed back, "All that I have said is the truth!"

"The truth?"

"That's right! He's just a mere apprentice, a person who hasn't even qualified as a 1-star blacksmith yet. How can he be qualified to have me lie for him?" At this point, a look of savagery surfaced in Sun Jin's eyes as he roared, "And you! Regardless of who you are, to dare to act so arrogantly in the Blacksmith Guild, I have to say, you are a goner!"

Had Zhang Xuan not known about Song Zhen's affairs in advance, he might very well have fallen for Sun Jin's act. However, having learned of the atrocities that Sun Jin had committed over the years, he didn't have the slightest shred of pity for the other party. Shaking his head in disappointment, he said, "It seems like you are unwilling to speak after all!"

To be honest, Sun Jin was indeed a very crafty person. Knowing that he would be severely punished if he were to be caught misguiding his apprentice, he had prepared in advance so as to absolve himself of any blame.

As long as he refused to admit that he had taught Song Zhen his cultivation technique, there was no one who would be able to do anything to him.

After all, the previous batch of apprentices whom he had imparted the cultivation technique to had nearly died out. There was nothing that the other party could possibly find to utilize against him.

But while such a mean might be effective in fooling others, there was no way it would work on Zhang Xuan.

If he really wanted the other party to speak, he could easily find several dozen methods to do so.

The only reason he hadn't done so was give the other party an opportunity.

"What I am saying is the truth," Sun Jin insisted adamantly, but before he could finish his words, he felt another aching sensation at his chest, and he was sent flying once more. The injuries he had sustained this time around was even more severe; it felt as if something had mashed his internal organs together. He lay weakly on the ground, unable to get back up.

"How is it? You still can't remember?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It will make no difference even if you kill me. If you dare kill me, you will definitely be chased to the end of the world by the Blacksmith Guild," Sun Jin roared angrily.

He knew deeply that he couldn't admit to it. The moment that he did so, he could very well be sentenced to death by the guild. On the other hand, if he were to deny it vehemently, there would be nothing the other party could do, having no evidence on hand.

"Since you desire to die, allow me to grant your wish!"

Zhang Xuan flicked his finger once more, and a surge of sword qi flew toward Sun Jin.

"Hold it right there!" At this instant, a loud bellow sounded, and three white-bearded elders entered the room. Upon seeing the surge of sword qi, they hurriedly rushed forward to deflect it.

Dressed in conventional blacksmith robes, there was an emblem with six gleaming stars pinned on the chests of each of the three elders. With the three of them making a move simultaneously, a powerful might reminiscent of the relentless currents of a river burst forth.

Boom!

The two forces collided, cancelling one another out.

The eyebrows of one of the elders shot up, and a powerful air of authority exuded from him. Stepping forward, he glared at Zhang Xuan with wrathful eyes.

"This friend over here, to barge in here and severely wound one of my elders, are you belittling us, or does the Blacksmith Guild mean nothing to you?"

Upon seeing the elder, Song Zhen hurriedly sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "H-he is Guild Leader Zhong..."

"Guild Leader Zhong?"

"Un, Guild Leader Zhong Mingchun. He is a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert, as well as a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith. His strength is even superior to the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and it is no joke to say that he is the strongest expert of our Firesource City," Song Zhen explained anxiously.

Due to its unique geographical terrain, the Blacksmith Guild and Apothecary Guild had developed to become far more prosperous and stronger than the other occupations. As a result, the head of the Blacksmith Guild was even stronger than the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Now that an expert of Guild Leader Zhong's caliber had gotten involved in this matter as well... how were they to resolve this issue?

Before Zhang Xuan could say a word, Sun Jin had already climbed to his feet and exclaimed furiously, "Guild Leader Zhong, save me! He actually dared to make a move against me. This is completely preposterous; he does not care about the law at all. A person like him must be killed, and his corpse must be incinerated with the earth flames so as to serve as a warning to others."

"I am a blacksmith myself, so naturally, I have no thoughts of belittling the Blacksmith Guild!" Paying no heed to Sun Jin, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out his 6-star blacksmith emblem.

"You are a 6-star blacksmith?"

Upon seeing the emblem, Guild Leader Zhong frowned. A moment later, he spoke with a grim voice. "Even if you are a 6-star blacksmith, any grudges you have with Sun Jin should be resolved through the headquarters. If you had applied for a Life-and-Death Duel beforehand, there would have been nothing that we could have said about the situation. However, to barge into our guild and harm one of our men, there is no way you are getting out of here alive today. Set up the formation!"

Right after saying those words, Guild Leader Zhong waved his hand.

Hualala!

The two elders beside him immediately rushed into their positions, forming a unique formation around Zhang Xuan.

"I have already told you my identity. As the guild leader, instead of investigating the situation, you chose to set up a formation to deal with me instead. Don't you think that you are being a little too hasty here?"

He had already revealed his identity as a 6-star blacksmith, and yet, the other party still unhesitatingly chose to make a move against him. After all of the talk about rules and order, the other party was still siding with his own men!

"Take down that insolent fellow first before we talk about the matter!" Ignoring Zhang Xuan's words, Guild Leader Zhong bellowed furiously before raising his palm and charging forward.

Hong long!

As Guild Leader Zhong made his move, the other two elders also raised their palms. The three surges of zhenqi formed a unique formation that shrouded the entire lounge.

Under the effects of the formation, the three of them could transmit their powers to one another freely, allowing them to practically double the strength of an individual among them in an instant. Guild Leader Zhong might only have been at Saint 1-dan pinnacle a moment ago, but with the other two elders infusing their strength into him, he had gained the power to face even a Saint 2-dan primary stage cultivator face-on.

Taking a glance at the formation, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Three Stars Violetmoon Formation?"

As a 6-star pinnacle formation master, he saw through the other party's seemingly profound formation with a single glance.

The Three Stars Violetmoon Formation had been created by a Saint realm formation master two thousand years ago. Requiring three men for it, the formation served to create a remote connection between the trio, allowing them to put their strength together and exert a might far greater than a normal collaboration among them.

For Guild Leader Zhong and the two elders to go all out and utilize such a formation right from the start, they must have felt threatened by his strength.

"If you know of the formation, you would do well to raise your hands and surrender peacefully. Perhaps, I can consider sparing you this once. Otherwise, today shall be the day of your death!"

Zhenqi rumbled in Guild Leader Zhong's palm, threatening to burst forth at any moment.

"Day of my death?" Zhang Xuan shook his head, his face reflecting the deep disappointment he had in the other party. "Despite serving as the guild leader, you are unaware of the atrocities committed by your own subordinate, allowing him to bring harm upon many budding blacksmiths. Not only so, you jump swiftly to conclusions, choosing to turn against me to protect your own subordinate without investigating the matter. It seems like it's about time to clean up the Firesource City Blacksmith Guild!"

Even if Guild Leader Zhong wasn't able to see through the anomaly in Song Zhen's cultivation technique in a glance like Zhang Xuan had, he should have at least noticed or heard something about the huge reserve of ores that Sun Jin had amassed over the years. That should have been enough to send warning bells ringing in Guild Leader Zhong's mind to investigate the matter!

Regardless of whether Guild Leader Zhong was intentionally covering for Song Zhen or hadn't noticed it in the first place, there was one thing that was certain—he had seriously failed in his responsibilities as a guild leader, and he had to be punished for that.

"We can talk about that once you survive our attack!"

On the other hand, seeing how the other party was uttering such big words even when death was imminent for him, Guild Leader Zhong harrumphed coldly. Stepping forward, a powerful aura reminiscent of an imposing dragon burst forth from him, and a huge congregation of energy exploded out.

Boom!

That huge congregation of energy swiftly warped into a massive sword as it bolted toward Zhang Xuan with unbelievable speed.

Song Zhen's face paled in fright, and he exclaimed anxiously, "Be careful!"

The might gathered within the massive sword felt so great that it seemed as if it could even split the world in two. Not even a Saint 2-dan expert could possibly stand against such immense force.

It was for his sake that the other party had come here. If the other party were to be killed because of him, he would feel guilt-ridden for life.

Clenching his jaws in determination, Song Zhen was just about to charge forward to take the attack in Zhang Xuan's stead when the other party abruptly grabbed the teacup on the table beside him and poured its contents forward.

Weng!

The next instant, the massive sword of zhenqi abruptly swerved upward.

Boom!

The sword tore through the roof, leaving debris and dust scattering all around the lounge.

He actually deflected that attack with a single cup of tea? This... Unable to believe his eyes, Song Zhen rubbed his eyes forcefully, seemingly trying to check if he was dreaming.

The trio had brought out the might of the Three Stars Violetmoon Formation perfectly, such that even Saint 2-dan experts would have had no choice but to flee before that overwhelming strength. Yet, that fellow had actually deflected that powerful attack with just a cup of tea? Just how in the world did he manage to do it?

As much as Song Zhen was astonished, Guild Leader Zhong and the others were flabbergasted by the ludicrous sight before them as well.

To redirect the might of their formation with just a cup of tea, that was something that had exceeded the scope of their imagination. Inconceivable!

"There is something bizarre about that fellow. Let's use our strongest move!" Guild Leader Zhong roared furiously.

In the next instant, the three elders drew their swords. Three chilling gleams flashed through the air, heading right for Zhang Xuan.

This is bad.

Upon seeing Guild Leader Zhong and the other two elders drawing their swords, Song Zhen's face turned as pale as a sheet of paper. It was apparent that Guild Leader Zhong and the others were enraged, and they were planning to kill Zhang Xuan! He hurriedly turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan anxiously, only to see the latter frowning in displeasure.

"Are you done yet?"

After saying those words, he stood up and lifted the chair beneath him with a single hand before walking forward with widened strides.

A chair...? Seeing Zhang Xuan's actions, Song Zhen nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

Of your three opponents, two are wielding Spirit pinnacle swords and the last one has a Half-Saint sword in hand. Yet... you are going to face them with just a chair? Do you think that this is a street fight?

How in the world do you expect to win with such a weapon in hand?

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Chapter 1024: You Are Principal Zhang?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Not only was Song Zhen frenzied by the sight before him, the mouths of Guild Leader Zhong and the others were also twitching uncontrollably, and they felt as if their minds were about to blow at that sight.

It was indeed true that the chairs of their Blacksmith Guild were extremely expensive commodities, made out of superior materials, but even so... it was still just wood! Perhaps it might have been a decent weapon in a street fight against ordinary humans, but to use it to deal with their Three Stars Violetmoon Formation was a blatant insult to them!

Gritting his teeth tightly, Guild Leader Zhong harrumphed coldly. "Since you are courting death, don't blame us when you get hurt!"

Flicking his wrist forcefully, a sword qi reminiscent of a relentless waterfall flowed forth.

Huala!

In the blink of an eye, Guild Leader Zhong had already executed his strongest sword art.

Half-Saint battle technique... Knots of a Thousand Threads!

'As if two interweaved webs, a thousand knots there are in my heart!' 1

This battle technique was created by a lovesick swordmaster a thousand years ago. The main aim of the sword qi lay not in killing but coiling. Once struck by this technique, one would feel as if one had fallen into a marsh, unable to struggle free.

With Guild Leader Zhong's current strength, complemented by the effects of the formation, not even a Saint 2-dan intermediate stage cultivator would be able to deal with it easily. It seemed like he was aware that ordinary means wouldn't be effective on the other party, considering the other party's extraordinary strength and deep comprehension of formations. As such, he had decided to use his strongest means in the hope of taking down the other party swiftly.

Hula!

The sword qi swiftly formed circle after circle. Once trapped within, even the most formidable of experts would have to suffer a fair bit to break free. Yet, the young man before him didn't seem to be aware of the danger ahead of him. Holding the leg of the chair, he continued proceeding forward fearlessly.

"You came!" Guild Leader Zhong sneered.

Tzzzz!

With a skillful flick of his sword, the sword qi instantaneously surrounded Zhang Xuan.

I succeeded? Guild Leader Zhong nearly leaped up in excitement.

He had only intended to use this technique to harass the other party, hoping to uncover the full extent of the other party's strength through it. Yet, who knew that he would successfully coil his sword qi around the other party so easily?

So far, he had never encountered a cultivator who could break free from his Knots of a Thousand Threads before!

Delighted, Guild Leader Zhong had just started thinking about how he should deal with the other party when the person who should have been trapped within his Knots of a Thousand Threads abruptly vanished, causing his sword qi to end up coiling around nothing. The next moment, the other party abruptly appeared right before him, and the blunt, squarish edges of the wooden chair came crashing down forcefully on his head.

"I..." Guild Leader Zhong's body stiffened. Before he could make sense of what had just happened, a sharp pain abruptly assaulted his face.

Peng peng peng peng!

Despite the weak material used to make the chair, it had been reinforced by the other party's zhenqi, making it as tough as steel. In the blink of an eye, his face was already completely soaked in blood.

"Wait a moment..." The other two 6-star blacksmiths who had been fighting alongside Guild Leader Zhong were also frenzied by the sight before them.

They had gone to the extent of utilizing a collaborative formation along with their strongest attack, and yet, they had still ended up being pummeled by the other party. More importantly... it was one thing if the other party had wielded a powerful weapon, but he was only equipped with the chair he had been sitting down on a moment ago! Just the thought of the current situation left them feeling so stifled that they could spurt blood.

It was not much of an issue that he had been pummeled by an expert, but if the other blacksmiths were to learn that their guild leader had been viciously pummeled by a person wielding with a chair, they would become the laughingstock of the entire Firesource City!

As such, the two elders hurriedly charged forward to save their guild leader. The zhenqi in their bodies surged furiously as they drew out two white streams of silk-like sword qi.

However, before their attack could land on the young man, the sight before them abruptly darkened. All of a sudden, they found a chair headed right toward their faces as well.

Pilipala!

Zhang Xuan swung his arm relentlessly, bringing the chair down upon the trio before him.

They sure were shameless.

It was out of concern for their dignity that he had held himself back, but those three were so thick-skinned that they didn't know when they would stop. What formation, strongest attack, and sword art? Shouldn't they have realized that it was futile by now?

Even a Saint 2-dan combat master wasn't a match for him; what could three Saint 1-dan fellows do? Putting aside setting up a formation, even if they were to bring their entire extended family over, they would still not have been a match for him!

After two minutes of merciless pummeling, the three most esteemed blacksmiths in the guild were eventually left lying on the ground, bruised all over.

"This..." Sun Jin was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

He had thought that, with the guild leader and the two elders making a move simultaneously, they would surely have been able to subdue the other party easily. Yet, never in his dreams did he expect to see the other party easily suppressing the trio with just a chair in hand.

For a chair to actually overwhelm a Half-Saint weapon, just what was this?

"Alright!" After giving the guild leader and the two elders a harsh beating, Zhang Xuan finally placed the chair down and sat down on it once more.

"Are you willing to listen to my words now?"

"You... Who in the world are you?"

Not expecting a twenty-year-old young man to actually possess such astounding prowess, Guild Leader Zhong clenched his jaws tightly and roared, "Barging into the Blacksmith Guild and beating up the guild leader and elders, I have already reported this matter to the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion. Be prepared to face the wrath of Pavilion Master Feng!"

The Master Teacher Pavilion was in charge of maintaining the security and order of the region it was stationed in. Regardless of the identity of the young man before him, his act of barging into the Blacksmith Guild and intentionally wounding its members had already infringed upon the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

The other party would have already gotten away by the time the personnel from the Blacksmith Guild headquarters arrived to deal with this matter. However, there was still the Firesource City Master Teacher Pavilion located not too far away, and once they learned of the matter, they would surely rush over at top speed.

While many had viewed him to be the strongest expert in Firesource City, Guild Leader Zhong knew that that was far from the case. In terms of fighting prowess, there was no doubt that Pavilion Master Feng was above him. On top of that, for some reason, many experts had gathered in the regional Master Teacher Pavilion in recent days. Once they dispatch their forces, they would surely be able to apprehend that fellow and teach him a lesson that he would never forget.

"Pavilion Master Feng? You are talking about Feng Yihui?" Zhang Xuan asked with an ironic smile on his lips.

"That's right!" Guild Leader Zhong roared affirmatively.

The head of the Firesource City Master Teacher Pavilion, Feng Yihui, was his close friend, and they had known one another for more than a hundred years now. As soon as he learned that someone had barged into the Blacksmith Guild, he had immediately sent a message to inform the other party. Judging from the amount of time that had passed, the other party was due to arrive very soon.

All he could do now was pray for Pavilion Master Feng to arrive as soon as possible so as to back him up. However, at that moment, the young man before him abruptly turned his gaze outside and said, "Pavilion Master Feng, you have been watching this commotion long enough. Isn't it about time you come in?"

"Watching this commotion? Pavilion Master Feng... has already arrived?"

'Gedeng!'

An ominous premonition struck Guild Leader Zhong's heart. He hurriedly turned his head and saw an old man walking over with an awkward look on his face.

"Zhang shi!" Upon walking into the room, the old man bowed deeply to the young man first before turning his gaze toward him. "Guild Leader Zhong..."

This old man was the head of the Firesource City Master Teacher Pavilion, Feng Yihui.

Upon receiving his old friend's call for aid, he had immediately rushed over as soon as he could, fearing that the other party might have been in danger. However, when he arrived at the doorstep, he had realized that the so-called intruder was actually Principal Zhang, and he had immediately halted his footsteps.

Principal Zhang was a 6-star master teacher like him, but as the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, his standing was a tier above his, comparable to 7-star master teachers. Naturally, he didn't have the right to question the other party's actions.

As such, even when he saw Guild Leader Zhong being viciously pummeled by a chair, he had continued to hide outside, not daring to step in to intervene. However, he hadn't expected that Principal Zhang would actually notice his presence.

With his presence exposed, he had no choice but to walk out awkwardly.

"Zhang shi? He is... a master teacher?" Noticing how respectful Pavilion Master Feng was when he greeted the other party, Guild Leader Zhong's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly turned his gaze toward the young man.

Didn't the other party say that he was a 6-star blacksmith? Why did he become a master teacher all of a sudden? On top of that, for Pavilion Master Feng to treat the other party with such respect... Zhang shi...

"C-c-could you be... the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Zhang Xuan?" Guild Leader Zhong's eyes widened in astonishment as realization struck him.

He had no idea whether Principal Zhang was at Firesource City or not, but he was aware that there were twenty thousand students from the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy who were in the midst of a mission there at the moment.

Of the twenty thousand students, ten thousand of them had blacksmith as their main supporting occupation, and they had just requested a substantial sum of smithing resources from them just two days ago, so naturally, he was aware of the matter.

Considering that there were twenty thousand students there, it wouldn't be a surprise if the principal was here as well!

"Indeed, I am Zhang Xuan!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Principal Zhang? Song Zhen's body stiffened in disbelief when he heard those words, and soon after, his eyes turned fiery with agitation.

It hadn't been long since Principal Zhang had been inaugurated as the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, but his name was already well-known throughout the entire Hongyuan Empire. Even the citizens of a place as remote as Firesource City had all heard of his name.

For such a legendary figure to say that it was possible for him to become a blacksmith... Perhaps, there just might be hope for him!

Forming a stark contrast to Song Zhen's excitement was Sun Jin's look of horror. His eyes narrowed in disbelief as a feeling of weakness assaulted his entire body.

If the other party had only been a blacksmith, he might just have been able to deny it to the very end. But if the other party was a master teacher... it was doubtful that his strategy would be able to work!

The discerning eyes of the master teachers were not something that could be fathomed through common sense, and the Master Teacher Pavilion possessed incredible means that would make it nigh impossible for anyone to lie to them!

Not to mention, Zhang Xuan was the cream of the crop among the master teachers, a true legend!

Guild Leader Zhong's face had paled with fright, but after all that had happened, he was reluctant to give up. "Even if you are... the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, surely it is against the rules for you to barge into the Blacksmith Guild and assault our men..."

Even if the other party had a standing higher than his, to barge into their base and wound so many of their men, surely the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn't condone such actions!

"Rules?" Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Xuan rose from his seat. Commanding the authority and disposition of a principal, he said, "Only those who abide by the rules deserve to be protected by the rules!"

"Only those who abide by the rules deserve to be protected by the rules?" Guild Leader Zhong was baffled by Zhang Xuan's words. "When has our Blacksmith Guild broken the rules?"

"Song Zhen, come over!" Zhang Xuan turned to the middle-aged man by the side and beckoned him over.

"Yes!" Nodding, Song Zhen hurried forward.

"Exert your zhenqi," Zhang Xuan instructed.

Song Zhen nodded before driving his zhenqi. The next moment, a heavy aura permeated the entire room.

"Th-this type of zhenqi..." Guild Leader Zhong's eyes widened in bewilderment before they abruptly narrowed in realization.

As a 6-star pinnacle blacksmith, he could tell with a single glance what attribute the other party's zhenqi was and whether it complemented the earth flames or not.

It was apparent that, with the middle-aged man's zhenqi, it was impossible for him to become a blacksmith.

Seeing that Guild Leader Zhong understood what he was getting at, Zhang Xuan turned to Song Zhen and urged him on. "Tell your story to Guild Leader Zhong over here!"

"Yes." Song Zhen nodded. "I was one of Blacksmith Sun Jin's apprentices, and I have been learning smithing ever since I was seven. The cultivation technique that I am practicing has been taught by him..."

Without hiding anything, he repeated everything that he had told Zhang Xuan previously to Guild Leader Zhong.

Even though he still wasn't too sure what was going on, he knew that Principal Zhang was doing all of it for him, and he trusted the other party as well.

"He imparted such a cultivation technique to you, and yet, he still urged you to take the blacksmith examination? How is this possible? Unless..."

Right after hearing Song Zhen's words, Guild Leader Zhong face turned completely pale. With a face as cold as the biting frost of a winter night, he turned to look at Sun Jin.

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